[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
2 32 AS OUR STARTING TIME.UH, MY NAME IS DANIEL RONAN, THE CHAIR OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION, AND I'M CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
THANK YOU ALL TO OUR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, CITY STAFF, AND THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY BE WATCHING ONLINE, UH, WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY.
UM, FIRST OFF, UM, UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO CALL ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS TO THE PODIUM WHO HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SEEING NONE FROM OUR DISTINGUISHED STAFF LIAISON FELICIA OA, WE WILL GO TO THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS, UH, APPROVING THE MINUTES OF
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE TOURISM COMMISSION BOARD REGULAR MEETING FROM JULY 12TH, 2023.DO I HAVE A SECOND APPROVED? UM, ARE YOU SECONDING THAT I SECOND THAT.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM JULY 12TH, 2023, THE BOARD MEETING MINUTES FROM THE TOURISM COMMISSION, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
UH, LET THE RECORD NOTE THAT WE HAVE COMMISSIONER MCGEE AND KDI PARTICIPATING ONLINE THIS AFTERNOON, AND BOTH HAVE, UH, APPROVED THE MINUTES.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE, UH, ANNA POSI AND COMMISSIONER ANNA POSI ALSO ONLINE WITH US TODAY.
COMMISSIONER POSI, UH, DO YOU APPROVE THE MINUTES? COMMISSIONER, UH, POSI ALSO APPROVES THE MINUTES.
MINUTES ARE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
[2. Staff briefing regarding commission announcements and vacancies by Felicia Ojeda, Staff Liaison]
OF BUSINESS.UH, UH, MS. OJEDA, IF, IF YOU COULD GIVE A STAFF BRIEFING ON COMMISSION ANNOUNCEMENTS AS WELL AS VACANCIES, PLEASE? YES, I WILL.
UM, JUST, UH, NUMBER ONE, THE VACANCY FOR DISTRICT SIX IS STILL OPEN.
UM, SO WE HAVE ALL, UM, 10 VAC UM, COMMISSIONERS ON BOARD NOW, UM, PARKING COUPONS.
IF YOU HAVEN'T GRABBED YOURS, I HAVE EXTRAS ON MY TABLE FOR YOU SO YOU DON'T MISS THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, ALL THE DOCUMENTS, UM, FOR TODAY'S MEETING IS ON THE WEBPAGE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT IN YOUR PACKET.
THE, UM, IN YOUR PACKET, I ADDED THE RECOMMENDATION TEMPLATE.
SO IF YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, UM, OF ANY KIND THAT ONCE IT'S PASSED, WE HAVE THAT TEMPLATE THERE.
ONCE YOU WANNA, UM, SHARE WITH THE BOARD, THERE IS A TEMPLATE THAT WE CAN FOLLOW, SO IT'S VERY SEAMLESS.
UM, I KNOW PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT YOU WANTED TO SHARE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT Y'ALL SENT IN 2021, AND I KNOW SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED OR GOT APPROVED ALREADY, OR HAS HAPPENED.
SO MAYBE SINCE THERE'S A NEW BOARD AND NEW, UM, COUNCIL CHAIN, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WE WANNA UPDATE IT.
IF, IF IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED AND THEN PUT INTO THE TEMPLATE.
UM, NOT NEEDED IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO THAT.
THE REMINDER FOR THE AGENDA, UM, I ALSO POSTED THE CITY ORDINANCE FOR CITY BOARDS, SO IT'S ALL THE INFORMATION THERE.
AND THAT TALKS ABOUT, UM, IF THE ON THE AGENDA THAT THERE NEEDS, THERE NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST TWO OR MORE THAT ARE APPROVING AGENDA ITEMS TO BE POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
UM, AND THEN FOR ATTENDANCE, Y'ALL ARE ALL DOING GREAT.
UH, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS.
WE HAVE, CAN I ASK A QUESTION LOOKING FOR, I'M SORRY.
UM, I DIDN'T ACTUALLY SEE WHO THAT CAME FROM.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK FELICIA, YOU MADE A REMARK ABOUT THE, I THINK THE PARKS AND OPEN THE PARKS ENVIRONMENT WORKING GROUP, AND YOU SAID SOME THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND SOME THINGS HAVE, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEANT BY THAT IN TERMS OF SUBMITTING THE, I THOUGHT I HEARD IN THE MEETING TOO BACK THAT THERE WAS SOME THINGS THAT HAD BEEN DONE SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION.
UM, IF I'M WRONG, THEN THAT'S MY MISTAKE.
I'M JUST NOT SURE I'M RECOGNIZING WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
SO I'M, I'M NOT SURE
UH, BUT FOR CLARITY, THE DOCUMENT IN QUESTION IS, ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PARKS AND, UM,
[00:05:01]
OPEN, IT'S NOT OPEN SPACE, IT'S GREEN SPACE, ENVIRONMENT.ENVIRONMENT, EXCUSE ME, PARKS AND ENVIRONMENT WORKING GROUP.
SO THE ONES THAT WERE SUBMITTED AND UPLOADED TO THE COMMISSION WEBSITE IN MAY, 2021.
SO, UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER KANATI.
UH, MOVING ON TO THE NEXT, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY
[3. Presentation by Patsy Dolan Bouressa, LCSW, Executive Director of SIMS Foundation]
PRESENTER, UM, MS. PATSY NOLAN BARZA, UM, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SIMS FOUNDATION.THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ASKING ME TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT SIMS. UM, SO THE SIMS FOUNDATION HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 28 YEARS.
WE WERE CREATED WHEN A MUSICIAN BY THE NAME OF SIMS ELLISON PASSED AWAY BY SUICIDE.
UM, A GROUP OF PEOPLE AROUND HIM, PEOPLE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY CREATED, UM, THE NONPROFIT TO DO WHAT WE DO TODAY.
THEY REALLY ENVISIONED EXACTLY WHAT IT DOES TODAY.
IT REALLY HASN'T CHANGED THAT MUCH.
UM, WE ARE ALSO THE ONLY NONPROFIT IN THE NATION THAT DOES WHAT WE DO.
AND I'LL POINT OUT THE REASON WHY THESE ARE A LIST OF OUR SERVICES.
SO IT'S BASICALLY EVERYTHING IN THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THAT THE UNITED STATES HEALTHCARE SYSTEM HAS IN IT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO BIG THINGS THAT ARE BEING MORE COMMONPLACE UTILIZED TODAY.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO ADD THOSE.
AND THAT'S TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION FOR DEPRESSION AND BIPOLAR AND THE USE OF KETAMINE.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE YOU'LL SEE ON THE LIST THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT ANYONE COULD POSSIBLY NEED.
WE PROVIDE OUR SERVICES TO EVERYONE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
SO WE DON'T JUST SERVE MUSICIANS.
WE SERVE EVERY PROFESSION IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS DEPENDENT FAMILY MEMBERS.
AND WE DO THAT THROUGH A GROUP OF PROVIDERS WHO HAVE, UM, BASICALLY APPLIED TO BE IN OUR NETWORK.
WE'VE SCREENED THEM, WE'VE INTERVIEWED THEM.
WE'VE GONE TO THEIR FACILITIES, THEIR OFFICES, THEIR HOSPITALS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT SERVICE THEY PROVIDE, HOW THEY PROVIDE IT, AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY SYNC UP WITH OUR, UM, SORT OF PHILOSOPHY AROUND BEING PERSON-CENTERED AND REALLY HONORING WHAT OUR CLIENTS WISH FOR.
UM, AND THEN ONCE WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE A GOOD MATCH FOR EACH OTHER, THEY BECOME A MEMBER OF OUR NETWORK.
AND THAT'S HOW WE, UM, WE UTILIZE THEIR SERVICES FOR OUR CLIENTS TO ACCESS THAT CARE.
UM, THEN BACK IN 2018, WE STARTED OUR FREE TRAININGS TO ANYONE IN THE MUSIC COMMUNITY ON THE ISSUES AROUND MENTAL HEALTH SUBSTANCE USE, AND UNFORTUNATELY AROUND THE TOPIC OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT, WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACTS PEOPLE'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND AND WELLBEING.
WE, UM, CREATED THE CURRICULUM YOU SEE UP THERE.
IT'S GOT A FEW, UM, MODULES IN IT TODAY, WHICH IS A MENTAL HEALTH 1 0 1, A SUBSTANCE USE RECOVERY 1 0 1.
THAT ALSO INCLUDES NARCAN TRAINING THAT WE DO IN CONJUNCTIONS WITH COMMUNITY FOR, UH, RECOVERY.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE AND RESOURCE TEAM HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY TO BRING THIS SAFE BAR TRAINING INTO THE MUSIC VENUES, WHICH IS BASICALLY HELPS, UM, MUSIC VENUE STAFF IDENTIFY WHEN SOMEBODY MIGHT BE BEING TARGETED FOR SOME SORT OF NEFARIOUS DEEDED AND HOW TO INTERCEPT WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, CAUSING TOO MUCH OF A RUCKUS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEIR CUSTOMER IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
AND THEN WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A TRAUMA 1 0 1 BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THIS POPULATION IS RIDDLED WITH COMPLEX TRAUMA.
UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT'LL BE ROLLED OUT LATER THIS YEAR.
FIRST OFF, AS I SAID, WE'RE THE ONLY NONPROFIT THAT PROVIDES THESE SERVICES TO EVERYONE IN THE INDUSTRY.
THERE ARE LITERALLY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NONPROFITS ACROSS THE NATION THAT FOCUS ONLY ON MUSICIANS.
BUT WE RECOGNIZE, OF COURSE, YOU CAN'T JUST SORT OF PLUCK A PERSON OUTTA THE SYSTEM THAT THEY WORK IN AND THEN PUT 'EM BACK IN A SYSTEM WHERE EVERYBODY ELSE IS STRUGGLING AND EXPECT THINGS TO BE OKAY.
SO WE SERVE EVERYONE AND THEIR DEPENDENT FAMILY MEMBERS.
UM, I MENTIONED BEING PERSON CENTERED.
WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR CLIENTS UNDERSTAND ALL THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION ABOUT WHAT'S THE BEST PATH FORWARD FOR THEM, KNOWING THAT WE'LL BE RIGHT THERE TO CHANGE THAT PATH WITH THEM IF THEY CHOOSE THAT MAY, MAYBE THEY MADE THE WRONG DECISION AT THE START.
THE OTHER WAY IS THAT WE PROVIDE A TON OF, UM, CASE MANAGEMENT.
UM, THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM MAKING SURE THEIR CONTINUITY OF CARE IS HANDLED, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT ALL THE OTHER LIFE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH.
I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES AROUND HOW DO I AFFORD MY RENT? HOW DO I PAY MY BILLS? WHERE CAN I FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING? UM, THINGS WHEN PEOPLE ARE JUSTICE INVOLVED, WE TALK TO THEIR ATTORNEYS, THEIR PROBATION OFFICERS, JUDGES.
UM, SO REALLY EVERYTHING THAT THE CLIENT, ANY HUMAN MIGHT EXPERIENCE THAT THEY NEED HELP WITH, WE'RE PART OF THAT.
ALONG WITH ALL OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE THAT WE PROVIDE.
WE ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON PARTNERSHIPS.
WE DON'T BELIEVE IN OPERATING IN A VACUUM.
SO WE, YOU'LL JUST SEE THERE SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH NATIONAL AND LOCAL THAT WE PARTNER WITH ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES.
SO WE BELIEVE IN BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR CHANGING BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE IN THE WAY THAT IT'S DELIVERED IN THIS COUNTRY.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT A VERY GREAT SYSTEM.
UM, WE ALSO WANNA BE SURE THAT, AS I MENTIONED, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING THIS POPULATION ARE ALSO BEING TAKEN CARE OF.
SO YOU'LL SEE ADVOCACY WORK, UM, A LOT OF COMMUNICATION BOTH AT
[00:10:01]
A A CITY, COUNTY, FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, LOOKING AT A LOT OF THESE ISSUES AND SOME OF THOSE PARTNERSHIPS ARE LISTED THERE.UM, LET'S SEE, YOU'LL SEE OUR IMPACT.
I DO WANNA NOTE, NOTE THAT YOU'LL SEE THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS ARE GOING DOWN THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE ARE IN A NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO GO AROUND.
UM, AND SO WE ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN THE REST OF THE NATION.
UM, LITERALLY IT'S A TERRIBLE SITUATION OF EVERY, NOT EVERY, UM, THERAPIST IN THIS CITY AND ACROSS THE NATION HAVE WAIT LISTS ABOUT THREE AND FOUR PAGES LONG.
SO THAT IS THE REASON THAT THAT NUMBER IS GOING DOWN.
BUT WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS OUR CASE MANAGEMENT IS GOING UP BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE IN CRISIS AND NOT DOING VERY WELL.
IT'S DEFINITELY STABILIZING A BIT IN OUR POPULATION NOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS BACK, PEOPLE ARE TOURING, THEY'VE GOT JOBS, VENUES ARE OPEN, BUT THE CASE MANAGEMENT CONTINUES TO BE, UM, A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING ON OUR CLINICAL STAFF.
UM, THAT THERE IS KIND OF HARD TO SEE, BUT IT JUST SHOWS YOU ALL THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE PER YEAR.
UM, AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THAT'S A SUPER FAST OVERVIEW OF THE SIMS FOUNDATION.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTER? UH, COMMISSIONER REEDY, CHECK
WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS EXCEPT THAT I WANT TO THANK YOU.
AND I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THIS COMMISSION MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH SIMS. I WAS A CONTEMPORARY OF SIMS ELLISON.
UM, AND I WAS A SIMS CLIENT FOR NINE YEARS UNTIL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, UH, MADE INSURANCE ACCESSIBLE TO ME AND MY FAMILY.
MY FAMILY, MY FORMER SPOUSE WAS A SIMS CLIENT.
UM, SO MANY PEOPLE IN MY WORLD COMMUNITY, I USED TO MANAGE BANDS.
UM, AND, AND MY FIRST, UH, BENEFIT FOR SIMS WAS I BELIEVE IN 96.
IT WAS A, WHAT WAS A PRINCE? HOOT KNIGHT.
WHICH FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT HOOT KNIGHTS ARE, A BUNCH OF BANDS COME IN AND COVER THE SONGS OF A GIVEN ARTIST.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND YOU GUYS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY ON THIS COMMISSION THAT WASN'T AS FAMILIAR AS I AM UNDERSTANDS THAT, UM, IT'S A VITAL RESOURCE IN THE CITY.
UM, AND THAT MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE CASE MANAGEMENT WAS EXCELLENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
UM, I KNOW YOUR TEAM HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT, BUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH MY RELATIONSHIP GOES 20 YEARS WITH THE ORGANIZATION PROBABLY FURTHER, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY INVOLVED TODAY UNDERSTOOD, UM, WHAT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE IT WAS FOR ME AS A CLIENT AND WHAT A GREAT JOB YOU GUYS DO.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR MENTAL HEALTH IN AUSTIN AND FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, A REAL CRISIS OUTSIDE OF THE, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AS WELL.
AND, UM, I'M JUST SO THANKFUL AND GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
UH, PLEASE LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WE ALSO HAVE COMMISSIONER, UH, CHANIN JOINING US THIS AFTERNOON FOR OUR MEETING.
NEXT UP WE HAVE A PRESENTATION
[4. Presentation by Wayne Miller & Mike Swinney with Virtual Austin Music Museum]
BY WAYNE MILLER AND MIKE SWEENEY OF THE VIRTUAL AUSTIN MUSIC MUSEUM.UM, MY NAME IS WAYNE MILLER, UM, LONGTIME TEXAN.
THIS IS MICHAEL SWEENEY, ALSO A LONGTIME TEXAN, UH, BEEN INVOLVED IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS, UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, I'M A PRODUCER DIRECTOR AND HAVE DONE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MUSIC VIDEOS, CONCERT SPECIALS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND I'M A FORMER SAXOPHONE PLAYER WHO'S, UH, FIRST GIG.
WILL YOU SPEAKING INTO THE MIC, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
AND I'M A FORMER SAXOPHONE PLAYER WHOSE FIRST GIG WAS AT THE, UH, JADE ROOM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBER IT, ON MONDAY NIGHTS WITH THE BAND DIRECTORS OF O HENRY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND MARTIN JUNIOR HIGH, OR I THINK IT WAS MARTIN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL CALLED THE RHYTHM KINGS.
AND WHEN I WAS 14, 15 YEARS OLD, I WAS THE ONLY KID THAT WAS ALLOWED IN THE CLUB AT THE TIME.
SO WE'RE HERE, UH, TODAY, UM, TO TALK ABOUT, UM, AN EXPERIENCE WE'RE WORKING ON.
[00:15:01]
I WON'T GO INTO THE BACKGROUND OF HOW IT CAME ABOUT, BUT I WILL TELL YOU WHY WE BELIEVE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN AUSTIN.THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT EFFORTS TO PUT A MUSIC MUSEUM IN AUSTIN OVER THE YEARS.
UM, AND, UH, WE ALL KNOW THAT BRICK AND MORTAR IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
UM, AND IT'S ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO GET COLLECTIONS FROM THE ARTISTS AND THEIR ESTATES.
SO COMING FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD AND TECHNOLOGY WORLD, UM, WE LOOKED AT PUTTING TOGETHER A VIRTUAL REALITY AND AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCE, UM, ABOUT AUSTIN MUSIC AND THE HISTORY OF AUSTIN MUSIC.
