[Call to Order]
[00:00:10]
UH, WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING.
THIS IS THE LONG STANDING GATHERING OF THE THREE PRINCIPAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, UH, IN, UH, IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UH, AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT REPRESENTATIVES.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, A NUMBER OF INTERESTING ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY, BUT WE'RE GONNA START WITH PUBLIC COMMENT.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? IF NOT, WE'LL PROCEED TO THE AGENDA.
[II. Approval of Minutes]
UM, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.DOES ANYONE HAVE, UH, HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF APRIL 1ST? I APPROVAL THE SECOND.
UH, COMMISSIONER TRILLIAN, UH, MOVES APPROVAL.
ALL THOSE, ANY COMMENT? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY ALICE ALTER.
NEED HIS FIRST NAME? COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER, NOT THE OTHER ALTAR.
OPPOSED? WE'RE NOT USED TO HAVING BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
I'LL JUST BE THE OTHER ALT ALTER.
ALRIGHT, THAT APPROVE, THAT PASSES WITH NO OBJECTIONS.
[III. Childcare & After-School TRE Update]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UM, AN UPDATE ON CHILDCARE AND AFTERSCHOOL TRE.AND WE HAVE SEVERAL PRESENTERS COMING DOWN.
THEY'LL INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AGAIN.
I'M COREY DARLING WITH TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
I'M HERE TODAY WITH MY COLLEAGUE, HILDA RIVAS, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRAVIS COUNTY CARES RESOLUTION, UH, TO INCREASE ACCESS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER SERVICES FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, THE TRAVIS COUNTY CARES INITIATIVE BUILDS ON THE WORK OF MANY OTHERS, INCLUDING, UM, MANY FOLKS HERE TODAY IN THIS ROOM, UM, INCLUDING PROVIDERS, PLANNERS, LEADERS AND ADVOCATES IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH SERVICES FIELD WHO'VE WORKED FOR MANY YEARS TO STRENGTHEN THESE SYSTEMS AND CREATE GREATER ACCESS TO CARE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, MORE SPECIFICALLY, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE AND CREDIT THE CHILDREN'S FUNDING PROJECT WORKING GROUP AUSTIN COHORT AND THE ANDY RODDICK FOUNDATION LEARN ALL THE TIME NETWORK FOR DEVELOPING THE STRATEGIES AND MUCH OF THE CONTENT THAT WE'VE INCLUDED IN OUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
OH, NOPE, STAND ON THE AGENDA SLIDE PLEASE.
PLEASE, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, UH, UH, SAY FOR THE RECORD THAT, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER HAS BEEN THE CHIEF, UH, PERSON LEADING THIS INITIATIVE FOR, UM, ALMOST TWO YEARS.
SO I, I THINK SHE NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED ALONG WITH THE OTHER GROUPS.
UM, FOR THE ON THE AGENDA, UM, CAN YOU GO BACK ONE SLIDE, PLEASE? I'M SORRY.
CAN YOU GO BACK? ONE SLIDE? YES.
ON THE AGENDA, WE'LL SHARE SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
WE'LL DESCRIBE WHY INVESTMENT TO INCREASE ACCESS TO CHILDCARE IS SO IMPORTANT.
WE'LL DISCUSS THE FOUR RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AND QUALITY OF CARE.
WE'LL REVIEW THE IMPACT THIS INITIATIVE WILL HAVE ON FAMILIES AND ON THE CHILDCARE SYSTEM, AND SHARE THE ESTIMATED COST OF IMPLEMENTATION.
WE'LL TOUCH ON THE BIG PICTURE PLAN RELATED TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND OVERSIGHT OF THIS INITIATIVE, AND WE'LL WRAP UP WITH DISCUSSING THE NEXT STEPS AND THE TIMELINE.
SO, AS SOME BACKGROUND OF HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY, UM, SUCCESS BY SIX, A LOCAL COALITION LED BY UNITED WAY THAT COORDINATES EARLY CHILDHOOD EFFORTS, PARTNERED WITH THE CHILDREN'S FUNDING PROJECT, A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES TA SUPPORT TO UNDERSTAND THE GAPS IN FUNDING OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
USING THAT DATA, THE CHILDREN'S FUNDING PROJECT WORK GROUP, AUSTIN COHORT, WHOSE MEMBERS INCLUDED THE UNITED WAY EARLY MATTERS, GREATER AUSTIN, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND TRAVIS COUNTY, HHS AND COMMISSIONER'S COURT STAFF WORKED WITH THE ANDY RODDICK FOUNDATION, LEARN ALL THE TIME NETWORK TO DEVELOP, DEVELOP THE STRATEGIES WE'LL SHARE TODAY.
THESE STRATEGIES SEEK TO MAKE EARLY CHILDHOOD AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CARE MORE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
THEY ALSO INVEST IN QUALITY, GROW THE WORKFORCE, AND STRENGTHEN THE SYSTEM.
BUILDING ON ALL OF THIS WORK THAT HAD OCCURRED ON MAY 14TH, 2024, THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT PASSED THE TRAVIS COUNTY CARES RESOLUTION TO HOLD A TAX RATE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER OF 2024 FOR A 2.50 CENT PROPERTY TAX INCREASE TO FUND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED STRATEGIES
[00:05:01]
TO EXPAND ACCESS TO CARE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.UM, SO THIS SLIDE TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WHY BEHIND THIS INITIATIVE, MUCH OF THE INFORMATION I'M SURE MANY OF Y'ALL ARE AWARE OF, BUT WE KNOW THAT INVESTING IN QUALITY CHILDCARE HAS SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE IMPACTS FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THAT QUALITY CHILDCARE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN SUPPORTS HEALTHY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT DURING THE MOST CRITICAL PERIOD AND IMPROVES KINDERGARTEN READINESS, QUALITY CHILDCARE, AND AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING SUPPORTS CHILDREN'S SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND ONGOING POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.
AND IN FAMILIES WITH ACCESS TO CARE, PARENTS ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION, INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE WORKFORCE, AND IMPROVE THEIR FAMILY'S ECONOMIC STABILITY.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT BUSINESSES BENEFIT FROM A GROWING AND MORE STABLE WORKFORCE, AND THE COMMUNITY OVERALL BENEFITS FROM THE INCREASED REVENUE IN THE ECONOMY.
STUDIES SHOW THAT ONE, EVERY $1 INVESTED IN QUALITY CHILDCARE YIELDS ABOUT $9 RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS SOME FIGURES RELATED TO THE 2.50 CENT TAX RATE INCREASE TO FUND CHILDCARE.
THIS WOULD GENERATE ABOUT $76.75 MILLION ANNUALLY AND WOULD HAVE AN ANNUAL ESTIMATED IMPACT OF $122 TO THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER.
AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO HILDA TO COVER THE RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES.
THE TRE BRINGS TOGETHER FOUR CAREFULLY DEVELOPED STRATEGIES FOR INVESTING THE DEDICATED FUNDING TO INCREASE ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY OF CHILDCARE.
THESE STRATEGIES WERE DEVELOPED USING GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO GROUND SOLUTIONS IN LOCAL DATA, SEEK EQUITY, LEVERAGE EXISTING ASSETS, AND TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY AND EFFICIENCY.
THE FOUR STRATEGIES INCLUDE EXPAND CHILDCARE SLOTS FOR BOTH EARLY CHILDHOOD AND AFTERSCHOOL SUMMER CARE, EXPAND NON-TRADITIONAL HOURS CARE, BUILD QUALITY AND CAPACITY IN BOTH EARLY CHILDHOOD AND AFTERSCHOOL SUMMER CARE.
AND FINALLY, CREATE A BUSINESS GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE.
IN THE SLIDES AHEAD, I WILL GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF EACH OF THESE STRATEGIES.
THE FIRST STRATEGY INVOLVES CONTRACTED SLOTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE.
THE INITIAL ESTIMATED IMPACT OF THIS $35 MILLION INVESTMENT IS EXPECTED TO REACH 1,878 CHILDREN BECAUSE OF THE HIGH COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING CARE AND THE RESULTING LACK OF SLOTS FOR THE INFANT TODDLER AGE GROUP.
THIS STRATEGY WOULD FOCUS ON PROVIDING ADDITIONAL FULL DAY YEAR ROUND CARE SLOTS FOR CHILDREN FROM BIRTH THROUGH AGE THREE.
THE INTENTION HERE IS TO INCENTIVIZE PROVIDERS TO CREATE ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM WITH SLOTS AND NOT MERELY SHIFT SLOTS FROM SUBSIDIZED TO CONTRACTED SLOTS.
IN ADDITION, PAYING EARLY CHILDHOOD PROVIDERS FOR CONTRACTED SLOTS WOULD INCREASE FINANCIAL STABILITY FOR PROVIDERS AND COULD RESULT IN INCREASED CASH FLOW AS PAYMENTS WILL NO LONGER BE TIED TO CHILDREN'S ATTENDANCE LIKE IT IS WITH THE SUBSIDY PROGRAM.
ALSO, LIVING WAGES FOR STAFF AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS COULD BE IMPROVED.
A KEY FEATURE OF THIS STRATEGY IS THE ABILITY TO PAY RATES THAT REFLECT THE FULL COST OF QUALITY CARE.
THESE RATES ARE BASED ON THE COST ANALYSIS THAT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION.
AND JUST FOR REFERENCE, THE CURRENT WAITING LIST HAS MORE THAN 4,000 CHILDREN AND INCLUDES OVER 2000 INFANTS AND TODDLERS.
STRATEGY ONE WOULD ALSO CREATE, UM, EXPANDED SLOTS FOR AFTER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CARE.
IT WOULD CREATE A TOTAL OF 3,897 ADDITIONAL SLOTS FOR A COST, AN ANNUAL COST OF 11.4 MILLION.
THIS STRATEGY WOULD CREATE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY THROUGH NEW CONTRACTS FOR ADDITIONAL SITES, OR INVESTING IN FUNDING ADDITIONAL SLOTS AT EXISTING SITES, THE FOCUS WOULD BE TO CREATE SLOTS IN THE LEAST RESOURCED AREAS OF TRAVIS COUNTY.
THIS STRATEGY IS KEY TO ENSURING STABLE SERVICE DELIVERY AS SERVICE PROVIDERS COULD COUNT, UM, ON A MORE CONSISTENT SOURCE OF FUNDING, THEREBY ENABLING THEIR ABILITY TO PLAN SERVICES AHEAD OF TIME, BE ABLE TO OFFER HIGHER HOURLY STAFF RATES, AND HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BUILD QUALITY PROGRAMMING.
OUR NEXT STRATEGY INVOLVES PROVIDING NON-TRADITIONAL HOUR CARE TO 1,407 CHILDREN WITH CONTRACTED OR SUBSIDY SLOTS.
NON-TRADITIONAL CARE INVOLVES CARE THAT'S PROVIDED DURING EARLY MORNING, EVENING, OR OVERNIGHT HOURS AND OR DURING WEEKENDS.
A STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE URBAN INSTITUTE FOUND
[00:10:01]
THAT CHILDREN FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO NEED NON-TRADITIONAL HOUR CARE.AND THE SUPPLY IN TRAVIS COUNTY IS DISMAL.
MANY SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE HESITANT TO OFFER THESE SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL INCURRED OPERATING COSTS AND IN COMPARISON TO THE SUBSIDY REIMBURSEMENT RATES.
STRATEGY TWO WOULD INVOLVE INVESTING 6.4 MILLION ANNUALLY TO PROVIDE ANNUAL STIPENDS TO PARTICIPATING EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE PROVIDERS.
THIS STRATEGY COULD BENEFIT CHILDREN OF ALL AGES AS IT IS NOT SPECIFIC TO A PARTICULAR AGE GROUP.
A KEY COMPONENT TO ENSURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS INVESTMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE INVOLVES THE INCORPORATION OF INITIATIVES THAT INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF PROVIDERS, IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF PROVIDERS, AND ENSURE MORE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC MODELS.
THE CHILDREN'S FUNDING WORKING GROUP IDENTIFIED THREE AREAS OF FOCUS UNDER STRATEGY THREE.
THESE AREAS INCLUDE INVESTING IN THE EXPANSION AND ONGOING MAINTENANCE OF SHARED SERVICE HUBS, PROVIDING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY OF TRAINED HOME-BASED PROVIDERS, AND PAYING FOR GAP FUNDING THAT WOULD LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD BY OFFERING ADDITIONAL PAYMENT TO EARLY CHILDHOOD PROVIDERS FOR THE SUBSIDY SLOTS, WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO USE A LOWER RE REIMBURSEMENT RATE.
TOGETHER, THESE THREE INVESTMENTS WOULD TOTAL 8.3 MILLION ANNUALLY AND COULD IMPACT AS MANY AS 300 EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE PROVIDERS.
EARLY CHILDHOOD, UM, I'M SORRY.
EARLY CHILDHOOD AND AFTERSCHOOL SUMMER CARE PROVIDERS SHARE SIMILAR SYSTEMIC ISSUES AND THUS BOTH, BOTH REQUIRE INVESTMENTS IN QUALITY AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER CARE REQUIRES AN INVESTMENT OF 2.36 MILLION ANNUALLY AND COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT AN ESTIMATED 325 AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER CARE PROVIDERS.
THE QUALITY AND CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVES INCLUDE OFFERING COORDINATED PAID TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, IMPLEMENTING A COUNTY LEVEL DATA AND OUTCOME MEASUREMENT SYSTEM, AND DEVELOPING LOCAL QUALITY PRACTICES WHILE OFFERING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, FINDING AND ESTABLISHING CAREER DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS AND IMPROVING COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION.
IN THE PLANNING PROCESS, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO GARNER AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF THE AVAILABILITY OF PROVIDERS IN AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY.
DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF A CENTRAL DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM, IMPROVING COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION COULD LEAD TO MAXIMIZE RESOURCES, AVOIDANCE OF DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS, AND IMPROVED COMMUNICATION.
AND FINALLY, STRATEGY FOUR INVOLVES THE CREATION OF A BUSINESS GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE THAT INVITES BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS TO SHARE IN THE COST OF CHILDCARE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
THIS STRATEGY ASSUMES THE MATCHING OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO PRIVATE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS, THEREBY HELPING STRETCH PUBLIC DOLLARS.
EMPLOYERS WOULD BENEFIT BY BEING ABLE TO OFFER DISCOUNTED CHILDCARE AS AN EMPLOYER BENEFIT AND COULD POTENTIALLY REDUCE ABSENTEEISM, INCREASE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION, AND INCREASE EMPLOYEE RETENTION.
THIS STRATEGY COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT 1,142 CHILDREN AND WOULD HAVE AN ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST OF 4.9 MILLION.
AS YOU CAN SEE COLLECTIVELY ON THIS SLIDE, IT'S DIFFICULT TO ASSESS THE FULL IMPACT OF THESE FOUR STRATEGIES.
WHILE SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES CAN BE DIRECTLY LINKED TO A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF CHILDREN, OTHERS CAN ONLY BE LINKED TO THE POTENTIAL EARLY CHILDHOOD AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER CARE PROVIDERS THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DESCRIBED MEASURES.
THE ESTIMATES PRESENTED HERE ARE CONSERVATIVE, AND I SUSPECT THAT THE FULL IMPACT MAY ONLY BECOME EVIDENT DURING PROGRAM EVALUATION MEASURES.
FOR EXAMPLE, MANY OF THE AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER CARE PROVIDERS ALSO PARTNER WITH A VARIETY OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHO COULD ALSO REAP THE BENEFITS OF THESE INVESTMENTS IN CAPACITY AND QUALITY BUILDING STRATEGIES.
AND NOW I'LL PASS IT OVER TO COREY.
HERE YOU CAN SEE THE COLLECTED ANNUAL COST OF THESE STRATEGIES.
THE TOTAL ASSUMES A 12.5% COST FOR GOVERNANCE, ADMINISTRATION AND EVALUATION.
THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF HOW THIS INITIATIVE WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AND OVERSEEN.
PROPERTY TAXES WILL BE COLLECTED AND THESE FUNDS WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO THE TRAVIS COUNTY HHS BUDGET.
TRAVIS COUNTY HHS WOULD SERVE AS THE ADMINISTRATING ADMINISTERING BODY TO DESIGN
[00:15:01]
AND IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAMS AND THE PROPOSED IMPLEMENTATION.THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WOULD WORK WITH PURCHASING TO PROCURE AND EXECUTE CONTRACTS.
THE BLUE BOXES SHOWN ON THE SLIDE HERE ARE ONE SCENARIO FOR HOW THESE SERVICES COULD BE BUNDLED FOR PROCUREMENT.
AT THE TOP RIGHT OF THIS DIAGRAM, YOU'LL SEE THE ROLES FOR THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE IN TERMS OF OVERSIGHT FOR THIS INITIATIVE.
THE STRUCTURE ALSO INCLUDES A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF LOCAL EXPERTS, PROVIDERS, AND PARENTS TO PROVIDE HIGH LEVEL GUIDANCE TO ENSURE IMPLEMENTATION ALIGNS WITH COMMUNITY VALUES AND NEEDS.
AND ALSO SHOWN HERE IS REGULAR INDEPENDENT EVALUATION OF THE EXPENDITURES.
AS COUNTY STAFF CONTINUES TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO OPERATIONALIZE AND LATER IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM, WE'LL NEED TO DO THIS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF STATE STATUTES THAT GOVERN THE AUTHORITY OF COUNTIES.
THIS MEANS THAT PROGRAMMING WILL NEED TO FOCUS ON SERVING THE INDIGENT POPULATION OR ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND, UM, I'LL ASK, I'LL, I'LL ASK THE QUESTION.
