[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
COMMISSIONERS.WELCOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, MEMBERS OF THE CITY STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, WE ARE BEGINNING OUR OCTOBER 11TH MEETING OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
FIRST ORDER OF THE AGENDA, AS I CALL TO ORDER, UH, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HAS, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK NEIL KASEN HOFF OF THE GROUNDWORK MUSIC PROJECT.UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME FORWARD.
I AM THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF GROUNDWORK MUSIC PROJECT.
AND, UM, THE ORGANIZATION THAT I RUN PROVIDES, UM, FREE AND LOW COST MUSIC EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES TO YOUNG KIDS AS WELL AS A COMPLEMENT OF STAGE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND WE HAVE BENEFITED GREATLY FROM OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION, AND WE ARE ACTUALLY RECEIVING SOME FUNDS THIS YEAR AS PART OF THAT.
UM, BUT I AM SPEAKING TODAY BECAUSE THE FUNDS HAVE GONE DOWN AND, UM, WE HAVE BEEN ON A REALLY STEADY, UH, TRAJECTORY.
I'M SO SORRY, TRAJECTORY OF GROWTH, UM, WITH THE, UH, UM, WITH THE CITY PARTNERSHIP.
AND IT'S HELPED US BUILD OUR CAPACITY, BUILD THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE.
UM, WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, UM, WE WENT FROM, YOU KNOW, RECEIVING CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROPER TO RECEIVING RELIEF FUNDING.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THAT WAS FEDERALLY PROVIDED FUNDING.
AND THEN IN THE WAKE OF THE PANDEMIC, WHEN THINGS STARTED TO OPEN UP AGAIN, UM, THERE WAS KIND OF A NEW SYSTEM IN PLACE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I FELT, I FEEL OBLIGED TO COME AND SPEAK ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE OFFER AS I'VE DONE.
AND, UM, THAT OUR FUNDING HAS GONE DOWN.
AND, UM, AND SO WE, I KNOW THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ORGANIZATION THAT'S HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH A LOT OF THE FOLKS IN CULTURAL ARTS.
IT'S, IT'S TOUGH TO COME UP AND, AND SAY THIS, BUT I, I'M JUST NOT SURE HOW THE AUSTERITY HAS OCCURRED, HOW THE, THE, THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES HAVE GONE FROM KIND OF THIS STEADY GROWTH THAT WE HAD PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC TO THINGS KIND OF, UM, GOING LOWER.
AND I KNOW I'M NOT THE ORGAN, NO ONLY ORGANIZATION THAT'S KIND OF BEEN IN THAT SPOT.
SO, UM, WE'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE THE CITY PUT SOME EYEBALLS ON THIS AND PUT SOME SCRUTINY TO THIS.
UM, IF AN AUDIT IS IN ORDER, THEN, THEN AN AUDIT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BUT I, I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CULTURAL VIBRANCE OF THIS CITY.
UM, 'CAUSE NOT ONLY, I KNOW I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MY ORGANIZATION, BUT NOT ONLY ARE WE RECEIVING FEWER DOLLARS, BUT WE'RE RECEIVING DOLLARS THAT AREN'T WORTH AS MUCH AS THEY USED TO BE IN A CITY WHERE EXPENSES HAVE GROWN.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, UH, AND THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO CUT ARE, UM, THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING TO THOSE WHO ARE MOST IN NEED.
UM, AND WE REALLY WANT TO KEEP ON PROVIDING MUSIC EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL, REGARDLESS OF MEANS.
AND WE'LL FIND A WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, BUT WE LOVE THE PARTNERSHIP WE'VE HAD WITH THE CITY AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THROUGH THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION, AND WE'D LIKE TO KIND OF GET A BETTER HANDLE ON HOW WE CAN CONTINUE THAT.
IS THAT MY TIME? THAT'S YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. CASTOFF, UM, FOR COMING THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH COMMISSIONER CHAN AND HOPEFULLY ON THE DAAS TO APPROVE
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OUR MINUTES FOR THE SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2023 MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TOURISM COMMISSION.DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION AND WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER BAILEY, UM, HAS MADE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES, UM, AS SECONDED BY, UM, COMMISSIONER MATHIS.
LET THE RECORD ALSO REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER HANIN HAS JOINED THE DIOCESE, UH, DISCUSSION.
[00:05:04]
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES.COMMISSIONER KANATI? UH, I WASN'T THERE, SIR, I'M JUST READING IT.
AND THERE'S REFERENCES TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION BOARD, WHICH I THINK THAT MAY NOT BE CORRECT.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT I WISH TO ADDRESS.
UM, AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I'LL SAY IS I READ A SUMMARY OF THE MOTION ON DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS NUMBER C, AND I COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS SAYING DESPITE READING IT FIVE TIMES.
BUT I THINK THAT MOTION WAS APPROVED, BUT I, I WASN'T THERE.
SO I'M, I'M JUST GIVING YOU THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE WHO WASN'T HERE WHO CAN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT MAY IT SAY, UH, THIS ONE FAILED ACTUALLY.
WELL, WHATEVER, WHATEVER IT IS.
THAT WAS THE ONE THE TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT.
UM, WAITING FOR THE FUNDING MIC ON COMMISSIONER.
OH, I THINK THAT THAT C DID PASS, SO OH, YES.
THE, LET THE RECOLLEC THAT IT DID PASS.
UM, COMMISSIONER, UM, KANATI, ARE YOU, ARE YOU ASKING FOR A CLARIFICATION OF WHAT C SAYS UNDER NUMBER THREE? I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHEN I READ IT, I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND IT.
AND JUST FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I'M, I'M ABSTAINING FROM THE MINUTE SINCE I WASN'T HERE.
I DID JUST TRY TO READ THEM WHEN I GOT HERE.
SO, THREE C UH, MAKES REFERENCE TO, UH, PASSAGE OF THE TPI, UH, MOST RECENT AGREEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, RYAN ALTER THAT LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WAS RYAN ALTER AND, UM, FUENTES ON COMMISSIONER CHAN'S MOTION AND COMMISSIONER OSIS SECOND ON AN 8 0 1 VOTE.
THOSE MEMBERS VOTING AYE, WERE YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, ALSO, I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT, UM, THE FIRST MOTION DID PASS, UM, MS. OJEDA, IF YOU COULD ACTUALLY JUST SAY IF THEY PASSED OR DIDN'T PASS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD FOR PURPOSES IN THE MINUTES MOVING FORWARD.
UM, JUST TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WHEN WE REVIEW THESE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO IF WE CAN, IT'S MORE LANGUAGE ORIENTED, BUT, UM, COMMISSIONER KANATI WAS ABSENT ALL LAST MEETING AND FOR ALL OF THESE MOTIONS, SO JUST CHANGING THE WORD ABSENT TO ABSENT PLEASE.
UM, ANY OTHER EDITS FOR DISCUSSION ON THE COMMISSION? SEEING NONE, DO WE HAVE A VOTE TO APPROVE? AYE, FOR THE PASSAGE OF THE MINUTES? AYE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
COMMISSIONER BA UH, BAAN SAYS AYE AS WELL MINUTES ARE PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ORDER OF
[2. Staff briefing regarding commission announcements by Felicia Ojeda, Staff Liaison]
BUSINESS STAFF BRIEFINGS.UM, MS. OJEDA, OUR STAFF LIAISON HAS THE FLOOR FOR STAFF, UM, COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES.
TODAY WE HAVE, UM, OUR FIRST AND ONLY DISCUSSION
[3. Presentation by Economic Development Department, Cultural Arts and Heritage Tourism Divisions, regarding Arts and Historic Preservation funding and grant programs]
ITEM, UH, PERTAINING TO, UM, THOSE HERE IN ATTENDANCE CITY STAFF.UM, AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE DIRECTORS SOVIA HOL TO, UH, THE DIOCESE TO SPEAK ABOUT, UM, THE BROADER CULTURAL ARTS AND HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISIONS REGARDING ARTS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDING.
UM, AND AS THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, SHE OBVIOUSLY, UH, HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC AND, UM, HAS SENT SEVERAL, HAS BEEN SENT RATHER, SEVERAL QUESTIONS TO PREPARE HER PRESENTATION.
UM, AS I POINTED OUT IN MY MESSAGE TO FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, UH, COMMISSIONER REEDY AND I, UM, HAVE EXPRESSED AN OPINION ON, UH, CURRENT CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING THROUGH A LETTER, UM, AUTHORED BY THE BOARD OF THE AUSTIN CREATIVE ALLIANCE, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN INCLUDED AS AN OFFICIAL ATTACHMENT TO THIS MEETING AGENDA AND HAS BEEN SHARED WITH THE COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, FOR, UM, FULL DISCLOSURE.
AND WITH THAT, I YIELD THE FLOOR TO DIRECTOR HOLT WRAP.
SO, NOVIA HOLT, DIRECTOR OF THE CITY
[00:10:01]
OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE CULTURAL ARTS FUNDING PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION.JUST WANNA REMIND YOU ALL, I WAS HERE IN AUGUST AND OUR MISSION HAS NOT CHANGED.
WE ARE, UH, STRIVE TO PROMOTE A COMPETITIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND EQUITABLE ECONOMY FOR ALL.
AND HERE'S, UH, MY LEADERSHIP TEAM VAN, JOB, OUR INTERIM DEPUTY DIRECTOR MORGAN MESSICK, OUR ACTING ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
AND I WANNA TAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY SUPERVISOR, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, VERONICA ZENIO.
I ALSO HAVE MY LEADERSHIP TEAM HERE, MEGAN WELLS, DIVISION MANAGER, CULTURAL ARTS, MELISSA ALVARADO, HERITAGE TOURISM, JUSTIN PARSON, OUR EQUITY INCLUSION COORDINATOR, JESUS MATTEL OWEN AND ERICA SHAMLEY, OUR MUSIC DIVISION MANAGER.
UM, AND ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GET STARTED.
TODAY, AS I MENTIONED, I'M GONNA REVIEW THE CULTURAL FUNDING PROCESS, THRIVE ELEVATE NEXUS HERITAGE TOURISM, THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT, THE GRANT PROCESS, TOURISM IMPROVEMENT SUPPORT, RESOURCES, AND, UH, RESPONSE TO THE ATTACHMENT TO THE LETTER, THE SURVEY, AS WELL AS OUR TRAINING.
SO IN 2019, WE STARTED A PROCESS OF REVIEWING OUR CULTURAL FUNDING AND HOW WE DO IT.
WE, UM, STRATEGIZE THIS IN FOUR AND A HALF PHASES, AND I'M NOT GONNA READ IN DETAIL, YOU CAN DO THAT, BUT THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVE THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS, ACTUALLY INFORMED PROGRAM PRIORITIES, APPLICATION SCORING, RUBRICS, AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS IN MARCH OF 2019.
E D D ENGAGE M J R PARTNER, WHO IS LED BY MARGIE REESE, WHO IS A RESPECT RESPECTED CULTURAL ARTS ADMINISTRATOR NATIONWIDE.
SHE HELPED US GUIDE AND REVIEW OUR EVALUATION OF OUR PROGRAMS AND INCLUDING THE HISTORY, OPERATIONS STRUCTURE, PEER PANEL PROCESS, ET CETERA.
OUR FIRST COMMUNITY-WIDE MEETING, AND I WANNA STRESS THAT COMMUNITY-WIDE WAS HELD JULY 10TH, 2019, AND PROCEEDED IN THE PHASES AS OUTLINED.
THE KEY TO ALL THE PHASES WE'RE LISTENING, ANALYZING, AUDITING, DEVELOPING, AND REFINING THE PROCESS TO GET TO A PLACE THAT WHERE WE ARE NOW IN TERMS OF OUR PROGRAMS. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE HISTORIC FUNDING OF OUR PROGRAMS HAVEN'T BEEN AS EQUITABLE AS WE HAD WANTED.
SO UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF NOT ONLY OUR PROCESS, BUT LED BY STRATEGIC DIRECTION 23, WHICH THE CITY ADOPTED LEADS WITH RACIAL EQUITY AS A, UM, TENANT, WE ACTUALLY CREATED AN EQUITABLE ECONOMIC RESILIENCY FRAMEWORK AND PROVIDED FUNDING ACCORDING TO THAT, THOUGH WE LEAD WITH RACE, WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERSECTIONALITY, UH, IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES SUCH AS THE L G B T Q I A AND THE DIS DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, THESE PROGRAMS WERE DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITHOUT ONLY THE EQUITY OFFICE, BUT THE LAW DEPARTMENT.
THROUGH THE THREE YEAR PROCESS, WE DEVELOPED A HOLISTIC FUNDING APPROACH INTO THREE DISTINCT PROGRAM, NEXUS, ELEVATE, AND THRIVE.
THRIVE SEEKS TO ADDRESS A LONG-TERM NEED FOR INTENTIONAL INVESTMENT TO SUPPORT AND DEVELOP OUR ORGANIZATION AND CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS.
AGAIN, WE ARE PRIORITIZING EQUITY THROUGH THE COMBINATION THROUGHOUT THESE PROGRAMS, THROUGH SEED FUNDING, BROAD SECTOR SUPPORT AND TARGETED INVESTMENT.
AT THE BOTTOM, YOU CAN SEE THAT THRIVE WAS AUDITED BY THE CITY'S INTEGRITY UNIT BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED AN ANONYMOUS COMPLAINT CONCERNING OUR PROGRAM, AND NO DEFICIENCIES WERE FOUND.
AND I CAN ACTUALLY, I WANT TO READ THAT TO YOU.
THE CITY'S AUDITOR'S INTEGRITY UNIT RECENTLY RECEIVED AN ANONYMOUS ALLEGATION OF POTENTIAL CONTRACT MISMANAGEMENT AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
WE DID NOT FIND EVIDENCE OF THE CITY CODE VIOLATIONS BASED ON THESE ALLEGATIONS AND ARE THEREFORE REFERRING THE ISSUES BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE THRIVE PROCESS.
WE RECEIVED 206 APPLICATIONS, 154 WERE SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED.
[00:15:02]
UM, 59 APPLICATIONS WENT TO FULL REVIEW, AND 36 APPLICATIONS WERE AWARDED BETWEEN 85 AND $150,000.HERE YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE GRANTEES 28 WERE RETURNING APPLICANTS, UH, MEDIUM YEARS IN OPERATION OF 22 WITH THE MEDIUM ANNUAL REVENUE OF $119,000.
OUR NEXT PROGRAM, AS I MENTIONED IN THE SUITE OF THREE, IS ELEVATE.
IT SEEKS TO PROVIDE FUNDING AND SUPPORT OF ARTS AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION, INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, ARTS GROUPS THAT PRODUCE CULTURALLY VIBRANT AND DIVERSE ARTISTIC CONTENT FOR THE PUBLIC.
AGAIN, THIS PROGRAM WAS BUILT ON A THREE-YEAR PROCESS, HIGHLIGHTS FROM ELEVATE.
WE HAD FIVE FACILITATORS THAT WE TRAINED BY JUNE 20TH.
A HUNDRED PEOPLE WERE TRAINED.
AND I BELIEVE YOU RECEIVED A DECK ON THE TRAINING.
JUST AS A REMINDER, THAT TRAINING WAS DEVELOPED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE, NATIONAL CULTURAL, UH, EXPERTS AS WELL AS H R D.
UH, WE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO OUR APPLICANTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
WE HAD IN-PERSON VIRTUAL, UH, OFFICE HOURS, MANY, MANY HOURS, UH, FOR OUR CLIENTS SO THAT THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.
WE PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH PRESS RELEASES, SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, FLYERS AND CULTURAL CENTERS, SPANISH LANGUAGE ADS, ET CETERA.
AGAIN, THE STATISTICS ON THE APPLICATIONS THAT WERE STARTED COMPLETED, HOW MANY WERE UNIQUE AND HOW MANY WILL BE FUNDED.
AND I'M NOT GONNA READ THAT 'CAUSE YOU CAN SEE HERE AGAIN, WE BREAK DOWN THE RACE AND ETHNICITY OF LEADERSHIP AND THE GENDER.
AND THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE PRIOR TO THIS, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAD A SEAT AT THE TABLE, NOT JUST SOME.
AND SO THAT IS A KEY TENANT, UM, TO ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. ADDITIONAL DATA ON OUR, UM, BUSINESS GRANTEES.
AND FINALLY, OUR THIRD PROGRAM IS NEXUS.
REMEMBER, THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE USED TO CALL COMMUNITY INITIATIVES.
AND NEXUS WAS DESIGNED TO NURTURE NEW AND EMERGING APPLICANTS IN THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY, IN SUPPORT OF CREATIVE PROGRAMMING FOR THE CITY AND ITS TOURISTS THROUGHOUT COMMUNITY ACTIVATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS.
AGAIN, THE SUITE THRIVE ELEVATE NEXUS THREE YEAR PROCESS, INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE PRESENTED TO EACH QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION, THE CITY'S AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMISSION, AND IT WAS APPROVED BY THE ARTS COMMISSION.
ALL OF THESE GUIDELINES, SO CONTRARY TO WHAT MAY BE THE NARRATIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE DID PRESENT TO VARIOUS COMMISSIONS AND WHOLE WORKSHOPS.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE SOON TO COME, UH, WILL BE OUR ARTS RELIEF GRANT.
WE HOPE TO DEPLOY 19 GRANTS AT AROUND 25,000.
