[CALL TO ORDER]
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SO I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE THE LIST? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, I AM HERE LAURA, KIND OF SCHEIBEL UH, SARAH FAUST HERE.
NINA RENALDI, ANNA DICARLO HERE, PATRICK MOORE, UH, CATHERINE FLOWERS.
AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME CATHERINE.
UH, WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE SOMEBODY BACK FROM
SO THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AND I AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO, UH, VICE-CHAIR
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
THANK YOU.OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS ROY NIETO, ROY NIETO.
DO YOU WANT TO TELL HIM TO COME BACK IN? I'LL CALL THE NEXT PERSON AND THEN GET HIM AT THE END.
MARIA, ELENA MENDOZA, MARIA, ELENA MENDOZA.
OH YEAH, YOU'LL COME UP TO THE PODIUM AND HOW'S IT GOING? YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES.
UM, MY NAME IS CHASE, RIGHT? I'M THE PRESIDENT AT THE SPRINGDALE PARK NEIGHBORS.
UH, WE ARE A NONPROFIT WHO WORK WITH THE UNHOUSED RESIDENTS OF EAST AUSTIN.
UM, LATELY I'VE BEEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PARKS AND REC.
UM, I HAVE MR. LEE ASR NAMED DARRELL DAWSON AND MR. ANTHONY MOORE.
THEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING RESOURCES SO THAT MY NONPROFIT WORKERS, UM, WE'RE CLIENTS, SO THEY CAN HAVE WORK OPPORTUNITIES, TRASH BAGS, THINGS AS SUCH, UM, BASICALLY HELPING BACK PUTTING BACK IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AS OF NOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN THESE PARKS AND WE WANT TO KIND OF ADDRESS THAT SITUATION, BUT IN A POSITIVE LIGHT.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE AT SPRINGDALE PARK IS WE'VE ADOPTED A PILOT PROGRAM TO GET THESE GUYS SECOND CHANCE EMPLOYMENT.
UH, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, IN PARKS AND REC, UH, IS THAT WE PROVIDE MORE WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.
UH, AS OF NOW DISTRICT ONE, NATASHA HOPPER, MADISON, THEY SENT PLENTY OF RESOURCES OUT TO US SO THAT WE CAN GET OFF THE GROUND, UH, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR THESE CLIENTS SO THAT THEY CAN BETTER THEIR LIVES.
UH, WE HAVE A BIG HOMELESS PROBLEM HERE, AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT IN A PROPER FASHION.
ONE WAY WE CAN HELP PARKS AND REC IS BY MAKING SURE THAT THESE PARTS HAVE CLEANED UP RIGHT NOW.
WE TARGETED EAST AUSTIN GIVENS PARK DISTRICT ONE.
AND THIS IS WHAT A SPRINGDALE PARKING IN DISTRICT ONE.
UM, AS OF NOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPAND ANYWHERE.
UM, WE HAVE THE VINCENT AUSTIN COMING UP ACL.
WE WOULD LOVE TO WORK ZILKER PARK HAD THESE UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS, UH, ALLOWED TO HAVE WORK OPPORTUNITY, CHANCE TO MAKE THEM SOME MONEY, UH, FOR ESSENTIAL, SO THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER HAVING TO SEEK NEGATIVE OPPORTUNITIES, THAT THEY CAN WAKE UP, GO TO WORK.
WE GO OUT TO THESE PARKS EVERY DAY.
UH, WE WORK WITH THESE CLIENTS.
WE WORK ON THEIR MENTAL HEALTH.
UH, WE PUT THEM IN SETTINGS WHERE THEY CAN GET WORK ETHICS SO THAT THEY CAN BECOME PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.
UH, ALLOWING THESE GUYS FIVE HOURS A DAY OF WORK HAS CHANGED MOST OF THEIR LIVES.
UH, A LOT OF THEM ARE SEEKING REHABILITATION AND IT'S JUST FROM OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTED.
UH, LIKE I SAID, I WANT TO THANK MR. DARYL DAWSON.
HE'S ONE OF YOU GUYS, UH, SUPERVISORS AT THE PARK AND REC, UH, FOR JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE AN OPEN EYE, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE TRASH BAGS AND JUST BEING NICE TO THESE GUYS AND SHOWING THEM THIS IS A BETTER WAY OF LIVING.
UH, WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE Y'ALL.
LET'S SEE, IS, UM, ROY NIETO HERE.
HE'S LISTED AS THE FIRST GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS SPEAKER SPEAKING ON AGENDA.
MY NAME IS PEGGY VASQUEZ AND I AM A FIFTH GENERATION TO HANA AND IN PARTICULAR IN AUSTINITE AND I GREW UP IN EAST AUSTIN OR IS EDUCATED OUR LADY GUADALUPE SCHOOL.
AND, UH, MY GRANDFATHER HAD A BUSINESS, TONY STRIPPED TEARS ON THE CORNER OF SEVENTH AND LYDIA, I GREW UP IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND I HEARD ABOUT A POSSIBILITY
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OF NAMING ONE OF THE FIELDS AFTER, UH, AFTER MR. CASTILLO.AND I KNOW RECENTLY ANOTHER FIELD WAS NAMED, UH, FOR, UH, DURON RABBIT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WHY'S, THIS, THIS IS HAPPENING.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND, POSSIBLY THE, THE RIGHT PROCEDURES WEREN'T FOLLOWED.
AND SO IT KIND OF LEAVES EVERYONE A LITTLE BIT, ESPECIALLY LIKE THE BOARD AT PAN-AM AND CONFUSION OF HOW THIS HAS HAPPENED IN AND HOW THEY NEED TO CORRECT IT.
UH, I KNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN PROCEDURES THAT STILL NEED TO BE HAPPENING IN ORDER TO THIS POSSIBLY PASSED OR REJECTED.
AND I'M JUST COMING TODAY AS A CITIZEN AND IN PARTICULAR OF EAST SIDE, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THE WISHES OF THE COMMUNITY AND IN PARTICULAR, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR PAN-AM AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHY THIS HAS HAPPENED.
AND, UM, I UNDERSTAND MR. GARCIA ALREADY HAS TWO FIELDS NAMED AFTER HIM.
AND I THINK THEY'RE PREDOMINANT EAST AUSTIN, MAYBE A RECOMMENDATION THAT HE GO TO SOUTH AUSTIN AND FIND A FIELD OVER THERE, WHICH HE NEEDS TO PLACE.
HIS NAME WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT HE WOULD LOOK AT.
SO I JUST FEEL LIKE THE COMMUNITY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TOTALLY INFORMED AND IN FACT, BEEN A LITTLE SLIGHTED.
SO I DON'T LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN TO MY COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN 2022.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER? I THINK THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE LIST.
UM, NEXT IS ANA
THIS IS GENERAL COMMUNICATION.
THERE'S I THINK SOME PEOPLE ALSO SIGNED UP ON ITEM B SIX SO WE CAN CALL THEM AT THAT TIME.
HELLO, MY NAME'S
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND ALSO ON BEHALF OF CHALMERS COURTS AND ALSO ALSO THE COURTS, ALL OUR FAMILIES ARE SURROUNDED, UH, AROUND PAN-AM AND M IS NOT JUST A RECREATION CENTER FOR US.
IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS VERY VALUABLE TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE ATTENDED OUR PAN-AM AND IT'S LIKE A HOME TO THEM.
AND WITH GENTRIFICATION GOING ON, YOU CAN HARDLY RECOGNIZE THESE AUSTIN ANYMORE, ESPECIALLY THE PARK, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, ON SUNDAY, WE HAD AN EVENT AND THERE WERE OVER 3000 PEOPLE THERE.
I AM, UH, AUSTIN KNIGHT LIVED HERE FOR 65 YEARS AND YOUR WHOLE OWN, THE ONLY HOUSE IN EAST AUSTIN ON SIXTH STREET, OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
SO THIS COMMUNITY MEANS A LOT TO ME.
THE COMMUNITY MEANS A LOT TO ME.
IT'S NOT WHAT I DO AS AUTONOMOUS YET.
IT'S WHAT I DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THEM BECAUSE SOME OF THEM DON'T HAVE A WAY TO COME HERE OR TO VOICE THEIR OPINIONS AS I AM DOING RIGHT NOW.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF FAMILIES, A LOT OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF WHAT'S OUT THERE FOR THEM AT THE MOMENT.
THAT'S ACTUALLY FREE, NOT ALL THE TIME, BUT THEY STILL HAVE TO PAY TO PARTICIPATE.
NOW I'M THE, I'M THE FIRST ONE TO TELL YOU THAT I ADMIRE TONY CASTEEL FOR WHAT HE'S DONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AT PAN-AM.
I RECOGNIZED HIM FOR WHAT HE IS AND WHO HE IS IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY, HELPING OUR FAMILIES.
BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON, IT SEEMS LIKE HAS PUT A DIVIDE BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY AND
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IT'S, IT'S VERY AGGRAVATING BECAUSE WE WANT, WE WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY FAMILIES SO THEY CAN APPRECIATE WHAT'S THERE FOR THEM.AND I ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT OUR ADVISORY BOARD IS OPPOSED TO RENAMING, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND JUST NEED YOUR HELP AND REMEMBER WHAT YOUR MISSION AS COMMISSIONERS IS.
SO I, I HOPE THAT YOU CAN, UH, REALLY SUPPORT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YOU'RE IN YOUR MISSION STATEMENT.
THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO REALIZE WHO YOU'RE AFFECTING WHEN YOU MAKE DECISIONS LIKE THIS.
NEXT IS ANTONY MCGREGOR DAY SINCE, AND THEN GIVE ME A MINUTE AS ANTHONY, CLOSER LIKE THAT.
HEY GUYS, HEY, IT'S A VERY GOOD DAY.
I'M A CO-FOUNDER OF THE SPRINGFIELD PARK NEIGHBORS WITH CHASE, RIGHT? UM, AS CHASE MENTIONED, WE WORK WITH A LOT OF THE UNHOUSED RESIDENTS OF EAST AUSTIN, AND WE CREATE WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM AND, AND FILL A LOT OF THEIR ESSENTIAL NEEDS.
UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT AUSTIN PARKS FACES AT THE MOMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S FRANKLY BEING USED AS SUBSTANDARD HOUSING BY A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO NEED BETTER OPPORTUNITIES.
AND WE, UH, AT THE SPRING OF PARK, NEIGHBORS HAVE ALREADY SEEN MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN WORKING WITH US IN PARKS AND REC.
AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO HELPED MAKE THE DECISIONS TO ADVOCATE FOR, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.
UH, IN PARTICULAR, THERE'S A PROGRAM THAT YOU GUYS HAVE AT THE MOMENT.
I BELIEVE IT'S WITH, UH, AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS AND IT'S A PROGRAM THAT TEACHES HOW TO REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES FROM THE PARKLANDS.
UM, WE'D SUGGEST THAT WHY IS THAT OFF AT THE AGE OF 30? I BELIEVE IT IS FOR THAT PROGRAM.
WHY NOT EXPAND IT TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LEARN THOSE SKILLS AND HAVE FRANKLY AT THE MOMENT, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THE PARKS AS SUBSTANDARD HOUSING, UH, HAVE THEM ALSO CLEANING UP AND WORKING ON THE PARKS, UH, BECAUSE OUR EXPERIENCES, NO ONE ACTUALLY WANTS TO BE THERE.
THEY JUST HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT, THAT OTHERS MIGHT HAVE HAD TO NOT BE IN THAT POSITION.
I'M PARTICULAR PEOPLE WE WORK WITH ARE IN THEIR LATE FIFTIES, EARLY SIXTIES, AND IT'S FRANKLY, A GENERATION THAT WAS JUST LOST TO, UM, UH, THE ISSUES THAT WERE ANY SAUCE IN THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES.
UM, AND THAT'S THE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
UH, WE THINK THAT THIS WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, THOUGH, IT COULD BE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE PARKS WHERE PEOPLE ARE RESIDING.
UM, WE DO WORK WITH THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION AT THE MOMENT FOR SOME OF THE WORK OPPORTUNITIES, BUT FRANKLY, THE WORK WE GET FROM THEM IS CAPPED RIGHT NOW TO, UH, BEING ABLE TO HELP ABOUT 10 OF OUR COMMUNITY, ANY GIVEN TIME.
UM, BUT WE HAVE OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE THAT WE COULD BE HELPING WITH THE RIGHT KIND OF WORK PROGRAMS. WE ARE APPLYING FOR GRANTS, ET CETERA.
UH, BUT, UM, BEFORE THE COMMUNITY TODAY TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD FIND ADDITIONAL BUDGET OR, OR, UH, WORK WITH THE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE FACILITATING THE US, THE AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS PROGRAM AT THE MOMENT TO CREATE A NEW AGE BRACKET OR A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE, A LOT OF THEM ARE FRANKLY INTERESTED IN HORTICULTURE AND LEARNING ABOUT DIFFERENT PLANTS SPECIES.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD SKILL FOR THEM TO LEARN.
UH, ASIDE FROM THAT, UM, I DO, UH, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE REPRESENTATIVES THAT, UM, WORK, UH, IN THE, IN THE PARKS, UM, AND WE COULD ALSO BE HELPING THEM WITH SOME OF THEIR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, CLEANING THE PARK EQUIPMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
UM, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING ADDITIONAL LABOR, WE WE'VE CAUGHT IT.
UM, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
I WORK AS A LIFEGUARD AT BARTON SPRINGS FULL AND, UH, WE'VE HAD A VERY EXCITING MONTH.
I JUST WANTED TO UPDATE YOU ALL ABOUT THAT.
UH, VERY IMPORTANT IN PROGRESS.
AND, UH, UNFORTUNATELY, HOWEVER, TODAY IS JUNE THE LAST WEEK IN JUNE AND MORE THAN HALF OF THE CITY POLLS REMAIN CLOSED.
WE HAVE JUST PASSED THE RECORD FOR THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN JUNE WITH 100 DEGREES, BUT THERE'S HOPE ON THE WAY, NOT ONLY FOR THIS YEAR, BUT FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND A LOT OF THAT BELONGS TO YOU GUYS.
I ALWAYS GET EMOTIONAL, BUT ANYHOW, THE, UH, THE DIRECTOR, UH, IN THE REPORT THIS TODAY SAID THAT THERE WERE, THEY SPENT $95,000 AND ON, ON A PR MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO
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REACH OUT AND RECRUIT LIFEGUARDS.BUT SHE DIDN'T MENTION IN THERE THAT PROBABLY A THIRD TO HALF OF THOSE WERE LIFEGUARDS REACHING OUT TO THE MEDIA, PITCHING THE IDEA THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A $22 LIVING WAGE AND BETTER BENEFITS.
FOR INSTANCE, THE FRONT PAGE OF THE STATESMAN ON JUNE 15TH, LIFEGUARD SEEKING BETTER HIGHER PAY AND BENEFITS.
ONE DAY AFTER THAT, JUNE 16TH, THE HEADLINE CITY OF COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED, OR $22 RECOMMENDING A $22 LIVING WAGE.
AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OF YOU GUYS, YOU WERE AHEAD OF THE ENTIRE CITY WHEN YOU VOTED FOR A RESOLUTION ENDORSING THAT IN MARCH.
A LOT OF THE PEOPLE, THERE WERE SOME REALLY MOVING STORIES.
UH, PEOPLE TESTIFYING ON THAT DAY IN JUNE 16TH, PEOPLE CAN'T FEED THEIR FAMILIES, CAN'T PAY THEIR RENT, HOLDING THEIR CHILDREN IN THEIR ARMS TESTIFYING.
AND IT WAS THAT TESTIMONY THAT RESULTED IN THE UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR $22 LIVING WAGE.
WELL, WE'RE NOW WAITING FOR THE, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE CITY MANAGER, WHETHER HE DOESN'T THIS YEAR OR WHEN I GUARANTEE YOU, THERE WILL BE A $23 LIVING WAGE AND PEOPLE'S LIVES WILL IMPROVE.
I'M HOPING IT'S GOING TO BE THIS YEAR.
WE'LL SEE WE ARE WILLING, WE PROPOSED A REGULAR BENEFITS FOR, OR SOME PEOPLE LIFEGUARDS TO BE CLASSIFIED AS REGULAR EMPLOYEES.
THE MEETING WITH THE DIRECTOR SAID MAYBE FOUR PEOPLE WOULD BE IT, ALTHOUGH YOU NEED REALLY 20 TO 30, BUT WE WERE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE THAT DOWN AND NOT EVEN PUSH FOR THAT THIS YEAR.
THE NUMBER ONE GOAL THAT WOULD HELP THE MOST PEOPLE WORKING FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON IS TO GET THAT UP TO 22 THIS YEAR.
AND SO IF THE BUDGET COMES BACK FROM THE CITY MANAGER WITH TWO OR $300,000 FOR REGULAR EMPLOYEE STATUS AT BARTON SPRINGS, YOU KNOW, MY PERSONAL FEELING IS THAT YOU CAN CUT THAT AND WORK ON THAT NEXT YEAR.
GET THAT WAGE UP TO 22 THIS YEAR.
I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU ALL TO GIVE YOURSELVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE DOING WHAT WAS RIGHT AND RAISING IT UP TO $22 RECOMMENDING THAT.
NEXT IS JIM READY? UH, MEMBERS, THE PARK BOARD, UH, STAFF, FELLOW CITIZENS.
I'M THE OUTREACH DIRECTOR AT AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
AND I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY SHARE SOME RECENT ACTIVITIES.
AS WE MOVED INTO SUMMER, WE JUST WRAPPED UP AN AFTER SCHOOL COLLABORATION WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA.
THE PROGRAM REMOVES BARRIERS TO ACCESS FOR UNDERSERVED MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.
IT INCLUDES STEM ENRICHMENT AND ACTIVITIES, SWIM LESSONS, TRANSPORTATION TO THE BOATHOUSE, RUBBING CLOTHES AND SNACKS.
WE SERVE THE GUS GARCIA AND BERTHA SADLER MEANS YOUNG PERSON'S LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES.
THIS PAST YEAR AISD DATA SHOWS THAT OVER 90% OF THE STUDENTS AT BOTH SCHOOLS ARE CONSIDERED ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
WE'RE ALREADY PLANNING TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM.
NEXT YEAR ON JUNE 16TH, WE PARTICIPATED IN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS, HEALTH FAIR, WHERE WE MANAGED TO PUT OVER 100 CAMPERS ON ROWING MACHINES IN A TWO HOUR PERIOD FOR PARK AND RECREATION.
WE HOST THE GOOD NEIGHBORS ADVENTURE CLUB FROM THE BETH RECREATION CENTER, UH, ONCE A WEEK DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND WE'VE DONE SO FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, IT BECOMES TOO HOT FOR THEM IN THE SUMMER.
SO THEY ARE ON HIATUS UNTIL THE FALL.
MEANWHILE, WE'RE OFFERED 32 ROWING AND KAYAKING OUTINGS TO THE PARK, UH, RECREATION AND ACTIVITY CENTERS.
WE BOOKED 26 EVENTS THIS SUMMER PLUS ONE ORIENTATION CENTER FOR PARKS STAFF GROUPS OF UP TO 28 YEARS OLD AND OLDER COME DOWN FOR A TWO HOUR SESSION ON THE WATER FOR MANY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE SEEN LADY BIRD LAKE ROAD OR KAYAK.
WE INTRODUCED TWO GROUPS OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMS PERSONNEL TO ROWING THE, UH, THAT ORGANIZATION RECENTLY ADAPTED ROWING MACHINES AS A COMPONENT TO THEIR FITNESS PROGRAMS. AND WE'RE ASSISTING THEM WITH COACHING AND CONSULTATION.
WE PROVIDED KAYAKS AND HOSTED TO LAKE CLEANUP ACTIVITY.
THESE IN JUNE, ON JUNE 11TH, 70 VOLUNTEERS FROM KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL AND PEACE LOVE AND RIVERS PICKED UP 112 LARGE BAGS OF TRASH ON JUNE 17TH, 30 VOLUNTEERS FROM SAVE ANIMAL MIGRATION PICKED UP 60 LARGE BAGS OF TRASH FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.
WE RAISED MONEY FOR TWO VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS,
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AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, VIETNAM VETERANS, MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION, AND COMFORT CARE OR COMFORT CREW.WE ALSO, UH, OFFERED A, UH, EXTENSIVE DEEP DISCOUNT FOR VETERANS OVER THE WEEKEND.
FINALLY, UH, I'D LIKE TO REPORT THE 79 OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE CITY WHO ROW ON OUR JUNIORS RACING TEAM, 33 OF THOSE, UH, MEMBERS QUALIFIED TO COMPETE AT JUNIOR'S NATIONALS.
THIS MONTH, SIX BOATS MADE FINALS AND THEY PLACED FROM 24TH TO SIX NATIONWIDE.
AND IN CLOSING, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, GAVINO FERNANDEZ, UH, THE GENERAL COMMUNICATION OR THE ITEM.
MY NAME IS SCAVINO FERNANDEZ AND I AM HERE REPRESENTING CONCILIO, WHICH IS A COALITION OF MEXICAN-AMERICAN LANDOWNERS IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND I'M ALSO PRESIDENT OF OUR UNDERNEATH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF WORKING TOGETHER.
AND, UH, I'M ALSO HERE, UH, SPEAKING TO YOU AS THE CHAIR OF THE HOLLY NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA.
AND I PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION TO YOU AND THIS AND THIS HERE, UH, INFORMATION.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT IT SPEAKS TO UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
AND ONE OF THEM IS TO PRESERVE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CHARACTERS.
THE OTHER ONE IS TO PRESERVE THE BARRIERS NEIGHBORHOOD, EXISTING CHARACTER, AND MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING EXISTING PARKS IN PLAYSCAPES.
I WANT TO SHOW SOME PICTURES OF AN EVENT THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND AT PAN-AM.
AND THIS WAS A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR HOMEOWNERS.
THE LADY THAT LIVES IN FRONT OF THAT HOUSE, CALL ME CRYING.
THEY SAID THAT WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF POLICE DOWN THERE.
THIS GROUP BLOCKED THE WHOLE SECOND STREET.
IF YOU SEE THE HOME IN FRONT OF THEM, UH, I GOT CALLS, UH, I LIVE MY PROPERTIES FURTHER DOWN, UH, CAUSE I MOVED INTO THEIR PROPERTY IN 1964.
WHEN MY UNCLE WAS SENT TO VIETNAM, I CAME TO LIVE WITH MY GRANDPARENTS IN HENSON.
I WAS A PARTICIPANT EMPLOYEE AND AGAIN, A TAXPAYER FOR PARKS AND RECREATION.
WE HAVE COME TO PARKS AND REC NUMEROUS TIMES TO TELL THEM THAT PAN-AM HILLSIDE IS NOT FITTED FOR THESE TYPE OF HUGE EVENTS.
THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPENED ON MESA DRIVE.
THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN IN WEST AUSTIN TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND THIS IS A POLICE RIGHT HERE.
THIS IS WHAT THIS RALLY BROUGHT.
ALL THESE POLICE THAT THE, UH, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WE COULDN'T GET OUT.
UH, THERE WERE NUMEROUS 3, 1, 1 CALLS, 9 1, 1 CALLS AND POLICE.
ALL THEY WERE TELLING OUR NEIGHBORS WAS I'M SORRY, BUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
THERE WAS SHOUTING, THAT WAS CURSING.
THE LADY SAID HER BABY WAS CRYING TOO FOR YEARS BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SO THIS IS A LACK OF RESPECT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOR PARKS AND RECREATION TO STOP RENTING PAN-AM FOR THESE TYPES OF HUGE, HUGE CROWDS WITHOUT PROTECTION, WITHOUT TRAFFIC CONTROL.
THERE WERE ALMOST 5,000 PEOPLE DOWN THERE.
AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE HAVING OUR HIGH MICAH DOWN THE STREET, POOR PLANNING, POOR SCHEDULING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, LOOK AT FIESTA GARDENS, ALL THE RULES AND ALL THE CRITERIA THAT NEED TO BE MET BEFORE YOU RESERVE THAT SPACE.
WHY PARKS AND REC CONTINUE? FIRSTLY, IT WAS THE EASTER SEALS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH, WHERE THEY WANTED TO SELL BEER.
THAT'S THE OTHER ISSUE I HAVE IS BEER.
DOESN'T GO WITH CHILDREN, YOU HAVE SAVALA DOWN THE STREET.
SO I DUNNO WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE.
MAYBE AN ACCIDENT, WHATEVER TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE YES, THE GARDENS TO ACCOMMODATE THESE LARGE TYPE OF FACILITIES.
UH, THE ONE IN, IN FRONT OF THE JAIL THAT PARK RIGHT THERE.
AND I'M GONNA LEAVE IT THERE BECAUSE I'M GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THIS.
UH, THEY TALKED TO COUNCIL MEMBER
SO HE GOT A GOOD HEAR FROM ME.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES? I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN THEM IN AHEAD.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? UH, SO MOVED BY BOARD MEMBER LEWIS.
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A BOARD MEMBER IN ALL THE SECONDS? UH, ALL IN FAVOR.UM, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO SOME NEW BUSINESS.
[B.1. Presentation, discussion and possible action on Permanent Wastewater Use and Temporary Work Area, not to exceed 600 Calendar Days on parkland located at Jimmy Clay Golf Course, Roy Kizer Golf Course, Onion Creek Soccer Complex, Onion Creek Metropolitan Park N. Entrance, and Onion Creek Metropolitan Park S. Entrance. Total Mitigation is $818,542.]
WAIT, I'M LOOKING AT THE MINUTES NOW.THAT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
UM, YES, WE'VE GOT NEW BUSINESS.
UH, THE FIRST THREE ITEMS ARE BRIEFINGS.
UM, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE PRESENTATION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE PERMANENT WASTEWATER USING TEMPORARY WORK AREA.
UM, NOT TO EXCEED 600 CALENDAR DAYS ON PARKLAND AT JIMMY CLAY GOLF COURSE RECALLS KAISER GOLF COURSE, ONION CREEK, ONION CREEK, METROPOLITAN, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
I'M GONNA INTERRUPT YOU FOR ONE SECOND.
YOU SAID THE FIRST THREE ITEMS ARE BRIEFING, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY AN ACTION ITEM.
IS THAT CORRECT? NO, THESE ARE BRIEFINGS.
IT SAYS IT'S SET FOR POSSIBLE ACTIONS.
WHAT? YOU JUST READ SOME MISTAKE, BUT YES.
SO IS IT A BRIEFING, I GUESS SINCE IT SAYS POSSIBLE ACTION.
IT IS A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
TAKE ACTION ON THESE ITEMS. OKAY, THAT'S FINE.
HI, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US PRESENT TODAY FOR THE PARKS BOARD MEETING.
UH, MY NAME IS BRENT CRAWFORD.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER FOR THEIR NEW CLAIMS. JUST A LITTLE BIT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE RECLAIM WATER PROGRAM WITHIN AUSTIN WATER.
AND FOR THIS PROJECT, THE ONION CREEK RECLAIMED WATER MAIN PHASE ONE, UH, IT'S PROPOSED TO BE INSTALLED ACROSS SOUTH AUSTIN PART AREAS.
ALL OF WHICH WILL BE WITHIN FIVE MAJOR PART PROPERTIES.
UM, OUR PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY APPLIED FOR THE CHAPTER 26 APPLICATION WITH PART TO ACQUIRE ALL TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT DECLARATION OF USE EASEMENTS FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND OUR PRESENTATION HERE TODAY IS TO DISCUSS EACH INDIVIDUAL TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT EASEMENT, AS WELL AS THE IMPACTS AND ASSOCIATED MITIGATION PLANS THAT THOROUGHLY BEEN PREPARED THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT'S DESIGN PHASE PURSUANT TO THE CHAPTER 26 STATUTE.
UH, AND I'M READY FOR THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO TALK A BIT ABOUT RECLAIMED WATER, UH, TO GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND ON WHAT IT IS, UH, DEDICATED THE NEXT FEW SLIDES TO DESCRIBE JUST THAT AND TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE MOST COMMON BENEFITS AND USAGES OF RECLAIMED WATER.
UM, RECLAIMED WATER PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN WATER CONSERVATION.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WATER IS A FINITE RESOURCE, WHICH WE ALL TAKE FOR GRANTED.
UH, THERE'S MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER ARE USED EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, I ENDED UP GOING INTO THE DRAIN, HOWEVER THAT WATER CAN BE RECYCLED AND REUSED.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY RECLAIMED WATER IS HIGHLY TREATED WASTEWATER FROM THE CITY IS TREATED AT WASTEWATER PLANTS AND THEN GOES THROUGH ANOTHER RIGOROUS ROUND OF TREATMENT AKIN TO THAT, OF DRINKING WATER BEFORE BEING DISTRIBUTED THROUGH A SEPARATE PIPELINE SYSTEM OF PURPLE PAINTED PIPES TO RECLAIMED WATER CUSTOMERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, AND THAT MAIN BENEFITS OF RECLAIMED WATER THERE ARE ESSENTIALLY IT DECREASES THE DEMAND FOR POTABLE WATER SUPPLIES AND INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF POLO WATER SAVINGS, BOTH FOR THE CUSTOMER, AS WELL AS FOR THE UTILITY.
UM, SOME COMMON USAGES FOR RECLAIMED WATER AS WITH THIS PROJECT OR IRRIGATION, UH, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY FOR PARD, UM, WATER TOWER COOLING AS WELL AS MANUFACTURING AND NON-RESIDENTIAL TOILET FLUSHING.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THIS SLIDE, UH, PART CURRENTLY BENEFITS OF AN ANNUAL IRRIGATION SAVINGS OF 1.4, $4 MILLION, UH, FROM MOST RECENTLY A TOTAL USAGE OF FOUR, 406 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER SAVED BY USING RECLAIMED WATER, UH, THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR 21.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THIS SLIDE PART CURRENTLY SERVES 11 CITY PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, THE LARGEST BEING THE ROY KAISER GOLF COURSE.
