[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
GUYS, I'M, I'M DONE WITH THE QUIET.UM, WE HAVE JUST ENOUGH PEOPLE TO, UM, HAVE QUORUM.
WE MIGHT HAVE A FEW MORE COMMISSIONERS TRICKLING IN ONLINE, SO IF YOU GUYS COULD JUST LET ME KNOW IF ANYBODY DOES POP IN.
UM, WE'LL BE SIGNING ON ONLINE.
AND THEN I AM ALSO EXPECTING COMMISSIONER RUTAN.
SO WITH THAT, UM, WELCOME TO OUR APRIL 1ST MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION.
UM, I WILL START WITH ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER HERMES MEYER PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER RAMIREZ WILL MARK HERSELF AS PRESENT TO GIVE COMMISSIONER NGUYEN A SECOND TO GET TO HIS MIC.
COMMISSIONER NGUYEN PRESIDENT.
UM, AND WITH THAT, COMMISSIONER ORR, NOT YET.
COMMISSIONER RUTAN AND COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT ALL NOT PRESENT SO FAR.
UM, AND WITH THAT, WELCOME, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION TODAY, SO THINGS SHOULD MOVE ALONG NICE AND QUICKLY.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
ON TO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE THOSE IN FRONT OF YOU.
I BELIEVE THERE WERE SOME HARD COPIES IN HERE AND THEY WERE POSTED ONLINE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS OR NOTES FOR THE MINUTES FROM ANYONE? OKAY.
WITH THAT, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A CALL FOR, UH, MOTION TO PASS THE MINUTES.
AND THEN WE'LL JUST DO A VOTE.
COMMISSIONER HERMES MEYER APPROVED COMMISSIONER HALL.
THANK YOU EVERYONE THAT MOVED ALONG NICELY.
CAN YOU CHAIR AS WELL? YES, THANK YOU.
AND I'LL VOTE FOR YES AS WELL.
AND WITH THAT, WE WILL JUST GET STARTED.
[2. Public Safety Quarterly Report, Austin Police Department]
HAVE A QUARTERLY REPORT FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT THIS TIME.HAPPY TO GO OVER THE DATA THAT'S IN, UH, THIS, UH, SLIDE DECK.
YOU CAN, UH, MOVE ON TO SLIDE TWO, PLEASE.
I AM GONNA BREEZE THROUGH THE FIRST 10 OR SO SLIDES BECAUSE A LOT OF IT IS JUST DATA POINTS THAT NOBODY WILL REMEMBER, AND IT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN BACKUP IF ANYBODY WANTS TO REVIEW IT AT THEIR LEISURE.
BUT I DO WANNA POINT OUT ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED CRIME STATISTICS FOR THIS QUARTER.
UM, WE HAVE A CUTOFF DATE OF MARCH 20TH, SO IT'S MISSING 11 DAYS THAT AREN'T INCLUDED YET.
AND THE REASON IS BECAUSE OUR ROTATION IN THIS IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEXT QUARTER, AND I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP FOR JUST, UM, FOR BRAINSTORMING.
YOU GUYS CAN JUST LET US KNOW IN THE FUTURE IF YOU WANNA REDO THAT ORDER SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A COMPLETE QUARTER OF CRIME STATS.
IF NOT, IT'LL CONTINUE TO BE ABOUT A, A WEEK AND A HALF, UH, SHORT.
IT'S UP TO YOU GUYS ON HOW YOU WANT US TO DO THAT, BUT WE DO UPDATE THOSE IN ARREARS.
BUT ON THE, THE FIRST DAY AFTER A QUARTER, IT'S GOTTA BE JUST A LITTLE BIT SHORT SO WE HAVE TIME TO GET THOSE READY.
UH, BUT, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED CRIME STATS YOU CAN MOVE THROUGH.
I THINK, UM, WE HAVE BROKEN IT DOWN BY SECTOR ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
COUNCIL DISTRICT ON THE NEXT ONE.
AND HOTSPOTS ON SLIDE FIVE FOR CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS AND CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY.
STARTS ON SIX CONTINUED CRIME REDUCTION, AND WE'RE GONNA BREAK IT DOWN BY SECTOR IN COUNCIL DISTRICT AND HOTSPOTS FOR THE CRIMES AGAINST, AGAINST PROPERTY AS WELL.
ALL THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT IN THE BACKUP.
I DO WANNA PAUSE A LITTLE BIT ON SLIDE 10 AND JUST KIND OF LET IT, LET IT, UM, SIT FOR A SECOND.
UM, SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE THE, THE CITYWIDE RESPONSE TIMES STILL NOT QUITE WHERE WE WANT TO SEE 'EM A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.
IN TERMS OF PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING, UM, WE, WE DID IMPLEMENT A NEW PATROL RESPONSE MODEL WHERE WE HAVE A SPECIFIC UNIT CALLED THE RESOURCE INTENSIVE SERVICE CALL UNIT.
THE RISK UNIT ARE GOING OUT AND HANDLING SOME OF THOSE CALLS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD TIE UP A LOT OF RESOURCES.
AND ALTHOUGH IT'S EARLY ON IN THE IMPLEMENTATION, THE NUMBERS WE'RE SEEING ARE SO FAR VERY PROMISING.
MOVING ON TO SLIDE 11, WE BROKE IT DOWN BY COUNCIL DISTRICT.
AND THEN ON 12, JUST A, A WAY TO KIND OF SEE A TOTALITY OF EVERYTHING WE'RE LOOKING AT BY MONTH SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE THE EMERGENCY AND URGENT CALLS THAT WE RECEIVED.
[00:05:01]
UM, AND HOW THAT'S TRENDED FOR, FOR WHATEVER REASON, MARCH WAS A LITTLE BIT LIGHT.I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE OUTTA TOWN FOR SPRING BREAK AND SOUTH BY JUST HAD UP A LOT OF RESOURCES.
UM, AND, AND WE SEE LOWER NUMBERS.
SO SLIDE 13, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, WE'RE STARTING TO REPORT OUT, UH, AS YOU KNOW FROM LAST TIME, A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS INVOLVES NOT ONLY THE, THE REGULAR TYPE OF COMMANDER FORM OR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS THAT WE DO BY SECTOR, BUT ALL THE SPECIALTY BREAKOUTS AS WELL.
COFFEE WITH A COP, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALL LISTED THERE AND WE'RE TRYING TO GATHER MORE PICTURES AS WELL, SO WE CAN HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
ONE OF THE ONES DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM IS OUR BEACON EVENT.
UH, WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM WHERE WE'RE REACHING OUT AND ENGAGING WITH OUR FOSTER YOUTH COMMUNITY WHO ARE ABOUT TO AGE OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND BRIDGE THE GAP AND GIVE THEM, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT AND LIFE SKILLS, UH, AS THEY TURN 18 AND GO OUT INTO THE, THE QUOTE UNQUOTE REAL WORLD.
AND YOU CAN GO ON TO SLIDE 14, OVERTIME, BUDGET VERSUS HOURS, WORKED THE OVERTIME BUDGET THROUGH THE YEAR.
AND SLIDE 15, THE OVERALL OVERALL BUDGET HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR AT 46% ON SLIDE 16, YOU'LL SEE THE CADET CLASS NUMBERS A LITTLE BIT MORE PROMISING THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.
UH, WE'RE ABOUT TO GRADUATE 40 CADETS ON APRIL 19TH, AND WE STILL HAVE, UM, 71 CADETS IN THE CLASS THAT'S STILL IN THE ACADEMY.
AND I WILL POINT OUT THAT THE HUNDRED 53RD, THE, THE BOX ON THE RIGHT SHOWS 119 IN THE HIRING PROCESS.
THIS IS THE FIRST CLASS THAT WE DID WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM.
WE HAD ABOUT 500 OR SO THAT WERE SIGNED UP AND ONLY, UM, A FRACTION OF THAT SHOWED UP AND PASSED THE TEST.
SO WE STARTED OUT WITH 202 PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP AND PASSED THE TEST.
AND WE'RE DOWN TO 119 AND WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF DISQUALIFICATIONS THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE WEED OUT EARLIER IN THE PROCESS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM AFTER THE CIVIL SERVICE TEST STARTED.
SO RIGHT NOW WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT IS GOING TO YIELD IN TERMS OF CADETS.
UH, WE HOPE IT'S AS MANY AS POSSIBLE, BUT AS POSSIBLE THAT THAT NUMBER WILL DWINDLE AS THAT DISQUALIFICATION AND THAT VETTING PROCESS CONTINUES.
WE DO HAVE ANOTHER CIVIL SERVICE EXAM SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 3RD WITH THAT, THAT CLASS WILL START IN JANUARY.
AND IF, UH, SLIDE 17 SHOWS THE CONTINUED STAFFING VACANCY, UM, ISSUES THAT WE HAVE, A LOT OF PROGRESS WAS MADE IN EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, JUST A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE.
THEY HIRED, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, WHICH IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL, BUT IT WAS PRETTY LABOR INTENSIVE ON THEIR TRAINING STAFF TO BE ABLE TO ONBOARD THOSE PERSONS AND DO THE ON THE JOB TRAINING AND GET THEM, UH, TRANSITIONED UP.
BUT WE'RE ALREADY HEARING A LOT OF REALLY AMAZING KIND OF TURNAROUND STORIES ON THE STRESS LEVEL THAT IS CAUSING THEM NOT HAVING TO WORK AS MUCH OVERTIME AND, AND BE AS SHORT STAFFED AS THEY ARE.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT 342 VACANCIES, UH, OR TRUE VACANCIES AT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH OUR SWORN STAFFING.
AND, UM, AS YOU GUYS PROBABLY KNOW, THERE'S 150 THAT WERE, UM, RECOMMENDED BACK IN 2019 THAT WERE TAKEN AWAY.
SO, UM, THE, THE LEVEL THAT WE NEED TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE PRE 2020 AND PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE'RE ABOUT 500 OFFICERS SHORT.
MOVING ON TO SLIDE 18, IT BREAKS IT OUT BY COMMAND.
EVERY TIME WE HAVE A CADET CLASS THAT GRADUATES, WE TRY OUR BEST TO LEVEL THAT OUT AND, AND PUT THOSE NEW OFFICERS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE IN ORDER TO LEVEL THAT OUT AS PEOPLE PROMOTE OR SEPARATE FOR ANY REASON.
UH, IT JUST GETS A LITTLE BIT WONKY, BUT AS WE, UH, GRADUATE, SOME FOLKS HERE AT THE END OF APRIL, THEY'LL BE ASSIGNED TO THE AREAS THAT ARE LOWEST.
AND THEN, UH, I WANT TO JUST, UM, I'M SORRY, I DID MISS ON SLIDE 17, UM, THE LITTLE BUBBLE OFF TO THE, TO THE RIGHT, WE HAVE SEVEN NEW CIVILIAN STAFF THAT WERE HIRED AT THE TRAINING ACADEMY DUE TO THE KROLL RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY THE, UH, THE REPORT OUT THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA GET IN MAY.
UM, I BELIEVE THE STAFF IS GONNA COME OUT AND DO A FULL KIND OF UNPACKING OF EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE WITH THAT PROCESS.
SO I, I APOLOGIZE FOR GOING OUT OF ORDER, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE WE HIGHLIGHT THAT, THAT THOSE SEVEN PEOPLE ARE HIRED.
THEY'RE JUMPING IN, UM, FULL-TIME AND, AND WITH FRESH LEGS TO TRY TO GET AS MUCH OF THAT DONE AS THEY CAN IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING VERY, VERY HARD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS TO, TO GET WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, MR. MCGRATH IS A RETIRED LIEUTENANT FROM FLORIDA AND HE'S HERE IN A CIVILIAN ROLE IMPLEMENTING THESE CHANGES.
AND WE HAVE A NEW COMMANDER AT THE ACADEMY AND CHIEF GLIN IS STILL THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OUT THERE.
AND THEY PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER IN SHORT ORDER AND WE'LL HAVE, I THINK A GOOD PROGRESS REPORT IN MAY WHEN WE RECONVENE ON THAT TOPIC.
AND IF WE GO TO 19, UM, OUR DATA PORTAL IS LIVE AND A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT OR WANTING TO SEE IS AVAILABLE.
ALL OF THE MODULES ARE NOT COMPLETELY ONLINE YET, BUT IF YOU GO TO THE DATA PORTAL,
[00:10:01]
YOU CAN START TO PLAY AROUND WITH IT.WE HIGHLY ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY GOES TO THE PORTAL AND INTERACTS WITH IT AND KIND OF GETS A FEEL FOR WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND HOW TO GET THE INFORMATION THEY WANT AND NEED.
UM, AND IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS YOU GUYS HAVE ON SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER OR OR INFORMATION THAT WOULD HELP OUT, LET US KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
WE HOPE TO, UM, REDUCE THE, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION RELEASE REQUEST THAT WE GET BECAUSE A LOT OF 'EM CAN BE ANSWERED THROUGH THE DATA PORTAL INFORMATION BY EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT INFORMATION IS OUT THERE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
SO AS THIS PROCESS ROLLS OUT AND BECOMES MORE AND MORE COMPLETE, UM, YOU'RE GONNA SEE SOME PUBLIC COMMUNICATION FROM A PD ABOUT HOW THE, THE COMMUNITY CAN GO GET THAT INFORMATION.
AND, UM, I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY BE HELPFUL IF YOU GUYS ARE INTERESTED TO HAVE THEM COME AND TALK TO YOU GUYS TOO IN THE, IN THE COMING MONTHS TO KIND OF UNPACK WHAT THAT PORTAL LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE THAT AS WELL.
I FEEL LIKE I BLEW THROUGH THAT KIND OF FAST.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE, BUT I'M TRYING NOT TO BORE YOU WITH THE STATISTICS ON THE FRONT END.
UM, DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE? I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION IF EVERYBODY NEEDS TO CATCH UP A BIT.
UM, COULD YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE RESOURCE, RESOURCE INTENSIVE CALL UNIT? WHAT THAT MEANS? WHAT, HOW, HOW YOU GUYS ARE USING, WHAT KIND OF CALLS YOU GUYS ARE RESPONDING TO WITH THAT? ABSOLUTELY.
SO WHEN WE STARTED LOSING OFFICERS AND HAVING TROUBLE IN STAFFING, IT WAS JUST A NATURAL CONVERSATION TO SAY, ARE WE STILL UTILIZING OUR PEOPLE AS EFFICIENTLY KNOWING THAT IT JUST LOOKS DIFFERENT? WE JUST DON'T HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE TO GO, WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY PEOPLE EACH SHIFT.
UM, THERE WERE, UM, PATROL SHIFTS THAT WERE SHOWING UP WITH LIKE TWO OFFICERS, THREE OFFICERS.
UH, SO IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO CONTINUE ON WITH THAT STRATEGY.
WHEN THE RESEARCH AND PLANNING TEAM STARTED LOOKING AT THE STATISTICS AND THE DATA AND THE CALLS, WHAT THEY SAW WAS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN TYPES OF CALLS THAT OFFICERS JUST SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON, AND IT'S NO SURPRISE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SHOOTINGS AND STABBINGS AND BANK ROBBERIES AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AG, ASSAULTS, ANYTHING WHERE YOU NEED TO KIND OF WATCH OVER OR GUARD A CRIME SCENE OR INTERVIEW MULTIPLE WITNESSES OR WAIT FOR THE DETECTIVES TO RESPOND TO THE SCENE BECAUSE IT'S AN INVOLVED SCENE.
UM, WE, WE FOUND THAT OUR OFFICERS WERE JUST KIND OF SITTING ON THOSE CALLS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
WE HAD FOUR EVENING SHIFTS, UM, IN EACH SECTOR.
AND EACH OF THOSE EVENING SHIFTS HAD A SERGEANT AND A CORPORAL, AND WITH LESS AND LESS OFFICERS, WE FOUND THAT THAT SUPERVISION TO SUBORDINATE RATIO WASN'T AS EFFICIENT AS BEFORE.
SO WE TOOK THE SERGEANTS AND WE TOOK THE CORPORALS AND PUT THEM INTO THIS UNIT.
