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CALLING THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD
[CALL TO ORDER]
FOR NOVEMBER THE 27TH.UM, AT THIS TIME, WE WILL DO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL.
I HAVE PREFER TO DO ATTENDANCE.
UH, PAGE REVIEW LEVEL WITH AYE.
UH, CATHERINE FLOWERS PRESENT.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
WILL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL.WE'LL BEGIN WITH IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
UH, FIRST TO SPEAK WILL BE MALCOLM YATES.
AFTER MALCOLM WILL BE, UH, LIZ BYRON.
I'M THE CHAIR OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE OLD WHARF COMBINED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING AREA CONTACT TEAM.
I'M HERE TODAY TO REMIND THE PARKS BOARD ABOUT THE LACK OF RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA AND TO MAKE SOME REQUESTS FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS IS A MAP OF THE PARKLAND DEFICIENT AREAS ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE.
TWO LAKESHORE PROPERTIES POWERED CENTRAL MAINTENANCE AND THE FORMER YOUTH HOSTEL WERE BOTH GIVEN TO PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS DEPRIVING THIS AREA OF EVEN MORE PARKLAND.
THE HERO ROCK CONTACT TEAM WAS NOT CONSULTED ABOUT EITHER OF THESE CHANGES.
THIS IS A MAP OF THE FOUR PARKS IN THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA.
THIS IS THE ROYAL CREST POCKET PARK, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A NARROW UTILITY EASEMENT.
THIS IS THE WILLOW CREEK GREEN BELT, WHICH IS A DRAINAGE DITCH BETWEEN HOUSES AND AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.
THIS IS THE WOODLAND POCKET PARK, A SINGLE RESIDENTIAL LOT WITH NO FACILITIES.
HERITAGE OAKS PARK IS THE ONLY REAL PARK IN THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA.
HOWEVER, THIS PARK HAS MANY TRANSIENT CAMPS.
SO MUCH OF THE PARK IS NOT USED BY RESIDENTS.
THE NEWEST PARK IN THE IRAQ AREA IS THE COUNTRY CLUB CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
THE ENTIRE AREA NORTH OF THE CREEK, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS OF THE AREA OF THE PARK, CONTAINS TRANSIENT CAMPS.
IRAQ RESIDENTS HAVE MADE MULTIPLE 3 1 1 REQUESTS TO HAVE THE CAMPS REMOVED FROM HERITAGE OAKS, MABEL DAVIS, THE COUNTRY CLUB CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, AND ALSO THE COUNTRY CLUB CREEK GREENBELT.
THESE CAMPS CREATE HEALTH, SAFETY AND FIRE HAZARDS FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE IRAQ AREA AND NEED TO BE REMOVED.
THE IRAQ CONTACT TEAM REQUESTS THAT THE PARKS BOARD APPROVE RESOLUTIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING IMPROVEMENTS.
THE FORMER YOUTH HOSTEL IS A PUBLIC FACILITY AND SHOULD BE AVAILABLE WITHOUT CHARGE FOR THE USE OF CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IN THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA.
ANY PLAN FOR THE FUTURE USE OF THE FORMER YOUTH? HOSTILE PROPERTY SHOULD INCLUDE FACILITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS BY CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS WITHOUT CHARGE.
THE IRAQ CONTACT TEAM SHOULD BE PART OF ANY DECISION PROCESS.
ON THE DESIGN OF FUTURE BUILDINGS.
ON THE YOUTH HOSTILE PROPERTY, THE CITY NEEDS TO REMOVE THEIR TRANSIENT CAMPS FROM THE IRAQ AREA PARKS SO THAT RESIDENTS CAN MAINTAIN THESE PARKS.
ALL CONTACT TEAMS NEED TO BE NOTIFIED OF ANY POTENTIAL CHANGES TO AREA PARKS BEFORE A DECISION IS MADE.
CONTACT TEAMS RECEIVE REGULAR NOTIFICATIONS OF ANY ZONING CHANGE REQUESTS IN, IN THEIR AREA, AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO MAKE THE SAME NOTIFICATIONS.
THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA NEEDS A COMMUNITY CENTER FOR CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS TO MEET AND FOR SOCIAL SERVICES TO BE DISTRIBUTED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE LIZ BARNT, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FLORES.
I'M LIZ BARR HYATT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
AUSTIN ROWING CLUB IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT STARTED 43 YEARS AGO ON LADY BIRD LAKE.
OUR MISSION IS TO FOSTER AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
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THAT PROMOTES THE MANY BENEFITS OF ROWING AND OTHER RIVER SPORTS BY PROVIDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AND QUALITY PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY FOR PROGRAMS, UH, FOR PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND A CAPABILITIES.TONIGHT, THE PARD STAFF WILL BE PRES PRESENTING THEIR FISCAL YEAR 23 ANNUAL CONCESSION REPORT.
WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE MANY DIVERSE ROWING AND PADDLING PROGRAMS WE WERE ABLE TO OFFER THIS YEAR TO AUSTIN COMMUNITIES THAT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED AND UNDERSERVED, AND EVEN WITH A VERY LONG, EXTREMELY HOT AND DRY SUMMER.
IN ADDITION TO BATTLING BLANKETS OF FAN WART WEEDS ON THE WATER, AUSTIN ROWING CLUB'S GROSS SALES WERE OVER 3 MILLION THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR TO CONTINUE LAST WEEK'S HOLIDAY.
A RC WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY.
AS PARD BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE ALSO VERY GRATEFUL TO DIRECTOR MCNEELY AND THE PARD STAFF FOR THEIR CONTINUED HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CHRIS FLORES.
AFTER CHRIS WILL BE DIANA PROCTOR.
UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M A SWIMMER AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10.
I'M ASKING YOU TONIGHT FOR A RECOMMENDATION FOR A CITIZEN WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW THE BARTON SPRINGS POOL REHAB PLAN AND THE ZILKER CAFE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
UH, SWIMMERS, BECAUSE WE USE THESE PLACES, CAN CONTRIBUTE PRACTICAL, UH, WISDOM TOWARDS MAKING THESE PROJECTS SUCCESSFUL.
I SENT AN, UH, A LETTER TO YOU VIA MR. DOBE THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE DIANA PROCTOR, FOLLOWED BY JOEL MANZO.
HELLO, MY NAME'S DIANA PROCTOR.
I HAVE A CONCERN THAT INVOLVES THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS.
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JAMES RUSSELL AND HIS WIFE HANNAH COFER.
THE CONNECTING ELEMENT IS THE ZILKER PARK POLO FIELD.
MR. RUSSELL IS ALSO THE EVENT MANAGER OF THE A BC KITE FESTIVAL.
BOTH THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS AND THE A BC KITE FESTIVAL ARE NON-PROFITS.
NONPROFITS HAVE A STRONG ECONOMIC SELF-INTEREST.
I EXPECT THAT MR. RUSSELL AND MS. FER LIKELY PERSONALLY BENEFIT FROM REVENUE GROWTH OF THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS.
IN PARTICULAR, THE POLO FIELD AND PERHAPS THE STRATFORD LOT AS WELL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A LOT OF REVENUE FOR THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS.
THE EVENT IS OPEN 16 DAYS TO THE PUBLIC.
ON 15 OF THOSE DAYS, ATTENDEES ARE CHARGED $30 AND 34 CENTS TO PARK A CAR.
DURING THE DAYS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN, MR. RUSSELL REPRESENTED HIS NONPROFITS UNDER THE ZILKER COLLECTIVE IMPACT WORKING GROUP.
ONE OF THE KEY DESIGN OUTCOMES OF THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN WAS A 1000 CAR PARKING GARAGE LOCATED ON THE POLO FIELD, AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA, THE POSSIBLE INJURY TO THE SPRINGS RAISED ALARM IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT JAMES RUSSELL AND HANNAH COFER REPRESENTED THEIR SELF-INTEREST IN UNDUE INFLUENCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN? I THINK THAT WE CAN NOW CONFIDENTLY SAY YES, BECAUSE ON SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2023 AS A MEMBER OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, HANNAH COOVER WAS THE SOLE VOTE AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATION TO CLOSE THE POLO FIELD FOR ROUTINE PARKING AND TO REVEGETATE THAT FIELD IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
WE COULD NOT KNOW FOR SURE IF THE VISION PLANS PROPOSED THOUSAND CAR GARAGE ON THE POLO FIELD WAS THE RESULT OF UNDUE INFLUENCE OF MR. RUSSELL IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.
BUT NOW WE DO KNOW THREE THINGS.
ONE, THAT HIS WIFE NEGLECTED TO RECUSE HERSELF AND BECAME THE SOLE VOTE TO OPPOSE CLOSURE OF THE POLO FIELD FOR PARKING IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
TWO, THAT A 1000 CAR PARKING GARAGE ON THE POLO FIELD AT $30 PER CAR WOULD GENERATE $450,000 FOR THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS.
THREE, THAT THE PARKING GARAGES IN THE VISION PLAN AND OTHER TRANSIT MODIFICATIONS TO THE PARK WERE DESIGNED WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF A LEGITIMATE TRANSPORTATION STUDY OF THE PARK.
BY CONNECTING THE DOTS OF MR. RUSSELL'S FINANCIAL GAIN IN THE TRAIL OF LIGHTS, MS ER'S POLITICAL VOTE TO PREVENT THE PARKING LOT CLOSURE OF THE POLO FIELD.
ALONG WITH MR. RUSSELL'S ROLE AS A MEMBER OF THE ZILKER COLLECTIVE IMPACT WORKING GROUP.
IN THE VISION PLANNING PROCESS, WE CAN DEDUCE
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THAT THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN DESIGN PROCESS WAS FLAWED, TAINTED BY SELF-INTEREST AND UNDUE INFLUENCE OF ECONOMIC USERS OF THE PARK FOR SEVERAL REASONS.BUT FOR THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN SHOULD AND MUST BE SHELVED PERMANENTLY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE JOEL MANZO, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT COBB.
CAN I PROVIDE THIS FORM FOR Y'ALL, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS JOEL MONSO AND YOU CAN RESTART THE THREE MINUTES.
I'M A PARKS AND BASEBALL ADVOCATE.
THIS DOCUMENT I JUST PROVIDED YOU DATES BACK FROM 2008 THAT EXHIBITS THE STRUGGLES THAT ACCESS OF BASEBALL FIELDS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING SINCE 2018.
I'VE BEEN FIGHTING RIGOROUSLY, SENDING EMAILS, HAVING MEETINGS, CALLING CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS BOARD.
VERY LITTLE TO NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.
OUR FIELDS HAVE BEEN CONTRACTED OUT AND THEY'VE BEEN PRIVATIZED.
I UNDERSTAND YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS ARE NECESSARY FOR THE GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THIS IS AFFECTING THE YOUTH AS WELL.
I GO TO PARKS LIKE ZA THAT ARE LOCKED UP.
I SEE KIDS JUMPING THE FENCE, TRY TO GET ON THE FIELD, SO THAT MAKES IT UNSAFE.
I GO TO NORTHWEST PARK IN MY DISTRICT WITH NOBODY ON THE FIELD AND WE CANNOT ACCESS THE FIELD.
THE ORDINANCE IS THE CONTRACTS TO GIVE MORE ACCESS TO OUR COMMUNITY, THE YOUTH, THE OLD MEN, WOMEN QUEER.
THERE ARE 50 PLUS ADULT BASEBALL TEAMS, AND THERE'S ONLY ONE FIELD FOR US TO UTILIZE.
LIKE I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, GO VALLEY IS IN THE WORST CONDITION, VERY UNSAFE FACILITY.
ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT IRRIGATION AT GO VALLEY.
WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE OTHER OPTION WHEN THAT FIELD IS SHUT DOWN? I NOTICED DOWNS FIELD IS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
I PLAYED IN THE MEN'S LEAGUE AWESOME METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE FOR 14 YEARS.
EACH TEAM HAS TO PAY $5,000 TO PLAY.
THIS IS A RECREATIONAL LEAGUE, AND IF YOU SIGN UP TO PLAY IN AUSTIN METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE AT DOWNS FIELD, A FIELD IS BUILT DUE TO THE FACT OF SEGREGATION.
IF YOU GET CAUGHT PLAYING IN ANOTHER LEAGUE, YOU'LL BE KICKED OUT.
IS THAT A TYPE OF ORGANIZATION YOU WANT? REPRESENTING THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WHERE AN 18-YEAR-OLD PAYS 300 TO $500 TO PLAY BALL, AND IF THEY PLAY SOMEWHERE ELSE IN ANOTHER DAY, THEY'LL BE KICKED OUT WITHOUT A REFUND OF THEIR MONEY.
THAT'S NOT A GOOD REPRESENTATION THAT I, THAT I CAN SEE.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE PARKS BOARD REVIEW THESE CONTRACTS, REVIEW THE LACK OF ACCESS OF BASEBALL FIELDS.
THIS IS AMERICA'S GREATEST PASTIME.
I COULD GO TO BARTON SPRINGS POOL RIGHT NOW FOR FREE.
I COULD GO TO BARTOLO ME BASKETBALL COURT FOR FREE, BUT I COULD PLAY AMERICA'S GREATEST PASTIME, THE MOST DIVERSE SPORT IN AMERICA.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA KEEP ON ADVOCATING, KEEP ON COMING HERE EVERY DAY OR EVERY CHANCE I CAN TO SPEAK UNTIL THERE'S CHANGE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE SCOTT COBB, FOLLOWED BY ADE SINGH.
UM, I WANNA TALK TODAY ABOUT THE, WHAT I SAW LISTED ON THE AGENDA OR POSTED TO THE, UH, BOARD ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO.
THE REPORT OF THE WORKING HOUSE, WORKING GROUP ON THE BATHHOUSE.
UH, THIS REPORT, IF IT WAS GONNA BE ISSUED, SHOULD HAVE BEEN ISSUED ON FRIDAY.
THE PUBLIC HAS NO TIME TO READ SOMETHING THAT'S SUPPOSED TO 20 MINUTES OR HALF AN HOUR OR WHATEVER IT IS BEFORE THE MEETING.
I PAID $360 BACK IN AUGUST TO MAKE A NOMINATION.
TO RENAME THE BATHHOUSE FOR JOAN MEANS CABBEL.
THERE'S A SPECIFIC PROCEDURE LAID OUT IN THE CITY ORDINANCE.
THE DIRECTOR INFORMS THE PARKS BOARD THAT THE NOMINATION WAS SUBMITTED.
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THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER CONTACTS THE GROUPS WHO MIGHT HAVE SOME INPUT TO GIVE ON THAT NOMINATION.THERE ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS AFTER THAT, IT GOES TO THE PARKS BOARD AND THEY GET TO VOTE ON IT.
THE CITY ORDINANCE DOES NOT SAY ANYWHERE THAT THERE WILL BE A WORKING GROUP COMPOSED OF PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY CHOSEN BY THE CHAIR, THE PARKS BOARD, WHO WILL MEET IN PRIVATE.
THERE ARE NO MINUTES, THERE ARE NO AUDIO, THERE'S NO VIDEO.
I CONSIDER THIS A VIOLATION OF THE CITY ORDINANCE TO ISSUE A REPORT WHEN THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING NOMINATION ON THE VERY SAME ISSUE.
AND I ASKED TO BE A MEMBER OR TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT WORKING GROUP.
I WAS INVITED, BUT THEN I WAS NOT ALLOWED, NEVER CONTACTED THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE BOARD WERE CHOSEN BY THE CHAIR.
I TRIED TO FIND OUT WHO WAS ON THE WORKING GROUP.
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO INTERACT WITH THE, MY GOVERNMENT IF I CAN'T KNOW WHO'S ON THE GROUP, I CAN'T CONTACT THEM.
HOW DO I LOBBY A WORKING GROUP THAT MEETS IN PRIVATE AND DOESN'T TELL WHO THE MEMBERS ARE? I FOLLOWED MY NOMINATION AND GOOD FAITH THAT THAT PROCEDURE IN THE CITY ORDINANCE WOULD BE FOLLOWED.
I INTEND TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION, THE AUSTIN CITY AUDITOR, THAT THERE HAS BEEN A VIOLATION OF THE CITY ORDINANCE.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK ON THE OTHER ITEMS BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TONIGHT.
SO CAN I SPEAK ON THE OTHER ITEMS THAT I SIGNED UP FOR SO I CAN GO HOME AND DO MY WORK? YOU HAVE TO WAIT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE BEHIND YOU TO SPEAK ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
IF IT'S A SPECIFIC COMMENT TO THAT AGENDA ITEM.
IN THE PAST, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO THANK SPEAK AT THE BEGINNING.
MR. DOBE, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER? ALL RIGHT.
AND I GUESS YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM THE ETHICS REVIEW CO.
NO, BUT NEXT, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKER WILL BE A DAY SINGH, WE GOING UP WITH HIM.
HE'S GONNA BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE NEXT SPEAKER AFTER THAT.
I AM A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, AND ALSO A LONGTIME MEMBER OF THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
UH, THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION HERE IN THE AUSTIN AREA THAT AIMS TO PRESERVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS WELL AS ENCOURAGE, UH, OUTDOOR ADVENTURE.
UM, WE AIM TO SORT OF, UH, KEEP THE CITY CLEAN AS WELL AND JUST SORT OF ENCOURAGE, UH, WE DO A LOT OF THINGS FROM, UH, OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES TO CLEANING UP THE CITY.
UM, SO I'VE BEEN A LONG TIME MEMBER OF THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED GROUP HERE AT THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
UH, MY INVOLVEMENT STARTED IN 2014 WHEN I FIRST CAME TO AUSTIN, AND I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE EX SCHOOL FOR NINE YEARS.
UH, I'VE DONE A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES WITH THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL, INCLUDING, UH, KAYAKING, OR EXCUSE ME, UM, WHITEWATER RAFTING ON THE GRAND CANYON, UM, DOING STUFF LIKE, UH, ROCK CLIMBING, MOUNTAIN CLIMBING, ALL THESE KINDS OF ACTIVITIES IN COLORADO.
UM, AND IT'S REALLY BEEN A CONFIDENCE BUILDER FOR ME OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW YEARS.
UM, WHEN I FIRST JOINED THE EX SCHOOL, I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THERE WERE SO MANY OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMMUNITY.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAD SEVERAL LIMITATIONS AND I FELT LIKE I WOULD BE BOUND BY THOSE LIMITATIONS.
MY INVOLVEMENT WITH ADAM AND WITH THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS, THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL REALLY HELPED ME, UM, IN, IN, IN EXPLORING MY EXPLORING AND SORT OF INCREASING MY CONFIDENCE DAY BY DAY, YEAR BY YEAR.
AND I WAS ABLE TO DO THINGS I NEVER ANTICIPATED MYSELF DOING.
UH, FOR ABOUT NINE YEARS NOW, I HAVE BEEN GOING OUT REGULARLY WITH THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
UM, AND I ALSO RECENTLY STARTED WORKING WITH THEM TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.
I BELIEVE IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO THAT I GOT MY JOB WITH THEM AS A LIFEGUARD, AS A, NOT A LIFEGUARD, AS A, EXCUSE ME, AS AN INSTRUCTOR OF KAYAKING, CANOEING WATER ACTIVITIES.
UH, I WORKED AT THEIR BOATHOUSE, STILL DO.
AND THAT ALLOWED ME TO REALLY KIND OF EXPAND AND WORK BEYOND MY, UM, WORK AND DO, UH, AND, AND WORK WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAD, THAT WERE, UM, DISADVANTAGED
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OR HAD DISABILITIES AS WELL.UM, INCLUDING PADDLING DOWN A DOWN HOME RANCH, OTHER THINGS WHICH ENABLED ME TO KIND OF PASS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAD GAINED ALONG TO PE OTHER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS WELL.
AND I REALLY, UM, I HAVE GROWN A LOT FROM THAT EXPERIENCE AND LEARNED A LOT THROUGH WORKING WITH THE EX SCHOOL, UM, THROUGH WORKING WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES WITH DISABILITY, PEOPLE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, AND IN GENERAL, IT'S REALLY BEEN A MAJOR THING FOR MY, MY OWN PERSONAL GROWTH.
THERE ARE SOME PHOTOS I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU.
THERE'S SOME PHOTOS I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU OF MY TIME WITH THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL, WHICH I HAVE, UM, WHICH I'VE COLLECTED OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.
UH, THERE'S A PHOTO OF ME BIKING, ONE OF ME CLIMBING.
AND I THINK IT REALLY GOES TO SHOW YOU THAT WITH THE RIGHT SUPPORT SYSTEMS IN PLACE, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO WOULD OTHERWISE DOUBT THEMSELVES CAN REALLY DO SO, SO MUCH.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR SPEAKING IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ADAMSKI AND, UH, I BELIEVE WE HAVE, UH, TWO SPEAKERS WHO HAVE DIALED IN.
I JUST WANNA PUT THEM ON NOTICE.
UH, LAURA BRAGGINS AND GRACE GILKER WILL BE NEXT.
UH, BOARD MEMBERS, PARK STAFF DIRECTOR MCNEELY.
I'M THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AT THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
AND AS ADI JUST HELPED DESCRIBE SO ELOQUENTLY, WE ARE A LOCAL OUTDOOR ORGANIZATION, UH, FOUNDED IN 2006 WITH LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND A GLOBAL REACH.
AT THIS POINT, OUR BOATHOUSE THAT RENTS PADDLEBOARDS, KAYAKS AND CANOES IS LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RIVER NORTH SHORE.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN SERVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE HOLLY NEIGHBORHOOD AND RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN WITH PADDLE RENTALS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
IN ADDITION, WE USE THAT SPACE AS A TEACHING GROUND FOR LOCAL YOUTH AND ADULT GROUPS TO COME OUT.
UM, THEY SPEND THEIR TIME WITH US.
WE FACILITATE BOTH ON LAND AND WATER-BASED PROGRAMMING.
THOSE INITIATIVES ALSO HELP THE CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS OF US, THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL, AND GREATER AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
TO DATE THIS YEAR, WE'VE CLEANED UP OVER 8,000 POUNDS OF TRASH, 2000 POUNDS OF RECYCLING FROM THE SHORELINES OF TOWN LAKE AND THE COLORADO RIVER.
UH, IN ADDITION, AS, AS ADY EXPLAINED, WE ON A WEEKLY BASIS GET OUT ON THE WATER WITH TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
WE KNOW THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH IDD ARE 300% MORE LIKELY TO DROWN, AND AS SUCH, WE ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE TEACHING 'EM TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS AND THEIR LOCAL WATERWAYS AND PARKS, BUT ALSO TO DO SO SAFELY.
WE HAVE AN IN-HOUSE BUILT CURRICULUM THAT, THAT INSTRUCTS THESE INDIVIDUALS THROUGH, UH, MANY STEPS OF WATER SAFETY AND HOW THEY CAN HELP THEMSELVES AND EACH OTHER STAY SAFE ON WATER.
THIS IS ONE OF OUR PARTICIPANTS WEARING THEIR LIFE JACKET ON A PADDLEBOARD.
JUST GETTING READY TO ENTER THE LAGOON OVER BY FESTIVAL BEACH, ANOTHER ONE ON A PADDLEBOARD.
THIS IS OUR WHOLE TEAM, UH, CELEBRATING JUST BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
A WONDERFUL DAY ON THE WATER AND COOLER TEMPS AT LAST, ANOTHER ONE OF OUR INCREDIBLE KAYAKERS WITH THEIR GUIDE IN THE BACK OF THE BOAT, A SUNNIER DAY ON THE WATER.
THIS IS THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL, SPECIFICALLY ONE OF OUR VISUALLY IMPAIRED GUIDES.
UM, LEADING A GROUND SCHOOL FOR LOCAL YOUTH GROUP, GETTING EVERYONE PREPARED IN LIFE JACKETS, UH, READY WITH THEIR KAYAKING, THEIR, THEIR NEWLY LEARNED KAYAKING STROKES, READY TO HIT THE WATER.
UH, MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, THIS WILL BE THEIR FIRST TIME KAYAKING.
UM, IN FACT, THIS GROUP IS COMING TO US WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS, AND THEY, THEY SEEK US AS A PLACE TO RECREATE BECAUSE THEY KNOW OF OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES AND DEMOGRAPHICS.
THIS IS JUST ONE LAST PHOTO OF OUR ENTIRE TEAM ON THE WATER, CELEBRATING MANY JOYS THAT RECREATING ON OUR LOCAL WATERWAYS BRINGS TO US.
WE HAVE, UH, TWO SPEAKERS THAT HAVE DIALED IN FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE FIRST WILL BE LAURA BRAGGINS.
LAURA, CAN YOU HEAR US? LAURA, CAN YOU TELL US IF YOU CAN HEAR US?
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WE WILL COME BACK IF WE HAVE TO.WHO'S THE NEXT? AND WE'RE GONNA COME BACK TO, UH, TO LAURA NOW.
UH, YOUR THREE MINUTES WILL BEGIN WHEN YOU START SPEAKING.
HI, MY NAME IS LAURA BRAGGINS.
I'M A GARDEN, UH, LEADER AT THE FESTIVAL BEACH COMMUNITY GARDEN.
FIRST, I REQUEST THAT YOU PUT OUR GARDEN AND THE FOOD FOREST, UM, WHO WILL BE REPRESENTED BY GRACE, WHO'S COMING UP NEXT ON THE PARD BOARD AGENDA FOR DECEMBER OR JANUARY, SO THAT WE CAN BE INFORMED BEFORE PAR DECIDES TO ADOPT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO WHETHER TXDOT SHOULD BUILD NOISE WALLS NEXT TO OUR GARDEN.
SECOND, I REQUEST THAT WHEN PARD MAKES THE DECISION ON THESE, ON THESE NOISE WALLS, THE, THE PARD WHOLESALE, UH, ADOPTS THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE GARDEN AND FOOD FOREST HAVE SPENT MONTHS COMING UP TO OR COMING UP, UH, COMING UP WITH.
UH, BUT JUST FOR A LITTLE CONTEXT, OUR GARDEN IS ON UP.
OUR LAND IS IN, AND IT'S IN EAST AUSTIN OFF OF WALLER STREET, JUST KIND OF NORTH OF TOWN LAKE AND ONLY A HUNDRED FEET FROM I 35.
WE ARE ONE OF THE MANY AMENITIES THREATENED BY THE I 35 EXPANSION PROJECT.
UM, AS WE LEARNED EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND BECAUSE OF THIS, OUR GARDEN HAS BEEN WORKING FOR MONTHS WITH TEXDOT, UH, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE IMPACTS FROM THE EXPANSION CAN BE MITIGATED.
UH, ONE OF THOSE, UH, MITIGATION EFFORTS, UH, THAT HAS AGREED TO IS TO BUILD A PERMANENT CONCRETE SOUND BARRIER.
SO, IN OTHER WORDS, A NOISE WALL TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM THE OPERATIONAL AND CONSTRUCTION NOISE.
BUT ONLY IF THOSE WHO KNOW THESE SPACES BEST, THE GARDENERS AND THE FOOD FOREST VOLUNTEERS, ONLY IF THEY ACTUALLY WANT THESE NOISE WALLS.
UH, SO WHY AM I HERE? BECAUSE TXDOT, UM, FOR US TO BUILD THESE NOISE WALLS, THE LANDOWNER MUST SIGN OFF ON THE DECISION.
AND THE LANDOWNER OF THE GARDEN IS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SO, AS, UH, TXDOT AND PARD HAVE EXPLAINED TO US, UH, PARD LEADERSHIP, OR YOU ALL THE PARKS BOARD WILL NEED TO RATIFY THE GARDEN AND FOOD FOREST DECISION, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DECIDING WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION SHOULD BE RIGHT NOW.
UH, EARLIER THIS MONTH, TXDOT PRESENTED US THE OPTIONS, EXPLAIN THE NOISE REDUCTION AND THE POSSIBILITY FOR MURALS, LANDSCAPING, ET CETERA.
WE ARE NOW WEIGHING THE PROS AND CONS AND PULLING OUR MEMBERS TO COME UP WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU THIS MONTH.
UH, SO WE'D LIKE, BASED ON YOUR AGENDA TO MAKE A FORMAL PRESENTATION FOR OUR FINDINGS IN DECEMBER.
OR JUST, UH, THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH DETAIL TO COVER ABOUT THIS TOPIC IN ONLY THREE MINUTES OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.
AND THANK YOU FOR NICOLE FOR AGREEING TO MEET WITH US THIS THURSDAY.
TIM HAS MY CONTACT INFORMATION AS WELL AS, UH, CLAIRE KREBS, WHO IS THE FACILITATOR OF THE FESTIVAL, UH, BEACH COMMUNITY GARDEN.
UM, I HOPE THAT YOU ALL AGREE TO HAVE IT BACK IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY SO THAT WE CAN EXPLAIN IN DETAIL WHY PARTS SHOULD ADOPT OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO WHETHER TXDOT SHOULD BUILD NOISE WALLS ACROSS A FRONT.
OUR FINAL PUBLIC SPEAKER WILL BE GRACE GILKER, WHO IS ALSO DIALING IN GRACE.
IF YOU CAN HEAR US, PLEASE, UH, UNMUTE YOURSELF AND LET US KNOW THAT YOU'RE WITH US.
IS THIS UNMUTED? AM I UNMUTED? YEAH, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UH, YOUR THREE MINUTES WILL BEGIN.
WELL, UM, I PROBABLY WON'T USE THE WHOLE THREE MINUTES.
I FEEL LIKE LAURA DID A GREAT JOB LAYING OUT THE STATE OF AFFAIRS.
UH, THE COMMUNITY GARDEN AND THE FOOD FOREST, WHO I REPRESENT HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY CLOSELY, ESSENTIALLY SINCE AUGUST, UM, TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE FIT INTO THE I 35 EXPANSION AND TO MAKE SURE WE CAN TRY AND GET SOME MITIGATIONS FOR THE GARDEN, THE FOOD FOREST, AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO WE'D REALLY APPRECIATE IF THE BOARD, UH, TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE UP UNTIL THIS POINT AND THE WORK THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO DO AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO, UM, NOT JUST NEXT YEAR, BUT PROBABLY THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT GENERALLY.
UM, SO WOULD LOVE TO BE ON THAT AGENDA FOR DECEMBER OR JANUARY.
WE CERTAINLY GET THE SENSE IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH TDOT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SORT OF BEGIN IN EARNEST IN EARLY 2024.
UM, SO IF OUR RECOMMENDATION IS INVOLVING A NOISE WALL, IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE IN OUR BEST, BEST INTEREST TO MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION IS CONVEYED TO THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, YEAH, THANKS AGAIN TO NICOLE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO MEET WITH US LATER THIS WEEK.
AND, UH, WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE, UH, SIMILAR CONVERSATIONS WITH ANYONE ELSE ON THE BOARD WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED.
