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[1. Presentation and discussion of the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Proposed Budget.]
AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WORK SESSION.IT'S AUGUST 10TH, 2023 AND 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
UH, TODAY, THIS BUDGET WORK SESSION, AS WE'VE LAID OUT SOME TIME AGO AND HAVE, HAVE WORKED OUR WAY UP TO, IS A DAY WHERE COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, LAY OUT PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT THEY MIGHT, UH, BE PROPOSING FOR THE BUDGET, AND, UH, ALLOW FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AND, UH, COMMENTS, HOWEVER WE WANT TO DO IT.
UH, BUT IT'S JUST, IT'S FOCUSING ON POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO, UH, THE BUDGET THAT'S BEEN LAID OUT.
UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, OF COURSE, WE, WE ALL KNOW ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL KNOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE MONEY AVAILABLE TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS, AND THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE, UH, SOME DISCIPLINE ON THE PART OF, OF THE COUNCIL AS WE GO FORWARD.
IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT WE DON'T, UM, WE WANNA BE FAIR IN HOW WE, UM, APPROACH THE NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS FROM SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBERS OR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, UH, BASED UPON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW YOU DEAL WITH THE FAIR ALLOCATION PER MEMBER, THE FAIR ALLOCATION, UH, IN TERMS OF MONEY PER MEMBER, PER BUD, PER THE AREA OF THE BUDGET.
SO SOME WORK HAS GONE INTO, UH, TRYING TO CREATE AN ORDERLY PROCESS FOR THIS AND, AND HOPEFULLY TODAY WILL, UH, HELP US IN THAT REGARD.
UH, WITH THAT, WE WILL START WITH, UH, I'LL RECOGNIZE THE CITY MANAGER AND HE'LL RECOGNIZE HIS STAFF FOR OUR REVENUE UPDATE, UH, FROM THE MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND THEN, UH, SOME THOUGHT PROCESS WITH REGARD TO A POTENTIAL FRAMEWORK.
UH, AND THEN IT'LL COME BACK TO ME AND I'LL START THE PROCESS OF, OF HELPING, UH, FACILITATE LAYING OUT AMENDMENTS.
SO, WITH THAT MANAGER, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU, MA.
MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, AS HAS BEEN THE PRACTICE IN THE PAST, UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, CARRIE LANG IS GONNA BE, UH, PROVIDING US AN OVERVIEW OF THE DOLLARS THAT ARE NOW AVAILABLE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY.
AND THEN I HAVE SOME BRIEF COMMENTS FOLLOWING HER PRESENTATION ABOUT GIVING US THAT FRAMEWORK SO US, SO THAT, UH, WE CAN MEET, MOVE FORWARD WITH TODAY'S DISCUSSION.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
CARRIE LANG, BUDGET OFFICER OF FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ERIC NELSON, DIVISION, UH, MANAGER DI DIVISION CHIEF WITH FINANCIAL SERVICES, BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE.
UH, HEY, GOOD MORNING, COUNSEL.
UH, ERIC NELSON, DIVISION CHIEF OF FINANCIAL SERVICES.
I JUST WANNA UPDATE YOU WITH SOME REVENUE CHANGES SINCE THE RELEASE OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, AS WE, UH, COMMUNICATED TO YOU IN A MEMO LAST WEEK AT THE OFFICIAL VOTER APPROVAL PROPERTY TAX RATE, WE COULD GENERATE AN ADDITIONAL $5.2 MILLION BEYOND WHAT WAS ASSUMED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
ON TOP OF THAT, AT THE JULY 20TH COUNCIL MEETING, UM, YOU BEGAN THE PROCESS OF APPROVING A NEW FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH GOOGLE THAT WILL GENERATE $2.3 MILLION IN ONGOING REVENUE EACH YEAR FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
SO IN TOTAL, WE'VE IDENTIFIED AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IN ONGOING REVENUE, UH, WITH RESPECT TO ONE-TIME REVENUE.
THAT GOOGLE DEAL ALSO, UH, INVOLVED A ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF $800,000.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, UH, WE'VE SINCE LOOKED AT A, UH, POTENTIAL REAL ESTATE PURCHASE.
UH, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA NEED $7 MILLION IN CASH FOR THAT.
UH, THERE'S A NEW WAY TO STRUCTURE THAT, AND SO THEREFORE THAT'S, UH, FREED UP $7 MILLION IN ONE-TIME FUNDING THAT HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
UH, SO JUST TO SUM IT ALL UP, SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION IN ONGOING.
UH, LET ME JUST, UH, PROVIDE, UH, THE FRAMEWORK THAT THE MAYOR JUST REFERENCED A FEW MINUTES AGO.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE OP, THE UPDATED, UH, FINANCIAL PICTURE OR REVENUE PICTURE PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR THESE AMENDMENT DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS MORNING.
AND AS ALWAYS IS THE CASE WITH RESPECT TO BUDGETING.
THERE'S ALWAYS MORE NEEDS THAN THERE ARE RESOURCES.
UH, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE ORGANIZED THE REVENUE UPDATE IN OF, UH, AND YOUR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS INTO TWO CATEGORIES ONE TIME AND ONGOING.
AND THIS FISCALLY IMPORTANT, THIS DISTINCTION IS IMPORTANT, UH, BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE MATCH THE REVENUE, UH, THAT IS ONGOING WITH AMENDMENTS THAT ARE ONGOING, AS IT WERE, AND THE
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REVENUE.THAT'S ONE TIME WITH ONE TIME AMENDMENTS THAT, UH, ARE BEING OFFERED.
AND, UH, AND WE WANT, WE WANT THAT FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE THAT WE CREATE THE, THE EXPECTATION THAT THOSE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ON AS AMENDMENTS THAT ARE ONGOING, THAT THEY'RE MATCHED WITH THE REVENUE PICTURE ON INTO THE FUTURE, UH, TO HELP FACILITATE, UH, POLICY MAKING, UH, THE APPROPRIATE ANALYSIS FOR DECISION MAKING.
WE'VE COME TO AN ORGANIZING FRAMEWORK THAT WE THINK CAN HELP GUIDE THIS DISCUSSION.
FIRST, WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE, AND IDENTIFY THE OVERLAP BETWEEN PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND THE, UH, CRITICAL DEPARTMENT NEEDS THAT EXIST IN THIS CITY.
AND THERE ARE CLEARLY SOME AREAS THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED THAT MATCH PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN OR UNMET NEEDS OF OUR ORGANIZATION, KNOWN UNMET NEEDS OF OUR ORGANIZATION.
AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO ANALYZE THAT AND PROVIDE THAT TO YOU OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
AND SECOND, THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET PROCESS, AND OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS, THE COUNCIL HAS GIVEN US CLEAR DIRECTION ABOUT THE KEY POLICY DIRECTIONS OF YOUR INTEREST.
ONE IS AFFORDABILITY, RESILIENCY, HOMELESSNESS, PUBLIC SAFETY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND GIVEN THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT WE, UH, THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE HIGHEST IMPACT FOR ALL AREAS IN THESE PRIORITY AREAS.
AND OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF WILL WORK OVER THE NEXT, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS TOWARD THE 16TH TO GET THAT.
AND ONE FINAL NOTE, UH, FIRST I THINK, UH, SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU'VE OFFERED, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF YOUR PROPOSALS WITHIN THE $1.3 BILLION BUDGET.
AND IN THE DAYS AHEAD, I WILL ASK EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS TO TAKE A CRITICAL LOOK AT THE AMENDMENTS THAT YOU OFFER AND PLACE ON THE TABLE DURING THE COURSE OF THIS DISCUSSION TODAY.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY TO BE ABLE TO USE THEIR PRUDENT FISCAL MANAGEMENT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS DURING, UH, INSIDE THE BUDGET PROCESS OR THAT ENVELOPE.
UH, AND I THINK SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT MAY POTENTIALLY BE LEFT, SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE GONNA BE OFFERED TODAY MAY BE, UH, BETTER LEFT FOR A MID-YEAR AMENDMENT, ALLOWING THE STAFF MORE TIME TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS AND EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS WHERE OTHER FUNDING AGENCIES MAY HELP US TO, UH, ADDRESS THOSE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND THOSE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND WITH THAT MAYOR, UH, WE'LL PROVIDE YOU, UH, ALL THE SUPPORT, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, ALL THE SUPPORT YOU NEED TO HELP US GET THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, I'M GOING TO, BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER, I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, COUNCILMAN MORALE AND OFFICER.
SHE, SHE HAD A COMMENT THAT I, I TOLD HER I WOULD BRING UP EARLY AND I, I, I FORGOT.
I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND ALSO THANK YOU, UM, FOR REALLY FOLLOWING UP ON THE MAXIM OF, YOU KNOW, TAKING ACTION WHEN THERE WAS OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I REACHED OUT TO DIRECTOR MCNEELY, UM, LAST FRIDAY ASKING IF WE COULD REDUCE THE FEES, UM, AT OUR POOLS, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE'RE SWITCHING WHERE MANY NEIGHBORHOOD POOLS THAT ARE FREE OR CLOSING.
UM, AND, UM, TUESDAY NIGHT, I, I GOT THE MESSAGE THAT YESTERDAY WE WOULD BE WAIVING ALL POOL FEES EXCEPT AT BARTON SPRINGS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA SHOUT OUT TO DIRECTOR MCNEELY THANK HER AND HER STAFF IN AQUATICS FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
I HAPPENED TO BE A DEEP BETTY YESTERDAY, 'CAUSE IT'S MY HUSBAND'S BIRTHDAY, AND, AND GOT A CHANCE TO SEE THE PATRONS COMING, UM, TO DEEP BETTY AND FINDING OUT THAT IT WAS FREE.
AND JUST SEEING, UM, HOW HAPPY THAT MADE THEM AND HOW MUCH RELIEF THAT PROVIDED, UM, FOR THEM AS THEY APPROACHED THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS OF CONTINUING HEAT.
UM, SO JUST REALLY WANNA THANK THE STAFF FOR TAKING ACTION REALLY QUICKLY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I WORKED ON WITH GAVA AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE GONNA BE TRYING TO FIND ALL SORTS OF WAYS TO SUBSIDIZE, UM, THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS GONNA MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR MCNEELY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, AND THANK YOU, UM, TO THE DIRECTOR AND, AND TO PARKS THAT THAT DESERVES RECOGNITION.
I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
MY QUESTION IS FOR THE CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGER.
I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR OPENING COMMENTS, UH, PARTICULARLY AROUND, UH, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSING AND LETTING US KNOW THAT THE CITY DEPARTMENTAL STAFF WILL BE TAKING A LOOK AT OUR AMENDMENTS AND CONSIDERING WHICH OF OUR AMENDMENTS CAN BE ROLLED IN TO THE BASE BUDGET.
CAN YOU SHARE WITH US A TIMELINE OR HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND WHEN WE SHOULD HEAR BACK? YEAH.
WELL, WELL, FIRST I, YES, THE TIMELINE'S GONNA BE BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT WEDNESDAY.
UH, AND WE'LL OBVIOUSLY WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE, UH, AS WE GET PART OF THIS.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE THAT WE KNOW THAT'S BEING OFFERED, SO THAT THAT'S THE FINAL, THE FINAL INVEST AMENDMENTS OF, UH, IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS.
AND SO THEN WE WANTED THEM TO GET, TURN THOSE OVER THOSE AREAS THAT WE THINK THAT THERE'S, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO WORK WITHIN THAT 1.3, UH, $5 BILLION BUDGET TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET THAT DONE.
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UH, AS SOON AS THIS DAY IS OVER, WE'RE GONNA GO TO WORK AND THEN BEGIN TO CONNECT WITH YOUR OFFICE WHEN WE BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.SO OUR OFFICES WILL BE NOTIFIED INDIVIDUALLY IF OUR AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN ROLLED IN.
YEAH, PART OF, PART OF, I DON'T MEAN TO SPEAK FOR THE MANAGER, BUT PART OF WHAT THE GOAL WAS IN ASKING FOR AMENDMENTS TO BE PRESENTED BY A CERTAIN TIME, AND THEN TO HAVE A DAY LIKE TODAY WOULD BE TO FACILITATE THAT.
AND, AND THE GOAL WAS TO HAVE IT, IT'S NOT QUITE A WEEK, BUT IT'S RIGHT AT A WEEK, INCLUDING A WEEKEND TO ALLOW FOR THAT, THAT KIND OF THING TO HAPPEN.
UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, AMENDMENTS, SOME AMENDMENTS MADE THE, THE KIND OF THE AGREED DEADLINE, AND SOME CAME IN AFTER THE DEADLINE.
SO WHEN EVERYTHING IS OUT THERE, AND HOPEFULLY THIS IS WHAT TODAY WILL HELP US DO, THEN IT, I THINK IT WILL, UH, FACILITATE THE MANAGER'S ABILITY TO FACILITATE THAT IN THE BUDGET.
AND I'M GONNA DO MY BEST TO JUST TELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN HAMMERING THE DEPARTMENTS WITH A SAYING IN SPANISH
AND THE SECOND THING IS, IS THAT, UH, I'VE ALSO BEEN TELL TELLING ALL THE ACMS, JUST SAY NO.
AND SO, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL BE A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBLE WITH RESPECT TO THAT, BECAUSE PART OF THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF THE COUNCIL IN THE COMMUNITY.
EVEN OUR NON-SPANISH SPEAKERS SEEM TO PICK UP ON WHAT THAT MEANT.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
THANK YOU, MARY, FOR THE RECOGNITION.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT COUNCILMAN RAL AND ALTER SAID ABOUT THE POOLS.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON THAT.
I ALSO JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASED FIRE RISK IN THE COMMUNITY AS OF LATE.
WE ARE UNDER A RED FLAG WARNING TODAY.
AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO BE CONDUCTIVE TO THE RAPID SPREAD OF FIRES.
SO IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE IN THE AREA AND YOU'RE, UM, TRYING TO ENJOY THE DAY, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRES SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE HERE.
AND OUR BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACES, DISTRICT SIX HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST, UM, AREAS RELATED TO NICE AREAS WITH, UM, INCREASED FIRE RISK.
AND FOR MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN VISIT FIREWISE.ORG TO LEARN HOW YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN PREVENT, UM, WILDFIRES.
UH, THIS BEING MY, MY FIRST, UH, BUDGET, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE STRUCTURE ON THAT.
I KNOW WE CAME IN A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE SIX O'CLOCK
AND ALSO I WAS, UH, I WAS, UH, FOREWARNED BY FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, ALVAREZ THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS KNOWN FOR SAYING, NO, I NETTLE
SO I, I MADE SURE TO GET TO, TO HAVE SOME GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM BEFORE, BEFORE THAT JUMPED OFF.
UM, I WAS JUST WANTED TO ASK STAFF WHEN WE WOULD HEAR WHAT THE SALES TAX REPORT WAS FROM YESTERDAY.
SHERIFF, IF WE COULD BRING THAT, UM, PRESENTATION BACK UP.
WE HAVE SOME BACKUP, UM, PREPARED FOR THAT.
AND IT'S ALL THE WAY AT THE END, PLEASE.
WELL, WITHOUT THE GRAPHIC, THE, THE MESSAGE IS THE SAME.
UH, WE, WE RECEIVED THE AUGUST SALES TAX PAYMENT YESTERDAY.
UH, THE OVERALL PAYMENT WAS 2.1% GROWTH.
HOWEVER, THAT REALLY DISTORTS THE REAL PICTURE BECAUSE WE HAD A $1.7 MILLION ONE-TIME AUDIT ADJUSTMENT IN OUR FAVOR.
UH, BUT IN THE CURRENT COLLECTIONS LINE, WHICH IS THE ONE WE, WE USED TO REALLY ASSESS THE TREND, IT WAS ACTUALLY NEGATIVE 2.9% GROWTH.
UM, THAT'S THE, THE LOWEST FIGURE WE'VE SEEN SINCE, UM, THE PANDEMIC.
SO IT REALLY DOES, UM, TIE INTO OUR THINKING THAT, UM, WE'RE GONNA EXPERIENCE SOME CHALLENGES WITH SALES TAX GROWTH AND, UH, WE'D CERTAINLY NOT BE INCLINED TO REVISE OUR PROJECTIONS UPWARD AT THIS POINT.
UM, CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO SEE THAT SLIDE MAYBE AT THE END OR SOMETHING? 'CAUSE I THINK YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S IMPORTANT, UM, FOR US TO, TO SEE AND MAYBE TALK THROUGH IF THERE ARE NUANCES OF THAT.
UM, CAN YOU SPEAK AGAIN TO THE MOVE FOR THE RESERVES AS RECOMMENDED AND WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT TO GO FROM THE 14% TO THE 17%? UM, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE HAVE POTENTIALLY 7.5 MILLION OF ONGOING AND 7.8 MILLION OF ONE-TIME FUNDING.
UH, ED VINO CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, THERE'S MANY REASONS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING THAT.
AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCREASE IN RESERVES WE'VE SEEN.
UM, WE HAD IMPLEMENTED A REVISED POLICY YEARS AGO THAT TOOK US TO A RECOMMENDED 12% TOTAL WHEN, UM, SENATE BILLI PASSED THAT SET, THE THREE POINT 0.5% PROPERTY TAX.
WE SAID WE, WE RECOMMENDED, AND COUNCIL APPROVED GOING TO 14% BECAUSE WE LOST A LOT OF, UH, REVENUE FLEXIBILITY WITH, WITH THAT LIMITATION
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ON OUR PROPERTY TAXES.IN OTHER WORDS, UH, WHEN WE HAVE AN ECONOMIC DECLINE AND SALES TAXES WERE TO DROP, WE LOST SOME OF THAT FLEXIBILITY.
SO, UM, WE INCREASED IT THEN, YOU KNOW, COMING ON THE HEELS OF A LENGTHY PANDEMIC, UH, REALLY AN UNFORESEEN EVENT WHERE WE HAD TO PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THE COMMUNITY VERY QUICKLY BEFORE WE WERE RECEIVING MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, IT WAS OUR RESERVES THAT ALLOWED US TO DO THAT.
UM, NOW WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, TWO MAJOR WINTER STORMS. UH, UH, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE FIRST ONE WAS CALLED.
I THINK EVERYBODY CALLS IT SNOWMAGEDDON.
UH, THE SECOND ONE WAS CALLED WINTER STORM MARA, BUT THEY BOTH, UH, REQUIRED THE CITY TO UTILIZE RESERVES.
IN THE CURRENT INSTANCE, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE $15 MILLION OUT OF OUR GENERAL RESERVES TO HELP COVER EXPENSES THAT WERE BEING INCURRED BY, UH, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
SO JUST FROM A DISASTER RESPONSE PERSPECTIVE AND THE INCREASED, UH, NUMBER OF SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS, HAVING THAT RESERVE IS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THEN THE RATING AGENCIES IS CRITICAL AS WELL.
WE HAVE SEEN OUR RATING DOWNGRADED BY MOODY'S AND FITCH OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
UM, AND, UH, RESERVES AS PART OF THE EQUATION, I BELIEVE THAT WILL GET US BACK TO AAA RATED CREDIT.
I DO WANNA SAY THAT WE STILL ARE HIGHLY RATED, WE'RE AA PLUS, WHICH IS A VERY, VERY STRONG RATING.
IT'S JUST NOT THE HIGHEST THAT, THAT YOU CAN BE, WHICH IS A TRIPLE A AGENCY.
WE'D LIKE TO SEE US GET BACK TO THAT LEVEL.
UM, AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS WE HAVE TO DO, AND WE'VE DONE THEM.
WE'VE REFORMED OUR PENSION SYSTEMS AND, UH, BUT, BUT INCREASING OUR RESERVES IS, IS, I THINK, IMPORTANT.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, THAT'S THE, THE PRIMARY, UM, UH, BEST PRACTICE INSTITUTION PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE MUNICIPAL FINANCE WORLD, THEY RECOMMEND A 60 DAY RESERVE.
IF YOU DO THE MATH ON THAT, IT COMES OUT TO 16.7%.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE ROUND IT UP TO 17% AS OUR, AS OUR PROPOSED.
SO FOR ALL OF THOSE REASONS, WE THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE OUR RESERVES WHILE WE HAVE, UM, SOME EXTRA REVENUE THAT HAVE COME IN AS A RESULT OF THE REALLY STRONG SALES TAX WE SAW OVER THE, THE LAST, UM, YEAR AND A HALF.
SO JUST, WHAT IS IT YOU ROUNDED UP FROM WHAT, 67? UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE POLICY IS 60 DAYS.
UH, THE G F O A RECOMMENDATION IS 60 DAYS.
IF YOU DO THE MATH ON THAT, IT'S 16.7%.
WE'VE ALWAYS PRESENTED OUR RESERVE AS, AS A PERCENTAGE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT SIMPLE SAID 17% AS OPPOSED TO GETTING INTO DECIMALS.
I MEAN, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET INTO DECIMALS, IT'S 16.66, SIX 6% IS WHAT 60 DAYS EQUATES TO.
I JUST, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESERVES, I, THAT IS A, UH, A MATTER OF POLICY THAT THIS COUNCIL WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND.
THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED, UH, BUDGET HAS US GOING FROM A 14% RESERVE POLICY TO A 17% RESERVE POLICY, THE 60 DAYS THAT, UH, MR. VINO JUST OUTLINED.
AND I THINK ALL OF US HERE ARE COMMITTED IN WHAT YOU JUST LAID OUT AND INCREASING OUR RESERVE POLICY.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW QUICKLY AND TO WHAT EXTENT.
SO WHAT IS BEFORE US IS A 3% INCREASE.
I THINK WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION OF WHETHER OR NOT TO DO IT INCREMENTALLY TO DO A 1.5% INCREASE, UH, THIS FISCAL YEAR TO DO A 2% INCREASE THIS FISCAL YEAR, UH, OR TO DO THE FULL 3%.
BUT THAT IS, UM, A CONVERSATION THAT WE'LL HAVE, UH, IN THE, IN THE COMING DAYS.
AND OF COURSE, NEXT WEEK WHEN WE DO OUR FINAL DELIBERATION.
UM, AND AS WE CONSIDER TODAY'S AMENDMENTS, I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, THE TOTAL HERE FOR OUR ONE TIME EXPENDITURES FOR ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED IS 26 MILLION.
IF WE ADD, IF WE ONLY GO THE 2% INCREASE ON THE RESERVE POLICY FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, THAT WOULD GIVE US ANOTHER 13 MILLION IN ONE-TIME FUNDING.
SO THAT WOULD PUT US AT 20.8 MILLION.
AND IF WE DID IT, YOU KNOW, HALF OF IT AT A 1.5% INCREASE, INSTEAD, THAT WOULD GIVE US 27.3 MILLION, WHICH WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE AMOUNT OF AMENDMENTS THAT WE HAVE PROPOSED FOR ONE-TIME EXPENDITURES.
THAT NUMBER IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE, 'CAUSE CITY MANAGER JUST LAID OUT THAT SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS MIGHT BE INCORPORATED INTO THE BASE BUDGET.
BUT SINCE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALISON TER TALKED ABOUT RESERVES POLICY AND WANTED TO PROVIDE THE BALANCE OF THAT CONVERSATION TO SAY IT'S STILL, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A POLICY QUESTION THAT WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION ON.
UM, SO JUST TO KIND OF LAY OUT SOME CONTEXT AND ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION.
AT SOME POINT WE'RE GONNA GO TO AMENDMENTS, RIGHT? YEAH.
COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ONE REALLY QUICK QUESTION, UH, JUST ON THIS TOPIC, WHEN DO OUR AGENTS, WHEN DO THE AGENCIES REEVALUATE? IS IT ANNUALLY, QUARTERLY? HOW, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WE DO AN ANNUAL GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND SALE.
UH, WE WE'RE MEETING WITH THE RATING AGENCIES THIS FRIDAY TO PRESENT OUR FINANCIALS AS, UH, AS, AS
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PART OF GETTING OUR UPDATED RATING FOR THE SALE, WHICH WILL OCCUR IN SEPTEMBER.OH, I DID WANNA MENTION TOO, THAT THE AUDITOR RECENTLY TOOK A LOOK AT RESERVES AND, UM, WHAT OTHER LOCAL TEXAS ENERGY OR, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES THE LARGE TEXAS CITIES DO.
AND SO COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE THAT REPORT.
I THINK IT GENERALLY FOUND THAT OUR RESERVES ARE BELOW WHAT OUR TEXAS LARGE CITY PEERS, UM, HAVE AS A RESERVE POLICY.
NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT IN, UM, TO THE, IN GENERAL OR A LITTLE BIT BELOW OUR PEERS.
LOOKS LIKE THEY FOUND THE SLIDE.
YEAH, I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH MORE TO ADD.
THIS JUST ILLUSTRATES THE DYNAMIC WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT TREND IN THE CURRENT COLLECTIONS WHERE IT'S FLIPPED, UM, NEGATIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SOME TIME.
SO, UM, MEMBERS, AS WE GET READY TO GO INTO THE AMENDMENTS, LEMME TELL YOU HOW, UH, A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE IS, UH, FOR EXPEDITION, YOU KNOW, TO, TO MAKE, MAKE A MORE EFFICIENT KIND OF THING.
UM, AS WE GO FORWARD, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS, AND YOU'LL HAVE, THIS IS NOT AN EXCLUSIVE LIST OF QUESTIONS, YOU MIGHT ASK YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR PROPOSED AMENDMENT OR ABOUT OTHER PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT YOU HEAR.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT AN EXCLUSIVE LIST AND, AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WON'T APPLY, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD, UH, ASK THAT WE ALL ASK AS WE GO FORWARD.
ONE IS, THIS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS, REQUIRES RECURRING FUNDS, UH, OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S A ONE-TIME FUND? AND THEN A PART OF THAT IS, ARE WE BUILDING ON SOMETHING THAT WAS A RECURRING FUND, BUT IT WAS FUNDED PREVIOUSLY WITH ONE-TIME FUNDS? AND THAT'S PUT US INTO A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE NOW HAVING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, TO DO THAT AND WHETHER WE, HOW WE MIGHT WANNA APPROACH AN, AN AMENDMENT LIKE THAT.
ANOTHER ONE IS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT INSTEAD OF FULLY FUNDING IT ON THE FRONT END, CAN THIS BE REDUCED IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR A MID-YEAR ANALYSIS OF WHAT'S REALLY BEING SPENT ON THAT? UH, BECAUSE WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANTICIPATE THE FULL SPENDING, OR IS IT SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN ACHIEVE A PARTIAL GOAL AS WE BUILD TO FUTURE YEARS? ANOTHER ONE IS, IF THIS IS A RELATED TO A STAFFING ISSUE, WILL THIS, AND I'LL, I'LL SAY IT THIS WAY, JUST INCREASE OUR STAFFING PROBLEMS. IN OTHER WORDS, DO WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF UNFILLED POSITIONS, THIS MANAGER, UH, IS, IS WORKING VERY HARD IN THE SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS THAT HE'S BEEN HERE TO GET THOSE FILLED.
BUT IF WE ADD POSITIONS NOW A DO WE NEED IT WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS OR DOES IT JUST ADD TO THE PROBLEMS? AND, AND A COROLLARY TO THAT QUESTION, IS IT SOMETHING FROM A STAFFING PERSEC PERSPECTIVE THAT IT CAN JUST BE, UH, ABSORBED? AND I THINK PROBABLY THAT'LL BE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE MANAGER'S OFFICE LOOKS AT AND GETS WITH, UH, MEMBERS BETWEEN NOW AND THE 16TH.
AND OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT JUST RELATED TO STAFFING.
IT ALSO MAY BE, ARE THEY ABLE TO BE SPENDING THE MONEY TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS YOU WANT, WANT TO ACHIEVE RIGHT NOW? AND ALL YOU'RE DOING IS ADDING MONEY TO THAT.
UM, ANOTHER QUESTION TO ASK IS WHETHER OR NOT THE DEPARTMENT HAS ASKED FOR THAT MONEY.
UH, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE WANT THEM TO BE FOCUSING ON, BUT THEY, THEY HAVEN'T ASKED FOR THE MONEY BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY AREN'T ABLE TO GET THAT MONEY UTILIZED EFFICIENTLY? HOW DOES AN AMENDMENT RELATE TO ANOTHER AMENDMENT AND IS THEIR ABILITY TO CONSOLIDATE THOSE AMENDMENTS? AND THEN THE FINAL ONE I MENTION IS, IS, IS THIS WITHIN OUR MISSION AS A CITY AND A CITY COUNCIL, OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT IS ALSO IN SOME OTHER JURISDICTION'S MISSION THAT IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE BETTER SERVED THERE AND WE OUGHT TO BE PUSHING FOR THAT OTHER JURISDICTION TO, TO SPEND THAT MONEY? I FIND IT, UH, IT'S BEEN INTERESTING TO ME IN, IN THE SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS THAT, THAT I'VE BEEN MAYOR THIS TIME THAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS DON'T SEEM TO CARE AT ALL OR HAVE ANY PROBLEM ASKING US FOR MONEY.
