[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION MEETING FOR MAY 10TH, 2023.UM, I WANTED TO FIRST OFF, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL TRAVEL TOURISM WEEK.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME FLOWERS HERE.
I THINK THERE WAS A RUNAWAY EITHER CORONATION OR GRADUATION SALE ON TULIPS, SO THAT'S WHAT WE GOT.
UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
UM, WE'VE GOT A FEW BUSINESS ITEMS BEFORE, UH, OUR TWO DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS HERE IN ATTENDANCE.
UM, AND, UH, BUT FIRST OFF, I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE NO, UH, FOLKS FROM THE PUBLIC WHO ARE GOING TO BE PROVIDING PUBLIC COMMENT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? UH, SO MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CHANIN.UM, DO I HEAR A SECOND? OKAY, SECOND.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MINUTES HEARING? UH, NONE.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION, UM, THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES IN QUESTION FROM OUR APRIL 12TH, 2023 COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, THOSE OPPOSED, THOSE ABSTAINING, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ABSTAIN? OKAY.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD THEM TOO.
WE, WE LOOKED IN, INTO THIS WITH LEGAL AND YOU CAN'T APPROVE MINUTES REMAINING.
YOU WERE AN APP
UH, THE MINUTES FOR THE APRIL 12TH, 2023, UH, COMMISSION MEETING OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[2. Introduction of staff liaison and new members, and discussion of vacancies on the Commission.]
FIRST OFF HERE WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING BRIEFING FROM FELICIA OJEDA, WHO IS OUR STAFF LIAISON, UH, FOR THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION.AND I THOUGHT IT'D BE GOOD TO, UH, GIVE HER THIS TIME.
I KNOW WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES ON, UM, ON THIS, UH, DIAS THAT WE'D LIKE TO, TO GET CAUGHT UP TO SPEED WITH A FEW LOGISTICS.
HEATHER, I'M WITH THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.
I'M YOUR STAFF LIAISON FOR THE TOURISM COMMISSION BOARD.
I'M THE ONE THAT PROVIDES ALL THE EMAILS TO ALL OF YOU.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA COMMUNICATE TO THE BOARD, YOU'LL GO THROUGH ME, UM, SO I CAN SHARE THAT WITH EVERYBODY.
ANOTHER THING, UM, I ADDED TO THE PACKET ALL OF THE NAMES, UM, THAT WE HAVE AS FAR AS YESTERDAY.
UM, WHO IS ON THIS BOARD? UM, DISTRICT THREE.
IT HAS NOT YET, UM, COMPLETED HIS, UM, TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.
SO THEN HE HOPEFULLY WILL JOIN US IN JUNE.
UM, SO AS OF NOW, WE ONLY HAVE ONE VACANCY, WHICH IS GREAT.
UH, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING ON SIX OR SO, SO, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE MEETINGS FOR THE QUORUM.
WE NEED SIX PEOPLE TO BE PRESENT IN THE, IN THE MEETINGS FOR QUORUM.
IF NOT, THEN WE WILL HAVE TO POSTPONE FOR, OR CANCEL OUR MEETING DUE TO LACK OF QUORUM.
SO, UM, IT ALL BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE HERE, UM, ON TIME.
I HAVE SHARED WITH YOU THE, UM, CALENDAR INVITE, SO YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT ON YOUR OUTLOOK WITH YOUR BC ACCOUNT THAT THE CITY PROVIDES FOR YOU, UM, AS A COMMISSION BOARD MEMBER.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME OR CALL ME.
MY NUMBER IS ON THIS FORM THAT I RE, UH, SHARED WITH YOU THAT HAS ALL THE INFORMATION WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS.
BIG THANK YOU TO FELICIA FOR ALL THE WORK SHE DOES TO PUT TOGETHER THESE MEETINGS.
SHE'S BEEN, UM, VERY HELPFUL IN PRODUCING THE AGENDA AS WELL AS, UH, THE ATTACHMENTS.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO NOW IS, UM, A BRIEF INTRODUCTION, UH, FOR THE NEW FOLKS THAT ARE HERE.
UH, I I WILL NOTE WE HAVE PERFECT ATTENDANCE TODAY, SO CONGRATS ALL.
UM, HOW ABOUT OUR DISTINGUISHED FORMER CHAIR, RACHEL MCGEE, COMMISSIONER, GOOD AFTERNOON ALL.
[00:05:01]
TERM, I GUESS OF, UM, SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION AND, UH, PREVIOUS TO BEING CHAIR, I WAS VICE CHAIR.PREVIOUS TO THAT I WAS A COMMISSIONER.
NOW I'M BACK TO BEING COMMISSIONER.
UM, I, UM, WORKED BEHIND THE SCENES IN LIVE EVENTS AND, UH, I FORMALLY WAS THE PRESIDENT OF MY UNION, LOCAL UNION THAT REPRESENTED THOSE WORKERS, UM, WAS PRESIDENT OF, OF THAT UNION FOR 12 YEARS.
SO I HAVE A KEEN INTEREST IN LOOKING AT TOURISM AND HOW IT IMPACTS THOSE WHO WORK, UH, WITHIN THE TRADES AND CRAFTS THAT, UH, TOURISM IMPACTS.
I THINK THERE YOU'RE, THIS WHOLE TIME I'VE NOT BEEN USING THE MIC, SO APOLOGIES.
UH, COMMISSIONER PINSK, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE AN INTRODUCTION? SURE.
UM, ANNA PINSK, THIS IS MY SECOND MEETING, UH, ON THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
AND, UH, I WAS APPOINTED BY, UH, MAYOR WATSON.
SO I'M REPRESENTING THAT OFFICE AND I, UH, MY FULL-TIME JOB IS A CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS, UM, AND WE'RE OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS THAT BRING IN A LOT OF, UM, TOURISM AND FAN BASE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND COUNTRY.
UM, SO THAT'S PRIMARILY MY INTEREST IN HOW WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY SO WE CAN HAVE MORE TOURISTS COME IN AND ATTRACT THEM WITH GREAT EVENTS.
COMMISSIONER PENE AND COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMMISSION SINCE IT WAS FORMED ALONG WITH JOHN.
I THINK WE'RE THE TWO LONGEST STANDING FOLKS.
AND, UM, I'M WITH, UH, AUSTIN PBS AND I WORK WITH THE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS BRANDS AND SOME OF THE OTHER AFFILIATES THAT TAKE PLACE HERE IN THE TOWN, THE A C L MUSIC FESTIVAL AND A C L LIVE.
SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH, UM, OUR ROLE, I WOULD SAY THE ROLE OF AUSTIN CITY LIMITS IN BEING AN AMBASSADOR FOR THE CITY AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WATCH OVER THE 20 YEARS OF THE FESTIVAL, THE VISITORS THAT COME TO AUSTIN.
SO I'M VERY STAKED IN, I THINK, INTO THE, UH, THE ECONOMY OF WHAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM MEAN TO THE CITY, AND I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS ENTITY.
UM, I'M A LAWYER, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE LAWYER HERE IN TOWN.
I'VE BEEN ACTIVE IN, UM, HOTEL DEVELOPMENT HERE IN AUSTIN AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
UM, ALSO AM A FORMER CHAIR OF, UH, WHAT WAS THE AUSTIN CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU NOW CALLED VISIT AUSTIN.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME'S I, EILEEN BASAN, COMMISSIONER RAAN.
UM, I AM ON MY FIRST TERM VERY EXCITED.
YES,
UM, BUT, UM, I WORK FOR UNIT HERE, LOCAL 23.
I AM A SENIOR ORGANIZER WITH THEM FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
SO I REPRESENT, UM, BARTENDERS, SERVERS, HOUSEKEEPERS IN THE CITY.
UM, SO THE PEOPLE KIND OF MAKE A LOT OF THE TOURISM STUFF HAPPEN.
UM, SO VERY INVESTED INTEREST IN WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CITY WHEN IT COMES TO TOURISM.
HI, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE MATHIS.
I'M STEPHANIE MATHIS AND I'M A DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING, UM, WITH ABRIDGE HOSPITALITY, WHO, UM, IS A THIRD PARTY MANAGEMENT, UM, COMPANY OF, UH, SEVERAL HOTELS, UM, ABOUT 30 HERE IN THE CITY.
THE PROPERTY THAT I'M AT RIGHT NOW, UM, IS THE HAMPTON INN, UM, RIGHT DOWN THE STREET HERE, ACTUALLY ON SECOND STREET.
AND I ALSO WAS AN AREA DIRECTOR OF SALES OF A COUPLE DIFFERENT DOUBLE TREES.
UM, THE ONE IN, UM, BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
UM, I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UM, MCCOMBS SCHOOL, UM, AND, UM, ALSO THE DOUBLETREE, UM, ARBORETUM AREA.
I'VE WORKED, UM, IN VARIOUS ROLES, UM, IN THIS INDUSTRY FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
I'VE ALSO BEEN, UM, AN ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, UH, WORKED FOR HILTON WORLDWIDE, UM, AS A DIRECTOR OF SALES IN SAN FRANCISCO.
UM, SO I, UM, HAVE CHILDREN HERE, UM, THAT HAVE GONE K THROUGH A, ACTUALLY A RISING SENIOR AND A RISING SOPHOMORE.
UM, SO LOVE THIS CITY, UM, AND
[00:10:01]
LOVE MY INDUSTRY AND LOVE TO BE OF SERVICE IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN.I'M WITH THE AUSTIN CREATIVE ALLIANCE, WHICH, UH, REPRESENTS, WE'RE A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION WITH ABOUT 400 INDIVIDUAL, UH, CULTURAL WORKERS, WHICH IS WHAT WE CALL ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS THESE DAYS.
AND ALSO PEOPLE LIKE RACHEL'S, UH, CREW WHO DO THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THINGS, UM, AND ABOUT 120 ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, WE DO SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THEM, EARNED INCOME, ADMINISTRATING CONTRACTS, VERY BORING STUFF.
BUT, UH, ONE OF OUR MISSION LEGS IS ADVOCACY.
AND THROUGH THAT I WAS ACTUALLY A PART OF ADVOCATING FOR THE CREATION OF THIS COMMISSION.
AND AS ED SAID, I THINK HE AND MIKE AND I WERE ALL ORIGINAL APPOINTEES FOR THE LAST THREE STANDING.
WERE YOU TWO, RACHEL? OH, I'M SORRY.
UM, SO, YEAH, I'M WELCOME TO THE NEW FOLKS
AND I'D, I'D LIKE TO ECHO THAT.
WELCOME TO EVERYONE, UM, NEW TO THE COMMISSION.
BUT BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WANT TO ALSO, UH, MAKE SURE WE, UH, REACH OUT TO COMMISSIONER KADI HERE ONLINE.
COMMISSIONER KATI, CAN YOU PROVIDE, UH, AN INTRODUCTION, PLEASE? UH, SURE.
UH, AS COMMISSIONER REEDY INDICATED, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH SOME OF THE EARLY WORK GOING BACK TO 2016 WITH THE VISITOR IMPACT TASK FORCE STARTED PICKING UP ISSUES AROUND HOTEL TAXES AND THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
AND, UH, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED PRIMARILY AS AN ADVOCATE FOR PARKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET SOME HOTEL TAX MONEY INTO OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THAT THE STATE RULES ALLOW.
SO THAT'S KIND OF MY, MY BACKGROUND.
AND, UH, MY NAME'S DANIEL RONAN.
I AM THE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION.
I AM ALSO THE PRINCIPAL OF RESILIENT HERITAGE, A CONSULTING COMPANY WORKING WITH ARTS AND CULTURE, NONPROFITS AND MUSEUMS IN FUNDRAISING, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AS WELL AS, UH, TAX CREDITS.
UM, WITH THAT, I WANNA THROW THE BALL BACK TO, UH, FELICIO HEDA, WHO HAS, UH, ONE MORE, UH, HOUSEKEEPING REMINDER.
I FORGOT TO MENTION, UM, THE VALIDATIONS FOR PARKING HAS CHANGED ITS SYSTEM.
SO ONCE YOU LEAVE FOR TODAY, UM, IF YOU, ONCE YOU GO OUT THE ROOM, GO TO YOUR LEFT, THERE'S A TABLE THERE FOR THE PARKING COUPONS, UM, SO YOU CAN GRAB ONE ON YOUR WAY OUT IN FOR THE GUEST SPEAKERS.
UM, AND ALSO, AS YOU LEAVE TODAY, THERE'S A SURPRISE IN THE LOBBY, UM, PERHAPS A BAKED GOOD OF SOME SORT IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL TRAVEL TOURISM WEEK.
SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STICK AROUND.
[3. Presentation by Kathy Dunn Hamrick with the Austin Dance Festival]
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR FIRST OF WHAT I'M SORT OF DUBBING COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS.UM, I THINK HERE AT THE AWESOME TO TOURISM COMMISSION, WE HAVE A PLATFORM UPON WHICH TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN TOURISM, AND IN PARTICULAR USING OUR BODY, UH, TO FEATURE A SPOTLIGHT ON THE EFFORTS ACROSS THE CITY THAT REALLY MAKE, UH, AUSTIN SUCH A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT.
SO, WITH THAT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME THE FIRST OF TWO PRESENTERS TODAY, UH, KATHY DUMB HAMRICK, WHO WILL BE SPEAKING ABOUT THE AUSTIN DANCE FESTIVAL.
AND SHE'S PROVIDED A, UH, PAPER PRESENTATION THAT'S, UH, IN FRONT OF SOME OF YOU, AND ALSO WILL BE PRESENTING IT ON OUR SCREENS BEFORE US TODAY.
WE CAN GO BACK TO THAT FIRST ONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY AND TO MEET ALL OF YOU AND TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I DO.
I'M KATHY DUNN HAMRICK, THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF KATHY DUNN HAMRICK DANCE COMPANY.
23 YEARS AGO, I FORMED MY COMPANY BECAUSE I'M A CHOREOGRAPHER, AND I WANTED A GROUP OF PROFESSIONAL DANCERS UPON WHICH TO SET MY WORK.
I ALSO COLLABORATE WITH, UH, MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS AND ALL KINDS OF DESIGNERS AND PRESENT OUR LONG DANCES TWICE A YEAR HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DANCES, IT'S CALLED PARADE.
WE ACTUALLY BUILT A THEATER INSIDE OF A WAREHOUSE SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A REALLY LONG, UM, PERFORMANCE SPACE, AND WE HAD THE BAND IN THE BACK AND THE AUDIENCE AT THE END.
WE LIVE IN A CITY THAT HAS A UNIQUELY AUSTIN MODERN DANCING.
IT'S SMALL, IT'S A LITTLE BIT STRANGE, IT'S
[00:15:01]
INDEPENDENT, IT'S WILDLY CREATIVE, UM, BUT PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE LOOK KNOW LITTLE TO NOTHING ABOUT IT.BUT IT'S THAT MODERN DANCE SCENE THAT DREW ME TO AUSTIN IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND IT'S WHY I CHOSE AUSTIN TO RAISE A FAMILY AND PURSUE A PROFESSIONAL LIFE IN DANCE HERE.
SO I'VE NOW BEEN WORKING IN AUSTIN'S DANCE COMMUNITY FOR 30 YEARS.
MY DANCE COMPANY HAS PERFORMED THROUGHOUT TEXAS, OF COURSE, AUSTIN, AS WELL AS CITIES LIKE, UM, SAN FRANCISCO, NEW YORK, CHICAGO, TORONTO.
WE'VE RECEIVED NUMEROUS AWARDS AND A AND RECOGNITIONS.
WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, NATIONAL COVERAGE AND OUTLETS LIKE DANCE MAGAZINE AND ARTS JOURNAL, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR LAKE DANCES THAT WE PERFORMED ON LADYBIRD LAKE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
WE DID THAT TWO SUMMERS IN A ROW.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN ARTS HALL OF FAME, YET THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE HEARD OF ME, MY WORK, MY DANCE COMPANY, OR MAYBE EVEN MODERN DANCE, WHICH IS WHY I STARTED AT AUSTIN DANCE FESTIVAL.
