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[CALL TO ORDER]
FEBRUARY, MEETING OF THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.THIS IS OUR REGULAR MEETING, UH, AND THIS IS, UH, 5:41 PM UM, THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING.
UM, UH, WE'RE NOW GOING TO TAKE, UH, ROLL OF, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I'LL CALL, I'LL CALL ROLL.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
WE HAVE A, UH, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT DURING OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION PERIOD? PLEASE RISE.UH, I'M ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN MUSIC COMMISSION REPRESENTING DISTRICT 10.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR HAVING ME, UH, ESPECIALLY DIANE, MY FELLOW APPOINTEE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER.
UM, THE REASON WHY I CAME IS I WANTED TO LET THE COMMITTEE AND, AND EVERYONE KNOW THAT THE MUSIC COMMISSION WILL BE TAKING UP AT OUR NEXT MEETING ON MONDAY, MARCH 6TH, THE TOPIC OF HELPING CITY OF AUSTIN MUSIC VENUES BE AS ACCOMMODATING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ADDRESSING BEST PRACTICES.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, THIS IS DISCUSSION ITEM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE AWARENESS WITH ALL OF YOU THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT AND INVITE YOU ALL TO THE MEETING.
IT WILL BE MONDAY THE SIXTH AT 6:30 PM I'D ALSO LIKE YOU TO REACH OUT TO ME, COUNCIL MEMBER, WELL, UM, MUSIC COMMISSION MEMBER, UH, IN ROSENTHAL, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF IDEAS THAT WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
I'LL TELL YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS HAS COME ONTO THE MUSIC COMMISSIONS.
A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, THERE WAS A CONCERT AT THE CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICA'S CODA, THE RACETRACK JUST SOUTHEAST OF TOWN, UH, OF THE ROLLING STONES.
AND THE LOGISTICS WERE BAD FOR EVERYBODY AND FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, IT WAS A NIGHTMARE.
AND BRUCE ELANT, THE TRAVIS COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR AND VOTER REGISTRAR, HE WAS TEMPORARILY DISABLED.
HE HAD A BROKEN ANKLE, AND BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE, HE WROTE A LETTER.
THEY HAVE PUT TOGETHER A WHOLE TASK FORCE.
AND OVER THE PAST YEAR, I'VE BEEN SERVING ON THIS TASK FORCE, ALONG WITH, UH, BRUCE, ANOTHER MUSIC COMMISSIONER, UH, CHRIS LEMAN, UH, AS WELL AS FROM THE STATE, UM, RON LUCY, REPRESENTING THE GOVERNOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, AND CODA HAS BEEN FANTASTIC.
I COULD LIST ALL THE NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS THEY'VE MADE, AND, UH, IT INCLUDES, UH, BETTER GOLF CARTS TO PROVIDE FOR PEOPLE, UH, IN NEED OF, UH, WITH MOBILITY ISSUES.
IT INCLUDES, UH, THEY'VE COMPLETELY REDESIGNED THEIR WEBSITE FROM THE GROUND UP TO BE ACCESSIBLE.
THEY'VE GOT, UH, ADULT CHANGING TABLES.
THEY'VE GOT, UM, SENSORY, SENSORY ROOMS, ALL BASED ON WHAT WE CAME UP WITH FROM THIS COMMISSION AND IN THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS CONSCIOUSNESS AND BRING IT TO ALL AUSTIN VENUES, ESTABLISH BEST PRACTICES, HELP THEM STAY IN TOUCH WITH EACH OTHER.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO.
SO, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU ALL TO TUNE IN TO THE MEETING, OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO CONTACT ME IN PARTICULAR, TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN COORDINATE WITH THIS COMMITTEE ON WHAT WE CAN DO FOR AUSTIN MUSIC VENUES.
AGAIN, I'M OREN ROSENTHAL, MUSIC COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT 10.
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YOU VERY MUCH.UH, THAT DOES SOUND LIKE A VERY INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY.
UH, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS.
HOLD ON, COMMISSIONER, I HAVE A, A QUESTION.
UH, YEAH, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ALLOWED IN THE FORMAT.
IF YOU WANNA, UH, I'M ASKING THE CH THE CHAIR.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? UH, YES.
UM, CAN YOU PLEASE SHARE WITH OUR, UM, COORDINATOR FOR OUR COMMITTEE, UM, THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MEETING AND WITH ALL THE, ALL OF US COMMISSIONERS ON THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, PUT IN OUR CALENDARS AND GET THE INFORMATION TO ATTEND IF WE ARE AVAILABLE? ABSOLUTELY.
OH, IT'S COMMISSIONER KERNS OSWELL.
OR I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR COMING.
UM, I'M, THIS WILL BE MY LAST MEETING.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, PUT FORTH, UM, AN FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO HAVE THE MUSIC COMMISSION COME AND PRESENT, UM, AT A FUTURE MEETING, IF THAT IS WHAT THE, THE NEW COMMITTEE, WHOEVER MAKES UP THE NEW COMMITTEE, UM, WOULD LIKE.
BUT I, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO, TO OUR MUSIC VENUES.
UM, I THINK THE THING THAT STUCK OUT WITH ME, UH, STOOD OUT WITH ME WAS THE ADULT SIZE CHANGING TABLES THAT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS HAD PUT IN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO WE APPRECIATE, OR I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE WITH KODA AND LOOK FORWARD TO, TO PARTICIPATING, EVEN IF IT'S NOT AS PART OF THIS COMMITTEE, UM, WITH FURTHERING YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE, UM, AND MAKE IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, AND SO MUCH OF THE CREDIT DOES NEED TO GO TO KODA.
THEY'VE TAKEN THIS VERY SERIOUSLY.
THEY HAVE A MISSION TO BE A WORLD CLASS VENUE, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL WORLD CLASS VENUES IN AUSTIN, UH, CERTAINLY AROUND MUSIC AND IN, UH, RACING.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE TYPE OF CONSCIOUSNESS WE WANT TO RAISE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO LIE IN THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
IN FACT, IT SHOULD MORE CLOSELY ALIGN WITH THIS, THIS COMMITTEE.
[1. Approval of the minutes from the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities January 13, 2023, special called meeting.]
OUR, UH, NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE, UH, MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.JANUARY 13TH, 2023 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
MAY I HAVE A, UH, MOTION FOR APPROVAL? UH, THIS IS JENNIFER POWELL AND I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
IS THERE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER KERNS OSTER WILEY.
[2. Reminder for Commission Members to verify term cycles with the Clerk’s Office.]
AND NOW WE HAVE STAFF BRIEFINGS.UH, THESE ARE A REMINDER, UM, FROM JACQUELINE.
UM, JACQUELINE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE FOLLOWING UP ON LAST MEETING.
I KNOW THERE WAS, UH, FOR SURE, ONE PERSON THAT I MISREAD ON THE TERM CYCLES, BECAUSE I WAS COUNTING 2015.
AND I WANNA, JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL REACH OUT TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO GET YOUR TRUE UPDATES ON YOUR TERM LIMITS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO QUESTIONS ON THOSE, JUST IN CASE THERE WAS ANY OTHER EARS.
[3. Discussion on the services that Danny G. McBeth Recreation Center provides to the Austin community and how they can serve the commission's mission and goals. (Trejo/Franks)]
WE'RE GOING TO THE DISCUSSION ITEMS, UH, DISCUSSION ON THE SERVICES THAT DANNY G MCBETH, UH, RECREATION CENTER PROVIDES TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY AND HOW THEY CAN SERVE THE COMMISSION'S MISSION AND GOALS.I, I DON'T THINK IT WAS, IT'S REALLY LIMITED JUST TO MCBETH.
IT'S THE REC THAT SERVE PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, WHICH ARE MCBATH, ALAMO, AND THE FUTURE DOTTY JORDAN.
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UM, I, I HAVE SOME THINGS I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WITH THAT, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE GOT SARAH FROM THE PARTS DEPARTMENT TO DO A, A LITTLE PRESENTATION.UM, YOU RECREATION SERVICES? I'M SARAH CARLSON, AND I'M THE, UM, RECREATION PROGRAM MANAGER OVER, UH, AGAIN, BE BETTER.
I AM THE PROGRAM MANAGER OVER AT THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SERVICES WITH THE AUSTIN PARK RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT ON, UM, DANNY G MCBETH DOT, JORDAN RECREATION CENTER, ALAMO RECREATION CENTER, AND INCLUSION SERVICES.
MAYBE THIS DOES NOT CONTROL, I DON'T KNOW.
HOW DO WE CONTROL THE, OH, YOU JUST TELL ME TO GO.
SO THE MISSION, UM, OF OUR TR SERVICES IS, I'LL JUST READ IT FOR YOU.
AUSTIN PARK RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS PROUD TO OFFER THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SERVICES TO PROVIDE SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, FUN AND SUPPORTIVE RECREATION ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL PERSONS, NO MATTER THEIR ABILITIES.
THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SERVICES INCLUDE BOTH ADAPTIVE AND INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE FACILITATED AND SUPPORTED BY CERTIFIED THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SERVICES OR SPECIALISTS, CSS.
UM, ALL OF US ARE CSS HERE, AND WE HAVE 13 FULL-TIME CSS ON STAFF RIGHT NOW.
I'M THE ACTING SUPERVISOR AT MACBETH RECREATION CENTER.
UM, THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE OFFER AT MACBETH RECREATION CENTER.
CURRENTLY, I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THEM.
OUR MOST LONGSTANDING PROGRAM IS OUR GOOD NEIGHBOR ADVENTURE CLUB.
UM, THIS RUNS YEAR ROUND WITH A FEW HOLIDAY BREAKS, UM, BUT IT'S A YEAR ROUND PROGRAM.
IT RUNS, UM, EIGHT 30 TO TWO 30, AND IT PROVIDES, UH, VARIETY OF RECREATION PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES.
OUR MOST RECENT DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS A REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY, IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, RECREATION GROUP THERAPY.
THESE ARE RUN BY THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SPECIALISTS.
THESE ARE ACTUAL, UM, REC THERAPY SESSIONS.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE, UM, AREAS OF SOCIAL SKILLS AND MOTOR SKILLS.
UM, AND THESE PROGRAMS ARE CURRENTLY, UM, THEY'VE BEEN STARTED, THIS WILL BE OUR SECOND, UM, TERM RUNNING THESE, AND WE'RE HOPING TO EXPAND MOVING FORWARD.
SO FAR THEY'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO RUN CAMPS, UH, FOR YOUTH, TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS.
UM, THESE CAMPS RANGE FROM WINTER CAMP, SPRING BREAK CAMP, AND SUMMER CAMP.
UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PARTNERSHIPS.
SOME REALLY EXCITING ONES, UM, THAT HAS BEEN A REALLY GREAT INITIATIVE IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THEY BRING THEIR, UH, CADETS OUT TO DO A DAY OF TRAINING WITH US AND TO DO AN INTERACTIVE FIELD DAY.
IT'S A FUN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, EMERGING POLICE OFFICERS TO ENGAGE WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO GAIN HANDS ON EXPERIENCE AND TO DO IT IN A FUN WAY.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE ARE CONSTANTLY EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, WE RECENTLY HOSTED A HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR, WHICH WAS A FAMILY AND ADULT EVENT HYBRID.
