Mar 29, 2023 Special Environmental Commission

WE'VE GOT A QUORUM.

AND WE'RE ROLLING.

UH, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS? NONE.

OKAY, LET'S

[1. Watershed Protection Department's Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Budget, Programs, and Projects Overview — Anupa Gharpurey, Financial Manager, and Annie Van Zant, Capital Program Consultant, Watershed Protection Department]

KEEP GOING.

WE'VE GOT TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.

UH, THE FIRST ONE IS WATERSHED DEPARTMENT'S FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 23.

BUDGET PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS OVERVIEW.

UM, WE'RE, WE'RE READY WHEN YOU GUYS ARE.

WELL, GOOD EVENING.

UH, MY NAME IS JORGE MORALES.

I WANT TO SAY HELLO TO EVERYBODY, UH, ESPECIALLY HAVEN'T MET YOU.

TRY TO MEET YOU TODAY.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT AND, AND I'M, I'M HERE WITH SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES.

THEY WILL PRESENT, INTRODUCE THEMSELVES IN A LITTLE BIT.

I JUST WANTED TO KICK IT OFF AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL START THE PRESENTATION.

I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THIS YEAR, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE COMING IN A LITTLE EARLIER AS REQUESTED BY THE COMMISSION TO BE MORE ENGAGED, SOME, SOME OF THE PROCESS FOR THE BUDGET.

UH, TYPICALLY WE COME IN AND WE PRESENT OUR, OUR BUDGET, OUR AND OUR FORECAST, WHAT WE'RE THINKING OF FOR, FOR NEXT F Y 24.

UH, AND WE GIVE A, UH, OVERVIEW OF THE FIVE YEAR C I P PLAN.

WHAT YOU WON'T SEE THIS PRESENTATION THIS TIME IS OUR FORECAST, UH, BECAUSE, UH, WE, WE HAVE PUT THAT SOMETHING TOGETHER.

BUT AS WE'RE GETTING NEW DIRECTION OF TRYING TO KEEP OUR, OUR DRAINAGE UTILITY FEE IN ALL FEES IN THE CITY, UH, FLAT, UH, WE'RE MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THOSE SCENARIOS.

SO WHAT WE CAN DO, WE'RE GONNA PRESENT WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, UH, AND WE CAN FOLLOW UP AS A MEMO UPDATE ONCE WE ACTUALLY CONCLUDE, UM, AND, AND SUBMIT THE ACTUAL FORECAST THAT WE'RE GONNA DO FOR NEXT YEAR.

AND WE'LL PRESENT THAT AND BE HAPPY TO COME BACK IF, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THAT AS WELL, AND CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE.

BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA TURN OVER TO ANUPA.

THANK YOU J UH, MY NAME IS ANUPA GARRE.

I'M THE FINANCIAL MANAGER AT WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, AND I'M HERE WITH ANNIE VANZANT, WHO'S OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM CONSULTANT.

AND TOGETHER WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET, THE PROGRAMS THAT IT FUNDS, AND THE PROJECTS, UM, THAT IT FUNDS.

UM, MY PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE FAIRLY SHORT PIECE, UM, JUST GIVING A VERY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT OUR BUDGET IS AND, UM, WHERE OUR FUNDING SOURCES, WHAT OUR FUNDING SOURCES ARE, AND WHAT ITS USERS ARE.

UM, NEXT SLIDE.

SO BEFORE I BEGIN, UM, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE MISSION AND OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.

UM, AND THEN I WILL TALK ABOUT THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS.

THEN, UH, PRESENT SOME PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES, UM, AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO ANNIE TO PRESENT THE, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, THE PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS AND SOME RESOURCES YOU CAN, UH, GO TO.

SO, AS YOU ALL ALREADY ARE AWARE, UM, OUR DEPARTMENT WAS, UM, CHARGED WITH THE GOAL OF MANAGING THE CITY'S CREEKS.

ITS DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND WATER QUALITY PROGRAMS. SO OUR MISSION IS TO PROTECT THE LIVES, PROPERTY AND THE AND ENVIRONMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY BY REDUCING THE IMPACTS OF FLOODING, EROSION, AND WATER POLLUTION.

OUR FUNDING IS PRIMARILY COMING FROM THE DRAINAGE UTILITY CHARGE, WHICH YOU SEE, UM, ON YOUR, UH, MONTHLY, UH, UTILITY BILLS.

THERE ARE OTHER SOURCES OF FUND FUNDING, UM, UH, DEVELOPMENT FEES AND INTEREST INCOME FUND, OUR O, OTHER OPERATING ACTIVITIES.

AND THEN, UH, FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, WE HAVE, UH, THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND THEN ALSO, UM, GRANTS THAT WE HAVE STARTED RECEIVING.

IS, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND OUR ASSET MANAGEMENT.

SO OUR ORGANIZATION IS STRUCTURED IN A FUNCTIONAL WAY.

WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 431 EMPLOYEES THAT ARE BUDGETED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 OF THESE, UH, IN THE BRANCH PLANNING, MONITORING, AND COMPLIANCE.

WE HAVE 101, UM, EMPLOYEES.

AND THIS BRANCH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WATERSHED PLANNING, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, AND FLOODPLAIN MODELING.

UM, AND OTHER COMPLIANCE ACTIVITIES INCLUDING PERMIT COMPLIANCE AND POLLUTION.

UM, THE PROJECT DESIGN AND DELIVERY

[00:05:01]

AND ESSENTIALLY THEIR FUNCTIONS INVOLVE CAPITAL PLANNING, LOCAL AND CREEK FLOOD RISK REDUCTION, UM, STREAM RESTORATION, FIELD ENGINEERING, UM, AND, UH, ASSET MANAGEMENT AND CAPITAL PROGRAM MANAGEMENT.

OVERALL, UM, THE FIELD OPERATIONS BRANCH IS, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF WORK.

UH, SO THEY MAINTAIN THE DRAINAGE, UH, PIPELINES.

UH, OUR OPEN WATERWAYS, PONDS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.

THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR TRASH AND DEBRIS REMOVAL, UM, EROSION REPAIR.

THEY'RE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR FLOOD EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS AND HOMELESSNESS IMPACT MANAGEMENT.

AND THEN SUPPORT SERVICES, WHICH HAS 105 EMPLOYEES.

ALSO INCLUDES THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES.

AND THIS BRANCH ESSENTIALLY WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE OTHER BRANCHES ARE ABLE TO FUNCTION SEAMLESSLY AND WITHOUT ANY ISSUES.

SO WE HAVE FINANCE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION, UM, AND THE DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION.

UH, SO THOSE, IT'S, UM, STRUCTURED FUNCTIONALLY.

SO OUR FUNDING SOURCES, UM, FOR OPERATIONS, AGAIN, IT'S DRAINAGE UTILITY CHARGE.

MORE THAN 95% OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM THAT.

OTHER FEES ARE SITE PLAN SUBDIVISIONS, AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER PERMIT FEES.

ALSO, WE RECEIVE SOME INTEREST INCOME, OH, I'M SORRY, NEXT SLIDE.

I JUST, I'M DOING IT FROM HERE, .

UM, AND UM, AND THEN THE, FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, WE HAVE OUR, UH, CASH TRANSFERS THAT WE DO FROM OUR OPERATING BUDGET.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS GRANTS.

WE ALSO HAVE TAX INCREMENT FINANCING, UM, PARTICULARLY FOR, UH, WALLER CREEK DISTRICT, UH, PROJECT.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE R SMP AND THE URBAN STRUCTURAL CONTROL FUND PAYMENTS FOR THE, THOSE ARE PAYMENTS IN LIE, UH, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UM, REQUIREMENTS OF, UH, PAWS.

UM, THE FUNDING SOURCES AND USES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, DRAINAGE UTILITY CHARGE, UM, IS THE BIGGEST SOURCE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023.

WE EXPECT 99.8 MILLION OUT OF OUR TOTAL 101.8 REVENUE COMING FROM DRAINAGE UTILITY CHARGE, AGAIN, DEVELOPMENT LICENSE FEES, 1.4, AND THEN INTEREST INCOME AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE IS 0.6.

THE FUNDING USES OUR BIGGEST FUNDING USES ACTUALLY TRANSFERS, BUT THAT INCLUDES THE TRANSFER TO OUR C I P PROGRAM, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, UM, THAT'S 33 MILLION FOR THIS YEAR, WAS BUDGETED TO BE TRANSFERRED TO CIP P THE REMAINDER GOES TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO SUPPORT US.

SO THAT INCLUDES THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT CITYWIDE, UM, CTECH, OTHER, OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT WORK FOR, UH, AND PROVIDE US SUPPORT.

WE TRANSFER FUNDS TO THEM AS WELL.

UM, WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, BIGGEST PORTION IS OUR PERSONNEL COST, 43.7 MILLION.

AND THEN OTHER PROGRAMMATIC COSTS FOR CONTRACTUALS AND COMMODITIES ARE 16.5.

THE FUNDING IS SPLIT.

UM, THE BUDGET IS SPLIT BETWEEN OUR, UM, DIFFERENT BRANCHES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BIG RED, UM, PIECE OF THE PIE, UM, THAT'S THE TRANSFER TO CIP, P 33 MILLION.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST ONE.

THEN WE HAVE THE FIELD OPERATIONS.

THAT'S THE GREEN, UH, FOR 24.4 MILLION.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER TRANSFERS, UM, TO THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS OUTSIDE 19 MILLION.

UM, SUPPORT SERVICES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 14.8.

AGAIN, THAT INCLUDES THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES.

UM, PLANNING, MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE IS 13.1, AND PROJECT DESIGN AND DELIVERY IS EIGHT.

THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CIP P PROJECT FUNDING.

THIS, THIS IS JUST PERSONNEL COST PRIMARILY.

UM, THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES.

UM, SOME OF OUR OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE PICTURES, DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE, WE HAVE TRASH AND DEBRIS REMOVAL.

WE DO LAND MANAGEMENT, POND MAINTENANCE.

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF, UH, KIDS, UH, WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROGRAM.

UM, YES.

AND SO HERE WE SEE SOME POLLUTION PREVENTION AND RESPONSE.

WE ALSO DO FLOODPLAIN MODELING AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND PLANNING, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND DATA ANALYSIS.

AND NEXT SLIDE.

AND, UM, WE ALSO DO STORM EVENT, UH, MONITORING.

THIS IS, UH, AND BARRICADING OF THE ROADS.

WHENEVER THERE ARE FLASH, FLASH FLOODS, THE ATX FLOODS, UH, WE DO REPLENISHING OF THE CREEK BEDS.

WE ALSO HAVE A COMMUNITY, UH, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM.

AND

[00:10:01]

AND ALSO THE FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK, WHICH WE HAD RECENTLY.

UM, SO RAIN TO RIVER.

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS.

WE, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT IS CREATING A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, CALLED RAIN TO RIVER.

UM, WE WILL USE THIS PLAN TO SET GOALS, PRIORITIZE OUR WORK, AND GUIDE OUR DECISION MAKING TO TACKLE URGENT CHALLENGES, UM, SUCH AS CLIMATE CHANGE AND RACIAL INEQUITIES.

UM, WE HAVE A SURVEY, UH, THAT IS OPEN THROUGH MARCH 31ST, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, IF YOU HAVE NOT PARTICIPATED IN IN IT, PLEASE DO.

AND IF YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO CAN PARTICIPATE, PLEASE DO, UH, GO TO WWW.RAINRIVERATX.COM.

AND, UM, IT JUST TAKES 10 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME, BUT IT CAN DIRECT OUR WORK FOR NEXT 10 YEARS.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO ANNIE, WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THE CAPITAL PROGRAM.

THANK YOU, NEPA.

EXCUSE ME.

SO, UM, FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, UH, FIRST WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU A RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECT.

THIS WAS, OH, ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, PLEASE.

UM, THIS WAS A PARTICIPATION WITH THE AUSTIN FOOTBALL CLUB, WHERE OF COURSE THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR MEETING REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, BUT, UM, WE PARTICIPATED WITH THEM BECAUSE THIS IS A REGIONAL WATER QUALITY BIOFILTRATION POND.

AND SO THROUGH THAT PARTICIPATION, WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THE IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT'S TREATED BY THIS POND BY 40 ACRES.

SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR C I P.

UM, OUR C I P ARE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES, AND WATERWAYS.

THESE ARE, UM, MORE COSTLY THAN TRADITIONAL, UH, FIELD OPERATIONS PROJECTS, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE BEYOND MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.

SO THESE ARE FOR REHABILITATION RECONSTRUCTION AND NEW FACILITIES OR INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN GUIDES US AND DEFINES HOW WE, UM, ASSESS OUR PROBLEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS, AND THEN PRIORITIZE THOSE NEEDS ACROSS OUR MISSIONS.

AND THE GENERAL THEME IS WE ADDRESS OUR WORST PROBLEMS FIRST.

WE ALSO HAVE INTERNAL PROCESSES WHERE WE TRY TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE WATERSHED NEEDS IN AN AREA AT ONCE THROUGH OUR MISSION INTEGRATION.

AND, UM, BELOW IS A PICTURE OF A RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECT LAST YEAR, THE DOLORES TRIBUTARY WASTE REMOVAL AND STREAM RESTORATION.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO INTEGRATE WATERSHED MISSIONS AS WELL AS PARTNER WITH AUSTIN WATER ON THIS PROJECT.

SO REGARDING EQUITY AND C I P, UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY EVALUATING, AND THIS IS PART OF THE RAIN RIVER WORK.

UH, SO HOW TO INCORPORATE SOCIAL DATA INTO PROJECT PRIORITIZATION.

AND WE'D LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.

UM, AND AGAIN, THAT'S, UH, A RAIN TO RIVER IS THE MAIN PART OF THIS BIG COMPONENT.

AND IN THE NEXT SLIDE YOU'LL SEE A MAP THAT IS THE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE 117.

WE HAVE, UM, IN-HOUSE PROJECTS.

AND THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT ARE DESIGNED BY OUR STAFF AND THEN DELIVERED THROUGH EITHER BY OUR FIELD OPERATIONS OR THROUGH OUR C I P, UM, I D I Q CONTRACTS WITH SHS FOR INDEFINITE DURATION, INDEFINITE QUANTITY.

THESE PROJECTS, THERE'S A, UH, PILOT PROGRAM RIGHT NOW THAT IS INCORPORATING EQUITY AND IDENTIFYING HOW WE CAN LEAD WITH EQUITY ON THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS.

AND, UM, AGAIN, WITH RAIN TO RIVER, UH, INPUT, WE WILL, WE PLAN ON, UM, IMPLEMENTING THIS WITH THE LARGER C I P AS WELL.

AND SO, OF COURSE, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU ALL FOR APPROVAL, UM, WHEN RAIN TO RIVER IS DEVELOPED AND, AND READY FOR YOUR REVIEW.

SO IN THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE A DISTRIBUTION OF OUR CURRENT PROJECTS.

WE HAVE 117 ACTIVE PROJECTS THIS FISCAL YEAR.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE DISTRIBUTION OF, UM, BETWEEN OUR MISSIONS AND, UM, WITH MULTI OBJECTIVE HAS SEVERAL, UM, SUBCATEGORIES TO IT, UH, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT IN A LITTLE BIT.

OF THE 117 20 OF THESE ARE BOND PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE 2018 BOND PROGRAM, 19 SWARM WATER DRAINAGE PROJECTS.

AND THEN ACTUALLY THE 20TH IS OUR OPEN SPACE OR WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS PROGRAM.

UM, AND SO, WHICH CREATES MORE PROJECTS OR INDIVIDUAL ACQUISITIONS FOR SIMPLE OR CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.

[00:15:02]

AND IF YOU'RE COUNTING THE NUMBERS AND THE LEGEND, NOT ALL OF OUR PROJECTS ARE MAPABLE.

SO WE DO HAVE, UM, ONE CIP P PROJECT THAT'S FOR VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION.

SO THAT DOESN'T HAVE A GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION.

UM, BUT YOU CAN SEE OUR DISTRIBUTION OF PROJECTS BASED ON WHETHER THEY'RE IN PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING OR DESIGN, IF THEY'RE IN CONSTRUCTION CURRENTLY, OR IF THEY RECENTLY COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION.

AND THEN IN THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE DISTRIBUTION OF OUR FUNDS BY THOSE MISSIONS AND CATEGORIES.

SO, UM, THERE'S THE MULTI OBJECTIVE CATEGORY AS WELL.

CITYWIDE PRIORITY OR COORDINATION OPPORTUNITY IS 41% OF OUR OVERALL FUNDING.

BUT THIS DOES INCLUDE THE CONFLUENCE PROJECT, WHICH IS PART OF THE WALLER CREEK, UH, DISTRICT.

IT ALSO INCLUDES OUR PARTICIPATION FOR BETTERMENTS ALONG THE CORRIDOR PROJECTS AS A DIG ONCE OPPORTUNITY WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

SO YOU CAN SEE THIS IS GOING, THE LIMITS ARE FROM LAKE AUSTIN TO, I MEAN, SORRY, LADYBIRD LAKE TO FOURTH STREET.

AND YOU'LL SEE THE DISTRIBUTION OF OUR PROJECTS BY PHASES AS WELL.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT ARE IN PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING OR DESIGN.

THESE ARE WITH CONSULTANTS MOSTLY.

AND THEN, UM, AND THOSE DESIGN PROJECTS, WE HAVE SEVERAL COMING UP FOR CONSTRUCTION THIS FISCAL YEAR.

AND I'LL BE SHOWING YOU THOSE IN THE PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS COMING UP.

BUT FIRST, UM, OUR FIRST HIGHLIGHTED PROJECT ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE LAKE AUSTIN MEREDITH STREET STORM DRAIN IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH REACHED SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION IN DECEMBER.

AND YOU CAN SEE PICTURES OF THE TRENCH THAT WAS IN THE STREET AS WELL AS THE OUTFALL TO THE CREEK.

AND THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE ANOTHER PROJECT THAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN COUNTRY CLUB WEST WATERSHED FOR THE ROY G. GUERRERO PARK CHANNEL STABILIZATION.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF SHEET PILING THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING INSTALLED, UM, THAT WILL HELP AS, UH, EROSION CONTROL.

UM, AND IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PART OF, UH, A DROP STRUCTURE, WHICH THERE ARE THREE MAJOR DROP STRUCTURES IN THAT, UM, PROJECT.

UM, AND SO NEXT LINE, OWEN, I FORGOT TO NOTE THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE TOP RIGHT I'VE IDENTIFIED THOSE PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED BY THE 2018 BOND PROGRAM AS WELL.

SO JAMESTOWN, UM, LITTLE IN LITTLE WALNUT CREEK, THIS IS EROSION AND DRAINAGE.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN INTEGRATED.

IT INCLUDES, UM, STREAM BANK STABILIZATION, A LOW WATER CROSSING UPGRADE, AND SOME, UH, LOCAL FLOODING.

IT'LL ADDRESS SOME LOCAL FLOODING AR NEEDS IN THE AREA.

UH, THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS THE RENDERING OF WHAT WE ANTICIPATE.

SO THIS IS GOING TO GO OUT FOR BID, UM, VERY SOON, I THINK THIS SUMMER.

AND IT'S, UH, CONSTRUCTION WILL BE COMPLETELY FUNDED BY 2018 BOND.

THE NEXT SLIDE, WEST BOLD CREEK DEL CURTO STORM DRAIN IMPROVEMENTS.

THIS IS A FLOOD RISK REDUCTION PROJECT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND, UM, CONSTRUCTION WILL ALSO BE FULLY FUNDED BY THE 2018 BOND PROGRAM.

AND YOU CAN SEE, UM, SOME OF THE CONDITIONS FROM OUR, THE FLOODS.

I, I DON'T KNOW IF THESE WERE TAKEN IN 2013 OR 2015, BUT IT WAS THOSE MAJOR FLOODS THAT HAPPENED IN THOSE YEARS.

AND OUR NEXT SLIDE, UM, THIS IS LITTLE BEAR CREEK RECHARGE ENHANCEMENT FACILITY.

SO THIS IS A WATER QUALITY PROJECT IN THE EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE WHERE WE PURCHASED A, UM, OLD QUARRY.

AND THIS WORK, THIS PROJECT'S GOING TO HELP THE WATER BIO FILTRATE INTO, UH, THE RECHARGE ZONE.

AND THIS SHOULD GO OUT TO BID, UM, THIS SPRING ACTUALLY.

AND I MENTIONED BEFORE, ON THE NEXT TWO SLIDES, YOU'LL SEE EXAMPLES OF THOSE IN-HOUSE PROJECTS THAT I MENTIONED BEFORE, WHERE THEY'RE DESIGNED BY STAFF.

THESE ARE, UM, IMPLEMENTED BY OUR I D I Q CONTRACTS.

UM, AND SO IT'S FUNDED BY C I P.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A GRADE CONTROL IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN NEAR DEADWOOD DRIVE.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE BEFORE AND AFTER.

IN THE NEXT ONE, YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER STREAM BANK STABILIZATION BEFORE AND AFTER THIS WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED.

THIS IS, UH, UH, IN LITTLE WALNUT CREEK, UH, ON NEAR DUNBARTON.

AND YEAH, YOU CAN SEE THE, UM, THE LIMESTONE BLOCKS THAT WERE INSTALLED IN THE GS.

AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE THE WALLER CREEK DISTRICT CONFLUENCE PROJECT.

THIS USED TO BE CALLED THE CREEK DELTA PROJECT.

AND, UM, WE'VE PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW HERE.

[00:20:01]

THIS EXCLUDES THE PALM SCHOOL IN PALM PARK.

UM, AND THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WAS AWARDED IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.

LAST OF ALL, UM, I MENTIONED THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS.

THIS HAD ITS OWN FUNDING SOURCE IN THE 2018 BOND OF 72 MILLION.

WE'VE SPENT ABOUT HALF OF THAT ACQUIRING FEE SIMPLE AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A 4,000 ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT THAT WAS ACQUIRED LAST YEAR, UM, AND IT WAS CALLED THE UPLAND SWEETWATER TRACK.

SO WE DO HAVE SOME RESOURCES, UH, THREE DIFFERENT RESOURCES IN THE NEXT SLIDES THAT, UM, WHERE YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PROJECTS.

SO YOU CAN GO DIRECTLY TO OUR DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE, AND WE HAVE MANY, UM, INDIVIDUAL WEBSITES FOR OUR PROJECTS.

UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE CONTACTS AND STATUSES, ET CETERA.

THE SECOND RESOURCE IS CAPITAL PROJECT EXPLORER.