I HAD FOUR GOALS IN MIND FOR THE FESTIVAL TO ELEVATE THE PROFILE OF AUSTIN'S MODERN DANCE COMMUNITY, TO GROW AUDIENCES FROM MODERN POST-MODERN IMPROVISATIONAL DANCE, PROMOTE A DEEPER CONNECTION TO AND APPRECIATION FOR MODERN DANCE, AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOCIAL, CULTURAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC ENRICHMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AUSTIN DANCE FESTIVAL IS NOW A THREE DAY EVENT, AND WE HAVE, UH, PROFESSIONAL SHOWCASES, DANCE SHOWCASES BY MODERN DANCE COMPANIES AND FREELANCE CHOREOGRAPHERS.
THEY COME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
WE FEATURE A LOT OF OUT OF TOWN ARTISTS BECAUSE WE TYPICALLY WOULDN'T GET TO SEE THESE DANCE COMPANIES, BUT WE ALSO RESERVE ABOUT 50% OF OUR SPOTS FOR LOCAL DANCE MAKERS BECAUSE WE WANNA ELEVATE THEIR PROFILE, INTRODUCE THEM TO NEW AUDIENCES, GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO NETWORK WITH A LARGER COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION TO THE DANCE PERFORMANCES, WE HAVE A DANCE ON FILM SCREENING BY AN INTERNATIONAL ROSTER OF ARTISTS.
WE HAVE A MASTERCLASS SERIES AND WE HAVE A YOUTH EDITION FOR 200 DANCERS, TYPICALLY SOMETIMES TWO 50 AGES, 13 TO 18.
YOUTH DANCE COMPANIES TRAVEL FROM ALL OVER THE STATE TO ATTEND THE FESTIVAL EVENTS.
THEY ATTEND MASTERCLASS WITH GUEST ARTISTS.
THEY PERFORM IN PROFESSIONALLY PRODUCED NON-COMPETITIVE CONCERTS.
THEY ATTENDED COLLEGE DANCE FAIR AND A PRO AT Q AND A.
WE'RE A SMALL SCALE, SO YOU HAVE TO SORT OF MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS, BUT
THEY COME FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FESTIVAL, AND THEY BRING THEIR DIRECTORS, FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS AND FANS, AND THEY ALL BRING MONEY FOR FOOD, LODGING, TRANSPORTATION, ENTERTAINMENT, ET CETERA.
IN ADDITION TO BRINGING IN TOURISM DOLLARS, WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY BY RENTING THEATERS AND DANCE STUDIOS, HIRING, LIGHTING, DESIGN DESIGNERS, PRODUCTION STAFF, BACK OF HOUSE CREW, GRAPHIC DESIGNERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, VIDEOGRAPHERS.
I'VE SPENT MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE CULTIVATING AUDIENCES FOR MODERN DANCE THROUGH TEACHING, MENTORING YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHERS, UM, PRESENTING THE WORK OF OTHER DANCE COMPANIES, PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SCHOOLS AND DIRECTING ARTS RESIDENCIES FOR UNIVERSITIES.
OTHER THAN THAT, OUR MARKETING BUDGET IS PRETTY SMALL.
IT'S MAINLY WORD OF MOUTH, BUT WE DO USE SOCIAL MEDIA, ONLINE EVENTS, CALENDARS.
WE USE FILM, FREEWAY, MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS, POSTCARDS, POSTERS, THAT SORT OF THING.
ALSO, OUR OVER THE STREET BANNER, WHICH EVERYBODY SEEMS TO LOVE.
BUT I WILL SAY OUR BEST MARKETING TOOL IS WORD OF MOUTH AND, AND HAVING A REPUTATION FOR PRESENTING GREAT WORK.
GREAT CITIES INCORPORATE ALL THE ARTS INTO COMMUNAL LIFE.
THE LOCAL ARTS MAKERS ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE CITY.
THEY MAKE IT UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT AND INTERESTING IN THE PLACE WHERE I STILL WANNA WORK AND LIVE AND PLAY.
AUSTIN'S DANCE COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR IS LIKE NO OTHER DANCE COMMUNITY IN TEXAS.
AUSTIN DANCE FESTIVAL IS LIKE NO OTHER FESTIVAL IN TEXAS AND MAYBE EVEN THE UNITED STATES AND SOMETHING ELSE.
[00:20:01]
HAS THE NEW ORIGINAL WORK THAT I'M PREMIERING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AT ROLLINS THEATER.I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE WORK YOU DO AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK I DO.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, KATHY.
WHAT, UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT QUESTION? RIGHT, BUT THAT WAS JUST
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, KATHY, THAT I DO KNOW OF YOUR COMPANY BECAUSE I HAVE WORKED BACKSTAGE WHEN YOU WERE PERFORMING.
SO I, I AM AWARE OF, OF YOUR COMPANY, AND, UH, BUT I AGREE WITH YOU, DANCE IS VERY SMALL SCALE HERE IN AUSTIN.
LIKE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD, TALENTED ARTISTS.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO MAKE A LIVING HERE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SCALE UP.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I HOPE WE CAN FIND WAYS TO MAKE THAT BETTER, UM, BECAUSE IT'S GREAT THAT, EXCUSE ME, IT'S GREAT THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO EMPLOY THOSE.
YOU ARE, BUT SCALING UP MEANS YOU CAN EMPLOY MORE OR YOU CAN PAY MORE, OR EVERYBODY BENEFITS, RIGHT? SO, ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO.
UH, COMMISSIONER TENON, WHAT'S YOUR WEBSITE ADDRESS? KDH DANCE.COM.
AND THEN, UH, AUSTIN DANCE FESTIVAL.COM.
KDH DANCE.COM AND AUSTIN DANCE FESTIVAL.COM.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS, UM, HOW MANY AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND ARTISTS COME IN FROM OUT OF TOWN AND WHERE DO YOU HOUSE THEM? OKAY, SO SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY FOR THE FESTIVAL, WE HAVE, LET'S SEE, WE HAD, I THINK NINE DANCE COMPANIES COME FROM OUT OF TOWN THIS YEAR.
THEY TYPICALLY, I DON'T HOUSE THEM.
THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR FINDING THEIR OWN LODGING.
WE ALSO HAVE, I THINK WE HAD 10 YOUTH COMPANIES COME IN FROM OUT OF TOWN, AND THOSE ARE LIKE 30 KIDS WITH EACH MM-HMM.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DRAW THE CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR WORK AND GENERATING HOT TAX.
AND THEN SECONDLY, I'M CURIOUS, UM, IF YOU NOW OR HAVE IN THE PAST RECEIVE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING FROM THE CITY, THAT'S OUR BIGGEST THREAT.
THE LACK OF CITY FUNDING OR CULTURAL FUNDING.
IT'S NEVER BEEN MORE THAN ABOUT 25% OF MY BUDGET, BUT IT'S A BIG PART.
WHEN YOU'RE AS SMALL AND SCRAPPY AS WE ARE, 25% IS A LOT.
WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED FUNDING IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
WE WERE NOT GRANTED FUNDING THIS YEAR.
I WAS TOLD I WAS SCORED, I SCORED A ONE
SO YOU DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE PANEL ROUND? I DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE PANEL ROUND.
UM, I'M NOT SURE, UH, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO IT, BUT I WANT, WHILE WE HAVE TWO ARTS GROUPS HERE, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THIS PANEL AWARE THAT AUSTIN'S ARTS FUNDING WAS SUSPENDED THREE YEARS AGO.
AND AS MY EXPERIENCE IS, AND I THINK YOURS, IT'S HAD A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE ARTS PERFORMANCES AND THEREFORE POSSIBLY ON THE HOTEL TAX COLLECTION.
IT'S A PRETTY SERIOUS THREAT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S OUR BIGGEST, UM, CONCERN IS HOW TO HANG ON.
WELL, UM, MAYBE AFTER THE MEETING WE CAN CONNECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UH, I JUST KA KA ASK ONE.
UH, COMMISSIONER KATI, WHERE DO YOU GO? THAT'S OKAY.
UH, UH, AND I THINK I'VE HEARD FROM SOME OTHER CULTURAL ARTS GROUPS IN TOWN THAT THE, THERE'S BEEN SOME SHIFTS IN WHAT THE FUNDING DECISIONS ARE WITHIN THE, THE WAY THE, THE, THE CULTURAL ARTS GRANTS ARE DISTRIBUTED, WHICH I THINK ARE BEING DONE FOR A VERY GOOD PURPOSE IN TERMS OF BROADENING THE BASE OF PEOPLE THAT RECEIVE, WHO HAVE MADE, BEEN EXCLUDED FROM FUNDING, UH, IN THE PAST.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S A LAUDABLE GOAL.
I THINK IT IS AT THE SAME TIME, PROVEN TO BE VERY DISRUPTIVE FOR SOME OF THE INSTITUTIONS IN TOWN THAT WE HAVE WHO, UH, BASICALLY WERE NOT APPRISED OR READY FOR ALL THE FUNDING TO DISAPPEAR ALL AT ONCE.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA ASK YOU TO TALK ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, THE PRESENTER TODAY.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAYBE POINT THIS OUT TO THE, THE COMMISSION THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER THIS ISSUE.
UH, MAYBE ASKING IF THERE'S SOME LESS, I DON'T WANT THE WORD RIGHT.
[00:25:01]
WHAT WORD, WHAT THE RIGHT WORD IS.UM, I MEAN, WE WANNA HAVE MORE DIVERSE, UH, RECIPIENTS FROM THE FUNDS IN TERMS OF THE BREADTH OF OUR CULTURAL, UH, OUTCOMES.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE MIGHT NOT WANT TO COMPLETELY DISRUPT, UH, LONGTIME INSTITUTIONS AS WELL.
IT'S, AND IT'S A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE.
UM, I I, I, I DUNNO IF, IF, IF ANYONE WANTED TO TAKE THIS UP AS AN ISSUE OR NOT WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION.
I CLEAR WHEN I WAS ASKING, OH, GO AHEAD.
NO, I, I'M JUST, I'M NOT SURE IF I'M EVEN CLEAR THE WAY, THE WAY I'M ASKING THE QUESTION, BUT I JUST, I'M CURIOUS IF ANYONE ELSE HAS A RESPONSE.
UM, THERE IS A PORTION ON OUR COMMITTEE AGENDA THAT THAT SETS ASIDE TIME TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL FUTURE TOURISM COMMISSION, UH, TOPICS.
AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD PLACE TO DISCUSS THAT IN PARTICULAR, UH, IF YOU'D BE WILLING TO WAIT, UH, A COUPLE MORE MOMENTS.
IT, IT JUST SEEMED, I, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTOOD WHAT HER EXPLANATION WAS ABOUT THE FUNDING IN THE PAST AND WHETHER THIS MIGHT BE RELEVANT TO HER SITUATION AS WELL, THOUGH.
UH, DID YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR QUESTION THAT YOU WANTED TO ASK BEFORE? UM, KATHY, UH, LEAVES THE DAAS WELL, IS THERE ANY, UM, CAN YOU SHARE ANY INSIGHT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE, IF YOU'VE HAD ANY IN RECENT YEARS WITH APPLYING FOR CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING AND WHAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT YOUR QUALIFICATIONS, IF IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE GOTTEN FUNDING IN THE PAST AND THEN THEY STOPPED? AND THEN IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN SHARE ABOUT WHAT, HOW THE PROCESS IS WORKING NOW, IF IT'S CHANGED IN ANY WAY THAT YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND? I'VE RECEIVED CULTURAL FUNDING FOR MANY YEARS, PROBABLY 20 YEARS ACTUALLY BEFORE THAT BECAUSE I WAS A FREELANCE PRODUCER AND BEFORE I EVEN HAD MY COMPANY, I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S EVER TOTALLY HAPPY WITH CULTURAL FUNDING
IT WASN'T JUST GONNA BE A LITTLE WHILE.
AND SO WE WERE FELT VICTORIOUS WHEN WE MADE IT THROUGH THOSE COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND THEN IT WAS A GUT PUNCH, HONESTLY, TO BE SO, UM, SURPRISED AND KIND OF TAKEN OFF GUARD BY NOT RECEIVING ANY CITY FUNDING.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A PRETTY BIG DEAL, HONESTLY.
MR. CHAIR, COMMISSIONER REEDY, I JUST, I WOULD ILLUMINATE AS ALSO MY MEMBERS TEND TO GET FUNDING.
AND WHAT MS. DUNHAM IS REFERRING TO WAS RIGHT OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AT THE MOST VULNERABLE PLACE FOR ARTS NONPROFITS, UM, WHERE DONATIONS WERE DOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE PUTTING IN THEIR RESOURCES TOWARDS SOCIAL SERVICES AND, AND THOSE THINGS COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND CITY FUNDING WAS DOWN BECAUSE IT IS FUNDED BY TOURISM WHICH HAD COLLAPSED.
UH, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS MONEY IN THE FUND, CITY STAFF IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT CHOSE TO FREEZE FUNDING COMPLETELY.
AND NO OTHER ARTS FUNDING AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY MADE THAT CHOICE COMING OUTTA THE PANDEMIC.
SO THAT WAS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT.
UM, AND TO, UH, COMMISSIONER CANNAS POINT, YES, I THINK THE ARTS COMMUNITY WAS ACTUALLY FAR AHEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF D EI WORK IN, IN BRINGING IN NEW, MORE DIVERSE, UH, VOICES, PERFORMERS, CHOREOGRAPHERS, UH, YOU KNOW, IN OUR, IN OUR CURATORIAL AND HIRING PRACTICES, WE WERE ALREADY BEING INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE.
AND TO THAT POINT, IN 2018, 1990 9% OF ARTS FUNDING APPLICANTS RECEIVED FUNDING.
SO IT'S HARD TO MAKE THE CASE THAT PEOPLE WERE EXCLUDED WHEN EVERYBODY WHO APPLIED
SO WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR A REASONABLE EXPLANATION FROM THE CITY WHY THEY'VE MADE THOSE CHOICES THAT HAVE JUST CUT JOBS, CUT PROGRAMMING.
AND WHEN YOU ALSO, I WANT TO POINT OUT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT NON-PROFIT ARTS PROGRAMMING, IT IS FOR VISITORS AND FOR RESIDENTS.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE POINT OF OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING THE ARTS IS NOT TO HELP SOMEBODY LIKE KATHY DEVELOP HER PRACTICE, ALTHOUGH THAT'S A GREAT THING.
THE REAL POINT OF FUNDING ARTS IS SO YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITORS AND RESIDENTS TO CONSUME ARTS EXPERIENCES, TO HAVE ARTS, UH, YOU KNOW, EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND FOR SELF-EXPRESSION THEMSELVES, UM, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ARTS.
SO IT'S REALLY A COMMUNITY BENEFIT, UM, THAT WAS JUST HALTED, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE PANDEMIC, AND IT WAS KIND OF A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REEDY, UH, COMMISSIONER MICKEY.
AND THEN, UH, I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO WRAP IT UP FOR OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
AND I KNOW YOU HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT, KATHY, THIS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, SORT OF PIGGYBACK ON COMMISSIONER CANARD AND COMMISSIONER REEDY.
[00:30:01]
I DO THINK I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS BEING A TOPIC ON A FUTURE AGENDA, BECAUSE I ALSO RECALL, LIKE IT WAS DURING THE SHUTDOWN THAT THE CITY HAD BEGUN SORT OF THIS REWORKING OF CULTURAL FUNDS TO, TO BE MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE.UM, AND MY CONCERN, I ATTENDED ONE OF THOSE, THOSE, UM, WORK GROUPS.
AND MY CONCERN WAS THAT ESSENTIALLY ALL WE WERE DOING WAS DIVIDING UP THE SAME PIE.
