[CALL TO ORDER ]
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I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MEETING REGULARLY SCHEDULED HERE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 14TH, 2022.
WE'RE HERE AT THE CITY HALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM 1101, UH, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS.
SOME OF THE COMMISSION, UH, MEMBERS FROM THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION MAY BE PARTICIPATING BY VIDEO CONFERENCE AND, UH, THEY'LL ANNOUNCE THEMSELVES AS PART OF THE, THE ROLL CALL.
UH, WE BEGAN, UH, WITH THAT ROLL CALL.
SO AS I MENTIONED, MY NAME IS NEHEMIAH PITTS AND I'VE BEEN APPOINTED FROM DISTRICT ONE.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND IDENTIFY, UH, IN THE ROOM HERE OR VICE CHAIR.
UH, STEVEN APODACA REPRESENTING DISTRICT TWO IS PRESENT.
AND IF I COULD GO AHEAD AND, AND SEND IT ONLINE TO COMMISSIONER GARZA, COMMISSIONER, CHRISTINA GARZA, DISTRICT FOUR, PRESENT, UH, YES.
THIS IS DAVE FLOYD DISTRICT FIVE.
I'M HERE AND COMMISSIONER DOTA, UH, SAMANTHA DOTA FROM DISTRICT 10 AND COMMISSIONER THOMPSON WEAVES.
HI, THIS IS NICOLE THOMPSON WITH DISTRICT NINE.
WELL WITH THAT THEN, UH, WE ARE CALLED TO ORDER AND WE'LL BEGIN BY CONFIRMING IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
AND AT THIS TIME WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP, SO WE'LL GO
[1. Approve the minutes of the Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission Regular meeting on July 13, 2022 ]
AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH OUR AGENDA, WHICH BEGINS WITH AN APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES.UH, WE ALL HAVE EITHER A COPY IN THE MEETING, INVITATION CALENDAR, HOLD ON OUTLOOK OR A PHYSICAL COPY IN FRONT OF US.
AFTER A BRIEF REVIEW, I LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE IN A SECOND COMMISSIONER.
IT NOT LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT ARE ACCEPTED AS, UM, AS PRESENTED PLEASE.
WE HAVE A MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
AND, UH, WE HAD A SECOND IN THE ROOM BY, UH, VICE CHAIR, APA DACA.
UH, SO WITH THAT THEN CAN HOLD A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES THAT'S PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND.
THEN THE MOVE THE MINUTES ARE, AND NO ONE'S UPSTANDING.
UH, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED IN FAVOR SIX, ZERO IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO, UM, APPROVE THE MINUTES.
WE'VE JUST BEEN JOINED BY COMMISSION YATES.
IF WE COULD JUST SEE YOUR, YOUR FACE AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADD YOU TO THE, TO THE VOTE COUNT FOR THESE MINUTES.
UH, SO COMMISSION YATES HAS ALSO VOTED, SO THAT MAKES OUR VOTE SEVEN, UH, IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO, UH, ZERO NEGATIVE AND ZERO ABSTAINING.
[2. Motion Media Arts Center (Austin School of Film + Austin Cinemaker Space) ~ Faiza Kracheni, Co-Executive Director & East Austin Native ]
WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD IN OUR AGENDA NOW TO STAFF AND COMMUNITY BRIEFINGS.UH, WE'RE JOINED BY SPECIAL GUESTS HERE, UH, AND I WANNA APOLOGIZE BECAUSE ALL OF OUR GUESTS ARE NOT LISTED, UH, BUT WE DO HAVE OTHERS IN THE ROOM.
SO I'LL ALLOW YOU A CHANCE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, UH, MOTION MEDIA ART CENTER IN THE AUSTIN FILM, SCHOOL OF FILM AND AUSTIN CINEMA MAKER SPACE, UH, FAA, CARI, CHENEY, UH, THE CO THE CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND EAST AUSTIN NATIVE, PLEASE COME ON UP.
AND ANYONE ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE, YOU'D LIKE, THEY'RE WELCOME TO JOIN YOU TOO.
SO IN THAT CASE WE DO JUST HAVE ONE SPEAKER.
PARDON ME? HELLO? OKAY, AWESOME.
HELLO, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
UM, I PUT TOGETHER A SLIDESHOW FOR TODAY JUST AS KIND OF A COMMUNITY UPDATE FROM OUR ORGANIZATION.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN MOTION,
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MEDIA ARTS CENTER IS A 20 YEAR RUNNING ARTS, NONPROFIT AND CULTURAL HUB LOCATED IN EAST AUSTIN.WE PROVIDE EDUCATION, WORKSPACES, FILM, VIDEO, AND STUDIOS, AND AT ALL AGES ARTS VENUE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF, UM, AND WHY I WAS SELF DESCRIBED AS AN EAST AUSTIN NATIVE IS I DO FEEL THAT IT'S VITAL TO OUR MISSION.
PUTTING ARTISTS SPECIFICALLY ARTISTS THAT ARE FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED, UH, SECTORS OF AUSTIN, UM, IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT MOTION MEDIA ART CENTER HAS DONE.
I'VE BEEN A DIRECTOR OF THE ORGANIZATION FOR THE PAST DECADE AND I HAVE BEEN THE CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE PAST YEAR.
UM, AND SO, YEAH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
UM, SO THIS IS A TIMELINE OF OUR ORGANIZATION, UM, FROM INCEPTION TO PRESENT DAY.
I DO WANNA NOTE THAT MOTION MEDIA ART CENTER WAS STARTED BY THE MERGING OF TWO EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE IN THE, IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
AND THE NINETIES ONE WAS CALLED CENTER FOR YOUNG CINEMA, WHICH WAS THE FIRST YEAR ROUND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 18 AKA YOUTH AND AUSTIN CINEMA MAKER CO-OP, WHICH WAS A COLLECTIVE OF ARTISTS THAT HAD, UM, SOME REALLY GREAT NOTABLE NAMES, UM, THAT WENT ON TO HAVE VERY FRUITFUL CAREERS.
UM, SO IN 2002, THEY ACTUALLY MERGED BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTH KIND OF SERVING THESE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS.
ONE WAS SERVING YOUTH, THE OTHER WAS SERVING ADULT AND THEY CREATED MOTION MEDIA ART CENTER.
UM, SO THEY OPENED ITS DOORS IN AUSTIN, IN EAST AUSTIN, PREMIERING AUSTIN'S VERY FIRST MEDIA ART CENTER THAT WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND THAT ALSO SERVED ALL AGES.
IN 2004, WE ACTUALLY CHANGED OUR NAME FROM MOTION MEDIA ARTS CENTER TO DO A DBA OF AUSTIN SCHOOL OF FILM BECAUSE FOLKS DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE WHAT MEDIA ARTS MEANT.
IT WAS STILL A VERY NEW TERM TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND USE MORE ACCESSIBLE LANGUAGE TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, SO IT WAS IN THE VERY ROOT OF AUSTIN.
SCHOOL OF FILM IS IT'S A YEAR ROUND CREW COMMUNITY FILM PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES EDUCATION FOR ALL AGES AND IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN LEARNING FILM, CREATIVE MEDIA, SOFTWARE TRAINING, AND SO FORTH CAN COME TO AUSTIN SCHOOL OF FILM.
AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE 2002, BUT FORMALLY AS AUSTIN SCHOOL OF FILM IN 2004, IN 2014, WHICH IS KIND OF A YEAR OR SO INTO, UM, MY JOURNEY WITH THE ORGANIZATION.
I BEGAN BETA TESTING, A PROGRAM THAT IS NOW CALLED AUSTIN CINEMA MAKER SPACE.
SO NOW THAT YOU HAVE SOME CONTEXT TO AUSTIN CENT MAKER, CO-OP, THAT'S WHERE AUSTIN CINEMA MAKER SPACE GETS ITS NAME FROM.
AND, UM, TO PUT IT SIMPLY, IT'S AN AFFORDABLE WORKSPACE AND STUDIO PROGRAM, BUT WE ALSO OPERATE AN ARTS VENUE AND ALL OF THESE, UM, PROGRAMS ARE ACTUALLY HOUSED, UM, IN A BUILDING THAT WE COMPLETELY RENOVATED.
IT'S AN EAST AUSTIN AT 2200 TILLERY STREET.
IT WAS AN OLD SCREEN PRINTING WAREHOUSE.
UM, WE SELF-FUNDED ALL OF THE FUNDS TO, UM, COMPLETELY REHAUL THE BUILDING, UM, CHANGE THE ZONING, ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO LAUNCH, UM, THIS NEW PROGRAM, AUSTIN CINEMA MAKER SPACE.
AND THE IDEA WAS HAVING BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS COEXIST IN THE SAME SPACE, SO THAT YOU HAD EMERGING TALENT AND ESTABLISHED TALENT IN ONE SPACE TOGETHER COEXISTING.
SO ORGANIC COMMUNITY IMPACTS WILL HAPPEN, BUT ALSO STUDENTS CAN SEE TALENT, UM, AND PROFESSIONALS WORKING.
AND THEN THOSE PROFESSIONALS CAN SEE EMERGING TALENT AND BRING THEM ON FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE ORGANIC, UM, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES.
WE DO OBVIOUSLY DO FORMAL NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THIS HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL FOR OUR STUDENTS TO SEE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOCAL IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WORK IN THE INDUSTRY QUITE LITERALLY WORKING.
SO THIS IS JUST OUR MISSION, UM, AND I'VE, YOU KNOW, SAID THIS IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN I'VE BEEN TALKING, BUT IF YOU'RE CURIOUS WHAT OUR MISSION IS, AND THE SECOND PART THAT'S IN BOLD IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US, WHICH IS CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITY THROUGH BREAKING BARRIERS AND BORDERS, UM, WITHIN THE ARTS, WHICH VERY SIMPLY PUT MEANS PROVIDING A SPACE THAT IS TRULY ACCESSIBLE USING ACCESSIBLE LANGUAGE, HAVING INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, AND THEN ALSO IT BEING AN ARTIST CONTROLLED ARTIST-LED ORGANIZATION.
SO THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TEACHING, WE'RE ALSO DOING OUTSIDE OF OUR WORK AT THE ORGANIZATION.
SO I, MYSELF, I'M A MUSICIAN, I'M A FILMMAKER AND I'M AN EDUCATOR AS WELL AS WHAT I DO AT THE NONPROFIT.
UM, SO THIS IS GONNA KIND OF GO INTO WHAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE.
UM, BUT I DO ALSO WANNA KNOW THAT, UM, THESE PROGRAMS AND SPECIFICALLY AUSTIN'S CINEMA MAKER SPACE AS WELL, WAS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE ONGOING CRISIS
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OF AFFORDABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY AND ACCESS TO LOW COST ALTERNATIVES IN THE AUSTIN AREA IN EDUCATION.YES, BUT ALSO IN CREATIVE SPACE, CREATIVE, FLEXIBLE SPACE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT ORGANIZATIONS, UM, THAT DO REALLY GREAT WORK IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
UM, BUT MOST OF THEM ARE ON SCOPE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE PARTICULAR TO A VERY SPECIFIC CRAFT WITHIN THE ARTS OR CREATIVE INDUSTRIES WHERE WE DO THINGS ON A SCALE.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST TEACHING FILM, WE'RE TEACHING CREATIVE MEDIA, WE'RE TEACHING SOFTWARE TRAINING.
WE WORK WITH THEATER GROUPS, DANCERS, NONPROFITS, UM, THAT ARE ALSO JUST NOT IN THE ARTS, BUT CREATIVE MEDIA IS A PART OF EVERY SINGLE INDUSTRY NOW.
THAT'S GOING TO CATER TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.
SO THE PROGRAMS, SORRY, NEXT SLIDE.
WE'VE PROVIDED CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, YOUTH EDUCATION, AND LEARNING PROGRAMS AND ART FILM AND CREATIVE NE TECHNOLOGY.
WE HAVE AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 5,005,000 STUDENTS PER YEAR THAT WE SERVED THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF KIND OF WHAT THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES.
SO WE HAVE CLASSES, WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE PROGRAM FOR ADULTS AND FILM PRODUCTION, EDITING, GRAPHIC DESIGN, AUDIO ANIMATION, ANALOG FILMMAKING, SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP.
WE ALSO HAVE YEAR, YEAR ROUND PROGRAMMING FOR, UM, YOUTH IN THOSE SAME AREAS.
WE ALSO LAUNCHED A FREE ANNUAL THREE MONTH FILM PRODUCTION INTENSIVE FOR ADULT EMERGING FILMMAKERS TO KIND OF GET THEM TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
AND WE ALSO OFFER CERTIFIED TRAINING.
SO THERE ARE SOME FOR-PROFIT COUNTERPARTS THAT ARE IN AUSTIN, WHERE THEIR CERTIFIED TRAINING IS UPWARDS TO 1200 TO $1,500.
UM, STUDENTS CAN COME AND GET CERTIFIED TRAINING AND CERTIFICATES AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF FILM FOR LITERALLY LESS THAN 10% OF THAT.
UM, AND WE ALSO PARTNER WITH AREA ORGANIZATIONS.
SO ALL OF THESE ARE CURRENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH.
SO L ONE SAMARIO, UM, WE DO A YEAR ROUND, UH, YOUTH MEDIA PROJECT WHERE WE ACTUALLY LEARN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT AREAS IN MEDIA ARTS, FROM PHOTOGRAPHY, AUDIO, STORYTELLING, FILMMAKING, UM, SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP.
WE HAVE A SCARY FILMMAKING WORKSHOP NEXT MONTH, UH, SAFE, UM, IS A NEW PARTNERSHIP AS WELL.
UM, WE WORKED WITH THEIR TEEN STUDENTS THIS SUMMER CREATIVE ACTION, HEADWATERS AND LAGUNA GLORIA ACTUALLY SUNDAY IS MUSEUM DAY, AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH LAGUNA, GLORIA AND THE CONTEMPORARY ON SOME SPECIAL PROGRAMMING.
SO ALL OF THESE, UM, PARTNERSHIPS ARE CENTERED IN EDUCATION SPECIFICALLY WITHIN FILM AND CREATIVE MEDIA.
SO THESE ARE JUST SOME PICTURES.
THIS IS A DIGITAL FILMMAKING CLASS.
THIS IS AN EIGHT WEEK CLASS FOR ADULTS.
THIS IS A SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP CLASS.
THESE ARE SOME CURRENT CLASSES.
I'M SURE YOU CAN SEE IT'S VERY TIMELY.
THEY HAVE MASKS ON NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO TO THE LEFT, WE HAVE ONE OF OUR SUMMER CAMPS AND TO THE RIGHT, THIS IS, UM, ONE COHORT FROM EL ONE NEXT SLIDE.
AND THEN THIS PHOTO IS ACTUALLY TAKEN ON MONDAY AND I INCLUDED IT IN HERE.
SO THIS IS OUR, UH, NEW COHORT FOR DIGITAL FILMMAKING, THE EIGHT WEEK CLASS.
AND SO THE REASON I INCLUDED THESE PHOTOS IS THAT SO YOU CAN SEE THE DIVERSITY AND AGES OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE TAKING CLASSES HERE.
I FEEL THAT PEOPLE HAVE, AS THEY THINK, IF THEY'RE GOING TO AN ENTRY LEVEL CLASS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE WITH PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18 AND 24.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THOSE AGE BRACKETS ARE VERY VAST, WHICH IS REALLY COOL AND A VERY BEAUTIFUL THING.
SO THIS IS AUSTIN CENTER MAKER SPACE.
SO THIS IS OUR NEWEST PROGRAM.
AND I SAY NEW IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR SEVEN YEARS.
UM, IT'S A, LOWCOST FREE PUBLIC WORKSPACE AND STUDIO PROGRAM.
UM, WE PROVIDE EITHER MONTHLY OR DROP, UM, LIKE DROP IN ACCESS TO EQUIPMENT, RESOURCES, VIDEO, AND PHOTO STUDIO, PUBLIC EVENTS.
AND WE ALSO RUN AN ALL AGES ARTS VENUE.
SO THE SPACE IS THE SPACE, BUT YOU HAVE STUDIOS THAT ARE CLASSROOM HYBRIDS.
SO IF YOU'RE TAKING A CAMERA WORKSHOP, IT'S GOING TO MEET A STUDIO ON THE NEXT DAY OR THE NEXT HOUR, SOMEONE MAY BE SHOOTING A MUSIC VIDEO OR DOING A PHOTO SHOOT, HAVING A TABLE READ OR HAVING A REHEARSAL.
AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO MAXIMIZE THE SPACE, OF COURSE, BECAUSE THE AFFORDABILITY AND THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR IN AUSTIN IS JUST AS DIRE AS THE RESIDENTIAL.
BUT ON TOP OF THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY, SEEING HOW YOU CAN UTILIZE RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE BY CREATING THEM FOR PEOPLE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IT SHOWS KIND OF WHAT WE DO.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THE LOW COST MEMBERSHIPS, WE ALSO HAVE 37 LOCAL SPONSORED ARTISTS AND SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE FREE ACCESS TO OUR
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SPACE.WE HAVE A DIFFERENT LOCAL RESIDENCY PROGRAM CALLED ARTIS IN MOTION THAT PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR ARTISTS WHO HAVE NEVER EXHIBITED WORK, THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY, UM, QUOTE UNQUOTE, LIKE MUSEUM OR GALLERY WORTHY, UM, MEANING THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF SYSTEMIC AND RACIAL BIASES ON HOW PEOPLE CREATE ART.
SO CREATING PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS, SORRY FOR ARTISTS THAT WOULDN'T TRADITIONALLY GET THE CHANCE TO BE IN A GALLERY BECAUSE MAYBE THEIR WORK IS, ARE PUSHING THE BOUNDARY.
AND IT'S ALSO, UM, PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON PAC ARTISTS, UM, IN THE AUSTIN AREA, WE ALSO PROVIDE ACCESS TO FOUR STUDIO SPACES, RANGING AND SIZES THAT COME WITH EQUIPMENT, ACCESSORIES AND ESSENTIALS, AND THEN OUR 4,300 SQUARE FOOT VENUE WORKSPACE HYBRID.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE PARTNER WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES TO PRODUCE FREE PUBLIC EVENTS YEAR ROUND.
SO THESE ARE WHERE OUR CLASSES HAPPEN FOR AUSTIN SCHOOL FILM, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY CAN ALSO BE USED AS STUDIOS.
SO WE HAVE A MUSIC VIDEO SHOOT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATION CALLED TRANS TEXAS.
THAT'S DOING AN INTERVIEW SERIES ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
UM, SO THIS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SHOOTS.
SO WE HAVE LADY EARTH, WHO'S A LOCAL RAPPER THAT SHOT A MUSIC VIDEO WITH US IN OUR BLACK BOX.
AND THEN WE HAVE A VINTAGE SHOP THAT WAS SHOOTING SOME OF THEIR CLOTHING.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, SMALL BUSINESSES ALSO CAN UTILIZE THESE SPACES.
SO NOW WE HAVE, UM, A, A LOCAL NONPROFIT DIRECTOR WHO RUNS DANCE, AFRICA FEST AND NIA DRUM AND DANCE, WHO HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF AUSTIN CINEMA MAKER SPACE FOR MANY YEARS NOW DOING AN INTERVIEW IN OUR CO-WORKING SLASH VENUE SPACE.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, WE HAVE A PHOTO SHOOT THAT'S HAPPENING, NEXT SLIDE.
I JUST WANNA KIND OF PAINT A PICTURE FOR Y'ALL BECAUSE I'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT WHAT THIS SPACE IS AND KIND OF SHOWN YOU AN ACTION, BUT HERE IS WHAT THE SPACE LOOKS LIKE.
AND THIS, I THINK THIS GOOGLE, UM, EARTH IS A LITTLE OLD, SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME BUILDINGS THAT ARE NEW, THAT AREN'T ON HERE.
SO THIS IS THE FLOOR PLAN OF OUR CURRENT AREA.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW IT'S LAID OUT.
UM, SO THE STUDIOS KIND OF SURROUND THIS OPEN VENUE SPACE AND THAT WAS, UM, PURPOSEFULLY KIND OF BUILT IN THAT WAY.
IT WAS REALLY A SHELL OF A BUILDING BEFORE WE GOT IT.
AND THEN HERE ARE SOME EVENTS HAPPENING IN THIS SPACE.
SO THIS IS AN IMMERS IMMERSIVE DIGITAL ARTS EXHIBITION.
AND THEN THIS IS A PERFORMANCE BY FRANK WOMAN.
THIS IS ANOTHER TYPE OF EVENT CALLED EXPLODED DRAWING.
THIS IS MAMA DUKE, WHO WAS JUST ON THE COVER OF THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE AND THEY SHOT THE COVER, THE COVER AT AUSTINSON MAKERSPACE.
UM, AND THEN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, WE HAVE A FILM SHOOT WITH A REALLY COOL DISCO BALL, NEXT SLIDE.
SO THESE ARE THE SAME AREAS, BUT WITH CLASSES SO THAT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW THEY CAN TRANSFORM.
SO WE HAVE A CAMERA WORKSHOP AND THEN WE HAVE THE L BLEND STUDENTS IN THE GALLERY VENUE SPACE.
WE HAVE THE BTS OF LADY EARTH IN THE BLACK BOX, AND THEN THE BTS OF TC SUPERSTAR, WHICH IS A LOCAL BAND THAT ALSO SHOT WITH US NEXT SLIDE, UM, SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKEUP, AND A YOUTH MEDIA WORKSHOP, SAME EXACT ROOMS THAT YOU'RE SEEING THOSE MUSIC VIDEO SHOT, NEXT SLIDE.
UM, SO I WANTED TO COME HERE TO TALK WITH Y'ALL BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT AND, UM, A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN AUSTIN AND THE GLOBE.
AND SO I WANTED TO, UM, COME HERE AND SPEAK AND KIND OF GIVE YOU THE VELOCITY OF THINGS THAT I ALWAYS SAY THAT WORD WRONG, SORRY,
OH, NO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING, UH, FOR YOUR TENURED PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH WE'VE AS A COMMISSION, UH, BEEN HONORED TO STEWARD THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM AND HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED TO WORK WITH YOU, UH, AS A RECIPIENT OF THAT OVER THE YEARS, AND SEEING SOME OF THE PROGRAMS IN THE SLIDES OF COURSE, IS, IS ALSO REASSURING.
I KNOW I'VE GOT A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS.
UH, I'D LIKE TO, IF I COULD, UH, BEGIN BY ASKING FRANKLY, UH, I'M THINKING OF A FEW DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PLANNING AS A COMMISSION WHERE COLLABORATION WOULD REALLY MAKE SENSE,
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BUT WE DON'T WANNA LEAD WITH, UH, WITH ALL THE IDEAS.UH, YOU, YOU MAY ACTUALLY HAVE SOME THINGS IN MIND ALREADY.
UH, I'D LIKE TO KIND BASICALLY GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO HOW AS A COMMISSION, WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT THE MOTION MEDIA ARTS CENTER AND, AND ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING IN YOUR PROGRAMS BEYOND OF COURSE, G TOPS AND THINGS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING.