AND NEXUS SHOULD BE AWARDED WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OF 49 APPLICANTS OF 5,000.
THESE ARE JUST SOME STATISTICS ON, UH, THE PERCENT OF NON-RESIDENTS WHO COME TO TEXAS TO ENGAGE IN CULTURAL TOURISM.
THE NUMBER OF TRAVELERS ENGAGED IN TOURISM.
AND I PUT A HYPERLINK TO THE REPORT FOR YOUR PURVIEW.
HERE'S A LIST OF SAMPLE LISTS OF THOSE THAT RECEIVED FUNDING THROUGH THRIVE ELEVATE AND NEXUS.
ALSO, I WANT TO REMIND YOU AS PRE PANDEMIC, OUR FUNDING SOURCES, AS I ARTICULATED THROUGH THE MUSIC PRESENTATION, WERE OVERSUBSCRIBED.
WE HAD ALMOST 800 APPLICANTS ACROSS THE THREE PILOT PROGRAM.
200 APPLICATIONS FUNDED, WHICH MEANT ONLY 36% OF THE APPLICATIONS WERE FUNDED.
I'M SUPER PROUD TO SAY THAT OUR PROGRAM WAS NOMINATED BY THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES FOR ITS 2023 CITY CULTURAL DIVERSITY AWARD RECIPIENTS.
THE AWARDS WAS FOR DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE PROGRAM, DEMONSTRATING CULTURAL DIVERSITY, PROMOTING INCLUSIVE RESIDENT INVOLVEMENT.
THIS IS THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITY.
ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T WIN, WE CAME IN SECOND PLACE, UM, FOR OUR CULTURAL PROCESS.
[00:20:01]
I WANNA STRESS WHAT WAS EVALUATED.CREATIVITY, COMMUNITY IMPACT AND PROGRAM SCOPE, BUT AGAIN, INCLUSIVE, WE HAVE BEEN VERY INCLUSIVE AND ENGAGING WITH OUR CLIENTS.
NEXT, I WANNA MOVE ON WITH HERITAGE TOURISM.
SO BACK IN 2017, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THE VISITORS IMPACT TASK FORCE STARTED, UH, RE-IMAGINING HOW WE WOULD DO HERITAGE PRESERVATION.
UM, HERE YOU CAN SEE AGAIN FOLLOWING THE LEADERSHIP OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2023.
WE ALSO WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF RE-IMAGINING THE GUIDELINES.
THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AND WORKING GROUP, UH, REVIEWED THE GUIDELINES PRIOR TO US IMPLEMENTING THEM.
AND I JUST WANT TO READ AN EXCERPT THAT, UM, THE NATIONAL REGISTRY OF HISTORIC PLACES REPRESENTS DIVERSE CULTURES.
THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, WHICH HAS LED THE MOVEMENT TO SAVE HISTORIC PLACES FOR THE PAST 70 YEARS NOW, RECOGNIZES THAT AS A NATION, WE HAVE WORK TO DO TO FILL GAPS OF OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE.
HENCE, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION MOVEMENT IS PIVOTING TO A PEOPLE-CENTERED PRESERVATION MODEL THAT HONORS FULL DIVERSITY OF THE EVER-EVOLVING AMERICAN STORIES.
SO AGAIN, WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF PHASING, UM, THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT, GETTING FEEDBACK, DOING COMMUNITY OUTREACH, HOLDING OFFICE HOURS.
UM, M J R PARTNERSHIP WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN THE REIMAGINING OF OUR PROCESS PER THE VISITOR'S TASK FORCE, THE HERITAGE GRANT WORKING GROUP, AND THE RESOLUTION PASSED BY COUNCIL.
WE ARE 70% OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND WOULD BE USED FOR HISTORIC SITES.
15% RESERVED FOR FUTURE HISTORIC ACQUISITION, AND 15% FOR THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT.
AGAIN, THIS IS A CITY COUNCIL PAST RESOLUTION.
THE HERITAGE GRANT PROMOTES TOURISM BY RESTORING HISTORIC SITES THROUGH PLANNING, EDUCATION, MARKETING PROJECTS MUST MEET, HAVE A HISTORIC DESIGNATION, BENEFIT TOURISM, AND TELL INCLUSIVE STORIES ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLACES ROOTED IN AUSTIN'S HISTORY AND HERITAGE.
HERE YOU CAN SEE THE GRANT REVIEW PROCESS.
WE WORK WITH PARKS AND REC, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UM, EXTERNAL PEER PANELS, ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW COMMITTEE, ET CETERA.
HERE'S SOME OF THE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS.
WE'VE AWARDED BETWEEN 30,000 TO 250,000 OVER THE YEARS.
CERTAIN PROJECT TYPES INCLUDE CREATIVE SPACES SUCH AS VENUES, THEATERS, HISTORIC DISTRICTS, HERITAGE SITES, PARKLAND, GREEN SPACES, UH, TRAILS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
HERE IS ONE OF OUR DASHBOARDS THAT TALKS ABOUT OUR FUNDING, THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS WE RECEIVE, THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS AWARDED.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT ALL OF OUR DASHBOARDS BECAUSE YOU COULD ACTUALLY DRILL DOWN TO EACH, UM, COMPONENT TO GET MORE DATA.
AND THIS, AGAIN, ON OUR WEBSITE, FULLY TRANSPARENT FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE.
AND JUST FOR THE 23 AWARDS WE DID 2.5.
UM, NINE OF THE AWARDEES WERE FIRST TIME APPLICANTS TO ME, WHICH SPEAKS TO OUR OUTREACH TO TRY TO REACH THOSE COMMUNITIES WHO PROBABLY THOUGHT IT WASN'T FOR THEM.
HERE'S SOME PICTURES OF OUR LATEST UPTOWN SPORTS CLUB.
IT'S BEEN RESTORED, UM, ON, UH, EAST SIXTH STREET.
HERE'S, UH, ONE OF OUR CITY-OWNED PEACE PARK CONSERVATIVES COLLEGE COTTAGE THAT WAS REHABBED AND OF COURSE, FAMOUS LAGUNA GLORIA.
UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY AND PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT ON OUR SEA HOME INTAKE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS A HISTORIC FACILITY.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO TRAVEL, UH, WE LOVE TO TRAVEL.
ACCORDING TO THE US TRAVEL ASSOCIATION, DOMESTIC LEISURE TRAVELERS TOOK NEARLY 2 MILLION TRIPS AND SPENT $837 BILLION IN THE US ECONOMY IN 2022.
THIS IS A SLIDE FROM OUR TOURISM MARKETING TRAINING, UM, PROGRAM.
AS I MENTIONED IN AUGUST, UH, WITH THE MUSIC, LIVE MUSIC FUND, ALL OF OUR RECIPIENTS, WHETHER YOU'RE CULTURE, HERITAGE, OR
[00:25:01]
MUSIC, GO THROUGH A TRAINING PROCESS WITH VISIT AUSTIN ON HOW TO MARKET WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING AS MUSIC, YOUR SITES OR YOUR ACTIVITIES.WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT SO THAT THEY CAN BE, THEY CAN BE TAUGHT ON HOW TO DO MARKETING.
IS IT A COST TO THEM? NO, BECAUSE IT COULD BE A BARRIER TO CERTAIN SMALL AND MEDIUM ORGANIZATION.
SO WE AS A DEPARTMENT PICK UP THE COST OF TRAINING TO HELP EDUCATE AND TEACH THEM.
HERE'S SOME TOURISM NUMBERS FOR AUSTIN THAT WE RECEIVED ALSO FROM OUR MARKETING, UH, EXPERTS.
SO WHERE ARE WE TODAY? WE PILOT YEAR.
SO WE HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT THERE ARE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT AND SUPPORT.
AS MENTIONED IN AUGUST, WE HAVE HIRED OUR EQUITY INCLUSION COORDINATOR TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT WORKS.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY HIRED A CONSULTANT TO EVALUATE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK PLAN TO BE, HAVE A BETTER VISION OF OUR PROGRAMS. WE'VE ACTUALLY HIRED TWO CONSULTANTS TO IMPROVE THE USER EXPERIENCE.
ONE AROUND THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE PLATFORM THAT WE USE, AS WELL AS, UH, HOW WE INTEGRATE THAT INTO THE PLATFORM.
WE HAVE RECEIVED AN INCREASE IN OUR LANGUAGE ACCESS BUDGET BECAUSE THAT IS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES IN SOMEONE'S NATIVE LANGUAGE.
ALSO, UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE LAUNCHED OUR DIGITAL TRAINING PROGRAM WITH MILES PARTNERSHIP AND OUR TRAINING, OUR REVIEW PANELISTS WITH TOURISM SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT APPLICATIONS FROM ALL ANGLES.
AND I FAIL TO RECOGNIZE OUR PARTNERS FROM, UH, THE CONVENTION CENTER HERE TOO.
SO FINALLY, WE PROVIDED LINKS TO ALL OF THE COMMISSIONS THAT WE PRESENTED TO, WHETHER IT WAS A HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION AUDIT AND FINANCE, AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION, L G B T Q I A, HISPANIC QUALITY OF LIFE, ASIAN QUALITY OF LIFE, AND THE ARTS COMMISSION WHERE THEY DID APPROVE THE GUIDELINES.
NOW, BEFORE I END, I WANT TO ADDRESS THE SURVEY.
THE TRAINING MATERIAL THAT WAS SENT.
THE SURVEY, YES, WAS FROM OUR DEPARTMENT, BUT WHAT YOU CANNOT DECIPHER IS IF THE PERSON GIVING THE OPINION.
I ACTUALLY READ THE GUIDELINES.
THERE WAS NO WAY TO TRACK IF IT WAS FROM AN INDIVIDUAL OR A PERSON.
SO WE ARE ACTUALLY IMPROVING HOW WE TAKE IN SURVEY RESULTS, BUT I WOULD HATE FOR THAT SNAPSHOT TO BE CONVEYED IN A WAY THAT IT PROBABLY SHOULDN'T.
UM, THE TRAINING MATERIAL DECK, AS I MENTIONED, IT WAS, UM, DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY'S EQUITY OFFICE, H R D AND CULTURAL EXPERTS.
AS FAR AS THE LETTER, UM, I CANNOT ATTEST TO WHETHER THE COUNCIL RECEIVED IT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT NOT ONLY WAS THAT LETTER I RECEIVED IT, BUT ALSO BIG MEDIUM SENT IN A LETTER TO THE CITY MANAGER CONTRADICTING THE LETTER THAT WE RECEIVED FROM A C A.
SO LET ME MAKE SURE I HAVE COVERED ALL MY POINTS.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION AND I'M HERE ALONG WITH STAFF TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MR. OF THE CHOSEN COMMISSION, ARE THERE ANY IMMEDIATE QUESTIONS? UM, SORRY, COMMISSIONER APPLE.
UM, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I WAS NOT HERE IN AUGUST, SO IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR AND SEE KIND OF THE WORK THAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN DOING.
AND THANK YOU ALL, UM, FOR SHOWING UP.
MY QUESTION IS ACTUALLY FOR THE SPEAKER.
UH, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE DOLLARS OVERALL ARE LOWER OR THE DOLLARS AREN'T GOING AS FAR? I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND IT.
I'M ONLY GOING TO SPEAK FOR ME.
YOU NEED TO COME TO THE MICROPHONE SO THEY CAN HEAR YOU.
IS IT, THERE WERE TWO YEARS RUNNING PRE, UH, PRE PANDEMIC THAT, UH, WE, WE RECEIVED ABOUT 35 EACH OF THOSE TWO YEARS.
UH, THIS YEAR THROUGH THE ELEVATE PROGRAM, WE RECEIVED 30.
UM, WELL, I DID APPLY FOR A, UH,
[00:30:01]
RELIEF GRANT SPECIFIC TO, UH, ARTS EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS.THERE ONLY ONE OF THREE RECEIVED THAT RELIEF FUNDING.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? UH, YES.
COMMISSIONER CHAPEL, DO YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT? A QUESTION? UM, I DO ACTUALLY.
SO YOU TALKED ABOUT THE, THE EQUITY AUDITS, AND THEN WE TRANSITIONED INTO, UM, KIND OF RACE-BASED.
UM, I'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT AUDIT.
NOT SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS WRONG IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS, BUT UNDERSTANDING LIKE WHAT'S GUIDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND THEN WHO THOSE RECIPIENTS ARE KIND OF FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
AND SO I'D JUST LIKE TO DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER THERE.
SO THE AUDIT THAT I MENTIONED WAS AN ANONYMOUS ALLEGATION TO THE CITY'S AUDIT TO OFFICE.
I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THE ALLEGATION, BUT OUR DEPARTMENT LEADS WITH RACIAL EQUITY THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS. AND SO THROUGH THE THREE YEAR PROCESS, WE TOOK COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
WE WENT BACK TO THE ARTS COMMISSION TO REFINE AND RECEIVE GUIDANCE ON DEVELOPMENT OF THE GUIDELINES.
SO IT WASN'T DONE IN A VACUUM.
WE WENT TO THE VARIOUS COMMISSIONS.
WHY THOSE COMMISSIONS? BECAUSE IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THOSE SPECIFIC COMMISSIONS HAVE ALWAYS ASKED FOR AN INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES OF INFLUENCE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE NUMBERS, IT'S OVERSUBSCRIBED.
AND MY, OH, AND I DON'T WANNA TAKE US OFF TOPIC.
I THINK WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE IS, RIGHT, THIS IS THE PILOT MM-HMM.
SO WHERE WERE THE MANAGEMENT OF YOUR METRICS OF THAT PILOT? I KIND OF EXPECTED YOU TO COME BACK AND SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE OF ON THE IMPACT OF THAT AND THE SLIDES OF THIS, THIS TO ME IS A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND MATERIAL IS CERTAINLY USEFUL AND, AND YOUR EFFORTS AND, AND WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING IN THE PROGRAMS OVERALL.
UM, I WAS JUST HOPING TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE IN TERMS OF KPIS, HOW WE'RE TRACKING AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, UM, I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT SPORTS TOWN, UM, THE, THE UPTOWN CLUB IS NOT A SPORTS BAR.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A SPORTS BAR.
IT IS MY SURPRISE TO BE HERE ON THIS PANEL HEARING THAT IT'S A HERITAGE PROPERTY.
AND SO, SO I'M, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT.
WE HAVE HIRED AN ORGANIZATION CALLED MEASURE AUSTIN, WHICH IS GONNA EVALUATE THE PILOT YEAR.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THE FINAL, UH, DATA FOR THE PILOT YEAR.
AND MEGAN, YOU CORRECT ME THERE, BUT WE DO HAVE DASHBOARDS ONLINE OF WHO RECEIVED THE FUNDING THAT YOU CAN GO TO.
AND I CAN SEND YOU THOSE LINKS AND IT'S FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS HAVE DASHBOARDS.
WHEN YOU MENTIONED THAT WAS ONE OF THE NOTES THAT I HAD TAKEN DOWN CAMPUS.
AND YOU'LL HAVE A DEFINED PERIOD OF THE PILOT PROGRAM AS WELL.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER KTI.
UM, WE'VE HAD A FEW FOLKS, UH, COME AND TESTIFY SOME CHALLENGES THEY'VE HAD IN, IN KIND OF SUCCEEDING UNDER THE EXISTING SYSTEM.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE CRITERIA THAT WERE EVALUATED WHEN YOU WERE CONSIDERING APPLICATIONS.
UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE AT LEAST HEARD, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE, IS THAT THE, UH, DIVERSITY OF THE BOARD, UH, WAS A, SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THAT, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU MEANT YOUR, UH, PRESENTATION IS TALKING ABOUT WITH ITS LEADERSHIP, UH, PIE CHARTS.
BUT, UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE BEEN LONGSTANDING, UM, CULTURAL PRESENCE IN AUSTIN, UH, PROBABLY DON'T HAVE A BOARD THAT IS AS DIVERSE AS IT SHOULD BE.
UM, AND I THINK IT WAS A CHALLENGE MAYBE IN THE NONPROFIT SPACE TO QUICKLY WHIP AROUND AND FIX THAT METRIC.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF, UM, HOW THEY WERE EVALUATED, BUT ANOTHER EXAMPLE CRITERIA THAT I'M CURIOUS IF IT WAS EVALUATED WAS THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD COME TO THE EVENTS, UH, THE DIVERSITY OF THE CONSUMERS PATRONS.
UM, IS THAT PART OF THE CRITERIA? I, I, I WISH I COULD REMEMBER FULLY.
SO HOW THE NEW PROGRAM FOCUSED ON RACE METRICS, RIGHT? SO I WILL SAY ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE OPEN TO ALL, AND ON OUR WEBSITE YOU CAN SEE WHICH AREAS HAVE SCORED.
THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT THE BOARD DIVERSITY, YOUR MISSION, ET CETERA.
BUT I WILL LET JESUS PENTEL ARTICULATE THAT.
BUT IT IS ON OUR WEBSITE, UM, ON HOW THE SCORING WORKED.
AND I, I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
SO COMMISSIONER, UH, CHAPLAIN WAS THIS PROGRAM, IS THIS FOR 2023? SO THERE WAS AN OLD PROCESS IN 2022, AND NOW THERE'S A NEW PROCESS.
NOW I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING
SO THE EVALUATION STARTED IN 2019 AND WRAPPED UP IN 2022.
AND THEN STARTING, UH, FISCAL YEAR, OUR FISCAL YEAR GOES FROM OCTOBER THROUGH SEPTEMBER.