UM, SO TO EXPAND THE SOUTHERN HALF OF OUR RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM HERE IN AUSTIN AT HIS PROJECT PROPOSES NEARLY 3.5 MILES OF RECLAIMED WATER MAIN, UH, IS SPONSORED BY AUSTIN WATER AS WELL AS PUBLIC WORKS AND BEGINS CONSTRUCTION WITH THE DOVE SPRINGS RECREATION CENTER AND IS PROPOSED TO BE CONSTRUCTED SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE CLAY KAISER GOLF COURSE AND INCREASED SOCCER FIELDS, UH, AND THROUGH THE UNIN CREEK METRO PARK, NORTH AND SOUTH ENTRANCES, UM, THIS PROJECT PROPOSES TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL $140,000 IN ANNUAL IRRIGATION SAVINGS ACROSS DOVE SPRINGS, SOCCER FIELDS, ONION CREEK, SOCCER, COMPLEX, AND ONION CREEK METRO PARK, AND ALSO IS PROPOSED TO SERVE OUR LARGEST RESIDENTIAL
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TO AUTOMATE GOODNIGHT RANCH DEVELOPMENT.UH, NEXT SLIDE AND THE REMAINDER OF MY PRESENTATION WILL FOCUS ON EACH OF THE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT DECLARATION USE EASEMENTS INDIVIDUALLY, UH, THEIR ASSOCIATED IMPACTS AS WELL AS OUR PLAN MITIGATION MEASURES TO HELP MINIMIZE HARM TO PART LANDS.
UM, AND SO JUST AS A QUICK OVERVIEW, OUR PROJECT LOCATION IS 5,400 HUNDRED JIMMY CLAY DRIVE THROUGH 86 52 KNUCKLES CROSSING ROAD WITHIN THE 77 44 ZIP CODE AND IS PROPOSED TO BE CONSTRUCTED OVER FIVE MAJOR PART PROPERTIES BEGINNING WITH DOVE SPRINGS, CLAY KAISER, ANNETTE CREEK SOCCER FIELDS, ONION CREEK, METRO PARK, NORTH AND SOUTH ENTRANCES ARE ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION IS SET TO START THIS SEPTEMBER, 2022 AND REACHED INTO FINAL COMPLETION BY JULY, 2024.
UM, ALSO THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT, UH, THERE'LL BE FOUR CREEK CROSSINGS, ALL OF WHICH WILL BE CONSTRUCTED VIA HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING.
THIS IS A TRENCHLESS DRILLING TECHNIQUE THAT WILL AIM TO REDUCE IMPACTS TO PART RIGHT AWAY, AS WELL AS UNNECESSARY TREE REMOVALS THROUGHOUT THE PARK LANDS.
UH, ADDITIONALLY PLANS TO PLACE PLANS IN PLACE TO MITIGATE IMPACTS TO PART VISITORS AS WELL AS TO PART, UH, PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY PLANNED THROUGHOUT OUR PLAN SET IN PROJECT MANUAL FOR OUR CONTRACTORS TO ADHERE TO, AND TO ESSENTIALLY REDUCE THE HARM TO PART LANDS.
UH, THESE INCLUDE EROSION CONTROL MEASURES IN PLACE, UM, YOU KNOW, PAVEMENT REPAIR WHERE NEEDED AND PROVIDING A TEMPORARY AND GRAVEL TRAILS TO HELP DIVERT PEOPLE FROM CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR RECITING REGRADING AND, UH, ANY IRRIGATION DAMAGES THAT MAY BE INCURRED, ALL THE, WHICH ARE ON THE FULL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTRACTOR.
UM, AND SO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND SO BEGINNING WITH OUR PROJECT, WE, UH, ARE SCHEDULED TO START ON THE DOVE SPRINGS PROPERTY ALONG THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE SOCCER FIELDS, UM, EAST OF THE INTERSECTION OF PAULO BLANCA AND AMY'S DRIVE.
UH, THERE IS A FUTURE, UH, BUILDING PROJECT THERE FOR THE DEAF SPRINGS HEALTH FACILITY, AND ONE OF THE MAIN STIPULATIONS FOR OUR CONTRACTORS TO COMPLETE THIS PORTION OF THE PROJECT WITHIN THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.
UH, THIS IS TO ALIGN WITH THAT PROJECT SO THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE SERVICE OF WATER BEFORE THE ENTIRETY OF OUR PROJECT IS COMPLETE.
UH, IN THE MEANTIME, WHICH THEY'LL TEMPORARILY BE SERVED WITH POTABLE DRINKING WATER, UM, UNTIL OUR, OUR PROJECT IS COMPLETE, THEY WILL THEN SWITCH OVER TO RECLAIMED WATER.
UM, SO OTHER MAJOR IMPACTS FOR THIS AREA ARE TO MAINTAIN TRAIL ACCESS, UH, FROM GEORGE STREET AND HICKORY STREET ACROSS THE FINING CREEK SOCCER FIELDS TO THE DOVE SPRINGS REC CENTER.
UH, THE TEMPORARY GRAVEL TRAIL WILL BE PROVIDED AND TO ENHANCE, UH, PEDESTRIAN PATHWAYS THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
WE ARE PROVIDING A SIX FOOT WIDE, UH, GRANITE GRAVEL TRAIL THOUGH SPAN THE, UH, THE LENGTH OF THAT SOCCER FIELD TO OUR HDD STAGING AREA FOR OUR PROJECTS.
FIRST CREEK CROSSING, UH, THIS HD STAGING AREA WILL ALSO HAVE AN ALL-WEATHER ACCESS ROAD.
THEY'LL ALSO HELP TO REDUCE SOIL MIGRATION, EROSION, PONDING, WHILE CONSTRUCTION ISN'T IN PLACE.
AND THAT THOSE WILL BE THE MAIN MITIGATION MEASURES FOR THIS PROPERTY.
UM, AND ANOTHER KEY POINT TO MAKE HERE IS THAT, UH, THE DUST SPRINGS REC CENTER HAS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED EXCLUSIVE SERVICE, EVERY CLEAN WATER ON THIS PROPERTY AT THAT SAID THEY WILL BE THE ONLY CUSTOMER OFF THIS MAIN.
AND SO THAT BEING THE CASE, THEY HAVE ALREADY DEEMED THIS AREA OF BENEFIT TO PART, AND IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN OUR CHAPTER 26 APPLICATION TO ACQUIRE EASEMENTS.
AND THE NEXT PROPERTY ON OUR LIST IS JIMMY CLAY, UH, GOLF COURSE, UM, AS YOU KNOW, THAT JIMMY CLAY AND WORK KAISER GOLF COURSES ARE VITAL COMMERCIAL ENTRIES TO THE CITY.
THAT BEING THE CASE, ALL CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES WILL BE, UH, MANDATORY, UH, TO MINIMIZE ANY DISRUPTION, TO PART, TO THE PART AND GOLF COURSE, NORMAL OPERATIONS, UM, AND ALL CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES MUST BE COORDINATED WITH CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF.
UM, SO THAT BEING THE CASE BEGINNING WITH THESE, UH, IMPACTS THIS AREA, UH, MOST IMPORTANTLY, ARE THE JIMMY CLAY PARKING LOT, WHICH ARE KIRA, WHICH WILL REQUIRE RESTORATION TO THE, UH, ASPHALT CURBING GUTTERS, UH, TRAFFIC
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DIVERSION WITHIN THE PARKING LOT TO KEEP PEDESTRIANS AWAY FROM CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS RESTORATION TO THE COVERED LAWN AREAS, UH, NORTH OF THE FAIRWAY ON ROY KAISER.UM, IT ALSO SHOULD BE NOTED HERE THAT, UH, ACCESS WILL BE MAINTAINED BOTH TO THE PARKING LOT AND THE JIMMY CLAY CLUBHOUSE AT ALL TIMES, UM, WITH DETOURS PROVIDED AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND SO MOVING FURTHER SOUTHWARD, WE HAVE ROY KAISER GOLF COURSE, UH, BEGINNING WITH, UH, THE FAIRWAY OF 18, UM, AND TRAVELING FURTHER SOUTH PAST THE DRY PAWN STAGING AREA TO FAIRWAY 14, UH, WILL REQUIRE TEMPORARY AND PERMANENT EASEMENTS HERE AS WELL AS AN ACCESS EASEMENT THAT WILL BE SHOWN LATER ON, UH, TO PROVIDE PIPE MATERIALS FOR THIS PORTION OF THE PROJECT.
UH, THE MAIN IMPACTS WILL BE THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE, UH, FOR FAIRWAY 18.
THIS IS ESTIMATED TO OCCUR OVER A 30 DAY PERIOD WITH A MAXIMUM MITIGATION AMOUNT OF $68,640.
AND THAT WILL BE ONLY FOR FAIRWAY 18, AND THAT IS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT WILL BE CHARGED.
SHOULD OUR CONTRACTOR TAKE THE FULL 30 DAYS TO COMPLETE IT.
UH, AND THEN MOVING SOUTHWARD WE'LL HAVE STAGING AND A DRY POND STAGING AREA WHERE ACCESS FROM JIMMY CLAY DRIVE WILL BE MADE FOR FAIRWAY 18.
AND THEN FOR FAIRWAY 14, SINCE WE HAVE AMPLE SPACE THERE, IT WILL ONLY REQUIRE A SHORTENING OF THE FAIRWAY AS CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES TO TAKE PLACE.
AND SO HERE WE HAVE OUR ACCESS EASEMENT OFF WILLIAM CANNON DRIVE.
UM, THIS WILL BE IN USE ONCE THE FAIRWAY FOR 18 IS COMPLETE AND BEGINNING OF CONSTRUCTION FOR FAIRWAY 14 STARTS.
UM, SO WE'LL ONLY SERVE AS YOU KNOW, FAIRWAY 14 AND FOR THE HD CROSSING, NUMBER THREE UNDERNEATH WILLIAM CANNON AND ONION CREEK DRIVE.
AND SO MOVING FURTHER SOUTH WHERE WE HAVE ONION CREEK SOCCER FIELDS, UH, AFTER OUR SECOND CREEK CROSSING, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, IT HAS PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY USE EASEMENTS ALONG THE NORTH EDGE OF THE SOCCER FIELDS AND REQUIRES A HD STRING OUT AREA FOR THAT CROSSING, UH, SPECIAL SPECIFICATIONS ARE IN PLACE TO MINIMIZE ANY DAMAGES TO THE, UH, CREEK SOCCER FIELDS, UH, BOTH FOR RECITING REGRADING IN ANY IRRIGATION SYSTEM REPAIRS THAT MAY BE INCURRED AND FURTHER DOWN FOR THE HDD STAGING AREA.
WE HAVE STANDARD CITY SPECS KNOW TO ADDRESS, UH, DISRUPTIONS TO THOSE LANDS AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, THE MAIN USAGES HERE, HDD, UH, OPEN CUT FOR THE PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION BEFORE THAT AND THE STRING OUT ZONE FOR OUR SECOND HD CROSSING.
UM, AND IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT ACCESS TO THE SOCCER COMPLEX WILL BE MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES.
AND THEN, UH, SECOND TO LAST IS OUR ONION CREEK METRO PARK, NORTH ENTRANCE, AFTER CROSSING THREE OF WILLIAM CANNON, UH, HERE WE HAVE ANOTHER HDD STRING OUT AREA.
UH, THESE AREAS ARE FOR THE CREEK CROSSING PIPES TO BE PULLED THROUGH THE TRENCHLESS, A CREEK CROSSING METHOD, AND THEN FURTHER MOVING SOUTH, WE HAVE OPEN CUT, UH, TO A JACK AND BORE SECTION AND THEN CONTINUATION OF OPEN CUT TO OUR FOURTH AND FINAL UNIN CREEK CROSSING FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, MAIN IMPACTS HERE WILL BE RESTORATION OF GRANITE TRAILS ALONG FORMER THATCH LANE, UH, PROVISION OF A TEMPORARY GRANITE TRAIL ACROSS THE JACK AND BORE SECTION AND PERMANENT, UH, INSTALLATION OF ALL WEATHER ACCESS ROADS TO HELP CUT DOWN ON EROSION AND PONDING DURING CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR OUR AWESOME WATER CREWS AFTER CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETE TO SERVICE THIS MAN.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL HAVE TRAFFIC CONTROLS IN PLACE TO DIVERT ANY PEDESTRIANS ALONG THE OPEN STREETS WITHIN THE NORTH SECTION OF THIS PART.
AND LASTLY, WE HAVE ONION CREEK, METRO PARK, SOUTH ENTRANCE, A CONTINUATION OR A PERMANENT TEMPORARY DECLARATION OF UCS MINTS AFTER CROSSING NUMBER FOUR.
UH, THE AREA ON THE SOUTH SIDE IS ALSO THE STRING OUT AREA FOR THAT FOURTH CROSSING.
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AREA WHERE HORSE TRAILS MAY CROSS.UM, ONE OF THE MITIGATION MEASURES WE HAVE HERE IS TO MARK WHERE THESE HORSE TRAILS CROSS AND PROVIDE ANY TEMPORARY PATHWAYS THAT ARE NEEDED TO DIVERT THEM AS THE STAGING OF CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES THROUGHOUT.
UM, SO THAT IS THE END OF THESE DESCRIPTIONS.
UH, NEXT STEPS ARE WE HAVE RECEIVED BIDS GUARANTEED FOR FINAL PRICING THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
AND OUR NEXT STEP IS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OF OUR PERMANENT WATER USE AND TEMPORARY WORK AREA, NOT TO EXCEED A SCHEDULE OF 600 CALENDAR DAYS ACROSS THE FIVE MAJOR PARKS MENTIONED THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION, OUR TOTAL MITIGATION AMOUNT, INCLUDING EASEMENTS FOR ALL FIVE PROPERTIES, AS WELL AS REVENUE LOSSES WITH THE GOLF COURSE IS $818,000, EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTEEN, FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY $2,000.
UH, AND NEXT WE HAVE PLANS TO APPEAR BEFORE THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION ON JULY 20TH AND OUR COUNCIL AGENDA TO SET THE DATE FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL ON JULY 28.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE PLANS WE HAVE IN PLACE, MOVING ON, WHERE AS OUR APPLICATION FOR CHAPTER 26 IS IN REVIEW.
SO YOU GUYS, I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, SO YOU GUYS ARE ASKING US TO GIVE A RECOMMENDATION, CORRECT.
SO, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THE PROJECT OR ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
UM, I HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT, A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TO REVIEW, BUT, UM, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS BASED ON YOUR RESPONSES.
UM, UH, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING SUPER KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS, BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE, THE AREAS IN BLUE ON THE MAPS FOR THE SOCCER COMPLEX AND THE, AN INCREASE NORTH, THE, UM, HDD STRING OUT AREA.
ARE THOSE AREAS IN BLUE STILL ACCESSIBLE DURING THE, DURING THE TIME YOU'LL BE AT THOSE LOCATIONS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION, OR WILL THEY BE NOT ACCESSIBLE? UH, THERE'LL BE NON-ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC OR OUR PART STAFF, UM, AS THEY'LL BE MARKED OFF AND, AND BLOCKED OFF JUST FOR THE STRING AREA CONSTRUCTION.
UM, IT'S AN AREA WHERE, YEAH, IT WILL BE SUPERVISED, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR CONTRACTORS AND INSPECTORS, YOU KNOW, DON'T ONLY HAVE CONSTRUCTION FOR STRING OUT OCCUR IN THAT AREA.
UM, I BELIEVE IT IS SCHEDULED TO INCUR OVER SEVEN DAY PERIOD AND IT'S STIPULATED IN OUR PROJECT MANUAL AND PLANS, UM, TO HAVE ALL RESTORATION COMPLETE WITHIN A FIVE DAY FIVE CALENDAR DAY PERIOD.
UM, FOR, FOR THE STRING OUT AREAS, BOTH AT THE ONION CREEK SOCCER FIELDS AND AT THE ONION CREEK, METRO PARK, NORTH INSURANCE.
SO, UM, YEAH, BECAUSE THOSE ARE GOING, YOU KNOW, OVER ACTUAL SOCCER FIELDS AND TRAILS IN THOSE AREAS.
SO, BUT YOU'RE SAYING IT IT'LL ONLY BE NOT, NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR LIKE FIVE TO SEVEN DAYS.
JUST FOR THE, THE, UM, THE LIGHT BLUE AREAS FOR STRING OUT.
THOSE WILL BE THE AREAS THAT ARE WELL FOR SEVEN DAYS, UM, AND PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTION FOR THAT AREA AND ANOTHER FIVE DAYS FOR RESTORATION NOTE FOR THOSE AREAS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, AND THEN THE PERMANENT EASEMENTS ARE, IS THAT WHAT IS, UM, IN PURPLE ON THE MAPS? UH, YES.
UM, W UH, I GUESS, WHAT IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE AFTER THAT'S COMPLETE? UH, THAT WILL BE A FRIEND, FOR EXAMPLE, AT DOVE SPRINGS, UM, AN EXISTING GRAVEL TRAIL WILL BE OVER THAT, UH, SIMILARLY AND ON THE CREEK METRO PARK, NORTH ENTRANCE, ALONG FORMER ATTACHED LANE, WHICH IS AN EXISTING GRANITE GRAVEL TRAIL THAT WILL BE GRANITE, GRANITE, GRAVEL TRAIL, AS WELL AS, AS WELL.
UM, AND ANY AREAS WHERE WE HAVE ALL WEATHER ACCESS ROADS THAT WILL BE THE SURFACE FOR THAT LENGTH, UM, SETS ESSENTIALLY ALL OF DINING CREEK METRO PARK, SOUTH SIDE WILL BE AN ALL WEATHER ACCESS ROAD, UH, ANYWHERE WHERE THERE'S PAVEMENT SUCH AS AT THE JIMMY CLAY PARKING LOT.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE VARIOUS SURFACES THAT WILL BE OVER OUR PERMANENT, UH, WASTEWATER LINES.
UM, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAD.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? YES.
[00:45:01]
THAT, UM, I'M ON THE SERVE ON, UH, IT'S CALLED OUR, OUR WATER TASK FORCE, BUT IT'S THE TASK FORCE THAT OVERSEES IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR 100 YEAR WATER PLAN FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND EXPANSION OF OUR RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM IS REALLY CRITICAL.IT IS A MAJOR PART OF US HAVING ENOUGH WATER FOR OUR CITY MOVING FORWARDS.
UM, SO WHEN I SAW THIS, I REALIZED IT'S A SIGNIFICANT USE OF PARKLAND, AND IT'S QUITE A BIT OF, UM, CONSTRUCTION TIME AND MITIGATION.
UM, BUT I KNOWING WHAT I DO ABOUT OUR WATER SUPPLY AND OUR NEED TO, UM, JUMPSTART OUR RECLAIMED PROGRAM, I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THIS ACTUALLY MOVING FORWARDS.
AND IT DOES SEEM LIKE THE PLANS HAVE BEEN DONE WITH CONSIDERATION FOR THE PROCLAIMED, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO JUST REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THIS IN THE GROUND AND GET OUR RECLAIMED MOVING.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? ONE QUESTION.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? IS MY MIC? THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE AND I AM, AND I WANT TO ECHO WHAT, UM, VICE-CHAIR FOUL SAID.
I JUST, I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION AND THAT WAS ABOUT TREE MITIGATION BECAUSE I THINK TREES ARE ALSO A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF PARKS JUST BECAUSE WE NEED THEM FOR SHADE, FOR CANOPY, FOR COOLING AND ALL.
AND YOU SAID THAT AUSTIN WATER JUST DOESN'T DO ANY REPLANTING.
IS THERE ANY DIVISION THAT STEPS IN AND DOES THAT AFTER IF YOU GUYS, AND DO YOU ANTICIPATE HAVING TO REMOVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TREES? YEAH, I BELIEVE, UH, PART FORESTRY IS PRIMARILY IN CHARGE OF, OF TREE REPLANTING.
UM, OUR METHOD OF CHOICE FOR THIS PROJECT IS TO PAY INTO THE TREE MITIGATION FUND, WHICH IS MANAGED BY DSD.
UM, AND SO THAT IS CURRENTLY IN REVIEW AND WILL BE ASSESSED DURING THE SITE PLAN EVALUATION OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND ONCE, YOU KNOW, FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THAT TREE MITIGATION FUND, I BELIEVE IT'S UP TO THE PARK FOR SHOES, DISCRETION AS TO WHERE THEY SEE FIT TO USE THOSE FUNDS.
ANY FURTHER QUESTION OR DISCUSSION? OKAY.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION? UH, I MOVED THAT WE RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OF PERMANENT WASTEWATER USE IN TEMPORARY WORK AREA, NOT TO EXCEED 600 CALENDAR DAYS ON PARKLAND LOCATED AT JIMMY CLAY GOLF COURSE, ROY KAISER GOLF COURSE, ONION CREEK SOCCER, COMPLEX ONION CREEK, METROPOLITAN PARK, NORTH ENTRANCE AND ONION CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK, SOUTH ENTRANCE FOR A TOTAL MITIGATION OF $818,542.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? THANK YOU, BRO.
IT LOOKS UNANIMOUS ANY OPPOSED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOUR TIME.
UM, MOVING ON IN, THIS REALLY IS A BRIEFING.
UM, I'M, UH, LOOKING TO, UH, THE BRIEFING FROM THE EQUITY
[B.2. Briefing on Equity Office history, purpose, and updates on the work within the City and Parks and Recreation department. (Sponsors: DePalma)]
OFFICE HISTORY PURPOSE AND UPDATES ON THE WORK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.AND THIS WAS REQUESTED BY BOARD MEMBER DEPALMA.
UM, MY NAME IS SONJA SHAW AND I AM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S FIRST EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAM MANAGERS.
AND, UM, I STARTED IN OCTOBER, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS ACTUALLY THE MANAGER AT THE ASIAN-AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.
SO I'VE BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT SINCE 2018 AND TODAY, AND THIS ISN'T OKAY.
UM, TODAY WE, UM, I HAVE MY COLLEAGUES HERE FROM THE EQUITY OFFICE WHO THEY'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND, UM, ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THEIR OFFICE AND THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING.
AND THEN ALSO JUST A SHORT UPDATE ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN PART, THANK YOU, SONA.
UM, MY NAME'S ANNA
UM, THE DEPARTMENTS, I FOCUS ON OUR HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE IN LIFELONG LEARNING.
I AM A PROGRAM MANAGER IN THE EQUITY OFFICE AS WELL, AND, UM, I WORK MOSTLY WITH DEPARTMENTS THAT FALL UNDER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND AFFORDABILITY, AS WELL AS MOBILITY, UM, STRATEGIC OUTCOME AREAS.
I'M SORRY, COULD YOU SAY YOUR NAME AGAIN? I WAS TRYING TO TAKE SURE.
SO WE'LL JUST START A LITTLE BIT WITH
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THE HISTORY OF OUR OFFICE.UM, IN 2015, UH, THIS US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT CAME OUT, UM, SAYING THAT AUSTIN IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN THE NATION.
UM, HOWEVER, AT THE SAME TIME, ANOTHER REPORT CAME OUT SHOWING THAT IT'S ONE OF THE MOST ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED CITIES IN THE U S AND, UH, AS AUSTIN HAS BEEN GROWING, UM, WE'VE SEEN THAT NOT EVERYBODY HAS SEEN THE SAME BENEFITS, UM, IN THE CITY.
SO, UM, IN RESPONSE TO THIS HUGE DISPARITY BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE GENERAL WAY THAT AUSTIN IS BEING SOLD TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND THE ECONOMIC REALITY FOR, UH, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR UNITED, WHICH IS A COALITION OF SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS AND, UM, MAMA SANA, VIBRANT WOMAN, UM, WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPED, UM, PARTICULARLY BLACK MOTHERS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, RAISING THEIR CHILDREN AND HAVING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY, UH, CAME TOGETHER AND ORGANIZED TO HAVE AN EQUITY OFFICE THAT WOULD, UH, HELP ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY IN THE CITY AND, UM, HAVE DEPARTMENTS AND, UH, DIFFERENT STAFF LOOK AT THE WAYS THAT THEY CAN DO THAT WITHIN THEIR WORK.
UH, SO THIS LED TO IN 2015, UH, CITY COUNCIL PASSING A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD CREATE THE EQUITY OFFICE, UM, AND ADMINISTER AN EQUITY TOOL, WHICH IS PRIMARILY USED BY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO ASSESS WHERE THEY'RE AT, UM, WHAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE AND HOW THEY CAN IMPROVE, UM, SERVICES IN THESE COMMUNITIES.
UM, AFTER AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH AND INTERVIEW PROCESS, UH, THE CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER BRIAN OAKS WAS HIRED IN OCTOBER OF 2016.
UM, HE'S ACTUALLY LEAVING US NOW, UM, TO WORK FOR THE, FOR CHARLES BUTTS FOUNDATION, WHICH IS BIG SHOES TO FILL.
AND BRIAN INTENTIONALLY FOLLOWED THE RESOLUTION, UM, WHICH THE SPIRIT OF THE RESOLUTION WAS TO ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, NOT ONLY TO CO-CREATE THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT TOOL, UM, THAT WOULD HELP DEPARTMENTS EXAMINE HOW THEY CAN FURTHER RACIAL EQUITY IN THE CITY.
UM, BUT ALSO TO DEFINE EQUITY, UH, WHICH IS OFTEN THE FIRST STEP OF THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND DURING THIS PROCESS, VOLUNTEERS DEDICATED OVER 900 HOURS.
UM, SO THIS WAS A HUGE, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FEAT, I THINK FOR THE CITY, THE DEFINITION THAT COMMUNITY CAME UP WITH, UM, IS THAT RACIAL EQUITY IS A CONDITION WHEN RACE NO LONGER PREDICTS A PERSON'S QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT RACE IS A PRIMARY DETERMINANT FOR SOCIAL EQUITY.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOUR RACE AFFECTS ALL OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES THAT WE CONSIDER, UM, WHETHER THAT'S, YOU KNOW, HEALTH OUTCOMES, ACCESS TO PARKLAND OR GREENSPACE, UM, EDUCATION, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT BECAUSE IT'S THE PRIMARY DETERMINANT OF SOCIAL EQUITY, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OTHER INTERSECTIONS, UH, RE UH, WITH RACE LIKE GENDER DISABILITY AGE.
UM, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, RACE INTERSECTS WITH THOSE IDENTITIES, AND THAT'S WHY WE CHOOSE TO LEAD WITH RACE, UM, WHICH MEANS TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN SPECIFICALLY ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY IN THE CITY.
UM, NOT ONLY BY PROVIDING SERVICES TO PEOPLE THAT WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY THE PHOTOS I'M SURE MOST OF YOU HAVE SEEN BEFORE SHOW THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS COMING FROM THE SAME STARTING POINT.
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT EVERYBODY GETS THE EXACT SAME SERVICES, UM, BUT THAT PEOPLE GET WHAT THEY NEED TO STRIVE TO REALLY THRIVE IN THE CITY AND THE ULTIMATE GOAL, BEING JUSTICE, WHERE WE TRANSFORM OUR SYSTEMS, UM, IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ACTUALLY ARE STARTING FROM THE SAME PLACE.
SO THE FRAMEWORK WE USE, UM, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY LINEAR.
SO, LIKE I SAID, PREVIOUSLY, THE FIRST STEP IS KIND OF ARRIVING AT THE SAME DEFINITION OF WHAT RACIAL EQUITY IS.
UM, AND THAT'S THE NORMALIZING ASPECT OF THE FRAMEWORK.
UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A SHARED ANALYSIS OF DEFINITIONS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EQUITY, WE ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.
UM, AND WE OPERATE WITH, YOU KNOW, URGENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
UH, NEXT WE ORGANIZE, UM, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE ON TEAMS TO LOOK AT THE EQUITY TOOL, UM, REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH
[00:55:01]
DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING THE, UM, SERVICE PROVISION AND FINALLY OPERATIONALIZE, UM, WHICH IS TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAMS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE ORGANIZING AROUND AND THIS PROCESS ISN'T NECESSARILY LINEAR.SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO, UM, YOU KNOW, BACK TO THE NORMALIZING STEP, UM, AND OFTEN WE'RE REVISITING AND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE WORKING IN.
TYPICALLY WHEN WE GIVE THIS, UH, IT'S NOT REALLY A PRESENTATION, IT'S MORE OF A WORKSHOP AND I RECKON FOR Y'ALL TO RESPOND, BUT I WOULD JUST ASK THAT YOU MAYBE REFLECT ON WHAT YOU DO KNOW ABOUT, UH, THE RACIAL HISTORY OF AUSTIN.
AND, UH, MY COLLEAGUE WILL GIVE US JUST A VERY BRIEF OVERVIEW OF, OF SOME OF THAT HISTORY OKAY.
THE THREE OF US, WE'RE, WE'RE A HIGHLY COLLABORATIVE OFFICE, AND SO WE ALWAYS KIND OF TAG TEAM, UM, TOGETHER, AND IT ALSO FEELS WEIRD.
I RECOGNIZE THAT MY BACK IS TO FOLKS.
UM, AND I KNOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS HISTORY THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, UM, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, MS. MACIAS, MACEO, MS. UM, UH, VASQUEZ, MR. FERNANDEZ, THAT COULD VERY EASILY TELL THIS HISTORY BECAUSE IT'S THEIR HISTORY, THEY THEY'VE THEY'RE FROM HERE.
UM, BUT WE ALWAYS DO START, UM, OUR BRIEFINGS OR OUR PRESENTATIONS OR WORKSHOPS BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME BEFORE US AND WHO STILL REMAIN HERE.
UM, AND SO THIS IS HOME TO MANY DIFFERENT INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
UM, UH, THIS IS, UH, AN IMAGE OF THE COLORADO RIVER, UM, HERE, HERE IN AUSTIN, AND IT'S FROM THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT WATER CONNECTS US ALL.
