May 02, 2022 Music

UH, SO IT'S LIKE, UH, BASICALLY IF YOU TOOK AN INSIDE OF A PIANO AND DISSECTED IT AND JUST GAVE YOU TWO HAMMERS TO PLAY WITH, SO THAT'S WHAT I PLAY AND WE'RE, UH, WE'RE LIKE A SIX OR SEVEN PIECE, LITTLE MINI ORCHESTRA RIGHT NOW.

UM, WHAT OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

WELL, MY, MY LAST QUESTION IS, UH, WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT KLEZMER MUSIC IN, WELL, IT'S FUNNY, CAUSE WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, UM, PLAYING ALL THIS OLD MUSIC AND, UM, RIGHT BEFORE WE CAME HERE, WE WERE PLAYING AT ZILKER PARK FOR, UM, A GROUP, UH, UH, JEWISH RELIGIOUS SCHOOL THAT WAS CELEBRATING ISRAEL'S BIRTHDAY.

AND SO THEY INVITED US.

SO, UM, PLAYING KLEZMER MUSIC AT ZILKER PARK WITH ALL THE PEOPLE WALKING BY FROM BARTON SPRINGS AND THEIR BATHING SUITS AND BIKINIS AND WONDERING WHAT WE WERE DOING.

SO IT'S REALLY LOVELY TO BE ABLE TO, UM, BRING OUR MUSIC TO AUTHENTIC, UH, JEWISH EXPERIENCES.

WHAT MAKES IT FUN.

IT'S WHEN PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY DANCING AND NOT JUST SITTING AND LISTENING TO THE MUSIC.

SO HAVING A SPACE SPACES IN AUSTIN WHERE WE CAN PLAY, YOU KNOW, FOR A COFFEE SHOP AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE GREAT.

AND IT'S ALSO LOVELY TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY BRING THIS MUSIC OUT INTO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, UM, AND THEN INTO THE WIDER COMMUNITY AS WELL.

WELL, I THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND CAN WE NOW SEE THE VIDEO? YEAH.

AND JUST A REMINDER, DID THE, EVERYBODY JOINING ON WEBEX, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SEE IT ON THE WEBEX.

YOU CAN'T, WE CAN SEE AND HEAR EVERYTHING PERFECTLY HERE AND ON THE ATX THEN LIVESTREAM.

SO EVERYBODY WATCHING AT HOME OR WATCHING THE RECORDING LATER, WE'LL GET TO SEE THE VIDEO, BUT YEAH, THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING UP TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS GUYS.

THANKS.

[00:10:44]

WELL, THAT WAS FANTASTIC.

THANK YOU, OREN.

WE'VE HAD SUCH, I MEAN, EVERY, EVERY MONTH IT'S SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

UM, AND SO, SO MUCH FOR US TO BE PROUD OF AS AUSTINITES LIKE EVERY WEEK I GIVE THEM LIKE THIS GLOWY SPEECH, BUT EVERY MONTH, BUT AGAIN, I'M JUST SO IMPRESSED.

SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING IN PERSON AS WELL AS SHARING YOUR VIDEO WITH US.

AND THE NEXT MONTH IS GOING TO BE GRAHAM REYNOLDS.

HE'S OUR MAYOR APPOINTEE.

IT'LL BE HIS, HIS PICK.

SO HE'S GOT THE WHOLE CITY TO CHOOSE FROM.

AND SO WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT HE PICKS OUT FOR US.

YOU KNOW, I, I WANTED TO SHARE THAT, UH, SMALL WORLD, RIGHT.

AND, AND WE, WE HAVE ACTUALLY WORKED ON, UM, UH, BASICALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, NON-PROFIT COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN THE INDIAN COMMUNITY AND THE JEWISH COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN AND SEVERAL YEARS BACK, UH, WE ACTUALLY DID, UH, SOME SHOWS TOGETHER TO RAISE FUNDS FOR A SCHOOL CHILDREN HERE IN AUSTIN.

I AM SO, SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU GUYS AGAIN, BOLLYWOOD MEETS BORSCHT BELT.

THAT'S WHAT THEY WENT WAS CALLED.

WE'VE GOT CITIZEN COMMUNICATION,

AND IT HAPPENED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND I THINK THEY'RE PICKING THAT BACK UP AGAIN SOON.

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TODAY.

SO, UH, WELL HOPEFULLY NEXT MONTH WE'LL HAVE SOME FOLKS JOINING US.

UM, SO

[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

WE WILL MOVE ON AHEAD TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

SO HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY ON THE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE MINUTES THAT CAN PUT TOGETHER AND EMAILED OUT TO US EARLIER.

UM, SO DOES ANYBODY WANT A MOTION, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

I THINK THAT PASSES SHAKA.

DID YOU, DID YOU WANT ANOTHER MINUTE TO TAKE A LOOK? OH, YOU'RE MUTED.

OKAY, KIM.

I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE A COUPLE THAT DIDN'T RAISE THEIR HANDS.

SO WERE THOSE ABSTAINING VOTES? NO, I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST TRYING TO READ IT REAL QUICK.

I'M SORRY.

Y'ALL IT WAS JUST TAKE A SEC.

AND I BOUGHT IT AS IT SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN LOOKED AT IT AND I WASN'T THERE, SO I DIDN'T, UH, THAT'S WHY TECHNICALLY YOU CAN STILL VOTE ON THE MINUTES, EVEN IF YOU WEREN'T THERE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO, YOU CAN ABSTAIN.

SO THAT'S HOW IS THAT ABSTAINING? DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TO PASS? IT'S PROBABLY ME.

I'M SORRY.

I JUST NEEDED TO LOOK AT IT.

THANK YOU FOR IT THEN.

UPDATE ON THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AND CREATIVE SPACE ASSISTANT PROGRAM BY ERICA SHAMLEY DIVISION MANAGER AND KIM CARSON PROGRAM MANAGER, UH, FROM THE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

I THINK WE, I THINK IT PASSES.

I THINK WE'RE GOOD.

UM, ALL RIGHT, SO THEN WE'LL MOVE RIGHT AHEAD TO STAFF BRIEFINGS.

SO, UH, ITEM TWO, A

[2A. Update on Live Music Fund and Creative Space Assistance Program by Erica Shamaly, Division Manager, and Kim McCarson, Program Manager, Music & Entertainment Division, Economic Development Department.]

SO, OKAY.

HELLO, COMMISSIONERS, ERIC SHAMLEY MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MANAGERS.

GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL TONIGHT LOOKING GOOD AS ALWAYS.

UM, OKAY, SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT AT THE LAST MEETING, WE'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH THE LIVE MUSIC FUND EVENT PROGRAM.

SO IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT, UH, SLIDE PLEASE.

AND SO WE HEARD YOU, WE WILL DO AWARDS OF 12 MONTHS FOR A FIVE TO $10,000 EACH.

UH, AGAIN, FIRST DISBURSEMENT IS 50% OF THE TOTAL AWARD AWARDS PAID OVER 12 MONTHS, DRAWN DOWN MONTHLY AFTER THE 50% FOR REIMBURSABLE ELIGIBLE EXPENSES, 10% PAID ON THE RECEIPT OF THE FINAL REPORT AND THEN ANYTHING NOT USED BY THE AWARDEE, WHICH IS TOTALLY FINE.

WE'LL MOVE BACK INTO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.

BUT OF COURSE WE WANT TO SEE THOSE PROJECTS COMPLETED WITH THE FUNDS THAT YOU DO HAVE.

SO, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

ISSUES AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH LESS STAFF, NOT ONLY IN OUR DEPARTMENT, IN OUR DIVISION, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD PURCHASING INCLUDED.

SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING IN ORDER TO GET IT DONE.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD CAPACITY

[00:15:01]

AND SO W THE BEST WAY THAT WE CAN GET THIS DONE, JUST TO HAVE THESE 12 MONTH CONTRACTS AT FIVE TO $10,000, IS TO GET A THIRD-PARTY TO DO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE MONITORING INSISTING OF THE COMMITMENTS.

AND I'LL GET TO THAT AT THE VERY END.

SO WE ESTIMATE THAT WE'LL HAVE BETWEEN 1,220 500 APPLICANTS TO THE, THIS PROGRAM.

AND THAT COULD MEAN UP TO 500 OR 600, UH, AWARDEE CONTRACTORS IF EVERYONE GOT $5,000 INSTEAD OF $10,000.

SO, BUT WE AVERAGED IT BETWEEN 200 AND 500, UH, AWARDEE CONTRACTORS.

THAT'S A LOT.

SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, UH, UPDATED THE SOLICITATION THAT WE HAD WITH PURCHASING TO FIND SOMEONE THAT CAN DO ALL OF THE WORK FOR US.

AND SO THE IMAGES ADMINISTRATION FEE, I CAN'T REALLY TELL YOU WHAT THAT IS.

PART OF THE SOLICITATION IS FOR THEM TO GIVE US A QUOTE BASED ON A VERY DETAILED QUOTE, BASED ON ALL OF THE TASKS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE SOLICITATION.

UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL STILL PROVIDE THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, UH, FOR APPLICATION REGISTRATION AND ASSISTANCE, TO BE SURE THAT ALL APPLICATIONS ARE COMPLETE AND CORRECT, AND THAT EVERY APPLICANT HAS AN EQUAL CHANCE, UH, TO BE SCORED FAIRLY FOR THEIR APPLICATION.

AND SO THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, AS PART OF THEIR CONTRACT, HAS THE ABILITY TO GET A THIRD, A SUBCONTRACTOR TO HELP WITH THE ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION.

PART OF THE PROCESS.

WHEN, WHEN ONE THING WE LEARNED WITH THE AUSTIN MUSIC DISASTER RELIEF GRANT TO HAVE ONE THIRD-PARTY DO ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IS A LOT OF WORK.

SO WHAT WE CAN DO IS GET A THIRD-PARTY THAT HAS ALL OF THE, THE ABILITY CAPACITY TO DO ALL OF THE OTHER TASKS WHILE BRINGING ON A SUBCONTRACTOR WHO IS A MUSIC EXPERT IN AUSTIN, WHO KNOWS WHAT ELIGIBILITY IS FOR A PROMOTER, FOR A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTATION AND TO QUICKLY GO THROUGH IT.

IT'S ALSO JUST ADDED CAPACITY FOR THE THIRD PARTY TO GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS AS QUICKLY AND FAIRLY AS POSSIBLE, GIVING EVERYONE AN EQUAL SHOT SO THAT, UH, THAT, UM, SUBCONTRACTOR COULD BE ANY ONE OF OUR AMAZING ORGANIZATIONS IN AUSTIN THAT NO MUSICIANS, NO PROMOTERS VERY WELL THAT CAN, UH, GET PAID TO DO THIS WORK FOR THE THIRD PARTY AS PART OF THIS CONTRACT.

UH, SO ONCE THE ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATIONS HAPPEN, YOU'RE MOVED ON TO THE ACTUAL APPLICATION.

IF YOU'RE SHOWN TO BE ELIGIBLE AT THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, WE'LL EVALUATE AND SCORE THOSE ELIGIBLE APPLICATIONS, UM, WHICH HAVE ALL ALREADY BEEN VERIFIED BY THE SUBCONTRACTOR AND GO AS QUICKLY AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN TO SCORE POTENTIALLY 2,500 MAYBE 3000 APPLICATIONS.

SO I'M AT THE END OF THAT PROCESS, THAT SAME SUBCONTRACTOR, THAT MUSIC EXPERT IN AUSTIN, WE'LL CHECK OVER THE WORK, MAKE SURE THAT THE ACT IT'S CORRECT, THAT THERE ARE NO MISTAKES THAT HAVE HAPPENED.

THEY WON'T LOOK AT NAMES OF APPLICATIONS.

THAT'S NOT THEIR ROLE.

THEY'LL JUST LOOK AND MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK WAS DONE CORRECTLY, UH, FROM LIKE AN ACCOUNTING POINT OF VIEW FROM THE THIRD PARTY.

SO ONCE WE HAVE THAT ACCURACY CHECK, WE WILL HAVE A LIST OF FINAL, UH, AWARDEES, UH, UP TO OUR $3 MILLION BUDGET.

AND I WILL DEFER TO SYNOVIA ON THE FINAL AWARDS BUDGET, DEPENDING ON WHERE WE END UP, UH, WITH THE FUND BALANCE.

AND SO, BUT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT A $3 MILLION AWARD BUDGET.

AND SO THAT THIRD PARTY WILL THEN EXECUTE THE 12 MONTH CONTRACTS WITH THE AWARDEES, AND THEY STILL HAVE TO FOLLOW THE EXACT SAME PROCESS AS THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS HOT FUND MONEY IS BEING CORRECTLY CONTRACTED WITH ALL THE PARTICULAR FORMS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO HAVE, UM, AUDITABLE AND CORRECT CONTRACTS WITH THESE, UM, AWARDEES.

AND SO THAT TAKES TIME.

UM, CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE'RE DEPENDENT ON THE AWARDEES TO SEND US BACK A LOT OF INFORMATION TO GET THOSE CONTRACTS DONE, BUT BY HAVING A THIRD PARTY DO IT, THEY'LL HAVE MORE CAPACITY AND STAFF TO JUST, UH, KIND OF FOLLOW UP INDIVIDUALLY AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN TO GET THOSE CONTRACTS EXECUTED.

AND SO WHAT, WHERE THE CITY STAFF WILL STILL HAVE A PLAY A ROLE INSTEAD OF THE CONTRACT MANAGER OR THE THIRD PARTY CHECKING IN TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL COMMITMENTS ARE MET, THAT'S WHERE STAFF COMES IN AS PART OF THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT WITH A THIRD PARTY IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ALL OF THE AWARDEES TO BE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UH, SATISFYING THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS AROUND EQUITY, AROUND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, UH, AS WELL AS THE FINAL REPORT.

AND WE'RE ALSO THERE JUST TO ASSIST WITH ANYTHING THEY MAY NEED TO GET THE WORK DONE, TO GET THE PROJECT DONE, ANY KIND OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO LIKE REFER THEM TO OTHER GROUPS FOR, FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT OR JUST HELP TROUBLESHOOT THAT'S WHAT CITY STAFF WILL REMAIN THERE

[00:20:01]

TO DO THAT FOR EACH AWARDEE.

AND SO THEN WE'LL JUST KIND OF UPDATE THE THIRD-PARTY UP.

THEY DID THIS, THEY DID THIS THAT YOU CAN SEND OVER THAT NEXT PAYMENT OR THAT FINAL REPORT OR THAT FINAL REPORT IS IN IT'S COMPLETE.

YOU CAN SEND THEIR LAST 10% OF THEIR CONTRACT.

SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF OUTSOURCING ADDITIONAL STAFF, A LOT OF ADDITIONAL STAFF TO PROPERLY MANAGE THESE CONTRACTS AND TO GET THEM DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER, UH, ONCE THE CONTRACT, ONCE THE THIRD-PARTY IS BROUGHT ON.

SO, UH, WE'LL GO INTO THE TIMELINE HERE IN A SECOND, BUT IT IS A LONGER TIMELINE TO GET US THERE, TO GET THE THIRD PARTY ON BOARD TO START THIS PROCESS, BUT WE CAN EXTEND AND UPDATE THE CONTRACT WITH A THIRD THIRD-PARTY AND THEN ANY SUBSEQUENT CYCLES COULD POTENTIALLY GO A LOT QUICKER BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT WHOLE PROCESS AGAIN, OF SOLICITING SOLICITING AT THIRD-PARTY.

SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO HERE'S THE TIMELINE AND THIS IS A PURCHASING TIMELINE AND WE ALREADY HAVE ALL THE MATERIALS INTO PURCHASING IN ORDER TO GET THIS WORK DONE.

TYPICALLY IT CAN TAKE UP TO 12 MONTHS TO BRING ON A THIRD PARTY THROUGH A FORMAL SOLICITATION.

WE HAVE PROVIDED ALL THE MATERIALS THAT THEY HAVE.

SO WE'RE HOPING WE CAN DO IT IN EIGHT MONTHS, WHICH GIVES US TILL THE END OF DECEMBER, JUST TO GET THE THIRD PARTY ON BOARD.

AND THEN UNFORTUNATELY WE STILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN RCA TO BE APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, WHICH IS THE FUNDING IN ORDER TO PAY.

THE THIRD PARTY HAS TO GO INTO A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.

THERE'S A PROCESS FOR THAT.

IT USUALLY TAKES FOUR WEEKS AFTER A, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE RIGHT VENDOR TO GO AND GET THAT APPROVED BY COUNCIL.

SO THEN THAT LEADS US INTO WORKING WITH A THIRD PARTY AFTER THAT RCA DATE, TO HAVE THAT APPROVED, TO GET ALL OF THE CONTRACT MATERIALS IN PLACE TO GET THEM GOING BY MAY.

AND SO THAT MEANS THAT WE CAN START THE APPLICATION AS THE CONTRACT IS INKED WITH A THIRD PARTY TO GET THE APPLICATION ROLLING.

SO STILL BE A PORTAL APPLICATION.

IT'S THE SAME KIND OF PROCESS WE DID WITH AUSTIN MUSIC, DISASTER RELIEF GRANT, WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY UTILIZE THE CITY APPLICATION SYSTEM AND WE PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT.

SO THAT BRINGS US TO NEXT SUMMER, JULY, 2023 FOR CONTRACT START DATES FOR 12 MONTH CONTRACTS.

AND WE DO THINK THAT WE'LL COVER THE MUSIC SEASONS OF THE FOLLOWING FALL AND THE SOUTH, YOU KNOW, SPRING BREAK, YOU KNOW, THE SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR OF 2024, UH, SHOULD BE A NICE, HEALTHY CHUNK OF TIME TO GET ANY WORK DONE, WHETHER IT'S A STUDIO RECORDING OR IT IS AN EVENT, UM, THAT'S A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME TO START IN THE SUMMER AND, AND WITHIN THE FALL OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR OR THE SUMMER OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR, EXCUSE ME.

SO THAT IS WHERE WE'RE AT.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER SLIDE DOING, I DON'T THINK SO NOW WE DON'T SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

I WISH WE CAN MAKE IT GO FASTER, LIKE TONS FASTER.

THIS IS THE FASTEST WE CAN GET THIS ALL DONE.

IF WE WERE TO DO IT ALL IN HOUSE, IT WOULD TAKE, UM, WE DON'T SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF.

NOT ONLY, IT'S NOT JUST, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IT'S PURCHASING.

UM, WE ARE, UH, HAVE LOST A LOT OF STAFF, JUST LIKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

AND, UH, AND SO WE'RE JUST DOING THE BEST WE CAN.

WE THINK THIS IS THE BEST PATH FORWARD TO GET IT DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IN THE WAY THAT YOU ENVISIONED.

AND THEN WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

AND SO NOVIA IS ALSO ON THE PANEL TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

GREAT SPREADSHEETS TO SHARE WITH US.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE'RE ALL HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE STAYING WITH THE ORIGINAL PLAN OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SMALLER GRANTS AND SHORTER CONTRACTS, UM, IN ORDER TO JUST MAKE MORE GRANTS AVAILABLE TO MUSICIANS.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

UM, YEAH, SO I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS SO THAT I GUESS THE, SO THE FUNDS GOING OUT, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT $2.5 MILLION.

IF THERE'S, WE'RE HOPING FOR, AND I'LL LEAVE THIS TO STILL SYNOVIA A $3 MILLION AWARD BUDGET, AND THEN THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR THE FEE THAT WOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF HOT FUNDS AS WELL.

AND SO SYNOVIA, DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT AT ALL ON THE WARD BUDGET, CORRECT AIR SOME THERE'LL BE HOT LAB DIRECT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND YOU ARE CORRECT.

WE WANT TO HOLD THE $3 MILLION TO DEPLOY THE REC AND THEN WE WILL, UM, TAKE THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE FROM THE ACTUALS THAT HAVE BEEN COLLECTED.