AND NOW THEY ARE QUASI, UH, CORPORAL FOR PATROL, BUT ALSO KIND OF A DETECTIVE, UM, MINDSET.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT THEY GO TO THESE CALLS AND RELEASE PATROL BACK TO, UM, BEING, UH, AVAILABLE FOR SERVICE OR ANY OTHER CALLS THAT MIGHT COME IN OR TO PATROL THAT ARE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD OR GET TO KNOW THEIR PEOPLE, DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHATEVER IT IS THEY NEED TO DO, UH, AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
SO WHENEVER THERE'S THESE TYPES OF CALLS THAT COME OUT, THEY'LL GO TO THAT SCENE AND THEY WILL TAKE OVER THAT SCENE RELEASE PATROL BACK TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IF FOR WHATEVER REASON THERE'S NOT THAT TYPE OF CALL OUT AT THE TIME, THEN THEY JUST SUPPORT PATROL AND KNOCK OUT AS MANY CALLS AS THEY CAN TO SUPPORT IN ANY WAY THAT THEY CAN.
SO, UH, WE'RE 30 DAYS IN, UM, YOU KNOW, STILL SOME WRINKLES TO IRON OUT, BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT THERE IS A, A GOOD COLLABORATION BETWEEN PATROL AND THE RISK UNIT AND A GOOD COLLABORATION BETWEEN RISK UNIT AND THE DETECTIVES IS ACTUALLY LIGHTNING THE LOAD OF THE DETECTIVES A LITTLE BIT SO THAT THEY'RE NOT CALLED OUT AS MUCH, WHICH, UM, THE DETECTIVES RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE HIGH CASELOAD SHORT STAFFING AND THE BACKFILL THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO, UM, ON TOP OF TRYING TO JUST DO NORMAL LIFE AND PERSONAL VACATIONS AND TRAINING AND SICK TIME, UM, THEY'RE PRETTY STRESSED OUT.
THEY'RE PRETTY STRESSED OUT RIGHT NOW.
SO FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE TO RESPOND OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AS MUCH IS HELPING THEM.
AND WE HOPE TO SEE THAT AS A TREND MOVING FORWARD.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I MEAN, I HAVE A LIST, BUT, UM, I, I'M, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR BACK MORE ABOUT THE RESOURCE INTENSIVE CALL UNIT AS YOU GUYS GO, AND, AND IDENTIFYING WHETHER OR NOT, I MEAN, IN THE FUTURE, JUST KIND OF THINKING THROUGH WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE LIKE NON P ONE P ZERO CALL, LIKE LOWER PRIORITY CALLS, WHERE THAT KIND OF APPROACH THAT, I MEAN, I'M SURE THERE ARE LOWER PRIORITY CALLS THAT ARE ALSO RESOURCE INTENSIVE IN TERMS OF TIME MIGHT NOT BE AS MANY BODIES, BUT LIKE TIME-WISE, AND IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SORT OF PLAY WITH THAT SAME SORT OF IDEA FOR, THEY DID IT ON, UH, RE REGARDLESS OF THE PRIORITY OF THE CALL.
THEY DID IT ON HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH TIME AN OFFICER WOULD SPEND ON IT.
SO IF AN OFFICER SPENT, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE THRESHOLD, BUT IF AN OFFICER SPENDS MORE THAN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME ON A CALL OR IT REQUIRED A CERTAIN NUMBER OF OFFICERS JUST TO MAINTAIN THE CALL, THAT WAS THE THRESHOLD, NOT NECESSARILY A PRIORITY.
SO THERE, SO YOU'RE USING IT FOR LOWER PRIORITY RESPONSES AS WELL? IF IT'S, IF IT'S A RESOURCE INTENSIVE CALL, I'LL GET THE COMPLETE LIST TO YOU.
UM, IT DOES TEND TO BE THE HIGHER PRIORITY ONES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT THERE ARE SOME, UM, LIKE A BURGLAR ALARM WHERE YOU HAVE AN OPEN DOOR, YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE OWNER TO COME AND CLOSE IT UP.
IT MIGHT BE AN HOUR OR TWO WAIT,
[00:15:01]
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.WE, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY LOOP, LOOP THEM IN.
WELL THAT'S, THATS AN EXCITING SORT OF DEVELOPMENT, UM, WITH RESOURCES.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS THE OPEN DATA PORTAL, UM, ACTUALLY BEFORE I, UM, GET FORWARD, JUST 'CAUSE I KNOW WE'RE AT FOUR 20, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TOOK NOTE OF THE FACT THAT COMMISSIONER RUAN HAS JOINED US AND COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT HAS AL ALSO JOINED US, THE, OF THE FOUR 30 MARK.
UM, AS, AS FAR AS THE OPEN DATA PORTAL, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF DATA THAT'S PENDING.
DO YOU HAVE AN ETA ON WHEN THAT, LIKE, IS THAT GONNA COME IN WAVES? LIKE, IS THERE, IT'S GONNA COME IN WAVES.
I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC TIMELINE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTIVELY TRYING TO GET IT DONE AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
ANYTHING FROM ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.
UM, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH, UM, IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE DOWNTOWN
[3. Overview of Downtown Austin Community Court and Mobile Court Pilot Program from Robert Kingham, Court Administrator and Christopher Anderson, Court Operations Manager.]
AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT AND MOBILE COURT PILOT PROGRAM, IF YOU GUYS WANNA COME ON UP.WE'VE HAD THIS, UM, THIS ITEM FIRST SORT OF, UM, CAME UP WHEN EMS WAS TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE POPUP RESOURCE CLINICS THAT THEY WERE DOING, AND THEY MENTIONED MOBILE COURT.
AND SINCE THEN WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT JUST TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING, UM, AND THEIR PILOT.
AND SO IF YOU GUYS JUST WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND GREAT.
I'M THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, AND I'M, UH, CHRIS ANDERSON.
I'M THE COURT OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR COMMUNITY COURT.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE INVITATION TO PRESENT AN OVERVIEW OF OUR MOBILE COURT PILOT.
UH, WE JUST COMPLETED THE PILOT, UM, LAST MONTH AND PRESENTED THE FINDINGS TO OUR, THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE COMMUNITY COURT AND, UH, AS WELL AS CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK.
AND SO THIS REPORT, UH, THAT I BELIEVE WILL, WILL ALSO BE ATTACHED TO THIS, UH, AGENDA FROM OUR THIRD PARTY, UM, ANALYSIS WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED, UH, AS BACKUP HERE.
UM, SO I'M GONNA START BY PROVIDING JUST A QUICK UPDATE OR OVERVIEW OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
UM, IT IS, IT IS, UH, SOMEWHAT MISUNDERSTOOD IN A NUMBER OF CIRCLES, AND SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE ARE ALL KIND OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
AND SO, THE COMMUNITY COURT, WE ARE IN OUR 25TH YEAR OF, OF OPERATION.
WE WERE THE FIRST COMMUNITY COURT HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THEY SEVENTH IN THE UNITED STATES AT THAT TIME.
UM, REALLY 30 YEARS AGO IS WHEN THE FIRST COMMUNITY COURT STARTED IN, IN THE COUNTRY IN MANHATTAN.
IT, IT WAS SET UP, UH, TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF A PARTICULAR AREA OR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S THE GENESIS OF, OF THE REASON WHY THE COMMUNITY COURT WAS STOOD UP.
AND SO OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TWOFOLD.
WE HAVE A FOOT IN TWO AREAS, ONE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE OR, OR, UM, JUSTICE AREA, AND ONE IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES AREA.
SO OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TWOFOLD, WHERE WE EMPOWER PEOPLE TO THRIVE BY PROVIDING IMPARTIAL JUSTICE AND COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCES.
AND OUR GOAL IS NOT JUST TO BE A FULLY FUNCTIONING COURT OF LAW, WHICH WE ARE, BUT TO ADDRESS THOSE ROOT CAUSES OF JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT BY PROVIDING INTENSIVE AND COMPASSIONATE WRAPAROUND SERVICES IS.
SO THE COURT IS REALLY DIVIDED INTO FOUR OPERATIONAL AREAS, THREE OF WHICH ARE, ARE, UH, PUBLIC FACING AND, UH, OUR SUPPORT SERVICES AREAS INTERNAL FACING AND REALLY IN, IN DEFINITION PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE OTHER OPERATIONAL AREAS.
SO REAL HIGH LEVEL, WE HAVE OUR COURT SERVICES, AND THIS IS WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE WHERE CASES ARE FILED WITH OUR COURT AND OUR JURISDICTION.
UH, AS FAR AS THE CASE TYPES ARE CLASS C MISDEMEANORS.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE LOWEST LEVEL OF CRIMINAL OFFENSES HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND OUR COURT IS, IS SET UP JUST LIKE ANY OTHER MUNICIPAL COURT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WHERE WE HANDLE THOSE CASES AND THEY GO BE BEFORE A JUDGE.
BUT WHAT SETS US DISTINCT FROM MANY OTHER COURTS IS OUR CLINICAL DIVERSION PROGRAM.
AND SO THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE A SOCIAL WORKER THAT IS EMBEDDED IN THE COURTROOM, THAT IS THERE TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION FOR THAT COURT CASE, OR BE A RESOURCE TO THE PROSECUTION, TO THE STATE, AND TO OUR JUDGE, UH, TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT THE INDIVIDUAL OR, OR THE DEFENDANT.
WE REFER TO FOLKS WHO COME INTO THE COURT AS CLIENTS OF OUR COURT.
SO, UM, CONNECTING THE CLIENTS TO THE SUPPORTS THAT THEY MAY NEED TO ADDRESS, AGAIN, THOSE ROOT
[00:20:01]
CAUSES OF THEIR JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT.ONE OF THE STATISTICS THAT I LIKE TO SHARE HERE IS OUR SOCIAL WORKERS OUTNUMBER OUR PROSECUTORS 22 TO ONE.
AND SO THAT REALLY FOCUSES ON WHAT WE'RE TRULY TRYING TO DO AT THE COURT.
AND THAT IS TO STOP THE RECIDIVISM, STOP THAT JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT, ADDRESS THOSE BEHAVIORS, ADDRESS THOSE INDIVIDUALS NEEDS, UM, THAT ARE LEADING TO THEIR JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT.
AND THEN OUR NEXT AREA, OF COURSE, IS HOMELESSNESS SERVICES.
UM, IN OUR HOMELESS SERVICES, WE HAVE, UH, WALK-IN CASE MANAGEMENT, WHICH SPEAKS TO OUR DEFLECTION MODEL THAT WE EMPLOY.
AND SO THE COURT IS A TRUE DEFER A DIVERSION COURT.
WE ARE DIVERTING INDIVIDUALS FROM FUTURE JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT.
UM, BUT WE ALSO WANNA TAKE A STEP BACK AND TRY TO DEFLECT THEM FROM ANY JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT TO BEGIN WITH.
AND SO WE OFFER VOLUNTARY WALK-IN CASE MANAGEMENT.
SO ANYONE, REGARDLESS OF IF THEY HAVE A COURT CASE WITH US, CAN WALK IN AND RECEIVE SERVICES, UH, THROUGH OUR HOMELESS SERVICES PROGRAM.
AND THEY WILL BE CONNECTED THAT DAY WITH A CASE MANAGER OR SOCIAL WORKER TO HELP RESOLVE THE IMMEDIATE NEED THAT THEY HAVE, UH, FOR THAT PARTICULAR DAY.
AND THEY'RE WELCOME TO COME BACK EVERY OTHER DAY AFTERWARDS.
UM, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY CONNECTED.
ONE-ON-ONE WITH A CASE MANAGER FOR LONG-TERM CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, LIKE OUR INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY, UH, HAVE CASE MANAGERS THAT ARE CONNECTED WITH CLIENTS, DEVELOP A HOUSING PLAN A, UH, ALONGSIDE WITH A CLIENT TO RESOLVE THEIR HOUSING CRISIS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE, THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL MAY NEED, UH, TO BE SUCCESSFUL TO MOVE INTO LONG-TERM STABLE HOUSING.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE A MEMBER OF THE HOMELESS OUTREACH STREET TEAM.
AND SO THAT'S ACROSS DEPARTMENTAL OR ACROSS, UH, UH, CITY EFFORT, UM, WHERE WE WORK ALONGSIDE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, EMS AND AS WELL AS INTEGRAL CARE, OUR LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY, WHERE THEY'RE OUT, UH, AND ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY, IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS TO TRY TO GET THEM TO ENGAGE IN SERVICES.
AND REALLY THE FOCUS OF HOST TEAM HIGH LEVEL IS TO IDENTIFY AND, UM, CONNECT WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING INDIVIDUALS THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS, HAS SEEN OR SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING, UH, SITUATIONS.
SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE INCREDIBLY RESISTANT TO ENGAGE IN SERVICES AND REALLY START BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS TO GET THEM, UH, TO WANT TO MOTIVATE, UH, TO CONNECT TO SERVICES.
SO REALLY THAT MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING IS, IS CRITICAL IN THE, IN THIS GROUP.
AND THEN AN OUTLET OR PIPELINE FOR THE HOST TEAM IS THE COMMUNITY COURT.
AND SO MAKING REFERRALS DIRECTLY INTO OUR CASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THEN OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES AREA, COMMUNITY SERVICES, UH, PRIMARILY WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM, AND SO THAT'S ATTACHED TO OUR COURT.
SO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GIVEN THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE TO RESOLVE THEIR COURT CASE WITH US.
WE HAVE CREW LEADERS THAT TAKE INDIVIDUALS OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO COMPLETE MUNICIPAL PURPOSE JOBS LIKE GRAFFITI ABATEMENT, UH, PLANTING TREES AND PARKS, UM, UH, MOWING RIGHT OF WAY.
UH, WE WORK ALONGSIDE, OR, OR IN COLLABORATION WITH AUSTIN CODE OR, OR NOW DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, UH, TO ADDRESS CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUES.
AND SO WHERE THERE'S ILLEGAL DUMPING IN MORE RURAL PARTS OF THE CITY, UH, OUR CREWS WILL GO OUT AND COLLECT THAT, UH, THOSE ITEMS. AND WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM GARDEN WHERE WE GROW CROPS AND WE HAVE CHICKENS AND EVERYTHING WE HARVEST, WE DONATE TO LOCAL HOMELESS SERVICE, UH, AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE FOOD TO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO IT HELPS US, UM, WORK WITH THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM WHO WERE, UH, MEETING THE NEEDS OR SATISFYING THE NEEDS OF THEIR, THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS, REALLY SEE THE LINK BETWEEN THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND THE BENEFIT IT'S HAVING INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR VIOLET KEEPS SAFE STORAGE PROGRAM.
AND SO THAT'S A STORAGE SOLUTION FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS.
AND IT'S A FREE, UH, PROGRAM AND INDIVIDUALS HAVE STORAGE, UH, UNITS.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE 350, UH, STORAGE UNITS AVAILABLE.
IT'S LOCATED ALL OUT OF THE OLD ALSTON MUNICIPAL COURT ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
AND SO THAT'S ON SEVENTH STREET AND IH 35 FRONTAGE ROAD.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE FOUNDING TENANTS OF THAT PROGRAM IS IT IS OPERATED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.
AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE ANOTHER LAYER OF SERVICE, NOT JUST STORAGE SOLUTION FOR INDIVIDUALS TO KEEP THEIR, THEIR VITAL DOCUMENTS, THEIR, THEIR KEEPS SAFES, UM, OR KEEPSAKES.
BUT WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO UTILIZE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE STAFF HAS TO HELP THOSE INDIVIDUALS NAVIGATE TO THEIR NEXT DESTINATION, BECAUSE THEY ONLY COME TO THE VIOLET KEEPS SAFE STORAGE PROGRAM FOR STORAGE, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF WILL ASSIST THEM IN GETTING WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, WHETHER IT BE FINDING WHERE MILL IS AVAILABLE OR CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES OR WHATNOT.
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JURISDICTION, I, I, I SPOKE FROM OUR JURISDICTION STANDPOINT REGARDING THE CASE TYPES THAT WE ADJUDICATE, AND THOSE ARE THE CLASS C MISDEMEANORS.OUR PRIMARY JURISDICTION IS DOWNTOWN AUSTIN WEST CAMPUS AND A LITTLE BIT OF EAST AUSTIN.
