[00:00:01]
[CALL TO ORDER]
I WOULD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING.IT'S 6:04 PM AND, UH, WE'LL DO ROLL CALL RIGHT NOW.
IT'S ALSO ON, WE'LL COME BACK.
JUST SO Y'ALL KNOW, LUIS HAD A CAR ACCIDENT THIS AFTERNOON.
UH, WAS PLANNING ON BEING HERE.
SO LARRY, WE WE WILL OFTEN HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM.
WE'LL COME BACK TO RYAN CLINTON.
UH, AND KRISTEN HASSEN IS HAVING TROUBLE LOGGING IN.
UH, COMMISSIONER CLINTON, ARE YOU ABLE TO GO ON VIDEO? YEAH.
LET ME MAKE SURE MY SETTINGS ARE CORRECT.
WE HAVE A QUORUM AND WE HAVE 20
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
SPEAKERS SIGNED UP ON VARIOUS ITEMS. SOME ARE, UM, CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS, SOME ARE ON IT ON SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS. BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS, WE PROBABLY AS A COMMISSION NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON HOW WE WANT TO HANDLE THOSE NUMBERS.TRADITIONALLY, UM, EACH SPEAKER GETS THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND YOU SPEAK DIRECTLY BEFORE AN AGENDA ITEM, OR IF THERE'S NO AGENDA ITEM AND YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING GENERAL THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, THEN YOU SPEAK DURING CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS.
SO ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS IS TO HAVE ALL SPEAKERS SPEAK AT THE BEGINNING.
UH, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
WE'VE ALSO, UH, SO THE SPEAKERS AREN'T WAITING TILL THE LAST, THE LAST, UH, UM, ITEM TO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT BURIED AT THE END OF THE, THE MEETING.
UH, SO WE COULD, WE COULD DO IT THAT WAY.
WE COULD ALSO, UH, LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS AND WE COULD LIMIT THE NUM THE AMOUNT OF TIME EACH SPEAKER GETS.
SO, UH, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO HANDLE THAT.
WE MIGHT WANT TO, I, I MAY MAKE THE FIRST SUGGESTION THAT WE HAVE EACH SPEAKER LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF SPEAKING TIME TO TWO MINUTES, AND, UH, LET ALL 20 SPEAK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
I'M OKAY WITH IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO DO DIFFERENTLY.
DID YOU SAY YOU WERE GONNA LIMIT THE TIME TO TWO MINUTES? THAT'S AN OPTION.
I WOULD BE OPPOSED TO LIMITING TIME, GIVEN THAT PEOPLE HAVE PROBABLY PREPARED THREE MINUTES AND IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, UM, WOULD WANT THEM TO HAVE THEIR, THE, THE FULL-TIME AVAILABLE.
UM, SO LET'S, UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS THERE? I WAS GONNA AGREE WITH YOU ON JUST HAVING EVERYBODY SPEAK AT THE BEGINNING.
SO IF THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE TIME SENSITIVE, THEY AREN'T HERE FOR HOURS POTENTIALLY.
UH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO SPEAK THREE MINUTES ON THEIR 20 SPEAKERS, THAT THEY KNOW THAT THAT IS A FULL HOUR BEFORE WE WILL GET TO ANYTHING ELSE.
AND THAT I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ASK THE SPEAKERS IF, IF THEY HEAR THEIR POINT ALREADY MADE THAT THEY CAN REFERENCE IT, BUT NOT, BUT TRY NOT TO REPEAT THE SAME POINTS AGAIN, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL HUMAN TOO, AND MANY OF US PROBABLY CAN'T BE HERE FOR THREE HOURS TONIGHT.
WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO DO WHAT WE'VE ALREADY, IF, IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.
SO HERE'S THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT.
WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW EACH SPEAKER THREE MINUTES
[00:05:01]
AND WE WILL TAKE SPEAKERS IN ORDER THAT THEY'VE SIGNED UP.FIRST, TAKING THE VIRTUAL SPEAKERS, WE HAVE, SOME PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP THAT ARE GOING TO BE JOINING ONLINE, WILL ALLOW THEM THREE MINUTES EACH.
THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE LIST THAT PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR IN PERSON.
AND, UM, IF YOU HEAR SOMEONE HAS ALREADY MADE, MADE THE POINT THAT YOU WANNA MAKE, UH, IF YOU COULD MAYBE, UM, YIELD YOUR TIME OR, OR, OR, OR NOT SPEAK, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROPER TERM IS, NOT YIELD, BUT, UH, UH, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
SO, YES, I SHARED TWO OF OUR FOLKS SIGNED UP AND THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE SIGNING UP TO ATTEND THE MEETING, SO WE CAN TAKE TWO OF THOSE PEOPLE OFF.
AND DO YOU WHAT? BOB? GREGORY AND REBECCA KATIE.
I'M GLAD TO KNOW Y'ALL ARE HERE.
LET ME FIND, LET ME FIND YOU REAL QUICK ON THE LIST.
SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MICHELLE SINNOT, S I N N O T T.
IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAME, I APOLOGIZE.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF CAPTIVE ANIMAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AT THE PITA FOUNDATION.
I'M TESTIFYING TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM SEVEN, THE PROPOSAL TO RECOMMEND A BAN ON PUBLIC CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS AT UNACCREDITED FOR-PROFIT ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS. UH, PUBLIC CONTACTS WITH WILD ANIMALS IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS.
HUMAN HANDLING IS A SIGNIFICANT STRESSOR FOR WILD ANIMALS.
AND PUBLIC CONTACT IS PARTICULARLY STRESSFUL BECAUSE IT FORCES THESE ANIMALS INTO INTERACTIONS WITH UNFAMILIAR INDIVIDUALS, CAUSING THEM TO FEEL UNSAFE.
IN ADDITION TO THE RISK OF PHYSICAL INJURY, CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS RISKS TRANSMISSION OF NUMEROUS OROTIC DISEASES, INCLUDING RABIES CAPTIVITY AND TRAINING DON'T TAKE AWAY A WILD ANIMAL'S POTENTIAL TO INFLICT HARM.
AND WHILE THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS ARE INEXTINGUISHABLE, THOSE RISKS ARE AMPLIFIED AT UNACCREDITED FOR-PROFIT FACILITIES WHERE STAFF HAVE MINIMAL EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING, AND THERE ARE LIMITED, IF ANY SAFETY POLICIES IN PLACE.
AN ANIMAL WELFARE IS INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO THE INCREASED RISKS POSED BY DIRECT CONTACT ENCOUNTERS AT ROADSIDE DUES.
BECAUSE FAILING TO MEET A WILD ANIMAL'S NEEDS IN A CAPTIVE SETTING CAN CAUSE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS.
WILD ANIMALS AT FOR-PROFIT, UNACCREDITED FACILITIES TYPICALLY LIVE IN A STATE OF CHRONIC STRESS DUE TO POOR WELFARE AND CHRONIC STRESS CAN RESULT IN INJURIOUS OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR.
THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM EPITOMIZES THE MYRIAD OF PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARDS AND ANIMAL WELFARE CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH DIRECT CONTACT ENCOUNTERS.
IN 2022, A, A INVESTIGATOR WORKED UNDERCOVER AT AUSTIN AQUARIUM AND DOCUMENTED WIDESPREAD SUFFERING AND NEGLECT.
PETER'S EYEWITNESS ALSO DOCUMENTED 34 INCIDENTS OF ANIMALS ATTACKING PEOPLE DURING THAT FOUR MONTH PERIOD.
AND ACCORDING TO PUBLIC RECORDS, ONLY ONE OF THOSE 34 INCIDENTS WAS REPORTED TO ANIMAL SERVICES.
THAT ONE REPORTED INCIDENT WAS A JUNE 13TH LEMER BITE, WHERE A LEMER NAMED WALLY, THAT A 10 YEAR OLD CHILD DURING AN ENCOUNTER AND THE CHILD REQUIRED EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR THREE PUNCTURE WOUNDS.
PETER'S EYEWITNESS DOCUMENTED THAT WALLY HAD A HISTORY OF BITING GUESTS AND EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING BITING TWO CHILDREN THE DAY BEFORE THAT INCIDENT.
THESE WERE NOT REPORTED, AND THE FACILITY CONTINUED TO FORCE THIS ANIMAL INTO PUBLIC ENCOUNTERS, EVEN THOUGH IT KNEW WALLY WAS STARTING TO GO AFTER KIDS' FACES.
AUSTIN AQUARIUM EXEMPLIFIES THE CRITICAL NEED FOR AN EASILY ENFORCEABLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD PROHIBITION ON PUBLIC CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS, AND I'D URGED THE COMMISSION TO APPROVE THIS PROPOSAL AND RECOMMEND A COMMON SENSE SOLUTION TO A GRAVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND ANIMAL WELFARE HAZARD.