AND WE TEND TO SAY, OH, WELL THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WHY DON'T WE PAY FOR IT? UH, AND, AND THAT'S REALLY, WE OUGHT TO HAVE MORE COLLABORATION AND BE WILLING TO ASK THEM THOSE THINGS AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HOPE WE'LL ASK OURSELVES AND ASK, UM, OF EACH OTHER AS WE GO FORWARD TO, TO ENGAGE IN SOME, UH, DISCIPLINE ABOUT HOW WE APPROACH IT.
THE WAY I'M GONNA BRING UP POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS IS, UH, LIKE I INDICATED THE WAY WE DID ON TUESDAY WHEN WE WERE, UM, UH, GOING THROUGH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
AND YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU A DOCUMENT THAT HAS A LIST
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OF, IT'S LABELED FY 20 23 24 BUDGET AMENDMENT TRACKING.AND THE FIRST ITEMS ON THAT ARE RELATED TO, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO AFFORDABILITY, THEN IT GOES TO EQUITY, THEN IT GOES TO HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO WHAT I'M GOING TO TRY TO DO TO KEEP US WHERE WE DON'T JUST HAVE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER, JUST LAY OUT ALL THE AMENDMENTS AND IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE, INSTEAD, KEEP IT IN THESE KIND OF BUCKETS, IF YOU WILL.
AND SO WHAT I'LL DO IS BEGIN WITH, UM, WHAT IS LABELED, UH, PAGE NUMBER FOUR, FUENTES OH TWO FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANT PROGRAM RELATED TO AFFORDABILITY.
THEN I'LL GO TO, UM, TWO OTHERS BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, ET CETERA.
WITH THAT, I WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES TO LAY OUT THE FIRST PROPOSED AMENDMENT FOR OUR EDIFICATION.
I APPRECIATE THE ORGANIZATION AND THE FRAMEWORK THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS.
COLLEAGUES, MY THREE AMENDMENTS ARE FOCUSED ON AFFORDABILITY, REALLY TRULY GETTING OUT WHAT THE CITY CAN DO TO HELP OUR WORKING FAMILIES IN THE CITY, GIVEN THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN.
UH, SO HIS FIRST AMENDMENT IS ON A CONTINUATION OF THE FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANT PROGRAM.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE LAUNCHED LAST YEAR AS A PILOT THAT WE ALREADY KNOW.
UH, IT'S SIX MONTHS INTO, UM, IT'S IT'S PILOT EAR THAT IT'S A SUCCESS WE'VE HEARD, UM, FROM FAMILIES WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM AND BOTH OF OUR BUDGET TESTIMONY HEARINGS, WHO TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING ACCESS TO THIS TYPE OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE HAS REALLY HELPED PROVIDE THAT STABILIZATION HAS HELPED WITH HOUSING SECURITY, AND IT HAS HELPED ENSURE THAT OUR FAMILIES ARE NOT FALLING INTO HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO THIS AMENDMENT IS ASKING FOR THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THAT PROGRAM.
IT IS A $1.3 MILLION ONE-TIME FUNDING REQUEST.
UH, AND WITH THIS, IT WOULD HELP 85 NEW FAMILIES PARTICIPATE WITH THIS GRANT PROGRAM.
WE'VE HEARD FROM, UH, SOME OF THE SUPPORTERS INCLUDE UP TOGETHER GAVA, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT BUDGET COALITION, AND ST.
DAVID'S FOUNDATION IS A PARTNER IN THIS PROGRAM.
THEY ALSO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTARY FUNDING.
AND I WANNA THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ, WHO IS JOINED AS A CO-SPONSOR OF THIS AMENDMENT, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER VELA CADRE AND RYAN ALTER.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IT'S WITH REGARD TO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT BY FUENTES COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
SO THIS ONE IS OUR CHILDCARE GRANT PROGRAM.
I WANNA THANK FIRST THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS VELASQUEZ AND ALLISON ALTER FOR CO-SPONSORING THIS AMENDMENT.
THIS BUILDS OFF OF A RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BY THIS COUNCIL BACK IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR THAT SOUGHT TO REDUCE, UH, ZONING, UH, REGULATIONS AND BARRIERS, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING CHILDCARE CENTERS.
AND SO THIS IS, AS PART OF THAT RESOLUTION EFFORT, IT WOULD PUT ESTABLISH A, UH, GRANT PROGRAM THAT WOULD WAIVE FEES FOR CHILDCARE OPERATORS THAT ARE GOING INTO AREAS THAT ARE KNOWN CHILDCARE DESERTS.
UH, THAT ZONING, RE ZONING, PO RESOLUTION THAT WE PASSED, UM, WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO GET OFF THE GROUND, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, THE LAST UPDATE WE GOT FROM OUR PLANNING TEAM SHOWS THAT IT WON'T BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED UNTIL THE END OF NEXT YEAR, NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER WE'VE PASSED IT.
UH, SO THIS IS WHY THIS PROGRAM IS NEEDED NOW BECAUSE IT'S AN INTERIM SOLUTION TO HELP WAIVE THOSE FEES.
UH, THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT IS ON AVERAGE BETWEEN 20 TO 25,000, UM, PER CENTER ON AVERAGE COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THE CHILDCARE GRANT PROGRAM? PROPOSED AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS A SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS AMENDMENT.
IT SEEKS TO DO A, A COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR OUR SOCIAL CONTRACT SERVICES.
UM, THIS IS IMPORTANT WORK BECAUSE WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND CARE SERVICES ARE SOME OF OUR MOST LOWEST PAID WORKERS THAT WE HAVE, WHO ON AVERAGE MAKE BETWEEN 30 TO 35,000, MOST CERTAINLY LESS THAN 40,000.
AND THAT IS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH TO LIVE IN THE CITY.
UH, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT INCREASE, UH, TO THESE CONTRACTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2017.
UH, THIS IS IN THE ONGOING EXPENDITURES.
IT'S MY, THE ONLY AMENDMENT THAT I HAVE THAT WOULD FALL UNDER THE ONGOING EXPENDITURE BUCKET.
AND WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM SUCCESS BY SIX COALITION.
IT'S A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL.
AND I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS ALLISON ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, VELASQUE AND VELA VELASQUEZ AND VELA FOR THEIR SUPPORT MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, PROPOSED
[00:30:01]
AMENDMENT RELATED TO EARLY CHILDHOOD SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACT INCREASE? OKAY, THANK YOU.UH, I'LL NOW RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE ON A PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UH, HOPEFULLY MINE WILL BE AS SMOOTH AS COUNCIL MORMANS, UH, FUENTES AMENDMENTS.
UH, THE, THE FIRST AMENDMENT I WANNA LAY OUT IS THE, NO, NOBODY'S VOTED ON ANYTHING YET.
UM, THE FIRST ITEM I WANNA LAY OUT IS THE AMENDMENT I WANNA LAY OUT IS A COLLEGE FOOD ACCESS FOOD PROGRAM, UH, UNDER A P H, UH, THE I ITEM, UH, THIS ITEM WILL ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL MONEY TO MAINTAIN THE COLLEGE FOOD ACCESS GRANT PROGRAM, UH, THAT PROVIDES RELIEF TO FOOD INSECURE STUDENTS AT LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
THE PROGRAM WAS INITIALLY FUNDED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 BUDGET WITH 50 K FOR DIRECT SUPPORT AND 7,500 IN DIRECT ADMINISTRATION, AND TENDED TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN, UH, OVER ONE TO TWO YEARS.
UH, THE COLLEGE COMMISSION'S 2324 BUDGET RECOMMENDATION REQUEST FUNDING TO CONTINUE THEIR PROGRAM, UH, AND DETAILS ADDITIONAL FUNDINGS THAT WILL HELP OFFSET THE INCREASED NEED FOR THE PROGRAM AT CAMPUSES AROUND THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO, UH, KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T JUST FOR UT, UH, IT'S FOR ANY COLLEGE AND UNI UNIVERSITY, YOU KNOW, IN THE AREA, THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK ADMINISTRATORS, THE PROGRAM, AND REVIEWS MANY GRANT APPLICATIONS, UH, FROM COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT AUSTIN.
UH, BUT WHAT I DO WANNA, UH, KIND OF HIGHLIGHT ABOUT UT AND, AND THE SITUATION THERE IS THAT THE UT FOOD PANTRY, UH, WHICH IS KNOWN AS UT OUTPOST, REPORTED ONE IN FOUR UT STUDENTS, UH, DON'T KNOW WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL COMES FROM.
UH, AND EVEN THOUGH THE PROGRAM WAS CREATED IN RESPONSE TO THE C OVID 19, UH, PANDEMIC BEFORE THAT FOOD INSECURITY AMONG STUDENTS WAS STILL ON THE RISE, UH, AND STUDENT EMERGENCY SERVICES AND UT OUTPOST SAW 28% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS HELPED WITH FOOD RELATED NEEDS.
UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A ONE 107,500 ONGOING.
UH, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK MY CO-SPONSORS ON THIS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS HARPER MADISON, FUENTES VELASQUEZ, AND ALLISON ALTER.
COUNCIL, MEMBER MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS RELATED TO, TO THIS ITEM, TO THIS PROPOSAL? OKAY.
UM, I, I SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING EARLIER.
UH, BY THE WAY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOLE IS OFF THE DAIS TODAY.
UM, AS I INDICATED ON TUESDAY, SHE'S NOT BEEN FEELING WELL.
UM, AND, AND SO SHE'S NOT HERE TODAY, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, WE ALL ARE, UH, SUPPORTIVE OF, OF HER NOT FEELING, NOT SUPPORTIVE OF HER NOT FEELING WELL, BUT SUPPORTIVE OF HER AS SHE DOESN'T FEEL WELL, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS I TALK FOR A LIVING AND THEN I, SO, UH, BUT, BUT ANYWAY, SHE, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I POINTED OUT THAT, UM, THERE'S A GOOD REASON THAT SHE'S NOT HERE, UH, TODAY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN RYAN ALTER ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
THIS AMENDMENT, UM, FOCUSES ON HELPING INDIVIDUALS STAY IN THEIR HOME AND ULTIMATELY, UH, NOT END UP, WHETHER UNHOUSED OR JUST IN A VERY UNSTABLE SITUATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S NO SINGLE WAY TO, UH, END OR, OR PREVENT HOMELESSNESS, BUT WE CAN ENGAGE IN A HOST OF SUPPORTS.
AND WHAT THIS ITEM DOES IS HELPS TENANTS STAY IN THEIR HOME BY PROVIDING THEM WITH, UH, STABILIZATION ASSISTANCE, LEGAL COUNSEL WHEN THEY ARE FACING EVICTION SO THAT THEY CAN KNOW THEIR RIGHTS.
AND ULTIMATELY, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHAT WE SEE IS JUST THE ABILITY WHEN THEY'RE REPRESENTED TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH, UH, THEIR LANDLORD, EVEN IF THEY ARE ULTIMATELY EVICTED, IT CAN HELP CREATE A SMOOTHER GLIDE PATH TO THEIR NEXT HOUSING INSTEAD OF JUST POSTING ON THE, THE DOOR AND, AND KICKING 'EM OUT.
SO THIS WOULD HELP, UH, GROUPS LIKE BASTA WHO HELP TENANTS FACING EVICTION, UH, WITH THOSE SERVICES.
ONE, COUNCILMAN RA COUNCILMAN ALLISON ALTER.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS? 'CAUSE I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME FUNDING IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS, AND IF YOU DON'T, I CAN ASK STAFF.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, BUT I BET SOMEONE HERE DOES.
WELL, YOU MAY LOSE THAT BET,
I MAY JUST, IF I SEE SOMEONE COMING, OKAY.
WELL, I THOUGHT I READ A Q AND A QUESTION.
SHE, SHE BE, SHE BETTER KNOW NOW IF SHE'S TRYING TO SAVE YOUR DAY.
I THOUGHT I READ A QUESTION THAT SOMEBODY ASKED ABOUT THAT, UM, AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT ALREADY IN THE, IN THE BUDGET WASN'T AS HIGH AS YOUR AMOUNT, BUT SURE.
I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE RIGHT NOW,
UM, SO WE, YEAH, BECAUSE YOU VOLUNTEERS
UM, SO WE DO HAVE, UH, PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS, UH, TENANT STABILIZATION.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE LAYERING IN FUNDS, IN EXISTING PROGRAMS, UM, DEPENDING ON HOW WE
[00:35:01]
STRUCTURE THIS NEW PROGRAM, IT WOULD BE GOING INTO PERHAPS OUR, OUR, UM, L ELBOW CONTRACT FOR TENANT STABILIZATION, UH, WHICH HAS A FUNDING RIGHT NOW IN OUR CURRENT CONTRACT OF $7.8 MILLION.IT WAS JUST APPROVED BY COUNSEL THAT WE ANTICIPATE EXPENDITURE OVER THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, COMING UP.
I THOUGHT THERE WAS, I'LL TAKE A LOOK, BUT I AM, I WAS PRETTY SURE THERE WAS LIKE A 250,000 THAT WAS STRICTLY TENANT STABILIZATION, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING WHAT, WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
THAT WAS SEPARATE FROM THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE.
WELL, IT'S TENANT STABILIZATION HAS A DIFFERENT, SEVERAL DIFFERENT FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
RENTAL ASSISTANCE IS ONE, UM, REPRESENTATION FOR, UM, IN COURT WITH EVICTION PROCEEDINGS IS AN ASPECT OF IT.
UM, THERE'S EDUCATIONAL ASPECTS.
AND SO, UM, SO THE AMENDMENT IS, HAS TO DO, I THINK, WITH, UM, EDUCATION ON THE RIGHTS AND, AND, AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO IS THIS NOT ABOUT THE LEGAL REPRESENTATION? IS THIS SOMETHING DIFFERENT? SO THIS, THIS IS FOCUSED ON THE CORRECT, THE LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
MY UNDERSTANDING FROM IT WAS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES IS, UH, QUESTION NUMBER 92, THE $250,000 FOR EMERGENCY RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
I UNDERSTOOD THAT FUNDING TO BE FOR NOT, UH, LEGAL REPRESENTATION, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER EMERGENCY NEEDS LIKE, UH, HELPING SOMEONE WITH A SECURITY DEPOSIT TO MOVE OR THOSE, THOSE ONE TIME EXPENDITURES THAT HELP INDIVIDUALS, UH, WITH, WITH THE RELOCATION, NOT WITH REPRESENTATION WHEN THEY'RE FACING EVICTION.
IS THAT MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS? UH, I, I THINK THIS IS, UH, WHEN WE SAID EARLIER AS YOU LAID OUT ALL THESE AMENDMENTS, OUR INTENT IS TO LOOK AT EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALLY, ASSESS WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET THAT CAN ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE OR FIND WAYS, FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE BUDGET TO ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE OR FIND AL UH, ALTERNATIVE FUNDING SOURCES THAT MAY BE OUT THERE.
AND WE INTEND TO, AS WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, UH, IS TO TRY TO GET THAT ANALYSIS IN FRONT OF EACH COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S MAKING THESE PROPOSALS.
THAT'S NOT FOR US TO SAY YES OR NO, THAT'S NOT THE APPROPRIATE ROLE WE WANNA PLAY RIGHT NOW.
UM, BECAUSE IF YOU ASK ME, MY RECOMMENDATION ON A LOT OF THESE, UH, THIS DISCUSSION WOULD BE VERY SHORT THIS MORNING.
UH, SO, SO, AND I DON'T, WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET ALL THE AMENDMENTS ON THE TABLE AND THEN LET'S, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN OUR RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
SO ANYWAY, BUT IT'S TO TRY TO ASSESS THESE, FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN MANAGE THROUGH THE BUDGET, UH, THROUGH THE BUDGET DOCUMENT AND THOSE THAT ARE, FIND OUTSIDE OF IT TO FIND THE FUNDING SOURCE EITHER THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THIS MORNING OR OTHER FUNDING SOURCES.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT ONE JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS.
UH, I DIDN'T SEE IT AS A DUPLICATION, BUT IF I'M INCORRECT AND THERE ARE SOME FUNDING FOR THIS, THEN, YOU KNOW.
AND THAT'S ONE THAT WE'LL WORK WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ON, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME SIMILAR SERVICES PROVIDED BY BOTH DEPARTMENTS.
AND I, AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ALSO LOOK AT, I MEAN, $5 MILLION IN HOUSING STABILIZATION WAS JUST GRANTED TO TWO OF OUR MAJOR, UH, NONPROFITS HERE IN TOWN.
THAT ALSO, I MEAN, THAT'S $5 MILLION, TWO AND A HALF WENT TO CARITAS AND TWO AND A HALF WENT TO, UM, UH, LIFEWORKS.
SO THERE MAY BE, THERE MAY BE SOME OVERLAP WHERE, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S WITHIN OUR MISSION, BUT THERE ARE ALSO OTHERS THAT HAVE MISSIONS, AND THEY MAY BE HELPING US WITH THAT.
AND WHEN THE STATE GAVE US, GAVE AUSTIN $5 MILLION JUST FOR THAT, IT, IT MAY BE HELPFUL.
UH, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTAR.
I THINK WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR AMENDMENT IS THE FOCUS ON MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES.
THAT IS AN AREA WHERE WE'VE NOT HAD INJECTED SERVICES AND SUPPORT ALLOCATED TOWARD.
AND WE KNOW THAT OUR MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES ARE SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE FORMS OF HOUSING AND SOME OF OUR MOST AFFORDABLE FORMS OF HOUSING.
AND WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF REDEVELOPMENT TARGETED AT MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY ALONG THE PROJECT CONNECT LINE.
I'VE HAD ISSUES IN MY DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, YOU'VE HAD ISSUES IN YOUR DISTRICT TOO, UH, REGARDING THE DISPLACEMENT AND A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TENANT RELOCATION FUND.
AND, UH, AND WHAT I SEE THIS AMENDMENT SEEKING TO DO IS THAT THE TENANT RELOCATION FUND IS, WAS ORIGINALLY SET UP WITH THE INTENT TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED OR THERE ISN'T.
THERE'S, THE REDEVELOPMENT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED, AND THEY'RE MASSIVELY DISPLACING FAMILIES.
THAT'S WHEN THAT SUPPORT SERVICES COMES IN TO HELP PROVIDE THAT NAVIGATION SERVICES FOR FAMILIES TO OTHER AREAS OF HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WHAT I SEE THIS AMENDMENT DOING IS PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR TENANTS ORGANIZING WITHIN THEIR DEVELOPMENT IF THERE'S LOW STANDARDS WITHIN THEIR HOUSING, UH, PROVIDING
[00:40:01]
THE, PROVIDING THEM, UM, WITH THAT EDUCATION OF THEIR RIGHTS IF THEY ARE IN AN UNFAIR HOUSING SITUATION, TO REALLY, IT'S THE PRE-WORK THAT NEEDS TO, THAT NEEDS SUPPORT AND THAT NEEDS FOCUS ON, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR MOBILE HOME COMMUNITIES VERSUS TO SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED ONCE WE HAVE ALREADY, UH, A REDEVELOPMENT IN, IN PROGRESS AND THEIR DISPLACEMENT HAS OCCURRED.AND AS A SIDE NOTE, THE TENANT RELOCATION SERVICES FUND, UH, WAS SET UP SO THAT DEVELOPERS COULD FUND THAT PROGRAM ONCE THEY HAVE DECIDED TO REDEVELOP A PROPERTY.
WE, OF COURSE, CANNOT REQUIRE THAT BECAUSE OF STATE LAW, BUT WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR DEVELOPER COMMUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE.
I JUST WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES FOR SOME OF THE CLARIFICATIONS THAT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THE AMENDMENT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO, UM, THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT? OKAY, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
UH, I FILED THIS AMENDMENT TO, THERE WAS, IT WAS UNCLEAR WHERE WE WERE WITH THE 10 STABILIZATION FUNDS, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
WE HAVE RECEIVED, UH, A LOT MORE CLARITY SINCE THEN.
UH, WE HAVE JUST SIGNED AND EXECUTED, UH, $7.8 MILLION CONTRACT WITH, UH, ELWIN ANO WHO SUCCESSFULLY, UH, EXECUTED AND MANAGED PRIOR TENANT ASSISTANCE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAD WITH THEM.
THE BA ESSENTIALLY THE, I BELONG IN AUSTIN PROGRAM.
THEY'VE BEEN, UH, UH, MANAGING, UH, AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO A VERY, UH, A SIMILAR PROCESS WITH THE, THE $7.8 MILLION THAT THEY, UH, JUST SIGNED.
THE, THE, THE QUESTION, UH, AROUND THE, THE TENANT ASSISTANCE.
AGAIN, WE'VE ALREADY BUDGETED $7.8 MILLION THAT'S COMING OUT OF LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, REALLY OUT OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
WE HAVE NOT BUDGETED KIND OF A, A, A DISCRETE AMOUNT.
WE DO HAVE THE $750,000 FOR THE, THE, THE DISPLACEMENT.
AND THERE'S A ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, UH, OTHER BUCKETS OF MONEY.
BUT, SO THERE'S STILL KIND OF THE OUTSTANDING QUESTION OF IS THE $7.8 MILLION, UH, ENOUGH TO LAST, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UH, EARLY INDICATIONS FROM STAFF, WAS THAT THEY THINK THAT THAT MONEY WILL BE ENOUGH THROUGH ABOUT APRIL OR MAY OF THE, THE COMING FISCAL YEAR, DEPENDING ON THE, THE DRAWDOWN.
UM, SO I JUST VISITED WITH ELANO THIS MORNING, UH, AND WE TALKED IN, IN GREAT DETAIL ABOUT HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS, WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST, I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT MORE MONEY TOWARD THE TENANT STABILIZATION.
I THINK THE, THE QUESTION RIGHT NOW IS JUST HOW MUCH MORE, UH, AND, AND, AND I THINK WE'LL JUST KIND OF KEEP MULLING THAT OVER AND, AND KICK IT INTO, UM, INTO NEXT WEEK.
UH, THIS IS, AND, AND AGAIN, I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO, TO THIS COUNCIL AND THE LAST COUNCIL, I MEAN, THE $7.8 MILLION WAS MORE THAN WE'VE EVER PUT INTO RENTAL ASSISTANCE, TENANT STABILIZATION.
UH, THAT BECAME A HUGE ISSUE COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC WHERE THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, THE POTENTIAL FOR EVICTION.
SO MANY PEOPLE WERE REALLY STRUGGLING.
UH, I WAS JUST THERE THIS MORNING AND THEY WERE DOING THEIR FOOD PANTRY THIS MORNING, AND THEY WERE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, THEIR FOOD PANTRY WOULD BE A HUNDRED, YOU KNOW, CARS OR, SO NOW THEY'RE UP TO ABOUT 300, YOU KNOW, 200 TO 300 CARS.
SO, I MEAN, THE NEED HAS REALLY GROWN, UH, WITH, UH, THE AFFORDABILITY CONCERNS.
UM, AND, UM, ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO LAY THAT OUT.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE QUITE THERE, BUT, BUT THIS IS GONNA BE IN THE MIX, UH, AS, UH, ONE OF THE, THE ITEMS THAT, UM, I, I WAS TALKING TO THE, THE STAFF AND, AND, UM, UH, OTHER, UH, MEMBERS, AND THE IDEA WAS FLOATED FOR MAYBE A MID YEAR ADJUSTMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT BASICALLY LIKE, LET'S LET THEM RUN WITH THE CONTRACT, SEE WHERE THEY ARE IN, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, YOU KNOW, FEBRUARY, MARCH OF, OF NEXT YEAR.
AND, AND IF THE NEED BE, THEN WE CAN SUPPLEMENT THE CONTRACT.
YOU KNOW, WHAT I DON'T WANT IS THAT THERE NOT TO BE ANY RENTAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE.
I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE A GAP.
I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE KIND OF, WE'RE IN A PLACE WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE, ARE, ARE IN NEED AND THERE'S NOTHING AVAILABLE.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MEET ALL OF THE NEED, BUT I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS RENTAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE FISCAL YEAR 24.
SO I, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT, AT THAT.
ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
UM, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR THE RECOGNITION.
UM, THE, UH, MY VELASQUEZ AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE, UH, I WANT, UH, THE, IT IS A CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEE CHILDCARE
[00:45:01]
ASSISTANCE AMENDMENT.I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, RYAN ALTER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER MADISON, AND COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES FOR BEING CO-SPONSORS OF THIS.
UH, THIS AMENDMENT WAS DEVELOPED IN CONSULTATION WITH CITY STAFF.
IT INCREASES THE BUDGET BY 1 MILLION TO ACCOUNT FOR EXPANSIONS IN ELIGIBILITY AND BENEFIT AMOUNTS.
THIS AMENDMENT WORKS CONCURRENTLY WITH THE CHILDCARE I F C I BROUGHT FORTH THAT DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO DEVELOP A PILOT PROGRAM AIMING TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY TO CHILDCARE RESOURCES, INCREASE CHILDCARE STIPENDS, AND CONDUCT A STUDY THAT WILL OUTLINE EMPLOYEE NEEDS.
UM, WITH AUSTIN BECOMING MORE AND MORE UNAFFORDABLE, IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY THAT WE FIND WAYS TO EXPAND, UH, CHILDCARE, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.
COUNCIL MEMBER, KELLY, ARE YOU RAISING YOUR HAND? YES.
I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BUDGET RELATED TO CHILDCARE, AND I WAS WONDERING IF PERHAPS CITY STAFF COULD EXPLAIN THOSE TO US AS THEY ARE, SO THAT I COULD SEE HOW THAT RELATES TO WHAT YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD.
OUR, OUR OUR, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET, OR AT LEAST IN THE TRANSMITTAL LETTER, WE INDICATED TO COUNCIL THAT THIS WAS A FUND THAT HAD NOT BEEN ACCESSED BY OUR ASSOCIATES EMPLOYEES IN A, IN A WAY THAT WE THOUGHT THEY WOULD.
UH, REBECCA KENNEDY AND TEAM ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CHANGE THOSE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS SO THAT FUND CAN BE ACCESSED BY MORE OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT'S IN THE PROCESS OF BEING WORKED ON NOW, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT LOT GO LIVE OCTOBER 1ST.
AND, AND AS WE SAID IN THE TRANSMITTAL, THIS IS, WE THOUGHT WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY, WE WANTED TO SEE HOW THE RUN RATE WAS GONNA BE AGAINST THIS FUND.
WE THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ITEM.
IT'S AN IMPORTANT ITEM FOR COUNCIL IT.
AND SO THIS IS ONE THAT WE'RE GONNA WATCH CAREFULLY.
AND IF WE START TO HAVE FINANCIAL ISSUES BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE NEED TO ACCESS THAT FUND, THAT NEED, THAT CARE, WE, WE PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET THAT WE WOULD ADDRESS IT AT THAT TIME WITH, UH, COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND, UH, AND MAKE THE REQUEST FOR APPROPRIATE, UH, UH, APPROPRIATION THAT WOULD BE MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR ASSOCIATES.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER, I, I DEFINITELY AGREE THAT THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT WE NEED TO USE, BUT IF IT'S UNDERUTILIZED RIGHT NOW, I WOULD PERSONALLY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER BE HESITANT TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL FUNDING UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OF THE FUND, AND WE CAN WORK THAT INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO ACCESS IT, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANNA PUT MONEY INTO IT IF IT'S NOT GOING TO BE UTILIZED IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, BUT I, I'D LIKE TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF THE CITY MANAGER AT THIS TIME.
I, I JUST WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ FOR BRINGING THIS AS SOMEONE WITH TWO YOUNG KIDS.
I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND THE VALUE IN HAVING, KNOWING THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO NOT ONLY HAVE YOUR KIDS IN, UH, CHILDCARE, BUT QUALITY CHILDCARE, AND IT'S EXPENSIVE.
IT, I, I PAY MORE ON CHILDCARE THAN MY HOUSE.
AND SO NOT ONLY I THINK IS THIS CRITICAL BECAUSE IT BROADENS THE POOL OF WHO IS ELIGIBLE, BUT IT ALSO ENRICHES THE BENEFIT.
