Apr 18, 2024 City Council Proclamations

[00:00:04]

ONE.

GREAT.

UH, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

UH, I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ.

I'M OBVIOUSLY NOT JOSE.

UH, HE'S HOME SICK TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY.

AND, UH, I SENT, YOU KNOW, WE ALL SENT HIM, UH, REGARDS AND WISH HIM, UH, YOU KNOW, HIS WELLNESS BACK AND REALLY WISH THAT HE WAS HERE TODAY.

[Proclamation – Blue Sunday – To be presented by Council Member José Velásquez and to be accepted by representatives of United Way]

APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH AND APRIL 28TH.

WE'LL MARK THE 30TH ANNUAL BLUE SUNDAY.

THE BLUE SUNDAY DAY OF PRAYER DOESN'T JUST ASK EACH OF US IN OUR OWN WAY, WITH OUR OWN FAITH TO PRAY FOR THE VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE.

IT'LL ALSO ASK US TO CONSIDER WHAT POLICIES WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE, SUCH AS, DO YOU HAVE STAFF TRAINED TO DETECT THE SIGNS OF CHILD ABUSE OR ANYTHING IN PLACE TO PROTECT THOSE THAT SEEK HELP? UH, SO BEFORE I READ THE PROCLAMATION, UH, I'M GONNA PASS IT OFF, UH, TO STEPHANIE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

UH, ON THE BEHALF OF THE UNITED WAY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS DAY OF THE RECOGNITION OF CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, JUST TAKING THAT MOMENT OF PRAYER, REFLECTION, AND JUST THOUGHT FOR THOSE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY CHILD ABUSE.

SO ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED WAY OF GREATER AUSTIN AND MYSELF AND NATIVE AUSTINITE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OF COURSE.

GREAT.

WELL, SO HAPPY TO HAVE Y'ALL HERE IN THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO.

UM, SO WITH THAT, UH, I WILL READ THE PROCLAMATION, UH, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH, ACKNOWLEDGING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN A HAPPY CHILDHOOD AND A HOPEFUL FUTURE FOR EVERY CHILD AND RECOMMITMENT TO ENDURE THAT ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES HAVE THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

AND WHEREAS IN 2023, TRAVIS COUNTY REPORTED 1018 CONFIRMED VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT UNDER THE AGE OF SIX, A HUNDRED TWENTY THREE CHILDREN WERE REMOVED FROM THEIR HOME, AND TWO CHILDREN PASSED AWAY DUE TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT.

AND WHEREAS IN 2023, TEXAS REPORTED 31,416 CONFIRMED VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT UNDER THE AGE OF SIX.

UH, 6,186 CHILDREN WERE REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES, AND 164 CHILDREN OF ALL AGES PASSED AWAY DUE TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT WITH 74% OF WHOM WERE TOO YOUNG FOR SCHOOL AND NOT ENROLLED IN CHILDCARE.

AND WHEREAS THE, UH, UNITED WAY OF GREATER AUSTIN, THE SUCCESS BY SIX COALITION AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WILL BE JOINING TOGETHER FOR BLUE SUNDAY DAY OF PRAYER WEARING BLUE TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR ENDING CHILD ABUSE.

AND NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCIL ODRY, UH, ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ AND, UH, KIRK WATSON MIRROR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, THE REST OF THE CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 28TH, 2024, AS A BLUE SUNDAY DAY OF PRAYER AND APRIL, 2024 AS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AND WITH THAT GREAT.

YEAH.

YOU WANNA, YEAH, SURE.

SHOULD WE LIFT IT A LITTLE? I, THAT'S PERFECT.

THAT'S GREAT.

GREAT.

GOOD MORNING AGAIN.

I'M BACK.

UH, THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR, UH, JOINING US TODAY.

UH, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO RECOGNIZE THE SUCCESSES

[Certificates of Recognition – UT Austin’s Healthy Student Organizations – To be presented by Council Member Zohaib “Zo” Qadri and to be accepted by various members of the UT Austin Healthy Student Organization programs]

UH, BEFORE I GET TO PRESENTING THE PROCLAMATION ITSELF, UH, I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS, UH, AND THE RECOGNITION THEY EARNED.

UH, SO I'M GONNA, THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALL HERE, BUT, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A PACKED, UH, HOUSE.

