[CALL TO ORDER ]
[00:00:05]
WELCOME TO THE NOVEMBER 8TH MEETING OF THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
ITEM OF BUSINESS IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE SPEAKER TODAY.AND WHILE YOU'RE WALKING THERE, I CAN CALL, I, WE CAN CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND TAKE ATTENDANCE.
UM, PRESENT IS ROSE MADOL FONG, FONG VALDEZ, TODD, ER, HENDRICKS, YOUNG AND C**N.
EVERYBODY, I THINK IS ALL ARE PRESENT EXCEPT FOR ONE.
AND I'M MISSING, OH, YOU'RE OVER THERE.
THANK YOU, MRS. THANKS FOR WAITING.
TURN YOUR MIC ON FOR DIRECTOR.
CAN YOU TURN THE MIC ON? HOW'S THAT BETTER? THERE WE GO.
I'M THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR FLINT HILLS RESOURCES.
UM, I HAVE A NUMBER OF COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE WITH ME AS WELL.
FLINT HILLS RESOURCES HAS, UH, SUPPLIED TRANSPORTATION FUEL FROM ITS CORPUS REFINERIES TO THE AUSTIN AREA FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES.
AND IT'S ALSO THE PRIMARY SUPPLIER OF JET FUEL FOR THE AUSTIN AIRPORT.
AUSTIN IS CURRENTLY THE LARGEST AIRPORT IN THE COUNTRY THAT RELIES ON DAILY TRUCK DELIVERIES FOR ITS FUEL.
IT'S ALSO, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING AIRPORTS IN THE COUNTRY.
EVERY DAY, MORE THAN A HUNDRED TRUCKS MAKE THE 40 MILE ROUND TRIP ON HIGHWAY 71 FROM OUR BASTROP FUEL TERMINAL TO THE AIRPORT.
THIS CURRENT JUST IN TIME TRUCK DEPENDENT FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM HAS BEEN PRONE TO RELIABILITY ISSUES.
AS THE COMMISSION IS AWARE, THERE HAVE BEEN A GROWING NUMBER OF FUEL SHORTAGE ALERTS AT THE AIRPORT, WHICH CAN, WHICH CAN AFFECT AIRPORT RELIABILITY.
FLINT HILL'S RESOURCES RECENTLY EXPANDED ITS ITS TERMINAL AT BASTROP TO HELP MEET THE DEMAND AND IMPROVE RELIABILITY OF THAT TRUCKING SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, INCREASING DEMAND TRAFFIC, CONGESTION, AND DRIVER AVAILABILITY ISSUES HAVE CONTINUED TO PUSH THE CURRENT DELIVERY SYSTEM BEYOND ITS DESIGN CAPACITY TO IMPROVE RELIABILITY AND TO MEET FUTURE DEMAND.
WE HAVE PROPOSED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BASTROP AUSTIN, TEXAS PIPELINE, BA TX, CONNECTING OUR FUEL TERMINAL IN BASTROP DIRECTLY TO THE AIRPORT.
THIS COMMON CARRIER PIPELINE WILL BE OWNED BY A FLINT HILL SUBSIDIARY, BATX PIPELINE, LLC, AND WILL BE PRIVATELY FUNDED.
OUR TEAM IS JUST NOW BEGINNING THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND IS ACTIVELY SEEKING INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY, THE LANDOWNERS ALONG 71 AND THE PI, THE PIPELINE ROUTE.
THE INFORMATION WILL INFORM OUR PROPOSED ROUTE, MUCH OF WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE ON THE RIGHT OF WAY ON HIGHWAY 71.
ONCE THE ROUTE IS FINALIZED AND PERMITTED, WE EXPECT CONSTRUCTION TO TAKE SIX MONTHS.
THE 10 INCH PIPELINE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES LONG AND WILL BE MONITORED AROUND THE CLOCK BY A CONTROL CENTER THAT IS STAFFED 24 7.
WE INITIATED COMMUNICATIONS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING CITY OF AUSTIN OFFICIALS, AIRPORT STAFF, ELECTED LEADERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND LEADERS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT OUR PROJECT.
IN THE MONTHS AHEAD, WE'LL BE HOSTING OPEN HOUSE INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS AND WE'LL BE BE PROVIDING REGULAR UPDATES TO THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH A PHASE OF THROUGHOUT THE PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO A TRANSPARENT, INCLUSIVE, AND MULTICULTURAL COMMUNICATION PROCESS THAT WILL ENABLE US TO ENGAGE WITH ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
WE'VE ESTABLISHED A BILINGUAL PROJECT WEBSITE@WWW.BTXPIPELINE.COM, THAT INCLUDES A CONTACT PORTAL, BOTH IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.
YOUR FEEDBACK AND YOUR INPUT ARE VALUABLE TO US, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE COMMISSION AND OTHERS ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT FOR AUSTIN.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY, MRS. AND THANKS FOR BRINGING YOUR TEAM.
IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU HERE AND IN FRONT OF THE PROJECT.
UH, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR A, A MAP OR A DIAGRAM OF WHERE THE PIPELINE MIGHT GO TO HELP INFORM OUR, UM, INTERESTS IN THE PROJECT.
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QUESTIONS FROM ANY COMMISSIONERS FOR MR. SIGNS AT THIS TIME? OKAY, THANK YOU.UM, THERE WERE, UM, IS IT, OKAY, RA, SO ITEM NUMBER TWO, SEPTEMBER, 2023.
FINANCIAL RESULTS PRESENTED BY RAJIV THOMAS AND I.
IF IT PLEASES EVERYONE, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ITEM NUMBER EIGHT TO, UM, AFTER THE, THE STAFF BRIEFINGS IS THE FIRST ITEM FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION.
WILL THAT SUIT THAT, THAT BE OKAY? OKAY.
PROBABLY, PROBABLY WANNA APPROVE THE MINUTES FIRST, THEN GO TO RAJEEV.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF OCTOBER 11TH, 2023.DO WE, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOVE APPROVAL.
UM, STAND AS IS ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
[2. September 2023 Financial Results presented by Rajeev Thomas, Deputy Chief, Finance.]
MR. RAJIV THOMAS.UH, RAJIV THOMAS, DEPUTY, DEPUTY CHIEF OF FINANCE.
UM, I'LL GO WITH THE FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR SEPTEMBER.
UH, ONE THING TO NOTE, THIS WAS ALSO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR FOR US.
SO I WILL GO THROUGH BOTH PARTS OF THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AND ALSO THE FULL YEAR RESULTS AND JUST KIND OF TALK TO THE HIGHLIGHTS REGARDING THAT.
UH, FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, OUR PASSENGER AND PLACEMENT GROWTH WAS ROUGHLY FLAT.
UH, TOTAL OF PASSENGERS WAS LESS THAN 1%, UM, SWING, UH, VERSUS THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO IT'S, IT'S ROUGHLY FLAT VERSUS THE PRIOR YEAR ON THE, ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS YEAR OVER YEAR, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THERE IS A LARGE JUMP IN REVENUE VERSUS SEPTEMBER OF 2022.
AND THAT IS THE VARIANCE IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS ARE AFTER AIRLINE RECONCILIATION.
UH, SO IT IS NOT QUITE APPLES TO APPLES COMPUTER COMPARISON VERSUS THE FISCAL YEAR SEPTEMBER, 2022 COMPARISON.
BUT IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT IT BEFORE RECONCILIATION, OUR REVENUES FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER WERE UP ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS OVER LAST YEAR, SO ABOUT $24 MILLION.
OUR EXPENSES CAME IN ABOUT 23.8 MILLION.
THIS IS THE OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE AIRPORT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF YEAR, UH, EXPENSES THAT HIT LIKE INSURANCE AND ALSO DEALS THAT WE CLOSE OUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT CAUSES THAT EXPENSE TO BE FAIRLY HIGH AT THE, AT THE LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR.
UH, SO EXPENSES YEAR OVER YEAR, UH, FOR THE AIRPORT WAS UP ABOUT 11%.
AND FROM A EXCESS REVENUE ON NET INCOME, WE WERE, UH, AT THE LOSS OF 6 MILLION VERSUS 17.3 MILLION AFTER RECONCILIATION LAST YEAR, UH, FOR THE FULL YEAR, FULL FISCAL YEAR, UM, OUR REVENUES WERE 43 MILLION, ALMOST 42.9 MILLION HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR.
SO THAT IS REALLY GREAT NEWS OR 18% HIGHER.
UH, OUR OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE AIRPORT WAS ALMOST 21% HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR, BUT WELL, WITHIN BUDGET WE WERE 4 MILLION LOWER THAN BUDGET ON THE OPERATING EXPENSES SIDE AND ALSO VERSUS BUDGET, OUR REVENUES CAME IN, UM, ABOUT 40.4 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE BUDGETED NUMBER THAT WE HAD.
UH, WHAT, WHAT THAT TRANSLATED TO WAS ABOUT A $70 MILLION, YOU KNOW, TRANSFER, UH, TO THE CAPITAL FUND AT THE END OF THE YEAR VERSUS 58.8 MILLION LAST YEAR.
SO ALMOST $11.4 MILLION IMPROVEMENT, UH, THAT IS GOING TO FUND, UH, FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECTS AT THE AIRPORT.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS THAT, THAT'S VERY GOOD NEWS.
UM, TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THE INCREASE IN REVENUE TO? UM, BASICALLY THE AIRLINE REVENUES WERE UP 18%, YOU KNOW, UH, FOR THE FULL YEAR WE HAD ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS.
THEN THE YEAR BEFORE, UH, THE INCREASE IN OPERATIONS, WE HAD 30% MORE FLIGHTS THAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE SAW IN 2019.
AND ALSO, NON AIRLINES REVENUES ALSO DID WELL.
OUR YEAR OVER YEAR END PLANES WERE UP 8%, SO THAT CONTRIBUTED TO NON AIRLINE REVENUE BEING UP ABOUT 15% TOO.
