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[CALL TO ORDER ]
AUGUST 7TH, UH, 6:50 PM WE ARE AT CITY HALL.I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO ORDER.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.UH, WE HAVE ONE SIGN UP HERE, UH, FROM MR. AARON LACK.
UH, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL MUSICIANS UNION, A F M 4 33.
LET'S SEE, UH, AT A TIME WHEN OUR COUNTRY IS FACED WITH STAVING OFF THE EXPANSION OF POPULISM, NATIONALISM, AND RACISM AT SYSTEMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL LEVELS.
OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION ON THE TOPIC OF DEMOCRACY IS CRUCIAL.
UH, PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UM, AND ALSO LOCAL UNIONS IS THE BEST WAY TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AND PERSPECTIVE ON HOW DEMOCRACY ACTUALLY WORKS IN PRACTICE.
UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE WHO ARE SERVING ON THE COMMISSION AND, AND THOSE WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING TONIGHT.
UH, OUR LOCAL MUSICIANS UNION MEETINGS USE A VERY SIMILAR, UH, PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE TO THIS MEETING, UH, WITH SLIGHTLY LESS RESTRICTIVE STANDING RULES FOR SPEAKING.
UH, AS ATTENDANCE AT UNION MEETINGS, OF COURSE, IS MORE LIMITED, UM, THE WAGES AND WORKING, WORKING CONDITIONS THAT ARE IMPROVED THROUGH PROMULGATED AGREEMENTS AND NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS, IMPROVE THE DIGNITY AND WORKING LIVES OF ALL MUSICIANS.
I INVITE EVERYONE WHO IS WORKING IN MUSIC TO JOIN YOUR UNION, THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS.
UH, WE HAVE CONTACT SHEETS AND UNION MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS HERE AT THE MEETING, UH, TONIGHT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES.IF EVERYBODY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES FROM, UH, THE LAST COMMISSION MEETING FROM THE JULY MEETING, UH, PLEASE.
UM, UM, ALL IN FAVOR, COMMISSIONER MAHON, ARE YOU ABSTAINING? WELCOME BACK.
THE MOTION PASSES WITH THE SEVEN COMMISSIONERS IN FAVOR.
[2. Chair's Report on musician fair pay council resolution for city-sponsored events. ]
UM, AGENDA ITEM, UH, UNDER DISCUSSION ITEMS IS CHASE REPORT ON MUSICIAN FAIR PAY COUNCIL RESOLUTION FOR CITY, UH, SPONSORED EVENTS.UH, I MIGHT REQUEST A CORRECTION HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A PARTICULAR DIFFERENCE, BUT SPONSORED OR COMMISSIONED, UH, MEAN THE SAME.
UH, BEFORE THAT, UH, THERE HAS BEEN A DIFFERENT, A CHANGE IN TEMPLATE, UM, ON HOW WE ARE NOW ALLOWED BY THE CITY TO, UM, QUALIFY, UH, ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA, WHETHER THEY GO UNDER DISCUSSION ITEMS ONLY OR GO UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UH, AND I HAVE A REQUEST FOR KIM, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UH, JUST QUICKLY UPDATE THE COMMISSION ON, ON THE CHANGES.
I'M ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF WITH MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION.
AND, UH, THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN THE PAST.
WE, WE HAVE, UH, PUT DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION IN ANTICIPATION THAT THERE MIGHT BE ACTION ON AN ITEM, BUT MAYBE NOT KNOWING WHAT THAT ACTION IS.
BUT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE NOTICE THAT WE CAN NO LONGER DO THAT.
SO YOU'LL SEE A CHANGE IN YOUR AGENDA FROM TODAY FORWARD THAT, UM, IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT A POSSIBLE ACTION MIGHT BE AND WE CAN'T TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT THAT IS, THEN WE HAVE TO JUST PUT IT UNDER DISCUSSION TOPICS, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY TAKE A VOTE ON THAT ACTION ON, ON THAT ITEM.
IT WOULD ONLY BE IN DISCUSSION.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO MOVE IT TO THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MONTH AND PUT IT UNDER DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION AND EXPLAIN AND THEN DESCRIBE WHAT THAT ACTION MIGHT BE.
SO THAT'S WHY A LOT OF THE, THE ITEMS THAT WE HAD FROM THE LAST MONTH, YOU'LL NOTICE HAVE BEEN CARRIED OVER AS DISCUSSION ONLY ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA.
SO THIS WAS A CHANGE THAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE ASKED US TO MAKE WHEN WE POSTED THE AGENDA.
UM, THEY WOULD ASK US TO PLEASE TAKE IT DOWN AND, AND TO REDO IT THIS WAY, UM, AND REPOST IT, WHICH WE DID.
UM, BUT THEY WILL LOOK MORE LIKE THIS GOING FORWARD.
BUT LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S NO LONGER ANY MORE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
IT'S JUST DISCUSSION AND, AND ACTION, BASICALLY.
SO THERE'LL BE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
SO, UM, BY THE WAY, THIS AFFECTS ALL COMMISSIONS ACROSS THE
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BOARD, NOT JUST THE MUSIC COMMISSION, BUT THIS AFFECTS EVERYBODY.AND, UH, THERE, THERE IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO ALL COMMISSIONS THAT THIS IS THE WAY THAT THINGS ARE GONNA GO, UH, GOING FORWARD.
BUT YOU CAN HAVE DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE ONE AGENDA ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY IS THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FAIR PAY, BECAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS YOU HAVE ALREADY PUT OUT THERE TO THE PUBLIC SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THE ACTION MIGHT BE THAT YOU'RE GONNA TAKE A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT.
SO THAT'S NOT, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, NOT, THIS IS VERY TRANSPARENT.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE OTHER ITEMS WERE DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION WITHOUT DEFINING WHAT THAT ACTION MIGHT BE.
SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A MYSTERY WHAT Y'ALL MIGHT VOTE ON.
SO THEREFORE, THEIR DISCUSSION ONLY ITEMS. OKAY.
UM, YEAH, WE'LL TRY TO GET MORE SPECIFIC AS WE GO ALONG TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS CORRECTLY.
YES, COMMISSIONER, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, SO JUST, I JUST WANNA USE, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMETHING THAT WAS, THAT WE PASSED RECENTLY, WHICH WAS THE BROKEN SPOKE, UH, HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION.
SO WE HAD A, WE HAD THAT UNDER AS AN ACTION ITEM, AND THEN WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BROKEN SPOKE, AND THEN WE MADE A MOTION, UH, ON THE COMMISSION TO APP, UM, RECOMMEND HISTORIC DESIGNATION, BUT WE HAD NOT POSTED IN THE BACKUP, UH, THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD RECOMMEND THAT.
SO DO WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT, THAT DOCUMENT POSTED ALONG BY THE AGENDA DEADLINE OR THAT, THAT MAY BE A QUESTION.
THAT'S PROBABLY A QUESTION FOR THE CLERK'S OFFICE, BUT I'M JUST, 'CAUSE I, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RECENT, UM, ISSUE WITH ANOTHER COMMISSION WHERE THE, THE ACTION ITEM HADN'T BEEN POSTED IN TIME FOR THE REALLY THE COMMISSIONERS TO READ IT.
AND SO I'M WONDERING LIKE WHAT THAT DEADLINE IS.
IS IT MY UNDER HANDOUTS AT THE MEETING OR IS IT THE DAY BEFORE? OR WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF YOU GUYS WANT TO WRITE THE RECOMMENDATION WHILE YOU'RE SITTING HERE ON THE DAIS AND WRITE OUT WHAT THOSE WORDS ARE GONNA SAY, YOU CAN DO THAT.
I THINK AS LONG AS THE AGENDA ITEM ITSELF TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, LET'S JUST MAKE IT UP AN EXAMPLE DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON X, Y, Z TO ACCOMPLISH THIS OR TO SUPPORT THAT, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S AN ACTION VERB IN THERE, RIGHT? THAT SAYS WHAT YOU WOULD BE DOING.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE COMING TO THE TABLE AND YOU DON'T KNOW YET YOU'RE GONNA SUPPORT THIS OR NOT SUPPORT IT MM-HMM.
I THINK THAT'S THE DISTINCTION.
BUT I WILL ALSO DOUBLE CHECK WITH FOR CLARITY WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE TOO.
AND IF I FIND OUT ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY, I'LL LET Y'ALL KNOW FOR SURE.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY KIM IS SUCH A GREAT LIAISON.
SHE DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF KEEPING US ON TRACK AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE ON OUR AGENDA.
SO THIS, THIS ISSUE THAT AROSE IS NOT OUR, OUR COMMISSION OPERATES REALLY WELL THANKS TO KIM, AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION ON THE KIND OF THE TIGHTENING UP OF THE RULES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KIM BEFORE WE MOVE ON? I DO HAVE ONE QUICK ONE.
SO, UH, IF, IF THERE IS, UM, IF WE ARE WORKING ON AN ITEM AND IT FEELS LIKE WE AREN'T AT A PLACE THAT THAT WAS LISTED AS AN ACTION ITEM, BUT IT FEELS LIKE BY THAT TIME WE'RE NOT AT A PLACE WHERE WE DO WANNA TAKE A VOTE ON THAT ITEM, IS IT STILL POSSIBLE FOR US TO DEFER THAT ACTION FOR THE FU A FUTURE MEETING? LIKE DO WE, DO WE HAVE TO VOTE ON SOMETHING IF IT'S LISTED AS AN ACTION ITEM, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M SAYING? NO, YOU DON'T.
IF, IF IT'S LISTED AS POSSIBLE ACTION, YOU DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON IT IF Y'ALL DON'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT OR, YEAH.
IT, IT IS JUST THE DISTINCTION OF EITHER YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING OR YOU'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING WITH THE IDEA THAT YOU, THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA ACT ON.
SO THE MAIN CHANGE THAT NEEDS TO COME FROM OUR END IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT THAT HAS POSSIBLE ACTION, WE NEED TO SAY WHAT THAT POSSIBLE ACTION MIGHT BE IN THE AGENDA ITEM.
[3. Live Music Fund update by Erica Shamaly, Division Manager, Music & Entertainment Division, Economic Development Department. ]
ON TO THE, UH, FIRST ITEM UNDER DISCUSSION ITEMS CHASE REPORT ON MUSICIAN FAIR PAY COUNCIL RESOLUTION FOR CITY SPONSORED EVENTS.I QUICKLY, UH, WANTED TO JUST, UH, MAKE THE COMMISSION AND EVERYONE AWARE, AND, UH, I'M SURE A LOT OF YOU'RE ALREADY AWARE, UH, THAT, UH, THE CITY, UH, PASS RESOLUTION STANDARDIZING THE MUSICIAN PAY RATE FOR CITY SPONSORED EVENTS OR CITY COMMISSIONED EVENTS,
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UM, COMMISSIONED EVENTS IS THE RIGHT WORD.THAT WAS THE
SO, UM, AND I JUST QUICKLY WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, WE ARE AT THE COMMISSION OF COURSE, VERY THRILLED THAT THIS HAPPENED.
UH, IF WE RECALL BACK IN MARCH, 2022, UH, THIS AUSTIN MUSIC COMMISSION HAD PASSED A RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDING THAT THE HOURLY RATE FOR CITY MUSICAL PERFORMANCES INCREASED TO $200 PER HOUR PER MUSICIAN.
AND, UM, UM, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER'S OFFICE WHO SPONSORED THIS AND, UH, ALL THE OTHER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SUPPORTED, UH, THIS ACTION AT THE JULY COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, THE RATE WAS SET AT, UM, A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER HOUR IN 2012.
UH, IT WAS INCREASED TO ONE 50 IN, UM, 2016.
AND, UH, NOW AS PART OF THIS RECOMMENDATION, UH, THE CITY HAS ASKED, UH, THAT FOR CITY, UH, MUSIC PERFORMANCES, UH, BE COMPENSATED AT NO LESS THAN $200 PER MUSICIAN FOR GROUPS OF UP TO SIX PEOPLE.
UM, ONE 50 PER MUSICIAN FOR GROUPS BETWEEN SEVEN AND 10 PEOPLE, AND 1500 TOTAL FOR GROUPS OF MUSICIANS OF 10 OR MORE.
THIS MUSICIAN PAY RATE IS TO BE USED BY ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS DIRECTLY HIRING MUSICIANS AND FOR AWARDS FOR LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE FROM THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, UH, THE FUNDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE HOT TAXES, THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMISSION SHOULD REGULARLY REVIEW THE MUSICIAN PAY RATE FOR FUTURE ADJUSTMENTS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CONSIDER THE TOTALITY OF COMPENSATION AND PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS FANTASTIC NEWS.
UH, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT GESTURE FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, IN, UH, IN, IN SHOWING THE VALUE THAT THE CITY PLACES, UM, ON, ON MUSICIANS, UH, THAT LIVE AND WORK HERE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ONE NUANCE BETWEEN THE MUSIC COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AND THIS RESOLUTION THAT THE COUNCIL PASSED IN JULY THIS YEAR, IS THAT THE PER HOUR CLAUSE HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT.
SO THERE COULD BE A SCENARIO WHERE IF AN ONE, AN ENTITY, UH, A CITY, CITY DEPARTMENT, LIKE AIRPORT OR ANYBODY ELSE IS, LET'S JUST, UM, HYPOTHETICALLY LET'S SAY, UH, A GIG AT THE AIRPORT IS PAYING, UH, $75 PER 50 MINUTE SET, AND THERE ARE TWO SETS THAT A MUSICIAN PLAYS AS PART OF THAT PERFORMANCE, UH, THAT AMOUNTS THROUGH 150, THAT WILL NOW INCREASE TO 200 FOR THE TWO 50 MINUTE SETS.
THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING RIGHT NOW, UH, BECAUSE THE PER HOUR CLAUSE, AS YOU SEE, IS NOT THERE IN THE, IN THE, UH, IN THE RESOLUTION.
THAT SAID, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THERE ARE GONNA BE A LOT OF PERFORMANCES THAT ARE WITHIN THAT, WITHIN THE ONE HOUR LIMIT, AND THIS WOULD STILL TRANSLATE VERY WELL REGARDLESS.
WE ARE, AGAIN, VERY, VERY THRILLED THAT, UH, THIS, THIS HAS BEEN, UH, UH, THIS ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY COUNSEL.
ANY, UH, COMMENTS, UH, ON THIS TOPIC BEFORE OUR DISCUSSION? ONE, ONE THING I, I DO WANT TO, UM, YEAH, ONE THING I DO WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT, UM, UH, UH, IT WAS, UH, UM, AARON LACK THAT, UM, BASICALLY, UH, WAS, WAS, WAS OPPOSED TO THIS GOING TO, UM, FOR THE INCREASE.
AND, AND THAT WAS ONLY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT, UM, THERE WAS, THERE'S THE STEP INCREASE IN THERE THAT THAT LIMITS THE, UH, ABILITY FOR BIGGER BANS AND EVERYTHING TO GET PAID.
AND SO IN GOOD FAITH WITH THE UNION WITH A F M I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REVISIT THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE NOT JU FUTURE AND KIND OF, UM, LOOK AT HOW TO POSSIBLY SQUARE THE CIRCLE ON THAT.
AND, UH, UM, MR. BLACK AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING I THINK WE CAN GET FURTHER CLARIFICATION ON.
ON IS, UH, WHEN, WHAT IS THE DEADLINE BY WHICH THIS BECOMES, UH, UH, UH, A LAW, YOU KNOW, IS IT, IS IT AUTOMATIC? IS THERE FURTHER ACTION THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN ON THIS FRONT? AND YES.
UH, ALONG WITH, UH, THE PERIOD DIFFERENCE? YES, THERE IS ALSO THE FACT, WHAT YOU'RE POINTING OUT THAT IT DOESN'T STATE THAT 200 OR ONE 50 IS A MINIMUM.
SO THAT DOES RAISE THE QUESTION.
CAN WE, CAN THE CITY DEPARTMENT, UH, ERICA, DO YOU HAVE, UH, A RESPONSE TO THAT? THANK YOU.
HELLO, ERICA SHANLEY MUSIC AND OUR ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MANAGER WITH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, FIRST WANNA JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT ANY PERFORMANCES THAT E D D WILL BE COMMISSIONING OR PAYING FOR WILL STILL BE THE $200 PER MUSICIAN PER HOUR AS PART OF OUR JUST REGULAR PROGRAM WE'VE BEEN DOING SINCE LAST JANUARY.
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RESOLUTION, IT SAYS NO LESS THAN, WHICH IS THE SAME, UH, AS I SEE A MINIMUM.SO THESE AREN'T, LIKE, YOU AREN'T REQUIRED TO ONLY PAY THIS IF THE GUARANTEE IS, IS MORE EXP IS MORE THAN WHAT THE MINIMUM IS STANDARD IS IN THE RESOLUTION, THAT'S JUST FINE.
THESE ARE JUST SETTING OUT MINIMUM STANDARDS AS A, AS A WAY FOR THERE TO BE KIND OF A, A ROADMAP, YOU KNOW, AS THIS IS OUR MINIMUM, UH, IN TERMS OF PER HOUR.
MY ASSUMPTION IS, IS THAT MOST DEPARTMENTS WOULD LOOK AT THAT IF YOU'RE DOING A THREE HOUR PERFORMANCE, IT'S NOT A SET RATE.
UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING, THAT'S A GOOD POINT TO BRING, YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO GET SOME RESOLUTION ON THAT JUST SO THAT IT'S VERY CLEAR.
BUT AS FAR AS ED D IS CONCERNED, WE'RE CONTINUING THE PER HOUR RATE.
ANYTHING ELSE, UH, FROM THE COMMISSIONERS ON THIS TOPIC? THANK YOU.
UH, YOU SAID THERE'S, UH, YOU SAID THAT THERE WAS MONEY THAT WAS GONNA BE TAKEN FROM THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.
IS THERE LIKE A BUDGET OR A TOTAL AMOUNT, UM, FOR THAT, OR HOW IS THAT BEING TAKEN FROM THE LIVE MUSIC FUND? UM, THESE ARE ACTUALLY FOR THE GRANTS OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.
SO ANYONE WHO WAS AWARDED A GRANT THAT INCLUDES GUARANTEES FOR PERFORMANCES, THEY HAVE TO PAY THE RATE.
UM, AND SO IF IT'S, AGAIN, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION ABOUT HOW THIS RESOLUTION READS OUR INTENT WAS, AND IT SAYS IT IN THE GUIDELINES, $200 PER MUSICIAN PER HOUR, BUT WHICH IS, UH, DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE RESOLUTION SAYS.
UH, AND SO WE'LL WORK THAT OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF WHAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
COMMISSIONER ROSENTHAL, YOU HAVE SOMETHING? NO.
UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE ON THE AGENDA UNDER DISCUSSION ITEMS, LIVE MUSIC FUND UPDATE, BARIKA SHAMALI.
UM, I THINK, UH, KIM, YOU'RE GOING TO PRESENT HERE, UM, ON THIS TOPIC.
UH, SORRY, CAN I, CAN I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, THAT WE MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE? DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THAT OR DO WE WANNA WAIT? UH, IS THERE, THERE IS A MOTION TO MOVE, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE TO THE TOP OF, UH, TO, TO THE CURRENT DISCUSSION ITEM.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND AND WE CAN OPEN THIS UP A BIT FOR DISCUSSION IF ANYBODY WANTS TO, UM, UH, SPEAK ON IT BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE? YEAH.
UM, LAST MONTH WE WENT DIRECTLY TO THIS AND WE PUT OFF OUR, OUR ENTIRE AGENDA.
UH, I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT DOES NOT, THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.
I FEEL LIKE, UM, THE, WE'VE ALREADY PUT THINGS OFF FOR, UM, UH, SOME, SOME THINGS OFF FOR MONTH.
I MEAN, IF WE WANNA ZIP THROUGH ALL OF THESE, THAT'S, THAT'S NICE, BUT I'M, WE DID THAT LAST MONTH, SO I, I WOULD BE AGAINST THAT, UH, SUGGESTION.
UH, IS THERE, UH, LET ME QUICKLY ASK, IS THERE A SECOND ON FROM ANYBODY ON THIS BEFORE WE, YOU HAVE A POINT DISCUSS THIS? OKAY.
THE MOTION DOESN'T HAVE A SECOND.
SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA AS IT IS, UH, LIVE MUSIC FUND UPDATE FROM, UH, ERICA, UM, BEING PRESENTED BY KIM.
HELLO, KIM, MCC CARSON, PROGRAM MANAGER WITH MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, UH, ALRIGHT, YOU CAN NEXT PAGE.
UM, AND THE JUNE REPORT IS 490 2004 95 INTO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.
SO THAT'S YOUR TOP NUMBER IN THE COLUMN THERE.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S ALL COLOR CODED.
OCTOBER BEING THE ONE AT THE BOTTOM.
THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.
AND THEN EVERY MONTH YOU, NOVEMBER IS ORANGE, DECEMBER IS GRAY, IT'S A TINY LITTLE LINE.
JANUARY IS YELLOW, FEBRUARY IS BLUE, ET CETERA, UNTIL YOU GET TO THIS SORT OF, I THINK IT'S A KIND OF A MOSS COLOR AT THE TOP.
AND THAT REPRESENTS THE 492, 4 95.
SO THE YEAR END ESTIMATE IS THE SAME NUMBER THAT YOU'VE SEEN, UH, THE YEAR TO DATE ENCUMBRANCES 3 MILLION 334, 967.
AND, UH, THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, I THINK IS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT NUMBER THAN THE ONE YOU HAD BEFORE, BUT IT'S 2 MILLION 954 9 67.
DOES EVERYBODY LIKE THIS PRESENTATION, BY THE WAY? IT'S A DIFFERENT THAN THE OLD WAY WITH THE, THE GRID AND EVERYTHING.
IS THIS EASIER TO, TO GET THE NUMBERS? YEAH.
BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO MARCH? UM, YEAH, MARCH IS THAT SKINNY LITTLE LINE.
IT'S A LITTLE BITTY GREEN LINE BETWEEN, UH, FEBRUARY
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THERE AND APRIL.SO THAT KIND OF MIDDLE BLUE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COLUMN AND THAT DARK BLUE.
SO APRIL IS ACTUALLY WHAT HAPPENED IN MARCH, BUT IT DOESN'T GET REPORTED, YOU KNOW, FOR 30 DAYS OR WHATEVER.
IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET THAT, THOSE NUMBERS IN.
SO ALL THAT, ALL THAT MONEY THAT YOU SEE IN APRIL, APRIL'S A BIG, HUGE, DARK BLUE.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN MARCH.
THAT'S YOUR SOUTH BY, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
YEAH, BUT I'M, I'M JUST WONDERING, OKAY, SO IF APRIL IS, APRIL COLLECTIONS ARE BASED ON THE ACTIVITY IN MARCH, RIGHT? RIGHT.
THE MARCH COLLECTIONS WOULD BE BASED ON THE ACTIVITY OF FEBRUARY.
AND THERE'S ONLY $5,000 OF, THERE'S THAT TINY LITTLE BITTY GREEN LINE RIGHT UNDERNEATH, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN EVEN SEE IT, THAT'S FOR MARCH.
BUT THIS IS ACTIVITY FROM BEFORE THAT.
BUT THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE, UH, I'M JUST SAYING I DON'T BELIEVE THAT $5,500 NUMBER BECAUSE RIGHT.
WE'RE SEEING, UH, A HUNDRED TIMES AS MUCH.
I MEAN, I, I RE I REALIZE THAT THAT SOUTH BY IS, IS BIGGER THAN THAN FEBRUARY, BUT IT'S NOT A HUNDRED TIMES BIGGER.
SO I I'M, OH, THE, THE $5,000 NUMBER IS DECEMBER.
SO THE 5,509, THAT'S DECEMBER, CAN, YOU CAN, IT'S ABOVE THE ORANGE OF, BETWEEN THE ORANGE AND THE YELLOW.
BUT I'M JUST, THAT, THAT DOESN'T SMELL RIGHT TO ME.
JUST LOOK, JUST MAYBE THERE'S A WAY THAT I CAN, I'LL PLAY WITH THE GRAPH AND SEE IF I CAN MAKE THAT EASIER TO READ.
IT'S JUST LIKE, IT SEEMS REALLY SMALL THOUGH.
SO, UM, SO THE OCTOBER NUMBER, DOES IT STILL KIND THEN, DOES THAT REFLECT LIKE AN A C L MONTH? IS THAT AN UPTICK FROM A C L? WOULD YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT INTO THAT? NO, I DON'T HAVE INSIGHTS ON SPECIFIC.
SO THAT'S BEEN A BIG BUMP THAT WE ARE SEEING.
WE ARE SEEING ONE IN MARCH AND THEN, AND THEN, UH, THEN, THEN THE ONE ABOVE, UH, AT THE VERY TOP, THAT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER TOO.
THAT SAME OCTOBER WOULD BE SEPTEMBER IN NOVEMBER NUMBERS.
WHICH, WHY I'M ASKING WHAT IT IS.
HOW COME? SO I, I DO LIKE, I BELIEVE THE LOGIC, UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE SOURCES OF WHERE WE ARE GETTING, UM, OUR TAXES FROM AND THE BUMPS IN THEM.
AND, AND KIM, I DO LIKE THE FORMAT AND OKAY.
BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD FORMAT, IT MAKES ME LOOK AT IT AND SAY, HEY, THIS DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT.
SO THAT'S, I I LIKE THE FORMAT.
I JUST DON'T LIKE THE NUMBERS.
I'D BE HAPPY TO GO BACK AND I'D BE HAPPY TO GO BACK AND RECHECK THE NUMBERS FOR YOU AND JUST DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING.
HOPE, REV, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS IN MARCH, IT'S REPORTED AND IT'S COLLECTED 30 DAYS LATER.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S ALWAYS A JUMP.
AND SO WHEN YOU SEE OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN FROM NOVEMBER.
AND OF COURSE THAT'S A LOW, WE CALL THAT THE SHOULDER SEASON.
SO ALL THOSE MONTHS ARE TYPICALLY LOW.
AND I CAN SEND YOU THE LINK TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FINANCIAL WEBSITE THAT EXPLAINS THE COLLECTIONS FOR YOU.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? UH, UH, COMMISSIONER? YEAH.
I HAD JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, OKAY.
SO THE, THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET, THIS IS BASICALLY ALL THE LIVE MUSIC FUND GRANTS, CORRECT? THE, THE 2.9 MILLION, UH, FOR FISCAL YEAR 23.
SO IS ALL OF THAT, ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND IN A SECOND? WE'LL PUT THE NUMBERS BACK UP HERE SO I CAN FOLLOW.
SO STARTING ON THE FAR LEFT, THE, SO FISCAL YEAR 23 AMENDED BUDGET, UH, 2,000,954.
THAT'S, THAT BASICALLY IS, THAT'S ALL LIVE MUSIC FUND GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION.
WELL, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT'S WHAT'S BEEN APPROVED, RIGHT? YEAH.
