[00:00:01]
UM, ALL RIGHT.[Call to Order]
CALL THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ORDER.IT'S 10:00 AM UH, WE ARE MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2023 AT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHICH ARE LOCATED IN CITY HALL AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT MEMBERS.
UH, I WANT TO NOTE THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER POOL ARE, UH, OFF THE DAIS.
ONE THING I WILL NOTE THAT, THAT ORIGINALLY THIS DATE WAS NOT SCHEDULED FOR A COUNCIL MEETING WHEN WE HAD THE WHOLE CALENDAR PUT TOGETHER, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
AND SO, UH, THAT, THAT'S THE REASON SOME, SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT HERE, IS THAT THINGS HAD BEEN SCHEDULED AND THEN WE, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK AND BUSINESS COULD GET DONE, WE SCHEDULED THIS MEETING.
[Consent Agenda]
AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD.ITEM NUMBER 19 IS WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY ADDENDUM ITEM 1 31, ITEM NUMBER 34.
UH, INSTEAD OF READING EVANS GROUP, L L C D B A, EVANS PERSONNEL CONSULTANTS AND, AND EVANS TEMPORARIES, IT SHOULD READ EVANS PERSONNEL CONSULTANTS, D B A EVANS TEMPORARIES.
THOSE THREE ITEMS ARE POSTPONED TO SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2023.
ITEM NUMBER 82 ADDED AS A SPONSOR SHOULD BE COUNCIL MEMBER LESLIE POOLE.
ITEM 95 IS POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 5TH, 2023.
ITEM 1 0 2, THERE'S A POSTPONEMENT DISCUSSION REQUEST.
IT SAYS, DI THAT THIS, UH, IS IN DISTRICT NINE, THAT SHOULD BE STRICKEN, AND IT SHOULD SAY DISTRICT FOUR.
ITEM NUMBER 1 32, UH, ADDED AS A SPONSOR SHOULD BE COUNCIL MEMBER LESLIE POOLE ON THE BOARD AND COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
ITEM 29 SHOULD READ SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2023, RECOMMENDED BY THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION ON A SIX OH VOTE WITH ONE ABSENCE AND FOUR VACANCIES.
THOSE ARE ALL THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS TO THE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2023 AGENDA MEMBERS.
THE ORDER OF THE DAY THAT WE WILL GO THROUGH IS, OF COURSE, UH, AT FOUR O'CLOCK, I'M SORRY, FOUR O'CLOCK.
I HAVE IT DOWN AS ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON MY LIST.
IF ANYBODY'S WONDERING WHY I WOULD SCREW THAT UP THAT WAY, IF WE'RE HERE AT FOUR O'CLOCK, SOMEBODY LOST A BET.
LET'S JUST SAY THAT, UH, 10:00 AM UH, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE OUR, THE SPEAKERS, UH, THAT ARE SIGNED UP.
I WANT TO MAKE A NOTE THAT THOSE THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM NUMBER 1 0 3.
YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THE TIME CERTAIN AT ONE 15.
UH, THERE'S ALSO AN ITEM, WHICH IS, IS ITEM 1 0 3, WHICH IS TO SET A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND WHAT I THINK MAY HAVE HAPPENED IS SOME PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE SETTING FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE HAVE TO BE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
THEY FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEY REALLY MEANT TO BE SIGNING UP TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY.
SO I WILL MAKE A NOTE AND WE WILL CALL ON YOU SO THAT WE DON'T, YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THE WRONG THING, UH, AND, AND NOT GET TO BE HEARD.
ITEM 86 IS AN ITEM, UH, THAT'S THE ONE I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT THAT SETS THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE WILL THEN VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH, UH, BRIEF REMARKS FROM COUNSEL.
I HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE INDICATED THEY WISH TO BE HEARD ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, TWO ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED.
THEY'RE LISTED AS NON-CONSENT ITEMS BECAUSE THEY ARE ITEMS FROM COUNCIL, UH, COMMITTEES ITEM 88 AND ITEM 89, AND ITEM 90.
WE WILL THEN, WE'LL THEN I'VE GOT, I'M, AS MUCH AS I ENJOY HEARING MY OWN VOICE, I DON'T LIKE HEARING IT TWICE, HEARING IT TWICE.
UM, UM, UH, BY THE WAY, FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ HAS JOINED REMOTELY.
WE WILL THEN TAKE UP IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEMS, 91, 92, 93, AND 94.
WE WILL THEN GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
I WILL CALL THE, I WILL CALL THE PUBLIC HEARINGS IN THIS ORDER.
AND IT'S BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS WE HAD WHEN I SAT DOWN TO PUT TOGETHER THIS LIST.
[00:05:01]
WITH ITEM NUMBER 101ST, THEN WE WILL GO TO ITEM 98, THEN WE WILL GO TO ITEM 99.I WANT TO NOTE FOR THE PUBLIC ITEM NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING, AND THE RELATED ITEM NUMBER 1 0 4 HAVE BEEN POSTPONED.
SO I, RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE ONLY HAVE ONE PERSON THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
BUT THOSE ITEMS THAT, THAT THEY WILL BE POSTPONED AT NOON.
WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND LIVE MUSIC.
I WANT TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT I, UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE TO BE OFF THE DAIS, UH, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
THE MAYOR PRO TIM WILL, UH, HANDLE THAT MATTER.
AND THEN THE LIVE MUSIC, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, BECAUSE WE, UH, HAVE ONE OF HER CONSTITUENTS HERE TODAY, SHE WILL HELP US WITH THAT.
AT ONE 15, WE WILL HAVE A TIME CERTAIN, AND THAT IS WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 1 0 3 THAT I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
ONE, WE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE A TIME CERTAIN FOR A PUBLIC HEARING ON ONE OF THESE TYPES OF AGREEMENTS.
AND THAT WILL BE AT 1:15 PM THERE WILL BE NO ACTION.
COUNSEL WILL TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, AND THEN OF COURSE AT TWO O'CLOCK WE WILL HAVE, UH, OUR ZONING ITEMS. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO ITEMS AS I CURRENTLY UNDERSTAND IT, THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE ZONING CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THEN WE HAVE POSTPONEMENTS ON 1 11, 1 13, 1 14, AND 1 28.
UH, MY APOLOGIES, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS MADE KNOWN, SO MY APOLOGIES ON THAT.
I, I, I THOUGHT I MENTIONED YOU, BUT I'VE GOT YOU.
YOU, YOU, YOU DID LET US KNOW, AND SO I'VE GOT THAT.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GO TO, UM, HAVING DONE THAT, AND IF THERE ARE ANY, UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ORDER OF THE DAY, WE WILL, UH, GO NOW TO OUR, UH, SPEAKERS AT 10 O'CLOCK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND I'LL LOOK TO THE CITY CLERK.
OKAY, MAYOR, THE FIRST SPEAKER IS JEAN LATASHA ON 99.
NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN KREPPS ON ITEM 98.
I GO TO BAR AND SPRINGS EVERY DAY.
I THINK THAT THE PLAN TO REDO THE BATHHOUSE IS A TOTAL DISASTER.
UM, I I I CANNOT IMAGINE WHY YOU WOULD REASSIGN GODFREY AND LIMB BACKER.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THEY DID TO THE LADIES DRESSING LIMB BATHHOUSE, IT IS ONE OF THE WORST DESIGN BATHHOUSE I'VE EVER SEEN.
THEY MADE THIS BIG MISTAKE SO THAT THEY HAD TO PUT PRIVACY SCREENS IN AFTER THEY WERE DONE.
YOU CAN'T BE THERE IN THE RAIN AND KEEP YOUR STUFF DRY ANYWHERE.
UH, THE ONLY ELECTRIC OUTLET IS RIGHT BY THE SINK.
THE MIRROR IS RIGHT OVER THE SINK.
AND WHY WOULD YOU, I THINK THAT THEIR CONTRACT FOR THE HAVING DONE THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE, THAT ALMOST CUT DOWN ALL THE TREES AROUND THE, THE, THE POOL, UH, SAYS THAT THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO ANY PROJECTS COMING FROM THAT PLAN.