[00:10:09]
HI, MY NAME'S CARLA BELS, AND AS AN AUSTIN RESIDENT, I SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL TO PROHIBIT PUBLIC CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS AT FOR-PROFIT ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS. THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM IN PARTICULAR, IS BASICALLY A PETTING VIEW, JUST USING WILD ANIMALS WHO HAVE NO BUSINESS INTERACTING WITH HUMANS.THESE ARE NOT DOMESTICATED ANIMALS.
THEY WILL BITE AND SCRATCH WHEN THEY'RE SCARED, LIKE MICHELLE SAID.
AND THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY THERE, AND STAFF IS APPARENTLY TOLD NOT TO REPORT IT, AND IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEBODY IS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND WE ESPECIALLY SHOULDN'T BE TEACHING KIDS TO PLAY AROUND WITH WILDLIFE.
ALSO, GIVEN THE RECENT PANDEMIC, WE'VE SEEN HOW DEVASTATING ZOONOTIC DISEASES CAN BE.
SO WE SHOULDN'T BE GIVING VIRUSES ANY OPPORTUNITY TO JUMP FROM ANIMALS TO HUMANS.
AND THIS PROPOSAL IS TO PROHIBIT THIS TYPE OF CONTACT IS THE RIGHT MOVE FOR AUSTIN.
IT HELPS ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC AND THE ANIMALS.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS DEBBIE GOODRICH.
UH, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
HELLO? AM I COMING THROUGH? AM I COMING THROUGH? YES, YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
SORRY, I, WE HAD TO UNMUTE OURSELVES, SO IT MAY TAKE A MINUTE WHEN YOU CALL ON SPEAKERS ON THE PHONE.
I AM PHIL GOSS, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ASSOCIATION OF REPTILE KEEPERS.
AND WHILE WE DEAL MAINLY WITH REPTILE AND AMPHIBIAN ISSUES, WE'RE CALLING AT TODAY TO KIND OF SPEAK ON BEHALF OF, OF EVERYONE.
AND AS WE HEARD FROM THE FIRST TWO SPEAKERS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS TARGETED AT, AT ONE BUSINESS.
AND I HATE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT HAPPEN IN THIS.
IF THERE IS ONE BUSINESS, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, ANY NEW LAW ESPECIALLY COULD BE TAILORED TO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THAT ONE ISSUE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE IS A BAD DRIVER, YOU DON'T BAN DRIVING, OR IF SOMEONE IS A BAD PARENT, YOU DON'T BAN PEOPLE FROM HAVING CHILDREN, UH, BECAUSE ONE PERSON DOES IT WRONG.
SO, AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BAILEY VERY TAILORED AND FOCUSED ORDINANCE WRITTEN, UH, TO JUST ADDRESS THIS ONE ISSUE.
AND I WOULD ASSUME THERE WERE, THERE WOULD BE SOME LAWS, CURRENT LAWS IN PLACE ALREADY TO DO THAT.
UH, SO CERTAINLY NOT DEFENDING SOMEONE WHO IS A BAD APPLE, BUT AGAIN, AS THIS IS WRITTEN, IT'S KIND OF WRITTEN TO SAY THAT ANYONE WHO IS NOT IN AN AVA FACILITY, YOU KNOW, CANNOT DO THESE AND THAT THEY'RE ALL BAD ACTORS.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH AZA, THOSE ARE ONLY THE LARGEST, YOU KNOW, ZOOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES THAT COST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF THOSE AROUND.
AND THE DEFINITIONS ALSO ARE DRAWING SOME, SOME ISSUES IN MY EYES.
UH, THE DEFINITION OF FOR PROFIT ZERO AQUARIUM COULD EVEN BE APPLIED TO PET STORES, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO A PET STORE CANNOT TAKE SOMETHING LIKE A LEOPARD GECO OUT OF A CAGE TO SHOW TO A CUSTOMER.
UH, THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE ILLEGAL AS THIS ORDINANCE IS CURRENTLY DRAFTED.
AND ALSO, IT'S NOT CLEAR IF THOSE BUSINESSES HAVE TO BE BRICK AND MORTAR.
SO, MYSELF, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE GIVEN HUNDREDS OF PRESENTATIONS TO SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES ON REPTILES, UM, AND NEVER WAS THERE ANY OCCURRENCE TO.
SO TO SAY THAT THESE PROGRAMS ARE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, UH, SO IF I WOULD'VE TAKEN SOME MONEY FOR ANY OF THOSE, I MAY QUALIFY AS A BUSINESS UNDER THE CURRENT DEFINITION OF FOR-PROFIT, ZOO AND AQUARIUM.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THERE'S, THOSE DEFINITIONS NEED TO BE LOOKED AT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BIG ANIMALS THAT COULD POSSIBLY AFFECT HARM.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF WILD ANIMAL INCLUDES TORTOISES AND TREE FROGS AND GECKOS AND SMALL BIRDS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS APPLYING TO ALL ANIMALS.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THE, THE DEFINITION CAN HOPEFULLY BE LOOKED AT.
AND AGAIN, IF THERE'S ONE BUSINESS THAT'S CAUSING A PROBLEM, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT ONE BUSINESS AND NOT APPLY THIS TO EVERYBODY IN AUSTIN.
NEXT SPEAKER IS LESLIE PADILLA.
[00:15:01]
MY NAME IS LESLIE PADILLA.I'M A FORMER FIVE-YEAR VOLUNTEER AT AUSTIN PET LIVE AND A TWO-YEAR PUBLIC DOG WALKER AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
I WANT TO WELCOME THE NEWER MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
I HOPE YOU CAN PLAY A ROLE IN REFORMING THIS COMMISSION SO THAT IT ACTUALLY FOCUSES ON ANIMAL WELFARE ACROSS TRAVIS COUNTY AND STOPPED SPENDING SO MUCH TIME ATTACKING AAC AND DIVIDING THE COMMUNITY.
I WANNA SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM SIX.
UM, AND HAD ACTUALLY REQUESTED SEPARATE THREE MINUTES ON THAT, BUT I'LL COMBINE THEM.
BUT, BUT FIRST I WANTED TO MAKE SOME GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT THE ROLE OF THIS COMMISSION.
THE APRIL, 2023 REPORT BY THE CITY AUDITOR CALLED OUT THE COMMISSION AS THE WORST PERFORMING IN TERMS OF COMPLYING WITH ITS BYLAWS.
THE AUDITOR FOUND THREE INCONCLUSIVE INSTANCES OF THE COMMISSION POTENTIALLY CONTRADICTING ITS BYLAWS AND ONE CONCLUSIVE INSTANCE.
NO OTHER BOARD OR COMMISSION PERFORMED AS POORLY ON THIS MEASURE.
THE CONCLUSIVE FINDING WAS RELATED TO THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION THAT CITY COUNCIL EXPRESSED NO CONFIDENCE IN AAC LEADERSHIP.
BUT THIS WAS HARDLY THE ONLY INSTANCE WHEN THE COMMISSION EXPRESSED HOSTILITY TO AAC.
IT HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY WITH AGGRESSIVE QUESTIONING OF STAFF.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRAFFIC THE TRANSPORT PROGRAM SEVERAL YEARS AGO, REPEATED DEMANDS FOR DATA, DATA AND REPORTING OF ALL KINDS HOSTILE QUESTIONING OF AACS VETERINARY STAFF ABOUT THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THEY HAVE TO MAKE, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
THE COMMISSION, OR AT LEAST A MAJORITY OF ITS PAST MEMBERS, HAVE ALSO DONE THE FOLLOWING.
THEY APPROVED CONSEQUENTIAL ACTIONS WITHOUT HAVING ANYTHING IN WRITING IN FRONT OF THEM.
AND WITHOUT ALLOWING PUBLIC COMMENT, THEY OUTRIGHT DISMISSED, WELL-RESEARCHED PROPOSALS ON SPAY AND NEUTER.
THEY IGNORED PLEAS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE COMMISSION CONDITIONS AT THE AUSTIN ZOO AND THE AQUARIUM.
AND THEY ALLOWED PRIVATE SHELTERS IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WHICH ARE THE HUMANE SOCIETY IN APA TO IMPROPERLY ESCAPE SCRUTINY.
UNDER CHAPTER 8 23 OF THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, A RECENTLY DEPARTED COMMISSIONER ADMITTED THAT SHE LOBBIED CITY COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF APA, SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ALLOWED PER AUSTIN ORDINANCE.
SHE CLAIMED THAT SHE DIDN'T MEET THE MINIMUM HOUR REQUIREMENT.
THERE'S ALSO BEEN A STARTLING LACK OF COLLEGIALITY, AND I WON'T EMBARRASS ANYONE HERE WITH DETAILS.
