[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
AND WE HAVE A QUORUM.SO I AM GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER 6:00 PM BEFORE WE GET STARTED, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY A QUICK WELCOME TO, UM, OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO, UM, HAVE JUST JOINED THE BOARD.
WE HAVE A COUPLE, A COUPLE MEMBERS FOR WHOM THIS IS YOUR FIRST BOARD MEETING.
UM, SO WELCOME AND, UM, ON A, UM, AGENDA NOTE, UM, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS TO DISCUSSING ITEMS 13 AND 14 DIRECTLY AFTER ITEM FIVE, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ALL OF THE DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS TOGETHER? OKAY.
HEARING NONE, WE WILL PLAN TO DISCUSS ITEMS 13 AND 14 AFTER ITEM FIVE.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
FIRST FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND WE WILL BE DOING PUBLIC COMMUNICATION FOR ALL AGENDA ITEMS, UM, RIGHT NOW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.SO YOU WILL NOT NEED TO WAIT FOR YOUR ITEMS DISCUSSION TO COME UP LATER ON IN THE MEETING.
WE'RE GONNA DO IT ALL RIGHT NOW.
SO I WILL HAND THAT OVER TO THE FOLKS UP FRONT.
WE'RE GONNA BEGIN THOUGH WITH THE FIRST SPEAKER.
THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO COME BACK AND ACTUALLY, UH, TALK ABOUT THE PARK THAT YOU KNOW I LOVE, UH, SO MUCH.
UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY IS A PATH THAT I SEE FORWARD FOR LIKE THE ZER, UH, PLAN THAT I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT, UH, BEFORE YOU, UM, YOU MEET AGAIN AT END OF NEXT MONTH.
UM, THIS PLAN HAS MORE PARKING IF YOU LIKE, THAT THREE X CHEAPER AND IT'S GONNA BE, UH, FASTER TO BUILD NEXT, UH, SLIDE.
UM, SO THINGS, THINGS BACK FROM, UH, THE LAST TIME WE MET.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE UMBRELLA NONPROFIT.
UM, THE DESIGN WORKSHOP IMPRESSION WAS FAIRLY, UH, SHOCKING.
THERE WAS A, UH, SLIDE THAT I WANTED TO, UH, TALK ABOUT.
UM, THERE WAS A MATH THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS UNFORTUNATE ON THEIR PART APPARENTLY.
UM, BUT ONE THING TO NOTICE FROM THIS, UH, FROM, FROM OTHER SLIDES, WHAT'S INSIDE THE RED BOX, WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY DOING WITH THE PROPOSED PLAN IS MOVING IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM PARKING LOTS TO, UH, THE PROGRAM.
SO IF WE LOOK AT THE MONEY AND WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY SPENDING OUR MONEY, THE TOP FIVE THINGS FROM THERE, UH, DOCUMENT PAGE 2 0 3 ADD UP TO 136 MILLION MILLION.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE THINGS NEAR OR THE BOTTOM, IT'S TREE, IT'S TREE CANOPY, BATHROOMS, PLANTS AND TRAILS.
THINGS THAT YOU WOULD WANNA SEE IN A PARK PLAN.
SO WHAT THIS IS REALLY SAYING IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE PUBLIC IS PAYING FOR THE, UH, GARAGES TO REDUCE IMPERVIOUS COVER SO IT CAN PAY AGAIN FOR PET PROJECTS TO INCREASE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER BACK NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHAT, WHAT WOULD I LIKE YOU TO DO, PLEASE, ON 4 24 PASS A, A RESOLUTION IN A CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING THINGS TAKE OUT OTHER GARAGES.
GO BACK TO A PARKING PLAN THAT'S BASED ON CONCEPT C THAT THE VARIOUS SAME, UH, CONSULTANTS CAME UP WITH.
THIS HAS MORE, UH, SPOTS THAN, THAN THAN OTHER PRESENT PLAN.
TAKE OUT THE HILLSIDE THEATER, UH, PROJECT, THE WALLER PARK VENUE LOOKS A LOT LIKE WHAT THEY WANT.
ANYWAY, TAKE OUT THE CIRCLE DRIVE FROM THE WELCOME CENTER.
THE IMPERVIOUS COVER FROM THAT IS RIDICULOUS.
UM, AND OF COURSE IT MAKES SENSE TO REWILD THE BUTLER LANDFILL, UH, BART BARTON, UH, YOU KNOW, CREEK AND ALL THAT.
SO WHY SHOULD WE DO THIS? YOU GET TO BE THE HERO.
YOU DROP THE PROJECT COST TO 55 MILLION FROM 1 75.
THERE'S MORE PARKING THAN IN THE PRESENT PLAN, AND YOU GET TO ADDRESS ALL THE NEEDS OF THE PARK.
IT'S GONNA BE FASTER TO BUILD MORE CLIMATE, UH, FRIENDLY, AND WE CAN GET TO SPEND THE SAVINGS ON THE OTHER THINGS IN TOWN THAT NEED FIXING.
NEXT UP PAGE, THIS IS A SHOT OF THEIR, UH, CONCEPT C THAT, UH, SHOWS YOU HOW THAT THEY, HOW THAT THEY GOT ALL OF, OF THE SPACES THAT THEY HAVE.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE PARKING, LESS MONEY.
IT FEELS LIKE MAGIC, UH, COMPARED TO THE PRESENT PLAN.
I AM HAPPY TO MEET WITH ANY OF YOU TO, UH, TALK ABOUT THIS.
AND AFTER THAT WILL BE SCOTT COBB.
UM, I'M NIKKI HENDRIX AND I'M ONE OF THE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE TEXAS ROLLER GIRLS, UM, ROLLER DERBY LEAGUE,
[00:05:01]
WHICH IS THE, WE HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS, MEMBERS, ET CETERA.UM, WE REALLY APPRECIATE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARKS, WHICH HAS INVOLVED A CONTRACT TO USE PANAM PARK FOR PROBABLY FIVE, SIX YEARS.
UH, BUT IN THE LAST THREE TO FOUR MONTHS, WE'VE REALLY BEEN HAVING A LOT OF SAFETY CONCERNS WITH PANAM.
UM, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP THAT ARE KIND OF TOP OF MY MIND.
ONE IS THAT A TEMPORARY FENCE WAS MOVED IN TO PANAM TO SEPARATE THE PICKLEBALL COURTS FROM THE ROLLER DERBY COURTS.
UH, THAT ACTUALLY INVALIDATES OUR LIABILITY INSURANCE AND OUR RISK MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES.
SO IT PUTS EVERYBODY IN THE PARK IN DANGER IF WE HAVE THAT FENCE, UH, INVALIDATING THAT AGREEMENT.
UH, THE SECOND PIECE IS THAT WE'VE BEEN SUBJECTED TO AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR FROM OTHER USERS OF THE PARK, SPECIFICALLY THE PICKLEBALL COURT PEOPLE, UM, INCLUDING THEM DEMANDING TO SEE OUR CONTRACT, UH, SAYING WE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO USE THE SPACE, UH, IN ONE CASE PICKING UP THE FENCE AND MOVING IT ONTO OUR TRACK.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING I JUST WANNA ALERT YOU ALL TO.
UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT THE FENCE BE REMOVED, UH, AND THAT WE ALSO, UM, HAVE SIGNAGE PUT UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO REFLECT THE CONDITIONS OF THE CONTRACT SO IT ISN'T JUST US HAVING TO ADVOCATE FOR THE USE OF THE SPACE.
UM, AND OF COURSE WE WELCOME ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE FOR US ON HOW TO USE THE PARK EXACTLY AS WE HAVE CONTRACTED.
MS. SCOTT COBB ON DECK WILL BE KAYLA REESE.
UH, DO YOU WANNA TAKE YOUR SIX MINUTES NOW OR DO YOU WANNA SPEAK ON BOTH ITEMS? BOTH ITEMS NOW? SO, SCOTT COBB WILL BE SPEAKING IN GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND FOR ITEM FOUR, HELLO, MY NAME IS SCOTT COBB.
BY THE WAY, IF YOU DON'T, UH, I, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DON'T KNOW ME, BUT MY, I WORK AS A LIFEGUARD FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, MOSTLY AT BARTON SPRINGS AND ALSO AT DEEP EDDIE.
AND I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE BONUSES THAT SHOULD BE IN PLAY FOR THIS SUMMER AS WELL AS THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
I WAS AT BARTON SPRINGS ON SATURDAY AND I RARELY HAVE SEEN IT THAT BUSY.
I PARKED AT THE VERY LAST, NOT EVEN THE LAST ROW OF THE, OF THE POLO FIELDS, THE LAST ROW, AND THEN OVER ONE SECTION.
AND I WENT DOWN TO THE POOL AND I SAW HOW BUSY IT WAS ON THE SOUTH LAWN AND IN THE POOL AND ALL AROUND THE LINE WAS ALL THE WAY DOWN BY THE, BY THE END OF THE BUILDING.
THEN I WENT AROUND AND LOOKED AT THE LIFEGUARD SITUATION.
THERE ARE NINE STANDS AVAILABLE AT BARTON SPRINGS TO SAFELY OPERATE THE POOL ON BUSY DAYS ON SATURDAY.
ONLY SIX OF THOSE STANDS WERE OPEN AT THREE 30 IN THE AFTERNOON, THE BUSIEST TIME OF THE DAY.
THAT TELLS ME WE'RE NOT YET AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE ENOUGH LIFEGUARDS, NOT EVEN NOW, BUT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE ARE CHANGING.
THE INDUSTRY IS CHANGING AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO FULLY STAFF.
WE DID A LITTLE BIT LAST YEAR, WE GOT 13 FULL-TIME GUARDS.
WE GOT A $28 LIVING WAGE LAST YEAR.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO, AND I'VE TALKED TO THE COUNCILPERSON WHO SPONSORED THE FULL-TIME LIFEGUARDS LAST YEAR, IS TO BUILD ON THAT NUMBER.
WHAT WE ACTUALLY, THE GOAL LAST YEAR WAS 25 TO 30 FULL-TIME LIFEGUARDS.
SO THE MEMO FROM THE CITY MANAGER SAYS, PART IS PROHIBITED FROM REQUESTING NEW FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
BUT THAT DOES NOT PREVENT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FROM INCLUDING IN THE RESOLUTION, THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT BECAUSE YOU DON'T REPRESENT THE CITY, CITY MANAGER.
YOU REPRESENT THE PEOPLE YOU ARE APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL.
WHEN YOU RECOMMEND SOMETHING, IT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA GET IN THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET, BUT IT WILL GET THE ATTENTION OF CITY COUNCIL.
AND THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR WHEN THIS BOARD RECOMMENDED BEFORE ANY OF THE BOARD A $22 LIVING WAGE, WHICH EVENTUALLY GOT WHITTLED DOWN TO 20.
BUT IT MAY NOT HAVE GOT IN THERE AT ALL IF YOU HAD NOT INCLUDED IT IN THE RESOLUTION.
SO DON'T SAY, DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN'T PUT THINGS IN YOUR RESOLUTION THAT THE RECOMMENDATION THAT GOES MARCH 31ST TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
YOU PUT IN WHAT YOU WANNA PUT IN, WHAT THAT SHOULD INCLUDE MORE FULL-TIME LIFEGUARDS.
UM, A RESTRUCTURING OF THE PAY STRUCTURE FOR NEXT YEAR, WHICH I'VE ALREADY DESCRIBED TO ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS EXTREMELY INTERESTED IN IT CUZ WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH, UH, DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE PAY RATES FOR THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF RESPONSIBILITY.
IF YOU WORK AT BARTON SPRINGS, YOU ONLY GET $1 MORE AND YOU GET 2125.
[00:10:02]
A REGULAR LIFEGUARD GETS 2025.THERE'S MUCH MORE RES RESPONSIBILITY THIS SUMMER SO FAR.
THERE'S NO BONUSES FOR PEOPLE MOVING FROM A REGULAR POOL TO BARTON SPRINGS.
WHY WOULD GO SOMEONE GO OVER THERE WHERE YOU HAVE TO RESCUE MAYBE 10 PEOPLE ON A BUSY DAY AND YOU'RE ONLY GOT SIX OUT OF NINE STANDS OPEN.
IT'S CRAZY STRESSFUL FOR THAT $1.
MY RECOMMENDATION FOR NEXT YEAR IS THEY GET $24, BUT THIS YEAR THEY SHOULD DEFINITELY GET A BONUS OF AT LEAST $250 IF YOU MOVE FROM A REGULAR POOL TO BARTON SPRINGS.
RIGHT NOW THE BONUSES ARE IN LIMBO BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION WITH THE WINTER STORM.
SO THERE MAY NOT BE EVEN ANY BONUSES THIS SUMMER.
SO YOU NEED TO PUT IN THE RESOLUTION BONUSES THIS SUMMER AND THAT MAY HAVE TO BE AN ITEM FROM COUNCIL, MORE FULL-TIME LIFEGUARDS NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, AND A RESTRUCTURING OF THE PAY RATE PAY RATES SO THAT YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE GETTING PAID MORE FOR TRAINING LIFEGUARDS.
IF YOU NEED 850 LIFEGUARDS, YOU NEED A LOT OF TRAINERS AND THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT AN INCENTIVE TO BE A LIFEGUARD TRAINER IF THEY'RE, THE PAY IS NOT ENOUGH.
THEY SHOULD ALSO BE PAYING $24 AN HOUR.
THE STARTING PAY NEXT YEAR SHOULD STAY AT THE LIVING WAGE FOR 15 AND 16 YEAR OLDS.
BUT FOR EVERYONE ELSE IT SHOULD GO UP TO 22.
AND THEN IF YOU GO TO OPEN WATER GUARDS, IT SHOULD BE 24.
IF YOU DO THESE THINGS, YOU CAN SOLVE THE LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE ONGOING.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THERE MAY BE SOME HICCUP IN THE HIRING AT AN AQUATICS.
I HAD A COUPLE OF FRIENDS WHO APPLIED THREE WEEKS AGO AND THEY HAVEN'T HEARD BACK ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GONNA BE SCHEDULED FOR COURSES.
LAST YEAR, THE CITY AUDITOR JUST RELEASED A REPORT ON LAST YEAR'S HIRING PROCESS AND IT TOOK 52 DAYS ON AVERAGE TO APPLY.
AND THEN YOUR FIRST DAY OF WORK, THE STANDARD SHOULD BE YOU APPLY WITHIN FIVE DAYS.
YOU HEAR BACK AND YOU'RE TOLD WHEN YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR A COURSE.
FIVE DAYS IT'S BEEN THREE WEEKS.
WE LOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE IT TAKES SO LONG.
A COUPLE OF MY FRIENDS ARE WAITING TO HEAR BACK, THEY'RE GONNA MOVE ON, THEY DON'T HEAR BACK.
SO I JUST WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO PUT IN THE RESOLUTION, WHAT YOU AS REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE, NOT THE CITY PROFESSIONAL STAFF, THE PEOPLE, AND WHAT YOU THINK CITY COUNCIL SHOULD DO.
AFTER THAT WILL BE SHARON BLYTHE.
I'M THE ADVOCACY MANAGER AT AUSTIN PARKS ON DUCHEN.
UM, AND I WANNA WELCOME THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, I'M SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE NEW ENERGY ON THE BOARD AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH Y'ALL TO, UH, PROTECT OUR PARKS.
UM, I WANNA TAKE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PARKLAND DEDICATION, UM, BILLS THAT ARE AT THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY ON THE PARK RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT FOR PARKLAND DEDICATION.
UM, BUT LAST WEEK ON WEDNESDAY, THE HOUSE, UH, HAD A HEARING FOR HOUSE BILL 1526 ABOUT PARKLAND DEDICATION.
THAT'S TARGETING THE FIVE BIG CITIES IN TEXAS.
SO THAT'S BEING AFFECTED BY THIS.
AND THE MAIN TAKEAWAY OF THESE BILLS, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR, IS THAT, UH, UH, LEGISLATURE FROM EAST TEXAS WAS APPROACHED BY A LOBBYING FIRM TO PUT THIS BILL FORWARD, TO TARGET THE FIVE BIG CITIES.
AND, UM, THOSE CITIES, UM, ARE HOUSTON, AUSTIN, SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS, AND FORT WORTH.
UM, AND IT'S KIND OF IRONIC THAT A REPUBLICAN WOULD PUT THIS FORWARD IN THAT THEY ARE AGAINST BIG GOVERNMENTS, BUT THEY WANT TEXAS TO COME AND TELL THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HOW TO RUN PARKLAND DEDICATION.
