* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:09] ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, [CALL MEETING TO ORDER] WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. YEAH. LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A QUORUM. UH, WELCOME TO THE JANUARY 17TH, 2023 MEETING OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COUNCIL. UH, THE TIME IS 6 0 3. WE WILL START WITH THE ROLL CALL. UH, THOSE JOINED BY VIDEO, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR VIDEO AND I'LL GO DOWN THE LIST. UH, FIRST UP, COMMISSIONER BLACKBURN IS HERE. COMMISSIONER WHITE. COMMISSIONER DAVIS. HERE. COMMISSIONER NGOR. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. COMMISSIONER ROBBINS. I'M HERE. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, UH, THIS IS THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, NOT, NOT COUNSEL. NOTED. COMMISSIONER STONE HERE. MR. HARMON? HERE IS HERE. , YOU MADE IT. UH, COMMISSIONER BRENNAMAN. HEY, REBECCA. CAN YOU HEAR ME? HEY, REBECCA, CAN YOU FLIP YOUR CAMERA ON AND UNMUTE? JUST MAYBE YOU WANT TO TRY DIAL BACK IN? WE'LL, I'LL, WE'LL COME BACK, UH, SHORTLY. UH, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, LOOKS LIKE YOU'VE ARRIVED. IS THAT CORRECT? THIS, THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING. YEAH. CAN YOU FLIP YOUR CAMERA ON, UH, YEAH, HERE WE GO. THANK YOU. YOU THANKS. UH, COMMISSIONER SHARIA, PRESENT. ALL RIGHT. UH, DID I MISS ANYONE? ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A QUORUM. UH, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. UH, FIRST UP, PUBLIC COMMUNI, UH, GENERAL, UH, DO NOT BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TONIGHT. IS THAT CORRECT, NATASHA? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, MOVING ON TO OUR AGENDA ITEMS. UH, ITEM [1. Approve the minutes of the Resource Management Commission Regular Meeting on November 15, 2022.] NUMBER ONE, APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON NOVEMBER 15TH, 2022. UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS? SEEING NONE, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. WE WILL MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, [2. Approve a recommendation supporting the initiation of a formal stakeholder process to develop city code amendments concerning electric-ready and electric-vehicle-ready residential building requirements. (Sponsors: White, Davis, Johnson, and Chavarria)] APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION SUPPORTING THE INITIATION OF A FORMAL STAKEHOLDER PROCESS TO DEVELOP CITY CODE AMENDMENTS CONCERNING ELECTRIC READY AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE READY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING REQUIREMENTS SPONSORS, WHITE DAVIS, JOHNSON, AND SHARIA. UH, SO THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST, UH, MEETING. UH, THE RESOLUTION, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS IN THE MEETING MATERIALS, WHICH, UH, NATASHA, IF YOU CAN GIVE ME PRESENTER PRIVILEGES, I WILL SHARE THAT ON THE WEBEX. UH, SO THE WAY THIS IS GONNA WORK, WOULD LIKE THE, UH, ONE OF THE SPONSORS TO, UH, KIND OF GIVE US A QUICK RECAP OF THAT ITEM AND, UH, WHAT IT IS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE COMMISSION TO, UH, DISCUSS AND POSSIBLY APPROVE ANY TAKERS. JUST TO NOTE, UH, KIVA WHITE IS ON, UH, INTERNET. YES. YEAH. UH, SO ONE OF THE FOUR OF YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE, UH, THE LEADERSHIP ON THIS ITEM. UH, I, I DO NOT HAVE A PREFERENCE. UH, AGAIN, I WOULD NOTE IF YOU ARE JOINING ONLINE, UH, COUNCIL ORDINANCE REQUIRES YOU TO HAVE YOUR VIDEO CAMERA ON TO BE CONSIDERED PRESENT AT THE MEETING. WELL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL TAKE IT. UH, SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, LAST TIME, WE, UH, DISCUSSED THIS AT OUR LAST MEETING, THE, UM, THE RESOLUTION IS TO MAKE SOME CODE CHANGES IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT, UH, NEW HOMES ARE ELECTRIC READY. AND THAT WOULD BE, UM, INCLUDING, UH, UPDATES TO ELECTRICAL PANELS SO THAT NEW HOMEOWNERS CAN ELECT TO HAVE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES IF THEY SO DESIRE OR TO HAVE AND OR TO HAVE, UM, CHARGING STATION FOR THEIR ELECTRIC VEHICLE. I THINK WE DISCUSSED THIS IN PRETTY GOOD DETAIL LAST TIME AROUND. UM, SO I WON'T GO THROUGH EACH ELEMENT OF THE RESOLUTION, BUT IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE [00:05:05] QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION. I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT. THANK YOU. AND SORRY, UM, I THINK MY INTERNET JUST WENT OUT THERE FOR A MINUTE, BUT THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING. YEAH. SO, UH, I GUESS ONE QUESTION. HAVE YOU GUYS HAD ANY FURTHER KIND OF DIALOGUE OR DISCUSSION WITH THE, UM, GREEN BUILDING GROUP AROUND, UH, THAT TOPIC? I HAVE NOT, SINCE WE LAST TALKED ABOUT THIS. AS YOU KNOW, WE DID MEET WITH, UM, DIFFERENT FOLKS FROM THE CITY TO DISCUSS THE RESOLUTION, BUT I HAVE NOT SPOKEN WITH ANYONE SINCE THEN. YEAH, SAME AS WELL. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO, PROCEDURALLY, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO DISCUSS THIS RESOLUTION, SOMEONE WILL NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION, UH, WHICH WILL OPEN DEBATE ON THE RESOLUTION ITSELF. I'LL MOVE APPROVAL. ALL RIGHT. SO THE MOTION ON THE TABLE IS TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AS, UH, WRITTEN. UH, THAT WILL OPEN DEBATE ON THE RESOLUTION. UH, SO DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR THE SPONSORS ON THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION? ALL RIGHT. UH, KURT, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE ANY COLOR FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, THE IMPLEMENTATION SIDE, FROM, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, OR HAPPY TO THANK YOU. UH, I'M KURT STOCKVILLE. I'M THE MANAGER FOR GREEN BUILDING AND SUSTAINABILITY, FROST AND ENERGY. CURRENTLY REALLY INTERIM, UH, DIRECTOR FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES, BUT MY FULL-TIME GIG IS, IS MANAGER FOR GREEN BUILDING. I WOULD SAY TWO THINGS RELATED TO THIS. UH, FIRST, I THINK IN, IN JUST IN GENERAL, BEST PROCESS OR BEST PROCEDURES ON THIS, I WOULD BE FAR MORE COMFORTABLE IN GOING FORWARD WITH, UH, THE 24 CODE AS DRAFTED, AS OPPOSED TO DOING A LOCAL AMENDMENT TO THE 21 CODE. UH, AND THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ADD TO IT IS THAT, UH, WHILE THIS IS DRAFTED, THAT AUSTIN ENERGY BRINGS THIS FORWARD CODES ARE BROUGHT FORWARD AND CHAMPIONED BY, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. SO ULTIMATELY IT'S DEVELOPMENT SERVICES THAT WOULD BE TAKEN FOR THIS FORWARD TO COUNCIL, AND WE WOULD BE FACILITATING THE PROCESS. THANKS, KURT. UM, I WOULD, I WOULD BE FINE WITH CHANGING THAT LANGUAGE TO SAY THAT AUSTIN ENERGY AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, OR AUSTIN ENERGY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, IF THAT'S MORE ACCURATE. ALL RIGHT. SO ARE YOU MAKING A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? YES. ALL RIGHT. SO, MOTION TO AMEND THEIT THE, UH, RESOLUTION AS WRITTEN TO INCLUDE, UH, AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AFTER AUSTIN ENERGY, WHICH I'VE HIGHLIGHTED. I THINK IT'S JUST COMMA, I THINK JUST COMMA, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, COMMA. ALL RIGHT. UH, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? UH, MOTION. JUST REMINDER, THIS IS, UH, ON, UH, MOTIONS LIKE THIS. UH, IT'S A MAJORITY RULES, UH, AS OPPOSED TO NEEDING A QUORUM. UH, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. UH, THAT, THAT, UH, MOTION PASSES. SO THE RESOLUTION IS AMENDED NOW TO ADD COMMON DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. ANYTHING FURTHER? [00:10:03] ALL RIGHT. LET'S, UH, MOVE TO TAKE A VOTE ON, UH, RESOLUTION AS AMENDED JUST NOW. UH, WE WILL DO THIS. I WILL BE A ROLL CALL. UH, COMMISSIONER BLACKBURN VOTES? NO. COMMISSIONER WHITE? YES. VOTES? YES. COMMISSIONER DAVIS? YES. COMMISSIONER ANOR. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? YES. COMMISSIONER ROBBINS? YES. COMMISSIONER STONE? NO. COMMISSIONER HARMON? YES. COMMISSIONER BRENNAMAN? UH, STILL, STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU. ARE YOU? ARE YOU MUTED? MUTED. ALL RIGHT. UM, CAN YOU GUYS, I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY AUDIO AND I COULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING UNTIL JUST NOW. UM, WHAT ARE WE VOTING ON? . OKAY. SORRY. UH, WE ARE VOTING ON THE, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE RESOLUTION REGARDING A FORMAL STAKEHOLDER PROCESS REGARDING, UH, ELECTRIC READY ELECTRICAL VEHICLE READY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING REQUIREMENTS, UH, AS AMENDED BY WHAT YOU CAN SEE ON MY SCREEN. UM, IF YOU, IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE EXPLANATION, I CAN HAVE YOU TO GIVE THAT TO YOU OR GIVE YOU MORE TIME. UH, I VOTE YES. OKAY. COMMISSIONER BRENNAMAN VOTES? YES. AND COMMISSIONER SHAVAYA? YES. RESOLUTION PASSES ON A SEVEN TO TWO, IS THAT CORRECT? YEP. ALL RIGHT. THE RESOLUTION PASSES ON A SEVEN TO TWO VOTE. THANKS, EVERYBODY. ALL RIGHT. UH, MOVING ON. [3. Discussion regarding possible amendments to City Code ยง 2-1-168 concerning Resource Management Commission review of natural gas utility rates and operations. (Sponsors: Robbins, Davis, and White)] ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSSION REGARDING POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO CITY CODE TWO DASH ONE DASH 68 CONCERNING RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION REVIEW OF NATURAL GAS UTILITY RATES AND OPERATIONS SPONSORS, ROBINS, DAVIS, AND WHITE. UH, AS WITH THE LAST ONE, IF ONE OF THE SPONSORS COULD TAKE THE LEAD IN, UH, GIVING US EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH HERE. UH, WELL FIRST, LET, UM, I'M PAUL ROBBINS. UH, AND LET ME INTRODUCE THIS BY SAYING THAT AUSTIN IS THE PRIMARY REGULATOR OF GAS UTILITIES THAT HOLD FRANCHISES IN ITS CITY LIMITS, AND WE NEED TO HOLD THESE UTILITIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR RATE PAYERS. AND TO AUSTIN'S VALUES, UM, UH, I WANT IT KNOWN THAT I DID ALERT LARRY GRAHAM OF TEXAS GAS SERVICE AND RONDELLA HAWKINS, UH, OF THE, UH, OFFICE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS. UM, I, UH, PRESUME THAT IF THEY HAVE OPINIONS, THEY WILL WEIGH IN AT SOME POINT. UH, BEFORE THIS IS AN OFFICIAL MOTION, UH, GAS BILLS BETWEEN 2020 AND 2022. UH, TEXAS GAS SERVICE HAS INCREASED ITS GAS BILLS BY 61%. IF YOU'LL COST STAY AT THEIR SAME LEVEL, BILLS WILL PROBABLY BE ABOUT 79% HIGHER, UH, BETWEEN 2020 AND 2023. THAT'S $350 A YEAR PER CUSTOMER. MY OWN BILL IN 2022 WAS 24% HIGHER THAN IN 2021. UM, ANOTHER ISSUE, UH, THAT'S, UH, PART OF THE RATES IS CAPITAL RECOVERY FEES, WHICH BASICALLY LOWERS RATES. IF, UH, EVERY NEW HOOKUP PAYS WHAT IT COSTS FOR THAT HOOKUP, THEN EVERYBODY ELSE DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT HOOKUP. UH, AND IN AUSTIN ENERGY, THERE'S A 100% CAPITAL RECOVERY FEE FOR THE, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE IMMEDIATELY AROUND A HOME OR DEVELOPMENT IN TEXAS [00:15:01] GAS SERVICE. THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, IT WAS ABOUT 10%. ANOTHER ISSUE, UM, THAT WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO ASSISTANCE TO THE POOR. THE FUNDING AVAILABLE FROM TEXAS GAS SERVICE AND GAS COMPANIES IN GENERAL IN THE AUSTIN AREA, IS SO LOW THAT IT COULD BE MISTAKEN FOR SATIRE. TEXAS GAS SERVICE ONLY GIVES ABOUT A HUNDRED AND THOUSAND DOLLARS OR SO A YEAR FOR THIS PURPOSE, WHILE AUSTIN'S UTILITIES COLLECTIVELY GIVE ABOUT 20 MILLION A YEAR OR MORE. ANOTHER ISSUE IS CLEAN ENERGY. WHILE AUSTIN ENERGY INTENDS TO GET 65% OF ITS ENERGY FROM RENEWABLES BY 2027, THERE'S VIRTUALLY NO GAS THAT'S COMING FROM RENEWABLES. MOREOVER, AS OF A YEAR AGO, THE COMPANY WAS NOT PART OF ANY GAS INDUSTRY COLLABORATIVE ON RESEARCH FOR RENEWABLE, UH, ALTERNATIVES. OUR CITY COUNCIL HAS LIMITED TIME IN THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH A HUNDRED SEPARATE ISSUES OR MORE. AND THIS COMMISSION, UH, OR THE, UH, ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION BOTH DEAL WITH ENERGY, UH, AND THEY ARE THE TWO MOST APPROPRIATE COMMISSIONS TO STUDY THE DETAILS AND ADVISE ON CITY COUNCIL FOR POLICY. ANOTHER POINT I WANNA BRING UP IS THAT WE HAVE A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, CHANGE THE COURSE OF GAS UTIL OF THE, THE TEXAS GAS SERVICE BECAUSE OF THEIR FRANCHISE IS ABOUT TO BE RENEGOTIATED. THIS HAPPENS ONLY ONCE EVERY 20 YEARS OR SO. THIS IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES. UH, IT'S MY OPINION THAT WE SHOULD ACTUALLY GO OUT FOR A COMPETITIVE BID. AND SOME OF YOU WOULD APPROPRIATELY ASK, WELL, WHAT IF SOMEBODY ELSE WINS? DOESN'T TEX TEXAS GAS SERVICE ACTUALLY OWN IT? YES, THEY DO. AND THE COMPETITIVE BIDDER, IF THEY ARE SO CHOSEN, WOULD HAVE TO COMPENSATE THE GAS COMPANY FOR ITS PROPERTY. UH, I'M NOT, UH, SUGGESTING, UM, AN AN APPROPRIATION OF PROPERTY, BUT I AM SUGGESTING THAT WE FIND A GAS COMPANY THAT'S WILLING TO, UH, DO ITS BEST FOR THE RIGHT PAYERS AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY VALUES. SO, UH, FOR ALL THESE REASONS AND MORE, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT, UM, OUR COMMISSION AT ITS NEXT MEETING, UH, VOTE TO ASK CITY COUNCIL TO BROADEN OUR PURVIEW TO, UH, REVIEW ALL GAS COMPANY ISSUES. UM, I, I MEAN, I'VE TRIED TO LIST, UH, THINGS THAT I THINK ARE THE MAJOR ISSUES, BUT YOU ALL MAY HAVE OTHERS. SO AT THAT POINT, UM, LET ME HEAR FROM YOU. WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS? WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE COMMISSION WEIGH IN? AND LARRY GRAHAM, IF YOU'RE LISTENING OUT THERE, COME WEIGH IN AS WELL. IF, IF I CAN ADD SURE. THANKS, PAUL FOR THAT. UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I, I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC AND OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THAT THE GAS UTILITY DOES HAVE A CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD TO REVIEW AND ANALYZE RATES, UM, POLICIES, PROCEDURES, ADVISE CITY COUNCIL, UM, ON THE ISSUES RELATED TO THAT IN THE SAME WAY, UH, THAT THE COUNCIL ENJOYS FOR ITS MUNICIPALLY OWNED, UM, ELECTRIC AND WATER UTILITIES. AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THE RESULT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SERIOUS RATE SHOCKS, UM, FOR GAS. UM, CERTAINLY WE'VE ALL WENT THROUGH THE, THE, UM, THE PROCESS OF LOOKING AT THE, UH, ELECTRIC RATE CASE. BUT, UM, THE GAS IS ALSO, UM, SHOWING A LOT OF, A LOT OF SPIKES HAVE HAPPENED, UM, AND ARE CONTINUING TO, TO HAPPEN AND ARE, ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO DISPROPORTIONATELY HURT THOSE, UM, WHO CAN LEAST AFFORD IT. AND I WANNA SAY, UM, THAT TO PAUL'S POINT, THAT THIS COMMISSION [00:20:01] AND THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION SEEM TO BE THE BEST POSITIONED TO, UM, ADVISE ON RATE CASE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE, UM, A, YOU KNOW, A STRONG DES ADVISE ON THE RATE CASE PER SE. UM, PERSONALLY, I DON'T THINK THAT I PERSONALLY HAVE THE, UM, THE MOST EXPERTISE ON IT, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I AGREE THAT ONE OF THOSE COMMISSIONS, ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONS SHOULD START TO LOOK AT THAT. AND I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS FEEL ABOUT, ABOUT THIS AS WELL. DON'T BE SHY, COMMISSIONER. WHITE. THANKS. UM, YEAH, I MEAN, I, I ALSO, UH, SEE THIS AS, UH, A GAP IN THE, THE OVERALL ISSUES THAT THAT COUNCIL HAS, UM, AN ADVISORY BOARD LOOKING AT AND ADVISING ON THERE. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY OTHER BOARD OR COMMISSION THAT, UM, THIS WOULD KINDA READILY APPLY TO. UM, AND THIS COMMISSION HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT WE DO, UM, ENGAGE IN RATE RELATED DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE RATES IN PARTICULAR RATE STRUCTURE, UM, CAN HAVE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON ENERGY CONSERVATION. UM, SO GIVEN, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WE ALREADY HAVE SOME PURVIEW OVER, UH, RATES, YOU KNOW, THAT ELECTRICITY, WATER, NATURAL GAS, UH, THIS TO, TO MY, YOU KNOW, THINKING WOULD KIND OF JUST SLIGHTLY EXPAND THAT TO JUST BE RATES IN GENERAL AND, UM, ALLOW US TO ON, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE OVERALL AMOUNT OF RATES AS OPPOSED TO JUST STRUCTURE OF RATES, WHICH IS KIND OF HOW, WHERE WE'VE DRAWN THE LINE BEFORE. UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO AFFORDABILITY. SO, UM, YEAH, I THINK THIS IS, UM, A REASONABLE CHANGE TO REQUEST IN OUR BYLAWS. CAN ANYBODY ANSWER WHY IT IS THAT THE CITY SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED NATURAL GAS WHEN THEY PUT THROUGH WHATEVER THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE CODE IS? UM, WELL BY CODE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMISSION'S PURVIEW, UH, AND THE, THE, UM, EARLY DAYS OF, UH, THIS GO BACK TO THE EARLY 1980S AND EVEN THE LATE 1970S, AND IT WAS INTENDED TO PROMOTE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY CONSERVATION AND WATER CONSERVATION, UH, AND EVENTUALLY CLIMATE GOALS. IT, UM, THERE WAS NEVER, THERE'S NEVER BEEN A COMMISSION THAT DIRECTLY INVOLVED ITSELF WITH GAS UTILITY ISSUES. UM, AND SO I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE BROADEN OUR HISTORICAL, UH, PURVIEW THAT IS IN THE CITY CODE A AND AMEND IT AS CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND IT SO WE CAN ADVISE THEM ON, UH, ON GAS UTILITIES, EITHER, EITHER RMC OR THE E U C, WHICHEVER THE COUNCIL FAVORS. OKAY. MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION TO THAT IS GOING TO BE WHY WOULDN'T THE E U C BE THE MORE NATURAL HOME FOR THAT IF WE ARE CHARGED WITH, WOULD ALL CALL BASICALLY GREEN INITIATIVES MORE OR LESS FOR THE CITY? WHY WOULD WE WANT TO GET OURSELVES INVOLVED IN RATE SETTING? BECAUSE IT'S SO MUCH FUN, LOU, IT, IT IS, IT'S DEFINITELY FUN. . YEAH. I'LL POINT OUT THAT WE ALREADY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY ENGAGED WITH TEXAS GAS, WHEREAS THE EUC, IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION. SO, UM, IN A WAY IT WOULD BE MORE OF A STRETCH OR, YOU KNOW, A BIGGER CHANGE FOR THEM TO TAKE UP THESE ISSUES. AND, AND AS TO THE WHY, I SUSPECT IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE [00:25:01] EUC, UM, THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, CLEAR PURVIEW OVER ALL THINGS RATES RELATED TO AUSTIN ENERGY. AND THEN THERE'S, WHAT IS IT, THE WATER AND WASTEWATER BOARD FOR AUSTIN WATER. AND BECAUSE TEXAS GAS ISN'T A CITY, UM, ENTITY, I'M GUESSING THAT'S WHY IT KIND OF SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS. BUT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW. I, UM, TO, TO, TO WEIGH IN. I, I AGREE THAT THE, THESE DO SEEM LIKE ISSUES THAT SHOULD HAVE A HOME OR A PLACE TO BE VETTED BY A, A CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD. UM, I ALSO SHARE A BIT OF CONCERN BECAUSE IT DOES FEEL OUTSIDE OF THE, THE, THE CURRENT PURVIEW OF THIS BODY, WHICH YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE CERTAINLY SHARED. UM, AND, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD ADVISE CREATING ANOTHER BORDER COMMISSION, UM, FOR THIS TOPIC. AND SO I'M A LITTLE BIT TORN ON RMC VERSUS EUC FOR A RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS ONE. I WILL SAY, UM, OR I GUESS MAYBE THIS IS MORE OF A QUESTION. FOR THOSE OF YOU MORE FAMILIAR WITH THESE PROCESSES, BECAUSE THE UTILITY ISN'T MUNICIPALLY OWNED, WHERE CAN YOU, CAN YOU SHARE A BIT OF THE, THE LIMITS OF COUNCIL'S ABILITY TO, UM, AFFECT RATES OF, OF TGS? WELL, UM, OKAY, I I'LL DO THAT. UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, WHAT, FOR NOW, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UH, AUSTIN IS THE PRIMARY REGULATOR OF RATES, AND IF THERE IS DISAGREEMENT AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL RULES, THEN UH, IT CAN BE APPEALED TO THE TEXAS RAILROAD COMMISSION. UM, I, I, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT DO A DOUBLE TAKE ON THAT, AND THEY'D SAY, WOULDN'T IT BE THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION? BUT IT'S A, THE, THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION DEALS WITH ELECTRIC AND RAILROAD DEALS WITH NATURAL GAS UTILITIES. UH, AND THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT, UH, WOULD BE MORE LOCAL, THE LARGEST ONE BEING THE FRANCHISE. I MEAN, AUSTIN CAN'T IMPLEMENT A FRANCHISE THAT'S ILLEGAL, BUT WE HAVE, I, I MEAN, THAT, THAT IS OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENT, AND IF PUSH CAME TO CHEV, WE COULD REFUSE TO RENEW IT. I'M NOT NECESSARILY SAYING WE SHOULD, BUT I'M NOT NECESSARILY SAYING WE SHOULDN'T. IT REALLY SHOULD DEPEND ON THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT OR IF THERE IS A COMPETITIVE BID. HAVE I IN ANY WAY ADDRESSED YOUR, YOUR THANK YOU. YOU, YOU HAVE, UM, AND I, I GUESS MY, JUST TRYING TO THINK OF THE MECHANICS ABOUT HOW IF, IF THERE WERE A BORDER COMMISSION TO ADVISE COUNCIL ON GAS UTILITY RATES, JUST REALLY THE, THE, THE MECHANICS OF THAT STRUCTURE, BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT THAN AN AUSTIN ENERGY RATE CASE. AND JUST THINKING THROUGH SORT OF WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CITIZEN INPUT AND, AND WEIGHING IN. UM, I, I GUESS THAT PART IS JUST STILL A LITTLE BIT UN UNCLEAR TO ME IN TERMS OF WHERE, WHERE, WHERE IS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THIS TO GO. RIGHT NOW, THERE'S VERY LITTLE, UH, ABILITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN ON, UH, ON GAS RATE ISSUES. UM, IT'S NEXT TO NIL. YOU CAN SHOW UP AT A PUBLIC HEARING AT CITY COUNCIL, AND THAT'S KIND OF IT. AND YOU MIGHT GET ONE PUBLIC HEARING AT THAT, UM, AS I WAS AN INTERVENER IN THE RIGHT CASE, AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED IT, UH, THE AUSTIN ENERGY RATE CASE, AND SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED IT MORE CLOSELY THAN OTHERS, BUT, UM, IT WAS A VERY, UM, IT TOOK A LONG TIME AND THERE WAS A LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT. THERE WERE THE INTERVENERS, THERE WAS STAKEHOLDER THERE, THERE WAS, UH, INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AT THE BEGINNING. THERE, UH, WAS A, AFTER THE, UH, [00:30:01] RATE CASE WAS LITIGATED, UH, THEN THERE, UH, THIS WAS BROUGHT TO THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION. UH, THEN IT WENT FROM THERE TO PUBLIC HEARINGS. THERE WERE TWO HELD AT COUNCIL, UM, UH, SAY WHAT YOU WANT. UH, THERE WAS AN AWFUL LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT, AND THAT'S JUST NOT PRESENT IN, UH, THE, UH, GAS COMPANY, UH, RATE CASES THAT I'VE, UH, BEEN AROUND. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY. UH, JUST A COUPLE ITEMS BEFORE WE WRAP UP THIS ITEM. UM, YEAH, I, I WOULD SUGGEST BEFORE BRINGING THIS BACK TO THE SPONSORS THAT YOU GUYS DO LOOK INTO THE, UH, ULTIMATE, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WAS THIS REALLY STRUCTURED TO WORK UNDER STATE LAW? UM, I'M, I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN THIS, BUT I DID HAVE A VERY BRIEF CONVERSATION ON THIS TOPIC, UH, WITH, WITH AN ATTORNEY, UH, WHO TOLD ME THAT UNLIKE, UH, ELECTRIC AND WATER UTILITIES, PRIVATE NATURAL GAS UTILITIES IN THE STATE ARE, UH, UNDER DE NOVO REGULATION BY THE RAILROAD COMMISSION, KIND OF AS YOU MENTIONED. AND SO LET'S MAKE SURE WHATEVER WE DO IS NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY GONNA BE AT, AT ODDS WITH, WITH, WITH THE STATE LAW. UM, OKAY. FINALLY, I, I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR ON WHAT YOU'VE POSTED THESE KIND OF DRAFT MATERIALS FOR DISCUSSION. WHAT, AND THERE'S BASICALLY TWO ITEMS AS I UNDERSTAND IT. ONE, A RESOLUTION, UH, THAT WOULD COME OUT, UH, OF THIS COMMISSION WITH, UH, SUGGESTED UPDATES TO THE CITY CODE. SO PROCEDURALLY, UM, IF THE OUR PURVIEW WERE TO BE EXPANDED, IT WOULD REQUIRE ACTION BY COUNCIL AND ACTUALLY CHANGING THE, THE CITY CODE, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THIS THE FIRST ATTACHMENT IS, IS THAT CORRECT? UH, YES. UH, I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT AS USER FRIENDLY AS POSSIBLE. SO YEAH, THERE WOULD BE A RESOLUTION AND THEN THERE WOULD BE AN ATTACHMENT AS TO WHAT THE DRAFT FORWARDING MIGHT LOOK LIKE. YEP. OKAY. YEAH. SO JUST SO EVERYONE'S CLEAR, WE, WE, THAT THIS COMMISSION CANNOT UNILATERALLY DECIDE THAT NATURAL GAS IS IN OUR PURVIEW. IT WOULD REQUIRE COUNCIL ACTION, WHICH IS WHAT, UH, THE, THE ATTACHMENTS REFLECT. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS ON THAT TOPIC? UH, LISA, I, I HAVE NOT. YOU YOU HEARD FROM YOU, YOU HAVE NO COMMENT? NO, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UH, REBECCA'S GOT HER HAND UP. UH, COMMISSIONER BRENNAMAN. YES. UM, I FEEL LIKE INSTEAD OF US REQUESTING THAT THIS HAPPENED, WE PUT FORWARD THIS, UM, THIS CHANGE IN OUR BYLAWS AND SAY WE'RE WILLING TO TAKE IT ON, BUT YOU GUYS MAKE THE DECISION AND GO, LIKE, SAY WE, WE GIVE YOU THIS, THESE BYLAWS AND THE CHANGES, AND, UM, LET THEM DECIDE WHERE IT SHOULD BE, PERHAPS INSTEAD OF US, UM, JUST SAYING WE WANT IT. UM, YEAH. SO, SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, UH, THE WAY PAUL HAS PRESENTED IT WITH A REQUEST TO, TO COUNSEL TO AMEND CODE, UM, THAT IS, THAT IS THE PROCEDURE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED. WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO, UM, INSERT THAT IN OUR BYLAWS. UM, IT, IT WOULD REQUIRE COUNSEL ACTION. AND, AND THE WAY PAUL HAS PRESENTED THIS IS, IS PROCEDURALLY CORRECT? UNDER, UNDER, UH, THE CITY CHARTER. OKAY. YEAH. I JUST WANTED IT TO BE CLEAR TO COUNSEL THAT WE'RE WILLING TO TAKE IT ON, BUT YOU GUYS DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT IT TO GO. CUZ THERE MIGHT, THERE MIGHT BE A BETTER PLACE OR, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE. UH, ARE REBECCA, ARE, ARE YOU COMMISSIONER BRENNAMAN? ARE, ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT I PUT THIS, UH, IN THE RESOLUTION? UM, DO YOU THINK IT IT IS SUGGESTING THAT WE ARE LETTING THEM MAKE THE DECISION THAT WE'RE, AND, AND THAT WE ARE JUST WILLING TO TAKE IT ON IF THEY DECIDE THAT WE'RE THE BEST PLACE. I, I MEAN, TO BE CLEAR, THEY, THEY, THEY DO HAVE THE UNILATERAL ABILITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION. WE, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT ABILITY AS A COMMISSION. OKAY. BUT I THINK REBECCA, I I THINK I MAY BE ALIGNED WITH YOU ON THIS ONE. I, I BELIEVE YOU'RE SUGGESTING, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO, TO HIGHLIGHT THIS DEFICIENCY, SAY THERE'S CURRENTLY NO CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD FOR THIS TOPIC. [00:35:01] UM, AND OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT ONE IS ESTABLISHED OR THAT IT GETS ADDED, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A RESPONSIBILITY OF EITHER ONE OF THE EXISTING BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS OR A NEW ONE, HOWEVER THEY SEE FIT. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE RMC OR COULD BE WHEREVER COUNCIL SEES FIT. SO YES, I I THINK WE'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING. THAT'S THAT WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED IS EXACTLY WHAT PAUL HAS PRESENTED. UM, SO THERE IS A, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, UH, THIS IS WHAT THE RESOLUTION WOULD LOOK LIKE. HEY, COUNSEL, THERE'S A DEFICIENCY HERE. WE THINK YOU SHOULD UPDATE THE CITY CODE BY, AND THAT'S THE, THE, THE ATTACHMENT, RIGHT? BUT, BUT IT'S ASKING SPECIFICALLY FOR RMC, RIGHT? SO THE, SO TO BROADEN ITS COM COMMISSION PURVIEW, THAT COMMISSION PURVIEW IS RMCS COMMISSION PURVIEW. I THINK WHAT, I'M SORRY, REBECCA. I THINK I'M, I DON'T MEAN TO BE SPEAKING FOR YOU HERE, BUT NO, I'M NOT VERY YEAH, GO AHEAD. . I THINK YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, BUT JUST THE, THE IDEA THAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THE GAP AND SUGGESTING THAT COUNCIL FIGURE OUT WHERE'S IT, WHERE IT SHOULD GO RATHER THAN SUGGESTING THAT RMC TAKES IT. GOTCHA. SO, UH, OKAY. WHICH PROCESS COULD BE ESPECIALLY LIKE WITH, UM, CITIZEN INPUT, AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHO NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN IT, BECAUSE LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, UM, COMMISSIONER, IT WAS, IT, THERE THERE ARE LEGAL THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DEFINED AND, UM, I WOULD RATHER, INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING WE WANT IT, UM, JUST SAY WE'RE WILLING TO TAKE IT, UM, JUST SO THEY, YOU KNOW, CAN THINK OF ALL THE OTHER OPTIONS FIRST, UM, IS THERE ANY RECOMMENDED WORDING YOU MIGHT HAVE REWORDING? I I GUESS I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT SINCE YOU'RE LOOPED IN WITH, UH, A SPONSOR. UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY ALTERNATIVE WORDING, MAYBE YOU COULD, UH, GIVE THAT TO ME LATER. YEAH. OKAY. UM, I, I, I'LL JUST THROW IN REAL QUICK, AND I SEE KAY'S GOT A HERRING OUT, BUT, BUT I, I THINK IF YOU PRESENT IT TO COUNCIL AS IS, OR IN WHATEVER MODIFIED VER YOU END UP COMING BACK TO THAT, IF THEY LIKE IT, THEY'LL KEEP IT. IF NOT, THEN THEY'LL DO THE EXACT SAME THING ON THEIR OWN AND NAME WHATEVER THE OTHER COMMISSION IS. SO I THINK FOR THIS EXERCISE, YOU'RE PROBABLY FINE AS YOU ARE. AND IF THEY DON'T WANT THIS COMMISSION TO HANDLE IT, THEN THEY'LL HANDLE THINGS ON THEIR OWN. ALL RIGHT. UH, COUPLE OF HANDS. I'VE SEEN COMMISSIONER, UH, WHITE AND THEN COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. THANKS. YEAH. UM, I GUESS MY, MY COMMENT'S PRETTY SIMILAR TO LEWIS'S. UM, AND I GUESS JUST WITH THE ADDED, UM, KIND OF NOTE THAT I DON'T THINK THAT COUNCIL SPENDS A WHOLE LOT OF TIME, UM, CONTEMPLATING, YOU KNOW, WHAT CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE IN VARIOUS SPORTS AND COMMISSIONS. UM, SO I, I THINK IT WOULD BE FINE IF WE, UM, ADDED SOMETHING MAYBE TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH HERE SAYING, IF COUNSEL DOESN'T FEEL THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION IS THE RIGHT BODY TO DO THIS, WE, WE REQUEST THAT YOU ASSIGN THIS, UH, DUTY TO SOME OTHER BORDER COMMISSION. UM, BUT STILL SEND THEM THE, THE EDITS, UM, FOR THE RMC. BECAUSE I THINK IF WE JUST SEND THEM A, UM, KIND OF A GENERAL REQUEST TO PUT IT SOMEWHERE, IT'S NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. UM, THAT WOULD JUST BE MY, MY SUGGESTION THAT WE GIVE THEM THE OPTION ALL KIND OF WRITTEN UP, OR IF THEY WANNA GO TO THE RMC, BUT THEN WE MAKE CLEAR THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WANNA PUT IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT. WE JUST WANT SOMEBODY TO BE DOING THAT WORK. GOT I NOTED. THANK YOU. UH, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON. I'M SORRY. YEAH, THANKS. UM, YEAH, AND I'LL DEFINITELY, I, I REALLY RESONATE STRONGLY AS OKAY, IT WAS JUST SAYING I THINK THAT'S A GOOD COURSE OF ACTION. UM, AND I THINK THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE RMC ON THE SURFACE SEEMS PROBABLY THE MOST RELEVANT CURRENT BORDER COMMISSION TO TAKE ON SOME SORT OF, UH, ADDITIONAL ROLE AROUND NATURAL GAS. UM, AND THEN ANOTHER, I THINK STRUCTURAL ISSUE TO, OR DETAIL TO, TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOARDS OF COMMISSION IN TERMS OF BEING A ADVISORY BOARD VERSUS A SOVEREIGN BOARD, AND WE'RE AN ADVISORY BOARD, SO WE CAN'T, UM, YOU KNOW, FULLY MAKE CERTAIN, UM, UH, [00:40:01] YOU KNOW, INDEPENDENT DECISIONS OR CERTAIN TYPES OF DECISIONS ON OUR OWN. AND SO IT MAY BE THE CASE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD NEED TO BE AN ADVISORY BOARD BECAUSE THEY'RE REGULATED BY THE POC OR, OR EXCUSE ME, THE BROAD COMMISSION AND CITY COUNCIL DIRECTLY. OR IT COULD BE, THERE COULD BE SOME OTHER COMPLICATING FACTOR WITH WHETHER OR NOT IT NEEDS TO BE ONE OF THOSE TWO TYPES OF BOARDS. I JUST WANTED TO RAISE THAT ISSUE. I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, YOUR COMMENT. UH, IS THERE ANY WORDING THAT YOU WANT TO REFLECT THIS? I DON'T HAVE ANY WORDING TO ADD HERE. I JUST THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A, A LEGAL QUESTION THAT'LL NEED TO BE, OR MAYBE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SAY LEGAL CONTEXT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF AND MAY NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED. I, I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE. NOTED. ALL RIGHT. UH, ANY FINAL COMMENTS, UH, MR. DAVIS? UM, AS WE ARE TASKED WITH SERVING AS A LIAISON WITH OTHER CITY BOARDS, INCLUDING THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION? I'M NOT SURE IF, UH, ANYONE HAS TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT THIS. I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA, UH, TO JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SHOP IT, CHECK WITH THEM ON, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN CONTEMPLATED BY THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION, JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, DUE DILIGENCE PURPOSES. I'VE TALKED TO THE CHAIR VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT THIS IDEA AND THEY REALLY HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT. AND, UM, I CAN CHECK BACK WITH HER AND I WILL, UH, IF YOU THINK IT'S WISE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT, UM, SHE CAN COMMENT PAST THE POINT BECAUSE SHE'S JUST, SHE'S THE CHAIR, BUT NOT THE COMMISSION. SO I, I'M, I'M AT A LOSS OF HOW TO PROCEED MUCH FURTHER THAN THAT. SO ONE IDEA MIGHT BE, UH, A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION ABOUT THIS PRIOR TO ASKING COUNCIL TO ASSIGN THIS GAP, WHICH MAY VERY WELL GO TO THEM. I I CAN BRING IT UP FORMALLY, BUT, UM, I WILL, UH, CAUTION THAT GETTING TWO SEPARATE COMMISSIONS INVOLVED ON THEIR, WITH THEIR DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND DIFFERENT SCHEDULES COULD DELAY A VOTE BY MONTHS. I, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO, TO CALLING, UH, MARTY HOPKINS AGAIN AND TELLING HER, HER THAT THIS IS ON OUR MINDS. UM, IT WOULD, I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD WAIT UN UNTIL THEY'VE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL MEETINGS TO THINK ABOUT IT. I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF LIKE, MY GUESS IS IF THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT, THEY'LL FIND A WAY TO TELL COUNSEL VERY QUICKLY, CHARLOTTE, I JUST WANTED TO, TO COMMENT IT FOR THE RECORD. I THINK THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE WORTH JUST RAISING IT, UM, BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE IT COULD BE SOMETHING WHERE AN ADDED RESPONSIBILITY IS, YOU KNOW, GIVEN TO ANOTHER BODY WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, NECESSARILY GOING THROUGH THAT. SO THAT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A COMMENT. THAT'S A, THAT'S KIND OF MY THOUGHT THERE. UM, YOU'RE, I'M, I'M, BUT THINKING OUT LOUD IS FINE. UM, I'M GONNA, WOULD, WOULD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTACT, UH, THE CHAIR OF EUC AND, AND YEAH, I CAN DEFINITELY REACH OUT. I CAN, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK EVEN JUST, YOU KNOW, AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION ABOUT IT. GOOD. ALRIGHT. UH, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER [4. Update from the Resource Management Commission Healthy Building Working Group.] FOUR, UPDATE FROM THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION HEALTHY BUILDING WORKING GROUP. WHO FROM THE WORKING GROUP WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THAT ONE COMMISSION? WE HAVE GOOD NEWS AFTER MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, THE COMMITTEE THAT THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CREATED IN [00:45:01] MAY OF LAST YEAR MET, UH, TO COME UP WITH A CONSENSUS PROPOSAL. UH, YOU HAVE A DRAFT OF THAT BEFORE YOU ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED COMMISSIONERS, BRENNAMAN AND STONE, AND THEY ALSO INCLUDED THE VOLUNTEERS, GALE BORIS, GALE VITOR, RAY SANGAS, AND TREY FARMER. AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF INCLUDED HEIDI CASPER, KURT STOCKVILLE, AND RICHARD JENNI. UH, WE CALL, UH, WE CALL, SORRY TO INTERRUPT. I HADN'T SEEN THE, THIS PROPOSAL OR I, I MISSED IT IF IT WAS SENT, SENT OUT IN MY EMAIL. OKAY. UH, I HAVE A HARD COPY IF IT WOULD HELP YOU. I CAN READ IT ON THE SCREEN. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, RATE, UH, WE CALL OURSELVES THE HEALTHY BUILDING MATERIALS WORKING GROUP. THE GOALS IN THE DOCUMENT YOU WERE SENT WERE AGREED TO BY CONSENSUS, UH, BY THE PARTICIPANTS. AT OUR FINAL MEETING LAST WEEK, AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF FELT UNCOMFORTABLE INCLUDING SPECIFIC STRATEGIES WITHIN THE GOALS THEMSELVES. SO THESE WERE PUT ON A SEPARATE PAGE AS AN ADDENDUM IN SOME THESE GOALS OUTLINE PRIORITY CHEMICALS OF CONCERN IN BUILDING PRODUCTS, PRIORITIZE PRODUCTS WITH CHEMICAL REMOVAL, UH, THAT ARE MOST, WHERE THE CHEMICAL REMOVAL IS MOST IMPORTANT AND ENCOURAGED, UH, RATING SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS AND EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE THIS. THE WORKING GROUP PROPOSAL ALSO CLARIFIES AVENUES OF CONSTRUCTIVE INPUT FROM THIS COMMISSION AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. ONE THING WE DID NOT SPECIFICALLY DEAL WITH, BUT SHOULD BE ATTUNED TO AS A COMMISSION IN THE FUTURE, IS TO SUPPORT BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT WILL SUPPORT THESE GOALS. AND I HOPE THAT THIS PROPOSAL CAN BE TURNED INTO A RESOLUTION THAT CAN BE APPROVED AT OUR FEBRUARY MEETING. COMMISSIONER WHITE. WELL, UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN, UM, THE GOAL TO ADVANCE TRANSPARENCY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PERCENTAGE, NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF BUILDING MATERIALS WITH HEALTH PRODUCT DECLARATIONS. CAN YOU JUST, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE CALLING FOR. EXACTLY. HEALTH PRODUCT DECLARATIONS ARE A VOLUNTARY SYSTEM WHERE PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS, UH, GO TO, UH, GREAT LENGTHS TO DISCLOSE ALL CHEMICALS AND OTHER RELATED INFORMATION, UH, FOR THEIR PRODUCTS. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY GUARANTEE THAT A PRODUCT WILL NOT HAVE TOXICS IN IT, BUT IT DOES, UH, GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO DECLARE THOSE TOXINS. THE, UH, LONG-TERM GOAL OF HEALTH PRODUCT DECLARATIONS IS TO, UM, MOVE THE MARKET TO HAVE SO MANY PRODUCTS WITH HEALTH PRODUCT DECLARATIONS THAT THE PRODUCT MANUFACTURERS WILL WORK TO REMOVE THESE TOXICS TO WHERE IT WILL NO LONGER BE DECLARED ON THE DECLARATION. AM I, YEAH, SORRY. I I SHOULD HAVE, UM, I, I, I THINK THAT WAS HELPFUL TO, UM, EXPLAIN, BUT I WAS REALLY JUST ASKING, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INCREASE THE NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE, LIKE INCREASE THE NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE WITHIN WHAT, UH, IF A HOME IS RATED AND, AND A HOME, THIS IS THE WAY I INTERPRET IT, BUT IF, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOTTA BE 200 PRODUCTS THAT ARE IN A HOME, AND IF, UH, SOME LARGE NUMBER OR LARGE PERCENTAGE HAVE DECLARATIONS, UH, THAT WOULD BE THE GOAL HERE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I, I [00:50:01] UNDERSTAND. SO IT'S, THE GOAL IS WITHIN A HOME, HAVE MORE THE BUILDING MATERIALS THAT HAVE HEALTH PRODUCT DECLARATIONS. I WOULD JUST SUGGEST A LITTLE BIT OF WORDSMITHING THERE TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. THANK YOU. I, AND I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS. UH, NOW, UM, I DON'T THINK WE'VE EXCEEDED FIVE PEOPLE HERE, SO IF YOU, I THINK IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT ME, UH, THAT'D BE OKAY. I MEAN, I CAN JUST LIKE MAKE MY SUGGESTION RIGHT NOW IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. I THINK IF YOU JUST SAID NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF BUILDING MATERIALS USED WITHIN AN A E G B RATED BUILDING, IF YOU INSERTED THOSE WORDS, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'VE CUT OUT THERE. KIVA, COULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT? SORRY. YEAH, I WAS JUST SUGGESTING, UM, AFTER WITHIN, SO SORRY, NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF BUILDING MATERIALS AND THEN INSERT USED IN ANY A E G B RATED BUILDING. GOT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR THE WORKING GROUP? YOU SCROLL THE REST OF THE WAY DOWN. ALL RIGHT. UH, HEARING NOTHING ELSE, UH, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, UH, WHICH IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. SO FOR OUR NEXT MEETING IN FEBRUARY, UH, FROM AN UPDATE STANDPOINT, WE HAVE THE TEXAS GAS SERVICE QUARTERLY UPDATE. UH, WE HAVE AN QUARTERLY UPDATE FROM AUSTIN WATER, AS WELL AS A PRESENTATION FROM AUSTIN WATER ON, UH, AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY, UH, AS WELL AS IT SOUNDS LIKE A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS, UH, THERE IS BEEN AN UPDATE FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE ON, UH, I AGENDA POSTING ITEMS, WHICH I THINK NATASHA'S GONNA GIVE AN UPDATE ON IF YOU'RE READY. NATASHA. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. UM, WITH YOUR, UH, PACKET THAT WAS SENT OUT ON FRIDAY, YOU RECEIVED A ADDITIONAL, UM, DOCUMENT. UH, IT'S THE 2023 MEETING SCHEDULE. UM, IN REFERENCE TO THAT, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, UM, TO ADD AGENDA ITEMS, SUBMITTAL DUE DATES. SO INSTEAD OF, UH, USING THE FIVE DAY RULE, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO, UM, COME UP WITH A DEADLINE, A HARD DEADLINE FOR COMMISSIONERS TO SUBMIT ANY REQUESTS. UM, WITH THAT, UM, WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOTIFYING THE CHAIR AND MYSELF, YOU'RE SENDING YOUR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND POSTING LANGUAGE BY THE DUE DATE THAT HAS BEEN SET FOR EACH MONTH. WE WANNA START THAT IN FEBRUARY. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME OR REACH OUT TO CHAIR BLACKBURN. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER WHITE. UM, I JUST, I THINK I HAVE TWO EASY EMAILS FOR YOU, JONATHAN. AND THE LAST ONE I USED BOUNCED, WHICH, WHICH ONE IS THE CORRECT ONE? UH, I'LL, I'LL SEND YOU THAT OFFLINE. THANK YOU. AND ARE WE STILL TAKING AGENDA REQUEST FOR, FOR THE NEXT MEETING NOW? ARE WE STILL IN THAT CONVERSATION? YES. THE DUE DATE IS, UH, FEBRUARY 13TH. THAT WILL BE A WEEK PRIOR TO THE MEETING. SO THE DUE DATE IS ALWAYS GONNA BE ON A MONDAY. SO THAT WOULD BE FOR THE NEXT MEETING. FEBRUARY 21ST? YES. YES. THANK YOU. I JUST MEANT, LIKE RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF LIKE, UM, OUR IN MEETING SUGGESTIONS, UM, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD. UM, I, [00:55:01] I KNOW WE JUST GOT AN EMAIL, UM, ABOUT THE DEADLINE FOR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS. UM, SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE, WE WOULD NEED THAT CONVERSATION TO START AT OUR NEXT MEETING SO THAT WE COULD THEN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE DEADLINE, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE US TO ACT AT OUR MARCH MEETING. DO I NEED TO SUBMIT THAT FORMALLY OR IS THAT ALREADY PART OF THE PLAN, OR CAN IT BE PART OF PROGRAM? RIGHT, I, I SAW THAT. UH, I'LL, I'LL SEND YOU, UH, WE'RE, I'M KIND OF TRACKING DOWN SOME, SOME STUFF ON THAT ONE. I'LL SEND YOU, UH, A, A RESPONSE SHORTLY. THANK YOU. UH, ALL RIGHT. UM, SO WITH THAT, SEEING NO, NO OTHER ITEMS, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN. UH, TIME IS 6:59 PM JANUARY 17TH. UH, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING. UH, THIS MEETING OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION IS ADJOURNED. LET'S SEE YOU NEXT MONTH. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.