UM, AND THIS RIVER, UH, HAS BROUGHT MANY PEOPLES TOGETHER HERE IN THIS LAND, UM, INCLUDING THE
UM, IF YOU ALL, HAVEN'T SEEN THIS BEFORE, IT'S CALLED NATIVE LAND AND IT'S LED BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
UM, AND YOU CAN KIND OF ENTER, UH, AN ADDRESS OR A TERRITORY, UM, AND KIND OF IDENTIFY WHO, UM, LIVED AND CONTINUES IN SOME CASES TO LIVE ON THAT LAND.
UM, AND THIS WE THINK IS A REALLY SPECIAL TOOL BECAUSE IT'S COMMUNITY SOURCED AS WELL.
UM, AND THIS IS A, UH, A LINK TO, UM, A THREE-PART SERIES, UH, IN THE AMERICAN STATESMAN, UH, THAT CAME OUT IN 2015.
AND AS ANNA TALKED ABOUT, UM, 2015 WAS A REALLY PIVOTAL YEAR FOR THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE.
THIS IS WHEN COMMUNITIES, UM, WELL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT TIME REALLY HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THE EQUITY OFFICE, BUT, UM, 2015 IS SORT OF WHEN, WHEN THIS MOMENTUM WAS THERE, UM, AND THIS THREE-PART SERIES KIND OF, THEY CALL IT ECONOMIC MOBILITY OR THE LACK THEREOF, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY MUCH ABOUT RACE AND, UM, RACISM.
AND SO I, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS, IT'S A GOOD KIND OF PRIMER TO, UM, HOW WE HAVE ARRIVED, WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND MOST FOLKS ARE FAMILIAR, I THINK, WITH THE 1928 PLAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN SPACES SOMETIMES WHERE WE'RE FOLKS DON'T KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE, THEY'RE NEWER TO THE, TO THE CITY, BUT, UM, THE 1920 PLAN IS, UM, THE CITY'S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT, UH, DESIGNATED AN AREA OF TOWN SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, FORMERLY FOLKS, UM, IN, IN EAST AUSTIN, RIGHT.
UM, WHAT IS NOW WHAT WE CALL CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN? IT'S WHERE, UH, OUR OFFICE ACTUALLY, WHERE THE EQUITY OFFICE IS, UM, THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT, UH, EAST 11TH AND EAST 12TH STREETS.
UM, THIS, THIS PLAN ALSO W UM, CODIFIED THE CREATION OF OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT OF OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY.
UM, AND IT WAS CREATED BY, UM, MEN WHO, WHO WE HAVE, WE HAVE THINGS ASSETS IN THE CITY NAMED
[01:00:01]
AFTER, UM, INCLUDING WALTER LONG.AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT, UM, WHO IT IS THAT, THAT WE CONTINUE TO HONOR OR TO CELEBRATE, UH, HERE IN THIS CITY AND WHAT THAT LEGACY, ALL, WHAT ALL GOES INTO TO THEIR LEGACY, UM, HERE IN THE CITY IS YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND THEN, UM, THIS IS ALSO, UH, WHAT WE CALL THE FIRST WORD OR AUSTIN'S MEXICO, UM, HERE IN AUSTIN LEADING UP TO, UH, THE NIGHT UP THROUGH THE 1940S, REALLY, UM, WHERE, RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE ARE AUSTIN CITY HALL, UM, IS PART OF THIS, OF, UH, THIS GRAY SHADED AREA.
UM, THIS WAS AN AREA WHERE PEOPLE OF MEXICAN DESCENT, OTHER PEOPLE FROM CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, UM, WHO WEREN'T NECESSARILY, UH, WORKING ON, ON LAND OR ON FARMS WERE LIVING, UM, REPUBLIC SQUARE IS IN WHAT WE NOW CALL REPUBLIC SQUARE IS, UH, LOCATED IN THIS GRAY SHADED AREA.
THEN IT WAS CALLED GUADALUPE PARK.
UM, ALSO WENT BY OTHER NAMES AS WELL, BUT, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THIS AREA TENDED TO REFER TO IT AS ONE OF THE BEST PARK BECAUSE OUR LADY HAD BOUGHT OTHER BED CHURCH WAS ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, THAT THAT CHURCH HAS SINCE BEEN MOVED IN SOME CASES, UM, BRICK BY BRICK TO EAST AUSTIN, UM, AND ITS LOCATION WHERE IT IS NOW.
UM, BUT WE, WE THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UM, WE WEREN'T ALWAYS, UH, PEOPLE OF COLOR WEREN'T ALWAYS CONCENTRATED ON THE EAST SIDE, RIGHT.
THERE WAS CITY POLICIES AND PRACTICES, INCLUDING, UM, RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS, UM, UH, TAX APPRAISAL THAT, THAT THE FLOODING THAT WAS NOT MITIGATED ON THE COLORADO RIVER, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT, UM, KIND OF CONTRIBUTED TO, TO MAKING PEOPLE, UH, EITHER FORCED TO MOVE OR TO MAKE A DECISION, RIGHT.
A REALLY HARD DECISION, UM, TO BE, UH, KIND OF LOCATED OVER IN EAST AUSTIN, UM, AND THE 1928 PLAN, UM, ALSO KIND OF MADE SURE THAT THAT BLACK FOLKS WERE CONCENTRATED ON THIS EASTERN, UM, SIDE OF THE CITY, UM, BY KIND OF BY MAKING SURE THAT UTILITIES WOULD NOT BE PROVIDED TO ANYBODY WHO WASN'T TO ANY BLACK FOLKS WHO WEREN'T LIVING AND ON THIS SIDE OF WHAT WAS THEN EAST AVENUE.
UM, AND SO WE HAD IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES, UM, IN AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, WE HAD FREEDOM COMMUNITIES AND FREE OR FREEDMAN COMMUNITIES, UM, WHERE FORMERLY ENSLAVED FOLKS WERE NOW FREE FOLKS WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO LIVE AND, YOU KNOW, GO TO SCHOOL, BUILD THEIR CHURCHES, HAVE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE 1928 PLAN WAS REALLY A WAY TO DISRUPT THAT YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE, UM, THIS RED LINED AREA, UM, ON THE EAST SIDE IS SORT OF WHAT THE 1928 PLAN DESIGNATED AS THE NEGRO DISTRICT AND THESE, UM, I'M SURE SOME FOLKS HAVE SEEN THESE MAPS BEFORE THEY EXISTED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
UM, THESE F F H A MAPS, UM, THAT, THAT DEEMED CERTAIN AREAS OF TOWN HAZARDOUS AND THE ONES THAT WERE DEEMED HAZARDOUS ARE IN RED LINED AREAS.
SO, UM, OFTEN THE FOLKS WHO LIVED IN THOSE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THIS CASE, BLACK FOLKS, AND, UM, JUST BELOW THAT AREA, UH, PEOPLE OF MEXICAN DESCENT OR LATINO DESCENT, UM, INDIGENOUS FOLKS, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF IN THE AREA, UM, THAT WHERE THEY WERE FORCIBLY MOVED.
UM, BUT THESE RED LINE AREAS MADE IT REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT FOR FOLKS TO, UM, ACCESS LOANS, MORTGAGES, UM, SO THAT IT FOSTERED REALLY THIS DISINVESTMENT IN THESE COMMUNITIES AND KIND OF LED TO THIS CULTURE OF, OF DECLINE AND LACK OF INVESTMENT, UM, FROM CITY RESOURCES, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND THEN I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO SONA.
UM, AS AMANDA SAID THAT, UM, A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS WERE ALSO CREATED IN 1928.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE THAT'S ACTUALLY WHEN THE PARK SYSTEM WAS CREATED, BUT PRIOR TO 1928, BLACK AND MEXICAN PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAD THEIR OWN SPACES TO RECREATE.
SO IT WAS THE PARK SYSTEM THAT SHAPED WAS SHAPED BY INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND SEGREGATED THESE SPACES.
UM, 1928 ROSEWOOD PARK WAS ACQUIRED, WHICH BECAME THE ONLY PUBLIC PARK TO SERVE AFRICAN-AMERICAN RESIDENTS IN 1931, PARQUET SARAGOSSA BECOMES THE FIRST AND ONLY
[01:05:01]
PARK TO SERVE MEXICANS AND MEXICAN AMERICANS.AND IT'S ONLY IN 1963 THAT THERE WAS PARK INTEGRATION CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHERE ARE WE NOW? UM, RIGHT.
SO THIS, UH, OFTEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHEN PRESENTED WITH THIS REALITY, UH, WE'LL SAY, WELL, WE'LL JUST PROVIDE BENEFITS TO EVERYONE.
WE'LL HAVE RACE NEUTRAL POLICIES.
UM, AND EVEN THOUGH THE MOST EXPLICITLY RACIST LAWS, UM, ARE NO LONG, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN STRICKEN FROM THE BOOKS AND SOME HOPEFULLY, UM, EH, WE, WE NOW HAVE RACE NEUTRAL LAWS AND POLICIES, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY SOUND GREAT, BUT DON'T ALWAYS PROVIDE, UH, AN ACTUAL IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE MEANT TO HELP.
AND ONE EXAMPLE THAT WE OFTEN USE IS THE GI BILL, UH, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE BENEFITS TO PEOPLE COMING BACK FROM THE WAR.
UH, HOWEVER, UH, BLACK SOLDIERS DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE ACCESS TO LIKE THE HOME LOANS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHY RACE NEUTRAL POLICIES, UH, CONTINUE TO FAIL BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO EXPLICITLY ADVANCE RACIAL EQUITY BY, UM, PROACTIVELY LOOKING AT DATA AND DECIDING, UM, THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO INVEST OUR RESOURCES, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED HISTORICALLY.
SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, I STARTED IN OCTOBER AND, UM, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, I HAD BEEN WORKING WITH KIMBERLY AND ALSO OUR RACIAL EQUITY COMMITTEE THAT FORMED OUT OF, UM, REALLY JUST FOLKS IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
AND SO SIMILAR TO, UM, THIS SLIDE IS ORGANIZED AROUND THE RACIAL EQUITY, UM, FRAMEWORK.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT NORMALIZING EQUITY, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WILL GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO KIMBERLY BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY HER TALKING TO ME VERY EARLY ON WHEN I STARTED WITH THE CITY, UM, THAT SHE WAS EXPLICIT ABOUT, UM, RACE.
AND IT WAS VERY REFRESHING TO SORT OF HEAR AS A WOMAN OF COLOR THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY HAVE LEADERSHIP TALKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE MANY OF US IN OUR OWN SPACES, DON'T, THEY DON'T TALK ABOUT RACE, UM, LEARNING OUR HISTORY.
I THINK JUST WHAT WE SAW WITH THE EXPLICIT, UM, EXCLUSION OF SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES, HOW ARE WE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS NOW? HOW DOES IT SHOW UP IN OUR WORK? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, EARLY ON WHEN I STARTED IN THIS ROLE, I WOULD JUST ASK PEOPLE, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EQUITY AND EQUALITY.
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.
AND I THINK WHEN YOU ARE RACE EXPLICIT, WE HAVE TO REALLY TALK ABOUT RACIAL EQUITY IN THAT WAY UM, AND THEN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
SO A LOT OF WHAT, UM, WITH THE, WITH THE HELP OF THE EQUITY OFFICE, THEY'VE BEEN COMING TO OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETINGS AND JUST REALLY WORKING WITH, UM, KIMBERLY AND OTHERS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE TOOLS, RIGHT.
WE WORK IN THESE SYSTEMS WHERE WE'RE REALLY UNPACKING AND UNDOING A LOT OF THIS, BUT WE'VE ALL BEEN SOCIALIZED WITHIN THE SYSTEM TOO.
UM, AND THEN ORGANIZING, I WILL SAY, LIKE, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT FOLKS WORKING IN THE CITY AGAIN WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE EQUITY OFFICE THAT HAS REALLY KIND OF HELPED ALL OF US SORT OF CONNECT IN MANY WAYS, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT SO, UM, OPEN AND ESPECIALLY FOR STAFF OF COLOR, I FEEL LIKE, UM, FOR MANY STAFF OF COLOR, JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE SPACE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND OTHER THINGS, UM, IN OUR CITY, UM, WE'RE ALSO ORGANIZING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS.
UM, ONE OF THE EXAMPLES I LIKE TO GIVE WHEN I WAS AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER DURING COVID, UM, WE ACTUALLY PARTNERED WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY ON OUTREACH SPECIFICALLY TO MARGINALIZED ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE LIKE OUR PIO OFFICE, COULDN'T GET A HOLD OF, BUT WE WORKED WITHIN OUR NETWORKS TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO OTHER EQUITY MANAGERS NOW THAT ARE BEING HIRED IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
SO WE'RE STARTING TO ORGANIZE WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE AS LEADERSHIP AND THEN OPERATIONALIZING.
UM, SO WHAT, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE? I THINK, UM, ONE X YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THE RANGER CADET PROGRAM, BUT THAT WAS A VERY SPECIFIC PROGRAM THAT WAS LOOKING AT HOW DO WE GET YOUTH OF COLOR INTO ENVIRONMENTAL JOBS, RIGHT.
AND MANY WHICH, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE YOU SEE SORT OF IN AUSTIN, RIGHT WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD, WHY AREN'T THERE MANY, UM, PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THESE TYPES OF POSITIONS.
AND SO THAT WAS A SPECIFIC THING THAT WAS LOOKED AT WITH THIS RANGER CADET PROGRAM AND GOT, UM,
[01:10:01]
PARK RANGERS THAT ARE FROM THESE COMMUNITIES AND, UM, AUSTIN, CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS KIND OF SIMILAR TO WHAT THE GI BILL.SO THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, WHICH HELPED BUILD OUR PARK SYSTEMS IN MANY WAYS THAT, UM, DIDN'T THAT SAME SORT OF BENEFIT DIDN'T ADVANCE PEOPLE OF COLOR, SPECIFICALLY BLACK AND OTHER FOLKS OF COLOR.
AND SO MANY SUPERVISOR POSITIONS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT WITHIN THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, IT WAS JUST EXPLICIT SORT OF RACISM HAPPENING.
AND SO WITH THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, IT'S LIKE A REDO OF REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE THIS, UM, A RACIAL EQUITY, RACIALLY EQUITABLE PROGRAM FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
SWIM ATX IS ALSO ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT LOOKS AT THE BARRIERS FOR, UM, YOUTH OF COLOR IN SWIMMING AND THEN, UM, THE LONG RANGE PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, SO PART OF MY ROLE, UM, BEING HIRED WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE LONG RANGE PLAN AND WORKING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN.
AND A LOT OF WHAT I'VE TALKED WITH KIMBERLY ABOUT IS LIKE, WE REALLY NEED REPRESENTATION WITHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT AND WHAT THAT IS, WHAT IS THE DIVERSITY OF FOLKS, NOT JUST RACE, BUT ALSO POSITIONS AND, UM, DIFFERENT LEVELS OF LIKE WHERE WE'RE ALL SORT OF WORKING TO REALLY KIND OF COME TOGETHER TO LOOK AT THIS PLAN IN HOW WE PRIORITIZE, UM, EQUITY WITH IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MY ONLY QUESTION WOULD BE WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE US TO DIRECT PEOPLE? IF, IS THERE A WEBSITE FOR YOUR OFFICE? THE EQUITY OFFICE DOES HAVE A WEBSITE.
AND THEN, UM, I, I HAVE AN EMAIL.
I DON'T HAVE A WEB PAGE OR ANYTHING.
WE'VE GOT A QUESTION FROM SHERIFF BOUNCED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS AND DISCUSS.
UM, I WAS WONDERING IN REGARDS TO THE, UM, PARTS SPECIFIC EQUITY WORK, UM, YOU ARE PROBABLY DEVELOPING THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY MENTIONED THAT THE EQUITY OFFICE, ONE OF THE, WHEN THE CITY EQUITY OFFICE WAS CREATED, THERE WAS A TOOL THAT WAS CREATED TO, I ASSUME, ASSESS DIFFERENT INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMS. AND I WAS WONDERING IF WE ARE WORKING ON ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UM, WHEN WE DO SORT OF PARKS, PLANNING AND VISION PLANNING, IF THERE'S ANY EQUITY TOOL OR IF THERE'S, UH, A FORMAL WAY THAT, UM, YOU AND THE EQUITY OFFICE ARE PLUGGED INTO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THE SUBSTANCE OF THE PLANS.
SO THERE ACTUALLY WAS AN EQUITY TOOL THAT WAS DONE, AND THIS IS PRIOR TO ME EVEN BEING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
AND IT WAS WHEN KIMBERLY WAS INTERIM DIRECTOR.
AND SO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FIRST DEPARTMENTS THAT WENT THROUGH THE EQUITY ASSESSMENT AND ALL OF THAT STUFF IS ON LINE AS WELL.
AND SO, UM, YEAH, SO THERE IS, THERE IS THAT, UM, BUT THAT WAS ALSO DONE DURING A TIME WHEN THERE WASN'T LIKE MY POSITION AND THERE WASN'T, UM, YEAH, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK ON, ON SPECIFICALLY THAT, BUT CERTAIN THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE WITH THAT.
I THINK WHAT, NOW THAT WE ARE IN MY POSITION LIKE THAT WE HAVE THIS, I REALLY WANT TO USE THE LONG RANGE PLAN AS A WAY TO KIND OF LOOK AT THAT, UM, TOOL IN ALL THOSE DIFFERENT AREAS.
BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A HUGE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO, UM, AND THERE'S SO MANY DETAILS.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER LOUIS.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, AND I REALLY, UM, VALUE AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
MY QUESTION AGAIN IS ALSO PARKS SPECIFIC.
SO WITH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND YOU DID A GREAT JOB GOING OVER THE HISTORY WITH THAT AND UNDERSTANDING, AND HONESTLY VALUING AND APPRECIATING THE PEOPLE WHO CAME OF COLOR THAT PLAYED SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ALL THESE PARKS.
IS THERE A PART OF YOUR WORK THAT'S REALLY FOCUSING ON TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE, UM, THOSE STORIES ARE TOLD AND HONORED IN THESE PARK PLACES? IS THAT PART OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING AS WELL? WELL, UM, THERE'S ACTUALLY WHOLE OTHER UNITS THAT, UM, LIKE WE HAVE OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION UNIT AND THEN ALSO THE I'M TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE EQUITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DO RECOGNIZE, BECAUSE I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT A LOT IN MANY OF OUR PARKS.
UM, SO MY POSITION IS MORE OF A PROGRAM MANAGER IN THE SENSE OF LIKE WE'RE LOOKING AT, WITHIN THE SYSTEMS WITHIN THE PARKS AND RECREATION.
I THINK YOU MAY BE THINKING THERE, THERE DEFINITELY ARE PROGRAMMATIC.
AND I D I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S
[01:15:01]
THAT DIVISION, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY YOU MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS? I MEAN, I'M ASSUMING YOU ALL WORKED JEN.UM, I GUESS I'M NOT, I'M NOT REALLY QUITE SURE WHAT THE QUESTION 'CAUSE SOME THAT, THAT YOU CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS AND PASS THEM ON TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT, IF POSSIBLE, SINCE THAT'S WHAT YOUR FOCUS IS BECAUSE EQUITY IS NOW, BUT IT ALSO IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST AS WELL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO MENTION WITH AMANDA, UM, WHICH I THINK YOU FORGOT TO SAY, BUT IT'S LIKE SHE ACTUALLY USED TO WORK AT THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER IN THEIR COMMUNITY ARCHIVIST PROGRAM, BUT IN, IN MANY WAYS, LIKE EVEN WHEN I WAS AT THE ARC, I WORKED WITH THE LIAISON THERE IN A LOT OF WAYS.
SO I THINK THERE'S, THERE ARE THOSE TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING.
AND AGAIN, LIKE OUR CITY'S HUGE WHERE THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT SOMETIMES OVERLAP.
SO IT'S FIGURING OUT, RIGHT? LIKE IN WHAT WAYS ARE WE ALL COLLABORATING TO GET THE SAME INFORMATION? OKAY.
BUT FROM WHAT I KNOW, AS FAR AS WITH THE PARKS, LIKE DIFFERENT, THERE IS INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE.
I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S, THERE IS SOME, BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE COULD DEFINITELY BE MORE SO FOR SURE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ALL RIGHT.
[B.3. Briefing on the progress of the draft Commercial Parkland Dedication Ordinance for commuters and associated community feedback and resources.]
A BRIEFING ON THE PROGRESS OF THE DRAFT COMMERCIAL PARKLAND DEDICATION ORDINANCE FOR COMMUTERS AND ASSOCIATED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND RESOURCES.YOU GUYS, GOOD EVENING CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M TOM ROWLANDSON AND I'M JOINED BY PAUL BOOKS AS WELL AS OUR COLLEAGUES, UH, ROBIN, RANDY, SCOTT, AND JUSTIN.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US PRESENT OUR THIRD BRIEFING, UH, ON COMMERCIAL PARKLAND, DEDICATION TO Y'ALL, UH, PAULA AND I WILL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON NEXT STEPS AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE CREATION OF THIS NEW PROCESS.
UM, SO SINCE OUR PREVIOUS BRIEFING, WE HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FORMULA BASED ON STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY WITH THE EXISTING RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS.
AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, INSTEAD OF USING A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF SERVICE GOAL FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS, WE WILL BE USING THE RATE OF 9.4 ACRES PER 1000 PEOPLE AS ESTABLISHED AS PART OF THE REST 2016 AMENDMENTS TO THE RESIDENTIAL REQUIREMENTS.
THIS WILL HELP TO ENSURE THAT ALL PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY BE FULL-TIME RESIDENTS, HOTEL, VISITORS, OR COMMUTING, EMPLOYEES ARE AFFORDED THE SAME PARK SERVICE.
AS A REMINDER, THE PARK LEVEL OF SERVICE REPRESENTS WHAT NEW DEVELOPMENT WOULD HAVE TO DEDICATE FOR THE CITY TO MAINTAIN THE AMOUNT OF PARKLAND PER PERSON, AS DEVELOPMENT ATTRACTS MORE PARK USERS, UM, PROVIDED IN BACKUP TODAY IS AN UPDATED NEXUS STUDY, REFLECTING THIS CHANGE AS WELL.
UM, WE CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UM, TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS ADJUSTMENT TO THE PARK LEVEL OF SERVICE, WE WILL NOW BE FACTORING IN THE PERCENT OF EMPLOYEES ASSUMED TO COMMUTE, TO WORK FROM OUT FROM BEYOND AUSTIN CITY LIMITS INTO THE FUNCTIONAL POPULATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT.
AS A REMINDER, THE FUNCTIONAL POPULATION IS THE ESTIMATED POPULATION OF A NEW COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ADJUSTED TO ACCOUNT FOR AN EMPLOYEE'S RELATIVE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS PARKLAND AZ, AND SERVES AS THE FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POPULATION OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT FROM WHICH THE PARK REQUIREMENTS WILL BE ASSESSED.
UM, THE COMMUTER PERCENTAGE IS FACTORED IN TO ENSURE FULL-TIME AUSTIN RESIDENTS ARE NOT BEING COUNTED BOTH AT THEIR HOME AND AT THEIR PLACE OF WORK.
ACCORDING TO THE LATEST CENSUS DATA, THE COMMUTER PERCENTAGE IS 58%, AND THIS IS TO BE UPDATED ANNUALLY DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, IN REVIEWING THE SLIDE, WE DERIVED THE FUNCTIONAL POPULATION, IMPACTING OUR PARKS SYSTEM BY TAKING THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES BASED ON A PROJECT SQUARE FOOTAGE, THEN DISCOUNT THAT NUMBER BY THE OCCUPANCY RATE, OPERATION TIME AND PERCENT COMMUTER.
LASTLY, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE, UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING THE INCLUSION OF HOTEL USES AS A SEPARATE CATEGORY IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT OF HOTEL EMPLOYEES ON THE PARK SYSTEM.
HOTEL IS EXPECTED TO USE ITS OWN FUNCTIONAL POPULATION EQUATION BASED ON AN EMPLOYMENT DENSITY OF 1,500 SQUARE FEET PER EMPLOYEE.
[01:20:01]
ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE.UM, AS WITH THE PARK LEVEL OF SERVICE, WE HAVE UPDATED REQUIREMENTS FOR FEE IN LIEU OF DEDICATION AND DEVELOPMENT BEACH REFLECT THE SAME METHODOLOGY AS USED IN THE RESIDENTIAL CALCULATIONS.
AS A REMINDER, THE FEE AND WE RATE PER PERSON IS BASED ON THE AVERAGE COST PER ACRE OF PARKLAND OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS DIVIDED BY THE POPULATION PER ACRE OF PARKLAND.
AND THAT'S THE A $3,781 AND 32 CENTS PER PERSON THAT YOU SEE AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN.
UM, AND THE DEVELOPMENT FEE, UH, PER PERSON IS THE AVERAGE COST OF THE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE LAST FIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS DIVIDED BY THE POPULATION PER DEVELOPED PARK.
UM, BOTH THESE FIGURES ARE UPDATED ANNUALLY AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR USE IN DETERMINING COMMERCIAL REQUIREMENTS FEES ARE BASED ON THE FUNCTIONAL POPULATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT USING THE FORMULA THAT WE'RE ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO, WE ALSO HAVE THE REQUIREMENTS EXPRESSED ON A PER SQUARE FOOT BASIS FOR EACH COMMERCIAL CATEGORY FOR EASE OF USE THESE RATES RANGE FROM $1 AND 75 CENTS PER SQUARE FOOT FOR OFFICE SPACE TO 64 CENTS PER SQUARE FOOT OF INDUSTRIAL SPACE, FURTHER DETAIL ON THE METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING THE ANNUAL FEE RATE IS AVAILABLE IN THE FEE WORKSHEET PROVIDED AS BACKUP TO TODAY'S BRIEFING.
AND NEXT TIME IS GOING TO GO OVER SOME PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
SO LOOKING AT OUR COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION SO FAR, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UNIT TO HOST AN ONGOING SURVEY AND SPEAK UP AUSTIN FORUM.
UH, IN ADDITION, WE HAVE HAD FOUR STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH PARKS ADVOCATES AND THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
WE'VE COLLECTED THEIR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS INTO A SUMMARY TABLE WITH STAFF RESPONSES.
AND THAT SUMMARY TABLE IS INCLUDED IN BACKUP AS WELL.
AND IN THERE WE HAVE ADDRESSED SOME OF THE RECURRING THEMES THAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR, SUCH AS, UH, YOU KNOW, CHANGING COMMUTING PATTERNS DUE TO COVID-19 IMPACTS ON AFFORDABILITY, UH, APPLICABILITY AND EXEMPTIONS, AS WELL AS PROCEDURAL QUESTIONS.
UH, OVERALL THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN POSITIVE, UH, WITH THE MAJORITY BELIEVING THAT COMMERCIAL PARKLAND DEDICATION WOULD IMPROVE BUSINESS OPERATIONS.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOSTING TWO ADDITIONAL MEETINGS WITH STAKEHOLDERS ONCE WE HAVE A DRAFT ORDINANCE READY.
UH, FINALLY WE ANTICIPATE PUBLIC NOTICES TO GO OUT THIS WEEK.
I BELIEVE TOMORROW, UH, TO MEET THE CITY'S, UH, CODE AMENDMENT REQUIREMENTS.
UH, NEXT SLIDE, LOOKING AT OUR TIMELINE, WE WILL HAVE A DRAFT ORDINANCE AND CODE READY FOR PUBLIC REVIEW IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO FROM THERE, WE WILL HAVE THE TWO ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS TO COVER THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AND CODE SPECIFICALLY, AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY WITH PLANNING, COMMISSIONS, PUBLIC HEARING SET FOR JULY 12TH.
WE'LL THEN RETURN TO PARKS BOARD ON JULY 25TH AS A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM.
FINALLY, OUR CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 28TH.
UH, NEXT LINE, UH, THAT'S THAT'S THE END OF THE BRIEFING.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO OUR PRESENTATION.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO REVISITING WITH Y'ALL NEXT MONTH, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUALIFYING OR CLARIFYING QUESTIONS TONIGHT, UH, AND PLEASE WRITE TO US AS WELL.
THANK YOU ON MY, ON, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR BEING BRIEF AND DIRECT.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR CLARIFICATION'S GOOD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
[B.4. Discussion and possible action on recommendation for Council to issue direction on the sale of alcohol within parks. (Sponsors: Di Carlo, Barnard, Lewis)]
NEXT HAVE, UM, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL TO ISSUE DIRECTION ON THE SALE OF ALCOHOL WITHIN PARKS.THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SENT BACK TO THE, UH, CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
SO I'M WONDERING, UM, BOARD MEMBER TO CARLA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE COMMITTEE? SURE.
SO THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE MET LAST WEEK, LAST FRIDAY, UM, AS Y'ALL KNOW, THE PARKS BOARD, UM, HAS BEEN ASKED TO APPROVE SEVERAL CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS FOR THE SALE OF ALCOHOL IN SOME OF OUR PARKS, UM, WITH THE VENDORS IN THOSE PARKS.
AND, UM, I THINK A LOT OF THE BOARD WAS FEELING UNSURE ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH APPROVING THOSE.
AND SO AT OUR, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING, WE DISCUSSED, UM, PASSING A RESOLUTION TO, UM, ASK CITY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH SOME PARAMETERS, SOME GUIDELINES THAT OUR BOARD CAN FOLLOW, UH, WHEN ASKED TO APPROVE
[01:25:01]
A CUP.AND SO WE DID PASS A RESOLUTION THAT WE'RE BRINGING NOW TO THE FULL BOARD, UM, JUST ASKING CITY COUNCIL TO DO THAT, TO PROVIDE DIRECTION GUIDELINES TO OUR PARKS BOARD, UM, BOARD MEMBERS.
WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO READ IT AND THEN HAVE DISCUSSION? DOES THAT SOUND LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO? OKAY.
SO, UM, I'VE GOT IT IN FRONT OF ME.
I WILL JUST READ WHAT'S WRITTEN, UH, WHEREAS THE CITY CODE PROHIBITS THE SALE POSSESSION AND CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WITHIN A PUBLIC RECREATION AREA.
AND WHEREAS CITY CODE PERMITS, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN THE SPECTATING AREA OF CREEK AND HAVEN SOFTBALL COMPLEXES AT GOLF COURSES AND A CAMPSITE, WHICH IS RESERVED FOR SPECIFIC PERSON OR EVENT, OR WHEN AN APPROVAL AUTHORIZES THE POSSESSION SALE OR CONSUMPTION BY A PERSON OR FOR AN EVENT AT A PUBLIC RECREATION AREA.
AND WHEREAS FOOD AND BEVERAGE VENDORS AT CITY PARKS ARE REQUESTING CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS TO ALLOW FOR PERMANENT ALCOHOL SALES.
WHEREAS THERE IS NO GUIDANCE FROM CITY COUNCIL OR OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON THE PROPER RESTRICTIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR PERMANENT ALCOHOL SALES AND PUBLIC PROPERTY.
AND WHEREAS THE SITE LOCATION OF VENDORS REQUESTING PERMISSION TO SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES COULD BE CLOSE TO DESIGNATED CHILDREN'S AREAS, BODIES OF WATER OR OTHER RECREATION SITES, WHICH COULD POSE A SAFETY HAZARD.
AND WHEREAS ALCOHOL SALES AND CITY PROPERTY COULD NECESSITATE INCREASED STAFFING WITHIN THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD ENCOURAGES THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO DIRECT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES BY VENDORS WITHIN PUBLIC RECREATION AREAS THROUGH UPDATING CITY CODE TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND PARAMETERS.
SO THAT IS THE, UM, WHAT THE, WHAT THE COMMITTEE VOTED ON ON, UM, GO AHEAD.
I WAS GOING TO OPEN THE FLOOR.
I KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOME DISSENT.
SO I WAS GONNA ASK YOU IF, UM, WARD MEMBER RINALDI WOULD VOICE WHAT HER CONCERNS WERE ABOUT THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK, DO YOU WANT TO ASK A QUESTION FIRST? OKAY.
SO WE'LL LET, UM, BOARD, UH, VICE CHAIR, SORRY.
I'M STILL WORKING ALL THESE TITLES.
VICE-CHAIR FAUST ASK A QUESTION.
SO I HAVE A COMMENT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ASK A CLARIFICATION QUESTION, WHICH IS IN THE NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED PARAGRAPH, IT ENCOURAGES THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO, TO DIRECT DIRECT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES BY VENDORS THROUGH UPDATING CITY CODE TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND PARAMETERS.
I GUESS I THOUGHT THAT WHAT WE WERE ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO WAS TO PROVIDE PARAMETERS THAT THE PARKS BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD CONSIDER BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE TWO ENTITIES IN THE CODE THAT VOTE ON THESE.
AND I, I HAVE TO PIPE UP AND SAY, I TOO THOUGHT THAT WORDING WAS A LITTLE UNCLEAR.
UM, AND I WAS, I HAVE A PROPOSAL TONIGHT TO REVISE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO MENTION IT, OR IF WE SHOULD, THAT I WAS GOING TO SAY NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REQUESTS, CITY COUNCIL PROVIDE CLEARER GUIDANCE AND PARAMETERS WRITTEN INTO CITY CODE.
IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO ALLOW ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES BY VENDORS IN PUBLIC PARKS AND RECREATION AREAS.
I SEE IT AS DOING TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
I THOUGHT WE WEREN'T TRYING TO CHANGE THE PROCEDURE.
THAT'S INCODE WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE CITY COUNCIL TO PUT SOME FACTORS YOU SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
BUT BOTH OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK YOUR CORRECTIONS STILL TO ME IS OPENING THE DOOR FOR A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PROCEDURE, WHICH MAY NOT INCLUDE PARKS AND REC BOARD AND PLANNING COMMISSION.
UM, I MEAN, YOU COULD ALSO, THEY COULD ALSO DIRECT THAT THIS SHOULD CHANGE THE CODE AND THAT THIS BOOK JUST BECOMES ALWAYS AN ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION.
I'M GONNA, I'M GOING TO PUT THAT ON PAUSE FOR A MINUTE, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM BOARD MEMBERS WHEN ALL THE, WHO FELT, WHO FELT DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE ISSUE.
UM, I, TO ME, IT SEEMS KIND OF ODD TO ADD IN LANGUAGE TO THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, DIRECTING, YOU KNOW, LEAVING THIS AUTHORITY WITH THE PARKS BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT A CUP, BUT GIVING THEM GUIDELINES, UM, AROUND WHICH THEY SHOULD MAKE THE DECISION.
I THINK A CUP TO ME SAYS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL IS ASKING THESE BODIES TO DECIDE AND EVALUATE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
UM, SO TO ME, UM, IT MAKES MORE SENSE IF WE, IF WE'RE IN FAVOR OF RETAINING THIS PROCESS WHERE, UM, THE PARKS BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION MAKE A DECISION ABOUT THE CMP, UM, THAT WE SHOULD THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE, CAN BE, TO INVITE ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES INTO THAT, INTO THAT PROCEDURE.
[01:30:01]
BUT I'M COMFORTABLE WITH JUST TAKING VCU PEAS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.SO, UM, I THINK THAT WE, WE ALREADY HAVE A PROCESS, UM, BUT SOME INSTRUCTIONS FOR, FOR WHAT TO DO.
SO WHAT ARE THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? SO THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE THAT THE PARKS BOARD MAKES A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT BEER AND WINE SALES AS PART OF THE SITE PLAN.
AND THEN THAT GOES TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEY MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
I BELIEVE IF I'M RECALLING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A PROCEDURE, BUT THERE'S NO FACTORS TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND YOU KNOW, IT JUST SEEMS ODD TO ME FOR THERE TO BE LANGUAGE SAYING, WE ARE GOING TO ASK THE PARKS BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT ALCOHOL SALES, BEER, AND WINE SALES.
AND WE WANT THEM TO FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LEGISLATION ABOUT THIS.
UM, WHY DON'T WE JUST SAY, COUNCIL COULD JUST COME UP WITH LIKE, WITH STRICT GUIDELINES WHERE YOU CAN HAVE IT HERE.
YOU CAN'T HAVE IT HERE INSTEAD OF ASKING THESE SEPARATE BODIES TO CONSIDER, UM, BASED ON SOME PARAMETERS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? DID ANYBODY? YEAH, I WOULD COMMENT THAT, UM, WHEN THE ZILKER CUP WAS AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, I WENT TO THAT MEETING AND ALMOST TO A PERSON, THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS AND DID NOT APPRECIATE BEING ASKED TO MAKE THAT DECISION WITHOUT ANY KIND OF GUIDING FACTORS FROM CITY COUNCIL.
SO I THINK THAT'S, WHAT'S GONE INTO MY CONSIDERATION ON THIS ISSUE, THAT TO THEM, IT FELT VERY, UH, I DON'T WANT TO PARAPHRASE, BUT OUT OF THEIR PURVIEW AND OUT OF THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY FACTORS AND THAT DID NOT SEEM LIKE SOMETHING THEY WERE USED TO.
SO THAT WAS PART OF WHAT WENT INTO MY CONSIDERATION THAT THERE, THE OTHER BOARD THAT VOTES ON THESE, THE OTHER THING IS I THINK THAT IN THE CODE, THERE'S A SET OF FACTORS THAT THE DIRECTOR CONSIDERS WHEN IT'S A DIRECTOR LEVEL APPROVAL.
AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THERE'S ALREADY A STRUCTURE THAT GIVES FACTORS.
AND SO IT WOULDN'T BE THAT DIFFERENT.
UM, LIKE, SO THE DIRECTOR CAN APPROVE, I BELIEVE, SPECIAL EVENTS, ALCOHOL PERMITS, AND THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT CERTAIN THINGS.
SO I THINK THIS WOULD BE A SIMILAR STRUCTURE, BUT BECAUSE THESE ARE PERMANENT PERMITS THAT ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEY ALSO, I WOULD SAY THESE ARE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY DON'T APPLY TO A SPECIFIC VENDOR, THEY APPLY TO A PROPERTY.
SO ANYTHING THAT THE VENDOR COMES IN AND TELLS YOU ABOUT, THEY'RE GOING TO SERVE IT IN A CAN OR IT'S GOING TO BE, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
THAT'S GOING TO BE GREAT AND SAFE.
THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON.
YOU'RE VOTING ON THAT PROPERTY INTO THE FUTURE.
ALWAYS BEING ABLE TO HAVE ALCOHOL SALES AT THAT PROPERTY.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, GUIDELINES WOULD BE GOOD, ESPECIALLY POSSIBLY, UM, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
AND PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL PARKS BOARD MEETING WITH, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORS GET ADJACENT, LIKE IF THERE'S A ZONING CHANGE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU GET, YOU GET NOTICED AS AN ADJACENT LANDOWNER.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT APPLIES TO THESE PERMITS.
UM, OR A LOT OF TIMES BECAUSE OF WHERE A PARK IS LOCATED, LIKE IN ZILKER, BECAUSE OF ITS LOCATION, THEY DIDN'T EXTEND THE NOTICE AREA TO ANY RESIDENCES.
AND SO YOU COULD GET SOME OTHER, ONE OF THESE WHERE YOU HAVE NEIGHBORS WHO ARE NOT GIVEN FORMAL NOTICE.
SO I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME, SOME THINGS THAT COULD DEFINITELY IMPROVE THE PROCESS, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO SPEAK, UH, UM, BOARD MEMBER MORE.
WOULD YOU LIKE, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS? YEAH, I GUESS JUST GOING OFF THE DISCUSSION, MAYBE SOMEONE COULD HELP CLARIFY WHAT THIS RESOLUTION WOULD BE DOING.
IT WOULD BE GETTING CITY COUNCIL OR ENCOURAGING CITY COUNCIL TO RECOMMEND OR PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ON THE TYPE OF GUIDANCE THEY SHOULD BE USING WITH, UM, MY IRISH, YOU CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS BETTER THAN I COULD.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT WE WERE ASKING THEM TO WHEN, WHEN WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT IT.
AND WHEN I TALKED TO, UM, BOARD MEMBER TO CARLO, I COULDN'T COME TO THAT MEETING.
BUT MY, MY, MY THINKING ON THIS AND, UM, SOMETHING THAT I HAD TALKED WITH A BOARD MEMBER BERNARD ABOUT WAS WE'RE LOOKING AT CITY CODE AND IT SEEMS TO ME IT'S A CITY CODE ISSUE AND MAYBE CITY CODE NEEDS TO BE CLEARER.
AND SO MY THINKING WAS THAT WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE RECOMMENDED TO THEM TO SAY, THIS, THIS NEEDS TO BE CLEARER IN CODE SO THAT WE'RE NOT HALF HAZARDLY, WE'RE GOING TO ZONE THIS
[01:35:01]
WAY, THIS WAY, THIS IS PARKED THIS WAY AND THIS PARK THIS WAY.AND IT LEAVES A LOT OF ROOM FOR CONCERN FOR THE COMMUNITY.
IT LEAVES A LOT OF ROOM FOR LIKE WHEN OUR PARKS BOARD LEAVES, THE NEXT PART BOARD MIGHT FEEL DIFFERENTLY, BUT ZONING, AS SHE SAID, WE'RE PUTTING A ZONE ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT'S GOING TO STAY.
SO, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S, IT'S MORE THAN JUST GUIDANCE.
I'M ASKING MY THINKING WAS THAT WE WERE GOING TO ASK THEM TO CLARIFY THE CODE SO THAT THERE IS A CLEARER WRITTEN CITY CODE GUIDANCE FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE THESE CHOICES.
AND WILL THEY ASK US ON GUIDANCE ON HOW TO CLARIFY THE COD, THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS, IN MY OPINION, WITH THE JOB.
SO, BUT FOR US TO PROVIDE THEM RECOMMENDATIONS ON POSSIBLY A DIRECTION ON HOW THEY COULD DO THAT, BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING THEM TO HELP US, WE CAN DO THAT.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF SOMETHING THAT I WAS UNCLEAR ON WITH THE AMENDMENT THAT YOU SUGGESTED TO THIS RESOLUTION.
ARE WE, WOULD WE BE ASKING THEM TO LEAVE THE PROCESS THE SAME AND JUST GIVE US, GIVE PARKS, SPORTING PLANNING, COMMISSION GUIDELINES TO GO OFF OF WHEN WE'RE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS? OR IS IT TOO? I WAS MY, MY I'M SORRY, BUT MY, THE THING I WAS RECOMMENDING THAT WE MAKE CLEAR IS THAT THEY PROVIDE CLEARER GUIDANCE AND PARAMETERS WITHIN THE CITY CODE.
SO THEY WOULD, I WOULD BE ASKING, I THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD ASK THEM TO REVISE CITY CODE TO BE CLEARER ABOUT GUIDELINES LIKE THE, SO THAT, SO, BUT LIKE BOARD MEMBER, FAFSA SAYING THAT KIND OF, THAT LEAVES THE DOOR OPEN FOR CHANGING THE PROCESS ENTIRELY FROM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S NOT GOING TO INVOLVE PARKS, BOARD AND PLANNING COMMISSION ANYMORE.
MAYBE IT'S LIKE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FOR SENIOR PROGRAM.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S TRUE BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE GUIDANCE AS THE PARKS BOARD TO LOOK AT IT.
WE DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE THE WHOLE PROCESS.
WELL, SHE'S SAYING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL COULD ACTUALLY CHANGE THE ENTIRE CODE.
SO THERE'S THAT WE DON'T, I'M SORRY THAT I THINK WHAT SHE WAS TRYING WAS SAYING THAT THE COUNCIL COULD ACTUALLY REWRITE THE CODE AND MAYBE CHANGE THE PROCESS.
SO IT DOESN'T GO TO PARKS AND THEN PLANNING.
I DO THINK IT, AND I JUST, WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE GUIDELINES OR SOMETHING SO THAT WE DO W WHEN WE DO THESE DO COME BEFORE US, THAT WE CAN TRY TO BE AS CONSISTENT AND FAIR FOR, FOR EVERYBODY THAT COMES BEFORE US.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST LIKE ARBITRARILY LISTENING TO SOMETHING OR DOING SOMETHING BASED ON WHATEVER KIND OF BIAS THE SITUATION MIGHT OCCUR, BUT WE CAN SAY WE HAVE THESE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW, AND THEREFORE THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO BASE OUR DECISION WHEN WE RESOLVE IT.
BUT I DO, I DO, I DO SEE YOUR POINT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OPENING THE DOOR TO MAJOR CHANGES IN THE CODE BY ASKING ABOUT POSSIBLE CHANGES IN THE CODE.
UM, COULD WE SPECIFY AN AMENDMENT IN THE RESOLUTION SAYING NOT TO, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THE PROCESS OF THE PARKS BOARD, SEEING THE, THE APPROVALS OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CUP? WOULD THAT, WOULD THAT FEEL BETTER? SO, YEAH, I GUESS THIS IS, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE THE ROOT OF MY, WHAT I THINK IS FUNNY ABOUT THIS.
LIKE, WE, FOR US TO BE SAYING, WE STILL WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, BUT WE ALSO WANT CITY COUNCIL TO TELL US HOW TO MAKE THE DECISION.
WELL, AREN'T WE JUST ASKING THEM FOR GUIDELINES, BUT NOT, THIS IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO, BUT THESE ARE GUIDELINES YOU SHOULD TRY TO FOLLOW.
OR, I MEAN, GUIDELINES ARE NOT RULES NECESSARILY THERE'S, THESE ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ACCOMPLISHING BY, UM, BY, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING THE BASIS OF THOSE.
SO, YEAH, I, UM, I, UM, ENCOURAGE THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THIS AND PURSUE THIS, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S OF INTEREST TO THE BOARD.
I JUST PERSONALLY THINK THAT THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE NOW WHERE IT'S A CUP ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS IS, UM, I, UM, I KNOW IT'S CLUNKY AND IT FEELS WEIRD TO HAVE ALL THESE, UM, DECISIONS COMING TO US, BUT I'M ALSO, I THINK THAT'S JUST PART OF OUR JOB AS A BOARD AND I'M COMFORTABLE PROCEEDING WITH THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.
SO THAT WOULD BE THAT'S MY PREFERENCE WITH HOW TO CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THIS.
I THINK WE'VE HAD, UM, YOU KNOW, FRUITFUL DISCUSSION AND, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF REALLY GREAT PERSPECTIVES ON THE, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ALCOHOL THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, PREVIOUSLY.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S JUST HOW THE BOARD IS SUPPOSED TO WORK AND I'M, UM, THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE FOR HOW TO CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THESE CASES.
UM, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM A BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS IF I'VE GOT THIS CORRECT? UM, YEAH, I GUESS FOR ME, UM, AND I MEAN, I KNOW I'M COMING INTO A CONVERSATION THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE.
UH, BUT WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES TO GUIDANCE, UH, I TEND TO
[01:40:01]
THINK IF THE POINT OF THE GUIDANCE IS TO MAKE YOUR JUDGMENTS MORE FAIR.I'M NOT SURE WHAT CITY COUNCIL COULD ADD TO CODE THAT WOULD ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THAT GOAL, JUST BECAUSE IF IT'S GOING TO BE A NUMBER OF POINTS, SIMILAR TO WHAT'S IN THE CODE LANGUAGE, AROUND THE DIRECTOR, WHOEVER APPLIES THAT IS GOING TO APPLY IT VERY DIFFERENTLY, NEIGHBORHOOD COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, HOW WE HEAR THAT EACH OF US IS BRINGING A DIFFERENT LENS TO THAT.
SO I'M NOT SURE IT WOULD, MAYBE IT WOULD MAKE EVERYONE FEEL BETTER IN THE SENSE THAT YOU'D FEEL LIKE YOU HAD A SET OF GUIDANCE THAT YOU WERE LEANING ON.
BUT I TEND TO AGREE THAT FROM AN APPOINTMENT PERSPECTIVE TO NINA'S POINT THAT I'M NOT SURE, I'M NOT SURE IT FOR ME, WOULD RISE TO THE LEVEL OF COUNCIL NEEDING TO PUT THIS INTO WRITING, TO MAKE THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE APPOINTED, FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE BOARD.
AND THAT'S JUST MY OPINION, BUT THANK YOU.
SO I THINK THE EXAMPLE IS THAT EVERYONE WOULD BRING THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE TO A LIST OF FACTORS, BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO FACTORS.
SO WE NEED TO AT LEAST HAVE A PLACE.
WE CAN HAVE OUR CONVERSATION FROM.
SO THESE ARE THE FIVE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER NOW PROS AND CONS.
RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THAT LIST.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE W WHEN WE VOTED ON THESE BEFORE, I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY, OH, MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE FACTORS THAT ARE IN THE CODE THAT THE DIRECTOR CONSIDERS WE'VE NEVER, NO ONE'S EVER EVEN POINTED THOSE OUT.
I FOUND THEM IN THE CODE AS WE WERE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
SO TO ME, IT'S, IT'S LIKE REALLY HARD TO LOOK AT THESE WHEN THERE'S DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO EVEN START, LIKE, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU GO WITH CLARIFY.
I'M GOING TO CLARIFY THAT THE CODE, THE CITY CODE, ALL IT SAYS IS IT'S ALCOHOL IS NOT ALLOWED IN PARKS.
WELL, IT SAYS A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT.
I MEAN, RELATED TO TEMPORARY USES, AND I MEAN, I'VE READ THE CODE AND I HAVE A DEGREE IN POLICY, SO I KNOW WHAT IT SAYS, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS LIKE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT CODE, SURE.
ANYBODY CAN BRING, YOU KNOW, NINA COULD BRING WHATEVER PERSPECTIVE ON XYZ THAT NOBODY AGREES WITH AS A FACTOR, BUT THAT CAN HAPPEN WITH THE FACTOR LIST OR NOT WOULD BE MY PERSONAL FEELINGS.
I THINK THE CONCERN THAT HAS COME UP, AND THIS IS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME IS THAT VENDORS WERE GIVEN CONTRACTS THAT ALLOWED THEM TO SELL ALCOHOL IN PLACES THAT IT WAS NOT LEGAL TO DO.
SO, WHICH IS WHY NOW WE'RE SORT OF TRYING TO REMEDY THAT PROBLEM BY GOING OVER ALL THIS HUGE LIST OF CUPS THAT WE'RE HAVING.
IT'S, IT'S TAKEN OVER OUR LIVES IN SO MANY WAYS.
AND I HAVE GOTTEN VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION AD NAUSEUM, YOU KNOW? AND SO I THINK WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS FIND A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
THAT MAKES IT, THAT MAKES REASONABLE SENSE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT WENT TO THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS MEETING FOR SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION, YOU KNOW, OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS IT WOULD AS A SMALLER GROUP TO SORT OF START HAMMERING SOMETHING OUT, TO GIVE US SOME DIRECTION.
AND THE REASON FOR CONTEXT FOR THIS IS THAT, YEAH, IT, IT, IT DOES SAY MORE THAN THAT, BUT BASICALLY IT LISTS IN THE CODE THAT, YOU KNOW, GOLF, GOLF ENTERPRISE PROGRAMS AND, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE CAMPSITES, AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
THERE'S SOME PLACES YOU CAN HAVE IT, BUT IT SAYS BASICALLY THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE ALCOHOL IN THE BARKS EXCEPT FOR SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS.
AND SO I GUESS THAT'S MY CONCERN IS THAT AS WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE CONCESSION, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO COME BACK AND REMEDY THIS PROBLEM.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE ALSO ON THE AGENDA RIGHT AFTER THIS, AND WE'VE ALREADY DEALT WITH ONE THAT TOOK A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY, AND THERE ARE MORE TO COME.
AND SO INSTEAD OF JUST REMEDYING THIS ONE BY ONE, IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME CLEAR GUIDANCE AND SOME, SOME SORT OF CITY CODE THAT WAS CLEAR ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT ALCOHOL IN OUR PARKS? DO WE WANT TO GO BACK AND SAY, WE DO WANT ALCOHOL IN OUR PARKS? YOU KNOW, IT'S COME UP, IT'S COME UP.
A LOT OF TIMES IN MY, UM, READINGS THAT PEOPLE KEEP SAYING, OH, YOU CAN HAVE IT LIKE A BEER GARDEN.
AND, OH, IT COULD BE LIKE CENTRAL PARK, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS NOT CENTRAL PARK REPUBLIC PARK, FOR EXAMPLE, IS NOT CENTRAL PARK.
IT'S NOT A BIG PARK IT'S, YOU KNOW, AND SO IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING.
AND, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE BEER GARDENS, I WENT AND DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND THE BEER GARDENS HAVE ENUMERATED ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO TO BE A LICENSED BEER GARDEN.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT, I'M A VENDOR AND I WANT TO, I WANT TO SELL ALCOHOL OUT OF MY TRUCK.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE PLACE THAT I'M COMING FROM.
AND JUST TO CONFIRM, YOU KNOW, IN THE CODE, IT SAYS, YEAH, IT'S NOT ALLOWED IN PARKS.
AND THEN IN THE RESOLUTION, THE SECOND POINT IS NOTING LIKE THE EXCEPTIONS, WHICH ARE THE SPECIAL EVENTS, THE TEMPORARY PLACES, GOLF COURSES, UM, AND, AND THE INTENT OF THE RESOLUTION IS NOT TO SEEK GUIDANCE IN THOSE AREAS BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY A LAB COAT.
SO IT WOULD BE THOSE PLACES THAT WE HAVE NO INFORMATION ON NEW GUIDANCE, THE VENDORS THAT ARE WANTING TO SELL ALCOHOL PERMANENTLY IN WHATEVER LOCATION IT IS, UH, JUST TO GET THAT OUT THERE.
[01:45:01]
IF PEOPLE WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE TAKING MORE TIME FOR THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE TO WORK IT OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE.UM, IF, IF WE DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PASS IT TODAY, WE CAN TAKE IT BACK AND FURTHER EVALUATE.
WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? DOES ANYBODY HAVE THOUGHTS? REMEMBER THIS I'M FINE.
PLUS IT, AND HAMMERING IT OUT.
IF WE STILL NEED TO WORK OUT SOME DETAILS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO DO IT TODAY.
I GUESS I'M JUST WONDERING, LIKE, STILL ABOUT LIKE WHAT THE COUNCIL IS ACTUALLY GOING TO ARTICULATE IN ANY TYPE OF GUIDANCE OR CHANGE THEY PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE WORK THEY ALL HAVE DONE.
DID ANYONE OR ANYONE FROM PARK'S STAFF LOOK AT HOW THIS IS HELD AND IN OTHER CITIES OR AT, YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF COMPARATIVE LOOK AT, I WOULD SAY THERE'S BEEN, NO.
I MEAN, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, ALL WE'VE DONE IS LOOK AT THESE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
AND THEN PART OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IS, YOU KNOW, PART IS THE APPLICANT, THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THEY'RE THE PROPONENT FOR THE PERMIT KIND OF ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT.
WHICH IS WHY WE'RE ASKING COUNCIL TO GIVE US THEIR DIRECTION.
AND YOU KNOW, WHAT COUNCIL COULD DO IS DIRECT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICE, OR MAYBE IT HAS TO BE THE DEPARTMENT, OR SOMEBODY CAN HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING AND SAY, WHAT FACTORS DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION? I MEAN, THERE COULD BE SOME PROCESS TO IT AND THEN GUIDANCE DEVELOPED.
AND IF A COUNCIL MEMBER THINKS IT'S APPROPRIATE, THEY WOULD THEN PROPOSE A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD ADDRESS IT IN CODE.
OTHERWISE, MAYBE IT'S SOME OTHER FORM.
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THEY WOULD DO.
I MEAN, MAYBE ADDING THAT STIPULATION ABOUT INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OFFICE IN IT, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST LIKE HELP GIVE THEM A BIT MORE DIRECTION ON WHAT WE WANT THEM TO DO AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SAYING LIKE MAYBE HAVE THAT IN, IN OUR RESOLUTION.
I MEAN, IF IT GOES FORWARD TO THAT, I MEAN, WE CAN ADD THAT THIS IS WHY WE WANTED THEM TO BRING BACK A DRAFT OF THE FULL BOARD.
SO I THINK WE CAN WORK WITH THE PIECE THAT WE'VE GOT.
AND SO I, I THINK I'M, I'M PERSONALLY KIND OF TIRED OF JUST KICKING THIS DOWN THE ROAD AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOMETHING DEFINITIVE BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE ARE STILL HAVING NO GUIDANCE AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THE OTHER LIST OF CUPS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO I'M WITH YOU.
I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBERS FOR A VOTE.
WELL, UM, IF EVERYONE THINKS THEY'RE FINISHED DISCUSSING FOR TODAY, UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT, WE'D TAKE IT BACK TO THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE TO FURTHER EVALUATE, MAYBE ADD MORE LANGUAGE ABOUT LIKE, UH, WHAT BOARD MEMBER MORE SAID, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, TO MAYBE FURTHER SATISFY SOME OF THE BOARD'S CONCERNS.
[B.5. Discussion, and possible action regarding the recommendation to approve the conditional use permit (CUP) at Republic Square for the sale of alcohol.]
STEP THEN WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS THE, UH, CUT THAT REPUBLIC SQUARE.I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A PRESENTATION TODAY.
WE SAW THAT LAST TIME AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THE REPUBLIC SQUARE PEOPLE ARE HERE TONIGHT.
DO YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SITUATION, UH, PER CONVERSATION? THERE'S NO PRESENTATION BECAUSE WE ALREADY PROVIDED THAT.
AND OUR COLLEAGUES FROM REPUBLIC SQUARE ARE WITH US VIRTUALLY AS IS OUR ATTORNEY.
SO WE'RE PREPARED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE, OR, UM, CERTAINLY YOU CAN CALL THE VOTE.
DOES ANYBODY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS OR DO YOU WANT TO CALL A BOAT? HOW DO WE WANT TO PROCEED ANY COMMENTS? YES.
UM, LAST TIME ABOUT HOW THIS IS WITHIN, UH, ONE OF A COUPLE OF SPECIFIED AREAS THAT WERE OPEN CONTAINERS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I WAS WONDERING IF WE GOT ANY CLARIFICATION ON HOW THOSE TWO THINGS WORK TOGETHER.
IF WE ALLOW THIS PERMIT, HOW THE OPEN CONTAINER LAWS WORK, IF WE'RE SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT PREEMPTS, WHAT RULES, AND THEN ALSO, IF ANYBODY CONSULTED WITH AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, OR ANY OTHER APPROPRIATE CITY DEPARTMENTS ON THE PRECEDENT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SELLING ALCOHOL IN A PUBLIC PLACE WHERE IT'S OPEN CONTAINERS, PROHIBITED, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PARTICULAR SPOT HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR MAYBE A YEAR OR TWO.
[01:50:01]
UM, BUT I WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT ANY OTHER APPROVALS.AND JUST IN GENERAL, IF WE GOT AN OPINION ON HOW THAT WORKS, HOW YOU WOULD ENFORCE, UH, AN OPEN CONTAINER ORDINANCE ALONG WITH A PUBLIC ZONE WHERE SOMEBODY CAN SELL ALCOHOL, BUT CAN THEY CONSUME SO KIMBERLY MCNEALY SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT MARY MARRERO FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT IS ALSO, UM, UH, WITH US.
