[00:00:03]
WELL, I SEE MYSELF THERE ON TV, SO I'M GONNA START TALKING.
UM, YOU WANNA COME UP HERE? COUNCIL MEMBER, PLEASE.
WE'RE BEING JOINED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, AND I'M PLEASED THAT SHE'S HERE WITH THIS.
[1. Proclamation – Municipal Courts Week – To be presented by Mayor Kirk Watson]
WEEK IS A WEEK WHERE WE, WE PAUSE, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR MUNICIPAL COURTS.UH, I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT MOST PEOPLE'S CONTACT WITH THE COURT SYSTEM, UH, IN ANY WAY IS THROUGH THE MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM.
AND IN A LOT OF WAYS, THE ONLY CONTACT THAT OUR PUBLIC HAS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS THROUGH OUR MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM.
SO ONE OF THE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS IS THAT WE HAVE A COURT SYSTEM, UH, THAT OPERATES EFFICIENTLY, OPERATES WITH, UH, DEFERENCE TO THE CONSTITUENCY THAT, THAT IT'S SERVING AND PROVIDES HIGH QUALITY SERVICE.
UH, AND THAT'S NOT JUST THE JUDGES, THAT'S EVERYONE IN THAT COURT SYSTEM.
A COURT, THE JUDGES WILL TELL YOU THAT A COURT SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK, UH, JUST WITH THE JUDGES.
IT WORKS WITH THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THE, UH, THE FORWARD FACING FOLKS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S DAY-TO-DAY LIVES.
AND IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OUR MUNICIPAL COURT SYSTEM, IT, IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE VERY PROUD OF.
AND SO I GET THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY AS MAYOR TODAY TO MAKE A PROCLAMATION.
AND IT READS, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS MORE TEXANS COME INTO CONTACT WITH MUNICIPAL COURTS THAN ANY OTHER COURT IN THE STATE, AND THEIR IMPRESSIONS OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM MAY BE LARGELY DEPENDENT ON THEIR EXPERIENCES IN MUNICIPAL COURTS.
AND WHEREAS THE EMPLOYEES MANAGEMENT AND JUDGES OF THE AUSTIN MUNICIPAL COURT AND DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT HAVE PLEDGED TO BE EVER MINDFUL OF THEIR NEUTRALITY, IMPARTIALITY, AND MISSION TO RENDER EQUAL SERVICE TO ALL.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN RECOGNIZES THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR AUSTIN MUNICIPAL COURT AND DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, INCLUDING JUDGES, PROSECUTORS, SUPPORT STAFF AND SHARED SERVICES CONSISTING OF INFORMATION, TECHNOLOGY, ACCOUNTING, HUMAN RESOURCES, FACILITIES, INTERPRETERS AND SECURITY PERSONNEL, AND SALUTE THEIR CRITICAL ROLE IN PRESERVING PUBLIC SAFETY, PROTECTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR AREA RESIDENTS, AND PROVIDING A FAIR ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 6TH THROUGH 10TH, 2023 AS MUNICIPAL COURTS WEEK IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND I WANT TO FIRST RECOGNIZE OUR CHIEF JUDGE IN MUNICIPAL COURT AND ASK HER TO SAY A FEW WORDS, AND I KNOW SHE'S GONNA TURN IT OVER TO OTHERS.
I'M GONNA KEEP THIS SHORT BECAUSE THE JUDGE IS THE LEAST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE COURT AND IN THE COURTROOM IT IS ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND IT IS ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT WORK FOR COURT THAT DON'T JUST MAKE COURT WORK, THEY MAKE THE PUBLIC FEEL COMFORTABLE AND FEEL HEARD.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE OUR COURT CLERK, AND AGAIN, COURT CAN WORK WITHOUT ME.
IT ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WORK WITHOUT MARY JANE GRUB.
SO SHE IS TRULY THE STAR OF THE SHOW AND THE HEART OF THE OPERATION.
WELL, THANK YOU JUDGE STATMAN.
AND I REALLY CAN'T, CAN'T SAY ANYTHING BETTER THAN JUDGE STATMAN.
UM, MY, THE TEAM WHO IS HERE TODAY, WE PROUDLY ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE STAFF WHO WORK HARD DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN OUR MISSION, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE ON THE SAME TEAM.
YEAH, LET'S DO, THAT'S WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO.
UM, BEFORE WE HAVE THE FLAGS IN THE BACKGROUND, COME JOIN ME.
I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE.
AND BETSY, WE MIGHT LIKE TO DO ONE OUTSIDE AS WELL, LIKE WE'LL DO ONE HERE, BUT MAYBE ONE WITH YEAH.
[00:05:04]
GREAT.[2. Proclamation – Women’s Entrepreneurship Day and Entrepreneurship Month – To be presented by Council Member Alison Alter]
EVERYONE.MY NAME IS ALISON AL ALTER AND I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT DISTRICT 10 ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
KRISTEN SPINDLER, DIRECTOR OF CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY'S INCUBATOR CTX PROGRAM, AS WELL AS STUDENTS AND ENTREPRENEURS FROM THE PROGRAM, THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS, NOVIA HOLT, ROB MAYOR WATSON, AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE FOR AUSTIN WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS, AUSTIN WOMEN MAGAZINE, AS WELL AS OTHER ENTREPRENEURS WHO HELP MAKE OUR ECOSYSTEM WHAT IT IS FOR ENTREPRENEURS.
TODAY WE'RE HERE TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY AND NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP MONTH BEFORE I RAN FOR COUNCIL, I WAS A BUSINESS OWNER IN AUSTIN.