THIS IS DEVELOPED BY THE BUDGET OFFICE, AND IT'S ON THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UM, THIS PRO, THIS ONE SHOWS PROJECTS THAT EITHER ARE IN CONSTRUCTION OR WILL BE IN CONSTRUCTION IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, BUT YOU CAN FILTER IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.

YOU CAN LOOK AT ALL OF THE PROJECTS BY COUNCIL DISTRICT, YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM BY BOND FUNDS, SEE THOSE PROJECTS THAT WERE FUNDED BY DIFFERENT BOND PROGRAMS. UM, YOU CAN FILTER JUST FOR STORM WATER PROJECTS, AND THAT'S THE LINK THAT WE PROVIDED FOR YOU ALL.

AND THE LAST RESOURCE, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU.

IT'S NEW AS OF LAST WEEK, SO VERY NEW.

UM, THIS WAS DEVELOPED BY WATERSHED STAFF AND IT'S OUR C I P PROJECTS BY COUNCIL DISTRICT.

AND YOU CAN SEE ACTIVE AND COMPLETED BY COUNCIL DISTRICT.

IT'S VERY USER FRIENDLY.

I LIKE TO SAY YOU CAN'T BREAK IT, ANY OF THESE.

SO, UM, PLEASE CLICK AWAY.

UM, AND THEN, UH, WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MAY HAVE.

PERFECT.

UM, ALRIGHT, UM, LET'S GO AROUND HERE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.

UM, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS STARTING WITH STARTING WITH YOU? CAN I BE LAST? YES, MA'AM.

OR A STRAIGHT LINE WIND, UM, TYPE OF, OF STORM EVENT.

THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST.

UM, YES.

UM, COMMISSIONER OR KASHI, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? NO QUESTIONS.

APPRECIATE IT.

HI, FIRST, I WANT TO, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND BEING HERE.

UM, JORGE, IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU IN PERSON.

AND, UM, I'M, I'M, UH, RACHEL SCOTT.

UH, I'M, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT TWO.

AND, UH, I HAVE, UH, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATIONS AND, AND FOR TEACHING ME SOME, UH, NEW ACRONYMS. UM, CUZ I'M COLLECTING THEM, UH, FOR A, A FUTURE BOOK, UM, UH, TO BE ANNOUNCED LATER.

UH, IF I, UH, FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT, UM, WELL BE, UH, ATX, ABCS OF ATX, UH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

ANYWAY, UM, I HAD, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

UM, ONE IS, UM, THAT I THINK IT WAS IN 2022 THAT, UH, THE, THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, APPROVED, UM, UH, A WHOLE HOST OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT AND HARDENING AS RECOMMENDED, UH, BASED ON THE, UH, UH, 2022, UH, FEMA RISK ASSESSMENT FOR, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY AND, UM, UH, BY TRAVIS COUNTY THAT, OF COURSE, UM, MORE OR LESS OVERLAPS WITH, UH, AUSTIN.

AND, UM, IF YOU LOOK, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, AND IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE, UM, IF YOU GO TO, UM, A FEMA, UH, THERE, UH, THERE ARE, UM, GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR THINGS LIKE HARDENING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF, UM, COMMAND CENTERS, HARDENING, UH, UH, CITY, UM, WATER TREATMENT, UH, AND, AND HARDENING, UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT.

SO THAT IF, UM, IF THERE WERE, UM, A SEVERE EVENT SUCH AS, UM, A TORNADO OR A,

[00:25:01]

AND WE GET, UH, BOTH OF THOSE, THE DERECHOS, UH, UM, HAPPEN, UM, ON A, UH, APPROXIMATELY ANNUAL BASIS, UH, IN THIS, IN THIS ZONE.

UM, AUSTIN ANNUALLY, UH, HAS ABOUT ONE, UH, TORNADO.

UM, AND OF COURSE, THE SEVERITY OF THE, OF A TORNADO CAN, CAN VARY FROM, UH, AN EF ZERO TO EF F FIVE.

AND, AND, UM, UM, MOSTLY, UM, YOU DON'T HEAR TOO MUCH ABOUT THE EF ZEROS AND THE EF ONE S BECAUSE THEY MAY JUST COME DOWN AND, AND HIT A COUPLE HOUSES AND, UM, HARDLY ANYBODY EVEN KNOWS IT HAPPENED.

OR MAYBE THEY HIT AN OPEN FIELD, NOBODY KNOWS.

BUT AS A CONCENTRATION OF, UH, UH, DEVELOPMENT INCREASES, UM, THE, UH, POTENTIAL, UH, FOR DESTRUCTION AND, UM, UH, COSTS, UH, AND LOSS OF LIFE, UH, ALSO INCREASES.

AND I'M WONDERING, UM, I DON'T, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, UH, FEMA GRANTS THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, UM, REQUESTED, UH, FOR HARDENING, UH, THE, UH, UM, WASTEWATER AND WATER, UH, TREATMENT, UH, PROGRAMS THAT I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE AW AWARE OF AS, AS POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE.

AND, UM, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT APPLIED FOR, OF COURSE IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA BE AVAILABLE.

BUT, UM, I I, MY CONCERN IS THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY BE LEAVING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UH, ON THE TABLE THAT, THAT ARE, UM, ARE THERE.

AND BY LAW, UM, A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF FEMA FUNDS HAVE TO BE, UM, IN THE CATEGORY OF MITIGATION RATHER THAN AFTER THE FACT.

SO THEY'RE ASKING US NOT TO WAIT UNTIL THE HORSE IS OUT OF THE BARN BEFORE WE ACT.

UM, AND IN, IN MOST CASES, UM, PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED TORNADOES, UM, JUST DON'T THINK THAT AUSTIN IS AT RISK OR THAT TRAVIS COUNTY IS AT RISK AT ALL.

UM, AND I'VE HEARD ALL KINDS OF REASONS WHY NOT.

BUT THE FACT IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, THE EQUIVALENT OF, UH, E F FOUR, E F FIVE TORNADOES IN THIS, UH, VERY AREA, UM, IN THE DISTANT PAST.

AND ALL OF THE FEMA DATA IS BASED ON LOCAL, UM, NOAA, UH, WHETHER INFORMATION, UH, GOING BACK THE PAST 50 YEARS.

SO THEY'RE NOT JUST MAKING US UP, UM, OUT OF, UH, UH, THIN AIR.

AND SO, UH, IS THERE, IS THERE ANY PLAN TO, UH, TO GO AFTER SOME OF THAT, THAT, UH, SOME OF THAT FEMA GRANT MONEY? UH, THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT QUESTION COMMISSIONERS, SCOTT.

UH, WE ACTUALLY HAD A PLAN AND LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, WE CAME AND WE ADDED A POSITION FOR A, A GRANT COORDINATOR.

WATERSHED HAD HISTORICALLY NOT HAD ANYBODY THAT'S FULLY DEDICATED FOR THAT.

WE DID HIRE THE PERSON.

AND THIS YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WATERLOO GREENWAY AND PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE DID GET A $9 MILLION GRANT FROM THE US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER ON ONE PROJECT IN THE WATERLOO PARK.

UH, WE'VE SUBMITTED GRANTS FOR OTHER AREAS.

HISTORICALLY, MANY OF THE, UH, PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE DONE FOR THE BUYOUTS WERE THROUGH THE HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM FROM FEMA.

AND SO WE ARE AWARE OF THOSE.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT, WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE MONEY ON THE TABLE.

AND AS YOU SAW THE NUMBERS THAT APA PRESENTED, OUR REVENUE DOESN'T MATCH OUR EXPENDITURES ANYMORE.

WE'VE, WE'VE PASSED THAT LINE.

AND SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE, UH, WAYS TO FIND REVENUE TO HELP OFFSET THAT AND CONTINUE, UH, TO DO THE PROJECTS THAT WE DO.

WE HAVE AN ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AS WELL, WE'RE EVALUATING OUR ASSETS.

UM, DAM SAFETY PROGRAM IS THE PROGRAM WE'VE HAD FOR, FOR, FOR A LONG TIME.

AND IT'S, UH, UM, MONITORED BY THE TCEQ, ANOTHER ACRONYM, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ONE, YOUR LIST.

UM, AND, UH, WE ACTUALLY ARE DOING PROJECTS UNDER THAT.

AND IF WE CAN FIND, UH, FEMA FUNDS FOR ANY PROJECTS, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR THAT.

BUT WE DID ADD A FULL, FULL-TIME POSITION, UH, THIS LAST YEAR.

AND WHO, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THAT, UH, AS IT RELATES TO LIKE, WHO THE PERSON IS? YEAH.

UM, WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE, THE FEMA, UH, GOING AFTER THE FEMA GRANTS? SO IT'S UNDER OUR PROJECT, THE, THE DESIGN AND DELIVERY BRANCH.

AS THE NUPE POINTED OUT, WE BROKE OUT FUNCTIONALLY.

SO WE HAVE A, A BRANCH OF, UH, TEAM MEMBERS THAT THEIR JOB IS TO DELIVER PROJECTS.

AND SO WE ADDED THAT POSITION UNDER THAT, THIS WAY THEY CAN BE ABLE TO ACCESS FUNDS AND BE ABLE TO USE IT FOR THE C I P PROJECTS.

AND, AND WHERE DOES THAT STAND RIGHT NOW? AS, AS WHAT, UH, WHAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS, UM, IS THAT RIGHT NOW, IN TERMS OF, UH, IT'S, IT'S FULLY IMPLEMENTED.

WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEKING GRANTS AND WORKING WITH OUR INTER GOVERNOR, UH, RELATIONS OFFICE, I G R O.

UH, THEY LET US KNOW WHEN THEIR STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDS, AND SO WE EVALUATE OUR GRANTS

[00:30:01]

AS THEY COME IN.

WE'VE SUBMITTED SEVERAL FOR THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

SO AS PART OF THE DATA THAT'S CHANGING BECAUSE OF CLIMATE, UH, WE IMPLEMENTED THE ATLAS 14 DATA.

AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN A 5 MILLION GRANT LAST YEAR FOR US TO UPDATE THE FLOOD PLAINS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO WE'RE ACTIVELY DOING THAT AS WE SPEAK IN ANY OPPORTUNITY, BUT WE DO EVALUATE IT TO MAKE SURE IT'S A, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE EVERY GRANT HAS TO BE, UH, MONITORED FINANCIALLY, AND WE HAVE TO REPORT ON THAT.

WE HAVE TO BE AUDITED, AND SO WE, WE HAVE TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE AND, AND WE HAVE TO PARTNER WITH OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENTS AND, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, DELEGATIONS TO LIKE CO CONGRESS OR SENATE TO, TO HELP SUPPORT AND SPONSOR US.

BUT WE DO THAT ACTIVELY RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK.

IS THERE ANY PLACE ONLINE WHERE, WHERE, UM, UH, THAT CAN BE TRACKED OR WHERE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE, WE HAVE THAT ON.

MOST OF WHAT WE PUT IS THE PROJECT SITES UHHUH, SO YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECT AND WHEN IT'S GONNA BE BUILT AND HOW MUCH IT COSTS.

UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANY WEBSITES THAT TIE YOU DIRECTLY, BUT BE HAPPY TO HAVE AN OFFSITE, UH, OFF, OFF, UH, TABLE CONVERSATION WITH YOU AND EXPLAIN WHAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY AVAILABLE IN THE PUBLIC OKAY.

VERSUS WHAT WE DON'T.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, GREAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER.

, UM, I'M AWARE OF, UM, UH, AT LEAST, UH, UH, UH, TWO, UM, HOMELESS, UH, ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE ON, UM, WATERWAYS IN AUSTIN.

UM, UH, ONE OF THEM IS IN, UM, IS, IS, UH, IN THE ONION CREEK, UH, GREEN BELT, UM, UH, NEXT TO ONION CREEK.

UH, AND, UH, THE OTHER IS, UM, AT THE, UH, THE, THE HEAD OF, UH, WHERE, UH, LAR CREEK, UH, COMES, UH, WINDING OUT FROM UNDER WHATEVER ROCK IT COMES OUT OF AND, UH, INTO THE OPEN.

AND, UH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, A LARGE AREA ALONG, UH, CHERRY ROAD, UH, WHERE, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, BRUSH AND TREES AND SO FORTH.

AND I, I BELIEVE THERE'S A, UH, AN UN UNSEEN, BUT, UH, BUT, UH, PALPABLE PRESENCE IN THAT.

UM, THE LORD CREEK HAS BECOME, UM, PRETTY MUCH A SEWER, AND I'M, AND I'M WONDERING, UM, WHETHER, UH, UH, THE CITY, UM, IN WATERSHED, UH, UH, PROTECTION IS, IS INTERESTED IN, UM, IN, UH, PUTTING UP, UM, SOME, UM, KNOWING THAT, THAT THE PEOPLE ARE THERE, UM, PUTTING, UH, PUTTING IN SOME, SOME, UH, PORTA POTTIES SO THAT THE, UM, THE WATER QUALITY OF THE, UM, OF THE, OF THE CREEKS, UH, CAN BE MAINTAINED.

AND YES, THERE'S ENCAMPMENTS ALL OVER THE CITY IN VARIOUS AREAS IN THE WATERWAYS.

UH, AND, UH, WATERSHED IS ACTIVELY WORKING ON SOME PROJECTS FOR PORTA POTTIES IN CERTAIN WATERSHEDS ALREADY.

UH, SO WE'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING AT SOME OF THAT.

UM, BUT ANY SPECIFIC LOCATION LOCATIONS, YOU CAN REPORT IT THROUGH THREE 11.

WE DO WORK WITH THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICERS AS, AS THEY EVALUATE THE ENCAMPS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

BUT YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING OF INTEREST FOR WATERSHED.

AND, UH, AS WE PRESENTED NOT TOO LONG AGO, WE DID A TRASH IN A CREEK STUDY AND IDENTIFIED A LOT OF SOURCES THAT IMPACT THE, THE, THE, THE TRASH IN THE CREEKS.

AND SO WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THAT AS WE SPEAK.

UM, IS THERE, IS THERE SOME, SOMEONE IN PARTICULAR THAT I COULD, UM, FIND OUT MORE ABOUT, TALK TO, TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THAT? YEAH, I'D BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH YOU AFTER THE MEETING AND GIVE YOU MORE DETAILS AND OKAY.

AND THEN WE CAN CONNECT TO YOU IF YOU HAVE OTHER SPECIFICS.

SURE.

UM, I THINK, UM, THE WILDLIFE IS, CAN BE, UH, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY, UM, BY THE, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S UNPLEASANT TO SMELL AS A, JUST WALKING DOWN TO THE CREEK, BUT, UH, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THERE'S A, THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF, OF WILDLIFE THAT LIVES, OF COURSE, IN AND ON AND AROUND THOSE, UH, THOSE WATERSHEDS AND, AND, UM, UM, I'M, I'M AFRAID THAT THIS IS, IS GONNA HAVE, UH, SOME, UH, SERIOUS REPERCUSSIONS IF WE DON'T CLEAN IT UP PRETTY QUICKLY.

I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT FREQUENTLY IS, UH, HOW, WHAT FEES ARE WAIVED OR REDUCED, UH, YOU KNOW, ON CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTS, BUT A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF YOUR BUDGET IS CONSISTS OF, YOU KNOW, FEES THAT YOU CHARGE FOR THINGS.

WELL, WE'LL DEFINITELY SPEAK MORE ON THAT.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND, UH, AGAIN, I, UH, UH, A VERY THOROUGH, UH, UH, PRESENTATION.

YOU'VE GOT A, A HUGE, UH, JOB TO DO.

AND, UH, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER AND, UM, AND, AND MAKING IT INTO, UH, PRETTY GRAPHS FOR US.

AND, UM, UM, I, I THINK I FOLLOWED ABOUT 50% OF IT, WHICH WAS PRETTY GOOD FOR ME.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BRAMER.

WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AROUND THE HORN HERE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YEAH, UH, YEAH.

COMMISSIONER BRAMMER, THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR PRESENTATION IS VERY, UH, VERY INTERESTING.

UM,

[00:35:02]

DO YOU HAVE A LINE ITEM OF YOUR BUDGET FOR FEED REDUCTIONS? IN OTHER WORDS, LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GET, I DON'T KNOW, MAKING UP A NUMBER, $10 MILLION IN FEES, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE BACK A MILLION DOLLARS IN REDUCTIONS.

SO IS THAT ACCOUNTED FOR IN YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR FINANCIAL CALCULATIONS? SO WE, UM, THE DRAINAGE CHARGE IS, IS, UM, IS ASSESSED ON ALL THE PROPERTIES, UM, BASED ON THE STATE, UH, TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.

AND SO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE IS VERY COMPREHENSIVE IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE THE PROPERTIES THAT YOU CAN EXEMPT FROM THE DRAINAGE CHARGE.

AND SO WE DO EXEMPT THOSE PROPERTIES FROM THE DRAINAGE CHARGE.

UM, AS FAR AS THE, UM, WAIVER IS CONCERNED, WE DON'T EXACTLY WAIVE THE FEES, BUT THE COUNCIL HAS A CAPITAL, UM, I'M SORRY, UM, A CAP PROGRAM WHERE, UM, WE DO, UM, PROVIDE 50% DISCOUNT TO LOW INCOME OR SOME OF THE, UM, UM, RESIDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS LIKE SNAP.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LIST OF PROGRAMS, AND SO WE HAVE A CAP PROGRAM AND UP TO A MILLION DOLLARS IS WHAT WE PROVIDE AS A, UM, REDUCTION IN THEIR DRAINAGE CHARGE.

UM, BUT AS FAR AS THE EXEMPTIONS ARE CONCERNED, THOSE ARE DIRECTED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AND WE HAD DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY OR DISCRETION TO ADD TO ANY OF THOSE WAIVERS WITH RESPECT TO DEVELOPMENT FEES.

UM, COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED CERTAIN SMART HOUSING TYPE WA WAIVERS, AND SO WE DO PROVIDE THAT, BUT IT'S A VERY, AGAIN, THAT'S A VERY SMALL PORTION OF OUR, UH, OVERALL REVENUE.

SO THE WAIVERS ARE ALSO REALLY NOT THAT LARGE.

UM, SO THE, UH, WAIVERS AREN'T IF OKAY, TALKING ABOUT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, ARE THE WAIVERS NOT THAT LARGE AS WELL.

SO IF I WERE TO BUILD A SHOPPING CENTER, THE, THE, THE FEE WAIVERS WOULD BE MINIMAL TO YOUR OVERALL BUDGET, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AS WELL? FOR US, UH, YES, THEY WOULD BE.

UH, OKAY.

WELL, THANK YOU.

UM, NOW I THINK IN YOUR PREAMBLE BEFORE YOU GOT INTO THIS, YOU SAID YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT KIND OF LIKE SNAPSHOT TODAY AND NOT LOOKING FORWARD.

UH, SO THIS QUESTION MAY BE OUT OF THE SCOPE OF WHAT YOU PRESENTED, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT EVERYONE IS, UH, CONCERNED ABOUT THESE DAYS ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, IS INFLATION.

UM, AND GOING FORWARD, UH, I ASSUME THAT YOU GUYS ARE BUILDING INTO YOUR, YOUR BUDGET A, UH, INFLATION RATE TO ACCOMMODATE FOR, UH, INCREASED EXPENSES OF, UH, YOU KNOW, MATERIALS AND, AND PERSONNEL AND EVERYTHING.

DID YOU, WHAT INFLATION RATE HAVE YOU BUILT INTO YOUR, UH, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU BUILDING INTO YOUR FORECAST? JUST IT'S NOT A SPECIFIC RATE? UH, OF COURSE, BUT WE DO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN, UM, COMMODITIES THAT WE PURCHASE, PURCHASE, LIKE ROCKS, SAND, GRAVEL, THOSE PRICES HAVE GONE UP SIGNIFICANTLY.

SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO, UM, LOOK AT WHAT THE, WHAT THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FROM THE BUDGET OFFICE AS TO WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY INCREASE.

AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR LEVEL OF SERVICE, AND WE ARE TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW WE MANAGE, CONSIDERING THAT OUR REVENUES ARE NOT MEETING OUR EXPENSES RIGHT NOW, WE ARE TRYING TO MANAGE WHERE WE CAN BALANCE THAT.

UM, JORGE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO IT? YES.

SO THE COST OF SERVICES HAS GONE UP.

INFLATION OBVIOUSLY AFFECTS ITS SUPPLY CHAIN.

SOME OF, A LOT OF THE THINGS ARE IMPACTING OUR C I P PROJECTS.

SO WE HAVE TO REEVALUATE COST ESTIMATES ON PROJECTS BECAUSE THE PROJECT THAT MAYBE WE STARTED DESIGNING THREE YEARS AGO ESTIMATED A CERTAIN AMOUNT.

WHEN WE GO TO CONSTRUCTION, IT'S ACTUALLY 20, 30% HIGHER.

SO THAT IMPACTS OUR, THE ABILITY OF WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FULFILL ON THE FIVE YEAR CIP P RIGHT? SO WE'RE HAVING TO ADJUST THAT.

UH, OUR REVENUE IS LESS THAN OUR EXPENSES, SO WE'RE HAVING TO ADJUST THAT.

AND SO AS A NPA PRESENTED IN THE P GRAPHS, YOU CAN GO BACK AND, AND, AND, AND LOOK AT THE DETAILS.

UM, 35 MILLION IS WHAT, TWO YEARS AGO WE WERE TRANSFERRING CASH TOWARDS CIP P LAST YEAR WE REDUCED IT TO 33 MILLION.

SO WE ADJUSTED IT TO MAKE, TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THOSE IMPACTS.

UH, AND, AND THIS YEAR WE'RE GONNA, UH, LOWER IT EVEN FURTHER, RIGHT? SO GOING IN THERE AND SHARPENING OUR PENCIL ON OUR OTHER BUDGETS WITHIN OPERATIONS, WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT ALL THAT.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR TO

[00:40:01]

EVALUATE.

UM, BUT IN THE END, UM, THE REVENUE SOURCE THAT WATERSHED, 95% OF OUR REVENUE SOURCE IS TO DRAINAGE UTILITY FEE.

AND WE HAVEN'T RAISED THE FEE IN SINCE 2015, I BELIEVE.

, AND AS WE PRESENTED LAST YEAR, WE, WE, WE ALWAYS SHOW A GRAPH THAT WE DIDN'T SHOW TODAY, RIGHT? THAT, THAT THE DRAINAGE UTILITY FEE FLATTENED OUT BECAUSE THE CITY'S NO LONGER ANNEXING AREAS LIKE THEY USED TO.