AND THERE WAS ALSO A PARKING RATE INCREASE THAT ALSO, UH, IT MADE THAT NUMBER OF 15% HIGHER.
SO OVERALL, YOU KNOW, 18% INCREASE IN TERMS OF AIRLINE REVENUE.
AND E EVEN THOUGH THE, UH, I MEAN THE AIRLINE,
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THE TOTAL REVENUES WENT UP, YOU KNOW, $43 MILLION, OUR OPERATING EXPENSE WERE UP ONLY $23 MILLION.SO THAT DIFFERENCE IS WHAT REALLY TRANSLATES TO THAT, YOU KNOW, $11 MILLION FAVORABILITY IN NET INCOME.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR RAJIV? OKAY.
[3. Air Service Update provided by Jamy Kazanoff, AUS Air Service Development.]
NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE AIR SERVICE UPDATE PROVIDED BY JAMIE KASSOFF, THE AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER.SO WE'VE HAD SOME UPDATES SINCE THIS REPORT WAS PREPARED, SO I'LL GO OVER THOSE.
LAST, UH, LET'S START WITH, UH, NOVEMBER.
THAT'S A BIG INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR.
UH, AIR CANADA, AIR CANADA WILL START NEW SERVICE TO MONTREAL ON MAY 3RD WITH FOUR TIMES A WEEK.
THAT'S PLANNED TO BE SEASONAL, BUT IT COULD POTENTIALLY GO YEAR ROUND AND THEY WILL BE RESUMING, UH, THE VANCOUVER SERVICE.
IN MAY NEXT YEAR, WE'LL CELEBRATE BRITISH AIRWAYS 10TH ANNIVERSARY WITH DAILY SERVICE INTO HEATHROW.
DELTA STARTED NONSTOP SERVICE TO LAS VEGAS AND ORLANDO.
THIS IS POINT TO POINT SERVICE VERSUS JUST TO THEIR HUBS.
LU TANZA IS BRINGING BACK A BIGGER JET AND THEY'LL BE GOING TO FIVE TIMES A WEEK ON JUNE 5TH.
ORIGINALLY, THEY HAD SCHEDULED THAT FOR MARCH 31ST.
VIVA ABO IS RETURNING TO AUSTIN.
THEY WILL START MONTEREY SERVICE MARCH 22ND FOUR TIMES A WEEK.
THEY LAST SERVED AUSTIN IN 2008 AND 2009.
WESTJET IS RESUMING CALGARY IN MAY OF 24.
UH, NOVEMBER 23 OR 24, 23 VERSUS 22 WE'RE DOWN ONE DESTINATION.
AND I'VE LISTED THOSE THERE, WHAT WE GAINED AND WHAT WE LOST.
BUT PERHAPS THE BIGGEST NEWS IS THAT WE DID, WE DID HEAR A COUPLE OF NEW THINGS FOR AUSTIN.
ONE IS VIRGIN ATLANTIC, WHICH IS 49% OWNED BY DELTA WILL BE EXITING AUSTIN ON JANUARY THE SEVENTH, 2024.
THEY ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE HIGH TECH SLOWDOWN, BUT THERE'S OTHER ISSUES TO, THEY WERE UP AGAINST BRITISH AIRWAYS WITH DAILY SERVICE VERSUS THEIR SEMI-WEEKLY.
THEY DO NOT HAVE A HUB BEYOND HEATHROW AND BAS ONE OF THE LARGEST CONNECTING HUBS IN THE WORLD, IF NOT THE LARGEST.
SO THIS WAS PART OF THE, UM, THE EXIT FOR VIRGIN ATLANTIC.
I HATE TO LOSE A WIDE BODY FOR AUSTIN.
UH, IT WAS AN AMBITIOUS PLAN AS SAM AND OUR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE HAD PROVIDED IN OUR STATEMENT.
BUT WE DID LOSE THIS CARRIER, AND I DON'T EXPECT THEM BACK SOON, BUT THEY COULD POSSIBLY IN THE FUTURE.
AND, UM, NOT EASY TO TELL YOU GUYS THAT, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
THEN WE GOT SOME NEWS ON FRIDAY WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES.
UH, AMERICAN AIRLINES WILL BE PULLING DOWN A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF THEIR NONSTOPS AND SOME OF THEIR SEATS IN AUSTIN.
JUST TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT, THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE 50% BIGGER THAN THEY WERE PRE COVID.
THEY'RE STILL GONNA FLY TO 21 NONSTOP DESTINATIONS VERSUS 40 OR 42 DEPENDING ON THE MONTH.
SO THEY'RE STILL VERY BIG IN AUSTIN.
AUSTIN IS STILL A UNICORN WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES.
WE'RE NOT A HUB, BUT WE HAVE THIS TERRIFIC POINT TO POINT SERVICE IN ADDITION TO FLYING TO THEIR HUBS IN 2019.
PRE COVID AMERICAN WAS ONLY FLYING TO EIGHT OF ITS HUBS.
WE CAN'T FLY TO THE OTHER TWO AMERICAN AIRLINES HUBS BECAUSE OF PERIMETER ROLLS WITH THOSE AIRPORTS.
SO WE'VE GOT LOTS OF FLIGHTS ON AMERICAN, BUT IT'S STILL A MAJOR CHANGE.
UM, AMERICAN DOESN'T USE THE TERM FOCUS CITY, THEY USE THE TERM SIGNIFICANT MARKET.
THEY NEVER HAVE USED THE TERM FOCUS CITY.
DELTA USES THE TERM FOCUS CITY AND IS OPENLY SAID THAT ABOUT AUSTIN.
WE'RE STILL A SIGNIFICANT MARKET WITH AMERICAN.
THERE'S LOTS OF SPECULATION ABOUT THE PULL DOWN FOR AMERICAN AIRLINES IN AUSTIN.
UH, FEBRUARY WILL BE 20% FEWER SEATS IN FEBRUARY 24 COMPARED TO FEBRUARY 23 ON AMERICAN 20%.
SO LOPPING OFF 20 OTHER MONTHS, IT MAY BE 25% DIFFERENCE.
THE SPECULATIONS INVOLVED EVERYTHING FROM REGIONAL JETS AND PILOT SCOPE CLAUSES TO ECONOMY TO, UH, THEY NEED THE JETS ELSEWHERE.
AND AMERICAN AIRLINES HAS SAID THERE'S A LOT OF QUARTERBACK
[00:15:01]
NETWORK PLANNERS, YOU KNOW, ON THE ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACKS.BUT BASICALLY THEY SAID THEY CONTINUED TO EVALUATE ROUTE AND MADE THEIR DECISION BASED ON THEIR EVALUATION AND THEY WILL REDEPLOY SOME OF THOSE AIRCRAFT, ALL OF THOSE AIRCRAFT THAT THEY TOOK FROM AUSTIN AND TO OTHER AMERICAN AIRLINES NEEDS.
UM, WE DID LOSE SOME NONSTOP DESTINATIONS, BUT MOST OF THE ROOTS THAT AMERICAN AIRLINES HAVE CUT WERE FLOWN BY OTHER CARRIERS.
WE DID LOSE, UH, PUNTA KANA, NASSAU AND LIBERIA COSTA RICA.
SO WE'LL BE WORKING HARD TO FILL THOSE WITH OTHERS.
MY GUESSTIMATE IS THAT WITH AUSTIN CONTINUING TO GROW, CONTINUING TO BE VERY POPULAR, EXTRAORDINARILY COMPETITIVE AS WE KNOW THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BACKFILL THIS OVERALL IN FEBRUARY 24 FOR ALL CARRIERS COMBINED.
FEBRUARY 24 VERSUS FEBRUARY 23, ALL CARRIERS WILL HAVE 2% FEWER SEATS, 2% FEWER SEATS THAN WE DID IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR.
WE DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS FOR MARCH AS ALL THE AIRLINES HAVE NOT LOADED YET FOR MARCH, APRIL, MAY, ET CETERA.
I'LL BE ABLE TO REPORT MORE ON THAT IN MY FUTURE, UH, PRESENTATION.
SO THAT'S THE SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE BIGGER ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO PUT INTO THIS REPORT BY DEADLINE.
AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING FORWARD AND FOR SHARING THE FORECAST ABOUT 24, AND WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR THAT INFORMATION.
WE ARE SORRY TO LOSE A LOT OF THOSE DIRECT FLIGHTS, BUT HAPPY TO HEAR THAT, UM, THE PLANES ARE FLYING FULL WHERE THEY ARE GOING, AND I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU AND YOUR TEAM IS HARD AT WORK, AS YOU SAY, TRYING TO BACKFILL, UM, THESE ROUTES.
YOU BET AUSTIN'S STILL DOING VERY, VERY, VERY GOOD
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW WHICH TWO FLIGHTS.
I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT A PERIMETER, UH, FOR WHATEVER THAT WAS AND WHICH, WHICH ARE THE, WHICH TWO MARKETS ARE THOSE? OKAY, SO AMERICAN AIRLINES HAS 10 HUBS, RIGHT? AND WE'RE FLYING TO EIGHT OF THEM.
THESE ARE D-F-W-L-A-X, PHOENIX, MIAMI, CHICAGO, CHARLOTTE, JFK, AND PHILADELPHIA.
YEAH, THAT WE HAD AN EXCEPTION FOR YEARS AGO.
AND WE HAVE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FLYING THAT THERE'S NO CURRENT PERIMETER OPENINGS FOR ANOTHER FLIGHT.
THE OTHER HUB OF AMERICANS IS LAGUARDIA.
LAGUARDIA, THE NEW YORK NEW JERSEY PORT AUTHORITY HAS A PERIMETER RULE, RIGHT? YOU CAN FLY ON SATURDAYS, BUT THAT WOULDN'T SUFFICE FOR A HUB FLIGHT PATTERN.
SO THAT'S WHY WE DON'T HAVE THOSE TWO HUBS.
THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT.