UH, SO I'M GONNA JUST READ THEM ONE BY ONE AND, AND THEN PRESENT THEM IN A BIT.

UH, EARNING A BROWNS BRONZES MEDAL, UH, WAS THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS ON CAMPUS, AND THE STUDENT HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE EARNING A SILVER MEDAL, UH, WAS ALPHA EPSILON DELTA AND ACTIVE MINDS AND EARNING GOLD MEDAL WAS THE AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION GLOBAL ME, UH, MEDICAL TRAINING, CAMPUS ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER, UH, LATINX HEALTH PROFESSIONS ORGANIZATION, UH, WOMEN IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, TEXAS PRE PRE-DENTAL TEXAS, UH, TAEKWONDO ZCI, UH, COLLEGIATE ASSOCIATION, TEXAS LASSOS ENGINEERS FOR A SUSTAINABLE WORLD, TEXAS PUBLIC HEALTH, GENDER, MINORITIES IN PHYSICS, AND TEXAS BALLROOM.

UH, AND THEN THE HIGHEST EARNING NEW STUDENT ORGANIZATION WAS GENDER MINORITIES IN PHYSICS.

AND THE HIGHEST EARNING STUDENT ORGANIZATION WAS THE AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION.

SO BRAVO TO, TO EVERYONE.

UH, HERE IN AUSTIN, WE'RE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING OUR RESIDENTS WITH OPTIONS TO PURSUE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

[00:05:01]

AND I'M PROUD TO SEE SO MANY STUDENTS EARNING EARN ORGANIZATIONS FROM OUR FLAGSHIP UNIVERSITY RIDE IN THE HEART OF DISTRICT NINE, UH, AND ARE, UH, ARE ALSO COMMITTED TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

UH, SO BEFORE I READ THE PROCLAMATION, UM, I WILL PASS IT OFF FOR A FEW WORDS.

SORRY.

GREETINGS AND GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS SARAH AND I SERVE AS A MANAGER FOR PREVENTION AND WELLBEING IN THE LONGHORN WELLNESS CENTER AT UT AUSTIN.

I ALSO HELP OVERSEE THE HEALTHY STUDENT ORGANIZATION PROGRAM.

UM, A FEW, A FEW NOTES ABOUT STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY ARE CRITICAL TO THE MISSION OF UT AUSTIN.

THEY ACT AS A PLACE WHERE INDIVIDUALS CONNECT WITH, LIKE-MINDED PEERS, EXTEND THEIR LEARNING AND CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.

AND OFTEN A PLACE WHERE FRIENDSHIPS ARE FORMED AND LIFE SKILLS ARE DEVELOPED AND PRACTICED, THEY'LL COLLECTIVE IMPACT, NEEDLESS TO SAY, IS GREAT.

TOGETHER THEY SHIFT OUR ON AND OFF CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT TOWARDS ONE OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING, ENRICHING NOT ONLY THEIR MEMBERS' LIVES, BUT OUR BROADER COMMUNITIES.

A SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR REMARKABLE ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY.

OUR, UH, YOUR DEDICATION TO FOSTERING HEALTHIER GROUP PRACTICES AND ACHIEVING YOUR WELLNESS MILESTONES IS TRULY COMMENDABLE.

TODAY WE'RE GATHERING TO CELEBRATE YOU ALL WITH CERTIFICATES OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AND WELL-DESERVED ACCOLADES.

I WANNA EXTEND A SPECIAL APPRECIATION TO KAYLA.

CAN YOU WAVE KAYLA? UM, OUR DEDICATED UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM MANAGER, UM, THROUGHOUT THIS ACADEMIC YEAR.

WITHOUT HER, THIS PROGRAM WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE.

SHE HAS DILIGENTLY COLLABORATED WITH THESE GROUPS, DELVING INTO THEIR INTERNAL DYNAMICS, THEIR HISTORIES, THEIR EVOLVING NEEDS, ENSURING THAT OUR PROGRAM IS TAILORED TO THE UNIQUENESS OF EACH STUDENT ORGANIZATION.

AND FINALLY, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER AND YOUR TEAM FOR YOUR STEAD PASS SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAM, UM, AND PRESENTING THIS PROCLAMATION WITHIN YOUR DISTRICT.