AND SO THAT LITTLE SLIVER OF EAST AUSTIN IS BOUND TO NORTH BY SEVENTH STREET, UM, EAST BY CHACON AND SOUTH BY THE RIVER.
UH, THAT'S JUST THAT LITTLE PART OF EAST AUSTIN.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE DOWNTOWN AREA BOUNDED BY LAMAR, UM, UP NORTH, UH, MLK AND THEN, UH, INTERSTATE 35.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WEST CAMPUS RUNS THAT, UH, UH, LITTLE, UH, JUST TO THE, TO THE, OF COURSE, WEST OF UT CAMPUS.
NOW, IN, UH, DECEMBER OF 23, CITY COUNCIL EXPANDED OUR JURISDICTION AND WHAT JURISDICTION EXPANSION, UH, MEANS IS THEY EXPANDED OUR JURISDICTION FROM THE TYPES OF CASES THAT ARE THE CASES THAT ARE HEARD AT THE COMMUNITY COURT.
AND SO, UH, PRIOR TO DECEMBER AND WHEN THIS WAS ACTUALLY ROLLED OUT, UH, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 6TH OF THIS YEAR, UM, THERE WAS A VERY CLEAR DELINEATION BETWEEN WHICH CASES ARE FILED AT AUSTIN MUNICIPAL COURT AND WHICH CASES ARE FILED AT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
SO EFFECTIVE IN JANUARY, CITYWIDE ALL CASES THAT INVOLVE THE PROP B ORDINANCES FROM 2021, WHICH WAS THE REINSTATEMENT OF WHAT MOST FOLKS CALL THE HOMELESSNESS ORDINANCES.
THOSE ARE ALL FILED AND NOW HEARD AT THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
SO THAT'S CAMPING, SIT, LIE, AND SOLICITATION.
WHAT IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THAT EXPANSION WERE THE TOP 10 CASES THAT THE COMMUNITY COURT WAS HEARING, UH, HISTORICALLY.
AND THE, THE REASON THAT, UM, THE WORK GROUP AND THE ADVISORY BOARD LANDED ON THE RECOMMENDATION TO, UH, EXPAND THE JURISDICTION TO THE TOP 10 CASES IS BECAUSE THE DATA SHOWS THAT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMMITTING THOSE OFFENSES ARE MORE LIKELY TO NEED THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
AND SO BEING CONNECTED THROUGH OUR CLINICAL DIVERSION PROGRAM, AND THEN A LOT OF TIMES LONG TERM THROUGH OUR HOMELESS SERVICES AREA AS WELL, THOSE TOP 10, UH, CASES AND THE, THE, THE ORDINANCES REFERENCED IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT VERY HIGH LEVEL, THE TOP 10, UM, OR, UH, UH, VIOLATIONS ARE PUBLIC INTOXICATION, POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA, UH, HUMAN WASTE, DISORDERLY CONDUCT.
UM, THOSE ARE REALLY THE MAIN ONES.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, 80% OF OUR CASES OF THESE EXPANDED CASES OR PUBLIC INTOXICATION CASES, OR THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE ONES THAT WE SEE NOW, UM, BOTH IN OUR, OUR EXISTING HISTORICAL, UH, JURISDICTION AS WELL AS OUR EXPANDED JURISDICTION STARTING IN JANUARY.
AND, AND REAL HIGH LEVEL HOMELESS SERVICES SINCE THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR RESOURCES AND STAFFING, UH, LIE.
WE HAVE HOUSED OVER 550 INDIVIDUALS SINCE 2015.
UM, BUT WE STILL CURRENTLY DO HAVE A WAIT LIST OF OVER 300 INDIVIDUALS, AND THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE MAY BE ENGAGING THROUGH OUR WALK-IN SERVICES, BUT WANTING TO BE CONNECTED TO A LONG-TERM, UH, CASE MANAGEMENT AND HOUSING PROGRAM.
SO THERE STILL IS A PRETTY EXTENSIVE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
AND WITH THAT ONE, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO CHRIS ANDERSON TO TALK ABOUT OUR MOBILE COURT PROJECT.
UH, CHRIS ANDERSON, I'M THE COURT OPERATIONS MANAGER AT COMMUNITY COURT.
UM, AND I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MOBILE COURT, UH, PILOT PROJECT THAT WE JUST CONCLUDED.
UM, AND JUST VERY BRIEFLY WANTED TO, UM, CELEBRATE OUR STAFF BECAUSE WE WERE GIVEN THIS DIRECTION FROM COUNSEL TO INITIATE THIS PILOT.
AND, UH, WE GAVE OUR STAFF A MONTH PREPARATION TO GET IT GOING, AND THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB.
AND JUST SO, UH, TH THIS IS SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT HELPED PARTICIPATE IN THE MOBILE COURT PROJECT.
WE BORROWED STAFF FROM ALL FOUR OF OUR SERVICE AREAS TO HELP STAFF THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND JUST, THEY DID A GREAT JOB.
AND SO RARELY DOES THE FRONTLINE STAFF GET THE CELEBRATION AND, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS.
BUT THANK YOU, EDNA, LAURA, SEAN, ERICA, SARAH AND MANDY IS JUST THE FOLKS THAT ARE REPRESENTING THAT PICTURE THERE.
UM, BUT THIS WAS A LOT OF FUN.
UM, SO HOW THIS STARTED WAS THAT, UM, OUR, OUR JUDGE, JUDGE COFFEY HAD THIS, UM, SORT OF INCLINATION TO RESEARCH AND, UH, IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES FOR MOBILE COURT PROJECTS AFTER WE'VE HAD A SERIES OF ONGOING, UM, EITHER SITE VISITS OR MEET AND GREET TRAININGS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY COURTS OR OTHER, UM, CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE DOING SIMILAR MOBILE PROJECTS.
UM, MOST SPECIFICALLY, WE HAD A TRAINING SITE VISIT FROM THE BOULDER COURT OR BOULDER,
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COLORADO COMMUNITY COURT.AND WE ALSO HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE FOLKS IN PLACER COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS LAKE TAHOE.
UM, AND THEY HAVE A MOBILE COURT PROJECT OUT OF THEIR ADULT PROBATION PROGRAM.
SO, UM, ONCE COUNSEL PASSED THE OFFICIAL RESOLUTION, WHICH WAS BACK IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, UM, THAT WAS THE SORT OF, UM, BEGINNING OF THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH WHAT COULD THIS LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND SO WE WERE GIVEN SOME PARAMETERS FROM THE RESOLUTION ABOUT WHAT TO DO.
ONE IS THAT THE SERVICES SHOULD BE WHERE PEOPLE ARE.
IT'S A COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM, AND WE NEED TO BE ENGAGING IN PROVIDING MOBILE COURT, UM, WHERE INDIVIDUALS ALREADY ARE.
AND IT'S ALSO CONSISTENT WITH OUR VALUES AS COMMUNITY COURT TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, AND SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT? UM, YOU DO THAT BY PROVIDING THESE EVENTS IN THE GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED MANNER.
SO NOT JUST CONCENTRATING THE SAME AREAS, BUT ACROSS ALL, YOU KNOW, LOCATIONS ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, AND TO BE SMART AND INTENTIONAL WITH WHERE YOU LOCATE THESE SERVICES.
SO ALREADY, SO TO PROVIDE MOBILE COURT IN PLACES WHERE SERVICES ARE ALREADY BEING PROVIDED TO OUR TARGET POPULATION, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY FOR COMMUNITY COURT, IT'S PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR OUR TARGET POPULATION.
SO WHERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE, UM, THAT WE SERVE ALREADY ENGAGING IN SERVICES.
UM, AND THE GOAL IS THIS IS ALSO TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE QUICKLY AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO FIND A WAY TO RESOLVE OPEN COURT CASES HERE AND NOW.
UM, AND THE, THE OTHER GOAL FROM THIS PROJECT WAS TO BE ABLE TO THEN IMMEDIATE, NOT JUST RESOLVE YOUR COURT CASE, BUT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT ESSENTIAL COMPONENT, WHICH ROBERT WAS TALKING ABOUT, WHICH IS HAVING THE ONSITE SOCIAL SERVICES COMPONENT BY HAVING A CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER OR A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR THERE AS WELL, TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH AN INDIVIDUAL, ASSESS THEM, AND START PROVIDING SERVICES THROUGH IT.
SO THOSE, HAVING THE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO A CASE MANAGER WAS AN OFFICIAL, UH, AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT AS WELL.
UM, SO HOW IT WORKS, UM, THE IDEA WAS THAT WE WANTED TO MAYBE MAKE IT A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM WHERE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN ENGAGING SERVICES COULD WALK UP TO ANY STAFF MEMBER FROM COMMUNITY COURT AND ASK FOR WHAT WE CALL A COURT CASE CHECK OR A STATUS CHECK, WHICH IS BASICALLY, DO I HAVE ANY OPEN TICKETS RIGHT NOW? UM, AND SO WE WOULD HAVE STAFF FROM, UM, HAVE OUR STAFF THERE AVAILABLE, UM, AND BEING ABLE TO LOOK UP, 'CAUSE WE USE A WEB-BASED OR INTERNET-BASED, UM, UH, COURT CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO LOOK THAT UP REMOTELY OUT IN THE FIELD WHERE PEOPLE WERE.
AND SO INDIVIDUALS WILL VOLUNTARILY ENGAGED AND THEN WE COULD PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION.
YOU HAVE AN OUTSTANDING CASE, YOU HAVE AN OPEN CASE RIGHT NOW, THIS, YOU, THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE A WARRANT.
WE ALSO WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE BESIDES COURT.
SO GIVING INFORMATION ABOUT OUR VIOLET KEEP SAFE STORAGE PROGRAM, PROVIDING FLYERS ABOUT OUR CASE MANAGEMENT AND WALK-IN SERVICES AND OUR LOCATION, HELPING CONNECT PEOPLE TO THOSE LOCATIONS BY PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, SOME CASES PROVIDING BUS PASSES TO PEOPLE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, PROVIDING THAT IMMEDIATE CONNECTION TO SERVICES, UM, HAVING A CASE MANAGER THERE TO HELP SORT OF NAVIGATE THOSE SERVICES.
UM, AND, UH, WE FOUND THAT THAT WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, HELPFUL FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO SORT OF LIKE SAY, OKAY, I REALLY WANTED TO COME DOWN THERE.
HOW, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT? UM, SO THE, IN TERMS OF THE SERVICE DAY FREQUENCY AND LOCATIONS DURING THE PILOT PERIOD, WE WANTED TO COLLECT AS MUCH DATA AS PO AS POSSIBLE.
SO WE REALLY JAM PACKED THE CALENDAR, UM, WITH EVENTS.
SO WE HAD APPROXIMATELY FIVE SERVICE DAYS PER MONTH.
AND GRANTED IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT WE WERE DOING THIS WITH EXISTING STAFF AND EXISTING RESOURCES, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO HIRE FOLKS AND WE HAD TO CONTINUE OUR ONGOING OPERATIONS IN TERMS OF WALK-IN SERVICES, THE CASE MANAGEMENT AND COURT, WHICH INCLUDES NOT ONLY JUST SCHEDULED APPEARANCE DOCKETS, WALK-IN COURT, ARRAIGNMENT, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE ALREADY DO THROUGH OUR COURT OPERATIONS.
UM, SO WE AVERAGED ABOUT FIVE SERVICE DAYS PER MONTH, AND WE PARTNERED WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO HELP IDENTIFY GOOD LOCATIONS USING THOSE PARAMETERS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WHICH IS GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED, BUT ALSO PLACES WHERE PEOPLE ARE.
SO SOME OF OUR NATURAL PARTNERS, WHERE THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS THAT ARE, WE HAVE SIX NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND WE ENDED UP DOING EVENTS AT THREE DIFFERENT ONES.
UM, PUBLIC LIBRARIES, YOU KNOW, O OVER 20, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT BRANCHES, PUBLIC LIBRARIES.
AND WE WORKED WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF TO IDENTIFY WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST LOCATIONS TO GO TO.
WE WORKED WITH OUR FRIENDS IN THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AT THE SHELTERS AT THE, BOTH THE NORTH BRIDGE SHELTER, BUT ALSO AT THE MARSHALING YARD.
UM, WE WORKED WITH EMS TO, UH, CO-LOCATE OUR SERVICES DURING THE POP-UP RESOURCE CLINICS, WHICH IS
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SOMETHING Y'ALL OBVIOUSLY HEARD ABOUT.UM, AND ALSO WORKED WITH THE MORE PROMINENT HOMELESS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.
SO PLACES LIKE THE CHARLIE CENTER, WHICH IS A NAVIGATION CENTER FOR MOSAIC CHURCH OUT IN THE VERY NORTHWEST TIP OF TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, SUNRISE NAVIGATION CENTER IN SOUTH SOUTH AUSTIN, WHICH HAS A REALLY BIG FOOTPRINT IN THE HOMELESS SERVICE COMMUNITY.
AND SO HERE'S SOME OF THE DATA THAT WE COLLECTED, UM, FROM THESE 18 MOBILE COURT EVENTS FROM THE PILOT PERIOD, OCTOBER 18TH THROUGH FEBRUARY 5TH.
SO IN THAT PILOT PERIOD, WE HAD 383 INDIVIDUALS HAD COURT CASE STATUS CHECKS.
SO THESE WERE VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE CHECKS BY PEOPLE THAT WE ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY THAT WERE WILLING TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY OPEN CASES.
UM, WE HAD 125 INDIVIDUALS FROM THAT GROUP OF 383, UM, THAT HAD ONE OR MORE OPEN AUSTIN MUNICIPAL COURT OR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT CASES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT, BUT ALSO IT IS, I THINK THE OTHER PART OF THAT DATA, WHICH IS TWO THIRDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE ENGAGED DIDN'T HAVE ANY OPEN COURT CASES, BUT THEY WERE WILLING TO CHECK AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE HAVING THE, YOU KNOW, PEACE OF MIND TO KNOW THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY PENDING CASES AND WERE PROACTIVELY MAKING SURE THAT THEY WEREN'T, UH, VIOLATING THE LAW OR HAD ANY OUTSTANDING WARRANTS.
UM, WE WANTED TO ALSO BE ABLE TO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH CASE MANAGEMENT.
SO WE HAD 35, UM, SO WE HAD 35 INDIVIDUALS THAT, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE HEARING.
SO OF THOSE 35 INDIVIDUALS, 69 CASES FOR THOSE 35 INDIVIDUALS WERE DOCKETED.
AND OF THAT 69 CASES, 48 OF THEM WERE IN WARRANT STATUS.
SO THOSE WERE WARRANTS THAT WERE THEN CLEARED AS A RESULT OF THESE DOCKETED HEARINGS THAT HAPPENED.
UM, AND AGAIN, THE, THE OTHER BENEFIT OF THIS IS THAT WE GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN CASE MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
AND WE HAD EIGHT INDIVIDUALS FROM THIS PROGRAM ENROLL IN OUR CLINICAL DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT.
UM, AND SO THOSE WERE THE, THE MAIN POINTS THAT WE WANTED TO, UM, TALK ABOUT.
BUT WE'VE, WE'VE FOUND SOME OF THE DATA ALSO SUGGESTED THAT WE WERE, THIS HELP US, THIS PROGRAM WITH COMPLETION RATES, SO PEOPLE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLYING WITH IT, UH, AS BEING ENROLLED IN THE DIVERSION PRO CLINICAL DIVERSION PROGRAM.
AND, UH, IT WILL ALSO HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ENROLLED IN IT GET BETTER ACCESS TO SERVICE BECAUSE THEY'LL HAVE SOMEONE THAT COULD THEN REFER THEM TO ONGOING PROGRAMS. UM, THAT'S IT FOR ME.
ROBERT'S GONNA TAKE OVER FOR ANALYSIS.
