[ Austin Dove Springs Public Health Facility Ground Breaking News Conference ]
[00:00:08]
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, CAN I GET A GOOD MORNING? GOOD MOR.
IT IS AN INCREDIBLE DAY TO HA SAY IT AGAIN.
CAN I GET A GOOD MORNING,
THE THEME OF THIS CEREMONY IS ACCESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
BECAUSE THIS BUILDING IS IN ADDITION TO THE LIBRARY, THE PARK AND TRAILS, THE BUS STOP, AND THE GEORGE MORALES RECREATION CENTER.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSE GAPS AND INCREASE CONNECTIVITY IN THIS CITY.
AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE DOING THAT AS COVID 19 HIGHLIGHTED, PERSONAL HEALTH IS PUBLIC HEALTH.
NOW WE ARE SO EXCITED BECAUSE CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN ON THIS FACILITY IN EARLY 2023, AND WE WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE A NUMBER OF OUR KEY PARTNERS HERE WITH US TODAY.
UH, OUR DESIGN BUILDER TEAM OF SPA GLASS, AND WE HAVE MAR MA, WE HAVE OUR PROJECT MANAGER CALLED PARI, WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS HERE, ALONG WITH GINA ELLISON, OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARKS AND RECREATION AND LIBRARY STAFF, AND TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO CHAMPIONED THIS CAUSE.
WE ARE JOINED BY CONSTABLE GEORGE MORALES, MAYOR STEVE ADLER, COUNCIL MEMBER OF VANESSA FUENTES.
AND I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE COUNTY ATTORNEY DELIA GARZA, WHO IS INSTRUMENTAL AS THE MO FORMER MAYOR PRO TE IN 2018.
AND AS OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO WERE OUR NORTH STAR IN GUIDING US, IDENTIFYING NEEDS AND EVENTUALLY MAKING THIS A REALITY.
THIS IS A LONG TIME IN COMING AND WE ARE SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.
I WANNA PARTICULARLY THANK OUR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH STAFF WHO ARE PLANNING OUT THIS SERVICES FOR THIS BUILDING AT THE SAME TIME OF STANDING UP AN EMERGENCY COVID TESTING SITE, JUST A HUNDRED YARDS AWAY FROM HERE AND LATER TURNED THE REC CENTER INTO A VACCINE SITE WITHIN 42 HOURS, SERVING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR KIMBERLY MADDOX, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD, WHO INITIATED THIS PROCESS ONCE THE 2018 BONDS WERE PASSED.
AND THEN OUR CURRENT APH DIRECTOR, ADRIAN STIRRUP, WHO CARRIED THE TORCH, SHE IS HERE TO, WITH US TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THIS PROJECT DIRECTOR STIRRUP.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT WONDERFUL INTRODUCTION.
I KIND OF FEEL LIKE THE PERSON WHO GETS TO RUN THE LAST RAP LAP OF THE RACE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY THE PEOPLE WHO DID, REALLY, THE PEOPLE WHO DID THE WORK BEFORE THAT GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO I'M GONNA READ THE WORDS THAT STAFF PREPARED TO HELP ME SOUND SMART AND ARTICULATE.
AND THEN I'M GONNA SAY SOME, SOME THINGS FROM THE HEART.
THIS NEW FACILITY IS REALLY EXCITING.
IT IS A FULL SERVICE PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY THAT WILL HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, UM, TO SUPPORT BASIC NEEDS.
SO THAT'S YOUR FOOD PANTRIES, THAT'S YOUR EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT, THAT'S YOUR PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING.
IF YOU NEED A SCREENING FOR, UM, CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE A WOMEN INFANT AND CHILDREN'S PROGRAM, WIC, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR NEW AND PREGNANCY MOMS TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT NUTRITION AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES TO HELP THEM HAVE A HEALTHY PREGNANCY AND A HEALTHY BABY.
COVID SHOWED US THE IMPORTANCE OF IMMUNIZATIONS, AND NOW FLU IS UPON US.
IF YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN YOUR SHOTS, PLEASE, TWO SHOTS, TWO ARMS. UM, WE'RE ALSO GONNA HAVE MULTIPURPOSE SPACE FOR A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES, A DEMONSTRATION KITCHEN TO HELP PUT INTO PRACTICE ALL OF THOSE GOOD THINGS THAT WE TRIED TO TEACH COMMUNITY ABOUT BEING HEALTHY.
THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST FORAY IN, UM, THIS COMMUNITY, AS CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, DUE TO A PARTNERSHIP THROUGH PARKS AND REC.
WE WERE ABLE TO BE PRESENT IN THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH THE GEORGE MORALES REC CENTER.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WORKING WITH THE PARKS BOARD TO APPROVE, TO GET APPROVAL FOR THE USE OF THIS SPACE.
AND I THINK NOW I'M GONNA SWITCH TO THE OTHER PART AND THEN SIT DOWN.
THIS FACILITY IS A TESTAMENT TO THE HOPE AND THE BELIEF AND THE RESILIENCY AND THE STRENGTH OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL TALK ABOUT.
AND SO WHEN THIS BUILDING COMES INTO BEING, WE'RE PUTTING THAT INTO ACTION.
AND THAT IS GOING TO BE SO MEANINGFUL FOR MOMS AND DADS WHO GO TO WORK EVERY DAY.
[00:05:01]
HAVE THAT CHI HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE CENTER WHERE THEIR KIDS WILL GET PREPPED FOR FIRST GRADE, WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME AND GET GOOD RESOURCES TO HELP OURSELVES BE THE BEST SELVES THAT WE ENVISION US TO BE.AND SO I'M JUST PROUD TO BE A PART, A SMALL PART OF THIS COMING INTO BEING.
AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO ONE OF THE CHAMPIONS OR TWO OF THE CHAMPIONS THAT REALLY HELPED US, REALLY HELPED THE CITY.
IT WAS ONE OF THOSE, COME LET ME HELP YOU BE YOUR BEST SELF AND REALLY ALLOWING THEM TO LEAD US, UM, INTO THE CREATION OF THIS SPACE.
AND SO, MISS LA KUYA AND CONSTABLE MORALES, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE UP.
AND I'M SHORT, SO I'M GONNA PUT THIS DOWN.
UM, WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UH, THIS IS A PRIVILEGE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO BE PART OF THIS, UH, INITIATION.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC PUBLIC HEALTH FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I KNOW I'VE, I SAW ELIZABETH, YOU KNOW, PASSING OUT FLYERS, GOING TO THE REC CENTER, GOING TO THE LIBRARY, AND, AND YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY DOING WHAT OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS DON'T DO.
AND, UM, SO THANK YOU ELIZABETH FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING PART OF, OF THE WORK.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY AND, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN GREAT GIVING FEEDBACK AND, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT WHAT RESIDENTS WANNA SEE IN THIS SPACE.
UH, BUT I ALSO, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO MENTION THAT YES, IT'S, IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE ARE HAVING A, A HEALTH CENTER.
TO ME, A HEALTH CENTER, IT'S IN MEXICO, IS, UH, CENTRAL DELUTH.
SO CENTRAL SALUTETH IN MEXICO, IT'S A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE GO SORT OF LIKE A HOSPITAL KIND OF A THING.
UH, IT'S A MEDICAL, UH, BUILDING.
AND THIS IS A RESOURCE CENTER, UH, WHAT YOU ARE OPENING HERE.
AND, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES, MEETING SPACE, CHILDCARE AND, UH, SHOTS AND EVERYTHING THAT THAT WAS MENTIONED.
BUT, UH, AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THIS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TO MEET IN THIS SPACES OR FOR THE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE, IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND A MEETING SPACE.
SO THIS IS, UH, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, UH, BUT I ALSO WANT YOU TO, UH, HOPEFULLY TAKE IN, IN CONSIDERATION THAT, THAT WE DON'T NEED, WELL, WE DO NEED, BUT WE ALSO NEED A HOSPITAL.
WE NEED A CLINIC IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, AREA BECAUSE JUST DEL VIA HAS 29,000 PEOPLE AND THEY DON'T HAVE A CLINIC, THEY DON'T HAVE A HOSPITAL.
UH, WE'D HAVE 54,000 PEOPLE AND WE DON'T HAVE A CLINIC OR A HOSPITAL.
WE HAVE TO DRIVE OR PEOPLE WITHOUT A, WITHOUT A CAR.
