[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:07]
SIX O'CLOCK, I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
IS THAT CORRECT? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
UH, CAITLIN? IS THAT, I'M SORRY, THE, THE NEW MEMBER.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? I'M, CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF? I'M, I APOLOGIZE.
UM, I'M CURRENTLY A SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
UM, I'M ALSO A GRADUATE STUDENT IN THE LBJ SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AND I'M HOPING TO GRADUATE SPECIFICALLY.
AND WHY THE HECK DID YOU DECIDE TO DO THIS? BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR DOING IT.
FOLKS, THIS IS A VERY LIGHT AGENDA.
UM, FOR THE MEMBERS JOINING US ONLINE, I DIDN'T GET EVERYBODY SIGN IN FOR ATTENDANCE, SO I NEED THAT INFORMATION SENT TO ME SO THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETING.
THERE IS A SIGN IN SHEET THAT MUST BE COMPLETED, I GUESS, TO BE A, TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING VIRTUALLY.
CAITLYN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THAT.
DID YOU GET, UH, WHO, WHO ARE YOU MISSING? I'M MISSING? UM, AMANDA AND MELISSA.
THEY'RE GOT AMANDA'S RIGHT NOW.
MELISSA, DID YOU SEND YOUR SIGN IN SHEET? I'M GETTING IT RIGHT NOW.
WE STILL HAVE A QUORUM, FOLKS.
SO, ALRIGHT, SEEING THAT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, THIS AGAIN IS GOING TO BE A, A SHORT, QUICK MEETING AND PRETTY MUCH A STRAIGHTFORWARD MEETING ACTUALLY.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE MINUTES I THINK SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS, WHICH WE'LL START WITH THOSE, THE APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER MEETING MINUTES.AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE OCTOBER MINUTES MOTION.
ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING? NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
[2. Review and Discussion of Director’s Report (Staffing Update, Budget Update, City of Austin Equity Based Preservation Plan, EV Charging Stations, Litter Abatement, Solicitations Update, Performance Reports, and Statistical Reports) – Richard McHale]
ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S SEE.THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS LITERALLY THE, UM, OH MY GOD, RICHARD, I THINK, I THINK THIS IS YOU BUDDY.
EVENING MCHALE, DIRECTOR OF FROST AND RESOURCE RECOVERY.
UH, IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE, UH, THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT FOR, UM, NOVEMBER.
UM, COVERS A FEW OF THE THINGS, UH, QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED ABOUT THE LAST MEETING.
ONE OF 'EM WAS ABOUT STAFFING.
UH, YOU'LL NOTICE WE ARE STILL, UH, STILL WORKING TO GET UP TO SPEED.
STAFFING WISE, WE ARE AT A 14.5%, UH, VACANCY RATE.
UH, BUT WE HOPE TO HAVE THAT, UH, THAT GAP, UH, TIGHTENED HERE AS, UH, OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AS WE REALLY PUSH FOR, UH, OUR HIRING AND GETTING FOLKS IN TRAINING AND, AND, UH, AND SITUATED.
SO, UM, PLEASE BEAR WITH US IF, UH, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES NEEDED FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
SO, UM, THERE WAS SOME, UH, THERE WAS A QUESTION TOO ABOUT, I GUESS OUR RESERVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY THE LAST, THIS PAST, UH, FISCAL YEAR, THE, THE CITY HAD INCREASED THE, THE, THE RESERVE FOR THE GENERAL FUND THAT DID NOT APPLY TO ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
SO WE STILL HAVE A ONE 12TH REQUIREMENT FOR OUR RESERVE.
SO, UM, AS WE APPROACH BUDGET SEASON, WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE ON HOW WE GO ABOUT ENSURING THAT WE ARE PROTECTED IN CASE OF ANOTHER CATASTROPHE.
'CAUSE UH, OBVIOUSLY THIS PAST ONE DID, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE BEEN REIMBURSED, UH, PARTIALLY FOR THE, FOR THE OUR COST, UM, THERE'S STILL SOME SIGNIFICANT EXPENSES THAT WE DID INCUR THAT WE HAVE TO, TO, TO WORK WITH.
SO, UM, AND, UH, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I WILL, UH, TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
YEAH, I'M JUST CURIOUS FOR THE STAFFING, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MAIN THING, LIKE HOLDING BACK, FILLING THOSE VACANCIES? LIKE IS IT PEOPLE APPLYING OR JUST LIKE NOT THE RIGHT PEOPLE OR, UM, WELL, WE, WE BE GETTING, WE'VE BEGINNING SOME FOLKS APPLYING AND GETTING
[00:05:01]
IN THOSE POSITIONS.UM, BUT A LOT OF IT'S ALSO, A LOT OF FOLKS, ONCE THEY GET TO THE JOB, IT'S NOT QUITE WHAT THEY THOUGHT.
SO, UH, A LOT OF FOLKS, IT'S NOT REALLY THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THEY'RE, UH, INTERESTED IN.