AND WE CONSULTED WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT YOUR QUESTION BOARD MEMBER FOUSE AND THE GUIDANCE THAT I WAS PROVIDED, WHICH I WILL BE READING FROM A PIECE OF PAPER, IS THAT THE OVERLAY ORDINANCE THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING OF, UM, ALLOWS THERE TO BE DISTRIBUTION.
IT ALLOWS FOR SALE, AND IT ALLOWS FOR POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL IN THAT AREA.
IT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR CONSUMPTION UNLESS IT'S PART OF A SIDEWALK CAFE.
AND SO IF IT WERE PART OF A SIDEWALK CAFE, WHICH YOU COULD ARGUE, PERHAPS THAT, UM, REPUBLIC SQUARE, IT HAS A SIDEWALK CAFE THAT THEREFORE CONSUMPTION WOULD BE PERMITTED.
HOWEVER, THE LAW DEPARTMENT DOES ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE CODE SO THAT THERE IS NO ARGUMENT.
IT'S VERY EXPLICIT AS TO WHAT IT IS THAT WOULD BE, UM, WOULD BE ALLOWABLE IN THAT I'M CALLING IT AN OVERLAY WHERE THAT ORDINANCE IS, IS APPLICABLE.
AND SO, LIKE I SAID, MARY MARRERO FROM THE LAW DEPARTMENT IS HERE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY MORE DETAILED INFORMATION, BUT WE WOULD SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THIS PROCESS REQUEST THAT EXPLICIT INFORMATION TO BE ADDED TO THE CODE SO THAT THERE WERE NO, UM, QUESTIONS ABOUT CONSUMPTION.
SO YOU COULD POSSESS, YOU CAN, YOU CAN SELL, YOU CAN DISTRIBUTE, BUT YOU CAN'T CONSUME IT IN THAT SPACE UNLESS IT'S A SIDEWALK CAFE.
SO I DIDN'T, CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
YOU SAID THE LAW DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS MAKING AMENDMENTS TO CODE.
ARE YOU SPEAKING ABOUT THE OPEN CONTAINER CODE? W WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS, IS THAT BECAUSE YOU COULD ARGUABLY SAY THAT REPUBLIC SQUARE, RIGHT.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS OVERLAY ABOUT CONSUMPTION AND OPEN, I'M SORRY ABOUT OPEN CONTAINERS, YOU COULD ARGUABLY SAY, WELL, A SIDEWALK CAFE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO CONSUME AT A SIDEWALK CAFE REPUBLIC SQUARE.
YOU COULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT IS SIMILAR TO LIKE, EXACTLY THE SAME AS A SIDEWALK CAFE, BUT IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE MORE EXPLICIT SO THAT THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS THAT IT WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR, FOR CODE TO BE AMENDED, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY, UM, INTERPRETATIONS OTHER THAN WHAT THE INTENTION WAS, WOULD BE THAT SOMETHING ASSOCIATED WITH REPUBLIC SQUARE, IF A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT WERE TO BE, UM, TO BE ALLOWED, RIGHT, TO BE APPROVED, THEN WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT CODE WAS MORE EXPLICIT.
AND SO THEY, THERE WAS NOT, IT WASN'T OPEN FOR INTERPRETATION, AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MIRROR.
LET ME ASK YOU, WOULD IT BE THE WHOLE PARK OR JUST A SMALL AREA THAT YOU'D BE DESIGNATING AS LIKE A SIDEWALK CAFE AND THEREFORE POSSESSION AND CONSUMPTION.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT TODAY IS FOR THE PARK.
SO IT'S THE WHOLE PARK, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE NOW.
SO THE WHOLE PARK WOULD BE A LOT AS I STARTED AND I AM WRONG.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THIS TO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE.
IT'S HARD TO SAY, OKAY, HI,
AND IF WE CAN BRING UP THE PRESENTATION, UM, RAY HERNANDEZ, THE PROJECT MANAGER IS HERE AND HE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE, TO OUTLINE THE AREA AROUND THE CAFE.
IT'S NOT FOR THE ENTIRE, OKAY.
IT'S THE AREA AROUND THE CAFE IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UH, THERE'S A DESIGNATED AREA IN THE CUP THAT IS OUTLINING WHERE THE CONSUMPTION OF THE ALCOHOL WOULD BE, UH, HAD, DO YOU HAVE A DIAGRAM? YEAH.
THERE'S A DIAGRAM IN THE PRESENTATION.
I THINK IT'S THE SEC, THE THIRD SLIDE.
SO UP ON THE, UH, THE SCREEN THERE WHERE IT'S LABELED, NUMBER ONE, THAT'S THE AREA WHERE THE CONSUMPTION WOULD BE HAD.
THE BUILDING IS THE CAFE STRUCTURE.
SO HERE'S MY QUESTION WITH THIS, WHERE THIS PARTICULAR PARK IS IN AN AREA WHERE THERE ARE OTHER BARS AND OTHER RESTAURANTS.
SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, EXCEPT THAT WE HAVE THIS CODE THAT SAYS NO
[01:55:01]
ALCOHOL IN THE PARKS AND WHAT I AM HEARING, I HAVE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH CITIZENS OUTSIDE THE REALM OF, OF THIS BODY.AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN, EVEN JUST NEIGHBORS HAVE SAID TO ME, WE HAVE SO MANY BARS IN THIS TOWN.
WHY DO WE NEED TO PUT MORE ALCOHOL IN THE PARK? AND I THINK THE CONCERN IS, IF YOU HAVE ALCOHOL AT THAT PLACE IN THIS PARK, HOW IS YOU, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE ENFORCING, YOU KNOW, WHO COMES IN HAVING ALREADY BEEN INEBRIATED, WHO COMES IN AND CARRIES THEIR OWN? I THINK, I THINK THAT YOU'RE RUNNING THIS YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE BLURRING THE LINE.
AND I THINK TOO, IF WE STARTED AT ONE PARK, WE'RE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE GO BACK THEN AND SAY, IT'S NOT OKAY.
PARK THE PUBLIC, DOESN'T SEE ALL THE INPUT THAT WE DO AND THE PUBLIC DOESN'T SEE IT, ALL THE PRESENTATIONS WE DO CAUSE THEY'RE LIVING THEIR LIVES.
BUT WHAT THEY SEE THEN IS, OH, WAIT A MINUTE, THEY'RE DRINKING.
WHY CAN'T WE ALL JUST BRING OUR BOTTLE OF WINE TO THE PARK? OR WHY ARE WE? AND SO I THINK WE'RE REALLY MAKING A PROBLEM THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY THAT THEY ARE NOT MONETARILY PREPARED WHERE WE'RE NOT, WE'VE GOT PARK RANGERS WHO DO NOT HAVE ENFORCEMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING LATER TODAY WITH A CRIME REPORT AND SOME, AND SOME DISCUSSIONS AND CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT CRIME IN THE PARK.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE OPENING A REAL CAN OF WORMS WITH THIS.
AND THEN WE ARE HALF HAZARDLY AND WE ARE HAPHAZARDLY ZONING, OUR PARKS, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS FAIR TO THE POPULATION.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT TO BE IN A PLACE WITH ALCOHOL FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
AND SO, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS, I MEAN, IF I LOOKED AT IT, THIS WOULD BE IDEAL.
THIS COULD BE THE SIDEWALK CAFE, BUT I THINK WE RUN THE RISK AND THIS IS WHY I WANTED TO WORK IN THE BIGGER PICTURE WITH THE RESOLUTION.
BUT I THINK WE'RE RUNNING THE RISK OF, YOU KNOW, CAUSING A LOT MORE PROBLEMS FOR OURSELVES.
WHO ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO ENFORCE THINGS AT THIS PARK? WE HAVE SOME DOWNTOWN, UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY'RE CALLED.
THEY WERE THE RED VEST AND I'M BLANKING OUT.
WELL, WE HAVE RANGERS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE, UM, AMBASSADORS, THANK YOU FOR THE RIGHT WORD.
SO I MEAN, BUT WE'RE PUTTING A LOT ON THEIR HEADS, YOU KNOW, AND ON THEIR SHOULDERS, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT EVERY PARK HAS THOSE PEOPLE.
AND SO IF WE OPEN THIS CAN OF WORMS, WHAT ARE WE DOING AT ALL THE OTHER PARKS AND WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GET THE MONEY TO ENFORCE IT? AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO ANSWER TO THE PEOPLE WHO SAY THE PARK IS STILL A PLACE FOR MY FAMILY, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TRIGGER OF ALCOHOL.
WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE DRINKING TOO MUCH AND BOTHER MY KIDS.
I JUST THINK THAT WE ARE, I THINK IT'S A BIGGER CAN OF WORMS THAN THIS ONE PARK.
AND SO I GUESS THAT'S MY CONCERN.
I THINK, UM, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
BUT I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT WE GOT LAST TIME WAS THAT THEY HAD THERE HAD ALREADY BEEN ALCOHOL BEING SOLD IN THIS PARK UP UNTIL, SO THIS IS, THIS, ISN'T A NEW PROPOSITION.
WELL, THIS STARTED WITH A VENDOR IS WHAT I BELIEVE THAT MOLLY ANDERSON TOLD US, AM I RIGHT? THIS VENDOR HAS BEEN THERE JUST A YEAR.
MAYBE, UH, IF I BELIEVE, YES, THE VETERANS HAS BEEN THERE FOR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN A YEAR.
AND THAT'S THE TIME THAT THE ALCOHOL SALES WERE ALLOWED.
I'M NOT SURE IF THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED, BUT THEY TOOK PLACE TOOK PLACE.
THEY WEREN'T ZONED FOR ALCOHOL, BUT THEY STILL TOOK IN THAT YEAR.
SO IT'S ONLY BEEN ABOUT A YEAR WITH THIS VENDOR UNDER THE CONTRACT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED.
BOARD MEMBERS, MOLLY ALEXANDER FROM THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE IS WITH US VIRTUALLY, IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION FOR HER, SHE'S, SHE'S PART OF THE TEAM THAT IS OVERSEEING REPUBLIC PARK TO SEE YOU GUYS KNOW.
COULD YOU, COULD YOU PERHAPS SPEAK ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FULL SCOPE OF THE MENU THAT THIS VENDOR IS OFFERING? LIKE WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE THEY SELLING BESIDES BEER AND WINE? UM, THIS IS MOLLY ALEXANDER.
UM, ONE, THE CAFE OPERATES SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
IT, YOU KNOW, IT SERVES BREAKFAST LUNCH AND GOES INTO KIND OF AN EARLY EVENING.
UM, AND IT HAS BEEN OPERATING SINCE AUGUST, 2020.
HOWEVER, OUR PARK AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN 2015 WAS SIGNED BY THE
[02:00:01]
CITY COUNCIL AFTER IT WAS EXECUTED WITH CITY STAFF THAT DOES ALLOW, AND IT DID ALLOW FOR ALCOHOL SALES IN THE PARK.THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO UNDER MOLLY, WHAT WAS THAT UNDER LIKE, WAS THAT, UH, A CONTRACT FOR A PARTICULAR VENDOR AT THAT TIME? OR HOW DID IT ALLOW FOR IT'S A CONTRACT WITH THE DOWNTOWN? IT'S A THREE PARTY CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS DEPARTMENT, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, AND THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE FOUNDATION.
THAT AGREEMENT WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND PUBLIC NONPROFIT PARK PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT.
UM, YOU ALL HAVE SEEN, YOU KNOW, NEW VERSIONS OF THAT WITH PEACE PARK AND, UM, WITH THE POMA WITH THE TRAIL FOUNDATION.
WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST OF ITS KIND, UH, PRIOR TO WATERLOO GREENWAY, WHICH YOU ALL HAVE ALLOWED FOR ALCOHOL SALES IN THAT PARK AS WELL.
SO THESE WERE TERMS IN WHICH WE AGREED TO MANAGE AND OPERATE THE PARK, UM, THAT OUR TENANT HAS A LEGAL LEASE AGREEMENT WITH OUR FOUNDATION.
SO THAT ALLOWS FOR ALCOHOL SALES SO THAT THIS WAS A PRECEDENT SAID ALMOST A LITTLE OVER WELL, SIX AND A HALF YEARS AGO, BUT SOMEBODY WAS NOT SELLING ALCOHOL UNTIL THE LAST YEAR.
IS THAT CORRECT? I MEAN, UNDER, UNDER, UH, I'M SORRY, LET ME CLARIFY MY QUESTION.
UM, THE PRECEDENT SET SIX AND A HALF YEARS AGO, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE HAD, UM, EVENTS, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN A CUP THAN A ZONING FOR ALCOHOL IN THE PARK.
ONE IS NO ONE KNEW THAT A CUP WAS NECESSARY WHEN THE AGREEMENTS WERE CONSTRUCTED.
UM, WE AGREE TO MANAGE AND OPERATE THE PARK AT THE TIME.
IT WAS UNDER MASTER PLANNING PROCESS.
THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION'S ROLE IN THIS AGREEMENT WAS TO RAISE THE MONEY AND BUILD THE PARK.
THE ROLE OF THE FOUNDATION WAS TO MANAGE AND OPERATE IT FOR 25 YEARS.
AND WITHIN THAT AGREEMENT STRIKE A LEASE TERM AGREEMENT WITH A VENDOR WHO WOULD OPERATE THE KIOSK ALLOWED TO SELL ALCOHOL AND FOOD QUESTION.
MOLLY, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, SO YOU DID THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE FOUNDATION HAS THE CONTRACT WITH THE VENDOR.
WE HAVE A LEGAL LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE VENDOR AND, AND SO MY QUESTIONS ARE LIKE, DOES YOUR AGREEMENT, THE ONE, YOU MENTIONED THE THREE PARTY AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN OR YOU AT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE FOUNDATION INTERNALLY IN YOUR CONTRACT WITH THE VENDOR, LIKE, WHAT ARE THE, ARE THERE ANY, UM, PARAMETERS AROUND ALCOHOL SALES OR, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC BECAUSE AS WE MENTIONED, THIS IS A CHANGE TO THE, UM, THE USE OF THE PROPERTY WITHOUT ANY, WITHOUT RESTRICTION.
SO WHAT ARE THE PARAMETERS THAT YOU PUT IN PLACE? ALBEIT THEY'RE ONLY THROUGH CONTRACT? YEAH.
SO LEGAL CONTRACT WITH THE TENANT, WE DID THIS PRE KNOWLEDGE OF THE REQUIREMENT OF A CUP.
SO CITY LEGAL DISCOVERED THE ERROR POST OUR LEASE TERM WITH THE TENANT, WHICH WE SIGNED PRIOR TO COVID, I BELIEVE IN 2019, OBVIOUSLY WITH COVID THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO OPEN IT IN MARCH, WHICH OF COURSE WAS MARCH, 2020.
UM, THEY WENT AHEAD AND MOVED THE OPENING TO AUGUST OF 2020, BUT THIS WAS ALL IN THE CONSTRUCT OF IT BEING ALLOWABLE AND WITH NO UNDERSTANDING THAT THESE LEGAL TERMS, UM, NEEDED AN ADDITIONAL APPROVAL.
HOW MUCH OF THE SALES OF THIS VENDOR ARE ALCOHOL? SO YOU'VE GOT TO ALSO REMEMBER THAT SALES DURING COVID, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY WOULD VARY, BUT ABOUT 12% I MEAN, OPENING DURING COVID IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT DYNAMIC, THEN, YOU KNOW WHAT WE MIGHT THINK OF AS NEXT PHASE COVID, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE TODAY.
THE CONTRACT THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, IS THERE AN EXPIRATION ON THAT TWENTY-FIVE YEARS? THAT'S THE CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN APF AND THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE 25 YEARS, RIGHT? WHAT'S THE CONTRACT WITH THE VENDOR? IT'S A 10 YEAR CONTRACT.
IT'S A 10 YEAR CONTRACT WITH A 10 YEAR RENEWAL SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S CONTRACT IS I BELIEVE A 15 YEAR TERM WITH A TEN-YEAR RENEWAL OR A 10 YEAR TERM WITH A 15 RENEWAL.
I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT IT TODAY, SO,
[02:05:01]
BUT IT IS 25 YEARS IN TOTAL.ARE THERE ANY LIMITS ON VENDOR OPERATING HOURS OR ON HOURS THAT THEY CAN SELL ALCOHOL WITHIN EITHER OF THOSE CONTRACTS? THE LIMIT OF OPERATING HOURS ARE LIMITED BY PARK HOURS.
SO ESSENTIALLY, YEAH, THE OPERATING HOURS, THE VENDOR DOES NOT OPERATE.
UM, AT CURRENT TIMES DURING ALL THOSE HOURS, WE DEFINITELY HAVE, UM, A STATED DESIRE OF OPERATING HOURS TO ENSURE THAT THEY OPERATE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
BUT THEORETICALLY, THEY COULD OPERATE ANY TIME DURING OPEN PARK HOURS, HOWEVER THEY CURRENTLY DO NOT.
AND JUST FROM US A QUESTION REGARDING SAFETY AND SECURITY, IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DO HAVE AMBASSADORS, OUR FULL-TIME TEAM THAT OPERATES IN THE PARK DURING FULL OPERATING HOURS OF THE PARK WHO MANAGE PARK, WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER WEAK, THEIR HOSPITALITY.
AND THEY ALSO MET HELP MANAGE BEHAVIOR FROM OFF-LEASH DOG ISSUES.
UM, TO OTHER ISSUES WE HAVE HAD NO, NO REPORTED INCIDENTS OF ALCOHOL SINCE OPERATING THAT ALCOHOL OR THAT VENDOR.
THE QUESTION WAS IF THE DEPARTMENT CONSULTED WITH AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IN REGARD TO OPERATION OF THE OPEN CONTAINER LAWS.
WE THEM FOR THE INFORMATION, BUT IT WAS MORE A QUESTION TO THE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT I HAD ASKED HER, WHICH CERTAINLY SO HAS ANYBODY CONSULTED APD, APD HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO US WITH REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE.
IF THERE ARE NO MORE COMMENTS, I AM, I, I'M NOT WILLING TO, TO MOVE THIS FORWARD UNTIL WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE RESOLUTION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS TOO.
I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANT TO JUST TALK OVER PEOPLE, BUT MY EMOTION WOULD BE THAT WE, UM, TABLE THIS UNTIL WE HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
LONG-TERM FOR THIS, I, I HATE TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
I REALLY WANT TO BE DONE WITH IT.
I WISH THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS WITHOUT ANY GUIDANCE FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ELECTED IN THE CITY.
SO I, UH, I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH AND SEE WHAT YOU GUYS WANT TO DO.
UM, BOARD MEMBER, MARK, DO YOU WANT TO START? YEAH.
I MEAN, I GUESS I, I AGREE WITH THE PRINCIPLES THAT YOU WERE DESCRIBING EARLIER, BUT IN THIS CASE, THE FACT THAT IT'S A COUNCIL APPROVED CONTRACT, I DON'T KNOW.
IT JUST GIVES ME PAUSE TO THE 25, 25 YEARS, THE 25 YEAR CONTRACT.
IT'S MAKES ME HESITANT TO, TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING.
IT'S KIND OF A BAD FAITH ACTION ON THE HEART.
I FEEL MAYBE I'M INTERPRETING IT WRONG, BUT IT JUST, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING STOPPING.
THEY'RE STILL CARRYING ON AS THEY HAPPEN.
I DON'T THINK THEY CAN HEAR YOU.
OH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I DON'T THINK THAT ANYTHING STOPPING.
I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROCEEDING AS THEY HAVE BEEN UNTIL THEY GIVE FURTHER DIRECTION.
SO THEY'RE STILL OPERATING AS, AS THEY HAVE BEEN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT I'M SAYING ON THE HYPOTHETICAL THAT WE VOTE TO NOT ALLOW THAT TO OCCUR THERE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IF, IF THE VENDOR EVER PUBLIC SQUARE IS ALLOWED UNDER THEIR AGREEMENT TO CONTINUE ALCOHOL SALES, WHAT IS THE DRAWBACK OR NEGATIVE IN POSTPONING? THE APPROVAL OF THE CUP? THAT'S I DON'T THINK THERE'S A DRAWBACK BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE.
BUT I THINK THAT I'M NOT READY TO APPROVE IT UNTIL WE, THIS IS ZONING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ZONING THAT PLACE FOREVER AND EVER TO BE ALCOHOL, YOU KNOW? AND SO I THINK I'M ASKING THAT WE PUT THIS OFF UNTIL WE'VE HAD THE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO ASK OF CITY COUNCIL, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT TO MAKE, UH, I THINK, I, I THINK LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, I DON'T LIKE THIS HALF HAZARD GOVERNING OF THE CITY.
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE RIGHT NOW THE COUNTRY IS DEALING WITH THIS AND THE WAY THAT THEY'RE SAYING, OH, EVERYBODY GETS TO DECIDE, BUT IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE PUBLIC TO NOT KNOW.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE AT THE PARK.
AND SO IF WE HAVE, OH, THIS PARK IS OKAY TO DRINK IN THIS PARK, THAT'S NOT OKAY TO DRINK.
AND I THINK IT IS, UM, I THINK WE NEED, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF WAY TO HAVE EQUITABLE APPLICATION OF THESE DECISIONS TO ALL PARKS.
SO THAT'S, I WOULD JUST WANT THAT.
SO I'M SORRY I SKIPPED NOW, SARAH, GO AHEAD.
[02:10:04]
UM, I'M FINE WAITING UNTIL WE GET OUR RESOLUTION TO COUNSEL ASKING FOR DIRECTION.UM, I THINK ALSO, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WOULD BE GREAT IS IF WE GOT SOME DIRECTION AS TO, YOU KNOW, HERE'S HOW COUNCIL FEELS ABOUT CONTRACTS THAT ARE PRESENT PREVIOUSLY BEEN APPROVED, BUT THEN LIKE, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT GOING FORWARDS.
AND I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION NOW, DON, I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
I THINK ALCOHOL IN THE PARKS IS, IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE SERIOUSLY AND MAKE SURE WE DO AS GOOD A JOB AS WE CAN TO, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
SO I I'M, I THINK GETTING MORE CONTEXT, GETTING MORE INPUT IS IMPORTANT.
SO I I'M PERFECTLY COMFORTABLE WITH WAITING WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I KEEP HEARING THAT WE WANT COUNCIL DIRECTION ON, YOU KNOW, HOW TO MAKE SOME OF THESE DECISIONS.
AND I AGREE THAT, I MEAN, IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR COUNCIL DIRECTION IN THIS CASE, I THINK WE'VE GOT IT WITH THIS, THE COUNCIL APPROVED CONTRACT THAT AUTHORIZES THE ALCOHOL SALES AS THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN HAPPENING.
UM, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY CLEAR DIRECTION.
UM, I ALSO PERSONALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, YOU KNOW, WINE AND BEER SALES BEING PART OF, UM, YOU KNOW, A COMPLETE MENU OF FOOD THAT'S BEING SOLD, UM, AT A PARK LIKE REPUBLIC SQUARE.
UM, I'VE BEEN TO REPUBLIC SQUARE.
IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE A PARK WHERE PEOPLE ARE DRINKING AND PARTYING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THE SALES ARE ONLY 12 TO 13% OF THE TOTAL REVENUE KIND OF TELLS ME THAT IT'S NOT, UM, THE MAIN THING THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THE PARK TO DO, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
UM, SO, UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I, I, THAT'S WHERE I STAND PERSONALLY.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE LOOKING TO FOLLOW COUNCIL DIRECTION, UM, I THINK WE'VE, WE ALREADY KNOW WHAT THAT DIRECTION IS ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
I FIND THE CONTRACT TO BE REASONABLE PRECEDENT.
UM, SO I WOULD BE WILLING TO APPROVE THE CUP, BUT IF OTHERS WANT TO WAIT, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE DOING.
SO, OKAY, WELL, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA MOVE THAT.
WE TABLE THIS ISSUE TILL WE HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY PROACTIVE.
ALL OF US IN REACHING OUT TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GET INFORMATION ON HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
I THINK WE NEED TO PUT OURSELVES OUT THERE AND HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF YOU HAVE LISTS OF PEOPLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS OR CONSTITUENCIES, UM, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR BACK AND MAYBE WHAT WE CAN DO IS IN THE MEANTIME, I, I KNOW WE'RE KEEPING THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AND REPUBLIC SQUARE WAITING, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT I FEEL LIKE, UM, I FEEL LIKE WE, WE DON'T HAVE CONSENSUS AND WE DON'T HAVE, UH, A CLEAR WAY FORWARD.
I HEAR MOLLY SAY THINGS LIKE, WELL, YOU GUYS ALREADY AGREED THAT IT SHOULD BE WATER, THE GREENWAY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WITH WATERLOO GREENWAY, BECAUSE THEY WERE PARKING FOOD TRUCKS WITH ALCOHOL NEXT TO THE PLAYGROUND.
AND SO ONCE YOU GET THIS BALL ROLLING, THEN IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, ARE ALL THE PARKS KIND OF HAVE ALCOHOL? UM, THAT, THAT'S MY CONCERN THAT, YOU KNOW, EACH ONE STARTS THE DOMINO CHAIN AND THE MORE WE JUST APPROVED, THAT'S LIKE, I, LIKE YOU SAY, I AGREE THAT THIS HAS SOME PRECEDENT IN REPUBLIC PARK.
I LOOK AT REPUBLIC PARK, IT'S ALREADY DOWNTOWN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M LOOKING AT THE BIGGER PICTURE AND I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO BE MORE CONSERVATIVE IN OUR JUDGMENT ABOUT IT, AND WE NEED TO ACTUALLY GET SOME INFORMATION TOGETHER.
SO I CHALLENGE EACH OF US TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK, UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND TAKING IT BACK TO CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS AND LET'S START, UM, SENDING INFORMATION OUT, UM, IF TIM COULD SEND IT OUT, THE ADMINISTRATOR COULD SEND IT OUT TO ALL OF US SO THAT WE CAN START MARKING UP A RESOLUTION, A RECOMMENDATION.
WOULD THAT BE AMENABLE TO EVERYBODY? DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A GOOD WAY TO PROCEED? OKAY.
A BOARD MEMBER THAT WAS SECOND ALL IN FAVOR.
SO WE'LL TAKE THIS UP AT ANOTHER TIME.
AND SO NEXT, SORRY, WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE MOVING ON TO, UM, PRESENTATION DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION RICARD.
AND I'M SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING.
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE.
WE HAD THAT ISSUE THAT HAD TO COME FROM LAST TIME, UM, THAT WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND FOR LISTENING TO US.
SO, UM, IF WE COULD HAVE THE PRESENTATION WE HAVE, I THINK BEFORE THIS, UH, PRESENTATION ABOUT
[B.6. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding the proposed renaming of Pan American Neighborhood Park]
THE PAN-AM RENAMING THAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED, UH, BY THE CASTILLO FAMILY, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HEAR FROM WE, WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.[02:15:05]
I MEAN, WE HAVE, OKAY.UM, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND I WOULD ASK, WE DID LISTEN TO THE CASTILLO FAMILY, I BELIEVE LAST FALL.
UM, IF YOU COULD LISTEN TO OTHER SPEAKERS AND NOT DUPLICATE, I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR EFFICIENCY AND TIME.
SO, UM, IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH PUBLIC COMMENT, THEN THANK YOU.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS PEGGY VASQUEZ.
I WOULD JUST REITERATE THE, UM, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE MEETING ADMINISTRATOR HAS A BUZZER.
SO WHEN THAT GOES OFF, THAT'S THREE MINUTES.
SO FOR ALL THE SPEAKERS, IF YOU CAN PLEASE CONCLUDE SPEAKING WHEN THE BUZZER GOES OFF AND ALSO YOU'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO USE ALL THE TIME.
AND SO IF YOU'RE ABLE TO TELL US WHAT YOU NEED TO TELL US IN A SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME, THAT WILL HELP US GET THROUGH OUR WHOLE AGENDA TONIGHT.
WELL, I HEARD ABOUT HALF OF WHAT YOU SAID, BUT ANYWAY, UH, MY NAME IS PEGGY VASQUEZ.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I'M AN OPPOSITION TO THIS.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW THE PROS AND CONS.
IN FACT, I WAS SITTING NEXT TO MY FRIEND AND I SAYS, WELL, IF THEY HAVE A, UH, A PARK OR IN THEIR NAME, CAN THEY RENT IT OUT? WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A NAME, YOUR NAME ON A PUBLIC PARK.
OTHER THAN I GET, I GUESS YOU GET A PLATE.
IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, SO-AND-SO'S PARK OR, OR, OR THEIR, THEIR AREA.
UH, I DON'T REALLY SEE THE, THE REASON, THE RATIONALE FOR ALL THIS.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY GETTING ALL OF, UH, COMING UP TO SAY, I WANT IT.
I JUST THINK THAT PERSONALLY PARKS BELONG TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE A HISTORY THAT HAVE MADE THAT PARTICULAR PARK, JUST LIKE AB CON TO JUST LIKE, UH, SOMEONE TODAY TOLD ME THAT GONZALO AND TOES AND JUDGE PERKINS.
THEY USED TO BE OUT THERE TEACHING THE TEENAGERS, HOW TO BAT, HIT THE BALL AND GIVING THEM POINTS AND PLAYING WITH THEM.
SO I THINK IN OUR COMMUNITY, SUCH AS AT AB CON TOO, IT'S, IT'S A PARK.
I DON'T SEE WHY PEOPLE NEED TO PUT THEIR NAME ON IT.
OTHER THAN, I GUESS IT'S AN EGO THING.
BUT AGAIN, I'M JUST AN OPPOSITION TO PUTTING A NAME ON AB GUN TO OTHER THAN THE NAME IT HAS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANA MASIELLO FOLLOWING MS.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE
I, THERE I REPRESENT NOT JUST MYSELF AND THE BOARD.
I REPRESENT AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY WHO HAS BEEN RAISED IN EAST AUSTIN AS A CENTRAL PART, ANY RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M OPPOSED TO RENAMING OUR PAN-AM NEIGHBORHOOD PARK TO TONY CASTILLO NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
FOR SO MANY REASONS, WE HAVE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR TIME, ENERGY, AND FUNDS TO MAKE THE PARK FOR WHAT IT IS TODAY.