UH, THANKS FOR LAURA FOR TAKING THE TIME TONIGHT,
[00:30:01]
UM, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL DOWN THE LINE.WE'RE NOW GONNA GO TO APPROVAL
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF MINUTES.UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND REC BOARD REGULAR MEETING OFF OCTOBER THE 23RD, 2023.
SO I WILL GIVE EVERYONE A MINUTE OR TWO TO LOOK OVER THE MINUTES AND WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY EDITS? DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S ANY EDIT.
DOES ANYONE WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UH, MEETING MINUTES FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF OCTOBER THE 23RD? 2023? I'LL MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 23RD, 2023.
THERE'S A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER BAZAN.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
THERE'S A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER REED.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
PUT THAT TO THE SIDE AND THEN, UM, ALRIGHT.
UM, WITHOUT ANY OBJECTION, I'M GONNA MOVE ON, UH,
[16. Update from Barton Springs Bathhouse Working Group. (Villalobos, Bazan)]
TO, UH, A AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 16, UPDATE FROM THE BARTON SPRINGS BATHHOUSE WORKING GROUP.ANY OBJECTION? I DON'T SEE ANY.
WE'LL MOVE ON ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 16.
AS I SAID BEFORE, ISSUING A REPORT ON THIS ISSUE IS INAPPROPRIATE.
I POINTED THIS OUT TO DIRECTOR MCNEELY A FEW WEEKS AGO.
IT'S ALSO NOT APPROPRIATE TO ISSUE IT SHORTLY BEFORE THIS MEETING BEGAN.
IT'S ALSO NOT APPROPRIATE TO HAVE MEETINGS OF A WORKING GROUP THAT TAKE PLACE.
WHO KNOWS WHEN, WHO KNOWS WHERE, WHO KNOWS WHO IS PARTICIPATING? NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IS SAID.
THERE ARE NO MINUTES, THERE'S NO AUDIO, THERE'S NO VIDEO.
YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE TWO MEMBERS MEET AND STILL FOLLOW THE RULES ABOUT MEETING IN PRIVATE OR MEETING IN PUBLIC.
THEY CAN CONDUCT THAT CITY BUSINESS AMONGST THE 2:00 PM BOARD MEMBERS, WHEREVER THEY WANNA MEET.
WHEN YOU HAVE MEETINGS WHERE THERE ARE MEMBERS.
AND THEN THE REPORT, IT SAYS, THESE ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP.
AND I WAS TOLD I COULD BE A MEMBER, BUT THAT NEVER HAPPENED.
WHEN YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE AND THEN YOU ADD OTHER MEMBERS, YOU HAVE SIX CONDUCTING CITY BUSINESS IN PRIVATE WITH NO MEETINGS PUBLICLY MADE.
YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THOSE MEMBERS ARE.
I HAD NO IDEA WHO WERE MEMBERS OF THAT WORKING GROUP.
THAT'S CITY BUSINESS GOING ON, MEETING IN PRIVATE WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM OTHER PEOPLE.
JUST A FEEDBACK LOOP AMONG WHO GETS APPOINTED TO THAT, THAT WORKING GROUP.
THE PARKS BOARD IS APPOINTED BY ELECTED PEOPLE.
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WORKING GROUP IS APPOINTED BY ONE PERSON
[00:35:02]
GETS TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHO'S ON THERE.I WAS NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO BE ON THERE.
I COULD NOT EVEN COME AND GIVE MY INPUT IN CASE SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING OUTRAGEOUS.
NO ONE COULD COUNTER WHAT THEY SAID.
IT'S JUST FOUR PEOPLE MEETING IN PRIVATE, SIX PEOPLE, WHATEVER.
SO I CONSIDER THIS REPORT A VIOLATION OF THE CITY ORDINANCE ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF IT.
THAT'S PROCESS THAT'S SET OUT FOR THE NOMINATION, NOT TO HANDLE THE NOMINATION THAT I SUBMIT IT.
SO I THINK YOU SHOULD WITHDRAW THE REPORT.
YOU'VE INTERJECTED YOURSELF IN A PROCESS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO GO ON AND FOLLOWING THE CITY ORDINANCE, PARKS BOARD HAD A ROLE.
THEY WOULD GET TO DISCUSS IT WHEN IT CAME TO YOU AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
DID YOU AND I TALK ABOUT THE BATHHOUSE PROJECT ON AUGUST THE 27TH? IT WAS THE DAY OF THAT MEETING.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT RIGHT OUT THERE.
AND YOU SAID I COULD COME TO THE, UH, DID I, DID I ASK YOU, DID I TELL YOU WHO WAS ON THAT OR WAS ON WORK? NO, YOU DID NOT TELL ME WHO WAS ON IT.
DID YOU NOT TELL ME THAT, UH, PROFESSOR COKER WAS A PROFESSOR OF YOURS AND THAT YOU KNEW OF HER THAT YOU HAD TAKEN HER CLASSES? YEAH.
DID YOU, DID YOU NOT TELL ME THAT YOU KNEW DR.
ED GORDON, WHO WAS ON THE WORKING GROUP, THAT YOU KNEW HIM? YOU DID NOT TELL ME WHO WAS THE MEMBERS OF THAT GROUP.
DID I DID DID YOU KNOW DR. GORDON? DID? YOU DID, DID YOU NOT? DID YOU, I YOU HAVE TO SPEAK UP.
DID YOU AND ME HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT DR. GORDON? WHAT DID YOU AND ME HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT DR. GORDON? I SAID I, I VAGUELY REMEMBER MEETING HIM AT A PREVIOUS S BOARD MEETING.
DID YOU AND I TALK ABOUT VELVA PRICE DISTRICT CLERK WHO HAD, UH, UH, CONNECTIONS WITH KZI? WHO? VELVA PRICE? NO, WE DID NOT.
WE ALSO DID NOT DISCUSS, DISCUSS MICHAEL KTI.
I ASKED YOU IN AN EMAIL WHO WAS PARTICIPATING IN THAT MEETING.
YOU DID NOT TELL ME MICHAEL KTI WAS PARTICIPATING.
UM, I DID APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
I CAN SHOW YOU THE EMAIL, THE FOUR NAMES YOU DID TELL ME.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. DOBE.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. DOK.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE RULES FOR THE WORKING GROUP.
I FEEL THAT WE WERE IN, UM, YES.
IS THERE SOME CLARIFICATION YOU CAN ADD JUST TO HELP FOLKS LISTENING IN? UH, YES.
UH, IN FACT, DURING THE LAST DISCUSSION, I PULLED UP THE, UH, THE STAFF AND BOARD TRAINING ON THE SUBJECT OF WORKING GROUPS.
AND IT, IT DOES APPEAR THAT THE BOARD WAS IN COMPLIANT IN CREATING A WORKING GROUP THROUGH A MAJORITY ACTION OF THE BOARD, UH, DELEGATED TO THAT WORKING GROUP A DEFINED MATTER.
AND IT IS TRUE THAT WORKING GROUPS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE, UH, POSTED AGENDAS SIMILAR TO A BOARD OR COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND THEY COULD JUST ADD WHOEVER THEY WANT TO ADD AS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP ACCORDING TO THE TRAINING WORKING GROUPS.
UH, THEY MAY APPOINT NON-MEMBERS OR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO SERVE ON WORKING GROUPS AS LONG AS IT IS LESS THAN A QUORUM OF BOARD MEMBERS AT ANY, UH, WORKING GROUP MEETING WITH THE QUORUM, A QUORUM OF THE PARKS BOARD.
SO AS LONG AS IT'S FEWER THAN SIX BOARD MEMBERS, THERE'S NO QUORUM ISSUES.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AND WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME THAT MICHAEL KTI WAS ON THE BOARD ON THIS WORKING GROUP? ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT? THANK YOU, MR. BECK.
UH, IF EVERYONE CAN JUST, UH, READ, UH, I DIDN'T HAVE IT PRINTED OUT BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT 60 SOMETHING PAGES LONG.
SIX OF THEM ARE JUST THE ACTUAL REPORT ITSELF.
THE REST, UH, BEING PFLS OF WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US.
UM, REALLY YOU CAN SEE SECTION ONE IS THE CREATION.
I'LL MAKE NOTE THAT THIS WORKING GROUP WAS CREATED ON JULY THE 24TH OF 2023.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE A APPLICATION, NOR DID THE WORKING GROUP HAVE THE ABILITY OF FORTUNE TELLING, UH, THAT THERE WOULD BE AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED ON AUGUST THE 27TH OR AUGUST THE 28TH.
UM, THE MEMBERS ARE LISTED THERE AS MICHAEL KTI, DR.
EDMUND GORDON, THE HONORABLE VELVA PRIZE.
AND IT ALSO INCLUDED ME, UH, AND, UH, BOARD MEMBER STEPHANIE BISON.
OUR WORKING GROUP HAD TWO OBJECTIVES THAT WE SET OUT IN JULY.
THE FIRST ONE BEING RECOMMEND A NAME FOR
[00:40:01]
THE BARKING SPRINGS BATHHOUSE, THE SECOND BEING RECOMMEND HOW TO INCORPORATE EDUCATIONAL INSTALLATIONS, WHICH PLACED THE RACIAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY OF BARTON SPRINGS INAPPROPRIATE CONTEXT.UM, THE FOURTH THING THAT YOU SEE LISTED THERE IS THE PEOPLE WHO PRESENTED TO US.
UM, JESSICA GIZO, KAREN COKER, UH, KIMBERLY MCNEELY AND GARY PEREZ.
UM, AND IT'S LISTED, IT'S LISTED THERE, UH, WHAT THEY PRESENTED TO US ABOUT.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE EXHIBITS, UH, LATER, UH, LATER ON DOWN IN THE PDF FILE.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE CONCLUSIONS.
UH, THE FIRST OBJECTIVE, UH, CONCLUSION IS, UH, THE WORKING HOUSE.
THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, UH, AS POTENTIAL NAME FOR THE BATHHOUSE.
THE NAME REFLECTS THE IMPORTANCE WORK OF THE MEANS FAMILY, INCLUDING JOAN MEANS CABBEL AND HER MOTHER, BERT OF SADLER MEANS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST IN AU IN AUSTIN.
THE SECOND IS JOAN, MEANS CABBEL BATHHOUSE.
THIS NAME REFLECTS THE INSTRUMENTAL ROLE OF JOAN MEANS CABBEL IN DESEGREGATING BARN AND SPRINGS POOL.
THE FOURTH IS, OR SORRY, THE, THE SECOND.
THE NEXT IS MEANS MARTINEZ BATHHOUSE.
THIS NAME REFLECTS THE JOINT CONTRIBUTIONS OF JOAN MEANS CABBEL AND DAVID MARTINEZ WITH DESEGREGATING BARTON SPRINGS POOL.
THE NEXT IS YANA GUANA SPRINGS BATHHOUSE, WHICH IS A KIN WORD, UH, WHICH MEANS SPIRIT WATERS AND CAN ALSO BE USED AS A TERM TO REFER TO A SPRING FEATURE.
THE OTHER ONE, UH, I'M NOT GONNA TRY TO PRONOUNCE IT 'CAUSE I WOULD NOT FEEL RIGHT BUTCHERING IT, BUT YOU CAN SEE IT THERE.
SAN JUAN KO, WHICH I GUESS I DID ALREADY SAY IT, UM, UH, WHICH IS A WORD, UH, INDIGENOUS WORD, SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS, UH, MEANT TO ADDRESS BARTON SPRINGS.
UM, SO THESE ARE ALL LISTED IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER.
WE'RE JUST LISTING THEM OUT IN SOME RATIONALE.
UM, ONE OF THE THING RECURRING QUESTIONS THAT HA THAT WE KEPT COMING UP TO EVERY MEETING WAS WHETHER THE NAME BARTON WAS AN APPROPRIATE NAME FOR THE SPRING.
AND I THINK AT SOME POINT ALL OF US STARTED REFERRING TO THE SPRING AS THE SPRING INSTEAD OF BARTON SPRING.
UM, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE BAGGAGE THAT IT CARRIES WITH IT.
SO, ALTHOUGH NOT IN THE SCOPE OF THE WORKING GROUPS, UH, OBJECTIVE, UH, WE ARE RECOMMENDING BASED OFF OF WILL AND BARTON'S KNOWN, UH, OWNERSHIP OF ENSLAVED PEOPLE.
AND GIVEN, UH, CONFEDERATE MONUMENT RESOLUTION RESOLUTION PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT, UH, THERE BE AN EFFORT TO RENAME BARTON SPRINGS.
THE WORKING GROUP IS NOT SUGGESTING NAMES, BUT RECOMMEND THAT THE PARKS BOARD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL THAT A RENAMING PROCESS BE IMPLEMENTED.
THE WORKING GROUP SUGGESTS INCLUDING COMMUNITY INPUT, INCLUDING ROBUST COMMUNITY INPUT FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, WHICH I SHOULD NOTE THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT, UM, I WAS VERY PROUD OF THIS WORKING GROUP IS THAT WE DID INVOLVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE IN CONTEXTUALIZATION, CONTEXTUALIZING, UM, AND TALKING ABOUT, UH, HISTORY AND CULTURE, UM, IN A PRODUCTIVE WAY, IN A, IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS OUR MISSION, OUR AND OUR VALUES.
AND I THINK, UH, GIVEN THE HISTORY, THE DEEG, THE DESEGREGATION HISTORY, AND THE RACIAL HISTORY THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE INCLUDE THOSE VOICES, THOSE UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES, THOSE VOICE THOSE VOICES THAT HAVE, UH, UH, CONNECTIONS TO UNDERREPRESENTED AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES ON WORKING GROUPS IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INCLUDING THOSE VOICES.
UM, THE SECOND OBJECTIVE IS, UM, UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION, UH, TO BOIL IT DOWN TO IS WE DIDN'T HAVE A RECOMMENDATION JUST BECAUSE WE WERE, UH, SATISFIED WITH, UH, ALL THE EFFORT THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS UNDERTAKEN IN ORDER TO INCORPORATE WHOLE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL EXHIBITS.
UM, AND, UM, AND SHOWCASES AT THE BATHHOUSE.
UM, SPECIFICALLY, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS THE MOST SURPRISED ABOUT, AND I THINK A LOT OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WERE SURPRISED ABOUT TOO, WAS THAT, UH, THE MAN EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT IS OBLIGATED TO BE ON THE EN UH, ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT OF MARTIN SPRINGS.
SPECIFICALLY THE, THE HABITAT, THE WATERSHED FEATURE, THE AQUIFER FEATURE, AND THAT'S JUST THE FUNCTION OF, OF, OF OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, HOWEVER, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS BEEN PROACTIVE IN INCORPORATING AND ROTATING AND TEMPORARY CULTURAL EXHIBITS IN THE ROTUNDA THAT CONTEXTUALIZE AND DISCUSS IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE SPRING AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.
UM, AND WE HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THOSE WILL CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE.
AND IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT, IT'S INCLUDED AS EXHIBIT FOUR IN OUR WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO, UH, WE THINK THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND SPECIFICALLY THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE
[00:45:01]
A REALLY GREAT JOB IN REGARDS TO, UH, INCORPORATING HI RACIAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY, UM, INTO THE BATHHOUSE.UM, AT THIS TIME I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY, UH, MY CO-WORKING GROUP MEMBER, UM, BOARD MEMBER BAAN TO SEE IF SHE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD.
I THINK YOU COVERED A LOT OF IT.
I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT, THAT THE NAMING OF THE SPRINGS DID COME UP SEVERAL TIMES AND I FEEL LIKE, UM, WE REALLY MADE IT A POINT TO STICK TO THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE CAME INTO THE WORKING GROUP AS, BUT DID NEED TO NOTE, UM, THE REASONING BEHIND WHY WE ARE SUGGESTING, UM, THAT THIS BOARD TAKE, TAKE UP A POTENTIAL RESOLUTION AROUND THAT NAMING.
UM, AND SO THAT WOULD BE, UM, AN ASK COMING OUT OF THIS.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I FEEL LIKE BOARD MEMBER VILLALOBOS REALLY, UM, CAPTURED THE ESSENCE OF EVERYTHING THAT, THAT WE DID.
AND THE LAST THING I'LL ALSO NOTE JUST FOR, UH, THE BOARD'S, UH, KNOWLEDGE IS, IS THAT, UM, THE PURPOSE OF WORKING GROUPS IS SUPPOSED TO BE, UH, SHORT IN THEIR FUNCTION.
WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PERMANENT FEATURES OF THE, OF, OF THE, OF THE BOARD.
WE'RE JUST, UH, A TEMPORARY FEATURE.
SO WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
ALSO, WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE, UH, GIVING OF THEIR TIME, UH, IN ORDER TO SERVE ON THIS.
UH, BUT THIRD, UM, BECAUSE THERE WAS AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, NAME THE BATHHOUSE, UH, I FELT THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE THAT WE SHUT DOWN OUR WORK AND PRODUCE OUR RECOMMENDATION IN ORDER NOT TO CONFUSE THE PUBLIC AS TO WHETHER THEY NEEDED TO COME TO THE DEPARTMENT AND THEIR OFFICIAL PROCESS AND PROCEDURES IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE, IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE, UM, NAMING ORDINANCE.
UM, AS OPPOSED TO THEM TRY TO COME TO US BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE OFFICIAL, UH, DEPARTMENT, UH, CHANNEL BY WHICH THAT, UH, INPUT SHOULD BE GIVEN.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT IS IN CHARGE OF THAT.
SO WE WANTED TO JUST NIP THAT CONFUSION IN AS A, AS FAR AS WE, AS SOON AS WE COULD AND PRODUCE THIS REPORT.
UM, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK I'LL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS ANY AT THIS TIME.
UM, SO WAS THERE NOT ANY COORDINATION BETWEEN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT SUBMISSION OF THE APPLICATION FOR A RENAMING AND THE WORKING GROUP? DID YOU, UM, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THERE IS A REAL DISCONNECT HERE BECAUSE SUPPOSE THERE HAD BEEN FIVE OTHER APPLICATIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, A POTENTIAL RENAMING AND THERE'S A WORKING GROUP ON THE PARKS BOARD.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER CONNECTION BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, LIKE I SAID, WE CREATED THE WORKING GROUP IN JULY.
UM, THE APPLICATION WAS NOT SUBMITTED TILL A MONTH LATER ON.
WE'VE CREATED JULY THE 20, THE WORKING GROUP WAS CREATED ON JULY 24TH, AND WE BEGAN OUR WORK THAT WEEK.
THE APPLICATION WASN'T SUBMITTED TILL AUGUST THE 27TH OR 28TH.
SO, UH, WE JUST CONTINUED ON OUR WORK AND TRIED TO CLOSE IT UP AS SOON AS WE COULD IN ORDER TO, UH, FINISH OUR WORK AND THEN LET THE DEPARTMENT, UH, HANDLE THEIR PROCESSES AND PROCEDURE AS THEY NORMALLY HANDLE IT FOR ANY NAMING OF ANY FACILITY.
WHAT, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, UM, AND THIS MAYBE THIS IS FOR DIRECTOR MCNEELY, UH, OR TIM, THE PROCESS, UM, WOULDN'T PARD INCLUDE OR INFORM A WORKING GROUP THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED OR A, OR A RECOMMENDATION SUBMITTED FOR RENAMING SO AS TO INCLUDE THE PUBLIC'S INFORMATION WITH WHAT THE WORKING GROUP WAS DOING.
SO BOARD MEMBER, UH, IN AUGUST, I BELIEVE THAT MR. COBB DID COME TO THIS BOARD AND ANNOUNCE THE FACT THAT HE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION.
SO I BELIEVE THAT THE BOARD WAS WELL AWARE OF THE WORKING GROUP'S WORK AND THEIR, THE DEFINED WORK THAT THEY HAD SET FORTH FOR THEMSELVES, AND THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE APPLICATION THAT HAD BEEN SUBMITTED.
AND THEN THERE'S A PROJECT WEBPAGE THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO SUBMIT ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT OR ANY OTHER ENDORSEMENTS OR APPLICATIONS THAT THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE INTERESTED IN.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION OR IF I'M GETTING TO THE, TO THE ANSWER OF YOUR QUESTION.
JUST, I, I, I, WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS AN APPLICATION BECAUSE MR. COBB DID COME AND TELL THE BOARD, RIGHT? AND THEN THE APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED TO US THE VERY NEXT DAY, UH, TO ALL THE BOARD VIA EMAIL BY MR. BECK.
AND THEN I TOOK THAT INFORMATION AND I GAVE IT TO THE WORKING GROUP.
AND OUR POSITION WAS THAT WE WERE GONNA CONTINUE ON OUR MISSION AND WE WERE NOT GONNA COMMENT ON THE PENDING APPLICATION WHATSOEVER.
[00:50:01]
RIGHT.SO THERE WAS, WE WERE GONNA, WE WERE BUILDING A FIREWALL BETWEEN OUR WORK AND THE APPLICATION TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
SO DURING, WHEN WE SET OUT ON THE WORKING GROUP, THAT WASN'T, THAT WASN'T AN OPEN CALL FOR, FOR NAMING.
IT WAS A SEPARATE, A SEPARATE ENTITY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE KEPT THE WORKING GROUP MOVING AND FUNCTIONING AS IT SHOULD.
UM, BECAUSE AS YOU SAY, MANY PEOPLE COULD SUBMIT APPLICATIONS, UM, AND WE WEREN'T ASKING FOR THOSE OR STOPPING ANY OF THAT, BUT IT IS A SEPARATE THING FROM WHAT THE WORKING GROUP SET OUT TO DO.
UM, AND IT WASN'T IN COMBINATION.
WE HAD NO, AS, UM, CHAIR SAID EARLIER, WE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE THAT THAT NAMING APPLICATION WAS GOING TO COME FORTH WHEN WE DECIDED TO BEGIN THE WORKING GROUP.
I JUST FEEL LIKE ONE OF OUR GREATEST RESOURCES, OF COURSE, WOULD BE OUR PUBLIC AND THE PEOPLE, THE USERS OF THE PARK AND SO FORTH.
AND SO AS WORKING GROUPS, WE WOULD WANT TO DO A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF OUTREACH OR JUST GATHER SOME INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY IF SOMEONE MADE AN EFFORT TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION LIKE THIS.
AND SO, AND ALSO AN EFFORT TO TRY AND JOIN THE WORKING GROUP OR WHATEVER.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONNECTION WITH THE USERS OF THE PARK AND THE PUBLIC.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S STILL OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT.
THE WORKING GROUP IS SETTING FORTH RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD THEN MOVE FORWARD TO COUNCIL AND THERE WOULD BE OPPOR OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE CONVERSATION.
UM, AGAIN, WE DIDN'T SET OUT TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT WOULDN'T INVOLVE THE PUBLIC.
THIS WAS REALLY TO GATHER HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE AND REALLY COME FORTH WITH SOME POTENTIAL NAMES, ONE OF WHICH IS ONE THAT WAS SUBMITTED AND THAT, I MEAN, WE WERE OPEN TO, AND WE DID BRING FORTH TO THE GROUP THAT THE APPLICATION HAD BEEN SUBMITTED.
SO ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T PART OF THE WORK, IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE KEPT FROM THE GROUP.
I'M JUST, UM, THINKING ABOUT THIS FOR FUTURE WORKING GROUPS AND HOW WE AS THE BOARD AND OUR WORKING GROUPS CAN REALLY ENGAGE THE PUBLIC AND, AND THE USERS OF THE PARKS WITH US.
AND YES, CLEARLY ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS IN THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION IS ONE OF, IS THE SAME AS THE APPLICATION THAT WAS SUBMITTED.
AND SO ARE, ARE WE GOING TO, ARE WE BEING ASKED TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM TONIGHT? NOPE.
I SHOULD HAVE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR.
THE BOARD IS NOT BEING ASKED TO TAKE ANY ACTION.
WE WILL WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURES THAT THE DEPARTMENT, UH, ACCOMPLISHES, UH, ON THE PENDING APPLICATION.
AND AT THAT TIME, WE WILL TAKE ACTION, IF ANY, ON WHATEVER, UH, RESULTS FROM, UH, THE DEPARTMENT'S ACTIONS AND PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AT THAT TIME.
SO THIS IS JUST A REPORT FOR EVERYONE'S KNOWLEDGE AND NO ACTION, NO RESOLUTION, NO VOTE.
SO YES, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY YOU WOULD FIGHT ME.
IS THERE ANY NOT ALLOW, IS THERE ANY OTHER, YOU SAYING THAT YOU INVOLVE EXPERTS, BUT YOU ME NOT ALLOW ME TO.
I THINK THEN THAT'S EVERYTHING.
UM, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO MR. COBB BECAUSE I INVITED PEOPLE WHO COME FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AFFECTED EVERY SINGLE DAY BY SEGREGATION, BY RACISM WHO HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED, WHO HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY KICKED TO THE SIDE.
I THINK YOU SHOULD, SHOULD HAVE A SEAT.
IT INCLUDES VELVA PRIZE AND INCLUDES ME AND IT INCLUDES STEPHANIE BAAN.
IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT IS YOUR PROBLEM, NOT MINE.
AND YOU CAN HAVE A SEAT, BUT YOU THANK YOU MR. COBB.
SIR, I CONSIDER THAT VERY UNETHICAL IF YOU INVITED ME TO PARTICIPATE OR DID YOU ALLOW TO NOT ALLOW YOU.
[2. Presentation, discussion and possible action on a recommendation to Austin City Council to support a special use senior facility at Gus Garcia Recreation Center. (Sponsors: Flowers, Villalobos).]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT A SPECIAL USE SENIOR FACILITY AT GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER.AND WE WILL HAVE, UH, PRESENTER MARTHA LANGFORD LANG LANGFORD.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, IS THERE ANYONE THAT'S GONNA COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO? ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO? ALL RIGHT.
AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE LITTLE LIGHT'S GREEN AND THEN YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.
CAN I, CAN I TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TIME? 'CAUSE I WOULD LIKE FOR EVERYBODY THAT CAME WITH ME TONIGHT REPRESENTING DUST GARCIA SENIORS TO STAND UP.
[00:55:01]
KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU, YOUR WHI ANDIT'S NOT FAIR THAT THEY DON'T GET RECOGNIZED.
WE'RE HERE REPRESENTING THE SENIORS OF GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER AND PARK, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST FOR A NEW SPECIAL USE SENIORS BUILDING TO BE BUILT ON SITE AT THE GUS GARCIA, UH, SITE.
OKAY, ARE YOU READY? NEXT PAGE.
H IN THE US AROUND 10,000 BABY BOOMERS ARE TURNING 65 TODAY AND EVERY DAY, OR OVER THE NEXT 15 YEARS.
AT FIRST GLANCE, MY REACTION WAS MILD, TO SAY THE LEAST, BUT THEN I THOUGHT THAT INCLUDES MY THREE GROWN CHILDREN, AGES 63, 61, AND 53.
SO LET US MAKE THIS SIMPLE STATEMENT PERSONAL.
DOES THAT INCLUDE YOU, YOUR PARENTS, YOUR GRANDPARENTS? MOREOVER, WILL IT AFFECT YOUR LIFE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN YOUR JOB, IN YOUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, PLACES YOU FREQUENT FOR FUN OR ENTERTAINMENT, PLACES YOU SHOP, OR EVEN YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS WHEN CONSIDERING AVENUES TO FOLLOW AS A MEMBER OF A BOARD OR COMMISSION IN AUSTIN, ACCORDING TO VINTAGE? OH, NEXT PAGE.
ACCORDING TO VINTAGE 2022 POPULATION, THE US' MEDIAN AGE GREW BY TWO TENTHS YEARS BETWEEN 2021 AND 2022.
THAT MAKES THE MEDIAN AGE 38.9 YEARS, WHICH IS PRETTY CLOSE TO 40.
THE POPULATION OF TEXAS IN 2021 WAS 29 POINT 53 MILLION.
AND IN 20 22, 30 PLUS MILLION, PERSON 65 AND OVER CONSTITUTED 13.2%, A LITTLE OVER 4 MILLION.
IN TEXAS, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE 65 PLUS IS EXPECTED TO MORE THAN DOUBLE TO 8.3 MILLION BY 2050 KEY AUSTIN SENIOR STATISTICS, 8% OF AUSTIN'S POPULATION IS SENIORS.
29% OF THOSE AUSTIN SENIORS LIVE ALONE.
6% OF AUSTIN SENIOR HOUSEHOLDS HAVE AN ANNUAL INCOME OF LESS THAN 10 K.
15% OF OVER AGE 60 RESIDENTS RECEIVED FOOD STAMPS LAST YEAR.
AVERAGE SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME IS $16,538 PER YEAR.
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR AN AUSTIN SENIOR IS $47,993.
THERE ARE 12,060 WORKING SENIORS IN AUSTIN.
NEXT PAGE, THIS PAGE IS INCLUDED FOR EACH OF YOU THAT ARE HERE AND ON AND WITH US ON CONFERENCE TO HAVE AS A REFERENCE POINT FOR THE FOLLOWING THREE PAGES BECAUSE IT LISTS THE DISTRICTS AND THE AREAS THAT ARE INCLUDED.
COMMUNITY RECREATION AND SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTERS BY ZIP CODE.
AND IF YOU'LL NOTICE, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A GREEN STAR RIGHT UP HERE THAT'S CIRCLED BY A RED LINE.
AND THAT'S GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER AND PARK.
IT'S THE ONLY RECREATION CENTER NORTH OF TWO 90 AND EAST OF 180 3.
AND IT INCLUDES COMPLETELY OUR DISTRICT FOUR AND MOST OF ONE AND SIX AND A LITTLE BIT OF SEVEN.
IF YOU NOTICE HOW MANY SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTERS THERE ARE, THEY'RE IN RED.
AND THERE'S 1, 2, 3, AND THERE'S SPECIAL USE CENTERS.
AND IF YOU'LL NOTICE, THEY'RE ALL BELOW THE RED LINE.
OKAY? IF, IF YOU SEE A ROUND OVAL, THAT'S A ZIP CODE WITH ONE MULTI-USE RECREATION CENTER.
AND IF YOU SEE A PINK OVAL, THAT'S A ZIP CODE WITH FIVE MULTI-USE RECREATION CENTERS, THE RED LINE AROUND THE TOP SHOWS NORTHEAST AUSTIN, AND IT'S BOUNDED BY THE HIGHWAYS.
UH, AND I THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THAT.
NOW, IN PREVIOUS TIMES THAT I HAVE BEEN HERE, WE HAVE HAD, UH, THE DEMOGRAPHIC PAGE OF COUNCIL DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHIC FOUR.
AND IT HAS IT'S TWO PAGES ACTUALLY, AND I DIDN'T INCLUDE THEM, BUT THEY ARE INCLUDED IN, IN THE ONE YOU'VE HAD BEFORE.