UM, A LOT OF FOLKS JUST FIND OTHER HIGHER PAYING POSITIONS, HONESTLY.
UM, SO WE LOSE FOLKS TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHERE THERE'S A BIG NEED FOR CDL OPERATORS AS WELL.
SO WE ARE ALSO CURRENTLY JUST LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, HOW WE PAY FOLKS IN OUR, UM, COMPENSATION PACKAGES AND HOW THAT, UH, HOW THAT RELATES TO THE, THE VACANCY THAT WE'RE SEEING.
SO WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN, UM, THE BEST WE CAN RIGHT NOW.
AND AGAIN, THE OPERATORS ARE AGAIN, IN DEMAND ALL OVER, UM, PRIVATE SECTOR IS PAYING TOP DOLLAR BONUSES, YOU NAME IT.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR A CITY TO COMPETE WITH THAT AT THIS POINT.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, A LOT OF THESE FOLKS WANNA KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THEY'RE TAKING HOME ON FRIDAY AND, UH, DON'T THINK ABOUT 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
SO NONETHELESS, GOOD LUCK WITH THE CHALLENGES GUYS.
WELL, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OH, QUESTION.
UH, MELISSA CAN GO AHEAD AND OH, OKAY, MELISSA.
UM, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FROM THE POSTING OF THE APPLICATION TO ACTUALLY HIRING SOMEBODY? GENERALLY YOU HAVE THE AVERAGE TIME.
OH, YOU KNOW, IT COULD TAKE UPWARDS OF A, PROBABLY BY TIME THAT'S FROM THE POSITION'S POSTED UNTIL FILLING IT, YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT GOOD EIGHT TO 10 WEEKS.
UM, 'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE TO, UH, HAVE TO DO, UM, CHECKS ON THE DRIVERS AS FAR AS THEIR DRIVING RECORDS.
SO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT.
AND THEN ONCE THOSE FOLKS ARE SELECTED TO BE, UH, TO BE HIRED, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A, A DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING.
SO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND WAIT FOR THOSE RESULTS.
SO IT'S A LITTLE LONGER ON, ESPECIALLY ON CDL TYPE POSITIONS.
NOW, AN OFFICE TYPE POSITION MIGHT NOT TAKE QUITE AS LONG.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR, UH, RICHARD? DIRECTOR? I, I HAD SOME MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, THE, THE HIRING AND, AND, AND THE SITUATION THERE.
I SEEM TO REMEMBER THAT WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF, WE DISCUSSED BONUSES, UM, SIGNING BONUSES, COMPLETION OF TRAINING BONUSES.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED OR THAT YOU HAVE THE ABILITY OR INTEREST IN IMPLEMENTING TO TRY TO ADDRESS THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VACANCIES AND THE OPERATOR POSITIONS? YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL HAVE TO HAVE OUR HR MANAGER COME IN AND SPEAK TO THAT.
I DON'T KNOW ALL THE, THE DETAILS ON WHAT ALL WE'VE FINISHED.
UM, WE DID HAVE A MARKET STUDY THAT WAS A WHILE BACK THAT, UH, SO THERE WERE SOME OPERATORS SAW SOME INCREASES FOR THAT.
UH, WE DID RECENTLY ALSO BECAUSE OF SOME, THE, UH, THE PAY RATE INCREASE FOR THE LIVING WAGE THAT BUMPED IT TO 2080 ALSO CREATED SOME SLIGHT COMPRESSION ISSUES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK WE HAD ABOUT 15 POSITIONS THERE THAT HAD TO BE ADDRESSED AS WELL.
UH, WE WERE ALSO LOOKING TO SEE, UM, WHAT WE COULD DO FOR OUR HARDER TO FILL POSITIONS SUCH AS OUR, UM, EARLY MORNING CREWS THAT CLEAN IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THAT'S A VERY HARD POSITION TO FILL BECAUSE OF THE HOURS THEY START WORK AT, YOU KNOW, EARLY IN THE MORNING, TWO, THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.
SO, UM, FOR THAT ONE, WE, UM, ARE REQUESTING A, AN AMENDMENT TO OUR, A CHANGE IN OUR POLICY OF HOW WE PAY THE SHIFT PAY FOR THOSE FOLKS.
UH, SO CURRENTLY THEY ONLY GET THE SHIFT PAY FOR THOSE HOURS, I THINK BEFORE SIX O'CLOCK.
AND THEN AFTER THAT IT GOES BACK TO THEIR REGULAR RATE.
SO, UH, WE'VE MADE A REQUEST TO HAVE THAT SHIFT PAY FOR THE ENTIRE, UH, SHIFT.
UM, JUST, IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT DOES HELP.
UM, WE FEEL LIKE EVERY LITTLE BIT WOULD HELP THERE.