UM, WHETHER OR NOT YOU AGREE WITH PARKLAND DEDICATION AS IT STANDS IN AUSTIN, I STILL THINK IT SHOULD BE UP TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UM, TO DECIDE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR US.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, THERE IS A HEARING AT THE SENATE THIS WEDNESDAY FOR SENATE BILL 5 58, UM, UNDER THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, OUR COMMITTEE, EXCUSE ME, UM, I WILL BE TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
I KNOW THAT H OF THE THREE, THE FIVE CITIES WILL ALSO BE THERE, UH, TO TESTIFY AGAINST THE BILL AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE.
SO IF YOU'RE ABLE TO EVEN JUST LIKE DROP A CARD, EMAIL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING ON THE COMMITTEES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY IMPACTFUL.
[00:15:01]
I'M LOVINGLY REC, UM, REFERRED TO AS THE CEMETERY LADY CUZ I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE CITY OF CEMETERIES FOR 30 YEARS.UM, HAVE A LITTLE PRESENTATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENED AT AUSTIN MEMORIAL PARK RECENTLY.
WE INSTALLED 55 MOUNTAIN LAUREL TREES ALONG THE MOPAC RIGHT AWAY.
IT SOFTENED THE, THE VIEW FROM THE CEMETERY.
AND THIS WAS A RESULT OF 10 YEARS OF, OF WORKING WITH TECH OT, TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION, CT M R A, UM, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, TO, UH, HAVE THIS PROJECT DONE BECAUSE THEY BUILT MOPAC WITHIN JUST THIS, THIS MUCH OF THE NEW LANES NEXT MUCH FROM THE CEMETERY.
AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT ACCORDING TO THE FED FEDERAL LAW WITHOUT SOME KIND OF MITIGATION.
SO THIS WAS A MITIGATION AGREEMENT WE HAD WITH THEM.
IT'S, IT'S JUST ABOUT DONE AND IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE.
UH, THIS IS ONE, UH, VIEW OF IT WHERE THEY'VE CLEARED OFF ALL THE BRUSH UP THE HILL THERE AND, UH, PUT IN SOME GRASS AS WELL AS THE MOUNTAIN LAURELS.
AND THIS IS A NEW, NEW, UH, DEAL.
I LIVE IN THE MOUNTAIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE A LITTLE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK THERE CALLED MOUNTAIN VIEW PARK.
WE HAD A PARK STAY OUT THERE WHERE WE DRUG ALL THE DOWN TREE LIMBS TO THE STREET.
UH, GOT 'EM OVER THERE WHERE THE TRUCKS COULD COME BY AND PICK IT UP.
IT WAS JUST COMPLETELY DEVASTATED BY THE ICE STORM.
UM, BUT WE FOUND TODAY THIS NOTICE FROM ON ON THE CITY'S BOLSON BOARD THAT WE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT FORESTRY WAS GONNA PLANT SOME TREES OUT THERE.
AND I GUESS THE WHITE DOTS ARE THE ONES THAT, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA PLANT THE TREES.
WELL, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS NEVER DISCUSSED ABOUT THIS.
WE, THEY NEVER TALKED TO US ABOUT IT.
THEY NEVER SAID WHERE THE TREES REALLY NEED TO GO IN.
I REALLY THINK THERE SHOULD BE A, A, UM, REGULATION THAT THE CITY PARKS, DEPARTMENTS, FORESTRY OR WHATEVER COMES TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BEFORE THEY POST THESE THINGS ON THE BULLETIN BOARD, CUZ I STARTED GETTING A LOT OF CALLS FROM MY NEIGHBORS.
WHAT IS THIS? WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
SO IS ANY WAY THAT Y'ALL CAN PASS SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION WHERE THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS CAN NOTIFY THE NEIGHBORHOODS BEFORE THEY JUMP INTO SOME KIND OF PROJECT THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR THE PARKS IN THE INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, BUT THAT'S ALL ABOUT, ABOUT ALL I HAD TO SAY TONIGHT.
BUT, UM, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT ON THIS.
AND UH, ALSO BACK ON THE CEMETERY STUFF, IF YOU EVER HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CEMETERIES, CONTACT ME.
CAUSE I'M THE EX EXPERT CITYWIDE FOR ALL OF THAT.
I HAVE MARY FARROW SPEAKING, FOLLOWED BY KEVIN RAINIS.
UM, AND WELCOME TO THAT WAS QUICK
UH, WELCOME TO ALL THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL.
I LIVE IN THE ALLENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD AND CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE ALLENDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BOARD AND THE FRIENDS OF NORTHWEST PARK.
AND I AM HERE TO, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW, TALK ABOUT NORTHWEST PARK, WHICH IS LOCATED VERY NEAR BURNETT ROAD AND JUSTIN LANE, UH, JUST WEST OF THERE.
UM, NORTHWEST PARK WENT THROUGH A VISION PLAN PROCESS STARTING A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, AND THAT WAS COMPLETED, UH, LAST YEAR OR 2022 MAYBE.
AND, UM, WE ARE STILL EAGER TO SEE SOME OF THE, UH, THINGS DEVELOPED FROM THAT.
WE, WE WILL BE GETTING A NEW POOL, UH, DESIGN OUR, UH, SHELL THIS SUMMER.
THIS POOL WAS DEVELOPED IN 1956, AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE A NEW, A NEW SHELL PUT IN THAT POOL AND HAVE IT REJUVENATED.
WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, WE HAVE A STRONG CORE OF SUPPORT FOR THIS PARK.
WE HAD, UH, WELL OVER A HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS ON, IT'S MY PARK DAY THIS MONTH, UH, WHERE WE DID SOME SHOLL CREEK CLEANUP.
WE DID SOME STORM DEBRIS CLEANUP AND WE PAINTED ALL THE PICNIC TABLES IN THE PARK.
AND SO, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM AND LOVE FOR THIS OLD PARK.
UM, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PROBABLY LIKE MANY PARKS NOW.
THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF, UM, INCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ESCALATING, IT SEEMS, UH, SINCE LAST SUMMER, PARTICULARLY WINDOW CAR, WINDOW SMASHING, UH, THAT IS CONTINUING.
JUST LAST WEEK THERE WERE THREE BURGLARIES OF VEHICLES IN THE PARK.
UM, THERE WERE SOME, UH, SERIOUS VANDALISM THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE POOL AS THEY'RE PREPPING,
[00:20:01]
PREPPING, PREPPING FOR THE SEASON, UM, THAT RESULTED IN A FISH KILL BECAUSE CURRENTLY THE POOL DRAINS TO THE LITTLE POND THAT'S IN THE PARK.UM, THERE IS, UM, PRETTY BAD, UH, COMMERCIAL AND PERSONAL DUMPING IN THE BINS THERE.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'VE SUGGESTED BEFORE THAT THE BOARD OR THE DEPARTMENT CONSIDER PUT PUTTING SOME CAMERAS IN THE PARKING LOT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD POTENTIALLY ALLEVIATE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS. UM, BUT THEY ARE, THEY DO SEEM TO BE GETTING WORSE.
UM, SO I WANNA URGE YOU TO, TO CONSIDER THAT AGAIN.
UM, ADDITIONALLY THERE IS, AND I HAVE TALKED WITH PAR STAFF ABOUT THIS, SO THERE'S SOME AWARENESS OF IT.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF TREES THAT HAVE FALLEN ON THE HILLSIDE NEAR THE PLAYGROUND AND, UM, SOME OF THOSE ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF COLLAPSE.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT FOR SAFETY REASONS, UM, THAT AREA IS GIVEN A LOOK.
UM, BEYOND THAT, I MENTIONED THE POND.
UH, THE VISION PLAN DID INCLUDE, UM, WE HOPE SOME, SOME STUDIES THAT'LL BE DONE FOR HOW BEST TO, UH, TRY AND HELP THAT POND.
OH, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT THERE IS A MAINTENANCE CONTRACT THAT YOU DID APPROVE AND IT HAS NOT YET BEEN EXECUTED TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
AND WITH THE FISCAL YEAR HALF OVER, I HOPE THAT CAN BE HAPPENING SOON.
HELLO, I'M KEVIN RAINIS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
WE'RE A 5 0 1
AND I WANTED TO, UH, AND WE OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE WALLER CREEK BOATHOUSE AT THE END OF TRINITY STREET ON BEHALF OF THE PARKS ORGANIZATION.
AND I WANTED TO THANK THE PARKS BOARD FOR THEIR SUPPORT LAST SEPTEMBER FOR THE RESOLUTION THAT OUTLINED A PATH FORWARD TO A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ALSO THE PARKS BOARD FOR THE CONTRACT EXTENSION THAT WAS JUST PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, WHICH GIVES US THE GROUNDWORK AND A TIME TO WORK IN A NEW STRATEGIC LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WITH DIRECTOR MCNELEY, WITH CHRISTINE AND THE PARTNERSHIP SIDE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UH, COMING UP, I DID WANNA MENTION AN ACTIVITY WE HAD RECENTLY.
SO SINCE 1983, WE'VE BEEN HOSTING THE HEART OF TEXAS REGATTA OFF OF FESTIVAL BEACH.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE LONGEST STANDING ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS IN THE CITY.
WE HAVE, UH, YOUTH MASTERS AND COLLEGIATE TEAMS. WE HAD CREWS FROM, UH, TWO COUNTRIES, MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAD, UH, 28 DIFFERENT ROWING ORGANIZATIONS FROM SIX STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY COME TO AUSTIN TO COMPETE IN A GREAT AMATEUR COMPETITION.
I WANT TO THANK TWO PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR IN THE PARK'S, UH, SPECIAL EVENT STAFF, JASON MAER AND AMANDA FISHER THERE.
WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE READINESS OF THE PARK, UH, PRIOR TO THAT EVENT.
WE HAVE ABOUT 1,500 COMPETITORS, AGAIN FROM YOUTH, COLLEGIATE, AND ADULTS.
AND IT WAS A, IT WAS A GREAT WEEKEND.
SPEAKING OF FESTIVAL BEACH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR SECOND ANNUAL FITNESS FESTIVAL.
I INVITE YOU ALL TO COME DOWN ON SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH.
WE'RE GONNA, IT'S, UH, ABOUT BRINGING COMMUNITY SERVICES AND AWARENESS INTO EAST AUSTIN ACROSS A VARIETY OF FRONTS.
WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING AND COLLABORATING WITH 20 NONPROFIT PARTNERS.
ONE OF THEM IS THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.
SO WE HAVE, UH, MUSIC ON THE TRAIL WILL BE THERE.
WE'RE GONNA DO A PARK ACTIVATION WITH CLEANUP.
WE'LL BE DOING FREE KAYAK TOURS, GIVING A HISTORY OF EAST AUSTIN.
IT'S A WIDE VARIETY OF EVENTS WITH PEOPLE'S COMMUNITY CLINIC AND OTHERS.
SO IF YOU WANT TO COME BY AND CHECK THAT OUT APRIL 15TH, WE'LL BE THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
SPEAKING ON ITEM 13 WILL BE BLAIR ROBBINS AND AFTER BLAIR WILL BE MICHAEL WHEELER OR WELLEN.
I'M THE SECRETARY TREASURER FOR THE AUSTIN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS AF F M LOCAL 4 33, UM, OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS.
UM, I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE, UH, OFFICER, UM, TEAM, UH, OF, OF WHICH I'M A MEMBER AS WELL AS, UH, PRESIDENT AARON LACK AND,
[00:25:01]
UM, VICE PRESIDENT, UH, RUSSELL K SHORES, UM, IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 13 ON, UH, FAIR PAY FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.UM, SPEAKING ON THE TOPIC OF FAIR PAY, UM, I'M GOING TO, UH, READ A STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICER TEAM.
UM, AND THIS IS IN LINE WITH, UM, OUR CORE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLES OF OUR LABOR UNION.
UM, TO AVOID A CONTINUATION OF THE CURRENT CONDITIONS WHERE AN ARBITRARY SET RATE HAS BECOME STAGNANT OVER YEARS OF NEGLECT, FAIR PAY MUST BE NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE EMPLOYER AND MUSICIANS USING THE US LABOR STANDARD OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
THIS WILL ENSURE THAT WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS ARE UPDATED AT REGULAR INTERVALS IN A DEMOCRATIC AND PROFESSIONAL MANNER, AND THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST CAN ACHIEVE ITS GOAL OF CREATING PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARTISTS.
NEXT WE HAVE MICHAEL WELLEN AND THE HAVE LENORE DONK DONNE.
UH, MICHAEL WHELAN ON BEHALF OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
THANK Y'ALL FOR, UH, YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR TIME TODAY.
UM, OBVIOUSLY SOUTH BY BY SOUTHWEST IS AWARE OF THE FEEDBACK RELATED TO ARTIST COMPENSATION EACH YEAR.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST CONDUCTS A REVIEW OF THE EVENT.
IT'S A VERY LONG EVENT, UH, INCLUDING POLICIES ARE LOOKED AT ALONG WITH OBVIOUSLY THINGS THAT HAPPEN DURING THE EVENT.
THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE ITEMS. UH, THERE'S BEEN FEEDBACK OBVIOUSLY THROUGH THE PRESS, UH, AND OTHERS WE KNOW, UH, THE REVIEW IS DONE IN MAY.
UH, IT ALLOWS VENDORS, THE CITY, THE COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPANTS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
THE PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK FORM SURVEY FORM JUST WENT OUT.
AND SO THAT PROCESS IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.
UH, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S A LONG FESTIVAL.
IT HAS AN EDUCATION COMPONENT, AN INTERACTIVE COMPONENT, MUSIC COMPONENT, FILM COMPONENT, SECOND LARGEST FILM COMPONENT.
UH, AND THEN, UH, THE END MUSIC COMPONENT.
THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MUSIC COMPONENT IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MUSICIANS TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS AND ENGAGE IN NETWORK WITH THE MEDIA AND WITH GLOBAL, UH, MUSIC INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS.
THIS IS NOT A CONSUMER DRIVEN EVENT LIKE COACHELLA OR LOLLAPALOOZA, WHICH IS WHY SO MANY BANDS OPT FOR, UH, THE ARTIST'S WRISTBAND PACKAGE.
UH, WE CONCUR THAT AN EXAMINATION OF ARTIST CO COMPENSATION IS SOMETHING TO INCLUDE IN THE REVIEW.
AND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO.
THAT'LL BE PART OF THIS FEEDBACK PROCESS.
AS YOU KNOW, THE FESTIVAL ITSELF ENDED, UH, ABOUT A WEEK AGO, A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO.
AND BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO RECEIVE AND ABSORB THE FEEDBACK, WE WOULD SIMPLY ASK THAT THIS ITEM BE POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE 26TH.
THAT GIVES US A CHANCE TO COME BACK WITH A PRESENTATION.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, REALLY MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS THE, UH, SPEAKER JUST NOTED, THE POSTPONEMENT WILL ALLOW FOR FURTHER DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION.
IT GIVES US REALLY ALL A CHANCE TO MOVE FORWARD.
UH, AND OF COURSE, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST REPRESENTATIVES ARE AVAILABLE TO MEET WITH ANY OF YOU TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND, UH, TO DO SO AS WE CONDUCT THIS FEEDBACK PROCESS, WHICH WILL BE GOING ON OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE ON THE PARKS BOARD.
UH, AND, UH, HOPE YOU'LL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, THE NEED FOR US TO GO THROUGH THIS FEEDBACK PROCESS.
NEXT WE HAVE LENORE DONK DONETTE, AND WE SHOULD HAVE ONE SPEAKER AFTER THIS.
I'M HERE AT THE REQUEST OF THE UNION FOR MUSICIANS AND ALLIED WORKERS AND THE ARTISTS ACROSS AUSTIN, ACROSS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND ACROSS THE BIG POND TO URGE YOU ALL TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT US AND APPROVE OUR FAIR PAY AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PERFORMING ARTISTS.
I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY OF US HERE IN AUSTIN, AND WE WOULD BE WILLING TO COME IN AND SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES WITH YOU AS MUSICIANS.
I BEGAN MY CAREER IN AUSTIN AS A MUSICIAN IN 1986 WITH THE INAUGURAL SEASON OF THE AUSTIN LYRIC OPERA.
I ALSO HAD MY FIRST TEACHING EXPERIENCE AT AUSTIN IN AUSTIN, I S D AT THE REAGAN HIGH SCHOOL IN 79.
AND NOW BEING RETIRED, THIS IS REALLY
[00:30:01]
IMPORTANT TO HELP USSO, UM, ONCE WHEN WE BEGAN THE OPERA, SO MANY PEOPLE HAD THE ATTITUDE OF, WELL, I BELONG TO THE BALLET AND I BELONGED TO THE SYMPHONY.
AND IT TOOK THE OPERA TO REALLY BRING US ALL TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER.
AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST BEGAN, AND IT WAS WONDERFUL TO BE A PART OF THAT AS WELL.