UM, WE WILL ALSO, UH, UH, PRESENT NOT ONLY THE, UH, STORY OF AUSTIN MUSIC, WHERE YOU HAVE ALL THESE INCREDIBLE VENUES THAT NO LONGER LIST, UH, EXISTS, LIKE ARMADILLO WORLD HEADQUARTERS OR THE VICTORY GIL GRILL ON THE EAST SIDE, OR SOAP CREEK SALOON.
UH, WE WILL CREATE DIGITAL TWINS OF THOSE TO TAKE YOU BACK INTO THESE VENUES SO THAT YOU CAN EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY WERE LIKE.
UM, LIKE I SAID, IT'LL BE A COMBINATION OF VR AND AR, AR BEING AUGMENTED REALITY WHERE YOU USE YOUR CELL PHONE OR USE YOUR IPAD, POINT IT AT A TARGET AND OR YOU CAN ALSO USE G P S TECHNOLOGY.
UH, AND ON YOUR PHONE WILL COME UP A STORY, WHETHER IT'S A VIDEO OR A THREE DIMENSIONAL EXPERIENCE OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE IN THAT VENUE.
CHAIRMAN, RONIN, THE AUDIO IS UNINTELLIGIBLE TO US, UH, TO ME AT LEAST.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER KANATI.
UH, WE HAVE IT WORKING ON THE AUDIO, UM, BUT PLEASE CONTINUE, I THINK IN THE MEANTIME, UNLESS IT'S A QUICK FIX.
IS THAT BETTER? COMMISSIONER KANATI? NO ONE'S TALKING.
SHOULD I TRY IT AGAIN OR TRY, UH, START, KEEP GOING.
SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF BEING ABLE TO TAKE PEOPLE BACK IN THE VENUES.
IT'S BEING ABLE TO SEE ARTIFACTS, WHETHER THEY'RE GUITARS OR MEMORABILIA OR WARDROBE OR ANYTHING FROM AN ARTIST, UM, WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, WE WILL CAPTURE THOSE DIGITALLY AND YOU CAN HAVE THEM ON YOUR PHONE AND AUGMENTED REALITY, MOVE IT AROUND WITH YOUR FINGER, TAKE YOUR DEVICE AND MOVE AROUND IT THAT WAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAMILIAR YOU ARE WITH AUGMENTED REALITY OR VIRTUAL REALITY.
AND ONCE YOU CREATE THE ASSETS FOR ONE, YOU HAVE IT FOR BOTH.
UM, YOU'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO, UH, BE A PART OF A COMMUNITY, A WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THIS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN AUSTIN TO EXPERIENCE IT, BUT IT'S GREAT IF YOU ARE IN AUSTIN BECAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF TARGETS LIKE THE GUITARS ON CONGRESS OR WHERE THE, UM, OLD ARMADILLO USED TO BE.
THE STEVIE STATUE, THE WILLIE STATUE, WHERE YOU CAN POINT YOUR PHONE AT IT AND HAVE AN EXPERIENCE AND LEARN A LOT.
WE'RE WORKING ALSO WITH THE CLUBS IN TOWN, UH, BECAUSE THERE'LL BE THIS COMMUNITY AND THE ABILITY TO HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN TOWN CURRENTLY.
UH, BECAUSE IT'S DIGITAL AND IT'S AN APP, WE CAN UPDATE IT VERY EASILY AND VERY QUICKLY, AND WE WILL, UM, THERE ARE, UM, MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO USE THIS SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE HISTORY, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE CURRENT SCENE OF AUSTIN MUSIC.
WE'RE A 5 0 1 C THREE, UH, FOUNDATION.
UH, WE WILL SUPPORT HAM, WE WILL SUPPORT HOME.
I'D LIKE TO SUPPORT SIMMONS FOUNDATION.
UM, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS THAT WE PLAN TO SUPPORT WITH THE REVENUE WE GENERATE FROM THIS.
UM, I BELIEVE YOU GUYS MAY HAVE GOTTEN A LINK TO THE OVERALL PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE A FEW EXCERPTS FROM TODAY THAT WE'RE GONNA RUN THROUGH, BUT BASICALLY YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE LINK.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, WE CAN RESEND IT.
UM, THE, UH, RESPONSE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD, NOT ONLY FROM MANY OF THE ARTISTS HERE, BUT ALSO FROM SPONSORS.
UH, WE ARE ALSO TALKING TO NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, UH, PEOPLE LIKE THE GRAMMY FOLKS AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT RECOGNIZE AUSTIN FOR WHAT IT IS, QUOTE, LIGHT AND LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
BUT SO MANY ARTISTS GOT THEIR STARTS HERE, AND IF THEY DIDN'T GET THEIR STARTS HERE, THEY REALLY BOOSTED THEIR CAREER BY COMING HERE TO PLAY.
WHEN BRUCE, BEING BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN PLAYED HERE IN 1974 TO 75 PEOPLE AT THE ARMADILLO WORLD HEADQUARTERS,
[00:20:01]
I WAS ONE OF THEM.UM, HE CAME BACK OFTEN AND, AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS BECAUSE THEY CAME THROUGH AUSTIN AND CONTINUE TO PLAY IN AUSTIN.
UM, WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES.
UH, WE CAN'T REALLY, UH, DIVULGE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION RIGHT NOW.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE COY, BUT THERE ARE MAJOR COMPANIES THAT ARE VERY INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
ACTUALLY, I WAS SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
I WAS TOLD BY THE GUYS WHO ARE, UH, HEADING THE, ONE OF THE GUYS THAT'S HEADING THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE, THAT WHILE WE CAN'T USE THEIR NAME, THE LITTLE COMPANY IN CUPERTINO THAT HAS A MAJOR DIVISION HERE IN AUSTIN IS LOOKING AT US FOR THEIR NEW VR HEADSET DEVICE AND BEING ABLE TO USE THIS AS THE FIRST MUSEUM, SO TO SPEAK, WITHIN THAT DEVICE.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. MILLER.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR SPEAKERS TODAY? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE REVENUE MODEL FROM THE, THE APP AND HOW, UH, YOU'RE DETERMINING, YOU KNOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE, WHETHER IT'S ROYALTIES OR USE FEES, ARE GOING TO, UH, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT THE, UH, ARTS, PARTICULARLY THE MUSIC SECTOR.
WE ARE, UM, IN, IN THE PRESENTATION WAS SENT AROUND ARE THE FINANCIALS, BUT WHAT WE ARE PLANNING TO DO IS GIVE AT LEAST 50% OF THE REVENUE WE GENERATE TO THESE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, UH, IF NOT MORE.
I MEAN, WE WILL NEED FUNDS TO HELP SUSTAIN THE FOUNDATION AND CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO UPDATE AND KEEP THINGS CURRENT AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT AT LEAST 50%, AND AGAIN, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY IT'S IN THOSE FINANCIALS, UH, HOW MUCH REVENUE WILL GO TO THESE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT.
AND I'M THE FINANCE GUY, SO I'LL TELL YOU THAT I THINK THE NUMBERS SAY THE AVERAGES.
WE GENERATE ABOUT 1,000,008 A YEAR AND WE SEND MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR TO HAM SIMS, VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS TO HELP SUPPORT THE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.
COMMISSIONER BAILEY, DID YOU WANT TO ASK AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION? WELL, SURE.
UM, THIS IS FASCINATING AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, THAT YOU'RE TACKLING THIS, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE, IT'S LONG OVERDUE.
SO, UM, I'M CERTAINLY AWARE OF ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS IN THE PAST, WAYNE, TO BUILD AND GIVE THIS COMMUNITY WHAT IT DESERVES.
SO, GODSPEED ON THIS ONE, I JUST FIGURED SINCE WE'RE THE TOURISM COMMISSION, IT WOULD BE OBVIOUS FOR ME TO ASK WHAT YOU PERCEIVE AS HOW THIS WILL ENHANCE AND WHAT PARTNERSHIPS WOULD HELP ELEVATE TOURISM ACTIVITIES FROM THIS.
I MEAN, I THINK I HAVE MY OWN ANSWERS, BUT I'D RATHER HEAR FROM YOU.
WELL, I THINK ED, THAT THE, THE, UM, OBVIOUSLY IF MORE PEOPLE, IF PEOPLE SEE THIS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TO AUSTIN, ONCE THEY GET HERE, THEY'LL WANNA DO THESE THINGS BECAUSE MOST, WELL, YOU GUYS KNOW BETTER THAN I DO, WHY PEOPLE ARE COMING.
SO IF THEY KNOW THEY'RE COMING HERE AND THEY CAN LEARN THE HISTORY AND THERE'S AN APP THAT THEY CAN EXPERIENCE SOMETHING ON THEIR PHONE OR EVEN ON THEIR COMPUTER BEFORE THEY GET HERE, THEY'LL KNOW WHERE TO GO IN, PLACES TO GO IN, CLUBS TO GO TO AND THAT SORT OF THING.
AND THERE'S A HISTORY ABOUT IT.
UM, IN TERMS OF A RELATIONSHIP, UH, WITH ORGANIZATION LIKE THE TOURISM COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WE'RE COLLABORATIVE.
WE WANNA BE COMFORTABLE TO WHAT YOU GUYS DO.
WE WANNA BE ABLE TO, UM, UH, PROVIDE THE TOOLS THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO MAKE IT A MORE PLEASANT EXPERIENCE FOR PEOPLE HERE IN AUSTIN.
I THINK IT'S WHAT, 30 MILLION PEOPLE WHO COME HERE A YEAR, UM, THAT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, PEOPLE TO REACH AND EVERYBODY'S GOT A CELL PHONE.
UM, NOT EVERYBODY HAS A VR HEADSET, BUT THAT'S GONNA CHANGE RAPIDLY WITH THE COMPANY THAT MIKE MENTIONED THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, UH, WHEN THEY GET THEIR HARDWARE OUT.
UM, SO I, I THINK IT'S A, WE SEE IT AS COLLABORATIVE NOT ONLY WITH YOU GUYS, BUT WITH THE CLUBS HERE IN TOWN, UH, WITH MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
UM, THERE'S NOT A BRICK AND MORTAR, YOU KNOW, QUITE HONESTLY NOT INTERESTED IN THE BRICK AND MORTAR FOR BRICK AND MORTAR HAPPENS.
WE'LL BE COLLAB COLLABORATIVE WITH THEM.
[00:25:01]
ABOUT COLLECTIONS BEING PUT TOGETHER AND IN DIFFERENT SITES AROUND TOWN, WE WILL BE COLLABORATIVE WITH THEM.UM, SO WE, WE'RE NOT EXCLUSIVE AND WE'RE DIGITAL.
SO THE IDEA OF SOME OTHER PLACE, BEING A LOCATION SITE, GREAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT COMPETITIVE WITH THEM.
UM, IN THE PACKAGE, YOU PROBABLY ALSO NOTICED THAT ONE OF OUR CONTENT PARTNERS IS TEXAS MONTHLY, AND THEY INTEND TO PROMOTE THE HELL OUT OF THIS DEVICE AND OUT OF THIS THING BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO TAKE STORIES FROM 50 YEARS OF THEIR HISTORY THAT ARE ALL ABOUT AUSTIN MUSIC AND BRING THEM TO LIFE.
AND ON THIS APP, THAT'S WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO.
AND I WILL SAY THE EXACT SAME THING GOES FOR, AND I'M GONNA USE THEIR NAME, APPLE PAY, APPLE MUSIC, AND THE NEW VISION PRO.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS FOR HAVING THIS RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND IT WILL DRIVE TOURISM AS MUCH AS IT DRIVES INTEREST IN MUSIC, IS OUR BELIEF.
ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE WE HAVE TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
UM, THERE'S A, THE LARGE HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC AND, YOU KNOW, ALTERNATIVE INDIE, MAYBE EVEN SOME PUNK IN THERE.
UM, WHAT ARE WE DOING, UM, WITH THIS PARTICULAR APP THAT CAN HELP BRING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF OTHER GENRES OF MUSIC? WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL COVER ALL THOSE GENRES OF MUSIC.
EVERYBODY FROM BILLIE HOLIDAY WHO CAME HERE AND PLAYED THE CHITLIN CIRCUIT ON THE EAST SIDE, RIGHT TO THE BLUES ARTIST.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL COVER ALL GENRES OF MUSIC.
UH, AND ONE PART AND A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF AUSTIN HISTORY AND THE MUSIC HISTORY IS THE EAST SIDE AND THE CLUBS OVER THERE WITH THE FIFTIES.
AUSTIN WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PLACE ON THE CIRCUIT FOR R AND B ARTISTS AND SOUL ARTISTS AND BLUES ARTISTS, AND THEY'VE BEEN IGNORED.
UM, AND SO THERE'S THAT, THERE'S THE OLD CLUB FOOT THAT I USED TO GO TO WHERE THE, THE, A LOT OF ALTERNATIVE BANDS PLAYED JOHN BYRDS, BUT EVEN THE NEVILLE BROTHERS PLAYED THERE.
WE HAVE, WE ARE AGNOSTIC IN TERMS OF A SPECIFIC TYPE OF MUSIC.
WE WANT TO TELL THE WHOLE STORY IF THAT, IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
WE APPRECIATE, UH, HEARING THAT.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR EFFORTS AND, UH, KEEP US POSTED.
[5. Presentation by Economic Development Department, Music and Entertainment Division, regarding live music funding and grant programs]
WE HAVE, UH, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.I BELIEVE WE HAVE DIRECTOR SYLVIA HOLT ROBB HERE TODAY.
WELCOME, UH, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT, UM, THE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION REGARDING LIVE MUSIC FUNDING, AS WELL AS GRANT PROGRAMS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROGRAM.
SONOVA HOLT, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND MY PRESENTATION IS COMING UP.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, PROVIDE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUND UNDER, UM, MY LEADERSHIP.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SUSANNA CARBAJAL MORGAN MEEK, WHO IS OUR ACTING ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS THE HARDEST WORKING MUSIC DIVISION MANAGER, ERICA SHAMLEY, AND OUR NEWEST EMPLOYEE, OUR EQUITY AND INCLUSION COORDINATOR.
SO LET'S GET INTO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2019 BY CITY COUNCIL, WHICH PROVIDES AN ONGOING FUNDING SOURCE FOR AUSTIN'S MUSIC INDUSTRY.
UM, WE HAVE A LINK TO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND MASTER TIMELINE, WHICH OUTLINES HOW THIS PILOT PROGRAM GUIDELINES WERE FORMED THROUGH A ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION AS WELL AS WITH OUR OTHER, UH, HOT FUNDED DIVISIONS.
MY GOAL WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL HOT FUNDED PROGRAMS HAVE THE SAME PILLAR FOUNDATION THAT WE ARE LEADING WITH EQUITY ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, RACIAL EQUITY.
SO OF COURSE, THE SOURCE OF THE FUNDS IS OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, UH, DERIVED FROM THE, UM, STATE STATUTE 3 51 0.101 B.
UM, AND AS PART OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS, WE PROMOTE, OR THE APPLICANTS WILL PROMOTE TO POTENTIAL, UM, VISITORS AND TOURISTS AND CONVENTIONEERS AS WELL AS LOCAL AUDIENCES.
AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM, THE LIVE MUSIC EVENT PROGRAM, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE REMOVE BARRIERS FOR THOSE WHO MAY HAVE APPLIED, WHO HAVE NOT DEALT WITH MARKETING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND TO VISITORS.
SO THEY WILL ALL BE OFFERED FREE, FREE, UM, TOURISM
[00:30:01]
MARKETING CLASSES, UH, THROUGH MILES PARTNERSHIP.AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY FUNDING THIS.
SO IT WILL NOT COME OUT OF THEIR AWARDS, BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY ABSORBING THOSE COSTS THROUGH AN ANNUAL ANNUAL BUDGET OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO WE WILL HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT MARKETING IS ALL ABOUT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A LINK TO LAST YEAR'S CAMPAIGN FINAL REPORT, SO YOU COULD SEE THE CLICKS AND WHERE THE OUTREACH WAS AS PART OF OUR PROGRAM.
OKAY, SO THIS, UH, FUND, AGAIN, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION ENCOURAGES AND PROMOTES AND IMPROVES AND SHOWCASES AUSTIN DIVERSE LIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY THROUGH SUPPORTING, UM, LIVE EVENTS, ONLINE RECORDING, STUDIO PRODUCTION, VIDEO PRODUCTION, MERCHANDISING, ET CETERA.
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS, UM, INCLUDE IN THE FIRST YEAR THE PILOT YEAR PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN AND BAND BANDS AS WELL AS INDEPENDENT PROMOTERS.
AND THIS WAS AS A RECOMMENDATION OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION, NOT STAFF MUSIC COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION, AGAIN, PROVIDING YOU A LINK TO THAT RECOMMENDATION.
THEY CENTERED THEIR RECOMMENDATION AROUND WHAT'S KNOWN AS PIE PRESERVATION, INNOVATION AND ELEVATION, AS WELL AS COLLABORATION AND TO PULL FROM THEIR RECOMMENDATION PRESERVATION IS NECESSARY.
SO WE DON'T LOSE OUR CULTURAL FOUNDATION.
WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT HISTORICALLY UNDERFUNDED AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN AT THE TABLE.
SO I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND WE DID, WE PRO, UM, PRODUCED THE GUIDELINES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
SO IN THE FIRST YEAR, AWARDS WILL BE BETWEEN EITHER 5,000 OR $10,000 AND IT WILL BE PAID OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
YOU WILL GET 50% UPON EXECUTION OF YOUR CONTRACT.
WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? 'CAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY NEED TO PUT DEPOSITS DOWN, UH, ET CETERA, AND WORK WITH VENUES.
THEN YOU WILL RECEIVE 40% OF THE TOTAL AWARDS AS YOU PROGRESS.
AND THEN A FINAL, ONCE YOU TURN IN YOUR FINAL REPORT, YOUR FINAL 10%.
SO WHAT CAN ITS COVER CONTRACTORS, ACCOUNTANTS OF MARKETING, UH, EMPLOYEES, STAGE AND SOUND RENTAL, ET CETERA.
THESE, UM, ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES, AGAIN, BASED ON THE MUSIC COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION.
SO HOW DID WE GET TO THE FINAL, UH, GUIDELINES? JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU THAT WE PRESENTED TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS STARTING AS FAR BACK AS JUNE 21ST, 2022.
AND WE HAVE PROVIDED YOU LINKS TO NOT ONLY THE PRESENTATION, BUT TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS.
SO WE MET WITH THE ASIAN QUALITY OF LIFE, HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE, AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? BECAUSE IN MY TIME WITH BEING HERE WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THOSE COMMISSIONS HAVE ALWAYS ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THEIR CREATIVE SECTOR.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PRESENT TO THEM TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL, UM, AS WELL AS THE SYSTEMIC RACISM WORKING GROUP DEVELOPED BY THE MUSIC COMMISSION, NOT US.
THEY, THEY TOOK TIME TO TRY AND GET THIS RIGHT AND I JUST APPLAUD THEM UNDER THE PAST CHAIR AND VICE-CHAIRS LEADERSHIP.
CONTINUING NOW THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CURRENT CHAIR.
SO AGAIN, ALL THE LINKS TO ALL THE RESOLUTIONS, SO YOU CAN GO BACK AND LISTEN FOR YOURSELF ON THE DISCUSSION THAT THEY HAD AROUND THIS PROGRAM.
ERICA IS ACTUALLY HEADED OVER TO OUR THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR WHO IS ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM FOR US, UM, TO MAKE FINAL ARRANGEMENTS SO WE CAN GET PAYMENTS HOPEFULLY OUT VERY SOON.
BUT WE ALSO, IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT WILL COME IN YEAR TWO, WHEN THE VENUES WILL NOW BECOME PART OF THE PROGRAM, WE'VE HELD A LIVE MUSIC SUMMIT TO GATHER FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
WE HAVE A, UM, A SURVEY THAT, UM, WAS INCLUDED AND WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT.
AND SO WE HAVE A LINK TO WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THE SUMMIT THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO INTO.
AND SO THE NEXT STEP, WE WILL HAVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023 NEXT MONTH.
IN ADDITION, WE'VE HIRED, AGAIN, OUR EQUITY AND INCLUSION COORDINATOR WHO WILL POST PROGRAM CLOSE DOING EVALUATION TO ENSURE THAT
[00:35:01]
WE HAVE, UH, REACHED THE AUDIENCE THAT THE MUSIC COMMISSION, UH, DESIRED FOR US TO REACH.UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY HIRED A CONSULTANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A, A COHESIVE WORK PLAN AND A VISION TO SUPPORT THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE ALSO INCREASED OUR BUDGET FOR TRANSLATIONS.
WE'RE LEARNING THAT, UM, THROUGH SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT WE NEED TO BOOST UP OUR TRANSLATION SERVICES FOR ALL COMMUNITIES.
AGAIN, WE ARE TRYING TO REMOVE BARRIERS SO THAT THERE'S A SEAT AT THE TABLE FOR EVERYONE.
AND WE HAVE, UM, PLANNING UNDERWAY TO ASSESS THE ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS AND IMPLEMENT A STRONGER BASELINE FOR WRAPAROUND SERVICES BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE NEVER APPLIED FOR GRANTS.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS, COMMUNITY NAVIGATORS, WHO ACTUALLY HELP THOSE WHO THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, THIS GRANT WRITING IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.
AND SO WE HAVE THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR OUR CLIENTS, AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
I BELIEVE I CAN SAY THAT THE PROGRAM HAD OVER 600 APPLICANTS, 600.
AND SO NOW WE'RE TRYING TO DE DETERMINE THE FINAL AWARDEES.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR? COMMISSIONER, UH, SHAY, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT, UH, HOW MANY WENT THROUGH THE MARKETING PROGRAM AND THE BENEFITS THAT YOU'VE SEEN FROM THAT? SO WE HAVEN'T AWARDED, UM, WELL, I, FROM LAST YEAR, I'LL HAVE TO GET THAT DATA.
BUT FOR THE CURRENT PROGRAM, ONCE THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEIR AWARD NOTIFICATION, THEN WE'LL START SCHEDULING THEM FOR THE MARKETING CLASSES.
SO WE HAVEN'T DONE THE AWARDS YET, BUT WE ARE HOPEFUL IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
THE MUSIC COMMISSION, WE HAD MADE ONE PROPOSAL AND THE MUSIC COMMISSION ASKED US TO GO BACK FOR RECONSIDERATION.
SO IT WAS BASED ON THE VOTE AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO DO FIVE OR 10, I GUESS.
SO IF WE WANTED FURTHER, I, I UNDERSTAND THE COMMISSION'S ACTUALLY SPEAKING TODAY.
SO IF WE WANTED TO DIG INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT, JUST I WOULD LOVE SOME FEEDBACK ON HOW THAT, BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY KNOW THE SCALE OR SIZE OF PEOPLE OR ANY OF THESE.
PROBABLY MOSTLY INDIVIDUALS AS OPPOSED TO MOSTLY INDIVIDUAL INCORPORATION.
AND IT'S BASED ON YOUR CONCEPT, RIGHT? YOU MAY ONLY NEED 5,000 IF YOU'RE GONNA, I E HYPOTHETICALLY DO A VIDEO OR HYPOTHETICALLY YOU WANT TO ENTER INTO, SAY, A RESIDENCY WITH A VENUE, THEN YOU MAY HAVE OPTED FOR THE 10,000.
IT DEPENDS ON YOUR, UM, YOUR CONCEPT THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
I BELIEVE, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE HAS A QUESTION ONLINE WASN'T ACTUALLY A QUESTION.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK, UM, YOU FOR THE REPORT THAT YOU PROVIDED.
I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT YOU INCLUDED ALL THE LINKS SO THAT WE CAN TRACK BACK, UM, YOU KNOW, AND REVIEW THOSE PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY, UH, WONDERFUL THAT YOU INCLUDED THAT IN THE REPORT.
IT CERTAINLY SOUNDS FROM YOUR REPORT THAT YOU HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO COLLECT COMMUNITY INPUT AND SERVE THAT FEEDBACK THAT YOU RECEIVED.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT DIALOGUE BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT.
AND SO WE ALWAYS WANNA IMPROVE.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY, HOW CAN WE BE BETTER? HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS PROGRAM BETTER? UH, BECAUSE IT'S FOR ALL, UH, ALL GENRES, ALL PEOPLE IN AUSTIN THAT, UM, CAN HELP PROMOTE THIS LIVE MUSIC CITY.
ARE THERE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? OOPS.
UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING WITH THE PROGRAM, UM, UM, I'VE SEEN IN OTHER GRANTS FROM E D D THAT APPLICANTS CAN COME FROM THE EXTRA JURISDICTIONAL AREA OF AUSTIN, AND I WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEY OR LOOK AT THE GRANTEES FOR, FROM THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AND, AND TO SEE WHERE THEY'VE COME FROM IN THE REGION.
SO ONCE WE DO THE AWARDS, WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE OUR ROBUST DASHBOARD.
AND I HOPE I INCLUDED A LINK FROM OUR PREVIOUS PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTERED THROUGH
[00:40:01]
COVID, BECAUSE WE KNOW AUSTIN HAS AN AFFORDABILITY ISSUE.WE LOOKED AT THE M S A AS LONG AS YOUR WORK IS PRODUCED IN AUSTIN.
SO I E I KNOW SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN HUTA, BUT I KNOW THEY PLAY AT THE SKY LOCK EVERY SUNDAY, RIGHT? ALMOST.
SO AS LONG AS YOU'RE PRODUCING YOUR WORK IN AUSTIN.
AND WE JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS, UM, JUST A WAY TO BE MORE EQUITABLE BECAUSE IT IS EXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN THIS CITY.
BUT I WILL SEND YOU A LINK SO THAT YOU CAN GO BACK TO OUR DASHBOARDS BECAUSE THEY WILL BE SIMILAR.
YOU WILL KNOW WHAT DISTRICT, THE PERSON APPLIED, WHAT GENRE, WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY DRILL IN AND LOOK AT THE DATA.
BUT WE HAVE AMAZING DASHBOARDS.
I WANNA GIVE MY DATA TEAM BIG SHOUT OUT SO YOU CAN GO BACK AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT ALL OF THE PROGRAM THAT WE'VE LAUNCHED.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT DATA ONCE IT'S RELEASED.
UM, ON A MORE PERSONAL NOTE, I JUST MOVED HERE FROM CHICAGO ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, AND, UM, THE CITY OF CHICAGO IS VERY STRICT ABOUT SPENDING MONEY INSIDE THE CITY ITSELF, AND THE GRANTEES ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE BASED IN CHICAGO LIVING.
UM, SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BETTER, BUT I ALSO JUST WANT TO PUSH, UM, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO CONSIDER ITS INVESTMENTS FOR THE MUSICIANS THAT ACTUALLY LIVE HERE.
UH, MAINLY BECAUSE, UH, WE ALSO, I THINK AS YOU KNOW, FROM A POLICY MINDSET, DON'T WANT TO BE, UH, INCENTIVIZING PEOPLE LEAVING THE CITY EITHER, UM, BECAUSE THEY CAN STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THESE FUNDS.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE PLACE TO LIVE, BUT ALSO WE WANT TO MAKE THIS TOWN MORE AFFORDABLE FOR MUSICIANS AND OTHER ARTISTS.
UM, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK ABOUT A LOT AND, UH, THE EQUITY QUESTION, OF COURSE IS VERY CENTRAL TO THAT QUESTION.
UM, BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP MORE FORMALLY, UH, AS A CONCERN THAT I HAVE.
UM, ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS RE WITH REGARD TO INSURANCE, UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S A, A, AN, UH, AN EXPENSE THAT CAN BE COVERED BY THE GRANT, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, IS THAT, UH, INSURANCE, DOES CITY LEGAL GET INVOLVED WITH THE INSURANCE PIECE AT ALL, OR IS THAT JUST PAYING FOR PRIVATE INSURANCE? THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE CONSULT WITH OUR, UM, INSURANCE PERSON WITH THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE.
SO IN TERMS OF PLANS THAT THEY WOULD BUY AND THEN HAVE COVERED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FUNDS MM-HMM.
AND TO GO BACK TO YOUR AFFORDABILITY COMMENT, SURE.
WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR SISTER DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE IT'S, UM, IT'S A DELICATE BALANCE, RIGHT? YOU WANNA HAVE THAT LIVE MUSIC AND WE WANT EVERYBODY TO LIVE HERE, BUT THE REALITY IS IT IS EXPENSIVE.
SO JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE WORKING ACROSS WITH HOUSING ON, ON HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE WRITE SHAPE THAT? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW CAN WE INFLUENCE? BUT TRUST ME, WE HEAR FROM MUSICIAN ARTISTS ALL THE TIME, IT IS JUST EXPENSIVE.
SO I JUST WANT, OF COURSE, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU SAID, BUT JUST KNOWING YEAH.
THE CLIENTS THAT WE WORK WITH IS JUST A DELICATE BALANCE.
UM, HAS, UH, E D D WORKED WITH OTHER LIKE IT'S, UM, COUNTERPART, UH, AGENCIES OR DEPARTMENTS IN, IN OTHER AREA CITIES TO PERHAPS REPLICATE THIS PROGRAM SO WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE MORE RESOURCES FOR LIVE MUSIC IN THE REGION? YES.
SO I AM PART OF A BLOOMBERG COHORT, AND SO I HAVE SIMILAR CITIES WITHIN MY COHORT, UH, LIKE BALTIMORE, NEWARK, UM, TAMPA.
AND SO WE ARE ALWAYS EXCHANGING IDEAS AROUND ALL TYPES OF ISSUES.
AND SO, UH, THEY WERE RECENTLY HERE AND TOWARDS SOME OF OUR FACILITIES AND ARE ACTUALLY TAKING SOME IDEAS BACK AND VICE VERSA.
AND, UM, ONE, AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP, SO I GUESS MY COMMENT WAS MORE DIRECTED TOWARDS LIKE, SAY GEORGETOWN.
LIKE, I, I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A LIVE MUSIC FUND, BUT MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN GO TO THEM AND JUST SAY, HEY, WE HAVE THIS PROGRAM, WE THINK YOU SHOULD REPLICATE IT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, SO I HAVE DEFINITELY HAD ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH THE CITY OF MAYNARD.
THE MAYOR, THE ED DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS THEIR CITY MANAGER.
AND THAT WAS A QUESTION OF HOW COULD, I THINK THEY HAVE ONE FESTIVAL, AND SO WE HAVE PROVIDED THEM LINKS TO OUR GUIDELINES SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE A LOOK.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, AFFORDABILITY IS PUSHING OUT.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, UH, JUST FOLLOWING UP ON CHAIRMAN RONAN'S, UH, LINE OF QUESTIONING HERE MADE ME THINK ABOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
[00:45:01]
STATE MIGHT HAVE UP ITS SLEEVE OR YOU'RE AWARE OF A PROGRAM OR THEY ARE EITHER HAVE ACCESS TO AUGMENT OR ASSIST OR PUT IN TO OUR PROGRAM HERE IN AUSTIN AND OR ANYTHING ELSE THEY MIGHT BE DOING THAT INSPIRES THE WORK THAT WE'RE TAKING ON? SO I DO KNOW MY DIVISION MANAGER WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE STATE MUSIC OFFICE, AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SHARE SOME LIGHT ON THAT.HELLO COMMISSIONERS, ERICA SHAMLEY, MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT DIVISION MANAGER.
SO YES, WE ACTUALLY JUST MET WITH THE TEXAS MUSIC OFFICE TO GO OVER THE, UH, REBATE PROGRAM THAT WAS JUST FUNDED IN THIS LAST, UH, LEGISLATOR LEGISLATURE, UH, UH, DURING THIS LAST SESSION.
UH, IT HAD BEEN ACTUALLY CREATED IN THE PREVIOUS SESSION, BUT WAS UNFUNDED.
THEY FINALLY HAVE THE FUNDING NOW FOR IT, SO IT'S UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS GRANTS, UH, REBATES, UH, FOR LIQUOR TAX IF YOU MEET THE CERTAIN DEFINITIONS OF A LIVE MUSIC VENUE.
AND SO WE JUST MET WITH THE TEXAS MUSIC OFFICE TO GO OVER THEIR GUIDELINES AND, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THEM BEST PRACTICES OF WHAT WE LEARNED, UH, PUTTING THESE GUIDELINES TOGETHER, JUST SOME SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO REINVENT THE WHEEL, PLEASE LEARN FROM OUR, UH, MISTAKES AND THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND SO, UH, WE ASKED WHAT CAN THOSE, THOSE REBATES COVER, AND THERE IS NOTHING IN THE ACTUAL STATUTE THAT DICTATES IT HAS TO COVER SPECIFIC EXPENSE.
SO REALLY, THE LIVE MUSIC VENUES HAVE FREEDOM TO USE THOSE FUNDS AS THEY NEED.
A LOT OF THEM NEED FUNDING FOR INSURANCE.
THE INSURANCE MARKET HAS GOTTEN QUITE, UM, UH, VERY HARD ISSUE NOW FOR OUR CREATIVE SPACES.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA, THAT ACTUALLY WILL LAUNCH ON SEPTEMBER 1ST.
UH, AND SO THEY ARE MOVING VERY QUICKLY TO GET THOSE GUIDELINES, UH, IN PLACE.
UH, WE'LL WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THEM TO PROMOTE THAT TO LOCAL VENUES TO BE SURE THAT THEY'RE APPLYING TO THAT AS WELL AS TO THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.
UH, JUST TO FOLLOW UP FOR THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, YOU, YOU SPARKED MY MEMORY, AND I DO REMEMBER READING ABOUT THIS, BUT THIS ISN'T A HIGH PROFILE, UM, SITUATION.
SO IF, IF, IF IT'S NOT OUTSIDE YOUR BOUNDARIES TO, TO JUST GIVE LIKE A SIMPLE EXPLANATION OF WHAT THE REBATE PROGRAM IS.
AND I, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, AUSTIN IS A TEST MODEL COMMUNITY FOR THIS, IS THAT CORRECT? NO, IT'S STATEWIDE.
STATE IT'S NOT, NOT JUST HAPPENING HERE.
IT'S HAPPENING IN EVERY, EVERYWHERE, EVERY PART OF THE STATE.
OH, SEE, I, I NEED TO, UNTIL THE YES.
AND I, UH, I'M SURE THAT THERE'S GONNA BE FUNDING THAT WILL WILL BE RENEWED EVERY TWO YEARS.
UH, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE LIVE MUSIC VENUES, IT'S EITHER FESTIVALS, SMALL FESTIVALS IN CITIES THAT I BELIEVE ARE SMALLER THAN 1 MILLION OR 500,000 PEOPLE ACTUALLY.