RIGHT? NOW, THE BENEFIT IS A HUNDRED DOLLARS A WEEK, WHICH IS GOOD, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOWHERE NEAR WHAT THE MARKET IS ACTUALLY, UH, HOW MUCH IT COSTS.
AND SO BY NOT ONLY INCREASING WHO'S ELIGIBLE, BUT THE AMOUNT OF THAT BENEFIT, I THINK IT MAKES US AS A CITY INCREDIBLY ATTRACTIVE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO NOT ONLY STAY HERE, BUT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO RECRUIT PEOPLE TO SAY, HEY, IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY, CITY OF AUSTIN'S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF YOU.
SO, UH, I I COULDN'T SUPPORT THIS MORE, UH, BECAUSE I JUST THINK IT'S CRITICAL.
AND I, AND I, I MIGHT SAY, I DON'T THINK YOU HEARD ANYBODY SAY THEY DON'T SUPPORT IT.
I THINK THE CLARITY IS THAT IT WASN'T WORKING.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE MANAGER, THE, THE, THE NEW MANAGER HAS SAID, FIGURE OUT WHY IT'S NOT WORKING AND HOW YOU CAN MAKE THAT WORK AND THEN LET US SEE HOW IT'S ACCESSED.
AND MORE MONEY CAN COME AT ANOTHER POINT IN TIME.
I, I THINK THAT'S ALL THAT IS BEING SAID HERE.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, THANK YOU MAYOR FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
THAT'S, THAT WAS THE INTENT OF WHAT I SAID.
ALRIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT AMENDMENT.
UM, THIS ONE IS FOR OUR PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.
UM, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES VELA AL, UM, UH, ALTER, UM, NATASHA HARPER MADISON, THIS ALTER
UM, UH, SO THIS ITEM, UH, IS FOR OUR PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.
IT INCREASES THE NUMBER OF FULL-TIME PSSS TO 74 CAMPUSES AS WELL, AND AS INCREASES THE BASE PAY SALARY TO, TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN EXPERIENCED STAFF.
ALL BUT THREE PSSS WORK IN TITLE ONE SCHOOLS OR SCHOOLS WITH POPULATIONS FROM FAMILIES, UH, DETERMINED TO BE LOW INCOME OR WHO ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
PSSS HAS HELPED ADDRESS THE TOP, THE THREE TOP NEEDS OF OUR FAMILIES AT A
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I S D HOUSING SUPPORT, FOOD ACCESS, ENROLLMENT, AND ATTENDANCE SUPPORT.AND THEY ARE THE HEART AND NO NORTH STARS OF OUR SCHOOLS.
AND YOU TOUCHED ON IT EARLIER, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AND I HAVE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, LEANING ON OUR PARTNERS, UH, OUR, OUR COUNTERPARTS AT THE, AT THE COUNTY, AND, UH, AND, UH, A I D TO, TO, UH, HELP US FUND A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THIS.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT AFTER WE GET PAST THIS.
HOPEFULLY OTHER COUNCILLOR VELA.
I, I, UH, THESE, A LOT OF THESE CAMPUSES ARE IN D FOUR AND D THREE, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.
PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS ARE CRITICAL.
UH, THEY REALLY PLAY A ROLE THAT, THAT TEACHERS CAN'T PLAY, THAT THE COUNSELORS CAN'T PLAY.
THEY INTERACT WITH THE PARENTS.
THEY, THEY, THEY JUST DO A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY, UH, GOOD THINGS.
UH, WE, THE CITY STEPPED IN AT A TIME WHEN AUSTIN, I, SS D WAS FACING CONSIDERABLE, YOU KNOW, FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.
AND AGAIN, I DON'T BLAME A S D, THIS GOES BACK TO THE STATE, THIS GOES BACK TO THE WAY WE FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN TEXAS.
THERE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE PROBLEMS ARE, ARE, ARE RUN DEEP.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO STEP IN AND FILL THE GAP 'CAUSE THESE ARE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, ESPECIALLY FOR THESE, YOU KNOW, LOW INCOME SCHOOLS, TITLE ONE SCHOOLS.
UH, I WOULD SAY THOUGH, AT SOME POINT, A I S D NEEDS TO PULL THOSE BACK AND, AND, AND PUT THEM INTO THEIR CORE BUDGET.
HOPEFULLY THE LEGISLATURE WILL COME BACK AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR AND, AND ADD, UH, SOME FUNDS AND, AND THEY CAN PICK UP THESE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I I, I'M TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE ABLE, EVERYBODY TURNS TO THE CITY TO FILL THE GAPS.
UH, AND, AND I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE THE, UH, RESOURCES, BUT YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY THE FUNDS THAT WE PROVIDE TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
I KNOW WE GIVE A C C A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TOO.
UH, I, I, I THINK LONG TERM WITH THE 3.5% PROPERTY TAX CAP, WITH THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES AND THE DEMANDS THAT WE HAVE, UH, FOR PROVIDING CORE CITY RESOURCES, I, I'M NOT SURE HOW WE CONTINUE TO, UH, TO, UH, SUSTAIN THAT.
BUT HOW, HOW MUCH IS IN THE BASE BUDGET FOR THIS ITEM? UH, IT'S $1 MILLION, MAYOR.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY? I I WAS JUST CURIOUS HOW MUCH WE GIVE A I S D EVERY YEAR IN OUR BUDGET.
IS THAT THE 1 MILLION THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED OR IS IT MORE THAN THAT? UM, THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M, I APOLOGIZE.
I THOUGHT WE WERE BACK TALKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE CHILDCARE PROGRAM.
WE CAN GET YOU THE NUMBERS FOR THE A I C PROGRAM.
DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER? YES, I DO.
SO SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST, WE HAVE $1.29 MILLION.
UM, TOTAL, WE'RE PROBABLY PROVIDING A I S D OVER $3 MILLION IN SUPPORT.
THAT INCLUDES THE AFTERSCHOOL PRIMETIME PROGRAM AND ALSO THE VICTORY PROGRAM.
I, I TEND TO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VILLA THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE, BE CAUTIOUS OF THE ONGOING SUPPORT.
IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM, BUT I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE MAYBE SOME MORE INITIATIVE FROM A I S D TO INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THEIR BUDGETS IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.
I MEAN, THERE, THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN MY DISTRICT THAT COULD USE SUPPORT AS WELL, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE CITY HOLISTICALLY, I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES MORE.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? THANK YOU FOR COMING UP.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON YOUR NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
SO MY NEXT AMENDMENT IS FOR PRIMETIME AND THE VICTORY TUTORIAL.
UH, THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER, A ALTER COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND COUNCIL MEMBER VELA FOR CO-SPONSORING.
UH, THIS ITEM IS FUNDING FOR PRIMETIME AND VICTORY, UH, TUTORIAL TO MEET THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES WHO TYPICALLY, TYPICALLY CANNOT AFFORD AFTERSCHOOL ENRICHMENT OR CHILDCARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
AND FOR TUTORING FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, IT RESTORES OUR, UH, FISCAL YEAR 21 FUNDING LEVELS FOR THE REMAINDER OF OUR FOUR YEAR CONTRACT WITH THEM.
THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, AND I'M PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR THIS.
UM, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN SOME OF THE ITEM OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THAT PRIMETIME AND VICTORY TUTORIAL ARE CITY PROGRAMS. SO THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE INITIATED WITH A I S D MANY YEARS AGO TO ADDRESS OUR DESIRE TO PROVIDE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING.
IT WAS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE TO DO IT IN THEIR BUILDINGS.
THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, PROVIDING AND THEY'RE HELPING TO MANAGE IT AND, AND DO THOSE THINGS.
UM, THIS IS ALSO A RESTORATION UP TO A CERTAIN LEVEL.
SO IF WE DON'T FUND THIS, THERE'LL BE, UM, ALMOST 1200 STUDENTS JUST FOR PRIME TIME THAT WILL NOT HAVE AFTERSCHOOL CARE THIS NEXT YEAR.
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IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, ALSO IS A FUNCTION OF SOME WEIRDNESS THAT HAPPENED WITH THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE WE WERE NOT ABLE TO HAVE STUDENTS, UM, IN CLASSROOMS. UM, AND AS FAR AS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TELL A P H JUST REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT WITHOUT EVER COMING AND GETTING, UM, CONSENT FROM COUNCIL THAT WE WANTED TO REDUCE THIS AS PART OF THE PANDEMIC.OVER TIME, THERE WAS SOME COMPLICATED CONTRACTING THINGS, BUT, UM, DOING THIS PARTICULAR ACTION WOULD KEEP US AT OUR FISCAL YEAR 21 FUNDING LEVELS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT MOVES US TOWARDS THAT.
UM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT GETS US ALL THE WAY, UM, TO THAT, BUT IT DOES KEEP US WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR.
UM, SO THESE ARE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAMS THAT ALSO VERY IMPORTANT, UM, FOR SOME OF OUR VIOLENCE PREVENTION ACTIVITIES.
'CAUSE IT KEEPS KIDS IN A SAFE PLACE WHERE, WHERE THEY'RE LEARNING.
UH, OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ.
WE'LL NOW GO TO THE SECOND, UH, CATEGORY OF ITEMS, AND I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TIM ON THE FIRST PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UH, ELLIS AMENDMENT ONE IS GONNA BE THE E T O D PLANNING POSITIONS, AND E T O D STANDS FOR EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT ACTUALLY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON LED ON A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS IN RELATION TO A FEDERAL GRANT THAT, UM, CAP METRO AND THE CITY HAVE WORKED ON.
AND IT'S ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE EXPAND OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT WE'VE GOT THE APPROPRIATE LAND USE SURROUNDING THOSE STATIONS.
AND SO THIS IS WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I AM ACTUALLY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WITH THE REVISED ANSWER THAT WE GOT FOR QUESTION NUMBER 1 76, THE ONGOING EXPENDITURES OF $484,000.
I'M GONNA CIRCULATE A VERSION TWO THAT BRINGS THAT NUMBER DOWN TO 282,000.
SO, UM, I, I GET TO TAKE CLAIM FOR BEING THE FIRST PERSON TO LOWER ONE OF MY DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND I HOPE I GET A GOLD STAR FOR THAT.
UH, I MIGHT, I MIGHT NEED IT LATER,
UM, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO LOWER THE FTES FROM FOUR TO THREE BECAUSE THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE HAS STEPPED UP AND OFFERED, UM, A POSITION THAT CAN HELP PARTNER IN THIS, UM, PLANNING EFFORT.
AND I DUNNO IF THIS IS FOR YOU OR MAYBE FOR STAFF.
I'M WONDERING IF WE AS A COUNCIL, PRIORITIZE ETSS OVER THE IMAGINE AUSTIN UPDATE OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
CAN, COULD WE PULL FROM THAT BUCKET? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, UH, WE HAD, WE, OH, TURN THAT.
WE HAD A DISCUSSION, UH, LAST NIGHT WITH SEVERAL FOLKS, AND I THINK WE, THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE FIGURE THAT AFTER TODAY, THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO ACCOMMODATE TO TRY TO MITIGATE SOME OF THAT SO THAT IT COULD FITS INTO THE EITHER THE ONETIME FUNDING SOURCES OR THE ONGOING FUNDING RESOURCES.
AND, UH, SO THIS IS ONE THAT WE'VE BEGUN DISCUSSIONS LAST NIGHT, AND I THINK WE'RE, WE'LL WORK TOWARD SOME RESOLUTION OF THIS BEFORE THE 16TH.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.
I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
THIS IS AN AMENDMENT FOCUSED ON EXPANDING YOUTH PROGRAMS, PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON INDIGENOUS, LATINX, HISPANIC, AND BLACK YOUTH IN EAST AUSTIN.
IT IS A 100,000 ONE-TIME FUNDING REQUEST, AND IT WOULD GO TO SUPPORT PROGRAMMING AT THE MAC, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER.
I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS, JOSE VELAZQUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER VEVA AND CADRE FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT? ALL RIGHT.
I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, WITH REGARD TO THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UM, MY AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE, UM, IS PRIMARILY ABOUT THE CRITICAL SERVICES THAT WE NEED AT THE CARVER LIBRARY MUSEUM, UH, CARVER LIBRARY MUSEUM AND COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, WHICH IS, UH, A CRITICAL PIECE OF THE O TWO COMMUNITY.
UM, THIS BLACK NEIGHBORHOOD IN EAST AUSTIN, UM, THE CARVER'S CURRENT GENERAL FUND BUDGET HAS PROVEN INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN BASIC OPERATIONS LEADING TO CHALLENGES IN STAFFING AND SUMMER PROGRAMS, AND FUNDING FOR NEW EXHIBITS.
UM, THE, THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT WOULD ALLOCATE $397,881 FOR PROGRAMMATIC NEEDS IN ORDER FOR THE CARVER TO CONTINUE FULFILLING ITS ESSENTIAL ROLE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THE INCREASED BUDGET WILL BE UTILIZED FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES TO
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EMPLOY PERMANENT STAFF, ENSURING THE CONTINUITY OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND OPERATIONS AT THE CARVER BY FUNDING AN F T E, UH, AT FIRST YEAR COST, UH, $75,542, UH, TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CULTURALLY COMPETENT, UM, PROGRAMS, FOSTERING COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT AND ENRICHMENT TO FUND NEW EXHIBITS THAT CELEBRATE THE HISTORY AND HERITAGE OF THE HISTORICALLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS SERVED BY, BY THE CARVER AND TO SECURE FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY EXPENSES, ENSURING THAT THE CARVER'S CAPACITY TO ADDRESS UNFORESEEN FINANCIAL NEEDS WITHOUT COMPROMISING VITAL SERVICES.AND THEN LASTLY, TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF EVENTS AND PROGRAMS TRADITIONALLY FACILITATED BY THE MAC DURING THEIR, UM, RENOVATIONS.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR THERE, WHILE THE MAC IS RENOVATING, THEY'RE UTILIZING THE SPACE AT THE CARVER.
UM, AND THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND FUNDING.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, IS THIS PART OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM OR PARTS? SO BOTH.
SO THE LIBRARY SYSTEM IS THE CARVER LIBRARY, BUT THE MUSEUM, I BELIEVE IS A PARD FACILITY.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, DIRECTOR MCNEELY MAY BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT FOR ME.
I THINK, I THINK MR. WEEKS MAY BE HERE AS WELL.
UM, MR. TO SPEAK TO THE LIBRARY PART, MR. WEEKS IS HERE.
THE CARVER LIBRARY IS PART OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM, THE GENEALOGY BUILDING, AND THE, UH, THE CARVER GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER MUSEUM AND CULTURAL CENTER IS, UH, WITHIN THE PARD BUDGET.
SO IS THIS ADDING AN F T E TO THE LIBRARY OR TO PARKS? TO THE LIBRARY? OKAY.
UM, BUT I ALSO HAVE NOTICED THIS IS, I THINK, THE ONLY ELEMENT IN THE AMENDMENTS THAT'S GOING TO THE LIBRARY.
AND I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, UM, THINK ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER AT THE LIBRARY AS WELL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE THINKING THROUGH THIS, UM, THAT THIS IS, WOULD BE AN ADDITION THAT WOULD HELP THE LIBRARY SYSTEM AS WELL.
AND I SPOKE TO HER BRIEFLY THE OTHER DAY WHEN I SHOUTED OUT MR. GREEN, BUT THE CARVER LIBRARY IN THE LOT OF WAYS, EXCUSE ME, SERVES AS A CRITICAL AFTERSCHOOL RESOURCE.
I MEAN, THE KIDS LEAVE IN BLACK SHEAR AND KEELING AND LL CAMPBELL, THEY GO STRAIGHT TO THE LIBRARY AND THEY HANG OUT THERE TILL THEIR PARENTS GET OFF WORK, WHICH I THINK SORT OF SPEAKS TO SOME OF THESE AMENDMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD ABOUT AFTERSCHOOL CARE AND CHILDCARE AS WELL.
IT REALLY TIES INTO ALL OF IT.
GOOD MORNING, ROOSEVELT WEEKS, PROUD DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
UH, WE CURRENTLY, UH, HAVE THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED FOR STAFFING.
UM, UNLESS MR. RING TELL US WHO'S THE MANAGER THERE THAT SHE NEED ADDITIONAL STAFFING, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE NEED.
UH, BUT I NEED TO GET WITH HER ON THAT TO, TO VERIFY THAT.
BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE CAN HANDLE THE NEED.
AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE CLEAR WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND FOLKS WATCHING THESE AMENDMENTS, NONE OF 'EM ARE SET IN STONE.
IT'S, IT'S RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT IF WE CAN WORK THROUGH IT WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING TO AMEND THE BUDGET, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY, UM, OUR PREFERENCE.
BUT THANK YOU FOR THE CLARITY.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
I, I JUST, I APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON'S COMMENT ABOUT THAT, AND THAT YOU WERE ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DRAFTING AN AMENDMENT SOMETIMES JUST IN CASE AND AFTER WE'RE DONE, UH, COMMUNICATING WITH STAFF, OR, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S NOT NEEDED ANYMORE.
IN OTHER WORDS, I JUST DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO GET THE SENSE THAT JUST BECAUSE AN AMENDMENT IS NOT ADOPTED DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
LIKE, THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN A LOT WHERE I'M GONNA PULL AN AMENDMENT, BUT IN THE BACKGROUND, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED TO, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT AND THEY'RE GONNA MOVE FUNDS HERE OR THERE, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT TO SHARE WITH, UH, THE PUBLIC THANK YOU ABOUT.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S, I'M, I'M GLAD BOTH OF YOU HAVE EMPHASIZED THAT, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON WE WANTED TO HAVE A DAY LIKE TODAY WHERE ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS COULD BE PUT OUT THERE.
PEOPLE COULD SEE WHAT WAS BEING DISCUSSED.
BUT JUST BECAUSE AN AMENDMENT THAT'S LAID OUT TODAY DOESN'T END UP BEING AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET, DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT, UH, BEING UTILIZED IN SOME WAY AND OR UTILIZED AS DIRECTION TO STAFF THAT THAT'S A PRIORITY.
SO THERE MIGHT BE A REALLOCATION OF HOW MONEY IN THE BUDGET GETS UTILIZED, ALL ALLOW THE, UH, QUESTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER JUST ASKED, UH, WITH REGARD TO PLANNING.
SO THANK YOU BOTH AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
YEAH, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU AGAIN.
COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT MADISON.
I JUST RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT THE F T E WAS A PARD REQUEST, NOT
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FOR THE LIBRARY.WELL, THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE TALKING TO EACH OTHER WELL, SO I WONDER IF DIRECTOR MCNEELY CAN SPEAK TO THE NEED.
SO JUST, JUST AT KIMBERLY MCNEELY SERVING AS A DIRECTOR, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT DIDN'T HAVE THIS AS A SPECIFIC REQUEST, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THE, UH, ADVISORY COMMISSIONS AND THE, UM, THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS DID PUT IN A RECOMMENDATION WHERE THEY WERE LOOKING AT, UH, DIFFERENT NEEDS OF THE DIFFERENT QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THE REASON WHY THIS HAS SURFACED TO THE TOP IS BECAUSE WHEN FOLKS WERE TAKING A LOOK THROUGH EQUITY LENS, TAKING A LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT BUDGETS OF OUR CULTURAL CENTERS, THE CARVER HAS A LESSER BUDGET AND LESSER FTES THAN THE OTHER CULTURAL CENTERS.
AND THOSE DECISIONS HAD BEEN MADE THROUGH VARIOUS ITERATIONS OF DECISIONS THAT THE COUNCIL HAD MADE PREVIOUSLY WHEN THEY WERE ADDING FTES AND OR BUDGET AMOUNTS TO THE PARTICULAR BUDGETS.
SO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS, IS WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE, WITH THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER BEING CLOSED, WE'RE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE CARVER AND WITH OTHER, UH, ENTITIES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING PROGRAMS AND REALLY GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING THERE.
AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY GETS EXCITED ABOUT THOSE GREAT THINGS AND WANTS TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THOSE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER, THIS IS, THESE ARE SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE'RE GONNA HAVE POST THIS MEETING SO THAT WE CAN EVALUATE THAT, TALK TO BOTH, UH, UH, DIRECTOR MCNEELY AND, AND ROOSEVELT AND OTHERS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT PROGRAMS RESOURCED APPROPRIATELY AND FIGURE OUT WHETHER IT CAN FIT WITHIN THE $1.3 BILLION BUDGET THAT WE ALREADY HAVE PROPOSED, OR WHETHER ADDITIONAL FUNDING MAY BE NEEDED.
NO, THAT'S THE ANALYSIS WE'RE GONNA DO.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I'LL NOW RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE ON A PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UH, CA AMENDMENT FOUR, UH, FOR HOUSING TESTING, EDUCATION, AND SUPPORT.
UH, FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND RIGHT NOW, THIS WOULD GO UNDER OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT HAS SAID.
UH, THE ITEM WILL ALLOCATE, UH, FUNDING FOR FAIR HOUSING TESTING, EDUCATION COUNSELING TO GIVE RESIDENTS GUIDANCE ON CIVIL RIGHTS AND COUNTERING DISCRIMINATION IN THE HOUSING MARKET.
UM, THE, THE REASON WE WE'RE BRINGING THIS FORWARD, UH, IS TO SUPPORT IN THE FACE OF HOUSING DISCRIMINATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF FAIR HOUSING LAWS, UH, THAT ARE KEY COMPONENTS IN INCLUSIVE AUSTIN, WHERE ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE, UH, CAN LIVE IN ALL TYPES OF PLACES, UH, FROM MITIGATING DISPLACEMENT IN OUR EASTERN CRESCENT TO IMPROVING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES IN HIGHER INCOME AREAS.
UH, THE FUNDING ALSO BEHIND THIS IS, IS ANOTHER REASON NORMALLY FUNDING HAPPENED THROUGH HUD.
UH, BUT THAT FUNDING HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED.
UH, AND THE AMOUNT THAT WE INITIALLY HAD WAS $500,000, UH, FOR, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS FOR A ONE TIME FUNDING FOR 500 K.
UH, BUT I ALSO HOPE TO GET A GOLD STAR, UH, FROM THE CITY MANAGER,
UM, BECAUSE KNOWING THERE'S OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT ARE GOING TOWARDS TENANT RIGHTS, UH, WE WOULD BE WILLING TO GO DOWN TO 350 K, BUT THAT WOULD, WOULD, WOULD ALMOST BE THE, THE FLOOR, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE AUSTIN TENANT COUNCIL THAT HAS WORKED ON THIS, UH, AND HAS, LIKE, THEY NEED AT LEAST THAT THREE 50 K TO, TO PROPERLY OPERATE.
UH, AND THEN I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY THANK MY CO-SPONSORS ON THIS.
UM, HARPER MADISON, VELASQUE ISABELLA AND RYAN CHER.
LAST THING, WHICH I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THE FIRST TIME THAT I LAID OUT AN AMENDMENT, THE SOURCE OF FUNDS, UH, WE'RE HOPING WOULD COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
COUNCIL MEMBER CODRE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
THE, UH, NEXT, UH, AMENDMENT VELA NUMBER SEVEN WOULD BE TO, UH, BASICALLY KEEP OUR FUNDING STEADY FOR THE LEGAL SERVICES FOR IMMIGRANTS WE PROVIDE.
UM, AGAIN, THESE WERE DECISIONS THAT PRIOR COUNCILS HAVE MADE IN RESPONSE TO, UH, INCREASED, UH, DEPORTATIONS AND, AND THE SEPARATION OF FAMILIES AND, AND JUST THE GENERAL KIND OF CHAOS AND PROBLEMS THAT, UH, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, UH, CAN CAUSE TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL, UH, LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO, UH, HELP IMMIGRANTS OUT.
OFTENTIMES, THE, THE PEOPLE THAT SUFFER THE MOST, AND I KNOW THIS ALL TOO WELL, WHEN THERE IS SOME KIND OF A DEPORTATION ENFORCEMENT ACTION, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ARE THE CHILDREN, UH, OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, US CITIZEN CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, DAD IS GONE, UH, IN, IN DETENTION.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO, UH, I I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A, A CUT FROM, UH, PRIOR, UH, YEARS IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, THE AMOUNT.
AND THIS WOULD ESSENTIALLY, UH, RESTORE THE AMOUNT TO, UH, WHAT WE HAD GIVEN, UH,
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THOSE AGENCIES, UH, IN THE PAST.QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBERS? THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU AGAIN ON THE NEXT, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
THE NEXT AMENDMENT IS, AGAIN, PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE LIVE, UH, SPANISH INTERPRETATIONS AT THE, UH, CITY HALL AT OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING AND CONVERSATION WITH THE, THE CITY CLERKS, UH, AND WITH THE, UH, THE P I O, THE CITY'S, UH, P I O, UH, IS THAT THERE COULD BE A WAY TO USE AN F T E THAT COULD BE HELPING THE P I O DO OUTREACH IN, UH, SPANISH, BUT THEN ALSO WE WOULD PULL THAT PERSON IN HERE FROM LET'S SAY, 10 O'CLOCK TO THREE O'CLOCK, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PERSON ON HAND FOR THE, UH, TRANSLATION INTERPRETATION.
UM, THE PHONE STUFF CAN BE A LITTLE TRICKY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF JUST HAVING SOMEBODY HERE, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, SPANISH TESTIMONY, IT, IT, IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO HAVE SOMEBODY HERE AT ALL TIMES TO, UH, FACILITATE THE, THE, THE, THE FLOW OF THE, OF THE MEETINGS.
UH, IT WOULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND.
UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ROSE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, WITH REGARD TO THAT ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED ON THE, THE HOMELAND SECURITY AND, AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ITEM.
AND, AND THIS IS ALSO, THIS RELATES TO THE, WE HAVE A, A LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN, UH, THAT HAS NOT REALLY BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED.
THIS WOULD ADD, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, A POSITION TO, UH, HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THE REPORTS AND AUDITS WITH REGARD TO, UH, LANGUAGE ACCESS ISSUES, SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED, UH, THE NEED FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION IN OTHER LANGUAGES DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
THIS IS, AGAIN, ALL GOING BACK TO THE SNO OVID AND, AND, AND JUST ALL OF THE, THE EMERGENCIES AND ISSUES THAT AROSE THERE, AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT OUR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS ARE, UH, MULTILINGUAL AND HONESTLY, NOT JUST IN SPANISH.
WE REALLY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, PICK, LET'S SAY THE TOP THREE OR FOUR LANGUAGES AND MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THERE'S A CITYWIDE EMERGENCY, A CRITICAL CITYWIDE EMERGENCY, THAT WE'RE GETTING INFORMATION OUT IN VARIOUS LANGUAGES AND THAT WE'RE, UH, UH, SO PEOPLE CAN TAKE THE PRECAUTIONS, UH, THAT WE'RE, UH, ASKING THEM TO TAKE RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THE WILDFIRE SITUATION ALSO JUST HIGHLIGHTS THE, THE NEED FOR GETTING GOOD INFORMATION OUT IN A, IN A TIMELY MANNER, IN, IN APPROPRIATE LANGUAGES.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER.
KELLY, JUST ADDING ON A COMMENT TO THAT.
I KNOW THAT OVER THE YEARS AS WE'VE LOOKED AT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMUNICATION, THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUST VOLUNTEER BECAUSE THEY SPEAK THOSE LANGUAGES.
AND I THINK IF THIS IS A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE FAIRLY COMPENSATED FOR THAT WORK AND THAT EXPERTISE, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, COLLEAGUES, I BELIEVE YOU MAY RECALL WHEN I PASSED THE CENTRAL HEALTH PANDEMIC EQUITY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION ADOPTIONS THAT CAME OUT OF, UM, THE PANDEMIC.
IT WAS A LOT RELATED TO LANGUAGE ACCESS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I'D LIKE TO CO-SPONSOR YOUR, YOUR ITEM COUNCIL MEMBER GREATLY, UH, UH, APPRECIATED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
SO I, I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT STAFF COMES BACK WITH HERE TO SAY WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BECAUSE THEY SHOULD BE DOING THIS ALREADY.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH MULTIPLE, UM, REPORTS BACK THAT HAD THE NEED FOR LANGUAGE ACCESS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT SPECIFICALLY HITS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT, UM, IN YOUR AMENDMENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS, AS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THESE REPORTS, AGAIN AT AUDIT AND FINANCES, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE REPORTS FROM MULTIPLE YEARS AGO.
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHICH DISASTER.
THAT SAID WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE LANGUAGE ACCESS.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT WAS FIXED.
SO I, I REALLY WANNA HEAR KIND OF WHAT STAFF ARE SAYING.
