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WE'RE ABOUT, AS ABOUT JUST CHECKING.WELL EVERYBODY, LET'S GO AHEAD
[CALL TO ORDER ]
AND JUMP IN.I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
MY NAME IS NEHEMIAH PITTS, THE THIRD CALLING TO ORDER THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION SPECIAL CALL MEETING TODAY, TUESDAY, MARCH THE 26TH, 2024, 6:30 PM IS OUR SCHEDULED START TIME.
WE'RE LOCATED AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER HERE, EVENT CENTER ROOM 1 4 0 5 6 3 1 0 WILL AMINO, EXCUSE ME, WILLAMINA DELCO DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 5 2.
SOME OF THE BOARDS, UH, RATHER, OUR COMMISSION MEMBERS ARE PARTICIPATING VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE.
AND THAT MEETING CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE AT HTTP SLASH SLASH WWW.AUSTINTEXAS.GOV/PAGE/WATCH AT XN LIVE.
PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE ALLOWED, UH, AT THIS TIME IF ANYONE HAS SIGNED UP AND THERE HAS BEEN NO ONE THAT SIGNED UP EITHER REMOTELY OR IN PERSON.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH OUR ROLL CALL.
UH, AS I MENTIONED, MY NAME IS NEHEMIAH P III, REPRESENTING DISTRICT ONE.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND PASS IT TO, UH, COMMISSIONER PEN VIA COMMISSIONER HERE.
AND I REPRESENT THE MAYOR OF THANK YOU AND COMMISSIONER, UH, RATHER, VICE CHAIR APODACA, STEVEN APODACA, PRESENT REPRESENTING DISTRICT TWO.
AND COMMISSIONER ALDERETTE CAR ALDER AT THE PRESENT, UH, REPRESENTING DISTRICT THREE.
UH, COMMISSIONER RICE, REPRESENTING DISTRICT, UH, FIVE.
COMMISSIONER KU REPRESENTING DISTRICT SIX.
AND COMMISSIONER ISLAND DISTRICT SEVEN.
UH, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ISLAND.
I COULD HEAR YOU, BUT IF, IF THERE'S ANYTHING COULD BE DONE TO INCREASE YOUR VOLUME, UH, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
BUT I DID HEAR YOU CONFIRM YOUR PRESENCE, SO THANK YOU.
WITH THAT, WE ARE CALLED TO ORDER.
UH, THERE MAY BE ANOTHER COMMISSIONER JOINING US, UH, REMOTELY, BUT WE DO NOT NEED THEM PRESENT AT THIS TIME TO ESTABLISH OUR QUORUM, WHICH HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
UH, WE'LL PROCEED AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, UH, EARLIER, UH, WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, UH, THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES TO ITEM ONE.UH, WITH THAT, I'LL GIVE OUR COMMISSIONERS A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES, ALTHOUGH WE'VE HAD THEM IN FILE FOR SOME TIME NOW.
UH, THEY DO REPRESENT THE MINUTES INITIALLY FOR THE DECEMBER 13TH MEETING, UH, THAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON.
AND THEN THE SECOND ITEM IN OUR AGENDA, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 11TH MEETING.
I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AND A SECOND, AND THEN WE'LL HOLD A VOTE.
CHAIR PITTS, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED BY VICE CHAIR APODACA, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ALDERETTE.
WITH THAT, WE CAN HOLD A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MIN MINUTES AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? ANYONE ABSTAINING? OKAY.
WITH THAT, THESE MINUTES ARE APPROVED, UH, WITH A VOTE OF SEVEN IN FAVOR AND ZERO OPPOSED.
NOW, WE'LL PROCEED IN THE AGENDA WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 11TH MEETING.
I'LL PAUSE FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE AND A SECOND, AND THEN WE'LL HOLD A VOTE.
I'VE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED BY COMMISSIONER ALDERETTE, UH, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR POCA WITH THE APPLICANT.
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FAVOR OF APPROVING THESE MINUTES AS PRESENTED, PLEASE INDICATE BY SHOWING YOUR HAND AND SAYING, AYE.IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? IS READ ONE ABSTAINING? OKAY.
WITH THAT, THESE MINUTES ARE APPROVED, SEVEN OH IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
NOW, MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR AGENDA, OUR NEXT ITEM
[3. TARA Office briefing on the Request for Proposals for Community Technology Access Lab Management Services (Jesse Rodriguez – Program Manager, Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs Division of the Financial Services Department, City of Austin) ]
NUMBER THREE, THE TERRA OFFICE BRIEFING ON THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BY THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY ACCESS LAB MANAGEMENT SERVICES.THIS WILL BE PRESENTED BY JESSE RODRIGUEZ, OUR PROGRAM MANAGER FROM THE, UH, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DIVISION OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
UH, JESSE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UH, JESSE RODRIGUEZ WITH THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE.
TODAY, I'M GONNA BE GIVING YOU ALL A QUICK BRIEFING ON THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL THAT HAS RECENTLY CONCLUDED, UM, AND THE UPCOMING REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION ON THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY ACCESS LAB MANAGEMENT SERVICES CONTRACT.
UH, THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN INTERESTED IN.
IT IS ONE OF THE, UH, PRIMARY CONTRACTS THAT THE CITY HAS THAT DEALS WITH DIGITAL EQUITY IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED SPECIFICALLY BY THIS CONTRACT.
I'M GONNA RUN OVER THE FIVE KEY AREAS FOR THIS CONTRACT REAL QUICK.
UM, THIS CONTRACTOR WILL PROVIDE DIGITAL SKILLS TRAINING NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE IN DIGITAL SOCIETY TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY AT NO COST PARTICIPANTS.
UM, THAT THAT IS THE PRIMARY SERVICE.
THE SECOND SERVICE IS GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THE CITY'S COMMUNITY PC PROGRAM, WHICH IS MY OFFICE'S EFFORT TO REFURBISH CITY COMPUTERS AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT.
THIS CONTRACTOR WILL ASSIST WITH, UH, PROVIDING THOSE COMPUTERS DIRECTLY TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE A NEED.
AND THEY'LL ALSO TRY TO, UH, OR BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, SOURCING DEVICES FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UH, TO ADD TO OUR INVENTORY OF DEVICES.
THIRD, THIS OR, UH, THIS CONTRACTOR WILL MAINTAIN PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE INTERNET BY MANAGING CTAL FACILITIES.
SO THESE ARE COMPUTER LAB LOCATIONS, UH, THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, FOURTH, THIS CONTRACTOR WILL PROVIDE TRAIN THE TRAINER SERVICES TO INCREASE COMMUNITY'S CAPACITY TO SHARE DIGITAL EQUITY INFORMATION THROUGH DIGITAL NAVIGATORS.
UM, SO THIS ENTITY WILL DO, UH, TRAIN THE TRAINER ACTIVITIES, UH, BOTH ONE-ON-ONE, UH, BOTH PROVIDING ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING AND, UH, PROVIDING TRAIN THE TRAINER SERVICES.
AND LASTLY, THIS ORGANIZATION WILL ASSIST, UH, WITH THE GROWTH OF THE DIGITAL AUSTIN, UH, THE AUSTIN DIGITAL EQUITY COMMUNITY BY PARTICIPATING IN DECA, THE DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN, AND ASSISTING WITH THE COORDINATION AND PLANNING OF LOCAL DIGITAL INCLUSION EVENTS.
THIS IS A SOLICITATION THAT HAS TAKEN US A WHILE TO GET TO, UH, THE PROCESS STARTED IN JANUARY OF LAST YEAR.
UM, AND, UH, BECAUSE OF VARIOUS DELAYS WITH THE PROJECT, WE ARE NOW, UH, READY TO SELECT THE, THE VENDOR.
UM, WHILE WE HAD, UH, ABOUT FIVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE INTERESTED AT VARIOUS POINTS IN THE PROCESS, WE ONLY HAD ONE ORGANIZATION APPLY.
UH, SO THE, THE CITY HAS REVIEWED THE APPLICATION.
UH, THE APPLICANT WAS THE INCUMBENT, UH, TO THIS CONTRACT, AUSTIN FREENET.
UM, AGAIN, THE ONLY ORGANIZATION THAT ENDED UP SUBMITTING IN THE APPLICATION DESPITE HAVING A EXTENSION OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
UM, AND SO THE, UH, REVIEW PANEL DID REVIEW, UH, THE APPLICATION.
UH, IT DID MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PROPOSAL.
UM, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER, UH, UNDERWAY WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE ORGANIZATION TO SECURE THE CONTRACT.
UM, THIS, UH, OUR, THIS ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED, UH, AS THE SUCCESSFUL BIDDER, UH, AND WILL BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL, UM, ON THEIR APRIL 18TH AGENDA.
THE CONTRACT AMOUNT IS GOING TO BE $300,000 PER YEAR, WHICH IS AN INCREASE FROM THE EXISTING CONTRACT AMOUNT.
UM, THE, THE PREVIOUS FIVE YEAR CONTRACT PERIOD THAT JUST EXPIRED HAD AN ANNUAL VALUE OF $198,000.
AND SO WE'RE UP TO 300,000 FROM THAT.
UM, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF ANNUAL INCREASES DURING THE LAST CONTRACT PERIOD, UH, FIRST TO 223,000 ANNUALLY, AND THEN TO $264,000, UH, FOR THE LAST CONTRACT PERIOD.
[00:10:01]
AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE THE NEW CONTRACT FOR $300,000 PER YEAR.UM, THE INITIAL PERIOD OF THIS CONTRACT THAT WE'RE NEGOTIATING IS GONNA BE FOR THREE YEARS.
UH, SO A $900,000 VALUE FOR THE IN, UH, INITIAL CONTRACT PERIOD.
AND WE'RE PROPOSING TWO, THREE YEAR EXTENSION OPTIONS.
UH, THAT'S WHAT, UH, THAT'S WHY THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE, UH, THE CONTRACT BEING PRESENTED IN THE RCA IS FOR $2.7 MILLION.
UH, THAT'S FOR A PERIOD OF NINE YEARS WITH, UH, WITH THAT BEING IN, IN ONE GUAR OR ONE PERIOD OF THREE YEARS, AND TWO, UH, POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS OF THREE YEARS EACH.
UM, THOSE ARE ALL OF THE HIGH LEVEL ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO TOUCH ON, BUT I CERTAINLY AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THIS CONTRACT.
UH, I KNOW I'VE GOT A FEW QUESTIONS AND OTHERS MAY AS WELL.
BEFORE, UH, WE BEGIN WITH QUESTIONS I DID WANT TO ASK, UH, IS THERE ACCESS TO THE, UH, RFP ITSELF FOR THE COMMISSION TO REVIEW AT ALL? THE, UH, YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT THE, UH, SUBMISSION? THE, UH, WELL, TO BE SPECIFIC, UH, I'M THINKING IN TERMS OF THE, UH, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, UH, NOT THE SUBMISSION, UM, BUT THE REQUEST FOR SERVICES.
AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH THE, THE COMMISSION.
UM, I DON'T HAVE IT ON HAND, BUT I'M, UH, FAIRLY CERTAIN I, I CAN SHARE THE, THE POSTING OR AT LEAST THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT THE, UH, THE, THE POSTING HAS.
UH, ONE OTHER QUESTION RELATED TO THAT, IN, IN TERMS OF THAT SCOPE OF WORK, JUST SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT TO ANTICIPATE FOR THE COMMISSION, UH, THE ADDITIONAL BACKUP INFORMATION THAT'S PROVIDED, UH, HERE, UH, IS THIS THE CONTENTS REGARDING, UH, SUPPORT FOR THE ACCESS LABS, UH, COLLECTIVE RETIRED DEVICES? UH, I THINK THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT WAS A KEY PART OF, OF THE EFFORT.
SO I ASSUME THAT MUST BE A CORE PART OF THE SCOPE OF WORK? OF THE INITIAL SCOPE OF WORK.
UM, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, ALONG WITH THE OTHER STATEMENTS HERE LISTED.
UH, THIS ALSO STATES THE CONTRACT WILL SUPPORT DECA AND ANNUAL CITY AND ANNUAL CITY CELEBRATION OF DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK.
UH, AND DESCRIBES HOW THOSE SERVICES ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH, UH, A VARIETY OF THE DIFFERENT INITIATIVES OF THE CITY.
IS THAT PIECE PART OF THE ORIGINAL SCOPE OF WORK? YES, IT IS.
AND, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT SUPPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED HISTORICALLY AS WELL, UH, DATING BACK AT LEAST A YEAR OR SO, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
UH, SO FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION WEEK, OR IS THAT A NEW THING? THE, YEAH, SO THE, THAT ITEM IN THE SCOPE OF WORK, I DON'T BELIEVE WAS REPRESENTED IN THE, UH, SOLICITATION OF THE PRIOR CONTRACT.
UH, BUT IT WAS AN ADDITION FOR, FOR THIS RFP PROCESS.
AND, AND SO THEN TO BE CLEAR, THAT'S A, THAT'S A NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE NOT YET RECEIVED FROM A COMMUNITY CONTRACTOR.
AND THEN RELATED TO THAT, I WANTED TO, TO ASK, IN TERMS OF, UH, THE CONTRACT COMPONENTS, UH, IS THERE ANY ESTIMATION FOR WHAT THAT MIGHT INCLUDE FOR THAT COMPONENT, WHICH IS ADDITIONAL TO THIS CONTRACT OF THE ALLOTMENT? I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND.
ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT THE, UH, THE, UM, FOR INSTANCE, THE BUDGET OF ALLOCATED TO THAT PORTION OF THE ACTIVITY? THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, SO WE DON'T HAVE, WE ONLY HAVE A SINGLE BUDGET FOR THE PROPOSAL.
WE DON'T HAVE IT BROKEN OUT BY SERVICE DELIVERED.
UH, THAT ANSWERS SEVERAL OF MY QUESTIONS.
UH, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND PRESS PAUSE THERE AND COULD GET EVERYONE TO RAISE THEIR HAND TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT EVERYONE ELSE'S ONLINE.
SO IF YOU COULD, UH, INDICATE YOU'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION JUST FOR RAISING YOUR HAND.
I SEE VICE SHERIFF HAS GOT A QUESTION.
VICE SHERIFF ABCA, PLEASE PROCEED.
UH, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, JESSE.
UM, FIRST QUESTION IS, IS, UH, I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW THE OPPORTUNITY, THE RFP WAS ADVERTISED.
UM, UH, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE GOING
[00:15:01]
THROUGH THESE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, INTO THE FUTURE THAT THERE ARE HOPEFULLY, UM, MANY APPLICANTS.UM, SO JUST CURIOUS HOW THAT WAS DONE THIS TIME AROUND.
SO, UH, THIS, THE MARKETING FOR FORMAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS IS HANDLED BY THE PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
UM, IT, EVERYTHING GOES THROUGH THE FORMAL CITY'S, UH, UH, BACKEND.
UH, SO EACH PROPO, EACH RFP THAT IS ENTERED IN THE SYSTEM, UH, HAS A CERTAIN SET OF COMMODITY CODES THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO THAT, UH, PROPOSAL.
AND THEN ANY VENDOR THAT'S REGISTERED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, UNDER THOSE COMMODITY CODES WILL GET, UH, AN INVITATION TO BID.
UH, SO, SO THAT'S THE PROCESS THAT WAS FOLLOWED.
WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, IN, IN THE PROCESS TO ADD SPECIFIC VENDORS, UH, TO, TO THE LIST THAT HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST.
AND, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE, THE PROCESS, UH, I, I DID INCLUDE A LIST OF FIVE OR SO ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAD EXPRESSED INTEREST, UM, PRIOR THAT, THAT WE MADE SURE WERE, UH, MARKETED TO SPECIFICALLY.
UM, BUT, AND DID THEY JUST NOT RESPOND? I HAVE CURIOSITY.
SO WE, WE HAD A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS, UH, AGAIN, IT WAS ABOUT FIVE OR SO THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE, UH, PRE-OFFER CON CONFERENCE.
UM, AND, AND SO THERE, IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS GONNA BE MORE COMPETITION THAT THAN THERE ENDED UP BEING, BUT, UM, BUT AGAIN, YEAH, ONLY ONE ORGANIZATION ENDED UP SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION.
AND NO, THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.
UH, VICE BADAKA, A QUICK FOLLOW UP.
UH, WHEN WAS THAT CONFERENCE THAT YOU REFERRED TO? OH, I DON'T HAVE THE DATE UP.
I THINK IT WAS EARLY DECEMBER.
UH, SO IT WAS AHEAD OF THE FORMAL OPENING OF THE RFP, UM, WHICH THE FORMAL OPENING WAS ON DECEMBER 11TH, SO I THINK IT WAS THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER.
AND I DID HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
UM, YOU ALLUDED EARLIER, JESSE, THAT, UH, UH, AUSTIN FREENET MET, UH, UH, ALL THE HIGH LEVEL REQUIREMENTS.
JUST CURIOUS IF YOU COULD GO THROUGH SOME OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE WOULD EXPECT OF A VENDOR LIKE THIS, LIKE THE BIG TICKET ITEMS IN YOUR MIND, JUST SO THAT THE COMMISSION CAN HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING.
I, I CAN'T, I DON'T HAVE THE, UH, SPECIFIC, UH, I'M GONNA TRY AND PULL IT UP WHILE I'M HERE, BUT, UH, EVERY APPLICATION, UH, WOULD HAVE, WOULD BE SCORED AGAINST THE EVALUATION CRITERIA THAT WERE POSTED IN THE RFP PROPOSAL.
UM, AND ESSENTIALLY, UH, IT'S BROKEN OUT INTO, I BELIEVE IT WAS FOUR CATEGORIES.
THERE'S THE, UM, COM COMPETITIVENESS ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE, SO WHO, WHO SUBMITTED THE MOST COMPETITIVE OFFER FINANCIALLY.
UM, THAT'S A PORTION THAT IS EXCLUSIVELY REVIEWED BY, UH, THE PURCHASING OFFICE.
UH, THE OTHER, UH, THERE'S ANOTHER BUCKET FOR, UH, PAST EXPERIENCE OF PERSONNEL AND, UH, THERE'S A, UH, THIRD BUCKET FOR, UH, THE FIT OF THE PROPOSAL.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY, UH, THAT INVOLVED THE REVIEW PANEL, UH, LOOKING AT EACH CATEGORY OF THE SCOPE OF WORK, UH, AND, UH, ASSESSING THE ORGANIZATION'S RESPONSE AGAINST THE REQUEST.
