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[CALL TO ORDER]
FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH FOR THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION'S SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO ORDER AT 2:32 PM UH, LET'S SEE HERE.DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[1. Presentation and training by Alejandra Mireles and Jeremy Garza with the City of Austin’s Equity Office on budget process.]
THE BRIEFING PRESENTATION AND TRAINING, UH, REGARDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S EQUITY OFFICE, UH, FOR THE BUDGET PROCESS.I'M THE COMMUNITY SERVICES, UH, PROGRAM COORDINATOR IN THE EQUITY OFFICE.
SUPPORTS MOSTLY THE 10 QUALITY OF LIFE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT MAKE UP THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE.
AND WITH ME, WE HAVE HOW TO Y'ALL.
I WORK IN THE EQUITY OFFICE WITH ALEJANDRA AS THE BUSINESS PROCESS CONSULTANT FOR THE EQUITY OFFICE.
SO WE'RE EXCITED, UH, TO BE HERE TODAY TO KIND OF GIVE AN OVERVIEW FROM THE EQUITY OFFICE'S PERSPECTIVE ON, UM, COLLECTING FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS PART OF A PROCESS THAT THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE, UH, DOES EVERY YEAR.
IT'S A VERY INFORMAL PRESENTATION, SO YOU WILL FEEL FREE TO PAUSE AT ANY TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS, UM, OR WAIT TILL THE END.
SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT JUST KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE TIMELINE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
'CAUSE WE LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S ALWAYS BUDGET SEASON.
GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON WHO'S IN THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE, THE HISTORY OF HOW WE STARTED TO COLLECT FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITY FOR THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, EXAMPLES OF HOW COMMISSIONERS HAVE DONE THIS IN THE PAST, AND INITIATIVES THAT HAVE WORKED, AND THEN KIND OF COME BACK TO THAT TIMELINE.
SO THIS IS A, A NEW VISUAL THAT WE'VE CREATED THAT KIND OF REFLECTS, UM, HOW IT'S ALWAYS BUDGET SEASON TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
UM, WE KIND OF HAVE IT LISTED OUT HERE, UM, THAT IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE, THE FISCAL YEAR, UM, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN PARTICULAR BEGINS, UM, OCTOBER 1ST.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT'S WHEN WE SHOULD START FOCUSING AND BUILDING, UM, OUR, OUR BUDGET WORK FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR IMMEDIATELY.
UM, SO IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS UPCOMING THIS PAST OCTOBER, STARTING FOR, UH, FY 23 FY 24, UM, IT WAS IN THAT PROCESS THAT WE WERE STARTING TO COLLECT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, REALLY ENGAGING THOSE COMMISSIONS FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET CYCLE.
UM, SO THAT EVERY, UM, AND EVERY MONTH THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA KIND OF COME BACK TO THIS SLIDE AND KIND OF GIVE IT SOME MORE DETAIL IN PARTICULAR, BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW, UM, OUR CERTAIN GUIDELINES, UH, SET FORTH BY THE CITY CLERK.
UM, AS WE KNOW, UM, OFTENTIMES, UM, AND YOUR COMMISSION MAY DO IT DIFFERENTLY, BUT I KNOW FOR THE, ALL OF THE JOINT INCLUSION C COMMITTEES, THOSE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS, UM, THEY OFTEN FORM, UH, BUDGET WORK GROUPS, UM, TO SPECIFICALLY WORK ON THIS, UH, ON BUDGET SEASON AND BUDGET ISSUES.
UM, HOWEVER, THE CITY CLERK SAYS THAT WE CANNOT HAVE A WORK GROUP THAT LASTS A FULL YEAR, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, AND SO THE, OFTENTIMES WE SPLIT UP THE WORK INTO KIND OF TWO SEGMENTS.
WE DO, UH, OCTOBER TO MARCH, SO THINKING ABOUT OCTOBER TO MARCH, BEING THAT TIME PERIOD WHERE YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO COMMUNITY TO TRY TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK.
AND THEN THAT'S ALSO OCTOBER TO MARCH IS THE TIME THAT Q AS A COMMISSIONER ARE ACTUALLY TAKING THE TIME, UM, TO NOT ONLY AUTHOR THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT DO THE WORK THAT'S NECESSARY TO GET THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION, UM, TRYING TO GET HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE, TRYING TO CALL IN EXPERTS IN TERMS OF TRYING TO GET, UH, STAFF PRESENTATIONS FROM DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT MAY IMPACT THE TYPES OF ISSUES THAT YOU WANNA SUBMIT.
BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS ON REALLY FOCUSING THAT TIME, OCTOBER TO MARCH.
UM, GETTING THAT INFORMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT Y'ALL CAN WRITE THE, THE MOST INFORMED BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO GET IT TO THAT, UM, DEADLINE ON MARCH 31ST, WHICH HAS BEEN PUT FORTH BY THE CITY'S BUDGET OFFICE.
AND THEN WE HAVE FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER, KIND OF BEING A DIFFERENT PHASE OF THE BUDGET PROCESSES IN TERMS OF REALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COMMISSIONERS IN TERMS OF THE WAY IN WHICH Y'ALL REPRESENT THE, UH, COMMUNITIES TO REALLY ENGAGE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE APPOINTED YOU.
IF YOU'RE AN AT LARGE MEMBER OR YOU KNOW, REPRESENTATIVE FROM TRAVIS COUNTY, YOU CAN ENGAGE WITH ANY OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THESE ISSUES.
YOU CAN GO TO THE ONES THAT YOU, THE DISTRICT THAT YOU LIVE IN.
BUT WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT WE'RE GETTING THE PROCESS OF TRAINING COMMISSIONERS TO ENGAGE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE APPOINTED WITH THAT YOU, SO THAT YOU CAN TRY TO GET THESE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED AND ADOPTED INTO THE BUDGET.
UM, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT POINT TO PRESS, UM, UH, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE YOU CAN PASS RECOMMENDATIONS ALL YOU WANT.
UM, BUT CITY COUNCIL, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS NOT OBLIGED, UM, TO DO ANYTHING WITH, UM, WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND SO IT'S ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT COMMISSIONERS ARE ABLE TO FORM, UM, WITH LEADERSHIP AND COUNCIL.
UM, THAT REALLY IS THE DETERMINING FACTOR OF WHETHER SOME OF THESE ITEMS ACTUALLY GET CONNECTED TO THE BUDGET OR NOT.
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AND I ALSO SAY THIS POINT IS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT TO TALK WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU POINTED WITH, BUT ALSO TO DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH CITY DEPARTMENT STAFF.UM, I IMAGINE THAT ENGAGING WITH THEM IS PART OF, UH, THE PROCESS OF GETTING THE INFORMATION YOU NEED IN TERMS OF WRITING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT HOW YOU TRACK THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, ESPECIALLY OVER TIME, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR COMMISSIONERS TO DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH CITY STAFF AS WELL AS THEY OFTEN GO THROUGH THEIR OWN BUDGET PROCESS AS A DEPARTMENT.
UM, THAT'S KIND OF INTEGRATED WITH THE CITY'S OVERALL BUDGET PROCESS.
AND SO REALLY THINKING, UM, ABOUT THAT PROCESS FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER, UM, REALLY ENGAGING ALL OF THOSE FOLKS UNTIL THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL PASSES, UH, THE ACTUAL, UM, BUDGET IN JULY, AUGUST.
NOW, UM, THIS IS A TIMELINE THAT HAS BEEN KIND OF AMENDED FROM ONE THAT THE BUDGET OFFICE MAKES.
UH, SO JUST KIND OF GIVING YOU AN OVERVIEW AGAIN, UH, IT IS THE SAME AS, UM, THE PREVIOUS ONE, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, SO LOOKING AT, UH, THE PRE THE TIMELINE ON THE LEFT, IT'S LET'S SAY, UH, SEPTEMBER, UM, OCTOBER IS THE START OF THE ONE YEAR, RIGHT? SO NOW WE HAVE ALL THE WAY THROUGH MARCH, 2024, WHERE COMMUNITY CAN TOUCH BASE WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSION, AND COMMISSIONERS CAN TOUCH BASE WITH COMMUNITY AND DIFFERENT NETWORKS TO KIND OF, UH, PRIORITIZE AND IDENTIFY THE NEEDS.
AND LIKE JEREMY MENTIONED, UM, ENGAGING WITH DEPARTMENTS THROUGH PRESENTATIONS TO GET THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION YOU NEED TO IDENTIFY AND REACH THOSE PRIORITIES AND NEEDS.
BECAUSE THE TRACKING OVER TIME, AS WE KNOW, IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT, AND IT TAKES A WHILE.
IT GOES THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
SO DOES, IS THAT DEPARTMENT ALREADY FOLLOWING UP ON THAT PRIORITY OR NEED? AND WHAT IS ANOTHER WAY TO REACH THAT? SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING, UM, BETWEEN OCTOBER AND MARCH, AND THEN WE, IT KIND OF HANDS OVER TO CITY COUNCIL AND DEPARTMENTS ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT THEIR OWN BUDGETS AND THEY'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AND GOING BACK, YOU KNOW, BACK AND FORTH.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, JULY, UH, AND AUGUST, SEPTEMBER AGAIN ENDING WHERE WE GET THE PUBLIC INPUT, UM, AT CITY COUNCIL AND THEN WITH THE, THE FINAL VOTE ON IT.
SO WHAT'S THE, IT SOUNDS LIKE COMMUNITY INPUT FOR JULY IS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OCTOBER TO DECEMBER.
SO WHERE'S THE INCORPORATION OF THE COMMUNITY? 'CAUSE JUST THINKING, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE WE HAD WINTER STORM, WE HAD MM-HMM,
UH, WHERE IS THIS KIND OF GOING BACK FOR US EVEN AS COMMISSIONERS IN A, IN A, IN A, IN A COMMISSION GOING BACK AND SAYING, EVEN THOUGH WE SUBMITTED THESE PRIORITIES BACK IN MARCH, THOSE TWO OUT OF FIVE NEED TO COME OFF AND HERE'S A NEW TWO BASED UPON SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OR FEEDBACK, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE YEAR.
SO COMMISSIONER WALLACE, YOUR QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN, UM, KIND OF THE FALL VERSUS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SUMMER? UM, THE MAIN DIFFERENCE WOULD BE THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE SUMMER IS USUALLY THROUGH PUBLIC INPUT.
IT'S A THREE MINUTE PRESENTATION.
THERE'S NO REAL CONVERSATION VERSUS WHAT COMMISSIONERS CAN DO IN THE FALL IN KIND OF TOWN HALL SESSIONS IS HAVE A CONVERSATION, GET TO THAT NITTY GRITTY AS, FOR EXAMPLE, A WINTER STORM, WHAT WAS THE ISSUE? WAS IT EMERGENCY ACCESS? WAS IT YOUR ELECTRICITY? UM, CAN GO ON AND ON.
HAVING THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH CITY COUNCIL AFTER YOU WRITE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN APRIL KIND OF CONTINUES THAT CONVERSATION LEADING UP TO WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SUMMER.
SO IF YOU FOLLOW UP ON A RECOMMENDATION ON SOMETHING ON THE WINTER STORM, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CITY COUNCIL ISN'T SURPRISED BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY KIND OF GIVEN THEM A HEADS UP THAT YOU HEARD IN THE TOWN HALL THAT THIS WAS A CONCERN AND THIS NEEDS TO BE EVEN ELEVATED MORE.