WHOA, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, BUT I KNOW THAT WE ALWAYS NEED HELP IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
UM, THE MAIN THING, I THINK THAT BOS US DOWN AS A COMMUNITY, UM, AND I'M JUST GONNA BE VERY, UM, FRANK WITH THIS IS OUR RENT AT OUR FACILITY CONTINUES TO RISE.
AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE PAYING $22,000 A MONTH, $22,000 A MONTH.
AND DURING THE PANDEMIC, UM, NONE OF OUR RENT WAS FORGIVEN.
WE HAD TO PAY ALL OF IT BACK TO OUR LANDLORD.
AND SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER $200,000 A YEAR THAT COULD BE IN REINVESTED INTO THE COMMUNITY, REINVESTED INTO JOBS THAT IS LITERALLY JUST GOING TO PAY RENT.
UM, WE TOOK THIS BUILDING THAT WAS ABANDONED.
IT WAS QUITE LITERALLY ABANDONED AND WE REDEVELOPED IT.
WE SPENT ABOUT $500,000 ON THE INITIAL BUILD OUT AND TO DATE, WE'VE PROBABLY PUT CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS INTO IT.
AND OUR LEASE IS ACTUALLY EXPIRING.
WE HAD A 10 YEAR LEASE, SO IT'S ACTUALLY EXPIRING IN 2025.
SO AT THAT POINT, OUR LEASE WILL GO TO MARKET RATE WHO KNOWS WHAT MARKET RATE IS GOING TO BE AT THAT POINT.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING IS WE'VE KIND OF BUILT A LOT WITH HAVING VERY LITTLE, UM, WHICH IS SOMETHING I'M REALLY PROUD OF.
UM, AND THE PROGRAMS ARE SUCCESSFUL, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THESE MARKET RATES.
SO ANY ASSISTANCE ON WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE IN ANY TYPE OF WAY, UM, WE JUST NEED GUIDANCE AND KEEPING THESE PROGRAMS ALIVE AND KEEPING THE WORK, YOU KNOW, THAT I'VE DONE FOR EAST AUSTIN.
I JUST WANNA SAY BECAUSE I AM FROM EAST AUSTIN.
SO I AM REALLY, UH, PERSONALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS, UM, KEEPING IT THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE I SEE THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON PEOPLE, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, YOUTH, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT THE ADULTS THAT ARE COMING AND HAVING ACCESS TO TOOLS, EQUIPMENT, AND PEOPLE WITH NO JUDGMENT.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE HIGHEST PRIORITY THING ON OUR LIST, BUT I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
UH, CAUSE THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PRIORITY.
UH, FA I MEAN, I, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAD IN MIND AND THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AT, AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON TRYING TO GIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS A CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND TO, UH, REALLY DIRECTLY CONNECT WITH THEM IN THAT CHAIR EXPERIENCE.
UH, WE'VE HOSTED A VARIETY OF TOWN HALLS FOCUSED ON THIS COLLABORATING CURRENTLY WITH THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LIBRARY COMMISSION TO DO THAT.
UH, WE'RE ALSO, UH, EXPANDING THAT FOCUS TO INCLUDE THE COUNTY AND FRANKLY, UH, HAVE BEEN IDEATING ON MORE AND MORE SPACES WHERE THOSE CONVENINGS AND THOSE CONNECTIONS CAN HAPPEN.
UH, AND, UH, I COULDN'T THINK OF, UH, A BETTER SPACE THAN THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE THERE, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT SUITED TO NOT JUST CONVENE, BUT ALSO CAPTURE AND TO REDISTRIBUTE THAT LIVED EXPERIENCE SHARING IN A WAY, UH, IN FACT, UH, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS IN OUR EXERCISE AT THE LIBRARIES AND CAPTURING THAT CONTENT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, NATURALLY THEN I CAN IMAGINE YOU BEING A WONDERFUL HOST FOR THOSE SAME TYPES OF CONVERSATIONS.
SO ALTHOUGH WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT IT MORE, UH, IN THE SUBSTANTIVE PART OF OUR MEETING, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AND TO EXTEND THE INVITATION, TO JOIN US AT A WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION, TO IDEATE ON WAYS TO ENGAGE IN THAT CONVERSATION AND, AND, AND TO LIFT UP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND ALSO ELEVATE THE VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY.
YEAH, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE THAT.
WELL, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO OTHER QUESTIONS AND OTHER COMMENTS I'VE GOT, UH, NOD HERE FROM VICE CHAIR, DACA.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND JUST LOOKING AT THE PICTURES, IT LOOKS LIKE SUCH A FUN DYNAMIC SPACE.
I HOPE YOU'LL INVITE US TO TOUR THE FACILITY AT SOME POINT.
UM, IF, IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S AN OPTION OR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US, UM, I DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
JUST CURIOUS, UM, WONDERING WHAT MARKETING OR ADVERTISEMENT, UH, STRATEGY YOU CAN SPEAK TO FOR THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT, THAT YOU HAVE GOING ON AT THE CENTER.
YEAH, SO I BELIEVE THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE ALL TYPES OF MARKETING.
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WE DO, WE HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, OF COURSE, AND THAT'S HOW WE CAN KIND OF, UH, CROSS, YOU KNOW, CROSS MARKET IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEMOGRAPHICS.SO LIKE FOR INSTANCE, EL ONE SAMARIO IS NOT AN ARTS ORGANIZATION.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ORGANIZATION.
UM, THE CONTEMPORARY IS VISUAL ART, WHICH, YOU KNOW, CAN TEETER ON MEDIA ARTS, BUT IS, IS DIFFERENT.
UM, THEN ALSO WE HAVE A VERY STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE JC BROOK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH WE ACTUALLY HOST, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AT OUR FACILITY BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF IT ALSO.
UM, AND THEN, UM, ON TOP OF THAT, WE DO HAVE A VERY ROBUST, UH, DIGITAL MARKETING, UM, BOTH ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND TIKTOK JUST SAYING TIKTOK IS GREAT FOR INFORMATION INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, OF COURSE, OUR WEBSITE, UM, AND THEN JUST ORGANICALLY IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OUR SPACE IS ARTISTS CONTROLLED.
AND BECAUSE THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING AT THIS SPACE ARE FILMMAKERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, SO FORTH, WE'RE GOING INTO OTHER THINGS WE'RE TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT THIS SPACE.
SO LIKE GOOD OLD FASHION, TALKING TO PEOPLE, UM, GOING AROUND TO THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE AROUND OUR AREA AND ENGAGING WITH THEM, INVITING THEM TO THINGS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE OUR IMPACT EVENTS, WHICH ARE ALWAYS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SO 99.9% OF OUR EVENTS ACTUALLY, I THINK PROBABLY A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SO IT GIVES FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN FILM OR INTERESTED IN ART, OR MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN IT TO SEE, AND ACTUALLY ENGAGE WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND LOCAL FILMMAKERS, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT CAN BE VERY INSPIRING TO SOMEBODY AND ATTAINABLE.
COMMISSION SKU TO GO RIGHT AHEAD.
SO, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION, BUT, UH, I WANT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, APPLAUD THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I'M SO IMPRESSED BY THE PRESENTATION.
BUT AS FAR AS FUND, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU'RE, YOU HAVE, UH, YOU ARE LIMITED BY YOUR FUNDS.
YOU HAVE $400,000 GOING OUT IN RENT.
YOU'VE ALREADY SPENT OVER CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS IN UPGRADING THE FACILITY.
AND WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOUR LEASE RUNS OUT, IT COULD RISE FROM 200 TO MAYBE 500.
SO HAVE YOU CONSIDERED FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES GIVEN THAT YOU'RE A C3 ORGANIZATION, LOT OF CORPORATIONS LIKE TO SPONSOR ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THIS, IT LOOKS GOOD ON THEIR, UH, LEDGER THAT THEY'RE SUPPORTING THESE KINDS OF COMMUNITY, UH, ORGANIZATIONS ALSO, HAVE YOU CONTACTED THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, UH, POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, FUNDING PART OR ALL OF YOUR, UH, NEEDS? YEAH, SO WE HAVEN'T CONTACTED THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, BEEN SPEAKING TO THIS FOR A WHILE, NOT TO THIS COMMISSION, BUT TO THE ARTS COMMISSION ABOUT KIND OF OUR STRIFE AND AFFORDABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY IN AUSTIN, WE HAVE DONE FUNDRAISING, BUT I THINK SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND JUST ABOUT US IN GENERAL IS WE DON'T HAVE LARGE DONORS.
WE DON'T, WE SERVE THE WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY.
WE SERVE LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO THAT IS OUR DEMOGRAPHIC.
AND SO THEN TRYING TO FUNDRAISE WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING IN THIN MARGINS IS PRETTY IMPOSSIBLE AND ETHICALLY, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM EAST AUSTIN, COMING FROM A LOW INCOME FAMILY, UM, KNOWING THAT PRESSURE, UM, IS DIFFICULT.
UM, SO MAYBE WE JUST DON'T KNOW THE RIGHT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPENDABLE INCOME, UM, WE DON'T, UM, YOU KNOW, WE TRY, WE TRY, BUT FUNDRAISING IS REALLY HARD AND I WE'RE WORKING ON A VERY TIGHT BUDGET.
UM, SO ALL OF OUR TIME TYPICALLY GOES TO THE PROGRAMMING ITSELF.
AND I KNOW THIS IS LIKE A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD.
I REALIZED THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING BOTH.
IT'S REALLY HARD BECAUSE WE'RE SMALL STAFFED.
SO IF I'M NOT DIRECTLY WORKING ON THE PROGRAMS OR GRANT FUNDING, SOMETHING MAY SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS AND YOU KNOW, MAYBE THIS ISN'T THE, THE MOST ELOQUENT ANSWER, BUT IT'S HONEST.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A LARGE DONOR BASE, UH, OR WE HAVE A LARGE DONOR BASE, BUT THESE DONORS ARE, YOU KNOW, DONATING FIVE, $10, NOT $5,000, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, SORRY TO, YOU KNOW, BE, DELIVER THE POINT.
I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO GO AFTER THE PEOPLE WHO YOU ARE CATERING TO.
I AGREE THAT, THAT YOU ARE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SERVING THE LOW INCOME COMMUNITY, BUT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, DEEP POCKETS I'M SAYING GO AFTER THOSE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF GENEROUS PEOPLE IN THIS CITY WITH DEEPER POCKETS.
[00:30:01]
CORPORATIONS, THE LARGE CORPORATIONS, THE MULTINATIONALS, THEY'RE ALSO INTERESTED IN PROMOTING THIS KIND OF ORGANIZATION THAT ENRICHES THE LIVES OF PEOPLE.SO, AND ALSO BY THE WAY, THERE ARE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE IN FUNDRAISING.
YOU'D BE AMAZED AT HOW MANY AVENUES THEY CAN OPEN UP FOR YOU.
YOU SHOULD AT LEAST START A DIALOGUE WITH A PROFESSIONAL FUNDRAISER.
IS THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS ONLINE COMMISSIONER YATES? YES, PLEASE.
UH, YOU DO SOME FANTASTIC WORK HERE AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, MONEY IS TIGHT.
I WAS WONDERING FIRST, UM, DO YOU DO ANY COLLABORATION WITH THE AUSTIN PUBLIC AT, UH, NORTHWESTERN AND 12TH? AND MY SECOND QUESTION IS HOW DO CITIZEN, WHAT IS THE SEQUENCE OF STEPS IT WOULD TAKE FOR CITIZENS TO ACCESS YOUR RESOURCES? YES.
SO, UM, THE QUESTION WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC, UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY TALKING TO RITA WHO IS THE NEW, UH, EDUCATION DIRECTOR ON EVENT.
BUT PRIOR TO THAT, UM, WE HAVEN'T HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC.
UM, I WILL PUT IT IN THERE, UM, THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THE BID WHEN IT CAME UP.
UM, BUT WE ACTUALLY KEPT CHECKING THE WEBSITE AND IT WASN'T UPDATED.
AND THEN THE BID SLIPPED THROUGH.
UM, SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO DO THIS YEAR AND I MISSED IT AT ABOUT A MONTH, UM, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT WE WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT FIT BECAUSE A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING VERY MUCH OVERLAPS WITH THE MISSION FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC, UM, NUMBER TWO IS, UM, HOW DO PEOPLE ACCESS THE INFORMATION? WELL, THEY CAN CALL, UM, AND INQUIRE ABOUT INFORMATION, INQUIRE ABOUT A CLASS OR A TOUR OF THE FACILITY, OR THEY CAN SIGN UP DIRECTLY ON OUR WEBSITE.
THAT'S LITERALLY HOW EASY IT IS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE OPEN HOUSE EVENTS, UM, THAT WE HOST YEAR ROUND OR JUST EVENTS IN GENERAL, UM, WHERE FOLKS CAN JUST COME IN AND AT THESE EVENTS, I'M THERE.
OUR STAFF IS THERE AND ACTUALLY OUR EDUCATORS AND OTHER ARTISTS AND MEMBERS ARE THERE.
AND SO I WILL SPEAK, I WILL TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAMS, UM, AND THEN FOLKS CAN ASK QUESTIONS.
SO THERE'S MULTIPLE DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE CAN CALL.
THEY CAN DO IT BY EMAIL OR ON THE WEBSITE, OR THEY CAN PHYSICALLY JUST COME TO A FREE EVENT TO CHECK IT OUT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
IN FACT, UH, I WANNA CLARIFY SOMETHING I MISSPOKE EARLIER.
IT WAS ACTUALLY OUR PARTNER, AUSTIN PUBLIC.
WE WORKED WITH ON THAT EARLIER TOWN HALL.
UH, BUT THE SYSTEMATICAL NATURE, OBVIOUSLY IT'S JUST BEEN RELAYED, SO I STILL WANNA MAKE SURE IT EXTENDED INVITATION TO JOIN US AT THE WORKING GROUP LEVEL.
AND LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME WAYS WE CAN WORK TOGETHER.
ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS ONLINE? OKAY.
WITH THAT THEN LET'S UH, THANK OUR SPEAKER FOR JOINING US TODAY.
AGAIN, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO BEING IN TOUCH AND, UH, YOUR WORK CONTINUING IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.
[3. Grant for Technology Opportunities Program – GTOPs Connect Update (Jesse Rodriguez, Program Manager) ]
WITH THAT.WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE WITH OUR AGENDA NOW TO AGENDA ITEM TWO, THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM G TOPS CONNECT UPDATE BY JESSE RODRIGUEZ, OUR PROGRAM MANAGER, HELLO COMMISSIONERS, JESSE RODRIGUEZ WITH FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
UH, I HAVE A VERY LIGHTNING STYLE UPDATE FOR YOU ALL.
AND AS IT RELATES TO THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM, UM, AS Y'ALL MIGHT KNOW, THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR HAVING A G TOPS CONNECT PATHWAY FOR G TOPS.
AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO HELP CONNECT AUSTINITES WHO NEED INTERNET AND DON'T HAVE IT AND QUALIFY FOR THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, THIS GRANT IS TO HELP GET THOSE FOLKS CONNECTED.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO LET THE COMMISSION KNOW THAT WE ARE IN THE WE'LL HAVE A SIGNED CONTRACT BY THE END OF THIS WEEK FOR THAT.
AND AUSTIN FREENET IS GOING TO BE PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES TO HELP AUSTIN KNIGHT SIGN UP FOR ACP BENEFITS.
UM, BUT THE WORK IS ONGOING NOW, SO I DIDN'T WANNA WAIT
SO IF YOU ALL KNOW OF ANY PLACES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE AUSTIN FREENET TO REACH OUT TO, OR, OR METHODS FOR US TO REACH OUT TO FOLKS THAT HAVE INTERNET OR THAT NEED INTERNET, UH, AND MAY QUALIFY FOR ACP, LET US KNOW.
WE WOULD LOVE TO CONNECT WITH, UH, ANY OF Y'ALL FOR ANY IDEAS YOU MIGHT HAVE ON HOW TO SPREAD THE WORD, UM, AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, BE WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO GET FOLKS CONNECTED WITH INTERNET, UM, SUBSCRIPTIONS.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT'S MY UPDATE, BUT, UM, OPEN ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY, THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
UH, I KNOW THAT I CAN ALREADY ENVISION, AS YOU COULD IMAGINE, SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR
[00:35:01]
THOSE TABLING AND RESOURCE ENGAGEMENTS, WHETHER IT'S AT THE TOWN HALLS OR WE'RE PLANNING OR, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK EVENTS THAT ARE FORTHCOMING.UH, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR, OR FEEDBACK FOR JESSE? OKAY, WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE LIGHTNING.
[4. FCC Broadband Standards (Discussion and Action) ]
THAT, THEN WE'LL GOUH, SO THERE'S BEEN, UH, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A, A LOT OF ATTENTION, UH, FOCUSED ON BROADBAND STANDARDS, UH, NOW AT THE NATIONWIDE LEVEL, AS OF LATE, AND WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IT AND FOCUSED ON IT REALLY FOR SOME TIME.
NOW, AT LEAST FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, UH, GOING BACK TO THE EARLY BEGINNINGS PRIOR TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE, UH, STATE BDO, UH, PLAN, BUT IN, IN, SO DOING, WE AGREED AS A COMMISSION THAT THE CURRENT FCC STANDARDS WERE INADEQUATE AND THAT WE SHOULD CREATE A CITYWIDE STANDARD.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, UH, THE FCC HAS BASICALLY CONFIRMED.
THEY AGREE, UH, AND, UH, ALTHOUGH THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY HEAR IT FROM US, MAYBE THEY DID, WHO KNOWS, BUT, UH, THE POINT, THE POINT IS THAT THEY'RE ON THE SAME PAGE NOW, AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO AMEND THOSE STANDARDS.
WELL, THE PRIOR STANDARDS, WE WENT INTO DETAIL, UH, IN LENGTH ABOUT, UH, WHAT THEY WERE INITIALLY OFFERING AND UP AND DOWN AND WHAT THAT MEANT AND DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES INVOLVED AND DIFFERENT TESTING MODALITIES.
AND THEN WE AGREED IN OUR LAST DISCUSSION, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON WHAT WE AGREED TO IN THE MEETING MINUTES IS MENTIONED THAT WE WERE ALL, UM, OBLIGATED TO SEND IN OUR IDEAS ON BROADBAND STANDARDS.
RIGHT? THE, THE, THE MOTION WAS AGREED TO ASSIGN HOMEWORK TO EACH COMMISSIONER TO SEND QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK, UH, TO OUR COMMISSION LIAISON REGARDING THE CREATION OF BROADBAND STANDARDS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO I KNOW THAT I SUBMITTED SOME QUESTIONS, UH, AND SHARED THOSE WITH JESSE.
UH, DOES ANYONE ELSE KNOW IF THEY WERE ABLE TO SUBMIT ANY QUESTIONS YET OR TO MAKE ANY PROGRESS ON THAT? DO WE NEED TO BE, UM, MORE SPECIFIC AS LIKE WHAT, UH, WHAT STANDARDS WE'RE LOOKING FOR? UM, SO IS IT ONLY BANDWIDTH THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN AND THEN WOULD THIS BE A STANDARD BANDWIDTH, MINIMUM BANDWIDTH FOR WHAT, FOR SCHOOL, FOR WORK FOR CITY SERVICES ACCESS? UM, IS THERE, IS THERE SOMETHING MORE THAT, THAT WE NEED TO SPECIFY IN ORDER TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS? WELL, I, I THINK THE, THE, ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU RAISED BASICALLY WERE, UH, GOOD QUESTIONS TO POTENTIALLY INCLUDE.
SO WHAT WE WERE, WHAT WE AGREED TO DO WAS TO BASICALLY START ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS AND TO START CREATING A COLLECTIVE LIST, UH, THAT JESSE WOULD BE ABLE TO AGGREGATE.
I, I DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD, I HAD, UH, MENTIONED SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND, UH, I THOUGHT I WAS DONE.
SO I DIDN'T DO DOCUMENTED, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DOCUMENT THEM WELL,
YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE ALL, WE'RE ALL BUSY PEOPLE.
[00:40:01]
UH, AND, UH, AND IN FACT, SOMETIMES, UH, THE, THE TIME THAT TAKES PLACE, THAT THE LAG, WE GAIN INSIGHTS THAT HELP TO INFORM OUR QUESTIONS, UH, BETTER.AND, AND IN FACT, UH, THE FCC HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE.
SO IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT EVEN IF WE WERE TO START DOING HOMEWORK NOW AND THEN BE ABLE TO THEN FORWARD THOSE QUESTIONS AHEAD OF OUR NEXT MEETING, THAT WE'D HAVE ADDITIONAL INSIGHT THAT WE COULD HAVE GAINED.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IN A MEETING THAT I HAD YESTERDAY, UH, WITH RONDELLA, UH, AS I CONVEYED IN THE WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION AFTER, UH, TO A FEW OF YOU THAT WERE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION, THE FCC CAME UP AS PART OF A DISCUSSION REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE, WE NOW KNOW WE HAVE TWO CONTACTS THAT ARE DESIGNATED, UH, FCC, UH, COORDINATORS.
LET ME, IN FACT, LET, I DON'T WANNA MIS MISSPEAK.
SO LEMME TELL YOU EXACTLY AS IT'S PERTINENT TO THIS CONVERSATION, SPECIFICALLY, MIKE SIMPSON, UH, THE WIRELESS PROGRAM SERVICES MANAGER AND FCC REGULATORY AFFAIRS COORDINATOR FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SERVICES, UH, DIVISION OF CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, WE AGREED IN OUR DISCUSSION AT THE WORKING GROUP LEVEL TO INVITE SIMPSON TO COME JOIN A WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION TO THEN IMPART SOME INSIGHT INTO THE, THE CURRENT STANDARDS AND, UH, OUR CURRENT CAPABILITIES, AS THEY'RE LITERALLY EVALUATING BEGINNING, UH, EARLY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MAKING SOME TYPE OF UPGRADE IN THEIR SYSTEMS. SO I THINK THAT WE'LL HAVE MORE INSIGHT, UH, TO INFORM OUR QUESTIONS, A BIG PART OF IT, JUST TO BE CLEAR TOO, IS TO START TO CREATE, UH, THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT EVENTUALLY ONCE WE HAVE, UH, OUR STRUCTURE IN MIND THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, A DESCRIPTION FOR WORK OR FOR, UH, FOR EDUCATION OR FOR ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS, UH, ONCE WE HAVE AGREED UPON THOSE, THOSE DETAILS, WE'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO, UH, EXCUSE ME, WELL, WE'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME SERIOUS, UH, PROGRESS.
UH, WE, WE WE'LL BASICALLY BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT LIVING DOCUMENT AND SHARPEN IT UP AND THEN PUT THAT IN FRONT OF THE PROVIDERS HERE.
UH, CUZ THAT WAS, AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS WAS LEADING TO, TO ENABLE US IN CREATING THE STANDARD, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT CAPABILITY BASED AND INFORMED FROM INPUT FROM LOCAL CARRIERS.