AND THEN, UH, LIVE MUSIC VENUES WITH A CAPACITY UP TO 3000 AND BELOW, UH, TO REALLY TARGET THOSE MID-LEVEL TO SMALLER VENUES.
BUT, BUT THE ACTUAL, THE, THE WAY THE FUND IS BUILT IS BY FORGIVING SALES TAX.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S, NO, NO.
IT'S, IT'S A ACTUAL, IT'S A REBATE OF LIQUOR TAXES THAT WERE PAID IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
OH, SO THEY GET PAID AND THEN THEY GET, THEY GET IT BACK.
WE SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THAT.
IT'S A, IT'S A BIG, IT'S A BIG OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S A NEW MODEL AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT.
IT DOESN'T AFFECT HOT TAX, BUT WHEN THE STATE'S INVOLVED IN DOING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING LIKE THIS TO RAISE FUNDS TO PUT BACK IN COMMUNITIES AND TO SPORT LIVE MUSIC, I THINK IT TOUCHES OUR WORLD.
SO I JUST WANTED, I, I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME DIG IN A LITTLE BIT ON THAT.
UM, HOLT RAB
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE, UM, THE FEEDBACK OF, OF ON THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AND, UM, APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
[6. Presentation by Nagavalli Medicharla, Chair, Austin Music Commission regarding the music commission board]
WE HAVE, UH, SO VERY MUSIC FILLED DAY.UH, WE HAVE THE CHAIR OF THE MUSIC COMMISSION, UH, NAVA, UM, I'M SORRY, CHARLA COMING TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, NALI, FOR BEING HERE.
UH, PLEASE TO HAVE ME A MOMENT.
HI, UM, HI COMMISSION, UM, NALE.
I AM A MUSICIAN AND I SERVE AS THE, UM, UH, CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN MUSIC COMMISSION SINCE, UH, SINCE MAY THIS YEAR.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE INVITE TO, UH, SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING AT THE MUSIC COMMISSION, UM, SINCE WE ALL, UH, KIND OF WROTE OUR ANNUAL REPORTS, UH, RECENTLY.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST QUICKLY TOUCH UPON, UM, WHAT ARE A COUPLE OF THE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
[00:50:01]
THAT WENT OUT FROM THE COMMISSION, UH, IN THE LAST YEAR.AND, UH, ALSO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE LIVE MUSIC FUND, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE, UH, MAJORITY OF YOUR INTEREST, UH, MIGHT BE.
SO, SO ESSENTIALLY OUR FUNCTION IS TO ADVISE COUNCIL ON MUSIC INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, HOW TO LEVERAGE ESSENTIALLY, CITY RESOURCES TO SUSTAIN AND GROW AUSTIN'S MUSIC ECOSYSTEM.
SO IN THE LAST YEAR, COUPLE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UH, WERE, UH, SENT FROM THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO COUNCIL INCLUDED, UH, A RECOMMENDATION IN MAY TO, UH, BASICALLY, UH, HAVE THE BROKEN, UH, SPOKE DANCE HALL.
UH, THAT'S BEEN, UM, OCCUPYING, UH, THAT PARTICULAR ADDRESS, UH, ZONED AS HISTORIC BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, THEREBY PRESENT PRESERVING THE CURRENT STRUCTURE AND CONFERRING, UH, ELIGIBILITY FOR PRESERVATION RELATED GRANTS TO BROKEN SPOKE.
WE PRESENTED OUR ANNUAL BUDGET, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, INCLUDING A RECOMMENDATION OF, UH, OVER $2 MILLION FOR A D C, AND, UH, ALSO TO EXPAND THE MUSICIAN PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS THAT, UH, E D D DOES NOMINALLY, I WOULD SAY, FROM, UH, 60,000 THAT AS IT EXISTS TODAY TO 90,000 IN F Y 24 IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, UH, WE, UM, HAD A RECOMMENDATION AROUND THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATION OF THE LIVE MUSIC FUND PROGRAM.
UH, THE MUSIC COMMISSION RECOMMENDED TO CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT WITH THE LONG CENTER TO ADMINISTER THE LIVE MUSIC FUND AND, UH, ELEVATE GRANTS AND PROVIDE PROGRAM, UH, SUCCESS METRICS WITHIN A SPECIFIED, UH, COST AND TIMELINE.
SO THE IDEA IS TO HAVE LONG CENTER, WHICH IS ALREADY IN ACTION RIGHT NOW TO ADMINISTER THESE FUNDS, BUT WHAT WE ALSO REQUESTED AT THE END OF, UH, THE LIVE MUSIC FUND PROGRAM WAS TO SEE APPROPRIATE METRICS THAT WOULD ADVISE US ON HOW, UH, WE DID IN THIS FIRST ROUND, AND HOW THESE THIS PROGRAM COULD BE DEVELOPED, UH, IN FUTURE, WHAT IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE BASED OFF THE OUTCOMES.
UM, WE ALSO, UM, HAVE HAD, UM, CLOSE CONNECTIONS WITH THE ARTS COMMISSION.
THERE IS DEFINITELY, UH, A CONCERTED EFFORT TO SEE WHERE WE CAN HAVE LEVERAGE, UM, AND SYNERGIES BETWEEN THE TWO COMMISSIONS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WORK TOWARDS SUSTAINING THE ARTS AND THE CREATIVE, UH, AND SPACES AND, UH, UH, CREATIVE COMMUNITY AND MUSIC.
UM, COUPLE OF OUR COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING, UH, PRETTY ACTIVELY IN, UH, TASK FORCE, UH, A DISABILITY TASK FORCE, UH, UH, WITH, WITH CODA.
AND THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT OUTCOMES AND IMPROVEMENTS MADE AS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS AN OUTCOME OF, UH, THIS TASK FORCE, UM, IN, UH, IMPROVING, UH, PROVIDING MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN ACCESS, UH, A D A, UH, FACILITIES AT COTA.
AND THE GOAL, UH, GOING FORWARD IS TO NOW EXPAND THAT TO SOME KEY VENUES, START ENGAGING THEM AND SEE HOW WE CAN LEVEL UP, NOT JUST MEET THE BASIC COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR A D A, BUT JUST REALLY LEVEL UP, UH, FOR ACCESSIBILITY ON ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER ACTIVE WORKING GROUPS THAT WE HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN, UM, IS, UH, THE JOINT ARTS AND MUSIC URBAN CORE LAND USE WORKING GROUP.
AND THIS GROUP IS BASICALLY PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND BEST PRACTICES AND SYNERGETIC LAND USE AND CODE DEFINITIONS TO COHESIVELY SUSTAIN AND GROW, UH, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IN AUSTIN.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST ACTIVITIES AROUND THIS HAS BEEN TO, UH, MORE CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT, UH, CONSTITUTES A LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE WHEN YOU, JUST TO DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM, SAY, A COCKTAIL LOUNGE OR OTHER SPACES IN THE NEXT YEAR.
UH, WE ARE OF COURSE, UH, THE, THE LIVE MUSIC FUND IS A VERY KEY TOPIC IN FRONT OF US.
ALONG WITH THAT, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR ENGAGEMENT ON A, ON THE DISABILITY TASK FORCE.
WE, UH, WILL CONTINUE OUR ENGAGEMENT ON THE LAND USE, OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH, UH, THE, THE ARTS COMMISSION.
THERE HAS BEEN, UM, A LOT OF INTEREST IN SEEING WHAT, UH, THE COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL COULD DO TO HELP MUSICIANS WITH PARKING AND LOADING, UH, AND LOADING CHALLENGES AND FEES AROUND THAT.
[00:55:01]
IT, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A SMALL ITEM, BUT IT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN REALLY IMPACT THE BOTTOM LINE FOR MUSICIANS, UM, IN, IN THIS TOWN.SO, UM, WE HOPE TO ACTIVELY PICK UP AND BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME, UH, COHESIVE RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND THAT.
WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE A LOT OF PRIVATE GARAGES, BUT ALSO AT LEAST CAN WE HAVE SOME LEVERAGE AND PROVIDE SOME BENEFITS TO MUSICIANS AROUND, UM, UM, AROUND CITY GARAGES AND PARKING.
UM, AND THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF INTEREST IN EXPANDING, UM, ALL AGE SHOWS IN AUSTIN.
WHERE ARE WE TAKING TAKE, KIND OF GETTING AN ASSESSMENT AROUND HOW WE ARE DOING WITH ALL AGE ISSUES, UH, TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, UM, WHAT CAN BE DONE FURTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE CROWDSOURCE INFORMATION AROUND IT AND JUST PROVIDE BETTER ACCESS TO WHAT IS ALREADY THERE? AND, AND THEN WHAT ELSE CAN WE BUILD ON TOP OF THAT? UH, SO THESE ARE A COUPLE OF THE KEY THINGS ON THE LIVE MUSIC FUND.
WE HAVE, UH, I MEAN, YOU MUST HAVE ALREADY HEARD A LOT FROM, UH, SYNOVIA AND, UH, ERICA ON THE PROGRAM HERE.
UH, THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR ROLLOUT, UH, WHEN FUNDS ARE BEING SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO COMMERCIAL MUSIC.
UM, THERE ARE THREE KEY THINGS THAT WE ARE VERY KEEN ON, UH, SEEING, UH, THROUGH THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR.
UM, ONE IS, UH, THERE WAS A HEAVY EMPHASIS ON ENSURING THAT THE FUNDS ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THAT, AND MUSICIANS, UH, THAT EXIST IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND, AND THE MSAS, THE, SO WE WOULD BE VERY KEEN TO SEE WHAT KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE METRICS SHOW, HOW THE DISTRIBUTION WAS.
UM, THE SECOND THING THAT IT WAS VERY KEY TO US WAS THE BROADENED USERS.
THE PROGRAM WAS INITIALLY BROUGHT UP AS FOR, UH, PERTAINING TO LIVE PERFORMANCES ONLY, AND THERE WAS UNANIMOUS, UH, SUPPORT AT THE MUSIC COMMISSION TO EXPAND THE USES OF THESE FUNDS TO, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY ALLOW THE MUSICIAN TO GO MAKE A VIDEO, MAKE A, MAKE A, AN ALBUM, UH, GO TO A RECORDING STUDIO.
FIRST OF ALL, IT EXPANDS THIS IDEA OF BRANDING, UH, FOR THE CITY BEYOND A VERY, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC, UH, LOCATION CENTRIC, UH, EVENT.
UH, IT ALSO, OF COURSE ALLOWS MUSICIANS AND, AND, AND, AND HELPS THEIR CAREERS IN TERMS OF HOW BROADLY THEY CAN USE THESE FUNDS.
UM, AND WHEN, WHEN THE WHOLE IDEA, UH, BEHIND BRINGING, UH, FUNDS, ESPECIALLY TO COMMERCIAL MUSIC, WAS ALSO TO REALLY SUPPORT THE ECOSYSTEM.
SO EVEN THOUGH THE PRIMARY RECIPIENTS ARE GOING TO BE BETWEEN TWO TO THREE CATEGORIES, UM, THE IDEA IS THEN THE MONEY ALSO GOES TO OTHER, UH, ENTITIES WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM IF YOU, SOMEBODY GOES AND SPENDS IT ON A VIDEOGRAPHER OR IN A RECORDING STUDIO.
UH, BUT AGAIN, DRAWING BACK THE LINE TO BRANDING FOR THE CITY AND HOW WE UTILIZE BROADER AVENUES AND, AND NOT, UH, UH, JUST A VERY NARROW AVENUE TO EXPAND THE IDEA OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT BRANDING CAN DO FOR THE CITY THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
UM, SO THESE ARE, THESE ARE, THESE ARE THE, UH, TWO THINGS, THE, THE, THE, THE DIVERSITY, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW THAT PANNED OUT, UM, HOW THE BROADENED USERS PANNED OUT.
YOU KNOW, ONCE WE SEE THE METRICS, WE'LL KNOW HOW THE FUNDS GOT USED ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND THE THIRD THING IS, OF COURSE, THE INCLUSION OF VENUES IN ROUND TWO.
AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE ONGOING RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE SEE THAT AS ANOTHER CHANNEL THROUGH WHICH, UH, NOT ONLY, AGAIN, THERE IS ANOTHER PART OF THE ECOSYSTEM THAT IS VERY DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THE IDEA OF TOURISM, UH, BUT THEN ALSO HOW DO WE BRING MORE, UH, DIVERSITY IN, UH, IN, IN GENRES AND, AND, AND THE MUSIC THAT WE SUPPORT HERE IN AUSTIN, WHAT CAN WE ACCOMPLISH THROUGH THAT? UH, I WILL UPHOLD
CHARLA, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SHAY.
HOWDY, THANKS FOR, UH, JOINING US TODAY.
UH, WHAT, UH, CONVERSATIONS HAS THE MUSIC COMMISSION HAD, UH, TO INCREASE AFFORDABILITY AND LIVABILITY FOR MUSICIANS IN AUSTIN? I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE TOP CONCERNS FOR, UM, MUSICIANS, IS HOW THEY CAN AFFORD TO STAY IN AUSTIN, LIVE IN AUSTIN, PERFORM IN AUSTIN.
SO, UH, WHAT CONVERSATIONS HAVE YOU HAD AROUND THAT? YEAH, SO THERE IS, UM, UM, WELL THROUGH THESE FUNDS, THE, THE, THESE ARE PRETTY LIMITED FUNDS.
THEY'RE FIVE TO $10,000 FUNDS.
[01:00:01]
WAS ONE OF ALSO THE FUNDAMENTAL IDEAS OF, I KNOW YOU ASKED THE QUESTION BEFORE, UM, OF EXPANDING IT TO THE MSAS BECAUSE THERE ARE ARTISTS AND SOME REALLY, I MEAN, E EVEN SOME OF OUR MAJOR ARTISTS WHO NO LONGER LIVE IN PRIME AUSTIN AND, UM, UM, BUT ARE STILL WORKING AND FUNCTIONING IN AUSTIN, EVEN IF THEY ARE THEIR RESIDENCES OUT OUT OF AUSTIN IN ROUND ROCK OR, OR PFLUGERVILLE.UM, SO THE IDEA IS TO RETAIN THAT CONNECTION AND, AND RECOGNIZE THESE ARTISTS AS PART OF THE AUSTIN MUSIC ECOSYSTEM.
UM, IT, IT MAY OR MAY NOT APPLY TO SOME OTHER PARADIGMS, BUT IN, IN CASE OF COMMERCIAL MUSIC, THIS REALLY COMES INTO PICTURE, UH, AS TO, UH, WHAT IT MEANS TO EXPAND THE IDEA OF AUSTIN MUSIC TO THE MSAS.
AND, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, AS THE CITY GROWS, THE, THE BOUNDARIES ARE ALSO GONNA GROW AUTOMATICALLY.
AND, AND TO CALL ALL OF THAT AUSTIN MUSIC AND, UH, LEVERAGE THAT AND, AND ALSO GIVE THE BENEFIT BACK TO THOSE MUSICIANS WHO ARE WORKING HERE.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL IDEAS, AND ESPECIALLY LOT OF ARTISTS OF COLOR ARE MOVING OUT OF TOWN.
THERE IS, UH, IF YOU GO TO ROUND ROCK, THAT'S WHERE, UM, UM, A LOT OF THE BLACK ARTISTS ARE.
UH, IF VILLE IT'S NOT IN PRIMARY AUSTIN ANYMORE.
SO, UM, SO THAT IS, AND, AND THERE IS, AND I WILL GET TO WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING, UM, BUT THERE IS ALSO A FUNDAMENTAL RECOGNITION IN THE INDUSTRY THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS COMING BACK TO AUSTIN.
UH, AFFORDABILITY CAN BE SOLD, UH, AT A MACRO LEVEL AT SOME LEVEL, BUT IT, IT, NOT EVERYBODY THAT HAS MOVED OUT, MUSICIANS AND KEY MUSICIANS THAT HAVE MOVED OUT ARE MOVING BACK.
SO HOW DO WE KEEP THE CONNECTION? AND THAT IS ONE OF OUR GOALS HERE.
UM, IN TERMS OF AFFORDABILITY, OF COURSE, THE, UM, UH, AS PART OF THE, THE LAND, UH, USE WORKING GROUP, UM, THERE IS, THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, UH, BEYOND THE, BEYOND THE LAND, THE, THE CODE, UH, DEFINITIONS THEMSELVES.
UM, AS THERE ARE DEVELOPMENTS GOING ON IN AUSTIN, UM, THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS IN THAT, UH, FORUM ABOUT HOW WE COULD BUILD, UM, SUSTAINABLE VENUES OR HOW WE CAN KEEP, STILL KEEP MUSIC, EVEN IF PART OF DOWNTOWN COMPLETELY CHANGES, HOW DO WE RETAIN MUSIC THERE SO THAT WORK IS AVAILABLE AND CONTINUES TO BE AVAILABLE IN FUTURE? AND WE DO EXPECT THE LANDSCAPE TO TRANSFORM SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE NEXT DECADE, TWO DECADES.
SO, UM, THEN HOW DO WE KEEP MUSIC THRIVING, NOT ONLY JUST SUSTAINING? SO THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS WITHIN THE LAND USE WORKING GROUP.
THERE'S NOT CONCRETE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, OUTCOMES NECESSARILY ON THAT FRONT, BUT THERE'S VERY ACTIVE WORK GOING ON THERE, THERE.