BUT THIS, THAT'S JUST FOR REFERENCE SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT IT REALLY, REALLY DID TRY TO USE IT FOR
[01:00:01]
REFERENCE.THIS IS, UH, DISTRICT FOUR, ONE AND SEVEN.
UM, IF YOU'LL LOOK, THE FIRST TWO POPULATION TOTAL NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE SENIORS.
AND THE SECOND, THE SECOND TWO LINES ARE GONNA BE THE TOTAL OF POPULATIONS.
IN DISTRICT FOUR, THERE'S A COMPLETE POPULATION OF 94,936.
THE SENIOR POPULATION IS 8% OR 7,595.
IN DISTRICT ONE, THE POP, THE SENIOR POPULATION IS 8%, WHICH IS A TOTAL OF 7,519.
AND IN DISTRICT SEVEN OUT OF 95,090 595 PEOPLE, 9% ARE AN ARE 8,559.
THE PERCENTAGE OF SENIORS LIVING ALONE IN DISTRICT FOUR IS 1,671 IN DISTRICT ONE 1,654.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO THE TOTAL POPULATION.
THE IMMIGRANT POPULATION IN DISTRICT FOUR IS 30,380.
IN DISTRICT SEVEN, IT'S 15,215.
NOW, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE OF THESE.
I LOOK, I HAVE AN ASTERISK AT THE BOTTOM.
OKAY? THE POPULATION WITHIN DISTRICT FOUR LIVING IN LOW TO MODERATE INCOME IS 74%.
THAT'S 70,253 PEOPLE IN DISTRICT FOUR.
THAT'S 59,250 IN DISTRICT 41%, 38,989.
ADDING TOGETHER THE THREE DISTRICTS SENIOR POPULATIONS AMOUNTS TO 23,673.
THAT'S REALLY CLOSE TO 24,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE SENIORS.
ADDING TOGETHER THE THREE DISTRICTS, SENIORS LIVING ALONE AMOUNTS TO 4,694.
TOTAL IMMIGRANT IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS ADDED TOGETHER ARE 110,173.
TOTAL POPULATIONS LIVING IN LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RANGES IN THAT RED, THAT WHOLE AREA OF NORTHEAST AUSTIN ADDED TOGETHER ARE 168,447 PEOPLE.
NEW PAGE, THIS IS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER, AND IT SITS ON 77 AC 47 ACRES, 20,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING.
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEDICATED TO AFTERSCHOOL AND TEEN PROGRAMS, SUMMER DAYCARE, AND THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT WHAT WE DO, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT AND WE WANT IT TO CONTINUE BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR THAT DISTRICT AND FOR THE OTHER DISTRICTS AROUND IT.
BUT IT ALSO HAS PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS UNDER 55, AND OF COURSE, SENIOR PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR 15 YEAR STRONG SENIOR SIZE.
UH, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, THAT'LL TELL YOU WHAT TIMES THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, SERVED.
UH, AND SENIOR PROGRAMS ARE SERVED FROM 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AFTER THAT, EVERYBODY ELSE IS INCLUDED.
UH, THE SENIOR SIZE PROGRAMS THIS YEAR ARE SCHEDULED THREE TIMES A WEEK.
AND THEN BESIDES THAT, WE HAVE MEALS ON WHEELS EVERY WEEKDAY.
WE HAVE A MONTHLY AUSTIN FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTION.
AND ON SATURDAYS WE HAVE CAROL'S KINDNESS.
NOW, I THINK THAT OTHER PEOPLE OTHER THAN SENIORS GET TO HAVE SOME OF THAT TOO.
NEXT PAGE, IF YOU, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR BUILDING AND WHAT IT SERVES, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE'VE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CENTER USAGE OVER 2 20 19 PRE PANDEMIC NUMBERS BECAUSE THE NUMBERS YOU SEE IN RED, BECAUSE IT'LL TAKE TOO LONG TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM.
THE NUMBERS YOU SEE IN RED ARE AS OF THE END OF THIS OCTOBER AND YOUTH PROGRAMS, THERE WAS 1,888 YOUTH SPORTS 253 TEEN PROGRAMS, 1,371 ADULT PROGRAMS THAT'S UNDER 55 WERE 12,633.
AND SENIOR PROGRAMS WERE 5,341.
SO WE HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE DID NOT HAVE INCLUDED THAT SERVICE.
THE, UM, THE DIFFERENT PEOPLES THAT COME TO OUR, OUR
[01:05:01]
CENTER, ONE OF 'EM IS THE FOOD PANTRY.ANOTHER IS COMMUNITY PROJECTS AND GO PROJECTS.
AND SINCE THEY INCLUDE ALL AGES SENIORS THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS OLD, THAT'S 1,480 PEOPLE.
BUT WE FORGOT TO INCLUDE THE EMANCIPET, WHICH COMES EVERY MONTH.
AND FROM 2020 TO 2023, THEY SERVED 1,533 PEOPLE WITH THEIR PETS.
AND 844 SO FAR THIS YEAR IN COOPERATION WITH A A SD, WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM, WHICH IS ESL FOR PARENTS OF STUDENTS.
AND THE PROGRAM AT THE PRESENT IS SERVING 45 PEOPLE FOR, UH, ESL FIRST YEAR AND 40 PEOPLE FOR ESL SECOND YEAR.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT HOW MANY NUMBERS WE HAVE, WE HAVE INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY.
NEXT PAGE, GUS GARCIA'S CENTER'S PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AND GENERAL USAGE NUMBERS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED SINCE THE 2019 NUMBERS.
TEEN PARTICIPATION ALONE IS 161% OVER PRE PANDEMIC ATTENDANCE WITH INCLUSION OF NEW ADULT PROGRAMS. PARTICIPATION HAS INCREASED WITH THEM.
AND YOU SAY, WELL, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? AND THEY'RE PLAYING PICKLEBALL EVERYWHERE, ALL OVER THE PLACE ALL THE TIME.
AND THEY ALSO LIKE PINGING PONG AND, AND THOSE PROGRAMS WILL CONTINUE NEW TEEN PROGRAMS. AND WE HAVE TO SAY, BECAUSE THE LADY THAT'S SITTING BEHIND ME ALL DRESSED UP AS OUR, AND OUR DIRECTOR HAS BEEN SO ACTIVE AND SHE'S REALLY GOOD, SHE'S BEEN SO ACTIVE IN INCREASING THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT OUR TEENS ARE ABLE TO HAVE.
AND WE DO THAT WITH SENIORS TOO.
BUT, UM, THE, I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO THE CENTER, JUST IS INVOLVED IN DOING ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
SENIOR PROGRAMS HAVE REBOUNDED FROM PANDEMIC NUMBERS AND ARE INCREASING STEADILY.
SOME DAYS THE SENIORS HAVE BARELY CLEARED OUT FROM EXERCISE BEFORE.
THE PICKLEBALL PLAYERS ARE SETTING UP THEIR COURTS, CARRYING THEM IN THEMSELVES.
NEW PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN TRULY NEEDED FURTHER LIMIT THE ALREADY TIGHT SPACE AVAILABLE FOR SENIOR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS. NOW, BEFORE TONIGHT, YOU WERE TO HAVE RECEIVED ON YOUR COMPUTERS DURING THE MONTH, UH, ANOTHER PRESENTATION THAT PRESENTED THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS THAT SENIORS DO AND WHAT WE NEEDED IN COMPARISONS WITH OTHER, WITH OTHER, THE THREE OTHER UNITS.
BUT I DIDN'T WANNA GO OVER THAT.
I WANTED TO GO OVER SENIOR NUMBERS BECAUSE I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT SO MUCH.
WHEN COMPARING OUR FACILITY AMENITIES WITH THOSE OF OTHER SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTERS, WE SEE A HUGE DISPARITY IN THE SPACE AFFORDED.
OUR SENIORS, GUS GARCIA SENIORS HAVE NO PERMANENTLY DEDICATED SPACE ALLOTTED FOR ACTIVITIES SEASONALLY DEPENDENT ON SPACE AVAILABILITY, NO SECURED STORAGE FOR MATERIALS OR SUPPLIES FOR CLASSES AND PROGRAMS. AND WE HAVE A STRONG NEED FOR OUR SENIORS ONLY BUILDING NOW.
AND TO ME, THE ONE THING THAT I WAS REALLY JEALOUS OF WHERE THE OTHER CENTERS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING EXCEPT CLOSET SPACE AND BATHROOMS. YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE.
OKAY, NOW WE'RE GONNA GO ON NEW PAGE IS GONNA BE SENIOR POPULATION TREND.
IS THIS A PERMANENT TREND OR A TREND SUCH AS A HULA HOOP? THE NUMBERS PER PRESENTED, I'M GETTING TIRED THUS FAR, DEMONSTRATE THE INCREASING NUMBER OF SENIORS NATIONALLY, STATEWIDE AND WITHIN COUNCIL DISTRICTS IN AUSTIN ITSELF.
IT WOULD SEEM FROM THESE NUMBERS THAT THIS TREND TOWARDS SENIOR POPULATION GROWTH IS WITH US FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD AT THIS PERIOD OF TIME AND NORTHEAST AUSTIN, WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT GROWTH IN OUR SENIOR POPULATION WILL REQUIRE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION AND CONTINUED SERVICE FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 25 YEARS.
BETWEEN 1958 AND 2023, THE US POPULATION GREW, ARE 40 MILLION.
CURRENTLY THE SENIOR POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES IS 55 MILLION.
FURTHER SENIORS MOVING TO TEXAS FREQUENTLY CHOOSE AUSTIN AS THEIR PRIMARY CHOICE.
NEW BREAKTHROUGHS IN HEALTH COVERAGE MEAN MORE SENIORS WILL LIVE LONGER LIVES IN COUNCIL.
DISTRICTS FOUR, ONE AND SEVEN.
THE LARGEST POPULATION FIGURES FOR ALL AGES ARE INDIVIDUALS BETWEEN 25 AND 34.
AND I SAID, WHAT DOES THAT PROVE? THAT PROVES THAT NORMALLY UNLESS WE HAVE SOMETHING HAPPEN, THOSE PEOPLE WILL GROW UP AND EVENTUALLY
[01:10:01]
WILL BE SENIORS AND THEIR POPULATION WILL STILL REMAIN THERE.TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY SENIOR INDIVIDUAL, VARIED STUDIES HAVE PRODUCED LIST OF ACTIVITIES WHICH ARE IMPORTANT TO SENIORS.
NUMBER ONE, EXERCISE FOR AGING INDIVIDUALS IS ESSENTIAL FOR VITALITY.
NUMBER TWO, IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN HEALTHIER BLOOD PRESSURE AND BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS, SENIORS NEED TO EAT A HIGH NUTRITION DIET.
NUMBER THREE, OLDER ADULTS NEED TO CONNECT EVERY DAY WITH OTHERS.
NUMBER FOUR, CHALLENGING MENTAL INTERACTIONS THROUGH GROUP ACTIVITIES ENHANCE RAPID BRAIN COMMUNICATION.
AND YOU SAY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT YOUR BRAIN IS WORKING MUCH FASTER AND YOUR IDEAS ARE MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE AND YOU'RE INTERACTING MUCH FASTER.
THAT, YOU KNOW THAT HELPS WHEN YOU CAN'T FIND THE BREAK ON YOUR CAR AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
HEALTHY, ACTIVE SENIORS MAKE FOR PRODUCTIVE COMMUNITY AND CITY.
SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTERS PROVIDE A SPACE FOR CENTER SENIORS TO ENJOY ACTIVITIES SAFELY AND SOCIALIZE COMFORTABLY.
THEY PROVIDE EASY ACCESS TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS CLASSES, TO MEALS, TO NUTRITION PLANS AND PROGRAMS THAT TEACH PARTICIPANTS HOW TO MANAGE AND DELAY THE ONSET OF CHRONIC DISEASE, PLUS A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER STUFF.
SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTERS PROVIDE A PLACE FOR FRIENDSHIP AND COMPANIONSHIP.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL, AND THAT ACCORDING IS TO MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY AND AN AUSTIN STATESMAN JUST NOT TOO MANY WEEKS AGO.
NOW THE NEXT PAGE IS JUST A MAP OF GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER AND PARK, SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THE SPACE THAT'S BEING USED AND HOW MUCH SPACE THERE STILL IS.
THIS PAGE IS A PAGE OF VARIOUS TYPES OF PEOPLES AND AGES DOING VARIOUS AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS.
HOW MANY MORE INDIVIDUALS COULD HAVE THESE BENEFITS IF WE HAD A SINNER OR MAYBE EVEN MORE SINNERS FOR THAT MATTER? ALRIGHT, LAST PAGE.
GUS GARCIA, SENIORS, THAT'S ALL OF US.
WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU POSITIVELY CONSIDERING OUR REQUEST FOR A SENIOR BUILDING POSITIVELY RESPONDING IN OUR FAVOR WHEN REPORTING TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION AMONGST, OR ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANYONE FROM WEBEX? IF NOT, IT'S OKAY.
OR, YEAH, I'M JUST, I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY COST ASSOCIATED.
DO WE KNOW ANY NUMBERS?
I MEAN, IF THERE'S A NUMBER YOU CAN PROVIDE.
YEAH, MAYBE I CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS GROUP AND SORT OF THE BACKGROUND.
AND THEN IF WE STILL HAVE QUESTIONS FROM MARTHA, WHICH SOME OF YOU MAY.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN JUMP INTO, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION DRAFT I PROVIDED.
SO I WAS FIRST INVITED I THINK, UM, MAYBE, MAYBE ALMOST A YEAR AGO, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR AGO TO COME OUT TO GUS GARCIA AND, AND MEET WITH THIS GROUP OF FOLKS, UM, MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE TONIGHT AND SOME OF WHOM ARE NOT.
UH, AND I HAD BEEN TO GUS GARCIA A COUPLE OF TIMES, UH, ALREADY PRIOR TO THAT.
AND EVERY TIME, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE, IT IS PACKED CONSTANTLY AT EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY, YEAR ROUND WITH PEOPLE ACCESSING CITY PROGRAMS, WHICH IS ONE REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
BUT TWO, IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS THAT THE FACILITY WAS OVERCROWDED EVERY TIME THAT I'VE BEEN THERE.
UM, THAT SAID, THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO THE PROGRAMS THERE LOVE IT.
UH, THEY WANT MORE OF THE PROGRAMMING AND THERE'S JUST NOT SUFFICIENT SPACE.
AND THE LAST TIME I WAS THERE WAS IN THE SUMMER, UM, WHICH MARTHA SPOKE TO THIS A LITTLE BIT.
THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUTH PROGRAMS THERE IN THE SUMMER AND IT DOES EXTREMELY LIMIT WHO ELSE CAN USE THE SPACE BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE RUNNING FOR YOUTH PROGRAMMING.
SO AFTER WE HAD BEEN TALKING FOR A WHILE, UM, I MEAN THERE'S CLEARLY A NEED.
YOU CAN LOOK AT THE MAP AND SEE, UH, THAT THERE'S NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF CENTERS.
UH, IT'S NOT JUST SENIOR CENTERS, IT'S REC CENTERS, IT'S NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS.
IF YOU LOOK AT A MAP OF ALL OF THE CENTERS THAT THE CITY HAS NORTH AND NORTHEAST, UM, IS LACKING, UM, IN A COUPLE OF AREAS.
AND OBVIOUSLY TO MARTHA'S POINT, UM, IT'S A VERY HIGHLY LOW TO MODERATE INCOME AREA AND PEOPLE REALLY DO RELY ON THE CITY'S PROGRAMMING, UH, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER, TO EXERCISE, TO DO ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT MARTHA MENTIONED.
SO, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT FROM THIS GROUP, NOT JUST FROM THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE, BUT FROM OTHERS INVOLVED AT GUS GARCIA, UM, THAT THEY WOULD REALLY LIKE MORE SPACE THAN THEY HAVE.
[01:15:01]
AS I'VE LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS STILL WORKING ON A NEEDS ASSESSMENT FOR REC CENTERS.AND I DID GET SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
SO EVEN THE RECOMMENDATION I HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, I HAVE SOME MODIFICATIONS I'M GONNA MAKE TO IT RELATED TO, UM, FUNDING.
UM, IT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY GONNA REQUIRE A BOND, WHICH IS NO SURPRISE.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I, WE'D, I'D LIKE TO PUT FORTH RELATED TO SHORT TERM THINGS WE COULD DO AS WELL AS, UH, AS A POTENTIAL BOND, UM, FOR A SENIOR YEAR CENTER IN THAT AREA.
AND MARTHA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD THERE.
WELL, WE DIDN'T IN INCLUDE ANYTHING ABOUT PRICES AND MONEY AND THAT SORT OF STUFF BECAUSE THE COST PER SQUARE FOOT FOR A COMMERCIAL BUILDING VARIES GREATLY.
AND BY THE TIME WE ARE EVEN CONSIDERED FOR A BOND, WE KNOW THAT THAT WOULD RISE PUTTING, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH MORE SO THAN WE, IT WOULD BE SILLY TO TRY TO PUT A PRICE ON IT.
NOW THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND WITH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE MOON, BUT WE WOULD LIKE A NICE BUILDING.
UH, DON'T NEED TO BE AS BIG AS CONNIE GUERRERO
AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT IF YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF THAT ONE.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, THE ONE IN SOUTH AUSTIN I'M FAMILIAR WITH, AND EVEN THAT ONE, THEY'RE BURSTING AT THE SEAM.
SO I WOULD GO AS BIG AS YOU CAN WHEN, WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
'CAUSE YOU'RE ALREADY GONNA FILL IT.
THE ONLY THING I'LL SAY IS THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING SOME REALLY GREAT WORK.
I HAVE THE, I HAD THE FORTUNE OF WORKING WITH MAYOR GUS GARCIA'S SON.
I HAD THE FORTUNE OF, UH, KNOWING MR. UH, MAYOR GAR GUS GARCIA.
AND I COULD TELL YOU HE'D BE, HOPEFULLY Y'ALL, SOME OF Y'ALL GOT TO MEET HIM.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT HE WOULD BE VERY, VERY PROUD OF ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING FOR THE SENIOR COMMUNITY THERE.
SO IT, IT, IT BRINGS ME A LOT OF JOY TO SEE ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, UM, IN SPITE OF THE, UH, ODDS AND OUTGROWING THE FACILITY IN A MATTER OF A FEW YEARS.
SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING.
YEAH, AND I WILL JUST MAKE A POINT JUST TO PUT THE PIN ON IT, THAT'S A, IT'S A REC CENTER, RIGHT? AND THE SENIOR CENTER IS REALLY WHAT'S LACKING IN A VERY OBVIOUS WAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAPS OF SENIOR SITTERS CENTERS IN AUSTIN, THERE JUST IS NOT ONE THAT IS ANYWHERE NEAR WHAT WOULD BE CONVENIENT FOR THIS POPULATION.
SO IT'S A CLEARLY IDENTIFIED NEED AND I THINK THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT WHEN IT IS RELEASED IS GONNA CONFIRM THAT, UH, PRETTY CLEARLY.
DO WE NEED TO STAY
UH, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S LATE AND A LOT TO SIT THROUGH.
UM, NEXT WE'LL PROBABLY TALK THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATION I PUT FORTH, WHICH IS IN SUPPORT OF YOU GUYS.
UM, SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY FOR THAT.
WELL, ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MARTHA BEFORE I JUMP INTO THE RECOMMENDATION? NO, I WAS JUST WANTING, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU, BUT I JUST PULLED UP THE MAP THAT THE NEAREST SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER IS THE ONE RIGHT THERE ON 28TH AND NORTH LAMAR.
AND IT'S NOT REALLY NEAR IN ANY REALISTIC WAY, SO.
UM, WELL IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A MO I DON'T KNOW WOULD ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION.
ALRIGHT, SO I'LL TURN OVER THE FLOOR AGAIN.
YEAH, SO I'LL, UM, I HAVE MADE SOME EDITS TO THE RECOMMENDATION SINCE IT WAS POSTED BECAUSE I LEARNED SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THIS AFTERNOON, UM, THAT I THINK WILL BE MORE ACCURATE, UH, TO WHAT WOULD BE REQUIRED.
UM, SO WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I THINK MAKE A MOTION WITH MY NEW LANGUAGE, UM, IN THERE ALREADY, AND THEN WE CAN TALK THROUGH IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT FOLKS, UM, WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGE OR WE NEED TO DISCUSS.
UM, SO, UH, THIS IS A MOTION, UH, TO PASS A RECOMMENDATION TO SUPPORT A SPECIAL USE SENIOR FACILITY.
WHEREAS THE POPULATION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT IS CURRENTLY OVER AGE 65 IS 8% OF THE CITY'S POPULATION AND GROWING.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN SENIORS ARE ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY VULNERABLE WITH 29% LIVING ALONE, 15% RECEIVING FOOD STAMPS AND 19% HAVING A HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF LESS THAN $20,000 ANNUALLY.
WHEREAS THE CURRENT DISTRIBUTION OF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, RECREATION CENTERS, AND SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTERS RUN BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS HEAVILY SKEWED TOWARDS CENTRAL AND SOUTH AUSTIN WITH ONLY ONE CENTER NORTH OF US, HIGHWAY 81 83, AND THAT IS GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER.
WHEREAS A 2017 CITY OF AUSTIN OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR REPORT FOUND THAT NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS MAY NOT BE PROVIDING SERVICES TO ALL RESIDENTS WHO NEED THEM AND SPECIFICALLY RECOMMENDED THAT ACCESSIBILITY WAS A CONCERN.
WHEREAS GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER SITS AT THE INTERSECTION OF THREE COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
THE SITE IS LOCATED IN DISTRICT FOUR AND BORDERED BY DISTRICTS ONE AND SEVEN, WHEREAS WITHIN THESE THREE DISTRICTS, THERE ARE MORE THAN 23,000 SENIORS, 65 OR OLDER, OF WHICH OVER 4017% ARE LIVING ALONE.
WHEREAS WITHIN DISTRICT FOUR ALONE, 74% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION
[01:20:01]
ARE LOW, MODERATE INCOME AND 32% ARE IMMIGRANTS.WHEREAS GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER IS SERVING A WIDE RANGE OF INDIVIDUALS OVER A VAST GEOGRAPHIC AREA DUE TO IT BEING THE SINGULAR CITY SITE NORTH OF 180 3 WITH INCREASING PARTICIPATION IN HOSTED PROGRAMS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
WHEREAS DEMAND FOR PROGRAMMING AT GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER FOR ALL AGES, YOUTH, TEEN, ADULT, AND SENIORS, FAR OUTPACES THE SUPPLY OF PHYSICAL SPACE AVAILABLE.
WHEREAS EXERCISE, SOCIAL CONNECTIONS, HEALTHY MEALS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT HAVE ALL BEEN PROVEN TO PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT LONG-TERM PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS FOR SENIORS.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALREADY OWNED SIGNIFICANT LAND AT THE GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER SITE, WHEREAS THE RESULTS OF A NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND GAP ANALYSIS FROM PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT STAFF IS FORTHCOMING REGARDING SENIOR AND RECREATION CENTERS THAT SUPPORTS THE ADDITION OF A SENIOR CENTER IN NORTH OR NORTHEAST AUSTIN IN THE NEAR TERM FUTURE.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDS TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, THAT THEY PRIORITIZE A BOND ELECTION TO FUND A SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER SERVING DISTRICT FOUR AND NEARBY NORTHERN DISTRICTS TO BE LOCATED NORTH OF 180 3.
AND THAT THE PROPERTY WHERE GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER CURRENTLY RESIDES BE INVESTIGATED AS A HIGH POTENTIAL POSSIBLE LOCATION PAR ALSO, PAR ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT IMPROVEMENTS TO GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER BE PRIORITIZED AND BUDGETED FOR IN THE INTERIM, FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 25 WITH THE GOAL OF ADDRESSING OVERCROWDING AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY EASIER IF PEOPLE GIVE YOU, I THINK WE NEED A SECOND AND THEN WE CAN DO SECOND.
I WILL NOW OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION? I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS RECOMMENDATION FORWARD.
I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL AND, UM, IT'S A NEED THAT REALLY WE ARE LACKING IN OUR CITY.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH VICE CHAIR FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND THANKS TO THE FOLKS WHO CAME TO GIVE THE PRESENTATION.
THE REAL THANKS IS TO, SO THANKS.
UM, THE ONLY CHANGE I WOULD ASK IS, IS THE BOND ELECTION TO INCLUDE? YES.
HEY, DID YOU OH, NO, I APPRECIATE THE INCLUSION OF THE BOND.
THAT WAS MY PRIMARY QUESTION WAS I DO FEEL LIKE IF WE ARE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH WE THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO GET FUNDED, IT WILL BE TAKEN MORE SERIOUSLY.
UM, THAT SAID, THE CITY MANAGER HAS SAID ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THAT HE'S NOT REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO PASSING ANY MORE BONDS IN THE ENSUING, ENSUING YEARS.
DO WE WANT TO CONSIDER ANYTHING ELSE IN HERE THAT ADDRESSES THAT OR, YEAH, SO I'M OPEN TO THAT.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU THE BACKSTORY, RIGHT? ORIGINALLY I HAD THIS WRITTEN AS JUST PART OF THE BUDGET, WHICH I KNEW WAS UNREALISTIC, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION ABOUT THE BONDS THIS AFTERNOON.
I'VE SINCE HEARD, UH, THROUGH UH, PARKS DEPARTMENT STAFF THAT IT SEEMS LIKE 2026 WOULD BE THE EARLIEST BOND YEAR, WHAT'S CURRENTLY BEING SAID, WHICH IS NOT IDEAL FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, BUT I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT MODIFY THE LANGUAGE TO OPEN UP OTHER POTENTIAL OPTIONS.
UM, BUT I COULDN'T THINK OF ANY, SO
THAT, THAT BEING SAID, I DO THINK THAT, I MEAN, IT CUTS BOTH WAYS, BUT FUNDING PROJECTS THIS BIG DO REQUIRE A BOND CAMPAIGN AND AS WE SAW A FEW WEEKS AGO, AT LEAST FOUR PARKS AND RECREATION RECREATIONAL ASPECTS OF PARKS, THERE IS STRONG APPETITE TO SUPPORT THOSE, UM, WITH THE PASSAGE OF TRAVIS COUNTY PROP A AND B CONJUNCTION.
SO I THINK, WELL, I DON'T WANNA GET TOO OFF TO THE AGENDA, BUT I'LL SAY IN REGARDS TO THE RESOLUTION SPECIFICALLY MENTIONING A BOND ELECTION, I THINK IT WOULD BE WISE FOR THIS BOARD, UH, TO HOPEFULLY PUSH TO BE OF THE MENTALITY THAT WE NEED TO BE PUSHING FOR A OBAMA ELECTION TO FUND CENTERS AND RECREATION SPACES AND PARK SPACES SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN USE, USE THOSE SPACES, UH, WITH A FOCUS ON BEING MORE EQUITABLE AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION, UM, IN, IN AUSTIN.
SO, YEAH, I JUST TO BE CLEAR, DON'T HAVE ANY BETTER SUGGESTIONS ON THAT FRONT
UM, ONLY MORE COMPLICATED ONES.
SO I DO THINK THIS IS VALUABLE AND I THINK, UM, THE CHAIR'S POINT IS A GOOD ONE.
I DO THINK SOME FOLLOW UP FROM THIS BOARD ON THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPEFUL PASSAGE OF THIS RESOLUTION IS SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP MOVE IT FORWARD.
I'M HOPING THIS WILL TIE IN AS WELL TO OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE FOLLOWING UP ON WHATEVER WE RECOMMEND.
CAN WE SPECIFICALLY SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT OR, UM, ARE, ARE THO THOSE FUNDS ARE DESIGNATED OF COURSE FOR 2324, BUT THIS WOULD BE 24 25, CORRECT? IT SHOULD BE 24 25.
WHERE WOULD YOU, SO YOU'RE SAYING, UH, LIKE NOTE THAT IT SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED AND BUDGETED FOR OR AS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
[01:25:01]
IT HAVE A GREATER CHANCE OF GETTING I DID THAT? I DON'T KNOW.I DON'T FEEL
WELL, NO, I MODIFIED THAT SINCE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
SO I'LL READ THE RE RESOLUTION AGAIN, JUST SO IN CASE Y'ALL, SO NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD RECOMMENDS TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY PRIORITIZE A BOND ELECTION TO INCLUDE A SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER SERVING DISTRICT FOUR AND NEARBY NORTHERN DISTRICTS TO BE LOCATED NORTH OF 180 3.
AND THAT THE PROPERTY WHERE GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER CURRENTLY RESIDES BE INVESTIGATED AS A HIGH POTENTIAL POSSIBLE LOCATION.
PARP ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT IMPROVEMENTS TO GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER BE PRIORITIZED AND BUDGETED FOR IN THE INTERIM, FOR FISCAL YEAR 24 25 WITH THE GOAL OF ADDRESSING OVERCROWDING AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
YEAH, DOES IT, DOES, DOES THAT LAST SENTENCE ADDRESS KIND OF WHERE YOU WERE GETTING, GETTING AT? IT DOES, YEAH.
ANY OTHER FEEDBACK? ANYONE ON WEBEX? I JUST DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE ZIP CODE OF THE NEAREST ONE OR IF YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S, I MEAN, I COULD ADD, WHEREAS ABOUT THAT IF WE WANTED, WHEREAS THE NEAREST ONE ISN'T 78,000, I THINK IT'S REALLY SIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DISTANCE AND WHEREAS THE NEAREST SENIOR, SO I'M JUST GONNA READ THIS AS I WRITE IT, WHEREAS, AND I'M ADDING THIS JUST AT THE END AS THAT'S FINE.
WHEREAS US, WHEREAS THE NEAREST SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER, SHOULD I SAY TO DISTRICT FOUR? YEAH.
TO DISTRICT FOUR IS LOCATED AND, AND SOMEBODY TELL ME OH FIVE IN 7 8, 7 0 5, GET, I, CAN I JUST TAKE THIS TO YOU GUYS? WE REALIZE IT'S THE FIRST STEP WE JUST TAKE, WE, WE THANK YOU VERY KINDLY FOR HAVING ME, US TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I'LL, I'LL ALSO JUST SAY BEFORE YOU LEAVE, THAT WAS A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION AND IF YOU DO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT IN FRONT OF CITY COUNCIL, YOU SHOULD BECAUSE YOU'RE VERY CONVINCING
OKAY, SO I ADDED A LAST, WHEREAS THERE, WHEREAS THE NEAREST SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER TO DISTRICT FOUR IS LOCATED IN 7 8, 7 0 5.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA TAKE VOTE.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF PASSING THE RESOLUTION AS READ, UM, AND MODIFIED, UH, BY VICE CHAIR FLOWERS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND JENNIFER FRANKLIN, ARE YOU ON THERE? ONE, TWO.