SO, SO THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE ASKING FOR, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY COME BACK WITH, UM, UH, WHAT WE'VE DONE AS FAR AS, UM, THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE HAD PROPOSED.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TO KNOW.
AND, AND WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE ASKING FOR THIS, SO YOUR DEPARTMENT ASKS HR, LIKE THE OVERALL CITY HUMAN RESOURCES IF YOU'RE ALLOWED TO DO THIS, OR HOW, HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK? CORRECT.
SO OUR DEPARTMENT HAS A, A SHIFT POLICY.
SO ANY CHANGES THAT POLICY HAVE TO BE AGREED TO BY OUR HRD CORPORATE OFFICE.
SO WE WE'RE SENDING OUR, UH, DRAFT REVISION, UH, TO THEM.
THEY'LL REVIEW IT JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN LINE WITH, WITH CITY POLICY AND IF IT'S OKAY MM-HMM.
SO WE'RE NOT EXPECTING ANY, ANY ISSUES WITH THAT THOUGH.
AND, AND I, HOW QUICKLY DID, DOES THAT PROCESS TAKE PLACE? UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD IMAGINE BEFORE, I, MY HOPE WOULD BE BEFORE THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR THAT WE WILL HAVE AN ANSWER.
SO PROBABLY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
YEAH, BECAUSE I SEE YOUR OVERALL RATE OF VACANCY DOESN'T LOOK TOO BAD, BUT THEN WITHIN THE OPERATORS THAT'S ALMOST 40%, UM, VACANCY.
SO WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU ALL HAVING TO DO NOW TO COVER THE SAME AMOUNT OF WORK WITH, WITH SUCH A, A REDUCED, UH, CREW? YEAH, SO WHILE, WHILE IT'S A HIGH
[00:10:01]
NUMBER, THOSE ARE VACANT BUDGETED POSITIONS.SO WE DO HAVE TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES, SO WE'RE NOT SHORT OF OF STAFF.
WE JUST HAVE TO GET THOSE EMPLOYEES OR CDLS AND GET THROUGH, THROUGH THE PROCESS AND GET INTO THOSE BUDGETED POSITIONS.
I WAS GONNA HOLD ON UNTIL WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR RICHARD COMMISSIONERS? THANK YOU RICHARD.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
GUYS, I THINK WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER THAT SIGNED UP AND I, BARBARA COMBS.FEEL FREE TO JOIN US AND KATRINA AND BEFORE BARBARA, AS BARBARA'S SETTING UP, I WANNA INTRODUCE KATRINA AND WHO IS OUR NEWEST MEMBER.
AND I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE WERE ALMOST COMPLETELY AND FULLY STAFFED THAT, UH, UM, AND NEED MISSING ONE FROM BARELY HAVING SIX TO, UH, ALMOST A FULL HOUSE.
UH, SHOULD I START? YES, PLEASE, BOY.
UM, I'M JUST WANTING TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, A METRIC THAT WAS TRACKED FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS BY TCEQ IN THEIR, UM, MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE A YEAR IN REVIEW REPORT HAS BEEN, UH, CHANGED.
UM, IT'S BEEN REMOVED FROM THE REPORTING OF THAT DOCUMENT BECAUSE IT WAS REPORTED INCORRECTLY.
UM, I DID ASK THE THREE COMMISSIONERS CATCH MY BREATH, UM, THE THREE COMMISSIONERS AND THE MS REC SEVERAL TIMES TO, UM, CORRECT THE WAY IT WAS BEING REPORTED.
AND, UM, THAT WAS, UM, IT, IT'S JUST BEEN MET WITH DEAF EARS.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT A FABULOUS METRIC THAT IS.
THE STATE OF TEXAS IN 2001 WAS AT 7.18 POUNDS PER PERSON PER DAY.
TODAY WE'RE AT 7.25 POUNDS PER PERSON PER DAY.
GARBAGE PER CAPITA IS JUST A, IT'S JUST A, IT BRINGS IT DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.
IF YOU KNEW THAT OKLAHOMA WAS AT LESS THAN SEVEN AND THEY WERE AT LIKE 6.68, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD MOTIVATE SOME PEOPLE.
I THINK WE NEED TO STOP GUILT TRIPPING THIS, BUT GAMIFY IT, LET'S HAVE FUN WITH IT.
AND, AND GARBAGE PER CAP, PER CAPITA IS ABSOLUTELY A WAY TO DO IT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, I'M SORRY, BUT THERE'S THE REASON, THE REASON THEY TOOK IT OUT, AND I, I THINK IT'S REASON REASONABLE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT THE DATA TO BE CREATED INCORRECTLY.
THIS IS A MAP, IF YOU CAN SEE IT, AND I'M FORWARDED ALL THIS DATA TO, UH, YOEL YEAH.
HEL AND, UM, SHE'LL BE FORWARDING THAT TO YOU.
BUT, UM, IF YOU CAN SEE, RIGHT IN THE CENTER IS THE HEART OF TEXAS COUNCIL AND GOVERNMENT.
