Mar 08, 2023 Community Technology & Telecommunications Commission

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:03]

HELLO, EVERYBODY.

MY NAME IS NEHEMIAH PITTS III, AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

CALLING TO ORDER OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING TODAY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8TH, 2023, LOCATED AT CITY HALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, ROOM 1101.

SOME OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEMBERS MAY BE PARTICIPATING VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE, AND THE MEETING CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE AT HTTP SLASH SLASH WWW.AUSTINTEXAS.GOV/PAGE/WATCH-T X N DASH LIVE.

WITH THAT, THEN, AS I IDENTIFIED, I'M THE CHAIR AND I REPRESENT DISTRICT ONE.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH THE ROLL CALL STARTING IN THE ROOM.

VICE CHAIR STEVEN APAKA, REPRESENTING DISTRICT TWO IS PRESENT.

THANK YOU.

AND WITH THAT, WE'LL PROCEED ONLINE.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND CALL THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, JUST FOR SUCCINCTNESS.

COMMISSIONER YATES, COMMISSIONER YATES, DISTRICT THREE PRESENT.

THANK YOU.

UH, COMMISSIONER FLOYD.

UH, COMMISSIONER FLOYD, DISTRICT FIVE PRESENT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.

COMMISSIONER NICOLE THOMPSON, DISTRICT NINE PRESENT, AND COMMISSIONER ISLAND.

COMMISSIONER MAXINE ISLAND REPRESENTING PRECINCT SEVEN, DISTRICT SEVEN.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WITH THAT, WE ARE CALLED TO ORDER AND WE'LL PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE NO SPEAKER SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD IN OUR AGENDA TWO, THE

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION TO PASS THE MINUTES THAT'S PRESENTED.

AND A SECOND SHERIFF PITS OUR MOTION THAT WE, UM, ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.

THANK YOU.

HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER THOMPSON TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED, AND I SECOND THAT MOTION.

SO UNLESS THERE'S NEED FOR FURTHER DELIBERATION, UH, AT THIS POINT, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND HAVE A VOTE JUST LOOKING AROUND THE ROOM TO SEE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY, AYE.

AND SHOW YOUR HAND.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY, WE UNANIMOUS IN OUR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.

SIX IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO OPPOSED, ZERO ABSTENTIONS.

UH,

[1. Grant for Technology Opportunities Program – Brief update on applications submitted (Dan Martinez, Business Process Specialist – Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs) ]

UH, ITEM ONE UNDER STAFF BRIEFINGS, WHICH WILL BE THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM, A BRIEF UPDATE ON APPLICATION CEMENTED.

UH, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE STAN MARTINEZ, OUR BUSINESS, UH, BUSINESS PROCESS SPECIALIST FROM THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AFFAIRS OFFICE.

THANKS, DAN.

ALL RIGHT.

HELLO EVERYBODY.

JUST A SHORT, UH, UH, UPDATE ON THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FOR THE GTOP S PROGRAM, UM, ONCE WE GET THAT ON SCREEN.

ALL RIGHT, SO, UH, THIS IS JUST OUR GTOP S APPLICATIONS FOR 2023.

MY NAME'S DAN MARTINEZ, THE BUS, UH, TARA, AND THE COMMUNITY TECH, UH, DIVISION.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE RECEIVED 22 APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR, UH, 10 OF WHICH HAVE NEVER RECEIVED GTOP PS FUNDING.

THEY'RE NEW TO THE PROGRAM, UM, OR HAVE NEVER RECEIVED FUNDS.

FOUR ARE COMPLETELY NEW, AND SIX, WERE JUST NOT AWARDED THE, UH, YEAR PREVIOUS.

AND WE ONLY HAD FOUR WITHDRAWALS, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD.

UM, AND IN TOTAL, THE AMOUNT REQUESTED WAS TOTALING 710,000, UH, ABOVE $710,000.

THE LEVERAGED FUNDS FROM THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WERE, UH, ABOVE $2 MILLION, AND THE TOTAL PROGRAMMING WAS 2,929,000 A HUNDRED THIRTY ONE SEVENTY 5 CENTS.

SO A LOT OF MONEY.

THE NEXT ONE.

THANK YOU.

AND, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FOCUS AREAS FOR THIS YEAR, WE HAD SIX, UH, IN THE CREATIVE MEDIA, UH, FIELD, AND FOUR IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SKILLS OUT OF ALL THESE APPLICATIONS RECEIVED.

AND THREE, HAD TO DO WITH, UH, ACCESS TO INTERNET AND MAKING THAT EASIER FOR PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

12 SPECIFICALLY, UH, FOCUSED ON KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT WAS THEIR PRIORITY FOR

[00:05:01]

AND THEN SEVEN OF OUR APPLICATIONS WERE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED TOWARDS, UH, GRANTING MORE ACCESS TO DEVICES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

AND THAT IS ALL.

THANK YOU GUYS.

GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.

UH, APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD UPDATE.

I KNOW THAT, UH, I AM VERY PLEASED TO SEE THE RAMP UP AND, UH, THE INCREASED APPLICATION POOL, PARTICULARLY AMONGST, UH, APPLICANTS WHO'VE NEVER APPLIED BEFORE.

UH, WE'VE BEGUN THE PROCESS FOR THE SAKE OF EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, HAVING ALREADY MET WITH THEIR VIEW PANEL, AND, UH, BRIEFLY BASICALLY HAD AN ORIENTATION TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE OR CON OR, OR, UH, AND A PRESENTATION BY THEN ON THE PROCESS.

UH, VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR COHORT OF PANELISTS.

UH, THEY'RE VERY SHARP IN PERSON, VERY MUCH LIKE THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE APPROVED, UH, AS A BODY.

SO WE CAN LOOK FORWARD, I THINK, TO A GOOD PROCESS.

UH, AND TO MY SURPRISE, UM, ALTHOUGH, UH, IT WAS AN OPTION FOR THE PANELISTS TO HAVE TWO SEPARATE SESSIONS WHERE THEY WOULD THEN REVIEW SCORES TOGETHER AND THEN ARRIVE AT OVERALL SCORES.

THEY ALL AGREED TO HAVE A SINGLE MARATHON SESSION, UH, WHERE WE'D KNOCK IT OUT IN ONE DAY.

UH, SO I, I REALLY APPLAUD THAT DEDICATION AND I LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING, UH, THE, THE TEAM FOR THAT REVIEW.

UH, I KNOW THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS UP TO DATE AT THIS POINT, UH, BUT I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO OTHER COMMISSIONERS.

THEY MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS FOR DAN OR ABOUT THE PROCESS.

I HAVE A QUESTION, UM, ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE FUNDED BY A GRANT FOR ACCESS TO DEVICES? UH, YES, COMMISSIONER YATES.

