[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
IS, UH, NOT ABLE TO BE HERE IN PERSON.SO I WILL BE CHAIRING THE COMMISSION TODAY.
UM, WE WILL START WITH A CALL TO ORDER AND WE WILL GO AHEAD AND START WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
I'LL GRAB THAT LIST RIGHT NOW.
DO YOU NEED TO TAKE ATTENDANCE? THANK YOU.
FIRST WE HAVE ROCHELLE VICKERY.
DOES SOMEBODY SHARE? DO WE NEED TO DO ROLL CALL FIRST? OH, I GUESS I DO.
ROLL CALL FIRST BEFORE WE START THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
AND IF YOU COULD SEND, I'M HERE.
IF YOU COULD SEND THAT SIGN IN SHEET AS SOON AS YOU'RE ABLE, I'LL, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
UM, WE DO HAVE ENOUGH TO PROCEED.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
I WILL CALL THIS COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER, AND WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS STARTING WITH ROCHELLE VICKERY, PLEASE.I HAVE, IT'S COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT OVER A YEAR AGO, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, DR.
JEFF, UH, CAN'T EVEN THINK OF HER NAME.
UH, ANYWAY, SHE BROUGHT PAPERS HERE AND WAS SHOWING THEM AND BRAGGING ABOUT HOW THERE WAS ENOUGH OF PEOPLE TO ADOPT ANIMALS IN THIS CITY.
WHEN YOU BRING IN 700 OTHER DOGS FROM OTHER PLACES, THEN OUR ANIMALS CANNOT.
AND THAT I HAVE RESCUED OVER 10 DOGS IN THE LAST MONTH.
MR. BLAND HAS TAKEN IN EVERYONE EXCEPT THE LAST TWO.
YOU NEVER COME TO THE MEETING.
I COME TO THE MEETING ALL THE TIME AND I HEAR, I HAVE, I DO THE CAT RESCUE, AND I'VE GOT TWO LITTLE CUR TREES, TWO LITTLE GIRLS THAT WAS DUMPED AT THE DOLLAR GENERAL AND ELROY, AND THAT THE WOMAN WAS GONNA LEAVE THEM OR SOMEBODY WAS GONNA TAKE THEM.
WELL, I WASN'T GONNA LET 'EM BE LEFT AND BE HIT BY A CAR AND BE OUT THERE BREEDING.
AND THEY HAVE VOUCHERS FOR FRIDAY TO BE FIXED, AND I'M GONNA GET 'EM TAKEN CARE OF.
AND WHEN THE SHELTER OPENS UP, THEY CAN GO THERE.
OR I CAN FIND A HOME AND THEY WON'T BE BREEDING SOMEWHERE.
AND THIS IS OUR PROBLEM IN OUR CITY, IS AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, AND DR. JEFFERSON IS BRINGING IN ANIMALS AND HURTING OUR CITY.
AND WE ALL NEED TO REALIZE THAT IT SHUTS IT DOWN.
WHAT DO WE DO? PEOPLE ARE DUMPING THEM.
THEY'VE DUMPED THEM OUT THERE WHERE I LIVE.
AND ELROY, THERE WAS A LADY JUST LAST YEAR, LAST MONTH AFTER THIS MEETING THAT WE HAD LAST MONTH WAS A FARMER OR A RANCHER.
SHE SHOWED A CALF THAT WOULD BEEN ATTACKED BY, BY THE ANIMALS, THE DOGS, THE WILD DOGS THAT'S BEING DUMPED OUT THERE.
WE NEED TO STOP THEM BRINGING IN.
THEY WON'T EVEN TAKE IN OUR ANIMALS ON, UH, BEING BOARDED THERE ANYMORE.
EVERY ONE OF US ARE PAYING TAXES ON THIS PLACE.
THEY PAY A DOLLAR A YEAR FOR THAT.
AND I'M SICK AND TIRED OF IT THAT WE, OUR ANIMALS ARE BEING ABUSED.
200 PEOPLE MOVE HERE EVERY, EVERY DAY.
PART OF 'EM HAVE ANIMALS AND THEY'RE DUMPING THEM.
AND IT'S, IT'S A SAD, HOW CAN ANYBODY SAY THEY LOVE ANIMALS? JEFFERSON WAS, SHE DID.
I KNEW HER THROUGH EPET WHEN SHE WAS A DOCTOR OVER THERE.
[00:05:01]
I WAS VOLUNTEERING OVER THERE, AND I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SHE WOULD GO TO THIS ROUTE AND BRING IN OTHER ANIMALS AND HURT OUR ANIMALS AND OUR CITY.THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MS. VICKERY.
NEXT WE HAVE, I'M GONNA TRY AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME, I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO BUTCHER YOUR NAME.
MY PARTNER, JEN AND I HAVE BEEN FOSTERING DOGS IN THE AUSTIN AREA SINCE 2015.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH NUMEROUS LOCAL RESCUE GROUPS AND HAVE FOSTERED DOZENS AND DOZENS OF DOGS IN THAT TIME.
IN PARTICULAR, WE SPECIALIZE IN DOGS OR WIRING, ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY.
IN THE ENSUING RECOVERY, JEN ALSO AFFECTIONATELY CALLS ME THE DOG, FINDING ITS M**********R, AS I HAVE FOUND, AND SUBSEQUENTLY REUNITED MULTIPLE DOGS.
IN THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS, JEN AND I HAVE FOUND TWO STRAY DOGS WITH NO COLLAR AND NO CHIP.
THE FIRST DOG JEN FOUND LAST NOVEMBER, WHILE WALKING OUR OWN TWO DOGS AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS, NO ONE CAME FORWARD WHEN WE FOUND KAYA, WE WERE ALREADY CARING FOR AN ORTHOPEDIC FOSTER THROUGH GOLD RIBBON RESCUE.
WE PLEADED WITH A A C TO TAKE THIS DOG SO WE COULD FOCUS CARE ON THIS ORTHO FOSTER.
THE RESPONSE FROM A C NOTHING.
WE WERE ON OUR OWN AND A A C WOULD NOT SUPPORT US.
SINCE THEN, WE HAVE SPENT OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS ON VETERINARY CARE AND SPACE SURGERY AND HAD TO GET HER LISTED FOR ADOPTION THROUGH A RESCUE ORGANIZATION WE HAVE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST.
BECAUSE A A C HAD NO INTEREST IN SUPPORTING FINANCE.
LAST FRIDAY, WHILE RUNNING AT TOWN LAKE, I OBSERVED THE SECOND FOUND DOG WANDERING THAT PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD AS HE HEADED TOWARDS TRAFFIC.
I HAD TO PAUSE FOR A SECOND TO THINK ABOUT HELPING THIS DOG AS I KNEW THIS DOG WOULD BECOME OUR PROBLEM IF HE DIDN'T HAVE A CHIP.
I'M NOT ALONE IN FEELING THIS WAY.
AS I SCOOPED HIM UP, WE STOPPED TO ASK A COUPLE THAT HAD JUST PARKED IF THEY COULD HELP US AS I WAS THREE MILES AWAY FROM MY CAR, THEIR SUMMARIZED RESPONSE, A A C HAS CLOSED INTAKE.
WE CAN'T RISK HAVING THIS DOG BECOME OUR PROBLEM.
WHEN NO CHIP WAS FOUND, THIS DOG BECAME MY PROBLEM.
AND INDEED, THAT WAS THE RESPONSE I RECEIVED WHEN TRYING TO SCHEDULE THE A C TO AACS CREDIT.
THE FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM MAY ADDRESS MANY OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE HAD WITH HYATT, WHO WE FOUND PRIOR TO THAT PROGRAM, BUT THIS SHOULD BE A PROGRAM THAT FINDERS DECIDE TO OPT INTO AND NOT SOMETHING THAT A FINDER IS FORCED INTO BECAUSE INTAKE IS CONSTANTLY CLOSED.
ON TOP OF THAT, HOW MANY FOSTERS IS TOO MANY? WE ALREADY EFFECTIVELY HAVE ONE FINDER TO FOSTER WITH PRIOR.
ARE WE EXPECTED TO TAKE 1, 2, 3, 4 MORE BEFORE A A C FINALLY SAYS, NO, YOU'RE DOING ENOUGH.
