[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
UM, IT IS NOW 6 0 1 AND WE ARE GONNA GET THE PARKS AND RECREATION REGULAR MEETING OF, REGULAR MEETING STARTED FOR JUNE THE 26TH.
UM, I'M GONNA DO A CALL TO ORDER AT THIS TIME.
PETER VILLALOBOS, DISTRICT TWO PRESENT.
STEPHANIE BOON, DISTRICT FIVE.
JENNIFER FRANKLIN, DISTRICT NINE.
UM, I BELIEVE SHE'S PRESENT VIA WEBEX.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.UH, KIM TAYLOR, DISTRICT EIGHT PRESENT.
WE HAVE A FEW SPEAKERS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
THE FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE, UH, JEANNIE RAMIREZ.
HERE AFTER JEANNIE WILL BE SCOTT COBB.
I'M A LOCAL MUSICIAN AND, UH, I DEFINITELY WANNA TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
UM, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WAS FOUNDED BY ROLAND WINSTON 37 YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, IT WAS A, THE YEAR THAT I STARTED MY MUSIC AND CAREER.
I'M GONNA BE 60 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR.
I HAVE BEEN PERFORMING FOR 37 YEARS.
I LITERALLY DID GO TO THE VERY FIRST SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
UM, AND WE'RE ALL HERE IN THIS ROOM.
ALL OF YOU GUYS, EVERYBODY HERE BECAUSE ONE MAN PROFITED SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WAS SOARING, PROFITING TONS OF MONEY WHILE THE MUSICIAN STAY STAGNANT.
WE'RE HERE NOW BECAUSE OF THAT.
EVERYONE CAN BLAME THE JAY PENSKE GROUP, THE BILLIONAIRES WHO BOUGHT IT.
I I, TO ME, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY WE'RE HERE, CUZ IT JUST SHOULD BE.
YES, WE NEED TO PAY THE MUSICIANS BETTER.
IT'S SAD HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GETTING PAID FOR SOUTH BY.
AND IT TOOK A MAN, JOEY DE FRANCISCO FROM NEW JERSEY TO BRING THIS UP IN A PETITION.
WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS EVERYONE'S BEEN COMPLIANT IN THIS.
MEANING WHY HAS NOT ONE ARTICLE BEEN WRITTEN IN THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE? LOUIS BLACK, THE FOUNDER OF THE CHRONICLE.
EVERYONE'S IN, YOU KNOW, UH, I, I GET, WE HAVE TO HAVE RELATIONS.
I SPOKE OUT ABOUT THIS ON MAY 4TH AT CITY COUNCIL HERE.
BUT THE ISSUE IS WHEN SOMEONE'S PROFITING AND NO ONE'S SAY ANYTHING, THE PAPER, THE CHRONICLE IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE MUSICIAN'S ADVOCATE AND NOT ONE PEOP.
WHY? BECAUSE EVERYONE'S IN BED WITH EVERYONE ENOUGH.
I DON'T, AGAIN, IT'S, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE HAVING MEETINGS ON.
IT SHOULD BE, YES, LET'S DO SOMETHING BETTER.
YOU'RE THE ONES THAT I, I WAS SHOCKED.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I HAD TO BE HERE.
I THOUGHT SPEAKING OUT CITY COUNCIL WAS ENOUGH, HAD NO IDEA.
UM, YOU GOT, AND IF, AND IF YOU ARE IN CHARGE, YOU'RE ALSO IN CHARGE OF A C L.
AND I'VE SPOKEN OUT AT THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMISSION THAT AMY CORBIN, WHO IS A TALENT BUYER, HAS REALLY LET DOWN A LOT OF LATINAS.
THEY DO NOT
THERE'S LAYERING, LAYERING HERE OF WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY WE'RE HERE.
ONE MAN, ROLAND SWENSON PROFITED.
AND I, I KNOW IT'S EASY TO BLAME THE BILLIONAIRE, AND I'M NOT SAYING, YOU KNOW, I READ IN THE MONITOR, HE'S NOT EVEN COMING TO THE TABLE WITH MUSICIANS.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A SEAT AT THAT TABLE TO HELP NEGOTIATE.
I, I REALLY WOULD BECAUSE VANESSA FUENTES CITY COUNCILMAN AND, AND ANOTHER COUNCILMAN SAID THEY HAVE MET WITH THE PENSKE GROUP.
HAD THEY BEEN SUCCESSFUL, WE WOULD BE CELEBRATING RIGHT NOW.
THEY WILL NOT SAY WHEN THEY HAD THE MEETING AND WHO ATTENDED.
[00:05:03]
THANK YOU.OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE SCOTT COBB, FOLLOWED BY LIZ BARRANT, B A R H Y D T.
SCOTT, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE, UH, ALL YOUR SIX MINUTES RIGHT NOW? I'LL COME BACK FOR THE OTHER ONE.
I WORK AS A LIFEGUARD FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND, UH, LIFEGUARDS ARE TRUSTED, UH, TO ENFORCE THE RULES AT THE POOL.
WE SEE EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON.
WE'RE LIKE SANTA CLAUS AT THE POOL.
WE SEE THE NICE PEOPLE AND WE SEE THE NAUGHTY PEOPLE.
WHEN WE ENFORCE THE RULES, EVERYONE TURNS OUT NICE, THEY CHANGE AND THEY START FOLLOWING THE RULES.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS AT THE POOLS.
IT'S A NICE HAPPY ENVIRONMENT, BUT SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
AND ME AND ANOTHER LIFEGUARD HAVE BEEN COLLECTING SIGNATURES ON A PETITION REGARDING THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN.
SINCE JANUARY, OUTSIDE IN THE, IN ZILKER AND AT OTHER EVENTS AND MORE THAN 5,400 PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED IT.
WE EXPENDED A LOT OF TIME DOING THIS CUZ WE LOVE THE PARK.
A MONTH AGO AT THIS PARKS BOARD MEETING, Y'ALL TOOK A STAND.
WHAT I DO ARGUE IS PEOPLE WHO HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND REFUSED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES.
WE WENT TO THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION REGARDING TWO OTHER PEOPLE, EVEN TAN GUCCI AND, UH, HANNAH KOFA.
AND THE VOTE WAS FOUR TO TWO IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH A FORMAL COMPLAINT, FORMAL HEARING WITH TAN GUCCHI AND FIVE TO, OR FIVE TO ONE ONT GUCCI AND FOUR TO TWO ON HANNAH KOFA.
BUT IT DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE YOU NEEDED SIX VOTES OUT OF THE 11.
AND THERE WERE THREE VACANCIES, ONE ABSENCE, AND ONE RECUSAL.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT NINA RINALDI.
SHE'S A MEMBER OF AUSTIN OUTSIDE, AND SHE SENT A LETTER ON BEHALF OF AUSTIN OUTSIDE TO THE PARKS BOARD, LOBBYING YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE PARKS BOARD.
AND SHE WAS ASKED TO RECUSE HERSELF, BUT SHE DID NOT DO THAT.
AND SO WHAT I HAVE DONE HERE IS I'VE WRITTEN A COMPLAINT TO THE AUSTIN RE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION, AND I JUST HINT SINNED.
AND THAT IS NOW SENT TO THE CITY CLERK.
SO THERE WILL BE ANOTHER HEARING AT THE AUSLIN ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION AS SOON AS THEY SET IT UP ABOUT NINA ALDI'S CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN HER REFUSAL TO, UH, RECUSE HERSELF.
WE REALLY RESENT IT WHEN PEOPLE WITH POSITIONS OF POWER WHO HAVE ON DIFFERENT BOARDS OR ON THIS BOARD, THAT BOARD OR THIS OTHER BOARD AND, UH, BOARD AND THE PARKS BOARD, AND THEY IGNORE THOSE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR PRIVILEGED POSITION WHILE WE AT THE, AT THE POOL AND THE REGULAR WORKERS.
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME, WE DON'T HAVE, WE'RE NOT ON BOARDS, WE'RE NOT ON MULTIPLE BOARDS.
WE DON'T, WE CAN'T AFFORD LAWYERS.
ALL WE HAVE IS OUR INTEGRITY AND ARE WILLING TO WORK HARD AND GO OUT THERE AND TALK TO PEOPLE.
WE ENGAGE ALL THE TIME ON THE PARKS VISION PLAN, BUT WE DON'T ABUSE OUR POSITION BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY POWER.
THANK YOU LIZ BYRON WILL BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
UM, WE'VE HAD A VERY BUSY START TO THE SUMMER AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE SOME KIND OF EXCITING PROGRAM NEWS OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING AT THE BOATHOUSE.
OUR SUMMER ROWING AND KAYAKING PROGRAM WITH THE PARD REC CENTERS CAMPS, UH, HAS BEGUN.
UH, WE WILL HAVE OVER 600 CAMPERS, UH, COME TO THE BOATHOUSE OVER 31 DAYS.
DURING THAT TIME, THEY WILL LEARN TO ROW USING OUR ROWING PONTOON BOATS AND THEN ALSO LEARN TO PADDLE BY GOING OUT AND KAYAKS ON LADY BIRD LAKE.
WE'VE ALSO BECOME A WELLNESS PARTNER WITH THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER.
OUR MONTHLY PROGRAM INTRODUCES ADULTS TO ROWING AND KAYAKING.
UH, AND TO DATE, WE'VE WELCOMED OVER A HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS, UH, IN TRYING BOTH OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.
OUR JUNIOR PROGRAM JUST SENT 44 JUNIOR ATHLETES TO THE US ROWING JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, AND THAT WAS HELD IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA.
IT GIVES THOSE ATHLETES A CHANCE TO COMPETE WITH TEAMS FROM ALL OVER THE US.
UM, AND THEY DID COME HOME WITH SOME VERY NICE RESULTS.
[00:10:01]
HOSTED TWO LADY BIRD LAKE CLEANUPS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL.UH, AND DURING THOSE, WE WERE ABLE TO REMOVE OVER A HUNDRED BAGS OF GARBAGE FROM THE LAKE.
AND IN CLOSING, UH, THE DWARF ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA IS HOLDING THEIR NATIONAL GAMES IN AUSTIN.
THIS COMING, STARTING THIS COMING WEEKEND, IT'S JULY ONE THROUGH SIXTH.
ON JULY 4TH AND FIFTH, AUSTIN ROWING CLUB WILL BE HOSTING THEIR ROWING MACHINE COMPETITION TOURNAMENT.
UH, AND THEN ALSO THEY WILL BE HAVING COXING CLINICS AND LEARN TO ROW SESSIONS FOR THEIR PARTICIPANTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME JOIN YOU, AND I WISH YOU ALL A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKERS GONNA BE MICHAEL KTI.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S THE END OF GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM FOUR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE SCOTT COBB.
AFTER SCOTT WILL BE JOSHUA DURHAM, I JUST WANNA SPEAK ON THE PLAN TO CLOSE THE POLO FIELD TO PARKING.
UH, ORIGINALLY IT WAS JULY, JULY 15TH.
IT'S NOW BEEN ON THE NEW DRAFT, UH, SE UH, AUGUST 1ST, AND I THINK THAT IS TOO SOON.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE THE END OF THIS SUMMER.
SO OCTOBER 1ST, I THINK IF YOU DO IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER AND AUGUST IS THE HOTTEST, MAYBE THE BUSIEST MONTH, WE GET A LOT OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS.
WE GET PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES, AND IT'S GONNA BE VERY CONFUSING OUT THERE.
AND SO I SUGGEST THAT YOU WAIT UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
AND IF YOU, WHEN YOU DO MAKE IT, UH, THE STAFF WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE THE SPOTS RESERVED FOR STAFF.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO ADD A RES A, A RESOLUTION IN THERE AT THE BOTTOM SAYING, UH, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE STAFF PARKING LOTS AT BARTON SPRINGS POOL BE INCREASED TO ACCOMMODATE THE FULL AFTERNOON STAFF OF LIFEGUARDS HEAD GUARD.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 23 TO 25 PEOPLE RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE SEVEN SPOTS IN THE MAIN LOT RIGHT THERE IN FRONT.
AND THEN WE HAVE FIVE ON THE SOUTH SIDE, AND WE CAN ONLY USE THOSE IF YOU GET THERE AT THREE O'CLOCK THE MORNING.
ONE HAVE TO OFFEND FOR THEMSELVES.
THEY CANNOT PARK IN THE STAFF PARKING LOT, BUT THERE'S USUALLY OTHER ONES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK WITH AFTER AUGUST 1ST WITH THE POLO FIELD CLOSED, WHENEVER I GO TO PARK, I KNOW NOT TO TRY TO GET TO THE PARKING, THE STAFF PARKING LOT AFTER LIKE TWO 15 BECAUSE THERE'S A LONG LINE OF CARS TRYING TO GET IN THERE, CIRCLING AROUND, I GO STRAIGHT TO THE POLO FIELD.
IF WE HAVE TO GO TO TEXAS ONE CENTER, THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK FOR US.
IT'S GOING TO, WE'RE GONNA BE SPENDING AN HOUR UNPAID TRYING TO PARK TEXAS ONE CENTER.
SO WE NEED MORE STAFF PARKING FROM SEVEN UP TO WHAT, MAYBE 15 IN THE MAIN FIVE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
YOU CAN ALSO PUT A FEW IN THE SMALLER LOTS BETWEEN THE MAIN AND THE POLO FIELD WHERE THERE'S A COUPLE OF SPACE SPOTS THERE.
BUT IF YOU JUST DO IT WITHOUT EXPANDING THE STAFF PARKING LOT, IT'S GONNA CREATE A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR US.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE JOSHUA DURHAM, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL TI.
I'M A RECREATION PROGRAMS INSTRUCTOR FOR THE PART AQUATIC DIVISION.
I WORK 40 HOURS A WEEK IN ZILKER PARK AS ONE OF THE FIVE HEAD LIFEGUARDS ASSIGNED TO MARTIN SPRINGS POOL.
I'VE WORKED CONTINUOUSLY IN ZUCKER PARK SINCE SPRING OF 2019.
UH, TONIGHT I'LL BE SPEAKING IN MY OWN PRIVATE CAPACITY, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT MY STATEMENT IS SUPPORTED BY MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES.
UH, I'M STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THE CLOSURE OF THE POLO FIELD OVERFLOW PARKING LOT WITHOUT THIS LOT TO, UH, OPEN TO PARKING.
THE NIGHTMARE OF FINDING A PLACE TO PARK TO GO TO WORK IS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED ON PEAK DAYS, PRIMARILY DURING THE CHARGING SEASON.
HARD STAFF ARE FORCED TO ARRIVE 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR PRIOR TO THEIR SHIFTS START TIME, SO THEY CAN WAIT THROUGH A QUEUE OF CARS THAT SLOWLY SNAKES ITS WAY THROUGH WILLIAM BARTON DRIVE, FIND AN OPEN SPACE AND THEN WALK TO BARTON SPRINGS POOL, OR THE ZILKER MAINTENANCE BAR AND CARETAKER'S COTTAGE, OR THE SPLASH EXHIBIT.
JUST IN THIS PAST WEEK, LIFEGUARDS HAVE HAD TO PARK UNDERNEATH BOAK AT ROLLINGWOOD DRIVE IN THE STRATFORD GRAVEL LOT BECAUSE THE POLO FIELD WAS CLOSED.
THIS IS FORCING CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES TO WALK SOMETIMES 15 MINUTES TO THEIR VEHICLES AT 10:30 PM LATE AT NIGHT, UH, IN A VERY DARK AND FRANKLY SCARY ENVIRONMENT.
UH, PARTICULARLY FOR FEMALE LIFEGUARDS WHO CAN BE AS YOUNG AS 16 YEARS OLD.
[00:15:01]
UM, ZARY IS NOT SAFE AT NIGHT.THERE IS AN INCREASINGLY HIGH NUMBER OF TRESPASSERS LINGERING ABOUT PARK GROUND.
WELL, AFTER THE 10:00 PM CURFEW, THERE'S MINIMAL LIGHTING, AND IF PRESENT, VERY DIM.
ADDITIONALLY, A MAN WAS MURDERED MERE STEPS FROM THE POOL'S ENTRANCE LAST SUMMER.
AN EMPLOYEE WAS ASSAULTED AT NIGHT, AND OTHER EMPLOYEES HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT PEOPLE THEY BELIEVE HAVE FOLLOWED THEM TO THEIR VEHICLES AT NIGHT.
OVER MY TENURE WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THE POLO FIELD PARKING IS DESPERATELY NEEDED TO HELP FACILITATE TRAFFIC FLOW THAT WILL AND DOES BACK UP TO WHAT, UH, BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
WHEN THE POLO FIELD IS CLOSED, UH, MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ELIMINATE WRONG WAY.
DRIVERS ON WILLIAM BARTON DRIVE AND STOP RIDESHARE VEHICLES FROM DROP-OFF AND PICKUPS AT THE CHOKE POINT IN THE LOWER LOT RIGHT OUTSIDE THE POOL ENTRANCE.
UH, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 12 RESERVED PARKING SPACES FOR POOL STAFF, FIVE OFF OF ASIE MORTON AND SEVEN ON WILLIAM BARTON.
ON SUNDAY THE 11TH, THERE WERE 41 STAFF MEMBERS SCHEDULED FOR THE ENTIRE DAY.
AND YESTERDAY THERE WERE 43 TOTAL STAFF MEMBERS SCHEDULED.
BARNTON SPRINGS STAFF NEED MORE DEDICATED PARKING SPACES IN ZILKER.
I DON'T NEED LIFEGUARDS FRANTICALLY CALLING ME 10 MINUTES BEFORE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON DUTY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND A PLACE TO PARK DUE TO BEING CAUGHT IN ZUCKER'S TRAFFIC BECAUSE THE POLO FIELD IS CLOSED FOR NO RHYME OR REASON LIKE IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
AND THAT WAS NOT COMMUNICATED TO US, SO WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO PARK TO GET TO WORK ON TIME.
LASTLY, THE ZILKER SHUTTLE NEEDS MORE WORK.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE IT PICKS UP OR DROPS OFF AT WHAT TIMES OR HOW TO FIND THAT INFORMATION OR PERMANENT WAYFINDING INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE PLACED IN THE PARK, AS WELL AS SIGNS ABOUT PROHIBITED ITEMS AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE CITY'S ORDINANCES PROHIBITING ALCOHOL, GLASS, AND ILLEGAL PARKING.
PLEASE DEEPLY CONSIDER, UH, THE BURDENS YOUR DECISIONS PLACED ON FRONTLINE PARK EMPLOYEES WHO JUST WANT TO PROVIDE THE BEST RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES POSSIBLE.
WHEN YOU SAY THERE'S 41 STAFF, UM, ON DUTY, ON A PART, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PARTICULAR DAYS, DID YOU MEAN FOR THE HOW MANY ARE IN THE MORNING OR HOW DO YOUR SHIFTS WORK? UM, SO I JUST WENT DOWN OUR, OUR SCHEDULING AND I COUNTED HOWEVER, LIKE ALL OF THE STAFF POSITIONS THAT WERE APPROVED, UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CALL OUT SICK OR WHATEVER.
UM, BUT THAT'S FOR THE ENTIRE DAY INCLUDING, UH, THE CONTRACTED SECURITY.
UM, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE ENTIRE DAY.
UM, AND THEN SOME SHIFTS OVERLAPPED WITH, WITH EACH OTHER, BUT THERE'S TOO MUCH OVERLAP TO ALLOW FOR STAFF TO MOVE OUT OF PARKING SPACES, UM, AND THE INCOMING STAFF TO COME IN, UH, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE AT THE FACILITY RUNNING THE FACILITY.
IT'S OPEN FROM 8:00 AM TO 10:00 PM IT'S A VERY LONG TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE MICHAEL KANATI.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR V LOBOS, HONORABLE PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M WITH A NUMBER OF ZUCKER PARK NONPROFITS, BUT I AM NOT HERE REPRESENTING ANY OF THEM TODAY.
I'M HERE IN MY INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND I ALSO WAS THE CHAIR OF THE POLO FIELD SUBGROUP THAT HELPED PUT TOGETHER THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP TO KEEP THESE NAMES STRAIGHT.
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT Y'ALL ARE CONSIDERING TONIGHT.
UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION THE FULL SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE WORKING GROUP PUT TOGETHER ABOUT HOW TO REMOVE POLO FIELD PARKING.
YOU'VE ACTUALLY HEARD QUITE A FEW HERE TODAY.
UH, I THINK THAT THAT ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS THAT WAS PROPOSED IN THE, UH, WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THAT A PILOT STUDY, LOOK AT HAVING SHUTTLE PARKING FROM ONE TEXAS CENTER AND SEE HOW THAT WORKS.
AND ACTUALLY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S ACTUALLY ONGOING.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE RESULTS ARE, BUT I DO THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO SEE THOSE RESULTS BEFORE WE UNDERSTAND IF COMPLETELY CLOSING DOWN THE POLO FIELDS IS REALLY VIABLE.
SO I'M URGING YOU TO, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF THESE COMPLICATED PROBLEMS ARE ALL BEING ADDRESSED AND CONSIDERED BY THE VISION PLAN.
WHEN WE SERVED ON THE WORKING GROUP, IT TOOK US A YEAR.
WE, WE GOT TO A MAJORITY RECOMMENDATION, BUT THERE WAS SO MANY MOVING PARTS, WE COULDN'T GET TO 100% CONSENSUS.
UM, AND SO I HOPE YOU WILL LET THE VISION PLAN PROCESS PLAY OUT.
UH, I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL HAVE A GOOD SOLUTION AND I AM HOPING IT WILL CLOSE THE POLO FIELD TO PARKING.
UH, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DO IT RIGHT AWAY.
IN FACT, WHEN YOU READ THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY SAID YOU NEED TO GIVE SOME ALLOWANCE FOR THE CURRENT USERS OF THE PARK TO ADJUST THEIR PLANS.
SO IF YOU JUST SHUT, I DUNNO IF THE PROPOSAL IS TO SHUT IT DOWN THIS YEAR COMPLETELY, THAT'S NOT GONNA ALLOW SOME OF THE EVENTS TO FIGURE OUT ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE PARK AND STILL MEET THESE, UH, EVENT NEEDS.
AND I'M, YOU KNOW, I, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD URGE YOU TO CONSIDER.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION, MIKE? THANK YOU.
UM, SO THE RESOLUTION OR THE RECOMMENDATION TODAY WAS NOT TO CLOSE THE POLO FIELDS TO ANY LARGE PRE-SCHEDULED EVENTS SO THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE FOR UNDER THIS RECOMMENDATION, CONTINUE THE LARGE EVENT
[00:20:01]
OVERFLOW PARKING AT THE POLO FIELDS.AT, AT THIS POINT, THE POLO FIELD IS CLOSED 50%, BUT ON, AND IT'S CLOSED ALL THE TIME DURING THE WEEK ACCORDING TO PARD.
UM, THAT'S ACCORDING TO A ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LEONA CAL LEVIA.
SO, UM, WHAT THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS SAYING WAS TO ELIMINATE THE PARKING ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, THAT'S JUST REGULAR PARKING IN ORDER TO TRY AND, UH, FACILITATE BETTER USE OF THE SHUTTLE AND ALSO IN THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION.
AM I CORRECT IN SAYING THAT THE GOAL WAS YEAR FOUR TO HAVE THE, THE POLO FIELDS CLOSED BY MAY OF 2022? YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN THAT REPORT CAME OUT, WAS IT 2018 AND IT WAS A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS THAT WOULD BE HAPPENING.
AND IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THEY WOULD REDUCE IT AUTOMATICALLY BY A SMALL PERCENT AND THEN REDUCE IT AUTOMATICALLY ANOTHER PERCENT.
BUT AFTER THAT, YOU HAD TO HAVE VIABLE, SAFE, ACCESSIBLE, CONVENIENT ALTERNATIVES IN PLACE.
AND KEEP IN MIND THAT REPORT, WHEN IT WAS ISSUED, IT WAS LOOKING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
SO USING A MARCH, 2022 DATE NOW IS KIND OF REALLY NOT FAIR.
UH, SO I WOULD, I WOULD URGE YOU LOOK AT THEIR CO COMPREHENSIVE SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT IS COMPLICATED AND I THINK IT IS A LITTLE MORE OF A MESS THAN COULD BE DONE THIS QUICKLY.
WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? YES, YES.
UM, A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE, WOULD THAT BE THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT THAT CAN HOLD 750 CARS? IF THERE WERE AN INTERNAL SHUTTLE? IT MIGHT BE.
I, MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS MEMORIZED, IS RIGHT NOW THE BUTLER LANDFILL IS ALREADY PARTIALLY CLOSED.
RIGHT? THEY HAVE STARTED DOING REPAIRS AND REMEDIATION MM-HMM.
SO IF YOU SHRINK THAT FROM, WHAT WAS IT, 1500 ORIGINALLY DOWN TO 700.
I DON'T HAVE THE MATH IN FRONT OF ME.
THERE'S 750 LOTS AVAILABLE NOW.
AND I ALSO KNOW THAT THE GOAL OF BOTH THE WORKING GROUP ULTIMATELY, AND I THINK COUNSEL AND I THINK THE VISION PLAN, AND I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS IS TO GET PARKING OUT OF BOTH OF THOSE PLACES.
THAT'S REALLY WHERE THERE'S A WIDESPREAD AGREEMENT AMONGST MANY PEOPLE.
THE DIFFERENCE IS DO WE PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE SOMEWHERE THAT'S CONVENIENT AT THE PARK TO, UH, PARK FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED TO COME WITH THEIR CARS, WITH THEIR COOLERS, WITH THEIR WHATNOT? UM, AND IT, TO ME, IT WAS INTERESTING.
I HAD TO GO BACK AND READ THE WORKING GROUP REPORT AND WHILE ONE TEXAS CENTER IS IN THERE, IT'S NOT LISTED AS A PARKING ALTERNATIVE.
IT'S LISTED AS THIS PILOT SHUTTLE SITUATION THAT SHOULD BE EVALUATED AND I BELIEVE IS BEING EVALUATED IN THE WORKING GROUP DOCUMENTS.
I BELIEVE BUTLER GRAVEL IS LISTED AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE.
SO WE'RE PROCEEDING WITH THE WORKING GROUP DOCUMENT.
IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE PROCEEDING WITH A PART OF IT AND MAYBE NOT LOOKING AT ALL OF THE YEAH.
THE PART THAT'S DOABLE RIGHT NOW, JUST TO RESOLVE THE, THE SAFETY ISSUE ON THE POLO GROUNDS.
WE'LL, WE'LL BE SHOWING SOME PICTURES TONIGHT.
WHO'S THE NEXT SPEAKER? THAT CONCLUDES, UH, COMMENT ON ITEM FOUR.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO COMMENTS ON ITEM SIX.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, ONE SPEAKER ON TELECONFERENCE.
MR. DE FRANCESCO, CAN YOU HEAR US? I THINK WE HAVE 'EM ON.
UH, YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, HI, UH, MY NAME'S JOEY, DAVE FRANCESCO.
UM, I'M THE STEERING COMMUNITY, UNITED MUSICIANS ALLIED WORKERS OR YUMA.
AND I'M A TOURING MUSICIAN WHO HAS PLAYED SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ON MANY OCCASIONS.
UH, YU YUMA'S, MANY MUSICIANS THERE TWO NIGHTS WHO ARE GOING TO SPEAK FURTHER ON THE RESOLUTION.
UM, WE SUPPORTED TO SPAN OUR EFFORTS, I ALSO WANTED TO BRIEFLY CALL IN ON BEHALF OF MY ORGANIZATION'S LEADERSHIP TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THE FAIR FACE SOUTHWEST RESOLUTION.
UH, WE BUILT A BROAD COALITION OF LABOR AND MUSICIAN GROUPS WHO ARE ALSO IN SUPPORT, UH, OUR COALITION.
SUCH A LETTER TO THE BOARD MEMBERS EARLIER THIS MONTH ON BEHALF OF US UNITED MUSICIANS AND ALLIED WORKERS, AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS, NATIONAL WORKING FAMILIES PARTY, TEXAS WORKING FAMILIES PARTY, ASM LOCAL 4 33 EXECUTIVE BOARD AND FESTIVAL COMMITTEE AT THE NATIONAL WRITERS UNION INDEPENDENT GIG MUSICIANS AND ASM ORGANIZING INITIATIVE, MUSIC WORKERS ALLIANCE, SECRETLY GROUP UNION, O P E I U, LOCAL 1 74, AND BAND CAMP UNITED LOCAL 10 10.
UH, WE WANTED TO ALL THANK, UH, BOARD MEMBERS VIA LOBO AND FLOWERS FOR INTRODUCING THIS RESOLUTION TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR, UH, CONSIDERING LISTENING TO MUSIC WORKERS.
TONIGHT, I'M ALSO SENDING SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF THE NEARLY 3000 ARTISTS WHO HAVE SIGNED ON TO YUMA OR COALITION'S
[00:25:01]
DEMANDS FOR HIGHER PAY FROM SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, INCLUDING HUNDREDS OF MUSICIANS FROM AUSTIN, MORE FROM ACROSS TEXAS AND FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.UM, LIKE ME, THESE ARE LARGELY MUSICIANS WHO HAVE PLAYED THE FESTIVAL AND WHO DEEPLY ENJOYED COMING TO AUSTIN PERFORMING, BUT WHO ARE DEEPLY FRUSTRATED BY THE CONTINUED INSULTING LILO PAY MY OWN BAND FOR HIS PERFORMANCE ITSELF AT SOUTHWEST IN THOUSAND 15.