I I HAVE A SMALL POINT OF ORDER, WHICH IS THAT THIS IS A VERY CROWDED ROOM TODAY AND I HOPE THAT ALL OF OUR GUESTS HAVE SIGNED IN AND ARE THANK YOU.
[4. Journey with AUS (AUS AEDP/Capital Improvement Program) Active Projects Update provided by Lyn Estabrook, Deputy Chief Development Officer, Planning and Development.]
FOUR IS THE JOURNEY WITH AUS.UM, THIS IS AN ACTIVE PROJECTS UPDATE PROVIDED BY LYNN ESTHER BROOKE, DEPUTY CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THE PRESENTATION, THE PRESENTATION IS IN YOUR, UM, PACKET AND IN YOUR BACKUP, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT ON PAGE 25 OF THAT, OF YOUR, UM, PACKET HERE, THE AIRFIELD INFRASTRUCTURE MIDFIELD TAXIWAY PROJECT.
AND, UM, THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE AN RCA THAT WILL BE COMING TO YOU NEXT MONTH.
WE AREN'T ABLE TO BRING IT TO YOU THIS MONTH, UM, DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE TIMINGS OF WHEN ALL THE RCAS GET LAUNCHED.
UM, BUT THAT RCA WILL ALSO BE GOING TO COUNSEL THE VERY NEXT DAY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT TODAY.
UM, THE RCA WILL BE FOR, UM, THE NEXT PHASE OF ADDITIONAL DESIGN WORK FOR THE MIDFIELD TAXIWAYS.
IT CURRENTLY, WE CURRENTLY RECENTLY RECEIVED 30% DESIGN, AND THAT PROJECT, UM, HAS TO NOW MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PHASES.
AND SO THE RCA WILL BE FOR THE NEXT PHASES OF THE DESIGN, UM, SO THAT WE CAN, UM, REALLY WHAT WE CALL MICRO PHASE THIS TO TRY TO STREAMLINE, UM, THE EXPEDITING OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, THE DESIGN, UM, WILL BE FOR A TOTAL OF $20,700,000.
IT'S AN ADDITIONAL 12 MILLIONS, $700,000 THAT WILL BE, UM, ASKING FOR.
[00:20:01]
PROJECT AND IT IS MEETING ALL OF THOSE GOALS.ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT OR THIS NEXT RCA THAT WILL BE, UM, PENDING TO COME TO YOU NEXT MONTH? COMMISSIONERS ANY, UM, WOULD YOU, SHOULD WE WAIT UNTIL, UNTIL ITEM SEVEN COMES FORWARD TO DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU OR IS IT, IS THIS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO DISCUSS? UM, THIS RCA WILL BE COMING NEXT MONTH TO YOU, SO IF YOU HAD SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT, THIS IS TO PREPARE YOU FOR THAT.
SO YOU DON'T, YOU WON'T HAVE, UM, ADDITIONAL TIME TO PROBABLY PROBABLY TALK TO ANYONE BECAUSE THE RCA NEEDS TO COME TO YOU NEXT MONTH AND THE VERY NEXT DAY IT'S GOING TO COUNSEL CORRECT.
SO, UM, IT ISN'T AN ACTUAL, UM, DISCUSSION ITEM SPECIFICALLY.
SO IF YOU HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT, I THINK YOU CAN ASK ME NOW.
WELL WE, WE WILL TAKE A CLOSE LOOK.
I, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE ALL LOOK AT THE MIDFIELD TAXIWAY PROJECT ON ITEM, UM, ON PAGE 25 OF THE BACKUP PACKET.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT PAGE IT IS ON THE OTHER, UM, IN THE POST-IT BACKUP IF, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE READING FROM HOME, UM, ACTUALLY COULD WE ADVANCE TO THAT? DO YOU HAVE THAT SLIDE THAT ON THE DECK THAT WE COULD JUST ADVANCE TO IT? YEAH, JUST KEEP ON GOING UNTIL I'LL TELL YOU WHEN.
SO LIKE, LIKE I SAID, THIS PROJECT HAS, UM, RECENTLY FINISHED THE 30% DESIGN AND WE'RE MOVING, WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT PHASES OF DESIGN AND, UM, WORK ON, ON THIS PROJECT.
AND SO THE RCAS FOR THE, THE NEXT ADDITIONAL PHASES OF DESIGN.
UM, IT IS AN ENABLING PROJECT ALLOWS US TO, ONCE THESE TWO TAXIWAYS ARE OPEN, IT WILL ALLOW US TO START WORKING ON THE NEW CONCOURSE.
AND SO IF THIS PROJECT IS DELAYED, THE CONCOURSE AND THE NEW GATES WILL ALSO GET DELAYED.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, UH, ACCELERATION TASK FORCE.
I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR Y'ALL TO LOOK AT THIS AND COME BACK WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COMMISSION IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE, WHEREAS, WELL, I, I, I SEE A SLIDE.
COMMISSIONER KON CAN THE, UH, ACCELERATION TASK FORCE LOOK AT THIS.
ALRIGHT, YOU AND CHAIR REAL QUICK, IF I COULD, WHO'S IS THAT? WHO'S SPEAKING TODAY? JASON? OH, HELLO.
I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, BECAUSE YOU WILL ONLY HAVE ONE DAY BETWEEN THE COMMISSION MEETING AND, UH, THE COUNCIL TAKING THIS ITEM UP.
ONCE THAT ITEM GETS LAUNCHED IN THE SYSTEM, WE WILL PUSH THAT OUT TO THE COMMISSION.
SO YOU'VE GOT ADVANCED TIME TO LOOK AT THAT.
THANK YOU THAT I, WE APPRECIATE THAT AND WE, I MEAN WE'VE GOT A HEADS UP OF A MONTH NOW, BUT WHEN THE FINAL LANGUAGE THAT'S EXCELLENT.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE FOR US TODAY, LYNN? TOMORROW IS OUR INDUSTRY DAY, UM, NOVEMBER 9TH.
IT'S IN A HOTEL DOWNTOWN AT THE HYATT.
UM, IT'S WAS, WE HAD TICKETS FOR 600 AND IT'S COMPLETELY, UM, SOLD OUT AND WE HAVE A WAITING LIST THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACTIVELY FILL OF ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SPEAK TO ALL THE NEXT PROCUREMENTS THAT ARE COMING OUT, UM, TOMORROW, UM, IN THAT EVENT.
AND, UM, THAT WILL BE OUR LAST EVENT FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF INTEREST AND I HOPE IT GOES WELL TOMORROW.
ALRIGHT, UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE ITEM
[8. Authorize funding for the Section 481 Service Fee Agreement with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for the reimbursement of CBP costs for additional and/or expanded services outside of CBP’s normal operating hours at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, for an additional five years in an amount not to exceed $1,500,000. ]
NUMBER EIGHT FIRST, UM, TO AUTHORIZE FUNDING FOR THE SECTION 41 SERVICE FEE AGREEMENT WITH THE US CUSTOMS AND ORDER PROTECTION CBP FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF CBP COSTS FOR ADDITIONAL AND EXPANDED SERVICES OUTSIDE OF NORMAL OPERATING HOURS AT THE AIRPORT FOR AN ADDITIONAL FIVE YEARS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,500,000.UM, AND RAJEEV WILL, TOM RAJIV WILL SPEAK TO US ABOUT THAT.
SO THIS IS AN AGREEMENT THAT WE SIGNED IN 2019 WITH CBP.
UH, THERE IS NO END DATE ON THE AGREEMENT AND THIS RCA IS REALLY JUST AN AUTHORITY TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES THAT CBP PROVIDES FOR THOSE IRREGULAR HOURS.
SO EVERY FIVE YEARS WE'LL COME TO YOU AND GET THE AUTHORITY OR TO THE COUNCIL TO GET THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS FOR THOSE OVERTIME HOURS THAT,
[00:25:01]
YOU KNOW, CPP WOULD'VE TO INCUR FOR LATE FLIGHTS OR IRREGULAR FLIGHTS DURING F ONE, ET CETERA.AND THAT'S STANDARD USUALLY THAT AN AIRPORT WILL REIMBURSE A FEDERAL AGENCY FOR OVERTIME.
WELL OUTSIDE THEIR NORMAL WORKING HOURS.
I MEAN, THEIR HOURS ARE EIGHT 30 TO, UH, 9:30 PM UM, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
AND SO IF THERE ARE LATE FLIGHTS THAT THEY HAVE TO STAY FOR AND, AND IF DURING F ONE AND SPECIAL EVENTS, AND THIS IS CARGO AS WELL, THIS IS INSPECTION.
YEAH, THIS WILL BE CARGO AS WELL.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? ROSE? UH, UH, ROSE, I SEE YOU RAYMOND, BUT YOU'RE VERY SMALL ON THE SCREEN THAT I SEE RIGHT NOW.
ALL IN FAVOR OF REIMBURSING CBP.
I THINK THAT THAT IS UNANIMOUS.
[5. Discussion and possible action on a recommendation by the Airport Advisory Commission supporting requests made by U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett to the Federal Aviation Administration in a letter dated October 16, 2023 and information sharing between the City of Austin Department of Aviation and Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Safety Administration and Customs and Border Protection. ]
FIVE.THIS IS THE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A RECOMMENDATION BY THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION SUPPORTING REQUESTS MADE BY CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT TO THE FAA IN A LETTER DATED OCTOBER 16TH.
SHOULD BE PART OF THE BACKUP 2023.
UH, AND ALSO THE RECOMMENDATION INCLUDES INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, TRANSPORTATION SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, AND CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION BY, UM, SECRETARY ROSE AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER FONG FONG.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM? I HAVE A QUICK COMMENT.
MADAM CHAIR, I KNOW, UM, THIS IS A MATTER THAT IS IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
LAST WEEK WAS A TOUGH WEEK OUT OF THE AIRPORT, AND I MIGHT JUST SUGGEST THAT, UM, OUT OF RESPECT TO ALL CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES AND ALL CITIZENS WHO FLY THROUGH AND MOVE THROUGH, WORK AT AND INTERSECT OUR AIRPORT, THAT WE TAKE JUST A QUICK MOMENT OF SILENCE THAT'S SINCERE, UM, AND HEARTFELT.