THIS ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED THE, THE GENERAL ISSUE, BUT MY HOPE IS THAT IT'S ACTUALLY ALREADY IN THE BUDGET, BUT IT MAY NOT BE.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALTER THAT IS EXACTLY, UH, WE ARE PULLING FROM THOSE REPORTS TO CRAFT THIS AMENDMENT, UH, THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, ADDRESS WITH THIS AMENDMENT.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCILMAN VELA.
UH, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU WITH REGARD TO YOUR PROPOSED AMENDMENT RELATED TO THE SOBERING CENTER.
YEAH, AND I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
THIS IS, UH, NOT GOING TO COME OUT OF GENERAL FUND, OR I SHOULD SAY HIGHLY UNLIKELY.
THERE'S GRANT MONEY AVAILABLE BOTH FROM THE, UH, THE SAMHSA, WHICH IS A SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH, UH, FEDERAL AGENCY.
WE RECEIVED A, A GRANT, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS AN EARMARK OUT OF, UH, CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT'S OFFICE.
THERE'S ALSO, UH, THE POTENTIAL TO PULL FUNDS OUT OF, UH, THE, UH, OPIOID SETTLEMENT MONEY.
SO, UH, WHAT WE WANNA DO IS THE SOBERING CENTER, WHICH ARE POLICE AND E M S, RELY ON TO DIVERT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY WOULD NORMALLY ARREST BECAUSE THEY'RE HIGHLY INTOXICATED.
[01:15:01]
TAKE THEM, INSTEAD OF TAKING THEM TO THE JAIL, WE TAKE THEM DOWN TO THE SOBERING CENTER.THEY TALK TO THE STAFF, THEY, UH, YOU, YOU BASICALLY SOBER 'EM UP.
OFFER, OFFER 'EM RESOURCES, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SEND THEM ON THEIR WAY WHEN, WHEN, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE READY TO GO.
THEY'VE BEEN, UH, DOING SOMETHING CALLED, THEY CALL IT HOLDOVER FOR SOME OF THESE FOLKS WHERE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WILL GET TO THE SOBERING CENTER, TALK TO THE STAFF AND, AND REALLY KIND OF BE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, UH, I, I, I, I NEED TO END THIS, UH, ADDICTION.
AND, AND IT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO GET THEM HELP AT THAT MOMENT WHERE THEY'RE READY TO GO.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T JUST TELL 'EM, WELL COME BACK IN 30 DAYS.
YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA LOSE THAT, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, UH, A PASSION BASICALLY, THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY, ONCE THEY MAKE THAT DECISION.
SO THE SOBERING CENTER IS LOOKING AT WAYS TO, TO WORK ON THIS.
THIS WOULD BE, UH, BASICALLY SOME KIND OF CAPACITY BUILDING.
UH, CENTRAL HEALTH IS GONNA BE IN THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, INTEGRAL CARE IS GONNA BE IN THAT CONVERSATION.
THERE'S POTENTIALLY SOME PRIVATE MONIES OUT THERE.
THIS WILL HOPEFULLY GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF BREATHING ROOM TO START KIND OF LOOKING AROUND TO SEE HOW WE CAN KIND OF ADD, UH, UH, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, SERVICES TO THE MIX.
AGAIN, THE INTENTION WOULD NOT BE FOR THE CITY TO FUND THE SERVICES.
IT WOULD BE KIND OF TO ADD CAPACITY TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE ADMINISTRATION AT THE SOBERING CENTER TO KIND OF GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF BREATHING ROOM SO THEY CAN GO OUT AND, UH, AND, AND ADD ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO THE MIX THAT THEY HAVE.
COUNCIL MEMBER VALA, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THIS PROPOSED ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, UM, DID YOU JUST SUGGEST THAT THIS COULD COME OUT OF THE OPIOID GRANT? I'VE BEEN TALKING, UH, WITH, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ABOUT THAT, AND, UH, THERE'S A POTENTIAL TO GET IT OUT OF THE OPIOID, UH, SETTLEMENT, UH, MONEY.
THERE'S A POTENTIAL TO GET IT OUT OF THIS, UH, OTHER, UH, EARMARK, UH, IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF WHAT ARE THE RESTRICTIONS AND THE ELIGIBILITY AND, AND WHERE ARE THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, YOU KNOW, ON THE SOBERING CENTER IF THEY TAKE THOSE, UH, FUNDS.
SO I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT.
I HOPE WE GET SOME, SOME CLARITY TO THAT, UH, SOON.
BUT, BUT THAT, THAT'S THE, THE GOAL TO TAP ONE OF THOSE SOURCES AND NOT THE GENERAL FUND.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, THANK YOU.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
I WANNA CAUTION AGAINST USING THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOLLARS.
TRULY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SAW THE COUNTY IS ADDING TO THEIR AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT THEY'RE COMMITTING AS A COUNTY TO HELP ADDRESS THE OPIOID CRISIS THAT WE'RE SEEING.
AND SO, REALLY, IN FACT, THE CONVERSATION WE SHOULD BE HAVING IS INJECTING MORE DOLLARS TO RESPOND TO THE CRISIS IN OUR COMMUNITY, GIVEN THE LEVEL OF OVERDOSES.
UM, SO I, I WANTED SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, KELLY, I, I ALSO AGREE THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING, UM, THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOLLARS ON, UM, PREVENTING OVERDOSES FROM HAPPENING.
UM, I DO KNOW THAT STAFF RELEASED A MEMO IN RESPONSE TO THE RESOLUTION THAT I PASSED RELATED TO NARCAN, AND IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVEN'T SEEN THAT, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IT.
ALRIGHT, UH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AND, AND OTHERS FOR COMMENTING ON THAT.
I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ FOR A PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, UH, CADRE, A ALTER AND VELA, UH, FOR, UM, CO-SPONSORING THIS WITH ME.
UH, THIS AMENDMENT IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS THE, A GROWING COMMUNITY NEED FOR AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE S T I TESTING, UM, AND TREATMENT FOR THE CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY H I V AND STIS, WITH A FOCUS ON THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY.
WE HAD A PRESENTATION YESTERDAY AT OUR PUBLIC, UM, HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE WERE INFORMED BY TEXAS HEALTH ACTION AND THE KIND CLINIC ABOUT THE SPIKE IN STIS AND THE NEED FOR SAFE AND WELCOMING SPACES FOR OUR LGBTQI PLUS COMMUNITIES TO HAVE THEIR HEALTH NEEDS MET.
YES, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
I JUST WANNA UNDERSCORE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ JUST SAID THAT WE ARE SEEING A SPIKE, UM, AND JUST AS WE SAW SPIKES, YOU KNOW, WITH THE MONKEYPOX, THE MONKEY, SORRY, I KNOW THE NAME, M PX, SORRY.
M PX, UM, SITUATION, IT REALLY CAN OVERWHELM OUR CLINICS AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING.
SO I'D LIKE US TO BE ABLE TO FIND SOME SUPPORT, UM, TO BE ABLE TO HELP ADDRESS THIS PUBLIC HEALTH NEED.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, AND, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN DO THAT IN APPROPRIATE MANNER.
UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I THINK, UH, YESTERDAY WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS AMENDMENT, UH, WE WERE GETTING SOME COMMENTS FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, AND BASED ON YOUR COMMENTS, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER AL ALTER'S COMMENTS, I KNOW THAT THIS IS ONE THAT WE JUST GOTTA WORK THROUGH TO FIGURE OUT, UH, WHAT THE REAL NEED IS AND WHERE, AND WHAT IS THE ROLE FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND WHAT OTHER AGENCIES MAY HAVE A ROLE AS WELL TO PLAY.
BUT THAT'S PART OF THE HOMEWORK WE DO AFTER THIS MEETING.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ.
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NOW RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VELAZQUEZ ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.UM, AND I WILL PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT I, I, I HAVE A PENDING, I THINK I'M GONNA HAVE A PENDING GOLD STAR ON THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN, UH, IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOU GUYS.
ARE GENEROUS WITH THE GOLD STARS TO YOURSELVES JUST HANDING 'EM OUT TO OURSELVES.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN IN, IN COMMUNICATION WITH, UH, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, HAYDEN, TO GET CONFIRMATION ON OTHER FUNDING SOURCES AND POTENTIAL REVISIONS, UH, THAT MIGHT BE MADE TO THIS.
BUT THIS AMENDMENT WOULD EXPAND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES THROUGH EXPANDING, UH, SUPPORTING DROP-IN CENTERS, MOBILE OUTREACH CLINICS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF SUBSTANCE USE.
TREATMENT AND CARE FUNDING CAN SUPPORT WEEKEND AND EVENING HOURS AT DROP-IN CENTERS SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT FOR MORE INDIVIDUALS AND STAFFING AND, AND SUPPLIES FOR MORE MOBILE OUTREACH CLINICS.
UH, AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, CADRE AND, UH, FUENTES FOR CO-SPONSOR CO-SPONSORING THIS WITH ME.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT? ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT, UH, GROUPING OR CATEGORY OF ITEMS. AND I'LL FIRST RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
UM, THIS ITEM IS SPECIFICALLY, UM, TARGETED AT OFFERING ASSISTANCE TO THE COUNTY COLLABORATIVE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER.
UM, THE BUDGET AMENDMENT WOULD PROVIDE MATCHING FUNDS FOR A LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION PROVIDING RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT TO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THESE DOLLARS SHOULD BE USED IN COLLABORATION WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE OTHERWISE INELIGIBLE FOR THE TRADITIONAL SOURCES OF HOUSING FUNDS, SUCH AS OUR CITY'S BOND FUNDED PROGRAMS AND L I H T C AND OTHER STATE PROGRAMS. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO JUST OFFER A LITTLE BIT OF COMMENTARY.
COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND CONSIDERATION ON TUESDAY.
I, AS STAFF AND I TRIED TO HAMMER OUT HOW WE WOULD HELP SUPPORT THIS INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT BEDS.
THERE ARE NUMEROUS REASONS THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER SUPPORTING THIS INITIATIVE.
ONE, THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, WHICH IS ALWAYS GREAT FOR US TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES, UM, EXISTING TRUSTED SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDERS AND THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO PUT SOME HIGHLIGHT ON.
WE'RE REALLY GONNA HAVE TO PARTNER WITH OUR FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR WHOM THIS IS IMPORTANT.
IN ADDITION TO OUR EFFORTS IN THE COUNTY'S EFFORTS, UM, THIS WILL BOTH EXPAND AND SECURE A CRITICAL PIECE OF OUR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ECOSYSTEM.
UM, A FACILITY LIKE THIS CANNOT ACCESS OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING LIKE HOUSING BONDS, UH, BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE BUT CRITICAL NATURE OF THE SERVICE BEING PROVIDED.
UH, CITY MANAGER, IF YOU COULD PLEASE UPDATE US ON WHAT YOU CONSIDER BE TO BE THE BEST NEXT STEPS ON HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
I KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, UH, IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT, UH, ABOUT 40% OF OUR INDIVIDUALS ARE, ARE CITIZENS THAT EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS.
ABOUT 40% EITHER SUFFER FROM SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR SOME BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUE THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO NOT HAVE TREATED.
AND I THINK THIS IS A, THIS IS A, A SERVICE THAT'S NEEDED FOR THAT, FOR THAT PART OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS OTHERS.
AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE AS WE APPROACH THE APPROPRIATE AGENCY TO HELP US ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, NOT JUST FOR THIS SPECIFIC ITEM, BUT MAYBE FOR OTHER ITEMS GOING INTO THE FUTURE WHERE THEY CAN HELP US, REALLY HELP THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY, UH, RIGHT NOW SUFFER BECAUSE THEY'RE UNFUNDED, THEY'RE UNDERINSURED OR COMPLETELY UNINSURED.
AND WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO GET, MAKE SURE THEY GET THE PROPER CARE IN THE PROPER PLACE.
AND I, I THINK, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS KIND OF EFFORT IS DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLA'S, UM, EFFORT AROUND THE SOBERING CENTER AND OTHER EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED AS POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS AROUND SERVICES FOR HOMELESSNESS.
AND FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE, THE EXPRESSION AND OUNCE OF PREVENTION? UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, PREVENTATIVE EFFORTS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL FOR US ADDRESSING SO MANY THINGS, INCLUDING LIKE INDIGENT HEALTHCARE COST.
UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU ON THE ITEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON? ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO TO, UH, COUNCIL, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UH, FOR CADRE AMENDMENT FIVE, IT'S FOR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES PROVIDER PROVIDER SUPPORT.
UH, THIS ITEM WILL ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR CAPACITY BUILDING AND SUPPORT FOR SMALL SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE FORM OF MANY GRANTS
[01:25:01]
AND TRAININGS.UH, THE REASONING WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF BRINGING THIS FORWARD IS, UH, THERE WAS $3.2 MILLION OF PROVIDER SUPPORT FUNDING WAS DIVERTED TOWARDS TEMPORARY SHELTER NEEDS AT THE MARSHALING YARD.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO RESTORE PARTIAL FUNDING, UH, THROUGH THIS.
UH, AND THEN A, A QUICK POINT OF CLARIFICATION, UH, AND I THINK AFTER WE GET DOWN TO WHAT OUR FINAL ASK NUMBER IS, UH, I I SHOULD GET ALL THE GOLD STARS FOR WHATEVER REASON.
UH, IT, IT ACCIDENTALLY WAS PUT AT A 3,000,001 TIME, UH, EXPENDITURE.
UH, THAT NUMBER SHOULD HAVE BEEN $590,900 FOR ONE TIME.
UM, BUT, UM, WE'RE WILLING TO REDUCE THAT AMOUNT, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT IT MAINTAINS THE 21 PARTICIPANTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO FROM THE 5 9900, UH, IF WE COULD GET 90,900, SO FROM THAT 3 MILLION NUMBER YOU SAW TO 90,900, UH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE IT WOULD, IT WOULD MEAN THAT THE 21, UH, PARTNERS, UH, WOULD, WOULD CONTINUE TO GET BENEFITED.
AND SOME OF THOSE PARTNERS ARE AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE, AUSTIN MUTUAL AID, QUEER TOPIA, SAFFRON TRUST, WOMEN'S FOUNDATION, SUNRISE HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER, THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION, UH, AND A NUMBER OF BIPO LED NONPROFITS.
UH, I WANT TO THANK MY CO-SPONSORS ON THIS.
AND, AND MEMBERS, IT'S HARPER MADISON, RYAN ALTER VELASQUEZ.
UH, AND THEN I THINK MY LAST POINT IS THAT THE SOURCE OF FUNDS, UH, WE SEE A, A POSSIBLE SOURCE, UH, FROM THE SEA HOME TOUR WHERE THERE'S ABOUT $6.6 MILLION.
AND I THINK THE MANAGER HAS A, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THAT THERE IS A, A FUTURE AWARD.
IT'S A HAPPY FACE WHEN COUNCIL MEMBERS BEGIN TO SAY NO IDEA NEEDLE.
THAT'S A DOUBLE GOLD SPUR, RIGHT?
UH, ANYBODY GOT ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE ON THAT? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES TO CONFIRM, COUNCIL MEMBER CODI, YOU'RE GOING FROM 3 MILLION TO 90,000, IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, SO THIS IS ON, UH, SO THE 3 MILLION WAS AN ACCIDENT.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN 590,900 WAS WHATEVER INITIAL ASK WOULD'VE BEEN, BUT WE'RE GOING FROM THAT TO 90,900, CORRECT.
AND MAYOR, WILL WE BE, WILL WE BE GETTING OR MANAGER, WILL WE BE GETTING A UPDATED SPREADSHEET WITH THE NEW REVISED TOTAL? YES, I'M, I'M, I'M, UH, CARRIE'S NODDING THAT SHE'S KEEPING TABS OF THIS, AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND SHARE THAT BACK WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS SO YOU KINDA KNOW WHERE WE'RE, WHAT THE RUN TABULATION IS.
ESPECIALLY FOR OUR WORK AS WE LEAD UP TO THE 16TH COUNCIL MEMBER.
COULD YOU PLEASE, UM, STATE AGAIN WHERE YOU THINK THOSE ONES COULD COME FROM? I WAS TAKING NOTES AND I DIDN'T HEAR YOU.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE POSSIBLE SOURCE.
YEAH, THERE'S ABOUT, I THINK 6.66 SEA HOME, YOU SAID? YES, SIR.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT ITEM? COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UM, THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS GATHER AMENDMENT SIX.
UH, IT'S, UH, P S H SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FUNDING.
UH, THIS ITEM COMMITS TO NEW FUNDING FOR WRAPAROUND, UH, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECTS.
UH, THE REASON THAT WE'RE BRINGING THIS ONE FORWARD, AS WE SAW IN THE WORK SESSION ON TUESDAY, UH, THERE ARE THREE COMPONENT COMPONENTS, UH, COMPONENTS TO P S H, UH, CAPITAL, TO BUILDING UNITS VOUCHERS TO HELP OUT OFFSET THAT RENTAL INCOME AND ONSITE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
UH, SUPPORTIVE, UH, SOCIAL SERVICES FUNDING NEEDS TO BE COMMITTED SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE A PROJECT GOES INTO CONSTRUCTION.
I THINK THAT'S ONE POINT TO KIND OF HAMMER HOME.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS HAVING THE NEEDED FUNDING COMMITMENT AVAILABLE CAN HELP PREVENT PROJECT DELAYS.
UH, AND AS WE KNOW, WE HAVE A GREAT NEED FOR P S H UNITS, UH, AND OUR COMMUNITY CANNOT AFFORD DELAYS.
UH, SO THE AMOUNT THAT OUR PLACEHOLDERS IS ABOUT $3 MILLION, UH, FOR THAT, UH, WE'RE WAITING ON A MORE, UH, CONCRETE AMOUNT.
WE'RE, WE'RE EXPECTING IT TO BE A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN THE 3 MILLION.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO SEE THIS AS A MID-YEAR AMENDMENT.
UM, AND THEN I JUST WANT TO THANK MY, OH, AND THEN THE, THE MONEY WOULD, WHERE WE WOULD HOPE IT COULD POTENTIALLY COME FROM, FROM, IN TERMS OF A SOURCE OF FUNDING, WOULD ALSO, ONCE AGAIN BE THAT C HOME TUR.
UH, AND THEN I WANT TO THANK CO-SPONSORS BEHIND THIS, UH, HARPER MADISON PUENTES AND RYAN ALTER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER UDRY? THANK YOU, SIR.
I'LL, UH, RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
IT LOOKS LIKE I MIGHT BE HAVING THE MICROPHONE HERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
UH, THE REASON I FOCUSED THE BULK OF MY AMENDMENTS ON HOMELESS SERVICES IS I JUST THINK IT IS, UH, CRITICAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SUSTAINED INVESTMENTS, UH, IN ADDRESSING OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HEARD IT A LOT FROM THE COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS.
I KNOW IN DISTRICT FIVE WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREDIBLE INCREASE.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT JUST BY THE POINT IN TIME COUNT NUMBERS OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, UH, AN INCREASE OF 137, UH,
[01:30:01]
PERCENT, I WANNA SAY.AND, AND YOU SEE IT, YOU SEE IT EVERY DAY.
AND SO WHILE I APPRECIATE THE MANAGER FOR MAKING, UH, INCREASED INVESTMENTS IN HOMELESSNESS THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET, UH, I THINK WE JUST, WE HAVE A GROWING NEED.
AND SO IT IS GOING TO BE, UH, JUST INCREASING OUR INVESTMENTS TO EVEN KEEP UP WITH WHERE WE ARE.
SO, UH, THIS FIRST AMENDMENT IS ONE I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE WHAT IT WILL DO IS CREATE A, UM, A DIGITAL SERVICE DELIVERY FOR HOMELESS NAVIGATION.
SO OUTSIDE OF THE DAC, WE ONLY HAVE ONE WALKUP NAVIGATION CENTER FOR UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS TO RECEIVE AN ASSORTMENT OF SERVICES, INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT.
AND THAT SINGLE CENTER IS IN DISTRICT FIVE.
AND WE SEE UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS RIDE THE BUS FROM ALL PARTS OF TOWN TO GET THERE FOR SERVICES.
AND WHAT THIS ITEM WOULD DO IS CREATE KIOSKS OR PODS OR SOMETHING OF THE, LIKE, IN AREAS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY WHERE SOMEONE, UH, CAN RECEIVE MANY OF THOSE SERVICES THERE THAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE AT A DAY CENTER INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GET ON THE BUS AND TRAVEL ACROSS TOWN.
AND THAT NOT ONLY HELPS CONNECT PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, AND SO MORE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET SERVICES, BUT IT HELPS REDUCE, UH, SOME OF THE FOOT TRAFFIC AND IMPACTS THAT WE SEE WHEN, WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, A GREAT, A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ACCESS A SINGLE SITE.
AND SO WHAT IS ANOTHER NEAT FEATURE ABOUT THIS IS THAT YOU CAN GET SOME OF THE SERVICES.
SO FOR INSTANCE, THEY COULD HAVE A, A LOCKER THAT THE PERSON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN COULD UNLOCK, LET'S SAY THAT HAS A BUS PASS, RIGHT? SO THAT THEY DON'T, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER, BUT NOW ARE ABLE TO ACCESS AT ONE OF THESE, UH, SITES.
SO I THINK IT'S A REALLY NEAT INNOVATION THAT THAT IS WORTH EXPLORING.
UH, AND SO THAT WOULD BE $250,000 FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS 834,000 ONGOING FOR THE STAFFING BEHIND IT FOR THE PERSON TO INTERACT WITH.
AND THAT IS NUM AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE MEMBERS.
IS THERE ANY COUNCIL MEMBER? KELLY? THANK YOU.
UM, AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER FOR BRINGING THIS BOARD.
I KNOW WE HAD A LUNCH NOT TOO LONG AGO, AND I MAY HAVE LAMENTED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MY DISTRICT IS THE FURTHEST ONE FROM DOWNTOWN, AND HOW IT'S VERY HARD FOR ME TO EXPECT OR ANYONE REALLY GENERALLY TO EXPECT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FACING MULTIPLE COMPLEXITIES TO NAVIGATE ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE CITY THROUGH A BUS SYSTEM IN ORDER TO RECEIVE SERVICES.
AND SO I REALLY LIKE THE INNOVATIVE NATURE BEHIND THIS AMENDMENT.
UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SERVICES SUCH AS THAT ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT ACROSS THE CITY FOR INDIVIDUALS.
IF WE WANT TO MAKE A DENT IN THAT SITUATION, UM, AND HELP LIFT PEOPLE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS, THE BEST WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO THEM AND MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW I MIGHT BE ABLE TO ASSIST.
OTHER QUESTIONS ARE COMMENTS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER ON THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
ALRIGHT, I THOUGHT WILL TAKE US TO THE NEXT AMENDMENT.
AND AGAIN, THAT IS COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
SO THIS AMENDMENT FOCUSES ON DIVERSION AND RAPID EXIT, WHICH IS THE LEAST EXPENSIVE WAY TO SOLVE UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS BY A LONG SHOT.
IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, SOME DATA, THEY, IT'S ABOUT $400 ON AVERAGE FOR SOMEONE TO RECEIVE, UH, DIVERSION OR RAPID EXIT, WHICH SIMPLY COULD MEAN THAT THEY NEED A BUS TICKET TO THEIR SISTER'S HOUSE IN HOUSTON, OR, UH, HELP WITH THE SECURITY DEPOSIT TO GET INTO HOUSING.
IT'S, IT'S VERY LOW, UH, A LOW COST WAY TO HELP SOMEONE GET INTO HOUSING AS YOU.
AND IF YOU COMPARE THAT TO, YOU KNOW, THE UNDER OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM, P S H, WHICH IS COSTING US $15,000 PLUS A YEAR, IF WE CAN MAKE SMART INVESTMENTS EARLY ON TO GET, UH, UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS QUICKLY BACK INTO HOUSING, IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE.
AND SO WHAT THIS WOULD DO IS, UH, SCALE UP SOME OF THOSE DIVERSION SERVICES SO THAT WE CAN HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED IT.
AND AS WE HAVE A, A DISCUSSION ABOUT SHELTER, THIS IS ONE WAY TO MAKE OUR SHELTER BEDS GO FURTHER BECAUSE AN INDIVIDUAL WHO, UH, MIGHT GO INTO SHELTER IF THEY ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE DIVERSION RAPID EXIT, THEY CAN THEN EXIT SHELTER, AND THAT MAKES THAT BED FREE UP WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE OTHERWISE STAYED IN IT.
SO IT CAN BE KIND OF A FORCE MULTIPLIER IN THAT REGARD AS WELL.
AND THAT IS, UH, 500, ALMOST $600,000 OF ONGOING EXPENDITURES.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, I JUST WANNA APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THE AMENDMENTS YOU'RE BRINGING FORWARD REGARDING HOMELESSNESS AND INVITE YOU TO JOIN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE,
I, I, I THINK I MIGHT, UH, JUST HAVE TO DO THAT SINCE I'M,
[01:35:01]
I'VE EX-OFFICIO MYSELF TO DEATH.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM? ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE TO YOUR NEXT ONE, COUNCIL MEMBER AL ALTER.
NEXT ONE IS, IS, UH, ABOUT HOMELESS CASE MANAGERS.
AND SO RIGHT NOW, ONE OF THE BARRIERS WE SEE FOR INDIVIDUALS GETTING INTO HOUSING IS THEY WILL HAVE THEIR COORDINATED ASSESSMENT, BUT THEN THEY AREN'T NECESSARILY ABLE TO GET, UH, WITH A CASE MANAGER TO START RECEIVING THE SERVICES AND ULTIMATELY CONNECT TO HOUSING.
SO WHAT THIS WOULD DO IS CREATE A GRANT PROGRAM FOR POSITIONS THAT WE WOULD FUND, LIKE I SAID, AS A GRANT, UM, ON A TWO YEAR BASIS WHERE AN ENTITY COULD COME TO THE CITY AND SAY, YOU KNOW, IF I WAS ABLE TO HIRE ONE MORE CASE MANAGER, I COULD SERVE MORE PEOPLE.
UH, WE HAVE THEM ON THE WAITING LIST, BUT WE'RE JUST NOT ABLE TO SERVE THEM TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE A STAFF LIMITATION.
SO THIS WOULD HELP, UH, CITYWIDE US INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO SERVE THOSE WHO ARE JUST ON A WAITING LIST, ULTIMATELY TO CONNECT THEM TO HOUSING.
QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER WITH REGARD TO THAT PROPOSED AMENDMENT COMMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, WE'LL GO TO YOUR NEXT PROPOSED, UH, AMENDMENT.
YES, THIS IS AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR, AND THIS IS FOR PROJECT-BASED P S H VOUCHERS.
SO AS WE HAD THE DISCUSSION ON TUESDAY ABOUT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND OUR INCREASE INVESTMENT INTO PROJECT-BASED VOUCHERS, IT'S REALLY, UH, CRITICAL THAT WE CONTINUE THOSE INVESTMENTS BECAUSE, UH, AS WE HEARD FROM OUR HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN A NEED OF ABOUT 3000 UNITS, AND WHILE WE HAVE, UH, A GOOD PIPELINE COMING, UH, DOWN THE ROAD OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, WE, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SUSTAINED INVESTMENTS.
AND SO, RATHER THAN HAVING IT BE TENANT-BASED AND HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL HAVE TO FIND A, UH, LANDLORD WHO NOT ONLY OFFERS THE SERVICES BUT IS WILLING TO SAY YES, WHEN WE DO IT AS A PROJECT-BASED VOUCHER, IT ENSURES THAT THAT BED WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SOMEONE WHO NEEDS IT.
SO THIS WOULD CREATE A HUNDRED, UH, A HUNDRED PROJECT BASED VOUCHERS FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
IT'S A MILLION AND HALF THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM IS ALSO YOURS AS YOU END YOUR FILIBUSTER.
AND, AND THIS ONE IS, IS NOT SUPER SEXY, BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THIS IS ABOUT, WE'LL BE THE JUDGE OF THAT.
WELL, CONTRACT MANAGEMENT, UH, AS WE ARE GOING TO BE ENGAGED IN, UH, CONTRACTING WITH HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
A DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE HAD AS A, A DIOCESE IS ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THOSE CONTRACTS ARE STRUCTURED IN A MANNER SO THAT WE ARE RECEIVING, UH, THE RESULTS THAT ARE PROMISED TO US WITHIN, UH, VARIOUS RFPS OR OTHER AGREEMENTS.
AND SO THIS WOULD, UH, FULLY FUND, UH, TWO POSITIONS WITHIN THE HOMELESS STRATEGY DIVISION TO DO THEIR CONTRACTING.