MEMBERS WITH ADMITTED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST HAVE NOT ALWAYS LIMITED THEIR ACTIONS ON THE COMMISSION AND RECOGNITIONS OF THESE CONFLICTS.
I COULD GO ON, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU GET THE POINT.
PLEASE IMPROVE THE WAY THIS COMMISSION BEHAVES AND OPERATE.
AS TO AGENDA ITEM SIX, I WANTED TO NOTE THAT IF THE COMMISSION WANTS TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN ON ISSUES RELATED TO ADMINISTRATION OF AAC, IT'S NOT SIMPLY A MATTER OF AMENDING THE BYLAWS.
CITY COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO AMEND THE CITY ORDINANCE THAT CREATED THE COMMISSION, BECAUSE THAT ORDINANCE ALSO CONTAINS THAT LIMITING LANGUAGE.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE NEW COMMISSIONERS, ESPECIALLY TO LOOK AT CHAPTER 1 8 23 OF THE TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE, BECAUSE THAT ACTUALLY SAYS WHAT THE PRINCIPLE, THE PRINCIPLE ROLE OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION IS TO HELP THE COUNTY AND THE CITY COMPLY WITH CHAPTER 8 23 AT ON ANIMAL SHELTERS.
CHAPTER 8 23 APPLIES, THANK YOU, NOT ONLY TO AAC, BUT TO THE PRIVATE SHELTERS IN TRAVIS COUNTY, AUSTIN PET, LIVE, AND O MAIN SOCIETY.
NEXT SPEAKER IS, I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME, ERIC, AND IF I, I CORRIDOR? YES, THANK YOU.
UH, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME UP HERE.
I CURRENTLY RUN AN ORGANIZATION CALLED THE WILD CENTER OF TEXAS THAT OPERATES HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, IT IS A FOR-PROFIT ENTITY.
CURRENTLY, UH, OUR LONG-TERM AIM IS TO SET UP A NON-PROFIT, UH, THAT SAID, UH, I THINK THE GENTLEMAN FROM US ARC, UH, MADE ONE OF MY POINTS.
AND SO I'M NOT GONNA, I'M, I'M GONNA SAY I SUPPORT HIM.
UH, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THE INITIAL STATEMENTS BY THE PITA LADY WERE VERY BLANKETS.
UH, I BROUGHT 20 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING IN AZA ACCREDITED FACILITIES, INCLUDING SEAWORLD, SAN ANTONIO, DALLAS ZOO, HOUSTON ZOO, AS A SUPERVISOR OF BIRDS AND A, UH, DEGREE IN ZOOLOGY BEFORE I STARTED MY ORGANIZATION.
UH, SO I'M VERY WELL VERSED IN PROTOCOLS AT LARGE FACILITIES.
I WOULD SAY THAT AT THOSE LARGE FACILITIES AS WELL, THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, DALLAS ZOO, WHICH IS A NON-PROFIT.
AND EVEN THOUGH SEAWORLD IS A FOR-PROFIT, IT IS AN ACA FACILITY, UH, THEY WERE NOT IMMUNE TO BAD MANAGEMENT DECISIONS BY HAVING PEOPLE PLACED IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP THAT HAD LITTLE EXPERIENCE WITH, UM, ANIMALS.
UH, I HAD WITNESSED AT A LARGE FACILITY AT SEAWORLD, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST BAD MANAGEMENT DECISIONS BEING MADE THAT RESULTED IN THE DEATHS OF BIRDS OR CUSTOMERS GETTING ATTACKED BY ANIMALS THAT, ANIMALS THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN THOSE PARTICULAR WALKTHROUGH AVIARIES.
SO TO SAY THAT, UH, ONLY FOR-PROFIT UNACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS,
[00:20:01]
UH, OUR SUSPECT IS JUST BLATANTLY FALSE.UM, SO I JUST URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT AND TO ALSO CONSIDER SOME OF THE LANGUAGE OR AREN'T MANY GRAY AREAS IN THAT REGULATION, UH, THAT DON'T COVER BUSINESSES LIKE OURS.
UH, WE ONLY TAKE ANIMALS TO SCHOOLS AND PARKS AND EDUCATIONS.
WE ARE NOT A COME TO US FACILITY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, I FOCUS ON ANIMALS THAT I BELIEVE ARE NOT GONNA BE INJURIOUS AND I WEED OUT ANIMALS THAT I FEEL HAVE POTENTIAL SHOULD THERE BE CONTACT.
UH, SO THERE ARE THOSE OF US HERE IN AUSTIN THAT ARE TRYING TO OPERATE A SAFE AND, UH, BENEFICIAL BUSINESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT TRYING TO BE EGREGIOUS LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER TARGETED INSTITUTIONS.
UM, GAIL ROTH, DID I GET YOUR LAST NAME RIGHT? NO, CLOSE.
WE ARE A GROUP OF NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS, AND OTHERS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ZER PARK RE WILD ZER ADVOCATES FOR A NATURE AND RECREATION BASED PARK.
RATHER THAN A PARK DEVELOPED TO SUPPORT EVER LARGER EVENTS, WE ADVOCATE FOR REWILDING MORE OF THE PARK, WHICH SIMPLY MEANS RESTORING THE LAND AND RIPARIAN ZONES BY NURTURING AND GUIDING THE NATURAL REGENERATIVE REGENERATIVE PROCESSES RATHER THAN FORMAL LANDSCAPING.
REWILDING DOES NOT EXCLUDE PEOPLE.
RATHER IT CREATES AND PRIORITIZES THE NATURAL AREAS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE IN A NATURAL SETTING.
OUR CITY'S PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS SPENT THE LAST TWO YEARS DEVELOPING A DRAFT ZILKER METROPOLITAN PARK VISION PLAN.
THE VISION PLAN IS SCHEDULED TO GO BEFORE COUNCIL IN JULY 20TH.
YOUR INPUT TO COUNCIL PRIOR TO THEIR DECISION TO APPROVE ALL OR PART OF THE PLAN IS CRITICAL.
FOR THIS REASON, I AM REQUESTING THAT THIS COMMISSION ADD THE DRAFT VISION PLAN TO YOUR JULY AGENDA AND DEVELOP A RESOLUTION TO COUNCIL THAT REFLECTS THE VALUES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS COMMISSION.
PRIOR TO COUNCIL DECISION, THE DESIGN PROCESS FOR THE PLAN HAS BEEN ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOCUSED ON HUMAN USES OF THE PARK.
WITH THE BULK OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET DEVOTED TO SUPPORTING EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, THE PLAN WOULD DEVELOP AND EXPAND THE PARK INFRASTRUCTURE FOR MORE AND LARGER EVENTS AND ENTERTAINMENT TO INCLUDE THREE PARKING GARAGES IN THE PARK, AND EXPANDED HILLSIDE THEATER ON THE GREAT LAWN, AN UNNECESSARY WELCOME CENTER AND MULTIPLE BRIDGES ACROSS BARTON CREEK AND LADY BIRD LAKE.
BUT THE VISION PLAN HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR ANIMALS TOO, FOR PETS, FOR BIRDS, FOR OTHER WILDLIFE, AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE FEDERALLY PROTECTED SALAMANDER.
TWO OF THE THREE PARKING GARAGES, ONE OF THEM UNDERGROUND, ARE LOCATED O OVER THE SUBSURFACE HABITAT OF THE FEDERALLY PROTECTED SALAMANDERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS MAP SHOWS YOU.
THE CROSSHATCH IS SUPERIMPOSED ON THE PLAN AS IT EXISTS, UM, AND THAT CROSSHATCHING REPRESENTS THE SUBSURFACE HABITAT, THE FEDERALLY PROTECTED SUBSURFACE HABITAT OF THE AUSTIN BLIND SALAMANDER.
UH, ONE OF THE GARAGES WOULD BE, UH, ABOUT A HUNDRED YARDS FROM, UM, UH, SUNKEN GARDENS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE SPRINGS WHERE THE SALAMANDER, THE SALAMANDER LIVES.
UH, ANOTHER WOULD BE ABOUT 300 YARDS FROM THE POOL AND THE SPRINGS OUTLETS THERE.
SO THESE ARE MASSIVE CONSTRUCTION, ONE OF THEM UNDERGROUND IN THIS PROPOSED FOR THIS FEDERALLY PROTECTED.
I'D SUGGEST YOU RUN THE THREE MINUTE CLOCK, SO I WOULD KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAD.
DOES THAT NOT WORK?
ANYWAY, PLEASE PUT THIS ON YOUR JULY AGENDA.
UM, MY NAME IS LUCY FERNANDEZ.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
UM, I AM THE, UM, THE POSITIVE ALTERNATIVES TO SHELTER SURRENDER PROGRAM MANAGER FOR AUSTIN PETS LIVE.
