Oct 05, 2023 City Council Meetings

[00:00:01]

HAVE A DISCUSSION.

YEAH.

GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.

[Call to Order]

IT IS OCTOBER 5TH, 2023, 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

UH, WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHICH IS LOCATED AT AUSTIN CITY HALL, 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER IS JOINING US VIRTUALLY.

I ANTICIPATE THAT COUNCIL MEMBER POOL WILL ALSO BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY, UH, IN THE MORNING.

BUT, UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT.

UH, I WILL START BY READING

[Consent Agenda (Part 1 of 2)]

ITEM NUMBER TWO SHOULD AT THE END OF IT, READ INSTEAD OF, UH, A MISSPELLING, IT SHOULD READ CHAPTER, CHAPTER 3 0 3 INSTEAD OF THE MISSPELLED WORD.

ITEMS 21 AND 30 ARE POSTPONED TO NOVEMBER 2ND, 2023.

UH, MEMBERS, I WILL STILL CALL UP ITEM NUMBER 30, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.

AND THE REASON IS WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND WE WILL HAVE THAT PERSON SPEAK ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT ALONE.

ITEM 28 IS WITHDRAWN.

ITEM NUMBER 29, WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY ADDENDUM.

ITEM NUMBER 41.

ITEM NUMBER 32.

POST IS POSTPONED TO NOVEMBER 30TH, 2023.

MEMBERS I MESSED UP.

IT'S NOT 30 THAT I'LL CALL UP.

IT IS ITEM 32 WHERE WE HAVE A SPEAKER WHO, AND I WILL CALL THAT ITEM UP SO THAT THE SPEAKER MAY SPEAK TO THE, UH, MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.

UH, FOR THE RECORD, THAT WILL BE THE LAST TIME I MISSPEAK TODAY.

UM, THE ORDER OF THE DAY WILL BE THAT AT 10 O'CLOCK WE WILL HAVE, UH, SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

UH, AT THE END OF THAT, WE WILL HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA VOTE AND ANY REMARKS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

UH, AFTER AT THREE 30 OR AFTER, DEPENDING UPON WHERE WE ARE, WE WILL THEN BRING UP THE AUSTIN HOUSING AND FINANCE CORPORATION.

WE HAVE TWO POOLED ITEMS CURRENTLY FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER FOUR AND ITEM NUMBER 24 ON NON-CONSENT ITEMS. AFTER THAT, UH, AS I INDICATED, I WILL CALL UP ITEM 32 AND I WILL ALSO CALL UP ITEM 33 AT NOON.

WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND LIVE MUSIC, UH, TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN WE WILL HAVE THE ZONING MATTERS AND, AND TAKE THOSE UP AT THAT TIME.

AND, UH, THAT IS THE ORDER FOR THE DAY.

WITH THAT, AS I'VE INDICATED, THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, IS THE, IS ARE THE ITEMS THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR AGENDA, ABSENT ITEM FOUR AND 24 AND THOSE THAT I'VE ALREADY OTHERWISE CALLED OUT, UM, I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK THE CITY CLERK

[Public Comment]

AND IF WE DO, LET'S CALL THOSE SPEAKERS.

WE DO MAYOR, UM, SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER TWO AND 23 IS XENOBI.

JOSEPH.

MAY, UH, MAY I ASK YOU BEFORE YOU START MY TIME TO ENSURE THAT THE CLERK HAS ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE REGISTERED FOR, I HAVE 2 23 AND 32.

YES.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS CALL YOU UP ON NUMBER 32, BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONE SPEAKER SIGNED UP FOR THAT.

AND THAT WAS THE ONE I WAS JUST INDICATING WE WOULD CALL UP SO THAT YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON IT.

NOW, YOU ARE WELCOME TO DO THAT, BUT AS YOU'VE, AS YOU HAVE NOTICED, I'M TRYING TO LET PEOPLE SPEAK AT THE TIME WE BRING UP SPECIFIC ITEMS IF THEY'RE NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

HOWEVER, IF IT'S MORE CONVENIENT FOR YOU, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SPEAK ON IT NOW, BUT SPEAK TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT OF ITEM NUMBER 32.

I'LL SPEAK ON TWO AND 23 AND YOU CAN CALL IT UP.

I'M JUST TRYING TO FOLLOW YOUR NEW PROCEDURE AND I APPRECIATE YOU EXPLAINING IT TO ME.

I MISSED THAT PART.

UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

COUNSEL.

I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH, AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO ITEM TWO, THAT'S THE ST.

JOHN'S AVENUE PROJECT ON I 35 AND ST.

JOHN'S, AND I'M ASKING THAT YOU ACTUALLY STRIKE OPTION THREE.

THIS PARTICULAR ITEM TALKS ABOUT THE REPURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY AFTER 60 YEARS.

AND OPTION THREE SPECIFIES THAT IF YOU DON'T CHOOSE OPTIONS ONE OR TWO, THAT THE 39 YEARS REMAINING WILL ACTUALLY BE WITH NO AFFORDABILITY.

SO I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS JUST A GENTRIFICATION TOOL LIKE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, 60 AND 80% AREA MEDIAN INCOME ACQUISITION.

AND THAT IS ABOVE THE AMOUNT THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS EARN, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY $42,000.

[00:05:01]

I SAY AFRICAN AMERICANS BECAUSE AS YOU'RE AWARE, THIS IS, UH, THE ST.

JOHN'S PROJECT THAT ACTUALLY RECOGNIZES BLACK HISTORY IN THE AREA, THE 300 ACRES THAT WAS ONCE OWNED BY AFRICAN AMERICANS, BAPTIST MINISTERS.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE POLLUTANTS, CARCINOGENS.

AND I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION, THERE'S AT LEAST ONE STUDY, UH, THAT TALKS ABOUT THE SYSTEMIC LITERATURE REVIEW.

UM, AND YOU CAN FIND THAT ONLINE AS WELL.

UH, THE, AND I JUST WANNA SPEAK BRIEFLY TO, UH, NUMBER 23.

THAT'S THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP GROUP HEALTHCARE.

AND I THINK I WILL JUST CONTEXTUALIZE MY COMMENTS BY TELLING YOU THAT, UH, YES, DECEMBER 18TH, 2020, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNER PARTNERSHIP FORUM, BUT IT WAS, QUOTE, RUSHED, OPAQUE AND LACK PUBLIC INPUT, UNQUOTE.