SO IT JUST SEEMED MY, UM, ASSUMPTION, AND THIS IS WHY I'D LIKE TO GET OUT ON THE AGENDA AND SEE IF I'M ASSUMING CORRECTLY, IS THAT THE MONEY JUST, I DIDN'T REALIZE ABOUT THE FREEZE, BUT I JUST SEEM LIKE THE MONEY WAS JUST GONNA BE MOVED TO OTHER PEOPLE, WHICH MEANS IT'S TAKEN FROM OTHERS.
AND REALLY IT, WHAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT, IN MY OPINION, IS GETTING MORE MONEY SO WE CAN FUND EVERYBODY INSTEAD OF, UM, INCLUDING SOME AND EXCLUDING OTHERS IN, YOU KNOW, INCLUSION TO ME ISN'T MOVING AWAY FROM ONE ENTITY TO ANOTHER.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE POINTS, COMMISSIONER.
AND, UM, I, UH, WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE, I THINK YOU DO GREAT WORK AND I, I THINK A LOT OF US WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND YOUR JUNE
UH, I THINK IT'D BE REALLY GREAT TO, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW FOLKS BEHIND THIS DI WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU, UH, OR WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU TO BETTER QUANTIFY YOUR ECONOMIC IMPACT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST DANCE, BUT ALL FORMS OF THE ARTS AND CULTURE HERE IN, IN TOWN AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY MAKING IT A, UM, I THINK AN INVESTMENT THAT'S, UM, UH, REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T REFUSE.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY COOL TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR PRACTICE AS WELL AS THANK YOU TO THE AUSTIN DANCE FESTIVAL AND, UH, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING GREAT THINGS THIS YEAR AND NEXT.
[4. Presentation by Alex Alford with the Austin Shakespeare]
THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL ALEX ALFRED FROM THE AUSTIN FROM AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE TO, UH, COME AND PRESENT ON HIS ORGANIZATION.UH, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE COMMISSIONS.
I KNOW WHAT A THANKLESS JOB THIS CAN BE, HAVING DONE MANY THANKLESS JOBS IN MY LIFE.
SO AS A CITIZEN, I DO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ARE PUTTING IN ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, I AM ALEX ALFORD.
I'M THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE, A POSITION I'VE HELD SINCE 2008, WHICH SEEMS KIND OF IMPOSSIBLE.
UH, BEFORE THAT I WORKED 14 YEARS AT AUSTIN OPERA, AND BEFORE THAT I WORKED 12 YEARS AT ZACH WITH A COUPLE OF LITTLE STINTS AT THE PARAMOUNT AND THE UT BASS CONCERT HALL.
SO I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND HAVE A LONG ARC OF, OF HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY IN AUSTIN.
AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1985.
IT WAS STARTED BY THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO WENT THROUGH THE SHAKESPEARE WINEDALE PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, HAD SUCH A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY WANTED TO PERPETUATE THIS IN THEIR LIVES.
SO THEY NEGOTIATED WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO START FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT WAS COMPLETELY SUBSIDIZED BY PARKS AND RECREATION FOR ITS FIRST TWO OR THREE YEARS OF EXISTENCE.
WELL, THAT WASN'T REAL POPULAR WITH EVERYBODY.
THEY HAD TO FIND DIVERSITY OF FUNDING SOURCES, UH, WHICH THEY DID.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THINGS MOVED ALONG.
THEY WENT FROM ONE SHOW OF FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK A YEAR TO TWO SHOWS PER YEAR.
THEN WHEN THAT REGIME WAS OVER, THEY STARTED WITH ANOTHER ONE.
AND THEN THEY BEGAN DOING INDOOR THEATER AS WELL AS FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK.
AND ABOUT 2001, THEY HIRED THEIR FIRST FULL-TIME PROFESSIONAL ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.
AND THEN SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THEY EMBARKED UPON A CONTRACT WITH ACTORS EQUITY ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS THE PROFESSIONAL UNION OF ACTORS AND STAGE MANAGERS IN NORTH AMERICA.
IN 2007, THEY HIRED OUR CURRENT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CHICO.
AND THEN IN 2008, I WAS HIRED AS THE FIRST MANAGING, OR AT LEAST FIRST FULL-TIME MANAGING DIRECTOR.
UM, WHEN I STARTED, OUR BUDGET WAS ABOUT 217,000.
WELL, 1920 IT HAD GROWN TO OVER 500,000.
THEN OF COURSE THERE WAS THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT HAPPENED WITH CITY FUNDING.
SO IT WENT DOWN BELOW 400, AND NOW IT'S ABOUT AT 400.
SO WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.
WE ARE A PARA ETIC AND WE PERFORM IN MANY VENUES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DO KNOW US BECAUSE WE PERFORM FREE SHAKESPEARE AT THE ZILKER HILLSIDE THEATER IN ZER PARK.
WE ALSO PERFORMED TWO TO THREE SHOWS AT THE ROLLINS THEATER OF THE LONG CENTER.
SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE IS A REPLICA OF AN ELIZABETHAN THEATER IN AUSTIN?
[00:35:03]
THERE IS.THE CURTAIN THEATER IS A 200 SEAT, SORT OF LIKE A MINIATURE GLOBE THEATER ON THE SHORES OF LAKE AUSTIN.
AND OUR YOUNG SHAKESPEARE COMPANY, UH, PERFORMS THERE EVERY JUNE.
AND IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN, YOU SHOULD TREAT YOURSELF BECAUSE IT IS JUST A LITTLE JEWEL BOX ON THE LAKE.
UH, WE'LL BE THERE JUNE THE 16TH OF THE 25TH WITH THE COMEDY OF ERRORS.
AH, WE ALSO PERFORM AT THE K MFA DRAY MASON SPACE.
WE PERFORMED AT THE BALLET AUSTIN AUSTIN VENTURE STUDIO.
UM, WE PERFORM AT THE UT BATES RECITAL HALL.
SO WE GO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND THAT'S SORT OF PERTINENT TO THIS BECAUSE IT BRINGS IN DIFFERENT AUDIENCES AND WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT WE BRING IN A PRETTY, PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF WHAT WOULD BE CALLED TOURISTS BY AUSTIN'S DEFINITIONS.
UM, IN 2020, WHAT? 2122? WE SERVED ABOUT 10,500 AUDIENCE MEMBERS OF THOSE 1,454 CAME FROM OUTSIDE OF THE 50 MILE RADIUS OF AUSTIN.
AND THAT INCLUDED 142 INTERNATIONAL, 848 FROM THE COUNTRY AND 464 FROM OUTSIDE THE 50 MILE RADIUS WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, WE ALSO SERVE ABOUT 200 ARTISTS EVERY YEAR.
AND SOME OF THOSE ACTUALLY COME FROM OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN AND FROM ATLANTA, NEW YORK, WHEREVER WE CAN AFFORD TO HIRE.
CUZ ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN EQUITY COMPANY IS THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO EVERY ACTOR AND STAGE MANAGER IN NORTH AMERICA WHO'S A MEMBER OF THIS UNION.
AND WE DO SOMETIMES BRING THESE ACTORS IN USUALLY ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR, WE'LL HAVE SOMEBODY FOR THAT.
SO BASICALLY ABOUT 14% OF OUR AUDIENCE IS WHAT I WOULD CALL A TOURIST.
UM, THAT DOES COME SOMEWHAT FROM OUR FREE SHAKESPEARE AND ZER PARK.
MANY PEOPLE CONSIDER THIS AN ANNUAL EVENT IN THEIR LIVES, AND THEY WILL COME TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO DO THAT.
AND THEY'LL COMBINE, YOU KNOW, THE DIP IN THE POOL, HAVE THE PICNIC ON THE HILLSIDE, AND WATCH SHAKESPEARE UNDER THE STARS.
SO THAT'S BECOME A TRADITION FOR MANY PEOPLE.
WE HAVE SCHOOL BUSES THAT COME UP FROM THE VALLEY.
I MEAN, SO WE BRING IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE FOR THAT.
WE GET TOURISTS FROM THE LONG CENTER BECAUSE THEIR MARKETING IS TO A STATEWIDE AUDIENCE.
SO WHEN WE ARE THERE, WE GET OUR MATERIALS PUT OUT TO A MUCH WIDER AUDIENCE THAN OUR MARKETING BUDGET COULD EVER AFFORD ON ITS OWN.
UH, THEY ALSO HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE HOTELS.
SO MANY CONCIERGES KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING ON AND WE GET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THEM.
AND THEN THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN THE FACT THAT AUSTIN HAS THIS ELIZABETHAN THEATER, WHICH IS ONLY ONE OF 12 IN THE COUNTRY, BY THE WAY.
UM, SO THEY JUST WANNA COME AND CHECK OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT.
SO WE DO REALLY REACH A PRETTY WIDE AUDIENCE BY THE VIRTUE OF PERFORMING IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT VENUES, UM, THAT WE DO APPEAR IN.
YOU KNOW, AND THINGS WERE GOING GREAT UNTIL 2020.
AND OF COURSE THERE WAS THE PANDEMIC AND THE CHANGE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION FUNDING PRIORITIES.
UM, SO OVER SEVEN YEARS, OUR CITY FUNDING WENT FROM $102,000 TO 90 TO 58 TO 38.
AND IT'S BEEN ZERO FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
THOSE AREN'T, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT A, A HOLE THAT YOU CAN EASILY FILL, ESPECIALLY FOR AN ORGANIZATION OF OUR SIZE.
AND I DON'T GET A SENSE THAT THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION OR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT REALLY CARE.
I MEAN, THAT HAS NOT BEEN ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN COMMUNICATED TO ANYBODY.
THERE HAS BEEN NO ATTEMPT TO FIND ANY RESOURCES OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, JUST HALF-HEARTED PLATITUDES.
AND THESE ARE REALLY SERIOUS ISSUES FOR US.
YOU KNOW, OUR FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK, WHICH IS NORMALLY THREE TO FOUR WEEKS, WILL BE ONE WEEK THIS YEAR BECAUSE THAT IS ALL WE CAN AFFORD.
AND IT WILL BE A STRIP DOWN PRODUCTION WITH FIVE ACTORS INSTEAD OF THE 16 TO 18 THAT WE NORMALLY HAVE.
SO THESE ARE THE SORT OF CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE HAPPENING OUT THERE WHEN YOU PULL A LOT OF THE FUNDING, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAD DONE WAS WE USED THE CITY OF AUSTIN FUNDING FOR FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK.
THAT'S HOW WE APPLIED THE MONEY THAT WE GOT FROM THE CITY.
SO NOW THAT IS GONE AND IT'S PRETTY DEVASTATING HERE, AS YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST US, IT'S HUNDREDS OF ORGANIZATIONS NOW WHO ARE ON THE LOSING END OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND I HOPE THAT PERHAPS THE TOURISM COMMISSION, BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE WAY THAT BED TAX FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED, CAN LOOK INTO THIS AND MAYBE EVEN MAKE SOME SORT OF STATEMENT TO COUNCIL.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT WE REALLY ARE LOOKING FOR MANY OF US IS TO
[00:40:01]
GET OUT FROM UNDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.AND WHILE I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WOULD SOLVE ALL OF THE PROBLEMS, I THINK IT WOULD MAKE IT MUCH EASIER.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE CREATION OF MAYBE AN OFFICE OR AN ACTUAL DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND I WORK WITH COMMISSIONER REEDY OFTEN ON THESE, ON THESE ISSUES.
UH, HE IS VERY WELL VERSED IN THEM.
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, HE MIGHT BE THE FIRST PERSON THAT YOU WANT TO TALK TO.
BUT I'M CERTAINLY AVAILABLE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, UH, ABOUT THAT.
BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A REAL ISSUE.
SO I, I DO WANNA INVITE YOU TO OUR SHOWS.
UM, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE COMING UP.
ONE IS SHORT SHAKESPEARE, WHICH WILL BE OUR SHAKESPEARE SILVER CAR, AND THAT WILL BE MAY 18TH TO THE 21ST.
AND THEN YOUNG SHAKESPEARE WILL BE THE COMEDY OF ERRORS OF THE CURTAIN THEATER.
AND THAT WILL BE JUNE THE 16TH THROUGH THE 25TH.
YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT US BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE.ORG.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, MR. ALFORD.
UH, ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE.
UM, I REMEMBER YOU, I WAS, UH, YOUR SET DESIGNER FOR MIDS DREAM AT THE CURTAIN SOCCER PARK MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
I THINK IT WAS LIKE 2006 OR SEVEN, RIGHT, RIGHT WHEN I STARTED, I THINK.
AND, UM, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW, UM, MANY OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS, LONGSTANDING ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS CITY HAVE SEEN THEIR FUNDING DISAPPEAR.
UM, I LEARNED RECENTLY THAT BALLET AUSTIN AND AUSTIN OPERA DON'T GET ANY FUNDING ANYMORE EITHER.
UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN, I THINK AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE WAS DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB BEFORE THE PANDEMIC OF SLOWLY SCALING UP AND TRYING TO BUILD A ROBUST COMPANY.
UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE EQUITY CONTRACT, OF COURSE, I WAS ALWAYS HOPING THAT YOU WOULD SCALE UP MORE SO YOU COULD HAVE A UNION CONTRACT FOR YOUR STAGE HANDS AS WELL WITH II.
UM, BUT THEN THE PANDEMIC HAPPENED, AND AS YOU SAY, THE FUNDING'S GONE AWAY.
UM, WHAT DO YOU FEEL WOULD BE, WOULD ALLOW A COMPANY LIKE AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE TO BE ABLE TO SCALE UP? AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE HURDLES? LIKE IF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNDS ARE GOING AWAY, WHAT ARE OTHER OPTIONS ARE THERE FOR YOU? WHAT, WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU NEED MOST TO BE ABLE TO SCALE UP? WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAD REALLY BEEN GROWING ON A REGULAR BASIS, EXCEPT FROM A LITTLE OVER A 200,000 TO A $500,000 BUDGET, WHICH WAS MY GOAL WHEN I TOOK THE COMPANY WAS I WANTED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST GET TO THAT LEVEL.
AND RIGHT WHEN WE GET TO THAT LEVEL, WE'RE WITH THE 2 1 2 PUNCH.
UM, WE WERE DEVELOPING, WE WERE GROWING.
SO NOW WE'RE HAVING TO RETHINK AND REDESIGN OUR ENTIRE BUSINESS MODEL.
I MEAN, CLEARLY WE CAN'T RELY UPON A BIG CHUNK OF OUR CITY FUNDING, A BIG FUN CHUNK OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH CAME FROM CITY FUNDING.
SO IT WAS ABOUT 18% OF OUR, OUR BUDGET CAME FROM THE CITY AT, AT AT ONE POINT.
THAT DROPPED DOWN, OBVIOUSLY OVER TIME.
UM, AND, AND CHILO AND I BOTH HAVE LONGSTANDING POSITIONS IN THE, IN THE, IN THE CITY.
SO WE HAVE CONTACTS AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT BECAUSE OUR ATTEMPTS REALLY AT GETTING CORPORATE SUPPORT.
WE ARE A PERCEIVED GOOD, EVERYONE IS HAPPY THAT AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE EXISTS, BUT NOBODY IS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN FUNDING IT.
SO, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO FIND INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN WHAT IT IS WE DO.
AND OF COURSE, WE DON'T JUST DO SHAKESPEARE, WE DO CLASSICAL THEATER AND EVEN MODERN CLASSICS WE CALL, SO WE'VE DONE MANY TOM STOPPER PLAYS, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ELEVATED LANGUAGE.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE DO OUR PRODUCTIONS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR YOU.
I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE ALL KIND OF LIKE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND, UM, IN TERMS OF D EI, DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE COMPANIES, UM, THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FUNDING WERE GIVEN ANY OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE, UM, OR TO, UM, HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THE D EI WITHIN THE COMPANIES? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE MOST ARTISTIC COMPANIES ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN WELCOMING TO D EI INCLUDING MORE, UH, DIVERSE GROUPS WITHIN THE COMPANY, WITHIN THE PERFORMERS, WITH THE DESIGNERS.