THEY HAVE TO GO, UH, IN TWO BUSES OR THREE BUSES IN ORDER FOR THEM TO GET TO, UM, SOUTH FIRST ORS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR THE NEXT BOND OR NEXT PROJECTS THAT, THAT YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHERE COULD WE PUT SOME OF THIS, REMEMBER DO SPRINGS BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN GREATLY NEGLECTED IN THE PAST, LIKE FOREVER.
BUT, UH, I THINK IT'S TIME THAT WE RAISE UP AND THAT WE, UH, SPEAK OUR MINDS AND THAT WE ARE, THAT WE ASK FOR WHAT WE NEED.
AND I THINK HERE WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT SERVE THE COMMUNITY, AND UM, I KNOW IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE FROM NOW ON, ALL OF YOU ARE GONNA START TALKING AND, YOU KNOW, ASKING FOR WHAT WE, I'M GONNA SAY WHAT WE DESERVE, WHICH IS BASIC.
UM, HEALTHCARE NEEDS BASIC, UH, FACILITIES, NOT FOR EXTRA THINGS, BUT JUST THE BASIC THINGS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THAT MEANS A LOT TO US.
AND THEN GEORGE IS GONNA BE NEXT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, HE'S A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR THIS, UH, COMMUNITY.
EVERY TIME THERE'S A DISASTER, EVERY TIME THERE'S
[00:10:01]
ANYTHING IN THE COMMUNITY, WHO DO WE CALL? IT'S NOT GHOSTBUSTERS, IT'S GEORGE.SO, UH, YOU KNOW, GEORGE IS THERE, GEORGE, CAN YOU OPEN THE REC CENTER? OR GEORGE, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? SO HE MAKES THINGS HAPPEN.
AND UH, SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR HIS SERVICE ALSO.
SO, REAL QUICK, I'LL, I'LL SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY AND THEN I WANT TO GIVE SOME, SOME, SOME THANKS TO A LOT OF FOLKS.
I WAS 17 YEARS OLD, SO THAT WAS 31 YEARS AGO.
THROW MY AGE OUT THERE WHEN I SAT IN ONE A MEETING WITH, WITH A GROUP CALLED THE SOUTHEAST CORNER ALLIANCE OF NEIGHBORS.
AND I WOULD SEE THESE PEOPLE FIGHT AND JUST SAY SOME WEIRD STUFF ABOUT HOW THEY WANTED TAX CITY HALL, HOW THEY WANTED ATTACK EVERYBODY, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GETTING OUR BASICS NEEDS METS.
I 17 YEARS OLD AND I CAN HEAR THAT.
I REMEMBER IN THAT GROUP AND THERE, AND FORGIVE ME IF, IF I LEAVE ANYONE OUT, BUT I REMEMBER THE KEY SPEAKERS IN THAT GROUP.
IT WAS A GROUP, UH, A GENTLEMAN WHO I WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH HIS DAUGHTER, UM, AND THEN HIS WIFE, BRUCE SANDY SANDERS.
AND THEN THERE WAS THIS LADY WHO REALLY, REALLY, I, I TELL EVERYBODY THIS STORY ALL THE TIME THAT I, I DIDN'T LIKE HER CUZ SHE MADE ME DO STUFF FOR FREE.
SHE MADE ME DO A LOT OF VOLUNTEER WORK.
AND THEN THERE WAS MY PARENTS, JESSE AND CONNIE MORALES, WHO WOULD MAKE ME GO DO STUFF FOR MONA GONZALEZ.
AND THEN THERE WAS A, UH, AND I'LL SAVE HIS NAME FOR LAST.
AND THERE WAS RIO PHILLIP POUNDS.
DAVID PORTER, WHO WAS BIG BROTHER AND BIG SISTER PROGRAM AT DO SPRINGS REC CENTER, WHICH WAS MAKESHIFT AT THE WALGREENS.
AND THEN RUBEN OLI AND OUR OTHER PARTNERS ALONG WITH BISHOP HALL FROM CROSSROAD CHURCH.
AND THE LAST PERSON I'LL MENTION IS A GENTLEMAN THAT I REALLY, REALLY ADMIRED.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN THE CRACK EPIDEMIC WAS REALLY BIG IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, EARLY NINETIES.
AND HE LED A GROUP OF RESIDENTS TO GO KNOCK DOWN A DUPLEX WITH, WITH HAMMERS AND BATS AND, AND SHOVELS.
AND I WAS LIKE, YES, YOU KNOW, I WANNA SEE THAT.