AND THAT WAS IN COMMUNITY IMPACT.

AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT IT WAS THE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, VICE CHAIR, UM, OR ACTUALLY THE TREASURER, DR.

COLLETTE PIERCE BURNETT, AND MAYOR ADLER, WHO BECAME TWO OF THE FIVE MEMBERS.

AND DR.

PALETTE BURNETT BECAME THE VICE CHAIR.

UM, IT IS DISINGENUOUS FOR YOU TO THANK YOU, MA'AM.

CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THIS AS AN APPLICABLE SPEAKER.

THANK YOU, SPEAKER, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

THE OTHER REMOTE SPEAKER HAS NOT CALLED, SO CALL IN YET.

SO I'LL MOVE TO IN-PERSON.

THE FIRST SPEAKER IS GUS PENA, SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER TWO ON DECK IS MARIO TU SPEAKING ON 28.

GOOD MORNING.

WELCOME, MR. PENA.

GOOD MORNING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, JUST FOR YOUR, UH, UH, FOR YOU TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A, UH, UH, FEDERAL INVESTIGATOR AGAIN HERE, AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING GOES RIGHT INSTEAD OF BEING PRO PROFILED BY ANYBODY.

LIKE THAT GUY OVER THERE, HE WAS JUST A WHILE AGO.

OKAY, I DON'T LIKE THAT.

SO ANYWAY, WE'RE GONNA PUT, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT AGAIN.

PLEASE DO THAT.

I'LL BRING IN THE F B I AGAIN.

I'VE DONE IT BEFORE.

ANYWAY, THIS NUMBER TWO IS HAVING TO DO WITH ST.

JOHN'S AVENUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UM, I TELL MY WIFE, CARMEN, AND SHE KNOWS ME VERY WELL.

I'M, I LOVE MORE BY MY BLACK BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAN I AM BY MY HISPANICS MEXICANOS, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE PEOPLE THAT I LOVE AND THEY LOVE ME.

BUT THE ISSUE IS THIS.

BUT PLEASE DO SOMETHING RIGHT FOR NUMBER TWO.

AND WELL, BY THE WAY, UH, UH, KIRK, UH, MY WIFE SAID TO TONE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I CAN'T DO IT, YOU KNOW, SO DON'T SMILE , SHE SAID FOR YOU TO TURN IT DOWN, NOT ME.

RIGHT? BOTH OF Y'ALL.

OKAY.

BOTH OF Y'ALL TOO.

BUT ANYWAY, UH, NO, IT, IT WAS A NEGATIVE ON MY PART.

IT WAS A, LIKE THAT GUY RIGHT THERE, PROFILING, STILL A FEDERAL OFFENSE.

I DON'T CARE HOW YOU MAKE IT OR DO IT, STOP IT.

OKAY? AND, AND I JUST WANT TO, UH, LET Y'ALL KNOW TO GET THE INFORMATION TO THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY LO UH, LIVE IN THAT AREA SO THEY CAN BE PART OF IT, OKAY? AND IT'S, UH, THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, UH, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE IN A FASHION, IN A GOOD FASHION WAY, MY WIFE SAYS HELLO, THAT YOU HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO ME WHEN SOMETIMES THINGS ARE NOT GOING, UH, AS THEY SHOULD BE ON THIS DAIS.

AND, UM, KIRK, WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME.

I, I CAN TELL YOU WHEN WE FIRST MET, UH, WITHOUT THE OTHER OTHER PEOPLE, UH, THAT WANTED TO HELP YOU OUT ALSO.

SO JUST REMEMBER THAT, UH, AND I'LL TONE THAT SHE TOLD ME, TONE IT DOWN, I CAN'T DO IT, YOU KNOW? SO ANYWAY, BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE, UM, DO THE RIGHT THING ON ITEM NUMBER TWO AND, UH, FOR THE, AND, AND INCLUDE THE PEOPLE IN THAT AREA BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING SOME, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT WE'RE, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK OR, OR ATTEND, OR THEY'RE NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, LETTING 'EM KNOW WHERE THE MEETING IS GONNA BE AT.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN DOING THIS IN ST.

JOHNS SINCE 1979.

SO ANYWAY, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

AND I JUST WANT TO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GET TOGETHER AND DOING EVERYTHING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU.

THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MARIO CANTU, AND HE REGISTERED TO SPEAK ON THE WITHDRAWN ITEMS, SO MAYBE HE IS NOT HERE.

AND SO THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.

GREAT.

UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, UM, MADAM, UH, CLERK MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? THE TWO ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN REMOVED ARE ITEMS FOUR AND ITEMS 24.

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[Consent Agenda (Part 2 of 2)]

COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CADRE MOVES ADOPTION.

IT IS SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TIM.

UH, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN AS ABSTAINING FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM VOTING ON AN ITEM? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO.

ON ITEM 22, PLEASE.

COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY WILL BE SHOWN VOTING NO.

ON ITEM 22, THE CHAIR INTENDS TO TAKE UP THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS, UH, THE VOTE, THE ONE NO VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER 22 AND TWO, COUNCIL MEMBERS OFF THE DIOCESE, WHICH I'LL ANNOUNCE, UH, BY, UH, UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

IS THERE ANY DIS UH, OBJECTION AND I'M GONNA CALL COUNCIL MEMBER WALTER, YOU, I, I KEEP SEEING YOUR PAMPHLET.

YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING NOW? OR I'M GONNA CALL FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK AFTER WE VOTE.

IS THAT OKAY? VERY GOOD.

UM, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA IS READ OTHER THAN COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY BEING SHOWN VOTING NO.

ON ITEM NUMBER 22, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY BEING SHOWN VOTING NO ON ITEM 22.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON AND COUNCIL MEMBER POOL OFF THE DAAS.

I WILL NOW CALL ON PEOPLE TO SPEAK, UH, GIVE BRIEF REMARKS WITH REGARD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.

GOOD MORNING, UM, COLLEAGUES.

