Mar 13, 2023 Animal Advisory Commission

LET'S GO TO THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL.

WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

SO THAT IS MY CALL TO ORDER.

WE FIRST GO TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL, UH, I'M SORRY, MAN.

SO, UH, COMMISSIONER LARRY TUCKER IS COMING BACK TO THE COMMISSION.

UM, HE HAS SERVED ON THE COMMISSION FOR MANY YEARS AND THEN TOOK A HIATUS, UM, FOR HIS MENTAL HEALTH, I THINK.

UH, BUT COMMISSIONER TUCKER IS BACK.

COMMISSIONER TUCKER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF? HI, EVERYBODY, I'M LARRY TUCKER.

I'M HAPPY TO BE BACK.

UM, UH, I, UNFORTUNATELY I HAD, UH, I REPLACED CRAIG NAZER, WHO I, UH, RESPECT AND HAVE A, A LOT OF ADMIRATION FOR.

SO, UM, I'M GLAD TO BE BACK ON.

YEAH, I TOOK A LITTLE LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND I'VE REPRESENTED MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE 12 YEARS.

I WAS ON THE COMMISSION BEFORE, INCLUDING, UH, JUDGE ECKHART, JUDGE BROWN, MARGARET GOMEZ, UH, LAURA MORRISON, UH, JUST ABOUT, I THINK I COUNTED ABOUT NINE DIFFERENT, UH, PEOPLE.

SO, UH, I WAS CHAIR FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS WE WROTE THE NO-KILL PLAN, UH, TOGETHER WITH STAFF.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST DIRECTIVES THAT, THAT, UH, COUNCIL MADE WHERE STAFF WAS DIRECTED TO WORK WITH THE COMMISSION.

IT WAS, IT WAS THE FIRST EVER THAT WE KNOW OF, AND THAT LED TO THE NO-KILL CREATION AND, UH, THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

AND, AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING BACK ON.

WELCOME, LARRY.

AND I APOLOGIZE FOR, FOR MISSING YOU.

THAT'S RIGHT.

ALTHOUGH WE DID MISS YOU.

UM, SO

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, IT LOOKS LIKE GENERAL, UH, COMMUNICATION.

UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THESE ARE PRESENT OR AT HOME.

I GUESS IT SAYS SO IN HERE.

SO THE FIRST ONE IS .

HI.

I GOT IT.

ONE OF THEM REQUIRING MEDICAL ATTENTION.

HI.

UM, I CAME LAST MONTH TO TALK ABOUT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM AND THE DANGERS THAT IT GENERALLY POSES ON ITS ANIMALS AND ITS VISITORS.

AND I WANTED TO COME BACK AGAIN BECAUSE I WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE SPECIFIC HARM THAT THIS AQUARIUM IMPOSES ON ITS VISITORS WHO ARE OFTEN CHILDREN.

SO, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, AUSTIN AQUARIUM IS A BIT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS BECAUSE IT PROMOTES ITSELF AS BEING AN INTERACTIVE AQUARIUM.

IT ENCOURAGES AND ALLOWS VISITORS OF ANY AGE TO TOUCH PETS AND FEED ANIMALS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

AND THAT SOUNDS FINE, BUT THE BIGGEST ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT WHEN THESE INTERACTIONS HAPPEN, THERE'S LITTLE TO NO SUPERVISION OCCURRING.

SO WHEN THERE'S NO SUPERVISION HAPPENING AND KIDS TOUCH, PROD AND FEED THESE ANIMALS, OBVIOUSLY THESE CHILDREN ARE INEVITABLY HARMED INADVERTENTLY.

AND THE RESULTS OF THIS LACK OR NO SUPERVISION IS PRETTY CLEAR.

WHEN I WENT THERE MYSELF, I SAW THREE KIDS GET SCRATCHED BY THREE DIFFERENT BIRDS OVER JUST ONE AND A HALF HOURS.

BUT OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO'S SEEN THAT.

AND UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION CAME OUT LAST YEAR, AND IT SHOWED THAT OVER TWO MONTHS, 12 VISITORS WERE BITTEN OR SCRATCHED BY KINKA JEWS AND A LEMUR WITH SOME AS YOUNG AS SEVEN YEARS OLD, A FAMILY SUED THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM AFTER THEIR DAUGHTER WAS BITTEN BY AN UNVACCINATED LEMUR.

AND THE U S D A CITED THE AQUARIUM FOR VIOLATING THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT.

AFTER TWO YOUNG BOYS, ONE BEING 10 YEARS OLD, WERE BITTEN BY BOTH A LEMUR AND A KINK JEW WITH

[00:05:01]

AFTER A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO WAS WEARING A COCHLEAR IMPLANT WAS BITTEN BY A LEMUR, THE RESPONSE OF THE OWNER OF THE AQUARIUM WAS TO TELL HIS EMPLOYEES TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THOSE WHO WEAR COCHLEAR IMPLANTS AND NOT ALLOW THEM TO GO NEAR LEMURS.

THIS IS JUST A FEW OF THE MANY INCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED REGARDING CHILDREN AND ANIMAL ATTACKS AT THE AQUARIUM.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NO REAL QUESTION THAT KIDS ARE HARMED AS A RESULT OF THIS SPECIFIC POLICY.

WHAT WAS INTERESTING TO ME, THOUGH, IS I WENT TO THE AQUARIUM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AND I SPOKE TO PEOPLE, UM, WALKING INTO THE AQUARIUM WITH FAMILIES, WITH YOUNG CHILDREN, AND I NOTICED THAT SO MANY OF THEM HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS HARM IS HAPPENING DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

AND WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THIS, THEY DIDN'T WANNA GO INSIDE AND THEY DID NOT WANNA TAKE THEIR KIDS INSIDE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

BUT THE ISSUE IS HERE THAT AS LONG AS THIS POLICY EXISTS THAT ENCOURAGES VISITORS TO TOUCH THESE ANIMALS WITH NO SUPERVISION, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE AT LEAST ONE FAMILY WITH A KID WHO GETS BITTEN, SCRATCHED, OR ATTACKED WHEN THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT WOOD OR EVEN COULD HAPPEN FOR THIS REASON, UM, I'M ASKING IF THIS COMMISSION CAN EXERCISE JURISDICTION OVER ANIMAL ANIMAL WELFARE POLICIES IN THE CITY TO INVESTIGATE THIS SPECIFIC POLICY AT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM TO SEE IF IT SHOULD EVEN EXIST ANY LONGER BECAUSE OF THE HARM THAT IT'S CONSTANTLY IMPOSING ON ITS VISITORS WHO ARE OFTEN CHILDREN.

THANKS.

OUR NEXT, UM, SPEAKER IS KATIE FRICK TURNER, AND I BELIEVE SHE'S REMOTE.

HI, CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? YES.

OH, FANTASTIC.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS KATIE FRICK TURNER, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO, UM, GIVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT.

I I REALLY ONLY HAVE TWO THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE.

UM, AND I WANTED TO START OFF BY COMMENDING THE LEADERSHIP OF THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, SPECIFICALLY DON BLAND, IN REGARDS TO MAKING DUE WITH ALL OF THIS SPACE THAT HE HAS AVAILABLE TO HIM AT THE CENTER CURRENTLY.

I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S, UM, MEDIUM OF LARGE DOGS THAT ARE, ARE TEMPORARILY RESIDING IN CRESON ON THE TRUCK PORCH.

AND I HAVE TO COMMEND HIM BECAUSE WHILE OTHER CITIES MIGHT NOT MAKE USE OF EVERY SINGLE, YOU KNOW, SQUARE FOOT, THEY HAVE AVAILABLE, THAT IS BEING DONE HERE.

AND IT'S REALLY A WAY FOR THESE DOGS TO HAVE KIND OF A, A TEMPORARY BRIDGE TO THEIR PERMANENT HOME.

SO I HAVE TO SAY THAT, UM, I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC THAT HE'S DOING THAT.

AND THEN IN REGARDS TO MY, MY TWO SUGGESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT IF THE, UM, ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION COULD PLEASE REESTABLISH A WORKING GROUP TO TAKE A LOOK AT PRACTICES BY LANDLORDS IN AUSTIN IN REGARDS TO PET RENT AND WHICH BREEDS ARE ALLOWED.

I KNOW YOU ALL HAD A WORKING GROUP THAT I BELIEVE ROBERT RAN MAYBE EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AGO.

I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT, SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES MIGHT STILL EXIST.

AND TRYING TO PUT SOME GOOD MINDS SUCH AS YOURSELF AROUND THAT ISSUE COULD POSSIBLY HELP WITH, UM, INCREASING THE ADOPTIONS OF MEETING A LARGE DOG.

AND THEN MY SECOND SUGGESTION THAT I WANTED TO MAKE WAS, UM, IF YOU COULD PLEASE CREATE A WORKING GROUP TO TAKE A LOOK AT FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES LIKE THE AQUARIUM THAT WAS DISCUSSED IN A PREVIOUS MEETING AND DISCUSSED WITH AN EARLIER CALLER TONIGHT.

AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES LIKE THE AQUARIUM, AND IF THERE'S ANY, UM, ANY, UM, VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL, UH, STATE OR LOCAL LAWS THAT YOU ALL CAN, UM, SHED SOME LIGHT ON.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

I APPRECIATE IT.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EILEEN MCFALL.

SHE'S ALSO REMOTE.

DO WE HAVE MS. MCFALL? WE CAN LOOP BACK, UH, AFTER WE HAVE ONE MORE, UH, TWO MORE DOING GENERAL PUBLIC.

SO LET'S, LET'S GO TO THEM AND THEN WE'LL CHECK IN AND SEE IF MS. MCFALL HAS RETURNED.

UH, HANNAH C. BRANCH.

[00:10:09]

YES, I'M HERE.

UM, SO I'M GONNA BE SPEAKING ABOUT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND MY CONCERNS ON WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE AND THE DOGS THAT THEY'RE CHOOSING TO EUTHANIZE.

UM, SO I'M CURRENTLY FOSTERING THREE DOGS, UM, WHO ARE TO BE KILLED BY AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.

UM, ALL OF THEM HAVE THEIR FEARS AND THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, BUT IT'S NOTHING THAT I FOUND THAT CAN'T BE HANDLED OR PREVENTED.

UM, FOR EXAMPLE, TWO OF THEM ARE AFRAID OF NEW PEOPLE JUST HAVE, YOU KNOW, STRANGER DANGER.

UM, AND THEN ONE OF THEM HAS A FEAR OF, UM, BEING KENNELED.

UM, BOTH OF WHICH COULD JUST SIMPLY BE SOLVED, UM, WITHIN A DOCTOR THAT HAS A SAFE ROOM OR SPACE FOR THEM TO GO IN.

UM, AND ALSO PROBABLY TRAINING.

UM, I'M FULLY AWARE THAT THERE ARE DOGS THAT MAY NEED TO BE EUTHANIZED, BUT I HAVE MET FIVE SO FAR THAT HAVE SHOWN THAT THEY'RE FULLY CAPABLE OF BEING IN A HOME, UM, TWO OF WHICH ARE ALREADY ADOPTED AND THRIVING WITH THEIR DOG SIBLINGS AND TWO, HAVE ADOPTION PENDING.

UM, SO THEY'RE PUTTING THESE DOGS AND THE 600 BUILDINGS AS THEY, AS THEY CALLED IT, THEY CALL IT, UM, THEY DON'T ENGAGE WITH THEM.