I ALSO THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING IS SHUTTING DOWN ACCESS TO A HUGE AMOUNT OF THE PARKING LOT, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ENTER THE BACK, THE NORTH SHORE.
THAT'S REALLY BAD FOR PEOPLE WITH ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES.
I KNOW PEOPLE WHO ARE EXTREMELY UPSET KNOWING THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO GET TO THE POOL.
AND, UM, AND I, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE BUDGET FOR IT COULD HAVE ESCALATED.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S GONE UP FROM $2 MILLION UP TO SOMETHING LIKE $10 MILLION.
THIS DOES NOT NEED TO BE DONE.
JUST USE SOME OF THAT MONEY TO FIX THE PLUMBING.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN NEGLECTING THE, THESE BATHHOUSES FOR YEARS WITH THE IDEA OF PULLING THEM DOWN AND RENOVATING IT.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS JUST PART OF THE WHOLE MASTER PLAN TO CONCRETIZE THE PARK AND MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND.
[00:10:01]
PANTEL SPEAKING ON ITEM FOUR AND 1 0 1.I AM SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THE AIRPORT EXPANSION, AND I'M QUITE DISAPPOINTED THAT NONE OF YOU HAVE SPOKEN UP TO QUESTION WHETHER WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS MAJOR EXPANSION OF THE AIRPORT.
WE ARE IN A CLIMATE CRISIS, AND WE SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN DOUBLING THE SIZE OF OUR AIRPORT, WHICH WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE AIR TRAVEL AND CLIMATE CHANGE EMISSIONS.
WE HAVE A CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, AND THE GOAL IS TO, IS TO REACH NET ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
THIS PROJECT DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS THAT, AND YOU CONVENIENTLY DON'T INCLUDE THE AIR TRAVEL IN THE CLIMATE PLAN GOALS.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION, A COMMUNITY-WIDE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS PROJECT, DISCUSSING THE PROS AND CONS OF THIS PROJECT.
THE PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT FROM THIS ARE THE BUSINESS TRAVELERS AND THE TOURISTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HARMED ARE, AGAIN, THE LOWER INCOME AND MODERATE INCOME PEOPLE WHO ESPECIALLY LIVE UNDER THE FLIGHT PLAN AND WILL HAVE INCREASED AIR, AIR POLLUTION AND INCREASED NOISE POLLUTION AS A RESULT OF THIS.
THE, THE PROJECT EA SAYS THAT THEY ARE LIKELY EXCEEDING AIR POLLUTION STANDARDS.
THEY BROKE THIS PROJECT UP INTO A BUNCH OF SMALLER PROJECTS SO THAT THEY CAN CLAIM THAT NONE OF THE PROJECTS HAVE EXCESSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH BY THE AIRPORT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY MINIMAL.
ONLY 12 PEOPLE COMMENTED ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN A REGION OF OVER A MILLION.
WE REALLY NEED TO RECONSIDER THIS PROJECT.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JEAN LATASHA SPEAKING ON ITEM 99.
JEAN, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR PHONE.
NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL TI SPEAKING ON 98.
HI, UM, GREETINGS COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR.
UM, I'M COMMUNICATING IN FAVOR OF SOMETHING BEFORE YOU FOR A CHANGE OF FACE ON BEHALF OF THE BAR SPRINGS CONSERVANCY.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ACTUALLY GOING BACK TO STARTING WITH MAYOR LIVINGWELL AND THEN WITH MAYOR ADLER.
WE'RE HOPING TO SEE THIS PROJECT MOVE FORWARD.
THE BATHHOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1947 AND HAS A NUMBER OF PLUMBING AND MECHANICAL PROBLEMS, WHICH REFLECT THE AGE OF THIS 75 PLUS YEAR OLD STRUCTURE.
AND TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS, THEN PROVIDE A FIRST CLASS FACILITY FOR BARTON SPRINGS VISITORS.
THE PROJECT WAS LAUNCHED IN 2018.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY INPUT PROCESS.
I HEARD MRS. KREPP SPEAK EARLIER.
UM, I UNDERSTAND MR. BUNCH HAS GONNA SPEAK.
HE WAS ALSO PART OF THAT PROCESS.
THIS PROJECT REQUIRES AN AMENDMENT TO THE S O S, UH, ORDINANCE, AND WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANY OBJECTIONS TO THE, UH, APPROVAL, UH, AT THIS POINT FROM ANY OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS REVIEWS.
AND WE REALLY DO FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE'RE REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT TO THE S O S ORDINANCE.
THE PROJECT IS ADDRESSING SOME FIRE SAFETY AND PREVIOUS COVER CHALLENGES THAT THE SITE HAS, BUT IMPORTANTLY, IT'S ALSO PROVIDING NEW ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EXHIBITS THAT WILL BE PART OF THE ENTRANCE EXPERIENCE.
EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THE THE BEST AND ONLY WAY TO PROTECT BARTON SPRINGS AND THE EDWARDS AQUIFER IS TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASE OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
AND I HOPE THE COUNCIL WILL UNDERSTAND WE NEED TO UPGRADE THE BATHHOUSE, BUT IT'S A VERY CHALLENGING LOCATION NEAR THE POOL, NEAR THE RECHARGE FEATURES.
UH, AS AN HISTORICAL PROJECT, WE URGE YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT THIS.
UH, HAVING PRIVATE PARTNERS TRY TO STEP UP AND RAISE FUNDS TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING IF THESE PROJECTS JUST DRAG ON AND ON AND ON.
[00:15:01]
SO, URGE COUNSEL, PLEASE SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT.NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHLEEN MITCHELL ON 1 32.
HI, UH, I'M HOPING Y'ALL CAN HEAR ME.
I'M KATHY MITCHELL AND I HAVE DONE A LOT WITH, UH, DATA, PUBLIC SAFETY DATA OVER THE YEARS, AND I SUPPORT THIS ITEM AND I WANNA MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
UM, YOU MAY BE HEARING THAT THE COUNCIL IS GETTING TOO GRANULAR IN ITS DIRECTION AND THAT THAT OVERSTEPS INTO THE CITY MANAGER'S ROLE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE HEARING THAT ON THIS ITEM, BUT IT HAS BEEN A REFRAIN.
SO, SPEAKING TO THAT, THIS ITEM HAS A LONG AND UNFORTUNATE HERE HISTORY OF INACTION OR FRANKLY, BACKWARD ACTION MAKING GRANULAR DIRECTION MANDATORY.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM OTHERS TODAY ABOUT DATA REQUESTS LONG OVERDUE FROM A P D DATA THAT SHOULD ALREADY BE ON THE PORTAL IS NOT.
SO AN EXAMPLE, THE USE OF FORCE DATASET 2019 IS THE MOST RECENT ONE.
THE ANNUAL RACIAL PROFILING DATASET, WHICH A P D DOES SEND THIS DATA BY LAW TO D P SS.
EVERY LAST ONE THAT'S POSTED IS 2020.
UH, THE DISCHARGE OF FIREARM AT A DOG, WHICH IS MANDATORY UNDER A LEGAL SETTLEMENT.
AND THEN I THINK MOST TELLING THE INNOVATION OFFICE IN 2021 PRODUCED AN IMPORTANT SERIES OF MAPS AND DATA ANALYSIS OF THE NINE ONE ONE CALL DATA PREVIOUSLY USED BY THE AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION TO INITIALLY LIFT UP THE NATURE OF 9 1 1 CALLS AND THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE CITY'S RESPONSE.
THIS IMPORTANT WORK APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED.
NO NINE ONE ONE CALL DATA HAS BEEN RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC AND THOSE REQUESTING IT HAS BEEN IN LIMBO.
YOU ARE ONLY CALLED UPON TO DIRECT POLICY AT THIS LEVEL OF DETAIL WHEN MANAGEMENT HAS FAILED TO DO WHAT IS REQUIRED OR HAS CLOSED DOWN SUCCESSFUL WORK WITHOUT CONSULTATION.