THEY BETTER PASS THAT ONE
AND IF I COULD ADD ONTO IT, WE JUST HAVE TO BE REALLY MINDFUL OF, UH, THE CITY OF BOSTON'S FORM OF GOVERNMENT, KNOWING THAT IT'S THE CITY MANAGER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO DEVELOP THE BUDGET EVERY SEASON, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE THE DEADLINE FOR MARCH 31ST, BECAUSE THAT GIVES BOTH CITY DEPARTMENTS THE TIME TO RECEIVE THOSE, UM, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND SEE IF THEY CAN, IF THEY AGREE WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS OR NOT.
AND ALSO GIVES THE TIME FOR LEADERSHIP IN BOTH THE BUDGET OFFICE AND THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TO ALSO CONSIDER THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND TRY TO GET THEM ADOPTED INTO THE CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET.
THE CITY MANAGER RELEASES HIS BUDGET IN JULY EVERY YEAR.
AND AFTER THAT CITY, UM, UH, MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET IS RELEASED, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IS THAT VERY LITTLE CHANGES TO THAT BUDGET AFTER THE CITY MANAGER RELEASES IT.
IF ANYTHING CHANGE DOES HAPPEN, IT'S ON THE DIOCESE AT CITY COUNCIL.
UM, MEANING THAT THERE'S GONNA BE SOME POLITICAL PRIORITIES IN ORDER TO MOVE CITY COUNCIL AS A BODY IN ORDER TO ADOPT AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY MANAGER'S
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PROPOSED BUDGET.AND SO ALL OF THE PUBLIC INPUT THAT HAPPENS IN JULY, IT'S REALLY JUST FOR CITY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KIND OF ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND I'VE BEEN TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE CITY COUNCIL, UH, COMMUNITY EVENTS IN JULY, AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, THEY ALWAYS SAY, GO TO YOUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, GO TO YOUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE A MORE PROPER PROCESS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGETARY PROCESS.
VERSUS IN JULY, WE'RE AT THE END OF THE BUDGETARY PROCESS AND NOTHING CAN REALLY MOVE UNLESS THERE'S, THERE'S A MAJORITY VOTE ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
NO, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR, YOUR ADDED COMMENTS TO IT.
SO I WOULD SAY, IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE FROM OUR END, IT'S REALLY MORE OF A MARCH TO MARCH THAN A OCTOBER TO OCTOBER, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S PRETTY MUCH WHATEVER WE SEND IN IN MARCH IS LOCKED IN.
SO WE NEED TO BE SPENDING PAST JUNE AND JUNE TO THE END OF THE YEAR REALLY ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE WHATEVER PRIORITIES OR RECOMMENDATIONS WE WANNA SUBMIT ARE PRETTY MUCH 95% LOCKED IN FOR MARCH, BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NOT GONNA BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A SHIFT OR A CHANGE, EVEN IF THERE IS SOMETHING CALAMITOUS THAT DOES OCCUR.
AND IT DOESN'T, AND IT DOESN'T SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO SUBMIT A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION AFTER THAT MARCH DEADLINE, BUT IT'S ABOUT BEING INCLUDED IN THE PROCESS WHERE DEPARTMENTS RECEIVE IT, WHERE THE CITY MANAGER RECEIVES IT, IF YOU PASS A RECOMMENDATION AFTERWARDS, YOU TOTALLY CAN AND IT WILL GO TO CITY COUNCIL AND THERE WILL BE CONSIDERATION.
BUT IF YOU'RE WANTING TO BE REALLY EMBEDDED INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS BEFORE THAT POINT, IT'S, THAT'S WHERE THE MARCH 31ST DEADLINE COMES IN.
WHAT IS THE FISCAL YEAR OF THE CITY, AUSTIN? ABSOLUTELY.
IT RUNS FROM OCTOBER TO SEPTEMBER.
SO THE BEGINNING OF FISCAL YEAR, OCTOBER.
WHAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED, UM, COLLABORATING, HAVING BUDGET TOWN HALLS WITH ALWAYS WELCOME TO JOIN THE, THE NEXT ROUND, UM, CONSISTS OF THESE 10, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
WE WON'T GO AHEAD AND READ THEM ALL TOO.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS? DO WE NEED TO SUBMIT SOMETHING TO BE ADDED TO THIS SINCE WE'RE A NEW COMMISSION? IT WAS DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING OKAY.
AND I THINK THAT WAS THE VOTE CORRECT.
SO, SO IT WAS A VOTE THAT WENT FORTH LAST.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, DOES IT TAKE AN ACTIVE CITY COUNCIL IN ORDER TO ADD PEOPLE TO THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE? AND THESE ARE EXAMPLES, UH, OTHER EXAMPLES OF OTHER COMMISSIONS.
UH, I GUESS FOR UM, SAKE OF ORDER, SINCE WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY A PART OF THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE, THEN I GUESS WHAT WOULD BE THE PROPER PROCESS FOR US TO PROVIDE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOPEFUL INCLUSION? IT'S THE SAME PROCESS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE PART OF THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE TO SUBMIT BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS OR TO SUBMIT THEM BEFORE THE CITY MANAGER'S DEADLINE ON THE 31ST.
UM, WE KIND OF TALK ABOUT THIS HISTORY, UM, WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS, JUST BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE PROCESS GOT STARTED.
AND WE'RE GONNA GET INTO THAT HISTORY SLIDE HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
YEAH, YEAH, I'LL GO JUST JUMP INTO IT.
SO, UM, JUST FOR FOLKS TO KNOW, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S EQUITY OFFICE WAS, UH, FOUNDED IN 2016.
UH, AND IT WASN'T OUT OF THE BENEVOLENCE OF ANYBODY'S HEART AND LEADERSHIP FOR OUR CREATION.
IT'S NOT LIKE THE CITY MANAGER OR CITY COUNCIL WOKE UP ONE DAY AND SAID THEY, WE NEED MORE EQUITY IN THE CITY.
LET'S CREATE AN EQUITY OFFICE.
IT WAS VERY MUCH GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, UH, ON THE GROUND THAT REALLY WAS PUSHING, UM, FOR THE CREATION OF, THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY WANT, UH, AN EQUITY OFFICE.
THEY WANTED AN ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR CHECKS AND BALANCES.
AND THE CATALYST FOR THIS WAS IN 2016, THE CITY WAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS THE MOST LIVABLE CITY IN THE COUNTRY, WHILE ALSO ANOTHER REPORT WAS RELEASED THAT WAS THE MOST ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
AND IT CONTINUES TO BE THE TOP THREE ECONOMICALLY SEGREGATED IN THE UNITED STATES TO THIS DAY.
AND SO IT WAS CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS ALSO IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, BUT NOT FOR ALL PEOPLE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S HOW THE EQUITY OFFICE WAS FORMED BY AND LARGE, WAS BECAUSE OF THAT MOVEMENT IN THAT ADVOCACY.
AND MOVING INTO 2016, THAT WAS WHEN WE WERE FOUNDED.
AND IN 2017, THAT'S WHEN WE WERE ASKED BY CITY COUNCIL, UH, TO GET INVOLVED WITH CITIES, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, SPECIFICALLY THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS.
AND SPECIFICALLY WITH THE BUDGET PROCESS, THERE WAS A BUDGET RIDER THAT GOT ADDED, UH, IN THE 20 17 20 18 FISCAL YEAR THAT CHARGED THE EQUITY OFFICE WITH TRYING TO CREATE A PROCESS AROUND THE BUDGET PRO, UM, BUDGET IN PARTICULAR, SO THAT COMMISSIONS COULD BE MORE INCLUDED.
UM, PRIOR TO THAT TIME, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS, UM, THERE WAS A CAP FOR HOW MUCH MONEY THAT THEY COULD RECOMMEND.
I BELIEVE IT WAS LIKE $300,000 THAT COLLECTIVELY THE RECOMMENDATIONS COULDN'T BE MORE THAN THAT, WHICH CREATED A LOT OF INFIGHTING WITH ALL OF THESE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS, YOU KNOW, AFRICAN AMERICANS COMMISSION SAYING, WE'RE THE SHRINKING POPULATION, WE NEED MORE RESOURCES.
HISPANIC, LATINO, WE'RE THE LARGEST IN MINORITY GROUP IN AUSTIN, AND WE NEED THE RESOURCES.
ASIAN AMERICANS SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE FASTEST GROWING, UH, COMMUNITY, WE NEED THOSE RESOURCES.
AND SO AN EQUITY OFFICE WAS FOUNDED AND WE WERE CHARGED BY CITY COUNCIL TO BE INVOLVED WITH COMMISSIONS.
UM, THAT ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE
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DID WAS GET RID OF THAT $300,000 CAP SO THAT THESE COMMISSIONS COULD RECOMMEND WHEN ANY TYPE OF BUDGET RECOMMENDATION THEY'D LIKE.AND THEN THE EQUITY OFFICE IN COLLABORATION WITH CITY COUNCIL FORMED THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS ABOUT TRYING TO GET THESE COMMISSIONS TO WORK TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY AND IN COALITION WITH ONE ANOTHER RATHER THAN FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER OVER THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT EXIST WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, SO THAT WAS KIND OF PART OF THE PROCESS OF US GETTING TOGETHER AROUND THE BUDGET, WAS BUILDING THIS JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE, BUT THEN ALSO BUILDING A PROCESS AROUND THE BUDGET, UM, WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE.
'CAUSE PRIOR TO THIS TIME, BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD COME IN, BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE CONSIDERED BY CITY COUN, UM, BY THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IN PARTICULAR, OR EVEN BY ANY OF THE CITY'S DEPARTMENTS UNTIL THE VERY END OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO AGAIN, IT WASN'T UNTIL THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET, UH, BUDGET WAS RELEASED, WHERE THEN CITY MANAGER, CITY COUNCIL FOLKS, UH, AND DEPARTMENT STAFF LOOKING AT WHAT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, WERE LOOKING, UM, WERE RECOMMENDING.
AND AS I'VE, YOU KNOW, SAID EARLIER, YOU KNOW, AT THAT POINT IN THE CALENDAR YEAR, VERY LITTLE CHANGES TO THAT BUDGET, UM, PROPOSED BUDGET FROM THE CITY MANAGER.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE REALLY PUT IT THIS PROCESS AT THE VERY BEGINNING.
AND SO OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE WORKED THROUGH THE BUDGET OFFICE ABOUT CREATING A DEADLINE FOR COMMISSIONS TO SUBMIT BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS BY THAT MARCH 31ST.
SO WE KIND OF CREATED THIS WHOLE PROCESS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE SAYING, WHAT IS THE DEADLINE THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO BE FULLY CONSIDERED? AND THAT WAS THE MARCH 31ST DEADLINE.
THEN THEY CREATED A PROCESS WHERE THE BUDGET OFFICE WOULD RECEIVE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN DISSEMINATE THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE CITY DEPARTMENTS IN WHICH THEY ARE APPLICABLE FOR, FOR THOSE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
AND THOSE LEADERSHIPS CONSIDER THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THEN THEY WOULD SEND A REPORT BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE SAYING, YES, WE LIKE THIS RECOMMENDATION, OR NO, WE DON'T, IT DOESN'T FIT IN WITH OUR MISSION.
OR, UM, UM, WHATEVER WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IN THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT.
UM, AND SO, UM, THAT'S HOW THOSE DEADLINES GOT ESTABLISHED.
UM, UH, WHEN THE CITY MANAGER RELEASES THEIR, UM, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET IN JULY.
UM, AND THEN WHEN THE CITY MANAGER, WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS THAT BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, THEN WE HOST ANOTHER SEGMENT OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
WE HOSTED A BUDGET WORKSHOP, UM, FOR BOYS AND COMMISSIONS, SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, THE QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSIONS AND THOSE WITHIN THE JIC.
BUT WE HAVE RECENTLY OPENED THE, UH, THIS BUDGET WORKSHOP UP, UH, TO OTHERS COMMISSIONS AS WELL IN RECENT YEARS.