SO EVENTUALLY THIS DOCUMENT WILL BE DISPERSED BY, BY VIRTUE OF THE LIAISON TO ALL THE CARRIERS.
SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS, AS YOU ALL WORK, UH, TOWARDS CREATING THOSE QUESTIONS IN THE FUTURE, UH, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A BRIEF, UH, RUNDOWN OF, OF, OF MINE, THE ONES THAT I SHARED WITH JESSE, UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WELL, RATHER THAN TO SPEND MORE TIME LOOKING, UH, I'LL JUST READ THE ONES.
I KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD THAT CAME TO MIND.
SO AS, AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, WORKING TO TRY TO GET SOME TYPE OF, UH, QUANTIFICATION OF, UH, THE COST OF BROADBAND SERVICE, YOU KNOW, BASED UPON THE AMOUNT OF DATA, RIGHT? SO WE ALL KNOW THERE'S DIFFERENT PRICES FOR DIFFERENT SERVICE, UH, PACKAGES.
WELL, CAN WE GET THE PROVIDERS OR, UH, INSIGHT INTO WHAT AN AVERAGE IS, UH, FOR MEGABIT PER SECOND UP AND DOWN THAT THIS IS ONE, ONE EXAMPLE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY COMPARE WITH DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES, DIFFERENT WAYS OF ACCESS, WHAT THE COST IS OF AFFORDABLE, UH, BROADBAND AND OR WHAT THE COST IS, IF IT IS AFFORDABLE, THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE, UH, AND THAT WAS WITHOUT FOCUSING ON EDUCATION NECESSARILY OR INSTITUTIONS AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
[00:45:01]
WHAT I WOULD MOVE THEN, UH, IS FOR US TO THEN RESUME OUR EFFORT ON, ON THAT HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT, IF I'VE GOT A SECOND AND, AND WE CAN AGREE TO, TO PUT IN A LITTLE RESEARCH AND TO THEN PUT THOSE QUESTIONS TO PAPER, UH, AND THEN SHARE THOSE, UH, WITH JESSE.SO HE CAN AGGREGATE, I HAVE SOME QUESTION FIRST HERE.
UH, SO ORIGINALLY THIS COMMISSION WAS INVESTIGATING STANDARDS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE TO FACILITATE MORE BROADBAND ROLLOUTS.
AND WOULD THIS BE PART OF THIS OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE SEPARATE NOW? UH, I DON'T SEE THIS AS A SEPARATE EFFORT AND I THINK IT'S PART OF THIS.
SO, UM, WE HAD ORIGINALLY, UM, BEEN TALKING WITH SOME OF THE, UH, INSTITUTIONS THAT WERE TRYING TO CREATE INFRASTRUCTURE STANDARDS FOR ANTENNA SYSTEMS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO WOULD WE CONTINUE WITH THIS, UH, WITH LOOKING AND RESEARCHING ON THESE INFRASTRUCTURE STANDARDS? UH, CAN, CAN YOU CONFIRM, UH, WHICH POINT YOU'RE REFERRING TO THIS INFRASTRUCTURE CONVERSATION AND WHICH ONE? OKAY.
IT'S THE, UH, THAT, UH, THE PINS, THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK KNOWS.
AND, UH, THERE WAS, UH, SOME, UH, SOME RESEARCH THAT WAS BEING DONE HERE AT AUSTIN ON THAT.
WELL, THAT IS A SEPARATE CONVERSATION THEN, UH, BECAUSE THIS, THIS WAS SOMETHING WHICH WE WERE FOCUSED ON AHEAD OF, UH, REVAMPING THE DIGITAL INCLUSION, STRATEGIC PLAN AND WANTING TO ESTABLISH A PARAMETER, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AN ESSENTIAL STANDARD BASED UPON JUST NEEDS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, I THINK THE INFRASTRUCTURE PIECE IS, IS SEPARATE AND ALSO A SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM FOR US, UH, AGENDA ITEM SIX.
SO WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE THAT AS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION, BUT, UH, THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE FCC BROADBAND STANDARDS PIECE.
UH, SO WE CAN, UH, DISCUSS THAT SEPARATELY THEN.
SO DO I HAVE A, A, A SECOND FOR, UH, I, I GUESS BASICALLY A, A RENEWAL OF OUR LAST AGREED UPON MOTION TO, TO SEND QUESTIONS, UH, AND, AND FEEDBACK REGARDING THE CREATION OF BROADBAND STANDARDS, UH, TO JESSE, WOULD YOU REPEAT THE MOTION? I DIDN'T SURE.
UH, I MADE A MOTION, UH, FOR US TO, UH, REENGAGE IN OUR HOMEWORK TO, AS COMMISSIONERS TO SEND QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK TO JESSE REGARDING THE CREATION OF BROADBAND STANDARDS FOR THE CITY.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND, UH, THAT I MADE AND A SECOND ABOUT COMMISSIONER DUST SCOTA SO ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, USING THIS NEXT MONTH TO RESUME THIS HOMEWORK EFFORT REGARDING BROADBAND STANDARDS AND TO SEND QUESTIONS TO JESSE, UH, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND.
IS THERE ANYONE PUT, OKAY, GREAT.
IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY.
SO NOW WE'VE BEEN JOINED ALSO BY COMMISSIONER ISLAND.
UH, SO SHE'S NOW OFFICIALLY PART OF THE VOTE AND, UH, THAT BRINGS OUR VOTE TO SEVEN IN FAVOR, ZERO, OPPOSED.
PARDON ME? THAT'S EIGHT
[5. The Digital Inclusion Strategic Plan (Discussion and Action)]
RIGHT.SO WITH THAT, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN OUR AGENDA AGENDA, ITEM FIVE, THE DIGITAL INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN, AND FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM, UH, WE HAVE A DRAFT RESOLUTION THAT IS STILL ALSO, UH, IN DRAFT MODE AND NOT QUITE READY FOR, UH, COMPLETE SHARE OUT.
UH, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO SHARE OUR DISCUSSION FROM THE WORKING GROUP AND THE PROGRESS THAT WE MADE AND
[00:50:01]
ANALYZING OF THE APPROACH TO IT.AND I'LL, AND I'LL SHARE THAT NOW.
SO, AS WE ALL KNOW, UH, UH, THE, THIS COMMISSION WAS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF THE 2014 DIGITAL INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED, UH, ALONG WITH TARA AND OUR DECCA PARTNERS, UH, IN OVERSEEING THE ACTIVE, UH, UTILIZATION OF THAT PLAN AND, UH, THE EVOLVING, UH, THE EVOLUTION OF THAT PLAN.
WELL, NOW THAT WE'RE IN THIS KEY PHASE OF FEDERAL AND STATE PLANNING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND DIGITAL EQUITY, UH, PARTICULARLY FUNDING, UH, THROUGH A VARIETY OF SOURCES, UH, WE'VE AGREED TO SHOW, UH, LEADERSHIP AS A COMMISSION TO ENCOURAGE, UH, THE CITY TO BEGIN, UH, THAT PROCESS AGAIN.
AND WE'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT THAT.
SO AND SO DOING, UH, WE'VE AGREED TO, TO CREATE A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THAT AGAIN, THIS IS STILL IN DRAFT, BUT IT DOES ADDRESS THE, THE FACT, UH, BASED NARRATIVE, UH, THAT SPEAKS TO THIS PLAN AND, AND RESOLUTION AND WHY IT, IT IS.
AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO JUST PART OF THAT NOW, WHEREAS OUR STATE OF VISION IS FOR AUSTIN TO BE A BEACON OF SUSTAINABILITY, SOCIAL EQUITY AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY WHERE DIVERSITY AND CREATIVITY, OUR CELEBRATED COMMUNITY NEEDS AND VALUES ARE RECOGNIZED WHERE LEADERSHIP COMES FROM ITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND WHERE THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE ARE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION CTT C WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE CREATION OF THE DIGITAL INCLUSION, STRATEGIC PLAN THAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED ON NOVEMBER 20TH OF 20,000, UH, AND 14, UH, WHEREAS THE ACTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE DIGITAL INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE OFFICE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS, THE CTT C AND THE DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN, UH, HAS IDENTIFIED THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AS HISTORICALLY ROOTED A HISTORICALLY ROOTED CHALLENGE TO OUR STATED VISION, WHICH REQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IN BOTH PHYSICAL AND DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO BRIDGE.
UH, WHEREAS, UH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH, UH, WE'VE ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO ON THE RECORD BEFORE.
AND, UH, SO I'D LIKE TO KIND OF ZOOM AHEAD TO THE PART WHERE WE THEN ADDRESS, UH, THE, THE NEED TO HANDLE IN A, IN A CERTAIN WAY.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TOOK PLACE IN OUR WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION, UH, WE DID A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, WHICH MADE REFERENCE TO THE STEERING COMMITTEE THAT WAS CREATED TO, TO CREATE THE PLAN.
AND WE ARRIVED AT A CONSENSUS, UH, THAT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO INCLUDE CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS TO DES PRESCRIBE CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS AS BEING ESSENTIAL TO INCLUSION IN THAT STEERING COMMITTEE.
EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THE RESOLUTION ITSELF IS A STATIC DOCUMENT.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE STEERING COMMITTEE, UH, VERY MUCH LIKE, UH, THE DIGITAL INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN IS AN ACTIVE AND, UH, LIVING ENTITY AND WOULD NECESSARILY NEED TO GROW AND, AND ADAPT AS DIFFERENT RESOURCES BECAME AVAILABLE VERY MUCH LIKE OUR CURRENT PLAN HAS.
AND SO, UH, THAT, THAT'S THE REASON WHY, UH, A LOT OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE I THINK WILL BE CAPTURED IN, UH, WILL BE UPLIFTED IN THE NEW PLAN AS, AS, AS BEING EFFECTIVE AND, OR PERHAPS THINGS THAT WE NEED TO, TO CHANGE, UH, BUT EITHER WAY DEMONSTRATIVE OF THE, THAT ACTIVE PLAN.
SO THIS LAST PIECE IN THE RESOLVE STATEMENT, IT READS THE CTC, CTC, UH, CT TC RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IMMEDIATELY PRIORITIZE THE CREATION OF A NEW DIGITAL INCLUSION, STRATEGIC STEERING COMMITTEE, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION, STRATEGIC PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE, THE CTT C FURTHER RECOMMENDS THAT THE STEERING COMMITTEE SHALL BE COMPRISED OF GOVERNMENT BUSINESS AND EDUCATIONAL, EXCUSE ME, EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH ENTITIES CONSISTENT WITH A 2014 DIGITAL INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN, INCLUDING WOULD NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENTS, REGIONAL ENTITIES AND PARTNERS.
AND THE LIST OF COURSE THEN INCLUDES THE TERRA
[00:55:01]
OFFICE AS WELL AS THE HOST OF OTHERS, UH, INCLUDING REGIONAL ENTITIES AND COLLABORATING PARTNERS.AND I COULD LIST THEM NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE POINT IS THAT, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED, UH, TO INCLUDE CERTAIN CLEAR PARTNERS THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY DIRECTLY INCLUDED IN THE STEERING COMMITTEE BEFORE.
UM, AND, AND IT SPEAKS TO NO, UH, UH, NO CHALLENGES NECESSARILY OR ISSUES WITH THE PREVIOUS PLAN.
UH, IT JUST SPEAKS TO THE CURRENT DYNAMICS WHERE WE'VE SEEN A MORE, UH, WE WE'VE SEEN A MORE ROBUST AND ALMOST SNOWBALLING EFFECT OF THE, THE DIGITAL INCLUSION ECOSYSTEM HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, IN FACT, I THINK BECAUSE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS WE'VE HAD, WE KNOW NOW OF MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED AND MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PULLED INTO THE EFFORT TO WORK ON DIGITAL INCLUSION AND TO HELP, UH, UPLIFT THESE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES BEHIND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE WITH POLICY SOLUTIONS AND WITH, UH, JUST REAL WORLD PROBLEM SOLVING AS WE WERE FORCED TO DO DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, AND HAVE BEEN DOING, AND, UH, REALLY FOCUSED ON DOING EVER SINCE.
UM, SO THIS STILL REMAINS IN, IN, IN A DRAFT MODE, UH, BUT I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION AND, AND, AND BEGIN, UH, BY OFFERING, UH, THE VICE CHAIR, A CHANCE TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON OUR, OUR, OUR BEST PATH.
I, I, I THINK THAT WE ARE, WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO, TO FINALIZING THIS RESOLUTION, UH, AND TO DOING IT IN A WAY THAT IS THAT CONSIDERS AND BEARS IN MIND, SOME OF THE DYNAMICS THAT WE, UH, HAVE TO MANAGE WITH THE ONGOING, UH, EVOLUTION OF THE TEXAS BUSINESS, UH, DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, OR THE, UH, EXCUSE ME, BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, THE TEXAS VIDEO, AND THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE TO REDEFINE THE PROCESS AND THE CHANGING DEADLINES.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO IS AN UPDATE FROM OUR SENIOR CONSULTANT, UH, ON THEIR ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH, UH, THE STATE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.
UH, AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT CONVERSATION WILL TAKE PLACE IN OUR NEXT WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION.
SO I THINK THAT WILL ALSO BE HELPFUL IN FORMING AND INFORMING US FOR HOW TO FINALIZE, UH, THIS RESOLUTION.
BUT WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO PASS A DEVICE CHAIR FOR ANY FEEDBACK OR THOUGHTS ON, ON YOUR THOUGHTS ON OUR BEST NEXT STEP.
AND THEN WE CAN OPEN IT UP TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND ARRIVE AT A CONSENSUS ON, ON WHETHER WE SHOULD SPEND MORE TIME ON THE CON ON THE ACTUAL TEXT TODAY, OR, UH, WE SHOULD PUSH THIS FORWARD IN OUR AGENDA.
YEAH, NOT MUCH MORE TO ADD HERE.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD ECHO, UM, IS AN ITEM THAT CHAIR PITS TALK THROUGH IS, UH, LISTING OUT THE INDIVIDUAL ENTITIES, UH, WHICH ARE LARGER IN VOLUME THAN THEY WERE IN THE 2014 DIGITAL INCLUSION, STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, THE ONLY THING WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AT THE WORKING GROUP LEVELS, PERHAPS PUTTING IN, UH, SOME SORT OF A STATEMENT INDICATING THAT THIS MAY NOT BE AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF ENTITIES, UH, THERE WOULD, THERE MAY CERTAINLY BE OTHERS THAT WE HAVEN'T YET THOUGHT OF OR, OR IDENTIFIED.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY BACK TO YOUR POINT, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST EIGHT, 10 YEARS, UM, THE DIGITAL INCLUSION HAS BECOME BROADER IN SCOPE IN SCALE.
SO THE NEED TO BRING IN, UM, ADDITIONAL PARTNERS I THINK IS, IS APPARENT.
UM, SO AS FAR AS LIKE HOW TO, HOW TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE PROBABLY AT A POINT WHERE WE COULD PROBABLY DISCUSS SHARING IT, THE CONTENT WITH THE REST OF THE COMMISSION.
AND THE COMMISSIONER ISLAND, UH, AS YOU WERE ALSO ON OUR CALL THE OTHER DAY, DID YOU HAVE ANY, UH, FEEDBACK ON THIS ONE? I THINK ADDITIONAL THAT HASN'T BEEN ALREADY COVERED? UM, I THINK THE ITEMS THAT MISSION ABU DACA BROUGHT UP ARE, I THINK SOME OF THE KEY THINGS RIGHT NOW.
SO WITH THAT THEN, UH, I, I AGREE.
I THINK THAT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND IF EVERYONE'S
[01:00:01]
COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DRAFT BEING SHARED OUT, UH, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S GONNA BE SOME FILL IN AROUND, UH, THE ACTIVE, AT LEAST THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE ARE SUITABLE FOR, UH, UH, FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, THE, THE, AS THEY RELATE TO DEADLINES AND, UM, AND PROGRESS, UH, REGARDING, UH, APPLICATION DEADLINES, UH, PERTAINING TO THIS, UH, UH, RESOLUTION.SO, UH, WITH THAT THEN, UH, I, I GUESS THEN WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE IS THAT WE SHARE THIS OUT, THAT EVERYONE GET, GET A CHANCE TO OFFER THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE FACT BASED NARRATIVE THAT YOU SEE BEING DESCRIBED.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED IT AT, AT LENGTH HERE AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL, UH, SINGING AND WRITING.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO THEN THINK TO YOURSELVES.
OKAY, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, FACT OR THIS ISSUE.
AND ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER, UM, AS THIS IS, IT CAN BE KIND OF A, A UNIQUE THING TO WRITE THESE RESOLUTIONS AND TO OFFER CONTENT FOR, UH, THESE RESOLUTIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO, TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, JOHN MADISON, YOU KNOW, OR, OR, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY, UH, THE KEY THING IS, UH, I, IF THERE'S AN IMPORTANT FACT PERTAINING TO, UH, THE EXISTING PLAN, UH, PERTAINING TO EXISTING RESOURCES THAT WOULD IMPACT THE PLAN OR, UH, PERTAINING TO THE WAY THAT WE GENERALLY DO THINGS, THEN THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO USE THOSE FACTS AND THEN TO GUIDE CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO AS ADVISORS, UH, TO AN ACTION.
AND SO THE, THE, WHEREAS STATEMENTS ALL LEAD UP TO THAT BY GIVING THE FACTS.
AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON WHAT WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD ADVISE THEM TO DO, THEN FEEL FREE TO ADD THAT.
BUT AS YOU'LL NOTICE, ALSO A CLEAR POINT FOR ENDPOINT, UH, INPUT RATHER IS THE LIST OF CITY DEPARTMENTS AND REGIONAL ENTITIES AND, AND COLLABORATING PARTNERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT THIS LIST WON'T BE EXHAUSTIVE AS COMMISSIONER VICE CHAIR OF DOCUMENTED, UH, BUT IT'S OKAY IF WE THINK, OH, NO, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE THIS DEPARTMENT OR THAT DEPARTMENT.
SO AGAIN, UH, I MOVE THAT, WE PROCEED WITH THAT, THAT PROCESS, AND TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THE MOTION IS, UH, MOTION AGAIN, TO, UH, HAVE THIS SENT OUT.
AND THEN FOR ALL US ALL TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND, AND INPUT ON THIS PRIOR TO OUR NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
UH, DO I HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? I WILL SECOND.
MOTION IS SECOND, UH, BY COMMISSIONER GARZA.
SO WITH THAT, THEN WILL HOLD A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS PRESENTED AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER, UH, GARZA, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND.
IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY, SO WE'RE APPROVED HERE AT EIGHT IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ZERO POST, AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD
[6. Intelligent Infrastructure Resolution (Discussion and Action) ]
IN OUR AGENDA NOW TO THE, UH, AGENDA ITEM SIX, THE INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE RESOLUTION.I, I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY SAYING THAT I THINK, UH, THIS RESOLUTION WILL FIND ITSELF IN A SIMILAR PLACE AS THE LAST ONE.
UM, AND ALTHOUGH IT'S DIFFERENT IN NATURE, IT IS SIMILAR.
UH, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO DISCUSS THIS OUTSIDE OF THE WORKING GROUP, WHERE WE'VE HAD VERY LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS, THIS, UH, RESOLUTION INCLUDING, UH, UP TO, UH, YESTERDAY.
UH, AND I, I THOUGHT WE HAD A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION AND WE'LL GET INTO IT, UH, A LITTLE BIT LATER AS WELL, OR MAYBE WE WON'T HAVE TO HAVING ALREADY COVERED IT NOW IN, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME.
UH, BUT, UH, THE KEY THING IS, UH, IT'S, IT'S SIMILAR IN THAT IT'S FOCUSED AROUND THE MOMENT AND WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE OUR COUNTRY FOCUSED ON INFRASTRUCTURE AND TO HAVE OUR COUNTRY FOCUSED ON FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE, AND TO THEN HAVE A VIDEO OFFICE SET UP TO THEN CHANNEL FUNDING DOLLARS TO THE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THEIR PLANS TOGETHER AS THEY CALL THEM FOR SHOVEL RUDY, A SHOVEL, UH, READY PROJECTS.
AND SO A BIG PART OF THIS IS TO ENABLE, UH, TO, TO DO OUR PART AS A COMMISSION, UH, TO ADVISE CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT.
[01:05:01]
TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS, UH, PARTNERS ARE, UH, FULLY ENGAGED IN THIS EFFORT.AND SO OUR RESOLUTION TAKES PLACE IN CONCERT, UH, WITH THEIR WORK.
UH, BUT IT ALSO IN FOCUSING ON INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE, IT DOES EXPAND THE, THE PATH AND, AND WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, UH, AND WHAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING, UH, THE CITY TO DO, UH, TO INCLUDE IN THEIR, THEIR PLANNING AND EVALUATION OF CAPABILITIES, INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE 5G FIXED WIRELESS, SMALL CELL, AND ANY OTHER TYPE OF HIGH DATA, UH, CAPABILITY, UH, EVALUATED FULLY FROM A SHARED SERVICES STANDPOINT AND FROM A SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE STANDPOINT, UH, NOW THERE'S SIMILAR FACT NARRATIVES, UH, OR, OR FACT, UH, STATEMENTS IN THIS RESOLUTION, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE SIMILAR FACTS THAT CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO CONSIDER WHEN THINKING ABOUT INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND HOW WE SHOULD, UH, EVALUATE IT.
UH, OF COURSE THE FUNDING IS PART OF IT.
SO THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IN JOBS ACT, UH, THE ROLE OF THE BDO IS PART OF IT AS WELL.
A BIG PART OF IT, WHICH WE DIDN'T REALLY FOCUS ON IS IN THIS FACT STATEMENT, WHICH I, I DO BELIEVE WE DID ADDRESS IN OUR LAST MEETING.
AND THAT IS THAT THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE IS CLEAR IN THAT THEY WANT SOLUTIONS THAT ARE CONSIDERED TO BE TECHNOLOGY NEUTRAL, MEANING THAT, UH, THEY'RE NOT ADVISING, UH, FROM A STRATEGIC, A STRATEGIC STANDPOINT ON THE FEASIBILITY OF FIBER AS A SOLUTION FOR EVERY COMMUNITY, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE RURAL COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY SUGGEST THAT IT WOULDN'T BE FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE.
WELL, THAT AGAIN, ELEVATES THE, THE CONSIDERATION, THE NEED, UH, FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF VARIETY OF BROADBAND TECHNOLOGIES, AS I, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND SO THIS RESOLUTION GETS INTO TO THAT.
ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION, UM, THAT CAME OUT OF OUR LAST DISCUSSION, ALSO CENTERS AROUND, UH, THE FACT THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS SOMETHING WHICH WE'VE ADDRESSED AS A COMMUNITY AND A MASSIVE BOND EFFORT, RIGHT? THE 2018 BOND WAS OUR LAST HUGE COMMITMENT AS A COMMUNITY TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND IN A VARIETY WAYS, RIGHT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALMOST A TRILLION DOLLARS AND, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS EIGHT DIFFERENT BOND PROPOSITIONS.