THE RESOLUTION PA UH, IS SHE THERE? THERE SHE IS.
I WILL EMAIL THE MODIFIED COPY TOO.
[3. Presentation, discussion and possible action on a recommendation to Austin City Council to authorize the negotiation and execution of Facility Use and Maintenance Agreement between the City and Huston-Tillotson University for parkland use at Downs Field located at 2816 East 12th Street (District 1). (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Operational Efficiency, Urban Public Spaces).]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON, UH, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE? YEAH, I FORGOT IT'S JOELLE, RIGHT? YEAH.
AS I'VE HEARD I SAID JOELLE AND I WAS LIKE JOEL, JOELLE MONSO, DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, I PLAYED IN THE AUSTIN METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE THAT HAS THE CONTRACT TO DOWNFIELD.
UH, IT'S VERY SURPRISING THAT THEY'RE NOT ON THIS AGENDA RIGHT HERE.
UM, AND I ALSO PLAY AT HOUSTON TILTON UNIVERSITY.
UM, FROM MY OBSERVATION OF PLAYING IN BOTH ORGANIZATIONS, AUSTIN METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE HAS PRIORITY OF THAT FIELD OVER HOUSTON TILL TILTON UNIVERSITY.
LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IF YOU SIGN UP TO PLAY IN THIS LEAGUE, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY IN ANOTHER LEAGUE.
UM, TALKING ABOUT 25 GAMES IN THE 365 DAYS.
SO IF YOU GET CAUGHT PLAYING SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THOSE OTHER 300 PLUS DAYS, YOU'RE GONNA BE KICKED OUT OF THE AWESOME METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE, HENCE KICKED OUTTA DOWNS FIELD.
WE'RE BASICALLY REVERTING BACK TO WHY THAT FIELD WAS BUILT.
THAT FIELD WAS BUILT BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO PLAY IN WEST AUSTIN.
OSA WAS BUILT BECAUSE MEXICAN AMERICANS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY IN WEST AUSTIN, SO THEY WERE FORCED TO GO PLAY AT THESE FACILITIES.
WE REALLY NEED TO BE CRITICAL ON THE CULTURE THAT GOES ON THERE.
THE FIELD LOOKS PRETTY, BUT THE CULTURE IS PRETTY UGLY.
UM, ME BRINGING UP THESE ISSUES AS A PARTICIPANT THERE HAS BASICALLY BANNED ME FROM PLAYING IN THE HOUSTON, UH, AT DOWNS FIELD.
THAT'S A RECREATIONAL LEAGUE THAT, THAT USES THAT FACILITY.
UH, MY BROTHER WASN'T ALLOWED TO PLAY THERE BECAUSE I WOULD GO AGAINST THE GRAIN OF THE NORM.
YOU, IF YOU EVEN TRY TO, TO RENT THE FIELD, UM, YOU'LL BE DISMISSED FROM THE, FROM THE LEAGUE.
I'M ALL FOR HOUSTON TILTON UNIVERSITY USING THAT FIELD.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IF HT IS THE ONLY, UH, ORGANIZATION EVER USES THAT FIELD AGAIN, I'LL BE HAPPY BECAUSE THEY DESERVE
[01:30:01]
THEIR OWN FACILITY.THEY DON'T DESERVE TO BE SHARING IT WITH A MEN'S LEAGUE THAT TAKES PRIORITY OF IT AND DOES WHATEVER THEY WANT.
WHENEVER HT IS GONE, UM, I'M ONE OF THE LAST PEOPLE THAT PLAYED IN THE ZARAGOZA COLLEGIATE LEAGUE.
UM, I MIGHT BE ONE OF THE LAST GUYS THAT PLAY IN THE AWESOME METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE THAT'S GONNA COME UP HERE IN, IN, IN, EXPLAIN TO Y'ALL WHAT BAD CULTURE IS GOING ON THERE.
UM, I'M ALL FOR OPEN FACILITIES.
ANOTHER THING I REMEMBERED, UH, IN THE CONTRACT, UH, THE DATES ARE ON DOWNS FIELD, UM, AND THOSE DATES ARE ON 4TH OF JULY ON MEMORIAL DAY ON LABOR DAY.
AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, UM, THE CITY'S NOT SUPPOSED TO RESERVE FACILITIES ON HOLIDAYS.
SO IF WE, IF A A PUBLIC CITIZEN TRIES TO RESERVE THAT FIELD, THEY CAN EASILY SAY, OH NO, IT'S A HOLIDAY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY PARK STAFF WORKING.
SO IT REALLY CONTRADICTING OF WHAT THE ATHLETICS HANDBOOK HAS.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND, AND I I KNOW THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL, WILL DO THE RIGHT THING.
OKAY,
I AM A DIVISION MANAGER FOR THE CENTRALIZED PROGRAM DIVISION WITH THE AUSTIN PARKS INTERFA DEPARTMENT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FACILITY USE AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT FOR A HISTORIC DOWNS FIELD.
I DUNNO IF WE WANT THE SLIDES UP.
UH, DOWNFIELD HAS BEEN THE FOCAL POINT FOR ATHLETICS IN EAST AUSTIN FOR NEARLY A CENTURY.
SAMUEL HOUSTON COLLEGE ACQUIRED THE LAND IN 1927 AND BUILT A BASEBALL FIELD.
SAM HOUSTON COLLEGE SOLD THE FIELD TO AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL ENDED UP PLAYING BIG FOOTBALL THERE.
DECADE LATER, THE CITY OF AUSTIN BUILT DOWNSVILLE A MILE AND A HALF AWAY FROM ITS CURRENT LOCATION AT 12TH AND SPRINGDALE.
IN 1954, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND A ISC ENDED UP SWAPPING THAT LAND.
AND DOWNSVILLE WAS REDEDICATED AT ITS CURRENT LOCATION.
ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL, HOUSTON AND UNIVERSITY SEMI-PRO TEAMS, THE LOCAL BLACK SENATORS AND YOUTH TEAMS PLAYED ON THIS FIELD IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS.
IN 2015, DOWNSVILLE WAS RECORDED AS A HISTORIC TEXAS LANDMARK.
CURRENTLY HOUSTON TILTS AND UNIVERSITY AND AUSTIN METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE HAVE A SHARED FAILED USE AGREEMENT AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
DOWNFIELD HAS HISTORIC TO HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE TO BOTH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
AS SUCH, THERE'S A COMMUNITY AND SHARED DEPARTMENT DESIRE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THIS SPACE TO CELEBRATE ITS HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE PARKS INTEGRATION DEPARTMENT SEEK TO CONTINUE ITS PARTNERSHIP AND NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE HOUSTON TILLSON UNIVERSITY TO PROVIDE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS BASEBALL WHILE PROVIDING COMMUNITY ACCESS.
CURRENT AGREEMENT WITH HTU IS IN ITS THIRD AMENDMENT, WHICH WILL EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
THE BASIC TERMS AND CONDITION OF THE AGREEMENT ARE TO ESTABLISH A THREE YEAR CONTRACT TERM WITH TWO YEAR EXTENSION OPTIONS, TWO, TWO YEAR EXTENSION OPTIONS FOR A TOTAL OF SEVEN YEARS WITH HOUSTON UNTIL IN UNIVERSITY, ESTABLISH FACILITY OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, CREATE AN EQUITABLE PRACTICE AND GAME SCHEDULE TO APPROPRIATELY MEET THE NEEDS OF HOUSTON TILSON UNIVERSITY WAIVE FIELD AND UTILITY FEES.
IN EXCHANGE FOR HOUSTON TILSON PROVIDING YEAR-ROUND MAINTENANCE OF BALANCE FIELD REQUIRE THE UNIVERSITY TO ESTABLISH AND CONDUCT A MINIMUM OF TWO VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS OR EVENTS YEARLY FOR PARD OR THE COMMUNITY THEY'RE AT DOWNFIELD AND SET ASIDE DATES IN A CALENDAR FOR SCHEDULED COMMUNITY USE OF THE FACILITY AND SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES.
OUR NEXT STEPS ARE TO FINALIZE THE REVIEW AND DRAFT OF THE HOUSTON TILON UNIVERSITY FACILITY USE AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT.
AND, UM, TO ATTEND THE, UM, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 14TH, OUR BOARD ACTION, UM, TODAY IS TO ASK THAT YOU REQUEST IS THAT YOU RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND HOUSTON TILSON UNIVERSITY AND TO WAIVE UTILITY AND FIELD USE FEES.
[01:35:02]
THANK YOU.YOU DID THAT UNDER THREE MINUTES, APPARENTLY.
UM, I HAVE, UM, I HAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS, I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY.
IS, UM, HOUSTON TILTON UNIVERSITY GONNA BE THE ONLY PERSON THE CITY CONTRACTS WITH TO USE DOWNFIELD? CORRECT.
MY OTHER, THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS CURRENTLY WHAT IS, IS THERE A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF DATES THAT THE BASEBALL FIELD IS ACCESSIBLE BY THE PUBLIC FOR, UH, GAMES THAT THE PUBLIC, UH, PUTS ON, LIKE THE SPEAKER BEFORE US? HE'S, HE, HE'S PART OF A LEAGUE.
UM, HOW MANY DAYS OUT OF THE YEAR CAN HE AND HIS TEAM CHOOSE FROM TO PLAY A GAME AT DOWNFIELD? IS THERE, IS THAT SET OUT IN THE CONTRACT THAT IS NOT PREDETERMINED? UM, IT IS A, IN THE, IN THE FORMER CONTRACT IN THE, IN THE FORMER CONTRACT OR THE CURRENT ONE THAT WE'RE THE, THE, THE, THE, THE IMPORTANT ONE, THE ONE THAT WE'RE GONNA ENTER INTO THAT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED.
UM, IS THERE A POINT PERSON THAT THE COMMUNITY, IS THERE A DESIGNATED POINT OF CONTACT THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN CONTACT IN ORDER TO RESERVE, UH, DOWNFIELD CURRENTLY IN, IN THE CURRENT CONTRACT? IN THE CURRENT CONTRACT, IT'S WITH THE ATHLETICS OFFICE OF, IN THE, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
IN THE PROPOSED CONTRACT, IT WOULD BE THROUGH HOUSTON TILSON IN ORDER TO ALLOW THEM TO SELF DETERMINE.
AND THE REASON I BRING THESE UP IS OBVIOUSLY I AM, AS THE, AS THE PUBLIC COMMENTER, UH, COMMENTED, UH, I THINK THAT THIS IS GONNA BE, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S GREAT AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD, GOOD PARTNERSHIP.
I THINK THAT MOVING FORWARD, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UM, WHEN WE ENTER INTO, WE NEED TO HAVE, WE NEED TO BE DISCERNING IN THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNER.
WE WANT THEM TO BE GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
AND ONE OF SOME OF THE, THE ISSUES, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED TO ME IS THAT, UH, PEOPLE, THERE IS NO POINT OF CONTACT FOR RESERVING FOR THE COMMUNITY TO RESERVE THE BASEBALL FIELDS.
SO FOR ME, IT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT, AND I'M PROBABLY GONNA RECOMMEND THIS AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THERE BE A DESIGNATED POINT OF CONTACT THAT IS LISTED OUT AS WHO THE PER WHO PEOPLE WHO THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO CONTACT IN ORDER TO RESERVE THE FIELD.
'CAUSE PEOPLE GET THE RUN AROUND, LIKE, TALK TO PERSON X, TALK TO PERSON YZ, COME BACK TO X, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS, IS THAT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE, UH, PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AS, AS TO WHAT DATES ARE, UH, ELIGIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO USE FOR COMMUNITY PURPOSES.
UM, UM, AND OBVIOUSLY AS A COROLLARY OF THAT, THAT MEANS HAVING, I I, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA SAY THERE NEEDS TO BE A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF DATES 'CAUSE THEN THAT, YOU KNOW, PRESCRIBES A NUMBER, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE, UH, THE ABILITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO USE THE SPACE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I I, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T WANNA PRESCRIBE IT NUMBER, BUT OBVIOUSLY I THINK 15 DAY 15 OUT OF THE 365 CALENDAR, UH, DAYS IS INSUFFICIENT.
BUT, SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A, A GOOD NUMBER OF COMMUNITY USAGE DATES.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YEAH, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION AROUND THE AUSTIN METRO BASEBALL LEAGUE.
UM, IF THEY AREN'T ENTERING INTO THE SHARED CONTRACT, WILL THERE BE ANY CONNECTION WITH THAT LEAGUE INITIALLY? UH, THAT IS NOT DETERMINED ACCORDING TO THE DRAFT THAT IS WITH LEGAL NOW, UM, HT WILL HAVE SOLE PRIORITIES, UM, AND THEN THEY WILL BE, UM, KIND OF THE PRIMARY FOR RENTING OUT THAT FACILITY.
SO IT WILL BE THE HTU, THE COMMUNITY AND THE EAST AUSTIN THAT WILL BE DETERMINING THE USE OF THE FIELD AS FAR AS THE COMMUNITY, IF THAT'S HELPFUL OR IF THAT ANSWERS THAT QUESTION.
YEAH, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, LET'S JUST SAY THERE, WERE JUST GONNA THROW OUT 60 DAYS AVAILABLE FOR, FOR RENTAL.
UM, WOULD 55 OF THOSE 60 DAYS THEN BE GIVEN TO ONE ENTITY? IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? AND I, I IMAGINE IF IT'S UP TO THE DISCRETION OF HT, THEN, THEN THAT'S, THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.
WELL, PAR WILL APPROVE HTS PLAN ONCE IT'S PUT TOGETHER FOR THE RENTAL OF THAT FACILITY.
AND OF COURSE WE'RE GONNA LOOK TO SEE THAT THERE'S NOT AN OVERUSE BY ANY ONE GROUP AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT APPROVAL THAT, THAT HELPS.
HOW DID IT CHANGE? WHY IS THAT, WHY IS IT CHANGING IN THIS CONTRACT THAT HT IS TAKING OVER, LIKE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FIELD VERSUS THE CITY? WELL, HOW DID THAT COME UP IN THE NEGOTIATIONS?
[01:40:01]
I THINK, UM, IT CAME UP IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS AND I THINK ONE OF THE, UM, THOUGHTS BEHIND IT IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INEQUITIES AND DISPARITIES WITHIN COMMUNITIES, PARTICULARLY, UM, IN EAST AUSTIN AND ALLOWING HTU TO RENT OUT THAT FIELD ALLOWS 'EM TO KIND OF SELF DETERMINE WHO IS UTILIZING THAT FIELD.UM, SO THEY'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE DISCRETION ON WHAT KIND OF BIGGER EVENTS ARE THERE, WHETHER THEY CAN HANDLE THAT CAPACITY USE ON THAT FIELD.
UM, SORRY, I'M JUST TYPING UP MY TWO RECOMMENDATIONS.
TRYING, AND I GUESS WHILE, WHILE I'M TYPING THIS UP, IS, UM, CURRENTLY HOW MANY UNDER THE CURRENT CONTRACT, HOW MANY DAYS CAN THE COMMUNITY USE DOWNFIELD? YEAH, THE OLD ONE.
WE HAVE CERTAIN DESIGNATED DAYS, BUT I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE OLD, THE OLD CONTRACT TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS.
I'LL SEND THAT TO TIM BECK AND HE COULD SEND IT ALONG TO YOU AS WELL.
IF YOU DON'T, COULD, COULD YOU DO LIKE A GUESSTIMATE? IS IT LIKE 10? YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO SAY LIKE, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO EVEN DARE TO GUESS BECAUSE I, OH, I PROBABLY KNOW.
WE WENT THROUGH SO MANY CONTRACTS THAT THEY ALL KIND OF MIX UP BEFORE IT GOT CAREFUL.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT WE SAY THAT I, I REALLY CANNOT REMEMBER AT THIS POINT, TO BE HONEST.
IS THERE LIKE A STANDARD THERE PROBABLY ARE ABOUT 10 TO 15 DAYS.
10 TO AND WHY IS THAT? THAT'S WHAT WE NEGOTIATED WITH BOTH HT AND A MBL ON THE LAST CONTRACT.
THEY WERE SPECIFIED DATES IN THOSE CONTRACTS.
IT'S NOT IN THE BACK, BUT I JUST, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT DAYS THEY ARE.
HOW MANY DAYS? SO, WELL, LIKE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DAYS, WELL, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE, UM, JUNETEENTH, WE HAVE 4TH OF JULY, IT'S TWO.
WE HAVE THE SECOND FRIDAY IN JULY, IT'S THREE.
WE HAVE EVERY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.
ABOUT, WELL, THIRD PARTIES, THAT'S 1, 2, 3.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE WITH THE TWO LEAGUES PLAYING IN DIFFERENT SEASONS.
I MEAN IT MIGHT BE ALSO HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S JUST THAT THEY HAVE THE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS AND THEN THERE'S ALSO REST PERIOD.
BUT DECEMBER OF AND DECEMBER AND JANUARY ARE ARREST PERIODS FOR THE PARENTS.
SO THAT TAKES AWAY TWO WHOLE MONTHS OF, OF YEAH.
AND I GET, AND I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT AND I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE THE FIELD MORE ACCESSIBLE GIVEN OBVIOUSLY THE CONSTRAINTS THAT YOU JUST TOLD ME THAT IT'S TWO DIFFERENT LEAGUES.
WAIT, WHAT'S THE OTHER LEAGUE? A BL L AND HD THAT'S NOT CURRENTLY, CURRENTLY THERE'S TWO.
WE'RE GONNA REDUCE IT DOWN TO ONE AND THEN HOPEFULLY HAVE MORE.
SO SO THAT WILL, THAT WILL, WE WILL HAVE MORE.
HOW AND WHAT SEA, WHAT IS THE SEASON FOR HOUSTON TILT THEN? THERE'S A SPRING, I CAN TELL YOU EXPECTING IT'S FROM FEBRUARY TO APRIL.
THEY FINISHED NO LATER THAN UH, UH, MAY.
AND THEN FALL BOUGHT IS SEPTEMBER.
OCTOBER'S A TOTAL OF, UM, ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, ABOUT FIVE, SIX MONTHS.
AND THEN THE MSPF STARTS UTILIZING THE FIELD ON WEEKENDS START FEBRUARY AND THEN END OF NOVEMBER.
SO THEY HAVE ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS OF USAGE.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? 'CAUSE I FEEL THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING IN MY HEAD THROUGH MY HEAD RIGHT NOW.
IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE A DRAFT OF THE, OF THE NEW RECOMMENDATION OR THE PROPOSAL.
UH, SEE, BUT SO THIS I AGREE WITH YOU.
I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE GIVEN LIKE WE'RE GIVING THE CITY, THE WAY I READ IT IS THAT WE'RE GIVING CITY DIRECTION TO AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATION.
AND THE EXECUTION ACTUALLY STARTED, SO THEY HAVEN'T ACTUALLY STARTED.
UM, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS, IS THAT IF WE RECESS THIS AGENDA ITEM, COME BACK TO IT AND UM, HOPEFULLY MY GOAL IS TO GET IT
[01:45:01]
PAST NIGHT.'CAUSE WE HAVE TO GET IT PAST THE NIGHT.
UM, AND THEN JUST COME BACK TO IT.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, IF ANYONE POSTED THAT IDEA.
[4. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council regarding creation, continuation, termination or status of a concession including issuance of a Request for Proposal for a concession in Town Lake Metropolitan Park for inclusion in the joint report between the Parks and Recreation Board and the Environmental Commission that is provided to the City Council annually. (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Urban Public Spaces, Park Access for All).]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR.UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR? ALRIGHT, NO AGENDA ITEM.
I MEAN, NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
UM, CAN WE GET, UM, DANISHA COX PLEASE? THANK YOU.
YOU HAVE AN ANSWER TO THE PUBLIC USE ON THE A MBL.
IS IT TOO LATE TO OH, YOU EXACTLY WHAT? ASKING.
SHE'S, I'M GONNA BE UP HERE WITH DANISHA TOO.
I JUST SIT WITH EVERYBODY WHEN I DO THE PRESENTATION.
SO, UH, IT'S, IT'S EVERY FRIDAY IN THE MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER FOR THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT.
SO EVERY FRIDAY, SO THAT'S GONNA BE WHAT EIGHT THERE EVERY MEMORIAL DAY, THE THIRD FRIDAY IN THE MONTHS OF JUNE AND AUGUST FOR THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT.
JULY 4TH IN 2017 AND 2018 EVERY LABOR DAY FOR THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT.
THAT'S WHAT THE CITY HAS DESIGNATED AS THE SET ASIDE DATES.
I'M THE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR WITH FINANCIAL SERVICES, UH, PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.
UM, TODAY I HAVE WITH ME, UH, PATRICIA ROSETTE.
SHE IS THE BUS BUSINESS PROCESS CONSULTANT, UM, WITH OUR TEAM.
AND THEN I ALSO HAVE MARGARET STENTS, MAGGIE, AND THEN KAREN, CHARLES AND THEIR CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST.
SO WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ONCE I PRESENT.
UM, SO THANK YOU CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT THE ANNUAL CONCESSION REPORT TODAY.
WE DID PROVIDE YOU A DRAFT COPY.
ARE Y'ALL ABLE TO SEE THE PRESENTATION? FOUR? IT'S FOUR.
AND SO WE DID, UH, PROVIDE A DRAFT COPY OF THE REPORT AND THIS IS JUST, UH, A HIGHLIGHT PRESENTATION OF THAT DRAFT COPY AND THEN AN ACTION AT THE END.
SO PER CITY CODE, THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED TO PRESENT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REGARDING THE CONCESSIONS IN TOWN LAKE PARK, ALSO KNOWN AS LADY BIRD LAKE PARK.
AND THE REPORT MUST PROVIDE THE NAMES AND LOCATIONS OF THE CONCESSIONS, THE INCOME AND EXPENDITURES FOR EACH CONCESSION FOR THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, THE NUMBER OF BOATS RENTED ON LADY BIRD LAKE AND ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS CAUSED BY CONCESSIONS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, THE MAP NOTATES, THE NINE PART OPERATED CONCESSIONS CURRENTLY LOCATED AROUND LADY BIRD LAKE.
THE MAP DOES NOT INCLUDE ALL THE EXISTING CONCESSIONS FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THE PARK SYSTEM, NOR ANY BUSINESS ON THE LAKE OPERATED BY PRIVATE VENDORS.
THIS SLIDE CURRENTLY SHOWS THE CURRENT CONTRACT TERMS FOR EACH OF THE CONCESSIONS.
AND YOU CAN SEE HERE WE HAVE VARIED CONTRACTS WITH BEGINNING CONTRACT DATES AND CONTRACT END DATES WITH, UM, CONTRACT DATING AS FAR BACK AS 2000 AND SOME, UM, IN 2021.
WE CURRENTLY JUST RECENTLY EXTENDED THE ROWING DOCK CONTRACT BY ONE YEAR, AND THEN WE WILL BE SEEKING A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DURING THAT ONE YEAR EXTENSION.
WE ARE ALSO SEEKING A ONE YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR ZILKER PARK BOAT RENTALS THAT WILL EXTEND THAT CONTRACT BEYOND 24 AND THEN SEEK A SOLICITATION FOR THAT CONCESSION ALSO.
AND THIS GRAPH HERE IS, UH, FY 23 GROSS SALES EXPENDITURES AND PAYMENTS TO THE CITY.
YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE DARK BLUE BAR, IT REPRESENTS THE GROSS SALES.
THE ORANGE BAR REPRESENTS, UH, REPORTED EXPENDITURES AND THE GRAY BAR REPRESENTS CONCESSION PAYMENTS TO THE CITY, INCLUDING MONTHLY FLAT FEES AND REVENUE SHARE.
UM, AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE DID RECENTLY RECEIVE UPDATED NUMBERS AND THOSE WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE FINAL REPORT HERE.
YOU CAN ALL SEE, UH, ALSO SEE ANNUAL GROSS SALES FROM, UM, FISCAL YEAR 15 THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 23.
YOU CAN NOTICE THERE IS A SPIKE STARTING BE ABOUT FY 2021 AND 22.
AND THOSE ARE, UM, COVID AND POST COVID WHEN PEOPLE WERE COMING OUT.
[01:50:01]
UH, INCREASED USE OF THE LAKE.BUT WE HAVE SEEN, UH, A LEVELING OFF, UM, IN THIS FISCAL YEAR OF ACTIVITY ON THE LAKE, UH, FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, BUTLER PITCH AND PUT, UH, SPENT ABOUT $78,795.
THIS HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY MADE.
UM, THEY WERE THE ONLY CONCESSION THAT HAD MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PREMISES.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THEY DID NO, UH, NEW LOW VOLTAGE SAFETY LIGHTING.
UH, A NEW WELL WATER PUMP REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF THE ROOFING, A REPLACEMENT OF TEE BOX MATS AND UPDATES TO THE PUTTING GREEN AND GREEN GREENSIDE COLLAR EXPANSIONS.
NOW THESE ARE CONCESSIONS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF LADY BIRD LAKE AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THESE CONCESSIONS, UM, THAT ARE SET UP AT PAR GOLF COURSES.
SO WE HAVE CLAY KAISER AND MORSE WILLIAMS BOTH HAVE FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONCESSIONS.
TEJAS GOFF IS A DRIVING RANGE AND ALL THREE PAY A PERCENTAGE OF REVENUE TO PART AND FY 23 GOFF A TX RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 414,000 IN PAYMENTS FROM THESE THREE VENDORS.
WE ARE STILL PENDING A PAYMENT THAT IS DUE, UM, BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, AND THAT NUMBER WILL BE REFLECTED.
WE DID MAKE ESTIMATES BASED ON PRIOR YEARS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS FOOD AND BEVERAGE VENDORS AT LIONS GOLF COURSE AND THE REVENUE SHARE FROM THE CONCESSION GOES TO THE SAVE HISTORIC MUNI DISTRICT FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE GOLF COURSE.
AND FY 23, THE LIONS CONCESSION PAYMENTS TO SAVE HISTORIC MUNI DISTRICT TOTALED $77,522.
PAR ALSO RECEIVES REVENUE FROM SHORT TERM PERMITS FOR COM COMMERCIAL USE OF PARKLAND.
THE PERMIT PROCESS FOR TEMPORARY CONCESSIONS IS OVERSEEN BY OUR SPECIAL EVENTS OFFICE.
PERMITS ARE ISSUED FOR COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS VENDING OR MERCHANDISE SALES, FITNESS TRAINERS AND PERFORMING ARTISTS.
UH, THE TABLE HERE LISTS COST PER PERMIT, THE NUMBER OF PERMITS ISSUED FOR FY 23 AND THE TOTAL REVENUE FROM EACH PERMIT TYPE.
THE FEES ARE BASED ON THE TYPE OF USE AND THE TYPE OF PARK WHERE METRO PARKS ARE 1500 AND ALL OTHER FEES ARE 500 FOR SIX MONTH PERMITS AND $50 FOR ONE DAY PERMITS.
FITNESS TRAINERS ARE CHARGED PER TRAINER WITH ADDITIONAL CHARGES PER ATTENDEE FOR FEE-BASED CLASSES WITH THREE OR MORE ATTENDEES.
THIS SLIDE SUMMARIZES THE RECOMMENDATIONS STAFF RECEIVED FROM THE PARKS BOARD LAST YEAR REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND REVENUE SHARE PAYMENTS.
IN 2022, PARD COMMISSIONED A STUDY OF LADY BIRD LAKE, UH, LADY BIRD LAKE CAPACITY THAT CONSIDER THE RECREATIONAL USES OF THE LAKE AND THEIR POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS.
THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION OF THESE STUDIES WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION DURING FUTURE SOLICITATIONS AND REGARDING REVENUE SHARE THE PART, UH, FINANCIAL SERVICES MET WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF THE CONCESSION REAL ESTATE.
AND THESE DISCUSSIONS WILL INFORM THE REQUESTED REVENUE SHARE FOR ANY POTENTIAL NEW VENDORS.
THIS SLIDE ADDRESSES THE RECOMMENDATION PAR RECEIVED FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND FY 22 REGARDING MARINE WASTE DISPOSAL, LAKE SAFETY AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.
PART HAS FOLLOWED THESE RECOMMENDATIONS IN, UH, CONCESSION COMPLIANCE EFFORTS.
IN THIS SLIDE, IT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MARINE WASTE DISPOSAL.
THIS PERTAINS ONLY TO LONE STAR RIVERBOATS, WHICH HAS ONE VESSEL WITH AN ONBOARD TOILET.
AS YOU SEE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE GOVERNMENTAL BODIES THAT REGULATE THIS TYPE OF BOAT AS PARTS, UH, PART OF PARTS CONTRACT COMPLIANCE PART REQUEST COPIES OF MANIFESTS TO MAKE SURE LONE STAR RIVERBOATS COMPLIES WITH STATE AND CITY REGULATIONS.
THESE MANIFEST ARE INCLUDED IN THE WRITTEN REPORT SUBMITTED TO PARK, UH, PARKS BOARD, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL WITH REGARD TO LAKE SAFETY.
IN 2022 PARK COMMISSION, THE STUDY OF LADY BIRD LAKE.
UM, IT WAS THE CAPACITY STUDY THAT CONSIDERED RECREATIONAL USES OF THE LAKE AND THEIR POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY'S FINDING WERE PRESENT TO THE PARKS BOARD AND THE UH, COM ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND WAS INCLUDED IN AS THE INFORMATION IN THE ANNUAL CONCESSION REPORT.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE STUDY ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION FOR FUTURE SOLICITATIONS AND UNLICENSED VENDOR ACTIVITY IS CURRENTLY MONITORED.
NOW PART STAFF ALONG WITH AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CITY'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT ARE LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR MORE STRINGENT ENFORCEMENT.
UM, WE HAVE SEEN A DECREASE IN THIS YEAR IN THE AMOUNT OF, UM,
[01:55:01]
ACTIVITY ON THE LAKE, BUT, UM, WE DID HAVE UNLICENSED VENDOR ACTIVITY.THE TABLE RECORDS, THE, UH, SORRY.
THIS TABLE RECORDS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RENTALS FOR EACH CONCESSION IN FY 23 AS RECORDED IN THE MONTHLY REPORTS SUBMITTED BY EACH, UH, CONCESSIONAIRE.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, KAYAKS AND STANDUP PADDLE BOARDS OR SUVS MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THE RENTALS.
WE ALSO, UH, FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, HAVE COLLECTED AND ASKED THE CONCESSIONAIRES TO, TO PROVIDE US THE NUMBER OF RENTALS, UM, EACH DAY DURING DESIGNATED PEAK RENTAL PERIODS.