SO WE SERVICED, UM, EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE DID, UH, AN INCLUSIVE, UM, SENSORY TRAIL THAT WAS REALLY ENJOYABLE, AND LOTS OF OUR FAMILIES CAME OUT TO THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, IT WAS COMBINED WITH AN ADULTS ONLY DANCE.
AND THOSE ARE ALWAYS, UM, REALLY POPULAR.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE CONSTANTLY, WE PROVIDE, UM, SPECIAL OLYMPIC SPORTS OUT OF OUR REC CENTER.
UM, THESE ADAPTIVE SPORTS RUN YEAR ROUND.
WE HAVE SOME SORT OF SPORTS OFFERING AT EVERY SEASON THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND OF COURSE, WE'RE ALWAYS EXPANDING OUR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS. UM, MOST RECENTLY WE STARTED AN INCLUSIVE CHOIR THAT WAS INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL.
THEY DID A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY CONCERT.
AND, UM, THE PARTICIPANTS AND FAMILIES REALLY ENJOYED THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UH, EVAN KE KESSLER RECREATION PROGRAM SUPERVISOR, ALAMO AND DOTTY JORDAN RECREATION CENTERS.
UM, SO WE STARTED PROGRAMS AT ALAMO RECREATION CENTER IN THE FALL OF 2021, UH, WITH REALLY A MAIN FOCUS ON THREE CORE
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PROGRAMS. SO WE HAVE OUR CAPITAL CITY EXPLORERS PROGRAM, WHICH IS A YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM, SO 21 AND UP, AND THEY, UH, START THEIR DAYS AT ALAMO RECREATION CENTER AND THEN VENTURE OUT TO DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES IN THE COMMUNITY, COME BACK TO HAVE LUNCH ON SITE, AND THEN GO BACK OUT FOR AN AFTERNOON ACTIVITY.UH, SO THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME EXPLORING THEIR COMMUNITY AND, UH, LEARNING ABOUT ALL THE, UH, LEISURE INTERESTS THAT ARE, UH, IN AUSTIN.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR HEALTHY AGING PROGRAM.
SO THAT IS A 50 AND UP, UH, SENIOR PROGRAM.
AND IT'S A COMBINATION OF SENIORS THAT LIVE IN THE ALAMO, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES THAT HAVE AGED OUT OF THE PROGRAMS AT MACBETH.
UM, AND ALSO BASED ON THEIR NEEDS, UM, JUST ARE MUCH MORE SUCCESSFUL IN A SMALLER ENVIRONMENT, UH, WITH OTHER SENIORS, UM, BEING ACTIVE AND KEEPING THEIR MIND SHARP.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR HANGOUT PROGRAM, UH, WHICH IS OFFERED TWO DAYS A WEEK.
UH, AND THAT IS ALSO FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, THESE INDIVIDUALS MAY NEED MORE, UH, SUPPORT, UH, FROM STAFF AND OR, UH, HAVE SOME SENSORY CONCERNS.
SO, UH, SMALLER, MORE QUIET ENVIRONMENT, UH, WITH LESS PARTICIPANTS, UH, IS REALLY THE GOAL FOR THAT PROGRAM TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL.
SO THOSE ARE OUR THREE, UH, CORE PROGRAMS, AND WE'VE REALLY GOTTEN TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY THAT'S SURROUNDING, UH, ALAMO, WHICH IS LOCATED RIGHT OFF, UH, MAYNARD.
UH, SO WE'VE STARTED TO CREATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY GARDEN, WHICH IS LITERALLY RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
UH, AS WELL AS, UH, SOME NON-PROFITS LIKE CREATIVE ACTION, UH, WORKING ON, UH, DIFFERENT ARTS AND CRAFTS AND BUILDING A SENSE OF STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY FOR, UH, MOSTLY OUR HEALTHY AGING PROGRAM.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE HAD, UH, MEALS ON WHEELS AT ALAMO RECREATION CENTER, UH, WHICH IS CURRENTLY, UH, PROVIDING MEALS FIVE DAYS A WEEK TO OUR, UH, INDIVIDUALS THAT PARTICIPATE THERE.
SO THAT'S ALSO REALLY GREAT, UH, SERVICE.
AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN EXPANDING OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS.
UH, SO MOST RECENTLY, UH, THIS PAST FALL, WE DID A PAUSE IN PUMPKINS EVENT THAT WAS AN INCLUSIVE EVENT OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND SO IT WAS DOG COSTUMES AND BOUNCE HOUSES AND PUMPKIN PAINTING.
UH, AND JUST A REALLY FUN EVENT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALAMO RECREATION CENTER AND TO PARTICIPATE IN, UH, ACTIVITY IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND NEXT UP IS DOTTY JORDAN RECREATION CENTER.
SO, DOTTY JORDAN RECREATION CENTER HAS BEEN UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR SOME TIME NOW, UH, BUT IT'S PROJECTED TO BE OPENING IN, UH, APRIL OF, OF, UH, THIS YEAR.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UH, THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, UH, THEY'VE BEEN IMPROVING, UM, ADA ACCESSIBILITY, UH, NOT ONLY TO THE KITCHEN, BUT ALSO A FULLY RENOVATED RESTROOMS, UH, WITH FOCUS ON ADA AND ACCESSIBILITY.
UH, AND ADULT CHANGING TABLES ARE GONNA BE ADDED, UH, COMPLETELY NEW PLUMBING CUZ THAT WAS A, A MAJOR, UH, ISSUE WITH THE BUILDING AND WHY IT WAS CLOSED.
UM, AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN IMPROVING, UH, THE SURROUNDING PARK.
UH, DOTTY JORDAN IS A RATHER SMALL, UH, CENTER, BUT THE PARK AROUND IT IS PRETTY LARGE.
UH, SO IN MAKING THE SIDEWALKS MORE ACCESSIBLE, UH, THE HANDICAP UH, PARKING SPACE, MORE ACCESSIBLE, WE'RE GONNA BE INSTALLING ACCESSIBLE, A BRAND NEW ACCESSIBLE WATER, UH, DRINKING FOUNTAIN.
UH, JUST REALLY MAKING IT MORE USER FRIENDLY FOR ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY HAS REALLY BEEN THE GOAL AT DOTTY.
I'M RECREATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR WITH THE INCLUSION UNIT.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE INCLUSION UNIT IS SERVING OUR PARTICIPANTS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS, UM, AND HELPING THEM BE SUCCESSFUL WITHIN OUR PROGRAMS. WE'RE PROVIDING TRAINING TO ALL OF OUR CENTERS AND ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT STAFF.
WE'RE PROMOTING, UM, DISABILITY RESOURCES ONE, UM, GROUP THAT WE'VE REALLY COLLABORATED WITH AS A UT PHARMACY DEPARTMENT, AND THEY'VE BROUGHT US A LOT OF RESOURCES TO SHARE WITH OUR FAMILIES AND OUR DEPARTMENT.
WE ARE ALSO MODIFYING THE PROGRAMS THAT OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS ARE COMING UP WITH TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARTICIPANTS WHO DO HAVE DISABILITIES, WHO ARE ENGAGING IN OUR PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, ALSO WE ARE SUPPORTING CAMPS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, SENIOR PROGRAMMING, NATURE-BASED PROGRAMMING, AND CULTURAL ARTS OF THIS PAST YEAR.
WE'VE SERVED OVER 120 UNIQUE HOUSEHOLDS OF YOUTH AND SENIORS FOR THE INCLUSION UNIT.
IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED THINGS, WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN EXPAND, HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING A LOT OF, UM, REALLY EXCITING PROGRAMS. SO ON THE HORIZON, SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DEVELOP, SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS THE IDEA OF BRINGING, UM, WHAT WE DO AS, UM, CERTIFIED THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SPECIALISTS AS A REC THERAPIST, UM, BRINGING THAT KNOWLEDGE AND USING OUR SKILLSET A LITTLE BIT MORE TO, UM, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES.
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AND A LOT OF OUR PARENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR FAMILY EDUCATION IN A VARIETY OF TOPICS.SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE, THAT'S ON THE HORIZON THAT'S IN DEVELOPMENT IS THE IDEA OF THERAPY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES SPECIFICALLY.
UM, SEVERAL OF US ARE SAMMA CERTIFIED.
SO OFFERING PARENTS, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, LEARN ABOUT BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS, DEESCALATION TECHNIQUES, AND, UM, AND PROVIDING THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO ALSO BECOME SAMMA CERTIFIED IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE'VE BEEN DEVELOPING AND EXPLORING.
ANOTHER REALLY EXCITING ONE IS THE IDEA OF THERAPEUTIC RECREATION.
CREATING THIS INTERVENTION TOOLBOX, A HYBRID OF BOTH FAMILY EDUCATION ABOUT A VARIETY OF WAYS TO, AND WAYS TO ENGAGE, UM, WITH YOUR CHILD WITH A DISABILITY.
AND THEN TO USE THERAPY INTERVENTIONS AND TECHNIQUES TO CREATE AND FOSTER A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP THROUGH RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES.
HOW YOU CAN BUILD THAT RE RELATIONSHIP AND HOW YOU CAN UTILIZE SOME OF THESE REALLY AMAZING LEISURE OPPORTUNITIES IN, UM, A THERAPEUTIC WAY TO BENEFIT THE WHOLE FAMILY UNIT.
SO IT'D BE A HYBRID PROGRAM OF BOTH EDUCATION AND THEN A THERAPIST GUIDING THE FAMILIES THROUGH ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING THAT ONE-ON-ONE WITH THEIR, UM, CHILD.
SO THAT'S A REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY THAT'S ON THE HORIZON.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN LOOKING AT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE SIBLINGS.
UM, SEVERAL OF US HAVE BEEN, UM, SIBS SHOP TRAINED RECENTLY, AND THE IDEA OF EXPANDING INTO SIB SIBLING SUPPORT GROUPS OR ADDITIONAL FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMMING IS ON THE HORIZON.
UM, WE'RE ALSO MAKING SEVERAL FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, UM, WHICH WE WILL TALK ABOUT IN DEPTH A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UM, JUST A WAY TO MAKE THINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE CONSTANTLY EXPANDING OUR UNIT AS A WHOLE, LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN SERVICE MORE KIDS.
WE'RE BRINGING MORE CTS ON STAFF, UM, AND LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO EXPAND SERVICES AND SERVICE MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAVE USED THE FUNDING, UM, THAT WE HAVE TO PUT SOME UPDATES TOGETHER FOR OUR FACILITIES AND PURCHASED SOME EQUIPMENT.
UM, WE RECENTLY RENOVATED THE COURTYARD AT MACBETH.
IT HAD SOME FLOODING ISSUES, AND THEN WITH COVID, WE JUST DECIDED THAT IT WAS A GOOD EXPANSION OF PROGRAMMING SPACE.
SO THAT'S BEEN COMPLETELY RENOVATED.
UM, WE ALSO, I THINK COULD TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'RE RENOVATING ALL OF THE PLAYGROUNDS AT MACBETH, ALAMO, AND DADDY JORDAN TO MAKE THEM MORE ACCESSIBLE, UM, AND TO MAKE THEM MORE INCLUSIVE WITH SPECIALTY EQUIPMENT.
UM, DO YOU WANNA GO INTO THAT? SURE.
UM, SO THE PROJECT HAS STARTED AT DOTY JORDAN, AND WE HOPE TO BE FINISHED WITH THE PLAYGROUND PROJECT THIS SPRING.