WELL, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, AN INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE RESOLUTION AND ONE THAT ADVISES CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO EVALUATE DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR USE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR EDUCATION, FOR, UH, FOR DATA TRANSMISSION, RIGHT? IF, IF WE'RE GOING TO ADVISE THEM, THEN IT ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT WE BEAR IN MIND.
THE CURRENT PLANS WE HAVE AND THE CURRENT INVESTMENTS WE HAVE IN MIND AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO A BIG PART OF THIS IS ENCOURAGING, UH, THE CREATION OF SOME TYPE OF TASK FORCE VERY MUCH LIKE WAS, WAS CREATED A CITIZEN LED TASK FORCE, WHICH WAS CREATED FOR THE 2018 BOND, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMUNITY FOCUSED COMMISSION, UH, IT'S A NATURAL FOR US TO MAKE THIS TYPE OF RECOMMENDATION AND THOSE DIFFERENT FACTS LEAD US IN THE NARRATIVE TO THIS TYPE OF RESOLVE STATEMENT.
THE CTT C RECOMMENDS THAT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FORM AND THAT THE NAME, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IS STILL IN THE IDEATION PHASE, BUT IT COULD BE THE INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT COULD BE THE 5G, IT COULD BE THE INTEGRATED SERVICES OR TO BE DETERMINED NAMED ADVISORY TASK FORCE TO IDENTIFY, STUDY AND PRIORITIZE,
[01:10:01]
PRIORITIZE, AND PROPOSE VARIOUS SHUTTLE SHOVEL, READY PROJECTS TO PROVIDE THE NTIA AND THE TEXAS BDO AS PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.THE CTT C FURTHER RECOMMENDS THAT THE TASK FORCE INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES FROM TARA, UH, FROM, AND THEN IT GOES INTO A LIST OF OTHER POTENTIAL, UH, PART DEPARTMENTS AND, AND ENTITIES, BUT MOREOVER IT IT'S, IT SPECIFIES OTHER SUITABLE DEPARTMENTS OR ENTITIES WHO HAVE, OR WILL RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE RELATED AND APPROVED 2018 BOND PROPOSITIONS.
AGAIN, THE, THE KEY IS WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, TO ENCOURAGE THEM AS, AS, UH, A COMMISSION, WE'RE ENCOURAGING OUR CITY COUNCIL TO INTEGRATE THE POTENTIAL FOR INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE INTO THEIR CURRENT PLANS FOR THE BOND WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST ABOUT HOW, UH, OUR GOAL AS A COMMISSION WAS TO FIND A WAY TO MINIMIZE, UH, DISRUPTION, UH, TO OUR, OUR, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR COMMUNITIES BY, YOU KNOW, MINIMIZING THE AMOUNT OF TIMES WE TEAR UP THE STREET.
WELL, WHAT A BETTER WAY TO DO THAT THAN TO INTEGRATE PLANS FOR, UH, FUTURE, UH, STRATEGIES INTO EXISTING ONES WHERE THEY'RE TEARING UP THE STREET, UH, OR THEY WILL BE
SO, UH, THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF THIS.
UH, I'D LIKE TO PASS IT TO THE, THE WORKING GROUP CHAIR, UH, AND THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING GROUP, UH, TO SEE IF, IF YOU FEEL AS THOUGH, AS I'VE OPENED WITH THE DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM, THAT WE'RE READY TO SHARE THIS OUT AND, AND THIS, UH, I WON'T CALL IT, UH, SKELETON QUIET, CUZ IT IT'S GOT SOME MEAT ON THE BONE, BUT IT STILL NEEDS SOME CONNECTED TISSUE.
UH, BUT IT'S, IT'S A DRAFT MODE RESOLUTION.
IF YOU THINK WE'RE READY TO SEND THIS OUT TO THE GROUP, I FEEL AS THOUGH ONCE WE HAVE OUR VISIT FROM MIKE SIMPSON AND CAN INTEGRATE THE PIECE AROUND PUBLIC'S, UH, SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THAT WE WILL BE, UH, BUT I'D LIKE TO, TO PASS TO COMMISSIONER FLOYD AS THE WORKING GROUP CHAIR, UH, FOR HIS FEEDBACK AND THOUGHTS.
NO, I THINK THAT, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SENSIBLE PLAN TO ME AND, AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
I MEAN, WE HAD THE MEETING YESTERDAY, SO IT'S QUITE FRESH IN MY MIND.
I THOUGHT WE AGREED THAT, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD ALREADY DONE QUITE A BIT OF WORK ON, UH, YOU KNOW, WRITING DOWN THOSE WHEREAS STATEMENTS, UH, AS PART OF A RESOLUTION THAT YOU WERE GONNA SEND OUT TO THE WORKING GROUP MEMBERS.
AND WE WERE GONNA SORT OF, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, BEAT IT AROUND, UH, PUT OUR ADDITIONS, ET CETERA, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WE WERE GOING EDIT IT.
AND THEN ONCE WE, AS A WORKING GROUP MEMBER, A WORKING GROUP, ALL FOUR OF US AGREED, THEN WE WOULD SEND IT TO THE COMMISSION.
SO I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE SENDING IT TO US FIRST.
SO AT THE END OF OUR CALL, UH, I SHARED THAT OUT.
SO HOPEFULLY, UH, WE ALL AS WORKING GROUP MEMBERS HAVE THAT, UH, I DIDN'T RECEIVE IT.
UH, WE CAN DOUBLE CHECK, UH, CAN, UH, LET'S CHECK IN WITH THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER FLOYD COMMISSIONER GATES.
DID Y'ALL GET YOUR SHARE OF THAT? I, I, YES, I HAVE IT OPEN RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, IT, IT CAME AS A SHARE DOCUMENT AND YOU'VE GOT THE OPEN THAT EMAIL.
UH, I HAVE A VERY, SO I HAVE, OKAY.
I HAVE A VERY TACTICAL QUESTION.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE THAT THIS RESOLUTION WAS GOING TO ASK THAT THE CITY IN, IN INCLUDE A NUMBER OF OTHER CENTRAL TEXAS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AS, UH, AS PART OF THIS PLAN TO GET SOME OF THIS FUNDING.
UM, AND THERE WAS A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER SOME OF THIS HAD ALREADY STARTED, AND I BELIEVE THAT, UH, THERE WAS A QUESTION TO JESSE LAST TIME ABOUT WHETHER THERE WAS ALREADY AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO PURSUE THE, THIS FEDERAL FUNDING.
WAS ANYTHING DONE ABOUT THAT? WELL, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, A DISCONNECT, BUT I DO, I THINK THAT THE, YOU, YOU HAD A QUESTION THAT WE WERE GOING TO RAISE IN THE WORKING GROUP ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE ILA.
UH, AND, AND I DO ALSO CONCUR, UH, THAT IT, IT IS FOCUSED AROUND, UH, PURSUING PROJECTS AND, AND FUNDING FOR THOSE PROJECTS.
[01:15:02]
THE ROLE OF THE IL I THINK, AS IT EXISTS OR HOWEVER IT STANDS TODAY, I THINK WOULD PROBABLY INFORM OUR NEXT STEPS OR, OR QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER, UH, PARTNERS IN THE REGION.I KNOW THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, UH, I BELIEVE IN AN ILA IN THE WORKS, OR IF NOT FINALIZED WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, BUT AGAIN, UH, I'M NOT SURE LET'S GIVE JESSE A CHANCE TO RESPOND TO THAT.
WE DO HAVE AN ILA THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER NEGOTIATION WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, THAT ILA WILL ALLOW US TO ENTER INTO A RESEARCH AGREEMENT, UH, THAT WILL INFORM BOTH THE TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN STRATEGIC PLANS AS IT RELATES TO DIGITAL INCLUSION.
UM, THAT AGREEMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY, UH, PARTICULAR COLLABORATION ON, UH, GOING TO THAT FOR FEDERAL FUNDING, UH, WHICH I BELIEVE IS WHAT COMMISSIONER YATE WAS ASKING.
UM, HOWEVER, WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR, UH, PARTNERS AT TRAVIS COUNTY VERY CLOSELY, UM, AS WE CONSIDER THESE FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND SO I, I WOULD EXPECT THAT, UH, WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH THEM WITH ANY OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
I KNOW THAT THAT MIGHT BE A PARTIAL ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, UH, COMMISSIONER YATES, BUT I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO, UH, IF, IF I'M HEARING YOU CORRECTLY, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, SOME OF THE ADDITIONS YOU MIGHT MAKE WOULD BE FOCUSED AROUND THAT.
UH, AND THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST KICK THEM AROUND AND, OR DISCUSS THEM IN THE WORKING GROUP.
UH, AND THEN BASED UPON THAT CONVERSATION, I THINK WE COULD END UP WITH A DRAFT AT THE END OF THAT WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION, UH, FOR EVERYONE ELSE TO BE ABLE TO, TO THEN EVALUATE AND CONSIDER IF, IF THAT SEEMS PRUDENT.
SO THIS BRINGS, SO THIS BRINGS UP ANOTHER QUESTION, WHICH IS, UH, WOULD THE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING SOME OF THESE FEDERAL FUNDS IF THEY WERE COLLABORATING WITH MORE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, OTHER THAN JUST TRAVIS COUNTY, MAYBE YOU'LL A QUESTION FOR TARA THAT THEY GOT TO PURSUE.
UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF WE KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IN TERMS OF IT, WOULD IT BE MORE LIKELY, UH, FOR US TO GET FUNDING, UH, YOU KNOW, IN PARTNERSHIP OR NOT? I, I MEAN, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF COLLABORATION, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S PRUDENT FOR US TO DO, UH, TO APPROACH FEDERAL FUNDING FROM A COLLABORATIVE STANCE.
BUT, UM, I, I REALLY THINK IT'S PROJECT DEPENDENT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE HEARING THINGS FROM THE BDO THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE FOCUSING ON COMPLETELY UNSERVED AREAS FOR EXISTENT, UH, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, AND SO WE NEED TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALIGN WITH WHAT THEIR, UH, THEIR CURRENT TARGET, UH, TARGETS ARE FOR, FOR THESE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, SO YEAH, I, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT FOR US TO CONTINUE PARTNERING WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND OTHER, UH, REGIONAL ENTITIES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL.
RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S STILL A QUESTION AS TO HOW THESE FUNDS ARE GOING TO BE ALLOCATED AND WHETHER THE PRIORITY WILL BE FOR RURAL AREAS OR ALSO FOR URBAN AREAS THAT ARE UNDERSERVED.
WAS THAT EVER, THAT IS THAT QUESTION EVER ANSWERED? OH, I, I CAN ADDRESS THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT HAS BEEN CLEAR FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THEIR INTENT AND ACCORDING TO THE PLAN IS TO PRIORITIZE UNSERVED AND THEN UNDERSERVED AREAS.
AND THEN SO, AND, AND LITERALLY HAVING JUST RECENTLY LOOKED AT THE, THE, THE MAPPING, UH, RESOURCE, UH, CAPABILITY, THEY THEY'VE THEY'VE, THEY PERFORMED AN OUTREACH, UH, REGARDING THEIR MAPPING.
AND IT'S VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE WANTING TO LIGHT UP A MAP TO INDICATE, TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHICH AREAS THEY'RE GOING, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR.
AND ACCORDING TO THE CURRENT MAP, THE WHOLE OF AUSTIN IS BEING SERVED.
AND, AND THEN SUDDENLY RIGHT AT THE EDGE OF TRAVIS COUNTY AND BORO COUNTY, OUR NEIGHBOR, UH, ELGAN IS, IS LIT UP IN AS AN UNSERVED AREA.
UH, SO I, I, I THINK WE DEFINITELY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HOPEFULLY, WELL, WELL,
[01:20:01]
I THINK WE COULD UTILIZE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO PAINT A BETTER PICTURE ABOUT WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING THERE.UH, SO I'M REALLY CURIOUS TO HEAR ABOUT HOW THE CARRIERS RESPOND, UH, BECAUSE IT'S POST THE, THE, THE FUTURE MAPS, UH, OR IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE BASED UPON CARRIER, UH, INFORMATION.
UH, SO WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE HOW THINGS SHAPE OUT BASED ON WHAT THEY SUBMIT, UH, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS, AND THAT'S THE DYNAMIC THAT WE'RE IN FOR.
SO BASED ON THAT DYNAMIC, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, HAVING AN ACC CAMPUS IN ELGAN IS A VERY GOOD THING, AND THAT INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT THAT EXISTS TO ENABLE THAT IS ONE, I THINK THAT COULD BE LEVERAGED AND THE, THE, THE EXISTING RELATIONSHIP THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE, UH, TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS.
SO I, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT, UH, WITHIN THE PLANNING EFFORTS OF TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE, THE ROLE OF A REGIONAL PARTNER LIKE ACC, UH, THAT OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE FOCUSED AROUND THOSE COLLABORATIONS ARE GONNA BE PUSHED FORWARD.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WHICH, UH, FROM EFFECTS STANDPOINT, UH, WE CAN ADD TO THE WHEREAS NARRATIVE FOR THE RESOLUTION, UH, AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING CITY COUNCIL WITH THESE DATA POINTS AND, AND UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHY, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING, UH, A STEERING COMMITTEE OR TASK FORCE BE CREATED FOR THIS, JUST BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT, IT REALLY REQUIRES OUT OF THE BOX THINKING AND, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE KNEW THAT EVERYBODY WOULD COME TO TARA FIRST, RIGHT.
WITH, UH, IDEAS OR PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVE IN MIND.
UH, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGE THAT THEY'RE UNDERTAKING.
UH, BUT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE JUST NEED TO ENCOURAGE THAT, THAT THEY DO, UH, WITH OFFICIAL RESOLUTION AROUND DIFFERENT THINGS AS WE'VE BEEN DOING.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, THEN DO WE, SO WE CLEAR THEN AS, FROM A CONSENSUS STANDPOINT, I, I BELIEVE AT THAT, WAIT, I'M SORRY.
THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT YOU HAD A TACTICAL QUESTION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT LAST YEAR.
YEAH, JUST A REAL, SO, UH, FOR BOTH RESOLUTIONS, UH, WHEN WE SHARE THESE OUT, HOW ARE THEY ACTUALLY GONNA BE SHARED OUT? MAYBE THAT'S A QUESTION FOR JESSE, IS IT GONNA BE VIA MICROSOFT WORD OR GOOGLE? DO WE WANT TO CONCERN OURSELVES WITH VERSION CONTROL ISSUES? YEAH.
FOR, FOR THE PURPOSE OF, UM, EDITING, UM, ANY QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONS FROM THE WHOLE COMMISSION WILL NEED TO BE SENT DIRECTLY TO ME, I CAN SHARE OUT TO THE COMMISSION, A STATIC COPY, BUT WE CAN'T HAVE GROUP EDITING ON WITH MORE THAN A, UH, UH, SUB QUORUM OF THE COMMISSION.
SO ONLY FIVE FOLKS CAN HAVE, UH, EDIT ACCESS TO ANY DOCUMENT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UH, SO I, UH, I DO ENCOURAGE US TO HAVE A PROCESS WHERE THE WORKING GROUPS ARE REALLY THE ONES THAT ARE DOING THE EDITING.
UM, ANY SERVICING TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSION IS REALLY BEST PLACED AT A FULL COMMISSION MEETING, UH, WHERE WE CAN KIND OF PRESENT OUT AND, AND EDIT ALL TOGETHER.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE, I MEAN, IF, IF WE WANNA SEND OUT A STATIC COPY AND HAVE INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS EMAIL ME DIRECTLY, UH, THAT'S POSSIBLE, BUT IT, IT MAY BECOME A CUMBERSOME PROCESS.
WELL, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION THOUGH, BECAUSE IT MAKES ME WONDER, UH, SHOULD I GO AHEAD AND JUST EMAIL THESE DRAFTS TO CITY AV RIGHT NOW? OR SHOULD WE WAIT? UH, BECAUSE WE, WE AGREED THAT WE WANTED TO ALLOW CHANGES IN ADDITIONS FROM THE WORKING GROUPS, UH, ON, AT LEAST FROM THE WORKING GROUP ON THE INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, RESOLUTION ON THE DIGITAL INCLUSION, STRATEGIC PLAN RESOLUTION.
WE AGREED THAT IT WAS READY FOR EVERYBODY.
SO MAYBE IT'S ONE FOR ONE AND ONE FOR THE OTHER S UH, YES.
MAY, MAY I SUGGEST THAT AT LEAST FOR THE INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE TAKE THE NEXT, UH, COUPLE OF WEEKS, THREE WEEKS, UH, WITHIN THE WORKING GROUP, UH, LOOKING AT IT, UH, SUGGESTING MODIFICATIONS, ET CETERA.
AND THEN AT THE NEXT WORKING GROUP MEETING, WE, UH, DISCUSS IT WITHIN THE WORKING GROUP
[01:25:01]
AND, UH, FINALIZE IT, AND THEN WE SEND IT OUT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMISSION TO LOOK AT.UM, AND THEN AT PERTAINING TO THE DIGITAL INCLUSION, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION, STRATEGIC PLAN RESOLUTION, ARE WE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH, UH, ME SENDING THE DRAFT THAT I BASICALLY HAD READ PRETTY MUCH ON THE RECORD ALREADY, UH, TO CITY AV, AND THAT'LL BE A DOCUMENT THAT'S SHARED OUT NOW, UH, TO THE COMMISSION.
AND THEN AS WE AGREED TO EARLIER, WE'RE ALL GOING TO THEN LOOK AT THAT RESOLUTION, CONSIDER THE FACTS, CONSIDER THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WE WANT INCLUDED, AND THEN MAKE SOME FEEDBACK AND, UH, SUGGESTIONS TO JESSE.
DOES THAT SOUND GOOD TO EVERYBODY GET SOME HEAD NODS OR SOME, UH, SOME THUMBS UP.
IS JESSE OKAY TO COMPILE EVERYONE'S INPUT AND FEEDBACK FOR JUST THE ONE? YEAH.
IF THAT'S WHAT THE COMMISSION DECIDES, I CAN DO THAT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
AND THEN FOR THE SECOND RESOLUTION, DO WE THINK THAT, UM, THE WORKING GROUP WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT AHEAD OF THE NEXT FULL MEETING? YES.
IS THE INTENT IF WE SHARE OUT THAT, UM, PRIOR TO THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS DURING THE COMMISSION MEETING ANY QUESTIONS WE MAY HAVE? THAT'S CORRECT.
WHERE'D YOU GO ONE MORE MOMENT HERE.
THE SUBJECT IS SHARE ME AND THAT SHOULD BE IN CITY AV HERE MOMENTARILY.
[7. Digital Inclusion Town Hall Listening Session Planning (Discussion and Action) ]
UH, WITH THAT, THEN I THINK WE HAVE A, A CLEAR PLAN WITH THE INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE RESOLUTION.UH, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO NECESSARILY HAVE A VOTE.
UH, WE'VE GOT CLEAR AGREEMENT AND CONSENSUS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING, UH, SO WE CAN PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
NOW TO AGENDA ITEM SEVEN OF THE DIGITAL INCLUSION, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION, TOWN HALL, LISTENING, SESSION PLANNING.
UH, SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE'VE, UH, AGREED AS A COMMISSION, UH, TO EVER SINCE, UH, PERFORMING, UH, A FOCUSED EVENT, UH, SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AROUND THE COMMUNITY AND LIVED ENGAGEMENT, LIVED, EXPERIENCE SHARING AND ENGAGEMENT, UH, AND THEN A SUBSEQUENT TOWN HALL, UH, WITH MISSION CAPITAL HOSTED ONLINE,
[01:30:01]
UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, TO HOST IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, UH, A VARIETY OF, UH, UH, OF TOWN HALLS AT OUR LIBRARIES THAT WE WOULD DIRECTLY INTERACT WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO SHARE LIVED EXPERIENCES AROUND TECHNOLOGY AND CHALLENGES, UH, WITH INTERNET ACCESS AND AFFORDABLE BROADBAND ACCESS OR DEVICE ACCESS, UH, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.BUT ALSO SINCE THE PANDEMIC, AS THAT HAS ELEVATED THESE ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE, UH, WE THEN, UH, CONDUCTED TWO DIFFERENT TOWN HALLS, UH, IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS, UH, AT THE SOUTHEAST BRANCH THIS PAST SPRING.
AND THEY WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, AND, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE SOME VALUABLE INSIGHTS FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THERE.
AND, UH, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING A, A DRAFT.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ACTUALLY HAVE OUR PARTNER, UH, SENIOR CONSULTANT, UH, EXCUSE ME, I'M, I'M NOT GIVING HER HER TITLE, CORRECT, BUT, UH, UH, EMMY JOHNSON, UH, FROM THE LIBRARY, A CHANCE TO EVALUATE OUR DRAFT AND, UH, FINAL CHANGES BEFORE PUBLISHING THAT, UH, HOWEVER THAT IS FORTHCOMING.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, UH, WE HAVE ALSO AGREED, UH, TO CONDUCT, UH, ANOTHER TOWN HALL, UH, THIS FALL, UH, WITH DATES ACTIVELY IN THE WORKS, UH, OF SEPTEMBER 24TH AND OCTOBER, OCTOBER 1ST, UH, I'M IN LIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, THE COORDINATING, UH, REGIONAL, UH, MANAGERS FOR, UH, THE RUIZ BRANCH LIBRARY AND THE TERRAZA BRANCH TO HOST, UH, OUR NEXT TOWN HALL.
AND, UH, THEY'VE BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO SHARE THROUGH THE MANAGING LIBRARIANS, A LIST OF COMMUNITY LEADERS IN BOTH THE EAST CSAR CHAVEZ NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE MON TOPS, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, TO ENGAGE IN OUTREACH, UH, FOR RECRUITMENT TO COME TO THOSE EVENTS AS YOU GUYS, UH, WHO PARTICIPATED MY RECALL, UH, AND FOR THOSE WHO HAD, DID NOT PARTICIPATE, UH, IN OUR FIRST TWO ENGAGEMENTS, WE WORKED DIRECTLY THROUGH THE BRANCH MANAGING, UH, MANAGING BRANCH LIBRARIAN, UH, TO ENGAGE IN OUTREACH IN THE SOUTHEAST BRANCH COMMUNITY AREA TO INVITE MEMBERS FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES TO COME TO THOSE TOWN HALL EVENTS.
AND, UH, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT AGAIN, IT'S PART OF HOW WE DO THINGS INSIGHTS FROM THOSE TOWN HALLS IN REAL TIME HAS BEEN SOURCED UP, AND IT HAS BEEN UTILIZED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAD ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, AS WELL AS, UH, UH, CONSTABLES, UH, IN FACT, UH, THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS, UH, IT, IT WAS, UH, CONSTABLES AND, UH, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.