YOU MAY BE TOLD THAT THIS IS BECAUSE A P D LACKS STAFF A P D STAFF ARE NOT THE ISSUE HERE.
THE DATA MISSING FROM THE PUBLIC DEBATE, AND THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS RESOLUTION, IS PRODUCED DAILY IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINESS.
AN OPEN DATA MODEL ENSURES THAT DATA PROBLEMS ARE QUICKLY IDENTIFIED BY PUBLIC USERS.
THANK YOU, SPEAKER, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT.
THERE ARE A FEW SPEAKERS THAT HAVE CALLED IN AND THEY'RE NOT CALLING IN FROM THE NUMBER THEY REGISTERED WITH, SO WE ARE NOT ACCEPTING THEM.
EMAIL US AND LET US KNOW YOUR NAME SO THAT WE CAN LET YOU THROUGH.
NEXT SPEAKER IS ENOVIA JOSEPH SPEAKING ON 1346 AND 76.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO ITEM 76, SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL THE $22.9 MILLION FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
I JUST WANNA ASK THAT YOU PRIORITIZE CLOSING THE MIDBLOCK STOPS ON PALMER, NOT PALMER, MY APOLOGIES.
ON NORTH LAMAR, WHICH IS 8 0 1 CHINATOWN.
THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER ITEM, SPECIFICALLY NUMBER 46, WHICH SPEAKS TO $5 MILLION FOR 80 D A SIDEWALK AND RAMP IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT NEITHER OF THOSE ITEMS SHOW A PRIORITIZATION OF CLOSING THESE MIDBLOCK STOPS AND MAKING 88 COMPLIANCE ARGUMENTS, UH, ACCESSIBLE FOR THE PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS, WALKERS, AND CANES IN THAT AREA.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK STAFF FROM 46 TO PUT ONLINE A MAP THAT ACTUALLY HAS THE STREET.
I'M LOOKING AT A BLUE LINE AND IT APPEARS TO BE DESAL ROAD.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S WHAT THIS IS SIGNALING IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
BESIDES LINES AND DOTS, I WOULD ALSO ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE, UH, AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO BREAKER LANE DESAL DISTRICT ONE, THERE WILL BE SOME IMPROVEMENTS, BUT WHAT'S REALLY NEEDED FOR WHEELCHAIRS IS FOR THERE TO BE PEDESTRIAN HYBRID DEACONS.
IT'S A ONE MILE WALK TO THE BUS STOP FROM DESAL PALMER TO RATHER HAM AND SHARP SUGAR, WHICH IS THE PIONEER CROSSING AREA.
AND LASTLY, I WILL JUST SAY AS RELATES ITEM 30 13, THE $35.7 MILLION TOTAL FOR ICONIC MUSIC AND CONNECTING EQUITABLY PROJECT FOR I 35 CENTRAL IS A BIT DISCONCERTING TO ME.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS JUST FOR MUSIC, BUT IT DOES INCLUDE URBAN RENEWAL IN THE BACKUP FROM 2021.
[00:20:01]
AND AS JAMES BALDWIN ONCE SAID, IT'S NEGRO REMOVAL.SO THIS DOES GIVE ME REASON FOR PAUSE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWERED THEM AT THIS TIME AND WOULD JUST ASK, MAYOR THAT YOU PUT YOUR RULES ONLINE FOR THE BOARD FOR THESE MEETINGS, BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHO CAN SPEAK AND WHEN.
NEXT SPEAKER IS SCOTT COBB ON ITEM 98 I, AND I'M SPEAKING ON THE BATHHOUSE, WHICH I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, UH, MODERNIZE INNOVATIVE BATHHOUSE WHEN IT'S, I WAS TALKING ABOUT TODAY, UH, ABOUT A NOMINATION FORM THAT I SUBMITTED THREE WEEKS AGO TO NAME THE BATH HEALTH AFTER JOAN NAMED CABBEL.
AND I PAID THE $365 APPLICATION FEE.
UH, YOU KNOW, JOAN WAS A 17 YEAR OLD GIRL WHO IN 1960, ORGANIZED SWIM INS TO PROTEST THE LACK OF ACCESS FOR HER AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO THE POOL WHO WERE EXCLUDED BECAUSE OF SEGREGATION.
AND, UH, TO DISTRIBUTE TO RENAMED THE BATHHOUSE, UH, FOR HER, UM, WOULD BE A NICE TRIBUTE.
AND IT ISN'T CONFINED TO THE PAST.
IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE.
UH, BY HONORING JOAN IN THIS WAY, WE'RE MAKING A COMMITMENT TO A FUTURE THAT MIRRORS HER IDEALS OF EQUALITY AND INCLUSIVITY.
JUST A SEPARATE IGNITED, A MOVEMENT THAT OPENED BARTON SPRINGS POOL FOR EVERYONE.
THIS ACT TO RENAME THE BATHHOUSE BECOMES A CONSTANT REMINDER THAT PROGRESS IS ECSTATIC, IT EVOLVES, ADAPTS, ADAPTS, AND THRIVES EVERY CHILD WALKING THROUGH THE DOORS TO BARTON SPRINGS POOL, EVERY FAMILY GATHERING BY THE POOLSIDE WILL BE TOUCHED BY JOAN SPIRIT GUIDING US TOWARDS A BRIGHTER MORE JUST FUTURE FOR, FOR AUSTIN.
SO AS THE DOORS APART AND SPRINGS IN THE FUTURE, SWING OPEN THE GATE TO THE ENTRANCE.
IT WILL BE A SPACE FOR E EQUITY AND UNITY.
JOAN'S LEGACY EXTENDS BEYOND THE PRESENT CASTING ITS INFLUENCE ON TOMORROW'S YET TO UNFOLD.
HERE AT MARTIN STRINGS, INDIVIDUALS FROM DIVERSE WALKS OF LIFE WILL CONVENE, CONNECT, AND SHAPE OF FUTURE ROOTED IN ACCESS, ACCEPTANCE, AND SHARED HUMANITY.
JOAN'S CAB'S STORY WILL CONTINUE TO REMIND US THAT ONE PERSON'S UNWAVERING COURAGE AND ABILITY TO HARNESS THE POWER OF HER COMMUNITY HAS THE POWER TO IGNITE CHANGE THAT REVERBERATES THROUGH TIME.
YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED PROTECTORS AND FOR YOUR BETTER WORLD FOR ALL.
THAT CONCLUDES, UM, THE REMOTE SPEAKERS AT THIS TIME.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO IN PERSON.
IF YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT AND, UM, STATE YOUR NAME AT THE PODIUM.
FIRST SPEAKER IS GUS PENA, SPEAKING ON 5, 6, 7, AND EIGHT.
ON DECK IS RACHEL MELENDEZ ON NINE AND JIAO PAL CONLEY ON NINE.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY UP TO THE FRONT.
MY NAME IS, UH, GUSTAVO GUS PENA, NATIVE EAST AUSTINITE.
UM, I AM SUPPORTING, UH, FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN DAVE EVANS AND, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL RETARDATION, WHICH IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE BRAIN ISSUES ARE, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH BRAIN ISSUES.
NOW, JESUS, I ASKED YOU TO, TO TALK TO THAT PERSON OVER THERE.
YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT TO TAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURES.
RE AND IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING.
DON'T DO IT AGAIN BECAUSE I WILL FILE A FEDERAL LAW.
I R S OKAY? BUT THE ISSUE IS THIS, IS THAT WHEN SOMEBODY'S PROFILING YOU, THAT'S A FEDERAL OFFENSE.
JUST REMEMBER THAT, JESUS, YOU HADN'T DONE A DAMN THING TO ME.
AND THEY TAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURES AND I SEE OFFICERS OVER THERE.
HEY, I TOOK TWO COMMAND ACADEMIES, OKAY? I R S AND THE OTHER ONE FROM, UH, NEW YORK.
OKAY? SO NOW YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY POLICE OFFICERS ARE HERE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT.
PLEASE, PLEASE TAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURES.
