[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER ]
RIGHT.IT IS NOW 6:01 PM AND I'M CALLING ORDER THE SOCIAL CALL BEING ION RECREATION BOARD FROM SEVENTEEN TWENTY TWENTY FOUR.
ORDER FOR VOTE CALL DEPUTY BOGOS.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
WILL NOT SEE THE PUBLIC MEETING IN GENERAL.OUR FIRST SPEAKER DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION WILL BE LIZ HY, FOLLOWED BY SHARING LIVE AND THEN.COM.
SPEAKERS ARE INVITED TO JOIN US AT THE CENTER TABLE TO ADDRESS THE PARKS BOARD FOR THREE MINUTES.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST STAYING IN THE GALLERY UNTIL, UH, OKAY.
WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES WHENEVER YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
I'M LIZ BARR AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOSTON RULING CLUB.
AND I JUST WANNA SHARE SOME PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NEXT MONTH.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS OUR A RC JUNIORS AT NATIONALS.
IT'S JUNIOR NATIONALS IN SARASOTA, FLORIDA.
UH, WE QUALIFY TO SEND SIX CENTURIES ASSISTING OF 32 AUSTIN TEAMS, UH, TO THIS COMPETITION.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR THE ATHLETES, AND THEY COMPETED IN THE LARGEST EVER US ROWING.
AT JUNIOR NATIONALS EVENT, THERE WERE 4,000 ATHLETES FROM 225 TEAMS ACROSS THE US AND WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT OUR UNDER 15 WOMEN FOUGHT, TOOK THIRD PLACE IN THE NATION.
WE CAN GO TO OUR NEXT, UH, JUNE AND JULY WEEKDAYS.
WE INVITE HARD SUMMER CAMPS TO THE BOATHOUSE TO EXPERIENCE LADY BIRD LAKE THROUGH USING OUR TRAINING PONTOON BARGES.
AND THEN THEY, UH, ACTUALLY GO OVER AND KAYAK.
UH, GENERALLY IT'S ABOUT 20 TO 24 CAMPERS ON EACH VISIT.
WE ARE A FITNESS PARTNER OF, UH, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER'S WELLNESS PROGRAM.
SO FROM JUNE THROUGH OCTOBER, WE HOST A MONTHLY EVENING OF KAYAKING IN
UH, AS PART OF OUR LAKE STEWARDSHIP, WE MANUALLY PULL THE INVASIVE ELEPHANT HERE, WHICH YOU'LL SEE ON THE LEFT, AND THEN ONCE IT'S GONE ON THE RIGHT, UM, IT IS A VERY PERSISTENT PLAN THAT REQUIRES REPEATED REMOVAL BEFORE
THE WEEDS THAT HAVE TAKEN OVER THE LAKE IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, UM, IS BACK AGAIN AND IMPACTING ALL WATER SPORTS ON THE LAKE.
UM, THE WEED DOES GROW AN INCH A DAY.
OUR LAST LEG, UH, SINCE OUR LAST CARD BOARD MEETING, WE'VE HAD THREE CLEANUPS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH KEY AUSTIN.
BEAUTIFUL WITH 50 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TAKING MORE THAN 70 BAGS OF TRASH AND DEBRIS OUT OF THE LAKE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT SUMMER.
OUR NEXT WEEK WILL BE SHARON BLYTHE.
I JUST WANT TO SAY TO THE PERSON WHO JUST SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS STAFF BRIEFING.
AND THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM FIVE.
SHARON, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
[00:05:01]
A LONG TERM CEMETERY ADVOCATE.SPOKE FOX BOARD MEETINGS AGO ABOUT THE NEED FOR THE CEMETERY STAFF TO BE INCREASED BY FIVE PEOPLE SHOULD BE USED FOR INTERNMENTS.
THIS, UM, THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING A CONTRACTOR SINCE 1990.
IT'S COSTING CITY ABOUT OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
IF YOU BRING IT IN HOUSE, IT'S GONNA COST JUST 211 A YEAR, AND THOSE FIVE PEOPLE CAN DO OTHER WORK IN THE CEMETERY, WHICH I INTERN.
SO IT'S LIKE A WIN-WIN FOR THE CITY.
IT'S GONNA SHAVE THE CITY $84,400 A MONTH TO DO THIS.
SO IT'S A, IT'S AN UNMET NEED, BUT IT'S A NECESSARY NEED TO
UM, AND IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
FINALLY, WE HAVE CEMETERY MANAGEMENT THAT IS VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THAT.
MY CITY COUNCIL PERSON, MCKENZIE KELLY, IS IN IN FAVOR OF IT.
AND WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THIS AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE THE PARK BOARD SUPPORT TOO, UM, TO SAVE THE CITY ALL THIS MOMENT PER YEAR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE A GREAT OUTCOME BY THE END OF THE SUMMER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE SCOTT COBB, FOLLOWED BY ANDREA HILL.
CAN YOU JUST GIMME A THUMBS UP THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO HEAR US? ALL RIGHT.
UH, SCOTT, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM WHEN YOU BEGIN TO SPEAK.
ALRIGHT, SO I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE TODAY THAT I READ THE PARKS DIRECTOR SOMETHING AND, UH, SOMETHING IN THERE CAUGHT MY EYE.
BUT FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY, I THINK IT'S VERY, IT WAS VERY HEARTENING IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS TO SEE REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS THAT CALL THE BATHHOUSE, THE JUNE MEMES, CABILLA BATHHOUSE.
WHAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT AS FAR AS THE UPDATE, I NOTICED THAT IT SAYS THAT THERE'S, AS OF MAY 30TH, THERE WERE 619 LIFEGUARDS READY TO WORK ABOUT 1400, UH, IN THE PROCESS, HAVING APPLIED, GET READY TO WORK, TAKE CLASSES OR WHATEVER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT FIGURE IS RIGHT, 619.
SO WHAT I DID WAS LOOK AT THE JUNE, 2023 PAR MEETING.
AND AT THAT MEETING, OUR DIRECTOR SUBMITTED AN UPDATE SAYING THAT AS OF JUNE 8TH, 2023, THERE WERE 851 LIFEGUARDS READY TO WORK.
SO SOMEONE MAYBE CAN EXPLAIN, WHAT'S THAT A TYPO, WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY ARE THERE, UNLESS THERE HAVE BEEN 232 LIFEGUARDS WHO WERE BECAME READY TO WORK IN IN THE LAST WEEK SINCE UP UNTIL TWO APRIL THIS YEAR.
WHY ARE WE BEHIND AND READY TO WORK FROM LAST YEAR? I KNOW EVERY MAY AND EVERY JUNE GO TO THE POOLS.
NOW WE'RE BACKTRACKING FROM LAST YEAR.
IT'S AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM THAN I THOUGHT BECAUSE, UH, IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS I'VE BEEN THINKING, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA HIRE OVER A THOUSAND GUARDS.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THE POOLS OPEN LIKE THEY DID LAST YEAR.
IT'S NOT JUST OPENING ALL THE POOLS, IT'S STAFFING ALL THE SHIFTS.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ALL THE SHIFTS STAFFED, THE POOLS ARE NOT FULLY STAFFED.
THE 619 THIS YEAR HAS AN ACRE 51 LAST YEAR, BUT IT'S NOT A GOOD SIGNAL LESSON.
THEY CAN EXPLAIN
AS OF THEN THE SUMMER IS OVER AUGUST 20TH.
SO THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN LIKE TO KNOW, ARE THERE ENOUGH LIFEGUARDS BEING HIRED? MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN ANSWER.
I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I CAN DO THAT.
ANOTHER ITEM, HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE NOW? NO PROBLEM.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ANDREA HILL, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FLORES.
[00:10:01]
MY NAME'S ANDREA HILL.I TOTALLY AGREE WITH WHAT SCOTT SAYS.
I'VE BEEN THERE FOR SEVEN YEARS AND EVERY SINGLE YEAR THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LIFEGUARDS TO OPEN THE POOLS OR TO STAFF 'EM PROPERLY.
LAST YEAR, SOME NEWSPAPER DID A STUDY.
IT TAKES, IT TOOK AN AVERAGE OF 60 DAYS FROM THE DAY SOMEONE WALKED INTO APPLY TILL THEY ACTUALLY GOT SITTING ON A LABGUARD CENTER.
THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE APPLYING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT AQUATICS DOES.
I KNOW THEY HAVE TO TAKE THIS SOME SORT OF TRAINING.
BUT IT DOES NOT TAKE TWO MONTHS FROM THE TIME SOMEONE APPLIES FOR A JOB TO BE ACTUALLY AT THE JOB WORK.
AND IT CONTINUES YEAR AFTER YEAR.
SO SOMEBODY FROM OUTSIDE OF AQUATICS NEEDS TO LOOK AT IT AND CORRECT.
THE OTHER THING I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS MAINTENANCE.
AT BARB SPRINGS, THERE ISN'T ANY, WE TURN IN A MAINTENANCE REQUEST, IT JUST DISAPPEARS SOMEWHERE IN THE PARK SYSTEM.
LIKE IF I TURN IN A REQUEST FOR MAINTENANCE SITS ON SOMEBODY'S DESK, EVENTUALLY SOMEBODY WILL FIND IT, THEN THEY'LL ROUTE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
TODAY, THE GUYS WERE THERE WORKING ON THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM ON THIS BACK LAWN IN PARKING SPRING.
HE SAID HE WON'T FINISH IT UNTIL TOMORROW.
HOWEVER, THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM'S BEEN OFF AND OVER FOR SEVERAL MONTHS ALREADY THIS YEAR, A LOT OF THE GRASS HAS ALREADY DIED.
IT'S GONNA BE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO RE SIDE THE WHOLE GRASS.
THEY SHOULD HAVE MADE A PRIORITY OUT OF FIXING THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW THAT THE OTHER THING ABOUT MAINTENANCE, AS YOU TURN IN A REQUEST, THEY JUST GO ON THE LIST.
THERE'S NO SYSTEM OF PRIORITIZING WHICH REPAIRS NEED TO COME FIRST.
LIKE REPAIRING TOILETS, FIXING WATERS, FIXING THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM.
THOSE YOU WOULD THINK WOULD BE FAIRLY URGENT, BUT INSTEAD THEY'LL JUST FALL AROUND AND GO FIX SOME OTHER THING.
UM, MY OTHER COMPLAINT, OTHER THAN
IT'S CAUSING TREMENDOUS STRESS FOR ALL THE CUSTOMERS AND ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES.
I DON'T THINK CITY PERSONNEL REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TO BARTON SPRINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY ON A WEEKEND.
IT MIGHT BE 10,000 PEOPLE OR MORE EACH WEEKEND THAT WE COUNT THEM.
SO WE KNOW AND, UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THAT.
THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME BETTER COMMUNICATIONS AND BETTER SYSTEMS. UH, I WISH PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSEDLY IN UPPER MANAGEMENT OF CARD AND THE POOL WOULD COME ON A BUSY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND THEN THEY, THEY'D UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE ALL TALKING.
BUT ONE LAST THING IS I GOT A RECOMMENDATION FROM A, AN EX-EMPLOYEE WHO SAID THAT PERHAPS THE PARKS BOARD SHOULD CONSIDER SEPARATING Z OR PARK AND PARK SPRINGS AND HAVE A SEPARATE OVERSEER OF THOSE ITEMS. AND THEN SOMEONE ELSE MANAGE ALL THE REST OF THE, JUST CONSIDERING THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE AND THE EVENTS THAT HAPPEN IN
NOT THAT IT'S BETTER OR DIFFERENT, IT'S JUST THAT, THAT INCREDIBLE HIGH VOLUME MIGHT NEED A SEPARATE OVERSIGHT GROUP.
JUST KIND OF DIVIDE OUT SEPARATELY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CHRIS FLORES, FOLLOWED BY JOY KOVSKI.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, PIPES BOARD.
SO I COME TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT VIOLET CROWN AND ALSO THE GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT BARTON'S FRENCH SCHOOL.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO COME INTO SPRING SCHOOL SATURDAY OR SUNDAY IN THE COMING WEEKS.
UM, IT TYPICALLY THERE'S PARKING AVAILABLE BETWEEN NINE AND 10:00 AM AND THEN AFTER THAT IT FILLS UP.
BUT IF YOU COULD ALL PILOT A BUS AND GO, AND THE FLOWERS DON'T, DO NOT BRING YOUR CHILDREN.
UM, AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE CROWDS THAT ARE COMING IN AND THESE TOUR, THE TEMPORARY GUEST ROOMS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE CROWDS.
UM, THEY'RE NOT ENOUGH AND THEY'RE PRETTY DIRTY.
AND IF YOU HAVE 10,000, 11,000 PEOPLE COMING IN ON THE 4TH OF JULY, PEOPLE WILL ATE IN THE POOL BEHIND THE TREES BEFORE THEY USE THOSE RESTROOMS. THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH.
I THINK, PERSONALLY, THIS IS JUST MY OPINION, THAT MAYBE THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO ASK THE PARTS
[00:15:01]
DEPARTMENT, THE EXPERTS TO COUNSELING, HOW MANY PEOPLE ACCOMMODATING PEOPLE ZONE THE RESTROOMS THAT YOU HAVE, THE TEMPORARY RESTROOMS. AND MAYBE LOOK AT PUTTING PEOPLE ON SHIFTS LIKE HAMILTON POOL.SOMETHING TO LOWER THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING.
IT'S INEVITABLE THAT YOU'RE GOING NEED TO USE THOSE TEMP SHOWERS AND TOILETS, BUT THEY'RE NOT GONNA NEED GO TO BIG.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GOING TO BE JOY KOVSKI, FOLLOWED BY ELIZA MONTOYA.
GOOD EVENING PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M THE CHIEF MISSION OFFICER WITH OFFICE PARKS FOUNDATION, AND I WANTED TO TAKE THIS TIME TO PROVIDE A COUPLE SIGHTING UPDATES TO Y'ALL.
SO THE FIRST ONE, UM, THE TRAINING AT ZILKER, UM, STARTED BACK, IT STARTED ON WEDNESDAY.
UM, HEARD SOME GREAT STORIES ABOUT A FEW FOLKS COMING OUT FROM, UM, UM, AN ELDERLY CARE CENTER RIDING IT WITH, UH, UM, VOTING PLATFORM AND IN THEIR WHEELCHAIRS, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN POSSIBLE BEFORE.
SO ANYWAYS, WE'RE JUST THRILLED.
UM, PEOPLE ARE REALLY LOVING IT.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT IT IS LITERALLY BACK ON TRACK AND I CAN NOW MAKE TRAIN FUNDS, UM, AND BE REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE WE ARE, WE ARE, WE ARE RUNNING.
UM, THE OTHER THING I JUST WANTED TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO WAS ON, UM, THIS COMING WEEK, ON THE 20TH, IT'S GONNA BE OUR THIRD COMMUNITY MEETING FOR THE ALL ABILITIES PLAYGROUND.
UM, AND THIS ONE IS REALLY GONNA SHOW SOME CONCEPTS TO THE, THE PARTICIPANTS.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THIS, UM, I ENCOURAGE YOU OR YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO ATTEND.
THERE WILL BE A SL UM, AND, UH, SPANISH TRANSLATION, UH, AVAILABLE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THRILLED TO BE A PART OF THIS PROJECT.
IT IS GONNA BE THE CITY'S FIRST ALL ABILITIES PLAYGROUND.
THERE'S SOME THINGS IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE ONE.
THIS IS GONNA BE A ONION CREEK, UM, METRO.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD THING I JUST WANTED TO, UM, BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO IS I'VE HEARD TONIGHT A FEW PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT MAINTENANCE.
UM, AND, UM, BAR HAS, I THINK ABOUT ALMOST 19,000 ACRES.
IT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR AND MAINTAIN MAINTAINING.
AND WE ARE REALLY ASKING THAT MORE MAINTENANCE POSITIONS BE ADDED TO BUDGET, THIS COMING BUDGET CYCLE.
UM, JUST TO MAINTAIN WHAT, WHAT WE NEED.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE COME ONLINE THROUGH, UM, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, THROUGH BONDS, UM, THROUGH PARKLAND DEDICATION.
AND WE ARE KIND OF AL YOU KNOW, WE'RE PRETTY BEHIND IN OUR, OR I SHOULD SAY WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH OUR MAINTENANCE.
I KNOW OUR STAFF DO A WONDERFUL JOB AT PAR, BUT I ALSO WANNA SAY WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THESE THINGS THAT ARE COMING ONLINE.
UM, IF WE DON'T INCREASE, UM, THOSE PHYSICIANS, I THINK PAR IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, THEY DID A, A FORMULA AND THEY FIGURED OUT THEY NEEDED ABOUT, UM, LET'S SEE.
UH, THEY WOULD NEED ABOUT 90 FTES.
IS THAT MY TIME FOR SOMEBODY ELSE? OKAY.
NO, THEY WOULD NEED ABOUT 90 FTES AND WE'RE ASKING FOR JUST 16 AND A HALF FTES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, MAKING, MAKING PERMANENT, UM, THE, THE HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE TEAM, THEY'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING ON TEMP FUNDING, WHICH IS GONNA EXPIRE IN SEPTEMBER.
AND I THINK THAT TEAM HAS DONE A REALLY INCREDIBLE JOB.
ONCE CAMPS ARE MOVED THROUGH THE CITY PROCESS, THIS TEAM COMES IN AND WHAT YOU HAVE IS A TON OF, UM, TRASH MATERIALS, THINGS THAT ARE IN OUR, IN OUR GREEN SPACES, IN OUR, IN OUR GREENHOUSE.
UM, SO THANKS FOR SHARING TODAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE ELIZA MONTOYA AND THEN FOLLOWED BY FRANK STRATA.
AND I DO WANNA SAY, BECAUSE I, I GOT A FEW MORE PUBLIC SIGNUP FORMS FOR ITEM FIVE.
ITEM FIVE IS MARKED AS A, A BRIEFING ITEM, A STAFF BRIEFING, WHICH MEANS ONE, WE, WE DON'T ALLOW ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON IT.
AND THEN TWO, UH, THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE RESTRICTED TO ONLY ASKING CLARIFYING QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
SO JUST AS A POINT OF, UH, CLARIFICATION, BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IF YOU SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO ITEM FIVE.
THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMENTS IN ITEM FIVE, NOT SUPPOSED TO SAY NOTHING.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO ADDRESS THE BOARD DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, GENERALLY, FIRST OF ALL, MY NAME IS, YOU HAVE WATER.
[00:20:01]
OKAY.I AM A RESIDENT OF 2008 PACO STREET, 7 8 7 0 2.
I'M, UH, MY CONCERN WAS, FOUND THIS OUT ABOUT 30 AN HOUR AGO.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE RUSHING OVER HERE.
USUALLY WE GO TO THE, UM, PARK PARKS BOARD OVER THERE IN CITY COUNCIL.
AND APPARENTLY IT WAS DONE THERE.
WE, WE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS, SO WE'RE RUSHING UP 'CAUSE WE HAVE A GREAT CONCERN ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
THAT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A STAFF BRIEFING OR WHATEVER ON ITEM FIVE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE EVER HEARD ANYTHING FROM THEM.
BUT THAT LOCATION AND THAT, UH, WE KNOW THAT EXPEDITION SCHOOL THERE, YEAH, WE'VE BEEN THERE, BUT IT WAS, UH, SOMETHING TO DO WITH LIKE A PILOT PROJECT BACK IN THE DAYS.
BUT WE HAVE NOT HEARD YET THE COMMUNITY ALSO AND EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, VICE PRESIDENT.
AND, UH, I, I LIVED IN THIS AREA OVER 70 YEARS IN MY LIFE.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT BEING, UH, TOLD THAT THIS IS COMING UP.
AND, AND WE SEE A LOT OF CHANGES IN DISTRICT GARDENS IN THAT WHOLE AREA.
AND WHEN I FIND THIS, THIS IS VERY, VERY, UH, LIKE SLAP IN THE FACE FOR US.
NEIGHBORHOOD TAXPAYER SAID, WE LIVE HERE FOR CENTURIES, AND WE PRESERVED THAT PARK AND WE'VE KNOWN
AND THEN WITH THE, ALSO INVOLVED WITH THE COCHO BUILDING WHERE THE, THE STATE, IT WASN'T FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT BUILDING ONE I'VE BEEN BUILT.
AND IT WAS FOR ELDERS AND FOR, UH, ADULT CHILDREN.
I MEAN, YOUNG CHILDREN THAT WERE COMING FROM AFTERSCHOOL CARE FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS LIKE THE IRAQ IS TRYING TO DO.
THERE'S, THERE'S CANOEING, THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT THERE.
IT'S, WE WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HAZARDOUS THAT'S GOING IN THERE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CANOE AREAS DOWN ON THE LAKE WHERE IT'S BEEN IN EXISTING FOR MANY YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE TAKEN OVER THIS OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD.
THERE'S A, THERE'S LOW HOME BRIDGE, THERE'S ALL THESE UNDERGROUND, UM, STUFF IS GOING UNDER THERE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE DROWN IN THAT AREA.