AND SO THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT'S UNKNOWN.

AND REMEMBER LAST MONTH I SAID, IT COULD COST AGAIN, AS ERICA MENTIONED, WE ARE DOWN REALLY, I THINK 20 FTES IN OUR DEPARTMENT.

NOW MUSIC HAS A DIVISION OF JUST TWO.

AND SO THIS IS THE BEST WE HOPE PURCHASING CAN MOVE FASTER, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO OVER-COMMIT BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO FACING STAFFING CHALLENGES.

SO, UM, IN TERMS OF LIKE THAT, THE ACTUAL SALES, UM, AND THE BUDGET TOTALS FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND IN THE PAST, UH, SO NOVIA, YOU HAD GREAT, YOU KNOW, SOME

[00:25:01]

I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING, JUST TO SEE HOW MUCH WE HAVE IN THE BANK AT THIS POINT.

UM, I THINK IT'S JUST HELPFUL HOPEFUL FOR US TO KNOW, AND THAT'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL IN THE PAST, UM, AND JUST GIVES US A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S, UM, WHAT'S POSSIBLE.

AND THEN WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION COSTS ARE AS WELL.

UM, SO THE, THE THIRD PARTY WOULD GO INTO THE THIRD PARTY, UH, ADMINISTRATION.

SO WE'LL THAT THAT'LL STILL HAPPEN THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS THAT WE DISCUSSED.

UM, AND ALL OF THE MUSIC, THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDE TO US HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS.

AND WE THOUGHT WITH THE EXTRA STEP OF DOING THAT SUBCONTRACT WITH THAT MUSIC INDUSTRY EXPERT, THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A UNICORN, JUST ONE UNICORN TO DO IT ALL.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE THAT HAS THE CAPACITY TO RUN THIS MANY APPLICATIONS AND THIS MANY CONTRACTS TO WORK WITH THE UNICORN MUSIC INDUSTRY EXPERT, WHICH IT'S GOING TO BE EASIER TO FIND THIS WAY.

UH, THAT MAKES SENSE.

UH, AND SO HOW DOES THAT WORK FOR THE CONTRACTOR AND SUBCONTRACTOR? I MEAN, DO THEY, ARE THEY EXPECTED TO APPLY TOGETHER OR ARE THEY, NO, IT WILL BE UP TO THE THIRD PARTY TO DETERMINE WHO THAT IS AND THEN IT'S IN THEIR INSTRUCTIONS THAT THAT SUBCONTRACTOR HAS TO BE AN EXPERT WITHIN THE FIELD IN AUSTIN.

SO THEY'LL RECRUIT THAT SUBCONTRACTOR AND BRING IT ON.

UM, YEAH.

SO THEN I THINK MY NEXT QUESTION, I KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS, BUT HOW CAN WE EXPEDITE THE PROCESS SO THAT IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT WAITING ANOTHER YEAR TO GIVE OUT MONEY? SO NAVEAH, I WISH I, I WISH I COULD SPRINKLE SOME MAGIC DUST, BUT SYNOVIA, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? I MEAN, AGAIN, I, I RESPECT MY SISTER DEPARTMENT THAT HAS GIVEN US THIS TIMELINE.

THEY UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY, BUT AGAIN, THEY ARE CHALLENGED.

I MEAN, WE NEED WORKERS ACROSS THE CITY, SO I HOPE A LOT OF PEOPLE ATTENDED THE JOB FAIR TODAY AND, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP US OUT.

UM, BUT AGAIN, WE ARE DOWN 20 FTES.

WE HAVE A DIVISION OF TWO, SO THEY WILL DO THE BEST THEY CAN, BUT I DON'T WANT TO OVER-COMMIT.

UM, BUT WE'LL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE.

AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE RFP THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING.

AND ALSO THIS GIVES US A TIME TO GET US STUFF STAFFED BACK UP OR DOWN TOO, BUT THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO HIRE THOSE TWO TO HELP WITH THE ACTUAL MONITORING AND THE ASSISTANCE TO THE AWARDEES.

SO THAT STAFF ISN'T KIND OF BOGGED DOWN WITH CONTRACTING AND INVOICING AND, OH, YOU SENT THE WRONG, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

WE CAN JUST BE LIKE, WHAT DO YOU NEED, WHAT ABOUT THIS TRAINING? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS AND JUST REALLY DO WHAT WE'RE MEANT TO DO, WHICH, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING IN THE POSITIONS WE WERE BEFORE THIS JOB, WE REALLY DO THINK WE CAN LEND SOME HELPFUL INSIGHT TO THESE AWARDEES.

AND SO THAT GIVES US THE TIME WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND TO BRING ON SOMEBODY WHO REALLY DOES HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH THE CONTRACTING PART.

MORE THAN LIKELY WILL BE THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

SO COULD SOME OF THAT, I MEAN, AND THAT SOUNDS AMAZING.

AND WE'VE TALKED ALL ALONG ABOUT THE SUPPORT THAT COULD BE, UM, GIVEN TO, TO, UM, APPLICANTS AND THAT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROCESS.

SO I GUESS I'M, I'M WONDERING, LIKE LOOKING AT THIS TIMELINE WHERE, UM, WE HAVE APPLICATIONS HAPPENING STARTING LIKE A YEAR FROM TODAY, I'M WONDERING, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO HAVE SOME OF THESE THINGS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME WHERE THE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, LIKE THEIR ONBOARDING AT THE SAME TIME, PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO APPLY.

AND SOME OF THE KINKS WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AND MY CONCERN, AND THIS IS MY CONCERN IS THE TA ASSISTANCE.

SO YOU'RE GIVING ADVICE TO APPLICANTS TO FILL OUT THEIR APPLICATIONS A CERTAIN WAY FOR IT TO BE CORRECT.

AND SO YOU WANT TO REALLY BE SURE THAT THAT THIRD-PARTY, AND THAT TA ASSISTANCE IS COMPLETELY ON THE SAME PAGE SO THAT WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH, UH, MISPERCEPTIONS OF HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THIRD-PARTY, WHO COMES ON AFTER IT'S ALREADY KIND OF SAID, AND DONE THAT WORRIES ME.

I'D RATHER TAKE THE TIME AND DO IT RIGHT.

DO IT HOLISTICALLY SO THAT NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TIME TO GET IT RIGHT, UM, WE CAN BRING ON THE RIGHT THIRD PARTY, WE CAN GET EVERYONE TRAINED ON THE SAME PAGE, BUT ALSO AS THIS IS HAPPENING, MORE HOT FUNDS ARE COLLECTING, COLLECTING, COLLECTING.

SO I KNOW IT TAKES TIME, BUT OUR HOPE IS THAT THE AWARD BUDGET WILL GO UP IN THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR BECAUSE YOU KNOW, MORE MONEY IS COLLECTING AS WE GO.

AND HERE'S YOUR, UM, YOUR CONTACT AND PURCHASING THAT'S PROVIDING THE TIMELINE.

SO NOVIA.

SO WHEN THE RFP IS RELEASED, THE CONTACT NAME WILL BE ON THE RFP.

AND THEN ONCE THAT HAPPENED, WE'RE IN A NO CONTACT PERIOD.

BUT I MEAN CURRENTLY, LIKE IF, IF A COMMISSIONER HAD A QUESTION FOR PURCHASING ABOUT HOW THE TIMELINE CAME TOGETHER, LIKE WHO HAD WE REACHED OUT TO, SO YOU SHOULD REACH OUT TO US AND THEN WE WILL CONNECT YOU WITH, UH, THE APPROPRIATE PURCHASING STAFF.

IT'S

[00:30:01]

I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE, UM, IT WOULD BE THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, SO WORK WITH US.

AND IF YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, WE'LL PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH THEM.

THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

UM, AND YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS REALLY RESPONSIVE, SO YEAH.

AND WE DO HAVE ALL, EVERYTHING WITH THEM ALREADY LAID OUT THE WAY THAT WE JUST PRESENTED TO YOU.

SO THE SCOPE IS PRETTY COMPLETE, VERY DETAILED, SO THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO MISS ANYTHING AS WE GO.

UM, QUESTIONS.

YEAH, GO AHEAD.

UH, IF, UH, ERIC, I KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BRIEFLY AND I'M KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, BRAND NEW TERRITORY FOR BEING AS A COMMISSIONER, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW.

I KIND OF WANT TO ENTERTAIN THIS IDEA OF, UM, INVOLVING, UH, CULTURAL ARTS, THEIR DEPARTMENT IN SOME KIND OF WAY.

I'M JUST, I'M SPIT BALLING HERE KIND OF.

AND I KIND OF WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM SOMEBODY THAT THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, AS WELL ABOUT WHAT THAT PROCESS MIGHT LOOK LIKE, OR, UM, FROM A, YOU KNOW, SYNOVIAL PERSPECTIVE OR ERIC HAS PERSPECTIVE, UM, WHAT DO YOU GUYS WOULD THINK ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF EXPEDITING THAT, AND YOU'RE MEETING LIKE TO HELP IF WE DIDN'T DO THE CONTRACTING WITH THIRD PARTY, IS THERE CAPACITY, OKAY.

OH NO, NO, NO, NO.

SO, BUT ALL THREE HOT DIVISIONS ARE RE-IMAGINING THEIR IN THEIR PROCESS.

SO THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION IS GOING TO BE DOING THEIR PROCUREMENT HERE.

THIS IS GOING TO BE DOING A PROCUREMENT.

AND SO YES, WE, WE TALKED TO PURCHASING ABOUT WHAT THAT SYNERGY LOOKED LIKE, BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE THE FIRST OUT TO OUT THE GATE.

UH, THE OTHER TWO AREN'T READY YET.

SO I HOPE, I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT AGAIN, UM, THEY HAVE VACANCIES TO, OKAY, COOL.

IS THAT GOOD QUESTION, UH, SHOULD BE COMMISSIONED BE LOOKING AT, UH, LET'S JUST SAY THAT THE CURRENT TIMELINE IS 2023 FOR WHAT WE RECOMMENDED FOR NOW, RIGHT? LIKE, SHOULD THE COMMISSION, UH, START LOOKING AT WHAT THE PROVISIONS WOULD BE FOR THE NEXT ROLLOUT OF THE FUND? SO WE TOOK CARE OF EVERYTHING IN THE INAUGURAL YEAR.

SHOULD WE START THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF INCLUDING VALUES, UM, YOU KNOW, PROMOTERS, NOT INDEPENDENT PROMOTERS, ALL THAT STUFF, ET CETERA.

SO BASED ON THE WAY WE HOPE TO DO THE RFP WITH A YEAR AND THEN SOME EXTENSIONS, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF OPENING UP APPLICATIONS AGAIN AND INCLUDING VENUES.

THAT'S HOW IT, YEAH.

AND WE WOULD OPEN IT TO ADDITIONAL ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.

AND SO WE HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS THAT BEFORE THE NEXT APPLICATION PROCESS.

I MEAN, I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO SEE A LITTLE BIT HOW IT'S ALL GOING TO, AS WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT YOU GUYS ALREADY VOTED ON THAT OPTION TO INCLUDE VENUES IN THE SECOND YEAR.

SO WE CAN CERTAINLY START LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL ELIGIBLE DEFINITIONS FOR THAT.

AND WE ALREADY HAVE A DEFINITION FOR VENUES THROUGH OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE DONE.

GIVE THEM FEEDBACK NECESSARILY.

I THINK SCOTT BRINGS UP A REALLY GOOD POINT BECAUSE WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, WE DID VOTE ON THIS, UM, THIS PROGRAM WITH A TIMELINE OF, OF BRINGING ON ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS, SPECIFICALLY VENUE PROMOTERS AND THE SECOND YEAR.

BUT I THINK WE WEREN'T SUPER SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT A SECOND YEAR.

I MEAN, SO NOW THAT THE PROGRAM, THE APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS BEEN PUSHED PROBABLY ALMOST A YEAR FURTHER OUT THAN WE EXPECT ANY FOUR, DOES THAT MEAN, WELL, IT MAY, YOU KNOW, IT MAY AFFECT THE WAY THAT WE LOOK AT THAT TIMELINE AND WHEN WE ADD THOSE APPLICANTS, UM, AND WE WOULD JUST REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, AND I'M, I'M CHEATING OFF BALI'S PAPER HERE, BUT SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE PORTAL ITSELF IS READY FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL, UM, APPLICANTS, SO THAT THERE'S NOT JUST LIKE A TECHNOLOGY HANGUP WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO INCORPORATE THAT SO THAT WE CAN BE READY TO GO.

AND I MEAN, THE, THE REASON THIS IS SO IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT IT IS WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAD A WORKING GROUP THAT DID, YOU KNOW, REALLY WORK HARD TO COME TOGETHER ON A GOOD SOLUTION FOR THIS ISSUE.

AND, AND SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS HERE, I'VE WORKED SO HARD TO, YOU KNOW, PUT THE EMPHASIS ON, UM, YOU KNOW, EMPOWERING ARTISTS.

AND WE'RE RECOGNIZING THAT SYNERGY BETWEEN VENUES AND ARTISTS.

AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO KEEP THE GOOD, THE GOOD FEELINGS GOING WITH THAT, SO THAT WE, WE DON'T HAVE HIT ANY HICCUPS OR ROAD BUMPS IN THE COMMUNITY.

UM, BUT YEAH, I THINK IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT IS, I GET THE STAFFING SHORTAGE, I GET PURCHASING TIMELINES AND THAT THOSE ARE IT'S HARD.

THEY'RE KIND OF THEIR OWN ORGANIZATION.

AND IT'S HARD.

IT'S HARD FOR US AS A COMMISSION TO

[00:35:02]

BUT I WOULDN'T SAY MUSICIANS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A LONG TIME.

THE MUSICIANS AND MUSIC ORGANIZATIONS HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS SINCE 2019, SO 20, 23 THAT'S THAT'S LIKE FOR YOU, IT'S A LONG TIME.

I WOULD PLEASE ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT ADDITIONAL, LIKE OTHER SUPPORT THAT'S OUT THERE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS A LONG TIMELINE, BUT THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES.

SO PLEASE SEND THEM TO ME INDIVIDUALLY.

I'VE GOT A WHOLE LIST OF STUFF.

I SEND IT OUT ALMOST LIKE TWICE A DAY.

NOW, A LIST OF RESOURCES, NOT JUST FROM THE CITY, BUT JUST GREAT LINKS TO GET YOU TO OTHER PLACES FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

I MEAN, I WISH WE COULD DO IT FASTER, BUT WE'LL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION, ANY KIND OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE MEANTIME.

SO IF IT'S, UH, IF IT'S THE MIDDLE OF 2023, UH, WOULD THAT POOL, UH, GROW FROM 3 MILLION, I'M SORRY, 2019 TO MID, MID 20, 23, THE BUDGET WOULD GROW, RIGHT? IT WOULD, SHOULD BE MORE THAN 3 MILLION.

THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING BY LETTING IT COLLECT, COLLECT THAT THE NEXT ROLLOUT WOULD BE EVEN MORE MONEY.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE NOT LIGHT TO LIKE FUNDS, SO I'M NOT INFLUENCING ANYTHING, BUT JUST FOR COMPARISON, HOW LONG DID THE RFP PROCESS FOR THE DISASTER RELIEF FUND TAKE? WELL, THAT WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PROCESS.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? YEAH, SHE MAY BE LIKE SIX WEEKS ALL IN ALL.

GET A THIRD BODY VENDOR ON, ON THE DISASTER, BUT WE HAD A SPECIAL PERMISSION FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND TO, YOU KNOW, AVOID BECAUSE IT'S SHOWS, DECLARED ANY EMERGENCY, BUT WE'VE ALREADY ASKED PURCHASING, AND THIS, THIS HOT BONDS, THIS IS THE REGULAR PROCESS.

SO IT WAS A DECLARATION DURING COVID.

AND SO THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO DEPLOY ALL OF THE, THOSE PROGRAMS, UH, BECAUSE OF THE DISASTER DECLARATION, BUT THIS ISN'T, BUT WE HEAR YOU, ANY FUNDING WOULD BE KIND OF LIKE IT'S AN EMERGENCY, BUT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF DEFINITIONS.

AND AS MORE TIME HAS GONE BY, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAS TO MEET IN ORDER FOR THAT TO BE ACCEPTABLE.

I MEAN, YEAH, YEAH, NO, NO, THANK YOU.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS, UH, WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE.

UH, WE TRY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE MUST BE A LOT MORE NUANCES TO IT AND, AND WELL, THANK YOU FOR ACTUALLY PUTTING IT ON THE EXPEDITED PATH AS FAR AS THE DISASTER RELIEF FUND GOES AND MAKING THAT HAPPEN.

UM, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S ALSO INTERESTING TO KNOW THAT THIS WILL, UH, PROBABLY BE, UH, UH, ROLLED OUT AS PART OF A AND YOU WANT TO ADMINISTRATION? UH, YEAH.

OH, WHERE, WHAT, WHAT TIMELINE IS, UH, THE HOT FUND FOR CULTURAL LOTS ON? OR IS THAT NOT, IS THAT A TBD RIGHT NOW? WELL, ACTUALLY THERE'S A MEMO THAT'S BEING PREPARED RIGHT NOW, CORRECT.

WITH THE, AND IT'S ALL THREE CERTAIN TIMELINES SO THAT WE DON'T OVERLAP ON EACH OTHER BECAUSE IT'S JUST TOO OVERWHELMING.

UH, SO A MEMO IS FORTHCOMING, YOU KNOW, UH, WITH A TIMELINE FOR ALL THREE PROGRAMS. OKAY.

WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO ADVISE IF THEY ARE ROLLING INTO 20, 23 AS WELL OR UPDATE ALL OF THEM? YES.

OH YEAH.

ONE THING I WANTED TO MENTION TOO, IS THAT I FELT THAT IT IS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DISAPPOINTING AND FRUSTRATING FOR THIS TO ROLL ON.

BUT COUPLE OF THINGS I KNOW ABOUT THIS IS THAT THERE ARE A GREAT NUMBER OF MUSICIANS THAT COULD USE THIS AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS RIGHT NOW.

AND IN A YEAR FROM NOW, THERE'LL BE A GREAT NUMBER OF MUSICIANS THAT COULD USE THIS AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS RIGHT NOW.

AND SO WHILE I, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S ALSO A NEW THING THAT HASN'T HAPPENED BEFORE, SO IT'S NOT BEING TAKEN AWAY AND THEN BROUGHT BACK, THIS IS AN INTRODUCTORY THING.

SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT MUCH QUICKER TOO, BUT I DO SEE THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING SOMETHING RELATIVELY INNOVATIVE FOR ANY CITY AND THAT IT REALLY IS AN INCUBATOR APPROACH TO HELPING PEOPLE.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T MOVE IT FASTER, I'LL BE GLAD TO SEE IT, YOU KNOW, IN 2023.

UH, I HAD REQUESTED THIS BEFORE, IF I MAY, UM, AGAIN, WOULD YOU PLEASE WALK US THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS, UH, NEXT TIME, IF POSSIBLE.

I MEAN, I WOULD RATHER, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE, NOT RUSHING, BUT EMERGENCY THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE LAST TWO YEARS OF ROLLING OUT SO MANY RELIEF AND RECOVERY PROGRAMS, IT IS NOW THAT WE KIND OF HAVE A SENSE OF THIS IS HOW IT'S GOT TO BE, AND THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT, THAT WE CAN DO IT, UH, TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT CORRECTLY.

SO THAT FROM THAT POINT FORWARD, IT GOES A LOT QUICKER BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE ALL OF THE ELEMENTS IN PLACE.

AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF UPDATING GET GUIDELINES AND STARTING A NEW CONTRACT, A NEW AMENDMENT WITH THE THIRD PARTY TO GET IT DONE.