IT'S ABOUT SIX COUNTIES, 18 DIFFERENT COUNTIES SHIP THEIR WASTE TO THE ATKA LANDFILL.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEIR GARBAGE PER CAPITA IN THE TCQ REPORTING, IT WAS 12 POUNDS PER PERSON PER DAY.
WELL THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY WEREN'T HIT BY A HURRICANE, SO IT WAS INCORRECT.
AND WHAT I KEPT ASKING THEM TO DO WAS, PLEASE ASK THE LANDFILLS AS THEY REPORT TO REPORT IT BY COUNTY, THEY'RE ALREADY REPORTING ALL THEIR TOTAL TONS AND THEY'RE REPORTING THE NUMBER OF COUNTIES THAT DISPOSE IN THEIR LANDFILL.
THE PUSHBACK I GET WAS THAT, UM, WELL THAT'S OUR DATA AND BUT RECYCLERS HAVE BEEN REPORTING THIS FOR DECADES.
AND WHERE IS IT GETTING US? I MEAN, WHEN SOMEBODY KNOWS, OH, I'M SO SORRY.
OH, THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S THE VOLUME.
SO SHE'LL BE FORWARDING THAT INFORMATION TO YOU.
I I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A HEADS UP AND, UM, ON, ON THE LACK OF DATA AND HOW IMPRESSIVE IT IS.
UM, THE CITY OF RICHARDSON REDUCED THEIR WASTE BY 14% IN TWO YEARS WHEN THEY KNEW WHAT THEIR GARBAGE PER CAPITA WAS IN RELATION TO FRISCO.
THEY DIDN'T WANNA BE AT THE, THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE.
AND THEY, THEY, THEY, ONCE THEY REALIZE THEIR RANKING, THEY REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE.
[00:15:03]
THANK YOU, MS. COMBS.ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. COMBS? ANY THOUGHTS? I, I, UH, UH OH, AMANDA, I'M SORRY.
I DID, I DID HAVE A, A FEW QUESTIONS.
SO LET ME MAKE SURE I, I WANNA RESTATE THIS TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY.
TCEQ GETS TOTAL TONNAGE FROM EACH LANDFILL.
AND THEY KNOW HOW MANY COUNTIES ARE REPORTING OR DISPOSED AT EACH LANDFILL, THOSE LANDFILLS REPORT WHICH COUNTIES DISPOSE.
SO I'M ASSUMING THIS IS A BIG LEAP THOUGH, THAT THEY KNOW THE TONS PER COUNTY.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THINK, AND EVEN IF THEY DON'T, THEY CAN GET THAT.
I MEAN, THEY CAN, IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF A HICCUP TO, TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, BUT THE RECYCLERS HAVE BEEN DOING IT AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, FOR DECADES.
I'M NOT ENTIRELY UNDERSTANDING.
SO IF THEY'RE REPORTING THE NUMERATOR AND THE DENOMINATOR, THEN WHY CAN'T WE GET THAT PERCENT? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT'S THE ISSUE WITH JUST, IF THEY REPORT X NUMBER OF TIMES, THEY'RE, AND THEY REPORT Y NUMBER OF COUNTIES.
WE JUST HAVE TCQ DO THE DIVISION ON THEIR OWN.
THERE'S A, A, A FORM THAT NEEDS TO BE AMENDED, UH, TO ASK THEM BY COUNTY.
SO INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE CONSOLIDATED NUMBER FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SKA LANDFILL, THEY WOULD HAVE 18 THAT WOULD TOTAL THAT COUNTY TOTAL, THAT TOTAL NUMBER.
THEY WOULD ADD 18 DIFFERENT ENTRIES FOR EACH ONE, FOR EACH COUNTY.
'CAUSE THEY'RE SHIPPING WASTE FROM HARRIS AND TOM GREEN.
AND YOU KNOW, DALLAS IS SHOWING LIKE SEVEN POUNDS PER PERSON PER DAY WHILE WACO'S SHOWING 12.
ONCE WE GET IT ALL, WHERE IT'S AN ALL, EVERYBODY'S ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, LET THE GAMES BEGIN, IT WILL BE SO MUCH FUN.
I, I'M NOT KIDDING YOU AND I COME TO YOU AS SOMEONE WHO AT ONE POINT WAS A RECYCLING COORDINATOR AND GOT THEIR CITY TO A 64% DIVERSION RATE.
AND I I, WE DID IT WITHOUT MANDATES.
MANDATES ARE, UH, JUST ANOTHER PIECE OF RED TAPE IN MY HEAD UNTIL YOU'VE GOT YOUR CITY UP TO LIKE A 50, 60% DIVERSION RATE.
SO WHAT WE COULD DO NOW WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE IS GET AN AVERAGE RATE PER COUNTY FOR THE 10 OR FIVE OR 18 COUNTIES THAT DISPOSE AT A PARTICULAR LANDFILL.