SO IT'S BASED ON, UM, UH, IMPERVIOUS COVER.

THAT'S HOW OUR FEES BASED ON IT.

SO WE KIND OF FLATLINED.

AND SO WE KNEW WE WERE GONNA GET TO THE DAY THAT WE WERE GONNA SURPASS OUR, OUR, OUR EXPENSES.

WE WERE GONNA SURPASS OUR REVENUE.

AND THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR.

AND SO WE ARE AT THAT PLACE.

SO IF, IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT RAISING THE DRAINAGE UTILITY FEE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ADJUST MAYBE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE OF WHAT WE PROVIDE OR THE PROJECT THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DELIVER.

SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THAT.

WELL, IF YOU ARE OPERATING IN AN AREA WHERE YOU'RE HAVING 1% OR 2% INFLATION, THEN HAVING A CONSTANT DRAINAGE FEE ESSENTIALLY IS A CONSTANT DRAINAGE FEE.

HOWEVER, WHEN YOU'RE, UH, OPERATING WITH A 6% INFLATION RATE, THEN ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOUR DRAINAGE FEE IS NOW 6% LESS EVERY YEAR THAN IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE.

SO IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THE, THE THING TO DO WOULD BE TO LOBBY WHOEVER YOU LOBBY THIS WITH, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE NEED A 6%, 5%, 4%, 8%, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, UH, INCREASE IN THE JAN FEE IN ORDER TO KEEP IN CONSTANT DOLLARS OR INFLATION DOES $2, YOU KNOW, THINGS.

AND BELIEVE ME, AS THE ONE WHO PAYS THE BILLS IN MY FAMILY, I DON'T WANNA SEE THAT GO UP ANYMORE THAN ANYONE ELSE SAYS.

BUT NEVERTHELESS, UH, YOU KNOW, THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS NEED TO BE COMPLETED.

AND IF YOU'RE TRANSFERRING FEWER DOLLARS TO THEM, THAT MEANS THEY GET DRAWN OUT LONGER.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR AS FLOOD PREVENTION AND, YOU KNOW, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

UH, NOT ALL OF 'EM ARE JUST BEAUTIFICATION.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S, I IT'S A GREAT POINT COMMISSION, AND WE AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.

SO WE, WE WILL BE PRESENTING OUR OPTIONS.

UM, NOW, SOMEWHERE IN THERE YOU MENTIONED COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN CONSISTENTLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE, THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

AND, UM, I'VE NOT BEEN TERRIBLY SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE BACK.

IN OTHER WORDS, UM, COMMUNITY OUTREACH ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THE SAME LIST OF PEOPLE OR ORGANIZATIONS ALL THE TIME, AND IT NEVER SEEMED TO VARY, YOU KNOW, UH, FROM TIME TO TIME.

UH, SO JUST AS A STATEMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHANGE YOUR DISTRIBUTION LIST FOR THIS STUFF, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S AS DIVERSE AS THE MAILING LIST THAT I SEE SHOW UP.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I, WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE, UH, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU THINK IT'S DIVERSE AND, AND PERHAPS IT IS TO SOME EXTENT, BUT I THINK THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE BEING LEFT OUT OF THAT.

MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AS DIVERSE AS YOU PERCEIVE THAT IT IS.

NOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SCORES, THE VARIOUS THINGS IN ORDER TO PRIORITIZE THEM.

IS THERE SOMEWHERE WHERE THE SCORING METHODOLOGY IS LISTED? UH, A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU ASSIGN POINTS TO A VARIOUS THING BASED UPON, YOU KNOW, IMMINENT DANGER OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE THING IS.

IS THERE, UM, IS THIS METHODOLOGY LISTED SOMEWHERE SO THAT WE GO IN YES.

AND, AND DO THAT? SO TO, TO YOUR FIRST POINT ON ENGAGEMENT, WE HAVE EVALUATED THAT AND WE'VE CREATED A VERY ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH RAINER RIVER FOR THE VERY POINTS THAT YOU SAID WE, WE NEED TO DO BETTER.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO BETTER ON THAT.

AND SO ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK WE APPRECIATED AS IT RELATES TO OUR, OUR SCORING METHODOLOGY, WE DO HAVE THE, THE WATERSHED MASTER PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED IN, UH, REVISED IN 20 15, 20 16.

IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE AND IT ACTUALLY HAS THE FORMULAS THAT WE USE TO, UH, TO RANK THE DIFFERENT FLOOD MITIGATION PROJECTS, EROSION PROJECTS AND SCORING, AND HOW WE RANK THEM ALL THAT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I THINK IT'S STILL ON THE WEBSITE.

AS WE UPDATE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, AS WE'RE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY TO, UH, GET WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY, WE'RE GONNA REEVALUATE HOW WE PRIORITIZE THAT IN THE FUTURE.

WE'RE GONNA COME BACK TO, TO THE COMMISSION, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE HEARD, THIS IS WHAT THE CHANGES ARE, WE'RE GONNA DO.

AND ONCE WE ADOPT THE NEW PLAN, IT'LL BE POSTED AGAIN.

IT'LL BE ON OUR WEBSITE.

SO THE CURRENT PLAN IS THERE AND IT SHOWS YOU HOW WE PRIORITIZE.

WELL, IF YOU WOULD FORWARD THE LINK TO THAT OVER TO ELIZABETH, AND SO SHE CAN, YOU KNOW, DISTRIBUTE IT OUT, I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING HOW YOU SCORE THESE THINGS AND WHAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST WEIGHT AND THE LEAST WEIGHT AND ALL THAT OTHER KIND OF FUN STUFF.

MENTIONED ON OUR WEBSITE.

AND I'M GONNA LET ANNIE SPEAK TO IT BECAUSE THE WEBSITE THAT WE JUST CREATED, DOES THAT GIVE THEM THAT INFORMATION? UM, WE DO HAVE THE EXISTING WATERSHED MASTER PLAN, STRATEGIC PLAN, AS JORGE

[00:45:01]

UM, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE UPDATED METHODOLOGIES.

I THINK THAT THOSE ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION AS PART OF THE REIN TO RIVER UPDATE.

AND SO I THINK THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY WHILE WE'RE DOING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS WITH THE SURVEY, UM, TO LOOK AT THE CALCULATIONS AND THEN LET US KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S MISSING OR NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED.

UM, THAT'S, THAT TYPE OF INPUT IS WELCOME.

SURE.

IT JUST SEND THE LI LINK TO WHATEVER YOU'VE GOT NOW OVER TO ELIZABETH AND SHE CAN FORWARD IT OVER TO US.

I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW YOU PRIORITIZE THINGS IN THE WAITING PROCESS.

UM, OKAY.

UH, LET'S SEE.

UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE, ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU DISPLAYED UP THERE, THE CHANNELIZATION OF JAMESTOWN.

I FORGET WHICH SLIDE THAT WAS.

UM, AND THIS IS PERHAPS AN AN ANSWERABLE QUESTION, BUT IT'S JUST AN OBSERVATION.

UM, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, I, I SEE WHERE IT IS NOW AND I SEE WHERE YOU WANT TO TAKE IT, BUT, UM, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU CHANNELIZE SOMETHING, JUST INCREASE THE SPEED OF THE WATER FLOW THROUGH THE CHANNEL.

AND SO WHAT YOU DO IS YOU REDUCE, YOU, YOU REDUCE EROSION AT THAT IMMEDIATE POINT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.

BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE DOWNSTREAM YOU CREATE A DIFFERENT PROBLEM WHERE THE WATER'S GOING FASTER.

AND THEN WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, UH, NICE, UH, LIMESTONE WALL THERE, IT'S GONNA ATTACK THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ORDINARY GROUND AND IT'S GONNA ERODE MORE EXTENSIVELY DOWN THERE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO JUST CHANNELIZE IT MORE.

AND THEN AT SOME POINT IT JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU CHANNELIZE THE WHOLE THING.

AND THERE'S, I MEAN, I CAN GIVE YOU LIKE 5,000 EXAMPLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE THIS IS A PROBLEM.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE UPPER LEFT DON'T WANT TO CREEK THROUGH THEIR HOUSE, BUT STILL, YES.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, THIS IS PART OF OUR MISSION INTEGRATION.

SO WE HAVE FLOOD RISK REDUCTION, EROSION CONTROL, AND WATER QUALITY AS OUR THREE PRIMARY MISSIONS.

AND WE HAVE, HAVE, UM, MEETINGS TWICE A MONTH TO TALK ABOUT OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS INTERNALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY INTEGRATING BUT NOT CAUSING ANY ADVERSE IMPACTS TO ANY OTHER MISSION.

AND SO THE WATER QUALITY RIPARIAN RESTORATION, UM, AND GROUNDWATER IMPACTS TEAMS ARE A PART OF THESE EFFORTS FOR JAMESTOWN AND ALL OF OUR PROJECTS.

AND SO IN THESE EROSION PROJECTS, UM, THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EACH ONE ON AQUATIC HEALTH AND, UM, ECOSYSTEMS AND RIPARIAN RESTORATION.

AND MY FINAL QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE PROJECT THAT YOU DO.

YOU DO THE, UH, THE, THE SCORING AND THEN YOU SAY, OKAY, I'VE GOT THIS LIST OF STUFF TO DO.

UM, AND I'M LOOKING AT THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, THE, UH, DEL CORTO STORM BRAIN IMPROVEMENTS.

AND YOU SHOW WHAT CLEARLY IS A FLOOD SITUATION INTO PEOPLE'S HOUSES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REMEDIATED.

BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SPENDING X NUMBER OF DOLLARS IN ORDER TO DO THAT SORT OF THING.

AND PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ESTIMATES OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THAT.

DOES ANYONE EVER GO BACK AND SAY, WELL, OKAY, YOU KNOW, THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED AND NOW WE HAVE LESS FLOODING OR NO FLOODING, AND SO WHAT'S THE COST BENEFIT THERE? UH, YOU KNOW, SO DO YOU EVER LOOK BACKWARDS AFTER A PROJECT COMPLETE AND SEE WHAT THE, THE REAL SAVING IS? SO WHAT THE METRICS WE DO TRACK IS REDUCE, UH, FLOOD MITIGATION, LIKE REDUC REDUCTION IN HOUSES THAT ARE FLOODING.

WE TRU WE DO TRACK THAT.

BUT AS FAR AS GOING BACK AND RETROACTIVELY LOOKING AT THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF WHAT, WHAT THE BENEFITS WAS, I DON'T KNOW IF WE ACTUALLY DO THAT, BUT WE, I CAN GO BACK AND GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT ONE, COMMISSIONER.

IT WAS JUST, YEAH, JUST A QUESTION.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT, THAT NONE OF THESE PROJECTS ARE NOT WORTHWHILE AND EVERYTHING.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF YOU, YOU DO IN A METHOD OF AN ACCOUNTING OF THAT TYPE OF THING.

SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE IT.

THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.

WAS WONDERING IN TYING INTO WHAT COMMISSIONER BRAMMER BROUGHT UP EARLIER, YOU KNOW, UM, INCREASING DEPTHS, PROBABLY STARTING TO PUT THAT IN PEOPLE'S EARS TO SAY IT'S NOT GONNA BE A, A MAJOR SHOCK WHEN THAT DOES NEED TO HAPPEN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.

UM, OR ONE OF 'EM COULD POSSIBLY BE A SUGGESTION.

I KNOW WHEN YOU PRESENT A BUDGET, IT'S EITHER PRESENTED FROM THE ASPECT OF THIS IS OUR ALLOWANCE, SO THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT VERSUS THIS IS WHAT WE NEED AND THIS IS HOW MUCH MORE MONEY WE NEED TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY SAFE IN, IN, IN, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE MISSION.

SO I

[00:50:01]

AND THEN ALSO REMEMBERING THAT IN 2018 WHEN THE FLOOD BOND WAS APPROVED, IT WAS PASSED BY A SURPRISINGLY HIGHER POPULARITY THAN THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY BOND.

SO I THINK, UM, I KNOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT HOUSING AND HOUSING, BUT WE'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT'S HAPPENING UNDERGROUND BECAUSE AS YOU DEVELOP ABOVE GROUND, THERE'S THE IMPACT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN UNDERGROUND.

SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONSIDER POSSIBLY INTRODUCING AN IDEA THAT MAYBE WE NEED ANOTHER FEATURE, UM, WATER RELATED WATERSHED PROTECTION, UM, BOND.

UM, I, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT.

UM, CUZ I'M GONNA, THAT'S GONNA LEAD TO SOME OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS I'M GONNA ASK.

ARE YOU FULLY STAFFED RIGHT NOW? GREAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER.

AND YES.

UH, THE GENERAL BONDS, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS ARE A SOURCE OF REVENUE THAT WE USE TO DO OUR LARGE SCALE C I P LIKE WE PRESENTED MM-HMM.

AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS WE FINISH ONE BOND WHEN WE'RE READY TO DO ANOTHER ONE.

RIGHT.

UH, MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT CAPACITY.

RIGHT.

UH, AS IT RELATES TO VACANCIES, WE'RE LIKE MANY OTHER, OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

WE DO HAVE VACANCIES RIGHT NOW AND WE'VE BEEN REDUCING THE VACANCIES SINCE CUZ THE PANDEMIC DID HAVE AN IMPACT ON NOT JUST THE CITY GOVERNMENTS, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD.

BUT WE'VE BEEN CONTINUING TO REDUCE THAT VACANCY RATE.

BUT WE, WE DO NOT HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT FILLED POSITIONS RIGHT NOW AND WE NEVER ACTUALLY HIT THAT NUMBER.

UH, I DID LOOK HISTORICALLY FOR THE LAST THREE TO FOUR YEARS.

UM, I GUESS THAT IS SKEWED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT, UH, WE'VE HOVERED AROUND 10% VACANCY RATE IN THE PAST AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE SLIGHTLY ABOVE THAT.

UM, SO IS THE VACANCY RATE AS A RESULT OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH OF, OF A SAL A HIGH ENOUGH SALARY TO KEEP PEOPLE, HIRE PEOPLE? I KNOW DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS DEPENDING ON THE SKILLSET THAT'S REQUIRED HERE, WATERSHED, I THINK WOULD, WOULD NEED SOME LEVEL OF ENGINEERING EXPERTISE AND THOSE TYPE OF PROFESSIONALS.

SO IS THAT TIED INTO BECAUSE OF SALARY OR, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THERE'S MULTIPLE FACTORS THAT AFFECT WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT APPLYING, BUT WE ARE STRUGGLING IN THE ENGINEERING AND I THINK OUR PARTNERS AT DSD WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING.

UH, ON THE ENGINEERING FIELDS.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO HIRE RIGHT NOW, UH, IN THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR.

UH, BUT ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, COST OF LIVING IN AUSTIN IS HIGH AFFORDABILITY.

SO ALL THOSE, UH, FACTORS ARE AFFECTING OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL.

MOST OF OUR EMPLOYEES DON'T LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

THEY HAVE TO COMMUTE IN THE GUYS, GAS GOES UP, IT'S COST OF INFLATION, ALL THOSE FACTORS.

SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT ONE STRAIGHT ANSWER, BUT ALL THOSE ARE IMPACTING OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, IN REGARDS TO, UH, THE DRAINAGE FEES, I REMEMBER AN ARTICLE HAVING TO DO WITH, I THINK YOU WERE, I GUESS THE CITY WAS GONNA START DOING SOME OUTREACH TO MAYBE SOME RESIDENTS OR PROPERTY OWNERS IN REGARDS TO INCREASING THE, THE DEATH BECAUSE MAYBE THEIR, THEIR IMPERVIOUS COVER HAD INCREASED OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.

IS THAT CORRECT? UM, SO EVERY TWO YEARS WE UH, REVISE OUR IMPERVIOUS COVER DATA CITYWIDE, UH, WE RUN AERIALS AND THEN WE LOOK AT IT AND THEN WE FIND THAT THERE ARE SOME PROPERTIES THAT HAVE CHANGED, THEY HAVE ADDED PATIOS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO WE DETERMINE WHICH ARE THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, ABOVE A CERTAIN THRESHOLD, DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND WE DO AN OUTREACH, WE CONTACT THEM IN PERSON, WE CALL THEM AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE, THEY CAN EXPECT THEIR DRAINAGE CHARGE TO GO UP.

TO ADD ABOUT THAT INITIATIVE.

CUZ I THINK ALSO WITH, UM, WITH THE PANDEMIC PEOPLE HAD SOME TIME TO DO OUTDOOR PROJECTS AND IMPROVEMENTS AND SO FORTH.

SO I, AS I SAW SOME PEOPLE DOING THAT, I'M THINKING YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO INCREASE YOUR DRAINAGE FEE BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING THAT.

SO I'M, I YEAH, I KNOW THAT'S HAPPENING.

ALSO, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU ARE GONNA BE WORKING ON THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS, UM, INITIATIVE.

I THINK THAT, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT HAD MAYBE GONE TO THE SIDE OR MAYBE NOT.

IT'S NOT FULLY ACTIVE, I THINK, BUT I, I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT GROUP DO A PRESENTATION IN THE FUTURE.

UM, THE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS ALSO HAVING AN ELEMENT OF EQUITY, UM, BECAUSE ONE OF THE WATERSHEDS THAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT INITIATIVE IS ONION CREEK.

AND ONION CREEK IS THE ONE THAT DEFINITELY GOES INTO EAST AUSTIN.

AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, THE RESIDENTS IN EAST AUSTIN ARE VERY, VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN WHAT HAPPENS IN WEST AUSTIN BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE, WE'RE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY WHAT HAPPENS POLICY-WISE, UM, OPERATIONAL WISE, UM, WHAT HAPPENS IN WEST AUSTIN HAS AN IMPACT ON EAST AUSTINSON.

SO, BUT THANK YOU.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY, ANYTHING MORE

[00:55:01]

UH, I DON'T KNOW IF LET TOO MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT ON THE WATER QUALITY PROTECTION.

SO THAT'S AN ACTIVE PROJECT THAT WILL BE PRESENTED.

WE'VE SPENT ABOUT HALF OF THE MONEY THAT WE RECEIVED IN 2018 MM-HMM.

AND WE COLLABORATE WITH A WATER UTILITY.

UH, AND SO I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY, UH, ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA FOR A FUTURE PRESENTATION TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND, AND ALL THAT.

AND, UH, IF YOU DIDN'T SEE RECENTLY AT THE, AS PART OF THE BRIEFING TO COUNCIL, CLIMATE EQUITY ACTION PLAN, KR ENVIRONMENT OFFICER PRESENTED, AND SOME STRATEGIES OF POSSIBLY DOING SOME OTHER, UH, STRATEGIES IN EAST AUSTIN AS WELL.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S A RECORDING AND WE CAN SHARE THAT LINK WITH Y'ALL TO WATCH AS WELL.

THAT WOULD BE, UH, APPRECIATED.

THANKS.

GREAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER.

HI, I'M MELINDA SHIRA, DISTRICT FOUR COMMISSIONER.

UM, I'M JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION AND I WAS WONDERING HOW, IF THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP OR PRIORITIZATION OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UH, TWO, THE LIKE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THERE.

THEY SEEM LIKE VERY LARGE PROJECTS.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE ONE, UM, IS BEING PLANNED FOR NORTH LAMAR AND, UM, LITTLE, I KNOW THAT THE, THE BRIDGE IS GONNA BE WIDENED.

I DON'T KNOW THE TECHNICAL TERM FOR THAT, BUT, UM, CAUSING I'M SURE LIKE WINDING OF THE, THE STREAM.

SO I WAS KIND OF WONDERING WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN DOWNSTREAM, AND I'M JUST WONDERING HOW THAT'S HOW YOU WORK TOGETHER WITH THE LARGE LARGER PROJECTS LIKE THE CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS AND PROJECT CONNECT AS WELL.

AND SO LOTS OF MEETINGS.

UH, SO WE COORDINATE QUITE A BIT ON ALL THESE LARGE LARGER CITYWIDE MOBILITY PROJECTS.

UH, AND THE CORRIDOR PROGRAM, EVER SINCE THE INCEPTION OF IT HAS BEEN A PROCESS THAT INVOLVES ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE AFFECTED AS PART OF THE REVIEW PROCESS.

ALL OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE PART OF THAT AS WELL.

WATERSHED HAS PARTNERED WITH THE CORRIDOR OFFICE ON SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY INCORPORATING SOME DRAINAGE OR OTHER WATER QUALITY FEATURES INTO THEIR PROJECTS.

AND SO, UH, I THINK WE CAN GO PROJECT BY PROJECT AND KIND OF IDENTIFY THAT.

BUT THE ANSWER, THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, WE, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THEM WHERE WE COULD, SOMETIMES THE SCOPE OF THE WORK THEY'RE DOING IS SO LIMITED THAT YOU CAN'T INFUSE OTHER MISSIONS WITHOUT SLOWING THEM DOWN.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD A VERY AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

UH, BUT IN GENERAL, IF THEY'RE ADDING OR WIDENING EXPANDING A BRIDGE, THEY, THAT WILL BE REVIEWED BY OUR STAFF AND THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF THAT REVIEWED DRAINAGE WATER QUALITY AS WELL.

HELLO.

UM, I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

UM, IT WAS BROUGHT UP LIKE THAT ONE OF THE GOALS IS TO TACKLE RACIAL INEQUITIES.

AND SO I WAS KIND OF CURIOUS IF THERE WERE ANY KIND OF PRESSING, UM, INEQUITIES THAT HAVE BEEN NOTICED, UM, OR TARGETED TO BE ADDRESSED.

LIKE IF IT WAS LIKE, LIKE IF CERTAIN COMMUNITIES WERE MORE PRONE TO LIKE FLOODING ISSUES OVER OTHER COMMUNITIES OR, UM, EMERGENCY RESPONSE.

SO IN GENERAL, WE DO HAVE DRAINAGE COMPLAINTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WE HAVE, UH, ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.

UH, PRIMARILY WE WERE PRIORITIZING BASED ON COMPLAINTS AS A WAY TO KIND OF FILTER WHERE THE HOTSPOTS WERE.

AND I THINK, UH, AS WE ANALYZE THE DATA, YOU CAN SEE THAT CERTAIN PARTS OF TOWN ARE MORE LIKELY TO CALL IN A COMPLAINT THAN OTHER TOWN PARTS.

AND SO WATERSHED FOR YEARS HAS BEEN EVALUATING USING ENGINEERING MODELS TO TRY TO EVALUATE WHAT THE TRUE RISK IS.