UM, BUT WE, THE PLANNING TEAM AND THE PLAYGROUND, UH, TEAM IS, UH, CREATED A MORE ACCESSIBLE PATH.
SO THE GETTING TO THE PLAYGROUND IS EASIER NOW.
UM, I WAS REALLY PUSHING FOR THERE TO BE POUR IN PLACE RUBBER OVER ENGINEERED WOOD FIBER, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
SO THAT WAS REALLY A, A MAJOR, UH, WANT, UH, THAT I THINK WE NEEDED TO HAVE.
AND, UH, WE'VE ALSO INVESTED IN A LOT OF ADAPTIVE SWINGS, SO, UM, SOME, SOME EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO TRY SOME, SOME NEW SWINGS AND BE SUCCESSFUL AND HAVE FUN.
UH, AND THEN WE'VE ALSO INVESTED IN, UH, AT BOTH MACBETH AND DOTTY JORDAN, UH, BUT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE, UM, SPINNERS.
SO YOU CAN ROLL THE WHEELCHAIR UP AND THEN, UM, AND THEN BE SPUN AROUND.
SO LOTS OF REALLY EXCITING, UM, THINGS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES TO TRY ON THE PLAYGROUNDS.
AND, UH, JUST DIFFERENT, UH, INNOVATIVE PLAYGROUND STRUCTURES THAT, UM, HAVE MORE SENSORY COMPONENTS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, CLIMBING AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE, WE FEEL LIKE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL BE REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AND PRETTY UNIQUE COMPARED TO OTHER, SOME OTHER PLAYGROUNDS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN AUSTIN.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE MAJOR, UH, PLAYGROUND UPDATES.
UH, ALAMO WILL BE GETTING RENOVATED, BUT A LOT OF THOSE MATERIALS ARE BACK ORDERED.
AND, UH, MCBATH RECREATION CENTER IS STARTING SOON, THAT PROJECT SPRING.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UH, FRONT LOBBY, UH, ALAMO RECREATION CENTER, UH, BRINGING, UH, THE RECEPTION DESK AND A LOT OF, OF THOSE FRONT, UM, AREAS OF THE LOBBY UP TO ADA STANDARDS AND MAKING THEM MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR NOT ONLY OUR PARTICIPANTS WITH DISABILITIES, BUT ALSO JUST ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WHO COMES IN THAT CENTER.
UH, AND THEN WE'VE ALSO MADE SOME INVESTMENTS IN SOME ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY AT MACBETH RECREATION CENTER.
UH, WE PURCHASED SOMETHING THAT'S CALLED A LU.
UM, AND IT'S BASICALLY AN INTERACTIVE PROJECTOR.
UH, SO IT'S INSTALLED ON THE CEILING AND IT HAS LIGHTS AND SOUND AND IT PROJECTS ON A LARGE WALL.
UH, AND YOU CAN PLAY DIFFERENT GAMES WITH IT FROM,
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YOU KNOW, IMPROVING COGNITIVE SKILLS, WORKING ON MATH, WORKING ON FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILLS.UH, YOU CAN PLAY MOVIES ON IT.
UH, IT'S JUST BEEN A REALLY SUCCESSFUL TOOL TO GETTING INDIVIDUALS WHO NORMALLY DON'T WANNA BE ACTIVE AND DON'T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN SOMETHING PHYSICAL, TO BE PHYSICAL AND TO GAIN, UH, THOSE SKILLS.
SO THAT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT INVESTMENT.
AND THEN IT, UH, DOTTY JORDAN AND ALAMO, BECAUSE THE SPACES ARE SMALLER, WE INVESTED IN SOMETHING CALLED A BEAM, WHICH IS BASICALLY AN INTERACTIVE PROJECTOR THAT SHOOTS STRAIGHT DOWN ON THE GROUND AND JUST IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE LUBE.
IT'S MORE SUCCESSFUL IN A SMALL SPACE.
UH, AND THAT'S ALSO BEEN REALLY POPULAR WITH A LOT OF OUR, OUR PARTICIPANTS AS WELL.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE, UH, TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE, UM, SINCE, SINCE COVID BASICALLY.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, COMMISSIONER ARLOSKI.
I HAVE SOME THINGS TO TALK ABOUT.
UH, WELL, THANKS FOR COMING AND PRESENTING.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN, UM, USING THE SERVICES.
I'M IN BETH AND NOW
UM, I WANTED TO, UM, AND, AND, AND CONSTANTLY RAISING THE ISSUE HERE AT THIS COMMITTEE AND WITH ANYONE IN THE CITY WHO WILL LISTEN THAT WE NEED MORE ROBUST FUNDING OF THESE PROGRAMS. WE NEED MORE SLOTS AVAILABLE.
UM, BUT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF KEY, KEY PROBLEMS. UM, SO THE CAMP HOURS FOR YOUTH AND TEENS, WHAT ARE THOSE LIKE SPRING BREAK CAMP OR SUMMER CAMP FROM WHEN TO WHEN MAY PARENTS DROP OFF THEIR KIDS? IT'S 7:30 AM TO 6:00 PM OKAY.
AND FROM WHEN TO WHEN AT ALAMO REC CENTER, MAY A PARENT BRING A, A, A PARTICIPANT ADULT? UM, MOST OF THE PROGRAMS ARE NINE TO THREE, AND, UM, ONE OF THEM IS NINE TO FOUR.
UM, AND THEN, SO I, I'M NOT THE NINE TO FOUR, I GUESS WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO THAT.
THE SENIOR ONE, THE PROGRAM, THE CAPITAL CITY EXPLORERS PROGRAM IS FROM NINE TO FOUR TO ALLOW, UH, FOR EXTRA TIME FOR THE AFTERNOON TRIP.
SO I GUESS MY SON ISN'T ABLE TO ACCESS THAT PROGRAM, IS THAT HE'S NOT QUALIFIED FOR IT.
UM, SO THROUGH OUR ASSESSMENT PROCESS, UH, WHICH ALI TOOK PART IN, I BELIEVE WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A BEST FIT PROGRAM.
WHICH, UH, WAS THE PROGRAM THAT WAS OFFERED ON TUESDAY, THURSDAY, THE HANGOUT PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S ONLY FROM NINE TO THREE, CORRECT? YES, CORRECT.
SO HE'S ONLY ABLE TO DO TWO DAYS A WEEK OF PROGRAMMING AT ADAM THAT YOU QUALIFIED FOR HIM AT THIS POINT? YES.
THAT'S THE ONLY PROGRAM AVAILABLE NOW.
AND THE HOURS AT, UH, THEY ARE, UM, IT'S EIGHT 30 TO THREE.
WE ALLOW, IT SHOULD BE LIKE NINE TO TWO 30, BUT WE ALLOW THAT 30 MINUTE WINDOW FOR TRANSPORTATION.
FOR YOUR CLARIFICATION, IS THERE ANY OTHER COLLEAGUE WHO WANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS? WELL, I'M NOT FINISHED.
WELL, YES, BUT, UH, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WHO WOULD LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS? I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'M, I DIDN'T KNOW A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS WERE EVEN HAPPENING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER POWELL, YOUR FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WHO WOULD LIKE TO ASK QUESTIONS? THIS COMMISSIONER KERNS OSTERWEIL AFTER COMMISSIONER TREJO IS DONE.
UH, COM COMMISSIONER KERN'S OSTERWEIL, UH, YOU CAN GO, GO NOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE, PLEASE.
UH, UH, BUT POINT OF ORDER, I MEAN, I'M ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT ALL SERVICES ON SITE.
WELL, YES, BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER KERN'S OSTERWEIL, UH, IS HERE TOO.
YEAH, BUT I'M, SHE HAS COMMISSIONER KERNS OSTERWEIL HAS THE FLOOR.
I, I YIELD TO COMMISSIONER TREJO, FINISH YOUR QUESTIONS AS SHE FOLLOW YOUR QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER KERNS HAS THE FLOOR IS REC COMMISSIONER KERNS OSTERWEIL IS RECOGNIZED.
I'M, I'M GONNA HAVE TO LEAVE THE MEETING AND BREAK THE QUO IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW ME TO FINISH ASKING QUESTIONS OF THE PANEL THAT I ASKED TO COME, THAT I ASKED TO CONFIRM.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M BEING CUT OFF AND NOT BEING ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT HOURS OF SERVICE AGES SERVED TO GET THOSE BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE SO WE CAN CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA FOR TODAY.
[00:30:01]
COMMISSIONER KUZO WILD.I WILL WAIT UNTIL COMMISSIONER TREJO IS DONE ASKING HER QUESTIONS.
SO I'M GONNA GO ON MUTE AND I GO AHEAD, DEB.
SO THE, THE AGES OF SERVICE AT MCBETH FOR ONCE YOU TURN 22 AND ARE TO YOUTH, THE HOURS YOU GET, UM, ARE LESS THE HOURS OF TIME THAT YOU PROVIDE PROGRAMING DURING THE DAY.
ANY OF THE PROGRAMS, ALAMO, MCBATH AND FUTURE DO MORGAN.
UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMMING THAT GOES UNTIL ABOUT NINE O'CLOCK.
SO IT'S OUR GOOD NEIGHBOR ADVENTURE CLUB THAT IS FROM EIGHT 30 TO THREE.
BUT AFTER THAT, WE HAVE OUR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS THAT START AT THREE.
UM, SOME OF OUR SPORTS ARE FROM FIVE TO NINE O'CLOCK.
IT, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE PROGRAM, BUT IT IS SO LIKE, LIKE, UM, YOU HAVE, I KNOW SOME, SOME ON AND OFF THINGS, BUT YOU COME SEPARATELY FOR THAT, LIKE THE DAYHAB PROGRAMS ONLY FROM THE HOURS YOU'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED? YES.
OUR GOOD NEIGHBOR ADVENTURE CLUB IS FROM EIGHT 30 TO THREE.
WOULD THE, THE OTHER THAT I WANT ASK FOR YOU TO, TO TELL ON THE COMMITTEE WHAT ARRANGED STAFF RATIOS ARE FOR THE TEEN, UH, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY,
WHAT'S IT CALLED? UH, THE LOCAL STANDARDS OF CARE.
HI, THIS IS KRISTA MCCARTHY LOCAL, UH, STANDARDS OF CARE, WHICH IS, UM, AN ORDINANCE WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND THEN FOR YOUTH, OUR ADULT PROGRAM IS A ONE TO EIGHT RATIO.
UM, AND THAT IS FOR THE GOOD NEIGHBOR ADVENTURE CLUB.
I THINK WE, WE LOWER THE RATIO AT ALAMO FOR THE HANGOUT.
UM, IT'S A REDUCED RATIO PROGRAM AND ALSO SMALLER TO FIT THE NEEDS OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THAT PROGRAM.
AND OUR, UM, CAPITAL CITY EXPLORERS PROGRAM IS ALSO ONE TO EIGHT AVENUE, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S LOWER BECAUSE OF IT'S TWO STAFF AND UP TO 10 PARTICIPANTS BECAUSE OF SIZE IN THE VEHICLE.
SO, UM, SO, BUT WE'VE GOT SORT OF MORE ROBUST STAFFING IN THE TEAM GROUP THAN IN ADULTS WITH DISABILITY WITH NO DISABILITIES.
THE STAFFING RATIO IS LOWERED BECAUSE OF THE CHILDCARE ORDINANCE, YES.