[00:40:01]

AND, UH, SO, SO NOVIA, I'LL TOUCH BASE WITH HER TO SEE WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU BECAUSE THERE WE'LL GET TO A POINT WHERE IT'S A NON-SOLICITATION PHASE WHERE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT IT AT ALL.

AND SO WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET, SO I'LL CHECK WITH EVERYONE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THE TIMING WORKS OUT FOR THAT.

I JUST WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, JUST GET SOME INSIGHT INTO THE MECHANISMS OF, OKAY, NO PROBLEM.

IS OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING TEAM.

HI.

UM, I AM TRYING TO JUST UNDERSTAND THIS TIMELINE A LITTLE BIT, UM, MORE THOROUGHLY.

UH, SO, UM, AND THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR PURCHASING, OR MAYBE THIS IS A, A QUESTION FOR A WHOLE DEEPER CONVERSATION, BUT I, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING TWEEN.

LIKE I GET THAT, UM, THIS ELICITATION PROCESS WOULD TAKE A WHILE.

SO WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, MADE THROUGH DECEMBER.

UM, WE'RE JUST LOOKING FOR THE THIRD PARTY.

UM, AND THEN BETWEEN DECEMBER AND MARCH, UM, DECEMBER 20, 22 AND MARCH 23, UM, WOULD IT BE JUST LIKE, IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN KIND OF GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THOSE GAPS? LIKE, JUST SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND OLIVIA CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BETWEEN THAT AND THE RCA DATE.

SO, UM, TYPICALLY, SO LET ME GIVE YOU A TYPICAL SCENARIO.

SO TYPICALLY AN RFP IS RELEASED.

IT COULD BE OUT, AS WE SAY, ON THE STREET FOR SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS AT THE END, THAT INFORMATION IS GATHERED BY PURCHASING.

THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR EVALUATION COMMITTEE.

ONCE THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE GOES THROUGH ALL OF THE SUBMISSIONS AND SCORED, THEN IT GOES THROUGH A REVIEW LIVE PURCHASING WALL, AND THEY HAVE STEPS OF REVIEW.

AND THEN WHEN YOU GET INTO THE RCA PHASE, THEY HAVE TO DRAFT THE RCA, GIVE THEIR APPROVAL AND ON CITY COUNCIL OR FINAL APPROVAL.

SO THAT'S JUST A HIGH LEVEL, TYPICAL PROCESS.

IT HAS TO BE OUT FOR A CERTAIN LENGTH OF TIME.

THE DOCUMENTS ARE BROUGHT BACK.

AND SO AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING ON WAYS TO TRY TO SHORTEN THAT TIMELINE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO OVERCOME IT BECAUSE PURCHASING HAS A STANDARD PROCESS THAT WE, AND WE'RE NOT THEIR ONLY DEPARTMENT.

AND SO, AND SO THAT'S JUST HIGH LEVEL, UM, OF HOW AN RP PROCESS RUNS.

YEAH, THANKS.

BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD, IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THOSE PERIODS OF TIME, IT'LL HELP US, YOU KNOW, UH, BE PRESENT WITH YOU IN THE REALITY OF, UH, OF THE PROCESS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE AREN'T NECESSARILY PRIVY TO ALL OF THOSE STEPS.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU GOING THROUGH THAT AND LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU, WE'VE GOT, UH, THE RCA DATE AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER GAP BETWEEN MARCH AND MAY BETWEEN THE RCA DATE AND THE, AND THE CONTRACT START DATE.

UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THOSE PERIODS, THAT MIGHT JUST HELP US, RIGHT? SO WHAT, WHAT WE'LL COMMIT TO DOING IS BRIEFING YOU ON EACH STEP.

AND SO, BUT WHEN AN RCA IS APPROVED TO CONTRACT SIGNATURE, THERE'S CERTAIN SIGNATURES, THEN YOU DO A PRE-CONTRACT KICKOFF.

SO YOU'RE MEETING WITH YOUR THIRD PARTY SO THAT THEY, WE WALK THEM THROUGH, THIS IS THE REQUIREMENT.

THIS IS WHAT YOU EXPECTED TO DO.

THIS IS YOUR TIMELINE.

WE COLLECT INSURANCE DOCUMENTS, ALL OF THAT.

DURING THAT PROCESS, THEN WE GENERATE WHAT'S CALLED A PO NUMBER OR DEO NUMBER.

THEN WE AUTHORIZE THEM TO PROCEED.

AND SO THAT TAKES TIME.

YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO KICK OFF MEETING BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THIRD PARTY WAS CRYSTAL CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO DO.

AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE LEARNED FROM CONTRACTING OVER THE YEARS.

A KICKOFF MEETING IS CRITICAL.

AWESOME.

AND THEN I'M ASSUMING THAT MAYBE LIKE IF THE APPLICATIONS ARE MAY AND JUNE, UM, WILL THERE ALSO BE, UM, LIKE A BIG MARKETING PUSH TO GET THE WORD OUT IN ADVANCE OF THAT, UM, LIKE CONCURRENTLY WITH THESE OTHER STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ENTIRE PERIOD APPLICATION PERIOD IS EXACTLY.

SO THAT'S ALSO A WHOLE OTHER PROCESS.

IT IS EDD, WHICH

[00:45:01]

THERE WILL BE A WHOLE HOST OF STEPS WORKING WITH THEM FOR TRANSLATIONS MAKING THIS AN ASSESSABLE AND EQUITABLE APPLICATION.

AND SO THERE WILL BE A LOT OF OUTREACH, NOT ONLY THROUGH ENGLISH LANGUAGE OUTLETS, BUT OTHER LANGUAGES.

AND SO THAT TAKES TIME AND YES, THERE IS A LOT OF STEPS WITH THAT AS WELL.

THEY NEED A PRETTY GOOD LEAD TIME AS WELL.

AND THIS ALSO GIVES THEM THE TIME THEY NEED TO PREP.

THEY ALREADY HAVE KIND OF LIKE ALL THE MATERIALS.

AND SO WE CAN START NOW ON TRANSLATIONS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO GET IT, UM, LAUNCHED JUST, JUST RIGHT AND PROMOTED AS BEST WE CAN.

WELL, I'M, I'M WONDERING IF, IF THERE'S A WAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, VERY, UH, EMOTIONALLY CHARGED FEELINGS ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING, UM, FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

AND I WONDER IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL BOTH FOR US ON THE COMMISSION AND ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE, I MEAN, I KNOW THIS IS OF COURSE ADDING ANOTHER TO DO TO SOMEBODY'S LIST, BUT IF THERE WAS EVEN JUST SOME SORT OF SIMPLE FLOW CHART, LIKE HERE'S WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.

YOU KNOW, LIKE IT GOES FROM HERE TO HERE AND I SEE THIS TIMELINE AND I'M JUST LIKE, OKAY, IT'S A LIST OF EVENTS, BUT IF I UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON IN BETWEEN, THEN I COULD, I COULD FEEL MORE, YOU KNOW, EMPATHY FOR THE PROPOSAL AND THAT A COMMUNITY MIGHT APPRECIATE IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

SO FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN UPDATING THE SPEAK-UP AUSTIN PAGE ON EVERY STEP OF EVERY PROCESS, EVERY PART OF THE PROCESS.

SO I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH SYNOVIA AND THE COMMS TEAM, JUST TO BE SURE THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, THE FOLLOWING SUBSEQUENT UPDATES ARE REALLY SPECIFIC AROUND THE TIMELINE AND WHERE WE'RE AT AND HOW IT'S GOING.

UH, SO ALL OF THAT INFORMATION THERE IS THAT SPEAK UP AUSTIN AS THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, ENGAGED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.

UM, WE STILL GET VISITORS TO IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS AND WE CAN POST, YOU KNOW, WE CAN POST THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWER IT FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE YOU JUST ANSWERED ONE MORE TODAY.

SO, UH, CHECK IT OUT, LIVE MUSIC, FUND, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SPEAK UP, AUSTIN DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THAT WAS A THING.

THEN YOU HAVE A FEW HOURS OF READING AHEAD OF YOU.

YEAH, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

IT'S LIKE, I, I FEEL LIKE I'M JUST CONSTANTLY LIKE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND THE CURVE AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND REALIZE A LOT OF INFORMATION.

AND OUR DEPARTMENT AND FINANCE PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT AND THEN IN PURCHASING IS IT'S A NEW REALITY, BUT IT'S ALSO A REALITY THAT DIDN'T COME UP THAT WASN'T PRESENT WHEN THE LIVE MUSIC FUND WAS CONCEIVED.

BECAUSE WHEN WE GO OUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHEN WE GO OUT AND SPEAK WITH PEOPLE, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS, OR WE, YOU KNOW, SEE PEOPLE TALKING ONLINE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR FRUSTRATIONS OR WHATEVER, IT HELPS TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS MORE SO THAT WE CAN THEN LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST LET PEOPLE KNOW, LIKE, I'M ALWAYS REFER THEM BACK.

THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON.

THIS IS WHY IT TAKES SO LONG.

YOU KNOW, YOU JUST GOT TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.

SO YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.

I DID HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION TOO, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

UM, AND THAT'S ABOUT THE, UH, THE FEE FOR THE THIRD PARTY YOU WERE SAYING THAT COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE THAT.

AND, UM, I THINK I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT FEE IS ALSO COMING OUT OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, CORRECT, AS IT STANDS.

SO THE COUNCIL WILL APPROVE THE ENTIRE BUDGET, THE AWARD BUDGET, AND THE FEE, THE FEE QUOTE WILL HAPPEN DURING THE SOLICITATION PROCESS.

THERE'S A VERY RIGID PROCESS FOR QUOTES.

SO EVERY SINGLE TASK THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS SOLICITATION WILL HAVE A COUNTERPART IN THE QUOTE SHEET.

SO THEY HAVE TO BE VERY SPECIFIC OF HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST.

SO WE DON'T WANT TO ANTICIPATE WHAT THAT WILL BE.

ESPECIALLY AS THE SOLICITATION GOES LIVE, WE'LL HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A NO COMMUNICATION TYPE OF THING.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE, YOU KNOW, GIVE AN HONEST ASSESSMENT OF HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST DEPENDING ON THE STAFF AND ALL THE CAPACITY.

SO MY QUESTION IS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN FIND ANOTHER SOURCE FOR THAT FEE BECAUSE IT'S BASICALLY COVERING, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT WE ARE, WE ARE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED.

SO THAT FEE IN A WAY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S OBVIOUSLY EXTREMELY RELEVANT TO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, GETTING OUT, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT THAT FUND IS INTENDED FOR.

SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE, TO TRY TO FIND THAT MONEY ELSEWHERE TO PAY THAT FEE.

SO NOW I CAN TELL YOU, WE WERE, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO SUBMIT AT BASELINE BUDGET.

IT IS APPROPRIATE WHERE THE FEE TO COME FROM THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.

AND REMEMBER, LAST MONTH I SAID, IT'S GOING TO COST.

EVEN IF WE HAD TO BRING ON EXTRA STAFF, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT IN OUR OPERATION BUDGET.

SO WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT FROM SOMEWHERE.

SO IT IS AN APPROPRIATE EXPENSE.

AND AT THIS TIME WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL FUNDS IDENTIFIED, UH, AS PART OF OUR BASE BUDGET.

AND WHAT WAS THE PLAN BEFORE, WHEN IT WOULD BE US DOING IT ALL.

AND, AND, BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO DO THAT IN PURCHASING DOESN'T.

IT WAS A DIFFERENT REALITY WHEN THAT WAS BEING CONSIDERED.

WHEN WE CONSIDERED THAT THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE IN OUR DIVISION

[00:50:01]

SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ENOUGH OF A, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A CRITICISM AT ALL OF THE SITUATION, CAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT NONE OF, NONE OF ANYBODY'S FAULT.

JUST OPERATIONALLY, RIGHT.

UM, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE COUNCIL OR CITY MANAGER, WHOEVER IDENTIFIES FUNDS TO SAY LIKE, LOOK, OUR REALITY IS DIFFERENT.

NOW WE HAVE THESE NEEDS THAT GO BEYOND THE INTENDED USE OF THESE FUNDS.

CAN WE FIND MONEY ELSEWHERE FOR THAT? YEAH.

THAT'S ANY RECOMMENDATION YOU GUYS WANT TO MAKE.

OF COURSE, PLEASE MAKE IT.

BUT THERE IS A PRECEDENT THAT STAFFING AND HAS BEEN PAID FOR THROUGH THE SAME HOT FUNDS THAT ARE USED FOR AWARD BUDGETS.

IT'S PRETTY TYPICAL, NOT JUST HERE, LIKE ACROSS THE STATE, IF THAT MONEY IS APPROPRIATE TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE HOT FUND MONEY, IS IT APPROPRIATE TO BE TAKEN OUT OF ANY OTHER SPACE? WELL, THE BUDGETING PROCESS IS UPON US AND THERE'S ALREADY BUDGETS BEEN SUBMITTED ACROSS THE CITY, WHICH THAT WAS PART OF OUR, YOU KNOW, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR MUSIC COMMISSION.

SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF MAKING YOUR VOICE, YOUR, YOUR WANTS AND NEEDS.

NO.

AND, UM, I LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT'S DONE, NEVERMIND FINDING THE APPROPRIATE THIRD-PARTY.

I WAS, UH, I, I DEFINITELY TRUST YOU THAT IT TAKES QUITE A WHILE TO FIND THE INAPPROPRIATE THIRD-PARTY WITH, UM, THE APPROPRIATE STEPS, BUT THE ACTUAL WORK TO BE DONE OF EVALUATING ALL OF THE UP TO 2,500 APPLICATIONS, MAKING THE 300 TO 600 AWARDS, RIGHT.

IF IT'S GOING TO TAKE AN HOUR TO VALIDATE EACH UH, OF THESE APPLICATIONS, RIGHT.

THAT'S 2,500 WORK HOURS, THAT'S, UM, 60 FULL WORK WEEKS.

IT'S A WHOLE YEAR'S SALARY.

SO FIRST OF ALL, I'M, I'M SURPRISED THAT IN THE SCHEDULE THAT YOU, THAT IT COULD BE DONE BETWEEN MAY AND JULY, UH, AND YOU KNOW, IS THERE AN ARGUMENT THAT CAN BE MADE HERE? WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ADDING 60 WEEKS, WHICH IS AN ENTIRE YEAR, COULD THIS MONEY BE APPLIED TO IT TO GET AN FTE, TO DO THIS JOB? UH, BUT I WOULD MUCH PREFER THIRD PARTY.

HOLD ON.

STAFF, STAFF, JUST ASKING.

SO NEOVIA, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO FTE'S? YES.

AT THIS TIME, AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED ON HOW TO SUBMIT OUR BUDGET.

THE MUSIC COMMISSION CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL BECAUSE COUNCIL AT THE END OF THE DAY COULD MAKE CHANGES TO THE BUDGET THAT IS PRESENTED TO THEM.

BUT WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.

AND, UH, NO ADDITIONAL FTES ARE PART OF THAT BUDGET.

AND AGAIN, STAFF HAS GONE THROUGH IN, UM, DURING THE COVID DEPLOYMENT, THEY DID COVID DEPLOYMENT ON TOP OF THE REGULAR PROCESS.

AND SO WE HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT A THIRD PARTY AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT TO EXPEDITE, TO GET IT DONE, TO GET THE MONEY OUT.

AND SO, UM, THAT IS OUR PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME.

CAUSE YOU COULD GET IN ONE FTE FOR EDD OR TWO, IT STILL DOESN'T MAKE UP FOR THE AMOUNT OF FTES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED IN PURCHASING AND LAW AND JUST ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.

SO THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO FIND THAT APPROPRIATE THIRD PARTY THAT HAS THAT CAPACITY IN HOUSE.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT THEY CAN DO THIS TYPE OF WORK.

AND BY SUBCONTRACTING OUT THE ELIGIBILITY PORTION, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD MOVE SO THAT WE GET ALL OF THE BEST PARTS OF WHAT WE NEED OUT OF THE HELP OUTSIDE THE CITY.

AND APPROXIMATELY WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE $2 MILLION AWARDED WOULD END UP GOING TO THIS THIRD PARTY? WOULD IT BE 10%? WE CAN'T SAY SO.

AND IT WOULD BE A $3 MILLION AWARD BUDGET THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SET AND THEN ADDITIONAL MONIES FROM HOT WOULD PAY FOR THE FEE DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

UH, SO, UH, THE BUDGET BASICALLY, UM, UH, EDD IS GOING TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL WHAT TO DO AS FAR AS LIKE THE FEE AND LIKE HOW IT'S GOING TO OPERATE AND ALL THAT STUFF.

AND THEN BASICALLY THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THAT.

AND THEN YOU GUYS GO TO WORK.

IS THAT THE WAY I'M UNDERSTANDING IT? YES.

SO THE RFP RESULTS WILL COME BACK.

WE WOULD PRESENT, UH, THE BEST, UH, RESPONDED TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.

AND THEN ONCE IT IS APPROVED, WE'LL ENTER INTO CONTRACT WITH THEM AND DEPLOY THE FUNDS.

ABOUT, I HAVEN'T, THIS WAS MY QUESTION.

SO THERE'S

[00:55:01]

IS IT POSSIBLE THAT BEFORE IT GOES TO COUNCIL, THE COMMISSION COULD LOOK AT THAT AT THE SCOPE OF WORK, YOU MEAN WITH A THIRD THIRD-PARTY ONCE THE RFP IS OUT, YOU CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT IT BEFORE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROCURING.

RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

SO YOU GUYS DID ACTUALLY GET A LOOK AT THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THAT'S WHERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE INCLUDED.

AND SO I'M ASKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY, I'M SORRY, WHAT I'M ASKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY IS LIKE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A NUMBER ITEM.

LIKE WHO'S GOING TO BE A, LIKE A NUMBER, LIKE A FEE FOR HOW MUCH THAT THIRD PARTY CONTRACT IS GOING TO COST THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS HOW MUCH THIS IS GOING TO COST, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION NOW.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS BEFORE YOU GO TO COUNCIL WITH THAT INFORMATION, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THAT WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE SOLICITATION HAS DONE, AND THERE IS A PROCESS SYNOVIA, IF YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE VERY FINALIZATION OF PICKING THE VENDOR BEFORE IT GETS TO COUNCIL, UH, AGAIN, WEEK I'LL CHECK WITH PURCHASING.

I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE EVER, OR THAT IS ALLOWED, BUT I AM NOT THE PROCUREMENT EXPERT.

UM, ONCE IT'S LISTED ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA, YOU WILL SEE THE FEE, BUT TO BRING IT TO YOU, I'M NOT SURE I WOULD JUST I'LL HAVE TO ASK.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT I WILL ASK.

YEAH, BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TO GO START THE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALL THESE RULES AND WAYS TO GET TO THE END OF THE SOLICITATION AND PICK THE RIGHT AND MOST QUALIFIED VENDOR.

AND SO IF THAT WERE TO CHANGE, WE WOULD HAVE TO START OVER AGAIN.

I WOULD ASSUME.

OF COURSE I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT IT CHANGES OBVIOUSLY ALREADY HAVE THAT STUFF.

I JUST, YOU KNOW, IF, IF I'M IN THE PROCESS AND THE, AND THE RFP PROCESS, AND I KNOW ALL THAT NOMENCLATURE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, UM, IF, UH, I GUESS BEFORE YOU ALL WERE TO, UM, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT RFE PERSON WOULD BE, OR ANY OF THOSE THINGS, IF WE COULD SEE SOME OF THAT FROM PURCHASING OR WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ASK, UM, AND MAYBE THIS IS A KIM QUESTION, BUT THE EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION, I FORGET, I THINK IT'S LIKE SECTION 2 34, 2 50 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I DON'T KNOW.

