* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:06] MIC CHECK. MIC CHECK. 1, 2, 1, 2. YOU THERE? I DON'T THINK SO. YEAH, THEY, THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU OUT THERE. THEY CAN HEAR YOU OUT THERE. YOU CAN HEAR ME? YES MA'AM. GOOD MORNING. MY [Proclamation – Huston-Tillotson Day – To be presented by Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison] NAME IS NATASHA HARPER MADISON. I AM THE PROUD DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT ONE ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. THE NOW 10TH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION, SORRY, SAN JOSE , BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS HOUSTON TSON UNIVERSITY WAS AUSTIN'S FIRST INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING AND IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED HISTORICALLY BACK, WHERE'S SHE AT? WHERE SHE'S . HISTORICALLY, BLACK UNIVERSITIES IN AMERICA AND WHEREAS HISTORICALLY BACKED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES DATE BACK TO THE 19TH CENTURY WHEN THEY WERE THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR BLACK STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS TO ACCESS HIGHER EDUCATION. AND WHEREAS PRIOR TO THE LANDMARK CASE OF BROWN VERSUS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, HOUSTON TILLSON WAS THE SOLE PROVIDER OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR BLACK PEOPLE IN CENTRAL TEXAS. AND WHEREAS HOUSTON TILLSON UNIVERSITY CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY BY WAY OF ITS MISSION TO NURTURE A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AND CONNECTING KNOWLEDGE, POWER, PASSION, AND VALUES. AND WHEREAS IN RECOGNITION OF HOUSTON TEMPLETON'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE ITS STUDENTS SOMETHING THEY CANNOT ACHIEVE ELSEWHERE, A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARSHIP THAT CELEBRATES THE RICHNESS THE ENTIRE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE. NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER MADISON, ALONG WITH THE MAYOR WHO'S STANDING ALONGSIDE ME AS ALWAYS. THANK YOU MA'AM. MR. MAYOR. MA'AM, MY PLEASURE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS AND MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 14TH, HOUSTON TILLSON APPRECIATION DAY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN. UM, I'D LIKE TO OFFER A FEW ADDITIONAL REMARKS AND YOU GUYS WILL HAVE TO JUST FORGIVE ME HAVING TO STAND FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER. TODAY IS TRULY A WONDERFUL DAY AT CITY HALL. UM, OFF SCRIPT. I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT I'M FIGHTING TEARS 'CAUSE I'M A CRY BABY. TOUGH GIRL. UM, I'M TOUGH, BUT I CRY. I CRY WHEN I'M HAPPY. I CRY WHEN I'M SAD. UM, RIGHT NOW I'M EXTRAORDINARILY HAPPY AND I APPRECIATE YOU AND I APPRECIATE THE UNIVERSITY. THIS MORNING, WE ARE HERE TO SHINE A LIGHT ON HOUSTON TILLSON UNIVERSITY. OVER THE LAST 148 YEARS, HT HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO THE GROWTH AND SUCCESS OF ITS STUDENTS. HT BEGAN, BEGAN RATHER AS TWO SEPARATE COLLEGES, SAMUEL HOUSTON COLLEGE AND TILLISON COLLEGE. BOTH OF THESE SCHOOLS WERE DEDICATED TO ENRICHING THE SOCIAL AND CIVIC LIFE OF AUSTIN'S BLACK COMMUNITY. THESE SCHOOLS MERGED TO BECOME HOUSTON TILLISON COLLEGE, AND THE NEW SCHOOL ADOPTED THE MOTTO IN UNION STRENGTH. IN 2025, THE INSTITUTION ADVANCED ITS MISSION FURTHER BY CHANGING THE NAME TO HOUSTON TILSON UNIVERSITY AND ITS TENURE AS THE FIRST UNIVERSITY IN AUSTIN, H T HAS GRADUATED THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS, INCLUDING NORMAN SCALE SENIOR, WHO BECAME A TUSKEGEE AIRMAN AND WAS THE FIRST BLACK PILOT COMMISSIONED AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT FROM AUSTIN. AND DR. HERMAN BARNETT II DR. BARNETT BECAME THE FIRST BLACK [00:05:01] MAN TO GRADUATE FROM MEDICAL SCHOOL. THOUGH IT'S CURRENT ENROLLMENT IS NOT LIMITED TO BLACK STUDENTS, STUDENTS, HOUSTON TILLESON UNIVERSITY IS INTENTIONALLY FOCUSED ON PROVIDING ACCESS AND DEVELOPMENT TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY UNREPRESENTED UNDERREPRESENTED. MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE HOUSTON TILLISON UNIVERSITY IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND AS IF THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH, HT IS BEING LED INTO A NEXT CHAPTER BY DR. MELVA K