MOST AREN'T LET OUT OF THEIR KENNELS EVER.

UM, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A REAL TRAINING TEAM THERE THAT CAN TRY TO, YOU KNOW, HELP TRAIN THEM AND ASSESS THEM ACCURATELY, UM, AND IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND SEE IF THERE IS A, A, A SOLUTION FOR THEM.

UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS.

UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT EVEN GIVING THEM A CHANCE.

SO NOW I MORE SPECIFICALLY WANNA TALK ABOUT A FOSTER THAT WE SAVED ON FRIDAY FROM THERE.

UM, HER NAME'S MARY.

SO SHE'S A PIT BULL.

UM, SHE'S HEALTHY, SHE'S FIT, AND SHE ACTUALLY KNOWS COMMANDS FLAWLESSLY.

UM, SHE KNOWS SIT, LAY DOWN, STAY TALL.

UM, AND SHE WAS NOTED BY ANIMAL PATROL TO BE SWEET AND FRIENDLY TO HUMANS, ALL HUMANS, UM, EASY TO HANDLE.

HER ONLY PROBLEM WAS BEING KENNELED.

UM, SO WHEN WE PICKED HER UP, UH, SHE SMELLED LIKE URINE AND FECES, AND SHE HAD VISIBLE FECES AND STAINS ON HER.

UM, SHE WAS NOT WALKED OR LET OUT OF HER KENNEL SINCE JANUARY 20TH.

THAT'S ALMOST 50 DAYS.

UM, AND THEN 30 MINUTES INTO OUR CAR RIDE, SHE WAS WIGGLING.

SHE WAS GIVING ME KISSES.

UM, AND THE HOME, SINCE WE'VE HAD HER OVER THE WEEKEND, SHE'S SHOWN THAT SHE'S SMART, SHE'S EAGER TO LEARN MORE, AND THAT SHE JUST WANTS TO PLAY.

UM, SHE'S ALSO DOG FRIENDLY.

UM, SO THESE ARE THE STANDARDS THAT THE LARGEST NO-KILL SHELTER IN THE UNITED STATES IS ABIDING BY.

UM, SHE'S NOT THE ONLY DOG THAT'S LEFT IN HER OWN FECES IN URINE.

UM, SHE'S NOT THE ONLY SMART AND FRIENDLY DOG THAT'S ON THE KILL LIST.

UM, THIS IS ANIMAL CRUELTY AND THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT.

AND THE SOONER OR LATER THIS'S GONNA COME OUT TO THE MASS PUBLIC, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE SPEAKING TO MORE THAN JUST A FEW PEOPLE HERE.

UM, AND THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO, UM, YOU ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ABLE TO MAKE THE CHANGE.

AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO TRY BEFORE THINGS BECOME IRREPARABLE.

UM, PAT VERE CHAIR? YES, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CALLER.

THE LAST CALLER.

I DON'T, UHHUH .

SH I THINK YOU CAN ASK A FOLLOW QUESTION.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.

I CAN HEAR YOU.

UM, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THAT DOG WAS AT APA? UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS DECEMBER AND SHE, UH, SHE WAS TRANSFERRED TO AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.

UM, SHE WAS TRANSFERRED TO AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER FROM THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY.

BUT THEN WHEN DID SHE GO TO APA? UH, I'M NOT SURE.

SHE'S BEEN AT, SHE WAS AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.

WE PICKED HER UP FROM AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.

YEAH, SHE WAS, SHE WENT TO APA IN THAT TIME, SO.

GOT IT.

SO SHE HASN'T BEEN AT THE, THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER THAT WHOLE TIME.

I THINK WE'RE PAST FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.

SO, UM, UH, PAT VIL, CHAZ.

AM HERE TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE NEED FOR A WORKING GROUP ON ANIMAL CRUELTY.

UM, THANK YOU VICE CHAIR CLINTON AND COMMISSIONERS.

UH, THANK YOU FOR, TO THE OUTGOING MEMBERS FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ARE REMAINING ALSO.

WELCOME BACK, COMMISSIONER , UM, AND WELCOME COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON.

I HOPE I GOT YOUR NAME RIGHT.

UM, I

[00:15:01]

I PROBABLY WOULD BE SPEAKING TO THAT ISSUE ANYWAY AT THIS TIME.

UH, AS SOME OF YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK ON THE SPAY NEUTER WORKING GROUP AND THE SPAY NEUTER WORKING GROUP HAD PRESENTED RECOMMENDATIONS LAST MONTH.

UH, I DON'T THINK THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GONNA BE DISCUSSED THIS MONTH.

I THINK IT'S, UM, JUST GONNA BE A, A REPORT.

THERE'S NO, UH, ACTION THIS MONTH.

AND, BUT HOPEFULLY NEXT MONTH, THE SPAIN ORDER WORKING GROUP WILL BE TAKING ACTION AND WILL CONTINUE ON THROUGH OTHER EFFORTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE BUDGET, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE TO DO WITH THE BUDGET.

I THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR ANOTHER WORKING GROUP, AND THAT IS THE, A WORKING GROUP ON ANIMAL CRUELTY.

AND I THINK THE AQUARIUM ISSUE THAT YOU'RE GONNA DISCUSS TODAY WOULD FIT UNDER THAT WORKING GROUP.

CUZ I KNOW THERE ARE SOME DIFFICULTIES IN TRYING TO DO SOMETHING AT A FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT I OFTEN GET CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE AT PETCO OR PETLAND.

I'M NOT, NOT PETLAND PETCO OR PETS.

SMART PETLAND WAS SHUT DOWN A FEW YEARS AGO THANKS TO THE WORK OF THIS COMMISSION.

SO, UM, SOMETIMES THERE'S REPTILES OR BIRDS OR OTHER ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, PETSMART AND PETCO DON'T SELL CATS OR DOGS, BUT THEY DO HAVE OTHER ANIMALS THERE.

AND PEOPLE WILL CALL AND SAY THERE'S NO WATER, THERE'S NO, UM, THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE THEY'RE BEING VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF.

RECENTLY, THERE WAS A BIG ISSUE WITH THE AUSTIN ZOO.

THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM, UM, COMMISSIONER TUCKER, YOU WORKED ON THE DEER ISSUE.

I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THAT WAS WHAT RESULTED IN LAKEWAY HAVING THE MORATORIUM OR IF THE COMMISSION WAS HELPFUL IN ANY WAY.

BUT LAKEWAY NOW HAS A, A MORATORIUM ON, ON THIS HORRIBLE PRACTICES THEY WERE DOING TOWARDS DEER.

WE HAD A ELEPHANT ORDINANCE, ACTUALLY A, A BULL HOOK BAN ORDINANCE THAT GOT PASSED.

AND ALL OF THOSE ISSUES WERE CRUELTY ISSUES.

AND RATHER THAN TAKING THEM ONE AT A TIME, SPECIES BY SPECIES, IF THERE COULD BE A, A, A WORKING GROUP ON ANIMAL CRUELTY THAT LOOKS AT, YOU KNOW, CAN ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS, UM, DO MORE, CAN, CAN WE GET AN ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICER SPECIFICALLY TO DO SOME OF THESE BUSINESS TO INSPECT SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES? UM, IS IS THERE A NEED FOR LIKE A HALFTIME VETERINARIAN THAT MAYBE WORKS ON SOME OF THOSE ISSUES? SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS INSTEAD OF PIECEMEAL ISSUE BY ISSUE OF THIS CRUEL TYPE OF CRUELTY AND THAT TYPE OF CRUELTY, IF THERE COULD BE A WORKING GROUP ON THAT.

UM, MY OTHER ONE IS A, A PROCEDURAL REQUEST, AND THAT IS THAT WHEN MEMBERS ABSTAIN, I WOULD APPRECIATE IF THEY WOULD SAY WHILE THEY'RE ABSTAINING, UH, SOMETIMES THERE'S A, A VOTE THAT GOES DOWN AND, AND A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES ARE ABSTENTIONS.

AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHY PEOPLE ARE ABSTAINING.

SO I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

DOG GOT INTO THE YARD OF ONE OF OUR RESCUES ADOPTERS.

AND THEN DO WE HAVE, UM, MS. MCFALL, HAS SHE CHIMED IN? YES.

PAT, YOU'RE NEXT ALSO, IF YOU WANNA STAY UP, DO ITEMS. OH, YOU DOING ITEMS? BUT MISS MCFALL, IF SHE'S AVAILABLE.

HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, MY NAME IS EILEEN MCFALL.

I'M THE FOUNDER OF FINAL FRONTIER RESCUE PROJECT, AND I CAN ACTUALLY ASK, ANSWER THE EARLIER QUESTION ABOUT MARY.

UM, BUT I AM HERE AGAIN BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT MISMANAGEMENT OF AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER UNDER DON BLAND IS THE GREATEST THREAT TO COMPANION ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY AREA.

I ALSO BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE TO ACT ON THAT AND ALSO ACHIEVE COMMON OBJECTIVES LIKE INCREASING ACCESS TO SPAY AND NEUTER.

WITHOUT THAT ACCESS, THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS IMPOUNDED INTACT AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER HAS RISEN TO 80%, AND THE PERCENT RELEASED INTACT IS ALSO ON THE RISE.

HIGH VOLUME, LOW COST SPAY AND NEUTER IS ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE NO-KILL EQUATION.

AND I URGE YOU TO, UM, REVISIT AND ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF YOUR OWN SPAY NEUTER WORKING GROUP AS A VERY MODEST FIRST STEP IN PROVIDING ACCESS TO LOW COST BAY AND NEUTER SERVICES.

NOW, AS I SAID, I BELIEVE DON BLAND'S MISMANAGEMENT OF ANIMAL SERVICES IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE.

AND I'M ASKING YOU TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR NO CONFIDENCE VOTE OF LAST SUMMER AND ADVOCATE FOR DON BLAND TO BE REPLACED AS CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER, THINGS CONTINUE TO GO FROM BAD TO WORSE, AND THE IMPACT IS GREATEST IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT CAN LEAST AFFORD IT.

I WAS IN DEL VALLEY LAST NIGHT AFTER A LOOSE

[00:20:01]

THERE WAS A FIGHT BETWEEN THAT DOG AND HIS DOGS, AND HE WAS INJURED.

THAT DOG IS NOW AT AAC.

UM, BUT OUR ADOPT TOLD ME THAT WHEN PEOPLE CALL ABOUT LOOSE DOGS IN DEL VALLEY, THREE 11 OPERATORS ASK IF THE DOG IS ACTING AGGRESSIVE.

AND IF THE CALLER SAYS YES, THEY'RE ASKED IF THE DOG HAS BITTEN ANYONE.

IF THEY SAY THE DOG HAS NOT BITTEN, THEY'RE TOLD NO ONE WILL COME OUT.

AND TO CALL BACK IF THE DOG BITES SOMEONE, UM, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER UNDER DON'S BLAND IS IN A PERPETUAL STATE OF CRISIS.

BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY DOGS OR TOO FEW HOMES.

INTAKE IS STILL DOWN AND ADOPTIONS, RTOS AND RESCUES ARE DOWN BECAUSE DON'S LAND AND HIS TEAM DO NOT KNOW HOW TO RUN AN EFFECTIVE NO-KILL ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

I'M ASKING YOU TO FOLLOW UP AND ADVOCATE FOR DON BLAND TO BE REPLACED AND FOR HIS HANDPICKED MANAGEMENT TEAM TO BE REPLACED BY TRUE NO-KILL LEADERSHIP AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.