AND SO AS FAR AS CERTAIN, UM, COMMUNITIES POINTING 'EM OUT, I THINK THERE'S CERTAIN COMMUNITIES THAT MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT ALL.

RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE OUT THERE IN UPSIZING A STORM DRAIN SYSTEM, BUT OTHER COMMUNITIES MAY NOT EVEN HAVE ADEQUATE DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE.

UH, AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE ASSESSMENTS WE DO, WE DO FEASIBILITY STUDIES BEFORE WE, AS WE INCORPORATE INTO OUR, OUR PRIORITY AS WELL.

SO YES, THERE, THERE'S SOME COMMUNITIES THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND DO SOME, UH, IMMEDIATE REPAIRS BECAUSE MAYBE THE DESIGN THAT WAS USED OR THE SYSTEM THAT WAS INSTALLED AT ONE POINT'S NOT LONGER FUNCTIONING MM-HMM.

AND SO WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS LIKE THAT.

, ARE THERE LIKE ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES THAT KIND OF POP UP TO WHERE LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS LIKE THE MOST IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY ADDRESS THIS OVER LIKE OTHER SITUATIONS? I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE.

THAT'S A PUBLIC EXAMPLE THAT THE COUN THE COUNCIL RECENTLY, UH, ADOPTED A PLAN IS THE CALLING AND PARK AREA THAT THAT AREA GENERALLY DID NOT HAVE THE RIGHT ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND AS THE COMMUNITY STARTED REACHING OUT TO THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, UH, I, ALONG WITH SOME OF MY STAFF WENT OUT THERE AND WALKED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND IDENTIFIED AREAS THAT WE CAN GO OUT THERE AND REDO THE CHANNELS AND ADD SOME INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND WORKING WITH OUR FIELD CREWS, WE WERE ABLE TO DO SOME PROJECTS LIKE THAT.

BUT ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT WE'RE ALSO INVESTING CI, FUTURE CIP P PROJECT FUNDS TO HELP THAT COMMUNITY AS THEY REDEVELOP THAT PART, PART PART OF THE TOWN.

AND I ALSO HAD, UM, ONE OTHER QUESTION.

UM, I, I GUESS ONE THING THAT STANDS OUT IN MY HEAD IS THE I 35

[01:00:01]

EXPANSION.

AND I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS WITH, UM, IF SOME OF THE FUNDING, UM, IS GOING TO ALSO GO TO LIKE RELOCATION OF PEOPLE AND THEIR BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALONG THAT, THAT EXPANSION CORRIDOR OR, UM, I'M JUST, I CAN'T THINK OF THE RIGHT WORD, BUT BASICALLY LIKE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA BUILD WHERE YOUR HOUSE IS CURRENTLY, YOU HAVE TO GO MM-HMM.

, LIKE IS ANY OF THE FUNDING GOING TO, TO THOSE PEOPLE OR LIKE THEIR BUS ARE THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BUSINESSES? SO THAT'S A STATE PROJECT THAT'S DONE BY TECH DOT.

UH, SO I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THE DETAILS, BUT IN GENERAL, JUST, JUST SPEAKING GENERALLY WHEN, UH, AN ENTITY, CITY, STATE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMES IN AND HAS TO USE EMINENT DOMAIN, MAYBE THAT'S THE WORD YOU WERE THINKING OF, RIGHT? UH, WHERE YOU ACTUALLY DISPLAY SOMEBODY BECAUSE YOU NEED THAT SPACE TO BUILD WHATEVER INFRASTRUCTURE.

UH, IT GOES THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, GIVEN FAIR MARKET VALUE AND CITY OF AUSTIN DOES DO A, UM, A RELOCATION BENEFIT, BUT THAT WOULD BE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT IS A STATE FUNDED PROJECT.

SO I THINK TECH O WOULD BE THE BEST ONES TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

WE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOES HAVE, UH, COORDINATION REGULARLY WITH TECH O ON ALL THE IMPACTS THAT EXPANSION PROJECTS, PROJECTS GONNA HAVE ON OUR DEPARTMENTS AND OUR ACTUAL CITY AS WELL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND COMING BY.

UM, I GUESS IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, JORGE, PROVIDE IS FOR YOU, BUT REITERATE KIND OF WHERE Y'ALL ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW AND, AND MAYBE WHEN WE'LL BE GETTING AN UPDATED INFORMATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

CUZ THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE SAW LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE.

I THINK THE LAST TIME WE CAME TO YOU, WE CAME WITH SOME OF OUR NEEDS, UH, AND REQUESTS FOR FUTURE, UH, UH, FULL-TIME STAFFING.

AND WE SHOWED THAT GRAPH WHERE WE SAID NEXT YEAR WE'RE COMING AND WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA ASK FOR AN INCREASE IN DRAINAGE UTILITY FEE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING BACK AND SCRUBBING OUR BUDGET RIGHT NOW.

UH, WE'VE GOT NEW DIRECTION TO TRY TO CREATE SCENARIOS WHERE WE'RE NOT INCREASING THE DRAINAGE UTILITY FEE.

HOW CAN I BALANCE THE WATERSHED BUDGET WITHOUT INCREASING THE FEE? SO WE'RE DOING THAT RIGHT NOW.

UH, WE'RE ALSO RUNNING SCENARIOS, SO LIKE, THESE ARE BARE MINIMUMS. WE REALLY NEED THIS.

WHAT WOULD THE DRAINAGE UTILITY FEE BE? AND IF WE WERE JUST DOING, DOING BUSINESS AS USUAL, WHAT WOULD WE HAVE ASKED FOR AND WHAT THE FEE INCREASE WOULD BE? SO WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE SCENARIOS.

WE HOPE TO WRAP IT UP BY NEXT WEEK, I THINK.

HMM.

SO WE'LL SUBMIT SOMETHING TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AT, AT THAT POINT, I THINK I'LL BE ABLE TO COME BACK WITH A MEMO AND GIVE YOU SOME OF THOSE SCENARIOS SO YOU, YOU CAN LOOK AT IT AS WELL.

CAN YOU'RE COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.

YEAH, I APPRECIATE IT.

OH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I ASK FOR YOU FIRST, CUZ I ALWAYS FORGET.

FORGET TO ASK.

UH, YOU CAN, YOU CAN THANK SHERA YOU'RE UP.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, THANKS YOU GUYS FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, DOES WATERSHED OWN ANY PROPERTIES OTHER THAN THE WATER PROTECTION LAND? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

COMMISSION AND YES, WE OWN, UM, WE, WE HELP ACQUIRE THE WATER PROTECTION LANDS, BUT THOSE ARE MANAGED BY WATER UTILITY, JUST TO BE VERY CLEAR.

AND SO WE DON'T CONSIDER THOSE WATERSHED, UH, DEPARTMENT OWNED LANDS, RIGHT.

CITY, I GUESS CITY OWNS THEM.

BUT, UH, MANY OF THE BUYOUT AREAS THAT THE CITY HAS PURCHASED, WATERSHED AND SO ONION CREEK, WILLIAMSON CREEK, AND THERE'S OTHER CREEKS, I THINK LITTLE WALNUT CREEK, UH, OTHER PARTS.

AND SO THOSE LANDS ARE OWNED BY WATERSHED AND WE, WE DO HAVE MAINTENANCE PLANS THAT WE DO AS WE DEAL WITH, UM, NO LONGER HAVING, UM, HOUSING THERE.

AND NOW WE HAVE TO MANAGE THOSE LANDS.

AND IS THERE A FEMA OVERLAP WITH JURISDICTION THERE? DO THEY HELP WITH FUNDING AT ALL? OH, DEFINITELY.

SOME OF THE LAND, SOME OF THE BIO PROGRAMS THAT WE, WE DID, WERE USING FEMA FUNDS AND THOSE COME WITH STRINGS ATTACHED.

YOU CAN NEVER REDEVELOP IT.

AND, AND, AND WE WE'RE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THOSE AREAS IN GENERAL, IF THE CITY SPENT MONEY TO BUY OUT PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY WERE AT FLOOD RISK, EVEN IF IT'S NOT TIED TO FEMA, WE'RE NOT LETTING REDEVELOPMENT TO GO BACK IN THERE.

POINT WE COULD DISCUSS LIKE WATER QUALITY TESTING OR, OR SOME WAY TO, UM, BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT.

AND THEN, UM, I KNOW HOMELESS COSTS OF CLEANUP AND SO FORTH HAVE INCREASED AND AS YOU SAID, YOUR REVENUE IS KIND OF ON THE MINUS SIDE.

SO EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THIS IS, UM, WORKING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

CUZ I KNOW, I MEAN, WE USUALLY, AND I KNOW IT'S EVEN WORSE, UM, A MORE OF A COST ON YOU BECAUSE WE USED TO GO CLEAN UP OUR NATURAL AREAS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH VOLUNTEERS, BUT WE WERE TOLD THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT NOW BECAUSE OF THE HOMELESS AND BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY SORT OF HAZMAT SITES.

SO, UM, I'VE HEARD THAT YOU'RE SOMEONE, I DON'T KNOW WHO I IS PAYING THE OTHER ONES, PEOPLE LIKE $15 AN HOUR TO GO AND CLEAN UP WHAT WE USED TO DO AS VOLUNTEER IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND WE LOVE DOING IT.

SO I'M WONDERING IF AT SOME

[01:05:01]

AND I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IF EVERY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD IS LIKE MINE, IT WOULD RELIEVE THE COSTS A LOT.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER.

AND YES, UH, WATERSHED HAS FUNDS, UH, THAT FUND DIFFERENT CONTRACTS.

THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION IS THE CONTRACT I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

AND SO THAT'S ONE OF SEVERAL FUND, UH, CONTRACTS THAT WATERSHED USES TO HELP CLEAN SOME OF THE LITTER IN THE CREEKS.

AND YES, SOME OF 'EM ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ENCAMPMENTS AND SO THAT IS A CONCERN THAT RESIDENTS DO WORK WITH.

SOME OF OUR PARTNERS KEEP OFFS AND BEAUTIFUL WHERE THEY DO THE VOLUNTEER CLEANUP.

SO THAT'S STILL GOING ON, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.

UH, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT THERE, THERE'S A RISK ASSOCIATED BECAUSE OF CERTAIN, UH, ENCAMPMENTS MIGHT BE THERE.

MAYBE THE COMMUNITIES AREN'T DOING THAT ANYMORE.

AND SO YES, WE, WE WILL WORK WITH THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER.

SO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS, WE, WE HAVE WEEKLY MEETINGS AND WE COORDINATE AND PRIORITIZE THOSE AREAS A ACROSS THE TIRE CITY.

AND OF COURSE, THE STRATEGY FOR THE CITY IS TO CONTINUE TO FIND HOMES FOR THESE FOLKS THAT ARE OUT IN THE WOODS RIGHT.

IN THE, IN THE WATERWAYS.

AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION AND CONTINUE TO OFFER WHERE WE CAN.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, I'M GONNA MOVE TO CLOSE THIS PUBLIC.

IS THIS A PUBLIC HEARING, ELIZABETH? NO.

OKAY, THEN WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT.

UM, ALRIGHT.

WE'RE NOT, WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT.

UH, OKAY.

WELL, I'VE GOT A, A MOTION THAT'S A LITTLE WATERED DOWN CAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN ALL THE NUMBERS YET.

UM, BUT I'LL READ THIS AND SEE IF WE GET A SECOND ON IT.

UM, WITH THE SUBJECT WATERSHED PROTECTION DE UH, DEPARTMENT'S FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 23, BUDGET PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS CHARGED WITH THE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION OF WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, WPDS, UH, ANNUAL FINANCIAL FORECAST AND FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, CIP P PLAN, UH, WHEREAS FISCAL YEAR 23 C I P OUTLINES, WATERSHED PROTECTIONS PROJECTED MAJOR INVESTMENTS DURING THE NEXT YEAR BASED ON EXISTING FUNDS AND ANTICIPATED REVENUE.

AND WHEREAS THE UN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION UNDERSTANDS THE FIVE YEAR CIP P IS STILL BEING PREPARED AND WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE COMMISSION IN THE NEAR FUTURE, UH, THEREFORE PROTECTION DEPARTMENT'S FISCAL YEAR 23, UM, BUDGET PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS AS PRESENTED IN THE BACKUP, UM, TO US TONIGHT.

SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? I'VE, I, I JUST HAVE A CLARIFICATION QUESTION.

THIS IS FOR FISCAL YEAR 23, CORRECT? CORRECT.

WHEN DOES THAT RUN? I BELIEVE IT RUNS, STARTS THIS FALL AND RUNS THROUGH THE NEXT FALL? NO, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.

IT STARTED IN OCTOBER, 2022.

SO TO CLARIFY, WE'RE APPROVING A BUDGET THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.

I WOULD, I GUESS THE, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS, UH, UH, WE, WE, I DON'T THINK THE INTENT WAS TO HAVE THE BUDGET APPROVED HERE.

IT WAS JUST TO PRESENT TO YOU THE PROGRAMS THAT, THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THIS BUDGET THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

SO IT'S A BUDGET REVIEW THING WHERE WE'RE JUST SEEING WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT IN THE FISCAL YEAR.

I WOULD, YEAH, I GUESS, I GUESS, YES.

COMMISSIONER SCOTT.

SORRY.

I NO, YOU'RE FINE.

UM, THEN PERHAPS, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, WE DON'T NEED TO, UM, MAKE A RESOLUTION.

MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO, UM, UM, THANK, UH, THE, UH, UH, WATERSHED DIVISION FOR, UH, THEIR PRESENTATION.

W WALK ME THROUGH ELIZABETH, WHAT WE NEED TO DO WHEN WE NEED TO DO IT BEFORE COUNCIL.

SO, OH, ELIZABETH FUNK WATERSHED, UH, WE CALL THE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO MEET THE BUDGET'S OFFICE DEADLINE OF MARCH 31ST.

SO THE IDEA WAS THAT WE GET SOME SORT OF FINANCIAL FORECAST.

AND THE WAY I READ THIS AS THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE A LOT OF THEM.

AND SO THIS IS KIND OF WHERE THEY'RE AT, AT THE PROCESS.

NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO PROVIDE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE.

UM, AND THEN WE WILL TAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SEND THOSE TO THE BUDGET'S OFFICE, BUDGET'S OFFICE, AS WELL AS COUNSEL.

AND THEN, UM, WATERSHED WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO REVIEW THEM.

DOES THAT ADD CLARITY? AND AT SOME POINT IN TIME, ARE WE REQUIRED TO REVIEW THE NEXT

[01:10:01]

FISCAL YEAR BUDGET? NO.

AND C I P FORECAST, WE'RE NOT REQUI THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR RECOMMENDATION ON THAT? NO.

THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO, OKAY, WELL GO AHEAD, BRENNER.

SO TO FURTHER CLARIFY, WE'RE NOT BEING ASKED TO APPROVE A BUDGET.

CORRECT.

WE'RE JUST BEING TOLD THIS IS THE WAY THAT THE BUDGET FOR FY 23 IS BEING SPENT TODAY.

AND SO FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, WE CAN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT CUZ THIS IS AN AIRPLANE ALREADY IN FLIGHT.

I JUST, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON BEFORE I VOTED ON THE WHOLE THING, BECAUSE IF WE'RE VOTING TO APPROVE A BUDGET, THAT'S ONE THING.

IF WE'RE JUST REVIEWING THE STATUS OF THE CURRENT BUDGET, THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING.

JUST IF I MAY, UM, SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING ESSENTIALLY WAS, UM, FOR YOU TO BE AWARE OF ALL OF THE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT MOST OF THE PROGRAM PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT WE ARE ENGAGED IN.

AND AS WE PREPARE OUR BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE US TO INCORPORATE THAT THOSE THINGS IN OUR BUDGET, UM, THEN THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, YES, PLEASE ADD THIS, OR WE AGREE THAT THESE PROGRAMS SHOULD CONTINUE.

THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING.

AND THE DEADLINE FOR THAT IS SET FOR IS, IS MARCH 31ST AS, AS PER THE BUDGET OFFICE.

SO THAT'S WHY WE CAME HERE RIGHT NOW.

IF, IF THAT OKAY.

THAT HELPS.

THAT HELPS CLARIFY THINGS.

UM, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I GUESS WE'VE GOT A MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR.

HAS A SECOND.

SO ARE WE REQUIRED TO VOTE ON THIS MOTION, ELIZABETH? UH, IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, I MEAN, YES.

YOU CAN REMEMBER THE PERSON WHO MAKES IT CAN REMOVE THE MOTION.

THEN I'M, OH WAIT, I'M GONNA, I THINK, UH, YOU'RE ASKING IF YOU NEED TO TAKE ACTION TONIGHT TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES.

RIGHT? YES, WE DO NEED TO MAKE AN ACTION, BUT ON THE SPECIFIC THING, I THINK YOU ACTUALLY DO HAVE TO VOTE ON IT.

BECAUSE IT'S ON THE FLOOR AND NOW IT BELONGS TO THE BODY.

SO I'M GONNA READ THIS AGAIN, UH, AND, UH, THEN WE'LL VOTE ON IT, UM, OR MO CHANGE IT AROUND IF WE ALL AGREE ON CHANGING OR NOT.

AND I GUESS AS I READ IT, THINK AND LISTEN.

UM, AS IT RELATES TO ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WOULD WANNA MAKE TO THE BUDGET OFFICE RELATED TO THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE HEARD.

UH, SO, UH, FROM THE TOP, UH, WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENTS FISCAL YEAR 2223, UH, BUDGET PROGRAM AND PROJECTS, WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS IN CHARGE WITH THE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION OF WATERSHED PROTECTIONS ANNUAL FINANCIAL FORECAST AND FIVE YEAR CIP P PLAN.

WHEREAS FISCAL YEAR 23, CIP P PROGRAM OUTLINES WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENTS MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS DURING THE NEXT YEAR.

UM, THAT WOULD BE 24.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM OUTLINES WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENTS, MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS DURING THE NEXT YEAR BASED ON EXISTING FUNDS AND ANTICIPATED REVENUE.

WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION UNDERSTANDS THE FIVE YEAR CIP P PLAN IS STILL BEING PREPARED AND WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE COMMISSION IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SUPPORTS THE WATERSHED PROTECTIONS FISCAL YEAR 2023, BUDGET PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS AS PRESENTED IN THE BACKUP TO THE COMMISSION.

SO IT'S ON THE FLOOR AT LIKE THAT WITH A, WITH A SECOND.

COMMISSIONER, ARE WE IN DISCUSSION OR DID YOU NEED A SECOND DISCUSSION? YEAH.

PROTECTION IS DOING IS A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO, OKAY.

I'M, I'M, I HAVE TO SIMPLIFY THINGS FOR ME TO PROCESS.

SO IF THIS WAS A FAMILY AND WE WERE LOOKING AT OUR FAMILY BUDGET, FIVE YEAR FORECAST WE'RE IN TROUBLE, SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO GET A SECOND JOB, OR SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO GIVE UP THE FANCY, YOU KNOW, EVENING DINNERS THAT YOU GO OUT ON EVER SO OFTEN.

SO THAT'S TELLING ME THAT WE NEED TO HIGHLY RECOMMEND CONSIDERING INCREASING, LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY AND THE NEED, NOT THE WANT, THE NEED TO INCREASE THE D THE THIS DRAINAGE UTILITY FEES.

UM, POSSIBLY LOOKING AT AN, YOU KNOW, FUTURE IN THE FUTURE, A BOND, ANOTHER BOND, UM, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, OR DECIDING WHAT WE DO NOT NEED.

BUT FROM WHAT I SEE, EVERYTHING THAT WATERSHED PROTECT, WATERSHED

[01:15:01]

AND THERE'S STILL MUCH MORE THAT WE NEED TO DO.

UM, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THANK YOU FOR REFERENCING, UH, COLONY PARK.

THAT IS AN AREA, YOU KNOW, EAST DAWSON HISTORICALLY NEGLECTED A LOT OF THE IMPORTANT NEEDS THERE, UM, THAT WE POSSIBLY HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED BECAUSE MAYBE WE HAVEN'T DONE THE ADEQUATE OUTREACH FOR THE PUBLIC TO LET US KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

BUT I THINK WE NEED A HIGHLY RECOMMEND, UM, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION, THAT LOOKING AT INCREASING THE DRAINAGE UTILITY FEE, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT AND POSSIBLY PROPOSING A FUTURE BOND TO KEEP UP WITH THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.

UM, I KNOW PEOPLE CAN DO WITHOUT FOOD FOR X NUMBER OF DAYS, BUT YOU CAN'T DO MUCH LONGER WITHOUT WATER IF WE DON'T HAVE WATER.

AND IF THIS CITY GROWS, UH, WATER QUALITY IS GONNA BE A PRIORITY.

UM, SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS.

I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT, UH, I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER GEAR.

I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, CLEARLY THERE'S A BUDGET SHORTFALL THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

UM, I THINK OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, YOU GET CONCERNED ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, RIGHT? UH, IF WE RAISE THE DUCK OR THE DUFF OR WHATEVER ACRONYM YOU WANNA USE FOR IT, UM, YOU OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA BE PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMER.

MAYBE, UH, ALSO INCREASING LIKE THE LEVEL OF, UH, THE CUTOFF OR, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S APPLIED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD BE A POSSIBILITY TOO, SO THAT THAT WAY YOU WON'T NECESSARILY IMPACT, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED WHO ARE GONNA FEEL IT THE MOST.

UM, ALSO, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN RAISE FEES, BUT WE HEAR A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT AUSTIN ALREADY BEING, UH, EXPENSIVE TO DEVELOP COMPARED TO OTHER TEXAS CITIES.

SO, YEAH.

YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE CAN SUPPLEMENT THE BUDGET SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WPD IS NOT NECESSARILY OPERATING IN THE RED IS, UH, I THINK DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT FOR SURE.

UM, YOU KNOW, PASSING ANOTHER BOND, RAISING, UH, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS FEES.

UM, GOD GET THE MONEY FROM SOMEWHERE.

FEDS DEFINITELY AREN'T GONNA GIVE US ALL OF IT.

SO I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER GEER.

ANY THOUGHTS? YES, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.

I, I LOOKED DOWN FOR CREDIT.

UM, OKAY.

UM, WELL, THE ONLY THINGS THAT I HEARD MENTIONED THAT WE WERE ASKING FOR WERE THE LOOKING INTO THE TORNADO GRANTS, WHICH I THINK THAT YOU HAVE ACTUALLY SAID THAT YOU WILL DO, UM, WHEN WE WERE ASKING THE QUESTIONS.