AND I KIND OF GET THE SENSE THAT MAYBE NOBODY WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, SHOW OR IMPROVE OR, YOU KNOW, UM, ON RECORD TO SAY, WELL, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR D EI TO ANSWER THAT.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR COMPANY AND WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST WHO DID COLORBLIND CASTING,
[00:45:01]
I MEAN, FROM THE GET-GO.BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT IS BEING LOOKED AT.
WHAT IS BEING LOOKED AT IS YOUR MISSION STATEMENT AND THE COMPOSITION OF YOUR BOARD AND STAFF.
THAT'S WHY I'M SURE KATHY GOT A ONE ON HER SCORE, BECAUSE IF SHE DIDN'T HAVE A A A DIVERSE BOARD, WELL THAT'S LIKE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA GO ANY FARTHER WITH YOU.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE D E I SPECIFICALLY IN YOUR MISSION STATEMENT, THAT'S THE OTHER STRIKE.
SO NO ONE WAS AWARE THAT THESE WERE GOING TO BE THE THINGS THAT DETERMINED EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ONE FUNDING PROGRAM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE THRIVE PROGRAM, WHICH JUST RECENTLY CAME OUT.
BUT THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF MONEY WAS DIVERTED INTO THIS PROGRAM FROM JUST A GENERAL FUNDING GROUP.
SO NO, WE WEREN'T GIVEN MUCH NOTICE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS KIND OF OPAQUE AND GETTING INFORMATION WAS NOT VERY EASY.
ARE THERE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WITH QUESTIONS, COMMENTS OF OUR SPEAKER? I WOULD, I WOULD OFFER CONTEXT.
AND TO, TO VALIDATE WHAT ALEX SAID, UM, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE OUTSET OF THE FUNDING, UM, RECONFIGURATION THAT THERE WOULD BE A DEEP DIVE INTO DATA ON HIRING PRACTICES, AUDIENCE SERVED, ET CETERA.
AND EVERY CITY IN THE COUNTRY THAT ROBUSTLY FUNDS THE ARTS, UM, HAS LOOKED AT EQUITY.
UM, AND I'VE GONE EVERY CONFERENCE, I'VE EVEN GONE AND VISITED DENVER IN BALTIMORE AND MINNEAPOLIS TO TALK ABOUT EQUITY IN ARTS FUNDING IN THOSE CITIES.
UM, WHAT WE FAIL TO DO HERE IS ANALYZE THE HIRING AND AUDIENCE COMPOSITION, CUZ THAT'S REALLY WHAT OTHER CITIES VALUE.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MATTER IN MOST PLACES WHAT YOUR BOARD AND STAFF LOOK LIKE.
IT'S HOW MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF COLOR OR OF OTHER MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES ARE THEY SERVING? IT'S ABOUT WHO YOU SERVE, NOT WHO YOU ARE.
SO IT'S LITERALLY A RACE-BASED FUNDING PROGRAM NOW, UM, IN THAT IF YOU ARE BOARD AND STAFF OR A MAJORITY WHITE, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU SERVE, YOU'RE AT THE BACK OF THE LINE.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT WAS UNUSUAL WAS THAT AUSTIN'S SCORING RUBRIC WAS STRONGLY BIASED AGAINST LEGACY ORGANIZATIONS.
YOU ACTUALLY GOT A BONUS IF YOU WERE NEWER AND A, AND A, AND A, A PENALTY IF YOU WERE OLDER.
AND AGAIN, NEVER ANALYZING THE IMPACT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOSING JOBS AND PEOP ARTISTS OF COLOR ARE LOSING JOBS BECAUSE OF THIS.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY, UM, THE LAST PIECE ABOUT THE PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY, WE ARE OVERLY DEPENDENT ON PUBLIC FUNDING IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OUR CORPORATE COMMUNITY IS BEHIND, UM, THE URBAN INSTITUTE.
UH, MOST RECENTLY, I THINK IT WAS 2012, SO IT'S NOT SUPER CURRENT, BUT THE LAST TIME THE URBAN INSTITUTE LOOKED AT CULTURAL INVESTMENT, AS THEY CALL IT, AUSTIN WAS NOT WITHIN THE TOP 50 CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
WHILE WE ARE ALMOST A TOP 10 CITY IN POPULATION.
AND THE GAP IS FROM THE CORPORATE AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THEY JUST DON'T FUND THE ARTS.
LIKE IN CINCINNATI, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH IS THE, THE GOLD STANDARD, THE CORPORATE COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTES 15 TO 20 MILLION A YEAR TOWARDS ARTS.
UM, IN AUSTIN IT'S TWO OR THREE, AND WE'RE A SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER CITY IN CINCINNATI.
SO JUST TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT TO WHAT ALEX WAS TALKING ABOUT, I I APPRECIATE IT, THANK YOU.
AND I DO WANNA SAY THIS DOES MEAN JOBS.
YOU KNOW, WE HIRE ABOUT 200 PEOPLE A YEAR.
A LOT OF THEM DERIVE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THEIR ANNUAL INCOME FROM WORKING WITH US.
AND WE HAVE LESS MONEY NOW, SO FEWER PEOPLE CAN BE HIRED.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, THANK YOU TO BOTH OF OUR SPEAKERS.
UH, WE HOPE TO HAVE THESE COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS AS, UH, SORT OF A STANDING ITEM AGENDA FOR OUR ENSUING MEETINGS.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR GUINEA PIGS AND, UH, OFFERING, UM, UP SOME OF THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING HERE FOR AUSTIN AND, AND ITS TOURISM IMPACT.
UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND WE, WE VALUE YOUR TIME.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
[6. Discussion and Approval of future meeting dates (potentially canceling December meetings for the holiday break).]
I'D LIKE TO ASK THE COMMISSION WHETHER I MIGHT BE ABLE TO MOVE UP TO DISCUSS, UM, THE FUTURE MEETING DATES.I'D LIKE TO MAYBE GET SOME HOUSEKEEPING, UM, ITEMS OFF OF OUR AGENDA REAL QUICK AS A QUICK WIN, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
SEEING NO OBJECTIONS, UH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER SIX, DISCUSSION, APPROVAL OF FUTURE
[00:50:01]
MEETING DATES TO PROVIDE CONTEXT.UM, LAST YEAR, THIS BODY HAD DECIDED THAT WE WOULD MEET EVERY SECOND WEDNESDAY HERE AT CITY HALL.
UM, AND WITH OUR WONDERFUL STAFF LIAISON, FELICIA AHEAD, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE THIS WONDERFUL MEETING SPACE, UH, AT THE TIME THAT WE HAD DESIRED.
UM, UH, LAST YEAR, THIS BODY HAD AGREED THAT WE WOULD NOT MEET IN DECEMBER GIVEN, UM, THE BUSYNESS OF FOLKS' SCHEDULES.
SO I WANTED TO RAISE THE QUESTION NOW IN ORDER FOR US TO, UM, PLAN OUT OUR CALENDARS FOR THE YEAR, WHETHER OR NOT THIS BODY WOULD LIKE TO MEET IN DECEMBER, UH, WHICH WOULD BE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13TH.
UM, I GUESS THERE IS, UH, SURE.
UM, COMMISSIONER MCGEE AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL PAUSE.
UM, WE'LL THINK ABOUT EMOTION.
I AM ALWAYS IN FAVOR WHEN IT COMES TO VOLUNTARY BODIES OF TAKING THE PRESSURE OF FAMILY LIFE OFF OF THEM AT BUSY TIMES OF THE YEAR,
AND I WOULD MOVE THAT WE, UH, DO NOT MEET IN DECEMBER.
IF THAT IS IN ORDER WITH OUR BYLAWS.
DO WE HAVE AN A SECOND? SECOND.
UH, SO SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHANIN.
UH, THOSE IN FAVOR OF HAVING NO AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION MEETING IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, CANCELING OUR DECEMBER 13TH MEETING, SAY, AYE.
MR. CANDI, UH, AS WELL ONLINE, UH, PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE WILL NOT MEET IN DECEMBER OF 2023, UM, EACH, UH, YEAR, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, I BELIEVE.
AND, UH, FELICIA, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE, UH, DISCUSS FUTURE MEETING DATES AND, AND TIMES.
UM, SO WE'LL BE PREPARED TO DO SO AT OUR NOVEMBER MEETING, UH, TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THESE MEETINGS ARE ON OUR CALENDARS FOR 2024.
CAN YOU PLAN FOR IT IN OCTOBER? THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
AS WE'RE DISCUSSING HOUSEKEEPING, COMMISSIONER MCGEE? YES.
AS WE'RE DISCUSSING HOUSEKEEPING IN THE CALENDAR, I THINK WE ARE DO AN ANNUAL REPORT IN JULY.
AM I RIGHT, FELICIA? THAT IS CORRECT.
WE SHOULD MAKE SURE ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS AGENDAS, WE ARE ON TOP OF THAT.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I WAS GONNA PUT THAT IN, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FIVE TO DISCUSS OUR ANNUAL REPORT.
[5. Discussion of Tourism Commission including Annual Commission Road Map, led by Chair Daniel Ronan]
WITH THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE IN WHICH WE DISCUSS, UH, THE ADDITIONAL HANDOUT BEFORE YOU, UM, PROPOSAL FOR RECOMMENDING COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS FOR AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION.UM, AFTER OUR TWO PRESENTATIONS THIS AFTERNOON, UH, I WANTED TO GIVE EVERYONE ON THIS COMMISSION AN ABILITY TO INVITE A GROUP THAT THEY THINK, UH, HAS A TOURISM IMPACT HERE, UH, IN AUSTIN, AND OFFER THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION AS, UH, A PLATFORM UPON WHICH TO TALK ABOUT THEIR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE TOURISM ECONOMY.
SO, AS, UH, AN EXTENSION OF THAT, I WANTED TO MAKE IT EASIER ON ALL THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND I DRAFTED THIS HANDOUT THAT ALLOWS YOU TO EASILY INVITE, UM, A GROUP OR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO CAN SPEAK TO A PARTICULAR ISSUE FOR 10 MINUTES WITH FIVE MINUTES AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM, FROM COMMISSIONERS, UM, THAT CAN ALLOW US TO EXPAND THE CONVERSATION OF TOURISM HERE IN AUSTIN, AS WELL AS, UH, ENGAGE, UH, FURTHER WITH THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY COMMISSIONER.
BAILEY, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ASK? YEAH, I'M ASKING.
I, I THINK I READ THAT QUICKLY.
I, I'M NOT SURE THAT I NOTICED AND THAT, BECAUSE I READ IT QUICKLY, I MIGHT HAVE MISSED IT.
DOES IT ACTUALLY SAY, PLEASE COME AND EXPAND UPON TOURISM, UH, HOW TOURISM CONNECTS TO YOUR ORGANIZATION AND OR TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT WE COULD USE TO I DON'T SEE THAT IN THAT SURE.
SAY, UH, AS A MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION, I AM PLEASED TO INVITE YOU TO THE WHATEVER DATE OF THE MEETING OF OUR COMMISSION TO PRESENT ON YOUR ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION'S WORK ELEVATING TOURISM HERE IN AUSTIN.
[00:55:01]
YOU.SO IF, UM, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, I, I WANTED JUST TO, TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AS A, AS A TEMPLATE FOR YOU TO, UM, SUGGEST ANY SPEAKERS.
UM, WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME OPENINGS FOR NEXT MONTH FOR COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS WITH A COUPLE, I THINK THAT ARE, UM, FIRMING UP FOR, UH, JULY.
ONCE YOU START INVITING PEOPLE, THEY SAY THEY CAN'T COME THIS MONTH, SO THEN THEY'RE LIKE, WE'LL COME THIS MONTH.
SO, UH, WHAT WOULD BE NICE WOULD BE TO HAVE THESE, UH, PRESENTATIONS FIRMED UP WELL IN ADVANCE OF OUR MEETINGS.
UH, I THINK THIS MEETING WAS A BIT OF A SCRAMBLE TO FIND FOLKS AS IT WAS THE FIRST TIME.
UH, BUT THAT WILL GIVE FELICIA AND IT STAFF ENOUGH TIME TO COORDINATE THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS IF NECESSARY, AS WELL AS, UH, I THINK ALSO CREATE A REALLY GREAT ARC OF HOW WE WANNA APPROACH TALKING ABOUT TOURISM AND ELEVATING TOURISM IMPACT HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, SO AS SUCH, I, I JUST WANTED TO, TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR Y'ALL.
AND, UM, IF YOU COULD BE AS SO KIND AS TO CC ME, UM, THEN I'M AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DEMANDS ON THE, THE UPCOMING AGENDAS AND, AND CAN BE CERTAIN TO REACH OUT TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT, UM, YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE A PART OF, UH, THE DISCUSSION.
ARE THERE ANY THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS ON THIS? COMMISSIONER BAILEY? YEAH, I, SO I'M THINKING THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE HERITAGE GROUP AND, AND I THINK WE'VE HEARD THROUGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IF NOT, UM, AND I'M REACHING BACK NOW, UM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE STAY CONNECTED BASED ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING TODAY.
AND SOME OF THE AMPLIFICATION THAT COMMISSIONER REEDYS BROUGHT TO THIS.
IF, IF NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TPI, I MEAN, ALL OF THIS STARTS TO INTERSECT.
AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO BE INFORMED ABOUT HOW, IF WE'RE BRINGING MORE RAISING, UH, THE TIDE AND RAISING BUDGETS THROUGH TPED, HOW THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE, THEY'RE GONNA RECEIVE THE FUNDS ARE TAKING THIS INTO ACCOUNT.
I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR MORE ABOUT HOW TOURISM IS FACTORED IN.
AND I'D WANT, JUST WANNA RECOMMEND IN THE ROADMAP THAT WE EARMARK AND, AND I THINK JOHN WOULD BE HELPFUL, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CLEAR, UH, IN, IN GETTING THIS INFORMATION IN A WAY THAT IT CAN, WE CAN BE HELPFUL AND, AND USEFUL BASED ON THE TIMING WHEN GRANTS ARE BEING GIVEN, WHEN CLOSING DATES ARE WHAT WE CAN, IF, IF THERE'S INFORMATION WE WANNA MAKE RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL ABOUT THESE MATTERS, THAT WE'RE DOING IT IN A TIMELY FASHION.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT CALENDAR LOOKS LIKE, SO I'M JUST THROWING IT UP THERE.
THAT'S, AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SEGUE.
IF, UM, WE'RE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS HANDOUT, I'LL LEAVE IT TO YOU TO COPY, PASTE AND USE THIS TEMPLATE AS YOU SEE FIT.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL CUZ I'M, I'M LOOKING FOR, UH, PARTICIPATION FROM FELLOW COMMISSIONERS CUZ THIS IS REALLY YOUR BODY.
SO, UM, I, AND I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN GREAT TO HEAR FOLKS FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS HOUSING.
UH, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF, UM, INTERESTED FOLKS IN, UH, COMING TO SPEAK TO THE COMMISSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PARKLAND, UM, HOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, AS HOT TAXES CAN BE APPLIED TO PARKS.
UM, I KNOW THIS IS A PARTICULAR, UH, TOPIC OF INTEREST TO YOU, COMMISSIONER KATI, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE TALK ABOUT LEVERAGING THE HOT TAX FOR FURTHER INVESTMENT IN OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACES.
SO MOVING ON FROM THIS TEMPLATE.
UM, I WANTED TO PERHAPS JUST TO HELP GROUND THE CONVERSATION AND, UM, GIVE THE, THE TOPIC SCAPE, SO TO SPEAK, TO DATE OF WHAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS IMPORTANT HERE ON THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
UH, YOU KNOW, MOST RECENTLY TODAY, UH, WE'VE BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE OF CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING AND ITS IMPACT ON HOT TAX DOLLARS, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS AS A TOPIC.
UH, AND OF COURSE THE TPI AND, UH, FORTHCOMING RFQ OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER AND THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, I THINK HAS ALSO BEEN A CONCERN IN THE COMMUNITY FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD.
