[00:00:01]
I'M CHAIR OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
[CALL TO ORDER]
IT'S 9 31 ON SEPTEMBER 26TH.WE'RE IN CHAMBERS AND WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN OUR MEETING.
WE HAVE A FULL DAIS OF THE COMMITTEE WITH VICE CHAIR POOLE, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTAR, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, AND COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
[Public Communication: General ]
THREE SPEAKERS THAT SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE OF THE 9:00 AM AND THEN WE HAVE THREE SPEAKERS THAT CAME, UM, AT 9 0 5, WHICH IS TECHNICALLY AFTER THE TIME BECAUSE WE DON'T OFTEN HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS AND AUDIT AND FINANCE.UM, I'M GONNA LET THOSE THREE SPEAKERS, UM, SPEAK AS WELL.
UM, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, TECHNICALLY YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SIGNED UP BY NINE.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND LET YOU SPEAK TODAY.
WE ARE GONNA START WITH OUR VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.
MR. ROBINS, YOU'RE ON THE LIST, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO VIRTUAL SPEAKERS, UM, BEFORE, UM, WE DO IN PERSON.
UM, SO IF YOU'RE READY FOR THE, UM, VIRTUAL SPEAKERS, WE HAVE, UM, BEVERLY LUNA.
BEVERLY, CAN YOU UNMUTE ON YOUR END AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN GO AHEAD.
I'M WITH AUSTIN, LOST AND FOUND PETS.
I FIND BOTH THE AUDIT AND THE EVALUATION DISTURBING BECAUSE NEITHER ONE ADDRESSES TWO PRIMARY ISSUES.
NUMBER ONE IS THAT HISTORICALLY THE SHELTER HAS BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE WITH AND STILL MAINTAINING NO KILL A VOLUME THAT IS 40 TO 50% HIGHER.
UM, SO EACH YEAR, DON BLAND HAS BEEN IN CHARGE OF THIS SHELTER.
INTAKE HAS BEEN DOWN 40 TO 50%, PUSHING THE BURDEN ON PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC LIKE ME AND MEMBERS OF MY GROUP, TO FIND PLACES FOR THESE ANIMALS THAT HAVE NO PLACE TO GO BECAUSE THE SHELTER TURNS THEM AWAY.
FOR EXAMPLE, A WOMAN FROM SACRAMENTO WAS IN TOWN THIS WEEKEND.
SHE PICKED UP A DOG AT BULL CREEK, LOOKED ALL OVER FOR THE OWNER, HAD GONE KNOCKING ON DOORS, NOTHING GOES TO THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND IS APPARENTLY TOLD TO GO TAKE THE DOG BACK TO BULL CREEK.
SO SHE TELLS ME THAT SHE IS GOING TO CANCEL HER AIRPLANE RESERVATION AND DRIVE THE DOG ALL THE WAY TO SACRAMENTO, CA, CALIFORNIA, WHO WANTS TO VISIT A CITY WITH STREET DOGS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WE ARE FINDING DOGS STARVING TO DEATH.
WE ARE FINDING LOOSE DOGS RUNNING IN PACKS.
HE'S LEAVING 4,400 ADDITIONAL DOGS ON THE STREETS EACH YEAR AND AN ADDITIONAL 3000 CATS ON THE STREETS EACH YEAR.
AND NEITHER REPORT ADDRESSES THIS.
AND THE INDEPENDENT EVALUATOR WONDERS WHY HE HAS, WHY THERE'S SUCH A NEGATIVE VIEW FROM THE PUBLIC.
IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE GETTING DUMPED WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE ANIMALS THAT THIS MAN IS NOT TAKING IN.
AND NEITHER REPORT ADDRESSES THIS.
NEITHER REPORT ADDRESSES, YOU KNOW, THE EVALUATOR SAYS, OH, HE DID THE RIGHT THING BY SHUTTING DOWN INTAKE.
WHAT ABOUT THE THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS LEFT ON THE STREETS TO SUFFER AND DIE? AND THE BURDEN PUSHED ON THE PUBLIC WHILE THE BUDGET OF THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER CONTINUES TO INCREASE? YES, IT WAS BUILT THROUGH SMALL, BUT OTHER SHELTER DIRECTORS MANAGED TO HANDLE IT.
MISTY, ENT AND, AND GEORGETOWN HAS A $3.4 MILLION BUDGET.
SHE HAS MANAGED TO NEVER CLOSE INTAKE.
SHE TOOK IN 99 DOGS JUST IN A SINGLE DAY THIS WEEK.
AND SHE MANAGED TO HANDLE IT AND GET THEM ADOPTED.
HE'S NOT DOING
HE'S NOT DOING ANY TRAINING FOR THE BEHAVIOR DOGS.
HE'S NOT DOING ANY FORMAL TRAINING.
I THINK THAT BOTH THESE REPORTS ARE JUST REALLY INSULTING TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
NO ONE EVER CALLED THE MEMBERS OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION WHO VOTED THAT THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE.
NO ONE EVER CALLED AND TALKED TO THEM.
SO WHO IS HE LISTENING TO? HE'S LISTENING TO, I ASSUME STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD.
I ASSUME HE'S LISTENING TO DON BLAND.
HE'S LISTENING TO SOME VOLUNTEERS, SOME STAFF MEMBERS.
HE'S NOT LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEARING THE BRUNT OF THE BURDEN THAT HAS BEEN PLACED UPON THEM BY THIS MAN DOING 60% OF HIS JOB YET DRAWING A FULL SALARY FOR IT.
I THINK THE WHOLE, BOTH OF THE REPORTS ARE REALLY OUTRAGEOUS.
[00:05:01]
LEAST THE AUDITOR TOLD ME THEY WERE LIMITING THE REPORTS.I BELIEVE THE BUZZER WENT OFF.
HALF THE ANIMALS ARE TREATED ONCE.
A MS. LUDA, IF YOU COULD PLEASE WRAP UP.
UM, OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS EILEEN MCFALL.
EILEEN, CAN YOU PLEASE UNMUTE ON YOUR END? GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS EILEEN MCFALL AND MY EXPERIENCE WITH AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER GOES BACK TO 2016.
I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER AND THEN THE FOUNDER OF A RESCUE THAT SAVES DOGS IN DANGER OF BEING KILLED BY A A C.
I ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH BOTH CONVENTIONAL AND NO KILL SHELTERING DATING BACK TO 2009.
AND I WAS THE, THE INITIAL DEVELOPER OF THE SHELTER MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE PROGRAM AT UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC.
SO THAT'S THE BACKGROUND FOR MY COMMENTS ON THE AUDIT OF ANIMAL SERVICES.
THE CONSULTANT'S OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE DISARRAY AND NEGLECT OF AACS FACILITIES, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ALL MATCH MY EXPERIENCE.
AND I SHARE HIS CONCLUSION THAT THESE ARE THE FAULTS OF DON BLAND AND HIS MANAGEMENT TEAM.
HOWEVER, I THINK THE REPORT COMES TO AN ILLOGICAL CONCLUSION IN ITS CLAIM THAT NO KILL SHELTERING IS TO BLAME.
JUST AS DON BLAND AND HIS TOP MANAGEMENT TEAM HAVE CREATED A MESS OF THE SHELTER FACILITIES AND POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
SO TOO HAVE THEY UNDERMINED NO KILL SHELTERING, BUT JUST AS WE NEED TO CORRECT THE PHYSICAL STATE OF THE SHELTER AND THE CHAOTIC STATE OF THE DEPARTMENT SO TOO, DO WE NEED TO CORRECT NO KILL, NOT ABANDON IT? THE AUDIT OF ANIMAL SERVICES CONTAINS A FATAL FLAW.
THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT IGNORED CITY COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION AND DIRECTION TO CONDUCT AN AUDIT LEADING TO A SUCCESSFUL, SUSTAINABLE NO KILL SHELTER.
INSTEAD, THEY NARROWED THE SCOPE AND HIRED A CONVENTIONAL CONSULTANT WHO DOES NOT UNDERSTAND OR BELIEVE IN THE NOKI POLICY DIRECTION THAT HAS BEEN ADOPTED AND REPEATEDLY REAFFIRMED BY CITY COUNCIL.
THE AUDIT REPORT IGNORES THE DECADE OF PROGRESS FROM 2010 TO 2019, GIVES THE FALSE IMPRESSION THAT INTAKE IS UP AND IGNORES THE THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS LEFT ON THE STREETS.
UNDER DON LAND'S MANAGEMENT TEAM, WHO HAVE BEEN REFUSING TO RUN A A C AS A NO-KILL SHELTER SINCE 2019.
THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT'S NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION FOLLOWS FORMER CITY MANAGER SPENCER CROS, DEFIANCE OF COUNCIL POLICY IN APPOINTING DON LANDIS CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER.
AND IT IS CONCURRENT WITH ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER HAYDEN HOWARD AND INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
JESUS GARZA'S DISREGARD FOR COUNCIL'S ROLE IN SETTING POLICY AS THEY CONTINUE TO EMPLOY, PROTECT, AND ALLOW DON LAND AND HIS TEAM TO DEFY COUNCIL'S NO KILL POLICY.
THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT AND ANIMAL SERVICES CANNOT BE THE ONLY TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE DISREGARDING CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND DIRECTION.
AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.
AND THE UNNECESSARY CONTROVERSY OVER NOKI IS ONE SKIRMISH IN A MUCH LARGER BATTLE.
I HOPE YOU WILL REASSERT YOUR AUTHORITY AND HOLD THE CITY MANAGER AND ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE ACCOUNTABLE FOR IMPLEMENTING COUNCIL'S NO KILL POLICY GOAL.
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR VIRTUAL SPEAKERS.
UM, MR. ROBBINS, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I MAY BE THE MOST WATCHFUL CONSUMER ADVOCATE IN AUSTIN ON NATURAL GAS UTILITIES IN LARGE PART BECAUSE THE CITY STAFF, UH, IN CHARGE OF REGULATING THEM IS NOT DOING IT WELL.
I AM ASKING YOU TO TAKE UP LONGSTANDING PROBLEMS WITH THE COMPANY AT AN AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO ADDRESS LONGSTANDING PROBLEMS. LET ME NAME SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE.
FIRST, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, OUR NATURAL GAS UTILITY BILLS WILL RISE ABOUT 8%, ABOUT $51 A YEAR.
BECAUSE OF THE OUTRAGEOUS FUEL COSTS PAID DURING WINTER STORM URI, WE WILL BE PAYING THIS COST FOR AS LONG AS 16 YEARS AS PART OF AN ARRANGEMENT TO MORTGAGE THE PIRACY THAT TOOK PLACE IN THREE DAYS.
TEXAS GAS SERVICE WAS NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THE PIRACY.
HOWEVER, THE COMPANY DID NOT SECURE ENOUGH REASONABLY PRICED FUEL FOR THE FREEZE, NOR TO MY KNOWLEDGE HAVE THEY FILED LAWSUITS
[00:10:01]
AGAINST PIPELINES AND TRADERS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE.SECOND OF SLIDE, TEXAS GAS SERVICE FRANCHISE, THEIR LICENSE TO OPERATE ENDS IN 2026 AND NEGOTIATION SHOULD HAVE ALREADY STARTED.
ISSUES SUCH AS HUGE RATE INCREASES, QUESTIONABLE ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, LACK OF RENEWABLE ENERGY AND LACK OF ASSISTANCE TO THE POOR HAVE BEEN FESTERING FOR YEARS.
THIS FRANCHISE IS THE BEST CHANCE WE HAVE FOR A GENERATION IN OBTAINING LONG OVERDUE REFORMS. THIRD SLIDE.
TEXAS GAS SERVICE IS OPERATING RATE PAYER FUNDED ENERGY CONSERVA CONSERVATION PROGRAMS THAT ARE NO MORE THAN GLORIFIED MARKETING.
IN ONE CASE, THE GAS COMPANY WILL GIVE REBATES TO BUY GLASS GAS CLOSED DRYERS WITH A 248 YEAR PAYBACK.
I RECENTLY CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF GAS UTILITY PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I FOUND THAT AUSTIN'S REBATES FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS WERE DOUBLE AND TRIPLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE SLIDE.
AND FINALLY, IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT CONSERVATION FUNDING, WHICH IS WRITTEN IN THE CURRENT FRANCHISE AS A PURVIEW OF CITY COUNCIL, HAS NOW BEEN SHIFTED TO STATE OVERSIGHT.
I QUESTION WHY THE CITY STAFF DID NOT DEFEND THIS AT THE LEGISLATURE AND WHY TEXAS GAS SERVICE DID NOT DEFEND IT AT THE LEGISLATURE.
AFTER ALL, THE COMPANY SIGNED A BINDING AGREEMENT.
AUSTIN NEEDS TO ASK THE RAILROAD COMMISSION TO EXEMPT US FROM THIS COUNSEL, PLEASE POST THIS SO THAT THE CITY CAN BEGIN TO DIVIDE POLICY TO REIGN IN THESE ABUSES.
UM, COURTNEY ROSENTHAL, BE NEXT UP.
THANK YOU CHAIR FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND GOOD MORNING MEMBERS.
UH, MY NAME IS COURTNEY ROSENTHAL.
I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OPEN AUSTIN.
WE ARE A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT ADDRESSES CIVIC AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES THROUGH CREATIVE USES OF TECHNOLOGY.
I'M THE PROJECT LEAD FOR OUR OPEN DATA INITIATIVE FOR OVER A DECADE OPEN AUSTIN HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CITY ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES, INCLUDING THE CITY'S OPEN DATA EFFORT.
BACK IN 2011, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED AN OPEN DATA RESOLUTION THAT CALLED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OPEN DATA PORTAL.
IT WAS A BOLD NEW IDEA THAT GOVERNMENT WOULD AGGREGATE AND PUBLISH ITS DATA DIRECTLY TO THE PUBLIC OPEN.
AUSTIN WORKED CLOSELY WITH STAFF TO ENCOURAGE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO EMBRACE THIS INITIATIVE AND PUBLISH THEIR DATA AS MUCH AS THEY CAN ON THE PORTAL.
IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, THE CITY COMPLETED AN AUDIT OF THE OPEN DATA PORTAL.
IT COUNTED OVER 4,600 PUBLISHED ASSETS, NEARLY A THOUSAND MORE THAN ANY OTHER CITY SURVEYED.
THANKS TO THE WORK OF MANY CITY DEPARTMENTS, THE ORIGINAL OPEN DATA VISION HAS BEEN REALIZED.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE AUDIT IDENTIFIED SOME CONCERNS WITH THE DATA BEING PUBLISHED.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE PUBLISHING A LARGE QUANTITY OF DATA, NOT ALL MAY BE OF VALUE TO THE PUBLIC.
ALSO, THE AUDIT IDENTIFIED ISSUES RELATING TO THE QUALITY OF DATA SUCH AS DATA, MISSING DATA, DIRTY PUBLISHED DATA, NOT MATCHING INTERNAL DATA, FORMATTING AND PRESENTATION ISSUES.
THE AUDIT ALSO FOUND THAT AUSTIN DOES NOT HAVE A DESIGNATED EXECUTIVE SUCH AS A CHIEF DATA OFFICER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT IN THE DATA PORTAL.
OPEN AUSTIN SUPPORTS TWO KEY ACTIONS TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS.
FIRST, WE SUPPORT AN UPDATE OF THE CITY'S 2013 OPEN DATA POLICY TO INCLUDE OBJECTIVES FOR THE VALUE AND QUALITY OF DATA ASSETS.
ALSO, WE SUPPORT THE APPOINTMENT OF A CHIEF DATA OFFICER TO OVERSEE THIS WORK.
AUSTIN HAS SUCCESSFULLY DEVELOPED A LEADING OPEN DATA PORTAL.
IT IS A SIGNIFICANT RESOURCE TO THE COMMUNITY.
NOW LET US TAKE THE NEXT STEP TO DELIVER INCREASED TRANSPARENCY AND VALUE TO THE PUBLIC.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE MALCOLM YATES.
[00:15:12]
MY NAME IS MALCOLM YATES.I'M A PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, TEXAS LICENSE NUMBER 8 5 1 5 8.
I WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR 20 YEARS IN THE COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN FOR 38 YEARS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THE AUSTIN ELECTRIC UTILITY AUDIT.
WHEN I SAW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ELECTRIC AUSTIN ELECTRIC UTILITY AUDIT GIVEN BY CITY COUNCIL TO THE CITY AUDITOR, I KNEW THAT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE POWER OUTAGE WOULD BE IGNORED.
IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE OUTAGE WAS CAUSED BY INADEQUATE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
THE REAL QUESTION IS WHY AE COULD NOT CONDUCT THE REQUIRED LEVEL OF TREE TRIMMING.
THE TEXAS PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION HAS STANDARDS FOR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT FOR ELECTRIC UTILITIES.
THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS THAT OPERATE AE ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO CONFORM TO THESE STANDARDS.
WHAT PREVENTED THE AE ENGINEERS FROM PROVIDING AN ADEQUATE SCHEDULE FOR TREE TRIMMING? THE AUDIT REPORT SAYS THAT IN 2006, CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED AE TO IGNORE INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
WHY DID CITY COUNCIL TELL AE TO DEFER CRITICAL MAINTENANCE? HERE IS A CLUE.
THE BOND RATING FOR AUSTIN ELECTRIC UTILITY HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED BY A MAJOR CREDIT RATING AGENCY.
CITY COUNCIL IS SUCKING SO MUCH MONEY OUT OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY THAT CREDIT AGENCIES ARE BEGINNING TO BE CONCERNED TO MAINTAIN SOLVENCY.
AUSTIN ELECTRIC HAS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ON CRITICAL STRUCTURE.
THE REASON CITY COUNCIL IS TRANSFERRING SO MUCH MONEY OUT OF AE IS TO COVER DECADES OF FISCAL MISMANAGEMENT BY COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MAY BE ABLE TO FOOL THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, BUT THEY CANNOT FOOL THE ACCOUNTANTS OF THE NATIONAL CREDIT RATING AGENCIES.