BUT I MEAN, FOR INSTANCE, YOU MC CLARK REQUIRED TO ATTEND, UH, THE ADULT BASED ON THE RAPE WITH AN AT ALL TIMES, CORRECT? YEAH, IT DEPENDS ON THE NEED OF THE INDIVIDUAL, YES.
BUT I, SINCE, YOU KNOW, AND I, I, I JUST WANT PUT IT IN THE RECORD THAT FOR OUR SON, HE HAVE BEEN SEEN CAUSE OF THE RATIOS AND BECAUSE THE RATE BOARD NOT AS GOOD FOR ENOUGH, WE REQUIRE
AND OTHER PARENTS HAVE TOLD ME THE SAME THING.
YEAH, THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT, UM, REASONS TO HAVE AN ATTENDANT, BUT ONE OF THEM IS THE, UM, ABILITY TO STAY WITH THE GROUP.
AND IN THE YOUTH AND TEENS PROGRAMS, WE, UM, DO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE REDUCED RATIO.
SO I'LL JUST KIND OF WRAP UP WITH THIS.
WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT THE PROGRAMS EXIST AND I, I'M GLAD EVERYONE ON THE COMMITTEE CAN HEAR A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES EXIST FOR DAYHAB PROGRAMMING IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
BUT WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THE STAFFING IS INSUFFICIENT, THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE AND THAT NEEDS MORE MONEY PROVIDED TO DO THOSE THINGS, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S NOT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, IT IS, IT IS A BUDGET THING THAT'S OVER YOUR GUYS' HEAD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HERE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE A NEED, WHO CAN'T IN DEPEND LIVES AND EVERYTHING AND NEED THESE PROGRAMS, AND THEY'RE WITH US FOR THEM, THEN THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING ENOUGH EQUITY FOR A FULL-TIME JOB AND HAVE THEIR, THEIR ADULT IN CARE.
AND SO IT'S HELPFUL FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN ALL THAT FOR EVERYONE SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT IT'S US KEEP A FULL-TIME JOB
[00:35:02]
THANK YOU.HI, THIS IS COMMISSIONER KERN DOWELL.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME OKAY? OKAY.
I, MY INTERNET SPEEDS NOT GOOD.
SO I, I JUST WANNA, UM, ECHO WHAT COMMISSIONER TREJO SAID.
WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THESE PROGRAMS. MY SON, WHO IS NOW 20, HAS PARTICIPATED IN MACBETH.
UM, YOU DID ANSWER MY QUESTIONS ABOUT STAFF RATIOS AND I AM EXCITED.
UH, YOU HAD SAID THAT THERE WAS GOING, YOU WERE GOING TO BE INCREASING STAFFING, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT THE PERCENTAGE WAS, UM, BECAUSE AS COMMISSIONER TREJO MENTIONED, THERE ARE WAITING LISTS.
UM, AND WE WERE ON MANY WAITING LISTS.
I'M JUST WONDERING HOW MANY KIDS YOU SERVE IN THE SUMMER CAMPS? UM, I SHOULDN'T SAY KIDS.
UM, WELL, YEAH, I'LL JUST SAY KIDS, TEENS, ADULTS.
UM, OUR SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS, THE YOUTH HAS, UM, 12 PARTICIPANTS.
WE HAVE A, SO WE'RE CHANGING OUR FORMAT A LITTLE BIT.
OUR TEEN PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE 13 TO 16 THIS YEAR.
SO YOUTH IS 6 2 12, AND THAT'S 12 PARTICIPANTS, 13 TO 16.
UM, WE USED TO USE A VEHICLE ALL THE TIME, SO THAT WAS A LOWER NUMBER.
UM, BUT WE'RE CHANGING THE FORMAT TO STAY MORE ONSITE BECAUSE WE FOUND LAST YEAR THAT THIS GROUP NEEDED MORE SENSORY INTEGRATION AND A LITTLE BIT MORE PROGRAMMING ONSITE.
SO I THINK WE'LL TAKE ABOUT 12.
AND THEN OUR YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM IS 17 TO 21, 22 IF, WHEN THEY'RE KIND OF STILL IN SCHOOL, AND WE TAKE 12 IN THAT GROUP AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN I, I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD THIS FROM THE OTHER FAMILIES.
REGISTERING IS, IS A LITTLE PROBLEMATIC.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE IS A WAY TO IMPROVE THAT ONLINE REGISTRATION.
UM, AND THE WAITING LIST, I MEAN, I, I, I PLAN OUT SUMMER CAMP, LIKE USUALLY BY FEBRUARY I HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT.
AND LIKE WAITING LISTS DON'T REALLY, IF YOU'RE UP WITH SERVING 12 KIDS, I GOTTA FIGURE OUT SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE I, I CAN'T PLAN, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I, I HAVE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO WORK.
SO I, I, YOU KNOW, 12 IS VERY DISAPPOINTING.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, I, I URGE EVERYONE TO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION WE HAVE TO, TO GET MORE FUNDING TO YOU GUYS SO YOU CAN SERVE MORE KIDS.
I, I THINK THAT WAS ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD.
UM, AND I, I KNOW, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONER TREJO HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A WHILE.
IS ANY FUNDING BEING DEDICATED TO FIXING THE ROAD TO MCBETH? UH, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, MY SON HAS SI UM, SIGNIFICANT MOBILITY ISSUES.
UM, I'VE HAD TO SEND TO AN, AN ATTENDANT WITH HIM WHEN HE'S GONE TO MACBETH.
UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT ONE OF HIS ATTENDANTS NOT, WAS LACK THE, HE THOUGHT THE PROGRAMMING WAS LACKLUSTER, LIKE, WASN'T THAT, UM, UN OR INTERESTING.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE PLANNED ARE IMPROVING ON THAT.
UM, SO I'D LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE, UM, ABOUT THE IMPROVED PROGRAM.
UH, COMMISSIONER KERNS OSTERWEIL, IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? OKAY.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION
[4. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to City Council from the City of Austin, Public Works on the City active transportation plans, including urban trails, sidewalks, and bikeways plans.]
IMPOSSIBLE ACTION.REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN, PUBLIC WORKS ON THE CITY, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLANS, INCLUDING URBAN TRAILS, SIDEWALKS, AND BIKE WAVES PLANS.
[00:40:02]
OKAY, GOOD EVENING.UM, MY NAME IS LAURA DEERFIELD.
I AM, UH, A DIVISION MANAGER WITH THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, AND I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES ONLINE, UH, NATHAN WILKES, JOHN EASTMAN, AND, AND DESANTIS, UH, WHO WILL INTRODUCE THEMSELVES HERE IN A MOMENT AS THEY GET TO THEIR PORTIONS OF THE PRESENTATION.
UH, WE APPRECIATE BEING HERE TONIGHT, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND DEFINITELY ARE APPRECIATING BEING HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE A BIT ABOUT THE THREE MAJOR PLANNING EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN ON THROUGH ATX WALK BIKE ROLE, UH, TO UPDATE THE CITY'S URBAN TRAILS, SIDEWALKS, AND BIKEWAYS PLANS, AND BRING OUR SIDEWALK, UH, PLAN, UM, UP, UH, IN UPDATE THE SIDEWALK PLAN TO INCLUDE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AS WELL AS SHARED STREETS, WHICH IS, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL STRATEGIES WE ARE ADOPTING TO EXPAND THE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK OVERALL.
UH, WITH THAT, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
TONIGHT, WHAT WE'LL DO IS GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE PLANNING PROCESS AND HOW IT WILL INTERACT WITH THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.
THAT IS THE THREE PLANS THAT WE, UM, ARE UPDATING.
AND THEN TALK THROUGH EACH ONE OF THOSE, UM, IN, IN SOME DETAIL, UM, TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT EACH COVER AND THEN OFFER WHAT'S NEXT IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS TO GET FEEDBACK.
SO, AS I SAID, THIS WAS, UM, WHILE IT'S AN OVERALL EFFORT, IT WAS, UM, REALLY TO UPDATE THREE DISTINCT PLANS.
UM, THESE ARE PLANS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE CITY, UH, FOR, UM, FOR SOME, FOR DECADES, AND OUR, UM, IMPORTANT PARTS OF OUR MOBILITY SYSTEM.
AND I THINK ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO DISABILITY, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE THINK ABOUT A LOT IN OUR WORK, UM, TO REALLY MAKE THE CITY MORE ACCESSIBLE OVERALL, UH, FOR EVERYONE.
UM, ONE THING TO NOTE IS THESE ARE MODAL PLANS, UM, THAT FOCUS ON WALKING, BIKING, ROLLING.
UM, AND THERE IS A, THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.
SO THEY ALL RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER.
IF YOU THINK OF THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN AS LIKE THE, THE SO-CALLED NORTH STAR OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED, UM, FROM A TRANSPORTATION PERSPECTIVE, THEN ALL OF THE OTHER PLANS KIND OF RELATE, UH, TO IT.
AND SO THERE WILL BE AN ITERATIVE PROCESS TO BOTH UPDATE OUR PLANS TO CONFORM TO WHAT THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN CALLS FOR.
AND THEN VICE VERSA, AS THESE PLANS HAVE BEEN UPDATED, THE AS M P OR AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN WILL BE UPDATED, UM, TO REFLECT THE MO HOW THESE MODAL PLANS HAVE CHANGED.
AND FROM THE OUTSET, OUR EFFORTS HAVE BEEN CENTERED IN EQUITY, UM, REALLY APPRECIATING THE WORK OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE WITH THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, AND RECOGNIZING THAT THE CITY, UM, OVER TIME HAS NOT, UH, DONE THE BEST WORK IN EQUITABLY OFFERING, UM, SUPPORT TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO WITH OUR ATEX WALK BIKE ROLE EFFORT, UH, WE CENTERED OUR PLANNING WORK IN EQUITY BY A CERT FIRST, STARTING WITH WHAT OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE EQUITY OFFICE, UH, DEFINE EQUITY AS, UM, BEING ACHIEVED WHEN RACE IS NO LONGER PREDICTS A PERSON'S QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AMONG THE MANY, UH, STRATEGIES WE ADOPTED IN CENTERING OUR PLANNING EFFORTS AROUND EQUITY WAS TO CREATE A EQUITY FRAMEWORK, A KIND OF A GUIDING DOCUMENT AT THE OUTSET OF THE EFFORT, UM, TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'VE COME FROM AND WHERE WE ARE, ARE GOING, UM, THROUGH A VARIETY OF VOICES IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, UM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT PIECE.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, THROUGH COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS, WHICH HAVE BEEN REALLY THE HEART OF THE PLANNING EFFORT, UH, WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH SEVERAL, UH, FOLKS WHO'S LIVED EXPERIENCE AND WHOSE NETWORKS REALLY OFFER INSIGHT INTO, UM, SOME OF THE, OF FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT WE DON'T OFTEN HEAR FROM.
AND, UM, WITH THEIR INSIGHTS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY, UM, GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO THE EFFORTS TO UPDATE THESE PLANS IN WAYS THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO.
UM, AND THEN THIRDLY, WE WORKED TO FOCUS ON POPULATIONS THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY HEAR FROM BY, UM, ASKING ABOUT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, INCLUDING PEOPLE, UM, WITH DISABILITIES TO REALLY UNDERSTAND, UH, HOW, UM, EACH, UH, PERSON WITH THEIR UNIQUE DEMOGRAPHICS RELATES TO THE, THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE, UM, LOOKING TO ADDRESS IN THE CITY.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT THERE, THERE'S FOCUSED POPULATIONS, REALLY F UM, FOCUSED ON INCOME AND RACE.