WALLACE, THE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF HOUSTON TILLISON UNIVERSITY. DR. WALLACE IS HIGHLY RESPECTED AS A VISIONARY WITH AN IMMUTABLE AND DEMONSTRATED RECORD AS A STAUNCH ADVOCATE FOR THE INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY OF EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES. AND SINCE IT'S H B C U WEEK IN AUSTIN, HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES FOR ALL WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHAT H B C U MEANS, I HAVE TO MENTION THAT DR. WALLACE EARNED HER DOCTORATE. AGAIN, I'LL GO OFF SCRIPT. UNDER 3% OF BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE THEIR DOCTORATES, AND WE HAVE ONE RIGHT THERE REPRESENTING OUR LOCAL H B C U. EARNED OUR DOCTORATE IN HIGHER EDUCATION FROM JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY, A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL AS HER BACHELOR DEGREE IN MASS COMMUNICATION FROM GRAMBLING, ANOTHER H B C U FROM GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY TO AMAZING, AMAZING HBCUS. I'M THANKFUL TO HAVE DR. WALLACE AND THE OTHER LEADERS, AND FRANKLY, I SEE SOME SCHOLARS HERE TODAY MM-HMM. , WHICH I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE FROM THE UNIVERSITY WITH US TODAY. I'M SO PROUD TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS HOUSTON TILLERSON UNIVERSITY WAS AUSTIN'S, LET'S ALL PUT OUR ONES UP. WHERE ARE ONES UP FIRST? INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED HISTORICALLY BLACK UNIVERSITIES IN AMERICA. AND WHEREAS HISTORICALLY, BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES DATE BACK TO THE 19TH CENTURY WHEN THEY WERE THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY FOR BLACK STUDENTS TO ACCESS HIGHER EDUCATION. AND WHEREAS PRIOR TO THE LANDMARK CASE OF BROWN VERSUS BOARD OF EDUCATION, HOUSTON TILLERSON UNIVERSITY WAS THE SOLE PROVIDER OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR BLACK PEOPLE IN CENTRAL TEXAS WHERE I WAS BORN AND RAISED. AND WHEREAS HOUSTON T LISTEN UNIVERSITY CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY BY WAY OF ITS MISSION TO MATURE A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP AND EXCELLENCE. I'LL SEE Y'ALL BACK THERE. EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION, CONNECTING KNOWLEDGE, POWER, PASSION AND VALUES. AND WHEREAS IN RECOGNITION OF HOUSTON TILL'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE ITS STUDENTS SOMETHING THAT THEY CANNOT ACHIEVE ELSEWHERE, A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARSHIP THAT CELEBRATES THE RICHNESS OF THE ENTIRE, THE ENTIRE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE. NOW, THEREFORE, I NATASHA HARPER MADISON, THE PROUD REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT ONE, ALONGSIDE MAYOR KIRK WATSON DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2023 AS HOUSTON TILLESON APPRECIATION DAY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. [00:10:03] THANK YOU SO MUCH. LET ME TAKE MY GLASSES OFF BEFORE WE TAKE PICTURES THOUGH. IT'S DON'T YOU SAY YOUR THANK YOU. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. ONE MORE. IF I CAN GET EVERYBODY JUST TO SWITCH A LITTLE BIT. WELL, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST A MOMENT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE, UH, THE GOOD DOCTOR TO SAY A FEW WORDS. OKAY. OKAY. UH, I AM, UH, I'M TRULY HONORED TODAY. UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES, , AND I'M TELLING YOU, WE HAVE A FRIEND IN NATASHA HARPER MADISON, I'M GONNA ASK THAT YOU PLEASE JUST GIVE HER A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. THERE ARE, UM, SO MANY TIMES THAT YOU, UM, WHERE IT NO MA'AM, COME, COME UP, COME, COME UP. THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES THAT YOU, UM, GO OUT TO DIFFERENT EVENTS AND DIFFERENT, UM, ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PEOPLE SAY, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO? AND, UM, IT TAKES A POWERFUL WOMAN AND I WILL SAY A POWERFUL BLACK WOMAN IN POSITION, UH, TO NOT ONLY SAY THAT, BUT TO BE A MEMBER OF THE DOERS CLUB. MM-HMM. AND TODAY IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. UH, AND I'M THANKFUL FOR YOU, MA'AM, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY, ALL THAT YOU, UM, HAVE DONE AND ALL THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE GOING TO BE DOING. IT IS EXCITING TO SEE, UM, YOUNG, ENERGETIC