THESE AGENCIES HAVE DOWNGRADED THE CITY OF AUSTIN CREDIT RATING.
THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF INADEQUATE TREE TRIMMING IS TO STOP TRANSFERRING SO MUCH MONEY OUT OF AE AND TO ALLOW THE ENGINEERS TO DO THEIR JOB.
REPLACING THE MONEY TRANSFERRED FROM AE TO THE GENERAL FUND IS GOING TO REQUIRE COUNSEL TO STOP GIVING TAX BREAKS TO DEVELOPERS AND COMPANIES.
PLEASE ACT ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'M A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS IN THE CITY AND BEYOND.
AND TO ENSURE THAT ANY CONFLICT OR BIAS MIGHT BE RECOGNIZED.
I'M THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
DESPITE THAT, I WANT TO STRESS THAT THIS IS MY OPINION AND NOT THAT A P A I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I'M ABOUT TO ASSIGN OPINIONS TO THE WRITERS OF THE AUDIT REPORT THAT THEY MAY NOT HOLD, BUT I BELIEVE THEY'RE REASONABLE INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT WAS STATED IN THE REPORT.
THE CONCLUSIONS DRAWN IN THE CITY AUDIT OF THE ANIMAL SERVICE OPERATIONS ARE DESPERATELY DISAPPOINTING TO READ.
WHILE THERE ARE ELEMENTS THAT I RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THE NEED FOR MORE PRODUCTIVE RELATIONS WITH ALL RESCUE PARTNERS AND THE NEED FOR HIGH QUALITY DATA AMONG THEM, THE OPENING STATEMENT IN THE REPORT IS PRESENTED AS SIMPLE AND UNCON UNCONTROVERSIAL.
TO MEET THE COUNCIL MANDATED LIVE RELEASE GOAL, THE CITY HAS COMPROMISED PARTS OF THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER'S MISSION.
THE PARTS OF THE MISSION WHICH HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED ARE THE RESULT OF INTENTIONAL CHOICES.
THE WRITERS OF THE REPORT APPEAR TO BELIEVE THAT THE CONCLUSIONS PRESENT A CHOICE.
THE CITY CAN MANDATE A LIVE RELEASE RATE.
THE CITY CAN MANDATE CONDITIONS OF CARE.
THE CITY CAN MANDATE THE ANIMAL SERVICES MISSION, BUT APPARENTLY IT SHOULD NOT ASK FOR THESE TOGETHER.
THE CITY'S CHOICES DO NOT PRESENT A DILEMMA.
WE SHOULD STRIVE TO HAVE THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE LIVE RELEASE RATE.
WE SHOULD STRIVE TO PROVIDE ALL ANIMALS IN OUR CARE WITH A HIGH QUALITY LIFE EXPERIENCE,
[00:20:01]
AND WE SHOULD STRIVE TO PROVIDE THE CITIZENS OF OUR CITY WITH THE ANIMAL SERVICES THEY NEED AND DESERVE.THESE ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
IF CHOICES MADE AT THE CENTER MAKE THESE APPEAR THAT WAY, THEN WE SHOULD FOCUS ON EXAMINING THE CHOICES THAT THE CENTER HAS MADE.
IF MANAGEMENT AT THE CENTER BELIEVE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY REQUIRE TO MEET ALL ASPECTS OF THE CITY'S NEEDS, WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE PRESUMED REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
I GENUINELY AND PERHAPS NAIVELY BELIEVED THAT THIS WONDERFUL CITY HAD MOVED BEYOND THE IDEA THAT KILLING ANIMALS FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN SPACE WAS WORTHWHILE OF DEBATE.
IT APPEARS FROM THE REPORT AND THE COMMENTS OF CITIZENS THAT THE REPORT RELIES ON, THAT IF WE DRESS UP THAT COMMENT TO SAY WE ARE KILLING THEM TO BE HUMANE, THEN WE'RE SOMEHOW HAVING A BETTER DEBATE.
IF WE WANT TO ARGUE THAT THE ANIMALS IN OUR CARE DESERVE BETTER TREATMENT, I'M HERE TO LISTEN AND TO SUPPORT, BUT I CANNOT IDLY ACCEPT THE STATEMENT THAT KILLING AN ANIMAL BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT TO MEET THE CITY'S MANDATE IS IN ANY WAY HUMANE.
THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THE CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT LED TO THE SUPPORT BEING COMMISSIONED.
HAVING TAKEN THAT STEP, I WOULD ASK YOU TO FULLY CONSIDER WHETHER THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE CONCLUSIONS, OR WHETHER OTHER ALTERNATIVES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO YOU AS YOU CONSIDER THE NEXT STEPS REQUIRED.
OUR LAST SPEAKER WILL BE PAT REZA, UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER AND ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I AM A LONGTIME AUSTIN RESIDENT, LONGTIME ANIMAL ADVOCATE, AND I AM HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE SEVEN RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE CITY AUDITOR.
I THOUGHT ALL SEVEN OF THEM WERE GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT MY ISSUE WITH THEM IS THEY DON'T GO FAR ENOUGH.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S SOME GOOD INFORMATION THERE.
UH, RECOMMENDATION ONE SAYS THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD BALANCE NO KILL GOALS, COMMUNICATION NEEDS, AND I MEAN, I'M SORRY, COMMUNITY INTAKE NEEDS AND HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS.
I DO BELIEVE THIS IS THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM.
YOU HAVE SET UP AN ANIMAL SHELTER THAT SHOULD BE OPEN INTAKE.
IT SHOULD NOT BE KILLING ANIMALS AND IT SHOULD BE PROVIDING ADEQUATE STANDARDS OF CARE.
BUT YOU HAVEN'T SET UP PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR ALL OF THOSE AND YOU HAVEN'T ADEQUATELY FUNDED ALL OF THOSE.
SO RIGHT NOW, WHEN AN ANIMAL SHELTER DIRECTOR IS HIRED, WHETHER IT BE DON BLAND, WHETHER IT BE ABIGAIL SMITH, TAWNY HAMMOND, ANYBODY THAT HAS COME BEFORE US AND ANYBODY THAT WILL COME IN THE FUTURE, THEY'RE BEING TOLD ONE THING AND ONE THING IS THE BE ALL AND END ALL.
AND THAT IS A 95% LIVE OUTCOME RATE.
YOU SHOULD ESTABLISH ADEQUATE PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND MONITOR THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ANIMALS THAT ARE IN THE SHELTER ARE GETTING ADEQUATE CARE.
AND RIGHT NOW YOU DON'T HAVE THAT.
I'M NOW GONNA MOVE OVER TO THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT.
THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT ALSO DOESN'T GO FAR ENOUGH HIGHLIGHTS VERY GOOD, UM, POINTS OUT GOOD PROBLEMS, POINTS OUT ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE POINTED OUT.
I'M SORRY I DIDN'T SAY THAT RIGHT.
POINTS OUT THE ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE POINTED OUT.
BUT THEN DOESN'T ADDRESS THE UNDERFUNDING OF ANIMAL CARE.
AT ONE POINT IT DOES TOUCH ON IF EVERY ANIMAL CARE WORKER WAS GONNA DO THEIR JOB THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, THEY WOULD NEED 10 HOURS A DAY.
BUT THEN IT DOESN'T CALCULATE HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST TO FUND THE HOURS THAT ARE NEEDED TO DO ADEQUATE ANIMAL CARE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK THIS REPORT IS MISSING.
SO, UM, I I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU NEED TO DO IS, IS ADEQUATELY FUND OPEN INTAKE, ADEQUATELY FUND ANIMAL CARE, AND YOU ARE USING THE 95% LIVE OUTCOME RATE AS THE ONLY MEASURE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO THAT I BELIEVE IS ALL OUR SPEAKERS.
GERALD, WE HAVE ONE MORE ADDITIONAL PERSON WE'D LIKE TO SPEAK WITH.
I HAVE A RECORD OF THE OFFSET.
YOU GUYS OKAY WITH THAT? OKAY.
UM, FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, IF YOU ARE IN, AFTER THE NINE 30, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ALLOWING YOU TO SPEAK.
SOMETHING SAID 10 O'CLOCK AND I MADE THREE PHONE CALLS THIS MORNING TO TRY TO FIND OUT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING MY MESSAGE.
A MEMBER OF THE CURRENT PARKS BOARD ASKED ME TO RESEARCH THE DATA FROM THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN CALLED SURVEY NUMBER SIX.
SEPARATELY, A PREVIOUS PARKS BOARD MEMBER EXPLAINED TO ME THE BIASED REPORTING
[00:25:01]
IN 2021 OF A PARD SURVEY REGARDING BEER AND WINE AT THE ZILKER CAFE.I ASSERT THAT IN BOTH CASES, PARD HAS INTENTIONALLY MISMANAGED THE SURVEY PROCESS AND MISREPORTED SURVEY RESULTS.
I HAVE REQUESTED AN AUDIT TO BE PERFORMED BY THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE OF THE VISION PLAN SURVEY NUMBER SIX.