AND MY OLDER BROTHER DRIVES BY AND SAYS, GEORGE, GET IN THE CAR NOW AND THEN JUST I SEE IT ON THE NEWS THAT HE'S ARRESTED FOR, YOU KNOW, KNOCKING DOWN SOME PROPERTY THAT WASN'T HIS.
I WAS LIKE, OOH, I WAS ALMOST THERE.
THAT GENTLEMAN'S NAME IS VICTOR AQUINO.
UM, MOVING FORWARD, WHEN, WHEN THE PROPOSITIONS CAME UP, IT WAS WEIRD BECAUSE THERE WAS A STANDALONE PROP AND EVERYTHING WAS PUT TOGETHER.
YOU HAD YAY ON A AND OKAY FOR A, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING FOR C FOR E I'M SORRY.
PROP E WAS OUR BE SPRINGS HEALTH FACILITY.
BACK IN THE DAYS THERE WAS A WATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT THE CITY SHUT DOWN AND WE WERE GIVEN A PROMISE THAT IT WAS CLEAN AND IT COULD BE BUILT ON.
AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A HEALTH FACILITY BUILT THERE.
AND IT STILL DIDN'T COME UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF COVID.
IT'S STILL NOT HERE, BUT IT'S GONNA BE HERE, I PROMISE YOU.
AND THE LAST THING IS THE PEOPLE THAT FOUGHT FOR IT, MAYOR STEVE ADLER, WHERE YOU AT, SIR? RAISE YOUR HAND.
WHEN IT WAS STANDALONE, MAYOR ADLER SUPPORTED US MAYOR PRO, TIM DELIA GARZA WAS FIGHTING AND THEY WERE TELLING HER, NO, WE CAN'T PUT IT TOGETHER.
SO SHE CALLS ME AND THEN WE START WEEDING WITH OUR COMMUNITY GROUPS ON A RAISE YOUR HAND.
FIRST ONE, WE GOT THE SUPPORT, THEN WE HAVE TO GO TO EAST AUSTIN, NORTHWEST AUSTIN, THE WAA, THE NAPKIN, OAK HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR.
WE HAD TO GO MEET WITH SO MANY COMMUNITY GROUPS AND NOT EVEN KNOW THESE PEOPLE.
AND WE DID ASK THEM, PLEASE SUPPORT OUR PROP PROP.
THE OTHER PROPS RAISED SOMEWHERE AROUND 250,000.
WE DID IT WITH 40 AND SOME HELP WITH STEVE ASER.
UM, BUT, BUT WE MADE IT HAPPEN.
WE MADE IT HAPPEN BECAUSE IT WASN'T JUST TWO PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP TO OUR KICKOFF.
IT WAS OUR DOVE SPRINGS COMMUNITY.
NO MATTER WHAT DISAGREEMENTS WE HAD IN THE PAST, WHETHER WE WANTED A LIBRARY, WHETHER WE WANNA PUT A SPLASH PAD, WHETHER WE WANTED A WALKING TRAIL, WHETHER OUR SCHOOLS, BUT TO SEE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COME OUT AND SUPPORT IT FELT REALLY GOOD.
[00:15:01]
END RAYMOND OLE YOUNG, RAISE YOUR HAND.27 YEARS THEY'VE BEEN WITH ME.
THEY DON'T ASK TO BE PUT IN THE FRONT.
THEY DON'T GET YELLED AT LIKE GEORGE.
BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY THEY'RE WITH US, THE DUST SPRINGS ADVISORY BOARD.
NOW THE GEORGE MORALES DUST SPRINGS ADVISORY BOARD DONATED $10,000 TO APH ON BEHALF OF THE RAYMOND AND OLA YOUNG FAMILY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OUR ADVOCATES.
THANK YOU FOR SO MUCH FOR OUR, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, VANESSA FUENTES, ANDY BROWN, UM, THOSE THAT CONTINUE TO FIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THOSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD IT BEFORE FOR THE HAVE NOTS AND THE LORDS AND LORDS, BUT WE'RE JUST COMMON PEOPLE.
I'M GEORGE MORALES, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE.
YOU KNOW, I, UM, I AM JUST SO DOVE SPRINGS PROUD TODAY.