AND WHEN YOU SEE THE RESULTS OF THE VARIOUS, UM, FEEDBACK EFFORTS, YOU'LL SEE BOTH THE GENERAL POPULATION, THE FOCUS POPULATION, SO WE CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND, UM, THE DIFFERENCES AND WHERE WE CAN SERVE BETTER THOSE THAT WE TYPICALLY DON'T HEAR FROM.
[00:45:02]
UM, THE OTHER VERY CLEAR OUTCOME THAT, UH, WE'VE HEARD THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS IS AUSTIN'S AFFORDABILITY CRISIS IS VERY FRONT AND CENTER.YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING TO ADDRESS MAKING SURE SOMEONE CAN, UH, WALK OR ROLL DOWN A SIDEWALK, BUT IF THEY CANNOT EVEN AFFORD TO LIVE WHERE THAT SIDEWALK IS, THAT'S, THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER ISSUE OF ACCESSIBILITY.
WHO GETS TO ENJOY THESE PLACES? AND SO WE WANT TO REALLY, UM, ADDRESS THAT UPFRONT, UM, BY INTEGRATING THAT ISSUE WITHIN THIS PLANNING EFFORT, AND RECOGNIZE WHERE TRANSPORTATION CAN SUPPORT OVERALL AFFORDABILITY, UM, WHILE ALSO POINTING TO OTHER ASPECTS OF CITY PLANNING AND CITY EFFORTS THAT NEED TO ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY, ANTI DISPLACEMENT, LAND USE, UH, ALL OF IT RELATES TO ONE ANOTHER.
SO THE PLANS DO, UM, CALL THAT OUT AND CALL OUT STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, THIS IS SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW WE'VE LOOKED TO TAKE ON, UH, SOME OF THOSE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES FROM A TRANSPORTATION LENS.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, YOU, UH, WE, WE'VE, UH, BEEN LOOKING AT, UH, SUBSIDY PROGRAMS, FOR EXAMPLE, TO HELP TO, UH, INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY TO TRANSPORTATION.
AND, UM, TOGETHER, I THINK WITH MORE INTEGRATED PLANNING WITH LAND USE COLLEAGUES, WE'RE LOOKING TO, TO BOTH ADDRESS AFFORDABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY, UM, THROUGH THESE PLAN UPDATES AND THROUGH THE WORK OVERALL OF THE CITY RECOGNIZING IT'S ALL RELATED.
SO HERE'S AN EXAMPLE, UM, OF, YOU KNOW, HOW, UH, MUCH OF THE FOCUS POPULATION AS WELL AS THE GENERAL POPULATION IS REC, RECOGNIZING THIS AND SUPPORTS AND EFFORT, UM, TO ADDRESS TRANSPORTATION AFFORDABILITY, UM, JUST ACROSS THE BOARD, STRONG SUPPORT.
AND THEN FINALLY, IN TERMS OF THAT INTEGRATED PLANNING, AS WELL AS THE ITERATIVE WORK WE DO TO RECOGNIZE HOW THE MODAL PLANS SPEAK TO THE LARGER, UM, AS GEOSTRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, WE ARE UPDATING THAT PLAN, UM, TO KIND OF CONFORM BETTER TO WHAT THE PROPOSED UPDATES TO THESE PLANS SAY.
SO IT'S, IT'S ALL IN, IN AN INTERRELATED EFFORT TO, UM, GET ALIGNMENT AROUND LAND USE, MOBILITY, UH, EQUITY, UH, THROUGH OUR VARIOUS TRANSPORTATION PLANNING DOCUMENTS.
AND THESE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT.
UM, AND THEN WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO YIELD TO AND SANUS TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE URBAN TRAILS COMPONENT, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY JOHN EASTMAN AND NATHAN WILKES ON THE SIDEWALKS AND BIKEWAY COMPONENTS.
I'M ANDY SANUS, A PROJECT COORDINATOR PROGRAM, UH, HOW WE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE URBAN TRAIL, OUR LAST URBAN MILL STAND DOCUMENT 2014, AND SINCE WORKING TO IMPLEMENT THE PROPOSED NETWORK.
SO WITH THIS PLAN UPDATE, WE'RE BASED ON AND FEEDBACK, AND ADDITIONALLY, YOU'RE UPDATING TOP OF THAT NETWORK IS PRIORITIZED WITH THE NEW DATA DRIVEN METHOD, AS WELL AS, UM, PUBLIC INPUT.
THE TIME CHART ON THE SLIDE SHOWS THE FACTORS THAT GO INTO THAT NEW METHOD.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TOP THREE FACTORS ARE ONE OF THE NETWORK IMPROVE ACCESS ACROSS MAJOR BARRIERS SUCH AS HIGHWAYS, RAILROAD, WHETHER TRAIL, WHATEVER THE TRAILS ARE, KEY INVESTIGATION.
SOMETHING FOR ME, UM, I THINK MIGHT BE THE MICROPHONES IN THE MORE GOING ON THAT BETTER NOW GIVE IT A TRY.
I'LL, I'LL KEEP GOING ON THIS SLIDE.
LET ME KNOW IF IT'S GOING QUEUE.
UM, HERE YOU CAN SEE A SNAPSHOT OF THAT PRIORITIZED NETWORK.
TIER ONE TRAILS ARE SHOWING DARK SCREENS, AND THESE ARE HIGH PRIORITIES FOR THE TRAILS TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE NEAR TERM.
THE TIER TWO AND TIER THREE TRAILS ARE STILL IMPORTANT TO THE PATROL NETWORK, BUT OUR RECOMMENDED THE APPROACH OPPORTUNISTICALLY.
SO FOR THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT BE IF 3D DEVELOPMENT OBSERVES, OR IF A NEW PARTNERSHIP ARISES THAT, UH, ALLOWS US TO TACKLE ONE OF THOSE TWO TIER, TIER TIER THREE TRAILS.
SO AS WE IMPLEMENT THE TRAILS, UH, WE'RE BEING SERVED TO LOOK AT EQUITY AND AFFORDABILITY IMPLICATIONS.
[00:50:01]
HEARD FROM COMMUNITIES THAT URBAN TRAILS CAUSE DISPLACEMENT.AND WHILE DATA ON THIS IS LIMITED, THE PLAN UPDATE RECOMMENDS STUDYING THIS DISPLACEMENT TRAILS AND DEVELOPING AN ACTION PLAN TO MITIGATE WHO WILL ALSO SEEK TO PARTNER WITH EXISTING ANTI DISPLACEMENT WORK.
UM, BEN, BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF THE A ACX LAW AMBASSADORS THAT LAURA MENTIONED, HE RECOMMEND HIRING NEW THE AMBASSADORS SPECIFIC TO URBAN TRAILS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY BUILDING TRAIL, BUT TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO USE THEM AND ENSURING THAT EVERYONE IS COMFORTABLE USING THEM.
AS PART OF THAT PROGRAMMING, HAVE A PLAN RECOMMENDS TRAIL STEWARDS WHO CAN ACT AS A RESOURCE.
UM, IT ALSO RECOMMENDS PLACEMAKING AND TEMPORARY ACTIVATION.
PLACEMAKING ALONG THE TRAIL CAN OFFER OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL ARTISTS.
THOSE ARTISTS USUALLY WILL REPRESENT THE NEARBY COMMUNITIES.
TEMPORARY ACTIVATION CAN BRING NEW AND DIVERSE USERS TO THE TRAIL AND MAKE THEM MORE LIKELY TO USE THE TRAIL OVER AND OVER.
AND LASTLY, BUT PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, HAVE A SUCCESSFUL URBAN TRAIL SYSTEM.
WE NEED MAINTENANCE URBAN TRAILS PLAN UPDATE INCLUDES AN E D A TRANSITION PLAN, AND THE OUTLINE FOR A PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN.
WITH THE, THAT I'LL REFER TO JOHN EASTMAN AND THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, UM, THE SIDEWALK'S, CROSSINGS, AND SHARED STREETS PLAN IS BASED ON THREE OVERARCHING STRATEGIES THAT FOCUS ON PRIORITIZING EQUITY, PROVIDING SAFE, COMFORTABLE, AND ACCEPT ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN PASSAGE ALONG AND ACROSS EVERY PUBLIC STREET.
AND THEN COLLABORATING WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS USING A COMPLETE STREETS APPROACH TO APPROVING THE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK.
AND, AND THE TWO MAPS THAT, UH, ARE SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE ARE, ARE THE ANTICIPATED, UH, SIDEWALK AND SHARED STREETS NETWORK AND, UH, HIGHLIGHT OF THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING GAPS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED ON A CITYWIDE SCALE THROUGH THIS PLACE.
SO THE, THE UPDATE PROCESS STARTED WITH AN EVALUATION OF OUR CURRENT SYSTEM USING EQUITY ANALYSIS ZONES OR EASS.
UM, WE FOUND THAT, UM, A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF THE CITY'S PEDESTRIAN HIGH INJURY STREETS ARE LOCATED IN THE FOCUS EACS.
UM, AND THOSE ARE AREAS WITH HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS, AND THAT'S PEOPLE OF COLOR, PEOPLE OF LOWER, UH, UH, WITH, WITH LOWER INCOMES AND PEOPLE AT DISABILITIES ARE ALL INCLUDED IN THOSE, UM, VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
THERE WERE ALSO A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF GAPS BETWEEN SUITABLE CROSSINGS AND FOCUS EASS AS COMPARED TO THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
NEXT SLIDE, USING EASS TO LOOK AT.
THE SIDEWALK SYSTEM DID SHOW A COUPLE OF POSITIVE TRENDS.
BOTH THE EXTENTS OF THE SIDEWALK NETWORK AND THE CONDITION OF THE NETWORK WE'RE SLIGHTLY BETTER IN THE FOCUS EASS, WHICH IS A REALLY ENCOURAGING OUTCOME OF THE EQUITY-BASED PRIORITIZATION MODEL THAT WAS, UM, FIRST IMPLEMENTED IN THE 2009 SIDEWALK PLAN.
UM, THE OVERALL EXTENSION FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SIDEWALK NETWORK HAVE ALSO IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE SIX YEARS SINCE THE LAST SIDEWALK PLAN UPDATE.
UM, THE NETWORK HAS GROWN FROM 2,400 MILES TO 2,800 MILES WHILE IMPROVING FROM 16% FUNCTIONALLY ACCEPTABLE TO 32% FUNCTIONALLY ACCEPTABLE.
SO A LOT OF PROGRESS OVER THE LAST 10 TO 15 YEARS, BUT STILL A LONG, LONG WAY TO GO TO ACHIEVING AN EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM WHERE WE HAVE A, A SYSTEM WHERE SOMEONE WALKING OR ROLLING OR USING TRANSIT, WHETHER BY CHOICE OR, OR, OR FOR PHYSICAL OR ECONOMIC REASONS, HAS THE SAME LEVEL OF ACCESS TO SCHOOLS, GROCERY STORES, AND OTHER DESTINATIONS, AND THE SAME QUALITY OF TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AS SOMEONE WHO'S DRIVING.
SO HOW DOES THE PLAN GET US THERE? FIRST OF ALL, IT BUILDS ON LOCAL NATIONAL RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCE TAKING COMPREHENSIVE AND A VERY PRAGMATIC APPROACH TO IMPROVING THE CITY'S PEDESTRIAN NETWORK.