TALENT HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. AND YOU ARE AMONG THAT TALENT AND INTELLIGENTSIA THAT WE ARE SO PROUD OF. OUR STUDENTS LOOK UP TO YOU, OUR FACULTY AND STAFF, UH, APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR WORK DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED. SO FROM BLUE BONNET HILL AND EVERY STUDENT THAT IS ASSEMBLED, WE THANK YOU. WE THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, MAYOR WATSON. HE'S ALSO HERE, , HE IS ALSO HERE. AGAIN, WHEN I TALK ABOUT THOSE FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES, HE IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THOSE. UH, HE HAS COME TO CAMPUS MORE TIMES. WE'RE GONNA GIVE HIM A PARKING PASS SO HE CAN JUST HAVE A SLOT AND HAVE A SPOT. WE CAN JUST GET YOU RIGHT IN. UH, BUT IT, IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO WORK ALONGSIDE THIS MAYOR. UH, AND THE WORK THAT HE IS DOING, UH, IN LOCKSTEP WITH US IS CERTAINLY APPRECIATED. SO, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. UH, WE HAVE SOME BIG THINGS UP OUR SLEEVES. HE HAS SOME UP OUR SLEEVES. WE WON'T SAY WHAT, BUT GET READY, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME AMAZING THINGS THAT ARE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE THAT WE ARE REALLY THRILLED, UH, THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE COMING FORTH, THAT ARE MANIFESTING. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR BOARD CHAIR WHO IS HERE. WE CAN'T DO THIS WORK WITHOUT OUR MEMBERS OF THE TRUSTEES. UH, DR. CAROL MCDONALD, UH, YOU'VE SEEN HER FACE ALL OVER. SHE WAS THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF ICU, WHICH GOVERNED AND MANAGED, UM, AND WAS A, UH, FACILITATOR OF ALL OF THE PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO YES, THIS WOMAN WHO WAS FIVE ONE WAS, SHE'S ENORMOUS. BALL, IS ENORMOUS, UH, IN THIS STATE. AND WE ARE JUST SO HONORED TO HAVE HER ON OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ALONG WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. IT IS ALSO VERY SPECIAL, UH, TO HAVE WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AND HOUSTON TILLSON TRULY BELIEVES IN THAT. AND I WANNA ALSO WELCOME AND, AND, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE ANOTHER WOMAN IN LEADERSHIP. AND THAT IS OUR SS G A PRESIDENT AND STEP ON UP. MADAME PRESIDENT . I GOT TWO AMAZING BOSSES, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE FEMALE PRESIDENTS AND HT UH, IS REALLY LIFTING UP WOMEN AND IT IS SO EXCITING TO SEE IT. I ALSO WANNA THANK MY ADMINISTRATION, MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION THAT ARE HERE AND ALL OF THOSE ASSEMBLED. UM, IT IS TRULY AN HONOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE COULDN'T GET INTO HARVARD AND YALE, WE TOOK BETTER CARE OF PLACES LIKE HOUSTON TILLERSON UNIVERSITY. SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS TODAY. UH, AND WE'RE RECOGNIZING H B C U WEEK. SO GO TO HBCUS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. UM, WE LOVE YOU AND WE ARE ALWAYS HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS IN UNION STRENGTH. GO. THANK YOU. LET'S ALL SQUEEZE IN AND GET A GOOD PICTURE. LET'S DO IT. YOU STEP UP FRONT. YOU NEED TO BE . YEAH. MADAM PRESIDENT. MR. MAYOR. I THINK THERE'S A, YEAH. KIND OF GO STEP ONE STEP THIS WAY. COME UP BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN FRONT OF THE BLUE. YOU DO. THERE WE GO. AM I TALLER? YOU CAN. I'M NOT TALLER THAN ANYBODY. [00:15:01] YOU MIGHT BE. SHE GOT HERE. MOVE YOUR HEAD AROUND. THERE WE GO. THERE WE GO. THAT'S FUNNY TOO. OKAY. 1, 2, 3, SMILE. 1, 2, 3. SMILE. WANNA HOLD UP THE POPULATION OR, OH, SURE. LET TOO ONE. GOT IT. 1, 2, 3. SMILE. THANK, YOU'ALL. THANK YOU. FANTASTIC. SAY AGAIN. THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IN FRONT OF THE LIGHT. YES, I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE TO SNEAK OUT, BUT THANK YOU. CONGRATS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD. SEE YOU. WE NEED TO, OH, ONE MORE PICK. OKAY. BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO GET ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, I'LL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HEY, HOW ARE YOU? COME ON IN. I WANTED TO COME SAY HI TO YOU FIRST. GOOD, GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR. YOU TOO. YOU DOING ALRIGHT? OH, I'M DOING GREAT. GOOD. STAND