THE REALITY IS, WE, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS, DO NOT TRUST THE A C WILL BE WILLING TO SUPPORT US IN A MEANINGFUL WAY IF WE DO FIND ANOTHER DOG.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS, WE HAVE BEEN STUCK WITH THESE DO FOUND DOGS AND HAD TO TURN AWAY MULTIPLE ORTHO CASES THAT WE WILL OTHERWISE COULD HAVE HELPED.
AS FOR JEN AND I, WE WILL HAVE TO START THINKING TWICE ABOUT HELPING A LOOSE DOG.
AND WHEN I THINK BACK ON JACK CROSS AGIE AND ALL THE OTHERS I HAVE FOUND AND REUNITED, I WONDER WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED TO THEM IF I HADN'T DECIDED TO BE THE DOG FINAL M**********R.
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, WE HAVE LAURA KELLY.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO NO, NO PROBLEM.
THAT ENDS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION THEN.
AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES BEFORE WE JUMP IN THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON, IF YOU'RE HAVING ANY TROUBLE, UH, SENDING THAT EMAIL OR THE SIGN IN SHEET, UH, FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME.
BUT IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN A VOTE, WE WILL NEED THAT.
SORRY, I'M, I'M HAVING TO FORWARD IT THROUGH DIFFERENT EMAIL ACCOUNTS.
I'LL SEND IT TO YOU IN A SECOND.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
HAS ANYBODY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES? I HAVE TO, UH, RECUSE MY, NOT NOT NECESSARILY RECUSE MYSELF, BUT I CAN'T REALLY TALK TO THE MINUTES BECAUSE I WAS OUT LAST WEEK OR LAST MONTH WITH A, UH, AN UNFORTUNATE ANIMAL THAT I HAD TO EUTHANIZE.SO, UM, BUT ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A MOTION, UH, TO WHETHER OR NOT TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OR ANY QUESTIONS AS TO ANYTHING THAT'S IN THE MINUTES? COMMISSIONER LINDER, I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY ISSUES WITH THEM UNLESS OTHERS DID.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SMLA, CAN WE GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE IF THE, UH, IF YOU, IF ALL APPROVED THAT THE MINUTES SHOULD BE APPROVED AS IS.
WE WILL NEED ONE MORE VOTE, EITHER
[00:10:01]
YOURS OR COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON'S, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE, UH, SIX.I CAN, I CAN AGREE THAT THEY'RE, I, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER LI WHEN, WHEN SHE SAYS THAT THEY'RE CORRECT.
AND, AND YOU SHOULD BE GETTING THAT EMAIL HERE IN A SECOND.
[2. Staff briefing regarding monthly reports provided by the Animal Service Center.]
BRIEFINGS.UH, MR. BLAND, I'LL BE PROVIDING THE INFORMATION THAT JASON NORMALLY DOES.
HE'S STUCK IN TRAFFIC RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL WING HIS PART HERE.
UH, YOU RECEIVED, UH, ALL THE REPORTS AND FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE, WE HAD A LIVE EXIT RATE OF 96.65%.
UH, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 101,117 ANIMALS BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER.
740 WERE ADOPTED, 80 WERE REUNITED WITH THEIR OWNERS.
AND AS OF JUNE 3RD, THERE WAS 1,343 IN OUR INVENTORY.
UM, I WAS GONNA SEE, I HAVE CURRENT INVENTORY FROM THIS MORNING.
TELL YOU WHAT THAT WAS IN JUST A SEC.
THIS MORNING WE HAD, UM, 1,166 IN INVENTORY.
OH, THAT 606 WERE AT THE SHELTER.
UH, 320 LARGE DOGS, UH, 58 SMALL DOGS, AND, UH, 90 CATS AND 138 KITTENS.
THE ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS, UH, RETURNED 51 ANIMALS IN THE FIELD AND DID 37 FENCING APPLICATIONS.
AND, UH, IMPOUNDED 189 INJURED ANIMALS AND 95, UH, ANIMALS.
WILDLIFE WENT TO ANIMAL RESCUE.
THERE WAS 249 RABIES EXPOSURE REPORTS AND 49 SPECIMENS WERE TESTED.
AND, UH, OF THAT THREE WERE DECOMPOSED AND ONE DECOMPOSED, THREE DECOMPOSED BATS AND ONE DECOMPOSED RACCOON THAT, THAT WAS, UH, UNABLE TO BE TESTED, UH, ON VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAD THE VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED US 6,048 HOURS IN JUNE.
THERE WAS FIVE ORIENTATIONS, INTRODUCING 130 NEW ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS.
WE HAVE CURRENTLY THREE OPEN POSITIONS.
UM, TWO WERE POSTED AND CLOSING ON THE 15TH.
AND THE 19TH ONE WAS POSTED AND CLOSED ON THE FIRST, WHICH WILL INTERVIEWS ARE BEING SCHEDULED FOR.
I WILL REPORT THAT WE HAVE ALMOST AUGUST WILL BE TWO YEARS, BUT LAST WEEK THEY DID HIRE OUR VETERINARIAN OPEN POSITION.
SO THAT IS GOING TO BE A HUGE, THEY WILL BE WORKING AS A RELIEF BET WHILE THEY END UP PART-TIME AS TILL THEY END UP THEIR, UH, SERVICE AT THEIR PRESENT ORGANIZATION.
SO THEY'LL BE COMING FULL-TIME IN OCTOBER.
SO WE WERE VERY PLEASED TO FINALLY SECURE THAT POSITION.
SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE WAS 120 POSTS OVER ALL OUR PLATFORMS. WE DID TWO BACK-TO-BACK WEEKEND, UH, FOSTER MATCHMAKING EVENTS.
AND THIS COMING WEEKEND, THEY'LL BE DOING EVENT ON SATURDAY, UH, HOT DOGS AND COOL CATS AS THEY'RE LOOKING TO FOR HOT DOG VENDOR AND A POPSICLE VENDOR TO HELP GIVE, BREATHE THINGS AWAY WHILE PEOPLE ADOPT.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OVER ANY OF OUR REPORTS SO FAR? MR. MULA? GOOD EVENING, DIRECTOR.
UM, SO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU REPORTED FOR YOUR INVENTORY WE'RE AS OF TODAY, BUT THE, THE REPORT THAT WE RECEIVED HAD NUMBERS FROM JULY 1ST.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS MONTH, I, I'M ASKING THE BREAKDOWN, WHICH YOU GAVE FOR THE CURRENT NUMBERS ON SITE, BUT NOT FOR THE FOSTERS.
UM, THE REPORT SHOWS THAT YOU HAD 592 ANIMALS AND FOSTERS.
DO YOU HAVE THAT BREAKDOWN AS OF THIS MORNING, OR DO YOU WANT THE ONE FROM JUNE? UH, I, I WOULD SAY THIS MORNING, SINCE THOSE WERE THE NUMBERS, YOU'VE ALREADY GIVEN THAT, THAT'S FINE.
AND YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN, UH, THE, UH, INVENTORY REPORTS IN YOUR BACKUP FOR JUNE 1ST AND FOR MAY 31ST.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE POSTED IN THE BACKUP.
UH, SO THEY'RE ON, THEY'RE ON, YEAH, THEY WERE UP AFTER 3:00 PM TODAY.
SO YOU, BUT I CAN TELL YOU ANYWAY, UH, IN OUR FOSTER PROGRAM
[00:15:01]
THERE WAS 900 296 KITTENS, 72 CATS, UH, 33 PUPPIES, 21 SMALL DOGS, 136 LARGE DOGS FOR 558.UM, AND THEN I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION HERE A FEW MORE ACTUALLY.
UM, I NOTICED THAT YOUR SPAY AND NEUTER NUMBERS HAVE ONE UP, WHICH I'M QUITE HAPPY TO SEE.
UM, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE THIRD PARTY VENDOR THING.
IS THAT STILL MOVING ALONG? IT IS.
AND, UH, DO WE HAVE THAT, IS THAT ANYWHERE NEAR BEING SCHEDULED?
BUT, UH, IT'S, I THINK THE THIRD WEEK IN SEPTEMBER.