[00:25:01]
I GOT IT RIGHT HERE.UH, MACKENZIE, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU'VE ALWAYS SAID HELLO.
AND SOME OF MY PEOPLE DON'T EVEN SAY HELLO.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, AND MY WIFE OF 38 YEARS, I LOVE YOU, HONEY.
YOU KNOW, BUT THE ISSUE IS THIS, IS THAT I, I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN HELPING ME A WHOLE LOT WHEN IT REALLY HURTS ME.
I HAVE BRAIN INJURY FROM, UH, VIETNAM.
HOW MANY OF Y'ALL WERE IN COMBAT? HOW MANY OF Y'ALL, HOW MANY OF Y'ALL WERE IN COMBAT? Y'ALL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL IT IS.
UH, MY WIFE TOLD ME TO NOT SAY THAT.
BUT ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE MEASURES.
EVERY TIME I COME OVER HERE, SHE'S PROFILING ME.
YOU HAVE NOT DONE A DAMN THING ABOUT IT.
TAKE MEASURES 'CAUSE I WILL BE FEDERAL.
NEXT SPEAKER IS RACHEL MELENDEZ ON DECK, OUR JIAO PAL CONLEY, AS WELL AS BILL BUNCH.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AT THIS PODIUM.
UM, I'M WITH THE UNITE HERE, LOCAL 23, AND HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF LOCAL 23.
UH, WE REPRESENT HOTEL WORKERS AT SEVERAL HOTELS AND ALMOST ALL OF THE FOOD SERVICE AT THE, UH, AND RETAIL AT THE AIRPORT.
UM, IN FACT, WORKERS AT THE HILTON DOWNTOWN AND THE HILTON AT THE AIRPORT JUST WON REALLY GREAT, UH, FIRST CONTRACTS.
UM, THE THOUSANDS OF HOTEL AND HOSPITALITY WORKERS IN THE CITY ARE OFTEN THE FIRST AND LAST FACES THAT, UH, VISITORS SEE WHEN THEY'RE COMING TO OUR CITY.
WHETHER WE ARE SERVING THEM FOOD AND DRINKS AT THE AIRPORT OR THE CONVENTION CENTER, OR CLEANING THEIR HOTEL ROOMS IN, UH, HOTELS ACROSS THE CITY.
WE ARE THE BACKBONE OF THIS INDUSTRY.
WE KNOW THAT WHEN THE INDUSTRY IS DOING WELL, OUR MEMBERS AND HOSPITALITY WORKERS HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO WELL.
WE WANT THE HOTEL AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO BE SUCCESSFUL SO THAT WORKERS IN THAT INDUSTRY CAN ALSO THRIVE.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE WORK, UM, TO WORK WITH HOSPITALITY WORKERS ACROSS THE CITY TO IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS AND, UH, RAISE THE STANDARD FOR THEM.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN POWELL CONLEY.
IF YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM, WAYNE SHIPLEY, SHALL I? OKAY.
UH, BILL BUNCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WITH SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, WANT TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND INDICATE OUR SUPPORT FOR ITEM 79, THE SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENT, UH, INITIATION FOR THE ERICSSON PROPERTY IN BARTON HILLS, UH, WITH THE STRICT, UH, GUIDANCE THAT YOU'VE WRITTEN INTO THAT RESOLUTION.
UH, WE ALSO SUPPORT, UH, ITEM 80.
UH, PLEASE DO CHALLENGE THE PROPOSED DAM ON ANO RIVER.
UM, AND THEN, OF COURSE, ITEM 81.
UH, PLEASE DO SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR A FREE SWIM DAY NEXT TUESDAY FOR THE BARTON SPRINGS UNIVERSITY DAY EVENT THAT IS OPEN TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT THE TARGET THERE IS ABOUT A THOUSAND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO SHOW UP FOR A FULL DAY OF OUTDOOR LEARNING AND, UH, SWIMMING AT THE SPRINGS.
UH, PLEASE JOIN US IF YOU CAN, UH, WORKING IT IN AND AROUND YOUR, UH, WORK SESSION.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO SUPPORT THE SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENT FOR THE BARTON SPRINGS BATHHOUSE.
BUT THERE'S STILL HUGE QUESTIONS, UH, THE SITE SPECIFIC AMENDMENT TO THE SOS ORDINANCE, BUT THERE'S STILL A TON OF QUESTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE REGULAR SWIMMERS WHO ACTUALLY USE THE BATHHOUSE ON A REGULAR BASIS ABOUT THIS PROJECT, ABOUT THE STAGING AREA, WHICH THE EARLIER SPEAKER MENTIONED.
SO, PLEASE, UH, ASK ENCOURAGE DIRECT STAFF AND THE CONTRACTORS TO HOLD, UH, EDUCATIONAL MEETING ABOUT THE PROJECT, UH, VERY SOON BEFORE IT ACTUALLY STARTS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE DRAWINGS.
AND DO IT AT THE BATHHOUSE OR ON THE GROUNDS RIGHT OUTSIDE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, THE PROCEDURE, AND, AND THE SUBSTANCE OF EXACTLY WHAT IS, UH, CURRENTLY ON THE TABLE.
'CAUSE THIS HAS GONE THROUGH MULTIPLE ITERATIONS OVER YEARS AND YEARS.
AND, UM, I THINK THERE'S, THERE SHOULDN'T BE THIS MANY QUESTIONS LEFT ON THE TABLE BEFORE THE PROJECT MOVES FORWARD.
[00:30:01]
REQUEST, UH, ATTACHED TO OUR SUPPORT FOR THAT MEASURE.I AM GOING TO GO BACK TO A REMOTE SPEAKER VERY QUICKLY.
UM, CYNTHIA VASQUEZ SPEAKING ON ITEM 100.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME OUT THERE? YES, PLEASE PROCEED.
I'M A 7 8 7 0 2 EAST AUSTIN CHICANA NATIVE, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 100, UM, ABOUT THE JOINT USE PARK USE AGREEMENT WITH OUR A I S D SCHOOLS.
AND I'M ASKING TO POSTPONE THIS WORK SO WE'RE ABLE TO COORDINATE MORE ROBUST CONVERSATIONS.
IN 7 8, 7 0 2, BLACK AND BROWN KIDS WERE BEING ARRESTED AND PLACED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTER AND A I S D.
WITH THAT DATA STARTED SENDING OUT LETTERS TO PEOPLE LIKE MY MOM, EAST SIDE MOMS WERE GETTING NOTIFIED THAT THEIR STUDENTS WERE AT RISK.
SO MY BROTHER WAS ONE OF THE BROWN KIDS IN EAST AUSTIN WHO WAS TOLD HE WAS AT RISK.
SO SOME OF THAT PARK USE AND SOME OF THAT WORK, FAMILY STARTED ASKING, WHERE ARE THE SAFE PLACES THAT OUR CHILDREN HAVE TO GO? AND OUR AND OUR SCHOOL PARKS, WERE PART OF THAT SOLUTION TO KEEP THEM SAFE, TO ADD AMENITIES, TO PROVIDE SAFER ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR BLACK AND BROWN KIDS.
RIGHT NOW, OVER 10 SCHOOLS ARE AT RISK OF LOSING PUBLIC FUNDING, PUBLIC FUNDING THAT'S PROVIDED OVER $3 MILLION IN AMENITIES IN SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE IN SCHOOLS.
OTHERWISE, THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE TRASH.
WE KNOW THE HISTORY OF A I S D AND HOW THEY TREAT PARKS ALONG THE EASTERN CRESCENT.
AND THE CITY HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB IN COORDINATING SPECIFICALLY OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT IN COORDINATING AND COLLABORATING WITH OVER $3 MILLION WORTH OF PARK AMENITIES AT SCHOOL PARKS, INCLUDING WASTE RECEPTACLES, PLAYGROUNDS, WATER FOUNTAINS, BENCHES, PICNIC TABLES, NATURE PLAY FEATURES, AND MORE.
IMAGINE OUR EAST SIDE SCHOOLS WITHOUT THESE THINGS.