AND IT WAS FINANCIALLY DIFFICULT TO MAKE IT WORK AT THAT POINT, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD EXTENSIVE NATIONAL PRESS, A RECORD DEAL WITH A WELLKNOWN LABEL AND LOTS OF SUPPORT NOW, SEVEN YEARS LATER, WITH WAGES EXACTLY THE SAME.
GIVEN RISING COSTS IN TOURING, IT WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO MAKE WORK FINANCIALLY IN 2023.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS LOW PAID DOES, RIGHT? IT EXCLUDES WORKING CLASS ARTISTS DISPROPORTIONATELY EXCLUDES ARTISTS OF COLOR DISPROPORTIONATELY EXCLUDES QUEER AND TRANS ARTISTS.
UM, THE FESTIVAL OFTEN DEFEND ITSELF SAYING THAT PLAYING IS A MATTER OF EXPOSURE, BUT FOR US, WHY SHOULD ONLY PRIVILEGE FEW BE ABLE TO GET THAT EXPOSURE? WHY SHOULD WORKING CLASS ARTISTS WHO DO MAKE IT WORK SUFFER AND NEED TO LOOK, SEE HIGH BURDEN, PARTICULARLY WHEN THIS FESTIVAL HAS SUCH DEEP POCKETS.
20 50% OWNED BY THE BILLIONAIRE PENSKES IN THE FESTIVAL, UH, CONTINUOUS, EXPANDING AND OPENING A NEW FESTIVAL IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA LATER THIS YEAR.
UH, IT'S CLEAR THEY CAN PAY THE MUSICIANS WHO MAKE THE FESTIVAL FAIRLY.
SO JUST TO, TO CLOSE AND BACK,
UH, WE WANT TO URGE THE BOARD TO VOTE YES ON TONIGHT'S RECOMMENDATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE MICHAEL WELLEN, FOLLOWED BY JEANNIE RAMIREZ.
HELLO, UH, MICHAEL WAYLAND ON BEHALF OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
I'M HERE WITH MICHELLE FLORES, THE CHIEF LOGISTICS OFFICER WHO OVERSEES ALL PRODUCTION FOR THE ENTIRE EVENT.
UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST HAS LONG BEEN AN INDUSTRY EVENT AND SHOWCASING OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH UP AND COMING AND ESTABLISHED ARTISTS TO FIND NEW AUDIENCES AND EXPLORE NEW BUSINESS GROWTH.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS PROUD OF THE COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT THAT IT ESTABLISHES FOR MUSICIANS AND INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES TO MIX AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER.
EACH YEAR, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST RECEIVES OVER 7,000 APPLICATIONS TO PARTICIPATE FROM MU MUSICIANS.
AND LAST YEAR APPROXIMATELY 1500 BANDS WERE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE.
ALTHOUGH NO ONE HAS TO ATTEND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST OR PARTICIPATE IN THE VOLUNTARY YES, VOLUNTARY APPLICATION PROCESS, THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BE A PART OF THE EVENT.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST'S PURPOSE IS TO HELP CREATIVE PEOPLE ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AS AN INDUSTRY EVENT.
THE FOCUS IS ON CAREER DEVELOPMENT.
SHOWCASING AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PROVIDES INDISPENSABLE NETWORKING, MENTORING, AND PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT CONSUMER FOCUSED FESTIVALS LIKE LOLLAPALOOZA DO NOT OFFER DEVELOPING ACTS ATTEND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND INTEND TO USE IT AS A SPRINGBOARD TO HELP THEM GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF THEIR CAREER.
ESTABLISHED ACTS PARTICIPATE IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE GLOBAL MUSIC INDUSTRY AND MEDIA PRESENCE WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE.
TYPICALLY TO PROMOTE A NEW PROJECT OR ALBUM, THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF MUSICIANS WHO PARTICIPATE APPROXIMATELY 90% SELECT THE ARTIST REGISTRATION PACKAGE, WHICH CONSISTS OF AN ARTIST CREDENTIAL FOR EACH PERFORMING MEMBER OF A GROUP FOR 2024.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS EXPANDING THE ACCESS OF THE ARTIST CREDENTIAL TO INCLUDE ALL THE BENEFITS OF A MUSIC BADGE VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $995 PLUS ARTISTS ONLY BENEFITS SUCH AS ONE-ON-ONE MENTOR SESSIONS, MORE OF WHICH ARE BEING ADDED.
THIS CREDENTIAL IS NOT SOLD AND IS ONLY FOR OFFICIAL PERFORMERS.
ALTERNATIVELY, ACTS CAN OPT FOR A PAYMENT OF $350.
SOLO ARTISTS CAN OPT FOR $150.
THIS OPTION IS MEANT FOR ACTS WHO ARE PASSING THROUGH TOWN AND ARE NOT IN AUSTIN LONG ENOUGH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
THE TYPICAL SHOWCASE PERFORMANCE IS 40 MINUTES IN LENGTH.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS ALSO WORKING WITH HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR AUSTIN MUSICIANS HAM TO PROVIDE SO SHOWCASE APPLICATIONS TO HAM MEMBERS AT NO CHARGE.
OVER 20% OF THE BANDS THAT ARE SHOWCASED AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ARE FROM THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGION.
I WANNA CONCLUDE BY THANKING ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS WHO PROVIDED FEEDBACK DURING AND AFTER THE 2023 FESTIVAL.
WE HOPE THAT THE ADDITIONS TO THE 2024 ARTIST CREDENTIAL WILL EXPAND FURTHER MUSICIANS OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER ENHANCEMENT.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION, MR. WAYLAND? UM, MR. WAYLAND, WE HAVE A BOARD MEMBER HAS A QUESTION.
UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS, UM, AGAIN, TO THE MUSICIANS FOR, UM, RECEIVING THE BADGE? SURE.
UH, PREVIOUSLY, UH, THE CREDENTIAL, UM, HAD THEM WITH THE GENERAL GROUP, IT NOW
[00:30:01]
WILL BE A FULL MUSIC BADGE, GIVES THEM ACCESS TO ALL THE EVENTS THAT, UM, UH, LET ME, I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS HOW DOES THAT HELP THE CAREER OF THE MUSICIAN IN THEIR OH, RIGHT.SO IN ADDITION TO GETTING ACCESS TO HEAR OTHER BANDS AND MAYBE GET NEW IDEAS, UM, IN ADDITION, THEY HAVE, UH, THE MENTOR ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS WITH INDUSTRY, UH, REPRESENTATIVES.
THEY HAVE ALSO ADDED, UM, UH, EVENTS, MEET, THERE'S AN ARTIST LOUNGE.
YOU CAN MEET OTHER ARTISTS, GET OTHER IDEAS.
I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A MILIEU, A COMMUNITY DURING THE FESTIVAL SO THAT ARTISTS CAN, YOU KNOW, REALLY MAKE A DECISION.
IS MY CAREER, UH, AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING OR DO I NEED TO GO BACK TO MEDICAL SCHOOL OR WHATEVER IT IS.
I MEAN, I THINK THE, THE, THE OPPORTUNITY HERE IS TO GIVE, IS TO GIVE ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MILIEU IN THIS COMMUNITY AND GET FEEDBACK.
UH, THE OTHER, THE OTHER THING IS OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE, UH, THE MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES.
THEY DO HAVE AN ARTIST VILLAGE, AN ARTIST LOUNGE FOR MEALS, DRINKS, UH, AGAIN, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE WITH OTHER INDUSTRY FOLKS AND ARTISTS, UH, ALL PART OF THE, UM, THE EFFORT HERE.
CAN I ASK, OH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
CAN YOU, UM, CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE RATIONALE BETWEEN, BEHIND THE THREE 50 FOR A BAND 150 FOR A SOLO ARTIST? HOW DID THAT, HOW'D YOU COME TO THAT NUMBER? THE, UH, THEY BASICALLY TOOK FEEDBACK FROM, UH, UH, SOME INDUSTRY, UH, ANALYSIS THAT THEY DID INDEPENDENTLY TO, UH, FIGURE OUT WHAT MADE SENSE ON A 40 MINUTE, YOU KNOW, SHOW AND WHAT ARTISTS WERE BEING PAID.
UM, WHO'S THEY? SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
SO, I MEAN, IT IS JUST FROM THE FEEDBACK AND, AND ALSO I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT'S BEEN HEALTHY IS I THINK THERE'LL BE SOME MINDFULNESS TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, ACTIVELY SEEKING AS THEY DO EVERY YEAR WITH SURVEYS TO ALL PARTICIPANTS OF SOUTH BAY, BUT CONTINUE TO, UH, RECEIVE AND SEEK OUT FEEDBACK.
AND WHAT THE INDUSTRY STUDIES, WHERE DID THOSE COME FROM? OR DO YOU DON'T KNOW THE UH, UH, YES, I DO.
I'LL GO BACK AND GET IT ONE AND THEN COME BACK UP THERE.
AND THEN THE BAND, IT'S LIKE, IF IT'S A, IF IT'S AN ACT AS TWO PEOPLE OR 10 PEOPLE, THEY STILL GET THREE 50, CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT.
REMEMBER, 90% OF 'EM TAKE THE ARTIST CREDENTIAL.
I MEAN, THEY'RE COMING HERE, YOU KNOW, UH, TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT COMMUNITY OF, UH, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLE CAREER OPPORTUNITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE JEANNIE RAMIREZ, FOLLOWED BY STRICKLAND.
OH LORD JEANNIE RAMIREZ AGAIN.
WOW, THAT WAS REALLY HARD TO TAKE IN.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS THE GREEDIEST MUSIC FESTIVAL OF ALL TIME.
MR. WHEELING IS SO OUT OF TOUCH.
I DON'T, IT'S, IT'S JUST HARD TO SIT HERE AND HEAR HIM SAY ALL THE THINGS HE SAID.
UM, WHEN THIS, I WANNA HAVE A, I HAVE A QUESTION.
THIS PARKS BOARD HERE, HAVE YOU HAD ANY MEETINGS WITH THE PENSKE GROUP? AND IF SO, I WANT FOR PUBLIC TRANS, UH, TRANSPARENCY TO KNOW WHEN THOSE MEETINGS WERE AND WHO ATTENDED.
AND IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A MEETING, I WANNA KNOW WHY THIS WAS BIG NEWS IN MARCH.
I THINK Y'ALL THINK THAT THE MUSICIANS ARE GONNA LET THIS GO.
THERE'S A LOT OF MUSICIANS DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS MEETING.
I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL I READ THE MONITOR.
AND I DON'T ALWAYS READ THE MONITOR.
I'M CONCERNED, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BOARD EVEN BEING ELIGIBLE TO MAKE THIS DECISION.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF Y'ALL HAVE MUSIC BACKGROUNDS.
YOU UNDERSTAND? HAVE YOU TALKED TO MUSICIANS? HAVE YOU GONE TO A MUSIC COMMISSION MEETING? HAVE YOU TALKED TO MUSICIANS? WHY IS IT THAT PEOPLE GET HIRED FOR THESE BOARDS ALL ACROSS AUSTIN AND YET NO COMMUNICATION? NONE.
[00:35:01]
HOUSE WHERE YOU ACTUALLY TALK TO MUSICIANS.I DON'T UNDERSTAND MR. WHELAN.
YOU KNOW, UH, YOU GO BACK TO COLLEGE.
I MEAN, ARE YOU SERIOUS? I HAVE A PHD IN MUSIC AFTER ALL THE YEARS, 37 YEARS DOING THIS, AND I'M DAMN GOOD AT WHAT I DO.
IF YOU HEAR THIS VOICE AS LOUD AS IT IS, IMAGINE WHAT I SING.
SO I'M GONNA TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, PLEASE, PLEASE HAVE RESPECT FOR ALL OF US HERE THAT ARE SPEAKING OUT.
YOU, YOU HEARD WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.
JUSTIFIED THE THREE 50 AND THE 150.
AND THEY'RE EXPANDING TO AUSTRALIA.
ALL THE 7,000 PEOPLE, HE JUST SAID, APPLY AND ONLY 1500 GET IN ALL THAT MONEY.
ALL THOSE FEES ARE GOING TO EXECUTIVES.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, I DON'T EVEN OWN A CAR.
I, I, I'M, I'M GONNA GET EMOTIONAL HERE.
I CAME HERE ON THE BUS SWEATED MY ASS OUT OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, TO BE HEARD.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS NON EMPATHY, DIS DISCONNECT WITH MR. WHEELING.
IT MAKES ME SO SAD FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HERE.
I GREW UP, I GOT TO SEE STEVIE RAY VAUGHN PERFORMED LIVE AT AUDITORIUM SHORES FOR FREE IN THE LATE SEVENTIES AND EARLY EIGHTIES.
AND WE COME FROM THAT TO THIS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE SCOTT STRICKLAND, FOLLOWED BY SADIE WOLF.
AFTER SADIE'S GONNA BE RUSSELL SHORES.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING.
I, I THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, TO HAVE THIS AS PART OF YOUR AGENDA.
I AM, MY NAME IS SCOTT STRICKLAND.
I'M A MUSIC COMMISSIONER WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND I'M ALSO A FULL-TIME MUSICIAN, UH, THAT PLAYS GIGS EVERY SINGLE WEEK, UM, PRETTY MUCH THREE, FOUR TIMES A DAY, I MEAN, IN A WEEK IN, IN THIS CITY.
SO, UM, THE, UH, IN APRIL OF 2022, THE MUSIC COMMISSION, UH, PASSED A RESOLUTION TO UP THE PAY FOR MUSICIANS, THE CITY RATE FROM $150 AN HOUR TO $200 AN HOUR.
THAT WAS TO HELP OFFSET THE RISING COST OF INFLATION, THE EXCRUCIATING COST OF HOUSING, UM, THAT, THAT MUSICIANS HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE CITY, UM, IN TERMS OF EVERYONE EXPERIENCING IN THE CITY.
UM, AND, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, AND I'M KEEPING IT VERY RECENT HERE, UH, KUT POSTED AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW SOMEONE WORKING PART-TIME IN THIS CITY, OR I'M SORRY, UM, FULL-TIME JOB IN THE CITY, MINIMUM WAGE NEEDED TO WORK 147 HOURS IN ORDER TO AFFORD A ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT IN AUSTIN.
I THINK IT'S NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT $150 TO $350, UM, FOR A SOLO ACT OR FOR A BAND ACT TO PERFORM AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS JUST NOT GOING.
I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND THAT IT, THAT IT WILL NOT DO IT.
UM, AS, AS A, AS A TOURING MUSICIAN, AS A FULL-TIME ARTIST, AS A CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ARTIST, I, I I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT MR. WHELAN IS SPEAKING ON IS JUST FALSE.
IT'S JUST FALSE AND WE NEED IT.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, TO, TO PAY THE OPPORTUNITY SHOULD NOT BE TO GET A SPOTLIGHT.
THE OPPORTUNITY SHOULD NOT BE TO, TO GET SOME KIND OF NOTORIETY OR WHATEVER THE OPPORTUNITY SHOULD BE PUTTING FOOD ON YOUR TABLE.
THE OPPORTUNITY SHOULD BE TO GO HOME AFTER A GIG AND YOU GETTING LIKE FOOD AND AND GIFTS FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FOR YOUR FRIENDS.
THE OPPORTUNITY SHOULD BE HAVING A LIVABLE, SUSTAINABLE WAGE.
AND SO IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION, UM, AS A COMMISSIONER, I AM, I AM ASKING THAT YOU, UM, PASS A COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA, REQUEST THAT DISALLOWS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, ANY PERMITTING AT ALL WHATSOEVER.
UNLESS THEY CAN AGREE TO PAY A FULL $200 AN HOUR PER MUSICIAN IN THE CITY OR SOMEWHERE AT LEAST CLOSE TO THAT THEY DON'T DESERVE TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF US AND EXPLOIT US AND JUST GO HOME AND WE ARE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG.
[00:40:07]
NEXT SPEAKER.OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE SADIE WOLF.
AFTER SADIE IS GONNA BE RUSSELL SHORES AND THEN EZEKIEL GERMAN.
UM, MY NAME IS SADIE WOLF AND I AM SO PROUD TO BE HERE.
UM, I AM A CELLIST FROM AUSTIN AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS LOCAL 4 33.
AND I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE I BELIEVE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TAKES MORE THAN IT GIVES.
I PERFORMED AS AN OFFICIAL ARTIST AT THE FESTIVAL FOUR TIMES, MOST RECENTLY IN 2019 WITH MY BAND BADDY JR.
AND I HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR THIS FESTIVAL SINCE THEN, AS I FELT MISTREATED AND NEGLECTED DURING THAT EXPERIENCE.
AFTER HEARING MR. WHELAN'S NEW ADDITION TO WHAT WE'LL BE GETTING, THE INCREASE OF PAY BY A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND ALSO GETTING A WRISTBAND ON TOP OF THAT.
MY STATEMENT HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT, BUT WHAT I WROTE EARLIER IS THAT I DON'T NEED ANOTHER JAN SPORT BACKPACK, WHICH IS WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE GET.
IF YOU'RE AN ARTIST, YOU DON'T, YOU FOREGO THE MONEY TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND YOU WALK AWAY WITH A BACKPACK AND THAT'S COOL.
THAT WAS COOL FOR ME WHEN I WAS 18.
UM, AND IT'S JUST, THAT'S NOT GONNA PAY MY BILLS.
WHAT I NEED IS MONEY AT PREVAILING SCALE WAGES.
AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A WRISTBAND OR PAYMENT.
I AM A REAL HUMAN WHO HAS BILLS TO PAY AND A LIFE TO LEAD.
AND I FEEL LIKE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST HAS CAST ME ASIDE AS A DISPENSABLE LABORER, A NOBODY, BUT I'M NOT.
I'M A MUSICIAN AND WE ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THIS MUSIC FESTIVAL.
AND OUR DEMANDS SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
I'M ALSO AN AUSTINITE AND A TAXPAYER, AND I DO NOT SUPPORT WAIVING ANY FEES FOR USE OF PUBLIC PARKS BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST UNTIL THEY ARE AG.
THEY AGREE TO PAY ARTISTS FAIR WAGES.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PARKS AND REC BOARD IMMENSELY FOR BRINGING THIS ISSUE TO CITY HALL TODAY.
UM, AND THIS IS JUST THE FIRST STEP, AND I URGE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO KEEP MUSICIANS AT THE TABLE AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE BECAUSE WE ARE ORGANIZING OUR POWER AS MUSICIANS AND WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE RUSSELL SHORES.
FOLLOWING RUSSELL WILL BE ZEKE JARMON, AND THEN PHILLIP BULKY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE COUNSEL.
MY NAME IS RUSSELL K SHORES AND I AM THE SITTING VICE PRESIDENT OF LOCAL UNION 4 33.
AS YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, MUSICIANS ARE SUFFERING.
THEY'RE NOT LOOKING TO BE TREATED SPECIAL.
THEY'RE LOOKING TO BE TREATED EQUAL.
MUSICIANS CANNOT MAKE IT ON THE WAGES THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PAYS.
AND WE'VE LET THAT BE KNOWN FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW, TO THINK THAT $300 OR A HUNDRED DOLLARS IS GONNA DO IT, THAT STATEMENT IS PREPOSTEROUS.
IT'S ALMOST LAUGHABLE IF IT DIDN'T HURT SO MUCH.
WHAT WE NEED IS ECONOMICS THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF US.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS A HUGE WINDFALL FOR THE CITY, AND A LOT OF TIMES MUSICIANS ARE ACTUALLY PAYING TO PLAY BECAUSE THE ADMISSION FEE IS MORE THAN THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE.
AND THAT BY ITSELF IS ENOUGH FOR YOU TO SAY, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
YOU YOURSELVES WOULD NOT LIKE THAT IF THAT'S HOW IT WAS FOR YOU AND YOUR JOBS.
BUT TO THINK THAT IT'S GONE ON AND ON AND ON FOR SO LONG, AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE THE LAST GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE THAT CAN SAY THINGS THAT ARE JUST LUDICROUS BECAUSE HE'S NOT LEAVING HOME WITH A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO MOVE OUTTA AUSTIN JUST TO SURVIVE.
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE FOUR OR FIVE ROOMMATES JUST TO MAKE RENT.
AS THE LADY SAID, SHE'S TAKING THE BUS TO GIGS.
TRY THAT, SEE HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU.
SEE HOW MANY TIMES YOU GET THERE ON TIME.
CAUSE THE TRANSPORTATION ISN'T RELIABLE.
PLEASE DO YOUR JOBS AND HELP MUSICIANS OUT.
BICKER IS GONNA BE ZEKE JARMON AFTER ZEKE IS GONNA BE PHILLIP BULKY AND THEN PATTA.
[00:45:01]
WITH AN O FOR ANYBODY READING.UH, HEY, THANK YOU, UH, SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK ON THIS.
AND, UH, THANK YOU, UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, FILOS FOR BRINGING THIS UP.
UH, OBVIOUSLY I'M, I'M IN, UH, FAVOR.
UH, AND I, UH, I GUESS I I JUST WANTED TO, UH, TELL YOU ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES WITH SOUTH BY, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THE 90% OF PEOPLE TAKING THE WRISTBAND INSTEAD, THAT'S KIND OF SILLY CUZ LIKE, I KNOW I TOOK IT CUZ I KNEW I'D GET MICROPHONES OUT OF IT AND I'D BE ABLE TO SELL 'EM TO GET SOME MORE MONEY, YOU KNOW,
SO, I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S JUST KIND SILLY TO ME.
UM, I ALSO THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE, YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU, ONCE YOU, ONCE YOU SIGN UP TO PLAY AND, UH, OKAY, SO THEY'RE OFFERING YOU A, YOU GET TO HAVE A, A NICE, UH, ONE-ON-ONE WITH AN INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT.
BUT IF THAT'S A REAL THING, IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S UNPAID FOR, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU PAY TO BE IN THE FESTIVAL, YOU HAVE TO PAY TO BE IN THE FESTIVAL AND THEN THEY CONSIDER THAT LIKE A GIFT OR SOMETHING, OR EXCHANGE FREE PLAYING.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, DOES IT? AM I CRAZY? YOU CAN ANSWER IF YOU WANT
UM, YEAH, I, UH, I'VE PLAYED A LOT OF SOUTH BYS.
UM, I, I DON'T REALLY KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE.
IT FEELS LIKE A LOT OF THE AUSTIN MUSICIANS ARE KEPT ON RETAINER, UH, FROM A LOT OF THE BANDS THAT I'VE TALKED TO.
IT ALWAYS SEEMS LIKE IT'S THE VERY, VERY, VERY LAST MINUTE.
LIKE A WEEK BEFORE THAT THEY TELL YOU, OH, YOU'RE ON YOU, WE YOU'RE IN.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE, SO STRIKE THAT FROM THE RECORD.
I MEAN, RIGHT, CUZ PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE TO CANCEL IF THEY'RE TRAVELING AND STUFF.
UM, BUT IT REALLY, IT REALLY MESSES UP THOUGH MY, MY WHOLE, UH, WEEK BECAUSE I, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE NOT TO BOOK ANY OTHER GIGS.
THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO PLAY ANY OTHER GIGS.
SO THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY, THEY WANT YOU TO PLAY YOUR GIG AT SOUTH BY MAYBE MORE THAN A GIG AT SOUTH BY.
IT'S, YOU STILL JUST GET THAT SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY, UH, BUT THEY WANT YOU TO PLAY THAT, UH, NOT PLAY ANY OTHER GIGS.
HOW, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO MAKE A LIVING? I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT IN A FOUR PIECE BAND, I CAN MAKE MY $90 FOR THE WEEK.
I MEAN, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT IT'S SUCH A BIG FESTIVAL? I DON'T KNOW, I JUST THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY WACKY AND SO I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT OBVIOUSLY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER'S GONNA BE PHILLIP BULKY AFTER PHILLIP IS GONNA BE PAT BTA, B U C H T A, AND THEN DOUGLAS LEVITON.
I'M HERE, UH, AS, AS A MEMBER OF THE AFM LOCAL 4 43 AND THANK YOU PARKS BOARD FOR PUTTING THIS, UH, ISSUE ON THE, THE DS TONIGHT.
AND THANKS COUNCILMAN VILLALOBOS.
UH, YEAH, FOR ALL YOUR HELP SUPPORTING US TOO.
UM, SO YEAH, I THINK BASICALLY MR. WHALEN CAME UP HERE AND GAVE A, A VERY WONDERFUL SPEECH.
UH, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD EXPECT TO HEAR FROM A BOSS TRYING TO SAY, OH, WE DO EVERYTHING.
HE EVEN DID THE CLASSIC CLICHES OF WE ARE A FAMILY, WE'RE BUILDING A COMMUNITY AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS HE WOULDN'T WORK, HE WOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT FOR A BADGE TO SOUTH BY, BUT HE EXPECTS EVERY MUSICIAN WHO COMES THERE TO TAKE THAT AS A GIFT IN ADDITION TO THEM, EACH MUSICIAN, AS HE SAID, PAYING AN APPLICATION FEE.
WHAT JOB? ANY OTHER JOB DO YOU PAY A FEE TO APPLY FOR IT? THEY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY COMING IN FROM BADGES AND CUZ THERE'S MULTIPLE LEVELS OF BADGES, HE SAID, WE ARE BUMPING UP THE MUSICIANS TO GET A FULL ACCESS BADGE.
THEY WEREN'T EVEN GIVING PEOPLE A FULL FESTIVAL TICKET BACK IN THE DAY.
NOW THAT'S A NEW THING, SUPPOSEDLY I'M, AS FAR AS, IT'S NOT EVEN IN WRITING YET.
I THINK HE JUST BRINGS THAT TODAY TO TRY AND GET Y'ALL OFF SOUTH BY BACK CUZ THAT'S HIS JOB.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S JUST REALLY INSULTING BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, LIKE THE OTHER MUSICIANS THAT HAVE TESTIFIED, UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE RENT TO PAY.
WE CAN'T GIVE OUR LANDLORD A SOUTH BUY BADGE AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I GOT PAID IN.
WE ARE DOING WORK JUST LIKE HE'S DOING WORK REPRESENTING SOUTH BUY AND WE NEED TO GET PAID FOR DOING THAT WORK IN A WAY THAT'S, THAT IS A SUSTAINABLE WAGE THAT ENABLES US TO PAY RENT, TO PUT FOOD
[00:50:01]
ON OUR TABLE, TO PAY OUR BILLS.HOW MANY OF US MUSICIANS, MYSELF INCLUDED, HAVE STUDENT DEBT BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS IN THIS COUNTRY AREN'T PAID FOR IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE AND WE AS INDIVIDUALS ARE MEANT TO BURDEN THAT.
SO HE IS BRINGING CLASSIC TALKING POINTS TO DENIGRATE US, BUT REALLY WHAT HE'S DOING IS PREDATING UPON US AND SOUTH BY DOES THIS TOO.
HE'S REPRESENTING PREDATORS BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR LOVE OF PERFORMING MUSIC.
SOMETHING THAT WE COULDN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT DOING AND SAYING IT IS A PRIVILEGE FOR US TO MAKE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OFF OF THAT WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
UM, AND REALLY I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING MORE TO SAY THAN THAT OTHER THAN, YEAH, HE'S TAKING SOUTH BY AND THROUGH WAYLAND TONIGHT IS REPRESENTING THEM IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AND FOR DATING UPON PEOPLE'S LOVE OF THE THING THAT WE ALL CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT, WHICH IS MUSIC.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE PAT BTA, FOLLOWED BY DOUGLAS LEVITON AND THEN SARAH HALL.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
UH, I AM PAT BTA, C E O OF AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS ADVOCACY NONPROFIT.
UH, WE REPRESENT 5,000 CENTRAL TEXAS MUSICIANS ON CITY, STATE AND FEDERAL POLICY, UH, WHICH ENCOMPASSES A NUMBER OF PROJECTS, UH, INCLUDING THE ONE THAT WE'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
UH, I DO WANNA SAY I AM GRATEFUL, UH, TO HAVE HAD A FEW MEETINGS WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST LEADERSHIP, UH, TO BEGIN, UH, TO OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION.
UH, IN THOSE MEETINGS I DID LEARN ON THE NEW ANNOUNCEMENT, UH, TO RAISE PAY, UH, TO THREE 50 PER BAND AND 150 PER ARTIST AND TO ADD EXTRA BENEFITS, UH, TO ARTIST'S WRISTBANDS THAT MR. WHALEN SPOKE OF.
UH, IT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND I DO WANT TO COMMENCE OUT BY, FOR STARTING DOWN THIS PATH, BUT RESPECTFULLY, IS THAT ENOUGH? OUR MUSICIANS DO NOT THINK SO.
UH, AND UH, MUSICIAN INPUT IS THE ONE THING THAT EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE MISSING, UH, SO FAR IN THIS CONVERSATION, UH, UNTIL TODAY.
UH, SO I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT OUR ORGANIZATION IS NOT A BARGAINING AGENT.
WE'RE SIMPLY HERE TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER MUSICIANS TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES.
UH, WE'RE GONNA LEAVE THAT NEGOTIATION WORK UP TO, UH, AFM 40 33 AND UMA, WHO ARE GREAT AT WHAT THEY DO.
UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER TODAY, UH, IS TO KEEP LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN, UH, BETWEEN SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST LEADERSHIP AND MUSICIANS.
MANY OF THOSE WE REPRESENT, UH, HAVE PLAYED SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE YEARS.
UH, MR. FORSYTH AND ARE AVAILABLE, UH, FOR AN ONGOING COMMUNITY FOCUS GROUP, WHICH IS GONNA BE KEY TO ANY SOLUTION.
UH, ANY AGREED UPON SOLUTION IS GONNA TAKE TIME, COMMUNICATION, AND COLLABORATION.
AND WE ARE AVAILABLE, UH, TO MAKE THESE CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN IF WE WANT TO KEEP AUSTIN MUSICIANS WORKING AND THRIVING AND HEALTHY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE DOUGLAS LEVITON.
AFTER DOUGLAS WILL BE SARAH HALL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THIS AGENDA.
A LOT COMES OUT OF OUR OWN POCKET AND IT IS VERY UNIQUE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN COMPARED TO ANY OTHER INDUSTRY.
ARE ANY OF YOU MUSICIANS ON THE BOARD? NO.
SO YOU DON'T KNOW HOW MANY HOURS IT TAKES TO JUST GET GOOD ENOUGH TO BE IN A BAND, HOW MANY HOURS IT TAKES TO REHEARSE SO THAT BAND IS GOOD ENOUGH JUST TO GET A GIG AND HOW MANY HOURS IT TAKES ON IT.
COMPUTER EMAILING, VENUE AFTER VENUE, RECEIVING NO RESPONSE, A NO RESPONSE JUST TO GET THAT ONE YES FOR A VENUE TO TAKE A CHANCE ON YOU AND YOUR BAND.
I'M IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX.
I HAVE PLAYED SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AS A MUSICIAN, AS A DJ.
MY FIRST SOUTH BY I WAS A VOLUNTEER STAGE MANAGER AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT IS THE AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEERS IT TAKES TO RUN THIS FESTIVAL THAT ARE NOT PAID.
AS A VOLUNTEER STAGE MANAGER, I WAS EXPECTED TO WORK FOUR DAYS OF THE FESTIVAL FOR EIGHT HOURS AND THAT IS NOT INCLUDING THE COUNTLESS
[00:55:01]
HOURS I SPENT EMAILING AND ADVANCING OVER 20 BANDS.SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST DOES A LOT.
THEY PROVIDE EXPOSURE, BUT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING I CAN TAKE TO THE BANK.
IS NOT SOMETHING I CAN PAY MY BILLS WITH.
I CAN'T FEED MY FAMILY WITH EXPOSURE.
ALL I'M ASKING IS THAT THIS MAJOR FESTIVAL PAYS ITS MUSICIANS, LIKE ALL THE OTHER FESTIVALS I'VE EVER PLAYED.
THEY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, THEY GET ENOUGH MONEY FROM THE APPLICATION FEES, FROM SPONSORSHIPS, FROM WAIVED FEES THAT THE CITY SUPPORTS.
I JUST WANT MY FELLOW MUSICIANS TO GET PAID TO PLAY.
THE CITY HAS USED THE NAME LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF WORLD SINCE THE NINETIES AND HAD NO AGENDA TO SUPPORT THOSE MUSICIANS THAT THEY WERE BENEFITING FROM.
WHEN PEOPLE FLY INTO AUSTIN, WHAT DO THEY SEE? MUSIC THEY KNOW IT'S A COOL PLACE TO BE BECAUSE OF THE MUSICIANS AND THE ARTISTS THAT MAKE IT A COOL PLACE TO BE.
SO THIS SHOULD BE A NO-BRAINER FOR ALL Y'ALL.
JUST SUPPORT THE MUSIC AND MUSICIANS THAT MAKE THIS TOWN WHAT IT IS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE SARAH HALL.
AFTER SARAH'S GONNA BE ANNIE PATERSON.
I'M THE ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION DIRECTOR AT AUSTIN, TEXAS MUSICIANS.
AND I'M HERE SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF ITEM SIX.
I'M A HARPIST AND A SELF-EMPLOYED MUSICIAN WHO HAS BEEN LIVING IN AND PLAYING AROUND AUSTIN FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS.
NOT GETTING COMPENSATION FOR PERFORMANCE IS BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF.
I WAS ABLE TO FIGURE THAT OUT AT AGE 16 WHEN I WAS TRYING TO EARN A WAGE AS A MUSICIAN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
I HAD BEEN POURING HOURS INTO MY CRAFT EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR 10 YEARS AT THAT POINT.
AND A FREE PASTRY AT A LOCALLY OWNED COFFEE SHOP IN EXCHANGE FOR ALL THAT TIME COMING TO FRUITION WAS A SLAP IN THE FACE.
IT WAS OBVIOUS TO ME THEN, AND IT'S OBVIOUS TO ME NOW.
INSTEAD OF A TINY FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS, IMAGINE AN EVENT THAT GENERATES HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR AND WAS BUILT ON THE BACKS OF AUSTIN MUSICIANS FOR DECADES.
A WRIST WRISTBAND IS NOW COMPENSATION.
$95 FOR A SOLO ARTIST AFTER THE APPLICATION.
THIS IS HOW WE LIVE, THIS IS HOW WE SURVIVE.
WE NEED TO BE PAID FAIRLY FOR OUR WORK, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE KNOW SOUTH BY AND PENSKE MEDIA CAN AFFORD IT.
AND MR. WAYLAND MENTOR SESSIONS, CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND SPRINGBOARDS, DO NOT PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE OR PAY RENT.
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, 90% OF ARTISTS TAKE THE WRISTBAND OPTION BECAUSE YOUR IDEA OF PAY IS HONESTLY INSULTING HOW CIVILIZATION TREATS ITS ARTISTIC CLASS SAYS A LOT ABOUT IT.
AND THE CURRENT WAY SOUTH BY IS TREATING US DOES NOT REFLECT KINDLY ON THIS CITY.
I URGE THIS BOARD TO PLEASE VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND FOR CONSIDERING THIS ITEM.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ANNIE PATTERSON.
AFTER ANNIE WILL BE NAGA CHARLA.
HELLO, UH, MY NAME'S ANN CHARLOTTE PATTERSON.
I'M VICE CHAIR OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION, BUT THIS EVENING I'M REPRESENTING MYSELF AS A MEMBER OF THE MUNICH MUSIC COMMUNITY.
THE MUSIC COMMISSION HAS NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THIS UP YET.
UM, THE ISSUE OF MUSICIAN PAY IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING FOR YEARS AT THIS POINT.
UM, PAT AND SADIE AND ZEKE HAVE ALL COME BEFORE US.
WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS WITH, UH, THE CITY RATE OF PAY FOR CITY PAY PERFORMANCES, HOW THE LIVE MUSIC FUND CAN BEST BENEFIT ARTISTS.
AND SO IT IS A A VERY THORNY ISSUE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PARKS BOARD STEPPING UP, UM, TO HELP US FIGURE THIS OUT.
UM, I WOULD, I GUESS IN THE ISSUE OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AS A MUSIC COMMISSIONER, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO BEST SEPARATE THE IDEA OF DIRECT PAY FROM AN OVERALL COMPENSATION PACKAGE.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY EMOTIONAL, THIS IS, UM, WE ARE DEALING WITH SO MUCH SCARCITY IN AUSTIN AND IT IS, UM,
[01:00:01]
YOU KNOW, ALMOST HARDEST ON OUR MUSICIANS AND OUR CREATIVE WORKERS.SO I WOULD SAY THAT I SUPPORT AN IMPROVED COMPENSATION PACKAGE FOR MUSICIANS, UH, AND ARTISTS AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
HOWEVER, IF, UM, MUSICIANS DO CHOOSE TO TAKE THE NEW PACKAGE OFFERED BY SOUTH, BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, WHICH I HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY CLOSELY, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT PACKAGE OFFERS A TRULY ELEVATED EXPERIENCE FOR THE ARTISTS.
UM, A TRUE CAREER BUILDING EXPERIENCE THAT JUSTIFIES THE INVESTMENT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND, AND MONEY TO PLAY AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND REALLY GIVES THESE MUSICIANS, UM, OPPORTUNITIES IN ROOMS AND AT TABLES THAT THEY HAVEN'T HAD ACCESS BEFORE.
AND THAT IF WE'RE TREATING THEM AS, UM, IF, IF THIS IS BEING FRAMED AS THEIR, THEIR, UM, VIPS AT THIS CONVENTION, THAT THEY REALLY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE, THAT IT'S REALLY TRULY WORTHWHILE.
AND SO I KNOW THAT, THAT PAT WITH AT XM AND, AND SARAH ARE, UH, STILL DISCUSSING THIS WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
I KNOW YOU, YOU'VE, AND I'M HERE IN SOLIDARITY WITH YOU GUYS.
LIKE YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO COMB THROUGH THE DETAILS YET.
SO I, UM, I'M JUST SAYING LIKE, I HOPE THAT WHAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS OFFERING IS, IS GREAT.
IF, UM, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE DISCUSSION WITH SOUTH BAY AND WITH THE MUSICIAN COMMUNITIES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE NAGA CHARLA AFTER NAGA VALLEY WILL BE JESSICA FORSYTH.
I AM AN INDEPENDENT MUSICIAN, BEEN BASED ON AUSTIN IN AUSTIN FOR A LONG TIME.
I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION AND I ALSO SERVE AS THE MAYOR'S APPOINTEE TO THE ARTS COMMISSION.
HOWEVER, I STAND HERE TODAY IN MY CAPACITY AS THE BOARD CHAIR FOR EQ AUSTIN, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WHICH WORKS TOWARDS PROMOTING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION IN AUSTIN'S COMMERCIAL MUSIC LANDSCAPE.
OUR BOARD OFFERS A HUNDRED PLUS COLLECTIVE YEARS ADVOCATING FOR AUSTIN MUSICIANS SPANNING 1974 TO 2023.
WHILE WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE EFFORTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS STRIVING TO PROVIDE MUSICIANS WITH FAIR PAY, THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATION PROPOSING THAT SOUTH BY SOUTH WEST MUST GUARANTEE FAIR PAY FOR MUSICIANS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PARKS AND OTHER SPACES HAS RAISED SOME CONCERNS FOR US, FAIR PAY IS GENERALLY DETERMINED BY THE NATURE OF THE EVENT OR VENUE, AND USUALLY VARIES DEPENDING ON THE ARTISTS OR BAND'S EXPERIENCE AND ROLE.
THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMISSION PASTOR RECOMMENDATION, AS WAS EARLIER MENTIONED LAST YEAR TO RAISE THE PAR, OUR MUSICIAN PAY FROM ONE 50 TO $200 FOR EVENTS PRODUCED BY THE CITY, WHICH HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND WE HOPE TO SEE OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS VOLUNTARILY FOLLOW SUIT.
HOWEVER, IF THE RECOMMENDATION REGARDING SOUTH BAY AVAILING OF CITY FACILITIES IS TO BECOME A GOVERNMENT POLICY, IT WOULD HAVE TO EXTEND BEYOND SOUTH BAY TO BE FAIRLY APPLIED TO OTHER ENTITIES, BOTH FOR NONPROFITS AND FOR SMALL NON, UH, BOTH FOR PROFITS AND FOR, UH, SMALL NONPROFITS AS WELL AS EVENTS BOTH ESTABLISHED AND NEW.
IT WOULD ALSO NEED TO BE EQUALLY APPLIED TO CITY INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE ASIAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER RESOURCE CENTER, THE THE MAC CARBON MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER.
WE MUST CONSIDER THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF SUCH A POLICY ACROSS THE BOARD.
IT COULD CREATE BUDGETS THAT WOULD MAKE SOME PROGRAMS UNSUSTAINABLE.
IN 1987, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WAS THE FIRST PRODUCER IN THE CITY TO INCLUDE GENRES LIKE TEJANO AND HIP HOP.
THIS HOMEGROWN EVENT HAS CON CONTINUED TO SUPPORT LOCAL BIPO MUSICIANS AND ENSURED THE LONGEVITY IN A BIASED MARKET, GENERATING NEW FUNDING RESOURCES FOR MUSICIANS.
I SHOULD NOTE THAT EQ AUSTIN PRESENTED SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST VIRTUAL SHOWS IN 2021 DURING THE PANDEMIC FEATURING BIPO ARTISTS IN COLLABORATION WITH TEXAS MUSIC OFFICE, BLACKFOOT, N K U T X, THE BRAKES.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO QUICKLY CONCLUDE THAT WE APPRECIATE THE UPDATES THAT SOUTH BY HAVE
[01:05:01]
PROVIDED FOR 2024.THERE IS A LOT THAT SOUTH BY BRINGS TO THE AUSTIN ECONOMY, INCLUDING HOT TAXES THAT DIRECTLY GO INTO FUNDING CULTURAL ARTS AND THE NEW LIFE MUSIC FUNDING HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR MUSICIANS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA FORSYTH.
AFTER JESSICA WILL BE AUDREY CAMPBELL.
HELLO, MY NAME'S JESSICA FORSYTH.
I WORK WITH THE AUSTIN TEXAS MUSICIANS.
UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WAS ORIGINALLY FOUNDED, I BELIEVE, BY TWO GENTLEMEN THAT REALLY DID HAVE A GREAT IDEA FOR A FESTIVAL.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY REALLY DID BELIEVE THAT IT WAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME TOGETHER AND POSSIBLY BE LIFTED UP IN OPPORTUNITIES THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE ELSE.
THEY'RE NO LONGER RUNNING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
THE PAY IS STILL BASICALLY THE SAME THAT YOU WOULD'VE EXPECTED IN THE NINETIES.
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE TAXES THAT WERE, THAT WERE WAIVED FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS THE EQUIVALENT OF PAYING 234 SOLO ARTISTS? AND WITH THE $55 NON-REFUNDABLE APPLICATION FEE REQUIRED BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST BASICALLY MEANS THEY DO NOT ACTUALLY LOSE ANYTHING BY PAYING MUSICIANS TO PLAY THEIR EVENTS.
I HEARD MR. WAYLAND SPEAK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF PERFORMING AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
AND I MUST SAY FROM A MUSICIAN STANDPOINT, IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE OUR CAREERS.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS A CONSUMER DRIVEN EVENT WITH THE LOWEST TICKET PRICES BEING OVER $700 A PIECE.
LOCAL MUSICIANS CANNOT AFFORD TO EVEN ATTEND THIS EVENT IN THEIR OWN CITY, AND THEY ARE BEING DISPLACED FROM THEIR OWN COMMUNITY.
YES, THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS MUSICIANS ARE UPSET BECAUSE NOT ONLY CAN WE NOT LIVE AND WORK IN THE OWN CITY THAT WE WE WORK AND LIVE IN, WE CAN'T WORK HERE WHILE SOUTH BY IS HERE.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN BEING PAID BETWEEN A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND $350 FOR AN ENTIRE BAND, WHICH USUALLY CONSISTS OF FOUR TO FIVE PLAYERS OR TAKE A WRISTBAND.
WE AREN'T GONNA WORK FOR THAT ENTIRE MONTH.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS GOING ON.
AND NOT ONLY ARE WE NOT GONNA WORK FOR THAT ENTIRE MONTH THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS GOING ON, WE'RE NOT GONNA WORK THE NEXT MONTH BECAUSE JUST LIKE THERE'S A LOW SEASON IN JANUARY AFTER THE HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE IN THIS CITY HAS SAVED ALL OF THEIR ENTERTAINMENT FUNDS THAT THEY WOULD SPEND GOING TO ALL OF OUR SMALL SHOWS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
ON THIS FESTIVAL, YOU COULD SPEND 10 TO $20 PER TICKET AND GO TO HAND TO MOUTH MUSICIANS SHOWS TO THIS CITY.
BUT INSTEAD SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS BEING INCREDIBLY GREEDY.
THE LOWEST TICKET PRICE BEING OVER $700.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE HOW WE'RE STANDING BESIDE THIS AT ALL.
I'M TIRED OF LIVING IN AUSTIN.
TIRED OF AUSTIN BEING SO COMFORTABLE CALLING THEMSELVES THE AUSTIN, THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
IT'S ON THE GOVERNMENT PAGES, IT'S AT THE AIRPORT WHEN WE GET THERE.
BUT WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY TRYING TO HELP MUSICIANS THAT LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY LIVE A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE.
I HAVE CHILDREN AND MR. WAYLAND, I DID GO TO COLLEGE.
I'M CLASSICALLY TRAINED AND I'M STILL BEING ASKED TO PLEASE CHOOSE BETWEEN MONEY OR $250 FOR A WRISTBAND.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE AUDREY CAMPBELL, FOLLOWED BY GUY FORSYTH AND THEN YEAH, AUDREY CAMPBELL, FOLLOWED BY GUY FORSYTH.
UM, I'M AUDREY CAMPBELL, THE SINGER OF PLEASURE EVENT.
I'M A PUNK ROCK BAND BASED HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ACTIVE FOR ALMOST A DECADE AND I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE PRO PROPOSED RESOLUTION FOR FAIR PAY AT SOUTH.
BY OF COURSE, UM, AS A BLACK WOMAN IN A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE CITY PLAYING THE GENRE I DO, IT HAS BEEN DRILLED INTO MY HEAD TO INSIST UPON BEING PAIRED PAID FAIRLY AND TO BE AS TIGHT AS POSSIBLE, TO GIVE NO DOUBT TO WHY WE ARE BEING PAID WHAT WE ARE SO NO ONE CAN QUESTION OR GUARANTEES OR DRAW, UM, WHATEVER A GATEKEEPER MAY TRY TO THROW AT ME.
UM, SO LISTEN, THIS BEING THE SELF-PROCLAIMED LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, THERE ARE PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF THAT WILL NOT BE SATISFIED, BUT PERFORMATIVE DISPLAYS SUCH AS BLACK LIVES MATTER BEING SPRAY PAINTED DOWN CONGRESS AVENUE, UM, I SAW THE SHARING OF BLACK SQUARES.
IT'S JUST TIME FOR ACTION AND YOU'RE UNDERREPRESENTED AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES FILL THE NEED FOR FAIR, FAIR PAY EVEN MORE.
UM, EVERY YEAR IN MARCH WHEN SOUTH BY COMES AROUND, MY BAND RECEIVES NUMEROUS FREE OR LOW SHOW OFFERS.
UH, WE EVEN HAD A, A ACTUAL GRANT PROGRAM, ASSETS TO PLAY FOR FREE IN EXCHANGE FOR EXPOSURE.
UM, I GUESS, UH, WHICH WE DECLINED.
UH, THIS YEAR WE PARTICIPATED IN UAWS FAIR PAY UNOFFICIAL SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST SHOWCASE.
[01:10:01]
IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND WE WERE PAID FAIRLY.UM, IN CONTRAST, RIGHT AFTER THE SET, MY GUITARS HAD TO PAY A STAGGERING FI $55 FOR PARKING TO MAKE IT TO OUR ACTUAL, UH, SFI OFFICIAL SET ON RAINEY STREET.
UM, THE TWO $50 PER BAND THAT WAS OFFERED IS NOWHERE NEAR OUR GUARANTEE TO DIVIDE BETWEEN OURSELVES OR PAY OUT OUR MANAGER ACCRUE.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS GO WITH THE WRISTBAND.
AND THE TRUTH IS ALL ARTISTS DESERVE TO BE PAID IN ACTUAL MONEY, OF COURSE.
UM, AND FAIRLY THE UPDATED THREE $50 PER BAND OR $150 FOR SOLO ARTISTS, UM, IS JUST NOT IT EITHER.
UM, WRISTBAND SHOULD NOT HAVE EVEN BEEN AN OPTION FOR PAYMENT EITHER.
UM, WE HAVE TO EAT AND PAY BILLS, PAY FOR RECORDINGS, REHEARSAL SPACES.
AND YES, WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE TO ALL TAKE OFF DURING SOUTH BY AS WELL.
UM, PARKING AND RIDE SHARES ALSO SKYROCKET DURING SOUTH BY AS WELL.
UM, SO, UM, W'S CAMPAIGN ALSO SHED LIGHT ON THE FACT THAT INTERNATIONAL ORDERS ARE OFFERED ONLY WRISTBANDS, WHICH I THINK IS ALSO UNACCEPTABLE.
UH, THESE PRACTICES OF UNPAID AND UNDERPAID PERFORMANCES ONLY TARNISHES SOUTH BYS IMAGE AND CREDIBILITY ARTISTS WILL ONLY GET LOUDER ABOUT IT, UM, TO THOSE WHO DEFEND THE STATUS QUO AND SUGGEST THAT ARTISTS SHOULD SIMPLY WORK HARDER OR NOT COMPLAIN ABOUT SOUTH BUY AND FAIR PAY.
WHILE I RESPECT DIFFERING OPINIONS, UH, NO AND NO.
UH, WHILE SOUTH BUY BRINGS IN MONEY INTO OUR COMMUNITY, IT SHOULD NOT BE AT THE EXPENSE OF MUSICIANS.
I REPEAT IT SHOULD NOT BE AT THE EXPENSE OF MUSICIANS LIVING HERE.
SO WHILE SOUTH BY BRINGS, UH, SORRY.
BLACK AND BROWN ARTISTS AND QUEER PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF ARE JUST REALLY FED UP.
UM, IF AUSTIN WANTS TO CONTINUE TO CALL ITSELF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL WORLD, IT'S CRUCIAL TO ADDRESS AND MEET THE VERY REAL CONCERNS OF LIVE PERFORMING ARTIST INCLUSION.
I HOPE THAT, UH, FUTURE ARTISTS AND MY FRIENDS WILL HAVE AN EASIER EXPERIENCE THAN I DID.
ALSO, I WOULD LIKE CONVERSATIONS TO CONTINUE BEYOND SOUTH BY BECAUSE IT'S ONLY HIGHLIGHTS A SYMPTOM OF A BRIGHTER ISSUE WITHIN OUR MUSIC COMMUNITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE GUY FORSYTH.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO GET TO SPEAK FOR YOU OR SPEAK, UM, UH, WITH YOU.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, ESPECIALLY AS, I DON'T THINK THIS IS REALLY THE, THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THIS ARGUMENT, BUT MUSICIANS ARE HAVING TO PUSH BACK ANYWHERE THAT THEY CAN BECAUSE IT'S, UH, A VERY REAL CONCERN MAKING A LIVING IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS RIGHT NOW.
AND JANUARY 10TH, 1990, WHEN I FIRST MOVED TO AUSTIN THAT VERY YEAR, I DID SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A SIDEMAN, PLAYING WITH STEVE ALEXANDER.
THE NEXT YEAR I PERFORMED UNDER MY OWN NAME WITH A GUY NAMED ARTIE GOLD.
WE CALLED OURSELVES THE SCALP AND THE SLEDGEHAMMER.
EVER SINCE THEN, OR 20 YEARS LATER, I'M STILL DOING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST EVERY YEAR.
AND FINALLY IT'S LIKE, THIS DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT PRODUCING MUSIC, IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT PUTTING OUT PRODUCT.
IT'S NOT THAT I'M NOT TOURING CUZ I AM TOURING ALL OVER THE WORLD.
BUT WHAT IS THE PROBLEM I SUGGEST TO YOU? THE PROBLEM IS THE DENSITY OF ENTERTAINMENT DURING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
WITH 1400 BANDS ALL COMING, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF BANDWIDTH FOR ANYTHING ELSE TO TAKE PLACE AND IT'S NOT A GOOD INVESTMENT.
THAT'S WHAT IT OCCURRED TO ME TO DO IT BECAUSE I JUST WASN'T GONNA MAKE THE MONEY BACK THAT I WOULD SPEND PAYING PROFESSIONAL SIDE MEN TO GET TO DO THIS GIG.
SO MAYBE THE MONEY SHOULD BE A LIMITING FACTOR IN HOW MANY ACTS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST BRINGS INTO AUSTIN.
WHY NOT INCREASE THAT AMOUNT THAT IT COSTS? AND THAT WOULD LIMIT THE AMOUNT THAT THEY WOULD SPEND ON BRINGING ACTS IN AND THOSE ACTS WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A LIVING.
I LOVE THE PARK SYSTEM IN AUSTIN.
TOO BAD I DON'T GET TO LIVE HERE ANYMORE.
I LIVE DOWN IN BUTTA AND SO I DON'T GET TO SEE THE ACTUAL PARKS THAT I LOVE SO MUCH.
IT'S TOO BAD CUZ SOME OF MY BEST MEMORIES HAVE BEEN IN THOSE PARKS.
I WISH I GOT TO LIVE IN AUSTIN.
I STILL PLAY IN AUSTIN, PLAY HERE FULL TIME.
I'VE BEEN, UM, UH, I'VE GOTTEN AWARDS IN AUSTIN.
I HAVE A PRETTY BIG FOOTPRINT.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
IT'S NOT MEDICAL SCHOOL, BUT I THINK IT HAS VALUE.
SO, UH, UM, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
I HOPE YOU'LL CONSIDER THIS RESOLUTION OR THIS SUGGESTION.
THE END OF, UH, THOSE WHO REGISTERED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, IS THERE ANY PERSON PRESENT THAT WANTED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD THAT DIDN'T ALREADY GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK? YES, JUST BRIEFLY.
UM, I'M ALSO IN THE BAND WITH AUDREY CAMPBELL AND
[01:15:01]
FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS, JUST ONE QUICK POINT.I DIDN'T REALLY PREPARE ANYTHING.
I WAS HERE TO SUPPORT HER MORE THAN ANYTHING.
BUT AS A MUSICIAN, I HAVE A LOT TO SAY.
THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY, UM, GAIN OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH SOUTH BY, INSTEAD OF PAYMENT IS KIND OF LUDICROUS AT THIS POINT.
WHEN YOU HAVE THE INTERNET THAT CAN DO ALL THE SAME THINGS AS ANY, UM, ANY SORT OF SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT YOU CAN BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER IN THE SAME ROOM, YOU CAN DO ALL THAT ONLINE NOW.
ALL THE MARKETING, CONNECTING WITH OTHER ARTISTS, FINDING OPPORTUNITIES SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST REALLY HAS NO PURPOSE IN THAT REALM ANYMORE.
THAT'S THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
DID YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND? SORRY.
OH, THAT'S THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
MOVING TO MINUTES.APPROVAL OF MINUTES APPROVAL, APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE MAY 22ND, 2023 PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY, UH, AMENDMENTS? HATE TO BE THIS PERSON, BUT PAGE FOUR, THREE PARAGRAPHS FROM THE BOTTOM.
IT SAYS 12:26 PM WHEN YOU MET AM PAGE FIVE, LAST PARAGRAPH, 12:43 PM WHEN YOU MET AM SPURNED INTO MY MEMORY.
SO IF WE COULD JUST CORRECT THOSE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UH, CHANGES REQUIRED? UH, BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN? BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR? NOPE.
SEEING NONE IS THERE, I I MOVE TO APPROVE, UH, THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING FROM MAY THE 22ND, 2023 WITH THE AMENDMENT, WITH THE SUGGESTIONS BY BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS.
I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THEM WITH THE, UH, SUGGESTIONS I MADE.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER REED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, ALL THOSE ABSTAINING.
[5. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to authorize negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement between the City of Austin and the Austin Independent School District for SwimATX, a year-long swim lesson program that includes the 36-hour lifeguard certification course, which will be provided to the student of select AISD high schools.]
NOW GONNA MOVE ON TO, IS THIS WHERE YOU WANTED TO DO, CAN WE SKIP TO DISCUSSION ITEMS OR, YEAH, SURE.IF IT'D BE ALL RIGHT TO HEAR ITEM FIVE OUT OF ORDER.
UH, IT WAS ALREADY HEARD BY THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE.
UNLESS THERE'S A NEED FOR A PRESENTATION, I THINK WE CAN JUST KNOCK IT OUT RIGHT AWAY.
SO WE'RE MOVING TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR SWIM ATX.
A YEARLONG SWIM LESSON PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES 36 HOUR LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATION COURSE, WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE STUDENT OF SELECT TO THE STUDENTS OF SELECT A I S D HIGH SCHOOLS.
UM, AND Y'ALL HAVE THE RECOMMENDATION.
THE RECOMMENDATION IS, UH, AND THE RATIONALE IS THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS REFERRED TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD BY THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSION COMMITTEE AT THE MAY 19TH, 2023 MEETING ON BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR'S MOTION CHAIR.
VILO WAS SECOND ON A FOUR TO ZERO VOTE.
BOARD MEMBER RANALDI WAS ABSENT.
UM, AND JUST TO GIVE A BRIEF, BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT HAPPENED IS, UM, WE HAD, UH, WE HEARD THIS, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT, IT'S A PROGRAM, UM, IN WHICH, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS PARTNERING WITH, UM, A I S D SCHOOLS FOR THIS PROGRAM IN WHICH KIDS LEARN TO SWIM, AND THEN EVENTUALLY THEY HAVE TO PUT POTENTIAL TO, UH, GET A, UH, CERTIFICATION.
AND IF THEY GET THEIR CERTIFICATION, THEN THEY ALSO HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF, UH, LATER WORKING FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN THROUGH THE LIFEGUARD PROGRAM.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S METRICS THAT NEED TO BE MET AT EACH STAGE OF THIS PROGRAM IN ORDER FOR THE PERSON TO BE ELIGIBLE.