THIS WAS IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THEIR AREAS OF UNMET NEEDS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THEM MANAGE THOSE CONTRACTS AND BE ABLE TO MONITOR THEM SO THAT WE ARE ACHIEVING THE RESULTS, NOT JUST, NOT JUST PUTTING THE MONEY OUT THERE, BUT, BUT GETTING THE RESULTS THROUGH THOSE INVESTMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, AND, AND I'M SO SORRY.
LET ME GO BACK TO YOUR, THE PROJECT, UH, UH, BASED VOUCHERS, UH, I I, THAT'S A GREAT APPROACH TO QUICKLY GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREET.
MY UNDERSTANDING, AND, AND IF WE COULD GET CLARIFICATION FROM STAFF, IS THAT WE HAVE UNUSED VOUCHERS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE NO ONE, LIKE IN AN APARTMENT THAT'S 97%, 98% FULL IS JUST, YOU KNOW, IS, IS NOT GONNA TAKE A POTENTIALLY PROBLEMATIC, YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER REASONS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT, UH, RIGHT.
SO THOSE ARE TENANT BASED VOUCHERS THAT WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTIES WITH RIGHT NOW, INDIVIDUALS WHO HOLD THE VOUCHER ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND A LANDLORD WHO WILL ACCEPT THEM, WHETHER IT'S BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT THE VOUCHER PAYS, OR JUST SIMPLY THEY DON'T, THEY'RE DISCRIMINATING BASED ON THEIR SOURCE OF INCOME.
SO WHEN SOMEONE IS BUILDING A PROJECT, THEY SAY, GIVE ME THAT FUNDING AND I WILL RESERVE THESE UNITS SO THAT THEY ARE AVAILABLE.
THERE WILL BE NO, UH, DISCRIMINATION ON ANYONE WHO WANTS TO, WHO WHO QUALIFIES FOR IT.
I I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION.
MAYOR PROAM, JUST A CLARIFYING QUESTION ON THE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT ONE.
UM, THE SPREADSHEET HAS A ONE-TIME EXPENDITURE OF ABOUT $6,000.
UM, IS THERE AN UPDATED RYAN ALTER FIVE OR WILL THAT BE
[01:40:01]
COMING OR IS THERE A Q AND A YOU CAN POINT ME TO JUST 'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT'S ON THE MESSAGE BOARD IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, AND I KNOW I'VE MADE AMENDMENTS, SO I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE AN AMENDMENTS.I'LL PROVIDE, UH, SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE MESSAGE BOARD ABOUT THAT.
I'M, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE, IT'S JUST THE SHORT ANSWER, SO I'LL GET YOU CLARIFICATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THAT PROPOSED AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER? SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, AND I, I THINK I ASKED THIS IN THE Q AND A, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
UM, SO IN QUESTION NINE IN THE Q AND A WHERE I ASKED FOR THE UNMET NEEDS, IT GAVE WHAT THE REQUESTS WERE DIDN'T GIVE US A FULL ACCOUNTING ALWAYS OF WHETHER THEY GOT WHAT THEY ASKED FOR.
AND I THINK THIS IS A CASE WHERE THEY ASKED FOR FOUR AND THEY GOT TWO.
AND SO I THINK THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN IS FILLING IN THE OTHER PIECE.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA FLAG THAT 'CAUSE I THINK SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO FILL OUT SOME THINGS THAT WERE UNMET NEEDS ON THIS CHART OR THAT, OR THAT DEPARTMENTS HAVE EXPRESSED.
UM, BUT THAT SOME PARTIAL GOT FUNDED, BUT NOT THE WHOLE THING.
AND SO I'M NOT COUNTING THOSE AS FULLY MET, UM, AS I'M EVALUATING THE CHOICES THAT WE'RE MAKING.
AND, AND THEY, UH, I'VE GOTTEN AN UPDATE THANKS TO, TO MY GOOD STAFF HERE.
AND I'M NOT GONNA GIVE MYSELF A GOLD STAR, BUT I'LL GO MORE SILVER STAR.
IF YOU TALK MORE THAN 15 MINUTES, IT'S HARD TO GET A SILVER STAR.
SO THAT'S WHAT I GOT, 157,000 ONGOING.
UM, THAT'LL MOVE US INTO THE NEXT SEGMENT, UH, OF ITEMS. UH, THESE WERE NOT PUT TOGETHER TO BE, UH, GLIB OR CUTE, BUT THE FIRST ONE WILL BE MAYOR AND COUNCIL POSITIONS.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE DEALS WITH NEUTERING.
AND I, UM, THAT, THAT'S JUST BY ACCIDENT.
UH, THE, THE, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL POSITION, WE HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED FOR, UH, FIVE, UH, STAFF MEMBERS FUNDED FOR FOUR.
UH, WHAT, WHAT MY OFFICE HAS DONE, AND PROBABLY WHAT OTHER OFFICES, UH, HAVE DONE IS, IS WE HAVE FIVE AND, AND WE JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SCRAPE EVERY OTHER, YOU KNOW, SOURCE OF BUDGET MONEY AND, AND USE IT TOWARDS STAFF.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE $1.3 BILLION GENERAL FUND, YOU KNOW, THE AIRPORT AUSTIN ENERGY.
THE THINGS AT CITY HALL MOVE VERY FAST.
UH, WE TRY TO DO A, A LOT OF CONSTITUENT COMMUNICATIONS.
WE TRY TO, YOU KNOW, GET OUT AND ABOUT.
WE TRY TO RESPOND TO THE HUNDREDS OF EMAILS THAT, THAT WE GET ON A, ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, AN ADDITIONAL, UH, STAFF MEMBER, UH, FUNDED POSITION WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OF COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE? YEAH, NO, I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MARLA FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE DO, BUT WE'RE NOWHERE WITHOUT OUR STAFF AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PAYING THEM, UH, FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK WE'VE HAD TO GET KIND OF CREATIVE IN OUR OFFICE TO HAVE FIVE FULL-TIME STAFFERS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE REALLOCATED SOME OF MY SALARY TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
SO I THINK THIS IS JUST BEING RIGHT BY STAFF FOR, FOR ALL OF US.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I THANK YOU FOR LEADING ON THIS.
AND AND I WOULD JUST SAY BASED ON THAT, THE, THE COUNCIL, THE, THE STAFFING STUDY THAT WAS DONE, UH, I THINK LAST YEAR, MAYBE THE YEAR BEFORE, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, BUT, UH, OTHER, UH, CITY COUNCILS AND OTHER KIND OF SIMILAR GOVERNMENTAL BODIES ARE BETTER STAFFED THAN, UH, THE AUSTIN, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL IS, I, I KNOW THE OTHER DAY WE WENT OUT TO LUNCH WITH A, A COUNCIL MEMBER FROM, UH, UH, SAN ANTONIO.
UH, AND I WANT TO SAY THEY WERE IN LIKE 10.
I MEAN, I, I MET WITH THEM TOO.
SOME OF THEM HAVE LIKE, AS, AS HIGH AS I THINK LIKE 15 STAFFERS.
UH, AND I'M NOT ASKING FOR 15
COUNCIL, ANY, ANYBODY? COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE THE NEED AND THE WORKLOAD.
UM, I DO THINK THAT OUR, UM, BUDGETS WERE INCREASED VERY LARGE AMOUNT LAST YEAR WITH THE WAGE ADJUSTMENT.
AND I'M NOT COMFORTABLE AT THIS POINT MAKING THAT ADJUSTMENT.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVERY DEPARTMENT IS STRUGGLING.
UM, AND I THINK THAT, THAT, UM, I THINK THAT WE CAN, WE CAN LIVE WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
UH, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT ITEM AND I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
THIS IS, UH, FOR, UH, INCREASING, UH, SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES.
UM, I DID NOT COME ONTO COUNCIL THINKING THAT I WAS GONNA GRAPPLE WITH ANIMAL, UH, SERVICES ISSUES
[01:45:01]
AS MUCH AS I HAVE OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS OR SO.UH, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ANIMAL CENTER, UH, IS STRUGGLING WITH CAPACITY ISSUES.
UM, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE'RE TALKING TO EMANCIPATE, WHO'S THE CONTRACTOR THAT PROVIDES THE SPAY NEUTER, UH, SERVICES FOR THE CITY.
UH, I, I BELIEVE THAT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WE'RE DOING ABOUT 10,000 OR SO SPAY AND NEUTER PER YEAR, UH, POST PANDEMIC WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT 5,000 PER YEAR.
UH, CONSEQUENTLY WE'VE SEEN AN EXPLOSION IN OUR ANIMAL POPULATION AND OUR AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER IS BURSTING AT THE SEAMS WITH KENNELS FULL.
UH, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, UH, WE, WE DON'T WANT TO BE PENNYWISE AND POUND FOOLISH IF WE'RE GONNA GET THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER UNDER CONTROL LONG TERM.
WE'VE GOT TO INVEST IN SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAMS. THEY WILL BE EFFECTIVE LONG TERM.
UH, AND SO THIS IS A, AN ATTEMPT TO DO THAT.
I I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, IS THAT EMANCIPATE, UH, MAY BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE, UH, AN ADDITIONAL MOBILE, UH, UNIT FOR DOING THEIR SPAY NEUTER SERVICES.
SO THIS WOULD, NOT FROM OUR FUNDS, BUT FROM OTHER, UH, SOURCES OF FUNDS.
AND SO, UH, ADDING TO THE SPAY NEUTER MONIES AVAILABLE, UH, WOULD BE ADDITIONALLY LEVERAGED BY THE POTENTIAL FOR, UH, AN ADEN AN ADDITIONAL MOBILE UNIT OUT THERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THANK YOU.
AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT THE NEED FOR MORE SPAY AND NEUTER FUNDING.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF, UM, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE LOOK AT WHEN THE AUDIT COMES BACK FROM THE AUDITOR RELATED TO THE ANIMAL CENTER, IF THAT MIGHT BE INCLUDED IN SOME OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, OR IF YOU KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
I WOULD SAY THAT RIGHT NOW, THE, MY CONSTITUENTS ARE REPORTING POTENTIAL LIKE MONTH, TWO, MONTH WAIT FOR SPAY NEUTER SERVICES.
UH, AND I, WITH THE PANDEMIC AND WITH ALL THE RELATED PROBLEMS THAT WE SAW, AGAIN, SO MANY PEOPLE ADOPTED, UH, ANIMALS DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND THOSE ANIMALS HAVE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY REGRETTED THAT DECISION AND, AND THEY MAY BE WILD NOW.
I, I JUST, I THINK THE SOONER THAT WE GET IN FRONT OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE SPAY AND NEUTER END OF THINGS, THE SOONER THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, GET OUR BROADER ANIMAL POPULATION UNDER CONTROL.
SO I, THERE IS AN URGENCY TO THIS.
UH, WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS ADD KENNEL SPACES, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE ALL WE NEED NOW.
ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, MORE AND MORE, UH, I JUST, THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO GO.
I KNOW THE ANIMAL CENTER IS STRUGGLING WITH, UH, CAPACITY AND, AND LONG TERM.
AGAIN, WE HAD THE MICROCHIP, UH, RESOLUTION.
THAT'S A, A WAY TO GET ANIMALS BACK TO THE RIFLE OWNERS.
UH, I THINK THAT NOW THE SPAY AND NEUTER A BUDGET AMENDMENT IS ANOTHER WAY TO TRY TO CONTROL OUR, UH, ANIMAL POPULATION.
AND AGAIN, I, I THINK THE EMPHASIS ON THIS TOO IS TO DO IT IN A, IN A HUMANE MANNER.
WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO, WE, WE LOVE THE NO KILL SHELTER.
WE EMBRACE A NO KILL MODEL, BUT FUNDAMENTALLY THOUGH, WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES AROUND THE ANIMAL CENTER SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO EMBRACE THE NO KILL MODEL THAT OUR COMMUNITY HARDLY SUPPORTS.
COUNCIL, OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THIS PROPOSED ITEM? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I WAS JUST GONNA POINT OUT THIS IS ANOTHER REALLY GOOD, UH, UH, EXAMPLE WHERE PHILANTHROPY IS GONNA BE CRITICAL.
WE'RE GONNA NEED THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO REALLY HELP US OUT WITH THESE EXPENSES IF WE'RE GONNA MAINTAIN THAT NOKI MODEL.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO THE NEXT GROUP OF ITEMS, AND I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER ON THE FIRST PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UM, COLLEAGUES, I'VE PUT FORTH AN AMENDMENT TO ADD TWO NEW FTES TO PAR TO IMPLEMENT THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN, UM, WHICH HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE PASSING SHORTLY.
UM, THIS WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY STAFF TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN THAT IS CRITICAL IN OUR CITY'S FIGHT TO PREVENT WILDFIRES.
YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT THE CREATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN WAS RECOMMENDED IN OUR 2019 WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS AUDIT.
WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THIS PLAN FROM THE TRAVIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHAL IN 2019.
IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT PARD MANAGED MORE THAN 15,000 ACRES, WHICH IS ABOUT 29% OF OUR LAND PORTFOLIO.
OUR ACREAGE HAS ONLY GROWN SINCE 2019, AND MANY OF THESE PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING AT HIGH RISK FOR WILDFIRES.
UM, THIS MONTH WE'RE SEEING LOTS OF RED FLAG WARNINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO ALERT US THAT A WILDFIRE THREAT IS POSSIBLE IN THE AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY AREA.
WE'VE SEEN LAND BURN IN BASTROP.
WE HAVE ONGOING WILDFIRES TODAY IN HAYES COUNTY AND CEDAR PARK, AND WE HAVE CONTINUED RED FLAG WARNINGS.
UM, THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
IT'S NOT ANOTHER PLAN THAT WE CAN PUT ON A SHELF.
THE STAKES ARE TOO HIGH, THE CONSEQUENCES ARE DIRE.
[01:50:01]
AMENDMENT SUPPORTS THE STAFFING THAT IS NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.UM, I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY BE EXPEDITING THIS WORK.
UM, WE HAVE AN OPTION TO DO SO THAT DOES NOT COST A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY, UM, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE US TO LEAN IN AND SAY THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY.
UM, I DO WANNA JUST FLAG THAT THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN IS NOT ONLY ABOUT WILDFIRE.
THERE'S ALL SORTS OF CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN REALLY, UM, NEGLECTING.
AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO LEAN INTO THAT.
I JUST WANNA TAKE, UH, TWO SECONDS TO THANK COUNCILOR NELSON ALTER AS WE ARE LITERALLY BURNING NORTHEAST AND SOUTH.
THIS IS CRITICAL, IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
AND SO I, I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
MAYOR PRO TIM, AND THEN COUNCILMAN RIVERA.
I ALSO WANNA ECHO MY SUPPORT, UM, FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE SPEAK, WE STILL HAVE SOME OPEN SPACES THE CITY OWNS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN, UH, PROPERLY ADDRESSED SINCE THE FEBRUARY STORM, WHERE WE JUST HAVE KIND OF THE NATURAL DEGRADATION OF THE FALLEN LIMBS IN PLACES THAT ARE VERY HARD TO GET TO SIMPLY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO, TO ASSIGN THEM.
SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, UM, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN ON THIS FRONT, ESPECIALLY AS WE HAVE ONE PERSON, UM, WITH PARD LAND MANAGEMENT THAT'S CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON HOMELESSNESS, UM, SERVICES, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PARD REPRESENTATIVE.
AND AS, AS A REMINDER, YOU KNOW, CAMPING IN PUBLIC SPACES AND IN THE PARK SPACE, VERY, VERY, UM, SPECIFICALLY WAS, WAS NEVER AUTHORIZED.
UM, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY STILL STRUGGLES WITH TODAY.
SO I KNOW THIS IS A BIG ISSUE.
I HAD SOMEONE WHO LIVES OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, BUT ADJACENT TO CITY PARK SPACE, UM, WORRIED ABOUT SOMEONE USING FIRES TO COOK THEIR MEALS, UM, WITH THIS EXTREME DANGER HAPPENING EVERY DAY.
SO I KNOW THIS IS A VERY URGENT NEED AND I HOPE TO SEE US BE ABLE TO DO THIS WORK.
UH, AGAIN, I JUST WANNA ECHO ONE OF MY COLLEAGUE SENTIMENTS AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THAT ITEM.
UH, DISTRICT FOUR IS, UH, OF LOWER WILDFIRE RISK.
VERY URBAN, BUT NOT ZERO WILDFIRE RISK, EVEN IN A VERY URBAN DISTRICT.
THERE ARE STILL, YOU KNOW, CREEKS AND, UH, OPEN SPACES THAT, UH, ARE VERY, UH, VERY CRISPY RIGHT NOW AND COULD IGNITE HONESTLY AT, AT, AT ANY MOMENT.
I, I APPRECIATE THE ITEM AND, AND SUPPORT IT THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
I APPRECIATE, UM, THE SUPPORT.
AND I'LL JUST SAY FOR ANYONE WHO'S WATCHING, WE HAVE GREAT RESOURCES.
IF YOU WANNA UNDERSTAND THE RISK TO YOUR HOME, IF YOU WANNA FIND RESOURCES FOR THINGS THAT YOU INDIVIDUALLY CAN DO TO REDUCE YOUR RISK, UM, EVERYONE HAS A PART TO PLAY WITH THE WILDFIRE AND JUST WANNA ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO DO, TO DO THAT.
ALRIGHT, THAT'LL TAKE US TO THE NEXT ITEM MEMBERS JUST IN PUBLIC.
LET ME TELL YOU, I THINK WE'LL PROCEED HERE IN THE NEXT 10 TO 20 MINUTES WHEN WE FINISH THIS SECTION OF ITEMS. UH, AND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY THAT WE'D MAKE, HAVE THEM WAITING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, UH, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND WE DO IS TAKE A 30 MINUTE LUNCH BREAK AND COME BACK.
WE'RE MOVING AT A GOOD CLIP AND SO I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO FINISH, UH, EARLY AFTERNOON AND THAT WOULD ALLOW A BREAK FOR EVERYBODY.
SO AS WE GET TO THE LAST IN THIS SECTION, WHICH WILL BE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA WITH REGARD TO LIFEGUARDS, ONCE WE'VE COMPLETED THAT, THEN WE'LL RECESS FOR 30 MINUTES AT WHATEVER TIME THAT IS, UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, I'LL GO TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM.
MY NEXT AMENDMENT IS IN REGARD TO PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT FACILITIES MAINTENANCE.
THIS IS A LINE ITEM FOR 10 FULL-TIME POSITIONS, BUT THEY WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS TEMPORARY.
WE KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF WORK, UM, THAT PART IS ALWAYS STEPPING UP TO DO, BUT WE KNOW THEY COULD ALWAYS USE EXTRA HANDS.
AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE LACKING THE ADEQUATE STAFFING TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN PARKS, UH, REC FACILITIES, CULTURAL CENTERS AND POOLS.
AND SO WE WANTED TO HAVE THIS LINE ITEM IN THERE JUST, UH, REFLECTIVE OF THE CURRENT NEED FOR ADDITIONAL F T E, UM, EXTRA HANDS ON DECK, MANY HANDS MAKES LIGHT WORK.
AND SO I, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD SUPPORT.
UM, THE PARKS FOUNDATION'S RECOMMENDATION ACTUALLY CAME IN TWICE AS HIGH AS FAR AS HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY ACTUALLY NEED.
SO WE WANTED, UM, TO TRY TO GET AS MANY AS POSSIBLE, UM, KNOWING THAT THE NEED WAS, WAS QUITE HIGH AS, AS THEY WERE ABLE TO ASSESS.
SO THIS ONE IS GONNA BE FOR JUST 10 POSITIONS THAT ARE TEMPORARY, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE A ONE-TIME EXPENDITURE, BUT THEY WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE, UH, 40 HOUR PER WEEK TYPES OF WORK.
UM, PLEASED TO CO-SPONSOR THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR PERAM ELLIS FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD.
AND I JUST WANNA UNDERSCORE, UM, THE NEED AND ALSO
[01:55:01]
THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS 21 ORGANIZATIONS CAME IN AND, AND ASKED FOR $2 MILLION IN 21 POSITIONS.AND SO WE'VE ALREADY SCALED THIS BACK TO BE REASONABLE.
UM, AND SO I HOPE THAT, THAT WE CAN GET THIS FUNDED ANY YES, MANAGER, UH, MAYOR, UH, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND MAYOR PRO TEM.
I, AND, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, THAT DISCUSSION WE HAD LAST WEEK, UH, WE PREVIOUSLY, THE, UH, UNDER THE OLD SYSTEM WE'VE NOT ADEQUATELY BROUGHT TO COUNCIL, THE ORGANIZATION HAS NOT BROUGHT BACK TO COUNCIL A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT IN TERMS OF THESE, THESE NEEDS PLUS OTHER ASSETS.
AND WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FALL TO LAY THE PREDICATE FOR 25, BECAUSE I THINK THAT UNDER PREVIOUS MANAGEMENT WE FAILED TO DO THAT.
AND AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE OXYGEN HAS BEEN TAKEN UP BY OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE PRESSING NO NEED.
AND WE, WE OWE, WE OWE AS IN OUR ORGANIZATION NOW TO BRING YOU A FULL REPORT ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE AND WHAT THAT ROADMAP NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE TO ENSURE WE GET BACK ON TRACK.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR WITH REGARD TO THIS ITEM OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, MAYOR PRO TIM, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT ITEM.
THIS IS FOR THE CIRCLE C METRO PARK SECURITY.
UM, AS I SPOKE ABOUT, I THINK IT WAS ON TUESDAY OF THIS WEEK, UM, THERE IS A NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SOCCER FIELDS AND THE CIRCLE C METRO PARK ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE, UM, OTHER THAN A PARKS MAINTENANCE VEHICLE.
UH, THE SITUATION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING IS THAT AFTER IT RAINS, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOING ON THERE AND TEARING UP THE TURF, UM, AND MESSING UP THE SOCCER FIELDS.
AND THAT'S A TRICKY SITUATION BECAUSE PARKS PARTNERS WITH THE LONE STAR SOCCER CLUB, AND SO THEIR PART OF THEIR LEASE IS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE PARK SPACE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE FOR THEIR SOCCER PROGRAMS. AND SO WHEN WE HAVE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, GOING, GOING OUTSIDE OF WHERE THE PARKING SPACES ARE AND DECIDING TO TEAR UP THE SOCCER FIELDS, IT'S A SITUATION THAT, UM, IMPACTS A LOT OF DIFFERENT FAMILIES AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT KIDS THAT WANNA PLAY SOCCER.
UM, SO I WANTED TO TAILOR THIS VERY SPECIFICALLY TO JUST THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE NEEDS OF OTHER PARK SPACES AND IF THIS IS HAPPENING IN OTHER PARTS OF TOWN.
UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO REALLY TRY TO SORT OUT, UM, THE, THE SMOOTHEST AND QUICKEST AND EASIEST WAY TO TRY TO MAKE THOSE FIELDS INACCESSIBLE FOR, UM, FOR LARGER VEHICLES.
SO THAT'S WHAT THIS LINE ITEM AIMS TO DO.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
UH, I I JUST WANNA THANK, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM FORWARD, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING YOUR OFFICE TALK TO MINE SO WE COULD UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NEED IN YOUR DISTRICT.
I'D BE HAPPY TO CO-SPONSOR THAT SO THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND EVEN SOME OF MINE WHO TRAVEL ACROSS THE CITY CAN USE THAT SPACE SAFELY.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THIS PROPOSED ITEM? THANK YOU ALL.
I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA ON THE NEXT ITEM.
UH, I WON'T SAY TOO MUCH ABOUT IT.
WE NEED SHADES FOR OUR PARK FACILITIES.
UH, PARKS HAS BUDGETED $200,000 TO ADD TWO SHADE STRUCTURES IN TWO PARKS.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT AMOUNT, UH, AND FUND, UH, AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
I, AGAIN, I WANT TO CREDIT, UM, UH, PAR FOR CREATING A GREAT, UH, MAP OF OUR PARKS AND WHICH FACILITIES NEED SHADE.
UH, IT'S REALLY AN EXCELLENT, UH, TOOL.
AND THEY ALSO HAVE CREATED, UH, A, UH, UH, A PRIORITIZATION MATRIX, WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT EQUITABLE FACTORS, POPULATION DENSITIES, YOU KNOW, USAGE OF THE PARK, ALTERNATIVE AREAS, AGAIN, VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTING SHADE STRUCTURES, UH, ACROSS OUR CITY.
UH, THIS WOULD ALLOW THEM TO START, UH, HITTING THE, THE, THE MAJOR, THE HIGHEST RANKING, UH, AREAS THAT NEED THE SHADE.
UM, UH, I WILL SAY AGAIN, JUST IN CONVERSATIONS, THIS IS POTENTIALLY, UM, BONDABLE, UH, AGAIN, I MEAN, IT IS A, IT IS A A HARD EXPENSE.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO IF WE COULD, UH, IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO SHIFT THIS FROM, UH, GENERAL FUND TO A CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I'LL LEAVE THAT TO, UH, UH, MANAGEMENT TO, TO FIGURE OUT.
BUT, UH, I DO WOULD PUT THIS AS NEXT TO THE, THE, THE TENANT SUPPORT, MAKING SURE WE HAVE SUFFICIENT TENANT SUPPORT AS, AS MY HIGHEST PRIORITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTAR, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
UM, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK, UM, WITH SOME FOLKS, UM, FROM YOUR DISTRICT, ACTUALLY, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UM, LAST WEEK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE HEAT.
AND IT REALLY REINFORCED, UM, THE NEED FOR US TO BE HAVING THESE SPACES ALL OVER TOWN.
UM, AND WITH THE REDUCED TREE CANOPY EVERYWHERE BECAUSE OF THE STORM AND THE DISCREPANCIES ACROSS, UM, WEST AND EAST.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
[02:00:01]
UM, I WAS INITIALLY SKEPTICAL OF WHETHER PART COULD IMPLEMENT THAT MUCH AT ONCE, UM, BUT WE, WE GOT SOME INFORMATION THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE THIS INTO PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD THE SHADE PART.SO I THINK IT'S MUCH MORE DOABLE.
SO I WOULD SUPPORT THIS AS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN FUND AND WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A, AS A CO-SPONSOR.
ONE, UH, IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO MATCH UP TO A MILLION DOLLARS OF THIS.
SO THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, MONEY MULTIPLIER HERE, WHICH, WHICH IS REALLY THANKS TO THEM AND, AND A GREAT THING.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT, I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AND I ENCOURAGE, UH, THE PARKS FOLKS TO, TO COORDINATE WITH THEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT HAVE TO, INSTEAD OF HAVING A, UM, SAIL SHADE, WHAT IF WE HAD A, A SOLAR PANEL SHADE THAT NOW WE ARE BOTH HAVING GENERATION AND SHADE TOGETHER.
SO THE, THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN BE INNOVATIVE AND, AND DO MORE THAN JUST SHADE.
AND SO I JUST, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT.
JUST AUSTIN, I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR COUNCILOR MARBELLA, YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS SHADE STRUCTURES AMENDMENT.
AND I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION CAN ALSO JOIN US IN AMPLIFYING OUR IMPACT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, GIVEN THE SEVERE CLIMATE CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN.
AND GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN CONSECUTIVE DAYS, UH, THIS SUMMER ALONE, I KNOW THAT FOR MY COMMUNITY, I HEARD SEVERAL TIMES, UM, FROM FOLKS IN DOVE SPRINGS ABOUT THE NEED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL SHADE AT THE DOVE SPRINGS POOL.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR STAFF AS AN AREA, UM, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE PRIORITIZED WITH THIS FUNDING, SHOULD IT GO THROUGH.
UH, AND I, I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE SUPPORT AND THANK YOU, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALLISON AL ALTER FOR, FOR, UH, JOINING US A AS A CO-SPONSOR.
UH, WITH REGARD TO THE EQUITABLE, THE REALITY IS THAT THE TREE CANOPY IN WEST AUSTIN'S A LOT BETTER THAN THE TREE CANOPY IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT MAP THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER, THERE'S A LOT OF NATURALLY OCCURRING SHADE PICNIC BENCHES AND OTHER AREAS THAT ARE ALMOST FULLY SHADED IN A LOT OF THE, THE WEST AUSTIN PARKS.
NOT SO MUCH IN THE EAST AUSTIN PARKS.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO GIVE, I KNOW MILLO PARK IS A BRAND NEW PARK THAT JUST OPENED IN DISTRICT FOUR.