SO I'M WONDERING IF WE NEED TO REMEMBER OUR ASK THAT, UM, WE WOULD ADD TO THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE I WAS WANTING, UH, TO LOOK INTO FUNDING THAT ON PROPERTIES THAT FEMA OVERLAP, PERHAPS FEMA COULD PAY, UM, SOME OF THE COSTS.

SO I GUESS THAT'S A FEDERAL GRANT TOO, AS WELL AS THE TORNADO.

AND THEN ONE SMALL THING THAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WOULD BE, UM, OR THAT I HAD ASKED FOR WOULD BE WATER QUALITY TESTING BELOW THE HOMELESS CAMPS.

SO, UM, OUR, OUR GROUND TESTING, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO KNOW THAT THAT LAND IS CLEAN AGAIN.

SO I'M WONDERING IF WE SHOULD PUT THAT IN OUR RESOLUTION, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE ASK FOR INDIVIDUALLY.

YEAH, I'M, I'M, I'M LISTENING AS YOU'RE TALKING, UM, KEEP GOING IF YOU'VE GOT MORE OR, UM, WE CAN SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE HAD ANY COMMENTS.

SO EVERYBODY REMEMBER WHAT YOU ASKED FOR? UH, THOSE ARE THE THINGS I DID REMEMBER .

SO COMMISSIONER'S GONNA MAKE A CLARIFICATION.

UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE FEMA GRANT FUNDING, I WASN'T SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT TORNADOES.

I THINK YOU USED TORNADOES IN YOUR EXAMPLE, BUT IN GENERAL, WE DID CREATE A GRANT COORDINATOR POSITION.

AND SO I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR THAT THAT'S AN INTEREST THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS US TO CONTINUE TO SEEK, UH, FEDERAL FUNDING WHERE WE CAN.

SO, BUT IT WON'T BE SPECIFIC TO TORNADOES.

IT, IT'S WHATEVER GRANT.

ONE, UM, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A MUNICIPALITY OR A, OR A, A COUNTY, BUT THAT THEY WERE, UH, SEEKING, UM, 17 DIFFERENT GRANTS SIMULTANEOUSLY, UH, IN THE AREA OF, UH, TORNADO, UH, MITIGATION ALONE.

JUST TO GET THIS BACK ON THE RECORD, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD BE, UH, AGGRESSIVELY LOOKING, UH, FOR FEMA FUNDING, UH, IN ANY AREA WHERE IT'S AVAILABLE AND WHERE WE NEED IT.

AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED THAT WE COULD QUALIFY FOR.

UH, I TALKED WITH A FEMA COORDINATOR ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND SHE SAID

[01:20:01]

SO, UH, OF COURSE, WATERSHED, UM, HAS A LOT OF FAMILIARITY WITH, UH, FEMA GRANTS, UH, BECAUSE OF, OF THE, UH, THE FLOODING PROBLEMS THAT, THAT AUSTIN HAS BEEN MADE WELL AWARE OF AND IN THE LAST, UH, UH, DECADE.

AND SO I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS AND I THINK, UH, WE NEED TO BE AS, UH, AGGRESSIVE ABOUT GOING AFTER THOSE AS WE CAN.

AND, UM, I'D, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT AREA, UH, BEEFED UP BECAUSE THAT MONEY IS THERE AND IT WILL, AND IT WILL GO TO, IT WILL GO TO SOMEONE ELSE IF WE, IF WE DON'T ASK FOR IT.

IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT GOING TO, THAT 15% IS A LOT OF MONEY AND IT'S NOT GOING TO COME HERE UNLESS WE GO AFTER IT, JUST BECAUSE I CAN.

THERE'S ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY, UH, LIKE, UH, COUNTS, UH, THE COMMISSIONER SCOTT MENTIONED ABOUT FEMA GRANTS, BUT THERE'S GOTTA BE PRIVATE MONEY RUNNING AROUND SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, PLACES LIKE THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, WHICH JUST POPPED INTO MY HEAD.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE'S GOTTA BE FORD FOUNDATION, THERE'S GOTTA BE, THERE'S MONEY, GRANT MONEY FROM PEOPLE ALL OVER THE PLACE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA HIRE GRANT PERSON, LIMITING THEM TO SHAKING DOWN THE FEDS JUST LIMITS THE, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY.

YOU CAN SHAKE DOWN JUST ABOUT ANYONE.

THERE'S A GUY TRYING TO DRILL A HOLE IN BASCO COUNTY THAT YOU CAN SHAKE DOWN FOR MONEY.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER.

BUT I WOULD AGREE WITH, UH, COMMISSIONER GARY, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON SOMETHING GOING FORWARD, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE INCREASE THE DRAINAGE FEES, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, KREI MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, INCREASING THE, THE AMOUNT THAT, YOU KNOW, DOING SOME OTHER THINGS IN ORDER TO RETAIN MORE MONEY AND GIVE BACK LESS AS FAR AS, UH, YOU KNOW, DISCOUNTS ON, ON DEVELOPMENT FEES AND ALL THIS OTHER SORT OF STUFF.

AND YES, AUSTIN IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE TOWN IN TEXAS, DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE, UH, AND WITH DUE REGARD TO THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY DETERRED PEOPLE FROM MOVING HERE.

AND, UH, IT'S DETERRED THE DEVELOPERS FROM IT HADN'T OCCURRED THAT DEVELOPERS WERE COMPLAINING EITHER, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BUILD ANYWAY.

AND IF THEY PAY 15 BUCKS MORE FOR A PIECE OF PAPER, THEY'RE GONNA PAY IT.

AND SO IF THAT FILLS THE COFFERS THAT ALLOWS YOU TO COMPLETE THESE GREATLY NEEDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, JUST CUZ THEY PAY $15 MORE, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SYMPATHY, BUT THAT'S ME.

GO FOR IT, SCOTT.

YEAH, WHAT WAS I GONNA SAY? UM, THERE ARE, UH, VARIOUS WAYS TO, UH, ALSO, UH, THAT I THINK WE SHOULD, UM, UM, MAKE, UM, MORE PUBLIC AND, AND PUSH MORE, UM, WHICH CAN, UH, REDUCE THE FLOODING RISKS SUCH AS THE, UM, UM, THE, UH, THE RAINWATER, UH, PONDS.

ALSO, THERE ARE WAYS TO AMEND THE SOIL BY ADDING, UH, LAVA ROCK, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH, UH, WON'T HELP IN A, UH, IN A DOWNPOUR, BUT IF YOU HAVE A STEADY RAIN, IT WILL ABSORB WATER AND HOLD ONTO IT IN A WAY THAT KALICHI SOIL IT NEVER IS GONNA DO.

AND SO, UH, THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WE CAN BE LOOKING AT, UM, UH, REDUCING THE FLOODING RISKS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE.

UM, UH, WE HAVEN'T REALLY DISCUSSED THAT YOU MAY HAVE PEOPLE DOING THAT.

UM, I, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, COULD, SOME, SOME MONEY THERE COULD PREVENT, UH, BIGGER PROBLEMS, UH, DOWN THE LINE AND COULD BE, UH, COST EFFECTIVE, EVEN THOUGH IT DOES COST SOME MONEY TO, TO, TO, UH, AMEND THE SOIL

[01:25:01]

IN CERTAIN AREAS.

BUT WHERE IT'S PARTICULARLY NECESSARY AND, AND USEFUL, IT COULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

COMMISSIONER.

WE DO HAVE AN EDUCATION PROGRAM AND WE PROVIDE MATERIALS TO HELP EDUCATE PRIVATE OWNERS WHAT, WHAT THEY CAN DO ON THEIR PROPERTIES.

AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET ALREADY.

ALL RIGHT, I'VE GOT, UH, SOME WORDS HERE.

UM, I'M NOT GONNA REREAD THE TOP PART AGAIN WITH ALL THE WAREHOUSES, BUT, UH, THEREFORE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SUPPORTS THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET PROGRAM AND PROJECTS AS PRESENTED IN THE BACKUP WITH THE FOLLOWING ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

NUMBER ONE, WPD CONTINUED TO LOOK FOR FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

NUMBER TWO, WP D MONITOR HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ON WP D LAND FOR SERVICE AND GROUNDWATER IMPACTS.

AND NUMBER THREE, WPD SHOULD CRITICALLY REVIEW IF INCREASES TO THE DRAINAGE UTILITY FEE OR A NEAR FUTURE STORMWATER BOND IS NECESSARY OR ARE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR THE PUBLIC.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IN THERE SOMETHING THAT REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF, I DUNNO WHAT THE PROPER WORD IS, BUT REBATES OR DISCOUNTS THAT ARE GIVEN FOR PEOPLE DOING DEVELOPMENTS.

I WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE THAT AS SOMETHING TO BE EXAMINED.

I, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PHRASE THAT EXACTLY, BUT DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M, YEAH.

MAYBE DREAM SOMETHING UP HERE.

UM, YOU'RE FAIRLY, VERY ELOQUENT, SO I'LL RELY ON YOU TO POLISH IT UP.

I'M GONNA USE W D P D O CRITICALLY REVIEW REDUCTIONS TO DRAINAGE TO DEVELOPMENT FEES.

NOW, I WANT, I WANT THE, I WANT THE DISCOUNTS OR REBATES OR HOWEVER IT IS REDUCED SO THAT, LET'S SAY THE FEE IS A THOUSAND AND WE'RE GIVING 'EM A HUNDRED DOLLARS BACK.

I ONLY WANT TO GIVE THEM $50 BACK.

CRITICALLY REVIEW ANY REDUCTIONS IN DRAINAGE FEES.

THERE YOU GO.

DEVELOPMENT DRAINAGE FEES THAT SOUND MORE, BETTER FEES.

I MEAN, I'D LIKE TO, I'D LIKE TO ALSO ADD THAT IF WE COULD NOT REDUCE THE REBATES FOR THOSE WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY, BUT GOOD THING.

BUT I DO LIKE THE SENTIMENT FOR SURE.

I THINK FOR THOSE WHO CAN, WHO DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM, UH, FINANCIALLY WITH HAVING TO PAY THE NON REBATE PORTION, UH, WE SHOULD DO THAT FOR SURE.

COMMISSIONERS THAT, I WANNA CLARIFY THAT GENERALLY, UM, FOR DEVELOPERS, WE DON'T DO THAT THERE.

THAT MIGHT BE VERY INSIGNIFICANT.

COUNCIL HAS TO TAKE ACTION.

I THINK BSD CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN, IF ON THE FEES.

BUT, UM, THE CAP PROGRAM THAT APA TALKED ABOUT, THAT'S THE, UH, COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT IS FOR, UH, LOW INCOME FOLKS.

AND, AND SO I'M HEARING YOU SAY LOUD AND CLEAR.

DON'T CONTINUE TO DO THAT, BUT DON'T CONTINUE TO REDUCE.

AND SO I DON'T THINK, GENERALLY WE HAVE MANY FEE WAIVERS FOR DEVELOPERS, UH, FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, BUT WE CAN GIVE YOU MORE NUMBERS ON, ON THIS BUDGET AND LAST BUDGET TO, TO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBERS TO LOOK AT.

BUT YOU CAN NOTE IT IN THERE EITHER WAY.

UH, BUT I HEAR YOUR, YOUR CONCERN THERE.

WELL, IF YOU DON'T HAVE MANY, THEN IT WOULDN'T BE HARD TO CUT 'EM ALL OUT THEN, RIGHT? .

WE'RE GONNA GO WITH W P D, WILL CRITICALLY REVIEW ANY REDUCTIONS TO DEVELOPMENT FEES, UH, PERIOD.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S KEEP GOING.

I THINK THOSE ARE UNRELATED.

UH, UM, ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.

UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE INTERACTIVE MAPS THAT WE ASKED FOR LAST YEAR, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

WE'VE GOT A MOTION, UM, ON THE TABLE WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED.

UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION THAT'S PRESENTED, RAISE YOUR HAND, ALL THOSE AGAINST.

ALL RIGHT, IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

ALL RIGHT, ONTO

[2. Development Services Department’s Fiscal Year 2024-2028 Financial Forecast — Jose Roig, Director; Angela Means, Assistant Director; Marie Sandoval, Customer Services Manager; Eric Ugalde, Financial Manager; and David Hillers, Financial Manager, Development Services Department]

THE NEXT ONE.

THANK YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND AND HELPING US THROUGH THAT.

UM, CRUSHING THROUGH TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S, FISCAL YEAR 2024 TO 28 FINANCIAL FORECAST.

UM, THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE, AND, UH, WE'RE READY WHEN Y'ALL ARE.

GOOD EVENING.

AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALLOWING US TO PRESENT TO YOU, UH, TONIGHT.

MY NAME IS, UH, JOSE ROY.

I AM THE INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

I'VE BEEN IN THIS, IN THIS

[01:30:01]

ROLE SINCE THE, UH, 1ST OF FEBRUARY THIS YEAR.

I, UH, I ALSO CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR FOR THE AUSTIN CO DEPARTMENT.

IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE DIRECTION THAT WE GET FROM THE CITY MANAGER ON FRIDAY, WE'LL BE CONSOLIDATING THE CURRENT ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

BUT TONIGHT WE HAVE THE PRESENTATION THAT WE DID BEFORE THE CONSOLIDATION ANNOUNCEMENT WENT THROUGH.

SO WE'LL, WE JUST TALKING ABOUT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TONIGHT.

UH, AND I HAVE, UH, OUR FINANCIAL MANAGERS HERE TO, UH, TO GO OVER THAT, UH, IS, WE'LL, WE'LL GO OVER THE BUDGET AND, UH, FORECAST.

AND, UH, I'M HERE AND WE MUST UP TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE BUDGET.

SO, WELCOME EVERYONE.

UH, I'D LIKE TO FIRST START OFF BY THANKING EVERYONE WHO'S HERE THIS EVENING.

MY NAME IS ERIC GALE.

I AM THE DIVISION FINANCIAL MANAGER FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

UH, WITH ME THIS EVENING IS, UH, DAVID HILLERS, WHO'S A FINANCIAL MANAGER OVER OUR OPERATING BUDGET.

TONIGHT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THE FISCAL YEAR 23 FINANCIAL FORECAST, AND ALSO THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 24 OPERATING BUDGET.

SO, FOR THIS EVENING'S AGENDA, WE'LL BEGIN OUR DISCUSSION WITH DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND OVERVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, FOLLOWED BY FEE STRATEGY, THEN REVENUE OUTLOOK.

FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PRESENTATION, DAVID HITLER WILL DISCUSS THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST, FOLLOWED BY THE PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET FOR 24.

AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CLOSE A PRESENTATION WITH THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S MISSION IS TO SUPPORT A VIBRANT COMMUNITY, VI A VIBRANT COMMUNITY THROUGH A RESPONSIBLE, THROUGH THE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT.

WE HELP HOMEOWNERS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND CONTRACTORS ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE CITY AND BUILDING CODES WHEN THEY BUILD, DEMOLISH, REMODEL, OR PERFORM ANY CONSTRUCTION IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND WHEN PLANNING SPECIAL EVENTS, WE'RE A MEDIUM SIZE ORGANIZATION.

WE HAVE 487 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WHO SUPPORT THE MISSION WITH AN ANNUAL BUDGET OF 76.9 MILLION.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR STRATEGIC STRATEGIC GOALS AS A DEPARTMENT.

THE THIRD GOAL TO PROPERTY STEWARD FINANCIAL RESOURCES IS IMPORTANT FOR FINANCIAL PLANNING AND FINANCIAL FORECAST.

OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE 50% OF OUR OPERATING EXPENSES HELD IN RESERVES.

IT WILL ENSURE IT'LL ENSURE THAT WITH ANY, ANY ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THAT, AND ALSO TO BE ALIGNED WITH INDUSTRY STANDARD AS BEST PRACTICE.

SO, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

SO THIS SHOWS, THIS SHOWS THE OVERALL ORGANIZATION WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH DIVISIONS ARE DEFINED ACCORDING TO OUR DIFFERENT ROLES IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS OR DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT.

SOME OF THESE DIVISIONS, LIKE COMMUNITY TREE PRESERVATION, INCLUDES BOTH REGULATORY AND PLANT REVIEW ACTIVITIES IN THE CITY ARBORIST OFFICE, AND URBAN FORESTRY EDUCATION AND GRANT ACTIVITIES IN THE URBAN FORESTRY AREA.

WE WORK CLOSELY WITH PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO SUPPORT AND GROW URBAN FORESTS IN A COST, COST EFFECTIVE AND PROACTIVE MANNER.

ANOTHER DIVISION WORTH MENTIONING IS ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS.

ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS HAS BEEN DIVIDED INTO GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY.

THIS HELPS US PROVIDE MORE COST EFFECTIVE SERVICE, COST EFFECTIVE SERVICE, WHILE ALSO POSITIONING OUR INSPECTORS TO BE MORE FAMILIAR WITH ONGOING PROJECTS IN THEIR ASSIGNED TERRITORIES.

TO REDUCE 48% OF OUR EXISTING FEES BY 10%.

IT'S FEE STRATEGY.

AS THE COST OF SERVICE PROVIDER, DSD MUST SUSTAIN OPERATIONS THROUGH FEES, AND IS THESE FEES THAT HAVE TO BE APPROPRIATE AND, AND EQUITABLE.

AND DEVELOPING THE BUDGET FOR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, WE APPLIED A FEE PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT APPROACH.

TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL, WE INCORPORATED DEVELOPMENT FORECAST FROM AN EXTERNAL CONSULTANT AND CREATING THE BUDGET FORECAST.

AS A RESULT, WE WERE ABLE

[01:35:01]

IN ADDITION, WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO ELIMINATE OR CONSOLIDATE OVER A HUNDRED OF OUR FEES.

WE ALSO STARTED THE PROCESS TO PHASE OUT GENERAL FUND SUPPORT WITH CITY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PERMITTING FOR EVENTS AND OUTDOOR MUSIC VENUES, AND BEGIN DEVELOPING A PUBLIC PROJECTS TEAM TO REVIEW AND MANAGE CRITICAL PRO PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOUSING PROJECTS.

THIS YEAR, WE'RE BUILDING OFF THAT SUCCESSFUL MODEL AND PLAN TO KEEP OUR FEES FLAT.

WE'RE POSSIBLE WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO REDUCE FEES, ELIMINATE OR CONSOLIDATE THOSE FEES.

UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

HERE WE HAVE OUR REVENUE OUTLOOK.

WE'RE ANTICIPATING 77 MILLION IN REVENUE FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

AS CIS GRAPH SHOWS, WE ARE IN A FINANCIAL HEALTHY, WE'RE A FINANCIAL HEALTHY DEPARTMENT.

THIS OUTLOOK ALSO REFLECTS CURRENT PROJECTIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT PERMITTING, WHICH EXPECT CONTINUED GROWTH AT A MODEST RATE THAN, THAN IN RECENT YEARS.

AND WITH THIS, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO DAVID.

DAVID HILLERS.

I'M A FINANCE MANAGER FOR BUDGET HERE AT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

SO THIS IS THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

SO WITHIN THIS FORECAST, THERE ARE A FEW KEY PIECES OF INFORMATION.

UH, WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UH, DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED, UH, WE WERE THE CITY PROVIDED, UH, SEAT FUNDING FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO ESTABLISH OUR SERVICES.

WE ARE NOW REPAYING THAT MONEY BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND AND IS REPRESENTED HERE ON FY 20 THREE'S BUDGET AS A, AS A, A DEFIC UH, DEFICIENCY OF $4.1 MILLION.

UM, OUR ABILITY TO PAY THIS BACK NOW IS A SIGN OF OUR HEALTHY FINANCIAL STATUS.

WE EXPECT TO COMPLETE THESE PAYMENTS THIS YEAR.

SO WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD A GOAL OF RESERVING 50% OF OUR OPERATING EXPENSES IN OUR FUND BALANCE.

UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, FOR THE, UH, OUT YEARS, WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE ANY NEW FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT, UH, EMPLOYEES.

AND WE WOULD MAKE AN INTERNAL ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED, UH, TO MEET OUR NEEDS.

SO, OUR PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET, UH, FOR NEXT YEAR IS 77.1 MILLION.

OUR COSTS ARE, ARE, THAT ARE INCREASING THIS YEAR ARE PRIMARILY RELATED TO CITYWIDE COST DRIVERS AND ADJUSTMENTS FOR EMPLOYEE, UH, RELATED EXPENSES SUCH AS PENSION WAGE, INCREASES, INSURANCE, UH, INCREASES, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, AS A COST OF SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WE ARE OFFSETTING THESE EXPENSES BY REDUCING COSTS IN SEVERAL AREAS FOR PROPOSED 2.3 MILLION REDUCTION IN EXPENSES.

UH, WE DO NOT EXPECT INCREASES TO OUR REQUEST FOR NON CIP P CAPITAL FUNDS NEXT YEAR.

THIS BUDGET IS OUR, OUR FLEET VEHICLES.

SO AS THE FLEETS, UH, THE VEHICLES ARE BEING REPLACED, THEY'RE BEING REPLACED BY MORE EFFICIENT, UH, HYBRID OR FULLY ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

UH, SO THIS YEAR WE REPLACE 13 VEHICLES, UH, WITH, WITH 10, UH, FULL ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND, UH, THREE HYBRIDS.

UM, RECENT INVESTMENTS IN ELECTRICAL OIL HYBRID VEHICLES HAVE ALSO PLACED US AS, UH, AMONG OUR, THE DEPARTMENTS, THE CITY DEPARTMENTS, FOR THE HIGHEST RATIOS OF THOSE EFFICIENT ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE VEHICLES FOR CITY BUSINESS.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, THE, UH, STRATEGIC OUTCOMES THAT WERE MENTIONED EARLIER, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE MEETING OR EXCEEDING OUR STRATEGIC GOALS.

UH, WE ARE STRIKING A BALANCE TO KEEP COSTS, UM, TO OUR CUSTOMERS AS LOW AS POSSIBLE, WHILE REMAINING FINANCIALLY AND HEALTHY AND FULFILLING OUR MISSION.

SO OUR FORECAST RIGHT NOW, UH, FOR THAT ENDING BALANCE OF, UH, OF OUR TARGET WAS 50%.

AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT, UH, UH, ANTICIPATED AT THE END OF THE YEAR BEING AT 44%.

UH, AND WITH THAT, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, AND WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU GUYS.

UM, ALL RIGHT.

UH, SO I GUESS TO GET US OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT HERE, UM, YOU GUYS ARE PRESENTING THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND FORECAST AND REQUESTING OUR FEEDBACK OR RECOMMENDATION OF THAT.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT THAT IS CORRECT.