AND SO WE HAVE LAUNCHED ALL THREE PROGRAMS.
[00:35:01]
AND SO THAT IS THE COMPLETE CYCLE YEAR.SO THIS CORRELATES WITH THE POST PANDEMIC TIMELINE AROUND, SO I'M ASSUMING THEN SAME BUCKET TOWARDS SOMETHING.
NOW WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. RIGHT.
AND SO I BELIEVE ON OUR WEBSITE IS HISTORY OF OUR PROGRAMS PRE PANDEMIC.
AND SO I'M SURE THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORY THERE.
SO NOW, WHICH IS IMPORTANT, I DON'T WANNA STEER IT AWAY, BUT I'M COMING FROM LIKE AN OPS MANAGEMENT POINT OF VIEW MM-HMM.
SO WE HAVE COMPLETED THE PILOT YEAR, AND NOW WE ARE HAVE HIRED A CONSULTANT TO DO EVALUATION OF THAT PILOT YEAR OF ALL THREE PROGRAMS. OKAY.
AND ARE THOSE CONSULTANTS ONGOING OR PROJECT BASED? THIS IS FOR THE PROJECT, JUST AROUND THE CULTURAL PROGRAMS. OKAY, COOL.
AND I'M SORRY HE JUMPED OVER YOUR THAT'S FINE.
WELL, COMMISSIONER KANATI, IF YOU COULD JUST RESTATE YOUR QUESTION FOR THE DISCUSSION.
WELL, THE QUESTION WAS JUST WHAT SOME OF THE CRITERIA WERE IN TERMS OF WHETHER BOARD DIVERSITY WAS A FACTOR, WHICH APPARENTLY IT WAS.
OR DID THE PROGRAM EVALUATION CONSIDER THE, WHAT'S THE WORD, UH, PATRONS, VIEWERS, CONSUMERS OF THE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS? IS THAT A DIVERSITY METRIC? UM, YEAH.
SO WE, UM, THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THRIVE, ELEVATE NEXUS HAD DIFFERENT, UH, WEIGHTS OF HOW THE QUESTIONS WERE SCORED.
AND, UM, UH, THANKS, COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISORS.
SO I MANAGE THE CULTURAL ARTS SPENDING PROGRAMS. UM, AND SO IT WAS SELF-SELECTED BY THE APPLICANTS.
WE ASKED FOR, UM, WHO, UM, IS AT RISK OF CULTURAL ERASURE AND DISPLACEMENT, AND WHO ARE THE KEY CONSTITUENCIES, UH, THAT HOLD, UH, POWER, UM, IN YOUR ORGANIZATION.
SO IT'S SELF-REPORTED, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS BOARD MEMBERS OR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP TEAM, THEIR KEY CONSTITUENCIES COULD HAVE INCLUDED THEIR, UM, AUDIENCE MEMBERS WHO THEY TRY TO, UM, UH, REACH, UH, WITH THEIR PROGRAMMING.
UM, IN ELEVATE SPECIFICALLY, WHICH IS OUR LARGEST PROGRAM, UM, IT WAS A BIT ON A SLIDING SCALE.
SO WITH THRIVE, WE WANTED IT TO BE FROM THE FOUNDING, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE, UM, UM, REACHING OUT OR HELPING, YOU KNOW, THOSE, UH, COMMUNITIES AT IMMEDIATE RISK OF CULTURAL ERASURE AND DISPLACEMENT.
WHEREAS WITH ELEVATE, IT WAS MORE, MAYBE YOU WEREN'T FOUNDED, UM, TO DO THAT.
BUT YOU HAVE EVOLVED, UH, TO DO THAT.
AND SO THERE WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, A SLIDING RANGE OF POINTS THAT ONE COULD RECEIVE.
IT WAS JUST ONE OF, UH, MANY, UH, REVIEW CRITERIA, SO IT WASN'T THE SOLE DECIDING FACTOR.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS ANSWER THE QUESTION.
I THINK WE, AND HEARING SOME CHALLENGES ABOUT HOW ABRUPT THIS PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED IN THE SENSE THAT A LOT OF, I, I, I ADMIRE AND APPLAUD THE OBJECTIVES, BUT A LOT OF GROUPS MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN READY TO MAKE THE SHIFT AS QUICKLY.
AND IT'S PROBABLY TOO LATE TO SUGGEST EASING THIS IN A LITTLE BIT.
BUT I THINK WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF ARCH GROUPS COME HERE AND SAY, WOW, THE FUNDING DISAPPEARED.
AND, AND IT COULD BE A REAL SHOCK FOR A NONPROFIT.
WE'RE A LOT OF NONPROFITS ARE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SHOESTRING TYPE OPERATIONS, NOT TERRIBLY SOPHISTICATED.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT BOARD MEMBERS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
IF, IF THAT'S ONE OF THE METRICS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO KIND OF, I MEAN, I, WELL, ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, HAS CHANGED FROM OUR PREVIOUS PROGRAMS IS IN THE PAST, UM, IF SOMEONE SCORED 75 OR POINTS OR HIGHER ON A 100 POINT SCALE, THEY RECEIVED SOME LEVEL OF FUNDING.
SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN, AS, YOU KNOW, LITTLE AS A THOUSAND, 3000, $5,000.
UM, WHICH DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE AN INDIVIDUAL OR AN ORGANIZATION, THAT MAY BE QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS A SMALL AMOUNT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE FUNDED BASICALLY 99% OF OUR APPLICANTS.
SO SOMETHING WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM THE ARTS COMMISSION WAS, INSTEAD OF FUNDING SO MANY PEOPLE, SO SHALLOWLY OR SO MANY APPLICANTS, SO SHALLOWLY, WE WOULD FUND LESS APPLICANTS, BUT THEY WOULD BE MORE MEANINGFUL AWARDS.
UH, SO THAT COULD BE PART OF, UH, WHAT YOU'RE HEARING AS WELL.
AGAIN, WITH ELEVATE, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT TRANSITION WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU TRANSITIONED INTO, OR, YOU KNOW, EVOLVED INTO HELPING CERTAIN, UH, COMMUNITIES, UH, THEN THAT YOU WERE ELIGIBLE FOR POINTS AS WELL.
WE WANTED APPLICANTS TO SEE THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, AS SOME OF YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S A CULTURAL FUNDING ECOSYSTEM.
SO THEY COULD SEE THEMSELVES ANYWHERE WITHIN ANY ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS. OKAY.
I, I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU.
I'M JUST TRYING TO CONVEY, I, I'VE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMUNITY, AND I'D ADMITTEDLY IT'S PROBABLY A LOT OF THE ESTABLISHED PRIMARILY WHITE GROUPS, BUT I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF PAIN IN SUDDENLY DEALING WITH THE NEW REALITY.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS THAT, HONESTLY.
UM, DO YOU WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ELEVATED? I GET THAT.
UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK IN AN INFORMAL WAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK.
WE ARE, WE ARE TAKING NOTES IF THIS QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? NO.
SO DO ANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, LEMME TURN MY MIC.
[00:40:01]
DO ANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVE GRANTS, UM, IS THERE, IS THERE ANY TYPE OF REQUIREMENT THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS TRY TO KEEP TRACK OF? OUT OF TOWN GUESTS, OUT OF TOWN GUESTS THAT OBTAINED THEIR PROGRAMS? THAT IS PART OF OUR FINAL REPORT.YOU HAVE TO, UM, DOCUMENT, UM, HIRING WHO VISITED, OUTREACH, ET CETERA.
AND THAT IS NOT DIFFERENT, ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE.
UH, I HAD MADE PRESENTATIONS TO THE VISITORS TASK FORCE WHERE WE ASKED CLIENTS TO DOCUMENT WHO'S COMING IN, UM, WHO ARE YOU HIRING, ET CETERA.
SO THAT IS STILL PART OF THE FINAL REPORT.
AND IT'S A RE IT'S A REQUIREMENT FOR THE, FOR THE PROGRAM TOO.
SO, SO I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, HOW THE HISTORICAL RESTORATION SERVICES, UH, GRANTS WORK, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, PRESERVATION OF MAYBE LONGSTANDING RESTAURANT ICONS AT RISK OF CLOSING.
SO I CAN SEE THE UPTOWN SPORTS BAR, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO AUSTIN NOT JUST FOR MUSIC TOURISM, NOT JUST FOR, UH, ARTS TOURISM, BUT ALSO RESTAURANT TOURISM.
I, I THINK THAT'S ALSO A, A VALID WAY TO LOOK AT TOURISM.
SO, UH, I'M, I'M CURIOUS, UH, WHAT, UH, PROGRAMS AND HOW, UH, HOW Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT, UH, RESTAURANTS AND IN, IN THIS.
AND I'M GONNA LET MELISSA ALVARADO GET INTO THE TECHNICAL DETAILS OF YOUR DESIGNATION.
HELLO, MELISSA ALVARADO, HERITAGE TOURISM DIVISION MANAGER.
UM, THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT IS OPEN TO BOTH NON-PROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES THAT HAVE A HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
SO AS PART OF MY OUTREACH, I'M ALWAYS HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIVIDUAL, WITH INDIVIDUALS OR BUSINESSES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PURSUING A DESIGNATION.
UM, CISCO'S RESTAURANT WAS ONE OF OUR MOST RECENT, UM, OR RECIPIENTS.
THEY'RE, UM, A GREAT AWARDEE, AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY MANAGE MULTIPLE HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
AND SO SAW THAT AS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP AND, UM, TO REALLY ENCOURAGE THE PURSUIT OF A LOCAL HISTORIC DESIGNATION, WHICH TRULY SERVES TO PRESERVE THE HISTORIC STRUCTURE HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND AS FAR AS UPTOWN SPORTS, THAT, UH, PARTICULAR PRODUCT WAS A RESULT OF, UH, COLLABORATION BETWEEN THAT OWNER AND FRANKLIN'S BARBECUE.
THEY SUCCESSFULLY PURSUED A HISTORIC TAX CREDIT APPLICATION, SO THEY CAME TO THE TABLE WITH FUNDING ALREADY IN HAND IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL RENOVATION OF THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
BUT BACK TO YOUR POINT, IN TERMS OF LEGACY BUSINESSES, I THINK IT'S MAYBE WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT IN TERMS OF A SMALL BUSINESS, UM, PROGRAM.
UM, THE DIVISION SUPPORTS PROJECTS THAT HAVE A HISTORIC DESIGNATION THAT IS, UM, THE RESULT OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION.
NOW, THERE IS A WHOLE OTHER BODY OF RESTAURANTS THAT DON'T HAVE A DESIGNATION CURRENTLY, BUT COULD, AND, AND SO PART OF THE OUTREACH PLAN IS TO CONTINUE THAT OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT WITH THOSE BUSINESSES SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THE POSSIBILITIES, UM, THAT EXIST IF THEY WERE TO PURSUE A LOCAL DESIGNATION IN TERMS OF TAPPING INTO THIS PARTICULAR FUND FOR, UM, ANY RENOVATIONS THAT THEY MIGHT NEED.
COMMISSIONER KANATI, I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION FUND BEING FULLY UTILIZED IN TERMS OF THE 15% THAT GOES INTO, GOT A NOD.
HEY, SO I WOULD JUST, UM, UPDATE THAT THE, I'VE DONE LIKE SITUATIONS THAT UPTOWN SPORTS CLUB ARE A PRIVATE ENTITY AND MAYBE NOT PUT THEM IN AS LIKE THE WIN CATEGORY FOR THE HERITAGE DEPARTMENT.
OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE A WIN, BUT JUST HAVING THAT DISTINCTION, UM, SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S THE, FOR PRIVATE AND THAT IT ROLLS THROUGH TOGETHER.
IT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING TO SEE THAT IT WAS PART OF A HERITAGE GRANT, BUT NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS PART OF A FOR-PROFIT ENTITY.
NOW THAT I KNOW THAT, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE CAN PUSH MORE OF THAT.
UM, DEFINITELY, BUT IT, IT CAME FORTH AS LIKE PART OF JUST THE NORMAL EVERYDAY HERE'S A HERITAGE PROPERTY.
SO THE PATHWAYS ARE INTERESTING.
AND IF I MAY, I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON, UM, THE UPTOWN SPORTS CLUB AS IT RELATES TO THE PUBLIC SUBSIDY IN THE HERITAGE GRANT PROGRAM.
AND AS YOU KNOW, I'M A FORMER GRANT APPLICANT.
UH, AND RECIPIENT OF THE HERITAGE, UM, PRESERVATION GRANT HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, FOR AN ORGANIZATION I NO LONGER WORK FOR, FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES.
UM, WHAT IS THE RATIONALE FOR THE
[00:45:01]
ADDITIONAL SUBSIDY FOR FOR PROFIT BUSINESSES USING THESE HERITAGE GRANTS? SO THERE IS NO MATCH THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE PROGRAM.UM, SO THERE'S NO PAY TO PLAY FEE ASSOCIATED WITH THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT, BUT WE DO DOCUMENT ANY, UH, LEVERAGED FUNDING, UM, AND THEM COMING TO THE TABLE AND PART OF THEIR APPLICATION, THEY SHARED THAT THEY HAD ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED THAT HISTORIC TAX CREDIT.
UM, AND SO THIS WAS JUST GOING TO HELP SUPPLEMENT AND PROVIDE ANY GAP FUNDING THAT WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE THE ENTIRE RENOVATION HAPPEN.
UM, OUR PANEL SAW IT AS A REALLY GREAT DEAL BECAUSE IT ALSO SUPPORTED LIVE MUSIC.
SO NOT ONLY WOULD IT BE, UH, A, A, YOU KNOW, A FOOD ESTABLISHMENT, BUT IT ALSO WOULD SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC AND, AND CREATING A NEW VENUE FOR THAT.
SO, TO CLARIFY, I GUESS FURTHER, UM, WOULD THAT PRIVATE INVESTMENT, WOULD, WOULD THAT INVESTMENT NOT HAVE HAPPENED, BUT FOR THE CITY'S INVESTMENT THROUGH THIS GRANT PROGRAM? IN THAT PROJECT? AGAIN, IT'S, IT WASN'T A REQUIREMENT THAT THEY COME TO THE TABLE WITH FUNDING.
UM, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DOCUMENT AS FAR AS THE APPLICATION IS CONCERNED.
IT DIDN'T NECESSARILY CONTRIBUTE ADDITIONAL POINTS TO THEIR APPLICATION.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A, IT WAS A COLLABORATION WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS AND SO THEY CAME TO THE TABLE PRETTY WELL VETTED, UM, WITH A REALLY STRONG APPLICATION.
AND, AND ALSO IN TERMS OF THEIR, IN TERMS OF THEIR PRESERVATION AND TOURISM IMPACT.
AND WHILE, UH, ONE MORE QUESTION TO COMMISSIONER PINNA, AND I'LL ASK ANOTHER, WELL, I WAS GONNA, ANOTHER RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE RATIONALE, MAYBE YOU KNOW THIS, BUT THE VISITOR IMPACT TASK FORCE ACTUALLY MADE THAT ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THAT THESE HOTEL TAX FUNDS BE USED IN A WAY THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN BEFORE, BEFORE THAT HAD TO BE CITY OWNED, UH, HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
AND THEY EXPANDED THAT BECAUSE OUR DESIRE WAS TO GET MORE BENEFITS INTO THE CITY AS A WHOLE TO ALSO ALLOW PRIVATELY OWNED HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
AND I'M SORRY, SO YOU KNOW THIS ALREADY, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER, THAT'S A BIG PART.
AND I THINK MS. HOLT ME MENTIONED THAT IN PASSING, AND THEY WERE CAPPED AT 59,000.
AND SO THE FEEDBACK AS PART OF THAT REPORT WAS THAT MUCH OF THE MAJOR RENOVATIONS THAT NEEDED TO OCCUR COULD ONLY OCCUR IN PHASES.
VERY FEW COULD ACTUALLY GO AND COMPLETE A TOTAL RENOVATION.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THOSE THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH PRESERVATION, THAT'S A CYCLICAL, UM, EXPENSE FOR AN ORGANIZATION OR A COMPANY.
AND TO DOVETAIL OFF OF THE COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT, UH, AS I'VE ASKED YOU BEFORE, AS YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM MANAGER OF THIS GRANT, UM, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT THAT NONPROFITS AND I BELIEVE FOR-PROFITS CARRY WORKERS' COMP INSURANCE IF THEY ARE TO RECEIVE A CAPITAL GRANT FROM THE HERITAGE PRESERVATION GRANT PROGRAM.
AND WE SPECIFICALLY INCLUDED THIS AS A QUESTION FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WAS WONDERING IF SOMEONE COULD ANSWER WHY THIS IS PARTICULARLY 'CAUSE WE'RE IN TEXAS AND THIS IS NOT A REQUIREMENT OF SMALL BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY SMALLER NOT-FOR-PROFITS THAT OFTEN CAN'T AFFORD THIS.
AND THEN WHEN IT'S BEING REQUIRED, IT COMES OUT OF THE WHOLE GRANT MONIES THAT ARE AWARDED THEN TO THE NON-PROFIT OR THE FOR-PROFIT ENTITY.
SO I JUST WANTED SOME CLARITY ON WHY CITY LEGAL IS MAKING THAT A REQUIREMENT, AND DOES IT NEED TO BE THAT WAY? UM, WELL, AS PART OF CONTRACTING WITH THE CITY, UM, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR H R D RISK ASSESSMENT OFFICE.