THEN YOUR NEXT NUMBER IS JUNE.
UH, JUST WHAT WAS COLLECTED FOR JUNE, WHICH IS AS S WAS JUST EXPLAINING, IS ACTUALLY THERE'S A LAG.
I MEAN, UH, SORRY, MAY AND, UH, THE NEXT NUMBER FISCAL YEAR TO DATE WITH ENCUMBRANCES.
SO THIS IS THE WHOLE TOTAL OF THAT WHOLE COLUMN THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WITH ALL THE COLORS IN IT.
SO THAT'S THE, THE GRAND TOTAL.
AND THEN THE, THE YEAR END ESTIMATE IS THE 4 MILLION NUMBER ON THE FAR RIGHT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING TO GET FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.
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CAN SOME, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, UM, AN ENCUMBRANCE IS.COULD THAT TERM BE
SO ENCUMBRANCE IS THE AMOUNT THAT'S DESIGNATED FOR THAT FUND.
SO AS A REMINDER FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 2022 THROUGH SEPTEMBER IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA COLLECT AND THEN SPEND IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, AS YOU MAY RECALL, WE DECIDE TO SPEND ACTUALS.
AND SO ALL OF THIS IS BEING COLLECTED AND IF YOU LOOK IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE NEXT YEAR'S AMOUNT ALLOCATED THAT WE ESTIMATE SPENDING.
WHICH IS THE PROPOSED ALLOCATION IS FOR NEXT, FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 IS HIGHER THAN 23.
RIGHT NOW WE SHOW 5.2, BUT REMEMBER WE ARE BRINGING IN VENUES NEXT YEAR.
SO IT'S A LITTLE HIGHER THAN WHAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR.
AS WELL AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
AND SO ONCE YOU ALL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF YOUR GUIDELINES AND, UM, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO, THEN WE CAN THEN DETERMINE WHAT WILL GO FOR VENUES, ET CETERA, AS WELL AS ADMIN.
AND SO ALL THE, SO THE FISCAL YEAR STARTS OCTOBER 1ST, CORRECT? YES.
SO, UM, IS THE GOAL TO DISPERSE ALL OF THIS YEAR'S LIVE MUSIC FUND BUDGET BEFORE OCTOBER 1ST? AND YES.
I BELIEVE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE GRANTS.
IT WASN'T ON THE, OH, WAS THAT NOT A CARRYOVER? IT WAS, UM, WELL, IT WAS ALL RIGHT.
IF IT'S NOT, WE'LL BRING IT BACK NEXT TIME.
SO WE'LL BRING THAT BACK NEXT MONTH AND WE SHOULD HAVE DISPERSED FUNDS BY THEN.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE OUR DASHBOARDS AND ALL THAT INFORMATION.
BUT REMEMBER UNTIL WE GET THE FINAL REPORTS, WE WANT SHOW THE EFFECTIVENESS ACROSS THE ECOSYSTEM MM-HMM.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE ALL OF THAT AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM.
AND THE, THE $4 MILLION NUMBER AND THE FINAL COLUMN IS THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE ESTIMATE WE WILL HAVE COLLECTED BY SEPTEMBER 30TH.
AND DOES THAT INCLUDE, DOES THAT HAVE THE BUDGET TAKEN OUT FOR THE LIVE MUSIC FUND OR IS THAT, IS IT NO, THAT IS JUST WHAT IS COLLECTED FOR 23.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA SPEND, OKAY.
SO WE CAN GET YOU THE BUDGET PAGES BECAUSE ESTIMATED AT THE END OF F Y 24, WE HAVE A $5 MILLION BALANCE.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS CARING, RIGHT.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA SPEND ACTUALS.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I LIKE BOTH, BOTH THE CHARTS ACTUALLY.
I THINK THIS IS GREAT TO SEE, I MEAN, THIS IS VERY INTERESTING TO SEE MONTHLY IMPACT AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT WAS SPENT TO BREAK IT DOWN.
BUT I, I LIKE SEEING ALL THE, HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THE BANK AND HOW MUCH WAS BROUGHT IN.
IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO BOTH, IT'S HELPFUL TO ME.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS FEEL, BUT, ALRIGHT.
ONE QUESTION, MS. HOL, MS. HOL WRAP, UH, CAN YOU, UH, JUST REAL QUICK EXPLAIN THE, THE SHOULDER SEASONS AGAIN? I JUST, I JUST WANT TO KINDA GET MORE OF A, OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT AND UH, I'M GONNA DATE, I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT MYSELF, SO NO, IT'S OKAY.
WE STARTED COINING THAT TERM PROBABLY MY EARLIER YEARS IN OH NINE WHEN I STARTED.
AND IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE AS MANY ROBUST ACTIVITIES.
SO LIKE YOUR NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, AND JANUARY.
BUT EVEN NOW THAT'S PICKING UP BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO COME HERE FOR CHRISTMAS.
SO WE ARE SEEING A LITTLE UPTICK, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE CALL THAT SHOULDER SEASON BETWEEN, UH, YOUR FOOTBALL, YOUR FALL, AND THEN YOUR SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON.
AND SO WE CALL THAT SHOULDER SEASON.
AND AND THAT'S, SO THAT'S A TERM WE COINED.
I'M ACTUALLY, I'M SURPRISED THAT THERE'S NOT LIKE A, LIKE A SHOULDER SEASON IN THE SUMMER KIND OF A LITTLE BIT TOO.
UH, I MEAN I'M JUST, I DON'T KNOW.
'CAUSE WE HAVE HOT SUMMER NIGHTS AND ALL THAT AND EVERYTHING 'CAUSE NEVERMIND.
UM, WELL KIND OF RIFFING OFF THAT I, HAVE WE EVER ALONG WITH THIS BUDGET, UM, MONTHLY DESIGNATION ASSOCIATED THE ACTIVITIES OF AUSTIN.
SO SOME OF THE KEY ACTIVITIES, SO WE CAN JUST ANALYZE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE HOTELS ARE FILLED.
SO WHEN THE PROJECTIONS ARE DEVELOPED, IT'S DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT WE KNOW IS COMING.
SO THERE'S STANDARDS, YOU HAVE FOOTBALL SEASON, YOU HAVE YOUR SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON, BUT IF THERE ARE BIG CONVENTIONS THAT WE WEREN'T ANTICIPATING, ALL OF THAT IS BUILT INTO THE PROJECTION.
[00:30:01]
AS WELL AS THE CONVENTION CENTER, THEY WORK VERY DILIGENTLY TO ANALYZE WHO'S COMING AND WHAT AND THE RATES OF THE HOTELS.THAT ALSO IMPACTS, I WONDER ALLOWED IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR OUR COMMISSION TO SEE WHAT THESE ACTIVITIES ARE IN OUR ECOSYSTEM AS TO WHAT'S GENERATING MONEY ASSOCIATED WITH THESE SPECIFIC MONTHS.
IS THAT POSSIBLE TO, NOT EVERY SINGLE EVENT, BUT JUST SOME OF THE LARGER CONFERENCES.
LIKE IF WE COULD COMPARE, CONTRAST, SOME OF THAT INFO.
LET ME, UH, TALK WITH, UH, VISIT AUSTIN AS WELL AS THE CONVENTION CENTER.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT STANDARD IS YOUR FALL, YOUR F ONE, YOUR FOOTBALL SEASON, UM, CONCERTS.
AND THEN OF COURSE MAJOR SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON THAT STARTS WITH SOUTH BY, GOES THROUGH TEXAS RELAYS AND THEN MM-HMM.
AND SO A GOOD IDEA IS EVEN LOOKING AT VISIT AUSTIN'S WEBSITE BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE DIFF THEY POST A LOT OF EVENTS.
UH, I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
UH, ARE WE, UM, COMPARED TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS, ARE WE STARTING TO CATCH UP? ARE WE, HAVE WE ALREADY CAUGHT UP? WHERE ARE WE, UH, WITH THE HOTEL TAXES? UH, WE ARE RIGHT ABOUT RIGHT WHERE WE ARE PRE PANDEMIC.
UH, COMMISSIONER GOLD, YOU HAD A QUESTION OR A REQUEST? YEAH, I WAS JUST, I, I THINK I WAS EXPECTING AS PART OF ITEM TWO FOR US TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE, UH, GRANT FUND RECIPIENTS AND HOW, HOW THAT'S GOLD.
THAT WAS A SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM THAT DISAPPEARED FROM THE AGENDA.
WE WILL, WE'RE HAPPY TO COME BACK AND GIVE YOU A FULL REPORT IN SEPTEMBER OR YEAH, SEPTEMBER.
IS THERE, IS THERE ANY QUICK REPORT THAT YOU, I MEAN IT SEEMED, WHEN I SAW THE AGENDA, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT ITEM TOO WAS I THINK, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE CONFUSION WAS.
THAT WE, I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE PART OF THOUGHT.
THIS WAS THAT ITEM AND THE COLLECTION ITEM IS A SEPARATE ONE.
I MEAN, CAN I, I DON'T THINK I CAN, CAN I, THEY WANNA REPORT ON THE GRANT.
UM, YEAH, SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE AGENDA ITEMS. WE TYPICALLY HAVE LIKE A STAFF REPORT ON THE LIVE MUSIC FUND COLLECTIONS, AND THEN THE, THE LIVE MUSIC FUND EVENT PROGRAM ITSELF.
THE AGENDA ITEM SAYS LIVE MUSIC FUND, NOT LIVE MUSIC FUND EVENT PROGRAM OR YEAH, THERE USED TO BE A SEPARATE ITEM THAT DISAPPEARED.
WE'LL MAKE SURE TO GET THAT ADDED.
DO WE HAVE ANY LEEWAY TO PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE ON THAT OR DO WE HAVE TO HOLD? IT'S GOING, LET'S JUST SAY VERY, VERY SOON.
YOU KNOW, I, I WISH I COULD, I JUST NEED TO FOLLOW THE RULES, SO, OKAY.
WE'LL, UH, GET THAT ADDED NEXT TIME.
I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION, SORRY.
UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, I THINK WE MENTIONED THIS IN A PREVIOUS MEETING, BUT WITHIN THE HOT, UH, TAXES, ARE AIRBNBS INCLUDED IN HOT TAXES? I DON'T THINK SO.
UH,
UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF UNLICENSED, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTALS, UH, AND WE DO NOT RECEIVE HOT TAX FROM THOSE, UH, UNITS.
AND I ACTUALLY WAS GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SHORT-TERM RENTAL AND MY LAND USE PRESENTATION.
SHOULD WE MOVE TO THAT THEN? YEAH, I'M READY.
[4. Discussion following update from the Joint Arts & Music Urban Core Land Use Working Group. ]
ITEM IS DISCUSSION FOLLOWING UPDATE FROM THE JOINT ARTS AND MUSIC URBAN CORE LAND USE WORKING GROUP.AND THEN I HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR THIS.
AND I, I KNOW I WAS, I WAS TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT I REALLY WANTED TO BRING IN SOME VISUALS 'CAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN IN A RUSH AND I'VE LIKE SPED THROUGH IT SO FAST.
UM, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, SO I WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME.
BUT, UM, LAND USE IS, UH, SO MUCH IS CHANGING IN AUSTIN.
UH, AFFORDABILITY IS OBVIOUSLY A, A AT A CRISIS LEVEL, AND THIS AFFECTS OUR MUSICIAN COMMUNITY, OUR MUSIC VENUES, MUSIC WORKERS SPACES, UM, LIKE RECORDING
[00:35:01]
STUDIOS.SO, UH, IT ALSO AFFECTS, UH, WORKING ARTISTS AND ARTS NONPROFITS.
AND SO THE MUSIC AND ARTS COMMISSION HAS FORMED A LAND USE WORKING GROUP TO REALLY DRILL DOWN INTO THESE COMPLICATED LAND USE ISSUES AND, UH, OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, SO THESE ARE, UH, THE CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION OR OF THE, THE JOINT WORKING GROUP.
SO YOU'LL SEE, UH, THERE'S ARTS COMMISSIONERS, A COUPLE OF MUSIC COMMISSIONERS, AND THEN WE ALSO, UM, LISTED AT THE END, I HAVE, WE'VE GOT FOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, MARK GILBERT IS, HAS WORKED IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, MICHAEL PIANO HAS WORKED ON, UM, I MEAN, PRESIDIUM IS A LARGE, UH, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT GROUP, BUT THEY'VE WORKED IN SOME CREATIVE SPACE PLANNING.
UH, AND RYAN ALSO HAS, HAS WORKED IN SOME, UM, CREATIVE SPACE PLANNING.
AND STEPHANIE IS AN INDEPENDENT PROMOTER, UH, AND WHO HAS SOME PARTICULAR INTEREST IN PRESERVING, UM, SPACES AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER SPECIFICALLY FOR MUSIC VENUE USE.
SO, UH, WE, SO WE HAVE THREE ARTS COMMISSIONERS AND TWO MUSIC COMMISSIONERS.
I WOULD LOVE TO, WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS OR I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO THINK ABOUT IT.
I WOULD LOVE TO ADD ANOTHER MUSIC COMMISSIONER TO THE COMMISSION, UH, BECAUSE THERE, OR TO THE WORKING GROUP, BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH REALLY TO TACKLE HERE.
SO JUST GIVE, THINK ABOUT THAT
SO NOW I'LL GO INTO THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
UH, DONALD JACKSON, UH, FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS BEEN WORKING ON HOW TO CARVE OUT, UH, A DEFINITIONS IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE FOR MUSIC VENUES AND OTHER CREATIVE USE SPACES.
UM, SO YOU CAN, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO I'M GONNA SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON THIS.
UM, THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, AT A FEW YEARS BACK, THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO REALLY REWRITE THE ENTIRE CODE.
AND SOME, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AT THAT TIME HAD WORKED ON TRYING TO INCLUDE DEFINITIONS FOR LIVE MUSIC VENUES AND OTHER CREATIVE SPACES.
AT THAT TIME, UM, THAT ENTIRE REWRITE DIDN'T HAPPEN.
THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN A MORE PIECEMEAL FASHION.
UM, SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS PHASED WAY IS THE FIRST PHASE IS JUST CREATING SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS FOR CERTAIN CREATIVE SPACES.
SO THAT'S LIVE MUSIC VENUES, THEATER PERFORMANCE VENUES, UM, OTHER TYPES OF CREATIVE SPACES, AND ALSO LIVE WORK SPACES.
SO, UM, THE REASON FOR DOING THIS IS TO CREATE THESE SPECIAL ZONING CATEGORIES THAT, THAT SEPARATE THESE SPACES FROM, SAY, A, A COCKTAIL LOUNGE USE, WHICH A LOT OF OUR MU MUSIC VENUES CURRENTLY FALL UNDER THAT DEFINITION.
UM, BUT THE HOPE IS THAT BY CREATING A SPECIAL DEFINITION FOR PERFORMANCE VENUES THAT CAN OPEN UP THE DOOR TO SOME PREFERENTIAL, UM, YOU KNOW, HELP MUSIC VENUES IN THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
SO A LOT OF THIS REALLY DOES APPLY TO THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENING, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE A WAY TO PRESERVE EXIST SOME EXISTING SPACE.
UM, I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN CERTAINLY, WE KNOW NOW WHAT THAT A LOT OF THE SIXTH STREET WAS GOING TO BE REDEVELOPED.
UM, AND THERE'S A, I THINK THE LEAN THERE, I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT THE, THE LEAN THERE IS FOR MORE, UM, HIGHER END USES, MORE RESTAURANTS, ALL OF THAT IS GREAT.
BUT WE WANT LIVE MUSIC VENUES TO HAVE A HOME AND THAT TOO, THAT CERTAINLY WILL, UM, CREEP UP RED RIVER.
AND SO AT AND THROUGHOUT THE PLANNED PALM DISTRICT.
SO IF WE DON'T CREATE THESE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF SPECIAL CATEGORIES IN THE ZONING CODE, THERE'S A CHANCE THAT A LOT OF THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS WILL NOT BE ARTS AND MUSIC FRIENDLY.
WE DON'T WANT THOSE THINGS TO BE LEFT OUT OF THE PLAN.
UH, SO IN PHASE TWO, AND A, A LOT OF Y'ALL HEARD THIS PRESENTATION FROM DONALD WHEN WE HAD OUR JOINT ARTS AND MUSIC, UH, WE HAD A JOINT MEETING, PUBLIC MEETING.
SO, UH, CULTURAL DISTRICTS WILL BE PART OF
[00:40:01]
THIS PLANNING.UM, AND THAT AGAIN, IS TO ENCOURAGE SPECIFIC USES FOR ARTS AND MUSIC, AND AGAIN, LIVE WORKSPACES, POSSIBLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS.
UM, AND THAT CAN COME THROUGH FINANCIAL INCENTIVES, UM, OR DEVELOPER INCENTIVES.
AND SO THAT'LL BE PHASE THREE, AND THAT'S REALLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PART OF THIS.
UM, THOSE INCENTIVES CAN WORK IN THE SAME WAY THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES OR, UH, THERE'S BON WHAT ARE CALLED BONUS PROGRAMS FOR IF YOU HAVE MORE HYATT, YOU CAN GET MORE HYATT IF YOU HAVE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND THE, THE CITY AND DONALD DON JACKSON AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING REALLY HARD ON THIS REALLY WANT TO HAVE THESE CULTURAL SPACES AND MUSIC VENUES, LIVE WORKSPACES, RECORDING STUDIOS, ALL OF THIS TO HAVE A SPECIAL CATEGORY.
AND THE DEVELOPERS, UM, CAN BE INCENTIVIZED TO INCLUDE THESE IN NEW DEVELOPMENT.
SO WHAT THE, UM, THE GROUP HAS DONE IS WE HAVE CRAFTED A POSITION LETTER THAT WENT TO THE JOINT CODES AND ORDINANCES COMMITTEE, AND THEN, AND THEY, WE RECOMMEND THAT THEY PASS THAT UP TO PLANNING COMMISSION.
WE THEN SENT A LETTER TO PLANNING COMMISSION, PLEASE SUPPORT THIS.
AND THEN IT'LL GO ON UP TO COUNCIL.
AND I KNOW ALL OF THIS FEELS LIKE, OH MY GOD, THIS IS SO BORING.
AND IT IS, IT'S LIKE INCREDIBLY DETAILED, BUT IT'S ALSO LIKE I I WAKE UP EVERY MORNING THINKING ABOUT HOW CAN WE USE OUR LAND SO THAT MUSICIANS CAN STILL LIVE AND WORK IN AUSTIN.
AND THIS KIND OF BORING DETAILED STUFF IS, IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THAT WE HAVE TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO AS A, AS A COMMISSION A COMMUNITY.
UM, SO THAT DID PASS PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN IT'LL BE GOING UP TO COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, SO YOU MAY WANNA CONSIDER PAYING ATTENTION TO WHEN THAT LANDS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA AND, AND GOING OUT TO SUPPORT THAT.
UH, ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.
UH, THIS IS A MAJOR INVESTMENT OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY REVENUE.
UM, THE CURRENT, THE PLAN IS TO DEMOLISH THE CURRENT CONVENTION CENTER AND THEN BUILD A NEW CONVENTION CENTER.
UH, THAT'LL, THE BUDGET IS AROUND ONE, ONE AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS THE BIGGEST EXPENDITURE.
IT'S NOT, IT DOESN'T COME FROM THE SAME, UM, POT OF TAXES THAT, UM, IT DOESN'T COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IT DOES AFFECT HOT TAX.
AND HOT TAX IS WHAT FUNDS THE LIVE MUSIC FUND PROGRAM.
I THINK I'VE GOT, YEAH, SO WE'RE WORKING ON A POSITION LETTER FOR THIS RIGHT NOW AS WELL.
UH, LAUREN AND HEIDI SCH, MELBA FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION ARE WORKING ON A LETTER AND LAUREN'S BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, SO SOME OF THE, THE, THE POSITIONS THAT WE WANT TO STATE TO CONVENTION CENTER STAFF AND COUNCIL, UM, ARE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE PROJECTIONS TO SEE HOW THE, UH, THE LENGTHY CLOSURE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT TIME BETWEEN WHEN IT'S THE EXISTING ONE IS TORN DOWN AND THE NEW ONE IS BUILT, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT HOT REVENUE? AND COMPARING THAT TO LIKE BEFORE, DURING, AFTER, WE'D LIKE TO SEE ALL THOSE PROJECTIONS, UM, AND ALSO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT, AND AFFECTS HOW THE, THE ENORMOUS DEATH THAT WILL BE INCURRED.
LIKE HOW WILL IT, WILL IT PAY FOR ITSELF AND WILL THERE, YOU KNOW, OR WILL THERE BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON HOT FUNDS.
UM, LAUREN HAD THE EXCELLENT IDEA OF, UM, AND, AND WE SUPPORT THIS, THE WORKING GROUP DOES OF THAT, THE, THERE SHOULD BE A CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD FORMED TO GUIDE HOW THIS CONVENTION CENTER IS EXPANDED AND DEVELOPED.
AND, UM, THIS IS, THIS IS A CITY THING THAT CAN HAPPEN, LIKE THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT.
THEY HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD FOR THAT AND THAT ENORMOUS DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GONNA BE HAPPENING JUST JUST ACROSS THE RIVER.
UM, SO I THINK THAT THIS IS A GREAT IDEA AND WE'LL MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION AND WE'LL HOPEFULLY HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW CITIZENS CAN BE PART OF THAT.
AND, AND LASTLY, AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY HAS DRAWN ME TO THIS TOPIC IS HOW CAN THE CONVENTION CENTER BE LEVERAGED, UH, OUTSIDE OF HOT FUNDING? HOW CAN IT BE LEVERAGED TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT THE LIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY? IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THEY MARKET TO ATTENDEES? WHAT, WHAT SPACES
[00:45:01]
CAN BE WITHIN THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC? UM, AND GENERALLY HOW, HOW CAN THE PUBLIC BENEFIT FROM, FROM THIS, THIS, THIS HUGE INVESTMENT ALL YEAR ROUND? YOU KNOW, ARE THERE GONNA BE SPACES THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO AUSTIN RESIDENTS LIKE GREEN SPACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR? SO THOSE ARE SOME QUESTIONS.LAUREN, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO, DID I COVER THAT OR DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO I THINK YOU COVERED IT.
OR IF YOU WANT, UM, YEAH, COULD JUMP IN THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, I THINK THERE, THERE WAS A BIG LULL OF TIME, OF, OF TIME IN BETWEEN WHEN THINGS WERE GONNA HAPPEN.
SO I'M GONNA CHECK BACK IN WITH HER BECAUSE I THINK SOMETHING'S GOING INTO COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER, SO MM-HMM.
AND SO RIGHT NOW I THINK THERE'S AN OPEN, UH, REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS, UH, FOR THE, THE DEVELOPER PARTNER THAT'S GONNA COME IN AND DO ALL THEIR CON, YOU KNOW, PLANNING, ARCHITECTURE, UM, AND CONSTRUCTION.
UH, AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER R F Q THAT WAS RELEASED TODAY LAST WEEK, AND THAT WAS FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR MARKETING.
AND THAT'S A BUDGET OF, UM, JUST OVER A MILLION DOLLARS I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST SPECIFICALLY FOR MARKETING THE EXPANSION AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
SO THAT'S A BIG CHUNK OF MONEY TOO.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY A LITTLE MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUND FOR THE, FOR A YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE.
UH, COMMISSIONER AL, UH, ANGELA DO, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON WHAT SHE'S PRESENTING? RIGHT? YEAH, I I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UH, SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WAYS OF GETTING MORE MUSIC INTO THE CONVENTION CENTER, I PRESUME, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THIS, THE BUILDING OF THIS CONVENTION CENTER ENSURES THAT THE MUSICIANS THAT PLAY IN THE CONVENTION CENTER GET PAID A FAIR WAGE? CAN, CAN WE LOCK THAT IN JUST AS, WHAT IS I, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S HAPPENED AT THE AIRPORT, BUT THAT'S A GOOD THING AND THAT'S WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE HERE.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION.
AND I MEAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY INCLUDE THAT IN OUR POSITION LETTER THAT WE SENT AND WE'LL PRESENT THAT LETTER TO.
UM, SO THE FIRST LETTER THAT I, I WAS TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, WE'VE ALREADY, WE ALREADY APPROVED THAT IN THE JOINT MEETING, SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT LETTER.
IT'S ALL THE SAME, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE SAME THAT WHAT, WHAT THIS GROUP HAS ALREADY APPROVED.
UH, BUT THIS LETTER, WE WILL DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BRING THIS FORTH IN FRONT OF THE ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSION AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE CAN RED LINE AND MAKE ADDITIONS AND, AND, AND DO A LITTLE WORK SHOPPING OF THE LETTER AT A FUTURE, UH, COMMISSION MEETING.
SO THE NEXT, THE REST OF THIS WILL GO A LOT FASTER, SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO I TOUCHED ON THE SIXTH STREET REDEVELOPMENT A BIT.
UH, STREAM REALTY, AS MRS. VEST KNOW, HAS, UH, IS NOW THE OWNER OF SEVERAL PROPERTIES ON SIXTH STREET.
AND, UM, I THINK IT WAS LAST MONDAY, SO YEAH, SO A WEEK AGO MONDAY.
UM, AND THE CITY PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT, UM, ALLOWING A HEIGHT INCREASE OF 95 FEET.
SO THE CURRENT CURRENTLY BUILDINGS ON SIXTH STREET WERE LIMITED TO 45 FEET, UM, BECAUSE IT'S A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
I THINK IT'S ALSO A CAPITAL VIEW CORRIDOR.
SO, UM, THE DEVELOPER STREAM, UH, WAS ABLE TO GET AN, AN ORDINANCE PASSED THAT ALLOWS THEM BETWEEN NOTCHES AND SABINE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE TWO BLOCKS ON EITHER SIDE OF RED RIVER, UM, 140 FEET.
SO THEY, WHAT THEY WANNA BUILD, THERE IS A, A RESIDENTIAL TOWER, UM, AND A 150 ROOM, UH, UPSCALE HOTEL.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE AS A, AS A COMMUNITY WANNA KNOW WHEN, WHEN THEY, THE CITY IS, UM, GIVING THIS, UM, GRANTING SUCH A LARGE VARIANCE, HOW DOES, WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM THAT? AND UH, AND THAT CAN BE WHEN, WHEN CAITLIN WAS HERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO FROM CAITLIN, FROM STREAM, WE ASKED ABOUT THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, COULD YOU SUBSIDIZE RENT? COULD YOU MAKE SURE THERE'S A MUSIC VENUE INCLUDED? LIKE, HOW, HOW ARE YOU TRULY GONNA SUPPORT LIVE
[00:50:01]
MUSIC AND ARTISTS? UM, AND NOT JUST IN A KIND OF A MINIMAL WAY, NOT JUST LIKE A MURAL AND OH, YOU'VE, SO YOU'VE SUPPORTED ART, BUT LIKE, HOW CAN YOU GENERALLY LIKE REVITALIZE LIVE MUSIC ON SIXTH STREET AND MAKE THAT PART OF YOUR PLAN, LIKE DAYTIME ACTIVATION THAT THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT IS WONDERFUL.UM, AND, UH, BUT WHAT, HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN THIS, THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS ICONIC STREET, HOW CAN IT BENEFIT, UM, LIVE? HOW CAN LIVE MUSIC BENEFIT FROM THAT? AND IT CONTINUED TO BE LIKE REALLY THE HEART OF THE CITY.