BUT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET INDIVIDUAL COUNTY RATES UNLESS THE LANDFILLS TRACKED WHAT WAS COMING IN BY COUNTY.
SO FOR AUSTIN, YOU HAVE 10 DIFFERENT COUNTIES THAT ARE IN CAP COG, YOU HAVE A CONSOLIDATED NUMBER FOR CAP COG.
IF YOU TAKE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION FOR AUSTIN OUT OF THAT, THEN IN, I, I'VE DONE THAT, IF YOU WANNA KNOW, YOU WERE AT A LITTLE OVER FIVE POUNDS PER PERSON PER DAY IN 2001.
AND TODAY YOU'RE AT OVER SIX, LIKE 6.8, YOU'VE GAINED ALMOST 0.89 POUNDS OVER ALMOST A A POUND OVER THREE QUARTERS OF A POUND IN OVER 10 YEARS.
SO YOU, YOU, WHAT HAPPENS, LIKE FRISCO KNEW THAT THEY, WHEN THEY GOT THE DATA, BECAUSE THEIR LANDFILL HAPPENS TO, THEY'RE REQUIRED BY LAW, FIVE CITIES IN NORTH TEXAS ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO SHIP THEIR WASTE TO A 1 21 LANDFILL.
AND FRISCO WAS AT 3.3 POUNDS PER PERSON PER DAY.
BUT THEY KNEW THEY DID THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A FABULOUS CONSTRUCTION DEMOLITION, UH, PROGRAM, WHICH IS CHEAPER FOR ALL THE DEVELOPERS TO USE THAN IT IS TO LANDFILL.
AND SO ALAN SHARES IN THAT, SO THEY'RE RIGHT UNDER RANKED RIGHT UNDERNEATH FRISCO.
AND THEN PLANOS THIRD, WHICH THEY DIDN'T LIKE
AND THEN, UM, MCKINNEY AND THEN RICHARDSON AND RICHARDSON HAD A POLICY, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING YOUR TIME, BUT THE REASON THEY WERE IN FIFTH PLACE AT FIVE POUNDS FOR, IT'S IN AN ARTICLE THAT'S BEING SENT TO YOU, UM, THAT CAME OUT IN 2020.
AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK ON THIS EVER SINCE.
UM, ANYWAY, RICHARDSON HAD A POLICY THAT THEY WERE SUBSIDIZING THE GARBAGE COLLECTION AND, UH, IT WAS TO HELP THE LOWER INCOME POPULATION ONCE THEY REALIZED THOUGH, THAT THAT WAS CAUSING THEM TO, UH, EXTEND THE, TO REDUCE THE LIFETIME OF THE LANDFILL.
AND, UM, I EVEN RECOMMEND THAT THE PERSON WHO HAS THE LOWEST, UH, GARBAGE PER CAPITA SHOULD GET THE LOWEST RATE AT THE LANDFILL.
SO YOU, YOU DO, WHEN YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO FOR A MORTGAGE, IF YOU HAVE A REALLY GOOD CREDIT RATING, SOMETIMES YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RA YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE THIS TO HAVE FUN WITH IT, TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO REALLY REDUCE WASTE.
THAT I, I ASKED FOR MORE DETAILS AND YOU PROVIDED THEM.
IS THAT IT? ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS FOR MS. COMBS? LOOK FORWARD TO SENDING BARBARA, THANK YOU.
MY PHONE NUMBER'S IN THE EMAIL THAT THEY'LL BE SENDING YOU, AND I CAN GIVE YOU AN EXTENDED,
[00:20:01]
I JUST KIND OF SLID IN WITH A, I MEAN, I CAN GIVE YOU A BETTER PRESENTATION.[3. Discussion and Approval of House Relocation and Deconstruction Recommendation – Gerry Acuna and Craig Nazor]
ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS.THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, WELL LET ME FIND IT HERE.
BUT, UH, HERE OUR NEXT ITEM IS ACTUALLY A DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM.
AND THAT WAS THE, UH, UH, IT'S A DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM ON THE DECONSTRUCTION RECOMMENDATION, I GUESS, THAT, UH, CRAIG HAD PRESENTED.
AND I THINK COMMISSIONER COUNCIL MEMBER POOLE HAD, UH, INTRODUCED.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD A, UH, RESOLUTION THAT RECENTLY PASSED, UH, I GUESS AT LAST THURSDAY'S MEETING THAT WAS SIMILAR AND COULD PROVIDE, UH, I MEAN, OR NOT PROVIDE, BUT, UH, COULD IMPACT THE DEPARTMENT AND, AND SOLID WASTE RECYCLING ISSUES ALSO.
AND, UH, AFTER, AFTER LOOKING AT THE, AND UNDERSTANDING THE, UH, RESOLUTION, I WAS WONDERING IF STAFF, AND I THINK YOU ARE LOOKING AT, UH, PERHAPS A PRESENTATION BY THE DEVELOPING SERVICES PEOPLE.