I KNOW I'M ONE PERSON RIGHT NOW, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU, IF YOU POSTPONE THIS WORK, I WILL BRING 50 PEOPLE FROM ALONG THE EASTERN CRESCENT TO, TO ASK YOU TO SLOW THAT PROCESS DOWN.
AND DO NOT RESCIND THAT CONTRACT WITH THE JOINT USE PARKLAND AGREEMENT.
THANK YOU'LL KEEP YOUR EYE ON SPEAKER.
OH, Y'ALL EASTSIDERS, VANESSA, I'M COUNTING ON, ON Y'ALL FOR THAT SOLIDARITY.
BACK TO IN PERSON ALEXANDER STRANGER.
WAYNE SHIPLEY SPEAKING ON ITEM 80 ON DECK IS JEN WEAVER.
HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS WAYNE SHIPLEY.
I'M A FORMER AUSTIN RESIDENT NOW LIVING IN ANO COUNTY.
I'M WITH THE LAKE BUCHANAN COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE.
AND CONSIDERING THIS RESOLUTION, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO BRING A HIGHLAND LAKES PERSPECTIVE TO THE ISSUE.
I WAS AT THE HEARING IN ROCK SPRINGS WITH MR. UH, GREG.
THE OWNER OF THE ABOVE RANCH WAS THERE AS WELL.
NONE OF THE THREE T E C Q COMMISSIONERS WERE THERE.
THE ONES WHO WOULD ACTUALLY VOTE ON THE PROJECT.
THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE PROPOSED WATERSTONE DAM.
THE YELLOW PEN IS THE CENTER OF WHAT WOULD BE A SIX FOOT HIGH, 120 FOOT LONG STRUCTURE.
MUCH OF THE WHITE AREA BELOW THE PEN WOULD BE DREDGED.
THIS PRODUCT IS COMPLETELY FOR PRIVATE USE WITH NO VALUE TO THE PUBLIC.
THIS IS AN IDEA OF THE SCOPE OF IT.
THIS IS A DAM IN MASON COUNTY.
IT WAS NOT PERMITTED BLOCKS OFF THE JAMES RIVER, WHICH IS A CLOSE TRIBUTE TO, TO THE ANO RIVER.
IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT THESE THINGS LOOK LIKE, HERE'S A SCREEN GRAB FROM A MOVIE.
THIS ONE IS TINY COMPARED TO MASON AND WATERSTONE.
THIS IS MORE LIKE THE REAL THING.
NOTE THIS DAM IS ONLY ABOUT FOUR FEET HIGH.
A DAM LIKE THIS WOULD SET A PRECEDENT FOR ANY OTHER LANDOWNER TO DO THE SAME THING.
WHAT WOULD STOP THEM? IF YOU LOOK TO THE FAR RIGHT, IT SHOWS, UM, UM, THE COMBINED STORAGE OF THE HISTORY OF LAKE TRAVIS.
UH, THE FAR RIGHT, UH, RED LINE THERE INDICATES A DROP OF ABOUT A MILLION ACRE FEET OF STORAGE JUST SINCE, UH, SUMMER OF 2025.
IN 2022, AUSTIN RESIDENTS USED ABOUT 267,000 ACRE FEET.
THE LIGHT BLUE BARS REPRESENT AVERAGE INFLOWS INTO THE HIGHLAND LAKES.
THE DARK BLUE BARS REPRESENT INFLOWS DURING THE LAST DROUGHT.
THE LAST DROUGHT WAS THE SECOND WORST IN DROUGHT HISTORY.
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AUGUST, UH, HAD 2023 IS SHAPING UP TO BE THE, THE, UH, WORST INFLOWS ON RECORD.AUGUST HAD ALMOST NO INFLOWS CONCERNING AUSTIN'S GROWTH.
THERE IS NO WAY A DAMNED UP RIVER SYSTEM WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPLY WATER TO OUR AREA.
SPEAKING ON 82 ON DECK IS JESSICA COHEN AND CHRIS FLORES.
IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM.
UM, GOOD MORNING, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M CHAIR OF DESIGN COMMISSION.
I'M ALSO A DOWNTOWN COMMISSIONER.
I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK ON THOSE CAPACITIES THIS MORNING.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 82, UH, REQUIRING WINDOWS FOR, UH, SLEEPING BEDROOMS, ROOMS FOR SLEEPING FACILITIES.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING, DAVID CARROLL COULD NOT BE HERE THIS MORNING.
UM, HE'S BEEN WORKING WITH THE A I A ADVOCACY GROUP.
JUAN MOREAU, PROFESSOR JUAN MOREAU, UM, HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS AND OTHER PROFESSORS.
750 STUDENTS RODE IN, UM, REQUESTING WINDOWS BE REQUIRED FOR SLEEPING FACILITIES.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF, UH, TO TRY TO MOVE THIS THROUGH THE I F C PROCESS, UM, AS WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH OTHER, UH, PARKING, REMOVING PARKING MINIMUMS. UM, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE IN THIS CASE BECAUSE THIS IS A BUILDING CODE AMENDMENT.
SO, UH, IF WE'RE ADOPTING THIS ON THE BUILDING CODE CYCLE, WHICH IS STAFF'S PREFERENCE, THAT WOULD ALLOW A PIPELINE OF MORE WINDOWLESS STORMS TO BE CREATED.
UH, DUE TO THE INCENTIVES IN THE UNO DISTRICT, WE HAVE AN UNPRECEDENTED BUILDING BOOM IN WEST CAMPUS.
SOME OF THESE NEW BUILDINGS HAVE UP TO 22% WINDOWLESS BEDROOMS, 44% WINDOWLESS BEDROOMS. I URGE YOU TO TAKE ACTION POTENTIALLY OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING CYCLE BUILDING CODE ADOPTION CYCLE, UM, TO REQUIRE WINDOWS B UH, REQUIRE BEDROOMS THAT ARE RENTED TO HAVE WINDOWS.
THIS IS REALLY REPREHENSIBLE THAT A CITY THIS LARGE WOULD STOP AN ADOPTION REQUIRING WINDOWS TO ALLOW A PIPELINE TO PRODUCE MORE WINDOWLESS BEDROOMS. UM, IT'S NOT TIME TO PAT YOURSELVES ON THE BACK YET.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT FROM ALL THE COUNCIL OFFICES ON THIS, BUT THIS IS URGENT TO TAKE ACTION NOW.
NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA COHEN.
ON 96 ON DECK ARE CHRIS FLORES AND DAVE ANDERSON, AS WELL AS MATHIAS SEGURA.
IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM.
MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS DAVE ANDERSON, UH, HERE REPRESENTING A I S D FOR ITEM 100.
WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS, UH, WHEN THAT ITEM ARISES.
NEXT SPEAKERS ARE JEFF RIGGER, GEORGE WILCOX, GREG PORTER, KATHY STEELE, JOHN NIK.
JACK MEANS SCOTT WALKER, AVA LUGO, COURTNEY HICKEY, DIANE TRAN, LAURA SHEER, ETHAN HOLMES AND REBECCA BOLLINGER ON 1 0 2.
AND THEY ARE GOING IN THAT ORDER.
UH, HELLO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M CHRIS FLORES, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10 AND A DAILY SWIMMER AT BARTON AND DEEP EDDIE POOLS.
I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ASK YOU TO IMPLEMENT A CITIZEN SWIMMER REVIEW OF THE BARTON SPRINGS BATHHOUSE REHAB PLAN BEFORE THE PROJECT BEGINS.
I'M A PART OF A GROUP OF RETIRED PROFESSIONAL WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN REVIEWING THE 2018 DESIGN PLAN.
THE 120 PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM FEBRUARY, 2019, THE BUILDING HISTORY AND THE BUILDING ITSELF.
THE PUBLIC APPROVED A $2 MILLION BOND TO UPGRADE THE BATHHOUSE NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO.
SO THE PROJECT'S NO LONGER ON TIME OR ON BUDGET.
OUR LITTLE GROUP OF CITIZENS WANT TO HELP MAKE IT DONE RIGHT.