UM, IT BUILDS ON THE WORK OF SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL, HEALTHY STREETS, VISION ZERO, AND LIVING STREETS USING CONTEXT SENSITIVE DESIGN.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CITYWIDE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK PLAN, THE NETWORK WILL INCLUDE SIDEWALKS ON BOTH, BOTH SIDES OF MOST STREETS, WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT IN AREAS WITH MATURE TREES AND LANDSCAPING OR STEEP SLOPES, A SIDEWALK ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET MAY BE SUFFICIENT.
[00:55:01]
VOLUME, RESIDENTIAL STREETS CREATING SHARED STREETS AS A MORE SUSTAINABLE, FASTER TO IMPLEMENT AND LOWER COST APPROACH TO IMPROVING THE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK.SO RATHER THAN TAKING OVER A HUNDRED YEARS TO BUILD SIDEWALKS IN EVERY FRONTAGE OF EVERY STREET, WE CAN ENVISION COMPLETING A PE A CITYWIDE PEDESTRIAN NETWORK IN SOMETHING MORE LIKE A 20 TO 30 YEAR TIMEFRAME.
A CONTEXT SENSITIVE APPROACH WILL ALSO BE USED TO GUIDE CROSSING IMPROVEMENT CITYWIDE, UH, AT ALMOST 2000 LOCATIONS.
SO RATHER THAN JUST HAVING SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SAFE ROUTES TO THE CITY.
SO THE NEW APPROACH IS REFLECTED IN THE UPDATED PLAN NAME, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE THREE KEY ELEMENTS, SIDEWALKS, CROSSINGS, AND SHARED STREETS.
THAT WILL MAKE UP A COMPLETE PEDESTRIAN SYSTEM FOR, FOR AUSTIN SLIDE.
AND TO HELP US STAY ON TRACK, THE PLAN INCLUDES INDICATORS, UM, WITH 10 YEAR TARGETS THAT WILL BE USED TO BENCHMARK OUR PROGRESS.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO NATHAN WILKES TO TAKE YOU THROUGH THE UPDATES TO THE BICYCLE PLAN.
SO THE BICYCLE PLAN WAS, UM, UPDATED LAST IN 2014.
UM, THAT PLAN BROUGHT A FOCUS ON WHAT WE CALL THE ALL AGES AND ABILITIES BICYCLE NETWORK.
SO THIS IS GETTING BEYOND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE PREVIOUSLY WE HAD HELD THAT IT WASN'T REASONABLE TO WALK ON A BUSY STREET WITH A PAINTED LINE, LIKE WE NEED A SIDEWALK WITH A RAISED CURB.
UH, THE 2014 BICYCLE CLAN BROUGHT THIS IDEA THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT RIDE BIKES OR SCOOTERS OR, UM, TRICYCLES OR MOTORIZED WHEELCHAIRS FOR THAT, UH, MATTER IN BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE ARE VULNERABLE USERS AND NEED BETTER PHYSICAL PROTECTION.
UM, SO THE, THE FIR THE FIRST CENTRAL CHALLENGE THAT WE FRAMED IN THIS 2023 UPDATE IS THAT CORE, UM, KIND OF PIECE OF THE 2014 PLAN, MAKING OUR STREETS SAFE AND CREATING THIS ALL AGES AND ABILITIES BICYCLE NETWORK.
THE REASON THAT WE TALK ABOUT IT AS A WHOLE NETWORK IS THE SAME REASON THAT JOHN'S TALKING ABOUT IT AS A NETWORK.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE BUILD A PROJECT OR TWO, UNLESS WE'RE CONNECTING FROM PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHERE PEOPLE ARE TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK AT REALLY VAST SCALES AND CHANGE, UH, DEEPLY DEFICIENT STREETS FROM A SAFETY AND MULTIMODAL PERSPECTIVE TO BE SAFE, UH, AND INCLUSIVE OF, OF DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE, UH, WANNA GET AROUND.
SO THE SECOND CENTRAL CHALLENGE IS WHAT LAURA, UM, KIND OF INDICATED EARLIER OF LIKE, WHO HAS ACCESS TO THAT MOBILITY CHOICE IF YOU'RE DISPLACED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, YOU KNOW, GOOD LUCK, UH, YOU KNOW, BENEFITING FROM OUR BOND DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, SO CONTAINING THE AFFORDABILITY AND DISPLACEMENT CRISIS AND, AND ALSO BEING SMART ABOUT WHERE WE CAN ORIENT POPULATIONS TO LIVE IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT CAN'T SERVE EVERYWHERE.
LIKE THERE'S VER REAL, UM, THAT'S REALITIES AND LOGISTICS TO RUNNING TRANSIT SERVICE.
SO BEING APPROXIMATE TO DESTINATIONS, TO EMPLOYMENT TO TRANSIT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS A LOT MORE COMPREHENSIVE KIND OF VIEW TO IT, ACHIEVE EQUITABLE OUTCOMES IN IN THE BICYCLE PLAN AND IN ALL THESE PLANS.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE UPDATE TO THE ALL AGES NETWORK.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED IN 2014, LIKE I SAID, AT ABOUT A 400 MILE NETWORK IN 2019.
WITH THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, WE INCREASED THE SIZE OF THAT NETWORK BY 50%, AND WE'VE, UH, INCREASED IT THROUGH THIS PLANNING PROCESS, UM, OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS AND ALL THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN AND IN THE ANALYSIS BY ANOTHER 50%.
SO NOW IT'S ABOUT A THOUSAND MILE NETWORK.
UM, WE FOCUSED AROUND THREE KIND OF NEW, UH, THEME AREAS THAT WE CO-CREATED WITH URBAN TRAILS, AND THESE ALL TESTED REALLY WELL WITH THE PUBLIC.
UM, PREVIOUSLY IN 2014, WE WERE, UH, BASICALLY JUST TRYING TO CREATE A BASIC BACKBONE, IS THE WAY I'VE BEEN PUTTING IT, UH, OF GIVING PEOPLE THAT MOBILITY CHOICE TO GET AROUND, UH, BY BIKE, SCOOTER, TRICYCLE, ET CETERA.
IN THIS PLAN, THE MOST SUPPORTED WERE THE, THE THREE THEMES OF THESE NEIGHBORHOOD DESTINATIONS, ACCESS TO NATURE, AND ACCESS TO CITYWIDE DESTINATIONS.
NEIGHBORHOOD DESTINATIONS WAS THE TOP SUPPORTED, VERY WELL SUPPORTED, UM, CITYWIDE DESTINATIONS CLOSELY FOLLOWED, AND EVEN, UH, ACCESS TO NATURE WAS HIGHLY SUPPORTED, UH, AS WELL.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL THESE AS LIKE VERY VALID KIND OF I IDEAS OF HOW PEOPLE WANNA MOVE AROUND AND HOW WE'LL ORIENT INVESTMENTS IN THE BICYCLE NETWORK.
LASTLY, LIKE URBAN TRAILS AND SIDEWALKS, UH, THIS PLANNING PROCESS BROUGHT A, FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR BIKEWAYS, UH, GIS BASED KIND OF DATA DRIVEN MODEL.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOW WITH A THOUSAND MILES, SORRY ABOUT THE KIDS, UH, THOUSAND MILES OF, UH, YOU
[01:00:01]
KNOW, NETWORK TO BE PRIORITIZING AMONG, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS GIVES US A MUCH SOLID, UH, MORE SOLID GROUNDING OF, OF HOW WE CHOOSE PROJECTS.AND THEN THIS, THESE ARE THE NEW FOCUS AREAS, UM, NEW AND RENEWED, UH, OF THIS PLAN.
THE FIRST ONE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT, SO I'LL, I'LL PASS OVER IT.
THE SECOND, UM, IS REALLY A CALL TO ACTION FOR US, UH, AND IN MOBILITY PROFESSIONAL KIND OF, UH, CIRCLES TO ENGAGE REALLY DEEPLY AND BRING OUR TOOLS TO THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATING IN LAND PLANNING, AFFORDABILITY, ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PLANNING, TRANSIT PLANNING, AND, AND REALLY TRY TO BRING OUR TOOLS TOGETHER WITH ALL THE OTHER KIND OF DISCIPLINES TO GET BEYOND THE SILOS AND GET INTEGRATED OUTCOMES.
THE NEXT ONE, UM, FEEDING TRANSIT WAS ALWAYS A FOCUS, BUT IT WE'RE DOUBLING DOWN NOW WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT PASSAGE.
SO THE, THE WAY I PUT THIS IS THE TRADITIONAL WALKING RADIUS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LAND PLANNING AROUND A STATION IS ABOUT A HALF MILE WITH BICYCLE SCOOTER, UM, TRICYCLE, ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIRS, LIKE THE RANGES ARE BIGGER THAN, UH, A STANDARD WALKING RADIUS.
SO UP TO TWO MILES TURNS INTO ABOUT 16 TIMES THE LAND AREA, WHICH HAS A LOT OF IMPLICATIONS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WE CAN GET TO TRANSIT AND WHO WE CAN, UH, HELP ACCESS THOSE TRANSIT SURFACES.
UH, ANOTHER ONE FOCUS AREA IS ELECTRIC BICYCLES.
UH, ELECTRIC TRICYCLES, ELECTRIC RECUMBENT BIKES.
LIKE, UM, BACK IN 2014, THESE WERE NEW ON THE MARKET, KIND OF, UM, TWO PEOPLE HAD THEM.
NOW IT'S A THIRD OF ALL THE BICYCLES SOLD IN THE US, OUR ELECTRIC BICYCLES.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE FOCUSING IS LIKE HOW DO OUR PLANS SUPPORT OTHER PLANS? SO, YOU KNOW, CLIMATE GOALS ARE, ARE HIGHLY SUPPORTED BY, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE PLANS.
BUT ALSO ON THE FLIP SIDE, WE HEARD A TON ABOUT SHADE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE MITIGATING THE KIND OF EFFECTS OF OUR CLIMATE CHANGE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, SHADE TO MITIGATE THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER.
ALSO LOOKING AT GREENING STREETS, UM, AND BETTER WATER MANAGEMENT.
AS PART OF OUR PROJECTS, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT GETTING BEYOND FLEX POSTS.
UM, YOU'LL YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF FLEX POSTS ON, UH, BI BIKEWAYS PROJECTS THAT WE DO AROUND THE CITY.
THAT'S BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S DECENT ONES IN TERMS OF DURABILITY, AND WE CAN MOVE VERY QUICKLY TO CREATE SAFER STREETS.
BUT WE ARE ALSO, UH, LOOKING TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF THOSE BARRIERS, LIKE THROUGH THIS PLANNING EFFORT AND ACCOUNT FOR, YOU KNOW, GETTING EVEN STRONGER LIKE CONCRETE TYPE BARRIERS OVER TIME.
AND THEN LAST, UM, IS LOOKING TO BETTER SUPPORT SOCIAL, UH, SUPPORT SERVICES TO LOOK AFTER THE MOST VULNERABLE AND JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, WHEN WE DON'T SERVE THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR SOCIETY, WELL, LIKE IT WILL, UH, AFFECT THE OUTCOMES OF EVEN THE BICYCLE PLANNING EFFORT.
SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ALL THREE OF THE PLANS.
SO THIS IS BACK TO THE ATX WALK BIKE ROLE PROCESS.