UM, ACTUALLY WAS WRONG ON THE ORDER, SO WE'RE GONNA GO IN THE ORDER OF THE NUMBERS.

SO ONCE ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS CRAIG NAZER.

HELLO.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY WHAT A PLEASURE I'VE HAD SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION WITH YOU GUYS.

IT WAS DURING VERY CHALLENGING TIMES, BUT I THINK WE STILL GOT A LOT DONE FOR THE ANIMALS FOA.

UH, ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, I IF YOU'VE READ THE BACKUP IS, UH, A RECOMMENDATION IN THE FORM OF A RESOLUTION TO GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO HIRE A FULL-TIME TROP NEUROLOGIST FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY HAS AGREED TO PUT THIS PERSON IN THE UTILITY.

ALL OF THESE SERVE AREAS BEYOND THAT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD REASONS FOR THAT.

THEY'RE ALL IN THE RESOLUTION, BUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT I THINK, IS WE PASSED A SERIES OF FIVE, I THINK FIVE OR SIX RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE SENT 'EM TO THE CI CITY COUNCIL LAST FALL.

AND A LOT OF THESE WERE PRETTY EASY AND PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD, I THOUGHT.

AND NONE OF THEM WERE DONE.

AND IT JUST FELL BETWEEN THE CRACKS.

AND THIS IS, UH, YOU, WE HAD AN ELECTION, WE HAD NEW PEOPLE COME IN TO THE, UH, TO POSITIONS WHERE THERE ARE BATS, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR DISTRICTS.

UM, AND SO IT, IT'S OBVIOUS TO ME THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST A FEW, UH, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS PASSED BY THE COMMISSION IS GONNA SOLVE.

AND I THINK GOING FORWARD, MAYBE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T SEE IT NOW, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO AUSTIN.

I THINK THE BATS UNDER THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE HAVE BECOME SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT TO AUSTIN.

THAT'S WHAT WHAT I SEE.

AND PLUS THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, THEY LITERALLY TONS OF INSECTS EVERY NIGHT.

SO, UH, I'D RECOMMEND THAT YOU PASS THIS RECOMMENDATION.

GO TO CITY COUNCIL AND SEE IF WE CAN GET IT ON THE BUDGET AND SEE IF WE CAN HIRE SUCH A POSITION.

AND I'M BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS SINCE THIS IS AN ITEM.

UH, YOU CAN ASK ME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.

I THINK SO IF, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

I'LL JUST ASK REALLY QUICKLY, IS THE BAT BIOLOGIST, IS THIS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE GENTLEMAN THAT CAME AND PRESENTED TO US, OUTLINED, I CAN'T REMEMBER MERLIN TU HE NO, WE, THIS WAS, ALTHOUGH IN THE PAST, HE HAS FOUGHT FOR THIS.

HE ASKED THIS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL YEARS AGO.

ACTUALLY, I JUST TALKED TO HIM THIS EVENING.

UH, HE SUPPORTS THIS.

HE THINKS THAT THIS WOULD BE A GOOD STEP FORWARD.

HE JUST TOLD ME ON THE PHONE, UM, AND, UH, TO, TO GET SOMETHING DONE SO WE CAN GET SOMETHING POSITIVE DONE.

I, I DID HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS.

SO DO I ASK IT NOW WHILE CRAIG IS HERE? OR DO I WAIT? , I THINK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, UH, TO THIS, BUT IT'S JUST IN GENERAL, IT SAID IS IS FINE.

NEXT WE HAVE, UM, PAT VIREO ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

IF YOU DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE, THAT'S FINE.

BUT WE HAVE YOU LISTED AS ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

I WAS JUST CONFUSED EARLIER.

I WAS SPEAKING ON THE WORKING GROUP ITEM.

I MEAN, I'M, I'M SORRY.

ON THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM ITEM.

IS THAT HOW IT, HOW THAT'S, THAT'S NUMBER FIVE.

UM, GENERAL PUBLIC IS FOR, UH, GENERALLY FOR, UM, ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS THE AQUARIUM ITEM AND NUMBER, UH, SIX.

UM, BUT WE, I HAVE YOU DOWN AS, UM, SIGNING UP FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND

[00:25:01]

WHICH IS THE SPAIN.

THAT'S, I, I USED TO DO THAT.

I USED TO SIGN UP FOR GENERAL AND THEN ITEMS, AND THEN Y'ALL COMBINED IT AND IT WAS JUST ONE ITEM.

AND I MISUNDERSTOOD SOMETHING YOU SAID.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE GONNA GIVE ME, UM, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DURING THE SPAIN NEUTER ITEM.

UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THE REASON I SPOKE THIS ONE IS THE, UM, AQUARIUM ITEM.

OH, THE QUA.

WELL, I ALREADY SPOKE ON THE AQUARIUM ITEM.

WELL, LET ME, I'LL JUST REPEAT WHAT I SAID.

UM, I DO, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TAKE A VOTE ON THE AQUARIUM ITEM, AND IN THAT VOTE, CREATE A WORKING GROUP ON ANIMAL CRUELTY.

AND THE REASON I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE HANDLED THAT WAY IS WHAT I SAID EARLIER, THAT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME, SOME THINGS THAT A FOR-PROFIT, UH, HAS TO BE HANDLED IN CERTAIN WAYS.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT CERTAIN THINGS.

SO I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN JUST MAKE A DECISION TODAY ON WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

BUT RATHER THAN LOOKING INTO A FOR-PROFIT LIKE THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM OR A FOR-PROFIT LIKE, UM, THE PETCO AND PETSMART, OR A 5 0 1 LIKE THE AUSTIN ZOO, AND, AND LOOKING AT ALL THESE THINGS SEPARATELY, IF YOU WOULD JUST CREATE A WORKING GROUP ON ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATIONS AND LOOK AT HOW IT SHOULD BE HANDLED WHEN IT'S IN A BACKYARD AND IT'S ABOUT A DOG, HOW SHOULD IT BE HANDLED WHEN IT'S, YOU KNOW, UH, A SITUATION IN A FOR-PROFIT ENTERPRISE OR IN A NON-FOR-PROFIT.

SO BY, INSTEAD OF TAKING A VOTE AND SAYING, LET CREATE A WORKING GROUP ON THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM, HOW ABOUT CREATING A WORKING GROUP ON ANIMAL CRUELTY AND LOOKING AT VARIOUS THINGS? THANK YOU.

SHE'S HAVING CONNECTION ISSUES.

NEXT WE HAVE WENDY MURPHY, HAVE HER LISTED AS REMOTE.

IS SHE NOT THERE? OKAY.

UM, PAT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN ABOUT, UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX? THANK YOU.

THIS IS ALL REVISED SINCE LAST TIME, BUT THANK YOU FOR, FOR ALLOWING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY.

UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST, UH, TURN IT O WHEN, WHEN THE TIME COMES, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S JUST GONNA BE A, A FOLLOW UP REPORT.

UH, WE HAVEN'T REALLY MET THIS MONTH SINCE, SINCE LAST MONTH, SO I DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT THERE'S ANYTHING, UM, I SHOULD BE SAYING.

I THINK IT, IT SHOULD BE, UH, DR.

NELSON WHO'S ON THE COMMISSION AND IS ALSO ON THE SPANIARD WORKING GROUP.

AND I BELIEVE SHE'S THE ONLY SPAY NEUTER WORKING GROUP MEMBER WHO'S HERE TONIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW IF COMMISSIONER ERRA IS HERE TONIGHT.

UM, AND I BELIEVE WENDY MURPHY HAD CONNECTION ISSUES.

SHE, SHE CALLED ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THERE HERE, AND SHE SAID SHE COULDN'T CONNECT.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'D BE A WAY TO REACH OUT TO HER.

I ACTUALLY ALREADY EMAILED HER AND I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK, BUT I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER HERRERA IS HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY.

WE'RE TRYING.

AND IT WAS A COMBINATION OF A VERY, VERY SMALL INCREASE IN RETURN TO OWNERS, A SOMEWHAT LARGER INCREASE IN ADOPTIONS, A SOMEWHAT, UM, LARGER INCREASE IN TRANSFERS.

UM, SO ANYWAY, SO, UM, WITH REGARD TO THE, UM, THE, THE SPAY NEUTER ISSUE, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

I BELIEVE IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE, UH, UH, COMMISSION MEMBER TO DO SO.

UH, BUT WHAT I DID WANNA DO IS GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OF, YOU KNOW, SOME OF MY EXPERIENCES WITH, WITH SPAY NEUTER, WHICH IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SHELTER USED TO, WHEN, WHEN I START, WHEN I WAS FIRST ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION IN 1992, THE SHELTER WAS KILLING 23,000 ANIMALS.

23,000 WERE KILLED IN 1992.

AND I COULDN'T FIND ANY OF MY REPORTS FROM BACK THEN.

BUT I FOUND THIS ARTICLE BY, UM, KEN MARTIN IN THE GOOD LIFE, AND HE CITES THAT NUMBER.

SO I HAVE A SOURCE FOR IT.

AND I ALSO WANT TO GET, PUT A PLUG IN FOR THIS ARTICLE, BECAUSE IT'S A VERY GOOD ARTICLE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU WERE PAYING ATTENTION IN IN 2001, BUT IT'S A, IT'S ONE OF OUR FIRST REALLY GOOD ARTICLES ON WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THE SHELTER.

UM, I THEN, SO NOW YOU'VE HEARD THAT NUMBER OF 23,000.

NOW I WANNA, UM, THAT WAS IN 92.

SO THEN IN TWO, IN 2001, THE NUMBER IN, IN, IN 2000, IN FISCAL YEAR 2000, THE NUMBER HAD GONE DOWN TO 12,539 FROM 23,000.

AND THEN 10 YEARS LATER, THAT NUMBER HAD GONE DOWN.

I MEAN, I'M SORRY, IN 2009, UH, THAT NUMBER HAD GONE DOWN TO 6,161.

SO WE DID THAT WITHOUT INCREASING SHELTER SPACE.

WE GOT IT DOWN FROM 23,000 TO 6,161.

[00:30:01]

BUT, UM, EVEN THOUGH INTAKE HAD NOT GONE DOWN BY THAT MUCH, THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION HAD GONE DOWN, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PERCENTAGE OF ANIMALS THAT WERE BEING TAKEN INTO THE SHELTER IN COMPARISON TO THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION INCREASE HAD GONE DOWN.

UH, SHELLY.

LIAM IS NEXT.

HI, MY NAME IS SHELLY LIBA.

I'VE BEEN A CAT VOLUNTEER AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER SINCE 2018.

I KNOW THERE WON'T BE A VOTE ON SPAIN NEUTER TONIGHT, BUT I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT I MAKE MY CONCERNS KNOWN.

NOW, I'M CONCERNED THAT CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION ARE TRYING TO MAKE US BELIEVE THAT SPAY NEUTER IS NOT A PRIORITY.

HOW CAN SPAIN NEUTER NOT BE A TOP PRIORITY IN AN ANY NO-KILL CITY? IS THERE SOME PLAN TO HAVE MORE AND MORE KITTENS AND PUPPIES FLOWING INTO AUSTIN SO THAT SOME GROUPS LOOK LIKE THE GOOD GUYS IN THE MUNICIPAL SHELTER AS THE ANTI-HERO? FOR EXAMPLE, COMMISSIONER HASSAN SAID THERE'S NO DATA TO SUPPORT ANY DECISION LIKE THIS, REFERRING TO THE RECOMMENDATION TO EXPAND FREE SPAY NEUTER.