SO I'M, I'M JUST PUSHING ALL THESE ITEMS FORWARD, UM, TO BE PLACED ON THE TABLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOTING THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER IS MOVING AHEAD, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, I THINK INTERESTED AS AUSTINITES IN WORKING IN THE BEST, UM, WAY POSSIBLE TO, UH, PROVIDE AS MUCH OPPORTUNITY FROM, UH, THE EXPANSION PROJECT AND, UH, FOR, UH, THE EXPEDIENT AND BENEFICIAL USE OF PUBLIC DOLLARS.
[01:00:01]
THAT, I WANTED TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR GENERAL CONVERSATION WITH REGARD TO THESE, UM, TOPICS.AND IF THERE ARE ANY ON THIS LIST THAT, UM, THAT YOU MAY FIND MISSING, PLEASE, PLEASE ADD THEM.
UH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, REALLY HELP DEVISE WITHIN THE NEXT HOPEFULLY 20 TO 30 MINUTES A, UH, YOU KNOW, A REAL DIRECTION FOR AT LEAST THE, THE NEXT FOUR TO SIX MONTHS THAT CAN CARRY US TO THE END OF THE YEAR, TO NOVEMBER, UM, ABOUT HOW WE SEE OUR MEETING AGENDA SHAPING UP.
COMMISSIONER CHANON, DID I SEE MM-HMM.
SO I, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PART OKAY.
YOU KNOW, OUR SPENDING AND GREAT.
WHAT THEIR CHANGES HAVE DONE AND WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE.
SO WE'LL ADD THAT, UM, WITH THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, MAYBE HAVING E EASY D DO A PRESENTATION ABOUT, UH, THE CURRENT CHANGES TO THE, THE PROGRAM AND, UM, HOW IT WORKS FOR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS TODAY.
COMMISSIONER REID, UH, IF WE BRING THAT ITEM, I WOULD WANT TO SPECIFICALLY MAKE SURE THEY ADDRESS THE IDEA OF FUNDING ARTS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, CURRENT ELIGIBILITY INCLUDES THE FIVE COUNTY METRO AREA.
SO IN MY VIEW, THAT'S TAKING HOT TAX COLLECTED FROM WITHIN AUSTIN AND SPENDING IT OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN IN WAYS THAT DON'T CONTRIBUTE TO BRINGING MORE IN.
UM, THE CURRENT GUIDELINES SAY UP TO 49% OF FUNDED ARTS ACTIVITIES CAN TAKE PLACE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.
SO IT JUST FEELS ALMOST OUTSIDE OF THE REQUIRED STATUTE IN THAT THE POINT OF SPENDING HO HOT TAXES ON ARTS IS TO DRIVE MORE HEADS AND BEDS.
AND IF YOU'RE SPINNING IT OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN IN BASTROP OR ROUND ROCK, YOU'RE NOT REPLENISHING THE HOTEL TAX THAT YOU USE TO FUND THOSE PROJECTS.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IF WE DO INVITE ED D THAT THAT IS A SPECIFIC TOPIC WE ASK ABOUT.
UM, AND PERHAPS, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT, THAT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE SOME CLARIFICATION FROM CITY LEGAL, WHETHER THAT'S EVEN ADMISSIBLE.
I WAS NOT AWARE, UM, THAT THAT WAS HAPPENING.
SO, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE, UM, AND IN INVITING ED D I WOULD LIKE IN THEIR PRESENTATION FOR, FOR THEM TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FREEZE AND WHAT JOHN WAS SAYING ABOUT HOW THE ANALYSIS IS THE BOARD MAKEUP RATHER THAN YOU KNOW WHO YOU SERVE.
CUZ I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM WHERE THAT CAME FROM, IF THAT'S THE MODEL THEY'RE ACTUALLY OPERATING, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? AND BECAUSE THEN MAYBE WE CAN, IF WE KNOW THAT, MAYBE WE KNOW WHETHER WE HAVE LEVERAGE TO INFLUENCE THAT.
UM, AND THEN AS A SEPARATE ITEM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS LIKE MAYBE A FUTURE WORKING GROUP OR SOMETHING, BUT I'M VERY STRUCK BY COMMISSIONER REY'S, UM, NUMBERS, STATISTICS ON THE LACK OF CORPORATE FUNDING IN AUSTIN.
AND I WONDER IF THIS COMMISSION COULD SOMEHOW MAYBE PUBLICIZE OR LEVERAGE OR SOMETHING, BECAUSE THAT TO ME IS LIKE, THAT'S INITIATING A CULTURE CHANGE.
AND IT MAY JUST START WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACT THAT WE'RE SO FAR BEHIND BECAUSE MAYBE THERE ARE CORPORATE ENTITIES IN THIS TOWN THAT JUST AREN'T AWARE OF THE NEED OR AREN'T AWARE OF THE LACK OF CONTRIBUTION.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY INTERESTING THAT BOTH PRESENT PRESENTERS TODAY KNEW THEIR PERCENTAGE OF TOURISTS THAT THEY ATTRACT.
AND I FEEL LIKE IF WE'RE GONNA SPOTLIGHT FOLKS AND WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THAT THEY ARE BRINGING TOURISTS, THEN NOT ONLY DO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE RECEIVING HOT FUNDS, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD ARGUMENT FOR CORPORATE ENTITIES THAT PARTICIPATE IN TOURISM TO MAYBE THINK ABOUT CONTRIBUTING IN ADDITION, YOU KNOW, TO THE HOT TAX, BUT SUPPORTING THOSE ARTISTS BECAUSE THEY ARE BRINGING PEOPLE IN.
UM, BECAUSE IF ENTITIES LIKE THAT ARE ABLE TO SCALE UP, THEN THAT'S HIGHER PAYING JOBS AND MORE JOBS.
UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, NEW TOPIC.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN, UH, WE, I WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO STAY ON GETTING A PRESENTATION FROM THE AUSTIN HOTEL MOTEL ASSOCIATION.
AND I'D ALSO, I MEAN, WITHIN THE GUISE OF THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE, UM, GOOD TO GET SOME INFORMATION ON HOTEL BEING PLANNED BUILT.
HOW MANY ARE COMING, WHAT'S THE PIPELINE LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE IT'S BEEN PHENOMENAL THE AMOUNT OF NEW BEDS IN THIS TOWN.
[01:05:01]
IN PARTICULAR NEEDS TO STAY ON TOP OF THAT DEVELOPMENT GROWTH BECAUSE IT DOES ALL KEY BACK TO HOW WE'RE PROJECTING HOT TAX.AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS FEED INTO THAT.
BUT HOW MANY HOTEL ROOMS ARE, AND THE METRICS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, I, I I, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE METRICS THAT DRIVE SUCCESS IN THOSE BUSINESSES SO THAT WE'RE AWARE IF THEY THINK THAT 80% FULL IS HUGE FOR THEM OR NOT FOR THEM.
I MEAN, I, I, WE GET DIFFERENT INFORMATION ABOUT OCCUPANCY.
IT'S PARTICULARLY DIFFERENT FOR THE, FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER VERSUS HOTELS.
BUT, AND, AND WE NEED TO, NOW THAT I'M HEARING ABOUT THIS FIVE COUNTY THING THAT'S INTERESTING, I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF THE CITY AND WHERE THE HOTELS ARE.
PEOPLE GOING OUTSIDE, BUILDING OUTSIDE BECAUSE THEY CAN ESCAPE HOT ACKS.
DO THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO OUR COUNTY AND CITY LINES, OR WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH THEIR HOT TAX? I'M JUST, I THINK WE, IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE INFORMED ON THOSE ISSUES.
UH, AND IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE, UM, IN FACT COMMISSION, CHEN AND I WERE JUST AT, UM, A QUARTERLY BOARD MEETING FOR VISIT AUSTIN, IN WHICH A LOT OF THESE, UM, STATISTICS WERE BROUGHT UP IN TERMS OF OVERALL ROOMS IN THE METROPOLITAN REGION AND ALSO IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AND GENERAL AUSTIN, UM, AND THE DIFFERENT, UH, HOTELS THAT HAVE COME ONLINE TO DATE.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.
AND I THINK VISIT AUSTIN WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO PRESENT ON THE DEVELOPMENTS OF, UM, DOWNTOWN, UH, AND GREATER AUSTIN, UH, DEVELOPMENTS.
UM, CAN WE GET LIKE A THREE YEAR ON THAT TOO, OR FIVE YEAR? SO IT'S NOT A PROJECTION, HERE'S WHAT'S COMING NEXT YEAR.
I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT, OKAY, HERE'S WHAT THE ARK IS LOOKING LIKE IN THE CITY.
SEE IT EVERY, UM, HERE'S A MIC ON COMMISSION.
THERE'S A SALES LEADER MEETING FOR VISIT AUSTIN, UM, QUARTERLY, AND WE GET THOSE UPDATES, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE WITH YOU.
I KNOW THEY WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO COME AND, AND ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS AND I COULD EVEN REASONABLY ANSWER.
UM, AND ALSO I WOULD SAY TOO, PROBABLY THE, UH, IMPACT ON HOT TAX REVENUE WITH THOSE HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS.
UH, COMMISSIONER PENOS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE, UH, ED D COME AND PRESENT, THAT MAYBE EITHER IN ADVANCE WE CAN REQUEST DATA ON, UH, KIND OF HOT TAXES AND HOW THEY BUDGET IT OUT AND HOW THEY DO THEIR ALLOCATIONS MAYBE AHEAD OF THEIR PRESENTATION, OR GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND HAVE US ASK THE QUESTIONS SO WE CAN DO SOME DATA FINDING BEFORE WE, CUZ I THINK THERE'S A LOT HERE.
SO THE ED D I I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW, AND I FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD JUST HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, COME IN AND BE PREPARED TO PRESENT KIND OF HOW THEY DO THEIR BUDGET AND WHERE THE FUNDING GOES AND HOW MUCH THEY RECEIVE IN HOT TAXES.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN, ONCE WE GATHER THE DATA, I THINK COMMISSIONER MCGEE, YOU MADE A GOOD POINT, THEN WE CAN MAYBE HAVE LIKE A REC RECOMMENDATION IF IT WAS COUNSELED THAT HAD THIS, YOU KNOW, FIVE DISTRICTS THING OR WHY THE FUNDING ISN'T ALLOCATED, LIKE WHY THEY MADE THE DECISIONS THEY MADE.
FIND THAT OUT BEFORE WE START KIND OF PEPPERING THEM WITH
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? NO, I THINK THAT'S A, UM, A GREAT POINT.
AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT TOO IS, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, UH, COMMISSIONER PENOS, THERE'S LOTS OF INFORMATION AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE REALLY, UH, DILIGENT IN HOW WE STRUCTURE OUR, OUR CITY COUNCIL RATHER
UM, SO, SO YOU ALL KNOW WE HAVE EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO BOTH THE AUSTIN AND TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATIONS AND DO ANTICIPATE, UH, AT THE VERY LEAST, UM, THE TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION TO BE AN ATTENDANCE NEXT MEETING HERE AT THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH THE OFFICE OF TOURISM, UH, AT THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHICH IS, UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, FELICIA.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS A JULY OR AUGUST MEETING PROPOSED.
UH, SO THESE AGENDAS, I THINK ARE COMING TOGETHER GENERALLY BASED OFF OF WHAT THIS BODY SAID THAT IT WANTED TO DISCUSS IN PAST MEETINGS AND, UH, FRANKLY, TO, TO GET AHEAD OF THE NEED TO CREATE THE AGENDAS.
[01:10:01]
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH VALE JUST TO, TO GET INVITES OUT THERE TO SEE WHEN PEOPLE ARE AVAILABLE TO ATTEND OUR MEETINGS.UM, SO MOVING FORWARD, IT'D BE AMAZING IF WE COULD COORDINATE PERHAPS MORE THEMATICALLY WHAT EACH MEETING, UH, YOU KNOW, WISHES TO ACHIEVE.
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF WE'D LIKE TO BE MORE STRATEGIC ABOUT DISCUSSING THE NEEDS OF, UH, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE AND THE USE OF HOT TAX DOLLARS, WE COULD HAVE OUR COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS REFLECT, UM, THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AND THEN HAVE INVITED, UH, PRESENTERS FROM THE CITY OR OTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, UH, DEALING IN TOURISM, UH, THROUGHOUT THAT MEETING.
SO THAT COULD HELP US, UH, I THINK BETTER COMMUNICATE, UM, OUR VALUE, UM, AS A COMMISSION AND ALSO PERHAPS KEEP US MORE ON TASK WITH A, A DEFINITIVE, UH, TOPIC.
UH, COMMISSIONER KANI, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD ABOUT, UM, PERHAPS PARKS AND OPEN SPACE? OH, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
YOU'RE ON MUTE, COMMISSIONER, OF COURSE.
UM, I THINK WE'VE STARTED DOWN THE ROAD, UH, AND JUST NEED TO GET BACK IN THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE THE METAPHOR OF, OF ENGAGING SOME FEEDBACK ON HOW THE FUNDING SCENARIOS COULD BENEFIT OUR PARKS THAT ARE SOMEHOW EXPIRED AND CONNECTED BY TOURISM.
I JUST, UM, IT'S THE SAME THING AS BEFORE.
WE HAD A, A FEW MEETINGS AND, AND WE WERE SOLICITING INPUT FROM OUTSIDE THE TOURISM COMMISSION FROM THE DIFFERENT PARKS FOLKS.
AND I, UM, JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO, IT'S WORTH PURSUING GREAT.
DESPITE MY FAILURE TO EXECUTE
UM, I DON'T WANT TO, UM, MOVE TOO FAR AHEAD CUZ WE DO HAVE UPDATES FROM OUR TPI D AS WELL AS PARKS, UH, WORKING GROUPS, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE WORKING GROUPS, UH, WITH REGARD TO, UH, HOT TAX REVENUE.
AND I, I THINK IT, IT WOULD ALSO BEHOOVE THIS BODY TO AS, UM, I THINK WE, UH, POINTED OUT EARLIER, UH, WITH A FORMER, UH, COMMUNITY PRESENTATION TO TALK ABOUT NOT ONLY THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE BY ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTITIES AND, YOU KNOW, UH, THE GREAT BENEFITS THAT PARKS AND OPEN SPACE PROVIDE AUSTIN, BUT ALSO FINDING WAYS TO QUANTIFY THEIR IMPACT IN AUSTIN, SPECIFICALLY FOR TOURISM.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY TRYING TO HELP TOURISM BE MORE OF AN ECONOMIC DRIVER THAT IT IS, AND IT BEING MORE ALL-ENCOMPASSING OF ALL OF THE, UH, BENEFITS OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, ECONOMIC SECTOR SECTORS THAT MAKE IT, UM, SUCH A POWERHOUSE FOR AUSTIN.
AND, UH, FRANKLY, OUR WAY OF LIFE.
I, I COULDN'T SEE THIS TOWN WITHOUT MUSIC.
THE ARTS, OUR OPEN SPACE, UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST THE BROADER LIVABILITY OF, OF THIS WONDERFUL PLACE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL TOPICS BEFORE WE MOVE DOWN OUR LIST THAT WE PERHAPS WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR? COMMISSIONER PIAN.
ARE WE AS A BODY ABLE TO HAVE LIKE A SUB UH, COMMITTEE ON SOME, A NON-CORE SUBCOMMITTEE THAT COULD VISIT WITH, WHETHER IT'S THE ED D OR WITH A SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBER, SOMETHING IMPACTING THEIR DISTRICT? LIKE ZCO PARK IS IN WHICHEVER COUNCIL MEMBER'S DISTRICT THEN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THESE ITEMS MORE DETAILED, CUZ I KNOW WE'RE LIMITED IN TIME HERE, AND SO THAT COMMITTEE COULD FIND MORE DATA AND THEN PRESENT TO THE BOARD, UH, CAN COMMISSION
UH, IT'S BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING SINCE THE FORMATION, BUT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE COMMITTEES, BUT WE MAY HAVE WORKING GROUPS THAT TECHNICALLY IS CORRECT.
UM, I'VE BEEN CALLING THEM WORKING COMMITTEES, UM, INCORRECTLY.
THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
BUT, UH, WE DO HAVE WORKING GROUPS AND, UH, SO LONG AS THAT WE DO NOT APPROACH A QUORUM, UH, WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE MORE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATIONS THAT ALSO INCLUDE MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT FORMALLY A PART OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
SO WE WOULD LOVE, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR NEW FOLKS ON, YOU KNOW, UM, COMMISSIONER BAAN AND COMMISSIONER MATHIS, AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER SIAN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THOSE WORKING GROUPS.
I KNOW MIKE, UM, EXCUSE ME, UH, COMMISSIONER KATI HAS TAKEN THE LEAD ON PARKS AND OPEN SPACE AND COULD USE, UM, SOME INTERESTED FOLKS.
IT, IT MAY BE SOUNDING LIKE THAT WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF INTEREST IN CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING AS IT APPLIES TO HOT TAX FUNDING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS BODY WOULD, UH, APPRECIATE HAVING ANOTHER WORKING GROUP.
UM, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY IN THE REALM WITHIN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY.
THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER WORKING GROUP THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GET TO LATER IN THIS MEETING, UM, ON OUR AGENDA FOR THE FORTHCOMING TPI, UM, THAT THE HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS
[01:15:01]
IS POSITING.UM, BUT, UH, I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN GETTING OUR NEW FOLKS ENGAGED IN, IN THINKING CRITICALLY AND, UM, DEEPLY ABOUT MANY OF THESE ISSUES.
UH, FELICIA, DID YOU HAVE MS. OJEDA? THANK YOU.
I JUST WANNA REMIND THE BOARD THAT WORKING GROUPS ARE NOT A, A LONG TERM, UM, POSITION.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WHAT YOU'RE WORKING TOWARDS AND THEN BE DONE WITH IT.
IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE LONG TERM AS FAR AS LIKE YEARS STANDING.
SO YOU MIGHT NEED TO BE WRAPPING THE TWO YOU HAVE UP AND THEN YOU CAN START THE NEW ONES AND THAT WAY PEOPLE CAN MIX IT UP.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, COMMENT.
UM, MS. OJEDA, I DON'T WANNA KEEP CALLING YOU FELICIA, BUT PROVIDE THAT TA SORRY.
UH, I, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR POINT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, COMING INTO THIS BODY ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I THINK WE STILL HAD THESE WORKING GROUPS THEN, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, SO PERHAPS WHAT WE CAN DO TO FORMALIZE, UM, A DISSOLUTION AND RESOLUTION IS THAT A RECONSTITUTION OF OUR WORKING GROUPS IS TO WAIT UNTIL JULY WHEN WE SUBMIT OUR ANNUAL REPORT AND THEN WORK IN OUR JULY MEETING TO RECONSTITUTE THE, UH, WORKING GROUPS THAT THIS BODY WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE, WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE NEW ONES WE'D LIKE TO ADD, AND, UH, HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION AT THAT POINT.
COMMISSIONER MCGEE, IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM WHAT, UM, ALICIA HAS JUST SAID THAT EXPLAINS WHY THEY'RE, WHY COMMITTEES ARE NOT NOW BYLAWS.
BECAUSE WITH A COMMITTEE YOU CAN HAVE A STANDING COMMITTEE AND IT CAN BE LONG RUNNING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A WORKING GROUP IS SUPPOSED TO FUNCTION LIKE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE IN THAT IT'S TASKED WITH, THIS IS THE GOAL, THE WORKING GROUP WORKS OUT HOW TO GET THE GOAL, PRESENTS IT TO THE COMMISSION.
THE COMMISSION MOVES IT FORWARD.
AND I THINK WE HAVEN'T, MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR GOALS AGAIN WITH OUR WORKING GROUPS.
CUZ I THINK WE'VE, LIKE WITH TPA, WE WERE STILL SORT OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE TASK IS WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND ONCE WE'VE DONE THAT AND COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION, AND YET IT COULD BE DISSOLVED, BUT IT'S A SHAME IT'S NOT A COMMITTEE.
UM, THANK, MAYBE WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR BIOS OR ASK TO CHANGE OUR BIOS SO WE CAN HAVE COMMITTEES.
UM, IT, IT MAY BE A BIT TOO MUCH OF A LOGISTICAL HASSLE TO CHANGE THE BYLAWS.
UM, AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS BODY, MAKING IT A, UH, A QUICK HOUSEKEEPING, UM, SWITCHEROO, UH, FOR WORKING GROUPS.
IF, IF THAT, UM, PLEASES THE GROUP.
UH, COMMISSIONER K, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? LET'S SEE.
UH, THE OTHER BENEFIT OF THE WORKING GROUP IS WE CAN BRING NON COMMITTEE MEMBERS INTO THE GROUP.
THAT WAS ACTUALLY A BIG PLUS OF THAT FORMAT, JUST FOR REMIND FOLKS.
SO, UM, THAT BRINGS US TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE.
WE'VE ALSO, UM, AND SORRY, WITH CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, ALSO INVITING E D D, UH,
[7. Update from the TPID working group.]
WITH TPI, WE'RE ALSO INTERESTED IN, UM, BETTER UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE, THE CURRENT AGREEMENT, UH, OR SERVICE PLAN IS RATHER, UH, BEING CONSIDERED BY THE, UH, HOTELIER HERE IN TOWN.UM, OVER 100 ROOMS. AND, UH, UH, WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO A PRESENTATION NEXT MONTH FROM SCOTT OSLO OF THE TEXAS HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION, UH, AMONG OTHER DISTINGUISHED GUESTS.
UH, WE WOULD PROBABLY THEN ALSO NEED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, IN ANTICIPATION OF A LOT OF THESE PRESENTATIONS THAT COME TO US AS A GROUP, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS OUT, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, BE THINKING ABOUT BEFORE WE GET TO THESE MEETINGS, ARE THERE PARTICULAR CLARIFICATIONS THAT THIS BODY WOULD LIKE TO, UM, HAVE ABOUT THE, THE TOPICS BEING PRESENTED BEFORE US? UM, CAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES WE'VE BEEN, UM, VERY AD HOC IN THE WAY WE SCHEDULE THINGS CUZ IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO OUR SCHEDULE, BUT IT'S ALSO UP TO OUR PRESENTER SCHEDULES.
SO I'D LIKE TO PERHAPS LEAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, A BIT OF TIME AT EACH, UH, END OF OUR MEETING OR, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT REALLY DISCUSSING CUZ THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A WHOLE NOTHER TOPIC ITEM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, BRINGING UP A SPACE WHERE WE REVIEW THE TOPICS ARE, ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTED IN THE NEXT MEETING, UH, TO, TO GIVE PEOPLE AMPLE TIME, UM, TO THINK ABOUT THE QUESTIONS, UM, THAT THEY NEED AND IF, AND IF THE GROUP SO
[01:20:01]
NEEDS, UM, A SPACE ON THE ACTUAL AGENDA TO TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING ISSUES.SO TPIT IS A VERY, YOU KNOW, LONG TIME COMING.
UM, AND FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT KNOW, UH, TPIT STANDS FOR THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, UM, ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, I THINK WAY BACK IN 2017.
AND IS, IS, UH, FROM WHAT I HEAR, FINALLY COMING TO A HUD VERY SOON AS THE CONVENTION CENTER RELEASES ITS RFQ FOR, UM, THE EXPANSION.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, BETTER UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, AT WHAT PERCENTAGE PERHAPS, UH, THE PUBLIC OFFERERS SHOULD BE EXPECTING PUBLIC RESOURCES COMING IN.
UH, I THINK THESE ARE QUESTIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE COVERED NEXT MONTH IN, UH, THIS PRESENTATION, UH, BY THE HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
BUT, UM, ARE THERE ANY, UH, DEFINITIVE QUESTIONS NOW THAT WE WANT TO BRING UP THAT WE WANNA, UH, MAKE SURE THAT ARE INCLUDED FOR NEXT MONTH'S QUESTIONS? UM, THERE'S CURRENTLY A TEAM HEAD WORKING GROUP.
UH, DO YOU MIND, UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS TURNING ON YOUR MIC? I, I THINK IT TURNS ITSELF OFF.
UM, THERE'S CURRENTLY A TBID WORKING GROUP MM-HMM.
I WAS LIKE, UH, SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UM, AND THAT IS COMPRISED OF, UM, COMMISSIONER MCGEE, COMMISSIONER REEDY, AND MYSELF.
WELL, I'D LOVE TO TO JOIN YOU IN THAT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOLUNTEERING
UH, COMMISSIONER REEDY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE QUESTION AT HAND? SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR, UH, T H L A? UH, I, I WAS JUST BRINGING IT UP TO, UH, YOU KNOW, IN CASE WE HAD ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN LONG AND COMING RIGHT.
SO, UM, I THINK IF THERE'S ANY QU UM, CLARIFYING QUESTIONS THAT WE CAN SORT OF PUT OUT THERE NOW THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, HELP GUIDE THE CONVERSATION AND THE PRESENTATION THAT'S BROUGHT TO US NEXT MEETING, UM, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO ASK.
AND YOU KNOW, I I, OF COURSE I'M GONNA BE WORKING WITH FELICIA AND STAFF, UH, AS WELL AS OUR PRESENTERS COMING NEXT MEETING TO HELP TAILOR THE PRESENTATION.
AS YOU KNOW, UM, FROM OUR WORK ON THE TPI WORKING GROUP, THIS IS SOMEWHAT EXTRAORDINARILY COMPLEX, UM, THE THICKET OF STATE CODE THAT GOVERNS, UH, PUBLIC, UH, IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS AND ALL THE VARIOUS AMENDMENTS AND CHANGES FROM SESSION TO SESSION.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO COME OUT OF THE NEXT OF THAT PRESENTATION, UNDERSTANDING HOW THE TPI WILL KEEP ITS COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR UNHOUSED FOLKS, UH, IN LIGHT OF THE CHANGES MADE BY HB 1136 IN THE 2017 SESSION.
UM, AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NODDING MIGHT KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
IF YOU DON'T, I'LL, I'LL TRY TO GO THROUGH IT QUICKLY WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE CHAIR.
UM, WHEN THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION WAS ON THE TABLE, ONE OF THE BENEFITS THAT WAS TOUTED FROM THE EXPANSION WAS THAT IT WOULD GENERATE ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF HOMELESSNESS ON TOURISM.
UM, AND IT WOULD DO THAT THROUGH THE TPI MECHANISM, WHICH IS A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
AND PRIOR TO THE 2019 SESSION, UH, PROCEEDS FROM THE TPI COULD BE USED FOR PUBLIC SANITATION, PUBLIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS ON SIDEWALKS AND STREETS.
A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS THAT EVERY PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IS ALLOWED TO USE ITS FUNDS FOR.
HB 1136 WAS A BILL THAT PASSED THE LEGISLATURE IN 2019 THAT RESTRICTED THE USE OF FUNDS FROM A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT SOLELY TO MARKETING AND PROMOTION OF TOURISM.
SO IT REDUCED THE WAYS YOU COULD USE TPIT MONEY AND SEEMINGLY, UH, BLOCKS THAT MONEY FROM BEING USED TO MITIGATE HOMELESSNESS.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO HEAR THE WORKAROUND, WHICH I'M TOLD BY SCOTT WHEN HE WAS ON THIS COMMISSION.
THERE IS A WORKAROUND, BUT I THINK WE ALL WANT A REFRESHER, CUZ I CAN'T REMEMBER IT.
UM, I THINK IT'S ON VIDEO SOMEWHERE, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I'D LIKE TO LEARN IS WILL THE TPI FULFILL ITS PROMISE TO PROVIDE NEW RESOURCES TO MITIGATE HOMELESSNESS? THANK YOU COMMISSIONER REED.
AND, UM, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE, WE HAD SEVERAL SPEAKERS, UH, TWO MEETINGS AGO ACTUALLY SPEAKING TO, UM, THE ISSUE OF HOUSING AND HOUSING SERVICES, PARTICULARLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA FROM THE AUSTIN OFFICE OF HOUSING.
[01:25:03]
THE, THERE'S ONE MORE, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER THIS CURRENT, UM, POINT IN TIME.UM, UH, AND ALSO WE HAD, UH, TOM NEW TO VISIT AUSTIN AND, UH, BILL BRYCE OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ASSOCIA STATION SPEAKING TO, UH, HOMELESSNESS AND THEIR EFFORTS.
BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT, UM, A GREAT DOWNTOWN IS A DOWNTOWN FOR EVERYONE.
AND, UM, PROVIDING, UH, RESOURCES FOR OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS IS ALSO, I THINK, VERY CRITICAL TO ONE, UM, CREATING A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN, UH, TOURIST DESTINATION, BUT ALSO, UH, DOING THE RIGHT THING AND DOING RIGHT BY OUR NEIGHBORS.
UM, SO THAT IS SO NOTED IN TERMS OF, UH, TEPA PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR DOWNTOWN HOUSING SERVICES, UH, AND POTENTIALLY OTHER USES OF THOSE FUNDS FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC BENEFIT AS BEING ROUTED THROUGH THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.
UH, CURRENTLY WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT THERE'S 20% OF THOSE FUNDS BEING EARMARKED, UM, FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TBID.
UH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER THAT CAN GO UP TO 40%, AS I'VE HEARD IN, UM, PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND, YOU KNOW, READ AND, UM, PREVIOUS RESOURCES.
UH, SO, UH, WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY OTHER, UH, ADDENDUM, UM, COMMISSIONER MCGEE OH, QUESTIONS FOR THE TEXAS HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION? YES.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHEN THE TEPID FUNDS WILL START FLOWING AND WHERE THEY WILL FLOW FROM.
AND TWO, IN OUR WORKING GROUP, WE'VE DISCUSSED THE, THE CONVOLUTED GOES TO THE CONVENTION CENTER AND COMES BACK OR SOMETHING OR OTHER.
AND YOU HAD MENTIONED, WELL, MAYBE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY IT COULD GO TO ANOTHER, ANOTHER BODY RATHER THAN THROUGH, UM, I THINK IT'S ED D OR SOMETHING IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO THROUGH RIGHT NOW OR SOMETHING.
SO MAYBE WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
TO THE FLOW OF FUNDS, WHEN DO THEY START, WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GO, AND IS THAT CONCRETE OR IS THERE, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT MM-HMM.
AND I KNOW IT, UM, THE, THE TRANSPARENCY.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MCGEE.
AND I KNOW IT, UH, IT PERHAPS IS QUITE SENSITIVE AT, AT THIS MOMENT AS THE CONVENTION CENTER SEEKS TO RELEASE THE RFQ FOR THE EXPANSION AS WELL AS, UM, BALANCE THE, UH, DESIRES OF THE HOTELIERS HERE IN TOWN.
UM, OF COURSE, 60% OF ALL HOTELS, OVER 100 ROOMS WITHIN AUSTIN CITY LIMITS HAVE TO, UH, VOTE YES.
UM, TO ACCEPT, UH, THE CREATION OF THE TEPID AND ALSO TO HAVE, UM, THIS FUNDING MECHANISM EVEN TO BE CREATED TO, TO TALK ABOUT THE HOUSING SERVICES AND, AND WHERE THE MONEY MOVES AND THE COLOR OF MONEY AND HOW TO USE IT, UH, FOR DIFFERENT, UH, PUBLIC NEEDS.
SO I, I THINK WE'RE CERTAINLY, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CLARITY THAT, UM, THE TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION CAN PROVIDE.
AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT, BUT, UH, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO ALSO, UM, BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, A PUBLIC PRESENTATION AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER CHAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING, IF I MISSED YOU
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE'D LIKE TO ADD TO, UM, THE LIST OF OUR WORKING TOPICS FOR THE YEAR? I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF, UM, IDEAS.
I THINK THERE'S TWO MORE HERE THAT I'VE, UM, EARMARKED, UM, IN THE PAST.