UM, RICHARD SUBTLE, UH, IS THE LOBBYIST FROM STREAM REALTY.
HE, UM, HE WORKS FOR ARMOUR AND BROWN.
THAT'S ALSO WHO MICHAEL WAYLON, WHO SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW RECENTLY IS ALSO WITH ARMOUR AND BROWN.
HE'S, UM, WAS STATING THAT THEY DO WANNA MAINTAIN THE CHARACTER OF SIXTH STREET.
SO I DON'T, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, WE MAY WANNA REVISIT THAT AS A COMMISSION AND REALLY GET SOME MORE SPECIFICS ABOUT WHAT THE PLANS ARE.
WE SAW SOME PRELIMINARY THINGS.
IT IS GONNA BE UNDERGOING, UM, LARGE SCALE REVITALIZATION.
THE, THE CONVENTION CENTER IS PART OF THIS.
AND I, UM, HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH ONE OF THE, UM, ANOTHER COMMISSIONER ON A, FROM PLANNING AND BOARDS OF, UH, BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT.
UH, THEY'RE WORKING ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT GOES IN THE PALM DISTRICT.
AND, UM, SO I SENT A WISHLIST OVER, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE COMMUNITY, LIKE, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WANNA SEE IN THIS AREA? I MEAN, ONE THING I THINK IT THAT'S REALLY RELEVANT TO LIVE MUSIC IS WE DON'T WANNA SEE ALL THE CLUBS ON RED RIVER ERASED.
LIKE HOW, HOW CAN, HOW CAN THEY BE PART OF THIS? HOW CAN LIVE MUSIC CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THIS? HOW CAN, UM, FINANCIAL TOOLS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, LIKE, UM, PARKLAND DEDICATION AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING, LIKE HOW CAN THOSE SIMILAR TYPES OF TOOLS INCENTIVIZE DEVELOPERS, UH, BUILDING NEW CONSTRUCTION THERE TO INCORPORATE CULTURAL ARTS AND MUSIC SPACES THERE? UM, SPECIFICALLY SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THERE IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON SITE.
FEE IN LIE MEANS THE DEVELOPER CAN PAY A FEE AND THEN THE, THE CITY CAN SPEND IT ELSEWHERE.
BUT I, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT EVERYBODY AT ALL INCOME LEVELS CAN PARTICIPATE IN WHAT'S GONNA BE THIS LOVELY SHINY SLICE OF NEW AUSTIN, UM, THAT PEOPLE CAN, YOU KNOW, COME FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY TO ENJOY THE PROGRAMMING THERE.
THAT PEOPLE CAN LIVE THERE, THAT PEOPLE CAN WORK THERE, AND THAT IT'S A VERY VIBRANT CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT AND TRULY A CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT.
NOT, NOT ONE THAT'S JUST, THERE'S A, A COUPLE OF LIKE REALLY BIG ANCHORS, BUT THERE'S LIKE SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL.
UM, SO THIS IS GONNA DRAMATICALLY TRANSFORM THIS, A BIG SWATH OF OUR CITY.
YOU CAN SEE ON THIS, LIKE, IT, IT'S GOES FOR BLOCKS AND BLOCKS.
UM, SO, UM, ANOTHER NOTE THAT I MADE TO HER THAT I WANTED TO THEM TO FOCUS ON PRESERVATION AND PROGRAMMING THAT'S RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF BIPO COMMUNITIES BASED ON INPUT FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES.
UM, ESPECIALLY THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT THERE ARE LONG HISTORIES OR INTERTWINED WITH THE PALM SCHOOL, UM, WATERLOO PARK AND OTHER PARCELS IN THE AREA THAT HAVE HAD A LONG HISTORY IN THE BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, I, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, A MUSIC AND ARTS FOCUS PLAN FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH YEAR LONG PUBLIC SPACES, INDOORS AND OUTDOORS, DIRECT INCORPORATION OF MULTIPLE MUSIC AND CULTURAL SPACES INTO THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE AND STRONG MARKETING SUPPORT FOR LIVE MUSIC AND ARTS EVENTS.
AND I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MUSICIAN PAY AT THE CITY RATE.
OKAY, SO THAT'S PALM DISTRICT.
AND NEXT SLIDE I 35 EXPANSION.
UH, THERE'S GONNA BE, THIS IS GONNA CREATE A LOT OF NEW SPACE.
IF THE CAP AND STITCH GOES THROUGH, UH, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A PLAN FOR A BOARDWALK THERE.
ONE OF OUR, UM, WORKING GROUP MEMBERS, HEIDI SMALL BA IS, UM, ALSO ON AN ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE EXPANSION.
SO SHE IS SAYING RIGHT NOW, LIKE, IT'S NOT QUITE TIME FOR US TO GET INVOLVED 'CAUSE THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH PLANNING YET.
BUT WE, OUR GROUP WILL DELVE INTO THIS WHEN THERE'S A LITTLE MORE TO BE, UM, TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT.
AND THEN, OKAY, THAT'S THE END OF
[00:55:01]
THAT PRESENTATION.I DID WANNA MENTION SOME OTHER ISSUES, UM, THAT ARE LAND USE RELATED.
UH, I'LL TOUCH BRIEFLY ON, UH, THE NEW ZONING TO, UM, CREATE SMALLER LOT SIZES.
UH, SO LIKE A AVERAGE LOT IN SINGLE FAMILY LOT IN AUSTIN IS 8,400 FEET.
THE MINIMUM IS 57, UH, HUNDRED FEET.
THE NEW LOT SIZE IS 2,500 FEET, SO IT'S MUCH SMALLER AND IT CAN HAVE UP TO THREE UNITS ON IT.
SO THE, THE POSSIBILITIES HERE ARE TREMENDOUS FOR CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THEY'RE ALSO TREMENDOUS FOR THINGS GOING SIDEWAYS.
LIKE THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING WHERE THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DIG IN AND, AND ASK ABOUT LIKE, WELL, HOW WILL AFFORDABLE HOUSING BE INCENTIVIZED? HOW, UM, HOW WILL IMPERVIOUS COVER IF THE IMPERVIOUS COVER, UM, LIMITS ARE, UM, LESS RIGOROUS? HOW DOES THAT AFFECT FLOODING TREE CANOPY? UM, BUT THERE'S ALSO A POSSIBILITY FOR CREATING, I SEE LIKE A MUSICIAN'S VILLAGE LIKE THEY HAVE IN NEW ORLEANS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU BOUGHT UP THREE LOTS IN A ROW THAT WERE 8,000 SQUARE FEET, YOU COULD FIT LIKE 30 UNITS ON THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT COULD WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THOSE ARE AFFORDABLE? IMPERVIOUS COVER MEANS, OH, IMPERVIOUS COVER IS LIKE THE AMOUNT OF CONCRETE, GRAVEL, ANYTHING THAT THE, LIKE THE WATER CAN'T SOAK INTO.
AND SO THAT'S, IT'S A STORM WATER MANAGEMENT ISSUE.
UH, CURRENTLY, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, LIKE OUR STORM WATER MANAGEMENT IS IN AUSTIN, IS THERE'S NOT A LOT OF BUDGET TO, TO IMPROVE IT, TO INCREASE IT, UH, COMMENSURATE WITH THE, THE, THE, THE DENSITY THAT'S COMING.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IN NEIGHBORHOODS, PEOPLE WOULD WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THAT LIVE NEAR ONION CREEK AND SO ON THAT HAVE ALREADY DEALT WITH FLOODING, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT IN DANGER OF INCREASED FLOODING.
UM, SO THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL HERE.
IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I THINK AS CITIZENS AND AS A MUSIC COMMISSION, WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE BENEFITS THAT WE WANT OUT OF IT.
SO, UM, YEAH, THERE ARE A LOT OF, UM, UNLICENSED SHORT-TERM RENTALS IN AUSTIN.
UH, A FEDERAL JUDGE, UM, ABOUT A WEEK AGO I THINK STRUCK DOWN AUSTIN'S RULE THAT THE S D R HAS TO BE OWNER OCCUPIED.
SO I THINK THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PART OF THE ISSUE WHY SOME, WE HAD SOME, YOU KNOW, A LOT THAT WERE NOT LICENSED.
UM, SO THE FACT THAT, UM, NOW THAT'S NOT A RULE ANYMORE.
IT DOES, I THINK, PUT IT BACK ON THE CITY, UM, TO SAY LIKE, OKAY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE OPERATING ILLEGALLY, CAN WE PLEASE GET THEM LICENSE NOW SO THAT WE CAN COLLECT THOSE HOT TAXES
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT, THE, THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL THING, LIKE IF IT'S RELATED TO WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT WITH THE SMALLER LOT SIZES, LIKE WE WANT TO CREATE HOUSING, UM, WE DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO CREATE LIKE A WILD WEST FREE FOR ALL FOR, YOU KNOW, COMPANIES THAT SPECIALIZE IN SHORT TERM RENTAL.
LIKE IT'S SORT OF A BALANCING ACT.
LIKE WE DO WANT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THAT FUNDING, BUT WE NEED H WE NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO HOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE RECOMMEND TO THE CITY TO BALANCE ALL THESE THINGS REALLY CAREFULLY? SO I'VE GONE THROUGH A LOT.
UM, I THINK IF WE CAN IN FUTURE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO A DEEPER DIVE INTO ONE OF THESE AND IN FUTURE MEETING.
UM, SO YEAH, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT SOMEBODY, ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT MORE IN A FUTURE MEETING, JUST LET ME KNOW.
UH, COMMISSIONER PATON, YOU HAD A QUESTION? UH, YEAH, JUST, WELL, IT'S, IT'S ONE THING AND, AND THE, THE, THE ONE THING THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CONVI WELL, WITH THE, THE EXPANSIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT ARE HAPPENING, I THINK ONE THING THAT IS CONCERNING TO ME IS, IS THE CONVENTION CENTER.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE OUR GOLDEN CALF AND YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S LIKE REALLY HAPPY WITH A WHOLE LOT OF MUSIC, FUN STUFF AND EVERYTHING.
BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S A, LIKE A RED BLINKING LIGHT THAT'S PROBABLY SIGNALING A WARNING THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD BEGIN TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
AND THAT THING THAT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY IS THE FACT THAT, UM, BASICALLY THE, THE, THE WAY THAT OUR LIVE MUSIC FUND MONEY DRILLS DOWN IS, AND, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ABOUT THIS, BUT, SO FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT THE CITY COLLECTS IN HOT TAXES, WE GET 11 CENTS.
LIKE THE, IN GENERAL, THERE'S 11 CENTS OF THAT MONEY THAT'S USED FOR, FOR HOT TAXES.
[01:00:01]
OF THAT GOES INTO THE CONVICTION CENTER THAT GOES INTO AN OPERATING FUND AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF, AND THEY'RE MOVING MONEY AROUND AND EVERYTHING.AND THEN ONE PENNY OF THAT GOES TO A HERITAGE PRESERVATION, I THINK THERE'S ANOTHER PENNY OF IT THAT GOES SOMEWHERE ELSE.
THEN THERE'S BASICALLY HALF A PENNY THAT'S SPLIT BETWEEN ARTS AND HALF A PENNY THAT'S SPLIT BETWEEN, UM, MUSIC AND THAT HALF A PENNY FROM THAT 11TH CENTS IS WHERE WE GET OUR LIVE MUSIC FUND FROM.
SO THE, THE PROBLEM IS HOW IS IT THAT, I MEAN, IS IT, IS IT TIED TO THOSE DOLLARS SPECIFICALLY FROM THE CONVICTION CENTER OR IS IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT? OR IS IT THE FACT THAT LIKE, SO THE, THE BIGGER QUESTION TO BE ASKING IS IF THE CONVENTION CENTER HAS A, AND IT HAD TO, HAS A BILLION DOLLAR, $3 BILLION EXPANSION PROJECT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I THINK, UH, I THINK IT'S, RIGHT NOW IT'S BUDGETED AT 1.5 BILLION ONE 1.5 BILLION.
SO YEAH, BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE FOUR YEARS FOR THEM TO DO THAT.
THAT'S THE ESTIMATED TIMEFRAME.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME? AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THIS REPORT, I WAS JUST PERUSING AROUND ON THE INTERNET ONE NIGHT 'CAUSE I'M, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME, BUT I'M BECOMING A CITY GUY I GUESS.
BUT THERE'S THIS, UM, UH, THIS, THIS, THIS ORGANIZATION THAT'S OUT THERE CALLED THE CITY ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT CAP.
AND THEY'VE BEEN, THEY, THEY'VE THROWN SOME, THEY'VE PUT THIS REALLY NICE COHESIVE REPORT TOGETHER.
I HAVEN'T SPOKEN TO THEM AT ALL ABOUT ANY OF THIS, BUT BASICALLY THEY'RE KIND OF SIGNALING THE DOWNTURN OF REVENUE THROUGHOUT FROM CONVICTION CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND BASICALLY THEY'RE SAYING THAT LIKE, POST COVID, WE'RE KIND OF MI LIKE PEOPLE ARE MIGRATING IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND CONVENTION CENTERS ARE AREN'T VERY POPULAR ANYMORE.
AND SO BASICALLY I'M JUST, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO BECAUSE IF, IF OUR LIVE MUSIC FUND IS BASED ON THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE JUST, WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT AT SOME POINT IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND.
UM, ANY OTHER, UH, DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER PATTERSON? OKAY, ERICA, MAY I REQUEST, UH, TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE HOT FUND CALCULATION? ARE WE SPOT ON? ARE WE JUST, JUST 'CAUSE IT CAME UP, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WAY NO, NO DOUBT IN YOU.
I, I, I, I THINK I HAD SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT NUMBERS IN MIND, SO I'M JUST GETTING A CLARIFICATION.
I WAS DEBATING IF I WAS GONNA GET UP
UM, WE REQUESTED YOU ANYWAY, SO, YES, THANK YOU.
SO BASICALLY, UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, 11 CENTS, 2 CENTS IS NOW DIRECTLY RELATED TO EXPANSION.
AND FROM THAT 2 CENTS, 15% OF THAT 2 CENTS GOES INTO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AS WELL AS HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
THE, THE OTHER 9 CENTS, MAKE SURE I DO IT RIGHT, THERE'S A PORTION FOR VENUES, THERE'S A PORTION FOR, UM, 1.05 CENTS I KNOW COMES TO CULTURAL ARTS, 1.05 CENTS GOES TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE REST IS FOR PROMOTION, ET CETERA.
BUT I DO KNOW 1.05 CENTS CULTURAL ARTS, 1.05 CENTS HERITAGE SEPARATE FROM THE 2 CENTS.
AND OF THAT 2 CENTS, 15% GOES IN THE LIVE MUSIC FUND INSTEAD OF CULTURE ARTS.
AND THEN THE OTHER GOES INTO HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
IS THAT, THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME.
EXPANSION, UH, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON? YEAH, SO I THINK, UH, I'M SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT AND YEAH, I THINK THEY'RE, I MEAN, BASICALLY WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SAY IS LIKE, THIS IS A REALLY EXPENSIVE PROJECT, IS IT GONNA PAY FOR ITSELF? AND IF IT'S NOT PAYING FOR ITSELF, IF IT'S NOT GENERATING THAT, YOU KNOW, A BILLION DOLLARS AND HOT REVENUE, WELL THEN WHAT HAPPENS TO THE, THE, THE, THE LITTLE BITS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT FOR CULTURAL ARTS AND MUSIC.
UM, SO, I MEAN, REALLY I THINK THAT LIKE THEY WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE FRESH FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS POST COVID.
AND I, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A FAIR ASK.
UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN THE WORKING GROUP.
SO, UM, BUT YEAH, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THEY'RE AT.
THEY, THEY ARE JUST, THAT GROUP IS SKEPTICAL.
LIKE THEY'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF THE EXPANSION, BUT THEY ARE, I THINK, NUMBERS PEOPLE.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND LIKE, HOW MUCH IS THIS GONNA COST AND IS IT GONNA GENERATE THE INCOME TO PAY FOR ITSELF.
I DO WANT TO JUST SAY I'M NOT ENDORSING CAPITAL OR ANYTHING.
[01:05:01]
I, IT LIKE, IT'S, IT'S THE ONE REPORT THAT I HAVE FOUND OUT THERE THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW.UM, SO, UM, JUST SO YEAH, IT DOES SOUND LIKE MAYBE CONVENTION CENTER IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BRING BACK IN THE FALL AND, AND TAUGHT, HAVE THAT AS A, A SPECIFIC ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, IS, ARE, IS THERE LIKE A CITY IN PLANET EARTH ON PLANET EARTH THAT WE'RE EMULATING WITH OUR CONVENTION CENTER OR THERE'S OTHER, IS IT SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA OR LONDON OR SEATTLE? OR ARE THERE CITIES THAT WE'RE STUDYING AND THINKING, OH WOW, THAT'S A NORTH STAR THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
YEAH, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION FOR THEM.
I THINK, LIKE I LOOKED UP SAN ANTONIO'S CONVENTION CENTER AND THAT'S LIKE A HUGE CONVENTION TOWN AND THEIR, THEIR CONVENTION CENTER IS SMALLER AND THEIR CONVENTION CENTER I THINK IS OLDER THAN OURS.
SO I I, THEY PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF OTHER SPACES THAT THEY MAKE USE OF.
UM, INTERESTINGLY, LIKE THERE'S A LOOPHOLE IN STATE LAW THAT HAS PREVENTED, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND I THINK THE CITY OF FORT WORTH FROM VOTING ON THIS EXPENDITURE, LIKE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE ON WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT CONVENTION, YOU KNOW, A NEW CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, BUT AUSTIN, 'CAUSE THE LEGISLATURE LOVES US SO MUCH,
AND IT JUST, SO FORT WORTH AND AUSTIN WERE LIKE MAGICALLY WE'RE, WE HAVE TO LIKE, REQUEST TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
IT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY BECOME A BALLOT ITEM.
IT HAS TO BE LIKE A WHOLE PROCESS TO GET ON THE BALLOT.
YOU HAVE TO VOTE TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, SO IT'S COMPLICATED.
UM, BUT YEAH, I THINK SO I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR THE, THE EXPANSION, THE CONVENTION CENTER TEAM.
COMMISSIONER PATSON, UH, COMMISSIONER MAHOAN.
I, I, I COULDN'T SEE YOU ONLINE FOR A WHILE BECAUSE OF THE PRESENTATIONS AND STUFF, SO JUST CHECKING IN, UH, IF YOU HAD ANYTHING OTHERWISE WE'LL, UH, MOVE FORWARD.
UH, NO, I, I WAS DEFINITELY A AGAINST THE, UH, EXPANSION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER THOUGH.
UM, AND, UH, WHEN IT PASSED, YOU KNOW, I THINK A GOOD THING THAT CAME OUT OF IT WAS THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, BUT, UM, IT'S PART OF SOMETHING CALLED THE VISITORS IMPACT TASK FORCE AND WAS, UH, REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE, UH, LEADERSHIP OF THAT, UM, AND THE FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST, I THINK SKEPTICISM IS HEALTHY WITH THIS, UH, PROJECT.
UM, AND UH, IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA TAKE A LOT OF OVERSIGHT AND HAVE HAD, HAVE SEEN, UH, A LACK OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND DIVERSITY IN LEADERSHIP IN THESE SPACES.
SO, YOU KNOW, SKEPTICISM IS, IS, IS, IS RIGHT ON, UM, WITH THIS, WITH THIS DEVELOPMENT AND ALL, ALL DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING CURRENTLY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MAHOME.
UM, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS? UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THIS TOPIC? ALRIGHT, MOVING ON.
THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON AGAIN.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
[5. Discussion on all ages shows and how we support youth in Austin.]
DISCUSSION ON ALL AGES SHOWS AND HOW WE SUPPORT YOUTH IN AUSTIN.UM, UH,
UM, PROBABLY TWO OR THREE, UM, COMMISSION MEETINGS AGO.
UH, WE POSED, UM, A QUESTION JUST ASKING ABOUT, UM, ALL AGES SHOWS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UM, AND JUST KIND OF CHECKING LIKE THE, THE HEALTH OF, OF THE ALL AGES SHOWS IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE'RE RECOVERING FROM A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, UM, THAT CLEARLY AFFECTED STUDENTS, YOUNG, YOUNG STUDENTS, UM, AUSTIN AFFORDABILITY ISSUES AND SAFETY ISSUES WITHIN OUR CITY.
UH, JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE, THE HEALTH OF OUR MUSIC AUDIENCES UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
UM, THE QUESTIONS WOULD BE, ARE THEY GOING TO SEE LIVE MUSIC AS MUCH AS THEY WERE IN PREVIOUS YEARS? UH, WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO SEE LIVE MUSIC? WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES AUSTINITES UNDER 18 MAY BE FACING THAT ARE DIFFERENT, UH, THAN PREVIOUS DECADES? AND IN ESSENCE, OUR CHILDREN A MARGINALIZED GROUP.
UM, AND I THINK, UM, I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON THIS AND, UM, IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT WE ARE A STATE THAT'S PASSING LEGISLATION THAT RESTRICTS HOW SCHOOLS CAN TEACH ABOUT RACISM, GENDER, SEXUALITY, UH, TARGETING ASPECTS OF IDENTITY, UM, THAT HAVE MADE CHILDREN PROBABLY LESS WELCOME IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS.
UH, WE'RE ALSO A STATE WHERE STUDENTS ARE LIVING UNDER CONSTANT THREAT OF VIOLENCE,
[01:10:01]
AND WE'VE KIND OF NORMALIZED SCHOOL SHOOTINGS TO A CERTAIN DEGREE.UM, AND BASICALLY YOU HAVE TO LIKE SURVIVE YOUR 18 TO 21 YEARS OF YOUR LIFE BEFORE YOU GET REALLY A SAY SO IN MANY, UM, AREAS OF, OF YOUR LIFE, ODDLY, UM, TO ME ANYWAY.
UM, THE TEXAS LAW SAYS THAT, UM, YOU CAN GET MARRIED, UM, AT 14, UH, IF YOU HAVE THE CONSENT OF YOUR PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIANS, WHICH MEANS THAT AN ADULT CAN THEN HAVE SEX WITH THEM WITHOUT IT BEING STATUTORY RAPE.
SO THOSE ARE SOME VERY INTERESTING THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.
PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, THAT'S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT KIDS ARE GOING THROUGH THESE DAYS.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS MOST OF US THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE MUSIC COMMU, UH, COMMUNITY, IS THAT LIVE MUSIC CAN BE A VERY POWERFUL ROLE TO YOUNG AUSTINITES WELLBEING.
AND SO THIS, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK MOTIVATES US TO DIG DEEPER TO SEE, UM, HOW, UH, AUSTINITES ARE THRIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, IT DEFINITELY IS A STRESS RELIEF AND SELF SOOTHING AND TO EMOTIONAL REGULATION AND PHYSIOLOGICAL BENEFITS.
WE KNOW THAT WITH MUSIC AND THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOR MANY PEOPLE, UM, AND CERTAINLY TEENS, UM, IT KIND OF HELPS DEFINE WHO A LOT OF TEENS ARE.
I THINK WE CAN ALL KIND OF LOOK BACK AT OUR TEEN YEARS AND THINK ABOUT HOW MUSIC WAS INCREDIBLY, UM, INFLUENTIAL.
SO, UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO KIND OF EXPLORE SOME SOLUTIONS OR IDEAS.
UM, AND THAT IS THAT, UH, AUSTIN, WE, WE KEEP IN MIND THAT AUSTIN IS A CITY THAT SUPPORTS ALL AGES SHOWS.
UH, POSSIBLY WE ACCOMPLISH THIS WITH OUR PIE EQUITY PRINCIPLES, THE PRESERVATION, INNOVATION AND ELEVATION AND COLLABORATION, UM, THAT MAYBE WERE VERY CLEAR STATING ALL AGES IN OUR LANGUAGE AND MUSIC MARKETING.
UM, AND THAT WE OFFER RESOURCES, UM, TO PEOPLE UNDER 18 ABOUT OUR ALL AGES SHOWS.
AND THAT WE JUST CONTINUE TO ANALYZE HOW WE'RE NURTURING THE TALENT DEVELOPMENT, UM, POSSIBLY WITH, UH, MORE COMMUNITY PARTNER OUTREACH.
UM, WHEN I POSED THIS QUESTION, UM, IN THE LAND OF SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, I KNOW TWO AUSTIN-BASED MUSIC JOURNALISTS PROVIDED INFORMATION.
UM, CHAD, UH, STECH WROTE A PIECE IN THE SOUND OF OUR TOWN, UM, AND HE, UM, CITED, UH, FRIENDLY RIO MARKET, UM, THAT HOSTS ALL AGES SHOWS ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAYS.
AND THEN, UH, RACHEL ROSCOE, THE MUSIC EDITOR OF THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE ALSO HAD WRITTEN A PIECE IN, UM, AUGUST 20, UH, 22 HIGHLIGHTING VENUES AND INSTAGRAM PROFILES OF CLUBS, UH, VENUES IN D I Y SPOTS.
I MEAN, IT WAS JUST KIND OF A THOUGHT OF THIS IS A TOUGH TOWN TO LIVE IN AT TIMES AND TO, TO BE SAFE AND AND TO AFFORD TO LIVE INTO AUSTIN.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO KEEP OUR ALL AGES UNDER 18 FOLKS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, PART OF THE CONVERSATION, UM, BY JUST ARTICULATING THEIR PRESENCE ALLOWED.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS HERE? UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE THING IS, IS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, DEPLOY MUSICIANS, I GUESS TO KIND OF BE, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE, I I WANNA SAY PEACEKEEPING THROUGH MUSIC, BUT I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE, THE EXACT TERM FOR IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME, A FEW THINGS THAT I HAVEN'T, I'M, I'M, I'M CO-SPONSORING THIS WITH CELESTE AND I HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT OF TIME, UH, TO FOCUS ON IT.
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING? UH, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL GET THERE.
UM,
AND I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, BANNED WAS LIKE THE ONE THING THAT I HAD THAT WAS, THAT, THAT WAS SERIOUSLY LIKE, THERAPEUTIC TO ME BEING, BEING IN SCHOOL, BEING A SIXTH GRADER, BEING A SEVENTH GRADER.
AND IT, AND IT, IT LED ME DOWN THIS PATH THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, TO, TO WHERE I AM TODAY.