AND THOSE ARE SPRING BREAK, MEMORIAL DAY, 4TH OF JULY AND LABOR DAY.
THE TABLE HERE SHOWS THE NUMBER, UH, THE TOTAL NUMBER FOR EACH OF THOSE EIGHT DAY PERIODS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE NUMBERS DO NOT REFLECT THE NUMBER OF VOTES ON THE LAKE AT ANY GIVEN TIME.
ONLY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RENTALS BY PART CONCESSIONS AND THIS DATA, UH, SHOWS THE NUMBER OF VOTES RENTED HAS INCREASED EACH YEAR CORRESPONDING WITH AN INCREASE IN THE TOTAL RENTAL INVENTORY SHOWN ON THE NEXT SLIDE FOR BOATING INVENTORY.
THE CHART SHOWS THE NUMBER OF WATERCRAFT IN EACH CONCESSIONAIRE'S RENTAL INVENTORY.
THE TEXAS ROWING CENTER AND AUSTIN ROWING CLUB INVENTORIES ALSO INCLUDE ROWING SHELLS AND COACHING LAUNCHES THAT ARE USED FOR LESSONS CLUB CAMPS, ET CETERA.
THIS SLIDE ADDRESSES STAFF RESPONSES TO OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PARKS BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
PART INCLUDES ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS IN EACH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
UH, YOU MAY KNOW ONE IS LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WORK, UH, WITH OUR CENTRAL PROCUREMENT OFFICE TO SOLICIT REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS AND STAFF HAVE PUT TOGETHER AND PLACED STANDARD SCOPES OF WORK AND TRACK AND CONTRACT COMPONENTS WHICH ARE USED FOR EACH NEW SOLICITATION AND CONTRACT.
WE ALSO, UH, ASK THAT, UH, ANY FUTURE VENDORS PARTICIPATE IN LATE CLEANUP AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE RENTAL CONCESSION CONTRACTS.
AND AS WE CONCLUDE THIS PRESENTATION OF THE ANNUAL CONCESSIONS REPORT, WE WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH A SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES OF THE CONCESSIONAIRES AND WAYS CONCESSIONAIRES ARE GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO AFTER TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION, THE NEXT STEPS WE WILL BE PRESENTING TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THEN THE JOINT REPORT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD WILL BE PROVIDED TO COUNCIL.
OUR REQUESTED ACTION TONIGHT FOR THE PARKS BOARD COMES FROM THE CITY CODE TO MAKE A JOINT RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL REGARDING CREATION, CONTINUATION TERMINATION, OR STATUS OF A CONCESSION, INCLUDING ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR A CONCESSION IN TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK FOR INCLUSION IN THE JOINT REPORT BETWEEN THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION THAT IS PROVIDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL ANNUALLY.
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I SERVE ON THE CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE FOR THE PARKS BOARD.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, UH, FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION, ARE YOU, YOU CONSIDERING CANCELLATION OR CONTINUATION IN PARTICULAR OF ANY OF THE CONCESSIONS, THE NINE CONCESSIONS THAT WERE LISTED? WELL, SO THERE'S AN ACTION THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.
THERE IS, I JUST MENTIONED A CONTINUATION.
SO WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, C PARK BOAT RENTALS.
AND THEN DURING THAT EXTENSION PERIOD, SEEKING A NEW SOLICITATION AND VENDOR FOR THE SITE, OR AT LEAST SEEKING A A VENDOR PROPOSAL FOR THE SITE, WE'VE ALREADY EXTENDED ROWING DOCKS.
SO THAT ONE EXTENSION OCCURRED.
SO I BELIEVE THIS RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING WOULD BE FOR THAT CONTINUATION AND THEN THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
SO THOSE TWO SPECIFIC, WELL, IT, IT'S, IT, IT'S THE CITY CODE.
IT'S HOW IT'S WRITTEN IN CITY CODE.
THE CITY CODE'S REQUIREMENT IS THAT WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AND IT'S RELATED TO THOSE TWO SPECIFIC ITEMS. SURE.
WE ARE, WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO TERMINATE ANYTHING.
THERE'S NOT A TERMINATION IN OTHER WORDS.
I JUST THOUGHT I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS, IF THAT WAS INCLUDED IN ANY OF THAT AT ALL.
AND, UM, I KNOW THIS IS SPECIFIC CONTRACTS QUESTION, BUT, UM, WHY ARE SOME OF THE CONTRACTS BEING EXTENDED FOR FIVE YEARS AND OTHERS ONLY FOR ONE YEAR? IS THERE ANY DIRECTION ON THAT? SO THE ONES
[02:00:01]
THAT ARE RECENT ARE CURRENTLY BEING EXTENDED FOR THE ONE YEAR, IT'S TO ALLOW FOR THE, THE TIME TO GO OUT AND SOLICIT FOR THE, FOR THE R-F-P-R-P? YES.UM, CONTRACTS VARY, JUST, IT CAN BE BASED ON FROM WHEN THEY WERE EXECUTED TERM LINKS.
UM, BUT, UH, CAPITAL INVESTMENTS HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH A TIMEFRAME OF A CONTRACT IN THAT IF THERE'S A LARGE CAPITAL INVESTMENT MADE, IT CAN TAKE TIME FOR A VENDOR TO RECOUP THAT CAPITAL INVESTMENT.
SO IT CAN IMPACT THE TIMEFRAME FOR ANY PARTICULAR VENDOR OR CONTRACT.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION? YEAH, NO, I'LL MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION.
I WAS LIKE, WHICH OF US IS GOING TO READ THE WHOLE THING?
I'LL SECOND, OH, UH, SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
BOARD, CAN I, UH, JUST CLARIFY SOMETHING.
UM, THE POSTING LANGUAGE FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM IS, UH, LIFTED DIRECTLY FROM WHAT'S INCLUDED IN CITY CODE.
UH, SO THE, THE PURPOSE OF POSTING IN SUCH A WAY IS TO KIND OF NOTIFY THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD JUST THAT THEY, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO OR IN BOUNDS OR, OR THIS IS THE SORT OF INPUT THAT MIGHT BE SOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE, THE DEPARTMENT CREATES THE ANNUAL CONCESSION REPORT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE RECOMMENDATION AS STATED IS WHAT THE BOARD WANTS TO PASS BECAUSE, UH, I DIDN'T EXACTLY HEAR WHETHER IT RECOMMENDS TO ACTUALLY CREATE, CONTINUE, TERMINATE OR OTHERWISE IMPACT THE STATUS OF ANY OF THOSE CONCESSION CONTRACTS.
SO WE'RE GOOD WITH THE LANGUAGE AS IS.
UH, YEAH, TIM AND I DISCUSSED THIS EARLIER,
SO, UM, IF WE'RE READY THEN, IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION OKAY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE COMING BACK TO THREE.
YEAH, I BROKE, ALREADY BROKE IT, I THINK.
UH, BACK ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.
UH, ON RECOMMENDATION NUMBER THREE, UH, I, I ADDED THREE OF THE RECOMMEND CLAUSES THAT WE'LL READ.
UM, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION AND IF WE NEED TO ASK THE PRESENTERS ANY QUESTIONS WE CAN.
UM, BUT BASICALLY THE FIRST ONE IS RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND HOUSTON TILSON UNIVERSITY AND TO WAIVE, UH, UTILITY AND FIELD USE FEES.
AND HERE ARE THE THREE I ADDED.
RECOMMEND THAT THE AGREEMENT INCLUDE A DESIGNATED POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO CONTACT REGARDING COMMUNITY USAGE OF THE FIELD.
RECOMMEND THAT THE AGREEMENT INCLUDE THE SCHEDULE FOR USAGE SPECIFICALLY BY HOUSTON TILSON AND OPEN DOWNS FIELDS FOR COMMUNITY USAGE AT ALL.
OTHER TIMES THAT THE FIELD IS NOT BEING USED BY HOUSTON TILSON SPECIFICALLY RECOMMEND THAT ANY SUBCONTRACTING AGREEMENT MUST BE APPROVED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
AND I'LL GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON WHY I INCLUDED THESE IS, UH, MY GOAL, UM, AND I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF FEEDBACK, UH, NOT JUST BY THE ONE COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT WAS HERE TODAY, BUT, UH, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING A LOT IN BASEBALL FIELDS AND SOCCER FIELDS.
AND THAT'S THE LACK OF COMMUNITY USAGE AND THE SEEMINGLY PRIVATIZATION OF THOSE COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
SO BY ADDING MY THREE RECOMMENDATION CLAUSES, I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT STREAMLINED AS TO WHO THE COMMUNITY NEEDS
[02:05:01]
TO CONTACT.I'M PUTTING, UH, THE ONUS BACK ON THE CONTRACTING AGENCY IN ORDER FOR THEM TO TELL THE CITY WHAT DAYS THEY'RE USING THE FIELD, THEREBY OPENING THE FIELD FOR USAGE ON THOSE DAYS THAT THEY'RE NOT TO BE USED.
SO, SO THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS USAGE OF THOSE FIELDS.
AND THEN THIRD, UH, STOPPING THE COMMODITIZATION OF PUBLIC RESOURCES BY THOSE ENTITIES THAT WE ARE CONTRACTING WITH.
I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT IF WE CONTRACT WITH SOMEBODY, IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE CONTRACTING WITH THEM BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
IF WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO, UH, MODERATE, UM, WHO THEY'RE SUBCONTRACTING WITH, THEN WE'RE LOSING A SENSE OF, UH, WE'RE LOSING POWER AND WE'RE LOSING A BIT OF CONTROL.
SO I THINK IT'S ONLY APPROPRIATE THAT ANY AGREEMENT INCLUDE, UH, A PROVISION THAT ANY SUBCONTRACTING THE CONTRACTING AGENCY DOES, HAS TO BE PRESENTED TO US FOR US TO REVIEW AND US TO APPROVE.
SO THAT IS THE RATIONALE BEHIND IT.
UM, I'M PROBABLY GETTING A LITTLE BIT TOO INTO WEEDED, SO AT THIS POINT I MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, ADOPT THE LANGUAGE I READ.
UM, I'LL ALSO, IF THERE'S A SECOND AND THEN WE'LL, AND OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
I'LL SECOND, THERE'S A SECOND BY, UH, VICE CHAIR FLOWERS AND NEED DISCUSSION.
CAN YOU READ THE FIRST ONE AGAIN? FIRST? UH, THE FIRST ONE IS THE ONE I PULLED, I PULLED IT DIRECTLY FROM THE, THE POWERPOINT.
SO IT'S RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND HOUSTON TILTON UNIVERSITY AND WAIVE UTILITY AND FIELD USAGE FEES.
I MEAN, THE FIRST ONE OF THE MODIFICATION, OH, THE, SORRY.
SO WOULD THAT BE ON THE PARD SIDE OR AT HOUSTON TILLSON, WOULD THEY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT POINT OF CONTACT? UH, WE CAN, YEAH, IT'S, I THINK WE CAN, UH, I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT THE CONTRACT IS GONNA INCLUDE, UH, THE POINT OF CONTACT MOVING OVER TO HOUSTON TILLSON.
UH, AT LEAST FOR ME, I DON'T CARE WHO THAT IS AS LONG AS IT'S CLEARLY DESIGNATED.
I THINK, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
I WAS JUST CURIOUS, WOULD THAT BE A PAR RESPONSIBILITY OR WOULD IT BE A HOUSTON TILL IT'S IN RESPONSIBILITY? UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE A RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHERE WE MAKE IT TO BE.
SO I'M JUST BASING IT OFF OF WHAT THEY TOLD ME BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I MEANT, MEANT LIKE BY I DON'T CARE.
LIKE, I JUST, LIKE I DON'T, THEY CAN FIGURE IT OUT AMONGST THEMSELVES.
NO, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
DO, DO YOU THINK THAT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT, WAS IT WAS HOUSTON TILSON WANTING TO BE THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR NON HT USAGE OF THE FIELD? OR YOU DON'T KNOW? CAN REPHRASE THAT QUESTION.
WAS THAT PART YEAH, UH, I GUESS IT'S FOR YOU.
LIKE IT WHEN, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH THEM ABOUT TRANSFERRING CONTROL OVER THE FIELD OF THE FIELDS FROM THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT TO HT, IS IT WERE, WAS THE INTENTION THAT THEY WOULD BE THE PEOPLE COMMUNICATING ABOUT USAGE OF THE FIELDS? CORRECT.
AND WE DO HAVE IN THE CONTRACT.
AND WE DO HAVE IN THE CONTRACT THAT THERE IS A SPOCK AND IT WILL BE, UM, VISIBLE ON THE FIELD AS WELL AS OUR WEBSITE.
DO YOU THINK IT'S A TOO PRESCRIPTIVE TO ADD LIKE SOME KIND OF AN SLA IN LIKE, 'CAUSE IF THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE PEOPLE THAT NO ONE WAS EVER GETTING BACK TO THEM, LIKE ADDING SOME KIND OF SLA THAT SAYS LIKE CONTACT, LIKE THERE'S A POINT OF CONTACT THAT WILL REACH OUT WITHIN A WEEK'S TIME OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
I MEAN, A POINT OF CONTACT JUST MEANS THERE'S A PERSON, NOT THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SERVICE.
BUT I DO AGREE THAT IT DOES, IT JUST MEANS THERE'S A PERSON AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ADDRESSES YOUR ACTUAL DESIRE CHAIR, WHICH IS THAT IT'S A RESPONSIVE PERSON, YOU
SO COULD I, WOULD IT BE OKAY IF I AMENDED IT TO SAY AND THAT A RESPONSE BE WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME? YEAH.
OR WE COULD REALLY GET IN THE WEEDS AND SAY THAT A SCHEDULING, UM, WEBSITE WOULD NEED TO BE SET UP.
SO I RESERVE LIBRARY ROOMS SOMETIMES AND MEETING ROOMS AND YOU CAN JUST GO ON THERE AND THERE'S THE CALENDAR AND IT SHOW, IT WOULD SHOW WHEN HOUSTON UNTIL IT'S AND WAS USING THE FIELD AND WHEN THERE WERE AVAILABLE TIMES FOR THE PUBLIC.
AND THE PUBLIC KIND OF IN A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS COULD SIGN UP FOR BASEBALL USAGE.
SO BOARD MEMBERS, I JUST WANNA CAUTION YOU THAT WE HAVE LIMITATIONS WITH OUR CURRENT RECREATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
[02:10:01]
WE MIGHT HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF GREAT IDEAS, HOWEVER, THE CAPABILITY OF OUR CURRENT REGISTRATION SYSTEM MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE.SO IN YOUR PRESCRIPTIVENESS, PERHAPS YOU WOULD WANNA SAY SOMETHING TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE THAT'S A SUGGESTION FROM ME TO YOU, BECAUSE I WOULD HATE TO, UM, HAVE YOU FEEL AS THOUGH WE ARE NOT, UH, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN LIMITATIONS THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE, DEPENDING UPON HOW PRESCRIPTIVE IT IS.
MAYBE I COULD SUGGEST CHAIR IF AT THE END OF THAT SENTENCE YOU COULD JUST SAY, SO RECOMMEND THAT THE AGREEMENT INCLUDE A DESIGNATED POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE COMMUNITY CONTACT REGARDING COMMUNITY USAGE OF FIELD, AND THAT A CERTAIN LEVEL OF SERVICE IS SPECIFICALLY DESCRIBED WITHIN THE AGREEMENT.
THAT WAY THEY CAN DETERMINE WHAT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IS, WHAT IT NEED.
THEY CAN GET ALL THE DETAILS WORKED OUT, BUT THAT THE LEVEL OF SERVICES ADDRESSED IN SOME WAY.
DOES THAT, THAT GETS TO WHAT YOU WERE HOPING FOR.
DEBORAH? UH, THIS IS WHAT THE SEC THE SECOND ONE SAYS.
RECOMMEND THAT THE AGREEMENT INCLUDE A DESIGNATED POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO CONTACT REGARDING COMMUNITY USAGE OF DOWNFIELD AND THAT A SPECIFIC LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CUSTOMER RESPONSE BE ADDRESSED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.
SO I'M GONNA READ IT ONE MORE TIME JUST SO EVERYONE'S ON, UH, I'M NOT GONNA READ THE FIRST ONE 'CAUSE EVERYONE IS, EVERYONE'S GOOD.
ON THE FIRST ONE, RECOMMEND THAT THE AGREEMENT INCLUDE A DESIGNATED POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE COMMUNITY CONTACT REGARDING COMMUNITY USAGE OF DOWNFIELD AND THAT A SPECIFIC LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CUSTOMER RESPONSE BE ADDRESSED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.
RECOMMEND THAT THE AGREEMENT INCLUDE THE SCHEDULE FOR USAGE SPECIFICALLY BY HOUSTON TILTON UNIVERSITY AND OPEN DOWNS FIELD FOR COMMUNITY USAGE AT ALL.
OTHER TIMES THAT THE FIELD IS NOT BEING USED, SPECIFIC BEING USED BY HOUSTON TILTON UNIVERSITY SPECIFICALLY RECOMMEND THAT ANY SUBCONTRACT AGREEMENT BY HOUSTON TILTON UNIVERSITY MUST BE APPROVED.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE.
MUST BE APPROVED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
UM, DID THAT LAST ONE MAKE SENSE? WOULD THEY EVEN BE ALLOWED? SORRY.
WOULD HOUSTON TILL ITS AN EVEN BE ALLOWED TO SUBCONTRACT THE FIELD AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE LEGAL NEGOTIATION.
UH, SO AS AMENDED, UH, WE'LL TAKE THE VOTE.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, UH, RAISE YOUR HAND AND THOSE ON WEBEX IF Y'ALL ARE ON.
UM, AND SHELBY, ARE YOU THERE? THERE YOU GO.
AND CHAIR, CAN I JUST ASK ONE MORE QUESTION? YES.
SO AFTER, SO, UM, ONCE THIS, ONCE THE, UM, EXECUTION AND NEGOTIATION OF THE AGREEMENT IS DONE, UM, WILL YOU BRING IT BEFORE THE PARKS BOARD AGAIN FOR, WILL IT BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE PARKS BOARD OR ARE YOU GUYS DONE AT THAT POINT? OR CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE? IT WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE LAST MONTH OR THIS MONTH.
BUT A, A DRAFT CONTRACT, ONCE IT'S PREPARED, WILL WE BE ABLE TO SEE IT? THAT'S NOT OUR USUAL PRACTICE.
OUR, THAT'S NOT USUAL PRACTICE TO DO THAT.
WE CAN, UM, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT READY YET FOR US.
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA ADD SOME MORE THINGS TO IT, BUT THAT'S, NO, NOT TONIGHT, BUT I MEAN, ONCE IT'S EXECUTED, BUT, UH, ONCE IT'S EXECUTED, UHHUH
SO YOU DON'T ASK CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS TO, TO, UM, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE THAT.
WOULD WE ASK FOR CITY COUNCIL? IS THAT TO APPROVE THE EXECUTION AND NEGOTIATION OF THE CONTRACT? MM-HMM,
JUST THE EXECUTION AND NEGOTIATION OF THE CONTRACT.
SO WE'RE ONLY, I THINK WE WOULD ONLY GET, SINCE WE'RE APPROVING, SINCE WE'RE ALREADY PASSED IT, WE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE, WE APPROVED THE NEGOTIATION AND THE EXECUTION.
SO WE WOULD ONLY GET IT, WE WOULD GET THE FINAL CONTRACT AFTER IT'S BEEN EXECUTED.
UH, WE ALREADY DID THREE, FOUR, UH, FIVE.
[5. Presentation, discussion and possible action regarding a recommendation to Austin City Council to approve The Trail Conservancy’s Annual Programming Plan for the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail at Townlake Metropolitan Park. (PARD Long Range Strategies: Operational Efficiency, Urban Public Spaces, Park Access for All).]
UH, SPEAKERS ON FIVE? PUBLIC COMMENT ON FIVE.WE'LL MOVE ON TO PRESENTERS ON FIVE.
UH, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY'S ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR THE ANNE ROY BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL ON TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK.
[02:15:02]
UM, MY NAME IS CHRISTINE TUT KUL AND I'M A PROGRAM MANAGER WITH THE, UH, PARK PLANNING DIVISION.AND I MANAGE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM, UM, AND I SERVE AS THE LIAISON TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS OF VARYING CONFIGURATIONS.
UH, JOINING ME IS HEIDI ANDERSON, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.
AND TODAY WE'LL BE PRESENTING TTCS ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR 2024 AND REQUESTING PAR MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY'S 2024 ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR PORTIONS OF TOWN LAKE METRO PARK.
SO THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE AGREEMENT, UH, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE POMA, THE PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT THAT PARD HAS WITH TTC.
UH, SOME OF THE BACKGROUND ON THE POEM IN WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
UH, MARCH, 2020, COUNCIL DIRECTED CITY STAFF TO WORK WITH NONPROFIT PARTNERS AND CREATE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS THAT BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY AND OUTLINE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN PARTNERS AND PARD.
OCTOBER 21ST, 2021 COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE NEGOTIATION FOR OF THE PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT AND INTERIM PROGRAMMING PLAN WITH TTC AND REQUESTED THE PROGRAMMING PLAN BE PROVIDED TO COUNSEL FOR REVIEW AND DIRECTION.
THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE AGREEMENT, THE PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WAS EXECUTED ON JUNE 10TH, 2022.
THE PROGRAMMING PLAN APPROVED COVERED JUNE THROUGH THE END OF 2022.
THE 2023 PROGRAMMING PLAN WAS SUPPORTED BY PAR R ONE YEAR AGO AND APPROVED BY COUNSEL ON CONSENT.
UH, THIS IS JUST, UH, AGAIN, FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL OF THE TERMS, BUT THIS IS THE AGREEMENT TERMS OF THE POMA AGREEMENT BETWEEN PARD AND TTC.
THIS IS ALSO BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON OUR COMMUNICATION, UM, BOTH WEEKLY, DAILY, UH, MONTHLY WITH, UH, THE TTC AS WELL AS THE QUARTERLY PMA OVERSIGHT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, UH, WHICH IS MADE UP OF NOT ONLY PARD STAFF, BUT ALSO WATERSHED PROTECTION, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AND, UM, URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM, AND, UH, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT STAFF.
SO, THE, UH, WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY, WHICH IS THE PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR TTC, UM, THESE ARE THE TERMS OF THE PROGRAMMING PLAN, UH, PER THE PMA.
TTC WILL NEVER CLOSE THE TRAIL, UH, THE COMMUNITY.
THE TTC IS TO PROVIDE FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT ARE CULTURALLY RELEVANT.
UH, COMMUNITY PROGRAM SHOULD BE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
IT SHOULD ALSO INVOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP AND VOLUNTEERISM PROGRAMS. THERE SHOULD BE PARTNERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY EVENTS, SO COLLABORATIVE EVENTS WITH NEIGHBORHOODS AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE TRAIL.
AND THE INITIAL TWO YEARS OF THE POMA ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN IS TO, IS TO GO TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
AND WE ARE ON THE SECOND YEAR, SO 2024.
THIS SLIDE, UM, HIGHLIGHTS TTCS ALIGNMENT WITH THE PARD LONG RANGE PLAN.
AS YOU CAN SEE, FREE CULTURALLY RELEVANT COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING WAS A STRONG DESIRE FOR THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE LONG RANGE PLAN ENGAGEMENT.
AND THIS IS THE ALIGNMENT WITH THE TTC PROGRAMMING PLAN WITH OUR PARS LONG RANGE PLAN.
NOW I'M GONNA HAND IT TO HEIDI TO GIVE SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING, UM, HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2023.
THANK YOU CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, WE'RE HONORED TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND SHARE THIS WITH YOU AND, UH, HONORED IN GENERAL JUST TO BE ABLE TO GET TO DO THE WORK THAT WE DO EVERY DAY.
UM, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH TTC, AND I KNOW MOST OF YOU ARE, UH, WE'RE 20 YEARS OLD NOW AND, UH, HAVE EVOLVED INTO THIS OFFICIAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY PROGRAMMING, AS CHRISTINE HAS SHARED WITH YOU AS A PART OF OUR TERMS WITHIN THE PMA AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE THE LONG RANGE PLAN.
UM, IF THIS LOOKS SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR, YOU, YOU WERE MAYBE IF YOU WERE HERE LAST YEAR WHEN WE PRESENTED THIS TO YOU AND HAVE STAYED ENGAGED WITH US OVER THE LAST YEAR, YOU'LL SEE MANY OF THE SAME PROGRAMS COMING BACK, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY AGAIN IN 2024.
UH, SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS LAST YEAR ARE ONGOING MUSIC ON THE TRAIL SERIES, WHICH WE BEGAN DURING THE PANDEMIC TO GIVE LOCAL MUSICIANS A VENUE IN AT WHICH THEY COULD PLAY AND EARN A FAIR WAGE.
UH, OUR FLOW AND THRIVE, WHICH IS OUR FITNESS SERIES, IS MONTHLY FREE WELLNESS EVENTS.
ALONG THE TRAIL, WE HAVE OUR FAMILY SCAVENGER HUNT.
[02:20:01]
WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS CREATED DURING THE PANDEMIC TO GIVE FAMILIES AN ACTIVATION OUTDOORS TO DO TOGETHER.OUR KIDS ADOPT A GARDEN PROGRAM HAS CONTINUED TO BE HUGELY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, LAST YEAR WE INITIATED OUR FIRST EARTH DAY, UH, FESTIVAL, OUR EARTH DAY JUBILEE AND CLEANUP.
UH, AND THEN WE'VE, UH, BEEN HOSTING HOLIDAYS ON THE TRAIL.
SO SANTA WILL BE COMING TO THE TRAIL ON SATURDAY.
IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, PLEASE JOIN US.
BY THE WAY, THERE'S A LITTLE PLUG FOR THAT.
AGAIN, IT'S GONNA LOOK VERY SIMILAR WITH ONGOING MUSIC ON THE TRAIL AND EXPANDED FIT, TRAIL FIT PROGRAM WITH ADDITIONAL KINDS OF PROGRAMMING FOR THAT.
NOT JUST YOGA, BUT LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE THERE.
WE HAVE A REBOOT AND REFRESH OF THE SCAVENGER HUNT.
SO WE'RE ABOUT TO ROLL OUT A NEW VERSION OF THAT OUR KIDS ADOPT A GARDENS CAN.
GOING TO CONTINUE, WE HAVE A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN CENTRAL LIBRARY.
OUR EARTH DAY JUBILEE WILL, WILL COME BACK FOR ITS SECOND YEAR, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ROOTS AND WINGS FESTIVAL AND OUR HOLIDAYS ON THE TRAIL.
WE HOPE TO BE EVEN A LITTLE MORE EXPANDED THIS YEAR.
WE ADDED THE TRICK OR TRAIL OR TRICK.
I CAN NEVER GET IT RIGHT ON THE TRAIL TRICK OR TREAT.
UH, WE'RE HOPING TO BE DOING SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, VALENTINE'S AND SUCH KINDS OF ACTIVATIONS FOR FAMILIES.
SPECIAL EVENTS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM OUR FREE AND ONGOING PROGRAMMING.
THERE'S REALLY ONLY ONE PRIMARY, UH, EVENT THAT IS ALSO WILL BE 21 YEARS OLD THIS YEAR.
IT WAS OUR VERY FIRST FUNDRAISER AND CONTINUES TO BE USUALLY SUCCESSFUL.
THAT'S OUR MA'S MOONLIGHT MARGARITA RUN.
IT HAS OUR ONLY MINIMALLY OPEN EVENT THAT WE HOST IN THE PARK, WHICH MINIMALLY OPEN, AS I'M SURE YOU ALL ARE AWARE, MEANS MORE THAN 50% OF THAT PARTICULAR PARK DESIGNATION IS CLOSED WITH TICKETED ACCESS AND THAT WE HOLD, UH, TRADITIONALLY IN THE SAND BEACH PARK AREA.
OUR EARTH DAY CLEANUP IN JUBILEE IS COMPLETELY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC JUST IN USE.
UH, AND THEN WE POTENTIALLY WILL HAVE A FUNDRAISER OVER IT IN THE HOLLY, NEW HOLLY AREA.
UH, IF WE DO THAT, IT WOULD BE PARTIALLY CLOSED, NOT EVEN MINIMALLY CLOSED, WHICH MEANS MORE THAN 50% OF THAT PARTICULAR AREA OF THE PARKLAND WOULD CONTINUE TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT PLANNED YET, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF INVESTMENT TO MAKE IN THAT NEW HOLLY AREA.
SO WE MAY POTENTIALLY DO SOME KIND OF AN EVENT OVER THERE THAT WOULD HELP US FUND THOSE PROJECTS.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONTINUES TO BE AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE DO WITH ALL OF OUR PROJECTS.
UH, WE LAUNCHED A, A VERY IN-DEPTH DEI, UH, EFFORT BACK IN 2020 AND HAVE STAYED DEDICATED TO THAT IN OUR VALUE AND HOW WE GO ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, WE WORK, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, TO FOSTER, UH, EXPERIENCES THAT EVERYONE FEELS, UH, ALLOW THE TRAIL TO MAKE IT A WELCOMING PLACE TO THEM.
AND SO, UH, WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
SO IT'S NOT JUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BASED ON A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT WE MIGHT BE DOING, BUT ON THE GENERAL PERS UH, A PLATFORM OF EVERYTHING WE DO IN THIS PARK.
UH, BUT IN THE NEXT YEAR YOU'LL SEE EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, CONTINUING FOR OUR SIGNAGE PLAN, UH, OUR HAR HOLLY SHORES AREA PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING FORTH THERE.
AND, UH, ONGOING PROGRAMMING FOR, UM, WHAT WE WANNA DO WITH THE, UH, FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING THAT WE'LL BE DOING IN THE SPACE.
UH, WE JUST COMPLETED OUR ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAM.
WHICH ALSO EN UH, ENGAGED, UH, QUITE A BIT OF PUBLIC INPUT TO MAKE SURE WE WERE, WE WERE BRINGING THAT FORWARD IN A WAY THAT THE CITIZENS AND THE TRAIL USERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PROGRAM HELD IN THE SPACE.
UH, BACK IN, UH, TWO YEARS AGO, WE HELD OUR, SORRY, MY WATCH IS RINGING ON ME.
IT'S VERY DISTRACTING, TURNING IT OFF.
FEEL CERTAIN IT'S MY COLLEGE AGE CHILD NEEDING MONEY
UM, UM, UH, WE DID EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT THAT HELPED US LAUNCH OUR ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAM, WHICH AS WE BROUGHT TO YOU, UH, LAST SPRING AND WENT THROUGH COUNCIL AND WAS APPROVED AND WE'RE HONORED TO BE THE HOST OF THE 2024 TEMPO PROGRAM, WHICH IS A TEMPORARY ART PROGRAM HELD THROUGH ARTS AND PUBLIC PLACES.
AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT NEEDING TO POTENTIALLY HAVE A SABBATICAL FOR THAT PROGRAM FOR ONE YEAR.
INSTEAD, WE WERE ABLE TO PICK IT UP AND HOST IT FOR THEM.
AND SO WE'RE DOING THAT IN, IN COLLABORATION WITH, UH, A IPP IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THEM.
VOLUNTEERING ON THE TRAIL CONTINUES TO BE REALLY AT THE HEART AND SOUL OF WHAT WE DO AND ALLOWS US TO LEVERAGE THE, UH, CHARITABLE GIFTS THAT WE RECEIVE TO BRING THOSE FURTHER ALONG.
SO WE WILL HAVE UP TO 150 DIFFERENT VOLUNTEER EVENTS NEXT YEAR WITH ESTIMATED 1500 DIFFERENT VOLUNTEERS.
AND, AND I WON'T READ ALL OF THIS TO YOU EITHER, BUT IT IS AT THE, UH, CORE
[02:25:01]
OF WHAT WE DO.WE CAN HAVE THREE, TWO TO THREE MAJOR PUBLIC VOLUNTEER EVENTS EVERY WEEK, DEPENDING ON THE SEASON, UH, WITH, WITH TAKING BREAKS DURING WINTER AND, AND THE HEAT OF THE SEASON AS WELL.
COMMUNITY BENEFIT, UH, IS ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PROGRAMMING EFFORTS.
UM, WE, THE ACTIV ACTIVATIONS THAT I'VE JUST RUN THROUGH WITH YOU HERE ARE REALLY FREE, INCLUDING THE MUSIC ON THE TRAIL, THE FITNESS SERIES, ALL OF THE SCAVENGER HUNT.
ALL OF THAT IS JUST FREE TO THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY TO ENGAGE CITIZENS AND DRAW PEOPLE DOWN TO THE TRAIL WHO POTENTIALLY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT WAS WELCOMING IN THE PAST OR VICE VERSA.
EXPOSE, UH, TRAIL USERS WHO, WHO DON'T NORMALLY ENJOY MUSIC OR FITNESS SERIES TO, TO BRING IN NEW EXPERIENCES FOR THEM AS WELL.
UH, WE HAVE LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIPS AND WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO EXPAND THAT LIKE THE CENTRAL LIBRARY LIBRARY PARTNERSHIP.
WE HAVE NOW, UM, OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS SUCH AS THE AUSTIN BAT REFUGE AND OF COLOR AND SUCH.
UH, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO NOT RECREATE THE WHEEL, BUT PARTNER WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS TO, UM, TO BRING THOSE TWO TRAIL USERS.
UH, WE'LL HAVE EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, UH, NEXT YEAR IN PARTICULAR WITH THE TEMPO PROJECT AND PROGRAM TO EX, UH, BRING THAT ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAM TO LIFE.
AND WE'RE COMMITTED, UH, TO OUR BILINGUAL TRAN UH, TRANSLATIONS FOR ALL OF OUR PROGRAMMING, OUR SIGNAGE, AND OUR MESSAGING.
AS YOU WILL SEE, IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SOME OF OUR SURVEYS FOR THE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE SIGNAGE PLAN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT WITH US.
UH, ALL OF THAT WILL BE BILINGUAL ONCE WE BRING IT TO FRUITION ON THE TRAIL IN THE COMING YEARS.
UH, AND I THINK THAT'S IT FOR ME.
UM, SO IN CONCLUSION, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY.
UH, WE'RE REQUESTING A RECOMMENDATION TO MARIN COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF THE TRAIL CONSERVANCIES 2024 ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR PORTIONS OF TOWN LAKE METRO PARK.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? CAN I HAVE A QUICK ONE? YES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, IS, IS THERE ANYWHERE ON, ON THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY'S WEBSITE THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY SEE PROGRAMS THAT WERE DONE IN FISCAL YEAR 2022 AND 2023, THE PROGRAMMING AND THE AMOUNT SPENT ON THAT? OR PROJECTS? ACTUALLY, IS THERE A LIST OF THE PROJECTS THAT THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY HAS DONE ON THE WEBSITE? YES.
YOU CAN SEE OUR PROJECTS PASSED PRESENT AND FUTURE PLANNED IF THEY'RE ALREADY KIND OF IN PROCESS MM-HMM.
SO ON THE WEBSITE MM-HMM,
THERE'S A PROJECT'S WHOLE PAGE, AND THEN EACH PROJECT HAS A PHOTO AND YOU CAN CLICK ON IT AND LEARN MORE.
SO EVERYTHING FROM THE BERMS, WHICH WAS ONE OF OUR VERY FIRST PROJECTS IN 2005, I THINK, IF I GET THAT RIGHT, ALL THE WAY TO OUR UPCOMING CAPITAL PROJECTS AS WELL.
YOU'LL SEE RAINY STREET TRAILHEAD, UH, HOLLY PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDES A FISHING FEAR AND SUCH.
I THINK I FOUND IT ON THE WEBSITE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? OKAY.
UM, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE A MOTION TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY'S 2024 ANNUAL PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR PORTIONS OF TOWN LAKE METROPOLITAN PARK? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER BAAN.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND JUST WAITING ON TWO MORE MAYBE.
UH, AND, UH, WE WON'T SEE YOU BACK NEXT YEAR, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A CONGRATULATIONS OR
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY KNOW WHAT, WHICH, WHICH ONE TO SAY.
BOARD MEMBERS, UM, WE'LL TAKE A BREAK AFTER THIS NEXT ONE.
[6. Discussion and possible action on letters of support for PARD Staff and Community Groups that hosted Thanksgiving events. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers)]
SIX, UH, DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION ON LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR PARTS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS AT THAT HOSTED, UH, THANKSGIVING EVENT.UM, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? ALRIGHT.
AND THEN, UH, WE WILL HAVE, UH, DIRECTOR MCNEELY AND, OR SORRY, WELL WAIT.
WE WILL NOT BE HAVING DIRECTOR MCNEELY SPEAK ALL.
I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR COMMUNITY RECREATION.
AND, UH, I GUESS HAPPY HOLIDAYS ARE IN ORDER SINCE OUR, UH, PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING TONIGHT IS ALL THE 2023
[02:30:01]
HOLIDAY DINNER EVENTS THAT WE DID ACROSS THE DIVISION.SO, UH, THE NUMBERS THIS YEAR, WE HAD 16 EVENTS SCHEDULED FROM NOVEMBER 9TH THROUGH DECEMBER 21ST.
SO SOME OF THESE ARE STILL UP AND COMING, AND THIS IS ONLY OCCURRING AT 12 OF OUR RECREATION CENTERS AND SENIOR CENTERS.
UM, AND WHEN ALL SAID AND DONE WE'LL, WE'LL BE HANDING OUT 2000 TURKEYS THAT GO HOME TO PARTICIPANTS THAT THEY CAN TAKE HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES.
AND THEN THE OTHER CONGREGATE LUNCHES THAT WE'VE HAD HOLIDAY DINNERS WITH SERVE ANOTHER ADDITIONAL 4,000 ATTENDEES.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST ONE OF OUR GREAT SERVICES THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR.
IT'S ALSO DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT VARIOUS SITES, WHETHER IT BE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UM, ADVISORY BOARDS, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH'S INVOLVED, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED, TRAVIS COUNTY POSSE, AND SOME LOCAL NONPROFITS AS WELL, AND LOCAL, UH, VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, THESE ARE A LIST OF THE, THE 12 SITES THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE UP THIS YEAR THAT PARTICIPATED.
COLIN GUERRERO, DOLORES DUFFY, GEORGE MORALES OF SPRINGS, GIVENS, GIBBONS RECREATION CENTER, GUS GARCIA, MONTOPOLIS, PAN AM PARK, AOSA, VIRGINIA BROWN, TURNER, ROBERT, SOUTH AUSTIN SENIOR CENTER, AND, AND, UH, UH, RUDOLPH RUDY MENDEZ, OUR CHRISTIAN CENTER.
SO, AND THOSE ARE THE SITE SUPERVISORS THAT CORRESPOND TO THOSE SITES.
SO JUST GREAT WORK FROM THE TEAM AND IN DELIVERING THIS AND SERVING THESE PEOPLE.
AND IT'S, UH, JUST ONE OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR.
AND THE FINAL SLIDE JUST HAS A FEW PICTURES FROM, UH, SO, SO FAR THIS YEAR'S EVENTS AND STUFF, SO THANK YOU.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN ANY OF THE EVENTS THAT ARE STILL LEFT, UM, TO, UM, TO HAPPEN, UH, YOU ARE, UH, UH, MONTOPOLIS RECREATION CENTER IS HAVING THEIR HOLIDAY LUNCH ON THE NINTH FROM 11 TO ONE.
AND GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER IS HAVING THEIR BREAKFAST WITH SANTA FROM 10 TO NOON.
SO YOU COULD GET BREAKFAST AND THEN LUNCH IF YOU
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE GIVENS RECREATION CENTER ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14TH, UH, THEY'LL BE HAVING THEIR HOLIDAY EVENTS, UH, UH, THAT EVENING.
SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE AWARE OF, OF, OF THOSE.
ANY DISCUSSION FROM BOARD? ALRIGHT.
I WILL SAY I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAND OUT TURKEYS ON THE 19TH AT DOVE SPRINGS.
IT WAS A SATURDAY AND IT WAS COLD
UM, SO, UM, AND BY THE TIME I THOUGHT I GOT THERE EARLY, I GOT THERE BY 8 45.
THE EVENT WASN'T SUPPOSED START, WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO START TILL NINE, BUT THERE WAS JUST A HUGE LINE OF CARS THAT THEY WERE ALREADY PROCESSING CARS.
AND BY THE TIME IT WAS ABOUT LIKE 10 30, WE STILL HAD ABOUT 400, 400 PEOPLE STILL WAITING IN LINE TO GET TURKEYS, UH, AND NOT ENOUGH TURKEYS.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, SOME PEOPLE DID LEAVE WITHOUT TURKEYS.
BUT IT WAS SO WONDERFUL TO SEE THE COMMUNITY, UH, COME OUT TO SUPPORT, UH, SUCH A WONDERFUL EVENT LIKE THAT ONE.
UM, WE GAVE OUT PIE GREEN BEAN, LIKE EVERY, ALL EVERYTHING, ALL THE FIXINGS.
AND I WAS JEALOUS OF THE PEOPLE THAT GOT THE BILL MILLER PIE.
I KIND OF WANTED TO TAKE ONE HOME FROM ME, BUT, UM, I DID NOT.
BUT, UM, YEAH, THE, IT IT'S A REALLY GREAT EVENT.
UM, I WILL READ THE LETTER THAT WILL, UH, THAT I'M HOPING GETS APPROVED TO BE SENT OUT TO.
AND I'LL READ THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SENDING THE LETTERS OUT TO.
IT SAYS, DEAR AND THEN NAME OF PERSON OR ORGANIZATION, WE HOPE THIS LETTER FINDS YOU WELL AND FILLED WITH WARM.
WITH THE WARMTH OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON, WE WANTED TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, YOUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS AND GENEROSITY HAVE PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN MAKING THIS YEAR'S THANKSGIVING EVENT AN OVERWHELMING SUCCESS.
IT IS TRULY HEARTWARMING TO WITNESS THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT EVERY FAMILY IN NEED COULD EXPERIENCE THE JOY AND ABUNDANCE OF THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.
THE SPIRIT OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS EVIDENT THROUGHOUT THIS ENDEAVOR AND EMBODIES THE TRUE ESSENCE OF THANKSGIVING.
YOUR KINDNESS AND COMPASSION HAVE NOT ONLY PROVIDED NOURISHMENT FOR THE BODY, BUT HAVE ALSO NOURISHED THOSE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN FACING DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.
YOUR EFFORTS HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THO ON THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE, WHO MIGHT HAVE OTHERWISE FACED A CHALLENGING HOLIDAY SEASON.
WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFUL THANKS TO YOU AND TO EVERY VOLUNTEER DONOR SUPPORTER WHO CONTRIBUTED IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES, WHETHER THROUGH TIME, RESOURCES, OR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.
YOUR GENEROSITY HAS CREATED A RIPPLE EFFECT OF POSITIVITY THAT WILL BE FELT LONG AFTER THE THANKSGIVING SEASON.
YOUR DEDICATION TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS IS A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THE GOOD THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED WHEN A COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER WITH A COMMON GOAL.
AND THEN SIGNED BY MYSELF AND VICE CHAIR FLOWERS.
UM, AND THIS IS BEING SENT OUT TO THE SITE SUPERVISORS, UH, LIKE LUIS PADILLA, TAMIKA BATEMAN, CHAUNCEY ALLEN, RUSSELL DIGGS, JONATHAN HAYNES, MARK VASQUEZ, JANET MOORE, GEORGE FREEMAN, JASON MILLER, BILLY JAMES, DENISE KAVANAUGH, UH, SEAN OLIVER, AND THE ORGANIZATION,
[02:35:01]
OUT LOUD, UH, HONORABLE GEORGE MORALES AND GEORGE MORALES, DUFFS SPRINGING ADVISORY BOARD, CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK, GEORGE C AND TRAVIS COUNTY POSSE, CHRIS ENG ENG AND THE SOUTH AUSTIN SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.UH, JOHN HARRIS AND DAVID BLACKWOOD AND ALAN WEEKS AND ORGANIZATION AUSTIN VOICES.
UM, AS YOU CAN TELL, THAT'S, UH, UH, A COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO PUT ON THESE EVENTS.
SO, UH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE LETTERS AND GET THEM TO SIGN, GET THEM SIGNED, SENT, SIGNED, AND SENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATED.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, AND AT THIS TIME WE WILL BE TAKING A BREAK.
UH, WE'LL COME BACK IN 10 MINUTES.
UM, WE WILL BE, OKAY, WE'RE BACK ON AT 8 48.
WE'RE TAKE WE'RE COMING BACK TO OUR MEETING FROM THE RECESS WE TOOK, UH, WE WILL BE TAKING
[ Items 7 & 8]
ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN AND EIGHT TOGETHER.UM, ANY COMMENTERS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? WE HAVE ONE COMMENTER ON AGENDA NUMBER ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
SO FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, THIS ONE IS ABOUT NAMING RULES.
ABOUT NAMING IT, UH, A COUPLE THINGS CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.
ONE IS, UH, THERE'S A EXCEPTION FOR THINGS THAT ARE CONSIDERED ICONIC, WHICH ARE MORE THAN HAVE BEEN NAMED MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO, UNLESS THEY HAVE TO DO WITH THE CONFEDERACY.
I WOULD POINT OUT THAT WILLIAM BARTON DIED 21 YEARS BEFORE THE CONFEDERACY WAS FORMED.
BUT, UH, AS I'VE SPOKEN MANY TIMES, I THINK BARTON SPRINGS SHOULD BE RENAMED.
SO IT CREATES A AMBIGUOUS CONFLICT WHEN YOU PUT IN THERE THAT THINGS THAT ARE OVER BEEN NAMED MORE THAN 50 YEARS SHOULD NOT BE RENAMED.
I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO PUT ANY YEARS IN THAT THINGS.
UT HAD TO CHANGE SEVERAL THINGS, INCLUDING A DORMITORY NAMED AFTER A KUKU KLUX KLAN MEMBER.
THAT DORMITORY WASN'T NAMED UNTIL THE 1950S.
AND SO PUTTING A 50 YEAR, I DUNNO, EXCLUSION ON RENAMING SOMETHING IS UNNECESSARY.
I MEAN, THE CITY COUNCIL'S GONNA OVERRIDE IT ANYHOW, SO WHY EVEN PUT IT IN THERE? THEY'RE GONNA DO WHAT THEY WANNA DO.
IF THERE COMES A TIME WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT SOMETHING HAS BEEN INAPPROPRIATELY NAMED.
UM, BEFORE I ADOPT IT, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW A LIST, SEE A LIST OF ALL THE PARKS ENTITIES THAT COULD BE AFFECTED.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THERE'S ANY THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED OTHER THAN BARTON SPRINGS ITSELF.
I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THE CITY OF BARROW IS NO LONGER NAMED BARROW ALASKA.
A FEW YEARS AGO IT WAS RENAMED, UH, IN AN INDIGENOUS NAME, WHICH I BELIEVE BARTON SPRINGS SHOULD BE RENAMED AS SO.
BUT BARROW ALASKA WAS FIRST NAMED, UM, EITHER 1901 OR 1824.
SO MORE THAN 50 YEARS AGO, UH, I SAW SOMETHING IN THE PRESENTATION, UH, ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE WORKING GROUP BEING INCLUDED.
UH, I DON'T THINK ANY WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD BE INCLUDED UNLESS THEY'RE PASSED BY THE FULL PARKS BOARD, IF THEY'RE NOT PASSED BY THE FULL PARKS BOARD.
NO, AS MENTIONED IN A SLIDE AND, UH, DIRECTOR NEELY'S PRESENTATION, NOTHING FROM THE WORKING GROUP SHOULD BE PASSED ON AS ANY RECOMMENDATION UNLESS IT FIRST GETS FULLY VOTED ON BY THE FULL PARKS SPORT.
I DO THINK IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THREE COMMUNITY EVENTS TO DISCUSS ANY POTENTIAL NAME CHANGES.
I ALSO THINK YOU SHOULD INCLUDE A PROVISION IN THERE THAT THE PARKS BOARD WORKING GROUP SHOULD NOT COMMENT ON ANY PENDING
[02:40:01]
NOMINATIONS.IS THERE ANY MORE COMMENTERS? ALRIGHT, UH, DIRECTOR MCNEELY.
PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEMBERS.
KIMBERLY MCNEELY, SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS, UH, A PRESENTATION THAT COMBINES BOTH SEVEN AND EIGHT, BOTH OF BOTH, UM, ITEMS, AGENDA ITEMS SEVEN AND EIGHT.
BOTH OF, UH, WHAT I'M ABOUT TO TELL YOU ABOUT IT ARE REVISIONS TO CURRENT CODE.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS FOR CHAPTER EIGHT, WHICH IS ABOUT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND CODE RELATED ITEMS FOR CHAPTER EIGHT AND NUMBER, THAT'S NUMBER SEVEN.
AND AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS THE NAMING, WHICH IS ACTUALLY CHAPTER 14.
SO THE, UH, GOAL OF THESE REVISIONS WERE TO SIMPLIFY AND IMPROVE UNDERSTANDABILITY TO MOVE ITEMS FROM THE PARK RULES TO ORDINANCE TO IMPROVE ENFORCEMENT, TO INCORPORATE MOD MOBILITY STUDY RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SPECIFICALLY, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
AND THEN TO INCORPORATE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND JUST TO GIVE, PROVIDE SOME CLARIFICATION, THE WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS WERE, UM, A PREVIOUS PARKS BOARD, UH, UH, AND THEY HAD PUT TOGETHER A RECOMMENDATION, A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ALL OF THE PARKS BOARD MEMBERS DID VOTE UPON TO INCLUDE.
AND THEY SENT THAT RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND SO NOW WHAT YOU'LL BE LOOKING AT FOR, FOR CHAPTER 14, ARE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY MADE.
AND CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER THOSE ON, UM, ON, UH, DECEMBER, I FORGET THE DATE.
SO PLEASE KNOW THAT IN 2019, UM, WELL FIRST, LET ME JUST SAY IF APPROVED, THIS ORDINANCE WILL AMEND MULTIPLE SECTIONS OF TITLE EIGHT TO ADDRESS ACTIVITIES THAT OCCUR ON PARK LAND.
AND I'VE LISTED THOSE ACTIVITIES HERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE, UH, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE GEOCACHING, ROCK CLIMBING, SLACK LINING, USING HAMMOCKS, JUMPING, DIVING INTO THE WATER, USING REMOTE CONTROL TOYS, ERECTING MEMORIALS, SCATTERING CREMATION REMAINS, RIDING BICYCLES, USING MICRO MOBILITY DEVICES, UH, AND USING PERSONAL ASSISTED DEVICES, WATER SKIING AND SWIMMING.
AND SO THERE WERE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE REVISED, UH, THAT FROM OUR RULES, UH, TO BE INCORPORATED INTO OUR CODE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ASSISTANCE IN ENFORCEMENT.
UM, WHEN I SAY WE HAVE ASSISTANCE WITH ENFORCEMENT, IT MEANS THAT WITHIN CODE THERE IS A PARTICULAR PENALTY FOR PERHAPS, AND OF COURSE THIS IS AT THE DISCRETION OF OUR, OF OUR A PD OFFICERS, BUT THERE'S A PARTICULAR PENALTY, USUALLY A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR THAT WOULD SAY IF YOU ARE ACTING INAPPROPRIATELY IN THE PARK SYSTEM OR BREAKING ONE OF THESE RULES, YOU COULD BE CITED FOR THAT.
UM, IN 2019, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UH, PARTNERED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AT THE TIME IT WAS JUST THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND COMPLETED A PILOT STUDY THAT ALLOWED ELECTRIC SCOOTERS AND ELECTRIC BIKES ON CERTAIN PARKLAND TRAILS.
THIS PILOT STARTED IN JANUARY OF 2019 AND RAN THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 2019.
AND THE STUDY WAS GUIDED BY A COUNCIL RESOLUTION, AND THAT COUNCIL RESOLUTION WAS 2 0 1 8.
SO IT WAS FROM 2018, AND IT WAS A DECEMBER 13TH RESOLUTION, AND IT WAS ITEM NUMBER 1 0 7 ON THAT PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM.
AND THAT GUIDED THE PARAMETERS OF THIS STUDY AND THE SPECIFIC TRAILS THAT WERE TO HOST THE PILOT.
UM, THE ELECTRIC SCOOTERS AND THE BIKES WERE ALLOWED ON PAVED PARKLAND TRAILS, AND THEY WERE ALSO IDENTIFIED AS CONTRIBUTING TO THE TRANSPORTATION THAT WERE ALSO IDENTIFIED AS CONTRIBUTING TO THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK.
THE TRAILS IN THE STUDY INCLUDED THE JOHNSON CREEK TRAIL TRAIL, THE SHOAL CREEK TRAIL, SOUTH OF 15TH STREET, NORTHERN WALNUT CREEK TRAIL, SOUTHERN WALNUT CREEK TRAIL, AND THE ANN AND ROY BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
UM, THERE WAS ALSO A HOUSE BILL, SO HOUSE BILL 2188 THAT DEFINED WHAT ELECTRIC BIKES WERE AND WHERE THEY WERE ALLOWED TO BE USED AND WHAT SORTS OF TRAILS.
AND SO THIS CODE IN INCORPORATING, UM, WHERE IT SAYS USE OF BICYCLES AND ELECTRIC PERSONAL ASSISTANT VEHICLES, UH, IN PUBLIC RECREATIONS, IT INCORPORAT INCORPORATES THE STUDY RECOMMENDATION.
AND IT IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE'S HOUSE BILL THAT WAS PASSED.
IN YOUR BACKUP, I PROVIDED YOU THE RED LINE OR THE, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE WILL BE REVISED, AND HOPEFULLY YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT.
UM, AND I'M PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND I HAVE AMANDA ROSS WITH ME HERE, WHO WAS, UM, INTEGRAL IN, UH, THE STUDY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT FOR MOBILITY.
[02:45:01]
PLEASE KNOW, IT JUST TOOK US THIS TIME TO GET TO YOU, FRANKLY, BECAUSE WE RELY UPON, UM, PRIORITIZATION AND THE WORKLOAD.WE, WE HAVE TO RELY UPON OUR LAW DEPARTMENT.
I'M NOT IN ANY WAY CRITICIZING OR BLAMING THEM.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU THAT LOTS OF THINGS COME UP.
AND SO THIS HAD BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN CONSISTENTLY WORKING ON, UH, AND WE WERE JUST FINALLY ABLE TO BRING IT FORWARD TO YOU.
SO PLEASE, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ITEM NUMBER? I'M SORRY, ABOUT CHAPTER EIGHT'S.
DIRECTOR MCNEELY, CAN YOU TELL, TELL US AGAIN, UM, THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION FOR THAT, UM, UH, DIRECTING A STUDY FOR THE ELECTRIC SCOOTERS AND BUSES? SURE.
IT WAS, IT DIRECTED, IT WAS ITEM NUMBER 1 0 7 ON THE DECEMBER 13TH, 2018 AGENDA.
AND THAT STUDY BEGAN IN JANUARY OF 2019 AND ENDED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019.
IT WAS JUST OVER SIX MONTHS, AND IT WAS DONE BY AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
IT WAS DONE BY OUR AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, OF WHICH, UH, AMANDA, I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO DRAG HER UP HERE, BUT SHE HELPED WITH THAT STUDY.
ARE WE, DO WE WANT TO TAKE, SO IF YOU'RE, IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED, UH, WHAT THE ASK IS IS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND CITY CODE RELATED TO REGULATIONS THAT APPLY TO ACTIVITIES THAT OCCUR ON PROPERTY MANAGED, MAINTAIN, OR OPERATED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT OR ON THE DEPARTMENT'S BEHALF, AND CREATING OFFENSES AND PENALTIES.
SO BASICALLY IT'S TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE IN OUR ORDINANCE, UM, AND, AND RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE CHANGES.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, MAKE A MOTION, UH, THAT WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND CITY CODE RELATED TO REGULATIONS THAT APPLY TO THE ACTIVITIES THAT OCCUR ON PROPERTY MANAGE, MAINTAINED OR OPERATED BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT OR ON THE DEPARTMENT'S BEHALF, AND CREATING OFFENSES AND PENALTIES.
IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S A I'LL SECOND.
SO A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, SEEING NONE AT THIS TIME, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UH, ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, THE MOTION PASSES.
THEN ONTO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, IF YOU COULD PULL BACK UP THE PRESENTATION.
SO ITEM NUMBER 14 IS A REPLACE, A REPEAL AND REPLACE.
SO MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE TAKEN, I'M GONNA AD LIB HERE FROM MY SCRIPT, BUT MANY OF YOU HAVE PERHAPS TAKEN A LOOK AT OUR CURRENT NAMING ORDINANCE.
AND IT'S NOT, UH, IT IS ONE OF THE ONES, ONE OF THE GOALS HERE WAS TO MAKE IT MORE UNDERSTANDABLE.
IT'S A LITTLE, IT'S A LITTLE CONFUSING.
AND SO THEREFORE, THE WHOLE, THE IDEA WAS RATHER THAN, UM, TRY TO REVISE THE EXISTING ORDINANCE, IT WAS BETTER TO REPEAL WHAT IS EXISTING AND TO REPLACE IT WITH THE ORDINANCE THAT IS IN YOUR BACKUP.
AND SO THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS, IS THAT WE WANNA HAVE A DEDICATION, UH, OF, OR NAMING A PUBLIC PROPERTY.
THAT'S WHAT THIS PARTICULAR, UH, CHAPTER 14 HELPS US, UH, DO.
IT INCORPORATES SOME OF THE WORKING GROUP'S RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH I'LL, I'LL GO THROUGH IN JUST A MOMENT.
AND THE WHOLE IDEA HERE IS TO SIMPLIFY AND IMPROVE UNDERSTANDABILITY.
SO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UM, RECEIVES MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS FOR NAMING AND RENAMING OF PARK FACILITIES AND FEATURES ANNUALLY, OF WHICH I'M SURE YOU HA YOU RECALL SOME OF THEM THAT YOU MAY HAVE, UH, VOTED, UH, TOWARDS, UM, IF APPROVED, THIS ORDINANCE WILL REPEAL THE, AND REPLACE THE PARKS SPECIFIC PROVISION.
SO CHAPTER 14 INCLUDES NOT JUST THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, BUT OTHER PUBLIC FACILITIES, INCLUDING POLICE FACILITIES.
UM, BUT THIS WAS ONLY, UH, WILL ONLY ADDRESS THE VERY, THE ONES THAT ARE VERY SPECIFIC TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
SO, TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE'VE INCORPORATED, UH, BOARD MEMBER ANA DICARLO, WHO WAS FROM DISTRICT TWO, WHO WAS ORIGINALLY FROM DISTRICT TWO, UM, PRIOR TO OUR NEW CHAIR, UH, SHE LED A WORKING GROUP WHO TOOK SOME RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING, UH, SIMPLIFYING THIS, UH, PARTICULAR ORDINANCE AND ALSO INCORPORATING, UH, SOME, THE IDEAS THAT THEY HAD.
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IT WAS VOTED ON BY THE ENTIRE BOARD.AND SO YOU'LL SEE INCORPORATED IN HERE IS A BETTER DEFINITION OF CREDIBLE SERVICE AND CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS LACKING IN THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE.
UM, THERE'S ALSO A PART OF APPLICABILITY AND INTENT.
SO THE INTENT OF THIS POLICY IS TO NAME OR RENAME PARKS FACILITIES IN ORDER TO BEST SERVE THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY, ENSURE A WORTHY AND ENDURING LEGACY.
AND THE NAMING PROCESS MUST BE, AND IT TALKS ABOUT IT BEING TRANSPARENT, THAT WAS A VERY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION, THAT IT SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT.
UM, AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE, WE SHOULD BE ACTIVELY SEEKING COMMUNITY INPUT, UH, WITH MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO RECEIVE INTENTIONAL FEEDBACK ALONG WITH THE FEEDBACK LOOP.
AND WE SHOULD CONSIDER RACIAL, ETHNIC, GENDER AND ECONOMIC DISPARITIES IN THE NAMING.
AND YOU'LL SEE THOSE, THAT LANGUAGE DIRECTLY IN THE, UM, THE REPLACEMENT ORDINANCE.
UM, AN INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY THAT HAS PROVIDED CULTURAL SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SURROUNDING AREA OR COMMUNITY IN WHICH THE FACILITY EXISTS AND WHO IS DECEASED FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS, OR RETIRED FROM WORK FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT THE PARKS BOARD, UH, THEY DEBATED ABOUT.
AS I RECALL, THERE WAS A DEBATE ABOUT SHOULD WE BE NAMING FACILITIES AFTER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CURRENTLY, UM, CURRENTLY LIVING? OR SHOULD IT ONLY BE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PASSED? SO THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED, AND CERTAINLY WE CAN TAKE FEEDBACK UPON THAT.
UM, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE WAS NOT, AS I RECALL, THERE WAS NOT A CONSENSUS, RIGHT? SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT, WELL, IF INDIVIDUALS ARE, HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY AND ARE STILL LIVING, WHY NOT ALLOW THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THAT HONOR? UH, RATHER THAN IT BEING, UH, AFTER THEY'VE PASSED OTHERS FELT AS THOUGH THERE WAS A RISK IN THERE NAMING A FACILITY AFTER SOMEONE WHO'S STILL ALIVE, BECAUSE THERE COULD BE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS THAT MAKES THEM NO LONGER WORTHY OF THAT NAMING.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT PAGE YOU'RE ON? OR, I'M HA I'M NOT, I'M JUST READING FROM MY SCRIPT.