AND I, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME AGAIN, BUT I, I'M ALSO HAPPY TO SHARE THE EVALUATION CRITERIA.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.
VICE ACA, I GUESS PLEASE, UH, IF YOU'D BE SO KIND TO SHARE THE EVALUATION CRITERIA, UH, AS WELL AS THE SCOPE OF WORK, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS, UH, CONTRACT RENEWAL IN THE PAST AND, UH, CERTAINLY MAINTAIN OUR INTEREST IN BEING INVOLVED AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? UH, YES.
UH, QUICK QUESTION, LIKE, FOR HOW MANY YEARS HAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN WORKED WITH THIS, UH, WITH THE INCUMBENT, UH, VENDOR? GREAT QUESTION.
UM, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS CONTRACT WAS COMPETITIVELY BID.
UH, SO THE EXISTING CONTRACT PERIOD WAS, UH, THE FIRST TIME THAT IT WAS COMPETITIVELY BID.
UM, AND BEFORE THAT, IT WAS A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT WITH THIS VENDOR.
UH, AND IT WAS, IT'S, UH, OUR CONTRACT WITH AUSTIN FREENET HAS BEEN SINCE, UH, PROBABLY 2000, 2001.
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UH, WITH THIS VENDOR.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? OKAY.
WITH THAT THEN, THANK YOU, JESSE.
LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE ADDITIONAL UPDATES.
UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM IN OUR AGENDA
[4. “You’re Being Watched – AI & Surveillance in Public Places” Presentation (Sharon Strover – Director, Technology & Information Policy Institute, Phillip G. Warner Regents Professor of Communication, Moody College of Communications, University of Texas at Austin) ]
IS THE, YOU ARE BEING WATCHED AI AND SURVEILLANCE IN PUBLIC PLACES.PRESENTATION BY SHARON, UH, DR.
SHARON TROOVER, UH, DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION POLY POLICY INSTITUTE FOR THE PHILLIPS G WARNER REGENTS, UH, SCHOOL RATHER, PROFESSOR OF COMMUNICATION AT THE MOODY COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
UH, AND, UH, APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION BEING TEED UP.
UH, DID WE CONFIRM THAT OUR SPEAKER IS PRESENT? SHE'S NOT.
UH, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND NOT, UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND REMOVE THE PRESENTATION.
UH, THANK YOU UNDERSTANDING, UH, PUBLIC THAT WE'LL HAVE TO SCHEDULE THIS FOR ANOTHER TIME.
STROGER MADE HERSELF AVAILABLE FOR THIS MEETING, BUT SHE WAS UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DID HAVE A ROBUST AGENDA.
UH, SO, UH, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT SHE'S MADE HERSELF AVAILABLE TO US, AND WE'LL, WE'LL SCHEDULE HER, UH, FOR A, A FUTURE PRESENTATION.
UH, BUT MOVING FORWARD NOW IN OUR AGENDA, I'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND PROPOSE A CHANGE IN SCHEDULE IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION.
UH, I KNOW THAT WE GOT SOME COMMISSIONERS HERE, UH, WITH, UH, TIGHT SCHEDULES, AND I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE WE DELAY, UH, ITEM FIVE AT THIS TIME, UH, TO LAST.
UH, SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, I'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT AND MOVE FORWARD.
I'D LIKE TO PAUSE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PROCEED NOW
[6. Digital Inclusion Town Hall – University Hills (2/17/2024) Report out and discussion over possible follow up action.]
TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, THE DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL, UNIVERSITY HILLS, UH, FEBRUARY 17TH, 2024, REPORT OUT AND DISCUSSION OVER POSSIBLE FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS.UH, SO EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE HOPEFULLY, UH, BEEN SENT A COPY OF THE REPORT.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND SHARE IT ON MY SCREEN.
UH, WE, IN CONSISTENT WITH OUR WORK PLAN, UH, WE HOSTED ANOTHER DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL.
UH, THIS ONE WAS HOSTED AT THE UNIVERSITY HILLS BRANCH LIBRARY ON FEBRUARY THE 17TH, SATURDAY FROM 10 TO TWO, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF FACILITATING THAT ALONG WITH LEE DAVENPORT, UH, WITH US IGNITE, WHO TOOK NOTES AND HELPED, UH, FACILITATE.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT US IGNITE WAS ALSO OUR SPONSOR FOR THAT EVENT, ALONG WITH THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND COLLEEN'S, UH, KITCHEN, WHO WAS THE PROVIDER FOR, FOR LUNCH.
UH, US IGNITE, UH, PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE AS OUR FISCAL SPONSOR, UH, WHO ENABLED US, UH, TO HOST THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT ON DECEMBER THE FIRST, UH, AS WELL AS ENABLED US TO HOST THE PRE-LAUNCH EVENT, UH, PREVIOUSLY, UH, THE WEEK OF DIGITAL INCLUSION ON OCTOBER THE SECOND.
UH, WHICH BECAUSE OUR BODY IS NOT A SOVEREIGN BODY WAS CRITICAL IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BOTH ACCEPT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM SPONSORS AS WELL AS, UH, TO BE ABLE, UH, TO ACCEPT ACTUAL IN KIND SPONSORSHIP OFFICIALLY AND FORMAL SPONSORSHIP FROM DIFFERENT ENTITIES.
BECAUSE OF THE SUMMIT AND THE WAY THAT THINGS WORKED OUT, WE WERE ABLE TO USE PROCEEDS FROM THAT EVENT TO BE ABLE TO THEN REMEDIATE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL, UH, FOR THEIR TIME.
UH, SO TO BE CLEAR, AGAIN, THIS WAS CONSISTENT WITH OUR WORK PLAN, UH, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON DIGITAL INCLUSION AS A MAJOR SUBJECT AND TOPICAL AREA.
UH, BUT WHEREIN FROM OUR FIRSTHAND AND AND PAST EXPERIENCES, WE'VE IDENTIFIED, UH, THE IMPORTANCE AND NEED FOR CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS
[00:25:01]
DIRECTLY ABOUT THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES WITH THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, AS WELL AS WITH, UH, SOLUTIONS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THEY EMPLOY, UH, TO LIVE THEIR LIVES.UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, ALSO, UH, TO SHARE IMPORTANT RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER OR THE PARTNERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE TO OFFER, UH, FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION, THE EVENT ITSELF, UH, WAS A SUCCESS.
UH, WE WERE GIVEN GREAT FEEDBACK, UH, BY THE PARTICIPANTS, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, UH, THAT IN KEEPING WITH PREVIOUS STRATEGIES, UH, FOR OUR EVENTS, THAT, THAT THE OUTREACH STRATEGY WAS LOCALIZED.
UH, AS WITH EVERY OTHER PRIOR TOWN HALL, WE'VE WORKED TO RECRUIT DIRECTLY FROM THE LIBRARY OR COMMUNITY SPACE OUT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT.
AND THAT WAS CONSISTENT AT THIS LOCATION.
SO RECRUITMENT TOOK PLACE DIRECTLY FROM THAT BRANCH, UH, AS WELL AS AT THE NEIGHBORING DOTTIE JORDAN COMMUNITY CENTER AND THE NEIGHBORING WINDSOR PARK, UH, RATHER, UH, WINDSOR, UH, I BELIEVE, YEAH, WINDSOR PARK, UH, BRANCH LIBRARY.
UH, KEY FINDINGS HERE, UH, REALLY WERE, UH, THAT THE PARTICIPANTS IDENTIFIED VARIOUS MEANS OF ACCESSING THE INTERNET, INCLUDING MOBILE PHONES, UH, HOME CABLE THROUGH SPECTRUM, UH, AUSTIN AND OTHER, OTHER PROVIDERS, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC RESOURCES, UH, LIBRARY RESOURCES RATHER, UH, FIXED WIRELESS THROUGH T-MOBILE, UH, BUNDLED SERVICES THROUGH ASTO.
UH, ALSO SOME ASKED FOR WIFI PASSWORDS WHEN NOT AT HOME, AND CONNECTING WITH PREPAID PHONES.
MOST OF, UH, THE PARTICIPANTS USE SMARTPHONES, UH, BUT THEY ALL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WAS INSUFFICIENT FOR INTERNET ACCESS, UH, AND EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR DESKTOPS AND LAPTOPS.
AFFORDABILITY AND AVAILABILITY, UH, OF WRAP OF LAPTOPS REMAIN A CONCERN FOR THE PARTICIPANTS.
THEY, THEY EXPRESS VARYING, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, A NEED FOR JOB TRAINING AND GUIDANCE TO CONNECT TO AVAILABLE WIFI, UH, LACK OF AFFORDABILITY, AGAIN, FOR EQUIPMENT, PLAYED A ROLE IN THEIR FEEDBACK.
PARTICIPANTS ACTUALLY ALSO HAD RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESOURCES, INCLUDING PLATFORMS LIKE GF, GCF, LEARN FREE.ORG FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCATE LIKE WE DO, AND OTHERS FOR THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM, UH, AND FREE WIFI TO ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY.
IMPORTANTLY, UH, WE WERE DISMAYED TO HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM WAS IN JEOPARDY.
AND, UH, WE ENCOURAGED EVERYONE TO LOOK VERY CLOSELY AT ANY ENROLLMENT AT THIS TIME, UH, WITH THOSE THAT ASSIST THEM.
AND WITH PROVIDERS, A VARIETY OF, UH, THE PARTICIPANTS EXPRESSED CONCERNS OVER PRIVACY AND SECURITY, INCLUDING BEING MONITORED AS IS CONSISTENT WITH PRIOR TOWN HALLS.
AND, UH, A DESIRE FOR TRAINING ON SECURE WEB SEARCHING, UH, FINANCIAL SAFETY, UH, AND IDENTIFYING OTHER THREATS LIKE PHISHING AS WELL, UH, THAT CONSISTENTLY, UH, EXPRESSED, UH, A NEED FOR TRAINING ON VARIOUS TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING, UH, MOBILE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE MORE PRACTICAL TO THEIR EXPERIENCE IN USING MOBILE DEVICES LIKE GOOGLE WALLET, PAYPAL, AND VIDEO CONFERENCING.
UH, THROUGH FACETIME AND GOOGLE MEET AS EXAMPLES, THEY EXPRESSED CONCERNS OVER THE PRIVACY IMPLICATIONS OF DEVICES LIKE ALEXA AND GOOGLE NEST, AS WELL AS A NEED FOR TECH SUPPORT, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR PREVIOUS FINDINGS.
UH, MANY RELY ON FAMILY FOR TECH SUPPORT.
OTHERS TURN TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND, UH, RECOMMENDED AND HAVE BEEN UTILIZING TOOLS LIKE YOUTUBE AND OTHERS, UH, FOR SELF-LEARNING.
PARTICIPANTS E EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR EXPOSURE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO USE TOOLS, UH, BETTER AND, AND MORE FLUENTLY.
THEY STRONGLY, UH, FELT AS THOUGH ACCESSING WIFI FACILITIES, UH, WAS A KEY REALLY TO, TO LEARNING, UH, ALTHOUGH THEY HAD AND MAINTAINED CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, FREE WIFI AND THE CHALLENGES THAT PRESENTS COMPARED TO WIRED DEVICES.
THE PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, UH, BASED ON, ON MY FEEDBACK, UH, ARE OF COURSE, THAT WE CONNECT ATTENDEES WITH AFFORDABLE CONNECT, UH, UH, LAPTOPS AND DESKTOP COMPUTER INITIATIVES FOR LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS FACILITATING ACCESS TO ONLINE RESOURCES AND SO ON.
UH, THEY WERE IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED TO, UH, THE RESOURCES MADE AVAILABLE, UH, THROUGH THE CENTRAL TEXAS DIGITAL RESOURCE GUIDE.
[00:30:01]
AND ALL THOSE PROGRAMS WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN DETAIL.UH, WE, OF COURSE, ENCOURAGE, UH, CONNECTING ATTENDEES TO THOSE LITERACY PROGRAMS I MENTIONED, UH, THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED, UH, AND TO CONTINUE TO EMPOWER THEM.
UH, WE ENCOURAGE, OF COURSE, UH, GENERALLY, UH, EXPANDING CONNECTIVITY PROGRAMS AND PARTNERING WITH ISPS, UH, TO OFFER DISCOUNTED OR SUBSIDIZED INTERNET PLANS FOR LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE, I THINK, A YEMEN JOB AS A CITY, UH, AND SPINNING UP A PATHWAY FOCUSED ON THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM, AND GTOP S CONNECT, EVEN THOUGH, UH, AS WE RECOMMENDED, UH, THE REALLOCATION OF THAT PATHWAY TO THE OTHERS, BECAUSE THAT PROGRAM, THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM, IS IN JEOPARDY.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, UH, JUST CONTINUING TO, TO BASICALLY ENCOURAGE THAT IDEATION ABOUT SOLUTIONS THERE, AS WELL AS, UH, ENACTING THE, THE FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FORTHCOMING RATHER, THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THIS COMMISSION, UH, FOR, UH, GTOP S UH, WE RECOMMEND PROMOTING EXISTING PROGRAMS, UH, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, AND, UH, NEW COMMUNITY, UH, UH, BASED TECH SUPPORT CENTERS.
UH, ONES THAT EXIST AND ONES THAT ARE, UH, INCREASINGLY BEING ENABLED IS A RECOMMENDATION ON INVESTMENT IN CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION.
UH, THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS WE'VE MADE IN THE PAST.
AND, UH, WITH WORK, WE KNOW THAT'S BEING DONE BY, UH, THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY DIVISION OFFICE WITH OUR PARTNERS, AND WE CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE PROMOTION OF INCLUSIVE, UH, DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGIES AND PLATFORMS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE AND USER FRIENDLY.
UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, AGAIN, THE CONCLUSION IS, UH, THAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPRESS REALLY SINCERE APPRECIATION, UH, FOR THEIR EXPERIENCES BEING TAKEN TO HEART AND RECEIVED AND FORGETTING THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CENTRAL TEXAS RESOURCE GUIDE.
AND AS, UH, WE HAVE VOICED IN THE PAST, UH, THAT ADDRESSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN AUSTIN IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO REQUIRE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH, UH, THAT COMBINES INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION INITIATIVES, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.
UH, AND BY IMPLEMENTING THESE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONTINUING THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, UH, I'D SAY COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY, UH, WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE CITY CAN CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS, UH, BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE GAP.
THERE ARE DETAILED NOTES HERE ON THE PARTICIPANTS, OF COURSE, LEAVING OUT THEIR, UH, SPECIFICS.
UH, WE HAD NINE PARTICIPANTS, UH, REPRESENTING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, UH, SKILL LEVELS, UH, FRANKLY, UH, TECHNOLOGICALLY AND, UH, GENDERS AS WELL, UH, AS A VARIETY OF ETHNICITIES REPRESENTED.
UH, THERE'S A LISTING OF THE QUESTIONS, UH, THAT WERE ASKED, AND THE, THE SPECIFIC RESPONSES THAT WERE PROVIDED.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO REVIEW THOSE AND TO LOOK THROUGH THOSE.
BUT WITH THAT, ESPECIALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF THIS, UH, TO REFER TO IN MORE DETAIL, I'D LIKE TO JUST PAUSE AND TO GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE, UH, ABOUT OUR TOWN HALL REALLY QUICK.
I DON'T THINK WE WERE GIVEN A COPY.
I DIDN'T SEE IT ATTACHED IN THE MEETING.
SO IF WE CAN GET THAT, UM, AFTER THE MEETING.
AND ALSO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE, UH, BACKUP DOCUMENTS FOR THIS MEETING.
UH, VICE, UH, I'VE BEEN ASSURED THAT IS GOING TO BE DONE.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS GO AHEAD AND REPLY.
ACTUALLY, I, I DON'T, I WANNA AVOID, I GUESS, IN THE MEETING THAT I CAN DO IT, BECAUSE WE'RE CLEARLY TALKING ABOUT IT.
UH, THERE'S NO WALKING QUORUM.
'CAUSE WE'RE WE CONDUCTING, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND SEND IT TO YOU ALL.
UH, THERE'S NOT ANY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION IN THE DOCUMENT, IS THERE, OF THE, OF THE PARTICIPANTS THAT ATTENDED? UH, NO.
AS I JUST MENTIONED, UH, I'M, I'M SORRY IF YOU COULDN'T HEAR THAT.
UH, YEAH, THERE'S NOTHING PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE IN THE REPORT.
OF COURSE, WHICH WOULD BE BAD FOR 'EM.
UH, BUT YOU SHOULD ALL HOPEFULLY NOW BE RECEIVING, UH, BOTH OF THOSE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS THAT I PROVIDED.
SEND AN UPDATE, JUST RECEIVED IT.
UH, LET ME GO AHEAD AND, UH, GO OFF THE SHARE
[00:35:05]
JUST TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.COMMISSIONER DAS GUPTA, OR, YES, YOU ARE MUTED.
UH, MAYBE I'M MISSED, MISSED IT WHILE YOU WERE SPEAKING, BUT LET ME ASK THE QUESTION JUST TO REPEAT.
BUT WHAT'S THE NEXT STEPS? ARE THERE ANY NEXT STEPS, UH, UH, THAT CAME OUT OF THE MEETING? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT.
UH, THE IMMEDIATE NEXT STEP, UH, WAS EMAILING ALL THE PARTICIPANTS THE SOFT COPY OF THAT DIGITAL RETO, UH, RESOURCE GUIDE.
UH, I, I THINK THAT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO, BASICALLY, PART OF OUR DISCUSSION TODAY IS TO TALK ABOUT OUR AFTER ACTIONS.
IN ADDITION TO THIS, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE REPORT.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE ARE GREATLY INFORMED BY THIS REPORT AND, UH, PREVIOUS TOWN HALLS.
UH, SO I, I, I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, ONE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ACTIVELY DOING THE MEETING AFTER ACTION, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE REVIEWING THOSE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS HERE IN OUR AGENDA TONIGHT.