YEAR SEEMED LIKE SORT OF AN OUTLIER.

SO WITH THAT CONTEXT, UH, ANY QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, COMMENTS FROM YEAH, SHI HEY, Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.

UM, YEAH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, WHY WAS THE FORECAST FOR 2023? IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS LIKE, I BELIEVE, LIKE NEGATIVE 8% CHANGE FOR THE PREVIOUS YEAR, WHEREAS ALL THE OTHER YEARS WERE FORECASTED AS A POSITIVE.

WHY DID THIS YEAR KIND OF SEEM, OR FINANCIALLY, I, YOU KNOW, THIS FINANCIAL

[01:40:01]

UM, I WAS CURIOUS IF Y'ALL HAD ANY INSIGHT INTO THAT.

UH, DAVID HILLER'S FINANCE MANAGER, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.

UH, SO THE CITY, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, UH, UH, DIRECTED US TO BASICALLY REPAY THE GENERAL FUND, UH, THAT PART OF THAT SEED MONEY THAT WE RECEIVED AS WE SPUN OFF FROM THE GENERAL FUND AS AN ENTERPRISE FUND ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.

AND SO THAT SHOWS AS A DEFICIT, UH, IN OUR BUDGET OF, UH, 4.1 MILLION, MEANING, UH, WE'RE NOT RECOVERING THAT REVENUE.

IT'S, WE'RE NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, INCREASING OUR FEES TO, TO MAKE UP THAT, THAT, UH, THAT DEFICIENCY.

SO AS WE, UH, AS WE, UH, ESTIMATED WHAT OUR, OUR END OF YEAR BALANCE WAS GONNA BE, OR OUR REVENUE VERSUS EXPENSES FOR THE END OF THIS YEAR, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO FIND SOME EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCE THAT DEFICIT TO ABOUT 1.7 MILLION.

AND SO GOING FORWARD, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, SO THE CITY COUNCIL ASKED FOR US TO REPAY THAT MONEY LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR AND GOING FORWARD, UH, THAT, THAT REPAYMENT GOES AWAY.

YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE.

THAT BETTER, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT, BUT DEFINITELY WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THE MOUNTAINS AND, AND FINES AND ON THINGS LIKE THAT.

CAUSE I WAS JUST CONFUSED CAUSE I WAS LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A DEFICIT THIS YEAR, BUT THEN LIKE EVERY OTHER YEAR IS FORECASTED TO BREAK.

EXACTLY.

EVEN I WAS JUST LIKE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

BUT THAT PROVIDES SOME MORE CONTEXT FOR SURE.

APPRECIATE IT.

HI.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, I THINK I'M GONNA HAVE TO, UM, UM, CONFESS MY IGNORANCE IN ORDER TO ASK THE QUESTIONS I NEED TO ASK.

UM, I, I GET THAT YOU, UH, UH, HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH PROTECTING TREES.

UM, I GOT THAT PART.

UH, UM, WE HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN TOLD THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN TREES, UM, THAT OUR HERITAGE TREES ARE CUT DOWN.

MAYBE A WHOLE AREA OF THEM IS, UM, BEFORE ANYBODY'S AWARE OF IT.

SO I'VE BEEN OVER THE, THE PAST FEW YEARS, UM, WONDERING WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, ASSURE THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN.

IT SEEMS THAT THERE'S NO REAL VIABLE PENALTY IF SOMEBODY DOES, UH, CUT DOWN A HERITAGE TREE.

UM, NOBODY GOES TO JAIL.

I, I, I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANYBODY BEING FINED.

UH, WE HAD ONE GUY WHO CAME IN AND LOOKED LIKE HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, DESTROYING A TREE THAT HE WANTED TO COME DOWN.

UM, AND, UH, UH, I THINK HE PROBABLY DID MANAGE TO DO THAT.

UH, SO HOW ARE WE PROTECTING THE TREES? AND, UH, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN DO BETTER? UH, AND DO YOU, AND WHAT, UH, DO, DO YOU HAVE ANY, UH, UH, IDEAS OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, UH, HOW WE COULD GO ABOUT THAT? THAT'S ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE.

UM, SHOULD I GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO ANSWER BEFORE I GO ON TO MY NEXT QUESTION? WELL, YEAH, LET, LET ME GO OVER THAT.

AND, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A BIG CONCERN FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND, UH, AS YOU SAW, ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE IS ACTUALLY TO PROTECT THE TREE CANOPY, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY, WITH, UH, WITH THE PAST STORM THAT WE HAD IN FEBRUARY, WE LOST A LOT.

UH, BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, WE, WE DO HEAR THE COMPLAINT.

SO THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS ACTUALLY WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT, UH, WE DO HAVE AN ENFORCEMENT, UH, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM FOR THAT.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY FIND SOME PENALTIES THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY, UH, WHEN WE CAN ACTUALLY PROVE FOR A FACT THAT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY CUT OR DESTROY HERITAGE TREE.

WHAT'S DEFINED FOR CUTTING DOWN THE HERITAGE TREE? I, I, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER WITH ME.

WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.

I, I REALLY WASN'T PREPARED TO GO WITH OPERATIONAL, UH, UPDATES TONIGHT MORE THAN THE BUDGET.

BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE AND GIVE YOU AN, AN IDEA ON WHAT THE, WHAT THE FEES ARE.

AND WE DO HAVE LEGAL, THERE'S LEGAL CONSEQUENCES.

I'M NOT SAYING I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WILL GO TO JAIL FOR THAT.

I, I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.

BUT DEFINITELY THERE'S FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES FOR THAT.

AND, UH, I, I'M ENCOURAGED THAT, YOU KNOW, NOW WITH THE CONSOLIDATION OF, UH, THE COURT ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT IN OUR, IN, INTO OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MORE STRONGER, UH, APPROACH TO, UH, THIS COMPLAINTS.

I MEAN, WE NEED TO KNOW.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT THE, THE BEST WAY WE CAN DO BETTER IS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE OF, OF THE SITUATION AND LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY WHEN IT'S HAPPENING SO WE CAN RESPOND TO IT.

UH, IN MANY CASES, AND I AM AWARE OF MANY CASES THAT WE HAVE GETTING THE COMPLAINTS, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PROVE THAT THAT WAS THE CASE.

MAY THEY MAY, THEY MAY HAVE DISAPPEARED THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE THING BY THE TIME WE GET THERE.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE THAT, AND LET US KNOW RIGHT AWAY, 3 1 11 IS THE BEST SOURCE.

AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE DIRECT LINES TO OUR DEPARTMENT.

SO WE WILL DEFINITELY, UH, YOU KNOW, WELCOME ANY FEEDBACK ON THAT.

AND IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER ON, YOU KNOW, MAKING

[01:45:01]

YOU HAVE A HERITAGE TREE AS A, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, A LIVING OAK, UM, A LIVE OAK IN MY, UH, LIVING LIVE OAK IN MY FRONT YARD THAT, UM, I'VE CALCULATED IS MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.

IF I WERE TO CUT THAT TREE DOWN, UM, AND PAY TO FINE FOR IT, THE TREE'S STILL GONE.

THAT IS CORRECT.

AND THERE'S NO, NO WAY TO PUT IT BACK.

SO I, I, I GUESS, UM, UH, WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THAT I DON'T THINK THAT THE, UH, ENFORCEMENT AND THE FINES AND THE, AND THE, UM, AND WHAT PEOPLE PAY IS, IS ADEQUATE FOR THE AMOUNT OF HARM DONE, UH, BY, UH, BY THAT KIND OF AN ACTION.

I, I JUST, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT.

I HAVEN'T SEEN IT AT ALL.

UM, AND, AND I REALLY AM, UM, I'M REALLY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS.

IT'S PROBABLY, I'M PROBABLY AS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AS ANYTHING ELSE IN THE CITY.

UM, THE DEVELOPERS ARE TELLING US THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING FIVE INCH TREES.

SO I'M WONDERING IF THE CITY SHOULD, IF NOT ITSELF, BE GROWING MORE BABY TREES, UH, SEEDLINGS, UM, I THINK THEY CALL IT IN, UH, IN BIOLOGY, UM, OR CONTRACTING OUT TO BE SURE THAT DOWN THE ROAD WE HAVE TREES THAT WE CAN BE CONTINUING TO PUT IN BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE MORE STORMS. UM, YES, THE CLIMATOLOGISTS TELL US THAT THEY WILL BE MORE VIOLENT, MORE UNPREDICTABLE AND AND, UM, SO FORTH.

UM, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO GO ABOUT THIS.

THERE IS A, A VILLAGE SOMEWHERE IN KOREA, I THINK, WHERE, UM, EVERY, UH, TREE HAS A PERSON ASSIGNED OR WHO VOLUNTEERS TO BE IN CHARGE OF THAT TREE.

NOW THIS MAY BE, UM, A LITTLE BIT FOREIGN TO OUR WAY OF THINKING, BUT I THINK IT'S A INNOVATIVE IDEA, AND I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING NOT NECESSARILY OF THAT AS A SOLUTION, BUT BE FIND LOOKING FOR SOME MORE, UM, PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS BECAUSE YOU GUYS CAN'T HAVE A, UH, AN AUSTINITE BEHIND EVERY TREE .

IT JUST DOESN'T WORK OUT THAT WAY.

THERE MAY BE A VERMONTER BEHIND EVERY VERMONT TREE, BUT , IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY IN AUSTIN.

UM, UM, NOW GOING AWAY FROM TREES, UM, INTO INSPECTIONS.

UM, I THINK IF I, IF I WERE ALREADY COGNIZANT OF HOW THE CITY WORKS, I WOULD BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT YOU INSPECT.

BUT, UM, I'M NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR ON ON WHAT THAT IS.

DO YOU, YOU, UH, DO YOU INSPECT, UH, BUILDINGS BUILDING CODES? UH, WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE, UH, ARE UNDER YOUR JURISDICTION? SO THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS IN CHARGE OF, UH, BASICALLY ENFORCING THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AND THE TECHNICAL CODES THAT INCLUDES, UH, YOU KNOW, SITE PLANS.

YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO ENFORCE THAT ALL, ALL THOSE REGULATIONS IN THERE AIR IN ADDITION TO THE TECHNICAL CODES WHEN WE ACTUALLY GO INTO CONSTRUCTION.

SO WE, WE ARE IN CHARGE OF BOTH, YOU KNOW, SO THAT ENFORCEMENT INCLUDES ACTUALLY ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, LANDSCAPING, THE THREE ORDINANCE.

AND THEN WHEN WE GO TO THE TECHNICAL SIDE, UH, WE GO INTO THE BUILDING, UH, ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL PLUMBING, WHICH IS THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THE BUILDING.

SO WE COVER BOTH OF THOSE.

UH, ON THE, ON THE, ON THE LAND DEVELOPMENT SIDE, WELL, IT IS ABOUT THE SITE PLAN.

SO ALL THE FEATURES THAT ARE APPROVING THE SITE PLAN, UH, WE HAVE INSPECTORS THAT ACTUALLY LOOK AT THAT.

THEY LOOK AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THEY LOOK AT THE, AT THE FLAT WORK, UH, DRIVEWAYS, UH, IN, UH, IN PREVIOUS COVER, UH, WATER QUALITY, UH, IS PART OF THE INSPECTIONS THAT WE DO.

SO ALL THAT ENFORCEMENT IS ACTUALLY HOUSED IN, IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

WALLS, UH, STRUCTURE HAS TO BE BOLTED TO THE, UM, UM, THE BASE, THE, UH, THE FOUNDATION.

UM, ONE THING THAT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION AND, AND CONCERNS ME, UM, UH, IS THAT THE, UH, BUILDING CODES ARE NOT AS STRONG HERE AS THEY ARE IN, FOR EXAMPLE, HOUSTON.

UH, HOUSTONS ARE, UH, REQUIRE, UH, A STEEL, UH, STRUC, UH, STRAPPED TO, UH, HOLD THE, THE, THE, THE ROOF OF A BUILDING TO THE SIDE.

AND THEN THERE'S, AND THEN, AND THEN THE, THE, THE, THE

[01:50:01]

BUT THAT'S, I THINK NOT REQUIRED IF I'M CORRECT IN, IN AUSTIN.

IS THAT, AM I, AM I RIGHT ON THAT? SO YOU, YOU, YOU ARE GOING TO AN AREA THAT IS REALLY STRONG IN MY, IN MY SIDE, BECAUSE I WAS A BUILDING OFFICIAL HERE BEFORE I WENT TO THE AUSTIN CO DEPARTMENT.

, WE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ADOPT THE MOST UPDATED CODES THAT WE HAVE IN THE NATION.

AND IT'S THE SAME ONES THAT THEY ADOPT IN, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.

NOW, WHAT HAPPEN IS THE CODE, UH, THE INTERNATIONAL CODE, THEY DO ADAPT DEPENDING ON THE ZONE OF THE CITY.

FOR EXAMPLE, HOUSTON, BECAUSE IT'S CLOSER TO THE COAST, THEY HAVE A HIGHER WIND RATE.

UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GO TO CALIFORNIA, IF YOU GO TO THE COAST, THEY HAVE EARTHQUAKES, THEY HAVE, UH, THEY HAVE CSIC REQUIREMENTS.

SO THE, THE BUILDING CODES ACTUALLY, UH, ADAPT ACCORDING TO THE LOCATION OF, OF THE CITY.

AND THE RISK THAT IS IN THE CITY IS BASED ON RISK.

BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE HAVE THE MOST UPDATED CODES.

WE ARE UNDER THE 2021 CODES, WHICH ARE USED ACROSS THE NATION.

UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE USING THE MOST ADVANCED RIGHT NOW THAT WE HAVE, AND WE ARE LOOKING TO MAINTAINING THAT WITH ADOPTION OF THE 2024 CODES.

AND, UH, YES, DO YOU HAVE THE, THE STRAP IN THE, IN THE BOLTING SYSTEM? THE, THE BUILDING HAD TO BE BOLTED.

THE STRAPPING IS, IS MOSTLY, IS MOSTLY FOR HURRICANE FROM REGIONS, WHICH IS THE COASTS.

SO IN, SO IN, IN, IN, IN SOME AREA, IN, IN THE AREA, DOES NOT REQUIRE BY THE CODE.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN A, A REGION THAT IS, UM, UM, ACCORDING TO THE NOAA, UM, UH, MAPS, UH, RATED AT 200 MILES PER HOUR.

SO TO MY WAY OF THINKING, UM, A TORNADO IS A MORE, UH, SERIOUS EVENT THAN A HURRICANE.

SO WHY WOULD WE NOT HAVE THE, THE STRAPS, AGAIN, AGAIN, AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ACTUALLY DEVELOPED IN INTERNATIONAL, UH, UH, LEVEL WITH THE, WITH INTERNATIONAL CODES.

I MEAN, THOSE ARE STUDIES THAT THEY DO BASED ON THE WIND REGIONS, LIKE CLOSER TO THE NORTH TEXAS, YOU'RE REQUIRED TO INSTALL A STORM SHELTERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO, UH, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE AREA OF THE CITY.

SO I, I THINK THAT AS THEY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP NEW, UM, NEW MODELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME MOVEMENT IN THE NATIONAL LEVEL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING MORE STRICT, STRINGENT, STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS BASED ON, ON THE RISK LEVEL.

SO, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE THOSE CHANGES COMING UP, BUT IT'S AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

WELL, I, I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, FEMA HAS, UH, RATED, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY, WHICH IS ALMOST, ALMOST THE SAME AS AUSTIN, AS, UM, AS, UH, ONE OF THE, IS IN THE TOP 4% HIGHEST RISK COUNTIES TO LIVE IN, IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND OF, OF THE RISKS, UH, THAT THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED THE, UH, FOREMOST RISK, UM, BASED ON THE, THE COST, UH, ANALYSIS IS FOR, UH, TORNADOES AND, UH, INCLUDED, UM, IN ANOTHER CATEGORY ARE DIRECT LINE WINDS AND, UH, DERECHOS, UM, UH, UH, IN OTHER WORDS, AND, AND THOSE ARE BOTH SIGNIFICANT AND BOTH WOULD BENEFIT, UM, BY HAVING THOSE, THOSE STRAPS.

SO, UM, I, I'VE MET A LOSSES TO UNDERSTAND WHY THAT'S NOT PART OF OUR BUILDING CODE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IN OUR BUILDING CODE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT'S, UM, IT'S, IT'S MORE COST EFFECTIVE IN THE LONG RUN TO PUT THOSE IN WHEN YOU BUILD, THEN TO GO BACK AFTER THE FACT AND TRY TO UPGRADE.

AND, AND AS YOU MAY KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE ONE THIRD OF THE BUILDING, UH, RESIDENTIAL HOUSING IN AUSTIN WAS BUILT, UH, BEFORE, UH, 1986.

SO GOING FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US, UM, I'M TRYING, I'M I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE, THE STRAP, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HURRICANE STRAPS ON THE, ON THE, ON THE ROOFING STRUCTURE? YEAH.

IS THOSE ARE REQUIRED.

YEAH, I WAS, I WAS, YEAH, THOSE ARE REQUIRED.

THOSE ARE REQUIRED BY CODE.

WE DO INSTALL THOSE.

I I WAS, I I I WAS MISLED BY SOMEONE WHO TOLD ME.

NO, NO, NO, WE DO.

WE, THOSE ARE INSIDE THE, WHEN WE, WHEN WE PUT THE TRUSSES OVER THE FRAMING, THOSE ARE REQUIRED.

AND NOW, NOW I'M GETTING TOAND.

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

EXCUSE ME, KATIE COHEN, ENVIRONMENTAL OFFICER.

AND WHEN, WHEN DID THAT, UH, REGULATION COME INTO, UH, PLAY IN, IN AUSTIN THAT'S BEEN IN THE COAST SINCE WE ADOPTED THE 26 I B C OR IRC? I MEAN, IT'S, IT IS BEEN WAY BACK.

I MEAN, I, I GUESS THOSE CHANGES CAME ABOUT WHEN WE HAD THOSE, UH, HURRICANE DAMAGE IN FLORIDA.

THEY ACTUALLY CAME ABOUT FOR THE WHOLE, UH, INTERNATIONAL CODE, UH, COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY ADOPT THAT, THAT REQUIREMENT AND THE CODE.

THAT WAS WHEN WE, I, I THINK THOSE ACTUALLY STARTED BACK IN 26, IN 2006.

I'LL HAVE TO FIND OUT EXACTLY FOR YOU, BUT IT IS BEEN, IT'S BEEN IN THE CODE FOR A WHILE NOW.

EXCUSE,

[01:55:01]

I JUST WANNA, UH, ATTEMPT TO REDIRECT A LITTLE BIT IF THERE'S FOLLOW UP POTENTIALLY WHERE WE'RE GONNA DIVE INTO BUILDING CODE.

I I'M SURE DSD STAFF WOULD BE, BE WILLING TO, TO HAVE A FOLLOW UP CONVERSATION, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING FOCUSED ON BUDGET.

WE'LL, WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT INFORMATION.

APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE, UM, BEING SENT STRAIGHT ON, UH, WHAT, WHAT'S, UH, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING.

I FEEL, UH, MUCH BETTER TO KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING THAT NOW.

I, I GATHER THERE'S QUITE A FEW, UH, UH, BUILDINGS IN EXISTENCE, RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES IN EXISTENCE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE UPGRADED.

UH, AND THAT WOULD BE MORE COSTLY.

BUT THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, BRAMER COMING AROUND THAT WAY.

YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION.

UH, I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, WITH REGARD TO THE FEE STRATEGY, YOU'RE REDUCING THE FEES AND YOU'VE ELIMINATED SOME FEES.

WHERE DO THE MONEY FROM THE FEES GO? IS THAT PART OF YOUR BUDGET OR DOES THAT JUST GO TO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND? OUR DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY ENTERPRISE.

SO THE, THE, THE DEPARTMENT THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS FUNDED THROUGH THE FEES.

IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.

WE ACTUALLY, LIKE, LIKE HE EXPLAINED, UH, WHEN THE DEPARTMENT WAS ACTUALLY CREATED, WE HAD SOME SITTING FUNDING, RIGHT? RIGHT.

AND THAT'S PAID BACK ALREADY TO THE GENERAL FUND.

YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT CUSTOMER SATISFACTION DOWN HERE.

SO BY REDUCING THE FEES AND ELIMINATING OTHERS, YOU'RE NOT, UH, UNDERMINING YOUR ABILITY TO, UH, DO INSPECTION IN A TIMELY MANNER.

AND THE REASON I BRING THIS UP IS THAT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLAINTS.

I HEAR ANECDOTALLY THAT, UH, ABOUT THE TIME IT TAKES TO DO VARIOUS INSPECTIONS AND EVERYTHING BY CONTRACTORS AND THAT SORT OF THING, AND IF THERE'S A DEFICIENCY IN PERSONNEL, WHICH I SCROLL DOWN HERE A LITTLE FURTHER, IT SAYS YOU'RE GONNA KEEP YOUR HEAD COUNTS, UH, STAGNANT AT 487 PEOPLE THROUGH FY 28, AND WE'RE HAVING A RATHER AGGRESSIVE BUILDING, BOOM HERE.

UH, AT LEAST IF YOU COUNT THE NUMBER OF, UH, CRANES, UH, FLOATING AROUND TOWN, UH, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT, UH, HIRING ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO DO, UH, YOU KNOW, INSPECTIONS IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER WOULD REDUCE THE BACKLOG, IMPROVE THE, UH, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPER'S HAPPINESS WITH THE CITY'S, YOU KNOW, THING.

AND YOU KEEP SOME OF THESE FEES IN THERE AND IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THAT.

SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THAT IS, IS IT IS NOT GONNA IMPACT THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.

UH, BEING A NEWLY FORMED DEPARTMENT WITHIN FIVE YEARS, WE CONTINUE TO ADJUST.

WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO REALLY CHARGE THE COST OF SERVICE THAT WE DO.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE CHALLENGES OF EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF, UH, VACANCIES.

UH, I WILL TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW ON THE INSPECTION SIDE OF IT, I THINK WE ARE PRETTY MUCH, UH, YOU KNOW, AS STAFF THE WAY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.

UH, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF, UM, UH, NEW PERSONNEL COMING IN.

SO THAT'S WHY IT TAKES TIME TO ACTUALLY TRAIN THESE PEOPLE AND GET OUT THE AIR.