SO WE'RE, UM, THIS MONTH GIVING A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS TO DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, GETTING FEEDBACK AND, AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS.
UH, THE PLANS, ALL THREE OF THEM AND OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY ARE ALL AT THE LINK ON THE TOP RIGHT.
UM, THERE'S A PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, IT'S ALL IN A TOOL WHERE PEOPLE CAN PUT COMMENT BUBBLES AND, UM, UPLOAD EACH OTHER'S COMMENTS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN REVIEW THE PLANS AND GIVE US THEIR FEEDBACK.
SO THE LINK IS IN THE TOP RIGHT, AND THE COMMENT DEADLINE IS MARCH 20TH.
THE DEADLINE IS SO THAT WE HAVE TIME TO MAKE ANY REVISIONS BEFORE GOING TO PLANNING COMMISSION, AND THEN ULTIMATELY COUNSEL IN THE APRIL MAY TIMEFRAME.
AND JUST TO WRAP UP, WE, IN REFLECTING ON THE WHOLE PROCESS, WE'VE FOUND IT REALLY VALUABLE TO BRING ALL THREE OF THESE MODAL PLANS, UM, TOGETHER TO THE PUBLIC.
AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ALL SHARE A LOT OF SIMILAR ISSUES.
THEY ARE KIND OF SHORT RANGE MOBILITY TOOLS, YOU KNOW, WALKING, BICYCLING, ROLLING, UH, THEY'RE ALL VULNERABLE USERS.
THEY'RE AFFECTED BY THE HEAT, UM, BIGGEST CONCERNS OR TRAFFIC, UH, YOU KNOW, SAFETY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SYNERGY IN BRINGING 'EM ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, STUDIES SHOW THAT PEOPLE THAT CAN INTEGRATE WALKING AND BICYCLE AS PART OF THEIR DAILY LIFE ARE HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER.
UM, GIVING PEOPLE MODE CHOICE, THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE, LIKE WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GET AROUND GIVEN THE TRIP IS ONE OF THE KIND OF CORE GOALS OF THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN AND ITS MODE SHIFT GOALS.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE, UM, AT 75% DRIVE ALONE TRIPS AND THE, THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN
[01:05:01]
ASK US TO, YOU KNOW, TO ACCOMMODATE THE POPULATION, HOW DO WE SHIFT TO A 50 50 MODE SHARE? SO THESE ARE ALL, UH, MAJOR TOOLS TO KIND OF HELP CREATE THAT BEHAVIOR SHIFT.AND, UM, PEOPLE NEED ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION CHOICES, UM, TO ACCESS THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO LIVE.
AND THAT INCLUDES, UM, PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE A CAR.
UM, AND THAT COULD BE A YOUNGER PERSON, AN OLDER PERSON, UH, A PERSON THAT IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
UM, AND, AND REALLY JUST GIVING MOBILITY CHOICES IS, IS KIND OF A, A HUMAN RIGHT.
AND, UM, WE'RE ALSO SEEING A LOT OF SYNERGIES WITH IMPLEMENTING THESE PLANS AND FULFILLING THEIR VISIONS IS A BIG PART OF SUPPORTING THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT.
IN TERMS OF TOTAL HOUSEHOLD AFFORDABILITY, UH, WE'VE GOT TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PLANNING, IMAGINE AUSTIN, OUR, OUR PARK COMPREHENSIVE PLANS AND, AND MANY MORE.
SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TURN IT OVER FOR QUESTIONS AND, UH, THANKS FOR HAVING US AGAIN.
UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
UM, I'M ALSO THE, UH, LIAISON FOR THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMI COMMITTEE, UH, FROM THIS COMMISSION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THIS INFORMATION.
UH, THIS IS COMMISSIONER KERNAL.
I, I HAVE A FEW ITEMS. UM, SO, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I, I ACTUALLY GET ALL OF YOUR ALERTS AND I HAD TAKEN A QUICK LOOK AT THE, THE PLAN AND I HAVEN'T SUBMITTED MY COMMENTS YET.
UM, NUMBER ONE IS TRANSPARENCY ON PROGRESS.
UM, I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.
YOU MENTIONED THAT I LIVE CLOSE TO WALNUT CREEK PARK.
THERE'S LIKE ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE FUNDED OUT OF SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY PROGRESS MADE, EVEN ON THE ONES, EVEN ON THE ITEMS WHERE I LIVE THAT ARE LIKE LOW COST, HIGH, HIGH WHATEVER, UM, UM, IMPACT, I THINK IS WHAT IT'S CALLED.
UM, SO IT, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S A WAY THAT THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN GO TO A WEBSITE AND SEE WHAT THE SCHEDULE IS.
YOU KNOW, IS THIS PROJECT MOVING FORWARD, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THIS? KIND OF LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE, UM, THE URBAN TRAILS.
I THINK THEY DO A REALLY GOOD JOB, UM, SAYING, HERE'S, HERE'S THE STATUS.
NUMBER TWO, YOU HAD MENTIONED THE PATHWAYS.
I WROTE DOWN PATHWAYS TO PARK.
SO I, I LIVE REALLY CLOSE TO WALNUT CREEK PARK.
THERE IS NO WAY THAT MY SON'S WHEELCHAIR CAN EASILY GET TO THE PARK.
UM, IF WE, WE CAN GO THROUGH A FIELD AND OVER TREE, YOU KNOW, ROOTS, IT'S DIFFICULT.
AND THEN ONCE WE GET TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE PARK, THERE IS NO DEDICATED OR NO MARKS ON THE ROAD TO, LIKE, WE HAVE TO SHARE THAT ROAD WITH THE CARS THAT ARE SPEEDING INTO THE PARK TO GET TO THE PARKING LOT.
SO THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE COULD GET THERE.
IT JUST, IT SEEMS RIDICULOUS THAT I HAVE TO GET IN MY CAR AND DRIVE, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT'S REALLY TWO BLOCKS TO GET THERE.
I HAVE TO DRIVE LIKE 10 MINUTES TO GO AROUND TO GET INTO THE PARK, GET MY SON OUT OF HIS WHEELCHAIR, UNHOOK ALL THE BIKES, DO WHATEVER.
AND, AND WE'RE SO CLOSE BY AND THERE'S FUNDING TO DO THE WORK, TO GET EASILY TO GET US.
SO WE COULD NOT GET IN A CAR TO GO TO THE PARK.
SO IT WOULD BE GREAT IF, UM, WE COULD SEE WHAT THOSE PLANS ARE, IF YOU COULD BE TRANSPARENT ON THAT.
UM, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT WAYFINDING.
UM, I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER FRANKS, WHO IS UM, VISUALLY IMPAIRED, HAD MENTIONED THIS IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
UM, I WANNA URGE YOU THAT IF YOU ARE PUTTING SIGNAGE UP TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UM, THEY'RE, THAT IT IS ALSO IN BRAILLE FOR PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS.
UM, SCOOTERS, UM, I KNOW IT'S A, IT'S A HOT TOPIC, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT E-BIKES.
UM, I KNOW E-BIKES TEND TO HAVE A DEDICATED PARKING, PARKING SPACES.
I THINK, UM, I'D LIKE TO TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE, THERE'S ACCOMMODATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO USE, UH, ELECTRIC SCOOTERS AS WELL, THAT THERE'S DEDICATED PARKING.
SO THEY AREN'T, UM, THERE AREN'T AN IMPAIRMENT FOR SOMEONE WHO USES A WHEELCHAIR, UM, AND YOU'RE ON A, A NARROW SIDEWALK AND YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH BECAUSE THERE'S A SCOOTER ON ITS SIDE BLOCKING THE WAY.
[01:10:01]
I REALLY LOVE WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING.I WANNA FAST FORWARD 10 YEARS TO, SO WE GET TO LIKE WHERE WE NEED TO BE AS A CITY.
UM, CUZ I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE, I'M READY TO LIKE RIDE MY BIKE FROM WALNUT CREEK PARK ALL THE WAY TO DOWNTOWN
WE, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRIEFLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT, UM, TERM.
YEAH, I MEAN, IF WE'VE GOT TIME, I, I DON'T, I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE MAY HAVE QUESTIONS AS WELL.
WELL, THIS IS COMMISSIONER DARWIN.
I JUST HAD ONE QUICK THING, WHICH IS WHEN YOU LISTED YOUR DEFINITION OF EQUITY, IT ONLY LISTED RACE.
AND, UH, EQUITY IS MUCH BROADER THAN RACE.
IT'S WHEN WE INTERRUPT, WE INTERRUPT EQUITY IS WHEN WE INTERRUPT THE PREDICTABILITY OF WHO SUCCEEDS AND WHO DOESN'T.
AND THAT CERTAINLY INCLUDES BASED ON ABILITY.
AND I WOULD URGE THAT ALL YOUR PRESENTATIONS, ALL YOUR MATERIALS, AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN THE EQUITY OFFICE DOES CONSIDER BOTH ECONOMIC, YOU TALKED ABOUT INCOME, BUT NOT ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN RACE AND INCOME.
AND THERE'S GENDER INDI, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENTIAL DESERVES, UM, EQUITY ISSUES RELATED TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR IN YOUR PRESENTATION.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER ORLOWSKI.
UM, AND AGAIN, UM, BECAUSE I AM, UH, THIS COM COMMITTEE'S, UH, DELEGATE TO THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE, WHICH HELPS ADVISE THE EQUITY OFFICE.
UH, I WOULD HAVE TO SECOND, UM, THIS, UH, THE, UM, WE'VE HAD, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT THIS.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE.
UH, AUSTIN, UH, CONTAINS 20% OF THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS'S DEAF POPULATION.
UM, THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.
UH, IF THE CITY IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT EQUITY, IT NEEDS TO CRAFT A VISION OF EQUITY, WHICH IS AUSTIN.
UM, I KNOW THAT MANY, UM, OFFICIALS, UH, STAFF PEOPLE, UH, GOT THEIR DEGREES, UH, BEFORE SPECIAL EDUCATION WAS PASSED, BEFORE THE ADA WAS PASSED.
UH, THAT DOESN'T CUT IT IN AUSTIN.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERST, YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH DISABILITY.
UH, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THESE LAWS AND POLICIES IF YOU ARE GOING TO WORK IN THIS SPECIFIC CITY.
UH, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING, THIS IS NOT AN EXTRA, THIS IS NOT AN OPTION.
UM, YOU'RE NOT IN DALLAS, YOU'RE NOT IN, UM, HOUSTON, WHERE THERE IS A SMALLER DISABILITY POPULATION.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND ABLEISM, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AUTISM.
UM, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT AN EXTRA, THIS IS NOT A FAVOR, THIS IS NOT, UH, THIS IS NOT A LESSER FORM OF DISCRIMINATION.
UM, UH, THE CANDIDATES, UM, UM, I'M SUBMITTING, UM, FOR, UH, THE NEXT, UH, CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE A DEFINITION OF EQUITY, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, DISABILITY.
UH, THEY CENTER, UH, DISABILITY AS A FORM OF EQUITY.
UM, PLEASE DON'T KEEP DOING THIS.
UM, IT'S LIKE SAYING THE EARTH, IT'S LIKE SAYING THE EARTH IS NOT A PLANET.
UM, AND, AND I'M SORRY IF I, I DIDN'T MAKE IT CLEAR ENOUGH.