UM, SO BASICALLY, UM, THAT JUST MEANS THAT IT IS A ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHOSE FOCUS IS PRIMARILY ON A, UM, PROVIDING, UH, ACCESS TO DIFFERENT, UM, COMPUTERS, TABLETS, AND POSSIBLY CELL PHONES, IF I'M CORRECT, UM, TO, UH, THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO AFFORD THESE, UH, THROUGH THEIR OWN MEANS.

UM, SO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE USUALLY OFFERING, UH, DEVICES AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE OR REFURBISHING, UH, LAPTOPS AND COMPUTERS TO DISTRIBUTE EITHER FREE OR FOR A VERY, VERY LOW PRICE.

THANK YOU.

UH, YOU'RE WELCOME.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THANK YOU.

UH, ARE THERE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR DAN OR, OR ABOUT THE PROCESS HERE IN GTOP PS? OKAY, WELL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO, UH, SHARE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WITH ANYONE THAT NEEDS IT ON, ON GTOP PS OBVIOUSLY, UH, OUR COMMISSION IS INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF GTOP PS AND HAS BEEN INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN APPROVING INCREASES IN FUNDING, UH, FOR GTOP PS.

UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, EVERY COMMISSIONER DOESN'T NECESSARILY FOCUS ON THE, THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM.

AND SO IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THAT MAY BE SOME QUESTIONS.

UH, AND, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE'VE GOT GREAT RESOURCES, UH, SO BE HAPPY TO SHARE ANYTHING WE CAN, UH, SO THAT WAY WE COULD ALL BE CLEAR ON WHAT WE DO WITH THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT SERVES THE COMMUNITY.

OKAY.

WITH THAT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD IN OUR AGENDA.

AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO, UH, RECOGNIZE AND THANK, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, CHRISTINA GARZA FOR JOINING US TODAY.

UH, AND IDENTIFY HER AS PART OF OUR BODY.

APOLOGIES GET INTO THE PARKING.

WE UNDERSTAND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MAKES IT KIND OF TRICKY DOWN HERE.

UH, WE APPRECIATE THAT KNOWLEDGE OF PRESENCE, UH, BUT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD IN THE AGENDA NOW TO AGENDA ITEM.

EXCUSE ME, TO BE CLEAR HERE.

WE'RE, WE'RE SWITCHING SECTIONS, UH,

[1. Discussion of the Good Governance Resolution (Discussion and Possible Action)]

THERE IS A SUPPORTING DOCUMENT FOR THIS, UH, WHICH I'D LIKE TO HAVE DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN, AND THEN WE CAN GO AHEAD AND TALK THROUGH IT.

UH, IT WAS THE LAST ONE THAT I SENT FORWARDED MESSAGE, UH, WITH ONE ATTACHMENT.

WELL, WHILE YOU'RE PULLING THAT UP, I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND SPEAK TO IT, UH, AND, AND ADDRESS THE, UH, THE SCENARIO CUZ IT'S IMPORTANT.

I THINK FOR BACKGROUND, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE TIME, UH, SINCE THIS TOOK PLACE.

[00:10:01]

SHE HAD ACTUALLY SPOKE TO THE COMMISSION BEFORE AND WANTED TO SHARE HER THOUGHTS ON TRANSPARENCY AND FAIRNESS, UH, WITH OUR COMMISSION.

AND, UH, BASED UPON THE EARNESTNESS OF THAT AND, UH, THE AUDIENCE WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS INVOLVED IN HER REQUEST, UH, WE AGREED TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.

WHAT THIS SPECIFIC ATTACHMENT IS, IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL'S ETHICS RECOMMENDATIONS.

THAT'S IT.

OKAY.

UH, IT'S QUITE A BIT.

UM, AND OKAY, THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE EASIER TO SEE, BUT I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THROUGH IT HERE.

UH, AND LALY CHANCE TO READ IT AS WELL.

WHEREAS AUSTIN KNIGHT'S SUPPORT, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A RESOLUTION BY THE NA AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO INCREASE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN AUSTIN BY IMPROVING AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL'S TRANSPARENCY AND FAIRNESS.

UH, THESE ARE THE STATEMENTS OF THAT COUNCIL.

UH, WE ARE EVALUATING THESE, UH, STATEMENTS AND WILL THEN THEREFORE EITHER AGREE TO THEM OR EDIT AND OR AGREE AS WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO HAVE OUR OWN SIMILAR, UH, RESOLUTION.

BUT I'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND JUMP INTO IT.

WHEREAS AUSTINITE SUPPORTS CITY TRANSPARENCY, FAIRNESS, AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, WHEREAS THE CITY HAS DEVELOPED TROUBLING AND ANTI-DEMOCRATIC PRACTICES THAT UNDERMINE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND TRUST.

AND I PAUSE THERE BECAUSE, UH, I CAN ALREADY SAY, UH, THAT I DEFINITELY DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT.

BUT AGAIN, TAKE IN EARNEST THAT THIS IS A STATEMENT FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL, WHEREAS THE COUNCIL PURPOSELY CONDUCTS ITS PUBLIC HEARINGS, INCLUDING THE TIME AND OR, AND ORDER OF TESTIMONY IN VIOLATION.

THEY CLAIM OF CITY CODE AND ITS OWN ADOPTED PROCEDURES, AND THEN THEY GO ON TO REFERENCE 25 DASH ONE DASH 51 CONDUCT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS.

WHAT I RECOGNIZE, I THINK IS GOING TO BE PRUDENT AT THIS TIME, PARTICULARLY SINCE THIS IS OCCURRING ON THE RECORD, UH, IS FOR THIS RESOLUTION, UH, TO BE EVALUATED AT THE WORKING GROUP LEVEL, AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO LEVEL SET BEFORE WE FURTHER, UH, LISTS OF STRONG STATEMENTS ON THE RECORD WITHOUT OUR CLEAR CORROBORATION.

UH, AND I SAY THAT MAINLY BECAUSE SO FAR EVERYTHING ELSE THAT I'VE READ ON THE RECORD HERE IS SOMETHING WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGE TO BE TRUE AND SOMETHING THAT I AGREE WITH, UH, IN MY ROLE AS CHAIR.

AND I DON'T WANNA BEGIN A NEW PATTERN OF PRACTICE, OF READING THINGS INTO THE RECORD THAT I KNOW ARE NOT VERIFIED.

SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, WHAT WE DO INTEND TO DO, UH, BECAUSE IT WAS THE INTENT OF THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL PRESIDENT TO SHARE THIS ON THE RECORD, IS TO SHARE IT AS A DOCUMENT, AT LEAST MY PROPOSAL, IS THAT WE SHARE IT AS A DOCUMENT FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL FOR US ALL AT, AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL TO EVALUATE.