ALRIGHT, SO WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN? UM, WE DIDN'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THIS PILOT AND THEN PROVIDE PRESENTATIONS LIKE THIS UNTIL TELL YOU ALL THIS IS WHAT WE FELT THAT IT, IT MEANS, BECAUSE YOU CAN IMAGINE WE'RE PROBABLY PRETTY BIASED THAT WE THINK WE DO GREAT SERVICES.
UM, BUT I, I DO, I, I KNOW WE DO GREAT SERVICES IN THE STAFF THAT SUPPORT THE WORK THAT THAT, THAT WE DO.
UM, SO WE DID BRING ON A THIRD PARTY TO ANALYZE THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING TO LOOK AT BEST PRACTICES THROUGH OTHER COMMUNITIES, UM, HOW THEY WERE SETTING UP MOBILE COURTS OR ANY KIND OF ELEMENT OF A MOBILE COURT OR VIRTUAL COURT PROCEEDING.
UM, SO WE CONTRACTED OUT WITH SALTON JUSTICE CONSULTING OUT OF NEW YORK, UM, UH, VERY, UH, CONNECTED TO THE CENTER FOR JUSTICE INNOVATION WHERE COMMUNITY COURTS STARTED BACK IN NEW NEW YORK.
THEY RECENTLY CHANGED THEIR NAME.
IT WAS THE CENTER FOR, UM, COURT INNOVATION, BUT RECENTLY LAST YEAR CHANGED IT JUSTICE, INNOVATION, UM, AND VERY WELL INVOLVED WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IN, UH, COMMUNITY COURT SETTINGS OR DIVERSION COURTS AND, AND SOME DEFLECTION COURTS.
SO, UH, THE FINDING WAS THE MOBILE COURT, UH, PILOT.
WHAT WE IMPLEMENTED IT WAS, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, AGILE, UM, UH, TO THE SERVICE INNOVATIONS.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WERE NEEDED AND BEING NIMBLE ENOUGH AT THE VARIOUS LOCATIONS TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS THAT WERE SET UP ORIGINALLY.
AND THE GOAL OF THE MOBILE PILOT WAS TO, AGAIN, PROVIDE THE MOBILE COURT, YOU KNOW, OPTION TO ENGAGE WITH INDIVIDUALS, RESOLVE CASE CLEAR WARRANTS, CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO SERVICES.
UM, AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE PILOT MAKING MODIFICATIONS REGARDING WHAT WE, WE WERE LEARNING.
SO KIND OF DO, GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE ITERATIVE PROCESS, THE ENTIRE, UH, PILOT PERIOD TO GET TO THE, THE END PRODUCT.
NOW THE INNOVATION ISN'T OVER BECAUSE IT WAS A SHORT PILOT, UH, UH, PROGRAM.
NOW WE ALSO DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND, AND WHAT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE PROGRAM ALIGNED WITH OUR COMMUNITY COURT MODEL.
SO WE WANTED TO STAY IN OUR LINE, OUR, OUR LANE.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO GO AND DO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, WE WE'RE NOT, UH, WE WEREN'T CREATED TO DO OR WASN'T OUR MANDATE TO DO.
SO WE DIDN'T JUST GO IN THE COMMUNITY AND WANT TO PROVIDE SERVICE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT OUR GOAL.
OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE COURT SERVICES
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AND CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO SERVICES THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THROUGH THAT PLATFORM.UM, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE MEANINGFUL OUTCOMES FOR THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.
AND THAT HELD TRUE WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO CLEAR WARRANTS, UH, GET CASES RESOLVED, CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO SERVICES, AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE SERVICES WERE ROOTED IN BUILDING TRUST AND ADDRESS TRUST AND ADDRESSING BARRIERS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ROOTED IN AT THE COMMUNITY COURT, IS BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, BUILDING TRUST WITH INDIVIDUALS TO RESOLVE THEIR COURT CASE, BUT NOT ONLY RESOLVE THEIR COURT CASE, 'CAUSE THAT'S JUST A ONE TIME FIX, BUT TO CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO THE SERVICES LONG TERM, TO ADDRESS THOSE UNDERLYING BE UH, UH, UH, BEHAVIORS AND THOSE ROOT CAUSES OF THEIR JUSTICE INVOLVEMENT.
AND SO IT FOUND THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE ITEMS WERE TRUE DURING THIS PILOT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THAT ANALYSIS, THERE WAS A GROUP OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, UH, WERE CREATED BASED ON THE OUTCOMES THAT WE SAW FROM THE PILOT.
THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO, UH, FUND A, A FULLY SUSTAINABLE MOBILE COURT, UH, PROGRAM.
AS YOU HEARD FROM CHRIS, WE WERE PULLING STAFF FROM ALL AREAS OF THE COURT TO STAND UP THIS PROGRAM.
UM, CHRIS'S YOU KNOW, LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO GET THIS DOWN TO TWO STAFF MEMBERS TO GO OUT TO EACH LOCATION.
AS YOU SAW ON THE INITIAL PICTURE, THERE WERE SEVEN STAFF MEMBERS THERE.
UH, WE, WE HAVE WHITTLED THAT DOWN TO THREE, SOMETIMES FOUR STAFF MEMBERS, BUT MAINLY THREE STAFF MEMBERS TO GET THIS PROGRAM GOING.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
WE'LL TALK, TALK ABOUT THOSE, THOSE NEXT STEPS.
UM, ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION WAS JUST TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND UPON THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND SCALE MOBILE COURT TO IMPLEMENTATION.
SO WE HAD A SHORT RUNWAY TO DESIGN THE PILOT ENGAGING WITH THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND, UH, SOME OF THE MAIN PLAYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT THAT WE HAVE NOT, UH, HAD, DID NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE DOING THAT AS WELL.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO DO THAT, UH, TO, TO GET IT, UM, MOBILE COURT MORE BROADLY DISPERSED THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST FOCUSING IN PARTICULAR AREAS.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE VERY, YOU KNOW, FORTUNATE, UM, WHEN WE, AND I'M KIND OF BLURRING THIS SLIDE WITH THE NEXT SLIDE FOR NEXT STEPS, BUT REALLY OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH EMS AND THE POP-UP RESOURCE CLINICS ALLOW US TO GO INTO VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AS THE POP-UP RESOURCE CLINICS MOVE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE STUDY OF THE IMPACT ON EXISTING SERVICE REQUEST.
SO, UM, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN SOMEONE IS, YOU KNOW, GOOD AT SOMETHING, THEN THE, THE DEMAND FOR THAT SERVICE INCREASES.
AND SO WHEN WE'RE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND ENGAGING WITH INDIVIDUALS, CONNECTING THEM TO SERVICES, WE'RE CONNECTING THEM TO SERVICES.
AND SO THERE'S A HIGHER DEMAND FOR OUR EXISTING SERVICES THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WALKING INTO OUR FACILITY EVERY SINGLE DAY REQUESTING SERVICES BECAUSE THEY'VE LEARNED THAT IT'S AVAILABLE.
WE'VE STARTED BUILDING THAT TRUST, BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO IT'S JUST A NATURAL ELEMENT THAT COMES WITH THIS, UH, PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THEN THE LAST RECOMMENDATION WAS INVESTING IN A MOBILE COURT, TRANSPORTATION RESOURCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE WAS REALLY MORE PIE IN THE SKY.
UM, YOU'VE HEARD FROM CHRIS, WE WERE GOING TO LOCATIONS WHERE WE WERE CO-LOCATING WITH OTHER AGENCIES OR SERVICE PROVIDERS, BUT THE, THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OR THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATIONS, THE RECOMMENDATION MA WAS MADE OF, WOULDN'T IT BE NICE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER LOCATION TO OPERATE OUT OF IF WE HAD A MOBILE COURT, TRULY MOBILE COURT GAVEL ON GRAVEL, UM, TO TAKE TWO LOCATIONS WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE, FOR INSTANCE, AT A, AT A LARGE ENCAMPMENT ROLLING UP A VEHICLE THERE AND PROVIDING MOBILE COURT SERVICES THERE.
SO AGAIN, UM, THERE WERE SOME SPECIFIC FACILITY REQUIREMENTS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY SERVE INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE MOBILE COURT.
AND THERE'S SOME CONFIDENTIALITY OF COURSE, THROUGH THAT, THAT PROCESS WHEN WE HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS TALKING TO THE CLIENTS ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUND, THEIR HISTORY, THEIR TRAUMA THAT THEY'VE EXPERIENCED.
AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN PUBLIC.
AND SO NOT EVERY FACILITY WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR A MOBILE COURT LOCATION.
AND SO THAT RECOMMENDATION IS REALLY HAVING A APPROPRIATE FACILITY OR RESOURCE BEING ABLE TO BE MOBILE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS, UH, SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT ALREADY.
SO FUTURE OF MOBILE COURT IS WE ARE, UM, CONTINUING MOBILE COURT.
WE SEE THE BENEFIT OF IT, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE NOT CONTINUING IT TO THE FULL SCALE THAT WE WERE DOING OR THE FULL POTENTIAL THAT IS, UM, THAT THE PEN POTENTIAL THAT EXISTS.
SO WE ARE LIMITING IT RIGHT NOW TO TWO EVENTS PER MONTH.
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WE'RE GOING TO EVERY POP-UP RESOURCE CLINIC WITH EMS AND HAVING A PRESENCE THERE.AND THEN WE'RE REGULARLY GOING BACK TO, UH, SUNRISE NAVIGATION, UH, CENTER AS WELL.
AND THEN AS, AS BANDWIDTH EXISTS OR AS A A, A NEED DEVELOPS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE'LL REEVALUATE THAT AND POTENTIALLY ADD MAYBE A THIRD.
UH, BUT THAT WOULD BE STRETCHING THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND NOT ONLY STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, BUT WHAT WE LEARNED THROUGH THE PILOT WAS TO TRY TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY WHERE WE CAN HELP OUR PROVIDERS HELP THE CLIENTS THAT WE'RE MUTUALLY SERVING.
AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE CAN DO A, A COURT CASE CHECK, BUT THERE'S A PLATFORM THAT EXISTS RIGHT NOW IN THE PUBLIC THAT ANYONE CAN DO A COURT CASE CHECK.
AND SO TRAINING OUR, OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO ASSIST THEIR CLIENTS IN DOING A COMMUNITY COURT CHECK CHECKING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY WARRANTS OR ANY OPEN CASES, UM, AND THEN CONNECTING THEM TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE OR THE SYSTEMS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE RIGHT NOW.
MAYBE IT'S, UM, OUR PARTNERS FACILITATING A VIRTUAL COURT APPEARANCE FOR THEIR CLIENT THAT WE MAKE AVAILABLE, UH, UH, THROUGH OUR, THROUGH OUR COURT RIGHT NOW.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE AS WELL AS A MARSHALING YARD TO, UM, I, UH, TO TEST OUT THAT PROCESS AND SEE WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE AND, UH, SEE IF THERE IS AN EVIDENCE BASE THAT WE CAN THEN EXTEND THAT MORE BROADLY INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE'LL LOOK AT CREATING A PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM TO DO JUST THAT.
AND SO INSTEAD OF US HAVING TO PULL RESOURCES OUT OF OUR EXISTING, UM, UH, STAFF, THEN WE WOULD JUST ASK OTHER AGENCIES TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A BENEFIT FOR, FOR THEIR CLIENTS AS WELL.
AND THEN LASTLY IS JUST OPEN AND WELCOME TO OTHER, UH, PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY TO, UM, SEE IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT HOW THE COMMUNITY COURT CAN ASSIST WITH OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE DIVERSION EFFORTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE WE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ARE A DIVERSION COURT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL OPEN UP TO ANY QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER NGUYEN? UH, IT'S MORE OF A JUST ECHOING, UM, UH, MR. ANDERSON AND MR. KING, YOU'RE CELEBRATING THIS PROCESS.
'CAUSE UM, MY ORGANIZATION ACTUALLY HELPED WITH ONE OF THOSE POP-UP CLINICS AND, UM, SOME OF OUR PARTICIPANTS ACTUALLY BENEFITED FROM YOUR SERVICE BEING THERE, SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE THIRD PARTY ANALYSIS THAT, UH, IT, IT'S WORKED.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT.
UM, SO I HAVE A, A DATA QUESTION, AND THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A GOTCHA.
UM, BUT I'M, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW OFTEN, AND I'M SURE Y'ALL AREN'T GONNA KNOW THE NUMBER FOR THE, THE REST OF THE MUNICIPAL COURTS, BUT, UM, HOW OFTEN, UM, CASES THAT Y'ALL ARE OVERSEEING, UH, GO TO WARRANT? UM, IN GENERAL? UM, I JUST THINK IT WOULD HELP US MAKE A, A BUDGET ARGUMENT.
UM, IF WE CAN TALK ABOUT LIKE ARRESTS THAT CAN BE PREVENTED MM-HMM.
UM, AND LIKE REDUCE THE TRAUMA EXPERIENCED BY THE, THE COMMUNITY OF BEING ARRESTED.
SO I THINK ONE PART OF THAT IS WHAT WE'VE LEARNED, UM, FROM NOT JUST OUR EXPERIENCE, BUT OTHER MUNICIPAL COURTS IS THE INITIAL, LIKE, UH, MUNICIPAL COURTS ARE THE MOST HIGHLY TRAFFICKED CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES IN TEXAS.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY SHARE ALL DISTINCTION OF HAVING EXTREMELY LOW APPEARANCE RATES.
SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT FOR THE OTHER 70%, THE MISS INITIAL APPEARANCE, THEY IMMEDIATELY BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR KPS WARRANT.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE, UM, CLASS C MISDEMEANORS THAT SHOULD BE FINALLY AN OFFENSE.
BUT AGAIN, IF, IF A CASE RESULTS IN A FTA, THEN THAT CASE THEN COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR SOMEONE BEING BROUGHT IN ON A WARRANT AND THEN MAGISTRATED AND THE WHOLE PROCESS, WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID.
SO I THINK THAT'S SORT OF THE, THE, THE EVIDENCE BASE FOR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT LIKE, YEAH, WELL OVER TWO THIRDS OF THE CASES THAT ARE FILED IN OUR COURT IN A MUNICIPAL COURT WILL MISS THAT INITIAL APPEARANCE.
AND THEN WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT, UH, BECOMES A WARRANT IS DEPENDENT ON THE, YOU KNOW, ELEMENTS OF THE CASE.
BUT THAT IS A, A PRETTY COMPELLING DATA POINT
[00:50:01]
TO ME.AND, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THE DATA THAT WE SAW THROUGH THE MOBILE COURT PILOT, OVER 50% OF THE INDIVIDUALS, UM, THAT AGREED TO DO A COURT CASE CHECK HAD NO IDEA THEY HAD AN OPEN CASE.
AND SO WE KNOW, AND I'VE HAD, I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE EARLIER TODAY, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN SAY SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING, UM, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS, UM, WHENEVER THEY ARE CITED FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR AN OFFENSE, UM, THAT IS NOT ALWAYS A PRIORITY FOR THEM.
AND SO THAT RE REALLY REINFORCES THE EFFORT THAT WE NEED TO DO AS A SERVICE PROVIDER COMMUNITY TO HELP THE CLIENTS THAT WE'RE SERVING MUTUALLY RESOLVE THEIR COURT CASES.
AND THAT'S WHERE THAT PARTNERSHIP, UH, PROGRAM GOES INTO PLAY WHERE WE CAN, UM, UH, STOP THOSE CASES OR MINIMIZE THOSE CASES FROM GOING INTO WARRANT STATUS.
YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING I WILL SAY IS, UH, WE ARE A, A, A SAFE HAVEN COURT.
AND SO INDIVIDUALS WHO WALK INTO OUR COURT, IF THEY DO HAVE AN OPEN, UH, WARRANT, THEY WON'T BE ARRESTED.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE JUDGE AND THE PROSECUTOR, AND WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH, WITH A PD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR, UH, STAFF KNOW THAT THIS RESOURCE EXISTS.
AND WHENEVER WE ARE OPEN AND IN OPERATION, UH, A PD CAN BRING INDIVIDUALS DIRECTLY TO THE COURT IF THEY ARE PICKED UP ON A WARRANT MM-HMM.
UM, DO YOU, I'M SORRY, I I HAVE A FOLLOW UP.