UM, THEY KIND OF HELP PUT TOGETHER THE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS BASED ON THE PROJECT TYPES AND THE ASSOCIATED RISK INVOLVED FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE AWARDEE AS WELL.
UM, GENERAL LIABILITY IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED FOR ALL CONTRACTORS.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE PROJECT TYPE IN TERMS OF THE TYPE OF INSURANCE THAT IS, UM, RECOMMENDED FOR SUBCONTRACTORS, UM, AFFILIATED WITH THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT IS, AS FAR AS THE RISK ASSESSMENT OFFICE, IT'S ALL A PART OF, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING BOTH THE CITY AND THE AWARDEE, UM, FOR ANY WORK THAT IS DONE OR ANY EVENT THAT HAPPENS ON SITE.
I, IF I MAY OPINE, I, I, I THINK TODAY IS REALLY WE'RE ASKING ABOUT, UH, REQUIREMENTS OF THESE GRANT PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL USE OF HOT TAX DOLLARS.
AND SO THAT'S THE ULTIMATE AIM.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THESE ARE JUST QUESTIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE COME ACROSS MY PROFESSIONAL, UM, EXPERIENCE AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS UP HERE.
UH, SO THAT'S THE INTENT OF THESE QUESTIONS.
[00:50:01]
HELP IMPROVE THE COMMUNICATION AS TO WHAT THE ACTUAL RISKS OF A PROJECT ARE AND HAVE THOSE OUTLINED IN TURN OUTLINED IN TERMS OF THE CITY'S OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF RISKS AND RISK MITIGATION, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO ONE, LEVERAGE THESE LIMITED HOT TAX DOLLARS TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, UM, TO HELP EVEN, YOU KNOW, PRESERVE EVEN MORE OF THESE HISTORIC, UH, HERITAGE SITES.ARE THERE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO HERITAGE PRESERVATION? AND THEN WE, I THINK WE MAY HAVE SOME MORE FOR ARTS AS WELL, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ASK.
COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL, I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION.
UH, UM, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU SEE FORWARD TO PLACE THAT AS A QUESTION, BUT THERE WASN'T A RESPONSE TO THAT? SO HOW, HOW CAN WE BE MORE BENEFICIAL AND HELPFUL TO THIS GROUP? SO WE ARE TAKING NOTES AND INSURANCE IS NOT, UH, THAT COMMON IS NOT UNUSUAL.
AND SO THIS TIME OF REVIEW, WE WILL WORK WITH OUR, UM, CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT UH, WE LEAN TO THE EXPERTS.
UH, WE CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON WHAT COULD AND HAPPEN, BUT ULTIMATELY RISK MANAGEMENT, PURCHASING AND LAW ARE THE FINAL SAY SO.
AND OH, VERONICA'S WANTS TO SPEAK ON THAT.
CHALLENGES, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FUNDING, HONESTLY.
UM, EVERYTHING WE HAVE EVER DONE HAS BEEN OVERSUBSCRIBED.
AND SO TRYING TO TURN A, A PROCESS AROUND, UH, IT'S, IT'S THE FUNDING WE ARE LOOKING AT.
UM, OTHER AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT, LIKE I SAID, THE SYSTEM, THE INTERACTION, THAT USER EXPERIENCE, UM, WE HEARD FROM THAT, WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT, BUT ALSO WITH FUNDING, IT'S JUST, IT'S NEVER ENOUGH.
I'M JUST GONNA, I'M GONNA PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT THERE JUST 'CAUSE I WANT TO DIG A LITTLE BIT DEEPER.
BUT FUNDING IS OBVIOUSLY A CHALLENGE EVERYWHERE.
SO WE ARE, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE IN THE EVALUATION STAGE AND WE CAN COME BACK WITH MORE DETAILS OF WHAT THE USER, THE USER EXPERIENCE, WHAT THE CHALLENGES ARE.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE ALL THAT DATA FOR SURE.
I, A ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, VERONICA IGNIO, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? WELL, I WAS GONNA WAIT, UH, VERONICA IGNIO, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING US TODAY.
I WAS GONNA WAIT TILL THE, UH, TILL THE CONVERSATION WAS ABOUT TO GO BACK TO THE DAIS, BUT, UM, WAS JUST GONNA ECHO WHAT ANOVIA HAD SAID IN TERMS OF CHALLENGES.
UM, YOU HAVE A VERY TALENTED TEAM HERE, AND I APPRECIATE THEM BEING HERE TODAY, BUT EACH OF OUR DIVISION MANAGERS IN THIS AREA ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE LONGSTANDING CAREERS IN THESE AREAS AND ARE RESPECTED INDIVIDUALS, UH, FOR THEIR EXPERTISE.
SO WE TAKE THAT CHALLENGE VERY SERIOUSLY.
THE FACT THAT IT'S SO OVERSUBSCRIBED IS A VERY PAINFUL FACT, AND ONE THAT HITS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO THE, TO THE HEARTS OF THE FOLKS THAT WORK IN THIS SPACE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UH, AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, WE APPRECIATE THIS, THIS COMMISSION'S OVERSIGHT.
CERTAINLY THERE IS A ROLE IN HOW THE HOT TAX IS ALLOCATED AN IMPORTANT ROLE FOR THE TOURISM COMMISSION.
AS THESE CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE, I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO ALSO INCLUDE THE ARTS COMMISSION, THE MUSIC COMMISSION, AND THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION, UH, BECAUSE THEY REALLY ARE POLICY GUIDEPOSTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE DOLLARS BEING ALLOCATED, THE PROGRAMMING PIECE OF IT.
UH, SO WE, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS AND SO FORTH, WORKING WITH THESE ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONS AS WELL IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
UM, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD, DIRECTOR? I'M HERE FOR YOU.
ARE THERE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER BAILEY? YEAH, JUST PICKING UP ON, UM, THE QUESTION ABOUT CHALLENGES I WANTED, I DIDN'T HEAR ANY REFERENCE ABOUT GROWTH OF ORGANIZATIONS.
LIKE WHO'S, HOW MANY NEW ORGANIZATIONS ARE CROPPING UP IN THIS FAST GROWING CITY AND DO, DO WE HAVE A ANY WAY OF TRACKING, YOU KNOW, LONGSTANDING ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE CERTAINLY ARE SPEAKING UP ABOUT THE CHANGES, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COMPRESSION OR PRESSURE POINTS ARE BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN 36 NEW ARTS ORGANIZATIONS CREATED OVER SOME TIME, AND MR. BEATY MAY HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE ON THAT AS WELL, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF PRESSURE THAT'S THE GROWTH IS PUTTING ON THE, THE, THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
SO WE DO HAVE THAT DATA, AND I WANNA SAY 2018, WHEN WE HAD THE MEETING IN DORIS MILLER, I VIVIDLY REMEMBER THAT WAS THE YEAR THE NUMBER OF ARTS ORGANIZATIONS GREW MORE
[00:55:01]
THAN THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX.SO WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING THAT AND WE CAN TRY TO PULL THAT DATA AND GET IT BACK TO YOU GUYS.
BUT YES, AT LEAST THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS THAT COME AND APPLY TO US, SOME MAY START AND NEVER COME TO US.
I TOUCHED ON THE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.
UH, COMMISSIONER BAILEY? YEAH, I JUST WANNA MAKE THE COMMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HOPEFUL AS THIS COMMISSION, AS WE ARE WORKING FAITHFULLY WITH THE, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT LOOKING INTO THE TOURISM INDUSTRY HERE, THAT THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF, UM, HOTELS AND CONTINUED GROWTH OF TOURISM AND, YOU KNOW, THE WORK AHEAD TO HELP THIS CITY COMPETE WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER IS UNDER RECONSTRUCTION, THAT WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CONTINUE TO HELP BE A FACILITATOR AND AT PROVIDE COUNSEL AND ADVICE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS.
WE, WE, WE CARE VERY MUCH HOW THE HOT TAX GETS SPENT AS WAS REFERENCED TODAY AND ACROSS ALL OF THESE DIVISIONS WE WANNA SEE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO OFFER THAT AS A POINT OF WE'RE WATCHING AND TRYING SUPPORTING.
AND AS, UH, A C MIO SAID, DEFINITELY STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE ARTS COMMISSION, THE MUSIC COMMISSION, AND THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.
AND, AND IF YOU COULD JUST CONFIRM THAT ALL GRANT RECIPIENTS WERE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE GRANTS AT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE AWARDED.
I DON'T THINK ALL OF THEM WERE ELIGIBLE.
I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT EVERYONE WAS ELIGIBLE.
SO ON THE SLIDES WE LIST HOW MANY APPLIED, WHO SUBMITTED, AND HOW MANY WERE ELIGIBLE ON THE SLIDE DECK.
BUT MY QUESTION WAS, OF THE RECIPIENTS, THEY'RE ALL ELIGIBLE.
I JUST WANNA HEAR YOU ANSWER THAT.
WE'RE NOT GONNA FUND ANYONE THAT'S NOT ELIGIBLE.
SO A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION THAT I HAVE WITH REGARD TO ELIGIBILITY, UM, I BELIEVE FOR THE THRIVE GRANTS, THE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA WAS THAT YOU HAD TO BE A 5 0 1 C THREE A APPLICANT.
IS THAT CORRECT? HISTORY SPENT TEL CULTURAL FUNDING SUPERVISOR? YES.
FOR THRIVE, IT WAS ONLY FOR 5 0 1 C UM, APPLICANTS, UH, THEY HAD TO BE A 5 0 1 C ORGANIZATION AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION.
I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION IN THE COMMUNITY, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS, UH, WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS GETTING AT THAT, UM, THE ORGANIZATION HAD TO BE, OR HAD TO BE FIVE YEARS OLD, BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO BE A NONPROFIT FOR FIVE YEARS.
THEY COULD HAVE TAKEN THEIR PREVIOUS HISTORY, UM, INTO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT THEY DID PRIOR TO BECOMING A NONPROFIT.
BUT AT THE, UH, THRIVE APPLICATION DEADLINE TIME, THEY HAD TO BE A 5 0 1 C NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
AND DID EVERY APPLICANT MEET THAT CRITERIA? YES, EVERY APPLICANT THAT, UM, WAS FUNDED, UM, UM, LIKE SOME OVIA SAID EARLIER, THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE ELIGIBLE AND SOME THAT WERE INELIGIBLE.
SO IF THEY WERE NOT A 5 0 1 C UH, NONPROFIT, THEY DIDN'T, AND I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, MY HEAD IF THERE WERE ANY, BUT, UM, ALL OF THE ONES THAT RECEIVED THRIVE FUNDING, UH, ARE A 5 0 1 C NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON THE BROADER GUIDELINES FOR THE ARTS PROGRAM FUNDING, UH, WHAT, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT WHAT DATE DID THE ARTS COMMISSION APPROVE THE GUIDELINES? THE, THE LINK IS IN, GO AHEAD.
UH, THAT WAS AT THE JUNE, 2022 ARTS COMMISSION MEETING, AND WE CAN PROVIDE THE LINK TO THE MEETING.
COMMISSIONER ZA, I'M, I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE NOTHING.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ALSO ASK A QUESTION, SEEING THAT THERE ARE NONE OTHERS ON THE DAAS.
UM, REFERRING TO YOUR, UM, SLIDE IN YOUR PRESENTATION REGARDING THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES AWARD, UM, THERE'S THIS IDEA OF EVALUATION, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS FROM THE ACTUAL, UM, AWARD ITSELF, CREATIVITY, COMMUNITY IMPACT PROGRAM SCOPE.
IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S NOT YOUR GUIDELINES.
THAT'S ACTUALLY FROM THE LEAGUE STATE.
THE STATE THE QUESTION ONE MORE TIME.
SO, NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, UM, YOU WON SECOND PLACE FOR, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, RATHER WON SECOND PLACE FOR, UM, THE CITY CULTURAL DIVERSITY AWARD IN 2023 AND EVALUATED ON CREATIVITY, COMMUNITY IMPACT, AND PROGRAM SCOPE.
SO WHAT I WANTED TO CLARIFY, 'CAUSE LOOKING AT YOUR OTHER,
[01:00:01]
UM, DEMOGRAPHICS WHEN IT COMES TO LOOKING AT THE GRANTEES, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THRIVE, UM, THAT, AND YOU'VE SAID SEVERAL TIMES THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE FOCUS OF, OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE E D D PROGRAM IS TO, UH, LOOK THROUGH THE LENS OF RACIAL EQUITY.AND, YOU KNOW, I'M A BELIEVER IN RACIAL EQUITY, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, HOWEVER, SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN THE ARTS, WHICH IS ME, YOU KNOW, I I REALLY VALUE ARTISTIC TALENT AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION AND ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE.
AND SO I'M WONDERING HOW THIS FACTORED INTO THE CRITERIA FOR THOSE THAT YOU AWARDED GRANTEES TO, UM, GRANT FUNDS TO RATHER, AND THEN ALSO HOW, UM, HOW THIS CAN BE MEASURED, UM, IF SAY WE'RE GIVING FUNDS TO INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS AND YOU KNOW, WHERE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT COMES FROM IN TERMS OF GETTING HEADS IN BEDS, GETTING PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN TO THEN COME HERE, STAY A NIGHT IN A HOTEL AND GENERATE MORE HOT TAX REVENUE.
SO THERE'S TWO KIND OF QUESTIONS THERE, BUT I THINK THEY'RE REALLY INTERRELATED IN TERMS OF ONE, UH, WHAT IS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE RACIAL EQUITY LENS ON BALANCE WITH THE ARTISTIC MERIT, AND THEN ALSO HOW DOES THAT GENERATE ADDITIONAL HOT TALKS REVENUE? SO I WILL START, AND I WILL YIELD TO MY STAFF, IF I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION CORRECTLY, THROUGH THE DATA THAT WE SHOWED, NOT EVERYONE HAS BEEN AT THE TABLE.
YOU COULD SEE THAT IN THE SLIDE.
SO LEADING WITH RACIAL EQUITY, UM, REMOVING BARRIERS TO ENSURING PEOPLE FEEL INCLUDED AND NOT EXCLUDED, BECAUSE I HAD HEARD THAT BEFORE.
UM, IT'S ALL WRAPPED INTO THE PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND RUBRICS.
SO WE TRAIN THE PANELS IN TERMS OF EVALUATION TO TRY TO LEVEL SET SO THAT EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LIVED EXPERIENCE, YOU MAY UNDERSTAND WHERE AN APPLICANT IS COMING FROM, UM, AS PART OF THE PROCESS.
UM, SO IT, IT IS IMPORTANT, BUT ART, AS YOU SAID TO ME, IS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
SO THAT'S WHY THE TRAINING COMPONENT IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WHO'S TO SAY, UH, GROUP A CAN'T ATTRACT TOURISTS, SO WE WANT TO TRAIN THEM ON HOW TO OUTREACH.
AND SO I'M NOT SURE IF THIS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT YOU CANNOT, YOU HAVE TO LEVEL SET IN TERMS OF TRAINING SO THAT WHEN THE EVALUATORS COME, THEY HAVE SOME BASELINE AND IT IS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, AND WE'RE TRAINING THOSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE, UM, MARKETED TO SOMEONE IN ENGLAND OR SOMEONE IN CHICAGO.
HOW DO I DO THAT? SO IT'S ALL A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK.
SO, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION, BUT IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING, IT WOULD, IT HAS BEEN SKEWED OVER THE YEARS.
SO HOW DO YOU PROVIDE AND MAKE PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY ARE WELCOME TO THE TABLE TO ACCESS THESE FUNDS, ZACH? SO, UM, JUST FIRST ON, UM, LOOKING AT THINGS THROUGH A RACIAL EQUITY LENS, UM, WE DO NOT, UH, SCORE UN IMMUTABLE CHARACTERISTICS.
UH, THE LAW DEPARTMENT WAS, UH, CLEAR WITH US ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S WHY WHEN I WAS TALKING EARLIER ABOUT, UM, COMMUNITIES AT RISK OF, UM, CULTURAL ERASURE AND DISPLACEMENT.
WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT, UM, UH, RACE, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UM, BECAUSE THE LAW DEPARTMENT, UH, WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
SO THAT IS, UH, NOT, UM, UM, SCORED ON IN THE APPLICATIONS FOR ANY OF THE, UH, CULTURAL FUNDING PROGRAMS. UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS, UM, ARTISTIC, UM, UM, MERIT ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE, THERE IS AN ELIGIBILITY QUESTION, UM, IN ORDER TO EVEN BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY IN THE FIRST PLACE THAT THEY HAVE A, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE PROGRAM, A ONE, THREE OR FIVE YEAR HISTORY OF, UM, YOU KNOW, DOING THAT SPECIFIC ART FORM BEFORE THEY CAN BE ELIGIBLE.
UM, AND THEN WE ASK ABOUT THEIR MISSION AND KEY CONSTITUENCIES.
SO, UM, WHAT IS YOUR MISSION, VISION, AND PRIMARY PRODUCTION HISTORY THAT'S WORTH A NUMBER OF POINTS.
THEY, UH, REFERENCE THEIR, UH, MISSION THROUGHOUT THE APPLICATION.
SO THAT'S HOW WE TAKE THE, UM, ARTISTIC, UM, THEY ALSO HAVE TO PROVIDE WORK SAMPLES.
UM, SO UP TO THREE WORK SAMPLES, UM, THAT SHOWCASES THEIR, UM, UH, PRODUCTION HISTORY AND, YOU KNOW, THE TYPES OF, UM, ARTISTIC WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
SO IT IS CONSIDERED, UM, IN THE APPLICATION, UM, AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF, UH, MANY DIFFERENT, UH, REVIEW CRITERIA THAT ARE LOOKED AT WHEN SCORING THE APPLICATIONS.