IT USUALLY HAPPENS IN SEPTEMBER.
SO I'LL, UH, USUALLY A WEEKEND DATE WHERE WE INVITE THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT THAT HAD RECEIVED A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FROM COMMISSIONS, UM, THOSE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND THEIR STAFF WERE AVAILABLE.
UM, AT THIS, UM, AT THIS WORKSHOP, BUDGET WORKSHOP AS WELL AS SELECT COMMISSIONERS, WE HAD TO BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO, YOU KNOW, UH, BREAK WALKING QUORUM AT THIS WORKSHOP.
SO USUALLY THEY ONLY SEND WORK GROUP, UH, BUDGET WORK GROUP MEMBERS, BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR COMMISSIONERS TO ENGAGE WITH DEPARTMENT LEADERSHIP TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION WE JUST PASSED.
YOU KNOW, IS IT GONNA GET IT, UH, WAS IT ADOPTED INTO THE BUDGET OR WAS IT NOT, SINCE WE JUST GOT AN ADOPTED CITY BUDGET, AND IF IT WAS ADOPTED, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TO TRACK THAT BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO SEE HOW SUCCESSFUL THAT INITIATIVE WAS OR WAS NOT? AND THEN IF A RECOMMENDATION WAS NOT, UM, INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, YOUR, THOSE COMMISSIONERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THAT CITY STAFF.
HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION BETTER SO THAT IT HAS MORE LIKELIHOOD TO BE ADOPTED IN THE FUTURE? AND WE TRY TO HOST THIS, UH, WORKSHOP SEPTEMBER OCTOBER EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
AGAIN, THAT'S RIGHT AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS THAT FINAL BUDGET.
SO WE KNOW WHAT WAS INCLUDED, WHAT WAS NOT, WHAT, HOW CAN WE TRACK OVER TIME, AND THEN FOR THINGS THAT WERE NOT INCLUDED, HOW CAN WE MAKE THE SUBSTANCE OF THAT RECOMMENDATION BETTER SO THAT IT HAS A BETTER CHANCE IN THE FUTURE? UM, IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVEN'T, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE, AND AGAIN, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT THE EQUITY OFFICE DOES TO TRY TO CRAFT THIS PROCESS.
BUT REALLY THE MOST POWER REALLY COMES FROM Y ALL AS COMMISSIONERS TO ASK WHAT'S, WHAT'S WORKING FOR Y'ALL AND WHAT IS NOT WORKING FOR Y'ALL? AND THAT IT'S BEEN THE POWER OF COMMISSIONERS SAYING, YES, WE WANT THIS PROCESS TO CONTINUE, OR, YES, YES, WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL, UM, SUPPORT IN CERTAIN AREAS.
AND SOMETHING THAT HAS COME UP IN THIS PAST BUDGET CYCLE IS THAT SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS FROM THE JIC REALLY WANNA PROCESS OF TRACKING, UM, BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS OVER TIME.
SO WE'RE SEEING HOW SUCCESSFUL OR WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GETTING ADOPTED AT THE END OF THE DAY.
WE DON'T HAVE THAT DATA, UH, OVER TIME AT THE CURRENT MOMENT.
UM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COMMISSIONERS CONTINUE TO ASK FOR.
IT CAN BE FOR PRIORITIZED IN THE BUDGET OFFICE SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF SEE OVER THE YEARS WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GETTING ACT, UH, INCLUDED AND WHAT ARE NOT, AND WHAT IS THE SUCCESS RATE, UH, OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS OVER TIME.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT HISTORY AND HOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH IT FOR THESE PAST FEW YEARS.
AND I ALSO WANT TO REITERATE THAT THIS PROCESS ISN'T PERMANENT.
UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THAT IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE PRECARIOUS.
AND AS, AND THAT'S WHY I SAY THAT BECAUSE COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO ASK FOR THIS PROCESS TO CONTINUE.
COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO ASK FOR STAFF SUPPORT, COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO ASK FOR, TO BE INCLUDED.
I I THINK EVEN THE GENESIS OF THIS SPECIAL CALL MEETING, UM, WAS BECAUSE THERE WERE STAFF WAS SAYING, OH, THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE WANNA DO BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THIS COMMISSION IS NEW.
IT HASN'T BEEN INCLUDED, BUT Y'ALL DID ADD ANY OTHER
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WAY TO ASK FOR THOSE RESOURCES.AND WE REALLY NEED COMMISSIONERS TO CONTINUE TO ASK FOR THOSE RESOURCES FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO SURVIVE INTO THE FUTURE.
SO THIS COMING SEPTEMBER, WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE FISCAL YEAR 25 THAT HAD BEEN ALREADY ACCEPTED AND ALREADY PLANNING FOR 26, IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR COMMISSIONERS.
SO SOME EXAMPLES, BECAUSE IT ALWAYS STARTS OFF WITH, WELL, WHAT DOES A COMMUNITY NEED? WHAT IS A PROGRAM? WHAT SERVICE? AND THIS IS PART OF HOW STAFF CAN SUPPORT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S CONNECTING WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S ALREADY IN THAT DEPARTMENT BUDGET, WHAT ARE THEY ALREADY DOING TO ADDRESS THAT NA PROGRAM.
UM, AND KIND OF FOLLOWING UP AFTERWARDS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL THAT APPOINTED YOU, OR WITH ANY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER SAYING, HEY, WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR COMMUNITY, WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR NEIGHBORS, WE NEED OUR SIDE SIDEWALKS, YOU KNOW, REPAVED ON THIS SIDE OF TOWN AND NOT COMPLETELY REDONE WHERE THERE'S ALREADY SIDEWALKS ON THIS SIDE OF TOWN, AND I'VE SPOKEN TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND THIS IS HOW THEY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, BUDGET THEIR FINANCES IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
SO IT'S THIS CROSS COLLABORATION OF COMMUNICATION.
AND THEN AGAIN, AFTER BUDGET RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN WRITTEN FOLLOWING UP.
NOW, UM, I KNOW THAT JEREMY MENTIONED THAT USUALLY IT'S A BUDGET WORK GROUP ON A COMMISSION, BUT REALLY IF YOU HAVE A HOUSING WORK GROUP, A HOUSING WORK GROUP CAN ALSO WRITE A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT JUST LIMITED TO A BUDGET, UH, WORK GROUP.
AND THEN HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES IN THE PAST, UM, THAT HAVE, UH, GONE THROUGH.
AND THE BOTTOM ONE IS ONE THAT WE'VE HEARD, UM, COMMISSIONERS HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THIS, UH, LEADING UP TO THIS NEXT CYCLE IS REQUEST FOR A NEW OR UPDATED CULTURAL COMMUNITY CENTER FOR GUS GARCIA SENIOR CENTER.
UM, SO THIS IS, UM, THE POWER OF THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE IS THAT, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WENT TO THE COMMISSION ON AGING, UM, WENT TO THE HISPANIC LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, WENT TO THE, THE BUDGET TOWN HALLS OF THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE HEARD.
SO AS THEY'RE WRITING BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, EACH CAN AUTHOR ONE, AND THEN IT'S THE GROUP AS WELL.
RIGHT? SO THEN LEADING UP TO IT, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING UP WITH THE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THEY HAD PRESENTATIONS, UM, COME IN, UM, AND REACHED OUT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, LETTING THEM KNOW THIS IS COMING UP THE PIPELINE.
COMMISSIONER RICE, YOU HIGHLIGHTED A COUPLE OF TIMES THE COMMUNICATING WITH THE COUNCIL PERSON WHO APPOINTED US.
BUT IN THIS GROUP WE WERE POUNDED, I THINK BY APPOINTED BY ACCLAMATION KIND OF.
AND, AND, AND SO WE DON'T HAVE A A, A COUNCIL MEMBER.
HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT OR HOW, WHO'S, WHO'S A GOOD TOUCH POINT FOR US? ALL OF THEM.
AND I THINK THEY WOULD ALL, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE IT, RIGHT? IT'S, THIS IS ALL HANDS ON DECK ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF BEING THE POWER OF BEING A COMMISSIONER AND WHY YOU HAVE TO ELEVATE THE COMMUNITY AND WHY THE DEPENDENCE OF TALKING TO DEPARTMENTS, WHAT IS GOING ON.
AND CITY COUNCIL DEPENDS ON YOU ALL TO WHAT SHOULD BE THE PRIORITY.
SO WHEN THE, UH, THE CITY MANAGER'S BUDGET GETS PRESENTED, THEY ARE ALSO INFORMED OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I ASSUME THAT, DO THE COMMISSIONS IN GENERAL ALWAYS SPEAK THROUGH THEIR CHAIRPERSON? BECAUSE YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THERE MIGHT BE NINE MEMBERS ON OUR COMMISSION, FOR INSTANCE AND WHATNOT, AND I JUST WONDERED HOW YOU THINK ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION AMONGST A COMMISSION.
I THINK YOU COMMUNICATE AS LONG TO EACH OTHER AS LONG AS WE'RE NOT, UM, VIOLATING QUORUM, RIGHT? COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR CHAIRS AND CO-CHAIR, ALWAYS LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING.
BUT, UM, I THINK EV THE MORE COMMUNICATION, THE BETTER.
I'M AN OVER COMMUNICATOR, UM, AT HEART.
SO GOING BACK TO THE TIMELINE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, UM, WE'RE YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO WRITE SOME BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS?
OTHER THAN THAT, THEN YOU'RE LIMITED TO, I BELIEVE THREE PER PER QUARTER.
UM, SO YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO AUTHOR A RECOMMENDATION BEFORE MARCH 31ST AND THEN FOLLOW UP ON A PRIORITY OR TWO WITH CITY COUNCIL, UM, LEADING UP.
I WAS WONDERING, DOES A RECOMMENDATION FROM A COMMISSION NEED A MAJORITY VOTE TO SORT OF SAY THIS IS THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COMMISSION? IT WOULD NEED TO BE, IT WOULD NEED TO HAVE AN AGENDA.
IT WOULD NEED TO HAVE QUORUM TO PASS.
SO A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT THE, THE PROCESS IS THAT, UM, Y'ALL CAN HOST TO TOWN HALL ON Y'ALL'S OWN, IF YOU'D LIKE.
[00:25:01]
THAT, DURING ANY POINT, UH, IN STAGE OF THE YEAR, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT COMES UP OR THERE'S A, A NEED TO WANT TO ENGAGE OR ASSESS COMMUNITY, UH, AROUND CERTAIN ISSUES, Y'ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO HOST A A TOWN HALL, UH, AROUND THE BUDGET IN PARTICULAR.UM, Y'ALL ALSO ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO JOIN ONTO THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEES TOWN HALLS THAT TRADITIONALLY HAPPEN EVERY, UM, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER OF EVERY YEAR.
UM, ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT IF Y'ALL HAVE A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, AFFECTS A, A WIDE DIVERSITY OF COMMUNITIES HERE IN AUSTIN, YOU CAN ALSO SUBMIT THE, THAT BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO OTHER COMMISSIONS TO, FOR ENDORSEMENT AND SPONSORSHIP.
THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE DOES.
UM, THEY REALLY WANT TO ELEVATE A SELECT NUMBER, UH, UM, OF BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS THAT KIND OF AFFECT ALL OF THOSE UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN ORDER TO SAY TO CITY COUNCIL, WE HAVE THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION THAT AFFECTS ALL OF THESE COMMUNITIES, AND THEREFORE WE'RE GOING TO PASS THIS AS OUR OWN RECOMMENDATION IN ORDER TO REALLY REUP, SUPPOSE AND RE REAFFIRM THE SUPPORT FOR THE STATEMENT WITHIN THAT RECOMMENDATION.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN, UH, A RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU FEEL LIKE CAN BE ELEVATED TO THAT LEVEL, YOU CAN SUBMIT IT TO OTHER COMMISSIONS, UM, FOR ENDORSEMENT, UM, OR FOR THEM TO PASS IT AS THEIR OWN RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO CITY COUNCILORS RECEIVING THESE, UM, MULTIPLE TIMES, SO YOU CAN SEE THE EFFECT THAT IT HAS FOR MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES.