I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT AN ITEM THAT I BELIEVE REFLECTS TRUE INNOVATION AND CROSS DEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION TO PREVENT AND ADDRESS WILDFIRES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

ITEM NUMBER 19 IS AN AUSTIN ENERGY CONTRACT THAT DEPLOYS CREATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, AI, ET CETERA, AND CAMERAS TO IDENTIFY SMOKE AND OTHER FIRE SIGNALS PRO TO PROACTIVELY AND EFFECTIVELY, UM, SENSE FIRE WITH WILDFIRES.

EVERY MINUTE MATTERS AND THIS INVESTMENT WILL ENSURE THAT WE DEPLOY LIFESAVING RESOURCES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

UM, THANK YOU TO AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY FROM THESE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF A POTENTIAL WILDFIRE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALTER, UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM ELLIS.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER'S REMARKS ON THAT.

'CAUSE I ALSO HAD A QUESTION THAT WE HAD SUBMITTED ABOUT ITEM 19, AND THAT LARGELY PERTAINS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT COMMUNICATION IS HAPPENING BETWEEN OUR WILDFIRE DIVISION AND FOLKS WHO MAY NOT BE ON AUSTIN ENERGY.

AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION.

BUT KNOWING THERE'S FOLKS THAT ARE ON PERELLIS ELECTRIC OR BLOOP ON IT, OR, UH, POTENTIALLY OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE NOT AUSTIN ENERGY CUSTOMERS, IT'S, WE WANT TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FOLKS ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO, UM, NOT ONLY MONITOR THE WAY THAT THEY CAN WITH THESE CAMERAS, BUT EXPAND INTO THEIR PURVIEW, UM, OTHER EARLY WARNING AND EARLY ALERT SYSTEMS FOR WILDFIRE RISK.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM.

ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO COMMENT ON, UH, GIVE BRIEF COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT WAS JUST ADOPTED? COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK STAFF AND MY COLLEAGUES FOR A SHORT AGENDA THIS WEEK.

UM, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A FRUITFUL DAY, AND I JUST APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU.

WE CAN DRAG IT OUT.

, UH, ANYBODY ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.

WITH THAT MEMBERS, UM, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M, I'M, I'M GONNA TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT I'M TRY ATTEMPTING TO DO IS, UH, WE'RE NOT QUITE AT 10 30, SO I WE CAN'T TAKE UP, UH, A H F C AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

SO WITH WITHOUT OBJECTION, UH, ITEM NUMBER 30 WAS A NON-CONSENT ITEM THAT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.

I WILL CALL UP ITEMS 32 AND 33.

UH, ITEM NUMBER 32 AS

[32. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan to update the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan and to adopt the Urban Trails Plan, Bicycle Plan, and Sidewalks, Crossings, and Shared Streets Plan. ]

HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER AND THEN MS. JOSEPH, UH, TO SPEAK TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 32.

UM, AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPENED.

UH, MADAM CLERK, I'LL TURN TO YOU FOR SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 32.

ENOVIA JOSEPH SPEAKING ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT FOR ITEM 32.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

COUNSEL, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH SPEAKING ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT OF ITEM 32 AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THIS ITEM, MAYOR, UM, AUSTIN'S STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN I REGISTERED NEUTRALLY.

AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE ON MAY 30TH, 2023, I ACTUALLY SUBMITTED WRITTEN TESTIMONY IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

AND MY REQUEST IS FOR MY COMMENTS TO BE FORWARDED TO YOU WHEN YOU TAKE THIS ITEM UP ON NOVEMBER 30TH, 2023.

THE STAFF LIAISON IS ANDREW RA, AND I WANT TO RESPECTFULLY REMIND YOU THAT YOU PUT

[00:15:01]

AND I ASKED THIS QUESTION A MAYOR ASMAR DECEMBER 8TH, 2022 AS WELL.

AND SO I'M ASKING YOU NOT TO ENGAGE IN VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION AND TRYING TO CHILL MY SPEECH, BUT TO TREAT MY COMMENTS THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE.

I WOULD ASK YOU TO JUST ASK MR. RIVERA TO FORWARD ALL COMMENTS, MINE INCLUDED, SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THAT AS PART OF YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS.

AND SPECIFICALLY, I INCLUDED THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES, AND THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FROM THE A T X WALK, BIKE AND ROLL DOCUMENT.

AND SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

UM, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE POSTPONEMENT, BUT I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY COMMENTS NOT BEING FORWARDED LIKE OTHER INDIVIDUALS FROM THE COMMUNITY WHEN THEY SUBMIT THEIR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND EVEN ZONING AND PLANNING AT TIMES.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION.

WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING RELATED TO THE POSTPONEMENT OF ITEM NUMBER 32.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSE.

POSTPONED I'LL NOW, O UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 33.

[33. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending Ordinance No. 20230816-007 to establish revised Power Supply Adjustments, Community Benefit Charges, and Regulatory Charges for Austin Energy customers, and make corresponding amendments to the Austin Energy Fiscal Year 2023-2024 operating budget in Ordinance No. 20230816-008.]

UM, DO WE HAVE A STAFF PRESENTATION? THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION I'LL ASK, BUT SECONDLY, IF WE DON'T, THEN I'LL TURN TO THE, UH, CITY CLERK.

NO.

ALRIGHT.

UH, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU LET US KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 33? THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS, UH, MEMBERS, THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 33.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 33, AND THE CHAIR WILL RECOGNIZE A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 33.

COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER MOVES ADOPTION OF ITEM NUMBER 33.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 33 IS ADOPTED, UH, MEMBERS, YOU'RE MOVING AT AN EFFICIENT PACE AND MESSING UP MY, TRYING TO GET TO 10 30.

SO, UH, WHAT WE'LL DO NOW IS WE'LL GO TO ITEM

[4. Approve third reading of an ordinance renewing a non-emergency medical transfer franchise for Lone Star Ambulance 1, LLC, d/b/a Allegiance Mobile Health, Inc. under City Code Chapter 10-2.]

UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA PULLED ITEM NUMBER 40.

NUMBER ITEM NUMBER FOUR FROM THE AGENDA, THE CHAIR WILL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, IF, UH, I JUST HAD A, A, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

IF, UH, THE CHIEF, UH, LUCR IS AVAILABLE, I SEE 'EM THERE.