UM, WE, UM, WE HOPE THAT, THAT, UM, YEAH.
WELL WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND WE DID HAVE A MOMENT TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE THE LOSS LAST WEEK AND, AND ALSO RESPECT FOR ALL THE PEOPLE PASSING THROUGH.
I'M GOING TO CHANGE JUST AS AN ITEM OF DISCUSSION FOR THIS AND TO NOTIFY THE COMMISSION TOMORROW AT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
ITEM 55 IS A RECOMMENDATION BROUGHT FORWARD BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, WHICH IS A, A WHAT I WOULD CALL A STRONGER VERSION OF OUR RECOMMENDATION.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE TIMELINE AND BECAUSE OF WE ARE A VOLUNTEER BOARD AND, UH, DON'T HAVE FULL-TIME STAFF WORKING FOR US, UM, WE DID THE BEST WE COULD WITH THE INFORMATION WE HAD.
UM, WE, BUT THEY SAW OUR RECOMMENDATION AND, UM, BUILT UPON IT, I THINK.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, ALL IN FAVOR OF CAN, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YEAH, SURE.
UM, IN THIS LETTER FROM, UM, REPRESENTATIVE, UH, DOGGETT, IT, IT ASKS FOR THEM TO DESIGNATE A-B-I-A-B-I AS A LEVEL 10 TERMINAL FACILITY.
IS THERE ANY DRAWBACK TO THAT? I MEAN, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT ARE IF THE FB FAA WERE TO, OR WHOEVER THE AGENCY IS, WOULD FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THAT.
SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF ANYONE COULD ADDRESS THAT AND MAYBE THAT'S TOO IN THE WEEDS.
ALTHOUGH I DON'T HAVE THE DEFINITION OF LEVEL NINE VERSUS LEVEL 10 SPECIFICALLY, AND I CAN GET THAT, I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
UM, WE ARE A LARGE HUB DESIGNATION AS OPPOSED TO A MEDIUM HUB DESIGNATE DESIGNATION UNDER FAA AS AN AIRPORT.
AND I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT THIS IS A DESIGNATION ALIGNED WITH THE OVERALL AIRPORT DESIGNATION FROM MEDIUM HUB TO LARGE HUB.
BUT LET ME GET THAT INFORMATION, SPECIFICALLY GET THAT TO YOU AND THE COMMISSIONERS.
[00:30:01]
RECOMMEND, I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S DETRIMENTAL OR IF THAT WOULD BE A HELP OR NOT.I'M ASSUMING IT WOULD BE A HELP, BUT I WAS CURIOUS.
YEAH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ACTING ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FAA, A LOT OF BOOKKEEPING AND THINGS THAT HAD TO HAPPEN AND BECAUSE OF STAFFING SHORTAGES, A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAD TO HAPPEN DIDN'T HAPPEN, UM, RECENTLY.
AND SO, UM, WE, NOW THAT THERE'S A NEW FAA ADMINISTRATOR AND SOME INTEREST AND, UH, SOME TENSION HERE THAT, UM, THIS CAN HAP THAT, THAT THIS DESIGNATION CAN CHANGE.
BUT YOU'RE CORRECT, I, I ALSO TRIED TO DO SOME RESEARCH TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT, WHAT IT MEANS, BUT I THINK IT JUST TRACKS WITH THE, THE, THE LEVEL OF BUSINESS AT THE AIRPORT.
WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE NOW TO JUST BRIEFLY ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION AROUND SAFETY AND MAYBE ASK A QUESTION OR TWO, TALK ABOUT IT, MAYBE EVEN SURFACE A QUESTION OR TWO AROUND WHAT IS IN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION, WHICH I UNDERSTAND TO BE RAMPS AND APRONS, WHAT IS NOT IN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION, WHICH IS WHAT I BELIEVE CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT IS SPEAKING TO HERE, THE RUNWAYS AND TAXIWAYS IN THE FAA JURISDICTION AS A CITIZEN.
I THINK SAFETY IN MY SMALL MIND THINKS THAT IT IS ALL ONE SORT OF JURISDICTION I HAVE COME TO LEARN OVER THESE MONTHS THAT IT IS NOT, AND THAT THERE ARE SOME, SOME LINES AND BORDERS AND BOUNDARIES THERE THAT ARE REAL.
UM, I GUESS A QUESTION FOR YOU WITH THAT LONG INITIAL COMMENT, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE, THE CONGRESSMAN'S WORK, WHICH WE APPRECIATE, UH, TO BE FOCUSED ON THAT FAA JURISDICTIONAL SIDE OF THAT BASKET FULL OF SAFETY ISSUES? YES.
I MEAN, THIS RECOMMENDATION, WE, IN OUR ROLE AS VOLUN, AS A VOLUNTEER BOARD, WE CAN'T, WE CAN ONLY TALK TO CITY COUNCIL.
WE CANNOT REQUEST STAFF TO DO ANYTHING, BUT CITY COUNCIL CAN TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER AND DO THAT.
SO THIS WAS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT TO THANK THE CONGRESSMAN MM-HMM,
AND I LEARNED A NEW WORD, A NEW PHRASE TODAY, I'M GONNA FORGET IT NOW, BUT I THINK IT'S THE FENCE LINE AND THE FRONT LINE.
THE PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, THE FRONT LINE OF OPERATIONS AND ON THE FENCE LINE AROUND THE AIRPORT, UM, PROTECTING THEIR, UM, ABILITY TO LIVE AND WORK SAFELY.
AND, UM, THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS RECOMMENDATION DOES.
IT ACKNOWLEDGE, IT RECOGNIZES AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO IS PRO WHO'S ADVOCATING FOR THE AIRPORT.
UM, SINCE THEN, CITY COUNCIL HAS A, WHO HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING THAN WE HAVE HAD IN THE PAST AT THIS, IN THIS BODY OF RAMP AND APRON ACTION.
AND YES, IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT DIS DISTINCTION AND DISCUSSION THAT WE DID NOT KNOW UNTIL I STARTED DRAFTING THIS RECOMMENDATION.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, THE AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS NOT, IS, YOU KNOW, IS SOMEWHAT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RUNWAYS AND TAXIWAYS, BUT THE PLANES COMING IN AND OFF OF THEM ARE THE FA A'S JURISDICTION.
BUT ONCE AN AIRPLANE LEAVES THE TAXIWAY AND COMES TO THE GATE WHERE IT'S FUELING PARKING, LOADING, UNLOADING, THAT'S CALLED THE RAMP OR THE APRON, THE MEDIA CALLS IT THE TARMAC.
I DON'T, THAT'S NOT A, THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED RIGHT NOW FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS RECOMMENDATION.
THIS RECOMMENDATION IS FEDERALLY FOCUSED TO GET THE ATTENTION OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE SHORTAGE OF, UM, FAA STAFFING NOT ONLY IN AUSTIN, BUT ACROSS THE SYSTEM.
AND THAT AUSTIN'S GROWTH, THAT THE DESIGNATION OF AUSTIN AND THE AIRSPACE AROUND THE AIRPORT NEEDS TO MEASURE, MEASURE UP TO WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE AIRPORT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE IS A, A RECOMMENDATION THAT WHEN THERE IS AN INCIDENT AND SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN AT THE AIRPORT, THAT AS THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION IS NOTIFIED, AND THAT WE ARE ABLE AND UNDER UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, WHAT THE AUSTIN AIRPORT'S FEDERAL PARTNERS RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
SO IN THE FUTURE, OF COURSE, WE CAN'T TELL THEM WHAT TO DO, BUT WE CAN SAY WE ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH YOU TO, FOR YOU TO ACHIEVE A COLLABORATIVE AND COOPERATIVE, PRODUCTIVE, SAFE FLYING
[00:35:01]
ENVIRONMENT AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PEOPLE AT THE AIRPORT.THANK YOU FOR THAT AND FOR THE RESOLUTION.
AND I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF HERE AT THE AIRPORT THAT THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE DISTINCTLY IN OUR COURT, UM, RAMP AND APRON SAFETY, UH, I KNOW THAT WE KNOW AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THAT'S BEEN A PRIORITY TO THE CITY FOR SOME TIME CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY.
AND I JUST WANT TO UNDERLINE OUR COLLECTIVE THANKS TO THE CITY NOT FOR WHOLESALE SUCCESS THERE.
LAST WEEK WAS A TRAGEDY, BUT FOR CONTINUED INTENTIONALITY THERE.
AND WE, I JUST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT'S GOING IN THERE BY THE CITY TEAM.
COMMISSIONER MEDU, TECHNICALLY THE RUNWAYS AND TAXIWAYS ARE AN FAA CONTROLLER RESPONSIBILITY.
WHEN THEY GET TO THE RAMP, THEN IT, THEN IT BECOMES AN UNCONTROLLED SITUATION.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN WE REACH THAT REACH A LEVEL WHERE WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BIG RAMP AND, AND, UH, SOME COMPLEXITIES IS THAT STAFF IS WORKING ON A PROPOSAL OF DOING SOME CONTROL.
UH, LIKE, UH, OTHER AIRPORTS DO THAT ARE OTHER MAJOR HUBS WHERE YOU GET TURNED OVER TO A LOCAL CONTROLLER WHO MANAGES THE RAMP AND THAT THAT MANAGER THEN, AS THAT AIRCRAFT TAXIS OUT, UM, THEY TURN THAT AIRCRAFT OVER TO, UH, A, THE GROUND CONTROLLER FOR THE FAA.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I, I'D BE CURIOUS ABOUT HOW THAT'S PROCEEDING BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR, FOR ALL OF US TO UNDERSTAND.
AND I THINK THAT, WE'LL, LET'S BRING THAT UP AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, BECAUSE THAT IS A FUTURE THING.