UH, SO YEAH, REALLY APPRECIATE US IGNITE FOR HELPING US WITH HOW MANY SESSIONS NOW? IT'S BEEN AT LEAST TWO, MAYBE THREE, INCLUDING THE, INCLUDING THE TOWN HALL.
IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS BASICALLY THE, IT WAS THIS DIGITAL INCLUSION, UH, TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSION, AND THEN TWO PREVIOUS DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT, UH, EVENTS, UH, THE SUMMIT ITSELF, AND THEN THE LAUNCH EVENT WHERE WE CONVENED SPEAKERS, UH, AND TALKED ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
AND, UM, THE, IT, I ASSUME THAT, UH, THEY HAVE AN APPETITE TO CONTINUE, UH, HELPING US WITH EXECUTING SIMILAR EVENTS IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN, ALONG WITH THAT, UM, ARE THERE ANY FUNDS LEFT OVER TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UM, ADDITIONAL TOWN HALLS? YES.
I THINK THAT THE, THE FIRST ANSWER, UH, TO CLEAR, UH, WOULD, WOULD CERTAINLY REQUIRE SOME IDEATION ABOUT SPECIFICS ON THE EVENT.
BUT THEY ARE GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE DECA COMMUNITY AND GLAD TO BE SUPPORTIVE AS DECA MEMBERS.
UH, AND WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, YOUR SECOND QUESTION, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT WAS REGARDING FUTURE TOWN HALLS, UH, AT BUDGET, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND I, I THINK, UM, AFTER THE, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT, WE HAD A, I BELIEVE IT WAS MENTIONED, WE HAD A SURPLUS OF FUNDS THAT WOULD BE LEVERAGED FOR EVENTS LIKE THIS.
SO I'M WONDERING, ARE THERE ADDITIONAL FUNDS LEFT OVER? THAT'S RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR RAISING THAT.
AGAIN, JUST TO ESTABLISH THE, THE PROCESS AND THE WAY WE GOT THE FUNDS, AND THEN THE FUNDS THEMSELVES.
SO YES, THE REMAINING FUNDS FROM THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT WERE USED TO PAY FOR LUNCH AND TO REMEDIATE THE NINE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS TOWN HALL, WHICH LEFT US, UH, WITH AN ADDITIONAL, UH, 22, UH, NO, NO, EXCUSE ME, 18, RIGHT? AN ADDITIONAL 18 GIFT CARDS.
SO WE STILL HAVE THOSE TO USE FOR FUTURE TOWN HALL.
THOSE WERE ALLOCATED IN, IN BUDGET, SO TO SPEAK, FOR THE VETERANS TOWN HALL, UH, PLAN FOR A CC.
SO THEY'VE BEEN COMMITTED, UH, TO THAT EVENT.
UH, BUT THAT EVENT IS ALSO, UH, IN OUR AGENDA TO DISCUSS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS HERE ABOUT, UH, THE DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL REPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY HILLS BRANCH? OKAY.
WITH THAT, UH, I'D LIKE TO JUST BRIEFLY MENTION BEFORE WE PROCEED AGAIN.
UH, JUST WANT TO, I REALLY CAN'T, CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW MUCH, UH, THE TOWN HALLS HAVE ENRICHED MY EXPERIENCE AS A COMMISSIONER,
[00:40:01]
UH, AND, UH, IN SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION, BECAUSE IT DOES GIVE US A CHANCE TO REALLY CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.UH, YOU KNOW, AS, AS MEMBERS THAT SERVE ON THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOM COMMISSION.
UH, I, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW, UH, REWARDING THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, TO HEAR ABOUT THE CHALLENGES, BUT NOT ONLY THAT, UH, TO LOOK COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE EYE AND TO LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS, UH, AND OFTEN TIMES TO BE ABLE TO SHARE RESOURCES WITH THEM IMMEDIATELY THAT THEY CAN BENEFIT FROM, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LAPTOPS OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SERVICES.
UH, THE FACT IS, UH, THAT I CAN, CAN SAY WITH, YOU KNOW, FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE THAT, UH, I'VE SEEN HOW REWARDING IT IS AND SEEING THAT, UH, IN FACT, BEFORE I MOVE ON, UH, I'D LIKE TO GIVE, UH, YOU A CHANCE TO RELATE TO THAT EXPERIENCE, UH, VICE CHAIR BCA, UH, COMMISSIONER ISLAND, UH, AND OTHERS, UH, THAT HAVE PARTICIPATED.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, IT'S BEEN A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE TO, UM, TO, TO INTERACT WITH POPULATIONS AROUND THE CITY THAT I DON'T NORMALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH.
AND, UM, YEAH, I, I, I, I AGREE WITH YOU SHARING, SHARING THOSE RESOURCES IN REAL WITH, WITH THESE FOLKS IN REAL TIME.
UM, DEFINITELY WAS, UM, I, I VIEWED IT AS A DIFFERENTIATOR FOR US AND THE, THE ACTIONS THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, UM, ON THE COMMISSION AND, AND, AND, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE TAKEN SOME LEARNINGS AND, AND, AND APPLIED THEM TO ACTIVITIES WE'VE DONE WITHIN THE COMMISSION, AND, UM, ALSO TAKEN SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD DIRECTLY TO MY COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, SO I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT FOR OTHER COMMISSIONERS TO, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO PLAN THESE EVENTS, UM, TO GET ENGAGED.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN DO THE SAME.
VICE, AKA, COMMISSIONER ALLEN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? UM, YOU CAN HEAR ME OKAY? YES.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST IN ADDITION TO, UM, WHAT Y'ALL BOTH HAVE SAID, I THINK IT ALSO REINFORCES SOME OF THE IMPORTANCE AND JUST SOME OF THE, THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO, UM, UPDATE OR CHANGE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
SO HEARING, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS, WHAT THE CHALLENGES MIGHT BE AMONGST THE COMMUNITY THEMSELVES FROM THEIR OWN WORDS, UM, IS REALLY, I THINK, IMPACTFUL JUST FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO OURSELVES.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ARLAND.
UH, AND, AND, UH, WITH THAT, I KNOW WE GOT OTHER THINGS TO GET TO OUR AGENDA, SO THERE'LL BE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR PLANNING ON THIS, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PROCEED.
UH, NOW MOVING ALONG IN OUR AGENDA.
[7. Austin Community College Digital Inclusion Town Hall for Veterans & Military Families Planning Discussion ]
THE, UH, FOR MENTIONED AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, UH, PLANNING DISCUSSION.UH, SO I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN AGAIN.
CAN YOU ALL SEE THE PDF FOR THE TOWN HALL? NOT YET.
SO, UH, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF PARTICIPATING IN THE OPENING OF THE A CC VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES RESOURCE CENTER, AND, UH,
[00:45:01]
TO CONFIRM, UH, GREAT INTEREST IN, UH, THE TEAM THERE IN SUPPORTING A FOCUSED EVENT ON VETERANS, UH, FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION.AS MANY OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, UH, VETERANS ACTUALLY REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THOSE AFFECTED BY THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, UH, REPRESENTING, UH, NOT LESS THAN, UH, 1.5 MILLION TEXANS.
UH, AND WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY HERE, UH, REALLY, UH, WITHIN CENTRAL TEXAS, SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS, AND CENTRAL TEX IN GENERAL, UH, REPRESENTING SURELY A MUCH LARGER, UH, NUMBER PERCENTAGE WISE, THIS IS BASED ON DATA THAT'S BEEN RECEIVED BY THE TEXAS DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY SURVEY, UH, WHICH REFLECTED A, EVEN WITH A SMALL, UH, RESPONSE RATE, A SIZABLE PORTION, UH, OF VETERANS, UH, THAT WE KNOW ARE AFFECTED.
THE THING ABOUT VETERANS, UH, WHICH IS DISTINCT THAT MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE ALSO, UH, REFLECTED ON, IS HOW VETERANS THEN REFLECT EVERY OTHER COVERED POPULATION, UH, FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.
SO, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS, THE UNHOUSED, UH, THE DISABLED, HISTORICALLY AFFECTED GROUPS, UH, YOU NAME IT, UH, REALLY VETERANS ARE REPRESENTED, UH, AMONGST THOSE GROUPS, WHICH THEN INCREASES, UH, THE POTENTIAL FOR INTERSECTIONALITY AND IMPACT WITHIN THE SPACE.
UH, IT WAS QUICK THAT WE GAINED SUPPORT FROM A CC TO SUPPORT AN EVENT THERE, AND TO PROVIDE IN KIND SPONSORSHIP BY GIVING US THEIR SPACE TO HOST AN EVENT.
WE INITIALLY PLANNED, UH, TO HOST AN EVENT, UH, ON MARCH THE 23RD.
HOWEVER, UH, THERE WERE SOME A CC PARTNER CONFLICTS THAT REQUIRED THAT DATE BE CHANGED.
AND SO, UH, WE'VE NOW BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO SCHEDULE THIS AT A FUTURE DATE IN MAY OR JUNE.
ALTHOUGH THE DATES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AT THIS POINT ARE PRIMARILY, UH, HAVE BEEN OFFERED BY PROSPECTIVE SPONSORS.
THIS PIECE HERE WAS CREATED BY OUR TEAM AT A CC, AND IT REFLECTS THE $50 HONORARIUM THAT'LL BE PROVIDED, UH, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, UH, FOR ANY QUALIFYING ATTENDEES.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS AMONGST THE GROUP IS OUR EXPANSION OF SUPPORT, UH, THAT WE'VE RECEIVED, UH, FOR THIS EVENT BY THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND THE ROTC PROGRAM, AS WELL AS BY PARTNERS OF THE VETERANS RESOURCE CENTER TO SPONSOR LUNCH, UH, FOR THE EVENT.
SO THIS EVENT WILL HAVE LUNCH PAID FOR, AS WELL AS, UH, INCLUDE REMEDIATION FOR, UH, THE ATTENDEES THAT QUALIFY, UH, AND ADDITIONAL SPONSOR SUPPORT, UH, THAT CAN BE UTILIZED, UH, FRANKLY, JUST TO, IM, IM, I IMPROVE FROM IT BEING A BOXED LUNCH, UH, PERHAPS LIKE WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST AND, AND TO IT BEING MORE OF, UH, A CATERED LUNCH.
BUT THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY BASICALLY TO DISCUSS HOW, UH, TO STRUCTURE THAT, UH, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INPUT ON THAT, AND TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR OUR PARTNERS, UH, WHO WE'LL BE HOSTING THE EVENT WITH.
WE ARE IN, IN THE PROCESS OF CONFIRMING THE DATE, AS WELL AS CONFIRMING THE DATE FOR A PARTNER ZOOM TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT'S DISTINCT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THAT IT IS MEANT TO HELP TO ENGENDER PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND SMALL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES REFLECTIVE OF THE TEXAS DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY PLAN, AND ITS ENABLEMENT OF SUB-GRANTEE RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES.
SO, AGAIN, TO BE CLEAR, THE WAY THAT WORKS, TDOP IS GOING TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION AMONGST ENTITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO CONNECT WITH THEIR DISTINCT COMMUNITIES OR, OR POPULATIONS
[00:50:01]
ABOUT THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCES WITH THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, AND TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS FOR THEM.IN ADDITION, THERE'S GONNA BE A TREMENDOUS FOCUS ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND IN PARTICULAR, CYBERSECURITY.
I CALL THESE THINGS OUT BECAUSE FROM PAST EXPERIENCE WITH OUR, OUR TOWN HALLS WHEREIN WE'VE INTERACTED WITH VETERANS, THERE'S BEEN A CONSISTENT TREND THAT VETERANS HAVE TENDED TO HAVE, UH, MORE AWARENESS OF CYBERSECURITY THREATS AND ISSUES AND DYNAMICS, UH, JUST GENERAL SECURITY DYNAMICS, UH, FOR THAT MATTER, UH, AND THEREFORE HAVE INSIGHTS TO BEAR.
WELL, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS ABOUT THIS TOWN HALL IS TO ENCOURAGE A NETWORK OF VETERAN RESOURCE PROVIDERS TO IDEA ABOUT, ABOUT DIGITAL INCLUSION AND HOW THEIR PROGRAMS CAN BE ENRICHED BY INCLUDING DIGITAL INCLUSION PROGRAMMING, AND BY ALSO THINKING ABOUT WAYS TO PARTNER WITH EXISTING DIGITAL INCLUSION PROVIDERS ON DELIVERING SERVICES TO THEIR CONSTITUENCIES.
SO IT'S MEANT TO CREATE AN EXPANSIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR RESOURCING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, WITH VETERANS BEING THE SEED, BUT BY NO MEANS THE END ALL, BE ALL, AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE MULTIPLICATION EFFECT.
THE PROGRAM IS GONNA BE VERY SIMILAR TO OUR PREVIOUS PROGRAMS, ALTHOUGH IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE A PORTION OF THE PROGRAM.
AND BY THE WAY, THAT INCLUDES WHERE WE START, WE HAVE A GREETING, UH, WE GO THROUGH OUR USUALLY COFFEE AND SOME SNACKS.
UH, WE GO THROUGH OUR LISTENING, TAKE A BREAK FOR BIOLOGY, UH, MORE LISTENING.
UH, WE THEN HAVE A LUNCH BREAK, AND WHERE WE THEN COMMUNE AND HAVE THE MEAL TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT RESOURCES PRESENTED BY THE PARTICIPATING PARTNERS.
UH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE AT THIS TIME THAT THIS EVENT IS BEING PARTNERED WITH IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TEXAS VETERAN COMMISSION, AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND A CC.
BUT THIS WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF DECA PARTNERS THAT DELIVER SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND OR HAVE IDENTIFIED VETERAN POPULATIONS WITHIN THEIR CONSTITUENCIES, UH, TO ALSO PARTICIPATE.
SO, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO PAUSE, UH, AND, UH, GIVE COMMISSIONERS A CHANCE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
AND LET ME GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE SCREEN HERE SO I CAN SEE YOUR FACES.
UH, I'M GONNA HAVE TO STOP SHARING FOR THAT, SO THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING.
IS THAT, UH, I, I NOTICED YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MILITARY FAMILIES.
UH, IS THAT SPECIFICALLY FAMILY MEMBERS OF THOSE WHO ARE IN THE MILITARY, OR DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE MILITARY AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS? AND THE SECOND PART OF IT IS THAT IF YOU ARE, UH, TRYING TO IMPROVE THEIR DIGITAL, UM, CAPABILITIES, UH, WILL THERE ALSO BE POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS PARTICIPATING? THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.
UH, SO JUST TO MAKE SURE I, I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, THE, THE FIRST QUESTION, UH, PLEASE REPEAT THE FIRST QUESTION.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS MILITARY FAMILIES.
ARE, ARE YOU FOCUSING ON MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY, MEMBERS OF THOSE WHO ARE IN THE MILITARY, OR DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE THE, THOSE WHO ARE IN THE MILITARY TOO? THANK YOU.
UH, SO YES, IT, IT IS VERY, UH, DELIBERATE IN THE MENTION OF VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, UH, AND THAT IT INCLUDES VETERANS THAT ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND AS WELL AS, UH, ACTIVE DUTY AS WELL AS THE FAMILIES OF MILITARY MEMBERS, WHETHER THEY'RE VETERANS OR ACTIVE DUTY.
AND, AND, AND THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION, AND, AND TO YOUR, TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION, UH, UH, I APOLOGIZE FOR SOME REASON I'M HAVING A HARD TIME.
UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT THE SECOND QUESTION? YEAH.
THE SECOND WAS THAT, GIVEN THAT WE ARE TRYING TO IMPROVE THE DIGITAL CAPABILITIES OF THESE, UH, FOLKS, WILL THERE ALSO BE EMPLOYEE
[00:55:01]
EMPLOYERS, POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS PRESENT, SO THAT AS WE IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS, THERE'S POTENTIALLY A JOB WAITING FOR THEM AT THE END OF THE LINE? UH, YES, OF COURSE.AGAIN, UH, MY APOLOGIES, UH, FOR NEEDING TO HAVE YOU RESTATE THAT QUESTION.
IN FACT, UH, THERE WILL BE, UH, PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYERS PRESENT, UH, AND OTHER RESOURCES, BUT I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR US TO SPREAD THE WORD.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH SPACE, UH, BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN BE STRATEGIC ABOUT, UH, THE RESOURCING.
I SHOULD MAKE MENTION THAT THE FOLLOWING, THE FOLLOWING, UH, RESOURCE PROVIDERS, UH, WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED.
UH, THEY INCLUDE, OF COURSE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE A CC VETERAN RESOURCE CENTER, UH, THE ELIZABETH DOLE FOUNDATION, THE UT VETERAN SPOUSE NETWORK, THE TEXAS LANDLORD, AND THE TEXAS VETERAN COMMISSION, EXCUSE ME, THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION.
SO THERE IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE, UH, A SIGNIFICANT, UH, REPRESENTATION AMONGST ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALSO CONNECTED, UH, TO ORGANIZATIONS WITH, UH, RESOURCES AND OR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING, I THINK, UH, RIGHT.
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH, UH, WE KNOW THAT CONNECTING THOSE WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THE DIGITAL DIVIDE WITH EMPLOYERS THAT CAN HELP THEM WITH UPSKILLING, HELP THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES IS IMPORTANT.
BEING ABLE TO TAP INTO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH VETERANS, TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT VETERANS AND MILITARY, MILITARY FAMILIES TO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE THAT MUCH MORE, I THINK, FRUITFUL, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PARTICULAR AUDIENCE AS THE SAME WOULD BE, I THINK, FOR ANY PARTICULAR COMMUNITY WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED ON SERVING THAT SPECIFIC COMMUNITY.
UH, YEAH, AGAIN, APOLOGIES FOR THAT.
LITTLE, LITTLE, UH, MENTAL HICCUP THERE.
ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS? CHAIR PITTS, UH, VICE CHAIR? YEAH.
SO FAR, WHO'S BEEN TAKING THE LEAD ON, ON PLANNING THIS EVENT? HAS, HAS IT BEEN YOU SO FAR? IT'S BEEN ME, UH, AND, UH, IT'S BEEN, UH, VANESSA ERCO WITH A CC, UH, OKAY.
AS, AS WELL AS, UH, CONTACTS WITH THE VETERAN, UH, TEXAS VETERAN COMMISSION.