UH, THE PARK IS ALREADY INCORPORATING SHADE STRUCTURES AS AN EXPENSE AS THEY MOVE FORWARD IN, UH, UH, IN, IN BUILDING OUT NEW PLAYGROUNDS AND NEW PARKS.
THIS WOULD BE REALLY TO RETROFIT OLD, UH, PLAYGROUNDS, OLD BASKETBALL COURTS AND THOSE KINDS OF FACILITIES.
I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FOR THE, UH, NEXT ITEM.
AND THIS IS JUST TO BUILD THAT CORE GROUP OF LIFEGUARDS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, FOUR SWIMMING POOLS THAT ARE OPEN YEAR ROUND.
UH, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH PARKS LAST YEAR, THEY, UH, ESTIMATE ABOUT 25 TO 30 LIFEGUARDS THAT THEY WOULD NEED ON A YEAR-ROUND, PERMANENT BASIS TO STAFF.
THESE, WE, UH, HAVE 13 THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED AS PERMANENT, UH, FULL-TIME POSITIONS WITH BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING.
UH, THE REST OF OUR LIFEGUARDS, EVEN THE ONES THAT ARE WORKING YEAR ROUND, ARE STILL CONSIDERED TO BE TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES.
UH, THIS WOULD JUST BUILD ON THAT, UH, NUMBER, TAKING IT FROM, UH, 13 TO, UH, TO 20, JUST KIND OF INCREMENTALLY TRYING TO, UH, ADD TO THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, UH, THANK YOU.
AS I INDICATED WHEN WE GOT TO THE THAT ITEM, WE WOULD TAKE A BREAK, UH, 30 MINUTE RECESS.
IT IS 12:03 PM I'M INCLINED TO REDUCE THAT NUMBER FROM 30 MINUTES TO 27 AND GET A GOLD STAR MYSELF.
BUT, UM, UH, I WON'T, UH, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE COUNCIL WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 1235.
I'M GONNA CALL THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL BACK TO ORDER.
IT IS, UM, 12:36 PM AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO MEET AT CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
I'LL RECOGNIZE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER ON THE FIRST ITEM IN THE NEW CATEGORY.
UM, SO COLLEAGUES, MY AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE, VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT VICTIM SERVICE COUNSELORS.
UM, IT AUTHORIZES THE FUNDING OF SEVEN FTES AND THE, THE VICTIM SERVICES DIVISION.
UH, THE VICTIM SERVICES DIVISION PROVIDES SUPPORT TO SURVIVORS OF VIOLENT CRIME AND IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF CRISIS RESPONSE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
VICTIM SERVICE COUNSELORS ARE SYSTEM-BASED ADVOCATES WHO PROVIDE BOTH ON SCENE AND FOLLOW-UP TRAUMA-INFORMED SERVICES, INCLUDING COUNSELING, CRISIS INTERVENTION, AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, ADVOCACY, TRAUMA EDUCATION, SAFETY PLANNING, REFERRALS
[02:05:01]
TO COMMUNITY AND CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESOURCES AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ORIENTATION.BECAUSE VICTIM SERVICES IS THE DESIGNATED CRIME VICTIM LIAISON FOR THE DEPARTMENT, COUNSELORS ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING VICTIMS ARE AWARE OF THEIR RIGHTS WITHIN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
IN MY VIEW, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF CRIME HAVE SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE WITHIN THE SYSTEM TO SPECIFICALLY SERVE THEIR NEEDS AND TO ENSURE THAT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD.
THE RAY OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY VICTIM SERVICE COUNSELORS IS HIGHLY RELEVANT FOR THE CITY'S VULNERABLE, CULTURALLY SPECIFIC POPULATIONS, PARTICULARLY REFUGEES, IMMIGRANTS, AND NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
MAINTAINING THESE POSITIONS IS CRITICAL.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE GRANT FUNDING WE ARE WAITING ON WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE POPULATIONS THEY WOULD BE WORKING WITH.
SO EVEN IF WE RECEIVE THE GRANT, IT WOULD STILL REDUCED STAFF CAPACITY FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE.
WE MADE PROMISES TO SURVIVORS AND ADVOCATES DURING THE SEXUAL ASSAULT SETTLEMENT.
AND WHILE MANY OF YOU ARE NEW TO THE DAAS, I KNOW THAT YOU WISH TO HONOR THOSE PROMISES.
MY OPINION, THESE ARE PROMISES THAT WE DEFINITELY ALL NEED TO HONOR.
MY AMENDMENT SPEAKS TO THE DETAILS OF THE CURRENT SITUATION AND THE NEED FOR THESE POSITIONS IN GREAT DETAIL, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
YOU'LL NOTE THAT YOU RECEIVED A LETTER TODAY FROM DA GARZA, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THESE POSITIONS.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE, THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THESE POSITIONS RIGHT NOW SERVING THESE ROLES.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT? ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
SO COLLEAGUES, YOU'LL SEE IN MY AMENDMENT THAT I PROPOSED 10 MORE FULL-TIME, 10 EMPLOYEES, NINE SWORN FTS, AND ONE CIVILIAN WITHIN THE E M S DEPARTMENT.
SO THE PROGRAM CAN OPERATE 24 7.
THIS IS FOR THE COLLABORATIVE CARE COMMUNICATION CENTER, C FOUR.
UM, THE C FOUR PROGRAMS MAKE SURE THAT PATIENTS WHO DON'T NEED THE EMERGENCY ROOM RECEIVE THE MEDICAL TREATMENT THEY REQUIRE.
THIS HELPS AVOID A STRAIN ON OUR HOSPITALS AND PROVIDES REAL COST SAVINGS TO OUR COMMUNITY PATIENTS AND THE BROADER HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
SHOULD THIS AMENDMENT BE APPROVED, THESE BENEFITS COULD BE REALIZED ON A 24 7 BASIS, WHICH IN TURN WOULD FREE UP AMBULANCES AND REDUCE RESPONSE TIMES ACROSS THE CITY.
FURTHER, THIS PROGRAM ALSO PLAYS A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR OPIOID RESPONSE EFFORTS FOR PATIENTS WHO NEED A MORE SPECIALIZED RESPONSE AND FOLLOW UP.
AND I HOLD THE OPINION THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO NOT HAVE THIS PROGRAM BE 24 7.
UM, THIS AMENDMENT I WILL JUST POINT OUT ALSO RELATES TO MY ITEM FROM COUNCIL.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT WE'RE EXPERIENCING DEC DECLINE OR INCREASED RESPONSE TIMES FROM E M S AND THE C FOUR PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE KEY WAYS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE RESPONSE TIMES AND REDUCE THEM WITHOUT HAVING TO SET UP STATIONS AND INVEST IN, UM, A LOT OF THE, UM, EXTRA EQUIPMENT, ET CETERA.
SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, PROGRAM.
I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT MY AMENDMENT IS LISTED AS 1.1 MILLION.
THAT WOULD BE IF WE FUNDED THIS FOR THE FULL YEAR.
MY AMENDMENT ACTUALLY HAS, ITS STARTING MID-YEAR.
SO IN TERMS OF ONGOING FUNDING THAT WE NEED FOR THIS YEAR, IT'S 5.5.
UM, AND, BUT WE WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE ONGOING IMPLICATIONS OF THAT HIRING.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ANY QUESTIONS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER PUENTES, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
YOU KNOW, I FIRST, UM, BECAME INTERESTED IN THIS TYPE OF SERVICE WHEN I, WHEN ME AND MY TEAM WERE THINKING THROUGH WHAT ARE SOME ALTERNATIVE WAYS FOR US TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY RESPONSE THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE A, A LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPONENT TO IT.
RIGHT NOW IN AUSTIN, WE HAVE A COPO MODEL MODEL, AND WE HAVE TASKED OUR POLICE OFFICERS WITH RESPONDING TO MANY INCIDENTS AND MANY CALLS.
WE'VE ASKED THEM TO BE HOUSING COORDINATORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS AND, UH, MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS.
AND SO BY INVESTING IN THIS TYPE OF WORK AND THE C FOUR MODEL AND BRINGING PARAMEDICS IN, UH, TO THE CALL CENTER AND EXPANDING THEIR LEVEL OF SERVICE AND HOW THEY RESPOND IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN THE NIGHTTIME HOURS, REALLY EXTENDS OUR LEADERSHIP AS A CITY WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH FOR US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ROBUST MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THIS, UH, WHAT THE C FOUR CENTER CAN DO AND HOW IT WILL JUST BUILD UPON, UM, THE FACT THAT WE WERE THE FIRST CITY IN THIS COUNTRY TO OFFER MENTAL HEALTH AS A, AS AN OPTION WHEN SOMEONE CALLS 9 1 1.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UH, PUT PARAMEDICS IN, IN RESPONDING TO SITUATIONS THAT THERE IS A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT AND, UH, AND, UH, AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT.
AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
COUNCILMEMBER, UM, ALLISON ALTER.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FOCUS ON THE COLLABORATIVE CARE COMMUNICATION CENTER.
[02:10:01]
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS ITEM SPECIFICALLY, I THINK ABOUT THE OTHER WAYS THAT THE E M S SERVICES TAXED AND HOW, WHILE THIS MAY SEEM LIKE A LARGE PRICE TAG AT FIRST GLANCE, WE'RE REALLY SAVING MONEY OVERALL IN OTHER AREAS.AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT INVESTMENT IS IMPORTANT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THIS ITEM? I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
SO COLLEAGUES, UM, MY AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR, RESPONSE TO HATE.
WE ALL BELONG, UM, ADDS $350,000 IN ONETIME MONEY.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, I REPRESENT AN AREA WHERE MANY ACTS OF HATE HAVE OCCURRED IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
I REMEMBER THAT SHOCK THAT RIPPLED THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED THESE INCIDENCES OF HATE, WHICH BEGAN IN, UM, 2021.
IN, IN GREAT STRENGTH, WE HAVE A HISTORY OF ACTS OF HATE AGAINST MANY OF THE DIVERSE MEMBERS AND GROUPS THAT MAKE UP OUR CITY.
HOWEVER, I ALSO WANNA REMEMBER THE RESPONSE FROM OUR COMMUNITY IN THAT AFTERMATH, HOW QUICKLY WE CAME TOGETHER TO SAY THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT WE STAND FOR.
I'M REALLY PROUD TO BE PART OF A CITY COUNCIL THAT HAS SPOKEN LOUDLY AND CLEARLY AGAINST HATE DIRECTED AT ANY PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE STOOD AGAINST THOSE WHO HAVE TARGETED OUR MUSLIM COMMUNITY, OUR ASIAN COMMUNITY, AUSTINITES OF COLOR, L G B T Q, AND WE'VE STOOD AGAINST THOSE WHO HAVE SOUGHT TO CHALLENGE OUR DEMOCRACY MORE BROADLY.
WE STILL THOUGH, HAVE WORK TO DO TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE TO HATE, NO MATTER THEIR GROUP BEING TARGETED.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO STREAMLINE OUR REPORTING PROCESS SO THAT EVERY AUSTINITE KNOWS HOW TO REPORT HATE INCIDENTS, AND WE MUST IMPROVE OUR SYSTEMS TO MONITOR AND INTERRUPT PATTERNS OF HATE BEFORE THEY ESCALATE.
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS MUST BE TRAINED IN HOW TO RESPOND TO THE TACTICS OF HATE GROUPS.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION SO THAT EVERY AUSTINITE FEELS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO STOP THE SPREAD OF HATE AND KNOWS WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY COUNTER IT.
WE NEED EVERY AUSTINITE TO MAKE THESE REPORTS, UM, IF THEY EXPERIENCE HATE.
I WILL NOTE THAT EVEN THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THIS, UM, WE EXPERIENCED ANOTHER ANTISEMITIC INCIDENT IN OUR COMMUNITY, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW IN 21 AND 22.
UM, WE PUT THIS SYSTEM TO, TO THE TEST, AND THERE WAS SOME THINGS WE DID WELL, AND THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE STILL NEED TO IMPROVE.
UM, SO THIS IS TIMELY AND IMPORTANT.
UM, MY AMENDMENT WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY FUNDING TO ADVANCE THIS CRITICAL WORK.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE BACKGROUND.
I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AND AND THE ROOM KNOWS THAT WE HAVE A, WE ALL BELONG.
IT'S I HATE EVENT THIS SATURDAY CALLED THE PARTY AT THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE HERE AT CITY HALL AT SIX O'CLOCK RIGHT BEFORE THE PRIDE PARADE.
UM, I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US AND ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO COME.
IT IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE FACE THE HATE THAT WE ALSO ARE ABLE TO STAND UP AND DEMONSTRATE THAT WE VALUE THE CULTURAL RICHNESS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I KNOW THE STAFF, UM, N P I O WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS EVENT HAVE REALLY PUT A LOT INTO IT AND, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL COME AND CELEBRATE TOGETHER.
YOU ALSO HAVE A LETTER FROM DA GARZA, UM, FOR THAT ITEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? VERY GOOD.
I WILL NOW GO TO, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TIM ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE IS ABOUT THE DISTRIBUTION OF FREE GUN LOCKS AND THE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN FOR SAFE STORAGE OF WEAPONS.
AND SO THAT RIGHT NOW HAS A BLANK IN IT.
WE DID GET OUR ANSWER BACK THROUGH THE Q AND A AND ARE GONNA BE PLUGGING THAT IN FOR 80,000 OF ONGOING EXPENDITURES, AND THAT IS ONLY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAINTAINING THAT PROGRAM AT THE CURRENT LEVEL.
SO WE APPRECIATE ALL OUR, UH, PARTNERS WHO HELP US WITH THOSE PROGRAMS, UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE BRINGING THAT AMENDMENT.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PROAM QUESTIONS.
KELLY, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
THEY HAVE THE, THE VISUAL AIDS I BROUGHT TODAY.
UM, MY FIRST BUDGET AMENDMENT IS ONE-TIME FUNDING ALLOCATION TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET TO FUND 61 VEHICLE WRAPS, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PHOTOS HERE.
AND THEN I BELIEVE THERE ARE SEVERAL OR A COUPLE OTHER PHOTOS.
UM, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS IN NEED OF NEW VEHICLE WRAPS.
UM, SEVERAL OFFICERS CAME TO ME AND LET ME KNOW THAT, UM, THEIR VEHICLES HAD EXPERIENCED A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR.
UM, THEY DON'T LOOK SO GREAT AND I BELIEVE IT WOULD GO A LONG WAY FOR MORALE AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AMONG THE OFFICERS.
IF WE PUT THE ONE-TIME FUNDING OF $183,000 TOWARDS THIS.
UM, THERE IS A REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE OUTLINED IN THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, UM, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S A REAL SMALL INVESTMENT, WHICH WILL GO A LONG WAY AMONG MORALE FOR THE OFFICERS.
AND THEN ALSO IT'LL SHOW PRIDE IN THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE.
[02:15:01]
MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, WE HAD OUR AUDITOR DO A SPECIAL REPORT ABOUT HOW FREQUENTLY, UM, PD BASICALLY WRECKS THEIR FLEET AND IT WAS ASTRONOMICAL.
SO IF WE DO MAKE THIS KIND OF INVESTMENT, I'D LIKE FOR US TO ALSO JUST SORT OF DOVETAIL THAT WITH SOME DEGREE OF REGULAR, UM, MAYBE THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE COULD KEEP UP WITH JUST HOW FREQUENTLY, YOU KNOW, THE FLEET IS GETTING WRECKED AND WORN OUT.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I WOULD JUST ADD I, UM, LOOKED, TOOK A LOOK AT THAT AUDIT AND MY OFFICE HAS BEEN TRYING TO COME UP WITH A, UM, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM POTENTIALLY THAT WE COULD ROLL OUT RELATED TO ALL FLEET SERVICES AND VEHICLES RELATED, NOT JUST TO A P D, BUT THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THAT I SEE THIS MORE AS AN INVESTMENT IN THE OVERALL OUTLOOK OF THE VEHICLES.
NOT NECESSARILY THAT THEY'RE BEING WRECKED AND NEED THE WRAP REPLACED, THIS IS JUST REGULAR WEAR AND TEAR FROM WHAT I CAN TELL BASED ON THE USE OF THE VEHICLES.
I APPRECIATE THAT IT WAS JUST AN ADJACENT CONCERN.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
AND I DO NOT HAVE A PHOTO OF THIS.
UM, WE CONSIDERED BRINGING A TRUCK OVER HERE, BUT WE DECIDED NOT TO.
IT WOULD'VE LOOKED REAL GOOD OUTSIDE THAT WINDOW OVER THERE.
UM, SO THIS IS, UH, KELLY BUDGET AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO ONE TIME FUNDING ALLOCATION TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET TO FUND ONE AERIAL FIRETRUCK.
WE HAVE AT LENGTH TALKED ABOUT THIS AS A DAIS AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT THIS IS A NEED.
UM, WITHOUT GOING INTO ALL THE DETAILS, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS APPARATUS AD NAUSEUM, I WILL SAY THAT FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT AREN'T AWARE, CURRENTLY, IT TAKES UP TO TWO YEARS AND THAT'S A VERY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE TO GET A FIRETRUCK BUILT AND THEN DELIVERED.
AND SO IT IS MY BELIEF THAT SINCE ONE HASN'T BEEN PURCHASED SINCE 1995 RELATED TO THIS SPECIFIC TYPE OF APPARATUS, IT IS VITALLY IMPERATIVE THAT WE GET THE BALL ROLLING NOW AND THEN UPON DELIVERY WE WILL BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT.
UM, AND SO THAT IS KELLY BUDGET AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.
IF WE CAN HAVE SOMEONE WHO, OR I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHERE WOULD THIS AERIAL TRUCK BE PLACED? WHICH STATION? UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS AD GETS ADDED TO THE FLEET, SO IT'LL REPLACE WHATEVER WE'VE GOT THAT'S THE OLDEST THAT GOES THEN INTO, INTO A RESERVE.
THAT'S THE WAY, THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD.
THAT'S WHAT WORKED WHEN I RAN IT
AND THAT JUST DEPENDS ON, ON WHERE THOSE, WHERE THOSE AERIALS ARE DEPLOYED NOW.
AND DO WE KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS, UH, AN ASSESSMENT DONE THAT IDENTIFIED TWO STATIONS IN WHICH NEEDED AN AERIAL TRUCK.
IF, IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S WHAT THE CHIEF NEEDS, THAT'S WHERE IT'LL BE.
IT'LL, IT'LL BE DRIVEN BY THE NEEDS OF THE SYSTEM AS HE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO FIND.
UH, GOODNIGHT RANCH FIRE STATION WAS ONE OF THEM THAT WAS FLAGGED FOR THE AERIAL TRUCK NEED.
MAYOR PRO, TIM MANAGER, JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS IS, THIS PROPOSAL, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS, IS FUNDING FOR AN ADDITIONAL VEHICLE, BUT NOT THE STAFFING TO RUN IT.
AS THE MANAGER SAID, THIS WOULD REPLACE A FRONTLINE APPARATUS, ONE OF OUR FRONTLINE APPARATUS WOULD GO TO RESERVE AND THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO INCREASE OUR RESERVE LEVEL BY ONE UNIT, UM, WHICH IS SOMETHING OUR FLEET DEPARTMENT FEELS IS IMPORTANT GIVEN THE WEAR AND TEAR ON THESE VEHICLES.
MAYOR PRO TIM, I WAS SIMPLY GOING TO ASK IF ALL THE DOLLARS FOR THIS WOULD NEED TO BE ALLOCATED IN ONE FISCAL YEAR, OR IS IT THE TYPE OF COST WHERE YOU PUT A DEPOSIT DOWN AND THEN PAY THE REST OF IT WHEN IT IS READY? SO IF THAT COULD BE SPREAD ACROSS TWO FISCAL YEARS INSTEAD OF ONE? IT IT'LL BE GENERAL, IT'LL BE GENERAL OB NOT GENERAL OBLIGATION, BUT THE CERTIFICATES OF OB OBLIGATION.
SO IT'S A MATTER OF HOW THE FINANCING WORKS WHEN, WHEN WE IDENTIFY THE VENDOR AND, UH, WE'LL ENCUMBER THE MONEY AT THAT POINT.
SO I JUST WANNA CLARIFY BECAUSE THERE IS A NEED TO HAVE AN AERIAL, WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
NOW CITY MANAGER HAS NOT NECESSARILY WEIGHED IN ON WHETHER THAT'S VALUABLE OR NOT, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE FIRE ASSOCIATION, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, I KNOW, UM, THERE HASN'T BEEN A NEW AERIAL TEAM ADDED IN A VERY LONG TIME, AS WELL AS THAT WE'RE BEHIND ON OUR TRUCKS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PURCHASE THIS, BUT I THINK WE ALSO DO NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED TWO OF THESE PURCHASED OR ORDERED IN SOME WAY? BECAUSE IF WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE LEVELS ON OUR FLEET, JUST TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
BUT I I THINK THAT THE INTENTION IN PUTTING THIS FORWARD IS NOT JUST TO HAVE AN EXTRA VEHICLE, UM, BUT TO MOVE US FORWARD IN AN EFFORT TO ADD, UM, AN AERIAL INTO A NEW AERIAL, UM, TEAM.
[02:20:01]
I DON'T, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, IN INTO OUR SYSTEM.AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE DO NEED TO HAVE SOME CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT NEED IS.
UM, EVEN JUST FROM A STAFFING PERSPECTIVE AND A LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE.
WE HAVE A NEW WILDFIRE BATTALION.
THIS AERIAL WOULD BE BRINGING IN ANOTHER CAPTAIN, ADDING IT TO THAT BATTALION.
OTHER BATTALIONS HAVE FOUR OR SIX CAPTAINS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EVALUATE THIS AND THE NEED FOR THE ADDITIONAL STAFFING, ET CETERA.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE NEEDS TO WORK OUT WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND IT MAY BE THAT WE CAN SAY, WE'RE GONNA ORDER ONE, AND THEN YOU GO AND YOU DO ALL THE WORK TO ORDER IT, AND BY THEN YOU'VE FIGURED IT OUT AND YOU DECIDE, OKAY, MAYBE WE NEED TWO, UM, THAT WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT LATER.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ONE OR TWO HAS TO BE DECIDED BY NEXT WEEK, BUT I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR THAT IN PUTTING THIS TRUCK FORWARD, IT'S NOT JUST TO HAVE AN EXTRA ONE IN THE FLEET FOR ME, I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, IT'S HER AMENDMENT, BUT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET US TO A PLACE WHERE WE ADD THAT AERIAL TEAM AND THE STAFFING THAT GOES WITH THAT TRUCK.
BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TRUCK BEFORE YOU CAN DO THAT AND IT TAKES TWO YEARS TO ORDER IT.
WELL, LET ME JUST, UH, UH, THAT THE COMMENTS YOU HAVE IS, ARE GOOD ONES AND WE'LL NEED TO, I'M SURE THE, THE FIRE CHIEF HAS, UH, CERTAINLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE DEPLOYMENT NEEDS TO BE.
WE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE HIM DO THAT ANALYSIS AND THEN WE'LL BRING THAT ANALYSIS FORWARD IF THERE, IF THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE EQUIPMENT, THEY NEED TO BRING FORWARD THAT REQUEST SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS AND WORK THROUGH THE OPERATIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STAFFING AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE NEED.
BUT WE'LL ASK THE CHIEF TO PREPARE THAT, UH, ANALYSIS AND THEN BRING BACK THAT TO COUNCIL AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
WHEN MIGHT THE APPROPRIATE TIME BE? I MEAN, I, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS LIKE THIS FOR THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT SOMETIMES WHEN I HAVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, I'M BETTER ABLE TO MAKE MORE INFORMED DECISIONS.
AND SINCE WE'RE IN THE BUDGET, I'M NOT ASKING FOR IT TOMORROW, BUT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR US TO GET, AT THE VERY MINIMUM, SOME OF THE ANSWERS TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER'S QUESTIONS SO THAT WE KNOW HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
I MEAN, IF WE NEED TWO TRUCKS, WE NEED TWO TRUCKS, BUT I NEED TO KNOW THAT WE NEED THAT BEFORE WE FINISH THIS PROCESS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THIS ANSWERED BY NEXT WEDNESDAY.
BUT, BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, IF, IF IT IS ANALYSIS IN FOUR MONTHS DETERMINES THAT THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL NEED, THESE ARE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
WE SIMPLY BRING AN ITEM TO COUNCIL, GET THAT DONE AT THAT TIME.
ANY OTHER THINGS ON, UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UM, KELLY, BUDGET AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE IS AN ONGOING FUNDING ALLOCATION FOR THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET TO FUND FOUR FIRE SPECIALISTS.
NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKER F D E POSITIONS.
AND THIS CAME TO ME SPECIFICALLY, I HAVE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME OUT THERE AT THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER.
I'VE DEVELOPED SOME RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK IN THAT SPACE AND THEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING DISPATCH SERVICES FOR A F D AND 10 TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY DISTRICTS.
UM, THEY HAVE HAD AN INCREASE OF VOLUME AND THEY NEED ADDITIONAL STAFF TO MEET THOSE INCREASES IN WORKLOAD.
UM, ACCORDING TO WHAT I WAS TOLD, THEIR STAFFING LEVELS HAVE REMAINED THE SAME SINCE 2018 AND OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, CALL VOLUME HAS INCREASED 43%.
UM, I BELIEVE THIS WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO ENSURING THAT WE HAVE LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THOSE POSITIONS AND WE'RE NOT OVERTAXING THEM OR OVERSTRESSING THEM.
ANY OTHER, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THAT? YES.
I GUESS I, I KNOW WHEN YOU MET, I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE ON, OH, WHEN WE MET ON TUESDAY, WE TALKED ABOUT HEARING FROM THE CITY MANAGER AND FROM STAFF AROUND NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER OPERATIONS.
IS THIS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO NO, I MEAN, I THINK, UH, I, WE DON'T HAVE THE, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TUESDAY.
WE KNOW THAT WE, WE NEED TO COME BACK AND TALK TO COUNSEL ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF, UH, THE NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKERS.
WE HAVE 52 VACANCIES AND WE NEED TO WORK AS FAST AS WE CAN TO GET THOSE FILLED.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT TAKE THE INITIAL CALLS.
UH, WHEN I SAW THIS AMENDMENT, UH, IT HAD NOT BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THE, THAT THE 9 1 1 FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, TAKERS, UH, OR DISPATCHERS NEEDED.
BUT I'M, WE, WE'LL, OBVIOUSLY BRUCE MILLS, WE'LL WORK WITH CHIEF BAKER, WE'LL EVALUATE THIS AND, AND THEN DETERMINE IN THE QUEUE.
'CAUSE WHAT WHAT HAPPENS RIGHT NOW IS, UH, WE'RE HAVING OUR TIME FILLING POSITION, SO WE NEED TO JUST FIGURE OUT HOW TO SORT THROUGH THIS AND GET IT DONE AS FAST AS WE CAN.
SHOULD, SHOULD IT BE ADOPTED? SO CAN I JUST CLARIFY THAT THE VACANCIES AT THE CALL CENTER, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THOSE 52 VACANCIES ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE PD SIDE AND NOT THE FIRE SIDE.
THESE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL FIRESIDE VACANCIES, WELL, NOT VACANCIES, FIRESIDE POSITIONS FOR DISPATCH THAT FIREFIGHTERS SPECIFICALLY WOULD BE UTILIZED IN.
NOT THE POLICE SIDE COUNCIL MEMBER.
I HAVEN'T TALKED TO THE PEOPLE YOU TALKED TO.
I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO THEM JUST SO THEY CAN EDUCATE ME ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS.
[02:25:01]
ME, LET ME DO THAT BECAUSE I'M, I'M OPERATING ON NOT ALL COMPLETE INFORMATION.AND, AND I, I REALIZE THERE'S A DISTINCTION BETWEEN A NINE ONE ONE CALL TAKER JUST CURRENTLY HOUSED WITHIN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT VERSUS THE DISPATCHERS THAT ARE ON SITE AT THE CALL CENTER.
THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT DISPATCHERS THERE.
INTERVAL CARE IS ALSO INVOLVED.
SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA TAKE A STEP BACK SINCE WE ARE FOCUSING ON THIS LEVEL OF SERVICE, BECAUSE THERE ARE, IT'S A COMPLEX CHALLENGE IN GETTING OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER, UH, FULLY STAFFED.
AND SINCE THIS AMENDMENT SEEKS TO INVEST ADDITIONAL DOLLARS ON THE DISPATCH SIDE, PARTICULARLY ON THE FIRE SIDE, I THINK IT'S WORTH THE CONVERSATION FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE HOW WE ARE MANAGING OUR CALL CENTER OPERATIONS AS AN ENTIRE SYSTEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON HOLTER.