UM, I DO WANT TO, UM, ALSO, UH, SAY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS AROUND, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING BEING ATTACHED TO, UM, MUSIC FACILITIES OR MUSIC HUBS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A PRETTY BIG CHALLENGE.
UM, I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN ANY CONCLUSIONS COME OUT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS YET.
UH, THERE IS ALSO A PROGRAM TO BUILD, UM, OR RATHER, UH, AN, AN RF.
UM, THERE IS A CONTRACT, ACTUALLY I CHAIR A GROUP CALLED EQ AUSTIN, UM, AND, UH, WHICH IS HEAVILY FOCUSED ON DIVERSITY, UH, WITHIN, UM, THE AUSTIN MUSIC INDUSTRY IN PROVIDING RIGHT PLATFORMS TO, UH, MUSICIANS OF COLOR.
AND THERE IS AN ASSESSMENT ONGOING RIGHT NOW THAT IS LOOKING AT BUILDING MUSIC HUBS OR CREATIVE HUBS AT, AT THE MAC, AT THE CARVER, AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, UM, TO ONCE AGAIN PROVIDE THE RIGHT FACILITIES FOR, UH, MUSICIANS TO CONNECT TO AUSTIN.
AND NOT ONLY WHAT WE CONSIDER MAINSTREAM MUSIC NOW, BUT JUST TO EXPAND THAT IDEA UH, BEYOND, UH, AND, UH, AND, AND BRING MORE COMMUNITIES IN TO ENGAGE.
UH, SO THERE IS THAT ASSESSMENT GOING ON.
SO I THINK MUSIC HUBS, UM, WHEN THEY DO COME TO FRUITION, WOULD ALSO PLAY A VERY SIGNIFICANT ROLE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? SEEING NONE.
UM, SO YOU HAD MENTIONED THE JOINT TAX TASK FORCE ON ARTS AND MUSIC REGARDING LAND USE.
UM, AND I, I THINK YOU'VE MAYBE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN YOUR REMARKS JUST NOW.
MAYBE SOME THINGS YOU'VE COVERED IN THAT TASK FORCE.
BUT I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD PICK APART A LITTLE BIT, UH, MORE OF THOSE TOPICS AND HOW THE CURRENT LAND USE CODE DOES OR DOESN'T SERVE, UH,
[01:05:01]
MUSIC VENUES IN, IN PARTICULAR, BUT MORE BROADLY, ARTS AND CULTURE VENUES.SO RIGHT NOW THE, IT'S CALLED THE JOINT ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSION, URBAN CORE LAND USE WORKING GROUP.
UM, IT STARTED WITH AN IDEA OF, UH, ESSENTIALLY HAVING SOME INFLUENCE ON THE CODE DEFINITIONS, BUT HAS NOW EXPANDED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE SOME FACILITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE OR WILL BE COMING UP IN AUSTIN.
AND HOW DO WE LEVERAGE THAT FOR, UH, FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, SUPPORTING MUSIC.
UM, THE CHANGES TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, UM, INCLUDE, UH, SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS FOR LIVE PERFORMANCE VENUES.
UM, THESE BASICALLY SEPARATE OUT VENUES FROM EXISTING, SAY, A COCKTAIL LOUNGES, UH, DEFINITION AND OTHER CREATIVE SPACES, INCLUDING, UH, THEY GIVE DEFINITIONS AROUND LIVEWORK SPACES.
UH, SORRY, UH, IT, IT DIFFERENTIATES THEM FROM, UH, THOSE KIND OF SPACES.
AND THEN I THINK, UH, IT'S, UM, SO IN, UM, GIMME ONE MOMENT.
UH, SO I DON'T MAKE ANY MISTAKES.
UM, IN PHASE TWO, UH, THE, THERE'S THE IDEA IS TO HELP DEVELOP AND SUPPORT THE CREATION OF CULTURAL DISTRICTS.
SO NOW THERE, UM, THERE IS AN IDEA OF THE PALM DISTRICT.
UH, THERE IS GOING TO BE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT ON SIXTH STREET.
UH, SO THE GOAL OF THIS WORKING GROUP IS TO BE ENGAGED WITH ALL THOSE DEVELOPMENTS TO PROVIDE, UH, WHAT OUR VISUALIST IS AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO TO KEEP, AND, YOU KNOW, TO SUSTAIN AND GROW MUSIC.
YOU'D ALSO MENTIONED THE AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, AND I WANTED TO SEE, UH, EXCUSE ME, CORPORATION, AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
UH, AND I WANTED TO SEE HOW, UM, THEY'VE ASSISTED YOU.
I, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE, UH, BROKEN SPOKE, BUT IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THEIR WORK AND HOW IT INTERFACES WITH THE NEEDS OF MUSIC AND MUSIC VENUES.
I THINK THE, UM, THE, THEY HAD A CREATIVE SPACE BOND, UM, FOR, UM, I, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT AMOUNT, BUT IT WAS OVER $14 MILLION IN THE FIRST ROUND, UM, THAT HAS PROVIDED ASSISTANCE OR THAT WILL BE PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO WITH, WITH REAL ESTATE FOR CREATIVE SPACES.
UM, AND, UM, THAT TIES IN WITH THE CREATIVE ARTS THAT TIES IN WITH MUSIC, UM, HEAVILY, UH, AND, UH, HOW, UH, WE CAN EITHER SUPPORT AND BUILD UP SOME OF THE EXISTING SPACES THAT ARE STRUGGLING OR, UM, WE HAD EVEN PUT THE IDEA OF, UH, YOU KNOW, CREATING SOME CREATIVE HUBS OR MUSIC HUBS IN FRONT OF THAT.
SO THEY HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET RIGHT NOW, AND, UH, THEY'RE WORKING.
I THINK A COUPLE OF AWARDEES HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED.
I DON'T THINK ALL OF THE, UM, AWARDEES, UH, THE LIST IS PUBLIC AS YET BECAUSE THERE ARE REAL ESTATE NEGOTIATIONS INVOLVED.
UM, BUT THERE IS A VERY DIRECT CONNECTION WITH THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
UM, AND I THINK, UH, THAT IS AN ENTITY THAT CAN BE, UH, THAT CAN BE, UH, THERE CAN BE A LOT OF SYNERGIES BETWEEN THE, UH, THE MUSIC COMMISSION, E D D, THE ARTS COMMISSION AS WELL AS A, THE WORK THAT A D C DOES.
UH, EACH OF THE COMMISSIONS, UM, UM, THE MUSIC COMMISSION AND THE ARTS COMMISSION HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE SITTING ON THEIR BOARD, UH, FROM THE MUSIC COMMISSION.
IT'S, UM, EMIT BEVILLE, WHO, UM, IS AL ALSO SERVES, UH, WORKS AS THE, UH, THE C E O OF C THREE, AND HE'S REPRESENTING MUSIC, UM, AT THAT, UH, UM, AT THAT ORGANIZATION.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER MCGEE? HEY, THANK YOU.
I WAS CURIOUS IN ANY OF YOUR CONVERSATIONS, UM, ABOUT WHO GETS AWARDS AND HOW TO, YOU KNOW, UM, RAISE UP THE, UM, RAISE UP MUSICIANS SO THAT THEY CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE, UM, SURROUNDING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
I'M AWARE OF OTHER AREAS OF POVERTY, SUCH AS THOSE THAT SERVICE, UM, MUSIC, UM, IF I MAY, I'M NOT NOT ABLE STAGE, AND THOSE WHO SERVICE MUSIC PERFORMANCES FRONT STAGE, SUCH AS PEOPLE THAT ARE EMPLOYED AS SECURITY.
UM, THINGS FROM MY OBSERVATIONS, A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE EMPLOYED FRONT OF HOUSE AND SECURITY SEEM TO HAVE REALLY LOW WAGES.
AND OFTENTIMES THOSE THAT SERVICE BACKSTAGE, WHETHER THEY'RE LOADING IN, LOADING OUT, OR UM, OPERATING, UM, LIGHTS AND SOUND FOR AN EVENT, UM, SEEMS TO BE A BROAD SCALE.
SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ARE ASKED TO VOLUNTEER, SOME PEOPLE DO WELL WITH A WHOLE GAMUT IN BETWEEN THAT SEEM TO BE SCRAPING BY.
SO THAT KIND OF CONTRIBUTES TO THE POVERTY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WONDER IF COMMISSIONER, UM, MCGEE, UM, IF THERE'S BEEN ANY DIALOGUE, I THINK WE NEED TO RE REPHRASE THE QUESTION.
I THINK WE MISSED THE FIRST PART OF THAT.
[01:10:01]
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR, CAN YOU REPHRASE THE QUESTION? I'M SORRY.I, I THINK SHE COULDN'T, UM, HEAR YOU.
SORRY, I, I COULDN'T, UH, CATCH THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION AT ALL.
OR EVEN IF, UM, EVEN IF SOMEBODY GOT IT, IF YOU COULD REPEAT IT FOR ME, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
MY QUESTION IS, UM, I'VE OBSERVED POVERTY BOTH FRONT, FRONT OF HOUSE AND BACKSTAGE, UH, SURROUNDING MUSIC PERFORMANCES IN THIS CITY.
UM, OFTEN SECURITY PERSONNEL SEEM TO BE EMPLOYED AT A VERY LOW WAGE, AND OFTENTIMES PEOPLE EMPLOYED BACKSTAGE, UH, CAN BE EMPLOYED AT A VERY LOW WAGE.
AND THAT SEEMS TO CONTRIBUTE TO POVERTY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M CURIOUS IF ANY OF THE DIALOGUE REGARDING FUNDING OR USE OF CITY LAND, IF THERE'S BEEN ANY DISCUSSION OR HAS A QUESTION BEEN POSED THAT, IS THERE ROOM FOR US TO LIFT THOSE PEOPLE UP TOO BY SORT OF ESTABLISHING A MINIMUM STANDARD? LIKE, YES, YOU CAN HAVE CITY FUNDS OR YOU CAN USE CITY LAND IF YOU ARE COMPENSATING EVERYBODY INVOLVED AT A A CERTAIN MINIMUM LEVEL, KIND OF LIKE HOW THE CITY ADOPTED A LIVING MINIMUM WAGE OF $20 AN HOUR, YOU KNOW, ALONG THOSE LINES, HAS THERE BEEN ANY SORT OF, ANYONE BROUGHT THAT TO THE TABLE OR THAT QUESTION TO THE TABLE? UH, SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION IS ABOUT WHETHER, UM, UH, A CERTAIN WAGE LEVEL CAN BE SET BY THE CITY, UM, FOR MUSIC WORKERS, UM, BEYOND, YOU KNOW, MUSICIANS OR ANYBODY REALLY, BUT WHO ARE WORKING BACKSTAGE, UH, WORKING AT THE VENUES, ET CETERA.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UH, WAGES ARE, UH, SET AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, AS FAR AS REQUIREMENTS GO, AND, UH, HOW, UM, UH, ANY MINIMUMS OR ANYTHING CAN BE SET.
IT HAPPENS AT THE, SAY, STATE AND CITY, UH, SORRY, UH, FEDERAL LEVEL.
UH, SO THOSE LAWS, UM, THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR HAS PREEMPT, UH, ANYTHING THAT THE CITY WOULD DO ON THAT FRONT.
UM, AND AS FAR AS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, DOING ANYTHING BEYOND THAT GOES, UM, IT IS NOT, IT'S, IT'S JUST A, IT'S JUST A SMALL THING, UH, IN, IN, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT LIVELIHOODS AT ANY LEVEL.
BUT, UM, IF THE LIVE MUSIC FUNDS, AND ESPECIALLY HOPING THAT THEY GROW WITH AES AS THEY GO, UH, A PART OF IT GOES TO ITS VENUES, FOR EXAMPLE, AND IF THEY ARE ABLE TO KEEP THE CLUB OPEN FOR A DAY MORE, OR, OR RUN SOMETHING SUSTAINABLE THERE, OR HIRE TWO MORE STAFF BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN EVENT GOING ON, IT'LL HAVE A SMALL IMPACT, BUT IT'LL HAVE SOME IMPACT ON THAT FRONT, BECAUSE THEN THAT PAYS THE, THE BAR GUYS AND THE FOLKS THAT ARE AT THE GATE AND WHATNOT.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UM, JUST WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, CHAIRMAN VILA, AND, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THE MUSIC COMMISSION DOES AND ELEVATING MUSIC, UM, AND CONTINUING TO KEEP IT, KEEP AUSTIN AT THE CENTER OF MUSIC HERE IN, UH, THE UNITED STATES.
UH, WITH THAT, UM, WE'VE CONCLUDED THE SPEAKING PORTION ON OUR MEETING AGENDA, AND NOW WE'RE ON TO DISCUSSION
[7. Discussion and possible action of Tourism Commission Road Map handout]
AND ACTION ITEMS. THE FIRST, UH, ITEM FOR DISCUSSION IS THE TOURISM COMMISSION ROADMAP HANDOUT, WHICH WE EMAILED LAST WEEK REGARDING THE UPCOMING TOPICS FOR THE COMMISSION, UM, AND WHICH I BELIEVE IS PRINTED IN FRONT OF YOU IN YOUR PACKET.UH, SO IT'S THIS SHEET HERE, YOU HAVE IT, IT READS, UH, TOURISM COMMISSION ROADMAP AT THE TOP.
UM, TO GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND FOR SOME FOLKS WHO I THINK, UM, ARE, ARE NEW COMMISSIONERS TO THIS BODY, WE, UH, PROPOSED, UH, THIS BACK IN JUNE.
I DON'T THINK EVERYONE WAS ON THE COMMISSION AT THAT POINT, BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE A FULL SLATE OF COMMISSIONERS LESS, ONE, WHICH WE HOPE TO RECTIFY VERY SOON, UH, THIS, THIS DOCUMENT REALLY WAS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD AS CHAIR TO HELP, UH, CREATE MORE OF A RHYTHM OF SPEAKERS AND TOPICS FOR THE TOURISM COMMISSION'S CONSIDERATION, UH, AND TO GIVE, UH, STAFF, UH, PARTICULARLY MS. OJEDA, OUR STAFF LIAISON, ADDITIONAL TIME TO HELP COORDINATE OUR MEETING AGENDAS, UH, IN COORDINATION
[01:15:01]
WITH ME.UM, AND ALSO TO HEAR BACK FROM COMMISSIONERS ABOUT THE NEEDS OF, UH, TOURISM HERE IN AUSTIN AND WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THESE AGENDAS.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HERE, UM, WITH REGARD TO TOURISM AND HOW WE CAN FURTHER BENEFIT TOURISM.
SO, UH, THIS, IT CAN BE CONSIDERED OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, THE PROPOSAL ON THE TABLE, WHICH IS THIS, UH, USED TO BE A SIX, SIX MONTH ROADMAP, BUT NOW WE'RE DOWN TO, UH, FIVE MONTHS THROUGH, UH, JANUARY OF 2024, JUST TO GET US, UH, LOOKING FARTHER DOWN THE HORIZON, UH, AND HOPEFULLY ALLOWING US TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN HOW WE SEE THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION AND, UH, WHAT WE DO MOVING FORWARD.
COMMISSIONER KANATI, I THINK WE'RE MISSING YOUR AUDIO COMMISSIONER.
I'VE GOT A PRELIMINARY QUESTION ABOUT THE AGENDA ACTION ITEMS. I'M NOT SEEING THE DISCUSSION OF THE, UM, SERVICE PLAN, THE TPI SERVICE PLAN THAT WE TRIED TO DISCUSS LAST TIME THAT APPARENTLY RAN OUT OF TIME.
IS THAT NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING AT ALL? IT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA OF THIS MEETING.
UH, IT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA OF THIS MEETING.
OH, WELL, THE, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YOU SAID IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING.
UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY, WE, WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME, AND WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO HAVE MORE PREPARATION FOR THESE MEETINGS.
THAT WAS A SPECIAL PRESENTATION BROUGHT FORTH BY, UH, THE VISIT AUSTIN, AS WELL AS, UM, REALLY VISIT AUSTIN.
AND WE'VE, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT SURE WE, WE DISCUSSED THIS AT THE STAFF LEVEL, UM, WITH THE STAFF LIAISON, AND WE DID NOT, UM, WE DID NOT HAVE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION TO BRING TO THE COMMISSION.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A FINAL UPDATE OF THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, WHICH FOLLOWS THESE TWO DISCUSSION ITEMS. IT WILL NOT BE AN ACTION ITEM, HOWEVER, IS THAT HEARD COMMISSIONER KDI? I, I CAN'T HEAR HALF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I GATHERED IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS TIMELY AND THAT WE MAYBE COULD HAVE ADDRESSED, BUT I GUESS IT'S NOT GONNA BE ADDRESSED FOR ACTION TODAY.
UH, DO WE, DO WE HAVE COMMENTS? I JUST WANTED TO OPEN THE FLOOR TO SEE WHAT FOLKS THOUGHT ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT AND TO, UH, HEAR FEEDBACK ABOUT POSSIBLE WAYS TO MAKE THIS BETTER, OR NEW IDEAS TO HELP GUIDE DISCUSSIONS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS.
COMMISSIONER BAILEY? UM, FIRST OFF, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I THINK THAT THE, THE TEMPLATE OF WHAT WE, WE SAW THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS ROADMAP AND THE TEMPLATE OF TRYING TO BUNDLE TOPICAL, UH, ISSUES SO THAT WE CAN REALLY BEAR DOWN.