[01:05:01]
GO AHEAD MEGAN.YEAH, HI, MEGAN WELLS, CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION MANAGER FOR E D D.
UM, I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION IN THAT WE REALIZED THAT CULTURAL EQUITY IS A NUANCED AND VERY COMPLICATED AND LAYERED ISSUE.
AND THE WAY THAT WE LOOK AT IT THROUGH THE LENS OF RACE LED EQUITY DOES NOT EXCLUDE US FROM HAVING A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT EQUITY MEANS IN TERMS OF THE POWER STRUCTURE, THE DYNAMICS, WHO HAS, UH, ACCESS TO RESOURCES, UM, HOW ARE, UH, SELF-DETERMINATION, HOW IS SELF-DETERMINATION SUPPORTED BY THE CITY'S FUNDING MECHANISMS AND HOW THOSE, UH, PARTICULAR COMPONENTS ARE ACTUALLY EVALUATED, EVALUATED BY THE ORGANIZATIONS THEMSELVES AND NOT JUST THE CITY.
SO WE ARE PART OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT REALLY IT'S A WAY FOR US TO PROVIDE AN IMPETUS FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO LOOK AT THEIR OWN PRACTICES, GROW IN THEIR OWN WAYS, AND CONTINUE TO BE ON THAT EQUITY JOURNEY THAT WE KNOW IS NOT JUST A POINT IN TIME, BUT IT'S, IT'S AN EVOLUTION.
SO PART OF THE CONVERSATION WE HAD THAT STARTED IN 2019 WAS TO CON CONTINUE THAT GROWING, THAT THAT GROWING, UM, TREND FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO SELF-REFLECT, TO LOOK AT THEIR OWN POLICIES AND PRACTICES AND HAVE THE CITY BE A PARTNER IN THAT.
SO THAT WAS REALLY PART OF THE ENTIRE FRAMEWORK, BUT AS JESUS SAID, IN OUR PROGRAMS, WE DON'T PARTICULARLY, UM, WEIGH ONE, UH, CRITERIA OVER ANOTHER.
IT'S A WHOLE BLEND OF, OF EVALUATION CRITERIA THAT WORK TOGETHER.
COMMISSIONERS ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.
IS THERE ANOTHER ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER?
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UM, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM,
[4. Discussion and possible action of the Arts Program Funding for the Economic Development Department]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE ARTS PROGRAM FUNDING FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.UH, LET THE LACK OF RECORD REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER KANATI HAS STEPPED OFF THE DAIS.
UM, SO WE'VE HEARD, WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, A VERY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION AS WELL AS, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS, UM, WITH REGARD TO ARTS PROGRAM FUNDING, AS WELL AS THE HISTORIC RESERVATION FUNDING THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
UM, WHAT ARE OUR THOUGHTS ABOUT POSSIBLE, UH, WAYS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN THIS ISSUE AS IT RELATES TO THE COLLECTION OF HOT TAXES?
NUMBER FIVE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S OBVIOUS TO ME THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS, IS REALLY NEEDED.
UM, AGAIN AND AGAIN, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THEY HAVE MORE SUBSCRIBERS THAN THEY CAN POSSIBLY HELP.
SO I AM WONDERING IF WE CAN EXPLORE, YOU KNOW, SOME ACTION ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIES HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN TEXAS AND, UM, UM, LEGISLATION TO, TO, UH, TRY TO, UM, I THINK DALLAS IS WORKING ON BANNING THEM RIGHT NOW.
MAYBE FORT WORTH DID, OR I HAVE IT BACKWARDS.
UM, I THINK THAT NEW YORK HAS, AND, YOU KNOW, IT DOES A COUPLE OF THINGS.
IT MAKES IT, UH, THE, THE HOTEL TAX INCREASE BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE IS PAYING THOSE.
AND NUMBER TWO, IT, IT ASSISTS WITH HOUSING AFFORDABILITY BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T IN, YOU KNOW, BUYING REAL ESTATE TO TURN 'EM INTO HOTELS.
SO, UM, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA GET TO THAT NEXT ANYWAY.
UM, SO I, I GUESS MY VIEW, SEEING THAT THERE ARE NO COMMENTS IS THAT I WOULD REALLY APPRE, OH, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER REDY.
IS THAT COOL? I DON'T THINK, I DON'T HEAR IT, BUT I
[01:10:01]
GUESS IT'S ON.UM, WELL, YEAH, AS FAR AS ARTS FUND, WHOA, THERE IT IS.
AS FAR AS ARTS FUNDING GOES,
UM, JUST SO WE CAN SEE OVER TIME HOW MUCH HAS COME IN AND HOW MUCH HAS GONE OUT.
THAT WOULD ALSO LEAVE US WITH THE BALANCE REMAINING.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A FEELING IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THERE'S, UH, MORE RESOURCES THAT, UM, ARE TO COMING OR MAYBE NOT ALL THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS. UM, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE FUNDING TOTALS ALLOCATED TO THE PROGRAMS, UM, THEY DON'T EQUAL A 15% OF THE ANNUAL HOT REVENUE.
UM, AND TO THE LETTER I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS, UH, YOU KNOW, MY ORGANIZATION REPRESENTS SEVERAL HUNDRED ARTISTS.
WE POLLED OUR MEMBERSHIP AND 87% WERE EITHER VERY UNHAPPY OR UNHAPPY WITH WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH PROGRAM CHANGES.
UM, AND THAT, THAT SPURRED MY BOARD TO WRITE A LETTER BECAUSE ALSO THE WAY AUSTIN DOES ARTS FUNDING IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT FUNDING PROGRAM I'M FAMILIAR WITH.
AND I DO STAY ABREAST OF THIS.
I TALK TO PEERS IN OTHER CITIES.
OBVIOUSLY, I'M INVOLVED IN FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING, DEEPLY INVOLVED IN CALIFORNIA FUNDING FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
I MEAN, I HAVE A NATIONAL NETWORK THAT DISCUSSES ARTS FUNDING.
AND AUSTIN'S IS WELL OUTSIDE OF TYPICAL BEST PRACTICES.
THAT'S WHY WE WROTE THE LETTER, THE LETTER'S GIST IS A REQUEST FOR A DEPARTMENT LEVEL TO MANAGE THESE PROGRAMS, NOT TO EMBED IT WITHIN A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT THAT HAS A DIFFERENT MISSION.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT'S MISSION IS NOT CULTURALLY FOCUSED.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
UH, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY THAT I WORK WITH, WHICH IS A BROAD AND LARGE ONE, AND IT'S VERY DIVERSE, 47% OF MY COMMUNITY OR MY MEMBERSHIP IS NOT WHITE.
UH, IT HAS A HUGE L G B T Q COMPONENT, A DISABILITY GROUP.
UM, AND I THINK IF YOU LOOKED AT THE SURVEY THAT DISREGARDING WHATEVER WAY THAT THE STAFF MAY NOT FIND THE SURVEY USEFUL, I WILL NOTE THAT ONLY 35 PEOPLE BOTHERED TO SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE IN THE RANKINGS ON THAT SURVEY.
OUT OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, 35 PEOPLE TOOK THE TIME TO SAY, THIS IS GREAT, WHEREAS EVERYBODY ELSE WAS UNHAPPY.
AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE COMMENTS.
IT'S DEEP, DEEP UNHAPPINESS IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO EXPRESS IT.
I HOPE YOU READ, READ THE LETTER AND READ THE SURVEY, AND THAT WE CAN CIRCLE BACK AS A GROUP TO TALK FURTHER, UH, ABOUT THIS.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE WEEDS TODAY, AND MAYBE A WORKING GROUP IS IN ORDER, AND I'D HAPPILY INCLUDE STAFF FROM E D D IN THE WORKING GROUP, UH, IF, IF THAT'S SOMETHING Y'ALL WOULD BE INTO.
BUT YEAH, I MEAN THAT MY COMMUNITY THAT I REPRESENT IN THE ARTS IS NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
UM, AND IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T BELIEVE IN CULTURAL EQUITY.
IN FACT, I WOULD, I WOULD INSIST ON NOTING THAT THE ARTS COMMUNITY WAS WAY AHEAD OF THE CITY ON CULTURAL EQUITY.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR 30 YEARS.
INSTITUTIONAL RACISM, SYSTEMIC INEQUITY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE AVOIDED IN OUR WORK.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR SOCIAL SERVICE WORK, WHEREAS WE GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WITH EDUCATION LIKE MR. CASSANO'S PROGRAM, WE LARGELY FOCUS ON DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE, NOT BECAUSE OF ANY RACIAL SPECIFICITY, BUT UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO CAPITALISM,
SO BEST PRACTICE NATIONWIDE HAS BEEN TO ASSESS THE EQUITY EFFORTS IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY AND BUILD ON THOSE.
AND THAT IS NOT WHAT WE WITNESSED HERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT ALL THAT OUT THERE, UM, AND EXPLAIN THE CONTEXT BEHIND THE LETTER THAT MY BOARD WROTE AND WE PROVIDED IT JUST SO THAT YOU KNEW THAT ME AND DANIEL RONAN HERE HAD TAKEN A STRONG POSITION ON THIS ISSUE, UH, PRIOR TO THIS COMMISSION TAKING IT UP.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE FLOOR AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS.
COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL, UM, UM, I JUST HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
UM, I, I DEFINITELY THINK WHERE WE CAN ALWAYS USE MORE FUNDING, UM, I, I STRUGGLE WITH KIND OF RIGHT THIS HOT, HOW DO WE KEEPING SOMEONE TO AUSTIN, AND THEN HOW ARE WE KEEPING THEM
[01:15:01]
OVERNIGHT? UM, AND USING THE, THE FOR-PROFIT EXAMPLE TODAY FOR ME WAS A LITTLE EYE-OPENING.I HOPE THAT WE PUT SOME, UH, BOUNDARIES AROUND THAT IN MAKING SURE THAT PRIVATE BUSINESSES AREN'T TAKING OPPORTUNITIES TO LOWER TAX INCENTIVES TO LOWER THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS WELL, UM, WHILE WE'RE WORKING WITH THESE PARTNERSHIPS.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CITY COUNCIL SHOULD DEFINITELY BE, UH, HAVE AN EYE FOR.
UM, I FORGOT MY OTHER PART, BUT THAT WAS IT.
UM, I, AND I WOULD LIKE TO DOVETAIL ON THE PREVIOUS COMMENTS TO ADD THAT, UM, I THINK GENERALLY LOOKING ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE ON THIS AGENDA ARE REALLY ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE, WHICH IS, UH, FINDING THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDING, AND FINDING WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS FUNDING STREAM IS STABILIZED AND IS BEING USED IN THE MOST EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WAY POSSIBLE.
AND SO, ACCORDINGLY, UM, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT PROPOSE THAT WE CREATE A DASHBOARD OF WHERE THESE HOT TAXES ARE GOING WITHIN THE 15% FOR ARTS CULTURE, UH, AND HERITAGE PROJECTS AND FUNDING STREAMS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO AUSTINITES ARE BETTER ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING, UM, IN RELATION TO THE INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS AND HOW THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT, UM, IS BEING REACHED, IS BEING REACHED RATHER WITH THE INTENTION OF THE HOT TAX PROGRAM.
COMMISSIONER MATHIS, ONE THING THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME, AND I'M WONDERING IF, UH, SINCE YOU GUYS HAVE OBVIOUSLY TAKEN A A, A DEEP DIVE INTO THAT, IS WHEN, UM, SOME OF OUR GUESTS HAVE COME AND, AND SPOKE WITH US, THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVING FUNDING, AND THEN IT'S GONE OR IT'S REDUCED.
AND I, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME IDEA OF HOW WE GO BACK AND FORTH WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE STAFF, WHAT ARE YOU ASKING THEM TO DO TO NOT HAVE THAT STAFF ANYMORE? I MEAN, THE CONTINUITY OF FUNDS, YOU KNOW, I, I REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S GUARANTEED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, PROCESSES IF YOU'RE GOING TO SUPPORT AND THEN YOU JUST DON'T AFTER, PARTICULARLY IF YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONG AMOUNT OF TIME.
THAT'S PRETTY HARMFUL, I THINK, TO OUR COMMUNITY COMMISSIONER.
UM, WE DO HAVE DOCUMENTED JOB LOSSES AND PROGRAM CUTS.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IN TERMS OF BEST PRACTICES, WE LOOK TO BALTIMORE AND SAN ANTONIO'S FUNDING PROGRAMS, WHICH WERE ALSO RECONFIGURED TO BE MORE EQUITABLE.
BUT WHAT THEY DID WAS TOLD THEIR LEGACY ORGANIZATIONS, THOSE THAT HAD BEEN GETTING FUNDING FOR A LONG TIME, THAT THEY HAD FIVE YEARS TO EITHER MEET EQUITY BENCHMARKS OR SEE A CONTINUAL DECREASE TO ZERO.
AND THAT ALLOWED THEM, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS TO PLAN.
RIGHT? SO THIS WAS A LITTLE SUDDEN, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A THREE YEAR PROCESS, I DON'T THINK THAT, UH, IT WAS WHAT WE EXPECTED, BECAUSE WE LOOK AT OTHER CITIES AND SEE HOW THEY WERE GRADUALLY DRAWN DOWN, BUT ALSO GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, YOU, YOU MODIFY YOUR CURATORIAL AND PROGRAMMING PRACTICES TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE AND DIVERSE, THEN YOU MAY NOT, YOU WON'T SEE DECREASES, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
OR IN PARTICULAR IN BALTIMORE, WHICH WAS A GREAT IDEA, THEY, THEY REQUIRED A, A, A VISIBLE PIPELINE OF LEADER LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERS AND ADMINISTRATORS OF COLOR.
SO THAT TRADITIONALLY WHITE ORGANIZATIONS AT THE END OF THE FIVE YEAR RECONFIGURATION HAD LEADERSHIP IN PLACE THAT WAS MORE DIVERSE.
UM, AND THAT WAS COOL AND SUSTAINABLE AND A REALLY BRILLIANT PROGRAM BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID IT CREATE AN ARTS ADMINISTRATIVE COHORT IN THE CITY OF BALTIMORE THAT MATCHED THE CITY'S DEMOGRAPHICS, 'CAUSE BALTIMORE'S A MAJORITY BLACK CITY.
UM, THOSE INDIVIDUALS, AND I'VE MET WITH SOME OF THEM, I WENT TO BALTIMORE AND, AND INVESTIGATED THAT PROGRAM, AND I MET SOME OF THESE YOUNG ADMINISTRATORS OF COLOR.
NOT ONLY WERE THEY HIGHLY PLACED IN THE SYMPHONY, THE BALLET, THE OPERA, THE ART MUSEUM THERE, THEY THEN WERE ABLE TO GO AND START AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, THEIR OWN ORGANIZATIONS WHERE THEY ALREADY CAME WITH THE NETWORK OF FUNDERS.
AND SO IT'S, IT WAS REALLY COOL.
UM, BUT YEAH, WHAT YOU SAID, WHAT YOU NOTE IS IT WAS AN ABRUPT SHIFT AND IT DID CAUSE SOME ISSUES FOR LONGSTANDING ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A TOUGH TIME IN THE ARTS NONPROFIT SECTOR.
COVID, OF COURSE, IS THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL, I JUST, UM, I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT SAME LIGHT, RIGHT? WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT FUNDING IS ONGOING.
AND I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW WITH THESE THREE PROGRAMS TO TEST THEM.
WE'RE PILOTING THEM, SEE HOW THEY FUNCTION, RIGHT? HOW CAN, HOW CAN WE CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM
[01:20:01]
THAT ALLOWS INDIVIDUAL MUSICIANS TO THRIVE? AND I WOULD CHALLENGE THESE DEPARTMENTS.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ARTS, RIGHT? THE MUSIC COMMUNITY, DRAWING TOURISTS TO AUSTIN, NOT THE MOODY CENTER.
AND I THINK AS A 10 YEAR RESIDENT TO AUSTIN, THE MOODY CENTER DRAWS ARTS TO AUSTIN.
I LIVE RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL AUSTIN.
AND SO
MAYBE WE DO, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO, TO PUSH THIS GROUP, UM, COLLECTIVELY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN SECURE FUNDING THAT GIVE YOU OPERATIONAL TIMETABLES, THAT YOU CAN ELIMINATE THE CONSULTANTS AND HAVE PEOPLE DOING IT IN-HOUSE, I THINK CAN GO A LONG WAY FORWARD.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, VICE, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD? I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS.
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF REQUESTS FOR, UH, EXPENDITURES FOR NUMBERS.
THERE ARE DASHBOARDS ON, ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO SEND YOU THOSE LINKS, UH, TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
AND TO CLARIFY, I THINK IT'S THE COMMUNICATION OF THAT.
JUST LIKE, JUST BRING US THE, THE FIGURES EVERY YEAR AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.
THAT'S KIND OF MORE THE COMMENT.
THAT CAN, AND I, I'M SURPRISED THAT IT'S NOT DONE THROUGH, THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT, UM, UH, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BROUGHT FORWARD, BUT IT IS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW.
IT'S ALSO PRESENTED A HOT TAX, UH, REVENUE IS PRESENTED TO THE MUSIC COMMISSION AND THE ARTS COMMISSION MONTHLY, UH, AND ALL THAT HISTORICALLY IS AVAILABLE AS WELL.