[01:15:02]
WE'RE ALSO LIKE CUTTING ARTS FROM SCHOOLS TOO, AND WE'RE DESPERATE FOR TEACHERS ALSO.AND SO THERE'S ALL OF THESE, THERE'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THERE'S A TOTAL LIKE, EROSION OF, OF CULTURE, AND I'M SPEAKING A LOT ABOUT JUST THE PROBLEMS AND NOT REALLY OFFERING ANY, UH, POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
BUT I JUST, I THINK I JUST WANNA SAY HOW, UM, IMPORTANT THIS THING IS FOR ME TO WORK WITH YOU ON AND HOW IMPORTANT IT'S THAT WE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ENGAGE AND FIGURE SOMETHING OUT IN TERMS OF HOW TO, YOU KNOW, UM, AT LEAST BEGIN TO A ADDRESS AND THEN TACKLE SOME OF THIS STUFF.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? YEAH, I JUST, I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO I AM JUST CURIOUS, LIKE, WHAT ARE, WHAT IS THE AVAILABILITY OF ALL, ALL LATEST SHOWS RIGHT NOW? I MEAN, DO YOU VERY MANY VENUES OFFER THEM? IS THERE A INCENTIVE OR A DISINCENTIVE? I, I WOULD, I, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE BUILDING DATA AROUND THIS.
UM, I DID SPEAK WITH, UH, GRAHAM WILLIAMS FROM RESOUND PRESENTS, AND HE'S A NATIVE AUSTINITE, AND HE SAID THAT HE FELT LIKE THERE WERE MORE ALL AGES SHOWS THAN EVER BEFORE, WHICH I FOUND INTERESTING.
UM, AND THAT, UM, PERHAPS, UM, SOMETHING TO FOCUS ON IS JUST MARKETING THE MEANING OF ALL AGES SHOWS.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, UH, SO MAYBE THEY'RE, THEY'RE DOING WELL.
I'M, I AM THE MOTHER OF TWO TEENAGERS AND, UM, BECAUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND, AND, AND DEVICES ALL THE TIME, I'M LIKE, ARE KIDS GOING OUT TO SEE MUSIC AS MUCH AS, AS THEY WERE IN THE PAST? I, IT WAS A QUESTION.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO COLLECTING MORE DATA, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND OUR, OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, CITY OFFICIALS AND, UM, AND EXPLORING THE ISSUE FURTHER.
UH, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU BROUGHT THIS UP 'CAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT FOR A WHILE.
UM, AND I'M WONDERING IF, UM, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, VISIT AUSTIN HAS A, LIKE A LOT OF LISTINGS OF, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, MUSIC TO CHECK OUT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY LOCALS ACTUALLY CHECK OUT THE VISIT AUSTIN, UH, WEBSITE.
UM, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THERE IS ANY, UM, AVENUE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO, UM, FROM THE CITY PERSPECTIVE WHERE WE COULD MAYBE THINK ABOUT SETTING UP SOME SORT OF, YOU KNOW, ALL AGES LISTINGS SPECIFICALLY, OR FINDING, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF CENTRAL PLACE WHERE THAT THE, THOSE LISTINGS CAN BE COLLECTED, UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE CAN BE CROWDSOURCED SOMEHOW OR SOMETHING, OR PEOPLE CAN, UH, CONTRIBUTE TO.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF 'EM, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN LITTLE NICHES, UM, LIKE I KNOW, LIKE BATCH IS A PLACE THAT I THINK OF THAT'S A, UM, WE, WE HOST A, A JAZZ JAM THERE EVERY COUPLE WEEKS, UH, AND WE PICKED THAT SPOT BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, FOR ONE THING, IT'S, IT'S AN ALL AGES SPOT AND IT'S A FAMILY FRIENDLY SPOT WE WANT, THERE AREN'T A LOT OF, UH, UH, ALL AGES JAZZ JAMS FOR YOUNG, UH, YOUNG MUSICIANS TO GO AND GET TO SIT IN AND PLAY.
AND, AND SO, SO I THINK IT WOULD BE AWESOME IF WE COULD FIND A WAY TO COMPILE, YOU KNOW, AND CROWDSOURCE THAT INFORMATION AND, AND MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER KIND OF IDEA THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD WAS, UM, WHICH HAS NOT PERCOLATED AT ALL BECAUSE
BUT, UM, IF THERE WAS MAYBE SOMETHING WE COULD EXPLORE WHERE WE, UM, KIND OF INTRODUCE THE IDEA OF LIKE ADDING AN EDUCATIONAL ELEMENT TO, OR, OR PRESENTING SOME OF THE MUSIC THAT THE, THE CITY IS ALREADY, UM, NOT SPONSORING, BUT COMMISSIONING, COMMISSIONING,
I'M JUST LIKE, ARE THERE WAYS THAT WE CAN COMBINE SOME OF OUR EXISTING PROGRAMS, UH, PROGRAMMING WITH, UM, HIRING THOSE MUSICIANS FOR ANOTHER WONDERFULLY FAIR PAYING GIG TO ALSO CONNECT WITH, UH, WITH YOUNG PEOPLE? SO THAT'S LIKE, JUST AN EMBRYO OF AN IDEA.
I'M AWARE, LIKE SOME OF THE GRANTS FROM THE OUTSIDE, UM, AT LEAST ARTISTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE OF THOSE, UH, I'VE SEEN, UH, COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS OVER THE GO AND PRESENT IN SCHOOLS AS PART OF THAT, THOSE GRANT PROGRAMS. I THINK THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS, OR I THINK THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF OPTIONS, AND THAT IS ONE OF THEM.
AND SO I'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN, UM, QUITE A BIT.
AND, UH, YEAH, AND I KNOW LONG CENTER PRESENCE SHOWS THAT ARE, UH, WITH MUSICIANS THAT ARE OPEN TO, UH, ALL AGES.
[01:20:01]
UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE CAN, UH, KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, GET SOME MORE, UM, INFORMATION AROUND THIS LOVE THE CROWDSOURCING IDEA AS WELL, AND, UH, SEE IF, UH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN, UH, A FEW SESSIONS IF WE COULD GET TO SOMETHING ACTIONABLE, SOMETHING, UH, VIABLE THAT WE CAN, UH, DO AROUND, UH, AROUND THIS ITEM.UM, AND SO IT HAS LIKE A LOGICAL CONCLUSION.
UH, THANK YOU FOR, UH, BRINGING THIS UP AND, UH, YOU KNOW, PRESENTING THIS HERE AT THE COMMISSION.
UH, ANYTHING ELSE, UH, BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT TOPIC? I THINK ORRIN HAD A QUESTION OR A STATEMENT.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL JUST DISCUSS IT WITH YOU GUYS LATER.
LET, LET'S GET THE, UH, LET'S GET TO FAIR PAY.
[6. Discussion on Disability Task Force after update from Commissioner Rosenthal.]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSSION ON DISABILITY, DISABILITY TASK FORCE AFTER UPDATE FROM, UM, COMMISSIONER ROSENTHAL.UM, SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO IS, UH, WE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH C THE AMERICAS.
THERE A LOT OF THE WEAKNESSES IN THEIR MOBILITY, UH, AND ACCESSIBILITY PLANS WERE LAID BARE.
WHEN THERE WAS THIS ROLLING STONE SHOW WE SET TO GET, WE SET UP A TASK FORCE.
UH, NOT ONLY DID THEY TAKE CARE OF MOBILITY ISSUES, THEY ALSO IMPROVE BECAUSE OF MEETINGS OF THE SIGNAGE OF, OF THIS TASK FORCE.
UM, WE, THEY, THEY WERE QUITE WILLING TO IMPROVE SIGNAGE, UM, PARKING, WEBSITE, ACCESSIBILITY, TRANSPORTATION FROM DOWNTOWN, ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
SO WHAT WE WANNA DO IS WE WANT TO BUILD ON THAT AND EXPAND THESE KINDS OF MEETINGS, THESE TASK FORCE WHERE WE CAN MEET WITH VENUES TO DISCUSS ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND EXPAND IT TO MORE VENUES.
SO, UH, WE'VE IDENTIFIED FIVE BIG VENUES.
WE'RE GOING TO BE SENDING OUT INVITATIONS TO THEM.
THE PLAN IS WE WILL HAVE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE, AND THE TASK FORCE INCLUDES MEMBERS OF THE, UH, CITY, COUNTY, AND STATE GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS, UH, ADVOCATES FROM THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
UH, WE WILL ARRANGE FOR TOURS OF THE FACILITIES, AND ALL OF, ALL OF THE EXPERTISE THAT'S THERE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INPUT AND SUGGESTIONS TO THE VENUES.
AND, UH, WE ALREADY, UM, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE, UH, TASK FORCE MEETINGS WHERE WE DISCUSS BEST PRACTICES.
UH, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF PLANNING MEETINGS.
UH, I DO HAVE SOME HELP FROM, UM, CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY THE AMERICA'S HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL.
UH, DONNA BETTS ON THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, AND, UH, HOWEVER, A A VOLUNTEER COULD BE FROM THE MUSIC, UH, COMMISSION, OR IT COULD BE, UM, SOMEONE IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO COULD HELP ORGANIZE SOME OF THESE MEETINGS, THESE TOURS.
UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW THAT'S WHAT'S UP WITH, UH, THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT'S UP WITH THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE MAKING FOR DISABILITIES.
UM, THAT'S, UH, THAT'S FANTASTIC.
UH, THANKS FOR TAKING THIS ISSUE UP AND, UH, AND IT'S, IT'S JUST GREAT TO SEE OUTCOMES FROM, UH, FROM THIS WORK.
I, I DO JUST WANNA SAY THAT IT'S QUITE AMAZING THAT I REMEMBER WHEN THE CIRCUIT AMERICAS FIRST CAME HERE, AND EVERYONE WAS LIKE, OH, LIKE, WHAT'S LIKE, LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? LIKE WHAT? WE HAVE A RACETRACK NOW.
AND NOW IT'S LIKE THIS SUPER SUCCESSFUL, SUPER AMAZING, INCREDIBLE THING.
AND EVERYONE FROM THE WORLD COMES HERE AND IT'S A, AND IT'S THIS, IT'S A HUGE EVENT.
AND FOR THIS MUSIC COMMISSION TO BE HELPING ADVISE THIS HUGE ENTITY ON HOW TO MAKE THEIR COMPANY BETTER, AND FOR YOU TO NOW BE, YOU KNOW, FACILITATING THIS VENTURE OF, OF, OF HELPING OTHER BIG BUSINESSES DO THE SAME THING.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A PRETTY, THAT, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG THING.
AND SO I JUST WANNA APPLAUD CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS, AND I WANT TO JUST THANK YOU, OR FOR ALL OF THIS HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST, WHAT, YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF MM-HMM.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE WELCOME.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT I'VE DONE, SO THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE AFFIRMATION.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE ON THE TOPIC? OKAY, UM, COMMISSIONER MAHON, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? UH, I WASN'T SURE IF HE RAISED YOUR HAND OR NOT.
NO, I, I CONCUR WITH SCOTT THOUGH.
UH, UH, GREAT, GREAT WORK THERE, MAN.
[01:25:01]
FOR, IT'S OVER A YEAR NOW, PROBABLY, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, PRO SEE FOR THAT WORK.THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
[7. Discussion on musical performance at commission meetings following update on feasibility of live performances by staff]
DISCUSSION ON MUSICAL PERFORMANCE, AT COMMISSION MEETINGS, FOLLOWING UPDATE ON FEASIBILITY OF LIVE PERFORMANCES BY STAFF.HELLO, ERICA SHAMLEY, MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MANAGER.
BURTON FITZSIMMONS IS THE MANAGER THERE ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY OF HAVING LIVE PERFORMANCES HERE AT MUSIC COMMISSION MEETINGS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, HE DOESN'T THINK THAT HE, HE LOVES THE IDEA AND WISHES THAT HE HAD THE ADDITIONAL STAFF TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT DOESN'T HAVE THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO PAY THE OVERTIME OR WHATEVER IT WOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE HERE.
SO, UM, BUT POSSIBLY WHAT WE COULD DO IF MAYBE YOU HAVE LIKE AN ANNUAL, YOU KNOW, REQUEST, UH, TO DO SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, THAT THAT CAN BE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERED AND, UH, THE CAPACITY HERE TO PROVIDE THAT, UH, LIVE MUSIC EXPERIENCE.
SO, MAYBE NOT EVERY MONTH, BUT MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING YOU COULD DO LIKE ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED BY ANNUAL REQUESTS? YOU MEAN A BUDGET THING OR, UH, NO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WILLING JUST TO DO THAT.
AND, AND THEIR REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS, BUT THAT THEY WERE WORRIED THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MONTHLY COMPONENT WOULD DEFINITELY TURN INTO A STAFFING ISSUE.
YOU GOOD? SO YOU'RE REACHING FOR THE MICROPHONE.
SO, UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, OR IDEAS AROUND, UH, THIS TOPIC OR, UH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, UH, COLLECT OUR THOUGHTS ON HOW WE MIGHT WANT TO FACILITATE THIS, UH, IN FUTURE, MAYBE IN THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING? YEAH, SO YOU MEAN IN TERMS OF FACILITATING IT, LIKE AN ANNUAL OR BI BIANNUAL? OH, NO, NO.
RATHER SEMI-ANNUAL OR, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, DO WE STILL WANNA CONTINUE WITH, UH, THE ONLINE? WE, IF WE, UH, WE COULD COME TO SOME CONCLUSION AROUND IT, OR MAYBE IN THE NEXT SESSION.
I DO THINK IT'D BE GREAT TO BRING BACK THE ONLINE, YOU KNOW, THE VIDEO.
I MEAN, THAT'S, I I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY NICE AND WE COULD, YOU KNOW, SPOTLIGHT SOMEONE FROM EACH DISTRICT.
COMMISSIONER SLAND, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH, I'VE GOT THE, THE FACE.
UH, I, I JUST, I THINK IT'D BE REALLY COOL.
I THINK IF, AND I'LL SAY THIS THING, I'M GONNA SHUT UP ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, IF MAYBE IF, IF WE HAD LIKE A MUSICIAN FROM EACH DISTRICT LIKE WE NORMALLY DO, BUT LIKE, MAYBE THEY GET A LITTLE STIPEND OR SOMETHING AND GO INTO THE STUDIO AND DO SOMETHING SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE SOMETHING FILMING AND BRING IT TO US OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW? I DON'T KNOW.
SO, YEAH, JUST WE CAN, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND THEN DEFINITELY, UH, PLEASE, UH, BRING ALL YOUR CREATIVE IDEAS, UH, AND WE'LL JUST MOVE THIS TO NEXT MONTH AND, UH, UH, DEFINITELY ATTEMPT TO COME TO SOME CONCLUSIONS SO WE CAN GET SOMETHING STARTED UP AGAIN.
[8. Discussion on musician parking, loading and unloading. ]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSSION ON MUSICIAN PARKING, LOADING AND UNLOADING.YEAH, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATE EITHER, UH,
UM, WE DID HAVE PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION STAFF COME, COME AND TALK TO US AT ONE POINT.
UM, BUT IT'S, UM, BEEN CHALLENGING TO SCHEDULE THEM A SECOND TIME.
BUT I, I HEAR SO MUCH FROM MUSICIANS AND, AND PERFORMERS THAT, YOU KNOW, PARKING IS JUST A HUGE CHUNK SOMETIMES OF WHAT THEY MIGHT GET PAID FOR A GIG.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT A MUSICIAN THAT PLAYS DOWNTOWN IN, YOU KNOW, THE DOWNTOWN AREA WHERE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO FREE PARKING, YOU KNOW, SIX OR EIGHT TIMES A MONTH, AND THAT'S LIKE, THEY PAY 20, 25 BUCKS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE THERE FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE OF SOUND CHECK AND SO ON.
LIKE, LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S LIKE $150.
AND SO I, I FEEL LIKE, BECAUSE THE CITY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PRIVATE PARKING GARAGES, SO THAT'S ONE THING, BUT THERE'S ALSO CITY OWNED GARAGES AND THERE'S CITY PARKING ON THE STREETS.
AND I JUST FEEL LIKE SURELY THERE'S A WAY, UM, THAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN AFFORDABLE PARKING PROGRAM IN PLACE ALREADY, BUT IT'S LIMITED TO LIKE ONE GARAGE.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT BE, UM, ALL, ALL CITY GARAGES FOR MUSICIANS.
[01:30:01]
A WAY IN THE APP, UM, THAT MUSICIANS CAN USE THIS NOW, BUT FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING, YOU KNOW, YOU GET 15 MINUTES FREE AT A METER AND THEN ANOTHER 15 FREE, LIKE, YOU CAN USE THAT TWICE IN ONE DAY.BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT EXPANDED WHERE A MU, YOU KNOW, MUSICIANS SOMEHOW HAVE A WAY TO USE THE APP AND THEY CAN PARK FOR FREE.
TO ME, THAT, THAT, THAT'S LIKE A TREMENDOUS, LIKE, IT, IT, IT TAGS INTO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH MUSICIAN PAY.
AND I'VE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I, SO MANY MUSICIANS HAVE SAID THAT TO ME, LIKE THAT THIS IS MY ONE ISSUE IS LIKE, IT'S SO EXPENSIVE TO PARK DOWNTOWN, IT CAN BE LIKE 40 BUCKS SOMETIMES.
UM, AND I KNOW THERE'S LOTS THAT ARE EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THAT.
I KNOW, LIKE FOR, UM, WHEN AUSTIN SAMBA PERFORMED FOR, UH, CARNIVAL SERO, LIKE THE LOT NEXT DOOR TO SPEAKEASY WAS $50, AND NOT EVERYBODY REALIZED IT AT THE TIME.
SO IT'S LIKE, IT'S CRA AND PEOPLE ARE UNLOADING DRUMS AND THEY'VE GOT HUGE COSTUMES AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST LIKE, IT'S REALLY COSTLY.
SO PROBABLY, I MEAN, COLLECTIVELY, HONESTLY, WHAT WE ALL PAID FOR IN PARKING WAS EQUAL TO WHAT, LIKE, AUSTIN SABA GOT PAID FOR THE GIG, I THINK IF YOU ADDED IT ALL UP.
SO I DO THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY CAN ADDRESS.
AND I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, EVEN, UM, MAYBE WE DON'T WAIT FOR STAFF TO TELL US LIKE WHAT IS POSSIBLE.
I, I THINK IN A FUTURE MEETING, AND WE'LL FOLLOW THE RULES AND, AND POST, POST THIS AS AN ACTION ITEM AND WHAT THE RESOLUTION WOULD BE.
BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO DRAFT SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER AND PARKING STAFF TO FIND A WAY, UH, TO MAKE AFFORDABLE USE CITY PARKING, UM, MAKE IT BE FREE FOR MUSICIANS ARE, ARE MUCH, YOU KNOW, MUCH MORE REASONABLY PRICED.
UH, COMMISSIONER PAT PATTERSON, UH, DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? UH, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, MAYBE WE CAN, UH, TALK TO THE ELEPHANT ROOM TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE WORKED OUT BECAUSE, UM, GAME CHANGING DEVELOPMENT.
I PLAYED THE ELEPHANT ROOM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PROBABLY SINCE, I DON'T KNOW, IN A YEAR OR SOMETHING THE OTHER DAY.
AND THEY HAVE SOMETHING WORKED OUT WITH THAT PARKING GARAGE IN THE SAME BUILDING, UM, THAT THEY WILL VALIDATE.
YOU CAN PARK DOWN THERE AND THEY'LL VALIDATE IT.
AND, UM, I WAS LIKE, WOW, THAT'S, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY GAME CHANGING AND MAKES ME ACTUALLY EXCITED ABOUT PLAYING THE OTHER ROOM AGAIN,
SO, UM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN TALK TO MIKE MORDECAI OR SOMEBODY, UH, DOWN THERE TO SEE HOW THEY, IF THEY'RE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY WORKED THAT OUT AND MAYBE GIVE US SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY, UM, I DON'T KNOW, PARTNER WITH OTHER GARAGES AND STUFF, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY IMPROVEMENT.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE A LITTLE GOOD NEWS.
SO, YEAH, SO I MEAN, I LIKE THAT SEEING THAT'S COMING FROM THE, THE VENUE COMMUNITY AND THAT THEY'RE HELPING OUT WITH THAT.
UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY STEP INTO, BECAUSE THE CITY OWNS A LOT OF PARKING SPACES, SO, UM, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S ONE GREAT IDEA.
SO YEAH, WE'RE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION, WE ALWAYS WANT COMMUNITY INPUT ABOUT WAYS, YOU KNOW, IDEAS OR WHAT THE NEEDS ARE.
SO, YEAH, SO I WOULD LOVE TO, I KNOW WE, WE KEPT CARRYING THIS, THIS THROUGH THIS ITEM THROUGH WITHOUT ANY REALLY ANY ACTION.
'CAUSE WE WERE WAITING ON STAFF, BUT I'M JUST THINK, LET'S, LET'S NOT WAIT ON, UM, STAFF, LET'S PUT TOGETHER OUR OWN RECOMMENDATION AND, YOU KNOW, SEND IT UP TO COUNCIL AND GET, GET SOMEBODY TO HELP, HELP US CHEERLEAD FOR THIS.
'CAUSE I, I REALLY DO THINK, I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE GIVEN THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE THAT I THINK IT CAN HAPPEN.
I'M NOT SAYING IT COULD HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT I THINK THE CITY COULD WORK TOWARDS THAT AND HAVE THAT BE PART OF THEIR SUPPORT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, MUSICIANS AND ARTISTS.
UH, PATTERSON, I THINK I, I DEFINITELY CONCUR WITH THAT.
I THINK THIS IS ONE, UH, ONE AREA WHERE, UM, IF WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN TERMS OF, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, CITY, CITY OWNED LOTS AND, UH, MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION AND, AND GET SOME HELP THERE, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE, UH, UH, A BOTTOM LINE IMPACT, UH, FOR MUSICIANS.
UM, I THINK, UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND OR, OR GET, GET SUGGESTIONS ON, UH, SINCE YOU HAD BROUGHT UP, UH, THIS TOPIC INITIALLY OR ANYBODY ELSE WHO HAS IDEAS, IS WHAT WOULD BE, UH, A LOGICAL NEXT STEP TO, IF WE ARE TO PICK UP THIS ITEM.
BECAUSE IT IS TRUE THAT IT'S BEEN SITTING THERE FROM A LONG TIME WITHOUT MUCH ACTION.
SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO AS THE NEXT STEP AS FAR AS GETTING THE STAFF AND GIRLS? UM, I SAW THAT THEY CAME IN ONCE AND PRESENTED, THEN WE, UH, ASKED THEM TO COME IN AGAIN, BUT THEY WANTED SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, UM, AS TO WHY WE WANTED THEM TO COME BACK.
AND THEN I THINK YOU HAD SENT THEM THE QUESTIONS.
SO I DON'T THINK WE ARE PARTICULARLY WAITING ON THEM OTHER THAN THEM ASKING, REQUESTING
[01:35:01]
THEM TO COME HERE AGAIN AND SPEAK TO IT.SO MAYBE, LIKE YOU SAID, LET'S SKIP THAT STEP, UH, OR, UH, HAVE A, A, A DIRECT CONVERSATION.
WHATEVER GETS US, UH, UM, MOVING FORWARD ON, ON ON THIS ITEM.
SO YEAH, I'LL TALK WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, TO SEE IF I CAN GET, YOU KNOW, SOME SUPPORT ON IT, BUT I THINK, THINK TO NEW CHANNEL.
LET'S JUST, LET'S, LET'S SHAKE IT LOOSE.
AND, UH, I WAS TRYING TO MOVE THIS ALONG PRETTY QUICK, BUT I MEAN, THERE, THERE ARE UPDATES.
THERE'S JUST SOMETHING TO REALLY WRITE HOME ABOUT, MOST OF WHICH NOT GONNA ALLOW THE ALREADY COVERED.
BUT I MEAN, UH, MR. REDFERN DID GET BACK, UM, TO US AND BASICALLY SAID, NO
AND SO I I, THE, THE, THE APPROACH WAS, LET'S KNOCK ON THE DOOR, LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN GET.
MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME FREE PARKING, OR MAYBE WE CAN GET AN AVENUE TO THAT.
AND EVERY TIME THAT WE'VE TRIED TO, YOU KNOW, EITHER GO THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR OR THE BACK DOOR OR THROUGH THE WINDOW, HE'S JUST, THE, THE, THE ANSWER'S NO.
AND SO NOW THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES, WELL, WHAT CAN WE DO WITH, SO, I MEAN, THERE'S THIS THING THAT I ALSO UNCOVERED, AND I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW IT WORKS.
AND THIS, IT'S KIND OF THE, THE, THE, THE THEME TODAY, AND I APOLOGIZE ABOUT THAT.
I'VE BEEN BUSY, BUT, UM, LIKE WITH, WITH, UH, METER COLLECTING AND, AND, AND THINGS LIKE METERS ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE LIKE CERTAIN, UM, DISTRICTS OR, OR, OR, OR LIKE CERTAIN CITY BLOCKS OR WHATEVER WHERE, WHERE FUNDS ARE COLLECTED THROUGH CITY METERS.
AND SO THOSE FUNDS ARE THEN USED, UM, FOR, UH, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, LIKE IN, IN, IN MUELLER, YOU KNOW, LIKE THOSE FUNDS FOR THOSE METERS ARE USED FOR THINGS THAT THOSE FOR, FOR, FOR WHAT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN MUELLER WANT.
AND SO THAT MONEY IS BASICALLY PURPOSED AND IT'S, AND, AND IT'S PUT BACK INTO THE CITY.
I MEAN, IT'S PUT BACK INTO PROJECTS AND, AND, AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY PARKING IS SO EXPENSIVE DOWNTOWN IS BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET TO ZERO EMISSIONS, UH, BY 2039.
IT'S LIKE, IT'S LIKE THE, THEIR WHOLE PROJECT THAT THEY HAVE GOING ON, IT'S LIKE, WELL, HOW IN THE WORLD ARE YOU GONNA, YOU KNOW,
SO IT'S, IT WHAT, WHAT THE, WHAT THE CITY WANTS IN TERMS OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ZERO EMISSIONS AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS VERSUS WHAT MUSICIANS ARE ACTUALLY DOING, UM, TO GET TO GIGS AND WHATNOT.
THEY, THEY SEEM TO BE VERY MUCH AT ODDS WITH EACH OTHER.
AND, AND, AND THE DIALOGUE NEEDS TO BE MORE HERE.
BUT THERE NEED, I, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE FROM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE JUST, IF WE'RE JUST GONNA SAY, HEY, CITI, GO FIGURE THIS OUT.
IT'LL BE TWO YEARS AND THEN WE'RE COMING BACK HERE, WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVER, I MEAN, IT'S ALREADY TAKEN ALL THIS TIME JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, LIKE, FOR THEM TO JUST TELL US NO.