UM, AND IT, WE ALL LEARNED A LOT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS ABOUT WHAT, WHAT IS POSSIBLE, WHAT IS, WHAT IS, UH, BEING DONE IN, IN OTHER AIRPORTS.
AND YOUR, YOUR EXPERTISE IN THIS WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL MOVING FORWARD.
BUT LET'S, LET'S SHELF THAT FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
UNLESS STAFF IS ABLE TO DISCUSS SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, MAYBE NOT DISCUSS, UH, 'CAUSE I WANNA STAY WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS ITEM.
BUT TO THAT POINT, WE FULLY INTEND TO COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION PRETTY SOON, UH, WITH MORE INFORMATION ON THE SOLICITATION THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LAUNCHING, UH, FOR THE THIRD PARTY TO DO THE RAMP CONTROL, BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, MAYBE HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE THINK WE CAN DO IN THE INTERIM TO, TO PUT FORWARD SOME, SOME RAMP CONTROL MEASURES.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
UH, WE PROVIDED A, AN FAQ ON OUR RAMP CONTROL EFFORTS TO THE COUNCIL YESTERDAY.
WE FORWARDED THAT TO YOU ALL, I THINK YESTERDAY EVENING.
AND, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME IN AT A, LIKE YOU SAID, AT A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AND EXPAND ON THAT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO, TO HEAR THAT
UM, AND I GUESS IT, IT, IT GOES WITHOUT BEING SAID, BUT I'M GONNA SAY IT ANYWAY.
WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR SAFETY MEASURES AND FOR A BRIEFING FROM STAFF, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE LEARNED THAT THE, THE RAMP IN THE APRON WAS THE PURVIEW OF THE AIRPORT SIX OR EIGHT MONTHS AGO, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
WE THOUGHT EFFORT, EVERYTHING OUTSIDE THE WINDOWS OF THE AIRPORT WAS THE FAA AND UM, NOW WE'RE JUST LEARNING ABOUT WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT, HOW THAT WORKS.
AND, UM, BUT WE WANNA BE YOUR PARTNERS IN MAKING IT MOVING THIS ALONG QUICKLY.
WHO'S THE, WHO MADE THE MOTION AND WHO MADE THE SECOND? ARE WE READY TO VOTE? I THANK YOU ROSE VAN.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE RECOMMENDATION? NO.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF, UM, A RECOMMENDATION IN SUPPORT OF REQUESTS MADE BY CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT TO THE FAA IN A LETTER DATED OCTOBER 16TH, 2023.
UM, ANYBODY OPPOSED? ABSTAINING COMMISSIONER MEDO? I DIDN'T SEE YOUR
[00:40:01]
VOTE NO IN FAVOR.ARE WE, ARE WE UNANIMOUS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
YOU WOULD THINK I WAS BETTER AT DOING A VIRTUAL MEETING BY NOW, BUT I'M NOT SO GOOD AT IT.
I THINK THE MOTION PASSES AND THIS WILL GO TO COUNCIL, UM, THIS AFTERNOON FOR TOMORROW'S MEETING AS BACKUP FOR THEM.
[6. Authorize negotiation and execution of three contracts for Aviation information technology consultant services with the The JW Group, Inc., Barich, Inc., and AECOM Technical Services, Inc., or one of the other qualified offerors, each for up to seven years for total contract amounts not to exceed $31,500,000, divided among the contractors. [Note: This solicitation was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2- 9B (Minority Owned and Women Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program). For the services required for this solicitation, there were insufficient subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established]. ]
SIX, TO AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF THREE CONTRACTS FOR AVIATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING SERVICES WITH JW GROUP BARRETT INCORPORATED AND AECOM, OR ONE OF THE OTHER QUALIFIED OFFERERS EACH UP TO SEVEN YEARS FOR TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $31,500,000 DIVIDED AMONG THE CONTRACTORS.UM, I REQUESTED THAT THE, UM, OPPORTUNITY WORKING GROUP TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
AND, UM, FONG OR, UM, JEREMY HENDRICKS, WOULD EITHER ONE OF YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS? UM, YEAH, I SUPPORTED THE, YOU KNOW, POSTPONE THE, UM, THIS ITEM FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AND THE LANGUAGE ABOUT THE, UH, SOLICITATION WAS REVIEWED FOR SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, BUT THERE WERE INSUFFICIENT SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES AND NO SUBCONTRACTING GOALS WERE ESTABLISHED.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, UH, I NOTICED SIMILAR LANGUAGES IN DIFFERENT, UM, YOU KNOW, VEN, UH, IT IN DIFFERENT, UH, SOLICITATION, UH, AND PROJECT, UM, ITEMS. AND THAT JUST MADE ME WANT TO UNDERSTAND MORE OF THE PROCESS BEHIND IT.
HOW, WHO DECIDED ON THE GOALS, WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF SETTING THE GOALS? ARE THERE PEOPLE OVERSEEING THE GOALS? UM, AND HOW DO YOU DECIDE THAT THERE ARE INSUFFICIENT, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, THE UNDERSERVED, THE BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTORS? SO IF THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN SHARED BEFORE I JOINED, AND I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, GET A COPY OR, OR BE DIS BE DIRECTED TO THAT INFORMATION.
IF NOT, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY WORK GROUP WOULD LIKE TO LOOK INTO THIS, UM, ITEM AND A RELATED, UH, UH, QUESTIONS THAT I MENTIONED.
UM, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO RICK OTTI THEFOR I INFORMATION YOUR NAME IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
WHAT IS YOUR TITLE? CAN YOU INTRODUCE INTER INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND THE TITLE, AND MAYBE SPEAK TO SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.
I THINK, DO WE NEED TO VOTE TO POSTPONE OR CAN WE JUST POSTPONE? UM, WE WILL CERTAINLY, UH, PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE NEW THAT DON'T, THAT AREN'T AWARE OF THE PROCESS THAT THE SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESS AND PROCUREMENT OFFICES OF THE CITY DEPARTMENT GO THROUGH TO ESTABLISH GOALS AND, UM, SET THE CRITERIA.
SO WE'RE PLEASED TO GIVE THAT THIS ITEM WILL BE GOING TO COUNCIL, THOUGH IT'S ALREADY BEEN POSTED TO GO TO COUNCIL, SO IT WILL GO TO COUNCIL.
UH, UM, REGARDLESS OF THE VOTE TODAY, THOUGHT IT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE VOTE TODAY.
UM, I THOUGHT THE POSTING LANGUAGE SAID IT WASN'T GOING TO COUNCIL UNTIL DECEMBER.
IS IT? I APOLOGIZE, DECEMBER, IS IT THE DAY? OH, SO IT'LL BE THE DAY AFTER.
SO YOU, YOU CAN, SO YOU CAN CERTAINLY DEFER YOUR, UH, MY APOLOGIES.
YEAH, I MEAN, ONE OF, BUT IT'LL BE GOING TO COUNCIL.
ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES, I GUESS IS THAT THE AGENDA, WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE AGENDA TILL FRIDAY.
THIS ITEM $31 MILLION WASN'T POSTED UNTIL MONDAY AS BACKUP.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT REALLY ENOUGH TIME FOR A BIG ASK FOR SOMETHING THAT I KNOW IS NECESSARY.
BUT WE NOW HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WORKING GROUP THAT'S TRYING TO, UM, F FIGURE OUT CONTRACTING GOALS.
AND, UM, BUT WE HAVE RICK BTI HERE, AND IF I'LL LET YOU INTRODUCE THE ITEM.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE WAS SOMEWHAT UNCLEAR, UM, MAYBE IT'LL BE CLEAR, UM, NEXT MONTH.
MY NAME'S RICK BTI, UH, OFFICIAL TITLE, DEPUTY CHIEF, UM, OFFICER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
SO I ACT AS A-C-I-O-C-T-O FOR THE AIRPORT.
THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, JUST TO SORT OF CLARIFY SOME INFORMATION IN IT, UM, IS REALLY A REPLACEMENT OF AN EXISTING CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE TODAY.
SO TO, SO WE USE THIS CONTRACT TO DO, UH, A LOT OF THE CONSULTING WORK THAT WE NEED, WHETHER IT BE PROJECT MANAGEMENT SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE WRITTEN FOR SYSTEMS THAT AIRPORTS, UH, PROCURE.
THIS IS THE CONTRACT MECHANISM THAT WE USE.
31,000,500 IS A LARGE NUMBER, BUT THE WAY WE CAME TO THAT NUMBER, UM, MAY HELP MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE SENSE, RIGHT? SO THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT THAT WE'RE REPLACING WAS ONE CONTRACTOR, $800,000 A YEAR.
THAT, UH, MONEY WE DO SPEND EVERY YEAR, ALTHOUGH WITH COVID,
[00:45:01]
THAT SLOWED DOWN.BUT IT, UH, AS WE'VE PICKED UP, WE CERTAINLY ARE SPENDING THAT, THAT CONTRACT.
WHAT WE SEE IN THE INDUSTRY IN, I THINK WE SEE IT IN OTHER PLACES, IS, UM, THERE AREN'T ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK.
AND SO HAVING ONE COMPANY THAT IS A SMALL BUSINESS, IN THIS CASE IT'S JW GROUP, THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO DO THE WORK IN A TIMELY FASHION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE COMPLETED.
AND SO THIS TIME AROUND, WE LOOKED AT TWO THINGS.
ONE WAS LET'S ADD A COUPLE OF COMPANIES TO BE ABLE TO PICK FROM, IF ONE DOESN'T HAVE EXPERTISE, IF ONE HAS A PARTICULAR, UM, LOAD THAT THEY'RE UNABLE TO MEET OUR NEEDS.
BECAUSE BEING A NICHE MARKET, THESE COMPANIES WORK AT AIRPORTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND SO THEIR RESOURCES DO GET SPREAD THIN.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT THAT AND WE PUT THREE CONTRACTS TOGETHER.
SO IF YOU TAKE 800,000 TIMES THREE, THAT IS, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE STARTED.