I KNOW FIRSTHAND WHAT IT MEANS TO START AND RUN A SMALL BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY AS A WOMAN.
I ALSO KNOW THAT WOMEN ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY.
WE NEED YOU, WE NEED YOUR DRIVE, WE NEED YOUR IDEAS, AND WE NEED YOUR INPUT.
WE MUST DO ALL WE CAN TO SUPPORT FEMALE INNOVATORS, ENTREPRENEURS, AND TO EXPAND THEIR ACCESS TO RESOURCES IN OUR SMALL BUSINESS LANDSCAPE.
BY UPLIFTING FEMALE BUSINESS OWNERS AND ENTREPRENEURS AND SHARING THEIR STORIES, WE CAN MAKE ENTREPRENEURSHIP MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR WOMEN AND FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS HISTORICALLY NOT BEEN REPRESENTED IN THIS SPACE, WE CAN BRING NEW ENERGY AND IDEAS INTO OUR ECONOMY AND WE CAN CREATE NEW CAREER AND EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS FOR THOSE SEEKING TO LAUNCH NEW PROJECTS.
I'M ESPECIALLY PLEASED TO BE CELEBRATING WITH YOU ALL TODAY WHEN COUNCIL IS SLATED TO PASS MY RESOLUTION, MAKING AUSTIN THE FIRST CITY IN TEXAS TO ADVANCE A 100% PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT FOR ELIGIBLE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
THIS WILL BE A HISTORIC STEP TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CHILDCARE FOR WORKING AWESOME FAMILIES BY BOTH INVESTING IN LOCAL CHILDCARE BUSINESSES, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY OWNED BY WOMEN AND WOMEN OF COLOR, AND MAKING IT EASIER FOR WORKING PARENTS TO MEET THEIR FAMILY NEEDS WHILE PURSUING THEIR CAREERS.
I WANNA THANK EACH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AND BEING BRAVE ENOUGH TO INVEST IN YOURSELVES AS ENTREPRENEURS SO THAT HOPEFULLY THIS PATHWAY WILL BE A LITTLE MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR THE WOMEN AND MEN WHO COME AFTER YOU.
I BELIEVE IN EACH OF YOU IN YOUR EXPERIENCES AND YOUR WORK ETHIC AND YOUR IDEAS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO AUSTIN'S ECONOMY.
I WILL NOW OFFER A PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS ONE OF THE MOST DYNAMIC ECONOMIES IN THE UNITED STATES WITH WOMEN AS A DRIVING FORCE FOR AUSTIN'S GROWTH AND PROSPERITY.
AND WHEREAS IT IS ESSENTIAL TO SUPPORT WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES AND EXPAND THEIR ACCESS TO RESOURCES.
AND WHEREAS THE WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY ORGANIZATION IS A NONPROFIT WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT TO CELEBRATE, EMPOWER, AND SUPPORT WOMEN IN BUSINESS THROUGH EVENTS AND CAMPAIGNS LIKE NATIONAL WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY.
AND WHEREAS ON NOVEMBER 19TH, 2023, LOCAL, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL LEADERS WILL HIGHLIGHT THE UNIQUE STRUGGLES AND SUCCESSES OF FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS FOR NATIONAL WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY.
AND WHEREAS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, AMERICANS WILL RECOGNIZE ENTREPRENEURS, INNOVATORS, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS FOR NATIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP MONTH.
AND WHEREAS EMPOWERING WOMEN AND GIRLS TO INNOVATE AND START THEIR OWN BUSINESSES OPENS DOORS TO BETTER EDUCATION, MORE OPPORTUNITY AND ELIMINATION OF GENDER DISPARITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, I ALLISON ALTER COUNCIL MEMBER TOGETHER WITH MAYOR KIRK WATSON OF AUSTIN, TEXAS DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 19TH, 2023 AS WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY AND NOVEMBER, 2023 AS ENTREPRENEURSHIP MONTH IN AUSTIN.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR WATSON, THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS AND ALL OF YOU HERE AND OUT THERE WHO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
MY NAME IS KRISTEN SPINDLER AND I AM HONORED TO SERVE AS THE AUSTIN AMBASSADOR FOR THE WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY ORGANIZATION.
NOW IN ITS 10TH YEAR, ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY WAS FOUNDED BY WENDY DIAMOND.
IT CELEBRATED GLOBALLY IN 144 COUNTRIES, AND IT EMPOWERS 4 BILLION WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD TO PURSUE THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL DREAMS. IT'S THE WORLD'S LARGEST GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CELEBRATING, SUPPORTING AND EMPOWERING WOMEN WORLDWIDE.
WENDY DIAMOND, THE FOUNDER OF WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP
[00:10:01]
DAY, SAID, HISTORICALLY, WOMEN WORLDWIDE HAVE BEEN UNDERPAID, UNDERVALUED, UNDERREPRESENTED, UNDERFUNDED, AND UNDERESTIMATED, WE'RE DEDICATED, DETERMINED, AND DRIVEN TO CHANGE THAT IMBALANCE.SO AUSTIN, AS YOU KNOW, IS KNOWN WORLDWIDE FOR ITS COLLABORATIVE.
CAN-DO ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT? IT'S MY HOPE THAT TOGETHER WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE AUSTIN THE CITY OF CHOICE FOR WOMEN TO START AND GROW THEIR BUSINESSES.
COUNCILWOMAN ALTERS AND MAYOR WATSON'S PROCLAMATION, TODAY IS A WATERSHED MOMENT FOR WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY IN AUSTIN.
SO WE CAN GO OVER HERE AND IF YOU WANNA GO IN THE HM AS WELL.