UM, DO YOU HAPPEN, UM, TO KNOW IF, UH, THE ONLY WAY THAT FOLKS CAN WITHOUT RISKING ARREST, UM, YOU KNOW, TALK IN PERSON TO A COURT, UM, IF THAT IS POSSIBLE, UH, IN THE REGULAR MAGISTRATE COURT SITUATION OR IF THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN AMNESTY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AT ALSO MUNICIPAL COURT? YES.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO I WOULD NEED TO LEAVE THAT FOR ALSO MUNICIPAL COURT.
I, I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THE COMMUNITY COURT'S PRACTICES THERE.
AND, AND CAN Y'ALL DO ANYTHING ABOUT, IF SOMEONE COMES TO YOU AND YOU FIND THEY HAVE A WARRANT, BUT IT'S NOT UNDER YOUR JURISDICTION, WHAT HAPPENS? SO WE DO REGULARLY HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO COME INTO OUR COURT WHO HAVE AN A WARRANT FOR AN ALSO MUNICIPAL COURT CASE.
SO SINCE OUR PRESIDING JUDGE IS THE DACC PRESIDING JUDGE, HE IS ALSO AN A MC JUDGE.
HE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO HEAR THOSE CASES, AND SO THEY WILL BE CONNECTED TO OUR COURT IMMEDIATELY AND THOSE, UH, THAT WARRANT CAN BE, UM, UH, RESOLVED.
BUT HAS THERE BEEN ANY PUBLICITY ABOUT YOUR MOBILE COURT SERVICE AND THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE
UM, SO DURING THIS PILOT, WE WEREN'T REALLY DOING COMMUNITY OUTREACH OR ENGAGEMENT FROM A PUBLICITY, YOU KNOW, STANDPOINT.
UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AND, AND EXPANDING BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL PASSED TO SPUR THE PILOT WAS TO MINIMIZE A LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENCE THERE TO CREATE THAT SAFE HAVEN ENVIRONMENT OR, OR SAFE HAVEN COURT PHILOSOPHY THAT WE HAVE AT THE, AT OUR BRICK AND MORTAR, UH, SITE.
AND SO, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ENGAGING IN COURT SERVICES WERE ENGAGING WITH THE COURT VIRTUALLY MM-HMM.
AND SO WE JUST HAD OUR, UH, COURT CLERK ON SITE AND ONE OF OUR CASE MANAGERS ON SITE, AND EVERYTHING WAS DONE VIRTUALLY, BUT THERE WASN'T A ADVERTISING PUSH, UH, THERE, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WERE, WE DIDN'T WANT TO OVERPROMISE AND UNDERDELIVER AT THAT POINT.
DO WE HAVE COMMISSIONER SMITH? YEAH, MINE RELATES TO DATA AS WELL IN THAT INITIAL APPEARANCE.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ANY DATA REGARDING OUR PROGRAM REGARDING, UM, COUNSEL AT FIRST APPEARANCE AT DACC? SO, I, I DON'T SPECIFICALLY HAVE COUNSEL AT FIRST, UH, UH, APPEARANCE, UH, INFORMATION SPECIFIC FOR THE COMMUNITY COURT.
I, I WILL SAY, SO THERE IS AN UNDERSTANDING IN THIS GROUP, UM, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND BROUGHT TO CENTRAL BOOKING FOR A-D-A-C-C-A WARRANT OR OFFENSE, UH, THEY ARE TAKEN TO DACC FOR MAGISTRATION, AND SO THEY'RE NOT MAGISTRATED AT CENTRAL BOOKING.
UM, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S THAT IMMEDIATE CONNECTION TO SERVICES AND NOT NECESSARILY SOMEONE MAGISTRATED AND NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH A SOCIAL WORKER AND CONNECT WITH RESOURCES TO RESOLVE THEIR CASE.
BUT FOR COUNSEL, THAT FIRST APPEARANCE THAT HAS NOT, UM, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT AT DACC.
[00:55:03]
I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT ACTUALLY.SO IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD NORMALLY FALL WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF D WHY WOULD, SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME HOW SOMEONE ENDS UP AT CENTRAL BOOKING INSTEAD OF AT DECK AT THAT POINT? LIKE HOW DO, HOW, HOW DO, HOW DO WE AVOID THEM SKIPPING THAT MIDDLE STEP? SO, SO THE, THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID THAT WOULD BE TO MAKE A DA CCC 24 7.
SO WE ARE ONLY OPERATING MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY EIGHT TO FIVE.
AND SO ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF THOSE HOURS, UM, THE ONLY PLACE THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING SOMEONE IF THEY WERE TAKEN INTO CUSTODY WOULD BE CENTRAL BOOKING FOR DACC.
DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I, COMMISSIONER RUTAN.
SO I THINK ALONG WITH SOME OF THE THEMES IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS IN THINKING COST BENEFITS, ESPECIALLY AS WE MOVE INTO WHAT WILL PROBABLY BE A TIGHTER BUDGET SITUATION DOWN THE ROAD, ARE THERE ANY THOUGHTS IN TERMS OF WHAT MIGHT BE NEEDED TO POTENTIALLY EXPAND, WHETHER IT BEING 24 7 OR THE MOBILE COURT AND HOW YOU CAN KIND OF JUSTIFY THAT IN TERMS OF BROADER COST SAVINGS? I THINK, UH, THE, THE PILOT'S FANTASTIC.
IT SOUNDS LIKE WONDERFUL WORKERS IS ECHOED.
I THINK THE QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE EXPAND THAT AND JUSTIFY IT IN A WAY THAT SHOWS THE NET SAVINGS BOTH TO OUR CITY? OBVIOUSLY THERE'S AN IMPACT ON INDIVIDUAL LIVES, WHICH IS HARD TO QUANTIFY, BUT IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE KIND OF GET AT THAT TO BE ABLE TO SAY, HEY, IF WE WANT 24 7, WE COULD DO THESE THINGS.
IF WE SUSPECT THAT THE, IF WE EXPANDING THESE MOBILE THINGS, WE COULD AVOID THESE TYPES OF COSTS.
SO, SO THERE'S DATA THAT EXISTS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND THE, THE COST AVOIDANCE AND COST SAVINGS.
AND SO THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE ARE SERVING ARE SOME OF THE HIGHER UTILIZERS OF OUR PUBLIC SYSTEMS. NOT ONLY LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT ER, UH, EMS USAGE, UM, HOSPITAL USAGE, UH, UH, JAIL AS WELL.
AND SO, LOOKING AT THE COST AVOIDANCE TO OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S FAIRLY, YOU KNOW, CLEAR.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THAT UPDATED, UH, DATA, UH, WITH ME.
BUT, UH, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, UH, ECHO THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, UH, UH, UH, LEAD AGENCY HERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, DID THAT STUDY AND LOOKED AT ALL OF THOSE INPUTS AND LOOKED AT OUR HIGHEST UTILIZERS, UM, AND THE COST AVOIDANCE THAT OUR COMMUNITY WOULD REALIZE.
UM, SO THAT DATA DOES EXIST NOW AS FAR AS LIKE, WHAT IT WOULD COST, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, TO SCALE UP TO FULL, UH, MOBILE COURT, YOU KNOW, OPERATION.
UH, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, OR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, EXCUSE ME, UH, THE, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD PUT TOGETHER A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION AND ASKED US TO LOOK, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY AT, UH, AT THAT, AND FOR US TO, UH, FULLY IMPLEMENT, YOU KNOW, MOBILE COURT, WE WOULD NEED A PROGRAM COORDINATOR ACCESS TO A SUBSTITUTE JUDGE.
AND SO THERE'S A, A, UM, A POOL OF SUBSTITUTE JUDGES ALREADY, YOU KNOW, AVAILABLE.
AND SO IT WOULD JUST BE ADDING SOME FUNDING TO OUR BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO TAP INTO THOSE, THOSE HOURS THERE.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, UH, WHAT WE WOULD NEED AS WELL IS A CLINICAL DIVERSION, UH, SOCIAL WORKER OR STAFF MEMBER TO RUN THAT PROGRAM.
AND SO THE ESTIMATED COST THERE OF ONGOING FUNDING IS AROUND $250,000 ANNUALLY.
AND THEN IS THERE A WAY TO LOOK AT AND SAY, OKAY, WE SPENT 202,000, WHAT'S OUR ESTIMATED SAVINGS TO BE ABLE TO JUSTIFY THAT? SO THAT, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE WHERE WE WOULD LOOK AT THE DATA FROM, UH, FROM ECHO.
SO THE, THE UTILIZERS, UH, THE, THE PARTICIPANTS THAT WOULD BE SERVED, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THAT PROGRAM.
UM, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, COLLECT THAT DATA AND, AND FOR EVERY PERSON, UM, I DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE A A, AN INCORRECT, YOU KNOW, NUMBER, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, BUT WE KNOW IT GENERALLY COST AROUND 15 TO 17,000 FOR A PSH, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM.
AND THE DATA AT THAT TIME, UH, WHEN THEY WERE ANALYZING THE SYSTEMS, IT WAS THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE THAN THAT TO SERVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND SO THERE'S THAT COST SAVINGS THERE.
BUT WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU ALL.
COMMISSIONER, I KNOW YOU HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.
SO YOU HAD MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A DIVERSION PROGRAM WHERE YOU HAD CREW LEADERS THAT WOULD TAKE THEM OUT TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE.
AND THOSE CREW LEADERS ARE, ARE THEY BASICALLY PART OF YOUR TEAM, OR, OR DO YOU HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS YOU'RE WORKING WITH? SO THOSE ARE STAFF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COURT.
AND SO THOSE ARE, UH, CREW LEADERS THAT TAKE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PUBLIC SERVICE, PUBLIC, UH, SERVICE REQUIREMENTS, UM, OUR REQUIREMENTS AND BRING THEM OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO COMPLETE THOSE JOBS.
AND SO WE HAVE FIVE CREW LEADERS AND A CREW LEADER SUPERVISOR, UH, FOR THAT PROGRAM.
AND EACH CREW LEADER CAN SUPERVISE, UH, FOUR DEFENDANTS OR FOUR CLIENTS AT ANY, ANY GIVEN TIME.
SO WE RUN, UH, THAT PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY,
[01:00:01]
WE HAVE IN THE PAST PARTNERED WITH TRAVIS COUNTY PROBATION.BUT I WILL SAY, UM, WE ARE ON THE LIST, UH, FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS.
AND SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS THAT SEND THEIR DEFENDANTS OVER TO THE COMMUNITY COURT TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE, OFF, WE OPERATE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, UM, FROM SEVEN 30 TO TWO 30, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY.
AND SO WE'RE AVAILABLE, UH, PRETTY OFTEN FOR INDIVIDUALS.
SO, SO THERE'S A, THERE MAY BE A NEED FOR AN EXPANSION OF THAT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE, THERE VERY WELL COULD BE.
THE MORE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVE GOING THROUGH THE COURT PROCESS WHO WOULD ENROLL OR CHOOSE TO RESOLVE THEIR CASE BY PARTICIPATING IN A COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS, UM, THEN WE WOULD, UH, THEORETICALLY NEED ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES, UH, FROM A CREW LEADER TO SUPERVISE ADDITIONAL IN, UH, INDIVIDUALS.
OUR BUSIEST DAYS ARE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, YOU KNOW, BY FAR.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST CREW LEADERS, YOU KNOW, WORKING.
UM, BUT WE HAVE A FAIRLY CONSISTENT, UH, FLOW OF INDIVIDUALS COMING IN EACH DAY FOR SERVICES.
SO I'M NOT GONNA SAY RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE AT CAPACITY, WE DO HAVE EXISTING CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE SOME ADDITIONAL.
COMMISSIONER SMITH, WHERE DO THE COMMUNITY SERVICE, LIKE, WHERE DOES THAT DEFINITION COME FROM, WHERE YOU DECIDE WHERE TO SEND PEOPLE TO DO X? IS THAT BY STATUTE OR DO YOU ALL HAVE FLEXIBILITY IN DETERMINING WHAT IS DEFINED AS COMMUNITY SERVICE? SO COMMUNITY SERVICE, UM, THE COURT DOES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE, UH, WHAT COMMUNITY SERVICE LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY SERVICE THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE CREW LEADERS THAT, THAT ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO, UH, GO ON A, A, A CREW AND COMPLETE THESE MUNICIPAL PURPOSE JOBS, THAT IS ONE WAY, UM, THE JUDGE THROUGH OUR COURT HAVE, HAS ALSO AGREED PARTICIPATING IN OUR COMMUN, UH, CLINICAL DIVERSION PROGRAM ALSO CONSTITUTES COMMUNITY SERVICE.
AND SO THE GOALS THAT ARE SET UP THROUGH THAT PROGRAM WILL SATISFY COMMUNITY SERVICE REQUIREMENTS BECAUSE WE KNOW NOT EVERYONE CAN GO AND PARTICIPATE ON A WORK CREW.
NOT EVERYONE CAN GO AND, YOU KNOW, PICK UP, UM, YOU KNOW, BULK ITEMS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OR PAINT GRAFFITI.
UM, THAT IS ONE WAY THAT INDIVIDUALS, UH, UH, CAN DO THAT.
AND THERE IS A BENEFIT TO THE CITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT PROGRAM BECAUSE WE ARE, WE'RE HELPING THE CITY, YOU KNOW, COMPLETE THESE, UM, UH, THESE NEEDS THAT EXIST IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY AND HELPING THE DEFENDANTS AND THE CLIENTS REALIZE HOW THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, GIVE BACK AND THE IMPACT THAT BEHAVIOR HAS ON THE COMMUNITY OVERALL.
BUT THEY'RE NOT LIMITED TO ONLY PARTICIPATING.
THEY CAN GO AND PARTICIPATE AT A 5 0 1 C3, UM, TO GET THEIR NON, UH, THEIR, THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS.
AND THAT NONPROFIT, UH, JUST HAS TO, YOU KNOW, SIGN OFF THAT THEY ARE, YES, A 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT, AND THEN THAT INDIVIDUAL DID COMPLETE X NUMBER OF HOURS.
AND FOLLOWING UP ON THAT, JUST A THOUGHT.
UM, CONSIDERING WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT COME THROUGH, UM, THE COURT NOT SHOWING UP FOR THEIR INITIAL APPEARANCE, UM, BECAUSE IT MAY NOT BE A PRIORITY FOR THEM.
JUST IN MY LIVED EXPERIENCE OF BEING A DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDER WITH THE POPULATION, UM, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE CONNECTION TO THAT ECOSYSTEM CAN BE REALLY GREAT SHEPHERDS MM-HMM.
UM, AND SO I, I'M NOT SURE WHERE TO BRING THAT IDEA, BUT THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE BEING GO FIND SO AND SO
WE DON'T DO IT, YOU KNOW, IN MY EXPERIENCE, WE, WE HAVEN'T DONE IT FOR THEIR COURT APPEARANCES, BUT WE HAVE DONE IT FOR THEIR DOCTOR'S VISITS OR THEIR VITAL DOCUMENTS, VISITS OR THING, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DEPEND ON THEM BEING IN ONE LOCATION AT ONE TIME TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED OR REMIND THEM OR SOMETIMES TAKE THEM.
UM, SO THAT MIGHT BE A NICE ROUTE TO USE YOUR DIVERSION PROGRAM IN ORDER TO SOLVE FOR THE PROBLEM OF YOUR FIRST INITIAL APPEARANCE BECOMING A WARRANT AND THEREFORE EXPEND POLICE RESOURCE TIME.
UM, I ACTUALLY, I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS MOBILE COURT PILOT AND YOU GOT A DIRECTIVE AND A RESOLUTION FROM CITY COUNCIL WITH $0 ATTACHED TO IT,
UM, AND SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR, FOR PULLING THIS PILOT TOGETHER.
PULLING A PILOT TOGETHER WITH ZERO FUNDING IS NOT A, IT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO DO, SO I APPRECIATE IT.