YOU'RE JUST READING FROM THE, I'M JUST READING FROM MY SCRIPT.
TOP PAGE FIVE, THAT PARTICULAR THE TOP OF FIVE.
I, I, I, PARDON? I BEG YOUR PARDON.
UM, FEES MUST BE PAID PRIOR TO THE INSTALLATION THAT HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE, UM, OH, I'M SORRY.
I, I, YOU COULD LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE ITSELF.
I CAN GIVE YOU THE ACTUAL, I WAS THINKING ABOUT MY PRESENTATION, BUT I COULD TELL YOU THE PAGE NUMBER ON THE ORDINANCE.
LET ME JUST, UM, FIND THAT FOR YOU.
UM, UNDER APPLICABILITY INTENT, WHICH IS ON PAGE TWO, UH, THAT IS WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT, UH, THE, UM, THE INTENT OF THE POLICY AND HOW IT SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT.
IT'S, IT'S C SO IN SUPPORT OF THE, THAT INTENT AND COUNSEL SEEKS TO ADOPT PROCESS THAT, SO EVERYTHING THAT I HAD READ TO YOU UNDER SEA WAS SOMETHING VERY SPECIFICALLY BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE PARKS AND RECREATION, UM, BOARD.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY THAT HAS PROVIDED CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION AND WHETHER, UH, AND THE NUMBER OF YEARS THAT OF SERVICE AND OR, UM, WHETHER THEY HAD BEEN DECEASED, UH, THAT IS TOP OF PAGE FIVE, TOP OF PAGE FIVE.
THAT IS AT THE TOP OF PAGE FIVE.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THE TIMING CLARIFIED, UM, THAT IS ON PAGE, UM, ON PAGE SEVEN.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS A COMPLETE REPEAL OF, OF OUR SECTION IN 14, AND IT'S TO REPLACE IT WITH THIS PARTICULAR SET OF LANGUAGE.
AND I AM OPEN TO TAKING NOTES IF YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE INCLUDED BEFORE WE TAKE THIS FORWARD TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL.
I HAVE A QUESTION, UH, SPECIFICALLY ON PAGE THREE OF EIGHT MM-HMM.
WOULD IT BE SUBJECT TO ANY ARTICLE? AND IF SO, WHAT ARTICLE WOULD IT BE SUBJECT TO? I DO NOT BELIEVE IT'S SUBJECT TO ANY ARTICLE, BUT I WILL FIND THAT INFORMATION OUT FOR YOU, UH, SPECIFICALLY.
SO, BUT I WILL FIND OUT AND I CAN LET YOU KNOW.
AND, AND I, I GUESS I, I MEAN, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS RIGHT, LIKE, UM, I DON'T WANT TO, SO WE'RE BASICALLY THE, THE INTENT OF IT IS, SAY BASICALLY THE INTENT OF THAT SUBSECTION IS BASICALLY SAYING IF SOMETHING'S BEEN NAMED FOR 50, EXCLUDING THOSE NAMED AFTER THE
WELL, IT SAYS UNLESS IT'S NAME, A NAME IS RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY, SO THERE'S AN EXEMPTION.
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TO THE CONFEDERACY, THEN IT COULD BE RENAMED.BUT, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IF IT'S, IF IT'S NOT RELATED TO THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY DEFINED.
I MEAN THAT'S, I MEAN, WE COULD DEFINE IT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS, RIGHT? SO THERE'S NO DEFINITION OF WHAT RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY MEANS.
SO I GUESS THAT WOULD BE, UH, AND JUST SOME FEEDBACK FOR YOU IS WE NEED TO DEFINE WHAT THAT IS, WHAT, WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY.
UH, BUT MORE SO AS A, THE REASON THE, WHAT I BROUGHT IT UP IS I DON'T THINK JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING'S BEEN NAMED FOR 50 OR MORE YEARS THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO RENAMING OR QUESTIONING IT IF, IF APPROPRIATE, RIGHT? LIKE I JUST CAN'T GO AROUND SAYING, I WOULD LIKE TO RENAME THIS FACILITY.
THERE HAS TO BE REASON, RIGHT? AND, AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY THIS RENAMING, THE RENAMING PORTION OF THIS, UH, UH, SECTION THIS CODE IS, IS, IS IMPORTANT.
BUT I I, I HAVE JUST A PERSONAL ISSUE WITH SAYING JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING'S BEEN NAMED FOR 50 OR MORE YEARS, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF GOING TO KEEP IT AS IT IS.
SO THAT WOULD BE MY FEEDBACK ON THAT FRONT.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY YEAH, THE RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY, UH, STUFF, BECAUSE, AND I, AND, AND I GUESS IT DOES, LIKE, LET'S TAKE ONE DAY, WE DO CHOOSE, RIGHT? THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF, UM, THERE WAS A SPREADSHEET THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN RELEASED WITH THE NAME, WITH NAMES OF STUFF THAT'S RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY, UM, AND ONE OF THEM YEP.
UH, THEY, THEY, UH, RELEASED A LIST.
AND THERE WAS THINGS THAT NEEDED TO IMMEDIATELY HAPPEN, THINGS THAT WERE MAYBE YOU SHOULD CONTEXTUALIZE AND THINGS THAT WERE NOT PRIORITIZED.
I DON'T WANT LIKE, UH, I GUESS IS, I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE LIKE A DEBATE AS TO WHETHER PEACE WAS, UH, RELATED TO CONVERSANCY, WHETHER BAR WAS RELATED TO CONVERS, WHETHER, UH, OLD, THE OLD ROBERT E. LEE, RIGHT? LIKE, LIKE, RIGHT.
LIKE OBVIOUSLY WE, WE, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE CLEARLY OBVIOUSLY RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY, BUT I DON'T WANT THE THERE THE PROCESS TO BE MU MUDDIED UP, UH, IF, AND, AND, AND, AND DISTRACT FROM THE DEBATE IF WE'RE GONNA, UH, BY ARGUING ABOUT WHETHER IT'S RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY OR NOT.
IT'S, I GUESS MAYBE THERE, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO DEFINE WHAT RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY MEANS.
SO CHAIR, I WOULD SAY, WOULD YOU DEFINE THAT IN THIS ORDINANCE, OR WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT OUTSIDE OF THIS ORDINANCE THERE BE A, PROCEDURALLY THERE BE A DEFINITION THAT, UM, THAT WE PUT IN PLACE THAT WOULD, UH, IDENTIFY OR CRITERIA THAT WE WOULD PUT IN PLACE THAT SHOULD A, UM, THAT THIS COME UP THAT WE WOULD COMPARE IT AGAINST? OR WOULD YOU PUT IT RIGHT IN THE ORDINANCE? I WOULD PUT IT IN THE ORDINANCE, JUST BECAUSE YOU DEFINE OTHER TERMS RELATED TO THE ORDINANCE.
AND I KNOW THAT'S, I'M, I'M, I'M BASICALLY ASKING YOU TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY TEACH SEMESTERS WORTH OF CLASSES, UH, FOR, SO I, I KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA BE AN EASY TIME.
I JUST WANNA REITERATE, I THINK THAT THAT PART'S REALLY IMPORTANT THOUGH, BECAUSE RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY, THERE'S A LOT OF ARGUMENTS YOU COULD MAKE ABOUT HOW SOMETHING IS RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY OR NOT.
AND IT, I THINK IT JUST ALLOWS FOR THIS BROAD ARGUMENT TO HAPPEN THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T ACTUALLY WANT, YOU WANT TO NARROW IT A BIT.
SO, AND, AND JUST WANT, JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE.
BUT IN REGARDS TO THE DEFINITION, IF, AND I DON'T KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE, BUT IF THE EQUITY OFFICE HAS ALREADY DEFINED THESE FACILITY STREETS AND FEATURES TO BE THOSE, LIKE THE, THE LIST OF PROBLEMATIC, UH, NAMES, THEN MAYBE WE CAN USE THAT LIST AS A REFERENCE OR USE IT AS A STARTING POINT TO COME UP WITH A DEFINITION OF WHAT RELATED TO CONFEDERACY MEANS.
SO I, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS JUST LIKE THERE, I, I KNOW THAT THEY HAD SOME CRITERIA.
I, I WILL FIND THAT RESOLUTION AND I'LL FIND THE REPORT TO THAT AND I CAN START THERE.
JUST TO GO OFF WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, AND MAYBE IT'S THE, AS DEFINED BY THE EQUITY OFFICE, BECAUSE THEN THAT GIVES THEM ROOM TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL, OR, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TOO GRAY THEN.
UM, BUT YEAH, I DON'T, I'LL BE, I'LL BE HONEST, I'M NOT A LAWYER, SO, UM, I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO SOMEONE WHO IS A LAWYER.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, UH, POINT BEING IS I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF, I, I HEAR YOUR INTENT.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF EXACT LANGUAGE COULD GO INTO AN ORDINANCE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA REFER TO A RESOLUTION IN AN ORDINANCE.
I CAN UNDERSTAND, BUT I, I UNDERSTAND YOUR INTENT SPECIFIC.
UH, SO I WILL, BEFORE, UM, THIS GOES BEFORE COUNCIL, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I PROVIDE THIS BOARD AN UPDATE AS TO HOW I INCORPORATED YOUR FEEDBACK OR WHAT THE RESULTS OF YOUR FEEDBACK WAS IN THE REVISION OF THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE.
AND THEN JUST ONE MORE PIECE ON F THERE, BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO SPEAKING TO PUBLIC RECREATION AREAS LATER IN THAT LINE, IT SAYS THEY'RE CONSIDERED AN ICONIC PARK, AND SO IT LEAVES OUT AN ICONIC PARK RECREATION AND THAT, SO
[03:00:01]
IT'S JUST A LITTLE FUZZY THERE TOO.SO MAKE SURE WE MAYBE PUT PARKS IN RECREATION, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT.
SO THERE IS A, UM, WELL, THIS SPECIFIC, SORRY, NOW I HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
WE ARE JUST TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC FACILITIES OR PROPERTIES ON PARKS AND PUBLIC RECREATION AREAS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE RENAMING OF A PARK.
THIS IS A PARK PROPERTY OR IT'S THE WHOLE PARK.
SO PUBLIC RECREATION AREAS ARE DEFINED AS, UM, A FACILITY INCLUDES A CITY BUILDING STRUCTURE OR OTHER FACILITY DIRECTLY USED BY THE PUBLIC, BUT NOT INCLUDED A NOT INCLUDING A POLICE FACILITY, RIGHT.
UM, OR A PUBLIC RECREATION AREA, UM, FOR NAMING A RENA.
THE PUBLIC RECREATION AREA IS THE PARK AND JUST, OKAY.
SO THE PUBLIC RECREATION FACILITY WOULD BE THE PARK SPECIFICALLY THE FACILITY IS THE SEPARATE.
SO I AGREE THAT'S REALLY UNCLEAR IN THAT SPECIFIC LINE.
DIRECTOR MCNEELY ALSO, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING, I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN HERE THAT, UM, ACCOUNTED FOR, UH, LIKE, UH, TEXAS LANDMARK HISTORIC LANDMARKS, LIKE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, OR, OR TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKERS ON PARKLAND.
AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR PARKS ARE DESIGNATED AS THOSE HISTORICALLY, AND THE NAME MAY BE TIED TO THAT.
AND SO WHAT WOULD BE YOUR SUGGESTION BOARD MEMBER? I'M JUST WONDERING HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT THE STATUS IF THE NAME WERE CHANGED ON FOR A PARK THAT HAD TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKER STATUS OR NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES STATUS.
CAN YOU CHANGE THE NAME? I THINK WOULDN'T IT SUPERSEDE BECAUSE IT'S STATE LAW, POSSIBLY OVERSEE FEDERAL, LIKE IF YOU HAVE A, I DON'T KNOW.
I'M NOT A LAWYER EITHER, BUT I'LL, I'LL FIND THAT THE ANSWER FOR YOU.
MY INTUITION SAYS THAT THE HISTORY OF THE SPACE IS THE HISTORY OF THE SPACE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE WHATEVER THE NAME WAS AND WHATEVER THE NAME EVENTUALLY WOULD BE.
UM, BUT THAT TAKES US BACK TO 50 YEARS OR MORE, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T, IT'S NOT HISTORICAL UNLESS IT'S MM-HMM.
SO THAT WOULD TAKE US BACK TO THAT WHOLE CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, ABOUT 50 YEARS.
BUT I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
YOU THINK THAT THERE MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE MORE CLARITY AS IT RELATES TO HISTORICAL MARKERS AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
AND THEN I'M WONDERING IF, UM, ONE OTHER QUESTION.
ARE WE NOT THERE YET?
IN 14 DASH ONE DASH 55 IN THE NAMING POLICY, NUMBER FOUR, UM, A NOMINEE THAT DEEDS THE LAND TO THE CITY FOR A PUBLIC RECREATION AREA CONTRIBUTES AN ESTIMATED COST OF AT LEAST 75% OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUBLIC RECREATION AREA AND PROVIDES AN ENDOWMENT FOR THE ESTIMATED 20 YEAR MAINTENANCE COSTS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
IS THIS ENCOURAGING NAMING AFTER A PERSON OR ENTITY THAT IS, UM, IS GIVING A LOT OF MONEY TO THE PARTY? YEAH.
AS I RECALL, THAT IS IN CURRENT CODE, BUT I WILL LOOK THAT UP FOR YOU.
I MEAN, THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS IT MAY, I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIKE KIND OF AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO NAME SOMETHING AFTER SOMEONE WHO MAYBE DIDN'T CONTRIBUTE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY TO IT, BUT WAS A SIGNIFICANT PERSON.
JUST, UM, I THINK AN EXAMPLE OF THIS MIGHT BE, AND THIS IS NOT TO DEBATE, BUT ZUCKER PARK, RIGHT, IS NAMED ZUCKER PARK BECAUSE THE MON, THE, THE MM-HMM.
SO I THINK THAT SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE TAKES INTO ACCOUNT SOME GENEROSITY THAT, UH, IS SIMILAR TO THAT.
BUT I, I'M LOOKING AT THE CURRENT ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW.
AND I COULD CERTAINLY, SO I DON'T WASTE OUR TIME TODAY 'CAUSE I MIGHT NOT FIND IT.
I WILL DEFINITELY, UM, GIVE YOU FEEDBACK ON THAT SO THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF.
[03:05:01]
SO THE ASK IS, AND, AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE PREPARED TO, TO, UM, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, BUT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND CITY CODE RELATED TO THE NAMING OR, OR RENAMING OF FACILITIES FEATURES AND PROPERTIES THAT ARE PART OF THE PARK SYSTEM.AND IF I MAY BE SO BOLD AS TO SAY, YOU COULD MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION WITH CAVEATS SAYING THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND THIS IF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT CONSIDERS THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU JUST GAVE ME.
IF YOU WANTED TO OUTLINE THAT, OR YOU COULD TAKE NO ACTION, THAT'S CERTAINLY YOUR PREROGATIVE OR YOU COULD VOTE YOU DON'T RECOMMEND IT, THAT'S ALSO YOUR PREROGATIVE.
IS THIS ALREADY SLATED TO GO BEFORE COUNSEL? UH, NOT UNTIL DECEMBER, DECEMBER 14TH, BUT BEFORE WE WOULD MEET AGAIN.
SO IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SOME KIND OF RECOMMENDATION, IT WOULD NEED TO BE TODAY.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO PUT FORTH A RECOMMENDATION WITH OR WITHOUT CAVEATS? UM, I'M HAPPY TO PUT FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION OR A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RECOMMENDATION AS WRITTEN, UH, AS WRITTEN, UH, WITH THE ANTICIPATION OF SOME DISCUSSION.
SO DISCUSSION THE SECOND, SO I'LL REPRESENT CHAIR VILLA LOBOS IN HIS ABSENCE.
UM, I THINK HE WOULD LIKE THERE TO BE SOME SORT OF CAVEAT THERE RELATED TO THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS GIVEN ON THE CONFEDERACY SPECIFICALLY TO DIRECTOR MCNEELY.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO JUST GENERALLY SAY INCORPORATING THE FEEDBACK WE GAVE OR WE WANT TO BULLET OUT HERE'S THE GENERAL FEEDBACK WE GAVE.
I WENT AND LOOKED THROUGH, UM, BOTH THE CITY'S RESOLUTION AS WELL AS THE EQUITY REPORTS RECOMMENDATION, JUST TO SEE IF THEY DEFINE THE CONFEDERACY WITH ANY MORE SPECIFICITY AND THEY DO NOT.
SO, UM, THEY DO REFERENCE IT AS I THINK, UM, UH, MONUMENTS AND HOLD ON.
SO THE, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE CITY GOT MORE SPECIFIC, THEY DID IT BY, UH, ALRIGHT, CLOSE THE WINDOW SPECIFYING LIKE, I THINK MONUMENTS AND SOME OTHER TOPIC.
AND I WILL SAY I LOOKED AT THAT AS WELL, UH, BOARD MEMBER BECKER.
AND, UM, IT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THEIR DEFINITION OF THE CONFEDERACY IS SIGNIFICANTLY BROAD, UM, WHICH I THINK CAN BE A GOOD THING, BUT IT ALSO LEAVES IT OPEN FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY BROAD DIFFERENT DEFINITION THAN WHAT THEY SEEM TO BE USING.
WELL, I MEAN, IT DID LEAD THE EQUITY OFFICE IN THE DIRECTION OF RECOMMENDING THE CITY RENAME ITSELF OR YEAH.
PRESENTING THAT BECAUSE IT WAS SO BROAD, WHICH IS YEAH.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, RIGHT? AS BOARD MEMBERS, IF BOARD MEMBERS, IF I MIGHT INTERJECT, UM, I DID FIND THAT, UM, BOARD MEMBER REED SPECIFICALLY WAS ASKING ABOUT, UM, DEEDING THE LAND OR CONTRIBUTES A COST OF 75% OR THE 20 YEAR MAINTENANCE.
SO IN THE EXISTING, IN THE EXISTING ORDINANCE, IT DOES SAY A PARK FACILITY MAY BE NAMED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS PROVIDED VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION AND CREDIBLE SERVICE TO THE CITY AND INDIVIDUAL OR ENTITY THAT DEEDS THE LAND TO THE CITY.
PARKS AND REC PARK FACILITY CONTRIBUTES THE ESTIMATED COST OF 50% OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDES AN ENDOWMENT FOR AN ESTIMATED 20 YEAR MAINTENANCE.
SO THAT SEEMS TO MIRROR, UM, WHAT IS, WHAT IS, UH, IN THIS, ALTHOUGH IT ADDS INSTEAD OF, UM, IT, IT, I THINK IT SAYS 75% INSTEAD OF, UM, SO IT ADDS THAT CAVEAT, BUT IT'S, IT'S A, THE SENTIMENT IS ALREADY IN THE CURRENT CODE, BUT IT ADDS, UM, A LITTLE MORE CRITERIA TO HOW YOU WOULD NAME FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO, UM, GIVES A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION FUNDING OR AN ENDOWMENT.
SO THERE'S MORE SPECIFICITY ABOUT THE TYPES OF MONUMENTS.
THERE'S NOT REALLY ANYMORE SPECIFICITY ABOUT THE ES OF THE CONFEDERACY.
I'M, I AM STRUGGLING TO GET SOMETHING MORE SPECIFIC THAN THAT MYSELF.
YEAH, I THINK, AND I MEAN, NOT TO GET IN THE WEEDS HERE, BUT I THINK, AND I, THIS IS NOT MY PERSONAL OPINION, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, INCLUDING PEACE IS INTERESTING.
'CAUSE I THINK SOME PEOPLE WOULD ARGUE, WELL, HE WAS FOR THE UNION, UM, BUT HE OWNED
[03:10:01]
ENSLAVED PEOPLE.I SEE THE CLEAR LINK
UM, SO I THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE THE CITY TO HAVE A BETTER DEFINITION THAN JUST RIGHT.
AND HE OWNED THE LAND AND SO THERE'S THAT MIX.
HE DEEDED THE LAND TO THE CITY.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE CASE IN, BUT HE WAS A SLAVE HOLDER.
AND SO I GUESS IN, IN THE SAME CASE WITH BARTON SPRINGS, I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT IF YOU'RE USING THIS LANGUAGE OF THE CONFEDERACY AND IT'S USED ELSEWHERE, THERE'S PRECEDENT, THERE'S PRECEDENTIAL DECISIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE MADE ABOUT DEFINING CONFEDERACY AND WHAT IT MEANS.
SO IT COULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE THAT DEFINITION BECAUSE THEN YOU COULD PULL IN OTHER DECISIONS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY.
AND I MEAN THAT GETS BACK TO BOARD MEMBER BEAN'S POINT ABOUT SORT OF REFERENCING THE EQUITY OFFICE AS YEAH.
UM, SO SINCE, UH, CHAIR VILLALOBOS BROUGHT THIS UP, I'LL CATCH HIM UP WHERE WE ARE.
WELL, I'VE BEEN HEARING, I'M SORRY.
OH, I HAD AN, I HAD AN EMERGENCY AND I WAS ALSO LISTENING OUTSIDE.
UM, I THINK MAYBE COR UH, COLLABORATING WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY.
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THAT, THEN HAVING DIRECTOR MCNEELY AND THE DEPARTMENT WORK WITH LEGAL TO INCORPORATE THAT DEFINITION INTO THE CODE.
BECAUSE I THINK STARTING OFF WITH THE EQUITY OFFICE IS A GOOD STARTING POINT, AND THEN HAVING LEGAL PUT THE LEGAL TOUCH TO IT IS GONNA MAKE IT STRONGER, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
SO THAT MAY BE LIKE THE MIDDLE, THE, THE, THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
UM, AND I DO THINK, UM, WELL, YOU BRING THIS BACK TO US ONCE.
WELL, NO, THAT THINK THAT MIGHT BE WHAT YOU MISSED.
SO, UM, SO IT'S GOING COUNCIL, IT'S GOING TO COUNCIL MID-DECEMBER.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, WE HAVE TO DO IT TONIGHT.
WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON THE FLOOR BY BOARD MEMBER BECKER AS WRITTEN.
WE'RE NOW DISCUSSING, UH, WITH THE IDEA THAT WE COULD MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT EDIT THE LANGUAGE TO INCLUDE THE CAVEAT THAT WE'RE ONLY RECOMMENDING IF, TO YOUR POINT, WE COULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT COLLABORATES WITH THE EQUITY DEPARTMENT TO FURTHER DEFINE, UH, RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY AND CONSULTS WITH LEGAL ABOUT HOW TO INCORPORATE THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
WELL, THE PROBLEM, HERE'S THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT RECOMMENDATIONS CAN ONLY BE MADE TO CITY COUNCIL.
SO I HOPE THAT, 'CAUSE YOU ASKED FOR OUR FEEDBACK, YOU COULD COMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL POSTPONED, HOW ABOUT THIS? HOW ABOUT, UH, CAN YOU SAY THAT WE, UH, THAT THE PART THAT WE CONSIDER INCORPORATING THE FEEDBACK PROVIDED, UM, AND YOU DON'T, I OR, OR CHAIR, I ALSO SAID, YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
YOU, YOU CANNOT HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, UH, AT, AT ALL.
AND I CAN IN THE, IN THE BELOW THE LINE, RIGHT.
THEY CALL IT THE BELOW THE LINE INFORMATION.
I CAN HELP THE COUNCIL UNDERSTAND, UH, THE DISCUSSION THAT YOU HAD AND THEN, AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE'RE STILL BRINGING THIS FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION AND WE'VE INCORPORATED THIS FEEDBACK.
SO I CAN, I CAN, I CAN GIVE THAT INFORMATION.
YOU CAN ALSO INDEPENDENTLY CALL YOUR PARKS AND RECREATE, I'M SORRY, YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND LET THEM KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS, OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ACTION AT ALL AND RECOMMEND WE DON'T BRING IT FORWARD TO COUNCIL.
ALL OF THIS IS YOUR PREROGATIVE UNTIL THERE'S A FURTHER DISCUSSION AND WE BRING FORWARD JUST CHAPTER EIGHT.
YOU CAN MAKE WHATEVER RECOMMENDATION YOU WANT.
I, I'D PREFER TO BE ABLE TO BRING IT FORWARD.
I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR, YEAH, I, I SINCE 2019.
SO I PREFER IT TOO, JUST BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE SAGA OF THE REWRITE.
AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON A WHILE, AND I DO THINK IT'S A PROBLEM.
UM, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE LANGUAGE TO FINESSE IT.
I WOULD ALSO BE FINE WITH NOT RE TO DIRECTOR NEELY'S POINT NOT RECOMMENDING AND JUST ALLOWING HER TO PROVIDE BELOW THE LINE INFORMATION.
BUT I DEFINITELY THINK WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTIVE OF IT GOING FORWARD TO COUNSEL IN SOME FORM.
DIRECTOR MCNEELY, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.
IS, IS, UM, IS LETTER F IN THE CURRENT CODE, UH, LETTER F OF WHAT? WHAT NAME? THE, THE, THE, WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING IS, IS THAT, IS THAT, UM, THE 50 50 OR MORE YEARS, UM, SAME NAME FOR 50 OR MORE YEARS, CONSIDERED AN ICONIC PARK.
IS THAT IN THE CURRENT CODE? I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT'S IN THE CURRENT CODE.
THERE IS JUST A WORD THAT SAYS ICONIC PARK.
IT, THAT'S A DEFINITION FOR ICONIC.
[03:15:02]
OKAY.BECAUSE I WAS WONDERING YEAH, WHAT, WHAT THE DEFINITION OF ICONIC PARK WAS AND HOW DID, HOW DID, AND SO JUST THE YEAR 50 AS BEING HISTORIC, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC DESIGNATION OR SOMETHING.
IS THAT WHERE THAT CAME FROM? SURE.
SO IF YOU 70 TO 80 TO 90 TO 2000, 2010, 2020, THAT'S 50 YEARS.
ANYTHING FROM TWO 70 ON OR FROM 1970 OR BEFORE IS CONSIDERED HISTORIC.
I WONDER THEN IF THAT, WELL, I GUESS IF SUBSECTION F IS ACTUALLY NEEDED, THEN IF WE, WELL, BUT THEN THERE'S NO OUT FOR THE CONFEDERACY PIECE, UNLESS YOU JUST ASSUME THAT THE CITY OPERATES OFF THE EQUITY OFFICE'S RECOMMENDATIONS.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THERE'S NO OUT, LIKE, SO IF SOMETHING IS 70 YEARS OLD, BUT BARTON SPRINGS FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S OVER 50 YEARS OLD.
AND YOU COULD SAY IT'S RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY, BUT IF THERE'S NO WAY TO SAY IT'S RELATED TO THE CONFEDERACY AND THAT WHOLE CLAUSE ISN'T IN THERE, THEN LIKE, OH, YOU'RE SAYING JUST MAKE IT ANYTHING CAN BE RENAMED.
WELL THAT'S, BECAUSE THEN THAT ALSO ADDRESSES MY OTHER ISSUE, WHICH IS THAT I DON'T THINK ANYTHING IS, EXCEPT FROM BEING RENAMED, BUT I MEAN, IN THEORY, JUST LET'S THINK THAT THROUGH FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE.
SO IF ANYTHING CAN BE RENAMED, THAT MEANS THAT LITERALLY ANYONE COULD GO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO RENAME SKER PARK.
SO THEORETICALLY, AND DO, IS THAT A PROBLEM OR NOT? SO THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE BOARD.
I DO ACTUALLY, I'M, YEAH, Y'ALL DUNNO ME THAT WELL, BUT I LOVE CHAOS, SO, NO, UM, I DON'T NECESSARILY VIEW THAT, I DON'T NECESSARILY VIEW THAT AS A PROBLEM BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THE BOARD AND THE DIRECTOR ARE THAT, UH, WHAT NOT, BUT THE, IT'S A CHECKS AND CHECKS AND BALANCE.
BUT IS IT A GOOD, DO WE ANTICIPATE THAT THAT WOULD EAT UP A LOT OF CITY STAFF'S TIME OR IT'S A NON, I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S A NON-ISSUE BECAUSE WHO'S GONNA DO IT? IS IT, IT'S A NON-ISSUE BECAUSE FOR ME, AT LEAST, BECAUSE THE HOLLY, THE BOARD MEMBER READS POINT, UH, IT DOESN'T CURRENTLY EXIST.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THE DEPARTMENT ISN'T GETTING AN APPLICATION TO RENAME PARKS LONG, LONG NAME PARKS EVERY WEEK.
SO THERE'S NO PROTECTION IN CURRENT CODE FOR THE AGE.
AND THAT'S DEFINED, OR NO, IT'S NOT DEFINED.
AND I DO WANNA REMIND THE BOARD THAT IT, THERE IS, UM, IN THIS ORDINANCE, IT DOES SAY D ON, IT'S ON PAGE, UH, THREE OF EIGHT, THE VERY TOP OF THE PAGE D, NOTHING IN THIS ARTICLE LIMITS THE COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH DIFFERENT CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES FOR NAMING OR RENAMING A PARTICULAR PUBLIC RECREATION OR PARK FEATURE.
SO WE, WE HAVE THIS ORDINANCE THAT WE FOLLOW, HOWEVER, IT IS ALWAYS AT THE COUNCIL'S DISCRETION TO, UM, CREATE A DIFFERENT PROCESS AND TO BRING FORWARD, UM, A NAME OR TO MAKE A DECISION THAT, UM, IS, YEAH, SEE I'M STILL, I'M STILL NOT, THOSE ARE CONFLICTING THOSE, YEAH.
I STILL THINK THAT IF IT'S UP TO ME, I WOULD SAY WE JUST REMOVE ALL OF FI THINK THAT SEEMS LIKE THE EASIER SOLUTION.
AND I THINK THE CHECKS AND BALANCES SYSTEM IS US, THE DIRECTOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
YOU DON'T, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT SHAKING YOUR HEAD? I HAVE NO OBJECTION.
LITERALLY, BECAUSE I DON'T, I THINK THIS IS, SO I, THE REST OF THIS IS SO VERY IMPORTANT THAT IF WE NEED TO REMOVE THAT ONE, I DON'T THINK IT MATTERS.
I MEAN, IF IT'S NOT A PROBLEM NOW, IT PROBABLY WON'T BE A PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE UNTIL IT IS.
AND THEN CITY COUNCIL OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
SO I'M NOT, I IF THAT'S, IF THE REST OF THE BOARD AGREES, I'D BE FINE WITH THAT.