I'VE BEEN ADVISED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT THIS COMMITTEE WOULD BE A LOGICAL WAY TO HAVE MY AUDIT REQUEST PLACED INTO THE QUEUE OF PROJECTS FOR 2024.
MY SURVEY NUMBER SIX REPORT DETAILS, POOR OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS THAT GENERATED LENGTHY TEXT ANSWERS, WHICH WERE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO ANALYZE A POOR ATTEMPT AD ANALYSIS OF THOSE TEXT-BASED SURVEY ANSWERS AND REFUSING TO REPORT THE HIGHLY NEGATIVE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY IN THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN.
AFTER MY REPORT WAS PRINTED AND DELIVERED TO YOUR OFFICE AND THE CITY AUDITOR, I DISCOVERED ONE MORE THING.
1,173 PARTICIPANTS OF THE SURVEY ONLY ANSWERED DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS.
NO QUESTION RELATED TO THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN WAS ANSWERED.
I ASSERT THAT FOR THIS REASON AND SEVERAL OTHERS, THE DATA OF SURVEY NUMBER SIX WAS CORRUPTED BY PARTS MISMANAGEMENT OF THE DESIGN EXECUTION ANALYSIS AND REPORTING OF RESULTS.
YOU HAVE A SMALL, OH, I WILL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A SMALL PACKET OF SUPPORTING MATERIALS IN YOUR MAILBOXES.
SARAH FAUST, A PREVIOUS MEMBER OF THE PARKS BOARD, HAS ELOQUENTLY EXPLAINED WHY AN OFFICIAL AUDIT OF THE SURVEYS, UH, IS NEEDED IN HER RECENT EMAIL TO COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER YOU, I'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A PRINTED COPY OF THAT EMAIL.
IN SUMMARY, MS. FAUST SAYS, I DON'T TAKE THIS KIND OF REQUEST LIGHTLY, AND I BELIEVE IN THIS CASE THERE IS JUSTIFICATION THAT THE SURVEY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED AND REVISED.
DIANA PROCTOR HAS DONE SOME VERY INVOLVED RESEARCH AND DATA ANALYSIS OF THE SURVEYS DEVELOPED BY THE CONTRACTOR AND THEIR PROCESSING OF THE RESULTS.
I BELIEVE HER RESEARCH SHOULD BE EVALUATED BY THE AUDITOR.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS.
UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU ENGAGING DEEPLY, UM, WITH ISSUES IN OUR CITY AND THAT YOU TOOK THE TIME TO COME AND SPEAK WITH US TODAY.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Audit and Finance Committee meeting of August 23, 2023.]
OF, UH, BUSINESS ON THE AGENDA WILL BE OUR MINUTES.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR MINUTES? COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY MAKES THAT MOTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER SECONDS.
IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, WE WILL ADOPT THE MINUTES.
[2. Discussion and possible action regarding proposed amendments to City Code Chapter 4-8, Section 4-8-8 (Appearance).]
TWO ON OUR AGENDA AS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO CITY CO CHAPTER FOUR EIGHT.INVITE OUR CITY AUDITOR, MS. STOKES TO SPEAK WITH US.
SO YOU SHOULD HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU.
A RED LINE VERSION, THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.
UM, THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND I WORKED TOGETHER TO PROPOSE A VERSION OF REVISIONS TO THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION THAT INCORPORATED, UH, PRIOR AUDITS THAT WE'D DONE.
THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT THAT SHOULD BE APPARENT IN THOSE CHANGES.
ONE IS TO INCLUDE VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEETINGS WITH LOBBYISTS, THEN VIRTUAL MEETINGS SHOULD BE CAPTURED.
AND THAT REALLY, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS A THING UNTIL EARLY 2020 AND THEN WE WERE LIKE, WAIT, THIS MIGHT SHOULD BE A THING.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE PIECE.
AND THEN THE SECOND PIECE IS REALLY A REQUEST FROM MY OFFICE TO TRANSITION FROM, UM, DOING AUDITS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VOLUNTARILY COMPLIANT TO SEE IF WE CAN IDENTIFY ANY ISSUES THERE TO MORE OF A, UM, KIND OF BROADER PICTURE APPROACH TO LOOKING AT WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE PEOPLE WE CAN IDENTIFY THAT ARE NOT COMPLYING, UH, WITH THE ORDINANCE.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE TWO CHANGES.
THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION SPECIFICALLY SUGGESTED WE DO THOSE, THAT LARGER AUDIT EVERY THREE YEARS.
SO THAT IS WHAT IS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL, UM, TO MAKE THAT CHANGE TO CODE.
JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, IN OUR BACKUP, WE HAVE, UM, A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION THAT ATTACHED TO IT HAS, UM, ORDINANCE NUMBER AND ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER FOUR EIGHT OF THE CITY CODE RELATING TO LOBBYING.
UNDERLINED IS DIRECT THE WORD DIRECTLY FOR PART C.
UM, AND THEN FOR PART 4 8 10, UM, THAT'S WHERE IT SAYS, SHALL REVIEW THE RECORDED INFORMATION DESCRIBED.
THAT IS THE, THAT IS THE THOSE ARE THE CHANGES YES.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WASN'T AN ADDITIONAL, UM, THAT'S IT.
THE, WHAT THEY HAD IS, IS YES, WHAT WE AGREED TO.
I APPRECIATE THE, UH, CHANGES THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED AND I SUPPORT THEM.
UM, I THINK IT'S, I WAS HERE WHEN, WHEN THESE CHANGES WERE, UH, INITIALLY PUT IN PLACE AND THE AUDITOR HAS, UH, HAD BEEN ASKED TO DO A REVIEW OF COMPLIANCE, I THINK IT HAS BEEN HELPFUL TO NOTE THAT THE COMPLIANCE HAS BEEN FOR MANY YEARS, UH, AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL AND THAT THE
[00:30:01]
VARIATIONS FROM THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, A SMALL NUMBER.AND THOSE FOLKS, WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN OUTTA COMPLIANCE HAVE BEEN FAIRLY QUICK TO GET INTO COMPLIANCE.
IS THAT A PRETTY GOOD SUMMARY? THAT'S A VERY GOOD SUMMARY, YES.
WELL, I, AND I AM REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT, AND IT FEELS TO ME LIKE THESE RULES ARE WORKING THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO.
UM, I, I DO SUPPORT MAKING THESE CHANGES.
I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE MORE, UH, EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE TO FOCUS ON WHERE THERE MAY BE SHORTCOMINGS AS OPPOSED TO DOING THE, UH, THE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW EACH YEAR AND WOULD SUPPORT, UM, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE AUDITOR IS BRINGING TO US AND THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO US AND RECOMMENDED BY THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.
UM, I TOO, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THESE CHANGES, UM, BUT I KNOW THAT I'M GONNA GET QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY ON HOW THESE PEOPLE DISCLOSE IN WRITING BECAUSE IT COULD BE VARIOUS DIFFERENT METHODS.
SO COULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN GENERALLY HOW SOMEONE WOULD DO THAT FOR A COUNCIL OFFICE? SO I WOULD SAY THAT THAT DOES VARY AND THERE'S NOTHING IN THE CODE THAT SAYS YOU SPECIFICALLY HAVE TO DO IT IN X, Y, Z MANNER.
BUT, BUT EACH COUNCIL OFFICE IS HANDLING THAT TO CAPTURE THAT INFORMATION.
AND IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE AUDITED THAT, WE'VE SEEN, UM, DIFFERENT METHODS, A SIGN IN SHEET, WE'VE SEEN USING A CALENDAR TO TRACK THAT INFORMATION.
BUT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT INFORMATION ABOUT WHO'S MEETING WITH COUNCIL OFFICES.
AND IT, IT GOES BEYOND COUNCIL OFFICES.
IT ALSO APPLIES TO PEOPLE MEETING IN A LOBBYING CAPACITY, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES OR WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S VARIOUS WAYS YOU CAN KIND OF LOBBY THE CITY AND WE WANT TO CAPTURE THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE A KIND OF COMPREHENSIVE OR, OR, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM TO CAPTURE THAT FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT AT LEAST WHAT WE'VE SEEN HISTORICALLY IS THAT EACH OFFICE HAS COME UP WITH A WAY TO HANDLE THAT.
AND I KNOW MY OFFICE USES THE CALENDAR WAY TO TRACK THAT.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT THERE ARE OTHER OFFICES DOING THE SAME.
COUNCIL MEMBER POOL MOVES PASSAGE OF, UM, THE ORDINANCE CHANGES AS RECOMMENDED IN THE, IN THE BACKUP, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY SECONDS THAT, UM, I WILL JUST ADD THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE WILL THEN HAVE, ONCE THIS'S ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, THAT WE WILL HAVE CLEAR COMMUNICATION TO THE LOBBYISTS AND TO THE COUNCIL STAFFS OF THE CHANGE.
UM, SO THAT WE CAN ADJUST PROCEDURES ACCORDINGLY.