I THINK WHAT WE HEARD TODAY AND, AND, AND THE, THE VARIETY OF SPEAKERS THAT HAVE CAME REGARDING MUSIC RELATED, UH, ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
I, I LIKE, I JUST WANNA VALIDATE THE FORMAT, AND I WANNA SAY THAT I THINK THAT THE, THE ROADMAP AND, AND THE TOPICS THAT, THAT WERE PRIORITIZED FOR THIS FIRST VISION OF THE ROADMAP SEEM TO TRACK WITH SOME OF THE EARLIER CONVERSATIONS WE HAD TWO OR THREE MONTHS AGO.
I'M GONNA SAY, WITH THAT BEING SAID, AS MUCH AS I, AND, AND I'M, I, I I, BEHIND EACH OF THESE TOPICS, I THINK THERE ARE SOME OTHER AREAS THAT I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT AS A, IT'S, IT'S THE TERM ROADMAP THAT ACTIVATES THE THING I'M ABOUT TO SAY, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS THE WAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON, AND THIS IS WHAT THE MAP AND THE ROAD WE'RE GONNA TAKE TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO AMPLIFY THAT.
I BELIEVE THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
AND SO I, I WANNA MAKE SURE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAYING YES TO A ROADMAP, THAT WE'RE ALSO SAYING YES TO TOPICAL ISSUES THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO BE LOOKING AT AS WELL AS THESE TOPICS OVER THE NEXT MONTH.
SO I'M JUST GONNA, THESE ARE EXAMPLES.
IT'S NOT A REQUEST, BUT IT GIVES AN EXAMPLE.
IT'S LIKE WHEN THE VISIT, HOW THE VISIT AUSTIN BUDGET IS BEING APPROVED, AND WHAT'S OUR STAKE IN THE TOURISM
[01:20:01]
BUDGET.I KNOW THAT MR. NEWNAN IN THE LAST MEETING TALKED ABOUT HOW AUSTIN WAS FUNDED VERSUS A LOT OF OTHER CITIES IN THE, IN THE STATES.
AND I, I THINK HE WAS MAKING A, A A POINT THAT WE'RE UNDERFUNDED COMPARED TO SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES.
AND I THINK WE WANNA DIG INTO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THOSE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE TO FUND, UM, THE TOURISM MARKETING BUDGET.
I THINK WE HAVE A STAKE IN WHAT THE CITY'S CHOOSING TO DO AND PAYING ATTENTION TO THE OTHER, THE OTHER MARKETS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I THINK THAT'S PART OF OUR CHARTER.
I THINK TALKING TO MEETING PLANNERS ABOUT THE PROCESS OF HOW THEY CHOOSE AND DO WHAT THEY DO TO BRING CONVENTIONS TO THE CITY, I THINK PAYING ATTENTION TO LEARNING THE TRADE BETTER.
THERE ARE SOME OF US ON THIS COMMISSION THAT HAVE MORE TOURISM BACKGROUND THAN OTHERS.
I JUST WANNA PUT A VOTE FORWARD THAT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT VERY DIRECT TOURISM RELATED MARKET CONDITIONS AND BUSINESS PRACTICES, OR HOWEVER WE LOOK AT THAT.
UM, I, I, I THINK IT'D BE GOOD FOR US TO HEAR HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE AND WHY THEY CHOOSE AUSTIN VERSUS OTHER, OTHER CITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A NET VALUE TO US TO UNDERSTAND.
UM, I THINK THE ONGOING DESIGN AND THE, THE DISTRICT PLANNING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THE CONVENTION CENTER COULD CHANGE THE SHAPE OF DOWNTOWN AND PULL THINGS TOGETHER.
I JUST DON'T WANNA SEE US TAKE OFF ON ALL OF THESE OTHER, WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND I THINK TRULY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOW THE HOT TAX IMPACTS CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
BUT I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE SIGHT OF SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS AS WE GO FORWARD ON THAT.
I HAVE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL, BUT I, I DON'T WANT TO GO ON A MANTRA HERE OR, OR TAKE OVER THE MIC.
SO I'M WILLING TO STEP BACK FROM THE COMMENT I JUST MADE AND SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER THOUGHTS ON THAT WITH AMONG THE BODY.
AND THEN MAYBE I'LL GO BACK AND I'VE GOT A COUPLE SUGGESTIONS ON SOME OF THE TOPICAL THINGS HERE.
DO OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE THINGS TO ADD? COMMISSIONER IAN? UM, SO ADDING ON WHAT COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER, UH, BAILEY SAID, I, THE WAY I WAS VIEWING THIS DOCUMENT IS THAT WE KIND OF HAVE TO PLAN IN ADVANCE OF SPEAKERS.
WE'RE GONNA CALL AND WE HAVE, UH, WHAT, FIVE MONTHS LEFT, OR FOUR.
AND SO THIS WAS, UM, OUR CHAIRS ATTEMPT TO GET US KIND OF ORGANIZED, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT GET US ORGANIZED AND WHAT OUR NEXT MEETINGS ARE GONNA ENTAIL AND WHAT SPEAKERS WE'RE GOING TO CALL.
I DID NOT VIEW THIS AS A, UM, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN BY ROADMAP.
I DIDN'T VIEW IT AS SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, BY ALL AND BE ALL.
LIKE, WE CAN ADD THINGS IF THINGS POP UP, WE CAN KIND OF FLUXX AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME TO POST SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING THAT WE WANNA DISCUSS THAT IMPACTS TOURISM DIRECTLY.
UM, BUT I WAS OKAY WITH THE DOCUMENT AS LONG AS WE KNOW THAT THINGS COULD CHANGE IF SOMETHING COMES UP AND WE HAVE TIME TO HAVE LIKE ANOTHER SPEAKER TO COME PRESENT BECAUSE SOMETHING IS MORE RELEVANT TO TOURISM THAN WHAT WE HAD PLANNED BEFORE.
THOSE ARE JUST KIND OF MY COMMENTS TO ADD, ADD TO.
AND TO ECHO BOTH, UH, COMMISSIONER PENOC AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER BAILEY, UM, THE ROADMAP, I, WE COULD SAY PROPOSED TOPIC ITEMS FOR MEETINGS.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE'S, THERE'S MANY WAYS TO GET FROM NEW YORK TO LA RIGHT?
SO, UM, JUST THINK OF IT THAT WAY.
I THINK IT'S MORE OF A, A PLANNING TOOL THAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE, UM, TO CREATE A LITTLE BIT MORE STRUCTURE FOR THE, FOR THE COMMISSION AND, YOU KNOW, ALLOWING COMMISSIONERS TO THINK ABOUT TOPICS WITH A LENS EACH MEETING NOT, NOT STICKING ONLY TO THAT LENS IF WE DON'T WANT TO, OR IF, UM, AS COMMISSIONER BAILEY STATES, THERE IS A TOPIC THAT WE THINK REALLY NEEDS OUR, UM, OUR LOOK AT, UH, YOU KNOW, POMP DISTRICT COMES TO MIND, OR, YOU KNOW, OTHER TOPICAL ISSUES.
UH, AND SO, BUT PLEASE, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'VE SENT YOU ALL MY CELL PHONE NUMBER AND YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL ME.
WE'RE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE AGENDA BE INFORMED BY FEEDBACK FROM COMMISSIONERS THEMSELVES MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY GONNA MAKE THIS ROADMAP OR PROPOSED TOPIC LIST COME TO LIFE AND TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY, UM, ALLOW COMMISSIONERS TO HAVE MORE OWNERSHIP OVER THIS, UH, OVER THIS BODY.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
DO OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THE DOCUMENT? UM, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I DO AGREE WITH MR. BAILEY THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO, YOU KNOW, EXPLORE SOME OF THE TOPICS, UM, THAT HE MENTIONED.
[01:25:01]
HAVING MEETING PLANNERS TALK TO US ABOUT WHY THEY CHOOSE THE CITY FROM, UM, DIRECT FLIGHTS INTO OUR AIRPORT AND WHAT THE ARRIVAL EXPERIENCES IN THE AIRPORT TO WHAT THE EXPERIENCES FOR PEOPLE HERE IN THE CITY.UM, AND I THINK MY OVERARCHING QUESTION ABOUT THIS ROADMAP IS, UM, IT'S, THERE'S A LOT HERE AND IT'S QUITE BROAD.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, I ENJOYED, YOU KNOW, LEARNING MORE FROM THE SPEAKERS TODAY.
UM, I KNEW A LITTLE ABOUT SIMS BECAUSE THAT IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT I'M QUITE FOND OF.
UM, BUT OTHER THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP TODAY, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT, LIKE, MUSIC HUBS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I HAVEN'T REALLY, UM, HEARD ABOUT BEFORE, AND I'M REALLY CURIOUS IN LEARNING ABOUT THAT AND HOW THAT COULD GET PROMOTED.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE QUITE SPECIAL FOR OUR CITY.
SO IS THIS, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS THAT WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE PEOPLE COME IN AND WE'RE GONNA LEARN JUST A LITTLE BITE-SIZED NUGGET, AND THEN AWAY THEY GO, AND THEN THE NEXT TIME WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, LIKE, I WOULD JUST LOVE TO SEE US, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, UM, FIND SOMETHING THAT WE ALL AGREE THAT WE WANNA DIG INTO AND EXPLORE MORE AND TRY TO MAKE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, MEANINGFUL HAPPEN.
COMMISSIONER MATHIS, DO OTHER FOLKS HAVE, UM, THINGS TO ADD? AND I CAN, I CAN ALSO, I WANNA GO BACK TO YOUR COMMENT AS WELL.
UM, COMMISSIONER KDI, I, I TRIED TO ADD A COMMENT IN THE CHAT THAT SEEMS TO HAVE DISAPPEAR.
UM, MAYBE I'M JUST MISSING IT.
SOMETHING ELSE THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST WE'VE RECEIVED SOME TESTIMONY FROM CULTURAL ARTS GROUPS IN TOWN WHO HAVE FOUND THE NEW STANDARDS FOR ALLOCATING FUNDS HAVE TO BE CHALLENGING FOR THEIR EXISTING OPERATIONS.
AND MAYBE WE COULD WEIGH IN TO PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK IF MAYBE THE NEW GUIDELINES THAT I THINK THE CITY IS FOLLOWING FOR GOOD PURPOSES MIGHT BE HAVING UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND ACTUALLY DOING SOME DAMAGE TO SOME OF OUR EXISTING, UH, CULTURAL ARTS GROUPS IN TOWN.
I, I, I DID NOT SEE THAT IN THE ROADMAP, AND I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT GENERAL TOPIC BE SOMETHING THAT WE DID.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER KANATI, I'LL, I'LL RESPOND TO THAT DIRECTLY.
WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT TODAY, BUT WE, UM, FOR SCHEDULING CONCERNS, WANTED TO EXPAND MUSIC.
UM, WE, IT IS MENTIONED IN THE DOCUMENT THAT THE, UM, IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY BULLET THREE.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF CHANGES IN THESE PROGRAMS FOR ARTS AND CULTURE? UM, IT'S A LITTLE UNCLEAR THOUGH, BECAUSE I THINK I DELETED SOMETHING ABOVE IT THAT HAD SAID THAT THOSE WERE THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN CHANGED IN E D D REGARDING ARTS FUNDING.
UM, SO HAPPY TO INCORPORATE THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, UM, FOR A BROADER DISCUSSION.
AND, UH, TO GO BACK TO, DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER KANATI.
UM, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO READ IT, BUT SURE.
IF IT WOULD BE CLEAR, THAT WOULD CLEARLY SET OUT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, I THINK, UM, YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT DEEPENING, UM, OUR WORK AND IN PARTICULAR ISSUES.
I, I, WE ARE GETTING BITE SIZES.
THERE'S SO MUCH COOL STUFF HAPPENING IN TOWN, UM, AND PARTICULARLY IN AUSTIN WITH REGARD TO MUSIC, FOR INSTANCE.
AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO DEEPEN, UH, THE COMMISSION'S IMPACT.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT, UM, THE WORKING GROUPS ARE FOR IN TERMS OF DEEPENING OUR COMMITMENT TO EITHER PROPOSING A SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM, A BETTER WAY OF DOING SOMETHING, A NEW IDEA, UH, OR, UH, A NEW INITIATIVE.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSION TO, UH, REALLY THINK COLLECTIVELY ABOUT WHAT IT WANTS TO DO IN THE COMING YEAR.
UH, THE CITY ACTUALLY ENDS, UM, THE COMMISSIONS FOR PURPOSES OF, I THINK, ACCOUNTING OR, UH, UM, MINUTE TAKING AT, AT THE END OF JULY.
AND SO NEXT, ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE OUR ANNUAL REPORT FOR REVIEW, BUT IF WE WANT, WE CAN TAKE SOME TIME NEXT MEETING TO TALK ABOUT MORE GENERALLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, PLEASE NOW, IF WE WANNA DO THAT NOW WHERE WE'D LIKE TO HAVE AN IMPACT OVER THE NEXT YEAR, AND ALSO, UH, WHERE WE CAN TAKE MORE CONCERTED EFFORT IN PRODUCING OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.
SO IT'S, IT'S, UM, QUITE AN UNDERTAKING TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, HONE IN ON THINGS SUCH AS MUSIC.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, GREAT MUSIC, WE HAVE WONDERFUL MUSEUMS, WE HAVE FANTASTIC RESTAURANTS.
WE HAVE OUR HOSPITALITY SCENE IN AUSTIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, BOTH THE FOOD AND THE WINE IN IN THIS TOWN ARE WORLD CLASS.
SO THERE IS A LOT HERE THAT, UM,
[01:30:01]
THAT MAKES US A PREMIER DESTINATION.YEAH, I THINK HOSPITALITY, PARTICULARLY FOOD IS, IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED.
WE HAVE, UH, GREAT, UM, SOMM COMMUNITY, UM, IN, IN THIS TOWN, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT EASY TO BECOME A MASTER SOMM.
THEY GO TO SCHOOL AND TO GET, YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO SOME OF THE WINES THAT THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE, UM, TO BE, TO TASTE AND TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, IS, IS THESE WINES ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE EXCLUSIVE AND HARD, YOU KNOW, TO AFFORD.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT, UH, AREAS, UM, THAT WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT TO TRY TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO, UH, AMPLIFY THEIR CRAFT, UM, AND BECOME BETTER IN THIS CITY.
UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, DO WE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, VIEWPOINTS FROM THE COMMISSION? WHAT I SAY? I HAVE ENOUGH MORE.
COMMISSIONER BAILEY, JUST WANNA MAKE A JOKE THAT I LIKE THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO SAY SOMALI, YOU USED PSM SOMAL FOR SOMALI, AND WE GOT THE PSALMS,
UM, SO I, I, I, I APPRECIATE, THANKS FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO PROVIDE A COUPLE MORE THOUGHTS ON THIS ROADMAP.
I, UM, I THINK I HAD COMMENTS JUST KIND OF GENERALLY THROUGH EACH OF THE, THE THREE, UM, SOME ADD-ONS AND, UH, MOSTLY I'LL JUST QUICKLY TALK ABOUT THE, THE FIRST ONE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I SAW THE WORD PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY, AND THEN I KIND OF THOUGHT LIKE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO, I THOUGHT ABOUT PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
I REMEMBER US TALKING ABOUT THIS EARLY IN THE ROADMAP, AND I MEAN, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WOULDN'T, DIDN'T LOSE WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY, THAT THAT COULD ENCOMPASS OR POSSIBLY HOLD PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND, AND THE REASON WHY I THINK IT'S RELATIVE TO WHAT THE GOAL OF THIS SECTION IS, IS THINKING OF SOMEBODY LIKE THE MOODY FOUNDATION WHO IS A, A LEGITIMATE GIVING SOURCE AND A BIG ORGANIZATION, UH, WHO HAVE PUT MONEY INTO SOME FACILITIES HERE THAT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I MEAN, AND EVEN THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THE WATERLOO CONSERVANCY, WHO WILL SAY IT WAS A RECIPIENT OF FUNDS FROM SOMEONE LIKE THE MOODY CENTER, AND HOW DOES THAT CREATE TOURISM? AND I THINK WE, ANYBODY THINKS ABOUT THE LIGHT SHOW AND THINKS ABOUT WHAT THAT REDEVELOPMENT OF WATERLOO DID FOR THE CITY.
AND I DO THINK THIS IS A GREAT AREA FOR US TO DIG INTO AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THESE ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, AND I'M, I'M THINKING ABOUT C THREE, UH, AND I'M THINKING ABOUT THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.
I KNOW WE DIDN'T HAVE, UH, HEIDI TALKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS WHEN SHE CAME, BUT IF WE STARTED LOOKING AT HOW THE IMPACT OF THESE PUBLIC, PRIVATE, OR PHILANTHROPIC, UH, CONNECTIONS AND WHAT, HOW DOES THAT LEAD TO TOURISM? I DO BELIEVE THERE'S A REAL STORY THERE.
SO ALL I'M SAYING IS I THINK THERE WAS A GREAT START WITH SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND BULLET POINTS, BUT I THINK WE CAN TAKE IT EVEN DEEPER.
AND SO THAT, THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO SAY IS I SUPPORT THIS, UH, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE DO THE AGENDA FOR THESE, THAT WE DON'T JUST USE THE BULLET POINTS ON HERE TO DRIVE THE AGENDAS, BUT TO DO THE PROCESS THAT YOU RECOMMEND, THAT WE ALL COLLABORATE, WE ALL PARTICIPATE, AND MAYBE WE SHARPEN UP SOME OF THE INVITATIONS TO WHO COMES AND, AND SHARPEN UP THE, THE OUTCOMES AND QUESTIONS WE WANT TO DIG INTO.