UM, SO IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE, BUT IT DOES PUT THEM ON A PATHWAY TOWARDS CERTIFICATION AND A POSSIBLE JOB.
NOTHING COMES OUT OF POCKET FOR THE PERSON WHO PARTICIPATES IN THIS PROGRAM.
UM, AND THEY TRY REALLY HARD TO PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS, UM, UH, WITH, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT THEY BELIEVE NEEDED.
SO THEY, THEY, THEY PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS FROM ACROSS ACROSS A S D.
UM, SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM, AND AS MENTIONED THE RATIONALE, IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED BY THE CONTRACT AGAINST CONCESSION MEETING.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF BOARD MEMBER, UH, TAYLOR, OR BOARD MEMBER, UH, BECKER HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.
UH, THEY WERE PRESENT AT THE MEETING.
UH, I'LL, I'LL JUST ADD, IT IS AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM.
THIS IS ALSO THE, THE, UM, THE DEPARTMENT WAS KNOCKED SIDEWAYS SOMEWHAT BY COVID WITH THIS PROGRAM.
SO THIS CONTRACT IS ABOUT REALLY RE REINSTITUTING THE
[01:20:01]
PROGRAM AND BUILDING IT BACK UP POST COVID.ANY DISCUSSION? I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF AUSTIN.
UM, SO I'M REALLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATION, UM, FOR THE SWIM, A T X CENTER LOCAL AGREEMENT.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
DID YOU MAKE A MOTION? OH, SORRY.
YEAH, SORRY, I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF.
IS THERE A, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, UH, TO AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATION EXECUTION OF IN AND LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE AND A I S D FOR SWIM ATX.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[2. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department community engagement events, planning updates, development updates, maintenance updates, program updates and administrative updates]
TIME, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO STAFF BRIEFINGS.UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, STAFF BRIEFINGS ON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, PLANNING UPDATES, DEVELOPMENT UPDATES, MAINTENANCE UPDATES, PROGRAM UPDATES, AND ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES.
GOOD EVENING, LEANNA VOCA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND IN THE INTEREST OF MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR ITEMS, I WILL BE VERY BRIEF.
UM, I WILL JUST DRAW YOUR ATTENTION ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS. ONE IS THE UPDATE ON PROJECTS CONNECT ON THE PAGE.
UM, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
THAT WAS, UM, ON JUNE 1ST APPROVED BY AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
AND, UM, UH, LATER, UM, BY THE CAPITAL METRO, UM, BOARD.
AND IT, UH, IT IS ABOUT THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON THE, UM, RAIL AND, UH, WHICH WILL BE FROM 38TH STREET DOWN TO AL TORF AND SOUTHEAST TO YELLOW JACKET LANE.
UM, ON PAGE TWO, UH, THE EMMA BERTOS, MEXICAN-AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, UH, PHASE TWO IMPROVEMENTS ARE, UM, STARTING UP AND SITE CONSTRUCTION IS ANTICIPATED TO BEGIN, UH, NEXT MONTH, JULY, WITH THE HOT WEATHER THAT WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING, UM, NOW FOR A FEW DAYS.
WE HAVE ALSO, UM, EXPERIENCED SOME FAILURES WITH REGARD TO OUR CHILLERS, AND I WANTED TO MENTION THAT IN THOSE CASES.
AND IF THE, UH, ORDER TAKES LONGER, WE DO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING TEMPORARY CHILLERS, PORTABLE CHILLERS TO THE REC CENTER SO THAT WE, UM, MEET THE, THE DEMAND ON PAGE 20.
OH, THERE ARE PLENTY OF PAGES, UH, WITH MANY OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GOING ON DURING THE SUMMER, AND YOU WILL FIND THEM, UM, LISTED UNDER EACH DISTRICT.
SO THAT WILL BE EASIER TO FIND, UH, ITEMS IN YOUR OWN DISTRICTS.
ON PAGE 23, YOU WILL FIND ALSO, UM, UPDATES ON THE APPRENTICES, UM, FOR AUSTIN CIVILIAN, UH, CONSERVATION CORPS.
UM, PAGE 26 HAS UPDATES ON ENCAMPMENT, UH, CLEANUPS.
AND AS A LAST ITEM ON THE LAST PAGE, 31, UM, JUST MENTIONING THAT THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 24 IS COMING UP, AND THERE IS A WHOLE, UM, UPDATE ON THE CALENDAR ON HOW THIS IS GONNA BE TAKEN UP BY COUNCIL, UM, UNTIL THE FINAL APPROVAL IN AUGUST.
IS THERE ANYTHING ON, UH, AT ITEM NUMBER TWO FROM ANY BOARD MEMBER? ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE,
[3. Staff briefing on the Barton Springs Bathhouse Rehabilitation project’s SOS Ordinance Amendment, including a summary and schedule. ]
STAFF BRIEFING ON THE BARTON SPRINGS BATHHOUSE REHABILITATION PROJECTS, SOS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, INCLUDING A SUMMARY AND SCHEDULE.MY NAME'S RILEY TRIGGS, AND I AM A PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR IN THE CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M JOINED TONIGHT, UH, BY ELLEN COLFAX FROM PARKS AND REC.
AND LORI LECHER, WHO'S THE ARCHITECT FOR OUR PROJECT.
JUST WANTED TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE, UH, ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, UM,
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ESPECIALLY HAVING TO DO WITH AN SOS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT THAT WE ARE PURSUING CURRENTLY.UH, THE BATHHOUSE, UH, IS AN HISTORIC 1947 BATHHOUSE.
UM, IT, UH, HAS CITY, STATE, AND FEDERAL HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS.
UH, IT SERVES AS A BATHHOUSE AQUATIC OFFICES AND ALSO HOUSES THE, UH, SPLASH EXHIBIT, WHICH, UM, IS AN EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT ABOUT, UH, THE WATER SYSTEMS AND THINGS SURROUNDING THE ENVIRONMENT IN BARTON SPRINGS.
THE DESIGN OF, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW HAS BEEN INFORMED BY THE 2008 BARTON SPRINGS MASTER PLAN, THE 2016 ZILKER BATHHOUSE ZONE FEASIBILITY STUDY IN THE 2018 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, WITH THE ARCHITECTURE TEAM, UH, AND THE CITY STAFF FUNDING COMES IN 2012 AND 2018.
GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND, THE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY HAS DONATED MONEY AS WELL AS WATERSHED PROTECTION AND AUSTIN WATER AND MONIES FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
SO, THE THINGS THAT ARE TRIGGERING OUR NEED FOR AN SOS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT, UH, HAVE TO DO WITH, UM, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING OUTSIDE THE BUILDING WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY DISTURBING THE SOIL, UH, WITHIN THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY ZONES OF A COUPLE OF THE SPRINGS, UH, THAT ARE, UH, ADJACENT AND IN THE POOL.
UH, THAT'S ELIZA SPRINGS IN THE POOL SPRINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN THE POOL.
UH, WE'RE WORKING AROUND THE BUILDING.
UH, WE'RE ADDING A FIRE LANE AND A NEW ENTRANCE ON THE WEST SIDE TO MAKE ENTRANCE A LOT EASIER TO, UH, THE POOL.
WE'RE ALSO DOING UTILITIES AND WORK IN THE PARKING LOT.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A WATER QUALITY FEATURE, UH, UP BY AN EXISTING PARKING LOT.
UH, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE TODAY THAT THAT WON'T TRIGGER ANYTHING, UH, HAVING TO DO WITH THE AMENDMENT AND PROBABLY WON'T BE INCLUDED IN THE AMENDMENT.
SO, JUST A LITTLE CLOSER, LOOK AT THESE THINGS.
UH, THE FIRE LANE, UH, ON THE LEFT THERE, UM, IS BEING REQUIRED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, IN ORDER TO GET US CLOSER TO THE BUILDING, UH, WITH A HOSE REACH AND ADDRESS SOME LIFE SAFETY CONCERNS, UH, WITH FIREFIGHTERS, UH, WORKING IN THE BUILDING.
UH, IT'S ALSO GONNA HAVE NEW SIDEWALKS AND A NEW ENTRANCE, UH, A NEW GATE, UH, ALONG WITH A TICKETING SYSTEM AND, UH, WAYS FOR KIND OF SPLITTING UP THE CROWD SO IT'S EASIER AND FASTER TO GET INTO THE POOL.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS A SHOT OF, UH, THE ENTRANCE, UH, TO THE ROTUNDA.
ONE OF THE MAIN POINTS OF THIS RENOVATION IS TO RESTORE THE ROTUNDA ENTRANCE TO ITS HISTORIC CONFIGURATION, OR, OR GET PEOPLE THROUGH THE ROTUNDA LIKE IT WAS, UH, UH, FIRST INTENDED.
UH, SO THAT WILL BE A MAIN ENTRANCE, AND WE HAVE TO DO, UM, ADA ACCESSIBILITY WORK WITH THE SIDEWALKS AND WHATNOT, UH, TO IMPROVE THE SLOPE AND GET IT UP TO, UH, THE PORCH HEIGHT TO BE ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO ENTER THE ROTUNDA.
AND THEN, LIKE I SAID, THE WATER QUALITY FEATURE, IT'S UP BY AN EXISTING PARKING LOT THAT'LL FILTER, UH, SOME OF THE WATER THAT IS CURRENTLY NOT BEING, UH, TREATED.
UM, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE IN THE AMENDMENT.
HERE'S, UH, AN INDICATION OF, UH, THE SCOPES OF WORK THAT WE HAVE GOING ON OUTSIDE THE BUILDING.
UH, ON THE FAR LEFT, THERE'S A LITTLE GREEN DOT THAT'S, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF AN ACCESSIBILITY RAMP, UM, UH, AND NEW CONCRETE THERE.
UH, GREEN INDICATES NEW IMPERVIOUS COVER.
RED IS IMPERVIOUS COVER THAT'S BEING REMOVED.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE NEW GREEN, UH, TO THE LEFT WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING IS, UH, UH, THE NEW ENTRANCE AND FIRE LANE.
FIRE LANE WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IMPERVIOUS COVER BECAUSE OF HOW WE'RE BUILDING, UH, THAT FIRE LANE TO, UH, ALLOW WATER TO PERMEATE, PERCOLATE INTO THE SOIL NATURALLY.
UH, THERE'S ALSO A LITTLE WORK, UM, THE BOTTOM OF THAT, DRAWING A LITTLE GREEN LINE THERE, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF DECK WORK AROUND A TREE TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY, UH, AROUND THAT ELEMENT.
AND THEN ALSO AT THE, UH, CURRENT ENTRANCE, UH, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF REWORK WITH THE SIDEWALK AND EVERYTHING, UH, HAVING TO DO WITH, UH, AGAIN, ACCESSIBILITY AND RESTORING THAT PART OF THE BUILDING BACK TO ITS HISTORIC CONFIGURATION.
OH, AND, UH, ALSO ALL OF THAT WORK IS GOING TO RESULT IN A NET DECREASE IN IMPERVIOUS COVER.
IT'S ABOUT 300 SQUARE FEET LESS, UH, IMPERVIOUS COVER THAN IS CURRENTLY ON THE SITE.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BATHHOUSE ITSELF, UH, AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING INSIDE THERE.
UH, IT CENTERS AROUND STRUCTURAL REPAIRS, UH, TO THE CONCRETE, UM, SHADING DEVICES THAT ARE IN THE SHOWERS.
UH, ALSO THERE'S SOME STEEL IN THE ROTUNDA THAT'S, UH, UH, NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT STRUCTURALLY.
UH, WE'RE ALSO IMPROVING THE STRUCTURE ON THE WEST SIDE
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OF THE BUILDING IN ORDER TO BETTER WITHSTAND THE FLOODING THAT WE'VE HAD RECENTLY.UM, THERE'S GONNA BE MAJOR WORK TO THE PLUMBING, TO THE H V A C SYSTEMS. UM, WE'RE ALSO DOING A NEW EXHIBIT CUZ WE'RE HAVING TO TAKE OUT THE EXHIBIT IN ORDER TO DO ALL OF THIS WORK.
UM, WE'RE IMPROVING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE AQUATIC STAFF, FOR THE LIFEGUARDS, FOR THE MANAGER, UM, IMPROVING THE SHOWER STALLS, UH, AGAIN, REDOING A LOT OR REDOING ALL OF THE PLUMBING.
UM, AND THEN, UH, RETURNING, UH, MUCH OF THE, UH, EAST SIDE THERE.
BACK TO THE HISTORIC CONFIGURATION, UH, TAKING OUT SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE DONE IN THE 1980S.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE, THE LEFT SIDE, THE WEST SIDE.
UM, THOSE NEW NEW WALLS AND NEW FAMILY RESTROOMS AND SUPPORT AREA, UH, ARE GONNA HELP STRENGTHEN THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING, UH, FOR FLOODING.
UM, WHAT ELSE? UH, NEW SUPPORT AREA FOR THE, UH, FOR THE EXHIBIT AREA, WHICH IS LABELED THE EXHIBIT MULTIPURPOSE AREA NEXT TO THE ROTUNDA.
UH, A NEW ENTRANCE COMING IN, UH, TO THE ROTUNDA AREA FROM THE PARKING LOT.
UH, MOVING DOWN INTO MORE EXHIBIT SUPPORT SPACE, LIFEGUARD SHOWERS, LOCKER ROOMS, UH, IMPROVED BATHROOM FACILITIES, MORE FAMILY RESTROOMS, UH, AND THEN OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DRAWING, UH, IN THE LOWER RIGHT, UH, NEW MANAGER AND LIFEGUARD FIRST AID AREA, UH, IN ADDITION TO, UH, ANOTHER FAMILY RESTROOM.
SO THE SCHEDULE FOR MOVING THROUGH THE SOS AMENDMENT PROCESS IS PRETTY AGGRESSIVE THIS SUMMER.
UH, WE HAVE ALREADY MET WITH THE CODES AND ORDINANCE JOINT COMMITTEE, UH, WHICH, UH, UH, SUGGESTED INITIATION OF THIS.
UH, AND WE WILL GO BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION TOMORROW NIGHT FOR INITIATION OF THIS AMENDMENT.
UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION WILL BE, UH, A HEARING ON JULY 5TH, BACK TO THE CODES AND ORDINANCES JOINT COMMITTEE, UM, AND THEN ONTO COUNCIL PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVAL AT THE END OF JULY, AND THEN HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF AUGUST, UH, A COUNCIL HEARING TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TODAY.
TODAY'S MONDAY, UH, WE RELEASED THE PROJECT, UH, OUT FOR BID FOR CONTRACTORS.
UM, THIS IS THE COMBINATION OF, UH, A LONG, LONG PROJECT, UM, UH, TO GET THINGS RIGHT HERE AT THE BATHHOUSE.
UH, WE'RE DOING A COMPETITIVE SEAL PROPOSAL BID PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, UH, THE EXPERIENCE WITH HISTORIC BUILDINGS, UH, AND BE MORE SELECTIVE WITH A CONTRACTOR WITH THIS VERY SENSITIVE BUILDING, UH, IN THIS JEWEL AND, YOU KNOW, THE CROWN OF THE AUSTIN PARK SYSTEM.
UM, SO THAT WILL BE STARTING, THAT STARTED TODAY.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE THE CONTRACTOR SIGNED UP BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND GO INTO IT CONSTRUCTION BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR.
MY QUESTION IS, IS, UM, DO, I WOULD ASSUME, IS IT, AT WHAT POINT IS THERE GONNA BE COMMUNITY INPUT AS THE, THE EXHIBIT SPACE AT THE BATHHOUSE? UH, INPUT FROM WHOM? THE COMMUNITY AS THE, UH, THERE'S BEEN EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY INPUT INTO THAT.
IN FACT, I THINK THAT'S WHAT TRIGGERED, UH, REDOING THE EXHIBIT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
UM, I CAN ASK LAURIE, OUR ARCHITECT HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT, CAN SPEAK SOME MORE ON THAT.
AND I GUESS I SHOULD BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT, LIKE, WHAT IT, I, LEMME BACK UP.
IS THE EXHIBITS SPACE MEANT TO, LIKE, SHOWCASE THE HISTORY OF BARTON SPRINGS? AND IS, IS THAT, IS THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, CORRECT? YES.
SO IT'S GONNA BE PARTIALLY THE HISTORY.
UH, IT'S ALSO GONNA LOOK AT THE SPRINGS THEMSELVES, HOW THEY WORK WITH THE AQUIFER, UH, LOOKING AT WATER QUALITY IN AUSTIN, UH, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHERE OUR RAINWATER, UH, GOES AND, AND HOW IT'S TREATED, HOW IT'S FILTERED, UH, AND, UH, OTHER EXHIBITS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE HISTORY OF BOTH, UM, THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE PEOPLES THAT HAVE, UH, LIVED THERE BEFORE.
CAUSE I, YEAH, I GUESS THAT WAS MY QUESTION IS, AND YOU SAID THAT YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH, YOU'VE ALREADY MET, HAD COMMUNITY FORUMS AND COMMUNITY ROUND TABLES TO GET FEEDBACK AS TO WHAT TYPE OF INFORMATION THE EXHIBITS SHOULD, UH, INCLUDE.
UM, AND DOES PART OF THAT, UH, IS THIS, IS PART OF THAT GONNA INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, THE NAMESAKE OF BARTON AND, UH, THE EFFORTS TO DESEGREGATE THE POOL? UH, DEFINITELY THE EFFORTS TO DESEGREGATE.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE, THE NAMING, IF THERE'S ANY PARTICULAR CONTENT ON THAT.
CONTENT IS STILL BEING GENERATED FOR THE EXHIBIT.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GONNA BE IN THERE YET.
BUT YES, THE HISTORY OF THE SPRINGS, UH, ACTIVISM
[01:35:01]
AND THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THERE AT THE SPRINGS ARE GONNA BE INCLUDED IN THE HISTORY COMPONENT.AND YEAH, AND I, I MENTIONED IT BECAUSE, UH, OBVIOUSLY I HAVE TWO CONCERNS, ONE OR NOT, I HAVE TWO THINGS OF NOTE.
ONE, OBVIOUSLY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE NAMESAKE FOR BARTON SPRINGS BAR, MR. BARTON, UH, PROBABLY, UH, YOU KNOW, HE, HE WAS A SLAVE OWNER.
LIKE, WE CAN'T IGNORE THAT FACT.
UM, AND THE SECOND THING, OBVIOUSLY, AS SOMEONE, UH, WHO HAS, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO WHO ENJOYS BARTON SPRINGS AND UNDERSTANDS THE SOS ORDINANCE IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS FAILED TO TALK ABOUT IS WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO SAVED OUR SPRINGS, BUT WE RARELY EVER TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO DESEGREGATED THE SPRINGS.
SO I'M HOPING THAT, UH, IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT, AND IT SEEMS LIKE Y'ALL HAVE MOVED, LIKE, HAVE RECEIVED COMMUNITY INPUT AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, IS THAT WE START INCORPORATING THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION AND AN EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIVE MANNER, UH, IN ORDER TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, GIVE EVERYONE A 360 VIEW OF THE SPRINGS, UM, AND THE POOL, UM, AND THE FACILITIES.
YEAH, THOSE, THOSE ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN, UM, INCORPORATED INTO OUR SCOPE.
UM, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PARTICULAR CONTENT IS GONNA BE EXACTLY YET.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, I HAD A QUICK QUESTION ON THE, UM, CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE.
YOU MENTIONED IT STARTS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
IS THAT IN DECEMBER TIMEFRAME? WE HOPE TO EXECUTE OUR CONTRACT AT THE END OF NOVEMBER OR THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER, AND THEN WE USUALLY HAVE ABOUT A MONTH FROM NOTICE TO PROCEED FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO MOBILIZE.
SO WITH THE HOLIDAYS AND EVERYTHING, IT'LL PROBABLY BE RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
AND HOW LONG IS CONSTRUCTION ANTICIPATED TAKE? UH, WE'VE ESTIMATED 14 MONTHS AT THIS POINT, BUT WE'LL KNOW MORE WHEN WE GET A CONTRACTOR ON BOARD AND GET THEIR PLAN FOR HOW THEY'RE GONNA GO ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND I KNOW THAT PARKING HAS BEEN AN ONGOING TOPIC FOR THE AREA.
WHAT DOES THE CONSTRUCTION STAGING LOOK LIKE FOR THIS PROJECT? I GUESS WILL SEVERAL PARKING SPACES BE TAKEN UP TO STORE VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, OR HOW IS THAT BEING SHOWN CURRENTLY? I'M JUST CURIOUS.
UH, YES, THERE WILL BE, UM, A, A CLOSURE OF MOST OF THAT PARKING LOT, MOST LIKELY, UM, FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
ONE IS THE STAGING THAT YOU MENTIONED FOR THE CONTRACTOR.
WE'RE ALSO DOING WORK IN THE PARKING LOT.
WE'RE REPLACING OR ADDING A FIRE LINE FOR A NEW, UH, FIRE HYDRANTS.
UH, WE'RE UPGRADING WATER AND WASTEWATER LINES AS WELL.
SO A LOT OF THAT WORK IS GONNA BE DONE IN THE PARKING LOT.
UH, AND THEN DURING CONSTRUCTION, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO KEEP, UH, EMERGENCY VEHICLE ACCESS OPEN.
UH, SO THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE VERY LITTLE PUBLIC PARKING, IF ANY, IN THAT PARKING LOT DURING THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND OUT OF THE 14 MONTHS, HOW LONG WOULD THOSE CLOSURES BE NEEDED? UH, THAT DEPENDS ON THE PHASING BY THE CONTRACTOR.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL KNOW MORE WHEN WE GET A CONTRACTOR ON BOARD AND GET THEIR SCHEDULE OF WORK.
DOES ANY, DOES ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
BOARD MEMBER, WILL THE BATHHOUSE BE COMPLETELY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE 14 MONTH CONSTRUCTION PERIOD? YES, IT WILL, BUT THE POOL IS GONNA REMAIN OPEN.
SO ARE THERE ALTERNATIVE CHANGING AREAS AVAILABLE DURING THIS TIME? YES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, TEMPORARY STRUCTURES FOR, UH, SHOWERS, RESTROOMS, UH, THE LIFEGUARDS WILL ALSO HAVE, UH, THEIR OWN SPACE, UH, AS WELL AS THE MANAGER WILL HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? OKAY.
[4. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to eliminate parking on the Zilker Park Polo Field. (Sponsors: Reed, Hugman)]
UM, THIS ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO ELIMINATE PARKING ON THE ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD.UM, COUNCIL MEMBER REED, UH, BOARD MEMBER REED.
UM, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THE MOTION? UH, YES.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSS DISCUSSION.
WAS THE, UH, MR. BECK WAS THE NEWEST, UH, MOTION WAS THE NEWEST, NEWEST RECOMMENDATION BY BOARD MEMBER REED POSTED, UM, TO THE BACK AS BACKUP? YES.
THE, THE NEWEST VERSION WAS POSTED AS BACKUP ALONG WITH THE OLDER VERSION, BUT IT WAS NOTATED AS BEING THE UPDATED VERSION.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ IT AS LONG IF YOU WANT TO.
YEAH, I MEAN, I COULD READ ONLY, THE ONLY THING I SUGGEST IS IF YOU, IF, IF WHEN IT COMES TIME TO MAKE A MOTION JUST MM-HMM.
[01:40:01]
BACKUP NUMBER, UH, THE NEXT ONE, FOUR OH, THE SAME NUMBER OH OH 41 DRAFT RECOMMENDATION ON CIRCLE PARK FOR FIELD PARKING UPDATED.AND I'D, I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT THE UPDATE JUST HAD A DATE CHANGED BECAUSE OF THIS CITY COUNCIL'S SCHEDULE, AND THERE THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THIS WITHIN THE TIME PERIOD THAT WE HAD SET AT THE DATE BEFORE.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ IT BECAUSE, UM, I THINK WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO ELIMINATE PARKING, PARKING ON THE ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD, WHEREAS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ON JUNE 28TH, 2018, DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER TO FORM THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP TO INTER MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ESTABLISH A PLAN TO PERMANENTLY REMOVE PARKING ON THE POLO FIELDS, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION POSSIBLE STRATEGIES TO REDUCE PARKING DEMAND AND UTILIZATION OF TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
THIS WAS FROM A RESOLUTION, THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2 0 1 8 0 6 2 8 DASH 0 7 2, WHEREAS THE ZILKER PARK WOR WORKING GROUP IN THEIR FINAL REPORT OF JUNE, 2019 RECOMMENDED A TIMELINE FOR CLOSING THE ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD AS AN OVERFLOW PARKING AREA BY MAY 1ST, 2022, AFTER SECURING AN EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF VIABLE, PREFERABLY OFFSITE PARKING ALTERNATIVES TO THE REDUCED PARKING THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE THE DISPLACED PARKING, AND THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THE DISPLACED PARKING IN AFFORDABILITY, CONVENIENCE, AND USABILITY.
WHEREAS ONE TEXAS CENTER OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A CAPACITY OF 850 VEHICLES AND 750 AVAILABLE PARKING SPACES FOR VEHICLES NOT OWNED BY THE CITY AND STORED AT THE GARAGE.
WHEREAS ONE TEXAS CENTER EXTERNAL CAR PARKING GARAGE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED TO MEET THE RECOMMENDATION FOR, QUOTE, AN EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF VIABLE, PREFERABLY OFFSITE PARKING ALTERNATIVES TO THE REDUCED PARKING THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE THE DISPLACED PARKING, AND THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THE DISPLACED PARKING AND AFFORDABILITY, CONVENIENCE AND USABILITY.
WHEREAS THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO ELIMINATING PARKING ON THE ZILKER POLO FIELD, BUT AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING THAT PARKING ALTERNATIVES SUCH AS SHUTTLE, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, REMOTE PARKING, ET CETERA, ARE AVAILABLE AND CONVENIENT TO USE.
WHEREAS SUMMER TEMPERATURES AND THE LACK OF IRRIGATION ON THE POLO FIELD MAKES ROUTINE WEEKLY USE FOR PARKED CARS MORE DAMAGING ECOLOGICALLY THAN DURING OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR.
WHEREAS ANY FURTHER DELAY IN REDUCING PARKING DURING THE SUMMER'S HEAT WILL BE SERIOUSLY DAMAGING TO THE POLO FIELD.
WHEREAS ONLY TWO MORE SPECIAL EVENTS, THE ZUCKER HILLSIDE THEATER AND BLUES ON THE GREEN ARE PLANNED FOR SUMMER 2023, WHICH WOULD NEED THE POLO FIELD FOR OVERFLOW PARKING.
WHEREAS THE NEED TO SECURE AN EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF VIABLE ALTERNATIVES TO PARKING ON THE POLO FIELD APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN RESOLVED AND SHOULD NOT REQUIRE FURTHER DELAY IN CLOSING THE POLO FIELD TO VISITOR PARKING DURING THE SUMMER OF 2023.
WHEREAS A CAPACITY OF 750 PARKED CARS AT ONE TEXAS CENTER WITH A SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE OF TWO VEHICLES, EACH OPERATING AT 30 MINUTE INTERVALS DELIVERS SERVICE OF 15 MINUTE INTERVALS FROM FREE PARKING LOCATED ONE MILE FROM THE ENTRANCE GATE TO ZILKER PARK.
AND WHEREAS ADDITIONAL PARKING 600 TO 1000 SPACES IS AVAILABLE AT THE BUTLER LANDFILL GRAVEL LOT, AND WHEREAS IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF ALL RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN TO CREATE A SCALABLE MASS TRANSIT SOLUTION FOR ZILKER PARK METROPOLITAN PARK TO ADDRESS A GROWING, GROWING POPULATION NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD NUMBER ONE RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DIRECT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO CLOSE PARKING ON THE ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD.
100% BEGINNING AUGUST 1ST, 2023, EXCEPT FOR USE AS AN OVERFLOW PARKING AREA DURING ADVANCED SCHEDULED SPECIAL EVENTS, NAMELY THE ZILKER HILLSIDE THEATER BLUES ON THE GREEN ZILKER TREE LIGHTING TRAILS OF LIGHT, ZILKER KITE FESTIVAL, ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN SPRING EVENT, AND AUSTIN Y M B L SUNSHINE CAMPS.
EVENT NUMBER TWO RECOMMENDS THAT PARD DIRECT ZILKER PARK VISITORS DURING PEAK SUMMER USE SUMMER DAYS IN 2023
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TO THE AVAILABILITY OF OFFSITE PARKING AND SHUTTLE SERVICE AT ONE TEXAS CENTER THROUGH A PROGRAM OF INCREASED MARKETING AND SPECIAL PROMOTIONS, SUCH AS SEVERAL LARGE BANNER SIGNS ANNOUNCING THE SHUTTLE SERVICE AT ONE TEXAS CENTER PROMOTIONAL DAYS WHEN A STAMPED SHUTTLE TICKET GIVES THE INDIVIDUAL FREE ADMISSION TO ONE OF THE PARKS RESIDENT OPERATIONS LIKE BARTON SPRINGS POOL OR ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDEN, AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, ZILKER TRAIN WHEN OPERATIONAL PROMINENT SIGNAGE ON ALL FACES OF THE ZILKER SHUTTLE.NUMBER THREE RECOMMENDS THE ZILKER SHUTTLE BUSES OPERATE CONTINUOUSLY RATHER THAN ON THE HOUR TO ENCOURAGE USE OF THE SHUTTLES.