AND SO WHEN THEY'RE DEVELOPING NOW, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOING, YOU CAN'T EVEN GO SWIMMING A TOPIC.
SO, UH, THIS IS REAL, REAL CONCERN ABOUT US.
AND I DIDN'T GET ENOUGH TIME TO REORGANIZE A COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY TO COME OUT AND VOICE THEIR CONCERN SLOT THAT WE TOTALLY, TOTALLY, IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN IN A PILOT PROJECT WHERE WE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST GONNA BE FOR TRIAL PURPOSES BACK IN THE DAYS.
IT'S NOT
WE ALREADY TAKE PARKLAND HAS ALREADY BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER AGENCIES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE RANK ESTRADA, FOLLOWED BY BERT AND DEL.
I'M A LITTLE DISORGANIZED TODAY THAT MR. ESTRADA, JUST TO CLARIFY, WILL YOU BE SPEAKING AFTER, OR OR ARE YOU DONATING YOUR TIME? I WAS TOLD I'D LIKE TO SPEAK AFTER.
YEAH, JUST GATHER, JUST FOR QUICK CLARIFICATION ON AGENDA FIVE, SINCE IT IS A STAFF BRIEFING, UH, WORD IS NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE, THERE WON'T BE ACTION TAKEN ON THIS AGENDA ITEM.
SO I THINK, I THINK, UH, MY CONCERN IS, IS REALLY HOW, UM, HOW OUR GOVERNMENT BODY IS ACTUALLY, UM, REPORTING TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THE FACT THAT, UM, THE COMMISSION ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, A PUBLIC NOTIFICATION, A MEMO NEEDS TO BE PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC THAT CITY HALL'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND THERE'S NO NEED TO BE HELD THERE.
SO THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMISSION'S, ARTS COMMISSION, MATH COMMISSION, EVERY COMMISSION HAS BEEN, HAS, HAS BEEN ASSORTED OUT WITH CITY.
BUT WHEN THERE'S NOT PROPER NOTIFICATION FOR, FOR CONSTITUENTS, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING.
SO IT TOOK US AN HOUR TO GET HERE.
THE DOOR WAS LOCKED, WE HAD TO GO AROUND, WALK IN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME WHEN WE WALK IN, THERE SHOULD BE A SIGN IN, THERE SHOULD BE AGENDA, AND THERE SHOULD BE PUBLIC SPEAKING, UH, FORM.
RIGHT? NOT THAT Y SO THE FACT THAT I'M DOING YOUR WORK, UH, AS A LIAISON IS UNACCEPTABLE.
I JUST WANNA JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT AND, AND I AM GONNA BE OFF THE SUBJECT HERE, THERE, I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT VOTING ON IT, BUT I WANT YOU TO HEAR THIS.
AND THIS EMAIL CANNOT GET TO YOU ALL IN TIME WITH PHOTOS, BUT I WILL BE SENDING YOU BACK UP PART MEMBERS.
THIS IS BERTHA DELGADO, PRESIDENT
[00:25:01]
OH EIGHT.THIS LETTER IS IN REFERENCE TO THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL THAT HAS TAKEN OVER A NEW BUILDING THAT WAS NAMED LORRAINE CAMACHO ACTIVITY CENTER.
THAT WAS A NAME AFTER GRANDMA CAMACHO THAT WAS PROPOSED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS AN ELDERLY CENTER ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO IN OUR BOTTLE BOTTOMS. IN THE LAST TWO DECADES, WE HAVE WATCHED OUR BELOVED ACTIVITY CENTER BE TAKEN OVER BY A PAID INSTRUCTOR WHO WAS, WHO HAS FOUNDED THIS LARGE OPERATION CALLED THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL THAT HAS OVERGROWN TO BE HOUSED IN OUR BELOVED EVERGREEN DAWN, SENIOR HOLLY SHORES MASTER PLAN POINT OF CORRECTION.
IF ANYBODY'S GONNA REFER TO THIS MASTER PLAN FOR ANY AMENDMENTS OR ANY CHANGES, REFER TO IT AS NOT THE TOWN LAKE COMPREHENSION PLAN OR MASTER PLAN.
IT IS EVERGREEN DON HOLLY STEWART'S MASTER PLAN.
AND I DID CALL YOUR LIAISON TODAY TO MAKE THAT CORRECT CORRECTION.
SO ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO PUT ANYTHING ON THIS AGENDA, PLEASE REFER TO IT BY THE LEGAL NAME.
SO MANY RESIDENTS ARE VERY CONCERNED ON HOW THIS OPERATION IS BEING OPERATED.
THE SPECIAL PRIVILEGES OF RECEIVING AN APPROVAL REQUEST THAT WAS MADE BY EXPEDITION SCHOOL BACK DATED IN 2019 AS THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA OF THE END OF THE YEAR WITHOUT PUBLIC INPUT, BRING RED FLAGS TO ALL OF THEM.
THE EVER DAWN HOLLY CHURCH MASTER PLAN HAS AN ORDINANCE TO PLACE THAT'S IN PLACE CURRENTLY THAT NO CONCESSION CAN TAKE PLACE.
UNFORTUNATELY, SPECIAL FAVORS HAVE BEEN GRANTED TO THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
THEY'RE OPERATING WITHOUT HAVING A RENEWED CONTRACT.
AND THIS YEAR, THESE ARE NOT GOOD STEWARDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE HAS BEEN MAJOR COMPLAINTS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION WITH EVIDENCE OF THE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL, A SO CALL PROGRAM THAT HAS NOT BEEN FOLLOWING SAFETY PROCEDURES OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARK.
AND IT CAN BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENT OCCURS HERE, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE WATER.
AM I ALLOWED TO SHARE OR IS MY TIME
ADULTS RENTING FROM THE, FROM THE CON CONCESSION ARE NOT BEING MANDATED, AS WELL AS WEARING SAFETY LIFE JACKETS IN THE COLORADO RIVER, WHICH IS KNOWN LADY LADY BERKELEY.
THE DESTROYING OF THE NATURE OF THE GRASS LAWNS WITH U-HAUL TRUCKS, LARGE STORAGE, METAL BINS AND CANOES, ADULTS DRINKING ALCOHOL DURING THE TIME OF RENTAL ON THE WATER, THE LARGE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT HAS LEFT BEHIND BY THESE USERS, CHILDREN JUMPING OFF OF OUR PEDESTRIAN SMALL BRIDGE OVER THE LAGOON THAT JUST HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND.
AND WE HAVE PHOTOS TO SHOW PROOF SWIMMING IN A VERY DANGEROUS AREA WHERE WATER AND THERE'S NO LIFEGUARD.
THERE'S A SWIMMING VAN, AND THERE'S A PLACE.
THIS PLACE HAS BEEN AN AREA THAT SO MANY DROWNINGS HAVE OCCURRED TODAY.
REQUEST WE REQUEST FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS WE GET THESE CONCERNS TO ASK FOR POSTPONEMENT TODAY AND ANY DISCUSSION OVER THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
FA NEXT SPEAKER IS FRANK ESTRADA, FOLLOWED BY PHILLIP THOMAS.
HELLO, MY NAME IS FRANK ESTRADA AND I LIVE AT 76 SAN SEVEN, AUSTIN, TEXAS 77 0 2.
UH, MY CONCERN IS ABOUT, UH, THE CAMACHO, UH, BUILDING BEING CHANGED.
WHAT NAME DO YOU PLAN TO CHANGE IT TO? DO YOU HAVE A NAME TO CHANGE? YOU GUYS ARE GONNA PICK, OR YOU SAY THAT THE NAME IS GONNA BE CHANGED FROM THE CAMACHO TO SOMETHING ELSE.
I, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A, A TEXT ABOUT IT THAT IT WAS GONNA BE CHANGED.
IS THAT TRUE? IS IT GONNA BE CHANGED? THAT WAS MY CONCERN.
THAT'S WHAT WE HEARD, THAT IT WAS GONNA BE CHANGED IN NEXT MONTHS OR WHATEVER.
WHEN THEY GIVE THE PRESENTATION, I'LL ASK, OKAY, THAT'S ALL I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT.
WHAT NAME WAS IT GONNA BE? WAS GONNA BE USED, CHANGED.
WHAT, WHAT THE NAME WAS GONNA BE OR WHO WAS GONNA VOTE OR WHO, HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW IT'S GONNA HAPPENED.
DO, DO OR CHANGE IT? OUR LAST SPEAKER IS GONNA BE PHILIP THOMAS.
IT WAS JUST HAD ANOTHER PUBLIC COMMENT SIGN UP FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, BUT WE DO LIMIT IT TO 10 SPEAKERS.
SO I THINK RICARDO
[00:30:01]
PUBLIC CON.I'M PHILLIP THOMAS REPRESENTING DEEP HOLLY ADVOCATES.
I LIVE AT 68 MILDRED STREET, 7 8 7 2 STONES THROW FROM EDWARD, BRENDA, AND S SENIOR PARK IN HOLLY SWARTZ.
OUR CITY IS HANDING OVER CARE OF OUR PARKS, OUR COMMON LANDS, TO ENTITIES THAT LACK THE SAME TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY REQUIRED OF THE CITY.
THE PARKS DO NOT BELONG TO PRIVATE GROUPS, WHETHER FOR PROFIT OR NON-PROFIT, THEY BELONG TO THE PEOPLE.
TO MAINTAIN, TO MAINTAIN THE STATE OF PUBLIC OWNERSHIP IS IMPERATIVE THAT THOSE CHARGED WITH THE CAR OF OUR PARKS ADHERE TO THE VERY SAME RULES AS THE CITY DOES.
AND THAT MEANS THEY MUST BE SUBJECTIVE.
FUNDING DISCLOSURES, ETHICS, BIDDING PROCEDURES FOR CONTRACTORS, ANYTHING LESS SHOULD NEGATE AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY.
WE HAVE A BIG PROBLEM HERE BECAUSE OUR CITY HAS HANDED OVER CARE CHUNKS OF OUR PARKS TO THESE ENTITIES WHO ARE NOT FULLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
IT SEEMS PAR HAS ARGUED THAT THEIR BUDGET IS TOO SMALL TO TAKE CARE OF THE PARKS, AND THESE PHILANTHROPIC GROUPS ARE RAISING MONEY TO COVER THESE SHORTFALLS.
WHAT WE SEE ARE PRIVATE OR SEMI-PRIVATE GROUPS TAKING CONTROL OF OUR PARTS WITHOUT PUBLIC PERMISSION.
WE SEE A PHILANTHROPIC FACADE FLANKED BY PERSONAL INTEREST IN EXQUISITE SALARIES FOR CONSERVANCY.
SENIOR STAFFERS WHO CAN MAKE UP PROJECTS, SELL 'EM TO ADVISORY BODIES AND GET THEM BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO GIVE THEIR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES PROJECTS.
IT IS ENOUGH IF THEY ARE USING DONATED FUNDS TO ENRICH THEMSELVES AND CREATE WORK FOR THEIR OWN NETWORKS.
BUT WHAT IS WORSE THAT FUNDS ARE BEING GIVEN TO THESE APPOINTED PARK CARETAKERS ARE OFFERED FROM CORPORATIONS AND ENTITIES THAT HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN SHAPING THE PARK FOR THEIR OWN PROFITS.
IS THIS NOT THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN? THIS IS NOT THEIR JOB.
THEIR JOB IS TO PROTECT OUR PARKS AND MAINTAIN THEM NOT TO INDULGE IN PRIVATE CONGRESS TO ENRICH THEIR ENTERPRISES.
NOW WE SEE YET ANOTHER RELIGIOUSLY PHILANTHROPIC CONSERVANCY THAT WANTS ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS OF MONEY FOR THEIR PET PROJECT.
IT IS NOT A NECESSARY PROJECT.
IT'S YET ANOTHER VANITY PROJECT, BUT NOW THEY WANT CITY MONEY TO HELP PAY FOR IT.
I SAY RAISE THE MONEY AND PAY FOR IT YOURSELVES.
THEN YOU'LL REALLY BE HELPING THE CITY INSTEAD OF SUCKING AT THE TE
PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES TO PAY THEIR TAXES.
AND THESE PEOPLE, SOME OF 'EM MAKING MORE THAN 200 K ANNUALLY WANT MORE MONEY FOR THEIR MAKE WORK PROJECTS.
THESE ARE OUR PARKS AND THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE THEM.
YOU'RE GONNA HEAR, UH, ANOTHER SPEAKER DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, RICARDO UNA, UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ADDRESS THE PARK FOR THREE MINUTES.
THANK YOU FOR CHAIRMAN, ALLOW ME TO BE ABLE SPEAK TO YOU THIS MORNING, THIS AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS RICARDO ANA AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF 345 HISPANIC MEN'S BASEBALL LEAGUE.
I'M THE FOUNDER AND NOW THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ORGANIZATION.
WE STARTED WITH FIVE PEOPLE IN GO VALLEY AND WE WERE ABLE TO PLAY THERE FOR A GOOD WHILE.
AND WITH THE HELP OF RAY AND SARAH AT THE TIME, WE WERE ABLE TO LEASE OUT SEVERAL FIELDS.
HOWEVER, OUR, OUR MEN PLAY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, UH, PARK SIZES OR BASEBALL FIELD SIZES, NONE OF THE PARKS ANYMORE ACCOMMODATE THAT SIZE OF FENCE, HOME FENCE LINES.
SO WE ASKED FOR YOU TO START CONSIDERING AN ALLOCATION OF CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FENCES OR REMAKING OF SOME OF THOSE BASEBALL SOFTBALL FIELDS INTO BASEBALL FIELDS.
SO WE'RE CURRENTLY PLAYING OUT ON THE RANCH THAT WAS DONATED.
WE, UH, GOT TOGETHER, A LOT OF OUR BASEBALL PLAYERS GOT TOGETHER AND SAND LOTTED BASEBALL FIELDS.
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE PLAYING IN LITERALLY A, A FARM.
AND SO I'M NOW HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE FOUNDER OF THE HISPANIC BASEBALL LEAGUE, THE LARGEST IN CENTRAL TEXAS, TWO OF WHICH ARE NOW PLAYING IN THE MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALLS.
WE HAVE GROUPS THAT ARE COMING IN FROM PUERTO RICO, DOMINICAN, REPUBLICAN, CUBAN, PUERTO RICAN, MEXICO, SOUTH AMERICA, NICARAGUA, VENEZUELA, COLUMBIA.
[00:35:01]
THESE ARE THE COMMUNITIES WHO WE HAVE EMBRACED TO, UH, TO GROW OUR HISPANIC BASEBALL GAME.WHAT WE NEED YOUR HELP ON IS TO ALLOW US TO PROVIDE SOME EQUITY AT OUR OWN EXPENSE TO RE ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THE FENCE LINES SO THAT WE CAN PLAY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SIZE FIELDS.
IT WON'T BE AT THE CITY'S EXPENSE, IT'LL BE AT OUR OWN EXPENSE.
AND WE HAVE THE LABOR AND THE CAPITAL TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO WE ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND FUTURE AGENDAS TO ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THESE PLAYERS.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M ABOUT.
THAT IS THE END OF GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
YOU.MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE.
IS THERE ANY SUBJECTIVE OR EDIT RATING? JANUARY FOR MAY THE 20TH, 2024.
ANYONE ON WEBEX? ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME I WILL TAKE A MOTION.
I WILL MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE IFICATION FOR REGULAR BOARD MEETING OF MAY 20, 20, 24.
THERE'S A SECOND FOR FIVE PAIR FLOWERS.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[ 2. Presentation, discussion and approve letters of support for enhancements to the PARD Cemeteries Program. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers). Presenter(s): Jason Walker, Cemeteries Division Manager, Parks and Recreation. ]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS? NO.
GOOD EVENING BOARD, UH, LUCAS
I'M HERE WITH THE DIVISION MANAGER, JASON WALKER.
UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CEMETERY OPERATIONS.
UH, JASON'S BEEN DIVISION MANAGER FOR A YEAR, I BELIEVE.
WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN MAKING ON MAKING SOME OPERATIONAL CHANGES THAT'LL BENEFIT CEMETERIES.
WE'RE GONNA SHOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND, UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OPERATIONAL FINANCES AND HOW THAT'S GOING AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU Y'ALL VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AGAIN, LIKE LUCAS MENTIONED, I'M, MY NAME IS JASON WALKER AND I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR US OPERATIONS.
SO, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CEMETERY OPERATIONS AND OUR, UH, VISION AND MISSION.
UH, WE, WE WANT TO, OUR, OUR GOAL IS ESSENTIALLY TO HONOR THE, UH, PAST OUR PRESENT AND, UH, FUTURE OF, UH, OF OUR MUNICIPAL CEMETERIES.
UH, WE WANT TO, OUR GOAL IS TO DO IT WITH INTEGRITY, UH, EMPATHY AND RESPECT.
WE WANT TO MAINTAIN, PRESERVE AND CONSERVE OUR, OUR CEMETERIES, UH, BY UTILIZING, MAXIMIZING OUR RESOURCES, UH, BASICALLY TO PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE CARE, UH, TO OUR, TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO AUSTIN'S COMMUNITY, UH, BY ENSURING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, UH, TO OUR CUSTOMERS, VISITORS, AND ALSO OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
THAT'S AN, AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF OUR, UH, OF OUR VISION.
WE WANT TO ENGAGE AND ENCOURAGE
[00:40:01]
AND ENHANCE OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND, UH, EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE AS WELL.UH, I THINK I HAVE A, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY BACKGROUND, SO I ALWAYS LIKE TO MENTION SOME HISTORICAL NOTES.
AND OUR, OUR CEMETERY REPRESENT A, A VERY DISTINCT EARLY MUNICIPAL ACHIEVEMENT, UH, WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF OAKWOOD CEMETERY IN 1839.
UH, SO WE DATE BACK TO REALLY THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS DAYS, SO EVEN BEFORE THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO, UH, OAKWOOD REALLY OFFERED OUR CITIZENS A, A OPPORTUNITY TO BE BURIED AND REMEMBERED IN A VERY DIGNIFIED AND RESPECTFUL, UH, RESPECTFUL MANNER.
AND SINCE THAT TIME, SINCE 1839, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE'VE MANAGED, UH, FIVE MUNICIPAL CEMETERIES, UH, TWO FAMILY CEMETERIES WITH APPROXIMATELY MORE THAN 80,000 BARRIERS, UH, THAT ENCOMPASSED MORE THAN 200 ACRES OF LAND.
SO, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CURRENT STATUS OR A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ALSO, UH, HERE IN THE LAST 20, OR ABOUT, I GUESS 40 YEARS OR SO, UH, UP UNTIL 1986, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THEY MANAGED, UH, THE MUNICIPAL CEMETERIES, UH, AND THAT INCLUDED GROUND MAINTENANCE AND INTERNMENTS.
UH, BEGINNING AROUND 1990, UH, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CEMETERIES, UH, MOVED TO A PRIVATE CONTRACTOR.
AND THAT WAS BASICALLY FROM 1990 TO 2013, UH, IN APRIL OF 2013, PART, UH, TOOK OVER OR ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE MANAGEMENT OF, OF SOME ASPECTS OF CEMETERY MANAGEMENT.
UH, PRIVATE CONTRACTORS STILL, UH, PROVIDED INTERNMENT AND BURIAL SERVICES ESSENTIALLY.
CURRENTLY, UH, WE, THE CEMETERY STAFF, OUR STAFF, WE, WE PRETTY MUCH, WE, WE MANAGE THE ENTIRE OPERATION FOR THE EXCEPTION OF DETERMINATIVE BURIALS AT THIS TIME.
AND THAT INCLUDES MONUMENT, UH, RESETS AND RE LEVELS AND, AND INSTALLATIONS AS WELL.
AND, UH, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND THIS IS REALLY ONE OF THE SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS THAT, THAT I REALLY WANT TO TOUCH ON AND DISCUSS IS THAT OVER THE LAST YEAR OR THROUGH THE LAST YEAR, WE, WE STARTED A PROGRAM, PILOT PROGRAM THAT WOULD, WHERE WE WOULD BEGIN TO DO RE SETTINGS AND RE LEVELS OF MANY OF OUR HEADSTONES AND MEMORIALS THAT HAVE ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM HAVE FALLEN OVER, LIKE YOU CAN SEE IN ONE OF THESE PICTURES RIGHT UP HERE, OR THEY'VE, UH, UH, SHIFTED.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE, WE HAVE ISSUES OUT AT, AT MANY OF OUR CEMETERIES WHERE WE, THE GROUND SHIFTS.
THIS AFFECTS OUR, OUR HEADSTONES WHERE THEY'LL START TO LEAN OR THEY'LL ACTUALLY FALL ON THE GROUND.
SO THIS PILOT PROGRAM WAS TO ADDRESS MANY OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE HAD.
AND THE PROGRAM WAS ESSENTIALLY, WE PICKED THE SAMPLE SECTION.