IT'S INSPIRING FOR ALL OF US TO SEE OUR UT AUSTIN STUDENTS BEING ACKNOWLEDGED BY THIS ESTEEM CHAMBER AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

GREAT.

UH, AND THEN I JUST WANNA, BEFORE I READ THE PROC, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER JOINING US, UH, TODAY AS WELL.

UH, SO WITH THAT, UH, I WILL READ, UH, THE PROCLAMATION, UH, BEING KNOWN THAT WHEREAS SINCE 2015, THE HEALTHY STUDENT ORGANIZATION PROGRAM, A PROGRAM, THE LONGHORN WELLNESS, UH, CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, HAS RECOGNIZED AND EMPOWERED STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE, PROMOTE HEALTH AND WELLBEING WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND THE UT COMMUNITY.

AND WHEREAS ANY REGISTERED STUDENT ORGANIZATION IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE HEALTHY STUDENT ORGANIZATION PROGRAM AND RECEIVE SUPPORT TO REACH THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL WELLNESS GOALS, STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS ARE, ARE EQUIPPED WITH A HEALTHY COMMUNITY TOOLKIT AND ACTIVITY TRACKER, UH, CONSULTATIONS AND CAPACITY BUILDING, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK AND RESOURCE SHARE WITH LIKE-MINDED STUDENTS WHO SEEK TO SHIFT THEIR GROUP'S CULTURE TOWARDS ONE OF WELLBEING.

AND WHEREAS THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMIC YEAR, PARTICIPATING STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS FROM ALL AROUND THE 40 ACRES TRACK THEIR JOURNEY AND MAKE CHANGES IN THEIR GROUPS TO IMPACT MENTAL, PHYSICAL, AND SOCIAL WELLBEING.

AND WHEREAS, UH, WE ARE PLEASED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF THE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE JOINED US TODAY, THEIR COMMITMENT TO INCORPORATING HEALTHY BEHAVIORS INTO ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE WILL FOLLOW THEM AFTER GRADUATION AND INTO THEIR FUTURE WORKPLACES WHERE THEY'LL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE WELLNESS.

LIKE THE MOTTO OF UT AUSTIN SAYS, WHAT STARTS HERE CHANGES THE WORLD.

NOW THEREFORE, I COUNCIL MEMBER GOD, UH, ALONGSIDE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, UH, ON BEHALF OF KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND THE REST OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 18TH, 2024 AS THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN HEALTHY STUDENT ORGANIZATION DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

SO, AND I HAVE THE PROC IF, UH, SARAH AND STEPHANIE, NO, KAYLA, SORRY.

I'M SO SORRY.

UH, WANT TO COME UP FOR A PICTURE? DO WE HAVE THE ROOM TO DO THAT? A PICTURE? YEAH, JUST LIKE A QUICK ONE WITH THE GROUP.

YEAH.

WE'RE GONNA JUST HAVE YOU SQUISH IN A LITTLE BIT.

SORRY.

[00:10:03]

UH, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO COMMEMORATE

[Proclamation – Tree City Day – To be presented by Council Member Ryan Alter]

IN 2013, AUSTIN WAS RECOGNIZED BY AMERICAN FORESTS AS HAVING ONE OF THE TOP URBAN FORESTS NATIONALLY.

YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO TREES HERE IN AUSTIN, WE DO HAVE A LOT TO CELEBRATE, UH, IN THIS CITY.

WE CARE A LOT FOR OUR TREES, WHETHER IT'S OUR URBAN FORESTRY BOARD, UH, OUR PROTECTION OF OUR HERITAGE TREES, FINANCIAL INVESTMENTS IN TREE PLANTINGS AND MAINTENANCE, UH, AND OUR ANNUAL ROOTS AND WINGS FESTIVAL TREES ARE A CRITICAL PART OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, JUST LIKE ROADS AND PIPES AND OUR ENERGY GRID.

THEY PROVIDE CRITICAL BENEFITS INCLUDING NOISE ABSORPTION, SHADE AND CARBON CAPTURE, AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENTS TO MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING.

YOU KNOW, TREES ARE THE ONLY PART OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IF INVESTED IN ACTUALLY INCREASE IN VALUE OVER TIME.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR CITY STAFF AND PARTNERS LIKE TREE FOLKS, UH, TRAIL CONSERVANCY, AS WELL AS, UH, EMILY KING HERE, OUR URBAN FORESTER, WHO I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE UP TO SAY A FEW WORDS.