UM, EARLY ON, THE UM, SYMPHONY WAS ABLE TO UNIONIZE WITHIN THE OPERA AND THE ANYONE THAT MENTIONED UNIONIZING IN THE OPERA CHORUS AS I WAS A MEMBER, THEY WERE NOT, UM, SEEN AGAIN,
UM, THE OPERA COMMUNITY GRACIOUSLY PAID US A LITTLE FOR EACH SHOW.
SO YES, I WAS FINALLY A PROFESSIONAL SINGER AND AFTER 20 YEARS I TOLD MY LATE OLDER SISTER I WOULD LEARN HER MUSIC AND WENT TO THE MEMPHIS FOLK ALLIANCE WHERE I MET MY FUTURE MUSICIAN FRIENDS.
AND THEY HAVE COME INTO AUSTIN AND I'VE HOUSED THEM FOREVER MORE AND FRIENDS OVERSEAS COMING IN AS WELL.
I'D LIKE TO THANK PHIL LEE FOR THE ALBUM I'M ON PHIL LEE AND THE HORSE HE RODE IN ON WITH MUSICIANS FROM, UH, NEIL YOUNG'S BAND, UH, BILLY TALBIT ON GUITAR, RALPH MOLINA, THE DRUMMER.
UM, THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT THIS YEAR, BUT HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR THE TEAM WILL COME IN.
I WANT TO THANK THE PARKS AND RECREATION MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY PEDRO VILLA BOS AND CATHERINE, UH, FLOWERS.
ALSO THANKS TO OUR CONGRESSMAN KASAR AND THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, RI AND FUENTES.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, LEFTY PARKER, AND AFTER THAT WILL BE SARAH HALL, BOTH SPEAKING ON ITEM 13.
CAN I, UM, JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO CLARIFY THAT, UM, EACH PERSON HERE HAS THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT AT THE BEGINNING, BUT THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR ALLOTTED TIME.
MIC CHECK, DOUBLE CHECK, CHECK.
UM, HEY GUYS, MY NAME'S LEFTY PARKER.
UM, I'M HERE, I'M SPEAKING WITH, UM, AND ON THE BEHALF OF THE, OH BOY, THE NAME'S SO LONG.
IT'S, IT'S THE UNITED SOMEONE SAY IT.
ANYWAYS, I DON'T KNOW WHO I'M HERE SUPPORTING.
I'M SUPPORTING THE MUSICIANS OF AUSTIN.
I'M A MUSICIAN OF AUSTIN, UM, AND ANYONE WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT, UH, FAIR PAY FOR ARTISTS HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, UM, WE JUST SAW A REPRESENTATIVE OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST COME UP AND TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR PLANS TO GET FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE AND FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEY'RE ASKING FOR YOU GUYS TO DELAY ITEM 13, I'M ASSUMING.
THAT'S JUST, IT'S KIND OF JUST THE SAME BOLOGNA THAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THIS WORLD FOREVER WHERE PEOPLE TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ARTISTS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LITTLE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST TRYING TO DO THEIR THING.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I SHOULD HAVE PREPARED BECAUSE I'M NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKER, I'M A PUBLIC SINGER.
UM, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO READ A FEW POINTS THAT I GOT IN THIS EMAIL THAT, WELL, MAYBE I'M NOT, LET'S JUST PUT IT THIS WAY.
UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MAKES OODLES AND OODLES OF MONEY AND THEY PAY NO OODLES OF MONEY TO ALL THE MUSICIANS THAT PLAY THERE.
SO IF YOU GUYS WANT TO BE COOL AND KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD, MAYBE, UH, LET'S THINK ABOUT FURTHERING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL THE MUSICIANS THAT COME THROUGH THIS TOWN AND WANT TO CONTINUE TO COME THROUGH THIS TOWN.
SPEAKING ON ITEM 13 IS SARAH HALL.
HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS SARAH HALL.
I'M THE ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION MANAGER AT AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS, AND I'M WITH AND SUPPORT YUMA'S FAIR PAY AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST CAMPAIGN.
I'M A HARPIST AND A SELF-EMPLOYED MUSICIAN WHO HAS BEEN LIVING IN AND PLAYING AROUND AUSTIN FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS.
NOT GETTING COMPENSATION FOR PERFORMANCE IS BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
I WAS ABLE TO FIGURE THAT OUT AT AGE
[00:35:01]
16 WHEN I WAS TRYING TO EARN A WAGE AS A MUSICIAN FOR THE FIRST TIME.I'VE BEEN POURING HOURS INTO MY CRAFT EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR 10 YEARS AT THAT POINT.
AND A FREE PASTRY AT A LOCALLY OWNED COFFEE SHOP IN EXCHANGE FOR ALL THAT TIME COMING TO FRUITION WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE.
NOW INSTEAD OF A TINY FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS, IMAGINE AN EVENT THAT GENERATES HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR AND WAS BUILT ON THE BACK AUSTIN MUSICIANS FOR DECADES.
A WRISTBAND IS NOT COMPENSATION.
$45 FOR A SOLO ARTIST AFTER THE APPLICATION FEE IS NOT COMPENSATION.
THIS IS HOW WE LIVE, THIS IS HOW WE SURVIVE.
WE NEED TO BE PAID FAIRLY FOR OUR WORK, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE KNOW SOUTH BY IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF IT.
HOW A CIVILIZATION TREATS ITS ARTISTIC CLASS SAYS A LOT ABOUT IT.
AND THE CURRENT WAY SOUTH BY IS TREATING US DOES NOT REFLECT KINDLY ON THE CITY.
MUSICIANS, NONPROFIT ALWAYS INSISTS GET PAID.
I URGE THIS BOARD TO PLEASE VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED FAIR PAY AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST RECOMMENDATION.
HAVEN'T BEEN TO A MEETING IN A WHILE, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW IT GOES SOMETIMES.
DAY JOBS AND ALL THAT, AND NIGHT JOBS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
UM, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, UH, POOR COMPENSATION IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS AN INDUSTRY-WIDE PROBLEM.
UM, MAKING ANY MOVE TOWARDS BOLSTERING THAT, UM, IS A GREAT THING AND SETS GOOD PRECEDENCE.
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, UM, ALLOWING HISTORICALLY ALLOWING INDUSTRIES TO REGULATE THEMSELVES AND DO THEIR REVIEWS ON THEIR OWN TERMS HAS NEVER WORKED OUT WELL FOR PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, FOR WORKERS FOR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HOLD, UH, AN ORGANIZATION ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT THEY'VE BEEN PROMISING TO DO FOR HOWEVER LONG, YOU KNOW.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ON THE SUBJECT.
I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DO WANT TO CHECK AND MAKE SURE, IN CASE I MISSED IT, DID THE BOARD DO A PROPER ROLL CALL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING? HMM.
BOARD MEMBER COTTON CAUGHT HIM.
UM, BOARD MEMBER REID PRESENT AND BOARD MEMBER BECKER HERE.
DOES THAT CONCLUDE OUR, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS BEFORE WE START ON THE DISCUSSIONS? GREAT.
UM, WELL THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO CAME TO SPEAK.
UM, WE ARE NOW GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR BRIEFINGS AND DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, STARTING WITH APPROVAL OF
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD'S.REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 27TH, 2023.
ALL RIGHT, SO BOARD MEMBER MOORE MOVES BOARD MEMBER VILLA LOBO.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR? OH, ALRIGHT.
[2. Staff Briefing on the Waterloo Greenway Confluence Construction.]
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.UM, THE STAFF BRIEFING ON WATERLOO GREENWAY CONFLUENCE CONSTRUCTION.
SO DURING STAFF BRIEFINGS, UM, THERE IS NOT, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS TO ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, BUT THERE IS NO BOARD MEMBER DISCUSSION OR ACTION, BUT YOU MAY ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS OF THE PRESENTERS.
[00:40:31]
CAN YOU HEAR ME? THANK YOU.UH, THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
SO WE CAN PROVIDE THIS UPDATE TO YOU ON THE CONFLUENCE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, WHICH IS THE NEXT PHASE OF THE WATERLOO GREENWAY.
UH, MY NAME IS LENA DINKLER, I'M A PART PROJECT MANAGER.
UM, AND I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUES TONIGHT FROM THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY AND FROM WATERSHED PROTECTION.
AS YOU ALL ARE PROBABLY AWARE, THE WATERLOO GREENWAY IS BEING DELIVERED IN PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH PARKS AND RECREATION AND WATERSHED IS THE SPONSORING DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND AGAIN, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY.
WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY'S MISSION IS TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN AN EXTRAORDINARY URBAN PARK SYSTEM AND RESTORED WALLER CREEK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY.
AND THAT'S FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL OUR RESIDENTS.
THE CONSERVANCY RENEWS THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, PROMOTES PLAY HEALTH AND WELLNESS, ECONOMIC VITALITY AND MOBILITY, AND ENGAGES THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUTREACH, EDUCATION, CULTURAL EVENTS, AND THE ARTS.
UM, AS YOU MAY ALL BE FAMILIAR, UM, WATERLOO PARK OPENED IN AUGUST OF 2021 AND THAT A FA WAS PHASE ONE OF THE PROJECT THAT IS THE, ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN IN THE DARKER RED OR ORANGE.
AND WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION FOR PHASE TWO, WHICH IS SHOWN IN THE BOLD GOLD OR ORANGE LINE ON THE OPPOSITE END AT THE LADY BIRD LAKE.
SO THIS IS A ZOOM IN OF THAT AREA.
THIS PROJECT IS LOCATED ALONG WALLER CREEK BETWEEN LADY BIRD LAKE AND FOURTH STREET.
SO IT'S QUITE AN EXTENSIVE AREA.
UM, THE ENTIRE WALLER WATERLOO GREEN WAY AND THIS SPECIFIC PORTION OF THE PROJECT WAS IDENTIFIED IN A COUNCIL APPROVED DESIGN PLAN.
THE, THE WALLER CREEK DESIGN PLAN, THE PROJECT ITSELF IS ABOUT 14 ACRES.
UM, IT INCLUDES CREEK RESTORATION, A MILE OF NEW TRAILS AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES OF THIS REALLY DENSE AREA OF DOWNTOWN, AS WELL AS WATER QUALITY AND UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS.
AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO START CONSTRUCTION IN THE COMING MONTHS.
UH, ONE OF THE KEY PIECES OF THE PROJECT, UM, AS A OPPOSED TO WATERLOO PARK IS A VERY EXPANSIVE PARK SPACE, UH, FOR EVENTS.
THIS SPACE IS PRIMARILY CREEK RECONSTRUCTION WITH TRAILS.
AND SO THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU SEE TODAY IN THAT IMAGE ON THE TOP RIGHT.
UM, SOME ERODED CREEK BANKS, SOME FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THEN WHAT WE ENVISION WILL, IT WILL LOOK LIKE AFTER IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT THERE.
SO HEAVY PLANTINGS, NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS, AND A FULL ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, UM, TO INVITE PEOPLE BACK DOWN INTO THE CREEK.
UH, WE ARE, UM, ALSO GOING FOR SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION THROUGH THE SUSTAINABLE SITES INITIATIVE.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE LEAD CERTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR BUILDINGS, EXCEPT IT'S FOR LAND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRACKING FOR WE HOPE, A GOLD CERTIFICATION STATUS.
AND AS A TRUE PARTNERSHIP, WE ARE ALL GONNA PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT.
SO I'M GONNA PASS IT OFF TO MY COLLEAGUE JOHN RIGDON WITH THE CONSERVANCY.
UH, WE CAN JUMP TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO IN ADDITION TO, UH, THE RESTORATION THAT LANA MENTIONED, UM, WE ALSO, THIS PROJECT IS A LOT ABOUT CONNECTIVITY, UH, BOTH CONNECTIVITY FROM A MOBILITY STANDPOINT, UH, WHERE THERE ARE DOZENS OF CONNECTIONS TO THE RIGHT OF WAY, UH, AS WELL AS SAFE, UH, UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE TRAILS, CONNECTING FOURTH STREET ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LAKE AND CONNECTING EAST AND WEST ACROSS WALLER CREEK, BUT ALSO CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE MANY EXISTING WONDERFUL ASSETS THAT OUR CITY HAS TO OFFER DOWNTOWN, UH, FROM THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, UH, TO RAINY STREET DISTRICT, THE CONVENTION CENTER DOWNTOWN IN THE PALM PALM PARK, AND PALM SCHOOL.
THIS WILL STITCH ALL OF THOSE TOGETHER, UH, MAKING THEM MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.
AND IT'S GOING TO DO THAT THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UH, DESIGN ASPECTS.
UH, SO FIRST IS THE LATTICE OF BRIDGES.
SO SOUTH OF CAESAR CHAVEZ STREET, THERE'S A SERIES OF THREE LATTICE BRIDGES.
YOU'LL SEE THEM NOWHERE ELSE, UH, UNIQUELY DESIGNED BRIDGES TO REALLY INTEGRATE SEAMLESSLY INTO THE LANDSCAPE.
AND WHAT THESE PROVIDE IS, UH, SIGNIFICANT NEW CONNECTIVITY, EAST AND WEST ACROSS WALLER CREEK.
UH, AND THEY ALSO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH THE NATURE AROUND THEM ON WALLER CREEK.
[00:45:01]
YOU KNOW, ONE, UH, SEGMENT OF OVER 200,000 PLANTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PLANT WITH THIS PROJECT, AS WELL AS 1500 NEW TREES.IN ADDITION TO THE BRIDGES CONNECTING EASTWEST, UH, THERE'S ALSO AN ELEVATED WALKWAY OR BOARDWALK SECTION THAT BYPASSES, UH, ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, WORST AND MOST DANGEROUS PEDESTRIAN INTERSECTIONS IN THIS AREA, WHICH IS THE RED RIVER AND CAESAR CHAVEZ INTERSECTION.
UH, SO THIS BOARDWALK SECTION IS ALMOST 800 FEET LONG, AND IT WILL BE ABLE TO SAFELY TAKE FOLKS FROM PALM PARK ALL THE WAY DOWN TO RAINY STREET OR BUTLER TRAIL AND BEYOND.
UH, IT WILL BE UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE, LIT, AND UH, YOU'LL BE ABLE, IT'S ABLE TO BE USED BY BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS AS WELL.
AND THEN WE'RE REMOVING NORTH HERE.
SO AT THE NORTHERNMOST SECTION OF, OF THIS PROJECT AT FOURTH STREET.
SO WE'RE KIND OF HOVERING ABOVE THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY RIGHT NOW LOOKING TO SOUTH, UH, WE HAVE THE CYPRESS GROVE AND TRAILHEAD PLAZA.
AND SO THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING FOLKS OFF THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY, THE DOWNTOWN RAIL STATION, THE CONVENTION CENTER, AND INVITE THEM DOWN ALONG WALLER CREEK WITH THIS KIND OF SWEEPING ARC BRIDGE YOU SEE HERE.
BRING FOLKS SAFELY DOWN TO THOSE TRAILS ALONG THE CREEK.
UH, ONCE YOU ENTER HERE, YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO CROSS THE STREET AGAIN, AND YOU'LL BE SAFELY MOVING ALONG UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLY ACCESSIBLE TRAILS ALONG THE CREEK ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE LAKE.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TREE PLANTINGS HERE.
UH, WE'RE PLANTING OVER TWO DOZEN BALD CYPRESS IN THIS LOCATION TO KIND OF CREATE THIS BEAUTIFUL, UH, KIND OF CENTRAL TEXAS LANDSCAPE AND BRING IT INTO THE HEART OF THE CITY.
SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT THAT REALLY FOCUS ON THE RESTORATION, CONNECTIVITY AND MOBILITY, BUT ALSO THERE'S LOTS OF UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL PARK SPACES AS YOU MOVE ALONG THIS SECTION.
THEY'RE MUCH SMALLER THAN WATERLOO BECAUSE WE ARE DEALING WITH A 14 ACRES THAT KIND OF MEANDERS ITS WAY IN BETWEEN BUILDINGS AND A LONG WALLER CREEK.
SO I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH JUST A FEW OF THOSE TO GIVE Y'ALL A SENSE OF WHAT'S TO COME.
SO STARTING AT THE SOUTHERNMOST SECTION, WE HAVE THE LAGOON OVERLOOK AND LEAF DECK.
UH, THIS IS RIGHT ON THE LAKE.
AND CURRENTLY, UM, IT IS WHERE, UH, THE EXISTING BRIDGE ACROSS THE CREEK, UH, LANDS.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS REPLACE THAT BRIDGE WITH A BRIDGE THAT REMOVES THOSE HARD RIGHT ANGLES THAT CREATE A LOT OF, UH, VISIBILITY AND SAFETY HAZARDS, AND REUSE THE FOOTING OF THAT EXISTING BRIDGE TO CREATE AN OBSERVATION DECK OR LEAF DECK THAT LOOKS OUT OVER THE WATER.
SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SAFELY ENGAGE WITH YOUR FAMILIES, YOUR FRIENDS, UH, WITH THE TURTLES, THE BIRDS, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S BEAUTIFUL ABOUT THIS SECTION.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE GOING TO CLEAN UP, UH, AND OPEN UP THE LOWER SECTION HERE, KIND OF BENEATH WHERE THE BRIDGE CURRENTLY IS AND CREATE THIS, UH, SPACE FOR OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS, CITIZEN SCIENCE, UH, AND JUST ENGAGING DIRECTLY WITH THE LANDSCAPE OF THE CREEK AND THE LAKE.
MOVING A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH, WE HAVE OUR LAKE, BUT TERRA AND EXPLORERS GARDEN.
THIS IS IMMEDIATELY OFF OF BUTLER TRAIL.
SO THE 5 MILLION PLUS, UH, USERS OF THAT TRAIL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WALK RIGHT OFF THE TRAIL AND ENJOY THIS SHADED ELEVATED PLAZA.
UM, THIS WILL ALSO OFFER WONDERFUL VIEWS AT THE LAKE, UH, WATCHING THE BATS IN THE EVENING.
AND THEN IMMEDIATELY TO THE LEFT THERE KIND OF OFFSCREEN, YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE OVER TWO DOZEN NEW SHADE TREES THAT ARE PLANTED AND A KIND OF DRY CREEK BED GARDEN THAT WE CALL THE EXPLORERS GARDEN.
IT'LL BE A SHADED AREA FOR FOLKS TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH THAT BEAUTIFUL CENTRAL TEXAS DRY CREEK BED LANDSCAPE AND GET OUT OF THE SUN AND HAVE A NICE BREAK.
WE'LL ALSO USE THIS SPACE FOR PROGRAMS, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITIES, UH, RIGHT THERE ON THE LAKE AND NEXT TO THE TRAIL.
MOVING A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH AS WE KIND OF TRAVERSE THAT 800 FOOT BOARDWALK, WE GET TO THE BEND.
THE BEND IS A BEND IN THE CREEK.
IT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY INTERESTING MOMENT WHERE THE CREEK USED TO GO AROUND PALM PARK AND OUT TO THE HIGHWAY.
AND THIS BEND WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS TO STRAIGHTEN THE CREEK.
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THE FLOOD, UH, CONTROL TUNNEL IN PLACE, UH, WE CAN REALLY INVITE PEOPLE BACK DOWN INTO THE CREEK.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT PALM PARK SLOPES NOW GENTLY TO MEET THE WATER INSTEAD OF ITS CURRENT CONDITION WHERE IT'S 20 OR 30 FEET ABOVE, UH, THE CREEK.
AND THEN OUR BOARDWALK MOVES ALONG THE CREEK, UH, AND SORT OF SLOPES UP TO MEET THE PARK.
SO THIS WILL KEEP FOLKS OFF OF THE STREETS AND SAFELY DOWN ON THE CREEK TRAILS AND ALSO ALLOW PEOPLE TO ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH THE CREEK, THE SHADE, UH, THE SOUNDS OF THE CREEK AND THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THERE.
A MUCH MORE PLEASANT EXPERIENCE MOVING THROUGH THE CITY.
UH, SO I'M GONNA PASS IT TO DIANA NOW TO TALK ABOUT SOME PROJECT MILESTONES AND, AND UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES.
UM, SO WE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT MOMENT TO COME BACK TO THIS BOARD AND GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE.
UM, SO LOOKING BACK, UH, WE DID RECEIVE OUR SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT, UH, LAST SUMMER.
UM, AFTER THAT WE BEGAN THE BIDDING PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
UM, IT WAS BID AS A CITY CONTRACT AND THAT WENT FROM AUGUST TO NOVEMBER OF 2022.
UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE CONTRACT WAS AWARDED TO JAY
[00:50:01]
REESE CONTRACTORS, UM, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO ONBOARD THEM ONTO OUR TEAM.UH, YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH, UH, SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR THE CITY, UH, INCLUDING THE FLUGER BRIDGE AND, UH, OUR BOARDWALK AS WELL, UH, ON LADY BIRD LAKE.
UM, AND, UH, WE'RE ESPECIALLY EXCITED, UH, TO, TO LET YOU KNOW THAT CONSTRUCTION WILL BE STARTING THIS SPRING.
SO IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS WE'LL BE PUTTING FENCES UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, JAY REESE TEAM WILL BE DOWN IN THE CREEK AND STARTING, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORK, UM, FOLLOWED BY ALL OF THE SURFACE IMPROVEMENTS AND, AND BEAUTIFUL DESIGN THAT, UH, JOHN JUST, UH, PRESENTED.
UM, AND THAT, UH, CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
UM, AND IF THERE ARE ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, UH, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I KNOW YOU, THE WATERLOO PASSES BY THE PALM SCHOOL AND ALSO ENDS AT THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER.
ALL YOU ARE WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH ENTITIES THAT CARE ABOUT THOSE TWO ORGAN, THOSE TWO SPACES TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT SOME ASPECTS OF THOSE TWO SITES INTO THIS NEXT PHASE.
THERE MAY BE, UM, SOME OTHERS IN PART THAT HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PALM SCHOOL, BUT THAT SITE BELONGS TO TRAVIS COUNTY AND I THINK THERE'S JUST BEEN SOME NEGOTIATIONS THERE.
SO WE HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO DESIGN WITH THE SITES LIKE TOGETHER, BUT SINCE THAT SITE'S FUTURE IS UNKNOWN, WE WENT, WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING AHEAD WITH OUR, UH, PROJECT, UM, WITH THE MAC THAT IS A PART FACILITY AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH THEIR TEAM TO COORDINATE, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION ACCESS COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS, CUZ WE'LL BE IN CONSTRUCTION AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE WORK WITH THEIR PART STAFF AND THEIR PUBLIC WORK STAFF AND THEIR DESIGN TEAM, UM, AS WELL AS OUR DESIGN TEAM AND, AND STAFF, UH, TO, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING WHEN IT'S HAPPENING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, A SMOOTH CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE.
AND KIND OF LET ME KIND OF, I GUESS KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF THAT, I GUESS KIND OF WHAT I WAS ASKING IS, IS ARE Y'ALL ALSO WORKING TO INTER LIKE, INTEGRATE AND WORK SEAMLESSLY TOGETHER? CUZ IT WOULD SEEM TO ME LIKE IT WOULD BE A SHAME FOR THIS GREAT PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED WITHOUT ANY SORT OF INTEGRATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF, IF NOT I UNDERSTAND THE PALM SCHOOL ISSUE, UM, BUT OF THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, YOU KNOW.
UM, THERE, WHEN, WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE PROJECT, UM, WE WERE ABOUT 64% CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS ARE LIKE WELL INTO DESIGN.
UM, BUT IN WORKING WITH THE MAC, WE IDENTIFIED A LOCATION WHERE THEIR MASTER PLAN HAD A TRAIL CONNECTION TO THE WATERLOO GREEN WAY, BUT WE WEREN'T AWARE OF THAT.
AND SO WE TOOK THAT ON AS PART OF OUR PROJECT AND, UM, WE'RE BUILDING THE TRAIL CONNECTION FROM THE BACK OF THEIR PARKING LOT DOWN TO THE WATERLOO GREEN WAY.
SO THEY'LL BE LIKE THE BUTLER TRAIL CONNECTION THAT GOES PAST THE MAC, BUT FROM THE PARKING LOT, THERE'LL ALSO BE AN ADA ACCESSIBLE TRAIL THROUGH THAT GREEN SPACE, UH, TO GET TO THAT FIRST BRIDGE.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, UM, TO DESIGN THE ASPECTS OF THE PROJECTS TO SORT OF TOUCH EACH OTHER.
AND IF I CAN JUST ADD ONE ADDITIONAL THING, UM, OUR NEXT PROJECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO LAUNCH RELAUNCH DESIGN AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON IS THE DESIGN OF PALM PARK.
UM, SO WE ARE RELAUNCHING THAT IN THE COMING MONTHS AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK FORWARD TO ROBUST, ROBUST CONVERSATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AROUND THE FUTURE OF THE PARK.
UH, AND ASLANA POINTED OUT, WE HAVE HEARD HISTORICALLY HOW INTEGRAL THE SCHOOL IS TO THE PARK.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE DESIGN SO WE CAN RETURN THAT PARK TO THE COMMUNITY IN A, YOU KNOW, UPGRADED CONDITION.
BUT WELCOME FEEDBACK AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE UPCOMING MEETINGS ONCE WE HAVE THEM ON THE SCHEDULE OF THIS GROUP.
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT, WELL, HEARING NONE, UM, THAT CONCLUDES IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING US THAT UPDATE.
[3. Presentation, discussion, and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to approve the Arts and Culture on the Trail Plan for the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail at Town Lake Metropolitan Park.]
TO OUR DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, STARTING WITH, UM, A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO APPROVE THE ARTS AND CULTURE ON THE TRAIL PLAN FOR THE ANNE AND ROY BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.HELLO, HOW ARE Y'ALL? UM, I AM CHRISTINE TU AND I WORK FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UM, I AM A PROGRAM MANAGER IN THE PARK PLANNING DIVISION AND I MANAGE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM.
AND TODAY I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF OUR PAR PARTNERS,
[00:55:01]
THE TRAIL, UH, CONSERVANCY.WITH ME TODAY IS HEIDI ANDERSON, THE CEO OF THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, CHARLOTTE TANZER WITH THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, AND ALSO, UH, JOINING US REMOTELY IS MIRIAM CONNOR WITH CREATIVE POLICY WHO SERVED AS A CONSULTANT TO THE PLAN WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING TODAY.
SO JUST, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
UM, IN JUNE, 2022, THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY ENTERED INTO A PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH TTC, UH, COUNCIL APPROVED, UM, PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT.
UM, ALL PARTIES AGREED THE PARTNER WILL WORK IN COLLABORATION IN THE PUMA.
IT'S STATED THAT ALL PARTIES AGREED THE PARTNER WILL WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH PAR WATERSHED PROTECTION AND THE CITY'S ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, UH, PROGRAM TO DELIVER, SORRY, I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES TO
SO THAT IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK TO Y'ALL ABOUT TODAY.
UM, THIS SLIDE YOU'LL SEE THE, THE PROJECT TEAM THAT MADE UP THE PLAN.
UH, IT WAS THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE CULTURE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ART AND PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM.
IT WAS ADVISED BY THE ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE, WHICH INCLUDED THE TTC BOARD STAFF, A I P P STAFF, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, WATERSHED PROTECTION AND LOCAL AUSTIN ARTS LEADERS.
THERE WAS ALSO A TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP THAT WAS MADE UP OF THE TTC BOARD AND STAFF, A I P P PART WATERSHED PROTECTION, AND AGAIN, THE AUSTIN ARTS LEADERS.
UM, THERE WAS ALSO A COMMUNITY BRAIN TRUST OF COMMUNITY ARTS LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS.
YOU'LL SEE THE FULL LIST OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED ON PAGE 78 THROUGH 80 IN THE DRAFT PLAN AND THE BACKUP.
NOW I'LL HAND IT TO HEIDI TO TALK ABOUT THE VISION FOR THE PLAN.
HEIDI ANDERSON, C E O OF THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE YOU ALL UP ON THE DIAS TONIGHT.
UM, THIS IS AN EXCITING, EXCITING PROGRAM FOR US.
AND I WANNA TO JUST GROUND IT IN A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE EVEN HERE TODAY.
UM, WE, UH, WHEN, WHEN IT WAS ABOUT IN 2014, THE CITY COUNCIL CAME TO WHAT WAS THEN THE TRAIL FOUNDATION AND ASKED US TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON A FORMAL PUBLIC ART PLAN FOR THIS PARK.
AND BY THIS PARK, I MEAN, TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK, ON WHICH THE BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL SITS AT THAT TIME.
AND CONSISTENTLY SINCE THEN, THE CITY HAD BEEN CONSTANTLY, UH, FIELDING LOTS OF REQUESTS FOR PUBLIC ART AND MEMORIALS IN THIS PARTICULAR PARK BECAUSE IT'S SO HIGH PROFILE.
AND SO WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME WE WERE NOT READY TO STEP INTO THAT ROLE AND FUND SUCH A PLAN, SO WE JUST COULDN'T TAKE THAT ON AT THE TIME.
SO THROUGH CITY COUNCIL, A MORATORIUM WENT INTO EFFECT FOR ANY PUBLIC ART TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THIS PARK FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS UNTIL A PUBLIC ART PLAN COULD COME TO FRUITION.
SO FAST FORWARD AND THAT PLAN, THAT MORATORIUM DID EXPIRE ORGANICALLY RIGHT AROUND WHEN WE ALL AGREED BY WE MEANING THE TRILL CONSERVANCY PART AND AIP P P TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND WE WERE READY TO FUND SUCH A PLAN AND, AND TAKE THIS ON.
SO WE AGREED KIND OF INFORMALLY, EVEN THOUGH THE MORATORIUM HAD EXPIRED, WE WERE GONNA, IN GOODWILL KIND OF KEEP IT IN PLACE WHILE WE PUT THE PUBLIC ART PLAN TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING NOW FOR, UM, TALKING ABOUT IT NOW FOR FOUR YEARS, REALLY WORKING ON IT FOR THREE, BECAUSE THERE WAS A PANDEMIC IN THERE THAT KIND OF SLOWED THINGS DOWN.
BUT WE'VE BEEN TAKING THIS PROCESS, UH, FORWARD VERY THOUGHTFULLY BASED ON REALLY WHAT WAS ULTIMATELY A REQUEST FROM CITY COUNCIL TO DO THIS, TO HELP ADDRESS ALL THE REQUESTS THAT WERE COMING IN AND HOW DO WE FIELD THOSE AND HOW DO WE MANAGE THOSE IN A WAY THAT'S VERY THOUGHTFUL AND SPECIFIC TO THIS PARTICULAR PARK.
WE ALSO FELT LIKE IT WAS A REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE THE AVERAGE TRAIL USER TO MAYBE SOME ARTISTIC PUBLIC INSTALLATIONS THAT THEY WOULDN'T KNOW NORMALLY EXPERIENCE AND VICE VERSA, BRING NEW PEOPLE TO THE TRAIL TO, UH, EXPERIENCE THE TRAIL MAYBE FOR THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE THEY CAME AND WANTED TO SEE SOMETHING THAT WAS HAPPENING THAT THEY NORMALLY WOULDN'T HAVE COME DOWN TO SEE.
SO WE REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS A WIN-WIN WIN.
ALSO IN REGARDS TO OUR PROGRAMMING,
[01:00:01]
BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ASKED BY THE CITY THROUGH THE PAR VISION PLAN TO IMPLEMENT ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING.UM, I WANNA JUST MAKE SURE ALSO THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THROUGH THIS PROCESS CHARLOTTE'S GONNA GIVE YOU WAY MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE PLAN ITSELF.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE, UH, A I P P PANEL AND THE ARTS COMMISSION AND RECEIVED FULL SUPPORT FROM BOTH OF THEM.
UH, AGAIN, JUST KNOWING THAT THIS HAS REALLY KIND OF BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, BUT I WANNA ASSURE YOU THAT, UM, I'M NOT READING THIS VISION TO YOU, BUT, UH, I WANNA ASSURE YOU THAT TTC AS A WHOLE IN ALL THAT WE DO, WE REALLY ANCHOR ALL OF OUR WORK IN THE FOUNDATIONAL VALUE THAT WE HONOR AND PROTECT THIS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
WE HEAR OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN FROM TRAIL USERS THAT IT IS A BELOVED NATURAL SANCTUARY.
SO THAT VALUE SYSTEM FUNNELS THROUGH ALL WE DO FROM CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THROUGH OUR PROGRAMMING AND NOW THROUGH OUR ARTS AND CULTURE PLAN AS WELL.
WE TOTALLY APPRECIATE RESPECT AND, AND HONOR THE FACT THAT THERE IS A TIME AND A PLACE FOR A HIGHLY DESIGNED, HIGHLY ENGINEERED PARK, LIKE A WONDERFUL WATERLOO GREENWAY THAT BRINGS SO MUCH TO THE CITY, WATERLOO PARK.
THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS SPACE IS.
SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OUR ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAM, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS OR OUR PROGRAMMING IN GENERAL, WE'RE ALWAYS ANCHORING IT IN, IN THE, THE A PLACE AND A VALUE SYSTEM THAT WANTS TO HONOR THAT NATURAL SANCTUARY, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT TO THIS PARTICULAR PARK.