AND WE HAVE, WE, WE PRETTY MUCH HITTING THE MARK IN, IN TERMS OF WHAT, WHAT WE EXPECT TO DO IN TIMELY, TIMELY INSPECTIONS.

UH, SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT TO JUST, YOU KNOW, CREATE THAT IMPACT RIGHT NOW.

I THINK WE ARE IN, IN GOOD SHAPE ON THE, ON THE INSPECTION SIDE AND, AND, AND THE REDUCTION ON FEES IS NOT GONNA ACTUALLY IMPACT THAT.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIND, UH, THE RIGHT WAY TO STRUCTURE THE FEES BY LOOKING AT THE REAL TIMING THAT WE SPEND DOING THIS WORK SO WE CAN CONTINUE, UH, MEETING THE GOAL OF JUST CHARGING COST OF SERVICE IN THE DEPARTMENT.

WELL, I SEE, UH, ON SLIDE 11, UH, IT SAYS, UH, CONDUCT TIMELY PLAN REVIEWS AND INSPECTIONS, WHICH I WOULD ASSUME WOULD BE BUILDING INSPECTIONS, PLUMBING INSPECTIONS, AND, AND RELATED TYPE THING IN YOUR TARGET WAS 90%.

UH, SO WHAT'S YOUR TARGET FOR, UH, 2024? THE TARGET CONTINUES TO BE 90% ON TIME.

UH, WELL, WHEN I WORKED AT DELL, YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, AS A SALES REP OR IN ANYTHING AT DELL, YOU KNOW, HAVING A TARGET THAT RANGE STATIC FOR MULTIPLE YEARS WASN'T REALLY THE WAY YOU RAN A BUSINESS.

UH, YOU ALWAYS STRIVE TO ATTAIN IT NOW, YOU KNOW, ATTAIN A HIGHER TARGET.

NOW, MAYBE YOU DIDN'T MAKE IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE TARGET WAS TO ME THAT IF YOU'RE AT 90%, YOU'D WANT TO TRY TO STRIVE FOR 92% OR 91%.

AND IF YOU COULD DO THAT BY BRINGING ON ADDITIONAL BUILDING INSPECTORS AND MAINTAIN A FEE TO COVER THE ADDED COST OF THAT AND GET THE, THE TIMELINESS DONE, THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A, A STRATEGY.

UH,

[02:00:01]

UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR TARGET'S 46%, YOU'VE GOT 48% APPARENTLY, IF I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY.

UH, SO YOU KNOW LESS THAN, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN HALF OF, OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, YOU INTERACT WITH.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CROSS SECTION OF CUSTOMER SERVICE MEANS, SO I MAY BE OFF BASE HERE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE YOU NEED TO BE REALLY TARGETING, YOU KNOW, LIKE 70%, 75%, AND, YOU KNOW, ADJUSTING THINGS ACCORDINGLY IN ORDER TO MEET THAT TARGET.

UH, SO MY RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS WOULD BE TO STRIVE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, INCREASED STAFFING LEVELS AT THE INSPECTION LEVEL SO THAT YOU NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, GET YOUR TIMELINESS TARGETS UP, BUT YOUR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, UH, LEVELS UP HIGHER.

NOW, GETTING ONTO, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER SCOTT'S THING ABOUT THE TREE CANOPY, UH, YEAH, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT DO THIS, AND I BRING THIS UP ONLY BECAUSE I'VE GOT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

I WAS ABLE, THERE'S SOMEONE ON MY STREET TRYING TO, UH, CUT A TREE DOWN THAT WAS A HERITAGE TREE.

AND THE ONLY REASON I WAS ABLE TO GET SOMEONE TO DO IT IS BECAUSE I'M ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND I KNEW THE GUY TO CALL TO GET IT DONE.

YOU CANNOT FIND ON THE WEBSITE IN REAL TIME ANYONE TO CALL.

AND THE ONLY REASON I GOT A RESPONSE WAS I CALLED THE GUY, HE PICKED UP THE PHONE, I SAID, IT'S BEING CUT DOWN NOW.

AND 15 MINUTES LATER, I HAD AN INSPECTION PERSON OUT THERE.

I'M WILLING TO BET DIMES TO DONUTS THAT IF THERE WERE A AVERAGE CITIZEN TRYING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS AND REGISTER, YOU KNOW, FILE A THING OR WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, THE, AN ENTIRE FOREST WOULD BE GONE BY THE TIME THEY FOUND A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL.

I ALSO HAPPEN TO KNOW THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE YOU HAVE TO RESPOND TO THESE COMPLAINTS IS SHOCKINGLY SMALL AND THEY DON'T WORK ON THE WEEKENDS.

SO IF SOMEONE WAS CUTTING DOWN TREES DURING THE WEEKEND, YOU GET A VOICEMAIL AND YOU, THEY'D COME IN ON MONDAY AND THEY'D HAVE A VOICEMAIL AND X NUMBER OF TREES WOULD BE GONE.

SO I THINK THAT THE STAFFING LEVELS FOR THESE, THESE POSITIONS TO MANAGE HERITAGE TREE CUTTING NEEDS TO BE INCREASED.

IT NEEDS TO HAVE A WIDELY AVAILABLE PUBLIC PHONE NUMBER, AND IT NEEDS TO BE STAFFED EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS.

AND MAYBE YOU HAVE PEOPLE ON CALL, SO YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT PAYING A GUY WHATEVER YOU PAY HIM PER HOUR.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, WELL, IF YOU GET A CALL, THEN YOU RESPOND AND THEN YOU PAY THEM PER HOUR FOR THE ACTUAL TIME BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THAT WORKS.

SO I THINK YOU REALLY NEED TO BE A MORE AGGRESSIVE WAY YOU DO IT.

ALSO, THE FINES THAT YOU CHARGE ARE SHOCKINGLY LOW AND YOU KNOW, IT, IT COSTS MORE TO HIRE THE GUY TO CUT THE TREE DOWN THAN IT DOES THE FINE.

AS FAR AS THE, UH, LET'S SEE HERE, UH, UH, HERE WE GO.

UH, IN 1990, ON MAY 10TH, UH, YOU CAN GO, YOU KNOW, WHOLE HOG ON THIS.

THE GUY WHO POISONED THE TREATY OAK WAS SENTENCED TO NINE YEARS IN PRISON.

SO IF YOU GET REALLY AGGRESSIVE ABOUT IT, YOU CAN PUT PEOPLE AWAY JUST ABOUT AS LONG AS YOU WANT, BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE CONVICTED OF MANSLAUGHTER THAT GET LESS TIME FOR THIS THAN THIS.

SO, YOU KNOW, YEAH.

IF YOU AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE THIS, YOU CAN PUT PEOPLE AWAY FOR A LONG TIME IF YOU ARE WILLING TO STAFF UP AND GET PEOPLE TO DO IT.

THERE'S A, A CASE, UH, ON LAMAR, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE CAFE DOWN THERE THAT CLOSED MAYBE FIVE YEAR AGO? HILLS CAFE? WAS THAT IT? YEAH.

UH, SOMEONE DOWN THERE HAS KILLED, UH, FIVE FOUR HERITAGE TREES ON THE PROPERTY.

AND, UH, YOUR DEPARTMENT'S GOING AFTER THEM TO TRY TO GET, UH, YOU KNOW, GET THEM IN COURT AND, YOU KNOW, SO WHERE IS THAT AT? YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT ALSO.

UH, THERE'S, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO PUSH FOR A INCREASED PROTECTION FOR TREES FOR UPDATING THE HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE.

THERE HAS BEEN NO MOVEMENT ON THAT FOREVER, EVER.

I MEAN, IT SAT IN SOMEONE'S DESK DRAWER.

UH, I TALKED TO PEOPLE ON THE COUNCIL, I TALKED TO PEOPLE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION, AND IT HAS BEEN CRUSHED BY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S JUST NOT EVEN PART OF THE DISCUSSION.

AND THIS NEEDS TO BE, SOMEONE NEEDS TO BRING THIS UP AND PUT IT BEFORE COUNCIL FOR A VOTE.

AND IF IT'S VOTED DOWN, FINE,

[02:05:02]

OKAY? I MEAN, YOU WIN SOME, YOU LOSE SOME, BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND WE NEED TO HAVE THE COUNCIL STAND UP AND SAY, I DON'T CARE IF WE HAVE ANY MORE TREES IN AUSTIN OR NOT, I'M VOTING AGAINST IT.

AND THAT'S OKAY.

THAT'S A POLITICAL DECISION PEOPLE MAKE.

BUT THERE'S A NEW HERITAGE TREE ORDINANCE UPDATE OUT THERE AND IT NEEDS TO BE PUT BEFORE COUNCIL.

AND I HAVE A LOT OF OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I'VE RUN OUT OF STEAM, SO I'M GONNA LET SOMEONE ELSE TAKE IT OVER.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UM, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I TOO HAD, WAS LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THAT COMMISSIONER BRAMER WAS REFERENCING.

UM, ON SLIDE 11 ARE THOSE.

CORRECT.

SO, CUZ I MEAN IT DEPENDS ON HOW PEOPLE MIGHT LOOK AT THIS AND INTERPRET IT.

WHEN I SAW THE PROVIDE EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE, THE ACTUAL IS 48% AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IN REGARDS TO PERCENTAGES OF, UM, CUSTOMERS REPORTING SATISFIED OR VERY SATISFIED.

AND I JUST WAS DOUBLE CHECKING, ARE THOSE NUMBERS CORRECT? UM, CUZ I WOULD, SO I'M THINKING THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING WRONG CUZ I DON'T SEE SOMEBODY SAYING WE'RE HAPPY.

YOU I WOULD, I I WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTING A 48% CUSTOMER SERVICE SATISFACTION.

WELL IT'S BEEN, IT IS BEEN INCREASING THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

I MEAN THAT, THAT'S ONE THING.

BUT YES, THOSE ARE, THAT'S THE ACTUAL, THAT'S THE TARGET AND THAT'S THE ACTUAL, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW ON THE FORECAST.

ON THE, ON THE TARGET.

WOW.

THAT'S SHOCKING FOR ME PERSONALLY.

UM, CUZ I WOULD THINK IF THE SATISFACTION RATE RIGHT NOW IS 48%, MY TARGET WOULD BE INCREASING IT TO AT LEAST HIGHER THAN 48% AND NOT ACCEPTING 46% AS A TARGET.

BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE ACCEPTING A LOWER SATISFACTION RATE.

I MEAN, UNLESS I'M READING THIS TOTALLY WRONG.

I HEAR YOU.

I JUST TOOK OVER THE DEPARTMENT IN FEBRUARY.

I'LL LOOK AT THIS AND DEFINITELY WILL JUST AS NEEDED.

I WAS, UH, YEAH, SO I'M THINKING SOMEBODY PROBABLY DID SOME WRONG DATA ENTRY AND ALSO ON THE TREE CANOPY, UM, SAYING 36% IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE LOST SO MANY TREES AS A RESULT OF THIS LAST, UM, WINTER STORM.

I DON'T KNOW THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE CORRECT.

UM, SO YEAH, I UNDERSTAND.

SO WE ARE, WE ARE GETTING SOME DATA FROM, UH, PRIVATE SOURCES ON THAT AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE, HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED DEPENDING ON THE DAMAGE THAT WE FIND OUT FINALLY WHAT WE GOT FROM THE STORM.

OKAY, GREAT.

AND THEN IN REGARDS TO THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES NUMBERS, THOSE ARE ALSO TROUBLESOME FOR ME.

SO, UM, AGAIN, I'M WONDERING IF THAT INFORMATION IS, THAT IS, THAT IS WHAT WE KEEP IN RESERVE.

THAT'S THE MONEY THAT WE ARE SHOOTING TO HAVE 50% OF MONEY IN RESERVE IN CASE WE ACTUALLY GET TO AN ECONOMY DOWNTURN.

SO WE ARE ALMOST THERE.

I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S ALMOST THAT WE ARE GETTING TO TARGET ON THAT ONE.

SO YEAH, WE'RE NOT GONNA KEEP 100% OF THE BUDGET IN RESERVE, BUT AT LEAST 50% SO WE CAN ACTUALLY DEAL WITH AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.

SO THAT'S A GOAL THAT WE HAVE.

YEAH, THOSE NUMBERS I WAS, ESPECIALLY THE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WAS LIKE, THAT DOES NOT LOOK GOOD ON THE DEPARTMENT OR THE CITY.

UM, AND THEN THE TREE CANOPY WITH THE NEW LOSSES.

UM, ALSO, UM, WHILE I WAS LISTENING TO THE PRESENTATION, UM, ONE THOUGHT CROSSED MY MIND IN THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO THIS PRESENTATION IS JUST ANOTHER THOUGHT THAT I THOUGHT, I KNOW THAT WE'RE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES THAT THE CITY IS BUYING.

UM, SO THEN MY QUESTION THEN LEADS TO, AND SOMETHING THAT MAYBE MAY FALL UNDER OUR PURVIEW, UM, WHETHER THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE FIRST RESPONDERS, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IN FIREFIGHTERS, IF THEY'RE EQUIPPED TO SAFELY RESPOND TO ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CRASHES.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THIS IS A NEW, IT'S NOT A REGULAR CAR, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY FIRST ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CAR, THE TYPE OF EMERGENCY WAS DIFFERENT.

YOU COULD DIE AS A RESULT OF SHOCK OR, YOU KNOW, GETTING EXPOSED TO THE BARRIER VERSUS A REGULAR CAR.

SO I'M WONDERING IF WE ARE EQUIPPING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PROPERLY RESPOND TO THOSE.

AND THEN IF THEY'RE USING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CHEMICAL IN RESPONSE TO THESE TYPE OF ACCIDENTS, WHAT TYPE OF CHEMICALS ARE THEY AND ARE THEY ENVIR? HOW DO, HOW DO THEY IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT? SO THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT OF AS I WAS HEARING THE PRESENTATION AND I JUST WONDERED JUST NOT NECESSARILY RELATED, BUT I JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

I DON'T KNOW.

I ALWAYS WEAR A BETTER FIRST RESPONDERS.

VU TO, UH, WORKING IN DISASTER RECOVERY FOR THE STATE.

HI THERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.

AND ALSO, I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATED THE EXPLANATION ON THE, UM, THE BUILDING CODES.

IT GAVE ME SOME DEJA

[02:10:01]

SO, AND WE DEALT A LOT WITH I B C AND IRC AND YEAH, IT'S A LOT OF FUN.

SO, UH, REALLY THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE THIS EVENING IS RELATING TO STAFFING, JUST GOING BACK TO THE PRESENTATION WHERE OVER THE PROJECTED, I GUESS, UH, BUDGET PROPOSAL PERIOD OR PROJECTION PERIOD, RATHER, IT HAS THE SAME NUMBER OF FTES PRETTY MUCH ACROSS THE BOARD.

I WAS JUST HOPING YOU COULD MAYBE SPEAK TO THAT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.

AND THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE AUSTIN, AS A CITY AMONG THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS, IS KNOWN FOR SORT OF HAVING A LONGER DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE.

SO I SUPPOSE I'M JUST WONDERING WITH THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH THAT THE CITY'S EXPERIENCING WITH DOZENS OF PEOPLE MOVING HERE EVERY DAY, I GUESS HOW DO WE RECONCILE MAINTAINING THE SAME STAFF LEVELS WHILE ALSO TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE THAT GROWTH? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION AND, AND DEFINITELY ONE THAT WE ARE VERY WELL AWARE THAT'S A CONCERN.

WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE EFFICIENCIES IN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE WAY WE'RE DOING WORK.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND THE WORKS, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHY WE ACTUALLY GO IN THIS DIRECTION AND THE, AND THE DIRECTION THAT I GET THE FINANCE TEAM TO KEEP THE PHILOSOPHY.

LET'S, LET'S KEEP THET AS WE HAVE IT.

UH, THE DEPARTMENT IS GONNA BE, UH, DEALING WITH TWO CONSULTANTS THAT ARE COMING THIS YEAR, AND IT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE MANAGER, IT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE CITY MANAGER.

AND THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT, AT THESE, UH, TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO REDUCE THE, THE TIMELY, THE TIMELY REVIEWS AND INSPECTIONS.

I THINK THAT IN MANY WAYS WE HAVE BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO HAVE ASSISTANCE THAT DOESN'T WORK AND WE CONTINUE TO THROW, I WOULD SAY THROW MORE PEOPLE AT THE SYSTEM INSTEAD OF REALLY LOOKING FOR THOSE EFFICIENCIES.

SO THAT'S THE GOAL THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR.

UH, WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO FINALIZE THAT WORK FIRST AND SEE WHAT WE CAN GAIN ON THAT BEFORE WE DECIDE, OKAY, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE.

BUT BEFORE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT TO MAKE IT BETTER.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, BY ADDING AND CONSOLIDATING WITH THE BOTH DEPARTMENT, THAT'S GONNA ALLOW US TO ACTUALLY HAVE A NUMBER OF FTES THAT YOU DON'T SEE IN THIS ONE.

IT'S ABOUT A TOTAL, A TOTAL OF 162 FTES THAT ARE BIG CONSOLIDATING IN THIS DEPARTMENT.

AND WE LOOKING AT, UH, ELIMINATING DUPLICATION SERVICES FROM THE BOTH DEPARTMENTS.

SO WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GAIN SOME EFFICIENCIES AND WE HAVE INSPECTORS IN THAT SIDE TOO, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE CROSS-TRAINING AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THESE ARE DETAILS THAT WE ARE WORKING AS, AS WE SPEAK.

I MEAN, WE'RE JUST GETTING INTO THE, INTO THE WES OF THAT, SO I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE ARE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE JUST DON'T DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE CHALLENGES, LET'S, LET'S GET MORE PEOPLE, LET'S GET MORE PEOPLE.

THAT'S NOT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A SOLUTION RIGHT NOW.

LET US EVALUATE THE DEPARTMENT, LET US EVALUATE THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE, AND THEN WE GO FROM THERE.

UH, WE MAY, WE MAY ADD MORE PEOPLE, BUT YOU'LL SEE A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT BUDGET NEXT YEAR WHEN WE HAVE A CONSOLIDATION, YOU'LL SEE A BIG JUMP IN FTES MM-HMM.

, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE DEPARTMENT FOR BOTH FUNCTIONS.

SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

THAT'S A GREAT EXPLANATION.

AND YEAH, I, I WORK FOR THE STATE MY DAY JOB ALSO DEALING DIRECTLY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND YOU'D BE SHOCKED THE JUST THE AMOUNT OF EFFICIENCIES YOU CAN FIND AND WITH, WITH EVEN THE SAME NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES JUST SWITCHING AROUND SOME PROCESS FLOWS AND THINGS LIKE THAT CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

SO JUST, I, I APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION.

HI, MELINDA TIERRA, DISTRICT FOR COMMISSIONER.

I, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

IT'S VERY DETAILED AND UH, APPRECIATE THE FORECAST AS WELL.

UM, I THINK I RECENTLY READ THAT YOU'VE LOST LIKE MAYBE TWO TENURED PERMITTING, UH, REVIEW REVIEWERS, AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT AND HOW YOU'RE, HOW YOU'RE FILLING THOSE ROLES.

IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE VERY, UH, TENURED EMPLOYEES AND THE, THE CO THE BUILDING CODES ARE VERY, UM, COMPLEX FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.

SO IT, IT HAPPENED.

WE, I I DON'T KNOW IF SPECIFIC ON THAT, I MEAN, I KNOW WE HAD LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE, WE HAD LOST A LOT OF TALENT IN THE DEPARTMENT, WHETHER THEY'RE GOING INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR MAYBE OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE SEEN THAT WE HAVE LO WE, WE ARE LOO WE CONTINUE TO LOSE A LOT OF, UH, UH, INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.

UH, WE ARE BEING AGGRESSIVE ON OUR, ON OUR, ON OUR, YOU KNOW, UH, HIRING PRACTICES.

WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, TARGET, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE NATION, UH, THE TECHNICAL, UH, PEOPLE THAT, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET.

BUT AGAIN, WE ARE FACING THE SAME SITUATION AS ANY OTHER CITY DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE.

FOR THE MOST PART, WE ARE KEEPING A, A VACANCY RATE AT ABOUT 8.64%, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO WE ARE WAY BELOW WHAT THE CITY OVERALL HAS.

SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE STILL HAVE THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT JORGE HAS IN, IN, IN WATERSHED, YOU KNOW, ENGINEERING, UH, REVIEW AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

IT'S KIND OF HARD TO GET PEOPLE, WE ARE PUTTING SOME THINGS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW WORKING WITH H R D TO, UH, TO LOOK AT THOSE POSITIONS AND SEE HOW WE CAN INCENTIVIZE, UH, GETTING SOME OF THAT BACK.

BUT YEAH, IT'S, UH, IT'S A CHALLENGE.

WE BRING NEW PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO TRAIN THEM THE WAY WE DO THINGS IN AUSTIN BECAUSE WE ARE KIND OF UNIQUE ON THAT, ON THAT REGARD.

SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT, ON THAT CHALLENGE.

IT'S, IT'S REALLY, YES, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT

[02:15:01]

WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.

AND SECOND QUESTION IS IN REGARD TO THAT TREE CANOPY, UH, TARGET RATE AND, UM, IT HAD AN ASTERISK NEXT TO IT.

WHAT WAS THAT ASTERISK, UM, REFERRING TO? I DON'T SEE IT IN THE PRESENTATION.

APPEARS TO BE A PAPER.

UM, YEAH, YOU DEFINITELY COVER A LOT OF SERVICES.

UM, ONE IN PARTICULAR, I, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT, OUR ELECTRICAL VEHICLE CHARGERS, AND I SEE THAT YOU ARE REQUIRING PERMITS FOR THOSE INSTALLATIONS NOW.

UM, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO GET SOME SORT OF DATA OR REPORT ON THE, KIND OF THE TREND THERE ON HOW MANY INSTALLS ARE HAPPENING THIS YEAR AS OPPOSED TO LAST YEAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WE CAN, I THINK WE CAN PULL THE DATA AND GET BACK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN SEND THAT OUT THROUGH, YES.

THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW.

THAT, AND I THINK IT WILL IMPROVE YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

SURE.

COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, DO YOU HAVE ? YES, PLEASE.

UM, I WAS CURIOUS, OVER MANY YEARS, I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH, SO THAT MEANS THAT OUR TREE CANOPY IS SHRINKING.

SO I, I WONDERED IF YOU COULD GIVE US STATISTICS OVER, UM, A PERIOD OF YEARS TO WHERE, UH, I MEAN, I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THEY SAID IT WAS 50%, SO NOW IT'S LESS.