UM, I ALSO JUST WANNA TAKE A SECOND TO HIGHLIGHT THAT I KNOW THAT THERE WERE 120, YOU
[01:05:01]
ENDED UP SERVING 125 INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD OPEN CASES, BUT A NOD TO THOSE 250 PLUS PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE CLEAR STATUSES AND THAT YOU GUYS WERE BE, WERE ABLE TO DOCUMENT CLEAR STATUSES FOR THEM SO THAT THEY COULD MOVE ON AND SECURE HOUSING, SECURE JOBS, ALL THOSE THINGS THAT THEY NEED A CLEAR STATUS FOR.SO, UM, A HUGE NOD TO THAT, THAT, THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS A HUGE HELP.
UM, I, UM, YOU MENTIONED THE 250 K FOR ONGOING FUNDING.
WE, WE CAN'T PASS THE RECOMMENDATION TODAY, BUT I, I WANTED TO JUST GO AHEAD AND SAY OUT LOUD THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO MM-HMM
UM, SO WE'LL DEFINITELY PUT A PIN IN THIS FOR ADDING TO THAT LIST.
UM, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT THAT, YEAH.
TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, I, I, I'M GUESSING THAT OUR TIMELINE IS A LITTLE TOO TIGHT FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, BUT IF WE COULD GET MORE DATA ON THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF EXPANDING IT, A AND PARTICULARLY, UM, IF THE AUSTIN MUNICIPAL COURT, THE MAIN COURT IS NOT ALREADY GIVING FOLKS OPTIONS OTHER THAN WARRANT ROUNDUPS TO, UM, CLEAR THEIR WARRANTS, UM, REALLY EXPANDING IT SO THAT EVERYONE HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THEY KNOW THEY DO.
'CAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ALWAYS FRUSTRATED ME IS THAT IT'S, IT'S BEEN CONFINED TO SUCH A SMALL GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
SO WE HAVE A BIG CITY, UM, THAT'S GETTING BIGGER.
AND SO THE IDEA THAT YOU GUYS CAN EXPAND YOUR SERVICE AREA IS REALLY GREAT.
UM, I WOULD RATHER, UM, INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR NEXT BUDGET SEASON, AT LEAST PUT SOMETHING FORWARD THIS SEASON.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO MOVE FORWARD? I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE PRESENTERS, IF THAT'S SOMETHING I DON'T WANNA ALSO, I DON'T ALSO DON'T WANNA PRESSURE YOU OR OVERWHELM YOU, BUT ARE WE ABLE TO PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR FUTURE ITEMS, UM, THEM COMING BACK WITH LITERALLY ANYTHING TO HELP OUT WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE IT IN OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS THIS YEAR? YEAH, I THINK MY INTENTION WAS TO INCLUDE IT IN OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'LL BE DOING IN JUNE.
WE'LL BE DOING ONE MORE ROUND OF BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS IN JUNE WHEN WE REVIEW ALL OF THE DEPARTMENT'S UNMET NEEDS.
SO I'M HOPING THAT WE COULD INCLUDE IT IN THAT.
IN THE MEANTIME, I THINK WE CAN OFFLINE GET ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION THAT WE MIGHT NEED TO SORT OF USE AS BACKUP FOR THAT.
I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE ANYBODY'S HELP WITH HELPING PULL TOGETHER AN ADDITIONAL, I I THINK IT'S MORE ON US.
WE CAN PULL A RECOMMENDATION TOGETHER AND GET THE BACKUP INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.
IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL, DO WE NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN ORDER TO, LIKE, DO WE NEED TO PUBLICLY HAVE A HEARING TO HEAR MORE INFORMATION? OR DO WE JUST NEED SOME ADDITIONAL BACKUP DATA? I THINK WE'D LITERALLY JUST NEED A BUDGET REQUEST FROM THE NUMBERS.
I THINK, I THINK AT THIS POINT, I WOULD JUST LIKE IN WRITING THEM US AFFIRMING, YES, WE WANT THESE NUMBERS AND THEM SAYING, YES, WE'LL GIVE US THESE NUMBERS TO INCLUDE IN OUR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS.
I KNOW YOU GUYS PUT TOGETHER A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FOR YOUR ADVISORY BOARD, SO IF THAT COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO US, THAT WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL AND WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD STARTING POINT.
THINK, UM, WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD
[4. Update on the Biannual Wildfire Readiness provided by Division Chief Carrie Stewart and Wildfire Mitigation Officer Justice Jones of the Austin Fire Department.]
AND MOVE ON TO OUR, UM, BIANNUAL WILDFIRE READINESS, UM, PRESENTATION WHILE OUR FOLKS ARE STEPPING UP TO THE, TO THE TABLE HERE.ROB VI, CHIEF OF STAFF WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, UM, TO COIN A LOCAL UNIVERSITY PHRASE, WHAT STARTS HERE CHANGES THE WORLD IS MOST CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT FITS OUR WILDFIRE DIVISION.
WE ARE VERY BLESSED TO HAVE, UH, A WIDE ARRAY OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, UH, NOT ONLY REGIONALLY, BUT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE IN A LOT OF OTHER AREAS EMULATING WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE IN THE WILDFIRE ARENA.
UH, WITH THAT FOR TODAY, WE HAVE, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF JEFF KENNEDY, AND WE'VE ALSO GOT WILDFIRE MITIGATION OFFICER JUSTICE JONES TO WALK YOU THROUGH OUR BIANNUAL, UH, WILDFIRE, UH, READINESS, UH, PRESENTATION COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THE RESOLUTION IS NOT COMPREHENSIVE IN, UH, REFLECTING ALL THAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT IT GIVES A GOOD SNAPSHOT OF SOME OF OUR KEY FOCUS AREAS.
[01:10:01]
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT.AND THEN, UH, TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON, UM, THE KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES IN THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION FROM 20, UH, 16.
AND, UH, SPEAK TO EACH OF THOSE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, AN EFFORT NOT TO BE REDUNDANT, I'LL, UH, JUST FOCUS ON EACH BULLET PER SLIDE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF IN AUSTIN IS WE LEAD THE STATE IN THE NUMBER OF NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FIREWISE COMMUNITY, USA SITES.
UM, EACH OF THESE SITES IS A LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT COMMUNITY.
AND OUR KEY FOCUS IS TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR EXISTING COMMUNITIES WHILE ADDING OTHER, UH, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE, UM, WILLING TO TAKE ON WILDFIRE PLANNING FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR NEIGHBORS.
UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 23, UM, COMPLETED AND, UM, LARGELY IMPLEMENTED COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THESE COMMUNITIES ARE DONE.
THAT MEANS THEY'VE, UH, CHECKED OFF THE INITIAL LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PLAN, AND NOW THEY'RE GOING BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND REVISING THOSE PLANS AND FINDING OUT WHAT THEY NEED TO DO NEXT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND THEIR RESIDENTS, AND CREATE A FIRE ENVIRONMENT THAT LENDS ITSELF TO OUR OPERATIONAL SUCCESS.
UM, WE STILL CONTINUE TO GAUGE WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE NOT AS FAR ALONG IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, BUT HAVE ACCEPTED THEIR PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AS A COMMUNITY TO PREPARE AND INITIATED THAT, UH, PLANNING PROCESS.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THESE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH THEIR JOURNEY, BECOMING A MORE FIRE ADAPTED, UH, COMMUNITY.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, WANNA SPEAK TO THE PERCENTAGE OF HIGH RISK AREAS IN AUSTIN THAT HAVE A COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.
ABOUT 51% OF THE HIGHEST RISK AREAS ARE COVERED BY A PLAN.
UH, 49% OF THOSE AREAS ARE STILL IN NEED OF PLANNING OR IN, UM, THE PROCESS OF UPDATING AND DEVELOPING THEIR COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.
UH, WE HOPE TO STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE US FOREST SERVICE TO UPDATE OUR CITY COUNTY COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.
AND, UH, WE HAVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT THAT'S APPROVED BY BOTH THE CITY COUNCIL AND, UM, COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD THROUGH THAT PROCESS, AND PART OF THE OUTCOMES WILL BE LOCALIZED TEMPLATE FOR COMMUNITIES TO USE TO, UM, ACCELERATE THE WILDFIRE PLANNING AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL AND GIVE ACCESS TO RESIDENTS, UM, INFORMATION THAT WE CAN, UH, HELP THEM WITH THAT PLANNING.
UM, WE'VE ALSO BEEN ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE PARTNERED WITH HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO CONDUCT TOWN HALL, UH, PREPAREDNESS MEETINGS ACROSS AUSTIN, UM, WHICH ISN'T SPECIFICALLY REFLECTED HERE, BUT COVERS, UM, ALL THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS AND GIVES, UM, THE PUBLIC ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION.
AND I THINK, UH, IN A FORMAT THAT'S MORE ACCESSIBLE, UM, THAN SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL MECHANISMS. UM, WE'VE DONE EIGHT, UM, HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION PRESENTATIONS, AND THESE ARE REALLY FINDING OF FACTS.
WE, WHEN WE'RE ASKED TO PRESENT TO HOA OR A COMMUNITY GROUP, WE'VE ALREADY DONE AN ASSESSMENT.
WE'RE PRESENTING, UM, THE FACTORS THAT IT SHOULD BE OF CONCERN TO THEM.
AND IT'S A CALL TO ACTION TO ENGAGE WITH US AT THIS POINT AND, AND COMMIT TO DEVELOPING THAT COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN.
UM, SO THESE AREN'T JUST INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS.
UH, WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO COMMIT TO TAKING ACTION, AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN POSITIVE.
UH, WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT FUELS MITIGATION ACROSS THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY, BOTH THROUGH, UM, INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE AND THROUGH OUR, UH, AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY WILDFIRE COALITION.
SOME OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ABUT AUSTIN THAT CREATE OUR RISK AREN'T OWNED AND MANAGED BY AUSTIN.
SO THE COLLABORATION IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
THIS IS REFLECTIVE OF THE WORK THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S BEEN DOING, UM, MOSTLY FOCUSING ON PRESCRIBED BURNING BECAUSE THE CONDITIONS ARE ALIGNED FOR US NOW TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THESE BURNS.
WE HAVE NARROW WINDOWS, AND SO WE HAVE TO STRIKE WHEN THE IRON'S HOT.
AND SO WE'VE, UH, TREATED OVER A THOUSAND ACRES WITH PRESCRIBED BURN IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
AND OUR, OUR OPTIMISTIC THAT THAT, UM, TREND IS GONNA CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVER TIME AS CONDITIONS ALLOW.
UM, WE'RE ALSO REALLY FOCUSING ON BUILDING CAPACITY, BOTH IN THE COMMUNITIES AND OUR PARTNERS AND INTERNALLY WITHIN THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, OUR STAFF HAS RECEIVED OVER 40 HOURS OF WILD LAND TRAINING.
UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UM, THAT TRAINING DOESN'T JUST LAND ON STAFF.
THEY TURN AROUND AND SHARE WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED WITH AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE'VE CONDUCTED OVER 2300, UM, TRAINING HOURS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, LARGELY FOCUSED ON OUR PROGRAM THAT ORIGINATED IN AUSTIN, LIKE CHIEF FIRES MENTIONED.
UH, RESPONDING TO THE INTERFACE THAT GIVES ACCESS TO ALL FIREFIGHTERS AT ALL RANKS THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY TO RESPOND TO A WILD LAND URBAN INTERFACE, FIRE, STAY SAFE, AND KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE IN THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, DANGEROUS EVENTS.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MENTIONED, UM, WE'RE COMING UP ON WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS DAY, THAT'S MAY 4TH.
UM, OUR ANNUAL WILDFIRE SYMPOSIUM IS GONNA BE HELD AT THE ROSEWOOD
[01:15:01]
OSA NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, UM, IN EAST AUSTIN.WE'RE GONNA HAVE A GREAT LINEUP OF, UH, EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, INCLUDING SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE AND INSURANCE.
UM, THAT'S A MAJOR FACTOR FOR OUR PUBLIC RIGHT NOW OF CONCERN, HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR RISK AND WHAT BEST PRACTICES CAN BE IMPLEMENTED TO MITIGATE THAT RISK AND TAKE OWNERSHIP OF WILDFIRE RISK, WHILE ALSO SHARING WITH THE PUBLIC THE THINGS THAT THE CITY AND COUNTY ARE DOING COLLABORATIVELY, UH, TO PREPARE, UH, AND MANAGE OUR, OUR LAND'S PROPERTIES AND WHAT'S UNDER OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
I HAD A QUESTION TO START US OFF.
CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THESE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS ENTAIL? LIKE, I KNOW IT PROBABLY LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR EVERY, EVERY PLAN MM-HMM.
SO THE PLAN STARTS WITH A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF WILDFIRE RISK, AND WE PRESENT THE COMMUNITY WITH THAT DATA DRIVEN RISK ANALYSIS COUPLED WITH, UH, FIREFIGHTER OBSERVATIONS IN THE FIELD.
AND SO THE FIRST STEP OF THE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN IS UNDERSTANDING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WILDFIRE RISK.
UH, THE NEXT STEP IS TO FORM A GROUP OR COMMITTEE WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, EITHER THROUGH THE HOA OR, UM, IN COORDINATION AND, AND INDEPENDENT GROUP THAT WILL WORK TO DEVELOP A PLAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT THAT OUTLINES THE MITIGATION MEASURES FOR THAT COMMUNITY, FOCUSING ON ACTIVITIES THAT LEAD TO STRUCTURE HARDENING INCREASED, UM, SURVIVABLE OR DEFENSIBLE SPACE AROUND HOMES, AND THEN NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL PROJECTS AND IDENTIFYING AREAS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND AROUND THE COMMUNITY THAT NEED TO BE TREATED FOR, UM, FUELS MITIGATION, TO REDUCE THE INTENSITY AND RATE OF SPREAD IN WILDLAND AREAS IN AN ADJACENT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO IT PRIORITIZES STRUCTURE HARDENING, UM, AND SOME OF THAT IS JUST HOMEOWNERS TAKING ACTIONS AS THEY CAN AFFORD, AS AS RESOURCES ALLOW.
BUT WE HAVE LOTS OF TECHNICAL RESOURCES NOW THAT WE HAVE A, WE CODE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE CODE IN PLACE FOR THEM TO COMPLY.
UH, WE HELP THEM IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE PROJECTS.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF THAT LANDS MIGHT BE OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE HOA.
AND SO WE PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON HOW THEY WOULD NEED TO TREAT THAT LAND AND HOW TO WORK WITH A CONTRACTOR TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
AND THEN WE WORK WITH CITY AND COUNTY PARTNERS THAT ABUT OR ADJACENT THAT COMMUNITY WITH IMPLEMENTING FUELS REDUCTION ON THEIR SIDE OF THE FENCE.
UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, UH, WORK IS HAPPENING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE, SO TO SPEAK.
AND SO, UH, WHENEVER POSSIBLE THOSE HAPPEN, THOSE EFFORTS ARE HAPPENING CONCURRENTLY WITH OUR LAND MANAGEMENT PARTNERS AND OTHER CITY COUNTY PARTNERS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
AND, UM, AND HOW DO, UM, NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE IN, 'CAUSE YOU SAID THAT SO FAR YOU GUYS HAVE ABOUT 50% OF THE HIGH RISK AREAS SORT OF COVERED.
HOW DO NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM AND WORKING WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO DO, WHO DO THEY REACH OUT TO? HOW DO THEY GET AHOLD OF YOU GUYS? HOW DO THEY GET STARTED? GREAT QUESTION.
WE TRIED TO MAKE THAT REALLY EASY.
AND SO WE WORKED WITH 3 1 1 TO DEVELOP A SERVICE REQUEST.
SO YOU CAN REQUEST A COMMUNITY PRESENTATION, OR YOU CAN ADDRESS THE INDIVIDUAL WILDFIRE RISK ASSESSMENT USING 3 1 1 THAT GETS RIGHT TO US.
AND THEN WE FOLLOW UP WITH THE COMMUNITY, GET ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO ENGAGE AND THEN COORDINATE FROM THERE.
AND I'LL STOP HUGGING THE MIC.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
AND I WOULD ALSO JUST LIKE TO PERSONALLY ADD THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, TURKEY TAIL MUSHROOMS RECOMMENDATION.