AND I GUESS, UH, THE FINAL QUESTION I HAVE IS YOU'RE SHOWING ONE ANIMAL LOST, STOLEN, OR MISSING.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT TYPE OF ANIMAL THAT IS AND WHICH CATEGORY IT FALLS INTO? IT IS A 1.96 POUND KITTEN, KITTEN, YELLOW, UH, AND I THINK, UH, IT'S PROBABLY IN THE SYSTEM AND WE JUST, IT'S GOT PROBABLY MOVED IN WITH ANOTHER LITTER AND IT WASN'T MICROCHIP, SO THEY'LL BE LOCATING IT, UH, BECAUSE IT SHOWS CARE AND IT'D BEEN GIVEN CARE.
HOW MANY ANIMALS HAVE BEEN MICROCHIPPED THIS YEAR? I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT NUMBER RIGHT OFF THE HAND, BUT I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE THAT FOR YOU AND THANK YOU.
AND ALSO CLINICS, BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE CLINICS.
I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST YOU WOULD HAVE MICROCHIP CLINICS ALSO FOR VACCINATION.
I WAS LOOKING JUST SO YOU KNOW, AT THE REPORT THAT YOU GIVE SERVICE REPORT AND, UH, IT WOULD STATE, UH, LIKE ONE MONTH SEVEN BY THE A PO, ONE MONTH ZERO, ZERO ANIMALS MICROCHIP, ANOTHER MONTHLY MICROCHIP.
SO I'M JUST THINKING, UM, THE NEED TO GIVE TOOLS TO THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU, THE ANIMAL CENTER CLOSED INTAKE JULY 2ND TO THE ANIMALS BECAUSE YOU'RE FULL.
SO THE CITY IS DEPENDING ON ITS CITIZENS TO TAKE THOSE ANIMALS AND LOOK FOR THE OWNERS OR FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE THEM.
AND WE HAD A GENTLEMAN EARLIER TODAY SAYING THAT HE FOUND ANIMALS WITHOUT MICROCHIP.
AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD PROACTIVE WAY TO INVEST MICRO SHIPPING.
SO, UM, YES, PLEASE LOOK AT YOUR STATISTICS.
IF THE EVENTS, HAVE YOU HAD ANY EVENTS? I KNOW IN THE PAST YOU USED TO HAVE A LOT OF THOSE EVENTS WHERE THE, UM, THE, YOU GUYS WOULD GO OUT AND MICROCHIP AND PROVIDE VACCINATIONS PRE VACCINATION, WHICH IS A GREAT THING.
I KNOW MYSELF, LONG TIME AGO, I DID USE THAT MICROCHIP.
MY DOGS, TWO DOGS GOT VACCINATIONS.
AND WE'RE HELPING OUR COMMUNITY, THE CITY, OUR CITIZENS, AND GIVING THEM TOOLS TO BE PART OF, OF THE SOLUTION.
AND WE TO WE'LL PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION TO YOU.
AND, UH, WE DO MICROCHIP, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC FREE AT ANY POINT.
THEY CAN COME TO THE SHELTER EVEN WHEN WE'RE CLOSED TO GET A MICROCHIP.
UH, BUT WE ALSO, ALL OF OUR THIRD PARTY SPAY NEUTER, WE PAY FOR MICROCHIPPING FOR ALL THOSE AS WELL.
AND, UH, I, MR. HERRERA, COMMISSIONER HERRERA, UH, HE PROBABLY REMEMBERS WHEN OUR LAST CLINIC WAS, BUT I KNOW THAT, UH, IT'S, IT'S, UM, THEY TRY TO DO ONE A QUARTER AND THEY'RE VERY WELL ATTENDED.
UH, JUST WE ARE DON'T HAVE STAFFING TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, MORE OFTEN THAN THAT.
AND, UH, THE LAST ONE THAT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL, WE DID SOLICIT STAFFING FROM SOME OF OUR OTHER
[00:20:01]
PARTNERS THAT HELPED US WITH THAT.IF I CAN SAY THE NUMBERS, PLEASE.
THE LAST ONE WAS JANUARY 6TH AND WAS 586 PETS VACCINATED AND MICROCHIP.
BUT NO MORE EVENTS, UH, SINCE JANUARY.
COMMISSIONER DOZA, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD BEFORE WE MOVE ON? YES, I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BEING PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE.
SORRY, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
UM, DOGS IN BOARDING, I FORGOT TO ASK EARLIER.
HOW DO WE STILL, DO YOU STILL HAVE DOGS IN BOARDING? YES, WE DO.
HOW MANY ARE CURRENTLY IN BOARDING? 24.
DO WE HAVE ANY MORE COMMISSIONERS WHO WISH TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OF CHIEF BLAND AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME? OKAY, THEN WE'RE
[3. Presentation by Austin Pets Alive! regarding license agreement reports.]
MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEMS. THE NEXT IS, THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM IS A PRESENTATION BY AUSTIN PETS ALIVE REGARDING LICENSE AGREEMENT REPORTS.HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE BROW.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT AUSTIN PET LIVE.
UM, THIS WILL BE BRIEF, HOPEFULLY, UM, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, THE REPORT TODAY IS ABOUT, UH, IS REGARDING OUR DUE NUMBERS.
THIS IS ALSO AN END OF QUARTER THREE, UM, REPORT.
SO I HAVE A FEW SUMMARY NUMBERS THAT I CAN SHARE AS WELL.
UM, UH, IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE TWO, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE, IN JUNE, WE SURPASSED OUR TARGET POLLS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
SO, UM, WE HAVE MET THE, WE HAVE GONE OVER THE 12% THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO PULL FROM AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
UM, OF COURSE WE'LL CONTINUE TO PULL, UM, ALL OF OUR REQUIRED POPULATIONS AND, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S IN HIGH NEED.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A SUMMARY THERE, UM, AS WE PROVIDE EVERY MONTH ON WHAT, UM, THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER LIVE RELEASE RATE WOULD BE IF WE WERE NOT PULLING THE ANIMALS WITH TWO HOUR DEADLINES OR 48 HOUR DEADLINES.
UM, AND THEN ALSO A BREAKDOWN OF THE SURVIVAL RATES OF ALL OF THE MEDICAL TRANSFERS.
THESE ARE 30 DAY SURVIVAL RATES, UM, OF EVERY ANIMAL THAT CAME OVER AS A MEDICAL TRANSFER.
AND THEN THE LAST PAGE HAS OUR TOTAL NUMBERS, UM, NOT JUST A A C, BUT FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE, UM, BASED ON OUR SHELTER ANIMALS COUNT STATISTICS.
UM, JUST A QUICK FEW SUMMARY NUMBERS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR TO DATE.
SO THAT WOULD BE FROM LAST OCTOBER TO THE END OF JUNE.
UM, TOTAL, WE HAVE TAKEN ABOUT 600 BOTTLE BABIES.
UM, WE'VE TAKEN ABOUT 300 OR 530 MEDICAL CASES.
THAT INCLUDES PARVO, PAN, LUKE.
BASICALLY ANYTHING THAT'S PLED TO US, UM, AS A MEDICAL URGENT CASE OR A MEDICAL ATTENTION CASE COMES OVER.
UM, WE HAVE PULLED 45 LARGE BEHAVIOR DOGS, 26 SMALL BEHAVIOR DOGS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, OUR PAST PROGRAM HAS ALSO ASSISTED, UM, AN ADDITIONAL 323 CASES.
SO THOSE ARE TRANSFERRED, OR THOSE ARE INTAKES DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR PAST PROGRAM.
SO THOSE ARE ANIMALS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD'VE BEEN SENT TO A A C IF WE HAD NOT TAKEN THEM IN.
THERE ARE OTHER MEDICAL, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, JUST PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO CARE FOR THEIR ANIMAL ANY LONGER.
A PA ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 84% OF ALL OF THE TRANSFERS THAT GO OUT OF A A C.
SO THAT'S FOR THE FISCAL YEAR TO DATE, UM, ACCORDING TO THE DATA IN THE A A C DASHBOARD.
UM, ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT OUR RECORDS, PARTICULARLY THIS MONTH, SHOW THAT WE PULLED MORE ANIMALS THAN THE A A C DASHBOARD SHOWS.