IS, DO WE HAVE ANY DECA PARTNERS COMMITTED TO THIS EVENT YET? NOT YET.
UH, WE DID HAVE, UH, WE DID HAVE AN RSVP, UH, BY, UH, PHILIP ELAND, UH, WITH CHANGING EXPECTATIONS.
HE'S A DECA MEMBER, UH, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT, UH, THEIR PARTICIPATION.
UH, BUT THAT'S ALL WE HAVE AT THIS TIME.
I DID, I DID, I SHOULD MENTION, I SHOULD MENTION THAT, UH, I DID SPECIFICALLY ENGAGE THE DECA COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS.
UH, AND I DID GET FEEDBACK, UH, FROM A COUPLE OF MEMBERS, UH, INCLUDING, UH, FROM, UH, CATHERINE CRAIGO WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UH, BUT NO ONE, UH, THAT SPECIFICALLY COMMITTED TO TABLE OR, UH, THAT HAD IDENTIFIED VETERAN OR MILITARY FAMILY MEMBER CLIENTS TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, YEAH, WE'LL NEED TO, I GUESS, UH, WHEN WE GET SOME POTENTIAL DATES LINED UP, UM, THAT MIGHT HELP WITH COMMUNICATIONS, DIRECT OUTREACH TO THOSE ENTITIES, I IMAGINE WE COULD, IT WOULD BE A PRETTY EASY SELL TO GET THEM TO COMMIT.
UH, I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I WANTED TO DO TODAY IS TO KIND OF GET A SENSE FOR EVERYONE'S HERE, UH, RIGHT.
UM, BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT FIRMING UP DATES, BOTH FOR THE PLANNING CALL YEAH.
AND FOR THE EVENT RESCHEDULE DATE.
UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT DATES RIGHT NOW, THE 30TH, WHICH IS A THURSDAY.
UH, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE FIRST OF AP, UH, EXCUSE ME, 1ST OF JUNE, UH, WHICH IS A SATURDAY.
AND SO I WOULD ASK JUST NOW FOR THE, FOR THE GROUP, UH, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND CHECKING YOUR CALENDARS AND GETTING A SENSE FOR YOUR AVAILABILITY FOR SUCH AN EVENT, MAY 30TH OR JUNE 1ST.
[01:00:05]
JUNE 1ST IS THE BEST FOR ME, WHICH IS A SATURDAY.AND THERE'LL BE TIME, BY THE WAY, UH, FOR, FOR EVERYONE.
UM, BUT THEN SECONDARILY, UH, NEXT THURSDAY, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT SCHEDULING A ZOOM CALL.
UH, HOW DOES EVERYONE'S AVAILABILITY LOOK? I, I'D LIKE TO, UH, WELCOME ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, AND THEN IF WE HAVE A QUORUM CHALLENGE, A WALKING QUORUM CHALLENGE, THEN THAT'LL BE GREAT.
BUT ANYONE LIKE TO JOIN US FOR, UH, DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS VETERAN TOWN HALL NEXT THURSDAY, AND THAT INCLUDES CITY STAFF AS WELL.
WHAT TIME? WHAT TIME? UH, I'M SO GLAD YOU GUYS ARE ASKING.
UM, WELL, WHAT TIME ARE YOU AVAILABLE? WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AFTERNOON TENTATIVELY, BUT, SO ON THE FOURTH, I HAVE A DOCTOR'S, UH, THE AFTERNOON CHIEFS.
I THINK I'M AVAILABLE AFTER FOUR IN THE AFTERNOON.
IS IT LIKE A 30 MINUTE CALL OR AN HOUR? UH, ONE SECOND.
COMMISSIONER DOCO, UH, COMMISSIONER ALLEN.
IS IT AT LIKE A 30 MINUTE CALL OR AN HOUR? IT, IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT 30 OR 45 MINUTES.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP IT, KEEP SHORT AND SWEET.
UH, BUT SO FAR, UH, COMMISSIONER SUPTA, DID YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THAT? YEAH, I SAID, UH, I'M AVAILABLE AFTER FOUR.
THAT GIVES US ONLY ONE HOUR IN THE BUSINESS DAY.
UM, BUT THAT GIVES US SOMETHING TO POTENTIALLY SHOOT FOR AT LEAST TO LEVEL SET WITH OTHER PARTNERS.
UH, SO, UH, DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, COMMISSIONER SUPTA? YEAH, I, I, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE IT IN THE MORNING, I CAN DO IT AFTER 11.
IS AFTER 11 IS AFTER 11 GOOD FOR YOU.
YEAH, I CAN DO, UM, BETWEEN 11 AND FOUR 30.
THEN THAT'S WHAT, UH, OKAY, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA SHOOT FOR IN TERMS OF SCHEDULING THE PARTNER ZOOM.
UH, SO YOU GUYS CAN BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT.
THEN, UH, TOMORROW WE'LL GET THAT LOCKED IN.
IF YOU CAN DO IT BETWEEN 11 AND TWO, I CAN ATTEND AS OF RIGHT NOW.
ANY OTHER FEEDBACK FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT MIGHT WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THIS? YEAH, ONE FOR ME.
I SAID BETWEEN 11 AND ONE FOR ME.
THAT TIME WORKS FOR ME AS WELL.
OKAY, WELL, WITH THAT THEN, WE HAVE FIVE COMMISSIONERS, UH, THAT ARE GONNA BE PARTICIPATING.
SO, UH, THAT GETS US WELL COVERED THERE.
COMMISSIONER SUPTA, WILL YOU BE SENDING OUT ANY KIND OF MEETING, MEETING NOTICE, OR ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UH, YES.
UH, JUST TO REITERATE, UH, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, I'M GONNA SEND, UH, OUT A CALENDAR HOLD NO LATER THAN TOMORROW.
UH, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THURSDAY, AND SO WE'RE CLEAR.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE BETWEEN 11 AND ONE, UH, DURING YOUR, THE AVAILABILITY THAT'S BEEN SHARED AMONGST THE FIVE OF US.
AND SO THEN THE KEY THING IS IT'S ALSO GONNA BE, UH, ACCESSIBLE TO THE PARTNERS WHO NEED TO BE ON THE CALL AS WELL.
SO I'LL FIND A TIME THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY DURING THAT TIMEFRAME.
AND THEN I SEND OUT THAT CALENDAR HALL NO LATER THAN TOMORROW MORNING.
UH, WELL, WITH, WITH THAT, UH, I THINK WE'RE PRETTY CLEAR ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS, THIS TOWN HALL AND THE FOCUS, I'D LIKE TO GIVE, UH, PAUSE FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR, OR FEEDBACK HERE BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR AGENDA, AND WE'RE GETTING TO THE VERY IMPORTANT PART.
SO I HOPE THAT EVERYONE'S STILL GONNA BE ABLE TO HANG WITH US.
WITH THAT, MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR AGENDA NOW TO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH WE'VE MOVED UP TO FINALIZE THE LANGUAGE
[8. Finalize language for and approve FY25 budget recommendations ]
FOR AND APPROVE THE FY 25 BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.UH, WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE MEETING DOCUMENTS, UH, THAT CAN BE SHARED.
DO I NEED TO SHARE THEM? THE BUDGET, THE ONES THAT, THAT WERE SUBMITTED, THE BUDGET? UH, YES.
THEY'RE ALREADY ON THE CALENDAR.
[01:05:01]
GREAT.OKAY, THEN I'LL JUST SHARE MY SCREEN AND WALK YOU OFF THROUGH THE SLIDES THAT I HAVE PRESENTED.
UH, NOW FOR OUR FY 25 BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, GOTTA LOVE TYPOS.
UH, FIRST, THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM.
THE CTTC ACKNOWLEDGES, UH, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY, UH, AS DEFINED BY OUR BYLAWS TO ADVISE CITY COUNCIL ON COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES, AS WELL AS NEW SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR, WITH THE VISION FOR AUSTIN TO BE A BEACON OF SUSTAINABILITY, SOCIAL EQUITY, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
D, WE RECOGNIZE THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF GTOP S IN IMPLEMENTING OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION STRATEGY AS ADOPTED IN 2014 THROUGH CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION.
AS WE ALL KNOW, UH, THE PANDEMIC HAS HEIGHTENED THE NEED FOR, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS, EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESSIBILITY FOR RESOURCES AND INNOVATION WITHIN THE DIGITAL INCLUSION ECOSYSTEM, AND ALIGNMENT OF OUTCOMES AS G OS PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE FOR THIS COMMISSION.
UH, AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, UH, AND REMAINS IMPORTANT.
THE BUDGET ITSELF REMAINS IMPORTANT.
HOWEVER, UH, THAT BUDGET HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED AT 400 K ANNUALLY SINCE FY 20, DESPITE AN INCREASED DEMAND FOR AND INVOLVING, UH, DIGITAL INCLUSION NEEDS.
THE GRANT ITSELF IS, UH, CRUCIAL, UH, IN ITS ADMINISTRATION, UH, BY OUR COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY DIVISION AIMED AT ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY'S CAPACITY TO ENGAGE FULLY IN A DIGITAL SOCIETY.
IT'S STRUCTURED IN THREE DISTINCT PATHWAYS, TAILORED TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF LOCAL AUSTIN NONPROFIT GROUPS SEEKING FUNDING OR DEVICES, INCLUDING CORE MANY AND CAPACITY AS THE FUNDING PATHWAYS.
IN A MEMO DATED SEPTEMBER THE 13TH, THE CITY ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED, UH, THAT WE REALLOCATE THE GTOP S CONNECT FUNDING PATHWAY THAT I DISCUSSED EARLIER, UH, WAS SPUN UP SPECIFICALLY FOR THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOW CURRENTLY IN JEOPARDY.
UH, THAT OF COURSE, BEING THE REASON FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION.
BUT G OS ITSELF, UH, G OS CONNECT ITSELF HAD BEEN A SUCCESSFUL PATHWAY, UH, WITH A PERSISTENT NEED REFLECTED IN AUSTIN.
AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THAT FUNDING BEING IN JEOPARDY AS OF JUNE, 2022, TRAVIS COUNTY DATA REFLECTED THAT THERE WERE A HUNDRED TWENTY FOUR EIGHT HUNDRED TWENTY FAMILIES OR HOUSEHOLDS ELIGIBLE FOR THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
AND AS OF MARCH OF 2023, OF ALL OF THOSE ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS, 104,832 WERE STILL UNENROLLED, REFLECTING ONLY 18% ENROLLMENT AT THAT TIME.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, THE CTTC HAS HEARD CONSISTENTLY FROM THE DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN PARTNERS COMMITTED TO A CP SIGN UP, AND OTHERS THAT THE PROGRAM RECIPIENTS HAVE FACED HURDLES WITH ENROLLMENT, AND THAT THE ENROLLMENT RATES REMAIN LOW, UH, FOR THAT REASON.
UH, SO FAR, WE HAVE A DRAFT RIGHT NOW, UH, IN OUR RECOMMENDATION TO ALLOCATE $500,000 FOR G OS IN THE FY 25 C OF AUSTIN BUDGET, REFLECTING AN INCREASE FROM PREVIOUS ALLOCATIONS TO ADDRESS THE GROWING NEEDS OF DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING DIGITAL INCLUSION, RESOURCE ACCESSIBILITY, FOSTERING ECOSYSTEM INNOVATIONS, AND ENSURING OUTCOME FOCUSED ALIGNMENT WITHIN THE GTOP S PROGRAM TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES POSED BY THE COVID PANDEMIC AND BEYOND.
I WANNA MAKE SURE TO STATE, UH, FOR THE RECORD, UH, THAT, UH, THIS DRAFT, THESE BULLETS WERE TAKEN
[01:10:01]
SPECIFICALLY AND DIRECTLY FROM THE DRAFT OF THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, WHICH WAS CO-AUTHORED BY MYSELF AND VICE CHAIR ACA, UH, DRAWING FROM PRIOR RECOMMENDATIONS.IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UH, WE HAD INITIALLY MADE A SUGGESTION FOR ALLOCATION OF 600,000 FOR G OS BETWEEN VICE CHAIR ACA AND I, UH, BUT THAT WE DID ENGAGE WITH OUR SUPPORTING TERRA DEPARTMENT, AND WITH FEEDBACK, UH, FROM JESSE RODRIGUEZ, THE PROGRAM MANAGER, UH, I HAVE REDUCED THIS RECOMMENDATION TO 500, UH, WITH INSIGHT THAT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS, UH, THAT WE BUDGETED OUT OF THE TERRA OFFICE PROSPECTIVELY, UH, TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THESE NEEDS.
AND THAT SUCH A LARGER INCREMENT OF, OF 200,000 AN INCREASE WAS PERHAPS NOT THE BEST WAY TO GO.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO PAUSE NOW AND, AND GIVE VICE CHAIR APODACA A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN, UH, AND THEN TO OPEN IT UP TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS FOR FEEDBACK ON THIS RECOMMENDATION.
UM, I'M NOT SURE I HAVE MUCH MORE TO ADD.
UM, I MEAN, I, I'LL JUST REEMPHASIZE, UH, THE GTOP S UH, PROGRAM IS REALLY, UM, ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES AS A COMMISSION AND AS, UH, CHAIR PITTS HAD INDICATED, UM, GIVING THE HISTORY OF, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN MANAGING THE, THE FUND AND THE GRANT, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE.
UM, AND GIVEN THAT, UM, A CP IS, IS VERY LIKELY GOING AWAY, I, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS, HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE NEWS LEGISLATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
I THINK THAT THERE'S GONNA BE SIGNIFICANT GAPS AND, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND, UH, NONPROFITS TO, TO REALLY PLAY A ROLE IN, UM, HELPING TO, UM, UM, SUPPORT THOSE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN OUR AREA.
SO, UM, YEAH, I UNDER UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, MAYBE WE WENT A LITTLE, UM, TOO FAR WITH, UH, THE $200,000, UM, INCREASE, BUT, UM, I, I'M, I, I WOULD BE HAPPY WITH A $100,000 INCREASE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND SUPPORT FOR THAT WITH THE REST OF THE COMMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT VICE CHAIR PCA.
UH, AND HERE, HERE, UH, I, I DO, I HOPE THAT WE'LL FIND SUPPORT FOR THIS AMONGST THE REST OF THE COMMISSION.
UH, I, I DO WANNA CONFIRM BEFORE I TAKE IT OFF SHARE MODE, UH, THAT YOU ALL HAVE ACCESS TO THIS DOCUMENT IN YOUR EMAIL AS WELL, OR IF ANYONE DOESN'T, COULD THEY PLEASE SAY SO? OKAY.
I JUST WANTED TO BASICALLY SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR FEEDBACK HERE.
UH, THIS WILL BE A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM.
AND, UH, ONE THING I CAN SHARE JUST TO, SO EVERYONE CAN SEE IT, IS THE ACTUAL RECOMMENDATION ITSELF, UH, UM, CHAIR PITS? YES.
UH, SO AM I THE ONLY ONE, OR MAYBE I'M NOT LOOKING AT THE RIGHT SPOT.
IT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN YOUR MEETING.
I, YEAH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF ATTACHMENTS.
IT'S THE ONE ENTITLED, LET'S SEE, RECOMMENDATION, BUDGET, RECOMMENDATION, GTOP, SGG GTOP S RECOMMENDATION IS THE ACTUAL TITLE.
IT'S A PDF, BUT JUST FOR, UH, SIMPLICITY HERE, I, I'VE, I'VE SHARED I PART OF MY SCREEN, SO WE CAN LOOK AT IT TOGETHER HERE.
UH, ALTHOUGH YOU'LL NOTE IT READS OUT THE THINGS, THE BULLETS THAT I CALLED OUT, UH, ON THE SLIDESHOW.
I, SO BEFORE WE VOTE, WE DO NEED TO READ IT.
[01:15:01]
IT OUT AND JUST MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S COMFORTABLE WITH THIS AND, AND THEN WE CAN SEE ABOUT THE VOTE.UM, WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, CTTC ACKNOWLEDGES ITS RESPONSIBILITY AS DEFINED BY ITS BYLAWS TO ADVISE CITY COUNCIL ON COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES, AS WELL AS NEW SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE VISION FOR AUSTIN TO BE A BEACON OF SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL EQUITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T LIKE TO SOUND MY VOICE ENOUGH TO WANNA READ ALL THOSE THINGS AGAIN.
UM, SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE FOLLOW ALONG HERE AND LET'S ALL TAKE A LOOK FOR CHANGES WE MIGHT WANNA MAKE THAT ARE GRAMMATICAL OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND I GUESS FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE WHO, UH, CAN'T SEE THE SCREEN, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND FINISH READING THIS.
UH, WHEREAS THE CT CC RECOGNIZES THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM IS IN IMPLEMENTING THE COA DIGITAL INCLUSION STRATEGY ADOPTED IN 2014 THROUGH CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION NUMBER 2 0 1 4 0 3 2 0 DASH 0 5 6, WHEREAS THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS HEIGHTENED THE NEED FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS EMPHASIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESSIBILITY TO DIGITAL RESOURCES, INNOVATION WITHIN THE DIGITAL INCLUSION ECOSYSTEM, AND ALIGNMENT OF OUTCOMES.
WHEREAS THE GTOP S BUDGET HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE FY 20, DESPITE INCREASED DEMAND AND EVOLVING DIGITAL INCLUSION NEEDS.
WHEREAS THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM IS A CRUCIAL GRANT ADMINISTERED BY THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY DIVISION AIMED AT ENHANCING THE COMMUNITY'S CAPACITY TO ENGAGE FULLY IN THE DIGITAL SOCIETY.
WHEREAS G TOPS OFFERS THREE DISTINCT BOARD PATHWAYS TAILORED TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF LOCAL AUSTIN NONPROFIT GROUPS SEEKING FUNDING OR DEVICES, INCLUDING CORE FUNDING, MANY FUNDING AND CAPACITY FUNDING, THEREBY ENSURING A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING DIGITAL INCLUSION CHALLENGES.
WHEREAS THE CORE FUNDING PATHWAY WITH GRANTS RANGING FROM 10,000 TO 35,000 SUPPORTS LARGER SCALE INITIATIVES AIMED AT, AT SIGNIFICANTLY ADVANCING DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
WHEREAS THE MINI FUNDING PATHWAY OFFERS GRANTS RANGING FROM 5,000 TO 10,000, SERVES AS A VITAL RESOURCE FOR SMALLER SCALE PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES SEEKING TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS IN AUSTIN.