UM, AND I WENT AHEAD AND SENT OVER THE MAID REPORT, UM, AND IT SHOULD BE ATTACHED ON THE WEBSITE, AND YOU MIGHT HAVE IT WITH YOU NOW.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND CLARIFY.
WE STARTED COLLECTING DATA, UM, THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IN FEBRUARY.
[00:25:01]
SO, UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE PAST INTAKES, UM, AT EPA ARE CALCULATED ON OUR REPORTING.UM, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT AND BEHIND THE SCENES AS TO LIKE, WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS, UM, AND THE TYPES OF CASES THAT WE WORK ON IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, IN, UH, FOR MAY, UH, WE HAD ABOUT 575 CASES.
226 OF THOSE WERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, AND WE, UH, FOCUS ON INTAKE DIVERSION, UM, PET SUPPORT SERVICES, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO PEOPLE CAN REACH OUT TO US, UM, ASK QUESTIONS, UM, ASK FOR GUIDANCE ON, YOU KNOW, SPAY AND NEUTER, REHOMING SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, UH, VET ASSISTANCE, ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND, UH, THE PROGRAM ACTUALLY COLLABORATES WITH NOT ONLY, UM, AAC TRAPPERS, AUSTIN LAWSON FOUND PETS, ET CETERA, UM, TO KIND OF BRING SERVICES TO, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR, UM, A NEED FOR THEIR PETS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A 50,000 MEMBER FACEBOOK GROUP AND COMMUNITY WHERE, UH, WE HAVE ABOUT, I THINK IT'S 17,000 MEMBERS FROM AUSTIN.
UM, AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND ELABORATE ON BASICALLY, UM, THE COLLABORATION IS KEY, UM, IN VILIFYING ONE ANOTHER IS BASICALLY HURTING THE ANIMALS AND NOTHING ELSE.
SO, UM, YEAH, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THAT STUFF, YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO ME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I ACTUALLY WANT A LITTLE BIT OF CLARIFICATION ON SOME OF THIS.
UM, SO WHEN YOU SAY MEDICAL ASSISTANT SUPPORT REQUESTS MM-HMM.
UM, UH, MYSELF, UM, AND, UH, AND THE OTHER VOLUNTEERS WILL GO AHEAD AND TRIAGE.
I USUALLY DEAL WITH THE CREDIT, UH, CRITICAL MEDICAL CASES.
SO WE'LL TRIAGE DEPENDING ON THEIR CITY, COUNTY, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UM, EVALUATED FOR CARE CREDIT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GIVE 'EM THOSE SUGGESTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT FIRST.
UM, AND THEN IF IT IS, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE IS SUSPECTED PARVO, WE'LL ROUTE THEM TO OUR CLINIC, GIVE THEM A HEADS UP THAT SOMEBODY'S GONNA COME IN.
AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE AT-HOME TREATMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE PROVIDE FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO I'M ASKING BECAUSE I DO WORK A FAIR NUMBER OF EMERGENCY CASES.
SO YOUR PARVO, PUPPIES, YOUR BLOCKED CATS, I MEAN, YOU HAVE POTENTIAL TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR THOSE FOLKS IF THEY CAN MAKE IT TO MONDAY BUSINESS HOURS.
WELL, WE'RE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, SO SEVEN DAYS.
SO, UM, IF THERE IS, UM, IF THERE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THINGS, LIKE I SAID, IT DEPENDS ON SPECIFICALLY WITH THE CASES BECAUSE LOCATION, THE CRITICAL NATURE OF THE THING, WE GET THE MEDICAL RECORDS AND ALL THE HOOPLA, UM, THAT GOES INTO IT.
AND WE WORK WITH OUR CLINIC TEAM IN OUR VET, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TRIAGE WHAT, WHAT, UM, ASSISTANCE WE CAN DO.
WE ALSO DO LOTS OF FUNDRAISERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS WELL.
SO YOUR IN-HOUSE VETERINARIANS WOULD BE THE ONES PROVIDING MEDICAL SERVICES IF NEEDED.
MOST OF THE TIME, IF IT BECOMES CRITICAL ENOUGH, OUR, OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR MAKES THAT DECISION TO DO A SURRENDER FOR CRITICAL CARE.
UM, THAT IS, IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF A JURISDICTION BECAUSE OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS, UM, UH, THE CT, UH, S E H WHAT IS IT? CENTRAL TEXT, UH, CENTRAL TEXAS VETERINARY, UH, EMERGENCY, UH, THAT THEY'LL, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THEIR CONTRACT, THE AC AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF THAT JURISDICTION WILL WORK WITH OTHER, UM, OTHER OPTIONS.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES I WORK WITH THE PRC TO FIGURE OUT OTHER SOLUTIONS AS WELL, IF THEY'RE IN AUSTIN.
UH, PAT BORES, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS PAT ES AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ALD ZILKER.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, ASK THE COMMISSION TO PLACE AN ITEM ON THE JULY AGENDA TO HEAR ABOUT THE ZER VISION PLAN AND CONSIDER TAKING A VOTE THAT CITY COUNCIL NOT VOTE ON THE ZILKER PLAN UNTIL A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THE IMPACT ON WILDLIFE AND PEOPLE WALKING THEIR PETS HAS BEEN CONDUCTED.
UM, MY SECOND ISSUE, MY, THE SECOND THING I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT AN ORDINANCE, UM, PROPOSED BY ITEM SEVEN.
YOU HAVE HEARD SOME SPEAKERS, UM, BRING UP SOME ISSUES THAT IF YOU NEED TO DISCUSS THEM, I HOPE YOU WILL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, UM, ADDRESS THEM.
BUT I DO THINK THAT, UM, ITEM SEVEN IS, IS A, IS A WORTHWHILE THING AND, AND I SUPPORT IT.
AND FINALLY, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF FROM AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY AND APA ARE HERE TO SPEAK TO THE LONGS STAY DOGS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, COMMISSIONER ER'S
[00:30:01]
ABSENCE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT IF AHS STAFF AND APA STAFF HAVE MADE TIME TO COME HERE, I HOPE YOU'LL MOVE THAT ITEM UP BEFORE THE, UM, LONG ITEM THAT I THINK IS GONNA BE ITEM FOUR, SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAY HERE AS, AS, AS LONG AS WOULD BE NECESSARY IF THEY ONLY GOT, THEY'RE ON ITEM FIVE AND ITEM ITEM FOUR LOOKS LIKE A LONG ITEM, SO I HOPE THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO STAY HERE FOR, FOR THAT LONG.AND SIMILARLY, UH, IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER MOVING ITEM SEVEN UP SO THAT, AGAIN, THE PEOPLE HERE IN SUPPORT OF ITEM SEVEN DON'T HAVE TO STAY TO LISTEN TO ITEM FOUR, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED AS WELL.
AND I, YOUR LAST NAME IS WRITTEN DOWN, BUT I, I CAN'T READ IT SO I, I KNOW I DON'T THINK YOU WROTE IT.
IT UH, LOOKS LIKE A ABOUT SEVEN HANDWRITING, EXACTLY THE SAME.
KAYLA, WHAT'S YOUR LAST NAME? IT'S LAHAM.
HI, I'M AV VOLUNTEER AAC AND I JUST HAVE BULLET POINTS TO TALK ABOUT TODAY UNDER GENERAL COMMUNICATION.
UM, FOR ONE, IT UM, I WANNA TELL YOU ABOUT THE EUTHANIZATION LIST.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE GETTING EUTHANIZED DOGS, FIVE DOGS A WEEK.
AND I KNOW WE ARE OVER CAPACITY.
SO RIGHT NOW IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE ARE KILLING FOR SPACE AND I'M NOT OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE THE FACT IS THAT SOME OF THESE DOGS ON THE EUTHANIZATION LIST ONLY HAS BITES BEFORE THEY GOT HERE, BUT THEY HAVE NO OTHER BEHAVIOR SINCE THEY GOT TO AAC.
AND I THINK THESE DOGS SHOULD GET A SECOND CHANCE.
UM, THEN I WANNA TALK ABOUT HOW, UM, WE HAVE AAC HAS FUNDS FOR OD DOGS, ORANGE DOT DOGS, THE HIGHER ENERGY DOGS.
AND WE THINK THOSE FUNDS SHOULD BE LIKE PROCESSED FOR ALL DOGS, NOT JUST ODS FAVORITE OR THE OD DOGS.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE DOGS THAT NEEDS HELP WITH FUNDINGS AND IT JUST FEELS LIKE THAT GROUP ONLY HAS FUNDS FOR THEIR DOGS AND WHATEVER DOGS.
BUT WE ALSO NEED HELP WITH THE GREEN DOT DOGS OR THE BLUE DOT DOGS, NO MATTER WHAT DOT COLOR, THEY SHOULD HAVE A SEPARATE FUNDS FOR THOSE DOGS.