AND SO THAT THE LOBBYISTS KNOW THAT THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE, UM, FOR, UM, ALL COMMUNICATION DIRECTLY AND WE CAN COORDINATE WITH THE CITY CLERK TO MAKE SURE THOSE COMMUNICATIONS OCCUR.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? IT'S UNANIMOUS ON THE DICE.
I'M GONNA STAND OUT, STAND UP HERE FOR A SECOND LONGER 'CAUSE I THINK THE NEXT ITEMS ARE MINE AS WELL.
[3. Animal Services Audit.]
THREE IS OUR, UM, ANIMAL SERVICES AUDIT AND THE EXTERNAL REPORT.THIS WAS INITIATED, UM, BY COUNCIL RESOLUTION, UH, SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
I WAS A CO-SPONSOR AND I IMAGINE THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER FOLKS ON HERE WHO WERE AS WELL.
AND I BELIEVE IT, IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, SO MS. STOKES, IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM.
SO TODAY, UH, HENRY KAMA WAS THE LEAD ON THIS AUDIT, AND KEITH SALAS IS GONNA PRESENT TO US ON THIS.
MY NAME IS KEITH SALAS AND I'M AN ASSISTANT CITY AUDITOR IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU TODAY FOR INVITING ME TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS AUDIT.
I ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK DON BLAND, JASON GARZA AND THE REST OF THE STAFF OVER AT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG AND INVOLVED AUDIT AND THEY WERE VERY COOPERATIVE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE.
ALRIGHT, THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER'S MISSION IS TO SERVE AS A SAFETY NET FOR LOST AND HOMELESS ANIMALS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEY HAVE A GOAL OF FINDING FOREVER HOMES FOR ALL OF THEIR ADOPTABLE ANIMALS.
SINCE 2011, THEY'VE HAD A NO KILL STATUS, WHICH MEANS, AT LEAST AT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE SAVING 90% OR MORE OF THEIR CATS AND DOGS ARE ENTERING THE SHELTER.
A FEW YEARS AGO, COUNCIL RAISED THAT GOAL TO BE 95% OR GREATER, AND SINCE THAT TIME, THE ANIMAL CENTER HAS ALSO MET OR EXCEEDED THAT LIVE RELEASE RATE GOAL.
AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE, THIS AUDIT CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF A RESOLUTION FROM COUNCIL.
AS A PART OF THAT RESOLUTION, COUNCIL ASKED US TO HIRE AN INDEPENDENT OUTSIDE EXPERT IN NO KILL PRACTICES AND SHELTER OPERATIONS.
FOR THAT PURPOSE, WE HIRED TIM RUM WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ANIMAL SHELTER EVALUATIONS, AND HE PRODUCED THE REPORT THAT YOU SEE HERE, WHICH WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE LATER TODAY.
I WANNA STRESS THAT THAT WAS AN INDEPENDENT REPORT IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE,
[00:35:01]
AND WE PRODUCE OUR OWN AUDIT THAT WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.AND I WANNA HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE STEPS THAT WE TOOK FOR OUR WORK THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS TAKE IN EVERY ONE OF OUR AUDITS.
SO KNOWING HOW IMPORTANT THE COMMUNITY IS TO THE ANIMAL CENTER'S MISSION AND HOW IMPORTANT ANIMALS ARE TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE HOSTED MULTIPLE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS.
WE HOSTED TWO THAT WERE IN PERSON AS WELL AS ONE THAT WAS VIRTUAL AND HAD ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE ATTEND THOSE COLLECTIVELY.
WE ALSO HOSTED A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY THAT HAD OVER 400 RESPONSES, AND WE HOSTED OR CONDUCTED MULTIPLE ANNOUNCED AND UNANNOUNCED SITE VISITS OF THE SHELTER.
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, THE OBJECTIVE OF OF OUR AUDIT WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE CITY WAS EFFECTIVELY MANAGING ITS ANIMAL POPULATION AND PROVIDING ANIMALS IN ITS SHELTER WITH NECESSARY AND HUMANE CARE.
WE BROKE THAT DOWN INTO THREE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
ONE, WHY ARE THERE SPACE ISSUES AT THE SHELTER? TWO, ARE, ARE ANIMALS BEING TREATED PROPERLY? AND THREE IS A 95% LIVE RELEASE RATE SUSTAINABLE GIVEN CURRENT CONDITIONS AND RESOURCES.
AND THE FIRST THING THAT WE FOUND IS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S ANIMAL WELFARE PRIORITIES CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER, CONTRIBUTING, CONTRIBUTING TO THE ANIMAL CENTER'S INABILITY TO ACHIEVE ITS STATED GOALS.
SO THE WAY THAT WE LOOKED AT THEIR OPERATIONS WERE KIND OF IN THREE BUCKETS OR THREE STAGES.
THE FIRST ONE WAS THE ANIMALS COMING INTO THE SHELTER.
THE ANIMAL SHELTER'S GOAL IS TO SERVE AS AN OPEN INTAKE SHELTER.
AND THEY HAD A SPECIFIC GOAL OF SHELTERING 16,000 ANIMALS LAST YEAR.
OF COURSE, WHILE THE ANIMALS ARE AT THE SHELTER, THEY HAVE A GOAL OF PROVIDING QUALITY CARE TO THOSE ANIMALS.
AND THEN ON THE OUTCOME SIDE OF THINGS, THEY HAVE A GOAL OF FINDING FOREVER HOMES FOR ALL THEIR ANIMALS AND MAINTAINING THAT 95% LIVE RELEASE RATE AS LONG AS OPERATIONS ARE WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS DIAGRAM WHERE YOU HAVE, UM, CAPACITY AT YOUR SHELTER AND YOU HAVE ROUGHLY THE SAME NUMBER OF ANIMALS COMING INTO THE SHELTER AS YOU HAVE LEAVING THE SHELTER, THAT'S SUSTAINABLE.
HOWEVER, AS SOON AS YOU START HAVING MORE ANIMALS COMING INTO THE SHELTER THAN YOU HAVE LEAVING THE SHELTER SPACE BEGINS TO FILL UP.
AND IF THIS GOES ON FOR TOO LONG, YOU GET INTO A SITUATION IN WHICH YOU HAVE MORE ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER THAN YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO CARE FOR PROPERLY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS A SITUATION THAT OUR SHELTER IS CURRENTLY IN, AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THE ANIMAL CENTER DOES NOT HAVE A STRATEGY OR CLEAR DIRECTION FOR HOW TO OPERATE WHEN THEY'RE UNABLE TO MEET ALL OF THESE GOALS.
SO WHAT'S WOUND UP HAPPENING IS THEY'RE NOT CURRENTLY OPERATING AS AN OPEN INTAKE SHELTER, AND THEY DID NOT MEET THAT 16,000 GOAL THEY HAD.
THEY'RE NOT CURRENTLY PROVIDING THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT I THINK WE'D LIKE TO SEE AT THE SHELTER.
HOWEVER, THEY ARE MAINTAINING THAT 95% LIVE RELEASE RATE GOAL.
AND I'M GONNA SPEAK IN MORE DETAIL ABOUT EACH OF THESE, BUT I WANNA START WITH THE OUTCOMES.
SO AS LONG AS YOU'RE ABLE TO MOVE ANIMALS OUTTA THE SHELTER AT THE RATE THAT YOU'RE GETTING ANIMALS COMING IN, LIKE I SAID, THAT WOULD BE SUSTAINABLE.
HOWEVER, WE'RE NOT MEETING OUR GOALS FOR THE WAYS ANIMALS CAN LEAVE THE SHELTER.
BROADLY SPEAKING, THERE ARE ONLY FIVE WAYS THAT AN ANIMAL CAN LEAVE THE SHELTER.
THEY CAN EITHER GET ADOPTED INTO A FOREVER HOME, THEY CAN GET TRANSFERRED TO A PARTNER ORGANIZATION OR RESCUE, UM, GROUP THAT HAS CAPACITY.
THEY CAN BE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNER IF THEY HAD ONE.
THEY CAN BE PLACED INTO FOSTER CARE, WHICH OF COURSE IS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION, BUT IT DOES REMOVE THE ANIMAL FROM THE SHELTER AND FREEZE UP SPACE, OR THEY CAN DIE AT THE SHELTER EITHER THROUGH NATURAL CAUSES LIKE OLD AGE ILLNESS OR INJURY OR THROUGH EUTHANASIA.
AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THE ANIMAL CENTER MISSED THEIR GOAL FOR THE NUMBER OF ADOPTIONS, NUMBER OF TRANSFERS, NUMBER OF RETURN TO OWNERS LAST YEAR.
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SPECIFIC GOAL FOR HOW MANY ANIMALS THEY WERE PLACED INTO FOSTER CARE.
HOWEVER, THEY DID HAVE A GOAL OF EUTHANIZING LESS THAN 2% OF THEIR ANIMALS.
AND THEY MET THAT GOAL, EUTHANIZING ONLY 1.98% OF THEM.