UM, I THINK ALSO WE WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW DEEPLY ROOTED THIS HAS BEEN IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HOW IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE SO, AND WITH THAT, I THINK I'M GONNA PASS IT ON TO CHARLOTTE, OUR CAPITAL PROJECT DIRECTOR, TO REALLY WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO, LIKE HEIDI SAID, HOPEFULLY YOU READ SOME OF THIS, JUST THE VISION OF THE PLAN, UM, THE WORDS RADICALLY WELCOMING.
THERE ARE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IN AUSTIN THAT DON'T FEEL WELCOME AT THE TRAIL.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DON'T SEE OTHERS THAT ARE LIKE THEM ON THE TRAIL.
AND SO WHAT WE REACH, WHAT WE ARE, WHAT OUR, OUR VISION IS, IS TO MAKE THIS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO, WHERE PEOPLE SEE THEMSELVES, WHERE PEOPLE SEE THEIR CULTURE, WHERE PEOPLE CAN SHARE THEIR STORIES AS WELL.
SO WE KINDA HAVE TWO SETS OF GOALS, ONE BEING ARTISTIC, THE FIRST, THE SECOND WILL BE COMMUNITY.
WE'LL LOOK AT THAT IN A MOMENT.
SO THIS ONE, UM, ABOUT ARTISTIC GOALS, AS HEIDI SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY, THE TRAIL IS ABOUT NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND BEING, BEING A GREEN JEWEL, YOU KNOW, IN THE CENTER OF THE CITY.
SO WE REALLY WANNA BRING THAT OUT FOR PEOPLE THAT COME TO THE TRAIL AND THEN PULL PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE TRAIL BECAUSE OF THESE ARTISTIC GOALS, UM, THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN A BIGGER CONNECTION OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES, OUR CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, REACH OUT BROADER.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY GOALS.
AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THE STORIES THAT HAVE HAPPENED HERE IN THE AUSTIN.
WE KNOW HOW THEY'VE SHAPED, UM, PUBLIC SPACE AND THOUGHTS ABOUT GREEN SPACES IN TOWN.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE A HEALING.
OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL IS TO REALLY PROMOTE HEALING.
WE HAD THE GROUP, UM, THAT CHRISTINE MENTIONED, OUR BRAIN TRUST.
THEY WERE A GROUP OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF TTC, UM, THAT, UM, MIRIAM THAT'S, UM, VIRTUALLY WITH US HERE, SHE WORKED WITH THAT GROUP TO HELP LEAD THE ENGAGEMENT.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE HEARD FROM THOSE GROUPS.
WE HEARD STORIES THAT WE HADN'T HEARD.
OTHER PEOPLE HEARD STORIES, THEY HADN'T BE HEARD ABOUT THE HISTORY, ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, ABOUT EAST AUSTIN'S STORIES.
SO REALLY BROADENING THOSE, THOSE STORIES AND THOSE NARRATIVES.
SO MORE PEOPLE HEAR THEM AND MORE PEOPLE COME TO THE TRAIL FOR THAT.
SO, WHAT THE PLAN ENTAILS, THESE ARE THE KIND OF TACTICAL PIECES, UM, THESE TYPOLOGIES, THESE SIX ONES THAT YOU SEE HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY WHAT PERMANENT ARTWORK IS, WHAT TEMPORARY ARTWORK IS.
PERFORMANCE RES RESIDENCIES IS SOMETHING NEW TO US.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE'VE TALKED SOME WITH WATERSHED, UH, DEPARTMENT.
THEY DID A RESIDENCY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLANNING DESIGN PROCESSES OR PROJECTS.
THIS IS BRINGING IN ARTISTS TO HELP ON THE FRONT END OF DESIGNING ONE OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS TO GIVE US IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD TAILOR OUR ENGAGEMENT FOR IT TO HELP THE, TO HELP US DESIGN A GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY OR A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN BRINGING ARTIS IN TO ACTUALLY HELP THE DESIGN TEAM WITH
[01:05:01]
TACTICAL PIECES, IF YOU HAD A BIG PLAZA TO HELP WITH THE DESIGN OF A, OF AN OVERHEAD TRELLIS STRUCTURE OR WITH A RE RETAINING OR FEATURE WALL.AND THEN PROGRAMMING EVENTS IS PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.
WE HAVE, IN OUR PLAN, IF YOU SAW, WE HAVE A THREE YEAR PLAN, WHICH IS KIND OF TO GUIDE US FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS, 2023 BEING OUR YEAR NUMBER ONE.
SO WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING WHAT WE, UM, HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THIS YEAR.
IT ALL DEPENDS, OF COURSE, ON FUNDRAISING.
THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY WILL BE FUNDRAISING THAT OURSELVES.
THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM FOR THESE INSTALLATIONS.
SO, UM, IF YOU'VE SEEN OUR, UH, FORT LANDIA INSTALLATION, WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT.
THIS WILL BE OUR FOURTH YEAR OF THAT.
UM, SO THAT WILL BE LIKE ONE OF OUR TEMPORARY PROJECTS THAT WE'LL DO.
AND THEN, UM, WE'LL CHOOSE AGAIN, A, ANOTHER TEMPORARY PROJECT OR A CREATIVE ACTIVATION ZONE.
AND THEN, UM, WE'VE GOT TWO LOCATIONS TO TALK ABOUT THAT ARTIST IN ENGAGEMENT, PLANNING AND DESIGN, HELPING US LOOK ON THE FRONT END, HOW WE, HOW WE THINK ABOUT, UH, OUR PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND ENGAGEMENT FOR THE NEW PROJECTS THAT WE'LL BE STARTING IN THE HOLLY AREA.
AND THEN WE'VE BEEN, UM, COLLABORATING WITH PAR AND A I P P ON EXISTING MURALS AND THE HOLLY AREA AND HOW THOSE GET DOCUMENTED AND REALLY HOW THOSE GET, UM, GET THOSE RESTORED.
AND THEN KIND OF THE FINAL PIECES THERE ARE TAKING OUR MUSIC ON THE TRAIL.
HOPEFULLY YOU'VE SEEN OR BEEN TO ONE OF THOSE EVENTS AND EXPANDING THAT.
UH, AND THEN TRAIL STORIES, THAT WAS AN ENGAGEMENT PIECE THAT WE HAD, UH, WHERE WE COLLECTED STORIES FROM TRAIL USERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND REALLY LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT AND GETTING MORE OF THOSE DEEPER, DEEPER STORIES FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE HISTORICAL STORIES AS WELL.
SO WE WANTED TO SHOW OUR ENGAGEMENT.
WE, WE ACTUALLY STARTED WITH ENGAGEMENT TO WRITE OUR R F P.
THAT'S THE DATE YOU SEE IN 2019.
UM, SO WE CRAFTED RF RFP WITH INPUT FROM ARTIST AND CREATIVES.
AND THEN ONCE WE STARTED THE PROJECT, WE PRETTY MUCH WENT FOR A, A GOOD YEAR, UH, FALL 21 TO FALL 22.
WE TRIED A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC POPUP AT COMMUNITY EVENTS, UM, SURVEYS, OF COURSE, UM, INTERCEPT SURVEYS, SURVEYING PEOPLE ON THE TRAIL.
WE HAD A WORKSHOP, UH, VIRTUAL MEETINGS, POP-UP MEETINGS, AND MORE SURVEYS.
SO WE FELT LIKE WE GOT A REALLY GOOD, UM, DISTRIBUTION OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO COLLECT ENGAGEMENT.
AND WE EVEN STRETCHED THIS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
AND THE BRAIN TRUST THAT THE COMMUNITY BRAIN TRUST THAT I TALKED ABOUT REALLY HAD SOME INPUT TO, ON THESE DIFFERENT WAYS FOR US TO GET OUT WITH A COMMUNITY.
AND I WANNA TALK, UM, THE COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT POLICY, THAT IS A KIND OF A SEPARATE DOCUMENT FROM THE PLAN.
UM, THAT'LL BE THE DOCUMENT WHEN APPROVED THAT ALLOWS US TO DO TEMPORARY ART AND THINGS LIKE PERFORMANCES.
UM, ANYTHING REALLY, BUT PERMANENT ART.
IT ALLOWS US TO DO THAT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ALL THE A I P P PROCESSES.
SO, UH, PERMANENT ART THOUGH, WILL STILL GO THROUGH ALL OF THEIR PROCESSES.
AND IN THIS PLAN WE'VE STATED WE'RE NOT GONNA DO ANY PERMANENT ART FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS.
WE'RE JUST GONNA FOCUS ON TEMPORARY INSTALLATIONS, LIKE PERFORMANCES PROGRAMMING.
AND WE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC TOO THAT THEY'RE, UM, THEY REALLY ARE BIG ON TEMPORARY ART, I THINK BECAUSE IT CHANGES AND YOU CAN DO DIFFERENT, UM, VENUES AND DIFFERENT ELEMENTS.
SO, UM, AND REAL QUICK ON THE LEFT, THAT'S, THAT WAS OUR DEMONSTRATION, DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, UM, THAT MIRIAM AND HER TEAM HELPED TO LEAD.
WE ACTUALLY TRIED, UM, DID A TEMPORARY, UH, INSTALLATION ON A FLOATING WETLAND AND HAD A WHOLE DAY AROUND IT.
AND IT WAS A REALLY IMPACTFUL, UM, DAY FOR OUR, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR TEAM AS WELL.
AND WE LEARNED A LOT THROUGH THAT PROCESS ALSO.
AND THAT JUST, UH, AGAIN, SUMMARIZES THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAVE AND THAT WE'LL BE GOING TO CITY COUNCIL ON APRIL 13TH.
SO WE ARE HERE TODAY, UM, REQUESTING THAT YOU MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO MAYOR COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY'S ART AND CULTURE PLAN FOR BUTLER TRAIL AND PORTIONS OF TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? SURE.
SO HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO BE GOING ON FOR? IS THIS A NEW PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE GOING ON IN PERPETUITY? MOSTLY HEARD ABOUT YEAR ONE AND THEN UP TO YEAR THREE, BUT WAS IT, DOES IT GO ON AFTER THAT? IT'S MEANT TO BE A SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM WITH THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY THROUGH OUR POMA, WHICH HAS A 25 YEAR TERM, 25 YEAR TERM.
[01:10:01]
OUR POMA, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WEREN'T HERE LAST YEAR WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THAT, IS OUR PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, WHICH TRANSFERS THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK TO TTC FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.AND I GUESS THE ONLY THING I'D WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT, SOME, SOME PEOPLE GOT TO ME ABOUT THIS ONE, AND, AND THEY HAD SOME HESITANCY ABOUT, UH, JUST TRYING TO VISUALIZE WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
SO I KNOW WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ANCHORING THE PRO THE PROGRAM INTO NATURE, UM, WHICH IS USUALLY WHY PEOPLE GO OUT INTO NATURE.
SO, UH, JUST THE IDEA OF HAVING A LARGER VOLUME OF THINGS, KIND OF TAKING UP THOSE SPACES FOR PEOPLE TO BE, UH, LOOKING AT, UM, IT'S A 10 MILE LOOP.
IS IT MOST OF THE POPULATIONS KIND OF CONCENTRATED MORE TOWARDS, LIKE, THE MOPAC AREA? IS THAT WHERE MORE OF THE ART WOULD BE, OR WOULD IT BE KIND OF SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE 10 MILE LOOP? LIKE, WE WOULD SPREAD IT OUT EQUITABLY AND, UM, IT'S NOT GONNA BE, UM, IT'S, IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROGRAM TO US FOR SURE, BUT THE ECOLOGY AND THE CONSERVATION OF THIS PARKLAND IS, IS A GREATER PRIORITY FOR US, I WOULD SAY.
AND SO I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA SEE IT BE, UM, LIKE AN OVERWHELMING PROGRAM THAT YOU SEE ON THE TRAIL.
WE WILL HOPE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, ONE TO TWO TEMPORARY EXHIBITS ON THE TRAIL A YEAR, AND THOSE WILL ROTATE AROUND THE SPACE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE JUST BEING EQUITABLE ABOUT THAT AND EXPOSING DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF THE TRAIL AND THE COMMUNITY TO THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
OTHER QUESTIONS? QUESTION, LEARNING, LEARNING THE TECHNOLOGY HERE, FINDING THE MIC BUTTON.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS, YOU STARTED YOUR PRESENTATION BY TALKING ABOUT THE POPULATIONS THAT HAVEN'T HISTORICALLY BEEN SERVED BY THE TRAIL, AND SPECIFICALLY THE FOLKS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL WELCOME THERE.
I AM CURIOUS TO HEAR, UH, ABOUT THE, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT YOU DID TO REACH OUT TO THOSE POPULATIONS.
UM, EITHER EXAMPLES OF PLACES WHERE YOU FELT LIKE IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL OR ONGOING PLANS THAT YOU HAVE MOVING FORWARD.
AND I MIGHT SAY SOMETHING HERE, AND MIRIAM, I MAY HAVE YOU JUMP IN, UM, AFTER I FINISH, IF THAT'S OKAY.
YOU KNOW, WE STARTED OUT THAT COMMUNITY BRAIN TRUST THAT I TALKED ABOUT IS, WAS SPECIFICALLY NOT PEOPLE REALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.
WE WANTED TO HAVE MEMBERS AND HAVE A DIVERSE GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO WEIGH IN ON THE ENGAGEMENT AND OTHER PARTS OF THE PLAN.
UM, SO WE STARTED WITH THOSE, THE TWO MEETINGS WITH THE BRAIN TRUST.
UM, WE HAD SOME PEOPLE, UM, SOME ACT PEOPLE FROM THE EAST SIDE THAT HAD NEVER BEEN ON THE LAKE ON THE WATER.
AND WE, WE HEARD THOSE STORIES, WE LISTENED TO THOSE STORIES, WE STARTED REALIZING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED MORE OF THAT.
SO WE DID DO, UM, OUR INTERVIEWS, OUR ARM TRAIL INTERVIEWS WERE FOCUSED, UM, IN THE HOLLY AREA, UM, ON THE, ON THE TRAIL EAST SIDE OF 35.
WE DID, WE WERE SCHEDULED TO PRESENT AT THE E T L C N A MEETING.
THAT MEETING UNFORTUNATELY, WAS POSTPONED.
WE PRESENTED AT THE E C C N A MEETING, WE POPPED UP AT THE HOLLY, UH, RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY THAT WAS HELD, AND WE MADE SURE WE HAD BRAIN TRUST MEMBERS ALSO FROM, FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WEREN'T OFTEN HEARD.
MIRIAM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? WE MIGHT HAVE LOST MIRIAM.
I WAS HAVING TROUBLE UNMUTING.
HOWEVER, EVEN DURING, UH, THE ARTIST CALL THAT WE DID FOR COMMON WATERS, IT HAD, YOU HAD TO BE AN, UH, ARTIST OR CREATIVE IN EAST AUSTIN OR WITH RELATIVE HISTORY FROM EAST AUSTIN.
AND WE DID ALSO DID THAT CALL TWO PLACES THAT ARTISTS ARE BEING DISPLACED TO, AND SPECIFICALLY BLACK AND BROWN ARTISTS.
UM, I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION NOW THAT, THAT SPURRED FOR ME IS HOW DID YOU SPECIFICALLY CHOOSE THE FOLKS IN YOUR BRAIN TRUST? UM, LIKE WHAT WAS YOUR PROCESS FOR GETTING FOLKS, IF THEY WEREN'T ALREADY CONNECTED, HOW DID YOU SORT OF GO ABOUT THAT? SURE.
SO, UM, AND AGAIN, I'LL HAVE YOU JUMP IN, MIRIAM, WE, UM, TRIED TO GET SOMEONE FROM EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT, LIKE WE STARTED WITH THAT.
SO WE WANTED EQUAL REPRESENTATION, REALLY, ACROSS THE CITY.
AND THEN WE CAME UP WITH SOME KIND OF TYPOLOGIES OF WHAT THE PLAN WOULD BE AND, AND HOW IT WOULD,
[01:15:01]
UM, BE USED AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY HEALTH, UM, ARTS ENVIRONMENTS.I'M TRYING TO THINK, MIRIAM, IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER.
SO WE HAD A LIST OF THOSE GROUPS ALIGNED WITH THE COUNCIL, UM, DISTRICTS.
AND THEN WE LOOKED AT PEOPLE THAT WERE KIND OF INFLUENTIAL IN THOSE AREAS IN ARTS, IN CULTURE, IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND LAYERED ALL THAT TOGETHER.
AND WE DIDN'T GET, WE DIDN'T GET IT PERFECT.
WE TRIED, YOU KNOW, WE ASKED SOME PEOPLE AND THEY DIDN'T RESPOND.