UM, WE DID DO AN AUDIT AGAINST THE OPEN DATA PORTAL AND FOUND THAT WE HAVE A NUMBERS IN OUR SYSTEM THAT FOR SOME REASON ARE NOT.
THEY'RE SHOWING IN THE DATA PORTAL AS HAVING BEEN TRANSFERRED, BUT THEY'RE NOT SHOWING UP ON THE DASHBOARD AS HAVING BEEN TRANSFERRED.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DISCONNECT IS THERE, BUT THAT'S WHY YOU'LL NOTICE WE MAKE A NOTE EVERY MONTH THAT SOMETIMES OUR NUMBERS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT SHOWS IN THE DASHBOARD.
UM, BUT WE DO DO A FULL AUDIT OF ALL OF THOSE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
UM, AND THEN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR SO FAR, OUR TRANSFERS HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 16% OF AACS TOTAL DOG AND CAT INTAKE AND TIME.
SO THAT'S THE FOR FROM QUARTER ONE TO QUARTER THREE.
UM, SO IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THAT OR ANY PRIOR MONTHS.
[00:25:01]
ZAES, WOULD YOU GO AHEAD AND HAVE, ASK YOUR QUESTION? YES.UM, I, I KEEP HEARING SOME OF THE PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENTING THAT, UH, OUT IN PESTS ALIVE IS TAKING FROM OTHER CITIES ANIMALS AND BRINGING THEM HERE INTO THE CITY FOR PEOPLE TO ADOPT OR FOSTER.
IS THIS ACCURATE? UH, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE WITH A PA.
WE HAVE ALWAYS HELPED OUR FIVE COUNTY PARTNERS.
WE HAVE ALWAYS HELPED SHELTERS IN REALLY UNDER-RESOURCED AREAS.
UM, ONE THING I DO WANT TO KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE A PRETTY ROBUST TRANSPORT PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO A LOT OF THE ANIMALS THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE NUMBERS COMING IN, THEY'RE ALSO LEAVING.
THEY'RE LEAVING THE STATE, THEY'RE GOING TO IDAHO, THEY'RE GOING TO, UM, WASHINGTON, OREGON.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO STATES WHERE THEY'RE PROGRAMS ARE WEIRDLY, UM,
AND SO, UM, ALL OF THE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE, ALL OF THE ANIMALS THAT YOU SEE REPRESENTED OR INTAKE NUMBERS ARE NOT NECESSARILY STAYING IN AUSTIN, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO, MY, MY OTHER QUESTION, UM, ARE YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT FUNDED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN? NO, WE'RE NOT.
WE'RE PRIMARILY FUNDED BY PRIVATE DONORS.
SO YOU CAN DO OTHER THINGS BESIDES TAKING AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER PETS.
WE ALSO MAINTAIN PROBABLY TWO THIRDS OF OUR TOTAL POPULATION IN FOSTER.
SO THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN THE SHELTER.
SO, UM, TO FOLLOW ON COMMISSIONER IDES, THE, UM, IN YOUR REPORT HERE, SO THESE TRANSFERRED IN FROM AGENCY MM-HMM?
UM, IS THAT FROM WITHIN THE FIVE COUNTY, OUTSIDE THE FIVE COUNTY, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH? THAT'S EVERYTHING.
THAT'S JUST EVERY ANIMAL THAT CAME FROM ANOTHER SHELTER.
AND SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING OF THAT 5 83, HOW MANY ACTUALLY CAME FROM OUTSIDE THE FIVE COUNTY THING THAT WE HAVE, THAT YOU HAVE THE AGREEMENT WITH, WITH THE CITY.
SO IT'S NOT IN THE REPORT, BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE ANIMALS COMING IN FROM OUTSIDE TRAVIS COUNTY COME IN FROM THE FIVE AGREED COUNTY? FROM THE FIVE COUNTIES? I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THE SOURCE SHELTERS.
UM, AND THEN HOW MANY ANIMALS DO YOU TRANSFER OUT OF TRAVIS COUNTY PER MONTH? UM, BUT THIS MONTH YOU'LL SEE IT WAS, SO IF YOU LOOK IN THE OUTCOMES TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER AGENCY IS ALL OF THE ANIMALS THAT ARE BEING SENT TO ANOTHER SHELTER.
BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THEY'RE OUTSIDE TRAVIS COUNTY.
THE, ALL OF OUR RESCUE PARTNERS, ALL OF OUR TRANSPORT PARTNERS ARE OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
ACTUALLY, ALL OF OUR RECEIVING PARTNERS ARE IN OTHER STATES.
SO HOW MANY WAS IT IN JUNE? SO IN JUNE IT WAS 1 53.
AND HOW MANY MONTHS HAVE YOU DONE THAT? WE'VE BEEN DOING TRANSPORT SINCE 2021.
I KNOW THE PUBLIC SEEMED TO HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE SHELTER TRANSFERRING OUR ANIMALS OUT OF STATE AND MM-HMM.
THESE, THE ANIMALS THAT WE TRANSFER OUT ARE NEVER FROM AUSTIN.
THEY'RE ONLY FROM OUR SENDING PARTNERS, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY, LIKE IN THE VALLEY, ON THE COAST, REALLY UNDER-RESOURCED SHELTERS THAT HAVE THESE ANIMALS WOULD BE DEAD OTHERWISE.
SO WE'RE WE NEVER SENDING ANIMALS THAT ORIGINATE IN AUSTIN? OKAY.
UM, HOW MANY ANIMALS HAS A, A C REQUESTED YOU TAKE IN THE LAST MONTH THAT YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN? THAT I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
IS THERE A WAY TO GET THAT NUMBER? WE COULD CERTAINLY FIND OUT.
I THINK THAT NOT TAKING IS A, THERE'S A GRAY AREA THERE BECAUSE SOME ARE SITTING ON AN ATTENTION LIST, YOU KNOW, WAITING FOR A RESPONSE.
PARTICULAR BEHAVIOR, UM, DOGS.
SO SOMETIMES THEY'LL GET PLACED THROUGH A, A C OR REMOVED FROM THE ATTENTION LIST BEFORE WE'RE ABLE TO PULL THEM.
SO IT'S, IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA TAKE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE ANIMALS THAT A A C
[00:30:01]
ASKS YOU TO TAKE.IF YOU LOOK HISTORICALLY THAT IT'S PROBABLY NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT.
AND, UM, AND, AND WE CAN'T EVEN USE OUR SPACE AT TOWN LIGHT TO HOUSE THE ANIMALS THAT WE CAN'T TAKE IN AT THE CITY FILTER.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT SPACE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WELL, 'CAUSE THE CITY OWNS THE TOWN LAKE FACILITIES.
AND LETS A PA USE THEM FOR $1 A YEAR IN EXCHANGE FOR PULLING 12% OF THEIR INTAKE EVERY YEAR.
AND ALL OF THE COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ANIMAL CARE, WHICH IS, AND THEIR NUMBER THAT HAS BEEN DWINDLING, THAT HAS BEEN WHITTLED DOWN AND WHITTLED DOWN AS FAR AS AN ABSOLUTE NUMBER SINCE YOUR FIRST CONTRACT.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE WAY UNDER WHAT YOU THAT ORIGINALLY, BUT THE A C INTAKE IS ALSO DOWN SINCE THAT ORIGINAL CONTRACT.
BUT ARE, BUT WE'RE FULL OF ANIMALS.
BUT I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE CONTRACT.
I, I AM NOT IN CHARGE OF THE CONTRACT.
I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE WITH THE CITY OFFICIALS THAT NEGOTIATE THAT CONTRACT.
UM, AND THEN, SO JUST IN JUNE, MY COMPUTER JUST SHUT DOWN, UH, THE TOTAL OF THE PUPPIES AND KITTENS THAT WERE BORN AT APA MM-HMM.
THE A PA WOULD NOT LET THE CITY SHELTER SPAY.
WHAT WERE THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN? IT'S NOT A PA THAT DOESN'T LET THEM SPAY.
WELL, IF THE A PA DIDN'T TAKE THEM, THE CITY SHELTER WOULD BE ALLOWED TO SPAY THEM, RIGHT? YES.
THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO GIVE NOTIFICATION, MY UNDERSTANDING, AND THEN ANOTHER RESCUE PARTNER WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL THEM FIRST UHHUH
BUT OTHERWISE, YES, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY'D BE ABLE TO SPAY.
SO, SO HOW MANY ANIMALS DID YOU TAKE THAT DID YOU, YOU DID NOT GIVE THE CITY SHELTER A CHANCE TO SPAY TO TERMINATE THEIR PREGNANCIES? I DUNNO HOW MANY MOMS IN TOTAL? HOW MANY BABIES? BUT THERE WERE 34 BABIES BORN IN JUST ONE MONTH.
AND THE TOTAL FOR LAST YEAR WE SAW WAS, WHAT? 350 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR SO FAR? IT'S ABOUT, IT'S JUST UNDER 300.
THAT, THAT THE CITY SHELTER WAS NOT ALLOWED TO TERMINATE THOSE PREGNANCIES.
AND IN THIS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS PART OF THIS RELATIONSHIP IN A TIME WHERE PREGNANCY TERMINATION IN HU IN HUMANS IS A RIGHT.
THE FACT THAT OUR CITY HAS AN AGREEMENT THAT ENDORSES THE IDEA, I'M GONNA HAVE TO STOP THIS JUDGE, UH, THAT IT IS COMM COMMISSIONER NELSON, PREGNANCY COMMISSIONER NELSON YIELD.
COMMISSIONER NIELSEN YIELD THE FLOOR.
ARE WE DONE? ARE YOU DONE? I'M ASKING A QUESTION AS THE CHAIR.
AS, AND WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? ARE YOU DONE WITH THAT STATEMENT? YOU NEED TO YIELD TO THE CHAIR NEXT TIME.
WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION DONE WITH THAT STATEMENT FOR NOW? SURE.
I JUST WANT TO ASK, IT'S ANY CHANCE THAT Y'ALL CAN DEVELOP OR WORK OR HAVE SOME KIND OF, OF GAIN TO HELP THE LONG STAYS AND THE DECLINES FROM A PA WITH SOME OF THE RESCUE GROUPS THAT Y'ALL ARE WORKING NORTH BECAUSE THE TRANSPORT FROM THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, IT'S, IT'S OVER.
UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE RESTRICTED BY WHAT THE RECEIVING PARTNERS WILL ACCEPT.
UM, UM, BUT IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT A, A CI DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR EVERYONE AT MY ORGANIZATION, BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT A A C WANTS TO EXPLORE, I THINK WE'D BE OPEN TO THE CONVERSATION.
[00:35:01]
COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER ZAES? UH, I'M FINE.DO ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY HAVE FOR THIS PARTICULAR SPEAKER? OKAY.
[4. Discussion of the Animal Services strategic plan and planning process]
TO THE DISCUSSION OF THE ANIMAL SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN AND PLANNING PROCESS.UM, I AM STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME TO JOIN YOU THIS EVENING.
UM, AS WE HAD TALKED ABOUT AT OUR MEETING ON LAST MONTH, UM, OUR PLAN IS, IS IS THAT WE WANT TO COME, UM, TO THE NEXT SEVERAL MEETINGS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE.
UM, I AM HERE, UH, ALONE AT THIS MEETING, BUT THE PLAN IS, IS MOVING FORWARD, UM, IS THAT THE REST OF THE TEAM WILL JOIN ME.
UM, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO REALLY KIND OF, KIND OF DIG IN A LITTLE MORE TO KIND OF ANY OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE OCCURRED DURING THIS TIME.
SO I WANNA JUST KIND OF GIVE A REMINDER, UM, BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW SOME FOLKS MAY HAVE NOT BEEN HERE.
UM, BUT THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL, FOR PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE NOT, UM, WERE ABLE TO SEE MY PRESENTATION LAST MONTH.
UM, AS YOU RECALL, THE CITY AUDITOR, UM, COMPLETED AN AUDIT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023 AND OF THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE.
AND THERE WERE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND OF THOSE SIX RECOMMENDATIONS, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE IS GOING TO ASSIST ANIMAL SERVICES WITH TWO OF THOSE.
UM, THE TWO THAT WE WILL BE ASSISTING ANIMAL SERVICES WITH IN PARTICULAR, UM, IS THE STAKEHOLDER, UM, PROCESS.
AND THEN WE WILL ALSO, UM, WORK WITH A THIRD PARTY TO FACILITATE A CONVERSATION, UM, TO ADDRESS STRAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILD TRUST AMONGST THE SHELTERS, UM, STAKEHOLDERS.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE COLLAPSING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, WHERE WE WILL BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BRING, UM, OUR GROUPS FORWARD.
UM, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE WORKING GROUP AND KIND OF WHAT ALL THAT ENTAILS IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
JUST A REMINDER IS, UM, IS THAT DR.
LARRY SCHOOLER IS OUR CONSULTANT AND, UM, AUDREY MONTHS FROM THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT TEAM IS GONNA HELP US.
AND SO ULTIMATELY DURING THIS PROCESS, WE ARE GOING TO ALIGN EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE ANIMAL, UM, WELFARE, UH, PRIORITIES.
UM, THE PLANNING TEAM, UM, DID MEET ON THE 25TH.
UM, AND, UM, ONE I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, THANK, UM, COMMISSIONER LINDER AND, UM, COMMISSIONER S SAM UGLA.
UM, IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE THEM THERE AND, UM, TO BE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
UM, I WILL ACTUALLY SAY I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE YOU HAD OTHER PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO JOIN US AND WE ARE SO, UM, APPRECIATIVE OF, OF OTHERS THAT WE'RE SAYING I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M WILLING TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, COMMISSIONER, UM, HOLT, UM, WORKS FOR TRAVIS COUNTY AND SO SHE IS GOING TO JOIN OUR, OUR, OUR PLANNING GROUP IN HER TRAVIS COUNTY CAPACITY.
UM, SO SHE WILL BE A PART OF THE GROUP.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
SO IT WILL BE THE CITY, THE COUNTY, OUR TWO COMMISSIONERS, DR.
SCHOOLER, UM, AS RE AS WELL AS, UM, AUDREY MONS, UM, THAT WE WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE PLANNING GROUP.
WHAT THE PLANNING GROUP, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE PLANNING GROUP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IS, IS THAT, UM, WE'RE GOING TO REALLY BE ABLE TO TOUCH BASE
[00:40:01]
ABOUT WHAT WE WILL PRESENT AT THIS MEETING.UM, WE WILL ALSO, UM, TALK ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN, UM, AT THE, AT THE, AT THE WORK GROUP MEETING.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL DEBRIEF AND BE ABLE TO REALLY START TO KINDA LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE WORKING GROUP, UM, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE OTHER ASSESSMENTS, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN DONE OR WILL BE DONE, UM, IN THE FUTURE.
SO IT IS A, A, A, A TALL ORDER FOR THAT GROUP.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M THANKING EVERYONE IN ADVANCE.
UM, SOME OF YOU HAVE, UM, HAVE ALREADY HAD YOUR, UM, YOUR INTERVIEWS WITH DR.
UM, HE'S DOING KEY INFORMANT, UM, INTERVIEWS.
AND SO THOSE INTERVIEWS ARE, ARE PROBABLY ABOUT A 30 MINUTE, UM, INTERVIEW COULD GIVE OR TAKE MORE OR LESS, BUT AT LEAST WE, WE, HE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH BASE.
AND SO EVERYONE LISTED HERE, UM, ALL THE PLANNING TEAM, UM, AS WELL AS LEADERS FROM AUSTIN, PETS ALIVE, HUMANE SOCIETY, EMANCIPET, AND THEN WE HAVE SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS WELL AS, UM, FORMER OFFICERS, WHICH MEANS THE, UM, ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICERS.
THEY WILL BE, UM, INTERVIEWED BY DR.
UM, AUDREY MUTZ WILL, UM, KIND OF START HER PROCESS WHERE SHE IS DOING THE INTERNAL SESSIONS.
SO SHE IS ALSO TALKING WITH ALL THE STAFF, UM, AND THE VOLUNTEERS AS WELL.
THE OTHER WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA KIND OF RECEIVE LIKE A MORE OF A LARGER SWAP OF FOLKS WHERE WE'RE HEARING JUST KIND OF FROM ACROSS PEOPLE JUST ACROSS TRAVIS COUNTY IS WE'RE GONNA USE THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN UM, DOT ORG.
UM, SO THAT'S GONNA BE A SURVEY.
AND SO GOING BACK TO KIND OF MY PLANNING GROUP, UM, WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN OUR PLANNING GROUP, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE SURVEY THAT WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH AND GET, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE IN THE PLANNING GROUP OPINION ABOUT THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA ASK.
AND THEN WE'LL COME HERE AND LET YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT KIND OF WHEN WE ARE GONNA LAUNCH IT, HOW LONG IT'S GONNA BE OUT THERE, ET CETERA.
UM, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO, UM, UM, DR.
SCHOOLER AND AUDREY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IS, IS THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY MET WITH THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, UM, BASED UPON THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, THE TWO REPORTS, THE ONE THAT THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE DID, AND THEN THE CONSULTANT.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO, UM, THEY'VE ALREADY QUESTIONED THEM AND ASKED THEM A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THAT THEY'VE DONE.
SO ANY KIND OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS, EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, WHETHER THEY WERE DONE BY THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, UM, I KNOW THERE WAS A, A GROUP OF, UM, ANIMAL ANIMAL WELFARE PARTNERS THAT DID A, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND I KNOW, UM, DR. JEFFERSON WAS ONE OF THE, THE LEADS THAT KIND OF LED THAT THEY'RE GONNA GET INFORMATION FROM THAT.
AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT THIS GROUP OF THIS BODY GOT TOGETHER AND CAME UP WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATION.
SO WE'RE JUST KIND OF PULLING EVERYTHING IN.
UM, ANY RESEARCH THAT, UM, OUR STAFF HAVE OR ANY RESEARCH THAT CONSULTANTS CAN POINT TO OR WANT TO SHARE WITH US, ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO BE LOOKED AT BY DR.
AND SO THE GOAL IS, IS THAT ONCE THEY HAVE LIKE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, THEN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR WORKING GROUP PARTICIPANTS, WHICH ARE GONNA BE, THESE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED.
SO THESE HAVE ALL BEEN ASKED TO BE ON THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, OR IF WE'VE NOT ASKED THEM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF ASKING THEM.
UM, MOST OF THE FOLKS HAVE SAID YES, THEY WOULD LOVE TO ASSIST US AND BE AT THE TABLE, UM, TO HELP US, UM, WITH THIS.
AND SO, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS, IS WE'RE WORKING ON SCHEDULING.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, SEVERAL MEETINGS.
UM, AND SO IT'LL BE A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
SOME OF THEM WILL BE IN PERSON BECAUSE THE IN-PERSON MEETINGS ARE GONNA ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO WORK ON THE STRAINED RELATIONSHIP AND REALLY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT.
IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE HARD TO DO STRAINED RELATIONSHIPS WHEN PEOPLE ARE VIRTUAL, YOU KNOW, FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
YOU KNOW, I CAN NOT HAVE MY CAMERA WORKING, BUT MY CAMERA COULD REALLY BE WORKING, BUT I'M JUST DON'T WANNA LISTEN TO YOU TODAY.
SO IF I'M IN PERSON, I'M GONNA REALLY HAVE TO REALLY
[00:45:01]
KIND OF PARTICIPATE.AND, AND SO THE GOAL IS, IS THAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO FREELY PARTICIPATE, BE ABLE TO KIND OF GET OFF WHAT YOU NEED TO GET OFF, SAY WHAT YOU NEED TO SAY, AND LET'S MOVE ON AND LET'S GET THE WORK DONE.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE'VE GOTTA GET THIS WORK DONE.
THIS IS WORK THAT IT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR US.
UM, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT NEXT SLIDE, SO OUR STRATEGIC, UM, WORKING GROUP WILL HAVE AN ASSESSMENT REPORT.
AND THAT ASSESSMENT REPORT WILL CONSIST OF ALL THE THINGS THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, FROM THAT KIND OF FACT FINDING THAT DR.
SCHOOL AND AUDREY MONTHS WILL DO.
AND SO THEY WILL BRING THAT TO THE STRATEGIC WORKING GROUP.
WE'LL REVIEW THAT, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
UM, AS I TALKED ABOUT, WE'LL, WE'LL USE THE EARLIER SESSIONS TO BUILD TRUST.
UM, FROM THAT WE'LL COME UP WITH A SHARED VISION.
WE'LL DO OUR MISSION, OUR VISION, ET CETERA.
WE'LL START ESTABLISHING GOALS.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT KIND OF WHAT WE WILL DO NEXT STEPS AS FAR AS, OKAY, NOW WE HAVE A DRAFT PLAN.
WE NEED TO BRING IT TO THE COMMISSION.
AND THEN AFTER IT COMES TO THE COMMISSION AND IT IS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION, THEN WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT AND WILL GO TO, UM, COUNCIL FOR THEIR, UH, FINAL APPROVAL.
BUT THAT IS NOT THE LAST STEP BECAUSE THIS PLAN, AS I SAID EARLIER, IT HAS TO BE A WORKING PLAN THAT WE ARE GOING TO, UM, LONG TERM, WE WILL BE ABLE TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, WHERE HE'S ABLE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND HOW WE'RE MOVING ALONG WITH THAT.
UM, SO NEXT STEPS IS, IS, UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH THE INTERNAL EXTERNAL MEETINGS.
UM, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF SCHEDULING THE, THE WORKING GROUP MEETINGS.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO PREPARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DISCUSSIONS, AND THEN WE WILL BE COMING EVERY MONTH TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE.
WITH THAT SAID, THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE AND I AM AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER ZAES? YES.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, STEPHANIE HATING.
HOWARD, HOW LONG DO YOU ESTIMATE IT WILL TAKE BEFORE, UH, THE TEAM COMES UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS OR THE FINDINGS TO THE COMMISSION? WE'RE, WE'RE ANTICIPATING, UM, THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO BRING YOU A DRAFT REPORT BY THE END OF CALENDAR YEAR.
AND, UM, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, UH, WHY WAS DR.
SCHOOLER SELECTED IT? WELL, WE SELECTED HIM FOR, FOR TWO REASONS.
UM, ONE, UM, HE HAS DONE SOME WORK FOR US BEFORE.
UM, AND, UM, HE'S HELPED US WITH, UM, WORK WITH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HE HELPED US IN THE PAST.
AND WHAT I HAVE HAS BEEN SHARED WITH ME IS THAT IT WAS NOT A, A REAL GOOD EXPERIENCE.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT SINCE THAT POINT IN TIME, HE HAS GAINED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CREDENTIALS.
UM, HE IS A, UM, A PROFESSOR AT UT.
UM, HE IS ALSO, UH, HE HAS SEVERAL TRAININGS THAT HE HAS TAKEN.
UM, AND SO BASED UPON HIS EXPERIENCE, HIS BACKGROUND, HIS EXPERIENCE, AND WITH WORKING WITH THE CITY, THAT WAS THE REASON WHY HE WAS SELECTED.
AND MY LAST QUESTION, AND MAYBE I MISSED THIS, UH, WHEN YOU WERE GIVEN THE PRESENTATION, IT'S REALLY APPRECIATED THAT YOU PROVIDED THE PRESENTATION.
IS HE INTERVIEWING ALL THE COMMISSIONERS OR JUST NOT THE COMMISSIONERS? NO, NO.
HE, HE ACTUALLY IS GOING TO, HE WILL INTERVIEW THREE.
UM, SO HE WILL INTERVIEW THE TWO ON THE PLANNING TEAM, AND THEN HE HAS ALREADY INTERVIEWED, UM, COMMISSIONER CLINTON.
UM, THIS ISN'T, UH, A QUESTION SO MUCH AS A COMMENT, UM, BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO THAT, TO THAT LAST QUESTION.