SHE THEN SAID, I WILL BE EMPHATICALLY VOTING NO.

YET THE WORKING GROUP THAT SPENT MANY HOURS AND HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH STAKEHOLDERS HAD SUPPORTING DATA.

A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA THAT INCLUDED DATA FROM OVER 200 SPAY NEUTER CLINICS OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD.

THE CONCLUSION OF THAT STUDY WAS THAT THE COVID PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN RESULTED IN DRASTIC REDUCTION OF SURGERIES.

THE HIGH LEVEL OF SPAY NEUTER ACHIEVED OVER THE PAST FIVE DECADES IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT DRIVER OF REDUCED PET OVERPOPULATION AND EUTHANASIA IN ANIMAL SHELTERS.

VETERINARIANS AND ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD COLLABORATE TO PRIORITIZE RECOVERY OF SPAY NEUTER CAPACITY WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON SERVING POPULATION'S MOST AT RISK FOR UNINTENDED REPRODUCTION OR ENTERING THE ANIMAL SHELTER SYSTEM.

THAT DATA REFLECTS MY REALITY.

I SEE THE UNALTERED COMMUNITY CATS I FEED DAILY, BUT I CANNOT GET THEM ALL SPAYED AND NEUTERED.

I SEE TOO MANY ANIMALS AT AAC THAT CAN'T BE PROPERLY CARED FOR AND WHO ARE NOT GETTING ADOPTED FAST ENOUGH.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF MY CONCERN HAS, WHEN COMMISSIONER NEMER SAID, I THINK EUTHANASIA OF INNOCENT ANIMALS NEEDS TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT RIGHT NOW, NOT SPAY NEUTER DESPITE HER VOTE IN FO IN FAVOR OF FORMING THE WORKING GROUP ON SPAY NEUTER LAST FALL.

LET'S LOOK AT THAT DATA.

THE EUTHANASIA RATE AT AAC FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS IS AT 2%.

SO THAT'S LESS THAN 250 ANIMALS.

AND EVEN IF WE ASSUMED ALL NONE OF THEM WERE EUTHANIZED FOR SUFFERING, WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THAT, THAT NUMBER RATHER THAN THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF KITTENS AND PUPPIES THAT ARE BEING BORN INTO AN OVER ALREADY CROWDED CITY.

WHERE DO I GET MY DATA FROM? THAT SAME COMPREHENSIVE STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

I ALSO SAW IT FROM AUSTIN PETS ALIVE ON MARCH THE THIRD.

THEY WERE LOOKING TO HOUSE OVER 126 PUPPIES DURING THEIR MUTT MADNESS EVENT.

I ALSO SEE ALL THE PUPPIES AT AAC AND ALL THE DOGS LIVING IN CRATES.

ALL, WHO BY THE WAY STARTED OUT AS PUPPIES.

I AM ENCOURAGED BY THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION WHO LISTEN TO THE SPAY NEUTER WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS WITH OPEN MINDS AND A WILLINGNESS TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US WHO UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THE REALITY THAT WE NEED MORE SPAY NEUTER OPTIONS IN AUSTIN TO THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION.

I SINCERELY HOPE YOU RECOGNIZE VALID DATA AND START PROMOTING COLLABORATION WITH INTERESTED PARTIES AND YOUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, AS IS YOUR DUTY AS A MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION RATHER THAN WORKING AGAINST THEM.

AND I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO TRY AND DO SOMETHING IN OUR CITY TO STOP THE SUFFERING AND STOP THE ONES IN THE KENNELS OVER THERE AT THE SHELTER AND ANYWHERE ELSE.

THE LAST SPEAKER IS ROCHELLE VICARY.

MY NAME IS ROCHELLE VIC AND, UM, AM I THE RIGHT ONE? IS IT ON? YEAH.

AND UM, I'M WITH THE, THE SPADE AND NEUTER OVER AT THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL REALIZE IT, IN 15 YEARS THEY'VE DONE 75,000 SPADE AND NEUTER.

NOW YOU MULTIPLY THAT TIMES FIVE.

EACH ONE, EACH ONE OF THOSE 75, THAT'S A LOTS OF CATS AND KITTENS THAT WE STOP FROM BEING BORN AND BEING MISERABLE.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I REMEMBER A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I WAS HERE AND I ASKED IF YOU COULD TRY AND GET SOME OF OUR VETS IN TOWN THAT WOULD TAKE ON MAYBE FIVE A WEEK.

AND IF WE COULD GET FIVE VETS TAKEN ON, FIVE A WEEK NEUTER OR SPADE, THAT COULD BE 200 A MONTH.

THERE IS A WAITING LIST AT EPE AUGUST.

NOW I'VE GOT MY SECOND DOG, FEMALE BECAUSE I'M A TRAPPER WITH CATS.

I RUN INTO THIS SITUATION WITH BIG DOGS, PEOPLE ASKING FOR HELP.

I HELP 'EM WITH THEIR CATS, BUT I CAN'T REALLY HELP 'EM WITH THEIR DOGS.

[00:35:01]

AND PULLING FROM OUTTA COUNTY, WE GOT ENOUGH IN THIS TOWN, WE'VE GOT HIGH RISES.

DO YOU THINK THOSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA WANT BIG DOGS TO HAVE TO TAKE DOWN THE ELEVATOR TO GO FOR IT TO GO TO THE BATHROOM? THEY'RE GONNA TAKE FUFU DOGS, AS I CALL 'EM, LITTLE POMERANIANS, LITTLE SMALL DOGS AND CATS BECAUSE THEY DON'T, THAT'S EASIER TO WORK WITH THEM.

I LOVE BIG DOGS.

I'VE RAISED FOUR ROT WALLERS, THEY'RE MY DOG.

BUT WHEN YOU GET 80 SOME ODD YEARS OLD, YOU CAN'T HAVE ANOTHER ROCK WALLER BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO TRAIN THEM.

AND I WOULD JUST LOVE US ALL TO TRY AND GET, GET THEM SPAYED AND NEUTERED.

AND IF WE COULD GET PEOPLE, SOME OF THE VETS TO WORK WITH US AND GET THIS DONE, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

BECAUSE I, I DON'T LIKE ANY ANIMAL TO SUFFER.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT Y'ALL BROUGHT IT UP LAST MONTH AND I HOPE YOU KEEP PUSHING AND MAYBE SOME OF Y'ALL CAN GET SOME OF THESE VETS TO, TO, TO HELP US WITH THIS.

THEY, IT, IT CAN BE A DONATION TO THE CITY.

THEY CAN TAKE IT OFF THEIR TAXES.

IF THEY ONLY TAKE THE VOUCHER.

SOUTH CONGRESS IS TAKEN JUST THE VOUCHER FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE SPADE OF THE FEMALES.

SO, I MEAN, AS IN, IF THEY WANNA TAKE WHAT THEY NORMALLY CHARGE, CUZ SOME LADY SAID SHE WANTED, THEY WANTED $200 TO NEUTER A CAT A A YOUNG CAT.

ALL IT IS IS CLIPPING GLUE.

ANY VET KNOWS THAT IS JUST ABOUT CLIPPING GLUE.

THAT'S ALL THEY DO WITH THEM.

THAT'S $200.

SHE COULDN'T AFFORD IT.

SO WE GOT IT, WE GOT IT FIXED, YOU KNOW, AND THAT, AND THEN SHE SAID OUT IT SHOWED UP AT HER PLACE AND I, AND SHE KEPT IT OUT OFF THE OLD LOCKHART HIGHWAY.

SOMEBODY DUMPED IT.

SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WENDY MURPHY HAD NOT CALLED BACK IN.

NO.

AND THEN I, UH, I MESSED UP.

I WAS A LITTLE TOO RIGID TO THE AGENDA.

UH, LOOKING AT THE AGENDA, I FAILED TO CALL ROLL.

SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

SO, UH, I WILL DO THAT NOW.

UM, I'M RYAN CLINTON AND I AM HERE.

UH, NANCY NEMER, UH, PALMER NEHOUSE HERE.

I WAS TOLD THAT KRISTEN IS LISTED AS AN ATTENDEE, BUT NOT, UM, A PARTICIPANT.

IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN LET HER IN? THIS MUST KEEP THEM.

SOMEONE LOGGED IN AS ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSIONER.

COULD BE WHO THAT IS? COMMISSIONER HASSEN, ARE YOU AVAILABLE? ARE YOU, IS THAT YOU? THAT'S YOUR, YES.

GREAT.

C CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? ALL RIGHT.

CAN YOU ANNOUNCE YOU'RE PRESENT? TRYING I'M HERE.

UH, DR.

AMANDA BRUCE.

THAT WAS COMMISSIONER HASSAN.

UH, DR.

AMANDA BRUCE.

UH, SARAH HUDDLESTON.

AND I APOLOGIZE FOR GETTING THAT OUT OF ORDER, AND I'M JUST NOT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT LISTED ON HERE, DR.

MR. TUCKER, SO I APOLOGIZE.

UH, MR. LARRY TUCKER HERE.

CHANGE, UH, TO MR. TUCKER'S, UH, MOTION.

I'LL GET THIS RIGHT.

YOU GUYS CAN VOTE ME OUT NEXT MEETING.

SO YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH ME FOR TWO MEETINGS.

UH, NEXT IS APPROVAL OF

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

THE MINUTES.

UH, SO WE'D LIKE THE AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVED, THE MINUTES OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING ON FEBRUARY 13TH, 2023 I A MOTION.

AND A SECOND, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

A SECOND.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, STAFF.

DID YOU GET THAT? AND THEN, UM, I NOTICED THAT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACTION DR.

NELSON WAS HAD LISTED AS VOTING TWICE.

UH, WHEN I WAS A KID, THERE WAS A SAYING IN LOUISIANA, VOTE EARLY AND VOTE OFTEN.

UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WAS WHAT DR.

NELSON WAS DOING.

UH, SO I THINK THAT IS, UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON.

IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY.

SO, UM, WE'D LIKE, I, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT

[00:40:01]

I ACCEPT THAT.

SO, UH, ALL THAT, IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I'LL SECOND THE CHANGE.

OH, THE, THE CHANGE WAS ACCEPTED.

UH, IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

HI.

ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? NOPE.

ALL THOSE IN ALL VOTED IN FAVOR? WHAT'S THAT? WE HAVE GOOD HERRERA NOW.

OH, GOOD.

UM, COMMISSIONER HERRERA, DO YOU WANNA ANNOUNCE YOUR ATTENDANCE? HE STILL CAN'T HEAR.

WELL, HOPEFULLY HE'LL BE ABLE TO HEAR US.

THE NEXT ITEM IS YES.

THE NEXT ITEM IS STAFF BRIEFINGS.

[2. Overview of monthly report provided by the Animal Service Center.]

UH, OVERVIEW OF MONTHLY REPORT PROVIDED BY AUSTIN, UH, ANIMAL SERVICE CENTER.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

AND, UH, JUST LIKE TO TAKE A BRIEF MOMENT TO THANK THOSE OUTGOING COMMISSIONERS.

ECHO EVERYONE ELSE'S SEDIMENTS AND WELCOME AND CONGRATULATE THE NEW APPOINTMENT.

AND REAPPOINTMENTS.

SO, UM, ON THE SERVICES REPORT, THERE WAS A, A MISTAKE.