YOU KNOW, I I, I SAID BACK IN MAY WHEN WE WERE PUTTING UP THE DOVE SPRINGS PROUD SIGN AT ONE OF THE ENTRANCES TO THE COMMUNITY THAT, THAT, THAT PRIDE THAT THIS COMMUNITY FEELS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY UNIQUE IN THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, I SAID THEN, I, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A GATHERING OR SEEN A T-SHIRT THAT SAID NORTHWEST AUSTIN PROUD.
BUT IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, BUT IN THIS PART OF THE CITY, IT'S, WE'RE ALL, WE'RE ALL DOVE SPRINGS PROUD.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS IS A SPECIAL PLACE.
AND, AND THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY FOR TOO LONG RECEIVED TOO LITTLE ATTENTION AND FOCUS FROM THE REST OF THE CITY.
SO IT WAS A COMMUNITY THAT REALLY HAD TO RELY ON ONE ANOTHER AND, AND LOOK INSIDE AND TO THIS COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO, TO REALIZE, UM, ITS FAIR SHARE OF, OF WHAT THIS THIS COMMUNITY HAS TO, HAS TO PROMISE.
IT'S THIS PROJECT IS SO LONG OVERDUE THAT WE'VE HAD SUCH A LARGE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT'S HAD A AN HOUR AND AN HOUR AND A HALF BUS RIDE TO BE ABLE TO GET TO SERVICES THAT ARE CLOSER TO EVERYONE ELSE THAT LIVES IN THE CITY AND WILL SOON BE CLOSE.
AND IN THE MIDDLE OF, OF THIS COMMUNITY TOO, IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO LONG OVERDUE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THANK HERE TODAY, AND I HAVE SOME OF MY COMMUNITY HEROES HERE TODAY IN, IN FRANCIS AND IN THE, IN THE CONSTABLE.
UH, BUT THAT WHOLE DOVE SPRINGS TASK FORCE THAT REALLY WAS THE ENGINE IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
UH, THE, THE GO AUSTIN VA AUSTIN GAVA ORGANIZATION, UH, THE DOVE SPRINGS ADVISORY BOARD, THE SOUTHEAST COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN CONTACT TEAM, UM, MO THE DOVE SPRINGS PROUD, UH, THE PARKS BOARD, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THEIR, THEIR EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL.
SO MANY PUSHING FOR THIS, UH, ALL OF WHICH SHOULD BE REALLY PROUD.
AND, AND, AND WE ALL OWE THAT MEASURE OF DEBT FOR THAT WORK.
BUT I WANT TO PAUSE FOR JUST A SECOND.
UH, AND JUST REMARK ON THE INCREDIBLY STRONG LATINA ADVOCACY THAT THIS DISTRICT HAS ON THE COUNCIL TODAY.
UM, AND, AND, AND HAD ON THE COUNCIL IN, IN, UH, THE, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY FORMER FOR FORMER MAYOR PROTE, UH, DALIA GARZA, WHEN WE WERE FORMING THE 2018 BOND.
AND THE CONSTABLE TOUCHED ON THIS IN, IN THOSE VERY EARLY CONVERSATIONS, THE MAYOR PROTE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT HER SUPPORT FOR ANYTHING BOND RELATED WAS DEPENDENT ON THE COMMUNITY GETTING BEHIND THIS PROJECT.
THAT THIS PROJECT NEEDED TO BE PART OF IT.
BUT QUITE FRANKLY, IT WAS A PRETTY RECEPTIVE COUNCIL AT THE TIME.
SO IT WASN'T AN EASY, IT WASN'T A HARD SELL WITH THE COUNCIL, BUT THE MORE DIFFICULT CHOICE WAS HOW TO PUT IT ON THE BOND BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE MADE IT PART OF A LARGER BOND ITEM, WHICH QUITE
[00:20:01]
FRANKLY HAD A BETTER CHANCE OF PASSING THAN TO PUT THIS PROJECT ON THE BOND BY ITSELF.AND THERE WAS, THERE WAS ANXIETY AND FEAR AND APPREHENSION AMONG THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME OF CALLING THIS OUT AS A SEPARATE ITEM.
NOT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T DESERVE TO BE A SEPARATE ITEM, NOT BECAUSE IT WASN'T AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY PRIORITY, BUT NO ONE WAS SURE EXACTLY HOW THIS ENTIRE CITY WOULD VOTE FOR A LINE ITEM THAT OFFERED NOTHING TO THEIR COMMUNITY IN A DIRECT WAY.
WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT BOND ITEMS ON, ON THE BALLOT, THE FIRST THING THEY TRY TO FIGURE OUT IS, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME? WHAT IS THIS GONNA DO IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD? PADELLA WAS REALLY STRONG AND SHE SAID, I WANT THIS TO BE A SEPARATE ITEM.
AND THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT CAME TO HER AND CAME TO ME AND SAID, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE WRONG THING TO DO STRATEGICALLY.
BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PUTTING THIS ON THE BOND ELECTION AS A SEPARATE ITEM FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO CONSIDER AND CONFRONT ANYTHING THAT MIGHT LEAD THIS BOND ELEMENT NOT TO BE SUPPORTED COMMUNITYWIDE WAS REASON ENOUGH TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT THAT WAY.
NOW I WAS ALL OVER THE CITY IN THAT ELECTION, NOT ONLY CAMPAIGNING FOR THE BOND, BUT I WAS ALSO, I WAS ALSO UP FOR, FOR REELECTION AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
SO I WAS ATTENDING, UH, AS I NEEDED TO AS A CANDIDATE.
HUNDREDS OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND CLUB MEETINGS ALL OVER THE CITY.
AND I SAW DELIA AT ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THOSE.
I SAW THE CONSTABLE AT ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THOSE.
I, I WOULD GET CALLS FROM, FROM DALIA.
SHE WOULD BE IN HER CAR AND SHE WOULD BE HEADING OUT TO HER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN FAR NORTHWEST AUSTIN LOOKING FOR DIRECTIONS CUZ SHE'D NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE.
SHE WAS FOCUSED ON HER DISTRICT, BUT SHE DID A TOUR OF THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND I REMEMBER REALLY WELL FOLLOWING HER AT MANY OF THOSE MEETINGS WHERE WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT WAS WHY THIS COMMUNITY HERE WAS IMPORTANT TO THE ENTIRE CITY.
WHY OUR CITY ROSE OR FELL AS THIS COMMUNITY ROSE OR FELL TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE ENTIRE CITY ABOUT PRIVILEGE, A CONVERSATION WITH THE ENTIRE CITY ABOUT, ABOUT PROMISES.
TOO LONG DELAY TO PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY, THIS PART OF OUR CITY.
I'M JUST REALLY PROUD THAT THIS IS STARTING.
I AM PROUD TO BE WITH SO MANY PEOPLE THAT MADE THIS HAPPEN IN OUR CITY.
I AM PROUD OF HOW THIS HAPPENED, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR CITY BECAUSE WHEN THIS BOND ELEMENT BY ITSELF WAS PASSED SO RESOUNDINGLY BY THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, IT GAVE ME HOPE FOR WHAT AUSTIN PROMISES TO BE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY HERE AND WE, WE SHOULD APPLAUD.
AND I WANNA BRING UP NOW SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS AN INCREDIBLE ADVOCATE FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR THE EASTERN CRESCENT.
AND I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY DURING THE PANDEMIC TO WORK REALLY, REALLY CLOSELY WITH HIM.
UH, AND TO SEE HIS ADVOCACY, UH, AND HOW HE STARTS, STARTED VIRTUALLY EVERY ONE OF THE PANDEMIC MEETINGS WE HAD BY ASKING THE QUESTION, HOW ARE WE DOING BY REACH AND PARTICIPATION AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION TO THE EAST SIDE OF OUR JOB? OUR COUNTY JUDGE, ANDY BROWN, GOOD MORNING.
I'M TRAVIS COUNTY, JUDGE ANDY BROWN AND VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY.
UM, CHILDCARE IS A HUGE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND I UNDERSTAND THAT FIRSTHAND.
I HAVE TWO KIDS OF MY OWN, UM, BALANCING WORK, SCHOOL KIDS, SOMETIMES FEEDING YOUR KIDS AND GETTING YOUR DAUGHTER TO GIRL SCOUTS MEANS YOU CAN'T TAKE A SHOWER AND HAVE TO WEAR A HAT TO PRESS CONFERENCES IN THE MORNING.
UM, BUT IT'S HARDER FOR SOME PEOPLE TO BALANCE THAN OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
[00:25:01]
AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE'RE TAKING ACTION TODAY TO HELP CHANGE THAT.A STUDY, UM, PUBLISHED EARLIER THIS YEAR SHOWED THAT ONLY 67% OF YOUNG CHILDREN FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY WERE ABLE TO ATTEND HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMS. THIS LACK OF HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE RESULTS IN ONLY ABOUT ONE THIRD OF KIDS FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES BEING KINDERGARTEN READY AS COMPARED TO ALMOST TWO THIRDS OF KIDS FROM HIGHER INCOME FAMILIES BEING KINDERGARTEN READY.
THIS CENTER IS GOING TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE SERVICES FOR UP TO 75 CHILDREN AND IS ANOTHER STEP TOWARDS BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE PUT INTO MAKING THIS A REALITY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYBODY HERE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THIS IS A HUGE SUCCESS.
OH, AND I'LL INTRODUCE MY GOOD FRIEND, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, VANESSA FUENTES.
I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY FOR THIS LONG TIME COMING GROUNDBREAKING AND I WANNA THANK, UH, THE MAYOR FOR SHARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN 2018 AND ADVOCATING, UH, FOR THIS BOND TO BRING US OUR PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY IN DOVE SPRINGS.
SO THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR BEING SO DOVE SPRINGS PROUD.
AND YOU KNOW, AND I REALLY, I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT TOOK.
AND I, AND I, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE REMISS IF I ALSO, AND I DID CONNECT, UM, WITH, UH, WITH COUNTY ATTORNEY DE GARZA THIS MORNING AND, AND, AND SHARED WHAT WE WERE DOING TODAY.
AND SO JUST TO KNOW HER LEADERSHIP AND PART OF HER LEGACY OF WHAT SHE'S BUILDING FOR OUR CITY WILL BE INEXTRICABLY TIED TO THIS DEV SPRINGS PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY IS SOMETHING THAT I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE.
AND IT'S A GOOD REMINDER WHILE I'M STILL, YOU KNOW, ON THE NEWER END OF MY, UH, TERM ON COUNCIL, THAT SOMETIMES WHAT WE PUT INTO MOTION, YOU MAY NOT SEE INTO FRUITION DURING YOUR TERM, UM, BUT THE, WHEN YOU HAVE THE COMMUNITY STANDING RIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU, YOU'LL, THEY'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE RIGHT THERE AT EVERY SINGLE STEP.
SO I DO WANNA ASK STAFF THAT WHEN WE DO THE RIBBON CUTTING, THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT DELIA IS WITH US FOR THAT.
UM, PART OF WHY I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE IS CUZ THIS IS SO CENTRALLY LOCATED.
YOU'RE IN DOVE SPRINGS, YOU SEE WE HAVE THE REC CENTER RIGHT HERE.
WE HAVE THE LIBRARY OVER THERE.
WE HAVE SCHOOLS NEAR US, WE HAVE SOCCER FIELDS.
AND SOON AND HOPEFULLY LESS THAN A YEAR, WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC HEALTH FACILITY RIGHT HERE IN THE HEART OF DOVE SPRINGS.
AND IT'S ALL ABOUT CREATING THAT ECOSYSTEM OF HEALTH SERVICES, OF COMMUNITY, OF MAKING SURE THAT IT'S AS, AS ACCESSIBLE AS IT CAN BE.
SO I COULD NOT THINK OF A BETTER PLACE ON WHERE TO PLACE THIS CHILDCARE CENTER, WHERE TO PLACE THIS FOOD PANTRY, WHERE TO PLACE THIS WIC CLINIC.
I MEAN, IT IS GONNA BE SO INCREDIBLE FOR DOVE SPRINGS AND I'M EXCITED TO BE A PART OF IT.
AND I KNOW AND, AND THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY WHO SHARED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT STILL LIES AHEAD OF US.
YOU KNOW, I'M COMMITTED TO STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH THIS COMMUNITY TO GET A HOSPITAL EAST OF 35 TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE MORE CLINICS EAST OF 35, THAT WE ARE CREATING A PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS THIS ECOSYSTEM THAT I, I JUST SHARED ABOUT.
UH, SO THERE'S STILL SO MUCH MORE TO DO, BUT I'M REALLY PROUD TO REPRESENT THIS AREA ON CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO NOW LET'S BREAK SOME GROUND AND 3, 2, 1.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S TURN SOME DIRT.