UH, IN MY GROUP, OUR RETIRED ARCHITECT, A RETIRED ENGINEER, A RETIRED PROJECT MANAGER, AND A BUSINESS OWNER, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER, MS. ASHLEY WELLS.
WE HAVE OFFERED TO HELP THE CITY, UH, STAFF COMMUNICATE WITH THE SWIMMER COMMUNITY COMMUNITY.
[00:40:01]
TO DESIGNATE ENOUGH PARKING FOR STAFF SO THAT THEY CAN GET IN AT, AT THE VERY LEAST, THEY CAN GET IN, IN AND OUT QUICKLY.WE HAVE FOUR PRIMARY CONCERNS WITH THE DESIGN AS IT IS THREE OF WHICH COULD BE BECAUSE THE PLAN IS UNCLEAR.
UM, THESE ARE, UH, THE 2019 COMMENTS, UM, ASKED THAT THE GUARD LOCATION BE IN AN AREA, UH, CLOSE TO THE DEEP PART OF THE POOL, WHICH IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
UM, THERE IS NO COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF HISTORIC FEATURES THAT WILL BE PRESERVED.
UM, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS EMPHASIZED THIS.
THE 2018 DESIGN COULD NOT FORESEE THE 2020 PANDEMIC.
AND WE HAVE SINCE LEARNED ABOUT AIRFLOW AND CONTAGION.
WE ARE BEGINNING TO THINK THE 1947 BUILDING WITHOUT AC MAY HAVE HAD SAFER AIRFLOW THAN WE HAVE TODAY.
UM, 2020 THREE'S HEATWAVE WAS UNFORESEEN IN 2018.
CAN I, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? HA, HAVE WE FINISHED WITH EVERYTHING, ALL OF THE SPEAKERS THAT WERE SIGNED UP FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA? AND HAVE WE NOW MOVED TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS BECAUSE YES.
SO OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WOULD TAKE 98 AND 100 DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THAT WAS MY MISTAKE FOR CALLING MR. ANDERSON.
YEAH, NO, I, IN FACT, WHEN I LAID IT OUT, I, I WAS, I SAID WE WOULD TAKE UP ITEM 100 AS THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE THERE, AT THAT POINT, WE HAD THE MOST SPEAKERS FOR THAT.
IF, IF WE'RE JUST TO THE, IF, IF WE'RE JUST, NOW, LEMME REPHRASE THAT.
IF WE NOW HAVE ONLY PUBLIC HEARINGS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP, LET ME KNOW THAT, BECAUSE WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AND WE CONCLUDED THOSE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP ON THE ITEMS, UH, THAT WE BELIEVE ARE ALL THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, CORRECT.
CONSENT HAVE ALL BEEN CALLED WELL DONE.
THEN IN THAT CASE, UH, MEMBERS, I'M GOING TO WITH, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS AGAIN.
ITEMS THAT ARE SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING ARE 95 96 IS RELATED TO 1 0 4, BUT IT'S BEEN POSTPONED.
IT'S 97 98, 99, 101 0 1, AND 1 0 2.
IF YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN ON ONE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA CALL ON YOU AGAIN, BUT WE WILL GO IN THIS ORDER WHEN WE GET TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
WITH THAT MEMBERS, THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED ARE ITEM 17 AND 1 32.
THEY HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER 54, HOWEVER, HAS A PROPOSED MOTION.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, A PROPOSED MOTION WITH THE IDEA THAT THE ITEM WOULD STAY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THAT CORRECT? COUNSELOR MEMBER FUENTES.
MEMBERS, YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, UH, THE MOTION SHEET FOR COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES FOR ITEM NUMBER 54.
THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA WOULD INCLUDE THIS AMENDMENT TO ITEM NUMBER 54.
SO WHEN THE MOTION IS TAKEN ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, IT WILL INCLUDE THIS MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 54.
COUNCIL MEMBER FU DO YOU WANNA BE RECOGNIZED? OKAY.
IS THERE, I JUST NEED TO READ IT 'CAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE BACK.
I'M, I'M TOLD IT'S NOT IN THE BACK, SO LET PLEASE READ THIS.
UM, WELL, REGARDLESS IF IT'S IN THE BACKUP, WE'LL, WE'LL DO IT.
AGAIN, I LIKE HEARING MY VOICE, BUT I DON'T NEED TO READ THAT.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, LET ME GET A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, INCLUDING THIS PROPOSED CHANGE COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY MOVES ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
I'M NOW GOING TO ASK, UH, IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT WISHES TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN AS ABSTAINING FROM ITEM 82.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY WILL BE SHOWN ABSTAINING FROM ITEM 82.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN AS RECUSING THEMSELVES? IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING? NO, NOT TODAY, MAYOR.
IN THAT CASE, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
UH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO, UH, AND THERE WILL BE NO VOTES SHOWN.
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COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER POOL AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON WILL BE SHOWN OFF THE DAIS ON THE VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, LET ME RECOGNIZE COUNT IN THIS ORDER.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE FOR BRIEF COMMENTS ON, ON THE AGENDA.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR THE THOROUGH DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD ON TUESDAY AND THE WORK WE DID ON ITEM 83, AND INCLUDING THE INCORPORATION BY THE AUTHOR OF THE ITEM OF MY SUGGESTIONS.
I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK COUNCIL MEMBER POOLE AND HER TEAM FOR WORKING WITH MY OFFICE AND STAFF TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS IN VERSION TWO OF HER RESOLUTION ONE REGISTRATION WITH THE CITY, IF THE UNIT WILL BE USED AS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL.
TWO, COMPLIANCE WITH THE CITY'S RESIDENTIAL CODE, INCLUDING FIRE DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN DWELLING UNITS AND THREE DESIGNATION AS A DWELLING UNIT THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE CITY'S LIMITS ON THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF DWELLINGS ALLOWED IN CHAPTER 25 DASH TWO OF THE CITY'S ZONING CODE.
AS I OUTLINED IN MY MESSAGE BOARD, POST COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MY DISTRICT HAD DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT THE RESOLUTION LOOKED TO HAVE PROPOSED, BUT WITH THESE NEW CHANGES IN THE FRIENDLY COLLABORATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER POOL, WE'VE ENSURED THAT THERE WILL BE TRANSPARENCY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AND THERE ARE ASSURANCES FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS.
TO THAT END, I WANNA ESPECIALLY THANK MY TEAM FOR COMMUNICATING WITH THE CONSTITUENCY AND A COUNCIL MEMBER POOL'S TEAM FOR HELPING US WORK THROUGH THOSE CONCERNS AND ADDRESSING THEM BEFORE TODAY'S MEETING.
I'M THRILLED TO EXTEND MY HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS TO THE AUSTIN E M S ASSOCIATION FOR SUCCESSFULLY REACHING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY, WHICH IS SET TO BE FORMALLY SIGNED LATER TODAY.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS A TESTAMENT TO THE UNWAVERING DEDICATION AND HARD WORK OF BOTH THE CITY STAFF AND MANAGEMENT TEAM.
WE'RE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO COMING TO THE TABLE AND, AND FORGING THIS IMPORTANT AGREEMENT.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I EAGERLY ANTICIPATE FUTURE PUBLIC SAFETY AGREEMENTS THAT WILL SERVE AS SHINING EXAMPLES OF THE REMARKABLE COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR CITY AND ITS DEDICATED PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, WITHOUT A YIELD BACK.
I WANT TO MAKE BRIEF COMMENTS ABOUT TWO ITEMS. FIRST, THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ITEM NUMBER 19.
UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT TODAY WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON AN IMPROVED TPI ID PLAN.
THAT REALLY IS A WIN-WIN FOR OUR LOCAL HOTELS AND OUR RESIDENTS.
THE NEW VERSION OF THIS PLAN GUARANTEES THAT 20% OF T ID REVENUE WILL BE SPENT TO REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR EXPENSES THAT INCREASE TOURISM.