SO LIKE, I, I WOULD RATHER LIKE DO SOME REALLY SHOE LEATHER RESEARCH AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT LIKE, WHAT ARE STATUTES, WHAT MAYBE WHAT HAVE OTHER CITIES DONE ABOUT THIS? UM, WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH, WITH, WITH METERING AND PROFITS FROM METERS? AND, UH, AND HOW CAN WE TURN THAT INTO SOMETHING THAT THAT'S MORE PROFITABLE? IS IT SOMETHING THAT THAT'S, THAT'S ON A, LIKE, THAT'S ON A, ON A BALLOT OR SOMETHING? LIKE, WHAT, WHAT CAN BE DONE? IN OTHER WORDS, LET'S DO A LITTLE BIT OF, OF THEIR HOMEWORK FOR THEM SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN GO IN AND ACTUALLY DO THE WORK.
AND I, AND I, AND YOU KNOW, INITIALLY I THINK I INITIALLY BROUGHT THIS UP AND I'M, I'M SORRY IT'S BEEN SO LONG, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M DOING WHAT I CAN OVER HERE, SO, UM, I'LL STAY AT IT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT NEXT MONTH.
AND I, IT IS SIGNIFICANT TO NOTE, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT YEAH, THAT THE, THE CITY COUNCIL DID ELIMINATE PARKING MINIMUMS. SO ANY, YOU KNOW, NEW DEVELOPMENT OR, I MEAN, AND NO BUSINESSES HAVE TO HAVE PARKING NOW.
SO, I MEAN, THAT IS GREAT TO ENCOURAGE TRANSIT, BUT IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO, LIKE, FOR SOMEBODY TO GET ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE 8 0 3 WITH THEIR CELLO, YOU KNOW, AND GO DOWNTOWN TO, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WALK
SO WE JUST, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE TO CONSIDER WITH ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
LIKE, DO WE LEAVE, YOU KNOW, A NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE GONNA HAVE A MUSIC VENUE? DO WE SAY LIKE, YOU NEED TO INCLUDE AN LOADING UNLOADING ZONE FOR MUSICIANS OR, OR A PARKING SPACE OR WHATNOT.
SO, UM, LIKE, SO MANY OF THESE THINGS TIE TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL HAS TAKEN A LOT OF, WE'RE JUST LIKE, SO MANY THINGS ARE HAPPENING AND CHANGING IN AUSTIN, SO IT'S LIKE, KIND OF MAKES YOUR HEAD SPIN, BUT THEY ARE RELATED, AND I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN TACKLE 'EM ONE AT A TIME.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, IDEAS ON THIS TOPIC? OKAY, THANK YOU.
[9. Discussion and possible action on recommendation that the City of Austin support Fair Pay for SXSW performing artists.]
IS UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION AND RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN SUPPORT FAIR PAY FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PERFORMING[01:40:01]
ARTISTS.I QUICKLY WANTED TO COVER A FEW THINGS, UH, AND, UH, I WOULD THEN, UH, INVITE OVER, UH, FOLKS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO, UH, SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC.
UM, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I, I DO WANNA EXPRESS THAT WE AS A MUSIC COMMISSION APPRECIATE EVERYBODY FOR COMING IN AND SPEAKING ON THIS STOPPING IN JULY, AND TO THOSE THAT ARE HERE TODAY TO ENGAGE IN THIS CONVERSATION FURTHER.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING, UH, JUST A QUICK FEW THOUGHTS THEN, UM, AND ALSO SOME NEW INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, UH, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE COMMISSION.
AND I WOULD QUICKLY OPEN IT UP TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THEN FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE, THE COMMISSION HERE.
SO OUR JOB HERE AT THE COMMISSION, AND WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS SERVING HERE, UM, AT THE PLEASURE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE ARE ALL, UH, APPOINTEES, NOMINATED APPOINTEES, AND OUR JOB HERE IS TO ADVISE CITY COUNCIL ON MUSIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUES AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY ISSUES IN AUSTIN.
IMPLICIT TO THAT IS THE NEED TO LOOK AT THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE.
OUR STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDE MUSICIANS, RECORDING STUDIOS, FESTIVALS, VENUES, EVERYBODY WHO'S WORKING IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HERE.
AND THE GOAL IS TO WORK TOWARDS SUSTAINING AND GROWING THE MUSIC ECOSYSTEM IN AUSTIN WHILE LEVERAGING THE TOOLS AND PATHS THAT ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN CITY GOVERNMENT.
I, WE SENT AN INQUIRY, ONE OF OUR COMMISSION SENT AN INQUIRY TO CITY LEGAL AND, UH, ERICA, UH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO RECRUIT SOME HELP, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT THAT CLOSE TO, I KNOW YOU ARE NOT A LAWYER EITHER, BUT WE ARE NOT, YOU MIGHT BE A LITTLE CLOSER TO UNDERSTANDING, UH, THE STATEMENTS, BUT, BUT PER THE NOTE, CITY LEGAL SENT OUT IN RESPONSE TO A QUERY FROM ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS, UH, THAT I WANT OUR COMMISSION TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IS THAT STATE AND FEDERAL LAW SET THE STANDARDS FOR EMPLOYEE WAGES AND PAID THE CITY WILL BE PREEMPTED BY THESE LAWS IN TERMS OF MANDATING PAY STANDARDS FOR PRIVATE BUSINESSES.
IF THE COMMISSION BELIEVES THESE LAWS SHOULD BE CHANGED, IT CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL THAT THIS ISSUE BE ADDED TO CITIES, STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
SO THIS IS A NOTE THAT WE, UH, GOT FROM CITY LEGAL, UH, WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.
UM, ERICA, I DON'T KNOW, UH, IF I MAY ASK YOU TO THROW ANY MORE LIGHT AT IT, OR IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, LIKE, I, I, IS IT, IS IT TRUE? LIKE, WHAT DOES PREEMPTING EXACTLY MEAN? UM, COULD YOU I ACTUALLY CORROBORATE ANY OF THIS.
CAN'T, I CAN'T COMMENT ANY OF IT.
SO IT'S JUST FOR YOUR DISCUSSION, UH, NOW BASED ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU KNOW SO FAR.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK WITH THIS, AND, AND AT MY END WITH THE STATEMENT FROM CITY LEGAL CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH INDUSTRY FOLKS AS WELL AS MUSICIANS AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS, UM, PERSONALLY, I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT CITY GOVERNMENT CANNOT TELL SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST HOW AND WHAT TO PAY MUSICIANS.
IT IS A PRIVATE ENTITY, AND WE GO AGAINST WHAT STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS ARE HERE BASED ON, UH, AT LEAST FROM WHAT THE LAWYERS, THE CITY LEGAL HAS, UH, PRESENTED TO US.
I'M AWARE THAT THERE WILL BE FURTHER DISCUSSION AND DIVERSE OPINIONS AROUND IT, AND THAT'S, THAT'S FINE.
I WANT TO SHARE, UH, WHAT, WHAT I'VE SEEN, UH, FROM CITY LEGAL.
ALSO, JUST QUICKLY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UM, BASED ON THAT KIND OF INFORMATION, I WILL BE RECOM, UH, WITHDRAWING THE RECOMMENDATION THAT I HAD PUT THROUGH BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, UH, THE INTEGRITY OF THIS COMMISSION AND THE FACT THAT WE SEND VIABLE AND ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO GOVERNMENT, TO CITY GOVERNMENT TO CITY COUNCIL IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND IT IS NOT FOR ME, A MATTER OF PROSECUTING FOR OR AGAINST SOUTH BAY OR PROSECUTING FOR OR AGAINST MUSICIANS.
THE QUESTION IN FRONT OF THIS COMMISSION IS, CAN WE RECOMMEND TO CITY GOVERNMENT HOW AND WHAT SOUTH BAY SHOULD BE PAYING MUSICIANS, UH, THAT THEY HIRE TO PLAY AT THE CONFERENCE AND THE FESTIVAL? SO THAT'S THE QUESTION IN HAND.
SO I PERSONALLY WOULD BE, UM, UH, WILL BE WITHDRAWING MY RECOMMENDATION THAT I HAD PRESENTED TO EVERYONE LAST TIME.
UM, AND, UH, AND THAT IS THE QUESTION I WOULD PUT IN FRONT OF ALL MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AS WELL TO CONSIDER AS WE REVIEW THIS TOPIC.
WITH THAT, UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND, UH, UH, REQUEST, UH, MR. A LA TO COME AND SPEAK, BE BE BEFORE MR. LA COMES TO SPEAK.
I JUST, I, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE COMMENT THAT YOU MADE ABOUT CITY LEGAL, IT, IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A STRETCH, AND YOU
[01:45:01]
ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT THAT WE CANNOT TELL SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WHAT TO DO.WE HAVE, WE HAVE NO BUSINESS TELLING ANY BUSINESS ENTITIES OR ANYTHING AT ALL WHAT TO DO AT ALL WHATSOEVER.
HOWEVER, THE MINUTE THAT A CITY GETS INVOLVED WITH ANY OF THOSE PLANS OR NEGOTIATIONS OR CONTRACTS OR CO-SPONSORSHIP, THAT'S WHEN THE GAME CHANGES.
AND THEN WE HAVE TO DECIDE AS A COMMISSION WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE WE ARE ELECTED, WE ARE APPOINTED BY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO VOTE AT THE BALLOT BOX AND DECIDE THOSE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GONNA BE IN THOSE SEATS.
AND THOSE, THEY APPOINT US TO SIT IN THESE CHAIRS TO REPRESENT THOSE CONSTITUENTS, WHOEVER THOSE CONSTITUENTS ARE.
AND THERE ARE A LOT MORE MUSICIANS AND THERE ARE OTHER CONSTITUENTS.
AND IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY MUSICIANS, THEN WE DON'T HAVE A MUSIC INDUSTRY.
THE MUSIC ECOSYSTEM BEGINS WITH MUSICIANS FULL STOP.
I, I, I, IT JUST, NOTHING, NOTHING IS A STRETCH HERE.
JUST VERY QUICKLY, SIMPLY BECAUSE I WAS READING THE STATEMENT FROM CITY LEGAL AS IT WAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT AND, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, I WOULD LET, UH, SLA GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
I'M AARON LACK, UH, PRESIDENT AUSTIN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS, A F M, LOCAL 4 33.
UM, I JUST HAVE A BRIEF STATEMENT, UM, AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF OUR FESTIVAL COMMITTEE, THE AUSTIN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS, A F M, LOCAL 4 33 VOTED UNANIMOUS UNANIMOUSLY TO ENDORSE THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN SUPPORT FAIR PAY FOR SOUTHWEST PERFORMING ARTISTS AT OUR GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING IN JULY, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE COUNTING ON YOUR SUPPORT OF MUSICIANS BY VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE PARK AND REX BOARD, UH, RECOMMENDATION.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, UH, FOR MR. LOCK BEFORE WE CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER? I HAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, WHAT IS UNION SCALE NOW? WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT, WHAT, WHAT TYPE OF WORK IT IS.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE DIFFERENT SCALES THAT HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF WORK WITH EMPLOYERS.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE, THERE ARE MINIMUMS THAT ARE NEGOTIATED ONLY BETWEEN MUSICIANS, AND THOSE ARE NOT SHARED OUTSIDE OF THE UNION.
YEAH, BUT I, I WOULD LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY IN REGARD TO YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE, UH, PAN AMERICAN CENTER FROM LAST TIME.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONER PATTERSON? YEAH, SO AT, AND I MEAN, I'M, THERE'S TO ME LIKE A, A LOT TO THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, UM, IN TERMS OF JUST LIKE HOW THINGS WORK.
AND SO ONE THING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE LAST MEETING, UH, LIKE YOU BROUGHT IT UP AND ALSO, UM, PEDRO VIA LOBOS FROM THE, THE CHAIR OF THE PARKS BOARD CAME AND SPOKE AND WAS RECOMMENDING, I THINK BOTH OF YOU'RE RECOMMENDING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
SO HOW DOES THAT WORK AND WHAT'S THE CITY'S ROLE IN THAT? OR DOES THE CITY HAVE A ROLE OR HOW DOES, LIKE, HOW, HOW DOES THAT PLAY INTO ALL OF THIS? WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY FAR AWAY FROM THAT AT THIS POINT.
I MEAN, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION ONLY STATES FAIR PAY, AND THAT'S ONE WAY YOU COULD ACHIEVE FAIR PAY.
UM, BUT, BUT HOW THAT WORKS, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY FAR AWAY FROM THAT.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF WE, WE HAVE TIME FOR THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT IT, IT WOULDN'T, IT WOULDN'T INVOLVE THE CITY, UM, REALLY AT ALL.
IT WOULD INVOLVE THE, THE, THE EMPLOYER RECOGNIZING THE MUSICIANS, UH, AS THEIR OWN BARGAINING AGENT AND THEN ENGAGING IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING THAT WAY.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE NEXT SPEAKER, JEFFREY OLSON.
WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS FAIR PAY? LIKE WHAT IS THE NUMBER, LIKE WHAT IS FAIR PAY? CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN THAT? UM, UM, DID YOU GET THE QUESTION FOR ME? SURE, PLEASE.
WELL, I MEAN, FAIR, FAIR PAY BY, YOU KNOW, BY OUR DEFINITION OF, OF, YOU KNOW, IN THE UNION IS, UH, IS BY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UH, WHERE THE, THE PAY, THE, THE WAGES AND THE WORKING CONDITIONS ARE NEGOTIATED, UH, FAIRLY BETWEEN THE MUSICIANS WHO ARE THE WORKERS AND THE EMPLOYER.
SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S OUR DEFINITION OF FAIR PAY.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER ONES OUT THERE, OF COURSE, AND I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
SO THAT'S, SO THAT YOU'RE GENERALLY, YOU'RE WORKING ON OUTSIDE OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST OR YOU OH, I, I COULD JUST, JUST BARELY HEAR YOU TALKING.
UH, ARE, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ARE WORKING ON WITH VENUES? I MEAN, PLACES OUTSIDE OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FIGHTING FOR FAIR PAY FOR MUSICIANS, OR IS ABSOLUTELY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST THE E EVERY SINGLE DAY? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
AND EVERY, EVERY SINGLE DAY WE'RE WORKING ON THAT.
AND HOW, HOW ARE YOU DOING THAT? HOW ARE WE DOING THAT? UH, WELL, THE, THE ACTIONS OF THE UNION, UH,
[01:50:01]
ARE, YOU KNOW, TO EMPOWER MUSICIANS TO INDIVIDUALLY NEGOTIATE, UH, WITH THOSE EMPLOYERS, UH, USING CONTRACT BLANKS THAT, UH, ARE ENFORCEABLE, UM, AND ARE, YOU KNOW, LE LEGAL DOCUMENTS.UM, AND SO THE MORE MUSICIANS WE HAVE DOING THAT, THE BETTER WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS ARE FOR EVERYONE, UH, IN, IN THE ENTIRE MUSIC MARKET.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE WAY WE DO IT.
WE ALSO DO IT BY DIRECT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, WHICH IS WHAT, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, WITH, UH, THE, THE COMMISSIONER, THE OTHER COMMISSIONER'S QUESTION.
UM, THERE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE SORT OF TWO WAYS TO, TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
UM, BUT THE MORE OF THAT ACTIVITY EXISTS IN ANY GIVEN MUSIC MARKET, THE MORE RESPECT AND, UH, DIGNITY THE MUSICIANS HAVE AND, AND THEREFORE MORE LEVERAGE AND BETTER WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS.
I, I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION A LOT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES OF, OF HOW YOU'VE ORGANIZED FOR, UM, BETTER WAGES, UM, AT VENUES OR ANY PLACES IN AUSTIN? I, I'M JUST NOT FAMILIAR, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS.
OH, COULD YOU SAY THE LAST PART AGAIN? SORRY, I'M JUST UNFAMILIAR.
SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS, LIKE, DO YOU HAVE ANY EXAMPLES WHERE YOU'VE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOUGHT FOR FAIR WAGES, UM, AT A VENUE OR, OR ORGANIZED, UM, WITH MUSICIANS TO, TO NEGOTIATE, UM, FAIR PAY? UH, WELL, NOT, NOT SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.
I, I, I DON'T WANNA SHARE, UH, SPECIFIC EXAMPLES ABOUT BUSINESSES HERE.
UM, BUT THERE, THERE ARE SOME, UH, AND THERE, THERE ARE CERTAINLY, UH, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS WITH, UH, WITH AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ORCHESTRAS IN TOWN WITH THE TRAVELING, UH, BROADWAY SHOWS.
UM, AND, AND THAT SOME OF THE, UH, SOME OF THE LARGER VENUES AND THINGS ARE AFFECTED BY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, UM, THAT WE'VE DONE THAT WAY.
AND THEN THE OTHER WAY WITH INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS, UM, IT, UH, IT HAS, HAS AFFECTED, UH, PLACES, UH, IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND OTHER PLACES.
UM, SO I, I CAN SAY YES, BUT, BUT I CAN'T GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF THAT.
I WOULD LOVE TO LATER THOUGH, UH, IF, IF YOU WANNA TALK, I'D LOVE TO.
UM, I, YEAH, SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK I, I, I SAW THIS SITUATION AS, UH, MUSICIANS BRINGING UP, UM, CONCERNS AROUND, UH, PAY, UH, FOR MUSICIANS WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
I SAW SOUTH BY RESPOND WITH UPDATES, UM, THROUGH THEIR ASSESSMENT THAT THEY WERE DOING POST, UH, THE LAST SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, OR, YOU KNOW, A COMBINATION OF THAT.
AND IN RESPONSE TO, UM, THE CONCERNS THAT MUSICIANS SOME GROUPS LIKE YOURS HAVE BROUGHT UP, AND, AND THE, THE INCREASES, THE UPDATES THAT THEY MADE.
AND IT, AND TO ME, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT HAPPENING WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, UM, SEEMS TO MAKE A LOT OF SENSE BECAUSE THAT FITS, UH, THE, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE WORK IN, IN, IN THAT, THAT IT HAPPENED WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, THE WAY CONCERNS EXPRESSED.
UM, AND, AND THERE WERE UPDATES PROVIDED BY SOUTH BY, I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT ROLE CITY GOVERNMENT, UH, CAN VIABLY PLAY OR THIS MUSIC RECOMMENDATION.
SO THAT'S WHERE, UH, THAT'S WHERE I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A GAP IN, IN, IN, UH, UH, IN, IN JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT ROLE THE COMMISSION OR THE, UH, GOVERNMENT CAN PLAY.
BECAUSE FROM WHAT I'M SEEING, UH, SO FAR AND UNDERSTOOD SO FAR, I DON'T SEE A PATH TO THAT.
UM, I, I MIGHT HAVE OTHER REASONS AS WELL, UM, WHERE I HAVE, UH, THOUGHTS ON BOTH SIDES OF, OF THE HOUSE, BUT THAT IS THE CRUX OF IT, UH, AS TO WHAT IS THE VIABLE PATH.
UM, COMMISSIONER ROSENTHAL, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? YEAH, I, I I BELIEVE THAT THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE WORK IN, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO STAY WITHIN THIS ENVIRONMENT IS BROKEN.
AND IT'S BROKEN FOR MUSICIANS, AND IT'S THE MUSIC INDUSTRY THAT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THOSE THAT ARE MOST VULNERABLE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST COMES TO TOWN, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF POLICE WORK, THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION WORK, THERE'S, UH, ALL, ALL KINDS OF WORK THAT HAPPENS.
AND THESE GROUPS ALL FIND WAYS TO GET THEMSELVES PAID FAIRLY.
IN FACT, THE POLICE GET PAID TIME AND A HALF OVERTIME, UH, AND THE POLICE ARE REPRESENTED BY A UNION.
UH, MUSICIANS ARE NOT PAID, AND THAT'S BROKEN.
SOMETHING IS WRONG, AND WHATEVER THE CITY DOES THROUGH ITS NEGOTIATIONS, MANAGES TO GET OTHER GROUPS THAT ARE GIVEN SEASONAL OR TEMPORARY WORK FOR.
SO BY SOUTHWEST ARE GETTING PAID A PREVAILING WAGE AND MUSICIANS ARE NOT.
[01:55:01]
THAT'S MY RESPONSE TO WHEN YOU SAID, WE'VE GOT A, WE'VE GOT A SYSTEM, LET'S WORK WITHIN THE SYSTEM.I FEEL WE CAN, UH, WE, IT'S UP TO US AS A MUSIC COMMISSION TO REPRESENT THE HEALTH OF THE AUSTIN MUSICAL ECOSYSTEM BY ADVOCATING FOR CHANGING THE EXISTING SYSTEM.
UH, COMMISSIONER AL, UM, UH, PLEASE, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND I'LL COMMENT AFTER THAT.
SO, SO THE, I, IF I MIGHT, I, I MIGHT GO FOR IT.
I'D LIKE TO RESPOND, UH, REAL QUICKLY.
UM, IT, IT'S, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID, UH, BOTH COMMISSIONERS, UH, WHAT YOU SAID THERE.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO CORRECT, UH, THE, THE OTHER UNIONS THAT YOU REPRESENTED OR THAT YOU, UH, UM, MENTIONED THERE, UH, ARE ARE NOT ACTUALLY PAID BY PREVAILING WAGE.
THEY'RE PAID BY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.
THEY ARE, THEY DO ACTUALLY HAVE A, A CONTRACT THAT'S COLLECTIVELY BARGAINED, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT.
SO THE, THE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE TALKING, WHEN WE, WHEN, WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THE BUDGET EARLIER, THE, THE BIGGEST BLOCK UP THERE WAS THE BLOCK THAT WAS IN APRIL, WHICH WAS MARCH'S NUMBERS FROM SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, WHICH IT WAS $854,953 IN A SINGLE, IN A SINGLE MONTH.
AND THAT IS, AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF, AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT IS THE MUSICIANS THAT MAKE THAT FESTIVAL HAPPEN GOT PAID LITTLE TO NOTHING, OR GOT PAID NOTHING AT ALL, BECAUSE THEY TOOK A BADGE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HA YOU KNOW, I JUST DID AN INTERVIEW WITH P B SS NEWSHOUR, AND YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE ARE ASKING ME LIKE, YOU HAVE AN EXODUS THAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR CITY, UH, WITH MUSICIANS LEAVING YOUR CITY.
AND THEN WE LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS AND, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, OUR ECONOMY, OUR MUSIC ECONOMY GENERATES A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN MUSIC.
AND SO WHY IS IT THAT WE CAN GENERATE A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR CUMULATIVELY AS A CITY, BUT THEN WE HAVE AN XS OF MUSICIANS LEAVING THE CITY BECAUSE OF AFFORDABILITY ISSUES.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, YEAH.
IT, IT, IT IS, IT IS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, AND BATTY JUNIOR SAID THIS, IT WAS A, IT WAS, IT WAS, AND I SET THIS LAST MEETING, BUT I'M SAYING IT NOW BECAUSE THIS WAS ACTUALLY AT A COMMISSION MEETING.
WE'VE BEEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, BY THE WAY, FOR LIKE 10 YEARS,
IT'S BEEN THE SAME EXACT CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING FOR 10 YEARS.
AND A FEW YEARS AGO, UM, BATTY JUNIOR MADE THIS GENIUS ARGUMENT, AND I, AND I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN.
IT'S LIKE, WELL, IF WE HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A BADGE OR LIKE ZERO, OR LIKE LITTLE TO NOTHING, I GUESS WE'LL TAKE THE BADGE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, OR IF THERE'S, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA GET UNDERCUT AS A MUSICIAN BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA WANT THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND IF YOU HAVE, LIKE, IF, IF THE, IF THIS MUSICIAN'S GONNA PLAY FOR FREE VERSUS, YOU KNOW, THIS OTHER BAND GETTING PAID, THEN OF COURSE THAT MUSICIAN'S GOING TO, TO GET THE GIG BECAUSE THEY'RE WILLING TO DO IT FOR FREE.
AND THE CHOICE THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST CONTINUES TO MAKE, UM, THE ARGUMENT THAT THEY, THAT THAT, THAT THEY CONTINUE TO MAKE, AND THIS, I MEAN, AND I DON'T MEAN ANY DISRESPECT BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, I'M USING THEIR WORDS HERE, IS THAT THEY SAY THAT IT'S THEIR CHOICE TO EITHER TAKE THE BADGE OR TAKE THE LITTLE BIT OF MONEY THAT THEY HAVE.
AND SO THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE ARGUMENT THAT BADIE JR WAS MAKING TWO YEARS AGO, ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO AT THIS POINT, IS THAT, THAT IF THERE IS A FLOOR, IF YOU JUST RAISE THE FLOOR TO WHERE THINGS ARE MORE SUSTAINABLE, THEN AT LEAST WE CAN START THERE.
AND SO YEAH, WE CAN HAVE THINGS LIKE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND WHATNOT, THAT'S FINE, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CAN HAPPEN, BUT IT HAS TO START FROM A LEVEL OF SUSTAINABILITY.
AND EVERY, AND AGAIN, WE CANNOT TELL BUSINESSES WHAT TO DO.
I CAN'T, WE CAN, THIS, THIS MUSIC COMMISSION CANNOT RECOMMEND TO MCDONALD'S THAT YOU KNOW, THAT THEY LOWER THE PRICES OF THEIR BIG MAC.
WE CAN'T DO THAT AS A COMMISSION.
BUT IF MCDONALD'S DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO COME TO THE CITY AND HAVE A CO-SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT, AND THEY WANT TO PUT MUSICIANS ON A STAGE, WELL THEN WE HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PREVAILING WAGE.
WE HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
AND THE PROBLEM IN LOOKING AND DOING ALL OF THIS RESEARCH AND, AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT LIKE, OKAY, WELL HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE SQUARE THE CIRCLE ON THIS? IS THAT THERE IS NO AGREEMENT, THERE IS NO AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY AND MUSICIANS WHEN IT COMES TO CONTRACTS OR CO-SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS, AGAIN, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST CAN DO WHATEVER IT WANTS.
IF THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE CO-SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY, IF THEY DON'T WANT TO, IF THEY JUST WANT TO ENGAGE IN CONTRACTS AND PAY FULL PRICE AND NOT TAKE
[02:00:01]
THE, THE, THE, THE DISCOUNTS THAT THEY GET BECAUSE OF THEIR CO-SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS, THAT'S FINE.BUT IF THEY ARE GOING TO ENGAGE WITH THE CITY ON THIS AND ACTUALLY HAVE THESE CO-SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENTS, THEN THEY NEED TO PAY MUSICIANS FAIRLY.
AND THAT IS DONE THROUGH PREVAILING WAGE AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
UH, COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND, UH, I, I THINK THE DELTA, UH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UM, UH, POLICE GETTING, UH, SORRY, THE POLICE GETTING, UH, DOLLARS, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN PAY RATE, UH, IT'S BECAUSE OF, UH, HOW PUBLIC WORKERS ARE DEFINED.
UM, I DON'T THINK MUSICIAN HIRES THROUGH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WILL BE CONSIDERED AS PUBLIC WORKERS.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE DIFFERENCE COMES IN UM, AND ALSO I'M CURIOUS, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE LAWYERS SHOULD DECIDE.