BEHIND. YEAH, PLEASE, SIR. WHAT ARE WE BRINGING IN? HOW ARE YOU DOING WELL. I LOVE YOUR DRESS. OH, THANK HER A LITTLE BIT. DID YOU TAKE HERSELF WITH HER? HER PICTURES OR PAPER? PAPER. THANK YOU SO MUCH, APPRECI. SURE THING. HI Y'ALL. HI. HOW ARE HOW THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TODAY? WHAT'S THAT? JUST THINKING ME FOR HELP. IT'S NO, JOE AND, AND ALEXIS. OH MY GOODNESS. HOW ARE YOU? HELLO. THANK YOU. YOU DOING ALL RIGHT? YEAH. EVERYBODY'S GONNA SIT AROUND HERE FOR NOW AND THEN. YES, YES, YES. SO GLAD. HOW HAVE YOU BEEN? I'VE BEEN GREAT. THANK YOU. HOW ARE YOU COUNCIL GIVING US? GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS. WE, I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE. PLEASE STEP Y'ALL. STEP UP HERE. THANK YOU. OH MY GOODNESS. DIDN'T YOU USED TO BE PO RENTRE . I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU. GOD, I MISS SEEING YOU. HELLO. HOW ARE YOU STAYING REPRESENTATIVE? NICE TO SEE YOU. . YEAH, I'M, HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD TO SEE YOU. NOW YOU GOT SOMETHING GOING TONIGHT, RIGHT? NO, IT'S TWO. NICE. OH. HEY DEE. NICE TO SEE YOU. I'M GOOD. COME ON IN. YEAH. COME ON GUY. CAN I GET A HUG? YES, OF COURSE. HOW GOOD TO SEE. I'M GREAT PRESENCE. HAVE ROOM TONE. Y'ALL SPREAD THAT WAY. WE JUST CAN'T SEE YOU AT ALL. 'CAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT BEHIND THE MIRROR. WE WANNA BE SURE TO SEE YOU SMILING. THANKS. CAN YOU MOVE OVER JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE? YEAH. SQUEEZE IN AND YOU'RE GOOD? YEAH. THANK YOU. I'M GONNA WAIT. I THINK SHE WANTS TO BE READY. YOU? WELL, WE CAN DO A MINUTE AND A HALF. . NO. OH MY GOD. I'M TEASING. I'M TEASING. CAN EVERYBODY LOOK THIS WAY? YEAH, EVERYBODY, LET'S TAKE A PICTURE WHILE WE'RE WAITING. LOOK THIS WAY. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. I'M READY. THAT'S GREAT. WE READY? WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, MAYOR. VERY GOOD. WELL, IT'S MY GREAT [Additional Item] PLEASURE TODAY, UH, TO HAVE WITH ME A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO, EVERY ONE OF 'EM IS A FRIEND AND SOMEBODY THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS. HI, YOU COME ON UP. COUNCIL MEMBER. BUT I'M JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ZOE CADRY, COUNCIL MEMBER VANESSA FUENTES, UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE LULU FLOSS, AND OF COURSE THE CONS. HE, UH, WHO REPRESENTS THE MEXICO IN AUSTIN, AND IT PLAYS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE AND IS IS EVERYWHERE. WELL, I WANNA SAY THAT HE, HE'S EVERYWHERE AND IT, AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE HIM HERE WITH US TODAY. SO I GET TO MAKE THIS PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN JOINS THE MEXICAN AND MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATING THE 213TH ANNIVERSARY OF MEXICAN'S INDEPENDENCE. AND WHEREAS MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE HAS BEEN CELEBRATED IN AUSTIN AT MEXICAN PARK, NOW KNOWN AS REPUBLIC SQUARE SINCE AT LEAST 1873, MARKING THIS YEAR, THE 150TH COMMEMORATIVE ANNIVERSARY OF THIS TRADITION. AND WHEREAS THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF MEXICAN IN AUSTIN, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN SALTILLO SISTER CITIES ASSOCIATION [00:20:01] AND UNIVISION AUSTIN WILL PRODUCE ELTO DE INDEPENDENCIA AT REPUBLIC SQUARE. AND WHEREAS ME CARTE MUSEUM, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY ARE WORKING TO DESIGNATE THE FIFTH STREET MEXICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE DISTRICT TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE MEXICAN AND MEXICAN AMERICANS IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN. NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2023 AS ELTO THEY INDEPENDENCIA DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. AND I'M, DIDN'T YOU? YEAH. COUNCIL, WOULD YOU PLEASE SAY A FEW WORDS? I WOULDN'T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS MY, UH, THE GENEROUS WAY THAT, UH, THIS REMARKABLE MAN THAT YOU HAVE AS THE, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GOOD GOVERNMENT, UH, OF THIS CAPITAL CITY TO THANK HIM FOR THIS, UH, NOT FREQUENT WAY. THE TWO CITIES ARE TOGETHER, MR. CONSUL, SO I PROMISE TO MAKE MY BEST TO DESERVE THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY OF SERVING YOU WELL. WE LOVE SERVING WITH YOU. MM-HMM. , THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE. YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? WE GOT IT. YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING LULU? ANYBODY? ANYBODY WANNA TALK? WE'RE WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO TO A COUNCILS MEETING. WELL, WE HAVE PLENTY OF TALK. UM, COUNCIL GENERAL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN. APPRECIATE YOU SO VERY MUCH. THANK BEFORE YOU MUCH AND BEFORE YOU UP. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH, MUCH. YEAH, THANK YOU. LET'S ALL GET TOGETHER AND GET A PICTURE STEP IN. DO YOU WANNA SIT IN FRONT OF THIS OR DO YOU WANT OH, WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, PO RENTERIA. AH, AND, AND, UH, WELCOME. COME BACK. YES. WE WELCOME HIM BACK AND WE MISS SEEING HIM. SO EVERYBODY, DO YOU WANT US IN FRONT OR BEHIND THE, I'M GONNA GET YOU BEHIND ME TO SCOOT UP A LITTLE BIT AND SCOOT IN. I SHOULD PROBABLY GET IN THE BACK. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO. GENTLE IN THE BACK. YEAH, JUST MOVE AROUND SO YOU CAN SEE ME AND THEN I'LL BE ABLE TO SEE YOU. FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TWO HEADS. SMILE. WANNA HOLD UP THE FRONT? OH, YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. HERE YOU HOLD THIS. OKAY. 1, 2, 3, SMILE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANKS EVERYBODY. [00:25:39] WELL, OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS ONE THAT IS KIND OF TRUE TO THE HEART OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. AND HANG ON ONE SECOND. CAN YOU HELP? [Additional Item] AS I SAID, OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS ONE THAT IS TRUE TO THE HEART OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. AND IT RELATES TO, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE TRUE TO OUR HEART. BUT KEY AMONG THOSE IS THE LIVE MUSIC. UH, AUSTIN HAS BRAGGED FOR A LONG TIME THAT WE ARE THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. AND INDEED WE ARE. IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT BRAGGING WHAT'S FACT, RIGHT? THAT'S SO, UM, SO, BUT, BUT A KEY PART OF THAT IS THE ROLE WE NEED TO PLAY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MUSICIANS, UH, STAY HE HEALTHY AND ARE IN A POSITION TO, UM, TO CONTINUE TO ENTERTAIN US, TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THEIR LIVES. AND LIVING IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, UH, THIS ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN WITH US FOR SOME TIME, UH, AS A GREAT ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE HONORING TODAY. IN FACT, UH, I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT MY WIFE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF, OF THE, THIS ORGANIZATION A FEW YEARS AGO. SO TODAY I WANT TO MAKE THIS PROCLAMATION BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS AUSTIN IS, AS I'VE INDICATED, THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. AND WHEREAS HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR AUSTIN, MUSICIANS ALSO KNOWN AS HAM, HAS BEEN A LIFELINE TO KEEPING MUSIC IN AUSTIN ALIVE AND WELL SINCE 2005, AND IS A VITAL PIECE OF ALLOWING MUSICIANS TO STAY IN AUSTIN. AND WHEREAS HAM SERVES MORE THAN 3000 MEMBERS AND PROVIDES ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE, TO AUSTIN'S LOW INCOME WORKING MUSICIANS AND SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HAM HELP TO FOSTER AND NURTURE AUSTIN'S UNIQUE CREATIVE APPEAL. AND WHEREAS HAM DAY IS AN EXCITING COMMUNITY-WIDE EXPERIENCE WHERE CENTRAL TEXANS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO HUNDREDS OF PERFORMANCES FROM LOCAL MUSICIANS AT VENUES THROUGHOUT THE GREATER AUSTIN AREA EVERY YEAR. HAM DAY IS A CELEBRATION OF AUSTIN MUSIC AND COMMUNITY, AND THIS YEAR HAM IS TRULY PUTTING THE LIVE BACK IN LIVE MUSIC. NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2023 AS HAM DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE HERE YOU STEP UP, SAY A FEW WORDS. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON, AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR, UM, RECOGNIZING AND HONORING, UM, HAM HEALTH ALLIANCE FOR AUSTIN MUSICIANS AND HAM DAY. UM, THIS IS OUR 18TH YEAR CELEBRATING HAM DAY. AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE COMMUNITY IS A DAY OF CELEBRATING LIVE MUSIC, STARTING AT 6:00 AM WE'LL BE STARTING THIS YEAR AT LAKE AUSTIN, UM, H E B, UM, WHERE WE'LL BE HEADQUARTER FOR THE MORNING, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE MUSIC THROUGHOUT THE DAY, UM, AT MULTIPLE VENUES. AS THE MAYOR HAD MENTIONED, WE HAVE OVER 250 BANDS PLAYING ACROSS DOZENS OF VENUES AND ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE CELEBRATING LIVE MUSIC, BUT ALSO WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT, UM, WE WILL BE GOING INTO OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT SEASONS FOR OUR MUSICIANS TO GET INSURANCE. AND SO THIS DAY IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR WORKING MUSICIANS THAT ARE HAND MEMBERS. UM, WE SERVE 3,100 MUSICIANS A YEAR. UM, AND SO WE WOULD LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS DAY. FIRST OF ALL, GO OUT, SUPPORT YOUR VENUES, SUPPORT YOUR MUSICIANS. YOU CAN FIND MUSIC ANYWHERE. WE'RE GONNA BE AT THE WILLIE NELSON STATUTE. WE'LL BE DOWN, UM, AT AUDITORIUM SHORES, AT STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN, UM, AND WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT, UM, MUSIC ACTS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE CITY AT UNIQUE VENUES AS WELL. SO GO TO OUR SITE, MY HAM.ORG AND FIND OUT WHERE YOU CAN GO SAY YOUR GENRE OR YOUR VENUE THAT YOU REALLY APPRECIATE. OTHER WAYS TO BECOME INVOLVED IS, UM, GO HEAR THE LIVE MUSIC FIRST OF ALL. BUT ALSO WE HAVE RESTAURANTS. WE HAVE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GIVING BACK THAT DAY AS WELL TO SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC AND SUPPORT OUR MUSICIANS. WE, OF COURSE, WE ASK PEOPLE TO GO ONLINE AND, UM, SUPPORT US WITH, UH, CONTRIBUTION IF YOU CAN, AND SUPPORT OUR MUSICIANS EVERY DAY. UM, SO WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT SHOWCASES, UM, COMING UP. SO JUST GO TO MY HAM.ORG. YOU CAN FIND OUT EVERYTHING ABOUT HAM DAY AND ENJOY MUSIC AND SUPPORT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING MUSIC ALIVE [00:30:01] AND WELL IN AUSTIN. THANK YOU. WELL DONE. THANK YOU. WHAT YOU DO. IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH Y'ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. UH, EVERYTHING EXCEPT THAT SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING THING, I, I UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING YOU DO EXCEPT THAT PART. OH, GREAT. YEAH, WE NEED THAT. OH, YEAH, YEAH. OH YEAH. THAT'S A GOOD, YEAH. STEP, STEP IN HERE. Y'ALL STEP IN HERE. NO, THEY THEY'LL WANT US UP HERE. COME UP HERE. Y'ALL GET UP HERE. LET'S GET A PICTURE HERE. YEAH, LET'S SWING A LITTLE BIT HERE. THANK Y'ALL. APPRECIATE YOU, APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, YOU SO MUCH, VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. UM, [Proclamation – National Service Dog Month – To be presented by Mayor Kirk Watson and Council Member Mackenzie Kelly] IT'S MY PLEASURE AS MAYOR OF AUSTIN, TEXAS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PRE PRESENTATION OF IMPORTANT PROCLAMATIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT MATTER, UH, TO US AS A COMMUNITY. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A, I'M GONNA MAKE A PROCLAMATION HERE IN JUST A SECOND, UH, RELATED TO NATIONAL SERVICE DOG MONTH. BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT TO INTRODUCE MY COLLEAGUE ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER MCKENZIE KELLY TO SAY A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON. UM, TODAY I AM PROUD TO BE HERE TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION WITH THE MAYOR FOR, UM, SERVICE DOG. MONTH STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH A SERVICE DOG HAVE EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER PSYCHOSOCIAL HEALTH, INCLUDING A HIGHER SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND WORK SCHOOL ABILITIES. UM, THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE I TOO HAVE A SERVICE DOG. HIS NAME IS FRANK, AND I HAVE INVISIBLE DISABILITIES, QUITE LIKE OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE SERVICE DOGS. UM, SO WHILE YOU MIGHT NOT SEE FRANK WITH ME EVERY DAY, HE IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE WELLBEING OF MY LIFE JUST AS THESE SERVICE DOGS ARE IMPORTANT TO THE LIVES OF OTHERS. UM, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS TO RECOGNIZE THE EFFORTS OF THE WORK THAT GOES INTO ENSURING THESE DOGS ARE PUBLIC ACCESS, TRAINED AND TASK TRAINED TO HELP THEIR HANDLERS