THE LIVE OUTCOME RATE FOR FEBRUARY WAS 97.8%.

WE HAD 670 ANIMALS WERE BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER.

UM, 434 ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED AND A TOTAL OF 73 DOGS, CATS, AND BIRDS WERE, UH, RETURNED TO THEIR OWNER.

APOS WERE ABLE TO RETURN 37 ANIMALS TO THEIR OWNERS IN THE FIELD.

UM, WE IMPOUNDED 106 INJURED ANIMALS AND DELIVERED 47 WILDLIFE ANIMAL SAUCE AND WILDLIFE RESCUE.

WE ALSO, UH, ENTERED 270 17 RABIES EXPOSURE REPORTS AND SUBMITTED 16 SPECIMENS FOR TESTING.

UM, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 428 VOLUNTEERS COORDINATE 4,700 HOURS OF SERVICE TO US OVER 4,700 HOURS.

UM, OUR COORDINATORS WERE ABLE TO HOLD SIX ORIENTATIONS FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO INTRODUCE 137 PEOPLE TO SHELTER PROGRAMS. UM, 36 INDIVIDUAL, UH, DONATED 72 HOURS TOWARD DOG WALKING ESPECIALLY AND CAT CARE THROUGH OUR GROUP VOLUNTEER SERVICE.

AND 12, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICE RESTITUTION INDIVIDUAL PERFORMED OVER A HUNDRED HOURS FOR LAUNDRY, DISHES, OTHER DUTIES THAT, THAT, UM, IS A BIG HELP FOR OUR STAFF.

I'M GONNA KICK IT OVER TO DON RIGHT NOW AND BE HERE FOR QUESTIONS.

IF THANK YOU JASON, AND GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

AND I ALSO THANK THOSE THAT ARE GOING OFF AND WELCOME THOSE THAT ARE ARE NEW ON BOARD.

A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I DO WANNA MENTION IS, UM, WE ARE HAVING A, A LARGE MEGA MICROCHIPPING RABIES, THE STEPPER PARVO VACCINE CLINIC ON MARCH 25TH.

UM, WE ALSO, UH, ARE DOING A FREE ID TAG AT THE MESS MEXICAN CONSULATE ON THE 24TH.

UH, SO I KNOW THAT, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GETS ANIMALS HOMES IS BEING MICRO CHIPPED AND HAVING TAGS AND THEY'RE REALLY CONCENTRATING.

AND SO I, I THINK WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL THAT THIS LARGE MEGA EVENT, UH, WILL, UH, GENERATE LOTS OF ANIMALS BEING MICRO CHIPPED.

WE DO, UH, ARE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS ON FILLING OUR POSITIONS.

UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, SIX A P O POSITIONS, UH, THAT ARE IN PROCESS AND IN INTERVIEW PROCESS.

OUR TOP CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.

WE, UM, ARE EXCITED.

WE ARE CURRENTLY 16, UH, POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THE OPEN.

AND CURRENTLY, UH, THERE'S ABOUT SIX POSITIONS THAT ARE, UM, CURRENTLY BEING POSTED AND THAT SOME OF THE POSTINGS, UH, GO DOWN THE, JUST IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

UM, SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GET GREAT APPLICANTS AND GET THESE POSITIONS FILLED.

THAT IS ALL THAT I HAD.

OH, ONE OTHER THING I DID WANNA MENTION IS, IS WE, UM, DID MAKE A SMALL, SMALL PROGRESS, UH, IN TRANSFERS TO RESCUE PARTNERS, UH, OVER LAST MONTH.

LAST MONTH WE HAD 127 AND WE HAD 156 THIS MONTH.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET A FEW MORE IN INTO RESCUE PROGRAMS. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANY OF US OVER THE REPORTS? AND, AND EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY.

I FORGOT TO MENTION ONE THING THAT, CUZ I JUST GOT THE INFORMATION TODAY.

UM, JUST SO Y'ALL ARE AWARE, SPE DID DO 295 SURGERIES LAST THIS LAST MONTH.

[00:45:01]

FREE DAY AND NEAR OUTREACH ON AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY WAS ABLE TO DO 246 CATS DO TN R SNR PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.

WE'LL OPEN THAT UP FOR QUESTION.

I THINK COMMISSIONER DEL'S HIN WAS UP FIRST.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER NORTON.

THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.

UPDATE.

DIRECTOR BLAND AND MR. UH, JASON GAZA JUST LISTENING TO THE, UH, AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES REPORT FOR FEBRUARY.

AND, UM, CAN YOU INDICATE TO ME WHERE DOES IT STATE HOW MANY ANIMALS THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER HAD IN FEBRUARY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH AND HOW MANY ANIMALS IT HAD AT THE END OF THE MONTH AND FEBRUARY? NO, THAT'S NOT ON ANY OF OUR REPORTS.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO, UH, GO BACK AND LOOK, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN PULL LAST MONTH ON, UM, THE DASHBOARD AND THEN PULL UP THE CURRENT ON THE DASHBOARD.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE MANUALLY.

UH, UH, DIRECTOR BLAND, HAPPY THIS A THIRD MONTH STRAIGHT THAT I HAVE BEEN REQUESTING FOR THAT INFORMATION.

AND IT'S, IT GIVES A PERSPECTIVE OF HOW THE ANIMAL CENTER IS DOING.

IT'S A BALANCE SHEET.

SO WE'RE GOING TO THREE MONTHS, A QUARTER OF A YEAR.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT FOR THE NEXT MEETING WE SHARE, YOU SHARE THAT.

IT PUTS THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON REPORTS.

I KNOW THE MOST OF WHAT, UM, MOST OF WHAT'S ON THIS REPORT IS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE.

SO IT GOES ON AND SOME OTHER INFORMATION'S BEEN ADDED.

BUT CAN WE AS COMMISSIONERS REQUEST THIS TYPE OF WORK FROM, UM, AAC I THINK YOU KNOW THE ANSWER.

YEAH, WE CAN REQUEST INFORMATION.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE IT.

SO IT'S NOT OKAY.

AND INSTANCE, WE CAN GET IT FROM OUR, OUR OWN, UM, O OFF THE WEBSITE.

THAT IS HELPFUL IF WE NEED THE INFORMATION YEAH.

THAT WE CAN JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NEW COMMISSIONERS, WE CAN REQUEST ANY INFORMATION WE WANT FROM THE STAFF.

UM, UNLESS IT'S REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE OR REQUIRED UNDER THE TEXAS, UH, OPEN MEETING, OR SORRY, PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT UNDER A WRITTEN REQUEST, THEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO PROVIDE IT.

I WAS WONDERING, GIVEN THE REDUCTION, UH, OF ABOUT 400 ANIMALS ON AV FROM EARLIER YEARS IN INTAKE, DO ARE, IS THE SHOULDER STILL AT CAPACITY OR IS THE CAPACITY ISSUE RESOLVED? NO, WE ARE, UM, PUTTING ITEMS, PUTTING CRATES ON THE TRUCK PORT, UH, TODAY BECAUSE THE MULTIPURPOSE ROOM WAS COMPLETELY FILLED UP LAST SO FAR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

UM, BUT MY OTHER QUESTION WAS, UM, UH, REGARDING THE NEW HIRES, UM, THERE WAS A BOTTLENECK WITH CITY HR OVER GETTING, UM, UH, BACKGROUND CHECKS RUN.

UM, HAS THAT IMPROVED AT ALL? UM, I KNOW IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING FOR SOME PEOPLE WAITING, BUT I'M HOPING THAT IT'S GOOD NEWS.

WE CAN'T HEAR YOU CAN'T HEAR YOU.

IT HAS IMPROVED.

UH, HR UH, LAST WEEK SAID THAT, UH, THE TURNAROUND TIME HAS DROPPED FROM 80 SOMETHING DAYS TO 50 SOMETHING DAYS FROM POSTING TO HIRE.

SO THEY ARE SEEING SIGNIFICANT INCREASES AND WE HAVE NOTICED THAT AS WELL.

SOME OF THE BACKGROUNDS THAT THEY'RE DOING, UH, NOW, UH, ARE MUCH FASTER THAN PREVIOUS.

DR.

NELSON, DR.

NELSON, I SAW A HAND UP.

ARE YOU, DO YOU NO LONGER WANT WISH TO SPEAK? YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA CLARIFY THE SAME POINT THAT COMMISSIONER NORTON MADE THAT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO US ON THE WEBSITE AND THAT OUR, OUR REQUESTS DON'T HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE STAFF.

COMMISSIONER HASSAN? UH, THANK YOU.

SO PRIOR TO, UH, DIRECTOR OF BLAS TENURE, THERE WAS A REPORT CREATED EVERY MONTH FOR MANY YEARS THAT DETAILED ALL OF THIS.

UM, AND WHILE SOME INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE, THE ACTUAL CENSUS OF THE CHILDREN FOSTER IS NOT.

UM, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO, UH, UNDERSTAND HOW THE MATH WORKS OUT MONTH BY MONTH.

AND, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, I, IN GOING THROUGH THE DATA PRIOR TO YOUR TENURE DIRECTOR BLAN, UM, FEBRUARY, THE TYPICAL INTAKE WAS, UH, BETWEEN 1,012 HUNDRED, UM, IN FEBRUARY.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAD 701 INTAKES THIS PAST FEBRUARY.

AND

[00:50:01]

OUR DOG INTAKE HAS EXCEEDED OUR OUTCOMES BY 123.

COMMISSIONER DOZ? YES.

UH, UH, CHAIR CHAIRPERSON RYAN CLINTON.

UM, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

I I HEARD FROM THE COMMISSIONERS STATING THAT OKAY, UM, WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS FOR, FROM THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGH IF REQUESTING OF DATA THAT WE SHOULD GO, AND MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD, WE SHOULD GO TO THE WEBSITE OR WHATEVER, BUT, UH, I KNOW THAT THE PAST, INCLUDING THIS MONTH, WILL BE THE PAST THREE MONTHS.

I PASSED THE SAME QUESTION AND, AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY, UH, DIRECTOR BLAND OMA ANIMAL CENTER THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE THAT DATA.

SO I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED IS, AM I MISSING SOMETHING? I I THINK I CAN ANSWER THAT.

UM, BUT COMMISSIONER, UH, MR. BLAIR, FEEL FREE TO, TO ADD, UM, IN MY, I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS SINCE ABOUT 2005 OR 2006, AND IN THE GENERAL PRACTICE HAS BEEN OVER THE YEARS THAT THE, UM, STAFF WOULD PROVIDE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THAT THE COMMISSION ASKED.

UM, BUT AS A, AS A LEGAL MATTER TECHNICALLY, UM, THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE TO, UNLESS IT IS INFORMATION THAT IS REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE, UM, THE REPORTING ORDINANCE OR IS IT IN, IT IS INFORMATION THAT WE REQUEST IN A, UH, IN A WRITTEN PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REQUEST, WHICH CAN BE THROUGH THE CITY'S WEBSITE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION.

SO IT'S CERTAINLY, UM, UH, GENERAL PRACTICE THAT IN THE PAST THEY HAVE, BUT THEY'RE NOT UNDER ANY LEGAL OBLIGATION TO DO SO.

BUT MR. GLENN, YOU'RE WELCOME TO CHIME IN.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO COMMISSIONER DAZADI THAT WE, IT'S NOT THAT WE AREN'T TRYING, WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS TRYING TO FIND A REPORT THAT MEETS WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.