BUT, UH, IF THE COMMISSION COULD GET EMAILED, UM, UH, JUST THAT NOMENCLATURE AS WELL, LIKE SO THAT WE CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN WHAT A NORMAL PROCESS LOOKS LIKE, UM, BASED ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE VERSUS, UM, THE EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, BECAUSE YEAH.

WE CAN ASK THE PURCHASING FOR SOME, LIKE, COPY OF LIKE, WHAT'S THE DISTINGUISHABLE CHARACTERISTICS OF THAT.

NO PROBLEM.

YOU JUST SAID WITH PUBLIC MEETINGS AND WHAT'S POSSIBLE.

SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT, UH, STILL NOVI HAD TO LOG OUT BECAUSE SHE HAS SOMEWHERE ELSE.

SHE HAS TO BE, BUT I'LL DO MY BEST AND WE'LL REFER I'M SURE.

CERTAIN QUESTIONS.

UM, YEAH.

SO ABOUT WHEN WE, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE PROVIDED ON THE RFP PROCESS, THERE WERE TWO SPECIFIC THINGS ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY.

SO ONE WAS, UM, A PRE I FORGET WHAT THE RIGHT TERM HAS IT.

UM, BUT A MEETING THAT OCCURRED, UM, BEFORE THE RFP APPLICATION OPENS, SO IT'S LIKE A PUBLIC MEETING, THE VENDORS CAN ATTEND, THERE'S A PRESENTATION.

UM, ANYBODY COMMISSIONERS CAN ATTEND COMMUNITY CAN ATTEND.

SO WE SORT OF KNOW WHO'S TEEING UP.

WHO'S INTERESTED IN, IN THAT, UM, APPLICATION.

AND THEN ALSO, UH, THE OTHER THING THAT WE INCLUDED IN THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THAT, UH, ALL OF THE APPLICANTS PROVIDE A PUBLIC INFORMATION PACKAGE.

AND, UM, SO AS COMMISSIONERS, ONCE THAT, UH, APPLICATION OPENS, LIKE WE, ACCORDING TO THE ANTI LOBBYING ORDINANCE, THAT NONE OF US WOULD WANT TO VIOLATE.

WE CANNOT HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH, WITH ANYBODY THAT, UH, IS APPLYING OR IF THAT WORKS FOR THEM OR CAT SITS FOR THEM, OR WE WANT TO BE REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT THAT AND RESPECT THAT PROCESS.

BUT, UM, AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT IS HELPFUL IF THAT, IF THERE'S A WAY FOR THAT INFORMATION ABOUT WHO'S APPLYING IS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.

UM, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A MATTER OF GREAT INTEREST AND IT'S HELPFUL TO GET AHEAD OF THE BALL.

IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY LATER, SAY LIKE, YES, HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT EACH, UH, APPLICANTS, UM, OFFERED.

AND WITHOUT, I KNOW YOU CAN'T, WE CAN'T GET INTO HARD FINANCIALS WITH THAT, BUT THAT'S ONE WAY TO KEEP THINGS.

UM, UM, JUST SO THAT THERE'S SOME INFO OUT IN THE PUBLIC.

SO IT'S NOT JUST LIKE, OH, IT POPS OUT LIKE A RABBIT POPPING OUT OF THE HEALTH HAT.

LIKE HERE'S THE, HERE THEY ARE.

DON'T YOU LOVE THEM.

LIKE, SO WE HAVE THIS JUST PUSH THE ENVELOPE AS MUCH TRANSPARENCY AS POSSIBLE, LIKE

[01:00:01]

I JUST DON'T KNOW.

I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THAT, BUT WE WILL, WE'LL FIND OUT AND WE'LL REPORT.

IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S A PURCHASING QUESTION, BUT I DO KNOW, I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE SOME, LIKE, THEY HAVE SOME OPTIONS WITH THAT, BUT THIS, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT, UM, HAS HAD SO MUCH PUBLIC INTEREST IN PUBLIC SCRUTINY.

I THINK IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TRANSPARENCY IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

AND I THINK IT'S ALSO, UH, TO THE BENEFIT OF THE CITY TO GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE THAT.

UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER WAYS THAT MUSIC COMMISSION, UH, CAN BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS? I KNOW THAT AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF A CLOSE, CLOSE TO, I FIND OUT AS MUCH AS I CAN TO SEE WHAT THE, LIKE I SAID, WHAT'S, WHAT'S POPPING.

SO I HAD THE SAME QUESTION VERY MUCH IN LINE.

LIKE, WHAT IS THE, WHERE DOES, WHERE DOES THE MUSIC COMMISSION AND HOW DOES THE MUSIC COMMISSION GET ENGAGED THROUGH THIS PROCESS TILL THE, UH, TILL THE END GOAL OF ACTUALLY ROLLING THE FUNDS OUT? WELL, THE MUSIC COMMISSION DID SEE THE ORIGINAL SCOPE OF WORK.

ONLY JUST A FEW MORE TASKS HAD BEEN ADDED AROUND CONTRACTING JUST AROUND THE CONTRACTING PART.

AND THAT'S ALL STATE OF TEXAS, TEXAS REQUIREMENTS.

HERE'S A CHECKLIST.

YOU GOT TO HAVE THESE AND THE CITY WILL DO THIS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF MONITORING COMMITMENTS.

SO YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN IT AND PROVIDED THE FEEDBACK, WE GOT A RED LINE VERSION OF THAT SCOPE AND THAT WENT, WHEN WAS THAT? ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, BUT I WILL AGAIN ASK, PURCHASING AND TALK TO SYNOVIA, LIKE, WHAT IS, WHAT CAN WE DO, HOW TRANSPARENT CAN WE BE? AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT ADDING ADDITIONAL TIME TO THE TIMELINE, HOPEFULLY, UM, I DID HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

UM, I SAY ONE MORE.

WHAT'S ONE MORE QUESTION.

WHAT ARE NUMBERS? WHAT IS TIME? UM, IT'S PROBABLY NOT ONE MORE.

UH, BUT I THINK WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IS, UM, THAT WE POTENTIALLY COULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL THAT THEY FIND THE FUNDS SOMEWHERE ELSE TO PAY THIS FEE FOR THIS THIRD PARTY.

UM, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT WOULD BE YET, BECAUSE BE YET, BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF THIS RFP PROCESS, THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE A QUOTE, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO LIKE PREEMPTIVELY? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WHAT SCOTT IS ASKING IS LIKE, CAN WE SEE THIS NUMBER BEFORE SO WE CAN DO SOMETHING AND, AND IT, THAT TIMELINE MIGHT NOT WORK OUT WITH WHAT, UH, WHAT WE'RE ABLE, HOW WE'RE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AS A COMMISSION, BUT CAN WE GET AHEAD OF IT BY, BY MAKING A RECOMMENDATION THAT WHATEVER THAT AMOUNT ENDS UP BEING, YOU KNOW, EVEN THEN, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS A BALLPARK FIGURE, BUT DO WE NEED TO HAVE AN AMOUNT TO S TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION AND MAKE THAT ASK TO COUNSEL THAT THEY FIND ANOTHER SOURCE FOR IT SINCE IT'S REALLY, I MEAN, I WANT TO SUPPORT YOU GUYS IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

AND I HEAR THAT THIS IS WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING FOR.

THANK YOU FOR HEARING US.

AND WE HEAR YOU, YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS IS WHAT YOU GUYS NEED TO MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR YOURSELVES.

SO I WANT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE IF, IF COUNCIL IS SAYING, OR WHOEVER IS SAYING LIKE, NO, YOU DON'T GET ANOTHER FTE IS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE.

EVEN IF WE WERE TO GET A BUNCH OF FTES.

SORRY, FORGIVE MY IGNORANCE.

UM, YOU KNOW THAT, OKAY, WELL THEN YOU GOTTA FIND THE MONEY SOMEWHERE ELSE TO PAY FOR THIS PROGRAM TO BE ROLLED OUT CORRECTLY.

YOU KNOW? SO ANYWAY, IS THAT POSSIBLE? YEAH, I THINK WE WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE IS IF, IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL COSTS, UH, THAT ARE W LIKE SALARY COSTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED IN THE GENERAL FUND BEFORE, BUT NOW THAT IT'S A CONTRACTOR COST ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FUND, LIKE THE FUND HAS TO PAY FOR IT.

LIKE, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN GO TO COUNCIL AND SAY LIKE, HEY, LIKE THIS WOULD HAVE COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND ANYWAY.

AND NOW OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY, I DID A LITTLE MATH.

I DID DO A LITTLE MATH TO SEE, EVEN IF WE WERE TO GET FTES HERE AND THERE, AND THERE, IT WOULD CAUSE THIS, THIS IS STILL JUST BARELY MORE EXPENSIVE.

AND I THINK IT WOULD STILL GO A LOT FASTER BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING ALL OF THE CONTRACTING IN-HOUSE WITH ONE ENTITY RATHER THAN DEPENDING ON LOTS OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY.

SO THERE IS JUST A CAPACITY ISSUE OF PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT CAN'T GO SOMETIMES FASTER BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING.

EDD IS WAITING ON OTHER DEPARTMENTS, THEY'RE WAITING ON OTHER STAFF THERE IT'S JUST WELL OILED MACHINE THAT CAN GO REALLY SLOW SOMETIMES.

AND SO DID THE MATH.

AND IF WE EVEN WITH, YOU KNOW, A HIGHER FEE, UM, WE CAN CONTRACT AND PUT IT IN THE SCOPE THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS MUCH CAPACITY TO GET IT DONE IN TIME, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE CONTRACT STARTED IN JULY, 2023.

I CAN'T MAKE THAT GUARANTEE

[01:05:01]

CAUSE I CAN'T CONTROL EVERY COMPONENT OF WHAT THAT ED CAUSE LIKE SYNOVIA SAID, FTES ARE HIRED, NOT JUST FOR ONE PROGRAM.

THEY CAN BE HIRED FOR LOTS OF THINGS AND THEN OTHER THINGS GET PUT ON THEIR PLATE.

SO I THINK THIS IS THE LEAST RISKY IN TERMS OF, WE HAVE ONE VENDOR THAT IS HIRED TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT IS VERY SPECIFIC SCOPE.

SO GIVEN THE QUESTION ABOUT THE FUNDING AND JUST ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THIS PROCESS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT, UH, EDD NEEDS FROM MUSIC COMMISSION RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL? ARE WE GOOD TO, WELL, I MEAN, AS SYNOVIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS THERE OF WHAT THE MUSIC COMMISSION COULD RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL AT THIS POINT? OR DO WE JUST MOVE FORWARD AS WE GO? I THINK AT THIS POINT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AND IF THE MUSIC COMMISSION FEELS THE NEED TO MAKE, WE CAN'T TELL THE MUSIC COMMISSION WHAT TO DO.

WE THINK BASED ON OUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND JUDGMENT, THIS IS THE BEST PATH FORWARD AND I'M MAY HAVE MISSED PART OF THE MEETING WHILE I WAS RECONNECTING.

SO SORRY.

I DEFINITELY THINK THIS IS THE WAY TO GO AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

AND THEN ONCE IT'S THIS INITIAL REALLY LONG, THERE WERE PERIOD IS UP WITH THE SOLICITATION.

SUBSEQUENT PROGRAMS COULD GO A LOT QUICKER BECAUSE IT'S A BUILT-IN PROCESS.

UM, THE TIMELINE HAS TO GET APPROVED BY COUNCIL.

NO, THIS IS JUST A PURCHASING TIMELINE.

SO IT'S JUST A REALISTIC TIMELINE OF THIS IS HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET TO AN RCA DATE WITH COUNCIL.

DO THEY GET VISIBILITY AND DO THIS, UH, QUICKLY, UH, AT THIS POINT AS TO HOW THIS FUND, THIS SAME PROPOSAL THAT WE ARE SEEING TODAY, UH, DOES COUNCIL GET VISIBILITY INTO THAT? AT ONE POINT THEY WILL GET THE RCA DATE.

SO THEY DON'T, UH, STAFF'S JOB IS TO GO DO ALL THE STEPS TO DO IT CORRECTLY, TO GET AN RCA IN FRONT OF COUNCIL.

AND SO COUNSEL TYPICALLY IS JUST GOING TO WAIT FOR THAT RCA.

NOW THEY MAY MAKE DECISIONS ON WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES ARE, BUT THAT'S UP TO THEM.

AND SO WHEN IS THE NEXT TIME LIKE COUNSEL WOULD SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ON A MEETING AGENDA? THERE'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS, BUT THERE WILL BE A MEMO GOING OUT FROM EDD AND THEY CAN MAKE WHAT ANY COUNCIL MEMBER OR MAYOR CAN MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THAT UPDATE FROM STAFF.

WHEN DOES THE MEMO GO OUT? UM, I'M JU WE'RE JUST WAITING FROM IT'S UP IN THE ECHELONS OF THE CITIES TO GET APPROVED, SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE GOT IT, BUT IT'S ALL COMPLETE AND GOTCHA.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS HOW DO THEY GET THIS INFLAMMATION? OH, ALWAYS LIKE A UPDATE FROM STAFF AND THAT SORT OF EXPECTATION IS THAT WE WOULD UPDATE THEM OFFICIALLY THROUGH A MEMO.

DOES ANYBODY ELSE ON THE COMMISSION HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, SO DO WE NEED, UH, I JUST WANT TO GIVE, UH, GIVE Y'ALL SOME PROPS FOR A COMING, COMING BACK AND LISTENING TO WHAT WAS SAID LAST AT THE LAST MEETING AND, UH, ALL THE, ALL THE WORK THAT ARE DOING DESPITE BEING SHORT-STAFFED.

UM, I WAS NOT ONE THAT I LIKED THE PROPOSAL FOR THE LAST MUSIC COMMISSION.

UM, BUT THIS ONE IS KIND OF BACK ON TRACK TO WHERE WE STARTED.

UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, UM, I'M IMPRESSED BY, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU GETTING THIS TOGETHER AND REALLY TAKING THAT FEEDBACK AND, AND BRINGING IT BACK, UM, IN A WAY THAT, UH, MAKES SENSE.

I THINK THE TIMELINE IS A WHILE IT'S NOT EXPEDIA EXPERIENCE, I THINK IS IT'S REALISTIC.

AND I THINK WE HAVE TO JUST TEMPER PEOPLE'S CONCEPTS OF REALITY AND HOW, HOW THIS FUNDING WORKS.

AND IT DID, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK A LONG TIME TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF THE EQUITY THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN WRONG IN THE PAST, KIND OF MAYBE HAVE A FASTER AND A LOT OF PEOPLE'S EYES, BUT I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE.

SO I WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU A PROPS FOR CONTINUING THE GREAT WORK YOU'VE DONE.

WELL, IT'S CERTAINLY OUR PLEASURE.

I MEAN, WE'RE HERE TO TAKE THE FEEDBACK OF YOU GUYS OF THE COMMUNITY AND DO THE BEST WE CAN TO DELIVER AND DELIVER IN A WAY THAT WILL BE THE BEST FOR OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY.

AND WE THINK THIS WILL TAKE OBVIOUSLY SOME INITIAL TIME, BUT ONCE WE GET THERE, IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH MORE OF A, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE IT AND IT WILL BE I THINK, AN EASIER PROCESS GOING FORWARD FROM THAT POINT.

WELL, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO UPDATES, UM, ON THIS WHOLE TIMELINE.

SO I KNOW WE'LL BE HEARING LOTS MORE DETAILS.

SO I WANT TO ALSO, WE HAVE JUST ONE SISEP UPDATE AND THIS IS BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM LAW IN THE FALL.

MUSIC AND ECONOMIC, UH, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

SO SHE'S JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH JUST ONE QUICK SLIDE.

HELLO, EVERYBODY.

KIM MCCARSON PROGRAM MANAGER,

[01:10:01]

AND, UH, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE TALKED ABOUT THE C-SAT PROGRAM, UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE WENT BACK TO THE GUIDELINES AND NEEDED TO REMOVE SOME OF THE SAME THINGS WE HAD TO REMOVE FROM LIVE MUSIC FUND.

AND THAT WAS SCORING FOR A APPLICANT OF COLOR LGBTQ AND WOMEN IDENTIFYING THOSE SCORING POINTS HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM OUR GUIDELINES.

UM, SO WE DID CHANGE THESE, A SCORING MATRIX AND PUT IN, WE INCLUDED SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WHICH WAS ACCESS TO SERVICES.

SO AT THE VERY TOP OF THIS CHART, YOU'LL SEE THE CATEGORIES, THE, UH, THE CRITERIA AND THEN THE POINTS FOR EACH.

AND THE ONE THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT FIRST IS ACCESS TO SERVICES BECAUSE THIS IS NEW.

AND, UH, THIS IS, UH, A SCORING CRITERIA OF UP TO 30 POINTS.

AND THE APPLICANT, UH, WHO LACKS SERVICES WOULD SCORE MORE HIGHLY ON THIS PARTICULAR SECTION, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVING ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING, SUPPORT, UH, HEALTHCARE COVERAGE, OR LACK OF ACCESS TO, UM, OR LACK OF ACCESS TO THOSE THINGS.

AND ALSO IF THE PROJECT IS LOCATED IN THE QUALIFIED CENSUS TRACT, UM, THOSE PROJECTS COULD RECEIVE HIGHER POINTS UP TO 30 POINTS.

UM, COMPELLING PROJECT NEED THIS.

ISN'T NOT REALLY CHANGED.

THIS IS UP TO 20 POINTS.

URGENCY AGAIN IS ALSO VERY MUCH THE SAME AS BEFORE.

SO THE MOST URGENT PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, KICK IT UP TO 15 POINTS, MOST URGENT WOULD BE, UM, HAVING TO LEAVE OR RENOVATE WITHIN SIX MONTHS.

UM, URGENT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO LEAVE OR RENEWABLE LEASE WITHIN SEVEN TO 13 MONTHS AND LESS URGENT WOULD BE HAVING TO RENEW A LEASE OR LEAVE MAYBE, OR RENOVATE WITHIN 14 TO 20 MONTHS.

UM, THE CO-LOCATION, AGAIN, THE SAME AS BEFORE THAT HASN'T CHANGED AND IT'S UP TO 15 POINTS.

UH, THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT.

THIS IS HOW THE PROJECT, UH, IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY IN ITS MISSION PROGRAMS, EVENTS, RELATIONSHIPS, UM, UP TO FIVE POINTS, EQUITY.

AND, UH, THIS IS THE COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND TO SERVING HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN, UP TO 20 POINTS, UM, EVENT HISTORY AND PROGRAM ADVANCEMENT, THAT'S UP TO FIVE POINTS AND THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.

UM, AND NEW RECIPIENT, OF COURSE YOU MIGHT REMEMBER HAS ALWAYS BEEN 10 BONUS POINTS SO THAT SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT RECEIVED C-SAT FUNDING BEFORE COULD EARN 10 BONUS POINTS.

THIS IS ALSO THOUGH EXTENDED, SO THAT IF ANY OF THESE OTHER PROGRAMS, MOST OF THESE ARE RELIEF PROGRAMS. IF AN APPLICANT DID RECEIVE THOSE, THEY WOULD NOT GET THE 10 BONUS POINTS.

AND THAT'S ANY OF THE PREVIOUS CREATIVE SPACE, UH, PROGRAMS IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS. UM, THE AUSTIN LIVE MUSIC VENUE, PRESERVATION FUND, THE AUSTIN LEGACY BUSINESS RELIEF, UH, GRANT THE AUSTIN SMALL BUSINESS GRANT RELIEF AND THE NON-PROFIT RELIEF GRANT AS WELL.

SO ALL OF THOSE UH, WOULD MEAN THEY WOULDN'T GET THE 10 BONUS POINTS.

UM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THE SISEP IS VERY MUCH THE SAME AS THE LAST TIME THAT WE PRESENTED IT.