CHIEF, IF YOU'D PLEASE COME FORWARD AND THANK YOU.

UH, THANK YOU, CHIEF, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I SAW, UH, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN, UH, THE STATESMAN, UH, RECENTLY, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, SERVICES THAT THIS COMPANY PROVIDES IN THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE.

I BELIEVE THEY HAVE A CONTRACT TO DO THEIR EMERGENCY, UH, UH, 9 1 1, UH, RESPONSE.

AND, AND THERE WAS A, A VERY, UH, UH, DIFFICULT AND TRAGIC, UH, SITUATION THAT DEVELOPED.

AND I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT THE SCOPE OF, OF THIS CONTRACT IS, AND IF IT'S AT ALL SIMILAR TO, UH, THE, THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IN PFLUGERVILLE.

UH, YES, SIR.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR.

UM, THIS CONTRACTOR, THIS FRANCHISE, IT'S A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE HERE, UM, IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE AGREEMENT THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE.

UM, WE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE 9 1 1 EMERGENCY PROVIDER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, IN THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE.

UH, THEY UTILIZE A PRIVATE AMBULANCE COMPANY, UM, WHICH IS THIS, THE SAME COMPANY ALLEGIANCE MOBILE HEALTH.

UM, IN THIS AGREEMENT IN OUR FRANCHISE, IT IS STRICTLY FOR NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

UM, SO THEY SUPPLEMENT, UH, THE E M S SYSTEM FOR THOSE CALLS THAT ARE NON EMERGENCIES, USUALLY BETWEEN HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE FACILITIES, TO NURSING HOMES, TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, TO HOMES, UM, AND SO THEIR SERVICES ARE NOT, UM, ADDRESSING THE EMERGENCY NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC.

OKAY.

SO IN TERMS OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING, POTENTIAL LIABILITY OR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT, Y'ALL FEEL COMFORTABLE? WE ARE VERY COMFORTABLE.

THEY'RE ONE OF FOUR FRANCHISES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UM, THEY'RE, THE ROLE THAT ALL OF THESE FRANCHISES PLAY ARE, ARE VERY CRITICAL TO THE SAFE AND EFFICIENT OPERATION OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

UM, THEY ENSURE THAT OUR AMBULANCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE MOST LIFE-THREATENING AND CRITICAL EMERGENCIES, UM, AND PROVIDE A NEEDED SERVICES TO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS THAT NEED TO BE TRANSPORTED TO FACILITIES FOR, UM, MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION FOR THINGS WHERE THEY COULDN'T GET IN THE REGULAR VEHICLE.

GREAT.

UH, MAYOR, THAT'S ALL I HAD.

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THIS WAS IN, UH, THEY WERE NOT GONNA BE PROVIDING, UH, EMERGENCY SERVICES.

UH, I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THAT.

GREAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY? YEAH.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VILLA, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP.

UM, BECAUSE PFLUGERVILLE IS LOCATED IN TRAVIS COUNTY.

I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU COULD CLARIFY FOR US WHY THEY DO NOT UTILIZE AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY E M S FOR THEIR SERVICES.

UM, THE, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF HISTORY, UM, THAT HAPPENED, AND SOME OF IT PREDATES ME, SO I WOULD, I WOULD HATE TO SPEAK OUT OF TURN.

UM, BUT THERE WAS A DECISION THAT WAS MADE SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UM, TO TRANSITION THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE, UM,

[00:20:01]

UM, AND NOW THE CITY HAS CONTRACTED A PRIVATE AMBULANCE COMPANY, AND THAT'S ABOUT THE EXTENT OF, OF THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I'M COMFORTABLE SPEAKING ABOUT, BUT I CERTAINLY CAN CONNECT WITH YOU, UM, AND CONNECT YOU WITH THE RIGHT FOLKS THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU MORE HISTORY.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

I'M DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING THAT HISTORY AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE DECISIONS.

UM, AND I DO FEEL COMFORTABLE PROVIDING A CONTRACT TO THIS COMPANY FOR NON-EMERGENCY SKILLS, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SAW IN THE NEWSPAPER.

I KNOW THAT AMBULANCE SERVICES AND THOSE THAT PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES, THAT THEY ARE NOT IN IT ALL THE TIME, THEN THEY TEND TO LOSE THE SKILLS TO UTILIZE EMERGENCIES.

AND I HAVE FULL FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN OUR SYSTEM TO PROVIDE THAT CARE TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT CONCERN.

COUNCIL MEMBER.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER, IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEM NUMBER FOUR, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MOVES TO APPROVE.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR, SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM.

ANY DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON AND POOL OFF THE DAAS.

UH, FOR THE RECORD, LET ME, UH, BE CLEAR THAT ON ITEM NUMBER THIR 33, WHILE IT PASSED WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBERS HARPER, MADISON, AND POOL, WERE ALSO OFF THE DAAS.

UH, THE CHAIR NOW CALLS UP ITEM NUMBER 24, UH,

[24. Approve an ordinance setting the Council meeting schedule for calendar year 2024 and setting the budget and tax rate hearings for Fiscal Year 2024-2025.]

YES, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.

I WANTED TO, THIS ITEM IS SETTING THE SCHEDULE OF COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR 2024, AND I WANTED TO HAVE SOME REFLECTION HERE TO ENSURE THAT THESE DATES ALIGN, UM, WITH THE NECESSARY CAPACITY THAT WE'LL NEED AS POLICY MAKERS TO CONSIDER THE ITEMS THAT COME BEFORE COUNSEL.

UM, SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF OF ISSUES I WANNA BRING TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION, AND OF COURSE I WANNA ASK STAFF FOR, UM, SOME CLARIFICATION.

ONE THING I WANNA HIGHLIGHT IS ON MAY 30TH, WE HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULED, AND THAT IS A, A SHORT WEEK FOR US THAT COMES ON THE HEELS OF MEMORIAL DAY.

UM, IT SHOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, I TEND TO THINK THAT HAVING A COUNCIL MEETING ON A SHORT WEEK IS TOUGH FOR STAFF, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE FROM STAFF, PERHAPS A C M SENIO, YOU COULD SPEAK TO IT, MS. SENIO, UH, WE HAVE OUR AGENDA MANAGER, KATIE POWERS WALKING TO THE PODIUM, AND I THINK SHE CAN ADDRESS THE QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT WEEK.