UH, WE FOUND ONE IDENTIFIED ONE, AND IT HAS MORE DATA IN IT THAT IS NOT ACCURATE.

UH, IT DOES GIVE BEGINNING AND ENDING INVENTORIES, BUT WHAT'S IN THE MIDDLE IS NOT PULLING RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S AN OLD FORMAT, AN OLD REPORT.

SO IT'S NOT THAT WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO IDENTIFY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GENERATE AND USE.

UH, CURRENTLY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE NO IT STAFF ON OUR SIDE, SO WE HAVE TO RELY ON OTHERS AND THAT WE'RE STILL LOOKING, WE WE'RE WORKING ON IT.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NOPE.

ITEM NUMBER THREE, A DISCUSSION ITEM PRESENTATION OF THE MONTHLY REPORT BY AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.

LET'S GO INTO

[3. Presentation of the Monthly Report by Austin Pets Alive!]

GOOD EVENING.

NEIL HAY AND STEPHANIE BK FROM AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.

UM, WE SHOULD ADD OUR THANKS TO COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE DEPARTING, UM, THIS MONTH.

IT'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE.

UM, WE SUBMIT OUR MONTHLY REPORT FOR DISCUSSION THAT CONTINUES TO HIGHLIGHT OUR COMPLIANCE WITH OUR LICENSE CONDITIONS.

UM, I WOULD SAY WE ARE CONSCIOUS OF THE DISCUSSION AT THE END OF THE LAST MONTH'S MEETING ON OUR TIME, AND WE'RE HAPPY FOR THIS TO BE AS FOCUSED AS COMMISSION PLEASES.

SO PLEASE DO LET US KNOW IF WE WANT CHANGES IN OUR MONTHLY REPORT.

UM, WE HAVE, WE BELIEVE ADDED FOR TRANSPARENCY THIS PARTICULAR MONTH, WE HAVE BROKEN OUT THE IMPACT OF APA TRANSFERS BY THE DEADLINE PROVIDED TO US BY THE CENTER.

AND WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED A BREAKDOWN ON A MONTH BY MONTH BASIS OF THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF ANIMAL THAT WE'VE POOLED IN ORDER TO MAKE COMPARISON OF OUR DATA EASIER.

UM, NEXT MONTH IS A QUARTERLY REPORT DUE FOR SUBMISSION BY OURSELVES.

IF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE SPECIFIC REQUESTS OR QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN INCLUDE, UM, PLEASE

[00:55:01]

DO LET US KNOW.

AND THEN THE LAST THING, WHICH I KIND OF ADDED BEFORE THE DISCUSSION, EARLIER DISCUSSION, BUT WE HAD 42 PUPPIES BORN IN OUR CARE.

THIS ONE FROM, FROM ANIMALS TRANSFERRED TO US, UM, WHICH WE COMMENTED IN JANUARY 39.

SEEMED QUITE A LOT.

SO 42 SEEMED EVEN MORE OF THIS ONE.

HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? APPARENTLY NOT.

YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION.

AND I'M SORRY I MISSED YOU.

UH, COMMISSIONER HERRERA, UH, CHAIR, UH, CLINTON? UH, NO, I JUST WANT TO ADD FOR THE, IT'S, IT IS NOT WITH, I JUST WANT TO ADD, UH, FOR THE REPORT FROM THE OMAN CENTER IN FEBRUARY, FEBRUARY 18TH, WE HAD A MICROCHIP CLINIC AND A RAIL DESTINATION, AND WE HIT 212 PETS ON THAT MORNING, IS THE ONLY THING THAT I WENT TO ADD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM

[4. Discussion and possible action to approve a recommendation to Council that the City of Austin hire a Bat Biologist to provide expertise on managing the various bat populations in Austin, including but not limited to the bat colony under the Congress Ave. bridge. ]

NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HIRE A BAT BIOLOGIST.

I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU DIDN'T USE THE TECHNICAL NAME TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE ON MANAGING THE VARIOUS BAT POPULATIONS IN AUSTIN, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE BAT COLONY UNDER THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE.

UM, COMMISSIONER NAZER, THIS WAS HIS, UH, AGENDA ITEM.

SINCE HE IS NOT ON THE COMMISSION CURRENTLY, WE WOULD NEED, UH, A SPONSOR TO MOVE, UH, FOR THIS MOTION.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? DR.

NELSON? UH, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER NORTON.

SO WE HAVE TWO.

THEN.

DR.

NELSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PRESENT THE MOTION? UM, YES, I'D LOVE SURPRISE PRESENTATIONS.

UM, I JUST THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE A HUGE VALUE TO THE CITY.

UM, BATS ARE AN EXTRAORDINARILY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ECOSYSTEM, AND, UM, AUSTIN IS BLESSED WITH, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S THE LARGEST URBAN BAT POPULATION IN NORTH AMERICA.

COULD BE WRONG ABOUT THAT.

UM, BUT, AND, AND I BELIEVE THE PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY BENEFIT FROM IT TREMENDOUSLY AS WELL AS THE ANIMALS.

UM, AND THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE, ESPECIALLY WITH, UM, UH, SHIFTING POPULATIONS WORLDWIDE.

UM, SURVEILLANCE OF FUNGAL DISEASES AFFECTING BATS AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR CITY, UM, IS OPTIMIZING, UH, WHAT IT CAN FOR, FOR THIS IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ECOSYSTEM.

THANK, THANK YOU, DR.

NELSON.

UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER NORTON? THANK YOU.

UM, I JUST, UM, HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, WHERE IT SAYS ABOUT THE ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICER, UM, RIGHT NOW THEY PICK UP THE RABID ANIMALS AND BRING 'EM TO THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.

SO THE BIOLOGIST, I GUESS, WOULD BE TRAINED TO SAFELY DO THAT.

AND IF I'M UNDERSTANDING, THEY WOULD STILL GO TO THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER BECAUSE THE RABIES AUTHORITY PER STATE LAW IS THE VETERINARY STAFF AT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.

AND SO THEN THEY WOULD GO AND DETERMINE THAT THE ANIMAL IS RABID.

SO IS THAT SORT OF THE CHAIN OF HOW IT WOULD GO? I THINK IF STAFF IS ON, THAT MIGHT BE AN APPROPRIATE QUESTION FOR THEM AS TO HOW, UH, THAT COULD POSSIBLY PROCEED.

WITH THE BAT WHEN IT HAPPENED? I, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW IT WORKED AND, UM, I, SO I KIND OF DID SOME RESEARCH ON IT, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS STILL WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

UH, DON BLAND HERE, THE HEAD VETERINARIAN IS THE RES AUTHORITY.

SO, UH, THE ANIMALS DO HAVE TO COME TO AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, AND I KNOW THAT IT WAS NOTED IN THERE THAT IT WOULD, IN LIEU OF A, AN APO OFFICER PICKING THAT UP, IF, IF THAT, THAT BIOLOGIST WANTS TO BE TRAINED AS AN APO OFFICER AND FOLLOW THE STATE RULES AND, AND JUST PLAY UBER SERVICE FOR US, YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

BUT, UH, IT, IT STILL HAS TO COME AND WE HAVE TO BE THE ONES TO DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE.

UH, SO IT REALLY, UH, I, WELL, I THINK THAT THE, THE, THAT'S MINIMAL COMPARED TO THE BENEFIT THAT THIS POSITION WOULD, WOULD HELP FOR THE CITY.

I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY WOULD BENEFIT FROM.

UH, BUT A AP A OUR APO OFFICERS WOULD NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THAT MUCH OF A SAVINGS FROM IT.

COMMISSIONER NORTON, UM, WOULD YOU, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROPOSE STRIKING THAT WHEREAS SENTENCE OH, NO, I'M GOOD.

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, THAT IT, THAT THE ANIMALS, THAT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH THE,

[01:00:01]

SURE.

IS THERE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? CHAIR, CAN I ASK A QUESTION OF DIRECTOR BLAND? ABSOLUTELY.

UM, IT, IS IT CORRECT THAT, UM, THAT THE BATS THAT A P O OFFICERS PICK UP ARE THE, ON ONLY ONES THAT HAVE POTENTIALLY HAD INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE OR PETS, UH, THEY, THEY, THEY PICK UP THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN FOUND, UH, DEAD INJURED OR HAVE, HAVE AN ISSUE? UH, YES.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MY ONLY COMMENT, UM, AND IT'S REALLY, I, I'M, I DON'T HAVE A HUGE OPINION ON THIS, IS, UH, WHETHER IT REQUIRES A FULL-TIME PERSON AND WHETHER THAT RECOMMENDATION WOULD POTENTIALLY MAKE IT LESS LIKELY TO HAPPEN, UM, AND WHETHER WE WOULD POTENTIALLY WANT TO PUT IN, UM, HIGHER OR CONTRACT WITH A QUALIFIED BAT BIOLOGIST.

BUT I'M JUST GONNA THROW THAT OUT THERE.

IN ANY CASE, ANYONE ELSE MIGHT BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

IF YOU'RE NOT, THEN I'M HAPPY TO JUST LET IT GO AND PASS ON IT AS IS.

SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING ON AS IS.

OH, DR.

NELSON.

WELL, I WOULD, UM, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY PROCEDURALLY, BUT I WOULD, I THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.

THEN WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCEPT IT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YES, PLEASE.

COMMISSIONER JAR HAS SECONDED.

SO WE'RE CHANGING, UH, THE FIRST LINE IN THE, UH, AFTER BE IT RESOLVED, SENTENCE TWO, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HIRE OR CONTRACT WITH A QUALIFIED, WHATEVER THAT WORD IS, BAT BIOLOGIST.

DR.

NAZER, HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE THAT WORD? OLOGIST? UH, I HAVE A COMMENT ON THAT.

UM, I'M HAPPY TO REQUEST, UH, TO, TO HAVE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ALLOW THE DR.

NAZER TO, TO COMMENT ON THAT IF THERE'S A MOTION.

THE MOTION.

SO IT'S, COMMISSIONER NORTON HAS MOVED TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ALLOWED DR.

NAZER TO SPEAK.

SO, UH, YES, DR.

NAZER, UH, TROP NEUROLOGISTS ARE NOT VERY COMMON.

AND I WOULD SUSPECT THAT THERE AREN'T N VERY FEW TROP NEUROLOGISTS IN AUSTIN AVAILABLE TO CONTRACT.

THE IDEA OF PUTTING A JOB HERE IS SOME YOUNG STUDENT STUDYING TROP NEUROLOGY, UM, WOULD SAY, WOW, WHAT AN AMAZING JOB.

I I CAN ACTUALLY MAKE A LIVING DOING THIS.

AND THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE WAYS TO GET A REALLY GOOD YOUNG PERSON INVOLVED ON THIS.

SO, UM, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S, AND THERE'S ALSO OTHER REASONS.

THERE'S THE TRICOLORED BAT THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA VERY SOON BE DECLARED AN ENDANGERED SPECIES IN TEXAS, WHICH WHEN TEXAS DECLARES SOMETHING ENDANGERED SPECIES, THAT MEANS IT'S PRETTY ENDANGERED.

OKAY? AND THEY'RE, THEY LIVE OUT IN THE, IN THE CAVES, DOWN THE BALCONIES CAN LAND PRESERVE A LOT OF THOSE CAVES.

WHAT THEY USED TO DO WITH CAVES, THEY USED TO FILL 'EM WITH TRASH.