UM, ALSO WE HAVE CONSTANTLY LONG STAY DOGS GETTING OVERLOOKED, AND I THINK IF WE HAVE A OD CREW, WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE A LONG STATE CREW JUST WORKING ON THOSE LONG STATE DOGS JUST BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE OVERLOOKED CONSTANTLY AND CONSTANTLY AND WE FEEL BAD FOR THEM JUST BECAUSE THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF LOVE, THEY'RE JUST IN A KENNEL AND SOME OF THEM DON'T EVEN GET WALK.
SO PUTTING A LOT OF STRESS ON THESE DOGS IS NOT OKAY AT ALL.
I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A SEPARATE FUNDS NOT JUST TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, THE OD OR THE HIGH FUNCTION DOGS.
ALL DOGS IN OUR AAC NEEDS SOME KIND OF HELP, ESPECIALLY IF FOR FOSTER, IT'S LIKE WE ALSO NEED HELP WITH OUR BLUE DOG DOGS PUTTING 'EM IN FOSTER.
UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY HELP AT ALL ACTUALLY.
UM, WE ARE DOING THIS ON CONSTANTLY AND THEN OD IS LIKE HAVING FUNDS TO PUT THESE DOGS IN FOSTER.
WE HAVE COMPLICATE DOGS THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE BLUE, UH, ORANGE DOT.
AND I THINK THEY SHOULD HELP THOSE DOGS THAT ARE NEED TO IT.
IT'S ONLY LIKE SO MANY VOLUNTEERS THAT GO THERE EVERY DAY.
AND I'M ONLY ONE PERSON, SO I CAN'T PUT EVERY DOG INTO FOSSIL, EVERY DOG TO GET DOCKED.
WE NEED SOMEBODY THAT'S THERE TO HELP THESE LONG STAY DOGS.
SO I RECOMMEND PUTTING TO GET A LONG STAY CREW, JUST FOCUS ON THOSE DOGS.
I TRIED TO MAKE IT SOUND FANCY.
UM, I'M A VOLUNTEER AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND I HAVE JUST A FEW THINGS TO DISCUSS, NO AGENDAS, BUT, UM, I WANTED TO BRING UP THAT I FEEL THE ADOPTION TEAM COULD REALLY, UM, DO MORE AS FAR AS
[00:35:01]
HELPING GET DOGS ADOPTED.UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'RE COUNSELING DOGS.
UM, I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE THE ONE DEPARTMENT AS A VOLUNTEER THAT I DON'T EVER SEE INTERACTING WITH THE DOGS OR CATS TO SEEING IF THEY'RE EVEN A GOOD MATCH FOR ANIMALS.
I KNOW THERE'S THIS NEW MATCH, MEET YOUR MATCH PROGRAM THAT'S JUST GOT RULED OUT AND UM, MAYBE THAT WILL HELP, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THE FRONT DESK ADOPTION TEAM WALKING THE KENNELS, UM, INTERACTING WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT DOGS SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT DOGS ARE LIKE.
CUZ THEY JUST SIT UP AT THE FRONT.
I MEAN, I WOULDN'T SAY ALL OF THEM, THEM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE MAJORITY JUST SIT UP AT THE FRONT DESK.
UM, WHEN THEY COULD BE OUT THERE WALKING, PART OF THEIR JOB COULD BE, YOU KNOW, WALKING THE KENNELS, GETTING TO KNOW DOGS.
UM, ANOTHER ITEM SEEMS LIKE IF EVERY STAFF AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER COULD WALK ONE DOG, SO WE HAVE SUCH A SURPLUS OF DOGS LIVING IN CRATES IN THE TRUCK PORT.
UM, POP-UP CRATES JUST KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE.
ROLLING KENNEL, UM, ROLLING CRATES, YOU KNOW, ALL ALONG HALLWAYS IN THE BACK BY VET SERVICES.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE NOT ONLY JUST ANIMAL CARE STAFF COULD BE WALKING IN OR JUST, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UM, ANIMAL DOG WALKER STAFF, BUT LIKE, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THE ADOPTION STAFF SINCE THEY'RE JUST SITTING UP THERE, I'M KIND OF PICKING ON THEM I GUESS.
BUT I JUST FEEL LIKE THEY COULD BE A LITTLE MORE PROACTIVE IN WALKING CREATED DOGS AND JUST INTERACTING WITH THE DOGS AS A WHOLE, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF DOGS RETURNED LATELY, UM, THAT ARE LONG STAY DOGS, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE GETTING RETURNED AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEING, MAYBE WHOEVER'S ADOPTING THEM ISN'T REALLY BEING EDUCATED ENOUGH ABOUT THAT DOG TO MAKE IT A GOOD MATCH.
UM, AND I KNOW THERE'S NOW, YOU KNOW, CLOSING THE SHELTER WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, WHICH THAT'S GREAT.
UM, IT JUST WOULD BE GOOD TO AGAIN, JUST HAVE THEM OUT, UM, INTERACTING WITH THE DOGS AND, UM, I, I REALLY LAUGH ON A TANGENT ON THAT ONE, BUT, UM, I GUESS A FEW OTHER ITEMS WERE JUST, UM, PLAY YARDS.
I FEEL LIKE THEY COULD BE UPDATED FOR THE SUMMERTIME.
SO FAR THERE'S JUST SOME TARPS THAT HAVE BEEN SORT OF HAHA HAPHAZARDLY THROWN UP ON THE FENCES, BUT IT'D BE NICE IF THE, THE PLAY YARDS COULD BE RETROFITTED OR SOMETHING FOR SUMMER.
SO WHERE IT'S NOT LIKE ASTROTURF THAT GETS REALLY HOT AND BURNS THE DOGS PAW.
UM, WE'RE ALSO DOWN TO JUST THREE REAL LIFE ROOMS NOW FOR THE DOGS WHEN WE HAD FOUR.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER, THE REAL LIFE ROOMS GET USED A LOT BY THE VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NOWHERE ELSE TO TAKE THE DOGS WHEN IT'S SO HOT.
THERE'S ONE PLAY YARD THAT WE KIND OF ALL FIGHT OVER.
IT'S THE PLAY YARD FIVE THAT STILL HAS LIKE MULCH AND DIRT AND NOT THAT HOT ASTROTURF.
SO WE JUST NEED MORE BETTER ENRICHMENT SPACES FOR THE DOGS DURING THE SUMMER.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS ERIN MITCHELL AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO BAN FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES FROM ALLOWING PUBLIC CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE ISSUES WITH AZA ACCREDITED ORGANIZATIONS, AND TO BE HONEST, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE ORDINANCE AGAINST THEM, BUT THIS IS A SMALL STEP FOR ANIMALS AND FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, I'VE SPOKEN HERE BEFORE ABOUT CONCERNS REGARDING THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM, BUT THIS ORDINANCE ISN'T JUST FOR THAT AQUARIUM.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE ISSUES WITH MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE BUSINESSES THAT PROFIT FROM EXPLOITING ANIMALS.
AS WE KNOW THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM, UM, THE WILD ANIMALS THERE ARE FORCED TO BE TOUCHED, HELD PRODDED CONSTANTLY WITHOUT REGULATION, AND IT POSES A DANGER TO BOTH THE ANIMALS AND THE PUBLIC.
WHEN THE WILD ANIMALS ARE FORCED TO BE HANDLED, THIS IS NOT NATURAL FOR THEM.
WE ARE NOT LETTING THEM LIVE THEIR LIVES AND THEY SUFFER SEVERE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS.
THEY'RE FRIGHTENED, AND A NATURAL REACTION IS FOR THEM TO ATTACK PEOPLE.
THIS HAS LED TO MANY VISITORS AND STAFF AT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM IN PARTICULAR, BEING ATTACKED AND INJURED.
I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE PUT YOURSELF IN THE POSITION OF THE ANIMALS.
WHY FORCE THEM TO BE USED AS A SPECTACLE FOR ENTERTAINMENT? AND WHY CONTINUE TO ALLOW PEOPLE AND ANIMALS BE IN DANGER? PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING IN SUPPORT PASSING THIS ORDINANCE.
[00:40:06]
HELLO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.AS A PROUD RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY.
I SIT BEFORE YOU TODAY IN FIRM SUPPORT OF AN IMPORTANT PROPOSAL THAT AIMS TO SAFEGUARD THE WELLBEING OF BOTH WILD ANIMALS AND THE PUBLIC.
LET US REMEMBER THAT WILD ANIMALS DO NOT DESIRE HUMAN INTERACTION.
THEY THRIVE IN THEIR NATURAL HABITATS AWAY FROM THE PETTING, POKING, AND PRODDING THAT COME WITH PUBLIC ENCOUNTERS, SUBJECTING THEM TO IRREGULAR SLEEP PATTERNS, MISHANDLING LOUD NOISES, AND LARGE CROWDS OF STRANGERS ONLY CAUSES EVENT STRESS, PUTTING BOTH THE ANIMALS AND THE PUBLIC AT RISK OF HARM.