THESE EXPENSES WILL INCREASE HOTEL STAYS, INCREASE OUR TAX REVENUES, AND THROUGH THEIR REIMBURSEMENT FREE UP GENERAL FUNDS FOR THE CITY TO USE TO ADDRESS CRITICAL NEEDS.
THROUGH THIS DEAL, WE WILL BE ABLE TO INVEST IN OUR WORKERS, INVEST IN OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND INVEST IN OUR RESIDENTS.
I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE AND INSISTENCE ON GETTING THE BEST DEAL POSSIBLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I ALSO WANNA THANK THE AUSTIN HOTEL LODGING ASSOCIATION.
IT'S GOT JOSS LOVE FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS AND FOR WORKING WITH US COLLABORATIVELY TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT ADVANCES ALL OUR GOALS.
UH, I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE A A QUICK COMMENT ABOUT ITEM 1 0 1.
IT'S THE WESTGATE EXPANSION AT THE AIRPORT.
WE HAD RECEIVED A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS IN PLACE FOR THIS PROJECT, AND OUR OFFICE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY GO OUT TO THE AIRPORT AND DO A TOUR, AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS THAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT IN PLACE, ESPECIALLY FOR PARTICULATE MATTERS AND EMISSIONS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR COMMITMENT, UH, TO THESE PROTECTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY THANK COUNCIL MEMBER AND MEMBERS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS GONNA POINT OUT JUST BEFORE THE VOTE, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER JUST WAS DISCUSSING THE TPI ITEM, THE CHANGES MADE TO THE PROPOSED TPI THAT HE JUST DISCUSSED WORKING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PUENTES THAT HE JUST DISCUSSED IS IN THE BACKUP.
IT'S A, IT'S A, SO IT'S A, AS REQUESTED BY ME AND OTHERS.
IT'S A DIFFERENT VERSION OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE ONE THE ITEM YOU'RE VOTING ON IS THE VERSION THAT IS IN, THAT'S BEEN POSTED AND IS IN YOUR BACKUP.
IT'S, NO, IT'S LABELED VERSION TWO.
UH, WANTED TO QUICKLY TALK ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS. UH, ITEM NINE, UH, TPI.
AND THEN ITEM 82, THE WINDOWLESS BEDROOMS ITEM, UH, CONCERNING ITEM NINE.
UH, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS THING FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO GLAD WE'RE FINALLY AT THE FINISH LINE.
UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, SPECIFICALLY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, AND COUNCIL MEMBER VANESSA FUENTES, UH, FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON THIS, UH, FOR COMING TOGETHER AND, AND DOING
[00:50:01]
RIGHT, UH, BY, BY OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STAFFERS, THE LOCAL HOTELS, UH, THE STAKEHOLDERS, OUR TOURISM COMMISSIONERS, AND OUR CONVENTION CENTER STAFF, INCLUDING KATIE AND TRICIA, FOR WORKING SO HARD ON THIS.UH, ESPECIALLY IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
UH, I'M GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO REACH THIS POINT, UH, WHERE WE'RE TODAY.
UH, AND I'M COMMITTED, UH, AS, AS ARE MY COLLEAGUES, UH, TO WORKING WITH STAFF TO STAY ON TOP OF IT THROUGHOUT ITS DURATION.
UH, AND THEN THE NEXT ITEM I REALLY WANT TO QUICKLY TOUCH ON, AND I I DO APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM, UH, MY, MY COLLEAGUES, IS ITEM 82, WINDOWLESS BEDROOMS. UH, YOU KNOW, THIS RESOLUTION IS, IS A FRUIT OF HARD WORK PUT IN BY STUDENTS, BY ADVOCATES, UH, FROM THE AUSTIN CHAPTER OF THE A I A, WHICH IS THE, UH, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, UH, AND MY DISTRICT 19.
UH, IT SAID AT ON TUESDAY'S WORK SESSION.
UH, AFFORDABILITY IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE IN OUR CITY, AND WE NEED TO LOOK, UH, AT EVERY TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX TO GET A HANDLE OF IT.
AND, BUT HOWEVER, WE CAN'T SACRIFICE ESSENTIAL QUALITY OF LIFE FEATURES IN THE NAME OF REDUCING RENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS IT'S BEEN SAID BY, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SPEAKER AND YOU, A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, NATURAL LIGHT IS, IS A, IS A NECESSITY, NOT A LUXURY.
UH, STUDENTS HAVE HAD, HAVE HARD ENOUGH AS IT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, GOING TO SCHOOL AND HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT TUITION AND TRANSIT AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, UH, IN THIS CRAZY WORLD WE LIVE IN.
UH, AND THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, UH, BEING IN A WINDOWLESS BOX.
UH, AND IT'S JUST NOT STUDENTS IN WEST CAMPUS.
UH, DEVELOPERS OFTEN USE LOOPHOLES IN OUR CODE TO BUILD WINDOWLESS BEDROOMS, UH, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
IT'S NOT GOOD FOR, UH, MENTAL HEALTH.
IT'S ALSO NOT GOOD FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY RECOGNIZE IT'S MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO WHEN THEY OUTLAWED WINDOWLESS BEDROOMS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING TRAPPED INSIDE, UH, DURING A FIRE.
SO I THINK THAT, SO I WANNA THANK THE ADVOCATES ONCE AGAIN.
UH, I WANNA THANK MY CO-SPONSORS, UH, THE REST OF THIS COUNCIL FOR MAKING SURE THIS RESOLUTION PASSED.
UH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO STAFF'S WORK AND STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH ON THIS.
AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DRAFT AMENDMENT TO COME BACK TO US.
IF YOU CAN CLOSE THIS WINDOWLESS, UH, LOOPHOLE FOR GOOD.
UM, A LOT OF WORK STILL HAS TO BE DONE.
UH, I AGREE WITH, UH, THE SPEAKER, UH, MS. WEAVER AROUND THIS.
UH, WE SHOULDN'T HAVE PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
UM, COLLEAGUES, I'M SUPER EXCITED THAT ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE THE, FOR ON OUR AGENDA, WE HAVE FOR APPROVAL, THE E M S CON LABOR CONTRACT.
AND I THINK THAT IT'S AN EXCITING DAY FOR US TO SEE THIS NEGOTIATION COME FORWARD.
I WANNA THANK CITY STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND, AND NEGOTIATIONS, AND OF COURSE, THE E M S ASSOCIATION AND, UH, UH, AND UNION PRESIDENT SELENA SHIA FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
UM, I WAS VERY PLEASED TO SEE THIS DEAL COME FORWARD AND SEE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE, UH, TO PAY OUR MEDICS MUCH MORE AND MUCH MORE ALONG WITH WHAT THEY'RE WORTH.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, AND I CERTAINLY WANNA SEE OUR PARAMEDICS TO, I WANNA SEE THEM REACH PARITY WITH OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL.
UH, BUT I THINK THIS CONTRACT GOES A LONG WAY IN GETTING US ON THAT, ON THAT STEP.
AND SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE, UH, THIS DEAL GO FORWARD.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THE E M S DIVISION THAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE AN AWARD-WINNING NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED E M S DEPARTMENT THAT SERVES AS A MODEL FOR THE NATION.
UH, AND SO THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING DAY IN AND DAY OUT, SAVING LIVES, RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES IS CRITICAL.
AND SO I'M THRILLED TO SEE THAT.
AND THEN, UH, I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE TOURISM AND PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT THAT WE ARE INITIATING TODAY.
IT IS THE NEXT STEP AND A LONG PROCESS.
OF COURSE, UH, IT'LL GO OUT FOR PETITION WITH THE HOTELS, AND THEN IT'LL COME BACK TO COUNCIL, UH, LATER THIS FALL FOR, UH, ANOTHER CONSIDERATION BY OUR, OUR COLLEAGUES HERE.
AND SO, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER FOR HIS STRONG LEADERSHIP IN GETTING US TO A, A BETTER DEAL FOR THE CITY.