WHEREAS THE CAPACITY FUNDING PATHWAY WITH GRANTS RANGING FROM $150 TO $2,500 PROVIDES ESSENTIAL SUPPORT TO GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND INITIATIVES ENABLING THEM TO BUILD CAPACITY AND EXPAND THEIR REACH IN ADDRESSING DIGITAL INCLUSION DISPARITIES WITHIN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, WHEREAS MEMO TITLE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM 2023 ACTION PLAN DATED SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2023, AUTHOR AUTHORED BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, TELECOM AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS, RECOMMENDED THE CITY REINCORPORATE GTOP S CONNECT FUNDING TO OTHER, UH, GTOP S PATHWAYS WITH FULL T-C-T-T-C SUPPORT.
WHEREAS GTOP S CONNECT HAS BEEN A SUCCESSFUL GRANT PATHWAY WITH A PERSISTENT NEED REFLECTED IN AUSTIN, BUT WITH FEDERAL SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM BEING LEFT UNCERTAIN, LEADING TO THIS REALLOCATION.
WHEREAS JUNE, 2022, TRAVIS COUNTY DATA REFLECTED THAT THERE ARE 124,820 FAMILIES OR HOUSEHOLDS ELIGIBLE FOR AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM IN AUSTIN.
AS OF MARCH OF 2023, THE ELIGIBLE AUSTIN AREA HOUSEHOLDS A HUNDRED FOUR EIGHT HUNDRED THIRTY TWO WERE UNENROLLED, REFLECTING ONLY 18% AT THAT TIME.
WHEREAS THE CTTC HAS HEARD CONSISTENTLY FROM DIGITAL APARTMENT COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN DECA PARTNERS COMMITTED TO A CP SIGNUP, THAT THE PROGRAM RECIPIENTS FACED ENROLLMENT HURDLES THAT INDICATE A CP ENROLLMENT RAISES, EXCUSE ME, RATES REMAIN LOW NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION RECOMMENDS TO THE CITY COUNCIL THE FOLLOWING TO ALLOCATE, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, 500,000 FOR G OS IN THE FY 25 CITY OF AUSTIN BUDGET, REFLECTING AN INCREASE FROM PREVIOUS ALLOCATIONS TO ADDRESS THE GROWING NEEDS OF DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING DIGITAL INCLUSION, RESOURCE ACCESSIBILITY, FOSTERING ECOSYSTEM INNOVATIONS, AND ENSURING OUTCOME FOCUSED ALIGNMENT WITHIN THE GTOP S PROGRAM TO EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES POSED BY COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND BEYOND.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A NOMIN, UH, EXCUSE ME, A, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RECOMMENDATION AS I JUST READ IT WITH THE $500,000 AMOUNT.
THE MOTION WAS MADE BY MYSELF AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER
[01:20:01]
SUPTA.WITH THAT, THEN WE CAN NOW HOLD A VOTE.
I'M GONNA STOP SHARING MY SCREEN SO I CAN MAKE SURE TO SEE YOU ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE RECOMMENDATION.
AS READ IN THE RECORD, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AND SHOW YOUR HAND.
COMMISSIONER PEN VIA, I NEED YOUR CAMERA FOR THE VOTE TO BE RECORDED, AND YOU COULD YOU SAY, AYE.
IS THERE ANYONE OPPOSED? IS THERE ANYONE ABSTAINING? WONDERFUL.
WITH THAT, THIS PLEDGE OF RECOMMENDATION IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, UH, WITH ALL EIGHT COMMISSIONERS VOTING IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
WITH THAT, WE CAN PROCEED TO OUR NEXT, UH, BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
AND IN THE INTEREST OF EXPEDIENCY, UH, WHICH I DID COMMIT TO, I'M GOING TO JUMP STRAIGHT INTO SHARING FROM THE DOCUMENT ITSELF AS OPPOSED TO FROM MY SLIDE DECK, AND ALSO ONLY BECAUSE YOU ALL HAVE THAT DOCUMENT AND CAN FOLLOW ALONG, AND IT'LL MAKE IT EASIER AS I READ ALONG AND WE TALK ABOUT IT.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT, AS AMBITIOUS AS, UH, THE THOUGHT WAS, THIS ONE'S NOT THAT LONG.
UH, AND SO IT, IT MAY ACTUALLY BE EASIER
SO THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, UH, THIS AGENDA ITEM IN PARTICULAR IS THE FY 25 DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSIONS AND DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
NOW, AS WE ALL KNOW, UH, WE'VE GOT WITHIN OUR STATED VISION HERE, UH, TO BE A BEACON OF SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A QUICK READ, AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK AND PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS AND ADDRESS ANYTHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, AND WE'LL SEE ABOUT A VOTE FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION.
WHEREAS OUR STATED VISION IS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO BE A BEACON OF SUSTAINABILITY, SOCIAL EQUITY, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY WHERE DIVERSITY AND CREATIVITY ARE CELEBRATED, WHERE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND VALUES ARE RECOGNIZED, WHERE LEADERSHIP COMES FROM, ITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND WHERE THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE ARE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
WHEREAS IT IS THE DEFINED RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, CTTC, ACCORDING TO OUR BYLAWS, TO ADVISE THE CITY COUNCIL ON COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES AND NEW SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS TO HELP REALIZE THE STATED OF VISION ABOVE.
WHEREAS PURSUANT TO THE 2023 WORK PLAN, THE CDC HOSTED DIGITAL INCLUSION TALENT HALL LISTENING SESSIONS IN 20 22, 20 23, AND 2024, AND HAS UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO HOST ADDITIONAL DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSIONS.
WHEREAS PURSUANT TO THE 2023 WORK PLAN, THE CTTC HOSTED THE ALTOGETHER FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION STAKEHOLDER SUMMIT ON 12 1 20 23.
WHEREAS THESE LISTENING, LISTENING SESSIONS AND THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT WERE DEVELOPED WITH THE HELP COORDINATION AND SPONSORSHIP OF OTHER KEY DECA OR RATHER, DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY OF, OF AUSTIN DECA MEMBERS.
WHEREAS THE GOAL OF THE DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSIONS WAS TO CONVENE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN COMMUNITY SPACES, IE LIBRARIES AND COMMUNITY CENTERS TO DIRECTLY SHARE THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH THE CTC AND OTHERS.
MOREOVER, TO PROVIDE POLICY ADVISORS, POLICY MAKERS, AND OR DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS, FIRSTHAND INSIGHTS ABOUT DIGITAL INCLUSION, CHALLENGES,
[01:25:01]
SOLUTIONS, AND POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH BETTER INFORMED POLICY OR SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATIONS WITH THE SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING EVENTS AND COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS STILL SOUNDLY IN PLACE, WHEREAS THE SUCCESSFUL 12 1 20 23 DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT DEMONSTRATED HOW OUR DIGITAL INCLUSION ECOSYSTEM CAN BENEFIT FROM A CONVENING THAT WOULD INCLUDE BUSINESSES, INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS, NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS, NGOS, NON-PROFITS, AND GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AS KEY STAKEHOLDERS, AND WOULD SUPPORT OUR 2014 DIGITAL INCLUSION STRATEGIC PLAN REFRESH.WHEREAS THE SUMMARY REPORT ON THE DIGITAL INCLUSION STAKEHOLDER SUMMIT DETAILS THESE BENEFITS HERE, AND THERE'S A LINK TO THE REPORT ON PUBLIC RECORD, WHEREAS PREVIOUS EVENTS HAVE DEPENDED UPON FINANCIAL SUPPORT OR IN KIND SPONSORSHIPS.
NOW, I'M GONNA PAUSE HERE BECAUSE THERE'S A DEVIATION AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SPELL OUT, AND I'LL SPELL IT OUT HERE WITH THE SLIDE PRESENTATION.
UH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DEVIATION, UH, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE TO MENTION THIS BECAUSE THE DRAFT, AS YOU SEE IN THE RECORD, UH, RATHER IN THE MEETING HOLD, IS THE DRAFT THAT VICE CHAIR ACA AND I COMPLETED TOGETHER.
AND THE SLIDE PRESENTATION HAS ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM ME, UH, AND I WANT, WANNA MAKE SURE TO CLARIFY THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT ALSO INCLUDES THOUGHTS, UH, AFTER RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM, UH, OUR FST TERRA OFFICE ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION, AND WE CAN GO INTO THE SUBSTANTIVE, UH, PART OF, OF THAT FEEDBACK.
UH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I JUST WANNA STRESS HOW THERE'S A DEVIATION IN THE THE FOURTH BULLET.
PREVIOUS EVENTS HAVE DEPENDED UPON UNSUSTAINABLE SUPPORT FROM CTTC LEADERSHIP THAT COORDINATED ALL EVENT RESOURCES, WHILE ALSO GENERATING FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND IN KIND SPONSORSHIPS.
PREVIOUS EVENTS HAVE UTILIZED APPROVED FSD TERRA BUDGET FOR EVENT INTERPRETATION SERVICES AND, AND REFRESHMENTS FOR THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
WE THEN GO TO A HYBRID OF, UH, REALLY ACTUALLY WE GO TO ESSENTIALLY THE SAME RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, THAT VICE CHAIR ACA AND I MADE TOGETHER.
UH, ALTHOUGH I WENT AHEAD AND, AND, AND ADDED A FIGURE TO THE SECOND ONE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS READ AS FOLLOWS, THE CTTC RECOMMENDS THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO ALLOCATE 7,500 FROM THE FY 25 BUDGET FOR THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, TELECOM REGULATORY AFFAIRS, TO COORDINATE THE FUNDING AND SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CTDC FOR THREE PLANNED DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSIONS IN ORDER TO PAY FOR SUPPLIES, SNACKS, COFFEE, TRANSLATION SERVICES, AND FOOD SPONSORSHIP, THEREBY ENHANCING THE ACCESSIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE CRUCIAL COMMUNITY EVENTS.
THE EVENTS, THE CTTC ALSO RECOMMENDS CITY COUNCIL TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO ALLOCATE 5,000 FROM OF THE FY 25 BUDGET FOR THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, TELECOM REGULATORY AFFAIRS, TO COORDINATE THE FUNDING AND SUPPORT THE EVENT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CTC FOR THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT IN ORDER TO PAY FOR SUPPLIES, SNACK, COFFEE, TRANSLATION, SERVICESHIP, UH, TRANSLATION SERVICES AND FOOD SPONSORSHIP, THEREBY SUPPORTING SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION OF THIS YEARLY EVENT.
NOW, I WANNA BE CLEAR, UH, THIS RECOMMENDATION AS IT STANDS
[01:30:01]
IS, IS CERTAINLY IN PARTICULAR, THIS, THIS SECTION OF IT IS, IS REALLY IN DRAFT MODE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DELIBERATE AND DECIDE ON A, A COUPLE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT RELATED TO THIS.AND I WANNA PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND.
UH, SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS EVERYTHING STATED IN THE RECOMMENDATION ITSELF, UH, IS, IS IS COMPLETELY AND FACT FACTUALLY ACCURATE.
UH, THAT INCLUDES PREVIOUS TOWN HALLS BEING FUNDED BY PRIOR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SNACKS, REFRESHMENTS, AS WELL AS INTERPRETATION SERVICES.
THE FEBRUARY 17TH TOWN HALL WAS HOSTED WITHOUT INTERPRETATION SERVICES PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE A REGISTRANT THAT HAD EXPRESSED A DEMAND FOR THOSE SERVICES.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS INTEREST EXPRESSED BY WAY OF OUR, ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN PARTICIPATION, UH, BY SPANISH, BY SPANISH SPEAKING FAMILIES, OR AT LEAST ONE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SECURE INTERPRETATION SERVICES FOR THE EVENT.
AND SO WE THEN, BY WAY OF THE PARTNER, COMMUNICATED THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, TO WORK ON SCHEDULING AN EVENT WHICH COULD ACCOMMODATE THEIR LANGUAGE NEEDS IN THE FUTURE, AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
WHAT'S CHANGED NOW IS THE FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN ABOUT THE TARA DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO USE THE DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET TO PAY FOR TRANSLATION SERVICES.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE JESSE A CHANCE TO SHARE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS OR FEEDBACK ABOUT, UH, INPUT YOU'VE GOTTEN ABOUT USING DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET FOR THIS PURPOSE, UH, UH, KNOWING WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, BUT FEEDBACK YOU'VE GOTTEN ABOUT USING IT GOING FORWARD.
UM, I, I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH MORE TO ADD TO THAT, BUT AS YOU MENTIONED, CHAIR PITTS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, FOR THE LAST TOWN HALL, UH, THERE WAS A REQUEST MADE TO PROVIDE TRANSLATION SERVICES.
UM, AT THE TIME, I BELIEVE THIS WAS DURING, UH, THE, THE CONFERENCE, THE NDIA CONFERENCE, AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT, UH, YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CONFERENCE.
UM, AND, UH, WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK THAT IT WAS NOT, UH, APPROVED FOR US TO SPEND TARA DOLLARS, UH, IT ON A NONT ACTIVITY.
UM, AND SO, UH, YEAH, I, I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE PULLING THE THREAD ON.
UH, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK AT THIS POINT WE KNOW WHAT THE, THE FINAL DISPOSITION IS GONNA BE.
IF, IF IT'S GONNA BE THAT TARA CAN'T SPEND ANY DOLLARS ON, UH, A NON TARA ACTIVITY, OR IF, UH, WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT IT'S STRUCTURED, OR IF WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, FIND SOME OTHER SOLUTION.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FINAL ANSWER IS ON THIS YET.
UM, BUT WE DO KNOW, JUST KNOW THAT THERE, THERE WAS A CHALLENGE THAT PREVENTED US FROM SPENDING, UH, DOLLARS THAT WE HAD IN THE TERRA BUDGET.
UM, BUT FOR THIS PURPOSE, THANKS, JESSE.
UH, AND YOU, YOU, YOU REMIND ME, UH, THERE'S ANOTHER DYNAMIC AS WELL, UH, TO, TO THIS IN, IN TERMS OF IT.
AND, AND THAT'S, UH, THE TIMING.
UH, THE EVENT ITSELF, UH, WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED, UH, TO TAKE PLACE IN JANUARY AT AN EARLIER DATE, BUT THEN, UH, BECAUSE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, IT TURNED OUT THAT DATE.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS WAS JANUARY THE 23RD, UH, BUT DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER AFFECTING MLK DAY EVENTS ON MLK DAY, THE BULK OF THOSE EVENTS WERE THEN PUSHED TO THE WEEKEND OF JANUARY 23RD, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED FOR THIS EVENT, WHICH THEN FORCED US TO PUSH THIS EVENT OUT UNTIL FEBRUARY 17TH, WHICH ENDED UP BEING A CONFLICT FOR, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF.
[01:35:01]
SO, ALTHOUGH IT IS YET TO BE CONFIRMED WITH THAT SPECIFICITY, MY HOPE IS THAT THE ONLY ISSUE, THE ONLY PROHIBITIVE ISSUE, UH, WAS THAT CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF WAS UNABLE TO BE PRESENT AT THE EVENT.AND I SAY THAT WITH COMPLETE GOOD FAITH, UH, THAT, UH, THE CITY IS NOT TRYING TO PREVENT US FROM ENGAGING WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, THAT NEED OR MAY NEED, UH, TRANSLATION SERVICES TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE EVENTS.
UM, AND, AND I ALSO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULES, UH, CAN CHANGE AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THINGS CAN, UH, CAN AFFECT, UH, TIMING, RIGHT, LIKE WEATHER, UH, AND OUR CONSIDERATION OF THE FACT THAT THIS PARTICULAR EVENT, UH, AT THE UNIVERSITY HILLS BRANCH LIBRARY WAS TAKING PLACE IN A COMMUNITY THAT WAS ACTIVATED AROUND MLK DAY AND ACTIVATED AROUND THOSE NEW DATES.
AND SO THEREFORE, ADJUSTING TO THEM WAS IMPORTANT.
UH, I'M GONNA PAUSE THERE FOR A QUESTION FOR COMMISSIONER PEN NAVE? YES.
UH, CHAIRMAN PIT, UH, I GOT A DROP, UH, AND I JUST WANTED TO CHECK, WE, WE, WE STILL HAVE QUORUM TO CONTINUE THE MEETING.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU CHECKING IN BEFORE, BEFORE DROPPING.
UH, AND, UH, YES, THE TRUTH IS WE DO, UH, STILL, UH, THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN OUR QUORUM.
UH, AND SO WE'LL STILL HAVE SEVEN COMMISSIONERS, BUT, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, FOR, FOR THE HEADS UP AND, AND, AND APPRECIATE YOU JOINING OUR CALL TODAY.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO APPOINTING OUR MINUTES FOR, FOR PARTICIPATING IN OUR NEXT MEETING.
UH, THE ONE OTHER THING, UH, TO, TO MENTION, UH, IN RELATION TO IT IS, BESIDES THE FACT THAT TIMING, UH, AFFECTS THINGS, UH, AND, AND THAT WE OPERATE, UH, OF COURSE IN, IN GOOD FAITH, UH, AS WE QUOTED SEVERAL TIMES, UH, WITHIN THE BYLAWS, IT, IT'S OUR TASK TO ADVISE CITY COUNCIL, UH, ON THESE THINGS.
AND SO WE TAKE THAT RESPONSIBILITY, UH, SERIOUSLY, AND OUR WORK PLAN IS CREATED WITH THAT SAME, UH, SERIOUSNESS IN ORDER TO THEN, UH, PURSUE THE MISSION OF THE COMMISSION AND TO EXECUTE THE BYLAWS FAITHFULLY.
WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN AT THIS POINT IS IF THE ONLY ISSUE IS ATTENDANCE, UH, FROM CITY STAFF AT THESE EVENTS, UH, OR IF THERE'S SOME OTHER SUBTLETY, UH, THAT WE'RE UNAWARE OF.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT LAST YEAR, ALTHOUGH THIS COMMISSION APPROVED THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO FUND $7,500 THROUGH THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, TERRA OFFICE AND TOWN HALLS, UH, THAT THE FUNDING AS WELL AS TO FUND, UH, ADDITIONAL FUNDING TOWARDS THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT, THOSE FUNDS WERE NOT ALLOCATED.