SO WHAT WE DID NEXT IS WE SAID, LISTEN, WE'VE GOT A VERY LARGE CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN STARTED UP.
MY EXPERIENCE BEING IN THIS INDUSTRY FOR A WHILE IS THE IT COMPONENT IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, UM, IS CHALLENGING.
PEOPLE WHO BUILD BUILDINGS DON'T NECESSARILY DO THE BEST JOB PUTTING IN IT SYSTEMS. AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME LEVEL OF CONTROL OVER THAT.
AND SO THAT WE UPPED THESE CONTRACTS FROM WHAT WAS 800,000 TO 1.5 MILLION.
AND THEN IT'S JUST A MATH PROBLEM.
SO WE HAVE THREE COMPANIES THAT WE'RE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING 1.5 MILLION FIVE YEARS, WELL, SEVEN YEARS IN TOTAL, GET YOU TO 31.5 MILLION.
AND SO THAT MONEY IS SPREAD ACROSS ALL OF THEM.
NOT EACH COMPANY IS GONNA GET 31.5 MILLION.
SO JUST TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND HOW WE BUILD THOSE NUMBERS TOGETHER, AS FAR AS THE SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT'S A SEPARATE, UM, CITY DEPARTMENT.
AND THAT'S WHAT TRACY WAS TALKING ABOUT, TO GET YOU INFORMATION ON HOW THOSE ARE DETERMINED BETWEEN PROCUREMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THE AIRPORT DOES NOT MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS.
UH, WHO DETERMINED THERE AREN'T ENOUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, MWBE OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE THE CONTRACTOR THEMSELVES, THE PRIME CONTRACTOR? NO, NO.
IT WAS THE CITY THAT WOULD MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
SO, UM, IT'S THE SMALL MINORITY BUSINESS RESOURCES DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY.
AND I THINK, UM, COMMISSIONER, IF I COULD BE SO BOLD TO SUGGEST THAT WE PROBABLY FOR THE WORKING GROUP WANT TO CONNECT YOU WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES WHO'VE SPOKEN TO THIS COMMISSION OFTEN IN THE PAST MM-HMM.
SO I THINK YOU ARE GETTING THAT INFORMATION WILL, WILL HELP UNDERSTAND FUTURE RCAS MUCH BETTER.
AND WE OWE THAT TO YOU, OWE THAT TO YOU.
THE OTHER TWO FIRMS, OF COURSE, ARE WELL KNOWN IN THE AVIATION FOR AVIATION TECH, BUT THEY ARE PRIVATELY HELD BUSINESSES.
UM, ONE LOOKS LIKE A FAMILY BUSINESS, ACTUALLY, THE HUSBAND AND WIFE ARE THE PARTNERS.
BUT, UM, I THINK THAT IT, THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
IT MAY BE HELPFUL FOR THE FREE, WOULD IT BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT IN WRITING OR JUST LIKE A, A PARAGRAPH OR CAN YOU SUM, DO, DO YOU AND JEREMY HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND YOU CAN SHARE THAT WITH, UM, VICE CHAIR BROCK IN, IN TERMS OF WHAT'S, HOW THIS NUMBER, HOW WE CAME, HOW, HOW THIS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO, TO HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING.
UM, BUT MORE OF THE, UM, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY WORKFORCE WORK GROUP IS, UH, OPPORTUNITY WORK GROUP IS MORE INTERESTED TO LEARN THE PROCESS AND WHO DETERMINED THEN HOW THEY FIND OUT THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO EFFICIENT, WHAT IS THE OUTREACH, UH, PROCESS FOR THEM BEFORE THEM, BEFORE THEY DETERMINE THAT.
SO THAT'S A PACKAGE THING THAT SEEMS LIKE TWO TOPICS, BUT, UH, IF WE CAN GET INFORMATION ON BOTH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I I, THE ONE THING I WILL ADD TO THIS BEFORE TRACY OR JASON SPEAK, IS THAT BOTH BEARISH AND JW GROUP HAVE LESS THAN 20 EMPLOYEES.
SO THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED A SMALL BUSINESS AECOM PROPOSED STELLAR SERVICES, WHICH IS A CITY MBE MM-HMM.
SO THEY HAVE ALREADY STEPPED UP AND SAID, LISTEN, WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA PROPOSE AN MBE AS DID JW ACTUALLY, THEY PROPOSED, UM, EDS, I DON'T DUNNO HOW TO PRONOUNCE IT PROPERLY, BUT THEY PROPOSED ALSO A CITY CERTIFIED MBE.
NO, THE, SO AECOM, BEARISH AND JW GROUP ARE PRIMED MM-HMM.
AND THEN THEY HAVE SUB SUB CONSULTANTS THAT ARE, UM, A PART OF THEIR TEAM THAT ARE MBES.
THE, THE REASON THAT THE MBS, THE MBS GENERALLY AREN'T THE PRIME IS BECAUSE
[00:50:01]
THE NICHE MARKET THAT WE'RE IN, IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND AIRPORT IT SPECIFIC, UH, RESOURCES HERE.IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT IN GENERAL, LIKE MY OPERATIONS SIDE OF IT, ABSOLUTELY WE'RE GONNA FIND PEOPLE ALL DAY LONG.
BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT SPECIFIC AIRPORT IT SYSTEMS, UM, THAT IT'S GENERALLY AROUND, THOSE COMPANIES ARE GENERALLY GONNA BE AROUND LARGE AIRPORTS.
THEY'RE NEAR PHOENIX, NEAR LA, NEAR, UH, DENVER, DFW, UM, THOSE TYPES OF AIRPORTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE WORK IS.
THEY NEED TO BE CLOSE TO THAT WORK.
SO, UM, I THINK IN THIS CASE, BEARISH IS NEAR PHOENIX, JW GROUP HAPPENS TO BE NEAR PHILADELPHIA, WHICH ALSO KIND OF MAKES SENSE.
BUT, UM, BUT TO FIND THE WAY THAT, TO FIND A COMPANY IN AUSTIN THAT IS IN OUR MARKET SPACE IS CHALLENGING AND ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE AN, UH, AN MBE, UM, SINCE THERE'S NO, UM, DOWNSIDE FOR WAITING TILL NEXT MONTH BECAUSE IT'S NOT BEING POSTED TO COUNCIL FOR NEXT MONTH AGAIN, DO I NEED A VOTE TO POSTPONE? YES, PLEASE.
I'D LIKE TO ASK ONE MORE QUESTION.
UH, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE ONE SUBCOMMITTEE, THE OPPORTUNITY COMMITTEE, IT SEEMS TO ME THIS IS ALSO GETTING IN THE WAY OF NOW THE ACCELERATION COMMITTEE AS WE'RE SLOWING THIS DOWN POTENTIALLY.
UH, WELL, I DON'T THINK POSTPONING A VOTE TO POTENTIALLY, I WOULD ASSUME, UH, POTENTIALLY VOTE IT DOWN.
'CAUSE WHY ELSE WOULD YOU BE POSTPONING THE VOTE? SO I WOULD LIKE THE ACCELERATION COMMITTEE TO ALSO LOOK AT THIS, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT BY VOTING IT DOWN, POTENTIALLY WE WOULDN'T BE SLOWING ANYTHING DOWN.
I, I DON'T THINK THAT, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO THE OPPORTUNITY WORKING GROUP TO, IT'S GOING FOR A RECOMMENDATION AND TO GET MORE INFORMATION BECAUSE THE, IF YOU READ THE POSTING LANGUAGE, IT WASN'T CLEAR TO WHOM THIS MONEY WAS GOING WELL.
CAN I GET A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ACCELERATION COMMITTEE AS WELL? UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S DEACCELERATING, BUT, UM, I, THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW FROM THE COMMITTEE.
I, I, UM, AS THE CHAIR, I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY, BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE IT TO, TO THE, UM, IF JONATHAN AND THE ACCELERATION WORKING GROUP WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW THIS AFTER THE OPPORTUNITY WORKING GROUP REVIEWS IT, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.
BUT THAT IS AT YOUR DISCRETION, ACCELERATION WORKING GROUP.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, UH, AT THE SAME TIME.
DO YOU HAVE OTHER QUEST? WELL, I'M SORRY, RICK, DO YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. BETTI ABOUT THIS CONTRACT? OKAY, THAT WAS FOR YOU, JONATHAN? NO.
I THOUGHT
I'M SITTING HERE MAKING A NOTE, MAKING SURE I DON'T FORGET ABOUT THIS.
SO CHAIR, YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET A MOTION IN SECOND.
WE'LL MAKE SURE WE LOOK AT IT.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO POSTPONE? UM, COMMISSIONER FONG FONG.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? COMMISSIONER TODD OR CHAIR TODD? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE POSTPONEMENT OF THIS ITEM TILL NEXT MONTH BEFORE?
NOW IF THE OPPORTUNITY WORKING GROUP DOES, I MEAN IF THE ACCELERATION WORKING GROUP DOESN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION, ARE YOU STILL OKAY FOR NEXT MONTH? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WELL, IF THEY DON'T MEET OR IF THEY DIDN'T COME, WELL, OKAY, JUST ASKING.
WHAT'RE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING
I WAS JUST SAYING WE MEET THE DAY BEFORE EACH OF OUR, UH, ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETINGS.
SO IT'S ALREADY ON THE CALENDAR.
WE'LL COMMIT TO YOU, CHAD, TO GET IT DONE.
ALRIGHT, UM, WE ARE UP TO AGENDA
[7. Approve a resolution finding the use of the construction manager at risk method of contracting, as authorized by Subchapter F, Chapter 2269 of the Texas Government Code, is the project delivery method that provides the best value to the City for Utility Infrastructure Project as part of the Airport Expansion and Development Program (Note: MBE/WBE goals will be established prior to issuance of this solicitation). ]
ITEM SEVEN.SO THE, WE HAVE A, WE'RE POSTPONING TILL NEXT MONTH WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AND THE LANGUAGE OF THE, WHAT THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN, THIS ALREADY HAS THE POSTING LANGUAGE.