UH, AND THAT PROCESS WILL BEGIN IN LOCKSTEP, RIGHT? SO IN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY SEEING THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE'LL ALSO BE TAKING THIS IN AND EVALUATING IT AT THE WORKING GROUP LEVEL.

SO THAT WAY WHEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT MEETING, THE THE PUBLIC HAS HAD A CHANCE TO EVALUATE THEM.

WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM AND TO CORROBORATE ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO, AND THEN TO CALL OUT THINGS THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT AGREE WITH, UH, BASED UPON, UH, THE FACT FINDING THAT WE CAN DO.

IN THE MEANTIME, THAT'S MY MOTION.

UH, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK CONCERNS.

UH, SO

[00:15:01]

THIS IS COMMISSIONER YATES HERE.

AND, UM, I WOULD SAY THAT MOST OF THE REQUESTS OF THE AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS COUNCIL RESOLUTION ARE OUTSIDE OF THE PURVIEW OF THIS COMMISSION.

UM, WE MAINLY DEAL WITH TECHNOLOGY AND THE PART OF THIS RESOLUTION THAT IS RELEVANT, UM, DEALS WITH HOW WE CAN USE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE GOVERNMENT MORE TRANSPARENT.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE COMMISSION RESOLUTION FROM LAST MEETING IN FEBRUARY WAS ABOUT TO, UH, CREATE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENCY.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS RESOLUTION WAS SUPPOSED TO COME UP FOR A VOTE TONIGHT.

I HAD SENT OUT THE REVISION WITH THE, UH, SUGGESTIONS OF COMMISSIONER APADACA AND BELIEVE THAT WE COULD DISCUSS, VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT.

OKAY.

LEMME JUST CLARIFY SOMETHING IF I COULD.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, CLARIFICATION.

COMMISSIONER YANKS, BY THE WAY, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE, UH, THE MEETING DOCUMENTS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, UH, WELL, LET ME BE MORE CLEAR.

THERE WAS A, AN ITEM SENT THAT MAY NOT HAVE MADE IT INTO THESE DOCUMENTS, THAT INCLUDES THIS DRAFT.

D D DAN, DO YOU BY A CHANCE TO KNOW IF, UH, THE DRAFT THAT COMMISSIONER YATES IS SPEAKING OF IS PART OF THESE CURRENT MEETING DOCUMENTS? UM, I'M UNSURE.

I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY CORRESPONDENCE FROM COMMISSIONER YATES, UM, SO I CAN'T CONFIRM, BUT SINCE I'M RELATIVELY NEW, I CAN SEE MYSELF BEING LEFT OUT OF THE LOOP ON THAT EMAIL.

WELL, YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, YEAH, YOU'RE OWED AN APOLOGY, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU WERE INCLUDED ON THAT EMAIL.

UH, BUT WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, UH, TO SPEED THIS UP, BECAUSE I DO HAVE IT, UH, AND I DID NOT MEAN TO LEAVE YOU IN THAT POSITION, RIGHT? I GUESS THAT WAS MY MISTAKE.

I HAD SENT THAT, UH, RESOLUTION TO JESSE AND, AND, UH, COPIED THE CHAIR ON THAT.

UH, SO NO, YOU WERE, YOU WERE JUST FINE.

COMMISSIONER YATES, YOU DID NOT MAKE ANY MISTAKE.

UH, THAT WAS NOT YOUR MISTAKE.

UH, I THINK THAT THE MISTAKE WAS MINE FOR NOT FORWARDING THIS ON TO DAN.

UH, AND, AND, AND, AND ACTUALLY, FRANKLY, UH, KNOWING THAT JESSE WAS ILL TODAY, UH, KNOWING THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE HERE, THAT WAS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY I HAD, I THINK, TO ADDRESS THAT.

SO, NO, THE MISTAKE WAS NOT YOURS.

THE MISTAKE WAS MINE.

UH, BUT WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS FORWARD THIS TO, TO DAN RIGHT QUICK AND RECENT OF THE CONVERSATION ON THIS, UH, BASIC AND STRAIGHTFORWARD, I THINK ITEM THAT DOES SPEAK TO THE PURVIEW OF OUR COMMISSION AS IT RELATES TO TRANSPARENCY, UH, AND THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE, UH, DIRECTLY THAT WE DIRECTLY ADVISE CITY COUNCIL ON, UH, NOT TO MENTION CAPABILITIES THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND POTENTIAL FOR CREATING, UH, A TOOL TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY.

SO, WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ THE RESOLUTION THAT I KNOW, UH, THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE ON TODAY.

THIS RESOLUTION INCLUDES FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMISSION.

UH, IT, IT INCLUDES EDITS FROM VICE TRPA DACA, AND IT INCLUDES, UH, PULL TOGETHER AND CONTENT ORIGINALLY DRAFT BY COMMISSIONER YATES.

THIS IS A BOARD AND COMMISSION COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA REQUEST, WHEREAS THE STATE OF GOALS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN ARE TO ENCOURAGE TRANSPARENCY AND CI AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT, WHEREAS STRATEGY NUMBER FIVE OF GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL STATES, THAT ALL STATES ENHANCED COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN CITY COUNCIL, CITY STAFF, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENHANCE TRANSPARENCY, TRUST, AND SHARED DECISION MAKING, ENSURE COLLABORATION IS STRENGTHENED BY ACCESSIBLE, TIMELY, AND ACCURATE INFORMATION SHARING.

WHEREAS STRATEGY NUMBER NINE OF GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL STATES ESTABLISHED STANDARDS FOR SECURED DATA COLLECTION, STORAGE AND SHARING WHILE LEVERAGING OPEN SOURCE TECHNOLOGIES, MOBILE READY APP, UH, MOBILE READY WEB APPLICATIONS AND PROVEN AGILE PROJECT METHODOLOGIES TO IMPROVE HOW WE MANAGE PROJECTS AND INFORMATION.

WHEREAS A TYPICAL COUNCIL AGENDA CONTAINS OVER A HUNDRED ITEMS, WHEREAS THE PUBLIC CURRENTLY LACKS THE ABILITY TO EASILY VIEW THE STATUS OF AGENDA ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED

[00:20:01]

NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED AT THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

REQUEST CITY COUNCIL TO PLACE AN AGENDA ITEM ON THE APPROPRIATE COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA TO DISCUSS THE CREATION OF AN ONLINE DATABASE OF CITY COUNCIL ACTIONS THAT IS SEARCHABLE BY KEYWORDS.

THIS DATABASE WILL INCLUDE THE COUNCIL MEETING DATE AND AGENDA ITEM NUMBER, CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NUMBER, CHANGE IN INFORMATION IMPLEMENTATION STATUS, MAJOR ACTIONS TAKEN BY CITY STAFF AND FUNDING STATUS.