I'M NOT GONNA TALK IN DETAIL ABOUT EACH OF THESE, BUT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE TRANSFERS BECAUSE THAT'S THE OUTCOME WHERE WE MISSED THE NUMBER BY THE LARGEST NUMBER OF ANIMALS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND IS THAT LAST YEAR THE CITY CHANGED ITS AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN PETS ALIVE AND DECREASED THE NUMBER OF TRANSFERS, TRANSFERS THAT THEY WOULD TAKE FROM THIS EACH YEAR.
UM, THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE AUSTIN PETS ALIVE IS THE SHELTER'S LARGEST PARTNER, AND AUSTIN PETS ALIVE OPERATES ON CITY OWNED LAND AS A PART OF THE AGREEMENT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO OPERATE ON THIS LAND.
THEY'RE EXPECTED TO TAKE A CERTAIN NUMBER AND CERTAIN TYPES OF ANIMALS FROM US.
UM, PRIOR TO THAT CHANGE, THEY HAD A MINIMUM EXPECTATION OF TAKING AT LEAST 3000 ANIMALS PER YEAR.
UM, THE CITY REMOVED THAT MINIMUM AND NOW IT'S JUST A FRACTION OF THE ANIMALS, WHICH FOR THE PAST COUPLE YEARS HAS WORKED OUT TO BE ABOUT, UM, HALF THE NUMBER THAT THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY TAKING.
UM, EVEN WITH THAT, WE FOUND THAT THEY WERE JUST SHY OF THAT EXPECTATION.
HOWEVER, THE BIGGER PICTURE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT 50 OR 1600 ANIMAL DIFFERENCE BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE IN THE AGREEMENTS.
AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH LOW TURNOVER AND LOW EUTHANASIA RATES.
SO ANIMALS WITH PROLONGED STAYS OF THE SHELTER MAY DEVELOP MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PROBLEMS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE EXTERNAL EXPERT NOTED IN HIS REPORT, AND HE OBSERVED SEVERAL ANIMALS THAT WERE EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS OF THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH LONG STAYS.
ALSO, WHEN YOU HAVE VERY LOW EUTHANASIA RATES, YOU
[00:40:01]
MAY BE ENCOURAGED TO ADOPT OR TRANSFER DANGEROUS ANIMALS TO PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS OR TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.THIS WAS A CONCERN THAT WE HEARD IN OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS, AND WE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS FOR ANIMALS THAT HAD BITE HISTORIES, SPECIFICALLY MODERATE OR SEVERE BITE HISTORIES.
WE FOUND THAT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE SHELTER HAS ADOPTED SEVERAL HUNDRED ANIMALS THAT HAD MODERATE BITE HISTORIES, AS WELL AS A FEW DOZEN ANIMALS THAT HAD SEVERE BITE HISTORIES.
NOW I WANT TO EMPHASIZE WE DIDN'T LOOK AT ANY SPECIFIC CASE.
SO I CAN'T SAY WHETHER OR NOT ANY ONE OF THOSE ANIMALS POSES A GREATER RISK TO THE COMMUNITY THAN AN ANIMAL WITHOUT THAT HISTORY.
BUT I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THIS AS ONE POTENTIAL, UM, INCENTIVE THAT MAY BE CREATED WITH THESE VERY LOW EUTHANASIA RATES.
ALSO, WHEN YOU HAVE LOW TURNOVER, YOU HAVE LESS ROOM FOR NEW ANIMALS IN NEED.
AND AS YOU HAVE MORE ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER, EACH ANIMAL GETS LESS SPACE AND LESS ATTENTION, WHICH IS WHAT I WANNA FOCUS ON NEXT.
SO THE GUIDELINES FOR STANDARDS OF CARE IN ANIMAL SHELTERS SAYS THAT OPERATING BEYOND AN ORGANIZATION'S CAPACITY OF CARE IS AN UNACCEPTABLE PRACTICE.
HOWEVER, WE FOUND MULTIPLE INSTANCES WHERE THIS WAS HAPPENING AT OUR SHELTER.
THE GUIDELINE SAYS THAT THE USE OF CAGES OR CRATES INTENDED FOR SHORT-TERM TEMPORARY CONFINEMENT OR TRAVEL IS UNACCEPTABLE AS A PRIMARY ENCLOSURE.
HOWEVER, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE SHELTER DOES THIS ROUTINELY.
THIS PICTURE I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, WAS TAKEN IN NOVEMBER.
THIS IS IN THEIR OUTDOOR LOADING DOCK.
SO IT WAS NOT TAKEN IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER.
AND WHEN WE DID OUR SITE VISITS IN THE SUMMER, WE DID NOT SEE ANIMALS OUT HERE WHERE IT WOULD'VE BEEN UNBEARABLY HOT.
UM, BUT WE DID SEE THEM IN OTHER AREAS OF THE SHELTER.
SO THIS WAS A PICTURE TAKEN IN THEIR MULTIMEDIA ROOM.
THE GUIDELINES SAY THAT ENCLOSURES NEED TO BE LARGE ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE NECESSARY SETUP WITHOUT IMPEDING THE ANIMAL'S ABILITY TO MOVE OR STRETCH.
AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT IN THIS PICTURE, THIS ANIMAL WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY STAND OR MOVE AND STRETCH.
THE GUIDELINES SAY THE PRIMARY ENCLOSURE MUST ALLOW ANIMALS TO SIT, SLEEP, AND EAT AWAY FROM AREAS OF THEIR ENCLOSURES WHERE THEY DEFECATE AND URINATE, AND TO MAINTAIN DISTANCE FROM ROOMMATES WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO DO SO.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PICTURE, WE HAVE THREE DOGS THAT ARE AN ENCLOSURE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR A CAT.
THESE THREE DOGS ARE ESSENTIALLY SLEEPING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER, THEIR FOOD AND THEIR WAIST.
AND THEN WE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL OTHER ISSUES.
THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN BY THE OUTSIDE EXPERT.
HE IDENTIFIED ALGAE AND OUTDOOR PLAY POOLS AND WATER BOWLS.
AND HE ALSO IDENTIFIED SEVERAL STRUCTURAL ISSUES.
SO HE FOUND, AND I SHOULD SAY THAT THIS, HIS SITE VISITS WERE IN JULY OF THIS YEAR.
SO IT WAS THE, THE HEAT OF SUMMER.
BUT HE FOUND THAT TEMPERATURES EXCEEDED THE RECOMMENDED RANGE OF 60 TO 80 DEGREES IN MANY OF THE KENNELS.
HE ALSO FOUND THE TEMPERATURE OF AN ARTIFICIAL PLAY LAWN WAS 176 DEGREES, AND I SHOULD SAY THIS WAS A SHOCKING NUMBER TO ME.
BUT HE ACTUALLY INVITED MYSELF AND ANOTHER, ANOTHER ONE OF OUR, UH, TEAMMATES OUT TO DO A SITE VISIT WITH HIM WHERE HE COULD SHOW US WHAT HE WAS SEEING.
HE TOOK THIS, UH, TEMPERATURE IN FRONT OF US.
SO I CAN SAY THAT I ACTUALLY SAW THIS RECORDING AT 176 DEGREES, AND I SAW THAT THEY WERE PLACING TOWELS, LIKE STAFF WAS PLACING TOWELS IN THE GROUND FOR ANIMALS TO WALK ON SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO STEP ON THE, UH, ARTIFICIAL TURF.
HE ALSO FOUND INADEQUATE DRAINAGE FOR OUTDOOR KENNELS, DAMAGED BASEBOARDS THAT HAD ACCUMULATED ANIMAL WASTE AND INADEQUATE SOUND BUFFERING AND OUTDOOR KENNELS.
SO OF COURSE, ALL OF THESE CONDITIONS THAT WE JUST HIGHLIGHTED CAN AFFECT ANIMAL COMFORT, BUT CAN ALSO LEAD TO THE SPREAD OF DISEASE.
AND IN FACT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW ON OUR WEBSITE, THIS SCREENSHOT WAS TAKEN LAST WEEK, IS THAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING A DISTEMPER OUTBREAK AND HAD TO RESTRICT THEIR INTAKE.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY LAST POINT, UM, OR LAST PART OF THAT EQUATION, WHICH IS THE INTAKE OF ANIMALS.
UM, THE GOAL, OF COURSE, WAS TO BE AN OPEN INTAKE SHELTER.
HOWEVER, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TIME THAT WE WERE CONDUCTING THIS AUDIT INTAKE HAD EITHER BEEN RESTRICTED OR CLOSED.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS CAT METER, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THEY WON'T TAKE ANY ANIMALS.
THERE ARE SOME EMERGENCY SITUATIONS IN WHICH THEY WOULD ACCEPT AN ANIMAL, BUT BY AND LARGE, IF YOU HAD AN ANIMAL THAT YOU COULD NO LONGER CARE FOR, OR IF YOU FOUND A STRAY ANIMAL THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO SURRENDER TO THE SHELTER, YOU WERE BEING ASKED TO WAIT FOUR TO SIX WEEKS BEFORE YOU'RE ABLE TO DO SO.
AND THAT CAN CREATE HARDSHIP FOR BOTH RESIDENTS AND FOR ANIMALS.
UM, OF COURSE FOR RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, DURING THAT TIME YOU HAVE TO SHELTER, FEED, AND CARE FOR THE ANIMAL.