IS THAT CORRECT? IN THE FUTURE, A FUTURE PRESENTATION BY DEVELOPING SERVICES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ACTUAL IMPACT OF WHAT THIS RESOLUTION MIGHT DO.
IT'S THE DENSITY ISSUES VERSUS, UH, YOU KNOW, DECONSTRUCTION VERSUS RECYCLING, YOU NAME IT.
SO I, I WOULD THINK THAT A DEFERRAL OF THIS ITEM AND MOVING IT ON TO, OR WAITING FOR A PRESENTATION, WHICH WOULD GIVE US SOME, A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT, WOULD PROBABLY BE A, UH, A GOOD THING FOR THIS COMMISSION.
AND, AND AGAIN, I, UH, WOULD WELCOME, UH, YOUR THOUGHTS AND SUGGESTIONS AND, AND LITERALLY A MOTION TO DEFER THIS IF, IF SOMEBODY FEELS, FEELS IT, ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT STAFF.
IS THERE ANY CONCERNS WITH THAT OR, OKAY.
UH, THI THIS, THIS, UH, RESOLUTION, I THINK GOES ALONG WITH THE NEW ID MM-HMM.
UH, BECAUSE IF THOSE IDEAS GO THROUGH, THERE WILL BE MORE DECONSTRUCTION AND REBUILDING.
AND THERE'S STILL ALL, THERE'S ALL THESE MOVING PARTS THAT ARE STILL ALL MOVING
SO IT, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A REALLY COHERENT, YOU KNOW, HERE'S, UH, HERE'S HOW THIS COULD PLAY OUT, BECAUSE IT IS TRUE.
IF IT MOVES AHEAD THE WAY THE PLANS ARE, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO UP OUR GAME ON, ON DECONSTRUCTION.
'CAUSE THERE'LL BE A LOT OF THAT GOING ON.
SO, I, I WOULD AGREE WITH THIS.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER THIS ITEM.
ANY DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
[4. Action to Approve Regular Zero Waste Advisory Commission Meeting Schedule 2024 – Gerry Acuna]
MOVING ON.THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ACTUALLY THE APPROVAL OF OUR, UH, 2024 MEETING SCHEDULE, I SHOULD SAY.
AND IT SHOULD BE IN FRONT OF YOU HERE.
YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THAT.
AND WHAT THE NEW SCHEDULE ENTAILS AND CALLS FOR IS BASICALLY A, UH, A REDUCTION IN THE ACTUAL MEETINGS FROM ONCE A MONTH TO 10, 10 MEETINGS A YEAR, WHICH WOULD GIVE US THE MARCH AND DECEMBER TIME PERIOD OFF.
ISN'T THIS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE? ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
IT IS CONSISTENT AND IT'S UP TO US TO COMPETE, CONTINUE THE CONSISTENCY.
SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'VE GOT A FULL CADRE NOW OF FOLKS, IT SEEMS LIKE ABSOLUTELY.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY HAVE THESE MEETINGS AND THANK YOU.
Y HONOR, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WILL MOVE.
WE DID CHANGE THE BYLAWS, RIGHT? FOR 10? OR DID THAT EVER OFFICIALLY HAPPEN THAT IN FACT, THE BYLAWS ALLOW FOR US TO HAVE THE 10 MEETINGS SCHEDULED? WE DIDN'T CHANGE THE BYLAWS, BUT THEY ALLOW FOR THIS.
TRANSITION, I GUESS THAT CAME FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH.
AND THANK YOU MADELINE, FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
BUT, AND AGAIN, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE SCHEDULE.
CAN I ASK A, A QUESTION? OH, YES, I'M SORRY.
I WAS WONDERING WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO CHANGE LIKE, INDIVIDUAL MEETING DATES? I'M JUST SEEING THAT FEBRUARY'S MEETING IS ON VALENTINE'S DAY.
[00:25:01]
NUMBER.YOU KNOW,
BUT SO DO WE HAVE A PROPOSAL FOR MODIFYING THAT? I, YOU KNOW, STAFF? YEAH, THAT'S A, AGAIN, THAT'S A CHALLENGE.
TRYING TO GET THE ACTUAL ROOMS. YEAH, YOU RESERVE THESE WELL IN ADVANCE.
SO THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE HERE.
IT'S NOT JUST MOVING THE MEETING, IT'S FINDING A LOCATION FOR IT.
SO THAT'S, THEY'RE KIND OF SET IN STONE ONCE YOU RESERVE THEM.
SO ARE WE SUGGEST, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MIGHT WANNA SUGGEST THOUGH THAT WE CHANGE THAT PARTICULAR ONE TO ANOTHER DATE OR ANOTHER WEEK.