SO WITH MORE DEVELOPMENT, THE TREE CANOPY WILL GO DOWN.

SO, UM, I MEAN THAT NUMBER IS FRIGHTENING TO ME, BUT I UNDERSTAND GROWTH WILL TAKE A LOT OF OUR TREES, SO WE ARE REPLANTING AND TRYING TO MITIGATE THAT.

AND, UM, THAT IS PART OF YOUR COST AS WELL.

ARE YOU REQUIRING THAT WHEN A TREE IS TAKEN, THAT MITIGATION AND SO FORTH ARE, IS, I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHO DOES WHAT.

YOU DO THE INSPECTION AND THAT COST GOES TO YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THEN MITIGATION IS IT'S PART OF YES.

WHAT WE COULD DO IS ACTUALLY, IF YOU GUYS WANT, WE CAN ACTUALLY, UH, COME BACK AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM FOR THIS COMMISSION TO JUST SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT THE TREE CANOPY.

I WOULD LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL I GET, UNTIL I GET ALL THE DATA THAT WE ARE WAITING FROM A AND M UH, UH, UNIVERSITY ON, ON THE LOSS THAT WE HAD THIS, THIS YEAR.

WE ARE WORKING ON THAT AND, AND CALCULATING IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THE IMPACT, THE REAL IMPACT.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO COME BACK TO THIS COMMISSION WITH ANY SPECIFIC, UH, AGENDA.

AND IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN DO THAT TO GIVE YOU THAT DATA AND, AND WE CAN ACTUALLY DIVE DOWN ON, ON ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE ON THAT.

YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT.

THAT WOULD BE, THAT'D BE VERY WELCOME.

I WOULD REALLY, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW, UM, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD BE PART OF YOUR PURVIEW, BUT UM, I'VE HEARD THAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS GONNA BE REQUIRED TO MAKE LARGER SWATHS AND WHERE THE LINES GO.

SO, UM, MAYBE THAT COULD BE PART OF YOUR INFORMATION AS WELL.

AND THE OTHER THING IS, UM, I I JUST GUESS I WANTED TO PUT MY 2 CENTS IN WITH EVERYBODY ELSE SAYING, UM, THE INSPECTIONS.

UM, I'VE NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA.

IT'S LIKE HAVING A WOLF IN, OR YOU KNOW, A DOG IN THE CHICKEN HOUSE OR WHATEVER YOU CALL THAT.

UM, TO ME TO HAVE THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES BE IN CHARGE OF THE TREES , I'M JUST SAYING, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IF YOU WANT EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE, I KNOW BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE TREES.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SEVERELY DISSATISFIED AS I THINK SEVERAL, UM, COMMISSIONER BREMER WAS SAYING THERE'S NO EMERGENCY RESPONSE NUMBER EXCEPT THREE 11 AND GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.

AND I THINK ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, A GENTLEMAN CAME AND PRESENTED TO US AND SAID THAT, UM, HE WAS THE SOUND ENGINEER AND HE GAVE US HIS NUMBER AND HE SAID, IF THERE IS SOMETHING ON THE WEEKEND, BECAUSE I WORK ON THE WEEKENDS, YOU CAN CALL ME.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT HAS, IS STILL GOING ON OR, OR WHATEVER, BUT, UM, I THINK THAT THAT IS ONE AREA THAT YOU SHOULD BUDGET FOR, THAT YOU SHOULD BUDGET FOR SOMEONE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST CUT IT DOWN ON THE WEEKEND AND IF NOBODY GETS ANY PICTURES OF US DOING IT, IT'S ALL TO THE GOOD.

SO I THINK, I THINK YOU SHOULD REALLY BUDGET SOMETHING FOR

[02:20:01]

DOES THE CUSTOMER SERVICE JUST REFLECT, UM, THE REVIEWS AND INSPECTIONS OR IS IT PART OF THE TREE ENFORCEMENT THAT YOU DO, OR, OR WHAT GOOD EVENING.

ANGELA MEANS DEPUTY DIRECTOR.

SO I'M GOING TO ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

SO OUR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION POLL RESULTS, IT'S THE RESULTS OF THE CITYWIDE POLL THAT'S TYPICALLY CONDUCTED EVERY YEAR.

SO THAT STARTED BACK IN 2016.

WE HAD, UH, THEY CONDUCTED THAT IN 2017, 18 AND 20 RIGHT NOW, UM, DUE TO COVID WE HAD A GAP.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO DO THAT INITIATIVE AGAIN.

AND SO WHAT THAT CUSTOMER SATISFACTION POLL RESULTS ARE IS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.

UM, SO IT'S JUST NOT INSPECTIONS, IT'S REVIEW.

IT'S HOW WE WORK WITH OUR CUSTOMERS, HOW RESPONSIVE WE ARE, AND THE SERIES OF QUESTIONS THAT THE CONSULTANT ASK FOR THE, UM, FOR THE COMMUNITY, THAT'S HOW THEY DETERMINE WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS.

WELL, UM, THEN MY ASK FOR THE THE BUDGET IS, UM, PERHAPS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, I KNOW YOU FEEL, I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE SOME MONEY HELD BACK FOR EMERGENCIES, BUT IF, IF IT'S BETWEEN THAT AND HAVING SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO INSPECT TREES, UM, I'M, I THINK EVERY COMMISSIONER HERE HAS HAD A PHONE CALL FROM A NEIGHBOR SAYING, HELP US.

THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO CUT DOWN A TREE.

AND, UM, I I, I DON'T KNOW, WE, IT, IT'S A SHAME THAT THAT IS NOT AN ORGANIZED EFFORT ON Y'ALL'S PART.

SO I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE SOME SORT OF BUDGETING FOR THAT.

LET, PLEASE, LET ME LET GIVE YOU SOME GOOD NEWS ON THAT, ON THAT REGARD RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE I, I HEAR THE CONCERN THREE 11 IS THE LINE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD CALL WHEN THEY SEE IT.

UH, UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF THE, OF THE DIVISION OF SERVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SOME OF THOSE MAJOR LAWS IN THE SYSTEM, UH, THE CO DEPARTMENT HAS A STAFFING WORKING NIGHTS.

WE HAVE A STAFFING FROM 11 O'CLOCK, UH, IN THE MORNING TO EIGHT O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.

AND WE ALSO STAFF ON THE WEEKENDS.

SO MY GOAL ON THAT ONE IS THAT THEY WILL ALSO RESPOND TO THESE COMPLAINTS.

SO LET ME GIVE YOU YOUR NEWS ON THAT ONE.

WE HAVE A STAFFING, I, I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ON SUNDAYS.

I MEAN, SOMETIMES WE DO OVERTIME ON SUNDAYS AS NEEDED, BUT AT LEAST I KNOW THAT LATE FRIDAYS AND, AND SATURDAYS, UH, WE WILL HAVE STAFF OUT THERE THAT IN PARTNERSHIP NOW WE JUST ONE DEPARTMENT WE CAN BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THESE THINGS AND, AND I'M GONNA COMMIT TO THAT, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN RESPOND TO THESE COMPLAINTS UNDOCUMENTED.

AND ONE OTHER THING, UM, SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MONEY HERE, IS THAT I WOULD LIKE FOR THERE TO BE SOME SORT OF CITIZEN'S RESPONSE TO THE TREES.

I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO ORGANIZE SOME SORT OF, UM, LIKE A NUMBER OF STEPS, TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS, UH, DOCUMENT THE TIME.

IF NO ONE SHOWS UP A PROCESS FOR LIKE A CITIZEN'S, UM, REVIEW THAT, UM, YOU COULD USE TO EITHER HAVE THE TREE MITIGATED IF THE WORST HAPPENS AND IT IS CUT DOWN OR TO, UM, REMIND PEOPLE THAT THEY SHOULD WORK WITHIN THE PROCESS.

SO I WOULD, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

I, I KNOW IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD PEOPLE TAKE TREES AND THEY POST THEM ON NEXT DOOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO IF YOU HAD A PROCESS FOR THAT, AND I GUESS YOU COULD DO IT THROUGH THREE 11, IS IS THAT AN ORGANIZED PROCESS WHEN YOU CALL THREE 11, DO YOU HAVE A SET OF INSTRUCTIONS OR IS IT POSTED ANYWHERE ON YOUR WEBSITE AS TO WHAT THAT PROCESS WOULD BE? SO FOR THAT, REGARDING MY BEST RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS COMMISSION AND ANY CITIZEN THAT IS LISTENING IS TO USE THE THREE 11 APP, WHICH HAS THE FEATURE OF ADDING PHOTOS RIGHT TO IT.

UH, AND YOU CAN ALSO DO THAT ONLINE TOO.

UH, WHEN YOU CALL ON THE PHONE, OF COURSE THEY JUST GETTING THE INFORMATION, BUT IF YOU USE THE THREE 11 APP, IT'S VERY EASY TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND PROVIDE THE PHOTOS AS YOU ACTUALLY PUT THE CASE INTO THE APP.

SO WE CAN, WE CAN WORK ON THAT.

UM, TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE TREE BEFORE OR, OR I DON'T KNOW, LICENSE PLATES, UM, BUILDING PERMIT NUMBER OR WHATEVER.

I'M THE WAITING PLACE THEN.

WHAT I WOULD ASK OF YOU IS A PROCESS FOR A CITIZEN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO, UH, THE STEPS THAT YOU WOULD REQUIRE,

[02:25:01]

UH, IF IT'S A CONSTRUCTION SITE, IF YOU HAD A SET OF STEPS LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD HELP PEOPLE IDENTIFY, OR IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE THAT TO 311, WHICH IS ALREADY ORGANIZED, IT WOULD, WOULD BE QUITE HELPFUL.

WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL DO THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, LET'S SEE.

I JUST HAD, UH, ONE QUESTION.

WELL, BECAUSE LIKE Y'ALL WERE COMING BACK FOR THE TREE CANOPY, RIGHT? SO I'LL, I'M JUST GONNA WAIT AND WAIT FOR THAT ONE.

UM, SO WITH THE NEW FLEET, UM, WHAT, LIKE THE MORE, UM, LIKE THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, ARE THEY GOING TOWARDS LIKE FIRST RESPONDERS AS WELL OR IS IT LIKE, UM, CERTAIN, UM, PARTS OF THE, OF THE AGENCY, THE DEPARTMENT THAT THOSE VEHICLES ARE GOING TO YOU? I, I THINK IT'S AN OVERALL CITY GOAL AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM THE DEPARTMENT, FROM OUR DEPARTMENT'S VIEW AND ALL, UM, HOW WE ACTUALLY IMPROVE.

BUT I THINK IT'S AN OVERALL FLEET GOAL TO MORE TO, TO, TO GET TOWARDS MORE, UH, YOU KNOW, EFFICIENT VEHICLES, WHETHER THE HYBRIDS WERE ELECTRICAL.

WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN, IN, IN ELECTRICAL, UH, CHARGING STATIONS, UH, HERE IN THE GARAGE.

WE HAVE PLENTY OF THOSE AND WE HAVE SEEN MORE INSTALLED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO I THINK THE, THE CITY HAS THAT AS A, AS, AS ONE OF THE GOALS.

UM, AND I'M SURE THAT AS, AS AS THEY CAN BE USED, I MEAN, RIGHT.

UH, I'M NOT SURE YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW THEY WERE USE IN, IN AS A FIRST RESPONDER, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S THE GOAL OF IT.

THAT, YEAH, THAT WAS ONE THING THAT I WAS KIND OF WONDERING CUZ UM, LIKE IF THEY'RE ADDING ALL THESE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, IT'D BE GOOD TO HA MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE ADDED IN A LOCATION THAT ACTUALLY HAD CHARGERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S WHY I WAS KIND OF WONDERING.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, UH, THE ONLY THING I WOULD HAVE ADD IS I ACTUALLY HAVE USED THE THREE 11 APP, UM, ON FEBRUARY.

I SAID THERE'S AN ENORMOUS BRUSH PILE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.

UM, AND I AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE SAID THAT, UH, BUT UM, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, UH, I WOULD RECOMMEND I, I TRIED TO GO THROUGH HERE AND JUST MORE OR LESS REPORT SOMETHING.

UM, AND IN DOING SO, YOU KIND OF, THERE ISN'T ONE THAT'S CLEARLY A TREE VIOLATION OR YOU KNOW, TREE BEING CUT DOWN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I THINK IT GOES DOWN TO PARKS AND TREES.

BUT MAYBE JUST GET WITH THREE 11 AND, AND SEE IF THERE'S A, A FASTER OR MORE USER FRIENDLY WAY FOR CITIZENS TO USE.

YEAH, AND I WILL, I WILL DEFINITELY RECOMMEND TO USE THE ONE, THE ONE THAT SAYS ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLAINT.

CALL IN YOUR COMPUTERS DOWN AND THEY HAVE X NUMBER OF MINUTES TO RESPOND TO GET TO THAT SITE AND FIX, YOU KNOW, START WORKING.

UM, THAT'S ONLY, THAT'S THE ONLY COMMENT I HAD.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE BRONER? YEAH, UM, I GUESS, UH, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THREE 11.

I'VE NEVER USED THE APP BEFORE SO, UH, YOU KNOW, MY MAIL, MY MILEAGE MAY VARY.

UH, BUT WHEN I'VE CALLED THREE 11 TO GET SUPPORT FOR A TREE TYPE OF THING, IT'S, THERE'S A COLLOQUIALISM FOR IT, BUT I WON'T USE IT.

BUT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT, UH, THAT IT'S NOT VERY EFFECTIVE.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHO TO CONTACT.

THEY TAKE THE INFORMATION DOWN, THEY TAKE MY PHONE NUMBER AND THEY PROMISE SOMEONE WILL GET BACK TO ME.

AND GENERALLY I'M NOT GONNA LIVE THAT LONG.

SO I DON'T REALLY FIND THREE 11 TO BE A EFFECTIVE THING.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT BREAKS DOWN.

THE PEOPLE ON THREE 11 ARE VERY NICE AND THEY'RE, AND IN SOME CASES THEY'RE VERY EFFECTIVE AT TAKING THINGS AND GETTING ME CONNECTED WITH THINGS.

SO I HAVE NOTHING BUT PRAISE FOR THEM IN THE WAY THEY HANDLE THEIR INTERFACE WITH, WITH ME AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, AS FAR AS TREES GO, THEY'RE INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT NEVER GETS PAST THEM TO THE POINT WHERE THE, THE PROBLEM IS ADDRESSED IN REAL TIME.

AND IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO COME TO ME AND SAY THERE ARE TREES BEING CUT DOWN ON THE WEEKEND AND THERE IS NO WAY TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ANYONE WHO'S BEEN ABLE, WHO IS ABLE TO RESPOND THE WEEKEND.

NOW, IF YOU CAN COMMIT TO STAFFING THIS ON AN ON-TIME BASIS WITH A DEFINED RESPONSE TIME, WHICH IS LIKE WHAT IN THE COMPUTER BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO WORK ON AT NIGHT BUT THEY DON'T REALLY WORK, THEY'RE ASLEEP.

YOU

[02:30:01]

SO IF YOU CAN SET UP SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE WEEKENDS, ON THE EVENINGS, THAT MIGHT BE ACCEPTABLE AS OPPOSED TO HAVING SOMEONE FULLY STAFFED 24 BY SEVEN.

CUZ I UNDERSTAND THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH OVERTIME AND ALL THAT OTHER EXCITEMENT, BUT THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME DEFINITIVE THING AND YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMETHING ON A WEBSITE OR SOMETHING THAT'S CLEAR AND EASY THAT'S A COUPLE OF CLICKS AWAY.

YOU KNOW, I LIKE THE CITY'S WEBSITE, BUT THE CITY'S EXPANSIVE ORGANIZATION AND SOMETIMES TO FIND INFORMATION EVER.

AND THERE HAS TO BE, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME PLACE THAT DIRECTS YOU IN A COUPLE OF STEPS TO REPORT THIS TYPE OF THING OR KNOW WHERE TO REPORT.

IF YOU KNOW, THE THREE 11 APP IS THE WAY TO DO IT, IF CALLING THEM IS THE WAY TO DO IT, WHATEVER IT IS.

BUT THE CURRENT METHOD IS TERRIBLY BROKEN, IT'S INEFFECTIVE.

AND BY THE WAY, THE FEES ARE TOO LOW FOR CUTTING DOWN HERITAGE STREET.

I'LL BETCHA IF YOU CHARGE SOMEONE $150,000 FOR A TREE, YOU PROBABLY WILL PUT IT INTO THIS STUFF JUST RIGHT IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOU DID THE FIRST COUPLE OF THEM.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M AN ALARMIST AND THAT SORT OF THING.

BUT YOU'VE GOT TO FIX THE REPORTING SYSTEM AND THE RESPONSE SYSTEM OF, YOU KNOW, OF, OF THIS HERITAGE TREES BEING CUT DOWN.

IT'S GOTTA BE FIXED.

ALL RIGHT, LAST ONE.

MAYBE IT COULD BE, UM, A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR PER TREE YOUR HAS BEEN ALIVE.

YEAH, CUZ A HERITAGE TREE WOULD PROBABLY BE A HUNDRED YEARS.

UM, MY HUSBAND HAS A TREE IN HIS YARD THAT I MEASURED AND CALCULATED TO BE, UH, MORE THAN 400 YEARS OLD.

SO WAS IT WAS A YOUNG TREE BEFORE THE MAYFLOWER LANDED.

HOW DO YOU REPLACE A TREE LIKE THAT? YOU CAN'T, I I THINK THEY'RE, THAT, I THINK THAT THESE TREES ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE AND THEY SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH.

I THINK WE CAN INCLUDE SOME, SOME INFORMATION ON THE FEE, HOW IT'S ACTUALLY DETERMINED AND CALCULATED.

ULTIMATELY THAT'S COUNCIL DECISION AS A POLICY DECISION.

UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW, UH, WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOVERNING THAT, THAT FEE.

LET ME FIND OUT ABOUT IT.

WE'LL MAKE IT PART OF THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU ON THE CANOPY AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE FEES AND HOW THEY'RE STRUCTURED AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE.

WE HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS? CORRECT.

TO BE THOROUGH, THOROUGHLY THOROUGH.

I'VE GOT A MOTION, UH, AND I'M NOT GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING , UH, ON THE SUBJECT OF THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND FISCAL YEAR 24 TO 28 FINANCIAL FORECAST.

WHEREAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS CHARGED WITH THE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEV DEVELOPMENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT'S FORECAST AND ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.

AND WHEREAS THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICE DEPARTMENT PROPOSES OPERATING BUDGET OF, UH, 77.1 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.

WHEREAS THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS PROVIDED A PRESENTATION DETAILING THE TOTALS AND BREAKDOWNS OF THE FUNDINGS FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 28, WHICH IS INCLUDED BACKUP FOR THIS AGENDA.

UH, THEREFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL CO REC COMMISSION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF DSDS FISCAL YEAR 24 TO 28 OPERATING BUDGET AND FIVE YEAR REVENUE FORECAST WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.

DSD IMPROVE AND ANNUALLY INCREASE GOALS AND INDICATORS FOR ALL CATEGORIES, BUT MOST NOTABLY ONE, TIMELY PLANNED REVIEW AND INSPECTIONS AND TWO, PROVIDING EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.

TWO, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION UNDERSTANDS DSD IS REVIEWING THE DEPARTMENT STAFF EFFICIENCIES AND TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS.

BUT DSD CRITICALLY REVIEW IF ADDITIONAL STAFFING IS NECESSARY OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD.

THREE, AS DSD INCORPORATES CODE ENFORCEMENT STAFF, THE DEPARTMENT PROVIDE FOR TREE ORDINANCE VIOLATION COMPLAINT RESPONSE ON WEEKENDS AND WITH FASTER PROCEDURES.

AND FOUR DSD CONDUCT PUBLIC OUTREACH ON HOW CITIZENS CAN USE THE THREE 11 APP TO REPORT TREE ORDINANCE VIOLATION AND TRACK PROGRESS OF COMPLAINTS SECOND EVENINGS.

JUST

[02:35:01]

I I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE THING TO, UM, UH, LET'S SEE THE PART WHERE YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT THE TREES.

I JUST WANTED THE LIST, A DEFINITIVE LIST OF, UM, STEPS ADDED TO THAT IF YOU WOULD DSD CONDUCT PUBLIC OUTREACH ON HOUSE CITIZENS CAN USE THE 3 31 11 APP TO REPORT TREE VIOLENCE, TREE ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS AND TRACK PROGRESS OF COMPLAINTS YOU WOULD LIKE STEPS IN THAT PROCESS.

UM, DEFINITIVE STEPS TO FOLLOW SOMEHOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LIST.

PEOPLE ARE HYSTERICAL, THEY'RE UPSET, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

THREE 11 TRIES TO TELL THEM, BUT IF THEY CAN SEE WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, IT'S SO HELPFUL.

SO, YOU KNOW, TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH, GET A LICENSE NUMBER, WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY TELL US TO DO.

DO YOU SEE? YES, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST RUNNING AROUND AND GETTING UPSET.

IT, IT, IT ALSO MIGHT DECREASE, UM, HARSH WORDS.

IF PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO DO THIS, THIS, AND THIS AND NOT TRY TO CONFRONT, THEN IT, I THINK IT WOULD BE A HELPFUL PROCESS.

GOT IT.

I WILL TELL YOU THIS INTO THE COURT TO DO.

DSD CONDUCT PUBLIC OUTREACH ON THE STEPS NECESSARY FOR CITIZENS TO USE THE THREE 11 APP TO REPORT TREE ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS AND TRACK PROGRESS OF THE COMPLAINTS.

UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE MUTED AGAIN.

UH, COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, THE STEPS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE CITIZEN TO TAKE IN ORDER FOR, UH, THEM TO BE GIVEN A VIOLATION OR, OR WHATEVER.

LIKE WE NEED A PHOTOGRAPH.

THAT'S WHAT I'M AIMING AT.

THAT PEOPLE JUST LAY, PEOPLE WOULD KNOW THE PROCESS TO DO IT.

ANYTHING ELSE JUAN? THANK YOU SMITH IN THAT.

DSD CONDUCT PUBLIC OUTREACH ON THE STEPS NECESSARY FOR CITIZENS TO DOCUMENT TREE VIOLATION, TREE ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS AND HOW TO REPORT THEM ON THE THREE 11 APP.

HOPEFULLY THE VIDEO GOT THAT CUZ I DIDN'T TYPE IT.

UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION IN FRONT OF US.

RAISE YOUR HAND OR SAY, AYE, ACTUALLY RAISE YOUR HAND.

IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR ME.