THANK YOU.

SO I'M KATIE POWERS THE COUNCIL AGENDA MANAGER, AND, UM, WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER THE SCHEDULE, WE HAVE A LOT OF COMPETING, UM, THINGS TO CONSIDER.

AND SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT MAY DATE, WE DID REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE 27TH IS MEMORIAL DAY.

HOWEVER, WE WANTED TO STILL BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU YOUR NORMAL NUMBER OF WEEKS OF BUDGET, PREPARATION TIME, AND COUNCIL BREAK, WHICH IS TYPICALLY ABOUT SIX WEEKS.

SO IF WE'RE RETURNING BACK, UM, IN MID-JULY FOR BUDGET AND OUR FIRST COUNCIL MEETING, IF WE COUNT BACKWARDS, SIX WEEKS FROM THAT WAS MAY 30TH.

SO IT WAS JUST A BALANCING ACT BETWEEN PRESERVING THAT AMOUNT OF TIME AND THEN ALSO WORKING WITH MEMORIAL DAY.

SO WE DO HAVE THE OPTION OF PUSHING AT ONE WEEK FORWARD INTO JUNE, BUT THAT DOES CUT INTO THE BREAK, SO HAPPY TO, AND THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO CITY STAFF.

YEP.

OKAY.

THE OTHER ISSUE I WANTED TO RAISE IS THIS PAST YEAR WE HAD A COUNCIL MEETING DURING THAT BUDGET SEASON.

SO PER THIS CALENDAR, THE CITY MANAGER WILL UNVEIL HIS PROPOSED BUDGET ON FRIDAY, JULY 12TH.

AND THAT, FOR US, THIS PAST YEAR CAME, YOU KNOW, LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON, I BELIEVE HARD COPIES WERE DELIVERED TO OUR OFFICES.

UH, AND SO THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK WE HAD A COUNCIL MEETING, AND I REMEMBER THINKING HOW CHALLENGING IT WAS TO DIG THROUGH THIS BUDGET WITH HUNDREDS OF PAGES, AND THEN ALSO PREPARE FOR A COUNCIL MEETING THAT WAS QUITE STACKED.

IN FACT, I REMEMBER OVER A HUNDRED ITEMS WERE ON THIS COUNCIL MEETING.

WE ENDED UP POLLING AND DELAYING OR POSTPONING ITEMS. UM, SO COLLEAGUES THAT WANTED TO OPEN THAT UP FOR A CONVERSATION IF WE WANTED TO HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING AMID BUDGET SEASON, AND WITH THE CITY MANAGER PROPOSING THE BUDGET ON JULY 12TH, THAT GIVES US FIVE WEEKS FROM WE FROM WHEN WE ARE PROPOSED TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.

SO DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO HAVE A FULL COUNCIL MEETING AMID BUDGET DELIBERATIONS? THE OTHER ITEM I WANTED TO FLAG IS AROUND, I I MIGHT, I MIGHT JUST YES, WHILE SHE'S HERE, BEFORE YOU GO TO ANOTHER ITEM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, PART OF THE REASON TO DO THAT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A GAP ON THINGS.

THAT IF THERE ARE CONTRACTS OR THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADOPTED, UM, WE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL THAT, TO DO THAT AND PULL THAT OFF AND NOT WAIT WHERE WE, WE RUN OUT OF TIME ON SOMETHING.

THE KEY WILL BE, AND I THINK YOU'VE POINTED IT OUT WELL, AND THAT

[00:25:01]

AND I THINK IN CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF AND WITH THE, THE BUDGET OFFICE, THAT THERE'S A RECOGNITION THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THAT WAY.

SO I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT BEING A PROBLEM, BUT THE REASON IT'S THERE AND IT CAN ALWAYS BE CANCELED, UH, BUT THE REASON IT'S THERE IS SO THAT WE DON'T FIND OURSELVES WHERE WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, THE CITY HAS TO DO SOMETHING AND WE DON'T HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED.

OKAY.

YEAH, I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND IF YOU DO CHANGE THAT DATE THAT WE MOVE IT OR UP INSTEAD OF GETTING RID OF IT, BECAUSE IF WE REMOVE IT ENTIRELY, WE'LL BE GOING ALMOST TWO MONTHS BETWEEN COUNCIL MEETINGS, AS YOU POINTED OUT, THAT JULY MEETING AND THE AUGUST MEETING ARE USUALLY FAIRLY LARGE AND IT'S JUST SIMPLY A RESULT OF HAVING LARGE BREAKS BETWEEN MEETINGS BECAUSE WE DO STILL NEED TO GET THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY DONE.

SO, BUT AGAIN, HAPPY TO DO WHAT COUNCIL PREFERS WELL.

YEAH, NO, THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND, AND I DO JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE SCHEDULED FOR WORK SESSIONS OR ANY BUDGET OPEN MEETING, WE CAN ALWAYS POST ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION DURING ANY OF THESE DATES HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN.

UM, BUT I, YOU KNOW, WITH, I THINK AS IF, AS LONG AS WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, CONTROVERSIAL OR SUBSTANTIVE POLICY DELIBERATIONS DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, AND IF WE HOLD THAT DATE FOR THOSE MORE PROCEDURAL CONTRACTUAL ITEMS, THEN I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD ON THAT COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER, WE WILL, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO ATTEMPT TO DO THAT.

BUT TO KATIE'S POINT, WHEN WE HAVE A SIX WEEK BREAK IN COUNCIL MEETINGS, SOMETIMES WE CANNOT CONTROL THAT.

AND SO WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO HAVE THAT AGENDA BE AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE.

UM, BUT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE IT PER SE.

UH, AND I WOULD ADD ON THE BUDGET MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED, AND WE HAVE OUR BUDGET OFFICER HERE, WE DO TRY TO KEEP THOSE MEETINGS TO PURELY BUDGET DISCUSSION AND NOT NORMAL CITY BUSINESS SO THAT, THAT THE COUNCIL'S FOCUS CAN BE ON THE BUDGET.

GOOD DEAL.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.

THANK YOU.

UM, I THINK THAT THAT JULY MEETING IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AS WE'VE SAID FOR THIS BUSINESS.