THERE'S, THERE'S ROOM TO DEFINE THAT MORE.
UM, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE TOURISM INDUSTRY WORKER PIECE, UM, I FELT LIKE, AND EQUAL TO TALKING AND GETTING SOME EDUCATION, WHICH I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ON SOME OF THE DIFFERENT UNIONS.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE HAD THIS MANY.
SO I HAVE A LOT TO LEARN AND I'M INTERESTED IN IT, BUT I ALSO THINK TALKING ABOUT WHO ARE THE BIG EMPLOYERS TALKING, AND IF WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION THROUGH THIS SESSION, THE ONE WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE GROWTH RATE EMPLOYMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY, TOURISM TRADE, GET METRICS THAT, THAT ALSO INFORM THE INFORMATION WE'RE GONNA GET ABOUT HOW WORKERS ARE BEING TREATED, WHAT, WHAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES ARE FOR WORKERS IN THIS FIELD.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING AT KIND OF BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EMPLOYERS, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHO THE BIGGEST EMPLOYERS ARE, NOT JUST LOOKING AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, BUT I THINK SOMEONE MENTIONED RESTAURANTS EARLIER.
IF WE FEEL LIKE WE WANNA THROW OUR ARM AROUND HOSPITALITY WORKERS IN THE RESTAURANT TRADE THAT WE FIGURE OUT HOW DOES ALL THAT LEAD TO MAKING TOURISM, MAKING THIS A BETTER TOURIST DESTINATION, CITY MAKING A PLACE THAT YOU WANNA WORK IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM HERE.
I JUST THINK, I FELT LIKE IT WAS A LITTLE TILTED TO UNIONS, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO EXPAND TO HAVE MORE TOPICS WHILE WE DIG INTO THIS.
AND THEN, UM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
[01:35:01]
I THINK I CAN JUST STOP THERE.I THINK AS LONG AS WE'RE GONNA DIG IN EACH OF THESE TOPICS THAT WE CAN, WE HAVE TIME TO REALLY CRYSTALLIZE WHAT WE WANT OUT OF EACH OF THESE SESSIONS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP TO, UM, COMMISSIONER BAILEY'S, UM, COMMENTS ABOUT INCLUDING EMPLOYERS.
UM, OFTENTIMES YOU CAN FIND OUT WHO THE BIGGEST EMPLOYERS ARE BY TALKING TO THE WORKERS, YOU KNOW, AND JUST ASKING THEM WHO THEY WORK FOR.
I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW ELSE WE CAN FIND THAT INFORMATION, BUT I'M SURE IT'S POSSIBLE.
BUT I, I DO AGREE THAT'S A GREAT IDEA TO INCLUDE, UM, EMPLOYERS AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, I THINK THAT EACH SECTION OF THE ROADMAP AS IT'S CURRENTLY PRESENTED, ABSOLUTELY CAN BE REFINED.
AND I'M ASSUMING, SO THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE CHAIR, I'M ASSUMING WE CAN, UH, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO POTENTIALLY REFINE EACH SECTION EVEN IN THE, UH, SPACE THAT'S PROVIDED ON EACH AGENDA.
THERE'S A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, UH, TIME ALLOTTED FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ON EACH AGENDA EVERY TIME WE MEET.
SO I'M SURE THAT'S A VEHICLE WE CAN USE, UM, TO ADD MORE DETAIL, UH, ADD OR SUBTRACT OR REPLACE AND, AND OF COURSE, BEING ABLE TO, UM, REACH YOU DIRECTLY WITH SUGGESTIONS, AS YOU'VE ALREADY SAID, THAT WE CAN DO.
WE ACTUALLY HAD THAT AND IT FELL OFF, SO I'LL BE SURE TO INCLUDE UPCOMING, UH, AGENDA TOPICS TO KEY IN, UH, TO SORT OF HAVE OUR SYNAPSIS START SNAPPING, SO TO SPEAK, UH, A MEETING PROCEEDING, UH, THE FOLLOWING, UM, TOURISM COMMISSION MEETING, SO WE CAN SORT OF GET A TASTE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DISCUSS IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A FORMAL TOPIC, BUT WHAT I, WHAT I'M HAPPY TO DO IS PUT, UM, A STANDING AGENDA ITEM FOR DISCUSSION, WHICH BASICALLY SPEAKS TO THE FUTURE TOPIC MEETING, UM, MEETING FUTURE TOPICS OF FORTHCOMING MEETINGS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR MORE DETAILED, UH, FEEDBACK.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO INCORPORATE THIS IDEA OF EMPLOYERS.
UM, I THINK EMPLOYERS ARE, ARE LARGELY, UH, AS WE KNOW, THE, THE TOURISM COMMUNITY AND THE TOURISM SECTOR IS VERY DIVERSE.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE IN FOOD AND BEVERAGE MUSIC, UM, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL TRAVEL, SEVERAL DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.
SO MAYBE WHAT WE CAN THINK ABOUT IS BRINGING IN AN ECONOMIST WHO CAN ACTUALLY BREAK DOWN THE TOURISM SECTOR OR TOURISM INDUSTRY HERE IN AUSTIN, AND THEN, UH, YOU KNOW, INVITE PARTICULAR TRADE GROUPS FROM THOSE SECTORS AND THEN MAYBE PAIR IT WITH, UM, PARTICULAR UNIONS THAT REPRESENT THOSE WORKERS WITHIN THOSE SECTORS.
TOURISM IS NOT REALLY ITS OWN SECTOR, IT'S, IT'S SORT OF COMPRISED OF MANY SECTORS.
UH, SO I THINK WE HAVE A CHALLENGE IN, IN DEFINING WHO WE INVITE, WHEN WE INVITE THEM, AND HOW MUCH TIME WE CAN ALLOW EVERYONE.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE, UH, SOME TIME CONSTRAINTS WITH THAT.
BUT OF COURSE, UH, WE HAVE MANY MONTHS AHEAD OF US, UH, FOR POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS. AND I THINK REALLY WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS BE THE MOST INCLUSIVE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TOPICS AND THE DIFFERENT FACETS OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AND WORK TO IMPROVE, UH, WITH OUR EXPERT, UH, PERSPECTIVES AND BACKGROUNDS WITHIN THE TOURISM, YOU KNOW, INDUSTRY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MUSIC REPRESENTED HERE.
WE HAVE HOTELS, WE HAVE MUSEUMS, WE HAVE THE ARTS, UH, LABOR, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE A LOT, UH, LEGAL EXPERTISE.
SO IT'S, IT'S DEFINITELY, UM, I THINK A REAL, UM, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY BE EXPANSIVE OF, OF HOW WE CAN HELP TOURISM IN AUSTIN, BUT ALSO NOT LOSING SIGHT OF THE MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE COMMISSION, WHICH IS, I'VE HAD PRINTED AND INCLUDED HERE.
UM, THANKS TO MS. OJEDA, THE TOURISM COMMISSION IS ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL CONCERNING HOTEL OCU, OCCUPANCY TAX REVENUE COLLECTED BY THE CITY, AND ISSUES RELATED TO AND THAT PROMOTE TOURISM.
SO IT'S NOT CARTE BLANCHE, RIGHT? IT HAS TO SORT OF FALL WITHIN THIS MISSION STATEMENT AS WE PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL.
BUT I, I DO WANNA STRESS THAT I THINK ALL OF THESE TOPICS ARE WORTHY OF, UM, OF COURSE WE'LL HAVE TO NIBBLE, UM, TO GO BACK TO OUR, WELL, IT'S NOT, YEAH, OUR FOOD AND BEVERAGE
[01:40:01]
AT OUR MEETINGS.ANY TWO BOARD MEMBERS CAN ASK TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM ADDED TO THE AGENDA, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
IN THE, UH, BYLAWS PROVIDED TO EACH COMMISSIONER FOR THIS MEETING IN THE BYLAWS, IT STATES THAT, UH, UH, AT MINIMUM TWO, UH, UM, SORRY, TWO MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION CAN PROPOSE AN AGENDA ITEM AND HAVE IT INCLUDED IN THE FORTHCOMING, UH, MEETING AGENDA.
UH, YOU'LL HAVE TO LET, UH, FELICIA AND, AND MYSELF KNOW, UM, BUT HAPPY TO INCORPORATE, UH, FEEDBACK FROM, UH, COMMISSIONERS AS TO WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE ON THIS AGENDA, NOTING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THEMATIC.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BUILD A FOLLOWING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE SEEN IN OUR MEETINGS, THERE'S ACTUALLY MORE PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, WHICH I THINK IS A GOOD SIGN.
UM, FROM WHEN I STARTED ON THIS COMMISSION, WE WERE JUST TALKING TO AN EMPTY ROOM
SO I THINK, BUT BY BUILDING MORE OF A CONSTITUENCY BEHIND THIS BODY, WE'RE ABLE TO REALLY ELEVATE TOURISM HERE IN AUSTIN AND ALLOW US TO, UH, REALLY, UM, HAVE FOLKS COME AND LISTEN TO OUR EXPERTISE, BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF IT TO SHARE.
I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER VEDY HAD A COMMENT OR QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE MISSION, UM, I WANTED TO KIND OF REITERATE THE HOT TAX OVERSIGHT.
UM, AND WE'VE DONE A BETTER JOB WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MUSIC TODAY, THE ARTS NEXT MONTH.
BUT, UM, I'D LIKE US ALL TO ENDEAVOR TO INVITE THE FOLKS IMPACTED BY THOSE HOT TAX PROGRAMS. UM, WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF ARTS GROUPS COME A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, I THINK I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE, UH, FOLKS WHO'VE GOTTEN PRESERVATION GRANTS.
SO I SUPPORT THAT ASPECT OF THIS ROADMAP.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER VEDI, WHAT ARE OTHER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS IN THE MEANTIME? I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, COMMISSIONER SHAY'S PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION FOR THE T ID.
UH, WE DID NOT HAVE, UM, A SECONDED MOTION ON THE TABLE, WHICH IS WHY THE TPI D RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAD DISCUSSED LAST MEETING WAS NOT INCLUDED AS A PART OF THIS AGENDA.
AND WE'LL HEAR SHORTLY FROM COMMISSIONER MCGEE IN THE TPI FINAL UPDATE OF THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, SOME OF OUR TAKEAWAYS, BUT I, I DO WANT TO COMMEND, UH, COMMISSIONER SHAY FOR STEPPING FORWARD AND WORKING TO PUT TOGETHER A RECOMMENDATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THAT HAPPEN ON THE COMMISSION, UH, AS WE FORMALIZE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL AND ALSO, UH, FOCUS ON TOPICS THAT WE REALLY WANNA HAVE AN IMPACT ON, UH, FOR THE BENEFIT OF TOURISM HERE IN AUSTIN.
SO, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SHAY.
AND, UM, WITH THAT, I WANTED TO SEE IF WE HAD A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS, THIS ROADMAP OR PROPOSED TOPICS DOCUMENT, UH, FOR FUTURE TOURISM COMMISSION MEETINGS.
I WOULD MAKE THAT MOTION MOTIONS BY COMMISSIONER VITI.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THE MOTION? I'M HAPPY TO SECOND.
SO SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SHAPEY, UH, DISCUSSION.
I, I GUESS IT'S COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
SO THE, THE QUESTION IS, IF WE'RE APPROVING THIS ROADMAP, ARE WE SAYING THAT WE'RE AGREEING THAT THE TOPICS THAT HAVE BEEN OUTLINED IN POINTS ONE, TWO, AND THREE, THAT WE ALL, THAT WE'RE AGREEING THAT WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO DIG DEEPER INTO THESE TOPICS? YES, AS PART OF THE, SO, AND WE'RE NOT APPROVING, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT APPROVING THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE CREATED, NOT BY THIS BODY, BUT BY YOU TO HELP US THINK FORWARD.
BUT THE QUESTIONS IN MANY CASES, I DON'T THINK ARE ALWAYS RELEVANT TO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.
THEY, SO MY, I'M JUST WANNA, I HAVE AN ISSUE SINCE IT'S A PUBLIC DOCUMENT AND IT GOES ON THE TOURISM WEBSITE, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE VOTED ON THAT I COULD SAY FOR MYSELF, I DON'T THINK THAT ALL THESE QUESTIONS ARE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE AND IN SOME CASES THAT ARE ACTUALLY RELEVANT TO THE MISSION.
SO I, I'M NOT SURE THAT BY APPROVING THE DOCUMENT, WHAT
[01:45:01]
WE'RE SAYING TO THE COMMUNITY WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THE QUESTIONS POSED.I, AGAIN, I THINK THE TOPICS ARE RELEVANT.
I THINK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE NOT.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
I THINK GENERALLY THIS IS A, A WAY TO GET FROM A TO B THE WAY, A WAY TO HELP PLAN OUR FORTHCOMING TOPICS FOR OUR COMMISSION MEETINGS.
AND IT SHOULD BE TAKEN AS SUCH.
UM, THE QUESTIONS ARE POSED TO ALLOW US TO THINK MORE EXPANSIVELY ABOUT THE TOPIC.
THEY'RE NOT DEFINITIVE, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT STATEMENTS.
SO I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS A, THIS IS A PLANNING DOCUMENT.
IT'S NOT A, A RECOMMENDATION, IT'S NOT A STATEMENT, IT'S NOT A LETTER OF SUPPORT OR ANYTHING OF THAT, UM, DECLARATIVE NATURE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, HEY, IF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE BEING ASKED, I'D LOVE TO HEAR THEM COME AND ASK QUESTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, BE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION OF TOURISM.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, UH, FOSTER IS, IS MORE PARTICIPATION IN HOW TO IMPROVE TOURISM HERE IN AUSTIN.
WELL, I, I'LL JUST NOTE FOR MYSELF THAT IN UNDER THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WHEN IT SAYS, WHAT ARE THE WAYS TO IMPROVE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANTS TO INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY? AND THE NEXT QUESTION, HOW CAN THE CITY BETTER MEASURE THE IMPACT? I READ THOSE QUESTIONS THAT THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE NOT HAVE FULL ACCOUNTABILITY, OR THAT THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND THAT THE MEASURING VEHICLES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING USED MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH BASED ON THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND SO I, I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE THAT.
SO I, I, MY CONCERN IS THIS BODY, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, IS NOT ASKING THAT QUESTION.
SO IF THIS GOES ON TO OUR WEBSITE AS IS, IS ARE WE SENDING THE MESSAGE TO THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY WHO STUDY THAT, THAT WE HAVE THESE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THE CITY IS MANAGING SOME OF THE OTHER PARTS.
THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF OUR PURVIEW.
YOU, THOSE ARE FAIR POINTS TO BRING UP.
UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY, UM, THIS DOCUMENT IS ALREADY ON OUR WEBSITE, RIGHT? CONSIDERING IT IS, UM, A, A, AN AGENDA TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION TODAY.
UM, THAT SAID, THOUGH, IT'S NOT GONNA BE REPOSTED NEXT MEETING.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THE QUESTIONS OFF AND, YOU KNOW, JUST LEAVE IT MORE IN TOPIC FORM TO PROMOTE FURTHER DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I HEAR YOU, I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, UM, DIFFERENT QUESTIONS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ASK.
SO THERE'LL BE SPACE FOR THAT IN FORTHCOMING AGENDA ITEMS AND, UH, AGENDA TOPICS FOR THESE MEETINGS.
UH, COMMISSIONER POSI, AND I SAW THAT YOU HAD A QUESTION OR A COMMENT.
IS THIS A PLANNING DOCUMENT AS YOU STATED? DO WE NECESSARILY HAVE TO TAKE AN ACTION, TAKE ACTION ON IT? AND IF WE DO, CAN WE JUST GET TO THE VOTE? UM, I, I, I THINK IT'S A PLANNING DOCUMENT, AND IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE, UH, AN ACTUAL VOTE BEHIND IT, UM, JUST TO SHOWCASE THAT WE DECIDED THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARTICULAR TOPICS.
UM, WITH THAT, I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER CHANIN HAS A COMMENT OR A QUESTION.
NO, I, I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST AN AMENDMENT TO, IF WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE APPROVING THIS PLAN, THAT WE STRIKE THE QUESTIONS FROM IT, AND THAT THE, THE APPROVAL, THE MOTION BE THAT WE APPROVE THE PLAN WITHOUT THE, EXCUSE ME, WITHOUT THE QUESTIONS INCLUDED.
COMMISSIONER CHENIN, UM, ARE YOU PROMO PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION? AND IF YOU ARE, COULD YOU PLEASE RESTATE THE MOTION AND, UM, SURE.
MY, MY AMENDED MOTION WOULD BE THAT WE APPROVE THIS PLAN WAS STRIKING THE QUESTIONS FROM THE PLAN.
THE PLAN, THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE INCLUDING IN THE PLAN WOULD NOT BE PART OF THE PLAN THAT WE'RE BE APPROVING.
I WOULD SECOND THAT MOTION OR AMENDMENT.
UM, COMMISSIONER PENOC, AND ACTUALLY, I THINK I MADE A MISTAKE.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO VOTE ON THE PREVIOUS MOTION FIRST, I BELIEVE.
COMMISSIONER MCGEE, CAN YOU CLARIFY
I REALLY REGRETTING MY CHOICE OF BEING VIRTUAL TODAY.