I'M PROUD TO REPORT THAT MY HUSBAND IS STILL ALIVE.
UH, SO, UM, I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST, UM, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UM, SORT OF WHERE THE PRESCRIBED BURNS HAVE BEEN, EAST SIDE VERSUS WEST SIDE, AND, AND, UM, AND I GUESS THAT THE MAP OF THE FIREWISE COMMUNITIES, UM, UH, MADE ME VERY NERVOUS BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S 49%, WHICH SOUNDS KIND OF OKAY, OF THE HIGH RISK AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE A PLAN THAT EVERYONE'S INFORMED ABOUT AND HAVEN'T ENGAGED IN THE FIREWISE COMMUNITY PROJECT, UM, ALMOST ALL OF THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE EAST OF MOPAC, WHICH IS REALLY PROBLEMATIC.
AND I'M WONDERING IF YOU ALL HAVE A PLAN, UM, FOR ADDRESSING THAT WITH SOME URGENCY SINCE IT'S TAKEN SINCE 2003 TO GET TO 23 FIREWISE COMMUNITIES.
THAT IS A, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
AND WE'RE NOT CONVINCED THAT FIREWISE IS THE PROGRAM FOR ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AT RISK.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE ADDRESSING THIS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF INDIVIDUAL PREPAREDNESS.
FIRST, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION TO UNDERSTANDING THEIR WILDFIRE RISK AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS.
THAT'S OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE, IS THAT
[01:20:01]
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES ON THE, UM, WESTERN CRESCENT, UH, THEY TEND TO, UM, HAVE HOMEOWNERS ORGANIZATIONS AND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS HELP FACILITATE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
SO WE'VE ENGAGED WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS TO, UH, LIKE, UH, GABA TO HELP US AND OUR OFFICE OF EQUITY HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW TO REACH OUR OTHER VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, UH, THROUGH, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS TOWN HALL MEETINGS OR, UM, OUR EASTERN CRESCENT SYMPOSIUM.
THIS IS A CHALLENGE THAT THE NATION IS FACING, IS HOW DO WE, UM, ENGAGE COMMUNITIES THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE TRADITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE OR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE THAT HOAS HAVE.
UM, AND THE FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING IS, LET'S, LET'S START WITH MAKING EVERYBODY, UH, PREPARED AND HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION.
AND SO THAT INDIVIDUAL PREPAREDNESS IS OUR FIRST PUSH.
UH, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, UM, AND THE KEY LANGUAGES AND OUR TRANSLATING MATERIALS INTO THOSE KEY LANGUAGES AND PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
AND THEN WHAT WE HOPE TO GLEAN AT OUR, UM, MAY 4TH WILDFIRE SYMPOSIUM AS A LISTENING SESSION FROM THOSE COMMUNITIES TO ASK THEM DIRECTLY, UM, HOW CAN WE SUPPORT YOU? UM, 'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO TRY TO IMPOSE A MODEL THAT MAY HAVE WORKED IN ONE AREA OF AUSTIN AND ANOTHER AREA.
AND WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT MAY NOT BE THE MODEL FOR US, UM, BUT WE DESERVE TO KNOW, CAN I ASK A CALL? YEAH, OF COURSE.
UM, IS, HOW ARE Y'ALL GONNA ASSURE THAT THAT CONVERSATION ON MAY 4TH IS PRODUCTIVE? UM, AND THE REASON I ASK IS THAT THE CITY HAS REACHED OUT ABOUT THE COOLING CENTERS, WHICH ARE ALSO PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION THAT REALLY NEEDS A COOLING CENTER HAS NOT BEEN USING THEM.
UM, AND I, AND I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY DID, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME PRETTY EXTENSIVE WORK TO DO OUTREACH TO THOSE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, UM, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, POLLING AND FOCUS GROUPING, I COULD BE WRONG.
UM, BUT HOW, HOW ARE YOU GONNA DO IT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOU GET A HOLISTIC PICTURE OF THE PROBLEM? WELL, WHAT WE DISCUSSED AT OUR CALL TODAY WAS BRINGING IN A FACILITATOR TO HELP GUIDE THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, SO WE CAN REMAIN OBJECTIVE AND LISTEN.
IT'S HARD TO FACILITATE AND LISTEN AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, AND SO THAT'S OUR HOPE IS TO HAVE, UM, A DISCUSSION WHERE WE'RE A STAKEHOLDER AT THE TABLE LISTENING, AND, UH, SOMEONE WITH THAT PROFESSIONAL SKILL SETS FACILITATING THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF COMMUNITY AND HELPS THEM FEEL HEARD.
UM, CAN I MAKE A COUPLE RECOMMENDATIONS? ABSOLUTELY.
WE VALUE THOSE OR WITH THOUGHTS.
I, I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT THIS WHOLE SYSTEM RELIES ON PEOPLE REACHING OUT TO Y'ALL.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE FOLKS THAT WE SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT DYING IN A FIRE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AFTER MAUI.
YOU KNOW, BY THE WAY, I'M SURE EVERYONE IN PARADISE WAS FIREWISE.
I DON'T THINK IT DID THEM A DAMN BIT OF GOOD.
UM, IS, UH, OVERCOMING ALL THE HURDLES, LIKE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE TO SHOW UP ON MAY 4TH, RIGHT, RIGHT.
I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO, RIGHT? IN TERMS OF LIKE WORKING TWO JOBS, YOU KNOW, BARELY GETTING TO SEE THEIR KIDS ON THE WEEKENDS, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT HEARING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT NEWS SOURCE.
UM, IS THERE A WAY TO AFFIRMATIVELY REACH OUT TO PEOPLE, UM, IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE KNOW ARE REALLY GONNA COMPLETELY BE LIT UP IF THERE'S A FOREST FIRE? MM-HMM.
SO SOME OF THE MECHANISMS THAT WE'RE EXPLORING IS DIRECT MAIL OUTS, SO TARGETING COMMUNITIES WITH DIRECT MAIL OUTS.
BUT I THINK, UM, WHAT WE ARE, WE'RE HOPING WILL BE MOST EFFECTIVE IS THROUGH THE EXISTING COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ALREADY HAVE NETWORKS WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS AND HAVE THAT, THAT TRUST AND, UM, HAVE SENSE OF OWNERSHIP IN THESE COMMUNITIES.
BUT IT'S CERTAINLY A CHALLENGE AND ONE THAT WE WANT TO CONFRONT.
AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO ALL THE QUESTIONS, BUT THERE'S THOSE THAT DO.
AND SO WE SEEK OUT THAT EXPERTISE WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
AND ANY SUGGESTIONS ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO HELP US BE MORE SUCCESSFUL.
WE'LL ACTUALLY ABSOLUTELY PURSUE, I HAVE TWO PLEASE.
ONE IS THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO SHOW UP ON MAY 4TH.
UM, THERE SHOULD ALSO BE CHILDCARE, BUT I DON'T MEAN LIKE SNACKS, RIGHT? I MEAN, LIKE A MEAL.
UM, AND I MEAN LIKE AN APPROPRIATE, A CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY MEAL.
UM, WHEN I DID THIS KIND OF WORK, I WOULD ALWAYS, UM, REACH OUT AND FIND A LOCAL COOK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HIRE SOMEBODY TO CATER, UM, IN THAT PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
UM, ALSO DON'T JUST RELY ON PEOPLE SHOWING UP.
UM, PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE PHONE CALLS OR OTHER WAYS TO INTERACT AND PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK.
UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD DO ALL THE WAYS RIGHT
[01:25:01]
ONLINE, MAKE AFFIRMATIVE PHONE CALLS, SEND PEOPLE EMAILS, UM, IF YOU REALLY WANNA KNOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK, I MEAN, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT'S NECESSARY TO GET OUR ATTENTION.UM, IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I'M, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE US, YOU KNOW, BE MAUI.
I'LL BE HONEST, THAT MAY 4TH DAY IS A PRETTY BUSY DATE, SO YOU GOT YOUR WORK AHEAD OF YOU.
UM, BUT I, I HAD A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS AND, AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ADD TO THAT IS LANGUAGE ACCESS IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
UM, SO, UH, HAVING IT IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, UM, WILL DEFINITELY HELP WITH A LOT OF THE REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS AS WELL.
UM, BUT, UH, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION, UH, RISK ASSESSMENTS, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU PROBABLY TAKE, UM, THE SMOKE FROM PRESCRIBED BURNS INTO EFFECT WHEN YOU'RE DOING IT WITH WIND DIRECTION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WITH OUR INCREASED, UH, AIR QUALITY ISSUES, IS THAT ALSO BEING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE'RE CONSIDERING RISK? UM, UH, VERSUS REWARD AS WELL? MM-HMM,
NO, I'M GIVING YOU CHALLENGING QUESTIONS.
THAT'S OUR PARTICULATE ON THE DAY WE'RE GONNA DO A PRESCRIBED BURN.
NO, IT'S ACTUALLY A GREAT QUESTION.
UH, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR AIR QUALITY DIVISION AND THE EPA BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S BECOMING INCREASINGLY CHALLENGING ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO CONDUCT PRESCRIBED BURNING.
WE DON'T WANNA LOSE WHAT'S ONE OF OUR BEST SOLUTIONS, AND I'LL GIVE YOU EXAMPLE.
UM, 15 YEARS AGO I WORKED WITH THE CITY OF BORGER TO START A PRESCRIBED FIRE PROGRAM IN THIS PANHANDLE FIRE.
UM, THEY RECENTLY WERE IMPACTED BY THAT FIRE.
THEY BURNED A RING AROUND THEIR TOWN FOR YEARS.
THE FIRE WENT AROUND THE TOWN.
AND SO IT'S A KEY TOOL THAT WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE IS, UM, NOT INNOCUOUS, BUT IT IS A GREATER BENEFIT TO US AND IN HUMANITY THEN THE COST.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT SUPPORTS THE AMOUNT OF CARBON RELEASED DURING A PRESCRIBED, UM, BURN IS INFINITESIMAL COMPARED TO HIGH INTENSITY WILDFIRE.
BUT WE, UM, ALSO THAT DOESN'T EXEMPT PEOPLE FROM BEING IMPACTED BY SMOKE.
WE'VE WORKED WITH UT TO DEVELOP A SMOKE MAPPING AND DISPERSAL TOOL, UM, THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
AND IT WILL NOT ONLY TELL YOU WHEN THERE'S A WILDFIRE AND WILDFIRE SMOKE, THAT WE CAN USE THAT TOOL TO WARN PEOPLE BECAUSE, UM, WE SEE A 72% INCREASE IN EMS CALLS DURING THESE WILDFIRES.
IT'S AFFECTING PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND, AND OTHER WAYS.
UM, BUT WE CAN ALSO PREDICTIVELY WARN PEOPLE IF WE'RE DOING A PRESCRIBED FIRE AND THEY NEED TO TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTION.
AND THOSE ARE USUALLY SIMPLE STEPS THAT WE CAN NOTIFY THEM USING THAT TOOL.
ARE THERE NOTIFICATIONS THAT GO OUT, UM, TO THOSE AREAS? UM, WHEN, WHEN, UH, YOU DO HAVE A PRESCRIBED BURN THAT CAN AFFECT THAT AIR QUALITY? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, ONE, WE WORK WITH 3 1 1 TO MAKE SURE ANY CALLS THAT COME IN ARE ANSWERED DIRECTLY.
UM, WE IDENTIFY THE AREAS AND THE WITH THROUGH, UH, SMOKE MODELING THAT COULD BE IMPACTED AND WE NOTIFY THOSE COMMUNITIES DIRECTLY.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE PATROLS IN THE COMMUNITIES DURING OUR FIRES IN CASE THERE'S FOLKS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS OR THEY JUST SEE SMOKE AND THEY WANT TO TALK TO A FIREFIGHTER.
AND SO WE HAVE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THOSE INSTANCES.
AND WE HAVE, UH, MONITORS THAT MONITOR, UH, SMOKE ON THE ROAD AND WE PLACE SIGNAGES, UH, OUT, UM, IN STRATEGIC STRATEGIC AREAS BEFORE THE FIRE OCCURS WITH CONTACT INFORMATION.
SO IF FOLKS DO HAVE QUESTIONS, THEN THEY CAN TAKE APPROPRIATE PROTECTIVE MEASURES OR WE CAN BE MORE SENSITIVE TO THOSE CONCERNS.
AND THEN WE'VE DEVELOPED A MAP THAT IDENTIFIES A SENSITIVE POPULATION, COPD AND OTHER, UM, AIRBORNE, UM, SENSITIVITIES THAT, UH, WE CAN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL.
ACTUALLY, I HAD ONE BRIEF QUESTION, WHICH IS, UM, DO THESE COMMUN DO COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THESE WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS? YOU MENTIONED INSURANCE AT ONE POINT, AND I JUST KIND OF CONNECTED SOME DOTS IN MY HEAD AND JUST, I KNOW THAT I HAVE, UH, I'LL SAY THAT I HAVE HEARD THAT IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO ENSURE PROPERTIES THAT ARE NEAR SORT OF HIGH WOODED AREAS WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN WILDFIRES HISTORICALLY.
DO THESE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLANS MAKE THESE COMMUNITIES MORE INSURABLE? DO THEY OFFER ANY, LIKE, ARE THERE ANY, ARE THERE ANY CONNECTIONS THAT CAN BE MADE TO, TO MOTIVATE HOMEOWNERS, TO MOTIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS OF LARGER PROPERTIES? LIKE IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, I DON'T WANNA MENTION SPECIFIC CARRIERS.
THERE ARE SOME CARRIERS THAT WILL RECOGNIZE FIREWISE COMMUNITY USA SITES, AND THEY DO PROVIDE A DISCOUNT IN THOSE AREAS.
AND, AND, UM, THAT'S A PRO PROMINENT CARRIER.
THE REALITY IS MOST OF THEM ARE, UH, PUNITIVE.
AND UH, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE DEVELOPING,
[01:30:01]
UH, AREA EXCLUSION MAPS.AND SO THEY'RE DRAWING A CIRCLE AROUND AREAS AND THEY'RE SAYING, WE'RE NOT GONNA WRITE POLICIES THERE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO.
AND THAT'S THE INDIVIDUAL CARRIERS MAKING THAT DECISION.
UH, WE'RE ALSO SEEING CARRIERS THAT ARE SENDING LETTERS TO HOMEOWNERS SAYING EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO STAY INSURABLE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC THE SPECTRUM EVERYWHERE FROM, UM, GETTING NON-RENEWAL NOTICES.
AND I CAN'T FIND A NEW INSURANCE COMPANY TO, UH, MY INSURANCE IS MORE THAN MY MORTGAGE NOW.
WHAT DO I DO? UM, TO, UM, IF YOU HAVE A CARRIER, STICK WITH 'EM.
'CAUSE NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO MAKE THAT SHIFT.
UM, AND IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE AND OTHER CARRIERS, UM, I THINK THAT WE CAN ONLY EXPECT MORE IMPACTS FROM THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY.
WHAT THEY WILL ACCEPT, UM, AND TIMES IS INDIVIDUAL COMMUNICATION FROM THE POLICY HOLDER THAT THEY HAVE DONE MEASURES TO VOLUNTARILY COMPLY WITH BEST PRACTICES.
FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE A WWE CODE IN PLACE, SO WE HAVE THE HIGHEST STANDARD FOR STRUCTURE HARDENING THAT PEOPLE CAN SAY, LOOK, I'M FOLLOWING THE INTERNATIONAL WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE CODE.
CAN YOU RECONSIDER YOUR DECISION? UM, BUT THAT'S AN INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATION WHERE WE THINK WE CAN HELP, UH, INDIVIDUALS AS BY PROVIDING SOUND INFORMATION ON WILDFIRE MITIGATION, AND THEN EMPOWERING THEM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT IN THAT CONVERSATION.
ONE-ON-ONE WITH THEIR CARRIER OR THEIR AGENT.
UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S HAPPENING DIFFERENTLY, UM, WITH EACH AGENT.
A GOOD INDICATOR, UH, STATE FARM JUST DROPPED 72,000 PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA.
UM, AND SO EVERY INDICATION IS, UM, THAT'S A TREND HEADING THIS WAY.