THIS DATABASE SHOULD BE LINKED TO THE CITY COUNCIL VOTE TRACKING DATABASE PREVIOUSLY RECOMMENDED BY THE CTT C COUNCIL COMMITTEE.

AGENDA ITEM REQUEST 20 21 0 5 13.

A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD, UH, APOLOGIZE, UH, FOR THAT BRIEF, UH, RABBIT HOLE.

UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME, I DO WANT ALL THE COMMISSIONERS TO HAVE THAT BACKGROUND DOCUMENT.

SO IF YOU COULD FORWARD THAT TO THE COMMISSION.

WITH THAT, I MOVE THAT WE VOTE TO APPROVE THIS COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA REQUEST.

AND I'LL LOOK FOR A SECOND.

I'LL SECOND, UM, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE HIGHLIGHTING ON THE FORMAT IS REMOVED BEFORE WE ACTUALLY SUBMIT IT TO COUNCIL.

OKAY.

LEMME MAKE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME PLATES.

SO THEN THE, THE PART THAT I READ THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DELETED, IS THAT RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? NO, JUST THE FORMATTING HIGHLIGHTING REMOVED.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

UH, YES, TO BE CLEAR, UH, YEAH, THIS WILL HAVE A NICE PRETTY CITY OF AUSTIN LETTERHEAD.

UM, AND I'M CONFIDENT IT WON'T BE IN YELLOW HIGHLIGHT ON SENT TO CITY COUNCIL.

BUT WITH THAT, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY MYSELF AS CHAIR AND A SECOND BY VICE CHAIR DACA, SO WE CAN HOLD A VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THIS MOTION, THIS, UH, COUNCIL, EXCUSE ME, THIS BOARD AND COMMISSION COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEM, AGENDA ITEM REQUEST AS SUBMITTED WITHOUT THE YELLOW HIGHLIGHT, PLEASE SAY, AYE AND SHOW YOUR HAND.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY.

AND THERE'S, IS THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? UH, YEAH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND, UH, DO THAT VOTE ONE MORE TIME.

I'M SORRY, FOR THE RECORD, UH, JUST SO I CAN SEE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR PRETTY FACES AND YOUR HANDS AGAIN, EVERYONE, UH, UH, WHO APPROVES THIS AND VOTES AFFIRMATIVE, PLEASE SAY, AYE AND SHARE YOUR HAND.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? OKAY.

AND NO ONE ABSTAINING WITH THAT, THEN WE ARE APPROVING THIS REQUEST.

SEVEN AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO OPPOSED, ZERO ABSTENTIONS UNANIMOUSLY.

OKAY.

SO

[2. FY 24 Commission Budget Priorities (Commission Discussion and Action)]

SO, AS WE KNOW, UH, WE LEFT OUR LAST MEETING WITH A FEW DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED WE WANTED TO MAKE OFFICIAL BUDGET REQUESTS FOR, AND WE HAVE DRAFTS FOR A FEW OF THOSE ITEMS IN THE QUEUE.

AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THEM AND SEE IF WE CAN AGREE, UH, ABOUT THEM AND THEN APPROVE THEM TODAY TO GET THEM ON TO CITY COUNCIL.

AND IF NOT, THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

BUT WITH THAT, THEN LET'S GO AHEAD AND, AND JUMP INTO ONE YOU'VE GOT FIRST, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH FIRST.

OKAY.

SO AS EVERYONE CAN SEE ON THEIR SCREEN, UH, THERE WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.

AS WE ALL KNOW, UH, WE'VE BEEN, I THINK, PRIVILEGED TO HAVE HISTORIC FUNDING FOCUSED ON AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY, UH, BROADBAND FOR ALL AT A VARIETY OF LEVELS, UH, STATE AND FEDERAL.

WE ALSO HAVE EXISTING FUNDS THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AND CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY FUNDING AND, AND OTHER SOURCES, UH, THAT CAN BE USED FOR SIMILAR THINGS.

WELL, THAT COMBINED WITH SOME DATA, UH, THAT, WELL, LET ME PAUSE FOR A SECOND.

THAT COMBINED WITH WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF INCOME DISPARITY, UH, THAT AFFECTS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, PROBABLY MAKES IT NO SURPRISE THEN THAT WE HAVE DATA CONFIRMING A HIGH ELIGIBILITY

[00:25:01]

UM, UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IS A HIGH ENROLLMENT RATE FOR ACP.

AND, UH, THAT IS NOT WITHSTANDING, UH, THE EFFORTS OF ARTERO OFFICE, UH, OF OUR SENIOR INFORMATION, UH, SENIOR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, BREONNA GOWING, UH, AND, AND HER COLLEAGUES TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT.

I KNOW THAT SHE'S STAFFED A, A, A BUNCH OF EVENTS AND HAS BEEN PUSHING OUT TO OUR LISTSERV, WORRIED ABOUT A C P AND WORRIED ABOUT GRANTS THAT SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROMOTE ACP.

HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, WE STILL HAVE OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND FAMILIES OR HOUSEHOLDS IN AUSTIN THAT ARE NOT ENROLLED.

AND SO IT SPEAKS TO AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, IT SPEAKS TO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A MASSIVE CAMPAIGN, UH, TO PUSH THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM, UH, WORRIED ABOUT IT, UH, IN PARTICULAR TO AUDIENCES WHERE ELIGIBILITY IS CLEAR BECAUSE THEY QUALIFY FOR SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE, THEY QUALIFY FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, WIC, AND, AND SO ON.

SO WE TOOK THAT INTO ADVISEMENT IN OUR WORKING GROUP AND AGREED, UH, WITH, UH, BROAD CONSIST THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR A CAMPAIGN TO FUND AWARENESS.

AND THAT LEADS ME TO THIS DRAFT.

I'LL GIVE Y'ALL A CHANCE TO JUST KIND OF READ OVER THE INITIAL PART OF IT WHILE I PULL IT UP ON MY SCREEN SINCE I CAN'T FOLLOW ALONG EASILY, BUT GOT IT HERE.

NOW, I CAN'T FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE, THE SLIDE CONTENT.

SO THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE SO FAR, WHEREAS OUR STATED VISION IS FOR AUSTIN TO BE A BEACON OF SUSTAINABILITY, SOCIAL EQUITY, AND ECONO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY WHERE DIVERSITY AND CREATIVITY ARE CELEBRATED, WHERE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND VALUES ARE RECOGNIZED, WHERE LEADERSHIP COMES FROM AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND WHERE THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE ARE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL, WHERE IT IS THE DEFINED RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMUNITY.

TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.

CTT C ACCORDING TO OUR BYLAWS, TO ADVISE CITY COUNCIL ON COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY, TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, AND NEW SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS TO HELP REALIZE THE STATED VISION ABOVE.