AND YEAR AFTER YEAR, IT'S BEEN A TOUGH MEETING.

UM, I THINK THAT IT'S NOT ONLY ON STAFF, UM, THE RESPONSIBILITY IF WE DON'T WANT THAT TO BE A TOUGH MEETING.

UM, WE HAD A VERY LARGE ITEM ON LAND USE AND SEVERAL IFCS FROM COLLEAGUES, UM, IN THIS JULY MEETING THAT MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT.

UM, AND SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANNA TRY AND ACHIEVE AS A COUNCIL, THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT SUBMITTING ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PARTICULARLY DEMANDING, UM, FOR COLLEAGUES, UM, TO ADDRESS DURING THAT PERIOD.

UM, AND THEN AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME, MAYOR, I HAD ANOTHER SUGGESTION, BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES MIGHT HAVE HAD A THIRD IDEA.

SHE, SHE HAS SOMETHING MORE.

AND COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

THANK YOU.

UM, THE JULY 15TH THROUGH 19TH THAT WEEK, I WILL BE UNAVAILABLE.

I AM GETTING SOME CONTINUING EDUCATION WITH FEMA, AND SO THAT IS A TIME WHERE I WON'T BE HERE IF YOU GUYS WANNA PUT ANYTHING CRAZY ON THE AGENDA WITHOUT ME, THAT'D BE THE TIME.

THAT'D BE THE TIME.

OKAY.

YEAH.

THANKS EVERYBODY.

PLEASE MAKE NOTE STAFF.

WE GOT IT.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES THE CHAIR, UH, RECOGNIZES YOU AGAIN.

THANK YOU.

AND THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU, MAYOR.

UM, THIS MIGHT BE PREMATURE, BUT I GUESS SHOULD WE START HAVING THE EXPECTATION, YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, OR MAYBE THIS IS, IS A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER.

UM, THE LAST YEAR WE HAD, UM, WHAT I THINK WORKED OUT WELL IN THE BUDGET PROCESS IS HAVING A DAY WHERE WE CONSIDERED AMENDMENTS.

YEP.

UM, SO WITH THIS BUDGET TIMELINE LAID OUT, IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME THAT THAT AMENDMENT LAYOUT TIME WOULD BE EITHER AUGUST 6TH OR AUGUST 6TH? OH, I, I, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT IT WITH THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.

I TRY TO STAY AHEAD, BUT A YEAR PLUS, I'M A LITTLE BEHIND ON THAT.

UM, BUT YES, THE, THE PLAN WOULD BE, AND THE WAY WE WORKED THE, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK, AND I, BY, BY THE WAY, I SHOULD RECOGNIZE MY CHIEF OF STAFF, COLLEEN PATE, FOR THE AMOUNT OF WORK SHE'S WORKED AND WITH CITY STAFF TO TRY TO COME UP WITH THIS.

BUT YES, UH, THE IDEA WAS TO HAVE ENOUGH DATES DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME TO REPLICATE, UH, THE SUCCESSES OR, UH, GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPENED DURING THIS BUDGET CYCLE TO MAKE IT GO AS SMOOTHLY.

SO COUNT ON THAT.

I JUST, BUT I HAVEN'T SAT DOWN AND DONE THOSE DATES YET.

UH, I WOULD WANT TO SIT DOWN.

WELL, SHE MAY HAVE, KNOWING HER, SHE, KNOWING HER, SHE HAS .

GOOD MORNING COUNSEL.

CARRIE LANG, BUDGET OFFICER.

UM, YES, THE SIXTH AND THE EIGHTH ARE THE DAYS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT, WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THE CALENDAR.

WE THOUGHT THAT THOSE DAYS REPLICATE HOW WE DID THE, UH, BUDGET PROCESS THIS YEAR.

AND SO EITHER THE SIXTH OR THE EIGHTH ARE

[00:30:01]

AND IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION TO DO A SIMILAR PROCESS LIKE LAST YEAR? YES.

OKAY.

AND SO COLLEAGUES, I FLAGGED THAT BECAUSE THEN WE WOULD BE, LOOK, WE'D BE RECEIVING THE BUDGET ON JULY 12TH AND HAVE ABOUT THREE AND A HALF WEEKS TO GET OUR AMENDMENTS IN.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE, OF COURSE WE CAN BRING AN AMENDMENT AT ANY TIME.

WE HAVE THAT AUTHORITY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO INTRODUCE AN AMENDMENT.

UM, SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO SURFACE THAT AS A POINT OF CONSIDERATION.

THAT'S GOOD.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.

THANK YOU.

UM, I WANTED TO SUGGEST THAT WE PUT A BUDGET WORK SESSION ITEM ON JULY 30TH.

UM, WE CAN ALWAYS CANCEL ONE OF THOSE OTHER, UM, WORK SESSION SESSIONS, BUT, UM, I BELIEVE THAT IT, IT IS, UM, BETTER TO HAVE THE EARLIER SESSIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND RAISING ISSUES.

UM, AND I'M PRETTY, I I THINK IT'D BE MUCH BETTER TO HAVE THAT ON OUR CALENDARS AND CANCEL ONE OF THEM LATER.

UM, THE BUDGET PROCESS, UM, SAY SOMETHING, IF WE DO HAVE HEARINGS ON DAYS THAT WE HAVE HEARINGS, WHICH WOULD BE REALLY THE ONLY ONES WE HAD BEFORE, UM, WE GOT TO AMENDMENTS, UM, WE DON'T TEND TO DELIVERY QUITE AS MUCH, UM, DEPENDING ON HOW LONG THOSE SESSIONS ARE.

SO I WOULD LIKE US TO ADD A WORK SESSION FOR BUDGET ON JULY 30TH, KNOWING THAT AS WE DID THIS YEAR, WE MAY, UM, END UP, UM, CANCELING ONE OF THE, THE FOUR THAT HAPPENS, UM, IN THAT, IN THOSE TWO WEEKS.

UM, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE CLARITY ON WHEN WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE OUR BUDGET HEARINGS, UM, AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO ACCOMMODATE FOLKS WHO CANNOT BE HERE DURING THE DAY.

UM, I THINK THERE WAS A LACK OF CLARITY FOR PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T COME AFTER SIX O'CLOCK AS TO WHEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO COUNCIL.