UH, OUR GOAL WAS, AGAIN, TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE PROCESSES TO MITIGATE THIS GROWING AND COSTLY ISSUE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S RELATED TO THE SHIFT IN GROUND PATTERNS AND, UH, HEADSTONE SEEDS.
SO, UH, WE CAN GO TO THE NE AND, AND YOU, YOU CAN SEE FROM THE BOTTOM PICTURE THAT, THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID.
THESE, THOSE HEADSTONES WERE ESSENTIALLY SINKING IN THE GROUND, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE RE-LEVEL THEM TO WHERE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY BACK IN ALIGNMENT WITH MO MOST OF THAT ROPE.
AND, UH, WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE, TIM.
UH, AND SO WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS AS, AS I KIND OF MENTIONED, WELL, ONE THING THAT SHOULD MENTION IS THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS TRANSITIONING TO, UH, IN TERMS OF PERFORMING ALL BARRIERS IN-HOUSE.
AND SO ESSENTIALLY, UM, OUR MAINTENANCE STAFF WILL BE PERFORMING THESE DUTIES IN NOVEMBER, BE SPECIFIC, NOVEMBER 29TH, 2025 NEXT YEAR
SO, SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, UH, IN OUR MOST RECENT BUDGET REQUESTS, WE, UH, REQUESTED ADDITIONAL FTES AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF THEIR TRAINING WILL BE IN ALL ASPECTS OF INTERNMENTS AND VARIOUS SERVICES.
BUT DURING PERIODS WHEN WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO, UH, PERFORM INTERNMENTS, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE SOME DOWNTIME
[00:45:01]
SO, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PERFORM THESE, THESE HEADSTONE RESETS, RE LEVELS.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT THE IMPORTANCE OF SOME OF THOSE FTES WILL BE, IS NOT ONLY PERFORMING IN TOURNAMENTS, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, STARTING THIS PROGRAM OR, OR RESTARTING THIS PILOT PROGRAM, IF YOU WILL.
AND, AND OVERALL THIS PROJECT, THIS PILOT PROJECT HAS BEEN, UH, IT'S BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, PROPERLY TRAIN, UH, MANY OF OUR NEW, UH, SOME OF OUR NEW, UH, EMPLOYEES.
UH, WE DEVELOPED A VERY COST EFFECTIVE PROCESS.
WE FEEL LIKE THAT, UH, MOVING FORWARD WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WILL ENHANCE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH OF THE AESTHETICS OF OUR
SO, UH, WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, SO SOME OF OUR OTHER COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE STARTED OVER THE LAST YEAR, UH, WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR, UH, GIS FOLKS TO, UH, KIND OF INCORPORATE A INCORPORATE CEMETERY OPERATIONS INTO A NEW WORK ORDER SYSTEM, UH, KNOWN AS MAXIMO, WHICH WILL ENHANCE OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH WILL ENHANCE OUR, OUR, UH, ABILITY TO, UH, TO, TO ANSWER ISSUES THAT THE PUBLIC MAY HAVE.
UH, WE HAVE ONE THING THAT WE'VE DONE THAT HAS BEEN VERY, UH, BENEFICIAL IS WE REORGANIZED OUR MAINTENANCE YARD TO MAKE IT, TO GET RID OF SOME OF OUR NOISE, NOISE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.
UH, UH, DURING OUR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS, UH, WE COMPLETED A RENOVATION OF OUR, UH, TOWER RESTROOM, WHICH SERVICES THE PUBLIC.
UH, AND WE ALSO INSTALLED, UH, SOME NIGHT WATCH AND SOLAR LIGHTS OUT AT EVERGREEN CEMETERY AS WELL, WHICH ALSO COINCIDED WITH, UH, COINCIDED WITH, WE BASICALLY REPAVING OUR, OUR ROADS OUT THERE AT EVERGREEN AS WELL, WHICH VASTLY IMPROVED AND ENHANCED OUR, OUR, UH, NOT ONLY THE AESTHETICS, BUT ALSO THE, UH, FOLKS NOT HAVING TO DRIVE ON, ON ON GRAVEL
SO, UH, SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE'VE DONE WANTED TO JUST, UH, PRESENT TO THE, TO THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE'VE, UH, THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST NINE, 10 MONTHS TO A YEAR.
SO ANY, ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO, TO ANSWER OR LUCAS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING AS WELL.
THE RECOMMENDATION TO PARK BOARD OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO WAS TO TAKE OVER A TERMIST REALLY CLOSE TO MAKING THAT HAPPEN THROUGH THE PILOT STUDY.
WE DO THINK WE'D BE ABLE TO, TO ACCOMPLISH SOME ADDITIONAL PASS THROUGHOUT THE CEMETERY WITH THE, THE STAFF PLAN TO BE
SO THAT'S, THAT'S EXCITING FOR US AND I THINK WE'RE MAKING REALLY GREAT STRIDES IN, IN MANAGING AN AREA, UH, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT UNFAMILIAR TO US 10 YEARS AGO WHEN WE TOOK IT ON.
UH, BUT I THINK WE'RE PLACE FOR, WE'RE DOING VERY WELL.
ANY QUESTIONS? SO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UM, EY, UM, IS THIS THE ISSUE THAT OUR CITIZEN, SHARON BELI IS REFERRING TO ABOUT COSTING SO MUCH MONEY TO HAVE? SURE.
UH, SO WE DO, YEAH, WE HAVE, WE'VE, UH, RENEWED THE AGREEMENT A COUPLE TIMES WITH, WITH THE CONTRACTOR JUST 'CAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN PLACE, HAVE THE RESOURCES IN PLACE INTERNALLY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT OVER.
SO WHEN YOU DO HAVE AN EXTENSION, SOMETIMES COST OF GOING RISE.
SO, UH, IN A WAY, YES, SPEAK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS SERVICE FULLY IN HOUSE, HAVE THE POSSIBILITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, UM, FORWARD THE LETTER
DEAR CEMETERY OPERATIONS TEAM INVITED TO EXTEND OUR HEART, THE PARK CEMETERY PROGRAM, DEDICATION WORK DEMONSTRATED BY YOUR TEAM
[00:50:01]
SAY THAT WORD
YOUR EFFORTS HAVE ENSURED THAT OUR TER REMAIN DIGNIFIED AND HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT FOR ALL.
REFLECT UPON POSITIVE IMPACT OF THE
ADDRESSING THE ISSUES OF SECOND TILTED AND COMPROMISED HEADSTONE YET RESTORE ORDER IN REFERENCE CEMETERIES HAS SET A HIGH STANDARD FOR CEMETERY
PAST YOUR TEAM'S DEDICATION TO THIS PROJECT AND OTHER INITIATIVES, TRIBUTED IT ENHANCEMENTS MADE TO OUR CEMETERIES AND S FOSTER EIGHT GRADES ENVIRONMENT REFLECTION AND REFERENCE.
THESE EFFORTS CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE
WOULD LIKE TO SUFFER SECURE GRATITUDE, PREPARE TEAMS FOR YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT SUPPORT WORK MADE A LASTING.
AND WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE, UH, PILOT PROJECT OTHER INITIATIVES WILL ELEVATE THE STANDARD CARE PROVIDED BY PAR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION OF WORK THIS TIME.
HALL APPROVED LETTER HAS WRITTEN, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER REED DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
MOTION CARRIED UNANIM, THE STATE.
[3. Presentation, discussion and approve a recommendation to Austin City Council to approve the negotiation and execution of a Parkland Improvement Agreement with Hill Country Conservancy for the Violet Crown Mile Zero Trailhead project that includes a maximum amount of funding of $900,000 the Parks and Recreation Department will allocate to Hill Country Conservancy for a portion of the cost to construct the project. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers). (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Urban Public Spaces.) Presenter(s): D’Anne Williams, Project Manager, Parks and Recreation Department and Kathy Miller, CEO, Hill Country Conservancy. ]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE.OUR FIRST, UH, SPEAKER FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM WILL BE CHRIS FLORES, FOLLOWED BY TERRY ADAMS. CHRIS, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU COMPLETE.
UM, THE PROPOSED TRAIL IS REALLY AN URBAN ROAD FOR BIKES, UM, BOTH PEDAL AND MOTORIZED.
THIS TRAIL HAD FOR COUNCIL, THEREFORE IS MISPLACED.
IT'S SEEKING THE WRONG POT OF MONEY FUNDED AND THE WRONG BOARD TO APPROVE IT FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
URBAN BIKE ROADS ARE IN THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY'S TRANSPORTATION AND PLANNING DEPARTMENTS.
A COMPARISON OF THE PARKS AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT'S MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS PROVES THAT A BIKE ROAD, DESPITE BEING ON PARKLAND, SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED ONLY BY A PARKS BOARD.
THE HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCIES PLAN DOES NOT CONNECT THE VIOLET CROWN BIKE ROAD TO THE CITY'S URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM.
CITYWIDE PROGRAM MAKES SURE BIKE ROADS, WHEREVER THEY ARE LOCATED, ARE SAFE, SIGNED AND CONNECTED TO THE REST OF THE CITY'S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
CURRENTLY, THE CITY'S PROPOSED URBAN TRAILS ARE LISTED IN ONLINE INTERACTIVE MAPS PRIORITIZED IN THREE LEVELS, HIGH, MEDIUM, AND LOW.
VIOLET CROWN IS NOT FEATURED IN ANY OF THE CITY ACTIVE BIKE MAPS.
LASTLY, THE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING POT OF THE MONEY IS FAR LARGER.
I ASSUME THAT AIR DOLLARS ASSIGNED TO PARKS, THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL WILL BE MORE LIKELY TO BE FUNDED TO ITS COMPLETION AS A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT.
UM, THE SECOND REASON I WOULD ASK YOU TO VOTE NOW IS THAT THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION THAT IF YOU BUILD THE ZERO MILE, THE THE TRAIL HEAD, THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS GONNA HAVE TO FUND THE OTHER 13 REMAINING MILES OF TRAIL.
SO YOUR, UH, YOU WOULD BE AUTHORIZING A TRAIL HEAD TO BE BUILT WITH A TRAIL TO FOLLOW.
IT, THAT ASSUMPTION CANNOT BE MADE IF, IF THE 13 MILES ARE AS EXPENSIVE AS MILES ZERO, THE TRAIL HEAD WOULD BE A $25 MILLION, 13 MILE PROJECT.
UM, AND THE OTHER IS THAT LASTLY, BLOATED, UH, COSTS.
UH, THERE'S, UM, BATHROOMS, UH, IN OUR CITY, IN OUR PARKS THAT ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED.
WE HAVE CARS THAT HAVE NO BATHROOM.
UM, WE HAVE 2 MILLION FULL OF 20 MILLION TOURISTS EVERY YEAR.
WHY WOULD WE SPEND $900,000 ON VANITY STRUCTURES FOR A TRAIL THAT'S YET TO BE BUILT? AN ENTRY, A GATHERING AREA, A PAVILION, AN OBSERVATION DECK, AN OVERLOOKED BIKE, BIKERACK, ET CETERA, FOR $2.3 BILLION.
[00:55:12]
NEXT WILL BE TERRY ADAMS, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTIE STEVENS.UH, TERRY, YOU SENT SOME PICTURES, RIGHT? I DID.
UM, SO I HAVE A QUESTION OF CLARIFICATION.
UM, IS THIS MEETING BEING RECORDED BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE MICS.
SO NORMALLY IT'S LIKE SPEAKING TO THE MICS, SO IT CAN BE, IT'S BEING RECORDED.
UM, WE'RE USING THE TABLETOP MICS, WHICH ARE PICKING UP ALL THE NOISE IN THE SPACE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN A NORMAL SPACE.
IT'S BEING RECORDED THROUGH THE WEBEX APPLICATION.
AND AS A BACKUP, I'VE GOT MY AUDIO RECORDER HERE.
I'M TERRY ADAMS. UM, I WORK FOR AWESOME, UH, THE, FOR THE PUBLIC PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND I SPENT THE WEEKEND, UM, DOING LIFEGUARD TRAINING, UH, RECERTIFICATION AT BARAL SCHOOL WHERE THEY DO NOT HAVE POTABLE WATER.
SO PEOPLE ARE COMING TO THE POOL AND THEY CANNOT DRINK FROM THE WATER FOUNTAINS.
THEY CANNOT TAKE A SHOWER OUTSIDE ON OF THE, EITHER OF THE OUTSIDE SHOWERS, UM, TO RINSE OFF BEFORE OR AFTER BEING IN THE POOL BECAUSE THERE IS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE THAT IS GOING ON THERE.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF OUR NICER POOLS.
UM, IT'S THE ONE THAT HAS THE RIDES.
UM, THE, THE SLIDES, UM, IT'S OVER BY THE MUELLER NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH IS FLANKED BY A LOWER INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, UM, THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.
OKAY? SO THEY'RE STILL HAVING TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT TO GET IN, WHICH IS $5 FOR ADULTS, AND I THINK IT'S LIKE TWO OR $3 FOR KIDS.
UM, BUT THE SLIDES AREN'T OPEN.
THERE'S NO WATER TO DRINK AND THERE'S NO WAY TO TAKE A SHOWER OUTSIDE.
SO I REALLY DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN BE CONSIDERING GIVING A NONPROFIT ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS TO DO A PROJECT WHEN WE HAVE THIS DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IN EVERY, PRETTY MUCH EVERY SINGLE PARK AND POOL IN OUR CITY.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT MAKE YOU AWARE THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE TO BE TOLD NO, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PUT
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN AGENDA, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN STAFF, THEIR OWN BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY NARROW MINDED ABOUT WHAT THEIR GOALS AND INTERESTS ARE.
AND SO THEY THINK THAT THEY ARE ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC.
AND I'M SURE THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY NICE TO HAVE THE, UM, VIOLENT CROWN TRAILHEAD, UM, BE THIS LIKE BIG FANTASTIC PROJECT.
AND IF THEY WANNA DO THAT, THEN THEY SHOULD DEFINITELY FUNDRAISE FOR IT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PROPOSE IT.
AND THEN IT SHOULD ALSO BE UNDER PUBLIC SCRUTINY AND HAVE PUBLIC, UM,
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GIVE THEM THIS MONEY.
LIFEGUARDS ARE BEING TOLD THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY FOR BONUSES THIS YEAR.
SO LIFEGUARDS ARE BEING TOLD NO.
UM, WE ARE IN ASURITY BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY AT PARD FOR A LONG TIME.
SO, UM, YOU NEED TO REIGN IN THESE NONPROFITS AND WE NEED TO TELL THEM NO WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE TO DO SO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTIE STEVENS PARK SCORES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HEARING US.
UM, I JUST, I HAVE ONE, UH, QUESTION OF CLARIFICATION.
IS THIS WHAT YOU WOULD CALL A NO BID CONTRACT? IS THERE, WERE THERE ANY BIDS PLACED FOR THIS WORK ON VIOLET MOUNT TRAIL? OKAY, IT'S A NO BID CONTRACT AND THIS IS THE WRONG WAY FOR OUR PARKS
[01:00:01]
DEPARTMENT AND OUR CITY AT LARGE TO BE GOING IN.I'M SURE I'LL BE HIKING ON IT, BUT MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS THE KIND OF EQUITY THAT WE WANT TO, UH, DO IN AS WE DEVELOP OUR PARKS? HERE IS ANOTHER, UH, WEALTHY WEST AUSTIN BASED NONPROFIT WHO IS GOING TO BE GIVEN NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS.
THIS IS GONNA BE A NICE SHINY TRAIL, BUT IT IS, IS IT THE PRIORITIES THAT WE WANT TO, TO CHOOSE? I WOULD WISH THAT THE PARKS BOARD WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE, UH, CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT COMING UP WITH AN OVERALL LIKE PRIORITIZATION PLAN RATHER THAN JUST TAKING THESE CONTRACTS AND PROPOSALS AS THEY COME.
UM, IN THIS PARK IN BARTON CREEK, THERE IS LITERALLY, UH, ACRES OF ABANDONED AND UH, ACTIVE UNHOUSED, UH, TRASH ENCAMPMENTS THAT NEED TO BE CLEANED UP.
THERE ARE INVASIVE EXOTICS AND THERE ARE EROSIONS IN THE TRAIL, WHICH ARE HAZARDOUS TO PIPERS AND BICYCLERS.
UM, BUT THESE ARE NOT THE KIND OF UNGLAMOROUS PROJECTS THAT THE NONPROFITS ARE GOING TO TAKE.
SO IF WE KEEP TAKING THESE NON-PROFIT, UM, VANITY PROJECTS, INSTEAD OF PRIORITIZING THE THINGS THAT USERS ACTUALLY NEED IN THE PARKS, THE PARKS MANAGEMENT IS GONNA WANDER WAY AWAY FROM WHERE IT NEEDS TO TO GO.
UM, SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS US TO USE THAT 900,000 UH, DOLLARS AND SEE HOW MANY FULL-TIME CARD SALARIES THAT IT WOULD SUPPORT TO GET THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN OUR CARDS INSTEAD OF THESE LEGACY PROJECTS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE LOOKING AT THE FIRM BEFORE THE PARKS BOARD ON AGENDA ITEM THREE? THAT IS THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT, CORRECT? BEAR WITH ME JUST ONE SECOND.
THIS IS GONNA BE A LOT BETTER.
MY NAME IS DEANNE WILLIAMS, I'M A PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE ARTS DEPARTMENT AND I'M HERE FOR CHRISTINE
UH, WITH ME TONIGHT IS ALSO KATHY MILLER, CEO OF HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY WAS OUR PARTNER.
AND ON THIS PROJECT NEXT SLIDE.
SO A LITTLE HISTORY ON THE VIOLENT CROWN TRAIL.
THE COUNTRY CONSERVANCY WANTED TO CREATE, UH, THE LONGEST REGIONAL TRAIL SYSTEM FOR THE CITY OF LOST.
THE FIRST SEGMENT OPENED IN 2014, UH, IN BART CREEK GREENVILLE.
THEY ADDED ONE MILEAGE TRAIL TO OUR TRAIL SYSTEM IN BART CREEK GREENVILLE.
AND LATER THIS YEAR WE'LL HAVE 13 MILES COMPLETED OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM WITH THE CIRCLE C TRAIL COMPLETION, PROBABLY IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR.
AFTER THAT THE TRAIL CONTINUES SOUTH THROUGH AUSTIN WATER UTILITY LANDS INTO, UH, HAYES COUNTY, AND THAT WILL COMPLETE A 30 MILE TRAIL SYSTEM SEAT.
[01:05:01]
MILE ZERO TRAILHEAD PROJECT IS AT OUR BARTON CREEK, UH, TRAILHEAD, BEGINNING OF THE SYSTEM IN ZILKER PARK APPRO.CURRENTLY THE ONLY IMPROVEMENTS WE HAVE IS UH, AN OLD KIOSK AND A COUPLE OF TRASH CANS.
SO THE UH, NEXT SLIDE, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY IS PROPOSING IS ENHANCEMENTS TO SIDE AND ADDED AMENITIES.
SO MOVE THE TRAIL AWAY FROM BARTON CREEK, UH, FURTHER FROM THE CREEK AND THE CRITICAL WATER QUALITY SYSTEM AND ENHANCING THE ARIAN AREA, ADDING A COUPLE OF RAIN GARDENS, UH, CREATING A GATEWAY INTO THE TRAIL SYSTEM, ADDING, UH, A SHADE PAVILION, WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE NOW, WHICH WOULD ALSO HAVE EDUCATIONAL SCIENCE.
AND THEN ALSO CREATING AN OVERLOOK FOR BARTON CREEK THAT WOULD ALSO, UH, CELEBRATE AND ENHANCE A HERITAGE, UH, CONCRETE ON THE SITE.
SO THESE ARE A COUPLE OF ILLUSTRATIVE OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, ONE OTHER THING THAT WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT IS A STABILIZER FOR THE NEW PG TRAIL, THE POST GRANITE TRAIL.
UH, SO THAT IS MORE SUSTAINABLE AND LOWER MAINTENANCE.
THERE WOULD ALSO BE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ECOSYSTEM OVERALL, NOT JUST THE RIPARIAN AREA, BUT THE MEADOW THAT CURRENTLY IS MOWED OCCASIONALLY, BUT THERE'S NO ACTIVE USE TO IT.
SO THIS WOULD, UH, BE AN ENHANCEMENT BOTH AESTHETICALLY AND ALSO ECOLOGICALLY BEFORE THE SITE, BEFORE THE TRAILHEAD.
THERE'S ALSO, UH, GOING TO BE IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE, UH, SILVER RESTROOM THAT WE COMPLETED ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.
BUT THERE IS AN A DA CROSSWALK.
SO THIS IMPROVEMENT, UH, WOULD MAKE THAT, UM, A DA COMPLIANT TO THE TRAIL HANDS ITSELF.
LET'S SEE, OTHER THINGS WERE BIKE RACKS SO THAT, UH, THAT PEOPLE CAN STOP AT THE SHAPE OF WILLIAM WHEN THEY COME TO ENJOY THIS TRAIL SYSTEM.
SO SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT IS, UH, THERE'S A REDUCTION OF IMPERVIOUS COVER BY REMOVING SOME OF THE ASPHALT ON WILLIAM BARTON.
UH, I MENTIONED THE, UH, INCREASE OF MEADOW BIODIVERSITY, IMPROVING THAT AREA AND THE RIPARIAN ZONE, THE WATER QUALITY RAIN GARDENS AND UM, PROTECTION OF THE HERITAGE COUNTRY.
SO THE OVERALL ESTIMATE, AND THIS IS ESTIMATE OF PROBABLE AT THIS POINT, IS 2.3 MILLION WITH UH, 1 MILLION IN LABOR AND MACHINERY COSTS AND THEN A LITTLE OVER 900,000 FOR THE MATERIALS FOR ALL OF THESE.
UH, THIS ESTIMATE ESTIMATE ALSO INCLUDES CONTINGENCY, WHAT WE PUT IN ALL OF OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FOR THE UNKNOWNS.
UM, THIS ALSO SHOWS A COST FOR THE PERMITTING AND DESIGN, WHICH HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY HAS ALREADY COVERED.
AND THEN ALSO THEY WILL PROVIDE IN KIND DESIGN AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT ONCE THE PROJECT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE HAS COME UP IS ABOUT THE BIDDING PROCESS.
SO THE, UH, OUR PARTNERS ARE REQUIRED TO BID THESE PROJECTS WHEN THEY'RE CITY FUNDING, JUST LIKE WE WOULD A CITY PROJECT, BUT THEY'RE THE LEAD ON THAT BID PROCESS.
SO THEY FOLLOW THE PROCESS IN UH, ADVERTISING BUT ALSO THE PROCESS OF CHOOSING THE LOAD BETTER.
AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT REVIEWS ALL OF THESE AND ALSO SIGNS OFF ON THAT BEFORE THERE IS A CONTRACT.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF THE TIMELINE.
THIS PROJECT WE HAVE BEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, PLANNING IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT FOR QUITE A WHILE.
2018 HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY CAME TO US WITH THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL AND UH, HAD SOME COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, THEN THEY, UH, SUBMITTED FOR THE SITE PLAN, WHICH WAS A SITE PLAN REVISION TO THE ZILKER SITE PLAN OVERALL.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE WERE AT PARKS BOARD, UH, LAST MONTH.
WE, UH, HOPED TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL IN JULY AND THEN UH, EXECUTE PARKLAND IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT AND THEN CONSTRUCTION WOULD BEGIN LATER THIS YEAR OR EARLY NEXT YEAR DEPENDING
[01:10:01]
ON THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS ANDSO THE ACTION THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR TONIGHT IS FOR THE PARKS FORWARD TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A PARKLAND IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT WITH GU COUNTRY CONSERVANCY FOR THE LALA CROWN TRAIL MILE ZERO TRAILHEAD PROJECT.
THE AGREEMENT INCLUDES A MAXIMUM AMOUNT PARKLAND DE FUNDING OF $900,000.
THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WILL ALLOCATE TO HILL CONSERVANCY FOR A PORTION OF THE COST OF CONSTRUCTING THE FUNCTIONS.
DAN, ANY QUESTIONS YOU LIKE? THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBER WEEK.
CAN YOU PULL UP THE DETAIL? SILVER MILE ZERO ZERO TRAILHEAD MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATE THAT YOU SENT US FROM APRIL, 2024.
AND THEN ALSO THE, THE OTHER BREAKDOWN OF THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND THE PARKLAND DEDICATION LIST EMAILED US, I EMAILED YOU FROM EARLIER TODAY.
YEAH, ONE, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TALKING ABOUT, THAT WAS THE REQUEST FROM I I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT
WE NOW HAVE A LIST OF THE PROJECTS OR THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT DEDICATED THESE PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES.
UM, IT'S POSSIBLE TO SEE A MAP OF WHERE THOSE WERE.
THE TOWN LAKE LOFTS, TRAVIS RESIDENTIAL UNITS, UNITS, UH, I'VE SEEN THE MARK OF AUSTIN, FAIRFIELD INN AND SWEDES CAPITAL QUARTERS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
THIS IS THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES THAT AMOUNTED TO $900,000 FOR THAT AREA.
SO IT CAN BE SPENT ON PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING IN CERTAIN AREAS? CORRECT.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE VERY USEFUL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SEE THOSE BREAKDOWNS OF THE COST AND ALSO THE BREAKDOWN OF PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES AND WHERE THEY'RE FROM THERE.
A QUESTION WE NEED TO PULL UP.
THE PARKLAND DEDICATION FUNDING INTERACTIVE.
PARKLAND DEDICATION CITY'S WEBSITE.
I THINK I CAN PULL UP ALL THESE ITEMS. UH, JUST TAKE A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME.
REMEMBER, I KNOW YOU CAN'T SEE THIS, BUT UM, ON THE, REMEMBER A DISPLAY THAT'S THE PART WITH DEDICATION AND THEN THERE WERE TWO OTHER SLIDES THAT SHOWED A BREAKDOWN OF LIKE EXACTLY WHAT THE, THE MATERIAL COSTS WOULD BE AND THEN WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION COSTS WOULD BE.
THIS PROJECT, THIS WE WANNA DISPLAY SO THAT THAT'S PARKLAND DEDICATION AND IT'S SHOWING THE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAD TO DEDICATE CERTAIN AMOUNTS OVER ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE INSIDE TO THE P LT FUND.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THESE ARE LOCATED AND IT MEANS, MIGHT HAVE TO HELP ME WITH THIS.
WHAT AREA AROUND THOSE DEDICATION, THOSE DEVELOPMENTS? I MEAN HOW FAR FROM THE DEVELOPMENT DOES THE PARKLAND DEDICATION HAVE TO BE?
UM, AND CAN THEY BE USED FOR OPERATIONS AND MAY PART DEDICATION FUNDING OPERATIONS.
THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE LOGIC THAT FEDERAL STATUTES TO USE.
SO IT HAS TO BE USED ON AN IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO TACKLE PROJECT OR PARKLAND ACQUISITION
[01:15:03]
AND TO SYSTEM.SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF UM, BECAUSE SILVER IS VERY CLOSE BY PARK SPRINGS IS VERY CLOSE BY, OTHER PARKS ARE CLOSE BY, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THIS PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES HERE COULD BE USED ON OTHER PARKS OR FOREVER? YES.
SO THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR CASE AND WE HAVE CRITERIA ON HOW WE CAN
BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE ALSO HAVE BEEN PARTNER FUNDING TO THE PROJECT.
SO WE ARE MAXIMIZING BUT THE NO CONSERVANCY IS BRINGING TO THE TABLE.
SO THAT WE THE THANK YOU FOR THE HELP ON THAT.
SO THERE WERE TWO OTHER SLIDES.
WE'RE HAVING SOME TROUBLE HEARING THE RESPONSES TO BOARD MEMBER REED'S QUESTIONS.
IF THERE ARE MORE, CAN WE JUST TALK DIRECTLY INTO THE MIC? THAT MIGHT HELP.
THE HANDHELD MICS AREN'T TRANSMITTING TO THE WEBEX APPLICATION.
SO IF, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
TIM, I WOULD ASK THAT IF YOU COULD PULL UP THE TWO SLIDES WITH THE DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF EXPENSES OR INSTRUCTION TO, THAT YOU SENT US TODAY.
ALSO, AS FAR AS THE PARTNERSHIP GOES IS WE HAVE AN EXISTING MAINTENANCE BOARD CONSERVANCY.
SO IT IS WHERE THEY, UH, MAINTAIN OTHER SUBSTANCE SECTIONS OF CHILD CAPABIL.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THIS STRESS, AND THEY WILL TAKE THOSE ON.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF I NEED TO REPEAT ANY OF THE INFORMATION THAT I PROVIDED BEFORE, BUT GENERALLY I CONFIRM THAT FOR, UH, PORTLAND EDUCATION, WE HAVE TO SPEND THE FUNDING WITHIN A CERTAIN VALUES FROM THE PROJECT THAT GENERATED THE FEES.
UM, I, IF, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROJECT, I'M HAVING TO LOOK INTO THOSE AND PROVIDE, PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION, UM, WITH REGARDS TO WHAT WE CAN SPEND THE FEES ON.
THIS WILL BE FOR, UM, NEW RECREATIONAL AMENITIES.
AND, UH, AND I THINK THAT, WAS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTION? PARKLAND ACQUISITION, RIGHT? AND PARKLAND ACQUISITIONS? YES.
SO YOU LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS THE, UM, MATERIALS COST BREAKDOWN.
SO MATERIALS FOR THE, UM, THE STEEL OVERLOOK AND THE STEEL PAVILION.
$109,202 IS FOR THE OVERLOOK AND FOR THE PAVILION $101,670.
SO I, I MEAN, I'M ASKING, ASKING IF WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A GOOD AND NECESSARY USE OF THE FUNDS FOR THE MATERIALS, LANDSCAPING, PLANTING AND SEEDING AREAS AND IRRIGATION.
IS IT, IS IT JUST BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE AREA? PARTIALLY AND THE DETAIL OF THE PLANTING UNIT FOR THE ROTARIAN, UH, WORK AND THEN ALSO THE RAIN GARDENS THAT INCLUDE, UH, EXCAVATIONS.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S SOME GRADING INVOLVED IN THAT THAT REQUIRES EQUIPMENT.
SO THERE WERE TWO, ALSO TWO SLIDES UNDER INSTRUCTION.
CAN YOU GO TO THE CONSTRUCTION?
[01:20:01]
IT SAYS MANAGEMENT 233,998.UM, THAT SEEMS LIKE A LARGE NUMBER TO ME ALSO.
UM, THAT DO YOU WANNA, DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THAT OR? SURE.
I MEAN, THIS IS CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT OF THE BIDDING PROCESS, OVERSIGHT OF THE FINANCIAL PROCESS.
IT'S NOT JUST ONE LUMP SUM AND IT ISN'T TO THE COUNTRY CONSERVANCY.
IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE VENDORS NECESSARY FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.
THEY HAVE A, A CONSULTANT ON THE BOARD THAT IS EXPERIENCE WITH THE CITY PROCESS AND THE CITY SPECIFICATIONS.
SO PART OF THAT IS THERAPIES TO PUT TOGETHER TO, CAN YOU TELL US THE CONSULTANT PROJECT MANAGEMENT? OKAY, SO IT, THE MEADOW PAVILION, CAN YOU DESCRIBE THAT? THAT'S $110,000.
SO THAT'S THE, UM, THE KIND OF SHADE STRUCTURE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MEADOW.
IT PROVIDES, UM, ENOUGH ROOM FOR SEATING, FOR AN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CLASSROOM TO COME AND LEARN ABOUT OUR NATIVE PLANTS, WILD FLOWERS, OUR POLLINATORS.
IT PROVIDES FOR A PLACE FOR, YOU KNOW, BICYCLE PARKS AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A RESTING PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK.
A GATHERING CENTER AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER, A RESTING PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK.
A LOT OF THE UNKNOWN ARE THINGS THAT THE COST THAT ARE UNSEEN ON THINGS LIKE THIS, HOW DEEP THEY NEED TO BE SUPPORT STRUCTURE SO THAT IT, IT IS, UH, STRUCTURALLY SOUND AND SAFE FOR THE PUBLIC.
AND THERE'S A BUILDING PERMIT THAT'S REQUIRED.
UM, AND SO WHAT IF IT WERE, WHAT IF IT COULD BE CUT DOWN BY, YOU KNOW, SAY FOUR OR $500,000, RIGHT? THAT WOULD ALSO CUT DOWN THE MANAGEMENT FEES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF IT.
UM, I, I JUST SEE THIS AS REALLY EXPENSIVE AND I THINK OUR PUBLIC MADE A GOOD POINT THAT IF THIS IS JUST ENTRANCE TO THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL, THAT IF THE 13 MILES IS GOING TO KIND OF FOLLOW SUIT WITH THIS, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND IS THE HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY PREPARED TO COVER THOSE COSTS? WELL, THE 13 MILES ARE GOING TO BE COMPLETE IN OCTOBER.
SO MUCH OF THAT COST IS COVERED AND, UM, COMPLETE.
UM, SO THAT'S, THERE'S NOT 13 MILES TO FOLLOW.
UM, IT'S THAT PART, ABSOLUTELY.
THE FINAL TWO MILES IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
PART OF THAT IS THE, UH, BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT.
AND I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN THIS WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED, AND IT CONTINUES, THIS IS VERY JOINTLY A PARK AND CONSERVANCY PROJECT BECAUSE THE GREEN BELT REMAINS PART OF THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE VIOL FRONT TRAIL JOINS AT THE GREEN BELT AND THEN EXTEND, EXTENDS BEYOND.
AND SO THIS IS AN ENTRANCE FOR BOTH, UM, KIND OF AN AMENITY, AN ENTRANCE FOR BOTH.
AND WE'RE, IT'S NOT JUST LIKE A TRAIL HEAD, LIKE YOU SEE, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A TRAIL PARK 'CAUSE IT'S AN ENTRANCE TO THE PARK, ENTRANCE TO THE TRAIL THAT INCLUDES A PARK REST RESTORED MEADOWS AND A BUILDING OF TRAIL THROUGH IT SO THAT WE CAN COME A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AWAY FROM THE CREEK AND REALLY DO A LOT OF RESTORATION OF THAT RIGHT PERIOD ZONE FOR MAINTENANCE.
CONSERVANCY IS DOING MAINTENANCE.
I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S HOW THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN FOR ALL OF THE BIOCON TRAIL THAT FOLLOWS THROUGH PARKLAND AND REALLY, FRANKLY, OTHER CITY LAND AS WELL.
UM, AND WE EVEN GO INTO SUNSET VALLEY A LITTLE BIT AND WE ARE DOING MAINTENANCE THERE.
SO THE WHOLE 13 MILES IS PART OF OUR MAINTENANCE AS WILL DESTROY ONCE COMPLETE.
AS FAR AS GETTING, THIS IS AN ESTIMATE OF PROBABLE COST.
IT HASN'T BEEN BID OUT YET, BUT, UH, WE'VE SEEN THE, UH, SO MANY PROJECTS ARE COMING IN HIGHER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.
[01:25:01]
JUST SAY THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE DID SIGNIFICANT, UM, PUBLIC VETTING OF THE DESIGN, UM, GOT INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS, GOT INPUT FROM A PUBLIC PROCESS, GOT INPUT FROM SURVEYS, UM, CONTRIBUTED THE IN KIND CONTRIBUTION OF THE DESIGN UP FRONT SO THAT WE COULD DO THAT.UM, AND YOU KNOW, SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING A BUDGET FOR IS WHAT IS THE RESULT OF A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC, LET'S SEE IT THEN.
WHERE IS IT? CONTRACT AUDIENCE COMMENT TO THOSE PRESENTERS.
WOULD, WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO, UM, SUGGESTING SOME COST CUTTING, SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR COST, CUTTING THAT ON ON CERTAIN THINGS THAT JUST SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE REALLY EXPENSIVE? OKAY.
I MEAN, WE JUST ASKED FOR ESTIMATES ON WHAT THE DESIGN PROPOSED AND HCC IS ASKING FOR $900,000 OF 2.3 MILLION ESTIMATE, WHICH MAY GO EVEN HIGHER.
SO WE'RE CONTRIBUTING, YOU KNOW, A LARGER SHARE OF THAT.
SO FOR, I MEAN, WE WILL PUT THE, WE WILL PUT THIS OUT FOR BID AND ACCEPT THE LOW BID AS IS REQUIRED BY A CITY REQUIREMENTS.
SO IF THIS DESIGN COMES IN LOWER, THEN WE'RE ALL HAPPY, RIGHT? BUT IT'S, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE BASING OUR DECISION ON WHAT YOU HAVE HERE.
AND SO, UM, I WOULD SUGGEST, UH, A LOWER, A LOWER ESTIMATE FOR THE, THE MEADOW PAVILION.
I REALIZE PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE SHADE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND ALSO A PLACE TO STOP THEIR BIKES, POSSIBLY SOME SORT OF INTERPRETIVE PLANNING GOING ON, BUT $110,000 FOR THAT.
AND THEN A CONCRETE SIDEWALK FOR $20,000 AND $71,000 FOR THE MILE ZERO LANDMARK MEAN SOME OF THESE THINGS.
UM, I'M, I'M GLAD THAT YOU KNOW THAT YOU COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR IT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IN THIS DAY AND AGE PART IS SO DEFICIENT IN FINANCE THAT WE SHOULD HOLD ON TO PARKLAND DEDICATION FUNDS AS TIGHT AS WE CAN AND USE THEM AS EQUITABLY AS WE CAN.
THIS IS A CAN HUGE EXPENSE OF PARKLAND DEDICATION, FUNDING.
UM, SO I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT UNLESS THERE IS A WAY THAT WE COULD TRY AND SHAPE OFF SOME OF THE COST OR CHANGE THE COST TESTIMATE.
ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYONE ON WEBEX? UM, I JUST WANNA ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION JUST BECAUSE, UM, A LOT OF LIKE CITIZENS I'VE HEARD FROM ARE CONFUSED AND CONCERNED ALSO ABOUT THE PARK MANAGEMENT, I GUESS LIKE THE WAY THINGS COME ABOUT.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST CLARIFY FOR ME WHO IDENTIFIED THIS AS A WANT OR A NEED IN THE FIRST PLACE? I THINK YOU GUYS MENTIONED IT WAS THE NONPROFIT, IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, THERE WAS A LONG MASTER PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE ENTIRE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL INCLUSIVE OF TRAILHEAD DESIGN.
THAT INCLUDED CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND, UH, AGREEMENT FROM THE PARK BOARD BACK STARTING IN 2006 AND MOVING FORWARD.
SO, UM, IT'S BEEN AN ONGOING PROCESS AND THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
THE, THE OBTAINING OF A DESIGN BASED ON THE MASTER PLAN FOR THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND BY THIS BODY, APPROVED BY THIS BODY AS WELL, UM, WAS I THINK, UM, I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE, I CAME ON IN 22, BUT I THINK IN 2017 WE GOT DESIGNS.
WE WENT THROUGH THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS SUGGESTED BY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UM, MADE MODIFICATIONS BASED ON THAT INPUT AND THAT'S WHERE THE DESIGN LANDED.
SO IT'S BEEN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CLARIFIES, BUT IT'S BEEN, THIS TRAILHEAD HAS BEEN A PART OF THE CONVERSATION SINCE AT LEAST 2010.
UM, AND, UM, AND THEN THE WAY IT IS DESIGNED AND PUBLIC INPUT IN MODIFYING THAT DESIGN HAS RESULTED IN WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
ONE, ONE OTHER POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ABOUT COSTS IS THAT NOT ONLY IS THE, THE KIND OF BATHROOM ACCESS AND ACCESS INTO THAT TRAILHEAD GOING TO BE A DA ACCESSIBLE, BUT SOME OF THE INCREASED COST IS THAT THAT ENTIRE PORTION OF THE TRAIL, UH, THE REBUILT TRAIL ONTO THE PAVILION AND IN ONTO THE, UM, TREE, UH, THE BARTON CREEK OVERLOOK AND PROTECTION OF THE HERITAGE PECAN TREE IS ALL GOING TO BE A DA ACCESSIBLE, WHICH HAS REQUIRED A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE CROSS CATEGORY,
[01:30:03]
BUT THE LARGE STEEL SCULPTURES AND OTHER THINGS THAT, I MEAN IS THAT THAT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR THE ACCESSIBILITY? NO, THAT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR ACCESSIBILITY.BUT SOME OF THOSE PLACES ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH PRIVATE DONORS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS SO THAT WE CAN BRING OUR $1.4 MILLION TO THE SUPPRESSION.
ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS? OOPS.
MOTION TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, CITY COUNCIL FOR NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A PARK PLAN IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT WITH HEALTH CONSERVANCY FOR THE VIOLENT
THE AGREEMENT INCLUDES
PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WILL ALLOCATE THE
AND IF I'M YELLING, MAKING SURE THAT WEBEX PEOPLE MICROPHONE.
IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVES THERE'S A MOTION BY VICE CHAIR FLOWERS.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND THERE.
A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION? ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME I'LL TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND ALL THOSE ABSTAINING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
BOARD, DO YOU WANNA CHECK THAT AGAIN? 'CAUSE BOARD GROUP IS ON THE FAILED BY TALK ON THE BIG SCREEN.
BACK SCREEN HAS EVERYONE ON IT? NOTHING.
UM, AT THIS TIME WE WILL BE, IT IS 7:34 PM WE'LL BE TAKING A BREAK TILL 7 45.
WE'RE RECESS UNTIL 7:45 PM YOU, STEPHANIE, SHELBY, THANK NICOLE AND LANE BACKER.
ARE YOU BACK ON MY BACK? ALRIGHT, BACK.
WE NOW, UH, GO TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
[4. Discussion on Parks and Recreation Board input to City Manager on the selection of a new Parks and Recreation Department Director. (Sponsors: Reed, Taylor). ]
FOUR, FULL HERE.MR. CHAIR, I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN SPEAKERS ON AGENDA ITEM FOUR.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE ROBIN RATHER FOLLOWED BY TERRY ADAMS. IT'S NOT HERE.
UH, TERRY ADAMS. WE HAVE FIRST SPEAKER AND THEN AFTER TERRY WILL BE GAIL RHODE.
WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME WE BEGIN SPEAKING.
HEY, I'M SARAH ADAMS. UM, SO IT'S NOT PARKS AND REC RIGHT NOW, IT'S PARKS AND RECS.
THIS IS A TOTAL, THIS IS A TOTAL REHAB PROJECT AND I'M TIRED OF HAVING IT BLUE SKY IN THIS POLLYANNA BUSINESS OF, OH, LIKE WE ARE DOING SO GOOD ON THESE AREAS.
UM, HERE'S OUR NONPROFIT REPORT ABOUT LIKE ALL THE, YOU KNOW, GOOD THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING.
UM, THE LEGACY OF MCNEELY IS THAT WE HAVE PARKS EMPLOYEES COMING HERE, SITTING HERE AND DOING THE BIDDING OF THE NONPROFIT PARTNERS, RIGHT? IT IS COMPLETELY CHAOTIC.
THERE IS NO UNITY, THERE IS NO VISION, THERE IS NO CLARITY ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING.
[01:35:01]
SITUATION AND I'M REALLY EMBARRASSED TO BE WITNESSING IT.UM, WHEN PEOPLE ARE, ARE VOTING, PEOPLE ARE ABSTAINING, UM, FROM VOTING WHEN IT IS CLEAR THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST HAS TO BE PUT BEFORE THE NONPROFIT AGENDAS AND OBJECTIVES, YOU ARE A PUBLIC PARKS BOARD.
SO YOU DO NOT WORK FOR OR ADVOCATE FOR PRIVATIZATION OF OUR PUBLIC PARKS THAT YOU NOT
WE NEED SOMEBODY TO COME IN HERE AND SET THE HOUSE.
WE CANNOT HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS ALREADY INCULCATED IN THIS, YOU KNOW, IDEA ABOUT THE PARKS ARE, YOU KNOW, TO BE, UH, SPLIT OFF AND GIVEN AWAY AND THERE'S ALL THIS DISPARITY.
SO RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WORKED, IF YOU HAVE EVER WORKED FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE BOARD, BUT THANK YOU.
SO NONE OF Y'ALL HAVE WORKED FOR THEM.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE, AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO BE BETRAYED AND GASLIT BY PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSEDLY, YOU KNOW, UM, TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, PLAY THIS PUBLIC ROLE.
AND THEY'RE A PRIVATE, THEY HAVE PRIVATE INTERESTS.
SO, OKAY, WE HAVE GOT TO STOP GLAD HANDING THESE NONPROFITS.
WE HAVE GOT TO FOCUS ON THE PUBLIC PARKS FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
THE MATERIAL CONDITIONS KEEP PROVING AS CORRECT.
SO EVER SINCE THE ZILKER THING, WE HAVE BEEN COMING HERE AND WE HAVE BEEN SAYING THE NONPROFITS ARE GETTING SPECIAL TREATMENT.
THE NONPROFITS ARE GETTING MONEY THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE GETTING.
AND KINDLY WE DID HAVE OUR PRESSURE UP TO LEAVE TO GO WORK FOR THE NON-PROFIT.
UM, SO WE KEEP GETTING PROVEN CORRECTLY.
SO I'M WORRIED, I'M WORRIED, I'M WORRIED FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR DEBT.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU NEED TO RESIGN SHELBY TROUBLE.
YOU NEED TO STEP ASIDE AND LET SOMEBODY ELSE DO IT.
AND THEN AFTER GAIL WILL BE, UH, SCOTT COBB.
I AM REPRESENTING FREE WILD AUSTIN.
UH, THIS BOARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS INTO HOW AND WHO IS HIRED AS OUR NEW PARKS DIRECTOR MAY BE THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL THING TO DO ON THIS BOARD.
FREE WILD AUSTIN STANDS READY TO SUPPORT YOU IN WAY WE CAN FREE WILD'S IN FAVOR OF A NATIONAL SEARCH FOR THE NEXT BAR DIRECTOR.
AND WE OFFER THE PAR CURRENTLY RANKS 44TH OUT OF THE TOP US CITIES.
ACCORDING TO THE 2024 TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND PARK SCORE.
THE SEARCH MUST RECOGNIZE THAT PAR NEEDS SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL AND CULTURAL CHANGE IN ORDER TO BECOME A LEADER AND A MODEL OF EXCELLENCE.
OUR GOAL SHOULD BE TO BANK IN THE TOP 10 WITHIN FIVE YEARS.
THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES SHOULD HAVE, I SHOULD HAVE TRANSFORMATIVE IDEAS ON HOW TO GET US THERE.
THE COMMUNITY HAS LOST TRUST IN PART MANAGEMENT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH UNNECESSARY CONTROVERSIES AT SILVER PARK, WATERLOO GREENWAY, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, TON PARK, PALM PARK, GREEN PARK,
REGAINING TRUST AND CREDIBILITY SHOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY.
A SEARCH FIRM OR COMMITTEE SHOULD CONSULT WITH AUSTIN WATERSHED, AUSTIN WATER, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, AUSTIN OFFICES OF SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE, AND THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
BECAUSE THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL NEED TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM, THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL HAVE FIRST, A CLEAR VISION OF HOW TO ACHIEVE PERMANENT, SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE, AND MULTIFACETED FUNDING.
FAR PAR WITHOUT THE NEED TO PRIVATIZE, COMMERCIALIZE CLOSE PARKS FOR DAYS, WEEKS, OR MONTHS FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF HIGH INCOME.
SECOND, EXPERTISE IN CLIMATE SOLUTIONS IN TERMS OF DROUGHT, FLOODING, AND THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
URBAN PARKS SERVE TO MITIGATE THESE CLIMATE IMPACTS AND ARE ESPECIALLY CRITICAL AND UNDERSERVED AREAS.
THIRD, EXPERTISE IN NATURAL LANDS MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING REWILDING AS A NATURE-BASED SOLUTION THAT WORKS TO ENHANCE, NOT TO REPLACE RECREATION AND PROGRAM.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT AGAIN.
REWILDING IS A NATURE-BASED SOLUTION THAT CAN WORK TO ENHANCE, NOT REPLACE RECREATION
[01:40:01]
FOR DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO PRIORITIZE ACCESS TO NATURE, SHADE, BIODIVERSITY, AND PLACES TO SWIM FOR THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS THEY PROVIDE.FIFTH EXPERIENCE WORKING ACROSS DEPARTMENTS TO ACHIEVE COMMON ALL COMMON GOALS.
SIX, EXCELLENCE AND BEST PRACTICES OF DEEP ONGOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND LAST, A CLEAR TRACK RECORD IN TRANSPARENCY AT EXTENDED.
I KNOW Y'ALL EMAIL US WHAT COMMENT STATEMENT WILL BE I THAT THANK YOU.
CAN WE SPEAK ON THAT? BECAUSE WE WEREN'T, I MEAN, I'M CONFUSED WHAT WE SIGNED UP ALL.
CAN WE SPEAK ON ALL THESE ISSUES OR GOOD QUESTION.
UH, THIS WE'RE SUPPOSED, UH, WHOEVER'S COMMENTING RIGHT NOW COMMENTING ON, WHICH IS, UM, ANY COMMENT YOU HAVE IN REGARDS TO PARK RECREATION, WHAT YOU PUT SELECTION OF, NO SPEAKER.
YOU SPEAK AFTER, UH, AFTER, AFTER.
I WORKED AS A CHIEF BOSTON LIFEGUARD, STILL ON PAYROLL SINCE 2011.
AND MY PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT, UH, PARKS DIRECTOR IS SOMEBODY WHO VALUES THE STAFF, WHO VALUES THE INPUT LABOR DOESN'T DISMISS US, WHO LISTENS TO US.
SOME OF THE ISSUES THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
YOU CAN GO TO LIFEGUARDS UNITED.COM AND SEE OUR ENTIRE GOALS.
BILINGUAL PAY FOR LIFEGUARDS WHO ARE ABLE TO ASSIST PATRONS AT THE POOLS IN A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH.
YOU HAVE TO BE A, A REGULAR EMPLOYEE TO GET THAT.
BUT THERE ARE A THOUSAND LIFEGUARDS FACING THE PUBLIC EVERY DAY.
I'VE RESCUED PEOPLE AT BARTON SPRINGS WHO I CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH, AND I HAD TO CALL OVER SOMEBODY WHO COULD A COWORKER.
THAT PERSON SHOULD BE GETTING PAID BILINGUAL PAY.
I'VE MENTIONED THAT SEVERAL TIMES.
WE NEED A SYSTEM WHERE WE CAN APPEAL OUR, WHEN WE SOMEONE GETS FIRED OR DISCIPLINED, WE NEED AN APPEALS PROCESS.
LIKE REGULAR EMPLOYEES GO TO THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION AND APPEAL IT.
I'VE KNOWN PEOPLE, A WOMAN WHO COMPLAINED ABOUT SEXUAL AND INAPPROPRIATE ACTION BY ANOTHER LIFEGUARD.
ANOTHER CASE, A WOMAN LIFEGUARD IN AN INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP WITH A 30 SOMETHING YEAR OLD POOL MANAGER.
THE WOMAN WHO STARTED WHEN SHE WAS 15 AND 16 TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER POOL.
MANAGERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED, STILL WORKS FOR THE
I KNOW TWO, AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE HAD INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH TEENAGE LIFEGUARDS.
A MONTH AGO I HEARD A REPORT OF A LIFEGUARD, TOOK OUT HIS PENIS AT DEEP EDDIE POOL, ASKED HIS COWORKER FOR ORAL SEX.
I TOLD HR IT IS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
AND THEY DID NOT IMPLEMENT THE POLICY TO STOP THIS, THIS WHAT HAPPENED LAST MONTH.
IF THEY HAD IMPLEMENTED POLICIES BACK IN 2022.
WHEN I PULL, PULLED KIMBERLY LIA ASIDE THAT BARTON SPRINGS AND SAID, DO YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE LIFEGUARDS IN THEIR THIRTIES WHO ARE HAVING RELATIONSHIPS WITH TEENAGE LIFEGUARDS? AND THEN NEELY SAID, WELL, THEY'RE OF AGE.
AND SHE LIED TO HR WHEN SHE WAS INVESTIGATED AND SAID, I CANNOT REMEMBER SAYING THEY ARE OF AGE.
THE NEXT PART DIRECTOR SHOULD BE A SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T LIE
[01:45:01]
TO HR AND SOMEONE WHO PROTECTS THE WORKERS.THE TEENAGERS STARTING AT 1560.
I'M AFRAID FOR EVERYONE WORKING FOR CARD RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AS RECENTLY AS LAST MONTH.
THERE'S A PLACE WHERE THAT HAPPENED.
MAYBE THE NEXT CARD DIRECTOR SAW THAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ANDREA HILL, FOLLOWED BY CEDAR.
WELL, I'M GETTING TO BE A REGULAR HERE, SO YOU SHOULD KNOW MY NAME BY NOW.
THE NEXT FIRE DIRECTOR PLEASE, NEEDS TO BE, HAVE THREE THINGS.
FIRST IS COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC.
SECOND, COMMITMENT TO PARKS, AND THIRD, COMMITMENT TO THE STAFF.
BY PUBLIC, I MEAN, MR.
OUR PREVIOUS DIRECTOR THAT THANKFULLY, HOPEFULLY THROUGH SOME PRESSURE FROM SOME OF US IS GONE.
SHE SOLD OUT THE PARKS IN SO MANY WAYS.
GIVING PUBLIC PARK MONEY TO THESE PRIVATE NONPROFITS, THAT'S GOT TO STOP WHOEVER COMES NEXT.
YOU HAVE TO GRILL THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE COMMITTED TO PUBLIC ACCESS.
AND SPENDING PUBLIC FUNDS FOR THE PUBLIC, NOT FOR BUILDING THOSE CONCERT STAGE FOR ACL, FOR INSTANCE, OR THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
ONE HAS TO WONDER IF SOMEBODY IN PART IS GETTING KICKBACKS.
AS MANY TIMES AS THEY PUT OUT THESE CONTRACTS, AS MANY TIMES THE SAME ENTITIES CONTINUE TO GET THE CONTRACTS I WANT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THE BID PROCESSES HAVE FOLLOWED CORRECTLY.
SO THEIR FIRST COMMITMENT SHOULD BE TO PUBLIC, PUBLIC USE PUBLIC ACCESS AT ALL TIMES.
WE DON'T NEED MORE STRUCTURES.
WE DON'T NEED A BIG HUGE ARCHWAY ENTRANCE TO THE, TO THE END MONEY FOR PLANTS AND TREES.
THERE'S ALL KIND OF RESEARCH SHOWING HOW MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPROVED WHEN YOU GO OUT IN NATURE AND CITY IN NATURE.
AS, AS AUSTIN BECOMES MORE HIGH RISE, CONDOS AND SKYSCRAPERS, WE MORE AND MORE NEED JUST TREES AND GRASS.
WHEN SHE FIRST CAME HERE, WANTED TO CUT DOWN ALL BIG TREES.
WHO WOULD HIRE A PARK DIRECTOR? WHOSE FIRST AGENDA IS TO CUT DOWN TREES? WE NEED TO GET SOMEONE WHO IS COMMITTED TO OPEN SPACE AND GREENERY.
IF YOU ARE MANAGING THE PLACE, YOU NEED TO MEET WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK ON A DAILY BASIS.
YOU NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN WHAT THEY DO, HOW THEY DO IT.
TAKE INPUT FROM THEM ON WHAT WOULD TAKE HELP IT WORK BETTER.
UH, UNDER THE PRIOR PART, DIRECTOR, PEOPLE WOULD GIVE INPUT OR TAKE INITIATIVE AND DO THINGS ON THEIR OWN.
THEY WERE OFTEN PENALIZED FOR DUTIES.
NOT REWARDED, BUT SOME OF THEM WERE FIRED.
THERE WAS SOME INSTANCE WHERE SOME MANAGERS AT MARK SPRINGS, AFTER WEEKS OF IT NOT BEEN FIXED.
THEY FIXED FROM A FENCE LINE FOR THEMSELVES BY THEMSELVES PROBABLY SAVING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO THE CITY AND THEY WERE REPRIMANDED.
SO THERE'S, THERE HAS BEEN A CULTURE OF VINDICTIVENESS TOWARDS ANYBODY WHO COMES UP WITH NEW IDEAS OR TRUSTED TO WORK BEYOND THEIR ACTUAL JOB TITLE.
THERE'S GOT TO BE SUPPORT OF EMPLOYEES AND UPPER MANAGEMENT SHOULD MAKE AN EFFORT TO VISIT ALL THE FACILITIES FAIRLY REGULARLY.
TALK TO THE STAFF TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO ACCOUNT BETTER THEIR IDEAS FOR MAKING THINGS FUNCTION BETTER.
YOU GET A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT, JUST DO THAT ONE STEP.
SO WHOEVER COMES IN NEXT, PLEASE.
THEY NEED TO BE COMMITTED TO MEETING WITH THE STAFF ON EVERY LEVEL.
UH, THEY MIGHT LEARN SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT WILL HELP THE PARKS WORK BETTER TALK TO PEOPLE AFTER HERE.
SO, PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO PARKS AS IN TREASON GRASS, NOT MORE STRUCTURES AND BUILDINGS.
AND COMMITMENT TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CHRISTIE STEVENS, PETER STEVENS.
AND THEN AFTERWARD, WE'LL BE DONE AT SEVEN EIGHT.
THANKS FOR HEARING FROM US AGAIN.
UH, WE'VE GOT A OPPORTUNITY HERE TO
[01:50:01]
OPEN THE DOORS AND OPEN THE WINDOWS AND LET FRESH AIR AND SUNSHINE IN TO, UH, PARKS.SO, UH, IF YOU ARE CATCHING OUR DRIFT, THE PUBLIC IS CLEARLY LOSING TRUST WITH THE TREND TOWARDS PUBLIC PREGNANT PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS A RETURN TO WHAT IS CALLED THE DIRECT SERVICE MODEL, UH, WHERE PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE DOING WORK FOR THE PUBLIC.
WE, UH, I'M WITH, UH, FREE ZILKER AND WE'LL PROBABLY EVEN BE COMING UP WITH A RECOMMENDATIONS LETTER OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR SO TO SEND TO Y'ALL.
UM, BUT, UM, I WOULD, UH, ON A PERSONAL BASIS, I WOULD LIKE TO REAFFIRM THE, UH, IDEA OF GOING NATIONAL WITH THE SEARCH.
LOOKING FOR, UH, SUPREMELY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES BECAUSE WE ARE A
AND WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WITH, UH, PROVEN TRACK RECORDS AND EXPERIENCE IN OTHER CITIES THAT THE CITIZENS CAN LOOK AT.
SO, UH, WE ALSO WOULD BE, UH, ADVOCATING FOR AN OPEN PROCESS IN THE HIRING.
WE DON'T REALLY TRUST THE DIRECTION THAT PARKS HAVE BEEN GOING IN.
SO AS WE'RE GONNA BE WANTING TO LOOK AT THE, UM, THE TOP LIST OF CANDIDATES AS THEY COME IN.
AND IF YOU, IF ANY OF Y'ALL, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THE, UH, PROCESS FOR THE SELECTION OF THE NEW CITY COUNCIL, I MEAN CITY MANAGER, UM, THAT I THINK WOULD BE AN ADMIRABLE PROCESS.
THEY CAME UP WITH FINALISTS, THE PUBLIC GOT TO SEE THEIR RESUMES, UM, AND THEIR INTERVIEWS.
AND THEY EVENTUALLY WENT ON TO DO A PUBLIC PRESENTATION WHERE THEY COULD ANSWER CITIZENS QUESTIONS DIRECTLY ON THE DAIS.
SO, UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT Y'ALL WOULD LOOK TO THAT KIND OF OPEN PROCESS IN, UH, LOOKING FOR OUR NEW PARKS DIRECTOR.
BEN SOTHEBY, FOLLOWED BY, UH, ALYSSA.
UM, LOTS OF MY POINTS THAT I WAS GONNA SHARE HAVE BEEN ALREADY MENTIONED.
UH, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, I REALLY AM SUPPORTIVE OF, OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BEING A CONFLICT OF WHAT TO COMMUNICATE TO CITY MANAGER, TO THE COUNCIL THAT Y'ALL WERE APPOINTED BY, TO, TO GIVE VOICE TO OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR CONCERNS.
I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD PROCESS.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I REALLY WISH Y'ALL WOULD HIGHLIGHT TO CITY MANAGER AND TO COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO POINTED TO IS FOR THE NEXT, UH, PART DIRECTOR TO BE SOMEONE WHO LISTENS TO AND VALUES THEIR STAFF, PARTICULARLY THE FRONTLINE STAFF WHO DO THIS WORK, WHO MADE IT THEIR CAREERS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC IN A WAY THAT IS, UH, SO, UH, MANY TIMES IN THE SUN.
UH, THAT IS SO IN CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO KNOW OUR PARKS AND OUR RECREATION FACILITIES DEEPLY.
THEY SHOW THAT EVERY DAY THROUGH THEIR WORKING.
YOU KNOW, THE FACILITIES THAT, THAT Y'ALL ADVISE ON ARE THE THINGS ARE, ARE, ARE A BIG PART OF WHAT MAKES AUSTIN SUCH AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO LIVE.
IT'S A THING THAT MAJOR EMPLOYERS PUT UP ON, ON THEIR, ON THEIR MATERIALS WHEN THEY'RE ADVERTISING FOR JOBS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAKES A LIVING HERE TRULY A PLEASURE.
WHETHER IT IS JUST YESTERDAY PLAYING SOME SOFTBALL, UH, AT HAVENS FOR A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, FATHER'S DAY, JUNETEENTH, YOU KNOW, JUST FRIENDS GETTING TOGETHER OR FRIDAY AFTER WORK, FLYING, YOU KNOW, MODEL PLANES, UH, ON THE, YOU KNOW, BUTTERMILK, UH, CREEK, THE TRAIL THERE.
UH, KICKING THE SOCCER BALL WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS, UH, WHICH KEEPS THEM THROWING BOTTLES IN THE CREEK AND BREAKING WINDOWS WITH ROCKS.
UM, THESE FACILITIES ARE CRUCIAL.
UH, AND WE ARE DOING LOTS OF MAJOR CAPITAL OUTLAYS, RIGHT? WE'RE BUILDING THESE THINGS.
UH, BUT THE FOLKS WHO DO THE WORK THAT MAINTAIN IT, FOLKS WHO HAVE THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE ON HOW THESE SYSTEMS COULD BE BETTER IMPLEMENTED, THEY NEED TO BE SUPPORTED.