THAT WAS THE WAY TEXANS WORKED.

IT WAS A CAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU GO, COWS COULD FALL IN IT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT NICO HOWARD, THE DIRECTOR OF THE BALAN PRESERVE HAS BEEN DOING IS REMOVING TRASH OUTTA THESE CAVES.

AND THE TR TRICOLOR BAT IS MOVING IN.

AND SO IF YOU JUST SHOP IT OUT TO, TO WHAT ONE THING, ONE ITEM, THIS, THAT, OR THE OTHER, YOU, YOU DON'T GET A FULL-TIME PERSON THERE TO GET INVOLVED.

LIKE WE, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR FULL-TIME GOLDEN SHEIK WARBLER BIOLOGIST, FOR INSTANCE, WHO YOU ALL MAY KNOW, UM, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD, THE CITY COUNCIL CAN MAKE THAT CHANGE TOO, IF THEY, IF IT DOESN'T FIT THE BUDGET, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THIS, THEY, THEY CAN MAKE THAT.

I WOULD SAY THAT I THINK HAVING A FULL TEMPER SHOULD BE THE BEST.

NELSON, DO YOU WANT TO UN DO YOU WANT TO UNACCEPT THE, THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT OR DO YOU WANNA LEAVE IT AS IS? UH, YES, I WILL UNACCEPT THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.

SO WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE PROPOSAL AS MADE.

UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES, DR.

UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON.

IT'S SOMETHING WE PASS AND HOW IT GET, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS WITH CONSOLE.

UM, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF, I DON'T KNOW IF IT, NOW, IF WE'RE VOTING OR AT SOME POINT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE NEW COMMISSIONERS TO KNOW ONCE WE PASS THIS, WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS TO IT.

UM,

[01:05:02]

CUZ I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THE PROCESS, WELL, I'M PROBABLY THE WRONG PERSON TO ASK, UM, GIVEN THAT I'VE BEEN HOLDING THIS, UH, SEAT FOR 56 MINUTES OR 66 MINUTES.

BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, UM, THE COMMISSION CHAIR, UH, FILES A REPORT THAT GETS SENT TO THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL AND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, THERE ACTUALLY, I THINK THAT TECHNICALLY THE CITY COUNCIL IS SUPPOSED TO PUT IT ON AN AGENDA, BUT THAT MOSTLY DOES NOT EVER HAPPEN.

UH, AND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL JUST CHOOSES WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GOING TO PUT IT ON A FUTURE AGENDA, BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE WE PASS IT DOESN'T ENACT IT INTO LAW OR ANYTHING, BUT I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT.

SO ARE, IS THERE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? UH, DO I CAMERA? IT'S NOT WORKING.

COMMISSIONER ZEES, THAT'S A YES.

UH, COMMISSIONER HERRERA IN FAVOR, UH, AND COMMISSIONER.

AND I THINK THAT'S IT.

EVERY, SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS UNANIMOUS.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL REGARDING ANIMAL WELFARE AND PRIVATELY OWNED AQUARIUMS WITHIN THE CITY BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT.

JUST TO MAKE SURE.

ARE THERE ANY AGAINST, AND ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS? NO.

[5. Discussion and possible action to approve a recommendation to Council regarding animal welfare in privately-owned aquariums within the City, based on community input.]

AND I DO NOT KNOW WHOSE ITEM THIS IS COMMISSION.

APPARENTLY COMMISSIONER NAZER PUT THIS ON.

UM, WE DO NOT HAVE BACKUP MATERIAL, UH, ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.

SO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE, UH, WE CAN'T, I, I, I MEAN, I CAN ASK SOMEONE IF THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON IT, IF THERE'S ANY MOTION OUT THERE, OR WE CAN, YES.

UH, DR.

NELSON, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO FORM A WORKING GROUP TO LOOK INTO THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND.

COMMISSIONER JOEL.

WE HAVE A SECOND.

SO, IS THERE ANY, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION ON THE PROVISION OF A WORKING GROUP ON THE AQUARIUM ISSUE? I HAVE ONE COMMENT, IF ANY.

NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK.

AND THAT IS, UM, THAT WHOMEVER WANTS TO VOLUNTEER TO BE IN CHARGE OF THIS WORKING GROUP AND WILL NEED A VOLUNTEER.

I WOULD, I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU REACH OUT TO THE TEXAS HUMANE SOCIETY, UH, THE HS U S HUMANE, UH, REPRESENTATIVE OF TEXAS, UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON THE POTENTIAL, UH, STATE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS OF, UM, LOOKING ON AT THIS, UH, FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE.

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT COMMISSIONER DRAW.

YOU'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THAT THAT POSITION IS OFTEN FAMILIAR WITH THE VARIOUS ABILITIES OF CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES TO REGULATE, UH, CERTAIN ENTITIES.

THEY ARE.

AND I, I WOULD NEVER STEER SOMEBODY AWAY FROM REACHING OUT TO H S U S.

ANOTHER, UH, ORGANIZATION I WOULD DEFINITELY LOOK INTO IS ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE FUND.

UM, I THINK THAT THEY WORK ON AQUARIUM ISSUES, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN H S U S.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO THAT SPECIFIC ANIMAL SUBJECT, I THINK A L D F MAY ALSO BE A REALLY GOOD RESOURCE.

I AGREE.

THEY'RE ALSO A CLIENT, SO I HAVE TO SAY THAT.

UM, ARE THERE, UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR, OR DO WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER WHO WOULD LIKE TO CHAIR DR.

NELSON? GREAT.

IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD WANNA VOLUNTEER AT THIS TIME? YOU DON'T HAVE TO VOLUNTEER AT THIS TIME.

UH, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO DR.

NELSON AT ANY TIME IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO JUMP ON IT.

I'D LIKE TO BE KEPT IN THE LOOP AND VOLUNTEER.

GREAT.

UH, COMMISSIONER DARL AND COMMISSIONER NORTON WOULD BOTH LIKE TO BE INVOLVED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, SO THAT IS OUR WORKING GROUP.

DO WE, I GUESS WE SHOULD PUT IT UP FOR A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ARE THERE ANYONE AGAINST AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? COMMISSIONER HASSAN? I DID NOT SEE YOUR VOTE.

WOULD YOU MIND TELLING US HOW YOU VOTE? ABSTAIN.

SO THERE'S ONE ABSTENTION AND THE REST WERE YES.

NEXT WE'RE GONNA CHAIR.

UM, SO PURSUANT TO MY OWN INTERESTS, THE IN THE PUBLIC REQUEST, CAN WE, CAN WE ASK FOR COMMISSIONERS TO GIVE REASONS WHY THEY ABSTAIN? I DON'T THINK THAT'S, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS WITHIN THE RULES TO, TO ASK QUESTIONS OF A MEMBER'S VOTE, BUT I BET YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO SO AFTERWARDS, I'M SURE.

[01:10:01]

BUT IT IS IN THE VOTE.

THE COMMISSIONER ABSTAINED.

IF, IF YOU WANNA ASK THE COMMISSIONER OUTSIDE OF THE MEETING WHY THEY ABSTAINED, I THINK YOU'RE WELCOME TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX, UPDATE FROM THE SPAY NEUTER.

SIX, UPDATE FROM THE S SPADER WORKING GROUP REGARDING THE SPAY NEUTER PROGRAM POLICY.

UH, MR. BLAND, THANK YOU.

I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION, UH, IF WHOEVER IS, DOES WORK WITH THIS WORKING GROUP, IF THEY WANT TO REACH OUT TO US, WE HAVE BEEN ALL THESE, UH, REPORTS AND COMPLAINTS THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING, WE'VE BEEN SENDING THOSE TO THE U S D A AND WE HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION OF WHO WE'VE DEALT WITH THERE.

SO IF YOU WANT THAT INFORMATION, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT.

THANK YOU, MR. BLAND.

ANYTHING ELSE ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE? ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE GONNA GO TO ITEM NUMBER

[6. Update from the Spay/Neuter Working Group regarding the Spay/Neuter Program Policy.]

UM, THIS IS ON THE COMMISSION.

OH, ON THE AGENDA.

THIS WAY.

I WILL NOTE THAT IT IS, UH, TECHNICALLY NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RULES.

THE RULES ARE OR, AND HAVE BEEN.

I'M FINALLY FINE WITH SUSPENDING THEM HERE, UH, WITH A VOTE ON IT.

BUT THE RULES HAVE BEEN THAT ONCE A WORKING GROUP, UH, PROVIDES A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE WORKING GROUP DISSOLVES, UM, WE CAN, WE OF COURSE, UH, ARE ABLE TO RENOMINATE A WORKING GROUP OR ANY COMMISSIONER IS INDIVIDUALLY ABLE TO HAVE ANY AGENDA ITEM THEY WANT AT ANY TIME ON THE AGENDA.

SO LONG AS THERE IS A SECOND, UM, BUT TECHNICALLY WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING THIS.

UH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW THIS, THAT THE BAYARD WORKING GROUP BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE, UH, THIS MONTH.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO BY COMMISSIONER JAR, DO WE HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER NORTON? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF SUSPENDING THE RULES SO THAT THE SPAY EDITOR WORKING GROUP CAN PRESENT AGAIN, UH, ANY OPPOSED AND ANY ABSTENTIONS? SO WE HAVE THREE ABSTENTIONS.

UM, SO DID THAT PASS? DO WE HAVE ENOUGH? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 6, 7.

OKAY, SO WE'RE GOOD.

UH, SEVEN, UH, YAYS AND THREE ABSTENTIONS.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

SO, UH, I'M NOT, YES, DO YOU MIND IF I JUST ADD, THE REASON THAT THIS WAS ADDED IS AS AT THE LAST MEETING THERE WAS A MOTION TO BRING THE WORKING GROUP BACK.

SO I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID.

TECHNICALLY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISSOLVED.

THE ONLY REASON WE INCLUDED IT IS THERE WAS KIND OF DISCUSSION AND ACTION AT THE LAST MEETING TO BRING THEM FORWARD.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT OUT THERE.

YEAH, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UM, THAT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED BECAUSE THERE WASN'T AN AGENDA ITEM ON IT.

SO, UM, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW IT.

UH, SO IS THERE ANY PERSON WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE? I DON'T KNOW WHOSE ITEM IT WAS.

CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR NOW, SPEAKING ON GETTING THE ACTUAL UPDATE OR SPEAKING ON REFORMING THE WORKING GROUP AUTOMATICALLY? SO, UH, NEITHER HAS OCCURRED AT THIS POINT.

WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA IS AN UPDATE FROM THE WORKING GROUP.

TO COUNSEL THAT THEY RENEGOTIATE CONTRACTS.

AND IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR A SPEAKER FOR? YES, CUZ WE SUSPENDED THE RULES TO ALLOW IT.

SO WE'RE NOW LOOKING FOR AN UPDATE FROM THE WORKING GROUP.

IT WAS NOT MY ITEM, SO I DO NOT KNOW, AND I WASN'T COPIED ON THE CORRESPONDENCE, SO I DON'T KNOW, UH, WHOSE AGENDA ITEM IT IS.

IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON IT.

IT IS ON THE AGENDA.