IT IS PARTICULARLY DISTRESSING TO WITNESS THE EXPLOITATION OF VULNERABLE BABY ANIMALS TORN AWAY PREMATURELY FROM THEIR MOTHERS.
FOR THE SAKE OF PROFIT, THESE INNOCENT CREATURES ARE SUBJECTED TO A LIFE OF STRESS AND EXPLOITATION IN PROFIT DRIVEN FACILITIES.
WE CANNOT TURN A BLIND EYE AT THIS CRUELTY.
FURTHERMORE, PUBLIC INTERACTIONS WITH WILD ANIMALS CARRY SIGNIFICANT HEALTH RISKS, BITES AND SCRATCHES CAN LEAD TO INFECTIONS.
AND THERE IS ALSO THE ALARMING POTENTIAL FOR ZOONOTIC DISEASE.
AND THIS IS WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S, THERE'S BITES OR SCRATCHES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND THIS IS JUST BY REGULAR CONTACT.
UM, SADLY, THE PROLIFERATION OF FACILITIES OFFERING PUBLIC ENCOUNTERS WITH WILD ANIMALS HAS BROUGHT ABOUT COUNTLESS INCIDENTS OF INJURIES INFLICTED UPON UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMERS, ONE SUCH AS ESTABLISHMENT.
THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM HAS A DISTURBING HISTORY OF VISITOR INJURIES.
DURING THESE ENCOUNTERS, THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM HAS REPEATEDLY DRAWN THE ATTENTION OF REGULATORY AUTHORITIES.
THE U S D A HAS CITED THE FACILITY FOR VARIOUS VIOLATIONS, INCLUDING FAILING TO SEEK VETERINARY CARE FOR ANIMALS, EXHIBITING SIGNS OF SEVERE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, INADEQUATE HOUSING CONDITIONS, AND FAILURE TO ESTABLISH, UH, SUFFICIENT BARRIERS BETWEEN ANIMALS AND VISITORS.
DESPITE THESE WARNINGS, THE AQUARIUM PERSISTS IN ALLOWING DIRECT CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS, INCLUDING SOME SPECIES THAT ARE NOT PROPERLY MONITORED.
SUCH PRACTICES ENDANGERED BOTH ANIMALS AND VISITORS.
THE GROWING PUBLIC AWARENESS AND CONCERN FOR ANIMAL WELFARE ARE UNDENIABLE.
WE RECENTLY WITNESSED THE ENACTMENT OF THE BIG CAT PUBLIC SAFETY ACT, WHICH RIGHTLY PROHIBITS PUBLIC CONTACT WITH BIG CATS.
THE CRUCIAL LEGISLATION ACKNOWLEDGES THE RISKS AND STRESS EXPERIENCE BY THESE ANIMALS.
IT IS NOW OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO EXTEND THIS PROTE PROTECTION TO ALL SPECIES AND ESTABLISH AUSTIN AS A COMPASSIONATE LEADER IN PREVENTING SUCH CRUELTY.
IN CLOSING, I URGE EACH OF YOU TO PLEASE REFLECT UPON THE NUMEROUS INCIDENTS OF INJURIES, DEATHS AND VIOLATIONS DOCUMENTED AT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM.
LET US PRIORITIZE ANIMAL WELFARE AND PUBLIC SAFETY OVER PROFIT DRIVEN EXPLOITATION.
IT IS TIME TO TAKE A STAND AND SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL TO PROHIBIT PUBLIC CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS AT FOR-PROFIT ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS. TOGETHER WE CAN SEND A RESOUNDING MESSAGE THAT AUSTIN STANDS AGAINST CRUELTY AND PRIORITIZES THE WELLBEING OF ALL LIVING BEINGS.
HELLO, MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN CANTONS AND I'M A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN GRADUATE STUDENT AND AN EDUCATOR.
AND I'VE COME OUT AND TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT PUBLIC CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS.
AT FOR-PROFIT ZOOS AN AQUARIUM, I WILL BE ARGUING THAT WE SHOULD OPPOSE THEM BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE NOTHING OF VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND BECAUSE THEY'RE DETRIMENT AND BECAUSE THEY'RE AN ACTIVE DETRIMENT TO IT.
ZOOS IN AQUARIUM, ZOOS IN AQUARIUMS OFTEN CLAIM TO BE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
AND WHILE IT'S TRUE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THEY TEACH, THE LESSON IS BOTH FALSE AND I THINK DANGEROUS.
WHAT REALLY CAN BE LEARNED FROM AN WHAT REALLY CAN BE LEARNED FROM AN ANIMAL, TAKEN FROM THEIR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, KEPT IN AN ENCLOSURE AND PREVENTED FROM EXHIBITING THE BEHAVIORS THAT COME NATURAL TO THEM.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THEM ACROSS THE BARS OR GLASS OF THEIR ENCLOSURES, WE SEE ONLY A REFLECTION OF OUR OWN POWER AND PRESUMED DOMINANCE FROM THESE ENCOUNTERS.
CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT NOT RESPECT FOR THE WIDER WORLD, BUT A BELIEF THAT THESE, UH, THAT OTHER ANIMALS EXIST ONLY TO ENTERTAIN AND AMUSE TO BE TREATED AND PLAYED WITH AS WE SEE FITTING.
WE, UH, WE CAN CALL THIS ATTITUDE HUMAN EXCEPTIONALISM, AND I THINK IT HAS NO PLACE IN A PROGRESSIVE CITY LIKE AUSTIN.
OF COURSE, MUCH OF THIS CONVERSATION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE CLEAR, UH, IS REALLY ABOUT AUSTIN AQUARIUM.
AND SO I'LL SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS FACILITY AND MAYBE I, SOME OF THIS WILL BE A LITTLE BIT REPETITION, BUT I'LL TRY TO SKIM OVER AS MUCH AS I CAN FIRST.
SO FIRST IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A SANCTUARY.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A WILDLIFE REHABIL REHABILITATION FACILITY, OR EVEN AN INSTITUTION THAT DOES ANYTHING, HOWEVER SMALL TO SUPPORT CONSERVATION EFFORTS.
FOR INSTANCE, AUSTIN AQUARIUM IS JUST A ROADSIDE ATTRACTION, TRYING TO MAKE MONEY BY EXPLOITING VULNERABLE ANIMALS.
[00:45:01]
THIS DISTINCTION, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THESE ARE, UH, FOR-PROFIT INSTITUTIONS, I THINK THAT THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, POINT TO EMPHASIZE.SO, BECAUSE PROFIT IS THE PRIORITY FOR AUSTIN AQUARIUM, THEIR ANIMALS AREN'T GIVEN EVEN THE MINIMUM OF CARE THAT THEY REQUIRE.
AUSTIN AQUARIUM HAS ALREADY BEEN CITED, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, UH, BY THE U S D A.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, WE'RE FAILING TO CONSULT A VET VETERINARIAN WHEN OTTERS WERE EXHIBITING ABNORMAL BEHAVIORS THAT WERE SIGNED OF SEVERE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS FOR FAILING TO HOUSE ANIMALS IN APPROPRIATE AND CLEAN ENCLOSURES, INCLUDING FOR NOT CLEANING THE CAP'S POOL THAT HAD PCS FLOATING IN IT, AND FOR FAILING TO ESTABLISH ADEQUATE BARRIERS BETWEEN ANIMALS AND CUSTOMERS.
IT HAS, IT HAS ALSO BEEN MADE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT THE KEY CARE, EVEN THEY CARE A LITTLE EVEN ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS.
THERE HAVE BEEN MOST MULTIPLE INCIDENTS THAT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM WHERE VISITORS, INCLUDING CHILDREN, HAVE BEEN INJURED DURING ENCOUNTERS A LIMMER BIT, A TEENAGER, ANOTHER, AND ANOTHER GUEST DURING A SEP SEPARATE INTERACTIONS, PROMPTING EACH TO SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT AS THE FACILITY ALSO RECEIVED CRITICAL CITATIONS, UH, FROM THE U S D A OVER ANOTHER INCIDENT WHEN A LIMMER BIT, A CHILD'S, UH, HAND, AND WHEN, UH,
THESE CITATIONS LED TO AN OFFICIAL WARNING FOR ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE FEDERAL WE, UH, ANIMAL WELFARE ACT.
AND SO, AS A FINAL CLOSING REMARK, I I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS A DECISION THAT WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING THAT'S GOING TO REFLECT THE KIND OF CITY THAT AUSTIN WANTS TO BE.