UH, I APOLOGIZE, UH, FOR NOT HAVING THE NAME OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, UH, WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING THAT UP, WE ALSO HAD, UH, REPRESENTATION FROM DISTRICT TWO OFFICE.
UH, AND, UH, IN ADDITION TO, UH, REPRESENTATION FROM, UH, OF COURSE THE TARA OFFICE AND, UH, FROM, UH, OUR RESEARCH COMMUNITY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UH, DR.
UH, UH, HER LAST NAME, UH, THESE NAMES ARE ESCAPED ME RIGHT NOW.
I APOLOGIZE, BUT WE HAD, UH, NOTEWORTHY ATTENDANCE AND, AND PARTICIPATION.
UH, AND THESE ARE ALL DETAILS, OF COURSE, THAT WILL BE PART OF THE FINAL REPORT, UH, THAT EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE AND, AND RECEIVE.
BUT THE, THE KEY THING THAT I WAS FOCUSED ON THERE IN TERMS OF THE REAL TIME INSIGHTS IS HOW, UH, THEY WERE ABLE TO INFORM, UH, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
AND THE, THE RESEARCH ILA IS, IS PARTIALLY BEEN INFORMED BY THAT AS THIS FALL WILL BE ENGAGED IN AN EFFORT THAT INCLUDES, UH, I SAY WE, AS IN, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF BOSTON WILL BE ENGAGED IN AN EFFORT THAT INCLUDES GOING OUT DOOR TO DOOR, UH, AND TO INTERACT WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND, UH, GET
[01:35:01]
AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THEIR CHALLENGES AND TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT RESOURCES, UH, BASED UPON INSIGHTS FROM, UH, THAT, UH, TOWN HALL.SO WITH THE FUTURE TOWN HALLS IN MIND, UM, WE'RE LETTING THE, THE PROCESS OCCUR ORGANICALLY.
AND, UH, WE'RE BEING ALSO FLEXIBLE, UH, LIKE WE HAD TO BE AND PLANNING AROUND OUR LAST, UH, TOWN HALLS AS THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS UN UNFOLDS.
AND WE GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE TO, TO GET THEIR, THEIR FEEDBACK AND THOUGHTS.
AND WHAT WILL VERY MAY TAKE PLACE IS THAT AS, UH, WE'RE NOW APPROACHING TWO WEEKS AND THREE WEEKS, YOU KNOW, IF WE GET TOO CLOSE, UH, THEN WE MAY NEED TO EXTEND THE DATE, UH, OUT INTO NOVEMBER.
UH, WHAT WE'VE AGREED THOUGH, NOT TO DO IS TO, UH, IN ANY WAY CONFLICT WITH DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK.
AND THAT IS OF COURSE COMING UP OCTOBER 3RD THROUGH THE SEVENTH.
AND, UH, SO WITH PROGRAMMING, FROM A VARIETY OF OUR DECCA PARTNERS, UH, AND WITHIN THE WHOLE DIGITAL INCLUSION ECOSYSTEM HERE IN AUSTIN INVOLVED, UH, MAKE MAKING A POINT TO NOT PLAN ANYTHING THAT WEEK, BUT TO USE THAT WEEK TO ELEVATE AND TO, UH, PROMOTE THOSE ENGAGEMENTS AND, AND WHAT THEY MEAN, AND, AND, AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE, THEY'RE GOING TO MEAN FOR THE PEOPLE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.
BECAUSE AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE A BIG FOCUS, UH, TWO BIG FOCUSES OF THOSE EVENTS IS INTIMACY, UH, AND MAINTAINING A SAFE SPACE FOR SHARING AND, UH, REGIONALITY AND, AND MAINTAINING, UH, BOTH OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE, THE AREAS OF THOSE VENUES AND PERTAINING TO VENUES.
UH, THAT'S ALSO AN IMPORTANT POINT OF THE DISCUSSION HERE NOW AS WELL.
UH, WE'VE BEEN HONORED AND THRILLED TO HAVE SUCH AN ABLE PARTNER IN THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND TO WORK WITH THE LIBRARY COMMISSION ON THESE EVENTS, AND AS WE'RE TASKED AS A COMMISSION TO COORDINATE AND TO WORK WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS, UH, SO TO, AS WE ARE, I THINK, RESPONSIBLE TO INCLUDE OTHER VENUES AND, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN PUBLIC SPACES.
UH, AND THE IDEA FOR THIS NEXT PARTNER AND IN SPACE CAME ACTUALLY INITIALLY FROM DISCUSSION WITH BRIANNA DOWNING, OUR SENIOR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, UH, BECAUSE WE WERE CONCERNED, UH, FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT THAT WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE ABLE TO HOST, UH, THE EVENTS PRIOR TO DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK AT ONE OF OUR LIBRARIES.
UH, SO I THEN REACHED OUT TO THE, THE A ARC AND HAVE SINCE SECURED A VENUE DATE FOR US TO HOST AN EVENT AT THE, AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER OF NOVEMBER THE 19TH.
SO I WANTED TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THAT DATE ON EVERY COMMISSIONER'S RADAR, UH, THAT WE HAVE A DATE LOCKED IN TO HOST A LARGER, UH, UP TO, TO, TO ENABLE THE HOSTING OF A LARGER, UH, TOWN HALL STYLE ENGAGEMENT AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.
UH, WE HAVE THE SPACE RESERVED FROM 11, EXCUSE ME, THE SPACE IS RESERVED FROM 10 TO THREE, UH, BUT THE EVENT IS BEING PLANNED FROM 11 TO, TO TWO ON THAT DAY.
AND SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO HAVE US ALL DISCUSS HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN THAT SETTING, OR WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE WE'VE ALREADY DONE.
WE'VE ALREADY BASICALLY DONE THREE DIFFERENT MODELS OF, UH, TOWN HALLS.
UH, WE HAD TWO ON ONLINE, UH, ONE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING ONE UTILIZING ZOOM AND A NONPROFIT PARTNER.
AND THEN THE THIRD MODEL, UH, HAS BEEN AT THE LIBRARIES WHERE WE HOST THE EVENTS THERE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE LIBRARY PARTNERS.
WELL, NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO, UH, A DIFFERENT VENUE AND, UH, DIFFERENT SPACE, A LARGER SPACE, UH, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSIDER A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT.
I THINK THAT, UH, WE HAVE SOME BEST PRACTICES WE'VE IDENTIFIED FROM OUR PRIOR ENGAGEMENTS THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE INTO, UH, NEW SPACES, UH, THOSE BEING, UH, INTIMACY, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE.
UH, AND IF WE DO, WE SHOULD FIND A WAY TO DIVIDE THOSE
[01:40:01]
CONVERSATIONS UP, UH, THAT WAY, THERE, THERE IS AGAIN, A SAFE SPACE AND, AND EVERYONE CAN FEEL FREE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES.AND, UH, THAT WE HAVE LANGUAGE SERVICES AVAILABLE, UH, BASED UPON THE RECRUITMENT AS IT TAKES PLACE AGAIN, AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER WITH, UH, THOSE LIBRARIES ORGANICALLY.
UH, SO WHAT I PROPOSE IS THAT WE ENGAGE IN SOME OUTREACH, UH, TO, UH, DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS THAT TEND TO SERVE THE, A ARC, UH, AND, UH, THAT WE ENGAGE IN.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT OPEN DIALOGUE WITH, UH, THE LEADERSHIP THERE AT THE ARC THAT WE ASK FOR SOME GUIDANCE FROM THEM ON DIFFERENT COMMUNITY LEADERS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO, TO HELP US JUST AS THE, UH, MANAGING BRANCH LIBRARIANS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, AND THEN TO THEN, UH, HAVE A REGIONALITY FOCUSED AROUND, UH, THAT VENUE.
I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION, UH, AT THIS POINT, BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAD THAT DATE IN MIND.
AND, UH, THAT WE BASICALLY START TO CONSIDER JOINING A PLANNING EFFORT AROUND THAT EVENT, UH, ON THE 19TH OF NOVEMBER.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO START WITH A WORKING GROUP, UH, THAT, UH, IS MORE INTIMATELY TIED TO, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION BECAUSE OF OUR, OUR TITLE, ALTHOUGH AS A COMMISSION, WE'RE FOCUSED ON IT AS A WHOLE.
UH, AND THAT ALSO INCLUDES OF COURSE, VICE CHAIR, DACA, WHO WAS, UH, INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THE EXECUTION AND ALSO THE PLANNING OF OUR PREVIOUS TWO TOWN HALLS AT THE LIBRARIES.
I'M NOT SURE I HAVE MUCH ELSE TO ADD.
UM, I THINK YOU COVERED IT PRETTY WELL, UM, AS FAR AS BEST PRACTICES.
UM, CERTAINLY I THINK THE HYBRID COMPONENT SERVED US WELL.
UM, THE TWO THAT, THAT WE ATTENDED DIDN'T HAVE TOO MANY, UM, JOINING VIRTUALLY, AND I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD THING BECAUSE IT CAN CERTAINLY GET UNWIELDY.
SO WE SHOULD LOOK TO REPLICATE THAT, I THINK AT THE, UM, THE NEW VENUE, UM, WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT, WE SHOULD CERTAINLY TOUR THE VENUE AND KIND OF GET A FEEL FOR WHAT THE LAYOUT IS GOING TO BE.
UM, BUT I IMAGINE THEY'LL PROBABLY HAVE ALL THE TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES THAT WE, THAT WE NEED.
I, I THINK A TOUR MAKES PER SENSE.
AND, UM, AS, UH, THIS IS NEWS, I KNOW THAT JESSE, UH, WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE WITH THE OTHER TWO, THE LIBRARY, THIS IS ONE THAT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
WERE IT NOT FOR THE WILLINGNESS OF TARA TO UTILIZE THIS OFFICIALLY? RIGHT? BECAUSE, UH, THE WAY THAT THE SCHEDULING WORKS AT THE ARC, EVIDENTLY EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT IS, IS ABLE TO USE THE SPACE FOR FREE ONE TIME.
AND SO BASICALLY, UH, THIS IS, UH, YOU, THE, THE, THE KINDNESS OF TERROR TO USE THEIR ONE.
SO WE, WE WANT YOU FULLY ENGAGED AND WOULD LIKE, FOR YOU TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON ANY NEW DIRECTION, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE WITH THIS EVENT, UH, OR, UH, WHAT'S WORKED IN THE PAST.
AND, AND IF YOU THINK THAT WE'D WANT TO REPEAT SOME OF THOSE, UH, SAME MODALITIES, UH, ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TARA IS INTERESTED IN INDEPENDENTLY, UH, JUST BEING IN COMMUNITY SPACES WHERE WE CAN GET FEEDBACK FROM FOLKS ON WHAT THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE IS WITH THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
UM, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS POSSIBLE FOR US TO BRING, UH, RESOURCES, COMMUNITY RESOURCES, UH, TO THE TABLE, UM, THAT, UH, CAN BE RESPONSIVE TO THE ISSUES THAT ARE BROUGHT UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DEFINITELY THINK FOLKS LIKE AUSTIN FREENET, WHO ARE PROVIDING THESE TYPES OF SERVICES NEED TO BE PRESENT.
[01:45:01]
I THINK THOSE ARE MY, MY MAIN THOUGHTS.UM, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS EAGER TO, TO HEAR FROM FOLKS ON, ON THESE TOPICS.
UH, YEAH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND, UH, AGREE, UH, WHOLEHEARTEDLY, UH, PART OF THE PLANNING EFFORT INCLUDES, UM, AND THEY'VE GOT A, BECAUSE THEY'RE AN ESTABLISHED SPACE, UH, THAT, UH, THAT HOSTS EVENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS, THEY'VE GOT, UH, AMPLE RESOURCES AND, UH, FACILITY TO HOST FOR TABLING AND, AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
I THINK IT'LL BE NICE TO HAVE, UM, TARA JOIN THE COMMISSION AND, AND OUR PLANNING GROUP, BASICALLY, UH, THAT'S BEING FORMED FOR THAT TOUR.
AND THEN WE CAN USE THAT AS, AS PART OF OUR, YOU KNOW, BRAINSTORMING AND IDEATION ABOUT HOW THE EVENTS SHOULD GO, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LOGISTICS OF, YOU KNOW, SCRIBING AND MANAGING, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL HYBRID PARTICIPATION.
SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS I THINK WE WANNA GET A, GET A JUMP ON.
UH, SO OTHER WORKING GROUP MEMBERS, UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK, COMMISSIONER ISLAND COMMISSION THOMPSON? UM, JUST CURIOUS, DO WE HAVE ANY, I KNOW WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THE HYBRID AND, UM, WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY OTHER LESSONS OR INSIGHTS FROM THE FIRST TWO TOWN HALLS IN REGARDS TO THE AGENDA OR THE FLOW OF THE ACTUAL TOWN HALL.
YEAH, I THINK THERE IS, UH, IN FACT, UH, THE BULK OF THOSE WILL BE IN THE, IN THE REPORT.
THAT'S STILL IN DRAFT MODE RIGHT NOW, BUT JUST TO SPEAK TO SOME OF THEM, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I, I THOUGHT THAT, UH, AT LEAST I'LL SHARE MINE AND THEN I'D LIKE FOR, UH, VICE CHAIRED OFF FOR HIS THOUGHTS AS WELL.
UM, I, I, I THOUGHT THAT MAIN WITH THE ORIGINAL TWO EVENTS, HAVING A NATIVE LANGUAGE CONVERSATION, UH, WAS VERY VALUABLE, UH, RIGHT.
WE WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE A SPANISH SPEAKING ROOM WHERE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK IN SPANISH TO ENGAGE IN THE CONVERSATION, SHARING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES IN SPANISH, WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO SCRIBE IN SPANISH.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS, UH, VERY, UH, A VERY EF, A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY, UH, TO GET PEOPLE TO OPEN UP A SHARE.
UM, SO I I'D LIKE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REPLICATE THAT.
I, I, I THINK AS WE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, YOU KNOW, RECRUITMENT WILL HAVE TO PROBABLY DICTATE THE, THE, THE, THE FORM AND FASHION OF THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, IF WE HAVE, IT WOULD BE NICE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE HAD, UH, ENOUGH PEOPLE WITHIN ONE LANGUAGE OR ANOTHER, THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD TO HAVE SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS AND THEN TO ALLOCATE, TO FIND AND ALLOCATE A TRANSLATION RESOURCE.
SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT I, WE, WE NEED TO BASICALLY TEE UP IN ADVANCE, UH, SIMILAR TO HOW WE'VE DONE BEFORE.
AND I THINK THAT, UH, HAVING, UH, BEEN PROS AT THIS, UH, I, I PLAN ON REACHING OUT TO THE ARC, UH, TO, TO ASK THEM FOR SOME ADVICE AND GUIDANCE ON THAT, IF NOT THEN, UH, TO REENGAGE WITH TARA AND, UH, OTHER RESOURCES, UH, ABOUT THAT.
SO I THINK THAT IS ONE THING THAT REALLY JUMPS OUT TO ME, UH, VICE TRADER.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THAT? YEAH, SOME OF THE THEMES, JUST THINKING BACK, UM, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THIS WILL CERTAINLY BE IN THE REPORT, BUT SOME OF THE MAJOR THEMES I HEARD WERE AROUND ACCESS, CERTAINLY AFFORDABILITY AND, AND JUST GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF, UM, OF DIGITAL.
UM, I HEARD SEVERAL EXAMPLES, AT LEAST IN THE SPANISH SPEAKING SIDE OF, UM, UNRELIABLE ACCESS, ESPECIALLY DURING, DURING, UM, TIMES OF, OF RAIN, UH, THUNDERSTORMS, THOSE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, ONE WOMAN, I REMEMBER SHE, SHE, SHE, UH, SHARED THAT SHE'S UNABLE TO, TO REALLY MONITOR HER CHILDREN'S SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, BEING ABLE TO, TO ACCESS CITY RESOURCES.
SO, UM, AGAIN, ALL OF THOSE WILL BE CERTAINLY BE CAPTURED IN THE REPORT.
I EXPECT TO HEAR SOME SIMILAR THEMES AND PERHAPS NEW ONES, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN, IN THESE LISTENING SESSIONS.
AND TO BE FAIR, I, I INTERPRETED YOUR QUESTION AS MORE AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DID THAT WORKED, UH, THE FIRST TIME, AS OPPOSED TO, UH, WANTING TO GET INTO SOME OF THE INSIGHTS AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WERE RAISED.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT NOW,
[01:50:01]
UH, AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS IN A DRAFT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S USEFUL TO SHARE, UH, NOW IN THIS CONTEXT HERE.SO IN TERMS OF FINDINGS, UH, AND THE RESIDENTS WERE ASKED TO SHARE THEIR DIGITAL EXPERIENCES FROM AROUND FIVE MAIN AREAS.
OVERALL, THESE WERE THE COMMON EXPERIENCES, UH, ONE WITH ACCESS, UH, RESIDENTS EXPECTED AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE CONNECTIVITY, UH, RESIDENTS EXPERIENCED INTERRUPTION AND GAPS IN CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THEIR RESIDENTIAL AREA.
UH, THEY ALSO WANTED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE VARIOUS INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS AND DATA PLANS FROM A SURVEY, UH, OF, UH, OF RESIDENTS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF TRAVIS COUNTY, 48% OF THE RESPONDENTS SAY THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A COMPUTER AND 68 DESIRED FREE INTERNET SERVICES.
UH, TWO DEVICES, UH, RESIDENTS PRIMARILY USE SMARTPHONES, UH, RIGHT.
THE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE COMPUTERS AND, UH, DATA PLANS TO SUPPORT THE NUMBER OF USERS, UH, WHICH HINDERS SCHOOL AND WORK PERFORMANCE.
UH, THE LIBRARY COURSE LOANS, LAPTOPS, AND HOTSPOTS, BUT RESIDENTS WERE RELUCTANT IN BORROWING THOSE DEVICES BECAUSE THEY, UH, WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, UH, OF DAMAGE AND LOSS, UH, TRAINING, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS OBSERVED A NEED FOR DIGITAL NAVIGATORS TO BE TRAINED IN ACCESSIBILITY TOOLS AND WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS WITH DISABILITIES OR LEARNING DIFFERENCES, UH, FROM A POPUP POLL AT THAT BRANCH LIBRARY AT SOUTHEAST BRANCH IN PARTICULAR, MOST RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY HAD INTERNET SERVICES AT HOME, UH, BUT LOW TO MEDIUM DIGITAL LITERACY SKILLS, UH, AND 90.5% OF RESIDENTS, UH, OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF TRAVIS COUNTY PREFER ONE TO ONE COMPUTER INSTRUCTION.
AND MOST WERE INTERESTED IN COMPLETING A CERTIFICATE FOR A JOB.
UH, FOUR SAFETY AND SECURITY RESIDENTS WANTED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF DATA PRIVACY.
UH, RESIDENTS WITH OLDER COMPUTERS WERE MORE VULNERABLE TO CYBER SECURITY ATTACKS.
OLDER ADULTS EXPRESSED BEING VULNERABLE TO ONLINE SCAMS, TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND PROMOTIONS BY INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS, DIRECT FEEDBACK, FIVE AWARENESS OF RESOURCES.
UH, AND THIS IS, WAS POINTED OUT BY, BY OUR VICE CHAIR, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY, UH, LEADERS EXPRESSED A NEED FOR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LIBRARY AND AREA SCHOOLS.
UH, RESIDENTS WERE UNAWARE OF THE ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE LIBRARY.
AND SO, UH, THIS EVENT WENT A LONG WAY TO HELPING TO GET THAT OUT THERE.
AND, UH, AND TO BE CLEAR, I KNOW THAT THE LIBRARY HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN TRYING TO ANALYZE, UH, THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
IN FACT, THEIR SURVEY IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT COMES UP LATER IN OUR DISCUSSION AT THE WORK GROUP LEVEL, UM, AS A POINT OF FOCUS.
SO I HOPE THAT HELPS TO ANSWER BOTH FROM A STANDPOINT OF SOME OF THE INSIGHTS WE GAINED AT THE EVENT.
AND THEN ALSO SOME OF THE LESSONS WE LEARNED ABOUT WHAT WORKS AND REAL QUICK.
UM, SO JUST WANNA REEMPHASIZE THAT LAST POINT.
I THINK THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS REALLY APPRECIATED HAVING, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THERE, UH, TO, TO HELP WITH SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS IN REAL TIME.
UM, YOU MENTIONED THE LIBRARY, RESOURCES, COMPUTERS, HOTSPOTS.
THERE WAS SOME, UM, CONCERN ABOUT USING THOSE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THAT WAS ABLE TO GET ADVERTISED.
UM, AUSTIN, FREENET TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE COURSES AROUND NAVIGATING THE INTERNET, UM, EVEN THINGS LIKE ONLINE DATING.
UM, SO HAVING THOSE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UM, ADVERTISING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, UM, TO MANY COMMUNITIES, UH, VIA WORD OF MOUTH, I THINK WAS, UM, WAS A POSITIVE, VERY WELL SAID VERY WELL SAID.
IN FACT, UH, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY RESOURCES, UH, PERTAINING TO THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, A KEY COMPONENT OF THE, THE LISTING SESSIONS WAS ABOUT FULFILLING, UH, THE RESIDENTIAL, UH, RESIDENTS DIGITAL NEEDS AND, AND THEREFORE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS, AS WAS MENTIONED, PLAYED A KEY ROLE FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES, UH, PLAYED A KEY ROLE AND TABLED AT THE EVENT, UH, GOODWILL OF AUSTIN, UH, TABLED AT THE EVENT, UH, AUSTIN FREENET AS, AS WAS MENTIONED.
UH, AND WE ALSO THEN OF COURSE, HAD TARA AND THE ABILITY TO THEN OFFER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS, UM, GOOD TO SEE THAT EVEN THOUGH THERE MAY BE AN AHA MOMENT, YOU KNOW, AND THAT, UH,
[01:55:01]
IN SOME CASES, UH, THERE WAS A LACK OF AWARENESS BEFORE BEING ABLE TO THEN SPREAD THE WORD AND, AND TO SPREAD IT IN A WAY WHERE PEOPLE CAN CONVENE AND THEN SHARE IT WITH OTHERS IS REALLY KEY.WE EVEN SAW THAT FROM WEEK TO WEEK, AS WE HAD TWO DIFFERENT EVENTS, UH, THAT, UH, SOME PEOPLE WHO HAD PARTICIPATED IN THE FIRST EVENT THEN HAD REACHED OUT TO OTHERS TO JOIN AND THEN HAD BEEN ADDED TO RECRUITMENT BY THE NEXT EVENT.
RIGHT? SO, UH, IT IS GOOD TO SEE THAT MULTIPLICATION EFFECT HAPPENING FROM THIS WORK AND, AND, AND, UH, THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES, THAT THEY'RE ALSO BEING REWARDED FOR THEIR TIME, CUZ THAT WAS THE KEY COMPONENT OF IT AS WELL, TO, TO MENTION ON THE RECORD, UH, DUE TO FUNDING FROM OUR PARTNERS, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER AN HONORARIUM, UH, TO COMPENSATE THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR SHARING THEIR TIME AND THEIR THOUGHTS AND THAT FUNDING, UH, IS STILL AVAILABLE.