THIS CAN BE A FINANCIAL BURDEN.
AND THEN FOR ANIMALS, THIS CAN LEAD TO MORE STRAYS, HOMELESS OR ABANDONED ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THAT'S DANGEROUS FOR THEM.
THEY'RE EXPOSED TO OUR EXTREME WEATHER, UM, ALSO TO CARS AND OTHER PREDATORS, BUT THEY CAN ALSO BE A DANGER TO OTHER PEOPLE AND PETS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD REPEATEDLY ABOUT, UM, PEOPLE ENCOUNTERING LOOSE ANIMALS IN THEIR DAY TO DAY, THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES, SOME OF WHOM HAD EITHER BEEN ATTACKED OR EVEN BITTEN BY THESE ANIMALS.
ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT FINDING FINDING, WHICH IS THAT RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND WITHIN THE ANIMAL CENTER ARE STRAINED.
UM, THE ANIMAL CENTER IS SOMEWHAT UNIQUE IN THE CITY AND HOW MUCH THEY RELY ON PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THEIR MISSION.
FOR EXAMPLE, US AND PETS ALIVE TAKES ALL OF OUR BOTTLE FED KITTENS AND ALL OF OUR DOGS OR PUPPIES EXPERIENCING PARVO VIRUS, WHICH ARE GROUPS OF ANIMALS THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PROPERLY CARE FOR OURSELVES.
LIKEWISE, THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY CONDUCTS SPAY AND NEUTER OPERATIONS FOR SOME OF OUR TRAP NEUTER AND RELEASE PROGRAMS. LAST YEAR, THEY RECORDED HAVING OVER 2,500 OF
[00:45:01]
THOSE OPERATIONS CONDUCTED BY THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY.UM, SIMILARLY, COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOSTER ANIMALS, WHICH AS WE'VE ALREADY NOTED, BRINGS ABOUT THE SHELTER AND THEY ALSO VOLUNTEER AT THE SHELTER.
UM, I THINK SOMEBODY IN CITIZEN COMMUNICATION BROUGHT THIS UP, BUT WE DON'T HAVE, AT LEAST ACCORDING TO OUR EXTERNAL EXPERT, UM, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO GIVE THE RECOMMENDED MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME FOR CLEANING, FEEDING, AND ATTENTION TO ALL OF OUR ANIMALS.
UM, VOLUNTEERS DONATED OVER 50,000 HOURS OF SERVICE TO THE SHELTER LAST YEAR.
SO THEY'RE A VERY IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR US.
THERE'S ALSO THE ANIMAL ADVISOR COMMISSION, WHICH IS, UM, PART OF THEIR MISSION IS TO PROMOTE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND INTERESTED PARTIES.
AND OF COURSE, STAFF AND MANAGEMENT AT THE SHELTER ARE KEY STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL.
AND WHAT WE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN IS THAT RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN AND WITHIN EACH OF THESE GROUPS WAS STRAINED.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SURVEY THAT WE CONDUCTED.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW RESPONSES JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHAT WE ARE HEARING.
THESE ARE VERBATIM RESPONSES THAT WE RECEIVED.
THE COMMISSION MEETINGS HAVE RECENTLY WITNESSED HAVE BEEN UPSETTING, AND I DON'T BELIEVE ALL THE REPRESENTATIVES HAVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE ANIMAL CENTER IN MIND.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ANIMAL CENTER AND AUSTIN PETS ALIVE IS THE DEFINITION OF TOXIC.
THE SHELTER HAS BEEN VERY UNWILLING, UNABLE TO PROVIDE KEY DATA, MEASURABLE STATS, OPERATIONAL INSIGHTS, AND IN GENERAL HAS BEEN UNCOOPERATIVE WITH THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND THE ANIMAL CENTER IS EXPECTED TO BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE, BUT WITH NO SUPPORT.
AND OF COURSE, I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE THAT THE UM, ANIMAL COMMISSION TOOK LAST YEAR, WHICH THEY FOUND NO CONFIDENCE OR HAD NO CONFIDENCE IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ANIMAL CENTER.
ALL THIS CREATES A NEGATIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT AND LOW MORALE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD FROM STAFF, BUT IT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT FOR MANAGEMENT.
UM, THIS IS A TABLE THAT THE EXTERNAL EXPERT CREATED, WHICH WE FOUND THAT OVER THE PAST 13 YEARS SINCE THE SHELTER WENT TO NO KILL, WE'VE HAD EIGHT PERMANENT OR NO OR AH, PERMANENT OR, UM, TEMPORARY CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICERS.
ONLY THE CURRENT ONE HAS BEEN IN THIS ROLE FOR OVER FOUR YEARS.
UH, WHEN WE SPOKE WITH SOME OF THESE PEOPLE, WE HEARD THAT THEY RECEIVED PERSONAL ATTACKS, THREATS, AND OFTEN FELT THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE SUPPORT OF CITY LEADERSHIP OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THIS IS A SITUATION THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE, SINCE EVEN BEFORE THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE.
HOWEVER, THE CITY HAS NOT ASSIGNED ANYBODY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF REBUILDING THESE RELATIONSHIPS OR ADDRESSING COMMON CONCERNS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WILLING TO RECOMMEND IN JUST A SECOND.
OUR LAST FINDING IS THAT THE ANIMAL CENTER DOES NOT HAVE COMPLETE AND ACCURATE DATA, AND NOT ALL DATA IS TRACKED IN A WAY THAT WILL ALLOW MANAGEMENT TO ACCESS IT IN A USER-FRIENDLY FORMAT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO DETERMINE WAS WHETHER OR NOT ANIMALS WERE CONSISTENTLY GETTING NECESSARY ENRICHMENT SUCH AS WALKS, PLAY SESSIONS OR TREATS.
THE ANIMAL CENTER TRACKS THIS INFORMATION ON MAGNETIC BOARDS LIKE THE ONE YOU SEE IN THIS PICTURE.
SO ON ANY GIVEN DAY, YOU CAN GO IN AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT A SPECIFIC ANIMAL HAS GOTTEN THEIR WALKS, TREATS, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
BUT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT AN ANIMAL IS CONSISTENTLY OVER THE PAST WEEK, MONTHS, HOWEVER LONG THEY'VE BEEN IN A SHELTER, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU'D BE ABLE TO DO.
WE ALSO FOUND THAT DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LOOK, THEIR DATA MAY VARY SIGNIFICANTLY.
UM, SPAY AND NEUTER OPERATIONS ARE A KEY COMPONENT OF OUR NO KILL PLAN.
IT HELPS REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ANIMALS THAT ARE OUT THERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LOOK, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE VERY DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
SO THAT FIRST COLUMN OF RAW DATA, THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT WE CALCULATED BASED ON THE RAW DATA WE RECEIVED FROM THE ANIMAL CENTER.
THE NEXT COLUMN, THE EXTERNAL DASHBOARD, THAT'S INFORMATION THAT'S ON THE ANIMAL CENTER'S WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE.
AND THE LAST COLUMN IS WHAT WE'VE FOUND IN THE CITY'S E PERFORMANCE WEBSITE, WHICH IS A CITYWIDE PERFORMANCE MEASURED TRACKING SYSTEM, ALSO PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE NUMBERS SOMETIMES VARY BY THOUSANDS.
THAT SAID, WE RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT THE CITY'S LIVE RELEASE RATE GOAL IS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, TO COUNCIL TO THE SHELTER ITSELF.
AND WE LOOKED AT THOSE NUMBERS AND WE FOUND THAT THEY CONSISTENTLY MET OR EXCEEDED THE 95% LIVE RELEASE RATE GOAL.
UM, EVEN WHEN WE CALCULATED OURSELVES, WE FOUND SOME VERY, VERY MINOR DIFFERENCES, USUALLY WITHIN A FRACTION OF A PERCENT.
AND WE NEVER FOUND A SITUATION WHICH IT DID BELOW THAT 95% GOAL.
I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THOUGH, THAT THE CODE TELLS YOU HOW TO CALCULATE THAT RATE.
AND THEY SAY FOR ANIMALS, THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE OUR ANIMAL SHELTER DOES ACCEPT ANIMALS BEYOND CATS AND DOGS.
IN FACT, THEY ACCEPT ANIMALS REGARDLESS OF BREED OR SPECIES.
SO WE HAVE CHICKENS LIKE THE ONE THAT YOU SEE IN THIS PICTURE, BUNNIES, REPTILES, LIVESTOCK, WILDLIFE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE WHOLE GAMUT.
AND SOME OF THOSE ANIMALS, LIKE BATS FOR INSTANCE, THE SHELTER IS NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO ADOPT OUT EVEN IF IT WANTED TO.
SO IF YOU WERE TO INCLUDE ALL OF THOSE ANIMALS, THERE WERE MONTHS, UM, IN WHICH THAT LIVE OUTCOME RATE DID BELOW 95%.