YOU JUST PUT IT INTO THE RECORD THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, THAT'S PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU SEE AT TITLE I SCHOOLS.
COMMISSIONER, JUST ONE TO MARK THAT UP.
THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A 10,000 FOOT VIEW OF THE NEXT STEPS IN TIMELINE.
SO STARTING AT THE TOP LEFT CORNER, ALREADY AWAY, ALREADY UNDERWAY, AND THROUGH THE SUMMER, THE CHILDREN'S FUNDING PROJECT GROUP WILL BE UNDERTAKING COMMUNITY EDUCATION.
IN THE SECOND ARROW, YOU'LL SEE THAT HHS HAS STARTED WORKING ON SEVERAL TASKS RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING.
SHOULD THE VOTERS APPROVE THE FUNDING FOR THIS INITIATIVE.
THE THIRD ARROW DESCRIBES HOW WE WOULD BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION.
THESE TASKS INCLUDE HIRING, STANDING UP THE ADVISORY COUNCIL, FINALIZING THE PROGRAM DESIGN AND PLANNING FOR AND BEGINNING SOLICITATIONS IN THE FOURTH AREA ERA, WE DESCRIBED THAT SERVICES WOULD BEGIN THROUGH A PHASED APPROACH AS POSSIBLE.
SOME SERVICES COULD BE IMPLEMENTED AS EARLY AS SUMMER 2025.
WE EXPECT MOST SERVICES WOULD BEGIN IN LATE 2025 AND THROUGHOUT 2026.
UM, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE, UM, PROPOSED TIMELINE FOR THE NEXT STEPS AROUND THE TAX RATE ELECTION.
ON OR ON OR BEFORE JULY, 2024, THERE WILL BE A VOTING SESSION ITEM TO SET THE ELECTION SCHEDULE AND INSTRUCT THAT THE ELECTION ORDER BE PREPARED ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 13TH.
THERE WILL NEED TO IS THE LAST DAY, UM, TO ORDER THE TAX TAX RATE ELECTION.
THIS WOULD INCLUDE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 TAX RATE ADOPTION OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 TAX RATE AND ORDERING THE TAX RATE ELECTION.
AND THEN NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 IS ELECTION DAY.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I CAN'T SEE.
JUST WANTED TO, TO SAY, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU MENTIONED AT THE OUTSET, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, THE WORK THAT MY COLLEAGUE ALLISON ALTER HAS DONE IS, IS A HUGE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
SO I WANT TO JUST SHARE A HUGE THANKS TO THE MANY, MANY MONTHS, UH, BUT ALSO WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY IF THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT DIDN'T TAKE THE ACTION, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
AND SO THIS IS GOING TO BE, I BELIEVE, TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR OUR REGION.
AND SO I REALLY JUST WANT TO SAY OUT LOUD, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR, UH, TAKING THIS, THIS ON.
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GONNA BE A BIG PROJECT.
AND, AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE ALL HERE TODAY IS SO THAT WE CAN ALL COLLABORATE AND HELP WHERE WE CAN.
AND SO, UH, IF THERE ARE ANY AREAS WHERE THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN STEP IN AND HELP ADMINISTER OR, YOU KNOW, LEVERAGE ANY OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING, WE STAND READY AND WILLING TO, TO HELP SO THAT MORE OF THOSE DOLLARS CAN SERVE THE KIDS.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA SEE.
SO I JUST WANT TO, TO THANK ALL THAT THAT HELPED US GET HERE AND EXCITED TO SEE WHERE, WHERE WE GO FORWARD.
UM, SO WE OFTEN IN THIS, UM, COMMITTEE SORT OF WONDER LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING? UM, AND YOU KNOW, I WANNA JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY SO THAT WE REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, UM, FIRST OF ALL, THEIR EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL'S BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES.
IT'S NOW LED BY, UM, KATHY MCC COURSE, WHO WAS PART OF THEIR, THE CHILDREN'S FUNDING PROJECT COHORT WITH ME.
BUT AT, AT THE TIME, DURING COVID, WHEN WE REALLY BEGAN,
[00:20:01]
I THINK AS THIS COMMITTEE TO SAY, OKAY, OUR CHILDCARE SYSTEM IS COLLAPSING.WHAT DO WE, WHAT DO WE DO? UM, KATHY WAS A PARTNER, BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER ILIAN AND I, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO, UM, AND, UM, TRUSTEE BOSWELL, WHO WAS THEN ON THE COMMITTEE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TOGETHER AND CREATED AN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND CHILDCARE GENERALLY, UM, NOT JUST EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKING GROUP TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS IT THAT WE NEEDED, WHAT THAT, WHAT WE WERE SEEDING, WHAT WE, WHAT WAS NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WHAT OUR STRATEGIES NEEDED TO BE.
UM, AND FROM THAT GROUP, THE CITY MADE, UM, AN $11 MILLION INVESTMENT WITH ARPA WHO MADE A $1 MILLION, UM, INVESTMENT WITH CARES.
UM, THE COUNTY MADE SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF INVESTMENT INTO CHILDCARE WITH THOSE FUNDS.
AND THOSE FUNDS WERE PUT TO WORK WITH AN EYE TO, UM, KEEP THIS ECOSYSTEM GOING DURING COVID.
UM, AND I, AND I MENTIONED THIS BECAUSE IT WAS THOSE THINGS THAT WE FUNDED AND HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND FIGURING OUT, UM, WORKING WITH UNITED WAY AND FIGURING OUT WHERE THE, THAT LED TO THE SEEDS OF FIGURING OUT WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THE NON-TRADITIONAL HOUR CARE, THE SHARED SERVICES FOR THE BUSINESSES, TRYING TO GET PEOPLE'S WAGES UP, ALL OF THOSE CAME OUT OF PILOTS THAT WE SAW WORKED.
UM, AND THAT WORK CAME OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANTED TO UNDERSCORE THAT BECAUSE, UM, WE DO SOMETIMES QUESTION, OKAY, WELL, WHY ARE WE GETTING TOGETHER? AND IT'S THE RELATIONSHIPS AND IT'S THE CONVERSATIONS AND IT'S SEATING OF, OF THESE PIECES.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT WORK BEHIND US, UM, ONCE WE FIGURED OUT THAT THIS REALLY NEEDED TO BE A COUNTY, THEN THE COUNTY COULD THEN UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JUDGE BROWN AND, AND, AND JEFF ILIAN AND WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE WHOLE COURT COULD TAKE THIS ON KNOWING THAT WE HAD THEIR BACKS AND THAT WE WOULD BE PUSHING FORWARD.
AND, AND I JUST THINK IT'S, THIS IS COLLECTIVELY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL, UH, BE PROUD OF.
UM, I WANTED TO ALSO JUST FLAG THAT FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GET INVOLVED IN THE CAMPAIGN, UM, KATHY MCCORT IS LEADING THE CAMPAIGN WITH AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE NOW.COM, AND YOU CAN GET INVOLVED AND BE, BE PART OF TALKING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS WHAT WE KNOW, WHICH IS THIS IS AN INVESTMENT THAT'S REALLY, REALLY, UM, IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, I DID HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON THE NEXT STEPS AT THE COUNTY WITH RESPECT TO VOTES THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN.
COULD YOU JUST GO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL INTO THE VOTES? BECAUSE THE INITIAL VOTE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WAS TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, YOU KNOW, TO PUT ALL THE MATERIAL TOGETHER, BUT THERE STILL NEED TO BE SOME OTHER VOTES CAN, SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THOSE VOTES ARE AND WHEN THEY WILL HAPPEN? I'LL DO MY BEST AND I'LL LOOK TO PILAR TO, TO CHIME IN.
UM, SO WE ARE WORKING FOR, UM, TO HAVE ANOTHER, UH, UPDATE TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT ON JUNE 25TH AND WORKING ON THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT THAT VOTE WILL NEED TO INCLUDE.
I THINK THERE'LL BE A VOTE THERE.
AND THEN BEYOND THAT, THERE WILL BE TWO NEXT.
UM, THERE WILL ALSO NEED TO BE THE INSTRUCTING THAT THE ELECTION ORDER BE PREPARED, AND THEN THE ACTUAL ORDERING OF THE TAX RATE ELECTION.
SO, SO, SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT THE LANGUAGE IS APPROPRIATE AND THAT THE TIMING IS APPROPRIATE AS WELL.
UH, SO WE HAVE STAFF WORKING ON THE POLICY SIDE, UH, BUT WE HAVE OUR LEGAL TEAM WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET ALL OF THE STATE STANDARDS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO CALL AN ELECTION.
SO, YEAH, UM, I WOULD KEEP THE, UM, JUNE 25TH DATE IN MIND.
UM, IF WE CAN MOVE UP THE ELECTION ORDER TO THAT DATE, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT JUST LIKE COMMISSIONER TURIN JUST SAID, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT LEGALLY WE'RE, WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT'S REQUIRED BEFORE WE CAN, BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS CAN ORDER THE ELECTION.
UM, AND THEN IF THAT HAPPENED ON JUNE 25TH, THEN THE HEARING WOULD MOVE UP TO JULY.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE FIRST TWO STEPS THERE COULD POSSIBLY MOVE UP ONE MONTH, BUT, BUT WE KNOW THAT, UH, THESE ITEMS WILL, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN POVERTY.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DOT ALL OF OUR I'S AND CROSS ALL OF OUR T'S BEFORE WE PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE, UH, THAT OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL MIGHT NOT LIKE.
UH, HE DOESN'T LIKE STUFF THAT HELPS POOR PEOPLE USUALLY.
SO, UH, SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO, UH, EVERYTHING THE RIGHT WAY.
AND, AND IF I, IF I CAN, MADAM CHAIR, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN AS A PLACE, I THINK I NEED TO TALK LOUDER, SO AL JACKSON
[00:25:01]
WON'T WALK IN HEREAND WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD HERE AND SOME OF THE POOREST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD HERE.
AND OFTENTIMES, OUR POOR PEOPLE HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME GETTING ACCESS TO THE SERVICES THAT ARE NECESSARY, UH, SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO MOVE INTO THE WORKFORCE.
I THINK THAT THIS IS A WAY TO ADDRESS INEQUITY IN, IN A VERY POSITIVE FORM.
UH, IF WE ARE LOOKING AT EARLY CHILDCARE, ZERO TO SIX, BUT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING INTO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WHAT WE SEE IN PRE-K UH, THROUGH 12 IS, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL IS MANDATORY IN TEXAS.
SO HOW CAN WE SERVE KIDS AT THOSE SCHOOLS IN A WAY THAT ADDRESSES THEIR NEEDS? UH, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE WAYS FOR US TO PARTNER WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS ARE ALSO FOOD PANTRIES.
WE'VE, THAT DISCUSSION IS ONGOING RIGHT NOW THAT, THAT OUR KIDS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THESE PROGRAMS, MM-HMM, WOULD'VE BETTER ACCESS TO FOOD AS WELL.
UH, THAT WE HAVE BETTER ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO CENTRAL HEALTH AND INTEGRAL CARE ABOUT HOW WE WORK IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR KIDS THERE.
WE THINK THAT THIS CREATES A, A REAL VEHICLE TO PROVIDE MORE SUSTAINABLE SERVICES THERE.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR WAITING LISTS, OFTENTIMES YOU SEE THAT, UH, WE'VE GOT CHILDREN ON WAITING LISTS IN MANY INSTANCES BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS TO WORK WITH THEM.
AND HOPEFULLY THIS WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO ENCOURAGE AND TRAIN AND CERTIFY, UH, CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AND TEACHERS, UH, SO THAT WE, SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE, MORE CONSISTENT SERVICES.
UH, BUT THE IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING IN A TITLE ONE ENVIRONMENT, THAT WE ARE REALLY ARE ADDRESSING, UH, THE ISSUES THAT OCCUR AROUND OUR COMMUNITIES THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE EXISTING IN POVERTY, THAT WE GIVE THE, THAT WE PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO WORK THEIR WAY UP INTO THE SYSTEM AND TO, AND TO ULTIMATELY BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A LOT OF THOSE THINGS THAT DEFINE AUSTIN IN SUCH A POSITIVE WAY.
AND MAYBE WE CAN REALLY BEGIN TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC INEQUITY AND ECONOMIC SEGREGATION, UH, THAT EXISTS TOO MUCH IN THIS COMMUNITY.
IT'S ON, IT'S ON ALL THE TIME.
UM, WELL, IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UH, COMMISSIONER TRILLIAN, UM, SINCE WE ARE THE, UM, THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF ALL THREE ENTITIES, UM, I'D LIKE US TO ALSO EVEN GO A LITTLE DEEPER AND HOW DOES THIS ALIGN? HOW CAN WE, UM, ALSO KEEP IN MIND AS WE'RE, UM, AS WE'RE BEGINNING TO GET MORE ASSISTANCE TO OUR FAMILIES IN TITLE ONE SCHOOLS, TO, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING INTO PUBLIC EDUCATION? YOU KNOW, UH, I DUNNO AT WHAT PART, WHAT POINT WE CAN BEGIN DOING THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, LET'S BUILD STRONGER SCHOOLS TOGETHER, UH, FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
UM, ALSO, UM, MENTAL HEALTH AS, AS WE BEGIN TRAINING PEOPLE FOR THESE, UH, CHILDCARE CENTERS, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO BE TRAINED ALSO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, IF WE CAN CREATE THAT CULTURE FROM THE BEGINNING TO AS THEY COME INTO SCHOOLS, THAT IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT BECOMES A NORM FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH OUR, WITH OUR CHILDREN, OUR STUDENTS.
UM, SO, SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS I, I JUST LIKE US TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE CREATE, AS, YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT HOW DO WE ALIGN WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A COLLECTIVE AND, AND, AND STRENGTHENING THE AREAS THAT EACH OF US, UM, COULD SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
LET, LEMME JUST SAY FOR THE RECORD, I, I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR, OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BUT, BUT I THINK THIS, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE, UH, SCHOOLING IS REQUIRED.
SO I, I THINK THAT THE LAR THE, IN, IN MANY SMALL CITIES, THE LARGEST PUBLIC, UH, THE LARGEST PUBLIC ENTITY, THE LARGEST AREA OF PUBLIC INFLUENCE IS THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IF YOU GO, IF YOU GO TO AADE, ADELE VALLEY, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY
[00:30:01]
DON'T HAVE A CITY COUNCIL, BUT THEY HAVE A SCHOOL DISTRICT.AND, AND, UH, SO I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GO TO THE, UH, COMMON DENOMINATOR IN A COMMUNITY.
WITH THAT, ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH.
UH, TRUSTEE CHAIR, WHAT DO I CALL YOU? WHAT'S THE RIGHT TITLE? PRESIDENT.
UM, I JUST WANNA FIRST ADD TO THE COURSE OF APPRECIATION FOR, UH, COUNCILMAN MEMBER ALTER, ALLISON ALTER FOR, FOR LEADING THIS AND TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR SUPPORTING THIS.
UM, I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL HERE, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UM, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THIS AS A BENEFIT FOR THE CURRENT EMPLOYEES, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN WORK.
BUT FOR ME, IT'S SO MUCH ABOUT THE KIDS THAT ARE GONNA BENEFIT FROM ALL OF THIS, LIKE ALL OF THESE SERVICES, AND REALLY SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS.
AND, UM, THAT, THAT'S THE PART THAT EXCITES ME THE MOST.
AND THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS, IS REALLY HUGE, UM, FOR EARLY C CHILD, FOR HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDCARE.
I DID WANNA ASK, THOUGH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT, UM, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS, UM, REGARDING CHILDCARE FOR TEACHERS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WOULD QUALIFY.
I, I DID NOTICE THAT THERE'S AN INDIGENT POPULATION, UM, SORT OF METRIC THAT YOU'RE USING IS, UH, FAMILIES WITH HOUSEHOLD INCOMES ORAH AT 250% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY INCOME GUIDELINES.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF WE KNEW WHAT THAT TRANSLATED TO IN TERMS OF ACTUAL NUMBERS, UM, SO WE CAN START THINKING ABOUT WHICH OF OUR STAFF MIGHT BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
WHOEVER WANTS TO, TO ANSWER THAT.
BUT, UM, I, I'LL JUST SAY I'VE HAD SIMILAR KINDS OF QUESTIONS, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS, UM, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY THIS IS A MULTI FOCUSED, UM, EFFORT, WHICH INCLUDES WORKFORCE, UM, DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING, WE'RE HAVING PROBLEMS EVERYWHERE, FILLING JOBS BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD CHILDCARE, SO THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO COME FILL THE JOBS THAT WE NEED FILL.
SO THAT'S PART OF MY UNDERSTANDING.
BUT WHO WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT? SO I, I RECENTLY SAW, DO YOU WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELF? I'M SORRY.
KILAR SANCHEZ COUNTY EXECUTIVE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
I RECENTLY SAW A PRESENTATION, UM, I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BY, UM, A ISD ABOUT HOW, UH, A LARGE NUMBER OF, UH, PERSONNEL A ISD PERSONNEL QUALIFY FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND THE, THE THRESHOLDS ARE VERY SIMILAR, UH, FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND SO I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S THE SAME.
SO I THINK A LOT OF YOUR, YOUR PERSONNEL WOULD QUALIFY.
UM, AND IT'S ALSO, WE WANNA KEEP IN MIND THAT THE COUNTY'S CURRENT THRESHOLD FOR OUR SERVICES IS AT 250% OF FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, BUT THE STATES, UM, THRESHOLD FOR THE CURRENT CHILDCARE SYSTEM IS HIGHER THAN THAT AT 85% OF STATE MEDIUM INCOME.
AND SO THERE IS, UM, SOME OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, UM, TO ADJUST THAT IF WE NEEDED TO.
UM, SO LONG AS WE STAYED WITHIN WHAT EITHER LOCALLY WE DEFINE AS LOW INCOME, THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL, UH, GUIDELINES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEFINES LOW INCOME AS 80% OF A MI MM-HMM.
AND THAT, UH, FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, UH, I'LL JUST SAY, AND THEN I'VE ASKED OUR, UM, HHS STAFF TO ALSO SPEAK TO THIS.
THAT IS ONE OF THE POLICY THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY POLICY DECISIONS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE AS A COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO HAVE CLEAR GUIDELINES SO THERE AREN'T MURKY, UNCLEAR WHO QUALIFIES, YOU KNOW, WHO'S ELIGIBLE FOR THIS.
SO THERE ARE, UH, WE SHOULD START A LIST.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT POLICY DECISIONS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE, UM, IN ORDER TO HAVE CLEAR COMMUNICATION, UH, ABOUT THIS TRE.
UH, LET ME SEE IF WE CAN GET OUR STAFF TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AS WELL.
UM, JUST TO GIVE SOME SPECIFIC NUMBERS.
SO FOR 250% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY INCOME GUIDELINES FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, THAT'S A MONTHLY INCOME OF $6,500, OR A YEARLY INCOME OF 78,000 ANNUAL FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR 78,000.
AND THEN THE 85% OF FEDERAL, IS THAT, WHAT WAS IT, 85, UH, P OR 80 MM-HMM.
SO FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR 85% OF STATE MEDIUM INCOME IS $7,300, AND
[00:35:01]
THE YEARLY INCOME IS $87,700.UH, I, I WOULD BE WILLING TO, UH, TO, UH, WORK WITH OUR COUNTY ATTORNEY TO SEE IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS, UH, FOR TEACHERS, UH, TO ASK SPECIFICALLY WHETHER WE COULD PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS SO THAT IF THEY TAUGHT IN THE PROGRAM OR TAUGHT IN THE SYSTEM, THAT THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN PARTICIPATE AS WELL.
UM, I'LL, I'LL SPECIFICALLY ASK THAT, THAT BE INVESTIGATED.
AND CAN WE, UH, WHO WOULD BE THE CHIEF PERSON KEEPING TRACK OF THESE POLICY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING WHEN WE WERE HAVING SOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS PREVIOUSLY IS THAT IF THIS IS DONE UNDER, UM, STATE LAWS PERTAINING TO WORKFORCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INDIGENCY, THAT WE HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY.
BUT IF WE HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY, WE ALSO HAVE TO BE REALLY CLEAR SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE, WHAT THE GUIDELINES ARE.
SO THERE'LL BE A LOT OF WORK FOR OUR ATTORNEYS TO, TO COVER.
WE'LL KEEP 'EM BUSY THE REST OF THE YEAR.
YEAH, WE, YEAH, WE TOTALLY WILL.
UM, WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD? NO, THANK YOU.
I WANTED TO JUST ADD A COUPLE THINGS IN, IN, IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
UM, TRUSTEE ZAPATA, YOU ASKED ABOUT KIND OF INCORPORATING IT SO PEOPLE, UM, GO INTO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WHEN WE DID THE CHILDREN'S FUNDING PROJECT, WE REALLY FOCUSED ON ZERO TO THREE BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOOD ENROLLMENT OF, OF, OF PRE-K FOUR, UM, IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND PART OF, BY HAVING THE, THE STUDENTS WITHIN THE SYSTEM AND HAVING THE SHARED SERVICES AND HAVING KIND OF THE, THE LARGER UMBRELLA, THERE'LL BE MECHANISMS TO GET THOSE THREE YEAR OLDS TO GO INTO THE, TO THE 4K.
AND PART OF THE REASON WE HAVE TO DO THE SUBSIDIZING IS THAT WHEN WE DID 4K, WE CANNIBALIZED OUR ZERO TO THREE POPULATION.
UM, BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT SYSTEM IN PLACE AND WE'RE BUILDING TO STRENGTHEN THE SYSTEM FROM WHERE WE ARE, UM, PART OF THE GOAL WOULD THEN BE TO GET FOLKS ENROLLED INTO THE, TO THE 4K PROGRAMS. UM, THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTRACTED SLOTS, UM, MOVING FORWARD, HOW THOSE PLAY OUT AND HOW THOSE PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IMPORTANT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WHETHER IT'S THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHETHER IT'S GOODWILL, WHETHER IT'S A CC, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS THAT IF YOU CAN GUARANTEE THEM SOME OF THESE SUBSIDY SLOTS, THEN THEY CAN KNOW THAT THEY CAN PLAN ON ANOTHER CLASSROOM IN PARTICULAR WAYS.
UM, AND THEY CAN EXPAND THE ACCESS AND THE CAPACITY, EVEN IF IT'S NOT SUBSIDIZED FOR OTHER KIDS, WHICH IS PART OF THE, THE PROBLEM.
AND SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY WHEN YOU GET TO THE, TO THE TIME THAT YOU'RE DESIGNING HOW YOU'RE DIVVYING UP THE CONTRACTS.
YOU CAN SAY, WE HAVE A PROGRAM AT GOODWILL THAT'S PART OF OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM, OR WE HAVE A, A PROGRAM THROUGH CAPITAL IDEA THAT'S PART OF OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM, AND WE WANNA SAY THAT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THESE SLOTS WE'RE GONNA MAKE TO HELP THEM GET THEIR BASE NUMBER SO THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND I KNOW IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH A ISD, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF CONVERTING CLASSROOMS, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF HAVING THE CHILDCARE BE ABLE THERE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTAIN THRESHOLD TO BE ABLE TO HIRE THE TEACHER, UM, AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CLASSROOM.
AND SO, DEPENDING ON HOW THAT WORKS OUT, IF, IF WE ARE STRATEGIC ON HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONTRACTS, AND WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP AS THAT'S DEVELOPED NOW, THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO ALL BE SET IN STONE BEFORE THE TRE IN NOVEMBER, BUT THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE TO HAPPEN SO THAT WE'RE LEVERAGING, 'CAUSE WE NEED SPACE TOO.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT CREATING, WE'RE NOT CREATING SPACES WITH THIS.
WE ARE RELYING ON EXISTING, UM, PROVIDERS OR OUR PARTNERS TO CREATE SPACES IN THEIR PLACES, BUT THEY NEED THE FUNDING FOR THE KIDS TO DO THAT.
AND SO HOW THAT GETS LEVERAGED OVER TIME DEPENDS ON HOW YOU, UM, DEAL WITH THOSE CONTRACTED SLOTS.
UM, I LOVE YOUR IDEA, COMMISSIONER TVI, OF HAVING THE EXCEPTION FOR THE TEACHERS.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE BOTH FOR THE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS AND THE TEACHERS, AND, AND YOU MAY WANT TO SEE WHETHER THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNTY OR CITY EMPLOYEES OR, OR SOME, SOME OPPORTUNITIES, UM, TO THINK ABOUT THAT CREATIVELY.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT MAYBE THIS BODY PLAN THAT AT OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING, THAT WE HAVE A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE TRE IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE, IF WE CAN DO THAT AFTER IT'S ON THE BALLOT, I'M NOT SURE WHETHER WE CAN WEAND FROM OUR LEGAL, I THINK THERE'S A REALLY STARK FIRM BOUNDARY LINE, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO BE ENDORSING, UM, BALLOT ITEMS, YOU CAN EDUCATE, YOU CAN'T DO THE POLITICS.
SO YOU, SO IT'S NOT, YOU CAN SAY WHAT IT IS, IT'S NOT NOT CLEAR.
YOU CAN SAY WHAT IT DOES, YOU CAN SAY WHO IT COVERS.
[00:40:01]
CAN'T SAY WE SUPPORT IT.THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WITH THE, WITH THE TIMING.
SO LIKE, IF IT WAS BEFORE YOU VOTE ON IT AND BEFORE YOU PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, WE COULD SAY, YEAH, WE PROB WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T LET US.
OUR, OUR LAWYERS ARE VERY STRICT ON THAT.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TO VOTE BY JULY.
THAT'LL BE, THAT'LL BE AUGUST TO PUT IT TO PUT THE PUBLIC NOTICE OUT.
WE'VE GOT AN EARLY DEADLINE, SO IT WOULD BE BEFORE SEPTEMBER.
THAT MAKES THAT WE, WE HAVE TO TAKE OFFICIAL ACTION.
I WAS, I WAS THINKING IT WAS BEFORE THE, BEFORE THE VOTE, BUT YEAH, THAT ABSOLUTELY, THAT ABSOLUTELY, UM, MAKES SENSE.
UM, AND I WANNA REITERATE WHAT MY COLLEAGUE, UM, RYAN ALTER SAID, IF THERE ARE THINGS, UM, THAT THE CITY CAN BE HELPFUL WITH OR OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD COUNCIL, WHICH IS ALSO JOINT, WHICH TRAVIS COUNTY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT CAN BE HELPFUL WITH IN THE PROCESS, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
WE DO HAVE, WE DO ALSO HAVE STAFF WHO FOCUS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD.
UM, IF THERE QUESTIONS OR THINGS THAT JUST WITH THE TIMEFRAME YOU NEED ADDITIONAL BANDWIDTH, UM, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO ASK US IF WE CAN HELP.
WE REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE COUNTY, UM, TAKING THE LEAD, UM, AND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT IN PARTICULAR, UM, FOR SAYING THAT WE NEED TO MAKE THIS INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THOSE FEW TIMES, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU CAN JUST KNOW THAT IT'S GONNA MAKE AN ENORMOUS IMPACT.
AND SO I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR ALL LEADERSHIP ON THAT AND, AND MOVING THAT FORWARD AND GIVING OUR COMMUNITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THIS.
UM, YOU HAD A QUESTION, UM, TRUSTEE.
AND I KNOW WE ALWAYS KIND OF RUN OVER, I WAS JOKING EARLIER THAT, UH, WE ALL LIKE TO TALK, UM, BUT I'LL MAKE MINE BRIEF.
UM, UH, AS, AS THE ATTORNEYS ARE KIND OF LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO MAKE THE LANGUAGE WORK, UM, EITHER FOR TEACHERS OR, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EVEN LOOKING AT PUBLIC SERVICE, UM, EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD LOVE TO KIND OF HEAR, HEAR HOW THAT EVOLVES.
UM, 'CAUSE YEAH, SADLY, EVEN STATE EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? QUALIFY FOR WIC AND FOR OTHER, UM, PUBLIC, UM, PROGRAMS, UM, FOR WHICH WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY THEM MORE, RIGHT? BUT AGAIN, AND THAT, THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DAY.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS SOMEWHAT RELATED.
UM, SO, UH, PROVIDING, UH, ADULTS WITH ACCESS TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UM, UH, I REALLY LOVED WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER, COMMISSIONER TRIVI AROUND THE, THE INITIAL, UM, KIND OF TARGET POPULATION AND, AND REALLY HELPING PEOPLE LIFT THEMSELVES UP THROUGH ACCESS.
UM, AND SO ALONG THOSE SAME LINES, UM, I DIDN'T SEE IT IN THE MATERIALS.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T EXIST, BUT, UM, I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO KIND OF SEE, UM, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, AS THIS EVOLVES, UM, AROUND TWO GENERATION SUPPORTS.
AND I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF COME UP OVER THE MONTHS, UM, AND PROBABLY OVER THE, THE LAST YEAR OR SO.
UM, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE, SO FOR ME, ONE CONCRETE EXAMPLE WOULD BE, UM, FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, RIGHT? WE REALLY FOCUSING ON THIRD GRADE READING, RIGHT? AND HOW DO WE GET OUR KIDDOS, UM, TO MEET AND EXCEED THE, THOSE STANDARDS.
ALL OF THAT STARTS FROM BIRTH AND PRE-BIRTH, RIGHT? WE ALL KNOW THIS, BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT TWO GENERATION SUPPORTS, I, IT REMINDS ME OF WHAT TRUSTEE SA SAID AND WHAT, UM, THE GROUP HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT IN THAT MORE SUPPORT THAT THE ADULTS HAVE, THE BETTER THAT THE KIDS WILL BE, THE MORE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE CHILDREN HAVE, THE LESS STRESSFUL IN THE LONG TERM THAT THE ADULTS WILL BE.
RIGHT? AND IT BECOMES A CYCLE OF LIKE LIFTING PEOPLE UP.
UM, SO I'D LOVE TO, TO HEAR MORE ABOUT LIKE, JUST TWO GENERATION, UM, APPROACHES.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, UM, JUST A, A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO, UM, INTERGOVERNMENTAL, UM, PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, SO AT PS ELEMENTARY, RIGHT? WE HAVE AN EARLY CHILDCARE PROGRAM, UM, THANKS TO OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHERS.
UM, SO I THINK ABOUT, UM, WHAT, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER WAS, UH, SAYING WITH RESPECT TO LOCATION, RIGHT? SO LIKE, THESE FUNDS AREN'T GOING TO BUILD PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AND SO THEN AGAIN, THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF US TO WORK TOGETHER, UM, TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE LOCATIONS THAT MAKE SENSE? AND THAT KIND OF LEADS PERFECTLY INTO, AGAIN, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HELPING FAMILIES FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PART OF A ISD FROM DAY ONE, RIGHT? WE'RE GONNA HELP YOU, WE'RE GONNA HELP YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE ALL OF THESE, UM, GOVERNMENTAL BODIES ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND STRONGER KIDS, STRONGER FAMILIES, RIGHT? ALL OF IT'S CONNECTED.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING IS MORE ANECDOTAL, UM, AND REALLY JUST WANNA ECHO AND, AND SUPPORT, UM, COMMISSIONER TRI PAVILION, THE, THE FOCUS ON, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES WHO WOULD, UM, HAVE CHILDREN WHO GO TO TITLE ONE SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE COMING FROM, UM, LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I SEE,
[00:45:01]
UH, I SEE THESE STRATEGIES AND I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT MY KIDS HAVE ACCESS TO AND WHAT OTHER CHILDREN MIGHT HAVE ACCESS TO.SO, UM, I SAID I WAS GONNA BE SHORT.
UM, SO MY KIDS HAPPEN TO GO TO A, UM, SCHOOL WITH A PLURALITY OF LOW INCOME STUDENTS.
SO WE HAVE ACCESS TO ONSITE CHILDCARE, WHICH I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR AS A, UM, MY, MY CHILDREN'S OTHER PARENT ISN'T ABLE TO, TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, AND SO THAT ONSITE CHILDCARE IS TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL, AND THAT'S THAT I HAVE ACCESS TO SOCIAL CAPITAL AND RIGHT.
AND SO LONG STORY SHORT, WHEN MY KIDS AND MYSELF, WHEN I AM ABLE TO BE IN THOSE COM, THOSE COMMUNITIES AND THOSE FAMILIES, WE REALLY LEARN AND SHARE FROM EACH OTHER, RIGHT? AND SO THE SOCIAL CAPITAL THAT I HAVE IS THEN SHARED AND THE THINGS THAT I NEED TO LEARN FROM OTHER FAMILIES WHO, UM, ACCESS, WHO, WHO ARE LIVING IN, IN POVERTY, YOU KNOW, WE LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
SO I REALLY, I, I LOVE THE IDEA ABOUT SERVING TEACHERS.
I, I LOVE THE IDEA OF LIKE, HOW DO WE SERVE PUBLIC, UM, SERVICE EMPLOYEES? AND I REALLY, I I WANT US TO REMEMBER ULTIMATELY WHERE WOULD WE HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT? AND IT WOULD BE ON FAMILIES WHO AREN'T CURRENTLY EMPLOYED, IN MY MIND.
UM, SO MADAM CHAIR, IF I, YEAH.
AND THEN I NEED TO DO A TIME CHECK AND UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH TIME WE'VE ALLOTTED FOR THE OTHER ITEMS. I DON'T, IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA AND I'M NOT CLEAR IN MY OWN MIND, BUT I'LL, I'LL USE, I'LL USE MY FAST NEW YORK COURSE
ALRIGHT? UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE WORK OF THE ASPEN INSTITUTE AND WE TALK ABOUT TWO GENERATION, I MEAN, THIS IS THE CORE OF TWO GENERATION.
YOU'RE TRYING TO CREATE SAFE, SAFE LEARNING SPACES FOR CHILDREN WHILE THEIR PARENTS ARE WORKING OR TRAINING TO GET BETTER JOBS.
SO THE FUNDAMENTAL CORE IS THE TWO GENERATION PROGRAM.
UH, SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED LOOKING AT, UH, WITH THE AUSTIN PROJECT THAT, UH, THAT THE, THAT AUSTIN VOICES INHERITED FROM IT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS, THESE, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, BUT THEN THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALIGNED AS WELL.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE WITH LOCAL WORKFORCE OVER THE LAST THREE FISCAL YEARS, 5.4 MILLION ONE YEAR, 5.7, THE NEXT 7.4, THE NEXT, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING, UH, THAT PEOPLE CAN ONLY WORK WHEN THEY KNOW THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE IN SAFE STRUCTURED PLACES.
SO, SO WE ARE RIGHT AT THE TWO GENERATION, UH, PROCESS.
AND, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, TEACHERS, OFTENTIMES, UH, TEACHERS HAVE, IF, IF THEY DON'T HAVE GOOD CHILDCARE FOR THEIR KIDS, UH, THEY CAN'T STAY AROUND SCHOOL, THEY GET SECOND JOBS.
UH, WE WANT MORE TEACHERS TO BE INTERESTED IN DOING THIS SO THAT THEY CAN, UH, SO THAT THEIR CHILDREN CAN PARTICIPATE.
BUT WE CAN GET, UH, SEASONED TEACHERS AS WELL.
I COULDN'T TELL IT FROM YOUR TEXAS VOICE, REALLY.
I DID CHECK MOFFITT, AND SHE INDICATED THAT HER, HER PORTION COULD BE SOMEWHAT BRIEF.
I DON'T HAVE AN EXACT TIME, BUT DO WE HAVE AN IDEA HOW MUCH TIME WE NEED TO ALLOW FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY PORTION? SO, UM, THEY HAVE 25 MINUTES TOTAL, INCLUDING THAT INCLUDES 10 MINUTES FOR DISCUSSION.
SO THE SUSTAINABILITY PORTION, AND WE HAVE AN HOUR LEFT.
SO I THINK WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.
OKAY? MM-HMM,
DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN? I'M GOOD.
UM, WELL, MY TEXAS VOICE WAS ALL RIGHT.
UM, I, UM, I AM A HUGE ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF THE BENEFITS THAT COME FROM THIS.
UM, IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT THIS, THIS KIND OF INVESTMENT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NOT JUST GENERATIONAL CHANGE, BUT GOING FORWARD, I THINK, UH, IF THIS PASSES, UH, WE WILL SEE A, A CHANGE IN AUSTIN'S HISTORY.
I JUST THINK THIS IS A PROFOUNDLY VALUABLE AND IMPORTANT INVESTMENT.
MANY OF MY QUESTIONS ARE AROUND THE MECHANICS OF HOW WE IMPLEMENT IT.
I AM WORRIED WE HAVE A HARDWORKING BUT VERY LEAN STAFF AT THE COUNTY.
AND I'M MINDFUL OF, UM, THE FACT THAT THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY WOULD BE MORE THAN THE ENTIRE BUDGET FOR OUR ENTIRE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, BUT I, I, UM, I'M, UH, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, 'CAUSE PEOPLE ASK ME, WELL, HOW MANY, HOW MANY KIDS WILL GET CHILDCARE IF THIS THING PASSES? AND I'M HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE MATH.
SO I LOOKED UP PAY PAGE 23, AND UH, IT SAYS, CONTRACTED SLOTS FOR INCOME ELIGIBLE FAMILIES 1878.
AND THAT'S, WE THINK THAT'S A PRETTY FIRM NUMBER BASED ON ALL OF OUR RESEARCH AND PRESUMABLY OUR COORDINATION WITH THE, THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES THAT HAVE BEEN SO CRUCIAL TO THIS.
[00:50:02]
I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE CHILDCARE, NOT, NOT THE AFTERSCHOOL.'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND THEN THE ANNUAL STIPEND, THE QUALIFIED, UH, CENTERS OR HOMES FOR THE NON-TRADITIONAL HOURS, THAT'S 1407.
DO WE KNOW IF THOSE ARE DIFFERENT CHILDREN THAN THE CHILDREN WHO ARE IN THE OTHER CHILDCARE CATEGORY? I THINK I'D ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE.
I BELIEVE THERE'S A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT THEY WOULD, THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME OF THE CONTRACTED SLOTS CHILDREN.
BECAUSE THAT IS ESSENTIALLY ONLY PAYING FOR LIKE, ADDITIONAL HOURS, EITHER IN THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY OR THE EVENING OR OVERNIGHT WEEKENDS.
AND SO THAT'S PAYING STRICTLY FOR THAT DIFFERENTIAL.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'LL BE IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND.
'CAUSE I'M ASSUMING THESE WILL BE SOME OF THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT WE'LL, THAT WE'LL BE SEEING.
AND THEN, UM, IT WASN'T CLEAR TO ME WITH THE BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE, IT LOOKS LIKE WE IDENTIFY 1,143 CHILDREN THAT COULD BE, UM, SERVED WITH, I GUESS, NEW, UH, CHILDCARE OPTIONS THAT WOULD BE CREATED WITHOUT ALLIANCE.
UM, I THINK THIS ONE, THIS ONE'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT IT ALSO MAKES ME WONDER, DO WE HAVE A SENSE FOR WHERE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS ON THIS ISSUE? 'CAUSE I'VE HEARD DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND I THINK GIVEN THE BENEFIT THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE BENEFIT TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF HAVING, YOU KNOW, HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE FOR ZERO TO THREE, WHICH IS WHEN SO MUCH BRAIN DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS WITH, YOU KNOW, VERY YOUNG CHILDREN IS HUGE.
BUT DO WE HAVE A SENSE FOR WHERE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS ON THIS? ANYBODY
HERE, KATHY HERE, ARE YOU ABLE TO COME SPEAK OUT TO THIS? KATHY, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
KATHY HOR, WHO'S BEEN WITH THE UNITED WAY FOR YEARS WORKING ON THIS ISSUE.
I WILL SAY WE HAVE, UM, IN THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY AND ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS, THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN THAT THEY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.
THE ESTIMATE WAS STARTING SMALL BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME TO BUILD UP THAT INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND EDUCATE THEM ABOUT HOW THEY CAN USE THIS, COULD USE THIS MECHANISM TO PROVIDE CHILDCARE.
I DON'T HAVE FIRM DATA ON THAT.
UM, AND I DO THINK IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF WE COULD SECURE SOME EARLY, UM, ADOPTERS THAT WOULD BE COMMITTED TO PILOTING THIS.
BUT, UM, IN THE, GENERALLY IN THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, ONE-ON-ONE WITH BUSINESS LEADERS IN MEETINGS WITH LABOR AND CHAMBERS, UM, THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I'M, I'M TRYING TO, ONE OTHER THING WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I, I THINK THAT THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF TO SEE WHETHER THIS COULD BE A DEFINED, UH, A DEFINED COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
UH, AS WE NEGOTIATE CONTRACTS WITH COMPANIES THAT WANT TO COME INTO THE MARKET AND ASK FOR, UH, FOR, UH, TAX ABATEMENTS AND WHATNOT, SHOULD, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO AND WE WANT TO SEE IT HAPPEN, MAYBE WE PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO MAKE THIS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT THAT, UH, THE BUSINESSES CAN INVEST IN.
UM, AND COMMISSIONER SHAY, IF I COULD JUST ADD WITH THE NON-TRADITIONAL HOURS, UM, I THINK THAT NUMBER, AND WHETHER IT'S THE OTHER KIDS OR NOT, DEPENDS ON WHETHER A, THE COUNTY ADOPTS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE LENS OR A A, UM, HELPING FOLKS WHO ARE INDIGENT LENS.
SO THE NONTRADITIONAL HOURS POLICY DECISIONS.
SO THE NON-TRADITIONAL HOURS, THE MODEL THAT WE USED FOR ARPA KEPT THE CENTER OPEN.
AND SO THEN LOTS OF KIDS COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
IF YOU ADOPT IT, YOU HAVE TO PAY ONLY FOR THE INDIGENT KIDS ADDITIONAL HOURS.
IT COMPLICATES THE ABILITY FOR THE, THE CHILDCARE CENTERS TO DO IT, UM, AND MAKES IT LESS MONEY AND LESS KIDS CAN DO IT.
BUT IF YOU CAN COME UP WITH A SHORTCUT THAT SAYS IT'S IN A TITLE ONE AREA OR IT'S IN A CHILDCARE DESERT, OR IT'S SERVING, UM, AN ECONOMIC WORKFORCE LENS, THEN THE NON-TRADITIONAL HOUR MONEY CAN GO MUCH FURTHER AND IT CAN HELP MANY, MANY MORE KIDS BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE JUST HAVING THIS CENTER OPEN.
THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ENOUGH STAFF SO THAT THE RATIOS ARE RIGHT, WHICH IS EASIER FOR THEM THAN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY CAN COVER ALL THE STAFF IF YOU HAVE ONE OR TWO, UM, KIDS WHO ARE CONTRACTED SLOTS THAT WANNA STAY MORE HOURS.
AND SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE ORIGINALLY CAME UP WITH IT, WE BUILT OFF OF THE ARPA
[00:55:01]
APPROACH AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT AS EASY FOR, FOR THE CHILDCARE.BUT I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHETHER, WHETHER THE POLICY DECISION IS THAT WE CAN APPROACH CHILDCARE ALSO AS WORKFORCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THEN THERE'S CERTAIN ELEMENTS WHERE YOU COULD DO, YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH MORE WITH THE MONEY AND REACH MORE KIDS AND ENABLE MORE PEOPLE TO BE IN THE WORKFORCE.
BUT THAT IS A, A DECISION THAT YOUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, HOW TO NAVIGATE.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HAVING THE COUNTY BE THE LEAD ENTITY VERSUS THE CITY.
THE COUNTY CAN ONLY DO WHAT STATE LAW ALLOWS COUNTIES IN TEXAS TO DO.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE LOOKED AT THESE THREE CRITERIA AREAS I MENTIONED, BECAUSE WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO THAT UNDER STATE LAW AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GONNA BE GUIDED BY WHAT OUR ATTORNEYS SAY, AND THAT IS THE INDIGENCY CATEGORY, THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT CATEGORY, AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT CATEGORY.
AND FOR THE NON-TRADITIONAL HOURS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A STUDY FROM THE URBAN LAND INSTITUTE THAT TALKS ABOUT IT, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AS MUCH ABOUT THE WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION IS ONE OF THE, THE PARTNERS THAT REALLY IS LEANING IN TO THE NEED FOR CHILDCARE.
AND THEY NEED THOSE OTHER, NEED, THOSE OTHER HOURS.
SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE ALSO IN THE INDIGENT CATEGORY GIVEN WHAT THEY MAKE.
BUT, BUT THE, BUT THE MORE FLEXIBLE YOU CAN MAKE THAT THE MORE KIDS CAN BE SERVED, EVEN AS YOU MAKE IT SERVING, UM, PRIMARILY, AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, THOSE FALL IN THE INDIGENT CATEGORY.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN PULL UP MORE, MORE KIDS.
I THINK THE SAME IS TRUE WITH AFTERSCHOOL.
IF YOU, IF YOU MAKE THE AFTERSCHOOL AVAILABLE AT A SCHOOL THAT'S TITLE ONE, THERE'LL BE OTHER KIDS WHO ARE ABLE, YOU KNOW, TO ACCESS IT.
AND BY VIRTUE OF HAVING THE SUBSIDY, IT ALLOWS THE PROVIDER, IF THEY KNOW THEY HAVE IT, IF IT DOESN'T GO UP THE KID, THEY CAN PLAN AND THEY CAN ADD MORE SLOTS FROM, FROM THEIR, THEIR WORK BY HAVING THAT.
AND THEN ALL OF THE KIDS WHO ARE IN THESE PROGRAMS BENEFIT FROM THE QUALITY ASPECTS OF IT, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT GETTING, YEAH.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE BIG POLICY AREAS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO DECIDE, AND IT WILL NEED TO BE PART OF THE SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION AROUND THIS BALLOT ITEM BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO'LL BE WATCHING WHO AREN'T NECESSARILY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
AND PEOPLE LIKE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO'LL BE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO COME AFTER, UH, AS THEY'VE DONE WITH OTHER CITIES AND, AND URBAN COUNTIES, UM, ON THEIR INITIATIVES IN THESE SAME VEINS.
UM, SO I STILL AM, I'M STILL WANTING TO GET A, A, AN ACCURATE NUMBER AND I REALIZE IT MAY NOT BE DOWN TO THE SINGLE SLOT, BUT AN ACCURATE NUMBER FOR THE NUMBER OF, UM, EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE SLOTS THAT WOULD BE, UH, ADDED BY THIS INITIATIVE.
SO WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST NUMBER TO USE? 'CAUSE I'VE LOOKED IN THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
THE BIGGEST ONE IS FOR AFTER SCHOOL, WHICH IS GREAT, THE BIGGEST SINGLE ONE, BUT I'M NOT CLEAR.
UM, LIKE THE GAP FUNDING, IS THAT, ARE THOSE NEW SLOTS THAT WOULD BE CREATED OR NO? NO.
SO NOT THAT ONE AND NOT THE AFTERSCHOOL.
SO ADD TOGETHER THE 1878, THE 1407, AND THE 1143.
I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR US TO ALL HAVE A GOOD WORKING UNDERSTANDING OF, I DON'T THINK THE 1407 COULD BE COUNTED AS AS A SLOT OR SE 'CAUSE IT'S ONLY PAYING THE DIFFERENTIAL.
UM, I THINK THE CLOSEST THAT WOULD COME TO THAT WOULD BE THE 1878 FOR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD SLOTS AND MAYBE THE 1143 FOR THE, UM, BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE SLOTS.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE WAY THAT THEY COUNT IT FOR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS.
SO WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS DOES COUNT IT IF IT'S NON-TRADITIONAL HOUR CARE.
SO I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST LIKE, THERE'S A PARALLEL THAT WORKFORCE SOLUTION DOES, AND I DON'T KNOW ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF IT.
UM, BUT THEY, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN JOHN OCKO DID HIS ANALYSIS OF, UM, THE, WHAT IT WOULD COST TO DO STUFF, THERE WERE, THERE WERE SOME, SOME, SOME DETAILS THERE ABOUT HOW WORKFORCE SOLUTION WAS DOING IT, AND THERE WAS A PORTION OF THEIRS THAT WERE PART-TIME CARE.
UM, AND SO THERE, THERE'S THAT.
AND THEN I WOULD DISAGREE ON THE GAP FINANCING, THAT YOU CAN'T COUNT IT BECAUSE YOU'RE GIVING THEM QUALITY.
UM, AND IT'S NOT JUST PARENTS DON'T JUST WANT ACCESS, THEY WANT ACCESS TO QUALITY.
UM, AND THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU CAN PAY RIGHT NOW.
AND PART OF THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THAT THESE CENTERS ARE NOT EVEN BY WHAT THE STATE IS PAYING OR THE FEDS ARE PAYING THROUGH THE SUBSIDY, GETTING A COST OF QUALITY.
SO THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO DELIVER IT QUALITY TO ANYONE WHO'S THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING UNDERPAID.
UM, AND SO THERE'S A KNOCK ON FROM THOSE SUPPLEMENTS AND THE RETENTION IMPACTS FOR THOSE KIDS AND FOR THE OTHER KIDS WHO ARE IN THERE WHO
[01:00:01]
ARE NOT SUBSIDIZED BECAUSE THE TEACHERS CAN STAY.UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS, IT IS CHALLENGING TO KIND OF QUANTIFY, UM, SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
AND THESE ARE ALSO KIND OF OUR INITIAL NUMBERS.
UM, AND SO I, I WOULDN'T SAY YOU SHOULDN'T, YOU SHOULD COUNT THOSE OUT.
I DO AGREE THAT WE NEED TO GET BETTER NUMBERS, BUT, BUT THEY'RE, BUT THERE.
I'M NOT SAYING, BUT THERE IS VALUE.
THERE ARE VALUE, THERE'S VALUE IN, UM, THAT GAP FUNDING TO THE SYSTEM THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE ABOUT NOT JUST ACCESS, BUT QUALITY.
IT DOESN'T HELP US TO HAVE ACCESS IN IT, NOT BE QUALITY.
UM, AND IT DOESN'T HELP US TO, UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET ADDITIONAL SLOTS IF WE DON'T DO THE GAP FINANCING.
'CAUSE ALL WE'LL DO IS MOVE MONEY FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS THAT OVER TIME, UM, THE GOAL IS FOR THE, THE, THE STATE AND THE FEDS TO RAISE THOSE RATES.
AND AS THEY RAISE THOSE RATES, WE CAN INVEST INTO NEW SLOTS BECAUSE WE WON'T HAVE TO PAY THAT DIFFERENCE.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE STARTING OUT THAT WAY.
SO YOU'D ASKED, YOU'VE, YOU'D OFFERED TO HELP ON POLICY DECISIONS.
I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE A KEY ONE BECAUSE I THINK THERE WILL BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT HOW MANY SLOTS WILL THIS CREATE IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE BEING ASKED TO ADD AN EXTRA A HUNDRED AND SOME DOLLARS TO OUR TAX BILL, HOW MANY, HOW MANY KIDS WILL BE SERVED FROM THIS WHO AREN'T SERVED NOW? SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT NUMBER FOR US TO HAVE A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF SO THAT WE CAN ALL SPEAK ACCURATELY ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE I'M NOT COMFORTABLE USING THE 9,800 NUMBER.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD.
THAT INCLUDES THE 38 96 FOR THE AFTERSCHOOL, WHICH IS CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT.
I JUST THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW MANY NEW SLOTS ARE CREATED FOR THE, UH, FOR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE.
UM, THE OTHER THING, AND I, AND THIS IS A REALLY THORNY ONE, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA SEE IT PLAY OUT AT THE LEGISLATURE AS WELL.
I AM NOT SUPPORTIVE OF HAVING PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS PUT INTO, UM, CHARTER SCHOOLS, MANY OF WHICH ARE RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A REALLY CRUCIAL SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.
AND I'M A HUGE SUPPORTER OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND I THINK MANY OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MOVE TO SIPHON OFF PUBLIC DOLLARS AND PUT THEM INTO CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE ANTI-PUBLIC EDUCATION AND ARE IN FAVOR OF WHAT MANY WOULD VIEW AS EXTREMIST, UM, RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.
NOT ALL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IS EXTREMISTS.
MANY OF THOSE SUPPORTING THE CHARTER MOVEMENT ARE AFFILIATED WITH EXTREMIST VIEWS.
DO WE HAVE ANY UNDERSTANDING OF WHETHER OR NOT THESE PUBLIC DOLLARS WOULD GO TOWARD, UM, UM, RELIGIOUS CHILDCARE CENTERS THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE SET UP AND BE REQUESTING FUNDS? ANYONE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS.
I THINK YOU WOULD DISPUTE, YOU WOULD WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE DEFINITION, UH, WAS CLEAR.
I MEAN, THAT AT THE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, FOR ME, UM, PUBLIC CHARTERS, UH, PROBABLY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT NOT PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS.
UM, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S, THAT IS GOING TO BE A, A BONE OF REAL CONTENTION.
AND, UH, AND YOU'VE GOT, UH, A GOVERNOR AND AN ATTORNEY GENERAL AND A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR THAT WILL PROBABLY FIGHT YOU OVER THAT.
YOU JUST HAVE TO KNOW THAT GOING IN.
BUT FOR OUR MONEY, FOR OUR CHILDCARE SERVICES, I THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO AT LEAST HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ON.
I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT ANSWER, OTHER THAN MY VIEW IS I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.
UM, AND I DON'T THINK PUBLIC DOLLARS SHOULD GO INTO RELIGIOUS EDUCATION.
WELL, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TITLE ONE ENVIRONMENT AND WHERE WE ARE ALLOWED, UH, TO PARTICIPATE GIVEN THE LEVEL OF POVERTY, I THINK A LOT OF THE PLACES THAT WOULD BE LOOKING FOR THOSE TYPES OF DOLLARS WILL SIMPLY NOT QUALIFY BECAUSE THEY'D BE AFFILIATED WITH CHURCHES.
WELL BE BECAUSE, UH, BECAUSE, UH, MANY OF THEM ARE AFFLUENT BACK, HAVE AFFLUENT BACKGROUNDS.
MANY, MANY OF THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS THAT WERE PUT IN PLACE, UH, WERE, WERE, UH, OH, IN TITLE ONE AREAS.
ANYWAY, THIS IS ANOTHER ONE TO, UH, MAKE NOTE OF.
'CAUSE I THINK WE'LL NEED TO HAVE SOME UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR POLICY IS WITH REGARD TO WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THESE PUBLIC DOLLARS.
UM, AND I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION.
I THINK THAT'S IT FOR NOW, BUT, UM, ESPECIALLY ON THE POLICY AROUND THE, THE NUMBER OF NEW SLOTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE SAY THERE'S, THERE'S A 4,000
[01:05:01]
CHILD WAITING LIST.WELL, WILL WE BE CREATING AT LEAST 4,000 NEW SLOTS WITH THIS? AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE, WHEN WE DRAFTED IT, THE WAITING LIST WAS SHORTER.
AND SO THE, THE NUMBER THAT THE, UM, CONTRACTED SLOTS WAS TO GET RID OF THE WAITING LIST AT THE TIME THAT WE DID IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE 4,000 NUMBER IS THE CORRECT NUMBER, UM, OR NOT THAT YOU'RE USING.
UM, THAT SEEMS, I'VE HEARD THE JUDGE SAY, WE KNOW, IS THAT WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THE ROUGHLY 2000 SLOTS THAT WE HAD WHEN WE, WHEN WE BEGAN WORKING ON THIS, UM, WAS WHAT WAS ON THE WAITING LIST FOR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THEIR SUBSIDIES FOR ZERO TO THREE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WOULD BENEFIT THAN WERE ON THE WAIT LIST BECAUSE THE WAIT LIST WAS SO LONG, LOTS OF PEOPLE DIDN'T SIGN, SIGN UP, UP JUST DIDN'T SIGN UP.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT IN THE INTERIM, MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE WAIT LIST.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE 4,000 MEMBER IS CORRECT.
THAT'S A NEW NUMBER TO ME, UM, ON THAT, UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT THE CURRENT WAIT LIST IS.
BUT THAT, THAT'S JUST MY NOT KNOWING.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANNA SAY IS THAT THERE, THERE SHOULD BE STRATEGY IN HOW YOU ALLOCATE THE CONTRACT SLOTS, BECAUSE WE DO WANT IT TIED UP TO WORKFORCE.
WE DO WANT IT TIED UP TO BE SUPPORTING, YOU KNOW, OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THAT PROCESS.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE THEM IN PLACE WHERE WE HAVE SPACE.
SO THERE, THERE IS OPPORTUNITY TO BE STRATEGIC IN HOW THOSE CONTRACTED SLOTS ARE ALLOCATED.
THERE ARE ALSO, THERE WILL BE PLACES WHERE YOU NEED TO HAVE THESE WHO ARE NOT IN THE TITLE ONE AREAS WHERE THOSE CENTERS, IF THEY KNEW THEY HAD A CONTRACTED SLOT, WOULD ALLOW FOR SUBSIDIES, SAY LIKE OUT ON SIX 20 IN WEST WESTERN TRAVIS COUNTY, WHERE THERE ARE KIDS WHO NEED IT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THE OTHER SUPPORTS.
IF YOU CAN GUARANTEE THEM THE SLOTS, THEY WILL TAKE THE SUBSIDIZED KIDS, WHICH THEY WON'T DO WHEN THE KIDS ARE MOVING AROUND.
SO THERE DOES, YOU KNOW, THAT STRATEGY NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED AND THAT STRATEGY CAN BE WORKED OUT.
YOU HAVE A, UM, YOU KNOW, A CC HAS CHILDCARE CENTERS, UM, UM, A ISD HAS THE NEW PS.
THERE, THERE ARE LOTS OF WAYS GOODWILL HAS IT.
WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTS WITH FOR WORKFORCE THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, CHILDCARE CENTERS, BUT WE'RE NOT FUNDING THE CHILDCARE THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT.
SO YOU HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY AS LONG AS YOU CAN ARTICULATE A POLICY THAT GUIDES IT, UM, TO, TO REALLY, REALLY LEVERAGE IT, UM, TO THE BIGGEST EFFECT.
THAT'S ANOTHER AREA WHERE WE REALLY WILL NEED HELP WITH THE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLICY.
UM, WHERE DID WE GET THE FOURTH? I JUST WANNA, I HAVE A FACTUAL JUST TO POINT THAT, JUST THAT ONE POINT, WE, WE WANNA SERVE POOR CHILDREN WHEREVER THEY ARE.
RIGHT? IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE THEY ARE, WHEREVER THEY ARE.
AND IF THEY FIT THAT DESCRIPTION, WE WANT SERVE THEM.
UM, WHERE DID WE GET THE 4,000 NUMBER FOR THE WAIT LIST? UM, I THINK LIKE, UM, LIKE MENTIONED THAT IT WAS, THAT'S WHAT THE WAITING LIST WAS AT, AT THE TIME, RIGHT? SHE RECALLED A 2000 NUMBER.
I DON'T, I REMEMBER THAT IT WAS ABOUT 2000 AND THEN IT WENT UP.
LIKE IT'S, IT'S FIVE OR 600 MORE AT THAT LEVEL FOR QUITE, KATHY WILL KNOW KATHY WILL HELP
I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT 4,800 WAS THE LAST THAT WE SAW.
I AM ALSO A FULL DISCLOSURE, UM, CHAIR OF THE CHILDCARE COMMITTEE AT THE WORKFORCE BOARD CO-CHAIR WITH TAMMY BLACKMAN.
AND SO WE GET UPDATES ON THAT AT OUR WORKFORCE BOARD MEETINGS AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING.
UM, LAST WEEK WE GOT AN UPDATE.
2000 WAS THE NUMBER OF FULL DAY, YEAR ROUND CARE CHILDREN ON THE WAITING LIST.
SO INFANTS, TODDLERS, AND THREE YEAR OLDS, FOUR YEAR OLDS WHO ARE IN PRE-K DON'T HAVE FULL DAY SUBSIDY.
THAT PART DAY SUBSIDY, SO THAT WAS THE 2000 NUMBER WAS DRIVEN FROM THAT.
SO IS 2000 TO BE RAC UH, SUBTRACTED FROM THE 4,500 OR WAS THAT SEPARATE FROM THE 4,500 ON THE WAIT LIST? 2000 IS THE NUMBER OF INFANTS AND TODDLERS OUT OF THAT 4,500.
THE REST ARE CHILDREN AGE FOUR THROUGH 13.
SO OF THE 4,500, 2000 ARE IN THAT ZERO TO THREE.
SO WE NEED TO BE REALLY, REALLY ACCURATE ABOUT THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE USING IN THIS REGARD.
UM, AND I THINK, UH, WHOEVER'S OUT COMMUNICATING ABOUT THIS, THEY NEED TO PROBABLY BE UPDATED AS TO THE WAIT LIST FOR THE ZERO TO THREE.
UH, IT IS SIGNIFICANT THAT THERE'S A WAIT LIST ABOVE THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT, UH, PRE-K IS AVAILABLE IN THE SCHOOLS OR IS IT PEOPLE NEEDING IT IN THOSE NON-TRADITIONAL HOURS? IT'S PEOPLE NEEDING AFTERSCHOOL CARE.
[01:10:01]
SO IF YOU'RE A, IF YOU'RE A PRE-K THREE STUDENT, YOU ONLY GET A HALF DAY PRE-K YOU, YOU MIGHT GET A FULL DAY SUBSIDY STILL BECAUSE IT'S ANY, ANY HOUR IN CARE, MORE THAN SIX HOURS.IF YOU'RE IN AFTERSCHOOL CHILDCARE PROGRAM, YOU GET PART DAY CARE.
UM, SO CHILDREN WHO QUALIFY THAT ARE IN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS THROUGH THE Y OR UM, A'S THIRD BASE PROGRAM, UM, THEY MAY QUALIFY FOR A CHILDCARE
SO THE WAITING LIST JUST CONTINUES TO GROW RIGHT NOW.
TOTAL WAITING LIST IS 4,500 OF THAT 2000 ARE IN THE ZERO TO THREE? YES, MA'AM.
UM, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS? UM, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THIS AS A STANDING ITEM.
UM, AND I GUESS OUR MISSED MEETING IS SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, BUT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY GET AN UPDATE ON IT.
UM, AND IF THERE ARE, UM, WHO ALL IS, UH, GOING TO BE WORKING ON THE POLICY ASPECTS OF IT? I KNOW KATHY MCC COURSE WILL BE, UM, I'M ASSUMING YOU WILL BE INVOLVED.
DO WE KNOW OTHER FOLKS WHO WILL BE WORKING ON THESE KINDS OF POLICY ISSUES, YOUR STAFF? UM, SO THE, THE COUNTY STAFF WILL BE TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT AND WE'LL BE ASKING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR INPUT.
DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO COUNCILWOMAN, UH, ALLISON ALTER'S OFFICE, AND, UH, DEFINITELY REACHING OUT TO UNITED WAY.
SO COREY AND HILDA BE THE, THE LEAD STAFFS ON IT? YES.
WELL, I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE OUR NUMBERS ON SPEED DIAL ANYWAY.
UM, IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD DISCUSSION, HELPFUL INFORMATION.
[IV. County Housing Portfolio]
AGENDA, UH, THE, UH, AN UPDATE ON A COUNTY HOUSING PORTFOLIO AND THE EARLIER DRAFT AGENDA SAID, REQUESTED BYAND YOU'LL HAVE TO REMIND ME WHAT IT WAS I REQUESTED.
I MEAN, I CHRISTIE'S GIVEN US A BRIEFING ON, ON WHAT SHE'S GONNA TALK ABOUT.
BUT, UM, I DON'T RECALL THE QUESTION I ASKED FROM A YEAR AGO,
YOU, YOU WANTED TO KNOW, UM, YOU WANTED US TO LET THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE KNOW, UM, WHAT KIND OF SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN, UM, OR IN CHRISTIE'S PORTFOLIO AT THE COUNTY.
AND IT MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORK, WHICH I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF, AND WHICH SEEMS TO CONTINUE TO BE THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE'VE GOT WELL OVER 13,000 UNITS, UM, THAT WE HAVE, UM, UH, GOT IN THE PORTFOLIO WITH PRIVATE DEVELOPERS.
UM, AND WE ARE BUYING DOWN THE RENTS THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP, WHICH MAKES THE PROPERTY TAX EXEMPT.
AND ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THEM ARE IN THE DEEPLY AFFORDABLE CATEGORY, WHICH IS 60% AND BELOW.
UM, BUT, UM, TI DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF? SURE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS, AND I AM ALSO THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE COUNTY CORPORATIONS.
AND MY CHAIR IS FALLING FURTHER AND FURTHER DOWN AS I'M SITTING IN IT.
YOU WANNA SWAP CHAIRS? NO, I'M GOOD.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY, IF YOU SEE ME SINKING, IT'S JUST BECAUSE THE CHAIR IS MOVING DOWN.
UM, SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE FLAVOR OF THE CORPORATION'S PORTFOLIO.
UM, WE HAVE 20 PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LEASING OR OPERATING.
UM, ABOUT 72% OF THOSE UNITS ARE AT 60% AND BELOW OF A MI 24%, OR BETWEEN 61 TO 120% A MI.
AND THEN THE REMAINING ARE AT 121% A MI ARE OVER.
AND SO THAT IS 5,000 TO 300, UH, 100, OR SORRY, 5,314 UNITS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE LEASING.
SO WE ALSO HAVE 17 PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO ONCE THOSE PROJECTS ARE ADDED, OUR PORTFOLIO WILL SHIFT TO A TOTAL OF 9,827 UNITS.
AND AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS STAY THE, UH, PRETTY CLOSE TO THE SAME, ABOUT TWO THIRDS BEING, UM, 60% AND BELOW OF A MI AND THEN, UM, 30 AND 3% OF THE, UH, THE UNITS BEING, UM, AT THE OTHER, UH, POINTS WITHIN THE A MI.
SO THEN WE ALSO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 12 PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE WAITING TO EITHER CLOSE ON FINANCING, UM, OR TO WORK OUT SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS AS THEY GET THEIR CAPITAL STACK CLOSED.
IF ALL OF THESE PIPELINE PROJECTS ARE CONSTRUCTED, OUR PORTFOLIO CHANGES
[01:15:01]
TO OVER 13,000 UNITS.AGAIN, WITH TWO THIRDS OF THOSE UNITS BEING AT OR BELOW 60% OF THE A MI.
SO HOUSING'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, YOUR ABILITY TO AFFORD IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING PROPERTIES, MAKING SURE THAT THE SERVICES THAT TENANTS NEED, UM, IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER.
AND SO, AS A PART OF OUR PROCESS WHEN WE ARE LOOKING, UM, OR WORKING WITH A DEVELOPER, IF THEY IDENTIFY A PARCEL THAT THEY WANT TO POTENTIALLY PARTNER WITH US ON, THEY PROVIDE THAT ADDRESS FOR THAT POTENTIAL LOCATION.
AND THEN WE DO WHAT'S CALLED A FAIR HOUSING REVIEW.
AND SO WE LOOK AT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DATA AND METRICS.
WE LOOK AT HOW WELL THE SCHOOLS ARE PERFORMING.
WE LOOK AT EPA DATA TO LOOK AT AIR QUALITY.
WE LOOK AT A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT IS OCCURRING IN THE AREA SURROUNDING THAT PARCEL.
AND FROM THERE, WE MAKE A DETERMINATION.
ARE WE SATURATING THE AREA? DO WE LOOK AT HOW MANY, UM, AFFORDABLE UNITS ARE ALREADY THERE? DO WE NEED TO DIVERSIFY THE INCOME STRATA, UM, FOR THAT, UM, FOR THE HOUSING? LIKE ARE WE GETTING TOO SATURATED IN ONE AREA? SO DO WE NEED TO MIX IN SOME HIGHER INCOME UNITS TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT, UM, UH, PUTTING, UH, MANY, MANY HOME OR MANY PL MANY PLACES, UH, THAT ARE AFFORDABLE ALL IN ONE AREA? WE WANNA GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSE THE AFFORDABILITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
AND SO BASED OFF THAT, WE MAKE A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEVELOPER ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY MAY WANNA CONSIDER.
AND THEN WE EITHER GIVE THEM A GREEN LIGHT OR TELL THEM TO COME BACK WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
AND SO FROM THERE, THEY GO FORWARD AND WE WORK THROUGH A DEAL.
THE TENANT SERVICES ARE ALSO DEPENDENT UPON RESIDENT NEED.
UM, RESIDENTS ARE SURVEYED ON SOME FREQUENCY DETERMINED BY THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY, AND THOSE SERVICES ARE ALSO PROVIDED BY STAFF OR THIRD PARTY PROVIDERS.
THE MOST COMMON SERVICES THAT WE FOUND ARE HEALTH AND WELLNESS RELATED.
THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF SOCIAL EVENTS AND NOTARY SERVICES.
BUT THERE WERE SOME THINGS WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU SPECIFICALLY.
SO THERE ARE ALSO MANY PROPERTIES THAT PROVIDE ANNUAL TAX PREPARATION, LIKELY THROUGH FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.
UM, THERE ARE ALSO PROPERTIES THAT PROVIDE ONSITE FOOD PANTRY, RENT ASSISTANCE, AND ALSO OFFER BUS PASSES.
YOU'LL TEND TO FIND THAT MUCH OF OUR PORTFOLIO IS IN THE OUTER BANS OF, UM, OF THE COUNTY.
SO WE ARE OFTEN, MORE OFTEN IN THE ETJ RATHER THAN WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
AND SO, UH, YOU'LL FIND OFTENTIMES THAT, UH, TRANSPORTATION, UH, CAN BE, UH, CHALLENGING.
BUT WHEN WE DO HAVE, UH, PROPERTIES THAT ARE CLOSE TO BUS STOPS, WE OFTEN HAVE PROPERTIES THAT PROVIDE BUS PASSES.
I FOUND THIS ONE SUPER INTERESTING.
THERE IS A LOT OF ONSITE ACTIVITIES WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OR FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT COMMUNITY POLICING THAT LEVEL OF TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO INTERACT WITH THEM ON A FREQUENT BASIS.
IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, THERE ARE SEVERAL, UM, PROPERTIES THAT ARE MAKING A REAL EFFORT TO BRIDGE THAT GAP AND PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD TRUST WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
THERE ALSO IS FINANCIAL LITERACY CREDIT COUNSELING, G-E-D-E-S-L CLASSES AND CAREER PLACEMENT.
UM, SO OFTENTIMES, UH, PROPERTIES ARE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT AS PEOPLE, UH, PEOPLE ARE, UM, CONTINUE TO BE FINANCIALLY SOLVENT AND HELP THEM HELP THEMSELVES AND INCREASE THEIR ABILITY TO IN, UH, TO, UH, HAVE A BETTER INCOME.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE, UM, SOME PROPERTIES THAT DO HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE AND TUTORING.
AND OFTENTIMES IT IS PAIRED WITH A HOT MEAL PROGRAM OR FREE SNACKS PROGRAM.
AND SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PROPERTIES RIGHT NOW THAT ARE OFFERING THOSE SERVICES.
WE HAVE ONE THAT RECENTLY ROLLED OFF OUR PORTFOLIO THAT WAS OFFERING THOSE SERVICES AS WELL.
AND AS WE HAVE MORE, MORE OF THESE, UM, UPCOMING PROPERTIES THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, I BELIEVE THAT'LL CONTINUE TO SEE MORE OF THESE TYPES OF SERVICES FOR AFTER SCHOOL, UM, AND TUTORING PROGRAMS, HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE, AS THESE OTHER, UM, PROPERTIES COME ONLINE.
I HEARD TODAY ABOUT ONE, UM, DEVELOPER WHO WORKS WITH NATIONAL MERIT, UM, SCHOLARS BECAUSE THEY NEED TO GET COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS.
AND SO THEY BASICALLY HAVE THEM COME AND SERVE AS TUTORS AND ROLE MODELS FOR THE KIDS.
[01:20:01]
I WAS, UM, WHEN I WAS IN HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, UH, WORKING IN THE CDBG PROGRAM, WE WERE PROVIDING SOME VERY SPECIFIC GUIDANCE TO THE COUNTY CORPORATIONS AT THE TIME.AND WE GAVE, WE WORKED WITH A STUDENT FROM UT WHO GAVE US A LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS AT UT THAT DEVELOPERS COULD TAP INTO GREAT.
WHERE THEY COULD GET, UH, HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE AND VOLUNTEER AND ALL THE STUDENTS COULD GET THEIR VOLUNTEER HOURS AS WELL.
UM, I HAD PROMISED THAT ORIGINALLY, AND I AM, UH, HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DELIVER.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, THE CONVERSATION PREVIOUSLY, UH, UNDER MY UMBRELLA, WE HAVE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, WE HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE COUNTY CORPORATIONS.
AND SO, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US AS WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, NEGOTIATING DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT DEALS, NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING THESE TYPES OF NEEDS AND SEEING IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO BE PUT IN PLACE FOR SERVICES TO EXTEND OUTSIDE THE NORMAL SPACE.
AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT.
ALSO, OUR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT POLICY ALSO, UM, SPECIFICALLY HIGHLIGHTS CHILDCARE.
COUNCILMAN ROSCH, THANK YOU FOR THIS OVERVIEW.
IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE THE NUMBER OF UNITS THAT YOU GUYS ARE PUTTING IN THE GROUND, SO CONGRATULATIONS.
UM, I DID WANNA JUST COMMENT THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE AN UPDATE TO OUR THREE 80 POLICY THAT IS GONNA BE COMING TO US IN JULY THAT IS GONNA REALLY ALLOW US TO EMPHASIZE, UM, CHILDCARE AND SOME OF THESE OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND I ASSUME YOU'RE ENGAGED WITH OUR OFFICE ON THAT, BUT WHICH, WHICH POLICY UPDATE IS IT? UM, POLICY, WHICH IS WHAT WE NEED.
SO WE HAVE TO OUR VEHICLE FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WE HAVE TO UPDATE OUR 3 81 POLICY.
AND SO WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF YOUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF AROUND THE THINGS Y'ALL ARE LOOKING AT, AND WE WOULD WANNA COMPLIMENT THOSE THINGS AS WELL.
AND WE JUST, THE ONE WE JUST DID FOR, I THINK TXP HAD CHILDCARE IN IT.
ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, IT'S GOOD TO POINT OUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THREE 80 AND 3 81, UH, THAT WE DO HAVE DIFFERENT STATUTORY OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND STATUTORY PROHIBITIONS.
UH, SO IT, IT'S GOOD TO SEE THEM KIND OF SIDE BY SIDE SO PEOPLE WILL KNOW, UH, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHEN WE TALK TO, TO ANOTHER CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP, THEY THINK THAT WE CAN DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY CAN DO.
SO IT'S GOOD TO SIDE BY SIDE AND KNOW WHAT, AND THAT IS OFTEN TRUE WITH ANYTHING THAT WE DO.
UM, THE CITY HAS DIFFERENT AUTHORITY THAN THE COUNTY DOES.
SO OFTEN TIMES WE'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE HAMSTRUNG.
UM, SO IT DOES REQUIRE A LOT OF CREATIVITY WHEN WE'RE USING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LENS.
UM, BUT, UH, WE ARE HAPPY TO BE CREATIVE AS NECESSARY, WHICH WE JUST VISITED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHEN WE PUT OUR MARSHALL PLAN WITH THEIR NORTHEAST PLANNING AREA, AND WE, UH, WORK TO COORDINATE THOSE, UH, THOSE UH, ENTITIES SO THAT WE COULD, UH, WORK TOGETHER MORE EFFECTIVELY OVER TIME.
AND SO WE WILL BE GIVEN AN UPDATE ON JUNE 25TH TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT PROJECT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE EMPHASIZING WITH THESE, UH, DEVELOPER PARTNERSHIPS IS THE NEED FOR LARGER, UM, AFFORDABLE UNITS.
SO MORE TWO AND THREE BEDROOM UNITS.
THOSE STILL REMAIN IN SOMEWHAT SHORT SUPPLY BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF FAMILIES, UM, THAT ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND NEED THAT LARGER UNITS THAN, UH, SMALL ONE BEDROOM.
SO WE ARE SEEING MORE TWO IN THREE BEDROOM UNITS.
AND PART OF THE PART, PART OF THE REASON WHY YOU SEE THAT IS T-D-H-C-A ALSO SO SAW THAT NEED.
AND SO THEY INCREASED THE REQUIREMENT TO GET OH, AS PART OF THEIR TAX CREDIT, AS PART OF THEIR TAX CREDIT PROGRAM.
A GOOD, A GOOD MOVE BY THE STATE.
BUT I WANT WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND IT IS IMPOR IMPORTANT TO HAVE MULTIPLE BEDROOMS, BUT IT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT PROVIDE A STABLE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU HAVE A PLACE TO LAY YOUR HEAD, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A CLINIC CLOSE, YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, A GROCERY STORE IS NOT IN THE AREA, THEN IT'S NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS IT SHOULD BE OVER TIME.
SO WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM AROUND PUBLIC HOUSING, NOT JUST HOUSING ITSELF.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE FAIR HOUSING SCREEN IS FOR, IS TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DEVELOPER NEEDS TO LOOK FOR, UM, AND IF THAT AREA IS READY TO DEVELOP OR IF WE NEED TO WAIT A LITTLE BIT
[01:25:01]
LONGER.WELL, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING, AND I THINK IT'S A REMARKABLE, UH, NUMBER OF, OF UNITS.
UM, WHEN IS THAT SECOND, UH, BATCH, UM, SCHEDULED TO COME ONLINE TO BRING IT TO 9,000? SO IT VARIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, PROJECTS ARE IN DIFFERENT STATES OF CONSTRUCTION.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE QUITE A FEW PROJECTS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE 80% CONSTRUCTED OR MORE.
SO WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE SEVERAL, UM, I'D SAY AT LEAST ONE OR 2000 COMING ON WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, JUST DEPENDING UPON HOW THINGS WORK.
COULD, COULD WE HAVE KIND OF HAVE AN ASSET MAP THAT KIND OF TELLS US WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
YEAH, THAT'D BE GOOD TO SHARE.
HE'S GETTING ALL THESE ASSET MAPS.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS IS, UM, GREAT NEWS AND IT'S, UM, IT'S GOOD TO BRIEF EVERYBODY SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
[V. Sustainability]
IS THE SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE.UM, SO IF OUR PRESENTERS WILL COME DOWN, WE HAVE A LITTLE LESS THAN 25 MINUTES, SO YOU MAY NEED TO SHAVE A LITTLE OFF OR TALK FASTER, WHATEVER WORKS.
OR MAYBE WE'LL HOLD, HOLD SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS AT THE END.
I HEAR, I HEAR MY NEW YORK VOICE ISN'T ANY FASTER IN MY TEXAS VOICE'S.
THERE WON'T BE MANY QUESTIONS.
AND INTRODUCE YOURSELVES PLEASE.
I AM WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I'M A SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR FOR AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO I WILL, I'LL GO THROUGH THESE VERY QUICKLY.
I THINK DARIEN HAS MORE SLIDES THAN ME, SO
UM, SO JUST VERY, VERY QUICKLY, I'M JUST GONNA SORT OF COVER, UM, KINDA THE DRIVERS AND THE BIG PICTURE SAID THE CHAIR IS AWFUL.
IF YOU WANNA SWITCH CHAIRS SO YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE SITTING IN THE KINDERGARTEN SEAT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO.
IT'S, APPARENTLY IT'S SLIDING DOWN.
I NEVER GET TO BE TALLER THAN ZACH ACTUALLY DOING THIS.
I WONDER IF IT'S FOR THE CAMERA.
SO, UH, THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, WE FOCUS ON, UM, CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO THE CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, AND THEN WE ALSO FOCUS ON, UH, RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE AS IT AFFECTS US.
UM, AND THEN ALSO SUSTAINABLE FOOD ISSUES.
SO TODAY I'M GONNA JUST BRIEFLY COVER, UM, KIND OF THE, THE WHY, THE, THE HOW THESE ISSUES ARE AFFECTING US HERE IN, UH, IN AUSTIN.
AND THEN, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, EMISSIONS AND HOW EMISSIONS HAVE GONE DOWN OVER TIME, KIND OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING.
AND THEN JUST BRIEFLY HIT ON SOME MAJOR KIND OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING.
UM, I DIDN'T COMPLETELY, UM, INTEGRATE THIS INTO THE PRESENTATION, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW DARIEN WELL AND COLLABORATE WITH HER ALL THE TIME.
I ALSO COLLABORATE VERY CLOSELY WITH TRAVIS COUNTY STAFF AND JOHANNA AND MAX AND, UM, ALL THE, ALL THE FOLKS OVER THERE AS WELL.
SO, UH, THIS WORK IS REALLY INTERCONNECTED AND THE FOLKS IN THIS SPACE KNOW EACH OTHER WELL HERE IN THE AUSTIN AREA, AND WE'RE ALWAYS REALLY WORKING TOGETHER.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, EXTREME WEATHER IS PART OF LIFE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, RIGHT? EVEN BEFORE PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, YOU WERE HAVING DROUGHTS.
WE WERE HAVING FLASH FLOODS IN CENTRAL TEXAS FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR AS LONG AS ANYONE CAN REMEMBER.
UM, BUT AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST, REALLY THE LAST 15 TO 20 YEARS, HEAT, DROUGHT, FLOOD, WILDFIRE, AND EXTREME COLD WEATHER ARE REALLY THE SIGNATURE OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
CLIMATE PROJECTIONS AND SCIENTISTS TELL US THAT THESE THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN MORE INTENSELY AND MORE FREQUENTLY.
SO, UM, THIS REALLY AFFECTS US ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
AND IT IS REALLY HOW PEOPLE INTERFACE AND UNDERSTAND AND FEEL CLIMATE CHANGE IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES.
SO, CLIMATE SCIENCE TELLS US THAT THE, THE EARTH HAS BEEN WARMING, THAT OUR ATMOSPHERE DUE TO THE INCREASING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS HAS BEEN TRAPPING MORE HEAT.
UM, THIS IS JUST THE, THE TEMPERATURE ANOMALY.
SO HOW MUCH WARMER IT'S BEEN IN THE AUSTIN AREA, JUST IN A VERY SIMPLE UNDERSTAND WAY.
WE ALL KNOW THAT THE LAST DECADE HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY WARMER.
UM, LAST YEAR WAS ONE OF THE HOTTEST SUMMERS EVER, AND THE PROJECTIONS TELL US THAT IT'S JUST GONNA BE MORE, MORE AND MORE AND MORE OF THE SAME.
SO WHY FOCUS ON RESILIENCE? UM, RESILIENCE IS A BIG WORD THAT MEANS, UM, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, AND AT THE CITY, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY IS GROWING QUICKLY.
UH, WE HAVE VAST INEQUALITY, UM, AND, UH, AND, UH, UNEQUAL RESOURCES, UNEQUAL ACCESS TO RESOURCES IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND AS CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS US, IT DOES NOT AFFECT
[01:30:01]
EVERYONE THE SAME.UH, WE HAVE VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES AROUND US THAT, UM, HEAT, DROUGHT, FLOOD, WILDFIRE, THOSE THINGS THAT WE FEEL IF YOU HAVE RESOURCES, UH, TO MANAGE THOSE THINGS AND TO HAVE YOUR AIR CONDITIONING ON AND TO BE PREPARED, UM, YOU'RE NOT LIKELY NOT GONNA HAVE A LOT OF ADVERSE EFFECTS IMMEDIATELY.
BUT THERE ARE MANY OF US IN THE AUSTIN AREA THAT DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE PREPARED FOR THIS KIND OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE ARE NOT ONLY THINKING ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS, BUT ALSO AFFORDABILITY EQUITY ISSUES.
IN OUR RESPONSE TO, TO PREPARING FOR THIS NEXT SLIDE, UM, IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT, UH, SUSTAINABLE FOOD ISSUES ARE INTEGRATED WITH, UM, CLIMATE AND RESILIENCE QUESTIONS, WHERE LOSING FARMLAND AND THE ALSO THOSE INEQUALITIES CAN ALSO BE SEEN IN OUR FOOD, FOOD SYSTEM.
THAT WE HAVE HIGH RATES OF FOOD INSECURITY, LOTS OF FOOD IS BEING WASTED, AND OUR FOOD SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE, UM, MAJOR SECTORS THAT, THAT IS CAUSING CLIMATE CHANGE IN OUR WORLD.
SO IN TERMS OF EMISSIONS THAT CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OUR OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY HAS BEEN DOING GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORIES FOR THIS COMMUNITY ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2010.
WE COLLABORATE WITH TRAVIS COUNTY ON THIS TOPIC AND A ISD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THE SAME METHODS TO MEASURE THIS PRO PROBLEM.
SO THESE, THESE ARE THE MAJOR SECTORS THAT, UM, CREATE GASES THAT ARE, THAT ARE CAUSING CLIMATE CHANGE, ESSENTIALLY OUR LOCAL CONTRIBUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS IN EACH ONE OF THESE SECTORS, WE HAVE MADE MAJOR PROGRESS WITH ENERGY.
UM, AND THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT'S USED IN BUILDINGS SPECIFICALLY THAT MOSTLY COMES FROM ACTIVITIES THAT AUSTIN ENERGY HAS TAKEN WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY, WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY.
UM, TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS ARE ALSO DOWN.
UM, COVID CREATED A HUGE DROP, BUT EMISSIONS ARE SORT OF HEADED BACK UP.
BUT INDIVIDUAL USE OF CARS, TRUCKS, VEHICLES, THAT'S THE NOW ACTUALLY THE LARGEST SOURCE OF EMISSIONS IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
IT'S STILL, IT'S STILL REALLY LOW.
IS SOME OF THAT BECAUSE OF THE TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES OR JUST RECOVERING FROM COVID? UM, IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH OF THOSE FACTORS.
IT'S A COMBINATION OF INCREASING MILES PER GALLON ON ELECTRIC VEHICLES, BUT THEN ALSO THERE ARE STILL LESS PEOPLE ON THE ROAD TODAY THAN THERE WERE, LIKE, BACK IN 2019.
BECAUSE YOUR TELECOMMUTING POLICY, BECAUSE WE'RE TELECOMMUTING POLICIES, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT AT EIGHT O'CLOCK
UM, SO THIS IS, THIS IS THOSE SAME GRAPHS SORT OF, BUT SHOWN ALL TOGETHER OVER TIME.
SO SINCE 2010 IN THE AUSTIN AREA, UM, OUR POPULATION HAS GONE IN THIS BOUNDARY HAS GONE UP BY 25%.
TOTAL EMISSIONS HAVE GONE BY, GONE DOWN BY 25%, UH, AND PER CAPITA EMISSIONS HAVE GONE DOWN BY 40%.
UM, SO THIS IS A, THIS IS A SUCCESS STORY IN AUSTIN.
YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED GOAL IS NET ZERO COMMUNITY WIDE EMISSIONS BY 2040.