AND ACTUALLY, UH, MS. OJEDA, UM, HAS REMINDED ME THAT WE, ON OUR WEBPAGE IN FEBRUARY, WE ALSO DISCUSSED, UM, THE FLOW OF HOT TAXES AND HOW THEY MOVED TO THE VARIOUS, UM, CITY PROGRAMS, UM, COMING OUT OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, REALLY IMPORTANT TO, UM, TO ALSO REVIEW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD LOTS OF SPEAKERS COME AND PRESENT TO THIS BODY AND, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THOSE MATERIALS.
THERE ARE SOME PRETTY, UH, IN THE WEEDS PRESENTATIONS WITH LOTS OF DETAILS AND LOTS OF POLICY.
UH, SO I, I THINK SOME OF THIS HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO US IN THE PAST, BUT AS, YOU KNOW, STAND IN VOLUNTEERS IN THIS POSITION, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE A REFRESHER AS WELL.
UM, IS THERE AN APPETITE ON THIS, UM, COMMISSION TO PERHAPS REVISIT THE ISSUE OF SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THE COLLECTION OF HOT TAX REVENUE OR THE FACT THE, THE NON COLLECTION
AND ACTUALLY THAT MIGHT EVEN BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ASK TEXAS HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION, WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTALS, BUT YES, REVISITING SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
UM, PERHAPS I CAN, UM, IF IT'S SO PLEASES THE BODY, UH, ALSO ASK THE TEXAS HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION TO, UM, PRESENT WHAT THEY KNOW ON,
[01:30:01]
UM, CURRENT DATA OF, UM, AIRBNB, V R B O, UM, TYPES OF SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THE POTENTIAL LOSS TO, UH, HOT TAX REVENUE.WOULD THAT BE, UH, OF INTEREST TO COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER CHANNON? SO I'M INTERESTED IN, UM, AIRBNB HAS TRIED TO NEGOTIATE SOMETHING WITH THE CITY TO COLLECT THE HOT COLLECT CONTACTS DIRECTLY.
RIGHT NOW, THE ACTUAL OWNER OF THE, UM, HO HOME OR WHATEVER IS THE ONE WHO'S SUPPOSED TO COLLECT HOT TAX AND REMIT IT TO THE CITY.
AND THERE'S SOME LARGE PERCENTAGE OF, OF HOMES THAT ARE USED FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS BUT ARE NOT LICENSED AND DON'T REMIT THE TAX.
BUT THAT, UM, AIRBNB OR VBO HAS BEEN TRYING TO NEGOTIATE SOMETHING WITH THE CITY THAT THEY WOULD COLLECT IT, BUT THEY WANT SOMETHING IN EXCHANGE.
I DON'T, JOHN, YOU MAY HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
THEY WANT, THEY WANT TO BE FORGIVEN.
COMMISSIONER BAILEY, THEY WANT TO BE FORGIVEN.
THEY WANT IT TO THE CLOCK TO START NOW, GO FORWARD AND BE FORGIVEN OF EVERYTHING PASSED.
AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE HAD IT ADEQUATELY EXPLAINED WHY THAT'S A NON-STARTER, BUT IT SEEMS TO HAVE LOGGER JAMMED THE PROCESS.
AM I UNDERSTANDING, SORRY, COMMISSIONER REEDY.
THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS PUSHING BACK ON DEREGULATION CAUSE THAT WOULD BE A COMPONENT OF IT.
EVERY, ALL THE STRS WOULD PAY TAXES, BUT THEY WOULD BE LESS REGULATED BY THE CITY.
UM, AND THEN THEY WOULD ALL REGISTER AND, AND BE IN THE SYSTEM TO CHARGE AND PAY TAXES AS ADMINISTERED BY AIRBNB.
UM, I, I WAS ALSO ON THIS TOPIC.
UM, MAYBE WE SHOULD GET MS. FRANCO IN HERE FROM THE, THE, UM, WHAT'S HER, WHAT'S HER TITLE? SHE'S, UH, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE.
UM, CUZ THERE ARE A COUPLE OF STR R AND THERE'S A HOT TAX BILL OF INTEREST THAT, UM, I NOTICED IN HER LAST UPDATE THAT I ACTUALLY WOULD, UM, END CERTAIN HOT TAX, UH, COLLECTIONS WHEN THEIR DEBTS WERE PAID OFF, WHICH WILL, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE THE VENUE FUND FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
IT BRINGS IN 2% A YEAR FOR AS LONG AS IT CAN.
THIS BILL WOULD SAY, WELL, ONCE YOU'VE CO COLLECTED ENOUGH TO PAY OFF THE BONDS, IT HAS TO STOP.
UM, WHICH I DON'T AGREE WITH, BUT I THINK IT'S INTERESTING.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REEDY.
UM, PERHAPS THAT WOULD BE A GOOD, UM, PRESENTATION AS WELL TO BRING IN IN, UM, JUNE, RIGHT? WE'RE IN MAY.
UM, AND FOR JUST FULL DISCLOSURE, I WILL NOT BE HERE IN PERSON IN JUNE, BUT I WILL BE PARTICIPATING VIA, UM, TELECONFERENCE, UH, AND VICE CHAIR.
UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY HAS AGREED TO TAKE UP, UM, UH, IN MY ABSENCE.
UM, BUT, UH, JUST LOOKING AT OUR AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH, I, I THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME SPACE FOR AN ADDITIONAL PRESENTATION FROM INTERGOVERNMENT RELATIONS OF THE CITY COMMISSIONER CHAN.
SO, UM, I WOULD, THEY, THEY CAN ADDRESS AS TO WHETHER THEY CAN PRESENT IN JUNE OR NOT.
BUT IF THERE'S A SPECIAL SESSION AFTER THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN JUNE, I SUSPECT THAT THEIR TIME IS GONNA BE WANT TO USED ELSEWHERE.
IS THAT THAT, I MEAN, THEY MAY, THEY MAY SAY THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
I GUESS WE CAN SEE WHERE, UM, SESSION ENDS AT THE END OF THIS MONTH OR WHETHER THE SESSION ENDS AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
BUT IT IS, BUT THE GOVERNOR THEN CAN CALL A SPECIAL SESSION.
UM, SO LET'S, I, I THINK AT THIS POINT IT MIGHT BE GOOD JUST TO PUT OUT INVITATIONS AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE SAY.
CAUSE WE DON'T REALLY HAVE SPEAKERS.
UH, BUT, UH, WE'RE BUILDING IT UP TOGETHER.
SO, UM, I REALLY LOVE ALL OF THESE, UM, TOPICS AND I WANT MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, BRINGING THESE TO LIGHT.
THE LAST ONE THAT I HAVE HERE IN PARTICULAR, UH, REGARDS THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AND POTENTIALLY, UH, BRINGING TO LIGHT, UM, SOME ISSUES ABOUT THE ALLOCATION OF, UH, FUNDING RIGHT NOW.
UM, I BELIEVE, UM, I'M, I'M NOT TOO, UH, UP TO SPEED WITH THIS AND PERHAPS, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER REEDY MAY BE ABLE TO FILL US IN AS TO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE, THE HOT FUNDED PROGRAM IS EXPERIENCING.
YOU KNOW, THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AS IMPLEMENTED, UM, IS NOT WHAT THE COMMUNITY OR CITY COUNCIL EXPECTED.
UM, WHEN IT WAS PASSED, MAYOR ADLER WAS VERY CLEAR THAT THE WAY HE SAW IT WAS THAT IT WAS MEANT TO GROW THE INDUSTRY, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IN GENERAL, TO GROW THE PIE OF AVAILABLE JOBS AND
[01:35:01]
RESOURCES FOR WORKING MUSICIANS AND CULTURE WORKERS, THE SUPPORT SYSTEM.UM, AND WHAT, WHAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IS BASICALLY DIRECT GRANTS TO MUSICIANS.
UM, AND A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE INDUSTRY ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THAT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T, WE KNOW FROM BLACK FRED AS A PRIME EXAMPLE, GIVEN MONEY DIRECTLY TO MUSICIANS IS GREAT.
IT DOES NOT BUILD AN INDUSTRY AND IT DOES NOT HAVE A MULTIPLIER EFFECT.
CUZ THE INCENTIVE STRUCTURE THEN IS THAT THE MUSICIAN NEEDS TO EAT, UH, YOU KNOW,
SO, UM, THE HOPE HAD BEEN THAT IT WOULD BE INVESTED IN WAYS THAT WOULD GROW THE JOBS POOL AND BENEFIT THE, YOU KNOW, RISING TIDES.
SO THE VENUES CAN A LITTLE BIT HARDER.
UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, DO YOU MIND USING THE, THE MIC WITH YOUR QUESTION PLEASE? I'M SORRY.
IT DOES, IT HATES, IT REALLY DOES.
SO THE MONEY ISN'T GIVEN TO THE VENUES.
SO THE VENUES CAN BOOK THE ARTISTS AND, AND PAY FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND DO THE LIGHTS.
VENUES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE IN THE FIRST YEAR.
THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE IN THE SECOND YEAR.
UM, BUT, UH, IT WAS QUITE A FIGHT.
IF YOU DIDN'T READ THE MONITOR.
IT WAS, IT WAS A HECK OF A FIGHT.
UM, AND A LOT OF FOLKS ARE DISSATISFIED, UH, BECAUSE WHEN THE GUIDELINES CAME OUT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS INTENDED TO SUPPORT MUSICIANS AND IN SMALL INDEPENDENT PROMOTERS MM-HMM.
SO, UM, IT'S JUST A, JUST A, ANOTHER THING,
BUT I WAS GONNA, UM, IN EITHER INVITE TO PRESENT, OR AT LEAST TO SPEAK IN GENERAL COMMUNICATIONS, UM, SONJA TTE AND PATRICK BTA, WHO RUN A COALITION OF MUSICIANS WHERE THEY HAVE FOUND THAT 90% OF THEIR MEMBERS DO NOT WANT TO PARTAKE IN THE PROGRAM.
I, I'VE GOT THAT DATA POINT THIS WEEK BECAUSE THEY LOOKED AT THE GUIDELINES AND THEY WERE LIKE, OOH, I DON'T WANNA DO THIS.
THE GUIDELINES WOULD REQUIRE YOU TO PRESENT AND PROMOTE A CONCERT ON YOUR OWN, WHICH A LOT OF US QUESTION LIKE, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU JUST PAY THE VENUES TO DO IT? BECAUSE SINCE THEY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO IT'S A LOT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DISSATISFACTION WITH THAT PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO PERHAPS, UM, I KNOW THAT WE'VE, UM, WE HAVE FOLKS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY INTERESTED IN A LIVE MUSIC FUND, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR FOLKS ON THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
UH, AND I BELIEVE, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE CURRENT CHAIR, UM, WHO IS, OH, ANNE CHARLOTTE PATTERSON.
SO PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, UM, A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY TO, TO INVITE MEMBERS, SELECT MEMBERS OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO SPEAK TO THE ISSUES.
CAUSE I KNOW THAT I THINK TOGETHER, UH, WORKING, UH, AMONG COMMISSIONS CAN ALSO PRODUCE, UH, FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS TO COUNCIL THAT CAN, CAN BRING FIXES TO POLICIES THAT WE FIND TO BE SUBOPTIMAL FOR OUR ARTS AND MM-HMM.
WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING OF INTEREST TO THIS BODY? COMMISSIONER VII? JUST A QUICK CORRECTION.
AT THE LAST MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING, UH, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON ASSUMED THE VICE CHAIR ROLE AND THE NEW CHAIR IS, UH, MS. NAGA SHARLA.
IT APPEARS THE, THE CITY, BOSTON, BOSTON WEBSITE IS OUT OF DATE.
IT, UH, THEY'LL GET UPDATED SOON.
UM, SO I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE EITHER OF THOSE PEOPLE.
UM, DO OTHER FOLKS HERE ON OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UM, HAVE AN IDEA? LIKE THE WHOLE THING? I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER MATHAS, I BELIEVE YOU HAD A COMMENT.
LET ME TURN MY MIC BACK ON HERE.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FUNDING OF THE ARTS AND BOTH OF OUR, UM, GRACIOUS GUESTS TODAY DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT THEY HAD FUNDING FOR, FOR MANY YEARS, IT KEPT DECLINING AND THEN THREE YEARS AGO IT STOPPED.
BUT STILL IN THE CONVERSATION THERE WAS, UM, THINGS THAT YOU EXPANDED ON AS FAR AS THE CRITERIA TO GET SOME FUNDING.
SO DID IT DRY OUT COMPLETELY OR DID, DID HOW YOU GET THE FUNDING CHANGE AND THEN PEOPLE THAT USED TO GET APPROVED WITH THE, UM, NOW DECLINED.
AND IS THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT, IS IT, IS THERE USED TO BE IN THIS NEW MODEL? OR IS THERE SOME SORT OF SAVINGS HERE AND YEAH.
UM, IS THERE GOING TO BE THE FUNDING RE RESUMING? YES.
AND THE FUNDING DID DECLINE DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT IT'S NOW BACK TO ACTUALLY ABOVE WHERE IT WAS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
IT JUST HASN'T BEEN SPENT YET ON THE ARTS
[01:40:01]
OR MUSIC.IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME TO FIGURE OUT THE PROGRAMS AND THE MECHANISMS, BUT IT ALSO, AS I THINK EVERYBODY INDICATED, IT'S BEEN LESS THAN OPAQUE.
AND, UH, MANY OF US IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY ARE ASKING FOR AN AUDIT, A COMPLETE AUDIT OF HOTEL TAXES THAT GO THROUGH CULTURAL INVESTMENTS.
BECAUSE WE CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH IS THERE AND WE CAN'T FIGURE OUT, UM, WHERE IT'S ALL GOING.
SO THE FUNDING IS THERE, BUT PERHAPS THE SPENDING ISN'T AT THE SAME LEVELS AS IT WAS BEFORE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY HAVE ANNOUNCED BUT NOT PUT DATES ON A COUPLE OF MORE NEW PROGRAMS. SO EVENTUALLY THE SPENDING WILL ALL BE IN EFFECT.
UM, IT'S JUST TAKEN A LONG TIME.
IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE CHANGE HOW SOME THE SPENDING IS ALLOCATED? OR IS THAT NOT EVEN POSSIBLE? WELL, UM, THAT IS ALSO COMPLICATED, BUT IT, IT MAY NOT SURPRISE CAUSE EVERYTHING IS RIGHT.
IT MAY NOT SURPRISE SOME OF YOU, BUT AUSTIN FUNDS ITS ARTS IN A WAY THAT NO OTHER CITY DOES.
LIKE, WE DON'T DO IT THE WAY MOST PEOPLE DO.
UM, IN THAT WE, WE RUN IT THROUGH AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LENS MM-HMM.
AND SO MAYBE THAT'S WHY ONE OF THE PEOPLE SAID HERE TODAY THAT HE, THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET OUT FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IS, IS THAT WHAT THEY MEANT BY THAT TOO? THAT IS WHAT THE ARTS AND MUSIC COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR, FOR A WHILE BECAUSE WE DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE'S THE EXPERTISE WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE BUSINESS MODELS ARE BEST SERVED.
AND SO THEN WHAT WOULD THE ALTERNATIVE BE, UM, FOR, IF THEY'RE OUT OF, IS THERE ANOTHER DEPARTMENT THAT THEY THINK HAVE THEIR EYE TO, IS WHAT I'M ASKING? WELL, MULTIPLE CITY PLANS, INCLUDING THE CURRENT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH IS CALLED IMAGINE AUSTIN, HAVE CALLED FOR A DEPARTMENT LEVEL THAT WOULD COMBINE FILM, MUSIC, ARTS.
PRESERVATION, ALL THE CULTURAL INVESTMENTS UNDER ONE ROOF.
CUZ RIGHT NOW THEY'RE SPREAD OUT.
ARTS AND MUSIC ARE IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
CULTURAL FACILITIES ARE PARKS.
AND THE, THE LONGSTANDING DESIRE IN THE, IN MY SECTOR, CUZ I'VE BEEN IN THAT SECTOR MY WHOLE LIFE, IS TO PUT IT IN A DEPARTMENT AGAIN, WHICH IS WHAT MOST BIG CITIES DO.