HAVE VERY, LIKE I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
YEAH, BECAUSE I MEAN, THE ARGUMENT IS THE, THE OTHER, THE FLIP SIDE OF IT IS THAT SOMEONE HAS VERY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT WHAT AN ICONIC PARK IS.
AND IF WE DON'T, THEN IT PROBABLY BEHOOVES US TO ELIMINATE SUBSECTION F.
IF IT'S AN ICONIC PARK AND IT HAS A HISTORIC MARKER ON IT, I THINK THAT WILL PROTECT IT FROM A NAME CHANGE STATE PERSPECTIVE.
SO I MEAN, STATE LAW, IF IT HAS SOME SORT OF STATE DESIGNATION, THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS THAT ARE FAR OUTSIDE THE CITY CODE.
SO I DON'T THINK IF THAT, IF THAT'S THE CONCERN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA BE, SO DO WE NEED TO TELL YOU DIRECTOR MC, LIKE DO WE NEED TO PUT IT IN RECOMMENDATION IF WE WANT US TO? I THINK YOU NEED TO PUT IT IN THE RECOMMENDATION.
I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD READ IT INTO YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO ME.
AND THEN LIKE A, I WILL OR, AND INTO THE, THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING ME, AND THEN I CAN PUT IT ON THE BELOW THE LINE AS TO WHAT IT IS THAT YOU, UM, OR YOU CAN SAY WE RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT APPROVAL OF THIS WITH THESE CAVEATS.
SO I WILL OFFER A FRIENDLY, UH, HOPEFULLY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO BOARD MEMBER BECKER THAT SAYS, RECOMMEND THAT CITY COUNCIL REMOVE SECTION ONE FOUR DASH ONE DASH FIVE TWO SUB FII THINK WE CAN DO THIS IN A LESS COMPLICATED WAY.
SO ON THE FLOOR, WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION TO
[03:20:01]
MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND CITY CODE RELATING TO THE NAMING OR RENAMING FAC FACILITIES, FEATURES AND PROPERTIES THAT ARE PART OF THE CITY'S PARK SYSTEM.AND THEN WE COULD PUT AT THE END WITH THE EXCEPTION OR WITH THE REMOVAL OF SUBSECTION F YEAH.
UM, SO DO YOU WANNA TAKE DOWN YOUR AMENDMENT BOARD MEMBER BACK? OH WAIT, IS YOUR AMENDMENT FOR AN AMENDMENT OR IS YOUR AMENDMENT FOR NO, I'VE AMEND THE MOTION.
OKAY, SO YOU ACCEPT HER, YOU ACCEPT HER AMENDMENT AS A YES.
SO CAN YOU READ YOUR, YEAH, I'M GONNA NEED THE NUMBER THOUGH.
SO F YEAH, WELL NO, I NEED MORE THAN FI GET THE 14.
UH, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION OR, SO THE MOTION IS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND CITY CODE RELATING TO THE NAMING OR RENAMING FACIL.
THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S MISSING A WORD.
DIRECTOR MCNEELY RENAMING OF FACILITIES.
I'M JUST GONNA PUT IT IN THERE.
MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND CITY CODE RELATING TO THE NAMING OR RENAMING OF FACILITIES, FEATURES AND PROPERTIES THAT ARE PART OF THE CITY'S PARK SYSTEM WITH THE ELIMINATION OF, UH, SECTION 14 DASH ONE DASH 52 SUBSECTION F FROM THE DRAFT AS POSTED IN BACKUP TO THE PARKS BOARD MEETING DATED NOVEMBER 27TH, 2023.
AND JUST TO CONFIRM, DO YOU ACCEPT THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? YES.
CAN YOU ACTUALLY WRITE IT DOWN AND SEND IT HIM?
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW? OKAY, AT THIS TIME I'LL BE TAKING A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
BOARD MEMBER, UH, DIRECTOR MCNEELY.
UM, WE HAVE 27 MINUTES LEFT BEFORE WE GOTTA, UH, EXTEND TIME.
SO WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO THIS AS BEST AS WE CAN.
UM, THERE'S NOT THAT MANY ITEMS. THIS ONE'S GONNA BE FAST.
[9. Discussion and possible action regarding the creation of a Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget Working Group. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers). ]
NUMBER NINE.POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE CREATION OF FISCAL YEAR, OF A FISCAL YEAR 24, 25.
BUDGET WORKING GROUP, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENTER, UH, SCOTT COBB.
SCOTT, YOUR THREE MINUTES, WE'LL BEGIN WHEN YOU START TALKING.
IN 2022, I SPOKE TO WHAT WAS THEN THE FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE AND THEY WERE THE VERY FIRST ENTITY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO, IT WAS MADE ANOTHER LIFEGUARD TO TAKE THE RESOLUTION IDEA FOR A $22 LIVING WAGE.
AND THEY APPROVED THAT RESOLUTION.
I WENT TO THEM ON MY, ON OUR OWN.
WE DID NOT, WE KNEW WHERE THEY WERE MEETING, WE KNEW HOW TO SIGN UP AND WE SPOKE AND THEY RESPONDED AND DRAFTED A RESOLUTION AS A FIRST ENTITY TO ENDORSE THE $22 LIVING WAGE.
RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT I'M AWARE OF.
IF THERE IS A WORKING GROUP THAT ON THE BUDGET, WHICH MANY PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN, INCLUDING LABOR IN THE PARKS, WE WOULD LIKE VARIOUS THINGS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT MEETING'S GONNA TAKE PLACE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO GO PUT OUR INPUT INTO THAT MEETING.
SOME OF US WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THAT WORKING GROUP.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET ON IT.
SO HAVING A WORKING GROUP LIKE THAT, INSTEAD OF A FINANCE SUBCOMMITTEE, THERE'S NOT THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS.
I DON'T WANT ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO FEEL LIKE MADE TO FEEL LIKE I FELT WHEN I WAS TOLD I COULD PARTICIPATE IN A WORKING GROUP AND THEN WAITING, WAITING, WAITING.
WHEN AM I GONNA GET AN EMAIL AND THEN BE IGNORED? THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO I KNOW CARE ABOUT HOW THE CITY SPENDS ITS MONEY AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE INPUT, BUT A WORKING GROUP IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE PLACE UNLESS YOU INSTITUTE RULES SAYING WHERE THE MEETINGS ARE.
CAN PEOPLE GO TO SHOW UP? CAN THEY TESTIFY? CAN THEY WATCH ONLINE OR THEIR MINUTES? THEN IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
THAT'S THE WAY DEMOCRACY WORKS, I WOULD THINK.
ANY NEED TO MAKE A RULES AS TO WHO GETS APPOINTED TO THE WORKING GROUP AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, I WOULD SAY ANY PARKS MEMBER OR BOARD COULD NOMINATE SOMEONE OR APPOINT SOMEONE TO BE ON THAT BOARD.
THERE WERE THE, THE, UH, BATHHOUSE GROUP HAD FOUR PEOPLE WHO TESTIFIED.
MCNEELY DIRECTOR MCNEELY, THE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM MANAGER, BOTH WORKING FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TWO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
NO OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE INVITED TO PRESENT AND THEY, IF
[03:25:01]
THEY WANTED TO PRESENT, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN THAT IT WAS EVEN THERE.SO THOSE, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO IT, YOU KNOW, DO IT RIGHT, DO IT TO REFLECT THE COMMUNITY'S INTEREST IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
IS THERE ANY OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS, MR. BECK? OKAY.
UM, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, THE CREATION OF A FISCAL, UH, 24, 25 BUDGET WORKING GROUP.
UM, THIS WAS CREATED BECAUSE OF THE, UH, WE DON'T LONGER HAVE A FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET A HEAD START ON STUFF THIS YEAR, UM, AND BE PROACTIVE ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE WANT, WHAT WE'RE GONNA ASK CITY COUNCIL FOR PRIORITIES TO BE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT SETTING IT UP NOW IS SETTING US UP FOR SUCCESS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, SO THAT WE'RE NOT CAUGHT LIKE WE WERE EARLIER THIS YEAR 'CAUSE OF, WE, A LOT OF US JOINED AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS AND BY THE TIME WE TRIED TO DO ANY MOVEMENT ON STUFF, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE.
THAT BEING SAID IS, UH, I'M GONNA ASK THAT.
UH, WE DO CREATE THE FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 20 25 BUDGET WORKING GROUP.
UM, I HAVE HAD, UH, SOME BOARD MEMBERS REACH OUT AND ASK, UH, SUPPORT AND INDICATE INTEREST IN THIS.
SO, UM, IT, SO I'M CREATING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 OR 24 BUDGET WORKING GROUP.
AND I THINK, UH, I, I ASKED VICE CHAIR FLOWERS TO
'CAUSE I THINK SHE SERVED PREVIOUSLY ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO SHE WOULD BE A VERY, UH, WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE FOR US MOVING FORWARD.
UM, I THINK, UM, SHELBY ORIE, UH, UH, WOULD BE GOOD.
AND THEN, UH, NIKKI, UH, NICOLE MERRI, UH, LANE BECKER AND JENNIFER FRANKLIN, UH, WERE THE PEOPLE THAT I HAD, UH, THAT, THAT I TALKED TO AND EXPRESSED THEM INTEREST IN THIS, UH, WORKING GROUP.
UM, ANYONE HAVE ANY? UH, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR THAT AND THEN I WILL OPEN IT UP TO DISCUSSION.
OH, FIRST I GOTTA GET A SECOND, BUT, UH, DID I FORGET ANYBODY? NO, I THINK THAT WAS EVERYONE.
UM, SO I MAKE A MOTION TO CREATE THE WORKING GROUP.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION THERE A SECOND.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
SO WAS IT FEBRUARY WAS THE LAST FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING AND THEN WE VOTED TO DISSOLVE THE FINANCE COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT WAS JUST PUT TOGETHER FOR THE BUDGET FOR 22, 23.
OR HOW LONG DID YOU HAVE A
SO I'VE BEEN ON FINANCE COMMITTEE EVER SINCE I STARTED.
I'VE ONLY BEEN TO TWO MEETINGS BECAUSE THERE WERE NONE OTHER HELD IN THAT ENTIRE TIME.
UH, BETWEEN WHEN I STARTED AND WHEN IT WAS DISSOLVED, WHICH WAS ROUGHLY A YEAR AND A HALF OR SO.
UM, MAINLY BECAUSE IT ONLY MET ABOUT THE BUDGET.
I'M PRETTY SURE MAYBE IT WAS THREE TIMES, BUT TWICE FOR THE LAST BUDGET SEASON.
THERE WAS LIKE ONCE FOR AN INITIAL PRESENTATION AND THEN THERE WAS A SECOND TIME TO DISCUSS WHAT WE WERE GONNA BRING FORWARD TO THE WHOLE BOARD.
UM, BUT YEAH, OTHERWISE IT WAS CANCELED EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW HISTORICALLY BEFORE I WAS PUT ON THE BOARD HOW IT WAS DONE, BUT THAT SEEMED TO BE THE CHAIR AT THE TIME.
WHO WAS PATRICK? HE SEEMED TO, HE HAD BEEN ON IT BEFORE AND HE SEEMED TO INDICATE THAT WAS THE NORMAL PROCEDURE FOR THAT COMMITTEE.
SO I THINK THE, TO SPEAK TO SORT OF THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT, THE DISSOLUTION OF THAT COMMITTEE IS, 'CAUSE IT DIDN'T REALLY FIT A COMMITTEE'S REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS THAT IT NEEDED TO MEET PERPETUALLY EVERY MONTH.
SO IT REALLY WAS MORE OF A WORKING GROUP IN DEFINITION.
SO THAT'S JUST THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.
AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, SINCE THAT HAPPENED RIGHT AS I WAS STARTING, IT WAS PATRICK THAT ACTUALLY PUSHED FOR ITS DISSOLUTION.
AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, TIM OR OR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU TELL US WHEN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, PAR FINANCE COMMITTEE WAS FORMED? DO YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION? I'M SORRY.
I DON'T HAVE, UH, INFORMATION ON WHEN IT WAS FORMED AT HAND.
UH, I DO KNOW THAT IT MET TWICE IN 2023 IN FEBRUARY AND IN MARCH.
AND IF WE FORM A WORKING GROUP, I KNOW THAT OTHER PARKS BOARD MEMBERS THAT MIGHT NOT BE ON THE WORKING GROUP WOULD ALSO HAVE, UH, BUDGET CONCERNS THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY OFFER UP TO THE WORKING GROUP.
I WILL RECOMMEND JUST FOR THE PURPOSES OF HAVING A ROLLING QUORUM, THAT IF THAT HAP IF IF YOU DO WANT TO GET FEEDBACK, IT PROBABLY SHOULD JUST GO TO THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE.
THAT'D PROBABLY BE THE SAFEST THING TO DO.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT WITHOUT HAVING A ROLLING
[03:30:01]
QUORUM.UM, YEAH, I MEAN IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT THE CHAIR DID WITH THE INFORMATION AS TO WHETHER IT WOULD CREATE A WALKING QUORUM,
THAT'S A TOUGH ONE WE'LL GET WITH, WE CAN CHECK.
WE CAN FIGURE OUT, WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
BUT THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT TO WHERE WE'RE NOT DOING IT.
WE, WE JUST THOUGHT WE GOTTA BE CAREFUL ABOUT IF YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, CAN'T YOU EMAIL IT TO TIM AND THEN HE CAN SEND IT TO EVERYBODY? YEAH.
AND I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS, BUT I THINK THE ISSUE WITH THE WALKING QUORUM WOULD BE SAY THERE ARE FIVE OF US ON THAT WORKING GROUP, AND HOLLY COMES TO ME IF I'M SHARING IT, HOLLY COMES TO ME AND SAYS, HERE'S THIS FEEDBACK THAT I HAVE.
IF I THEN PASS IT ON TO THE FIVE OF YOU, IT'S STILL A WALKING QUORUM BECAUSE IT'S A CHAIN, A DAISY CHAIN.
AT LEAST THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE DEFINITION OF LIKE, EVEN IF I'M NOT THE ONE, IF I'M TALKING TO HOLLY AND PEDRO AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE FUNCTIONAL, IT BECOMES A WALKING QUORUM JUST BY TIM'S BLINKING.
LIKE HE DOESN'T BELIEVE ME, BUT THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
LET'S JUST, WE'RE DEVIATING FROM THE CONVERSATION FROM THE MOTION ON THE MOTION ON THE TABLE.
I DON'T KNOW WHO THE CHAIR'S GONNA BE.
YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO BE THE CHAIR.
WE'LL, UH, FIGURE THIS OUT AND IF WE NEED TO RECONFIGURE IT, WE WILL RECONFIGURE IT, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN'T, WE WE WILL NOT HAVE TO.
AND WE WILL FIND A WAY TO RECEIVE THEM, BUT FOR SURE.
SO I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PUBLIC COMMENTARY AROUND TRANSPARENCY AROUND THE BUDGET, WHICH I THINK IS A USEFUL ONE FOR US TO DISCUSS.
I AM WONDERING, I KNOW THAT OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A STRUCTURE FOR, UM, RECORDING AND THEN SHARING OUT, UM, FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR A WORKING GROUP AS WELL? YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.
WELL,
SO THE, THE NORMAL CITY PRACTICE WOULD BE TO ONLY PROVIDE STAFF SUPPORT WHEN THERE IS AN OPEN MEETINGS REQUIREMENT FOR THAT TYPE OF THING, RIGHT? YEAH.
UH, THE CITY USES A UTILITY CALLED BCIC IN ORDER TO PUBLISH YEAH.
UM, FOR A WORKING GROUP THAT KIND OF, TO HAVE SUPPORT THAT SORT OF PUBLIC NOTICE, WE WOULDN'T CREATE LIKE A MEETING FOR A WORKING GROUP.
THEREFORE WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LIKE POST ANYTHING FOR IT.
WHAT ABOUT WHEN WE DID THE ZILKER VISION PLAN MEETINGS TO GET US ALL UP TO SPEED, THOSE WERE DONE VIA WEBEX AND POSTED PUBLICLY.
THAT WAS JUST QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
I I THINK THOSE WERE KIND OF CONSIDERED LIKE A SPECIAL ONE-OFF MEETINGS.
UM, THERE WAS A ZILKER VISION PLAN WORKING GROUP THAT EXISTED AT THAT TIME.
UM, BUT THERE WAS NO AGENDA POSTED FOR THAT TO NO, NO.
WAS JUST POSTED WAS JUST A RECORDING.
UH, STAFF INTENTIONALLY SCHEDULED THOSE MEETINGS WITH INCOMING BOARD MEMBERS AND ENSURED THAT THERE WOULD ONLY BE A FEW BOARD MEMBERS AT EACH MEETING YEP.
IN ORDER TO KIND OF BRING THEM UP TO SPEED ON THAT PROCESS AND ALLOW 'EM TO ASK QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE DID PUBLISH OR WE DID, WE DID RECORD THOSE AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE, BUT IT WAS MOSTLY OUT OF THE KIND OF OVERWHELMING PUBLIC INTEREST IN THAT PROCESS.
I THINK, I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO DO THIS AT OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS.
'CAUSE WE DO HAVE THE A LOTTED TIME TO GIVE UPDATES.
IF I WANTED TO GIVE FEEDBACK TO Y'ALL, I WOULD DO THAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE PLACE.
AND THEN I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO STRUCTURE THE AGENDA TO WHERE YOU CAN POST WHEN YOU'RE MEETING AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO I, THIS IS THE IDEA I HAD BECAUSE I MEAN, THE SPIRIT OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT RIGHT, IS THAT THE PUBLIC IS ABLE TO STAY ENGAGED AND FOLLOW THE THINGS THAT ARE AFFECTING THEM.
RIGHT? SO I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE, WHILE THE WORKING GROUP IS MEETING, WE HAVE THE STANDING AGENDA ITEM FOR AN UPDATE.
WE CAN USE THAT TIME FOR FEEDBACK, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, WHATEVER.
AND I WILL, WE CAN COMMIT TO A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT OUT OF ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE SUBSTANTIVE.
THE THING THAT WOULD BE MISSING IS ANY PRESENTATIONS WE RECEIVED AT THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, BUT I, I MEAN, I THINK IT CAN BE DONE IN A TRANSPARENT WAY WITHOUT TOO MUCH HASSLE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? SO AGAIN, IT'S GONNA BE, UH, SHELBY ORIE, LANE BACKER, CATHERINE FLOWERS, NICOLE MERRIT, AND JENNIFER FRANKLIN.
ANY OTHER, UH, DISCUSSION ITEMS? ALRIGHT.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CREATING THAT GROUP, A WORKING GROUP, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, ALRIGHT, UH, WE GOT 15 MINUTES, UH, STAFF
[10. Staff briefing on Prop B and the conveyance or lease of the parkland property commonly referred to as the Central Maintenance Complex. ]
BRIEFING ON PROP, UH, 10, UH, STAFF BRIEFING ON PROPERTY IN THE COMMANDS OF THE LEASE OF THE PARKLAND PROPERTY, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE CENTRAL MAINTENANCE COMPLEX.IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTORS? NOPE.
THE BACKGROUND OF THE BACKGROUND OF THIS
[03:35:01]
IS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HELD A SPECIAL ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 2ND, 2021.AND IT INCLUDED PROPOSITION B.
PROPOSITION B ASKED THE VOTERS TO CONSIDER IF THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD CONVEY OR LEASE PARKLAND, AND SPECIFICALLY THE PARKLAND PROPERLY PROPERTY COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE CMC OR THE CENTRAL MAINTENANCE COMPOUND IF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE SATISFIED.
SO THE CONDITIONS WERE EXCHANGED FOR A MINIMUM OF 48 ACRES OF WATERFRONT LAND CONTIGUOUS TO THE CITY PARKLAND, THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW MAINTENANCE FACILITY FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ON OTHER CITY OWNED LAND, PARTIAL OR FULL FUNDING FOR THE REMOVAL OF FIESTA GARDENS EXISTING MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND RESTORATION TO THAT PARKLAND.
AND THAT THE REQ THAT THE PROPOSAL HAD TO BE THE REQUIRES THAT THE, IT REQUIRES THAT THE VALUE OF THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED OF THE PROPOSAL TO BE, UH, EQUAL OR GREATER TO THAN THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF THE CMC PROPERTY.
SO THAT VOTE RESULTED IN 73% OF THE VOTERS, UH, TO 27% OF THEM VOTED TO CONVEY, LEASE OR SELL THE LAND THROUGH A PUBLIC BIDDING PROCESS.
A PUBLIC SOLICITATION WAS ISSUED ON NOVEMBER 15TH, 2021, AND IT CLOSED DECEMBER 9TH, 2021.
AND SO I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, THAT PARTICULAR PROPOSAL THAT WILL BE GOING BEFORE COUNSEL FOR CONSIDERATION ON THURSDAY.
SO THE CENTRAL MAINTENANCE COMPOUND IS LOCATED AT 25 25 SOUTH LAKESHORE BOULEVARD.
CURRENTLY IT HAS SOME DETERIORATING WORK CONDITIONS AND IT'S FUNCTIONALLY CHALLENGED IN THAT IT'S HARD TO GET IN AND OUT OF THAT SPACE.
THE BUILDINGS ARE OLD, UM, THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN THAT SPACE THAT ARE HARD FOR US TO REPAIR.
AND SO THE CONDITIONS ARE LESS THAN IDEAL IN THAT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, THERE WAS A RESPONSIVE OFFER THAT WAS RECEIVED AND THAT RESPONSIBLE RESPONSIVE OFFER CAME FROM ORACLE.
AND IT IS SAYING THAT THEY WOULD CONVEY, PLEASE KNOW I HAVE A TYPO HERE.
IT'S 50.02 ACRES OF PARKLAND LOCATED AT 8,400 DELAL LANE.
IT'S A COMMITMENT TO BUILD A MAINTENANCE COMPOUND TO REPLACE THE CENTRAL MAINTENANCE COMPOUND THAT WE JUST SAW AT 20, AT 25 25 LAKESHORE BOULEVARD AND THE FIESTA GARDENS MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
AND FIESTA GARDENS IS ON, UH, ROBERT MARTINEZ, I THINK IT'S ON MAR ROBERT MARTINEZ.
AND IT'S PART OF THE MAINTENANCE.
THERE'S A, A FACILITY THERE CALLED FIESTA GARDENS.
THERE'S A COMMITMENT IN THIS, UH, THIS OFFER FOR $1 MILLION TO RESTORE THE FIESTA GROUNDS AND THE RESPONSIVE OFFER, UH, IS AT A MINIMUM 37.5 MILLION.
AND PLEASE KNOW THAT THIS OFFER IN ITS TOTALITY, SATISFIES, SATISFIES THE VOTER APPROVED PROPOSITION B CRITERIA.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROPERTY.
THIS IS 8,400 DEL WALL LANE, AND PLEASE KNOW THAT, UM, YOU CAN SEE IT'S, IT IS FORMERLY KNOWN AS DRIVEWAY AUSTIN MOTORSPORTS.
SO IT USED TO HAVE CARS THAT WERE RACING ALONG THIS SPACE.
UM, WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL, IT WILL REMOVE THAT, UH, THAT USE THAT, UH, THAT CAR USE.
UM, IT IS RIGHT NEXT TO JOHN TREVINO PARK AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A, UM, A LARGE POND THAT MAKES IT, UM, NEXT TO WATER.
AND SO HERE'S A PICTURE OF IT FROM GOOGLE MAPS THAT OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST ONE WAS A SATELLITE.
HERE'S A PICTURE FROM GOOGLE MAPS THAT KIND OF SHOWS YOU HOW THERE THE CONNECTIVITY TO JOHN TREVINO PARK.
THERE'S A PROPOSED MAINTENANCE FACILITY RENDERING THERE AT THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
AND THIS IS JUST A RENDERING, BUT WHAT IS, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THOSE TWO PICTURES IS THE EXISTING FACILITY, THE ONE AT TOP IS KIND OF SHOWING YOU THE DETERIORATING CONDITIONS AT THE CENTRAL MAINTENANCE COMPOUND.
THE ONE WITH THE, THAT IS AT THE BOTTOM, THAT IS THE AERIAL VIEW OF THE, UH, FIESTA GARDENS.
AND YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE PARKED, ALL OF THE ITEMS, ALL OF THE, UM, CARS THAT ARE PARKED ON PARKLAND.
AND SO WITH THAT MILLION DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE PART OF THIS PROPOSAL, IT WOULD RESTORE THAT PARKLAND SPACE, SOME ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, AND THEN RETURN THAT PARKLAND TO, UM, COMMUNITY USE.
SO PLEASE KNOW THAT ON NOVEMBER 7TH, THE CITY COUNCIL HAD A WORK SESSION WHERE THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WAS, COULD BE DISCUSSED OR WAS DISCUSSED DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IT WAS ALSO PO POSTED FOR THE NOVEMBER 9TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA WHERE IT COULD ALSO HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[03:40:01]
TODAY, OBVIOUSLY NOVEMBER 27TH, I'M PROVIDING YOU A BOARD BRIEFING AND THEN WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON THE 30TH, THIS COMING THURSDAY, IS THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS AND IN INSTRUMENTS NECESSARY TO SATISFY PROPOSITION B.SO THEY'LL CONSIDER THE OFFER IN YOUR BACKUP, YOU'LL FIND THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE THAT HAS BEEN POSTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
WE JUST TOOK THAT EXACT ORDINANCE AND WHAT WE DID IS WE PUT, WE POSTED IT TO YOUR BACKUP SO THAT YOU COULD READ THE ORDINANCE FOR YOURSELF.
I KIND OF OUTLINED IT IN THIS PRO IN THIS PARTICULAR PRESENTATION.
SO THAT IS THE END OF THIS BRIEFING.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, BOARD MEMBERS, JUST A VERY QUICK ONE.
UM, DIRECTOR MCNEELY, UH, AT THE CURRENT CENTRAL MAINTENANCE PROPERTY.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA IF THERE ARE PROTECTED TREES ON THAT PROPERTY? UM, THERE ARE SOME HERITAGE TREES THAT ARE ON THAT PROPERTY AND ANY ORDINANCES RELATED TO HERITAGE TREES WOULD APPLY.
SO THAT THOSE WILL NOT BE REMOVED JUST BECAUSE THE PROPERTY WAS CONVEYED.
THE OR THE ORDINANCE WILL APPLY TO, TO THAT SPACE.
THE EXISTING ORDINANCES, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE, IS THERE A VISION FOR THE FORMER AUSTIN MOTORS, AUSTIN MOTOR SPORTS FOR WHAT Y'ALL GONNA DO IN THAT AREA? UM, THE VISION AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME IS THAT, UH, IT COULD BE USED VERY SIMPLY AND EASILY, UH, UM, IN ITS IMMEDIACY FOR BIKES.
SO YOU ALL MAY BE AWARE OF THE VELO WAY, WHICH IS, UM, WEST ACTUALLY USED FOR BIKE.
UM, THIS, THIS COULD BE A, A CENTRAL SLASH EAST, UH, VELO WAY.
UM, THERE'S OTHER, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PROPERTY FOR OTHER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IT'S IMMEDIATE USES THAT COME TO MIND ARE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE BIKE RACES THAT WOULD TAKE THEM OFF THE ROAD.
AND ALSO JUST REGULAR RECREATIONAL BIKING IN A SAFER LOCATE SAFER THAN BIKING AROUND THE STREETS OF, OF AUSTIN.
ALTHOUGH THE STREETS OF AUSTIN ARE JUST FINE.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO, DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT THEY'RE NOT.
BUT YEAH, FOR THOSE WHO, WHO PREFER THE OFF OFFROAD STUFF.
UM, UH, UH, DO WE WANT TO SKIP AGENDA ITEM NUMBER? I CAN JUST IT OVER 11.
I CAN SEND YOU THE REPORT, UM, BOARD NUMBERS.
WE'LL SKIP AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 11.
[12. Update from South Central Waterfront Advisory Board. (Bazan)]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 12.UPDATE FROM SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, THIS IS FROM 1120 AND UM, WE HAD A CONGRESS AVENUE URBAN DESIGN INITIATIVE BRIEFING AND THEN UPDATES FROM, FROM ACTIVE PROJECTS.
UM, AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE GIST.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR BOARD MEMBER BAAN? OKAY.
[13. Update from Downtown Commission. (Franklin)]
FROM DOWNTIME COMMISSION BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, I'M SO JEALOUS THAT I'M JEALOUS THAT IT BARELY.THIS IS DISTRICT TWO, RIGHT? NO.
BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, NO UPDATE, NO UPDATES.
UH, BOARD MEMBER FROM THE JOINT
[14. Update from Joint Sustainability Committee. (Bazan, Becker)]
SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE? YES, I HAVE THAT UPDATE AS WELL.UM, THE MEETING ON 1115 WAS CANCELED, BUT THE MEETING ON 10 25 WOULD'VE HAPPENED AFTER OUR LAST, UM, BOARD MEETING.
SO IN THAT ONE WE HAD AN AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY ZERO WASTE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE.
AND THEN WE REVIEWED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENTS.
UM, AND THEN UPON DISCUSSION THAT WAS TABLED UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, BOARD MEMBER BECKER, ANYTHING TO ADD? NOPE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR BOARD? BRE? MEMBER BAAN AND I APOLOGIZE.
[15. Update from Zilker Shuttle Working Group. (Hugman, Reed, Becker)]
UPDATE FROM THE ZILKER SHUTTLE WORKING GROUP BOARD MEMBER HOLLY, UH, UH, REED.ON UH, NOVEMBER 17TH, UM, BOARD MEMBER HAGMAN AND I HAD A CALL WITH UM, DIVISION MANAGER, I GUESS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR RICARDO SLI AND TO DISCUSS UM, SHUTTLE OPTIONS IN ZILKER.
AND UH, THE, THE WORKING GROUP IS, IS WORKING ON A RECOMMENDATION FOR A TRANSPORTATION STUDY WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY BRING FORTH IN JANUARY.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR BOARD MEMBER, UH, REED? OKAY.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
AGENDA? WELL, AND BY FUTURE WE MEAN JANUARY.UM, AGENDA ITEMS. SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY AND YOU NEED A MONTH TO THINK ABOUT IT, YOU'VE GOT TIME.
[03:45:01]
AT OUR LAST MEETING I WAS, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE NASH HERNANDEZ BUILDING, BUT I THINK THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION POSSIBLY IN THE WORKS FOR THAT.UM, WELL, WE'LL GET TOGETHER BEFORE JANUARY MEETING TO CONFIRM THAT.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT MEETING DECEMBER.
WE WILL NOT BE, I WILL NOT BE HERE.
ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S THE 20TH, FIFTH.
UM, ANY ALRIGHT, UH, ADJOURNED.
WE'RE BE ADJOURNING THE MEETING AT 9:57 PM THANK YOU.