UH, AND THAT COMMITMENT FOR, UH, THE MODEL, UH, AS IT EXISTS WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE LIBRARY, UH, IS STILL IN PLACE.
SO THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO FIND A WAY TO, TO, TO MIRROR THAT, UH, WITH OTHER EVENTS, UH, IN, IN LIGHT OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND, AND THE FUNDING FOCUSED AROUND IT.
BUT AS FAR AS ACTION CONCERNED, THEN AT THIS POINT, UH, I DON'T REALLY THINK WE HAVE A NEED FOR A VOTE OF ANY KIND NECESSARILY, BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, UH, ABOUT OUR EXISTING PLAN, WHICH IS TO FORM OUR PLANNING GROUP, WHICH RIGHT NOW CONSISTS OF, UH, THE ARC TERRA AND THE COMMISSION.
UH, AND THEN TO, I, I THINK IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO NATURALLY INCLUDE, UH, O OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND OTHERS.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, BASICALLY PLANNING IS THE NEXT STAGE.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CURRENT EVENTS THAT ARE STILL PLANNED.
SO THE ONE AT RUIZ LIBRARY IS THE DATE CONFIRMED OR IS THIS STILL, UH, QUESTIONED QUESTIONABLE? WELL, UH, IT'S BOTH, UH, RIGHT.
SO, UH, I WANNA REITERATE THAT, UH, CONSISTENT WITH THE MODEL THAT WE HAVE FROM THE SPRING, BECAUSE WE'RE FOCUSED ON TRYING TO RECRUIT PEOPLE FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO PARTICIPATE.
WE HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE RIGHT NOW, OUR PARTNERS IN THE LIBRARY, THEY HAVE A REALLY ROBUST SYSTEM AND, UH, A UNIQUE CAPABILITY TO ALLOW US TO SEE THE DIFFERENT, UH, MEETING SPACES AND THEIR, AND THEIR, UH, THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR SPACE LIMITATIONS.
WELL, BECAUSE THERE ARE PARTNERS ON THE EVENT, THEY'VE ALSO BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO RESERVE MORE THAN ONE DATE AT A TIME.
SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE CONFIRMED DATES RESERVED FOR THE 24TH AND THE FIRST AT, AT, UH, WELL, EXCUSE ME, 24TH AND THE, AND THE, THE FIRST AT TERRAZAS.
AND WE HAVE THE FIRST RESERVED AT BOTH RUIZ AND TERRAZAS.
SO, SO WHAT HASN'T BEEN YET CONFIRMED IS HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ON THOSE DAYS AT THOSE LOCATIONS.
AND IF THAT NUMBER ISN'T SAY UP TO LIKE 20 OR SO BY, UH, YOU KNOW, TWO WEEKS, I'D SAY MAYBE 10 DAYS AT THE, AT THE LEAST, BUT I'M THINKING TWO WEEKS OUT, THEN I THINK WE WANNA LOOK AT TRYING TO PUSH THE DATE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE KEY IS THAT WE NEED TO REMAIN FLEXIBLE AND WE ALSO NEED TO, UH, WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS AND, AND MAKE SURE TO GIVE BACK THE SPACE IF WE'RE NOT GONNA BE USING IT.
SO THAT BRINGS UP MY NEXT QUESTION IS, UH, HOW WAS THIS PUBLICIZED? BECAUSE, UM, I LIVE IN THE AREA THAT SERVICES MARIE SERVICES, AND, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT IT HAS BEEN PUBLICIZED EVERYWHERE YET.
SO, UM, UM, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE PUBLICIZED A LITTLE BIT MORE WIDELY BEYOND THE MONOPOLIST COMMUNITY.
[02:00:01]
THAT IF I CAN, FOR A SECOND, BECAUSE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE, THE, THE PLANNING AGAIN IS FOR INTIMACY.UH, AND I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTION, ALTHOUGH I, I DO WANNA SAY THAT FROM OUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE SOUTHEAST BRANCH EVENTS, UH, MAINTAINING, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S A CERTAIN DYNAMIC TO IT.
UH, FOR ONE, ALTHOUGH WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT, UH, OUR PARTNERS ARE ABLE TO FUND THE HONORARIUM, UH, WE KNOW THAT THEIR BUDGET IS LIMITED, RIGHT? SO FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, IT IT'S MORE LIKE A FOCUS GROUP THAN IT IS LIKE A, UH, ENTIRELY PROMOTED, UH, PUBLIC EVENT, ALTHOUGH IT IS AN OPEN EVENT, UH, BECAUSE THE RECRUITMENT TAKES PLACE IN, IN, UH, A REGIONAL WAY AND IS FOCUSED AROUND THOSE LOCATIONS.
LIKE, SO FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, COMMISSIONER YATES, I THINK YOU WOULD BE A NATURAL PERSON, UH, TO ENGAGE IN OUTREACH, FOR EXAMPLE, WITHIN YOUR NETWORK OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT LIVE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, AS SOMEONE WHO'S ACTIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UH, OR THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL, I BELIEVE, AS I KNOW YOU'VE MENTIONED ON PRIOR OCCASIONS, BECAUSE I'M CERTAIN, UH, THAT WITHIN THAT GROUP, THERE ARE INSIGHTS THAT WE WOULD BENEFIT FROM ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE HAVE WITH DEVICES, WITH THE INTERNET IN THAT AREA.
AND, UH, SO WHAT WOULD BE A NICE PROBLEM TO HAVE IS ONCE WE ENGAGE IN THAT RECRUITMENT, THAT WE START TO GET TOO MANY PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY, ANY PARTICULAR ONE DATE, CUZ THEN WE'D START TO HAVING TO STAGE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND TO SCHEDULE THEM OUT.
BUT I THINK BASED ON THE MODEL, IT WOULD STILL MAKE SENSE TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF PARTICIPANTS, UH, RIGHT.
THAT WAY PEOPLE DON'T, YOU KNOW, JUST YOU SO THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT SAFE SPACE FOR SHARING.
UH, AND JESSE HAS A COMMENT OR QUESTION.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO THROW IT HERE.
I HESITATE TO JUMP IN BECAUSE I HAVEN'T PARTICIPATED IN THE PLANNING SESSION, SO I'M NOT SURE WHO HAS PARTICIPATED, BUT, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE OR THE WAY THAT WE HANDLED THE HONOR AREA AND THE FIRST TWO MEET OR THE PREVIOUS TWO MEETINGS THAT FUNDING CAME FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
UM, I'M TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT FUNDING SECURED FOR FUTURE EVENTS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF APL HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING SESSIONS, UH, FOR, FOR THE COMING COUPLE OF MEETINGS.
UM, BUT THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDING CAME FROM.
SO WE CAN'T MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS, UH, UNLESS APL HAS SAID OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOU, YOU, YOU RAISING THAT CONCERN, UH, A QUESTION I DO WANNA CLARIFY, UH, THAT I DO ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, A STATEMENT FROM EMMY ABOUT THAT, UH, THAT GRANT HAS BEEN EXTENDED AND IT, AND SHE'S, AND THEY'RE MAKING THAT AVAILABLE FOR THE, THE LIBRARY EVENTS.
UH, SO I THINK I WOULD NEED SOME MORE INFORMATION IN ORDER TO DISSEMINATE IT TO, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND HERE, IN OTHER WORDS, UH, WHO IS GO NEEDS TO BE CONTACTED ABOUT, UM, JOINING THIS MEETING.
AND, UH, SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOU JUST DON'T SHOW UP.
YOU'RE ALMOST LIKE INVITED THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IF, IF YOU, IF I'M REMISS FOR NOT, UH, THINKING ABOUT YOUR LOCATION, UH, PRIOR TO, BUT, UH, I, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU WERE TO JOIN THE PLANNING TEAM ACTUALLY, UH, BASED UPON, UH, THE MODEL.
IN FACT, UH, WE AGREED AND VOTED THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN, UH, WE WOULD HAVE NO QUORUM ISSUES.
UM, WE VOTED AND AGREED AS A BODY THAT ALL COMMISSIONERS COULD PARTICIPATE AND ANY OF THESE EVENTS AND, AND REALLY STRATEGICALLY, IT REALLY MAKES THE MOST SENSE FOR THE COMMISSIONER, FROM THE PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, TO PRIORITIZE, UH, I'LL CERTAINLY BE THERE, BUT, UH, IT WOULD REALLY MAKE WONDERFUL SENSE FOR YOU TO BE THERE AND FOR, FOR YOU TO HELP, TO FACILITATE ANY WAY THAT YOU WANTED, UH, BUT AT THE VERY LEAST, UH, TO PARTICIPATE, UH, AND, UH, AND TO CERTAINLY, UH, FEEL FREE AND, AND WELCOME TO RECRUIT.
UH, AND, AND TO THAT POINT, UH, WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANTED TO JOIN THE
[02:05:01]
PLANNING TEAM, WE'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU TO ARM YOU WITH INFORMATION AND, AND WHERE WE HAVEN'T YET FINALIZED OR CREATED A, LIKE A ONE PAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.BUT THAT WOULD BE PART OF THIS EFFORT TOO.
AND WE'VE ALREADY GOT KIND OF A, A, A FORMAT AND A FORMULA, UH, FROM THE PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENTS TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE.
SO THERE ISN'T A WHOLE LOT OF WORK THAT'S REQUIRED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE A GOOD TEMPLATE TO USE.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT I'VE GOT THE BANDWIDTH TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE IN THE PLANNING OF THIS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HELP OUT WITH THE, UH, DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION PUBLICATION, PUBLICIZING.
UM, SO I JUST NEED SOME PARAMETERS ON, UH, WHO TO SEND IT TO.
NOW, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IT SEEMS IS YOU'RE TRYING TO REACH PEOPLE THAT DON'T REALLY HAVE DIGITAL ACCESS.
SO THE QUESTION IS, HOW ARE YOU DISSEMINATING THIS INFORMATION? ARE THERE FLYERS AT THE LIBRARY? ARE THERE FLYERS THAT WE COULD PUT UP IN OTHER PUBLIC PLACES? UM, IS THIS BEING ADVERTISED ON LIKE, UM, SPANISH RADIO OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? WELL, A AGAIN, UH, CURRENTLY, UH, NO, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE METHOD OF RECRUITMENT IS ALL VERY ORGANIC AND IT'S DEPENDENT UPON THE RESOURCE PARTNERS COMMITMENT AS WELL.
SO, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN SO FAR A, A LIST OF ABOUT 12, 12 DIFFERENT, UH, 12 OR 13, 14 DIFFERENT COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THE ECSAR CHAVEZ AND MONOPOLI AREA NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO BASED ON THAT MODEL, YOU WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE LEADERS NOW.
AND, AND SO WHAT WE DO BASICALLY IS, IS EXPLAIN THE WHOLE SITUATION, UH, ARM YOU WITH THE, THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE, THE ENGAGEMENT AND THE EVENT, AND THEN GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE YOUR NETWORK AND YOUR, YOUR WAYS OF INTERACTING WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS, UM, WHICH HOPEFULLY, UH, WELL HISTORICALLY HAS PROVEN TO BE NOT ALWAYS ONLINE, RIGHT? SO THE FACT THAT SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE UNABLE AND NOT TYPICALLY, UH, ABLE LEVERAGING DEVICES OR FOCUSED AROUND, UH, YOU KNOW, USING A, A, AN INTERNET ENABLED DEVICE ALL THE TIME WOULD MEAN THAT WOULD BE INTERACTING IN, IN OTHER WAYS.
SO IT MIGHT MEAN THAT IF, IF YOU HAD ANY, IF YOU HAD ANY IN PERSON MEETINGS WITH ONE OF YOUR OTHER NETWORKS OR WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL, THAT THAT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THEN SPREAD THE WORD IN PERSON.
AND AS WE DID BEFORE, WE COULD EASILY PROVIDE A FLYER OR, YOU KNOW, ONE PAGER THAT DESCRIBES WHAT THE EVENT IS TO THEN BE ABLE TO GIVE THOSE TO, YOU KNOW, A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE OR, OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
I THINK THAT, UH, A FLYER OR SOME KIND OF DESCRIPTION WOULD BE IMPORTANT, UM, TO GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT.
SO THE SOONER THAT COULD HAPPEN, THEN THE SOONER I COULD START, UH, UM, DISSEMINATING THIS INFORMATION TO VARIOUS PLACES, PUBLIC PLACES.
BUT I THINK THAT HAVING IT ACTUALLY, UM, A FLYER AT THE LIBRARY, OR SOME BIG PLACARD RIGHT AT THE FRONT DOOR THAT WOULD REALLY HELP, I THINK, TO, UH, TO PULL IN THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE THE DIGITAL ACCESS THAT, UH, THEY NEED.
WELL, AS I MENTIONED, UH, NOT OPPOSED TO, TO THAT, I KNOW THAT, UH, THERE'S A, A SENSITIVITY COMPONENT, UH, TO THIS, THAT WE'VE FACTORED INTO OUR RECRUITMENT AROUND THE, THE TOWN HALLS.
AGAIN, UH, THERE WAS NOT, UH, THERE WAS, THERE WAS A POSTER HUNG AT THE, AT THOSE LOCATIONS, AND THERE WAS MORE INTIMATE RECRUITMENT THAT TOOK PLACE, UH, ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT.
CAN YOU HELP ME? UH, YEAH, I THINK WE DID BOTH AND PARTICULARLY UNITED WAY DID THE BULK OF THE RECRUITMENT, AND THAT WAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEIR DAY TO DAY SERVICES AND OFFERINGS.
IN RELATION IN RELATIONSHIPS THEY HAD.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, I BELIEVE THE LIBRARY,
[02:10:01]
UM, DID BOTH, THEY MAY HAVE POSTED GRAPHICS, BUT I KNOW THEY CERTAINLY DID SOME WORD OF MOUTH RECRUITMENT AS WELL.SO, UH, YEAH, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO BOTH AGAIN.
I, I THINK THAT ANY AND ALL, UH, IS, IS EFFECTIVE.
AGAIN, JUST KEEP BEARING IN MIND THAT IF WE CREATE A DEMAND CHALLENGE, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO SCHEDULE THOSE CONVERSATIONS OUT.
SO AS THE, THE FLYERS INDICATE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE A, YOU KNOW, A STATEMENT ABOUT MAINTAINING, YOU KNOW, A SAFE SPACE AND, AND, UH, A RATIO OF, OF SPEAKERS TO, TO LISTENERS THAT'S COMFORTABLE FOR THE SPEAKERS INVOLVED, UH, ESPECIALLY FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO THEN IS GET YOU WHAT YOU NEED AND, AND, AND BASICALLY, UH, WE, MORE OR LESS ALREADY HAVE, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE PUT TOGETHER IN SOME KIND OF GRAPHIC IZED FORMAT.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING WHICH I BELIEVE I COULD DO, BUT I COULD MAYBE USE A LITTLE HELP ON IF, IF WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A BULLETED.
UH, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A RESOURCE WITHIN TARA THAT CAN HELP WITH CREATING A FLYER LIKE, OF THIS NATURE, JESSE, THAT WOULD BE DEPENDENT UPON THE AVAILABILITY OF OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION, UH, SPECIALIST BRIANNA.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THERE WAS A FLYER IN SPANISH ALSO.
AND, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S PRECISE OF WHAT WE DID FOR THE LAST MEETING.
THAT'S THE BEST PRACTICE THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND WE'LL REPEAT FOR THIS EVENT.
SO IS THERE SOME KIND OF MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO LIMIT TO? YES, WE, WE BASICALLY SEE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE SWEET SPOT IS AROUND 40 AT THE TI AT THE TOP END.
UM, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, THEN SAY NO MORE THAN 10 PEOPLE FROM A MIX OF EITHER TABLING ENTITIES AND OR RESOURCE PARTNERS AND, UH, OR CITY FOLKS, SO TO SPEAK.
UH, SO IF WE'RE HAVING A BILINGUAL SPACE CONVERSATION LIKE WE DID AT SOUTHEAST BRANCH, I THINK WE HAD UP TO 12, 12 PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AT ONE POINT, UM, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN AND THEN ON ONE SIDE, AND THEN WE HAD 12 OR, OR 14 ON THE OTHER AT ONE POINT.
SO, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, JUST AS LONG AS WE CAN MAINTAIN A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE, UH, AND, AND THE NUMBERS ALLOW PEOPLE TO ENGAGE FREELY CHAIR PITS IS, UH, UNITED WAY HELPING US WITH THE PLANNING EFFORT.
AGAIN, DO YOU HAVE ANY VISIBILITY TO THAT? YEAH, RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY, UH, WE, WE DO HAVE UNITED WAY ENGAGED, UH, PERTAINING TO DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK.
UH, I THINK WE SHOULD NEED TO, WE NEED TO, TO FIND A WAY TO, TO REENGAGE THEM.
UH, I KNOW THAT THEY'RE WAITING, I WAS PLANNING ON INCLUDING THEM IN, UH, THE, THE DRAFT AFTER FURTHER REPORT.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE A NEXT, A NEXT LOGICAL NEXT STEP FOR ME TO SEND A DRAFT TO EITHER FRANCISCO OR, UM, TO ONE OF OUR OTHER CONTACTS THERE.
AND THEN TO CONFIRM THAT, YEAH, THEY WERE AN EXCELLENT PARTNER LAST TIME.
AND SINCE THEY ALREADY HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THE RECRUITMENT AND ALSO HELPING US TO SOME DEGREE WITH THE COORDINATION, UM, WE SHOULD PROBABLY CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP.
YEAH, NO, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S VERY WELL SAID.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS HOPING TO DO IS TO BE ABLE TO SECURE A CERTAIN DATES.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, THE PLANNING HAS TO TAKE PLACE WITH THE DATES BEING BOTH CONFIRMED AND FLEXIBLE AT THE SAME TIME.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO THAT.
AND, UH, YEAH, I CAN COMMIT TO THAT.
I KNOW THAT THEIR INPUT ON THE DRAFT WILL BE ALSO HELPFUL BECAUSE THEY WERE SO INVOLVED IN THAT PLANNING EFFORT.
UH, SO BEFORE WE WENT INTO THE, UH, PUBLISHING MODE FOR THAT DRAFT WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO GET THAT.
SO THE TIMING I I'D SAY IS, IS, IS APPROPRIATE NOW, IF NOT OVERDUE, FRANKLY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT,
[8. Update from Digital Inclusion, Civic Engagement, and Strategic Technology and Telecom Policy Working Group ]
WELL THEN LET'S GO AHEAD AND,[02:15:01]
UH, AND MOVE FORWARD IN THE AGENDA HERE TO THE WORKING GROUP UPDATES BEGINNING WITH THE, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND, UH, STRATEGIC TELECOM POLICY WORKING GROUP.UH, WE WENT INTO LENGTHY DISCUSSION OVER, UH, BROADBAND STANDARDS, UH, AND THE DIGITAL INCLUSION, STRATEGIC PLAN AND, AND THE EFFORT WE'RE UNDERTAKING THERE ALSO JUST OF COURSE, GOT THROUGH DISCUSSING THE TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSIONS, UH, AND EARLIER, UH, WE GOT AN UPDATE ABOUT G TOPS, THE BIGGEST THING, UH, THAT'S ON EVERYONE'S RADAR RIGHT NOW, UH, AND WE'RE ENGAGED IN, UH, WEEKLY PLANNING DISCUSSIONS OF IS DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK.
UH, AND THAT'S COMING UP, OF COURSE, I MENTIONED EARLIER AS WELL, UH, OCTOBER 3RD THROUGH THE SEVENTH, UH, WE HAVE A LIVE CALENDAR, UH, THAT PEOPLE CAN OPPOS THEIR EVENTS TO, AND WE'RE HAVING WEEKLY PLANNING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THEM.
UH, WE, AS A COMMISSION ARE NOT DIRECTLY PLANNING ANY EVENTS, UH, WE'RE PLANNING ON SUPPORTING ALL THE OTHER EVENTS RIGHT NOW.
UH, BUT IF WE FELT WE HAD THE BANDWIDTH AND WOULD AGREE, UH, TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN, THEN WE, WE CERTAINLY COULD, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAVE OFFERED ON THE PLANNING CALLS TO, UH, FACILITATE A MODERATED DISCUSSION.
IF ANY OF THE ENTITIES WERE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, UH, THAT'S AN OPEN OFFER.
I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER ANYONE HERE, UM, A CHANCE TO JOIN THOSE PLANNING CALLS.
I KNOW A COMMISSIONER ISLAND, I APOLOGIZE, BECAUSE I INTENDED TO FORWARD YOU THE INVITATION TO JOIN THE LAST DISCUSSION.
WE CAN'T HAVE MORE THAN FIVE CAN'T HAVE, UH, YEAH, MORE THAN FIVE COMMISSIONERS PARTICIPATE, BUT IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, UH, THERE AT NINE O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY MORNING, AND THEY'RE HOSTED BY OUR SENIOR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, THE BIGGEST EVENT RIGHT NOW THAT EVERYONE IS, IS PLANNING ON SUPPORTING AT IS THE TECH FOR ALL, UH, FESTIVAL, WHICH AUSTIN FREENET IS HOSTING ON FRIDAY THE SEVENTH, AND IT'S TAKING PLACE AT THE LIBRARY.
AND THEN AFTERWARDS, UH, THE LIBRARY IS HOSTING, UH, AN EVENT KIND OF AN AFTER PARTY EVENT.
UH, SO I'M PLANNING ON PARTICIPATING AND I BELIEVE BECAUSE OF THAT EVENT AND ITS NATURE, EVERYONE, UH, JESSE, I CORRECT THAT EVERYONE CAN JOIN IN PARTICIPATE IN THAT EVENT WITHOUT BEING CONCERNED.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TECH PRO FEST, UH, AS, AS PARTICIPANTS, NOT AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, AND SO I WOULD RECOMMEND IF YOU DO INTEND ON PARTICIPATING IN ANY EVENTS, LET ME KNOW, SO THAT I CAN AT LEAST KEEP TRACK OF, UH, IF QUORUM BECOMES A CONCERN, UM, UNDER A QUORUM OF COMMISSION, THERE'S NO RESTRICTIONS ESSENTIALLY ABOVE A QUORUM OF COMMISSIONS.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE'RE CLEAR ON WHAT IS ALLOWED.
SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, UH, HAVE TO KEEP JESSE IN THE LOOP, UH, OBVIOUSLY.
AND, UM, BUT THAT SHOULD BE A GREAT ENGAGEMENT.
YOU KNOW, DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK IS A, A, A PRETTY BIG DEAL.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING WHICH WAS OFFICIALLY CREATED BY, UH, THE NATIONAL DIGITAL INCLUSION ALLIANCE AND IT'S SOMETHING WHICH, UH, ALLOWS OUR COUNTRY REALLY TO FOCUS ON, UH, THESE CHALLENGES AND, AND TO THEN ELEVATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE ISSUES.