UM, CITY MANAGER, WHEN YOU EVALUATE, UM, THE, THE A F D DISPATCHER REQUEST, IF YOU CAN ALSO LOOK AT IT, SORT OF LOOKING AHEAD, IF INVESTING IN THESE POSITIONS AND GETTING THEM HIGHER IS GONNA HELP US TO AVOID A SIMILAR SITUATION TO WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH A P D.
I THINK SOME OF IT, I, I HAVEN'T DONE MY HOMEWORK ON THOSE, SO I DON'T HAVE A BASIS FOR, FOR, FOR JUDGING THE VALUE OF THOSE.
BUT MY SENSE IS THAT HAD WE, UH, BEEFED UP SOME OF THE OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM EARLIER, UM, THAT WE MIGHT HAVE, WE MIGHT HAVE AVOIDED SOME OF THE ATTRITION BECAUSE SOME OF IT IS BECAUSE OF, OF THE, THE HIGH VOLUME AND I THINK THEY'RE EXPERIENCING A HIGHER VOLUME.
AND SO JUST THINK ABOUT IT ALSO, LIKE LOOKING FORWARD, IS THIS AN INVESTMENT THAT'S GONNA HELP US TO KEEP THAT AREA OF 9 1 1 STAFFED FOR LONGER? UM, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE, THE THOUGHTS OF STAFF ON THAT.
YEAH, AND, AND THE ONLY COMMENT I'LL MAKE ON THAT IS THAT EVERYONE KNOWS AS WE STARTED THE YEAR WE WERE WAY BEHIND.
AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF CATCH UP RIGHT NOW, AND THIS IS PART OF THAT.
UM, THIS IS THE FIRST BUDGET CYCLE WE'VE HAD TO, TO PLAY CATCH UP SINCE THERE WAS A CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT.
SO, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AS WE, AS WE DISCUSS THIS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT ITEM.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY BUDGET AMENDMENT FOUR, THAT'S ME.
UM, AND ONGOING FUNDING ALLOCATION TO THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET TO FUND FOUR LIEUTENANT DISPATCH, F D E POSITIONS.
UM, QUITE LIKE WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PREVIOUSLY WITH THE PRIOR AMENDMENT.
UM, THIS WAS ALSO BROUGHT TO ME.
AND AS A FOLLOW UP TO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER LOOKING INTO THAT MORE, I DID PROVIDE THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER OVER, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY WITH THE NAME OF THE INDIVIDUAL, SPECIFICALLY WHO I WAS TALKING TO IN THE, THE 9 1 1 CENTER.
SO YOU ALL CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
DID I GET A GOLD STAR? NO, NOT, NOT, NO.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THAT ITEM? ALL RIGHT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I'M GOING TO, YOU'RE GONNA ARRIVAL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ON YOUR FILIBUSTER.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, BUDGET AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE IS ONE-TIME FUNDING ALLOCATION TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET TO FUND FOUR SOLAR LIGHT TOWER TRAILERS.
UM, THE CITY'S IN NEED OF THESE SOLAR LIGHT TRAILER TOWERS, UM, BECAUSE THEY WILL PROVIDE SAFETY LIGHTING, THE TRAILER HAS TO HAVE CERTAIN TYPES OF LIGHT EDGE, UM, AND THEN THEY'LL BE BATTERY OR SOLAR POWERED.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE HAVE AREAS WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF CRIME, AND BY PUTTING THESE SOLAR TRAILERS UP, IT WILL ILLUMINATE THE AREA IN THE EVENING AND IT WILL ALLOW FOR THAT DETERRENCE OF CRIME THAT WE NEED.
THAT AREAS ALL ACROSS THE CITY COULD HAVE IN A WAY THAT WOULD BE, UM, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO IT IS A ONE-TIME FUNDING OF $70,000, AND I JUST LOOKED, I JUST TOOK A, UH, INTRO TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE CLASS AT A C C, AND ONE WAY THAT YOU CAN DETER CRIME IS BY ILLUMINATING THE HECK OUT OF AN AREA.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
UM, AS YOU EVALUATE THESE ITEMS, I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU CAN LOOK AT WHETHER THERE'S FORFEITURE FUNDS THAT COULD BE SPENT ON THAT RATHER THAN DEBT FINANCING IT.
UM, I THINK THAT ALSO MIGHT BE POSSIBLE WITH THE WRAP.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT'S STILL IN THOSE FUNDS, AND MAYBE THE POLICE CHIEF, IF HE SEES THIS AS A PRIORITY, CAN USE THOSE FUNDS FOR THEM.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR A PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UH, SCOTT AMENDMENT ONE, UH, DRINKS SPIKING TEST STRIP PILOT PROGRAM, UH, UNDER THE D S D DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE PILOT EXPANDS ON THE EXISTING SAFER SIXTH STREET, UH, INITIATIVE TO INCLUDE, UH, FUNDING FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF DRINK SPIKING TEST STRIPS TO NETLIFE
[02:30:01]
ESTABLISHMENTS ALONG, UH, THE CURRENT SEC, UH, SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION, BYSTANDER INTERVENTION DRAINING.UH, IT, IT ALSO GROWS OFF OF THE RAINY STREET RESOLUTION, UH, THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BY OUR OFFICE, UH, IN APRIL, UH, WHICH DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO WORK WITH RAINY STREET BAR OWNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, UH, TO ENCOURAGE THE WRITTEN, UH, SAFETY PLANS AND TRAINING FOR DOORS STAFF.
UH, THE REASONING FOR THIS, UM, IS THAT WE HAVE SEEN, UH, INSTANCES, UM, WHERE, UH, THERE WAS A K X N ARTICLE IN 2019 WHERE PHYSICIANS ARE, UH, HAVE NOTED AN INCREASE OF ERA PATIENTS, UH, COMING IN FROM DOWNTOWN BARS, UH, WHO DISPLAY UNUSUAL NON-ALCOHOLIC RELATED SYMPTOMS. UH, WHEN ASKED FOR THE, IF THE CAUSE WAS FOR WAS FROM DRUGGING, UH, THE PHYSICIANS HAVE OFTEN SAID, YES.
I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY POSSIBLE BASED ON PROFESSIONAL, UH, INCIDENCES AS WELL AS PERSONAL ANECDOTES THAT I'VE HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, THAT THIS IS POTENTIALLY AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS FURTHER INQUIRY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AT TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE AFTER THE FACT.
UH, BUT, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE PREVENT SOMETHING HORRIBLE FROM HAPPENING, UH, IS, IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO, UH, I THINK A BETTER JOB AT.
UH, AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT PREVENTION STRATEGY WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE INITIALLY HAD PUT $500,000 FOR FUNDING, UH, BUT THEN WE LOOKED AT WHAT OTHER SIMILAR CITIES MIGHT HAVE DONE AND HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MIGHT HAVE ALLOCATED.
THE ONLY CITY THAT WE COULD HAVE FOUND WAS WEST HOLLYWOOD.
AND THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS IS, UH, CURRENTLY HAS A, UH, AMENDMENT, UM, FROM A STATE SENATOR, UH, THAT SOLD MAKING ITS WAY, AND THE WHOLE STATE PUT FORWARD A $300,000, UM, PRICE TAG ON THAT.
SO RATHER THAN THE $500,000 I THINK WE HAD INITIALLY, UH, PUT TOWARDS IT, I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT GETTING THAT NUMBER DOWN TO A HUNDRED K.
UM, AND IN TERMS OF WHERE THAT FUNDING WOULD COME FROM, IT WOULD BE ONE TIME FUNDING.
AND WE WERE LOOKING AT, UH, WE SAW THERE WAS AN F T E AND A P D THAT WAS REMOVED, UH, BECAUSE OF A LONG-TERM VACANCY.
SO MAYBE WE WOULD USE SOME OF THAT MONEY TO, UH, EAT UP THAT COST OF, OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UH, AND THEN MY LAST THING I'LL SAY, UH, I WANT TO THANK THE ONLY CONFIRMED CO-SPONSOR SO FAR, UH, COUNCILOR FUENTES, BUT I DO HOPE A LOT OF FOLKS, UH, JOIN IN ON THIS, UH, AMENDMENT.
UH, ALSO, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ THANK COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
UH, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FOR THE NEXT POTENTIAL AMENDMENT.
YOU'RE NOT ON, I DON'T BELIEVE.
UH, YEAH, FOR THIS ONE, WE'RE GONNA STICK WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE SEE ON IT.
UH, BUT I, I DO WANNA ADD BEFORE I GET INTO IT THAT I, IT'S A SIMILAR, UH, AMENDMENT THAT COUNCILOR MARVELLA IS, IS, IT'S ON THE LIST FOR HIM FOR, UH, VELA AMENDMENT 14.
UH, HE AND I HAVE, HAVE DISCUSSED IT, AND WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE, A FEW, A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, OF A CONVO, UH, AFTER ALL OF THIS ON IT.
UH, BUT GATHERING AMENDMENT 13 HAS TO DO WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH REV DIVERSION PILOT PROGRAM UNDER AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, YOU KNOW, TRAVIS COUNTY HAS ASKED CITY TO CONTRIBUTE THREE, $2 MILLION ANNUALLY OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD, UH, BEGINNING IN FISCAL 20 23, 20 24, UH, TO FUND A MULTI PARTNER PILOT PROGRAM.
UH, COUNTY HAS ALREADY COMMITTED THIS SAME AMOUNT AND IS MAKING PARALLEL FUNDING REQUESTS TO CENTRAL HEALTH COMMUNITY, UNITY CARE, AND OUR LOCAL HOSPITAL SYSTEMS. UH, AND AS IT WAS SAID, WHEN WE BROUGHT THIS AS AN ITEM, AS A, AS A RESOLUTION, UH, YOU KNOW, THE JAIL SHOULD NOT BE THE LARGEST MENTAL HEALTH CARE FACILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND BEFORE COVID, ABOUT 20% OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY JAIL POPULATION, UH, WAS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.
UH, AND NOW ABOUT 41%, UH, WHICH IS ABOUT 880 INMATES ARE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION.
UH, SO THIS AMOUNT WOULD BE $2 MILLION.
UM, AND IT WOULD GO FOR, FOR THREE YEARS TO $2 MILLION A YEAR FOR, FOR THREE YEARS.
UM, AND THE CO-SPONSORS FROM THIS, UM, ARE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, UH, VELASQUE, VELA AND FUENTES, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THEM FOR, FOR BEING A PART OF THIS COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE AND, AND VELA FOR BRINGING FORWARD AMENDMENTS REGARDING THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION CENTER.
I THINK THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT THAT THIS INITIATIVE HAS FROM COUNCIL.
I CERTAINLY, UH, STAND WITH YOU ALL IN SUPPORTING THE CITY, CONTRIBUTING AND HELPING FACILITATE AND ENSURE THAT THE PILOT GETS OFF THE GROUND AND GETS RUNNING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
CERTAINLY, WE NEED ALTERNATIVES TO THE JAIL SYSTEM AS, UH, AS A PLACE TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES, UM, AND KNOWING THE PREVALENCE OF, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH ILLNESS OR MENTAL ILLNESS IN OUR, IN OUR CITY.
UH, WE CERTAINLY NEED THIS TYPE OF DIVERSION CENTER.
WE'VE SEEN OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE NATION HAVE SIMILAR TYPES OF DIVERSION CENTERS.
[02:35:01]
UH, SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS.COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER ATTENDED ONE OF THEM, UH, WITH ME, WITH THE COUNTY, UH, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CENTER AND HEAR FROM FOLKS INVOLVED IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF IT.
UH, SO I, I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT YOUR AMENDMENTS.
AND I, I ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I, I LAY THIS OUT, BUT IN TERMS OF SOURCE OF FUNDS, UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT, I THINK INITIALLY I PUT GENERAL FUND, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA SEE IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET ANY SORT OF FUNDING FOR IT THROUGH, THROUGH A P D COUNCIL, COUNCILLOR VELA.
UH, I, I APPRECIATE, UH, THE ITEM AS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY MENTIONED.
I HAVE A SIMILAR ONE, AND I KNOW I WAS JUST SAYING HOW, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO FUND THEIR OWN STUFF.
THIS IS NOT AN AREA THAT, THAT WE, THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE NEED TO FUND.
THAT SAID, IF WE CAN HELP KICKSTART THIS INITIATIVE, UH, IT, IT WILL, I BELIEVE, HELP RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURES ON A P D, UM, WHERE YOU HAVE THE SAME PERSON, YOU KNOW, KIND OF AGAIN AND AGAIN, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY MINOR CRIMES.
WE WE'RE, WE'RE DEVOTING A LOT OF RESOURCES TO THAT TYPE OF, UH, ARREST, THAT TYPE OF, UH, POLICING.
THERE'S GOTTA BE A BETTER WAY.
UH, AND, AND, UH, I'M HOPING THAT THE COUNTY JUDGE BROWN HAS, HAS REALLY, UH, PUSHED ON THIS, THAT THEY CAN, UH, GET IT GOING.
HAPPY TO, TO KIND OF GIVE HIM A LITTLE, A LITTLE PUSH, UH, AT THE BEGINNING.
AND THE ONLY THING I'LL ADD TO ALL THAT IS THAT I, I FAVOR, WE NEED A DIVERSION CENTER.
I MEAN, LET'S FACE IT, WE, WE CAN'T ADDRESS WHAT WE, A VARIETY OF ISSUES AND DIFFERENT SHADES OF THOSE ISSUES WITHOUT HAVING A DIVERSION CENTER.
MY PERSONAL BELIEF THAT THIS IS FIRST AND FOREMOST A COUNTY OBLIGATION BECAUSE OF THE ROLE IT WILL PLAY IN USE OF THE WORD DIVERSION.
BUT THE SECOND IS, IT'S A CLOSE SECOND THAT CENTRAL HEALTH OUGHT TO BE THE ONE THAT IS FUNDING THIS, EVEN IF IT IS A PILOT PROGRAM.
AND, UM, I I, I, I'M ALL FOR THE CONCEPT OF JUMP STARTING SOMETHING, BUT THE JUMPSTART IS EQUAL PARTNER.
AND SO I THINK WE OUGHT TO, WE NEED TO, THERE NEEDS TO BE A PUSH TO FIND OUT WHETHER CENTRAL HEALTH CAN PLAY A ROLE OR IF THEIR COUNTY CAN PLAY A BIGGER ROLE, UH, AS WE GO FORWARD ON SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AGREES.
IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF WHERE THOSE FUNDS COME FROM.
THE ONLY THING I WAS GONNA ADD, UM, YEAH, I THINK CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING BETWEEN, UH, THEY ARE, SOME OF US AT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND I KNOW PARALLEL FUNDING REQUESTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO CENTRAL HEALTH, SO RIGHT.
ANSWERS TO BE, TO BE ANSWERED.
UM, I'M GOING TO CHANGE THE, THE, THE ORDER JUST REAL QUICKLY BECAUSE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA DOES HAVE AN, AN IDENTICAL ITEM.
AND I JUST WANNA SEE IF WE'VE COVERED YOU YET.
THEN I'LL, UM, RECOGNIZE YOU ON, UM, THE 9 1 1 STAFF RETENTION PROGRAM.
AND, AND, AND IF, AND IF I MAY, JUST BEFORE I GET INTO THAT, I, I, I WAS TALKING TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL WHO, UH, UH, WAS NOT, UH, ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY.
AND, AND SHE, UH, THERE'S ONE ITEM IN, IN PARTICULAR THAT I JUST WANTED TO, TO, TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, WHICH WAS THE, UH, BUDGET FOR THE NOTIFICATION.
UH, YES, INVOLVING OUR PLANNING EFFORTS.
UH, I, SHE OBVIOUSLY HER ITEM WITH THE, THE SMALL LOTS AND, AND, AND THE CHANGES THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE TO, UH, TO, UH, THE, UH, ZONING, UH, PERMISSIONS ON, UH, SINGLE FAMILY, UH, DESIGNATED LOTS, UH, IS, COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT EVERY SINGLE FAMILY, UH, ZONED LOT IN THE CITY.
THAT'S GONNA BE A BIG, UH, NOTIFICATION.
THERE'S MULTIPLE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ALSO THAT ARE GOING TO INVOLVE, YOU KNOW, US MAILING A PIECE OF PAPER TO, YOU KNOW, JUST ABOUT EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THE CITY.
AND SHE HAD EXPRESSED, UH, UH, CONCERN IS PROBABLY THE WRONG WORD, BUT SHE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SUFFICIENTLY BUDGETED AND THAT WE'RE DOING A VERY VIGOROUS AND BROAD NOTIFICATION SO THAT EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND EVERYBODY CAN PARTICIPATE.
AS YOU KNOW, SHE DISCUSSED WHEN WE PASSED THE ITEM THAT THE ITEM WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION, NOT THE END.
UH, SO SHE ASKED, SHE HAS TALKED ABOUT THAT, UH, SHE WASN'T ABLE TO BE HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
IT'S NOT A FORMAL AMENDMENT, BUT, UH, I THINK IT IS, UH, IMPORTANT TO PROPERLY FUND THAT ITEM.
AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A, A UNI UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT ON THAT.
THE CREDIBILITY OF WHAT THE COUNCIL, UH, WANTS TO DO WITH REGARD TO HOUSING.
THE CREDIBILITY IS AT STAKE IF WE DO NOT PROVIDE ROBUST
[02:40:01]
AND APPROPRIATE NOTICE TO THE CITIZENS, UH, AND RESIDENTS REGARDING, UH, THE CHANGES THAT MIGHT BE MADE.AND AS WE WERE TALKING EARLIER TODAY ABOUT ALLOCATIONS, UH, IN, IN, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THAT IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT PROBABLY WE CAN ASSURE APPROPRIATE FUNDING THROUGH AN ALLOCATION, BUT I'LL LET THE CITY MANAGER ADDRESS THAT AT, AT AN APPROPRIATE POINT.
AND THEN I'LL GO BACK TO YOU, COUNCILMAN VALA ON 9 1 1.
THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP THOUGH.
UH, ON THE 9 1 1 STAFF RETENTION PROGRAMS, THAT'S SOMETHING I, I, I, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON WITH, UH, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, BRUCE MILLS AND, UH, AND THE NINE ONE ONE, UH, UH, CALL CENTER, UH, IT'S JUST A MATTER, IT'S, IT'S NOT A, UH, GONNA BE DRAWING ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
THE, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE THE, THE, THE FUNDS TO DO IT, BUT JUST CREATING, UM, ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES, MOSTLY FOCUSED ON RETENTION FOR THE 9 1 1.
I BELIEVE THOSE CHANGES, IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN MADE, THEY WILL SOON BE MADE.
BUT JUST IN CASE WE HAVE THIS ITEM, UH, WE, WE SHOULD GET CLARIFICATION HERE RELATIVELY SOON.
UH, BUT AGAIN, THIS IS JUST KIND OF CREATING ANOTHER, UH, PAY TIER, UH, AND, AND MAKING A HANDFUL OF OTHER CHANGES, UH, SO THAT WE ARE KEEPING EVERYBODY THOUGH THAT WE'RE NOT IN ANY WAY DISCOURAGING SOMEONE, UH, FROM, UH, CONTINUING TO WORK AT THE, AT THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER CA, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, TWO THINGS JUST TO, UM, CLOSE LOOP ON THE PREVIOUS COMMENT I MADE ABOUT THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER EARLIER MANAGER, YOU MENTIONED THAT STAFF IS WORKING ON AN UPDATE TO US REGARDING THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER.
WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THAT? I DON'T HAVE THAT DATE NOW, BUT I CAN GET THAT TO THE COUNCIL.
BUT, UH, ONCE I GET TO THE STAFF AND WE CAN FIGURE OUT, IS, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU THINK WOULD BE BEFORE BUDGET OR IS THAT AN UPDATE COMING OUT? WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE A MEMO BEFORE WEDNESDAY.
UM, AND THE SECOND THING, AND I DON'T HAVE TO ASK IT NOW, BUT PERHAPS WE CAN ADD IT TO THE END, IT'S REGARDING RETENTION INCENTIVES.
COUNCIL REVELLA, YOU TOUCHED ON RETENTION INCENTIVES FOR THE NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTERS THROUGH YOUR AMENDMENT.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT RETENTION INCENTIVES FOR AIRPORT EMPLOYEES.
SO YOU MENTIONED THAT, THAT I THINK LAST WEEK'S MEETING OR THE WEEK BEFORE LAST.
UH, WE, WE BELIEVE THAT THE SI THE, THE PAY 4% PAY INCREASE PLUS THE 7% GETS PEOPLE AT ONE PER, I MEAN, BASICALLY KEEPS THEM WHOLE PLUS ONE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S A A FROM A BENEFIT, I THINK IT'S THE INCREASE TO THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
SO THAT IN ESSENCE, THERE'S, THEY'RE IN THE, THEY'RE IN THE SAME PLACE.
HOWEVER, UH, UH, JIM SMITH AND REBECCA KENNEDY AND, UH, ROBERT GOODE ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THAT.
AND IF IT TURNS OUT THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, IT'S WITHIN OUR DISCRETION, UH, TO DO THE WHATEVER IT IS WE NEED TO DO DIFFERENTLY.
UH, I HATE, I I WANNA HESITATE TO TELEGRAPH TO EVERYONE.
I'M READY TO INCREASE SALARIES.
'CAUSE I DO BELIEVE IN THE NO NATO POLICY.
AND SO, BUT WE WANNA BE PRUDENT AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR, THAT PEOPLE DO NOT LEAVE BECAUSE THERE'S SUCH IMPORTANT WORK TO BE DONE AT THE, AT AT AVIATION.
AND SO I'M, I'M, AS SOON AS THEY, THEY BRING WHATEVER RECOMMENDATION WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
THAT TO ME, UM, REMAINS TOP OF MIND.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD DIRECTLY FROM EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT NOT HAVING THEIR FULL RETENTION STIPEND PRESERVED, YOU KNOW, KEEPING IT AT THAT 10% RETENTION STIPEND, I THINK WOULD GO A LONG WAY.
NOT ONLY WITH OUR AIRPORT EMPLOYEES, BUT WITH, UH, OUR UTILITY EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO VOCALIZE, UH, MY SUPPORT FOR THAT GIVEN THE, THE HIGH LEVELS OF STAFFING SHORTAGES WE HAVE WITHIN THOSE DIVISIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER THANK, AND ROBERT GOOD HAS THAT ON HIS LIST AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE, WE TEND TO IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT I HAVE A QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, I WANTED TO JUST COMMENT ON BOTH THE AIRPORT AND 9 1 1.
UM, SO YOU, WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS IN OUR AUDIT AND FINANCE AND, AND CONTINUING AND, UM, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH ROBERT GOOD AND TO, TO MR. CANALES WITH RESPECT TO THE AIRPORT, UM, IN PARTICULAR.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'RE BEING HELD WHOLE, UM, FOR THIS YEAR AT THIS START OF THE FISCAL YEAR, BUT THAT THERE'S A PROCESS IN PLACE.
UM, THERE'S A PROCESS IN PLACE TO DO A MARKET STUDY THAT THEN WOULD GO BACK AND, AND ADJUST SALARIES AS APPROPRIATE FOR RETENTION REASONS.
UM, AND I DO WANNA CLARIFY IN SAYING THAT THEY'RE BEING HELD WHOLE, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THEY GET THE 4% AND THEY KEEP THE 10%.
IT'S THAT THEY WOULD NOT, THEIR, THEY WOULD NOT, THEIR SALARIES WOULD NOT BE GOING DOWN THIS YEAR, UM, FROM HAVING THE STIPEND.
UM, I TOO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING IF WE COULD, UM, INCREASE THINGS SO THAT THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY COULD GET THE OTHER 4%.
UM, BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE ADDITIONAL STEP ABOUT THE MARKET STUDY BE BE COMMUNICATED TO STAFF SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND
[02:45:01]
THAT THE INTENTION IS TO ADJUST ACCORDING TO MARKET FOR RETENTION REASONS.UM, BUT THAT, THAT IS NOT YET, UH, COMPLETE AND SO CANNOT BE IN THE BUDGET.
UM, WE'VE DONE THAT MANY TIMES, UM, AS MID-YEAR BUDGET AMENDMENTS, ET CETERA, TO BE ABLE TO, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, SO I WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
AND THEN ON 9 1 1, I WANTED TO ASK, UH, A C M MILLS, IF YOU CAN TELL US WHEN THAT TIERED STRUCTURE, UM, FOR 9 1 1 FOR DISPATCH THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR MONTHS, UM, WHEN, WHEN YOU THINK THAT'S GONNA GO INTO EFFECT, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS, IS POTENTIALLY GOING INTO EFFECT THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WE, UH, I WAS TALKING OVER LUNCH TRYING TO GET THE ACTUAL, UH, DATE TO BEGIN THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT SOMEBODY MIGHT ASK, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT MID-SEPTEMBER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PUT THAT IN PLACE.
AND THAT IS THE, UM, IT'S THE, CALL IT A, A CAREER PROGRESSION, UH, TYPE STEP.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE FROM JUST A, UH, REGULAR, OUR REGULAR STEP, UH, PAY TYPE PROGRAM.
UM, I BELIEVE IT WILL, IT WILL GO A LONG WAYS TOWARDS RETENTION.
IT'LL GO A LONG WAYS TOWARDS ADDRESSING THE COMPRESSION ISSUES WE HAVE WITH PAY.
UH, AND I THINK IT'LL BE, IT'LL HELP WITH THE RECRUITING AS WELL.
AND AS MANAGER SAID, WE HAVE 52 OR SO VACANCIES, BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL, UH, APPLICATIONS IN PROCESS NOW AND HOPE TO GET THOSE, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THE, UH, BE A HUNDRED PERCENT STAFFED IN ABOUT SEVEN TO EIGHT MONTHS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT IN AS, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF RECOGNIZING THAT OUR NINE ONE ONE DISPATCHERS AND CALL TAKERS ARE FIRST RESPONDERS.
UM, HAVING THAT PROGRESSION IS, IS A TYPE OF, OF RECOGNITION FOR THAT, WHICH I KNOW IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO THEM, UM, IN TERMS OF, OF THEIR CAREER PROGRESSION.
WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER VELA HAS A QUESTION ONE MORE TOO.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, UH, THE ITEMS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT ALSO WAS A PART-TIME THAT ALLOWING, UH, NINE ONE ONE, UH, CALL TAKERS TO GO PART-TIME.
NOT THAT WE WANT THEM TO BE PART-TIME, BUT SOMETIMES THROUGH LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE CAN'T GO FULL-TIME.
UH, ARE WE, UH, ALLOWING, UH, PART-TIME? WE, YEAH.
THE WOR WE HAVE, THERE'S NO, NO PROHIBITION FOR THAT.
WE'VE A WE'VE ASKED THAT THAT'S IN PLACE.
UH, AS FOR THAT, UH, I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT NUMBER.
WE'VE HAD VERY FEW APPLICATIONS FOR THAT.
BUT I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE AGREE THAT IT'S A, IT COULD BE VIABLE THAT THERE ARE FOLKS THAT MAYBE THEY, MAYBE THEY HAVE LEFT A JOB OR RETIRED OR, OR JUST WANNA WORK PART-TIME.
AND WE'RE CERTAINLY, UH, CAN, CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT WITH OUR SCHEDULES.
UH, AGAIN, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN AND OF ITSELF, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD ALLOW PART-TIME WORK, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, I RECOGNIZE YOU ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UH, LET ME, UH, THE NEXT AMENDMENT IS DATA REPORTING.
THERE WERE FOUR POSITIONS WITHIN THE, UH, UH, PROPOSED, UH, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET THAT, UH, WERE FOR DATA POSITIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE, THE KROLL REPORT.
UH, I, I NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THOSE, BUT I WILL BE BRINGING, UH, AN I F C DOWN THE ROAD, UH, VERY SOON DOWN THE ROAD INVOLVING CREATING A, UH, POLICE DATA PORTAL.
UH, AND SAN ANTONIO HAS AN EXCELLENT DATA PORTAL.
SEATTLE IS ANOTHER CITY THAT HAS AN EXCELLENT DATA PORTAL.
BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HOP ON THERE AND YOU CAN GET JUST ABOUT ANY, UH, CRIME, UH, OR STAFFING NUMBER OVER WHATEVER TIME PERIOD YOU WANT.
UH, I WANT TO CENTER OUR DEBATE AROUND PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, IN DATA AND NOT IN ANECDOTES.