AND I CERTAINLY HEAR THE MESSAGE THAT FOR NEED OF ONGOING FUNDING, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, HISTORICALLY HAS NEVER COMMITTED TO ONGOING FUNDING.
IT IS A ONE YEAR GRANT, UH, AND HOT TAX IS A VERY VOLATILE, AS Y'ALL KNOW MM-HMM.
AND WE SAW VERY CLEARLY IN THE PANDEMIC, UH, WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT RESOURCE.
SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO GUARANTEE ONGOING FUNDING WITH THROUGH THE USE OF THE HOT TAX, UM, IF THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION THAT IS COMING FORWARD.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE ARE A GRANT PROGRAM THAT'S OPERATED FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
I THINK FOR CLARITY, WE'RE NOT ISSUING ANY RECOMMENDATIONS RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REEDY.
UM,
UH, I'VE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THERE'S BEING HOT, HOT FUNDS USED FOR CONSULTANTS OR FOR THE LONG CENTER.
I JUST WANNA KNOW WHERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THAT GOING ON? LIKE, HOW MUCH IS THE LONG CENTER GETTING, I'M SURE IT'S OUT THERE, BUT IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE IT COMPILED IN ONE PLACE.
AND THEN I WANTED TO ALSO ECHO THE S T R THING.
ARE WE GONNA GET TO THAT ONE? UM, MR. UH, WE ARE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN FOLD IT IN, BUT JUST NOTE THAT WE HAVE A WHOLE SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM ON IT.
WELL, I'LL HOLD THAT UNTIL THAT.
THANK YOU
UH, AS FAR AS THE LONG CENTER, WE, UH, WORKED IN HAND IN HAND WITH CORPORATE PURCHASING TO ISSUE AN R F P FOR THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR OF OUR PROGRAMS. THE LONG CENTER HAPPENED TO BE THE MOST VIABLE CANDIDATE, AND SO THAT ITEM WENT TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL TO ADMINISTER OUR LIVE MUSIC FUND, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OF OUR CULTURAL ARTS AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
SO IT WAS A FULLY VETTED PROCESS THROUGH AN R F P, UM, AND ANYONE COULD HAVE, UH, SUBMITTED AND IT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL.
SO YES, THEY ARE DISPERSING HOT FUNDS AS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL.
YEAH, I WASN'T DISPUTING THAT OR I EVEN SUPPORT THE LONG CENTER'S WORK, AND I THINK THEY'VE BEEN A GOOD CHOICE AS A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR, THERE'S A STRONG DESIRE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT I TALKED TO, TO JUST HAVE A ONE STOP PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SEE EVERY SINGLE HOT DOLLAR IN EVERY SINGLE FUND AND WHERE IT WENT.
AND, AND THAT IS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, THE FINANCIAL, OKAY.
I CAN'T, I COULDN'T FIND IT, SO I, I APPRECIATE THE LINK.
ANY LAST QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS RELATED TO HERITAGE PROGRAMS AND ARTS PROGRAM FUNDING THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT? I'LL JUST ONE COMMENT, COMMISSIONER KANATI, UM, AND MAYBE EVERYONE REMEMBERS THIS, BUT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FUNDING AND THE NEED FOR INCREASED FUNDING, AND IT'S CORRECT THAT THE, THE CULTURAL ARTS IS MAXED OUT AT 15% OF WHATEVER EACH YEAR.
SO EVERYONE, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE EVER GONNA BACK OFF OF THAT FROM THIS GROUP, BUT, UM, IF EVERYONE DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW THAT, I'M JUST SAYING THAT AGAIN.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER KANATI.
SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM
[5. Discussion and possible action on the Short-Term Rentals and the impact on Hotel Occupancy Tax funding]
NUMBER FIVE, UH, ABOUT POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND THE IMPACT ON HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDING.UH, WITH REGARD TO THIS TOPIC, UH, COMMISSIONER REEDY, YOU HAD BEGUN TO SAY TO CONTRIBUTE, UH, A TOPIC.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO PICK THAT UP? YEAH.
[01:25:01]
BEEN APPROACHED BY LOBBYISTS FROM THE SHORT TERM RENTAL INDUSTRY, AND I'VE BEEN IN DIALOGUE WITH THEM FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS TO, TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE COULD CAPTURE ALL THE LOST REVENUE FROM STR.I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF COURT CASES AND BANS HAVE BEEN RESCINDED.
AND, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN HAS A DENSITY REQUIREMENT, NOT LIKE X NUMBER OF STR PER X NUMBER OF SQUARE MILES.
I MEAN, IT'S INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO IN THE CITY STAFF IS BEST ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT, AND THEN ALSO MAYBE GET A BRIEFING FROM, UH, MS. BRI FRANCO, THE INTERGOVERNMENT AFFAIRS OFFICER, WHO KEEPS TABS ON THE LEGISLATURE.
BECAUSE EVERY YEAR I THINK THE, THE LEGISLATURE DOES SOMETHING AROUND STR.
UM, AND I WOULD GO ON THE RECORD THINKING, I WOULD SAY AS A, AS A RESIDENT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD FLUSH WITH F STR.
I THINK THEY'RE BAD FOR THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
I THINK THEY'RE BAD FOR THE SOCIETAL FABRIC, BUT IF THE STATE IS GONNA ALLOW 'EM UNFETTERED, THEN WE SHOULD GET ALL THE HOT TAGS WE CAN OUT OF 'EM.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER REEDY.
AND FOR A POINT OF ORDER, WE ACTUALLY INVITED, UH, BRIEF FRANCO FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, UM, SHE WAS UNABLE TO JOIN US SAYING THAT SHE WANTED TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE SPECIAL SESSION AT THE LEGISLATURE.
SO THE INVITATION IS ON THE TABLE FOR MS. FRANCO TO COME AND SPEAK WITH REGARD.
AND COMMISSIONER, IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, THAT'S ACTUALLY, UH, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
COMMISSIONER RUDY IS A VERY COMPLICATED CONVERSATION.
I DON'T BELIEVE BRADY'S NECESSARILY THE RIGHT PERSON TO PRESENT TO THIS COMMISSION.
SHE'S CERTAINLY A PIECE OF IT.
UM, BUT WE DO, AS COMMISSIONER READING NOTED, THERE ARE A SERIES OF LEGAL CASES THAT OUR LAW DEPARTMENT IS, UH, VERY AWARE OF AND TRYING TO WORK THROUGH AND ADVISE US ON THE BEST STEP FORWARD.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHICH, UH, WHICH PERMITS THE, UH, OR, UM, HAS THE REGISTRY OF, OF S ST.
SO WE'RE ON THE STAFF SIDE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY TO COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE QUITE FULLY BAKED AT THIS POINT, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE RESOURCES FOR THAT BROADER CONVERSATION, UH, WOULD BE A TEAM OF A, OF AT LEAST THREE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE COME AND SPEAK TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION AS WE, YOU KNOW, SEEK TO BRING THE EXPERTISE ALONG THIS DAIS ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, FOLD THIS POT POTENTIALLY WITH THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM REGARDING HOT TAX FUNDING AND HOW IT RELATES TO CULTURAL HERITAGE PROGRAMS AND ARTS FUNDING.
COMMISSIONER REY, I JUST HAD A QUESTION FOR THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UM, AT SOME POINT I WAS MADE AWARE OF THE SS T R INDUSTRY, UH, CIRCULATING A PROPOSED RESOLUTION.
DOES THAT RING A BELL? IT VAGUELY RINGS A BELL, CORRECT.
IS THERE A WAY TO FIND THAT, OR IS THAT, SINCE IT WAS NEVER BROUGHT FORWARD BY A COUNCIL MEMBER, IS IT JUST KIND OF NOT AROUND THAT? I DON'T KNOW.
LET ME FOLLOW UP WITH STAFF AND I CAN ASK, CERTAINLY GET, I'LL PROBABLY DIG THROUGH MY OLD GMAIL AND, YOU KNOW, BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THAT WAS SOMEWHERE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
SOUNDS LIKE, NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO, BUT LET ME GO BACK AND DO SOME RESEARCH ON THAT.
UM, AND I, WE ABSOLUTELY ARE HAPPY TO MEET WITH, UH, TO COME FORWARD AND PRESENT, UH, TO THE COMMISSION, UH, WITH THE APPROPRIATE STAFF HERE.
UM, JUST RESPECTFULLY ASK ON TIMING, IF WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THE BEST TIME TO DO SO, IN TERMS OF, AS I SAID, WE'RE IN INSIDE THE CITY DOING OUR WORK RIGHT NOW, MOST CERTAINLY.
AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, A WHOLE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IS GONNA BE ON OUR AGENDA.
YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE'LL WORK WITH THE CITY TO MATCH TIMELINES WITH WORKFLOW AT THE CITY, AND ITS RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER SHAPE THAT YOU HAD A COMMENT.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ECHO, UH, A LOT OF WHAT'S, UH, BEEN SAID BEFORE ME.
SO, UH, I, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THIS COMMISSION TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON HOW THOSE NEGOTIATIONS WITH, UH, SHORT TERM, UH, RENTAL PARTNERS ARE GOING.
SO AIRBNB, VRBO, UH, EXPEDIA, ET CETERA.
SO, UH, BEFORE WE MAKE ANY TYPE OF RECOMMENDATIONS AS A BODY, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE CAUGHT UP WITH THE DIALOGUE THAT'S BEEN HAPPENED AND THAT IS, UH, CURRENTLY HAPPENING.
AND, UM, I, I'M AWARE THAT, UH, UH, THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER JUST SAID THAT THE, UH, THE STAFF IS STILL, UH, WORKING ON SOME OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO ALSO JUST GET SOME TYPE OF UPDATE ON THAT, UM, AS WELL, UH, EVEN THOUGH E EVEN IF THOSE ARE MAYBE ONGOING, JUST SOME TYPE OF UPDATE.
I JUST, I JUST FOR THE, SOME OF THE NEW MEMBERS OF, OF THE COMMISSION, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I MENTIONED THAT WHEN WE RECEIVED THE PRESENTATION FROM TOM NEWNAN, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO RELATED TO, UH, CONVENTION, A LOT OF
[01:30:01]
CONVENTION DATA USE OF ROOMS, THERE WAS INFORMATION THERE ABOUT HOT TAX PROJECTIONS, REALIZED HOT TAXES, AND THE STATEMENT WAS CLEARLY MADE THAT THERE'S A TREND HAPPENING WITHIN CONVENTION BOOKINGS THAT ARE NOT TYPICALLY USING THE PRIME CONVENTION HOTELS AND THAT A, A PERCENTAGE OF CONVENTION ATTENDEES ARE BOOKING OUTSIDE THE CORE HOTEL BLOCK OR THE CORE MAIN HOTEL.AND THAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE GOING IN THE ST PEOPLE ARE COMING, BUT WE'RE NOT REALIZING THE MONEY.
AND IT'S AFFECTING TO SOME DEGREE, THE HOTELIERS OR THE HOTEL INDUSTRY.
AND I THINK THIS ALL TIES TOGETHER.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT FOR, FOR ANYBODY THAT DIDN'T SEE THAT PRESENTATION, WE CAN MAYBE GO BACK SOME OF THE THINGS ARE IN THE SITE, BUT IT'S RELEVANT TO THAT PART OF OUR CONVERSATION TOO.
SO THIS COVERS ON A LOT OF, A LOT OF AREAS.
I MEAN, I THINK WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TOO, TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT DESTABILIZATION OF THE CORE PART OF THE TOURISM INDUSTRY HERE.
AND I TO ADD THE DESTABILIZATION OF HOT TAX REVENUE THAT FUNDS THESE CULTURAL ARTS, HERITAGE, UH, GRANT PROGRAMS. SAME POINT, YEAH.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S APRIL OF THIS PAST OF THIS YEAR, THIS CURRENT YEAR, THOSE PRESENTATIONS, UM, WERE MADE.
AND WE'LL BE SURE TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
SO I AM, UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
UM, AND I ALSO APPRECIATE, UM, YOU LETTING US KNOW THAT THESE ISSUES ARE BEING EXPLORED, AND I HOPE THAT YOU, UM, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO RETURN AND DISCUSS IT FURTHER AND UPDATE US, BECAUSE FOR ME, THIS IS PROBABLY, UM, THE ISSUE THAT IS TOP OF MIND FOR ME.
I'M, UM, VERY MUCH AWARE OF HOW MUCH, UM, WE LOSE AS FAR AS NOT ONLY JUST HOTEL OCCUPANTS, UM, YANCY TECHS, BUT YOU KNOW, IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE AN EVEN PLAYING FIELD, UM, AS FAR AS THEM HAVING TO GET THE SAME OCCUPANCY, YOU KNOW, LICENSE AND HAVE THE SAME SORT OF, UM, SAFETY REQUIREMENTS THAT HOTELS, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A HOTEL HAS, YOU KNOW, HAS, UM, PEOPLE COMING IN AND DOING FIRE TESTING AND, AND STAIRWELLS AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN YOU COME TO AUSTIN AND YOU STAY IN A HOTEL, YOU ARE NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, TREATED WITH WARMTH AND HOSPITALITY, BUT ALSO YOU'RE SAFE.
DUTY OF CARE IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING.
AND, UM, IF YOU WANNA BE A HOTEL ROOM IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE TO ABIDE BY ALL OF THE SAME RULES THAT A HOTEL DOES.
UM, SO YEAH, THAT'LL BE FOREMOST IN MY MIND.
I DEFINITELY WANNA EXPLORE THIS FURTHER.
AND I MIGHT ADD, IF SEEING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE FLOOR, THAT THIS IS ALSO A QUESTION OF TAX EQUITY AND FAIRNESS, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE RUNNING AIRBNBS AND NOT PAYING THEIR TAXES TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WHICH IS ONE, UNETHICAL, AND THEN TWO, HAVING AN IMPACT ON THE PROGRAMS AT THE HOT TAX BONDS.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER SHAY, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UH, SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD A LOT IN, IN THE COMMUNITY WITH MY ENGAGEMENT IS THAT, UH, THERE ARE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE DOING AIRBNB.
SOME OF THEM ARE INDIVIDUALS, SOME OF THEM ARE FAMILIES TRYING TO, UH, GET, JUST MEET THEIR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS EVERY MONTH.
UM, AND THEY RELY ON AIRBNB REVENUE, UH, THAT THEY HAVE TO, UH, MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS.
AND, UH, AND THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, UH, THERE ARE, UH, LARGE CORPORATIONS WHO BUY HOUSES, UH, ESSENTIALLY TURN THEM INTO MANY HOTELS AND, UH, RUN THEM AS, UH, AS AIRBNBS.
AND I, I THINK, UH, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY EXAMINE THE SPECTRUM WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS ISSUE.
COMMISSIONER REEDY, I, I WANTED TO JUST CLARIFY.
I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER SHAY, AND, UM, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FAMILIES RENTING OUT A, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH RESIDENTIAL AIRBNB USAGE, WHERE THEY LIVE IN THE HOME.
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PROFESSIONALIZED CORPORATIZED, MONETIZED HOUSES FOR PARTIES AND WHATEVER.
AND MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I HAVE LIKE SIX WITHIN TWO BLOCKS OF MY HOUSE, AND IT'S AWFUL.
YET MY, ACROSS THE STREET NEIGHBOR RENTS OUT AN EXTRA ROOM NOW AND THEN TO FOLKS VISITING, AND THAT'S FINE.
SO I DIDN'T WANT TO BE TOO BLANKETY OR, OR DISPARAGE FAMILIES WHO USE IT AS AN IMPORTANT WAY TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
SO HEARING THE, THE BROADER COMMENTS AND TOPICS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, PLACED ON THE TABLE WITH REGARD TO BOTH OF THESE ISSUES, UM, I MIGHT RECOMMEND AS SOMEONE WHO'S TRYING TO RUN A MEETING AND READ THE AGENDA AT THE SAME TIME, UH, TO COMBINE, UH, TOPICS FOUR AND FIVE
[01:35:01]
AND RECOMMEND, UM, A WORKING GROUP TO LOOK AT HOT TAX FUNDING MORE HOLISTICALLY AS IT APPLIES TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE COLLECTION OF THESE REVENUES AND THE SPENDING OF THESE REVENUES FOR CITY PROGRAMS AND TRYING TO FIND EFFICIENCIES AND, UM, MORE EFFECTIVE USES OF THIS REVENUE STREAM THEREIN.WHAT DO FOLKS THINK ABOUT THAT? COMMISSIONER SHAY? YEAH, SO I, I JUST THINK THAT, UM, THEY'RE, WHILE THEY ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN, ONE'S ON KIND OF LIKE THE REVENUE SIDE, HOW DO WE TAKE IN REVENUE ONE'S, LIKE, KIND OF ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, HOW DO WE USE OUR FUNDS? I DO THINK THAT THEY ARE TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES TO LOOK AT.
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THEN TWO WORKING GROUPS, COMMISSIONER, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE, YEAH.
ARE YOU GONNA VOLUNTEER FOR BOTH
YEAH, THAT'S A LOT OF, UH, HMM.
THAT'S A LOT OF BUREAUCRACY FOR AN 11 PERSON PANEL.
COMMISSIONER BAILEY, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, IF YOU, IF YOU'RE CONVENING THE DISCUSSION, I, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH CHRISTIAN.
I, I SEE IT EXACTLY AS HE SEES IT, SO I'M JUST WEIGHING IN.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LONG MEETINGS, WOULDN'T THEY?