AND I DON'T WANNA MISSPEAK IN TERMS OF, OF HOW I DESCRIBE THAT PROCESS.
WE SUBMITTED, UH, SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE CONFIRM THAT FOR ME, JESSE, WE SUBMITTED THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL, AND THE FUNDS DID MAKE IT INTO THE BUDGET.
NO, THE FUNDS DID NOT MAKE IT INTO THE BUDGET.
SO, UH, THE, THE WAY THAT IT HAPPENED, OR THE WAY THAT IT WAS EXPLAINED TO US IS THAT, UH, FOR WHATEVER REASON LAST YEAR, NONE OF THE COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ANY COMMISSION ACTUALLY MADE THEIR WAY INTO THE BUDGET CONSIDERATION.
AND, AND THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER DETAIL ON THAT.
THAT'S HOW IT WAS EXPLAINED TO US.
UM, UH, HOWEVER, OUR RETIRED, OUR NOW RETIRED RELLA HAWKINS
UH, SO WE DID HAVE FUNDS THAT WE, WE, YOU KNOW, PROACTIVELY ALLOCATED TO SUPPORT THAT RECOMMENDATION, UM, UH, IN THE BUDGET, BUT IT WASN'T ON TOP OF TARA'S EXISTING BUDGET.
THANK YOU FOR THAT ADDITIONAL, UH, CONTEXT, JESSE.
[01:40:01]
THAT, I, I'D LIKE TO GIVE A, A PAUSE AND TO, TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.I'M GONNA STOP SHARING MY SCREEN SO I CAN SEE EVERYBODY.
WELL, UH, AND I SEE COMMISSIONER SUPTA HAS HIS HAND UP.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE FACT THAT NONE OF OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IT TO THE BUDGET LAST YEAR.
IS THAT BECAUSE WE WERE LATE IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS? OR IS IT JUST BECAUSE OF THE TIGHTNESS OF OUR BUDGET THAT NONE OF THEM MADE IT? I, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT, BECAUSE I WANNA CLARIFY.
I'M, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HEARD EXACTLY WHAT JESSE SAID.
WHAT JESSE SAID WAS THAT NO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT JUST OURS, NONE WERE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, RIGHT? SO IT DEFINITELY WASN'T US, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
AND, AND SO I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION POINT, UH, BECAUSE IT'S NOW BEEN, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHAT OF AN EVOLUTION, UH, IF YOU WILL, IN, IN TERMS OF THIS AND, AND HOW, UH, BUDGET GETS MANAGED.
AND SO I THINK IT REALLY DOES BASICALLY BEG THE QUESTION OF WHAT WE WORK TO AND COMMIT TO TRYING TO FUND ON OUR OWN, IF ANYTHING, AND WHAT WE RELY ON CITY BUDGET FOR, I THINK THAT THE G OS PROGRAM, BASED ON THE FACT THAT IT'S DIRECTLY TIED TO G OS STAFF, WE CAN FEEL MORE CONFIDENT.
UH, I'M NOT SURE WE COULD SAY WE COULD BE SUPREMELY CONFIDENT, BUT WE COULD BE MORE CONFIDENT THAT BUDGET RECOMMENDATION WILL BE APPROVED, AND OR AT LEAST THAT THE EXISTING BUDGET OF 400,000 WILL BE CONTINUED.
WHEN WE HAVE A BUDGET ONE YEAR THAT'S APPROVED, ALLOCATED AND USED, WE THEN SUBMIT IT FOR APPROVAL THE NEXT YEAR.
IT'S APPROVED, BUT IT'S NOT ALLOCATED.
THEN I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY GET A SENSE OF, OF WHERE THAT'S GOING, UNLESS WE WANT, UH, TO REALLY KIND OF FORCE THE ISSUE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO PAUSE THERE AND GET FEEDBACK FROM OTHER COMMISSIONERS, VICE CHAIR DOCKET.
UM, FIRST, UH, THE, UH, THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU AND I DRAFTED, CHAIR PITT, CHAIR PITTS IN, UM, BOTH BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I'LL JUST READ IT.
UM, ALLOCATING 7,500 FROM THE FY 25 BUDGET FOR THE FINANCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT, TELECOM AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS TO COORDINATE THE FUNDING AND SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE.
SO THAT WAS PURPOSEFUL, UM, BECAUSE, UH, WE DON'T WANT THERE TO BE ANY QUESTION WHETHER THIS IS, WHETHER THESE, UH, EVENTS ARE TERROR EVENTS OR NOT.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO, TO NUMBER ONE, CALL THAT OUT.
UH, NUMBER TWO, THE SECOND ITEM I WANT TO, TO ADDRESS.
YEAH, I MEAN, A, AFTER MAKING YOU, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REQUEST FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS FOR ALL COMMISSIONS TO GET THEIR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS IN BY MARCH, WHICH IS WELL AHEAD OF WHEN, UM, UH, THE, THE, THE BUDGET PLANNING CYCLE OCCURS IN THE SUMMER.
AND MAYBE JESSE CAN HELP ME OUT WITH THE SPECIFIC MONTH THAT THAT OCCURS JUNE, JULY.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION OUTSIDE OF THE, THE COMMISSION RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT YEAH, THE COMMISSION SIDE OF RECOMMENDATIONS NEED TO BE IN BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND, AND THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, THERE'S VARIOUS MILESTONES OF, UH, OF BUDGET BUDGETS BEING FINALIZED.
VICE CHAIR, YEAH, FROM MY RECOLLECTION, AUGUST, AUGUST IS THE MONTH.
AND I SAY THAT MAINLY WITH OUR CALENDAR RESTRUCTURING IN MIND, UH, MM-HMM.
IT, IT WAS THE COUNT, IT WAS THE HOLIDAY MONTH OF DECEMBER, BUT ALSO, UH, SEEING THAT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE WEREN'T SEIZING WITH LAST FEEDBACK IN, IN AUGUST.
SO, I MEAN, FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, I'LL GO BACK, I'LL GO BACK TO THE POINT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE CLERK'S OFFICE SENT OUT ONE, MAYBE EVEN TWO EMAILS ABOUT THIS FROM, SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE DOING OUR PART, WE'RE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE WELL AHEAD OF TIME.
SO, UM, IT'S DISAPPOINTING AND, AND A BIT CONCERNING THAT NO COMMISSION'S
[01:45:01]
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MAKING IT IN TO THE CITY BUDGET.UH, BUT I THINK THE, THE ACTION FOR ALL OF US AND AT, AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL AS COMMISSIONERS IS TO FOLLOW UP WITH EACH OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, UM, AFTER, UM, MAKING THIS RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO, TO CONSIDER DOING SO.
THANK YOU FOR THAT VICE CHAIR, AKA.
YEAH, I, I, I SECOND THAT, UH, AND, UH, WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP ANYONE IF THEY'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW TO APPROACH THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, I KNOW IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT, UH, INTIMIDATING IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP.
UH, OR, OR RATHER MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE A, AN OPEN HOTLINE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE BEEN CHOSEN AS AN ADVISOR, UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE MAY BE VARYING DEGREES OF, UH, RELATIONSHIPS BASED UPON HOW LONG YOU'VE KNOWN THEM AND, AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP, YOU KNOW, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
UH, VICE CHAIR, UH, EXCUSE ME.
UH, COMMISSIONER SUPTA, DID I SEE YOUR HAND RAISED, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE, GIVEN THE FACT THAT NONE OF OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, MEANING ALL THE COMMISSIONS DIDN'T MAKE IT, SO HOW CAN WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE? SHOULD WE, EACH ONE OF US CONTACT OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHEN WE HAVE VOTED ON THESE RESOLUTIONS, THAT WE FORWARD THEM TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS REQUESTING THEIR SUPPORT FOR IT, SO THAT WHEN THE CITY PROPO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL GETS INTO THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, EACH OF THESE ITEMS CAN BE TOPICS OF DISCUSSION.
IN FACT, UH, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S WAS A VICE CHAIR AB ACA SUGGESTION.
SO, UH, AND I SECOND THAT, UM, I DON'T, I MEAN, IF WE WANTED, WE COULD ACTUALLY EVEN VOTE ON THAT, UH, AS, AS AN ACTION.
UH, BUT THE, THE KEY IS IT'S GOOD FAITH, UH, RIGHT? VERY MUCH LIKE, UH, THE OUTREACH AROUND THE TEXAS DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY PLAN, UH, THAT WAS REQUESTED OF ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, VERY MUCH LIKE, UH, OUTREACH ON GTOP S IN GENERAL, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO SPREAD THE WORD.
UH, IT, IT, WE CAN ASK AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
WE'RE ALL GONNA DO IT, BUT IT REQUIRES GOOD FAITH OF ALL THE COMMISSIONERS TO EXECUTE, UH, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO POLICING OF IT, UM, IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS.
BUT, UH, THAT'S WHERE WE STAND NOW WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION.
SO, MAY I RECOMMEND, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PREVIOUS RESOLUTION THAT WE PASSED, WHERE THE 600,000 WAS CORRECTED TO 500,000, UH, IF, UH, CORRECTED VERSION OF THE RESOLUTION WITH THE 500,000 BE SENT OUT TO ALL COMMISSION MEMBERS, SO THAT WE CAN THEN FORWARD IT TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICES WITH OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY, EACH OF, UH, EACH OF THEM, UH, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT IT AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL.
UH, CATCH, UH, RIGHT, UH, BECAUSE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE SEND OUT THE CORRECT ONE, UH, THE ONE THAT HAS THE $500,000 FIGURE THAT WE ALL VOTED ON, UH, 'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONE, UH, WHICH WE WANT THEM TO APPROVE.
UH, AND I THINK WE SHOULD BASICALLY DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR AS IT RELATES TO THE TOWN HALLS, UH, OR NOT.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK
UH, THE DOLLAR FIGURES THAT YOU'VE GOT THERE, ARE THEY BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE OR ARE THEY ESTIMATES? IT'S BASED ON THEIR ESTIMATES, BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE.
SO, SO WHEN WE, IF WE VOTE ON THAT RESOLUTION, THEN WHEN WE SEND IT OUT TO OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE SHOULD ALSO SAY THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THERE'S A REALITY CHECK IN THOSE NUMBERS BECAUSE THEY'RE BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE.
SHOULD WE VOTE ON THAT, UH, SECOND RESOLUTION NOW? WELL, UH, OUR, OUR SECOND RESOLUTION IS STILL IN A DRAFT MODE.
UM, SO I GUESS THE, THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE GOING TO, OKAY, SO THE QUESTION IS, DO WE INCLUDE, DO WE DO QUESTION ONE? DO WE SUBMIT A RECOMMENDATION ON TOWN HALLS AND, AND THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT? THERE SEEMS TO BE SUPPORT FOR THAT, BUT THE QUESTION IS, DO WE INCLUDE A SPECIFIC NUMBER AND DOLLAR FIGURE FOR SUPPORTING THE INITIATIVE? UH, BECAUSE I TAKE YOUR POINT, VICE CHAIR PCA, THAT
[01:50:01]
WE'RE BASICALLY ASKING FOR THIS TO BE CONSIDERED A CITY EVENT, UH, CITY EVENTS.UH, AND THAT WAS AN EARLIER POINT THAT I WAS OPINING, BUT, UH, REALLY, YOU KNOW, UH, STILL LOOKING FOR THE WORDS TO EXPRESS, UH, BECAUSE THE FACT IS THAT WE'RE PUBLIC OFFICIALS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, RIGHT? EACH OF US SWORE AN OATH OF OFFICE, UH, TO OPERATE AS ADVISORS TO CITY COUNCIL, AND TO THEN ENACT THE BYLAWS FOR THE COMMISSION THAT WE SERVE ON, RIGHT? THAT, THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT WE DO FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, AND MAYBE THAT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET CLARIFICATION FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE ABOUT HOW THESE THINGS SHOULD WORK.
ON ONE HAND, THE GRANT FOR TECHNO TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES IS A MATCHING GRANT.
AND THIS COMMISSION APPROVES THE FUNDING, APPROVES THE PANELS, UH, MAINTAINS, UH, A SUPERVISOR ROLE, UH, IN ADDITION TO APPOINTING SOMEONE TO SERVE ASIO CHAIR, UH, FOR GTOP S THOSE ARE THINGS DIRECTLY TIED TO BUDGET AND CITY STAFF ACTIONS.
THE TOWN HALLS, GRANTED, THEY'RE EXECUTED BY AND HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN EXECUTED BY THE COMMISSION IN CONJUNCTION WITH CITY PARTNERS AND WITH THE CITY.
THE FACT IS THAT EVERYONE HAS NOT BEEN.
AND SO IF THAT'S THE REQUIREMENT, THEN THAT'S AN EASY REQUIREMENT.
I, I, I WOULD THINK TO MEET, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE COORDINATE WITH THE CITY ON THE TIMING OF THE EVENTS, UH, THAT WAY THERE'S NO SCHEDULE CONFLICTS, AND WE'RE ABLE TO THEN, YOU KNOW, PROCEED AS A TEAM VERY MUCH LIKE WE DO ON G TOPS IF THEY CAN'T PARTICIPATE.
I, I WOULD HOPE WE CAN GET SOME CLARIFICATION ABOUT AT WHAT POINT IT CEASES TO STILL BE A CITY EVENT, WHICH INCLUDES PUBLIC OFFICIALS FROM THE CITY, UH, LIKE US.
UH, SO WITH THAT QUESTION, UH, I'M INCLINED TO RECOMMEND THAT WE, I, I'M, I'M, I'M REALLY STILL, STILL TORN EITHER WE MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION OF THE EVENTS BEING DEEMED CITY EVENTS, PERHAPS THE, THE, THE, THE SUBSTANTIVE PIECE OR, AND OR NOT.
I'D LIKE SOME ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK ON THIS, BECAUSE I THINK I'M, I'M SMELLING OUT PART OF THE QUANDARY WE HAVE.
CHAIR PITTS, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.
UM, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS DON'T GET A BUDGET.
I THINK WE CAN, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN PRETTY CLEAR.
SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS, IS LEVERAGE TARA, UM, IN ORDER TO, TO ACCOMPLISH SOME OF OUR GOALS.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THEY'VE BEEN SO VERY GRACIOUS IN ORDER TO PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES.
BUT I ALSO THINK THAT, UM, THIS ALSO SERVES SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO AS WELL IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO I, I THINK THAT I WOULD FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS AS WE'VE DISCUSSED AND CONTINUING TO GET CLARIFICATION FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
ANY, IF, IF WE'RE IN AGREEMENT ABOUT THAT.
COMMISSIONER SUPTA, WHAT DO YOU THINK? UH, I AGREE.
WELL, THAT'S ALL I NEED TO HEAR.
UH, I, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THEN, UH, TO APPROVE, UH, A MOTION TO, FOR US TO APPROVE THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION WITH.
UM, BASICALLY, UH, A MOTION TO, TO APPROVE THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS AS PRESENTED.
AND TO BE CLEAR, CAN WE JUST CALL OUT THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS? YES.
MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE? YES, YES, YES.
UM, IN FACT, I'LL READ IT OUT.
[01:55:01]
SHARE YOUR SCREEN ONE MORE TIME.AND, AND THIS WAY WE CAN LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, LOOK AT THE WORDING, AND THEN YOU CAN TAKE IT OUT AND THEN SEE ALL OUR FACES WHILE WE VOTE.
UH, THE ONE THING THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE IS CLEAR, UH, EVERY, EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU HAVE IN IN THE MEETING MATERIALS, IS IDENTICAL TO THIS SLIDE DECK, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DEVIATION THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND THAT IS THESE TWO BULLETS, RIGHT? PREVIOUS EVENTS DEPENDENT UPON UNSUSTAINABLE SUPPORT FROM CTTC LEADERSHIP THAT COORDINATED ALL EVENT RESOURCES, WHILE ALSO GENERATING FISCAL SPONSORSHIP, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND INCOME SPONSORSHIPS AND PREVIOUS EVENTS HAVE UTILIZED, UH, APPROVED FSD TERRA BUDGET FOR EVENT INTERPRETATION SERVICES AND REFRESHMENTS.
UH, SO HERE'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO.
I'M GONNA TAKE THESE TWO BULLETS AND THEN ADD THEM.
THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE HERE.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS GONNA BE AN EASY ADD, OKAY? I'M NOT GONNA MAKE THIS MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT HAS TO BE.
UH, THE, THE READ HAS BEEN DONE UP TO THIS POINT, AND THEN IT WAS DONE WITH THESE, UH, CHANGES.
SO, UH, WHAT I CAN DO IS READ IT AGAIN, I, OKAY.
AND THEN GET YOUR CONFIRMATION.
EVERYONE SEE MY SCREEN NOW? YES.
SO THE READ WAS VERBATIM, UH, WRITE ALL THE, WHEREAS STATEMENTS UP TO HERE, BUT I DON'T, I'VE GOT SOMETHING BETTER FOR YOU GUYS.
I'VE GOT SOMETHING BETTER HERE.
I'M UP TO EXCUSE MYSELF SHORTLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE HERE.
WE'RE GONNA SPEED THIS UP REALLY QUICKLY HERE.
THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING HERE.
[02:00:08]
OKAY, HERE WE GO.SO, AGAIN, UH, THIS READS JUST LIKE WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, UH, AND MY MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION AS READ INTO THE RECORD, UH, WITH THE SPECIFIC AMOUNTS OF $7,500 FOR DIGITAL INCLUSION TOWN HALL LISTENING SESSIONS, AND $5,000 FOR THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT.
WITH THAT, I WILL PAUSE FOR A SECOND TO THAT MOTION.
WITH THAT, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION AS PRESENTED, SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR APODACA.
WITH THAT, WE CAN HOLD A VOTE ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THIS BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, UH, FOR $7,500 FOR THE TOWN HALLS, AND 5,000 FOR THE DIGITAL INCLUSION SUMMIT.
LET'S MAKE SURE WE CAN SEE EVERYBODY THERE.
ANYBODY OPPOSED? ANYONE ABSTAINING OKAY.