COMMISSIONER RUAN, UM, CAN I JUST MAKE A REQUEST FOR THE NEXT UPDATE? I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS THAT Y'ALL HAVE BEEN DOING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF THOUGHTFULNESS IN TERMS OF TRYING TO EXPAND SOME OF THE LANGUAGE ISSUES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AT THE PREVIOUS UPDATE.
BUT CAN WE JUST ADD A STANDING ITEM TO HAVE SORT OF A SPECIFIC UPDATE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S BEING DONE TO REACH OUT TO ALL THOSE 50% OF COMMUNITIES, BOTH ON THE EAST AND THE WEST SIDE THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY THERE, AND SORT OF THE, THE THOUGHT AND A PLAN AND A GAP ANALYSIS JUST TO MAKE THAT A STANDING ITEM.
UM, SO WE CAN HAVE THAT ON I, ON THE AGENDA AND, AND SEE THAT AHEAD OF TIME.
AND I THINK THIS WILL BE OUR LAST QUESTION.
UM, AND, AND THIS QUESTION IS PREMISED ON A, ASSUMING THIS FUNDING DOESN'T ALREADY EXIST, BUT, UM, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO CREATE A FUND WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR SOMEPLACE ELSE TO ENABLE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HARDEN THEIR PROPERTY AND OR REMOVE FUEL ON THEIR PROPERTY OR NEAR THEIR PROPERTY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT RESOURCES? WE'RE, UH, CURRENTLY BENCHMARKING OTHER PROGRAMS. WE SPENT TIME LAST WEEK MEETING WITH BOULDER COUNTY WILDFIRE PARTNERS AND OTHERS WHO HAVE A SIMILAR PROGRAM, UM, FOR LOTS OF REASONS AND FOR FOR GOOD REASONS.
THEY ARE INDICATING THAT, UH, WHERE AT ONE POINT THE INSURANCE WAS ACCEPTING THEIR CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE WITHOUT QUESTION, THEY'RE NOW FOLLOWING UP AND DOING INSPECTION.
SO THEY'RE REALLY PAYING ATTENTION.
SO WE ARE LOOKING ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE.
UM, MY ESTIMATION IS THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE AN A FD LED PROGRAM.
THIS WOULD BE A CITYWIDE PROGRAM.
AFDS ROLE WOULD BE PROVIDING, UM, SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ON RISK AND BEST MITIGATION MEASURES.
AND THEN I THINK THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION WOULD BE BEST SUITED IN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
UM, BUT WE ARE WORKING TO DETERMINE WHO THOSE PARTNERS MIGHT BE AND ENGAGE THEM ACCORDINGLY.
SO THAT, THAT HAS BEEN A GOOD STRATEGY IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WHO CAN'T AFFORD TO RETROFIT.
AND I MEAN, THE ONLY THING THAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT USING BOLDEN BOULDER COUNTY AS A MODEL IS THAT AT LEAST THE CITY OF BOULDER IS EXTRAORDINARILY AFFLUENT AND SORT OF NOT A GOOD MODEL OF WHAT LIKE HUMAN NEEDS LOOK LIKE.
IT'S THE MODEL STRUCTURE WE'RE LOOKING AT, NOT NECESSARILY THE DEMOGRAPHIC.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I THINK THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT UPDATE.
UM, AND I THINK JUST IN GENERAL, I THINK I'M NOTICING A TREND ACROSS OUR MEETINGS WHERE I THINK THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE REALLY WANTS TO HEAR HOW WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR EASTERN CRESCENT.
UM, IT JUST, UM, THE, WE, AS WE LOOK AT MORE OF THESE HEAT MAPS AND THESE LIKE GEOGRAPHIC SORT OF MAPPING AREAS, IT'S, IT'S JUST BECOME CLEAR THAT, UM, THEY'RE BEING UNDERSERVED, UM, BY SOME OF OUR REALLY GREAT PROGRAMS. AND JUST FIGURING OUT HOW TO REACH OUT.
UM, I THINK ACROSS THE SPECTRUM WITH PUBLIC SAFETY IS JUST REALLY CHAIR.
CAN I ALSO, CAN I ALSO ADD, UH, IT'S NOT JUST OUR EASTERN CRESCENT, UH, ALSO IN, UH, DISTRICT SEVEN, WE, WE ALSO HAVE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS UP, UP FURTHER NORTH AS WELL, SO.
AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE WILL CLOSE OUR ITEMS. WE, UM, OKAY.
WE ARE GONNA MOVE ON TO, OH YAY.
[5. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair.]
ELECTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO CONDUCT THIS MONTH.UM, I WILL OPEN THIS WITH SAYING THAT,
[01:35:01]
UM, I AM, I AM GAME FOR BEING CHAIR FOR ONE MORE, ONE MORE YEAR.UM, AFTER ONE MORE YEAR, I, WE, I'M TECHNICALLY OUR BYLAWS ONLY ALLOW CHAIRS TO SERVE FOR TWO YEARS.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN VOTE THEM ON TO BE THERE FOR LONGER CHAIR.
BUT LIKE, SO I'M GAME FOR ONE MORE YEAR OF BEING CHAIR.
I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT OUT LOUD.
UM, AFTER ONE MORE YEAR, LIKE LIFE IS LOOKING DIFFERENT FOR ME.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I'LL BE GAME FOR THAT AFTER ONE MORE YEAR.
MY CONCERN GOING INTO THIS COMING YEAR IS I REALLY WANT SOMEONE TO START LEARNING THE ROPES.
THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF THAT'S HANDLED IN BETWEEN MEETINGS.
THERE'S A LOT OF DEALING WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, GETTING TO KNOW THE CHIEFS, UM, AND JUST KIND OF GETTING TO KNOW THE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
SO IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A VICE CHAIR THAT IS GAME FOR LEARNING.
UM, BECAUSE I ALSO DON'T KNOW HOW AVAILABLE REBECCA IS GOING TO BE AFTER ANOTHER YEAR.
I DIDN'T GET ANY VOLUNTEERS VIA EMAIL WITH REGARDS TO CHAIRS OR VICE CHAIRS.
UM, CAN I NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR VICE CHAIR? YEAH.
CAN, CAN, CAN YOU PROBABLY NEED THEIR PERMISSION? YEAH.
CAN, CAN I HAVE YOUR PERMISSION TO NOMINATE YOU, COMMISSIONER? YEAH.
I WAS LIKE, HE'S DEFINITELY LOOKING
UH, I KNOW YOU HAVE A HEAVY LOAD.
JUST I THINK YOU WOULD DO REALLY GREAT.
IF, IF NOBODY ELSE IS INTERESTED, I'M HAPPY IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO DO IT.
IF, IF WE NEED SOMEBODY TO, TO DO IT.
I, I APPRECIATE THE, THE NOMINATION THEN THE THOUGHT AND
I'D BE WILLING TO, UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO, I I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT, UM, COMMISSIONER RUTAN AS THE VICE CHAIR.
UM, AND I WILL JUST CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR HOWEVER I CAN IN TERMS OF MEETING PLANNING.
WE HAVE A NOMINATION FOR VICE CHAIR
UM, WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR ACCEPTING
UM, AND THEN WITH THAT, I THINK WE'LL JUST TAKE, UM, VOTES, RIGHT? SO COMMISSIONER REYES APPROVE.
COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT APPROVE.
AND I VOTE WITH A YAY AS WELL.
UM, AS FAR AS CHAIRS, I SAID I'M, I'M GAME FOR BEING CHAIR FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
I WILL SELF NOMINATE, UM, TO MAKE THAT EASIER.
UM, UM, IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE THAT'S INTERESTED, YELL DOWN.
YEAH, I, YEAH, WE, I THINK WE ALL WANNA SECOND CHAIR RAMIREZ.
'CAUSE I CAN'T REMEMBER THE COMMISSION EVER BEING RUN THIS WELL IN THE PAST.
I KNOW YOU, SOME OF Y'ALL ARE NEW.
WELL WITH THAT WE WILL, I THINK WE'VE GOT SECOND, SO WE'LL VOTE.
WHO IS THE MOTION? WHO MADE THE MOTION? YOU MADE, I THINK I MADE THE MOTION NOMINATED AND THEN PAUL MARTIN NOMINATED.
COMMISSIONER HERMAN MEYER APPROVE.
COMMISSIONER BERNHARDT APPROVE.
I PROMISE I WON'T BUG YOU TOO MUCH
UM, AND UH, WITH THAT, YAY, WE CAN MOVE ON.
[6. CSCRM Joint Working Group update on Commission for Women's recommendation and status.]
UPDATE FROM THE JOINT WORKING, UM, THE C-S-C-R-M JOINT WORKING GROUP, THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION PASSED A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, UM, WITH SOME OF THOSE ITEMS THAT WE PUT IN OUR BACKUP LAST MONTH, I PUT IT IN BACKUP THIS MONTH SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THAT LIST OF UNMET NEEDS THAT THE C-S-C-R-M HAS PUT UP FOR RECOMMENDATION WILL BE INCLUDED IN APDS OVERALL UNMET NEEDS LIST.
SO WE'LL BE REVIEWING THAT WHEN WE REVIEW APDS UNMET NEEDS, I THINK IN JUNE, I'M CROSSING FINGERS THAT WE CAN DO THAT DEPARTMENTAL REVIEW IN JUNE.
UM, AND ASIDE FROM THAT, UM, I THINK THAT'S IT.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION AGAIN? SURE.
UM, UH, CHIEF GREENWALT, UM, UH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT REALLY FOR TIMING REASONS, IT'S, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THAT C-S-C-R-M LIST IS GONNA BE A LITTLE INCOMPLETE IN THAT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE, UM, A PAY INCREASE FOR SANE NURSES.
AND, UM, THE FOLKS HIRING SANE NURSES RIGHT NOW ARE FINDING IT REALLY DIFFICULT
[01:40:01]
TO RECRUIT AND HIRE FORENSIC SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSES AT THE CURRENT RATE OF PAY, JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER SPECIALTY POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THIS CITY.IS IT POSSIBLE THAT Y'ALL COULD, UM, ENSURE THAT THAT, UM, LINE ITEM, THAT AN INCREASE, HOWEVER Y'ALL WANNA DO IT, YOUR CONTRACT WAS SAFE OR SOME OTHER MECHANISM, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, SANE NURSES GET A, A RATE INCREASE THAT'S GONNA MAKE THEM COMPETITIVE IN TERMS OF HIRING DEFINITELY AN ACTIVE CONVERSATION BECAUSE OF ALL THE, THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO DO THAT.
UH, IT'S NOT GONNA COME THROUGH APDS BUDGET, BUT I'M, I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP AND GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
I MEAN, I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO GO TO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND THEN DIE BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD SOMETIMES THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS TO GOOD IDEAS IN THE HANDS OF CERTAIN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS,
BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO EMBRACE THE, THE SAFE NURSES PAY INCREASE REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT COMES FROM.
AS LONG AS IT COMES FROM A, FROM A BUDGET THAT CAN SUPPORT THAT.
SO, UM, WE CAN CHAMPION TOGETHER THAT A PH SEES IT THROUGH.
UM, AND WITH THAT WE WILL TAKE UP FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY, ANY BURNING QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE? I DO.OR AT LEAST I, I MEAN THIS IS ALREADY ON OUR LIST.
UM, THE, THE VIRTUAL MAGISTRATE PROGRAM, IF IT'S STILL IN THE WORKS.
UM, AND I THINK AFTER OUR CONVERSATION WITH THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY COURT INTEGRATED INTO THAT OR SEPARATELY A CONVERSATION WITH THE AUSTIN MUNICIPAL COURT OKAY.
ABOUT THEIR OPERATIONS AND WHAT THEY CAN DO TO DECREASE WARRANTS.
I HAD A WHAT MAYBE IT'LL JUST BE A QUICK QUESTION.
IS THE FIRE STATION DOWNTOWN, ARE YOU, IS THAT, IS, IS THAT ROW OF FIRETRUCK THAT I KEEP SEEING ON, UM, GUADALUPE, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR FIRE STATION RIGHT NOW?
UM, THAT, SO WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT STATION? ALRIGHT, SO STATION ONE AT FIFTH AND TRINITY, UH, IS UNDERGOING A MASSIVE, UH, INTERNAL RENOVATION AND IS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETE IN MAY.
SO RIGHT NOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE STILL HAVE, UH, ADEQUATE RESPONSE TO DOWNTOWN AREA, WE ARE LEASING OUT A TRAVIS COUNTY BUILDING THE FIRST FLOOR THERE, WHICH YOU SEE AT 11TH AND GUADALUPE.
AND THE UNIT'S PARKED ON THE SIDE AND SECURED.
SO THERE'S AN AMBULANCE AND TWO OF OUR THREE FIRE APPARATUS ARE THERE.
THE THIRD ONE IS ON, UH, SOUTH CONGRESS STATION NUMBER SIX.
UH, UH, FOR THE TIME BEING, WHENEVER THE STATION IS DONE, AGAIN, IDEALLY IN MAY, ALL THOSE UNITS WILL RETURN BACK TO OKAY.
TO THE, UH, TO QUARTERS AND THE, AND EVERY TIME I HAVE GONE PAST THEM, THERE ARE PEOPLE, LIKE ARE THEY, ARE THEY JUST IN THE TRUCKS RIGHT NOW OR ARE THEY JUST IN THE TRUCKS AND IN THE BUSES, LIKE WAITING FOR CALLS? SO THEY, OR ARE THEY, LIKE, DO THEY GET TO NOT BE IN THEIR TRUCKS?
SO WHEN WE FIRST MOVED OUT, THEY WERE, UH, BEFORE WE HAD, UH, ACCESS TO THE FACILITY, 11TH AND GUADALUPE, THEY WERE DOING PATROLS SO THEY COULD STAY IN THIS TERRITORY AND BE RESPONSIVE TO CALLS ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE IN THERE.
THE, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE LIVING QUARTERS.
THEY'VE GOT BATHROOM SHOWERS, UH, UH, UH, KITCHEN ALL SET UP.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO BE INSIDE THERE.
UH, IN THAT FACILITY, UH, IN BETWEEN CALLS AND, AND BE ALERTED, UH, AS CALLS COME THROUGH.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, JUST A, JUST AN INQUIRY.
UM, UH, DO WE NEED, UM, UH, A SECOND OR CAN I ASK FOR A SECOND FROM FOLKS ON THE, UM, VIRTUAL MAGISTRATION? I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE THAT AND I THINK COMMISSIONER OR WAS YOUR SECOND OKAY.
AND IT WASN'T MUCH DIFFERENT THAN FROM WHAT YOU GUYS HAD ALREADY ASKED FOR? NEVERMIND.
UM, I WILL GO AHEAD AND PUT ON THE, UM, AGENDA, THE FORENSIC NURSING PROGRAM, UM, UPDATE.
UM, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN DO THAT HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AHEAD OF FUNDING, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN COME OUT AND TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, AND THEN DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? MM-HMM.
OH, ACTUALLY I'M JUST GONNA SAY IT OUT LOUD.
THE C FOUR, UM, NEXT TIME WE HEAR FROM YOU GUYS OR IF YOU GUYS, I, I WOULD JUST LOVE TO HEAR HOW C FOUR IS DOING, HOW, HOW IT'S GROWING, HOW IT'S NOT GROWING, WHAT CHALLENGES YOU GUYS ARE HAVING WITH STAFFING AND GROWING IT.
UM, I'M JUST A FAN OF THE C FOUR AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE.
UH, ONE, ONE THING I, I ALSO WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT, UH, APDS COMMUNITY EVENT THEY HAD WITH THE SENIORS, UM, THAT, THAT HAPPENED TODAY.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN JUST GET A QUICK UPDATE ON THAT.
I CAN GET AN UPDATE TO YOU EITHER IN WRITING OR NEXT MONTH, WHENEVER.
[01:45:01]
JUST WRITE, WE DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY EVENTS.IT'S ALL THE VARIOUS SENIOR CITIZENS, SO I'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT.
UM, WITH THAT, UM, I THINK WE ARE DONE.
SO I'M GONNA ADJOURN AND LET EVERYBODY GO HOME EARLY.