I THINK THE, THE THING THAT'S REALLY UNIQUE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK IS THE IT THE GREAT SYNCHRONICITY, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S, IT'S OCCURRING ALONGSIDE THE ELEVATION OF THESE ISSUES FOR OUR WHOLE COUNTRY, WITH FUNDING BEHIND THEM, NOT JUST FOR A WEEK, BUT, YOU KNOW, SEEMINGLY NOW FOR THE, THE, THE IMMEDIATE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, AND THEN ALSO WRAPPED INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, I'M LOOKING, I HAD SOME UP ON MY SCREEN AND NOW IT'S GONE.
I ALSO WANT TO SHARE PERTAINING TO DIGITAL INCLUSION.
[02:20:02]
WE SHOULD ALL GIVE OURSELVES SOME KUDOS, UH, BECAUSE THE NATIONAL DIGITAL INCLUSION ALLIANCE, UH, HAS NAMED AUSTIN A 20, 22 DIGITAL INCLUSION TRAILBLAZER.UH, AND THIS IS OUR SECOND TIME IN A YEAR BEING ACKNOWLEDGED FOR THIS.
UH, AND FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, SINCE THE N D I A CREATED THE AWARD, AUSTIN HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED, UH, AS A DIGITAL INCLUSION TRAILBLAZER.
SO, UH, WE MET FIVE OF THE SI OF, OF THE SIX CRITERIA FOR THE AWARD, AND IT INCLUDED A STATEMENT, UH, BY RONDELLA SAYING THAT WE'RE PROUD TO BELIEVE, UH, TO BE A TRAILBLAZER IN THE FIELD OF DIGITAL INCLUSION AND TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE N D I A AGAIN, THIS YEAR SAID, RUND HAWKINS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S TELEVISION AFFAIRS OFFICER.
ONE OF THE CITY'S GOALS IS TO EMPOWER ALL OF AUSTIN'S RESIDENTS WITH AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE INTERNET SERVICE AND TO SH UH, AND THE SKILLS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
IT CAN OPEN UP A WORLD OF NEW SERVICES FROM FINDING A JOB TO WORKING FROM HOME FAMILY, VIDEO CALLS, SCHOOL, WORK, TELEMEDICINE, ENDING, SOCIAL ISOLATION, AND MANY OTHER ISSUES.
AND THEN, UH, YEAH, SO KUDOS TO US THERE AND, UH, TO OUR WHOLE ECOSYSTEM FOR OUR, OUR WORK IN THIS SPACE, UM, PERTAINING TO DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO, TO, UH, ELEVATE WE'RE HOSTING OUR NOW, UH, ANNUAL ART COMPETITION.
UH, AND, UH, JESSE, UH, IS RUNNING THE SHOW THERE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY UPDATES OR ANYTHING YOU WANNA SHARE ABOUT THAT.
JUST A QUICK UPDATE THAT THE, THE DEADLINE WAS PREVIOUSLY ON THE 11TH, UH, BUT WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED, UH, SUBMISSIONS.
SO I'M EXTENDING THE DEADLINE
AND, UH, UH, I'LL BE CIRCLING BACK WITH MY TEAM ONCE I'M OFFICIALLY BACK FROM VACATION TOMORROW.
UM, WELL, I REMEMBER DISTINCTLY, UH, WHEN, UH, THIS BRAINSTORM BECAME, UH, A PROGRAM AND, AND, UH, AND I REMEMBER, UH, GETTING ACCESS TO, UM, SOME RESOURCES TO ENGAGE IN OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT TEACHERS IN PARTICULAR.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE TIMING WHEN WE STARTED IT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THE PANDEMIC AND, UH, UH, TURNOVER, UH, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY, BASICALLY, UM, THE LIST WAS IT REQUIRED GOING TO THE LIVE WEBSITE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU WERE GETTING PEOPLE THAT YOU, YOU WERE ACTUALLY GONNA REACH A PERSON.
UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE SPIRIT OF THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE AND WANNA INVITE, UH, ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS AS WELL, TO THROW YOUR HAT IN THE RING, UM, IF IT COMES TO IT, RIGHT.
UM, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE A SECTION OF OUR SCHOOL LIST AND TO, YOU KNOW, TO SEND PERSONAL EMAILS FOR RECRUITMENT, UH, JUST, UH, LET US KNOW HOW THE RECRUITMENT GOES AND WE'LL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THE WORD OUT.
I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND, UM, UH, I'LL, I'LL LET THE, I'LL SEND AN EMAIL TO THE COMMISSION DL, IF IT DOES TURN OUT THAT WE NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT OUR, UH, PATRICK ON MY TEAM IS, HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT, THAT LIST.
SO IF WE DO NEED TO CROWDSOURCE IT, THEN I'LL LET Y'ALL KNOW, BUT, UM, UH, WE MAY HAVE THAT COVERED
I MEAN, IT IS A, YOU KNOW, THE CASH REWARD CONTEST, UH, IT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, SOME GOOD RESUMES, RESUME POINTS FOR SOME YOUNG ARTISTS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW? SO IN ADDITION TO THE CHANCE FOR EXPRESSIONS AND, UH, TO CONVEY A MESSAGE AROUND WHAT DIGITAL EQUITY OR INCLUSION MEANS TO, TO YOU, SO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT AND, AND GET A CHANCE THEN, UH, WHEN, IF NECESSARY TO SPREAD THE WORD.
SO, UH, THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT.
OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY OF THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM.
[02:25:01]
10 MILLION FCC OUTREACH PROGRAM, UH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO SPEAK TO THAT AS IT PERTAINS TO, UH, THIS WORKING GROUP AND OUR SENIOR P BRIANNA DOWNING HAS SENT OUT AN EMAIL TO US ALL, UH, WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.UM, BUT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ANYONE OUT THERE.
UH, THAT'S INTERESTED TO BE SURE TO, TO SIMPLY GOOGLE, UH, THE FCC OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO ENABLE YOUR ORGANIZATION TO PERHAPS RECEIVE FUNDING, TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM.
UH, THEN LASTLY, UH, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, UM, HAS ENGAGED, UH, IN, UH, CONSISTENT EFFORT AS OUR, UH, TRUSTED PARTNER.
AND, UH, THEY ARE CREATING A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN AND WANT INPUT FROM AUSTIN RESIDENTS, UH, AND THEY'VE ISSUED A SURVEY.
AND SO FOR THAT, I'LL, I'LL ENCOURAGE EVERYONE ONLINE, UH, TO GO TO, UH, THEIR WEBSITE AND TO GOOGLE THAT, OR TO JUST BASICALLY GOOGLE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, COMMUNITY SURVEY, UH, AND YOU'LL HAVE THE OPTION TO ENGAGE IN THAT SURVEY IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.
IT'S A VERY BRIEF SURVEY AND, UH, AND YET ROBUST ENOUGH.
SO IF YOU WANT TO, UH, TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, VERY SPECIFIC INFORMATION OR THOUGHTS, YOU CAN.
SO, AND, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, UH, WE HAD OUR DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN CALL AND, UH, HAD THE ADVANTAGE OF RECEIVING A PRESENTATION BY TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, BY DR.
RITA TAYLOR AND CHLOE MUN, UH, THERE IN THEIR, UH, DIGITAL EQUITY OFFICE, UH, SHARING DATA.
UH, AND IT WAS A PRESENTATION THAT OUR, OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION WORK GROUP HAD RECEIVED BEFORE.
SO THE SAME ONE, UM, AND WE KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW, UH, RESONANT AND IMPACTFUL THAT DATA CAN BE.
UH, I PLAN ON INVITING THEM TO COME JOIN, UH, US IN OCTOBER TO PRESENT THAT TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION.
UM, AND, UH, AND THEN IN THE MEANTIME, UH, JUST WANTED TO, TO UPLIFT THAT BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF INSIGHT TO BE GAINED FROM, FROM DATA AS WE HAVE RELIED UPON HISTORICALLY CHIP PITTS.
I THINK WE HAD, UH, ALSO DISCUSSED INVITING THEM TO OUR NEXT LISTING SESSION AS WELL.
YEAH, THAT'S A, THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.
IN FACT, UH, THAT, UH, IS A, UH, A GREAT SEGUE BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY SPAWNED, UH, A FOLLOW UP CONVERSATION ABOUT PARTNERING WITH, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY ON LIVED EXPERIENCE SHARING AND, AND TAKING THE SAME KIND OF, UH, PERSONAL CONNECTION FROM THE TOWN HALLS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST AROUND NECESSARILY, UH, THE DOOR TO DOOR, BUT LEVERAGING THAT POTENTIALLY AS A WAY TO THEN HAVE MORE INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY WITH THOSE AUDIENCES, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVEN AS A WAY TO RECRUIT, UH, FOR TOWN CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO ACTUALLY HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED WITH CHLOE AND RITA TOMORROW TO BEGIN IDEATION, UH, ABOUT THAT.
UH, AND WE'LL THEN QUICKLY EXPAND THAT, UH, TO, UH, OTHER PARTIES, BUT WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE INITIAL CONVERSATION TO TALK ABOUT, UH, DIFFERENT POSSIBILITIES AND THEN, AND TAKE IT FROM THERE.
SO, YEAH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR RAISING THAT.
I HAD FORGOTTEN TO MENTION THAT, BUT THAT CONCLUDES SOME UPDATE FOR THIS WORKING GROUP.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT, UH, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED THAT OTHERS WANT TO INCLUDE? OKAY,
[9. Update from Knowledge, Information, and Data Stewardship Working Group ]
WELL THEN WITH THAT, THEN MOVING RIGHT ALONG IN OUR AGENDA, UH, TO, UH, AGENDA NUMBER NINE UNDER WORKING GROUP UPDATES, UPDATE FROM THE KNOWLEDGE, INFORMATION AND DATE OF STEWARDSHIP WORKING GROUP, I'LL TURN INTO THE WORKING GROUP CHAIR, VICE CHAIR.UM, FOR THIS WORKING GROUP WE MET EARLIER IN THE WEEK, UH, WE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM DIA RENELL AND, UH, YAME WAGNER ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN WEBSITE.
UM, ESSENTIALLY WE, WE JUST WANTED AN UPDATE ON THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO.
UM, CERTAINLY IF YOU'VE BEEN ON THE WEBSITE IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED GREAT STRIDES BEING MADE TO MAKE IT MORE SERVICE ORIENTED VERSUS DEPARTMENT FOCUSED.
UM, CERTAINLY FROM AN END USER PERSPECTIVE,
[02:30:01]
UM, MUCH BETTER WAY TO GO MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON USING SERVICES AROUND, PERHAPS PAYING YOUR BILLS, EVEN ADOPTING A PET, UM, CITY COUNCIL RESOURCES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.SO, UM, IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE, ALL OF THOSE, I BELIEVE THERE'S EIGHT CORE AREAS THAT ARE SORT OF PUSHED TO THE TOP.
UM, SOMETIME BEFORE IT WAS, IT WAS MORE DEPARTMENT FOCUSED.
UM, SOME OF THE MAIN AREAS OF, OF CHALLENGE ARE, UH, CLOSING THE ACCESSIBILITY GAP.
UM, LAST YEAR THERE WAS, UM, THERE WAS AN ANALYSIS DONE ON THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN WEBSITE.
SO THERE WERE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS MADE, UH, AND THIS REPORTS PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.
JESSE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE COULD PERHAPS INCLUDE, UM, AS AN ADDENDUM ON THE MINUTES, UM, SO THAT IT'S, IT'S INCLUDED ON, UM, JUST FOR POSTERITY, BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE AND, UM, ESSENTIALLY THEY'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES IN, IN CLOSING THOSE GAPS, AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FUTURE IS FOCUSING ON THIRD PARTY SITES THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, CONTRACTS PIECES OUT TO.
SO ONE, ONE VERY SPECIFIC EXAMPLE WAS THE PARKS AND REC, UM, MICRO SITE.
SO THIS, THIS IS CONTRACTED OUT TO A THIRD PARTY COMPANY, UM, AND CREATING THAT CONSISTENCY AROUND ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS.
UM, I THINK IT'S MORE OF A LONGER TERM PROCESS SINCE THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOESN'T HAVE DIRECT CONTROL, BUT MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE, THERE PROBABLY OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO ENSURE THAT'S, THAT'S BUILT INTO THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, ON THE OUTSET.
UM, I KNOW JESSE WASN'T ON THAT CALL CHAIR PITTS WAS ON THAT CALL COMMISSIONER, UM, WHO ELSE WAS ON THAT CALL? I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER GARZA WAS ON THAT CALL AS WELL.
SO NOT SURE IF I MISSED ANYTHING, UM, FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN.
NOW, I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD COVER MYSELF, UH, FOR, FOR MY RECOLLECTION OF THE CALL.
AND, UH, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS HELPFUL TO SEE THE EVOLUTION, THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE, UM, PARTICULARLY LOOK I'M DEFINITELY, UH, EAGER TO SEE MORE ADVANCEMENT ON THE ACCESSIBILITY PIECE, UH, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY HAVING, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE LIVE WORKSHOP OVER IN THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON ACCESSIBILITY, UH, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UM, EAGER TO SEE STRIDES MADE IN THAT, IN THAT, IN THAT VEIN ALSO, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE OPEN DATA PIECE, BEING E E EVOLVED AS, AS SHE MENTIONED, UH, AND TO SING SOME PROGRESS THERE TOO.
I KNOW THAT AFTER SHE LEFT, UM, OUR DISCUSSION KIND OF SHIFTED TO, UH, PERMITTING AND WHAT ROLE, UH, PERMITTING PLAYS, UH, IN, IN THE WHOLE DYNAMIC OF, UH, UH, PROVIDER, UH, UH, LOGISTICS AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
AND, AND IT CAME UP IN CONJUNCTION TO, UH, A STANDING TOPIC OF CONCLUSION AROUND DIGITAL INCLUSION.
SO WE KIND OF TABLED IT, UH, FOR DISCUSSION HERE AT THE, AT THE COMMISSION LEVEL.
UH, BUT IT WASN'T RAISED BY MYSELF.
UM, IN FACT, I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT IT UP EARLIER IN THAT PIECE BECAUSE IT PERTAINS TO THE DIGITAL INCLUSION WORKING GROUP, BUT NOW SINCE IT CAME UP, WE MIGHT AS WELL, UH, RAISE IT BECAUSE THE WEBSITE OBVIOUSLY IS, IS BOTH, UH, THE, THE TOOL, UH, THAT PROVIDERS HAVE TO RELY ON AND BEGINNING AND FOLLOWING UP ON THEIR PERMITTING, UH, REQUESTS.
UH, AND IT'S ALSO, UH, WHAT THEY VOICE AS BEING A UNIQUE, IN SOME CASES, CHALLENGE, UH, TO DOING BUSINESS IN AUSTIN COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES I'D LIKE TO GIVE, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, GARZA A, A CHANCE, UH, TO RAISE THAT ISSUE, CUZ I, I DON'T
[02:35:01]
WANNA MISSPEAK, UH, OR, UH, STEP ON YOUR TOES AND GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO, TO GO AHEAD AND DIRECTLY ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS THERE OR, OR TO RAISE THE QUESTIONS.SO IT WAS MORE ABOUT QUESTION THAN, UM, THAN A COMMENT OR OUR CONCERN.
I THINK IT WAS MORE AROUND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT DIGITAL INCLUSION AND WE THINK ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S NEEDED.
UH, DOES THAT ALSO INCLUDE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY THAT HAVE TO DEAL WITH LIKE PERMITTING AND MAY THAT COMMENT JUST AROUND THE FEAR OF THINKING ABOUT DIGITAL INCLUSION OR TRYING TO SOLVE DIGITAL INCLUSION, UH, WITH AN IDEOLOGICAL RESPONSE RATHER THAN IS THIS AN ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSE WHERE HAVING MORE STAFF IN THE PERMITTING DEPARTMENT WOULD, YOU KNOW, MAKE DIGITAL INCLUSION HAPPEN FASTER BY ENABLING PROVIDERS TO BE ABLE TO REACH, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY CURRENTLY DO NOT REACH.
AND SO I THINK, I MEAN, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THE DRAFT OF OUR SOLUTION.
I THINK THAT WILL CLARIFY A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR ME BEING THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE COMMISSION.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAPPENED PRIOR TO ME JOINING, BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIME, HOW SOMETIMES THESE ARE SEEM LIKE GIGANTIC PROBLEMS TO SOLVE AND CAN OFTEN, OR MAY OFTEN JUST NEED SIMPLE SOLUTIONS, UM, AROUND LIKE WHERE THE THINGS ARE GETTING STUCK.
AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT ROLE WE PLAY WITH, UM, APARTMENT IN THE CITY THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE IMMEDIATELY, UM, EMBEDDED INTO THIS IDEA OF DIGITAL INCLUSION, BUT IN FACT HAS A LOT OF POWER.
WELL, I DEFINITELY, UH, APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
I, I, IF YOU DON'T, IF I WILL, IF I MAY, I WANTED TO GIVE, UH, TARA A CHANCE TO ADDRESS THIS BECAUSE PERMITTING IS SOMETHING WHICH WE'VE, UH, HAD BRIEFINGS ON DIRECTLY FROM TARA SPECIFICALLY ABOUT IN THE PAST.
AND, UH, SO THERE IS KIND OF A HISTORICAL, UH, KNOWLEDGE POINT THAT, UH, WE COULD, WE SHOULD SPEAK TO MORE REGULARLY, FRANKLY, AND, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY I THINK FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL INSIGHT.
SO, UH, IN THE PAST THERE, AND I SEE RAND IS HOPPING ON, SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THIS, UH, A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT IN THE PAST, UM, THE, THERE WAS A 5G GROUP THAT WAS A PART OF TARA.
UM, THAT GROUP IS NO LONGER, UH, WITHIN TARA.
SO, UH, WHILE WE'RE INTERESTED IN CONVERSATIONS AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE, WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH DIRECT INFLUENCE AS WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST ON THAT SUBJECT.
BUT, UM, ROND, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT RESPONSE THERE.
HI, RONDELLA HAWKINS TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS OFFICER.
UM, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON, ON JESSE'S RESPONSE, UH, COMMISSIONER GARZA, OUR OFFICE, UM, WE, UH, WE HELP TO, WE, WE WORK CROSS DEPARTMENTALLY, UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR LIKE THE PERMITTING FOR FIBER OR FIBER, UH, WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS, CELL TOWERS.
UH, YES, JUST UNTIL ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.
WE, UM, WE, WE ACTUALLY CREATED AND DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED THE CITY'S SMALL CELL PERMITTING PROCESS, BUT NOW THERE'S A MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH PERMITTING, UM, THERE'S DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND THEY ARE, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SMALL CELL, SMALL CELL LOCATION, UH, PERMITTING THE, THE LOCATION OF THAT, WHETHER IT BE A NEW POLE OR ATTACHMENT TO EXISTING CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE A, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC SIGNAL POLE, UM, THEY ALSO GRANT GENERAL PERMITS FOR FIBER, BUT THEN THERE'S MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE, UH, PERMIT REVIEW PROCESS BECAUSE OF, SO AS AUSTIN WATER IT'S AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, THEY, UM, THEY REVIEW FOR, UH, TRAFFIC CONTROL PLANS AND, UH, MORE OF LIKE ABOVE SURFACE, UM, USE THEN THERE'S PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, IF THERE'S GOING TO BE, UM, UNDERGROUND INSTALLATION, IF THEY HAVE TO DO, UH, TRENCHING WHETHER OR SHALLOW TRENCHING, UM, WHICH IS ONE IMPROVEMENT THAT ACTUALLY THE CITY WORKED, UM, ORIGINALLY WITH, UM, SOME
[02:40:01]
OF THE SMALL CELL PROVIDERS THEY WANT, THEY HAVE TO HAVE FIBER, UH, EVEN FOR WIRELESS, RIGHT? IT ALL CONNECTS TO THE FIBER BACKBONE AND GOOGLE FIBER.UH, THERE WAS A PILOT PROJECT TO ALLOW SHALLOW TRENCHING, UM, MUCH WAS MUCH MORE OF A, YOU KNOW, IT'S MUCH MORE SHALLOWED AND IN NEIGHBORHOODS, IT REALLY, UM, IT WORKS WELL TO EXPEDITE THE, THE, THE INSTALLATION OR CONSTRUCTION OF, OF THE FIBER, UH, A LOT LESS DISRUPTIVE.
I WANNA SAY, IMPROVEMENT THAT THE CITY HAS MADE OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WORKING WITH, UH, PROVIDERS TO ALLOW FOR THE SHELL TRENCHING, UM, BUT ALSO THE ELECTRICITY, UM, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, IS ANOTHER DEPARTMENT THAT MANAGES IF IT'S AN ABOVE GROUND OR AERIAL ATTACHMENT, LIKE FIBER ATTACHMENT, YOU YOU'LL SEE ON ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION POLES.
UH, SO THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A SEPARATE, FULL ATTACHMENT AGREEMENT.
SO I'M JUST DESCRIBING THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS THAT, UM, REVIEW A PERMIT, BUT THERE ARE, UM, THERE ARE WAYS THAT PROVIDERS CAN PARTICIPATE IN, UM, PLANNING.
THERE'S A, EXCUSE ME, LIKE A, UM, A UTILITY COORDINATION COMMITTEE, UM, A U L C C, UH, THAT FOR ANY KIND OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, CIP P PROJECTS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
UM, IF THE PROVIDERS PARTICIPATE IN THESE PLANNING MEETINGS, THEY CAN KIND OF LOOK AHEAD AND SEE WHAT PROJECTS ARE COMING, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE PIKE SO THAT THEY CAN GET IN THEIR, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN JUST HELP THE COORDINATION.
SO, UM, THERE IS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT
UM, THEN YOU'VE GOT A PROJECT CONNECT, YOU'VE GOT THE, WHICH IS NOT BEGUN, THAT'S JUST IN THE PLANNING STAGE.
BUT, UM, THE, UM, THE, THE BONDS FOR A LOT OF OUR, UH, ROAD
SO I HOPE THAT THAT KIND OF ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
WE DO HAVE A GOOD, YOU KNOW, WE END UP A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE, UM, OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS OR THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE INVOLVED, UH, JUST FROM OUR PRIOR WORK WITH THE SMALL CELL, UM, PROJECT.
BUT YEAH, IT IS A, I MEAN, IT IS DEFINITELY, IT'S LIKE THE FLIP SIDE.
IT'S LIKE, YES, WE WANNA TRY TO HELP AND WORK WITH, UH, PROVIDERS ON THE INSTALLATION AND CONSTRUCTION FOR DEPLOYMENT, BUT IT IS.
UM, BUT IT IS, UH, YEAH, SO, I MEAN, THERE'S OPEN, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF LIKE REGULAR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PROVIDERS IN THESE DEPARTMENTS, PARTICULARLY THAT HOPEFULLY ANSWERS THE QUESTION A LITTLE BIT GREAT INFORMATION.