UH, THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO JUMP IN.
'CAUSE I DON'T, I MEAN, I THINK THIS BODY IS CAPABLE OF HANDLING BOTH SIDES OF THIS CONVERSATION.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT WE'RE WAITING ON THE REPORT, RIGHT? FROM ARTS COMMUNITY TO HAVE MORE, RIGHT.
FOR THE EXPENSE SIDE AND IMPACT.
UM, BUT LEANING IN ON, UM, NOT GETTING TAX-BASED REVENUE FROM THESE OR THE RULES SURROUNDING THOSE, I THINK THOSE ARE HELPFUL CONVERSATIONS.
THAT, AND KNOWING WHAT THE FINES ARE ON THE BACKEND AND RIGHT.
EVERYTHING SURROUNDING THIS ENVIRONMENT, UM, WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO I, I JUST PERSONALLY, I DON'T SEE WHY WE NEED TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT MEETINGS ABOUT REVENUES AND EXPENSES FOR THE SAME TOPICS.
COMMISSIONER ZA, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NOPE.
UH, KATIE MENICK, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER.
I JUST QUICKLY WANTED TO TRY TO GET SOME CLARITY ON EXACTLY WHAT THESE WORKING GROUPS YOU ARE ENVISIONING, UM, THEIR TASK TO BE.
ARE YOU WANTING TO INVESTIGATE HOW HOTEL TAXES COLLECTED WITHIN THE CITY? ARE YOU WANTING TO LOOK AT SPECIFICALLY HOW IT'S BEING DISTRIBUTED? YOU KNOW, WE PUBLISH THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL AUDITORS THAT COME IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE CITY'S FINANCES EACH YEAR.
AND SO JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THAT WORKING GROUP IS ENVISIONED, UM, TO UNDERTAKE ON, ON BEHALF OF THIS COMMISSION.
UM, MS. MESNICK, IS THERE, DOES ANYONE WANNA RESPOND TO THAT? I MEAN, I HAVE AN IDEA, BUT THOUGHTS? I MEAN, ON THE, ON THE COMMISSIONER REEDY EXPEND, THANK YOU.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, I THINK WE JUST WANT TO PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND MAKE A WRITTEN DOCUMENT REQUEST AT SOME POINT.
UM, I THINK, UH, WE NEED TO REFLECT ON WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY AND COME BACK AND SAY, COULD YOU PROVIDE X, Y, AND Z? AND THEN ON THE REVENUE SIDE, YEAH, JUST FOR ME, UH, HOW TO NAVIGATE THE THORNY COMPLEX S T R THING WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT LETTING PEOPLE SLIDE ON THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO PAY TAXES.
UM, AND I REALIZE THE S T R INDUSTRY HAS A VERY DIFFERENT IDEA ABOUT HOW TO GO ABOUT THAT, WHICH IS BASICALLY DEREGULATE EVERYTHING.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM LOOKING AT HOW WE SPEND HOT TAX, BUT I DO HAVE A PROBLEM IF YOU'RE GONNA TRY TO MOVE, REDIRECT MONEY THAT'S OTHERWISE CURRENTLY GOING TO, UM, PROMOTE TOURISM TO OTHER THINGS.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
I THINK WE'RE TRYING, BUT I JUST WANT, I JUST WANT TO VOICE THAT CONCERN.
I, I THINK REALLY THE ISSUE ON THE TABLE IS HOW BEST CAN WE SPEND THE FUNDS? AND, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE AUDITORS, I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE CITY STAFF, BUT ALSO WE'RE COMMISSIONED AND WE'RE APPOINTED TO OFFER OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY PART OF THE EXERCISE OF CREATING A WORKING GROUP.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO SPEAK MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND, YOU KNOW, FIND IDEAS THAT YOU MAY NOT SEE AND CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE AS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO, UH, OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS IF WE SEE FIT.
IF, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE SOMETHING THAT WE HAD MENTIONED EARLIER.
APPRECIATE THE GUIDANCE ON HOW THE FUNDS ARE ALLOCATED.
WE DO HAVE, UH, THREE COMMISSIONS THAT WE WORK WITH IN TERMS OF THE, OF THE GUIDELINES AND, AND THE BOARD OF THE PROGRAMMING.
[01:40:01]
AS I'D MENTIONED EARLIER, CITY STAFF HAS A HOST OF BOARD AND COMMISSIONS THAT WE SUPPORT.AS Y'ALL KNOW, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN PARTICULAR HAS SEVEN COMMISSIONS THAT THEY SUPPORT.
AND CERTAINLY WE'RE HAPPY TO, TO VISIT AND PRESENT FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT IT IS A, IT'S A TAXING, UH, ASK OF, OF STAFF.
I, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMISSION, I'VE WORKED TO TRY AND BRING ALL THE CHAIRS OF ALL COMMISSIONS TOGETHER, WORKING WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, AND THAT'S BEEN PLACED ON HOLD.
SO I REALLY JUST WANNA COMMUNICATE THAT THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR COLLABORATION AND PARTICULAR TO THIS ISSUE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THAT COLLABORATION WITH ALL OF THE COMMISSIONS WITH REGARD TO MUSIC, ARTS AND TOURISM.
SO WE'RE ALL WORKING IN LOCKSTEP.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THOUGH, THAT THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF COLLABORATION HAPPENING OR NOT HAPPENING.
I, I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE, UH, THE CLERK'S OFFICE, UH, DECISION IN THAT REGARD, BUT I'M HAPPY TO LOOK INTO THAT AND IF WE CAN ASSIST WITH THAT.
YES, I'D, YES, I'D LOVE YOUR HELP, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO TRY AND GET ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TOGETHER TO TRY AND CREATE MORE STREAMLINING MM-HMM.
SO THERE'S NOT THIS PRESSURE ON STAFF TO RESPOND TO ALL THESE INDIVIDUALIZED REQUESTS OF OUR OVER, I THINK IT'S LIKE 115 COMMISSIONS, BOARDS, TASK FORCES.
AND I'VE SCRAPED EVERY SINGLE EMAIL OF VICE CHAIR AND CHAIRS FOR ALL OF THOSE COMMISSIONS, AND OF WHICH THERE ARE 96 THAT ARE TRULY ACTIVE.
SO I AM REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS OF OTHER COMMISSIONS, AND WE'LL BE REACHING OUT, UH, OF COURSE, CONSIDERING HOW WE WANT TO ENGAGE JUST AS A COMMISSION FIRST, AND THEN REACHING OUT TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR VALUABLE EXPERTISE IS INCORPORATED.
WAS THERE ANOTHER COMMENT QUESTION, COMMISSIONER SHAY? I, I THINK WITH, UH, WITH THAT IN MIND, UM, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE THAT, UH, FOR THE ARTS PROGRAM FUNDING, UM, WORKING GROUP OR WHATEVER WE CALL IT, UH, THAT, THAT IS IN COLLABORATION WITH, UH, MUSIC ARTS AND THE HORSE HISTORIC, UH, PRESERVATION COMMISSIONS.
UH, AND THAT, UM, I, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE A WISE, UH, TRACK TO, TO SPLIT THESE APART, UH, IN PART BECAUSE OF THAT.
UH, AND THEN ALSO I, I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO ADDRESS MAYBE IN THE PAIN POINTS THAT THESE OTHER COMMISSIONS ARE, ARE SEEING IN, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE, UH, INDUSTRIES IN, IN HOT TAXES THAT I, I THINK COULD BE, UH, LOOKED INTO MORE AND MAYBE ADDRESSED.
UH, AND THEN ON THE, UH, REVENUE SIDE, I THINK THAT'S A VERY DISTINCTIVE ISSUE.
SO I, I THINK IT'S WORTH EVALUATING IN DEPTH ON ITS OWN MERIT.
SO IT SEEMS THAT WE HAVE, UH, DIFFERING WAYS OF GOING ABOUT THIS WITH REGARD TO LOOKING AT HOT TAXES ON THE REVENUE SIDE AND THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
UM, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION AS TO HOW THEY WOULD LIKE A WORKING COMMITTEE BE SET UP TO INCORPORATE WHICH ISSUES EXACTLY AS IT RELATES TO THE HOT TAX COMMISSIONER MATHIS? WELL, UM, I PROPOSE THAT, UM, WE DO HAVE A COMMITTEE, UM, LOOKING AT SHORT-TERM RENTALS AND THE, UM, IMPACT ON HOTEL OCCUPANT, UM, OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDING, UM, PARTICULARLY, UM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO ASCERTAIN, UM, HOW MUCH FUNDING WE LOSE, UM, FOR, UH, RENTALS THAT ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE, IN WAYS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CAN GET THAT, THAT MONEY BACK TO THE CITY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS A HOT BUTTON FOR PROPERTY OWNERS, AND THAT REALLY ISN'T MY OVERARCHING CONCERN.
UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP, WHICH FOR POINT OF ORDER CAN BE JOINED BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AS WELL AS OTHER COMMISSIONS THAT ARE NOT ON OUR COMMISSION.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT HAVING QUORUM IN THESE MEETINGS, SO WE'RE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND BUILD AND COLLABORATE WITH OTHER COMMISSIONS.
UM, AND IN FACT, WHOEVER JOINS THESE COMMISSIONS, I WOULD, UM, OPENLY WELCOME THAT AS THIS IS A LARGER ISSUE THAT REQUIRES COLLABORATION, UH, AND TO A C M ENO'S POINT.
YOU KNOW, WE DO NOT WANT TO OVERBURDEN STAFF.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY ADDING TO THE CONVERSATION AND NOT DISTRACTING, UH, FROM CURRENT EFFORTS BEING UNDERTAKEN BY THE CITY.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I SECOND THE MOTION SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHAFFEE CHAFFEE, UM, DISCUSSION.
COMMISSIONER CHAPEL, ONE QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION.
UM, I THINK SECURITY IS, UH, UH, IS A TOPIC THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED.
[01:45:01]
UM, AS I, I WOULD LIKE THE SECURITY CONVERSATION TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE BROADER IN TERMS OF LIKE, TOURISM SPECIFICALLY IN THE CENTRAL REGIONS, RAINY STREET, WEST SIXTH, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.UM, SO ARE WE KEEPING SECURITY COSTS STRICTLY TO JUST STRS AND NOT PART OF A LARGER SECURITY CONVERSATION FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN? COMMISSIONER MATHIS, WHAT I REALLY, WHAT THE SPIRIT OF MY COMMENT WAS, UM, THAT WHATEVER HOTELS WERE HAVING TO DO AS FAR AS LICENSES AND REGULATIONS THAT, UM, THAT THE SHORT TERM RENTALS SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME THING.
SOME BOUNDARIES AROUND OPERATIONS AND REGULATIONS AS WELL AS LIKE, UNTAPPED, UM, JUST SOME PARITY THERE.
OR, OR STAYS OVER 31 DAYS, FOR EXAMPLE.
ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
MOVING FORWARD, THE MOTION TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP ON SHORT-TERM RENTALS ALONE AND ITS IMPACT ON HOT TAX REVENUE.
THOSE AGAINST, WOULD YOU PUT I DO VOTE IN FAVOR? UH, BAAN.
COMMISSIONER BAAN, DID YOU VOTE IN FAVOR? IN FAVOR, YES.
UH, PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, WE WILL BE CREATING A WORKING GROUP TO BE COMPRISED OF NO MORE THAN I BELIEVE FOUR MEMBERS.
UM, DO WE HAVE A CHAIR OF THIS WORKING GROUP? UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, SHAPEY.
UM, ARE OTHER FOLKS WANTING TO BE CHAIR? DID YOU VOLUNTEER TO BE CHAIR? SURE.
UM, I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT WE WOULD GET THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED IF WE, OF COURSE.
SEE, I GOT, MAYBE I GOT TRICKED.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE A NEW, UM, IT'S NOT REALLY, YOU'RE NOT TECHNICALLY A CHAIR, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE HEADING UP THE WORKING GROUP.
THE WORKING GROUP OF, UM, HE'S THE WORKING GROUP HERO.
UM, SO WE HAVE A NEW WORKING GROUP, UH, AROUND SHORT TERM RENTALS AND HOT TAX REVENUE.
UH, COMMISSIONER KANI, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER KANI HAS STEPPED OFF THE DI COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
WHOOP, AM I ON NOW? I'M ON ON, YEAH, YOU'RE ON.
UM, AGAIN, FOR SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION THAT WEREN'T PARTICIPATING IN TIME, I WANTED TO NOTE THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, UH, NOW COUNCIL MEMBER OF FUENTES WAS PREVIOUSLY OVERSEEING AN S T R.
UM, WE HAD A, WE HAD A WHOLE THING AT THAT POINT, AND I THINK ANY LEARNINGS THAT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR A DEBRIEF ON WHERE THAT LEFT OFF, SO WHERE WE'RE PICKING UP OR JUST GETTING ANY FINDINGS FROM HER OFFICE THAT MIGHT BE CONTRIBUTE TO THIS WORKING GROUP, BECAUSE SHE WAS PRETTY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AND DEFINITELY.
SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BAILEY.
SO, UH, WOULD YOU RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE ON THE S T R GROUP? COMMISSIONER REEDY.
COMMISSIONER SHAY, I HOPE YOU'RE ON IT.
UH, I'LL, I'LL BE THE FOURTH PERSON TO ROUND US OUT.
UM, WHICH CREATES, UH, OUR WORKING GROUP ON STR AND IMPACTS TO HOT TAX REVENUE.
UM, REVISITING DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FOUR AS IT RELATES TO DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
UH, WOULD WE LIKE TO PROCEED WITH, YOU KNOW, JUST ANOTHER, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE THIS IDEA OF A DASHBOARD AND LIKE, REALLY, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS LISTED ON THE WEBSITE, BUT IT'S LISTED IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES.
AND, UM, FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, TO THE LETTER OF ALLAH, BUT TO GENERALLY TO THE PUBLIC, I REALLY DO FEEL LIKE THERE COULD BE MORE, UM, JUST SHOWCASING ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT THE HOT TEXT DOES.
AND IN PARTICULARLY PARTICULAR AS IT RELATES TO MUSIC, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, CULTURAL ARTS, THE ARTS, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN HAVING IT OWN WEBSITE, ITS OWN WEBSITE TO TALK ABOUT IT.
I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT WE MIGHT EVEN RECOMMEND.
I, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER RESOURCES OUT THERE.
WE DON'T WANNA BE DUPLICATIVE, BUT I STILL THINK THAT THIS, UH, TOPIC MERITS A TADD MORE DISCUSSION AS IT RELATES TO WHAT MAKES AUSTIN SUCH A VIBRANT AND ENGAGING CITY.
ITS MUSIC SCENE, ITS ARTS AND CULTURAL SCENE, BUT THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, REALLY ELEVATING THE WORK, UM, AROUND
[01:50:01]
THIS CULTURAL AND UH, RACIAL EQUITY LENS THAT I THINK THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS TRIED VERY HARD, UM, TO NOT ONLY PROMOTE BUT TO IMPLEMENT.AND I THINK AS COMMISSIONERS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, WE ALL COME FROM DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES AND DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND, YOU KNOW, BRING DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES TO THIS TOPIC.
AND I THINK WE ALL WANT, UH, MORE EFFECTIVE, UM, GOVERNMENTS THAT RESPOND TO, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH PROGRAMS THAT ARE REALLY FULFILLING A NEED AND REALLY, UM, MEETING THE MOMENT.
SO I COMMEND E D D FOR ITS WORK AND I THINK IT CAN BE BETTER.
UM, AND I THINK IF WE WEREN'T CITIZENS THINKING THAT GOVERNMENT COULD WORK BETTER, I WOULDN'T WANNA LIVE IN A CITY LIKE AUSTIN.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP ON, UM, MUSIC ARTS, UH, CULTURAL ARTS, AS WELL AS HISTORIC PRESERVATION? TALK ABOUT WAYS TO IMPROVE HOT TAX COLLECTION REVENUE? I WOULD MOVE THAT.
NO, WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING THIS FOR THE, THE ARTS NOW.
CAN I CLARIFY, COMMISSIONER SHAY? UH, SO IS THIS REVENUE OR EXPENDITURE? 'CAUSE YOU SAID REVENUE, JUST TO CLARIFY.
WELL, THIS WOULD BE KIND OF, I GUESS BOTH.
IF WE'RE LOOKING AT STRS THE SAME WAY, THEN I WOULD SAY THAT THIS WOULD BE BOTH REVENUES AND AND EXPENDITURES.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? I WILL SECOND IT.
UM, SO YOU'RE WANTING TO LOOK AT OUR PROGRAM? YES.
NUMBER FOUR IN GENERAL, UH, MAINLY BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
UH, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY THIS INSURANCE ISSUE WITH THE HERITAGE PROGRAMS THAT I'VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN PERSONALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH, I THINK IS REALLY FUN.
AS IT APPLIES TO CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THE USE OF HOT TAX FUNDS.
UM, WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO JOIN THAT COMMITTEE OR WORKING GROUP, I SHOULD SAY ALREADY COMMITTEE.
SO COMMISSIONER, WHAT'S THAT? I'M SORRY.
COMMISSIONER MATHIS, IF I AM ALREADY ON THE OCCUPANCY TAX COMMITTEE, THE, THE SHORT TERM RENTAL.
OH, I DIDN'T SEE YOU RAISE YOUR HAND.