SO MANY I'LL NAME ME A FEW ROY
REMEMBER YOUR ALASKA IS GONZALO BARRIENTOS BOB PERKINS, CARLOS LOPEZ.
JOHN GOSSETT IS WITH GREEN AND WHITE
[02:20:01]
MARCO'S ELION THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.
INSTEAD OF RENAMING THE PARK, WE PROPOSE THAT A WALK OF FAME BE STARTED AT PAN-AM WITH THE NAMES OF THOSE TO BE HONORED ENGRAVED ON BREAKS THAT ARE IN VAGUE IN THE WALK.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MR. CASTILLO BECOME THE FIRST HONOREE AND THAT WALK OF FAME OR WALL OF FAME.
WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO THIS PRECIOUS GEM THAT WE HAVE IN THE BARRIO, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I GREW UP IN THAT I KNEW WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, I IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO BE IN THIS SITUATION WITH, WITH MR. GUSTY OR BECAUSE I DO ADMIRE WHAT HE HAS DONE WITH OUR CHILDREN.
IT'S AMAZING WHAT HE HAS DONE, BUT ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE GROWN THERE, WHO HAVE LIVED THERE ALL THEIR LIVES.
AND IT MEANS, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, THIS IS MORE THAN A RECREATION CENTER.
IT IS A PLACE OF A RESOURCE FOR OUR CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY NOW DURING THE HARD TIMES.
AND WE W WE HAVE TO ALSO REMEMBER, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS SUBJECT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP, BUT THE HUB SUB THAT PARK RIGHT THERE IS AUSTIN IS ALSO AI, AUSTIN AISD PARK.
IT'S NOT JUST THE CITIES, IT'S ALSO AISD PROPERTY.
THANK YOU, MS. MUSTEAL BILL COHEN IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
AND FOLLOWING HIM IS A GABBY, NO FERNANDEZ.
I WENT TO JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL MANY YEARS AGO, AND THAT'S WHERE I FIRST MET THIS EAST AUSTIN LEGEND COACH.
TONY CASTILLO WENT OUT FOR THE BASKETBALL TEAM AND FROM THE VERY FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE, UNTIL THE DAY I GRADUATED, COACHED CASTILLO TAUGHT US TO WORK HARD IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN THE GYMNASIUM, JUST LIKE HE HAS DONE IN THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY AND AT THE PAN-AM CENTER FOR OVER 65 YEARS, HE TAUGHT US HOW TO SUCCEED ON AND OFF THE COURT.
HE LED BY EXAMPLE, AND HE STILL DOES TO THIS DAY, HE WASN'T A TALKER.
HE GIVES TO HIMSELF AND TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE SPIRIT DAY, COATS CASTILLO COULD ALSO SHOW US TOUGH LOVE.
HE DID IT BECAUSE HE CARED ABOUT US.
HE WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND HE DID FOR 65 YEARS.
HE HAD A FAMILY AND KIDS OF HIS OWN.
HE DIDN'T HAVE TO POUR HIS HEART AND SOUL INTO COACHING, TEACHING, AND MENTORING ALL THESE OTHER KIDS, BUT HE DID.
HE DID IT AT JOHNSTON, AT AKINS, AT PAN AMERICAN CENTER AND THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
HE IS A LIFETIME OVERACHIEVER, 65 YEARS OF SELFLESS DEDICATION AND DEVOTION TO THE PAN-AM CENTER AND TO THE PARK AREA, ALWAYS ADVOCATING FOR THE CHILDREN AND RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY AND EAST AUSTIN TOUCHING COUNTLESS LIVES IN SUCH A POSITIVE AND GENUINE MANNER, ALONG THE WAY, HIS ROOTS TO THE PAM PAN-AM CENTER AND ALL OF EAST AUSTIN RUN TRUER AND DEEPER THAN ANYONE ELSE.
I KNOW I'VE KNOWN COACH CASIO FOR OVER 43 YEARS NOW.
I TRULY BELIEVE HE DID ALL OF THIS, NOT FOR A TROPHY, NOT TO SEE HOW MANY WINS HE COULD GET OR TO RECEIVE ANY ACCOLADES.
I BELIEVE HE HAS DONE ALL OF THIS TO BETTER THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY, ALL OF THE CHILDREN TO BETTER THEM AND TO BETTER ALL OF THE FAMILIES IN THE AREA.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GEVVIE NO FERNANDEZ.
AND FOLLOWING HIM IS ADAM GONZALEZ.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU.
AND AS, UH, LIKE I MENTIONED TO YOU, I'M A 17 YEAR OLD EMPLOYEE OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
I USED TO WORK AT PAN-AM ON TOP LIST AND RACK.
AND, UH, SO THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, AND I STILL OWN PROPERTY IN FRONT OF PENN.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED TO YOU, WHEN MY UNCLE WAS SENT TO VIETNAM, I CAME TO LIVE WITH MY GRANDMOTHER AND I STAYED THERE FOR ME FOR MANY YEARS
[02:25:01]
AND GREW UP AROUND PAN-AM.AND YOU MENTIONED US TO BE VERY SENSITIVE AS TO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU.
IN WHAT I GAVE YOU IS VERY SUCCINCT AND CLEAR.
WE'RE A POSTS TO RENAMING PAN-AM NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
UH, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES AT THAT PARK.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, I SENT AN EMAIL EARLIER TO ASK FOR A MORATORIUM ON RENAMING THIS PARK.
I MEAN, IT'S BEEN CHOPPED UP SO MANY TIMES, UH, PLEASE DO US A FAVOR.
I USED TO PLAY ON, I GOT A CALL FROM, FROM, UH, SHAP, NEVADA AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT GREW UP WITH OUR, HEY GAVINO.
WE USED TO PLAY FOOTBALL THERE.
I REMEMBER THEM, YOU KNOW, I SAID, YES, THAT WHY THEY'RE CHANGING IT, WHY THEY'RE TRYING TO CHANGE ALL OF THIS.
LIKE I MENTIONED TO YOU IN SOME OF MY COMMENTS, WE'RE LOSING OUR LAND RIGHT NOW THROUGH GENTRIFICATION.
IF YOU GO THROUGH SEVENTH STREET WHERE STRATTON'S CLEAN SHIT, IT'S ALL VACANT.
WE'RE CLOSING OUR SCHOOLS, NO MORE SCHOOLS IN OUR BOTTLES.
AND NOW WE COME WITH THIS TO ERASE OUR HISTORY, TO TAKE AWAY SOMETHING THAT MY CHILDREN, MY FAMILY, EVEN TODAY STILL ENJOY.
ONCE ALL THE HILLSIDES, ALL THE SOFTBALL, FASTBALL PITCH GAMES GO AWAY.
WE GO ACROSS THE STREET, TAKE OUR CHILDREN.
WE WORK WITH THE AUSTIN FOUNDATION TO REBUILT THAT SPACE.
WE WERE THERE AT EVERY MEETING.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF OTHER PEOPLE THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS.
AND ANOTHER THING, ALL THE NAMES THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED ARE NOT ONE WOMAN, NOT ONE WOMAN HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED TO DO THIS.
AND THERE WERE A LOT OF WOMEN THAT I KNOW THAT WENT THROUGH THE HISTORY OF MS. JANIE LOPEZ, MS. FLORENTINA SERRANO.
MANY OF THEM THAT WENT THROUGH THIS.
I ALSO SUPPORT THE WALKER THING.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF MEETING WITH AUSTIN FOUNDATION AND OTHER GROUPS TO HELP US RAISE FUNDS, TO CREATE THAT WALK OF FAME, TO BE ABLE TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT WENT THROUGH THE HISTORY OF PAN-AM.
AND LIKE I SAID, I WAS A PARTICIPANT EMPLOYEE TAXPAYER NOW OVER.
SO I'M GIVING YOU MY FIDUCIARY INTERESTS AND PLEASE PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE LAST ONE THAT HAS PAN-AM BECAUSE THAT'S THE HISTORY OF IT.
THIS PICTURE THAT I HAVE HERE, IT'S CURRENTLY, IT'S BEEN USED AS A DOC PART.
HOW WOULD SOMEONE ONE THE NAME HEATHER NAME AFTER ADOPT PART.
NEXT IS ADAM GONZALES AND I'M FOLLOWING HIM WILL BE ROY NIETO.
UH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS ADAM BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN AN ENTREPRENEUR AND I HAVE MY BUSINESS ON THE EAST SIDE.
I'VE KNOWN TONY CASTILLO SINCE I WAS 18.
UH, HE ACTUALLY, UH, HIM AND HIS PARTNER ACTUALLY, UH, UH, RECRUITED ME TO PLAY ON THEIR, UH, ORGANIZATION, UH, THAT THEY, UH, BROUGHT TO LIFE BACK IN THE LATE, I GUESS, MID FIFTIES, LATE FIFTIES.
UM, I AM IN FAVOR OF NAMING, ADDING HIS NAME TO PAN-AM REC CENTER ART TO PAN-AM RECREATIONAL PARK.
UH, WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY, THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION.
WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY RENAMING THE, THE, THE PARK THERE, PEOPLE, WHAT WE ARE DOING.
WE'RE ACTUALLY ADDING TONI CASTILLO'S NAME TO THE PAN-AM REC CENTER PARK.
SO THE PARK IS NOT BEING COMPLETELY RENAMED.
WE'RE JUST ADDING IT JUST LIKE AB WAS ADDED TO THE PAN AND REC CENTER.
WE ADDED AB TO HONOR AB SAME THING WE DID FOR THE SOFTBALL COMPLEX.
IT WAS PAN-AM SOFTBALL COMPLEX.
WE ADDED A RABBIT DID ON TO THE SOFTBALL COMPLEX THERE AT PAN-AM.
SO WE ARE NOW DOING THE SAME IN HONOR OF TONY CASTILLO FOR ALL OF HIS HARD WORK AND REPRESENTATION AND DEDICATION AND DEVOTION THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO THE PART THAT HE GREW UP WITH TO THE SCHOOL THAT HE WENT TO RIGHT NEXT DOOR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED HERE WITH THE LAST TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD SPOKEN.
I, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH HIM.
THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS THAT I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THAT PART FOR OVER 20, 25, ALMOST 30 YEARS, MYSELF, THOSE PEOPLE, INDIVIDUALS COME AND GO.
THE DIFFERENCE IS TONY HAS DEVOTED HIS TIME IN HIS LIFE.
HIS SPARE TIME TO THIS PART INTO THE FAST PACED SOFTWARE ORGANIZATION.
I'VE SEEN TONY THERE PERSONALLY OFF AND ON
[02:30:01]
EVERY WEEKEND, EVERY SUMMER FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, HE BROUGHT FAST PITCH SOFTBALL BACK TO LIFE.AT THAT HE WAS THE FRONT RUNNER.
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF US THAT FOLLOWED HIM THAT BROUGHT IT BACK TO LIFE.
HE WAS THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THAT, AND HE CONTINUES TO, TO BE THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THAT.
THIS IS A REASON WHY WE WISH TO HONOR TONY BECAUSE TONY DOES NOT LEAVE.
TONY DOES NOT SHOW UP FOR JUST, UH, CELEBRATIONS OR IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES THAT GO ON ON THAT.
AND HE HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST 30, 35 YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN INVOLVED AND PARTICIPATED, UH, WITH THE PARK THERE, UH, ON THE EAST SIDE, NOT ONLY THAT TONY HAS BEEN A LIFE MEMBER OF THE EAST SIDE, JUST LIKE THESE OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAVE TONY HAS DONE WELL FOR HIMSELF.
HE'S TAUGHT AND COACH AND, AND BEEN A MENTOR TO THOUSANDS OF KIDS THROUGHOUT, UH, THE EAST AUSTIN, UH, COMMUNITY.
HE CONTINUES TO STAND BY WHAT HE SUPPORTS AND, UM, CONTINUES TO LIVE BY HIS WORD BY CONTINUING TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED.
ONE THING REAL QUICK WITH THE, UH, SOFTBALL, UH, FAST PITCH.
UM, WE HAVE A LEADER AT PENN AND FOR FAST FOOD SOFTBALL TO THIS DAY, TONY IS OUT THERE STILL, UH, COACHING, MENTORING, AND DUMPING THE GAMES FROM SIX O'CLOCK TIL 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.
SO HE'S STILL GOING TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED.
OUR NEXT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRIAN GHETTO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
UM, MY NAME IS ROWAN YAMATO AND I COME IN SUPPORT OF ADDING TONY CASTILLO'S NAME TO THE PAN-AMERICAN PARK.
I PLAYED WITH TONY CASTEEL IN THE MID EIGHTIES, WHICH MAKES ME OLD WHEN OUR TEAM WENT TO THE FINAL FOUR.
BUT MY HISTORY WITH TC GOES WAY EARLIER THAN THAT.
MY FAMILY IS ORIGINALLY FROM HOUSTON.
UM, AS EARLY AS THE SIXTIES, MY GRANDPARENTS WERE COMING TO AUSTIN TO PLAY SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTS AND LATIN AMERICAN TOURNAMENTS WE'D COME PLAY, OR THEY WOULD COME PLAY AT PAN AMERICAN PARK WHERE TC ORGANIZED THEM.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THE DISCUSSION HERE IS WHETHER TONY CASTILLO PLAYED A PROMINENT ENOUGH ROLE, UH, IN THE EAST SIDE AT PAN-AMERICAN PARK.
I CHALLENGE ANYBODY HERE TO SHOW ME AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS DONE MORE TO PROMOTE SPORTS DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN EAST AUSTIN.
TO ME, THE REAL QUESTION IS THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED.
IS, IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME FOR A PARK IN EAST AUSTIN TO HAVE A NAME ADDITION? MY DAD IS THE FOUNDER OF THE NATIONAL HISPANIC INSTITUTE, AND HE STARTED BRINGING ME TO AUSTIN WHEN I W OR EAST AUSTIN, WHEN I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD, I WENT TO MARTIN JUNIOR HIGH JOHNSON, HIGH SCHOOL, IOWA, A LOT TO EAST AUSTIN.
I HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF PLAYING PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL WITH THE HOUSTON ASTROS.
AND IT WAS REALLY AN EAST AUSTIN.
WHEN I WAS PITCHING AT THE SARAGOSSA PARK THAT THE HOUSTON ASTROS SCOUT, RALPH BRATTON SAW ME.
AND THAT KIND OF, FROM THAT POINT ON, IT TOOK OFF.
UM, I SHARE THIS BECAUSE WHAT I LOVE ABOUT EAST AUSTIN IS IT SOUL AND THE SOUL OF EAST AUSTIN ISN'T THE BUILDINGS OR, OR THE LOCATIONS.
IT'S THE PEOPLE MY DAUGHTER WAS AT YESTERDAY'S RALLY IN EAST AUSTIN.
IT WAS SO COOL TO SEE 4,000 PEOPLE RUN AROUND, GOING CRAZY AT THE PARK.
AND AS SHE AND I DROVE OUT, I COULD JUST SEE ALL THE CHANGE HAPPENING.
THIS, THIS RESTAURANT CHANGED.
THIS RESTAURANTS CHANGED AND THINGS ARE JUST CONSTANTLY CHANGING WELL, IN TRUTH, SOME PEOPLE LIKE SOME PEOPLE LIKE CHANGE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THE ONLY CONSTANT IN THE WORLD IS ACTUALLY CHANGE.
TC HELPED MAKE EAST AUSTIN WHAT IT IS.
AND I WOULD HATE FOR PEOPLE TO, FOR EAST AUSTIN TO FORGET ONE OF ITS OWN SONS.
TO ME, THAT'S WHEN A CITY LOSES ITS SOUL.
TC IS ALIVE HERE, AND NOW LET'S ACKNOWLEDGE HIS COUNTLESS HOURS OF VOLUNTEERISM, PUSHING BOYS AND GIRLS THROUGH SPORTS LEADERSHIP, AMERICAN.
WE WANT PAN AMERICAN TO BE THE PLACE TO DO SO UNTIL HIS SPECIFIC STORY.
A STORY OF, IF YOU DO GOOD WORK, GOOD THINGS HAPPEN.
IF NOT, THIS PART'S EVENTUALLY GOING TO CHANGE ITS NAME.
WHEN SOMEONE OR SOME CORPORATION STROKES, A BIG CHECK AND BUYS LEGACY VERSUS A PERSON WHO ACTUALLY EARNED IT, EARNED THAT LEGACY EAST AUSTIN'S CHANGING.
IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO CHANGE.
LET EAST AUSTIN LOSE ITS SOUL.
LET'S COMMEMORATE THE LE THE LEGACY OF TANIKA STEEL AT PAN-AMERICAN PARK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS OUR TUTO GILL.
FOLLOWING HIM AS AUGUSTINE GARZA, I COULD GO TO THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR YOU.
[02:35:01]
SPENT THREE QUARTERS OF A CENTURY LIVING IN AUSTIN.I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PLAY AT THE ORIGINAL PAN-AM ON COMAL, UNDER
UH, LATER NOT ONLY WAS ABLE TO ENJOY CHRISTMAS, A LITTLE BAG OF CANDY THAT THEY WOULD GAVE OVER THREE OR 400 KIDS WHEN THEY WOULD GO THERE.
AND THEY WOULD BUY PIECES OF LAMPS, CANDY, WHO LANCE CAME.
THEY USED TO BE THE BIG CANDY BUSINESS ON THESE FIRST STREET, WHICH IS NOW CESAR CHAVEZ I HAVE IN YOU THAT TO CHANGE.
AND THERE'S A, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT.
THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN THE 75 PLUS YEARS THAT I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN.
SOMEBODY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT NAMING A PARK.
THERE IS A PART DOC PARKS NAMED AFTER ONE OF THEM IS THAT RICHARD MOYER PARK IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
THE OTHER ONE IS RENDON PARK, WHICH USED TO BE PART OF FESTER GARDENS AND ALL THAT.
SO YOU HAVE PARKS THAT ARE BEING NAMED.
OF COURSE, SANTA ROSA WAS NAMED AFTER A, A TECH, A TEXAS HERO AND MEXICAN BAR HERO.
BUT THE, THE THING THAT I HAVE TROUBLE COMMUNICATING TO SOME PEOPLE IS THAT CHANGE LIKE
THE DEMOCRATICS ARE, THESE THOUGHTS HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.
I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU GIVE US TO NAME AND MEMORIZE SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY, INCLUDING AND MOST IMPORTANT.
I WORKED AT THE PARK DIRECTORIES.
I STARTED AS A LIFEGUARD IN THE JUNIOR YEAR OF MY HIGH SCHOOL AND BECAME A LIFE GUARD THROUGH THE VARIOUS, THESE AUSTIN PARKS.
I WORKED AT THE PAN-AM WITH A J A B CANTU WHEN HE WAS THERE.
AND WE TRIED TO SAVE HIS BOXING PROGRAM.
WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL DIDN'T HAVE FUNDS FOR KIDS.
AND THAT MORNING WE APPROACHED THE CITY COUNCIL TO FIND THE FUNDS FOR AB TO CONTINUE HIS PROGRAMS THERE'VE BEEN.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED AND, AND HAVE DONE GOOD THINGS FOR THESE THOUGHTS OF COMMUNITY.
IT'S HARD TO FIND SOMEONE IN ALL OF THOSE 70 PLUS YEARS THAT I'VE KNOWN TONY.
IT'S HARD TO FIND SOMEONE WHO IS THAT AS BIG OF AN IMPACT, AND IT CONTINUING TO IMPACT ON THE AUSTIN, EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY AND THE PARKS AND THE PAN-AM.
UH, THANK YOU, AUGUSTINE GARZA AND THE SPEAKER AFTER HIM IS ELISA RENDON MONTOYA.
AND, UH, GOOD LUCK, MS. MCNEELY ON THIS IMPORTANT DECISION THAT YOU GUYS ARE ABOUT TO MAKE.
I TOO, I'VE GROWN UP IN EAST AUSTIN AND FROM EAST AUSTIN, AND I'VE KNOWN TONY FOR A LONG TIME, A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND I STATE MY SUPPORT FOR NAMING THE PARK.
YOU'VE HEARD HE'S BEEN A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF AUSTIN FOR 80 YEARS.
HE'S BEEN LIFELONG INVOLVEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AS YOU JUST HEARD, HE'S BEEN A CENTER AND A PAN-AMERICAN CENTER EMPLOYEE.
HE'S, HE'S BEEN A FOUNDER OF A SOFTBALL PROGRAM THAT EXISTS TODAY.
NOW, AFFECTIONATELY AS THE JOKER'S ATHLETIC CLUB, HE'S BEEN A CAREER, UH, EDUCATOR IN THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND HE AND COACH, AND I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND I'LL COME BACK TO THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT HE'S WORKED AT JOHNSTON.
HE'S A PROMOTER OF SPORTS FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN.
HE'S KNOWN BY MANY AS TC COACH AND FRIEND.
HE'S ALSO A PRETTY MULTIFACETED.
TONY COMES FROM VERY HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.
UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE BEGAN WORKING AS A MICRO WAY BACK IN HIS, IN HIS LIFE.
HE ATTENDED ALL THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN EAST AUSTIN, STARTING WITH SAVALA ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE ON THE, UH, IN THE PARK AREA, FOLLOWED BY ALLAN JUNIOR HIGH AND THEN FOLLOWED BY JOHNSTON HIGH SCHOOL.
SO HE KNOWS EAST AUSTIN AND EAST AUSTIN KNOWS TONY.
HE'S ALSO THE KIND OF MAN THAT PAID HIS OWN WAY IN THE SIXTIES TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN AND GRADUATE QUITE AN OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FROM AN INDIVIDUAL FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.
HE RETURNED TO JOHNSTON AND TAUGHT AND COACHED FOR 35 YEARS.
[02:40:01]
THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED, BUT WHAT I GUESS STANDS OUT TO ME BECAUSE I TOO WAS IN THE EDUCATION FIELD IS HIS SERVICE AS A TEACHER AND YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT THAT.HE DEDICATED OVER HALF OF HIS ADULT LIFE TO TEACHING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM EAST AUSTIN, AND HE DIDN'T STAY THERE JUST FIVE YEARS OR 10 YEARS OR 15 YEARS.
HE WAS THERE FOR OVER 35 YEARS TEACHING AT JOHNSTON AND AT A CONCISE SCHOOL.
IT'S NO QUESTION THAT HIS INFLUENCE HAS TOUCHED THOUSANDS OF LIVES.
AND THAT IS IMMEASURABLE WITH OUR QUESTIONS.
HE IS DESERVING OF THE HONOR, AND I ENCOURAGED THE BOARD TO HONOR HIS LEGACY BY NAMING THE PARK IN HIS NAME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELISA RENDON MONTOYA.
FOLLOWING HER AS BERTHA RENDON DELGADO.
I'M JUST, I'M GOING TO GIVE HER A LITTLE BIT OF MY TIME.
THAT'S GOOD, BUT I'M HERE IN OPPOSITION.
I AM A RESIDENT LANDOWNER FOR 45 YEARS IN THIS AREA, AND I'M TOTALLY OPPOSING THIS, THIS RENAMING.
MR. CASTILLO HAS TWO FIELDS ALREADY NAMED IN EAST AUSTIN IN HIS, IN HIS BEHALF.
SO I THINK THERE'S, WE SHOULD LEAVE IT THE WAY IT IS A B.
AND UM, IF HE WANTS ANOTHER, UH, FIELD SOMEWHERE, LOOK FOR ONE THAT IS NOT NAMED.
SO I AM VARIED OPPOSITION OF THIS, AND I'M GONNA LET, UH, IF THAT'S OKAY, GIVE HER MY FINISHING BY THE TIME I HAVE IT'S A PAN-AM NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE HOW MANY MINUTES.
I THINK IT'S TWO MINUTES AND 15 SECONDS.
UM, MY NAME IS BERTHA AND DAWN DELGADO.
I'M A FOURTH GENERATION EAST, AUSTIN NATIVE.
I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND ASSOCIATION THAT WAS FOUNDED IN 1974.
UM, I'M ALSO THE CITY OF BOSTON HOUSING COMMISSIONER, UH, FOR EAST AUSTIN, 7 8, 7 0 2 IS MY DEMOGRAPHIC AREA.
AND I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF LULAC, WHICH IS A ORGANIZATION HERE IN EAST AUSTIN.
I ALSO SERVE ON SEVERAL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, BUT I'M HERE JUST TO TALK AND, AND AN OPPOSITION AND GIVE YOU ALL A LITTLE TESTIMONY.
I HEAR, UM, MY GRANDFATHER'S NAME WAS BROUGHT IN TODAY.
I AM THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF EDWARD RING, DAWN, UH, PARK, AND WE DO LIVE, UH, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE OUR PARK IS AT.
AND WE WERE HONORED IN, IN 20, IN 2007, UH, FOR THAT PARK TO BE NAMED AFTER MY GRANDFATHER.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD THEN AND NOW IS THAT MY GRANDFATHER WAS A PART OF A CHICANO MOVEMENT WITH THE BROWN BERETS AND THE ENTIRE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY TO FIGHT, TO PRESERVE THE BOAT RACES OF TOWN LAKE, WHICH HAS COLORADO RIVER.
AND THEY CREATED THE MASTER PLAN OF THIS PARK.
AND MY GRANDFATHER'S HOME WITH OUR FORMER MAYOR.
CAROL'S A STRAIGHT HORN KEY AND STRAY HORN AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS STUDENTS AND BROWN BERETS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE DIFFERENCE IS, IS THAT MR. CASTEEL HAS DONE A LOT ALONG WITH MANY LEGENDS AND ICONS OF EAST AUSTIN.
AND WE DO WANT TO HONOR EVERYONE BY A HALL OF FAME, A WALK OF FAME OR, OR ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO OTHER THAN RENAMING OUR IDENTITY LOCATIONS, THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY FIGHTING IN EAST AUSTIN FOR PURCHASE OR VACATION.
WE DO NOT WANT OUR NAMES TO BE CHANGED.
WE DON'T WANT KRISTA RAY CHURCH TO BE CHANGED.
WE DON'T WANT, WE DIDN'T WANT METS TO CLOSE OUR SCHOOL.
SO WE ARE IN THE BATTLEFIELD RIGHT NOW IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND TRYING TO SAVE OUR BUILDINGS IN OUR HOMES.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU ALL MAKE A DECISION THAT WILL NOT OPEN IT UP TO SO MANY PEOPLE TO APPLY, TO RENAME ALL OF THE PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
SO I, I DO WANT TO ADD, I WAS TRYING TO GET MY LAB.
WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE SIX O'CLOCK, SO I'M, I'M HUNGRY, I'M TIRED.
AND, UM, I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, AND I WANT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO HEAR ME OUT HERE.
CAUSE WE DO HAVE A DIRECTOR THAT HAS CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS IN OUR PARKS.
AND WE'RE REAL CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
AND JUST SITTING HERE, I HEARD A LOT OF, A LOT
[02:45:01]
OF THINGS THAT ARE COMING TO YOUR BOARD AND YOUR DIETS WITHOUT COMMUNITY SUPPORT, AS WELL, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY INPUT AND WITHOUT EVA, US KNOWING WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE.AND SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR TABLING AND DISCUSSING AND, AND BRINGING OUT THESE ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION.
CAUSE THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE HAD A DISCONNECT WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SO MANY THINGS ARE HAPPENING AS FAR AS OUR POOLS ARE BEING CLOSED.
UM, OUR, OUR RECS ARE CHANGING SO MANY THINGS THAT THEY ARE DOING THAT THE COMMUNITY AND TAXPAYERS AND CITIZENS OF AUSTIN DO NOT AGREE WITH PARKS, DEPARTMENTS, LEADERSHIP AND THEIR DIRECTION AND HOW THEY'RE OPERATING.
SO YOUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OPERATION OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS BEING NOT JUST ACCESSIBLE, BUT TRANSPARENT AND THEY'RE NOT.
AND SO WITH THE SURVEY THAT WAS CONDUCTED, I NOTICED THAT 1,575 VIEWS WITH ONLY 382 PARTICIPANTS, THAT IS VERY POOR.
WE HAVE ALMOST 2 MILLION PEOPLE HERE IN AUSTIN FOR 382 PARTICIPANTS.
OVERALL RESULTS SHOWED SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR RENAMING THE PARK, 79% OF RE OF RESPONSE SUPPORTING RENAMING AND 19% OF NON-SUPPORT THAT WAS CITY WIDE.
CHECK THIS OUT, RECOGNIZING THAT, AND THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, NOT A METROPOLITAN PARK, NOT A DISTRICT PARK.
MY GRANDFATHER HAS A METROPOLITAN PARK.
THIS IS A DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SURVEY, IT STATES WHEN THE EXPLORING OF THE DATA OF PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFIED THEIR HOMES AS BEING IN DISTRICT THREE, THE RESULT CHANGES DRAMATICALLY 51%, IF NOT IN FAVOR OF RENAMING, 49% IS NOW I'M A DISTRICT PERSON.
CAUSE I LIVE IN MY DISTRICT AND OUR BOARD HAS A DISTRICT, CORRECT.
YOU ALL REPRESENT CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO BY A SURVEY 51% IN MY DISTRICT SAID NO TO RENAME ME THAT'S AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF US MEXICANS LEFT.
WE'RE TIRED OF TURNING AROUND AND SEEING A BUILDING DEMOLISH.
WE'RE TIRED OF TURNING AROUND AND SEEING A HOUSE GONE.
WE'RE TIRED OF SEEING A BUSINESS TAKEN AWAY.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SURVEY IS BEING FOLLOWED.
AND SO AGAIN, COMING BACK TO YOUR DATA, 51% SAYS NO.
I WASN'T SURE THAT WE HAD THE TIMER ON THE FIVE MINUTES AND 15 SECONDS.