[00:50:01]
I SEE, YOU KNOW, MY ROLE ANDUM, SO IF YOU HAVE, UM, PERSPECTIVES THAT YOU WANT SHARED, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO SET UP A, A ONE-ON-ONE CALL WITH ANYONE, UM, SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT I'M RELAYING THOSE, UM, THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS AS BEST I CAN, UM, TO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING GROUP.
AND, AND THAT GOES FOR MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE IN CASE ANYONE HAS, UM, THOUGHTS OR IDEAS THAT THEY WANNA SHARE AND MAKE SURE YOU GET, UM, CONVEYED IN THAT PROCESS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LINDER, ANYBODY ELSE ON THE COMMISSION HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
COMMISSIONER ZAES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OKAY, SO IT'S, UH, WE'RE LIVE-IN DOCUMENT OR LIVE-IN A STRATEGIC PLAN.
THAT'S WHAT I HEARD FROM THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, SO THERE WILL BE YOUR FINDINGS THAT YOU, YOU SHARE WITH, UH, THE COMMISSION.
AND I GUESS BASED ON WHAT THE COMMISSION FEEDBACK IT WILL BE, UH, UH, PRESENTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO, UM, WHEN IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT, OR DO YOU SEE THIS LIKE, UM, I DON'T KNOW, I HAVE TO ASK THIS, LIKE, SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE A, A MAGIC BALL, WHATEVER,
WELL, I, I, I WILL TELL YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, MY EXPERIENCE, UM, WHEN I WAS AT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, WE WOULD DO A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WOULD BE A THREE TO FIVE YEAR PLAN.
AND SO YOU ARE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER GOALS, UM, THAT YOU ARE WANTING TO ACHIEVE.
UM, AND SO THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE SOME GROUPS THAT ARE WORKING ON THOSE GOALS.
UM, AND THE FEEDBACK TO, TO THIS BODY WOULD BE IS WHEN THE DIRECTOR, WHETHER IT'S A, A QUARTERLY UPDATE THAT HE ADDS, YOU KNOW, WITHIN HIS PACKET, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT WILL TAKE A YEAR TO ACCOMPLISH, UM, BUT WE WANNA BE ABLE BETWEEN THE THREE TO FIVE YEARS TO BE ABLE TO GET ALL OF THOSE GOALS, UM, ACCOMPLISHED.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DIRECTOR, YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE CHIEF OF THE AND ANIMAL CENTER, CORRECT? YES, I AM.
UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS, AND YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THE ANSWER FOR THIS, UH, I'M SURE THEIR PER PERFORMANCE, UH, UM, METRICS FOR THE CHIEF OF THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, LIKE ANYONE ELSE WHO WORKED IN, IN A IN A ORGANIZATION, WHETHER IT'S NONPROFIT, PRIVATE, WOULD WE BE LOOKING AT INCLUDING THIS AS PART OF THE PERFORMANCE METRICS? UH, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS.
SO THE, THE PERSON WHO WILL BE REPORTING, UH, ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE WHATEVER COMES OUT OF IT WILL BE THE CHIEF OF THE ANIMAL CENTER, CORRECT? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
AND WOULD THE ANIMAL CENTER CHIEF BE, UM, PART OF HIS OR HER METRICS, HOW THEY'RE EVALUATED, WOULD THAT BE PART OF WHATEVER THE FINDINGS OR WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR THE CITY TO DO, WOULD THAT BE PART OF THEIR PERFORMANCE? SO, SO TYPICALLY, UM, DIRECTORS ALL CITY STAFF, I'M GONNA SAY NOT ALL, BUT MOST CITY STAFF SHOULD HAVE A, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A, UM, IT'S CALLED THEIR EVALUATION.
UM, AND SO, UM, BASICALLY THE STRATEGIC PLAN WOULD BE A
[00:55:01]
PART OF HIS, HIS ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT HE HAS.AND SO THE DISCUSSION THAT HE WOULD HAVE WITH THIS GROUP WOULD ONLY FOCUS ON WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE, WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AS WELL AS HIS TYPICAL REPORT THAT HE GIVE.
NOW, AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO, UM, HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT HAS TO DO WITH HIS REVIEW AND HIS PERFORMANCE, THAT WILL BE A CONVERSATION BETWEEN HE AND I.
THAT, THAT IS NORMALLY, NORMALLY, UM, THAT IS A PART OF EITHER THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER OR DIRECTOR, UM, WHEN THE A CM IS, IS MEETING AND TALKING WITH THEM, THAT'S DEFINITELY A PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND IF YOU THINK OF OTHER THINGS, JUST SEND ME AN EMAIL AND IF YOU AND I NEED TO GET ON A CALL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I'D BE GLAD TO DO THAT WITH YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M CHECKING THE ROOM AND CHECKING ONLINE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR UPDATE.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.
[5. Approve a recommendation to Council on animals at City of Austin Cooling Centers.]
WILL BE MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM.WE HAVE ONE, AND THAT'S TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL ON ANIMALS AT CITY OF AUSTIN COOLING CENTERS.
UH, WHOSE MOTION IS THAT? OKAY.
UH, COMMISSIONER S MAGULA, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND DISCUSS.
SO, UM, LAST MONTH, I, I ASKED IF THIS ITEM BE ADDED BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, WE'RE COMING INTO THE HIGH HEAT TIME HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND LAST YEAR WAS PRETTY BRUTAL.
AND WHILE THE CITY HAS COOLING CENTERS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO GO IN, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE WERE NO COOLING CENTERS THAT ALLOWED COMPANION ANIMALS.
SO IF WE HAVE PERSONNEL OUT AND ABOUT IN THE CITY WITH THEIR COMPANION ANIMAL THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM A HEAT RELATED ISSUE, UM, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO INTO A COOLING CENTER WITH THEIR PET.
THE CURRENT CITY POLICY, UM, STATES ONLY SERVICE ANIMALS ARE ALLOWED IN CITY FACILITIES.
UM, THE PROCESS, AS WAS RELAYED TO ME BY THE, UM, SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS THAT, UH, IF A PERSON PRESENTS AT A COOLING CENTER WITH A COMPANION ANIMAL, UM, THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE STAFF CALL ANIMAL SERVICES.
IF, IF ANIMAL SERVICES HAS A TRUCK AVAILABLE, THEY WILL SEND IT.
SO THE ANIMAL WILL BE PLACED INTO THE TRUCK OUTSIDE THE FACILITY WHILE THE PERSON GOES INTO THE COOLING CENTER TO COOL OFF.
UM, I, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT IS AN EFFICIENT USE OF THE ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY CALLS THAT THEY'RE HAVING TO RESPOND TO.
TAKING THAT, TAKING THAT OFFICER AWAY FROM RESPONDING FROM CALLS FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME, UM, DOES NOT SEEM LIKE AN EFFICIENT PROCESS TO ME.
UM, SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND, UM, IS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL TAKE UP AND DESIGNATE CERTAIN OF THE ALREADY ESTABLISHED COOLING CENTERS THAT WOULD ALLOW COMPANION ANIMALS TO GO IN WITH THEIR PEOPLE.
UM, THIS STOPS THE SEPARATION OF THE PERSON AND THEIR ANIMAL.
UH, IT WOULD NOT AFFECT ANIMAL PATROL OR ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS FROM DOING THEIR JOB IF NECESSARY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY IT WOULD BE A, A WIN-WIN FOR THE
UM, THE COOLING CENTERS, UH, THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY, I BELIEVE, ARE THE PUBLIC LIBRARIES, UH, AND PARKS AND REC CENTERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW DEEP INTO THE REC, I DID A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION, UM, THAT WAS ADDED AS BACKUP.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED, IF WE NEED TO GO FURTHER INTO THIS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE CITY COUNCIL'S, UM, DETERMINATION.
BUT I MEAN, I THINK IF A PERSON IS, HAS A LEASHED DOG OR AN ANIMAL AND A CARRIER THAT NEEDS TO GO SOMEWHERE TO COOL OFF, UH, SOMEWHERE AROUND THE CITY SPREAD OUT, SINCE WE ARE, WE HAVE GROWN IMMENSELY HERE IN THE PAST YEARS.
UM, THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST A FEW OF THE REC CENTERS MADE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WITH PET TO GO IN AND COOL OFF DURING THE DAY.
UM, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING AT THIS POINT IN TIME THAT IS AN OVERNIGHT
[01:00:02]
MISSION, AS IS THE WARMING CENTERS WHERE THEY HAVE THAT.UM, AND FOR THOSE, THEY DO ALLOW COMPANION ANIMALS, AND I BELIEVE THE ANIMAL CENTER PROVIDES KENNELS FOR THOSE ANIMALS FOR THE OVERNIGHT, UM, WARMING CENTERS, UH, THAT WOULDN'T BE NECESSARY FOR THIS.
I THINK JUST A PLACE FOR THEM TO GO COOL OFF WITH THEIR ANIMALS AND THEN GO BACK OUT, UM, CONTINUE ON WITH THEIR DAY.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT COMMISSIONER SMILLA'S? MOTION? COMMISSIONER NIELSEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LOOKING INTO THAT AND DOING ALL THAT RESEARCH AND TALKING TO PEOPLE FOR THE WARMING CENTERS.
ARE THOSE ALSO HELD ON CITY AND CITY FACILITIES? YES, THEY, THEY ARE.
THERE ARE DESIGNATED, THE CITY HAS MANY DIFFERENT OVERNIGHT WARMING CENTERS OR PERSONNEL TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, AND THEY DO HAVE, UH, I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT THEY HAVE DESIGNATED SPECIFIC ONES FOR PERSONNEL WITH COMPANION ANIMALS THAT NEED SHELTER FOR THE EVENING.
ARE SO ARE THE WARMING CENTERS COMPARABLE, LIKE LIBRARIES AND REC CENTERS AND NOT LIKE THIRD PARTY CONTRACT? NO, THEY'RE NOT THIRD PARTY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE CITY OF AUSTIN FACILITY.
SO THERE IS ALREADY AN EXCEPTION TO THE SERVICE ANIMAL FOR THE OVERNIGHT, FOR THE FREEZING WHEN THE COLD WEATHER, UM, EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS GO INTO PLAY.
ANY OTHER, UH, COMMISSIONER LINDER? YEAH.
UM, THANKS SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER MULA, FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK ON THIS.
UM, TO ME, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH, UM, FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THAT RELATES TO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DELAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A SITUATION OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, LIKE DELAYING THEIR DECISION TO LEAVE BECAUSE, UM, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS DON'T ALLOW FOR ANIMALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK IT, UH, THAT SAME LOGIC WOULD CERTAINLY APPLY HERE.
UM, AND PEOPLE ARE, ARE BEING FACED WITH A, A DIFFICULT CHOICE, UM, ESPECIALLY IN THE INSTANCE THAT THERE'S NO A PO OFFICER, UM, THAT'S AVAILABLE.
AND I THINK, UM, YOU SAID IT BEST.
THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE BEST USE OF, OF APOS TIME WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER, UM, NEEDS AS A CITY.
SO, UM, SO RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THREE OPTIONS ARE BAD ONES.
EITHER WE'RE TAKING AN A PO OFF OF OTHER CALLS, UM, OR THAT PERSON IS JUST GONNA ABANDON THEIR DOG AND GO INTO THE COOLING CENTER BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO DO FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH.
AND THEN WE HAVE A STRAY DOG WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, OR, YOU KNOW, THREE THAT ARE GONNA, UM, NOT GO INTO THAT SHELTER WHEN THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY PLAUSIBLE, UM, GIVEN HOW EXTREME THE HEAT IS IN AUSTIN, THAT, THAT YOU COULD SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY SERIOUS MEDICAL CONSEQUENCES.
SO I DO THINK THIS IS A, A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
BLAND, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WOULD SUPPORT AS WELL.
UM, MY ONLY QUESTION IS REALLY WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, WOULD NEED TO, YOU KNOW, REQUIRE A CHANGE TO CITY CODE, UM, OR IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEORETICALLY, UM, COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT DOING THAT.
I'M NOT SURE, UM, IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT, UM, BUT THANKS AGAIN.
I, I AM NOT SURE THAT IF IT'S IN CITY CODE OR IF IT'S A CITY POLICY, UM, THAT I AM NOT SURE OF, I'D HAVE TO, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AND FIGURE THAT ONE OUT.
I THINK THE IDEA, IT'S FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THEIR PETS WHO NEED THIS HELP.
UH, JUST JUST A COMMENT COMMENTARY.
UH, IN MEXICO, THE MEXICAN STARBUCKS CAFE CIELO OPENED THEIR DOORS TO THEIR PETS WHO LIVE IN THE STREET.
UH, MAYBE AFTER THE CITY, MAYBE CHANGE THE CODE.
WE CAN INVITE BUSINESSES TO DO THE SAME WITH OUR PEOPLE UNDER THEIR PETS.
DO, YES, I, I AGREE WITH, UH, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS THAT THIS IS A GREAT IDEA AND I, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT AS IS SORT OF RELATED TO WHAT COMMISSIONER LINDER SAID.
UM, IT, IT IS VERY INTERESTING WHEN YOU HAVE, UM, LIKE HURRICANES OR EXTREME WEATHER, PEOPLE WILL NOT LEAVE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL NOT LEAVE THEIR PETS.
YOU SAW THAT IN KATRINA IN NEW ORLEANS.
YOU SAW THAT IN HARVEY IN HOUSTON.
YOU EVEN SAW THAT IN PUERTO RICO WITH MARIA.
[01:05:01]
SURE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER EXAMPLES.SO, UM, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THIS COULD BE CODED.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER AND COMMISSIONER S MAGULA.
I THINK YOU, I AGREE WITH EVERYBODY ELSE, AND I THINK THAT YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB AND I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD, UH, DOES ANYBODY WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH A VOTE? YOU HAVE A QUESTION? WELL, I HAVE A QUICK COMMENT.
I KNOW MR. SAGAL ALSO AGREE WITH EVERYONE.
I'LL THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP.
I HOPE IT DOES HAPPEN QUICKLY.
WE GOT REALLY LUCKY RIGHT NOW, THE WEATHER BECAUSE HURRICANE DIDN'T QUITE GET HERE, BUT WE HAVE, I'VE BEEN, I ENJOYED, YOU KNOW, A, A COOLER DAY TODAY.
MY DOG ENJOYED BEING OUTSIDE FOR A LOT LONGER THAN USUAL.
UM, I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR VERY, UH, EARLY COMMENTS THAT YOU WANTED TO RECOMMEND, THAT YOU WANTED TO RECOMMEND THAT CERTAIN, UM, COOLING CENTERS ALLOW PETS.
AND I WOULD JUST SAY I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU FOR THE SAKE OF SIMPLICITY AND, UM, FOR COUNSEL, FOR THE UNHOUSED, FOR PEOPLE WITH THEIR PETS.
WHY NOT ALL? SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE, THANK YOU.
YEAH, SO I, I SIMPLY STATED IN THE RECOMMENDATION INTO DESIGNATED CITY OF AUSTIN COOLING CENTERS.
SO WHATEVER THE CITY DESIGNATES AS A COOLING CENTER.
COMMISSIONERS, UH, ARE, DOES ANYBODY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A MOTION? SORRY, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION FOR, DO I, DO I NEED TO READ THIS OUT FIRST BEFORE A MOTION, OR YOU DO? YOU DON'T.
DO I HEAR A MOTION? CAN I MAKE A MOTION? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN.
UH, DO I HEAR A SECOND, SECOND.
SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER HERRERA.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.
IT'S UNANIMOUS, WHICH IS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 TO NOTHING.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
NEXT ITEM IS MOVING ON IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PLACE ON THE AGENDA FOR NEXT MONTH? ANYTHING THAT WE WANNA CARRY OVER? COMMISSIONER MAGULA, DO WE NEED TO CARRY OVER THE, UM, DISCUSSION OR THE PRESENTATION ON THE STRATEGIC PLANNING? WE DO PROCESS? YEAH, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S ON THE NEXT AGENDA AS WELL.ANYTHING ELSE? I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS, SO I GUESS I'M CALLING IT.
UH, THANKS EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE.
IT IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS.
SEVEN 11 AND WE ARE OFFICIALLY CLOSING THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION MEETING FOR TODAY.