WHEREAS THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM, ACP IS A FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION S E C PROGRAM THAT HELPS CONNECT FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS STRUGGLING TO AFFORD INTERNET SERVICE, WHEREAS THERE ARE EXISTING FUNDING SOURCES WHICH CAN BE USED TO PROMOTE ACP AWARENESS.

AND CLEARLY I'M NOW IN NOTE MORE, NOTE MORE, UH, NOTE MODE THERE WITH MUST NAME, UH, SOURCES AND AMOUNTS.

BUT I DID EARLIER, UH, EXAMPLES BEING, UH, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN AND, UH, CORONAVIRUS MITIGATION FUNDING, WHEREAS RECENT DATA, UH, AND I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME SOURCES, UH, WHICH WE COULD CALL ON HERE.

AND I'M HOPING THAT SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES THAT ARE ONLINE MIGHT BE ABLE TO EASILY NAME THEM FOR US, UH, BECAUSE THESE NUMBERS ARE ONES THAT I'VE HEARD THEM QUOTE.

UH, BUT THOSE SOURCES REFLECT THAT OVER 100,000.

UH, AND THERE'S A MORE EXACT NUMBER WHICH WE SHOULD HOPEFULLY INCLUDE, BUT, OR WE COULD JUST BE GENERAL, UH, EL ELIGIBLE AUSTIN AREA FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS HAVE NOT ENROLLED IN ACP, AND WE COULD ADD MORE, BUT IT GETS DOWN TO THE RECOMMENDATION.

SO IF YOU COULD SCROLL DOWN TO THAT, UH, FOR NOW.

THERE YOU GO.

NOW THEREFORE, WE RESOLVED AT THE CT TC RECOMMENDS THAT APPROPRIATE BUDGETS BE ALLOCATED TO EXECUTE A CITYWIDE MULTIMEDIA CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE THE ACP TO ALL ELIGIBLE AUSTIN AREA COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

THE C TTC FURTHER RECOMMENDS THAT THIS CAMPAIGN SHOULD FOCUS ON PROMOTING ACP TO AUDIENCES WHO CURRENTLY QUALIFY FOR SNAP MAP, WIC FREE LUNCH, AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS WHERE ACP ELIGIBILITY IS AUTOMATIC WITH QUALIFICATION.

FURTHER, THE CT CT, UH, C TTC RECOMMENDS THAT ADVERTISEMENT FOR ACP SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING OUTLETS.

UH, MEDIA ADDS TO EL MUNO, THE LARGEST SPANISH LANGUAGE PAPER IN AUSTIN.

UH, AND BY THE WAY, I WANNA THANK BRIANNA GALLING GALLING FOR PROVIDING THESE NUMBERS, UH, WITH A ONE EIGHTH PAGE COLOR AD FOR 3 75 OR A ONE FOURTH, UH, PAGE AD AT, UH, 1575.

I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SMALLER NUMBER THERE.

UH, THE AUSTIN SOUTH ASIAN, UH, APPROXIMATELY

[00:30:01]

AND CAP METRO BUS ADS ADDS HAD $500 FOR THREE QUEEN SIZE BUS ADS AND FIVE AND 50, EXCUSE ME, INTERIOR SIGNS, UH, THAT TOTAL COMES TO APPROXIMATELY $1,500.

UH, WITH THAT LOWER FIGURE, I PRESUME FOR THE EIGHTH PAGE COLOR AD ABOVE, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.

AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO, UH, WELL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A GENERAL STATEMENT ABOUT HOW, UH, THIS EFFORT HOPEFULLY WILL INCLUDE SOME MORE FLOWERY LANGUAGE TO CLOSE THIS OUT WITH, UH, WHICH I THINK IS SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR US TO DO AND ACHIEVE, BUT LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR ANY KIND OF FEEDBACK OR QUESTIONS.

UH, WE REALLY BASICALLY WANTED TO START MARKING THIS UP AND MAKING CHANGES, UH, PULLING STUFF OUT, UH, OR JUST TO PRESS PAUSE IF YOU FEEL LIKE THERE'S ANY ISSUE WITH THIS WHOLE CONCEPT, AND THEN TALK THAT OUT.

UH, YES, COMMISSIONER GARZA QUESTION.

WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF THIS CAMPAIGN? UH, GOOD QUESTION.

UH, SO I THINK WHEN, WHEN, WHEN I THINK OF LENGTH OF THE CAMPAIGN, IMMEDIATELY GO TO, UH, TWO THINGS, EITHER DURATION OR DEADLINE, RIGHT? UH, I THINK THAT WE HAVE A CURRENT DEADLINE FOR ACP ENROLLMENT THAT WE COULD USE AS A SIGNPOST MM-HMM.

, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IT'S LIKELY TO EXTEND.

SO I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE MAKE THAT BE LIKE THE DEADLINE, UH, FOR, UH, EXECUTING ALL OF OUR GOALS, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THEN IS YET TO BE DEFINED, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO HAVE, UH, BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE LAST DAY TO SIGN UP, WE SHOULD BE BASICALLY PUSHING OUT CONTENT UNTIL THAT VERY LAST DAY.

MM-HMM.

BUT ALL THAT CONTENT NEEDS TO BE READY BY A DIFFERENT DEADLINE.

UM, THAT'S MY THOUGHTS.

AND, AND IN TERMS OF, UH, OF IT ALL, I THINK I'M OPEN TO OTHER IDEAS AND, AND, AND FEEDBACK ON THAT.

BUT THO THOSE ARE MY INITIAL THOUGHTS.

ANYONE ELSE? YES, THIS IS COMMISSIONER YATES HERE, AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A LEGAL OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF RADIO STATIONS TO AIR PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

AND SO, UM, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE THE, THE BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE RADIO AND ADD IT TO ANOTHER, UH, ITEM, BUDGET ITEM ON THAT LIST THERE.

UH, BECAUSE IT COULD BE THAT, UH, YOU COULD GET THAT RADIO, UH, UH, TIME FOR FREE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.

YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT CALL OUT.

UH, I'D LIKE TO GIVE OUR COLLEAGUES FROM TARA F S D A CHANCE TO ADDRESS THAT, CONSIDERING THEY'VE DONE THIS INITIAL RESEARCH, IF THEY'RE AVAILABLE.

HELLO, CHAIR PITTS.

THIS IS KOAN.

HELLO KUAN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HI.

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING.

JUST SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION.

UM, UH, I KNOW BRIANNA IS LISTENING, BUT UNFORTUNATELY SHE'S NOT ON THE CALL, SO I'LL JUMP IN WITH SOME OF THE DETAILS.

THE DATA IS ACTUALLY BASED ON THE COUNTY.

IT'S A TRAVIS COUNTY DATA.