AND TRADITIONALLY WE HAVE TRIED TO DO THAT.

UM, I THINK WE DID TRY TO DO THAT THIS YEAR WITH A THREE O'CLOCK HEARING AND THEN ALLOWING IT TO GO OVER INTO DINNER.

BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS PARTICULARLY CLEAR TO THE COMMUNITY.

UM, SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THAT, UM, STATED ON THE BUDGET IN THE, IN THE CALENDAR DOCUMENTS, UM, AS EASILY AS, AND CLEARLY AS POSSIBLE FOR FOLKS.

IF I MIGHT ADDRESS THAT SEC, THE, THE, THE LAST PART OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT WE CAN DO IS ONCE WE, ONCE WE KNOW WHAT OUR CALENDAR IS, GO IN AND FILL IN BLANKS LIKE THAT SO THAT THERE IS THAT CLARITY, UH, AS YOU POINT OUT APPROPRIATELY, THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO DO IT AT DIFFERENT POINTS IN TIME SO THAT PEOPLE, WE WOULD CREATE CONVENIENCE AND, AND, AND WE'VE LEARNED SOME THINGS FROM THAT, I THINK.

SO WE OUGHT TO LOOK AT THIS ONCE WE'VE ADOPTED IT.

WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND FIGURE OUT HOW BEST TO MAKE CLARITY AND MAYBE DO IT FURTHER IN ADVANCE BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, PARTICULARLY BASED UPON THIS SUGGESTION, UM, AND PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE AND OTHERWISE PROVIDE A NOTICE IN THAT REGARD.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT AND WE'LL, WE, WE, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.

CAN I, I JUST WANNA CONTINUE, IF I, IF I MIGHT JUST ADD ONE, I GOT SOMEBODY ELSE THAT WANTS TO, I THINK, ANSWER YOUR PREVIOUS PARTY DISCUSSION, SO SORRY, I CAN'T SEE IN THE ROOM.

YEAH, I KNOW, I KNOW.

IT'S, IT'S HARD TO DO FROM THERE.

SO YES, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY IF THE, IF THE COUNCIL WILL, IF IT'S THE COUNCIL'S WILL TO DO A SESSION ON THE 30TH, YOU KNOW, STAFF IS, WILL BE PREPARED FOR THAT.

I THINK THAT FLEXIBILITY ALLOWS FOR YOU ALL TO HAVE DISCUSSION IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WILL WANT TO DO.

UM, AND WE'LL JUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR PLANNING FOR, UM, PRESENTATIONS BASED ON THE DATES THAT YOU ALL FINALLY SET FOR, FOR THOSE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE THE COMMENT.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED AGAIN.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK THE 30TH IS IMPORTANT IS, UM, IF THE 24TH PRESUMABLY WOULD BE A DAY THAT WE MIGHT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR FIRST DISCUSSION DAY.

UM, I THINK THAT WHEN WE ASKED, I BELIEVE THAT WAS ONE OF THE HEARING DAYS, SO THEN WE WOULD HAVE OUR NEXT HEARING, WE HAVE TO HAVE ON THE FIRST, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHEN THE TAX RATE IS ADOPTED.

AND SO OTHERWISE WE HAVE NO DAY THAT'S SIMPLY DEMOTED, UM, TO HAVING A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BUDGET AMONGST OURSELVES.

I KNOW FOR ME THAT WHEN I PREPARE MY AMENDMENT, IT'S REALLY HELPFUL, UM, TO HAVE THE DISCUSSIONS.

SO I DEFINITELY, UM, THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT THERE.

UM, BUT I'M, I, AGAIN, I I WOULD LOVE CLARITY ON, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE HAVING THE HEARINGS.

YEAH.

UM, SO THAT WE KNOW THAT AS WELL AND, AND WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW OUR DAYS ARE GONNA BE PLANNED IF IT'S A 6:00 PM HEARING AND WE'RE GONNA STILL HAVE A WORK SESSION, WHICH I THINK WE SHOULD ON THOSE DAYS, UM, IT'S JUST HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME CLARITY SOONER RATHER THAN LATER ON THOSE.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS?

[00:35:01]

UH, WE HAVE A MEETING ON ELECTION DAY, UH, THAT NOVEMBER, UH, LORD NOVEMBER 5TH.

AND I JUST WANTED TO, TO HIGHLIGHT THAT NO WORK SESSION.

OH, NO, IT SAYS NO WORK SESSION THAT DAY.

THAT, UM, EXCUSE ME.

UH, SORRY.

KATIE POWERS AGENDA MANAGER THAT, UH, NOVEMBER 5TH DAY IS PREEMPTIVELY CANCELED.

WE, YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE ONE ON THE THURSDAY, BUT WE WOULD NOT BE PLANNING TO HAVE A WORK SESSION.

YEAH.

IT, IT MAY BE IT'S LIGHT OR BLUE.

OKAY.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR CALENDAR, IT'S LIGHTER BLUE, AND I CAN SEE WHY YOU MIGHT LOOK AT THAT AND SEE THAT THAT WAY.

SO THANKS FOR POINTING THAT OUT ON THE CHART, WHICH IS THE OFFICIAL EXHIBIT.

IT IS NOT LISTED AS THE DATE.

OKAY.

IT, IT, YEAH.

WE'RE NOT HAVING ONE ON ELECTION DAY.

OKAY.

UH, I JUST WANTED TO NO, NO, THAT'S, UH, YEAH, CLARIFY THAT.

AND THEN THE OTHER CONCERN WOULD JUST BE COMING INTO, UM, THAT FIRST MEETING ON THE 18TH, THE DEADLINE FOR IFCS ON THAT MEETING, BECAUSE THE DEADLINE WOULD BE, OH, LORDY, HOLD ON JUST A SECOND IF WE COULD.

WELL, HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE A CHRISTMAS VACATION.

I KNOW.

AND NOT BE DOING IFCS, BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

BUT IF, UM, THE, COULD WE HAVE JANUARY 8TH AS A DEADLINE FOR IFCS ON THAT ONE TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME COMING OUT OF NEW YEAR'S SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT WORKING THROUGH THAT KIND OF A CHRISTMAS.

THAT WAS THE ONLY, UH, YEAH.