THANK YOU.

HI, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

I AM EMILY KING AND I'M THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S URBAN FORESTER.

AUSTIN'S TREES PROVIDE US WITH SHADE AND BEAUTY, REDUCE COSTS, COOLING COSTS, REMOVE AIR POLLUTANTS, AND OFFER WILDLIFE HABITAT.

THEY OFFER OUR CITY A WEALTH OF ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.

I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY.

INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE WORK OUR COMMUNITY IS DOING TO NURTURE OUR URBAN FOREST AND TO BE CELEBRATING 32 YEARS OF AUSTIN AS A TREE CITY, RECOGNIZED BY THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION TO BE DESIGNATED AS A TREE CITY AUSTIN HAD TO MEET FOR ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS.

WE HAD TO HAVE AN ESTABLISHED TREE BOARD, A TREE ORDINANCE BUDGET FOR URBAN FORESTRY ACTIVITIES.

AND LASTLY, TO OBSERVE ARBOR DAY.

THIS YEAR, AUSTIN HAS ALSO RECEIVED A GROWTH AWARD PLACING US AMONG AN ELITE GROUP OF COMMUNITIES AND UNDERSCORING OUR COMMITMENT TO GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.

AUSTIN'S ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION WILL OCCUR LATER THIS YEAR AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE PART OF THE ROOTS AND WINGS FESTIVAL, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE FROM OCTOBER 19TH THROUGH NOVEMBER 3RD.

SO PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS.

UM, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOTS AND WINGS FESTIVAL, YOU CAN VISIT THE WEBSITE AT ROOTS AND WINGS FEST.COM.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, AND NOW, UH, WHAT DID WE JUST SAY ANYTHING? NO.

OKAY.

JUST GONNA SAY, UM, I'D LIKE TO READ THE PROCLAMATION.

SO BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS TREES ARE AN ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT, INCLUDING SHADE, CARBON CAPTURE, IMPROVED AIR QUALITY, AND CONTRIBUTE TO MENTAL WELLBEING.

AND WHEREAS A, THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION HAS AWARDED THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE TREE CITY USA DESIGNATION FOR 32 YEARS AND RECOGNITION OF ITS TREE PRESERVATION EFFORTS AND INVESTING OVER $2 PER CAPITA ON TREES.

AND WHEREAS THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION HAS ADDITIONALLY GRANTED AUSTIN ITS GROWTH AWARD FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND THE CITY'S EXCEPTIONAL EFFORTS, UH, IN CARING FOR TREES.

AND WHEREAS AUSTIN'S CONTINUED SUCCESS DEPENDS ON PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS FOR PLANTING AND MAINTAINING TREES, INCLUDING TREE FOLKS, OTHER LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL STEWARDS.

AND WHEREAS THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS SEEK TO RAISE AWARENESS AND RENEWED FOCUS ON OUR SHARED CANOPY.

SO NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCILMAN RYAN ALTER ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM T APRIL 18TH, 2024 AS AUSTIN TREE CITY USA DAY.

I THINK WE, YEAH, WE CAN, THERE ARE A FEW.

[00:15:13]

MY NAME IS ALISON ALTER AND I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT DISTRICT 10 ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.

UH,

[Distinguished Service Award – Betsy Woldman]

AND YOU'LL SEE BETSY, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL CAMERAS THERE, UM, TO TAKE UP, TAKE UP THE SLACK WITH YOU, NOT, NOT THERE.

UM, SO THROUGHOUT MY TIME ON COUNCIL, I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF PRESENTING A NUMERABLE NUMBER OF THURSDAY PROCLAMATIONS.

I'VE FREQUENTLY BEEN JOINED BY MY CONSTITUENT AND A HARDWORKING PUBLIC SERVANT, BETSY WALDMAN, TO DOCUMENT THESE AWARDS.

TODAY, HOWEVER, WE'RE CALLING BETSY UP IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AND SHINING A LIGHT ON SOME OF THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT SHE'S DONE FOR OUR CITY.

BETSY HAS BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR LONGER THAN I HAVE SINCE 2008.

SHE'S WORKED FOR MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.

AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, WHERE SHE DESIGNED THE LOGO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND MOST RECENTLY WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE, WHERE SHE HAS BOTH SERVED AS A PHOTOGRAPHER AND STEPPED INTO A PRODUCER ROLE FOR A TXN.