OKAY, SO THEN I WILL TAKE MYSELF OFF THAT COMMITTEE
LET'S CORRECT THE RECORD 'CAUSE I DID NOT SEE YOU.
SO LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT I AM OFF THAT COMMITTEE AND I'LL BE ON THE ARTS COMMITTEE WITH COMMISSIONER REY.
UM, AND WE HAVE COMMISSIONER, GOSH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE, WHO IS GONE TODAY.
COMMISSIONER CHA, COMMISSIONER MCGEE WANNA BE, MAY WANNA BE ON YOUR COMMITTEE.
UM, HOW DO THESE COMMITTEES MEET? DO THEY MEET IN PERSON OR DO THEY MEET THINKING? ME, WE'VE DONE IT BOTH, BOTH WAYS.
ZOOM, UM, IN PERSON, PERSON PHONE, PHONE CALLS.
MY COMMITTEE WILL MEET AT CEDAR DOOR,
I MEAN, I'M, I'M ALL FOR, YOU KNOW, BEING FLEXIBLE AS LONG AS THE WORK IS HAPPENING.
AND AGAIN, WE SHOULD, UM, WE SHOULD EMPHASIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE WE'RE KIND OF GROWING UP HERE AS A COMMISSION, I WOULD SAY, AND LIKE FEELING OUR DRUTHERS SO TO SPEAK.
UM, SO OF COURSE I THINK WE SHOULD MEET SEPARATELY JUST AS COMMISSIONERS AND, YOU KNOW, BUT THINK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN ENGAGE OTHER PARTS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN MEMBERS FROM OTHER COMMISSIONS PERHAPS, UH, AND OTHER ENGAGED FOLKS IN THE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
HAVE A BEARING ON THE WORK OF THE WORKING COMMITTEE, UM, BUT ALSO KIND OF IDENTIFY LIKE A CULTURE WITH YOUR COMMISSION OR RATHER WORKING GROUP THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE AND THEN WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO ACHIEVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE WORKING GROUP IS REALLY ABOUT FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN BETTER THE COLLECTION AND EXP EXPENDITURE OF HOT TAX REVENUE AS IT RELATES TO THE ARTS, MUSIC, UM, CULTURAL ARTS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION ON ONE SIDE, THEN ALSO ON THE SHORT TERM RENTAL ISSUE ON THE OTHER.
COMMISSIONER BAILEY, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, UM, I REGRET THAT I DON'T HAVE THE ROADMAP IN FRONT OF ME TODAY.
AND WE'RE ABOUT TO GET TO THAT.
IS IT, WELL, THE, THE ONLY POINT THE QUESTION I HAVE IS JUST, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MAYBE RHETORICAL, BUT, YOU KNOW, COMING OUTTA THIS MEETING POTENTIAL OF SETTING UP TWO TASK FORCE COMING STRAIGHT OUTTA THIS MEETING AND THEN LOOKING AT THE ROADMAP, I'M JUST ASKING IN THE BROADER SENSE HOW MANY TASK FORCE, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE COMING SPINNING OUT OF THESE AND WHICH ONES HOW TO IDENTIFY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE HAVE A LOT OF YOU, YOU PUT, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A LOT OF ISSUES IN THE ROADMAP MM-HMM.
[01:55:01]
AFFECT AND THAT, SO I'M JUST KIND OF THROWING IT OUT THERE.IF, IF I WERE LOOKING AT THAT, I WAS GONNA SAY THE NEXT MEETING, ARE WE GONNA SET UP ANOTHER TASK FORCE AND ANOTHER TASK FORCE? AND I, YOU KNOW, SO I'M JUST, I MEAN, I DO, THE S T R THING HAS BEEN LOOMING OVER THIS FROM THE GET GO FROM THE DAY THIS COMMISSION STARTED.
IT'S BEEN LOOMING, IT'S IMPORTANT AND I SEE THE, THE NEED FOR US TO PICK UP THE PACE ON THAT.
SO, AND I, AND I'M NOT, I HAVE NO ARGUMENT.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE A CASE AGAINST OR FOR THE ARTS THING AS MUCH AS I'M TRYING TO ASK QUESTION OF THE TIME RESOURCES OF THE BODY AND WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON.
SO IT'S, IT'S RHETORICAL, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I'M JUST, IT'S JUST A COMMENT FOR ALL OF US.
NOT ABSOLUTELY NOT TO MAKE A POINT.
COMMISSIONER SHALEY, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? COMMISSIONER? DID I SEE YOUR HANDS? OH, I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD AGREE TO NO NEW WORKING GROUPS UNTIL THESE TWO ARE COMPLETE, IF THAT WOULD MAKE EVERYONE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE.
SO TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, JUST THE MECHANICS OF A WORKING GROUP, IT IS, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE THEM UNTIL NEXT JULY AND THEN THEY EXPIRE.
AND THEN YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO RENEW THEM WITH, UM, THE COMPLETION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT.
AND THEN I BELIEVE THAT'S IN, WOULD BE IN, UH, THE AUGUST MEETING OF 2024.
WE WOULD THEN MOVE TO KEEP IT GOING OR SUNSET THE COMMISSION OR SUNSET THE, UH, WORKING GROUP RATHER, UM, DON'T BE OUTSIDE.
THAT WAS A VERY STATED PURPOSE.
THEY APPETITE A VERY STATED PURPOSE.
AND WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS, OH, COOL.
UM, THE STATED PURPOSE FOR BOTH, JUST TO CLARIFY, IS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE IMPACT OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS ON, UM, HOT TAX REVENUE EXPENDITURE OR, UM, THANKS FOR EXPENDITURE OR IT'S A LONG DAY.
IT COULD BE LIKE FUNDING AND COMPLIANCE.
I MEAN EXPENDITURES AND REVENUE.
SO THE OTHER THING WOULD BE FOR THE ARTS CULTURE, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, ET CETERA.
MUSIC, UH, WOULD BE REALLY THE SAME THING.
JUST ENSURING THAT THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE OF THE HOT TAX DOLLARS ARE, YOU KNOW, FUNDING THOSE PROGRAMS. SO EXPENDITURE AND, UH, REVENUE SIDE AS WELL.
AND I'M NOTING THAT THE TIME HERE TOO, WE ARE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER WITH THE PERMISSION OF, I THINK WE MIGHT WANNA PAUSE MORE THAN 10 MINUTES OVER.
I THINK WE MIGHT WANNA PAUSE ON THE, THE ARTS GROUP ONLY BECAUSE OF THE FINAL RAPPORT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE THE PILOT PROGRAM AND SO THAT WE COULD HAVE REAL RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OFF OF THEIR WORK THAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING.
WE COULD SPRINKLE IN AND, AND ADD TO THAT WHERE THE S D R THINGS LIKE, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE UP AND RUNNING AND CAN GET MOVING PRETTY QUICKLY ON THAT.
WITH THAT PAUSE YOU MOTION AND YOU SECOND, BUT YOU DIDN'T VOTE, BUT THERE WAS NO VOTE.
SO I MEAN, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT'S ALL ALSO ANOTHER PROPOSAL.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, SO I COULD GO EITHER WAY DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, THE INTEREST OF THIS COMMISSION AND ADDRESSING THESE TOPICS.
I THINK THERE'S SOME MORE QUESTIONS THAT WE COULD ASK TO IMPROVE MM-HMM.
UM, COMMISSIONER REEDY, UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE WORKING GROUP COULD BE HELPFUL IN TELLING THE, THE, OR ASKING QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE REPORT THAT THEY PROVIDE.
'CAUSE YOU HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FINAL REPORT FIRST YEAH.
AROUND, UH, THE PILOT PROGRAM, BUT THEY WERE BRINGING THOSE IN.
SO I WOULD SAY THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO DO A WORKING GROUP THAT WOULD THEN SURFACE QUESTIONS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ANSWERED.
UM, AND I DON'T EVEN SEE THE WORKING GROUP AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, MAKING CONCRETE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT PROGRAM CHANGES, JUST ASKING QUESTIONS AND ASKING FOR DATA.
THAT COULD BE, THAT COULD BE RESULT IN THAT REPORT FOR SURE.
BUT MAYBE WE COULD GET THAT DONE, UM, OVER EMAIL THEN.
I'M NOT SAYING NO TO THE WORKING GROUP.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE I DON'T WANNA TAX THE, THE COMMISSION.
UM, WITH DOUBLING UP OF, OF EFFORTS AND KIND OF COMING IN, I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND THE QUESTIONING OF BOTH OF THESE TOPICS.
SO FOR CLARITY, WE'RE NOT DOUBLE DIPPING ON THE COMMISSIONS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE TWO OF US.
AND IF, IF THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO JOIN OUR COMMISSION OR OUR WORKING GROUP, THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO.
I WOULD ALSO BE FINE TABLING THIS TILL NEXT MONTH WHEN COMMISSIONER MCGEE CAN BE HERE.
'CAUSE I KNOW THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO HER.
'CAUSE SHE WORKS AS, AS A TECHNICAL PERSON IN THE ARTS.
IF FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO, OH, GO AHEAD.
SO I'M NOT REALLY OPPOSED TO THIS, UM, ON, ON THE ARTS, BUT MY QUESTION IS WHY ISN'T THIS BETTER HANDLED BY THE ARTS COMMISSION? I THINK THE REAL QUESTION HERE IS IT'S, IT'S MORE JUST LOOKING AT ALL OF THE USES OF HOT TAX REVENUE.
AND WE'RE NOT JUST FOCUSING ON THE ARTS PROGRAM.
WE'RE FOCUSING ON WAYS TO IMPROVE ALL PROGRAMS THAT USE HOT TAX REVENUE.
AND I GUESS I WOULD, I WOULD ADD THAT THE RIGHT, THE MUSIC AND ARTS ARE A TOURIST
[02:00:01]
DRAW TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE SAME LIGHT THAT FOOD IS, AND THAT'S THE CONNECTION TO THE HOT TAX, WHICH IS ALSO A PART OF OUR PURVIEW.SO THAT'S LIKE KIND OF WHY IT'S LIKE, IT'S ALL, I JUST, I JUST, I JUST ASKED A QUESTION.
WELL, AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER SHANNON, 'CAUSE YOU KEEP US ON TASK.
COMMISSIONER MATHIS, I UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT OF YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE I OFTEN SOMETIMES WONDER THE SAME SORTS OF THINGS.
'CAUSE THE TOURISM COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, I WOULD THINK THAT THE LARGEST PART OF OUR MISSION WOULD BE PROMOTING TOURISM.
AND WHEN WE'RE ALWAYS JUST, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT BASICALLY HOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SPEND THE HOT TAX.
SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I JOINED A BOOK CLUB WHERE NO ONE WANTS TO READ BOOKS
AND THEN NOT ONLY THAT, WHEN I LOOK AT LIKE, SEEING RESISTANCE ON CONVICTION CENTERS AND TFIS, WHATEVER, NOT ONLY DO I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES I JOINED A BOOK CLUB THAT DOESN'T WANNA READ BOOKS, BUT IT'S A BOOK CLUB THAT WANTS TO BAN BOOKS.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, I, WHAT I MEAN IS THAT I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO A LITTLE MORE INTERESTED IN ACTUALLY PROMOTING TOURISM.
AND I, I THINK, UM, I, WE HEAR YOUR COMMENT.
AND I'M NOTING HERE THAT WE HAVE LIKE FIVE MORE MINUTES AND THEN WE NEED TO END THIS MEETING.
SO, UH, I THINK WE'RE TABLING THE WORKING GROUP FOR THE ARTS RIGHT NOW.
UM, PENDING THE RELEASE OF THIS REPORT.
WHEN IS THE REPORT, UM, DIRECTOR HOLT RAB, WHEN IS THAT GOING TO BE RELEASED? IN THE NEXT YEAR SOMETIME.
ONCE THE CONSULTANT HAS GATHERED ALL THE DATA, AND WE CAN SEND YOU A LINK BECAUSE LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, IT WILL BE TRANSPARENT AND ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO WE CAN SEND THAT TO YOU ONCE IT'S READY.
UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL WORK TO REVISIT THAT TOPIC AT A, A LATER DATE.
UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE THAT I THINK COMES UP A LOT AS IT IS A MAJOR USE OF OUR HOT TAX DOLLARS.
COMMISSIONER SHAY, A CLARIFYING COMMENT, JUST, JUST POINT OF ORDER IS, IS THERE A DATE THAT YOU WANT TO POSTPONE THIS TO OR IS, UH, LIKE WHEN, UM, OR IS IT POSTPONED INDEFINITELY? I I THINK IT, IT'S, UM, WELL, WE'LL LOOK INTO IT EARLY NEXT YEAR.
'CAUSE WE ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW WHEN THE REPORT IS GOING TO COME OUT.
SO IF THAT SUITS THE COMMISSION, I'M HAPPY TO LEAVE IT AT THAT.
UM, SO SKIPPING TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN WITH DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION, UPCOMING AGENDA TOPICS NEXT, UH, AGENDA DURING OUR NOVEMBER AND FINAL MEETING OF THE YEAR.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE SPEAKING ADDRESSING THIS TOPIC OF LABOR AS IT RELATES TO TOURISM.
AND, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, MCGEE AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER BAAN ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS.
AND I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THEIR WORK IS REFLECTED IN THE FOLKS THAT WE BRING AND, YOU KNOW, ENSURING THAT THIS IS AN, AN ELEVATED ISSUE FOR THE COMMISSION.
SO I LEAN ON THE, ON THOSE TWO COMMISSIONERS AND I'LL, I'LL LET RACHEL KNOW AFTER THIS MEETING.
BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER BAAN, IF YOU HAVE IDEAS FOR SPEAKERS WHO CAN COME TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE, UH, AS IT RELATES TO TOURISM AND THE HOT TECHS, I'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
UM, AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I CAN WORK IN COOR IN COORDINATION WITH, UH, MS. OJEDA IN POLLING TOGETHER THE AGENDA.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ON THE MOST IMMEDIATE UPCOMING AGENDA ITEM FOR NEXT MEETING, UM, THERE WILL BE A SPACE ON NEXT, UM, NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA TO TALK ABOUT FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE COMING YEAR, 2024.
SO PLEASE BRING YOUR THINKING CAPS.
THERE ARE SORT OF SUGGESTIONS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE EXISTING ROADMAP, UH, BUT I DID WANT THAT TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, CLEAR THAT THERE IS A PATHWAY OF COMMUNICATION.
FINAL, UM, DISCUSSION AND ACTION
[6. Discussion and possible action on the Tourism Commission Meetings for 2024 calendar year]
ITEM.NUMBER SIX RELATES TO THE, UH, MEETINGS FOR THE 2024 CALENDAR.
AS I MENTIONED IN MY NOTES, COMMISSION STAFF, EXCUSE ME, TO COMMISSIONERS.
UM, THE FACT THAT WE HAD THIS EARLIER IN THE DAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK IS A REALLY GOOD THING FOR GETTING THE, THE D IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHICH I THINK IS THE MOST AGREEABLE PLACE FOR A MEETING.
UH, AND ALSO CENTRAL LOCATED FOR MANY AND ALLOWS MANY TO AVOID, UM, TRAFFIC AS WELL AS OTHER COMMITMENTS, UH, ARE MISSING THOSE COMMITMENTS RATHER.
[02:05:01]
I WOULD LOVE YOUR SCHEDULES AND I'M GONNA WORK WITH, UH, MS. OJEDA TO CREATE SOME SORT OF SURVEY TOOL FOR Y'ALL TO PUT IN WHAT DATES AND TIMES.GENERALLY IT'S GONNA BE DAY OF THE WEEK, SO MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS.
WHAT ARE THE MOST AVAILABLE FOR YOU AND TIME WINDOWS THAT CAN ALLOW US TO APPROXIMATE, UH, WHEN WE CAN HAVE THE MEETING SUBJECT TO CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER'S? AVAILABILITY.
UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS AGAIN.
UM, AND ALSO IT'LL BE YES NO IF NEED BE.
SO IF YOU, IF YOU REALLY CAN'T, YOU CAN PUT THAT.
BUT IF, IF IT'S, IF NEED BE, PLEASE PUT THAT.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH 11 PEOPLE IN THEIR SCHEDULES.
UM, I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT, AS WOULD MS. OJEDA.
UH, 'CAUSE GETTING ANY MEETING SCHEDULED WITH 11 PEOPLE IS PRETTY DIFFICULT, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, PLEASE LOOK FOR FURTHER, UM, EMAIL COMMUNICATION.
AND IN ADDITION, UM, YOU KNOW, LET'S ALSO BRING OUR THINKING CAPS FOR THE CONVERSATION NEXT MEETING.
UM, WITH REGARD TO FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS.
AND ALSO IN THE MEANTIME, NOW THAT WE'VE CREATED THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL, UM, WORKING GROUP, YOU CAN MEET BEFORE THE NOVEMBER MEETING AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU OFFER A REPORT OF YOUR FIRST MEETING AND WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO DO, UH, SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S, UH, GONNA BE CONVERSATION BASED, BUT LOOKING AT SHORT TERM RENTALS AND WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS A COMMISSION TO INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY AS WELL AS, UM, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND PARTNERSHIP WITH STAFF AND OTHER COMMISSIONS WITH REGARD TO HOW TO ADDRESS THIS IMPORTANT POLICY ISSUE, UH, AROUND TAXES, AROUND REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, UH, AROUND THE HOT TAX.
WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER LAST COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SO SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.
UNANIMOUSLY, UH, WE CONCLUDE THIS MEETING.
AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH AT THE TOURISM COMMISSION.