AND MY QUESTION ASKED FOR CHAIR FOLDS FOR, FOR FOLKS IN THE COMMISSION, WORKING IN THE DIGITAL EDUCATION PLAN, HOW, IF WE'RE ABOUT TO DRAFT A SURGERY PLAN, WHICH I'M ASSUMING WE WILL HAVE GOALS, HOW ARE THOSE GOALS AFFECTED KNOWING THAT THERE'S A PROCESS THAT WE CANNOT CONTROL, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES.
I'VE HEARD IT CAN BE LIKE SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS FOR OUR PERMIT TO COME THROUGH, AS OPPOSED TO LIKE MAYBE ANOTHER C COULD BE TWO WEEKS.
AND SO WHAT INFORMATION DO WE NEED FROM YOU TO BEAR IN MIND AS WE CREATE GOALS THAT ARE REALISTIC, BECAUSE WE WANT OBVIOUSLY TO GET INTERNET TO EVERYONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND I, I DON'T WANT, AND I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GONNA BE HOW REALISTIC THAT IS WHEN THERE ARE OTHER SYSTEMS THAT WE DO NOT CONTROL THAT YOU KNOW, ARE VERY INVOLVED AND TAKE A LOT OF TIME.
UH, THE EARLIER PART OF YOUR QUESTION, UH, COMMISSIONER GARZA, YOU WERE VERY HARD TO HEAR.
WOULD YOU MIND REPEATING, UM, I, WELL, I ALREADY FORGOT, BUT
UH, THE QUESTION WAS AROUND CREATING, UH, THE DIGITAL INCLUSION PLAN, RIGHT? LIKE IF WE'RE THINKING STRATEGICALLY THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO CREATE THIS PLAN AND WE OBVIOUSLY WANNA PRIORITIZE GETTING INTERNET TO AREAS THAT ARE UNDERSERVED, UH, OR REALLY NOT SERVED AT ALL, HOW ARE THOSE GOALS ALIGN WITH THE REALITY OF HOW THE CITY WORKS? OKAY.
UH, WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE, THE BEST WAY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION IS TO SAY THAT, UH, THERE'S, IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND I THINK THE GOALS WILL HAVE TO BE DEFINED BASED ON THE REALITY OF, OF, OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES
[02:45:02]
IN ADDITION TO THE, THE, THE PLAN ITSELF.SO I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO AS A COMMISSION IS TO ENCOURAGE, UH, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE THE, THE STRUCTURE, UH, THE, THE CREATION OF A STRUCTURE FOR PLANNING THAT WOULD ENABLE GOAL CREATION.
I, I THINK THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAD, UH, A PLAN THAT WAS UNANIM UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED IN 2014, UH, THAT THERE WAS NOT NEARLY AS MUCH OF AN OPPORTUNITY IN 2014 FOR COMPREHENSIVE AND COMPLEX COORDINATION AND PLANNING, UH, AND STRATEGY LIKE THERE IS NOW.
UM, SO I, I, I THINK THERE'S A, A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DEAL WITH THE, THE, THE CHALLENGE OF, OF THAT PERMITTING BOTTLENECK AS A CHALLENGE STATEMENT.
AS YOU KNOW, ONCE, ONCE WE HAVE THE STEERING COMMITTEE CREATED, THEN FINDING A WAY TO STREAMLINE PERMITTING WOULD NATURALLY BE ONE OF THE GOALS I THINK OF, UH, YOU KNOW, OF THAT STEERING COMMITTEE, A SENSE PERMITTING IS SOMETHING THAT DELAYS CONNECTIVITY AND OR ACCESS.
UM, I, I, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO, AND, AND, AND, UH, I, I HAVE TO REMEMBER FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT, HISTORICAL CONVERSATIONS, DON'T ALWAYS GET SURFACED UP, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE A HIVE MIND.
UH, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, UH, THE THINGS THAT AFFECT OUR THOUGHT PROCESS AND THEN TO SHARE THAT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THE UNIQUE DYNAMICS OF AUSTIN, UH, AS IT RELATES TO, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND SUBTERRANEAN DEVELOPMENT, UH, IN OUR GEOGRAPHIC SPACE HERE COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES.
I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S JUST A FACT THAT WHEN YOU HAVE DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHY AND DIFFERENT DYNAMICS WHERE, UH, IT IS MAYBE MORE CONVENIENT AND, UH, AND FEASIBLE, UH, TO IMPLEMENT ONE TECHNOLOGY OR, OR ONE SOLUTION IN ONE COMMUNITY, BUT THEN NOT ANOTHER, UH, RIGHT.
WE HAVE A DYNAMIC HERE THAT RELIES HEAVILY UPON POLLS.
AND, AND YET WE HAVE, AS WE'VE EXPERIENCED AGAIN WITH PRIOR BRIEFINGS, AND YET WE HAVE A POLL INVENTORY, UH, THAT IS MANAGED BY BOTH AUSTIN ENERGY AND TELECOM PROVIDERS, UH, RIGHT.
THOSE DYNAMICS AREN'T NECESSARILY THE SAME IN, IN OTHER C COMMUNITIES.
THE, THE INVENTORY PROCESS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME IN, IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.
SO AGAIN, WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THAT FACTORS IN, UH, ISSUES WITH OUR EXISTING PERMITTING, UH, AND A STEERING COMMITTEE THAT IS COMPREHENSIVE AND, AND HAS ALL THE MOVING PARTS, I THINK WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE GOALS.
SO I THINK, UM, I THINK WE'RE SET UP WITH FRANKLY WITH, UH, THE SUPPORT OF THIS COMMISSION TO ENCOURAGE THE TYPE OF COMPREHENSIVE AND COMPLEX THINKING TO TACKLE, UH, THOSE CHALLENGES AND IDENTIFY GOALS IN A, IN A WAY TO, TO REALLY BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THEM HAPPEN.
THAT'S I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY I COULD REALLY THINK TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION PERSONALLY, I'D LIKE TO GIVE OTHERS A CHANCE TO, I SEE COMMISSIONER DO GUPTA WANTS TO WEIGH IN RESONATE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, EACH CITY HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE, UH, SITUATION THAT DICTATES A CERTAIN, UH, PERMITTING PROCESS.
BUT I THINK IT, IT BEHOOVES US TO, UH, UH, CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE, THE, THE PERMITTING PROCESS SO THAT IT IS ALWAYS DOING THE BEST IT CAN AND IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY.
AND SO I WAS THINKING, AS I WAS LISTENING TO YOU, COULD AI TECHNIQUES BE A TOOL BY WHICH WE COULD ALWAYS IMPROVE THE, THE PERMITTING PROCESS, UH, SO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY SUBMITS AN APPLICATION, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE SOME, UH, METHODOLOGY BY WHICH AND TOOLS THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT THEY'VE DONE THE RIGHT JOB, THAT THEY HAVEN'T MADE ANY MISTAKES THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE AIDS TO GUIDE THEM SUCH THAT THEY, THEY IT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT PROCESS POSSIBLE.
[02:50:01]
IT OUT TO RONDEL TO SEE WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY.WELL, I, I, I, I, UH, THE 2014 PLAN REALLY DID NOT ADDRESS, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT, UM, ESPECIALLY FROM THE CITY SIDE, I WAS LOOKING, UM, I MEAN, WHAT YOU BRING UP, UH, COMMISSIONER SUPTA THE, UM, AI, UH, CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO MAYBE, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT OR OTHERS ARE LOOKING IN, YOU KNOW, INTO USING THESE NEW TOOLS, UH, FOR MEASURING PERFORMANCE AND, UH, FOR PROCESS IMPROVEMENT.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT.
YEAH, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, EFFORTS, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY ABOUT HOW DO WE IMPROVE PERMITTING, UH, FOR, FOR COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.
I MEAN, WE WENT THROUGH THIS WITH A SMALL CELL, UM, MULTI INTERDEPARTMENTAL TEAM, UM, AND IT IS, UM, IT IS, IT IS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S MULTIPLE REVIEWS, BUT THERE'S ACTUALLY BEEN REAL REASONS BEHIND THE, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE FACT THAT WE REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, THAT THESE PERMIT APPLICATION SETS HAVE AN ENGINEER SEAL.
UM, THAT'S ONE REQUIREMENT THAT I KNOW THAT WE, THAT WE DO GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT, BUT WE WANNA DO PERMITTING AND DUE DILIGENCE ON THE FRONT END, RATHER THAN ONCE YOU'RE OUT IN THE FIELD.
I MEAN, THAT THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE, BUT ALSO FROM THE SUPPLY SIDE, UM, JUST AGAIN, GETTING THE, YOU KNOW, GETTING SERVICE TO OUR, YOU KNOW, TO OUR, TO OUR RESIDENTS HOUSEHOLDS, AND WE, AS A, AS A CITY, DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY LEVERAGE TO, YOU KNOW, FOR GETTING COMPANIES TO, TO BUILD OUT AND SERVE CITYWIDE.
UH, WE USED TO, UM, COMMISSIONER GARZA, THIS IS JUST MORE OF A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK THAT WE'RE OPERATING UNDER, UH, IN 2005.
UM, BEFORE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD THESE FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS RIGHT OF WAY CONTRACT RIGHT AWAY TO INSTALL FACILITIES AND WE PRESCRIBED AND REASONABLE BUILD OUT REQUIREMENTS AND REQUIRED, YOU KNOW, OUR ENTIRE CITY TO BE SERVED SO THAT WE COULD ENSURE THAT THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, UBIQUITOUS SERVICE AND UPGRADES, WE WOULD, UM, YEAH.
UH, AND, AND ALSO UNIFORM PRICING, UH, RATES.
AND, UH, SO THAT ABILITY HAS BEEN LOST.
AND SO WE, WHILE WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE COMPARED TO MANY COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UM, UP TO FOUR PROVIDERS, NOT, NOT ALL SERVING CITYWIDE, BUT, UM, GOOGLE FIBER AND WE HAVE AT AND T AND WE HAVE SPECTRUM AND, UH, GRANDE NOW, THEY, THEY, UH, THEY HAVE A NEW NAME NOW.
I I'M STILL IN THE OLD GRANDE DAYS.
UM, BUT YEAH, SO THAT JUST FROM THE, YOU KNOW, FROM EVEN OUR SIDE, AND OF COURSE, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT BACKGROUND TOO.
THANK YOU, RON HOPE THAT THAT, UH, ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
I, I KNOW THAT WE KIND OF, UM, DEVIATED SLIGHTLY FROM THE WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION, BUT IT CAME UP IN THE WORKING GROUP, SO APPRECIATE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPIN THAT WAY.
BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO ADD, UH, FROM THE WORKING GROUP PIECE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE KNOWLEDGE, INFORMATION, DATA STEWARDSHIP, WORKING GROUP? I THINK THAT IT IS INTERESTING TO, TO MAYBE FOLLOW UP WITH, UH, OUR CONTACTS ON THE WEBSITE ABOUT, UH, THE DYNAMICS OF THE, THE WEBSITE ITSELF.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE REALLY, UH, TO, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY, THEY MAYBE HAVE ALREADY UTILIZED EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO STREAMLINE THAT COMPONENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS MAYBE THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK IT'S, IT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION.
THEY CERTAINLY COMMITTED TO US, I BELIEVE AT SOME POINT TO, UM, THAT THEY WOULD KEEP US UPDATED.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD PERHAPS GIVE IT A FEW MONTHS AND THEN, UH, MEET WITH THEM AGAIN AND SEE WHAT, UM, MAJOR CHANGES THEY'VE, THEY'VE MADE AND, UM, SORT OF WHAT'S WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE ITEMS I FELT TO MENTION ONE OF THE ITEMS THEY'RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THE TRANSLATION, UM, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN INDIVIDUAL WEBPAGES, UM, THAT THEY'LL
[02:55:01]
BE ROLLING OUT IN THE MEDIUM TO LONG TERM THAT'S RIGHT.UH, A MIXTURE OF SOFTWARE AND IN PERSON, UH, SERVICES, THEY'RE GONNA BE, UH, ROLLING OUT AFTER THEY FINALIZE AN, AN RFP, I BELIEVE SO.
IN FACT, THAT THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR US TO LEVERAGE, UH, UH, THOSE RESOURCES OR AT LEAST THAT, UH, EFFORT WITH THE CITY COUNTY OUTREACH AS WE'LL NEED TO BE ABLE TO DIVERSIFY CAPABILITIES FROM A LANGUAGE STANDPOINT.
I SEE ANYTHING, UH, ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE, UH, KNOWLEDGE INFORMATION, DATA, THE STEWARDSHIP WORKING GROUP.
[10. Update from Technology, Infrastructure, and Innovation Working Group ]
ALL RIGHT.WELL THEN THAT TAKES US TO THE NEXT PART OF OUR AGENDA HERE, UH, TO AGENDA ITEM, NUMBER 10, THE UPDATE FROM THE TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND INNOVATION WORKING GROUP.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TAKE IT TO THE WORKING GROUP CHAIR, COMMISSIONER FLOYD.
WELL, I THINK WE DISCUSSED THIS LINK EARLIER, THE, UH, INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE RESOLUTION.
SO, UH, THROUGH THAT DISCUSSION, YOU'VE PRETTY MUCH GOT AN UPDATE OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT OUR, OUR LAST MEETINGS.
UM, AND, AND YET IT WAS STILL A, A, A ROBUST AND, AND GOOD DISCUSSION AND WE HAVE A, A GOOD FOLLOW UP THERE.
SO, UH, WITH THAT THEN, UH, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS THOUGH, UH, DO YOU WANNA GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FOR THIS WORKING GROUP OR ANY, ANY FOLLOW UP PERTAINING TO THE RESOLUTION? OKAY.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
SO WITH, WITHOUT THEN A GO TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, AND, UH, EARLIER I MADE MENTION OF THE, UH, PRESENTATION BY CHLOE MUN AND DR.UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE ON OUR FUTURE AGENDA, UH, AT A COMMISSION MEETING.
AND, AND THIS COMMISSION MEETING ACTUALLY TAKES PLACE, UH, DURING DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK, UH, LEVEL SET ON THAT SECOND WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
SO PARDON? NO, THAT'S THE WEEK AFTER DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK.
UH, AND THAT WILL MEAN THEN THAT, UH, WE NORMALLY USE PART OF THAT MEETING, UH, TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF THE ART COMPETITION.
UH, SO ASSUMING THINGS PROGRESS, UH, THEN WE MAY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY OR, UH, IT, IT, FROM A TIME AND STANDPOINT, WE MIGHT BE LOOKING AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING AND WE'VE DONE IT BOTH WAYS IN THE PAST.
UH, SO, UH, THAT WILL BE A POTENTIAL FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AS WELL.
UM, ARE THERE OTHER AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE CAN THINK OF THAT WE KNOW WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE, OR WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER, I HAVE ONE, AND THAT WOULD BE DISCUSSING HOW TO IMPROVE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN COUNCIL MEETINGS.
SO THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL HAS RECENTLY PUT OUT A RESOLUTION AND I WILL SEND THAT TO JESSE FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE COMMISSION.
UM, AND, UH, WE SHOULD LOOK AT SOME OF THESE AND SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A, UH, RESOLUTION ALSO, UM, I HAVE RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN SOME COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS, AND I KNOW THAT THE, UH, PROCEDURES NOW A LITTLE CONFUSING, BECAUSE IT'S A HYBRID SITUATION WHERE THERE'S IN PERSON SPEAKERS AND REMOTE SPEAKERS.
AND, UM, SO I THINK THE, UH, THE PROCESS NEEDS SOME IMPROVEMENT AND WE NEED TO DISCUSS THIS.
SO I'D LIKE TO, UH, SUGGEST THIS AS A FUTURE TOPIC.
UH, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, HAVING RECEIVED AN EMAIL, UH, PERTAIN TO THAT.
I MEANT TO ACTUALLY RAISE, UH, THAT DURING OUR WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION.
UH, BUT I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU BROUGHT IT UP NOW.
UH, I'M OPEN TO IT PERSONALLY.
I, I, I, I THINK THAT WE WILL BE WELL SERVED TO, UM, PERHAPS ENGAGE IN, UH, UH, COORDINATED EFFORT, UH, OF RESEARCHING
[03:00:01]
LIKE WE DID BEFORE.UM, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TO EVALUATE REMOTE PARTICIPATION AND WE ENGAGED WITH, UM, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE IN, IN THAT, AND, AND THIS IS PARTIALLY OUT OF DIPLOMACY, BUT THEN ALSO, UH, TO ALLOW US TO, UH, BE INFORMED, UM, BECAUSE IT COULD BE THE CASE THAT THERE WAS EXTENSIVE, UH, IDEATION AND, AND THOUGHT THAT WENT INTO WHAT THEY'VE ENDED UP CHOOSING, RIGHT.
THEY MAY ACTUALLY HAVE, UH, SOME NOTES AND, AND, AND, AND JUSTIFICATIONS BEHIND ALL THIS, UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY DO, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE, UH, AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT POSSIBILITY.
UH, AND AGAIN, WITH A LITTLE DIPLOMACY IN MIND, IT NOT BE BAD JUST TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHY THEY CHOSE WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW.
UM, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE PART OF THE REASON WHY THEY'RE DOING IT, UM, HAVING PROMOTED AND ENCOURAGED REMOTE PARTICIPATION, AND THEN HAVING PUSHED, FRANKLY, UH, TO, UH, ON THE RECORD, UH, TO ALLOW TELEPHONE A CITIZEN PARTICIPATION TO CONTINUE LIKE IT DOES, LIKE IT DID IN OTHER CITIES WHEN AUSTIN AT FIRST HAD DIALED IT BACK, BUT THEN STARTED DOING IT AGAIN.
UM, SO THAT'S MY ONLY THOUGHT.
I THINK WE EASILY MAKE THAT A FUTURE AGENT ITEM.
I SEE COMMISSION DO SCOOP'S HAND.
UH, DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT? NO.
REMEMBER THERE WAS THIS REQUEST TO, UH, RECORD ALL CITY MOTIONS DECISIONS IN THE FORM OF A SPREADSHEET, AND IT WAS BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
SHOULD WE BRING THAT TOPIC UP? UH, WELL, UH, I'D LIKE TO JUST MAKE SURE, UH, I, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA CHIME IN ABOUT THE CURRENT TOPIC, UH, BEFORE WE SWITCH GEARS TO A DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEM.
UM, DOES ANYONE ELSE WANNA WEIGH IN ON THIS ONE? OKAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAYBE GET AN UPDATE ON THAT, UH, FROM, FROM JESSE.
DID YOU HAVE ANY
OR WAS IT VICE? I MIGHT HAVE THE LATEST OH, CAUSE THAT'S RIGHT.
SO I HAD REACHED OUT TO MY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER BECAUSE I BELIEVE I WAS THE ONLY ONE NETWORKING GROUP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ON, ON THE COMMITTEE, THAT COMMITTEE THAT'S RIGHT.
I DID GET A GENERAL UPDATE THAT CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, UM, HAD BEEN WORKING WITH THE, THE CITY MANAGER ON THE REQUEST.
AND FROM WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING THEY'VE ROLLED IT INTO A BROADER, UM, IMPROVEMENT, LONG TERM IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE AROUND AN AGENDA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, VERY EARLY TALKS, HIGH LEVEL THERE.
THEY NEED TO CREATE AN RFI AND CREATE AN RFP.
UM, BUT IT IS, UM, ON THEIR LIST OF THINGS.
UH, I COULD TELL FROM, UH,
UH, I FEEL LIKE I KNOW FIRMLY HOW COMMISSIONER YATES ALSO FEELS ABOUT THIS.
UM, BUT I MEAN, TO ME, IT IT'S ENCOURAGING IF THEY'RE ALSO EVALUATING, UH, OTHER CAPABILITIES.
UM, SO IT DOES SEEM SOMEWHAT LIKE PROGRESS EVEN THOUGH WHAT WE WANTED WAS VERY SIMPLE AND WE THOUGHT EASY.
SO IF THERE IS GOING TO BE AN RFP, THAT MEANS PROBABLY THAT, UH, CTM AND THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE ARE BOTH INVOLVED.
AND I WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD BE REASONABLE FOR US TO REQUEST SOME KIND OF UPDATE IN A MEETING, A FORMAL UPDATE ON JUST WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THIS WHOLE PROJECT.
AND THAT MAKES FOR A GOOD FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
UM, BUT THAT ALSO MAKES FOR A FOLLOW UP FOR JESSE.
IF YOU DON'T MIND,
JEFF, MAY I MAKE A MAKE ADDITION TO THE REQUEST THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER HITS MADE.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I, I'M LEANING BACK ON MY SOFTWARE BACKGROUND
[03:05:01]
WHEN A CUSTOMER ASKED FOR SOMETHING I NEVER WENT BACK AND SAID, WELL, I CAN'T REALLY GIVE IT TO YOU NOW, BUT COME BACK IN THREE YEARS, I'LL HAVE THIS SOLUTION THAT IS 10 TIMES BETTER THAN ANYTHING YOU ASKED FOR.MY MAJOR APPROACH WAS, OKAY, LET ME HEAR WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
LET ME GIVE YOU WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
AND THEN I'LL COME BACK AND SHOW YOU THAT IN THREE YEARS, I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING 10 TIMES BETTER.
SO IF THEY'RE GOING UP WITH AN RFP, WONDERFUL, LET'S GET A FEEDBACK ON IT, BUT OUR RECOMMENDATION SHOULD BE THAT THE FIRST IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SOLUTION SHOULD BE WHAT THE CUSTOMER WAS ASKING FOR.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HEAR A LOT OF HEAR HEARS PROBABLY, UH, FROM THE ROOM, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
UH, I KNOW THE ADVICE CHAIR, APA DACA IS LISTENING
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE DON'T WANT PERFECT TO BE THE ENEMY OF, OF GOOD.
THIS SITUATION IS A CLASSIC JOKE IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
I THINK IT'S ALSO, UH, YEAH, NO, I'LL LEAVE AT THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT DOES MAKE FOR, UM, WE'LL FIND OUT BASED UPON THE TIMING, IF THEY'RE READY TO, TO COME IN OCTOBER OR IF BE NOVEMBER OR WHATEVER, BUT EITHER WAY WE KNOW IT'LL BE A FUTURE AGENT ITEM.
WELL THAT, UNLESS THERE ARE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS, UH, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN OUR AGENDA TO A VERY IMPORTANT PART.
WITH THAT, THEN WE MOVE FORWARD TO ADJOURNMENT.
UH, I JUST NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN IN A SECOND, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A VOTE.
I MOVE, I MOVE TO ADJOURN BY SECOND I SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN BY COMMISSIONER DOCU AND A CHORUS OF SECONDS BY COMMISSIONER ISLAND AND GARZA, UH, WITH THAT, THEN WE CAN HOLD A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND.
AND WE HAVE EIGHT VOTES IN FAVOR.
ANYBODY OPPOSED? NO ONE OPPOSED OR ABSTAINING.
SO WITH THAT, THEN WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU FOR A GREAT MEETING.
EVERYBODY HAVE A NICE EVENING.