SO WE WORKED OUR BEST TO KIND OF HIT THOSE THREE PIECES TO FORM THAT, THAT BRAIN TRUST.
AND MIRIAM, I'LL LET YOU, WELL GO AHEAD, MIRIAM, AND THEN I'LL ADD IN.
JUST
I WOULD JUST ADD, WE, WE KNEW WE DID NOT HAVE ALL THE RELATIONSHIPS WE NEEDED AND ORGANICALLY WITHIN TTC.
AND SO WE REACHED OUT TO MIRIAM TO HELP US DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
AND, AND OUT OF THIS PROCESS AND COMMON WATERS WAS OUR, UH, KIND OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENT AND, UH, PROJECT THAT WE USED TO REALLY BUILD THESE RELATIONSHIPS.
IT WAS OUR STRATEGY AND OUR VEHICLE TO DEVELOP THOSE.
AND IT'S REALLY WAS SUCCESSFUL FOR US BECAUSE IT, THE WHOLE THING KIND OF STALLED THE WHOLE PROJECT, BUT IN THE BEST WAY BECAUSE IT TOOK US EXTRA TIME TO DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, BRING THEM INTO THE FOLD AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BUILD TRUST AND, AND EDUCATE.
AND, AND IT WAS REALLY KIND OF A, A GREAT OUTCOME, BUT WE, WE HAD TO CALL ON FRIENDS TO EVEN HELP US BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
OTHER QUESTIONS? CHAIR, SORT OF PIGGYBACKS ON THAT, JUST WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE DECIDING ON THE ARTIST EVENTUALLY, WILL YOU GO BACK TO SOME OF THOSE COMMUNITY PARTNERS? ARE THERE GROUPS THAT YOU'LL BE WORKING WITH TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DIVERSIFIED ARTISTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, VARIOUS TYPES OF ART? I ASSUME SO, BUT I JUST WOULD LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
SO WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER, AS WE SPEAK, A NEW ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE THAT WILL MOVE ALONG WITH THIS PLAN AND IS GONNA KIND OF LEAD, UM, THOSE PROJECTS AND THOSE PROCESSES FOR ARTIST SELECTIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, TASKS FOR TAX TASK FORCES, UM, AND SELECTION COMMITTEES AS NEEDED.
WE DID PUT TOGETHER A SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE COMMON WATERS ARTIST CALL THAT WE DID.
UM, BUT THOSE WILL GO THROUGH, OUR BOARD WILL ALSO, UM, APPROVE EACH, UH, WORK PLAN FOR THE YEAR.
BUT WE WILL HAVE PROCESSES AGO.
WE'RE NOT JUST GONNA SIT HERE AND DECIDE IT'S THAT ARTIST.
UM, AND DID I MISS ONE, THE TASK FORCES AND TASK FORCES AND THE COMMITTEE? YEAH.
THE TAB AND THE SELECTION PANELS THAT WILL BE INDEPENDENTLY CHOSEN.
THERE'S, THERE'S A PROCESS THROUGH WHICH THERE'S LOTS OF OVERSIGHTS AND THAT'S BAKED, BAKED INTO THE COLLECTION MANAGEMENT POLICY BASED ON MANY OF THE A I P AND CITY REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE REQUIRED FOR OUR PLAN TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
ANN PARD AND A I P P EACH HAVE A MEMBER ON THAT ARTS AND CULTURE COMMITTEE, BOARD MEMBER REID, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? THANK YOU.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND YOU ON THE COMMUNITY GOALS, UM, AND ACKNOWLEDGING HISTORY OF RACIAL DISPARITIES.
AND I WOULD POSSIBLY SAY THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH PARS PARK RENAMINGS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OF THOSE IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
YOU COULD EXPAND ON THE HISTORY OF SOME OF THE RENAMINGS AND, UM, POSSIBLY INCORPORATE ART INTO THAT AS WELL, IN WHATEVER FORM WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT.
I'M, I WILL GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF THE RENAMING OF LAMAR BEACH TO ALMA OVERTON SENIOR SHORES AND OTHERS LIKE THAT.
SO HISTORY, UM, SUPPORTED BY ART AND INFORMATION.
WELL, UM, ANY FINAL QUESTIONS? OKAY.
UM, IS THERE A MOTION THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE CHILD CONSERVANCY ART AND CULTURAL PLAN FOR
[01:20:01]
BUTLER TRAIL AND PORTIONS OF TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK.ALL RIGHT, SO WE ARE MOVING ON
[4. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council on Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget.]
TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BOARD MEMBER MOORE.I WILL HAND IT OVER TO YOU AS THE CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO, I HOPE EVERYBODY'S BEEN ABLE TO READ ALL THE FINANCE, UH, MATERIALS THAT WERE SENT OUT EARLIER.
UH, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET, UH, SEVERAL TIMES REGARDING THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WITH CITY STAFF.
UM, AND YEAH, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE VOTED TO APPROVE, UH, THE PROPOSED FY 24 BUDGET.
UH, THERE'S ALSO A SEPARATE, UH, LIST UNDER-RESOURCED, SORT OF UNMET NEEDS LIST THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST.
UM, AND IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY VOTED OUT OF THE COMMITTEE.
I DIDN'T THINK WE HAD ANY CHANGES, SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ON THAT.
UM, THE LAST ITEM WAS TO ALSO, IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE STAFF INITIATIVES, WAS TO LOOK AT FUNDING A PARK VISITATION STUDY TO HELP GET A BETTER SENSE OF VISITATION IN THE DIFFERENT CITY PARKS, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF THE NEW MEMBERS.
YOU'LL, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE GET ASKED TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT, UH, DIFFERENT PARKS, MAINTENANCE FUNDING, UH, LOOKING AT CRIME AND ONE VERSUS THE OTHER.
AND IT'S VERY HARD TO KNOW SOMETIMES HOW THESE ARE RELATIVELY RELATED TO EACH OTHER WHEN WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY VISITING THE PARKS.
SO THAT WOULD BE TO KIND OF START THAT OFF WITH KIND OF A PRELIMINARY STUDY TO HELP STUDY THAT ISSUE MORE, UH, WITH AN EYE TOWARDS MAYBE IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEM TO BETTER TRACK VISITATION IN THE FUTURE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING THAT WAS IN THE FINANCE MATERIALS AT ALL? NO PART STAFF IS ON HAND TO ADDRESS ANY SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE QUESTIONS ON.
I'M WONDERING, UM, WITH REGARDS TO SOME OF THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION THAT WE HAD TODAY, IF THE, UM, IF THIS, THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATION ADDRESSES, UM, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF LIFEGUARDS OR ENSURING THAT WE CAN FULLY HIRE LIFEGUARDS FOR THE NEXT SUMMER, UM, EITHER IN THE, UM, THE BUDGET FORECAST OR IN THE UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS.
UH, WELL, I KNOW ONE OF THE COST DRIVERS IS LIFEGUARD RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PACKAGE.
THERE'S ONE THAT'S ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THAT, UM, PARK STAFF.
ANY ADDITIONAL DETAIL THAT Y'ALL CAN PROVIDE ON THAT QUESTION? AND THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, CHAIR MOORE, THIS BERNARD
UM, THAT'S CORRECT IN OUR UNMET NEEDS AS WELL AS IN OUR FORECAST THAT WE PRESENTED TO THE, UM, FINANCIAL COMMITTEE ON LAST WEEK.
WE DO HAVE A PACKAGE, UM, TO THE TUNE OF CLOSE TO $500,000 FOR RETENTION, UM, AND RECRUITING FOR LIFEGUARDS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT THE BUDGET OR THE UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS? SO, UM, I WANNA SAY THAT I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE, UM, IN THE UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS, SAFETY AND SECURITY FUNDING, BUT ALSO LAND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT.
AND I'VE HEARD THAT, SO, UH, TWO POSITIONS ARE BEING RECOMMENDED FOR LAND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT, AND I'VE HEARD THAT THE, THE TEAM THAT IS WORKING FOR, UM, ON THE GREEN BELTS AND PRESERVES IS VERY UNDERSTAFFED.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO CONSIDER MORE POSITIONS UNDER LAND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT? IT'S HARD TO SAY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT PLAN.
SO MAYBE, UM, COULD Y'ALL SPEAK TO WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT LAND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT RIGHT NOW? IS IT JUST THE TWO STAFF POSITIONS THAT ARE, ARE BEING ADDED OR IS THERE, WHAT ELSE IS IN THERE? UM, ONE SECOND.
GIVE WE HOLD THE RECOMMENDATION.
ZERO FOUR DASH ONE, BROUGHT UP DOCUMENT OR THE REPORT? SLIDESHOW THE DOCUMENT, AND I BELIEVE IT'S AN UPDATED VERSION WHILE HE, UM, I'LL
[01:25:01]
LET HIM PULL THAT UP.YEAH, THERE'S A, LIKE A PAGE IN THE SLIDESHOW THAT SHOWS THAT I BELIEVE MM-HMM.
PAGE 18 OF THESE TWO, OR? YEAH, JUST KEEP GOING.
I THINK IT'S TOWARDS THE BOTTOM.
IT'S, IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
IT HAS SOME BLUE BONNETS ON IT.
SO CURRENTLY FOR LAND MANAGEMENT, WE ONLY HAVE ONE FTE.
AND SO THIS WILL BE ADDING, WE'RE ASKING, AND WE HAVE AN UNMET NEED FOR ADDITIONAL TWO FTES.
SO, UM, THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE DID, DID PUT IN OUR, UM, UNMET NEEDS OR UNDER-RESOURCED SERVICE EXPECTATIONS REQUEST.
AND SO, BOARD MEMBER REID, YOU'RE ASKING IF WE COULD, UM, RECOMMEND, UM, CONSIDERING MORE TEAM MEMBERS FOR THAT POSITION JUST BECAUSE OF THE UNDERSTAFFING.
UM, THEY'RE DEALING WITH HOMELESSNESS AND, UH, SOME CRITICAL WILDFIRE RISK IN THE PRESERVES IN GREEN BELTS.
WE HAVE OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UM, JODI, UM, JAY WHO COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
UH, I SERVE AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR PARKS AND RECREATION.
UM, THE, THE TWO POSITIONS REQUESTED IN THIS BUDGETS, UM, CYCLE, UM, ARE, ARE JUST THE BEGINNING.
WE HAVE A PLAN THAT DOES, UH, RECOMMEND ADDITIONAL STAFF.
UM, BUT THIS IS JUST, JUST THE START.
AND WE WILL HAVE A FULL, UH, BRIEFING, UM, SOON ON THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN.
DID I ANSWER THAT QUESTION? YEAH, IT WOULD JUST BE, UH, I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD ADD TEAMS TO THE FORECAST FOR THE BUDGET NUMBERS OF TEAM MAY, MAYBE TWO MORE POSITIONS.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY ARE ACTUALLY NEEDED THERE.
SO SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD DO, BOARD MEMBER REID IS, UM, UM, MOVE TO, UM, ADOPT THE, UM, FINANCE COMMITTEES, BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE AMENDMENT THAT TWO MORE POSITIONS BE ADDED TO LAND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT.
UNTIL WE SEE THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN, WE WOULDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW MANY WOULD, WOULD ACTUALLY BE ADEQUATE IN THIS SITUATION.
SO I WOULD MOVE THAT, UM, WE AMEND THE RECOMMENDATION TO ADD POSITIONS FOR LAND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IN, UM, NOT IN ANY WAY, NOT IN SUPPORT OF THAT, BUT I'M CURIOUS WHETHER PAR THINKS THEY CAN SUPPORT MORE THAN TWO POSITIONS IN NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
CUZ THAT WOULD BE THE OPERATING QUESTION FOR ME IS WE COULD RECOMMEND FOUR, BUT IF YOU THINK YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY HIRE AND SUPPORT FOR NEW FTES, EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT WOULD BE, UM, MY QUESTION.
UM, WE, UH, WE JUST HAVE TO BALANCE THE NEEDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND WE SETTLED ON TO, BUT WE COULD SUPPORT MORE.
AND I JUST THREW OUT TWO AS AN EXAMPLE.
IF YOU HAVE A, IF YOU, YOU, IF THERE'S A DIFFERENT NUMBER THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PROPOSE, FEEL FREE CERTAINLY TO DO THAT.
WELL, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT PARKS DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE OTHER POSITIONS THAT DEAL WITH HOMELESSNESS AND WILDFIRE RESPONSE, CORRECT? IT'S NOT COMPLETELY SILOED IN THIS ONE LAND, LAND MANAGEMENT AREA THAT CURRENTLY ONLY HAS ONE FT E I THINK, I THINK THE, THE, THE PARK DEPARTMENT IS, IS KIND OF NARROWLY FOCUSED WITHIN THIS AREA, BUT THE CITY AT LARGE HAS A NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS AND ENTITIES THAT WORK IN, IN THAT AREA.
I'M SORRY, LUCAS MASSEY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE PARKS RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UH, FILLING IN, IN LIEU OF KIMBERLY MCNEALLY.
I, I, AND I'D LIKE TO MENTION THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN SCHEDULED TO COME IN EITHER APRIL OR MAY TO THE BOARD AT LARGE.
SO YOU'D GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OVERALL MANAGEMENT PLAN AND TEAM AT THAT POINT AS WELL.
I WILL JUST REMIND THE BOARD THAT WE DO HAVE TO MAKE OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS MEETING BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE SUBMITTED BY THE 31ST.
[01:30:01]
UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF REVIEWING THAT LAND MANAGEMENT PRESENTATION BEFORE, UM, MAKING THIS RECOMMENDATION.BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, IT'S, YEAH, IT'S TOTALLY FINE TO TO JUST ADD ON, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL THINGS TO THIS RECOMMENDATION.
I KNOW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT TWO, TWO MORE FTES FOR THIS PARTICULAR ROLE.
BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT, ARE Y'ALL GOING, ARE WE, ARE WE GOING TO, ARE Y'ALL EXPECTING THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THOSE OR ARE Y'ALL GOING TO BE USING FUNDS FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE TO FUND THESE TWO POSITIONS? WELL, THE REQ, THE REQUEST WOULD NEED TO, UH, COME WITH THE FUNDING.
SO IF WE WERE GONNA ASK, SO TO SPECIFICALLY ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT, UM, HOMELESSNESS, THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF ONLY HAS ONE POSITION TOWARDS HOMELESSNESS.
UM, AND THAT IS UNDER OUR LAND MANAGEMENT TEAM.
WE WOULD JUST BE ADVOCATING FOR FOUR THEN TOTAL.
RIGHT? WELL, NOW I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION THAT ONE LAND MANAGEMENT PERSON IS THE ONE FTE FOR HOMELESSNESS, CORRECT? THAT'S CUZ THAT'S WHAT IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE YOU SAID TO ME.
THERE'S THERE'S TWO, THERE'S ONE FOR HOMELESSNESS, ONE FOR LAND MANAGEMENT, BOARD MEMBER MORE
SO TO RECOMMEND, UM, ADDITIONAL TWO ADDITIONAL FTES FOR, UM, HOMELESSNESS AND FOR, UM, FOR LAND MANAGEMENT, I WOULD, I WOULD, UM, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE AMEND AND RECOMMEND THAT.
SO YOU ARE, YOUR, YOUR MOTION IS TO RECOMMEND ADOPTION OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS? YES.
WITH THE ADDITION OF TWO FTES FOR LAND MANAGEMENT AND TWO FTES FOR HOMELESSNESS, OR JUST TWO TOTAL? TWO TOTAL? NO, JUST TWO TOTAL.
SO TWO ADDITIONAL LAND MANAGEMENT FTES.
AND UM, IS THAT 190,000? IS THAT WHAT IT, WHAT'S WRITTEN IN THE PLAN? OKAY.
SO IT'S BASICALLY JUST TAKING PAGE 18 OF THE UNMET NEEDS REPORT AND CHANGING IT FROM A TWO FTES TO A FOUR FTES.
CAN WE DO THAT? YOU JUST MADE THE MOTION TO DO IT.
CAN WE CLARIFY WHAT THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IS THOUGH, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA NEED LANGUAGE? NO, SORRY.
TIM ECK, BOARD AND CONS LIAISON.
I DO WANNA CLARIFY THINGS FROM A A PARLIAMENTARY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, THERE IS A WRITTEN RECOMMENDATION BEFORE THE BOARD, UH, WHAT WOULD BE MOST BENEFICIAL FOR THE BOARD AT THIS TIME IS FOR SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION AT LEAST OF THE RECOMMENDATION LANGUAGE THAT BEGINS ON THE, THE TOP OF PAGE TWO.
AT THAT POINT, DEBATE WILL BE LIMITED TO THIS RECOMMENDATION AND ANY BOARD MEMBER CAN FEEL FREE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND.