NUMBER FOUR RECOMMENDS THAT SHUTTLE SERVICE BE CONTINUED ON WEEKENDS, INCLUDING FRIDAYS THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER, 2023.
SEPTEMBER, 2023 RECOMMENDS SHUTTLES DROP OFF NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO BARTON SPRINGS POOL WHEN POSSIBLE TO INCREASE VISIBILITY AND CONVENIENCE OF SHUTTLE USAGE.
I'M SORRY, THAT'S NUMBER FIVE.
NO
NUMBER SEVEN RECOMMENDS THAT AN INTERNAL PARK SHUTTLE SERVICE BE INSTITUTED IN 2023, INCLUDING PICKUP ALONG STRATFORD DRIVE LOCATIONS UNDER MOPAC AND AT THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE TO OTHER AREAS OF THE PARK, INCLUDING BARTON SPRINGS POOL, ZILKER BOTANICAL GARDENS, THE PLAYGROUND PICNIC AREAS, AND RECOMMENDS IF TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT IS REQUIRED, THE DESIGN AND OPERATION OF THE SHUTTLE SERVICE BE MOVED UNDER THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WOR WORKS DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE IT AS AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, SO I CAN MAKE A MOTION NOW IF WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW.
UM, I MOVE THAT THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION TO ELIMINATE PARKING ON THE ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD AS DESCRIBED IN THIS RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND THERE.
A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER HOMAN.
UM, WE'RE NOW MOVING TO DISCUSSION.
SO BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE NOW IN DISCUSSION.
UM, DOES ANYONE WANT TO START? I HAVE A QUESTION BOARD.
I JUST WANNA ADD, I THINK THAT THE LIFEGUARDS MADE A REALLY COMPELLING ARGUMENT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STAFF SPACES, SO I WANTED TO KNOW IF WE COULD ADD SOMETHING FOR THAT.
AND, UM, IS IT, IS IT POSSIBLE TO TALK TO, UM, STAFF OR IS IS AQUATICS ASHLEY WELLS WITH US? OR, OR MAYBE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OR SCOTT COBB
HEY THERE, UH, LUCAS MASSEY ACT, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OVER AQUATICS.
SO I GUESS THE QUESTION WOULD BE HOW MANY PARKING SPACES FOR STAFF ARE REALLY NEEDED ON A DAILY BASIS, PARTICULARLY THIS IS ABOUT CLOSING THE POLO FIELDS ON THE WEEKENDS.
THE POLO FIELDS ARE ALREADY OFF LIMITS, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, PLEASE.
UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, THE POLO FIELDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR PARKING DURING THE WEEKDAYS AT ZILKER, JUST ON THE WEEKENDS, ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS.
SO HOW MANY LIFEGUARD PARKING SPACES ARE NEEDED AT BARTON SPRINGS ON THE WEEKENDS? SURE.
SO IF WE END UP, UH, REDUCING THE TOTAL VOLUME OF PARKING AT BARTON AT AT SILK PARK, WHAT WE PROBABLY WOULD DO IS, IS LOOKING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF RESERVE SPACES THAT WE HAVE FOR, FOR STAFF.
PROBABLY NOT ONLY FOR LIFEGUARD STAFF, BUT WE ALSO HAVE PARK RANGERS, THAT OFFICE THERE, UH, A NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF THAT THAT USE ZILKER PARK.
UM, WE DO ISSUE PARKING PASSES TO STAFF.
UM, ALSO, I I, I'D NOTE THAT, UM, UH, PAID PARKING ONLY OCCURS, OR CERTAIN PORTIONS OF OF THE YEAR ARE A HIGH VOLUME TIME, SO IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD FLUCTUATE SEASONALLY.
DO YOU HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER OF SPACES? I DO, I DO NOT.
CAN YOU GUESS? I, I I WOULD, I WOULD NOT LIKE TO GUESS, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PROVIDE YOU AT A LATER TIME.
I HAVE, UM, YEAH, I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
UM, SO I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT I JUST HEARD ABOUT THE BATHHOUSE RENOVATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? ROUGHLY? UH, YEAH.
THAT A LARGE PORTION OF THAT LOT, UH, IS GONNA BE TAKEN UP BY THAT CONSTRUCTION? THAT'S CORRECT.
WELL, AND, AND IT'S, I MEAN, THAT'S 140 SPACES, WHICH IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
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UM, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NEED FOR THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS THE POOL, OBVIOUSLY.AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIFEGUARD PARKING, ESPECIALLY WITH THOSE TWO ISSUES.
UM, I'M STILL TRYING TO WORK OUT HOW I FEEL ABOUT AUG BETWEEN AUGUST AND DECEMBER VERSUS OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A FUTURE ISSUE, BUT I DON'T, I DO THINK WE DON'T WANNA SET OURSELVES UP FOR SOMETHING THAT BECOMES UNSUSTAINABLE LATER IN THE YEAR.
I DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION UNFORTUNATELY, BUT, SO MARCH IT WOULD BE, UM, THE PEAK USE TIMES IN WHEN THE POLO FIELD IS, HAS BEEN OPENED FOR WEEKENDS IS MARCH THROUGH SEPTEMBER, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT, YES.
AND THE CONSTRUCTION, I PRESUME WOULD BE GOING ON YEAH, DURING THAT TIME.
I DON'T KNOW WHO COULD ASK IT TO, BUT THE, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE PAR I WOULD ASSUME PAR FOR THE SAKE OF THIS ARGUMENT.
I'M ASSUMING THAT PARD HAS ACCESS TO THE ONE TEXAS CENTER PARKING LOT, UH, YEAR-ROUND.
BUT IN REGARDS TO FUNDING FOR A SHUTTLE, IS THE CURRENT PILOT PROGRAM THAT'S HAPPENING, IS THAT, IS THERE, IS THERE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO THAT OR HOW IS THAT FUND, IS THAT FUNDING BASICALLY, IS THAT FUNDING GONNA END AT A CERTAIN POINT AT A CERTAIN MONTH, AT A CERTAIN DATE THIS YEAR WE HAVE ALLOCATED ABOUT 40,000 FOR THE OPERATION OF THE TWO BUSES AND, UH, THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED FOR ONE TEXAS CENTER.
AND WHEN YOU SAY THE FUNDING FOR ONE TEXAS CENTER, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? UH, WE ARE WAIVING THE PARKING FEES FOR EVERYONE WHO PARKS THERE OVER THE WEEKEND.
SO, SO IS THAT MONEY COMING OUT OF 40,000? YES.
SO PART IS PAYING, THAT IS THE ESTIMATE FOR THE ENTIRE, UH, WHEN DOES THAT 40,000, IS IT ESTIMATED TO RUN OUT? THAT IS FOR, FOR THIS SEASON.
SO IT'S BY THE END OF, UH, UH, BY SEPTEMBER BY LABOR WEEKEND.
SO WHAT'S THE FUTURE? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
CAUSE AND, AND THE REASON I BRING IT UP IS CUZ OBVIOUSLY THE, THE FUNDING ISSUE IS KIND OF WHAT I'M, THAT, THAT POPPED UP, THAT POPPED UP WITH ME RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT'S SWIRLING IN MY HEAD RIGHT NOW.
AND COUNSEL IS GOING TO START CONSIDERING BUDGET, I BELIEVE AT THE END OF JULY, IS THAT RIGHT? AND SO THIS MIGHT BE A, A GOOD ITEM FOR THE BUDGET AS WELL IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF THE SU THE SHUTTLE AT ZILKER, WHICH WAS THE DIRECTIVE FROM THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP.
THE OTHER THING I'M WONDERING TOO, AND I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T THINK THIS SOONER, BUT, UH, FRIDAYS BEING INCLUDED, THAT'S A WORKING OFFICE BUILDING.
ONE TEXAS CENTER'S, A WORKING OFFICE BUILDING.
SO THERE ARE PEOPLE PARKING THERE WORKING IN THAT BUILDING EVERY DAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CAPACITY IS IN TERMS OF THE LOT, HOW FULL IT IS ON A FRIDAY, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
UM, IN TERMS OF DEMAND, SO JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND, ON THE PARKING PAYMENT, IF THE LOT IS FULL ON THE WEEKENDS, I GUESS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CARS IS BEING TALLIED IN WHATEVER THE FEES ARE FOR THAT NUMBER OF CARS IS BEING TAKEN OUT OF A $40,000 BUDGET.
CAN SHE CAN'T HEAR YOU, YOUR MIC'S NOT ON.
I GUESS ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO NOT ONLY EXPAND TO INCLUDE FRIDAYS, BUT ALSO TO INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OF THE SHUTTLE RUNNING.
I GUESS ASIDE FROM GAS COSTS, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL INCREASES IN COST FROM HAVING A MORE FREQUENT RUN, SAY EVERY 20 TO 30 MINUTES? THE WAY THAT THIS WORKS RIGHT NOW IS, UM, EVERY RUN BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC OVER THE WEEKEND TAKES ABOUT 40 MINUTES.
IT HAS A FIVE TO 10 MINUTE STOP WITHIN THE PARK AND ANOTHER FIVE TO 10 MINUTE STOP AT ONE TEXAS CENTER SO THAT THEY PICK UP PASSENGERS.
WE MEANS THAT EVERY 30 MINUTES WE HAVE A BUS LEAVING ONE, UH, EITHER ONE TEXAS CENTER OR, UH, THE PARK.
SO THE FREQUENCY RIGHT NOW IS EVERY 30 MINUTES AND WE DON'T SEEM TO FEEL, AT LEAST SO FAR, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING FOR A MUCH FASTER, LIKE 20 MINUTE, UH, RUN.
ARE, ARE WE CURRENTLY USING CAP USING THE SHUTTLES AT CAPACITY? NO.
I MEAN, HOW FULL ARE THE SHUTTLES ON ANY GIVEN, LIKE ON A, ON A WEEKEND? UH, IT VARIES.
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WE ARE FAR FROM REACHING ANY KIND OF CAPACITY.WE HAVE SURPASSED THOUGH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF USERS THAT WERE LAST YEAR.
SO WE SEE AN UPTICK, BUT, UH, NOT SUFFICIENT YET.
CAN I ASK HER ONE? WE ACTUALLY, WHAT YOU'RE, SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF ROOM WHERE PEOPLE CAN PARK IN THERE WITHOUT THE GARAGE BEING POOL AND IN, IN THE SHUTTLES, CORRECT? CORRECT.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? OKAY, THANK YOU.
I THINK THE QUESTION ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WAS, UM, IS THE SHUTTLE SITTING STILL WAITING AT THE GARAGE, FOR EXAMPLE, AT AT ONE TEXAS CENTER WAITING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME? NO.
AND THEN MOVING, OR ARE THEY, ARE THEY MOVING CONTINUOUSLY? THEY ARE STOPPING FOR A BIT BOTH AT ZUCKER PARK AND AT ONE TEXAS CENTER.
UM, BUT THEY ARE THERAN TAKES ABOUT 40 MINUTES BOTH WAYS.
SO, UM, IN ORDER TO HAVE SOME PREDICTABILITY AT THIS POINT, IT IS EVERY ONE HOUR EACH SUBTLE, UH, FINISHES THERAN.
AND WISE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T TURN THE BUSES OFF, RIGHT? I MEAN, AS FAR AS ARE THEY GAS OR ELECTRIC? THEY'RE GAS, RIGHT? I BELIEVE SO.
SO THEY'RE NOT EXPENDING ANYMORE.
IF THEY WERE RUNNING MORE FREQUENTLY, IF THEY DID A PICKUP AND DIDN'T WAIT AS LONG AND THEN HEADED BACK, UM, I DID HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING ABLE TO DRIVE BEHIND ONE OF THEM AND IT TOOK FIVE MINUTES FROM THE PICKUP POINT TO GET TO ONE TEXAS CENTER THAT DOWN BARTON SPRINGS ON SUNDAY.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY FINE TUNE MM-HMM.
AND I'LL, I'LL JUST ADD THAT ONE OF THE REASONS I BROUGHT THIS RECOMMENDATION FORWARD WAS, UM, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, SOME COMPETING ELEMENTS HERE.
IF THERE IS PARKING AVAILABLE ON THE POLO FIELDS, PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY NOT GONNA USE THE SHUTTLE BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA GO TO THE POLO FIELDS.
IT'S, IT'S JUST A KIND OF A, A DIFFICULT CHANGE TO ACCOMPLISH.
AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, IF NOT NOW OR SOON OR THIS FALL, WHEN WOULD WE TRY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHEREBY WE'RE CARRYING OUT WHAT WAS RE REALLY RECOMMENDED BY THE ZUKI PARK WORKING GROUP AND IS INCLUDED IN THE VISION PLAN, I BELIEVE, UM, WHICH HAS NOT YET BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A SHORT TERM TRANSPORTATION DIRECTIVE FOR A LONG TIME STARTING BACK IN 2019.
AND SO PLUS, AND I'LL, I'LL PIGGYBACK ON ON, UM, WHAT MR. TRIGGS WAS SAYING THAT THE POLO FIELDS, IF YOU LOOK IN THE, UM, HANDOUT THAT I PUT IN FRONT OF US, ALL OF THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP FINAL REPORT ON PAGE 12, UM, REGULATORY CONSTRAINTS SPECIFIC TO THE POLO FIELDS INCLUDE BARTON CREEK WATERSHED, EES CREEK WATERSHED, AND LADY BIRD WATERSHED.
UM, THERE ARE A VARIETY OF REASONS ENVIRONMENTALLY WHY WE WOULD WANT TO STOP SO MUCH PARKING ON THE POLO FIELDS AND JUST LIMITED TO THOSE REALLY, UM, OVERFLOW PARKING FOR BIG EVENTS.
AND ADDITIONALLY, JUST BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY GIVEN IT TO YOU, CAN TIM, CAN I PULL UP SOME OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS? THIS WAS ANOTHER REASON I BROUGHT THE RECOMMENDATION FOR IS, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE THAT A CITIZEN CONTACTED ME ABOUT, UM, SOME REALLY BAD ISSUES OF PARKING IN ZILKER PARK AROUND THE POLO FIELDS IN THE POLO FIELDS.
UM, THIS IS PARKING UNDER CRITICAL ROOT ZONES.
AND YOU CAN, YEAH, PLEASE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS AN, UH, AN INCIDENT THAT I WAS TOLD ABOUT WHERE SOMEONE WAS DOING WHEELIES IN THE DIRT AND UNDERNEATH THE TREES AT THE MOON TOWER.
UM, AND THEN NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THIS IS THE LINE WAITING AT BARTON SPRINGS ON THE WEEKEND OF, IT WAS THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND, JUNE 17, 18, 19, AND YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THE LINE WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN, ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BUILDING AND THIS WOULD'VE BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
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FOR THE ZILKER PARK SHUTTLE TO, TO COME THROUGH THAT AREA.IT WOULD'VE GIVEN IT GREAT VISIBILITY, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP RIGHT IN THAT AREA.
UM, LET'S KEEP MOVING TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS IS THE SHUTTLE WAITING AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, AND IT WAS PARKED THERE FOR A WHILE.
UM, I WOULD ALSO NOTE, I THINK IT'S, I'M, I'M A BIG SHUTTLE FAN.
I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL IDEA, BUT HAVING MORE SIGNAGE ON THE SIDE OF THE BUSES WOULD HELP, I THINK, WITH RIDERSHIP AND INFORMATION.
PRETTY MUCH COMPLETELY FULL, EVEN THOUGH ONLY 50% IS SUPPOSED TO BE COVERED AT THIS TIME, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE THAT.
IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER TO CLOSE THE GATES AND ENFORCE NOT HAVING PARKING IN THE POLO FIELD AND DIRECT VISITORS TO ONE TEXAS CENTER AND TO THE GRAVEL LOT FOR PARKING.
AND AGAIN, THIS SHOWS THE HERITAGE SIZE OAK TREES WITH CARS PARKED ALL UNDERNEATH THEM, AND SAFETY ISSUES OF PEOPLE TRYING TO WALK DOWN ANDREW ZILKER ROAD WITH THAT MUCH PARKING CONGESTION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO ZILKER ON THE WEEKEND, BUT IT'S VERY CONGESTED.
AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE AGAIN, PARKING UNDER TREES.
MORE PARKING, UM, ILLEGAL PARKING ON THE GRASS ADJACENT TO THE POLO FIELDS.
THIS IS A SIGN THAT SAYS, IF YOU CAN'T FIND A PARKING PLACE, TRY WRITING THE SHUTTLE.
AND I THINK THIS IS GREAT IF THERE WERE ADDITIONAL SIGNAGE AT ONE TEXAS CENTER AND NEAR THE BUTLER LANDFILL.
JUST BETTER PLACES TO GET THE WORD OUT FOR THE SHUTTLE BECAUSE IT WILL BE RUNNING, UM, UNTIL SEPTEMBER 4TH.
THIS IS MY OWN PHOTOGRAPH FROM THIS PAST WEEKEND AND NEXT SLIDE.
MORE CARS PARKED UNDER CAR, UNDER TREES.
SO THIS KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF, OF HOW THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN FROM HERE ON OUT AND I THINK THROUGH SEPTEMBER, BECAUSE IT'S STILL GOING TO BE HOT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ADDING ADDINGS, ANOTHER ITEM THAT SAYS IN JANUARY WHEN BATHHOUSE, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
YOU WANNA DO THAT? SO GIVEN, UM, THE PRESENTATION ON THE BATHHOUSE SCHEDULE THAT, THAT WAS KIND OF NEW TO US WHEN WE PUT THIS TOGETHER AND WHEN WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT THIS, UM, I'M THINKING THAT WE MIGHT ADD SOMETHING THAT SAYS, UM, WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION COMMENCES, UM, THE POLO FIELD WILL BE OPEN TO EMPLOYEES, UM, AT BARTON SPRINGS POOL ONLY.
AND THEN, UH, AND THEN IN ADDITION, OF COURSE, THE SPECIAL EVENTS THAT ARE LISTED UNDER ITEM NUMBER ONE.
BUT I FEEL I, I THINK WE ALL WANT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND, UH, I'M PICTURING THAT PARKING LOT, THE, THE, THE POOL PARKING LOT CLOSING PRETTY MUCH TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES STARTING IN JANUARY.
IF CONSTRUCTION DOES BEGIN, THEN, SO THE CLOSEST WE CAN GET THOSE EMPLOYEES WOULD BE THE POLO FIELD, UH, WHICH WE HAVE BY THEN, WE WOULD'VE SAID, ACCORDING TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, IT WOULD BE CLOSED A HUNDRED PERCENT UNLESS IT'S A SPECIAL EVENT.
SO I SAY, UM, LET'S, LET'S ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO PARK THERE DURING THE, UH, THE YEAR AND A HALF IT'S GONNA TAKE TO CONSTRUCT, TO REMODEL THE BATHHOUSE.
UM, THAT'S GONNA BE A CONFUSING SIGNAL TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO, BY SHUTTING THE POLO FIELD COMPLETELY, WE'RE TRYING TO SIGNAL TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE WANT YOU TO PARK AT THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT OR ONE TEXAS CENTER.
BUT IF, IF THE GOAL HERE IS TO, UH, HELP HARD ADHERE TO THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP DIRECTIVES OF ADDING A, A CIRCULATION SHUTTLE AND PRESERVING THAT, UM, DELICATE PIECE OF PROPERTY, THE POLO FIELD, THEN I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THE BATHHOUSE PROJECT IS FINISHED, COMPLETED TO DO THIS.
UM, I THINK WE CAN AMEND THIS RECOMMENDATION TO ACCOMMODATE OUR EMPLOYEES AT THE POOL.
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AND THAT WOULD BE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL ITEM TO EXPLAIN THAT.YEAH, I THINK I I I, I, I THINK EVERYTHING YOU SAID I AGREE WITH, I MIGHT CONCERN WITH THAT WITH NOT, NOT WITH WHAT YOU SAID, BUT MY CONCERN IS THE MIXED MESSAGING WE'RE SENDING TO PEOPLE THERE BECAUSE MM-HMM.
SO IF WE ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO PARK THERE, MY, MY, I, I GUESS MY CONCERN IS HOW DO WE KEEP THOSE THAT ARE NOT EMPLOYEES FROM BEING LIKE, OH, WELL THERE'S CARS THERE.
OH, THERE'S CARS, THERE'S SURELY WE CAN PARK THERE.
LIKE HOW DO WE PREVENT THOSE PEOPLE FROM PARKING THERE? I THINK REALLY IT'S, IT'S NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE POLO FIELDS WE'RE GOING TO, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE POLO FIELDS ARE GONNA BE CLOSED ANYWAY TO ALL PARKING.
SO ANY, ANY PARKING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE, UM, DIVERTED FROM BARTON SPRINGS POOL AREA, THE 140 SPACES, UM, THAT'S VISITOR PARKING.
AND THEN I THINK, UH, MR. MASSEY, DID YOU SAY THAT THAT OTHER AREAS WOULD BE DESIGNATED FOR STAFF AND EMPLOYEES? UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OPTIONS, DIFFERENT PARKING LOTS WITHIN ZUCKER PARK THAT, THAT WE HAVE DEDICATED.
FOR INSTANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, NEXT TO THE PLAYGROUND AREA, YOU GUYS MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE DEDICATED FOR OUR PARK RANGERS.
UM, THAT'S ALSO WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE POOL.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME ON THE SOUTH SIDE, SO THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER LOTS SO TO, SO TO SPEAK WITHIN ZI PARK THAT OUR DEPARTMENT COULD TAKE A LOOK AT AND, AND FEASIBLY ALLOCATE.
SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT IT WOULD BE VISITOR PARKING THAT WOULD BE DIVERTED FROM THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL AREA AND THE POLO FIELDS WOULD BE CLOSED ANYWAY, NOT, THEY WOULD NOT EVEN BE OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR, FOR JUST REGULAR PARKING.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION SAYS.
WELL, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE WAY IT IS NOW.
ISN'T THAT CORRECT? YOU ONLY HAVE THE POLO FIELD OPEN TO PARKING BETWEEN MARCH AND SEPTEMBER, CORRECT? CORRECT.
AND IT IS ONLY SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS AND ONLY SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS.
SO WE'RE NOT REALLY CHANGING THAT MUCH WITH THIS.
IT'S JUST THERE WILL BE SOME DISPLACED VISITOR PARKING FROM BARTON SPRINGS POOL AREA THAT COULD GO TO THE GRAVEL, THE BUTLER LOT, WHICH IS AVAILABLE FOR PARKING RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND THERE WON'T BE A SHUTTLE RUNNING.
UM, AND I REALLY AM NOT TRYING TO BE OBTUSE HERE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
WHAT HAPPENS IN THEORY AND WHAT PEOPLE DO IS ANOTHER THING.
AND I DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOWN BY ZILKER.
I HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT SOME OF THOSE PICTURES WHEN YOU SENT THEM WERE HELPFUL FOR ME BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE OBVIOUSLY JUST PARKING WHEREVER THEY FEEL LIKE IT.
UM, IF NO ONE ENFORCES THAT AND PEOPLE KNOW NO ONE ENFORCES IT, PEOPLE WILL KEEP DOING IT.
AND EVEN IF WE SAY LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA CLOSE THE POLO FIELDS, I'M WONDERING ARE WE CONCERNED AT ALL THAT NOW PEOPLE ARE GONNA GO TO OTHER LOTS AND HOP THE CURB AND PARK UNDER TREES AND IT'S KIND OF THE SAME, IT'S DIVERTING THE BEHAVIOR.
LIKE I GUESS A FEW THINGS COULD HAPPEN.
SOME PEOPLE WILL CHOOSE NOT TO GO ON THE WEEKEND CUZ IT WILL BE TOO BUSY, THEY CAN'T FIND A SPOT.
OTHER PEOPLE MAY CHOOSE TO ILLEGALLY PARK ELSEWHERE.
AND SO I'M WONDERING, DO WE NOT HAVE, AND SORRY IF THIS IS DUMB, BUT DO WE NOT HAVE SOME IN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM SOMEWHERE? YEAH.
LUCAS MASSEY, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UH, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND BEING FORMALLY OVER THE PARK RANGERS.
I KNOW WE DO TICKET AND WE HAVE, UH, CONTRACTED A TOWING COMPANY TO, TO ENFORCE IN THE AREA.
UH, BEING OUT PERSONALLY A COUPLE WEEKENDS.
THAT WE'VE WRITTEN TICKETS, APDS WRITTEN TICKETS, TRANSPORTATIONS WRITTEN TICKETS.
UM, SO YOU HAVE ENFORCEMENT OUT EVERY WEEKEND? MM-HMM.
AS A LAWYER, I HOPE THAT THE TOWING SIGNAGE AND NOTICE IS ADEQUATE BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU IF I PARKED IN MY CAR THERE AND THERE WAS AN ADEQUATE NOTICE, I WOULD BE SUING Y'ALL IN JP COURT TO GET MY MONEY BACK FOR THE TOWING FEES.
I JUST THOUGHT ANYTIME I SEE A TOWING THING THAT'S ALWAYS THINKING LIKE I, I PROBABLY NOT, 95% OF THE NOTICES AREN'T ADEQUATE AND YOU CAN USUALLY GET YOUR MONEY BACK.
UM, ANYWAYS, UM, I, I DO THINK I, I I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER, I DO THINK I REALLY, I REALLY LOVE, I, I REALLY THINK THIS IS A REALLY GREAT RESOLUTION.
I REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING MY ONLY CONCERN WITH MOVING, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS GONNA BE UP TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, BUT MY ONLY CONCERN IS, IS I WONDER IF IT WOULD BE BEST IF WE CAN MOVE, IF, IF Y'ALL WOULD BE, IF IT WOULD, IF Y'ALL WOULD BE OPEN TO IT.
BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THERE'S, UH, THERE'S PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE SOME COORDINATION WITH THE BATHHOUSE RENOVATION PEOPLE.
I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE COORDINATION WITH THE, AND WHEN I SAY COORDINATION, I MEAN COLLABORATION, SORRY, COLLABORATION WITH THE BATHHOUSE PEOPLE IN REGARDS TO WHAT THE PROJECT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, WHAT THE TIMELINE'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, UH,
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COLLABORATION WITH, UH, HARD IN REGARDS TO THE SHUTTLE AND LIKE, CUZ I THINK Y'ALL ARE ADDING A NEW ELEMENT TO THE SHUTTLE, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY GREAT ABOUT INTRA PARK TRANSPORTATION, BUT RIGHT.WHAT IS THAT EXACTLY GONNA LOOK LIKE? UM, AND HONESTLY, HONESTLY, TO ADD TO THAT, I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE IN A DISCUSSION ABOUT L UH, RIDE SHARING DROP OFF AND PICKUP POINTS.
CAUSE WE DID HEAR, UH, SOMEONE SPEAK ABOUT IT DURING PUBLIC COMMENT TO EARLIER THIS EVENING ABOUT HOW THEY'RE JUST DROPPING OFF ANYWHERE AND ADDING TO THE CONGESTION.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT REQUIRES FUNDING AND, UH, MONEY FOR THAT.
AND OBVIOUSLY I THINK THAT THE, THE PICTURE OF THE SHUTTLE, I DON'T THINK IF I SAW THE LITTLE CHALK ON THE WINDOWS YEAH.
THAT YOU SEE FOR LIKE RALLIES.
UM, I DON'T THINK THAT'S ADEQUATE IN ORDER TO GIVE THE PUBLIC NOTICE ABOUT THAT.
SO I WONDER IF, IF IT'S POSSIBLE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER HAS ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS, BUT DO YOU PUT THIS IN HERE? I DO, YEAH.
CAN YOU PUT THAT UP THERE? YES.
CITY OF AUSTIN HAS A CONTRACT WITH THIS COMPANY.
THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDED.
CAN WE BRING UP THE LITTLE PRESENTATION AGAIN? JUST ONE MORE MINUTE? YEAH.
UH, I GUESS I'M SORRY, BUT I GUESS MY, WHAT I'M ASKING IS, IS I, I WONDER IF, IF, IF, IF WE CAN PUSH THIS TO JULY AND GIVE US A FEW MORE WEEKS THE COURT COLLABORATE WITH ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED WITH THIS.
IN ORDER FOR, WE SPOKE TO JULY, PUSH THIS AND THEN LIKE, COME BACK AND MAKE THE MODIFICATIONS AS NECESSARY.
BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THERE'S, WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, WHERE DOES, WHERE STAFF'S GONNA, WHERE STAFF PARKING GONNA GO GIVEN THE BATHHOUSE RENOVATIONS.
UH, WHETHER THE SHUTTLES THAT BOARD MEMBER REPLAYED VERSUS THE ONES THAT ARE ABOUT TO BE DISPLAYED ARE BETTER.
UM, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT ADDING THE INTRA OKAY.
YOU CAN SKIP TO ALMOST THE, THE LAST COUPLE IF YOU WANNA KEEP GOING THERE WAS, THERE'S THE SHUTTLE ON BARTON SPRINGS ROAD.
AND THEN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
UM, THIS IS A MAP OF THE PARKING ISSUES THAT WERE HAPPENING.
UH, SUGGESTED SHUTTLE CIRCULATOR ROUTE AND AGAIN, KEEP NEXT SLIDE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S CAP METRO'S PICKUP VAN, WHICH WOULD MAKE A GREAT INTERNAL SHUTTLE.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS HAS CAP METRO AND PUBLIC WORKS HAVE THESE AVAILABLE.