WITH THOSE INVISIBLE DISABILITIES THEY MAY HAVE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS WONDERFUL. SO WITH THAT, UM, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS SERVICE DOGS SERVE AN INVALUABLE ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WHEREAS SERVICE DOGS IMPROVE THE WELLBEING OF ALL NIGHTS WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, TRAUMATIC BRAIN [00:35:01] INJURIES, OR OTHER HEALTH IMPEDIMENTS. AND WHEREAS SERVICE DOGS UNDERGO RIGOROUS TRAINING TO ASSIST THEIR HANDLERS IN EVERYDAY TASK, AND WHEREAS IT IS CRITICAL TO SHED LIGHT ON THE IMPORTANT WORK OF SERVICE DOGS AND TO ENSURE BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE MAKE ALL NECESSARY ACCOMMODATIONS SO THAT OUR SERVICE DOGS CAN CONTINUE TO HELP COUNTLESS AUSTINITES CONTINUE TO LIVE FULL AND HAPPY LIVES DESPITE CHALLENGES. NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, JOINED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER MCKENZIE KELLY, MY GOOD FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER, 2023 AS SERVICE DOG MONTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS WITH THIS PROCLAMATION. SO, THANK YOU ALL. DO YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? PLEASE? UM, I WANTED TO FIRST OFF, THANK YOU, UM, MAYOR AND COUNCILWOMAN FOR THIS, UM, AMAZING PROCLAMATION THAT YOU'VE BOTH DONE. UM, IT MEANS A LOT TO ALL OF US, UM, WHO DO HAVE DISABILITIES, BOTH PHYSICAL AND UM, NON-PHYSICAL DISABILITIES. UM, SO FIRST OFF, THANK YOU, UM, FOR EVERYONE ELSE OUT THERE, UM, CANINE COMPANIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS HELP BY PROVIDING THESE SERVICE ANIMALS TO US. WITHOUT CANINE COMPANIONS, I WOULD NOT HAVE GLAMOR. MM-HMM. . UM, THEY ARE, AS YOU SEE ALL THESE PUPPIES UP HERE, THEY ACTUALLY TRAIN THESE PUPPIES AND HELP GET THEM INTO HANDS OF PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF. UM, I KNOW THE GOVERNOR ALSO DID A PROCLAMATION. YEP. UM, RIGHT HERE. UM, SAME THING FOR THE SEPTEMBER, UM, 2023 SERVICE DOG MONTH. SO WE'VE REALLY GOT THE BACKING OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO WE, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING. GREAT TO BE WITH YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR CALLING ATTENTION TO THIS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER. THANK YOU. UH, LET'S GET EVERYBODY IN A PICTURE. PICTURE. YEAH. DON'T MAKE YOU STAND OR YOU NEED TO STAY SEATED. YOU WANNA HOLD THIS OR DO YOU WANT ME TO HOLD IT? OKAY. DO YOU WANNA BE IN HERE FOR THAT? I, YOU GOTTA GO. I'VE ONLY BEEN TEXTING FOUR TIMES AGO. WHERE WERE YOU? NO, I GET THAT. I'M SORRY. YOU'RE DOING OKAY. I'M DOING WELL HERE. I CAN SCOOT OVER HERE TO GET MORE ROOM. COME ON IN. NO MA'AM. HANDSOME. HE NEEDS TO BE IN THE PICTURE THERE. . SHE, I WAS JUST THINKING I'VE GOT GL I'VE GOT GLAMOR TOO. I JUST DON'T HAVE A DOG. . SIT. OKAY. TWO, THREE. OH, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE MORE FUNNY NOISES THAN THAT. PUPPIES. WELL, SHE DONE, SHE'S DONE THIS BEFORE. SHE HAS DONE THIS BEFORE. YOU GOT MY ATTENTION. MEOW TOO. MEOW. THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH. YOU WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE. THANK YOU. [00:40:54] GOOD MORNING AND THANK [Proclamation – Emergency Preparedness Month – To be presented by Council Member Mackenzie Kelly and to be accepted by emergency management professionals] YOU FOR JOINING US. MY NAME IS MACKENZIE KELLY. I'M THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT SIX, AND I REPRESENT FAR NORTHWEST AUSTIN. THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER SERVES AS A STRONG REMINDER OF THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING PREPARED AND BEING PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED. LAUNCHED IN 2004 NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH IS FEMA'S NATIONAL ANNUAL PREPAREDNESS OUTREACH INITIATIVE. NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH IS MANAGED AND SPONSORED BY FEMA'S READY CAMPAIGN, WHICH YOU CAN FIND AT READY.GOV/SEPTEMBER THIS SEPTEMBER. IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO BE PREPARED AS DISASTERS TEND TO INCREASE IN SIZE AND FREQUENCY. THIS YEAR'S THEME IS TAKE CONTROL IN 1, 2, 3, AND IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE FOR RESIDENTS TO PREPARE BY TAKING THREE ESSENTIAL STEPS. ASSESS YOUR NEEDS, CREATE A PLAN, AND ENGAGE YOUR SUPPORT