ARE WE A CITY THAT'S ALIGNED WITH VALUES SUCH AS LIKE, YOU KNOW, DEFENDING WILDLIFE AND STANDING FOR LIKE HUMANITY? OR ARE WE, ARE WE GONNA BE SIDING WITH THE, UH, FOR-PROFIT INSTITUTIONS THAT EXPLOIT ANIMALS? THANK YOU.
HI, UM, I'M ACTUALLY MARK ON MAY.
UM, SO I WANT TO BE HERE TO, UH, SUPPORT THE CONCEPT THAT, UH, YOU GUYS HEAR THE, UH, ZER, UH, VISION PLAN.
I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY, UH, CRITICAL FOR YOU GUYS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE DOGS THAT USE, UH, THE PARK.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, UH, THE PLANT WAS ACTUALLY, UH, DEVELOPED, UH, PRIMARILY BY LIKE THE NON, UH, PROFITS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESSES THAT USED THE PARK FOR, YOU KNOW, THEIR OWN GOALS.
THERE WAS PRACTICALLY NO THOUGHT, UH, GIVEN TO ANY OTHER GROUPS, INCLUDING THE FOLKS THAT USE THE, UH, USE, USE THE PARK, UH, TO WALK, WALK THEIR DOGS.
AND SO YOU REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY, UH, REPRESENT THOSE GROUPS AND THEIR VIEWS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, PRETTY MUCH LEFT OUT OF THE PLAN.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT FROM LIKE A DOG WALKER POINT OF VIEW, NOW YOU CAN PARK ON LU NEPH ROAD.
YOU CAN OPEN YOUR CAR, CAR DOOR AND YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR DOG CAN RUN AROUND IN A LITTLE QUIET, UH, CORNER OF A PARK.
BUT AS IT'S ACTUALLY PROPOSED, UH, LUNA IS ACTUALLY TOTALLY CLOSED.
AND SO YOU'LL BE FORCED TO PARK IN AN UNDERGROUND, UH, GARAGE ON LIKE THE, UH, POLO FIELDS.
AND YOU'LL BE CHANNELED ACROSS A NARROW LAND, UH, BRIDGE WITH ALL THE OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO USE THE PARK.
YOU'LL SORT OF SQUEEZE BY THE HILL HILLSIDE THEATER WITH YOUR DOG.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW, HOW THAT'LL WORK WHEN THERE'S A SHOW AT HILL HILLSIDE THEATER, AND THEN YOU'LL GET TO THE GREAT GREAT LAWN.
THIS IS A HUGE STEP BACKWARDS, AND THERE'S NO ONE THAT'S ACTUALLY ADVOCATING FOR THEM, FOR THE DOGS OR THE FOLKS THAT OWN, OWN THE DOGS.
AND SO I THINK YOU GUYS REALLY HAVE A, A, A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN FOR THOSE FOLKS, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL TAKE IT.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM AND THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO BAN PUBLIC CONTACT WITH WILD ANIMALS, SPECIFICALLY FOR FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT ACCREDITED UNDER THE ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS. I BELIEVE THAT IF THIS ORDINANCE IS RECOMMENDED TO CITY COUNCIL AND ACTUALLY PASSED, IT WILL SOLVE THE WORST ISSUES FOUND INSIDE THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM.
IT'LL ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO ALLOW REPUTABLE ANIMAL CARE FACILITIES IN OUR CITY TO CONTINUE OPERATING.
AND TO CLARIFY THE SCOPE OF THIS ORDINANCE, IT, IT SEEMS TO ME AT LEAST, LIKE IT IS A TAILORED AND FOCUSED ORDINANCE IN THE SENSE THAT IT, IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FROM DISPLAYING OR EXHIBITING OR SHOWING THESE ANIMALS.
IT, IT JUST PROHIBITS PUBLIC INTERACTION WITH THOSE ANIMALS THEMSELVES.
IT, IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT ORGANIZATIONS FROM TEACHING KIDS HOW ANIMALS LIVES ARE, IT JUST PROHIBITS THE KIDS FROM TOUCHING THEM AND POTENTIALLY BEING HARMED FROM THOSE INTERACTIONS THEMSELVES.
AND THE REASON I THINK THAT THIS ORDINANCE, THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS AN OVERREACHING
[00:50:01]
OR JUST BENEFICIAL, BUT ACTUALLY NECESSARY IS BECAUSE ALL OF THE ALTERNATIVE MEASURES THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM HAS ATTEMPTED TO TAKE TO REDUCE HARM HAVE NOT WORKED SO FAR.THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM HAS TRIED TO IMPOSE AGE LIMITS SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE 14 YEARS OLD OR OLDER CAN ONLY INTERACT WITH LEMURS.
BUT A MONTH AGO, THERE WAS A 30 YEAR OLD WOMAN WHO WALKED INSIDE THE LEMUR EXHIBIT AND WAS IMMEDIATELY SCRATCHED AND BITTEN IN THE FACE.
SHE STARTED BLEEDING, SHE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, SHE REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO LOCAL NEWS, AND SHE ASKED THE AQUARIUM, THIS HAD HAPPENED BEFORE.
AND THEY LIED TO HER AND SAID, NO, THEY'VE TRIED TO INCREASE SUPERVISION INSIDE THE AQUARIUM ITSELF.
BUT WHEN I WENT, I SAW THAT THERE WAS ONE SUPERVISOR INSIDE THE BIRD EXHIBIT, AND STILL THREE KIDS WERE BITTEN AND SCRATCHED BY THREE DIFFERENT BIRDS.
THESE MEASURES HAVE AT LEAST NOT PROVEN TO WORK AND TO ACTUALLY REDUCE THE HARM THAT REGULARLY OCCURS AT THIS AQUARIUM.
SO IT SEEMS TO BE THE CASE IS THAT AS LONG AS THIS POLICY IS ALLOWED, AS LONG AS PUBLIC INTERACTION WITH WILD ANIMALS IS ALLOWED INSIDE THIS AQUARIUM HARM IS INEVITABLE.
AND TO ME, IT FEELS LIKE THIS IS WHAT AUSTIN ACTUALLY WANTS.
A COUPLE MONTHS AGO I STARTED A PETITION CALLED SHUT DOWN THE AUSTIN AQUARIUM, AND I EXPECTED TO GET, TO GET LIKE A DOZEN OR HUNDREDS OF SIGNATURES, BUT IN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS IT GOT 56,000 SIGNATURES.
TO ME, THAT MEANS THAT THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN DO NOT WANT THIS ACCORDING TO CONTINUE OPERATING, AT A VERY LEAST, DO NOT WANT THIS POLICY TO CONTINUE BEING IN PLACE.
AND FOR THIS REASON, I'M ASKING Y'ALL TO RECOMMEND THIS ORDINANCE TO CITY COUNCIL AND RECOMMEND FOR THEM TO PASS THIS AT COUNCIL ITSELF.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UM, OH, I, SOMEBODY WROTE THIS REALLY FAST.
UH, LOOKS LIKE MAYBE HEIDI, UM, I, SOMEBODY ELSE WANT TO TRY TO INTERPRET THIS.
IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THAT I, HI.
MAYBE YOU'RE
UH, I HAVE, WE HAVE TWO MORE THAT SIGNED UP.
FORD SANDERS AND, UH, LOOKS LIKE HAKEY.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS.
SO, UM, THE FIRST THAT, THAT WE'VE MAY WANT TO CONSIDER AS A COMMISSION.
I WAS GONNA MAKE A MOTION YES.
HOW ABOUT THIS ZOOM? DO YOU WANT EXPAND ON THAT, WHERE EXACTLY YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT ITEM, UH, AS PART OF YOUR MOTION? UM, I DON'T HAVE THE AGENDA IN FRONT.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S THE, UM, DONLAN, SORRY, HERE.
OKAY, SO THE MOTION WOULD BE TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN TO WHERE ITEM NUMBER THREE UNDER DISCUSSION ITEMS IS CURRENTLY.
UM, AND IT WOULD BECOME A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY, IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE AN ACTION ITEM SO THE WHOLE, EVERYBODY CLEAR ON THAT MOTION? IT WOULDN'T BECOME JUST DISCUSSION.
WAS IT BEFORE OR AFTER THREE? BEFORE.
SO IT WOULD BECOME, UM, DIRECTLY AFTER STAFF BRIEFINGS NUMBER TWO.
IS IT CAN NUMBER TWO? IT'S PRECEDING THE NUMBER TWO ITEM.
WHICH IS IT? IT WOULD PROCEED NUMBER THREE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OKAY, WE HAVE, KEEP YOUR HANDS UP PLEASE.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE CLINTON AND NOW ALL AGAINST OR OPPOSED? OH, THERE WE GO.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
[00:55:05]
OKAY, NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES.APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION, REGULAR MEETINGS ON MAY 8TH, 2023.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING ON MAY 8TH.
IS THERE A SECOND? AYE SECOND? AYE SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND UNANIMOUS.