UM, I, I MEAN, AS A MEMBER OF THE WORKING GROUP, I, I WILL SAY, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, UH, FEEL THAT THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE THAT THE, THE PUBLIC THINKS THAT SPAYING AND NEUTERING MATTERS AND THAT SAY NEUTER SERVICES SHOULD NOT BE A LUXURY AFFORDABLE TO THE WEALTHIEST OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

AND, UM, THAT, UH, THAT WE WILL, UM, I THINK CON WE WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS STATED CONCERNS AND, UM, AND BRING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO AN ACTUAL VOTE AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I, I JUST HAVE A REALLY QUICK COMMENT.

UM, SO I ASKED THIS QUESTION LAST MONTH AND I JUST WANTED TO RAISE IT AGAIN BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS THERE, BUT A COUPLE OF THEM RELATED TO RECOMMENDING

[01:15:01]

AND SO LOOKING AT THE CHAPTER 8 23 AND WHAT WE ARE ASKED TO DO, IT SAYS THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO ADVISE COUNSEL ON ANIMAL WELFARE POLICIES AND ON BUDGET PRIORITIES, PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED BY THE COMMISSION AND THE COMMUNITY, EXCEPT ON ISSUES RELATED TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF ANIMAL SERVICES DIVISION.

AND SO MY CO MY QUESTION LAST TIME WAS FOR CITY LEGAL, IS THAT THERE, THOSE COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN THERE, GIVEN THAT THEY ARE RECOMMENDING SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE THE ANIMAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION'S DUTY TO RENEGOTIATE CONTRACTS, SHOULD THOSE BE SEPARATED IN SOME WAY SO THAT THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS ARE SOLELY THOSE THAT WE AS A COMMISSION HAVE AUTHORITY TO DISCUSS, DEBATE AND RECOMMEND VERSUS CONTRACT RENEGOTIATIONS? THAT WAS MY QUESTION LAST TIME AND IT WAS THE REASON I ABSTAINED AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT, BUT I JUST DON'T UNDER, LIKE THE, THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS PART SORT OF THREW ME, SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY UPDATE FROM CITY LEGAL ON THE, FROM MY QUESTION LAST MONTH ABOUT THAT.

NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES ON THAT.

SO I GUESS I'LL JUST ASK, I MEAN, I CAN CERTAINLY SAY AS A GENERAL PRACTICE THAT THE COMMISSION HAS NOT, UM, GOTTEN INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATIONS.

UM, WHETHER IT BE WITH, UH, EMAN PAT OR, UH, AUSTIN PET ALIVE, I'M NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THERE IS A LEGAL, UH, PROHIBITION ON THE COMMISSION MAKING RE SUCH RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY, IF CITY LEGAL BELIEVES THAT THERE IS, I HOPE THAT THEY WILL TELL US.

UH, AS FOR THE AGENDA ITEM, I THINK, UH, THAT, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM ON TO CREATE, TO RECREATE THE WORKING GROUP IF, UM, IF THAT IS WANTED OR AS I SAID, ANY COMMISSIONER CAN PUT AN ITEM ON WITH A SECOND AT ANY TIME.

DO WE HAVE ANY MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS TOPIC, UH, HERE, LUIS? YES.

COMMISSIONER HERRERA.

I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT THIS WORKING GROUP IS NOT CLOSE AND WE ARE STILL WORKING ON IT BECAUSE WITH THE COMMUNITY WE NEED THAT SERVICE AND WE NEED THAT SERVICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

I JUST WANT TO CO TO TO CONFIRM WITH YOU CHAIR THAT HIS WORKING GROUP CAN MAKE A PRESENTATION LATER ABOUT THE NEXT TIME.

RIGHT.

SO, UH, I'M, I'M ONLY CHAIR FOR THIS, THIS MONTH AND NEXT MONTH.

UH, UNLESS, UNLESS THEY'RE, UNLESS I WAS VOTED AS CHAIR.

SO I'M JUST GONNA TELL YOU MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE RULE AS IT HAS BEEN AND HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME ON MANY OCCASIONS BY CITY STAFF, IS THAT ONCE A WORKING GROUP MAKES A COMMISSION, MAKES A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE WORKING GROUP IS AUTOMATICALLY DISSOLVED, BUT THAT THE COMMISSION AT ANY TIME CAN PROPOSE TO HAVE A NEW WORKING GROUP OR, UH, UH, A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION CAN MAKE A NEW, UH, AGENDA ITEM AT ANY TIME ON ANY TOPIC.

SO LONG AS THEY HAVE A SECOND, UH, NOTHING IN MY, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING PROHIBITS UH, A NON, UH, QUORUM OF COMMISSIONERS FROM MEETING WITH EACH OTHER AND DISCUSSING A TOPIC.

UH, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COMMISSION, THAT THE ANY WORKING GROUP ITSELF DISSOLVES THE MOMENT THEY'VE MADE A RECOMMENDATION.

COMMISSION IS IT CHAIR? YES.

UM, SO WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF ACTUALLY MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION? CUZ IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WE DIDN'T TAKE ANY NOTES ON IT TO, TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE WE HAD PUT IT ON THE AGENDA IN A WAY THAT DIDN'T ALLOW US TO DO SO AS AN OVERSIGHT OF THE, BY THE WORKING GROUP LAST TIME.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE OFFICIALLY CROSSED THE LINE OF MAKING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS I TO THE COMMISSION.

I, I, I, AS YOU KNOW, WAS NOT THERE, UH, FOR THAT ITEM.

SO I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS PRESENTED.

UM, MAYBE, UH, STAFF COULD TELL US WHETHER IT WAS PRESENTED.

I WELL WE HAVE THE MINUTES.

HOLD ON.

LOOK AT, OR IT'S A QUESTION FOR STEPHANIE BECAUSE STEPHANIE WAS THERE.

SO THE AGENDA ITEM, UH, THAT WAS APPROVED IN THE COMMISSION IN THE MINUTES WAS REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE STATE SPAY NEUTER WORKING GROUP.

AGAIN, I WASN'T THERE.

CHAIR CLINTON ON THIS, THAT, AND EVEN THE WORKING GROUP THAT WE JUST CREATED A MINUTE AGO, THAT AN AGENDA NEEDS TO BE VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT CREATING A WORKING GROUP.

SO WHAT I RECALL HAPPENING AND WHAT IS IN THE MINUTES IS THAT DIRECTION WAS GIVEN BECAUSE WHAT OCCURRED WAS THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE PRESENTED, SEVERAL VOTES WERE TAKEN AND NOTHING, NOTHING HAPPENED WITH THAT.

SO AT THE END CHAIR WRAPPED IT UP BY GIVING DIRECTION THAT THE WORKING GROUP CONTINUE.

AND THAT IS KIND OF WHY WE ALLOWED IT.

I AM ABSOLUTELY WITH

[01:20:01]

SO I TOTALLY SUPPORT THAT.

BUT THAT IT WAS KIND OF FUZZY AT THE LAST MEETING AND SO WE ALLOWED IT TO CONTINUE.

I THINK, UH, HE HAS NOW SUSPENDED THE RULES TODAY.

SO, UH, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN ALLOW THIS WORKING GROUP TO CONTINUE.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO BE MORE OFFICIAL.

I THINK WE COULD EITHER TODAY, PROBABLY AT THE NEXT MEETING WOULD BE IDEAL IS PUT ON THE AGENDA TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP AND RE RESTART THAT.

THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST THING TO DO.

BUT LIKE HE MENTIONED, MEMBERS CAN CONTINUE ON WITH THEIR WORK.

I KNOW WE ARE MISSING TWO MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP TONIGHT, SO THAT MAY ALSO BE IMPACTING WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET AN UPDATE ON.

I, UH, IF THERE WAS A VOTE ON THE ISSUE THAT DID NOT PASS, I MEAN THAT THAT'S A VOTE.

THAT IS A, THERE IS NO VOTES.

I THOUGHT YOU JUST SAID SEVERAL THINGS WERE PROPOSED.

SEVERAL THINGS WERE PROPOSED, BUT I THINK THAT THEY WERE ALL, I CAN'T, I MEAN SINCE THEY'RE ON THE MINUTES, IT MEAN IT'S LETS ME KNOW THAT NO ACTION WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN.

SO I THINK THINGS MUST HAVE BEEN TOSSED AROUND.

I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND REVIEW OTHERWISE WE WOULD'VE INCLUDED VOTES IN THE MINUTES.

SO I THINK THINGS WERE PROPOSED AND THEN PERHAPS FAILED TO A LACK OF SECOND OR WE HAD TOO MANY ABSTENTIONS.

UM, BUT AGAIN, THOSE WOULD'VE BEEN NOT NOTATED IN THE MINUTES IF, IF THERE WAS A PROPOSAL WAS THERE? NO, WE DEC WE DECIDED NOT TO TAKE ANY VOTE BECAUSE ON THE AGENDA, THE WAY IT APPEARED ON THE AGENDA WAS DID NOT GIVE THE PUBLIC NOTICE THAT, THAT THERE WAS ANY POTENTIAL FOR ANY ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

SO IT WAS DECIDED THAT IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE TO HAVE ANY VOTE BECAUSE IT DID NOT MEET THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

AND SO THERE WAS NO VOTE CUZ THE PUBLIC DIDN'T HAVE APPROPRIATE WARNING.

YEAH, I WE, WE DON'T NEED, UH, SHES FROM THE AUDIENCE.

UM, IT SAYS REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

UH, I AGREE.

I I BELIEVE EVERYONE THAT THERE WAS NO VOTE.

UH, THE, THE RULE AS IT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY EXPLAINED TO ME IS THAT ONCE THE WORKING GROUP MAKES A RECOMMENDATION THAT IT IS NO LONGER A WORKING GROUP, I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO WANTS THIS ON THE AGENDA TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO MEET WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP.

SO, SO LONG AS THERE IS NOT A QUORUM TO DO.

SO I DON'T SEE ANY, I I DON'T PERSONALLY SEE THAT THE RULE MAKES ANY SENSE GIVEN THAT ANYONE AT ANY TIME CAN PUT UH, AN AGENDA ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW THE RULES SO LONG AS I AM CHAIR, WHICH MAY ONLY LAST 30 DAYS.

UH, BUT THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SO CHAIR, JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE YOU, YOU'RE DIS DISMISSING SEEING THE PREVIOUS CHAIRS GRANTING OF THE, OF THE WORKING GROUP STAYING IN EXISTENCE? I DON'T BELIEVE THAT I AS CHAIR HAVE THE POWER TO SUSPEND RULES BY MYSELF.

UM, BUT I I, ALL OF THIS CAN BE ON THE AGENDA AT BY, IF ANYONE PUTS IT ON THE AGENDA WITH A SECOND, IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE FROM A WORKING GROUP.

I'M TRYING TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES.

I, I'M A FAIRNESS PERSON.

I'M A LAWYER.

I TRY TO, I TRY TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES AND SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.

BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO WANTS IT ON THE AGENDA TO SIMPLY PLACE IT ON THE AGENDA CUZ THE ITEM CAN BE ON THE AGENDA REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS COMING FROM A WORKING GROUP.

GOT IT.

UH, NEXT ITEM IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I ASSUME THAT IS ONE OF THEM.

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO PUT THAT BACK ON THE AGENDA? CAN I, I JUST ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION.

SO IF IT WAS GOING TO GO ON THE AGENDA, WOULD IT THEN, BECAUSE IT WASN'T UNDER POSSIBLE ACTION AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE CONFUSION CAME IN, BUT COULD YOU HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM THAT SAYS, UM, SAY, UH, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING SPAIN NEUTER RECOMMENDATIONS IN AUSTIN? YES.