NETWORK. THESE STEPS EMPOWER RESIDENTS WITH TOOLS AND STRATEGIES TO BE MORE PREPARED AND HOW TO ACT DURING TIMES OF DISASTER. IN A CITY SUCH AS AUSTIN, WE OFTEN FACE OUR FAIREST SHARE OF CHALLENGES. AND IF YOU'VE LIVED HERE AS LONG AS I HAVE, YOU'VE SEEN THEM ALL. HOWEVER, WE STAND TOGETHER AS A BEACON OF PREPAREDNESS TODAY, DEMONSTRATING THAT WE CAN FACE ANY CRISIS HEAD ON WHEN WE COME TOGETHER. SEPTEMBER IS A TIME TO APPLAUD THE DEDICATION OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO STAND BEHIND ME TODAY. OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAMS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK TIRELESSLY TO KEEP US SAFE WHEN MAJOR DISASTERS UNEXPECTEDLY STRIKE OUR COMMUNITY. PRIOR TO MY TIME ON COUNCIL, I WORKED IN THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. AND I'M ESPECIALLY AWARE OF THE HARD AND OFTEN CHALLENGING TIMES THAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE EVERY DAY, BUT EVEN MORE SO TO REPAIR AND HEAL OUR COMMUNITY WHEN A DISASTER OCCURS. I WANNA THANK THOSE THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY, INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, OUR E M S OFFICE AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED ANY ORGANIZATION THAT MIGHT BE STANDING BEHIND US, BECAUSE AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC OFTEN DON'T REALIZE OR UNDERSTAND, IT TAKES THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING DEPARTMENTS, NOT JUST IN PUBLIC SAFETY TO HELP US HEAL AFTER DISASTER OCCURS. I WANNA USE THIS OCCASION TO RECOMMIT OURSELVES AND OUR COMMUNITY TO ENSURE OUR FAMILIES, NEIGHBORS, AND FRIENDS ARE INFORMED AND EQUIPPED TO HANDLE EMERGENCIES FROM HURRICANES TO WILDFIRES. WE MUST REMAIN VIGILANT AND PROACTIVE IN PROTECTING OUR LOVED ONES AND OUR BELOVED CITY OF AUSTIN. AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I ASK ONE THING OF THE COMMUNITY TODAY TO SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MONTH AND TO EMBODY ITS SPIRIT YEAR ROUND. BECAUSE WHEN WE PREPARE TODAY, WE PROTECT TOMORROW. TOGETHER WE CAN BUILD A SAFER, MORE RESILIENT AUSTIN FOR EVERYONE. I'LL NOW READ THE PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN RECOGNIZES THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS TO SAFEGUARD THE LIVES, PROPERTY AND WELLBEING OF ITS RESIDENTS. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING RESOURCES FOR PREPAREDNESS THAT EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES TO BE READY FOR ALL TYPES OF EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS. AND WHEREAS SEPTEMBER IS RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS MONTH, PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO UNITE AND RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS. AND WHEREAS AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY AND READINESS FOR UNFORESEEN CHALLENGES AND NATURAL DISASTERS TO MANMADE EMERGENCIES. AND BEING PREPARED IS KEY TO PROTECTING OURSELVES, OUR LOVED ONES AND OUR HOMES. AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS CONTINUALLY STRIVES TO ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITY'S READINESS FOR EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS THROUGH EDUCATION, TRAINING AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES. AND NOW, THEREFORE, I AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MCKENZIE KELLY, ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON COUNCIL WHO COULD NOT BE HERE WITH ME TODAY AND THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN NOW DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER, 2023 AS NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH. THANK YOU [00:45:01] EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. YAY. THE WORK THAT THESE, THESE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES DO IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND IT CANNOT BE UNDERSCORED ENOUGH HOW APPRECIATED IT IS BY OUR COUNCIL. THANK YOU. GET A QUICK, QUICK PHOTO. I CAN GET EVERYBODY HERE. OH, IS ANYBODY ELSE SPEAKING? OH, I DON'T. DO YOU WANNA SPEAK? OH, YOU WANT, OH, OKAY. COOL. I'LL DO THE TALK. . JUST KIDDING. . I'M KIDDING. SORRY. WELL DONE. THANK YOU. YOU WANNA GIVE UP CHRIS? I BLOCK YOUR VIEW. GOOD. YOU DON'T WANNA BE IN, WE NEED THE PRETTY PEOPLE FRONT. OH, THAT'S NOT SEE FACE. I CAN SEE YOU. THAT MIGHT BE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.