WITH THAT, THEN WE HAVE A VOTE, SEVEN OH, UH, IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ZERO ABSTENTIONS, ZERO OPPOSED, UH, YES.
AND CHAIR, YOU'RE GONNA SEND BOTH OF THESE RESOLUTIONS OUT IN, IN THEIR FINAL FORM TO EVERY ONE OF US, SO THAT WE CAN THEN WORK WITH OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS? YES.
WE'LL DO THAT BEFORE I LEAVE THE BUILDING.
SO WITH THAT THEN, I KNOW WE'VE GOT, UH, COMMISSIONERS WITH TIGHT SCHEDULES.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND PROCEED IN OUR AGENDA.
UH, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER KU COULD STICK AROUND FOR THIS BRIEFLY.
[9. Discussion over the Grant for Technology Opportunities Program and the appointment of the Ex Officio Chair role]
OVER THE GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM AND THE APPOINTMENT OF THE EX CHAIR ROLE.SO, UH, WE ARE ACTIVELY, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF WE, THE GTOP S CORE, UH, REVIEW.
UH, WE HAVE A FINAL DELIBERATION SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY COMING UP, UH, MONDAY BEING, I'M SORRY, TUESDAY THE SECOND OF, UH, APRIL, UH, JUST NEXT WEEK.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, BECAUSE, UH, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM, OBVIOUSLY, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT THIS EVENING.
UH, BUT THERE'S A COUPLE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS, UH, TO NOTE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, MANY OF YOU VOTED, UH, FOR MY FIFTH TERM AS YOUR CHAIR.
AND, UH, THAT TERM HAS COME TO A CLOSE.
UH, I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BE COMPLETING MY TERM, UH, AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION AND, UH, IN MY SERVICE HERE FOR DISTRICT ONE.
UH, AND JUST A MATTER OF, UH, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME, IT'S IMMINENT, BASICALLY, UH, AN APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN MADE, UH, FOR THE DISTRICT AND WILL BE WELCOMING A NEW COMMISSIONER TO THE COMMISSION, UH, PROBABLY AS SOON AS THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT AFFECTS A COUPLE THINGS, FOR ONE, IN TERMS OF THAT DELIBERATION THAT I MENTIONED.
UH, IF THE APPOINTMENT IS NOT COMPLETE, IT'S, IT'S COMPLETED RATHER, UH, BEFORE MONDAY, UH, THEN IT'LL BE VERY IMPORTANT THAT SOMEONE ELSE FROM THE COMMISSION STEPS IN, UH, TO OPERATE AS THE EX OFFICIAL CHAIR, AND TO SERVE THEM AS A CONVENER, SO TO SPEAK, OR ADJUDICATOR, SO TO SPEAK, OF ANY CONFLICTS, UH, DURING THAT DELIBERATION.
UH, ORDINARILY VICE CHAIR DACA, I KNOW WOULD BE THERE, BUT HE, AS A CONFLICT, HE'S ALREADY MENTIONED TO ME, AND HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND ON MONDAY, TUESDAY.
BUT WHAT, UH, BUT WHAT THAT SPEAKS TO IS THE GREATER ISSUE, UH, IS THAT BECAUSE I'M STEPPING DOWN, OR NOT STEPPING DOWN, BUT MEETS REACH MY TERM LIMIT, UH, I'LL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO SERVE AS THE OFFICIAL CHAIR FOR THE GTOP S PROGRAM.
AND SO SOMEONE ELSE, UH, WILL NEED TO STEP INTO THIS ROLE.
IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, AS I'M SURE YOU GUYS CAN IMAGINE, UH, BASED ON HOW IMPORTANT GTOP S IS TO THE CITY, AND THE ROLE THAT THE COMMISSION PLAYS WITH THE PROGRAM.
[02:05:02]
UH, AS FAR AS THE DEMANDS OF, OF, OF THE EX OFFICIO CHAIR ROLE, UH, IT'S ADMITTEDLY, UH, IT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT I AGREED TO DO, UH, BEFORE I WAS THE COMMISSION CHAIR.AND BEFORE, UH, I HAD SERVED FOR, UH, MORE THAN A YEAR.
UH, BUT IT IMMEDIATELY FOUND IT REWARDING.
UH, IT DOES MEAN BEING AVAILABLE TO ADJUDICATE ANY COMPLAINTS, UH, THAT APPLICANTS MIGHT HAVE.
UH, IT DOES MEAN BEING ACCESSIBLE TO THE CITY DEPARTMENT FOR FEEDBACK ON THE PROGRAM, RELAYING CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROGRAM TO THE COMMISSION, UH, DISCUSSING THE PROGRAM WITH THE COMMISSION, OF COURSE.
AND IN THAT REVIEW, UH, THAT DELIBERATION PROCESS FOR O CORE IN PARTICULAR, IT MEANS SITTING AND LISTENING TO THE SESSION, WHICH WILL BE A FULL DAY SESSION.
THE SCHEDULED MONDAY
UH, AS LONG AS I'M ABLE TO, I INTEND TO CONFIRM, UH, BEFORE THIS WEEK'S UP, IF THE NEW COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT ONE WILL BE STARTING BEFORE TUESDAY, BUT I HAVE NOT YET CONFIRMED THAT.
SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, BASICALLY IS TO GET SOMEONE, UH, TEED UP AS A BACKUP FOR TUESDAY.
UH, THE CA THE, THE, THE DAY IS SET, UH, WHAT'S THE, THE, THE FULL DAY AGENDA SCHEDULE, UH, BETWEEN EIGHT 30 TO 5:00 PM AND WE'RE JUST REVIEW, IT WOULD BE BETWEEN EIGHT 30 AND 5:00 PM WHICH IS A, UH, I RECOGNIZE, UH, YOU KNOW, ON LESS THAN A WEEK'S NOTICE, UH, ASKING PEOPLE THAT WORK FULL TIME, UH, TO CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING FOR THAT MIGHT BE A, A LOFTY ASK, BUT, UH, THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND, AND THEN OF COURSE, AN ONGOING OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, ANYONE THAT'S INTERESTED AND AVAILABLE, AVAILABLE TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP, UH, IN THAT REGARD.
UH, YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT A, A SUCCESSOR IS, UH, IS BEING VOTED UPON RIGHT NOW.
SO THE EARLIEST IS THIS THURSDAY, UH, THE COUNCIL MEETING, IN WHICH CASE THAT INDIVIDUAL WILL NOT BE TRAINED AND READY TO JOIN THE COMMISSION FOR SOME TIME.
SO YOU ARE NOT FREE TO LEAVE YET.
UH, WELL, UH, IF, IF I UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU SAID INITIALLY, UM, WELL, WHAT YOU SAID, BUT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT SOMEONE IS BEING TRAINED.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S TRAINING THIS THURSDAY IS THE LAST OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMISSIONER TO COMPLETE THEIR TRAINING AND BE SWORN IN, IN TIME TO THEN AFFECT MY RIGHT TO THEN FORCE ME TO NOT BE THE EX OFFICIAL CHAIR, BECAUSE I WILL NO LONGER BE THE DISTRICT ONE COMMISSIONER.
SO, WE'LL KNOW, UH, AS, LIKE I SAID, WE'LL KNOW BY THE END OF THE WEEK FOR SURE, WHETHER OR NOT THIS HAS HAPPENED.
SO MAYBE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND YOU.
UM, SO HAS THE SUCCESSOR ALREADY BEEN VOTED UPON? WELL, O OKAY.
SO, UH, SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROCESS, UH, WE'VE GOT THE COMMISSIONER APPOINTMENT, WHICH OF COURSE TAKES PLACE FROM CITY COUNCIL, RIGHT? THEY, THEY MAKE, THEY MAKE THE, THE APPOINTMENTS OF US, RIGHT? THEY APPOINT US TO THE COMMISSION, RIGHT? AND THEN THERE'S THE EX-OFFICIO CHAIR FOR GTOP S RIGHT? THAT'S SOMETHING WHICH WE THEN VOTE ON OR ACCEPT A VOLUNTEER APPOINTMENT OF, RIGHT? WHEN, WHEN I ACCEPTED THE VOLUNTEER APPOINTMENT, UH, I DON'T EVEN RECALL IF IT WAS A VOTE OR IF I WAS THE ONLY ONE, BASICALLY.
I THINK I MIGHT'VE JUST BEEN THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS WILLING TO DO IT AT THAT TIME.
CHAIR PITTS, IF, IF I MAY, UH, I THINK, UH, COMMISSIONER GUPTA IS ASKING, UM, ABOUT THE OTHER COMMISSIONER'S APPOINTMENT.
SO, UH, I THINK WHAT YOU WERE WANTING TO KNOW, COMMISSIONER DE GUPTA, THE OTHER COMMISSIONER, AND I, I CORRESPONDED WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER I WAS GOING TO CHAIR AT THIS CURRENT MEETING OR NOT.
THAT COMMISSIONER'S ALREADY BEEN APPOINTED.
THEY JUST HAVEN'T DONE THEIR TRAINING YET.
THAT ANSWER MY QUESTION? YEAH.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS WANTING TO MAKE SURE TO DISTINGUISH, UH, THAT THERE'S NO, UH, THERE'S NO ELECTION PROCESS FOR THAT ROLE OF, OF COURSE, RIGHT.
[02:10:01]
OF APPOINTMENT FROM CITY COUNCIL, AND THAT APPOINTMENT HAS BEEN MADE, UH, RIGHT.WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL TO COMPLETE TRAINING, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN BY THURSDAY.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
HAS THAT NEW COMMISSIONER BEEN APPOINTED? YES, THEY'VE BEEN APPOINTED.
UH, ROUNDABOUT RESPONSE, UH, GOT TO IT.
UH, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, PAUSING THERE, IS THERE ANYONE HERE INTERESTED IN SERVING, UH, AS THE EX-OFFICIAL CHAIR? OR, AND, AND AT, AT A MINIMUM AND BACKING UP THE COMMISSION ON TUESDAY, SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY, INTERESTED AND AVAILABLE?
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR JESSE AND DAN.
ARE, ARE WE SURE THAT THAT MEETING IS, IS GONNA HAPPEN? BECAUSE, UH, I WAS LOOKING AT THE, THE EVENT RESPONSES ON THAT, AND THERE'S ONLY TWO PANELISTS THAT ARE CONFIRMED.
UH, SO, UH, THAT, THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPING, UH, QUICKLY,
UM, UH, I THINK THE LAST THAT I HEARD, WE HAVE, UH, FOUR OR THREE, THREE OF THE MEMBERS ARE NOW CONFIRMED FOR PARTICIPATION IN THAT DAY.
AND THEN, UH, THE OTHER THREE, UH, ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE IT IN PERSON.
THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE SOME REMOTE PARTICIPATION.
UM, BUT THAT BEING SAID, IF SOMEBODY IS, IS REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS OPPORTUNITY, BUT NEXT TUESDAY SPECIFICALLY WON'T WORK, UM, WE CAN CONSIDER PIVOTING TO A DIFFERENT DAY.
UM, I, I HESITATE, OR I DON'T WANT TO DELAY THE PROCESS TOO MUCH, JUST BECAUSE, UM, THE OVERARCHING GTOP S CONTRACTING PROCESS IS ALREADY PRETTY, PRETTY TIGHT.
BUT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE A WEEK, UH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK, AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF THE, UH, PANELISTS, UM, THAT, THAT IS A POSSIBILITY THAT WE CAN WORK WITH.
UM, I GUESS BACK TO CHAIR PITT'S ORIGINAL QUESTION, IF ANYONE'S AVAILABLE.
IT, IT GOES BACK TO INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY.
AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, AS JESSE JUST INTIMATED, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE NEXT TUESDAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT GOES BACK TO, UH, AND IN WHICH CASE, OF COURSE, THEN POTENTIALLY YOURSELF, VICE CHAIR OF ACA COULD ALSO YEAH.
THEN, RIGHT? UH, SO, BUT WE'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THERE, THERE'S MULTIPLE THINGS GOING ON, RIGHT? THERE'S MY TERM LIMIT AND TRANSITION OFF OF, UH, THE COMMISSION AND THEN OFF OF, UH, THE RESPONSIBILITY OFFICIO CHAIR ROLE OF G OS.
BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE, THE, THE THING ABOUT THIS, AND THE REASON WHY WE HAVE TERM LIMITS, UH, IS TO MAINTAIN FRESH PERSPECTIVES.
UH, YOU KNOW, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND AT THE SAME TIME, UH, I FULLY APPRECIATE HOW IT VARIES, UH, AND, AND HOW DIFFERENT COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS MAY MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS ON HOW TO MANAGE THIS PROCESS.
UH, I KNOW THAT, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THIS IS CLEAR, THAT I PERSONALLY, UH, AM LOOKING FORWARD TO E EVEN THOUGH I, I HAVE TO ADMIT, I, I CAN'T IMAGINE, UH, NOT BEING INVOLVED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND HELPING THIS COMMUNITY IN SOME WAY.
UH, I, I HAVE TO ADMIT, YOU KNOW, BASED UPON, UH, THE WAY THAT I'VE TREATED, UH, THIS, UH, CHAIR ROLE, UH, AS A JOB, UH, UH, OFTENTIMES WORKING OVERTIME, NOT JUST FULL-TIME, UH, I, I, I FULLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT NOT EVERYBODY CAN DO THAT.
UH, AND, AND, AND SO, AND, AND THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO MAKE CHOICES BASED UPON WHAT'S COMFORTABLE WITH THEM AND THEIR CAPABILITIES, UH, AND, AND, AND WHAT THEY NEED.
WELL, THE FACT IS THAT, UH, I CAN NO LONGER, UH, OPERATE, UH, IN A, UH, IN, IN THE SAME CAPACITY.
IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR ME PERSONALLY.
SO IT, IT'S SOMEWHAT CONVENIENT IN, IN TERMS OF THE TIMING.
UH, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, HAVING WORKED WITH YOU ALL, AS I HAVE MANY OF YOU FOR THE PAST, UH, SEVERAL YEARS, UH, SUMIT, UH, IN YOUR CASE FOR THE PAST EIGHT, UH, WITH JESSE, UH, FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, UH, THAT THIS COMMISSION REMAINS SUCCESSFUL, UH, AS IT'S BEEN AND
[02:15:01]
CONTINUE TO, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, ADVISEMENT TO CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, AND INITIATIVES, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY ANSWER AND RESPOND TO OUR WORK PLAN.UH, SO I HOPE THAT, UH, WE CAN GET THERE, UH, AND I'LL DO ALL THAT I CAN TO HELP WITH THE TRANSITION PROCESS, UH, TO MAKE THAT.
SO, UH, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO KEEP EACH OTHER POSTED.
I THINK, UH, I'LL MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS THE STATUS, UH, NO LONGER, UH, NO LATER THAN, UH, THE END OF THE WEEK ABOUT WHERE WE STAND FOR NEXT TUESDAY, AND THEN MORE THAN LIKELY WHERE WE MIGHT STAND EVEN, UH, FOR THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING.
UH, AND I HOPE THEN WE'LL GET A CHANCE, UH, TO ALL ENGAGE, UH, AT ANOTHER TIME IN ANOTHER SETTING, UH, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT QUORUM ISSUES, BECAUSE, UH, I'LL NO LONGER BE A COMMISSIONER, UH, AND, UH, I'LL JUST BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH YOU ALL, UH, AS, UH, LIKE AUSTINITES, UH, AS, AS PEOPLE WHO LOVE THIS COMMUNITY, UH, THAT CLEARLY APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK, UH, OF SPENDING, UH, OUR TIME AS UNPAID APPOINTEES, UH, TO, TO BE A PART OF POSITIVE CHANGE, UH, IN A COMMUNITY, UH, THAT UNDERSTANDS PROGRESS AND UNDERSTANDS ESPECIALLY, UH, IN, IN, IN, UH, IN A TIME WITH DEMOCRACY, UH, UNDER THREAT, THAT, THAT UNDERSTANDS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS AT THE, AT THE HEART OF DEMOCRACY, UH, THIS IS THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, UH, THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER GETS TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS THAT CAN THEN ADVISE AND PROVIDE INPUT DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND ADVISE THEIR DECISION MAKING, THAT WE GET TO THEN MAKE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE RECORD, UH, THAT THEY HAVE TO ADDRESS.
UH, IF NOT IMPLEMENT, AT THE VERY LEAST, UH, YOU, I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY PROUD THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR A VARIETY O OF OF INITIATIVES THAT THE CITY HAS, HAS TAKEN UP.
THAT ALL BEGAN WITH US ADVISING, UH, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU ALL ARE INCREDIBLY INTELLIGENT AND, UH, AND, AND, UH, ALL HAVE YOUR OWN SKILL SETS, UH, AND EXPERTISE YOU BRING TO BEAR AS ADVISORS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE, UH, SO FAR, UH, AND, UH, CERTAINLY HOPE THAT YOU'LL REMAIN AS ENGAGED AS YOU'VE BEEN, UH, GOING FORWARD.
AND WITH THAT, UM, WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD A CHANGE, COMMISSIONER, UH, BUT WE STILL HAVE SIX COMMISSIONERS.
SO, UH, WE DON'T HAVE TO RUSH OFF.
UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA END THIS QUICKLY.
UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST WE DO IS, UH, BRIEFLY, UH, TALK THROUGH, UH, THE DECISION POINT, UH, OR LEMME JUST HOLD THE SPACE FOR FEEDBACK.
UH, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK ABOUT THE EX OFFICIAL CHAIR ROLE, UH, UH, BEFORE WE KNOW HOW THINGS GET FINALIZED THIS WEEK AND HOW THINGS TURN OUT? AS I MENTIONED, I, I'LL BE IN CONTACT, BUT THIS IS OUR LAST CHANCE TO DISCUSS OR ACT ON THIS ITEM,
UM, YEAH, FOR, FOR ME, JESSE, IF, IF THE, IF IT DOES GET MOVED TO, IF WE COULD, IF IT DOES GET RESCHEDULED, I CAN DO FRIDAYS, UH, SOUNDS GOOD.
AND, UH, UH, IF, IF NOBODY ELSE HAS ANY, ANY THOUGHTS, THEN DAN AND I WILL BE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH, UH, YOU CHAIR PITTS, AND YOU VICE CHAIR, AKA ON, ON THE NEXT STEPS.