DOES A RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD BE APPROVED BY A COMMISSION, IS THERE A STANDARDIZED FORM THAT LISTS WHAT IT IS AND WHY YOU WANNA DO IT? AND THE EVIDENCE FORWARD? I MEAN, HOW FORMAL IS THAT RECOMMENDATION THAT'S VOTED ON THAT'S SUBMITTED OR WHATEVER FROM THE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DIRECTED BY THE BUDGET OFFICE IS THAT IT CAN REALLY BE IN WHATEVER FORM THAT THE COMMISSION, UM, DEEMS IT TO BE.
I MEAN, THERE'S TRADITIONAL, WHEREAS, WHEREAS, WHEREAS, WHEREAS, AND THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, A LOT OF COMMISSIONS PASSED BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS IN THAT FORMAT.
BUT YOU CAN ALSO HAVE IT PASSED IN A LETTER FORMAT TO CITY COUNCIL ON A SPECIFIC ISSUE, AND THEN IN A LETTER IN PARAGRAPH FORMAT SAYING THAT THESE ARE THE ISSUES AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING AT THE VERY END.
AND THEN SUBMIT THAT AS A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN GUIDELINES THAT THE, UH, STAFF LIAISON OR THE CHAIR HAS TO FOLLOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SIGNATURES AT THE BOTTOM IN TERMS BY THE CHAIR OR THE STAFF LIAISON.
AND THEN ALL OF THE VOTING METRICS IN TERMS OF WHICH COMMISSIONER VOTED YES, WHICH COMMISSIONER VOTED NO, WHICH COMMISSIONERS VOTED IN AB ABSENTIA.
UM, BUT BEYOND THAT, THERE IS A LAW WHY LATITUDE FOR Y'ALL TO FORM THESE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS IN TERMS OF FORMAT TO HOW YOU SEE IS MOST EFFECTIVE.
THESE WERE JUST THE DATES FROM THESE, THIS LAST BUDGET, UH, TOWN HALL SEASON.
AND THEN IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN FOR YOUR OWN RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU ARE WELCOME TO LOOK AT THE COLLECTIVE NOTES, UM, FROM THOSE SESSIONS TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE TO START OFF FOR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS OR TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR NETWORKS AND YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SEE IF THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT THEY HAVE ALSO SEEN.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE ANOTHER COMMISSION TO ENDORSE, YOU WOULD JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WOULD BE PLACED ON THEIR AGENDA.
SO REACHING OUT, UM, TO THEIR STAFF LIAISON SO THAT THEY CAN VOTE ON IT.
UM, IT WOULD REQUIRE A VOTE FOR THEM AS WELL.
AND IF I COULD JUST ADD A COUPLE KIND OF COMMENTS AND CONCLUSION IS THAT I FIND THAT THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMMISSIONS, UM, ARE THOSE WITH COMMISSIONERS WHO ASK QUESTIONS, UM, WHO ARE REALLY TRYING TO, UH, ASK FOR CERTAIN STAFF BRIEFINGS, UM, FROM DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT STAFF TO REALLY KIND OF GET TO THE DETAILS OF A SPECIFIC ISSUE SO THAT Y'ALL CAN BE BETTER INFORMED ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT Y'ALL ARE ASKING.
UM, AND I THINK TOO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SHARE THE LOAD OF WORK AND THE RESPONSIBILITY, UM, OF, OF WRITING BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, HAVING SUPPORTED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS ON THIS PROCESS, I HAVE SEEN A PATTERN WHERE MAYBE IT'S JUST ONE OR TWO COMMISSIONERS, UM, OFTENTIMES THE CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR, UM, WHO ARE END UP WRITING ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, UH, FOR THAT SPECIFIC COMMISSION.
UM, AND WHILE THAT CAN BE OKAY, IT CAN ALSO LEAD TO BURNOUT.
AND THEN WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE DEVELOPING THE LEADERSHIP, UM, ESPECIALLY OF NEW COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE JOINED ON, I ALWAYS RECOMMEND, UM, NEW COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN A BUDGET TO JOIN THE BUDGET WORK GROUP BECAUSE YOU GET TO LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT HOW THE CITY FUNCTIONS, ABOUT THE WIDESPREAD OF ITS BUREAUCRACY, UH, AND TO REALLY KNOW SOME OF THOSE INNER WORKINGS SO THAT YOU CAN BE BETTER INFORMED SO THAT YOU CAN DO YOUR JOBS AS COMMISSIONERS MORE EFFECTIVELY.
UM, SO JUST IN TERMS OF, IF FOLKS ARE SAYING, OH, I'M NEW TO THE COMMISSION.
I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD DO THIS, I'M JUST LIKE, ACTUALLY, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW FOLKS.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING AT ALL, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO START TO LEARN, UM, ABOUT HOW THE CITY PROCESS WORKS.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SOME OF THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE THAT YOU HAVE AS A COMMISSIONER IS BEING ABLE TO PASS THESE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOW THE LIMITED RESOURCES THAT THE CITY HAS, HOW IT'S ALLOCATED, UM, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT, UM, ASPECT OF THE WORK AND OUR WORK IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT Y'ALL'S VOICES ARE HEARD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS INSTEAD OF THE END OF THE PROCESS.
AND THAT THERE'S CHECKS TOO IN THE MIDDLE WAY TO SEE, OKAY, WHAT WAS INCLUDED, WHAT WAS NOT.
AND SO THAT YOU'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO, UM, IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND CITY STAFF, YOU AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS,
[00:30:01]
UM, AND, AND PUSHING FORWARD THE THE IDEAS THAT YOU THINK WILL UPLIFT THE COMMUNITIES YOU REPRESENT.AND ONE LAST THING I WOULD SAY IS THIS IS KIND OF STILL A RELATIVELY NEW PROCESS, WHICH IS WHY COMMISSIONERS HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES THIS YEAR SAYING WE REALLY NEED A TRACKING MECHANISM, UM, TO SEE WHAT IS BEING FUNDED, WHAT ISN'T, WHAT CAN WE FOLLOW UP WITH AND WHAT IS WORKING FOR DEPARTMENTS.
UM, SO IT'S AN EXCITING TIME TO START WRITING BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THE NUMBER OF, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS AROUND THE BUDGET THAT THE CITY HOSTS IS VERY, VERY SMALL.
I MEAN, WHAT THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE DOES IN OUR TOWN HALLS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT THE, THAT THEY DO IN TERMS OF OUTREACH AROUND THE BUDGET, BESIDES THE TOWN HALLS THAT THEY HOST IN JULY, WHICH WE KNOW IS ALREADY KIND OF TOO LATE IN THE PROCESS.
UM, AND SO WE'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET WITH COMMUNITY SOMETIMES IS A HARD SALE.
INSTEAD OF CALLING IT BUDGET TOWN HALLS, WE CALL THEM QUALITY OF LIFE TOWN HALLS, TRYING TO AGAIN, GET TO THE ESSENCE OF THE ISSUES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT COMMUNITIES.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES, UH, IT MAY NOT BE A SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS KNOW THAT THEY CAN ASK FOR OR DO THEY THINK IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO, UH, CREATE SOME SORT OF OUTCOME.
UM, WHICH IS WHY, UM, ONE OF THE FORMER CHAIRS OF THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE, CHARLES CURRY, UM, WHO STILL SERVES ON SEVERAL BOARDS OF COMMISSIONS IN THE OFFICE AND USED TO BE THE BUDGET OFFICER FOR THE CITY, I THINK IN THE EIGHTIES, UM, NINETIES AND EARLY TWO THOUSANDS RATHER.
UM, HE OFTEN SAYS THAT SOMETIMES WE DON'T NEED A BUDGET, DON'T NEED A, A, A NUMBER.
UM, IN TERMS OF A A DOLLAR NUMBER IN YOUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, SOMETIMES YOU CAN ASK FOR OUTCOMES, UM, UH, IN YOUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
SO IN SAYING ASKING, UM, FOR A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT, YOU'RE SAYING, I'M ASKING FOR IT TO SEE CERTAIN OUTCOME COMMUNITY, UM, AS PART OF THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY HELPFUL FOR COMMISSIONERS, ESPECIALLY NEW COMMISSIONERS, TO TRY TO WRAP THEIR HEADS AROUND HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE NEED IN ORDER TO, TO SEE SOME SORT OF PROGRAM OR SERVICE OR UPLIFT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT ACTUALLY IS, BUT WE DO CAN MORE EASILY, UH, REALIZE OR TRY TO THINK OF WHAT OUTCOMES WE WANT TO SEE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS THAT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE A DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR IN YOUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATION REGARDING HOSTING OUR OWN TOWN HALLS, ARE THERE RULES THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW IN REGARDS TO THOSE AND SUCH AS TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND THESE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO I KNOW TRADITIONALLY THE WAY THAT WE POSTED THEM FOR TO JOIN INCLUSION COMMITTEE IS THAT WE'RE REALLY CONSCIOUS ABOUT NOT HAVING A QUORUM, UM, OF ANY COMMISSION PRESENT AT THAT TOWN HALL.
UM, AND WHEN WE'RE NOT ABLE TO, WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A QUORUM OF THE COMMISSION, THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE FREE TO HAVE, THAT'S PUBLIC TOWN HALL ENGAGEMENT.
USUALLY IT'S IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STAFF LIAISON AND THE DEPARTMENT STAFF THAT STAFFS YOUR COMMISSION WHO HAVE TO COORDINATE IT, RESERVE THE SPACE FOR IT, YOU KNOW, RESERVE FOOD, SNACKS, ET CETERA.
UM, WE ALSO PROVIDE LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, WE OFTEN, OFTEN, OFTEN OFFER SUPERVISED CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES AS WELL.
UM, WE'RE CAREFUL NOT TO CALL THEM CHILDCARE, BUT SUPERVISED CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES VERY DIFFERENT.
UM, BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR COMMUNITY, UM, IN THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION TOO ABOUT HOW TO REACH PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
UM, SO TOM, SO THE, FOR THE THREE TOWN HALLS THAT WE HOST, WE USUALLY DO ONE THAT'S VIRTUAL TO USUALLY DURING LIKE A LUNCHTIME.
SO IF, IF FOR, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING WHO CAN EASILY JUMP ON, UM, WE OFTEN HAVE A WEEKEND DATE, ONE USUALLY ON A SATURDAY, UM, FOR FOLKS WHO CAN'T MAKE IT DURING THE WORK WEEK.
AND THEN WE USUALLY HAVE ONE AS A DINNER TIME DURING THE WORK WEEK FOR FOLKS WHO CAN'T MAKE IT DURING THE WEEKENDS, BUT CAN MAKE IT AFTER WORK DURING THE EVENING.
SO KIND OF THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT HOW CAN WE MEET, UH, MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT, UH, AND REALLY TRY TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE, UM, FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ATTEND.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS ASKING ABOUT THE BUDGET ALWAYS A HARD ASK, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET FOLKS TO TALK ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL BUDGET.
IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT, LET ALONE THINKING ABOUT THE CITY'S, UH, BUDGET AND FISCAL HEALTH.
UM, BUT ALSO IN, UH, IN REGARDS OF THE TYPE OF POLITICAL PARTICIPATION THAT WE'RE ASKING OF THE COMMUNITY TO COME IN AND PROVIDE A SERVICE FOR US AS A COMMISSION.