UM, DO, IF THERE, THERE'S A, A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
WE CAN AMEND THE MOTION AND JUST VOTE ON THE AMENDED MOTION.
SO WE HAVE A, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE, ON THE, A MOTION THAT HAS BEEN SECONDED.
THE MAIN MOTION IS TO ADOPT THE SERVICE PLAN, CORRECT? NO, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT
[01:50:01]
THE SERVICE PLAN AT ALL.WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ROADMAP, THE PROPOSED TOPICS.
GO BACK FROM THE MIC A LITTLE BIT.
SO I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, I STILL DIDN'T HEAR THE AUDIO.
SO WE'RE VOTING ON AN AMENDED MOTION.
WE'RE VOTING ON AN AMENDED MOTION.
UM, SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE AMENDED THE MOTION ON THE, ON THE FLOOR TO INCLUDE THAT WE ARE LOOKING TO APPROVE THIS DOCUMENT.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE'RE APPROVING THIS DOCUMENT.
SO COMMISSIONER CHANIN HAS, UH, MOVED AND IT HAS BEEN SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER IAN THAT THE COMMISSION MOVES TO ACCEPT THIS PLANNING DOCUMENT ROADMAP.
ALSO, A LIST OF TOPICS WITHOUT THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THIS DOCUMENT, ANY DISCUSSION? SURE.
COMMISSIONER, UH, KANATI, UM, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT HOW THIS WILL AFFECT OTHER AGENDA ITEMS COMING UP ON THE MEETING.
UM, AND SOMETHING YOU SAID EARLIER, CHAIRMAN, THAT I, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT, OUR BYLAWS DON'T REQUIRE THAT A MOTION BE FILED AND SECONDED TO ADD AN AGENDA ITEM.
THE BYLAWS ONLY REQUIRE THAT TWO BOARD MEMBERS ORALLY OR IN WRITING CONTACT STAFF TO ASK THAT AN AGENDA ITEM BE ADDED.
SO I WANNA MAKE, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THIS IS AN AGENDA MAP FOR OUR FUTURE MEETINGS THAT I DON'T WANT TO PRECLUDE BOARD MEMBERS FROM THE ABILITY TO ADD ANY AGENDA ITEMS THAT OUR BYLAWS ALLOW TWO OF US TO DO AT ANY TIME WITHOUT A FORMAL MOTION.
A SECOND, BUT JUST ORALLY, YES, THAT'S, THAT'S IN THE BYLAWS, AND YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO THAT AT ANY TIME YOU'D LIKE.
UM, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE CREATED A LOT OF SPACE LAST MEETING FOR TID, WHICH WAS A TIMELY TOPIC, AND WE WERE VERY FLEXIBLE AND INCLUDING THAT, EVEN THOUGH IT DID NOT, YOU KNOW, GO WITH THIS PROPOSED AGENDA AT ALL.
SO I JUST, YEAH, I MEAN, WE ARE BEING VERY FLEXIBLE AND YOU'RE ABLE TO PROPOSE TOPICS AT TIME.
UM, TWO, TWO COMMISSIONERS ARE ABLE TO DO SO.
COMMISSIONER MCGEE AND THEN COMMISSIONER MATHIS.
UM, AS WE'VE ALREADY STATED, THE AUDIO'S BAD, BUT WE'VE NOW ALSO LOST THE, THE CLOSED CAPTIONING THAT WAS HELPING US.
CAN WE GET THE CLOSED CAPTIONING BACK PLEASE? WE'VE LOST CHAD TOO.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE MOST OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS ARE ON THE QUESTIONS, AND I DO SEE A COUPLE QUESTIONS WHERE I'M NOT, UM, COMPLETELY SURE THAT, UM, THEY'RE, UH, MAYBE THE MOST HELPFUL, UM, BEGINNINGS OF DIALOGUES.
BUT I, I DO AGREE THAT THE TOPICS ON EACH ONE OF THESE DATES, UM, LOOK LIKE SOMETHING WORTH EXPLORING.
AND THEN THE POTENTIAL SPEAKERS LISTED, UM, AND PRESENTERS FOR EACH ONE ARE, UM, SOMETHING I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO, TO ENTERTAIN.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MATHIS.
UM, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET TO A VOTE.
UM, CONSIDERING THE TIME LEFT IN OUR MEETING, UM, MOVING FORWARD, WE HAVE, UH, A VOTE ALREADY CALLED.
UM, THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDED MOTION, SAY AYE.
ON THE PHONES, UH, ON THE WEBS ON THE INTERNET,
SO THE, THE MOTION THAT WE'RE VOTING ON RIGHT NOW IS THE AMENDED MOTION TO ACCEPT THE TOPICS ON THIS ROADMAP WITHOUT THE QUESTIONS FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, UH, FIVE MONTHS OF THE COMMISSION'S WORK.
I WANTED TO VOTE IN OPPOSITION SO IT WASN'T UNANIMITY.
UM, UH, WE LET THE RECORD SHOW PLEASE THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE, UM, HAS VOTED IN, UM, NAY.
[8. Discussion and possible action of the Annual Internal Review for submission to the City Clerk’s Office]
BRIEFLY.UM, LAST MEETING WE WERE SUPPOSED TO APPROVE AS OUR FINAL REPORT THAT IS DUE AT THE END OF JULY EACH YEAR, THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, I'M ASSUMING YOU ALL HAVE READ THIS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? IT IS REQUIRED THAT WE, UH, APPROVE THIS TODAY AS A COMMISSION.
[01:55:01]
UM, SO I, UM, WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE FLOOR FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL MEETING, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW REPORT.COMMISSIONER REY MOVES TO APPROVE.
APPROVE THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW REPORT.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
COMMISSIONER BAILEY SECONDS DISCUSSION, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
UM, COMMISSIONER CHAON, YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? I JUST WANNA SAY THANKS FOR PREPARING
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHAON.
UM, WITH THAT, WE'RE MOVING INTO A VOTE.
YOU UNANIM THIS WE HAVE UNANIMITY.
[9. Final update from the TPID working group]
UH, WE HAVE ONE MORE, UM, AGENDA TOPIC.IT'S THE UPDATE, THE LAST UPDATE BECAUSE WE'RE SUNSETTING THE TIDD WORKING GROUP FOR THIS PAST YEAR OF THE COMMISSION.
UM, UH, THE WORKING GROUP FOR THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
COMMISSIONER MCGEE, CAN YOU GIVE A FINAL UPDATE ON THE WORKING GROUP FOR THE TPIT? I WILL TRY.
I HOPE THAT THE AUDIO ALLOWS YOU TO HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
ON AUGUST 3RD, THE TID WORKING GROUP MET WITH KATIE NIK, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED TID SERVICE PLAN.
DURING THE MEETING, THE WORKING GROUP ASKED IF IT WAS POSSIBLE TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE PLAN.
FURTHER IDEAS FOR CONSIDERATION INCLUDED INCREASING THE MINIMUM INDIRECT CONTRIBUTION FROM 20% TO 25%, OR DECREASING THE CONTRIBUTION AMOUNT SUBJECT TO R O I PROVISIONS OR INCLUDING LANGUAGE THAT SHOULD THE LAW CHANGE SO AS TO MAKE DIRECT TID CONTRIBUTIONS LEGAL.
AGAIN, THE SERVICE PLAN REVERT TO THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL WHEREBY A 40% SHARE OF TID REVENUE IS DEDICATED TO HOMELESSNESS AND GENERATED FROM A 20% DIRECT CONTRIBUTION AND A 20% INDIRECT CONTRIBUTION, AND THAT THE TID BE SET UP TO, UH, BE SET UP TO TWO PERCENTAGE POINTS.
HAVING DISCUSSED EACH OF THESE IDEAS, OUR IMPRESSION IS THAT THE LATTER SUGGESTION IS THE MORE VIABLE OPTION.
THE PROPOSED TERM FOR THE SERVICE PLAN IS 10 YEARS.
ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT EXPECT THAT STATE LAW WILL BE REVERSED, PERHAPS AUSTIN CAN BE CARVED OUT OF THE LEGISLATION THAT PREVENTS THE DIRECT CONTRIBUTION OF TID FUNDS.
THIS CONCLUDES THE FINAL REPORT FROM THE TID WORKING GROUP.
AS PER OUR BYLAWS, THIS GROUP MUST NOW BE DISSOLVED.
DID WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE'S REPORTS? COMMISSIONER MATHIS.
SO CAN YOU RE UH, REPEAT THE LAST PART OF THAT, RACHEL, FOR ME, THAT HAVING REVIEWED, WHAT WAS THAT EXACTLY? SO HAVING DISCUSSED EACH OF THESE IDEAS WITHIN THAT MEETING, THE IMPRESSION WAS THAT THE LAST SUGGESTION WHERE LANGUAGE BE INCLUDED, THAT SHOULD THE LAW CHANGE, THE TID SERVICE PLAN COULD WORK AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED.
THAT WAS THE ONE SUGGESTION WHEN WE DISCUSSED WITHIN THE GROUP THAT WE RECEIVED RESPONSE FROM, UM, KATIE SAYING THAT SHE THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE, UM, VIABLE.
AND SHE WAS WILLING TO, UM, DISCUSS THAT WITH THE INTERESTED PART WITH THE PARTIES, THE NEGOTIATING PARTIES.
UM, WHEREAS HER FEEDBACK ON THE FIRST TWO, UM, SUGGESTIONS WE HAD, SHE DIDN'T FEEL SHE CONVEYED TO US THAT HER SENSE WAS, SHE DIDN'T THINK THOSE, UM, WOULD BE VIABLE.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER CHA.
SO RACHEL, UM, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MODIFYING THE TPI, BASED UPON GOING BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN, UM, PART OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO, UM, HAVE THE TPI ONLY BE 1% IN INCREASE, UM, OF THE OCCUPANCY TAX OR THE TAX, UM, AND THEY DOUBLED IT, THE 2%.
UM, WOULD THAT, WOULD WE BE LOWERING THE TPIT AMOUNT FROM
[02:00:01]
2% TO 1% AS PART OF YOUR PROPO, YOU KNOW, IS PART OF WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING BE DONE IF LEGISLATION, YOU KNOW, PERMITTED? I, I, I HEARD THE PART ABOUT INCREASING THE CONTRIBUTION FROM 20 TO 40%.WHAT I DIDN'T HEAR WAS THE T P PLAN NOW HAS A 2% TAX, AND AS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, IT WAS A 1% TAX.
SO, UM, FROM WHAT, FROM WHAT I RECALL AND LOOKING BACK AT, UM, TESTIMONY AND SO ON, WAS THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS IT WOULD START AT 40% ON A 1%, ONE PERCENTAGE POINT, BUT THERE WAS THE OPTION TO TAKE IT TO 2%, AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE PARTIES TO COME TOGETHER.
IT WAS A, IT WAS AN OPTION THAT THE HOTELIERS WOULD HAVE TO AGREE TO.
AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD, OR WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT THE, UM, CONVENTION CENTER IS, BECAUSE THE DIRECT CONTRIBUTION PORTION IS NOW ILLEGAL, THE CONVENTION CENTER IS TRYING TO ACTIVELY CAPTURE AS MUCH OR GET AS CLOSE TO THAT ORIGINAL PLAN AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEY, UH, WELL, NOT THE CONVENTION CENTER, BUT THE, ALL THE INTEREST, THE NEGOTIATING PARTIES, SO THE HOTELIERS AND THE CONVENTION CENTER, EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING ON THIS NEGOTIATION OF THIS TPI SERVICE PLAN IS TRYING TO MOVE IT AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE ORIGINAL IDEA.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S NOW 20% INDIRECT AT A TWO PERCENTAGE POINT, BECAUSE BY IMMEDIATELY GOING TO THE TWO PERCENTAGE POINT, THEY'RE TRYING TO CAPTURE AS CLOSE AS 40% OR ONE PERCENTAGE POINT WOULD HAVE BEEN.
UM, BUT THE ORIGINAL PLAN DID INCLUDE AN OPTION FOR 40% MOVING TO A TWO PERCENTAGE POINT AT A LATER TIME.
AND THAT'S WHY I MENTIONED IT IN THAT REPORT, THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT 40% OR ONE PERCENTAGE POINT AND 20% OR TWO PERCENTAGE POINT.
IT'S, THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS 40%.
THAT STARTED ON A 1% PER PERCENTAGE POINT, BUT IT EVOLVED TO 2%.
SO I DIDN'T WANNA LIMIT IT AT 1%.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
COMMISSIONER MCGEE, FOR PURPOSES OF THE RECORD, UH, WOULD YOU MIND PROVIDING A COPY OF THE FINAL REPORT FOR THE TIP OF WORKING GROUP TO, UM, UH, MS. OJEDA? ABSOLUTELY.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFYING QUESTION, MR. HANNAN.
UM, WE, AS A REMINDER ARE NOT PUTTING FORTH A FORMALIZED RECOMMENDATION REGARDING THE TID.
HOWEVER, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, KEEPING, UH, A PUBLIC RECORD OF SOME OF THE IDEAS AND THE POTENTIAL WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE TID QUESTION, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
SO, UM, THAT'S A FINAL REPORT FROM THAT, UH, WORKING GROUP.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WILL SEE WHETHER A, THE TPI PASSES, UH, ON AUGUST 31ST WHEN IT'S, UH, HEADED TO COUNCIL.
AND, UH, WE CAN DETERMINE FROM THERE WHETHER WE NEED TO RESURRECT THE TPI WORKING GROUP AT OUR NEXT TOURISM COMMISSION MEETING.
COMMISSIONER KTI, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WELL, I, I THOUGHT WE WOULD KEEP THE OPTION OPEN OF ACTUALLY ENDORSING THIS RECOMMENDATION OR VOTING ON IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL WILL NECESSARILY, IT'S NOT A, THEY THEY DID, SORRY.
SO IT'S NOT A RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE THERE WAS NO COMMISSIONER MATHIS.
I, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THIS ISN'T A RECOMMENDATION.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT, IT JUST THE THINGS THAT EVEN WERE, WERE LISTED, YOU KNOW, THOSE WERE NOT ALL AGREED UPON.
FOR EXAMPLE, I, YOU KNOW, DON'T AGREE WITH ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WERE LISTED AND I'M PART OF THE TPO WORKING, UH, GROUP.
BUT, UM, I THINK THAT IT WAS JUST A RECORD OF IDEAS THAT WERE STATED.
SO WITH THAT, WE CAN LEAVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF BRINGING UP THE WORKING GROUP AGAIN AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
UH, SHOULD WE, UH, DECIDE TO DO SO? COMMISSIONER MCGEE? I JUST WANTED TO, UH, STATE YES, IT IS, THIS REPORT IS JUST A RECORD OF THE IDEAS THAT WERE DISCUSSED.
HOWEVER, I BELIEVE, AND COMMISSIONER KANATI CONNECT ME, IF, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK COMMISSIONER KTI WAS REFERRING TO THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE MADE LAST MEETING THAT DIDN'T GET A SECOND.
I THINK WHAT HE'S ALLUDING TO IS, OTHER THAN MAKE NO RECOMMENDATION, UM, TO COUNCIL, AS COUNCIL IS LOOKING AT THE T ID ON AUGUST 31ST, WE HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WHERE WE COULD PUT, UH, A RECOMMENDATION ON
[02:05:01]
THE AGENDA FOR THIS BODY TO CONSIDER NEXT MEETING.AND ANY ONE OF US CAN DO THAT, EVEN IF THE TPI IS, IS DISSOLVED BECAUSE IT'S AN AGENDA ITEM THAT JUST TWO PEOPLE NEED TO PUT FORWARD ORALLY.
I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT HE WAS TALKING TO ABOUT, I DON'T THINK HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC REPORT.
YES, I, I MEAN, I, IT'S, I KNOW THAT THE TOURISM COMMISSION WAS ASKED AT THE LAST MEETING TO VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WAS GONNA TURN OUT ON THE, THE SERVICE PLAN.
AND I GOT THE IMPRESSION THERE MIGHT BE SOME CONSENSUS OPPORTUNITY ON THIS COMMISSION TO GET BEHIND SOMETHING, AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
SHOULD THE COUNCIL'S DECISION DATE ON THIS SLIP AND WE COULD STILL HAVE A MEETING AND A VOTE? UH, YES.
IF THAT WERE TO COME TO PASS, WE WOULD PUT THIS ON OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, OUR NEXT, UH, UH, AGENDA RATHER.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER KANATI.
UM, WITH THAT WE HAVE, UH, COMPLETED THE AGENDA TOPICS ON, ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? A MOTION WE ADJOURN? UH, MOTION TO BY, UM, THAT, THAT WAS NOT A MOTION.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM FORWARD.UM, COMMISSIONER VEDI, IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER DEPARTMENT RELEASED AN FR R F Q FOR A $1.2 MILLION COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONTRACT.
THAT IS A REALLY BIG COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONTRACT.
SO I'D LOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT, UH, AT THE NEXT MEETING.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REEDY.
AND WE CAN, UM, TALK ABOUT, UM, INCORPORATING THAT IN A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
UH, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I BELIEVE I HEARD ONE FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER OCION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER VITI.
UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME.
I WON'T MAKE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
PLUS FEEDING DOWN THE ROAD ON THE COUNTRYSIDE.
Y'ALL BUS SPEEDING DOWN THE ROAD ON A COUNTRYSIDE BUS.
SPEEDING DOWN THE ROAD ON THE COUNTRYSIDE.