[2. Overview of monthly reports provided by the Animal Service Office]
STAFF BRIEFINGS.NUMBER TWO, OVERVIEW OF MONTHLY REPORTS PROVIDED BY THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE.
I KNOW WE HAVE A PACKED AGENDA, SO I'M GONNA MAKE THIS BRIEF.
THE REPORTS Y'ALL, Y'ALL DID RECEIVE THOSE.
I'M GONNA MAKE A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE FROM THOSE, UH, REPORTS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ASK, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THE LIVE EXIT RATE FOR MAY WAS 97.53%.
IN MAY, WE HAD, UM, SIX NEW VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS INTRODUCING 123 NEW PEOPLE THAT 125 OF THEM STARTED THEIR FIRST TRAINING SHIFTS IN MAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT ALL VOLUNTEER HOURS, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 535 TOTAL INDIVIDUALS, UH, OFFER 7,205 TOTAL VOLUNTEER HOURS.
AND WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT TO MAY OF 2019, WE HAD BACK THEN 391 VOLUNTEERS WITH 5,411 HOURS.
SO WE'VE EXPANDED OUR, UH, VOLUNTEER HOURS CONSIDERABLY AND WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THOSE VOLUNTEERS.
SO WE TRULY APPRECIATE ALL THE ASSISTANCE STAFFING.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO STAFF ANIMAL CARE STAFF POSITIONS POSTED.
ONE IS A TEMPORARY AND ONE IS A FULL-TIME.
AND WE HAVE 10 FULL-TIME POSITIONS AND SIX TEMPORARY POSITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF ONBOARDING FROM EITHER INTERVIEWING TO OFFERS MADE TO WAITING, UH, FOR THEIR NEW START DATE.
SO THOSE ARE ALREADY, UH, IN, IN THE PIPELINE, SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT.
UH, BEFORE I PROCEED, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE REPORTS? IF NOT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN, UH, THE MIC OVER TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, STEPHANIE, HAYDEN.
I AM STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
I HAD SENT AT BELINDA, UM, THANK YOU FOR SENDING OUT A CORRESPONDENCE FROM MY OFFICE ON FRIDAY, UM, ABOUT AN, UM, A RETREAT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, UM, WITH THE COMMISSION.
AND, UM, WE HAVE A CONSULTANT, UM, THAT WE HAVE HIRED, UH, TO ASSIST US WITH SNAP MANAGEMENT.
AND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON A FACILITATED DISCUSSION.
AND SO, UM, OUR THOUGHTS IS, IS IS WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HEAR, UM, FROM EACH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, EACH, EACH COMMISSIONER INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, WE WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
WE WANT YOU TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO US.
UM, BECAUSE OUR GOAL IS, IS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE, UM, COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION, UM, THAT WE ARE SEEING BETWEEN THE COMMISSION AND OUR STAFF.
UM, IN, IN CONVERSATIONS THAT, UM, I HAD WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL'S OFFICE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED WITH HER AS WELL AS THE CITY CLERK ABOUT IS THAT NOW THAT WE HAVE NEW, UM, COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AS RETURNING COMMISSIONERS, THIS WOULD ALLOW US THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND REALLY START TO USE THAT RETREAT FOR US TO START TO PLAN AS WE START TO LOOK AT YEARS OUT.
AND SO THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE RETREAT.
UM, I HAVE ASKED, UM, DARRELL, UH, PIERCE, HE IS HERE THIS EVENING AS WELL IN THE EVENT YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT WE REALLY, REALLY WOULD LOVE A HUNDRED PERCENT PARTICIPATION, UM, FROM THE COMMISSION.
WE FEEL LIKE THAT THIS WOULD BE VERY ADVANTAGEOUS TO OUR COMMISSION, TO OUR STAFF AND TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND SO I WILL PAUSE JUST IN CASE ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS,
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BUT MY HOPE THAT YOU ALL RECEIVED THIS MEMO THAT WAS SENT OUT ON FRIDAY.YES, COMMISSIONER, SO ARE YOU, THANK YOU FOR I, I DID GET THE MEMO AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE MEETING.
SO IS THIS BEING TRI STORM FOR THIS PARTICULAR COMMISSION? IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE ROLLED OUT TO OTHER COMMISSIONS? I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS.
WELL, WELL WE'RE, WE ARE STARTING HERE.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT THERE WILL BE SOME OTHER COMMISSION, COMMISSION THAT WILL GO THROUGH SOMETHING SIMILAR.
UM, IF AS A, AS THE FOLKS COME TOGETHER AND START LOOKING AT HOW DO WE PLAN OUT, HOW DO WE START TO LOOK AHEAD, HOW DO WE WORK MORE COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER, HOW DO WE INCREASE THE COMMUNICATION? AND SO YOU WILL, YOU WILL PROBABLY SEE OTHER ONES, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE STARTING.
SO YOU'RE STARTING WITH, WITH THIS GROUP AND THEN, UH MM-HMM.
UM, IS THERE A TIMELINE FOR THIS? IT'S, I KNOW COMING ON SUMMER, A LOT OF US HAVE PLANS TO BE OUT OF TOWN FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
SO IS THERE A TIMELINE PROJECTED FOR THIS? WELL, WE ARE GONNA, UM, I HAVE THE CONSULTANT HERE, BUT WE ARE GOING TO TAILOR THIS TO YOU ALL SCHEDULE CUZ WE UNDERSTAND SUMMER AND UNDERSTAND HOW, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TRAVEL, THEY'VE ALREADY MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO TRAVEL.
AND SO WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO TAILOR THIS AROUND, UM, AROUND Y'ALL'S SCHEDULE BECAUSE WE DO WANT MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION.
SO IS THIS GOING TO BE LIKE A ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTING INITIALLY AND THEN WE COME TOGETHER AS A GROUP? AND THEN I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, IS THERE SOME SORT OF TRAINING FOR COMMISSIONERS INVOLVED IN THIS TOO? I MEAN, TONIGHT I WAS GONNA HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT CITY BUDGET, COUNTY BUDGET, YOU KNOW, IS THERE SOME SORT OF TRAINING INVOLVED IN THIS IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLANNING AS FAR AS HOW SOME OF THE BACKEND OF CITY GOVERNMENT WORKS? SO A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL TRANSITION OVER.
UM, THE, THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS GOING TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, SHE'S PROBABLY JOINING US HERE VIRTUALLY, UM, AND KIND OF LOOKING AT KIND OF THE ROLE THAT THEY WILL PLAY, UM, AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER THE AGENDA.
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO COME WITH A SET AGENDA.
THE AGENDA IS GOING TO BE BASED UPON WHAT WE HEAR FROM, FROM YOU AS WHAT YOU WANT TO WORK ON AND WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE IS GONNA BE BENEFICIAL.
AND SO THAT'S HOW THAT AGENDA IS GOING TO BE CREATED BASED UPON Y'ALL'S FEEDBACK.
NOW, IF THERE'S SOME KIND OF ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, UM, TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY, IF THAT'S KIND OF NOT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS, WE'LL DEFINITELY PROVIDE THAT TO YOU AS WELL.
UH, I'M GONNA BUILD ON A FEW QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED AND A FEW POINTS MADE BY, UH, THE ACM.
UH, ONE, UH, OUR FIRM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR 21 YEARS.
WE'VE WORKED WITH DEPARTMENTS AND, UH, COMMISSIONS THROUGHOUT, UH, THE STATE.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS OPPORTUNITY TO FACILITATE DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU ALL.
AND I ALSO HAVE SERVED ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, AT THE CITY.
UH, SO I'VE, I HAVE A FEW STRIPES, UH, THERE FROM A COMMUNITY SERVICE PERSPECTIVE, BUT AS IT RELATES TO THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE, UH, THE GOAL HAS KIND OF BEEN FRAMED AND SO I'LL BE INTERESTED IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY FEEDBACK ON THE GOALS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE OUTCOME OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, THE PROCESS.
UH, WE WANT YOUR HAND PRINTS TO BE ON THE PROCESS.
AND SO OUR ROLE IS GONNA BE JUST TO KIND OF NAVIGATE AND FACILITATE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS THAT WE WOULD SEND OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE TO YOU ALL, ONE, IDENTIFYING WHAT YOU IDENTIFY AS SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE, FROM A, FROM A DATE PERSPECTIVE, WHAT ARE BEST DATES THAT WORK FOR YOU? UH, WHAT ARE SOME OTHER OUTCOMES YOU WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT HAS HAS ALREADY BEEN FRAMED.
SO WE WANT YOUR INPUT, UH, AND IF THERE'S OTHER ISSUES THAT WILL RETHINK OTHER RESOURCES WILL BE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THEM PRESENT BECAUSE IT'LL BE OF SOME ASSISTANCE AS FAR AS INCREASING YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE.