[00:00:04]
[CALL TO ORDER]
THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD FOR APRIL THE 22ND.TO ORDER, UM, I'M GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL.
I CALL ORDER PEDRO VILLA LEBOS.
AND I KNOW ON THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBER LISTS, UH, JULIE HAYES.
THAT SHOULD, I THINK, SHOULD BE VACANT.
UM, WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO, UH, KEVIN KORUM WILL MOVE ON.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
WILL NOW GO TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION GENERAL.UM, SO WE'LL, MR. DOBE, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL IT THE FIRST SPEAKER? YES.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER FOR OUR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE JOE RIDDEL, FOLLOWED BY LAURA ESPARZA, WHO IS DIALED IN.
GOOD EVENING PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
I SPOKE TO YOU LAST MONTH ABOUT THE WATERLOO PARK AND HOW THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY HAS BEEN IGNORING SOME OF ITS REQUIREMENTS UNDER ITS AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY FOR HOW IT MANAGES THE PARK.
THIS EVENING, I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE NON-COMPLIANCE.
ONE CONSEQUENCE IS THAT THE COST OF CONCESSIONS ARE UNCONTROLLED.
PRICES OF CONCESSIONS AT THE PARK ARE SUPPOSED TO BE REASONABLE AS DETERMINED BY PARD, BUT THE WATERLOO CONSERVANCY HAS IGNORED THIS REQUIREMENT AND SET ITS OWN PRICES WITHOUT CITY APPROVAL.
IF YOU ATTEND A CONCERT THERE, IT'S GONNA COST YOU $14 FOR A CAN OF SHINER BLK.
A WHOLE 12 PACK OF SHINER BLK COST $16 AT SPECS LIQUORS.
SO DOES IT SOUND REASONABLE THAT THE CONSERVANCY'S CONCESSIONAIRE IS CHARGING 10 TIMES WHAT IT COSTS FOR A BEER? ANOTHER CONSEQUENCE IS THAT THE CITY IS NOT GETTING A NUMBER OF DAYS OF FREE PUBLIC USE OF THE FACILITIES FOR PUBLIC FUNCTIONS.
THE CITY SPONSORED EVENTS ALSO MISSING IS THE REQUIRED SCHEDULE OF FREE OR REDUCED RATES FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS SUCH AS NONPROFITS, CHILDREN, AND THE ELDERLY TO USE THE PARK FACILITIES.
RECENTLY, THE CONSERVANCY POSTED REQUIREMENTS FOR RENTING THE MOODY AMPHITHEATER AGAIN, WITHOUT APPROVAL BY PART OF THE REASONABLENESS OF THE FEES.
AND WHAT IF YOU WANT TO INVITE 20 FRIENDS TO HAVE A PICNIC OR A SMALL BIRTHDAY PARTY IN THE PARK, THEN YOU MUST GET A LICENSE FROM THE CONSERVANCY.
BUT THE ONLY SPACE AVAILABLE TO LICENSE IS THE MOODY AMPHITHEATER FOR A MINIMUM OF $10,000.
THE WATER, THE CONSERVANCY PROCLAIMS THAT IT IS MAINTAINING THE PARK QUOTE FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL UNQUOTE.
AND THIS WEBSITE TOUTS THEIR EQUITY INITIATIVES.
BUT HOW ARE THEY WELCOMING ALL AND BEING INCLUSIVE WHEN THEY CHARGE $14 FOR A CAN OF BEER? OR YOU CAN'T JUST RENT A SMALL SPACE FOR A LITTLE PARTY.
THE BIG PICTURE IS THAT THE, FROM THE BEGINNING, THE CONSERVANCY HAS DESIGNED AND RUN THE PARK PRETTY MUCH AS IT HAS WISHED AND HAS REBUFFED INQUIRIES INTO ITS OPERATIONS.
I KNOW THAT PERSONALLY, THE CONSERVANCY'S MOST SIGNIFICANT MOVE WAS ACCEPTING A $10 MILLION DONATION FROM LIVE NATION, A MONOPOLISTIC COMPANY, AND THREE C3 PRESENTS IN EXCHANGE FOR GIVING THEM A 15 YEAR CONTRACT TO HAVE 35 MUSIC CONCERTS A YEAR AT THE MOODY AMPHITHEATER.
BUT THE CONSERVANCY HAS KEPT THE DETAILS OF THAT CONTRACT SECRET.
THE INFORMATION IN THE CONSERVANCY'S NINE 90 DISCLOSURE FORM FOR A NONPROFIT IS TOO LIMITED DETERMINING TO DETERMINE WHO ALL IS MAKING HOW MUCH MONEY ON THE CONCERTS, AND WHETHER A FAIR SHARE IS GOING TOWARD THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PARK.
UNTIL LAST SUMMER, A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC COULD INSPECT AND COPY FINANCIAL RECORDS OF A TEXAS NONPROFIT CORPORATION LIKE THE CONSERVANCY, BUT THE LEGISLATURE HAS GUTTED THAT LAW.
SO I'M HERE ASKING YOU AS A BOARD AND PART OF THE CITY TO PROVIDE SOME BADLY NEEDED PUBLIC OVERSIGHT.
UNDER THE AGREEMENT THE CITY CAN REVIEW THE BOOKS AND RECORDS OF THE CONSERVANCY, I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE IT UP AND MAKE THE CONSERVANCY LIVE UP TO ITS RESPONSIBILITIES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAURA ESPARZA.
LAURA, CAN YOU HEAR US? GOOD EVENING.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME, ME THIS TIME TO SPEAK.
UH, MY NAME IS LAURA ESPARZA, AND FOR 17 YEARS I WORKED WITH THE PARTS DEPARTMENT TO REPLACE THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER.
I'M NOW THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN ART ALLIANCE.
THE DOHERTY IS AT THE NEXUS OF ALL THE ARTS, VISUAL ARTS, THEATER AND ARTS EDUCATION.
IT WAS SUGGESTED BY OUR CITY'S MANAGEMENT THAT WE BUILD WITHIN OUR $20 MILLION CAPITAL BUDGET,
[00:05:01]
WHICH WOULD MEAN CANCELING THE DAX THEATER AND VISUAL ARTS PROGRAM IN ORDER TO STAY WITHIN THAT BUDGET.YOU SEE, $20 MILLION DOESN'T MEAN THAT MUCH ANYMORE WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING BUILDINGS.
THE DAC IS CRITICAL TO AUSTIN'S CREATIVE ECONOMY BECAUSE IT TRAINS ARTISTS FROM THREE TO 93.
THE CANCELLATION OF THE DACS THEATER AND VISUAL ARTS PROGRAMS WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THE INTENT OF HAVING AN ART CENTER, ALL WHICH DELIBERATELY BLENDS THE ART FORMS SO THEY CAN BE ENHANCED BY EACH OTHER AND PROVIDE AUSTINITES FOR THE QUALITY ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
DALLAS AND HOUSTON HAVE PURPOSE-BUILT ART CENTERS SIMILAR TO THE DAC.
IT IS OUR PREFERENCE TO BUILD THE BUILDING THAT WAS PLANNED BECAUSE IT WAS DESIGNED WITH THE DIRECT INPUT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR ARTISTS.
WHEN THE BUILDING WAS FIRST DESIGNED, IT WAS ALMOST WITHIN BUDGET.
BUT WITH COVID ESCALATING CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND THE ADDITION BY CONSOLE OF A PARKING GARAGE, THE COST OF A NEW DAC BECAME UNTENABLE.
MEANWHILE, THE DACS BUILDING CONTINUES TO DISINTEGRATE.
IF INDEED IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT WE CANNOT SEEK A THIRD BOND, WE WOULD SETTLE FOR A QUALITY FACILITY SUCH AS THE ONE FOUND AT TOKYO ELECTRON.
THE DAC HAS EXHIBITED THERE, AND THIS GOOD LOCATION WOULD SERVE IN ARTS DESERT IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ARTS ALLIANCE AUSTIN, WE BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DESERVING OF A WORLD CLASS ARTS CENTER.
WE ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU COMMISSIONERS TO CONTACT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND REMIND THEM THAT COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION IN DECEMBER OF 2022, DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO COMPLETE THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER.
EVEN IF IT REQUIRED AN ADDITIONAL BOND, WE WANNA KNOW WHERE IS OUR ART CENTER, AND WE'D LIKE YOUR HELP IN GETTING AN ANSWER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE TED EUBANKS.
AFTER TED WILL BE ANOTHER, UH, DIAL IN SPEAKER, LUCKY LEMU, FREDERICK LAW OLMSTEAD, A RENOWNED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.
ONCE STATED, PARKS ARE NOT JUST FOR RECREATION, THEY'RE FOR REJUVENATION AND RENEWAL.
OLMSTEAD PARKS AREN'T MERELY, MERELY PRETTY PLACES THEY'RE SOCIAL ARGUMENTS.
THEY'RE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TESTING GROUNDS FOR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY IN ACTION PLACES, WHICH EXPRESS A CONFIDENCE IN OUR ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE AND PROMOTE THE COMMON GOOD, COMMON GOOD GENERAL WELFARE PUBLIC BENEFIT UNION.
IN RECENT DAYS, I'VE HAD MY NOMINATION FOR THIS BOARD PLACED AND REMOVED TWICE.
THE REASON BEHIND THE FINAL REMOVAL CAME FROM LOBBYING BY COUNCIL MEMBER POOL ORIGINATING WITH SENIOR PARED STAFF.
DIVIS DIVISIVE IS USED ROUTINELY IN POLITICS TODAY TO SQUELCH DEBATE AND SHUT DOWN LEGITIMATE CRITICISM OF POLICIES OR ACTIONS.
IT'S IS A FAVORITE PLOY OF SOME SINCE THE TERM ALMOST ALWAYS DEFIES REFUTATION.
LET ME TRY AT LEAST A REBUTTAL.
I WROTE OUR, OUR AUSTIN STORY FOR DAA, AN INTERPRETED PLAN FOR CONGRESS, AVENUE, AND AVENUE IN THE ORIGINAL CIVIC SPACES OR SQUARES.
VISIT REPUBLIC SQUARE ONE'S CALLED GUADALUPE SQUARE AND READ THE INTERPRETIVE SIGNS THERE ABOUT THE SQUARE'S MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORY.
I RESEARCHED AND WROTE THOSE SIGNS.
IS THAT DIVISIVE OR UNIFYING? AT EASTWOOD PARK, I RESEARCH WROTE AND DESIGNED THE INTERPRETIVE SIGN THAT MEMORIALIZES THE FIRST JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS IN AUSTIN.
IS THAT DIVISIVE OR UNIFYING AT WILDRIDGE SQUARE, ALONG WITH THE INTERPRETIVE SIGN THAT TALKS ABOUT BOOKER T WASHINGTON SPEECH THERE.
IN 1911, I WORKED WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO HAVE THE SQUARE DESIGNATED AS PART OF THE NATIONAL VOTES FOR WOMEN TRAIL.
IS THAT DIVISIVE OR UNIFYING? AND AT THE NEIL COCHRANE HOUSE MUSEUM, WE HAVE JUST COMPLETED THE RESTORATION INTERPRETATION OF THE LAST REMAINING INTACT INSIGHT TO SLAVE QUARTERS IN AUSTIN.
IN MY INTERPRETIVE PLAN, I WROTE ABOUT 500 YEARS OF AFRICAN SLAVERY IN TEXAS.
WE HAVE BROUGHT BACK THE NAMES AND THE IDENTITIES OF SOME OF THOSE WHO WERE ENSLAVED.
THERE IS THAT DIVISIVE OR UNIFYING PARKS ARE FOR THE PEOPLE.
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ALL OF THE PEOPLE PARKS ARE FOR THE PEOPLE OF COLOR, THE INFIRM, THE DISABLED, THE TROUBLED YOUNG FAMILIES.PUBLIC PARKS ARE NOT FOR PROFIT, NOR FOR PRESTIGE, NOR FOR PRIVILEGE.
AND YES, I HAVE OPPOSED EVERY ACTION TAKEN THAT THREATENS THAT BASIC FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT OF AMERICAN PEOPLE TO FREE, ACCESSIBLE AND ACCOMMODATING PUBLIC SPACES EVERY DAY OF THEIR LIVES.
IF MY CRITICISMS OF SUCH THREATS BRANDS ME AS DIVISIVE, THEN I WILL WEAR THAT BRAND PROUDLY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE DIALING IN, UH, LUCKY LEMU AND AFRO LUCKY WILL BE DIANA PROCTOR.
EXCUSE ME, MR. BECK, CAN I ASK A QUESTION? PLEASE? YOU CAN ASK MR. EUBANKS A QUESTION.
YOU WERE NOMINATED BY WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER? I WAS NOMINATED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY FOR THIS BOARD? YES.
AND THEN CAN YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED? SURE.
THE SECOND NOMINATION WAS ON APRIL, I BELIEVE APRIL 2ND, OR AT LEAST I WAS INFORMED ON APRIL 3RD.
MY NAME APPEARED ON THE AGENDA FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, THE MEETING ON APRIL 4TH, THE NIGHT OF APRIL THE THIRD, THAT WAS CHANGED IN THE MORNING OF APRIL 4TH.
MAYOR WATSON ANNOUNCED THAT ITEM 37, WHICH INCLUDED MY NAME, HAD BEEN WITHDRAWN BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
UH, ISN'T THERE NORMALLY A CONFIRMATION PROCESS WHERE THE COUNCIL CONFIRMS A NOMINATED PARKS BOARD MEMBER? ISN'T THAT THE WAY THE PROCESS WENT FOR ALL OF US? CORRECT.
I'M, I'M VERY CONFUSED AND WOULD LIKE SOME INFORMATION ON WHY THE COUNCIL DID NOT EVEN HAVE THE HEARING FOR MR. EUBANKS.
I THINK WELL, I I I DON'T THINK WE COULD DEMAND OF CITY COUNCIL ANYTHING 'CAUSE WE'RE ANSWERABLE TO THEM IN A WEIRD WAY.
UM, SO I THINK THIS IS LIKE A CITY COUNCIL MATTER 'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY AUTHORITY OVER APPOINTMENTS OR WHO GETS CONFIRMED, WHO GETS A CONFIRMATION HEARING OF ANY TYPE OR WHATSOEVER.
SO THAT WOULD, ALL THOSE THINGS WOULD'VE TO BE DIRECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PERSON'S OFFICE WHO DID THE NOMINATION.
SO I UNDERSTAND, UM, IT JUST, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE PROCESS WAS NOT FOLLOWED THAT ALL OF US WENT THROUGH TO BECOME PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
AND IT SEEMS THAT THAT'S THE CASE.
UM, SO BOARD MEMBERS, THAT IS A QUESTION FOR YOUR COUNCIL OFFICE.
WE DON'T, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS INFORMED OF WHO THE NOMINEES ARE.
WE ARE NOT PART OF THE SELECTION PROCESS.
SO YOU MAY WANNA REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE BEST PLACE TO GET THE INFORMATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LUCKY LAMU, FOLLOWED BY DIANA PROCTOR.
CAN YOU HEAR US? HELLO? I GUESS, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? WE CAN HEAR YOU.
THE PROVERBIAL WORDS AFTER FOUR YEARS.
UH, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, UH, THIS EVENING.
MY NAME IS LUCKY LAMU, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS OF THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER.
AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR, UM, MEMBERSHIP FROM THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS, UH, ORGANIZATION AND WITH TRYING TO GET THE, UM, DOHERTY ARTS CENTER REBUILT FOR OVER 12 YEARS NOW.
SO, UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
AND THE REASON I'M CALLING IN IS TO VOICE MY CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR REBUILDING THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER.
AS LAURA ESPARZA SAID EARLIER ON, UM, THIS HAS BEEN A PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT, UM, BOTH FROM CITIZENS AND, AND LOTS OF COUNCIL SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS BOND ELECTIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER.
IT'S BEEN VALUED IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE ISSUE IS THE, UH, CONTINUED FUNDING GAP.
UM, SINCE THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE, UH, NEW OPTION IN MAY OF 2021 WITH THE PARKING GARAGE ADDED WHERE IT WOULD NEED TO BE BUILT CONCURRENTLY WITH THE ART CENTER, THAT WITHOUT FUNDING, ACTUALLY WITHOUT FUNDING FOR THE PARKING GARAGE, IT CAN, IT PRODUCED A SIGNIFICANT FUNDING GAP.
SO, UM, THAT'S BEEN A CONTINUED PROBLEM.
AND STILL AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, NO ART CENTER.
[00:15:01]
IN DECEMBER OF, UH, 2022 COUNCIL, THERE WAS EVEN A RESOLUTION PASSED BY COUNCIL THAT, UM, ASKED THE CITY MANAGER TO PROCEED WITH CONSTRUCTION.ACTUALLY DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER TO PROCEED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE D WITHOUT A REDUCTION IN THE SCOPE OF WORK.
SO THE VISION IS TO BE, AND THE DIRECTIVE WAS TO BE A ART CENTER WITHOUT, UH, CHANGES WITHOUT PART OF AN ART CENTER.
BOTH HAVING THE GALLERY, THE THEATER, AND THE SCHOOL ALL IN ONE PLACE, NOT CHOPPING OFF PART OF THAT.
UM, LIKE LAURA WAS SAYING, NOT CANCELING ANY PORTION OF THAT.
SO, UM, I DO UNDERSTAND, UM, FROM HARD STAFF THAT AN ALTERNATE SITE IS BEING CONSIDERED.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT MIGHT BE THE TOKYO ELECTRON SITE.
SO WHAT I'M REALLY ASKING THIS EVENING IS TO VOICE MY CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR GETTING THIS ART CENTER BUILT.
LIKE LAURA HAD SAID, WHERE IS THIS ART CENTER? UM, IT'S LIKE I SAID, ALMOST 15 YEARS.
IT'S BEEN IN DISCUSSION, PROBABLY MORE MONIES HAVE BEEN DEVOTED TO IT.
PLANS HAVE BEEN APPROVED, A LOT HAS BEEN DEDICATED TOWARDS THAT.
BUT WE STILL DON'T EVEN HAVE A BROKEN GROUND.
SO WHETHER IT BE AN ALTERNATE SITE OR THE PLANS, UH, THAT ARE IN PLACE NOW WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING, I SUPPORT THE CONTINUED, UM, THE BUILDING OF THE ART CENTER.
AND ASK THE PART, UM, THAT YOU ALL AS THE BOARD, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SAY, LIKE LAURA SAID, WHERE IS THE ART CENTER? AND LET'S GET ON WITH IT AND LET'S, UM, THE CURRENT D CANNOT SUSTAIN BEING OPEN THAT MUCH LONGER IN ITS CONDITION.
SO AGAIN, UM, SUPPORTING THE DAC AND PLEASE, UH, FIND OUT FROM COUNCIL WHERE THIS ART CENTER IS AND LET'S CONTINUE ON.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU STILL ON THE LINE? YES.
UM, ABOVE, OVER AND ABOVE THE $20 MILLION THAT THE CITY HAS, HAS ALLOCATED, UM, WHAT IS NEEDED WITHOUT THE PARKING GARAGE.
I'M NOT A CITY STAFF MEMBER TO ADDRESS THAT.
I KNOW THERE WERE COSTS OF 36 MILLION.
I THINK THE GAP, UM, BECAUSE OF MONIES GOING, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A PART STAFF MEMBER THERE THAT CAN ADDRESS THAT FUNDING GAP.
BUT, UM, I DO KNOW THAT, UH, BETWEEN THE BOND MONIES FROM 20 12 20 18, THE, UH, MONIES HAVE BEEN SPENT TO CONTINUE, UM, MAINTAINING THE OLD DI KNOW COSTS HAVE ESCALATED, AND I THINK THE PARKING GARAGE HAD ADDED AN ADDITIONAL, I BELIEVE IT WAS 20 MILLION FOR THE GARAGE.
I DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET FIGURES, UM, OF WHAT THE LATEST, BUT I KNOW PART STAFF DO HAVE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY'S IN HOUSE THERE THAT CAN SPEAK TO THE CURRENT GAP BECAUSE IT, IT KEEPS CHANGING.
UM, IS THERE ANYBODY THERE THAT COULD HELP ANSWER THAT?
YEAH, I KNOW THAT WE WERE, THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A BOND ELECTION IN 2024 TO MAYBE ADDRESS THAT.
I KNOW THEY LOOKED AT FUNDS, GETTING FUNDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
AFTER THAT, UM, COUNCIL PASSED THAT RESOLUTION IN MAY OF 2021 TO BUILD THE GARAGE CONCURRENTLY.
AND I KNOW THAT IT, IT BETWEEN AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND, UH, TECH THOUGHT THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WAS, UM, SECURED.
SO, UH, I KNOW THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT GAP WITH THAT, BUT I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE EXACT DOLLAR AMOUNT.
DIRECTOR MCNEELY, DO YOU KNOW, HAVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? I DO NOT HAVE THOSE FIGURES OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
AND WE WILL SEND YOU THE MEMO THAT WE SENT TO COUNSEL REGARDING THIS AND ALSO THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS MADE TO CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR PURVIEW.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE DIANA TER, AFTER DIANA WILL BE WOLF HITLER.
I'M DIANA PROCTOR, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JUST MENTION INFORMALLY THAT WE, THE CITIZENS CU VOLUNTEER CITIZENS AS THE HUB OF A COMMUNICATION NETWORK, THAT YOU DO HAVE ACCESS TO FORMAL AND INFORMAL CHANNELS TO GET INFORMATION AND CONVERSATIONS TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO ELITE MEMBERS OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR CURIOSITY TONIGHT TO NOT JUST DISMISS OUR CONCERNS ABOUT TED EUBANKS APPOINTMENT.
TED EUBANKS IS A HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATE TO SERVE ON THE PARKS BOARD.
HE HAS DECADES OF EXPERIENCE AS A CAREER PARK PLANNING PROFESSIONAL.
WE WANT TO KNOW WHY HIS NOMINATION TO SERVE ON THE BOARD WAS REMOVED.
ON APRIL 3RD, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S APPOINTMENT OF 10 OF EUBANKS TO THE PARKS BOARD WAS POSTED AND MADE PUBLIC ON THE COUNCIL WEBPAGE.
THE DOCUMENT WAS ONCE MORE REVISED AND POSTED AS LATE BACKUP.
AT THE COUNCIL MEETING ON APRIL 4TH, THE MAYOR WENT ON RECORD TO SAY THAT HE DOESN'T NORMALLY POINT OUT LATE BACKUP, BUT HE SAID IT DEALS WITH NOMINATIONS AND NAME HAS BEEN REMOVED.
I JUST WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THAT END.
MAYOR WATSON WAS OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED AND WANTED TO GO ON RECORD AS HAVING NOTICED AN IRREGULARITY OF PROCEDURE.
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I ASSUME THE REMOVAL OF NOMINATION OF TED EUBANKS IS NOT DUE TO HIS QUALIFICATIONS, BUT TO HIS IDEAS.MANY PEOPLE IN AUSTIN DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S CURRENTLY A BATTLE BEING WAGED RIGHT HERE ON THIS PARKS BOARD BETWEEN TWO PHILOSOPHIES, PARKS FOR PEOPLE VERSUS PARKS FOR PROFIT.
SINCE 2019, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS PROVIDED MUCH ENCOURAGEMENT TO PARK NONPROFIT PARTNERS AND INADEQUATE OVERSIGHT THAT HAS CREATED A MONSTER IN OUR PARKS SYSTEM.
TIER A NONPROFITS ONLY NEED TO FUNDRAISE PRIVATE DONATIONS FOR TWO SALARIES, THE CEO AND THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
EVERY OTHER PROJECT EXPENSE, SALARY AND OVERHEAD CAN BE PAID FOR BY THEIR COMMERCIAL REVENUE DERIVED FROM OUR PARKLAND.
AND TIER B IS EVEN MORE LAX PARK NONPROFIT.
COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IS LUCRATIVE BECAUSE IT IS SUBSIDIZED BY THE TAXPAYER PARK.
COMMERCIALIZATION BRINGS GENTRIFICATION AND GENTRIFICATION WORSENS ISSUES OF SOCIAL EQUITY IN OUR CITY.
FOR ONE EXAMPLE, FAMILY EVENTS THAT WERE ONCE FREE FOR EVERYONE ARE NOW ALLOWED TO SELL VIP ADMISSION TICKETS COSTING UP TO $100 PER PERSON.
NOT ALL P THREE PARTNERSHIPS ARE BAD, BUT OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS FAILED TO DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR THESE NON-PROFIT PARTNERS TO PROTECT OUR PARKS FROM UNBOUNDED COMMERCIALIZATION IN ANCIENT ROME.
AROUND THE YEAR 200 BC CATO, THE ELDER EXPLAINED THIEVES OF PRIVATE PROPERTY PASSED THEIR LIVES IN CHAINS, THIEVES OF PUBLIC PROPERTY ENRICHES AND LUXURY.
TED EUBANKS IS IN FAVOR OF PARKS FOR PEOPLE NOT PROFIT.
PLEASE EXPLAIN TO US WHY HIS NOMINATION WAS REMOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR CURIOSITY AND CONVERSATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE WOLF SITLER, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FLORES.
I'M A CURRENT MEMBER OF SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS AND THE REVIVE NORWOOD ALLIANCE.
AND, UH, A FORMER MEMBER OF THE NORWOOD PARK FOUNDATION.
UH, THE PHOTO YOU SEE HERE IS WHAT THE HOUSE USED TO LOOK LIKE A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
AND, UM, THE, UH, I GUESS I PRESSED THIS TO GET THE NEXT ONE.
YEAH, TODAY, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT AND, UH, IT'S BEEN, IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST NEGLECTED PUBLIC PARK FACILITIES THAT THERE IS.
UH, UH, UH, IT WAS PURCHASED IN 1985, AND THE ONLY REASON WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT TODAY IS BECAUSE OF THE COUNTLESS EFFORTS OF VOLUNTEERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, UM, WE GOT A MESSAGE FROM PARD THAT, UH, THEIR POSITION, AFTER WORKING WITH 10 YEARS WITH THE NORWOOD PARK FOUNDATION TO CREATE A PLAN TO, UH, REPURPOSE, REBUILD THE HOUSE AND THE SURROUNDING PARKLAND, UH, THAT, UH, THEY WERE NOT CERTAIN ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
AND THEY THOUGHT, WELL, EITHER WE SHOULD TEAR IT DOWN AND BUILD MAYBE A VIEWING PLATFORM OR FIX IT UP.
UM, THEY DIDN'T LIST OTHER ALTERNATIVES.
BUT THE POSITION OF SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS AND REVIVE NORWOOD ALLIANCE IS TO FIX IT UP.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS PHOTO, IT'S NOT FALLING APART.
UH, IT ACTUALLY HAS A NEW ENGINEERED FOUNDATION ON BEDROCK.
IT'S STRIPPED TO THE STUDS INSIDE ASBESTOS HAD BEEN, HAS BEEN ABATED.
IT HAS A NEW SUBFLOOR REINFORCED RAFTERS.
AND JUST LAST FALL, PARDON, MAINTENANCE STAFF PUT SOME PLYWOOD OVER THE, UH, WINDOWS HAD HAD THAT HAD PLEXIGLASS IN THEM AND PAINTED THE, THE HOUSE AND PUT ON NEW ROLL OF ROOFING WHERE IT WAS NEEDED.
SO IT IS PROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS IN OUR VIEW.
SO WE ARE FULLY IN SUPPORT OF, UH, RECONSTRUCTING, RESTORING OR REHABILITATING THE HOUSE, AND ARE ABSOLUTELY OPPOSED TO DEMOLISHING THIS RESOURCE THAT HAS GREAT POTENTIAL AS A PARK FACILITY THAT WOULD SERVE A DUAL PURPOSE, UH, AS A COMMUNITY CENTER, WHICH THERE IS NO, UH, SITE LIKE THIS IN SOUTH AUSTIN OR IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT WOULD ALSO DOUBLE AS A EVENT CENTER SIMILAR TO THE ZILKER CLUBHOUSE, EXCEPT IT WOULD BE AIR CONDITIONED AND ALL MODERNIZED.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT USED TO LOOK AND MAKE IT USABLE AS A PUBLIC PARK FACILITY.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO
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WEIGH IN ON THE SIDE OF, UH, IMPLEMENTING THE MASTER PLAN THAT WAS CREATED WITH PARD OVER 10 YEARS.UH, THE FOUNDATION WAS SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING 3 MILLION IN PUBLIC FUNDING, BUT THAT, UH, DIDN'T HAVE THE PRIVATE FUNDING THAT WAS NEEDED THAT WENT AWAY WHEN THE PANDEMIC CAME.
OH, UH, THERE'S A COUPLE MORE PHOTOS.
COULD I GET, GET THOSE UP THERE? UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS SAYING THAT, WELL, THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS I 35 AND, UH, THE LIGHT RAIL MIGHT INTERFERE WITH IT, BUT CONSTRUCTION HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, UH, AND BUILDING GOES ON AND WE THINK THAT'S NOT A, A PROBLEM.
AND THE NEXT ONE, SO HERE YOU SEE THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE, THIS IS NOT A PLACE THAT'S FALLING APART.
AND ALL WE NEED IS THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY, THE PARKS BOARD, AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE WILLING TO HELP, UH, MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
IS THERE, IS THERE A HISTORICAL MARKER ON THE HOUSE? THERE IS A HISTORICAL MARKER.
IT'S A STATE HISTORICAL MARKER, UH, NOT A CITY HISTORICAL MARKER.
AND IT'S ABOUT THE SITE BECAUSE OF THE, THE, UH, THE SITE HAS A KIND OF A SPECIAL PLACE IN AUSTIN HISTORY AT, AT THE TIME IT WAS, UH, THE MOST, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, BEAUTIFUL ARTS AND CRAFTS, BUNGALOW STYLE ESTATE.
THE GUY THAT BUILT A HOUSE OR BUILT THE HOUSE, OLLIE NORWOOD ALSO BUILT THE, HIS, UH, HISTORIC NORWOOD TOWER ON WEST SEVENTH STREET.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS FLORES, FOLLOWED BY GAIL ROTH.
GOOD EVENING, UH, ESTEEMED BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M CHRIS FLORES FROM DISTRICT 10.
UH, IN THE INTEREST OF CLOSE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND PRIVATE CITIZENS, I HAVE THREE SIMPLE ASKS FOR YOU TONIGHT.
UH, ONE I'M FOLLOWING UP ON AN ITEM I BROUGHT UP LAST YEAR IN 2023, SEEKING SETASIDE PARKING FOR ALL 40 BARTON SPRINGS POOL GUARDS AND STAFF IN A SINGLE PARKING LOT BY THE MOONLIGHT TOWER.
THEY NOW HAVE THIS PARKING LOT, IT'S THEIRS EXCLUSIVELY.
IF YOU WERE INVOLVED, STAFF STILL NEED A FORMAL PATH FROM THE POOL'S NORTH ENTRANCE UP TO THE PARKING LOT.
THE DIGGING MACHINES ARE THERE NOW, PERHAPS A SMALL CHANGE ORDER IN THE REHAB PLAN.
PERHAPS ONE OF THOSE PORTABLE SOLAR GADGETS CAN BE PUT UP THERE.
MY SECOND ASK IS FROM THE WOMEN'S SWIMMERS.
WE MET WITH STAFF AND BOARD CHAIR MIA LOBOS AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, AND WE DISCUSSED THE WOMEN'S SHOWER ZONE IN THE SPRINGS POOL REHAB AT THE LAST PARKS BOARD MEETING ON MARCH 27.
WE HAVE NOT HEARD BACK YET FROM DIRECTOR MCNEELY OR HER STAFF.
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE UPDATE OUR LITTLE GROUP? WE WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
AND LASTLY, MY THIRD, UH, ASK IS JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, I'M TRULY SADDENED THAT MR. EUBANKS IS NOT ON THIS BOARD.
HE WOULD BE AN ASSET AND HE WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE LIVELY INFORMED DISCUSSIONS THAT US CITIZENS REALLY WANT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GAIL RO, FOLLOWED BY TANYA PAYNE.
UM, I WANT TO ADDRESS THE WITHDRAWAL OF TED EUBANKS NOMINATION TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD.
I'M AFRAID THIS MAY HAVE BEEN AN ATTEMPT TO SILENCE A VOICE THAT ADVOCATES FOR A PARK SYSTEM THAT IS MORE GREEN THAN GRAY, AND TO NARROW THE RANGE OF OPTIONS THIS BOARD CONSIDERS.
IF THIS IS THE CASE, THEN A BOARD GIVEN OVER TO GROUP THINK, A BOARD THAT SERVES AS A RUBBER STAMP DIMINISHES THE VALUE OF YOUR OWN SERVICE TO THIS CITY.
I CALL ON THIS BOARD TO SEEK CLARIFICATION FROM YOUR RESPECTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON HOW THIS CAME TO PASS.
IF THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT TO SILENCE A VOICE, THEN I ASK YOU TO EXPRESS YOUR CONCERN ABOUT A PROCESS THAT UNDERMINES THE INTEGRITY OF THIS BOARD.
AND I ASK YOU TO PUT AN ITEM ON YOUR MAY AGENDA TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHAT HAPPENED.
FINALLY, I ASK THAT YOU REQUEST FROM COUNCIL, BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY, THAT TED EUBANKS BE RENOMINATED TO THIS BOARD.
[00:30:04]
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE TANYA PAYNE, FOLLOWED BY TERRY ADAMS. UH, HELLO.MY NAME IS TANYA PAYNE AND I AM HERE TODAY TO ASK YOU FOR HELP UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAPPENED WITH, UH, TED EUBANKS NOMINATION TO THE PARKS BOARD, UH, AND, UH, AND IF PARKS DEPARTMENT PLAYED ANY ROLE IN IT AS PART OF THAT INVESTIGATION, HE'S A VERY QUALIFIED PARK PLANNER, AND I'VE HEARD IT'S BECAUSE ONE OF THE REASONS HIS NAME WAS WITHDRAWN IS BECAUSE HE HAD CONTROVERSIAL IDEAS.
AND SO I WANTED TO SHARE SOME OF THOSE IDEAS THAT HE'S TAUGHT ME SINCE I MET HIM THIS SUMMER.
THE FIRST THING IS, DID YOU KNOW THAT AUSTIN HAS ENDEMIC FLOWERS? THEY'RE ACTUALLY NATIVE TO THE AREA.
AND THESE PICTURES HERE, HE ACTUALLY TOOK AT PARKS AROUND AUSTIN THIS SPRING.
TED'S TAUGHT ME THAT TED, THAT, UH, PARKS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE CLOSE TO THE AREA TO ACTUALLY HAVE AN IMPACT.
SO A URBANIZED HEAVILY CONCRETED DOWNTOWN AREA WILL NOT BE COOLED BY A RURAL LAND OUTSIDE OF TOWN.
ALSO, I'VE LEARNED THERE CAN BE CONFLICTS BETWEEN WHAT YOU DO GLOBALLY AND LOCALLY AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENT.
WE CAN BUILD WIDE CONCRETE BIKEWAYS TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF CARS TO DECREASE THE GLOBAL CO2, BUT THEN WE CAN INCREASE THE LOCAL HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
LASTLY, THESE ARE THE CONCEPTS OR PART OF THE CONCEPTS THAT TED ADVOCATES FOR.
AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK THROUGH THEM, BIODIVERSITY, WATER QUALITY, WATER QUANTITY, HEAT ISLAND AND AIR QUALITY.
WHICH ONE OF THESE WAS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL THAT PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT, ESPECIALLY IN A CITY WHERE WE'RE CONSIDERING A LARGE ENVIRONMENTAL BOND, UH, BOND PACKAGE? PLEASE ENCOURAGE TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC DISCOURSE BY HELPING US FIGURING OUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH TED EUBANKS APPOINTMENT TO THE PARKS BOARD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE TERRY ADAMS, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN RATHER.
HI, I AM TERRY ADAMS. UM, SO I'M NOT SURE WHY THE PARKS BOARD EXISTS AT THIS POINT.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT POWER YOU HAVE OR WHAT QUALIFICATIONS YOU HAVE OTHER THAN YOU MUST AGREE WITH THE NONPROFIT AGENDA.
I I KNOW WHAT YOUR VOTING RECORD IS OR YOU MUST NOT BE A THREAT TO THEM BECAUSE WE HAD SOMEONE NOMINATED WHO DID A VERY WELL REASONED TAKE DOWN OF THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN BECAUSE HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS LOOKING AT.
MOST OF YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT.
YOU WERE JUST GOING ALONG TO GET ALONG.
IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HERE AND YOU ACTIVELY SUPPRESSED THEIR WILL AND INSERTED YOUR OWN.
SO I THINK YOU'RE JUST A COVER YOUR ASS BOARD AND NOT A PARKS BOARD.
AND I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO PROVE ME WRONG BY ACTUALLY HEARING SOME OF YOUR VOICES.
SOME OF YOUR VOICES I HEAR MUCH TOO MUCH OF.
BUT OTHERS OF YOU NEVER SPEAK UP.
OKAY? SO WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT IS, IS A MESS.
IT IS, THERE IS UNEQUAL DEVELOPMENT ALL OVER THE CITY.
WE HAVE THESE NONPROFITS, WHICH REALLY SHOULDN'T BE CALLED NONPROFITS.
THEY ARE PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY HAVE PROFESSIONAL STAFFS, THEY HAVE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS.
THEY HAVE AN AGENDA, THEY HAVE MONEY.
THEY HAVE MONEY STOCKPILED TO DO PROJECTS THAT THEY WILL NOT BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT.
UM, SO WE HAVE AN INCENTIVE SET UP WHERE SOME OF OUR PARKS ARE BEING COMMERCIALIZED, WHICH MR. RUDOLPH SPOKE SO ELOQUENTLY OF WHAT THEY DID AT WATERLOO IS WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO AT ZILKER.
AND Y'ALL WERE GONNA LET THEM, Y'ALL WERE GONNA BE LIKE, GO RIGHT AHEAD.
WHY ARE YOU HERE? YOU TWO EUROPE COUNCIL PEOPLE ARE UP FOR OUR ELECTION.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S GONNA LOOK GOOD WHEN WE CLIP WHAT YOU WERE DOING AT THE PARKS
[00:35:01]
BOARD MEETING LAST YEAR IN MAY? IT'S NOT.SO YOU CAN CALL US CONSPIRACISTS, BUT YOU CAN'T PROVE US WRONG.
EITHER WE'RE MAKING UP STORIES OR THINGS ARE BEING DONE THAT WE ARE NOT BEING TOLD ABOUT.
WHAT I SEE AS A PATTERN OF THE NONPROFITS BEING GIVEN SPECIAL TREATMENT AS BUSINESSES, THEY'RE COMMISSIONING THEIR OWN STUDIES, WHICH THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ABOUT TO VOTE ON THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY AMENDMENT AND YOU HAD TO ADMIT THAT YOU HADN'T READ, EVEN READ THEIR STUDY, YOU SHOULD RESIGN.
YOU SHOULD HAVE RESIGNED RIGHT THEN.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO ALLOW JOBS TO BE SIPHONED OFF FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR SHOULD DEFINITELY RESIGN.
SPECIFICALLY IF YOU ARE THE PRESIDENT OF A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ROBIN RATHER FOLLOWED BY ANDREA HILL.
GOOD EVENING PARKS BOARD, UM, AND CHAIR.
UH, IT'S A FULL MOON AND I WANNA SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO FOR THE CITY, BUT WE HAVE SOME REALLY SERIOUS PROBLEMS WE'RE TRYING TO BRING FORTH AND WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP.
I WANNA POINT OUT THAT ON THIS EARTH DAY 2024, WE WANNA TAKE THE TIME TO EXPRESS OUR SUPPORT FOR THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT PARD PLAYS.
WE ALSO WANT TO SAY PARD EMPLOYEES WORK REALLY HARD EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR EVERYONE FROM THE MAINTENANCE GUY TO THE LIFEGUARDS, TO THE PROJECT MANAGERS UP AND DOWN THE CHAIN.
THE CITY NEEDS PART, THE WORLD NEEDS PART, BUT WE HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ABOUT HOW TO SUPPORT PARD, HOW TO EXPRESS LOVE AND AFFIRMATION FOR PARD AND HOW TO GET PARD TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
IF TED EUBANKS, WHO HAS WORKED IN 50 STATES, TED HAS WORKED ON PARTS IN 50 STATES AND SEVERAL FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
WE SENT YOU HIS EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF PROJECTS.
HE'S A RECOGNIZED BIRD EXPERT.
THE MAN IS A WALKING LEGEND IN THE COUNTRY AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE UPSET BECAUSE HE WAS NOMINATED BY A COUNCIL MEMBER.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR POINT IS, WELL WAIT, THAT'S COUNCIL BUSINESS, BUT WE HAVE IT ON GOOD AUTHORITY AND WE WANNA BE CAREFUL BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SURE WE WEREN'T THERE.
BUT WE HAVE DARN SURE RESEARCHED THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE.
AND WHAT THEY TOLD US WAS, IN FACT, SOMEONE HERE, A SENIOR MANAGER, THE MOST SENIOR MANAGER OF PARD WAS ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN ASKING FOR HIS REMOVAL AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER POOL.
WHY SHOULD THAT WORRY YOU? IT'S NOT JUST COUNCIL BUSINESS, IT'S CONFLICT BECAUSE WE ARE ALSO OF THE UNDERSTANDING THAT SOMEONE HERE VERY SENIOR IN PART, IS UP FOR THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, CEO JOB, THAT RUMORS ALL OVER TOWN.
WE HAVE THAT ON GOOD AUTHORITY.
WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING SOMETHING CALLED SOFT CORRUPTION.
I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT TERM BEFORE, BUT IT TURNS OUT EVER SINCE THE ZVP, WE'VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT INFLUENCE OF WEALTHY AND WEALTHY PEOPLE, WEALTHY BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATIONS, WEALTHY REAL ESTATE COMPANIES, AND HOW THEY'RE PRIVATIZING OUR PARKS.
WE NEED YOU TO HELP US GET OVER THIS CONTROVERSY AND AFFIRM THAT PARKS ARE FOR PEOPLE.
THEY SHOULDN'T BE PRIVATIZED, THEY SHOULDN'T BE COMMERCIALIZED, AND WE SHOULDN'T BE HAVING TO SPEND OUR EARTH DAYS DOWN HERE LITERALLY BEGGING YOU TO HELP US.
WE NEED TO HAVE OTHER FUNDING STREAMS FOR THEM.
WE WANNA ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND WORK WITH YOU ON PUBLICLY TRANSPARENT, HIGH INTEGRITY FUNDING STREAMS FOR PARD, WHICH THEIR EMPLOYEES DESERVE BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK WHICH THE PEOPLE DESERVE BECAUSE WE LOVE THE PARKS AND WE NEED TO GET PAST THIS POINT.
WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE FIGHTING OVER THE PRIVATIZATION OF PARKS AND GET BACK TO TAKING CARE OF PARKS THE WAY WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
AND WE'RE ASKING YOU TO HELP US THAT WITH ALL OUR HEART.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ANDREA HILL, FOLLOWED BY PATRICK MOORE.
I'M A BARTON SPRINGS EMPLOYEE.
VERY QUICKLY I WILL TALK ABOUT HUMAN RESOURCES.
I SEE THAT'S ON YOUR AGENDA LATER.
IT STILL TAKES TWO OR THREE MONTHS FROM THE TIME SOMEONE APPLIES TO BE A LIFEGUARD TO THE TIME THEY ACTUALLY ARE AT THE POOL WORKING.
BUT MAINLY I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE GENERAL GIST OF HOW HARD IS MANAGED OVER THE YEARS I'VE BEEN THERE AND THE YEARS BEFORE THAT WHEN I WAS A SWIMMER AND
[00:40:01]
ALL THAT.BASIC MAINTENANCE NEEDS ARE TOTALLY NEGLECTED.
A LOT OF STAFF NEEDS ARE, ARE NEGLECTED AND, AND SOMETIMES THERE'S RETALIATION AGAINST STAFF FOR THINGS THEY SAY OR DO.
AND I, I CAN GIVE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES IN PRIVATE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO.
UM, THE DIRECTOR OF PARD CAME OVER LAST SPRING AND HAD A PRIVATE MEETING WITH THE BARTON SPRINGS MANAGERS IN WHICH SHE THREATENED TO FIRE THEM ALL.
UM, AND SHE TRANSFERRED ONE TO ANOTHER LOCATION AS RETALIATION.
AND I KNOW SHE'S SITTING HERE HEARING ME AND I WONDER IF SHE'S GONNA FIRE ME TOO, UH, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN HER DO IT.
AND BASED ON WHAT ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING, THIS IRREGULARITY ABOUT MR. EUBANKS, THE ZILKER PARK VISION PLAN, WHICH SPENT SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS ON CONSULTING FEES AND CONTRACTS.
THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S BEEN WASTED ON PLANS THAT INVOLVE THESE NON-PROFIT PRIVATE ENTITIES.
AND THEY CANNOT SPEND MONEY ON BASIC MAINTENANCE.
THERE'S BEEN NO CONCESSION STAND IN ZILKER PARK FOR OVER SIX YEARS.
THE TRAINS WENT OUT FOR FIVE YEARS.
RESTROOMS ARE NOT REPAIRED TIMELY IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER.
THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM BREAKS AND KILLS ALL THE GRASS.
THE WATER FOUNTAINS ARE OUT IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BASIC MAINTENANCE NEEDS, NOT THESE SPECULATIVE IDEAS.
AND THERE'S SOME INVESTIGATION GOING ON NOW ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE CONTRACTS FOR THE ZOO PROVISION PLAN AND SOME OF THESE OTHER SPECULATIVE PLANS ALL SEEM TO GO TO THE SAME ENTITIES.
NOW, I'M NOT ACCUSING ANYONE OF ANYTHING, BUT I'M SAYING THAT PERHAPS SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY, MANY DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS.
WHY DO THE SAME CONTRACTORS SEEM TO GET THE CONTRACTS FOR PART ALL THE TIME? THAT DO, THAT DOES NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO.
I I JUST AS CITIZEN AND AS AN EMPLOYEE AND VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW HARD IS RUN FROM THE TOP DOWN.
AND THEY VERY SELDOM COME TO THE POOL OR ANY OF THE PARK AREAS TO TALK TO EMPLOYEES ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED, ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO MAKE IT FUNCTION BETTER.
SO I THINK PERHAPS THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE IN PARTS MANAGEMENT AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE VOLUNTEERS AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU SPEND ON THIS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE PATRICK MOORE AND THEN MS. A SLIDE.
AND I BELIEVE THIS IS OUR LAST SPEAKER FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
UH, MY BOYS COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT THEY HAVE AN IDEA FOR THE EAST AUSTIN B. PARK VISION PLAN TO SHARE, WHICH IS TO BUILD A TOWER.
UM, SO, UH, TO CLARIFY, WE'VE BROUGHT THIS UP AT THE LAST COUPLE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS, BUT SINCE IT IS NOT IN THE PLAN YET, THIS IS JUST TO HELP US GET SOME ADDITIONAL VISIBILITY ON THIS, THIS WANT.
UM, SO HERE WE HAVE, UH, BULLETED OUT SOME OF THE REASONS WHY THEY THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, IDEA THE BOYS LIKE THE CURRENT PLAYING CONCEPTS, ESPECIALLY THE SPORTS FIELDS, BUT ARE HOPING FOR SOMETHING MORE UNIQUE AND EXCITING TO ALSO BE PART OF THE, THE VISION FOR THE PARK.
UM, THE IDEA IS TO HAVE A TOWER BUILT HERE IS INSPIRED BY THE LEGEND OF ZELDA SERIES
UH, SIMILAR TOWERS EXIST WORLDWIDE DEVELOPED ON PARKLAND, SO THERE'S PRECEDENT FOR THIS KIND OF IDEA TO BE CONSIDERED.
AND WE CONDUCTED A QUICK SURVEY OVER A FEW DAYS ON NEXTDOOR THAT SHOWS ABOUT 72% IN SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA WITH 75 VOTES.
UM, AND THIS SPLITS PRETTY EVENLY BETWEEN PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY ARE IN THE BALLPARK ZIP CODE OF 7 8, 7 2 5 IN DI DISTRICT THREE OR THROUGHOUT, UM, AUSTIN FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN IT.
UM, AND THEN WE, HERE WE HAVE A VIDEO.
I DON'T KNOW, ARE WE ABLE TO PLAY THAT VIDEO THERE? IT'S THEN P FOUR.
OKAY, SO MY NAME IS GRIFFIN AND HIS NAME IS GRAY.
AND WILL YOU BOTH THINK THAT THE SKY TOWER SHOULD BE BUILT? BECAUSE IT WOULD BE LIKE, GOOD BE DOWNTOWN AND, AND UM, IT WOULD BE LIKE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MAP OR SOMETHING, IT'D BE GOOD BE TO SEE WHERE YOU WANNA GO AND YOU COULD WATCH LIKE, SOCCER PLAYERS AND LIKE SOCCER GAMES AND LIKE FOOTBALL GAMES OR LIKE ON THE SPORTS FIELDS OR SOMETHING AND YEAH, THAT'S IT.
[00:45:02]
BYE.CAN YOU GET THAT TO MR. DOBE SO YOU CAN EMAIL IT TO US? YEAH, I EMAILED IT TO HIM AND THEN I ALSO EMAILED, UH, CHRIS MABRY, THE POWERPOINT PLUS THE, UM, ALL THE, THE RAW DATA FROM THE SURVEYMONKEY STUFF WE DID.
BOARD, THAT IS THE END OF GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE PARK AND RECS BOARD REGULAR MEETING FOR MARCH 27TH, 2024.AND I KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE AT LEAST ONE.
LET ME FIND IT, CORRECTION, AND I'LL GIVE EVERYONE A MINUTE TO LOOK AT THAT.
SO, WELL, WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT ON AGENDA FOR THE MINUTES, ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, WE'RE JUST STRIKING THE, THE WORDS, UH, I'M SORRY, THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THE SECOND SENTENCE WHERE IT SAYS BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY'S RULE.
SO WE'RE GONNA STRIKE BARTON SPRINGS CONSERVANCY'S ROLE.
AND THAT WAS AS, UH, SUGGESTED BY, UH, SORRY, FLY BLANK DOWN FOR A MOMENT, CHRIS FLORES.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE DOING THAT.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY OTHER CHANGES OR SUGGESTIONS? ANY ERRORS? CHAIR, THIS IS STEPHANIE.
UM, I WAS NOT ABLE TO STAY FOR THE, FOR MOST OF THE MEETING, BUT WAS THERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NEEDED IN THE NOTES.
MR. DAMICK, DO WE NEED TO INDICATE THAT ANYWHERE OR IS IT JUST OKAY AS IT IS RIGHT NOW? OH, WAIT, NO, WE DO NEED TO SHOW THAT SHE WAS IN ATTENDANCE.
SHE DID SHOW UP FOR PART OF THE MEETING.
I'LL ADD, UH, BOARD MEMBER BISON TO BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE.
DID YOU CATCH THAT BOARD MEMBER BISON? YES.
UH, WITH THOSE OTHER THAN THOSE TWO EDITS IS, ARE, IS THERE ANY OTHER EDIT? ARE THERE ANY OTHER EDITS? SEEING NONE, I WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THE PARKS AND RECREATION'S.
UH, SPECIAL CALLS MEETING FOR MARCH 27.
UH, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[2. Presentation, discussion and approve letters of support for PARD Human Resources Team for their successful recruiting and hiring practices, use of new technology, administration of summer bonuses, and nationally recognized safety training program. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers).]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.ANY SPEAKERS FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM? MR. BECK? YES.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER SIGNED UP.
UH, TERRY ADAMS, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
HI, I AM TERRY ADAMS. AND, UH, LAST YEAR I WORKED AS A LIFEGUARD, UM, FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND, UM, IT WAS ALL, IN ALL NOT A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
AND THE PART THAT WASN'T GREAT WAS THE PART WHERE I HAD TO INTERFACE WITH, UH, WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, THE PUBLIC WAS GREAT, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, NOT SO MUCH.
UM, SO WHEN I DID THE TRAINING, I HAD TO TAKE OFF TIME FROM THE, THE WORK THAT I NORMALLY DO.
AND, AND THAT WAS FINE BECAUSE I HAD HEARD THAT THERE WOULD BE A BONUS, LIKE A TRAINING, LIKE A REIMBURSEMENT BASICALLY FOR YOUR TIME.
SO FOR ME, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALMOST A THOUSAND DOLLARS OF MISSED WORK.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO GET THIS CERTIFICATION, I WANTED TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING AS A LIFEGUARD, SO I WENT AHEAD AND DID THAT.
I MISSED A A THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF WORK SO THAT I COULD DO THE TRAINING.
KNOWING THAT, UM, EVENTUALLY I WOULD GET REIMBURSED AT LEAST $400.
[00:50:01]
SO THERE WAS VERY, IT WAS SO CONFUSING.THE WHOLE PROCESS IS SO CONFUSING.
UM, YOU HAVE TO LEARN LIKE THREE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS THAT KEEPS TRACK OF YOUR HOURS, THAT KEEPS TRACK OF LIKE YOUR SCHEDULE.
AND THEN THERE'S LIKE ANOTHER ONE WHERE YOU KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PAY CARD, UH, YOUR PAY, UM, YOUR PAY STUBS.
DO YOU LIKE TO SIT DOWN OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO HANDHELD MIC.
SO I'M JUST LIKE, IS IT WORKING? IT IT, IT'LL BE GREEN IF IT'S WORKING.
SO I'M JUST A TEMPORARY WORKER AND I'M EXPECTED TO LEARN THESE THREE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS SO THAT I CAN KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING.
I'M NOT GIVING ANY INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MANY HOURS, UM, THAT I HAVE TO GO OR IF I'M GONNA GET THIS TRAINING BONUS, WHICH BY THE WAY, IT TOOK LIKE TWO AND A HALF WEEKS OR MAYBE THREE WEEKS TO ACTUALLY GET ME ON THE SCHEDULE.
SO, YOU KNOW, FOR ME IT'S FINE, I CAN PICK UP OTHER WORK.
BUT FOR KIDS WHO ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN BETWEEN THEIR, YOU KNOW, HIGH SCHOOL SEMESTERS OR THEIR COLLEGE SEMESTERS, IF YOU DON'T START FOR TWO OR THREE WEEKS, THEN IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO GET THE BONUSES.
SO YOU'RE KIND OF LIKE DANGLED THIS CARROT OF LIKE 20, YOU KNOW, ISH DOLLARS AN HOUR, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT LIKE THREE WEEKS ANYWAY.
SO THE HR DEPARTMENT IS THE WORST DEPARTMENT AT PART.
SO, UM, I'M SORRY, I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE HAVING THIS LIKE, PRESENTATION WHERE THEY'RE BEING RECOGNIZED.
UM, IT IS VERY, VERY, LIKE, IT IS A JOKE TO PEOPLE WHO WORK IN PART THAT THEY WOULD BE RECOGNIZED.
UM, WHAT WE NEED IS A PART THAT ACTUALLY STICKS UP FOR ITS WORKERS, THAT LISTENS TO ITS WORKERS WHEN THEY COME FORWARD AND THEY SAY, WE NEED TO HAVE AN INTERVENTION, WE NEED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE SOME TYPE OF TRAINING.
AND THEN WE GET IT SHUT DOWN AND THOSE CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO EXIST.
WHEN I WAS AT A COMMUNITY MEETING LAST WEEK, I HEARD THAT THERE WERE NO LIFEGUARDS AT THE POOL OVER ON THE EAST SIDE AND THEY HAD TO CLOSE DOWN THAT POOL.
IT'S BECAUSE LIFEGUARDS DON'T WANNA GO OVER THERE AND WORK.
IT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE SENSITIVITY TRAINING AT PARK.
IS THAT THE ONLY SPEAKER, MR. BECK? YEAH.
I DUNNO WHAT'S HAPPENING, HAPPENING.
AND WE CAN SEE IF YOU SAID DOWN TO CLICKER.
UM, I WANT TO GO OVER BRIEFLY, UM, ABOUT THE PARKS AND REC HR DIVISION, UM, LISTED AS THE PARKS, UH, TEAM, OUR DIVISION TEAM.
SO THE PARK HR DIVISION HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN SUPPORTING THE DEPARTMENT IN ALL AREAS OF HUMAN RESOURCES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.
I WANNA POINT OUT SOME NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
THE FIRST SLIDE IS EMPLOYMENT.
UH, MY EMPLOYMENT TEAM HAS REDUCED TOTAL NUMBER OF VACANCIES FROM 158.5 RIGHT AT 20% IN JANUARY OF 2023 TO 69, WHICH IS BELOW 9%.
UH, WE MET THE DEMAND FOR HIRING, UH, STAFF FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS, WHICH INCLUDED HIRING ENOUGH STAFF TO OPEN ALL THE POOLS LAST YEAR.
UM, MY EMPLOYMENT TEAM HAS ALSO OFF ONBOARDED AND OFF BOARDED OVER 2000 TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES IN THAT TIME.
UH, WE'VE CREATED NUMEROUS REPORTS IN ORDER TO, UM, DETERMINE, UH, AND REPORT, UM, AND GIVE SNAPSHOTS TO THE DIVISION AND TO THE DEPARTMENT TO SEE WHERE WE'RE AT IN REAL TIME.
SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF DASHBOARDS UP HERE.
ONE IS, UH, JUST THE TOP PART OF OUR VACANCY REPORT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE FAR RIGHT SIDE THAT WE HAVE 69 VACANCIES.
WE'VE HIRED 205 EMPLOYEES SO FAR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND, UH, THAT'S A QUICK SNAPSHOT FOR ALL THE DIVISION MANAGERS AND, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTORS, SO THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE AT IN REAL TIME HIRING.
THE NEXT UM, UH, DASHBOARD IS TOPS, IT'S A TEMPORARY ON AND OFF-BOARDING PROCESS SIMPLIFIED THAT WE CREATED, UH, WITH THE ISM TEAM
[00:55:01]
IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE FLOW, UH, AND SEAMLESSLY, UM, HIRE OUR TEMPORARY STAFF.SO, UH, THIS DIGITAL, UM, PLATFORM THAT WAS CREATED IS REALLY, UH, HELPFUL, UH, IN HIRING AND HELPS WITH PROCESS FLOW AS FAR AS MAINTAINING A LOT OF DATA.
UM, SO THERE'S NOT AS MUCH DRIVING BACK AND FORTH TO THE POOLS TO, UH, THE PARDON MAIN FOR, UH, PAPERWORK, UH, BENEFITS AND PAYROLL.
UH, THE PAYROLL TEAM SUCCESSFULLY PAID OUT HUNDREDS OF SUMMER BONUSES IN 2023.
UM, I DO AGREE THAT SOMETIMES IT TOOK A COUPLE OF PAY PERIODS, UM, TO GET THEM TO EMPLOYEES, UM, BUT WE HAD ALMOST 100% ACCURACY RATE.
UM, THEY ALSO FACILITATED A UKG ROLLOUT, UM, WHICH DOES, WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL SYSTEM THAT WAS ROLLED OUT LAST YEAR.
UM, SO IT DEFINITELY MADE, UH, PAYROLL A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEX LAST YEAR.
UH, THE BENEFITS SIDE HAS BEEN ABLE TO, UH, IMPROVE THE LEAVE MANAGEMENT AND BENEFITS PROCESS, UH, AND TO HELP ENSURE THAT, UH, THE PARTS STAFF HAVE ALL ACCESS, UH, TO, UH, CITY BENEFITS.
THIS IS THE DASHBOARD WE CREATED FOR BONUSES.
UM, AND OVER THE PAST YEAR WE'VE PAID OUT 1,409 BONUSES FOR APPROXIMATELY $380,000, UH, 814 CERTIFICATION BONUSES, UH, FOR EMPLOYEES, UH, AND STAFF WHO WENT THROUGH, UM, LIFEGUARD TRAINING.
UH, AND THAT WAS ALL DONE BY ONE, ONE PERSON, PAID ALL THOSE OUT AND ENTERED THEM INTO OUR PAYROLL SYSTEM.
OUR NEXT EMPLOYEE RELATIONS NOT GONNA SHARE ANY, ANY SCREENS ON EMPLOYEE RELATIONS.
UM, BUT TWO YEARS AGO WE HAD OVER 60 ACTIVE INVESTIGATIONS.
UM, AND CURRENTLY WE'RE AT 22 ACTIVE INVESTIGATIONS.
MY EMPLOYEE RELATIONS TEAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE, UH, INVESTIGATION TIMES FROM, UH, MULTIPLE MONTHS, UM, REALLY TYPICALLY SIX TO NINE MONTHS WHEN I GOT TO PARD.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A THREE MONTH, SIX MONTH TURNAROUND AT MOST FOR, UM, OUR INVESTIGATIONS.
UM, THE, UH, ER TEAM HAS CREATED GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH ALL, UH, STAFF, UH, FRONTLINE STAFF MANAGERS, SUPERVISORS, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, LEGAL AND AFSCME, UH, UM, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING.
WE JUST HIRED A TRAINING COORDINATOR.
UM, SO ONE OF THE GAPS THAT WE FOUND, UM, IS, UM, REALLY GIVING THE TOOLS TO OUR MANAGERS AND OUR STAFF THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO, UM, THERE'S AN LMS SYSTEM THAT THE CITY HAS.
SO WE, UH, ARE NOW STARTING TO CREATE, UM, TRAININGS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS ALL THE WAY THROUGH, UH, MANAGEMENT.
UM, BASICALLY A LOT OF THE TRAINING, UM, IS GOING TO BE, UH, FOCUSED ON DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP TRAINING, UM, FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS, UM, SO THAT WHEN PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE, THEY CAN PROMOTE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO DEFINITELY SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, HAVING THAT, THAT, UM, HAVING, UM, THAT PERSON JOIN US.
UM, SAFETY'S PART OF THE HR TEAM.
UM, THEY EARNED NATIONAL RECOGNITION, UH, IN 2021.
UM, AND, UH, THAT RECOGNITION, UH, WAS, UH, A VALUABLE, THE ORGANIZATION WHO GAVE IT, UH, I'LL REREAD THAT.
THE AWARD RECOGNIZES ORGANIZATIONS WHO MADE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO, UH, ADVANCE THE SHARED MISSION OF ELIMINATING PREVENTABLE DEATHS AS A RESULT OF VEHICULAR COLLISIONS AND UNSAFE DRIVING, UH, IN AN, IN AN EFFORT.
UM, WELL, I GUESS JUST REDUCE COLLISIONS, UNSAFE DRIVING EFFORT TO ADVANCE THE ROAD TO ZERO, UH, AND WHY TRAINING IS HELPFUL.
2019 TO 2023, THE SAFETY TEAM HAS REDUCED, UH, INCIDENT STATISTICS, COST OF INCIDENTS, AND PREVENTABLE ACCIDENTS, UH, AND WERE RECOGNIZED THROUGH THE CITY, UM, FOR THEIR, UH, FOR THEIR ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROGRAM.
SO, UH, KIND OF A GAP THAT WE FOUND WAS TRAINING.
PART OF THE REASON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THE ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING, UH, POSITION WILL HELP, UM, SUPPORT, UH, THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT.
OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE UNLESS Y'ALL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ME.
ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? I WOULD JUST SAY IN, IN RELATION TO WHAT OUR SPEAKER SAID, UM, ABOUT THE TIME DELAYS FOR THE LIFEGUARDING, UM, IS ANYONE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW JUST TO EXPEDITE LIFEGUARDS, ESPECIALLY WITH SUMMER APPROACH? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, WITHOUT GETTING INTO TOO MANY DETAIL SPECIFICS ON BANNER, WHICH IS OUR HRIS SYSTEM AND OUR PAYROLL SYSTEM, UM, OUR PAYROLL SYSTEM SENDS US REPORTS OF PAYROLL PERIOD BEHIND.
AND SO EVEN THE, THE MOMENT THAT AN EMPLOYEE, AND I BELIEVE SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT, UM, CERTIFICATION, LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATION BONUS, WHICH IS $400 BONUS.
UM, ONCE THEY'RE QUALIFIED FOR THAT BONUS, WE'RE ALREADY TWO WEEKS BEHIND.
[01:00:01]
TO THE TRAINING COORDINATORS AT THE, UM, AQUATICS DIVISION TO VERIFY THAT THEY ACTUALLY CERTI, THEY ACTUALLY COMPLETED THE TRAINING AND PASSED THEIR, UH, CERTIFICATION COURSE COMES BACK TO US.WE PUT IT IN PAYROLL THAT PUTS US TWO PAY PERIODS BEHIND WHEN THEY ACTUALLY WERE, UM, COMPLETED FOR THE, WHEN THEY COMPLETED CERTIFICATION.
SO, SO THE DELAY IS MORE IN THE REPORTING PIECE FOR OUR HRIS.
UM, THE CITY'S PUTTING FORTH A NEW HRIS CALLED WORKDAY, SO HOPEFULLY WE HAVE OUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT THAT'LL KIND OF STOP SOME OF THE DELAYS.
BUT, UH, ABSOLUTELY THERE, THERE ARE TWO PAY PERIOD DELAYS IN BONUSES JUST DUE TO THE REPORTING STRUCTURE AND THE VERIFICATION STRUCTURE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PAYING 'EM OUT ACCURATELY.
ONCE YOU GUYS HAVE WORKDAY SET UP, IS EVERYTHING GONNA BE IN ONE SYSTEM VERSUS HAVING MULTIPLE SYSTEMS? GREAT QUESTION.
UH, I HAVEN'T BEEN SEEN, I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT PIECE OF IT YET.
UM, ACTUALLY I JUST GOT AN EMAIL TODAY AND MY PAYROLL TEAM WILL BE PART OF A APP PARALLEL, UH, FOR WORKDAY, UM, STARTING IN MID-MAY.
UM, SO, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN THE END PRODUCT YET.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE ABLE TO GET OUR HANDS ON IT TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF CAPABILITIES WORKDAY HAS.
UM, BUT I, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, BUT THE HOPE IS, UM, AGAIN, WITHOUT GOING INTO MUCH DETAIL, A LOT OF OUR HRS IS KIND OF A PUSH SYSTEM WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE MORE OF A PULL SYSTEM, SO ANYTHING ENTERED INTO PAYROLL SHOULD BE PULLED OUT VERSUS OUR HRS BEING DUMPED IN PAYROLL AND HAVING TO MATCH.
UM, SO, UH, THE HOPE IS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO TURN OVER THE, THE BONUSES IF WE PAY THEM, UH, MOVING FORWARD, WHICH ARE THE CERTIFICATION BONUSES WITHIN A ONE PAY PERIOD WINDOW VERSUS A TWO PAY PERIOD WINDOW, WHICH, UM, WHICH WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR EVERYBODY IN THAT I TOTALLY EMPATHIZE.
YEAH, IT TAKES SOME TIME AND IT'S JUST OUR PROCESS AND IT, IT'S NOT PART HR, IT'S JUST THE SYSTEM THAT'S PUT IN PLACE.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE PART HR IS SHORT ON EMPLOYEES? ARE YOU, ARE YOU NEEDING MORE PEOPLE? WOULD THAT BE HELPFUL? SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S AN, I MEAN, OF COURSE I'D LOVE TO SAY SURE, SEND ME 15 PEOPLE TO HELP.
UM, BUT, UM, WHAT I, I BELIEVE THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE OUTSIDE OF PART, I, I SHOWED SOME OF THE DASHBOARDS.
THE REASON I SHOWED THOSE DASHBOARDS, UM, IS BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY OF YOU ALL WERE IN PLACE IN 2022, BUT IT WAS MY FIRST YEAR APART.
AND HIRING AND BONUSES WERE REALLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE PROCESSES WE WERE PUTTING IN PLACE.
SO WE CREATED TOPS THE BONUS DASHBOARD, UM, THE VACANCY DASHBOARD TO HELP US PROCESS FLOW.
SO, UM, SO DO I THINK MORE PEOPLE WOULD HELP? I, I HATE TO SAY NO.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S A, I DON'T THINK IT'S A, A A PERSON THING WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK IT'S A PROCESS, UM, THING WITH THE, WITH THE HRIS, THE HUMAN RESOURCES INFORMATION SYSTEM, UM, THAT CORPORATE USES AND THE WAY THEY UTILIZE UKG KRONOS AND THEY DON'T INTERACT TOGETHER THE WAY THEY SHOULD, UM, TO MAKE IT A MORE FLUID PROCESS AND A MORE SEAMLESS PROCESS FOR THE EMPLOYEE.
SO, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE TO ADVOCATE FOR MORE EMPLOYEES FOR MY, FOR MY TEAM.
UM, BUT, UM, I, I HAVE A FANTASTIC TEAM.
LUCKILY SOME OF 'EM ARE HERE SUPPORTING US TODAY, SO A COUPLE OF MY EMPLOYMENT TEAM, UH, ARE HERE.
SO, UH, BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
IF YOU'RE ON HIS EMPLOYMENT TEAM, CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? SO I, SO I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, SO THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? OKAY.
AND THEN JUST SO YOU KNOW, BOARD, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, UM, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING LETTER TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION HUMAN RESOURCE TEAM WOULD READ APRIL THE 22ND, 2024.
DEAR PARKS AND RECREATION HUMAN RESOURCE TEAM, ON BEHALF OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, WE'RE WRITING TO EXPRESS OUR HEARTFELT APPRECIATION FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL EFFORTS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN PROXIMATE RECREATION HUMAN RESOURCE TEAM.
YOUR DEDICATION, UH, TO EXCELLENCE IN RECRUITMENT, HIRING PRACTICES, UTILIZATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF SUMMER BONUSES HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED.
YOUR COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING A DYNAMIC AND INCLUSIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT IS EVIDENT BY THE METICULOUS ATTENTION GIVEN TO EVERY STEP OF THE RECRUITMENT AND HIRING PROCESS.
BY EMBRACING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES, YOU HAVE STREAMLINED OPERATIONS AND ENSURED THAT THE BEST TALENTS ARE IDENTIFIED AND INTEGRATED SEAMLESSLY INTO THE TEAM.
THE EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATION OF SUMMER BONUSES REFLECTS YOUR COMMITMENT TO RECOGNIZING AND REWARDING THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF YOUR STAFF, FURTHER ENHANCING MORALE AND MOTIVATION WITHIN THE WORKFORCE.
MOREOVER, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND OUR CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SAFETY TEAM FOR THE REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT IN EARNING THE PRESTIGIOUS 2021 DDC TRAINING CENTER OF THE YEAR AWARD.
THE, THIS ESTEEMED ACCOLADE IS A TESTAMENT TO YOUR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO PROMOTING SAFETY AND PREVENTING ACCIDENTS ON OUR ROADS.
YOUR EFFORTS TO ADVANCE THE SHARED MISSION OF ELIMINATING PREVENTABLE DEATHS, RESULTING FROM VEHICLE COLLISIONS AND UNSAFE DRIVING ARE TRULY COMMENDABLE.
BY CHAMPIONING THE ROAD TO ZERO INITIATIVE, YOU'RE MAKING INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS CREATING A SAFER COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE.
[01:05:01]
UM, YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS SERVE, UH, SORRY, YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, VIEW FROM THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIORITIZING EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION IN ALL ENDEAVORS.WE'RE PROUD OF YOUR TEAM OF SUCH.
UH, WE, WE ARE PROUD OF YOUR TEAM AND COMMEND YOU FOR ALL YOUR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS.
ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND COMMITMENT.
KINDEST REGARDS, SIGNED ME AND, UH, VICE SHARE FLOWERS.
IS THERE, I WILL NOW MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS LETTER.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER VICE SHARE FLOWERS.
ALL THE, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO AND YOU'LL GET A COPY OF THIS AS WELL.
UM, AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA TAKE A SHORT BREAK.
SO IF EVERYONE CAN BE BACK AT SEVEN, UH, 16:00 PM UH, WITHOUT ANY, UH, WITHOUT ANY, UH, OBJECTION, UH, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A RECESS UNTIL SEVEN 16.
[01:14:23]
AND WE ARE RESUMING THE, UH, PARKS AND REC BOARD MEETING.
[3. Staff briefing on the draft Equity-Based Preservation Plan. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers).]
TO, UH, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.ARE THERE ANY, UH, PUBLIC, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? NO.
[01:15:01]
UH, BERTRAN, WHO IS, UH, JOINING US VIA WEBEX.SHE SHOULD BE COMING OFF MUTE IN JUST A MOMENT.
HI, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UM, CAN YOU, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN.
I AM WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND I APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING ABOUT THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.
UM, YEAH, LET'S, LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO, I LIKE TO START WITH THE, THE PLANNED VISION, UM, WHICH IS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN AUSTIN ACTIVELY ENGAGES COMMUNITIES IN PROTECTING AND SHARING IMPORTANT PLACES AND STORIES.
PRESERVATION USES THE PAST TO CREATE A SHARED SENSE OF BELONGING AND TO SHAPE AN EQUITABLE, INCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ECONOMICALLY VITAL FUTURE FOR ALL.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS IS THAT PLACE IS AT THE CORE, ALMOST A GEOGRAPHIC CENTER, BUT THE VISION IS MUCH MORE ABOUT WHO IS DOING THAT WORK AND WHAT IT IS, OR THE BENEFITS THAT THAT PRESERVATION HAS FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE AND, UM, COMMUNITIES AS A WHOLE.
THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THIS PLAN IS DIFFERENT FROM, UM, MOST CITY PLANS IN THAT IT WAS DEVELOPED BY A COMMUNITY WORKING GROUP.
HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION APPOINTED 26 COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP, AND THEY SPENT 12 MONTHS DRAFTING THE BASED PRESERVATION PLAN THAT I'M SPEAKING, UH, TO YOU ABOUT TONIGHT.
THOSE 12 PEOP OR THOSE, SORRY, THOSE 26 COMMUNITY MEMBERS HEARD FROM, UM, MANY OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS MORE THAN, UH, 275 PEOPLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN CREATING THIS DRAFT.
THEY INCLUDED OTHER COMMUNITY HERITAGE, A COMMUNITY HERITAGE SURVEY THAT SHAPED THE VISION.
UH, A TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP WITH CITY STAFF FROM 12 DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING, UH, SEVERAL PARTS STAFF FOCUS GROUPS, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, OF COURSE, AND THE ULI TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PANEL.
THIS, THESE ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, WORKING GROUP THAT CREATED THE DRAFT PLAN.
THEY COME FROM ACROSS AUSTIN, WHERE THE 26 MEMBERS LIVE IN 19 ZIP CODES.
IT'S A REALLY RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE GROUP, ROUGHLY MIRRORING AUSTIN'S DEMOGRAPHICS.
UM, IT INCLUDES A THIRD RENTERS, NOT AS HIGH AS THE CITY'S 55%, BUT, BUT A REALLY GOOD NUMBER FOR, UM, A CITY PROCESS AND PARTICULARLY A PRESERVATION PROCESS, WHICH, UM, OFTEN, UH, WE SEE MORE, A LOT MORE HOMEOWNERS AND IT, IT PEOPLE BROUGHT A REAL RANGE OF EXPERTISE FROM DEEP EXPERTISE IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION TO ARCHEOLOGY, TO PLANNING, UM, TO ANTHROPOLOGY, TO REALLY DEEP CONNECTIONS WITH THEIR, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS AND, UM, LONG FAMILY HISTORIES IN AUSTIN.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M GONNA SPEND JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES GIVING YOU A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE DRAFT PLAN.
THE DRAFT PLAN INCLUDES 108 DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS UNDER 14 GOALS THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ THROUGH THEM, UM, ONE BY ONE.
I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THESE GOALS IN THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS UNDER THEM DO REFLECT HISTORIC PRESERVATION GOALS FROM THE OUR PARKS, OUR FUTURE HARD LONG RANGE PLAN.
UM, THANKS TO THE, THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE PARK STAFF MEMBERS AND THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP.
THE OTHER THING I'LL NOTE HERE IS THAT THESE GOALS ARE REALLY BROAD.
THEY, THEY RANGE FROM, YOU KNOW, TELLING AUSTIN'S FULL HISTORY TO SOME NUTS AND BOLTS THINGS.
I'LL, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT AND THEN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.
SO, THOSE 14 GOALS ARE DIVIDED INTO THREE THEMES, AND I'M GONNA TALK RUN THROUGH THOSE QUICKLY.
THE FIRST THEME IS WHAT WE PRESERVE.
AND THE BASIC IDEA BEHIND IT IS REALLY TO THINK BROADLY TO RECOGNIZE OUR CITY'S, UH, RICH AND, AND VERY COMPLICATED HISTORY THROUGH ACT BETTER AND MORE ACTIVE LISTENING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MORE INCLUSIVE RESEARCH AND INTERPRETATION TO BETTER RECOGNIZE AND PROTECT LEGACY BUSINESSES AND MURALS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE, AS WELL AS DEVOTING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO ARCHEOLOGY AND TO USE PRESERVATION TOOLS TO SUPPORT, UH, BIGGER COMMUNITY GOALS LIKE DISPLACEMENT PREVENTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, THE, UH, CERTAINLY I THINK THE DRAFT PLAN HAS LEARNED FROM THE WORK THAT PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS IS DONE AND CONTINUES TO DO AROUND, UM, PROMOTING LOCAL HISTORY AND PARKS THROUGH HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS AND MARKERS, INTERPRETIVE PANELS AND PROGRAMMING.
SO THAT WAS A REALLY NICE, UM, UH, KIND OF INPUT INTO DEVELOPING THE DRAFT PLAN.
THE SECOND THEME IS WHO PRESERVES THE IDEA BEHIND THIS ONE IS TO BETTER
[01:20:01]
INVITE AND SUPPORT A WIDER VARIETY OF PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION DECISION MAKING, UM, DESIGNATION AND ADVOCACY WORK.UH, WE ALSO HOPE TO STREAMLINE AND BETTER EXPLAIN OUR HISTORIC REVIEW AND DESIGNATION PROCESSES TO THE PUBLIC.
IT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE WITH CITY PROCESSES, BUT IT'S REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL.
AND FINALLY, UM, THE LAST BULLET ON HERE SPEAKS TO ENGAGING NEW PARTNERS AND AUDIENCES, AND THAT RECOGNIZES SOME ISSUES WITH TRUST AND, UM, THAT COME FROM, UH, THE WAY THE CITY HAS TREATED CERTAIN COMMUNITIES IN THE PAST, ESPECIALLY HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES.
AND SO REALLY WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERS TO REACH, UM, AUDIENCES THAT, THAT HAVEN'T BEEN AS INVOLVED IN PRESERVATION.
THE THIRD THEME IS WHO WE PRESERVE, OR SORRY, HOW WE PRESERVE AND, UM, THE, UH, THE IDEA HERE IS TO BE MORE STRATEGIC AND MORE EFFECTIVE IN, IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND THESE, THESE ARE REALLY NUTS AND BOLTS RECOMMENDATIONS IN IMPROVING, UM, THE, THAT, THAT HOW OF, OF PRESERVATION TO UPDATE OUR DESIGNATION CRITERIA, UH, TO REFLECT MODERN STANDARDS, SUPPORT THE STEWARDS OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES, MOSTLY PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS WITH A, UM, BROADER RANGE OF TOOLS AND INCENTIVES TO BE MORE STRATEGIC WITH OUR REVIEW TO IMPROVE ENFORCEMENT PROCESSES, WHICH HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE AND TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN COLLABORATIVELY.
SO I WANTED TO PULL OUT SOME, ESPECIALLY RELEVANT RECOMMENDATIONS, ALTHOUGH THIS, THIS IS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT THESE ARE THE MOST RELEVANT, BUT, BUT I THOUGHT THESE, UM, I THINK IT'S USEFUL FOR, UH, BOARD MEMBERS TO SEE SOMETIMES, LIKE THIS IS THE EXACT LANGUAGE OF THE PLAN.
EACH OF THESE HAS SOME SUBTEXT, BUT, UM, SO THESE, UH, AND THEN THE, THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATION NUMBERS IN PARENTHESES, BUT TO TELL THE FULL STORIES OF HISTORIC PLACES IN AUSTIN THROUGH INTERPRETATION, LIKE I KNOW THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ART IS WORKING ON VERY ACTIVELY TO CREATE A WAY TO DESIGNATE EXTERIOR MURALS FOR HISTORIC OR CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE INCENTIVES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS CONSENT TO DEVELOP AN ADDENDUM FOR LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT.
WE ALREADY HAVE CITYWIDE HISTORIC DESIGN STANDARDS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT STANDARDS AS PART OF THAT TO ENSURE SIGNIFICANT ARCHEOLOGICAL RESOURCES ARE RECOGNIZED.
AND PLANNING FOR CITY PROJECTS TO DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH ADULTS AROUND PRESERVATION AND LOCAL HISTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED ARCHEOLOGY, HIGHLIGHT PEOPLE, UH, THE CRAFTSPEOPLE WHO WORK IN HISTORIC BUILDINGS, INCLUDING, UM, CERTAINLY INCLUDING HARD STAFF AND TO REMOVE VARIOUS TO HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF CITY AND EQUITY, WHICH IS KIND OF, KIND OF A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT'S IN THE DRAFT PLAN OF THOSE 108 RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO I'LL, UH, SPEND JUST A COUPLE MINUTES TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO WE ARE, WE HAVE ABOUT A MONTH LEFT IN OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WINDOW.
UM, MAY 31ST IS THE LAST DAY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT PLAN.
WE ARE HO HOSTING MONTHLY EVENTS.
I, UM, FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
SOME OF THEM ARE FOCUSED ON PARTICULAR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
WE ACTUALLY HAD TO CANCEL, OR WE HAD TO POSTPONE THE BLOCK PARTY THIS PAST SATURDAY DUE TO THE THREAT OF WEATHER, BUT WE WILL RESCHEDULE IT IN MAY.
AND THEN ON MAY 23RD, WE'LL HAVE A COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE AT THE BROKEN SPOKE.
WE'RE DOING PRESENTATIONS AT EXISTING MEETINGS, UH, COMING TO THE CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS LIKE THIS ONE, SPEAKING TO COMMUNITY GROUPS, WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE CONVENING THEIR MEMBERS TO PROVIDE DIRECT FEEDBACK AND WORKING WITH AIS, SDS, PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS TO REACH THE FAMILIES THAT THEY SERVE.
WE'RE ALSO DOING POPUP OUTREACH AT COMMUNITY EVENTS.
UM, USUALLY BETWEEN FIVE AND EIGHT EVENTS PER MONTH, JUST SHOWING UP AT THE TABLE AND SOME FLYERS AND INVITING PEOPLE TO, UM, ABOUT THE PLANNING EFFORT.
WE ARE LUCKY TO BE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, TO HELP TO GET THE WORD OUT TO FOLKS.
WE HAVE 10 PAID COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS WHO ARE REACHING OUT TO THEIR NETWORKS AND GETTING FEEDBACK ON THE PLAN.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH FIVE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
THE PHOTO HERE IS THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THOSE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, UM, AND THEY'RE REACHING OUT TO THEIR, THEIR NETWORKS VIA FOCUS GROUPS AND TABLING AND, UM, HOSTING, UH, LARGER EVENTS AS WELL.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO GIVE INPUT AND FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT PLAN.
UH, THIS IS WHERE I REALLY START TO GO TO, TO, I'M PUTTING ON MY SORTING HAT, PLEASE.
WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU, UM, AND YOUR COMMUNITIES.
YOU CAN REVIEW THE DRAFT PLAN, UM, ONLINE.
OF COURSE, IT IS AVAILABLE AS A PDF AND ALSO AS A WEBSITE.
SO YOU CAN GO THROUGH, YOU CAN JUMP TO A GOAL THAT THAT MATTERS TO YOU AND PROVIDE DIRECT FEEDBACK AND SLIDER FORMS. UM, ON THE, UH, ON ONLINE YOU CAN ALSO FIND THE DRAFT PLAN IN PAPER COPIES AT BRANCH LIBRARIES IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
WE HAVE A A COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR FOLKS WHO AREN'T GOING, WHO DON'T WANT TO READ THE WHOLE DRAFT PLAN OR EVEN A, A GOAL OF THE DRAFT PLAN.
THE COMMUNITY SURVEY TAKES ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE AND WE ALSO HAVE PAPER COPIES AT THE EVENTS WHERE WE ARE TABLING, UM, LOOKING FOR YOU TO DO THAT.
[01:25:01]
AND YOU'RE ALSO WELCOME TO COME TO COME TO EVENTS.AS I MENTIONED, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BEGAN IN EARLY FEBRUARY.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE PRESERVATION PLAN WORKING GROUP AND THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION TO REVISE THE PLAN THIS SUMMER.
UH, COME BACK TO YOU AND OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS FOR, UH, A FORM, A POTENTIAL FORMAL RECOMMENDATION IN THE FALL WITH THE FINAL PLAN.
AND THEN WE'RE HOPING TO TAKE IT TO COUNCIL FOR REVIEW AND ADOPTION IN DECEMBER.