CORRECT? CAN IT BE REVISED? I'LL, I'LL, WE'LL NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, BUT THIS IS WHAT'S POSTED IN THE, THE CURRENT AGENDA SYSTEM AND THIS IS WHAT WILL BE REFLECTED ON THE 1214 COUNCIL AGENDA.
BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO, IT WOULD NOT GO TO COUNCIL BEFORE WE MEET NEXT MONTH ANYWAY.
[00:55:01]
A POSTPONEMENT.ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION FINDING THE USE OF THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK METHOD OF CONTRACTING FOR PROJECT DELIVERY METHOD THAT PROVIDES THE BEST VALUE FOR THE CITY, FOR THE UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT AS PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AS PART OF THE AIRPORT EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
SECOND ELLER, UM, VALDEZ SECOND.
UM, I BELIEVE THIS DID GO TO THE ACCELERATION WORKING GROUP FOR DISCUSSION.
DID YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THIS? SOMEBODY REFRESH MY MEMORY ON IT.
UH, COMMISSIONER ROSE? I DON'T REMEMBER TALKING ABOUT THIS SPECIFICALLY.
DID YOU HAVE COMMENTS ON IT? YEP.
I WAS HOPING THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT THE ACCELERATION THAT YOU WOULD'VE COME FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION, BUT I UNDERSTAND, UM, WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS PRIOR.
UM, COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS ITEM? UM, LYNN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT IT? UM, THIS IS SEEKING THE ALTERNATIVE DELIVERY METHODOLOGY FOR UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH IS LIKE STORMWATER WATER, ELECTRICITY, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, THIS IS, AND I JUST HAVE A A CLARIFICATION QUESTION.
THIS IS NOT THE CENTRAL UTILITY PLANT, WHICH WAS A THING WHICH WAS GONNA BE A DESIGN BUILD.
SO THIS IS WHY YOU JUST DETERMINED THAT THIS WOULD BE THE BEST SYSTEM OF DELIVERY.
IT'S NOT FOR THE CENTRAL UTILITY PLANT.
IT'S FOR DIFFERENT, UM, COMPONENTS OF THE SITE, CAMPUS WIDE, UM, STORM WATER PONDS, NEW WATER LINES, NEW ELECTRICITY LINES, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT HAVE TO TIE INTO MULTIPLE PLACES.
ALL IN FAVOR? UH, THAT LOOKS UNANIMOUS TO ME.
OKAY, MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ONLY ITEMS.
[9. Discussion related to the recent reporting about interest in renaming Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and the process described by current City Code for renaming a public facility. ]
NO MORE VOTING TODAY UNTIL, UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, DISCUSSION RELATED TO THE RECENT REPORTING ABOUT INTEREST IN RENAMING THE AUSTIN AIRPORT, UM, AND THE PROCESS DESCRIBED BY CITY CODE FOR RENAMING A PUBLIC FACILITY.UM, COMMISSIONER ELLER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM? I THINK THERE WERE A NUMBER OF US ON THE COMMISSION THAT READ THROUGH THE, UH, PRESS ARTICLES ON IT.
WE'RE JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHAT IT WOULD DO TO THE AIRPORT AND HOW THIS WOULD COME ABOUT IF IN FACT IT WERE TO BE PROPOSED.
TO SAY IT SIMPLY, I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE ASSESSMENT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO, UM, IF A FORMAL REQUEST WERE PUT FORWARD.
BUT IT, IN SHORT, THERE'S A SECTION OF, UH, CITY CODE CHAPTER 14, UH, THAT SPEAKS TO THE NAMING AND RENAMING OF FACILITY.
SO WE WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE AT THE AIRPORT HAVE HAD TO CONFRONT BEFORE, SO IT'S GONNA BE NEW TO US.
UM, AND SO WE'LL JUST NEED TO SPEND TIME DIGGING INTO IT WHAT IT WOULD DO FOR THE AIRPORT.
I MEAN, SURELY THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES THAT WOULD CHANGE IF A NAME WERE TO BE SELECTED.
UM, TO THE EXTENT OF THAT, I COULDN'T POSSIBLY SAY, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION RIGHT NOW WITH THE FAA AND OTHER AGENCIES THAT WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO BE UPDATED.
BUT IN TERMS OF TIME COST, I, I REALLY COULDN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION HOW, UM, AND IF, IF ANYONE HAS AN ANSWER, WE CAN CROWDSOURCE THIS, HOW THE BARBARA JORDAN TERMINAL GOT NAMED AND HOW THE PICKLE RUNWAY AND THE LBJ RUNWAY GOT NAMED AT AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
UH, SO WE, UH, WE DID HEAR YOU ASK THAT EARLIER AND REALLY IN LOOKING AT AVAILABLE DOCUMENTATION, BEST I CAN COME UP WITH IS THAT THOSE WERE DEDICATED AT THE TIME OF THE OPENING OF THE AIRPORT.
AND I'VE NOT SEEN ANYTHING TO, TO, TO CHANGE THAT, UH, THAT ASSESSMENT AT THIS POINT.
AND SO TO MORE CLEARLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY DIDN'T GO THROUGH A NAMING OR, UH, NAMING PROCESSES OUTLINED IN THE CURRENT CITY CODE.
CAN WE VERIFY THAT? WE CAN CERTAINLY TRY.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE LOOKED AT THE AVAILABLE RECORDS ON THE CITY CLERK'S SITE AND I CAN'T SEE SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS TO THAT PARTICULAR NAME.
'CAUSE EVEN NAMING NAMING IN THE, THE IN CITY CODE, NAMING A FACILITY HAS A PROCESS.
[01:00:01]
IT'S NOT AS LENGTHY AS A RENAMING, BUT YEAH.UM, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM? COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT.
UH, I'M JUST CURIOUS, UH, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THE IDEA AT, AT ALL, BUT I AM CURIOUS, ARE THERE, IF THERE'S GONNA BE A RENAMING EXERCISE, ARE THERE OTHER NAMES BEING CONSIDERED? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I, I, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY.
JUST TO BACK UP TO THE ORIGINS OF THIS, THIS IS ALL COMING OUT OF REPORTING, UH, BY THE MEDIA.
SO IT'S NOT AT THIS POINT A FORMAL PROCESS THAT'S BEING UNDERTAKEN.
SO THERE'S NO TO, TO BE VERY CLEAR, THERE IS NO NEW NAME BEING ACTIVELY CONSIDERED RIGHT NOW.
UM, IF THERE WERE TO BE A NAME FORMALLY SUBMITTED, UH, ONE OR MULTIPLE, IT WOULD GO THROUGH A RENAMING PROCESSES OUTLINED IN THE CITY CODE.
BUT, BUT NO PROCESS HAS BEEN INITIATED AT THIS POINT.
AND FOR TRANSPARENCY, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE, THE, THOSE INTERESTED IN THE RENAMING HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE TOURISM COMMISSIONER, THE CHAIR OF THE TOURISM COMMISSIONER ALREADY.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT IS UNDER DISCUSSION OUT THERE, BUT, UM, I THINK OUR FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS ON SAFETY AND EXPANSION.
SO, UM, WE ARE, WE'RE HERE FOR IT WHEN IT HAPPENS.
I HOPE IT'S A, A PUBLIC, UM, UH, PROCESS, EITHER ACCORDING TO CODE, AND I BELIEVE THAT IN MY, IN MY READING OF THE CODE, IT'S ALSO AT THE DISCRETION OF COUNSEL THAT THEY CAN HAVE A RESOLUTION TO CHANGE THE PROCESS FOR THE RENAMING OF THE AIRPORT.
THAT THEY CAN PASS SOMETHING AND SAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA DO IT THIS WAY.
THAT MAYBE THE OLD WAY OF CONDUCTING A HEARING WITH BLAH, BLAH BLAH IS TEDIOUS OR NOT INCLUSIVE ENOUGH.
BUT THEY, THEY, THE COUNCIL HAS THEIR OWN, THEY CAN HAVE DISCRETION ABOUT HOW A RENAMING CAN TAKE PLACE.
ONE THING, CAN I JUST, OH, SORRY.
OH, JUST GONNA QUICKLY ADD TO THAT POINT.
UM, THE, THE CODE CURRENTLY ALLOWS FOR COUNSEL TO SELECT DIFFERENT PROCESS IF IT WANTS, UH, BUT IF THEY WERE TO STICK TO THE PROCESS ALREADY PRESCRIBED, UM, IT DOES, I BELIEVE I NEED TO GO BACK AND DOUBLE CHECK THIS, BUT I DO THINK IT, UH, ALLOWS FOR THE, THE REQUISITE COMMISSION TO TAKE IT UP AND PROVIDE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
SO THERE WOULD BE A, A SERIES OF THINGS COMING BEFORE THIS COMMISSION, I BELIEVE.
CAN I ASK AN, JUST A MORE BASIC QUESTION? 'CAUSE I, I MUST HAVE MISSED THIS.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE NAME OF THE AIRPORT OR FROM, FROM WHATEVER THE CRITICS ARE SAYING? IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A MAY, MAY I ANSWER THIS, PLEASE? THERE WAS REPORTING IN THE MEDIA AND I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS IT WITH YOU AFTER, AFTERWARDS.
BUT, UM, THE LBJ FOUNDATION IS IN, IS INTERESTED AND THEY'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT THIS.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT NOTHING THAT THEY, ANYONE HAS CONTACTED THE AIRPORT OR THE AIRPORT ADVISORY COMMISSION GOT.
AND THERE'S NOTHING INHERENTLY WRONG WITH THE NAME.
I'M JUST WANTING TO FOR FULL OR NO, NO, SOMEONE WANTS TO NAME IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
JUST TO HONOR, IT'S AN ADDITIVE J OKAY.