AND THEN THE FINAL ONE, IF YOU CAN, SO I'LL LET BOARD MEMBER HAMAN TELL YOU ABOUT THIS.
MY CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, JOSEPH ALHAJI IN TRANSPORTATION.
UM, HE WAS RECOMMENDING USING THESE LITTLE SHUTTLES TO GO BETWEEN THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT AND THE POOL HOUSE.
UM, AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, A FEW OF THEM RUNNING.
IT'S JUST A QUICK JAUNT, MUCH CLOSER AND, UH, MORE EFFICIENT THAN ALL THE WAY DOWN AT ONE TEXAS CENTER.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN, IN OUR, IN OUR EXPLORATION, WE WERE TALKING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE CITY AND, AND, UM, AND LIKE THIS IDEA, UH, I THINK VISITORS TO THE PARK WOULD LIKE TO PARK CLOSER, WHICH WOULD BE BUTLER GRAVEL INSTEAD OF ALL THE WAY DOWN AT ONE TEXAS CENTER.
AND OF COURSE THAT THAT COMES FROM THE ORIGINAL WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION TO, TO USE THAT BUTLER GRAVEL LOT AND HAVE A, A INTERNAL CIRCULATOR SHUTTLE.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
UM, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO, UH, AGREE WITH THE SUGGEST OR, UH, SUPPORT THE SUGGESTION THAT WE CONSIDER, I REC RECOGNIZE THERE'S SOME TIMELINESS TO THIS, BUT, UH, SUPPORT THE SUGGESTION THAT WE MOVE THIS A MONTH.
MY CONCERN IS, UM, AS WE GOT FROM SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT EARLIER, THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF MOVING PARTS INVOLVED HERE.
AND WHILE I THINK THAT WE COULD SPEND SOME FOCUS TIME REALLY MAKING CERTAIN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN THAT WE UNDERSTAND ALL OF THEM, UH, I, I, I, I APPLAUD THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE WAY THAT IT'S, UH, ATTEMPTING TO SORT OF MOVE THIS ISSUE ALONG OR SORT OF PUT IT BACK IN FOCUS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THE, THE, THE CLOSURE IS A ME MEANINGFUL AND USEFUL WAY TO DO THAT.
UM, JUST WANT TO BE CERTAIN THAT WE AREN'T, UH, BREAKING ANYTHING ELSE IN THE PROCESS.
IF WE POSTPONE THIS TILL NEXT MONTH, DOES THAT MEAN THAT, UH, WE WILL MISS OUR WINDOW TO GET CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE IT UP AND APPROVE FOR THE NEXT BUDGET?
[02:15:03]
I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, SOMEONE FROM PARD CAN ASK.I GUESS THE QUESTION OR BASED MY QUESTION NOW, BASED OFF OF WHAT A BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR ASKED IS, WHEN IS CITY COUNCIL GONNA START TAKING UP THE BUDGET AND WHEN WILL IT BE FINALIZED? WHEN DO WE HAVE TO SUBMIT ANY OF THESE ITEMS, I GUESS? GOOD EVENING.
SUZANNE PIPER, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
SO THE, UM, CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET WILL BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL ON, UM, JULY 15TH.
FOR THE MOST PART, MOST BOARD COMMISSION ITEMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN, UM, SUBMITTED VIA THE, UM, CITY CLERK'S PROCESS.
THAT'S NOT TO PRECLUDE YOU FROM TAKING ACTION ON YOUR OWN.
BUT THE, UM, FORMAL PROCESS, UM, UH, MOSTLY ENDED BACK IN, UM, MARCH.
SO WELL JUST IN CON CONCLUSION, IN THINKING ABOUT THIS, THIS IS KIND OF AN URGENT SITUATION, WHICH IT INVOLVES BOTH OVER PARKING ON THE POLO FIELDS AND THE USE OF THE SHUTTLE.
THE SHUTTLE WILL BE GOING AWAY, UM, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
SO IF THIS RELU THIS RECOMMENDATION MOVED FORWARD, THERE COULD BE THE POSSIBILITY THAT COUNSEL COULD, COULD GIVE SOME DIRECTIVE TO CONTINUE THE SHUTTLE INTO SEPTEMBER, WHICH WOULD ALSO ALLEVIATE THE PARKING ON THE POLO FIELDS.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN ALLEVIATE PARKING ON THE POLO FIELDS WITHOUT HAVING AN ALTERNATIVE, WHICH IS THE PARKING OFFSITE AND THE SHUTTLE.
SINCE DISCUSSING THE BUDGET, I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT EVERY CAR THAT PARKS AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, THAT MEANS $10 THAT WE NEED TO PAY.
SO IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 200 CARS, LET'S SAY A VERY SUCCESSFUL SATURDAY THAT PARK AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, THAT WILL BE $2,000 FOR THAT DAY.
SO THE BUDGET WILL HAVE TO REALLY COME UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
FOR THE SHUTTLE? FOR THE SHUTTLE, YEAH.
TO USE THE SHUTTLE BETWEEN BUTLER AND, AND THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PARK.
WE ARE DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITY FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATOR.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDING TO, UH, GET THOSE YET.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE PROPOSALS THAT WE TESTED, UH, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE PROPOSALS WITH A REMOTE PARKING AREA, UH, FROM THE WORKING GROUP.
SO HAS IT BEEN TESTED SHUTTLES FROM BUTLER LANDFILL? NO, WE HAVE NOT.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ACQUIRING ELECTRIC BUSES.
WHY NOT USE ONE OF THE, UM, THE, THE COMPANIES THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALREADY HAS CONTRACTED WITH, LIKE THE PHOTOS WE JUST SHOWED YOU AND WHICH ARE FOR, FOR ANOTHER DEPARTMENT? WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT.
SO, SO FAR THIS HAS NOT, UM, BEEN THE OPTION THAT WE WERE OFFERED WAS TO BE ABLE TO GET THE BUSES FOR THE DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO, TO, UH, USE THEM.
SO ALONG THOSE LINES, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, I THINK OUR BOARD PRETTY MUCH WOULD AGREE WITH, WE WANNA HELP PARD AND THE TRANSPORTATION PIECE SEEMS TO BE A BIT OVERWHELMING.
SO NUMBER EIGHT SAYS, WE RECOMMEND IF TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT IS REQUIRED, THE DESIGN AND OPERATION OF THE SHUTTLE SERVICE BE MOVED UNDER THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION.
UM, CAN I ASK, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL COULD WORK WITH? IT JUST SEEMS LIKE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GREATER GOOD OF THE CITY AND THE VISITORS THAT ARE TRYING TO PARK THERE, LET'S, LET'S USE SOME OF OUR, OUR LOCAL EXPERTISE IN TRANSPORTATION.
WE CAN DEFINITELY COORDINATE WITH TRANSPORTATION.
IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE DOING THINGS ON OUR OWN.
WE ARE COORDINATING WITH TRANSPORTATION AND WITH FLEET.
[02:20:01]
UM, AND WE ARE EXPLORING ALL OPTIONS.I KNOW YOU SAID IT WOULD BE $10 PER PARKING SPOT ON THE WEEKEND.
UM, MY QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST US? HOW MUCH DOES, WILL IT COST THE CITY AND PEOPLE OF BOSTON IF WE CONTINUE TO DO THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE THAT WE'RE DOING ON THE POLO FIELD? AND HOW MUCH IS IT GONNA TAKE RIGHT NOW JUST COST US JUST TO REPAIR, REPAIR THE DAMAGE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE? THE QUESTION ABOUT USING PALO FIELDS, THIS HAS BEEN A COMMITMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT AND OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE WENT FROM THE PALO FIELDS BEING OPEN EVERY SINGLE DAY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO ACTUALLY HAVE THEM OPEN ONLY DURING SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS FOR THE SIX MONTHS OF PEAK USE.
AND THIS YEAR TO REDUCING THAT TO 50%.
UH, SO TH THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, OUR GOAL IS TO ZERO WHEN WE HAVE THE CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT BOTH THE USE OF THE PARK AND THE, UH, REDUCTION IN THE PARKING SPACES AT PALO FIELDS.
I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT FOR THE STRATFORD LOT, IT'S EIGHT ACRES AND RIGHT NOW THREE OF THOSE ACRES ARE VEGETATED, SO THEY'RE NOT BEING USED FOR PARKING.
SO WE HAVE, AGAIN, SOME REDUCTION THERE SO THAT AGAIN, WE SUPPORT THE ECOLOGICAL UPLIFT OF, UH, OF ZU.
UM, WHY NOT TAKE ONE OF THE BUSES THAT YOU'RE ALREADY USING OVER AT ONE TEXAS CENTER AND USE IT FROM, FROM THE BUTLER LANDFILL GRAVEL LOT TO TAKE PEOPLE AROUND THE PARK? WOULD THAT BE A POSSIBILITY? I, WE WOULD NEED TO PLAN A BIT MORE CAREFUL TO DO THAT.
I HESITATE TO PROMISE SOMETHING FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, TO EXPLORE FOR NEXT SUMMER.
THIS YEAR WE COMMITTED TO THE TWO BUSES BEING MORE SUCCESSFUL OUT OF ONE TEXAS CENTER, AND WE HAVE, UH, INVESTED MARKETING, UM, DOLLARS INTO GETTING THE WORD OUT FOR THAT.
HOW MANY, UM, PARKING SPACES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE BUTLER LANDFILL GRAVEL LOT RIGHT NOW IN YOUR ESTIMATION? I WOULD SAY PROBABLY, UM, IF EFFICIENTLY PARKS CLOSE TO 500.
AND DO YOU AGREE THAT THAT WOULD COVER 50% OF THE POLO FIELDS? YES.
UM, WELL, I'M, I STILL, I, THE JULY 15TH GAVE ME PA THE JULY 15TH DATE GAVE ME PAUSE CUZ I'M A, I I DON'T, I SUSPECT THAT BUDGETS, UM, ISN'T GONNA BUDGE THAT MUCH.
THE BUDGET PROCESSING ISN'T GONNA BUDGE THAT MUCH.
AND IF THIS ISN'T, IF THIS ISN'T AN URGENCY, I WONDER HOW MA HOW MUCH OF LI OF THE LIMITED FUNDING RESERVED FOR RESERVE? I GUESS I'M BECOMING DEAF PUMP.
UM, I, YEAH, JULY 15TH DATE, AND IF THERE, IF THIS IS CONSIDERED TO BE, LIKE, IF WE WERE GONNA TRY TO PUSH AS AN EMERGENCY ITEM, I WORRIED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR EMERGENCY, UH, FUNDING SUCH AS THIS.
SO I, I, I DON'T KNOW, THERE'S STILL A PART OF ME THAT WANTS THIS TO GO THROUGH, BUT I DO THINK WE PROBABLY NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE COLLABORATION WITH PART TRANSPORTATION.
UM, BATHHOUSE, UH, UM, CHAIR, UH, SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
UH, SO WHEN YOU'RE SAYING JULY 15TH, ACTUALLY WE, WE DID HAVE AN AUGUST 1ST DATE OF, OF, OF REQUIRING THE COUNCIL MEETS ON JULY 15TH.
SO IF WE WAITED TO THE, OUR NEXT MEETING IS AFTER JULY 15TH.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO IS, GETS THIS, THE VERSION THING I'M TRYING TO SAY IS I'M JUST PESSIMISTIC ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD, I, I GUESS MY OPTION IS WE CAN TRY TO PUSH THIS THROUGH
[02:25:01]
AND HOPE THAT WE GET SOMETHING, OR WE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE MINDFUL AND KIND OF WAIT FOR, UH, US TO TACKLE THIS AT LEAST UPCOMING BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET CYCLE, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY MEANS HE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT TILL 20 24, 20 25.BUT I THINK I WOULD RATHER, BUT IN THE INTERIM, I, I, SORRY, THIS IS, BUT IN THE INTERIM, I DO THINK THAT MAYBE WE CAN PASS A RESOLUTION AND, UH, REGARDING ENFORCEMENT OF PARKING ON THE POLO FIELDS AND THE AREAS THAT ARE NON-DESIGNATED AS PARKING AREAS, SO THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE PARKING UNDERNEATH THESE HERITAGE OAK TREES.
UM, I THINK THAT'S THE BANDAID THAT I CAN THINK OF OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD IS FIGURE OUT WHAT RECOMMENDATION WE CAN MAKE FOR ENFORCEMENT.
AND KIND OF, HONESTLY, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE OBSERVING THE PARK RANGERS OUT THERE THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER IF THE POLO FIELD WERE COMPLETELY CLOSED, THE GATE IS CLOSED TO ENFORCE ILLEGAL PARKING ON THE GRASS UNDER THE MOON TOWER AND SO FORTH, BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT PEOPLE WERE DOING.
SO THE PARK RANGERS WOULD HAVE AN EASIER TIME ENFORCING PARKING OVER THERE IF THE POLO FIELDS WERE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY.
THE SHUTTLES WOULD ALSO BE HAVING BETTER BUSINESS PEOPLE WOULD BE RIDING THE SHUTTLE MORE.
AND IF IT WERE POSSIBLE FOR PARD TO UTILIZE ONE OF THE CURRENT SHUTTLES THAT THEY HAVE TO GO MAKE A STOP BY THE, THE GRAVEL LOT, THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT THAT WOULD TAKE, THAT WOULD ALLEVIATE OR ADD COMPENSATE FOR THE PARKING THAT'S GONE AT THE POLO FIELDS.
AND WE AREN'T GONNA HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY PROBABLY, WE WON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY UN UNTIL NEXT MAY CUZ UNLESS WE PUSH THIS RECOMMENDATION, ESPECIALLY THE PORTION OF THE RECOMMENDATION TO TRY AND KEEP THE SHUTTLE RUNNING THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
IF THE COUNCIL IS ABLE TO, TO CONSIDER THAT AND ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR THAT.
YEAH, THERE WOULD BE CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY SOME SAVINGS IF WE DID USE ONE OF THE SHUTTLES FOR THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT AS OPPOSED TO BOTH SHUTTLES AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, SO WE WOULDN'T BE PAYING THE $10 PER PARKING.
UM, AND, AND ALSO CONSTRUCTION WILL BEGIN IN JANUARY, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT PARKING THAT THE YOUNG MAN WHO WORKS AT THE POOL SAID THERE'S 41 STAFF.
UH, MR. MASSEY, YOU, YOU SAID THAT YOU DIDN'T THINK THERE'D BE A PROBLEM IN ALLOCATING EXISTING HARD SURFACE LOTS FOR THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, BUT, UH, WHEN YOU REMOVE ALL THAT PARKING AT THE POOL AND YOU HAVE TO LEAVE ADA PARKING, YOU HAVE TO LEAVE PARKING FOR YOUNG FAMILIES AT THE PLAYGROUND.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I JUST THINK WE NEED TO UTILIZE BUTLER LANDFILL SOONER THAN LATER AND LET'S GET IT DONE NOW.
UH, WHILE WE, WHILE WE HAVE A SLIVER OF OPPORTUNITY, COULD I MENTION THAT FOR THE BUTLER LANDFILL? IT DOESN'T, ITS NOT, IT DOESN'T STAY VACANT OVER THE WEEKEND.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF WEEKENDS THAT IT IS COMPLETELY FULL.
UH, AND IT SERVES DEFINITELY THE, UM, BOTANICAL GARDEN AND THE NATURE, UH, SCIENCE CENTER.
SO THIS, A LOT OF THE CARS THAT ARE THERE ARE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE REPLACING THE SPACES FROM HOLLOW FIELD.
I BELIEVE WE SENT YOU THE TRAFFIC STUDIES THAT WERE DONE, UH, THAT SHOWED THE BUTLER LOT WAS BEING UTILIZED AT LESS THAN 50%.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOT A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THOSE STUDIES, BUT THOSE WERE TAKEN ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF SPACE.
WHAT HAPPENS IS, YOU KNOW, UH, SORRY.
WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS WHEN THE POLO FIELD IS OPEN TO PARKING AND IT, AND MOST OF THE EVENTS THAT PEOPLE ARE ATTENDING OR OR PARTS OF THE PARK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO IS, IS THE WATER AREAS.
THEY'LL PARK IN THE POLO FIELDS AND NOT ON THE BUTLER LOT.
SO WHEN THE POLO FIELDS ARE NATURALLY CLOSED DURING THE YEAR, LIKE YOU SAID, NOT ON WEEKENDS, UM, NO ONE IS PARKING AT THE GRAVEL LOT.
I'VE BEEN BY THERE PRETTY MUCH EVERY WEEKEND AND MAYBE 40 CARS.
AND SO IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S NOT BEING USED DURING SUMMER WEEKENDS BY PEOPLE, I THINK BECAUSE IT'S FURTHER AWAY FROM BARTON SPRINGS AND FROM BARTON CREEK.
SO IF IT WERE OPEN AND THERE WERE A SHUTTLE SO THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE TO WALK, I BELIEVE THAT YOU COULD USE THAT LOT FOR THE POLO LOT AND CLOSE THE LOT.
UH, BOARD MEMBER RE BOARD BOARD MEMBER REED? YES, SIR.
[02:30:01]
ANY BOARD BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR? WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, WE YOU CAN SOUND DISTORTED.YEAH, WE THAT'S WHERE THE SOUND FROM.
SHE WAS HAVING ROBOTIC FEEDBACK THAT YOU SO HER COME BACK HERE.
WE'LL GIVE HER A MOMENT TO LOG BACK ON.
I LOVE YOUR IDEA ABOUT SPLITTING THE TWO SHUTTLES.
OTHER THAN ASKING IN THE MEANTIME, DOES ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER ON THE DIOCESE HAVE ANY TRANSPORTATION GUIDE, SUGGESTIONS, FEEDBACK, CONCERNS? YOU DON'T HAVE TO, I'M JUST ASKING.
I THINK THE URGENCY OF THIS SITUATION DESERVES ATTENTION TONIGHT.
IF, IF WE DECIDE AS A GROUP NOT TO, NOT TO, UM, APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T PUT IT AGAIN, PUT IT FORWARD AGAIN IN JULY.
I GUESS IT WOULD JUST, I, I MEAN FOR ME IT WOULD JUST DEPEND ON WHAT, LIKE I WOULDN'T WANT LIKE A REPETITIVE RECOMMENDATION UNLESS IT'S BUILDING UP ON SOMETHING NEW.
ONCE AGAIN, IT, IT, IT, IT'S IMPACTFUL RIGHT NOW JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE'S ONE MORE MONTH LEFT OF SHUTTLE SERVICE DURING SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS.
AND, UM, IT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO SHOW HOW, UM, THAT SHUTTLE SERVICE COULD BE UTILIZED FROM OUTSIDE THE PARK AS WELL AS FROM AN, AN ALTERNATE LOT OTHER THAN THE POLO FIELD.
BECAUSE THE POLO FIELD LOT WAS REALLY WHAT THE ZUKI PARK WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN WORKING TOWARDS OR HAD RECOMMENDED TOWARDS FOR FIVE YEARS TO GET THAT CLOSED DOWN FOR ENVIRON ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY ISSUES.
SO, UM, I WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE THE CHANGE OF, OF COURSE, ELIMINATING INCLUDING FRIDAYS ON NUMBER FOUR.
AND WHAT CAN BE COVERED BY POSSIBLY USING THE SECOND BUS, UM, IS JUST REC RECOMMENDS AN INTERNAL PARK SHUTTLE SERVICE BE INSTITUTED IN 2023.
SO WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SAYING IT HAS TO HAPPEN RIGHT THIS MINUTE.
PEOPLE WILL USE THE BUTLER GRAVEL LANDFILL, UM, LOT AS THEY HAVE DONE WHEN THE POLO FIELD IS CLOSED, IF THE POLO FIELD CLOSES ON THE FOUR WEEKENDS THAT ARE LEFT IN AUGUST, I GUESS.
AND THEN I'M HOPING THAT BECAUSE WE WOULD CONSIDER THIS TONIGHT, THAT IT WOULD GIVE THE COUNCIL A CHANCE TO CONTI TO, TO DIRECT PAR TO CONTINUE THE SHUTTLE INTO SEPTEMBER.
UM, I, SORRY, ARE YOU DONE? I'M DONE.
UH, I SEE THAT BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR'S BACK ON BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, ARE YOU THERE? I AM SORRY.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? IS THAT BETTER? YES.
I, I GUESS I WAS JUST REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, AND I THINK SHE MAY HAVE ANSWERED THE QUESTION WHILE I HAD GOTTEN OFF AND GOT BACK ON, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THE SHUTTLE PRO, IF WE DON'T MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, DOES IT MEAN THAT THE SHUTTLE, UM, PROGRAM WILL END AS OF LABOR DAY THIS YEAR? IT'S POSSIBLE.
SO IF WE MAKE NO RECOMMENDATION RELATING TO END MM-HMM.
LIKE LET, LET'S JUST SAY WE HAVE LIKE, IF NOTHING, IF WE, IF WE LEAVE RIGHT, IF WE ADJOURNED TODAY, ARE, ARE Y'ALL TELLING US THAT THE SHUTTLE SERVICE FOR THE 20 23 20 24 FISCAL YEAR HAS NO FUNDING? SO I MEAN, JUST AS A A REMINDER PROCESS, THE RECOMMENDATION WILL BE SENT DIRECTLY TO CITY COUNCIL OFFICES AND IF AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DIRECTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT TAKE ANY ACTION RELATED TO THE ZILKER SHUTTLE, THEN THAT'S WHAT THE DEPARTMENT WILL DO.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IF H YOU KNOW, IN THE ORIGINAL WORKING GROUP, UM, DIRECTIVE, IT SAID THAT, UH, THERE THERE WAS TO BE COLLABORATION AMONG DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, UM, TRANSPORTATION INCLUDED.
AND FROM TALKING TO PEOPLE IN TRANSPORTATION THAT HAVE IDEAS ABOUT SHUTTLES BETWEEN BUTLER GRAVEL AND THE POOL, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE IF THAT WERE TURNED OVER TO TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION WOULD COVER THOSE COSTS.
[02:35:04]
WE CAN EXPLORE THAT.UM, I AM NOT, I'M NOT CERTAIN THE THE COLLABORATION IS THERE, BUT COVERING THE COST AND HOW MUCH THAT WOULD BE, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO IRON OUT.
I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST, I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME LOGISTICS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.
THE, THE DRIVERS THAT WE HAVE NOW, THEY ARE AVAILABLE UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER, BUT NOT AFTER THAT.
UM, LAST YEAR WE CONTEMPLATED THE NEED TO HAVE THE, UM, THE SHUTTLE SERVICE IN SEPTEMBER.
WHAT WE FOUND OUT WAS THAT AFTER THE SCHOOL START, UM, IT'S THE, THE USE IS NOT INTENSE AS INTENSE OVER THE WEEKEND.
SO IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY NEEDED.
UM, IF THAT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION, IT DOES MAKE SENSE.
BUT PART OF WHAT OUR JOB IS, IS TO HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND THE NEW PROCESS.
AND IT'S SLOW TO CHANGE PSYCHOLOGY, BUT IF WE HAD MAYBE ONE SHUTTLE BUS AVAILABLE IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, THERE WOULD BE CONSISTENCY.
PARK VISITORS WOULD SEE, OH, OKAY, POLO FIELD IS STILL CLOSED.
I STILL GOTTA GO OVER THERE TO THE BUTLER GRAVEL AND TAKE THE SHUTTLE.
UM, AND, AND SO, AND THEN I, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE TO RESUME AGAIN IN JANUARY.
UM, WELL I'M, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE WINTER MONTH.
I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION ON THE, ON THE POOL HOUSE.
BUT HOW ABOUT DROP IT DOWN TO ONE SHUTTLE FOR SEPTEMBER? OR LIKE WE'RE SAYING LIKE OUR NUMBER EIGHT RECOMMENDATION, YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, TALKING TO TRANSPORTATION, IF IT WAS TURNED OVER TO THEM, IT WOULD COME OUT OF THEIR BUDGET.
THEIR PLAN WAS TO PUT, YOU KNOW, BIG LIMESTONE ROCKS AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE POLO LANDFILL.
I, I'M SORRY, THE, THE POLO FIELD.
UM, AND, AND THAT WAY YOU WOULDN'T, YOU'D HAVE A SMALL ENTRY AREA FOR WHOEVER YOU, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO PARK THERE DURING SPECIAL EVENTS OR STARTING IN JANUARY, EMPLOYEES OF THE PARK.
UM, SO THEY, THEY HAD A LOT OF IDEAS THAT THEY TALKED WITH ME ABOUT, BUT THEY, THEY, THEY SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, PARKS IS NOT NOT INTERESTED IN THEIR IDEAS.
SO THAT'S PART OF WHY WE HAVE NUMBER EIGHT LISTED HERE, IS TO INCREASE THE COLLABORATION AMONG THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY, WHICH WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL WORKING GROUP GOAL.
AND I DON'T THINK ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL AND THEN HAVING THE CHANCE FOR THE COUNCIL TO, TO POSSIBLY GIVE SOME DIRECTIVE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD WITH THE MOTION.
UM, ARE YOU CALLING THE, ARE YOU CALLING THE QUESTION? UH, ARE YOU GONNA WANT US TO VOTE ON THIS NOW? UM, I WOULD LIKE TO.
SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, AS, UH, THE UPDATED VERSION OF THE RECOMMENDATION SAID THAT, UM, TO CLOSE THE PARKING ON THE ILRA PARK POLO FIELD, 100% BEGINNING AUGUST 1ST, 2023, EXCEPT FOR USE AS AN OVERFLOW PARKING AREA DURING ADVANCED SCHEDULED SPECIAL EVENTS.
AND THOSE WERE LISTED, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE CHANGE, UM, ON NUMBER FOUR RECOMMENDS THAT SHUTTLE SERVICE BE CONTINUED ON WEEKENDS THROUGH THE END OF SEPTEMBER, 2023.
SO WE CAN REMOVE INCLUDING FRIDAYS AND THEN THE REST OF IT.
UM, WERE THERE OTHER, WERE THERE OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAD SUGGESTED? UH, WE WERE GONNA ADD SOMETHING ABOUT STAFF PARKING.
UM, BECAUSE STAFF PARKING WILL ALREADY BE TAKEN CARE OF BY, UH, PARD.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO INCLUDE THAT.
AS FOR THE ZILKER POLO FIELD STAFF WILL HAVE RE RESERVED PARKING.
I DIDN'T GET THE IMPRESSION ALL STAFF WOULD HAVE RESERVED PARKING.
DID I MISUNDERSTAND THAT? I LUCAS, I'M SORRY.
YOU, YOU ASKED IF ALL STAFF WORKING IN ZILKER PARK ARE GONNA HAVE RESERVE PARKING THE LIFE WHEN CONSTRUCTION BEGINS? WELL, THE LIFEGUARDS MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE BATHHOUSE CONSTRUCTION.
UM, SO LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK TO SEE, UH, IF
[02:40:01]
IT'S SEASONAL, IF IT IF CUZ USAGE OBVIOUSLY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS IS MUCH LESS THAN THE SUMMER.UM, SO I, I DO THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE IF WE COULD, YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW COME UP WITH A SEASONAL PARKING PLAN THAT WILL BE, UH, MOST EFFICIENT.
AND AS WE NOTED, THE POLO FIELDS ARE CLOSED ON THE WEEKENDS DURING THOSE MONTHS ANYWAY, SO THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE PARKING THAT WE WOULD BE TAKING AWAY FROM STAFF.
SO DO Y'ALL SEE THE NEED TO ADD ANYTHING IN THERE FOR THAT? MY CONCERN IS JUST THAT IF WE TAKE AWAY PARKING ON THE POLO FIELDS IN AUGUST THAT THE LIFEGUARDS AND WON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO PARK IN AUGUST.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO ADD SOMETHING TO SUPPLEMENT.
AND, UM, AND INDICATE EMPLOYEE PARKING IS AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, STARTING IN AUGUST ON THE POLO FIELD AND THAT WAY OR LIKE COME ELSEWHERE, BUT INCUR, YOU KNOW, IF NEEDED.
AND THAT WAY COME JANUARY WHEN IT WILL BE NEEDED FOR EMPLOYEES TO USE THE POLO FIELD TO PARK, UH, WE'LL HAVE THAT, THAT IN PLACE.
I KNOW THAT THEY'LL THOUGH, YEAH, WE DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WILL IN JUNE IN THE WINTER MONTHS, BUT MAYBE COME NEXT MARCH.
STILL NEED I THAT WE DICTATE THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO PARK IN THE PARKING, THE POLO FIELDS, BUT JUST THAT THERE'S DESIGNATED PARKING FOR THEM MM-HMM.
YEAH, I THINK, AND UM, I WANNA PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT IF WE THEN DO THAT, WE'RE TAKING AWAY MORE PUBLIC SPACES AND
UM, I'M HONESTLY GUYS, I'M JUST LIKE HORRIBLY TORN ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT IN THEORY.
BUT I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT MY DISTRICT AND I JUST THINK THAT IF WE TAKE AWAY, IF WE DESIGNATE STAFF PARKING, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, WE'RE TAKING AWAY MORE SPACES FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAVELING FURTHER AWAY, PARTICULARLY PEOPLE WHO ARE MARGINALIZED, WHO HAVE NO OTHER WAY TO GET TO THE PARK IN A REASONABLE MANNER.