UH, RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY POLICE REPORTING THAT WE HAVE, THE ONLY DATA THAT WE HAVE IS THE POLICE CHIEF'S, UH, MONTHLY REPORT.
UM, WHICH IS FINE IN AND OF ITSELF, BUT IT'S A, IT'S A P D F, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, INTERACTIVE.
THERE IS NO REAL KIND OF CHART THAT YOU CAN GO TO AND SEE KIND OF LONGITUDINAL DATA.
UH, AND SO THAT, UH, WOULD BE MY, UH, ULTIMATE, UH, GOAL, UH, WITH, WITH, UH, THESE, UH, POSITIONS IN THEMSELVES.
ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, UH, TOO, AND, UH, WILL BE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING THE DISCUSSION IS WHERE SHOULD THE DATA PORTAL BE, UH, IS, FOR EXAMPLE, OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT MAY BE A BETTER, UH, SPOT FOR OVERSEEING AND MANAGING THE DATA PORTAL THAN, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS AND SEE WHERE WE ARE, BUT I THINK THOSE FOUR DATA POSITIONS, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE ADDING THE DATA POSITIONS, THAT WE'RE GETTING, UH, GOOD INFORMATION THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, AND THAT'S, UH, THE, THE FOCUS OF, UH, OF THIS ITEM.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THAT ITEM? OKAY,
[02:50:01]
WE WILL NOW GO, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA ON THE NEXT POTENTIAL A AMENDMENT.AND THIS ONE IS RE WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, THE MOVE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, BUDGET, HR PERSONNEL AND OTHER PERSONNEL FROM, UH, THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS BACK INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE STAFF.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT, UH, OPEN RECORDS IMPACTS, IF ANY, ARE THOSE MOVES GOING TO HAVE, UH, THE, UH, UH, THE A P O A ITEM, UH, IN MAY PASSED OVERWHELMINGLY WITH, YOU KNOW, 80% SO OF THE VOTE, THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN VERY STRONG WITH THEIR DEMAND FOR TRANSPARENCY.
AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THIS MOVE WOULD HAVE ANY NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTATION, ANY KIND OF INFORMATION IN THE PERSONNEL FILES FOR THE POLICE, UH, I WOULD, UH, NOT WANT TO MOVE THOSE POSITIONS TO IT.
AGAIN, WE'RE STILL KIND OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE, THAT IMPACT ANY OPEN RECORDS IMPACT, UH, WILL BE.
UH, AND, UH, AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE, UH, CONVERSATIONS AND, AND CLARIFY EXACTLY WHAT, UH, ANY POTENTIAL, UH, AGAIN, WE WANT TRANSPARENCY, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT, IT'S GONNA BE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON TRANSPARENCY.
AND, AND, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS IT FURTHER.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, UM, THANK YOU.
AND COUNCILMAN VELA, YOU, YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT RELATED TO TRANSPARENCY.
I, I BELIEVE THE BEST GOVERNMENT IS ONE THAT'S DONE IN THE OPEN AND IS TRANSPARENT, BUT I'M NOT QUITE SURE IF THERE WOULD BE ANY LIMITATIONS TO THE, THE OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS FOR TRANSPARENCY BY MOVING THESE POSITIONS IN.
AND SO I'M HOPING MAYBE THE CITY MANAGER MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT FOR US SO WE CAN GET CLARIFICATION.
AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, I AND I MAYOR, I CAN GET MORE INFORMATION, BUT, UH, THESE, THIS MOVE WAS MADE BECAUSE OF IN OPERATIONAL INEFFICIENCIES.
UH, THERE WAS A PERIOD EARLY IN MY APPOINTMENT WHEN WE HAD POLICE OFFICERS THAT WENT SEVERAL PAY PERIODS WITHOUT GETTING PAID OVERTIME.
AND SO THOSE OFFICES SIMPLY WEREN'T RESPONSIVE TO THE, THE NEEDS OF THAT DEPARTMENT.
UH, THAT MAY, AND, AND BRUCE, YOU MAY HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
SO IT'S REALLY INTENDED TO JUST FOR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, IT'S NOT INTENDED TO DO ANYTHING ELSE.
FOR THE OPERATIONAL PIECE, CERTAINLY THAT CAME, CAME TO LIGHT, AND I THINK I'VE DISCUSSED IT WITH SEVERAL OF YOU.
THE, IT IS OPERATIONAL IMPACT.
MORE IMPORTANTLY THOUGH, TO THE TRANSPARENCY PIECE, I THINK I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING WHEN WE TRIED TO PUT A MEMO OUT A FEW WEEKS AGO ON G FILE, A FILE B FILE, ALL KINDS OF FILES THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE CARRIED OUT IN, IN CHAPTER 1 43.
SO THE, THE PERSONNEL FILE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CUSTOMER IS, IS COMPLETELY AVAILABLE, UH, VIA, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST THROUGH, THROUGH CORPORATE HR.
A CORPORATE HR, UH, HAS ALWAYS RETAINED AND DOES RETAIN THE, THE PERSONNEL FILES OF, OF ALL POLICE EMPLOYEES, POLICE OFFICERS, UH, BY STATUTE, UH, THE ONLY FILES THAT THE G FILE FILE IS THE, THE FILE THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RETAINS THROUGH, UH, INTERNAL AFFAIRS AND O P O AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND THOSE ARE, UH, THOSE ARE, UM, THOSE ARE INVESTIGATIONS BEFORE DISCIPLINE.
ONCE DISCIPLINE IS METED OUT, THAT THAT FILE IS, IS SENT BACK TO CORPORATE HR AND IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION, THIS MOVE WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT AT ALL.
UH, THE, A FILING, THE CHAPTER 1 43 GOVERNS, UH, CIVIL SERVICE RULES FOR A POLICE OFFICERS.
THE A FILE SAYS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE HAS TO BE ABLE TO SEE.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE G FILE IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT THE PUBLIC IS, UH, IS NOT ALLOWED TO SEE.
UH, AND I, I JUST, LIKE I SAID, I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION.
ACTUALLY I MIGHT FOLLOW UP WITH, UH, WITH LAW, UH, JUST TO, UH, GO OVER IT WITH, UH, WITH, UH, Y'ALL'S ATTORNEYS AND JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT.
LIKE I SAID, I HAVE NO PROBLEMS AT ALL WITH OPERATIONAL CONCERNS.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE OPERATIONAL CONCERNS.
MY ONLY CONCERN IS, UH, YOU MAKING SURE THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE AS BEING AS TRANSPARENT AS WE POSSIBLY CAN BE.
THE GOAL IS TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS WE CAN BE SUBJECT TO THE STATE LAW THAT HAS CERTAIN LIMITATIONS.
THOSE LIMITATIONS, OF COURSE, AS WE ALL UNDERSTAND, LIMIT EVEN WHAT WE CAN DO WITH PROP A BECAUSE 1 43 CONTROLS, UNLESS THERE'S AN AGREEMENT THAT ALLOWS FOR OTHERWISE.
BUT THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT WHAT THE GOAL HERE IS, IS TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS THE LAW CURRENTLY ALLOWS.
ABSENT A CONTRACT WITH THE POLICE ASSOCIATION.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, I, I'M SORRY.
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CITY MANAGER AND INTERIM CITY MANAGER FOR EXPLAINING THAT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WILL BE AFFECTED.I DO SUPPORT THE CHANGE THAT IS IN THE BUDGET CURRENTLY.
I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, AND THEN COUNCILOR MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
AND TO YOUR POINT, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO ENSURE THE UTMOST TRANSPARENCY, IT WOULD ASSUME THAT WHAT WOULD ALLOW US THE UTMOST TRANSPARENCY IS TO KEEP THESE POSITIONS WITHIN HR.
COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY.
I WAS WONDERING IF MR. ALEXANDER COULD ANSWER QUESTION RELATED TO THE BUILDING SERVICES ASPECT OF THIS, UH, ELEMENT.
AND, AND AS HE WALKS DOWN, REALLY MY QUESTION IS, WHAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE THEIR OWN KIND OF IN-HOUSE, UH, BUILDING SERVICES SEPARATE FROM YOUR GLOBAL REACH? UM, I JUST, I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND THE KIND OF PRACTICALITY OF, OF THIS AND IF WE'VE SEEN IT WORK DIFFERENTLY WHEN, WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN CONTROL VERSUS SOMEONE ELSE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBERS OF GERALD ALEXANDER, THE, UH, BUSINESS SERVICE OFFICER FOR BUSINESS SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, TO YOUR QUESTION, THERE ARE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE CITY THAT HAVE THEIR OWN FACILITIES.
UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THIS, THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY'RE ASKING AS FAR AS TRANSPARENCY FROM A FACILITY PERSPECTIVE, ESPECIALLY IN A TACTICAL ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY TACTICAL IN THE SHORT TERM, IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE IF THEY HAVE THEIR OWN FACILITIES.
IF THERE'S SOME SUPPORT, THEN WE PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THEM.
USUALLY THEY'RE DOING MORE OF A LEVEL ONE CHANGING HVAC SYSTEM, UH, HVAC FILTERS OR DOING DOORKNOBS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IF IT'S WHEN OUR, WITHIN OUR SCOPE, WE'LL DO THAT FOR THE CITY.
'CAUSE THEY'RE STATE OF AUSTIN, SO THAT'S WHERE B S D COMES IN AT.
DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? PRETTY MUCH.
UH, JUST A VERY QUICK COMMENT.
I'M JUST IN FAVOR OF, OF ITEM, UH, 12 BY COUNCILLOR RIVERA.
I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT FOR, FOR TRANSPARENCY, SO I APPRECIATE HIM AND HIS OFFICE ON THEIR WORK ON THE SIDE OF BRINGING IT FORWARD.
AND I JUST, I DO APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION, MAYOR.
UH, THERE, THERE, WITH REGARD TO THE A P O A AND THE CONTRACT AND ALL, IT'S A VERY COMPLEX INTERACTION OF, UH, LAWS AND, AND, AND CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIPS THAT, THAT GOVERN THESE.
AND, AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE HESITATION.
IT'S JUST THAT IT IS A COMPLEX AREA AND I, I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THERE ARE NO, UH, UH, OPEN RECORDS EFFECTS, UH, UH, FROM THIS CHANGE.
AND THE LAST ITEM, I'LL, I'LL PASS ON THAT ONE.
WE, I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED THE PLANNING.
THE NE THE NEXT ONE, AS HE JUST INDICATED, WE, WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED, SO I'LL NOW RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ ON A PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UM, VELASQUEZ AMENDMENT FOR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMING.
THIS ITEM WILL HELP PROVIDE COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION INITIATIVES TO A WIDER AREA, REACHING MORE AT RISK COMMUNITIES AND TAKING A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO REDUCING THE SPREAD OF VIOLENCE.
THE WORK INCLUDES COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, UM, PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCE, PREVENTING YOUTH VIOLENCE, AND, UH, SUPPORTING HEALING IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, HARPER, MADISON, AND VELA FOR THE CO-SPONSORSHIP.
ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ AND, AND I, UH, BESIDES SHARING THE SAME INITIALS, UH, SHARE DISTRICTS WITH VERY HOT SPOTS FROM A, FROM A DISORDER KIND OF CRIMINAL, UH, PERSPECTIVE, UH, WE, THERE HAVE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES, UH, IN TERMS OF BREAKING CYCLES OF VIOLENCE.
A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A SHOOTING AND THEN THERE'S A RETALIATORY SHOOTING, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER RETALIATORY SHOOTING.
UH, AND, AND, AND THE GOAL OF HIS AMENDMENT IS TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THERE TO STOP THAT CYCLE OF VIOLENCE AND PREVENT THESE SHOOTINGS.
UH, I, I THINK THAT, THAT IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT CONCEPT.
IT, IT, I FEEL LIKE IT HAS WORKED, UH, WHERE IT HAS BEEN TRIED.
AGAIN, THIS IS, I THINK, AN IMPORTANT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, AMENDMENT.
UH, AND, AND I, I FULLY SUPPORT IT.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
UM, I THINK I WAS INADVERTENTLY LEFT OFF AS A CO-SPONSOR 'CAUSE WE WERE, UM, WE WERE WORKING ON THIS, UM, AS WELL.
AND, AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WORK THAT OUR OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UM, IS DOING RIGHT NOW.
AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THE A T X, UH, PEACE COALITION, UM, THAT'S ON THE GROUND DOING THIS WORK IN, IN TWO AREAS.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY, REALLY PROMISING WAY FORWARD TO STOP THE CYCLES
[03:00:01]
OF VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE SEEING CONCENTRATED IN PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES.UM, THE GROUP IS INITIALLY ASKING FOR, UM, MUCH LARGER INVESTMENT FOR WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO, TO REALLY ADDRESS THE ABOUT 300 INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY'VE TARGETED, UM, THAT WE WOULD WANNA BE PROVIDING WITH SERVICES.
UM, I THINK THIS $500,000 REQUEST IS, IS, IS MORE REASONABLE AND MAKES SENSE IN TERMS OF A SCALE UP AT THIS POINT.
UM, IN TIME I WILL FLAG THAT THERE IS LIKELY ANOTHER $200,000 THAT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET TO INCREASE WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW THAT HASN'T BEEN, UM, THAT HASN'T BEEN, UM, CONTRACTED YET.
UM, SO THAT WE MIGHT WANNA THINK ABOUT THAT WE WE'RE MOVING AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO STOP THE CYCLES OF VIOLENCE, WE REALLY DO HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT PREVENTION.
UM, AND WE NEED TO HAVE TRUSTED PARTNERS WHO, WHO ARE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES, WHO ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE, UH, PERPETRATING THE VIOLENCE.
UM, I THINK THIS IS WHERE THE CUTTING EDGE IS.
THIS IS HOW WE ARE GOING TO REALLY MAKE CHANGE.
UM, SO IF THE CITY MANAGER BELIEVES IN THOSE PROGRAMS AND CAN SEE US, UM, INVESTING A LITTLE BIT MORE THIS YEAR INTO THOSE, I'D LIKE TO SEE US BEGIN TO SCALE THOSE PILOTS.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ON THE NEXT PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
UH, I'M NOT BREAKING ANY NEWS HERE WHEN I TELL EVERYBODY IT IS REALLY HOT OUTSIDE AND IT'S GOING TO BE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
UH, BUT A WAY TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THE HEAT IS A GREATER TREE CANOPY.
YOU KNOW, MORE TREES NOT ONLY MEANS MORE SHADE, BUT LESS CARBON IN THE ATMOSPHERE AND REDUCED HELI HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
SO THIS AMENDMENT WOULD INCREASE THE FUNDING FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM TO DISTRIBUTE 5,000 ADDITIONAL TREES, PARTICULARLY IN EAST AUSTIN, WHICH LACKS THE TREE CANOPY THAT WE SEE IN WEST AUSTIN.
UH, WE UNFORTUNATELY CAN'T PLANT 50 YEAR OLD TREES.
WE HAVE TO, THE INVESTMENTS WE MAKE TODAY, MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY A ROBUST PRE CANOPY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS AMENDMENT WILL DO FOR US.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, THAT WITHOUT SPEAKING FOR MY FRIEND STUART AND BOB OVER THERE, THAT THIS CAN COME FROM THE, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY, WHICH HAS HISTORICALLY FUNDED THIS PROGRAM TO THROUGH D SS D.
UM, SO POTENTIALLY NOT A GENERAL FUND ASK, BUT WE'LL GET CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
UM, MAYOR PRO TEMP, NOT A COMMENT OR QUESTION ON THAT ONE.
UM, BUT JUST WANTED TO FLAG, I KNOW WE HAVE A SPREADSHEET UP HERE THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING OFF OF, BUT SS FOUR, S SIX AND SS SEVEN ARE SHOWN AS WITHDRAWN BECAUSE THEY ARE CURRENTLY BAKED INTO THE BUDGET ALREADY.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S ALSO THE TRUE, UH, WELL, I'M NOT SURE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA ALSO HAD ONE, UH, THAT HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT? THAT'S JUST, UH, THE TRANSFER CENTER, RIGHT? UH, IN DISCUSSION WITH STAFF.
I'M COMFORTABLE THAT THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD ON IT AND, AND WE'RE GOOD.
THANK YOU MEMBERS THAT, AS YOU KNOW, AS JUST POINTED OUT BY THE MAYOR PRO TIM, THAT TAKES US TO THE END OF THE TRACKING SYSTEM THAT WE'VE BEEN UTILIZING TODAY.
BUT I WANNA BE CAREFUL AND MAKE SURE, IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT OUGHT TO BE ON THIS TRACKING SYSTEM THAT IS NOT, AND I'VE MISSED IT IN SOME WAY, OR BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE EVERYTHING LAID OUT SO THAT THE MANAGER AND HIS STAFF IS IN A POSITION TO DO WHAT HE SUGGESTED AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I NEED TO BRING UP AS PART OF THAT? ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT ANYBODY ELSE WOULD WRITE LIKE, TO BRING UP AT THIS WORK SESSION BEFORE WE END IT? COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
UH, THE IFCS, WHAT'S THE PROCESS ON THAT PORTION? WELL, I THINK WHAT WE'LL DO ON THAT, SINCE THOSE ARE NOT MAKING A DIRECT CHANGE TO THE ONLY ITEM WE REALLY NEED TO PASS, WHICH IS THE BUDGET, UH, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL TAKE THOSE UP AS SEPARATE ITEMS, UM, AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME AFTER WE'VE DEALT WITH, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET ITEMS, UH, TO GET.
AND, AND WHAT MY PLAN HAD BEEN WAS TO GET A MOTION NEXT WEDNESDAY ON THE 16TH, GET A MOTION ON THE BUDGET, GET A, UM, A SECOND, AND THEN WORK THROUGH THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
I WANNA LOOK BACK AT THE I AFCS TO SEE IF WE NEED TO TAKE ANY OF THOSE UP AT THE SAME TIME OR IF THOSE ARE EASILY TAKEN UP AS SEPARATE ITEMS ONCE THE BUDGET IS PASSED AND OUT OF THE WAY.
UM, AND, AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON EXACTLY HOW I THINK THAT MIGHT BEST WORK OUT.
IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THOSE CAN BE TAKEN UP LIKE NORMAL IFCS AND WE'LL TAKE THOSE UP AFTER THE AMENDMENTS.
[03:05:01]
HARPER MADISON, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE OF A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.UM, I WANTED TO TAKE CONGRATULATION TO ANYBODY WITH SCHOOL AGED KIDS.
SUMMER IS COMING TO A CLOSED, YOU GET YOUR MONEY BACK, YOUR REFRIGERATOR WILL HAVE FOOD IN IT.
AND ALSO JUST SAY TO OUR A I S D STUDENTS, UM, MONDAY STARTS SCHOOL, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON, UM, WHAT I'M CERTAIN WILL BE A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, AND I'D LIKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TOO.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, AN INTERN WHO'S BEEN WORKING WITH MY OFFICE, NOLAN SCREEN.
MOST OF YOU IN PUBLIC SAFETY KNOW THAT HE IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
HE WAS GREAT TO HAVE IN MY OFFICE.
WE SUCCESSFULLY PUT TOGETHER THE COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM LAST WEEK AND WE DID A GREAT JOB.
SO HIGH FIVE, NOLAN, I'M GONNA MISS YOU, BUT I KNOW YOU'LL BE BACK.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
UM, I GUESS, I GUESS EVERYONE'S TAKING POINTS OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
I MIGHT TAKE, NOT EVERYONE HAS JUST, NOT EVERYONE, JUST A FEW FOLKS DON'T BE MAKING SUGGESTIONS.
WELL, IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO ASK ME, YEAH, THANK YOU.
UM, NO, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU KNOW, FOR US GETTING TO THIS PLACE, UH, OUR STAFFS FOR WORKING REALLY, REALLY HARD.
UH, THESE BINDERS WERE WERE BUILT BY, UH, I DUNNO IF YOU CAN SEE HOW THICK THESE ARE, UH, BY, BY STAFF IN OUR OFFICE.
I, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S REAL HARD WORK.
UH, AND I'LL ALSO TAKE A A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.
UH, WE HAD TWO BIRTHDAYS IN THE OFFICE THIS MONTH.
UH, AND I, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SARAH BARGE.
HER BIRTHDAY WAS ON AUGUST 4TH, UH, AND THEN NATALIE ER'S BIRTHDAY IS ON AUGUST 12TH, WHICH IS THIS SATURDAY.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY COUNCIL MEMBER.
ACTUALLY, I HAVE A BUDGET QUESTION.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO GET A SENSE FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE ON THE TIMING OF WHEN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO EXPECT TO BE, BE THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF SHIFTS TODAY AND I HEARD SOME FOLKS PULLING BACK SOME REALLY BIG AMENDMENTS, WHICH HAS ME EXCITED ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO, TO REALLY GET TO A GOOD PLACE.
BUT, UM, IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE WERE A FEW THINGS THAT YOU WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO WORK OUT, UM, IN THE BASE BUDGET, AND IT'LL BE REALLY HELPFUL SO WE CAN USE OUR TIME AS WISELY AS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A SENSE OF THE TIMING.
WELL, I, I THINK WE'LL BEGIN TO, AS SOON AS WE'RE DONE HERE, WE'RE GONNA GO HUDDLE IN, UH, MY FAVORITE CONFERENCE ROOM ON THE THIRD FLOOR, WHICH IS THE FINANCE CONFERENCE ROOM.
SO WE'LL START WORKING ON WHAT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND THE GAP WE NOW HAVE.
THEN WE WANNA START WORKING AS HARD AS WE CAN WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAN GET FIT INTO THE $1.3 BILLION BUDGET.
HOPE WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE A PICTURE BY THE END OF TOMORROW AND THEN START MONDAY, START TALKING WITH EACH OF YOUR OFFICES IN TERMS OF WHAT THOSE CUTS LOOK LIKE.
UH, AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE PLAN RIGHT NOW.
AND, AND ALSO WE'LL, WE'LL INFORM YOU.
WE'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN GOING OVER TO THE SECOND FLOOR A LOT AND I ALMOST FEEL LIKE A, A MEMBER OF YOUR STAFF'S, UH, AS I, UH, INTERRUPT ALL YOUR WORK IN EACH OF YOUR OFFICES.
WE'LL, WE'LL STAY AS CLOSELY AS WE CAN TO EACH OF YOUR OFFICES THAT ARE, WE KNOW THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU SO YOU CAN KIND OF KNOW WHAT, WHAT OUR ANALYSIS IS.
AND SO IF I'VE GIVEN THIS MOMENT ALSO, I JUST WANNA, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THE COUNCIL STAFF HAS DONE, AND CERTAINLY THEY'VE DONE THAT I, THE, THE ITEMS FROM COUNCIL THAT APPEARED ON THE AGENDA, UH, FOR, FOR ME YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS PAYING ATTENTION, I WANT THE COUNCIL TO KNOW THAT ALL THE DIRECTORS IN THIS, IN THIS AUDIENCE, AS WELL AS THE BUDGET STAFF, HAVE BEEN WORKING OVERTIME TO GET ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS AND TO GET ALL THE WORK DONE.
THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD SO THAT WE CAN DO THE TOWN HALLS, ET CETERA.
AND WHEN I LOOKED AT SOME OF THOSE ITEMS FROM COUNCIL I, I, MY SHOULDER SAGGED, LIKE, HERE'S THE STAFF THAT'S BEEN WORKING SO HARD, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO GO DO MORE.
AND I REALLY WOULD ASK YOU GUYS TO HELP US, UH, PACE THIS KIND OF WORK SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE, THE BREATHER THEY NEED BETWEEN NOW AND THE 16TH AND POST SO THAT WE CAN DO OUR BEST WORK FOR YOU.
AND, UH, SO WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO KIND OF TEMPER OR HAVE THE PACE A LITTLE SLOWED SO WE CAN GET THE WORK DONE THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE, NOT JUST FOR YOU, BUT FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, ANOTHER POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE GOING OFF, UH, GOING OFF OF WHAT THE, UH, CITY MANAGER SAID.
UH, YEAH, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE DEPARTMENTS FOR ANSWERING ALL THOSE MANY QUESTIONS.
AND I WANT, I WANT TO THANK CARRIE FOR GOING ON A ROAD TRIP AND I THINK HITTING EVERY SINGLE BUDGET TOWN HALL, UH, THAT WAS NOT EASY AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
AND SHE DID A GREAT JOB, AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
UH, COUNCILMAN RIVERA, JUST AGAIN, RUNNING OFF OF THAT, THE BUDGET QUESTION TOOL AND THE FACT THAT WE CAN ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND GET SUCH THOROUGH ANSWERS IS SO HELPFUL FOR OUR OFFICES, NOT ONLY FOR THIS YEAR, BUT LIKE NOW THAT I'VE BEEN HERE FOR MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, ONE YEAR, WE LOOK BACK AT LAST YEAR'S, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S JUST SUCH A HELPFUL TOOL.
YOU CAN SEARCH THEM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN FIND THEM, AND I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THAT.
I CAN'T THINK OF ANOTHER, UH, UH, GOVERNMENT THAT DOES
[03:10:01]
THAT ON SUCH A DETAILED LEVEL.AND SO FOR Y'ALL TO FEEL THOSE, UH, QUESTIONS AND, AND GET US BACK, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES VERY DETAILED ANSWERS.
AGAIN, UH, GREATLY APPRECIATED.
I KNOW WE PUT Y'ALL THROUGH A LOT, UH, IN THESE, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE, UH, WEEK, UH, TIMEFRAME THAT WE WORK ON THE BUDGET, BUT JUST SINCERE APPRECIATION, NOT JUST FROM MYSELF, BUT FROM MY STAFF.
SO, SO THAT AS WE WRAP UP, THAT, THAT, TWO THINGS OUT OF THAT NUMBER ONE IS AGAIN, THANKS FROM THE, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO ALL THE CITY STAFF THAT HAS DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB ON GETTING US HERE.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT, THAT IMPLICIT IN, IN WHAT, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER JUST SAID IS THE GOAL, WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
WE CAN'T SAY WE'VE CROSSED THE GOAL LINE YET, BUT THE GOAL WAS TO DEVELOP AS COLLABORATIVE A PROCESS AS WE COULD AS A TEAM SO THAT THIS FORM OF GOVERNMENT WORKS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHY WE BUILT IN THINGS LIKE TODAY, A A DAY WHERE WE LAY OUT AMENDMENTS AND EVERYBODY GETS TO HEAR THE AMENDMENTS AS OPPOSED TO ON THE DAY WE TRY TO PASS THE BUDGET, HAVE AMENDMENTS, YOU KNOW, FLYING BACK AND FORTH.
SO, UH, TO THE MANAGER AND THE STAFF AND TO THIS COUNCIL, THANK, AND OUR, AND OUR STAFFS THANK YOU FOR HELPING MAKE THIS A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.
I WILL BE IN CLOSE TO, IN PART, TO ANSWER THE QUESTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES ASKED A MINUTE AGO.
I'LL STAY IN CLOSE CONTACT AS ISSUES IF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, MAYBE GET DEALT WITH AND HANDLED ALONG THE WAY SO THAT IT'LL MAKE IT EASIER FOR ME TO TRY TO RUN THE MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY AS WE START, UH, AND GO THROUGH AMENDMENTS.
SO, UH, JUST BE AWARE THAT I'LL DO, LIKE WE, I'VE TYPICALLY DONE AND ON THE MESSAGE BOARD PROBABLY THE DAY BEFORE I, I'M NOT SURE I'D DO ANYTHING BEFORE THAT, BUT THE DAY BEFORE, I WILL PUT UP ON THE MESSAGE BOARD HOW I ANTICIPATE THE NEXT DAY WILL GO.
UM, AGAIN, JUST TO TO REITERATE WHAT I SAID A MINUTE AGO, WHAT I WILL PROBABLY, WHAT I WILL DO UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES, IS I WILL FIRST CALL FOR AN, A MOTION TO PASS THE BUDGET AND GET A SECOND SO THAT WE WILL HAVE A BUDGET ON THE TABLE, UH, TO DISCUSS AND THEN WE WILL GO THROUGH THE AMENDMENTS.
ALSO NOTE THAT WE WILL BE POSTED FOR WEDNESDAY AND THAT WILL ALSO INVOLVE A PUBLIC COMMUNICATION PERIOD BECAUSE OF THE SCHEDULED VOTE THAT WOULD BE OCCURRING ON THE 16TH.
AND OF COURSE, IF WE NEED THE 17TH AND 18TH, WE WILL ALSO BE POSTED FOR THOSE DAYS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE WORK SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED AT 1:44 PM ON AUGUST 10TH, 2023.
THANK YOU MEMBERS AND GOOD WORK.