I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'S FOR CITY LEGAL.
I THINK ITS FOR CITY STAFF TO DECIDE.
IT'S, YOU CAN COMM COMMISSIONER GLENN, UH, EITHER, UH, PLEASE.
UH, ACCORDING TO AND SPEAK ACCORDING TO THE DAVIS BACON ACT OF 1931 PUBLIC WORKS, AS DEFINED AS DOING PUBLIC WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT IS DEFINED AS DOING A PUBLIC GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THAT IS NOT THE DEFINITION OF A PUBLIC WORKER THAT I KNOW OF.
UH, BUT THAT SAID, WHAT, WHAT I'M CURIOUS TO UNDERSTAND IS NOW AGAIN, WHO DECIDES FAIR PAY? I UNDERSTAND THE VALUE, UH, IN THIS HAPPENING WITHIN THE INDUSTRY WHERE, UH, UH, AN ENTITY, A PRIVATE ENTITY, DECIDES TO WORK WITH A UNION OR ANY OTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, STAKEHOLDER IN DETERMINING WHAT, UH, THE, THE, THE PAY COULD BE, PAY COULD LOOK LIKE.
UH, BUT WHO DECIDES WHAT THAT FAIR PAY LOOKS LIKE? AND ONCE AGAIN, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT AS FAR AS THE CONCESSIONS GO? UM, I HAVE REQUESTED SOUTH BY TO COME AND BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, SOME LEADERSHIP FROM SOUTH BY.
AND, AND, UH, UH, SO I THINK THEY CAN THROW MORE LIGHT ON IT, BUT SO FAR, I'VE ONLY HEARD OF AUDITORIUM INSURERS.
I'VE NOT HEARD OF A LOT OF OTHER PARKS WHERE, UH, THERE ARE CONCESSIONS BEING OFFERED WITH CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY.
BUT, UH, BUT AGAIN, WHO, HOW, HOW DO WE DEFINE FAIR PAY IN, IN, IN COMMERCIAL MUSIC? WE JUST DID, WE JUST PASSED THE BILL SAYING THAT IT'S $200 PER MUSICIAN, OR $200 PER HOUR PER MUSICIAN.
THAT IS, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S, WE JUST GOT THAT THROUGH COUNCIL.
NOW THAT IS, THAT IS FOR CITY COMMISSIONED EVENTS.
IT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY.
IF THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY, AGAIN, IF THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY TAKES A CO-SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY, THEN IT BECOMES SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I, YEAH, AND I, I, I THINK, I THINK, UH, THE, THE WORD USING THE WORD FAIR INDICATES IT'S FAIRLY NEGOTIATED OR FAIRLY BARGAINED.
UM, SO THAT'S HOW YOU DETERMINE IF IT, IF IT WAS ACTUALLY BARGAINED IN GOOD FAITH IN A FAIR PROCESS WITH THE WORKERS WHO ARE DOING IT.
AND THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN, IN ALL THIS IS, IS REALLY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T EMBARRASS ITSELF BY WORKING WITH COMPANIES THAT ARE NOT, UH, ENGAGING IN FAIR NEGOTIATIONS WITH WORKERS.
UM, ANY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS I WOULD FIRST YIELD? NO.
THERE, THERE'S SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO ARE SIGNED UP.
I AM, UM, A MEMBER AND EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER OF AFM 4 33.
UM, WELL, A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE I PREPARED WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY.
SO, UH, UM, I WAS GOING TO SAY THOUGH, WHAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS TO YOUR MAIN QUESTION, WHICH IS WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT IN THIS PROCESS? UM, YOU KNOW, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT IN A STATE LIKE TEXAS, WHICH IS A RIGHT TO WORK STATE, REQUIRES A VOLUNTARY RECOGNITION OF THE UNION AS A BARGAINING AGENT BY THE EMPLOYER, IN THIS CASE, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THIS ISN'T A BLUE STATE WHERE WE CAN SHOW UP WITH CARDS AND, AND FORCE AN N L R B VOTE, THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE OURSELVES TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE EMPLOYER IS TO USE ALL OF THE AVAILABLE LEVERAGE AT OUR DISPOSAL.
AND LIKE AARON SAID, THE ROLE OF THIS GOV CITY GOVERNMENT IN THIS CASE IS TO NOT, IT'S EMBARRASS ITSELF IN THAT PROCESS.
AND IN THIS SPECIFICALLY THE PARKS AND REC RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE VOTED TO SUPPORT, UH, AMONGST OURSELVES, IT IS APPLYING THE LEVERAGE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS SEEMINGLY A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF LEVERAGE, WHICH IS THIS $25,000 THAT'S WAIVED.
[02:05:01]
SEEMED LIKE IT WAS SOMEWHAT INCONSEQUENTIAL IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, ESPECIALLY AS FAR AS SOUTH BUY'S OPERATING BUDGET, BUT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, A PRICK IN ALLIANCE'S PAW.AND I THINK THAT POINTS OUT EXACTLY LIKE WHAT THE SIGNIFICANCE COULD BE OF Y'ALL PASSING THIS RECOMMENDATION OF IT BEING SECONDED BY THE PARKS BOARD OF IT GOING TO CITY COUNCIL AND OF CITY COUNCIL HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.
BECAUSE CURRENTLY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST HAS A PRIVILEGED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY.
THAT PRIVILEGE MAY NOT BE ASTRONOMICAL.
YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE A VERY SMALL PRIVILEGE, BUT IT IS A PRIVILEGED RELATIONSHIP NONETHELESS.
AND AS PART OF THAT PRIVILEGE INFORMATION OR THAT PRIVILEGED RELATIONSHIP, THERE IS A TACIT ENDORSEMENT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THAT ENTITY THAT IS BEING OFFERED PRIVILEGES.
AND WE THINK THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP BECAUSE THAT ACT OF RECOGNITION IS THE THING THAT MUST OCCUR BEFORE ANY SORT OF NEGOTIATION CAN BEGIN.
AND THAT IS OFTEN THE HARDEST PART, ESPECIALLY IN RED STATES.
AND IF THE CITY GOVERNMENT CAN APPLY ANY AMOUNT OF LEVERAGE TO HELP BRING THAT INTO FRUITION, THEN WE WANNA SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, AS WORKING MUSICIANS THAT ACTION.
SO I THINK THAT IS, YOU KNOW, I WAS GONNA COME UP HERE AND, AND TRY TO SUCCINCTLY STATE MY CASE FOR AND AGAINST THE THREE AVAILABLE
THE OTHER ONE, I THINK, UH, YOU MADE A VERY GOOD POINT.
BUT YOU MADE A VERY GOOD POINT ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS NOT EMPOWERED TO SAY WHAT A PRIVATE EMPLOYER CAN OR CANNOT PLAY PAY.
AND AS PEDRO SAID, LAST TIME THIS HOUSE BILLED 2127 THAT WAS PASSED IN TEXAS, IT WOULD ALLOW THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO BASICALLY STRIKE DOWN ANY CITY REGULATION THAT HAD A DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR PAY.
AND I WOULD RATHER, YOU KNOW, HAVE WHAT I'M GONNA BE PAID, DECIDED BY ME IN A CONVERSATION WITH THE EMPLOYER THAN FOR THERE TO EVEN BE A 1% CHANCE THAT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE CAN SAY, HMM, NO, THAT'S NOT ENFORCEABLE.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT MEANS THAT Y'ALL CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
I THINK THAT THIS PARKS RECOMMENDATION IS A PERFECT WAY TO EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH US IN OUR DESIRE TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A BARGAINING AGENT TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATION.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
YOU, YOU, UH, YOU MENTIONED HOUSE BILL 20 20 12.
20 21, 27, WHICH IS ALSO BEING CALLED THE DEATH STAR BILL.
I'M PLAYING, I'M PLAYING SOME JAZZ.
I, UM, WE HAVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT IN THIS RECOMMENDATION THAT WILL POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE TO CONTEST IT LEGALLY GET SHOT DOWN, BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING THAT THE FLOOR BASICALLY IS AT THE CITY RATE, WHICH IS $200 PER MUSICIAN SURE.
OR OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OF ONE OF THE, ONE OF THESE, THE ONE OF THE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE FLOOR SURE.
ALTHOUGH WITHIN IT, IT IN ONE MOTION REQUIRES IT AND ANOTHER RECOMMENDS IT.
AND THEN THE THIRD MOTION SAYS THAT THE CITY SHOULD PAY THE DIFFERENCE, WHICH I THINK IS BASICALLY SAYING, WELL, YOU CAN ACTUALLY JUST DO WHATEVER YOU WANT AND WE'LL COME IN AND PICK UP YOUR MESS YEAH.
AND PAY THE MUSICIANS ON YOUR BEHALF, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WHICH, WHICH, SO BY YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION ON THIS, FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS FOR MUSICIANS, WHICH ONE DO YOU THINKS, UH, SURVIVES? I MEAN, I THINK THAT, AM I LOOKING AT IT? IS, IS IT, IS IT, IS IT THE PARK'S RECOMMENDATION? YEAH, YOU GUESSED CORRECT.
I MEAN, THE REASON WHY THAT'S THE CASE IS THAT IF WE BEGIN A NEGOTIATION PROCESS WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, WE ARE NEVER GONNA HAVE TO BE HERE EVER AGAIN TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
'CAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONTRACT THAT MAY HAVE THINGS IN IT, LIKE, UM, LIKE A RAISE SCHEDULE, A COST OF LIVING, INCREASE AN INFLATION THING.
ALSO, THOSE CONTRACTS, WHEN THEY EXPIRE, THEY'RE REQUIRED THAT BOTH PARTIES HAS AT LEAST ATTEMPT TO RENEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH.
SO IT, IT'S REALLY TAKING ALL OF THIS STRESS, YOU KNOW, OUT OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT AND FREEING IT UP TO THOSE RESOURCES FOR OTHER
AND, AND IT DOES, I MEAN, THIS ONE, THIS, THIS IS THE OTHER ONE THAT, THAT, THAT WAS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO, UM, UH, VAL'S, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT SHE PULLED.
UM, SO YEAH, SO, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE, WE, WE HAVE LIKE DEADLINES AND THERE'S DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND WE'RE SAYING, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.
AND WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING, CITI, DO THIS AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
IF YOU CAN, THEN WE CAN START THE NEGOTIATIONS ON
[02:10:01]
HOW DO WE GET THERE, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE END GAME.BUT THE OTHER ONE DOES WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT COMMISSIONER VILLALOBOS DOES, WHO IS A LAWYER AND, UM, IS IS A PRACTICING LAWYER AND KNOWS A LOT OF THE LEGAL STUFF AND IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY THROUGH THE PARK SPORT, UH, PUTS A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY AND A LOT OF ONUS ON YOU ALL TO JUST WORK THIS OUT BETWEEN YOURSELVES AND, AND, AND, AND NEGOTIATE THAT MM-HMM.
UM, AND THE ONLY CAVEAT TO THAT IS THAT CITY PARK PERMITS WOULD BE HELD UP, YOU KNOW? UM, AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE, THE, THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT WE'RE, WE, WERE, WE'RE ASKING, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE ASKING FOR, UM, CITY COUNCIL TO RECOMMEND THAT THESE PERMITS ARE HELD UP.
AND I WILL BE FULL, FULLY HONEST WITH YOU, AND I'VE TOLD AARON THIS TOO, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONNA PASS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE VOTES TO DO IT.
UM, WHICH IS WHY, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE, UM, I WROTE THIS ON THE PLANE COMING BACK FROM ATLANTA TODAY.
SO, UM, I MEAN, I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL SCOPE OF Y'ALL'S POWER.
YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ARE NOT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY SMALL.
IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A LITTLE, UM, STAR, SPARKLE THING, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? YEAH.
AND I MEAN, UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, AND I'M SPEAKING PERSONALLY RIGHT NOW, AND I DON'T WANNA PUT WORDS IN THE MOUTH OF LIKE THIS SORT OF COALITION THAT'S HERE, BUT LIKE, IF A NEGOTIATION PROCESS BETWEEN THE MUSICIANS IN SOUTH BY TAKES A LONGER TIME, THAT'S FINE.
IF IT RESULTS IN A BETTER OUTCOME, AND ESPECIALLY IF THAT OUTCOME IS, AS AARON WAS SAYING, FAIR, WHICH IN THIS CASE FAIR PAY IS DEFINITIONALLY A AN AGREEMENT, A FAIR AGREEMENT THAT'S ENGAGED IN A GOOD FAITH BETWEEN TWO BARGAINING PARTNERS, YOU KNOW, AND THAT IS A, IS ESSENTIALLY IS LIKE WHAT THE MARKET CAN BEAR, IS THE NUMBER, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
I MEAN, THE MUSICIANS ARE OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE GOING TO WANT THAT NUMBER TO BE LITERALLY AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WANTS THAT NUMBER TO BE LITERALLY AS LOW AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT IS THE NEGOTIATION THAT WE'RE ENGAGING IN, YOU KNOW, AND YEAH.
AND, AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T SAY, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UM, I KNOW THAT I, I DO KNOW THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS, IS, IS COOPERATING.
I'VE HAD A, A NUMBER OF TALKS WITH YOU FOREST, AND THEY, AND THOSE TALKS HAVE BEEN, HONESTLY, THEY'VE BEEN QUITE ENCOURAGING.
I'M, I WON'T LIE, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THIS PROCESS TAKES, AND MAYBE IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, UM, GETTING OUT OF THE WAY AND, AND, AND, AND, UM, AND LETTING THIS PROCESS PLAY ITSELF OUT.
UH, BUT MAKING SURE THAT, I MEAN, THAT I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TODAY.
AND, AND, AND I, AND I ALSO, I JUST, I DO WANT TO SAY THIS ALSO, LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE A NEW COMMISSION AS A MUSIC COMMISSION, AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, I I BELIEVE IT'S TWO DIFFERENT, ALMOST KIND OF TWO DIFFERENT PATHWAYS OF WHERE WE WANT TO GO.
AND IT'S, AND, AND I THINK THOSE TWO DIFFERENT PATHWAYS ARE, YOU KNOW, DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE IN THE SPIRIT OF SHAKA MAHOME WHEN HE WAS THE, THE, THE LEADER OF THIS COMMISSION WHERE WE ARE REPRESENTING AND BEING FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE OR, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WITHIN CHARLOTTE ALSO WHERE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, OR IS IT, YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT NOW, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT GOOD WORK NOW, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF RED TAPE TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO KIND OF, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I'VE, I'VE TALKED WAY TOO MUCH.
I'M, YEAH, PLEASE DO YOU MIND OR DO ONE HERE? UH, I YOU WANNA GO AHEAD OR, UH, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I DO.
PLEASE GO AHEAD AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL DO A QUICK RESPONSE TO, UM, SOMETHING VERY PERSONAL, OBVIOUSLY THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND ALLUDED TO THERE.
AND WE'LL, UM, I'LL, I'LL REQUEST THE OTHER SPEAKER TO COME UP.
THANKS EVERYONE SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
UM, YOU, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT WE DO EVERY MONTH, UM, WADDING THROUGH EVERYTHING.
WITH ALL OF Y'ALL IN SOLIDARITY, FULL-TIME WORKING MUSICIAN HERE, UM, MY, MY RESERVATION WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PARKS, UH, RESOLUTION IS, TO YOUR POINT, ERIN, IN NOT EMBARRASSING OURSELVES AS A GOVERNMENT, UM, BODY, THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER RESOLUTION WE SEND FORWARD IS,
[02:15:01]
AS, IS AS CORRECT AND UPDATED AS POSSIBLE.THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THAT, IN THAT RESOLUTION THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR AND, UM, THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED TOO, TO REFLECT WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, LIKE THE NUMBERS OF, OF WHERE THE PAY IS.
UM, THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING IN THERE, UM, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE AGREEMENTS THAT, OR THE, THE FEES THAT, THAT ARE ACTUALLY WAIVED FOR, FOR SOUTH BY, AND, UM, SURE.
I THINK THAT WAS DRAFTED BY PEDRO.
SO I WOULD WANT TO, I WOULD WANT TO UPDATE IT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT REFLECTS EVERYTHING AS, AS CLEARLY AND CONCISELY AS POSSIBLE.
AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S JUST, IT, IT DOESN'T SAY IN, IN THE, IN THE, UH, THE RESOLUTION PART OF IT.
IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT FACILITATING OR LIKE EMPOWERING THE UNION OR, OR, OR, OR, OR, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD IS I'M LOOKING FOR, BUT, BUT IT DOESN'T STATE THAT THE, THE, THE CITY IS RECOMMENDING THAT THIS, UM, NEGOTIATION, THIS, UM, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING HAPPEN.
AND TO ME IT JUST, IT JUST SAYS, IT JUST SAYS REQUIRING FAIR PAY, YOU KNOW, BY ANY MEANS.
SO I, I JUST FEEL LIKE, I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE'S MORE, I, I WANNA PUT, I WANNA PRESENT SOMETHING TO COUNCIL THAT IS GONNA BE LIKE AIRTIGHT, AND THAT IS GONNA BE VERY, UM, FEASIBLE, AND THAT'S GONNA COME, THAT IS GOING TO END UP GIVING US THE BEST OUTCOME, WHICH IN MY MIND IS MAKING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING HAPPENING.
SO, WELL, I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK ANYONE IN THE UNION AT LEAST WOULD BE UPSET IF YOU ADDED VIA COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TO FAIR PAY AND THE, THE RESOLUTION AS IT STANDS
I THINK THAT TO, TO ANSWER KIND OF BOTH YOU AND SCOTT'S QUESTIONS AT THE SAME TIME.
LIKE, THERE IS A WAY TO BOTH, WELL, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A WAY TO BOTH GET OUT OF THE WAY AND ALSO HELP AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, AND PEDRO, I THINK SORT OF SPECIFICALLY WORDED THIS RESOLUTION IN A WAY THAT ABSOLVED IT FROM RUNNING INTO SOME RED TAPE ISSUES.
AND I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT'S, IT'S, IF IT WERE TO PASS IN CITY COUNCIL, THEN IT'S UP TO THE CITY COMMISSIONER TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S THE ACTUAL EXECUTION LOOK, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL AN, AN AGREEMENT IS MADE.
I THINK THAT IF, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAY THE, UH, THE PARKS, UM, PERMITS GET HELD UP AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SOUTH BY ISN'T ABLE TO USE THE PARKS DURING THE FESTIVAL, THAT'S NOT GOOD.
I THINK THE ONLY PERSON THAT'S GONNA BE EMBARRASSED IN THAT SCENARIO IS SOUTH BY MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW, CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE TAKEN MEETINGS WITHOUT CONFERRING WITH OTHERS, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS RESULTED IN THE, THIS $350 THING, WHICH THE UNION WOULD LIKE FLAT OUT NOT EVEN TOUCH THAT
YOU, HAVE YOU BEEN TRYING TO GET AHOLD OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO COME TO THE TABLE? IS THAT WELL SOUTH BY HAS, I THINK AARON CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS MORE THAN I CAN, TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST.
ALSO, I DON'T REALLY WANT TO, LIKE, I'M JUST ASKING QUESTION INCRIMINATE ANYBODY SURE, OF COURSE.
BUT IF AARON WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT, I DON'T THINK HE CAN NOISE, BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR NUMBER IS ON OUR WEBSITE, SO
YEAH, THERE'S ONE THING ABOUT THIS IDEA OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
NOT ALL MUSICIANS ARE REPRESENTED BY THE UNION.
CERTAINLY THE GOAL OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS TO HEAR NEW VOICES AND, UH, AND NEW PERFORMERS.
MANY PERFORMERS COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHERE OUR STANDARDS OF, OF UNION, UH, DON'T APPLY.
AND IT CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE THE EXACT SAME UNION AS AS YOU ARE.
SO I THINK WE'RE VERY FAR OFF FROM HAVING THE UNION NEGOTIATE FOR ALL MUSICIANS AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, PERHAPS THOSE THAT ARE JUST MEMBERS OF THE, OF, OF THE UNION.
UM, I WOULD, UM, AND I, I WANNA BRING UP THIS OTHER RESOLUTION, WHICH, UH, THIS IS NOT THE ONE THAT WE SAW
[02:20:01]
LAST MONTH, WHICH HAD LOTS OF DOLLAR FIGURES IN, IN THERE.I I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS, IF THIS ONE, IF THIS RESOLUTION HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED, HAS IT, IT IBEL? YES.
KIM, YOU DID SEND THAT OUT RIGHT? WHEN I, WHEN I, I, YEAH, I MEAN, I HAVE IT.
SO YES, SHE DATE ON IT IS AUGUST 7TH, 2023.
YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF ALL OF, UM, WELL, ACTUALLY ALL OF YOU HAVE A COPY OF IT WHERE YOU'RE SITTING THE THE BRAND NEW ONE, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO, UM, THE, THE BRAND NEW ONE, UH, HAS INSTRUCTIONS.
CAN I JUST CONFIRM THAT THE BRAND NEW ONE IS ONE, ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS AVAILABLE UP THERE THAT I PICKED UP? YES.
IT, THE, THE DATE AT THE TOP OF IT IS OH 8 0 7 2 0 2 3.
I DON'T HAVE SUCH A RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF ME, AND I BELIEVE THAT I PICKED UP EVERYTHING THAT WAS OVER THERE, BUT IT WAS POSTED TO THE WEBSITE, BUT KIND OF LATE IN THE AFTERNOON.
SO THAT'S WHERE IT WAS IN THE BACKUP, BUT I, I THINK IT WAS AFTER IT WAS LIKE AROUND THREE OR FOUR THAT IT GOT POSTED.
SO YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD IT, IF YOU HAD LOOKED AT THE WEBSITE EARLIER IN THE DAY, YOU WOULD'VE THOUGHT IT WASN'T POSTED.
SO I WAS ON A PLANE COMING BACK FOR IT WENT, THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY FAULT.
NO, I'M NOT, IT'S NOT A CRITICISM.
UM, I'M JUST, I DON'T WANT OUR SPEAKER TO FEEL BAD THAT HE HASN'T SEEN IT
WELL, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, I'D ACT TO JUST BE, KNOW THAT I'M DISCUSSING THE RIGHT RESOLUTION WITH YOU, BUT I, I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD GO AHEAD AND LET THE REST OF OUR SPEAKER YEAH.
I, I DON'T NEED TO STAND UP FOREVER.
THEN WE CAN, UH, GO THROUGH THE, BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY NEW TO ME TOO.
SO, AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION.
UM, BUT I, I DID JUST WANNA INTERJECT REALLY QUICKLY THAT I, I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD A, A STRONG THROUGH LINE OF, OF, UM, CHAIRS OF THIS COMMISSION THAT ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO THE MUSIC COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAVE DIFFERENT WORKING STYLES, AND I KNOW THAT I'M LIKE, I WAS THE MOST BORING ONE PROBABLY, BUT, UH,
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF REALLY DIFFICULT COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT THIS AND PHONE CALLS, AND WE'RE TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE TRYING TO TALK TO PEOPLE AT THE CITY, AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE, ALL OF US WANT WHAT Y'ALL WANT TOO.
LIKE WE COULD ALL BE HOLDING FAIR PAY, YOU KNOW, BANNERS TOO.
LIKE WE ARE HOLDING THAT, BUT IT, THE TECHNICALITIES OF WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE.
AND WARREN JUST SPOKE TO THAT.
LIKE, IT'S IN, IT'S JUST TRICKY.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH AS A COMMISSION.
LIKE HOW, HOW DO WE HELP IN A WAY THAT THE CITY IS ACTUALLY GONNA RESPOND TO? LIKE, I, I, I WAS THE ONE THAT FINALLY LIKE REACHED OUT TO CITY LEGAL AND WAS LIKE, CAN YOU, CAN YOU HELP ME OUT? I'M NOT A LAWYER, I'M NOT AN ACCOUNTANT.
AND WE GOT, YOU KNOW, A REALLY, AND I MEAN, I DID GET A RESPONSE AND, AND I APPRECIATED THAT, BUT IT WAS LIKE, I ALMOST NEEDED SOMEBODY TO LIKE, INTERPRET IT FOR ME.
I WAS LIKE, SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS LIKE, WE DON'T, WE JUST MAKE A RESIDENT, YOU KNOW, WE RECOMMEND THAT OUR, TO OUR LEGISLATIVE, UH, LIAISON FOR THE CITY, THAT SHE TAKE IT TO THE STATE.
LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE GO WITH THIS.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TASK IN FRONT OF US HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT EVERYBODY ON THE COMMISSION IS DOING.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND COMM CHAIR, YOU KNOW, CHARLA KIND OF HAS THE HARD TASK OF, OF BEING THE ONE THAT HAS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT LIKE, WELL, HOW WOULD THIS WORK? AND HOW DOES IT WORK IF WE DO THIS? AND HOW DOES IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, SHE'S GOT THE HARDEST JOB HERE, YOU KNOW? SO WE WOULD ALL LOVE TO LIKE, GET OUT THE POMPOMS AND LIKE, BE LIKE, YEAH, YOU KNOW, FIGHT THE POWER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SOUTH BY IS PART OF OUR ECOSYSTEM TOO, AND WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE CAN TELL PEOPLE AND WHAT WE CAN'T, AND WE DON'T KNOW ALL THE NUMBERS AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE CONTRACTS.
AND SCOTT, I KNOW HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT THAT AND THAT, YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD, SO WE'RE TRYING, LIKE, WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY ON ONE LEVEL IS TOTALLY ON THE SAME PAGE WITH THIS.
LIKE, WE WANT MUSICIANS TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN THIS TOWN.
LIKE ALL THE BORING STUFF THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER WITH LIKE, DEVELOPER INCENTIVES TO MAKE VENUES LIKE LESS THEIR RENT, LESS COSTLY SO THEY CAN PAY THE MUSICIANS MORE, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS FROM ALL THE ANGLES.
UM, BUT I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO GET ALL LIKE, EMOTIONAL, BUT I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH, HOW HARD EVERYBODY HERE IS WORKING ON THIS.
AND CHARLOTTE, UH, COMMISSIONER PATTERSON, UH,
[02:25:01]
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, UH, STRICKLAND, I WON'T DWELL ON THIS FOR TOO LONG, BUT IF RED TAPE MEANS, UH, DOING DUE DUE RESEARCH, PUTTING IN HARD WORK TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE FROM EVERY ASPECT, WHAT IS VIABLE, WHAT THE COMMISSION CAN DO OR CANNOT DO, I'M OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE I'M OKAY TO PRESENT A PERSPECTIVE THAT MIGHT NOT BE POPULAR IN THE MOMENT, BUT IT SPEAKS TO WHAT THE COMMISSION IS CAPABLE OF DOING.AND I'M GONNA MOVE OFF FROM THE PERSONAL, BUT I WILL GET TO THE POINT THAT I DO WANNA MAKE THE POINT THAT THIS MUSIC COMMISSION HAS CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED MUSICIANS, UM, AND, AND, AND WORKED TOWARDS THE BENEFIT OF THE MUSICIANS, UM, UH, UH, OVER, OVER MANY YEARS.