AND SO I'M LIKE SITTING IN A PLACE WHERE, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE, I LIKE THE, THE IDEA OF WAITING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE COULD GET TO SOMEWHERE THAT I FEEL GOOD ABOUT, BUT RIGHT NOW I'M FEELING LIKE THERE'S TOO MANY PIECES THAT I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH THIS, WHICH IS NOT A REASON NOT TO MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK IF Y'ALL FEEL COMFORTABLE AND YOU'RE READY TO DO IT, I'M HAPPY TO JUST BE THAT ONE OUTSTANDING PERSON.
BUT IT'S JUST TOO MANY VARIABLES FOR ME RIGHT NOW TO FEEL LIKE WE CAN WORKSHOP THIS TO SOMEWHERE WHERE I HAVE ALL THE RIGHT INFORMATION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION I GOT DURING THIS MEETING THAT I DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE.
I APPRECIATE YOU'RE SAYING THAT IS, UH, ACTUALLY VERY REFLECTIVE OF HOW I FEEL AS WELL.
I WOULD SAY THAT I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE AGREED ON, UM, MOVING THE RECOMMENDATION FORWARD, UH, THIS EVENING.
I DO APPRECIATE THAT THIS IS PUSHING THE ISSUE OF TRANSIT IN THE PARK AND IN PARKS GENERALLY FORWARD FOR ALL OF US.
SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE CAN FIND WAYS TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, THIS DISCUSSION AFTER THIS EVENING, REGARDLESS OF WHICH WAY THINGS FALL WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION.
SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT FOR THAT REASON.
I'M JUST, I'M CONCERNED WHAT'S THE DATE OF OUR NEXT MEETING WOULD BE JULY 4TH.
I JUST, UH, I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WAITING CAUSE I THINK THAT THEN WE CAN UM, ON GREATER CONSENSUS.
I THINK WE'RE THE CONSENSUS IS THERE THAT WE NEED, THIS NEEDS TO PASS.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
AND I THINK THAT IF WE, I THINK A LOT OF THIS, A LOT OF STUFF THAT WE NEED, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO, UH, MESSAGE IT AS A, AS A FUNDING MECHANISM.
WE NEED TO ASK CITY COUNCIL TO DIRECT, UH, UH, TO, TO, TO INCLUDE THIS AS PART OF THEIR BUDGET.
AND LIKE I SAID, I DO THINK THAT IT IS TOO LATE FOR THIS APPOINTMENT BUDGET CYCLE, BUT A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH FUNDING.
UM, AND WHETHER IT'S GONNA COME FROM TRANSPORTATION OR PAR OR SOMETHING.
LIKE WHAT IF WE JUST RECOMMEND THAT? WHAT IF WE JUST RECOMMEND THAT, UM, WE, WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT PAR SHOULD WORK WITH TRANS TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SINCE THEY HAVE IDEAS AND UH, BUDGET AND THEY WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WOULD BE COVERING THE COST OF THOSE SHUTTLES BETWEEN BUTLER GRAVEL AND THE POOL.
UM, I WOULD LOVE FOR THERE TO BE MORE COLLABORATION.
I DON'T HEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENT THAT, THAT THERE IS, I HEAR FROM TRANSPORTATION THAT THERE ISN'T
UM, SO I THINK FOR THE GREATER GOOD, I, I WOULD LIKE THE DEPARTMENTS TO WORK TOGETHER
[02:45:01]
AND IF IT MEANS CARDS SURRENDERING THE TRANSPORTATION WITHIN ZILKER PARK, INCLUDING SHUTTLES TO TRANSPORTATION, THEN IF THAT'S WHAT'S BETTER FOR THE CITY AND THE VISITORS TO THE PARK, LET'S DO THAT.WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO ISSUE WITH THAT.
AND IF YOU COULD GIVE US, WHOEVER YOU'RE THE NAME OF WHOEVER YOU'RE TALKING TO, WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO REACH OUT.
UM, AND I KNOW BOARD MEMBER REED ASKED THIS, BUT THE NEXT MEETING IS JULY 24TH.
SO THEN IT, IT, IT REALLY KIND OF BECOMES LIKE WE'VE MISSED OUR WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE SHUTTLE SERVICE WILL, THE COUNCIL WON'T HAVE TIME TO CONSIDER EXTENDING THE SHUTTLE SERVICE.
UM, AND IN ORDER TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO USE THE OTHER, THE BUTLER GRAVEL LOT AS OPPOSED TO THE POLO FIELDS AND ALSO, UM, POLO FIELDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED AND THE SHUTTLE WILL BE UNDERUTILIZED AS LONG AS THE POLO FIELDS ARE OPEN.
THAT'S JUST KIND OF A FACT THAT IT'S, THAT'S WHAT IS BEING THE SUBSTITUTE FOR TRYING THE SHUTTLE.
AND IF THE SHUTTLE WERE AT BOTH LOCATIONS, I REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU WOULD HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF AUGUST OF 2023 WHERE, UM, THIS NEW TRANSPORTATION METHOD WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL AND YOU WOULD BE ALLEVIATING ALL OF THE DAMAGE THAT'S BEING DONE TO THE FIELDS AND IT WOULD BE EASIER TO ENFORCE ILLEGAL PARKING ON THE GRASS.
I THINK MY FEAR, AND I MEAN THIS IS JUST FROM A LONG PERIOD OF TIME IN TRANSPORTATION ADVOCACY, CUZ I KNOW IT MAY NOT BE KNOWN TO EVERYONE, BUT I'M ACTUALLY, WE ONLY OWN ONE CAR.
LIKE I'M REALLY NOT PRO CARS IN ANY WAY, BUT MY FEAR IS THAT PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY NOT CHOOSE BETWEEN THE SHUTTLE OR THE PARKING ON THE POLO FIELDS, BUT THEY'LL JUST CHOOSE NOT TO COME AT ALL.
AND SO YOU'VE ESSENTIALLY, YOU'VE ESSENTIALLY SHUT OFF ACCESS TO A PARK BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL SEE THE SHUTTLE AS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT'S NOT RUNNING OFTEN ENOUGH.
IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MAKE THEIR CHOICES.
BUT THAT'S MY CONCERN KIND OF REPRESENTING A DISTRICT THAT'S FURTHER AWAY FROM THE PARK IS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY WON'T SEE THAT AS THE ALTERNATIVE THAT IT'S BEING PRESENTED AS.
AND THAT'S SORT OF PART OF, I MEAN, I'M HAVING LIKE A LOT OF THOUGHTS HERE.
I CAN'T, WELL IF NOT, IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN THAT'S THE QUESTION I'M THINKING IT'S LIKE, IT, IT WILL ALWAYS BE THAT WAY.
BUT I THINK IT'S IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED WITH ZILKER IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I THINK YOU HAVE TO ASK WHO THE PARK IS FOR AND WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR SYSTEM IS INCREDIBLY BROKEN AND THAT TRANSPORTATION DOES NOT WORK AS IT SHOULD IN THE CITY.
AND ALSO THAT THAT AFFECTS CERTAIN PEOPLE MUCH MORE INTENSELY THAN IT DOES OTHERS.
AND I AM NOT THE EXAMPLE OF THE PERSON THAT IT IN FACT AFFECTS INTENSELY.
SO THAT'S A LOT FOR ME TO SIT WITH.
LIKE, I'M HAVING TO THINK THROUGH ALL OF THIS RIGHT NOW.
I JUST DON'T, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
I'M JUST NOT SURE THE MECHANISM IS CORRECT.
AND I'M ALSO NOT SURE THAT IF WE PASSED IT TONIGHT, IT, IT'S IN TIME FOR COUNCIL, IT'S IN TIME ON A CALENDAR.
BUT I THINK REALISTICALLY COUNCIL NEEDED THIS MONTHS AGO TO REALLY MM-HMM.
AND I THINK THAT'S LIKE THE, TO ME THAT'S THE REAL THING IS LIKE, I'M NOT SURE WE COULD PASS IT TONIGHT.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE IF EVERYONE FEELS LIKE THEY WANNA MOVE IT FORWARD, PLEASE.
BUT I'M ACTUALLY NOT SURE IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
CAUSE I DO THINK IT'S JUST TOO LATE GENERALLY FOR THIS BUDGET CYCLE, BUT I COULD BE WRONG.
AND, AND I THINK THERE COULD BE A SILVER LINING TO YOUR THOUGHT THOUGHT ON, UH, DISTRICTS THAT ARE FURTHER AWAY.
UM, WE ALL WANT TO SPREAD THE LOVE AROUND THE PARKS IN AUSTIN AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT ALL OUR PARKS ARE AS GOOD AS THEY CAN BE AND EVERYBODY'S WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK.
AND SO FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE FURTHER AWAY, LET'S GIVE THEM GOOD PARKS IN THEIR DISTRICTS.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE IS, THERE'S A, A THOUGHT THAT ZILKER IS HEAVILY TRODDEN.
I MEAN, THOSE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT ALMOST DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A PARK YOU WANNA GO TO ON A WEEKEND DAY WITH THAT MANY CARS.
SO I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE CONSIDERED WITH A GROWING POPULATION.
DO WE REALLY WANNA TRY TO CRAM MORE PEOPLE INTO THAT LITTLE PARK OR JUST MAKE OTHER PARKS BETTER? I I THINK THAT THE, THE CONTRASTING ARGUMENT TO THAT THOUGH IS THAT, UH, I THINK WE HEARD MORE THAN ONE PERSON AND THE MARATHON MEETING WE WERE IN LAST MONTH TO TALK ABOUT ZILKER AS AND BARTON SPRINGS AS THE BEATING HEART OF THE CITY.
SO I THINK THERE IS SOME VALUE IN CONSIDERING THE PARK RELATIVE TO IT, THE IMPORTANCE IN ALLOWING EVERYONE TO, UH, EVERYONE IN THE CITY.
WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK ABOUT REGIONAL PARKS AND DISTRICT PARKS AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS THE METROPOLITAN PARK AND WE HAVE TO CONSIDER IT RELATIVE TO EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO GO, WHICH I THINK IN THE CITY IS EVERYONE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE REALLY, REALLY NEED TO HAVE MORE OFFSITE PARKING AND SHUTTLES AND GET PEOPLE INTO THAT IDEA OF, SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN
[02:50:01]
EXAMPLE.A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW, UM, ENJOY RIDING THE TRAIN TO THE, UM, THE SOCCER GAME, THE SOCCER STADIUM, THE AND BECA AND THAT, AND THE TRAIN BECOMES PART OF THE FUN BECAUSE OTHERWISE, IF EVERYBODY WHO WANTED TO GO, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO AND FIND PARKING.
AND THIS WILL JUST CONTINUE TO GET WORSE.
AND THE SOONER THAT IT GETS ADDRESSED, I THINK THE MORE PEOPLE ARE, PEOPLE ARE SO ADAPTABLE.
THEY WILL, THEY WILL REALLY FIGURE IT OUT AS LONG AS IT'S CLEAR AND, AND THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA RIDE A QUICK SHUTTLE FROM THIS PLACE OR THAT PLACE.
ONE OF THE PLACES IS ACTUALLY IN THE PARK.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S, AND THE INTENTION, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECT FROM UM, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR KKA IS, IS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO SHUT THE POLO FIELD DOWN TO 20 OR 30% ANYWAY NEXT SUMMER.
BUT AGAIN, THE MORE THAT YOU, THE SLOWER THAT YOU GO AND THE LESS THAT YOU DO IT, I THINK THE LESS PEOPLE WILL BE WILLING TO USE THE SHUTTLE.
IT REALLY IS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY THE SHUTTLE IS, IS SOMETHING THAT WAS A BIG DIRECTIVE FROM COUNCIL FIVE YEARS AGO AND CONTINUE TO BE SOMETHING THAT WAS A DIRECTIVE FROM THE ZILKER PARK WORKING GROUP.
AND SO IF WE DON'T SEND A MESSAGE TO THE CITY COUNCIL THAT WE SUPPORT THIS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO LET'S JUST LET AS MANY CARS IN AS POSSIBLE, UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL, TO DO THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, I I THINK THAT WE'RE MISSING A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY.
SO I THINK WE'RE REALLY LOSING ACCESS IN A DIFFERENT WAY BY LETTING THE POLO FIELD BE A PARKING LOT.
THE, THE, THE POLO FIELD IS MEANT TO BE PARK SPACE AND NO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FROM ANYWHERE IN THE CITY CAN USE IT AS THE PARK SPACE IS INTENDED TO BE WHEN IT'S FILLED WITH CARS.
SO WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN? THE COUNCIL DOESN'T HEAR IT OR DOESN'T CONSIDER IT, OR, UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT, WHAT THE, WHAT THE APPREHENSION WOULD BE ABOUT SENDING THIS RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL FROM THE PARKS BOARD RIGHT NOW TO REALLY SEND A MESSAGE THAT WE SUPPORT THE IDEA OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FROM A VERY CLOSE, ACCESSIBLE PLACE.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, I MEAN, I, I ACTUALLY WANNA REITERATE THAT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THE FINANCES AND EVERYTHING WORK AND ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WORK TOGETHER AND COLLABORATE.
SO THAT IS NOT, WE'RE NOT GETTING PAID FOR THAT, BUT WHAT WE ARE IS MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT WE THINK WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, BE BETTER FOR THE PARK.
BUT I THINK THERE ARE VERY, VERY SMART, UM, THOUGHTFUL LEADERS WITHIN THE CITY THAT IN THE, EACH OF THESE DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY CAN WORK THIS OUT AND CAN FIGURE IT OUT AND THEY'LL COME BACK TO US AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE DID BASED ON YOUR RE ON YOUR, ON YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IDEA THAT WE'RE GONNA COME BACK A FEW MONTHS FROM NOW AFTER WE DO ALL THIS WORK, QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO DO THAT WORK.
UM, I THINK THAT WE JUST MAKE THE RE RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE PARK, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN ALSO GET, GETTING THEM MORE HELP FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS ULTIMATELY WILL DO.
SO I THINK THAT MAKES MORE SENSE FOR US TO MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT AND LET THEM WORK OUT THE DETAILS.
THAT'S NOT UP THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR FOUR YEARS ON THIS.
I'VE BEEN SITTING ON THIS BOARD FOR FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE NEVER, WE'VE NEVER GOTTEN TO THE NITTY GRITTY IN THE MICROMANAGING OF WHAT THE PARK IS DOING, WHAT THE PARKS BOARD IS DOING, OR THE CITY FOR THAT MATTER.
I THINK, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD SOLID RESOLUTION.
I THINK WE HAVE A, WE'VE, THE PARK, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS SAID WE WILL PROVIDE PARKING FOR OUR STAFF.
AND I THINK THAT AND, AND DE WE'VE DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE'S AREN'T, THEY AREN'T ANY, WE'RE NOT LOSING ANY SPOTS AND WE'RE JUST REDIRECTING WHERE PEOPLE ARE PARKING.
SO I'M, I'M READY TO VOTE ON THIS.
AND I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA MAKE THIS MOTION JUST SO KIND OF, WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT.
JUST AT THE, AT THE RISK OF THIS HAVING, OF THIS FAILING.
SO MY RECOMMEND, MY, MY MOTION IS GONNA BE TO, UH, DELAY AND I JUST WANNA SEE WHERE THE VOTE'S AT.
I WANT TO SEE, I WANT TO SEE MY MOTION IS TO DELAY THE RECOMMENDATION TO ELIMINATE PARKING ON ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD TO JULY.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THERE'S A SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND THEN, UH, BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, IF YOU COULD JUST BE ON THE, OKAY.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE ABSTAINING PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[02:55:01]
THERE'S SOMEONE THAT DIDN'T VOTE.WAIT, HOW DID YOU VOTE COUNT? I VOTE NOT.
SO LET'S CALL THE VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO I WILL, WITH THAT IN MIND, DO Y'ALL WANT TO GO FORWARD? DO YOU WANNA CALL THE QUESTION OR DO YOU WANT DELAY UNTIL JULY? I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT COMPLETELY UP TO Y'ALL.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
SO BOARD MEMBER REID IS CALLING THE QUESTION.
UM, HE JUST, UH, HE JUST MADE A MOTION TO SEND IT FORWARD TO JULY.
YOU GOT THAT, THAT THE MOTION.
UM, BOARD MEMBER REID HAS CALLED THE QUESTION.
I I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT WE MAKE THE MOTION TO RECOMMEND THAT WE, I THINK THE MOTION'S ALREADY ON THE TABLE.
THAT IF WE DELAY IT, THEN WE MIGHT MOVE IT THROUGH, BUT IT'LL BE LATE.
IT'LL BE, WE PUSH EVERYTHING BACK A YEAR.
I, I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT, BUT, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE BEST THING TO DO.
UM, THEN WE CAN RE RECONSIDER IT IN JULY.
SO BOARD MEMBER RE WE DON'T HAVE THE VOTES.
BOARD MEMBER REED IS PULLING THE MOTION AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS BACK UP AT, CAN YOU ADD IT TO THE JULY 24TH AGENDA? I'LL TRY TO GET JOSEPH FROM TRANSPORTATION.
ALL RIGHT, NOW WE'RE MOVING TO AGENDA
[6. Discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council on SXSW, parks, and park facilities. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers)]
ITEM NUMBER FIVE.DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ON SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PARKS AND PARKS FACILITY.
UM, THIS IS A MOTION THAT I BROUGHT FORTH, AND I'M GONNA READ THE RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME SINCE IT WAS NOT POSTED.
RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNCIL SUPPORT FAIR PAY FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PERFORMING ARTISTS, WHEREAS AUSTINITE SHARED COM, SHERRY'S SENSE OF COMMUNITY PRIDE, AND A DETERMINATION THAT THE CITY'S VISION OF MAKING AUSTIN THE MOST LIVABLE CITY AND THE COUNTRY IS NOT JUST A SLOGAN, BUT A REALITY.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AND LIVE MUSIC AND MUSIC IN MANY OTHER FORMS IS EVERYWHERE IN AUSTIN.
MUSICIANS PLAY EVERYWHERE FROM THE AIRPORT TERMINAL TO GROCERY STORES.
THEY PLAY OUTDOOR AT SEASONAL LIVE MUSIC SERIES AND AT WORLD FAMOUS FESTIVALS.
WHEREAS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS AN ANNUAL MARCH EVENT FEATURING SESSIONS, MUSIC AND COMEDY, SHOWCASE FILM SCREENS, EXHIBITIONS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN A VARIETY OF NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AND IS AN ESSENTIAL DESTINATION FOR GLOBAL PROFESSIONALS.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF BOSTON WAIVES FEES ASSOCIATED WITH VIC MATHAI SHORES, ALSO KNOWN AS AUDITORIUM SHORES FOR USE BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, AND WHERE SUCH FEES AMOUNT TO $23,430 IN 2023, WHEREAS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS REGULAR.
ALSO REGULARLY RENTS OUT CRAIG SOFTBALL COMPLEX, ALSO KNOWN AS CRAIG FIELDS, WATERLOO PARK AND BRUSH SQUARE PARK.
WHEREAS IN 2022, ARTISTS WERE REQUIRED TO PAY A NON-REFUNDABLE $55 APPLICATION FEE TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO BE CONSIDERED FOR SELECTION TO THE FESTIVAL AR ROSTER.
WHEREAS IN 2022, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PAYS DOMESTIC ARTISTS BE ABOUT 100 TO $250 OR COMPENSATE ARTISTS WITH A FESTIVAL WRISTBAND.
WHEREAS COMPENSATION BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, THE ARTIST HAS NOT CHANGED IN OVER A DECADE.
WHEREAS WORKING ARTISTS DEPEND ON INCOME FROM SHOWS AND EVENTS FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD, WHEREAS IT IS WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO TACKLE ISSUES RELATING A FAIR PAY AND TO WORK WITH DIGNITY.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ESTABLISHED A PRESIDENT FOR ENFORCING LIVING WAGE COMPLIANCE WITH ITS CAPITAL CONTRACTING PROGRAM, WHICH REQUIRES ALL CONTRACT, ALL CITY CONTRACTED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO PAY THEIR WORKERS AT LEAST A PREVAILING WAGE FOR THEIR TRADE AS SET BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OR THE CITY OF AUSTIN MINIMUM WAGE AS ESTABLISHED BY CITY ORDINANCE, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TYPE AND THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION OFFERED TO ARTISTS BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
WHEREAS THE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION PAID TO ARTISTS BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST REFLECTS OUR CITY'S VALUES AND VISION DUE TO THE CITY'S STRONG COLLABORATE COLLABORATION WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND ITS SUBSIDIZATION OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
AND WHEREAS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, USE THE CITY OF CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS BASED FOR VOLUNTEER TICKETED AND COMMUNITY EVENTS, OFTEN FREE OF CHARGE.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
ONE RECOMMENDS THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNSEL DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER LEGAL DEPARTMENT, AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ENSURE THAT ANY CONTRACT NEGOTIATION BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IN SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST INCLUDES PROVISIONS REQUIRING FAIR PAY FOR DOMESTIC ARTISTS PAY, PERFORMING AT CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS, PARKS, FACILITIES, AND CITY OWNED PROPERTY.
AND TO RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNCIL REQUIRE CHANGES TO ARTIST PAY AND COMPENSATION BEFORE BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
BEFORE WAIVING ANY FUTURE FEES AT VIC MATHAI SHORES OR AT ANY OTHER PARK, PARK FACILITIES OR
[03:00:01]
CITY OWNED FACILITIES, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATION AS RED.THERE'S A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER MERIT.
UM, NOW THAT WE MOVE TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE PHASE, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN UPDATED FROM MARCH, UM, AS Y'ALL CAN TELL, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OBVIOUSLY WERE IN THE BACK OF MY MIND WHEN WE WERE, WHEN I DID THESE UPDATES WERE WON.
UM, THE LEGISLATURE RECENTLY PASSED A BILL TO SUPERSEDE ANY SORT OF LOCAL ORDINANCE.
SO OBVIOUSLY I WAS TAKEN INTO MIND THAT ASPECT OF THIS DISCUSSION, WHICH IS RIGHT.
MY GOAL, AND THIS IS NOT TO HAVE A ORDINANCE SET BY CITY COUNCIL TO DICTATE THE AMOUNT OF PAY AND ALL ANY OF THAT TYPE OF STUFF, BUT RATHER THAT CITY COUNCIL LEVERAGE ITS POWER AS A AGENT IN A CONTRACTING, UH, NEGOTIATE IN A CONTRACT NEGOTIATION, UM, IN ORDER TO GET CONCESSIONS FROM SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IN ORDER FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO USE THE FACILITIES OR GET WAIVER OF ANY OF THOSE FACILITY USAGE.
UM, THE SECOND, UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S HOW YOU, I I DOODLED, I DOODLED DOWN TO THOSE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS.
THE SECOND THING IS YOU CAN, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT YOU WON'T NOTICE IS, IS THAT I ALSO, UH, GOT RID OF THE RECOMMENDATION FOR, UH, BETTING THAT TALKED ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS.
AND I THINK THAT'S, AND I INCLUDED THAT BECAUSE, UM, INTERNATIONAL ART, YOU GET INTO A LOT OF VISA ISSUES, IMMIGRATION ISSUES IF THAT HAPPENS.
AND OBVIOUSLY I DON'T WANT TO INTERFERE WITH THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE, UM, AS, UH, SO THAT'S THE REASON I I DIDN'T INCLUDE IT ON THERE.
AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S MYSELF JUST BECAME A LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENT EARLIER THIS YEAR, I TOOK AND TELL YOU, PLEASE, NO, NO ONE NEEDS TO INTER BE INTERFERING WITH IMMIGRATION ISSUES,
IF IT'S NOT YOUR LAWYER, YOU SHOULDN'T BE INTERFERING WITH IT.
UM, UM, AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, UM, I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION SINCE MARCH, UH, BETWEEN BOARD MEMBERS ON INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES AND MYSELF, UM, IN CAPACITY THROUGH, UH, MUSICIANS, UH, MEMBERS OF VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND UNIONS.
UM, AND I STILL BELIEVE THAT THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO PASS.
UM, I THINK WE HEARD ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE DURING, UH, CITIZEN COMMUNICATION ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS TO THEM, UM, AND HOW THEY VIEW, UH, THIS ISSUE.
UM, AND I'VE MADE IT BE KNOWN TO VARIOUS PEOPLE THAT I DON'T PERSONALLY BUY THE ARGUMENT THAT THIS IS NECESSARILY A NETWORKING EVENT, EVENT FOR THEM TO SHOWCASE THEIR TALENTS FOR THEM TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE DISCOVERED.
I VIEW THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR A PERSON TO PRACTICE THEIR PROFESSION AND GET PAID AN ADEQUATE, UH, WAGE AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, PERFORMANCE.
UM, SO FOR THOSE AFOREMENTIONED REASONS, I STILL DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD AND FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND FOR US TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN USE THEIR LEVERAGE IN ORDER TO, UH, GET, UH, UH, THE PAY IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CITY'S VALUES, MISSIONS AND GOALS.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
UH, WELL, I WILL SAY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED, I I I, WHEN I TYPED THIS UP, I WAS NOTICING WHEN I WAS READING THIS, IS, UM, LINE 19 AND LINE 22, WHERE IT HAS THE, THE DATE OF 2022.
SO WHAT I'M ACTUALLY GONNA DO IS I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO CHANGE THAT.
I'M GONNA MAKE A, I'M GONNA MAKE AN AMENDMENT AND THEN I'M GONNA ACCEPT THE AMENDMENT THAT, UH, THOSE TWO DATES CHANGED TO 2023.
UM, OH, AND I, AND I, SORRY, I FORGOT THIS LAST PORTION.
UM, THE REASON WHY I DID, AND I I, I, I SAY THIS BECAUSE I DID HAVE, UH, A FEW BOARD MEMBERS ASKING ME WHY THERE WASN'T ANY SORT OF INDICATION AS TO WHAT LEVEL OF COMPENSATION OR A NUMBER ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
UM, JUST BECAUSE I JUST DON'T THINK THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US, UM, OR THE, OR THE CITY TO BE DOING THAT.
THAT'S GOTTA BE A, UH, UH, A NUMBER, UH, THAT'S DECIDED UPON BETWEEN MUSICIANS AND, UH, A UNION AGENT, LIKE A BARGAINING AGENT, AND, UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
UM, THAT I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO THEM BECAUSE, UH, THERE MAY BE INTANGIBLES THAT, UH, NO ONE HAS THOUGHT OF AS OF YET.
UM, THAT COULD BE USED AS PART OF THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS OR THERE COULD NOT BE.
UH, BUT THAT'S UP TO THEM TO DECIDE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, AND FOR, UH, THE CITY OF COUNCIL TO THEN
[03:05:01]
TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN, UH, EVALUATING ANY FURTHER USAGE OF PARKS OR PARKS, FACILITIES.ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS? QUESTIONS? FEEDBACK? I THINK YOU DID A GOOD JOB REFINING YOUR WORDING.
I LIKE IT FROM WHERE YOU WERE IN MARCH.
UM, I'M CONFLICTED THOUGH, SINCE THIS IS VOLUNTARY, PEOPLE, PEOPLE APPLY TO PERFORM, THEY WANT A CHANCE AT PERFORMING.
IT'S, IT, WOULD WE HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE VOLUNTARILY APPLYING TO PERFORM IF THEY, YOU KNOW, SEEMS LIKE MONEY HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUE, THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM AND BE ON A STAGE IS THE ISSUE.
AND SO, I MEAN, THAT'S ONE THING, BUT THEN THE OTHER THING IS YOU'VE GOT THIS BIG FOR-PROFIT COMPANY THAT YEAH.
COULD BE A LITTLE MORE GENEROUS SHARING IN THE GOODS.
UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I I THINK THAT WE'RE KIND OF AT A CROSSROADS WITH SOUTH BY WHEREAS ITS ORIGINAL MISSION, UM, WAS A STAGE TO BE SEEN TO SHOWCASE YOUR TALENT.
UM, PRESENT DAY PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE MONEY.
SO I THINK IT'S ALMOST LIKE SOUTH BY NEEDS TO KIND OF REWRITE THE BUSINESS PLAN.
I, BUT, BUT THEN I GO BACK TO IT IS VOLUNTARY.
I MEAN, IF I, IF I'M NOT ABLE TO PAY MY BILLS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, AFFORD LIFE, AM I, AM I GONNA PURSUE THAT ROUTE? YEAH.
AND I DEFINITELY, I DON'T KNOW.
NO, I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THOSE ARE GOOD.
UH, QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS, UM, IN REGARDS TO THAT, AT LEAST THAT FIRST PORTION OF, OF WHAT YOU JUST STATED, UM, AT LEAST IN MY MIND, I'M NOT A MUSICIAN, BUT THIS IS AT LEAST WHAT I THINK AS SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, UH, COMES FROM A WORKING CLASS BACKGROUND WHOSE PARENTS ARE WORKING CLASS AS WELL.
UH, YOU KNOW, NOT APPLYING TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MAY NOT BE AN OPTION TO SOME OF THESE ARTISTS IN REGARDS TO LIKE, WHAT OTHER GIGS ARE YOU GONNA GET DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH? UM, OR PARTICULAR THAT SPECIFIC WEEK OR WEEKEND.
UM, IF, IF, IF IT'S NOT THEM, I GUESS YOU COULD GO TO AN UNOFFICIAL SHOWCASE, BUT WE DID HEAR THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO SAID THAT THE UNOFFICIAL SHOWCASE OR THE GALA OR EVENT WAS OFFERING THEM $0 IN ORDER TO PERFORM AT IT.
SO IS YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, IT'S A CATCH 22 TYPE OF SITUATION WHERE IT'S LIKE, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU DO DURING THAT TIMEFRAME? UM, AND THAT, THAT'S WHAT GOES IN THROUGH MY HEAD OF WHEN, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN I, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS AND I THINK ABOUT OTHER AREAS OF CREATIVITY, I'M AN ARTIST.
UM, THE REASON I DON'T DO MORE OF IT IS, IS BECAUSE I HAVE TO EARN A LIVING.
AND SO I WORK, SO I DO MY OIL PAINT, OIL PAINTING AS MY HOBBY ON THE SIDE.
I THINK THERE ARE MANY MUSICIANS THAT ARE DRIVEN TO BE MUSICIANS.
THEY WANT TO MAKE THAT THEIR LIVING.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, SO PERHAPS THAT'S DIFFERENT AND, AND IT'S NOT A GOOD COMPARISON.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TO MANY ART SHOWS WHERE I SEE STARVING ARTISTS TRYING TO SELL THEIR PAINTINGS ON THE SIDEWALK.
AND, UH, THAT'S THE CHOICE THEY MAKE.
SO I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY IS LIKE IN A CAPITALIST ECONOMY, OF COURSE THAT'S THE TRADE OFF YOU'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO MAKE.
UH, FOR ME, AND IT'S ONLY MY PERSONAL BELIEF, MANY MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE DOING ART FOR A LIVING IF WE ACTUALLY VALUED IT IN OUR SOCIETY.
UM, I ALSO, I HAVE A DEGREE IN THEATER.
I WAS A STAGE MANAGER PROFESSIONALLY FOR THREE YEARS, AND I WAS POOR BEHIND ON MY BILLS.
COULD NEVER MAKE ENDS MEET, WENT BACK TO GRAD SCHOOL TO DO SOMETHING THAT I ENJOY, BUT I DON'T LOVE IT THE SAME WAY I LOVED WHAT I DO.
SO SURE, YOU CAN MAKE THAT TRADE OFF.
BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO, THIS IS A HARD THING BECAUSE PHILOSOPHICALLY YOU'RE NOW, UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW SOCIETY VALUES SOMETHING THAT'S AN INTANGIBLE IN MANY WAYS.
WE ALL LISTEN TO MUSIC, WE ALL CONSUME ART.
DO WE THINK THAT THE PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO PURSUE THOSE LIFESTYLES SHOULD NOT BE PAID THE SAME AS WE PAY PEOPLE WHO ARE LAWYERS OR TO USE AN EXAMPLE, DOCTORS? UM, I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK FOR ME, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE MAKE THE TRADE OFF OF NOT PURSUING ART BECAUSE WE DON'T VALUE IT.
AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY THAT WE CHOOSE NOT TO VALUE IT BY NOT HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, BUT IT GETS INTO CAPITALISM, WHICH I UNDERSTAND WHY THAT'S NOT COMFORTABLE FOR SOME PEOPLE.
I THINK WHAT THIS REALLY DEALS WITH IS THAT THE, UM, WHAT BOARD MEMBER HAMAN WAS SAYING IS THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF
[03:10:01]
EVENT THAN IT WAS ORIGINALLY.MY BROTHER WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO PLAY IN SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IN 1987.
AND I REMEMBER HIM DOING EVERYTHING HE COULD TO GET A PRESS KIT TOGETHER BECAUSE HE SAID, THIS IS HOW YOU MAKE IT.
AND SOMEBODY MIGHT NOTICE YOU AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
THAT HAS CHANGED COMPLETELY BECAUSE THE WHOLE INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A AND R REPS ARE GETTING SENT FROM LOS ANGELES SO THAT THEY CAN FIND THE NEXT GREATEST BAND IN, IN AUSTIN FOR SOUTH BY AT, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
I THINK THERE'S A, A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FILM FESTIVAL BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S GETTING A REPUTATION, LIKE SOMETHING LIKE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL OR SUNDANCE.
AND SO PEOPLE WHOSE FILMS ACTUALLY GET INTO THE FESTIVAL, WE'LL GET MORE RECOGNITION AND MIGHT ACTUALLY GO FURTHER.
BUT FOR MUSIC, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME KIND OF REPORT OR EVALUATION OF HOW MANY PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY PLAY AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST GET ASKED TO DO SOMETHING MORE OR GET RECOGNIZED.
UM, I THINK WHAT IT IS, IS THEY ARE PLAYING A GIG AND THE GIGS ARE WHAT ATTRACT THE PEOPLE TO COME TO AUSTIN TO HEAR, TO PARTICIPATE IN.
SO BY SOUTHWEST WITHOUT THE MUSICIANS, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THE FESTIVAL.
UM, I WOULD KIND OF EQUATE IT A LITTLE BIT LIKE, UH, COLLEGE ATHLETES BEFORE THEY WERE COMPENSATED, WHERE THEY ARE OUT THERE PUTTING IT ALL ON THE LINE, TRYING TO GIVE YOU, SHOW YOU WHAT THEY ARE WITH THIS SLIM CHANCE THAT THEY MIGHT GET RECOGNIZED AND DRAFTED.
AND SO I SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION, THE RECOMMENDATION OR MEMBER BECKER.
I, I'D ALSO LIKE TO CALL IT, I WAS STRUCK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT BY, UM, ONE OF THE MU ONE, UH, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS WHO NOTED THAT IT ISN'T ONLY THE MONTH OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, IT'S ALSO THE MONTH AFTER, AFTER.
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE YEAR.
AND I, I, I HAVE CERTAINLY HEARD THE ARGUMENT THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, THAT IF WE ARE SORT OF GOING TO TREAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST THIS WAY, THAT WE SHOULD TREAT OTHER SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS SIMILARLY.
BUT I REALLY, I DO THINK IT IS WORTH NOTING, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT THIS RESOLUTION FOCUSES ON SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT, IT DOES TO, TO, TO BOARD MEMBER READS.
BUT IT DOES HAVE, UH, IT HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY NOW THAT'S GROWN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES, UH, SPECIAL AND USEFUL AND NEEDS AND, UH, NEEDS SOME UPDATING.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT THIS, UM, RECOMMENDATION STARTS TO MOVE THINGS IN THAT DIRECTION IS ONE OF THE VOICES THAT MOVES THINGS IN THAT DIRECTION.
ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENT OR, OH, SORRY.
I'M CURIOUS IF YOU HAVE ANY CONTEXT AROUND WHY THE CITY OF AUSTIN SUBSIDIZES SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AS A FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.
WHY DO WE OFFER, WHY, WHY DO, WHAT IS THE, UM, 75,000, THE 20, WHERE ARE THE FEES WAIVED? I MEAN, THE, THE SAME REASON WE DO THAT FOR A ACL OR ANY OTHER LARGE ENTITY THAT GENERATES TOURISM.
I MEAN, I DON'T WORK FOR THE CITY, BUT I THINK THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS THAT ANYTHING THAT GENERATES THAT MANY PEOPLE COMING TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS A NET WIN.
WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING SO MUCH TOURISM REVENUE FROM PEOPLE STAYING IN HOTELS, PEOPLE, THERE'S SO MUCH HAPPENING MM-HMM.
RIGHT? IT'S LEVERAGE THAT SOUTH BY DOES HAVE, THEY BRING, I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE STATS, BUT IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AND WE'RE GETTING HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND OTHER THINGS FROM THEIR PRESENCE HERE WOULD BE MY GUESS OF WHY THE CITY I DOES IT, SOMEONE FROM THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO SAY SPECIFICALLY.
BUT DO YOU KNOW IF THE FINANCIAL TOTAL OF OUR LEVERAGE HERE IS $23,000? IS IT REALLY JUST THE WAIVED FEE ON, UM, AUDITORIUM SHORES FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT? THAT, THAT'S THE ONE CONTRACT THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET A HOLD OF.
DO YOU, THAT'S THE ONE THAT INCLUDED A SUBSIDY, OR IT'S JUST THE ONLY ONE YOU WERE ABLE TO GET? UH, SO IT'S THE ONE, UH, IT'S THE CONTRACT BETWEEN PAR AND HOLD ON.
THE PART EVENT CONTRACT FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FROM 2023.
SO IT WAS FOR, UH, THE WA WAIVER OF FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF VICTIMIZED SHORES.
SO THAT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE, THE, THE EX, THE QUIT PRO, NOT
[03:15:02]
I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND THAT ARGUMENT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS PROVIDED FOR YOU TO THE COMMUNITY.BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT, UH, IN MY MIND AT LEAST, UH, SUPERSEDES THE, UH, CONCERN THAT I HAVE FOR, UH, PAYING ARTISTS.
LIKE, I, I DON'T, I I'M NOT WILLING TO SACRIFICE ARTISTS AND ARTISTS PAY JUST TO GET, TO GET A FREE CONCERT, GO TO A FREE CONCERT FOR ONE EVENING.
STILL CAN'T HEAR YOU CAN'T HEAR YOU.
IS SHE, IS SHE, SHE CAN TALK, RIGHT? LIKE NO, AS IN LIKE, THERE'S, I THINK SHE'S HAD SOME TECHNICAL PROBLEMS. YEAH.
YOU MAY HAVE TO LOG BACK, LOG OFF AND LOG ON.
IN THE MEANTIME, CAN I ASK IF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST USES ANY OTHER PARKLAND BESIDES AUDITORIUM SHORES FOR THE FESTIVAL, OR THE ONLY OTHER ONES THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET, UH, FIND WHERE, UH, UH, THROUGH THE CRAIG SOFTBALL COMPLEX, UH, BRUSH SQUARE PARK AND WATERLOO PARK, EXCEPT FOR, UH, IF YOU SEE THERE, UM, FOOTNOTE NUMBER EIGHT, THAT BRUSH SQUARE PARK WAS NOT RENTED BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IN 2023 DUE TO CONSTRUCTION, BUT IT HAS BEEN USED IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
AND IF, HUH? WHAT ARE THE WATER WE INFANT YEARS? THAT'S THE IN WATERLOO PARK? YEAH, IN WATERLOO PARK, YEAH.
AND THEN, UM, YEAH, AND THEN MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT FOR THE CRAIG SOFTBALL COMPLEXES, THAT WAS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THAT WAS USEFUL FOR VOLUNTEER, VOLUNTEER CENTER, LIKE A VOLUNTEER HUB.
AND, AND THERE WAS NO, THERE WAS NO LIKE, PAYMENT FOR THAT.
I GUESS WE'RE WAITING ON, UH, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
I TOLD HER TO LOG OFF AND LOG BACK ON.
ARE YOU COMING BACK? I'M CURIOUS HOW YOU CAME UP WITH THE WORDING, UM, ARTIST PAY AND COMPENSATION.
WE HEARD THAT THERE WAS THIS TRADE OFF BETWEEN CHOOSING PAY VERSUS COMPENSATION AND WRISTBAND.
ARE YOU LOOKING TO REQUIRE A CHANGE IN BOTH PAY AND COMPENSATION? WHICH LINE ARE YOU LOOKING AT? UM, 53.
SORRY, I'M LOOKING AT, I'M LOOKING AT ONE MORE.
THE D I'M LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT SECTION JUST TO, JUST TO CONFIRM MY THINKING.
YEAH, I THINK I INCLUDED IT IN THERE AS A CATCHALL.
UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO, UH, LIMIT THE CITY TO PAY, PAY OR COMPENSATION MM-HMM.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU LEFT IT OPEN, ENDED ENOUGH THAT THIS CITY HAS A LOT OF POWER HERE TO NEGOTIATE.
SHE'S TRYING TO USE HER HOTSPOT.
SHE HAS THE COMMENTS TO MAKE 2, 4, 6.
IT'S ABOUT HOW LONG YOU WANNA WAIT FOR.
I'LL GIVE HER, I'LL GIVE HER SOME TIME.
THE OPTION OF JUST CALLING, CAN SHE CALL IN OR DOES SHE HAVE TO BE ON WEBEX? SHE WANTS TO VOTE.
WE, WE CAN GO I THINK WITHOUT HER, BUT IT'S WHETHER OR NOT SHE HAD COMMENTS THAT SHE WAS HOPING TO.
IF YOU TELL ME YOUR COMMENTS, I CAN RELATE THEM.
[03:20:01]
THE PARKS AND ROCKPORT, WHAT COULD HER COMMENT BE? I ACTUALLY HAVE A FRIEND WHO'S A CITY LOBBYIST AND HE ALWAYS WATCHES THE MEETINGS THE NEXT MORNING, THE HIGHLIGHT REEL, AND THEN TEXTS ME, HEY, LOOK, I SAW A VOLVO THOUGH, THAT WAS REALLY GREAT.BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, WE SEE YOUR, MY APOLOGIES THERE.
UM, SO MY QUESTION WAS BASICALLY THAT I, I REALLY, REALLY LIKE THIS RECOMMENDATION AND I WANNA SUPPORT IT.
MY, MY QUESTION IS, WHY IS IT JUST SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST? WHAT ABOUT ACL? ARE THEY PAYING THEIR MUSICIANS A LIVABLE WAGE? I MEAN, A REASONABLE RATE? DO WE KNOW THAT? OR IS THAT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE HADN'T LOOKED AT YET? I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT IT.
I KNOW THAT WE WERE WORKING ON, UM, I THINK WE, I THINK AT THE LAST CONTRACT CONCESSION COMMITTEE, YOU REQUESTED SOME OF THOSE CON CONTRACTS BETWEEN PARD AND ACL AND POSSIBLY A PF RIGHT.
SO I WAS WAITING TO SEE KIND OF WHAT THAT ALL LOOKS LIKE BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ON THAT FRONT.
I JUST, THAT WAS JUST MY QUESTION BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE GONNA DO IT, I DON'T WANNA JUST TARGET SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ACROSS THE BAR BOARD, ANYONE WHO'S USING THE, THE PARTS TO MAKE MONEY LIKE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, PAYS A FAIR WAGE TO THE PERFORMERS.
I WOULD SAY I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THE, THE, UM, RECOMMENDATION BEING SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FOCUSED.
I DO THINK THE SORT OF ADDED QUESTION OF WHETHER IT SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO, I DUNNO THAT A, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS CONVERSATION, I, I DUNNO THAT A C L IS NECESSARILY THE BEST COMPARISON POINT SINCE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT SORT OF LARGE ARTISTS THAT HAVE ALL SORTS OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATION STRUCTURES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER, UH, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO HAVE BANDS THAT PLAY, UM, IN ZILKER AND OTHER PARKS.
UM, SO WE COULD CERTAINLY HAVE A CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, BEYOND, BEYOND THIS ONE OF, NA HILL DOES HIRE A LOT OF LOCAL ARTISTS, JUST SO YOU KNOW.
THEY DID, THEY HAVE A LOT OF, LOT OF LOCAL ARTISTS PLAY ON THE, ON THE SMALLER STAGES.
ANY OTHER FURTHER? ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME, I CALL THE QUESTION THE VOTE.
UH, THE, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN COUNCIL SUPPORT FAIR PAY FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PERFORMING ARTISTS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AYE CHAIR, I, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT.
WHO WAS THE MOTION IN THE SECOND ON THAT MOTION? UH, THE SECOND WAS, UH, UH, BOARD MEMBER MERIT.
[7. Discussion and possible action regarding an appointment to the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board.]
NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING AN APPOINTMENT TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.UM, I DID GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, BOARD MEMBER BAAN, AND SHE WAS INTERESTED IN SITTING ON THE, ON THE, ON THE, ON, ON, ON THAT ADVISORY BOARD.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE, UH, HAD ANY INTEREST IN IT.
AND SHE, SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
SHE'S ON A VACATION WITH HER FAMILY, BUT, OKAY.
SO I MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT, UH, BOARD MEMBER STEPHANIE BEON TO THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD IS SECOND.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER HUGIN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, WE'RE MOVING TO, UH, DISCUSSION
[8. Discussion and possible action regarding an appointment to the Downtown Commission. ]
IN ACTION.ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING AN APPOINTMENT TO THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
UM, I KNOW THAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN WITH, UH, BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, SHE'S IN DISTRICT NINE, SEE IF SHE, WHAT SHE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, IF YOU HAD ANY UPDATES.
I KNOW YOU WERE EMAILING WITH PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH TODAY, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU RECEIVED ANY ADEQUATE, UH, AND, UH, RESPONSE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS.
I STILL DID HAVE ONE QUESTION, WHICH I WASN'T SURE.
HOW LONG ARE THESE APPOINTMENTS FOR? IS IT FOR THE TERM SAME TERM AS BOARD MEMBERSHIP? IS IT FOR A YEAR? OR HOW DOES, HOW DOES THAT WORK? YEAH, IT'S AT IT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THESE WOULD BE AT YOUR PLEASURE.
SO LIKE IF YOU WANTED TO BE THERE FOR A YEAR, THEN YOU COULD BE THERE FOR A YEAR WAS LYING.
OR YOU COULD JUST, IF YOU WANTED TO GET OFF SIX MONTHS FROM NOW BECAUSE OF SOME LIFE CIRCUMSTANCE, THEN YOU COULD JUST BE LIKE, HEY, I NEED TO GET OFF.
AND UH, I SAW FROM PREVIOUS AGENDAS THAT I GUESS BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR WAS PROVIDING UPDATES ON THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION.
I GUESS, UM, COULD ANYONE KIND OF CHAT THROUGH THAT A LITTLE MORE AS WELL? KIND OF WHAT THE MAYBE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN OR IF WE NEED TO DO
[03:25:01]
A SEPARATE CALL, I SUPPOSE THAT WOULD BE FINE, BUT IF THERE HAD ANY WORDS TO OFFER THERE, BOARD MEMBER, I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT.IF YOU WANNA CONTACT ME SEPARATELY, I'M HAPPY TO FILL YOU IN.
IT'S JUST REALLY, IT'S WHATEVER WE TALK, WHATEVER THEY DISCUSSED AT THE BOARD DURING THEIR MEETING, I COME BACK TO OUR MEETING AND OFTENTIMES WE DON'T HAVE TIME AT THE END OF OUR MEETING TO DO THE REPORT.
BUT IT JUST BASIC, I'LL, I'LL RECAP ANYTHING IMPORTANT AND, AND ANYTHING THAT I THINK IS THAT PARKS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S HOMELESSNESS, IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S VARIED OVER THE, THE TWO YEARS I THINK I'VE BEEN DOING IT.
UM, AND THEY OFTEN DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, SO THAT MAY CHANGE WITH THE NEW PEOPLE.
BUT, SO I DID, I DID SEE THAT AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL INFO.
AND I HAD REACHED OUT TO ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAD MENTIONED THAT IT IS A NON-VOTING POSITION.
UM, SO I GUESS, UH, CHAIR VILLALOBOS, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING I'M WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FOR NOW AND, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO ASSESS BASED ON KIND OF HOW THINGS ARE PROGRESSING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BOARD OVERALL AND WITH THE POSITION.
BUT FOR NOW, UM, IF WE ARE LOOKING TO FILL THE APPOINTMENT, I THINK THAT WILL BE SOMETHING I'M UP FOR.
UM, WELL, I'M, I'M, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT, UH, BOARD MEMBER, BOARD MEMBER JENNIFER FRANKLIN TO THE DOWNTOWN, UH, COMMISSION.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
BOARD MEMBER HUG OFF D AND BOARD, BOARD MEMBER HUGS OFF THE DIUS.
UM, A AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE
[9. Discussion and possible action regarding appointments to the Joint Environmental/Parks Board Committee (three vacancies). ]
ACTION REGARDING APPOINTMENTS TO THE JOINT ENVIRONMENTAL PARKS BOARD COMMITTEE.THERE'S CURRENTLY THREE VACANCIES ON THERE.
UM, I HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO ANYONE ABOUT TO SEE IF THERE ANYBODY'S INTERESTED.
CHAIR, WOULD YOU, UH, BE ALRIGHT IF I ADDRESS THE BOARD ON THIS ITEM? YEAH, QUICKLY.
UH, SO FIRST, JUST A, A QUICK, UM, I GOT IT WRONG ON THE AGENDA.
THERE'S ACTUALLY FOUR VACANT THESE, BUT ESSENTIALLY THE UM, CITY COUNCIL FORMED A JOINT COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF FOUR MEMBERS OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND FOUR MEMBERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IN ORDER TO REVIEW AND ADVISE ON UPDATES TO THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL MASTER PLAN.
UH, THIS COMMITTEE HASN'T MET SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2020 AS FAR AS I CAN TELL BECAUSE THERE HAVEN'T BEEN SUBSTANTIVE UPDATES FOR THAT COMMITTEE TO REVIEW.
AND IN THAT TIME, ALL OF THE PARKS BOARD MEMBERS SERVING ON THE COMMITTEE, THEIR TERMS HAVE LAPSED.
SO THIS IS SORT OF AN OPPORTUNITY KIND OF DOVETAIL WITH THE BRIEFING THAT THE BOARD RECEIVED TONIGHT.
THERE MAY BE A NEED FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO REVIEW SOME OF THE UPCOMING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL MASTER PLAN.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PARKS BOARD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE.
AND I ASSUME BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T MET IN A LONG TIME, THAT THIS IS REALLY NOT URGENT.
WELL, IT HASN'T BEEN URGENT SINCE FEBRUARY OF 2020, BUT THERE'S MORE DEVELOPMENTS COMING.
SO WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, STAFF THIS COMMITTEE IF IT'S APPROPRIATE.
IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT, YOU KNOW, BOTH THE PARKS BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION HAVE BEEN GETTING THESE KIND OF UPDATES ON BARTON SPRINGS, BATHHOUSE REHABILITATION, THOSE SORTS OF PROJECTS INDIVIDUALLY.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF KIND OF CROSSING OUR T'S AND DOTTING OUR I'S AS IT RELATES TO THIS COUNCIL CREATED COMMITTEE.
I UN, UNLESS THERE'S FOUR PEOPLE CLAMORING RIGHT NOW TO JOIN THIS COMMISSION, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT WE CAN PUSH THIS TO JULY JUST SO WE CAN OKAY.
UM, SO THAT'S MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE, AND UM, I THINK WE'RE WAITING ON, THERE MAY BE A NEW APPOINTEE FOR ONE AS WELL, SO I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T KNOW.
SO, UM, WE'RE JUST GONNA, WE'RE GONNA MOVE THIS TO THE JULY MEETING, UM, WORKING GROUP UPDATES.
UH, NOTHING FROM 10 CUZ IT IS CURRENTLY VACANT.
UM, IS THERE AN UPDATE FROM THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION, UH, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR? I HOPE SHE'S FINE.
UM, NO, THERE, I DON'T HAVE ANY THANK YOU.
[12. Update from Joint Sustainability Committee. (Bazan, Becker)]
ANY UPDATE FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE? UH, BOARD MEMBER BECKER? UM, I'LL BE ATTENDING THE FIRST MEETING OF IT, UH, SINCE WE'VE BEEN APPOINTED ON WEDNESDAY.UM, UH, UPDATE FROM THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN WORKING GROUP BOARD MEMBER.
TAYLOR, WE HAVE NOT HAD A MEETING.
AND, UH, VI UH, RECOMMEND UPDATE FROM THE HOMELESSNESS WORKING GROUP BOARD MEMBER HAMAN, NO UPDATE AT THIS TIME.
[03:30:01]
FROM THE AQUATICS WORKING GROUP.OH WAIT, THERE'S NONE, UH, FROM THE, UH, AQUATICS WORKING GROUP, UM, WHICH BRINGS UP, UH, SOMETHING THAT, UH, I SPOKE WITH, UH, UH, MR. BECK ABOUT, UH, WAS WHETHER WE NEED A, SO WORKING GROUPS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR A LIMITED TIME, NOT PERMANENT.
UM, SO I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, IS WHETHER THERE'S SOME OF THESE C CURRENTLY THAT THERE IS NOT A NEED FOR ANYMORE.
I THINK, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE AQUATICS WORKING GROUP WAS MEANT TO ADDRESS THE LIFEGUARD ISSUE FROM YEARS PAST THAT HOPEFULLY HAVE BEEN RESOLVED MOVING FORWARD.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A NEED FOR THAT ANYMORE.
UM, I CAN SPEAK TO THE HOMELESSNESS WORKING GROUP BACK IN DECEMBER.
UM, I TOLD MY COUNCILWOMAN THAT, UH, I HAD SPENT I GUESS FIVE MONTHS AT THAT POINT DOING IT AND THAT THE, WE DIDN'T NEED TO KEEP IT GOING ON THE BOARD, SO SHE WANTED TO TURN IT INTO SOMETHING ELSE, A COUNCIL APPOINTED GROUP.
AND, UM, SHE UPDATED ME IN MARCH.
SO WE'RE TRYING, I GUESS WE CAN TAKE IT OFF OF HERE.
LET ME, I'M MEETING WITH HER NEXT IN A FEW WEEKS AND I'LL TRY TO GET CLARIFICATION ON WHAT SHE WANTS.
UM, CUZ IT WAS, IT WAS PRETTY ROBUST AND EVEN THE MAYOR WAS ASKING FOR UPDATES ON THAT.
SO, SO IS THE, IS THE HOMELESSNESS WORKING GROUP, WAS THAT CREATED FROM US OR WAS THAT CREATED BY COUNCIL? IT WAS CREATED, UH, BY US, BUT YEAH, LAST AUGUST AT OUR BOARD MEETING, UM, I, I SAID I'M INTERESTED IN STARTING A WORKING GROUP ON HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO CATHERINE AND RICK AT THE TIME, UM, JOINED IN AND WE HAD SEVERAL STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I STILL AM VERY INVOLVED WITH ALL OF THEM.
BUT IT'S, SO I WONDER, YEAH, I WONDER IF IT WOULD BE OKAY WITH US DISSOLVING THE GROUP AND THEN WHENEVER YOU TALK WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, IF WE JUST CREATE A NEW WORKING GROUP WITH A NEW NAME, WITH A NEW PURPOSE.
AND THEN, UH, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, UM, IS THE ZILKER PARK DIVISION PLAN WORKING GROUP GROUP, I THINK THAT'S NOT ONE OF OUR WORKING GROUPS.
IS IS, IS IT, IS THAT OUR, IS THAT A, IS THAT A BOARD GROUP OR IS THAT A GROUP MADE OF OTHER, UH, COM COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS? THAT'S A, THAT THAT I THINK THAT THAT'S A PART OF, I THOUGHT EVERY, EVERY BOARD HAD A LITTLE, I DON'T KNOW.
I'VE ONLY BEEN TO ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS CUZ THEY HAVEN'T HAD A MEETING IN LIKE A YEAR.
SO AT LEAST NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
SO, UM, I KNOW I WAS, THERE WERE THREE OF US ON OUR BOARD THAT WERE A PART OF THAT.
WELL, MAYBE, UM, IF YOU COULD FOR ME, FOR LIKE NEXT MEETING, FIGURE OUT WHETHER WE STILL NEED TO KEEP IT ON THE AGENDA YEAH.
OR, AND THEN KIND OF GO FROM THERE.
SO I GUESS FOR THIS, FOR THIS GO AROUND, I'M WONDERING IF WE, DO WE, DO I, DO WE NEED TO ADD THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM OR CAN WE DISSOLVE, LIKE HOW, WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE MECHANISM? I, IF THERE HAVEN'T BEEN SUBSTANTIVE UPDATES ON A WORKING GROUP AND LIKE, LET'S SAY THREE MONTHS, I THINK CITY COURT COULD BE FINE WITH US JUST QUIETLY DISSOLVING THEM.
IF THE BORDER WON TAKES SOME MORE FORMAL ACTION, Y'ALL CERTAINLY COULD AS WELL.
WELL, JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, WE'RE, I GUESS MOVING FORWARD, UM, I, I, I I WOULD JUST FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE TAKING ACTION.
UM, I MOVE TO DISSOLVE THE HOMELESSNESS WORKING GROUP IN THE NARCOTICS WORKING GROUP.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, OKAY, SO THAT'S EVERYTHING.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, UM, THAT WE HAVE, UH, THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? PARTICULARLY FOR THE JULY MEETING? ONE MORE, ONE MORE THING.AND THIS IS ALONG THE WORKING GROUP LINE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER ADDING A ZUKA PARK SHUTTLE WORKING GROUP.
AND I TALKED WITH BOARD MEMBER BECKER ABOUT THIS, THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE, UM, SOME OF US ACTUALLY DELVING INTO THIS, DOING SOME COMMUNICATION WITH THE DIFFERENT TRANSPORTATION, UM, ASPECTS OF THIS, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
SO IF IT'S POSSIBLE, IT'S A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO, TO, UM, CREATE A ZILKER PARK SHUTTLE WORKING GROUP.
CAN WE ADD THAT TO THE JULY TO CREATE THAT, UH, WORKING GROUP? SO FOR JULY, WE HAVE THE RECOMMENDATION BY BOARD MEMBER REED.
WAS THERE ONE MORE THING FOR FUTURE? I DON'T KNOW.
I'M, AND IS THERE ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS? ANYONE LIKE TO ADD? THE HUNGER? UH,
UM, AT THIS TIME IT IS 9:36 PM AND I AM ADJOURNING THE, UH, REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
[03:35:11]
IF I.