CAN START THAT BALL ROLLING NOW, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
I MEAN, YEAH, IF YOU WANNA ENTERTAIN US WITH, UH, AN OPTION OR TWO, WE CAN DEFINITELY SEE, UM, A LOT OF COMMISSIONS ALREADY HAVE THEIR LOCATION THAT IT KIND OF GOES FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
SO, UM, BUT I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO REACH OUT AND ASK YOU, ASK THAT QUESTION.
UM, IF YOU WANNA VOTE ON THE DATE CURRENTLY AND THEN UPDATED.
SO THAT ONE DATE IS, IT SOUNDS, IS THAT AGREEABLE TO THIS COMMISSION? YEP.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE SCHEDULE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? AND CAITLYN, THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, THOUGHT THERE THAT, THAT HELPS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THIS HEARING? NO.
OF FURTHER DISCUSSIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ALRIGHT GUYS, MOVING ALONG HERE, ACTUALLY, THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEM LIST.I GUESS WE HAVE ALREADY DISCUSSED A POSSIBLE PRESENTATION BY BUILDING SERVICES OR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
UH, LET'S SEE, WHAT ELSE? UH, GREG, DID YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO THIS WITH THE DENSITY ISSUES OR JUST NO, I LET BUILDING SERVICES.
THE RECONSTRUCTION, UH, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, GENERALLY DISCUSS WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW AND, AND HOW THEY WOULD LIKE IT TO CHANGE.
ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT, UH, THAT YOU WANNA SEE ON THIS? I KNOW WE'RE MISSING SOMETHING HERE, BUT, BUT NONETHELESS, WE CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO YOU AND, UH, INCLUDE THOSE WITH, WITH THE, UH, WITH THE AGENDA.
UH, I ADMITTED ONE THING, UH, AT OUR LAST MEETING, CRAIG, YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT THE, THE PLASTIC FILM AND I THOUGHT, UH, I SAID WE BAILED IT, THEN I CORRECTED MYSELF, SAID, NO, WE PROBABLY DON'T BAIL IT.
WELL, I'M GONNA CORRECT MYSELF AGAIN.
WE ACTUALLY DO BAIL IT, SO, OKAY.
WE DO, THAT MATERIAL IS BAILED AND, UH, THEN SENT TO THE PROCESSOR.
SO WE, WE DO HAVE A UNANIMOUS, UH, DECISION ON THE MEETING SCHEDULE.
IT PASSES FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, AGAIN ARE THE, UH, PRESENTATION BY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
HEARING NO OTHER ITEMS ON THERE.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR, FOR ADJOURNMENT.
WELL, ACTUALLY REAL QUICK, UM, YES, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THE NEW MEMBERS A CHANCE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WHATSOEVER.
MADELINE, YOU'RE THREE MEETINGS IN, IS THAT IT? OR FOUR? YEAH, THREE, THREE MEETINGS.
GOD, WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.
KATRINA, IF YOU WANNA NO PRESSURE.
UM, I JUST JOINED THE COMMISSION TODAY, GOT SWORN IN.
I'M ALSO ON THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION, SO I AM DOUBLE DUTY ING OVER HERE.
UM, ORIGINALLY I DID WANNA SIGN UP FOR THE ZERO WASTE COMMISSION.
UM, MY BACKGROUND IS IN LARGE EVENTS, SO I WORK A LOT OF WEDDINGS AND LIKE FORMULA ONE AND A BUNCH OF THOSE DIFFERENT PLACES.
SO I SEE WHAT KIND OF TRASH THOSE EVENTS ARE MAKING.
UM, AND LIKE I HAVE IDEAS FOR WHAT WE COULD DO WITH IT THAT'S NOT JUST THROW ALL THAT STUFF AT A DUMPSTER.
SO THAT'S WHY I JOINED AND I'M HERE.
AND CAITLYN, YOU'VE ALREADY INTRODUCED YOURSELF AND UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE CHANGE ON THE 14TH OR
[00:30:01]
ALL RELATIONSHIP SAVING.ALRIGHT, HEARING, UH, NO OTHER RIGHT.
IT MAY BE AN AGENDA ITEM OR IT MAY BE SOMETHING, UM, TO, TO DISCUSS NOW TO SEE IF IT IS AN AGENDA ITEM AT ALL.
I, WE JUST WENT THROUGH THIS REVISION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH I THINK WAS PHENOMENAL AND COMPREHENSIVE.
AND, AND I TRULY APPRECIATE THAT DOCUMENT.
AND THERE WERE TWO SECTIONS IN THAT REPORT THAT I CONSIDERED KIND OF META TO EVERYTHING.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE NECESSARY FOR THE WHOLE REPORT TO WORK, AND THEY OVERLAY ALL OF THE DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL AREAS.
ONE OF THEM WAS THE SECTION ON DATA AND, AND PROCESSES AND THE METRICS THAT WOULD BE COLLECTED.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY WELL DONE AND IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP TRACK OF.
BUT THE OTHER SECTION WAS THE SEC SECTION ABOUT EQUITY IMPACT OF ALL OF THIS WORK.