SO I CAN MOVE TO A GROUP RECOMMENDATION AS WRITTEN.
AND THEN BOARD MEMBER REID, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE TO AMEND? I MOVE TO AMEND THE LAND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT RECOMMENDATION FROM TWO FTES TO FOUR FTES.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION AS AMENDED.
THANK YOU FOR THAT PARLIAMENTARY GUIDANCE.
[5. Discussion and possible action regarding the appointment of both a primary and alternate representative to the Joint Sustainability Committee.(1 of 2)]
ON TO, UM, ITEM FIVE, DISCUSSION OF, UM, POSSIBLE ACTION OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.SO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE IS, UM, A, IT'S A, ACTUALLY MAYBE TIM, IF YOU HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT THIS IS.
I BELIEVE IT'S A, AN AMALGAMATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE.
UM, AND THEN OTHER, OTHER MEMBERS FROM OTHER BOARDS COME IN THERE TO, TO FORM THE JOINT COMMITTEE.
UM, AND, UM, THE PARKS BOARD, UM, TYPICALLY APPOINTS, UM, A PRIMARY MEMBER WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR REPRESENTING THE, THE BOARD ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE QUARTERLY, I BELIEVE.
[01:35:01]
ALTERNATE WHO'S AVAILABLE TO ATTEND IF, UM, THE PRIMARY PERSON IS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND.UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING ABOUT THE JSE? UH, YES.
I, UM, I THINK ACTING CHAIR ALTE HAS IT MOSTLY RIGHT.
UH, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE IS CREATED BY MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO OVERSEE THE CITY'S IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD HAS A SEAT ON THE COMMITTEE THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED.
LIAISONS FROM THE COMMITTEE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FILLING THE PRIMARY SEAT AND THE, UH, THE ALTERNATE SEAT SO THAT, UH, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE CAN CONTINUE TO, UH, MAKE QUORUM.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETS ON THE FOURTH WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 6:00 PM AND, UH, I HAVE A LITTLE DESCRIPTION WRITTEN DOWN.
THAT COMMITTEE FOCUSES ON SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE SUPPORTING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
SO AT THIS POINT, IF THE, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT BOTH A A PRIMARY AND A SECONDARY MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THAT COMMITTEE.
IS ANYONE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE? AND TO CLARIFY FOR OTHERS IN ATTENDANCE? I THINK WHEN, WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU REMEMBER THAT COMMITTEE ACTUALLY MEETING IT
SO JUST THE ARGUMENT WOULD BE THEY DON'T MEET BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A QUORUM BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T APPOINTED ANYONE.
I THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S ACCURATE OR NOT, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE ARGUMENT THAT THEY'RE ALL WAITING ON US ON THE PARKS BOARD.
I MEAN, MAYBE NOT TIM, ARE THEY WAITING ON THE PARKS BOARD TO, TO APPOINT SOMEONE OR IS NOBODY ELSE APPOINTED TO THAT COMMITTEE? JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW HEAVY OF A LIFT IT'LL BE
I, I DON'T HAVE THAT SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
UH, I WAS TRYING TO TIME IT TO HAVE ONE OF THE LIAISONS FOR THE COMMITTEE DIAL IN TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS AROUND THIS TIME.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'RE DIALING IN NOW.
THAT'S MY HOPE ANYWAY, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF, UH, THEY'RE UNABLE TO MEET WARM AT THIS TIME.
WELL, UM, WHY DON'T WE COME BACK TO THIS ITEM? WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM 13 AND HOPEFULLY THAT'LL GIVE THE LIAISON SOME TIME TO DIAL IN.
UM, THEY HAVE QUORUM BASED ON WHO IS CURRENTLY APPOINTED, SO.
SO THEY'RE NOT WAITING ON US TO APPOINT SOMEONE.
THERE'S LIKE 18 PEOPLE ON THIS COMMISSION, SO, OKAY, GREAT.
WELL, LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM 13 ANYWAY, AND THEN THAT WAY WE CAN, WE CAN ASK THE LIAISON ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AFTER THAT, WHEN THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE.
[Additional Item]
ITEM 13 IS, UM, REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION, UM, TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UM, REGARDING FAIR PAY FOR, UM, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ARTISTS.SO WOULD THE, WOULD THE TWO, WOULD THE SPONSORS OF THIS ITEM LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT? YES.
UM, AND I KNOW, OKAY, UH, YES, I, I'M THE ONE THAT INTRODUCED HIS RESOLUTION.
UM, CATHERINE FLOWERS IS THE CO-SPONSOR ON THIS.
UM, I KNOW I'VE GOTTEN TO SPEAK TO EACH OF Y'ALL WHAT MOST OF Y'ALL INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, THERE'S BASICALLY THREE MAIN POINTS I WANNA MAKE IN REGARDS TO THE, UH, RESOLUTION.
UM, THE FIRST IS THAT AS A GENERAL MATTER, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DISCUSS ISSUES WHILE THEY'RE AT FRONT OF MIND.
UM, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST JUST ENDED, UM, I EXPRESSED THIS ANALOGY TO, UH, TO MANY PEOPLE.
IT'S, UM, I WOULDN'T TALK ABOUT MARCH MADNESS IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, SO WHY WOULD I TALK ABOUT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WHEN IT'S NOT UNDER 400 PEOPLE'S MIND? UM, THE SECOND IS, AS A PERSON WHO, UH, THEMSELVES IS A PART OF A UNION AND COMES FROM, UH, WAS RAISED BY TWO WORKING CLASS PARENTS, UH, I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN DIGNITY, UH, IN YOUR WORKPLACE, DIGNITY IN YOUR WORK, UH, FAIR WAGES AND EVERYTHING THAT COMES ALONG WITH THAT.
UM, SO THIS IS A VERY, THIS IS A VERY ISSUE THAT I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE THIRD THING IS, UH, COLLABORATION.
I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN COLLABORATION, HAVING STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIPS AND USING THOSE STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIPS IN THAT COLLABORATION TO HAVE A FRUITFUL AND POSITIVE OUTCOME AT THE END OF THE DAY.
[01:40:01]
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT MY MENTALITY IS, UH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION, WHICH IS GUIDED BY IN GENERAL, UM, MY PHILOSOPHY OF BEING ON THIS, UH, BOARD, WHICH IS FIRST SUPPORTING THE PARKS, PARKS FACILITIES, AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UM, AND THOSE NONPROFITS THAT WE PARTNER WITH ON A YEARLY, DAILY, WEEKLY BASIS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT OUR FACILITIES AND OUR PARKS ARE BENEFITING THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.UH, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I THINK, UH, OR AS, JUST AS IMPORTANT IS, IS THAT WE NEED TO BE USING OUR POWER ON THE BOARD, UM, TO RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL, THE DEPARTMENT AND LEGAL COUNCIL TO, UM, SORRY, I BLANKED OUT, UH, UH, USING OUR POWER TO EFFECTUATE CHANGE, UM, THAT IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE VISION AND VALUES OF THE CITY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS ONE OF THEM.
UM, AND ON MY TENURE ON THE PARKS BOARD, THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA BE GUIDED BY.
UM, SO THAT WAS KIND OF MY RATIONALE.
UM, BEFORE I MAKE A A TYPE OF MOTION, I DON'T KNOW, MY COLLEAGUE WOULD, I COULD MAKE A STATEMENT.
UM, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, I COULD ECHO EVERYTHING, UH, THAT, UH, YOU SAID.
UM, BUT I, INSTEAD OF THAT, I WOULD JUST POINT OUT THAT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN MAKE ITS VALUES CLEAR THROUGH WHO IT CHOOSES TO CONTRACT WITH.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD HOLD OUR CONTRACTORS TO A HIGH STANDARD TO THE STANDARDS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE AS A CITY WANT TO UPHOLD, UM, WHICH WE DO IN MANY OTHER AREAS.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE THAT WE DO THE SAME, UH, WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND FRANKLY, ANY OTHER VENDOR.
UM, I THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME.
SO, UM, I ALSO SUPPORT EVERYTHING THAT, UH, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBER, UH, VIA LOBO SAID AS WELL.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE ARE PAID A LIVING WAGE IN ALL ASPECTS OF, OF WORK.
UM, SO VERY SUPPORTIVE, UH, AND, UH, JUST REALLY WANT TO, UH, MAKE SURE THE CITY IS ENFORCING THE VALUES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO UPHOLD, AND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT OUR PARTNERS UNDERSTAND THAT TO WORK WITH US.
WE EXPECT THEM TO MEET THOSE VALUES.
SO THAT BEING SAID, UH, I KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE SOME BOARD MEMBERS THAT AREN'T PRESENT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT I'VE TALKED TO MANY OF Y'ALL INDIVIDUALLY AND YAD WANT SOME TIME TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE CAREFULLY AND MAYBE STRENGTH STRENGTHEN IT.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS UP AT THE JUNE 26TH MEETING.
UH, FOR THE FALLEN RATIONALE IS, IS THAT ONE, IT ACTUALLY BE PUT NOW ON THE JUNE 26TH AGENDA, OR IT'D BE PUT ON THE JUNE 26TH AGENDA.
THE SECOND IS, IS, UM, ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT WHAT I WOULD'VE WANTED TO SEE HAPPEN TODAY, MY EXPECTATION IS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING, UH, AS THE BOARD, UM, AND WITH, UH, THE TWO UNIONS THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE TODAY AND WITH OTHER ARTISTS.
UM, AND WE ARE GONNA KEEP HOLDING, UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FEET TO THE FIRE AND KEEPING THE FLAME ON HIGH TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS THAT HOPEFULLY INVOLVE ALL PARTIES AND ALL STAKEHOLDERS, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, ACTUALLY EFFECTUATE THIS CHANGE.
UM, AND SHOULD THAT NOT HAPPEN, I FULLY EXPECT THAT IT'S VERY LIKELY THAT I WILL HA WE WILL HAVE THE SIX VOTES NEEDED TO PASS THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT, THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME.
UM, IS THAT A MOTION? SO I I MOTION TO, UH, POSTPONE THIS TO JUNE 26TH.
ALL IN FAVOR? OR ACTUALLY WAIT DISCUSSION ON THAT? UM, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS TO THE, TO THE FOREFRONT AND, UM, I, I, MYSELF NEEDED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAME, UM, IN STRONG AND WE'RE LISTENING TO ALL PARTIES.
UM, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
I BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FAIRLY, UM, AND VALUED FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION, UM, AND WORKING, UH, TOGETHER TO, TO GET TO THE BEST, UM, POSSIBLE SOLUTION HERE.
SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY WHO CAME TO SPEAK TO THIS TODAY.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT.
YEAH, NO, I'LL JUST ECHO THE SENTIMENTS.
OVERALL, I THINK SOME, SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ON WHAT A FAIR WAGE IS BEFORE JUST SENDING THAT TO COUNCIL IS, IS A GOOD IDEA.
AND, AND I THINK THE TIMING OF POSTPONING TO JUNE ALSO IS A GOOD IDEA.
I THINK IT, IT MAKES SENSE TO SEE WHERE SOUTH BY GOES ON THEIR OWN AND WHEN THAT WINDOW'S CLOSED OPPOSED TO US SENDING SOMETHING TO COUNCIL NOW AND THEN IT'S, IT'S THEY'RE STILL DOING THEIR WORK DURING THAT PERIOD AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE A MORE OF A MOVING TARGET THEN.
[01:45:01]
A GOOD IDEA ON YOUR PART.UH, MY QUESTION IS AT WHAT, UH, WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME AT WHICH THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST CONTRACT IS NEGOTIATED WITH THE CITY EVERY YEAR? YEAH, THAT WAS GONNA BE MY, ONE OF MY FOLLOW UPS TOO, ESPECIALLY LIKE THE, THE RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THE, UH, VIC MATHIA SHORES.
LIKE, I LIKE THAT ONE ESPECIALLY, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE ACTUAL, UH, DEADLINE FOR RENEGOTIATION FOR THAT IS.
DOES ANYONE IN PARK STAFF KNOW? IS THAT LIKE A PARK STAFF PURVIEW ITEM WHEN IT COMES TO CONTRACTING ON PARKLAND? OR IN THIS CASE, IS IT ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS? YEAH, UH, BOARD, WE'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
UM, THE PAR SPECIAL EVENTS OFFICE DOES DO SOME OF THE PERMITTING FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FOR THOSE EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE IN PUBLIC PARKS, BUT WE THINK IT MAY BE THE CORPORATE PURCHASING OFFICE THAT ACTUALLY HOLDS THE CONTRACT.
THE LAST ONE THIS YEAR WAS SIGNED ON FEBRUARY 10TH, 2023.
ANY OTHER, UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? YEAH, UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY I APPRECIATE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND TO OUR ATTENTION.
I DO ALSO APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL TIME.
I'M ALSO HOPEFUL THAT THE, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WILL RECOGNIZE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT WANT TO ADDRESS THIS.
I KNOW THAT THEY ARE STRONG PARTNERS WITH THE CITY IN PUTTING ON THIS, THIS EVENT AND THAT IT'S MEANINGFUL BOTH FOR, UH, FOR FOR MANY MEMBERS OF THE CITY.
I ALSO, UH, FEEL THAT IT'S A REALLY STRONG PLATFORM FOR ARTISTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND THAT WITHOUT FAIR PAY, IT'S HARDER FOR THOSE ARTISTS TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL IF WE WANT THE, UM, IF WE MUTUALLY WANT TO SEE THE CONFERENCE CONTIN OR THE CONFERENCE IN THE EVENT CONTINUE TO SUCCEED.
I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE, UM, THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WILL TAKE THE TIME BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT WANT TO RESPOND.
I WOULD LOVE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, WELL, UM, BUT, BUT IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING AS PART OF THIS WELL, I WAS GONNA SAY WERE BRINGING UP WELL, UH, WELL AGAIN, SHE, SHE JUST SAID OKAY, NO QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I WAS GOING TO THIS, MY, UNFORTUNATELY, UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T HAVE THIS BACK AND FORTH.
BETWEEN THE OBSERVERS AND THE DIAS AS MUCH AS IT PAINS ME, UM, IT'S, UM, I WISH THAT WE COULD, BUT WE CAN'T.
UM, SO, UM, I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD OFFER SOME KIND OF RECOMMENDATION THAT, UM, COULD BE CONSTRUED AS FEEDBACK FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO BE CONSIDERED IN THEIR REVIEW THAT'S COMING UP OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UM, AND I WOULD DEFER THAT WAY.
WE'RE NOT MAKING A PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IF, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT THE SPECIFICS OF THE FAIR PAY.
WERE NOT MAKING THAT DECISION TONIGHT, BUT WE WOULD BE OFFERING SOMETHING THAT, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO TAKE AS, AS FEEDBACK DURING THIS FEEDBACK PERIOD.
AND I WOULD DEFER TO THOSE RESOLUTION, THE RECOMMENDATIONS SPONSORS TO KNOW IF YOU'RE OPEN TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK, CAN WE SEND A LETTER? YEAH.
UM, I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE INTERIM RIGHT NOW IS TO OFFICIALLY LIKE, UH, I WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, I THINK ONE OF THE RECOM ARE WE STILL IN DISCUSSION? IS THIS DISCUSSION? YEAH, I THINK WE'RE STILL IN DISCUSSION ON THE SAME.
YEAH, WE'RE IN DISCUSSION ON THE SAME, SO ONE, OKAY, SO DISCUSSION.
I THINK OUR RECOMMENDATION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN RECOMMEND IS THAT WE ATTACH, WE SEND A LETTER, UH, OFFICIAL LETTER TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UM, INDICATING ARE CONCERNS AND THEN ATTACHING THIS RECOMMENDATION AS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE TAKING UP IN JUNE OF JUNE.
UM, AND THAT WE WELCOME COLLABORATION AND WE WELCOME, UH, THEM KEEPING UP TO DATE AS TO WHAT THEY PLAN ON DOING, WHAT THEY'RE DOING, DOING HOW THEY'RE GETTING FEEDBACK, UM, WHO THEY'RE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM.
UM, THAT WOULD ALL BE CONTAINED WITHIN THIS LETTER.
[01:50:03]
UM, THAT, SO THAT'S PART OF THE, IS THIS PART OF THE SAME MOTION TO POSTPONE, BUT THEN ALSO ALSO TO NOTIFY THEM THAT WE WILL BE TAKING IT UP IN JUNE.WHAT'S THE BOARD? WHAT I THINK I HAVE IT DOWN IS, UH, BOARD MEMBER VIA LOBO'S MOTIONING TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM TO THE JUNE 26TH, 2023 MEETING IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TIME TO SEND CONCERNS TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UH, AS STATED BY BOARD MEMBER VIA LOBOS.
AND IF THAT MOTION IS STILL SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS, THEN IT COULD BE RESOLVED.