BEST CASE SCENARIO, CHAIR PITTS, UM, DOES IT ONE MORE TIME.
ALRIGHT, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED THERE, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT INTERJECTION, UH, VICE CHAIR DOCK AND CLARIFICATION, UH, JESSE.
OKAY, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE, MOVE FORWARD WITH
[5. Discussion Over Possible Follow Up Actions Regarding the Texas Digital Opportunity Plan Comment Period]
THE AGENDA.UH, WE SKIPPED OVER THIS ITEM EARLIER, DISCUSSION, UH, OVER POSSIBLE FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS REGARDING THE TEXAS DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY PLAN PERIOD.
UH, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE, I THINK, TO HAVE ONGOING, UH, WEBINARS AND CONFERENCE CALLS HOSTED BY ISLR AND THE TEXAS BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
UH, I'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THOSE CONFERENCE CALLS.
[02:20:01]
UH, WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE TO DO, UH, AGAIN, WITH MY TRANSITION IS TO SHARE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION WITH THE COMMISSION.UM, I CAN'T, WHILE BEING A COMMISSIONER SEND IT TO YOU ALL, UH, AT ONE TIME.
SO I'LL BE SURE TO SHARE THAT WITH, WITH DAN AND JESSE, AND THEN FOR DISSEMINATION, UH, TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION, UH, THAT WAY YOU ALL CAN, YOU KNOW, UH, BASED ON YOUR AVAILABILITY AND YOUR INTEREST LEVEL, FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AND, AND JOIN THESE CONFERENCE CALLS.
I THINK, UH, BASED UPON, UH, GUIDANCE WE'VE GOTTEN THAT WE, WE WORK TO ADOPT BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE ON OUR WORKING GROUPS, UH, AND ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE, WHICH, WHICH IS NOW AFFECTING OUR AGENDAS, UH, THAT NO LONGER HAVE STANDING ITEMS FOR WORKING GROUPS.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING A, A, A, A POLITE NUDGE IN THAT DIRECTION, UM, OF, UH, NOT DISBANDING THEM, UH, BUT, UH, MAKING THEM OPERATE AS THEIR INTENDED WITH EXPIRATION DATES.
UH, AND SO, SINCE MY DEPARTURE, UH, FROM THE COMMISSION WILL ALSO INCLUDE, UH, MAKING SPACE FOR ANOTHER WORKING GROUP CHAIR, UH, I, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO JUST THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA WORK BEST FOR YOU AS A GROUP.
UH, AND, YOU KNOW, AS YOU WORK UNDER, UH, UH, VICE CHAIR AKA'S, UH, LEADERSHIP AS THE, UH, DEFAULT CHAIR IN MY ABSENCE, UH, AND THEN WORK TO ELECT A CHAIR LONG-TERM TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO SERVE, UH, IN ONE OF THOSE ROLES AS EITHER CHAIR OR VICE CHAIR, TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO SERVE AS A CHAIR OF A WORKING GROUP.
UH, BUT RECOGNIZING THAT, UH, WHATEVER YOU AGREE TO, THAT IT NEEDS TO WORK FOR YOUR SCHEDULES AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT IT FITS INTO A FLOW THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE, UM, FOR COMMISSIONED BUSINESS TO BE EXECUTED.
YES, COMMISSIONER DAS CTA, UH, SINCE, UH, YOU ARE GONNA BE LEAVING THE COMMISSION, THAT MEANS NEXT MONDAY IS, UH, WITH THE, UH, TECHNOLOGY, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE AND INNOVATION WORKING GROUP MEETING.
SO I ASSUME YOU WILL BE LEAVING BEFORE THEN, OR AFTER THEN? UH, WELL, WHETHER OR NOT I, I'M GOING TO BE LEAVING BEFORE THEN.
WE'LL BE DETERMINED BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
UH, SO IT'LL EITHER BE BEFORE OR AFTER, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL KNOW BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
UM, BUT YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT, UH, BECAUSE IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSITION, UH, I GUESS ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS IS THERE'S NO PROHIBITION AGAINST NON-COMMISSION BEING INVOLVED IN WORKING GROUP DISCUSSIONS OR WORKING GROUPS.
SO I'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE, UH, TO VICE AKA TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, UH, AND THE WORKING GROUPS AS THEY STAND, UH, WITH ANY TRANSITIONS.
BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO, TO, YOU KNOW, SHIFT THINGS A LITTLE BIT IN A WAY THAT'S GONNA WORK SCHEDULE WISE FOR EVERYBODY, UH, AND, AND, AND WORK BETTER.
UH, FRANKLY, BECAUSE, UH, OVER THE PAST YEAR, UH, THE PAST SIX MONTHS IN PARTICULAR, UH, I'VE NOTICED IT'S BEEN TOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO, TO JOIN WORKING GROUP DISCUSSIONS, UH, BASED ON THE CURRENT SCHEDULE.
SO I, I THINK IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DIAL THAT BACK IN OR IT REALLY, UH, DIAL IT INTO A, A LEVEL IT'S NEVER BEEN BEFORE.
UH, BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, UH, IN THE SPIRIT OF, UH, OF THINGS, I'LL ALSO THEN, UH, COME BACK AND PROVIDE ANY UPDATES THAT, THAT I'M MADE AWARE OF, UH, ABOUT THE TEXAS DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY PLAN COMMENT PERIOD.
UM, AND I'LL BE WILLING TO DO THAT AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN.
BUT, UH, IF GIVEN AN INVITATION, UH, FROM THIS COMMISSION, I'LL, I'LL DO IT, UH, AS PART OF A BRIEFING.
UH, SO IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT I HAVE, UH, THREE MINUTES, UH, WITH THE CITIZEN PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PERIOD OR, UH, OR 15, UH, BY VIRTUE OF, UH, UH, YOUR AGREEMENT AND THE CHAIR.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS, UH, THIS DISCUSSION ITEM HERE THAT WE BUMP TO THE END? OKAY.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ]
ITEMS, UH, I'D LIKE TO PAUSE.UH, I THINK THAT WE CAN IMMEDIATELY SAY THAT, UH, THE BEING WATCHED PRESENTATION
[02:25:01]
BY DR.TROOVER, UH, IS SOMETHING WHICH, UH, IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR THE NEXT AGENDA.
I KNOW THAT, UH, WE HAD A PRESENTATION INITIALLY SCHEDULED, UH, AT OUR PREVIOUS MEETING BY BYE, DAN, BY CHRIS DURAN.
AND THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR, YEAH, THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UH, THEY WERE GOING TO PRESENT ON THEIR PLAN DRAFT THEIR FY 25 PLAN DRAFT, AND THEY'VE NOW GOTTEN TO A STAGE IN THEIR DRAFT MODE WHERE IT MAKES SENSE TO THEN WAIT UNTIL MAY, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY WAS PRESENTED TO JOIN THIS MEETING, AND THEY DECIDED IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO WAIT TILL MAY, UH, AND NOW UP IN THE AIR, UH, IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO PRESENT AT A WORKING GROUP MEETING.
BUT THEY SEEM TO FEEL AS THOUGH, AT LEAST THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOTTEN IS, UH, THAT THE MAY COMMISSION MEETING WILL BE SUITABLE, UH, FOR THEIR DRAFT PRESENTATION.
SO UNLESS THERE'S, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY DESIRE AMONGST THE COMMISSIONERS TO HAVE THEM MEET WITH US BEFOREHAND IN A WORKING GROUP MEETING, UH, THEN THAT'S GONNA BE THE PLAN AS IT STANDS.
ANY ANY FEEDBACK ON THAT? ANYBODY? NO, I WAS IN THAT SAME EMAIL CHAIN.
THEY, THEY SEEMED LIKE, UM, THEY WERE GOOD TO PRESENT IN MAY.
SO THAT'S TWO, UH, JESSE, ANY THOUGHTS? UH, SO WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR TERM COMING TO A CLOSE, WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE ELECTIONS, UH, AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
UM, AND SO WE WILL LIKELY HAVE TO HAVE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR ELECTIONS.
UM, WE ALSO WILL LIKELY HAVE A SET OF G TOPS, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE COMMISSION TO VOTE ON, UH, FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
SO THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER ITEM FOR THE AGENDA, I THINK.
YEAH, THAT'S EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE ON MY CALENDAR, UH, AND IT, SINCE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TRANSITION, I JUST ALSO WANNA PLUG, UM, ANY AGENDA ITEM CAN BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA BY, BY TWO COMMISSIONERS.
SO IF, IF ANYBODY HAS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ON THE AGENDA, UH, YOU JUST NEED ONE OTHER COMMISSIONER TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, UM, AND THAT, THAT CAN HAPPEN OFFLINE IN THE INTERIM, IF, IF ANYTHING DOES COME UP, YEAH, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT, UH, CALL OUT THAT, AS IS LISTED IN OUR BYLAWS.
UH, IT, IT ONLY TAKES TWO COMMISSIONERS, UH, TO LIST SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA.
UH, WE HAVE TYPICALLY ARRIVED AT THAT IN OUR WORKING GROUPS, UH, RIGHT.
BUT AS WE'VE HAD DIFFICULTY HAVING WORKING GROUP DISCUSSIONS OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MEET IN THE WORKING GROUP TO HAVE INPUT ON THE AGENDA.
UH, IT CAN BEGIN AS SIMPLE AS AN EMAIL TO THE LIAISON OR THE CHAIR TO ONE OF YOUR OTHER COMMISSIONERS.
UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT YOU, THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT, THAT, THAT REALLY IS CONCERNING YOU, THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY OR TELECOM.
UH, AND THEN IT CAN GO FROM THERE.
UH, YOU CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION EVEN AS LONG AS IT'S LESS THAN IT'S FIVE OR LESS COMMISSIONERS, UH, RIGHT.
BUT THE KEY IS THAT JUST TWO HAVE TO BE, UH, SPONSORING OR SUPPORTIVE OF THE ITEM IN ORDER FOR IT TO MAKE IT ON THE AGENDA.
UH, AND, UH, I THINK THERE'LL BE, UH, OTHERS.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE THOUGHTS ON, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? LIKE, SINCE WE'RE, NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT? YEAH, I HAVE, I HAVE A THOUGHT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE GOING THROUGH A, A LOT OF TRANSITION.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION POINT ON, UM, REFRESHING THE WORKING GROUPS, UH, WHAT THE WORKING GROUPS ARE REASSIGNMENTS, BECAUSE, UH, THEY'VE REALLY FALLEN OFF RECENTLY.
SO I, MM-HMM,
BASICALLY, ANYTHING ON THE TRANSITION SIDE, I THINK, UH, THAT'S OF CONCERN.
UH, WE MIGHT WANNA MAKE ITS OWN IN INDEPENDENT, UH, UH, AGENDA ITEM, UH, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY MAY REQUIRE ACTIONS, AND WE'LL HAVE TO SPECIFY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO TRY TO ADDRESS OR, OR, OR MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ON.
NO, I, I JUST WANTED TO AGREE WITH, UH,
[02:30:01]
VICE CHAIR ABER ON THAT.THANK YOU TO THE WORKING GROUPS, BECAUSE THE ONE I'M IN, OF COURSE, IS GONNA LOSE ONE MEMBER AND HE'LL BE DOWN TO TWO.
WELL, THAT'S NOT CRITICAL MASS.
YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT THOUGH.
UM, 'CAUSE AGAIN, UH, SOME THINGS ARE CHANGING, UH, AND THE, UH, I CERTAINLY FEEL, UH, WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING, UH, UH, AND YOU POUR YOUR HEART INTO IT FOR EIGHT YEARS, YOU CAN NATURALLY FEEL, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME KIND OF WAY ABOUT THAT CHANGING.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, AS I MENTIONED, I STILL WANNA MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO, TO SUPPORT THE WORKING GROUPS, RIGHT? SO, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE TRANSITIONS, I WANNA MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, LET'S MAINTAIN COMMUNICATION AROUND ANY NEW WORKING GROUP DATES THAT ARE CHOSEN PERHAPS, OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, UH, FEEL FREE TO INVITE ME TO THOSE MEETINGS IF I CAN HELP DIRECTLY IF I'M NOT ALREADY INVOLVED, UH, AS I'LL BE INVOLVED.
UH, I THINK WITH, UH, EACH OF THE CURRENT WORKING GROUP CHAIRS, UH, SO THAT INCLUDES YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER DAS GUPTA, AND OF COURSE, VICE CHAIR ACA.
AND ONE THING THAT IS ALSO PERHAPS IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS, UH, I, I'M HONORED, UH, TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO JOIN, UH, A COUNCIL, UH, THAT THE CITY HAS FORMED ON AN AI ADVISORY COUNCIL, UH, OR COMMITTEE.
I, I BELIEVE IF IT'S REFERRED TO, UH, AS A COMMUNITY LEADER, UH, THE COMMISSION IS GOING TO HAVE REPRESENTATION.
UH, AND, UH, I DON'T WANNA STEAL ANYONE'S THUNDER.
SO I, I'LL LET YOU SHARE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, UH, MOMENTARILY, UH, VICE CHAIR DACA, BUT AS THE COMMUNITY LEADER, I'LL BE HONORED TO BE JOINING, UH, THIS COMMITTEE.
UH, DID YOU WANNA SHARE ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS? VICE CHAIR DOCKET? YEAH.
UM, I MAY HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
DID I TALK ABOUT THIS LAST TIME? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE MET? UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
UH, I'LL, I'LL TRY AND BE QUICK THOUGH.
UM, SO DISTRICT TWO, OFFICE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES REALLY LED THE CHARGE ON A, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEETING BACK IN FEBRUARY.
UM, SHE, SHE SOUGHT MY INPUT ON DEVELOPING A RESOLUTION, UH, TO GOVERN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR THE CITY.
SO, UM, THAT'S PUTTING GUARDRAILS UP AROUND THE WAY DATA CAN BE USED, UM, FROM CITIZENS, FROM INDIVIDUALS, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A DEI COMPONENT RELATED TO, TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
'CAUSE THEY CERTAINLY SEE IN THE FUTURE, MAYBE NOT THE CITY DIRECTLY LEVERAGING AI, BUT CONTRACTORS, UH, OTHER COMPANIES WORKING WITH THE CITY, LEVERAGING THOSE THINGS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, UH, REGULATION AND GUARDRAILS IN PLACE.
UH, SO THAT RESOLUTION PASSED, AND ONE OF THE DIRECTIVES WAS TO STAND UP A, UH, WORKING GROUP, A COMMITTEE MADE UP OF, UM, COMMISSION MEMBERS, AS WELL AS, UH, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO THAT WILL BE KICKING OFF MARCH 5TH.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA MEET ONE OR, UH, AT LEAST A COUPLE OF ONCE OR TWICE, UH, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE INPUT TO THE, UH, INNOVATION OFFICE, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE TO, UM, HAVE A READOUT AND KEEP THE REST OF THE COMMISSION UPDATED.
UH, VICE CHAIR APODACA, IS THAT MARCH 5TH? OR APRIL 5TH? APRIL 5TH.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CORRECTION.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL CONTEXT.
UH, VICE CHAIR APODACA, UH, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING WHICH, UH, AI IS SOMETHING WHICH THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN, UH, EVALUATING IN A VARIETY OF, OF CAPACITIES, UH, FOR, FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
AND IT, IT'S WONDERFUL, UH, THAT WE'VE GOT SUCH RESPONSIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, AND, UH, THAT THERE WAS WIDE SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE RESOLUTION, UH, ON, UH, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
I KNOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS ALSO CLEARLY JUST ONE OF A VARIETY OF AREAS, UH, UH, THAT ARE CLASSIFIED AS, YOU KNOW, WEB3 0.0 AND OR, UH, INNOVATIVE, INNOVATIVE, BLEEDING EDGE, UH, INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS NO LONGER BLEEDING ANYMORE.
THAT'S JUST
UH, IN, IN TERMS OF, OF WHAT IT IS AND, AND ITS PRESENCE.
UH, SO THERE'S GONNA BE CONTINUING, UH, THERE'S GONNA CONTINUE TO BE OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK, FOR THIS COMMISSION TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE AND, AND FEEDBACK.
UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, FOR THAT REASON, I DON'T SEE MYSELF ATTENDING ANY LESS, UH, UH, EVENTS OUT THERE, UH, WHERE
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WE MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE AND, AND INSIGHT, UH, ABOUT TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNOL AND AS TECHNOLOGISTS.UH, BUT WHAT I WILL DO AS WELL AS SHARE, UH, THOSE RESOURCES AND, AND ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO DO THE SAME, UH, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CYBERSECURITY, UH, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, SMART CITIES, UH, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY, UH, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN, UH, THAT BEING INVOLVED BEING, UH, HAVING YOUR EAR TO THE GROUND, UH, HAVING ACCESS TO RESEARCH AND, UH, ACCESS TO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AS WELL IN THE FIELD, UH, COMES IN HANDY, UH, FOR US AS ADVISORS.
BUT WITH THAT, UH, I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH SUBSTANTIVELY COVERS, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS UNLESS ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY OTHERS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO, UH, CONSIDER.
WELL THEN THAT BRINGS US TO OUR LAST ITEM, ADJOURNMENT.
AND, UH, IN ORDER TO ADJOURN, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION, UH, TO ADJOURN AND A SECOND, AND THEN I'LL BE ABLE TO HOLD THE VOTE.
PITTS, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
I, I GOT, I, I GOT A LITTLE, UH, MISTY EYE WONDERING IF YOU KNOW THE DELAY WAS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS GONNA BE SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE.
WE WANNA HANG ON TO YOU AS LONG AS POSSIBLE,
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER FOR SO LONG.
LET, LET'S, UH, I'M GONNA MISS YOU ALL, UH, BUT AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA BE A STRANGER, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET THIS LAST VOTE DONE.
WITH THAT, WE'VE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, RATHER, A MOTION TO ADJOURN BY, UH, VICE CHAIR ACA, I BELIEVE, SECONDED BY.
I WANNA MAKE SURE YOU GET IT RIGHT.
IT WAS MADE BY VICE CHAIR ACA, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SUPTA.
ANYONE OPPOSED? ANYONE ABSTAINING OKAY WITH THAT THEN? UH, THIS MEETING HERE, SPECIAL CALL MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 26TH OF THE COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION IS CALLED TO ADJOURNMENT.