THERE ARE 128,482 ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS FOR A C P, OF WHICH, UM, 104,832 ARE UNENROLLED ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS.

STILL, THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE ONLY HAD 18% SIGN UP FOR ACP SO FAR.

EXCUSE ME.

CAN I, CAN I GET YOU TO HOLD ON FOR ONE SECOND.

I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND, UH, UPDATE OUR, OUR RESOLUTION WITH THAT DATA.

YES, SIR.

IF I CAN, WOULD YOU REPEAT THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN? SURE.

UM, THERE ARE 128,000 FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTY TWO ONE TWO EIGHT FOUR EIGHTY TWO ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS.

I COULDN'T FIND CHAT TO PUT THIS IN, SO I APOLOGIZE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO CHAT ON.

I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR IT.

IS THERE A WAY FOR ME TO PUT THIS SOMEWHERE FOR Y'ALL? UH, WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE NOTING IT HERE, SO WE HAVE IT.

WONDERFUL.

YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TELL US.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND OF THAT 104,832 ARE UNENROLLED ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS.

OKAY.

CAN YOU RUN THAT BY US ONE MORE TIME? ABSOLUTELY.

1 0 4 8 32 ARE UNENROLLED ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS.

SO, UH, THEN

[00:35:01]

AND OF COURSE, THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE LIONS SHARE IS IN AUSTIN BECAUSE OF THE AREAS OF NEED IN MOSTLY IN AUSTIN.

AND THE DATA, UM, WAS SHARED WITH US FROM AN FCC REPRESENTATIVE.

HOWEVER, UM, THEY CONFIRMED THAT NEITHER THE FCC NOR USAC, WHICH ACTUALLY IS A UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND, UH, IT'S A UNIVERSAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPANY OF, UH, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE FCC HAD COME UP WITH THESE NUMBERS.

HOWEVER, THERE'S A GROUP THAT COMPILED IT, THAT A FCC SHARED IT ON AN ONLINE, UM, VENUE, AND IT WAS COMPILED BY THE APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION.

AND THEY USE TWO SETS OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA, THE USACS, ACP ENROLLMENT AND CLAIMS TRACKER.

THERE'S A TRACKER THAT KEEPS TRACK OF ZIP CODES AS WELL AS COUNTIES IN UNITED STATES AND THE POVERTY DATA BY COUNTY THROUGH THE CENSUS DATA.

THAT'S HOW THIS DATA WAS COMPILED.

OKAY.

UH, CAN THIS UP UPDATE? YEAH, GREAT QUESTION.

SO THE DATA, ACP ENROLLMENT DATA IS FROM JUNE, 2022.

AND, UM, THE LATEST SHOULD BE UPDATED SOON.

IT'S JUST THAT THIS IS THE LATEST GREATEST DATA.

OKAY.

SO THE, IT'S 1 0 4 UNENROLLED AS OF JUNE, 2022.

MM-HMM.

.

OKAY.

CORRECT.

1 0 4 8 32.

YES, CORRECT.

OKAY.

SO WITH, WITH THAT, UH, INSIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

GREAT QUESTION.

UH, COMMISSIONER GARZA.

UH, SO WITH THAT THEN, I'M BASICALLY AMENDING THIS, WHEREAS STATEMENT AS FOLLOWS, WHEREAS JUNE, 2022, TRAVIS COUNTY DATA REFLECTS THAT OF 128,482 ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS.

THERE ARE 104,832 UNENROLLED HOUSEHOLDS OR FAMILIES, UH, REFLECTING ONLY 18% ENROLLMENT.

AND, UH, REFLECTING 18%, ONLY 18% ENROLLMENT BY ELIGIBLE AUSTIN AREA FAMILIES BY ELIGIBLE AUSTIN AREA, UH, FAMILY.

EXCUSE ME.

OKAY.

UH, SO, UH, WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU ASKED ABOUT TIME AND, AND, UH, AND WE SHOULD PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, PUT SOME THOUGHT INTO THAT.

UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT OUR RECOMMENDATION MAYBE DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE THAT NAILED DOWN NECESSARILY, UM, BUT WE SHOULD SPEAK TO IT IN TERMS OF GOALS FOR THE CAMPAIGN, YOU KNOW, UH, BECAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, HAVING THE BUDGET IS ONE THING IF WE DON'T RECOMMEND, OR RATHER, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE TO REALLY DO A, A TON OF HANDHOLDING, I THINK, ON THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, EAGER PARTNERS READY TO, TO RUN WITH THIS.

UM, BUT WHAT WE MAY WANNA DO IS PROVIDE A STRUCTURE, UH, IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.

UH, AND I THINK WE'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO IT.

SO THEN I GUESS THE RESOLUTION COULD THEN DO IT MORE FORMALLY.

UH, SO WE'VE GOT A, A RECOMMENDATION IN TERMS OF FUNDING.

IF THERE ARE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS WE SHOULD MAKE, THEN BASED ON THAT AND, AND, AND OUR GOALS, I HAVE A QUESTION THAT'S TIED TO THAT.

UM, AROUND THE FUNDING.

IF, IF WHOEVER'S CONTROLLING THE SCREEN GO CAN SCROLL DOWN TO THE FUNDING CONTENT 1500, IS THAT THE AMOUNT THAT TARA IS SUGGESTING? UM, CUZ THERE'S JUST SOME INCONSISTENCIES THERE.

I SEE EL MUNO ONE EIGHTH PAGE COLOR 3 75 AND IT SAYS 1575, BUT THEN IT, IT SAYS TOTAL FOR THE ENTIRE CAMPAIGN IS 1500.

YEAH.

YEAH.

UH, WHEN I, WHEN I READ THIS EARLIER, UH, I CALLED THAT OUT BECAUSE I NOTICED HOW THAT OBVIOUSLY WOULD BLOW THE BUDGET.

IT WOULD DOUBLE IT IF IT WAS TO BE THE LARGE AD.

UH, BASED ON MY QUICK MATH, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THAT APPROXIMATE TOTAL IS BASICALLY EVERYTHING EXCEPT

[00:40:01]

IS IT, THAT QUARTER PAGE IS A TYPO BECAUSE I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN GO FROM AN EIGHTH OF A PAGE TO A QUARTER OF A PAGE AND IT'D BE THAT MUCH OF AN INCREASE.

YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

UH, I, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

THAT ONE IS PROBABLY NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.

UM, RIGHT.

WELL IN ANY CASE, WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS, IS 1500 THE RIGHT NUMBER? UM, DO WE WANT TO SUGGEST MORE THAN THAT? I MEAN, TO ME, FOR A COUNTYWIDE CAMPAIGN, 1500 DOESN'T SEEM LIKE VERY MUCH, I WOULD SAY THE SAME THING WHEN YOU'LL HAVE TALKING ABOUT LIKE 82% OF HOUSEHOLDS NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A CITYWIDE INITIATIVE.

IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY LOW NUMBER.

AND MY QUESTION AROUND THE LENGTH WAS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING SO QUICKLY THAT WE ONLY HAVE TIME TO DO IT ONCE? OR CUZ THIS IS JUST GIVING YOU FIGURES, BUT IT DOESN'T SAY WE'RE GONNA GET IT EVERY WEEK.

ARE WE'RE GONNA PUT A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER HOUR OR JUST LIKE ONCE.

UH, AND SO THAT'S WHERE THAT QUESTION WAS BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT, I WONDER WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE IF WE ONLY DO A 1500 BUDGET AND ONLY DO AN ADVERTISEMENT ONCE SHARE.

UH, UH, YES.

LET ME RESPOND, PLEASE.

UH, UH, COTON I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO JUMP IN JUST TO BE CLEAR, RIGHT.

UH, THESE NUMBERS, UH, ARE DEFINITELY PRELIMINARY NUMBERS.

UH, AND THERE ARE, THERE IS AN ENUMERATION OF A CERTAIN QUANTITY OF SPOTS FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE CO-OP RADIO, FOR EXAMPLE.

UH, BUT I'D LIKE TO GIVE, UH, COTANA A CHANCE CAUSE SHE MIGHT HAVE ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS, UH, FROM, UH, BRIANNA'S RESEARCH ON THIS.

UH, BUT, UH, SO KOTTON, PLEASE FREE TO JUMP IN NOW.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO, UH, BRIANNA'S GONNA TRY TO JUMP ON THE CALL SO THAT SHE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS DIRECTLY.

SHE'S ACTUALLY WATCHING ONLINE.

UM, SO SHE'S GONNA TRY AND I THINK SHE CAN GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION.

SHE WAS TEXTING THAT THESE AD RATES ARE OLD OKAY.

AND THAT SHE CAN DO MORE RESEARCH TO FIND THE EXACT AMOUNT.

AND ON THE TIMETABLE, I JUST WANTED TO LET THE COMMISSION KNOW THAT FROM THE CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING, THERE IS NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN WRITTEN DOWN, BUT FROM THE CONVERSATIONS WITH VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES, STATE AGENCIES, PRACTITIONERS, IT SEEMS THAT A CCP WILL BE RECONSIDERED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND OR SUSTAINED FUNDING AND OR RUN OUT OF FUNDING IN 18 MONTHS.

THAT'S THE BEST ESTIMATE.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT MAYBE FALL OF 2024 ISH, I WOULD THINK SOME, AND WHICH IS OUR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF, UM, WHAT THE WORD IS AROUND THAT.

BUT BRIANNA SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUMP ON SOON.

BUT THAT'S HELPFUL THOUGH, BECAUSE WHAT WE KNOW BASED ON THAT IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE, YOU KNOW, 18 MONTHS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT GIVES US TO, WELL, WE HAVE 18 MONTHS TO TRY TO RE REACH MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT, RIGHT.

AS A GOAL.

UH, AND SO THAT GIVES US X A NUMBER OF MONTHS TO PLAN A CAMPAIGN.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE FOLLOWING, EVEN IF WE WERE, WERE TO TAKE A QUARTER TO DO IT, WE'D HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AND A QUARTER TO THEN PUSH IT OUT.

UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THAT LONG, UH, TO DO THIS KIND OF CAMPAIGN.

YOU KNOW, I, I FIGURED, I FEEL AS THOUGH IT SHOULD TAKE US A MONTH MAX TO GET THE, THE CONTENT TOGETHER AND THEN BASICALLY JUST TO START PUSHING IT OUT, UH, IS MY THOUGHT.

UM, BUT WE DO NEED TO HAVE BETTER UNDERSTANDING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT BUDGET ENTAILS AND WHAT THAT MEANS.

CAN CAN I JUST ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION TO CLICK ON PLEASE? SO DID, DID I HEAR YOU SAY THAT IN 2024, ACP FUNDING WILL, WILL IS SCHEDULED TO RUN OUT.

SO INDIVIDUALS ENJOYING THAT BENEFIT NOW WILL NO LONGER HAVE AFTER THAT PERIOD? UH, WE DON'T KNOW.

UH, THERE IS NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN FORMALLY COMMUNICATED THAT'S JUST, UM, AS WE'RE THINKING THROUGH ACP AND POSSIBLE SUSTAINABILITY MODELS FOR ACP, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING, UM, FROM FCC AND OTHERS.

SO I CAN'T ANSWER THAT DIRECTLY.

WE DON'T KNOW EITHER IT WILL BE EXTENDED OR IT WILL, UM, BE, UM, ELIMINATED SO THAT ANOTHER, I THINK THE REASON THAT THEY'RE TELLING US THAT THERE'S A TIMELINE OR A POSSIBLE TIMELINE IS SO THAT WE CAN GET THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FOLKS SIGNED UP WHO QUALIFY FOR IT, AND IT COULD BENEFIT FROM IT SO THAT THE CASE COULD BE MADE THAT THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT IS BEING USED BY FOLKS

[00:45:01]

SO THAT POSSIBLY COULD CONTINUE WITH THE FUNDING.

YEAH, THAT WAS GONNA BE MY QUESTION TOO.

BASICALLY LIKE EVERY MONTH THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING THIS OUT, THERE IS ONE MORE MONTH THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT ENROLLING, THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BENEFIT FROM IF THERE IS A DEADLINE FOR THAT TO END.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

AND THAT'S WHY I, I'VE GOT A SENSE OF URGENCY.

I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S ON THE AGENDA.

I KNOW THAT, UM, WHAT UNDERLIES THIS AND, AND, AND WHEN I HEARD THE STATEMENT BY COTAN, I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THE QUESTION VICE CHAIR, BECAUSE YEAH.

EITHER IT'S GONNA BE EXTENDED SUNSET, UH, RIGHT.

EITHER, EITHER IT'S GOING TO BE EXTENDED AND REFUNDED.

YES.

OR IT'S GONNA BE SUNSET, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE TWO.

AND, UM, TO THE POINT THAT WAS JUST MADE, THE MORE ENROLLMENT WE HAVE, THEN THE HARDER IT IS, I THINK, TO SUNSET, UH, RIGHT.

UM, AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS APPROPRIATELY BECAUSE WE ARE CLEARLY JUST ACTING AS A CONDUIT TO A FEDERAL PROGRAM THAT WE DON'T FUND.

UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE EVENT THAT SOMETHING HAPPENS AND WE DEMONSTRATE THE NEED, THEN MAYBE WE CAN JUSTIFY FUNDING IT AS A COMMUNITY AS WELL.

RIGHT.