OUTSIDE OF HER WORK WITH THE CITY, BETSY HAS CHAMPIONED THE USE OF PHOTOGRAPHY TO BUILD CONNECTIONS AND SUPPORT SOCIAL CHANGE.

SHE'S WON OVER 20 INDUSTRY AWARDS FOR HER WORK IN DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING.

BETSY CREATED THE WEAR A MASK, A TX CAMPAIGN, AND SHOW US YOUR AUSTIN A SOCIAL MEDIA PROJECT THAT ENCOURAGES AUSTINITES TO USE PHOTOGRAPHY TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND START CONVERSATIONS.

BETSY, I SPEAK FOR MANY OF US HERE IN THE CITY WHEN I SAY THAT YOU WILL BE MISSED AS YOU BEGIN YOUR RETIREMENT.

THANK YOU.

WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU WILL USE THIS NEXT CHAPTER OF YOUR LIFE TO CONTINUE YOUR ACTIVISM AND COMMUNITY BUILDING WORK IN NEW AND CREATIVE WAYS.

PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU DO NEXT.

I'M NOW GONNA INVITE JESSICA KING UP TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND THEN WE WILL OFFER YOU YOUR AWARD.

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.

UM, BETSY, WE ARE SO EXCITED AND HAPPY FOR YOU.

I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR YEARS.

UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I DON'T KNOW IF MANY OF YOU KNOW, BUT BETSY WAS, UM, THE ARTIST WHO WORKED ON THE AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY LOGO AND THAT YOU SEE ON OUR TRUCKS DRIVING ALL OVER THE STREETS.

FROM THAT TO OUR MOST RECENT, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE THAT ARE BEAUTIFUL WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, UM, ESPECIALLY RELATED TO THE, UM, THE MUSIC EVENTS AT THE LIBRARY, THOSE ARE JUST WONDERFUL PIECES WHERE BETSY IS ABLE AND HELPS MANY OF OUR DEPARTMENTS SHINE A LIGHT ON ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT WE DO ACROSS THIS ORGANIZATION.

SHE BRINGS IT TO LIFE AND, AND JUST BUILDS OFF OF THE AMAZING COMMITMENT THAT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR STAFF HAVE TO MAKING THIS COMMUNITY A GREAT CITY.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU TREMENDOUSLY.

THANK YOU.

AND WE WISH YOU A GREAT LIFE AHEAD.

I'M SURE WE WILL SEE YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE HAVING YOU AS PART OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

THANK YOU.

WHEREVER YOU END UP LANDING, WE HOPE YOU COME BACK AND HANG OUT WITH US.

THANK YOU.

I WILL.

THANKS.

THANK YOU.

SO THIS, IT'S NOW MY HONOR TO OFFER THIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD FOR HER UNTIRING SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO MULTIPLE CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENTS SINCE 2008, INCLUDING HER WORK WITH AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, WHERE SHE DESIGNED THE LOGO, THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND MOST RECENTLY AS A PRODUCER AND PHOTOGRAPHER WITH A TXN FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE, BETSY WILDMAN IS DESERVING A PUBLIC ACC CLAIM AND RECOGNITION.

THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION THEREOF.

THE 18TH DAY OF APRIL IN THE YEAR 2024 ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UM, HERE WITH ME TODAY IS ALSO A COUNCIL MEMBER, RYAN ALTER.

UM, SO BETSY, THIS IS FOR YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR APPRECIATE, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? THANK YOU.

I WAS GONNA SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT, UM, JUST WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO FOR THE CITY, BUT I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO.

YOU GUYS COVERED THAT REALLY WELL, SO THANK YOU.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY JUST ALL MY APPRECIATION FOR EVERYBODY THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH, IT REALLY HAS BEEN A PLEASURE AND A HONOR.

UM, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE AND ALSO SO MANY PEOPLE IN AUSTIN, UH, THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE OTHERWISE.

AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY A TXN TEAM HERE, , WHO'S BEEN JUST, UM, A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH SUCH TALENTED, UH, PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN SO GRACIOUS AND GENEROUS WITH THEIR TIME WITH ME.

SO THANK YOU.

IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING JOURNEY AND THANKS.

THANK YOU.