THEY NEED TO BE SUPPORTED IN A FEW WAYS.
ONE IS STAFFING UP APPROPRIATELY SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY TAKE VACATION DAYS AND NOT HAVE TO BE HORSE TRADING FOR SOMEONE TO COVER SHIPS SO THEY CAN GET
[01:55:01]
SOME TIME OFF.THEY NEED TO BE COMPENSATED IN A WAY THAT'S FAIR, THAT MAKES IT A, A JOB THAT THEY CAN STAY IN AND AREN'T FORCED TO LEAVE A JOB THAT THEY LOVE AND DO.
TAKE THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SQUARE, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
PPE, UH, WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU, MY BOOTS HAVE WORN OUT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN UP AND DOWN THESE ROCKY TRAILS, FIXING THEM.
AND THE RESPONSE FROM SOMEONE IN A LAYER, MANY LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT IS, SORRY, RENEWAL CYCLE WAS 19 MONTHS.
THAT'S NOT SHOWING RESPECT TO THE WORKER.
THE BUDGET WOULD BE BETTER SERVED BY HAVING LESS LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ELISA MONTOYA REONE, FOLLOWED BY BERTHA REONE DELGADO.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY.
MY NAME IS MONTOYA, PRESIDENT OF VICE PRESIDENT OF EAST COLLEGE CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN THE PAST 45 YEARS.
AND, UH, I HAVE, I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THE, THE DIRECTORS, PAST DIRECTORS.
I WORKED UNDER SARAH LEY FOR A RIGHT.
AND THE LAST ONE WAS KIMBERLY
THEY WERE VERY OPEN TO MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND, AND THE CONCERNS OF AREAS HAD THEIR PARKS AND THEIR CONSTITUENCY.
AND, UH, I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH, UH, I BEEN REALLY IN TOUCH WITH, I THINK LILY, AFTER ALL THE OTHER ONES HAD ALREADY MOVED ON.
UH, BUT SHE LEFT US VERY DISAPPOINTED.
LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD, WHAT WAS THAT MONTH AGO? AND, UH, IN OUR TOWN MEETING, SHE PROMISED A LOT OF STUFF TO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE HAD ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THE PAST 34 YEARS THAT THINGS NOT BEEN IMPROVED IN OUR PARK AND PARK.
SO I'M REALLY CONCERNED NOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TRUST AND FINDING A NEW, UH, DIRECTOR THAT WOULD FOLLOW THROUGH IF THEY DECIDE TO MOVE ON TO ANOTHER JOB OR, OR SO LIKE
AND SHE JUST LEFT US HANGING BY GOING TO THE, THE, WE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE THEY COME IN, OFFER HOW TO FIX OUR PARKS AND ALL THAT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS IN OUR PARKS.
NOW SHE'S A DIRECTOR OR, OR WHATEVER SHE IS OVER THERE.
UH, FOUND OUT THAT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED.
SO WE, WE, THAT'S WHY I WANTED, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THIS WAS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE MAYBE I WANNA COME UP WITH MORE, UM, MORE QUESTIONS AND, AND, AND ANSWERS REGARDING THAT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE, I I INTRODUCED MYSELF TO THE INTERIM AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE HERE.
HOPEFULLY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD BE LISTENING TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH PARKS SPORTS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
LIKE I SAID, I WAS, I WAS A ACTIVIST.
I'VE BEEN WITH BOARD COMMISSIONS AND ALL THAT AND SPOKEN BEHALF WITH OUR ELDERS IN THE PAST.
AND, UH, I JUST WANNA SEE THAT ALSO THE BOARD, THE NEW BOARD THAT Y'ALL HAVE, OR, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL BE RESPONSIVE TO THE YEAH, WE COME OUT HERE, WE COME OUT HERE, WE HAVE TO LEAVE OUR HOMES TOO.
WE, WE HAVE FAMILIES AND, AND I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S A VOLUNTEER JOB FOR JOB, BUT IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, HARD FOR US TOO.
BUT BECAUSE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY, FAMILIES THAT UTILIZE
SO, YEAH, I, UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP TODAY, YOU ALL NEED TO TAKE IN CONSIDERATION.
UH, WE HAD A POOR LEADERSHIP THE LAST 12 YEARS BY KIMBERLY.
SHE DID BETTER DEALS, SHE DID BROKEN PROMISES.
AND SO WE EXPECT THIS BOARD, THIS GUY, THIS BODY TO BE MORE PROACTIVE AND, AND CHOOSING WHO'S GONNA BE THE BEST FIT AND QUALIFIED CANDIDATE FOR THAT POSITION.
[02:00:01]
WE ARE TIRED OF THE INTERNAL CORRUPTION OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I WORKED FOR HR OB, I SAW IT MY OWN SELF.
I SAW THE INVESTIGATIONS BEING HAPPENING IN THE DEPARTMENTS.
PARKS DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST DEPARTMENTS OF TURNOVERS ON EMPLOYEES.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE THE FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ARE BROWN AND BLACK.
SO THERE'S AN EQUITY ISSUE GOING ON HERE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS BODY OF THIS DIOCESE IS, IS NOT JUST GOING TO BE CREATIVE IN FIGURING OUT A WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA SELECT THE BEST PARK LEADER IN OUR CITY, BUT ALSO YOU ALL ARE HERE AS AN APPOINTEE.
SO YOU WON'T PROBABLY BE HERE IN THE NEXT ELECTION CYCLE IF YOUR COUNCIL IS NOT SELECTED.
SO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING HERE IS FOREVER, FOREVER HISTORICALLY MARKED.
SO IF YOU'RE PASSING PROPOSALS AND GIVING AWAY OUR PARKS MONEY, AND, UH, YOU ALL GET ON THE BACK ON THE WAGON WITH KIMBERLY AS WE SAW HER JUST LEAVE THE TRAILS CONSERVANCY TO GET SO MUCH MONEY THAT THEY HAVE NOW.
AND THEN SHE ABANDONED US AND THEN IS NOW THE CEO OF TRELL.
WE HAVE TO SEE HER EVERY DAY NOW.
IT BECOMES A CONFLICT WITH, IT ALSO BECOMES AN ETHICS COMPLAINT.
IT ALSO BECOMES AN INVESTIGATION.
IT ALSO BECOMES WHERE YOU ALL START LOSING YOUR POSITION AND JOBS START BEING PEOPLE START BEING TERMINATED.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PARKS HAS DONE TO US.
THEY HAVE PRIVATIZED OUR RECREATION CENTERS AND OUR PARK LAND TO NONPROFITS.
WATERLOO, LET'S NOT FORGET WATERLOO, LET'S NOT FORGET PALM PARK AND PALM SCHOOL.
THE ENTIRE AREA IS A DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW.
ALL OF THESE AREAS ARE ABANDONED AND THERE IS NO LEADERSHIP IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
WE DON'T EVEN TRUST THIS BOARD.
AND SO IF IT IS OUR JOB TO GO OUT AND BRING THE MEDIA AND WALK AND START PROTESTING AND START GOING OUT THERE AND AND EXPOSING YOU ALL, THEN THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE PRESENT THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD BY THE PARK COURT ON THIS ITEM? SPEAK.
UH, PAUL MONSO, DISTRICT SEVEN.
I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY, UH, PARKS AND RECS LABORER OUT HERE, UM, ON PART OF THE ANCE GROUP.
UM, JUST LIKE MR.
I LITERALLY HAD TO GET PULLED DOWN OF STEM FIVE, WHICH IS ACROSS THE POOL FROM THE MAIN GATE TO TRANSLATE BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THE VERY FEW SPANISH SPEAKING INDIVIDUALS THERE.
UM, I'M OUTSIDE IN THE HEAT EVERY DAY.
I, I WANT OUR NEW PARKS DIRECTOR TO SUPPORT THE STAFF.
UM, BETTER, BETTER SAFETY SHOE, UH, PROGRAM, FULL BRAND HATS LISTENED TO US.
UM, 'CAUSE FOR A LONG TIME WE HAVEN'T BEEN LISTENED TO.
UM, I SUPPORTED POSITIVE GROWTH, A A POSITIVE DIRECTOR AND SOMEONE THAT'S WILLING TO LISTEN TO, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND THE STAFF.
AND YEAH, I'M, I'M TIRED OF ALL THIS PRIVATE PRIVATIZING OUR SPACES.
I'M USUALLY HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT BASEBALL, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DOES IT AFFECT ME ON THE CLOCK, IT AFFECTS ME AS A, UH, PUBLIC CITIZEN.
SO I HOPE Y'ALL MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND, UH, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S TIME.
ANYONE ELSE PRESENT WOULD LIKE TO BE HEARD BY THE PARKS BOARDS ITEM AS THE END OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, WE WILL TURN OVER NOW TO THE SPONSORS DISCUSSION ITEM FOR MEMBER TAYLOR.
UM, WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM FORWARD BECAUSE, UM, THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO THE PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT, AND I DID NOT SEE THAT THERE WAS A WAY FOR SAME WAY THAT WE HAVE TO SPEAK UP AUSTIN SITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT AND CORPORATE STAFF, CITY STAFF TO COMMENT AND TO LEAVE INPUT ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE, WHAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
MARKS DIRECTOR, I DON'T SEE THAT THERE IS A WAY
[02:05:01]
TO DO THAT.UM, IS THERE A SPEAK OF AUSTIN SITE DEDICATED TO THIS AT THIS TIME OR IS THERE A WAY FOR THE PUBLIC TO GIVE INPUT? I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
NOT AT THIS TIME, BUT NOT SAYING THAT THEY WON'T HAVE THAT BECAUSE IT WILL BE A NATIONAL SEARCH, UM, BUT NOT DISTINCT.
AND, UM, I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC IS, UM, THERE'S A TRUST CONCERN, BUT THERE'S ALSO AN ISSUE OF FUNDING.
UM, I WASN'T ON THE PARKS BOARD WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT FORWARD, BUT IN 2021, UH, VICE CHAIR RICH DE PALMA DID A PRESENTATION TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
AND HE BASICALLY WAS PRESENTING SOME FUNDING MECHANISMS THAT OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT HASN'T CONSIDERED YET.
UM, UH, PARKS DISTRICTS, I KNOW THAT IN, UH, A NEW CREEK, THERE IS A PARK, IS THAT CORRECT? THERE'S PARKS DISTRICT, UM, MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICTS.
SO, AND WHEN YOU'RE IN SEATTLE, I THINK THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE SOME OF THIS AND HEAR ABOUT THIS.
BUT CHICAGO, MINNEAPOLIS, SOME OF OUR OTHER CITIES HAVE OTHER WAYS OF FUNDING IN A SUSTAINABLE, PERMANENT, EQUITABLE MANNER THAT I THINK THAT HAS NOT BEEN CONSIDERED.
AND THAT SHOULD BE A KEY FACTOR FOR THIS NEW PARKS DIRECTOR IS TO COME UP WITH BETTER FUNDING FOR AUSTIN.
AUSTIN USED TO BE CALLED A CITY IN A PARK.
RIGHT NOW IT'S GROWN AND WE HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH ACQUIRING ENOUGH PARKLAND, PRESERVING PARKLAND THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, WHICH SHOULD BE HOLDING ONTO EVERY SQUARE INCH GREEN SPACE.
AND I WANTED OUR BOARD TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, ALL OF US KIND OF WEIGH IN.
I NORMALLY WE WOULD HAVE A WORKING GROUP FOR THIS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE NEED TO GET A RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS BASED ON PUBLIC INPUT AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR PUBLIC, AND HOPEFULLY GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE PEOPLE TO WRITE TO US.
AND ALL OF US JOINTLY COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO GIVE THE CITY MANAGER IT SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A TIMELINE AVAILABLE FOR THE SURGE.
IS IT STARTING NOW? IS IT, IS IT SIX MONTHS FROM NOW OR WHAT DO YOU THINK? I HAVE NOT HEARD THE TIMELINE JUST YET, BUT IT'S BEEN VERY CLEAR IS IT WILL BE A NATIONAL SEARCH.
UH, THEY'RE LOOKING TO GET A VERY TOP QUALIFIED CANDIDATE FOR THE ROLE.
SO MORE TO COME, I CAN FIND OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS FAR AS THE TIMELINE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK THE PUBLIC MEMBERS TO SPOKE LINES.
PLEASE EMAIL ALL OF US, WHATEVER YOU SAID AND WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR.
WE DO HAVE A RECORDING OF THE MEETING.
BUT, UM, I, I ALSO WANTED TO ASK THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, MY COLLEAGUES, WHAT YOU FEEL IS IMMINENT AT THIS TIME AND SUPER IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN YEAH, I THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOU FOR MEMBER HOLLY.
BRINGING THIS ON TOPIC OF DISCUSSION.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR NEEDS INDICATED THAT WHATEVER THE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE IN REGARDS TO HOW THAT
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE ALL DON COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT THE AUSTIN HAS BEEN, UH, PIPELINE, UM, AND THAT CERTAIN PARTS OF CERTAIN SECTOR CITY RECEIVED FUNDING FOR MANY, MANY DECADES WHILE OTHER PARTS ON THE SOUTH EAST SIDE HAS BEEN NEGLECTED AND NOTHING HAS EVER HAPPENED TO THOSE.
AND, AND THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE FOR THEMSELVES.
SO I REALLY WANT A PARKS RECORD THAT GONNA HAVE EQUITY FOREFRONT MIND.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS THE PARK DIRECTOR THAT IS FOCUSED ON STAFF AND MAKING SURE THAT STAFF HAVE THE RESEARCH THAT THEY NEED SUCCESSFUL AND THAT STAFF, UM, ARE ADEQUATE FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT COMPENSATING, WE'RE NOT GIVING STAFF
[02:10:01]
BENEFIT THAT THEY DESERVE.WE WILL SEE TURNOVER, SUZY REALLY GOOD QUALIFIED STAFF, OTHER SAFETY.
UM, THAT'S WHAT I REALLY DO WANT TO SEE.
UM, DIRECTOR, UM, I KNOW YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON THIS, UM, FOR, UH, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR? UH, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
YEAH, I JUST WANNA, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND I JUST WANNA THANK ALL THE, UM, INDIVIDUALS, UH, AT THE BOARD MEETING TONIGHT, UM, AND GIVING US THEIR INPUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK I'M THE LONGEST STANDING BOARD MEMBER LEFT.
I THINK I'VE BEEN HERE THE LONGEST.
UM, AND I WAS THERE, I WAS ON THE BOARD WHEN, UH, BOARD MEMBER DE PALMER, UM, WE ACT, I ACTUALLY SERVED ON THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW FAR WE'VE FALLEN OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS FROM ALL OF THESE GREAT IDEAS THAT WE HAD AS A BOARD AND AS HOW ALL OF US WORKED SO WELL TOGETHER WITH THE PARTS DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES.
AND, UM, I JUST, I REALLY THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WHOEVER COMES IN DOESN'T TAKE THE STATUS QUO AND JUST RUN WITH IT.
BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER, IN ALL THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, AND I'M GOING ON SIX YEARS CLOSE, SIX YEARS NOW, I BELIEVE I HAVE NEVER SEEN A MORE DYSFUNCTIONAL, I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS MANY PEOPLE COME TO EVERY SINGLE BOARD MEETING AND COMPLAIN.
SO THERE ARE CLEARLY SOME PROBLEMS AND WE CAN BLAME THE PUBLIC ALL WE WANT.
BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THAT WE ALL NEED TO DO A LITTLE SELF-REFLECTION.
AND WE ALL KNOW REALLY NEED TO START LISTENING TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE SAYING BECAUSE THEY'RE RIGHT IN SOME INSTANCES.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE WHO'S A REAL LEADER COME IN AND TAKE CHARGE AND NOT ACCEPT STATUS QUO AS IT IS, LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC, BUT ALSO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THERE'S A BALANCE HERE THAT FOR SOME REASON WE'VE COME, WE'VE SKEWED TO THE OTHER WAY, UM, WHERE WE'RE NOT LISTENING TO PUBLIC AT ALL.
AND THAT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO ME.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY 2 CENTS.
THE ONE THING I'LL SAY, AND I, I SAID THIS BEFORE TO THAT I IN PERSON, THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT'S HERE VALUE THEIR INPUT, THEIR INPUT.
UM, AND I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO HEAR FROM Y'ALL, BUT I'M ALSO EQUALLY CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO SHOW UP TO THESE MEETINGS.
WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME
UM, SO I HOPE THAT WE DON'T FORGET THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM CAN'T BE IN THIS GROUP FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND WE'RE NOT FORGETTING THEIR VOICE AS WELL.
SO I JUST DON'T WANT US TO KEEP, UH, TRACK OF THOSE, THOSE VOICES AS WELL.
SO CHAIR, UM, WHAT PROCEDURALLY HOW WOULD WE COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION EFFORT? WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME FURTHER INPUT AND SOME FURTHER GUIDANCE FROM OUR DEPARTMENT, FROM INTERIM DIRECTOR.
HOW WOULD WE COME UP WITH WHAT WE FEEL GOOD RECOMMENDATION COMPILATION? WELL, KIND OF LIKE WE DID BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, SO WHAT YOU ARE HEARING FROM YOU, AND IN CASE THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO WRITE IN.
SO I GUESS I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M ASKING FINGERS ALLY CORRECTLY.
SO I GUESS PERCEIVABLY DISCUSSION.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO GIVE THE, YOU WANNA PUT IT AS THAT CITY SOMETHING, OUR CITY MANAGER, WE, WE CAN ASK THE CITY COUNCIL, THE DIRECT, THE CITY MANAGER.
I KNOW IT'S VERY WEIRD THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO HAVE TO GO TO, TO BE A DIRECT RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL, TO DIRECT THE CITY COUNCIL, WHATEVER.
AND, UM, I, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF, OF MISTRUST OF THE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT ALSO, AND I'VE ASKED FOR THIS AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, UM, FOR REVIEW OF THAT PROCESS SO THAT IT CAN BE MORE OPEN, TRANSPARENT
[02:15:01]
AND THEN AND MORE WILLING ON SO THAT THE PUBLIC HAS GREATER TRUST.I, I THINK THAT PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE GREAT.
THEY WORK TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR PARKS IN A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD WAY.
UM, I I'M SEEING AND HEARING FROM SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING ISSUES WITH THIS AND MISTRUST WITH THIS BECAUSE IT'S IN A VERY INDIRECT AND NON-TRANSPARENT MANNER.
AND IT INVOLVES CONCESSIONS AND IT INVOLVES REVENUE THAT IS GOING NOT TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT TO THE PARTNERS AND THE PUBLIC DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO REALLY SEE WHERE, HOW THAT'S HAPPENING.
I THINK IT'S OUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT REASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT IF THIS IS HAPPENING WITH PUBLIC LAND, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THE RELATIONSHIPS ARE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A SUPER IMPORTANT THING FOR OUR NEW PARKS DIRECTOR TO REALLY MAKE CLEAR IF WE'RE GONNA GO ON WITH PARTNERSHIPS.
UH, LAST THING I'LL SAY, I DO HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ALL AGREE ON AND THAT WE ALL GIVE INPUT FOR, FOR THIS VERY IMPORTANT POSITION.
I FIRST WANTED TO THANK, UM, BOARD MEMBER REED AND BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR FOR BRINGING THIS FORTH.
UM, MY, MY, I REALLY JUST WANTED TO, UM, ALSO SAY CHAIR, WE'RE STILL HAVING TROUBLE FULLY HEARING YOU, SO I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION WAS TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, UM, JUST SUMMARIZING WHERE WE MOVE FROM HERE.
UM, BUT I CERTAINLY, I CERTAINLY DID HEAR OUR PUBLIC TODAY.
I KNOW THAT, UM, BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR MENTIONED MAYBE PERHAPS US NOT LISTENING, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT WAS DIRECTED TO, BUT YOU KNOW, I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF ONLY.
I'M TAKING NOTES, I'M LISTENING, I'M HERE.
UM, AND I THINK MANY OF US DO, DO LISTEN IN, HEAR EVEN IF WE'RE NOT COMMENTING ON EVERYTHING.
UM, SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AS WELL.
BUT CHAIR, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST SUMMARIZING WHERE WE MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, UM, INTO THE NIGHT.
UM, BUT I WANNA KNOW WHERE WE GO FROM HERE ON SOME OF THESE.
UM, YEAH, JUST TO TAKE ACTION.
CAN YOU HEAR ME BETTER NOW? YES, MUCH BETTER.
UM, NO, I WAS JUST, UH, COMMENTING THE BOARD MEMBER READ THAT THE PROCEDURE LEAD, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE IT A DISCUSSION WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE, IF WE WANNA VOTE ON SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD VOTE ON WHATEVER RESOLUTION WAS BEFORE US.
OBVIOUSLY AFTER DISCUSSION, IF THERE WAS ANY EDIT SUGGESTIONS OR, UM, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE, THERE WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGERS TO DO SOMETHING.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, TO CITY COUNCIL.
SO YOU HAVE TO DO CITY, CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE SOME ACTION OR DIRECT SOME AGENCY.
IN THIS CASE IT'D BE CITY MANAGER AND THE TIMING, UM, COULD BE NOT THE NEXT PARTS BOARD MEETING, BUT TWO MONTHS FROM NOW WHENEVER WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT, REMEMBER WE SAID THERE YES, TIMING IS DEPENDENT ON WHEN WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? AND I HEARD THAT IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE A NATIONAL SEARCH.
UM, AND THEN I COULDN'T HEAR BEYOND THAT EARLIER.
UM, BUT I DID HEAR THAT WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS, UM, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT LAST THING, UM, PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS A WAY FOR PUBLIC STAFF TO COMMENT THAT DO BELIEVE THAT WOULD COMING LATER ON.
I BELIEVE IT'S ALSO PART OF THE RECRUITMENT.
I SEE WHAT HAPPEN WHERE WE STORE EXTERNAL TO THE CITY AS
SO I EXPECT THE SAME PROCESS, WHICH SHOULD BE EXTENSIVE STAFF WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE.
ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS? ANYONE ON WEBEX? YEAH, I, UM, JUST WANTED TO CALL OUT BOARD MEMBER.
I THOUGHT BOARD MEMBER REED'S IDEA ABOUT, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF AN, ASIDE FROM THE, THE TOPIC THAT WE'RE ON, SO, BUT MAYBE SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE UP AT A FUTURE DATE.
THE IDEA OF DOING A LITTLE BIT OF A BOARD DEEP DIVE INTO THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE PARK AND THE NONPROFITS AT, I AM NOT AS CONCERNED AS OTHERS ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC, BUT I DO APPRECIATE TRANSPARENCY AND OPENNESS AND IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IT CLEARER HOW
[02:20:01]
SOME OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS OPERATE, I THINK THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE QUITE VALUABLE.SO I'LL JUST SORT OF FLAG MY INTEREST IN THAT PARTICULAR TOPIC.
UM, AND THE POTENTIALLY LOOKING FOR WAYS THAT WE MIGHT BRING MORE LIGHT TO THE COMPLEX WEB OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ALL OF THE NONPROFITS THAT, UH, THAT OPERATE TO SUPPORT THE PARK SYSTEM AND THE PARK AND THE, AND THE PARK DEPARTMENT, THE COLLEGE BOARD MEMBERS.
I HAD, UM, I HAD THAT FLAGGED FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
I HAD WRITTEN SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
THAT JUST A REPORT ON WHY WE HAVE THOSE PARK NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIPS, MAYBE A DRAWBACK TO THE, TO THE RESOLUTION FROM COUNCIL AND HOW THINGS ARE SET UP.
'CAUSE I HEAR THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
IT CAME UP IN PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, A LOT TODAY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON, UM, DAY TO DAY.
SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO BRING UP.
SO JUST WANTED TO SAY IT HERE AND WE WON'T SAY IT AT FUTURE URGENT ITEM PIECE.
I, I WANNA PICK, SORRY, I WANTED TO ADD TOO, IF WE CAN ADD TO THAT LIKE ANY TRANSPARENCY MEASURES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE IF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE SHARING RESOURCES THAT ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE.
AND THAT WILL ALSO HELP US IDENTIFY PLACES OF OPPORTUNITY.
WERE YOU GONNA SAY SOMETHING? OH, UH, NO, JUST GENERALLY, HONESTLY, I'VE FORGOTTEN, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF WHATEVER DIRECTION THAT GOES.
I THINK IT WOULD BE, THERE'S CLEARLY A LOT OF INTEREST FROM THE PUBLIC AND ACTUALLY A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE BOARD AS WELL TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO KIND OF RE REORIENT AROUND THAT COLLECTIVELY.
LET'S FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO IT.
[5. Staff briefing on the status of The Expedition School’s permitting and construction of the permanent location for boating concessions. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers). (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Park Access for All). Presenter(s): Reynaldo Hernandez, Project Manager, Parks and Recreation Department ]
ON TO AGENDA ITEM.GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS, UH, RAY RAY HERNANDEZ.
I'M A LANSING ARCHITECT AND PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU A UPDATE ON THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
START OFF WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND FOR YOU.
UH, THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL WAS FOUNDED IN 2006 AND IT BEGAN OPERATING, UH, AS A CONTRACT INSTRUCTOR AT THE VERMONT RECREATION CENTER.
AND WHAT THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL PROVIDES IS CITY CONTRACTED INSTRUCTOR CLASSES IN KAYAKING, STANDUP PADDLING, KNOWING, AND THEY SPECIALIZED IN WATER SAFETY.
THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND IN DECEMBER OF 2019, COUNCIL ISSUED AN ORDINANCE.
AND IN THAT ORDINANCE IT STIPULATED SEVERAL ITEMS. UH, ONE OF 'EM WAS TO AUTHORIZE A BOATING CONCESSION ON LADYBIRD LAKE FOR THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL, AND ANOTHER WAS FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE A PERMANENT LOCATION FOR THEIR OPERATION.
IN OCTOBER OF 2020, HARD AND THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL FINALIZED A CONCESSION AGREEMENT, AND IN THAT CONCESSION AGREEMENT, THEY WERE, UH, ABLE TO LOCATE TEMPORARILY AT A LOCATION AT LABOR LAKE.
THE TERM FOR THAT AGREEMENT FOR THAT CONCESSION AGREEMENT WAS 18 MONTHS WITH POTENTIAL TWO YEAR EXTENSIONS.
[02:25:03]
WHILE THIS WAS, UH, WHILE THEY WERE, UH, MANAGING THEIR OPERATIONS TEMPORARILY AT, AT SPECIFIED LOCATION, THEY WERE TO ENTER INTO A DESIGN PROCESS TO DEVELOP AND PLAN FOR PERMANENT INFRASTRUCTURE AT, AT A PERMANENT LOCATION THAT WAS YET TO BE DETERMINED SLIGHTLY.THE TEMPORARY LOCATION IS CURRENTLY LOCATED AT FESTIVAL BEACH BOAT RAMP, JUST OFF N HERNANDEZ ROAD.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN THERE SINCE, UH, SEPTEMBER OF 2020 WHEN THEY RECEIVED A SITE PLAN EXEMPTION, ACTUALLY SINCE OCTOBER, 2020.
SINCE THAT TIME, UH, THEY'VE ASKED FOR TWO EXTENSIONS.
THE FIRST EXTENSION OCCURRED IN JANUARY OF 2022, AND THAT PUSHED THEM FORWARD TO APRIL OF 2024.
THE NEXT EXTENSION THEY REQUESTED, THEY RECEIVED IN DECEMBER OF 2023, AND THAT PUSHED THEM TO ALL THE WAY THROUGH APRIL OF 2026.
SO CURRENTLY THEY ARE GOING, GOING TO BE OPERATING AT THIS
THEY CONTINUE TO OPERATE THEIR TODAY TEMPORARILY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, PLANNING AND PERMITTING FOR THEIR NEW INFRASTRUCTURE.
UH, AND THAT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT THEY'RE DOING.
SO, PART OF THE ORDINANCE, THE, UH, DEPARTMENT WAS TO FIND A PERMANENT LOCATION FOR THEM.
AND ON THE SCREEN YOU, THERE'S A DIAGRAM THAT SHOWS A, UH, RED STAR IN THAT RED START INDICATES WHERE THE PERMANENT LOCATION HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESIGN, THE PERMITTING, AND THE CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY WILL USE FOR THEIR PROGRAMMING.
THIS MAY INCLUDE STORAGE, SHADE STRUCTURES, ALL EQUIPMENT AND MATERIAL FOR THE OPERATION OF THE CONCESSION, AND ALL OF THE AMENITIES MUST BE A DA COMPLIANT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE FACILITY AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING KEEPING THE CONCESSION AREA CLEAN.
THAT INCLUDES THE WATER FAR RESPONSIBILITY, UH, FOR THE PERMANENT LOCATION IS TO PROVIDE PARK IDENTIFICATION, SIGN PARK, CORRECTIONAL SIGNAGE, AND A DA COMPLAINT, ACCESS TO THEIR LOCATION AND AN A DA PARKING SPOT.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT IS BEING PLANNED AT THE PERMANENT LOCATION.
THIS, UH, THE IMAGE THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IS A DESIGN THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY BOARD SAFE.
BOARD SAFE IS THE, UH, ENTITY THAT'S GONNA BE PROVIDING THE FLOATING DOCKS.
AND WHAT THEY ARE PLANNING TO DO IS THEY'RE PLANNING TO PROVIDE, UH, A GANG PLANK, WHICH IS LABELED AS A, A FLOATING DOCK OF A TOTAL SQUARE FOOT OF 7,500 SQUARE FEET.
THEY'RE GONNA BE PROVIDING STORAGE ON THE FLOATING DOCK, WHICH IS LABELED C.
THE, UH, STORAGE AREA IS ABOUT 17, UH, 1007 15 SQUARE FEET.
THERE'S ALSO A SHAPE STRUCTURE, AND THAT'S LABELED AS D AND THAT'S SHAPE STRUCTURE IS GONNA COVER ABOUT 4,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND THEN THE ITEMS THAT ARE LABELED E OFF TO THE EACH SIDES THERE.
THAT IS A BOARDING KIT, WHICH IS DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR A DA, UH, SO THAT FOLKS WHO HAVE MOBILITY IMPAIRMENTS AND SAFETY BOARD, UH, KAYAKS AND KITS.
SO THE TOTAL FLOATING DOCK AND THE AMENITY AREA THAT IS BEING PROPOSED IS 9,267 SQUARE FEET.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A BIT OF A COMPARISON, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE IS, UH, ANOTHER SESSION ON THE LAKE.
THEIR CONFIGURATION IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED FOR THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
SO THE TEXAS ROARING CENTER IS LONG, UH, AND IT'S ALONG THE SHORELINE, WHEREAS THE EXPEDITIONS SCHOOL WAS PROPOSING MORE OF A SQUARE SHAPED.
UH, SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE WAS, UH, WAS ACHIEVED IN 2018 AS PART OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT, UH, THEY HAD DONE.
UH, THE FLOATING DOCK ITSELF IS 9,266 SQUARE FEET.
IT'S LABELED AS A, THEY HAVE A DOCK EXTENSION THAT'S LABELED B THAT TOTALS 4,227 SQUARE FEET.
THERE ARE TWO STORAGE BUILDINGS, UH, IN THEIR FACILITY, AND THOSE ARE LABELED C AND THE TOTAL STORAGE THAT THOSE TWO BUILDINGS PROVIDE IS 5,795
[02:30:01]
SQUARE FEET.IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY INCORPORATED WHAT THEY ORIGINALLY HAD, UH, AS PART OF THE FLOATING DOCK, WHICH WAS 6,044 SQUARE FEET.
SO ALTOGETHER THE, UH, TEXAS ROWING CENTER HAS A TOTAL OF 19,537 SQUARE FEET OF AREA THAT THEY USE.
SO IF YOU WANT TO COMPARE IT TO WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED FOR THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL, THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY IS TWICE THE SIZE THAT ION SCHOOL THAT IS, UH, PLANNING TO CONSTRUCT.
SO THIS IS AN IMAGE OF THE PERMANENT LOCATION FOR THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
THIS IS TAKEN DIRECTLY FROM THE DRAWINGS THAT WERE SUBMITTED FOR PERMITTING.
RIGHT NOW, THE PLANS ARE IN THE, I HOPE, IN THE FINAL STAGES OF BEING, UH, REVIEWED FOR COMPLIANCE TO CITY CODE.
ONCE THAT IS DONE, UM, WE ANTICIPATE THAT PERHAPS THREE MONTHS TO FOUR MONTHS, WE'LL HAVE OR THEY SHALL RECEIVE A SITE PLAN PERMIT.
THERE IS A PARKLAND IMPROVEMENT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT THAT'S BEING WORKED ON RIGHT NOW.
IT IS BEING REVIEWED BY LAW AND THERE WILL BE A NEW CONCESSIONS AGREEMENT THAT WILL BE ONCE THE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED, AND THAT WILL GOVERN THE OPERATIONS OF THE CONCESSIONS, INCLUDING THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, PARK WILL AMEND THE HOLLY SHORES EVERMAN JONES SENIOR PARK VISION PLAN TO INDICATE THE LOCATION OF THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL HAS A VOTING CONCESSION
THAT IS THE, UH, UPDATE THAT I, UH, PREPARED FOR YOU ALL TODAY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, MAGGIE STENT, UH, I BELIEVE ONLINE WHO IS FROM CONCESSIONS AND THEN REPRESENTING THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
I, I, I BELIEVE IS, UM, CATHERINE, UH,
ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS, BOARD OF REEN? YOU KNOW, WOULD THE CONCESSION AGREEMENT BE WITH IT WILL BE MY UNDERSTANDING.
IT WOULD BE WITH THE, UH, EXHIBITIONS.
IS THAT GOVERNED BY THE TRAIL EXPECTANCY SINCE IT'S IN THE TRAIL ANCY AREA? UH, THAT'S MY KNOWLEDGE.
SO IT'LL BE A CONCESSION AGREEMENT WITH THE EXPEDITIONS AND THE FUNDING.
THE REVENUE DIDN'T GO TO WHAT? UM, MAGGIE, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
UM, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A CONCESSION AGREEMENT CURRENTLY, AND UNLESS THAT'S GONNA BE WORKED ON, UM, IN THE NEXT YEAR, AND AS FAR AS WE KNOW, UM, SO THE REVENUE AND ALL OF THAT HAS YET TO BE, UM, DECIDED.
UM, WE'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT THE REAL ESTATE, UM, DIVISION, UM, WHICH USED TO BE, UM, OFFICE OF REAL ESTATE, BUT THEY'RE NOW AT THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
THEY WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER THE, THE NEW CONTRACT, SO THEY WILL BE INVOLVED WITH THAT.
SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO I CAN'T REALLY, I CAN'T REALLY SAY.
I ASKED BECAUSE WE HAVE A, UM, A PARKS BOARD, CONTRACTS AND CONCESSIONS COMMITTEE, BUT HAVEN'T HAD MEETINGS RECENTLY.
AND I BELIEVE IT IS BECAUSE REAL ESTATE IS HANDLING
SO, UM, WOULD THAT COME BEFORE OUR COMMITTEE? I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCEDURE WILL BE ONCE, UH, REAL ESTATE GETS INVOLVED.
WE, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT, SO, UM, AGAIN, I, I REALLY CAN'T, WE'RE, IT'S TOO EARLY TO REALLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
ADDITIONALLY, I'D LIKE TO ASK IF, UM, ANY OF THE STAKEHOLDERS OR THE HOLLY SHORES, EDWARD RONG SENIOR PARK VISION PLAN WOULD BE CONTACTED FOR THIS AMENDMENT AND BE ALLOWED TO GIVE ANY INPUT? I'M NOT CERTAIN ABOUT THAT.
UH, THE ONLY THING I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THIS WAS AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED BY COUNCIL AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PROCEDURE WOULD BE FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT COUNCIL.
SO, CONTACTING THE COUNCIL MEMBER, ASK
[02:35:01]
THE QUESTION.UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME EXTENSIONS MADE.
UM, WHY WAS THERE, WHAT, WHY WAS THE, WHAT WAS THE RATIONALE BEHIND THOSE EXTENSIONS OR WHY WERE THOSE NEEDED? SO THE RATIONALE FOR THE EXTENSIONS WAS, I BELIEVE THAT THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CONDUCTING A DESIGN, UH, FOR THEIR NEW FACILITY, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE HIRING OF CONSULTANT AND THEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE DRAWINGS.
AND THAT WAS THE RATIONALE FOR BOTH EXTENSIONS? UM, I BELIEVE SO.
UM, YEAH, I CAN JUST ADD ONTO THAT.
UM, WE INITIALLY PROJECTED THAT THEY'D BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE NEW LOCATION WITHIN LIKE 18 MONTHS, BUT THOSE PROJECTIONS OBVIOUSLY WERE WAY OFF BASE.
AND SO THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE EXTENSION, IS TO ALLOW THEM MORE TIME TO COMPLETE, UM, THE PROCESS, UH, AT THEIR NEW SITE.
IT'S JUST TAKEN LONGER THAN IT WAS, THAN WE THOUGHT IT WOULD.
WHY IS THAT? SO, UH, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, AS PART OF THE, THE REQUIREMENTS OF PERMITTING, THEY HAD TO HIRE A CIVIL ENGINEER TO PUT DRAWINGS TOGETHER.
UM, THEY ALSO HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR OVER 12 MONTHS.
UH, THEIR FIRST, UH, SUBMISSION HAD EXPIRED, SO THEY HAD TO REAPPLY, UH, BECAUSE THE DRAWINGS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN, AND YEAH, SORRY.
I WAS, I WAS ALSO GONNA ADD, UM, THAT COVID HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS ALL, SO THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME DELAYS BECAUSE OF THAT, OBVIOUSLY.
WHAT, WHO, WHO'S GONNA END UP OWNING THE FACILITY AT THE END OF THE DAY? SO MY UNDERSTANDING WITH CONCESSIONS IS THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WOULD OWN THE IMPROVEMENTS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE END OF THE DAY, SO THAT, UM, THAT PERMANENT STRUCTURE THAT WAS THAT FLOATING DOCK AMENITIES, IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN, IT WOULD 10 YEAR, WHATEVER, X AMOUNT OF YEARS TO THE FUTURE.
UM, IF THAT, IF, IF EXPEDITION WILL, FOR WHATEVER REASON, NO LONGER IS DOING THIS, THAT WOULD PUT PART ON THAT, THAT WOULD BE PART OF PROPERTY? UH, I BELIEVE SO, MAGGIE, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE INTENTION.
THAT'S, THAT'S TYPICALLY HOW THE CONCESSION AGREEMENTS ARE WRITTEN.
BUT AGAIN, UM, BECAUSE OF REAL ESTATE NOW BEING INVOLVED, UM, WE DON'T, I CAN'T SAY WHAT, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AND WHAT'S GONNA BE IN THE CONTRACT, UM, BECAUSE THIS, UH, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN, IN THE REAL ESTATE PROCESS.
AND THEN I MENTIONED THE QUESTION.
THE ONE IS, UM, IN YOUR SLIDE YOU'VE MENTIONED, UH, THE LAST SLIDE, THE LAST BULLET, FOUR QUESTIONS TO SAY HARD WILL AMEND THE HOLLY SHORES
UH, HOWEVER, WHEN I PULL UP THE RESOLUTION THAT DIRECTED ART TO GIVE THE CONCESSION TO DIVISION SCHOOL, IT STATES, UH, CITY SENATOR IS TO AMEND.
UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS IT FORM THAT IS AMENDING AS A DIRECTIVE CITY MANAGER OR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THAT DISCREPANCY THERE? YES.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO AMEND THE VISION PLAN AS PART OF
THE DEPARTMENT HAS TO AMEND THE VISION PLAN AND THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT WE SEE.
SO AS PART OF THE CITY MANAGER, WE ARE THE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL AMEND.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I MAKE, I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS CLEARLY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT I, AGAIN, THIS IS A DIFFERENT, SO CITY COUNCIL IN 2019 PASSED RESOLUTION, THAT RESOLUTION THAT GAVE THE CONCESSION TO THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL AND THEN DIRECTED CITY MANAGER
[02:40:01]
TO ABANDON THE VISION PLAN, THE MASTERMIND.AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE NOW BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND NOW CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE, AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS, UM, UM, THAT'S ALL QUESTIONS.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER? YES.
THE CITY ORDINANCE, WHICH PROVIDED THE DIRECTION WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, WHICH IS FOR SUB PERMANENT LOCATION PROVISION PLAN TO BE AMENDED, I GUESS, IS THERE ANY TYPICAL PROCEDURE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT VISION ON THIS? WHEN THE MISSION EVENT CREATED, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC COMMENT AND NOW THERE'S A CITY ORDINANCE THAT SAYS, HEY, SOMETHING HAPPENED
BUT I GUESS WHAT IS THE PROCESS DURING THE VISION? WHEN WE HAVE A VISION PLAN THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL AND WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THAT, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW EXTENSIVE
AND THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN FOR THE VISION PLAN.
IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, COUNCIL DIRECTED US TO ALLOW FOR THIS CONCESSION TO BE IN PLACE AND DIRECTED US TO CHANGE THE VISION PLAN TO INDICATE THE, THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY POSSIBILITY FOR COMMUNIC.
UH, MORE VULNERABLE, NOT THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP IF THERE WAS SOMEBODY THERE FROM THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL, JUST TO TALK THROUGH THE TIMELINE A BIT MORE.
I HEARD LIKE COVID HAD, YOU KNOW, WAS A REASON FOR SOME OF THE DELAY, BUT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TIMELINE AND HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR CLARIFICATION.
HI G ES UH, MY NAME IS CATHERINE AB NICELY.
I'M REPRESENTING EXPEDITION SCHOOL TONIGHT.
UM, AND UH, CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
UM, WHAT, UH, I WANTED TO PIG BACK A LITTLE BIT WITH ANA AND, UM, STAFF HAS BEEN VERY NICE, UH, ABOUT THE TIMELINE BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THIS PAST IN 2019 AND ON MARCH, 2020, WE ALL SHUT DOWN AND STAFF HAVE TO DEDICATE ALL THEIR TIME TO, WAS ALL ALIVE AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL HAD EVERYTHING WE NEEDED IN OUR PARTS, THE PDS, ET CETERA.
SO FIRST OF ALL, GRACIOUS, WE WANNA THANK ALL THE STAFF THAT'S HERE,
FOR PAST YEARS THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL REASONS WHY THIS DISAGREEMENT HASN'T HAPPENED.
AND ONE OF THEM THAT THE OWNER ALSO LOST ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AND SO THERE WAS A LOSS IN THE TEAM THAT ALSO HAPPENED DURING COVID.
SO ALL THIS KIND OF TAKE US BACK TO NOW, UM, THAT'S WHY THE EXTENSIONS WERE PROVIDED.
I THINK EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO MAKE SURE, UM, TO BE HELPFUL WITH THE PROCESS, UM, AND UNDERSTANDING.
AND SO NOW WE'RE HERE, WE'RE ALMOST AT THE FINISH LINE.
LIKE ALDO SAID, OUR SITE PLAN IS ABOUT TO BE APPROVED.
UH, WE ACTUALLY JUST NEED THE PIA, WHICH THE PIA DOES MENTION THAT, UH, ANYTHING THAT THE PION SCHOOL BUILDS WILL BE FOR THE CITY THEY DON'T TAKE WITH THEM.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING TO HAPPEN ANSWERING TO COMMISSIONER
UM, AND THEN ALSO THE PIA DOES MENTION THAT, UM, THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A CONCESSION AGREEMENT AFTERWARDS FOR MEETING.
UM, I CAN'T GIVE YOU EXACT DATES, BUT THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM WHEN SHE REACHED OUT TO US.
WE GOT HIRED ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO TO HELP HER OUT.
[02:45:01]
AS YOU ALL KNOW, IT'S SUMMER SEASON AS WELL.THEY PROVIDE SERVICES TO PEOPLE THAT AREN WITH FACILITIES.
THAT'S WHERE THE SIDE OF THE DOG.
SO THEY, THEY NEED RIGHT NOW TO START WORKING.
SO SHE ALREADY COULDN'T ATTEND TODAY, SHE APOLOGIZED, BUT, UH, VERY BUSY TIME FOR THEM TRYING TO GOING.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARILY DIRECTED TO EXPEDITION SCHOOL, IT MIGHT JUST BE GENERAL, BUT, UM, I, I HEARD EARLIER THAT WE'RE AT A POINT IN, UM, WHERE THIS HAS BEEN DIRECTED BY COUNCIL AND SO IT SOUNDS LIKE TIME FOR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK HAS PASSED, BUT I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, IS THERE ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK OR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT? UM, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO CAME TO THAT WANTED TO SPEAK ON, ON FIVE TODAY AND CAN'T IN THIS IN THIS INSTANCE, BUT JUST WANNA CLARIFY FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC GOING FORWARD, LIKE WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY OR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AN IMPASSE THERE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING BOARD MEMBER, WAS THAT A COMMENT OR WAS THAT A, IT'S A QUESTION.
IS THERE ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, I SUPPOSE AT THIS POINT? UM, SO THERE'S THREE KEY THINGS YOU CAN DO OR IS MAKE IT A DISCUSSION ITEM.
I JUST, UH, BOARD CAN DISCUSS THE ITEM OR YOU CAN, UH, REQUEST THAT ADD DISCUSSION ACTION ITEM, WHICH CASE, UH, THERE WOULD BE A POTENTIAL OF HAVING A RESOLUTION TO CITY COUNCIL.
IT WOULD REALLY DEPEND ON WHAT, WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT, LIKE THE, WHEN WE, THE
BOARD MEMBERS WHERE THERE WASN'T A ON IT.
BUT FOR BOTH DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS, THE PUBLIC CAN COMMENT ON THOSE
SO YEAH, I UNDERSTAND HOW IT FALLS IN OUR AGENDA AND ALLOWING FOR DISCUSSION.
I GUESS WHAT I MEAN IS AT THIS POINT IS, IS THAT GONNA CHANGE ANYTHING? UM, AS FAR AS THIS PLAN? LIKE WE CAN ALLOW DISCUSSION BUT IT COULD JUST SIT HERE AND NOT HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO.
I GUESS THAT'S A, THAT'S A MA THAT'S A MATTER OF WHAT, WHAT YOU THINK IF YOU THINK RESOLUTION WITH CITY COUNCIL WHAT THE RESOLUTION SAID.
WELL, YEAH, I, I THINK THE ISSUE OF QUESTION IS THAT THERE'S A COUNCIL RESOLUTION 2019, WHICH IS A PREVIOUS COUNCIL THAT HAS GIVEN CLEAR DIRECTIVE THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT, NOT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THERE TO BE ANY SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION ON THIS ITEM.
SO I THINK OUR OPTIONS WOULD BE IF AS A BOARD WE BELIEVE THAT IS IMPORTANT, IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO BRING IT AS AN ACTION ITEM, THE NEXT AGENDA AND IT WOULD BE UP TO COUNCIL WHETHER OR NOT TO HE, THE FEEDBACK WE WERE GIVEN ON MATTER.
UM, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING AT LEAST.
SO THIS WAS AN ORDINANCE, IT WASN'T A RESOLUTION, IT WAS AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED IN DECEMBER OF 2019.
WAS THE PUBLIC GIVEN ANY KIND AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON IT? BECAUSE IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE THIS WAS SIGNED BY MAYOR ADLER AND IT WAS JUST PASSED BY THE COUNCIL AND, AND THERE WAS NO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AT THAT TIME IN 2019.
YEAH, SORRY, JUST BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, CITY COUNCIL IS BOUND BY TOMA THE SAME WAY THAT THIS BOARD IS.
SO FOR ANY ACTION THAT CITY COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING, THEY DO HAVE TO ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENT.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL HISTORY, YOU KNOW, IN THIS POSITION IT STATES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS, OF COURSE BACK IN 2019.
SO IT, FOUR YEARS AGO LOTS HAPPENED, BUT CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT YOU, THE REASONS FOR WHY IT WAS THE EXPEDITING PROCESS BACK THEN? UM, I ENJOYED TOPIC.
UM, SO IN 2019 THIS, UM, SO RIGHT THIS ITEM ORDINANCE, NO ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION PASSED.
SO THERE WAS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO
[02:50:02]
DEFINITELYUM, AND THEN WHEN IT PASSED THE RESOLUTION, YES, FLOWERS,
BUT, UM, I WAS THERE MARCH, 2020 HAPPENED AND WE HAD JUST ON CITY AND I DO REMEMBER SAYING SEVERAL PEOPLE AND THE PARKS DIRECTIVE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, OUR REC CENTERS, SO THAT LASTED MARCH, 2022, ALMOST TWO YEARS.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THEM DURING THE TIME? I'M NOT AWARE OF JUST ON, WE ALL SAW THAT HAPPENED AND THEN, UH, I KNOW THEY ASKED FOR EXTENSIONS.
ONE OF THEM IS BECAUSE DURING THE
AND SO THEY HAD TO GO THE PROCESS AND HIRE.
IT WASN'T AS SIMPLE AS JUST HAVE SOMEBODY TO, TO GO PERMIT.
SO WE'VE BEEN IN, IN PERMITTING FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS, MAYBE 18 MONTHS, 24 MONTHS BECAUSE IT DID GET DELAYED.
UM, THAT WE GOT ANOTHER EXTENSION FOR THREE MONTHS.
SO THAT WOULD BE TWO YEARS AND THEN TWO YEARS OF COVID.
BUT I, I MEAN THAT'S VAGUELY WHAT I CAN BELIEVE.
I CAN DEFINITELY TALK TO
BUT THAT'S, AND THE EXTENSIONS WERE BASED FROM WHAT I HEARD FROM LAW, WERE BASED ON UNDERSTANDING WHEN THE PERMIT, SO I KNOW IT'S 2 26, BUT WE ALSO THE BUILDING OF THE DOG.
SO THAT'S WHY THIS LAST
SO WE'LL BE DONE WITHIN A MONTH.
UM, WHO'S PAYING FOR THIS AND HOW MUCH AND CAN WE SEE THE, UM, PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN CARD AND THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL? WHERE IS THE, THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS FINALIZED IN 2020? SO, UH, MAGGIE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THAT.
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2020 FOR THE TEMPORARY CONCESSION LOCATION.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THE COST OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAS NOT BEEN, UM, SHARED WITH US.
UH, THE ONLY COST THAT THE CITY WILL BE, UH, BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WOULD BE FOR DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE AND, UH, A DA ACCESS INCLUDING A DA PARTS.
WELL, SO THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL WILL COVER THE COST OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR WHAT THE WHOLE THE FACILITY? YES.
AND, AND IS THERE NOW A FINALIZED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT SAYS PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT EXECUTED THROUGH APRIL 22.
IF THERE IS A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE THAT.
SO, SO MAGGIE, UM, IT'S NOT A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT, IT'S A CONCESSION AGREEMENT.
SO THE CURRENT AGREEMENT IS A CONCESSION AGREEMENT.
UH, THE ONE THAT, UM, RAY IS TALKING ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT IS, UM, A PARKLAND IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT.
SO THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, THAT ALLOWS AUTHORIZES THEM TO MAKE THE DEVELOPMENTS, UH, MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS ON PARKLAND.
UM, SO, UM, THE CONTRACT THAT, THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM TO OPERATE THE CONCESSION, UM, IS LIKE WHAT WAS IN PRESENTED IN SLIDES.
IT STARTED IN 2020 AND IT HAD THE EXTENSIONS.
IT'S CONTINUING TO TODAY AND IT'S EXPIRING IN 2026.
AND THEN WHEN THEY MOVE TO THE NEW SITE, WE'LL HAVE A NEW CONCESSION AGREEMENT.
I'M, I'M NOT SURE I HEARD YOUR WHOLE QUESTION, BUT I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
I AGREE WITH BOARD MEMBER BAAN THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO FIND A WAY FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMUNICATE WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THE AMENDMENT TO THE VISION PLAN AND LOOKING LIKE EITHER WE WOULD BRING FORWARD RECOMMENDATION
[02:55:02]
OR THEY WOULD NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR COUNSELOR.ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[6. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department community engagement events, planning updates, development updates, maintenance updates, program updates and administrative updates. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers). (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Urban Public Spaces, Park Access for All). Presenter(s): Angela Means, Parks and Recreation Interim Director. ]
MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX AND THERE'S NOT, ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA START.ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING PARKS BOARD MEMBERS AND CHAIR.
I'M ANGELA MEANS I'M THE INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE YOU THIS EVENING.
I STARTED MY JOURNEY WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN BACK IN 2007 HERE AT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND I'VE ENJOYED BEING HERE THIS EVENING JUST LISTENING TO CONVERSATION AS LONG AS A CONVERSATION FROM OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO A PARK SYSTEM.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING WITH YOU ALL IN THIS INTERIM ROLE.
UH, IT'S BEEN NICE TO HEAR ALL OF THE FEEDBACK GOOD AND BAD BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES A GREAT PARK SYSTEM.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO WORK WITH YOU ALL DURING THE INTERIM.
I WANNA REITERATE IT IS THE, UM, IT DESIRE THE CITY TO HAVE A NATIONAL SEARCH FOR THE DIRECTOR OF THE PARTS DEPARTMENT.
SO HOW THOSE TYPICALLY WORK, THEY EITHER BRING IN A RECRUITER, UH, THIRD PARTY RECRUITER ARE, OR OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT WILL CONDUCT THAT RECRUITMENT AND THERE'S SEVERAL CHANCES FOR BOTH THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE STAFF PROVIDE FEEDBACKS INTO WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE WAY OF THE NEXT DIRECTOR.
SO I WILL DEFINITELY TAKE THE FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED TODAY, UM, AND TRY TO, UM, CONSOLIDATE THAT INFORMATION AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS UM, MOVED UP.
I ALSO, AS SOON AS I HEAR ABOUT WHAT THE FORMAL PROCESS WILL LOOK LIKE, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I REACH OUT TO OUR SPORTS THAT YOU ALL WILL KNOW, UH, WHAT THAT FORMAL RECRUITMENT PROCESS WILL LOOK LIKE.
IN YOUR PACKET, YOU DO HAVE THE, UH, DEPARTMENTS OVERVIEW.
WE HAVE A LOT OF WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING, UH, IN THE MONTH OF JUNE.
OUR BIGGEST ITEM IS WE'VE KICKED OFF OUR SUMMER PROGRAMS THIS MONTH.
UH, WE HAVE MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY ENJOYING OUR PARTS, OUR RECREATION CENTERS, OUR POOLS, OUR CULTURAL CENTERS, AND OTHER FACILITIES.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE OUR LONGEST RUNNING SUMMER PLAYGROUND PROGRAM THAT WAS ALSO KICKED OFF IN JUNE.
THIS IS A DROP IN FREE PROGRAM WHERE WE SERVE KIDS BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIVE TO 12.
THEY COULD BE DROPPED OFF ANYWHERE BETWEEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, NINE TO FIVE.
AND THIS PROGRAM IS, IS NOT JUST A DROP OFF AT THE PARK LIKE IT WAS WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, BUT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE STRUCTURED.
SO THERE ARE PROGRAMS WHERE THE STAFF REALLY WORK ON HEALTHY LIVING, CHARACTER BUILDING, TEAMWORK, COLLABORATIVE, AND TO PLAY.
SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
THIS LAST WEEK WEEKEND ON JUNE 15TH, PARADE PEACE AUSTIN HELD THEIR ANNUAL JUNETEENTH COMMUNITY CELEBRATION.
THAT PARADE ENDED IN THE ROSEWAY PARK THAT TYPICALLY ATTRACTS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 25 AND 5,000 CUSTOMERS.
AND SO THAT DID TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY.
OUR NEXT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENT IS ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26TH.
UH, THIS IS WHERE PARK STAFF WILL HOST A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING TO DISCUSS PLANS FOR THE NEW PARKLAND AND, AND PECAN GROVE FOR THE TILLERY NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE VISIBLE AND SAFE ACCESS TO THE PARK AND INSTALL AMENITIES THAT ALIGN WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS.
SO YOU'LL HEAR MORE CLOSER TO THAT DATE FOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT UPDATES.
WE, UH, ARE KICKING OFF A PROJECT FOR THE NEW PARK DEVELOPMENT KNOWN AS CON GROVE IN EAST AUSTIN.
THE APPROXIMATELY TWO ACRES OF PARKLAND WE'RE OFFICIALLY ACQUIRED FROM THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION IN 2022 AS PART OF THE PLANNED AFFORDABLE
[03:00:01]
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.THIS, UH, CONCEPT WILL INCLUDE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THAT IS ANTICIPATED IN THE SUMMER, WHICH WE'RE ALREADY IN.
SO THIS I, AS SOON AS WE GET THE DATE, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU WON'T, IT WILL BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
THE ASK THE LAST ITEM THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE JOAN MEANS THE VALLEY BATHHOUSE REHAB PROJECT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
THIS BATHHOUSE IS CLOSED DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE.
AND WHILE THE THE BATHHOUSE IS CLOSED, WE HAVE TEMPORARY SHOWERS, CHANGING ROOMS AND BATHROOMS. I WILL SAY THAT, UM, STAFF IS LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPROVE THAT.
UH, WE'RE WATCHING THE, UH, THE VOLUME OF THE INDIVIDUALS COMING INTO, UH, THE BATHHOUSE AND OR JUST THE PARK SPRINGS POOL AND WE'RE WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MODIFY OPERATIONS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC.
SO AGAIN, PLEASE, UH, REVIEW THE OVERVIEW ON YOUR MATERIALS AND THAT INCLUDES MY, MY HOME REPORT.
MY COMMENT IS, IS I ATTENDED THE JUNETEENTH BREAK, UM, AT FESTIVAL AND I THOUGHT THAT THE PARK WAS
MY QUESTION IS THAT FEEDBACK COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT WAS HERE TODAY, UM, REGARDS TO POSSIBLE CONCERNS OF HAVING ADEQUATE SHOWER FACILITIES AND RESTROOMS AT THAT HOUSE AS THE SUMMER CONTINUES.
UH, WHICH IS THAT PUT SEAT WATER TO PULL DOWN AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY AS IT PERTAINS TO THE HOLIDAYS THAT ARE GONNA BE COMING UP THERE AT LEAST LABOR DAY WHERE IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE BE REALLY HOT.
SO IS THERE, IS IF THE DEPARTMENT WORKING ON A PLAN TO, ON THESE HIGH DEMAND DAYS TO, OR THE HIGH WEEKEND TO INCREASE, UM, SHOWER SPACE AND RESTROOM SPACE? YES, WE'RE ACTUALLY DISCUSSING THAT TODAY.
SO THERE IS, UH, WE'RE STILL DRAFTING WITH THAT PLAN IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THE COST AND ABSOLUTELY.
BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY COMMITTED TO, UH, ENSURING BETTER, UH,
YEAH, I JUST, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THIS.
UM, THIS IS ONE OF ONE OF THE THINGS I ENJOY SEEING.
'CAUSE WE CAN SEE ACROSS DISTRICT WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THIS IS MORE OF A QUESTION FOR MR. BECK.
USUALLY I HAVE THIS AVAILABLE BEFORE THE MEETING AS A PRE-READ AND IT WASN'T, I I DIDN'T HAVE IT PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
IT MIGHT JUST BE ME, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS, UM, AHEAD OF TIME.
JUST, IT ALLOWS US TO ASK BETTER QUESTIONS, I THINK.
SORRY ABOUT THAT BOARD MEMBER.
UH, YES, I, I DID GET IT POSTED AT 3:00 PM BUT I NEGLECTED TO SEND IT AS AN EMAIL TO THE BOARD.
I JUST THINK SOMETIMES I, I PRE-READ IN THE MORNING AND SO THEN I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE PRIOR TO THE MEETING, BUT THAT, THAT REALLY WAS IT.
AND THEN, UM, ON THAT AND THEN AROUND THE POOLS, I KNOW THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, UM, REALLY IMPORTANT TO EVERYBODY, JUST WAYS THAT WE'RE NOTIFYING PEOPLE OF THE FREE DAYS FOR THE POOLS SUCH AS LIKE GARRISON AND THOSE THAT ARE PAID.
I KNOW THEY'VE, THEY'VE GOT VARIOUS FREE DAYS FOR THE FOLKS TO FIND OUT ABOUT THOSE.
CAN YOU JUST SPEAK MORE TO WAYS WE'RE COMMUNICATING THAT? YES.
LUCAS, CAN YOU, LUCAS MASSEY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WILL WE'LL SPEAK ON THAT.
YOU HAVE ON OUR SIDE WE'VE ALSO NUMBER A NUMBER OF SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, AND UH, I THINK WE HAVE IN ISSUED THROUGH, UH,
I AM SORRY, I COULDN'T HEAR THAT AT ALL.
HE SAID THAT IT'S ON THE WEBSITE.
HE SAID IT'S ON THE WEBSITE OR WEBSITE.
IT'S ALSO BEEN DISSEMINATED VIA MEMO TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR.
UM, AND THAT THEY'VE DONE SOME SOCIAL MEDIA PUSH AS WELL FOR THAT AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST WONDER IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO POST THAT AT OUR, AT OUR RECREATION SITES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE A LOT OF FAMILIES AREN'T, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT BE ON SOME OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA OR GOING TO THE WEBSITE.
I MEAN I THINK IT'S GREAT IT'S ON THE WEBSITE, BUT IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO DOUBLE DOWN ON COMMUNICATION AT IN FUTURE PLANNING YES.
BOARD MEMBER, UH, WE CAN TAKE.
I KNOW Y'ALL DO A LOT AND YOU'RE COMMUNICATING LEFT AND RIGHT, BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T IN IT ALL THE TIME, WE HAVE TO GO DIFFERENT AVENUES.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
[03:05:01]
THANK YOU.ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ALRIGHT, MOVE ON TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. IS THERE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS THAT YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT NOW? I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS THROUGHOUT TODAY, THROUGHOUT THE DISCUSSION, THROUGHOUT OUR MEETING TODAY.
SO IF YOU NEED SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY'S GONNA BE, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE.
UM, MR. DOMINIC AND I AS DIRECTOR, UH, NEEDS DON'T
SO FEEL LIKE DON'T FEEL PRESSURED THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY YOU HAVE TIME.
BUT OTHERWISE I'LL OPEN IT UP TO FUTURE.
I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 9:20 PM WITHOUT ANY OBJECTION.