UM, INCLUDING, UH, HOW EVERYONE HAS VOTED ON ISSUES, UH, WHETHER IT'S THE LIVE MUSIC FUND WHERE WE DEVOTED A BULK OF A MAJORITY OF THE GRANTS GOING TO MUSICIANS IN THE FIRST YEAR, BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD INFLUENCE.
AND UNDER LEADERSHIP, UNDER PUSH FROM COMMISSIONER MAHO, WE ACTUALLY, UH, WENT AHEAD WITH GIVING THE GRANTS ONLY TO MUSICIANS AND INDEPENDENT PROMOTERS IN THE FIRST YEAR.
I PERSONALLY PUSHED FOR BROADENED USES OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUNDS, SO A MUSICIAN CAN GO NOT ONLY USE THE FUNDS FOR, UH, LIVE PERFORMANCES, BUT USE THEM IN RECORDING STUDIOS AND, UH, MAKING VIDEOS, ET CETERA.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, AND WE WERE ABLE TO INFLUENCE THAT.
AND THAT IS VERY MUCH IN ACTION TODAY.
THEN CAME THE $200 RATE FOR, UH, PER HOUR RATE FOR, UH, CITY COMMISSIONED EVENTS.
AND BECAUSE IT WAS CITY COMMISSIONED EVENTS, WE HAD A SAY IN THAT, AND WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION.
SO I DO WANNA ASSURE EVERYBODY THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS CONSISTENTLY ACTED, UH, TO THE BENEFIT OF MUSICIANS AS, UH, WHERE WHEREVER WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AND WHERE WHEREVER WE HAVE HAD THE PURVIEW.
UM, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS AN ISSUE AGAIN, UH, WHERE I PERSONALLY WILL LOOK AT IT FROM, UH, FROM THE, FROM THE LENS OF, UH, INDUSTRY AND, UH, AND, AND A BIGGER PICTURE.
AND ALSO ON WHAT IS VIABLE AGAIN, UH, FOR OUR COMMISSION TO DO.
AND, UH, I HOPE THAT YOUR TRACK RECORD CONTINUES.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME AUDREY CAMPBELL, UH, TO SPEAK.
I'M AUDREY CAMPBELL, UM, SENIOR IN A PLEASURE MEN, UH, FOUR PIECE PUNK BAND BASED HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ACTIVE FOR CLOSE TO A DECADE.
UH, I'M HERE TO LEND MY VOICE IN RESOLUTE SUPPORT OF THE PARKS AND RECS, UH, RECOMMENDATION FOR FAIR PAY AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
UH, THIS MARKS MY THIRD APPEARANCE, AND I WAS HOPING, UH, THIS TIME WE COULD BREAK THROUGH THE VARIOUS THAT HINDERED PROGRESS, UM, AS I ADDRESSED G MY SCHEDULES JAM PACKED WITH WORK AND A FLIGHT SCHEDULE FOR THIS WEEKEND TO GRACE, A SMALLER YET REMARKABLY MORE EQUITABLE FESTIVAL IN DENVER, COLORADO.
UNLIKE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WEST, WHICH RAKED IN A STAGGERING $300 MILLION LAST YEAR ALONE, THIS FESTIVAL NOT ONLY COMPENSATES US MORE FAIRLY, BUT ALSO GENEROUSLY COVERS OUR TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATIONS.
UH, THIS TREND CONTINUES AS WE HEAD NORTH TO CANADA LATER THIS MONTH, WHERE YET ANOTHER FESTIVAL HONORS US WITH PROPER COMPENSATION AND SUPPORT, PLUS ACCOMMODATION TRAVEL, UH, NEXT MONTH.
SAME THING, UH, UH, SEATTLE FESTIVAL THAT WE'RE PLAYING, UH, PAYING FOR A FLIGHT AND TRAVEL ACCOMMODATIONS.
ANYWAY, I IMPLORE YOU TO CONSIDER THIS PIVOTAL, PIVOTAL FACT, UH, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST REACH, UM, EXTENDS ACROSS THE GLOBE, UM, LANDING IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, UH, CITY POISED TO REPLICATE THE UNFORTUNATE PRACTICES OF OFFERING MUSICIANS NOTHING MORE THAN WRISTBANDS IN RETURN FOR THEIR CREATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS.
IT IS IMPERATIVE MOMENT IN TIME, ONE THAT DEMANDS WE HALT THE INSIDIOUS CYCLE AT ITS VERY ORIGINS HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ALLOWED THIS DIS DISPARITY TO PERSIST WITH PITIFUL SUMS, LIKE $350 OR $250, UM, DISTRIBUTED AMONGST ENTIRE BANDS.
WHAT IF YOUR BAND'S AN EIGHT PIECE, LIKE, DON'T EVEN GET STARTED? UM, IT'S AN OUTRAGE THAT HAS PERSISTED SINCE 1987.
UH, THIS FARCE HAS ENDURED FOR FAR TOO LONG, AND THE COFFERS OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST OVERFLOW, LEAVING AMPLE ROOM TO AFFORD MUSICIANS THEY'RE DUE.
UM, I'M EXASPERATED BY THE PATRONIZING, PATRONIZING TACTICS THAT ATTEMPT TO GASLIGHT ARTISTS, UM, WHO MERELY REQUEST FAIR PAY IN A CITY HAILED AS THE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
WE MUST STRIVE FOR BETTER REFUSING TO FURTHER LINE THE POCKETS OF GREED GIANTS LIKE PENSKE MEDIA, THE ENTITY BEHIND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
SO, LET'S ADDRESS THE CORE ISSUE.
LOCAL MUSICIANS ARE LEFT WITH A CHOICE OF MIRRORS AND OR INADEQUATE PAY, A LAUGHABLE OFFERING THAT PALES
[02:30:01]
IN COMPARISON TO THE SACRIFICES WE MAKE FOR OUR CRAFT.THIS YEAR'S ARTIST LOUNGE, UH, STATION AMIDST, AMIDST A DIRT PIT AND A LEAKY PORTA POTTY DOES LITTLE TO FOSTER MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS.
YOU ARE NOT GONNA MEET YOUR NEXT BAND MANAGER BOOKING AGENT THERE.
YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE RELUCTANTLY ACCEPTED THESE WRISTBANDS SHACKLED BY THE BLEAK PAY THAT FAILS TO SUPPORT BOTH BANDS AND SOLO ARTISTS ALIKE.
UH, THE TIME HAS COME FOR BOTH PENSKE AND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION.
THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS IS A GRIFT, AN UNSAVORY SPECTACLE THAT DEMANDS AN IMMEDIATE END.
AND LET'S DO THIS, ASKING $150 FOR SOLO PERFORMANCE AND PERFORMERS, AND $350 FOR ENTIRE BANDS IS IN THE FACE OF FESTIVALS, STAGGERING UPWARDS OF $300 MILLION.
ANNUAL REVENUE IS NOTHING SHORT OF DISGRACEFUL.
IT'S DOUBLY DISHEARTENING THAT SUCH A SCENARIO UNFOLDS IN AUSTIN AS A SO-CALLED MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
THIS IS THE MUSIC COMMISSION, RIGHT? LIKE, IF WE, IF WE CAN'T COME TO YOU, LIKE, I'M GONNA STICK TO THIS, OKAY? I'M WEARY OF REPEATING MYSELF OR BEING CAUGHT IN THIS ENDLESS CYCLE OF STALLING, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS ALL FEELS LIKE.
I WOULD LIKE THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO DO YOUR JOBS AND PASS THIS RECOMMENDATION.
THE CYCLE OF EXPLOITATION THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS CREATED MUST BE DISMANTLED.
AND IT STARTS, IT HAS TO START SOMEWHERE.
UM, THE SHADOW OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST LOOMS OVER AN ENTIRE MONTH CASTING A SHADOW OVER THE MUSIC SCENE EVERY MARCH WITH DIMINISHED OFFERS, WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS STATUS QUO.
MY PURPOSE HERE EXTENDS FAR BEYOND MY OWN INTEREST.
I SPEAK FOR EMERGING ARTISTS WHO YEARN FOR A PLATFORM FOR A VOICE AGAINST THIS INJUSTICE.
THE WRITER STRIKING IN THE FILM INDUSTRY THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, UH, STANDS AS A BEACON OF INSPIRATION.
A REMINDER THAT WE TOO CAN CALL INADEQUATE, UH, INADEQUACIES, UM, IN THIS INDUSTRY AS WELL, THAT WE FACE.
SO, MAKE NO MISTAKE, WE ARE NOT BEHOLDEN TO YOUR FESTIVAL.
WE POSSESS THE COURAGE TO EXPOSE THE PAL COMPOSITION THAT MARS, THE HEART OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL, OUR VOICES WILL NOT WAVER.
I HAVE PROVIDED AMPLE EXAMPLES.
THIS IS MY THIRD TIME COMING HERE.
I HAVE SO MANY OTHER THINGS TO DO, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW.
I FEEL WITH YOU CHANGING YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S, I I CAN'T, IT'S JUST ARIF.
JUST BECAUSE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MAKES MONEY FOR THE CITY DOES NOT MEAN ARTISTS JUST STAY SILENT ABOUT UNFAIR PAY AND COMPENSATION.
THAT IS CALLED TEXTBOOK EXPLOITATION.
WE YEARN FOR A BETTER TOMORROW.
AND AUSTIN THAT EMBRACES ITS ARTISTS A SOUTH BY THAT STANDS AS A BEACON OF FAIRNESS AND RESPECT.
UM, BUT THE SILENCE'S BEEN BROKEN, THE CYCLE'S INTERRUPTED.
IT CAN'T STOP WHAT'S ALREADY OUTTA THE BOX.
AND I ACTUALLY REALLY CARE ABOUT, UM, THIS TOWN, UH, THE MUSICIANS HERE.
UM, SO BASICALLY, IN SHORT, THE CITY MANAGER, LEGAL DEPARTMENT, PARKS, REC, YOU NEED TO NEGOTIATE GUARANTEES.
UH, FAIR PAY WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FOR DOMESTIC ARTISTS WHO PERFORM AT CITY OWNED SPACES, UH, REQUIRED CHANGES TO THE ARTISTS PAYING COMPENSATION BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST BEFORE THE CITY, WASTE FEES AT CITY OWNED SPACES.
GOT ANY QUESTIONS?
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
YEAH, I HOPE YOU'RE ON SIDE, BRO.
GOOD TO SEE YOU FOR YOUR, WE APPRECIATE YOU.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK AGAIN.
UM, I HOPE THAT MAYBE WE CAN GET SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION PASSED TONIGHT SO I CAN DO WORK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BE DOING INSTEAD OF COMING TO THESE MEETINGS.
'CAUSE MUSIC WORK IS IMPORTANT TO ME, AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS DEMOCRATIC PROCESS KIND OF SEES IT THROUGH.
UM, AND LIKE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKED ABOUT A LOT, UM, TODAY, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT LIKE WHAT SOUTH BY DID WHEN THEY RAISED THE, THE WAGES FOR THIS COMING 20, 24 YEAR WAS A UNILATERAL DECISION.
IT WASN'T, THERE WAS NO PROCESS AND NO DISCUSSION.
AS MUCH AS THEY WANNA SAY THAT IS, IF THERE IS SOME SORT OF FEEDBACK PROCESS, IT'S BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
[02:35:01]
IT'S NOT TRANSPARENT.AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE, THEY COULD BE TELLING THE TRUTH OR THEY COULD BE LYING TO YOU.
THEY HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO NOT LIE TO YOU.
THEY CAN LIE TO YOU ABOUT WHO THEY'RE TALKING TO AND HOW GOOD IT IS FOR PEOPLE.
LAST TIME THEY TESTIFIED WHEN THEY SAID, OH, WE'RE A SMALL BEAN COMPANY WHO NEEDS HELP, AND WE HAD TO STRUGGLE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.
NO, $7 MILLION IN P P P LOANS ON TOP OF BEING INVESTED IN BY PENSKE MEDIA, NOT NO SMALL BEING COMPANY HERE, MULTIMILLION DOLLARS, BUT THEY SEEM TO FEEL LIKE THEY CAN CONTINUE TO NOT COMPENSATE MUSICIANS FOR THE VALUE THAT THEY BRING TO THE CITY.
AND IT'S NOT JUST LOCAL AUSTIN MUSICIANS.
IT'S MUSICIANS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT COME IN AND BRING THIS MILLIONS.
WE SAW HOW MUCH MONEY THIS FESTIVAL BRINGS IN TO THIS CITY, AND ALL OF THAT IS COMING OFF OF THE BACKS OF EXPLOITING MUSICIANS.
SO THAT'S, AND THAT'S WHY WE ENCOURAGE THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BECAUSE IT, IT PUTS US IN CONVERSATION WITH THE COMPANY, THE CORPORATION THAT IS MAKING MONEY, MAKING PROFITS OFF OF THE WORK THAT WE DO.
AND IT, THAT'S HOW WE DETERMINE THAT FAIR PAY IS THROUGH THAT DIALOGUE AND BACK AND FORTH.
AND WE CAN SEE THAT HAPPENING IN ALL SORTS OF INDUSTRIES.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S OUTSIDE THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY.
THERE ARE OTHER FESTIVALS IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.
TO YOUR QUESTION EARLIER, WE ARE IN A RIGHT TO WORK STATE.
YOU WOULDN'T EVEN NEED TO JOIN A UNION TO, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO STILL PLAY THE FESTIVAL, THAT WOULD BE ILLEGAL UNDER OUR CURRENT LABOR LAW REGULATIONS.
BUT YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET PAID CRAP, LIKE YOU'RE GETTING PAID CRAP.
NOW IF THERE'S A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT AT THAT FESTIVAL, BECAUSE THERE'S AT LEAST A PROCESS, A DEMOCRATIC PROCESS THAT IS TAKING YOU TO ACCOUNT AND HA AND OPEN, GET THE COMPANY TO OPEN THEIR BOOKS AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE ARE BRINGING IN, IN REVENUE.
AND TO COME UP WITH A REALISTIC SOLUTION FOR THIS.
THAT'S WHAT THE PROCESS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T EXCLUDE ANYBODY WHO'S, WHO DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THEY CAN RECEIVE THE BENEFITS OF A UNION.
UM, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UH, WRAP UP YOUR THOUGHTS.
WE ARE AT CLOSE TO NINE 30, SO, UH, BUT I WOULD ALSO OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, BUT PLEASE, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
AND I, THAT'S JUST WHY I I, AND KIND OF WRAP IT UP, THAT LIKE YOU DO, THE LEVERAGE THAT YOU HAVE, WE UNDERSTAND IS MINUSCULE, BUT YOU DO HAVE IT.
AND I HEAR A LOT OF WE'RE WITH YOU, WE'RE WITH YOU, WE'RE WITH YOU, BUT A LOT OF BUTS, LOTS OF BIG BUTS AROUND FLYING AROUND TONIGHT ABOUT, OH, WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA TAKE CARE OF THE SMALL BEING COMPANY, AND THEY'RE JUST NOT, THAT'S JUST A LIE.
THAT'S THE CON IT'S A CONSISTENT LIE THAT THEY TELL PEOPLE TO GET THEM OFF THEIR BACKS TO, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY ENGAGE WITH THE, THEIR EMPLOYEES IN A, IN A, AND HEAR THEIR VOICES.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT Y'ALL WILL SUPPORT TONIGHT, IS USING WHATEVER LITTLE POWER YOU DO HAVE TO SAY, TELL THE CITY COUNCIL THAT, NO, THIS IS SOMETHING WE SUPPORT, THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE SUPPORTING THIS EXPLOITATION OF WORKERS AND MUSICIANS, THAT WE SHOULD TAKE AWAY THESE SUBSIDIES BECAUSE OF THEY'RE NOT PAYING THE WORKERS FAIRLY.
AND IF SOUTH BY CHOOSES TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITHOUT THOSE SUBSIDIES, THEN SO BE IT.
THAT'S, THAT'S THEIR CHOICE, BUT THE CITY DOESN'T NEED TO CHOOSE TO ENABLE THEM.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
OREN, YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING THING.
YOU SAID IT WAS GONNA TAKE SOME TIME.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPAND ON THAT? WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? UH, I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE THE NUMBERS GUY.
LIKE, OKAY, WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS IF THERE WERE A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT IN PLACE, THEN ALL, THEN ALL MUSICIANS WOULD BENEFIT FROM IT.
WE SEE THAT IN, IN OTHER INDUSTRIES, THAT UNIONIZED WORKPLACES RAISE WAGES IN NON-UNIONIZED WORKPLACES.
UH, IN TEXAS IT'S VERY UNLIKELY.
IN FACT, AARON HIMSELF SAID THAT THEY'RE, THAT YOU'RE VERY FAR AWAY FROM GETTING A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.
I, I WOULD PUT THAT ON MORE ON SOUTH BY AND THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE TO OPERATE THEIR BUSINESS.
AND THE CITY CURRENTLY ENABLES THAT BY NOT, YOU KNOW, BY HAVING MUSICIANS BE IN THIS GRAY SPACE FOR EMPLOYMENT.
BUT THE POINT THAT I'M MAKING IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, EVEN WITH WHATEVER RESOLUTION THAT WE WOULD MAKE, AND EVEN IF FULLY BACKED BY THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD ENGAGE IN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING THAT IS, SORRY.
UNLESS, OKAY, WELL, IT IF, IF WE WERE IN MASSACHUSETTS, YES, WE ARE IN TEXAS.
[02:40:01]
NO, NO, NO, NO.IT'S, I'M GONNA ASK YOU A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION RIGHT NOW.
WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD, WHAT, AND I NEED YOU TO BE STRAIGHT UP HONEST WITH ME, WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE UNION GETTING A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST? WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE, LIKE, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS WITH THAT? I THINK IT'S 100% LIKELY THAT IT HA COULD HAPPEN.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S A MATTER OF TIMEFRAME, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE IT HAPPENS IN ALL SORTS.
THERE'S, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THERE'S A, THERE'S OTHER FESTIVALS THAT HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.
THERE'S COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS IN ALL SORTS OF CREATIVE INDUSTRIES.
AND THERE ARE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS IN AUSTIN.
UH, THE A C L A C L IS A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS HAS A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.
AND SO IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF AUSTIN COULD START ENGAGING WITH THAT PROCESS.
UH, YOU, YOU ASKED US EARLIER, IF SOUTH BY, IF WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGING WITH IT, LIKE THEY SEEK OUT OTHER GROUPS IN TOWN, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE INTENTIONALLY NOT TALKING WITH US BECAUSE IT STARTS TO CALL INTO ALL SORTS OF REALLY IMPORTANT TAX QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE AS FAR AS LIKE, YOU KNOW, DO THEY PAY EMPLOYEE TAXES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, WE, YOU KNOW, FILE OUR TAXES WITH THEM AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND THEY, THEY DO IT IN A VERY CONVENIENT WAY WHERE THEY KEEP US, YOU KNOW, VERY AT ARMS DISTANCE SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIKE PAY EMPLOYMENT TAXES LIKE OTHER, LIKE THEY DO FOR SOME OF THEIR OTHER EMPLOYEES.
YOU KNOW? SO THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT MAKE IT AN IMPOSS, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT HARDER FOR US TO HAVE A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF SOUTH BYS GREED AND THE WAY THEY WANT TO, AND THE WAY THEY HAVE THEIR, THEIR THINGS STRUCTURED, THEIR BUSINESS STRUCTURED.
IT'S NOTHING TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, US NOT WANTING IT.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT TO GET TOO, YOU KNOW, THEORETICAL, BUT IT'S, THIS IS HOW THE DICTATORSHIP OF CAPITAL WORKS.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND ORGANIZATIONS, BODIES LIKE THIS CAN, ARE KIND OF IN THIS PERMEABILITY WHERE LIKE, BUT I THINK WE'VE, WHERE LIKE THEY CAN COME ON THE SIDE OF THE PEOPLE, BUT I THINK WE'VE SEEN IT ALSO WHERE THEY, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE CORPORATION.
SO, SO IS IT POSSIBLE THAT A F M AND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST COULD DO THIS THING? YES, 100%.
IT'S UP TO SOUTH BY WHETHER THEY WANT TO ACTUALLY COME IN AND BE A GOOD FAITH NEGOTIATOR WITH THEIR EMPLOYEES OR NOT.
I'M PULLING MY RECOMMENDATION THAT I WROTE TODAY.
WE'RE BACK TO THIS ONE, THE ORIGINAL ONE.
UM, WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON, UH, IF NOBODY HAS ANY OTHER, UH, PRESSING QUESTIONS, COMMENTS HERE.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO, UH, THE LAST SPEAKER, UH, MICHELLE FLORES.
UH, KIM, JUST TO DO A QUICK TIME CHECK HERE WE ARE AT, UM, UM, A LITTLE PAST NINE 30.
UH, IT'S CITY HALL, SO I UNDERSTAND WE CAN CONTINUE.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE, THE CAMERAS, UH, THE LIVE TV IS STILL ON.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECT, SO I WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE AVAILABLE, UM, AS WE CONTINUE THIS, THIS DISCUSSION.
UM, WOULD THAT BE AVAILABLE TO US PAST 10 O'CLOCK? WHAT, WHAT IS THE DEAL THERE? IF YOU COULD PLEASE ADVISE? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE HAVE TO VACATE CITY HALL AT 10 O'CLOCK AND THAT 10 O'CLOCK THAT INCLUDES STAFF CLEANING STUFF UP.
UM, LET'S TAKE, UM, A QUICK, UM, UH, SOME, SOME TIME WITH, UM, UM, MICHELLE SORE HERE.
UM, MICHELLE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UH, YOU ARE AVAILABLE TODAY HERE, UH, MAINLY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UM, I'M JUST REALLY HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR US, FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE.
UH, JUST VERY QUICKLY, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, BLEVINS, UH, YOU HAD A QUESTION OR COMMENT? IS SHE YEAH, TAM, TAMMY BLEVINS IS ON VIDEO, SO SHE JUST GOT OFF A PLANE AND SHE'S HERE TO I SEE.
I, YEAH, I, I DIDN'T QUITE NOTICE THAT WHEN YOU JOINED THAT.
BUT DID YOU HAVE ANY, UH, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? I, I, I DO.
YEAH, I'M COMING IN HOT FROM NASHVILLE.
UM, SO I, THE LAST MEETING THERE WAS, UM, SOME TALK ABOUT THE, THE SUBSIDIES THAT, UH, SOUTH BY RECEIVES FROM THE CITY FOR USE OF THE PARK.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, LIKE, YOU KNOW, UH, FEE WAIVERS OR SUBSIDIES THAT SOUTH BY RECEIVES FROM THE CITY FOR ANY OTHER SERVICES? POLICE, FIRE, E M SS WASTE? SO FOR ALL THE POLICE OFFICERS, UH, ALL E M S, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS NOT STREET CLOSURES THAT ARE LIKE THE NORMAL SIXTH STREET CLOSURE.
[02:45:01]
IS PAID BY SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.WE DON'T GET ANY FEE WAIVERS FOR ANY OF THE POLICE OFFICERS OR ANY OF THAT OTHER STUFF.
WE DO GET FEE WAIVERS FOR BAG METERS FOR THE BAND LOADED AND LOADOUT DURING THE FESTIVAL FOR THE NINE DAYS.
BUT THAT'S PRETTY, AND THE 23, 20 4,000 FOR THE AUDITORIUM SHORES PARK, BUT THE OTHER PARKS AND ALL OF THE OTHER EXPENSES WE PAY FOR.
UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS THAT DURING THE SOUTH, BY THE, YOU KNOW, TWO WEEKENDS OF THE CONFERENCE AND MUSIC FESTIVAL, IT'S PRETTY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A HOTEL ROOM IN THE CITY.
UM, UNLESS YOU GO THROUGH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
DO YOU GUYS GET ANY TYPE OF, UM, COMMISSIONER REBATE INCOME FROM ALL OF THOSE HOTELS THAT ARE RESERVED? THOUSANDS OF HOTEL ROOMS THAT ARE RESERVED DURING THE FESTIVAL? SO THERE HAS BEEN AN ABUNDANCE OF MORE HOTELS THAT HAVE LIKE DEVELOPED.
SO WE DON'T, WE DO PROTECT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RATES FOR SPEAKERS, PANELISTS, ATTENDEES, EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT WE HAVE A CERTAIN LIMIT AT THAT POINT WHERE WE RELEASE THE ROOMS IF WE HAVEN'T SOLD THEM, AND THEN THAT GOES BACK.
BUT ALL OF THAT IS PART OF THE HOTEL TAX.
SO WE HAVE THE STANDARD CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH EVERY HOTEL.
BUT DO YOU GET ANY COMMISSION WE GET FROM THE STANDARD FEE COMMISSION? THAT COMES FROM ALL OF IT.
AND THEN, UM, UH, BACK TO THE, WITH THE, THE, UM, THE SUBSIDIES OR YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T GET ANY FEE WAIVERS.
SO FOR ANY POLICE THAT ARE ON DUTY TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PAY THAT OR DOES THE CITY PAY FOR THAT? SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PAYS FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS.
THE ONLY ONES THAT WE DON'T PAY FOR ON EVERY WEEKEND, THERE'S A SIX STREET STREET CLOSURE THAT'S POLICE ARE THERE FOR THAT ONE.
WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF THAT ONE.
BUT EVERY OTHER STREET CLOSURE THAT WE HAVE FOR THE SHUTTLE, EVERYTHING ELSE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST COVERS.
UH, COMMISSIONER DAVILA, I HAVE QUESTION.
UH, COMMISSIONER MAHON, I'LL CALL YOU RIGHT AFTER, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UM, THE UNION SAYS THAT THEY WILL TALK WITH SOUTH BY ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS, WILL SOUTH BY, TALK TO THE UNIONS ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS WE HAVE, AND WE WILL, WE DID 10 YEARS AGO WITH MIKE MORDECAI.
SO YES, WE HAVE DONE THAT AND WE WILL CONTINUE.
DID, DID ANYTHING COME OUT OF THAT, UH, WITH MIKE? WHEN WE DID, YEAH.
WHO NEEDS TO CONTACT WHO? AARON AND MIKE HAD TALKED TO JAMES AND THEN WE'VE CONTINUED THE CONVERSATION.
SO YEAH, THERE IS STILL THERE.
BUT COMMISSIONER, MAY I, MAY I YIELD THE COMMISSIONER MAHON? YEAH.
UM, HOW, HOW MANY BANDS, HOW MANY BANDS IS IT THAT YOU HIRE, UH, FOR THE MUSIC FESTIVAL ASPECT OF SOUTH? BY LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 1400 BANDS.
AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE, UH, PERCENTAGE OF REVENUE IN TERMS OF, 'CAUSE YOU HAVE, SO BYA IS NOT JUST MUSIC, OBVIOUSLY, LIKE WHAT PERCENTAGES THE REVENUE FROM THAT YOU GUYS GET FROM THE MUSIC FESTIVAL VERSUS THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE FESTIVAL? WELL, THE FESTIVAL IS NINE DAYS, AND SO THE MUSIC PORTION THAT WE HAVE IS THE FIVE DAYS.
SO THERE'S, IT'S BETWEEN FILM INTERACTIVE, THE MUSIC, SO THERE'S COLLECTIVELY THAT WE USED TO BE SEPARATE FROM I FROM ALL OF THE OTHER PIECES, BUT NOW WE'RE KIND OF, IT'S MORE CONVERGENCE AND BEEN KIND OF EVERYTHING THROUGHOUT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
BUT I, I KNOW YOU HAVE THE FILM, YOU HAVE INTERACTIVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
TO ME, AS SOMEONE THAT'S PARTICIPATED IN IT FOR 11 YEARS, 12 YEARS NOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THE MUSIC ASPECT IS GETTING SMALLER.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A, IF THAT'S JUST ME PERSONALLY OR IF THAT'S AN ASPECT OF THE REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED OR NOT BEING GENERATED.
I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO LIKE, IS IS, IS THE REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED FROM MUSIC COMPARABLE TO WHAT YOU'RE, OR, OR IS IT, OR IS IT ALL JUST ONE BIG BALL THAT YOU COME IN, IN TERMS OF REVENUE? SADLY, THE WHOLE REASON WHY WE STARTED KIND OF THE CONVERGENCE IS BECAUSE THE MUSIC AREA HAS BEEN REALLY DECLINING.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS INDUSTRY BEFORE, I WORKED AT SOUTH BY FOR 15 YEARS, SO 25 YEARS.
AND I'VE WATCHED IT IN THAT 25 YEARS DECLINE.
SO PART OF THE REASON TO BECOME CONVERGENCE WAS TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO STAY INVOLVED IN MUSIC
[02:50:01]
VERSUS WHAT WE'VE SEEN.I HATE THAT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED THE WAY IT HAS IN THIS TOWN.
'CAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COMPARED TO WHEN I GREW UP HERE.
SO I'M, I'M, I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE, UH, IS, IS, IS THAT WHAT, WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY HERE? UM, IS THAT A REASON THAT THERE MIGHT BE A LACK OF INVESTMENT IN, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE MUSICIAN, IN, IN THESE FEES? OR WHAT WOULD YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE KIND OF LIKE THE, THE CHALLENGE OF INVESTING MORE MONEY, UM, TO PAY MUSICIANS EQUITABLY? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WOULD BE THE CHALLENGE OF THAT? THE CHALLENGE IS JUST THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED IN A WHOLE, AND IT'S JUST CONTINUING TO CHANGE.
SO I'M NOT SURE DEFINITIVELY LIKE WHAT EXACTLY WOULD BE THE BEST SCENARIO FOR IT.
WE'RE, UH, ALWAYS BEEN AN INDUSTRY CONFERENCE.
WE'RE NOT A COMMERCIAL CONFERENCE.
IT'S MORE OF A DISCOVERY, BRINGING THINGS LIKE SHIRLEY MASON TO COME HERE AND INTRODUCE PEOPLE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, BEING ACTIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, DO I HAVE THE BEST ANSWER FOR THAT? I'M NOT REALLY SURE.
SO, YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK, I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATE IN, OR A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE SIDELINES WOULD LOOK AT AND SAY, THERE'S ALL THESE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING MADE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S EASY TO SAY JUST, WELL JUST PAY PEOPLE MORE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT ALSO, I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME CERTAIN CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF THE, THE WAY THAT THE INDUSTRY IS CHANGING AND WHAT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST STARTED IT VERSUS WHAT IT'S BECOME.
UM, I PERSONALLY THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS AUSTIN, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, START TO THINK ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST CAN BENEFIT AUSTIN IN A GREATER WAY.
AND THAT'S WHY I STARTED A PROGRAM AND A PROJECT LIKE VISION 82 91 VIA THE NONPROFIT DA WHERE WE WERE, WHERE WE THROUGH A WHOLE WEEK OF EVENTS AND PANELS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE DISTRIBUTED $20,000 TO SIX BIPO LED ORGANIZATION, GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT WAYS TO INVEST DIRECTLY IN AUSTIN, UM, THAT'S A STEP FORWARD.
I THINK 1400, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE TO CHANGE ALL THAT OVERNIGHT, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD DEFINITELY THINK AS A CITY HOW THIS ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT IS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST CAN IMPACT, UH, FOLKS THAT ARE HERE.
THE OTHER 300 AND HOWEVER MANY DAYS OF THE YEAR THAT, THAT WE'RE HERE.
I THINK THERE IS A BIGGER ISSUE THAT I THINK COLLECTIVELY WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION IN SOUTH BY AND THE, YOU KNOW, AND THE UNION, WE SHOULD ALL WORK TOGETHER FOR THIS ECOSYSTEM BECAUSE THIS IS A BIGGER ISSUE THAN JUST OUR DAYS THAT WE'RE HERE.
SO, AND FOR THE MUSIC PORTION THAT WE HAVE, THE FIVE, SIX DAYS DEFINITELY, AND THE 74 VENUES THAT WE HAVE, WE SHOULD BE WORKING TOGETHER.
AND I, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH Y'ALL BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE PROGRAMMING THAT WE HAVE DONE HAS HAD AN IMPACT AND THAT I WILL, YOU KNOW, THANK Y'ALL.
YOU HAVE BEEN DEFINITELY RESPONSIVE AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MUSICIANS OF AUSTIN, WE DEFINITELY, UH, SHOULD GAIN MORE AND MORE EACH YEAR, UM, FROM THE, FROM THE PRESENCE OF THIS FESTIVAL.
SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MAHON.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, PATTERSON, I WANTED TO ASK, YOU KNOW, THROUGH ALL THIS, ALL THESE CONVERSATIONS, LIKE DO YOU, DOES SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE SOME LESSONS LEARNED OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSING ON FOR THE 24 OR 25 IN TERMS OF, I MEAN, ANYTHING LIKE WHAT'S, I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS.
I MEAN, COMMUNITY IS ONE, TRYING TO LIKE KEEP EVERYBODY TOGETHER VERSUS I THINK WITH THE TWO YEARS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE WITH THE PANDEMIC, EVERYBODY SEEMED TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES AND GOT INTO THEIR LITTLE SPACES, AND WE NEED TO COME BACK TO IT, LISTENING TO CELESTE TALKING ABOUT ALL AGES SHOW I RAN ANTONE'S AND LIZ ROSA, LIKE I REMEMBER GROWING UP KIND OF IN CONTINENTAL AND ALL OF THOSE CLUBS BEING WAY UNDER AGE AND UNDER 18.
LIKE, I THINK WE SHOULD BE WORKING MORE TOGETHER.
AND I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF SEPARATION THAT HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND THEN POST, BUT I THINK WE'RE ALL READY TO BE KIND OF COME MORE TOGETHER FOR THAT.
UM, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT NOT TO YOU SPECIFICALLY, BUT TO EVERYBODY AND WHOEVER'S LISTENING, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST OR A STREAM REALTY, OUR CONVENTION CENTER, LIKE, LIKE IT'S TOUGH HERE, AND I KNOW Y'ALL KNOW THAT EVERYBODY IN
[02:55:01]
THIS ROOM KNOWS, LIKE, THIS IS A HARD CITY NOW, AND WE DO NEED, IT IS ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR OUR BIGGEST PLAYERS AND OUR, OUR MUSICIANS THAT ARE TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE TONIGHT.I KNOW WE HAVE A MUSICIAN HERE THAT'S MISSING A GIG RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS, BUT I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY WILL BE STRONGER WHEN ALL OF OUR, OUR BIGGER PLAYERS AND OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS REALLY CAN COME TOGETHER AND, AND, AND REALLY LISTEN AND HELP WITH AFFORDABILITY ISSUES AND HELP WITH PAY ISSUES.
SO, I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A LAWYER OR A CONTRACT SPECIALIST OR AN ACCOUNTANT.
I DON'T KNOW IF A CONTRACT SPECIALIST IS EVEN A JOB, BUT I'M NOT A CONTRACT LAWYER OR AN ACCOUNTANT.
UM, I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF WHEN I'M TRYING TO SAY LIKE, WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN THE COMMISSION DO? AND SENT BACK UP TO YOU.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, HAVING THESE MEETINGS, I KNOW THAT, THAT SCOTT AND AND VOLLEY HAVE BEEN AT THREE MEETINGS NOW TOO.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT SOUTH BY TO, YOU KNOW, SHOW THAT THEY'RE LISTENING.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IF THAT MEANS LIKE, PICKING UP YOUR PENCILS WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET AGAIN.
I MEAN, THAT'S PERSONALLY, LIKE, I HOPE THAT YOU, YOU WILL AND CAN DO THAT.
BUT AS FAR AS LIKE WHAT SPARE PAY, WHAT DOES THAT SPECIFICALLY MEAN? I DON'T THINK ANY OF US REALLY UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT WE CAN SPECIFICALLY REQUIRE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I, YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY BEHIND YOU, LIKE I KNOW YOU CAN TURN AROUND AND YOU'VE SEEN EVERYBODY WITH THEIR POSTERS.
LIKE I, MY HOPE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER I'M, I'M ASKING KAITLYN RYAN FROM STREAM, LIKE, CAN YOU SUBSIDIZE RENT FOR THESE VENUES? OR, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU GUYS LIKE TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT, AT AND MAKE MUSICIAN COMPENSATION, UM, A PROMINENT CONVERSATION AT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST? UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE ALL WANNA SEE.
SO, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM, BUT I KNOW THESE ARE REALLY, IT'S REALLY HARD.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO LIVE HERE IN SO MANY WAYS.
UM, BUT WE HAVE TO JUST LIKE KEEP COMING TOGETHER IN THESE, THESE MEETINGS, EVEN IF WE'RE SAYING LIKE, WELL, WE DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE CAN DO, LIKE COMING DOWN HERE AND SAYING IT, AND THIS IS GONNA BE PUBLIC RECORD, LIKE, YOU KNOW, CITY CORPORATIONS, COMMUNITY, LET'S ALL HANDS ON DECK, LET'S FIX AFFORDABILITY AND MAKE THIS A, A LIVABLE PLACE FOR ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS AND, AND EVERYONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THANK YOU.
UM, I, I JUST, I, WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I I, I DO, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU SAID THAT YOU, THAT YOU WERE, UH, THAT YOU HAD TALKS WITH UNION 10 YEARS AGO AND THAT YOU ALL ARE INGO ONGOING CONVERSATIONS AND, AND I JUST, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE AARON, THE LEADER OF OUR LOCAL UNION IS BACK THERE.
HE'S SHAKING HIS HEAD LIKE, LIKE, NO.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT, I MEAN, I THINK I KNOW WHAT IT IMPLIES, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I THINK THERE'S CONVERSATIONS TO BE HAD HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE, THE KIDS SHOW FOR ALL AGES AND STUFF.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IS CAN YOU KNOW, YOUNG BANDS GET OUT THERE IN AUSTIN AND, AND, AND START TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING AND, AND, AND, AND, AND DOING THIS THING.
AND I THINK RIGHT NOW THE ANSWER IS NO.
'CAUSE IT'S SO EXPENSIVE TO, FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS NOT BY ANY MEANS.
THE, THE, THE, THE, THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM BY ANY MEANS.
IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE.
AND THE, THE, THE ONE THING THAT I WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT THE MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE ON THE PLANET IS ALSO THE MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE IN THE UNIVERSE, WHICH IS TIME.
IT'S NOT AIR, IT'S NOT WATER, IT'S NOT FOOD, IT'S TIME.
AND THE THING IS, IS THAT MONEY BUYS US TIME.
OUR BILLS ARE DUE EVERY 30 DAYS.
LIKE, LIKE, LIKE WE, IF WE HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY THE BILLS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S NEXT, THEN WE CAN TAKE THAT TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S NEXT.
IT'S NOT EXACTLY A SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PROBLEM, IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE.
IT'S NOT A, A, A LOCALIZED SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ISSUE.
IT, THERE, THERE ARE, THERE, THIS, THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS HERE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. AND, AND THESE, AND HONESTLY, WE STARTED TURNING, TURNING OVER THESE ROCKS WITH THE LIVE MUSIC FUND UNDER THE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY BEFORE THAT ALSO.
BUT I MEAN, DEFINITELY I THINK THE ACCELERATOR GOT HIT WHEN WE, WHEN WE STARTED DISCUSSING THAT.
[03:00:01]
THAT WE NEED TO VOTE, I THINK WE NEED TO STOP GRANDSTANDING.I THINK THAT, I MEAN EVERY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, YEAH, THERE'S PROBLEMS AND WE CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS AND THAT.
WELL, I, I MEAN, I COULD TELL YOU HOW IT FEELS BECAUSE I CAN SELL OUT PARAMOUNT STATESIDE AND THEN END UP WITH AN EVICTION NOTICE ON MY DOOR.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
LIKE, AND IT'S, AGAIN, THAT'S NOT A SOUTH BY PROBLEM.
THAT'S A, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THERE, THERE'S A LOCALIZED PROBLEM HERE WHERE WE HAVE THESE GAPS, WHERE WE HAVE THESE FISSURES AND, AND, AND THERE'S PEOPLE, THERE'S, THEY'RE SILOED AND THEY'RE, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND THESE, IT'S TIME, I THINK FOR REFERENDUM ON WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE SUPPORTING LOCAL MUSIC IN THIS TOWN.
AND I THINK IT STARTS TONIGHT.
THE, I WAS ASKED BY HUGH FOR THREE THINGS.
ONE, UH, WELL, I CAN TALK ABOUT TWO OF THEM.
ONE WAS TIME TWO WAS TO BE KIND, WAS TO BE KIND TO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
AND I HAVE, YOU KNOW, AT THE LAST MEETING, YOU KNOW, I DO APOLOGIZE, YOU KNOW, I WAS, YOU KNOW, ASKING QUESTIONS IN A VERY ENT WAY.
AND, AND, AND I, AND I DO APOLOGIZE ON THE RECORD ABOUT THAT, BUT WE HAVE, I THINK, AN OPPORTUNITY HERE AND WE HAVE NINE MINUTES AND VILLA LOBO'S RE RESOLUTION RECOMMENDATION THAT HE'S A LAWYER.
THERE ARE AMENDMENTS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE TO THIS FOR SURE.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN HERE THAT ARE MISLEADING THAT WE NEED TO CORRECT.
THERE ARE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL.
BUT IN ORDER TO ENSURE THESE TALKS ARE GOING IN A DIRECTION THAT THEY'RE, THAT, THAT, THAT WE, THAT WE ALL WANT THEM TO GO, THAT EVERYONE THAT SAYS THAT THEY WANT THEM TO GO, I THINK THE ONLY THING THAT WE CAN DO IS RECOMMEND THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THE CONTRACTS ARE HELD UP.
UNLESS THESE CONVERSATIONS ACTUALLY HAPPEN.
THERE'S NO TIMELINE, THERE'S NO NUMBER OF PAY.
IT IS COMPLETELY FIXED, FLEXIBLE, AND AUTONOMOUS BETWEEN A F M AND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST TO BEGIN THESE AND CONTINUE, I GUESS THESE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CONVERSATIONS IF WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING BY THE CITY, AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
THAT'S WHY I PULL THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE DEATH STAR BILL.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE THIS ONE, AND I THINK IF WE NEED TO VOTE, AND I THINK WE NEED TO VOTE NOW.
UM, IF THERE IS A SECOND, UH, ARE, ARE YOU MOTIONING TO, I AM MOTIONING ON THE PAUSE RECOMMENDATION TO PASS THIS RECOMMENDATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? AND I WOULD OPEN IT UP FOR A, A BRIEF DISCUSSION AND IF YOU WANT TO COMPLETE THE VOTE, UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, MICHELLE HERE OR, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHERWISE THANK YOU SO MUCH, MICHELLE.
SECOND, FROM, WHAT DO WE VOTING ON COMMISSIONER ALLY? WE HAVE A SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER MAHO, WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? WHAT DO WE VOTING ON SPECIFICALLY? UH, UH, COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND, WOULD YOU MIND, UH, UH, READING THE CO RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FROM THE FOX BOARD, UH, THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT HERE? AND, UH, I WILL, I WILL, UM, JULIE, OPEN IT UP FOR AT LEAST A BRIEF CONVERSATION OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE AS WE NEED TO.
SOME OF THIS NEEDS TO BE AMENDED, BUT I'M GONNA READ IT.
UH, DISCUSSION, UH, RECOMMENDATION FOR FAIR PAY FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST PERFORMING ARTISTS.
WHEREAS AUSTIN, I SHARE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY PRIDE DETERMINATION AT THE CITY'S VISION, MAKING AUSTIN THE MOST LIVABLE CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
AND NOT JUST A SLOGAN, BUT A REALITY.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AND LIVE MUSIC, MUSIC AND MANY OTHER FORMS IS EVERYWHERE IN AUSTIN.
MUSICIANS PLAY EVERYWHERE FROM THE AIRPORT TERMINAL TO GROCERY STORES.
THEY PLAY OUTDOORS AT SEASONAL LIVE MUSIC SERIES AND AT WORLD FAMOUS FESTIVALS, WHEREAS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS AN ANNUAL MARCH EVENT FEATURING SESSIONS AND MUSIC COMEDIES, SHOWCASES FILM SCREENINGS, EXHIBITIONS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND VARIETY NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES IS AN ESSENTIAL DESTINATION FOR GLOBAL PROFESSIONALS, WHEREAS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, I'M SORRY, WHERE'S THE CITY OF AUSTIN? WAVES FEAST FOR VIKE.
BEHA SHORES, A K AUDITORIUM SHORES FOR USE, UH, UH, BY, SO BY SOUTHWEST, I'M JUST GONNA CROSS IT OUT RIGHT THERE.
AND I'M NOT GONNA, WE NEED TO PROBABLY AMEND THAT FOR, UM, NUMBERS.
SO WHERE, SORRY FOR USE FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, WHERE SUCH FEES AMOUNTED TO $23,430, THAT IS IN THE, IN 2023.
THAT WAS IN THE, UM, PART CITY EV UH, PART EVENT CONTRACT FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST 2023.
UH, WHEREAS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ALSO REGULARLY RENTS OUT, UM, CRAIG SOFTBALL COMPLEX, CRAIG FIELDS, WATERLOO PARK AND BRUSH STAGE PARK.
WHEREAS IN 2023 ARTISTS WERE REQUIRED TO PAY A NON-REFUNDABLE $55 APPLICATION FEE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR SELECTION OF THE SOUTHLY.
THAT ONE IS, THAT'S, THAT'S THE LATE
[03:05:01]
FEE.THAT'S, THAT'S THE, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S THAT, THAT IS THE LATE FEE, NOT THE ACTUAL FEE.
WE ARE WORKING ON THE FLY HERE.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE PLAYING JAZZ.
UH, WHEREAS, UM, 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 TO FAIR PAY AND WORK WITH DIGNITY.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ESTABLISHED A PRECEDENT FOR ENFORCING LIVING WAGE COMPLIANCE WITH ITS LOCAL, WITH ITS CAPITAL CONTRACTING PROGRAM, WHICH REQUIRES ALL CITY CONTRACTED CONSTRUCTION S TO PAY THEIR WORKERS AT LEAST A PREVAILING WAGE FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR TRADE AS SET BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
A MINIMUM WAGES ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY ORDINANCE, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TYPE OF AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION OFFERED TO ARTISTS FOR SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.
WHEREAS THE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION PAID TO ARTISTS REFLECTS OUR CITY'S VALUES AND VISION DUE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S STRONG COLLABORATION WITH SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND ITS SUBORDINATE AND ITS, AND ITS SUBSID OF SO BY SOUTHWEST, WHEREAS THE CITY OF WHEREAS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST USES CITY PARK FOR VOLUNTEER TICKET AND COMMUNITY EVENTS, UH, FREE OF CHARGE NOW, THEREFORE IT BE, BE IT RESOLVED AT THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
ONE RECOMMENDED THAT THE CITY, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DIRECT, THE CITY MANAGER LEGAL DEPARTMENT, AND THE PARK'S RECREATION DEPARTMENT, ENSURE THAT ANY CONTRACT NEGOTIATION BETWEEN THE CITY PART AND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST INCLUDED PROVISION REQUIRING FAIR PAY FOR DOMESTIC ARTISTS PERFORMING AT CITY PARKS, PARK FACILITIES, AND CITY OWNED PROPERTY, AND RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY OF AU AT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL REQUIRE CHANGES TO ARTISTS PAY COMPENSATION BY, SO BY SOUTHWEST, BEFORE WAIVING FUTURE FEES AT VIC MATTIA SHORES, AT OR AT OTHER PARKS PARK FACILITIES OR CITY OWNED FACILITIES.
THE LAST, WHERE AS IS, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S CONFUSING.
THIS IS OFTEN FREE OF CHARGE AND
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW THAT, THAT'S, LET'S JUST STRIKE THAT THEN.
WHICH LINE ARE WE STRIKING? UH, THE, SORRY, THE LAST, THE LAST, WHEREAS IN IT, IT SAYS, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST USES CITY OF AUSTIN PARK SPACE FOR VOLUNTEER TICKETED AND COMMUNITY EVENTS OFTEN FREE OF CHARGE.
THAT, THAT, THAT SOUNDS A LITTLE BIT MISLEADING.
THAT ONE IS, WE'RE WE'RE TAKING THAT OUT.
YEAH, WE'RE JUST GONNA TAKE IT OUT.
THAT'S, THAT'S MISLEADING, THAT'S NOT FAIR TO THEM.
CASE WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER STRICKLAND.
UH, BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE, UM, ANY QUICK COMMENTS? I DO HAVE SOME, UM, UH, ANYBODY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THE TOPIC? I'D LIKE TO GO TO MY GIG AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I, I JUST WANT TO, UM, CLARIFY, AND THIS IS NOTHING THAT, THESE ARE NOT NUMBERS THAT I'M ENDORSING, UH, BUT I, SINCE, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR HAS BEEN QUOTED THERE, UM, I WANT THE COMMISSION TO BE AWARE THAT ACCORDING TO US BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, THE AVERAGE MEAN HOURLY WAGE FOR MUSICIANS AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, IT'S $50.21.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT CURRENT PRIVILEGE, UH, PREVAILING WAGES.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY NUMBERS THAT I'M PERSONALLY ENDORSING.
SOME OF THE TOP PAYING STATES, MINNESOTA, UH, THIS IS DATA FROM MAY, 2022 IS 80.75.
UM, SO, AND, AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT WHAT, SO, SO THE, THE, THE, THE PREVAILING WAGE, HOWEVER, IS, IS A LOCALIZED WAGE, IS AN AVERAGE WAGE.
AND ALSO THE AIRPORT, THIS IS BREAKING NEWS HERE, THEY'RE RAISING THEIR, UM, PAY TO $200 PER MUSICIAN INSTEAD OF $150.
IT'S GONNA BE $200 AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR FISCAL YEAR.
AND THEY ARE THE LARGEST EMPLOYER OF MUSICIANS IN THIS CITY.
I JUST WANNA SAY, SO THIS IS PURELY I INFORMATION PLEASE GO AHEAD.
UH, IT'S THAT WHEREAS THAT MENTIONS THE, UH, THE, UH, PREVAILING WAGE, WHERE IS IT? OH MY GOD, I HAVE SO MANY PAPERS.
UM, THE ONLY REASON THEY MENTIONED THAT, UH, PREVAILING WAGE AS I READ IT, IS THAT IT'S ESTABLISHED AS A PRECEDENT FOR ENFORCING LIVING WAGE COMPLIANCE.
AND SO THAT DOESN'T, IN THE, IN THE RESOLUTION, IT DOESN'T SAY PREVAILING WAGE, IT SAYS FAIR PAY.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR, WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER DILLA IN FAVOR, COMMISSIONER ENTAL.
UM, 3, 4, 5, 6, UH, SEVEN COMMISSIONERS, UM, IN FAVOR.
UM, ALL OF THOSE ARE OPPOSED, COMMISSIONER DAVILA AS WELL? UH, UH, YES.
[03:10:02]
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 COMMISSIONERS NOW WITH COMMISSIONER BLEVINS.COMMISSIONER, UH, PATERSON, YOU ABSTAINING? UH, I'M ABSTAINING AS WELL.
UH, THE MOTION PASSES WITH, UH, SEVEN IN FAVOR.
SEVEN IN FAVOR, ZERO POST AND TWO ABSTAINS.
UM, BUT DO WE WANT TO, UH, PUT THE REST OF THE ITEMS BACK ON THE AGENDA? UM, CAN WE, UH, FOR NEXT, FOR THE NEXT SESSION, CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THE LIVE MUSIC EVENT FUND PRO, AN UPDATE ON THAT IS, IS THERE, CAN I THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE? CAN YOU PLEASE SHOW UP LIKE THIS FOR ALL OF OUR IMPORTANT ISSUES? BECAUSE IT'S SO GREAT.
SO PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH ABOUT ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, AND, UH, UH, IS THERE A, IS THERE A MOTION ON, UH, GETTING THOSE AGENDA ITEMS BACK IN EXCEPT FOR THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ITEM? CAN WE TAKE A COLLECTIVE VOTE ON THOSE MOTION TO APPROVE AND ADD THE LIVE MUSIC PROGRAM FUND UPDATE AS WELL? YEAH, A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT SLATE OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. YEAH.
UH, ALL IN FAVOR, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, MAHO YOU OKAY WITH ADDING ALL THE AGENDA ITEMS BACK IN EXCEPT FOR THE SOUTH BY ITEM AND ALSO ADDING, UH, THE LIVE MUSIC PROGRAM, EVEN FUND UPDATE WHO? MOTION? I'M SORRY.
I MISSED THE, I MISSED THE, THE, THIS IS, THIS IS JUST START THE AGENDA FOR, UH, THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, WE, WE CAN, WE CAN ALSO WORK IT OUT LATER ON, UH, ON UH, OVER EMAIL.
UH, BUT IT'S JUST ADDING THE AGENDA ITEMS BACK AS THEY ARE TODAY EXCEPT FOR THE SOUTH BY ITEM BECAUSE THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN, UH, PASSED TODAY.
SO WE'LL ADD THE REST OF THE ITEMS BACK IN AND WE'LL ALSO ADD THE LIVE MUSIC, UH, FUND PROGRAM UPDATE BACK IN WHO MOTION THE FUTURE AGENDA? YEAH, I MOTION AND UH, COMMISSIONER GOLD.
UM, COMMISSIONER MAHO, IF YOU COULD HAVE YOUR VOTE OR, OR ABSTAIN.
YEAH, I MOTION TO ADJOURN TO SECOND.
THANKS FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
BAREFOOT GIRLS PLAYING IN THE HOT SUN.