SO THIS IS REALLY JUST A SYNOPSIS OF THE CHANGES.

UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH THIRD-PARTY.

UH, SO WE'RE STILL IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

UM, SO I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AT THIS TIME.

GREAT, GREAT.

THANKS SO MUCH.

AND ARE THOSE APPLICATIONS OPENING? ARE THEY ALREADY OPEN? NO, NO, THEY'RE NOT OPEN YET WHERE WE ARE.

THIS IS THE LATEST UPDATE TO THE GUIDELINES, SO THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RELEASED YET.

SO THESE ARE STILL DRAFT AND, UH, WE'RE STILL IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PURCHASING ABOUT THE THIRD-PARTY ADMINISTRATOR.

BENEFIT ENDED UP WITH A SMALLER PORTION, BUT IT WAS REALLY JUST KIND OF KEEP IT INTO PROPORTION WITH THE WAY WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST, BUT ALSO TRYING TO RE PROPORTION THINGS, BECAUSE WE HAD THE CHANGE IN THE WAY THAT WE PORTRAY THE EQUITY, UM, IN THIS APPLICATION.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION I'M SHY.

UH, COMMUNITY BENEFIT DEMONSTRATES IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ELEMENTS SUCH AS MISSION, ET CETERA.

UM, IT'S ONLY FIVE POINTS AND THAT SEEMED LIKE A REALLY BIG THING TO ME, BUT YEAH.

IS THERE, IS THERE THINKING ON WHY THAT'S ONE OF THE LOWER, LOWER SCORING CATEGORIES? YES.

AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE PUT, UM, WE PUT EQUITY, WE PUT, UH, AN ACCESS TO SERVICES AS IN PLACE OF SOME OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES THAT WE WERE USING FOR EQUITY TO HELP INCREASE THOSE, THOSE, UH, UH, AVENUES TO THIS GRANT.

AND ALSO URGENCY IS, IS REALLY THE PRIMARY, UH, YOU KNOW, EMPHASIS OF THIS GRANT.

SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT GET THE HIGHEST POINTS, AND THAT'S WHY, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY

[01:15:01]

DID THAT, WAS THAT HELPFUL? DID IT, YEAH, I THINK IT'S JUST, IT'S, I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE LAYERS THAT I, THAT I, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M NOT PRIVY TO, I DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND, BUT TO ME, JUST AS MY PERSON, IT JUST PERSONALLY MADE ME SAD TO SEE THAT AS BEING SUCH A LOW, BECAUSE TO ME THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THESE PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, CAN DO FOR OUR CITY.

UM, SO IT MADE ME SAD TO SEE THAT THAT WAS LIKE ALL SCORING THINGS I CAN OFFER THAT WHEN THIS GRANT WAS FORMAT, YOU KNOW, FORMED, I GUESS THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN 2018.

SO IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A FEW YEARS, UM, THAT THE, THE PRIMARY EMPHASIS WAS PUT ON THESE OTHER CATEGORIES, UH, BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT WAS REALLY ABOUT RESPONDING TO THE NEED FOR AFFORDABILITY AND CREATIVE SPACES AND THE URGENCY THAT SO MANY OF THE CREATIVE SPACES WERE, YOU KNOW, TEETERING ON HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, TO LEAVE THEIR SPACES.

AND SO THAT WAS WHY SOME OF THESE OTHER CATEGORIES GOT HIGHER POINTS.

UM, AND, AND THE, SO THE, THE GRANT IS REALLY ABOUT THAT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT BECAME THE, THE EMPHASIS OF IT WASN'T ON MISSION AS MUCH AS THE URGENCY AND THE NEED.

AND WE WANT TO KNOW THAT THE MISSION IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD ONE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT BENEFITS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THIS IS USEFUL.

UM, SEE, THERE ARE SOME POINTS ATTACHED TO IT, BUT THE REAL, UH, THE REAL GIST OF THIS GRANT WAS REALLY ABOUT, UM, MEETING THAT URGENT NEED, UH, BECAUSE SO MANY WE'RE HAVING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH BEING ABLE TO KEEP THE RENT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY NEEDED SOME HELP WITH SUSTAINABILITY, NEW THEATER SEATS, OR NEW STAGE OR NEW SOMETHING, NEW BATHROOMS TO KEEP THOSE CROWDS IN THAT KIND OF THING.

SO THAT REALLY BECAME KIND OF THE, THE UNDERLYING THING IN THIS GRANT.

AND THERE WAS A, UH, A CO A WORKING GROUP, A JOINT WORKING GROUP BETWEEN ARTS AND MUSIC THAT REALLY TALKED THROUGH ALL OF THESE GUIDELINES OF THAT BEING KIND OF THE MISSION OF THIS GRANT IS PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT PERIOD.

THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO SEE CREATIVE SPACE AS CLOSING.

SO THAT'S THE PRIORITY FOR THIS GRANT? ABSOLUTELY.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

I JUST, I GUESS FOR ME, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS, YOU KNOW, A PERSON WHO'S LIVED IN THIS CITY ALL MY LIFE AND HOLDS IT VERY DEAR IS PRIORITIZATION OF THOSE SPACES THAT ARE IN URGENT NEED THAT ALSO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY GREATLY.

YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE IT'S LIKE IF THERE'S URGENT NEED AND ACT LACK OF ACCESS TO SERVICES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ACROSS THE BOARD, LIKE, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT, BUT LIKE, I, IN MY MIND, IT, IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO PRIORITIZE THOSE ONES THAT ARE BENEFITED AND BENEFITING THE COMMUNITY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL MISSION SPEAKING.

SO, BUT YOU KNOW, I AM A PERSON VOLUNTEER HERE ON THIS COMMISSION, SO I FEEL COMPELLED TO SAY THAT.

AND AM I CORRECT? AND THIS IS JUST BASICALLY FOR THE, THE REQUIREMENTS, THE SAME SORT OF REWRITE THAT WE DID FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND ALONG THE LINES OF THE EQUITY PIECE.

OTHER THAN THAT, IT HASN'T REALLY CHANGED BECAUSE I MEAN, YOU KNOW, APPLICATIONS THAT WERE THAT SHUT A MONTH AGO, DID IT NOT, I'M SORRY, APPLICATIONS WITH APPLICATIONS FOR THIS, FOR THIS BOND MONEY, UH, WAS SHUT UP 31ST OF MARCH, WASN'T IT? THAT'S, UH, THAT'S THE CULTURAL STRESS.

IT WAS CALLED CREATIVE SPACE MONEY AT ONE POINT IT'S A CULTURAL TRUST.

AND SO THAT'S A SEPARATE PROCESS.

SO THAT'S THE BOND MONEY, THE WAY IT USED TO HAVE THAT NAME.

THAT'S WHY IT WAS HARD TO, OKAY.

I MEAN, I SPENT FOUR YEARS ON IT.

I KIND OF REMEMBER IT.

IT'S TWO DIFFERENT BUCKETS OF MONEY.

SO THAT CLARIFIES THAT THING.

FIRST STEP WE HAVE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION

THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WELL IS IN CHARGE OF THE CULTURAL TRUST MONEY.

AND SO YEAH, THEY, HAVEN'T THEIR APPLICATION FOR THAT JUST CLOSED.

AND THEY'LL HAVE AN UPDATE FOR US NEXT MONTH AND THAT'S AN AGENDA ITEM.

I'M GOING TO GIVE A TEENY LIKE BABY UPDATE.

AND THAT'S WHY I WAS CONFUSED.

CAUSE I WAS THINKING, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS THAT.

AND YEAH, THEY DO HAVE LIKE, ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME NAME.

WE'LL MOVE INTO NEW BUSINESS.

[3A. Discussion and Possible Action on Austin Convention Center renovation, expansion and music industry role following presentation by Katy Zamesnik, Chief Administration Officer, Austin Convention Center and Laura Templeton of the Downtown Commission.]

[01:20:01]

ON THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER, RENOVATION EXPANSION AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY ROLE.

SO, UM, I TALKED TO KATIE A SEMESTER AS AN S NECK TODAY FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER.

THEY'RE GOING TO COME AND PRESENT TO US IN JUNE.

THEY HAVE A PROOF OF CONCEPT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SHARE.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY COOL TO SEE, UM, AND THEY CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS WE HAVE OF ALL MANNER OF WHAT THE PLAN IS.

UM, HOW MUSIC CAN BE A PART OF THAT, UM, WHAT THE COSTS ARE GOING TO BE.

AND, BUT TONIGHT WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM, UH, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

SO COMMISSIONER LAURA TEMPLETON, UH, HAS JOINED US AND HAS BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY, UH, AND SUPER CUTE DRESS.

LAURA, I GOT TO SAY MANY QUESTIONS IN THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.

HELLO, EVERYBODY.

IT'S VERY NICE TO BE HERE AND TO MEET YOU ALL.

MY NAME IS LAURA TEMPLETON.

UH, YEAH.

AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE INTRODUCTION, SO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION HAD A PRESENTATION FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER, UH, LIKE A FEW MONTHS BACK, SO THEY THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE UP TO SPEED AND THEY'VE TAKEN UP LARGELY KIND OF THE FINANCING PIECE OF IT, BUT ALSO WHAT SOME OF THE PLANS COULD BE.

SO THAT'S WHY, UM, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE LAURA HERE TO GIVE US A LITTLE INSIGHT ON WHAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND THEN WE'LL HAVE FOLLOW UP, UH, AT THE NEXT MEETING, UH, FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH PROOF OF CONCEPT.

BUT KATIE DID TELL ME, LIKE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE PRESENTING THIS TO OTHER COMMISSIONER, OTHER COMMISSIONS, AND SHE'S GOING TO SEND THE PRESENTATION TO US IN ADVANCE OF OUR JUNE MEETING.

SO ALL OF US CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR PLAN AND GET OUR QUESTIONS READY AND WE COULD EVEN SUBMIT TO HER IN ADVANCE.

BUT, UM, SO THAT THE JUNE MEETING WE'VE HAD TIME TO DIGEST THE PLAN.

AND, UM, BUT YEAH, SO FOR, TO GET US TEED UP TO THAT, LAURA IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION'S WORK.

WELL, THANK YOU CHAIR PATTERSON FOR INVITING ME TO SHARE INFORMATION AND THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AND THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION WORKING GROUP.

I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE MUSIC COMMISSION ON THIS TOPIC BECAUSE YOU ALL REPRESENT, REPRESENT A COMMUNITY THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MUST.

MOST OF OUR AUSTIN CULTURE AND ATTRACTS PEOPLE TO TEA AND TOURISTS TO AUSTIN'S DOWNTOWN AND NIGHTLIFE, THE MUSIC AND ARTS COMMUNITY COULD BE A HUGE BENEFICIARY OF A NEW CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, BUT ONLY IF YOU'RE ENGAGED STAKEHOLDERS WHO CAN HELP SHAPE THE NEW CENTER INTO SOMETHING THAT MEETS YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS, PERHAPS AMENITIES LIKE A VENUE OR RECORDING SPACE.

IT IS WITH THESE STAKES IN MIND, WHY THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION WANTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EXPANSION PLANS, FUNDING, AND STAY TO THE INDUSTRY POST PANDEMIC ON JULY 21ST OF LAST YEAR, TRISHA TATRO AND KATIE'S AND MS. NICK, WHAT THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER DEVELOPMENT, THE ACC D STAFF PRESENTED TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSIONS, THE CITY'S PLANS TO EXPAND THE CONVENTION CENTER.

SEVERAL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS WERE SURPRISED WHEN STAFF INFORMED US THAT THE CITY PLAN TO DEMOLISH THE EXISTING STRUCTURE THAT WAS REMODELED IN JUST 2002, AND WHOSE DEBT WILL NOT BE RETIRED UNTIL 2029.

THEN YOU THREE STORY STRUCTURE TO BE BUILT IN ITS PLACE IS ESTIMATED TO COST AROUND $1.3 BILLION.

THIS NUMBER DOES NOT INCLUDE THE INTEREST OR THE OPERATIONAL COSTS THAT WILL BE INCURRED ON SU.

UM, MOST OF OUR QUESTIONS WERE ABOUT FINANCING WHEN THEY APPEARED BEFORE US.

AND WE ASKED THE ACC D STAFF TO RETURN WITH A FINANCING PLAN AND PROJECTION ON SEPTEMBER THE 15TH, 2021 DACC D STAFF RETURNED TO PRESENT ONCE AGAIN TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION GAVE THEM QUESTIONS BEFOREHAND.

SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED, BUT THE FINANCIAL PROJECTION WAS STILL NOT AVAILABLE AFTER THE ACC DE STAFF'S PRESENTATION.

WE PASS TO THE FOLLOWING MOTION BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH ANY ACTIONS RELATED TO THE EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD PRESENT TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, THE CITY COUNCIL, AND OTHER RELATED CITY COMMISSIONS WITH A NEW FINANCING PLAN FOR THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION, THE FINANCING PLAN SHOULD BE DETAILED, COMPREHENSIVE, AND PRESENT IT TO THE PUBLIC COMMISSIONS AND COUNCIL AT LEAST FOUR MONTHS BEFORE THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZES CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.

IN ADDITION, THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD RESEARCH THE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC ON THE LONGTERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CONVENTION CENTER

[01:25:01]

INDUSTRY NATIONWIDE.

AND WHETHER INVESTING IN A CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION IS ECONOMICALLY RESPONSIBLE.

THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION FORMED A CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION WORKING GROUP, WHICH MET SEVERAL TIMES.

ONE OF THE GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THAT PROFESSOR HAYWOOD SANDERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO AND THE NATION'S FOREMOST EXPERT ON THE CONVENTION CENTER INDUSTRY AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SHOULD GIVE THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION A PRESENTATION.

THE WORKING GROUP MET WITH PROFESSOR SANDERS FIRST AND THEN ON FEBRUARY 16TH, 2022 PROFESSOR SANDERS PRESENTED TO THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION BOARD.

HERE'S SOME VERY QUICK TAKEAWAYS FROM PROFESSOR SANDRA'S PRESENTATION.

CONVENTION CENTER.

ATTENDANCE HAS NOT RECOVERED FROM THE 2008, 2009.

GREAT RECESSION LEVELS.

ATTENDANCE WAS DECLINING IN THE YEARS LEADING UP TO THE PANDEMIC AND AUSTIN'S HOTEL ROOM OCCUPANCY HAS FALLEN FAR SHORT OF GOALS.

THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND, WHICH PAYS FOR CONVENTION CENTER.

EXPANSIONS HAS NOT STABILIZED SINCE THE PANDEMIC.

THE PLANS FOR THE $1.3 BILLION CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSIONS WERE CONCEIVED PRE PANDEMIC, NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE INCREASING SHIFT TO HYBRID AND ONLINE MEETINGS, EVEN SOME OF THE ORIGINAL 2019 CONVENTIONS CENTER STUDY AUTHORS LIKE JAKE WEGMAN WANT TO RE-EXAMINE THE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC AND INDUSTRY CHANGES BEFORE PROCEEDING.

THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER DRIVES A VERY SMALL PART OF THE TOURISM ECONOMY, ACCOUNTING AROUND 2% OF THE TOURISTS COMING TO AUSTIN, THE CONVENTION CENTER, THE CONVENTION CENTER MODEL TRANSFERS WEALTH FROM THE THINGS THAT GENERATE 98% OF TOURISM.

THINGS LIKE LIVE MUSIC, ARTS, PARKS, RESTAURANTS, ET CETERA, AND INVESTS IN ONE INDUSTRY IN ONE PART OF TOWN, THE COMPLETION OF DOWNTOWN HOTELS, LIKE THE FAIRMONT AND THE MARRIOTT, WHICH ARE WALKING DISTANCE TO THE CONVENTION CENTER HAVE ADDED 200,000 SQUARE FEET OF MEETING SPACE FOR SMALLER CONVENTION MEETINGS.

THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER LOSES MILLIONS EVERY YEAR.

IT HAS NEVER TURNED A PROFIT TWO THINGS WE OUGHT TO KEEP IN MIND.

FIRST, IT REQUIRES TRANSFERS EVERY YEAR OUT OF THE HOT FUND TO BREAK EVEN TYPICALLY TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

ONLY 2 CENTS FROM THE 11 CENT HOT FUND WOULD LIKELY BE USED TO FUND THE CENTER AT LEAST UNTIL 2029.

WHEN THE OLD EXPANSION IS FINALLY PAID OFF, EXCUSE ME, THE BASE CASE PROJECTIONS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THE PRIMARY REASON PEOPLE WANT TO BUILD A NEW CONVENTION CENTER TO SUPPORT DOWNTOWN HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS IS ONLY AN ADDITIONAL 40 MILLION A YEAR.

SO WE SHOULD SPEND OVER A BILLION PLUS DOLLARS WITH A CENTER ALREADY LOSING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR TO GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL 40 MILLION A YEAR FOR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES.

AUSTIN VOTERS NEVER REALLY GOT TO SAY ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER COST.

YOU MIGHT EVEN SAY THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS LESS SCRUTINY THAN A TRADITIONAL MUNICIPAL BOND.

AND IT'S ALL THE MORE REASON WE AS A BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS NEED TO TRACK IT CLOSELY.

THE DOWNTOWN WORKING GROUP AND FULL COMMISSION FOUND PROFESSOR SANDRA'S INFORMATION VALUABLE, AND YOU ALL MAY ALSO FIND IT BENEFICIAL TO INVITE HIM TO PRESENT TO YOUR COMMISSION AS WELL.

HE HAS DEVOTED HIS LIFE TO THE STUDY OF THE CONVENTION CENTER INDUSTRY AND IS ALSO KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT AUSTIN'S CONVENTION CENTER HISTORY.

HE HAS NO DOG IN THIS HUNT.

HE'LL SPEAK TO YOU AS AN IMPARTIAL EXPERT PRESENTING JUST THE FACTS.

I HAVE A SUMMARY OF HIS PRESENTATION THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU ALL LATER.

IF YOU'D LIKE, I'M SPEAKING TO YOU ALL TODAY AS A COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER, SERVING ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION BOARD, I'M ALSO SPEAKING AS A CONCERNED AUSTIN KNIGHT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT AUSTIN FACES SEVERAL CRITICAL ISSUES, HOMELESSNESS, TRAFFIC, AND MOBILITY AFFORDABILITY, AND HOW TO SUPPORT MUSICIANS AND VENUES AND REAFFIRM OUR PLACE AS THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

WE ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO REQUIRE TRANSPARENCY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY FROM OUR CITY MANAGER COUNCIL AND MAYOR.

THIS LATEST EXPANSION REPRESENTS CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMISSIONS.

I BELIEVE IF WE WANT AN EXPANSION THAT WILL SERVE OUR NEEDS, LIKE SUPPORTING MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS AND VENUES WILL NEED

[01:30:01]

TO BE INVOLVED, BE UNAFRAID TO DIG INTO THE DETAILS SO WE CAN HELP SHAPE THIS NEW EXPANSION INTO SOMETHING THAT SUPPORTS OUR COLLECTIVE NAMES.

UH, THE LAST MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION HAD HAD WE PASSED A RESOLUTION AND I BELIEVE YOU ALL.

HAVEN'T UM, I'VE PROBABLY SPOKEN ENOUGH.

SO YEAH, I DO HAVE, WE HAVE A COPY OF IT.

SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR DOWNTOWN COMMISSION IN TERMS OF CONVENTION CENTER AND, UM, JUST PROCESS WISE.

WHAT DO Y'ALL HAVE AHEAD OF YOU? WELL, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE FINANCING PLAN FROM, UM, FROM THE CITY STAFF.

UH, WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THAT FINANCING PLAN SINCE, UH, JULY OF 2021 AND YET HAVE YET TO RECEIVE IT.