SO THE CITY THAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, I BELIEVE IT WAS CINCINNATI.
CINCINNATI IS THE BOMB WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING ARTS.
AND THEY DO IT HOW THEY ACTUALLY DO IT THROUGH A STANDALONE, NONPROFIT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
UM, SO THAT, BUT THEN EVERY OTHER MAJOR CITY, CHICAGO, MINNEAPOLIS, NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO, LA SEATTLE HAS A DEPARTMENT LEVEL WITHIN THE CITY.
AND IT'S A FINE DISTINCTION, BUT BASICALLY A DEPARTMENT IS RIGHT UP TOP AT THE TOP LEVEL OF THE ART ORG CHART.
CURRENTLY, ALL THE ARTS AND AND CULTURE ACTIVITIES IN THE CITY ARE BURIED IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND THEY DON'T REALLY TALK TO EACH OTHER, SO WE MISS OPPORTUNITIES OF COORDINATION THERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS EXPLANATION.
I KNOW IT LIKE THE BACK OF MY HANDS.
I, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS, THE SHARING OF, UM, EXPERTISE, BUT ALSO THE LEVEL OF INQUIRY THAT, UH, BOTH U2 COMMISSIONERS, UM, MATHIS AND RE ARE SHARING.
UM, BUT ALSO EVERYONE ON THIS, UH, PANEL, THERE'S COMMISSION, THERE'S SO MANY, UH, CENTURIES OF EXPERTISE ON THE DIAS RIGHT NOW.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO, UH, BE SITTING AMONG YOU, MAYBE NOT CENTURIES, BUT
UM, BUT, UH, TO PULL THIS TOGETHER, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UM, ONLY A COUPLE MORE MOMENTS LEFT TOGETHER THIS AFTERNOON.
UH, I DID WANNA BRING UP PHILANTHROPY WAS BROUGHT UP AS, UM, ANOTHER CONSIDERATION FOR HELPING BUILD TOURISM, UM, AND ALSO THE BROADER ARTS AND CULTURE COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT DALLAS, WE'RE NOT HOUSTON IN TERMS OF, UH, INTERGENERATIONAL WEALTH AND, UH, YOU KNOW, A REAL, UH, HISTORY OF BUILDING INSTITUTIONS.
BUT QUICKLY, WE ARE BECOMING A PLACE, UH, WHERE MANY PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE BECAUSE OF, UH, NOT ONLY OUR TOURIST APPEAL, BUT OUR QUALITY OF LIFE THAT I THINK A LOT OF TOURISTS LOVE TO EXPERIENCE, UM, THROUGH THE ARTS, THROUGH, UH, OUR PARKS AND OPEN SPACE THROUGH HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS WE CAN PUT OUR THINKING CAPS ON ABOUT SOME GOOD FOLKS.
I, I HAPPEN TO WORK IN FUNDRAISING, SO I CAN THINK OF A FEW ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, UH, AND PERHAPS SOME LOCAL FAMILY FOUNDATIONS WHO CAN SPEAK TO, UM, THE IMPACT THAT AUSTIN CAN HAVE, UH, ON PHILANTHROPY AND VICE VERSA IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY HEIGHTENING AND ELEVATING THE ARTS CULTURE, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UH, INTERESTS OF OUR CITY, BUT TO BEGET BROADER TOURISM AND ECONOMIC IMPACT.
SO, UM, I WANT TO PROPOSE THAT AS WELL, IF, IF FOLKS ARE INTERESTED
[01:45:01]
IN, UH, BRINGING, UM, SOME CONTENT EXPERTS, UM, COMMUNITY PRESENTERS TO SPEAK ABOUT THEIR WORK AND ALSO WAYS THAT WE MAY BE IN ABLE TO INTERFACE WITH, UM, PHILANTHROPY IN A WAY THAT CAN HELP BROADER TOURISM.UM, BUT, UH, TO GET US ON TRACK WITH, UM, UH, OUR FORTHCOMING AGENDAS.
I, I THOUGHT WHAT I DO REAL FAST IS TO REPEAT THE TOPICS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS AFTERNOON.
UH, IN PARTICULAR, UH, TRYING TO PIN DOWN MONTHS IN WHICH WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS THESE ITEMS. UH, IT LOOKS LIKE TPIT IS UP TO BAT ON, UM, NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA.
AND, UM, I, I WOULD THINK PERHAPS JULY WOULD BE A GOOD MONTH TO BRING UP PARKS AND OPEN SPACE.
UM, COMMISSIONER K IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW YOU CHAIR THE, THE WORKING GROUP FOR THAT.
I, UH, BUT THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT I AM PUTTING ON THE TABLE.
AND THEN, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, AND OCTOBER, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY LOOKING AT THE AVAILABILITY OF OUR SPEAKERS TO COME AND PRESENT ON ISSUES REGARDING SHORT TERM RENTALS, UH, CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING, UM, INCLUDING THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, UH, AND E D D AND HOW THOSE INTERSECT PERHAPS ENGAGING WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
UH, AND THIS LAST, UH, TOPIC WE'VE DISCUSSED AROUND PHILANTHROPY.
UH, WE HAVE SIX MORE MEETINGS LEFT IN THE YEAR NOW THAT WE ARE NOT MEETING IN DECEMBER.
UM, DOES THIS SOUND, UM, AMENABLE TO FOLKS AS A RASTER OF TOPICS TO
I THINK IT'S A VERY INTERESTING TOPIC, BUT WHAT ACTUALLY DID WAS IT PUSHED ME TO THINK ABOUT, UM, THE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE FEEDING THE HOTEL.
SO I'M JUST A QUICK LIST BEING FORMULA ONE AND SOME OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AT CIRCULAR AMERICAS, THE ANNUAL A SALE FESTIVAL, HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TOWN THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, UH, AUSTIN FC, THE UT GAMES, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO REMIND OURSELVES AND ALWAYS KEEP IN VIEW POINT WHAT THE BIG TENT POLE EVENTS ARE.
BUT COMBINED WITH THAT, AND I KNOW THAT JOHN PROBABLY HAS SOME DEEP MEMORIES OF THE MEETINGS WHEN THE SPECIAL EVENT TASK FORCE, WHICH ACTUALLY CREATED THIS BODY, ITS RECOMMENDATION.
I, I'D LIKE TO KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT IS HAPPENING.
AND, UH, I THINK YOU MENTIONED ANNA, THE, THE, THE ZER, THIS NEW Z OR PARK ORGANIZATION.
I KNOW MR. KATI HAS SOME AFFILIATION WITH IT.
I'M TRYING TO GET A BEAT ON WHAT THE CITY'S DOING TO EITHER CLAMP DOWN ON ENTREPRENEUR PROMOTING ACTIVITIES.
IF SOMEBODY'S TRYING TO CREATE AN EVENT TO BRING THAT COULD BRING MORE PEOPLE TO TOWN.
HOW IS THE CITY RELATING? HOW'S, HOW IS THE EVENT AND PERMIT DEPARTMENT WORKING? WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW TO ENCOURAGE OR DISCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS ARE, ARE COMPANIES BRINGING MORE OF THAT TYPE OF ACTIVITY TO THE TOWN? AND WHAT ARE THE GROWING PAINS WITH THAT? BECAUSE PART OF OUR MISSION IS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO BEST USE HOT TAX, BUT I THINK WE'RE ALSO VESTED IN HOW TO MORE, HOW DOES, HOW DOES HOT TAX GROW? SO WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE SHORT TERM RENTALS.
WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO HOTELS COMING ONLINE ARE IMPORTANT, BUT WHAT FILLS THE HOTELS ARE ACTIVITIES.
I MEAN, IT'S PART OF THE SWEET SPOT OF WHY PEOPLE COME TO AUSTIN THAT IS THE TOURISM.
SO WHAT ROLE, I'D JUST BE INTERESTED, LIKE IF THE EVENT DEPARTMENT CAME IN HERE AND SAID, OH, THIS IS HOW MANY APPLICATIONS WE HAVE EVERY YEAR, YEAR OVER YEAR, OVER YEAR, OVER YEAR.
SO THAT WE'RE, WE'RE SAVVY TO THE POINT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE TRYING TO CREATE ACTIVITIES THERE THAT ARE EITHER GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY OR NOT GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN PHILANTHROPY.
AND I'M, I, I REALIZE THAT'S A DISTINCT THING, BUT I'M ALSO LOOKING FOR HOW'S THE CITY OPERATING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE, I GUESS, THE INVESTMENT RISK TO BUILD SOMETHING HERE THAT COULD GENERATE HOT TAX AND, AND WHAT'S THAT LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW? THE PEAK BEHIND THE CURTAIN ON THAT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
I, I THINK THAT'S, UM, A REALLY GREAT POINT IN PARTICULAR, UH, AS WE THINK ABOUT PHILANTHROPY AND HOW IT MIGHT BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE PRIVATE INVESTMENT.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH A TOPIC THAT WE HAVE AT A FUTURE MEETING.
I, I JUST WANT TO CONCLUDE, UH, GENERALLY WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR NEXT MEETING IS
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
GOING TO BE HERE,[01:50:01]
UH, AT CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON THE, OOPS, HERE WE GO.AND WE'LL BE HAVING THE TEXAS HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION, AND I'M HOPING SOMEONE FROM THE CITY TO SPEAK TO, UM, UH, SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THE EFFECTS ON THE HOT TAX.
SO, UH, I THINK WE CAN START BUILDING UP, UH, OUR AGENDAS MOVING FORWARD.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPEAKERS THEY'D LIKE TO BRING, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME.
UM, CHAIR MCGEE, UH, EXCUSE ME.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SUGGEST WITH YOUR AGENDA BUILDING THAT, UM, WITH REGARD TO LIVE MUSIC FUND, IT WOULD MAYBE BE A GOOD IDEA TO SEE IF WE CAN, UM, GET INTERESTED PARTIES FOR THE AUGUST MEETING BECAUSE COME SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, A LOT OF VESTED PEOPLE ARE GONNA START GETTING BUSY, UM, FOR THE SEASON.
AND I WOULD, I LIKED YOUR IDEA OF BRINGING, UH, PEOPLE INTO THE ROOM, SAME PEOPLE INTO THE ROOM WHO HAVE VESTED INTEREST.
AND I, SO WHEN IT COMES TO LIVE MUSIC FUND, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO REACH OUT TO A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MUSICIANS UNION, LOCAL 4 33, AARON LACK IS THE PRESIDENT.
AND, UM, IT MIGHT ALSO BEHOOVE US TO GET SOMEONE FROM THE RED, RED RIVER CULTURE DISTRICT WITH ALL THE LIVE MUSIC VENUES THERE.
UM, PERHAPS THEIR REPRESENTATIVE WOULD LIKE TO BE IN THE ROOM.
NOT NECESSARILY TO PRESENT, BUT TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, AND YES, I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVITE FOLKS WHO THINK SHOULD, UH, EITHER BE, UH, DIRECTLY ENGAGED IN THE CONVERSATION OR SHOULD BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PAY ATTENTION.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ELEVATING THE CONVERSATION.
IT'S A, THOSE ARE GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SO WE ARE SET TO MEET, UH, NEXT MONTH ON THE 14TH.
UM, I ASK THAT IF YOU HAVE A PROPOSED SPEAKER THAT YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY TOLD ME THAT WE, UM, HEAR BACK FROM COMMISSIONERS BY MAY 31ST TO ALLOW FOR ENOUGH TIME FOR US TO, UH, KEY UP THE AGENDA TWO WEEKS BEFOREHAND.
COMMISSIONER REDID JUST A QUESTION.
I HAVE LUNCH SCHEDULED WITH THE ED OF THE RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT NEXT WEEK, WEEK FROM TODAY.
AND IS IT APPROPRIATE TO INVITE HER IN PERSON OR DO I NEED TO GO THROUGH THE EMAIL PROCESS? UM, THAT'S FINE.
IT'S JUST AS LONG AS THAT WE KNOW THAT IT'S, IT'S HAPPENING.
IF YOU COULD FOLLOW UP AND, UH, SEND A NOTE BY EMAIL SURE.
THAT WOULD HELP US SORT OF KEEP, KEEP TABS OFFICIALLY WHO'S BEING INVITED.
AND SO WE'RE AIMING AT AUGUST 9TH TO DISCUSS THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.
UH, I THINK AT THIS POINT THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I THINK LIKE REPRESENTATIVES, LIKE YOU MENTIONED THE DATA ABOUT HOW MANY DISSATISFIED FOLKS THERE WERE WITH THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, IF THOSE PARTIES CAME AS PUBLIC SPEAKERS, PUBLIC CITIZENS TO SHARE THEIR STORY OF HOW IT'S IMPACTED OR NOT, OR FAILED TO IMPACT THEM, FOLLOWED BY THESE FOLKS DOING THEIR PRESENTATION, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY, UM, USEFUL.
I WAS JUST GONNA RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE OUR, THE FI, THE CITY'S FINANCE DEPARTMENT MAYBE COME ON ONE OF ONE OF THESE MONTHS TO DISCUSS THE COLLECTION OF HOT TAXES AND KIND OF THE BUDGET FROM A FINANCE PERSPECTIVE.
WE ACTUALLY HAD A SIMILAR, UM, PRESENTATION IN FEBRUARY, BUT I, I THINK IT WOULD, WE HAVE THREE NEW MEMBERS.
IT WOULD BE GREAT, UM, UH, TO, WAS IT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT TO INVITE THEM BACK? I BELIEVE IT, WELL, IT WAS THE FINANCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER, I BELIEVE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
BUT IN ANY CASE, WE CAN BRING THEM BACK.
UM, AND THEY CAN DISCUSS, UH, IN PARTICULAR, UH, WITH REGARD TO QUESTIONS AROUND HOT TAX THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THIS MEETING.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE ONE MORE APPOINTEE, UH, FROM COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELAZQUEZ, UM, CHRISTIAN
BUT, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE WELCOMING CHRISTIAN, UH, AS OUR 10TH OF 11, UH, MEMBERS, UH, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON AN APPOINTMENT FROM MISSION MEMBER.
EXCUSE ME, COUNCIL MEMBER MACKENZIE KELLY.
UM, UH, QUICKLY I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE UPDATE WITH THE T TPI WORKING GROUP.
THERE'S NOT REALLY ALL THAT MUCH TO, UM, UPDATE SO MUCH AS WE'VE, UM, WORKED TO BRING, UH, THE TEXAS HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION.
I KNOW, UH, COMMISSIONER K, YOU HAVE A COMMENT? WOULD
[8. Update from the Parks and Environment working group.]
YOU ALSO LIKE TO UPDATE US BRIEFLY ON THE PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT WORKING GROUP? NO, I THINK I ALREADY TOLD YOU.BUT I CAN, I CAN REACH OUT TO YOU AND WE CAN, UH, UH, CARRY OUT THE CONVERSATION, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
UM, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH A COUPLE OF MOMENTS AFTER, UM,
[01:55:01]
THE MEETING AND UNFORTUNATELY, UM, COMMISSIONER KATI, UH, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE PART, BUT THERE ARE CUPCAKES IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL TRAVEL TOURISM WEEK.BUT, UH, UH, ALICIA, EXCUSE ME, FELICIA, UM, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? YEAH.
UM, FOR THOSE THAT WERE NOT HERE IN FEBRUARY FOR THE, UM, FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT TO SPEAK ON THE HOT TAXES, WE HAD A FEW, UM, SPEAKERS ON THAT TOPIC.
IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY REVIEW THE VIDEO AND THE INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN.
AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT WEREN'T ANSWERED DURING THAT MEETING, UM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME YOUR QUESTIONS AND I CAN SHARE WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND, AND MAYBE THEY CAN JUST SEND THE INFORMATION TO ME WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO COME.
UM, AND WITH THAT, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? YES.
UH, SO MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CHANIN.
IS THERE A SECOND? MY SECOND, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCGEE.
UH, THIS MEETING IN DISCUSSION,
THANK YOU FOR, UH, WONDERFUL MEETING.