SO WE GOTTA GET THIS, THIS CHART, NOT DOWN TO 11 MILLION, BUT DOWN MORE CLOSE TO LIKE 1 MILLION OR LESS TONS PER YEAR.
SO THE CITY HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION AND WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, BUT THERE IS STILL A TON OF WORK TO DO.
UH, THIS, THIS APPROACH REALLY SORT OF CAPTURES OUR COM, THE CITY'S COMBINED APPROACH THROUGH REDUCING EMISSIONS, THROUGH PREPARING AND ADAPTING FOR HOW THE CLIMATE'S GONNA CHANGE.
SO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE BOXES KIND OF ENCAPSULATES ALL OF THE DIFFERENT APPROACHES THAT WE'RE TAKING ACROSS ALL 40 OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT AT, AT ANY TIME WHEN WE DO ANY PROJECT, ANY BIG PROGRAM, THAT WE ARE WORKING TO REDUCE EMISSIONS IN ANY ONE OF THESE WAYS ON THE LEFT SIDE.
AND WORKING TO PREPARE FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE, STUDYING THE PROBLEM, WORKING TO IMPLEMENT SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, MAKE ALL OF THAT MORE ROBUST, MORE RESILIENT TO A CHANGING CLIMATE OVER TIME.
UM, AND THEN I THINK I'LL JUST AT THE BOTTOM HIGHLIGHT THAT EQUITY AND AFFORDABILITY HAVE TO BE AT THE CENTER OF THIS CONVERSATION.
WHETHER WE ARE REDUCING EMISSIONS OR PRE PREPARING HOW THE CLIMATE'S GONNA CHANGE, WE HAVE TO ALWAYS HAVE SORT OF THOSE TWO FOCUS AREAS IN MIND.
SO JUST TO WRAP IT UP, UM, SOME QUICK PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS OF BIG SORT OF THINGS THAT OUR OFFICE IS WORKING ON, UH, RIGHT NOW, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
IT'S KIND OF OUR JOB NUMBER ONE FOR US.
THIS IS THE, THE COVER PAGE OF THAT PLAN.
IT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2021.
IT'S KIND OF OUR NORTH STAR FOR IMPLEMENTING ALL THINGS TO REDUCE EMISSIONS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, WE JUST DID A, A BUNCH OF WORK ON SOME, BASED ON SOME COUNCIL DIRECTION ABOUT THIS ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN.
I JUST PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION LAST WEEK ABOUT A MYRIAD OF OPTIONS AND LOTS OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE UNFUNDED THAT NEED FUNDING,
[01:35:01]
UH, TO ADVANCE THIS WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.INFLATION REDUCTION ACT PURSUITS.
UM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PASSED THE, THE LARGEST INVESTMENT IN CLIMATE ACTION IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY BACK IN 2022.
UM, THERE ARE OVER 370 BILLION FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
UM, OUR OFFICE IS SORT OF COORDINATING THE CITYWIDE APPROACH TO THIS SOLUTION OR, OR TO THIS FUNDING.
AND THEN FINALLY, UM, OUR GROUP DOES A LOT OF WORK COORDINATING WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, COORDINATING WITH C COG ON REGIONAL AIR QUALITY ISSUES.
UM, ON THE, THE RESILIENCE ADAPTATION, SORT OF HOW THE CLIMATE'S CHANGING SIDE OF THINGS.
UH, WE HAVE STARTED, UH, THE FIRST UNIVERSITY CITY, UH, COLLABORATION ON CALLED THE UT CITY CLIMATE COLAB.
IT'S A PAIRING OF CITY EXPERTS AND, UH, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PROFESSORS AND EXPERTS TO COLLABORATE ON HOW THE CLIMATE'S CHANGING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN, IN GETTING THAT FUNDING AND HELPING, UM, START THIS COLLABORATION.
UM, IN, IN CONNECTION WITH THAT COLLABORATION.
JUST LAST WEEK, WE RELEASED, UH, WHAT'S CALLED THE HEAT RESILIENCE PLAYBOOK AND FUTURE CLIMATE PROJECTIONS FOR THE AUSTIN AREA.
UH, THOSE WERE RELEASED AT A, UM, AFTER A, A PREFACE CONFERENCE THAT WAS HELD AT CITY HALL.
UM, AND THEN WE'RE CONTINUING OUR ONGOING WORK WITH THE RESILIENCE NETWORK, COORDINATING WITH HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WHICH THIS GROUP HAS HEARD ABOUT MULTIPLE TIMES.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, AND SOME OTHER INTERCONNECTION AREAS WITH THE COUNTY AND, AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF COMPLETING THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN, WHICH IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THIS AREA.
IT'S GONNA ADDRESS ALL, UH, LOCAL ISSUES WITH THE FOOD SYSTEM.
WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING THAT TO THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL IN JULY.
UM, WE ARE JUST, I THINK THE PRESS RELEASE WENT OUT TODAY.
UM, WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM CALLED THE FOOD AND CLIMATE EQUITY GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH IS A MINI-GRANT PROGRAM, $3,000 GRANT, UM, FOR NONPROFITS, SMALL ORGANIZATIONS TO BOOST, UM, EFFORTS TO ADDRESS SUSTAINABLE FOOD ISSUES, EQUITY ISSUES, RESILIENCE ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, DO YOU HAVE A LINK TO THAT? UH, I CAN SHARE IT AFTER THE MEETING, YES.
IF YOU COULD ALSO SHARE THE CLIMATE PROJECTIONS WITH THE GROUP AS WELL, THAT'D BE GREAT.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, THE BRIGHT GREEN FUTURE SCHOOL GRANTS PROGRAM IS A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER 10 YEARS IN COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH A SD, WHERE WE GIVE, AGAIN, MANY GRANTS TO TEACHERS TO IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. UH, WE JUST HIT, UH, THE MILLION DOLLAR MARK THIS YEAR.
SO OVER THE COURSE OF 10 YEARS, CITI HAS GIVEN BACK A MILLION DOLLARS TO TEACHERS, UM, TO ADVANCE THE STUFF IN THE CLASSROOMS. SO, THAT'S IT.
ON JUNE 20TH, MOUNT SINAI CHURCH.
UH, THERE'S GONNA BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK'S FOOD PLAN.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE INVITE, UH, RACHEL AND HER TEAM, BUT I'D INVITE YOU ALL TOO, BECAUSE YOU SHOULD HAVE A NUMBER OF CHURCHES THERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, NEEDS IN, UH, IN THE, UH, NORTH AND SOUTHEASTERN, UH, EASTERN CRESCENT OF THE CITY.
ANY QUESTIONS? I'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
THIS IS, UM, THIS IS A GREAT OVERVIEW ON THE, UM, THE DECLINE IN THE ENERGY.
UM, I'M ASSUMING THIS IS ENERGY USE IN BUILDINGS, UM, THAT IS TOTAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTRICITY.
AND, UM, IS PART OF WHAT HAS, UM, CAUSED THAT BLUE GRAPH.
MAYBE WE CAN GO BACK TO PAGE SIX, UM, IN THIS PRESENTATION IS PART OF WHAT'S CAUSED, UM, THAT GRAPH TO GO DOWN? UM, BECAUSE AUSTIN, UH, ENERGY HAS ADDED SO MUCH MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY TO ITS PORTFOLIO.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NECESSARILY USING LESS ENERGY, IT'S THAT IT'S WELL OVER 60% AT THIS POINT, ISN'T IT? YEAH.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF, UH, RENEWABLES IN AUSTIN ENERGY'S MIX? I THINK LAST YEAR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, IT WAS 70% CARBON CARBON FREE POWER.
SO THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND.
NOT THAT WE SHOULD GO OUT AND WASTE ENERGY, BUT THAT BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENTS AND THE LONG TERM VISION THAT AUSTIN ENERGY HAS HAD, I THINK WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST, OTHER THAN THE HYDRO UTILITIES OUT WEST, WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGES OF RENEWABLES IN OUR, UH, MUNICIPAL, UM, YES, UH, UTILITY PORTFOLIO.
SO THAT'S REALLY SIGNIFICANT THAT THOSE INVESTMENTS HAVE HAD A HUGE IMPACT.
AND I SUSPECT IF THIS, IF, IF THIS GRAPH CHARTED ENERGY USE, IT WOULD BE GOING ANY OTHER DIRECTION.
ALTHOUGH THE POLICIES THAT THE CITY HAS ADOPTED HAVE ALSO BEEN VISIONARY.
AND I GET TO BRAG ON MY HUSBAND 'CAUSE HE WAS IN THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM FOR 14 YEARS AND
[01:40:01]
PUSHED THROUGH MANY OF THESE ENERGY CODE CHANGES.AND WHAT IT'S MEANT IS THAT ALTHOUGH THE POPULATION HAS GROWN OVER TIME, THE PEAK DEMAND, WHICH IS WHAT DRIVES THE NEED TO BUILD MORE POWER PLANTS OR BRING MORE ENERGY, RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES ONLINE, HAS REMAINED RELATIVELY STABLE BECAUSE OF THOSE ENERGY CODE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE CITY CODE.
IT'S A BRILLIANT ACHIEVEMENT, WHICH MOST PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND, AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T SEE IT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN VISUALLY SEE.
YOU HAVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT TO UNDERSTAND HOW REMARKABLE IT IS.
UM, ON THE REFRIGERANTS, I MEAN, THIS IS ONE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE DRAW DOWN EARLIER VERSION, NOT THE MOST RECENT VERSION, BUT AS THE MOST IMPACTFUL THING YOU CAN DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU CAPTURE AND CONTAIN, UM, UH, LEAKS OR RELEASES OF REFRIGERANTS.
HOW ARE YOU TRACKING THAT? 'CAUSE I, I'LL TELL YOU, WE, OUR, OUR AIR CONDITIONING UNIT JUST FAILED.
WE, IT WAS, IT WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD.
WE CALLED THE PEOPLE THAT INSTALLED IT AND THEY CAME OUT AND TOOK A WHILE, BUT THEY FINALLY DETERMINED THERE WAS A LEAK AND ALL OF THE REFRIGERANT ESCAPED.
ARE THEY REQUIRED TO REPORT THAT? HOW WOULD WE KNOW, HOW WOULD WE BE ABLE TO TRACK, BECAUSE REFRIGERANTS ARE, ARE LIKE 1,009 THOUSAND TIMES MORE HARMFUL THAN CARBON EMISSIONS.
SO IT'S A REALLY, IT'S A REALLY DANGEROUS, UH, GREENHOUSE GAS, BUT PEOPLE, PEOPLE HAVE LEAKING, YOU KNOW, AIR CONDITIONING UNITS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
SO, SO THOSE NUMBERS, WE ARE USE A, A SIMPLIFIED ESTIMATION METHODOLOGY WHERE WE ESTIMATE HOW MANY AIR CONDITIONERS ARE OUT THERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, HOW MUCH ALL OF 'EM LEAK ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND, AND ESTIMATE IT.
UM, BUT WE'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING TO IMPROVE THAT DATA COLLECTION.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, UM, A SOLICITATION OUT, RIGHT OUT RIGHT NOW, UM, TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO HELP US COME UP WITH A COMMUNITY-WIDE PLAN TO BETTER CAPTURE AND DESTROY REFRIGERANTS.
BECAUSE YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
IT'S A TINY THING THAT NOT MANY OF US SEE, BUT IT HAS A VERY LARGE IMPACT.
HUGE IMPACT PER, LIKE, PER UNIT.
WE UNDERTOOK AN INVENTORY OF THE COUNTY'S UNITS.
'CAUSE WE HAVE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF BUILDINGS.
AND A HUGE ARRAY OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF, UH, AIR CONDITIONING UNITS ANYWAY.
UM, SO WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO, UM, MODERNIZE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, OUR SYSTEMS AREN'T LEAKING.
UM, I THINK WE'RE LOSING OUR QUORUM, BUT, UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND ASK IF OTHERS HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, AND IF NOT, WE CAN WRAP IT UP.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, UM, FROM THE, THE NEXT CHART ON 43, OUR EMISSIONS HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN ACTUALLY EVEN WITH THE POPULATION GROWTH, WHICH IS GREAT.
I, I JUST WANTED, YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK MORE UNIT, MORE, UM, UM, UNITS ARE MORE EFFICIENT AND SO THEY USE LESS ENERGY AND YES.
THIS IS, UH, ENCOURAGING NEWS.
I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG THE A ISD PORTION WILL LAST, BUT, UM, I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE.
WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION, SO, ALL RIGHT.
DO I NEED TO SIT IN THE HOT SEAT OR SHOULD I STAY HERE? YOU CAN SIT THERE, BUT WE HAVE LIKE THREE MINUTES LEFT BEFORE WE'RE AT THE END OF THE CALL.
AND YOU ALL HAVE A BRIEF THAT GOES WITH THIS.
YOU CAN DIVE IN IF WE DON'T GET TO THE WHOLE THING.
UM, I'M DAR AND CLARY, AS I SAID, DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILITY AT A ISD.
UM, AND WE CAN JUST GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AND KEEP GOING.
SO TODAY, UH, IF WE CAN MAKE IT, I'LL GET THROUGH AN INTRO AND BRIEF HISTORY IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE TO STUDENTS IN OUR FACILITIES THAT WE'RE SEEING EMERGE RIGHT NOW, AND SOME ACTIONS THAT A ISD HAS BEEN TAKING.
UH, YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS ALREADY, BUT A ISD ADOPTED THE DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH IS MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE PRESENT WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE ABILITY OF FUTURE GENERATIONS TO MEET THEIR OWN NEEDS.
SO AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, SUSTAINABILITY AND EDUCATION ALIGN PERFECTLY BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS CAN THRIVE INTO THE FUTURE.
UM, SO WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS IS, SUSTAINABILITY IS A VISUAL, UM, NOT JUST ABOUT ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS A HUGE PART OF IT, BUT IT HAS TO MAKE SENSE ON AN ECONOMIC SCALE AND AN EQUITABLE SCALE AS WELL.
AND WHEN ALL THOSE THREE, THREE THINGS MEET, THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE SUSTAINABILITY.
AND SO WE CAN SEE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, THREATENS OUR SUSTAINABILITY AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, AND OF COURSE MORE BROADLY AS A CITY, AS A NATION, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UM, BECAUSE IT, IT MAKES IT HARD TO MEET THOSE, THOSE THREE THINGS AT ONCE.
UM, BRIEF HISTORY ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN POLICY AND PLANNING AT A ISD.
UM, IT STARTED, UH, IT'S ABOUT 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING NOW.
IT STARTED, UM, REALLY WITH A COMMITMENT IN 2004 FOR GREEN BUILDING.
UM, SINCE THEN WE'VE HAD A, A SUSTAINABILITY RESOLUTION THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES PASSED.
WE HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH HAS OVER 40 MEMBERS, UM, OF STAFF, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, NONPROFIT PARTNERS AND AGENCIES.
[01:45:01]
BONDS, UM, ONE IN 2017 AND ONE IN 2022.SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VOTERS WHO ARE MAKING A LOT OF THIS STUFF THAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY POSSIBLE.
UM, I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT THE PURVIEW FOR SUSTAINABILITY AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS QUITE BROAD.
UM, MY ROLE IS TO SET SUSTAINABILITY GOALS AND STRATEGY FOR THE DISTRICT, AND I WORK WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND PARTNERS TO DO THAT IN AREAS OF ENERGY AND WATER CONSERVATION, WASTE REDUCTION AND ZERO WASTE, PROCUREMENT, TRANSPORTATION, AIR QUALITY, SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS, AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO NATURE AND OUTDOOR LEARNING.
SO THESE ARE SOME INCIDENTS HIGHLIGHTED HERE THAT REALLY UPPED OUR, UM, MADE US DOUBLE DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
UM, WELL, IN A BIG WAY FOR RESILIENCE, PLANNING AND THINKING ABOUT OUR ROLE, UM, IN CLIMATE CHANGE, UM, WE HAD COVID, THE 2021 WINTER STORM URI 2022 NORTH AMERICAN WINTER STORM, AND 2024 SUMMER DROUGHT AND EXTREME HEAT.
SO ALL OF THOSE TESTED OUR RESILIENCE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO OPERATE AND SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES DURING THE STRESSES.
AND SO THESE BROUGHT ABOUT, AS I SAID, THE URGENCY FOR A ISD TO CONSIDER HOW SCHOOLS CAN BE BUILT OR REIMAGINED MORE INTENTIONALLY TO DECREASE ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES, UM, AID IN A CRISIS, SUPPORTS, UM, SOCIAL RESOURCES AND SUPPORT LEARNING THAT EQUIPS STUDENTS WITH THE ABILITY TO THRIVE IN THESE NEW NORMS. SO THAT'S A LOT OF ROLES THAT WE'RE PLAYING, UM, BUT THEY'RE ALL IMPORTANT.
UM, SO NEXT WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW CLIMATE CHANGE IS, IS IMPACTING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO THIS IS A LIST I PUT TOGETHER OF THINGS THAT ME AND MY COLLEAGUES AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE OBSERVING.
UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE NOT ASKING HOW WILL OR HOW MIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, THE TRUTH IS, IT'S, IT'S HAPPENING NOW AND, AND IT'S PLAYING OUT IN A VERY REAL WAY.
UM, SO THE, THE IMPACTS HERE TO FACILITIES AND STUDENTS, UM, I LIST THEM AS THEIR OWN CATEGORIES, BUT THEY TRULY GO HAND IN HAND.
'CAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, UM, OUR FACILITIES DIRECTLY AFFECT OUR STUDENTS' ABILITIES TO PROVIDE A SAFE, STABLE, UM, AND QUALITY ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING.
SO WITH FACILITIES, THE EXTREME WEATHER, OF COURSE, ALL OF THESE DISRUPT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND ESCALATE OUR COSTS FOR REPAIRS.
UM, OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, ESPECIALLY THE ONES WITH OLDER SYSTEMS, ARE A LOT MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE FROM EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS.
SO WE'LL SEE PIPES BREAK FLOODING INSIDE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THE FINANCIAL STRAIN TO REPAIR AND UPGRADE THE FACILITIES WILL FURTHER COMPROMISE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION, OF COURSE.
UM, AND THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF OUR DISTRICT, WHICH YOU PROBABLY ARE ALL AWARE OF, IS TOUGH.
UM, THE ROLE OF OUR FACILITIES.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, I WAS GONNA SAY, IF, IF THE STATE TOOK A BILLION DOLLARS FROM, FROM ANYONE, IT'D BE A DIFFICULT THING TO SUSTAIN.
SO THE ROLE OF OUR FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, AS PILLARS IN THE COMMUNITY, FOLKS LOOK TO OUR, UM, SCHOOLS DUR FOR SUPPORT DURING TIMES OF CRISIS NATURALLY.
UM, AND OUR FACILITIES HAVE SERVED AS VACCINATION AND MEAL DISTRIBUTION, DISTRIBUTION CENTERS DURING COVID WARMING AND COOLING SHELTERS DURING OUR EXTREME HEAT AND COLD.
UH, WE SAW DURING URI AND COV THAT WALKABILITY TO A SAFE FACILITY WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO THAT FURTHER HIGHLIGHTED THE ROLES THAT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS CAN PLAY IN COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
UM, AND THEN FOR STUDENTS, OF COURSE, THERE'S A LOT OF IMPACT, BUT ONE OF THEM THAT'S REALLY EMERGING IS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS TO STUDENTS.
UH, CLIMATE ANXIETY IS A REAL THING.
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH, UM, IS NOW PUBLISHING, UM, RESEARCH, UM, FROM DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT SOURCES ON CLIMATE ANXIETY AND HOW DEPRESSION, UM, AFFECTS OUR STUDENTS, HOW IT GIVES THEM A SENSE OF HOPELESSNESS ABOUT THE FUTURE AND HOW IT AFFECTS THEIR MENTAL WELLBEING.
UM, AND IT'S, UH, THE, AND IT'S, OH, AND IT'S AFFECTING THEIR, UM, ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE ON THEIR STUDIES AS WELL.
SO WE'RE SEEING THIS AFFECT STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM AND THEIR AVAIL, THEIR ABILITY TO PERFORM.
A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ALSO IN HIGH CLIMATE AND SOCIAL VULNERABILITY AREAS.
SO WE'VE OVERLAID THE TWO MAPS.
UM, THE CDC HAS THE SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDEX, UM, THAT WE USED IN OUR LONG RANGE PLANNING AS WELL.
AND THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE US CLIMATE VULNERABILITY INDEX AND REALIZED THAT A LOT OF OUR KIDS ARE AT RISK TO, TO FEEL, UM, SOME OF THESE EFFECTS EVEN MORE THAN OTHERS.
UM, AND THEN CLIMATE REFUGEES OF COURSE, TOO.
SO, UM, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT WE'RE FACING, UM, INCREASED CLIMATE REFUGEES, WHICH ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HOME AS A RESULT OF THE EFFECTS THAT CLIMATE CHANGE HAS ON THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
SO THESE CAN BE LOCAL, LOCAL DISPLACEMENT FROM MAYBE FLOODING.
YOU ALL KNOW THE FLOODS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN MANION CREEK AND, UM, SOME OF OUR OTHER FLOODING EVENTS THAT HAVE LEFT PEOPLE, UM, HOMELESS FOR A LITTLE BIT OF TIME OR LONGER TIME IF THEY CAN'T BOUNCE BACK.
UM, OR IT CAN BE FOLKS LEAVING THE DISTRICT, UM, AND GOING TO PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE MORE COMMUNITY SUPPORT OR FAMILY OR COMING INTO THE DISTRICT.
BUT EITHER WAY, THESE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOMETHING.
AND SO IT MAKES US, US THINK AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, HOW WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THESE, THESE EVENTS.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, HOW OUR CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY BEING ADDRESSED THROUGH EDUCATION.
[01:50:02]
UM, SO WE HELD FOCUS GROUPS IN 2022.WE PARTNERED WITH ECO RISE AND, UM, HEALTH FOCUS GROUPS FOR A ID TEACHERS AND STAFF FROM FIVE SCHOOLS TO GAIN INSIGHTS ABOUT ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, CLIMATE EQUITY AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE.
YOU CAN SEE THE LIST OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE INCLUDED THERE.
AND WHAT WE WANTED TO KNOW WERE, UM, WHAT SOME, WHAT SOME OF OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ARE EXPERIENCING.
WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS THEY SEE AND WHERE DO THEY THINK INVESTMENT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
THE NEXT FEW SLIDES SHOW SOME OF THE, THE ANSWERS THAT, UM, FOLKS RESPONDED.
I COPIED THESE STRAIGHT FROM THEIR RESPONSES, SO WE USED A DIGITAL NOTEPAD FOR IT.
UM, BUT SOME OF THE, UH, THEMES WE SAW EMERGING.
UM, FOR THIS QUESTION, HOW CAN YOU DESCRIBE HOW YOUR CAMPUS HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY IMPACTED BY CLIMATE STRESSORS? UM, WE SEE THEM SAYING THAT FAMILIES ARE DISPLACED, FOOD INSECURITY, AND THE ROLE A ISD PLAYS TO FILL THAT GAP FOR SOME STUDENTS WITH OUR FOOD SERVICES.
UM, SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE A HARD TIME BOUNCING BACK OR GETTING BACK ON THEIR FEET, UH, MISSED SCHOOL FOR WALKERS DUE TO BAD WEATHER.
SO SOME SCHOOLS ARE FINDING THAT THEIR STUDENTS WON'T COME TO SCHOOL AT ALL, UM, BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER.
UM, FACILITY DAMAGE, OF COURSE, THERE WAS A LOT OF RESPONSES AROUND THAT WITH FLOODINGS.
HVAC DOESN'T WORK, UM, ABOVE 95 DEGREES, ET CETERA.
WELL, THE LAST ONE, THE FLOODING, UH, LIBRARY CONSTANTLY FLOODS, LEAKING THROUGH THE CEILING.
HOPEFULLY THAT BUILDING'S BEING SO, SO THAT WHOLE DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, FOOD POLICY AND FOOD ACCESS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, THAT YOU WANT TO, UH, LOOK AT.
WE HAVE TALKED DIRECTLY WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK ABOUT, UM, NAMING 18 TO 19 TITLE ONE SCHOOLS AS PANTRIES.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK ON.
AND I WAS WONDERING WHETHER ANY OF THE SCHOOLS WOULD, WOULD BE IN AN AREA WHERE, UH, WHERE THEY COULD HAVE PURPLE PIPE, WHICH MIGHT HELP AIR CONDITIONING.
WELL, IT WOULD CERTAINLY REDUCE THE, UH, UNNECESSARY USE OF DRINKING WATER.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE LOOKED AT OVERLAYING THE PURPLE PIPE NETWORK, UH, AND WHAT OTHER PUBLIC FACILITIES ARE THERE, BUT, UM, IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE AND ANOTHER THING THE CITY GETS A LOT OF CREDIT FOR, BUT UM, IT, IT, UH, THE CITY GETS A LOT OF CREDIT FOR, BUT MY COLLEAGUE SHOULD GET A LOT OF CREDIT.
WE JUST WON A NATIONAL AWARD FOR OUR USE OF PURPLE PIPE AND, AND DEFRAYING OR AVOIDING 45 MILLION GALLONS, UH, A YEAR IN, UM, DRINKING WATER BECAUSE WE SUBSTITUTED THE PURPLE PIPE FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING SUPPLY IN SEVEN BUILDINGS.
IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION TOO, BECAUSE THAT WATER DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TREATED TO THE LEVEL THAT POTABLE WATER DOES.
UM, WE, UH, HAVE PURPLE PIPE IN THE NEW MARSHALL MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, IN THE MUELLER DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CITY'S LINES FOR OUR NEW SCHOOLS THAT ARE GONNA BE PART OF THE 2022 BOND SCHOOLS AS WELL.
GENERAL MARSHALL, WHO WAS A MOREHOUSE GRAD AND A CHEMISTRY TEACHER AT HOUSTON TILTON.
AND ONE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY GOT TO GOLF AT MUNI PARK.
WERE YOU USING THE AUSTIN ENERGY REBATES TOGETHER WITH THE FEDERAL GRANT GOING AROUND? YES.
SO FOR THE, FOR THE PURPLE PIPE, WE GOT ACTUALLY, UM, BIG REBATE FROM AUSTIN WATER, WHICH WAS GREAT FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.
WE ARE GETTING REBATES ON THOSE AS WELL.
UM, WE, WE SCOUR THEIR REBATES 'CAUSE EVERYTHING MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT TOO, IF WE GET TO THE END.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE'LL RUN OUTTA TIME ABOUT ANOTHER I CAN JUMP TO THE END.
YOU ALL HAVE ALL THIS INFORMATION SO YOU CAN LOOK AT THE OTHER RESPONSES, FOLKS, FOLKS SHARED AND SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH CURRICULUM TO BRING SOME KIDDOS AND TEACHERS ALONG.
SO AT THE END, UM, WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAPPEN, WHAT IS HAPPENING THROUGH FACILITIES AT A ISD.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, LOOKING AT OUR, UH, FACILITIES AS COMMUNITY SHELTERS, AREAS FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
UM, OUTDOOR LEARNING INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOW A BIG PART OF THE EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT AS IF YOU READ LATER, YOU'LL SEE, UM, THE TEACHERS REALLY RESPONDED TO.
UM, AND THEN GREEN BUILDING DESIGN, OF COURSE.
SO THROUGH GREEN BUILDINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES IN A LOT OF WAYS.
AND SO WE'VE REALLY MADE A COMMITMENT FOR LEAD AND AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING FOR ALL OF OUR NEW BUILDINGS THAT ARE GOING INTO THE BOND PROGRAMS. SO THESE WILL HELP REDUCE EXPOSURE TO TOXINS, WHICH OF COURSE HELP WITH THAT HEALTH OUTCOMES AND THE INDOOR AIR QUALITY INCREASES.
SO WE HAVE LESS ABSENCES DUE TO ASTHMA.
CLASSROOM ACOUSTICS OF COURSE, IS GONNA HELP LEARNING THERMAL COMFORT FOR PRODUCTIVITY AND ALERTNESS, DAYLIGHTING, WHICH HELPS WITH ALERTNESS, COGNITIVE AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING, ACCESS TO NATURE, OF COURSE FOR BEHAVIORAL, ACADEMIC HEALTH AND COMMUNITY OUTCOMES.
THERE'S ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROJECT-BASED AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THAT COMES WITH GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS AND, UM, OF COURSE INCREASE TEACHER RETENTION, COST SAVINGS FOR THE DISTRICT.
AND OF COURSE ALL THAT HELPS WITH OUR FINANCIAL STABILITY.
[01:55:01]
UM, SO ONE THING THAT I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU, IF WE CAN SKIP AHEAD TO OKAY.WE'VE GOT INFORMATION ON TREES.
YOU CAN READ WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR REFORESTATION.
WE'VE GOT INFORMATION ON ELECTRIC BUSES.
YOU CAN READ WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THAT.
UM, AND FINALLY WE'LL GET TO THE END, WHICH IS OUR SOLAR PROJECT.
SO WE WERE RECENTLY AWARDED, WE JUST GOT THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS IN MAY, UM, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.
SO WE, UM, GOT IRA FUNDING, UM, FOR $15 MILLION FOR SOLAR AND BUILDING AUTOMATION AT 16 SCHOOLS.
SO YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE PRESS OR THE PRESS CONFERENCE YET BECAUSE THAT'S STILL FORTHCOMING.
BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO START DIGGING INTO THIS PROJECT AND SHARING IT WITH OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, WE'RE GONNA, UM, SAVE ROUGHLY IN THIS GRANT, $10 MILLION OR 10 MILLION KILOWATT ENERGY USE REDUCTION, 15.7 MILLION POUNDS OF CO2 EMISSIONS AND $1.2 MILLION EVERY SINGLE YEAR AFTER THIS PROJECT IS IMPLEMENTED.
IT'LL TAKE ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO DO ALL OF THEM, BUT WE'LL SEE THOSE SAVINGS YEAR OVER YEAR.
UM, WE'RE, WE'VE COMMITTED TO AT LEAST 25% OF THE CONTRACTS FLOWING TO HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED WOMEN AND MINORITY AND BUSINESSES HERE IN AUSTIN.
WE WANT THOSE DOLLARS TO STAY LOCAL AND SUPPORT LOCAL JOBS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE WANT TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN OUR GREEN CAREER PATHWAYS WITH THIS PROJECT.
AND IT'S PART OF A REQUIREMENT FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THE JUSTICE 40, SO THAT THIS THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
THESE FUNDS GET INVESTED IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED YES.
AND CREATE JOBS, UM, FOR MINORITY COMMUNITIES.
THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THE SELECTION CRITERIA.
UM, SO THAT WAS A BIG PART OF SELECTING WHAT SCHOOLS WOULD GO INTO IT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID, COMMISSIONER SHEA OF, UM, HOW THE SCHOOLS WERE SELECTED.
UM, AND THEN THOSE ARE ALL THE REASONS THAT WE WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
SO, UM, WELL, CONGRATULATIONS.
I JUST WANT TO PUT A PIN IN THE SIX 16 SELECTED SCHOOLS WILL BE IN SOME OF THE DISTRICT'S MOST HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES WITH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MAKE THESE TYPES OF INVESTMENTS, WE MAKE THEM WHERE WE HAVEN'T BEFORE.
AND IT'S A REQUIREMENT OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS. I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY UNDERAPPRECIATED HOW MUCH HE'S DRIVEN MASSIVE INVESTMENTS IN, IN COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY NEED IT.
WELL, THOSE OLD BOYS DON'T LIKE IT VERY MUCH.
AND THEN MY LAST SLIDE IS JUST ABOUT STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT.
OF COURSE, NONE OF US CAN DO THIS ALONE.
CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY IS SOMETHING THAT TOUCHES EVERYBODY AND NEEDS EVERYBODY TO DO THEIR PART.
AND SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IT SHOWS SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT WE COLLABORATE WITH, UM, AND INCLUDES, OF COURSE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE PLAN SO THAT WE COULD ALIGN VERY CLOSELY WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN CITY IS CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE INITIATIVE, CITY OF AUSTIN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, UM, DEPARTMENT'S, AUSTIN FOREST PLAN, AND WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF URBAN FOREST GRANT FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WE'RE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
UM, THE FORTHCOMING AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN, WE CAN'T WAIT TO ALIGN WITH THAT.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE RESILIENCE PLANNING WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND, AND MORE, MORE PARTNERS TOO.
UM, I HOPE THAT WAS HELPFUL AND INFORMATIVE, AND IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT TO ME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH DURING, AND THERE'S A GREAT PACKET HERE WITH MORE INFORMATION AS WELL.
[VI. Standing Items (Set at previous meetings)]
WE'VE RUN OVER.DO WE NEED TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS ABOUT THE, UM, FUTURE ITEMS AND, UH, MEETING DATES OR ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? UH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU WANNA BRING, UH, ANY PRESENTATIONS? I KNOW YOU WANTED A STANDING ITEM ON THE TRE FOR CHILDCARE.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'D BE THE SEPTEMBER MEETING OR THE DECEMBER, BUT AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS GOING INTO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ABSOLUTELY NEED THAT.
UM, I THINK, UM, IT'LL BE REALLY VALUABLE TO, UM, HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S PLANS FOR DEALING WITH THE $60 MILLION CUTS THAT ARE FORCED ON YOU BY THE STATE.
UM, SO I KNOW THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSIONS AROUND A TRE, SO SHALL WE JUST, I'LL PROBABLY GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATE, UM, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY FOR IT ON SPECIAL EDUCATION AND MENDEZ MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH ARE THE TWO, UM, THAT WE STARTED THIS SCHOOL YEAR WITH.
BECAUSE YOU'VE, YOU'VE NOW PASSED AND WITH FLYING COLORS ALL THE, UH, REQUIREMENTS.
RIGHT? WE'RE DOING WELL, YEAH.
WITH, WITH TEA ON THE SPECIAL EDUCATION.
UH, IT'S BEEN A HERCULEAN WELL, CONGRATULATIONS.
BUT YEAH, WE'RE DOING OKAY ON THAT.
UM, ARE YOU ASKING IF WE WOULD MEET EITHER THE FIFTH OR THE 20TH AND YOU'RE GONNA FOLLOW UP WITH OUR STAFFS? IS THAT THE QUESTION? YES.
WE WE'LL ANYMORE UNTIL THE FIFTH.
SO WHEN IS LABOR DAY? THE DAY THE SECOND.
[02:00:01]
SECOND.ARE YOU SAYING IT'S THE FOURTH? NO, I, I JUST DID THE MATH.
THIS IS A GREAT, UM, MEETING AND LOTS OF REALLY GREAT INFORMATION.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
I THINK THAT, AND, AND WE SHOULD HAVE, UM, THE NEW CITY MANAGER NEXT.
UM, BUT THANKS AGAIN FOR CONTINUING THE GOOD WORK OF THE STREETS MOTION.
THINK TECHNICALLY WE DON'T NEED TO VOTE.