RIGHT? IT'S A LOT TO ASK THE COMMUNITY TO SHARE THEIR TIME.
IF YOU'RE WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS, IF YOU HAVE LOTS OF, YOU KNOW, CHILDREN THAT YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF OR YOU'RE CARE TAKING FOR ELDERS, YOUR PARENTS, ET CETERA, UM, TO COME IN AND TRY TO INCENTIVIZE IT AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT WE ALSO ALSO BELIEVE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS KNOW WHAT'S NEEDED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THEY SEE THE IMPACTS DAILY, AND SOMETIMES THERE'S A DI A DIVORCE BETWEEN THE DECISIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE BUDGET OFFICE OR IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE VERSUS WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE GROUND.
WHICH IS WHY AT THESE TOWN HALLS THAT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HOST YEAR AFTER YEAR, THEY'RE ALWAYS EMPLOYING FOLKS TO GO TO THEIR COMMISSIONS BECAUSE THIS IS THE TIME AND THE SPACE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND FOR IT TO BE A BACK AND FORTH, RATHER THAN GOING UP TO CITY COUNCIL AND GIVING YOUR ONE TO THREE MINUTES TO SPEAKER PIECE AND THEN THAT'S IT.
UM, SO THAT'S WHY WE REALLY ENCOURAGE IS KIND OF ENGAGEMENT AND FOR Y'ALL AS COMMISSIONERS TO START BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
AND I OFTEN TO SAY TOO, THAT IF YOU'RE RELYING SOLELY ON THE CITY'S, UH, UH, COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE TO KIND OF ADVERTISE FOR YOUR
[00:35:01]
TOWN HALL ALONE, UH, AND YOU'RE SURPRISED THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP, IT'S BECAUSE WHAT MAKES IT REALLY SUCCESSFUL IS IF YOU'RE CALLING PEOPLE AND ASKING, HEY, CAN YOU ATTEND THIS? OR, HEY, CAN YOU ASK SO AND SO TO ATTEND THIS AS WELL? IT'S THAT WORD OF MOUTH.IT'S THAT ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THAT MAKES THESE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENTS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL.
BUT IF EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE PRESENT, YOU COULD FILE A COMMUNITY INTEREST ANNOUNCEMENT, WHICH JUST SAYS THERE'LL BE A QUORUM PRESENT, BUT NO VOTE WILL BE TAKEN.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE DOCUMENT, THE GOOGLE DRIVE DOCUMENT ON THE JIC, UM, TOWN HALL.
AND I NOTICED THERE'S ONE HERE ABOUT THE 60 PLUS POPULATION THAT'S ABOUT 9% OF THE POPULATION, ET CETERA.
HAVE ALL OF THOSE ITEMS BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE, UH, COMMISSIONS THAT ARE IN THE J AND IF THEY HAVEN'T ALL BE BEEN CONSIDERED, ARE THERE SOME LIKE THAT, WHICH I DON'T THINK I SEE LISTED, UM, ITEMS THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER AS A COMM AS A COMMISSION? UH, THIS IS THE END OF THE FINISH LINE.
SO RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE, THE COMMISSIONERS ARE CONSIDERING THOSE NOTES, SO I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHICH ARE FINALIZED OR WHICH ARE NOT.
WELL, I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT TO SAY THAT, UM, A LOT OF THESE COMMISSIONS ARE WRITING THEIR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? FIERCELY.
WE DON'T HAVE THEM ALL SUBMITTED TO US JUST YET, SINCE WE'RE NOT THAT MARCH 30 OR DEADLINE.
BUT Y'ALL HAVE PLEASE FEEL EMPOWERED TO WRITE RECOMMENDATIONS ON ANY ISSUES REGARDLESS OF OTHER COMMISSIONS ARE ALSO WORKING ON SIMILAR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND OFTENTIMES TOO, WE ENCOURAGE FOLKS FOR Y'ALL TO REACH OUT TO SOME OF THOSE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, ONE-ON-ONE AT LEAST.
SO WE'RE NOT BREAKING QUORUM OF ANY GROUP TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT ARE THEY WORKING ON, WHAT ARE THEY RECOMMEND WORKING TO RECOMMEND.
'CAUSE SOME OF THESE ISSUES ARE SHARED ISSUES ACROSS MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE RECREATING THE REAL FROM THE BEGINNING IN, IN THAT REGARD.
UM, AND THEN I ALSO HAVE TO REITERATE THAT IT, IT IS NOT, UM, STAFF LIAISON SHOULD NOT BE WRITING ANY OF RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COMMISSIONERS TO WRITE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I KNOW SOMETIMES THERE'S CONFUSION ABOUT THIS, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS NOTES DOCUMENT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR STAFF WHEN RUN OUT OUT OF OUR WAY TO REALLY TRY TO PROVIDE COMMISSIONERS AS MUCH, UH, INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE SO THAT Y'ALL CAN WRITE THE BEST RECOMMENDATIONS THAT Y'ALL CAN.
UM, SO TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION VERY CLEAR AND FOLLOWING UP WITH YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL BECAUSE HE OR SHE MAY HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM ANOTHER COMMISSIONER ABOUT SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE COMING.
I WONDERED IF THE TEAM COULD SEND THIS LINK TO US ELECTRONICALLY.
WE'RE ALL TRYING TO TAKE PICTURES OF IT.
IT CAME UP, IT'S IN YOUR BACKUP.
I SENT THE, LIKE THE EMAIL, THE, WAS IT IN THE EMAIL? IN THE EMAIL? I APOLOGIZE.
I TRIED OPENING UP THOUGH, AND IT GAVE A 4 0 4 ERROR.
YEAH, WE CAN SEND THE LINK TO YOU.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? UH, FROM THE COMMISSIONERS TO THE PRESENTERS THERE BEING NONE.
IF ANY, UH, FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US IF YEAH, WE'RE ALWAYS HERE AS A RESOURCE OF YOU ALL HERE IN THE EQUITY OFFICE.
SO IF Y'ALL EVER HAVE QUESTIONS OR NEED MORE SUPPORT ON THE PROCESS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US.
I WOULD PROBABLY, IF YOU HAVE TIME, RECOMMEND IF YOU CAN STAY FOR THE NEXT TOPIC.
'CAUSE WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO INTO DISCUSSION AND I THINK YOUR INSIGHT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
[2. Begin discussion regarding budget recommendations for Fiscal Year 2025.]
TWO, BEGIN DISCUSSION REGARDING BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 2025.UM, GOING THROUGH THIS, THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO MIND, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE A GREAT STARTING POINT, IS WHAT DEPARTMENTS SHOULD WE BE HEARING FROM? AND KIND OF STARTING THERE AND THEN GOING FROM THERE AMONGST OURSELVES, WHAT TOPICS MAY POTENTIALLY BE THINGS WE WANNA DIVE INTO? LIKE I'M THINKING EMS, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT WHAT OTHERS? ANY, ANY THOUGHTS? AND AGAIN, I MEAN, Y'ALL ENGAGE WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT, UH, DEPARTMENTS.
ARE THERE OTHER ONES THAT ARE VERY SPECIFIC TO THIS PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION? UM, WHERE AGAIN, WE'RE NOT BLEEDING OVER INTO OTHER LINES LIKE HOUSING AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER ASPECTS, BUT REALLY ENGAGES WITH THE, UH, UNHOUSED POPULATION REALLY ENGAGES WITH THE, UH, UNDERSERVED, UNDERREPRESENTED, UH, THE, THE, THE LOW INCOME, NO INCOME, RIGHT? UM, WHAT, WHAT ARE THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT REALLY HAVE THAT, UM, ANY THOUGHTS THERE? I WONDER IF IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO TALK TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND THE HISPANIC LATINO, UH, COMMISSIONS AS WELL AND SEE IF THERE'S, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE CAN COORDINATE TOGETHER SINCE THAT SOME OF THEM HOUSED, UM, POPULATION WILL CONVERGE IN THOSE AREAS.
CAN I GIVE A TWIST TO THAT, THOSE TWO QUESTIONS, WHICH IS TO SAY MAYBE STAFF OR OTHERS WOULD KNOW WHICH COMMISSIONS
[00:40:01]
WOULD HAVE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS PENDING THAT THEY MIGHT FIND STRENGTH IF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION WAS ALSO INTERESTED IN THOSE AND WE COULD MAYBE SUPPORT, WE'D HAVE A MENU OF ITEMS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO, TO LOOK AT.UM, KIND OF ONE IS TO, IS TO, RIGHT.
SO, SO I RECOMMEND, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THE QR CODE THAT ALREADY HAS THE LIST.
IN THIS SENSE, IT'S MORE OF ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, WHAT ARE THE DEPARTMENTS FROM OCTOBER TO DECEMBER THAT WE NEED TO BE ENGAGING WITH.
TO THEN COME UP WITH REC, OUR OWN RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN AS AS STATED, GETTING WITH AND CONVENING WITH THE OTHER COMMISSIONS IF UNTIL WE'RE ON THE JOINT COMMISSION.
UH, THAT, THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE LANE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP THAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING WITH.
YOU KNOW, THE FOUR AGENCIES THAT ARE HERE, BUT MOST SPECIFICALLY AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, WHICH IS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, BUT WHAT ARE THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY? UM, THAT SPECIFICALLY, LIKE THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
A CONVERSATION AND A TOPIC THAT GETS PROPOSED DEFINITELY FALLS WITHIN OUR PURVIEW.
MIGHT WANNA TALK TO THE HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION.
AND I'M CIRCLING BACK TO THAT PIECE THAT THE COMMUNITY POINTED OUT WITH THE 60 PLUS POPULATION, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT, UM, AGE GROUP THAT I THINK ARE REPRESENTED IN THE UNHOUSED POPULATION.
MAYBE WE CAN CLARIFY THAT AND MAKE SURE, BUT MAYBE WE, IF WE ADDRESS IT UPSTREAM, WE COULD DECREASE THE NUMBERS.
I MEAN, PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WOULD PROBABLY BE GOOD IN TERMS OF KEEPING KIDS ACTIVE AND PHYSICAL, YOU KNOW, AND HEALTHY.
BUT I ALSO THINK IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, RECOMMEND NECESSARILY.
AND THEN, 'CAUSE I MEAN, PUBLIC HEALTH IS IN EVERYTHING, RIGHT? SO, YEAH.
I I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BEFORE WE KIND OF GO INTO, HEY, WHAT ABOUT THIS, WHAT ABOUT THAT? WHO FOR SURE WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT.
AND THEN KIND OF AS WE'RE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN THEN SAY, OKAY, THIS OTHER DEPARTMENT, THIS OTHER DEPARTMENT, UM, OKAY.
UM, ANY THOUGHTS ON JUST RIGHT NOW WITHOUT HAVING LOOKED AT, UH, THAT LIST? ANY THOUGHTS REGARDING SERVICES OR PROGRAMS THAT YOU KNOW OF THAT ARE RAN BY THE CITY OR IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY, WITH ANOTHER AGENCY THAT COMES TO MIND THAT YOU WOULD, UH, LIKE THE COMMISSION TO THINK ABOUT AND SEE IF IT MAY ALREADY BE LISTED? UH, I BELIEVE WHAT THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR, MAYBE Y'ALL KNOW THIS FISCAL 25, UH, DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO NOT EXPECT AN INCREASE OF ANYTHING.
SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, I WONDER WHAT SERVICES AND PROGRAMS WILL BE IMPACTED BY THAT.
AND PERHAPS THOSE ARE SOMETHING WE COULD ADVOCATE FOR IF WE THINK THAT THOSE SHOULD BE CONTINUED.