THE EQUITY ANALYSIS ZONES, WHICH ARE THE, THE CORE OF WHAT WAS USED IN, IN THIS APPROACH SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE, UM, PROPORTIONS OF POPULATION WITH DISABILITIES AS, AS PART OF THAT THAT IS CORE.
AND THOSE EQUITY ANALYSIS ZONES ARE UNDERLYING ALL THE TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ANALYSIS THAT'S DONE.
SO VERY, VERY CENTERED AND, AND, AND VERY FOCUSED ON, UM, POPULATIONS WITH DISABILITIES AND RECOGNIZING THAT, THAT THERE'S, UM, A LACK OF EQUITABLE OUTCOMES FOR THOSE POPULATIONS AND, AND CENTERING THAT.
SO THAT IS ABSOLUTELY INCLUDED IN, IN THESE PLANS.
UM, THE CITY'S SIDEWALK CROSSINGS AND SHARED STREETS PLAN IS, IS ALSO ITS 88 TRANSITION PLAN.
AND WE'RE VERY PROUD GOING BACK TO 2009, THAT THESE
[01:15:01]
PLANS AND, AND WE WE'RE STILL A LONG WAYS, I I WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR.I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DON'T HIDE THE FACT THAT THE CITY'S ROAD NETWORK IS CURRENTLY 75, 70 7% FUNCTIONALLY ACCEPTABLE OR 75% SATISFACTORY.
WHEREAS OUR SIDEWALK NETWORK IS ONLY 32% FUNCTIONALLY ACCEPTABLE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S INEQUITABLE.
THERE, THERE IS NO WAY AROUND THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN, UM, YOU KNOW, POPULATIONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED IN OUR TRANSIT POPULATIONS.
RIGHT? YOU'RE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE USING TRANSIT IF YOU HAVE DISABILITIES.
SO, UM, WE, WE RECOGNIZE WE'VE GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO, BUT WE ABSOLUTELY DO INCLUDE, UM, YOU KNOW, DISABILITIES AS PART OF THAT CORE EQUITY AND, AND ANALYZING THOSE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT FEEDBACK.
I USE TRANSIT DISPROPORTION, PUBLIC TRANSIT DISPROPORTIONATELY.
THE STATE OF TEXAS TELLS ME, AS A WOMAN WITH CONGENITAL HYDROCEPHALUS AND EPILEPSY, I CANNOT DRIVE A CAR.
UH, IT IS ILLEGAL FOR ME TO DRIVE A CAR WHEN I, BECAUSE I DO HAVE ACTIVE SEIZURES.
PUBLIC TRANSIT FOR ME IS NOT A CHOICE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I WILL GET ARRESTED, UH, IF I DRIVE, DRIVE A CAR, UH, A CHURCH CANNOT GIVE ME, DONATE ME A CAR.
UH, SO YES, UH, I NEED PUBLIC TRANSIT.
IT'S COMMISSIONER KERNS OSTERWEIL.
I ACTUALLY HAVE TO LEAVE AT SEVEN, UM, WHICH IS IN TWO MINUTES.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME OTHER AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON.
UH, I CAN, I CAN HANG ON AN EXTRA FIVE, BUT, OKAY.
UM, AND I DON'T WANNA CUT ANYBODY OFF.
I JUST, I, IN CASE I DISAPPEAR AND WE LOSE QUORUM, I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
[7. Discussion and possible action to resubmit a recommendation to City Council related to the City of Austin Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget. (Trejo)]
I ASK, UH, ROBIN, IF WE COULD MAYBE JUST MOVE ON THE TWO RESOLUTIONS ON BUDGETS SINCE WE'VE GOT A TIME CRUNCH ON THAT.UM, WE'VE ALREADY ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THESE ISSUES BEFORE AND YOU'VE GOT THEM IN YOUR MATERIALS THAT WERE EMAILED FROM, UH, FROM ALEXANDER.
I, I COULD MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE TWO RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE ON BUDGET THAT ARE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
THIS IS COMMISSIONER KERN WILEY.
UH, WE HAVE THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS.
DO YOU WANNA CALL FOR DISCUSSION AND WE CAN CALL FOR A VOTE IF WE'RE ALL IN FAVOR? WE CAN JUST APPROVE THOSE RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN, WE CAN APPROVE THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE HAVE THE ONE BUDGET ITEM TWO.
WELL, THE, YEAH, THEY'RE BOTH UNDER ITEM SEVEN, BUT THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS.
YEAH, THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE CAN APPROVE THOSE RIGHT NOW.
YOU WANNA CALL FOR THE VOTE? WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.
THESE ARE THE TWO, THE PRE-EXISTING CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, M B W E PROGRAM IS AMENDED.
THE, NO, NO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE IT ITEM I, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
THE TWO RESOLUTIONS ON BUDGET.
ONE IS ABOUT BATHROOMS AND ONE IS ABOUT RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING.
WE, PARDON? THEY'RE FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
THE TWO RESOLUTIONS ON BUDGET ITEMS. WAS THAT THE ONE YOU WERE EMAILED RIGHT NOW? YEAH, THEY'RE BOTH IN YOUR EMAILS.
THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS, THE RESOLUTION POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
I DON'T WERE YOU EMAILED THAT RIGHT TODAY? SH THE MS. ALEXANDER DIDN'T INCLUDE IT AT FIRST, BUT SHE RESENT THEM AROUND.
BECAUSE IF YOU WERE EMAILED THAT TODAY, I DON'T THINK WE CAN VOTE ON THAT.
THE RESOLUTION DOESN'T, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EMAILED IN ADVANCE.
IT COULD BE EVEN BROUGHT UP RIGHT NOW.
WHAT MATTERS IS THAT IT WAS A ELICITED AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IT IS.
WE HAVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
I'VE MOVED AND WE'VE GOT A SECOND.
IF YOU COULD JUST CALL THE VOTE ON APPROVING THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON BUDGET.
IT'S PROPERLY NOTICED UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.
NO, YOU JUST NEED TO CALL THE VOTE.
I CALL FOR A VOTE ON AGENDA ITEM SEVEN.
SO YOU WANT, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? SOUNDS LIKE THE MOTION CARRIES.
[01:20:01]
THANKS FOR DOING THAT.AND THEN THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER, THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER ITEMS IF YOU WANNA TRY TO GET THROUGH THEM WHEN, WHEN, UH, DIANE LEAVES.
SO ROBIN, YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OF RESOLUTION.
[Items 5 & 6]
FIVE AND SIX, DO WE WANNA JUST, UH, CALL FOR A VOTE ON THESE? I'D BE OKAY WITH THAT.I'LL, I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE ITEMS FIVE AND SIX, THE RESOLUTIONS IN YOUR PACKET.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, NOW WE NEED TO DO, WAIT, WAIT, ARE THERE ANY, YOU HAVE TO ASK IF THERE'S ANY OPPOSED, IS THERE ANY OPPOSED? SO THE MOTION CARRIES.
I NEED CLARIFICATION ON, UM, ITEMS FIVE AND SIX.
ARE WE WANTING TO ROLL OVER THE SPEAKERS FROM A P D AND EMS? WELL, THEY'RE NOT SPEAKING, BUT THEY WERE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OH, I WAS ASKED TO INVITE THEM.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE ON OUR AGENDA.
SO YEAH, THEY'RE FIVE AND SIX.
UM, WELL THE, OH, SHE WAS ASKING ABOUT THE ITEMS ABOUT A APD AND EMS AND I DON'T SEE THEM ON OUR AGENDA.
JUST ITEM FIVE FOR THE ASL INTERPRETERS.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT THE A ABOUT A APD SPEAKERS.
WE ROLLED OVER THIS AGENDA ITEM I THINK TWICE.
UM, DURING THE LAST LAST MEETING ASKED TO HAVE APD AND EMS TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT RECOMMENDATION.
WELL, WE ALREADY VOTED ON IT, SO, OKAY.
YEAH, I, THERE'S ONE MORE BEFORE WE LOSE DIANE,
[8. Discussion and possible action to consider removing Commissioner Joey Gidseg and Commissioner Diana Anzaldua from the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities. (Trejo)]
WHICH IS, UM, ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.SO I, I SEE THAT COMMISSIONER TDU IS HERE TO, UM, BUT, BUT I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON.
UM, THIS IS COMMISSIONER ORLOWSKI.
UH, THE CLERK TOLD ME THAT WE CAN'T VOTE ON THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A PREROGATIVE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR BYLAWS SAY.
UM, THAT IF A MEMBER DOES NOT ATTEND A MEETING OVER A ROLLING 12 MONTH TIMEFRAME, THAT THEY AUTOMATICALLY VACATE THE POSITION.
THE PROBLEM IS WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE MAKING QUORUM CUZ MEMBERS WHO ARE LISTED AS MEMBERS AREN'T ATTENDING.
I KNOW WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS MAKING QUORUM.
UM, BUT THE, WE DON'T HAVE PERMISSION TO REMOVE MEMBERS FOR LACK OF ATTENDANCE.
ONLY THE CITY COUNCIL CAN DO THAT.
WELL, ACTUALLY, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, LET ME JUST RAISE IT THIS WAY.
UM, I'LL JUST ASK THAT OUR LIAISON WORK WITH CITY CLERK AND, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER TODAY, ARTICLE THREE E TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT, UM, COMMISSIONER GI SIX, LACK OF ATTENDANCE FOR LIKE TWO YEARS, UM, WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC VACATION OF THE POSITION BASED ON OUR BYLAWS.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST REPORT BACK ON THAT ISSUE, UH, THAT, THAT, UM, THAT POSITION IS BEING FILLED BY ANOTHER, UH, APPOINTMENT, BUT, UM, THIS IS NOT OUR, UH, DUTY TO TH THIS IS NOT OUR DUTY TO VOTE ON.
I JUST ASKED FOR REPORT ITEM BACK ON THIS ISSUE.
UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL HAS, UH, DONE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT.
UM, IF, IF WE'RE DONE WE NOTHING ELSE TO VOTE ON, RIGHT? YES.
[9. Discussion and vote on future agenda items.]
ITEM NUMBER NINE, DISCUSSION IN FOR FUTURE ITEMS. ANYBODY HAVE ANY FUTURE BUSINESS? YEAH, BUT I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THAT THROUGH EMAILS WITH TWO COMMISSIONERS ASKING FOR AN ITEM TO BE ADDED BECAUSE DIANE NEEDS TO GO.I HAVE TO MOVE CUZ YOU'RE CHAIRING.
ANY SECOND? COMMISSIONER? OH, OKAY.
PASTOR, WE, I SECOND THANK YOU.
I JUST WANNA SAY IT HAS BEEN BEEN
[01:25:01]
WONDERFUL SERVING WITH YOU ALL AND BEST OF LUCK TO THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE GONNA STAY ON THE COMMITTEE.UH, WE WILL ADJOURN AT 7:06 PM ON A FRIDAY.
IT'S MY LAST MEETING TOO, I THINK.
SO I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THIS SETTING.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE GOOD WORK THAT THIS COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE TO DO AND THAT ALL OF YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO, UM, IN OUR FAIR CITY TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
I AM SERVING ON, UH, THE STATE BAR DISABILITY ISSUES COMMITTEE, SO DROP BY THERE.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND, EVERYONE.
SWING YOUR MO AND SWING YOUR PAW.
GOODBYE, SWING BACK OUT FROM ARKANSAS.
CIRCLE EIGHT AND WALK STRAIGHT.
COME ON BOYS, AND DON'T BE LATE.