ALRIGHT, ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION AS AMENDED? ALRIGHT.
[5. Discussion and possible action regarding the appointment of both a primary and alternate representative to the Joint Sustainability Committee.(2 of 2)]
TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE REGARDING THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.DO WE HAVE SOMEONE, A LIAISON ON THE LINE? UH, YES.
WE HAVE, UH, KABA WHITE WHO'S REPRESENTING THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, WHO CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT COMMITTEE AND ASK HER, UH, ANSWER SOME OF Y'ALL'S QUESTIONS.
UM, NOW MY NAME IS KABA WHITE.
UM, I'VE BEEN THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE FOR THE LAST, UH, FEW YEARS.
AND, UM, I AM JOINING THE CALL TONIGHT TO, UM, ASK YOU PLEASE TO APPOINT, UH, A MEMBER OF YOUR, WELL, TWO, TWO MEMBERS OF YOUR, YOUR BOARD, UM, TO SERVE AS A PRIMARY APPOINTEE AND A BACKUP TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, UH, COMMITTEE.
UM, WE TASKED WITH, UH, OVERSEEING AND GUIDING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EQUITY PLANNING.
UM, HOPEFULLY Y'ALL ARE AWARE THAT THERE IS A LOT IN THAT PLAN AND DEFINITELY, UM, DOES TOUCH ON, UH, OPEN SPACES LIKE PARKS.
UM, FRANKLY IT'S CHALLENGED THE PLAN IMPLEMENTED IN FOR, UH, WORKING HARD RIGHT NOW AS, AS THE COMMITTEE TO TRY TO GET, UM, FROM BEHIND IMPLEMENTATION.
AND WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE OUR COMMITTEE A FULL, FULL STRENGTH.
UM, WE, WE, YOU, Y'ALL ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT I'M, I'M ASKING TO MAKE, MAKE THESE APPOINTMENTS.
UM, AS NATURE
SO, UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THAT'S MY JUST REAL QUICK PITCH ON QUEENS TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THIS COMMITTEE? AND I WILL SAY REAL QUICK THAT NOW THAT I KNOW KIVA'S ON IT, IT'S AN AWESOME COMMISSION AND YOU SHOULD BE ON IT.
HER AND I WERE ON THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION MANY YEARS AGO AND SHE'S REALLY COOL, SO I GIVE IT THUMBS UP.
I WAS GONNA SAY I'D BE HAPPY TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE.
DO I HAVE A NOMINATION FOR, UM, BOARD MEMBER BAZANT TO SERVE ON THE JSC NOMINATE BOARD MEMBER MEMBERS BAAN TO SERVE ON THE JSC? DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UM, BOARD MEMBER BAAN, ARE YOU VOTING IN FAVOR OF YOURSELF? SURE.
PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO WE ARE NOW ONTO, DO WE NEED AN ALTERNATE? OH, I GUESS, YEAH, AN ALTERNATE TOO.
IS ANYONE INTERESTED IN BEING THE ALTERNATE BOARD MEMBER? BECKER.
UM, ARE YOU NOMINATING YOURSELF? I AM, YES.
OKAY, WE'LL CONSIDER THAT A MOTION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.
BOARD MEMBER REID, UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF BOARD MEMBER BECKER IS THE ALTERNATE.
PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AGAIN WITH BOARD MEMBER VIA LOBOS.
[01:55:01]
EVERYONE FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME IN THIS, UM, AS I'M INTERIM SHARING THIS MEETING.I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SUPPORT.
[Additional Item]
ITEM NUMBER 14, WHICH IS DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING AN AMENDMENT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD BYLAWS TO REMOVE THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE AND BOARD MEMBER MOORE HAS MORE ABOUT THAT.ALL RIGHT, SO THIS WAS BEFORE MY TIME, BUT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED TO HELP JUST HAVE LIKE AN EXTRA REGULARLY OCCURRING LAYER OF OVERSIGHT BETWEEN US AND FINANCIAL BUDGET DELIBERATIONS OF THE WHOLE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, I THINK HISTORICALLY THERE WOULD SOMETIMES BE PERIODS WHERE WE WOULDN'T REALLY HEAR ANYTHING BUDGET RELATED, AND THEN IT WOULD GET TIME TO CLOSE TO THIS MARCH 31ST DEADLINE WHERE THE FULL BOARD WOULD JUST HAVE TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET WITHOUT HAVING THAT MUCH BACKGROUND OR HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
SO PEOPLE CREATED, UH, AMENDED THE BYLAWS TO CREATE THIS FINANCE COMMITTEE, UM, WHICH HAS A LOT MORE LIKE ADMINISTRATIVE HOOPS TIED TO IT.
UM, ONE OF LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE HAS TO MEET QUARTERLY.
UH, AND SO LIKE OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, MOST OF THOSE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN CANCELED DUE TO LACK OF AGENDA OR LACK OF QUORUM.
UM, SO THE IDEA IS TO GET RID OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND JUST REPLACE IT WITH A REGULARLY, UH, SCHEDULED WORK GROUP THAT WOULD GET ASSEMBLED EVERY YEAR, A FEW MONTHS AHEAD OF BUDGET CYCLE BY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD HERE, UM, TO BASICALLY DO EXACTLY WHAT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS JUST DOING, BUT JUST TO ON MORE OF LIKE AN AD HOC BASIS.
IT CAN GET DISSOLVED AND RECREATED EVERY YEAR AS NEEDED, UM, AND CAN TAKE ON OTHER CHARGES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS REQUIRED.
UH, YOU'LL NOTICE WORK GROUPS GET CREATED AND DISSOLVED FAIRLY REGULARLY ON THE BOARD.
AND SO THIS WOULD KIND OF FUNCTION IN THAT SIMILAR STRUCTURE AND THEN ALSO HAVE THE SAME ABILITY TO COME TO THE FULL BOARD AND, UH, PROPOSE RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE ADOPTING THE BUDGET, RECOMMENDING THE UNMET NEEDS LIST, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S THE BACKGROUND BEHIND THIS.
SO, SO THE SUBSTANCE OF THE BYLAWS CHANGES IS, UM, WE WOULD STRIKE LINES 20 THROUGH 22, 23 AND 24 OF THE BYLAWS TO, UM, REMOVE THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE AS A COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE BYLAWS.
AND THEN, UM, AT A FUTURE MEETING, THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD WOULD THEN CONVENE THE WORK GROUP AND APPOINT MEMBERS TO THAT WORK GROUP.
ANY, UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? A BOARD? CAN I JUST ADD A, A FEW, UH, ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR CHANGING THE BYLAWS BEFORE THE BOARD HEARS A MOTION, PLEASE.
SO, THE PROCESS OF, UH, CHANGING THE BOARD'S BYLAWS, UH, THE BOARD IS FREE TO, TO ACT TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES TODAY.
AFTER THAT, UH, THERE'D HAVE TO BE A REVIEW BY THE DEPART, UH, CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CHANGES, YOU KNOW, MET LEGAL REQUIREMENTS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT PARTS STAFF WOULD HANDLE ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CHANGES WOULD THEN HAVE TO GO TO THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE OR PARTS STAFF AND A MEMBER OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD WOULD HAVE TO KIND OF PRESENT THE CHANGES, SPEAK TO WHY THEY'RE NECESSARY.
ONCE IT PASSED THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, IT WOULD THEN HAVE TO BE REFERRED TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR ACTION.
AND THEN UPON APPROVAL BY CITY COUNCIL, ANY CHANGES TO THE PARKS BOARD, BYLAWS BECOME IMMEDIATELY EFFECTIVE.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE THE VOTE TONIGHT WILL KIND OF BE THE LAST WORD IN THIS PROCESS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING CONTEXT ON THAT WHOLE OVERSIGHT PROCESS.
I'D LIKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD BYLAWS TO REMOVE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT MOTION THAT'S ON THE TABLE? SO BOARD MEMBER BO UM, THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE IN ITS CAPACITY HAS JUST BEEN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FORECAST BUDGET AND, AND WHAT ELSE DURING THE YEAR FOR THE PARKS BOARD, I'M TRYING TO THINK BACK TO WHAT ELSE HAS BEEN DONE DURING THE PAST YEAR.
DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS, PERHAPS.
UM, I AND KIND OF NO, AFTER THE BUDGET HAS BEEN APPROVED OR NO, NO, I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY MORE POWER THAN THIS BOARD DOES, RIGHT? OUR MAIN FUNCTION IS TO RECOMMEND THANKS TO CITY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE WOULD RECOMMEND THINGS TO THE FULL BOARD THAT WE WOULD THEN RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO AS FAR AS LIKE ANYTHING ABOUT,
[02:00:01]
YOU KNOW, ALLOCATIONS OR EXPENDITURES OF THE DEPARTMENT, WE, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY DIRECT, UH, WORKINGS WITH THAT.I THINK EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE STAFF WOULD BRING US SOMETHING AS KIND OF AN FYI BEFORE THEY BROUGHT IT TO THE FULL BOARD.
UH, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THEY WOULD'VE BEEN BRINGING TO THE FULL BOARD ON THEIR OWN EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH BOARD MEMBER VIOLA BOZO.
I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL OF OUR, UM, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS SO WE CAN MOVE ON NOW TO OUR STAFF BRIEFING BRIEFINGS AND OUR WORKING GROUP UPDATES.
SO LET'S START WITH, LET'S SEE.
OH, I'M CONFUSED NOW I'M LOOKING AT THE AGENDA ADDENDUM.
LET'S START WITH, UM, WORKING GROUP UPDATES AND THEN WE CAN END WITH THE STAFF BRIEFING ON, UM, PARKS AND RECREATION ACTIVITIES.
UM, DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD? I THINK BOARD MEMBER CAUGHT HIM.
SHAL, I BELIEVE WAS OUR ONLY REPRESENTATIVE THERE, SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT ONE BOARD MEMBER.
TAYLOR IS NOT HERE, SO WE DO NOT HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
UM, WE HAVE NOT HAD AN APPOINTEE TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, SO WE DO NOT HAVE THAT.
UM, ZER PARK VISION PLAN WORKING GROUP BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR IS ABSENT AND BOARD MEMBER FAUST IS NO LONGER ON THE BOARD.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT UPDATE, UM, UPDATE FROM THE HOMELESSNESS WORKING GROUP BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO UPDATE US ON? NO, NO.
NOTHING HAS HAPPENED SINCE LAST WEEK.
NO UPDATES FROM HOMELESSNESS WORKING GROUP.
UM, DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE FROM THE AQUATICS WORKING GROUP BOARD MEMBER OF BARNARD? NO UPDATE.
[12. Update from Crime and Law Enforcement in Parks Working Group]
THE CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PARKS WORKING GROUP BOARD MEMBER OF BARNARD? UM, YES.I THINK WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE WANNA BRING BEFORE THE BOARD NEXT MONTH.
LET'S REMEMBER THAT WHEN WE GET TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, AND ACTUALLY BEFORE WE DO STAFF, WELL, NO, LET'S DO, LET'S DO THE STAFF BRIEFING FIRST AND THEN WE WILL, THEN WE'LL, UM, DO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND THEN WE'LL ADJOURN.
SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE BRIEF UPDATES.
UM, AND STAFF, WOULD YOU LIKE TO
[Additional Item]
OFFER YOUR BRIEFING BOARD MEMBERS? LUCAS MASSEY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR? UM, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS A STAFF READING FOR EVERYONE WHO'S NEW.YOU GUYS WILL GET THIS EVERY, EVERY, UH, MONTH FROM US.
AND TYPICALLY WE HIGHLIGHT JUST SOME, UH, SOME OF THE, A FEW OF THE NUMEROUS ITEMS IN HERE.
UM, I HAVE THE HONOR OF, OF PICKING A FEW THIS EVENING.
SO I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, DISTRICT TWO.
WE HAVE DOES SPRINGS DISTRICT PARK, UH, BASKETBALL COURT.
I KNOW, UH, BOARD MEMBER OF VILLALOBOS IS, IS OFF OF DIAS, BUT, UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH, UH, PARTNERS TO RESURFACE THAT PARK, UH, THAT COURT AND INSTALL SOME, SOME LIGHTING IN THE AREA, WHICH WILL MAKE THE, UH, COURT MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE.
UH, IT IS ZRICH KITE FESTIVAL TIME, UH, THAT, UH, KITE FESTIVAL OCCUR ON APRIL 1ST FROM 10 TO 5:00 PM AT ZER PARK.
SO, JUST A REMINDER, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING TO, TO GET DOWN THERE EARLY, UH, IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, WE IS ALSO, UH, SPRING BREAK AND A BIG TIME FOR US AND THE RECREATION CENTERS.
ALL OF OUR SITES RAN SPRING BREAK CAMP.
WE HOSTED ABOUT A THOUSAND KIDS AT OUR, OUR CENTERS ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, AND JUST ONE FINAL REMINDER THAT, YOU KNOW, MENTIONING SPRING BREAK CAMP IS A GOOD TIME TO ALSO REMIND YOU THAT SUMMER CAMP IS QUICKLY APPROACHING.
SO ANY PARENTS INTERESTED IN REGISTERING? UH, PLEASE, PLEASE DO SO BEFORE, BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.
UM, THE REST I, I WILL LET YOU GUYS READ AT YOUR LEISURE UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR, OR COMMENTS.
I'M BACK ON THE DI AND I HEARD YOU AS I WAS COMING BACK IN.
UM, AND I'M GONNA ALSO BE AT, UH, AT THE DOVE SPRINGS EVENT NEXT WEEK AS WELL.
UM, THE BA THE BASKETBALL, UH, STUFF.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OFFERING THAT BRIEFING.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA ITEMS. UM, BOARD MEMBER REID, DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS?[02:05:01]
NOT AT THIS TIME.UH, THE CRIME WORKING GROUP WOULD LIKE TO BRING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD.
WHEN WE ARE DOING FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, CAN SOMEONE REMIND ME IF THE ITEM NEEDS A SECOND AS, UM, IT'S BEING OFFERED OR IS THAT JUST A PLACEHOLDER FOR THE BOARD MEMBER TO GO? I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW WE'VE DONE THIS.
THE BOARD IN THE PAST HAS USED THIS SPACE TO JUST KIND OF DRAW ATTENTION TO ITEMS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
UM, EVEN REQUESTING FOLLOW UP IN THE FORMS OF EMAILS OR MEMOS.
IF IT WAS AN ITEM THAT WAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, ADDED TO THE AGENDA, IT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A, A MOTION IN A SECOND.
HOWEVER, THAT CAN ALSO BE DONE AFTER THIS MEETING, YOU KNOW, AS WE BEGIN TO PREPARE NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA.
WELL LET'S JUST CONSIDER THAT BOARD MEMBER BARNARD'S INTENT TO BRING THAT TO THE FULL AGENDA WITH A, AS A FULLY FORMED RECOMMENDATION WITH THE SECOND.
ALRIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE? BOARD MEMBER BARNARD.
BOARD MEMBER MOORE? NO THANKS.
I HAVE NO ITEMS, UM, BOARD MEMBER BECKER? NO.
UM, SO I, UH, I THOUGHT DIRECTOR MCNELEY WOULD BE HERE TONIGHT AND I KNOW SHE'S UNABLE TO ATTEND, BUT HER AND I HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT BARTHOLOME PARK AND A HISTORICAL MARKER THERE THAT I'D JUST LIKE TO, UH, FOLLOW UP ON, UM, WHAT THE DEPARTMENT'S UPDATE IS ON THAT.
I DO INTEND THAT TO BRING THAT AS AN ITEM IN COLLABORATION, UH, ASSUMING IT IS NEEDED.
UH, BUT I WOULD LIKE AN UPDATE FROM PAR ON THAT, UH, BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING IF POSSIBLE.
BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS? NONE FROM ME.
UM, I WOULD LIKE SOME MORE INFORMATION REGARDING SUMMER CAMP, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
UM, AND I HAD A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, WHO WERE FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS OR DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THERE WERE ENOUGH SPOTS OR AVAILABILITY.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET MORE INFORMATION JUST REGARDING THAT AND MAYBE OUR PLAN FOR INCREASING OPENINGS, UM, IN FUTURE.
ANY OTHER, OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? ALL RIGHT.
UM, WELL IF THAT'S ALL AS OUR, UM, JUST ONE LAST, UM, ONE LAST ITEM HERE.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE BOARD MEMBER MOORE, WHO'S, UM, AT HIS FINAL MEETING TONIGHT.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, FOR JOINING US ONE LAST TIME.
ALRIGHT, WELL ON THAT NOTE, UM, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
YOU SHOULD GIVE ME ROUND PAUSE FOR THE FASTEST MEETING IS THE EVERYTHING.
ONE, JUST TO SAVE UP SOME MONEY.