AND WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE A COMMITTEE, STANDING COMMITTEE THAT FOCUSES ON EITHER ONE OF THOSE AREAS ON METRICS AND RESEARCH AND DATA OR ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
AND I THINK THAT THESE ARE AREAS THAT WE ACTUALLY AS A, AS A CITY ARE DOING.
I SUSPECT THAT IF WE START CRUNCHING NUMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT WE'RE DOING OKAY ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
AND IF WE'RE NOT, WE CAN IDENTIFY WHERE WE NEED TO INTERVENE.
SO I'M INTERESTED IN, IN THIS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE YET, AND I DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA BE TALKING ABOUT CREATING A LOT OF EXTRA WORK FOR STAFF.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE A WORKING GROUP COMES TO MIND BECAUSE I DO THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTISE IN THIS CITY, IN BOTH OF THESE AREAS.
AND PERHAPS THAT'S SOMETHING WE AS A COMMISSION COULD EXPLORE, UM, AND SEE IF MAYBE THERE IS A NEED TO HAVE A STANDING COMMITTEE IN EITHER ONE OF THOSE AREAS GOING FORWARD.
BUT AT LEAST WE COULD EXPLORE IN A WORKING GROUP WHAT ATTENTION WE AS A BODY CAN HELP THE DEPARTMENT, UH, IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS.
THAT AGAIN, THEY SPEAK TO THE URO GROUP, TO THE ORGANICS GROUP TO C AND D WASTE, LIKE THOSE ARE OUR TYPES OF WASTE.
BUT METRICS ARE IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF THEM.
UM, EQUITY ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF THEM.
NOT SURE IF THAT WOULD BE READY FOR THE NEXT MEETING FOR US TO DISCUSS OR IF FOLKS HAVE THOUGHTS NOW ABOUT WHETHER THAT'S A WORKING GROUP TOPIC, BUT I'D BE VERY INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT THIS FURTHER.
STAFF? ANY COMMENTS ON THAT OR? HMM.
CAN I HAVE THOSE COMMENTS? DO YOU MIND IF I RESPOND REALLY QUICKLY? OH, YEAH, GO AHEAD.
GINA MCKINLEY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UM, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER MASSINO.
I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THOSE ARE TWO CORE COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN.
UM, AS WE STATED IN SOME OF OUR PRESENTATIONS AROUND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, KIND OF AT THAT FINAL POINT THAT WE ARE WORKING, WE'RE ACTUALLY HIRING AND EQUITY AND INCLUSION MANAGER RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE ARE IN THE BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS, SO LOOKING AT OUR BUDGET AND LOOKING AT DATA COLLECTION, WHAT WE HAVE THAT WE CAN DO INTERNALLY, WHAT WE MIGHT NEED TO CONTRACT OUT AND, AND TRYING TO SORT THROUGH THAT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO KIND OF GET EVERYTHING TOGETHER AS STAFF RIGHT NOW.
HAPPY TO REACH OUT TO YOU DIRECTLY IF YOU'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT.
AND THEN I THINK THAT COULD INFORM KIND OF WHAT THE NEEDS ARE, WHERE THE COMMISSION MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
YEAH, I, I AGAIN, DON'T WANT TO ADD TO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, BUT I COULD SEE A WAY THAT IF WE HAD A WORKING GROUP OF THIS COMMISSION AND OTHERS RIGHT, THAT WE CAN INVITE IN, THAT THAT COULD HELP, ESPECIALLY IN GETTING THIS SET UP, YOU KNOW, AND FIGURING OUT WHAT THOSE PROCESSES, METRICS, FEEDBACKS ARE GONNA LOOK LIKE.
SO ABSOLUTELY WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU MORE ABOUT THAT.
I WILL FOLLOW UP DIRECTLY PROBABLY NEXT WEEK, BUT OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, THOUGHTS? HEARING NONE, I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT.
YEAH, SO I ALSO SERVE ON THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION AND, UM, WITH THAT SERVICE WE, UH, WE'RE FOCUSING ON THE AUSTIN'S, UM, CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
AND THAT PLAN HAS A VERY STRONG EQUITY COMPONENT.
AND IF THAT'S A FOCUS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE WITH OUR WORKING GROUP, THAT'S BEEN DONE ALREADY WITH THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION AND CREATING THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN.
SO MAYBE THAT COULD BE SOME, UH, JOINT FOCUS THAT, UM, AMANDA, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, PURSUE THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION FOR SOME IDEAS ON HOW WE
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COULD NAVIGATE THAT WORKING GROUP.ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS? COMMISSIONERS HEARING NOW? HEARING NOW, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENTS.
NOBODY WANTS TO LEAVE, HUH? THE MOTION.
WAVE AND SCREAM AND HOLLER AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
AND AGAIN, IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE A FULL HOUSE ALMOST.
HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON, ALL OF YOU.