NOW THE JANUARY 18TH MEETING DOES CREATE SOME CHALLENGES WITH CHRISTMAS BREAK FOR STAFF ITEMS AS WELL.

SO WHAT WE WERE KIND OF ADMINISTRATIVELY ANTICIPATING DOING IS ACTUALLY POSTING THE AGENDA ON JULY 12TH INSTEAD OF, I'M SORRY, JULY, JANUARY, JANUARY, JANUARY 12TH INSTEAD OF JANUARY 5TH.

SO WE WOULD DO A ONE WEEK POSTING.

WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST WHEN THANKSGIVING KIND OF GETS IN THE WAY.

MM-HMM.

.

AND SO THEN IN THAT CASE, YOUR I F C DEADLINE WOULD ACTUALLY BE JANUARY 10TH.

OKAY.

NO PROBLEM.

THAT'S, UH, THAT WORKS.

THAT'S GOOD.

THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO COMMENTS I HAD.

GOOD, THANK YOU.

UM, OTHER THOUGHTS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF FOR EXHIBIT A.

THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS IN MY DISTRICT WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO ME, THEY'RE COLORBLIND, SO IT'S VERY HARD FOR THEM TO READ THE ACTUAL CALENDAR.

AND SO THE EXHIBIT WAS VERY HELPFUL, MAYOR PRO TIM, I'LL JUST SAY ON THE NOTE OF COMING BACK IN JANUARY AND HAVING THAT SHORT POSTING PERIOD, JUST PLEASE HAVE SOME GRACE WITH COUNSEL AND WITH STAFF BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE MAY BE COMING WITH QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, DURING THE WORK SESSION THAT HAVEN'T BEEN PRE-VETTED, JUST GIVEN THAT TIMELINE, BUT I THINK WE CAN ALL GET THROUGH IT IF WE WORK TOGETHER.

YEP.

CUSTOMER ALLISON ALTER.

THANK YOU.

UM, SPEAKING OF THE THANKSGIVING, UM, IF WE COULD, UM, GET THE NOVEMBER THE, THE, THE POSTING FOR THE FIRST MEETING POST THANKSGIVING A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THE FRIDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING.

THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR THIS YEAR.

FOR THIS YEAR, YEAH, FOR THIS YEAR.

I'M TRYING TO THINK AHEAD.

UM, I HAVE MY BRAIN ON 2024, BUT, UH, WE WILL GET YOU THE AGENDA SOONER THAN THANKSGIVING OR AT LEAST A CHUNK OF THE AGENDA.

LIKE IF IT'S NOT ALL THERE, BUT IF WE CAN HAVE A GOOD CHUNK OF IT, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE HAVE THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING AND THEN WE GO RIGHT INTO THE, TO THE COUNCIL WEEK.

UM, AND SO TO THE EXTENT, SINCE WE, I THINK WE HAVE EXTRA WEEKS BEFOREHAND, UM, FREE, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD HAVE SOME BIT A BIT EARLIER.

WE WILL DO THAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS, UM, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEM NUMBER 24 WITH JULY 30TH AS A BUDGET WORK SESSION WITH, AS COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER POINTED OUT, UM, THE POTENTIAL FOR CANCELING, BUT PUT, BUT PUTTING THAT ON, THAT'S THE ONE CHANGE IN THE CALENDAR THAT WOULD BE ADDED OR MADE JULY 30TH, A POTENTIAL, A WORK SESSION THAT WE'LL PAY ATTENTION TO AS WE GO FORWARD.

IS THERE A MOTION MOTIONS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES? IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 24 WITH JULY 30TH ADDED IS, UH, ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, HARPER MADISON, AND COUNCIL MEMBER POOLE OFF THE DAAS MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION.

I WILL RECESS THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, AND I WILL NOW CALL TO ORDER

[10:30 AM - Austin Housing and Finance Corporation Meeting]

IT IS OCTOBER 5TH, 2020 3, 10 39 IN THE MORNING.

WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED IN AUSTIN CITY

[00:40:01]

UH, STAFF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE WALK US THROUGH THE AGENDA.

THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.

GOOD MORNING.

MY, UH, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

MY NAME IS JAMIE MAY, I'M THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WITH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT ON YOUR A H F C BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING AGENDA, YOU HAVE TWO ITEMS. FIRST IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM AUGUST 31ST, AND THE SECOND IS THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE FORMATION OF A H F C PLEASANT VALLEY NONPROFIT CORPORATION.

THIS IS AN INSTRUMENTALITY OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION TO OWN AND OPERATE THE PLEASANT VALLEY 96 UNIT MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL DEVELOPMENT.

UH, THIS WAS RECENTLY ISSUED AS AN R F Q AND AWARDED, AND WE, UH, WILL BE PURSUING CONSTRUCTION RELATIVELY SOON.

UM, THIS WOULD ALSO AUTHORIZE A GROUND LEASE FOR THAT PROPERTY, AND I'D OFFER BOTH OF THESE ITEMS ON, UH, CONSENT MEMBERS.

YOU'VE HEARD THE CONSENT AGENDA'S BEEN READ.

I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

YES, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER ON ITEM TWO, ENOVIA JOSEPH.

THANK YOU.

UH, MAYOR, COUNCIL DIRECTORS, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH, AND SPECIFICALLY MY COMMENTS ARE RELATED TO THE FAIR HOUSING ACT OF 1968.

THIS PROJECT DOES NOT AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING.

IT'S SPECIFICALLY A 60% AREA MEDIAN INCOME AND BELOW, AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU STILL HAVE A SMART POLICY AND THE M STANDS FOR MIXED INCOME.

AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS DESERVE MORE THAN A ONE STORY BUILDING.

THIS IS FIVE FLOORS, FIVE STORIES WITH AN ELEVATOR, AND SO IT MAY GIVE THE DEVELOPER A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT, BUT THIS IS NOT GOING TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF QUALITY.

MY QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, IS IT AS IT RELATES TO NONPROFIT CORPORATION WITH NO MEMBERS, I WANTED TO KNOW WHEN DOES MANDY DEO ACTUALLY DECIDE WHEN TO FORM THESE NONPROFITS? HOW DOES THE PUBLIC BENEFIT IF THERE ARE NO MEMBERS? AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO BE TRANSPARENT.