SO THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO, YOU KNOW, WE'D, I THINK THAT OUR CONVENTION CENTER PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE RENOVATED, BUT I THINK THE MAJORITY OF US ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION DO NOT THINK THAT WE NEED A $1.3 BILLION STRUCTURE AND THAT THE CURRENT ONE GETS DEMOLISHED.

UM, MS. MS. TEMPLETON, UH, THANK YOU FOR, UM, FOR THAT.

I, I THINK I WAS EXPECTING TO HEAR A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM YOU AND IT'S WHILE THIS IS IT'S FACTUAL IT'S IT'S IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S, UM, A LOT OF BAD NEWS, UH, TO BE THE BEARER OF BAD NEWS, BUT IT'S OKAY.

I MEAN, I ACTUALLY, UM, LIKE FROM THAT THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING, I ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP THE FACT OR THE FEAR THAT IF WE WORK TO REPLACE THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH THIS NEW CONVENTION CENTER AND INVEST ALL THIS MONEY INTO IT AND WHATNOT, THAT IT'S SERIOUSLY GOING TO HURT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE VENUES, UM, AND THEN AROUND, UH, THAT CONVENTION CENTER AND, AND, AND, UH, UH, I, I DON'T, I MEAN, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS PER SE.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT TRYING TO LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, RUFFLE ANY FEATHERS OR ANYTHING JUST YET WITH, WITH ANY OF THIS, BUT IN, IN, IN DECEMBER OF 2020, THE NEW YORK TIMES ACTUALLY PUT OUT AN ARTICLE SAYING THAT CONVENTION CENTERS BASICALLY HAVE LOST ATTENDANCE IN THEIR SACK WITH THAT.

AND HERE WE ARE ABOUT TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UM, DO THIS THING THAT'S RIGHT.

THE WORLD IS DIFFERENT AFTER COVID TOTALLY DO IT.

IT'S VERY DIFFERENT AFTER COVID.

SO I, I GUESS, UM, WHAT WOULD BE SOME OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO, UM, W WHAT SHOULD WE DO? WELL, WE'VE ASKED THE, UH, THE CITY, UH, THIS, THE CITY STAFF TO, UM, STUDY THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC ON THE CONVENTION CENTER INDUSTRY FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS, RECONSIDER ALL OF THIS AND GET STUDIES AND INPUT FROM CRITICS AND OPTIMISTS ALIKE.

UM, AND WE'VE ALSO MAYBE ASKED THEM TO LOOK INTO A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DEAL.

THAT'S NEVER BEEN DONE ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, BUT IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT JOEL SHARER ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION CAME UP WITH.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST BASICALLY WANT HIM TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND, UH, START A NEW, I KNOW THAT THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, BUT AGAIN, WHEN THINGS CHANGE, YOU HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE AND YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.

THEY'RE SAYING THAT THE HOT TAX IS GOING TO PAY FOR A $1.3 BILLION CONVENTION CENTER.

UM, THAT'S FUZZY MATH THAT, THAT AN ADD UP.

AND I, YOU KNOW, I I'D LOVE TO SEE THE FINANCING PLAN.

MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MISSING.

WELL, SURE.

I MEAN, I THINK THERE WERE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH ANYONE FROM, UH, UH, UH, I THINK, UH, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF A WAY TO SAY THIS, BUT BASICALLY, UH, THERE WAS, UH, THERE WERE SOME AGREEMENTS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT WITH, UH, BARS AND LIQUOR TAX, UH, BASICALLY LIKE, UH, LIKE IF THE BARS OR SOME OF THE BARS THAT WERE AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER ARE VERY IGNORANT TO THIS, AND MAYBE YOU COULD HELP CLARIFY SOME OF THAT POSSIBLY, BUT IF SOME OF THE BARS, UM, GOT ON BOARD WITH BUILDING THEIR CONVENTION CENTER, THAT THEY WOULDN'T TURN TO GET A LIQUOR TAX REDUCTION OR SOMETHING OF THAT STORE, DOES THAT SOUND, I HAVE NO IDEA.

I WISH I GOT ANSWERED THAT.

NO IDEA.

THAN I DO, AND HE'S MUCH MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, THE 2002 REMODEL EFFORT.

THAT'S A BIG QUESTION FOR KATIE.

IT IS, UH, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU ALL INVITE PROFESSOR SANDERS TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL.

HE HAS A LOT MORE FACTS

[01:35:01]

YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT I THINK THAT WAS $110 MILLION TO BUILD.

AND, UM, AND IT'S, LIKE I SAID, IT'S NEVER TURNED A PROFIT.

IT'S A DYING INDUSTRY.

I THINK THE CITY STAFF MIGHT DIFFER WITH MY OPINION, BUT, UH, I REMEMBER MY FIRST MEETING HERE, I GOT A ONE SHEET FROM BILL BUNCH WHO BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, DID BULLET POINTS OF YOUR ENTIRE PRESENTATION HERE.

AND IT MADE SENSE, THEN IT MADE SENSE.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE, ARE STRANGE BEDFELLOWS OR NOT, BUT YOU BOTH, YOU'RE BOTH MAKING A GOOD POINT.

YOU KNOW, UH, BILL BUNCH AND JOHN REEDY, BOTH OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION, THEY MET WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION AND PROFESSOR HAYWOOD SANDERS.

WE HAD A MEETING WITH HIM.

I KNOW JOHN'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, A VOCAL CRITIC OF IT TOO.

AND SO IT IS INTERESTING, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS LATER BECAUSE THE SAME THINGS APPLY ONLY MORE MAGNIFIED.

YOU KNOW, SAN ANTONIO, HOUSTON, DALLAS ARE STRONGER THINGS.

OURS HAS NEVER MADE A BIT OF MONEY.

WE'VE BEEN SUBSIDIZING IT FOR ONE THING OR ANOTHER.

AND BY SUBSIDIZING WHAT I MEAN, WE'RE TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM OTHER VALUABLE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD USE IT.

AND SO I WAS VERY GOOD.

YOU KNOW, THIS, WHEN I FIRST GOT THIS AND READ THROUGH YOUR THING, I'M GOING, THIS IS A SLIGHTLY MORE EXPANDED VERSION OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT BILL DID AND THE POINTS ARE ALL THE SAME FOUR YEARS LATER, THEY MAKE THE SAME THAT I COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION FOUR YEARS LATER.

SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

WELL, YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

UM, UM, SO IN TERMS OF HAVE, I'VE TALKED WITH A COUPLE OF TOURISM CONDITIONERS AS WELL.

SO, AND I KNOW ARTS ARTS IS EFFECTED BY THIS.

THEIR FUNDING IS HOT FUNDING.

UM, SO WE, WE ALL HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT WHATEVER THE PLAN IS SERVES THE CITY WELL SERVES THE FUNDEES WELL.

UM, SO I'M WONDERING, AND THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.

LIKE IF WE WERE TO FORM A JOINT WORKING GROUP ON THE CONVENTION CENTER, LIKE, CAN WE HAVE, LIKE HOW MANY COMMISSIONS CAN BE IN A JOINT WORKING GROUP? AND I KNOW THERE'S LIKE A LOT OF RULES AROUND THAT.

IS THAT SOMETHING? AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, CAN, I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT, THAT'D BE AWESOME.

THE WORKING, THE WORKING GROUP IS A LITTLE BIT INFORMAL.

UM, SO IT, IT, YOU CAN HAVE COMMISSIONERS ON IT OR YOU CAN HAVE VOLUNTEERS ON IT AND YOU CAN HAVE A MIX, UM, AND IT DOESN'T NEED, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A QUORUM, UH, FOR WORKING GROUP IT'S, UH, YOU REPORT WHAT YOU FIND BACK TO THE BOARD.

THE BOARD MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO WORKING GROUP DOESN'T MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

IT ONLY MAKES OR TO COUNCIL ANYWAY, IT CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OR YOU HAVE A REPORT ON ITS FINDINGS TO THE COMMISSION.

AND THEN THE COMMISSION FROM THAT CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

THE TOURISM COMMISSION, I THINK LAST MONTH, UH, INVITED HAYWOOD SANDERS TO COME AND SPEAK TO THEM, BUT THEY DIDN'T MEET QUORUM.

SO HE DIDN'T GET TO, BUT HE'S VERY AMENABLE TO COME TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL IN PERSON, UH, YOU KNOW, OR ZOOM, LIKE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE DOING NOW.

SO YEAH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT WILL DETERMINE IF THAT MAKES SENSE FOR US.

I DEFINITELY WANT TO HEAR FROM KATIE, AND THEN I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE QUESTIONS.

UM, BUT YEAH.

SO THANK YOU, LAURA, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

CAN I ASK YOU ONE QUESTION? YOU SAY THAT THE, UM, CONVENTION CENTER INDUSTRY IS DYING, HOWEVER, UH, TOURISM TO AUSTIN CONTINUES TO GROW WITH OR WITHOUT CONVENTIONS.

UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONVENTION CENTER SPACE COULD BE USED TO SUPPORT THE PARTS OF THE TOURISM IN AUSTIN THAT ARE CLEARLY NOT DYING THAT ARE VITAL, THAT ARE GROWING? I MEAN, EVERYBODY, I WANT EVERYBODY I TALK TO SAYS, OH, GREAT.

NOW THAT COVID IS DONE, I'M COMING TO AUSTIN.

UM, NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE OF CONVENTIONS.

UM, AND I THINK I'M SORRY.

GO AHEAD.

REALLY PROBABLY THE ONLY EVENT THAT REALLY REALLY USES THE CONVENTION CENTER.

WELL, MY, MY, MY QUESTION IS, UM, UM, BUT I, MY, MY, MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS GROWING, THAT WOULD BE A BETTER INVESTMENT OF THIS MONEY THAN BRINGING BUSINESSES HERE FOR CONVENTIONS.

WELL, OUR POPULATION, THE GROWTH, UM, I DON'T KNOW.

I REALLY DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

THAT'S WHY I'D LIKE ALL OF US TO GET TOGETHER AND MAYBE GO TO OUR HEADS TOGETHER BECAUSE I FEEL I HAD THE NUMBERS THAT I HAVE IN 2018, 25 MILLION TOURISTS CAME TO AUSTIN, AND THERE WERE ONLY 403,770 ATTENDEES AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.

DOES IT, DOES THAT INCLUDE SOUTH BY, BECAUSE SOUTH BY IS BASED AT THE CONVENTION CENTER BY IS

[01:40:01]

AND I THINK THEY'VE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, DO THEY REALLY NEED A CONVENTION CENTER FOR WHAT THEY DO? PROBABLY NOT.

I THINK SOME OF THE HOTELS COULD ACCOMMODATE THEM THE PARMER AUDITORIUM COULDN'T WELL, AND THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THERE'S THE SPACE IN THE MARRIOTT, THERE'S THE SPACE IN THE FAIRMOUNT.

AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE DISCUSSED THAT BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY EXPAND OUT RECENTLY, UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC SOUTH BY HAS BEEN A WAR, BUT IT, I DO BELIEVE IT WILL EXPAND BACK OUT.

AND THE ONE THING ABOUT THIS, OUR DIMENSION IS THAT THIS, THE CONVENTION CENTER IS REALLY NOT DRAWING VERY MUCH IN THERE.

SO THEY'RE NOT REALLY CONTRIBUTING THEIR FAIR SHARE TO THE HOT TAX, WHEREAS THE MUSIC COMMUNITY IS.

AND SO WHERE SHOULD THE MONEY GO? YEAH, SO I THINK THESE ARE ALL THE MATH HERE IS INCREDIBLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE THE COST IS HIGH.

AND, UM, OUR, THE LIVE MUSIC FUND THAT WE DISCUSS AT LENGTH AND EVERY MEETING IS FUNDED THROUGH HOT TAXES.

UM, AND WE WANT THE EXPANSION TO HELP GROW THAT, NOT EAT INTO IT.

UM, SO THAT'S WHY IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT NOT ONLY THE COST, BUT WHAT, WHAT CAN BE IN THAT SPACE THAT THERE'S PUBLIC BENEFIT TO AUSTIN THAT MAKES IT A CONVENTION CENTER THAT PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT.

UM, AND HOW CAN MUSIC BE A PART OF THAT? WHAT MUSIC CENTERED SPACES CAN BE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER.

AND I SAW THAT YOUR RESOLUTION ALSO TALKS ABOUT POTENTIAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING ONSITE.

I MEAN, THEN THAT IS DEFINITELY A MUSIC ISSUE.

UM, SO I, YOU KNOW, I DO THINK THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EXPANSION TO, TO GO FORTH IN A REALLY VISIONARY WAY THAT IS NOT, UM, WHERE THE MONEY SPENT ON IT MAKES SENSE, AND THERE'S A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

UM, BUT THAT'S, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TO BE EXAMINED AND DISCUSSED AND PLANNED.

UM, SO YEAH, I THINK IN, WHAT ABOUT YOU GUYS NOT VOLLEY OR LAUREN, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND SPEAKING WITH US.

UM, AND, AND YEAH, I'M SAME PAGE.

UM, AND I, I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE IDEA OF RE-IMAGINING THIS, BECAUSE AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, THE LIVE MUSIC FUND DEPENDS ON THIS EXPANSION IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, RIGHT? SO WE NEED THE EXPANSION, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO LOOK THE WAY THAT THEY INITIALLY PLANNED FOR IT TO LOOK.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO GET REALLY CREATIVE, UM, AND CONSIDER IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN PRESERVE KIND OF LIKE WHAT, WHAT ORIN WAS MAYBE ALLUDING TO, LIKE WHAT, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE PRESERVE ABOUT OUR CITY THROUGH, THROUGH THIS PROJECT? UM, INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, KNOCKING SOMETHING DOWN AND BUILDING SOMETHING THAT MAY OR MAY NOT EVEN BE NECESSARY.

AND, UM, I'M REMEMBERING IT WAS BEFORE I WAS ON THE MUSIC COMMISSION, BUT THERE WAS A, I THINK IT WAS A RESOLUTION PASSED, UM, ABOUT CREATING VISITORS CENTERS ACROSS TOWN, UM, AT EXISTING VENUES.

UM, AND, UM, I THINK IT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, MAYBE.

UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER, I'VE SLEPT MANY TIMES SINCE THEN, BUT, UM, I REALLY LIKED THE IDEA OF CONSIDERING OUR EXISTING SPACES AS IMAGINATE AND IMAGINATIVE WAYS, UH, TO INVITE, YOU KNOW, VISITORS, WHETHER IT BE FOR CON CONVENTIONS OR FESTIVALS OR OTHER THINGS, UM, TO AVAIL OF WHAT THE CITY ALREADY HAS TO OFFER OF WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE OF WHAT MAKES US PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT HERE, YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD YOU, YOU KNOW, AND CHARLOTTE AND I TALKED EARLIER, I WAS LIKE, WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRAVEL TO A CITY TO GO TO A CONVENTION, RATHER THAN SITTING ON, YOU KNOW, ON ZOOM, UH, WHAT IS, WHAT'S THE APPEAL OF ACTUALLY TRAVELING AND GOING SOMEWHERE? IS IT TO SIT IN A STERILE, YOU KNOW, LIKE BALLROOM TYPE, YOU KNOW, SPACE, OR IS IT TO ACTUALLY GO TO SOME OF THE AMAZING PLACES IN THE CITY THAT, THAT ARE UNIQUE? SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS EXPANSION, TAKE THE SHAPE OF WHAT REALLY SERVES THE COMMUNITY THAT'S COMING UP AGAIN.

I REALLY WANT TO SEE THAT PRIDE OR PRIORITIZED.

HOW DO WE SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND PRESERVE WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY WHILE DRAWING PEOPLE TO VISIT HERE AND USING THIS EXPANSION MONEY IN WAYS THAT ARE JUST GOING TO ENRICH WHAT ALREADY EXISTS HERE.

AND MAYBE THERE ARE SOME NEW THINGS THAT WE CAN ADD, BUT THERE ARE NEW THINGS THAT WE ADD THAT DON'T DESTROY WHAT'S, WHAT'S ALREADY HERE OR TAKE AWAY FROM POTENTIALLY SUPPORTING THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.

[01:45:01]

I WOULD LOVE TO BE PART OF ANY KIND OF CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENS ABOUT WHAT THIS RE-IMAGINING COULD LOOK LIKE.

UM, OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO HEAR THIS PRESENTATION FROM, I ALREADY FORGOT HER NAME, KATIE, UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, TO GET ALL POINTS OF VIEW, BUT SURE.

WELL, PERHAPS YOUR WORKING GROUP CAN WORK WITH OUR WORKING GROUP AND HOPEFULLY THE TOURISM COMMISSION WORKING GROUP, WE CAN ALL COLLABORATE AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING, UH, BECAUSE YEAH, I MEAN, LAS VEGAS, CHICAGO, ORLANDO, AND ATLANTA, THOSE ARE THE BIG FOUR.

THOSE ARE MORE DESIRABLE DESTINATIONS FOR OUR CONVENTION CENTER.

PEOPLE COME HERE FOR THE MUSIC, FOR THE ARTS, FOR THE FOOD, NOT SO MUCH FOR CONVENTION CENTER GATHERINGS.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, MUSIC HAS FOUND ITS WAY WITH AND WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT, IT HAS A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE CITY RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS WONDERFUL WITH NEW WAYS TO INCUBATE, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS AND SUPPORT MUSICIANS AND WHATNOT.

BUT THE DOWNTOWN CONVENTION CENTER HAS DONE NONE OF THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING WIPE IT OFF THE MAP, BUT AGAIN, I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A TIME WHERE THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMUNITY IS FINDING A VOICE IT'S THEIRS.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BECOMING, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT OF UNIFIED VOICE TO SPEAK.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CARPENTER'S UNION AND THE, YOU KNOW, TEACHER'S UNION.

WELL, THERE'S GOING TO BE, I THINK IN THE NEAR FUTURE MUSICIANS, UNION, NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, UNION, BUT A MUSICIANS ORGANIZATION ASSOCIATION THAT HAS EVEN MORE IMPACT THAN WE DO.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DEMAND THAT WE'RE TREATED FAIR.

AND I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THE MUSIC COMMUNITY HAS BEEN GETTING THE SHORT STICK FOR A LONG TIME WHILE WE'VE SUBSIDIZED SOMETHING THAT WAS A DREAM.

AND IT WAS AT THE TIME, NOT A COMPLETELY UNREASONABLE DREAM TO PURSUE, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK OVER 20 YEARS.

SO I THINK IT'S TIME TO KIND OF REASSESS HOW WE'RE SPENDING THAT MONEY AND WHAT WE'RE SUBSIDIZING.

WELL, YOU HAVE THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION SUPPORT, SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU ALL WE'RE HERE.

THANK YOU, LAURA.

SO JUST AS A, YEAH.

UH, LET ME SAY ONE THING REAL QUICK, SCOTT, AND THEN I'LL PITCH IT TO YOU.

SO JUST AGAIN, LIKE A LITTLE REMINDER OF THE HISTORY, THERE WAS A VISITOR IMPACT TAX FORCE THAT DID LOOK AT CONVENTION CENTER FINANCING, PRE PANDEMIC, AND, UM, THAT'S HOW THE LIVE MUSIC FUND WAS BORN.

IT WAS BORN OUT OF THAT, UM, ABILITY TO BRING IN SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, HOTEL TO INCREASE THE HOTEL TAX BY 2% AND THEREBY FUND, UM, LIVE MUSIC BUSINESSES.

SO, UM, THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.

WE WANT TO HOLD ON TO KEEP THAT IN MIND WITH THIS.

BUT THE OTHER PART OF THAT TO REMEMBER IS THAT THE MUSIC COMMUNITY HAS SUPPORTED THIS EXPANSION AND WHEN THERE WAS A VOTE ABOUT IT, AND I WAS A SKEPTIC, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT EARLY ON, BUT IT SHOULD BE SAD THAT THE MUSIC COMMUNITY DID COME TOGETHER TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE IDEA OF THE EXPANSION.

AND SO THE MUSIC COMMUNITY HAS BEEN PART OF THIS DISCUSSION FOR A LONG TIME.

AND SO, I MEAN, IT IS, WE ARE A CRITICAL PART IN MY MIND OF WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE EXPANSION.

AND SO THIS COMMISSION WILL BE, WE WILL BE INVOLVED, WE'LL BE BRINGING IN THE COMMUNITY ONCE AGAIN, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EXPANSION IN WHATEVER FORM IT SHAPE IT TAKES AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS, BUT IT SERVES MUSIC WELL.

AND IN DOING SO, IT SERVES THE COMMUNITY WELL, IT SERVES AUSTIN AND, AND YOU KNOW, IT ACTUALLY IS A, A GOOD FINANCIAL INVESTMENT.

SO WE, WE WILL PLAN TO HAVE LOTS OF DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS AND PROBABLY IN, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WILL FORM A WORKING GROUP OR JOINT WORKING GROUP.

UM, AND B WE'LL BE A REALLY GOOD PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON THIS.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT VISIONARY THING CAN COME OUT OF THIS PLAN.

UM, AND AGAIN, JUST A SHOUT OUT TO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE VISITOR IMPACT TASK FORCE, UM, AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, TALKED ABOUT LIVE MUSIC, FUN.

ALL OF IT GOES TOGETHER.

THERE'S LOTS OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.

AND, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION NOW HAS JUMPED IN ON THIS.

SO THERE'S LOTS, LOTS MORE TO BE DONE, BUT I THINK IT CAN BE A REAL, WHAT CAN COME OUT OF THIS CAN BE SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY IS REALLY PROUD OF AND THAT IT'S, AND I HOPE THAT'S SHOWCASE FOR AUSTIN AND OTHER CITIES ARE JEALOUS AND I WILL LOVE THAT PART.

SO I'M TO STAY WITHIN A BUDGET, BUT YES, IT WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK AT THE FINANCIALS FOR SURE AS WELL.

UM, AND YEAH, YOU GO AHEAD AND, UM, YEAH, I'M SURE YOU GUYS HEAR ME.

I HAD TO TURN OFF MY WIFI.

YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.

UH, THIS IS A QUESTION THAT SORT OF DOVETAILS AND MS. TEMPLETON, UH, I THINK THAT YOU'RE GROUND ZERO

[01:50:01]

FOR IT.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN KILL IT, TALK ABOUT IT PER SE, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO ASK IT ANYWAY.

MAYBE SHUT IT DOWN OR WHATNOT.

BUT, UH, THERE WAS A REPORT THAT CAME OUT THAT THE, UM, UH, DEVELOPMENT OF THE DOWNTOWN WAREHOUSE DISTRICT, UH, THAT THERE ARE A FEW BARS, UM, IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, UH, COULD BE DEMOLISHED.

UM, IS, UH, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT HERE? DO WE NEED TO MAKE AN AGENDA ITEM FOR IT? UM, SCOTT, YOU GOT ME AGAIN.

I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

IF YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO GET TOO MUCH OFF THE TOPIC, UM, AND START TO TALKING ABOUT SPECIFIC BUSINESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO MAKE AN AGENDA ITEM OUT OF IT, BUT THIS IS REALLY A REPORT ABOUT THE, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE COMMISSION GAVE.

UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD, UH, JUST FOR THE RECORD THAT I WAS A PART OF THE VISITOR IMPACT TASK FORCE GROUP, AND, UM, I FORGET WHAT IT WAS, BUT IT WAS EARLY ON IN MY TIME, MY TENURE AS A MUSIC COMMISSIONER, UH, THAT I SPOKE OUT AGAINST, UH, THE, THE WAY IN WHICH, UH, THAT VISITOR IMPACT TASK FORCE, UH, MARGINALIZED, PARTICULARLY, UH, MY VOICE AS A MUSICIAN, BUT ALSO AS ADMISSIONS AND OF COLOR AND LEFT ME OUT OF AN IMPORTANT, UH, SESSION TO, UM, FINALIZE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED AS A, AS A VISITOR'S APP IMPACT TASK FORCE.

UM, I WAS THE ONLY BLACK PERSON IN THAT GROUP.

I WAS ALSO THE ONLY WORKING POSITION IN THAT GROUP.

AND, UM, I HAVE VERY LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN, UH, THE INDUSTRY IN PARTICULAR, IN THEIR, IN THEIR ABILITY TO VISION, A REALITY THAT INCLUDES, UH, PARTICULARLY HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS, UM, AND ALSO THE MUSICIANS AS A WHOLE.

UM, SO, UM, I AM LIKE, UH, VERY HIGHLY SKEPTICAL ABOUT, UM, THEIR INTENTIONS AND ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF ANYTHING POSITIVE, UH, UH, AN OUTCOME COMING FROM, FROM THIS.

I JUST WANTED TO BE ON RECORD SAYING THAT BECAUSE I HAD A DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH THAT AND ALSO CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT, UH, LOBBYING, UH, GROUP, UH, FOLKS THAT LOBBY FOR CONVENTION A VERY POWERFUL GROUP, UM, TEND TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKE THINGS HAPPEN FOR THEMSELVES.

BUT, UH, AS, AS, UH, THE SPEAKER SAID, WE HAVE SEEN VERY LITTLE, OUR RESULT OUTSIDE OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUND HAS COME.

UM, BUT WE DON'T, WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT TIED TO THE EXPANSION, UH, TO RECEIVE THE LIVE MUSIC FUNDING.

SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT PERSONALLY.

AND ONE MORE THING WE HAVE, I HAVE A LOT OF GRAPHS AND NUMBERS THAT I CAN FORWARD TO ALL OF YOU, IF YOU'D LIKE MORE THAN HAPPY, UM, CHAIR PATTERSON, I CAN COORDINATE WITH YOU AND GET THAT INFORMATION TO THEM, OR JUST PER SHARE IT WITH KIM.

THAT'S PERFECT.

AND THEN SHE CAN FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION.

THANKS GUYS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.

AND Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION FALLING UPDATE FROM THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

SO, UM, NEXT ITEM,

[3B. Discussion and Possible Action following update on the Austin Economic Development Corporation.]

UH, DAVID COLLAGEN WAS GOING TO JOIN US TONIGHT WITH SOME UPDATES, BUT HE'S, UH, GONNA COME IN JUNE.

HE HAD A CONFLICT.

UH, SO I DID, AND THAT BELIVEAU, WHO IS OUR BOARD MEMBER, UH, SENT ME SOME UPDATES, UH, SOME BULLETS THAT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH REALLY QUICKLY.

UM, AND JUST TO SHAKES, HANG ON.

SORRY.

I DID HAVE IT TEED UP.

UH, BUT THE BIG PROJECT THAT THEY'RE FOCUSED ON RIGHT NOW IS WE, WE MENTIONED EARLIER IS THE CULTURAL TRUST.

SO THAT HAD 45 APPLICANTS, I BELIEVE.

SORRY.

MY EMAIL IS STILL COMING UP.

APPLICANTS, MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE A FULLY FORMED PLAN YET.

45 SUBMISSIONS TO THE CULTURAL TRUST.

AND SO THIS IS, THIS IS SOME, THE REASON THERE'S CONFUSION FOR THOSE WATCHING AT HOME OR THE REASON THERE'S CONFUSION AND WHAT THE GREATEST SPACE PLAN IS.

THERE ARE SOME SIMILARITIES BECAUSE THESE ARE FOR, UM, THE CAPITAL PROJECTS, UM, LARGELY IS MY UNDERSTANDING.

UM, SO YEAH, THE AEDC WAS FORMED AFTER THE BOND MONEY WAS PASSED OR PASSED OR VOTED ON BY VOTERS AND PASSED.

AND SO THEY'VE TAKEN THIS OVER.

AND, UM, SO STUART WAS CORRECT.

THERE WAS A MARCH 31, UH, DEADLINE FOR THE SUBMISSIONS.

THEY RECEIVED 45.

AND THEN, UM, THE ADDITION OF FIVE PIPELINE ONLY PROJECTS CAME IN.

SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE JUST EARLY STAGE PROJECTS WHERE, UM, THE

[01:55:01]

UH, BUT THE AEDC HAS ENCOURAGED THIS SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN HELP THOSE APPLICANTS KIND OF DETERMINE THEIR NEEDS.

THEY WANT TO HAVE A, UH, A BREADTH AND DEPTH OF POSSIBLE PROJECTS WAITING.

UH, SO THAT IS GOOD NEWS.

THAT'S A PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD RESPONSE.

UM, SO THEY'RE EVALUATING SUBMISSIONS THIS MONTH AND THEY'LL HAVE AN INITIAL REPORT IN JUNE.

SO MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE READY BY OUR JUNE MEETING, HOPEFULLY, AND DAVID CAN TALK TO US ABOUT THAT.

AND, UM, THERE'LL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, FEEDBACK ON THE PROCESS SO FAR AND, UH, COMMUNITY, OTHER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION.

AND, UH, THERE'S A WEBSITE, AUSTIN, EDC.ORG.

AND THEN YOU CAN FIND THE CULTURAL TRUST, UM, PROGRAM INFORMATION THERE.

A COUPLE OTHER PROJECTS THAT THE ADC IS INVOLVED IN IS THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT INITIATIVE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS.

HAVE WE INVOLVED IN THAT AS WELL? SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE REDEVELOPMENT ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF, UH, LADYBIRD BLAKE.

UM, SOMETHING ELSE LIKE THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT THIS COMMISSION MAY WANT OURSELVES TO BE INVOLVED IN IS THERE'S LIKE A LOT OF SPACE THERE, VENUE OPPORTUNITIES, HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, COMMUNITY BENEFITS.

UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S STILL KIND OF IN EARLY STAGES.

AND THEY'RE ALSO INVOLVED IN, UH, URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT IN EAST AUSTIN.

UM, I THINK IT'S CALLED LIKE BLOCK BLOCK 18 AND 19.

AND I THINK THAT SOMEBODY CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

I THINK THAT INVOLVES INCLUDES THE KENNY DURHAM'S BACK YARD PARCEL.

SO PART OF THE POINT OF THAT IS, UM, OR THE, THE GREAT SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT IS, IS, UM, BLACK CULTURAL HERITAGE IN AUSTIN AND, YOU KNOW, PRESERVING SOME OF THE LAND ALONG 11TH STREET FOR CULTURAL INITIATIVES, UM, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW HOW MUCH THAT AREA IS HAS CHANGED.

SO THAT'S SOME THINGS THAT AEDC IS UP TO.

I DO FIND IT VERY RELEVANT TO THIS COMMISSION.

AND SO DAVID WILL BE HERE IN JUNE AND HE'LL TELL US MORE SPECIFICS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

SO THAT'S THAT, UH, OKAY.

AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON.

DID YOU, DID YOU HAVE THE LATEST YOU'RE GOOD? UH, NO, IT'S OKAY IF YOU HAD, I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU HAD A QUESTION, BUT I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE ANSWERS IN THAT.

THAT'S ALL I KNOW.

UM, WE'LL WAIT FOR THE EXPERTS NEXT MONTH.

SO I

[3C. Discussion and Possible Action regarding officer elections.]

THINK WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE C DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING OFFICER ELECTIONS.

IT'S TIME FOR OFFICER ELECTIONS.

SO, UM, WE HAVE THREE OFFICERS.

WE HAVE A PRESIDENT OR NO, WE DON'T HAVE A PRESIDENT.

WE HAVE A CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND PARLIAMENTARIAN.

SO CURRENT LEE, I AM CHAIR AND FOLLY IS VICE CHAIR CURRENTLY.

AND ORIN.

YOU'RE A PARLIAMENTARIAN, EXCUSE ME.

SO YOU HAVE FOUR, YOU HAVE A SECRETARY IS OUR SECRETARY OREN OREN.

HERE'S OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN.

OH, HE'S PROBLEM.

AND TURN.

AND GRAHAM IS PARLIAMENTARIAN.

THAT'S A GOOD JOB FOR GRAHAM.

SO DO I HAVE A NOMINATION FOR PARLIAMENTARIAN BECAUSE I SECOND THAT, SO WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO CHALLENGE GRAHAM REYNOLDS FOR THE, SO MAYBE WE JUST DO THIS, RIGHT? LIKE WE VOTE ONE AT A TIME AND SEE IF ANYBODY'S HOO HOO.

A MOTION TO NOMINATE GRANT WAS THANK YOU, STEWART.

AND I SECONDED AND, UH, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WANTS THAT POSITION, THEN I THINK WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.

SO ALL IN FAVOR OF GRAHAM REYNOLDS BEING REELECTED, PARLIAMENTARIAN AND ABSTENTION.

I'LL TELL HIM THE GOOD NEWS.

SO THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO SECRETARY.

UM, I WOULD NOMINATE WARREN ROSENTHAL TO CONTINUE AS OURS SECRETARY SECOND, UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO SECOND YOURSELF.

I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK ANYONE.

I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK IF ANY ONE ELSE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE ROLE.

I'M HAPPY TO STEP ASIDE, BUT I WILL ACCEPT THE NOMINATION.

WOULD YOU RATHER STEP ASIDE OR WHAT WOULD YOU, DO YOU WANT TO DO IT? UM, YES.

I'M HAPPY TO DO IT.

'CAUSE YOU CAN NOMINATE SOMEBODY ELSE IF YOU ACCEPT THE NOMINATION.

ALL IN FAVOR.

ALL IN FAVOR OF ORRIN, HIS SECRETARY.

I, I'M NOT A VERY WELL MIGHT BE INTERESTED, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ASK, UH, NOMINATE AND CHARLOTTE TO CONTINUE AS CHAIR, UM, FOR, IN THE TERM SECOND AT THIS POINT.

THAT'S EVERYBODY.

UM, I THINK WE, WE STARTED OUR, UM, OUR JOURNEY IN THESE POSITIONS, UH, IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER LAST YEAR.

SO, UM,

[02:00:01]

I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR MYSELF.

AND THEN THAT LEAVES, UM, VICE CHAIR, VALI IS VICE CHAIR TO CONTINUE.

I HAVE A SECOND FROM STUART.

IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE DYING TO BE A VICE-CHAIR? OKAY.

NOW WE HAVE ACTUALLY A REALLY COOL THING.

SO ALL IN FAVOR OF COMMISSIONER, METTA, CHARLA AS VICE CHAIR.

[3D. Discussion and Possible Action following update on Joint Arts and Music Commission Working Group.]

UH, SO DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION FALLING UPDATE ON JOINT ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSION WORKING GROUP FROM LAUREN WHO HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH SOME ARTS COMMISSIONERS ON SOME INTERESTING THINGS.

CONTRIBUTORS AND CULTURAL, I, I HATE TO USE THE WORD CONSUMERS, BUT, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPANTS IN THE WHOLE SYSTEM BECAUSE, UM, IN MY VIEW, WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M PERFORMING THE, THE AUDIENCES AND INTEGRAL PART OF THE SHOW, I DON'T REALLY SEE IT AS LIKE A GIVE AND TAKE KIND OF SITUATION.

UM, SO, UM, THIS IS, UH, THIS, THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY, UM, PRODUCTIVE GROUP TO WORK WITH.

UM, AND, UH, WE HAVE KIND OF AN EXCITING PROJECT THAT WE ARE, UH, DEVELOPING, UM, WHICH IS, UH, IT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF A, I'M TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT WORD.

UH, IT'S A CAMPAIGN OF SORTS, REALLY TO KIND OF, IT'S LIKE A, UH, UH, EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, UH, TO BASICALLY TEACH AUSTINITES OR RETEACH OR TEACH NEW AUSTINITES OR TOURISTS, HOW TO AUSTIN, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.

UM, WE ARE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, BASICALLY, UH, AN, UH, AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING KIND OF MARKETING PR AND PROMOTION PLAN, UH, WHERE WE WILL, UH, WE'RE STARTING OUT BY CREATING, UH, THIS SURVEY.

THAT'S, WE'RE GOING TO BE, UM, UH, PUTTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO BUILD THIS FROM THE GROUND UP, UH, AND REALLY MAKE IT COMMUNITY DRIVEN.

UH, SO WE ARE GOING TO BE REACHING OUT TO ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, VENUE, OWNERS, PATRONS, ANYBODY THAT WE CAN GET TO, UH, TALK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE, UH, AN AUSTINITE AND A GOOD PATRON OF THE ARTS, UM, UH, UH, A HEALTHY CONSUMER OF THE ARTS, UH, WHAT, WHAT WE NEED AS MUSICIANS, UH, FROM CONSUMERS OF THE ARTS, UH, OR, OR PARTICIPANTS IN THE ARTS, UH, WHAT PARTICIPANTS, UH, WANT OUT OF, UH, THEIR EXPERIENCE, UM, IN AUSTIN AND REALLY WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A HEALTHY CONTRIBUTOR TO THE, UH, ARTS AND MUSIC CULTURE IN AUSTIN? AND, UH, SO OUR FIRST STAGE IS TO, UM, IS TO PUT THE SURVEY OUT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES AND GET, UH, INFORMATION FROM THEM ABOUT WHAT, EXCUSE ME, BASICALLY WHAT THEY THINK SHOULD BE SHARED, UM, IN ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES.

AND THEN, UH, ONCE THAT'S ALL PUT TOGETHER, THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE, UM, UH, REACHING OUT TO SOME DIFFERENT GROUPS TO ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER THIS CAMPAIGN THAT WILL THEN BE SHARING WIDELY.

UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS STILL IN, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S PLANNING STAGES, BUT IT'S REALLY, UH, IT'S REALLY ROLLING ALONG.

AND I THINK, UM, WE ARE GONNA HAVE MORE, UH, MORE CONCRETE UPDATES FOR Y'ALL SOON.

SO, UM, AS SOON AS WE HAVE THESE, THESE CONCRETE, UH, UPDATES FOR YOU GUYS, WE'LL SHARE THEM AND WE'LL BE ASKING THAT PEOPLE SHARE THEM AS WIDELY AS THEY CAN REALLY SPREAD THE WORD.

AND WE REALLY, REALLY RUN IT, WANT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT, UM, AND CASTING A REALLY WIDE NET, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A VERY COMPREHENSIVE, UM, PROGRAM.

AND WE'RE REALLY HEARING A LOT OF DIFFERENT VOICES, UH, FROM ALL AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY AND DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.

AND, UM, AND REALLY JUST KIND OF LIKE, BECAUSE THE WORKING GROUP WAS FORMED TO INITIALLY TO RESEARCH, UM, RESOURCES OUTSIDE OF HOT FOR THE ARTS AND MUSIC COMMUNITY, BECAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN THIS MEETING, WE, UH, WE'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, UM, PECKING OVER SCRAPS, BASICALLY TRYING TO GET THESE HOT FUNDS TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE THOUGHT ABOUT WAS, WELL, WE REALLY NEED, UM, TO BE BUILDING KIND OF THE HEALTH OF THIS COMMUNITY FROM THE GROUND UP.

UM, AND FROM, UH, THE CULTURE

[02:05:01]

I SEE IT ALL AS ALL, UM, AS A, AS A VERY HOLISTIC THING.

SO I'M SORRY I WENT DOWN A RABBIT HOLE, BUT, UH, BUT YEAH, WE'RE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

UM, BECAUSE WE S WE SEE THAT AS A WAY TO REALLY GROW THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN THIS REALLY SUSTAINABLE KIND OF, UM, PEOPLE DRIVEN GRASSROOTS WAY.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR ANYTHING TO ADD, UH, ALL IT SOUNDS GREAT.

UM, I GUESS QUESTIONS I HAVE JUST SO AS A COMMISSION THINGS FOR THE WORKING GROUP TO THINK ABOUT, OR, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE GOING TO BE FUNDING NEEDS? AND, YOU KNOW, WE DID, WE DID MAKE A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION ABOUT MARKETING FUNDS OR THIS COMMISSION.

AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS MORE TARGETED TO LOCALS, BUT I THINK WE CAN THINK ABOUT LOCAL TOURISM BECAUSE OUR FI OUR BUDGET ITEM WAS ABOUT GETTING MONEY FROM VISIT AUSTIN TO FUND SOME MARKETING.

BUT I DON'T SEE, I MEAN, TO ME, IF SOMEBODY IS COMING INTO DOWNTOWN TO SPEND MONEY AND MAYBE EVEN SPEND THE NIGHT AND GO EAT AT THE RESTAURANTS AND GO SEE LIVE MUSIC AND PAY FOR PARKING, AND LIKE, ALL OF THAT, UM, IS LIKE LOCAL TOURISM.

SO I, I JUST, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COULD BE FUNDED SO THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE AND ROBUST.

AND THEN IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMITTEE.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF THE WORKING GROUP HAS RECOMMENDATIONS AS KEN POINTED OUT EARLIER, THAT FOR, FOR COUNCIL THAT WOULD FUNNEL THROUGH THE COMMISSIONS.

SO JUST LET US KNOW WHAT SUPPORT YOU NEED, BUT YEAH, I'LL LOOK AT IT.

I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE.

YEAH, DEFINITELY.

AND IT'S, AND IT'S ALSO GEARED TOWARD, TOWARD TOURISTS AS WELL.

LIKE YEAH.

YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A STAYCATION OR A VACATION OR WHATEVER, UM, EVERYBODY.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS TO GO AHEAD.

YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE BUDGET STUFF TO REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SAY LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANT YOU TO SUPPORT THE MARKETING PART OF THIS DISASTER RELIEF IS PART OF THAT.

AND ALSO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, NUMBER THREE, THINGS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHO KNOWS THAT MAY WIND UP DOVETAILING WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER IN SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.

I MEAN, ALL OF THESE THINGS TIE INTO EACH OTHER, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO, IT'S ONE THING FOR US TO COME IN A MEETING AND WE TALK ABOUT IT AND WE PASS A BUDGET AND IT GETS FILED, BUT WE DO NEED TO REACH OUT INDIVIDUALLY TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO THE MAYOR AND SAY LIKE, WE REALLY, WE REALLY WANT YOU TO SUPPORT THIS.

UM, SO YEAH, SO I THINK, DID ANYBODY ELSE, ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR LAUREN ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON? OKAY.

ALSO, WE DID TALK ABOUT, UM, PARTNERING WITH, WITH VISIT AUSTIN.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DEFINITELY TALKING TO THEM AND TO SEE HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE ON, ON THIS THING.

SO I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.

YEAH, THAT'S FANTASTIC.

COOL.

OLD BUSINESS, WE'VE HAD THIS KIND OF ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR AWHILE, BUT, UM, AND IT KEPT GETTING FOUND BECAUSE OUR MEETINGS WERE SO WIND KEPT GETTING KNOCKED INTO THE NEXT MEETING, UH, BUT DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON VOTER REGISTRATION AND THE MUSIC COMMISSION ROLE.

IF THAT, I THINK THAT TAKES US THROUGH ALL OF NEW BUSINESS.

UH, SO

[4A. Discussion and Possible Action on voter registration and Music Commission role.]

AND SO THERE IS AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS.

THEY HAVE DONE SOME VOTER REGISTRATION OUTREACH.

UM, AND SO I THINK THE QUESTION THAT WAS KIND OF HANGING IN THE AIR, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT MUSIC COMMISSIONERS CAN DO OUR MUSIC COMMISSION? CAN WE HAVE LIKE A PRESENCE IN THAT? UM, IS THAT A WAY TO DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UM, OR, AND GET THE CITY INVOLVED? AND I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW THIS SCOTT, CAN YOU TALK TO US? I FEEL LIKE YOU CAN TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS CAUSE YOU'RE INVOLVED WITH ATX.

UM, YEAH.

UM, IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M LIKE THE CHAIR OF THE, OF THEIR VOTING COMMITTEE, BUT I AM, UH, VERY MUCH A PART OF IT.

AND, UM, UH, I THINK A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, UH, WE HAD A MEETING WITH, UM, UM, UH, WHAT'S THIS, WHAT'S THIS GUY'S NAME? UM, LIKE, UH WAS HIS NAME.

CAMPAIGN, UH, WHICH ARE TWO DIFFERENT ONES THAT RAN IN GEORGIA TO BASICALLY KIND OF TURN OUT THE VOTE AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, UM, GET, UM, UH, WHAT OFF AT ALLSOP ELECTED, UM, AND IN, IN GEORGIA AND BOTH SENATORS ON THAT WORD, I HAD ELECTIONS.

LIKE I'M SAYING THAT RIGHT.

AND HE LIVES IN GEORGIA AND BASICALLY WE WERE TALKING WITH HIM ABOUT THE WHOLE STACEY ABRAMS CAMPAIGN, UM, THE GEORGIA ALMIGHTY

[02:10:01]

SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF, WE'RE HAVING SOME OF THOSE SAME TALKS HERE.

I THINK THAT THE FIRST PART OF THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF MOBILIZATION IS JUST TO KIND OF GET ON THE GROUND IN DIFFERENT PLACES.

WE HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING, UH, IT HASN'T BEEN OFFICIALLY SCHEDULED YET, BUT I'M THINKING MAYBE THE SECOND WEEK OF JUNE, UM, AT CUNY DERMIS BACKYARD, ANYONE EVERYONE'S WELCOME.

UM, ALL ARE WELCOME TO DO THAT.

UM, I AM ALSO PART OF THE, I'M NO LONGER A PRECINCT CHAIR, UM, THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF REDISTRICTING, BUT, UM, I AM STILL, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THAT VOLUNTEERS FEAR AND WE ARE DOING LIT DROPS.

I HAVE ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, VAN, WHICH IS VOTER ACCESS NETWORK.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE COULD TARGET PEOPLE AND, AND, UM, UM, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOBILIZE BASICALLY IS WHAT I'M SAYING, UM, WHILE I'M ON THE SHORT OF IT.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ELECTION OF, UH, OUR NEXT GOVERNOR, UH, IN NOVEMBER IS GOING TO BE A PRESIDENTIAL STATUS.

AND I THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE, YOU KNOW, JUST EDUCATE AS MANY PEOPLE ABOUT VOTING AS WE CAN.

AND SO WE NEED AS MANY COALITIONS TO SHOW UP, UM, AS WE CAN.

AND THERE WAS ALSO, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, VOLUNTEER DEPUTY REGISTRARS.

THOSE WERE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY REGISTER PEOPLE TO VOTE.

UH, I DID RE BECOME A VDR VOLUNTEER DEPUTY REGISTRAR.

UM, THOSE DATES ARE STILL AVAILABLE AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT AT, UM, AT A MEETING IN JUNE.

UM, I CAN EITHER IN HIS BACKYARD AND WE'RE JUST GOING TO START POSTING UP AT, UH, DIFFERENT PLACES IN AND AROUND, UM, AUSTIN TO, UM, START GEARING UP FOR THE FALL.

ALSO, AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS, I BELIEVE, UH, PAT SAID A LITTLE SOMETHING.

UH, HE'S UH, THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE AT EL PASO LAREDO, BROWNSVILLE.

UM, THEY'RE, UH, VERY INTERESTED IN FIRING UP A LATINO COALITION, UM, AND, AND THOSE AREAS, BECAUSE THOSE ARE HISTORICALLY, UM, JUST LOW VOTING NON-VOTING, UM, POPULATIONS, UM, IN THOSE CITIES.

AND SO, UM, I THINK PAT'S GOING TO HAVE MORE TO REPORT ON THAT POSSIBLY AT THE NEXT MEETING, BUT, UM, THAT'S, THERE'S, WE'RE FINDING THAT THERE'S A LOT OF NEED OUT THERE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, NOT A WHOLE LOT OF URGENCY.

THERE'S A LOT OF NEEDS WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF URGENCY.

AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO BRIDGE THAT BY ACTUALLY SETTING UP, HAVING A PRESENCE, GETTING PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, START CARING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR CITY GOVERNMENT, OUR CITY POLITICS, OUR STATE STATE POLITICS, AND OUR STATE GOVERNMENT AND WHATNOT.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

YEAH, NO, THAT ALL SOUNDS REALLY COOL.

SO, YEAH, I GUESS JUST THE QUESTION IS, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU GUYS ARE DOING TONS OF WORK.

UM, SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU, IS IT AS SOMEBODY WHO IS VERY INVOLVED IN THAT AND ALSO A COMMISSIONER ON, UM, THIS COMMISSION, IF THERE'S SOMETHING, IF THERE'S SPECIFIC SUPPORT, THE COMMISSION CAN GIVE OR INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS CAN GIVE, I MEAN, IT DOES SOUND LIKE ANYBODY CAN BECOME A, YOU KNOW, A REGISTRAR AND THAT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL.

AND, YOU KNOW, UM, SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW, RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, LIKE WHAT, WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, BUT YEAH, I KNOW I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE FLAGS GO UP AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VOTING AND BUTTER AWARENESS.

UM, HERE IN AUSTIN, I WOULD LIKE FOR, YOU KNOW, MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO HELP EITHER SPREAD THE WORD OR ENGAGE OR, UM, UH, HELP VOLUNTEER.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE COULD DO.

I MEAN, TEXAS IS HISTORICALLY JUST, IT'S NOT, I MEAN, WE SAY IT ALL THE TIME.

IT'S PEOPLE JUST DON'T VOTE HERE.

AND, UH, IF PEOPLE VOTE, THINGS WILL CHANGE.

SO I, YOU KNOW, TRAVIS COUNTY IS, UM, ONE OF THE HIGHEST, UM, IN TERMS OF VOTING, UM, ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF VOTING, YOU KNOW, CONSTITUENTS IN THE STATE, UM, IF NOT PART OF THE COUNTRY, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WITH AS MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE MOVED HERE, THAT'S THAT, THAT, UM, W IT WILL BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW, WHAT, WHAT WE, WHAT WE CAN DO TO TURN THE TIDE.

UM, AND BY TURNING THE TIDE, I MEAN, GET PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE AND HAVE MOVED HERE TO REGISTER AND VOTE.

THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY TURN AT THE TIME.

SO I'D JUST SAY, YEAH, I CONTINUE TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH US AS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT ME TO SEND SOMETHING OUT TO THE WHOLE COMMISSION THROUGH EMAIL, JUST SO YOU CAN.

[02:15:01]

UM, BUT YEAH, I AGREE AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER AREA WHERE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMISSION TO BE INVOLVED.

AND, UM, SO YEAH, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THAT TEAM SCOTT, SO THANKS FOR FILLING US IN ON IT.

UM, OKAY.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT NOPE.

GOOD.

SO WE'RE DOWN TO OUR LAST ITEM, UH, DISCUSSION OF HUBS WE'LL ACTION ON ADDITION OF SHORT TERM RENTALS TO THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND REVENUE.

YEAH, THAT'S AN EASY ONE.

I THINK WE ALL AGREE VOTING IS GOOD.

UM, OKAY.

[4B. Discussion and Possible Action on addition of Short-term Rentals to Hotel Occupancy Tax fund revenue.]

AND SO LAST TIME WE HAD, UM, LUIS BRIANNA'S FROM AIRBNB COME AND SPEAK TO US.

SO WE WERE HOPING SOMEBODY FROM FINANCE DID COME, DID ANYBODY GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH YOU? IF NOT, THEN WE CAN BUMP THIS OR NO, I HAVEN'T.

I HADN'T HEARD FROM ANYONE.

BRINGS US TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. SO THERE'S ONE, UM, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ADDITION OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS TO HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUND REVENUE.

YEAH, NO WORRIES.

NO WORRIES.

AND, UM, WE CAN MOVE THIS INTO THE NEXT MEETING AND I'LL TRY TO FIND OUT, I, I HAVE I'LL CONTACT ELISE AND FIND OUT WHO HE'S TALKED WITH IN FINANCE.

UM, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WAS LIKE WAITING IN THE WINGS TO RUSSIAN AND TELL US ALL ABOUT IT, BUT I MEAN, I DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GOT THE AIRBNB VERSION, UM, OF HOW THAT CAN WORK FOR THEM AND WHAT THE BENEFITS CAN BE.

BUT I THINK WE ALSO JUST NEED TO HEAR FROM THE CITY AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE FINANCIALS ALL WORK ON THAT AND HOW, WHAT OTHER THINGS ARE AFFECTED, UM, IN TERMS OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN THE CITY.

CAUSE WE ALL, YOU KNOW, WE DID EXPRESS SOME CONCERNS, UM, ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT SHORT-TERM RENTALS CAN HAVE ON HOUSING AND OTHER THINGS.

UM, BUT WE ALWAYS WANT MORE MONEY FOR MUSIC.

UH, WE'RE JUST CONSTANTLY ON THE HUNT FOR MORE FUNDING SOURCES.

UM, IT'S JUST SO DESPERATELY NEEDED THAT INVESTMENT IN MUSIC.

SO, UM, WE'LL MOVE THOSE INTO THE JUNE MEETING AND WE'LL GET, UH, SOMEBODY FROM STAFF WHO CAN SPEAK ABOUT IT TO COME TALK TO US THEN.

SO THEN THAT

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

SO THAT WOULD BE A, HOPEFULLY A STAFF BRIEFING.

SO EMOTION THAT WE DO THAT I HAVE A SECOND.

COMMISSIONER GOULD SECOND.

SO THAT ONE, UM, AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER ITEM FOR NEXT TIME.

UM, AGAIN, THIS WOULD BE A STAFF BRIEFING, BUT, UH, DISCUSSION IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY THAT AFTER STAFF BRIEFING, I'M SORRY.

I GOT TO LOOK AT SOMETHING REAL QUICK.

UPDATE ON THE ARE, I WOULD THINK OF RFP PROCESS WALK THROUGH AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.

SO, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK HOW TO WORD IT.

SO, YES, UM, A THROUGH OF THE RFP PROCESS FROM STAFF, UH, AND ALSO COUPLED WITH, UM, CURRENT FINANCIALS FOR THE HOT FUND FOR LIVE MUSIC, OR JUST HOT FUND ALL, ALL ACROSS THE BOARD WOULD BE GREAT.

THAT'S AN ABUSE PROVIDED THAT BEFORE.

UM, OKAY.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT FOR NEXT TIME.

DID YOU HAVE THE CLUBS THAT YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT? YEAH.

SCOTT, DID YOU HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT SOME CLUBS THAT WE WERE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE DECIDED NOT TO GO OFF INTO, BUT MIGHT BE A GOOD AGENDA ISSUE.

UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, ADD TO THE AGENDA THAT WE DISCUSS.

TALK ABOUT, GET SOMEONE FROM THE CITY TO, UM, JUST GIVE US A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH, UM, BARS IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT FOURTH STREET.

UM, SO I THINK, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON, UM, POSSIBLE DEMOLITION OF LGBTQ BARS AND AUSTIN.

I SECOND THAT, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHO WE SHOULD HAVE.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION CAN COME TALK TO US OR PRESERVATION MAYBE, UM, HUMAN RIGHTS.

I, UM, WE'LL WORK THAT OUT.

LET'S ALL.

JUST FIGURE OUT WHO CAN COME IN.

KIM, GO AHEAD.

OH, W YOUR EMOTION FOR THE STAFF WALKED THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS AND THE FINANCIALS ON HOT, WHO SECONDED THAT.

THE NEXT MEETING OF THE CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS DISABILITY TASK FORCE WILL BE MAY 16TH.

THANK YOU, CAM.

UM, SO I'D LIKE TO ADD, UM, THERE IS

[02:20:01]

SO I WOULD LIKE TO GET ONTO THE AGENDA, UH, AN UPDATE ON THAT, UM, THAT, UH, I CAN, UH, SO I KNOW I NOMINATE, I PROPOSE THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM, UH, UPDATE ON DISABILITY TASKFORCE FOR CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS AND OTHER MUSIC.

UM, AND THEN, UH, WE'LL ALSO HAVE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION FALLING UPDATE ON THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

THAT'LL MOVE, UH, INTO THE NEXT AGENDA.

I SECOND.

UM, DID WE PUT THE CONVENTION CENTER? OH YEAH.

AND THE CONVENTION CENTER WILL COME UP AGAIN.

SO DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER, RENOVATION, EXPANSION, MUSIC, INDUSTRY ROLE FOLLOWING PRESENTATION BY KATIE'S AND MISS NICK CHIEF ADMINISTRATIONS.

I MIGHT HAVE ANOTHER UPDATE FROM THE JOINT MUSIC AND ARTS, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE, OUR TIMELINE IS MOVING PRETTY QUICKLY ON THAT PROJECT.

SO ANOTHER, UM, JOINT MUSIC AND ARTS COMMISSION WORKING GROUP, UH, SAME ITEM AS, AS 3D FROM TODAY, I GUESS.

AND THEN I ALSO HAD SOMETHING THAT CAME UP WHEN SCOTT WAS TALKING ABOUT THE VOTING, UM, PROJECT, UM, WAS THAT LIKE, I, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN SOME WAY, BUT, UM, IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT LIKE, WE, WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT WHAT MARKETING AND LIKE OUR PRESENCE AS LIKE A, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMUNITY IS LIKE, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE MAYBE WE COULD HAVE A GREATER PRESENCE AS A MUSIC COMMISSION IN THE COMMUNITY AND REALLY LIKE MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT WE'RE UP TO AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW, IF WE JUST SAY IT, A MUSIC COMMISSION, LIKE WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING PEOPLE TO COME, YOU KNOW, GET OUT THE VOTE, IT MAY NOT HAVE AS BIG AN IMPACT OF IF WE REALLY STARTED DEVELOPING OUR PUBLIC VOICE.

UM, SO I WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW IT WOULD LOOK FOR US TO KIND OF REVAMP OUR PRESENCE, YOU KNOW, OR PUBLIC FACING, PRESENT PRESENCE.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORD JOB, SO YEAH.

WELL, WELL, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS OUR COUNCIL FACING PRESENCE, RIGHT? IF ALL OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS KNEW THAT WE SPOKE ON BEHALF OF THOUSANDS OF VOTERS WHO ARE MUSICIANS WHO HELP ELECT THEM.

AND I, I WANT, I WANT LIKE THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE UP TO AND TO BE CONSTANTLY INFORMED AND ENGAGED.

AND I ALSO WANT, I FEEL LIKE IF THAT WERE THE CASE, THEN OUR PRESENCE, OUR COUNCIL PHASING PRESENCE COULD BE EVEN STRONGER AS WELL.

SO BOTH, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS AN AGENDA ITEM, BUT TALKING ABOUT, OKAY, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, YOUR, I SECOND, YOUR FIRST YOUR EMOTION ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP.

SO THERE'S THAT.

SO, UH, LET'S TRY THIS.

OH YEAH, GO AHEAD.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MOVE, UM, FOR A, THE NEXT MEETING AND I'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO THEN.

UM, I WAS GOING TO SAY, LIKE, WE COULD MAYBE PACKAGE ALL OF THIS TOGETHER WITH THE VOTING AND COUNCIL ENGAGEMENT AND, AND SAY, UM, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON, UH, IMPROVING MUSIC COMMISSION, UH, ENGAGEMENT WITH COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL.

PERFECT.

SECOND.

USUALLY GRANTED THESE ASSAULTS.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING ELOQUENT.

UH, OKAY.

ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY.

UM, ANY, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION TO ADJOURN SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR.

ALL RIGHT, THANKS.

SO WE ARE DONE AT 10, NINE.

IT'S NOT 9 39 0 7.

OH, NO WAY.

WE GOT TO GO FOR ANOTHER HOUR.