HOWEVER, I THINK THE IMPORTANT NUMBER THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT IS FOR CATS AND DOGS.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE SHELTER IS, UH,
[00:50:01]
WORKING TO CHANGE CODE.ALRIGHT, SO THAT BRINGS ME TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE HAD TWO FOR THE CITY MANAGER AND WE'RE FIRST RECOMMENDING THAT HE WORK WITH COUNCIL, WITH SHELTER, AND WITH OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO ESTABLISH A POLICY THAT BALANCES OUR NO KILL GOALS, THE COMMUNITY'S INTAKE NEEDS, AND THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ITS ANIMALS.
AND WE'RE ALSO ASKING THAT HE WORK WITH AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY TO FACILITATE ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS WITH KEY SHELTER STAKEHOLDERS TO HELP REBUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WERE SO STRAINED FOR THE CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER, WE RECOMMEND THAT HE DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE SHELTER, THAT HE CREATE A PLAN TO KEEP BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AREAS CLEAN AND SANITARY, THAT HE IDENTIFY RESOURCES NEEDED TO ADDRESS STRUCTURAL ISSUES AND ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS IF POSSIBLE, THAT HE ENSURES STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ARE TRAINED TO MONITOR, AND THAT HE PERIODICALLY VERIFY DATA TO ENSURE THAT IT'S ACCURATE, COMPLETE, AND CONSISTENT.
AND WITH THAT, I WELCOME WHATEVER DISCUSSION YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE.
UM, IS THERE A RESPONSE FROM STAFF THAT YOU WANNA MAKE AT THIS TIME FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE OR FROM THE CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE? IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, DON BLANC, CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER.
UM, WE ARE PLEASED WITH THE AUDITORS AND THE DEPTH THAT THEY WENT INTO, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER, THE COUNCIL OFFICE, AND THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE PUBLIC TO BALANCE OUR NEEDS AND DETERMINE WHAT WE AS A CITY NEED TO DO TO GO FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT, UM, WE VALUE ANIMALS AND WE WANNA SAVE EVERY LIFE WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO DO THAT WHERE, UH, OTHER CITIES IN OUR CI IN OUR, IN OUR STATE HAVE LOST THEIR NO KILL STATUS.
THEY'RE IN THE 70 PERCENTILES.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IS, UM, GETTING ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, ADOPTIONS NATIONWIDE SINCE THE PANDEMIC HAVE, HAVE DRAMATICALLY REDUCED.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IS OUR RESCUE PARTNERS, THEY THAT USED TO PULL FROM US REGULARLY ARE NOT PULLING FROM US BECAUSE OF OUR HIGH LIVE EXIT RATE.
THEY'RE PULLING FROM OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE LOST THEIR NO KILL STATUS.
SO THAT HAS REALLY IMPACTED US SIGNIFICANTLY.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYONE TO, UH, FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR LIVE EXIT RATE AND BALANCE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, COLLEAGUES, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
IS THERE, JUST SO I KNOW, IS THERE PERSON WHO DID THE EXTERNAL REPORT HERE, IF SOMEBODY HAS QUESTIONS FOR THEM OR NOT? OH, I APOLOGIZE.
I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT EARLIER.
UM, THE EXTERNAL EXPERT IS NOT HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS TODAY.
HOWEVER, WE CAN FIELD OR HOPEFULLY CAN FIELD ALL OF THEM.
WANNA RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER POOL? YOU CAN.
YOU, YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT IF YOU LIKE.
UM, I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS AND I'M GONNA START, UM, WITH THE FUNDAMENTALS AND THEY'RE FUNDAMENTAL, THEY'RE BASIC THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE SUMMARY SAYS, THE CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER SHOULD HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN, KEEP INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AREAS CLEAN AND SANITARY, IDENTIFY RESOURCES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO ADDRESS STRUCTURAL ISSUES AND ADDRESS THEM IF POSSIBLE.
ENSURE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ARE TRAINED AND MONITORED, PERIODICALLY VERIFIED DATA TO ENSURE THAT IT'S ACCURATE, COMPLETE, AND CONSISTENT ACROSS DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. THESE ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE AND THE OFFICER.
AND THESE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE AUDIT.
I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS OFFICE AND THE FACT THAT THESE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT OF AN AUDIT, WHICH MEANS THAT THESE RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE NOT BEEN FULFILLED.
[00:55:01]
THE COUNCIL HAS OVER MANY YEARS.AND THAT PREDATES MY TIME ON THIS DAIS FOR MANY YEARS, CONTINUOUSLY AND CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED HUMANE MANAGEMENT AND LIVE OUTCOMES FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH OUR ANIMAL POPULATION.
I'M CONCERNED OVER THE LACK OF ACTION IN A NUMBER OF AREAS TO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DASHBOARD DATA, WHICH A FEW YEARS AGO WE DIRECTED THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE TO WORK WITH C T M TO ESTABLISH THAT DATA COLLECTION AND THE PORTAL AND TO HAVE IT BE ACCURATE.
THE BASIC MAINTENANCE OF THE FACILITIES AND THE HEALTH SAFETY OF THE ANIMALS THERE, THE CONDITIONS THAT THE SHELTER ARE UNCONSCIONABLE.
IF CONFUSION EXISTS OVER CONFLICTING PRIORITIES OR LEGAL REQUIREMENTS IN THE CODE, THEN THAT CONFUSION SHOULD HAVE BEEN, ARA SHOULD HAVE BEEN RAISED WITH CITY EXECUTIVES SO THE STAFF WOULD SECURE THE NECESSARY AND NEEDED GUIDANCE.
THESE QUESTIONS SHOULDN'T LINGER, UNADDRESSED AND UNANSWERED STEEPLY CONCERNING THAT THAT'S AN EXCUSE BEING MADE.
THAT POLICIES ARE IN CONFLICT AND REGULATIONS ARE IN CONFLICT, AND THAT THOSE CONFLICTS HAD NOT BEEN CHASED DOWN AND RESOLVED.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ME, THIS AUDIT AFFIRMS MY LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER AND HIS LEADERSHIP OF ANIMAL SERVICES.
THE CITY HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN CARING FOR ITS ANIMAL POPULATION AND THE A S O HAS FALLEN SHORT THE THANK YOU CHAIR.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHO THE RIGHT PERSON TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION IS, BUT WHAT GUARANTEES DOES THE COUNCIL HAVE THAT THE ANIMAL CENTER IS TAKING STEPS ACTIVELY TO HANDLE CAPACITY, WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND KEEP CURRENT AND FUTURE ANIMAL POPULATIONS SAFE? IS THERE SOMEBODY FROM THE CITY WHO COULD POSSIBLY ANSWER THAT? COULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT THAT? WHAT GUARANTEES ARE THEY, DO WE HAVE FROM THE ANIMAL CENTER THAT YOU'RE TAKING STEPS TO HANDLE CAPACITY WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND TO KEEP OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE ANIMAL POPULATION SAFE? WE ARE WORKING, WE'RE, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND OUR ANIMAL COMMISSION AND OUR PARTNERS TO TRY TO HAVE THE BEST OUTCOMES WE CAN.
AND WE CONTINUE TO THIS, THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL IS THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR IN 2024, WE GET FOUR ADDITIONAL ANIMAL CARE WORKERS WILL PUT US IN, HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBER OF ANIMAL CARE STAFF FOR THE KENNELS THAT WE HAVE.
SO THAT'S GOING TO MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE, UH, BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE OVER CAPACITY, IT STRETCHES EVERYONE VERY THIN AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST BEEN DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO KEEP ANIMALS CARED FOR.
AND SO SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS, UH, GET PUT BY THE SIDE.
SO WE'RE GONNA ACTUALLY HAVE ENOUGH KENNEL STAFF TO, TO CARE FOR THE KENNELS THAT WE HAVE.
AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, THE PLAN THAT GOT US TO 90% AND WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT PLAN TO GET US FROM WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, UH, AND, AND MAINTAIN WHERE WE'RE AT AND, AND HAVE THE BEST OUTCOMES WE POSSIBLY CAN.
I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE GET REGULAR UPDATES ABOUT THEIR PROGRESS RELATED TO IMPLEMENTING THESE RESULTS BECAUSE AS WE'VE SEEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN RELATED TO THE ANIMAL CENTER AND TO BACK UP WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER POOLE STATED, THESE CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE RAISE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE ISSUES ARE BEING EFFECTIVELY ADDRESSED.
THIS AUDIT AND THE RESULTS COLLEAGUES, I'M JUST TAKEN BACK ABACK BY HOW UNACCEPTABLE THE CONDITIONS ARE.
I HAVE WORKED VERY HARD WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER POOL'S LEADERSHIP HERE TO INVESTIGATE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT TO US.
[01:00:01]
WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND TALKING TO EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS AT THE CENTER.I VISITED THE CENTER MYSELF AND VIEWED ANIMALS IN THE TRUCK PORT THE WEEKEND BEFORE WE HAD TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IT WAS ENTIRELY UNACCEPTABLE IN MY EYES.
I MOVED FORWARD WRITING A MEMO TO THE CITY MANAGER REGARDING MY CONCERNS AND THEY WERE PROMPTED TO RESPOND.
BETWEEN THE TIME I GOT A RESPONSE FROM THE ANIMAL CENTER AND FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.