MY APOLOGIES FOR INTERRUPTING.
UM, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DEREK CASTIEL.
UH, DEREK STO HERE AND I SUBMITTED THIS APPLICATION TO ADD THE NAME, UH, TONY CASTILLO TO THE PAN-AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
UM, I KNOW WE'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE TONIGHT OR A FEW PEOPLE TONIGHT, UM, ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ADDING, UH, THE NAME TONY KOSTIA WOULD ERASE OR CHANGE HISTORY.
MANY OF US WHO GREW UP IN EAST AUSTIN, INCLUDING MYSELF, I KNOW THE EAST SIDE IS CHANGING.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN, THAN WHAT WE KNOW.
AND THAT'S WHY MANY OF US KNOW THAT WE MUST PRESERVE OUR HISTORY.
AND PART OF THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HONOR THOSE WHO HELPED BUILD EAST AUSTIN.
AND ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE IS TONY.
CASTEEL IN YOUR REPORT FROM MRS. MCNEIL OR MS. MCNEELY.
YOU'LL SEE THE PICTURE OF A YOUNG 20 CASTILLO.
AND I HOPE YOU LOOK AT THE REPORT.
AND I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS IMAGE.
YOU SEE A YOUNG TONY CASTEEL IN THE EARLY 1960S, SURROUNDED BY MEXICAN AMERICAN KIDS THERE AT PAN-AM PARK.
HE WAS THERE LEADING A CAMP FOR KIDS AS OF THE JOKER'S DESK ATHLETIC CLUB, FAST FORWARD TO 2021, ANOTHER IMAGE IN THAT PACKET.
AND WE COULD DUPLICATE THAT BECAUSE HE WAS JUST THERE TWO WEEKS AGO, DOING THE SAME THING MORE THAN 60 YEARS LATER, THAT IMAGE IS OF MY DAD HANDING OUT AWARDS ON THE DRAWN SOFTBALL FIELD THERE AT PAN-AM TO LONGTIME FASTPITCH SOFTBALL PLAYERS.
THIS MAN IS STILL AT IT AT 80 YEARS OLD.
HE IS STILL VOLUNTEERING HIS TIME AND EFFORTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
HE IS THAT KIND OF GUY, MANY TIMES WHEN NAMED BUILDINGS AND SPACES FOR POLITICIANS OR FOR DONORS, THOSE WHO GIVE A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK TIRELESSLY AND WITHOUT PAY IN THOSE PLACES? WHAT ABOUT THE VOLUNTEERS? WHAT ABOUT A PERSON WHO ORGANIZED CAMPS FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS IN EAST AUSTIN? WHAT ABOUT A PERSON WHO ORGANIZED SOFTBALL AND BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS AT PAN-AM FOR DECADES? WHAT ABOUT A PERSON WHO TAUGHT EAST AUSTIN STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM AND THEN ON THE SOFTBALL FIELD
[02:50:01]
AND THEN ON THE BASKETBALL COURT, WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.NOW THIS EFFORT IS ONLY ABOUT ONE THING.
AND ONE THING ONLY IT'S ABOUT HONORING ONE OF EAST AUSTIN'S OWN A MAN WHO GREW UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WENT TO SCHOOL ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AT UT, AND THEN CAME BACK TO WORK AND LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR A NATIVE SON OF EAST AUSTIN, A MAN WHO WAS ADVOCATED FOR THE PARKS, RECREATION, AND ATHLETICS IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 65 YEARS.
SO I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THAT SURVEY THAT MS. DELGADO MENTIONED, UM, AND NOTICE THAT 80% OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS, I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO HELP US PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF EAST AUSTIN.
I URGE YOU TO RECOMMEND TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WE ADD THE NAME, TONI CASTILLO TO PAN-AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
AND I'M ALSO HERE SINCE I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING YOU HEARD, I'M, I'M HAPPY.
CAUSE SINCE I DID SUBMIT THE APPLICATION TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, IF ANYONE HAS.
I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DID YOU SIGN UP AND I DIDN'T CALL YOU.
IF YOU'LL PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME WHEN YOU BEGIN YOUR COMMENTS.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN AUSTIN AND I STILL LIVE IN AUSTIN.
I KNOW ALL OF THEM AND ALL OF THEM.
I KNOW THEIR CHILDREN, UM, AB COME TO, WAS IT VERY DIFFERENT THAN MINE? HERE'S A VERY DEAR FRIEND OF MINE AND HELP RAISE MY CHILDREN.
THE REASON I'M TELLING YOU THAT IS BECAUSE AFTER SCHOOL, WHEN I WAS A SINGLE MOTHER, HE KEPT MY CHILDREN WOULD GO AFTER SCHOOL TO PEN HIM.
THEY HAD THIS LITTLE PROGRAMS THAT THEY HAD.
MY SON, I RAISED GOOD CHILDREN.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PARTIES.
AND ALL THIS BACK HERE, I'M SORRY.
BUT THE REASON IS I'M HERE BECAUSE I DO ADMIRE HIM.
I DO ADMIRE HIS WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THE KIDS, BUT A B WAS DIFFERENT.
HE ACTUALLY, WHEN STARING WITH THE CHILDREN, HE GUIDED THEM.
HE DIED AS A BORN AGAIN, CHRISTIAN, AND HE WAS A BOY.
AND I HAVE TO GIVE THE LORD TO HAVE THE HONOR AND ALL THE GLORY FOR BRINGING ME UP TO HERE.
AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT I DON'T SEE HERE.
WE ALL PARTICIPATED IN ACTIVITIES.
I PARTICIPATED IN MANY DEMONSTRATIONS ACROSS, ACROSS THE STAGE NATIONWIDE.
MY FATHER WAS THE FIRST MEXICAN AMERICAN THAT HAD A MONUMENT SHOP FOR THE MEXICAN AMERICANS AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
BUT WE WERE, UH, PEOPLE WITH HUMBLE PEOPLE, HIS BUSINESS.
HE WOULD GIVE EVERYTHING AWAY, EVERYTHING, BUT HE DIED WITH DIGNITY.
I LIVED, HONESTLY, I DON'T LIKE TO BE ALL THESE ATHLETES.
I'VE DONE A LOT OF SUFFERS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.
I HAVE A HUSBAND THAT PASSED AWAY.
HE WAS A DECORATED VIETNAM VETERAN.
SHE HAD TO QUIT SCHOOL TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY, BUT HE WENT TO WAR.
HE CAME BACK DIFFERENT MEN, BUT HE WAS GOOD MEN.
[02:55:01]
TO MANY GROUPS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.I HAVE SEEN MY NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGED.
WE SHOULDN'T BE HERE TRYING TO REALLY DO THAT.
MA'AM COME OVER HERE AND SPEAK.
I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY HAS THREE MINUTES TO GIVE THEIR COMMENTS.
IT'S JUST A LOT, BUT WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING UNITED AGAINST EACH OTHER, LOVING EACH OTHER AND TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER IN BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING COMMENTS TONIGHT.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING.
AND I DO SUPPORT THE WALL OF FAME AND GET A PLAQUE THEREFORE, OR TONY CAUSE STEALS A NAME THERE.
THANK YOU FOR TELLING US THAT.
UNLESS ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP, I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
UM, AND WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE FROM THE DIRECTOR.
THERE'S NOBODY ELSE SIGNED UP.
YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN AND I, WHERE WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
YOU CAN JUST BRING UP THE PRESENTATION.
SO THIS, THIS ITEM THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING IS TO RENAME THE PAN-AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK TO, UH, THE TONI CASTILLO PAN-AM NEIGHBORHOOD PARK PAN-AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
SO THIS IS NOT, UH, THIS WILL NOT CHANGE THE NAME OF THE RECREATION CENTER, WHICH IS THE AB CANTU PAN-AMERICAN RECREATION CENTER.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PARK.
UH, THE REASON NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE REASON WHY YOU'RE CONSIDERING THIS IS BECAUSE IT IS INITIATED BY AN APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO AN APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN BY CODE, THERE IS A PROCESS THAT WE'RE OBLIGATED TO GO THROUGH.
AND SO WE ARE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
SO THIS WAS NOT AN INITIATION.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT INITIATED.
IT WAS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT COMMUNITY BROUGHT FORWARD TO US.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING THE CONVERSATION.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER THESE SLIDES, BUT THESE ARE ALL ABOUT THE MUNICIPAL CODE.
AND IN YOUR BACKUP, WE ALSO TOOK THE ACTUAL SNAPSHOT.
I TRIED TO WRITE HERE IN OUR PRESENTATION, SUMMARIZE THE CODE, BUT WE ALSO PROVIDED YOU IN YOUR BACKUP, THE ACTUAL CODE, BUT BASICALLY THIS TALKS ABOUT THE FACT THAT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE AN APPLICATION TO RENAME A PARK OR A FACILITY TO THAT, THAT APPLICATION GOES THROUGH A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WITH, WITHIN A GIVEN AREA, RIGHT? IT ASKS YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT WOULD BE, WHO WOULD BE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MOST INTERESTED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THIS PARTICULAR SPACE, IN RENAMING, THIS PARTICULAR SPACE.
AND SO WE DID HOST FIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS, THREE VIRTUAL, TWO IN-PERSON, TWO IN PERSON.
AND THEN WE HAD A SURVEY ONLINE SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE THEIR, THEIR INPUT.
SO YOU CAN SKIP OVER, UH, ALL THE WAY TO THE, UM, PAGE THAT SAYS 90 DAYS, PARP AND COUNCIL, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE PROCESSES IS THAT IT'S INITIATED BY APPLICATION.
THE SURVEY IN COMMUNITY COMMENTS ENDED ON JUNE 5TH, THERE WERE FIVE, LIKE I SAID, FIVE COMMUNITY MEET OR FIVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THREE VIRTUAL TWO IN PERSON, THE PARKS BOARD RECEIVED ALL THE COMMENTS.
SO IN YOUR BACKUP, YOU HAVE ALL THE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, ENGAGEMENT, ALL THE COMMENTS FROM THE SURVEYS TODAY, AS A PUBLIC HEARING OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO COME AND PROVIDE THEIR LAST SET OF COMMENTS TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION.
AND THEN YOU'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, WHATEVER YOU BELIEVE THE APPROPRIATE RECOMMENDATION IS OR NO RECOMMENDATION.
THAT'S ALSO, UM, IT UP TO YOU.
AND THEN THE COUNCIL WILL RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION.
AND, AND THE FINAL DECISION IS FOR COUNCIL TO MAKE A DECISION.
AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A SUGGESTED MEETING DATE OF JULY 28TH.
IF WE DON'T MAKE TO THE JULY 28TH, IF FOR SOME REASON THERE WERE SOME, UM, OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO CONSIDER THIS OVER THE COURSE OF A DIFFERENT, UH, A DIFFERENT NUMBER OF MEETINGS, NOT MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT, BUT THINK ABOUT IT WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
THEN WE WOULD, WE WOULD LOOK FOR SOMETHING IN SEPTEMBER.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PAN-AM, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
AND IT PROVIDES YOU WITH THE, THE NAMING INFORMATION OF I'M SORRY, THE, UM, HISTORY OF HOW THE PARK, UH, CAME TO BE, UH, IN STARTING IN 1940, ALL THE WAY TO 1996, WHEN THE RECREATION CENTER HAD THE, UH, NAME ADDED A B CANTU, UH, NAME WAS ADDED TO THAT.
YOU CAN SKIP OVER TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION.
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD THE BACKUP FOR SOME TIME, SO HERE'S SOME INFORMATION ABOUT MR CASTILLO'S SO THAT YOU COULD UNDERSTAND, UM, UH, SOME, THIS IS JUST A VERY BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED,
[03:00:01]
AND YOU'LL NOTICE IN YOUR PACKET OF INFORMATION, THERE WAS ALSO A NUMBER OF LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION AND DIFFERENT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY.NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, UM, TO ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS POINTS, THIS WAS THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THAT WAS NOT DISTRICT SPECIFIC, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN FROM ANYWHERE IN THE CITY, 79% OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO RESPONDED IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SAID, YES, THEY SUPPORTED THAT.
UH, 19 OF THEM IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SAID, NO, THEY DID NOT SUPPORT IT.
TWO SAID THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED.
AND WHEN YOU BREAK THAT DOWN TO VERY SPECIFIC DISTRICT THREE, UM, JUST AS OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT SPECIFIC IN THAT DISTRICT TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, 49% SAID THAT THEY, UH, DID SUPPORT RENAMING, BUT 51% SAID THEY DID NOT SUPPORT RENAMING WHEN YOU GOT, UH, WHEN WE A LOOK AT THIS AT THE VERY SPECIFIC, UM, DISTRICT LEVEL, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE DISTRICT PARTICIPATION JUST FOR CONTEXT WAS APPROXIMATELY 35 INDIVIDUALS, BUT THAT INFORMATION IS SPECIFICALLY IN YOUR BACKUP FOR CONSIDERATION.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THE COMMUNITY SURVEYS.
SO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE SURVEY INFORMATION COLLECTED, UH, MR. CASIO SAID 80%, MY CALCULATION WAS 90%.
SO LET'S JUST GO AND SAY IT WAS BETWEEN 80 AND 90% OF THE SURVEY COLLECTED INFORMATION WAS IN FAVOR.
AND SO 2010 TO 20% OF THE SURVEY INFORMATION COLLECTED DID NOT SUPPORT THE RENAMING OF TONY CASTILLO, A RENAMING OF THE PARK TO THE COUNTY, TONY CASTILLO, PAN-AM PAN-AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
UH, AND SO, UH, WHAT I, WHAT I SAID TO YOU IN A MEMO WAS THAT THERE WAS A SPLIT DECISION, OR WAS ULTIMATELY ALMOST A SPLIT DECISION, 51 TO 49.
UM, AND SO THEREFORE WE ARE BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO YOU AS A PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S APPROPRIATE JUSTIFICATION FOR THERE TO BE CONSIDERATION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THIS BOARD WOULD WANT TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL TO RENAME THIS BASED UPON THE, UM, THE ENTIRE BODY OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED.
SO IF YOU JUST GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THE NEXT STEPS IS THAT THIS BOARD WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AND THAT RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE FORWARDED TO CITY COUNCIL, WHATEVER THAT RECOMMENDATION IS.
AND THEN CITY COUNCIL WILL TAKE THIS OUT AS A COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM AGAIN, EITHER ON THE 28TH OR SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER, DEPENDING UPON HOW THE TIMING WORKS OUT.
I'M OF COURSE, AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT THE, THE BACKUP PROVIDED YOU LOTS OF DETAILED INFORMATION FOR CONSIDERATION.
I'M JUST GOING TO START, UM, WITH DISTRICT THREE.
AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO HEAR EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS ON THIS ONE.
I MEAN, DIRECTOR, MAN, IT GETS LATE AT NIGHT AND YOU JUST REALLY LOSE A BOARD MEMBER MORE.
UM, SO I, AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE CHECKED YOUR EMAIL YET, BUT I DID SEND, UH, A DRAFT RESOLUTION TO TIM WHO SENT TO ALL OF YOUR INBOXES.
SO APOLOGIES IT WASN'T BEFORE THE MEETING, BUT IT'S THERE NOW.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO FORMALLY INTRODUCE ANYTHING SO WE CAN JUST MAINTAIN CONVERSATION IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING, UH, BUT TO KIND OF CUT TO THE, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S IN THE RESOLUTION, UM, IS FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD TO RECOMMEND AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL THAT, UH, INSTEAD OF RENAMING PAN-AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, THAT A PLAQUE COULD BE ADDED TO THE PARK TO HONOR MR. CASTILLO AND HIS NUMEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS TO THIS AREA AND THAT ANY RELATED APPLICATION OR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS BE WAIVED TO THE APPLICANT BY COUNCIL.
UM, SO THAT'S THE BASIC RECOMMENDATION I'VE BEEN RESOLUTION RIGHT NOW, HAPPY TO DISCUSS, UH, AND POTENTIALLY AMEND THIS DEPENDING ON HOW WE ALL FEEL.
UH, SOME BACKGROUND ON MY THINKING, IS THAT GOING OFF OF SOME OF THE STATISTICS THAT WE HEARD, UH, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH LEVEL STATS ARE VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE SEE WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DISTRICT THREE INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY, RIGHT? UM, AND SO YOU TAKE THE DISTRICT THREE RESPONSE, PLUS THE VERY MIXED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK FROM A LOT OF THOSE MEETINGS.
UM, AND TO ME, IT JUST DOESN'T READ LIKE DECISIVE SUPPORT FOR THE NAME CHANGE AT THIS TIME.
UM, AS A SIDE NOTE, A FRIENDLY SIDE NOTE TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, I WOULD LOVE IT IF WE COULD LOOK INTO REMOVING THE NOT SURE CATEGORY FROM WHERE YOU LIVE IN AUSTIN, CAUSE YOU, YOU LOOK AT THE RESULTS FROM THE SURVEY AND IT'S ALMOST HALF OF THE RESPONSES ARE EITHER NOT IN AUSTIN OR THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE IN AUSTIN AND, UH, FOR THE IN-PERSON MEETINGS, AS WELL AS THE ONLINE SURVEYS.
I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY JUST HAVE A MAP WITH CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS ON THERE.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN JUST CLICK YOUR MOUSE AND SAY WHICH DISTRICT YOU'RE IN.
[03:05:01]
MAY NOT KNOW IT BEFORE YOU SAW THE MAP, BUT THEN YOU SEE THE MAP.AND I THINK THAT WOULD HELP OUT WITH GATHERING INFORMATION A LOT.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS BEING SAID, DON'T MEAN TO DISPARAGE MR. CASTILLO OR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AT ALL.
HE HE'S LED WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A REMARKABLE LIFE AND ALL THE COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS AND HIS INFLUENCE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND THROUGH HIS MENTORSHIP, UH, YOU KNOW, NONE OF THE COMMUNITY COMMENTS WERE NEGATIVE ABOUT HIM AT ALL.
THEY WERE ALL EXTREMELY POSITIVE.
SO I DON'T WANT THAT GETTING LOST HERE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THE PLAQUE, IT'S A SERIES OF WAYS TO HELP PRESERVE THE HISTORY FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS FOR EAST AUSTIN.
UM, AND THE PRINCIPLE OF THE THING FROM A LOT OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT WE'VE HEARD IS JUST, THEY LIKED THE NAME.
THEY DON'T WANT TO CHANGE, AND THAT HAS A LOT OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR THEM.
UH, AND THEN GOING TO THE WALK OF FAME ASPECT OF THINGS, I DON'T THINK WE CAN TAKE ACTION ON ANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS, BUT THEY'RE THERE JUST LIKE THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION AND PLAQUE THAT CAN, I THINK CAN OCCUR OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL ACTION OUT OF FORMAL COUNCIL ACTION.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU ALL WANT TO REACH OUT TO PARKS DEPARTMENT OR MYSELF, AND I CAN TRY AND POINT YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, TRYING TO GET SOMETHING LIKE THAT GOING, I'M AGAIN GRATEFUL FOR MR. CASTILLO'S SERVICE AND THAT'S.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH BOARD MEMBER TO CARLOS.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER MAURA FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, I HAVE SEVERAL THINGS TO SAY, NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER.
UM, THIS, UH, THIS BOARD HAS ACTUALLY ADDRESSED A LOT OF, UH, NAMING AND RENAMING TOPICS, UM, FOR PARK FACILITIES AND PARK FEATURES, UH, WHICH I'VE BEEN INCLUDED IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, I WILL SAY THAT I THINK PART, UM, I BELIEVE THAT THEY FOLLOWED THE CORRECT PROCEDURES AND POLICIES AND RULES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RENAMING.
I THINK THEY DID A REALLY GOOD JOB HERE.
AND SO, UM, I, YOU KNOW, WOULD, WOULD APPLAUD THE DEPARTMENT ON, ON FOLLOWING THOSE PROCEDURES AND DOING THE COMMUNITY INPUT, UM, SENDING THOSE NOTICES OUT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THEY, CAN'T, IT'S HARD TO REACH EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO MIGHT WANT TO BE NOTIFIED OF IT.
UM, SO I, UM, THESE ARE, SO THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE SO, SO TOUGH AND I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH, WITH NAMING THESE BIG FACILITIES FOR ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL.
UM, AND YEAH, I CAN SEE, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE SPOKEN OF KIND OF DIVIDE AND I CAN SEE THAT AND FEEL THAT.
AND, UM, I, I DON'T LIKE SEEING THAT FOR ANY COMMUNITY.
UM, AND Y'ALL EVERYONE HERE IS OBVIOUSLY SO, SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY AND THAT IS SO AWESOME TO SEE.
UM, I THINK EVERYONE HERE SHOULD BE ADMIRED FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ALL WANT THE SAME THING, SO YOU PRESERVE THE LEGACY OF YOUR COMMUNITY, UM, BUT HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS AS TO HOW TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
UM, AND SO, I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, I, I DON'T REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF NAMING A LARGE FACILITY FOR ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL.
IT DOES SEEM EVIDENT THAT THERE HAD BEEN MANY, MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS COMMUNITY TO PAN AM.
UM, AND IT ALSO SEEMS LIKE MR. CASIO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE THING THAT I DO LIKE ABOUT SEEING THESE PROPOSED NAME CHANGES IS LEARNING ABOUT THESE INDIVIDUALS AND, AND THEIR HISTORY AND SEEING WHAT THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED.
UM, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT MR. CASTILLO HAS LIVED A LIFE OF SERVICE TO AUSTIN, TO THIS COMMUNITY, TO PAN AM AND, AND YEAH, HE, HE SHOULD DESERVE RECOGNITION.
UM, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK IT'S IN THIS, IN THIS PARTICULAR MANNER THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT BOARD MEMBER MORE'S, UM, RESOLUTION TO DO A PLAQUE.
I THINK THE WALL WALK OF FAME HALL OF FAME COULD ALSO BE A GOOD IDEA.
UM, LIKE, LIKE BOARD MEMBER WERE MENTIONED THAT MIGHT REQUIRE MORE PROCESS, UM, AND APPROVAL FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
BUT, UM, BUT I, I WOULD SUPPORT BOARD MEMBER MOORE'S, UM, RESOLUTION.
I HAVEN'T READ ALL OF IT, BUT I WOULD SUPPORT THAT IN, IN RECOGNIZING MR. CHRYSTIA WITH, UM, A PLAQUE OR ANOTHER FEATURE WITHIN THE PAN-AM PARK.
YOU HAVE A COMMENT? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS, NO COMMENTS.
[03:10:02]
I WANT TO JUST KIND OF REITERATE WHAT WE REMEMBERED.THE CARLA MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE GONE DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE WITH NAMING AND ACTUALLY IN 2015, BEFORE I WAS EVEN ON THE BOARD, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PARKS BOARD CAME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CITY COUNCIL WHEN, UM, WHEN JANE RIVERA WAS, WAS CHAIR OF THE PARKS BOARD.
AND I, UM, I TRULY THINK THAT EVERYTHING THAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT AND HEARD ABOUT MR. CASTILLO IS JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST SHOWS WHAT AN ABSOLUTE ROCK STAR HE HAS BEEN AND HOW MUCH HE'S CONTRIBUTED.
JUST HE, IT JUST SEEMS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY AMAZING PEOPLE IN THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY THAT HAVE ALSO HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS AND ARE VERY VALUED.
AND SO I, UM, I DO TOTALLY SUPPORT, UM, BOARD MEMBER, UH, MORE'S RECOMMENDATION.
I FEEL AGAIN THAT THERE IS SOME OBVIOUSLY DIVIDED OPINIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE'VE ADDRESSED THAT WE DEALT WITH THAT BEFORE IN THE PAST.
AND I DON'T THINK, UM, AND I ALSO SAID, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT, UM, MAINTAIN HISTORY THAT AMERICAN RECREATION CENTER WAS THE NAME AND, AND PRESERVE AND PROTECT THOSE KIND OF LEGACIES I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY DO A LOT TO HONOR SOMEBODY WITHOUT PUTTING THEIR NAME ON SOMETHING.
I THINK PUTTING THEM ON A PLAQUE IS GREAT, BUT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO HONOR PEOPLE AS WELL.
SO I, UM, I ALSO AM GOING TO SUPPORT YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU CAN CLARIFY THE LOCATION OF THE, THE BALL FIELDS THAT ARE NAMED AFTER MR. CASTILLO, UH, ONE OF THE BALL FIELDS IS ON AN AISD PROPERTY AND ONE BALL FIELD IS, UM, BEHIND, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE CAMACHO RECREATION CENTRAL IN THE CENTRAL AUSTIN YOUTH ASSOCIATION? ONE BALL FIELD IS BEHIND THE CAMACHO RECREATION CENTER WHERE THE CENTRAL AUSTIN YOUTH ASSOCIATION PLAYS BALL.
THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.
UM, I, YEAH, I TOO WOULD JUST LIKE TO ECHO WHAT OUR, YOU KNOW, WHAT MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD HAVE SHARED THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UM, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT THIS, UM, RENAMING AND WE'VE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DEFINITELY, WE'VE DEFINITELY GONE DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HAD OTHER SIMILARLY CONTENTIOUS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, RENAMING CASES.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, UM, TO ME, THE, THE ISSUE AT HAND, ISN'T THE MAGNITUDE OF THE IMPACT THAT MR. CASTILLO HAS MADE ON THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S OBVIOUSLY VERY SIGNIFICANT AND VERY IMPRESSIVE.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT TO BE PROUD OF THERE.
UM, I THINK MY, UM, MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, AS WE'VE HAD MORE AND MORE OF THESE RENAMING CASES, WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO RENAME, UM, FACILITIES AND PARKS AFTER, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE STILL ALIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THERE WITH US.
THEY HAVE NOT PASSED AWAY, WHICH IS GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN RE WE'VE BEEN NAMING THE EXACTOR AFTER LIVING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, BUT I HAVE JUST GROWN INCREASINGLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT IT'S A LITTLE AWKWARD TO UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAVE THIS COMMUNITY PROCESS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ASKING PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT OR COME OUT AGAINST NAMING, UH, YOU KNOW, NAMING A LANDMARK AFTER SOMEBODY THAT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST STILL SITTING RIGHT THERE AND CAN, YOU KNOW, BE PRIVY TO THE DISCUSSION AND HEAR EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING SAID ABOUT THEM.
I THINK THAT JUST, THAT PUTS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE BEING ASKED TO GIVE THAT INPUT IN A REALLY AWKWARD POSITION.
AND SO I, I KNOW THAT WE'VE DONE THAT DONE THAT IN THE PAST, BUT I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M COMFORTABLE DOING, UM, ANY MORE.
UM, AND, UM, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT BOARD MEMBER MOORE'S RESOLUTION, AND I THINK IT'S TOTALLY APPROPRIATE TO, UM, TO RECOGNIZE MR.
UM, I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
DID YOU, DID YOU RECUSE OR ARE YOU PARTICIPATING I'M ABSTAINING, YOU'RE ABSTAINING.
YOU'RE RECUSING YOURSELF CAUSE YOU'RE STAMPING OUT A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT.
[03:15:01]
AND SAY, I, FIRST OF ALL, WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO MR. CASTILLO, I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH THE SERVICE IN YOUR CAR.I REALLY LIKE THAT YOU HAVE TAUGHT SO LONG.
I LIKED THAT YOU WERE A TEACHER IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS ON THE BALL FIELDS.
I LOVE WHAT I HAVE HEARD ABOUT YOU FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND I AM SO PROUD THAT WE HAVE THE HONOR TO, TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, LIKE, LIKE THE OTHERS HAVE SAID, IT'S, IT'S AN HONOR TO LISTEN TO YOUR STORY.
AND I HOPE, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT ALSO BOARD MEMBER MOORE'S, UM, SUGGESTION THAT INSTEAD OF RENAMING THE PARK AS A WHOLE, I BELIEVE ACTUALLY, UM, I'M A WRITER IN MY REAL DAY JOB.
AND I, I THINK WITH A PLAQUE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THIS STORY.
AND SO I LIKE THE IDEA OF TELLING YOUR STORY AND HOW YOU'VE CONTRIBUTED TO PAN-AMERICAN PARK AND PAN-AMERICAN, UM, THE, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND I LIKE THAT IDEA VERY MUCH, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, A NAME IS A NAME AND WE'RE ALL GONNA GO AWAY SOMEDAY AND THAT NAME IS THERE, BUT WHO'S THERE TO TELL THE STORY.
AND I THINK IF WE HAVE A PLAQUE THAT MIGHT BE A REALLY FITTING MEMORIAL, SO, UM, TO YOUR SERVICE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I'LL SAY SOMETHING OUT OF ORDER.
I THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT I, I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU AFTERWARDS.
WE HAVE TO STILL SETTLE IS AS A COURTESY THING, A BOARD.
CAN I GIVE YOU ONE MINUTE? FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, WHAT'S YOUR GUN, MY SON, FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE, WE GO UP TO HERE THAT THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE, BUT RIGHT THERE, YOU WEREN'T INTIMIDATED.
YOU'RE WITH THEM DATED YOU INTIMIDATED BY THE WAY, YOU REALLY WORK TO SHOW IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CASTILLO.
UM, IF WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM, DID YOU WANT TO PUT FORTH YOUR SORRY, OUR, OUR PUBLIC COMMENT HAS CLOSED AND SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY MORE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, RIGHT? I UNDERSTAND.
WE HAVE THE, HAVE THE FLOOR PLEASE PROCEED.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED WITH YOUR, CAN YOU PLEASE, I AM GOING TO HAVE TO ASK THAT THE PUBLIC QUIET DOWN, WE'VE LISTENED.
WE HEARD YOU WE'VE READ THE MATERIALS.
THIS DISCUSSION IS OVER AND OUR, OUR, ALL OF OUR INFORMATION IS ON THE WEBSITE.