SO NO FUNDING, SO DON'T ASK FOR NOTHING IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
EVEN IF THERE'S LIMITED IN TERMS OF THE FINANCE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, RIGHT? I DON'T THINK FOLKS SHOULD BE DISCOURAGED FOR ASKING FOR NEW THINGS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE ARE NEEDS IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN MET FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UM, SO IF WE'RE ALWAYS KIND OF THINKING FROM THAT DEFICIT MINDSET, UM, HOW ARE WE EVER GOING TO GET THERE? UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH THAT THEY CAN REARRANGE THE BUDGET IN ORDER TO MEET CERTAIN NEEDS AND TAKE AWAY FROM OTHERS.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I WAS GOING.
I, THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO REQUEST INCREASES, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE COULDN'T ADVOCATE RIGHT.
THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT, RIGHT? SO, MM-HMM.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? ANYBODY ON, ON, ON THE ZOOM? OKAY.
TWO PROGRAMS THAT CAME TO MIND FOR ME, UM, THAT I THINK HAD GOT REDUCED FUNDING OVER TIME WAS THE, WAS IT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIAISON PROGRAM WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE, UH, WHAT'S THE PROGRAM EMS HAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTRAL HEALTH WHERE THEY GO OUT INTO THE, THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDE SERVICES? YEAH.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CALLED.
I MEAN, Y'ALL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, RIGHT?
BUT TO ME IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS WHERE THEY'RE REALLY IN THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
BUT WHAT, WHERE ARE WE ALSO BUILDING IN WITHIN THE POLICE FORCE THAT'S MORE OF CREATING THAT RAPPORT, THAT LOST ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT? THE DEFERRING OF HARASSMENTS AND SO FORTH, RIGHT? THAT CAN ALSO TIE
[00:45:01]
INTO THE NEW DIVERSION CENTER AND THE TRAUMA CENTER AND EVERYTHING ELSE.SAME THING AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH EMS, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE ALREADY WHAT, 50% VACANCIES THAT THEY NEEDED TO GET AND SO FORTH.
SO THAT REALLY PROBABLY PUT A STRAIN ON THESE OTHER PROGRAMS OF GOING INTO THE UNHOUSED ENCAMPMENTS AND SO FORTH AND, AND GIVING THEM THEIR SERVICES THAT, THAT THEY NEED, WHICH WOULD POTENTIALLY, HOPEFULLY LEAD TO INDIVIDUALS FROM THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY ACTUALLY GOING INTO THE FOUR WALLS OF THE CLINIC AND RECEIVING MORE ADDITIONAL SERVICES.
SO THOSE WERE TWO PROGRAMS THAT KIND OF CAME TO MY MIND, BUT I WOULD AGAIN, WITH MY OWN RECOMMENDATION BEFORE SAY, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEING PRESENTED WITHIN THAT LIST.
UH, SO JUST TO CLARIFY TOO, THAT LIST IS JUST NOTES FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS SPEAKING AT THIS TOWN HALLS.
ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY WISH THAT COMMISSIONS WOULD WRITE THE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINITIVE LIST OF WHAT OTHER COMMISSIONS ARE WORKING ON 'CAUSE THEY'RE FURIOUSLY TRYING TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND WE PROBABLY WON'T HAVE IT THE PHONE FINALIZED UNTIL THEY PASS 'EM IN, IN THEIR MEETINGS OVER THE COURSE OF THE MONTH OF MARCH.
AND SO REALLY ISN'T UNTIL THE END OF MARCH DO WE HAVE A, A, A COMPLETE LIST OF WHAT'S BEEN SUBMITTED.
SO I WISH THERE WAS A WAY THAT WE COULD SHOW YOU WHAT OTHER COMMISSIONS ARE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, BUT SINCE THEY'RE WORKING ON THEM RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT DEFINITIVE LIST JUST YET.
BUT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO IMPROVE THAT PROCESS FOR Y'ALL IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN I THINK IT'S THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS PROGRAM MAYBE THAT Y'ALL WERE TRYING TO SPEAK OF.
ANY, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS FROM, FROM THE TEAM? I MEAN DEFINITELY I DON'T WANT WHAT I'M THINKING TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE, A PUSH.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT THAT PROGRAM WAS RECENTLY LIKE DEFUNDED OR WHAT WERE YOU SAYING ABOUT THAT EMS PROGRAM? COULD YOU REPEAT? WELL, JUST EMS HAD A LOT OF VACANCIES COMPARED TO UM, UM, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
SO PROGRAMS LIKE THAT, UM, TAKE, TAKE THE BIGGEST HIT MM-HMM.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY IT SEEMS HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LIKE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS IN GENERAL AND IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IN-COMMUNITY TOUCHPOINT, BUT YEAH.
WELL, ON THAT LAST POINT, I WAS GONNA SAY MAYBE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS WITHIN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR APPETITE IS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO SPEAK FOR THEM, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT IN TERMS OF LIKE POLICE LIAISONS, RIGHT? AND GETTING INTO THE COMMUNITY AND KNOWING THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING BUILDING TRUST, I THINK THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THAT.
UH, SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS GOING ONCE, GO AHEAD.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I HAVE A LITTLE BIT IS THAT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW.
AND ONE PLACE TO GO, WHICH YOU'VE SAID WE CAN'T REALLY GET TO RIGHT NOW AS ALL THOSE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE CURRENTLY WORKING.
THERE COULD BE A LIST OF LAST YEARS THINGS.
YOU KNOW, IF THAT WAS AVAILABLE.
IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO SEE THAT JUST POURING INFORMATION TO US.
I'M THINKING ELECTRONICALLY, YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND, AND, AND THE EMS PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, YOU KINDA WONDER, WELL, GEEZ, OH, HOW MANY PROGRAMS LIKE THAT ARE OUT THERE? I I, I JUST DON'T HAVE A SENSE 'CAUSE I'M JUST SORT OF UNSCHOOLED IN WHAT'S EXISTS AND I WONDER IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON WHAT IT IS WE COULD BE LOOKING AT OR LEARNING ABOUT THE LIST OF, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'M JUST MAKING THIS UP.
ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE SORT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY HEALTH COMMUNITY INTERFACE, YOU KNOW, SYSTEMS OUT THERE.
MAYBE THERE'S 25 OF 'EM, MAYBE THERE'S 12 OF 'EM OR SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THERE MIGHT BE.
BUT KNOWING MORE ABOUT SOME OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS WOULD BE VERY SMALL SLIVER OF, OF, YOU KNOW, OF THINGS WE MIGHT WANNA KNOW ABOUT.
OH, I WAS JUST GONNA RECOMMEND, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS THE, THE, UM, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, IF THEY PASSED STUFF FROM LAST YEAR, IT'S AVAILABLE ON THEIR WEBSITES ON THE SYSTEM.
SO YOU CAN ALWAYS GO OUT THERE AND RESEARCH WHAT WAS, YOU KNOW, APPROVED LAST YEAR OR RECOMMENDED LAST YEAR FROM THOSE JOINT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OR JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEES.
EVERY MARCH OF EVERY YEAR IS WHEN ALL OF THEM ARE PASSING THEM.
SO YOU'LL SEE THEM LISTED UNDER THE DOCUMENTS, UM, FOR BACKUP.
DON'T MISS MARCH
UM, I WAS THINKING WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER ASPECT, RIGHT? LIKE IN WHAT ASPECT? BECAUSE ONE THING THAT KIND OF COMES TO MIND FOR ME IS ARE YOU, ARE YOU THINKING GROWING MORE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS WITHIN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH OR LIKE THEIR TRAINING PROGRAM THAT THEY HAVE FOR MORE COMMUNITY PEOPLE HAVING THE CHW CERTIFICATION? UM, YEAH.
YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S A BIG VALUE IN HAVING A TRAINING, UH, CAPACITY TO CREATE MORE CHWS, NOT JUST FOR A PH BUT FOR LOTS OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
SO I THINK IT MAYBE THAT'S, IF WE THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE BEST PLACE TO PUT OUR RESOURCES TO, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO TRAIN A LOT MORE PEOPLE, THEN YOU KNOW, I'M FOR THAT.
[00:50:01]
WE NEED TO GO SHOOT LOWER AND ASK FOR LESS, THEN MAYBE POSITIONS WOULD BE BETTER.BUT, UM, YEAH, I THINK THE OTHER THING IS, UH, THOSE COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE WORKERS MIGHT HAVE PROGRAMS THAT THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FUND AND IDEAS THAT THEY WOULD WANT BUDGET FOR.
SO IT COULD BE WORTH IT TO TALK TO THEM AND SEE SINCE THEY'RE SO CONNECTED TO, TO THE COMMUNITY, WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY ASKING FOR AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE BECAUSE OF BUDGET.
SO IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO, TO UM, GET A SENSE OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS ARE DOING NOW AND OF THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM AND WHAT THE REQUIREMENT IS.
I ALWAYS SAY THAT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS ARE THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE AGENCIES, RIGHT? IF YOU REALLY WANT A TRUSTED MEMBER THAT'S A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER, ONE INTERESTING ASPECT IS AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IS ACTUALLY USING TEAMS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY DURING EMERGENCIES TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, TO TALK TO PEOPLE, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY NEED.
AND UM, SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM THAT JUST BRINGS ME UP, WHAT IS OCCURRING WITHIN DISASTER TRAINING.
UH, I KNOW LIKE RED CROSS, YOU KNOW, UM, CAN COME OUT AND TRAIN THE COMMUNITY INDIVIDUALS SO THAT THAT LOCAL COMMUNITY CAN HAVE SOMETHING, UH, WHILE THEY'RE STILL WAITING FOR LOCAL MUNICIPALITY OR GOVERNMENT TO BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE AND SO FORTH.
SO DOES LIKE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH OR IS THERE ANOTHER CITY DEPARTMENT THAT OVERSEES THAT? THAT MAY BE DOING SOME TYPE OF COMMUNITY TRAINING WHERE THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT'S IDEAL? THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE STRIKE TEAM, THE CHW STRIKE TEAMS ARE DOING.
AND WE ALSO JUST OPENED A MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS FOR CLINICAL AND NONCLINICAL INDIVIDUALS IN THE AREA, IN THE COMMUNITY TO BE TRAINED TO RESPOND TO DISASTER AND TO ALSO HELP COLLABORATE WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHEN A DISASTER OCCURS.
SO SOME OF THAT'S HAPPENING AND, AND SUPPORTIVE.
SO JUST TO ADD TO THAT, I APOLOGIZE DR. RICE, I KNOW I STEPPED IN FRONT OF YOU,
UM, SO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS ALWAYS DOES OFFER TRAINING, AND IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO, WHEN THE TRAINING, AND IF YOU THINK OF A, IF YOU KNOW OF A COMMUNITY OR INTERESTED GROUP THAT WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT TRAINING, IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOU WANNA HELP OUT AS A VOLUNTEER, THAT GETS YOU INSIDE THE DOOR IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE YOU'RE TRAINED, YOU UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW WHERE TO BEST BE PUT.
AND, UM, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEARN IT.
I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE MEDICAL RESERVE COURT.
IS THAT, UM, SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY ONGOING OR IS THAT GONNA BE NEW? AND HOW, I JUST WONDERED IF IT'S DOZENS OF PEOPLE OR HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, OR KIND OF HOW, WHAT THE SCOPE OF IT, IT'S JUST STARTED.
UM, WE HAVEN'T A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS FIRST CLASS, BUT THERE, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT.
UM, I, I DO WANNA PUT A PLUG IN FOR THE OVER 60 POPULATION THOUGH, PARTICULARLY IN OUR, UM, MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY, THEY'RE GOING THAT SAFETY NET WOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT, BUT THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK THAT WOULD BE WORTH LOOKING INTO IN MORE DEPTH.
IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY DIFFERENT FOR, FOR THEM THAN WHAT WE'VE KIND OF BEEN TALKING RIGHT NOW REGARDING THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS OF THE CHWS OR THE, UH, THE, UH, THE EMS PROGRAM OR THE, THE POLICE NEIGHBORHOOD? IS THERE, IS THERE SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY DIFFERENT AS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN SUPPORT FOR THE 60 PLUS? I THINK SO.
SO I THINK, SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN ALSO HAS A COMMISSION ON AGING.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT'S CALLED.
ANYWAY, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE WITH THE AGING COMMUNITY IS THAT INCREASE, IT'S INCREASING IN AUSTIN, I THINK IT'S NOW ABOUT 12% OF THE POPULATION, I'M NOT SURE.
AND, UM, AND IT, IT PLACES A DIFFERENT NEED ON, UH, SOCIAL ISOLATION.
IT PLACES A NEED ON TRANSPORTATION, EASE OF TRANSPORTATION, FOOD ACCESS BECOMES, BECAUSE YOU HAVE LIMITED INCOME, FOOD ACCESS ALSO BECOMES AN ISSUE.
AND, UM, IN THE L-G-B-T-Q-Q COMMUNITY, YOU REALLY SEE HEALTH DIS DISPARITIES REALLY RISE WITH THE AGING POPULATION AS WELL.
SO WOULD THAT BE, WOULD THAT BE COVERED POTENTIALLY IN PARKS AND RECS, OR IS THAT SOMETHING ADDITIONAL TO WHATEVER SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES, PARKS AND RECS OFFERS? YEAH, NO, IT'S MORE GEARED TOWARDS, UM, SO, SO TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE BOTH DO, FOR EXAMPLE, SENIOR LUNCHES WITH
[00:55:01]
MEALS ON WHEELS.WE PARTNER WITH OTHER AGENCIES.
UH, THE FOOD PANTRIES ALSO INCREASE, THERE'S INCREASED NEED FOR THEM AND FOR SPECIALIZED NUTRITION, LIKE ENSURE AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ANY, AND SORRY, GO AHEAD AGAIN IN, WHEN YOU GET TO THE NOTES, PAGE 17 HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION, WHICH MIGHT BE VERY USEFUL.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, COMMENTS FROM THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS? YEP, GO AHEAD.
I GUESS I HAD A QUESTION FROM WHAT YOU HAD RECOMMENDED, UH, IN TERMS OF CON CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMISSIONS ONE-ON-ONE, UM, AND HOW THAT FITS IN KIND OF IN THE FORMAL PROCESS.
UH, IF WE ARE, IS IT MORE LIKE ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL CONNECTING WITH THIS COMMISSION INSTEAD OF COMMISSION TO COMMISSION? OR HOW DO WE VIEW THOSE ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTIONS? SO THOSE INTERACTIONS ARE ENCOURAGED.
SOMETIMES THE EASIEST WAY TO GET A RESPONSE IS BY GOING TO THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMISSION.
USUALLY THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE THE MOST INVOLVED.
WHEN YOU GO TO A CITY, WHEN YOU GOOGLE THAT, THAT COMMISSION WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, YOU GET TO THEIR WEBPAGE AND THERE'S A LINK THAT SHOWS ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMISSION AND INCLUDING THEIR PHONE NUMBERS AND THEIR EMAIL ADDRESSES.
AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT BREAKING A QUORUM IN TERMS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE, NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS ARE COPIED ON THAT EMAIL OR FOR THAT TEXT MESSAGE, YOU CAN SEND ONE-ON-ONE TO THEM AND ENGAGE IN THAT CONVERSATION.
BE LIKE, HEY, I'M FROM THIS COMMISSION.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TALK WITH ME AROUND THESE ISSUES THAT Y'ALL ARE ORGANIZING ON? UM, BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THAT RAPPORT ACROSS COMMISSIONS, I THINK IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
WHICH IS WHY THE EQUITY OFFICE HELPED FOUND THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE TO HELP MAKE A FORMAL PROCESS FOR THEM TO MAKE DECISIONS TOGETHER FORMALLY.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE INFORMAL RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING, Y'ALL ARE ALLOWED TO DO SO AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT BREAKING QUORUM, UM, OF ANY ONE SINGLE COMMISSION.
UM, NOW I THINK THE QUESTION ON REALITY HERE, SINCE WE ARE A MONTH, BASICALLY THIS IS GONNA BE NEW SINCE WE CAN'T UTILIZE
YOU WANT WHAT IS THE SMART GOAL? UH, BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT QUANTITY.
AND ALSO CONSIDERING THE PROCESS OF FOLLOWING UP WITH CITY COUNCIL.
UM, KNOWING, TAKING FROM THE NOTES, IF YOU DO HAVE INFORMAL INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN, WHAT HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN DEPARTMENT BUDGETS, MAYBE YOU HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT THE CITY BUDGETS
SO, UM, I, I HEAR YOUR NEED FOR QUANTITY, BUT LET FOUR OR FIVE SOUNDS GREAT TO ME, BUT IT'S UP TO YOU ALL
UM, I WOULD ALSO ADD JUST WHAT Y'ALL HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO AS A GROUP.
ESPECIALLY Y'ALL CAN KIND OF DISCUSS AMONGST YOURSELVES WHO ARE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SIT DOWN AND WRITE A RECOMMENDATION.
YOU CAN DO IT INDIVIDUALLY, YOU CAN DO IT AS A GROUP OF FOLKS AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT BREAKING THAT QUORUM.
UM, AND SO THERE'S THAT ASPECT.
AND THEN IF THERE ARE ITEMS THAT YOU CAN'T GET TO BEFORE THIS MARCH 31ST DEADLINE, BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A, SO CLOSE AROUND THE BLOCK, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T START DOING THE WORK TO MAKE THIS A RECOMMENDATION FOR NEXT YEAR.
'CAUSE THE SOONER THAT Y'ALL START THAT PROCESS, THE BETTER AND MORE, UM, THE QUALITY OF THAT RECOMMENDATION BECOMES BETTER.
AND THEN TWO, Y'ALL HAVE A WHOLE A YEAR TO START CALLING ON DIFFERENT GROUPS BECAUSE I KNOW A PH IS A REALLY BIG DEPARTMENT, SO Y'ALL CAN CALL IN DIFFERENT DIVISIONS WITHIN, UM, WITHIN A PH.
I KNOW THAT THE A PH ALSO HAS ONE OF THE STRONGEST, UH, EQUITY TEAMS OUT OF ANY DEPARTMENT ACROSS THE CITY.
THEY HAVE SOME OF THE MOST STAFF THEY HAVE AS WELL.
AND THOSE COULD BE EXCELLENT RESOURCES FOR Y'ALL TO TAP INTO THE EQUITY INCLUSION PROGRAM MANAGERS AND, AND COORDINATORS WITHIN A PH WHO ARE VERY MUCH TAPPED INTO SOME OF THE, UH, BIG, UH, BIGGEST ISSUES, UM, THAT REALLY AFFECT SOME OF THE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES HERE IN AUSTIN AND START FROM THERE.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE MOST APPROPRIATE NEXT STEP IS PROBABLY GONNA BE ANOTHER SPECIAL MEETING TO BRING IN WHO WE NEED TO TALK TO REGARDING, IT SOUNDS LIKE ONE OF THE BIGGEST TOPICS HERE THAT HAS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT IMPACTS IS THE CHW.
DOES ANYBODY DISAGREE WITH THAT? CAN WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE? YES, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK.
YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE FIND OUT THAT WE'RE OVERT TASKING OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT NEEDS TO BE.
RIGHT? SO IT SOUNDS LIKE CHW IS THE PRIMARY ONE.
UH, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE SECOND? IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS KIND OF EQUAL WHEN IT CAME TO ABOVE 60 WHEN IT CAME TO POLICE AND WHEN IT CAME TO EMS, IT SEEMED UN, UNLESS EMS
[01:00:01]
CAN BE COUPLED WITH CH HW YES SIR, OR NO, THAT PROGRAM, I THINK CHW IT'S SUCH A BROAD TOPIC.SO CH HW ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT WOULD BE PROBABLY SAY SECOND IN THE SHOOT? WHAT ABOUT THE MEDICAL, UH, RE RESERVE CORPS? THAT WAS NEW, YOU SAID, BUT I, I, I WONDER IF THERE'S ANYTHING WITH THAT WOULD BE OF VALUE TO SPEAK ON THAT JUST BECAUSE THAT MAYBE WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH.
YOU COULD COME BACK AND THIS IS A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT, OF, OF ITEMS THAT MIGHT BE DISCUSSED IN A SPECIAL SESSION.
WELL, I THOUGHT THAT WAS PART OF CHW, CORRECT? THAT'S THE STRIKE TEAM.
THAT WHOLE, SO CHW, IS THAT PART OF CHW? YEAH.
SO CHW HAD LIKE ALMOST THREE OR FOUR THINGS IN, IN OF ITSELF.
AND SO I'M THINKING CHW THAT WILL HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDATION THROUGH.
AND IT HOPEFULLY GETS, BUT I WAS JUST THINKING WHAT ELSE OUT OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
I GUESS I HAD A QUESTION BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE ONE-ON-ONE CALLS, IF IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO KIND OF DIVIDE A COUPLE OF THESE AMONG THE COMMISSION AND EACH OF US REACH OUT TO A COUPLE AND KIND OF GATHER A LITTLE BIT SINCE IT SOUNDS, SOUNDS LIKE WE WON'T REALLY SEE THE RECOMMENDATIONS UNTIL THEY COME OUT.
UM, UNLESS WE ACTUALLY ACTIVELY TALK TO THEM IN ADVANCE.
SO IF EACH OF US LIKE TO TOUR SOMETHING AND THEN JUST REACH OUT TO THEM, ASK IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE WITH, UH, IN TERMS OF HAVING THAT PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, CEO ALONG WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION AS WELL.
BUT JUST FOR CLARITY, UH, I NOT, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT TWO THINGS? ONE WOULD BE TO, TO HAVE ANOTHER SPECIAL MEETING WHERE WE WOULD LEARN ABOUT ONE OF THOSE.
AND THE SECOND WOULD BE A PLAN TO CONTACT AND FIND OUT WHAT PENDING, YOU KNOW, OR WHAT, WHAT THE CONVERSATION MIGHT BE AT OTHER YES.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY IT'S SEPARATE.
THAT'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, I THINK.
MAINLY BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND WE CAN'T REALLY TALK TO ALL OF THIS IN THE MONTH OF MARCH.
WE WOULD ALMOST HAVE TO COMBINE, I THINK, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN ACTUAL MEETING TO VOTE ON.
SO IT ALMOST SOUNDS, IN A SENSE, A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING NOT TOO FAR OUT, BUT FAR ENOUGH OUT TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THE DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS.
COME UP WITH THE LIST OF, HEY, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN SIGN ONTO.
AND THAT BECOMES AN AGENDA ITEM TO TALK ABOUT PLUS ACTUAL DISCUSSION BRIEF BY CHW.
I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU, WE HAVE A MEETING TO DISCUSS YOUR RETREAT AND THESE ARE THE TOPICS THAT YOU CAN INCLUDE ON THAT AGENDA.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SO WE, WE ARE, IT'S A GOOD CONVERSATION.
I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT YOU HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO ANOTHER SPECIAL CALL BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THE RETREAT.
WE HAVE A RETREAT THAT'S GONNA BE PLANNED FOR THE FIRST OR SECOND WEEKEND IN MARCH.
UM, AND SO YOU HAVE FOUR HOUR WINDOW TO DISCUSS AND IF WE CAN MM-HMM.
UM, ABOUT GETTING A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF TO COME OUT, UM, TO PRESENT TO YOU AT THAT TIME.