[10.Review City Council action at the October 19, 2023 meeting – [Item 77] Authorize negotiation and execution of a contract for facility management and labor services for the South Terminal at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport with ClearedDirect LLC, for the term of November 1, 2023, through December 31, 2025, in an amount not to exceed $9,009,375. Approved on consent. ]
IS, UM, I'M GONNA LET STAFF TELL US ABOUT THAT.SO ITEM NUMBER 10, TRACY THOMPSON, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION.
SO ITEM NUMBER 10 IS, UM, JUST A REPORTING OF A PRIOR COUNSEL ACTION ITEM APPROVING ON CONSENT.
UM, A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION AND CLEAR DIRECT, WHICH IS THE CURRENT FORMER AND NOW CURRENT MANAGER AND OPERATOR OF THE SOUTH TERMINAL.
SO I JUST WANNA TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT WE DID, UH, CLOSE ON THE SOUTH TERMINAL TRANSITION LAST WEEK ON, UM, HALLOWEEN DAY, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION IS, UM, ENGAGED IN THE FULL-TIME OPERATIONS OF THAT FACILITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THE, IN THIS TRANSITION PROCESS.
ALSO, JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION, THE FEDERAL COURT, THAT THERE ARE TWO LAWSUITS THAT WERE FILED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OPERATION OF THE SOUTH TERMINAL.
ONE WAS THE STATE COURT PROCEEDING.
ONE WAS A FEDERAL COURT PROCEEDING.
THE FEDERAL COURT CASE HAS BEEN DISMISSED BY THE JUDGE, AND THE JOINT STIPULATION BY BOTH LONE STAR AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS PENDING BEFORE THE STATE COURT FOR THE EMINENT DOMAIN.
AND A RULING ON THAT IS EXPECTED ANY DAY.
SO EVERYTHING RELATED TO THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH TERMINAL SHOULD BE COMPLETE AT, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS THAT LAST RULING IS FILED, JUST, I'M, I'M SORRY THAT RAJIV IS NOT HERE.
ARE THERE ANY FISCAL, UM, CONSEQUENCES FOR CLOSING THIS IN IN THE NEXT, WELL, I GUESS WELL, NEVERMIND, WE ARE IN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.
WE DIDN'T CLOSE IT IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.
I'M THINKING OF AMERICAN US TAXES AT THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
THERE'S NO, WE, WE ARE IN FISCAL YEAR 24.
[01:05:01]
UM, COMMISSIONER ROSE.UH, MS. THOMPSON, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
I KNOW THAT LAST THIS, JONATHAN, I'M DOING THIS ON BEHALF OF OUR PRIOR DISCUSSION.
UM, JUST FOR OUR UNDERSTANDING AND GENERAL CLARIFICATION, YOUR CURRENT THOUGHT IS TO KEEP THAT SOUTH TERMINAL OPEN UNTIL IT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED BECAUSE OF THE EXPANSION? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THE SPECIFIC PART OR PIECE OF THE EXPANSION THAT WILL REQUIRE ITS REMOVAL IS NOT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT TERMINAL, BUT CONSTRUCTION OF SOME OF THE TAXIWAY CORRECT.
BETWEEN THE TWO TERMINALS, RIGHT.
AND SO WE'RE CALIBRATING UNDERSTANDING THAT, BUT NOT KNOWING PRECISELY WHEN THAT DATE WOULD BE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO SHUTTER THE SOUTH TERMINAL.
AS WE'VE SAID IN OUR, WE'VE SAID IN OUR, UM, PUBLIC, UM, DISCUSSION THAT IF THAT IS ANTICIPATED TO BE THE FIRST CALENDAR QUARTER OF 2026.
AND LYNN IS SHAKING HER HEAD, SO I'M THINKING I I SAID THAT.
JONATHAN, ANYTHING COMMISSIONER C**N, ANYTHING YOU HAD ON THAT THERE? NO.
THAT THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE HEARD PREVIOUSLY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
LET US KNOW WHEN IT'S, WHEN IT'S REALLY ALL DONE.
[11.Update from the Acceleration Working Group]
GROUP UPDATES.I KNOW THE ACCELERATION WORKING GROUP MET YESTERDAY.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'RE, YOU CAN SHARE WITH US? UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC UPDATE YET.
[12.Update from the Opportunity Working Group]
JEREMY, WELL I, I GUESS BAKARI BROCK, VICE CHAIR.BROCK IS THE CHAIR OF THE, UM, OPPORTUNITY WORKING GROUP.
HE IS NOT PRESENT TODAY, BUT UM, IS THERE ANYTHING TO REPORT? OKAY.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. COMMISSIONERS.DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS FOR, UM, TO BE DISCUSSED AT A FUTURE MEETING? YOU'VE BEEN VERY QUIET.
I'LL JUST ADD THAT YOU HAD EARLIER DISCUSSED MADAM CHAIR, THE SAFETY PIECE.
RIGHT? AND SO I WOULD JUST SURFACE THAT.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UM, FOR, UM, COMMISSIONER MEDO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, DISCUSS THE QUESTION ABOUT RAMP SAFETY? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT, I SUPPOSE.
UM, I'LL SECOND THAT AND CAN I EXPAND THAT A LITTLE BIT? NOT ONLY, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF THE, THE KINDS OF SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU'VE MADE, BUT ALSO AS HOW WE ARE GOING TO DESIGN SAFETY IN TO THE RAMPS THAT WE'RE BUILDING.
AND BY THAT I MEAN MAYBE WE'RE GONNA HAVE VEHICLE PASSAGE, PA VEHICLE PASSAGEWAYS, UH, DETERMINE THAT MAYBE WE NEED SOME MORE SPACE INSIDE WHERE, BETWEEN WHERE THE AIRCRAFT, THE, THE, UH, NOSE GEAR IS CHALKED AND ALSO THE TERMINAL THAT MAINTENANCE VE VEHICLES CAN RUN UNDERNEATH.
UH, THIS MAY BE TWO JUDGE, THIS MAY BE A TWO-PARTER.
THEN, UM, I THINK WHAT IMMEDIATELY WE WANNA TALK ABOUT THE INTERIM AND THE, THE PLAN FOR FINE FOR RAM SAFETY FOR THE BARBARA JORDAN TERMINAL.
AND THEN MAYBE WE, WE COULD COME BACK WITH SOMETHING ABOUT THE, THE DESIGN OF THE NEW TERMINAL.
'CAUSE THEY HAVEN'T DESIGNED IT YET, BUT THAT'D BE GREAT.
MAYBE WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT THAT.
SO WE HAVE A, WE HAVE TWO PART THAT'S A TWO-PARTER FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
UM, MOTION BY MIDAL, SECONDED BY ROSE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF AIR OF A RAMP AND APRON SAFETY.
UM, ANY OTHER ITEMS? I HAVE ONE, OF COURSE, I I WANNA CONGRATULATE THE AIRPORT FOR A REALLY OUTSTANDING OCTOBER.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE, UM, MADE HIT SOME RECORDS LAST MONTH AND, UM, I THINK THAT WE WOULD LIKE A, I WOULD, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, UM, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE, THE, THE STRESSORS ON THE AIRPORT DURING THAT AND WHAT YOU DID TO MANAGE FOR THE ADDITIONAL, UM, AIRCRAFT THAT WAS COMING IN, THE ADDITIONAL NUMBER OF PASSENGERS AND LESSONS LEARNED.
WHAT, WHAT MAYBE COULD HAPPEN NEXT YEAR OR DURING MARCH.
I PRESUME THAT MARCH IS GONNA BE A PEAK, UM, FOR SPRING BREAK AND SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST AND OTHER CONFERENCES THAT FOR THE NEXT PEAK AFTER THE THANKSGIVING
[01:10:01]
HOLIDAY AND THE, UM, WINTER HOLIDAYS.SO, UM, SORT OF INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, PEAK TRAVEL SEASON.
WOULD YOU LIKE THAT TO BE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? YES.
I'M, I'M MAKING A MOTION FOR THAT.
UM, FONG FONG, COMMISSIONER FONG FONG.
SORRY I DIDN'T CALL ON COMMISSIONER YOUNG YET TODAY I SEE YOU.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER YOUNG.
ALRIGHT, UM, OTHER ITEMS? OKAY.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? YES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AT LIBERTY OF SHARING INFORMATION, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE PROGRESS OF, UH, UM, NEGOTIATION OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE LAUNCH IN THE FIRST, UH, DIRECT FLIGHT TO ASIA OR INTERNATIONAL.
THAT WOULD, I THINK WE COULD DO THAT.
WE COULD ACCOMPLISH THAT THROUGH, UM, THE, UH, AIR SERVICE UPDATES, BUT, MM-HMM.
UM, BUT WE COULD HAVE PUT A MAYBE, UM, A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AND MAYBE THERE'S A WAY THAT, UM, JAMIE KASSOFF CAN ADD IT TO HER BRIEFING FOR DECEMBER, BUT FOR, UM, THE PROMOTION OF A DIRECT FLIGHT TO ASIA.
AND, UM, I WILL TALK TO JAMIE ABOUT, UH, WHETHER IT'S IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY, BUT, AND THEN IF SHE, IF SHE, WHEN SHE'S GONNA HAVE GOOD INFORMATION ON THAT.
SO YES, WE'LL PUT THAT AS A PART OF HER BRIEFING.
SO THAT'S A WELL, BUT YOU WANT A SEPARATE AGENDA.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM, BUT WE'RE JUST GONNA SAY WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS.
DO ALL IN FAVOR OF INFORMATION REGARDING NEW IN INTERNATIONAL DIRECT FLIGHTS.
RIGHT? DOESN'T HAPPEN TO BE A SEPARATE AGENDA.
BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S DONE.
YES, WE SHOULD PUT IT ON THERE.
ANYONE OPPOSED OR ABSTAINING? OKAY.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, I THINK WE GOT SOME THINGS ACCOMPLISHED AND, UM, HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING WITHOUT, IS THERE ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNING THE MEETING? OKAY, THANK YOU ALL, ALL.