YOU CAN FIND OUT WHO EACH DISTRICT IS.
I RESPECT WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER.
SO IF WE WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED, DO YOU STILL, WOULD YOU STILL LIKE TO PROCEED WITH YOUR MOTION? YES.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR BOARD MEMBER? MOORE'S MOTION.
I MOVED TO MOVE TO ADOPT THE MOTION.
IS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY PRESENTED YOUR MOTIONS OR DO YOU WANT US TO READ IT OFFICIALLY? I MEAN, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
WE ALL A COPY OF IT AND IT BASICALLY SAYS WHAT, WHAT BOARD MEMBER MORE HAS SAID OUT LOUD.
SO, UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND, UH, BOARD MEMBER? LOUIS SECONDS? ALL IN FAVOR.
SO THE MOTION PASSES, THERE WILL BE A COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY FOR STAYING LATE.
AND FOR YOUR TIME DISCRIMINATE, YOU ALREADY DID IT TWICE AT THAT BAR.
[B.7. Discussion and possible action on crime and law enforcement in parks (Sponsors: Lewis, DePalma, Rinaldi, Di Carlo)]
FORWARD.WE HAVE A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE PARKS.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY LATER.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD, UH, DISCUSSION POSSIBLE ACTION ON CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE PARKS.
THERE WAS A MEMO PRESENTED TO ALL OF US.
AND SO THIS IS JUST A MOMENT FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE A FEW COMMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ENFORCING.
WE HAD THE LEASH LAW PRESENTATION LAST MONTH, AND SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT ARE WE'RE DEALING WITH, WITH THE LEASH LAWS.
AND, UM, I KNOW THAT I HAVE HEARD SOME, UH, CONCERNS OF, OF
[03:20:01]
CONSTITUENTS.AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU HAVE, SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO SPEND TIME TALKING ABOUT THIS, WHAT I WAS THINKING.
I HAD TALKED TO BOARD MEMBER LEWIS ABOUT POSSIBLY PUTTING TOGETHER A WORKING GROUP TO COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF HOW TO HANDLE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE COMING UP IN THE PARKS.
WE HAVE PARK RANGERS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE SORTS OF, UM, WELL, PARK RANGERS DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY TEETH.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENFORCE SOME OF THESE LAWS, UH, WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUSHING BACK.
AND SO, UM, I THINK WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DOING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ABOUT, ADD, TO TAKE A BEAT AND JUST THINK ABOUT IF YOU'D BE INVOLVED.
UM, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO A SHORT WORKING GROUP, A SHORT-TERM WORKING GROUP MAYBE A MONTH OR SO, MAYBE JUST MAYBE A COUPLE OF WEEKS, BECAUSE I THINK YOU LOOK AT THESE OTHER, THIS MEMO WASN'T, THERE WAS PART OF THIS MEMO IS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED ABOUT BECAUSE THE NUMBERS WERE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYBODY TO CLARIFY THE MEMO ON THE SCREEN.
SO WHEN, WHEN IT COMES TO THE ONE, THE, UM, THE TOP FIVE CRIME CATEGORIES BY FISCAL YEAR.
LET'S I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED HERE ANYWAYS.
I THINK WE'VE SEEN, AND WE'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO, UM, ARE CONTINUING TO DEAL WITH ISSUES IN THE PARKS, WHETHER IT'S AWFULLY STALKS, VANDALISM, DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR, UM, A LOT OF THEFT AND IT JUST SEEMS TO BE ONGOING.
AND I THINK AS AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, IT HAS BECOME A REALLY LARGE CITY.
SO I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE OF THIS.
SO I, I THINK THAT I HEAR A LOT FROM MY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT IT, AND I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO TRY TO DO ANYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE OUR PARKS ARE SAFE AND WELCOMING.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KIND OF HAVE A DISCUSSION.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT CAN BE DONE.
I KNOW THAT THE PARKS POLICE WAS DISBANDED AND THAT WE NOW WORK PRIMARILY WITH PARK RANGERS WHO D WHO HAVE TO CALL 9 1, 1 JUST LIKE THE REST OF US.
SO, UM, BUT THERE MIGHT BE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TO TRY TO, UM, ENCOURAGE THE STAFF OR THE COUNCIL TO MAKE OUR PARKS SAFER.
SO MAYBE WE COULD JUST MEET, COME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND A VERY QUICK KIND OF MEETING.
AND, AND WE TALKED ABOUT MAYBE WAITING UNTIL AFTER LATER ON IN THE SUMMER, BECAUSE IT'S NOT A GREAT TIME.
JULY IS VERY BUSY AND PEOPLE ARE GONE.
SO I'M THINKING MAYBE AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER.
SO MAYBE PEOPLE COULD JUST THINK ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN IF THEY WANTED TO GET INVOLVED IN ALL THE, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING.
I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT MAYBE INSTEAD OF FORMING, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, A SEPARATE OR TEMPORARY WORKING GROUP, UM, MAYBE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE COULD TAKE UP SINCE I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE SOLUTIONS THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT LIKE POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARK, RANGERS, WHATEVER.
I MEAN, ALL OF THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BUDGET AND FUNDING.
AND SO I THINK OF THE TWO STANDING COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS AND FINANCE.
UM, IF WE WANTED TO HAND IT OFF TO ONE OF THOSE, I THINK IT MAKES MORE SENSE FOR IT TO GO TO FINANCE.
UM, BUT LET'S HEAR FROM THE CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE ABOUT THAT, OTHER THAN I THINK IT STARTS A DISCUSSION OF MISSION CREEP BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THAT REALLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT DOES, OF COURSE IT COMES BACK TO MONEY, EVERYTHING DOES, BUT I'M, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT PUTTING THINGS ON THE AGENDA THAT ARE DEFINED ONLY BECAUSE OF THAT CONNECTION.
I DO THINK IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY RELATED TO THE BUDGET, BUT I THINK MAYBE THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT I'M, I'M NOT SURE HOW THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WOULD ADDRESS THIS IN THAT WE COULD ASK, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE WOULD BE ANY STAFF SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS.
UM, SO IT WOULD BASICALLY BE SAYING TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, YOU NEED TO LOOK INTO CRIME AND PARKS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S IN OUR, WITHIN OUR PURVIEW OR CAPABILITY, FRANKLY, THAT'S MY CONCERN.
I'D RATHER IT BE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED IN PASSIONATE ON THAT ISSUE AND HAVE THEIR IDEAS MAYBE ALREADY FORMED, OR I'VE HAD OTHER CONVERSATIONS THAN JUST GIVING IT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AS AN ENTITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE BACKGROUND IN IT OR RESOURCES.
UM, I THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE, WE, WE HAVE THESE TWO COMMITTEES THAT DO HAVE THESE MONTHLY STANDING MEETINGS THAT ARE ALREADY KIND OF SCHEDULED.
WE'RE ALREADY MEETING AS GROUPS
[03:25:01]
THAT IS DEFINITELY A LOGISTICAL ADVANTAGE OVER, YOU KNOW, FORMING A SEPARATE WORKING GROUP AND TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER.UM, YOU KNOW, AS AN ADDITIONAL MEETING ON TOP OF WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING.
UM, SO JUST FROM, FROM THAT STANDPOINT, UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO TAKE THIS UP, UM, AS KIND OF A REPEAT ITEM IN ONE OF OUR EXISTING COMMITTEES MIGHT BE, MIGHT GO A LITTLE SMOOTHER, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND IF YOU KNOW, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ALREADY HAS A LOT ON ITS PLATE OR THE MEMBERS AREN'T INTERESTED IN BEING IN DEALING WITH THIS.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE COMMENT, ANYBODY INTERESTED IN MAYBE WORKING ON A WORKING GROUP, JANE PARKS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CAN TELL YOU THAT DONNA AND I TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, MAYBE, UM, THAT WE NEEDED TO RECONSIDER.
I HAD GOTTEN A NOTE FROM A CONSTITUENT THAT THEY HAD CALLED THE POLICE ON SOMEONE IN LITTLE STACEY PARK WHO HAD A KNIFE AND WAS WEARING NO CLOTHES.
AND WHEN THE POLICE FINALLY DID COME, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DID SOLVE THE PROBLEM AT THE MOMENT, BUT THEY WROTE A FOLLOWUP NOTE SAYING BASICALLY THAT AFTER AUSTIN, UH, CITY COUNCIL RE-IMAGINED THE POLICE, THEY WERE NOT, UH, THEY WERE, THEY WERE DISBANDED.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS AN ISSUE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DISBANDED IT, OR IF ABD DISBANDED LOOKING AT.
SO THERE'S SOME ISSUES LIKE THIS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND I KNOW ALSO THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT SOME COMMUNITIES ABOUT POLICING IN THEIR PARKS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A LITTLE THOUGHT, PUT A LITTLE THOUGHT INTO YOU AND MAKE SOME CALLS.
AND SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN JOINING DAWN, DO I HAVE VOLUNTEERS OR WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED? OKAY.
AND I THINK BERNARD WAS INTERESTED IN BOARD MEMBER BERNARD.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T SHOW UP, YOU GET, GET APPOINTED TO THE WORKING GROUPS.
WELL, WOULD THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORKING GROUP? YEAH, WE REMEMBER WE HAD THOSE.
BECAUSE MAYBE THE, MAYBE THE SPRINGDALE NEIGHBORS WHO SPOKE AS IT, AS IT IS.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
SO DON, I'M GOING TO PUT DON IN CHARGE OF THIS AND THEN
SO I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION WOULD WANT TO BE A PART OF IT, BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE, THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT.
AND THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE HELPFUL, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH INTEGRAL CARES IN GOT TEAM THAT IF THERE WAS A NEW MAN WITH A KNIFE, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PERFECT, THAT'S NOT WITHIN THE RESPONSE AREA, A LITTLE STACEY, BUT THEY MIGHT HAVE SOME GOOD INPUT FOR YOU ON A SORT OF ALTERNATIVE METHODS TO POLICE.
WE DID TALK ABOUT BIKE, BIKE PATROLS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WERE MORE PROACTIVE.
SO THAT IS, I'M GONNA, UH, MOVE FOR THAT WORKING GROUP.
DO WE NEED A SECOND OR DO ANY OF THAT STUFF? OKAY.
SO I MOVED THAT WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP, UM, LED BY DON LEWIS WITH, UM, BOARD MEMBER MOORE AND BOARD MEMBER BERNARD.
AND, UM, THEY WILL REPORT BACK TO US AS THEY SEE FIT.
SO WE ARE DOWN TO, WELL WHO, THE DISCUSSION
[B.8. Discussion and possible action on Parks and Recreation Board public communication and tracking of public items (Sponsors: Cottam Sajbel, Moore)]
ON PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND TRACKING OF PUBLIC ITEMS. OKAY.SO THIS IS SOMETHING I WAS EVEN HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY TODAY.
THEY DON'T, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND OUT INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON IT.
AND, UM, I'M EVEN HAPPY THAT IT'S NINE 30 IN THAT 10 30 RIGHT NOW.
BUT, UM, I'M THINKING THAT THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE MIGHT BE MORE TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC.
ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK ABOUT IS WE HAVE ALWAYS, AT THE END OF THE BOARD MEETING, BROUGHT UP NEW IDEAS AND THAT'S A GOOD TIME FOR YOUR COMMUNITY TO SEE THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING THEIR CONCERNS.
BUT I'M WONDERING, BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO DON'T NEED TO COME TO AGENDA AND THE DISCUSSION THAT YOU CAN GET REALLY UNRULY AND WE CAN HANDLE THINGS.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH THE BUTLER PITCH AND PUTT AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S NOT A CITY-WIDE ISSUE AT THIS POINT.
SO, UM, THAT CAN MAYBE BE HANDLED BY FACILITATING DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THOSE ENTITIES.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING UP ON THESE THINGS.
AND SO I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME KIND OF A WORKSHEET, BUT I DON'T HAVE REALLY GOOD IDEAS ON HOW TO DO THAT AND HOW TO UPKEEP IT AND WITHOUT BURDENING STAFF OR BOARD MEMBERS UNNECESSARILY.
AND SO IF ANYBODY'S GOT ANY IDEAS ON THAT, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING THEM IF ANYBODY'S GOT THOUGHTS, UH, PATTERN, DID YOU STARTED TO SAY SOMETHING? NOPE.
UH, WE DID THIS ON BICYCLE ADVISORY COUNCIL.
I CAN'T SAY IT WAS PERFECTLY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, BUT I, WE DID LEARN SOME THINGS THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THE HARDEST PART IS IT'S A LOT TO MAINTAIN AND
[03:30:01]
SO SOMEONE LIKE I COULD VOLUNTEER TO MAINTAIN IT FOR NOW, BUT THEN RIGHT.AND SO I THINK THINKING ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT SET IT UP, SO THAT IT'S THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE, I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT'S POSSIBLE WITHIN THE CITY'S AVAILABLE TOOLS RIGHT.
SO I, CAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BEING A TEACHER, GOOGLE DOCS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ALL ADD IN TO OUR LITTLE THINGS ON GOOGLE DOCS, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
SO WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT ABOUT HOW, HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO POST WELL, AND ONE THING TO CLARIFY, THERE'S WE MIGHT NEED TO GET SOME, UH, IDEAS AND APPROVAL FROM, UH, TIM ON THAT AS WELL.
I WAS TALKING TO HIM ABOUT POTENTIAL WAYS TO COLLABORATE AND YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S A LITTLE TOUGHER MAYBE.
MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE LIKE, THERE'S THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT AND THAT'S POSTED WITH THE AGENDA BACKUPS.
SO I DON'T THINK YOU COULD HAVE A LIVE DOCUMENT.
THE PUBLIC WOULD KNOW EVERY MINUTE, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, SO THE WHOEVER'S MAINTAINING IT, UPDATES IT BEFORE THE MEETING AND THEN IT'S THAT MONTH'S VERSION IS POSTED WITH THE BACKUP WOULD BE I THINK THE MOST FEASIBLE WAY TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE THE BACKUP.
SO MAYBE JUST LIKE, IF YOU HAVE THE HARD BOARD MEMBERS ACTIVITIES REPORT OR HOWEVER YOU'RE GOING TO CALL IT, WE DID OURS OUT OF A SPREADSHEET, WHICH JUST MAKES IT SLIGHTLY EASIER FOR PUBLIC TO KIND OF FIND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR QUICKLY VERSUS A LIKE STATIC PDF.
BUT WHAT THE CITY WEBSITE WILL ALLOW IS KIND OF A BIG BARRIER.
SO KEEPING UP WITH THAT IS REALLY GOING TO BE THE I'M HAPPY TO VOLUNTEER, TO KEEP UP WITH IT FOR THE TIME THAT I AM ABLE TO DO.
SO IF THAT'S, YEAH, I THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT WHAT'S WHAT'S THE DESIGN AND WHAT'S POSSIBLE IN THE CITY WEBSITE.
SO TIM AND I WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE MAYBE THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING I'M WONDERING IS LIKE, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD STUFF.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT SOME OF THE SURVEYS, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN UP BEFORE, BUT I THINK THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF STUFF THAT GOES ON AT PARK PARKS THAT WE NEED TO GET OUT TO THE PUBLIC THAT THEY DON'T KNOW.
WE HEAR EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, I THINK, OH MY GOSH, I'M TUNED IN.
AND I DON'T KNOW, ALL THIS STUFF IS GOING ON AND IT'S BURIED IN OUR BACKUP, YOU KNOW, WRITTEN BACKUP.
SO ANYBODY WHO I THINK ABOUT HOW HARD IT WAS WHEN I FIRST HAD TO NAVIGATE OUR WEBSITE, UM, ON THE BOARD AND NOW THAT I'VE BEEN HERE THREE YEARS, I FINALLY KNOW WHERE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, BUT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW THAT.
OR, AND, AND SO I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WAYS, UM, THAT WE COULD, COULD, COULD DISSEMINATE SOME OF THAT HAPPY INFORMATION TO YOU AND SOME OF THAT GOOD UPDATE AS WELL, YOU KNOW, JUST SO PEOPLE DO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S COMPLICATED.
WE DON'T HAVE A SINGLE NEWSPAPER THAT EVERYBODY TAKES OR A SINGLE NEWS CHANNEL THAT IS FOR AUSTIN, THAT EVERYBODY WATCHES AND, UM, BOARD MEMBER MORE SUGGESTED SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON YOUR AGE AND YOUR AFFINITY, THAT'S KIND OF A TRICKY ONE TOO, RIGHT.
IT'S HARD TO HAVE LIKE A NEWSLETTER, LIKE THEY SAY, THEY'RE PRETTY ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA MEDIA WITH PROMOTING ALL KINDS OF FACILITIES AND EVENTS.
BUT I THINK MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT IT, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, POSTING WHEN THE AGENDA IS POSTED FOR OUR NEXT MEETING, AS WELL AS LIKE A REMINDER, THE DAY OF THE MEETING, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I JUST FOLLOW, UH, PARKS ON TWITTER.
SO I'M SURE ACTIVE AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA AREAS, BUT THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT WAYS THAT COULD MAYBE SPARK A LITTLE BIT MORE INTEREST.
THE ONLY OTHER THING I'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO IS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE CENTER, THEY HAVE LIKE THESE GIS MAPS OF ALL THE DIFFERENT, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS IN TOWN.
AND SO I HAD THEM RUN ME A REPORT FOR EVERYONE IN DISTRICT THREE.
THERE'S SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY ADAMANT THAT THEY WERE NOT IN THE DISTRICT, BUT, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND DIFFERENT WAYS WHERE WE CAN GET IN TOUCH IF I GET SOME GOOD THINGS, I'LL, I'LL SEND IT OUT AND YOU CAN SEND IT OUT TO PEOPLE, BUT THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO GET STARTED AND, AND GET THE BALL ROLLING.
AND, UM, WE CAN JUST COMMUNICATE AMONG OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS, SOME THINGS TO ATTEND, WE CAN SEND IT OUT TO EVERYBODY THAT WAY, SO THAT IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION.
AND, UM, SO IF YOU HAVE IDEAS OR YOU WANT TO WORK WITH ME ON GETTING STARTED AND HOW WE COULD BE THE SPREADSHEET, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND I'LL, I'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL SORT OF LOOP IT ALL IN TOGETHER, SO.
[B.9. Discussion and possible action regarding appointment to the Contracts and Concessions Committee.]
WE HAVE TONIGHT IS, UM, A POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING, REGARDING APPOINTMENT TO CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS.ALTHOUGH, UM, I WAS TALKING TO CATHERINE AND SHE MIGHT BE MORE INTERESTED IN FINANCE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SWITCH OFF FINANCE.
DO WE WANT TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION OR DO YOU JUST, W WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? YEAH, I GUESS, I MEAN, I DON'T, I'M STILL ON, I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A CAP ON THE LIMIT OF MEMBERS IN EACH GROUP.
SO IF NOBODY WANTS TO SWITCH ALL FINANCE, I'M HAPPY TO BE ON THE CONTRACTS COMMITTEE,
[03:35:01]
BUT IF SOMEONE WERE WILLING OR INTERESTED IN SWITCHING OFF FINANCE, IF THAT'S WHAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN, I WOULD WHO'S WHO'S, UM, WHO'S IN EACH OF THE COMMITTEES RIGHT NOW, CAUSE I ALWAYS FELT LIKE FINANCE WAS SMALLER THAN CONFERENCES.SO LISA, UM, PATRICK RICH, KIM TAYLOR, I DON'T THINK LISA IS ON, OH, NO, YOU'RE RIGHT.
SO THERE'S FIVE PEOPLE ON THAT.
FOR SOME REASON, I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS A SMALLER AND THEN IT'S ONLY FOUR ON CONTRACTS AND SESSIONS.
SO I GUESS IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
I MEAN, IF YOU WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN FINANCE COMMITTEE, IS THERE A, IS THERE A DIVISION OF LABOR THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW? THE COMMITTEE JUST HAS TO BE LESS THAN A QUORUM OF MEMBERS.
SO CURRENTLY EACH COMMITTEE IS A FIVE VOTING MEMBERS WITH ONE, UM, EX OFFICIO.
SO YOU'D HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT.
SO WE HAVE ONLY FOUR ON CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS BESIDES ME EX OFFICIO.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE I WOULD NEED TO SWITCH SOMEBODY FROM, AND THERE MAY BE, YOU MIGHT, MAYBE SOMEBODY DOES WANT TO SWITCH.
YOU COULD ASK PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HERE FIRST BEFORE YOU COULD JUST GO AHEAD AND GET APPOINTED TO TODAY TO CONTRACTING SESSIONS.
I MEAN, WHAT'S EASIER PROCESS WISE.
I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T THINK IT'S A BIG DEAL.
WE CAN DO THIS NEXT MONTH, IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO THINK ABOUT IT AND WE CAN PUT THE NET AND WE CAN PUT NOTICE OUT TO EVERYBODY IF THEY WANT TO RETHINK THEIR COMMITTEE.
SO WE WILL MAKE THAT DECISION IN JULY.
[C.1. Update from South Central Waterfront Advisory Board. (Cottam Sajbel)]
TO THE UPDATES FROM BOARD MEMBERS, I WILL TELL YOU THAT FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD, IT IS, UM, IT WAS, UH, POSTPONED.THE PUD HAS COME TO THE COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL.
UM, THEY PUT UP THE APPLICANT PUT UP THE INFORMATION ONLY THE NIGHT BEFORE.
AND SO KATHY TOVO RECOMMENDED THAT THEY POSTPONE IT UNTIL AFTER THE BREAK.
SO IT WILL COME BACK TO COUNCIL ON JULY THE 28TH, THERE STILL WERE NOT CONCESSIONS MADE, UH, FOR THE SCHWABS, WHICH IS THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD HAD SOME CONDITIONS THAT HAD NOT YET BEEN MET.
AND THE PARKS BOARD CONDITIONS HAD NOT BEEN MET YET ALL OF THEM.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S WHERE IT STANDS IS THE LAST I SPOKE WITH, WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO, UM, AND, AND, UH, CHAIR FRANCO AT THE SCHWAB.
SO THAT'S THE INFORMATION I HAVE ON THAT.
UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE INFORMATION ON THE WORKING GROUP WITH THE ANIMAL ADVISORY BOARD? IS THERE ANY UPDATE FOR THAT? NO, WE WERE GOING TO COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION, BUT I'M GOING TO WAIT FOR NANCY TO ADD.
IMPORTANT MEMBER TAYLOR IS OUT OF TOWN.
UM, UH, NINA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FROM JOINT SUSTAINABILITY? OKAY.
[C.5. Update from Zilker Par Vision Plan Working Group. (Lewis, DePalma, Faust, Taylor)]
PLAN, WORKING GROUP.ANYBODY HAVE A REPORT? WE HAVEN'T MET IN QUITE SOME TIME.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED.
IT DEFINITELY, IT WAS BEFORE WE HAD THE BOARD PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAD A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PLAN IS FOR THE WORKING.
SO I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU BEFORE WE DO THINK ABOUT YOU, WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO PUT, UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO ON THE AGENDA.
AND I THINK WHAT TIM AND I HAVE WORKED OUT, THERE ARE SOME THINGS I THINK JUST IF YOU CLARIFY WHAT YOUR ISSUE IS THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING UP, IF WE, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT US TO GET A NEMO FOR, OR IF YOU WANT IT TO ACTUALLY BE ON THE AGENDA, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A SECOND FOR IT TO GET ON THE AGENDA.
SO THE THING I ALREADY HAVE, UM, UH, SCHEDULED THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARD FOR AWHILE IS, UH, DR.
TED GORDON, WHO IS, UM, FROM UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
AND SHE'S AN INDEPENDENT SCHOLAR WHO WROTE ABOUT THE WALNUT CREEK AREA.
AND SHE, I SAT AROUND, UH, SHE HAD A PUBLICATION THAT CAME OUT LAST NOVEMBER ABOUT THE HISTORY OF WALNUT CREEK.
AND I THINK AS WE GO FORWARD WITH WATERLOO GREENWAY, IT MIGHT BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR US TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THAT AREA.
SO WE CAN BE SENSITIVE IN THE NAMING OF THINGS, OR MAYBE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION FOR A WALK OF, YOU KNOW, A HISTORICAL SORT OF SIGNAGE FOR THAT AREA AS SHE HAD A LOT OF INTERESTING INFORMATION.
SO I'M ASKING THAT SHE BE THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING THEIR TIME OUT.
SHE'S ONLY IN TOWN TEMPORARILY, AND HE'S A VERY BUSY MAN.
UM, WE WILL HAVE ONE MORE PARKLAND DEDICATION REPORT, AND I THINK THEY MIGHT ASK US FOR AN ACTION ON THAT.
UM, SO DOES ANYBODY ELSE, THEN WE'RE AT THE POINT IN THE MEETING WHERE HE GETS TO SAY, IF THERE IS AN ITEM THAT YOU'D LIKE TO BRING UP, SO DO WE HAVE ANY,
[D. DIRECTOR’S REPORT ON PROGRAM AND PROJECT UPDATES AND EVENTS ]
OH, I'M SORRY, DIRECTOR MCNEELY.I AM SO SORRY, PLEASE, PLEASE PROCEED.
I JUST WAS, I WAS JUST EXPOUNDING THE BEAUTY OF YOUR DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
SO THERE'S JUST 17 PAGES OF INFO FOR YOU TO READ.
UM, BUT THEY'RE JUST THE ONE THING THAT I'LL JUST POINT OUT TO EVERYBODY IS THAT, UM, UNLIKE MAYBE IN THE YEARS PAST, OR JUST BECAUSE OF COVID, THE
[03:40:01]
4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION IS BACKING.SO IT'LL INCLUDE THE AUSTIN SYMPHONY.
IT'LL BE HELD AT AUDITORIUM SHORES.
AND SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOME FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH OF JULY, UM, THAT, THAT PARTICULAR EVENTS BACK, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'LL HIGHLIGHT EVERYTHING ELSE.
I'M SURE YOU CAN READ AT YOUR LEISURE.
AND OTHER THAN THAT COMMUNITY, THAT THERE'S A GREAT REPORT IN THE, IN THE BACKUP THERE ON THAT.
[E. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
UM, I'LL START AT THIS END.DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS OF BUSINESS YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, BOARD MEMBER RINALDI, I THINK, UM, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE, CAUSE I DON'T THINK WE OFFICIALLY POSTPONED IT, UM, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT ON MY AGENDA.
SO WE WILL FINALIZE COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS.
NOW YOU'RE THE DIRECTOR BOARD MEMBER LOUIS.
SO I, I DID HAVE, AND THIS ISN'T REALLY A ASK FOR A PRESENTATION, BUT I KIND OF A QUESTION OR MAYBE IN A, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST GET SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WITH THE, UM, OUR CITY, OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS STAFF, HOW MUCH OF THE EQUIPMENT THEY USE IS ELECTRIC GAS POWER.
AND I ACTUALLY TALKED TO BOARD MEMBER AT FLOWERS ABOUT THIS ISSUE TOO, AND I AM JUST INTERESTED.
SO JUST TO, UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST GET SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, THE KIND OF EQUIPMENT THEY USE, YOU MEAN LIKE LAWN MOWERS AND SNOW BLOWERS, LAWNMOWERS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER THING WAS I DID AT HAD ALSO ASKED JUST FOR KIND OF AN UPDATE ON WHAT, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE AUSTIN PETS ALIVE FACILITY AND, AND WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAD, WERE FULFILLING THEIR OBLIGATIONS WITH THEIR PARKS CONTRACT, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN JUST AN UPDATE ON THAT.
AND I, MY ITEM IS ALREADY SPOKEN FOR SO ANYTHING.
UM, I AM INTERESTED IN GETTING A MEMO ON PROCEDURES FOR WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A BATHROOM AT A PARK IS OUT OF ORDER.
UM, I HAVE PERSONALLY SEEN, UM, BATHROOM'S OUT OF ORDER AT, AT PARKS.
UM, I DUNNO, JUST DUE TO SOMETHING YOU NEED FIXING, I SUPPOSE, AND THERE'S NOT AN ALTERNATIVE, UH, TO THE PERMANENT FACILITIES THERE, UM, REQUIRING, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES, CHILDREN TO HAVE TO CUT THEIR VISIT SHORT AND GO ELSEWHERE TO USE A BATHROOM.
SO, UH, WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, ALSO JUST, UH, UH, REQUEST THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GET SOME TECHNICAL PRESENTATIONS, UM, LIKE TODAY ON THE RECLAIMED WATER MAIN, UM, A LOT OF LANGUAGE I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
UM, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF MAYBE, UH, WE COULD GET SOME SORT OF TRANSLATION SOMETIMES INTO PLAIN LANGUAGE, UH, SO THAT THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC COULD UNDERSTAND BETTER.
WHAT'S WHAT'S REALLY BEING ASKED OF US.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER.
MORE, NOTHING FROM ME EXCEPT TO SAY, THANKS, TIM.
HE WAS SUPER HELPFUL IN THE LAST WEEK.
I'VE BEEN LEANING ON HIM REALLY HARD.
AND THEN, UH, AGAIN, THE NATURE SCIENCE CENTER, MY KID WENT THERE FOR A SUMMER CAMP FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND HE JUST LOVED IT.
IT'S A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT PLACE IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THERE.
SO, BUT NO AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY, GREAT.
AND THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR ALL YOUR HELP THIS WEEK.
I DON'T KNOW YOUR NAME FOR RUNNING THINGS SO SMOOTHLY TONIGHT MUCH.
WE ARE, UM, I'VE GOT 9 46 OR 47, SO, UM, THANK YOU EVERYBODY.
AND, AND, UM, PLEASE, THE ONLY THING I WOULD REMIND YOU IS, UH, TO THINK ABOUT THAT, HOW, HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH THE, UM, ALCOHOL SITUATION.
SO TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THAT, SO, OKAY.