UM, BUT GETTING TO THAT INVOLVEMENT SPACE, I THINK IS KEY.

UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.

UM, BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UM, ABOUT THE, UM, ABOUT BEING ABLE TO TARGET THE, THE POPULATION KNOWING THE BEST MEDIA OPTIONS.

LIKE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN, I MEAN, TO ME, THESE LOOK REALLY ALMOST GENERAL AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE KNOW IF THESE PARTICULAR OUTLETS, UM, ARE, ARE GOING TO HIT THE TARGETED POPULATION THAT NEEDS TO, YOU KNOW, THAT NEEDS TO GET THE MESSAGE.

RIGHT.

RIGHT.

UH, I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.

I KNOW WHEN I, WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS LIST AND, AND I, AND AGAIN, I, I THANK BRIANNA FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

UH, WHEN I STARTED LOOKING AT THE LIST, UH, OF COURSE I REMEMBERED OUR CONVERSATION IN THE WORKING GROUP, UH, AND HOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CAP METRO AND A VISION WHERE WE SEE THESE UP ON THE BUSES.

WE, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, NPR AND, AND, YOU KNOW, HEARING IT ON THE RADIO.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALSO, AS IS LISTED A VARIETY OF OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC FOCUSED OUTLETS, UH, WHICH INCLUDE AFFECTED POPULATIONS.

UH, RIGHT.

I MEAN, THERE'S, IN ADDITION TO ONES LISTED, I I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PUBLICATIONS FOCUSED ON SENIORS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WHERE THAT WOULD ALSO, UH, HELP TO FOCUS ON, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, A SUBSET OF THE POPULATION THAT IS DIRECTLY IMPACTED, YOU KNOW, UH, SO I, I THINK THAT EFFORT CAN CERTAINLY BE PUT INTO, YOU KNOW, THE STRATEGY FOR OUTREACH AND, AND A LOT OF THE FACT THAT BRIANNA WANTS TO GET UPDATED INFORMATION ANYWAY, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY, I THINK, TO TAKE THIS NOW AT THIS DRAFT PHASE AND BASICALLY START THINKING ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS WE KNOW WE MIGHT NEED TO TRY TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT OR DIFFERENT OUTLETS, UH, AND THEN TO, YOU KNOW, START TO COMPILING, UH, COMPILING A LIST THAT WE WANT BRIANNA TO RESEARCH, UH, TO ADD TO THAT.

UM, AND TO, TO QUANTIFY THE BUDGET BASED UPON ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE KNOW WE WANNA TRY TO HAVE OUTREACH.

UH, YES, COMMISSIONER, UH, GARZA, I DON'T REMEMBER FROM EARLIER ON THE DOCUMENT, BUT DOES IT TALK A LOT AT ALL ABOUT, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CAPACITY IS FOR TARA, UM, AROUND TRAIN TO TRAINER MODELS, WHETHER THERE IS SOME SOMEBODY ON STAFF, STAFF THAT IS ALREADY RE PREPARED TO TRAIN FOLKS WHO WORK WITH OUR TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW TO GET THEM ENROLLED.

LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, US AND WHEN SOMEBODY KNOW OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO CASE MANAGEMENT AND ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT WITH CLIENTS WHERE LIKE WE, FOR EXAMPLE, ALREADY HELP OUR CLIENTS APPLY FOR WIC, APPLY FOR OTHER BENEFITS THAT THEY MIGHT BE, UM, ELIGIBLE FOR.

SO IT'S JUST EASIER FOR US TO LIKE, HAVE ONE PERSON THAT COMES, TALKS TO FOLKS WHO WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE CLIENTS AND TEACH THEM HOW TO DO IT, ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS, WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THEM, UH, AND THEN DO THAT WITH LIKE, THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY LIKE NONPROFIT PARTNERS IN THE CITY THAT, UH, THAT DO THAT BECAUSE IT IS HARD TO, IF YOU'RE ALREADY IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU DO NOT HAVE INTERNET, YOU ALREADY ARE NOT RECEIVING BENEFITS, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF MISTRUST OF ADVERTISEMENTS AND OF SAYING, OH, WE'RE GONNA GET YOU THIS THING, BUT ALSO WE CAN TAKE IT AWAY IN A YEAR.

AND SO I DO THINK THAT HAVING TRUSTED

[00:50:01]

AND FOR THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TYPE OF, WHETHER IT'S A TRAIN TO TRAIN MODEL OR JUST ACCESS TO A POINT PERSON WITHIN TARA THAT CAN HELP, UM, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS PUT THAT TOGETHER.

YEAH.

YEAH.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UH, I, THANKFULLY, UM, I'LL SAY THAT WE DO HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE ALREADY.

I'D LIKE TO GIVE, UH, OUR COLLEAGUES FROM, FROM TARA A CHANCE TO, TO SPEAK TO THAT.

I KNOW THAT, UH, WE'VE GOT A VARIETY, UH, YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER WITH, UH, THE FUNDING OF, UH, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE DEDICATED FUNDING FOR TRAINING THE TRAINER RELATED TO ACP.

UH, BUT I'D LIKE TO GIVE, UH, OUR FOLKS THE CITY A CHANCE TO RESPOND.

UH, I THINK BRIANNA IS ON, I'M GOING TO ASK BRIANNA TO SPEAK AND THEN I CAN FOLLOW UP.

YES.

I HAVE BEEN TRAINED, THE, UM, ACTUALLY THE FCC OUTREACH OFFICE HAS GOT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WILL DO TRAIN THE TRAINER.

SO I TOOK THE CLASS ALONG ONLINE ALONG WITH THE TRAVIS COUNTY OUTREACH TEAM.

AUSTIN FRIEDAN ALSO SCHEDULED A CLASS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN TRAINED, I BELIEVE, GOODWILL AND THERE'S SOME OTHERS.

SO AT THIS POINT, I THINK IT'S SAFER TO HAVE SOMEONE FROM THE FCC DO THE ONE HOUR TRAIN THE TRAINER VERSUS ME.

BUT I CAN DEFINITELY SIGN PEOPLE UP AND I'M REGISTERED AND I HAVE MY NUMBER AND, UM, CAN TAKE PEOPLE THROUGH THE APPLICATION AS WELL AS OTHERS.

THANK YOU.

UH, THANK YOU.

SO WE'VE GOT SOME RESOURCES DEDICATED TO TOWARDS IT.

DOES THAT HELP? TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I KNOW THAT, UH, WHEN I LOOK AT IT FROM A STANDPOINT OF THIS CAMPAIGN, UH, AND MAYBE THIS IS WHERE YOUR QUESTION LEADS, UH, YOU KNOW, WOULD IT BE USEFUL TO INCLUDE BUDGET FOR TRAIN THE TRAINER PERHAPS IN THIS RECOMMENDATION? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NECESSARY.