UH, CERTAINLY, UM, THIS COUNCIL WILL HAVE A LOT TO CONSIDER ON HOW WE ALLOCATE THE, THE FUNDS THAT WILL BE FREED UP, UH, IN OUR GENERAL FUND, UH, TO ADDRESS OUR CRITICAL NEEDS.
I WANNA POINT OUT THAT THE TOURISM COMMISSION MET YESTERDAY, AND THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT, UH, THAT ANY DOLLARS THAT COME OUT OF OUR TPI AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, TO UTILIZE AS PART OF THE, UM, THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS OR AS PART OF THE PROCESS LAID OUT IN THE FRAMEWORK, THAT THOSE DOLLARS GO TOWARDS ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO, UM, THAT REMAINS MY PRIORITY ON HOW WE UTILIZE THE FUNDS, UH, WITH THE T PIN.
AND OF COURSE, WE WILL HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AT A LATER TIME.
UH, AND THAT'LL BE A MATTER OF POLICY FOR THEIA.
UM, UH, AND WANNA THANK THE TOURISM COMMISSIONERS FOR THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
THANK YOU COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION, MAYOR.
I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER 76, WHICH IS $22.8 MILLION COMING
[00:55:01]
FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION.SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED BY ACCEPTING THIS FEDERAL GRANT, AND REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT IS COMING FROM THAT DEPARTMENT IN A WAY THAT MAKES OUR, UH, OUR ROADS AND OUR STREETS SAFER FOR ALL TYPES OF USERS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO BE SHOWN AS A, A CO-SPONSOR ON, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CADRE'S, UH, ITEM 82 IF, UH, AND ON ALSO ON COUNCIL MEMBER POOL'S, UH, ITEM WITH REGARD TO THE DAM ON THE LANO, UH, RIVER, UH, ITEM 80, I THINK THOSE ARE BOTH EXCELLENT ITEMS AND I'M, I'M, UH, HAPPY TO SUPPORT THEM.
I ALSO WANTED TO THANK, HANG ON ONE SECOND WITH THAT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER VALO WILL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THOSE TWO ITEMS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AND ALSO, I WANTED TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES FOR THEIR WORK ON THE TID.
IT'S A MUCH IMPROVED ITEM, UH, THANKS TO THEIR EFFORTS.
UH, TOURISM IS A VITAL INDUSTRY HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, THE DOWNTOWN HOTELS, UH, ARE A LINCHPIN OF THAT TOURISM.
I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE CITY OWNS A DOWNTOWN HOTEL AS WELL, SO WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR OWN EFFORTS, UH, IN, IN THIS REGARD.
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT SAID, I WANT THE HOTELIERS TO ALSO SUPPORT LABOR.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED DOWNTOWN.
THEY, UH, NEED TO BE RECEIVING, UH, LIVING WAGE AND BENEFITS.
UH, AND I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO SEE CONTINUE TO IMPROVEMENTS, UH, IN THAT, UH, LINE DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, COUNCIL, WE'RE GETTING READY TO VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UM, AND BEFORE WE DO THAT, A COUPLE PEOPLE HAVE MADE COMMENT, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE TO ASK, UH, THE, THE HEAD OF THE E M S UNION, SALINAS AND HER TEAM, IF YOU WOULD, WHY DON'T YOU COME DOWN FRONT, UH, AS WE GET READY TO VOTE ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT, UH, CONTRACT.
AND AS THEY'RE COMING FORWARD, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL, LET ME ALSO SAY WE APPRECIATE THE WORK FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND, UH, INTERIM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, BRUCE MILLS.
UH, YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING QUICKLY? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCIL, THE MAYOR, UM, AND THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF, AND ESPECIALLY SARAH GRIFFITH, WHO HE WORKED WITH BARGAINING FOR ABOUT FIVE MONTHS THIS YEAR.
UM, I REALLY THINK THAT WE MADE A BIG STEP IN ADDRESSING, UM, OUR WAGE ISSUE, UH, WHICH WILL HELP WITH OUR STAFFING CRISIS.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THIS IS MY WHOLE BARGAINING TEAM AND ALSO OUR BOARD, UM, TOGETHER AND EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DRIVEN TO WORK REALLY HARD BECAUSE WE SEE HOW HARD ALL OF OUR PARAMEDICS AND MEDICS WORK.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE STAFFING CRISIS, AS WELL AS THE INCREASED ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES, UM, INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER ISSUES, UM, AND TRYING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW WE APPROPRIATELY ADDRESS SOME OF THESE ISSUES FROM AN E M S POINT OF VIEW.
UM, I REALLY HOPE THAT THIS CONTRACT WILL PROVIDE SOME STABILITY SO THAT WE CAN REALLY START TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE BEST USE OF RESOURCES, UM, AND THINK REALLY CRITICALLY AND SMARTLY ABOUT HOW WE USE E M SS IN THIS COMMUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF THE FOLKS THE BEST THAT WE CAN.
WELL, WE, UH, IT'S BEEN SAID, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES SAID IT WELL, OTHERS HAVE SAID IT WELL.
BUT, UM, WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT YOU ALL BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, IT'S PROBABLY PARTICULARLY APPROPRIATE YOU'RE HERE ON A DAY THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S NOT GONNA VOTE NO ON SOMETHING ON THE EXTENSION
UH, I SHOULDN'T TEASE THAT WAY.
UM, THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THIS COMMUNITY CANNOT BE THE QUALITY OF LIFE WE DESIRE IN THIS COMMUNITY CANNOT BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.
UH, THAT IS SOMETHING WE THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIME AND THAT WE FULLY APPRECIATE.
SO THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOW HERE TODAY, GETTING READY TO VOTE ON THIS CONTRACT AND CELEBRATING, UH, THROUGH THE VOTE ON THIS CONTRACT, THE ROLE THAT YOU PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITY IS A SIGNIFICANT WAY FOR US TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
MEMBERS, UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN READ, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER'S POOL, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON OFF THE DAIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO.
[01:00:02]
MEMBERS.[17. pprove a resolution declaring the City of Austin’s official intent to reimburse itself from proceeds of certificates of obligation in the amount of $33,690,000 and public property finance contractual obligations in the amount of $68,515,000.]
17 AND ITEMS ONE THIRTY TWO.THAT ITEM WAS PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, UH, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
UH, I PULLED THIS ITEM FOR TWO REASONS.
THIS IS A, UH, PURCHASE CONTRACT OF, OF VARIOUS, UM, VARIOUS THINGS, BUT, BUT REALLY IN PARTICULAR, I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE VEHICLE PURCHASE COMPONENT.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, TRANSPORTATION IS EQUAL TO, IF NOT NOW, THE GREATEST SOURCE, UH, OF OUR MISSION.
IF I, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WANTING TO TALK AND, UH, BUT IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE YOUR CONVERSATIONS OUT, UH, SIDE OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
COUNCILOR RTO, I RECOGNIZE YOU AGAIN.
BUT, SO WITHIN OUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN BY 2030, IT CALLS FOR 40% OF OUR TOTAL VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED TO BE ELECTRIFIED.
UH, BACK WHEN WE HAD OUR BUDGET PROCESS, UH, I ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT OUR CURRENT STATE IS FOR OUR CITY FLEET, AND THAT IS, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 1.8% OF OUR CITY VEHICLE MILES.
THEIR, THEIR, UM, THEIR MILES TRAVELED ARE ELECTRIC.
SO WE ARE CERTAINLY A, A FAR WAY OFF FROM THAT 40% GOAL ONLY SEVEN YEARS FROM NOW.
AND WITHIN THIS CONTRACT OR IN THIS PURCHASE, ONLY 14 OUT OF 296 OF THESE VEHICLES, WHICH IS LESS THAN 5% ARE GOING TO BE ELECTRIFIED.
AND SO REALLY I HAVE, UH, A QUESTION.
IT, IT CAN BE FOR YOU MANAGER OR, OR STAFF OR ED, UM, BUT JUST REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT OUR PLAN IS BETWEEN NOW AND 2030 OF HOW WE GET TO THAT 40% GOAL.
RECOGNIZING WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ED VINO, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.