WE CAN, WE CAN TALK TO STAFF ABOUT THAT.
UM, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S SOMEBODY WITHIN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
BUT I CAN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER AGENCIES AVAILABILITY TO DO THAT.
FOR THE LIAISON, UH, WE ALSO HAVE OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY.
IS IT TOO LATE TO PUT NEW ITEMS ON THAT AGENDA? WE'RE SEVEN TWO HOURS OUT.
UM, IT'S, WE, UH, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, OKAY.
SO INSTALL THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WELL.
LET'S, LET'S, LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND THROW IT ON THERE.
AND THEN IF WE DON'T NEED TO DISCUSS IT, WE JUST WON'T DISCUSS IT.
BUT I'D RATHER HAVE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT THE, THE RETREAT'S ON A SATURDAY JUST IN CASE, AND PLUS THAT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER TOO.
SO WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH SOME OF THOSE COMMISSIONS TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
SO I'D RATHER HAVE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ENGAGEMENT AND MAYBE IF WE NEED TO JUST GO AHEAD AND SELECT A SPECIAL C SPECIAL MEETING DATE.
SO IF WE DON'T GET WHAT WE NEED TO GET DONE, WE, WE ALREADY HAVE A CONSENSUS OF WHEN THAT SPECIAL MEETING WILL NEED TO BE CALLED.
UM, 'CAUSE I REALLY DON'T WANT US TO MISS OUT, ESPECIALLY IF WE KNOW THERE'S A ONE PARTICULAR ITEM THAT CAN HAVE A MULTI IMPACT TO IT.
UH, JUST TWO THINGS I WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, FOR Y'ALL'S NEXT MEETING.
WHENEVER THAT TAKES PLACE, I REALLY, UH, WOULD ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO HAVE, UM, WOULD LANGUAGE FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO FORM, UH, A BUDGET WORK GROUP.
UM, SO THAT Y'ALL ARE ACTUALLY HAVE AN AUTHORIZED GROUP OF COMMISSIONERS THAT Y'ALL CAN WORK ON ON YELLOW ZONE, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE MEETING TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT REQUIREMENTS SO THAT IT'S KNOWN THAT THERE'S A WORK GROUP THERE AND WHICH COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE PART OF IT THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE, UH, AUTHORIZATION DATES FOR, UM, FOR THAT WORK GROUP.
WHICH USUALLY MEANS THAT THIS WORK GROUP STARTS NOW AND WILL END AT X MONTH.
I WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND SEPTEMBER OR WHENEVER THE CITY, UM, WHENEVER CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS THIS UPCOMING BUDGET SO THAT Y'ALL ARE AUTHORIZED TO WORK BETWEEN NOW AND WHENEVER.
THE CITY EIGHT COUNCIL ADOPTS THE FINAL BUDGET
[01:05:01]
FOR FY 25, 26, UM, AND WITH THE NO MORE THAN, UH, ONE LESS THAN QUORUM MM-HMM.UH, AND THEN SECONDLY, I JUST KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND THE HISPANIC LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION PASSED A BEAUTIFUL RECOMMENDATION LAST YEAR, MARCH, 2023 ON COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN LAST, IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO IF THAT'S SOMEWHERE THAT Y'ALL MIGHT WANNA START, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE TO START.
IT WAS ACTUALLY WRITTEN BY SOMEBODY WHO WORKS VERY DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS AND IT WAS VERY WELL RESEARCHED.
REAL QUICK, REAL QUICK, REAL QUICK.
UM, ARE WE ABLE TO PUT THE WORK GROUP ON THE, THE MEETING, UH, AS A, AS A, AS A VOTING ITEM ON THE RETREAT WE SHOULD DO FOR THIS MEETING? EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IT IN THE RETREAT.
BUT THIS MEETING YOU COULD ON YOUR BUDGET WORK OKAY.
YOU WOULD NEED TO JUST SELECT, I'M SORRY, I FORGOT
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY THE SCHEDULE AND TRYING TO REMEMBER, WE HAVE A WEDNESDAY MEETING NEXT WEEK, OR THE SIXTH I BELIEVE.
OH, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THIS WEEK? WHEN ARE OUR NEAR TERM MEETINGS? I WAS THINKING WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING, A REGULAR MEETING.
YOUR NEXT, YOUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING FOR THE COMMISSION IS THE MARCH 3RD, UH, SIXTH.
NEED A REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.
BUT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A RETREAT PLANNING MEETING THIS WEDNESDAY.
I THINK THE COUNTER INVITE CAME OUT A COUPLE DAYS AGO.
CAN CAN YOU RESEND IT PLEASE? WHEN? WEDNESDAY THE 28TH? UM, THE RETREAT PLANNING ISN'T FOR THE WHOLE COMMISSION 'CAUSE OH, IT'S, OH, OKAY.
IT'S, IT'S FOR MY BAD CHAIR, THE VICE CHAIR AND THE EXECUTIVES.
'CAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TO POST THAT AS A QUORUM.
UM, SO IT'S THE, THE CHAIR, THE VICE CHAIR AND THE, UM, EX OFFICIOS THAT WILL BE ATTENDING THAT MEETING.
ANY, ANY, ANY LAST COMMENTS ON, ON THIS? I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD SOLID WAY FORWARD UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY REMARKS.
SO THERE'LL BE ONE, A PRESENTATION ON CHWS THAT OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.
IS THAT WHAT WE, WE DECIDED IF WE CAN'T GET IT FOR THE RETREAT.
IF WE CAN'T GET IT FOR THE RETREAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND THEN, OH, WAS SOMEONE SPEAKING MEETING? MAY I, MAY I SUGGEST HELLO? YES.
UM, FOR, I THINK WE COULD, UH, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADD SOMEBODY THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT CHWS, WHO IS VERY INVOLVED, UH, AT THIS POINT IS RICARDO RA.
UH, HE IS WITH PUBLIC HEALTH AT THIS MOMENT.
UH, HE USED TO BE WITH DELL AND HE HAS, UH, OR HE'S, HE PRETTY MUCH DOES THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER SOCIAL.
UM, ALSO TO, AND MARTHA, WE GOTTA, UH, I WAS BEING TOLD, YOU GOTTA TURN YOUR CAMERA ON WHEN, WHEN SPEAKING.
OH, I JUST CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT RIGHT NOW.
UM, OH, I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS ON.
UH, RIC, HE IS WITH US IN PUBLIC HEALTH NOW.
HE HAS BEEN A GREAT AND AMAZING ADVOCATE FOR US COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS ON BEING ABLE TO GET PAID WELL.
UH, 'CAUSE AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS HAVE NOT BEEN RECOGNIZED AS, AGAIN, WE ARE ESSENTIAL IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE DIRECT SERVICES WITH THEM.
NOBODY CAN COME AND TELL US LIKE WE ARE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO, AND, UH, WHAT IS EXISTING SURVEYS OR ASSESSMENTS.
WE CAN LITERALLY, YOU CAN LITERALLY GO WITH SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORK THAT CAN TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY IS GOING THROUGH.
UM, WE PROBABLY NEED ADDITIONAL TRAINING, WHICH RICARDO, THAT I HAS DONE AMAZING, AMAZING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT TO GET INVOLVED IN.
UM, I THINK HE WOULD BE A GREAT INDIVIDUAL TO REACH OUT IF POSSIBLE.
UM, HE IS, UH, HE WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER EVERY ASPECT.
HE'S ABLE TO BE, HE'S BEEN ABLE TO PUT IN TOGETHER SOME LIKE, JOB DETAILS.
HE'S BEEN ABLE TO PUT, LIKE COMMUNITY HEALTH OR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER ONE, LEVEL TWO, LEVEL THREE.
UM, BEEN ABLE TO BROADEN OUR OPPORTUNITIES LIKE IN MENTAL HEALTH, IN, UH, DISEASE, UM, IN A LOT OF THINGS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CALL MR. RICARDO.
I COULD PROVIDE THE INFORMATION AND IF HE'S AVAILABLE, I'M SURE THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER EVEN MORE QUESTIONS THAN I AM THAT I'M INVOLVED.
BUT I THINK HE WOULD KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THAT.
I, I THINK IN THIS ASPECT, UM, IF HE DOESN'T HAPPEN TO
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BE A CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEE, I WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND THAT HE AT LEAST BE IN THE ROOM AND HEARING A CONVERSATION AND THEN SEEING WHERE WITHIN A WORK GROUP THERE IS THE ABILITY TO HAVE A COMMUNITY ADVISOR THAT'S, THAT'S A PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS.SO I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY PIECE THERE THAT WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO FLESH FLESH THROUGH.
I, I BELIEVE HE IS A CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEE.
BUT WE'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH MANAGEMENT IN ORDER TO APPROVE HIS, UH, YOU KNOW RIGHT.
THE PRESENTATION FROM, FROM HIS MANAGEMENT.
UM, ANY, ANY OTHER REMARKS REGARDING THIS TOPIC? IF THERE'S NONE, I ONLY HAVE ONE REQUEST.
UM, FOR THE, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, UH, COMMISSION TEAM IS, I, I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET A PRESENTATION, UH, REGARDING THE BUDGET CYCLE AND PROCESS FOR INPUT OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND SO FORTH TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
I NO PROBLEM SAID, UH, UH, FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS RIGHT NOW ON CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO JOINT APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, I THINK UNDERSTANDING THAT BUDGET CYCLE AND INPUT INTO THAT, UH, PROCESS WOULD IS, IS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT.
SO, UH, I THINK ONCE WE GET PAST THIS IN MARCH, MAYBE IN APRIL, LIKE, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN THAT BUDGET PROCESS DISCUSSIONS AND, AND THINGS NEED TO HAPPEN.
SO I THINK ONE, JUST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF PLAN FROM HERE WHAT OUR PROCESS NEEDS TO BE AS WELL FOR INPUT INTO THAT.
UH, IT'S GOOD TO THINK OF BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER BECAUSE WE ARE, UH, EACH DEPARTMENT HAS TO SUBMIT AN, UH, THEIR BUDGET REQUEST.
AND SO IT'S A GOOD TIME TO BE THINKING ABOUT THIS AND, UM, AND I'M, WE'RE HAPPY TO OKAY.
TO SEND THE INFORMATION TO DANIELLA SO SHE CAN SEND IT.
SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, I, I'D BE INTERESTED JUST TO KNOW AS WE'RE HAVING THE DISCUSSIONS WHERE THERE IS NATURAL OVERLAP ON THE COUNTY SIDE, AND THAT COULD HELP ALLEVIATE A LOT OF, WE COULD PROBABLY TAKE A LOT OF THE VERBIAGE, A LOT OF RESEARCH AND SO FORTH AND EASILY INCORPORATE OVER THERE AND THEN HAVE MORE ATTENTION GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
AND SO THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER, IF YOU WOULD, IS ALSO A GOOD COMPONENT BECAUSE IT'S COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER AND PEER COUNSELORS AND, AND, UH, PEER WORKERS ARE VERY MUCH IN THE SAME VEIN AS PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE WHO CAN REALLY CONTRIBUTE AND CREATE STRONG LINKAGES.
AND SO PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THE COUNTY IS KIND OF FINALIZING RIGHT NOW IS, IS BASICALLY HOW DO YOU MAKE A HEALTHY MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY HEALTH HEALTHY COMMUNITY? AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE PROPOSED IS THROUGH COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYING PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, EMPLOYING, UH, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT YEAH, WE WOULD STEER YOU, WE WOULD SAY NO, NO.
LIKE WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO WITH EMS. MM-HMM.
UH, ANY LAST REMARKS? GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE.
I'LL CALL THIS MEETING ADJOURNED AT THREE FORTY FIVE.