ALRIGHT, THAT IS, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THE WEBSITE.
WE WOULD, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND I HOPE YOU'LL LET LET FOLKS, UM, KNOW WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED.
ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
YOU MENTIONED, UM, HAVING INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT LOCAL LIBRARIES.
AND I APOLOGIZE IF I MISSED IF YOU, UM, SAID ANYTHING ABOUT OUR RECREATION CENTERS, BUT ARE THERE, UM, IS THERE INFORMATION THAT OUR RECREATION CENTERS OR SENIOR FACILITIES WE ARE, YES, SORT OF.
UM, WE, I KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS WITH THE MINI GRANTS ARE, UM, HAVE DONE OUTREACH AT AT COMMUNITY CENTERS, UM, AND SENIOR AND SENIOR CENTERS.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE, AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS HAVE FLYERED AT, AT RECREATION CENTERS.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE LIBRARIES, UM, HAVE A CENTRAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM THAT IS, THAT IS VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
AND SO WE COULD DROP OFF A BOX OF, OF DRAFT PLANS AND FLYERS AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.
UM, THE RECREATION CENTERS, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE'S NOT CURRENTLY A, A CENTRAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.
SO THAT IS, I THINK FLYERING AT REC CENTERS IS STILL, UM, A GOAL AND HOPEFULLY ONE THAT WE'LL GET TO IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD THE, UM, THE PERSON TIME TO, TO DO THAT YET.
YEAH, I JUST THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY IF THEY'RE, IF SOME PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEM AT CERTAIN REC CENTERS AND THEN OTHERS AREN'T AT OTHERS, THEN IT'S NOT REALLY EQUITABLE THERE.
UM, KARA, THIS IS BOARD MEMBER HOLLY REED.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS.
I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK HAS GONE INTO IT AND I'VE BEEN KIND OF FOLLOWING IT ALONG.
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE ON THIS PRESERVATION PLAN.
AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION, UM, REGARDING THIS WOULD PROBABLY BE REGARDING PARK PRESERVATION.
YOU SAY, UM, IN THE RELEVANT RECOMMENDATIONS, REMOVE BARRIERS TO HISTORIC DESIGNATION OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY.
CAN YOU, UM, JUST QUICKLY TELL US WHAT SOME OF THE BARRIERS ARE CURRENTLY THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO HAVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF, OF CITY OWNED PROPERTY? GREAT.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND I THINK IT IS.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TO, TO SEND A RESPONSE TO, UM, THE, THE BOARD LIAISON AND HE CAN PASS IT OUT, PASS IT ALONG TO Y'ALL.
UM, I'M NOT CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE HISTORIC ZONING SPACE AND IT HAS BEEN A FEW YEARS SINCE I'VE DONE THAT WORK.
AND I, I KNOW, UH, WHEN WE PUT THAT RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS JUST TO SAY I CAN HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR YOU, BUT I DON'T WANNA MAKE SOMETHING UP.
UM, AND I DON'T HAVE, UH, I THINK A CLEAR, A CLEAR SENSE OF THAT AT THIS MOMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS?
ALL RIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO EITHER SEEING YOU OR SOMEONE, UH, ON YOUR TEAM, UH, HERE IN A FEW MONTHS.
ALRIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE NOW MOVING ON
[4. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department community engagement events, planning updates, development updates, maintenance updates, program updates and administrative updates. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers). (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Urban Public Spaces, Park Access for All).]
TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR.SO, UH, KIMBERLY MCNEELY SERVING AS THE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR, AND, UH, TIM JUST REMINDED ME, I ONLY HAVE TWO AND A HALF HOURS TO GET THROUGH THIS, SO I'LL DO MY BEST.
UM, ON PAGE ONE, PLEASE KNOW THAT, UH, I WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE ALL ABILITIES PLAYGROUND AT ONION CREEK.
WE'RE GOING THROUGH A SECOND ROUND OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, FOR THAT PARTICULAR PLAYGROUND.
AND IT IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
AT THE VERY FIRST VIRTUAL MEETING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES HELPED KICK IT OFF.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN PROVIDING FEEDBACK, UM, PLEASE JOIN THE ZOOM CALL.
[01:30:01]
WAS SATURDAY.I THOUGHT IT WAS THIS COMING SATURDAY.
UM, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU, YOU HEARD FROM FORMER BOARD MEMBER MOORE, AND WE ARE WORKING ON, UH, THE, UH, VIRTUAL MEETING FOR, UH, BOMB ROAD VISION PLAN.
AND SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, HERE'S ONE THAT YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN.
IT WAS TWO, IT'LL BE TUESDAY, UH, MAY 14TH.
UM, WE ARE WORKING ON THIS IN THE PLANNING, IN THE PLANNING SECTION UNDER NUMBER THREE.
YOU WILL SEE THAT THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT COMBINING DISTRICT AND DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM WILL BE SOMETHING THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, UH, WILL, UM, WILL REVIEW.
AND IT WILL ALSO BE TAKEN UP BY THE COUNCIL MEETING, UH, COUNCIL OFFICES.
PLEASE KNOW, YOU PROBABLY SAW IN THE PAPER THAT THERE WAS A RULING, UM, UH, AGAINST THE CITY, OR NOT IN FAVOR OF THE CITY'S POSITION ABOUT AURS.
AND SO THERE'LL BE SOME MORE DISCUSSIONS AS TO HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT VISION PLANNED.
UM, WE HAD A CELEBRATORY OPPORTUNITY ON APRIL 18TH WHERE CITY COUNCIL AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KHAZARS OFF, I BEG YOUR PARDON, CONGRESSMAN, UH, GREG K'S OFFICE, UH, CELEBRATED THE WISHBONE BRIDGE THAT IS HAPPENING, UM, NEAR LONGHORN DAM.
AND PLEASE KNOW THAT CONGRESSMAN KAZAR PRESENTED A CHECK FOR $4.12 MILLION IN FEDERAL EARMARKS FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, AND KNOW THAT THIS BODY'S VERY INTERESTED IN THE GENERAL BOND OBLIGATION AND THE EXPENDITURE.
SO PLEASE SEE ON PAGE FIVE, THERE'S AN OUTLINE AND IT'S CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX TO HELP, YOU KNOW, UH, THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN SPENT AND THE MONEY THAT IS STILL AVAILABLE.
I KNOW THAT WE'RE VERY INTERESTED, UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE PARKS BOARD HAS RECEIVED, UH, LOTS OF COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT ACCESS TO BALL FIELDS.
AND SO THERE IS, UH, A HIGHLIGHT ON PAGE SEVEN FOR THE, UH, OSWALD AB CAN TWO PAN AM AMERICAN RECREATION CENTER, PAN-AMERICAN RECREATION CENTER, THAT THE, THE BALL FIELD HAS BEEN UPGRADED.
AND PLEASE KNOW, WHILE IT'S NOT LISTED IN HERE, WE DO HAVE SOME CONCENTRATED EFFORTS ON TRYING TO INCREASE ACCESS TO OUR BAR BALL FIELDS.
AND SO YOUR FEEDBACK AS YOU RECEIVE IT FROM CONSTITUENTS, IF, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS OR FORWARD IT TO OUR DEPARTMENT, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO TAKE THAT INFORMATION AS WE TRY TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT IMPROVING ACCESS.
THE REST OF THIS, UH, UH, OF OUR, UM, REPORT IS MANY, MANY PAGES OF ALL THE GREAT PROGRAMMING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING, UM, THROUGHOUT OUR PARK SYSTEM.
I DO WANNA DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE 19 WHERE WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ZILKER SHUTTLE.
PLEASE KNOW THAT THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO TAKE MONIES FROM OTHER AREAS, RIGHT? SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY DEDICATED MONEY SPECIFICALLY FOR SHUTTLING, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE MONIES FROM OTHER AREAS.
AND UNDER THE GREAT LEADERSHIP OF ASSISTANT DIRECTOR LEONNA VOCA, WE WILL HAVE AN INTERNAL AND AN EXTERNAL SHUTTLE THAT WILL HELP US TO, UH, ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO NOT PARK AT ZILKER AND IF THEY DO PARK AT ZILKER, TO, TO PARK IN AREAS THAT ARE, UH, MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY APPROPRIATE.
AND WE'RE BE HOSTING THAT, UH, FROM MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH LABOR DAY.
WE DID HAVE A GREAT ECLIPSE, UM, AND A GREAT ECLIPSE EVENT IN MULTIPLE PARKS WHERE, UH, WE HAD MANY, MANY VISITORS.
OVER 4,000 INDIVIDUALS CAME TO ZILKER PARK FOR THAT PARTICULAR EVENT.
BUT THERE WERE ALSO, UH, MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT CAME TO OTHER PARKS.
UH, ONION CREEK SOCCER COMPLEX.
THERE WAS OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE, OR APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED PEOPLE, MARY MOORE SEAWRIGHT, 400 PEOPLE.
UM, AND SO IT WAS A SUCCESS BY, UH, ALL MEASURES.
AND THE OTHER GREAT NEWS IS I DIDN'T HEAR A LOT ABOUT MAJOR TRAFFIC JAMS OR THOSE SUCH THINGS.
SO, UM, MANY THANKS TO LUCAS MASSEY AND HIS TEAM WHO DID ALL THE PROGRAMMING AND ALL OF THE INGRESS, EGRESS AND TRAFFIC PLANNING FOR THOSE PARTICULAR EVENTS.
UM, SO WITH THAT SAID, I THINK THAT THOSE ARE ALL THE OTHER, THOSE ARE ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT, UM, I CARE TO HIGHLIGHT RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY READ THE 23 PAGE REPORT AT YOUR LEISURE AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE PICTURES TOO.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR MCNEELY, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, THE DIRECTOR? NO, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR KIKA FOR, UM, THE GETTING THE SHUTTLE ON BOARD FOR THIS SUMMER FOR FOR ZILKER PARK AND FOR BARTON SPRINGS.
THAT, THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
UM, I KNOW LANE ISN'T HERE, BUT, WELL, I'LL LET HIM EMAIL, BUT I THINK HE'S GONNA, HE'S GONNA PROBABLY ASK FOR SOMETHING RELATED TO THE BALL BASEBALL FIELDS, THE ADDED NEXT AGENDA ITEM.[01:35:01]
YEAH, ANYWAYS, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.SOMETHING YOU'RE GONNA SAY
SO, UM, THAT'LL BE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM FOR NEXT MONTH.
UM, ANY OTHER FUTURE CHAIR? UM, YES.
UM, I'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT, UM, THE, THE SITUATION WITH, UM, TED EUBANKS AND WHY THERE WAS NOT A HEARING AT THE COUNCIL FOR HIS CONFIRMATION.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE A COUNCIL EXPLANATION FOR THAT, FOR THAT PROCESS.
ALSO, UM, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST A PRESENTATION ON THE REED PARK WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
UM, POSSIBLY IF I CAN, IF WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT IN PART CAN GIVE A PRESENTATION ON WHERE THAT STANDS RIGHT NOW FOR THE MAY MEETING, WE'RE WRITING THEM ALL DOWN BOARD MEMBERS.
JUST KNOW WE'RE WRITING FURIOUSLY.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? BOARD MEMBERS? ALRIGHT.
I'M SORRY, I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT IN MAY RIGHT, OUR, I'M GONNA GIVE THE MICROPHONE TO TIM TO REMIND EVERYBODY OUR MAY MEETING'S JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
HEY, BOARD MEMBERS JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT FOR OUR MAY UH, PARKS BOARD MEETING, IT'LL BE HAPPENING ON THE THIRD MONDAY OF THE MONTH, THAT'S MAY 20TH.
OH, INSTEAD OF THE FOURTH MONDAY OF THE MONTH, WHICH IS MEMORIAL DAY, AND WE'LL BE MEETING ACROSS THE HALL HERE AT CITY HALL.
WE'LL BE IN THE BOARDS COMMISSIONS ROOM.
ADDITIONALLY, JUST TO GET AHEAD OF THIS ONE, THE JUNE PARKS BOARD MEETING, UH, WE'LL BE HELD AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER WHERE WE HELD THE MARCH MEETING.
THAT IS BECAUSE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS IS BEING REUPHOLSTERED.
IT IS NOW 7 42 AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, I'M ADURING THE MEETING OF THIS MEETING OF THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD.