[00:00:02]
[CALL TO ORDER]
JULY THE 22ND, 2024.UM, I WILL NOW DO A ROLL CALL PAGE VIA LEVELS PRESENT.
LANE BECKER PRESENT THERE BEING A QUORUM WILL NOT PROCEED TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UM, AGAIN, THESE ARE FOR LIMITED TO 10.THE THE FIRST 10TH SPEAKER THAT SIGN UP AND THESE, AND THIS IS FOR ANY COMMENT ON NON AGENDA SPECIFIC ITEMS. SO, MR. DOMA, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE FIRST PERSON? YES.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE NICOLE NETHERTON, FOLLOWED BY CLAIRE KREBS AND THEN GRACE GILKER.
YOU'LL BE HAVE, UH, THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE PARKS BOARD BEGINNING AT THE TIME THAT YOU START SPEAKING.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR ILLA LOBOS AND MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS NICOLE NETHERTON AND I'M THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY.
OUR ORGANIZATION IS A PART OF A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP CREATED FOR THE BENEFIT OF PARKS.
AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME OF THE GOOD WORK THAT WE'RE DOING FROM ITS INCEPTION IN 2008 AS TREES FOR PEACES.
A FRIENDS OF THE PARK GROUP TO THE 5 0 1 C3 PUBLIC CHARITY PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY FORMED IN 2013.
THE CONSERVANCY HAS PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO HELP STEWARD AUSTIN'S OLDEST PUBLIC PARK, PEACE DISTRICT PARK, AND I PASSED OUT.
YOU EACH HAVE A COPY OF OUR IMPACT REPORT, UH, FROM 2023, AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS.
THE PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, OR POMA WITH THE CITY WAS EXECUTED IN JANUARY OF 2023, FORMALIZING THE SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR STEWARDSHIP WITHIN KINGSBURY COMMONS AND THROUGHOUT PEACE PARK.
THE CONSERVANCY HAS PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, AND PROGRAMMING WITHIN KINGSBURY COMMONS, AS WELL AS SUPPORTIVE CONSERVATION AND LAND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
THE CITY MAINTAINS PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TREE CANOPY, THE TRAILS, SHOAL CREEK, AND SURROUNDING STREETS FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE PARK, INCLUDING KINGSBURY COMMONS OUTSIDE OF KINGSBURY COMMONS.
PARD IS THE PRIMARY PARTY FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
OUR PARK OPERATIONS TEAM IS ONSITE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO HELP ENSURE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR 171,000 VISITORS FROM 43 AUSTIN AREA.
ZIP CODES PROVIDING CLEAN AND STOCKED RESTROOMS, FREQUENT TRASH PICKUPS, GRAFFITI REMOVAL, AND RECURRING INSPECTIONS OF THE PLAYGROUND TREE HOUSE AND SPLASH PAD.
OUR CONSERVATION TEAM AND ALMOST 1800 PEAS.
CORE VOLUNTEERS REMOVED HUNDREDS OF CUBIC METERS OF INVASIVE SPECIES, MULCHED, WATERED PLANTED AND PRUNED TREES, INSTALLED WATER BARS TO MINIMIZE EROSION NEAR TRAILS, AND PICKED UP A LOT OF LITTER.
OUR PROGRAMMING TEAM SERVED ALMOST 12,000 PARTICIPANTS ACROSS OUR FOUR PILLARS OF FREE PROGRAMMING, CONSERVATION, WELLNESS, ART, AND LEARNING.
WELLNESS PROGRAMS INCLUDE YOGA, DANCE LESSONS AND SOUND BATHS.
ART IN THE PARK INCLUDES DANCE PERFORMANCES, MOVIE SCREENINGS, PUPPET SHOWS, CRAFTING AND WRITING WORKSHOPS.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES INCLUDED RPS COLLEGE SCHOOL FIELD TRIP PROGRAM, WHICH SERVED MORE THAN 630 KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS WITH SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.
TWO THIRDS OF THE NINE SCHOOLS SERVED IN 2023 WERE TITLE ONE SCHOOLS FOR WHICH THE CONSERVANCY PROVIDED TRANSPORTATION AND LUNCH.
NOW IN 2024, WE ARE JUST OVER HALFWAY THROUGH OUR FOURTH SUMMER OF OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, AND PROGRAMMING IN KINGSBURY COMMONS EFFORTS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY TO PLAN AND DEVELOP THE OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, AND PROGRAMMING PLANS FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025 THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO PART AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT ALLOW THE CONSERVANCY TO DO ITS WORK, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING FUTURE UPDATES WITH YOU ABOUT OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO CARE FOR THE JEWEL THAT IS PEACE PARK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CLAIRE KREBS, FOLLOWED BY GRACE GILKER.
I AM WITH THE FESTIVAL BEACH COMMUNITY GARDEN.
I'M A GARDENER AND I THINK I'VE SEEN PRETTY MUCH ALL OF YOU BEFORE.
UM, SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND LETTING US SPEAK.
UM, I'M SPECIFICALLY HERE TO SPEAK TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSALS IN STAFF BREEDING F FIVE THAT WOULD IMPROVE THE AMENITIES NEAR OUR GARDEN, AND THAT WOULD HELP MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF I 35 CONSTRUCTION.
SO, AS YOU MIGHT RECALL, OUR GARDEN SITS LESS THAN 200 FEET FROM THE EXISTING HIGHWAY, AND THE EXPANSION OF I 35 IS ONLY GONNA BRING US CLOSER.
[00:05:01]
WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD WITH TXDOT AND PARD STAFF TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS.I WILL SAY THAT, UH, JT OF PARD, WHO'S UP THERE AND YOU'LL HEAR FROM, HE'S BEEN AN EXCELLENT PARTNER ON THIS.
UM, AND INDEED LATER TONIGHT YOU'LL HEAR HIM DESCRIBE HOW TXDOT IS GOING TO BUILD US THREE SOUND WALLS TO PROTECT OUR GARDEN AND THAT THEY'VE AGREED TO LET US HELP BEAUTIFY THEM WITH MURALS AND PLANTINGS.
YOU'LL HEAR HOW A PEDESTRIAN PATH IS BEING ADDED TO CONNECT US TO THE LAKE AND TO DOWNTOWN.
YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT OTHER AMENITIES LIKE BIKE LOCKS, WATER FOUNTAINS AND PLANTINGS THAT'LL BE WATERED WITH PURPLE PIPE, ALL OF WHICH WE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO AS WELL.
WHAT I'M HERE SPECIFICALLY TO ASK YOU ALL TO SUPPORT IN PUSH ON IS OUR PREFERRED TIMING ON ONE ASPECT OF THE PROJECT.
BASICALLY, WE NEED TECH STOCK TO BUILD OUR SOUND WALLS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BUILDING THEM FIRST IS SOMETHING THEY FLOATED TO US LAST YEAR, BUT HAVE NOT YET COMMITTED TO.
WE NEED THEM TO COMMIT TO DO THAT.
OTHERWISE WE'LL BE FORCED TO WAIT YEARS WHILE CONSTRUCTION NOISE AND DUST SPREADS ALL OVER OUR PARKLAND DIMINISHING OUR ABILITY TO ENJOY IT AS PARKLAND.
IT'S NOT JUST AN INCONVENIENCE IF WE HAVE TO WAIT.
WE HAVE GARDENERS WITH RESPIRATORY ISSUES, ELDERLY GARDENERS, AND YOUNG CHILDREN WHO VISIT OUR SITE.
JUST THIS MONTH WE LOST TWO STANDING GARDENERS WHO DECIDED TO LEAVE OUR GARDEN IN ANTICIPATION OF HOW THE I 35 CONSTRUCTION AND THE CONSTRUCTION TRAFFIC WOULD MAKE IT TOO DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO CONTINUE GARDENING WITH US.
UM, THEY'RE ACTUALLY MY PLOT NEIGHBORS.
THEY WERE THERE WHEN I STARTED AND THEY HELPED WRITE OUR BYLAWS.
UH, SO THEIR DEPARTURE IS GOING TO BE DEEPLY FELT.
UH, PARD HAS A DUTY TO KEEP PARKS LIKE OURS LIVABLE AND ENJOY AND ENJOYABLE.
WE'VE OUTLINED WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN DURING HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION.
PART OF THAT IS THE AMENITIES.
PART OF THAT IS BUILDING THE SOUND WALL EARLY.
WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR JT FOR HIS WORK AND WE WISH HIM WELL WITH HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
WE UNDERSTAND HE'S WILL BE LEAVING, UM, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE ON WITH THIS PROJECT WITH HIS SUCCESSOR AND A SANCTUS.
AND WE JUST ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONTINUE PUSHING PART AND TXDOT TO MAKE THESE PLANS A REALITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE GRACE GILKER, FOLLOWED BY LIZ IDE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS GRACE GILKER AND I'M A VOLUNTEER AT FESTIVAL BEACH FOOD FOREST.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSALS AND STAFF UPDATE NUMBER FIVE REGARDING THE PROGRESS ON THE FESTIVAL, BEACH SOUND, WALLS, AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS.
THESE NEXT THREE MINUTES MIGHT SOUND FAMILIAR.
UH, THE FESTIVAL, BEACH FOOD, FOREST AND COMMUNITY GARDEN ARE RIGHT NEXT TO I 35.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON MITIGATION WORK FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.
WE SPOKE TO Y'ALL THE FINE PEOPLE OF THE PARKS AND REC BOARD BACK IN JANUARY.
WE'RE HERE AGAIN TONIGHT TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES NEXT TO THE NEW NOISE WALLS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ADD TO OUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN SIMPLY DIVIDING IT.
WE'RE REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD CONTINUES PUSHING TDOT AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO FINALIZE AN AGREEMENT TO FUND CONTRACT BUILD AND MAINTAIN AMENITIES PROXIMATE TO THE FESTIVAL BEACH NOISE WALLS, INCLUDING THE ADDITION OF A WATER FOUNTAIN, BIKE RACKS A CROSSWALK, MURALS, THE PLANNING OF NATIVE SPECIES, UH, WATER METER AND THE EXPANSION OF THE CITY'S PURPLE PIPE SYSTEM TO SUPPLY IRRIGATION.
WE'D LIKE TO THANK JUSTIN FOR ALL HIS HARD WORK COORDINATING WITH THE URBAN TRAILS DEPARTMENT, CAP METRO, TXDOT, AUSTIN WATER, AND OTHERS TO MAKE THIS VISION POSSIBLE.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH HIS SUCCESSOR.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ASK Y'ALL TO PRESSURE TDOT TO COMMIT TO BUILDING THE FESTIVAL BEACH SOUND WALLS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN CONSTRUCTION.
THEY'VE MENTIONED THIS IDEA TO US BEFORE, BUT WE HAVEN'T SORT OF FINALIZED ANYTHING.
UH, WE GROW FOOD FOR THE PUBLIC.
WE'RE DEFINITELY WORRIED ABOUT THE IMPACT ON FOOD SAFETY.
UM, IN ADDITION TO NOISE, WE'RE ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THE HEALTH OF OUR IMMUNOCOMPROMISED AND ELDERLY NEIGHBORS.
UH, PLEASE DIRECT THE CITY TO CONTINUE WORKING ON INCORPORATING THESE IN OTHER AMENITIES AND, UH, WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, UH, IN SETTING A DATE FOR FURTHER UPDATES.
UH, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP SECURING THESE MEDIC.
I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP SECURING THESE MITIGATIONS SO I CAN GO BACK TO JUST BEING A DIRTY VOLUNTEER.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE BEST FOR EVERYONE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE LIZ IDE, FOLLOWED BY SANTIAGO ZWAN.
UH, IF YOU'LL JUST SAY SLIDE SURE.
BUT, UM, WHERE IT'S UNDER PUBLIC COMMON FOLDER AND I PUT IT IN HER NAME.
I'M LIZ BARITE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
DURING THE SUMMER, AUSTIN ROWING CLUB INVITES THE PARD UH, RECREATION CENTER SUMMER CAMPS TO VISIT THE BOATHOUSE TO LEARN HOW TO ROW AND THEN,
[00:10:01]
UM, PADDLE ON THE LAKE IN OUR KAYAKS.TO DATE, WE HAVE HAD 240 CAMPERS COME TO THE BOATHOUSE THIS SUMMER FROM 11 DIFFERENT RECREATION CENTERS OVER 18 DAYS.
UH, THE PARTICIPATING PARD RECREATION CENTERS, UM, ARE LISTED HERE, UH, AND IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DI COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
UM, SO, UH, THIS PAST WEEKEND WE SENT 35 ADULT ROWERS IN TWO COXSWAINS TO COMPETE AT THE US ROWINGS NATIONAL MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIP REGATTA.
UM, IT'S A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY BECAUSE EVERYONE COMES FROM ALL OVER THE US AND IN THIS YEAR THEY HAPPENED TO HOLD IT IN OKLAHOMA.
SO IT WAS RELATIVELY EASY FOR US TO GET THERE.
UH, THEY ENTERED 72 ENTRIES, AND OF THOSE THEY MEDDLED IN 44 EVENTS.
UH, THE AGE GROUP WAS FROM 21 TO 70.
MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE LEARNED TO ROW HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, WHILE OTHERS DID LEARN IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE.
AND IN CLOSING, UH, THIS JULY WE HOSTED THREE TRASH CLEANUPS WITH 65 VOLUNTEERS, THEY WERE ABLE TO COLLECT OVER 100 BAGS OF TRASH AND RECYCLING FROM THE LAKE AND THE TRAIL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SANTIAGO WAN, FOLLOWED BY LYRIC WARDLOW.
UM, THANK YOU BOARD FOR BEING HERE.
UM, SO THIS GRAPHIC, UH, THAT'S ON IS, UH, THE SCREEN IS THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF TOWN LAKE AND I 35 IS IN THE BOTTOM LEFT HAND CORNER.
THIS IS, UH, EDWARD IGNOR PARK.
UM, AND THE PAR THE TREES IN GRAY ARE, THE TREES BEING PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED TO THE LEFT ARE WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
THE BOTTOM RIGHT ARE TREES THAT ARE, UH, PROPOSED TO BE, UH, TRIMMED.
UM, I'M GONNA READ, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION, UH, UH, PASSED BACK IN FEBRUARY.
UH, THE HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF A PEON LOCATED IN EDWARD RENDON IGNOR PARK AT FESTIVAL BEACH, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION I 35 EXPANSION.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT PROPOSES TO REMOVE AS PART OF A CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT OUTSIDE OF THE EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY.
THE GROVE IS IDENTIFIED BY GRANITE MARKER DEDICATED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN 1964.
AS PART OF THE EARLY EFFORTS BY CITY COUNCIL'S TOWN LAKE BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS GROVE OF PECANS RISES TO THE STATUTE STATUS OF A LOCAL CHARACTER DEFINING CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE ENTRUST CITY STAFF WITH THE HEALTH OF THE URBAN FOREST, INCLUDING ACCURATE TREE DATA, GROUND SURVEYS OF HERITAGE TREES, ACCORDING TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL 3.2 0.2, GENERAL TRACE TREE SURVEY STANDARD STANDARDS.
WE RECOMMEND DIRECTION TO BE GIVEN TO THE CITY ARBORIST.
UM, I'M GONNA, UH, SO I GOT AN EMAIL FROM KAREN SCAR, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SPECIALIST WITH, WITH NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
AS DOCUMENTED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR CONSULTATION MARCH 7TH, 2023, WE, MPS REC REQUESTED THAT THE ANALYSIS SHOULD INCLUDE ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED FOR PROPOSED SIX F PROPERTY REPLACEMENT MITIGATION SITE AND ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS AS RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATION TO THE LEAD AGENCY.
TXDOT, OUR CURRENT UNDERSTANDING IS THAT COORDINATION BETWEEN AGENCIES, INCLUDING T PARK, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CITY OF AUSTIN IS ONGOING AND OFF ANALYZATION WILL BE RESPONSIBILITY OF AS LEAD AGENCY.
UM, SO SIX F UH, YOU GUYS FAMILIAR WITH THAT LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND? UM, THE EAST SIDE, UH, THERE IS LIKE 1.8 ACRES HAVE NOT SEEN A REPLACEMENT, UH, BROUGHT TO FORWARD.
I'D LIKE TO LOOK FOR SOMEONE TO HELP SPONSOR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THIS BOARD TO DIRECT STAFF, UH, TO ENSURE THAT SEA OF AUSTIN PARKS AND REC IS, UH, GOING TO BRING FORWARD, UM, UH, A SITE THAT CAN BE ELECTED BY THE PUBLIC, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE FAIRLY REPRESENTED AND GET A FAIR DEAL.
UM, AND, UH, ALSO PRESERVATION OF THESE TREES.
UH, THESE TREES ARE ALL PECAN TREES, HERITAGE TREES THAT ARE PART OF THIS, UH, MARKER.
AND THE MARKER WOULD LITERALLY JUST BE OFF THE EDGE OF THE RIGHT OF THE PAGE.
UM, SO IF ANYONE COULD MAYBE, UH, RESPOND TO ME WITH, UH, BEING A SPONSOR, THAT'D BE GREAT.
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OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE LYRIC WARDLOW.AFTER LYRIC WILL BE SCOTT COBB.
SO SCOTT COBB, I THINK WE'LL TAKE YOU NEXT.
AND THEN AFTER SCOTT COBB WILL BE GAIL ROY.
I WORK AS A LIFEGUARD FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE TODAY, BUT I HAD SOME EXCITING NEWS THAT I WANT TO SHARE WITH Y'ALL.
I, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, UH, LAST MONTH I TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR BILINGUAL PAY AT, FOR LIFEGUARDS AND CASHIERS AND I JUST SPOKE WITH LUCAS.
AND THAT PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED STARTING, THERE'S ALREADY A POST ON THE LIFEGUARD HUMANITY, UH, WEBSITE THAT IS A FORM THAT SAYS, IF YOU ARE THINK YOU'RE ELIGIBLE, YOU SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE THAT CAN HELP US AT THE POLLS FILL OUT THIS FORM AND WE'LL SEE WHO'S ELIGIBLE.
AND, UH, GOING FORWARD, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE LIFEGUARDS, CASH CASHIERS AT THE POOLS GETTING BILINGUAL PAY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR TWO YEARS.
I GOT TWO CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE MEMBERS WHO OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS SAYING HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST AND WHAT WOULD BE THE WAY TO DO IT BEFORE TEMPORARIES WERE NOT ELIGIBLE, BUT LOOKS LIKE HRD AFTER WE ADVOCATED FOR TWO YEARS, HAS FOUND A WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND SO FROM NOW ON, EQUITY IS GOING TO BE IMPROVED ACCESS AT THE POOLS.
FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO SPEAK LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH, THEY MAY BE ABLE TO GO TO A POOL AND SPEAK TO A LIFEGUARD WHO'S GETTING BILINGUAL PAY IN THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY SPEAK AT THEIR HOMES.
I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO MADE IT HAPPEN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE GAIL ROTH.
AFTER GAIL WILL BE CHRIS FLORES.
UH, I WANT TO SPEAK ON THE TOPIC OF, UH, PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS. AND FIRST OF ALL, FULL DISCLOSURE.
I LEAD A VOLUNTEER GROUP THAT HAS ADOPTED A GROW ZONE IN TWO SMALL CREEKS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF ZILKER PARK.
OUR GROUP FALLS UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL VOLUNTEER STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVE, ONE OF THE SIX PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS. SO IN EFFECT, WE ARE PARKS PARTNERS.
FOR OVER 10 YEARS, WE'VE WORKED, COLLABORATE COLLABORATIVELY WITH PAR TO PLANT NATIVE SPECIES, UM, REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES AND PICK UP TRASH, ALL THE WHILE INCREASING BIODIVERSITY AND BUILDING A CULTURE OF STEWARDSHIP.
HOWEVER, MY COMMENTS TODAY CONCERN SOME OF THE HIGHER PROFILE PARTNERS, SPECIFICALLY THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE PARKS, OPERATIONS, AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY.
UH, I RECENTLY REREAD THE RESOLUTION FROM FROM 2020 FROM COUNCIL THAT AUTHORIZED THE CREATION OF THE POMAS.
AND I WAS REALLY STRUCK BY, UH, A KEY SENTENCE, UH, WHICH I HAD ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE POEMS. AND THAT IS, QUOTE, WELL, THAT THE POEMS WILL, UM, REGARDING THE POEMS WAS THAT THE ARRANGEMENT REDUCES THE BURDEN ON PARTS, BUDGET AND RESOURCES.
SO IN 2020, POOR PARD WAS UNDER-RESOURCED, UNDERSTAFFED, AND UNDERFUNDED.
AND BY MY OBSERVATIONS, HERE WE ARE IN 2024 AND PARD IS STILL UNDER-RESOURCED, UNDERSTAFFED, AND UNDERFUNDED.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HAS THE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM IMPROVED THIS? I THINK IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY YES.
I THINK YOU MIGHT ARGUE THAT IT HASN'T HAD ENOUGH TIME TO TAKE EFFECT, BUT I WOULD REALLY URGE YOU AS WE GO FORWARD THAT WE NEED A CLEAR-EYED, IMPARTIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE PALMAS TO UNDERSTAND IF THAT IS REALLY HAPPENING OR NOT.
THAT WAS A BASIC IDEA IN THE CREATION.
IS IS IS IT HAPPENING? HOW ARE WE GONNA KNOW IF IT HAPPENS? UM, SO I BELIEVE WE NEED AN IMPARTIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH METRICS THAT SHOW THE OVERALL IMPACT.
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ARE THEY, CAN THEY ACTUALLY REDUCE THE BURDEN ON PAR? THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN DESERVE TO KNOW THIS LAST GOING FORWARD.THE AGREEMENTS THEMSELVES, THE CONTRACTS MUST INCLUDE LANGUAGE THAT REQUIRE FULL TRANSPARENCY OF THE FINANCIALS.
I REALIZE SOME OF THE FUNDS ARE PRIVATE, HOWEVER, THE FUND RAISING TAKES PART ON PUBLIC LANDS.
SO I THINK THERE IS REALLY NO EXCUSE FOR NOT HAVING ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION.
AND I THINK THE TRANSPARENCY IS ESSENTIAL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CHRIS FLORES, FOLLOWED BY BERTHA DELGADO RENDON.
UH, I'M COMMENTING ON THE CITY'S PART PARTNERSHIP, POWERPOINT PRESENTATION IN THE BACKUP DOCUMENTS, UH, I ASK THAT YOU SEND IT BACK TO ITS AUTHORS AND RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT IT BE REDONE.
IT IS INCOMPLETE, AS IS THE SECOND SLIDE.
THE OVERVIEW LISTS WHAT IS INCLUDED AND WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED.
THE INCLUDED ITEMS DO NOT BREAK OUT THE SEPARATE CONTRIBUTIONS OF PAR STAFF AND NONPROFITS.
I ASSUME IT'S ALL IT, IT ASSUMES IT'S A JOINT EFFORT AND IT IS NOT A JOINT EFFORT.
THE ITEMS IN NOT INCLUDED INVOLVE FINANCIAL CONTRACTS.
THIS IS WHAT THE CITIZENS MOST WANT TO KNOW ABOUT BECAUSE WE ARE WITNESSING THE INCREASING COMMERCIALIZATION OF OUR PUBLIC LAND.
SLIDE 12 DESCRIBES THE CITY COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION, UH, FROM 3 12 20 20.
UH, AND SLIDE 13 IDENTIFIES THE PARKS DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS THAT ARE TO BE MET BY THIS RESOLUTION.
THIS PRESENTATION DOES NOT ADDRESS HOW WELL THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF PARK PARTNERSHIPS HAS WORKED TO MEET THE CITY'S NEEDS EXCEPT FOR NEED NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS HOW COMMUNICATION IS STREAMLINED.
THE REST ALL TAKEN FROM SLIDE 13.
CONSISTENCY IN AGREEMENT TERMS, INTERNAL COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES, EQUITY AND ACCESSIBILITY, ALIGNMENT WITH CITY GOALS, TRACK AND COLLECT IMPACT DATA.
NONE OF THESE FIVE ITEMS ARE COVERED AT ALL IN THIS PRESENTATION.
TO BE ADEQUATELY COVERED, A PRESENTATION WOULD HAVE TO SHOW EXACTLY HOW MANY DOLLARS AND HOURS WERE CONTRIBUTED BY NONPROFITS AND BY PART IN SEPARATE COLUMNS.
AND THEN JOINTLY COMPARED TO THE BEFORE TIMES.
A FEW COMMENTS IN SPECIFIC SLIDES.
UH, NUMBER FOUR, ENVIRONMENTAL VOLUNTEER HOURS HAVE A $1 MILLION VALUE DERIVED FROM 31,000 HOURS.
I DIVIDED IT, I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF.
FRONTLINE PARKS, MAINTENANCE STAFF.
UM, NUMBER SIX, THE CAP PROGRAM.
I'M A LEVEL C UH, NONPROFIT AT DEEP BETTY POOL.
BUT I'M CURIOUS HOW MANY CAP APPLICATIONS, UH, HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY PARD AND HOW MANY ARE UNDERWAY? HOW MANY ARE FUNDED BY THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION? HOW MANY ARE LEVEL A, B, C, D, UH, PARTNERS? UH, I JUST NOTICED THE ROWING DOCK.
I HAVE A SENSE THAT THE LARGE A NONPROFITS ARE COUNTING ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEER HOURS AS THEIR HOURS.
HOW DO THESE PROJECTS TREND SINCE 2020? HOW CAN THE CITY MANAGER AND ELECTED PEOPLE KNOW IF THIS PROGRAM WORKS? UH, NUMBER 18, UH, ON THE OMAS, I ECHO WHAT, UH, MS. ROY SAID.
UM, THESE SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BERTHA DELGADO MENON, FOLLOWED BY ELISA OSA.
GOOD EVENING, UH, PARKS BOARD.
I AM BERTHA, UH, BERT DELGADO.
I WILL BE ATTENDING EVERY PARK BOARDS MEETINGS UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN, UM, RELOCATE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
SO, UH, I WANNA BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT, UH, EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC IS NOW AWARE OF THE PLANS THAT'S BEING PRESENTED BY PAR, UH, TO GIVE EXPEDITION SCHOOL A PERMANENT LOCATION AT THE FIESTA GARDENS AREA.
UH, DO KNOW THAT IN THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE WITH THE EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND STAKEHOLDERS OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE EDWARD
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RENDON PARK AT FESTIVAL BEACH WAS AGREED UPON THAT NO CONCESSIONS AND NO BOAT RENTAL OR CANOE RENTALS WOULD BE PROHIBITED IN THIS MASTER PLAN THAT WAS CREATED IN 1980.THAT CAME FROM THE HISTORY OF THE BOAT RACES THAT WERE FOUGHT IN 1978 BY THE MEXICAN COMMUNITY AND THE CHICANO BROWN BERETS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I THINK WE'VE LOST A HISTORY HERE, AND I THINK I'VE BROUGHT THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE EDWARD HOLLY SHIRTS MASTER PLAN HAS BEEN AMENDED WITHOUT PUBLIC CITIZENS COMMUNICATION AND INPUT AND WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY KNOWING WHAT THIS DAAS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OF NONPROFITS LIKE TRAILS AND EXPEDITIONS SCHOOL, OUR, UM, PLANNING AND UNDERMINING THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE NOT JUST UPSET AND IRATE, BUT WE ARE TIRED OF THE DISGUSTING WORK THAT'S BEING DONE BEHIND THE SCENES.
THE FACT IS, IS THAT THIS CONCESSION AGREEMENT WAS TEMPORARY AND IT WAS PASSED DURING A TIME THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW.
THIS CONCESSION AGREEMENT IS NOT JUST IN VIOLATION OF SEVERAL CODES, BUT THIS ENTIRE PROJECT IS NOT WANTED BY THE EAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS AT FIESTA GARDENS.
WE'RE HERE TO PROCLAIM OUR LAND AND WE'RE HERE TO STAND FIRM THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA ACCEPT THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL TO TAKE ALMOST 10,000 SQUARE FEET OF OUR MANMADE LAGOON AT FIESTA GARDENS TO OPERATE A FOR-PROFIT AND A NONPROFIT BUSINESS.
SO WE ASK THAT NOT JUST OUR COUNCIL AND OUR CITY MANAGER AND OUR MAYOR AND THE RESIDENTS OF EAST AUSTIN AND ACROSS THE CITY THAT WE DEMAND THAT THEY RELOCATE.
THEY HAVE PLENTY OF OPTIONS OUT THERE.
AND THE OPTION IS NOT AT CHICANO PARK.
I ASK THAT THIS DAES HOLDS SOME TEETH AND WAIT TO NOT JUST PULL AN AUDIT, FINANCIAL AUDIT REPORT ON THESE PEOPLE, BUT AS WELL AS TO SEE IF THEY'RE EVEN COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR IRS STANDINGS AND ANYTHING ELSE.
SO WE'RE HERE TO NOT JUST BE IN SOLIDARITY, BUT WE ASK YOU TO LEARN YOUR HISTORY ABOUT CHICANO PARK.
OUR LAST SPEAKER DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE ELISA MONTOYA.
MY NAME IS ELISSA REON MONTOYA.
I AM A RESIDENT AND A STAKEHOLDER OF EAST AUSTIN IN THE AREA WHERE I LIVE, A TAXPAYER ALSO.
I'VE LIVED THERE 33 YEARS, BORN AND RAISED IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND I'M CLAIMING THAT BECAUSE I'VE SEEN EAST AUSTIN, UH, CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
AND MY CONCERN IS TO THE EXPEDITION AND HAVE OTHER CONCERNS ABOUT OMA.
AND I HAVE OTHER CONCERNS THAT I'M JUST FINDING OUT FOR THE LAST MONTH THAT THIS IS COMING IN AND ENCROACHING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I LIVE RIGHT CLOSE TO WHERE ALL THIS IS BEING PROPOSED.
WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS.
I ALSO VICE PRESIDENT OF EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ALSO THROUGHOUT THE YEARS I FOUGHT TO TO PROTECT THAT AREA AND, AND THE, UH, DEMOLISHES OF THE POWER, HOLLY POWER PLANT.
I ALSO, WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT NO LONGER HERE, FOUGHT TO KEEP THE EAST TOWN LAKE, UM, BOUNDARIES PROTECTED WITH SOME, UH, POLICIES THAT WERE, UH, PROPOSED BACK IN THE DAYS, 30 YEARS, 40 YEARS AGO, 50 YEARS AGO, THAT THE LAKE WOULD NOT TO BE DISTURBED EAST OF 35 AND PUTTING BOAT RACES, UH, MASTER CANOEING AND, AND CONCESSIONS AND ALL THAT, THAT WAS ALREADY PROMISED BY COUNCIL BACK IN THE DAYS.
AND THE MAYORS AND PEOPLE THAT HAD APPROVED IT.
IT'S COMING ALL BACK WITHOUT NOTIFICATION TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, TO US.
RESIDENTS ARE STILL THERE AND WILL REMAIN THERE UNTIL WE DIE.
SO I THINK THIS IS A SLAP IN THE FACE FROM COUNCIL, FROM Y'ALL NOT ADVISING US.
'CAUSE YOU'RE THERE TO PROTECT US AND WE PAY THE TAXES THERE IN THAT AREA AND WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING WHAT'S COMING IN AND APPROACHING US.
SO I'M TIRED OF FIGHTING THIS EVERY TIME SOMETHING COMES UP, UH, LIKE THIS P THING.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, VENDORS THAT ARE COMING INTO OUR AREA.
IT'S IMPACTING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
TRAFFIC CONTROL, BIKE CONTROL.
[00:30:01]
UH, OUR TAXES ARE GOING HIGHER IN THAT AREA, BUT NOBODY'S GONNA RUN US OUT.I'M JUST TRYING TO, AND I'M, I VOICE BERTHA'S.
SHE'S LEADING THE EFFORT TO LOOK INTO ALL THIS.
WHY IS THIS HAPPENING WITHOUT OUR CONSENT OR BEING PART OF NEGOTIATION ON THE TABLES? THERE'S A LOT OF ILLEGAL THINGS HAPPENING WITH THESE, THESE AGENCIES THAT ARE COMING IN NONPROFITS AND WE'RE GONNA GO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF.
SO I WOULD RESPECT ALL OF Y'ALL IF Y'ALL CAN JUST GIVE US A TIME TO INVESTIGATE ALL THIS WHAT'S GOING ON AND TO BE IN THE NEGOTIATION TABLE.
BUT THIS DEAL IS ALREADY GOING THROUGH WITHOUT EVEN US BEING PART OF IT.
THAT IS THE END OF GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, WE WILL NOW MOVE TO APPROVAL
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF MINUTES.UM, THE JUNE 17TH, 20, 24 MINUTES HAVE BEEN POSTED IN BACKUP.
SO IF ANY OF Y'ALL HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I WILL GIVE YOU A MOMENT, UH, TO LOOK OVER THAT.
AND I'LL THEN I'LL ASK FOR THAT.
IS THERE ANY, UH, SUGGESTIONS OR EDITS, ANY CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE AT THIS TIME? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE THE 17TH, 2024.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM FROM VICE CHAIR FLOWERS.
UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT, AT THIS TIME I'LL TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL OF THOSE VOTING AGAINST ALL THOSE ABSTAINING.
THERE'S EIGHT OF US, RIGHT? DEFINITELY SIX, EIGHT.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO, UH,
[2. Presentation, discussion and approve letters of support for community members and active participation in community engagement for the playscape replacement at Metz Neighborhood Park. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers). (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Operational Efficiency, Park Access for All). Presenter(s): Reynaldo Hernandez, Project Manager and Jonathan Haynes, Program Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department. ]
DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? YES, CHAIR.
WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.
THE FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE BERTHA RONE DELGADO, AFTER WILL BE ELISA RONE MONTOYA.
UM, AGAIN, BERT DELGADO, UH, PRESIDENT OF EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
AND SO I AM VERY, VERY HAPPY TO SUPPORT, UH, ANY RECOMMENDATION HERE AND ANY FUNDING, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE ALLOCATED TO OUR METS.
WE KNOW IT AS METS, UH, RECREATION CENTER, BUT IT'S NOW BEEN CHANGED TO RUDY MENDEZ RECREATION CENTER, BUT THE PLAY SCAPE AT METS PARK, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN NOT JUST UNDERFUNDED FOR SEVERAL YEARS, UH, BUT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING, UH, IN THE EDWARD RENDON HOLSTERS MASTER PLAN, WHICH THIS IS A PART OF THE MASTER PLAN, UH, IS TO CREATE A BETTER PLAYGROUND FOR OUR CHILDREN.
SO WE ARE JUST HERE, UH, TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE EFFORTS AND THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE, UH, BY OUR SUPERVISOR THERE, JONATHAN, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT SUPERVISOR THAT NOT HAS JUST INCLUDED, UH, CHILDREN OF, UH, METS RUDY MENDEZ RECREATION CENTER, BUT ALSO HE HAS BEEN VERY, VERY, UM, COLLABORATIVE WITH ALL NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND ASSOCIATIONS AND, AND WE REALLY NEEDED THAT LEADERSHIP.
AND SO WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE JONATHAN THERE AND WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT, UH, THE UPGRADING OF THE PLAYGROUND AT MITTS PARK.
UM, I'M VERY GLAD TO SEE, UM, MY NEPHEWS HERE THAT WILL BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF IT AS WELL.
UH, WE ARE A COMMUNITY, GENERATIONS OF FAMILY.
UH, IT WAS MY, AN AREA THAT MY MOTHER PLAYED IN.
IT WAS AN AREA THAT I PLAYED IN.
IT'S AN AREA THAT MY CHILDREN PLAY IN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AT THE, UH, RUDY MENDEZ RECREATION CENTER, THE ENTIRE STAFF.
[00:35:01]
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ELISA REONE MONTOYA, ONCE AGAIN.UM, MY NAME IS ELISA MONTOYA AND I SUPPORT, UM, METS ELEMENT, I MEAN METS, UM, PARK IN THEIR, UM, CHANGES ON TRYING TO REVITALIZE THE AREA IN THE, UH, PLAYSCAPE AND THEIR PROGRAMS. THEY NEED FUNDING.
WE, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF LACK OF FUNDING THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
THIS IS MY GRANDSON BERTHA WAS TALKING ABOUT.
UH, HE, HE ATTENDS ALL THESE PROGRAMS THERE.
AND ALL MY OTHER GRANDCHILDREN ALSO, THAT WAS AIDEN.
AIDEN AND OTHER, OTHER CHILDREN.
THEY, THEY PARTICIPATE IN A LOT OF THE EVENTS THERE.
SO I AM FULL SUPPORT ABOUT, UH, THE DIRECTOR HERE, UH, THAT'S PROMOTING A LOT OF PROGRAMS FOR OUR KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE STILL HAVE KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN EAST AUSTIN, SO RIGHT IN THAT AREA.
I, I STILL AM VERY ACTIVE AND I DO A LOT OF VOLUNTEER WORK THERE AND, AND ALSO IN MY COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
WE FOUGHT TO PRESERVE A LOT OF THOSE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND, UH, TO, TO ACCOMMODATE THE, THE, THE FAMILIES THERE IN EAST AUSTIN.
AND, UH, THAT'S WHERE I'M VERY PROUD THAT HE'S, HE'S COME ABOARD AND, AND HELPED OUT WITH ALL THESE RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR OUR CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THANK YOU AND THANK ALL, THANK YOU.
UM, WE WILL NOW PROCEED TO THE PRESENTATION OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO.
I AM A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AND PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND I AM VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE TWO YOUNG AND VERY BRAVE INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING INVOLVEMENT AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR THE METS PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT PROJECT.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKGROUND, UH, METS PLAYGROUND IS LOCATED IN COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE.
IT IS PART OF THE AMENITIES THAT ARE OFFERED BY THE RUDY MENDEZ RECREATION CENTER, WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1972 AND THEN RENOVATED IN 2006.
UH, THE PLAYSCAPE DATES FROM THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, WE, UH, DETERMINED IT WAS PROBABLY, UH, PUT IN PLACE IN 2001 OR RENOVATED IN 2001.
AND THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF OUR PLAYGROUND, UH, CONDITION ASSESSMENT, WE, UH, PRIORITIZE THIS PLAYGROUND TO BE REPLACED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WHAT WE ANTICIPATE TO DO IN TERMS OF THE GOALS FOR THE REPLACEMENT IS TO INCREASE AND ENHANCE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLAY, UH, FOR THE CHILDREN.
AND RIGHT NOW, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THIS PLAYSCAPE IS ABOUT 2,900 SQUARE FEET.
WE ALSO WANT TO INCREASE THE SHADE AROUND THE PLAYSCAPE AND HOPEFULLY, UH, IN THE PLAYSCAPE.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE PLAYSCAPE THROUGH, UH, COMPLYING WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OR THE A DA TO DO ALL THAT.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT TYPE OF PLAY OPPORTUNITIES, THEMING, AND NATURE PLAY BASED ELEMENTS THAT THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SEEING HERE.
SO WE DEVISED TWO ROUNDS OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THE FIRST ROUND OCCURRED BETWEEN MAY 23RD AND JUNE 17TH, AND THAT INCLUDED A POPUP MEETING AT THE, UM, MENDEZ RECREATION CENTER.
AND IT ALSO INCLUDED A HUNDRED RESPONSES FROM AN ONLINE SURVEY.
AND, UH, THIS WAS ALSO WHERE THE KIDS PARTICIPATED IN DEVELOPING AND HELPING US WITH THAT SURVEY.
OUR ROUND TWO ENGAGEMENT JUST FINISHED LAST FRIDAY ON JULY 19TH, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THE RESULTS OF THAT.
BUT WE ARE HAPPY TO SAY WE'VE GOT ABOUT FIVE RESPONSES ONLINE, BUT THIS IS THE BEST PART.
AND I'M HERE, UH, TODAY WITH JONATHAN, UH, HAYNES AND SETH CONWAY.
UH, THEY ARE, UH, VERY ACTIVE AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
UH, JONATHAN IS A SUPERVISOR AND, UH, SETH IS AN ACTIVITY SUPERVISOR.
UM, I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE IT TO THEM TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW EXCITING ALL OF THIS TURNED OUT FOR US AND FOR THE PROJECT AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
[00:40:01]
NEXT SLIDE.JONATHAN HAYNES, SUPERVISOR AT THE RUDY MENDEZ RECREATION CENTER.
UM, HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE MENDEZ AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM WHERE WE SERVE OR PICK UP FROM SANCHEZ ELEMENTARY AND UT ELEMENTARY.
AND WITH THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, WE TRY TO ACHIEVE FOUR BASIC THINGS.
A HEALTHY SNACK, HOMEWORK, HELP, ACTIVE PLAY OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE TODAY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OF AN ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY THAT KIND OF FELL IN OUR LAP.
WE'RE ALWAYS STRIVING FOR QUALITY EXPERIENCES FOR THE YOUTH, AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE PASSIONATE YOUNG INDIVIDUALS LIKE SCARLET REYES AND ADRIAN DELGADO, BOTH 10 YEARS OLD.
BOTH CHAMPIONS IN OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, PARTICIPANTS IN OUR IN MENDEZ YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS, SOCCER AND BASKETBALL.
AND WE'RE ALSO FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOUNG LEADERS LIKE SETH CONWAY, WHO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO INCLUDE THE YOUTH IN NEXT LEVEL OPPORTUNITIES.
I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO SETH SO WE CAN SHARE HOW THIS PROJECT UNFOLDED AND HOW THE YOUTH REALLY GUIDED IT.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT ABOUT SCARLET AND AIDEN.
UH, THEY'RE SOME OF OUR OLDEST PARTICIPANTS.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN THERE, UH, LONGER THAN I, UH, HAVE WORKED THERE.
SO WHEN I FIRST STARTED AS AN ACTIVITY LEADER IN JANUARY, UH, THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL IN TELLING ME HOW EVERYTHING RAN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SHOWING ME HOW EVERYTHING WORKED.
SO, UH, I ALREADY APPRECIATED THEM FOR, UM, ALL THEIR HELP.
UM, SO BASICALLY, UM, HOW THIS PROJECT STARTED IS WHEN THERE WAS WORD THAT WE WERE LOOKING INTO, UH, YOU KNOW, UPGRADING THE PLAYSCAPE.
OF COURSE ALL THE KIDS, UH, IN THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
THEY WERE DISCUSSING IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT A LOT.
AND, UH, SCARLET AND AIDEN SPECIFICALLY WANTED TO SEE HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED IN IT.
SO THEY WENT INTO MR. JONATHAN'S OFFICE AND THEY DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS WAYS OF HOW THEY CAN GET THEIR INPUT INTO THE PLAYGROUNDS.
AND THEY DECIDED THAT THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS WOULD TO BE TO GET A SURVEY AND GET ALL OF THE YOUTH PARTICIPANTS, UM, UH, LIKE THEIR OPINIONS ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, THEY GOT THE SURVEY TOGETHER, SCARLET CAME UP TO, UH, THE FRONT DESK WITH ME AND I JUST TYPED IT OUT FOR HER.
I DIDN'T CONTRIBUTE TO IT AT ALL.
LIKE IT WAS ALL THEIR WORK BASICALLY.
AND SO THEY, YOU KNOW, WE PRINTED IT OUT, WE GOT ALL THE KIDS TO FILL IT OUT.
AND A FEW DAYS LATER, UH, ADRIAN AND KATIE, UH, THEY CAME TO DO A POPUP MEETING AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE EXPLAINING LIKE, OH, WE WANTED TO GET LIKE A SURVEY OF PEOPLE'S OPINIONS ON HOW THE, UM, PLAY SCAPE SHOULD BE.
AND I WAS LIKE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE ACTUALLY ALREADY DO HAVE SURVEY RESULTS AND IT WAS CREATED BY KIDS FOR KIDS TO FILL OUT.
SO YEAH, THAT'S HOW WE GOT THIS, UM, SURVEY DATA.
YES, THEY DEVELOPED TWO QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST QUESTION BEING, UM, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE ON THE PLAY BREAK? WHAT ON THE PLAYSCAPE, WHAT SHOULD IT INCLUDE? UM, AND THE SECOND QUESTION WAS WHAT TYPE, WHAT THEME WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ON THE PLAYSCAPE? SO THEY GATHERED INFORMATION FROM ALL THE PARTICIPANTS TO CREATE THE SURVEY.
IT WAS JUST AWESOME TO SEE IT COME TOGETHER.
AND, UH, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO ADMINISTER THIS SURVEY TO THE AFTERSCHOOL PARTICIPANTS AND OUR SUMMER CAMP CAMPERS.
SO WE HAD TWO ITERATIONS OF THE SURVEY AND, UM, WE EVEN, UM, HAD INDIVIDUALS WHO DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH FILL OUT THE SURVEY.
WE LEARNED THAT, UM, IL IS THE WORD IN SPANISH FOR PLAYSCAPE.
AND, UM, IT WAS JUST REALLY AWESOME.
CAN WE HIT TO THE NEXT SLIDE? ALRIGHT.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THIS WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS TO DO IN AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM TO ACHIEVE QUALITY IS TO INCORPORATE PLANNING STRATEGIES, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE YOUTH GUIDED.
SO THIS IS AN A, A REALLY EXTREME EXAMPLE OF HOW PLANNING STRATEGIES CAN ACTUALLY BE FUN.
UM, WE BRAINSTORMED, WE DEVELOPED A SURVEY.
UM, AND SO IN DOING SO, THE YOUTH HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN, DO AND EVEN REVIEW THE RESULTS WITH KATIE AND ADRIAN.
THEY GOT TO BE COMMUNITY ENGAGERS THEMSELVES.
THEY ALSO GOT TO INTERACT AND SHARE IDEAS AMONGST THEIR PEERS, LEARN ABOUT WHAT WE SHARE, WHAT'S ALIKE AND WHAT'S DIFFERENT.
IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER TO ACHIEVE A SHARED GOAL.
AND DOING SO, WE WERE ABLE TO ACTIVATE YOUTH CHOICE IN MENDEZ AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM.
THE YOUTH HAVE HAD A, HAD A SAY IN
[00:45:01]
WHAT'S GONNA BE IN THE NEW PLAY SCAPE, THAT THEY'RE THE MAIN STAKEHOLDERS OF.AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, WE ARE ABLE TO AMPLIFY YOUTH VOICE IN OUR PROGRAM.
IT'S SOMETHING THE SILENT VOICE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS OFTEN LEFT UNHEARD.
THE YOUTH THROUGH THIS PROJECT AMPLIFIED THEIR VOICE THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF BOTH AIDEN AND ADRIAN AND THEIR FELLOW PEERS.
PLEASE GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
WE HAVE SOME, UH, SPECIAL, UH, LETTERS HERE TO PROVIDE TO BOTH, UH, AIDEN AND SCARLET.
SO, UH, AIDEN AND SCARLET, IF YOU CAN COME UP HERE TO RECEIVE YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS.
SO JUST, I DON'T KNOW IF THE PRESENTATION'S DONE.
ARE, ARE Y'ALL DONE? OKAY, GREAT.
JUST 'CAUSE 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.
UH, OUR, UH, ATTENDEES DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE LETTER.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THE LETTER AND THEN I'M GONNA CALL FOR A VOTE OF THE BOARD.
SO THE LETTER SAYS, UH, DEAR, THE NAME OF THE PERSON WE'RE WRITING, TO EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRADUATE AND RECOGNITION FOR YOUR EFFORTS, WHICH ARE AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN THE SUCCESSFUL IN IN THE FUTURE SUCCESSFUL REPLACEMENT OF THE PLACE GATE AT METS NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
YOUR DEDICATION, HARD WORK, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY WILL NOT ONLY TRANSFORM THE PARK, BUT WILL ALSO CREATE A LASTING LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO ENJOY A NEW PLAY.
SCAPE STANDS AS A TESTAMENT TO WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED.
WHEN A COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER WITH A SHARED VISION.
FROM THE EARLY PLANNING STAGES TO THE FINAL CONSTRUCTION, YOU'LL HAVE CONTRIBUTED IN MEANINGFUL WAYS.
YOUR EFFORTS WILL RESULT IN A SAFE, VIBRANT, AND INCLUSIVE PLAY AREA WHERE CHILDREN CAN EXPLORE, PLAY, AND GROW.
THE JOY AND EXCITEMENT ON FACES AS THEY USE THE NEW PLAY SCAPES ARE GONNA BE A DIRECT REFLECTION OF YOUR GENEROSITY AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT.
THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH COLLABORATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION IN ENHANCING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND FOR MAKING OUR, UH, AND FOR MAKING METS NEIGHBORHOOD PARK A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE.
KINDEST REGARDS, SIGNED PEDRO REVIEW LEVELS AND CATHERINE FLOWERS.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND MY, UH, SINCERE THANKFULNESS TO BOTH SETH AND TO, UH, JONATHAN FOR HELPING WITH ALL OF THIS.
UM, AT THIS TIME BOARD, UM, I'M GONNA TAKE A VOTE.
I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LETTER, UM, AS READ.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
FROM A BOARD MEMBER OR VICE CHAIR FLOWERS, ALL THOSE, ANY DISCUSSION COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, WELL, I GUESS NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO TO
[3. Approve the Parks and Recreation board Annual Internal Review and Report. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers).]
NON-FUN STUFF.UM, WE'RE GONNA APPROVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, UM, RELATING TO THE ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW.
YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE HAD A COPY OF THIS.
IT WAS ALSO EMAILED TO EVERYONE, AND IT IS ALSO WAS PLACED IN BACKUP.
UM, THIS IS JUST BASICALLY A ANNUAL INTERNAL REVIEW THAT IS REQUIRED OF OUR BOARD EVERY YEAR BY THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND AS TO, A LOT OF THIS IS JUST COPY AND PASTING LANGUAGES FROM CITY CODE.
AND, UH, ONCE YOU GO INTO SECTION ONE AND THERE'S SUBSECTION A, B, AND C, UM, I, THAT'S BASICALLY ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND ALL THE ACTIONS THAT WE TOOK TO SUPPORT THAT, SUPPORT THE FUNCTIONS OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
I MEAN THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, THE, THE, THE MISSION OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
UM, SO IF YOU ALSO WANT TO KEEP THIS AS A KEEPSAKE FOR EVERYTHING THAT WE DID IN THE PAST YEAR, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO DO THAT.
UM, IT HAS EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE AS A BOARD AND AS A CONTRACT AND CONCESSION COMMITTEE.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UM, THERE'S NOTHING REALLY THAT EXCITING ABOUT IT OTHER THAN JUST IT, AGAIN, IT JUST STATES EVERYTHING THAT WE DID, EVERY, EVERY ACTION THAT WE TOOK.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS BOARD MEMBERS? OH, RIGHT.
AT THIS TIME I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.
THERE'S A SECOND FROM VICE CHAIR FLOWERS.
ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENT? OH, WAS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? OKAY.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE IN I'LL OPPOSED? ALL THOSE ABSTAINING MOTION CARRIES.
[00:50:01]
THIS TIME, WE'RE NOW GONNA[4. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department Community PARKnership Program. (Sponsors: Reed, Taylor). (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Operational Efficiency, Urban Public Spaces). Presenter(s): Christine Chute Canul, Program Manager II, Parks and Recreation Department.]
MOVE ON TO, UH, STAFF BRIEFING ON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY PARK OWNERSHIP PROGRAMS. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR.THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
UH, MY NAME IS CHRISTINE CHU KUL AND I MANAGE THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU, UH, A OVERVIEW TODAY OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES IT ENCOMPASSES.
UM, SO I'M ALSO GONNA TALK ABOUT HOW IT ALIGNS WITH CITY AND DEPARTMENT GOALS, OUR PAR PARTNERSHIPS, SO OUR FORMAL AGREEMENTS WITH NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIPS, OUR PARTNERSHIP CONFIGURATIONS AND COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS, AS WELL AS THE IMPACT.
UM, THIS IS NOT GONNA INCLUDE OTHER CONTRACTS THAT THE CITY HAS, UH, WHICH ARE THE ONES I LISTED HERE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR.
WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS A, A SLIDE SHOWING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT FALL UNDER THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM.
UM, THESE, THE PROGRAM REALLY COORDINATES THE EFFORTS OF VARIOUS EXTERNAL GROUPS, INCLUDING EXISTING PARTNERS, NEW PARTNERSHIPS, FOUNDATIONS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, NEIGHBORS, AND ANY GROUP ALIGNING WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S MISSIONS AND GOALS.
THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP TEAM STRIVES TO PROVIDE A TRANSPARENT AND CONSISTENT PROCESS.
THE PROGRAM, UM, INCLUDES OVERSIGHT AND MANAGEMENT ACHIEVED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING KEY AREAS.
SO DEVELOPING COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS, SETTING STANDARDS, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO THE EXTERNAL GROUPS, ENSURING COMPLIANCE, FACILITATING COLLABORATION, MONITORING PERFORMANCE, PROMOTING EQUITY, MEDIATING CONFLICTS, AND ENSURING ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO THE TEAM THEN COORDINATES ALL OF THESE EFFORTS, AND I'LL GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ON THE NEXT SLIDES.
BUT I DO WANNA ALSO JUST POINT OUT THAT THE PARTNERSHIPS, MANY OF THESE PROGRAMS AND OR THESE ACTIVITIES EXISTED BEFORE WE BRANDED IT UNDER THE NAME PARTNERSHIPS IN 2018.
SO A LOT OF THESE DIFFERENT EFFORTS OF VOLUNTEERISM, UM, AND SOME OTHER OF THESE ACTIVITIES DID OCCUR, BUT THEY WERE ALL OVER THE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND THEY WERE NOT AT A PUBLIC FACING PROGRAM.
SO THIS WAS THE DEVELOPMENT TO TAKE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT PARTNER WITH EXTERNAL GROUPS UNDER ONE UMBRELLA PROGRAM.
SO, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, UM, YOU'RE SEEING THE NUMBERS, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH THAT IN TOO MUCH DETAIL.
I'M GONNA EXPLAIN THE ROLE OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM AS IT RELATES TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
IN 2018, WE DEVELOPED A PROCESS IN WHICH OUR PARTNERS WOULD PROPOSE PROJECTS ON PARKLAND.
SO THESE ARE OUR NON-PROFIT PARTNERS THAT HAVE MET THE LIABILITY AND THE DIFFERENT PROGRAM PROTOCOLS THAT EXIST FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE A PROPOSAL FORM THAT GROUPS PROPOSE TO THE DEPARTMENT.
WE THEN REVIEW AND MONITOR ALL PROJECTS, STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS ON PARKLAND THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ARE THE METRICS THAT WE REQUIRE REPORTING ON FOR GROUPS THAT DO PROJECTS ON PARKLAND.
UM, SO THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE HUGE NUMBERS.
THEY'RE A GREAT BENEFIT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT WE REALLY SAW DURING THE COVID WHEN WE HAD TO STOP ALL STEWARDSHIP ON PARKLAND DUE TO THE NEED TO HAVE, UM, NOT HAVE GROUPS, UH, WE REALLY SAW WHAT IT MEANS IF WE DON'T HAVE STEWARDSHIP, IF WE DON'T HAVE VOLUNTEERS OUT THERE.
WE HAD A LOT OF LITTER, WE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES.
UM, AND SO IT REALLY SHOWED THE IMPACT THAT THESE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS THAT ARE RUN BY THESE NONPROFITS REALLY HELP OUR PROGRAM, OUR DEPARTMENT, UM, THE DEPARTMENT WE OVERSEE, WE APPROVE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PROPOSALS THAT COME THROUGH.
THE NONPROFITS ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT THROUGH DIRECT MANAGEMENT, THROUGH SUPPLIES, AND THROUGH COORDINATION WITH THE COMMUNITY GROUPS.
THE ADOPT A PARK PROGRAM IS REALLY A, A WAY IN WHICH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UH, CAN GROW INTEREST AROUND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.
AND SO, UH, THIS IS FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, OUR POCKET PARKS, OUR METRO, NOT OUR METRO PARKS ONLY, AND OUR DISTRICT PARKS.
[00:55:01]
SO IT'S A, A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN BOTH SUPPORT THESE GROUPS, PROVIDE RESOURCES AND ALIGN GOALS AND PROCESSES.THE COMMUNITY ACTIVATED PARK PROJECT PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED IN 2018 AS A REALLY INTAKE PROCESS FOR PROJECTS PROPOSED ON PARKLAND.
THIS WAS HAPPENING, UM, BEFORE 2018, BUT BY DEVELOPING THIS TRANSPARENT AND CONSISTENT PROCESS FOR EXTERNAL PROJECTS TO BE PROPOSED, WE WERE ABLE TO BETTER TRACK THE, THE PROJECTS THAT WERE BEING PROPOSED BY THE PUBLIC AND ALSO THEN TRACK IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE PROJECTS.
SO THIS IS THE INTAKE PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN THERE IS ALSO AN IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IS THE 20, UH, FISCAL YEAR, 23 NUMBERS.
WE DO AN IMPACT REPORT EVERY YEAR WHERE YOU CAN SEE DETAILED NUMBERS AS WELL AS A LIST OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SITES THAT PROPOSED A PROJECT.
AND THAT IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
WE ALSO MADE IT AVAILABLE TO THE PARKS BOARD IN APRIL.
THESE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENT CAP PROGRAM PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN BOTH PROPOSED AND DEVELOPED.
UM, THESE, THESE PROJECTS CAN OFTEN TAKE, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL YEARS FROM AN IDEA TO IMPLEMENTED.
AND THAT IS THE ROLE OF THE TEAM, OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM TO FOLLOW IT THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND TO HELP NAVIGATE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES, INTERNAL PROCESS PROCESSES, AS WELL AS NAVIGATE THE IMPLEMENTATION.
THIS IS KIND OF THE GENERAL PROCESS.
OBVIOUSLY EVERY PROJECT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT, UH, REVIEW PROCESS, BUT THIS IS SUBMITTED.
A SITE VISIT IS THEN, UH, COORDINATED THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
THE SITE VISIT INCLUDES ALL RELEVANT CITY STAFF, NOT JUST PARKS DEPARTMENT.
IT COULD BE WATERSHED DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, ART, AND PUBLIC PLACES.
AT THAT SITE VISIT, THE PROPOSER ALSO ATTENDS.
SO THE COMMUNITY MEMBER OR THE NONPROFIT, WHATEVER THAT EXTERNAL GROUP IS, WE THEN REVIEW IT BASED ON PARD GUIDELINES, CITY STANDARDS, WHAT IS FEASIBLE, SITE CONSTRAINTS.
AND THEN WE APPROVE, OR WE SAY IT'S NOT FEASIBLE FUNDING.
THERE IS NO FUNDING IN THE CAP PROGRAM IS NOT A GRANT PROGRAM.
RATHER IT IS A FEASIBILITY REVIEW IMPLEMENTATION.
IF IT IS A PROJECT, A LARGE SCALE PROJECT, UH, THEN A PARKLAND IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THAT PARTNER IS DEVELOPED.
SO THAT IS A PROJECT SPECIFIC AGREEMENT THAT IS USUALLY THE CONSTRUCTION AND PERMITTING THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR THAT PROJECT.
ALSO, UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM IS THE CITY'S CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE INITIATIVE, WHICH IS A CITYWIDE INITIATIVE.
IT IS NOT JUST THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, IT IS JUST LED BY, UH, STAFF WITHIN THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS COULD, THIS INITIATIVE COULD HAVE ITS OWN BRIEFING.
SO I'M JUST GONNA QUICKLY SAY THAT THE, UH, MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT IT, IT IS MEANT TO CREATE MORE EQUITABLE AND ABUNDANT ACCESS TO NATURE FOR CHILDREN.
SO, AGAIN, MEANT TO DO THIS THROUGH COLLABORATION AMONGST DEPARTMENTS, AMONGST INSTITUTIONS, NONPROFITS, A ISD, AND OTHER DISTRICTS THAT TOUCH OUR CITY.
SO THE COMMITMENT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMITMENT TO COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, IN 2019, WE DID A LONG RANGE PLAN, THE DEPARTMENT DID, AND THE NEED TO HAVE SOME MORE FORMALIZATION AROUND OUR PARTNERSHIPS WAS BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION.
SO HERE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY FROM THE LONG RANGE PLAN.
YOU CAN SEE IT ON PAGE ONE 30, BUT IT WAS TO DEVELOP CLEAR AND ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR PARD PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE EQUITABLE, SUPPORTIVE OF PARS GOALS, AND IS A REGULAR, REGULARLY EVALUATED TO TRACK AND MONITOR IMPACTS AND OUTCOMES.
SO WE DO THIS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH MANY WAYS, BUT IT'S NOT JUST THROUGH DEVELOPING METRICS.
IT'S ALSO TO HELP PROVIDE CONSISTENT AND TECHNICAL RESOURCES FOR GROUPS.
SO WE HAVE A, THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE'VE DEVELOPED A PARTNER RESOURCE LIBRARY THAT HAS MANY OF THE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT, THERE'S A LOT OF COMPLICATED, UH, STEPS WHEN DOING A PROJECT ON CITY OWNED LAND.
SO THIS PARTNER RESOURCE LIBRARY IS AVAILABLE TO ALL GROUPS SEEKING TO DO A PROJECT ON PARKLAND OR A PROGRAM OR TO PARTNER WITH US.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO DEVELOPED MANY DIFFERENT
[01:00:01]
PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES TO HELP GUIDE EXTERNAL GROUPS.WE DO THAT THROUGH SEVERAL WAYS.
THE GUIDELINES THROUGH LUNCH AND LEARNS WHERE WE OFTEN HAVE CITY STAFF PRESENT TO DIFFERENT GROUPS, TO, TO ALL OF OUR NONPROFITS ARE INVITED TO THAT TO LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT INITIATIVES WITH THE CITY PROGRAMS OR GOALS.
WE ALSO DEVELOPED, AS YOU'VE, I SPOKE ABOUT THE CONSISTENT PROCESS FOR PROPOSING PROJECTS ON PARKLAND.
SO HAVING ONE CONSISTENT PROCESS VERSUS WHEN WE ARE A SMALLER CITY, OFTEN THE COMMUNITY MEMBER WOULD GO TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS THEN STREAMLINES THAT PROCESS THROUGH ONE WAY, UH, THIS PRO THROUGH THIS LONG RANGE PLAN COMMITMENT, WE ALSO DEVELOPED POINTS OF CONTACT.
SO AGAIN, IT'S HAVING THAT CONSISTENCY.
WE ALSO DO A PARTNER NEWSLETTER THAT GOES OUT ONCE A MONTH PROVIDING RELEVANT NEWS AND RESOURCES TO OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OF ALL LEVELS A, B AND CD.
IN 2020, A CITY COUNCIL HAD A, SHOWED THEIR COMMITMENT TO PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION, WHICH WE'VE, UH, PROVIDED HERE.
BUT THE GOALS OF THESE PARTNERSHIPS, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF LANGUAGE, BUT ONE THING I DID WANNA POINT OUT WAS TO ENHANCE AND EXPAND PUBLIC USE OF PARKLAND AND FACILITIES.
ENCOURAGE ACTIVE RECREATION AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP THROUGH PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATION, CELEBRATE ARTS AND CULTURE AND HISTORY TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND MAXIMIZE PUBLIC BENEFIT AT MINIMUM TAXPAYER COSTS.
SO THAT WAS OUR COMMITMENT, OUR COUNCIL RESOLUTION IN 2020.
UM, SO WHY DID, DOES IT FEEL LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN WE NEEDED COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS? WELL, THE TRUTH IS, WE HAD THESE PARTNERSHIPS PRIOR TO THAT, YET WE DIDN'T HAVE CONSISTENCY IN OUR TERMS, IN OUR AGREEMENTS, OR WE DIDN'T HAVE AGREEMENTS AT ALL.
RATHER, WE HAD PARTNERS WHO WERE DOING, YOU KNOW, WERE COMMITTED AND DOING WORK, BUT THERE WAS, IS WITH SUN STILL NO FORMAL AGREEMENT.
SO THIS REALLY WAS SAYING THERE IS A NEED FOR THIS PROGRAM AS WELL AS A NEED TO HAVE, UH, CLEAR POINTS OF CONTACT, CLEAR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND TO TRACK THAT DATA.
SO THAT WAS REALLY THE NEED FOR THIS COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM WAS ALSO WE SAW MASSIVE GROWTH IN OUR CITY.
AND SO OFTEN, YOU KNOW, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, THEY WOULD KNOW THE PERSON WHO THE WAS WORKING IN THEIR PARK EVERY DAY.
BUT AS OUR, AS WE GREW AND THE AMOUNT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT WORKED AT THE CITY GREW, WE SAW THAT THERE WAS NEEDING TO HAVE THAT INTAKE PROCESS, WHICH IS WHY WE DEVELOPED THE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES THAT I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT TODAY.
THE PARTNERSHIP CONFIGURATION.
SO THIS IS TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PATHWAYS FOR A PARTNER TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT, FORMAL OR INFORMAL WITH THE CITY.
SOME OF THEM ARE EMERGING, MEANING IT'S COULD BE A ONE-TIME PARTNER, IT COULD BE A FUNDING PARTNERSHIP.
WE'VE HAD NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, UH, PARTNER WITH US ON TOURS, ON TRAININGS.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR FRIENDS GROUPS.
OUR ADOPT A PARKS ADOPT A CREEK PROGRAM, WHICH IS MANAGED BY OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, WATERSHED DEPARTMENT.
BUT A LOT OF THOSE DIFFERENT, UH, ACTIVITIES OCCUR ON PARK LAND.
AND THEN WE HAVE B WE HAVE NONPROFITS THAT HAVE ALIGNMENT WITH THE PARD, THOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE SITE SPECIFIC AND THEY DON'T HAVE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
AND THEN A, WHICH IS THE PMA, WHICH WE'VE HEARD ABOUT TODAY, WHICH IS A PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT.
SO THESE ARE LONG-TERM AGREEMENTS THAT NOT ONLY INCLUDE POTENTIALLY IMPROVEMENTS ON PARKLAND, BUT ALSO THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HELPING TO MAINTAIN THOSE AND ALSO, UH, CLEAR PROTOCOLS FOR THE CITY STAFF TO MANAGE THOSE DIFFERENT AGREEMENTS.
I'LL JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA GO TOO MUCH.
THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES TO HELP KIND OF FRAME THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS AND HOW THEY ALIGN WITH THE CONFIGURATIONS.
SO WE HAVE D THESE ARE KIND OF EMERGING OR ONE-TIME PARTNERSHIPS.
THESE DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE A FORMAL AGREEMENT.
OFTEN THEY'RE A, THE CITY HAS AGREED TO DO SOMETHING WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.
OUR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
I THINK YOU HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND HOW THEY PARTNER WITH US.
THEY DO HAVE TO FOLLOW OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, MEANING IF THEY ARE DOING A STEWARDSHIP PROJECT, THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW OUR POLICIES FOR THAT.
IF THEY ARE PROPOSING A PROJECT IN PARKLAND, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH OUR CAT PROGRAM.
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SLIDE.SAME THING WITH OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS.
THEY FOLLOW, THEY PROPOSE ANY STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS ON PARKLAND.
THEY'RE REVIEWED BY THE CITY AND THEN SUPPORTED BY THE CITY.
SAME THING WITH OUR COMMUNITY ACTIVATED PARK PROJECTS.
AND THEN A, WE HAVE OUR PARTNERSHIPS FOR PUBLIC PURPOSE.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR PARTNERSHIPS THAT, UM, HA NOT ONLY HAVE A LONGTIME STEWARDSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS DOING IMPROVEMENTS ON PARKLAND, THEY ALSO HAVE NOW OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE AND PROGRAMMING RESPONSIBILITIES THAT DIDN'T EXIST PRIOR TO THESE AGREEMENTS.
SO PRIOR TO THAT, AGAIN, WE DID PARTNER WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
WE DID NOT HAVE AGREEMENTS THAT SET OUT THOSE DELIVERABLES AS WELL AS THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE OVERSIGHT OF A POMA, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, I CAN'T RECALL IF YOU ALL WERE HERE.
UH, THE POMAS DO GO THROUGH A VERY PUBLIC PROCESS.
THEY DID GO THROUGH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND TO COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL.
UM, AND THEN FOR TWO YEARS HAD TO COME BACK AND FOR THEIR PROGRAMMING PLAN FOR THE NEXT YEAR TO PROVIDE AN IMPACT ON THEIR PROGRAMMING AND THEN TO PROPOSE THEIR PROGRAMMING FOR THE NEXT YEAR FOR SUPPORT AND APPROVAL BY THE COUNCIL.
UM, THIS IS THE ONGOING OVERSIGHT.
SO THOSE ARE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PLANS.
UH, WE HAVE THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE A PARTNERSHIP.
A THEY MUST MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS ANNUALLY AND THOSE ARE REVIEWED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE CONTINUING TO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
THERE IS A POEM, A MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE THAT IS WRITTEN INTO THE OMA THAT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT IS MORE THAN JUST PAR STAFF MEMBERS.
WE ALSO HAVE WATERSHED STAFF MEMBERS.
WE HAVE PUBLIC WORKS MEMBER STAFF, UM, AS WELL AS ART AND PUBLIC PLACES, STAFF AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF PARTS SO THAT IT MEETS QUARTERLY TO REVIEW THE IMPLEMENTATION TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING WHAT THE PARTNER SAID THEY WERE GONNA DO, AS WELL AS MEANING TO HAVE COMMUNICATION ON THOSE AGREEMENTS.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A PARTNERSHIP, A ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT THAT IS ONE THEY HAVE TO REPORT ANNUALLY, UH, AS A PART OF OUR DESK REVIEW.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE DEVELOPED A REPORT THAT THEY MUST COMPLETE.
AND THE IDEA WAS ONE, TO HAVE THESE NUMBERS AND HAVE ALL OF THE PARTNERS UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY WHAT, UH, WE ALL WANNA KNOW IS WHAT IS THAT IMPACT, BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO GAUGE IT AND ROLL THAT UP INTO NUMBERS THAT ARE CONSISTENT BECAUSE EVERY GROUP MAY BE MEASURING DIFFERENT.
UM, SO WE DEVELOPED OUR OWN REPORT AND REQUIRE A PROMA, OUR PMA PARTNERS TO COMPLETE IT.
SO JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SNAPSHOT ON THAT IMPACT, UH, KINGSBURY COMMONS AT PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY, IT'S A $10 MILLION RENOVATION OF KINGSBURY COMMONS.
THE CONSERVANCY HAD A PARKLAND IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT, SO IT MEANT TO BE A PROJECT SPECIFIC FOR THAT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THEN IN, WE NEGOTIATED A LONG-TERM PARK OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, WHICH WAS EXECUTED IN JANUARY, UH, 2023.
THIS HAS THE FORMALIZATION OF THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, MEANING WHO DOES WHAT AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS.
UH, THIS JUST KIND OF SHOWS OVERVIEW OF, UH, PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY OPERATES AND MAINTAINS THE WATER FEATURE.
THEY DO THE DAILY PARK SERVICING.
THEY MAINTAIN THE PARK AMENITIES AND THE NATIVE PLAN LANDINGS AND LAND MANAGEMENT IN ADDITION TO THE PROGRAMS, WHICH I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY, UH, EVENTS THAT THEY HOST AT THE SITE.
THE TRIAL CONSERVANCY WAS THE POMOS EXECUTED IN 2022.
UM, AND SO THERE ARE CLEAR DELIVERABLES AND BENCHMARKS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS THAT THE PARTNER, TTC MUST PROVIDE DIRECT INVESTMENT THROUGH GENERAL MAINTENANCE OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND ZONES OUTLINED IN THE OMA.
THAT WAS AN EXHIBIT OF THE OMA AND WAS COUNCIL APPROVED AS WELL.
SO THIS 10 YEAR PLAN WAS A COUNCIL APPROVED PLAN AS WELL, AS WELL AS WENT TO PARKS BOARD, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, EXAMPLES OF THAT IMPACT, UM, FOR THE BUTLER SHORES PROJECTS AS EXERCISE EQUIPMENT.
UM, SO NOT ONLY HELPING TO FUND AND TO DEVELOP THE IMPROVEMENT, ALSO MAINTAINING THAT IMPROVEMENT.
UH, THE RAINY STREET TRAILER HEAD, WHICH, UH, JUST OPENED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF NOT ONLY, UH, MANAGING THE, THE ACTUAL IMPROVEMENT, BUT THEN ALSO MAINTAINING IT AFTER IT'S COME ONLINE.
SO ADDING THESE DIFFERENT IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE PUBLIC WITHOUT AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, THEY ALSO DO ALL THE VOLUNTEER
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MANAGEMENT, ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION AND MAINTENANCE, NATIVE PLANTINGS, GENERAL PARK MAINTENANCE, AS WELL AS CONTRACTOR MAN MANAGEMENT AT THIS SITE.SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, THAT ARE MEETING CITYWIDE GOALS.
AND SO THE NATURE PLAY IS ONE OF THE CITY'S CONNECTING CHILDREN TO NATURE, UH, SPECIFIC GOALS.
THAT WAS CALLED OUT IN THE 2016 PLAN THAT WAS COUNCIL APPROVED.
UM, AT THE TIME, THE, THE DEPARTMENT DID NOT HAVE ANY NATURE PLAY ON PARKLAND.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE 24 DIFFERENT NATURE PLAY, UH, AMENITIES AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE PUBLIC.
THIS WAS A SYSTEMS CHANGE THAT REALLY REQUIRED SUPPORT BOTH FROM OUR DE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, OTHER AGENCIES, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATING NONPROFITS, AS WELL AS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS.
AND SO, THROUGH THIS COLLABORATIVE IMPACT AND ALIGNING GOALS, WE ARE ABLE TO TRAIN NOT ONLY OUR STAFF, BUT AS WELL AS OUR PARTNER STAFF WHO'S MAINTAINING AS WELL AS A ISD STAFF, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT.
THESE ARE THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES THAT CAME TOGETHER ON THIS INITIATIVE AND ARE WORKING TO NOT ONLY ADD THESE TO OUR PARK SPACES, BUT ALSO TO MAINTAIN 'EM AND LEARN OUR BEST PRACTICES SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM THROUGHOUT.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TODAY, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, BOARD MEMBERS? YES.
THANK YOU, CHRISTINE, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I ORIGINALLY, ORIGINALLY BROUGHT FORWARD, UM, THIS REQUEST FOR A PRESENTATION WITH THE IDEA OF ASKING THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WHAT WERE THE SUCCESSES AND THE CHALLENGES WITH THE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM SINCE IT WAS STARTED IN 20 18, 20 19.
AND, UM, I SEE THE PRESENTATION AND IT'S VERY THOROUGH AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
BUT, UM, AND, AND THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, I THINK YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE SUCCESSES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTARY ON WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES CURRENTLY WITH THE PARTNERSHIPS AS THEY ARE WRITTEN? SO, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, THE OVERARCHING PROGRAM, UH, WAS DEVELOPED IN 20 19, 20 18, 20 19, MEANING WE'RE TAKING ALL OF THE STEWARDSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT, UH, PROGRAMS I TALKED ABOUT.
THE AGREEMENTS WERE DEVELOPED AND EXECUTED IN 20 20, 22 AND 2023.
AND SO, UM, JUST AS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M SPEAKING TO THE TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS. UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM, I BELIEVE, YES, STREAMLINING, UH, A PROCESS IS, IS VERY HELPFUL TO, UH, PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT KNEW, DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO, UH, REQUEST A PROPOSAL OR DIDN'T HAVE A CONTACT THAT EXISTED.
SO DEVELOPING A PUBLIC FACING WEBPAGE, UH, THAT HAS AN ONLINE FORM THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN PROPOSE PROJECTS, UH, THAT IS VERY, CAN BE VERY HELPFUL.
BUT ONE, IT WAS, IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THAT WE DO RECEIVE A LOT OF PROPOSALS.
SO THAT IS A LOT OF REVIEW AND FEASIBILITY.
UM, IT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE, UH, DIFFERENT FOLKS THAT WERE USED TO BEING ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PROPOSE IT ONE WAY.
SO DEVELOPING A CONSISTENT PROCESS FOR ALL GROUPS, YOU KNOW, THAT HAD SOME, UH, WE HAD SOME LEARNING AND WE ALL HAD TO LEARN THAT TOGETHER.
UM, SO THAT WAS DEFINITELY, UH, A PIECE.
AND THAT WAS THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE FIRST STEP WAS DEVELOPING A STREAMLINE PROCESS, BOTH FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WERE BEING PROPOSED AS WELL AS THE STEWARDSHIP.
THEY JUST WEREN'T IN A STREAMLINED EFFORT.
UM, THE AGREEMENTS, WHICH I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, AS WELL, SO THEY ARE NEWER.
AND, UM, THERE, THERE ARE DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, IT'S A COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP.
THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNICATION THAT WAS BUILT INTO THE PALMAS.
UM, IT'S NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION EXTERNALLY WITH THE PARTNERS AS WELL AS INTERNALLY.
UM, SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE LEARNING CURVES, GETTING TO, UH, STREAMLINE THOSE PROCESS, DEVELOP GUIDELINES THAT NOT ONLY HELP THE EXISTING PARTNERS, BUT ALSO HELP US AS WE DO FUTURE ONES.
THIS IS ALSO A PROCESS WITH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
OUR CITY LAW DEPARTMENT WAS THE ONE WHO DEVELOPED
[01:15:01]
THE, THE DIFFERENT AGREEMENTS.AND SO THAT HAS BEEN A PROCESS AND THE LESSONS LEARNED THROUGH THAT PROCESS AS WELL, IN HOPES THAT WE CAN NOT HAVE TO TAKE SO LONG FOR EACH TIME WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP ONE, AND WE CAN DEVELOP THEM AT OUR DIFFERENT LEVELS AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
BOARD MEMBER BAAN, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY AROUND THE POMAS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THAT IS SOME, A CONCERN THAT WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY OFTEN.
SO JUST GIVING YOU A CHANCE TO SPEAK TOWARDS THAT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THE DEPART, THE CITY DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY FUNDING TO THE TRIAL CONSERVANCY AS A PART OF THE POMA AGREEMENT.
UH, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY DO HAVE CONTRACTS WITH OTHER, UH, CITY DEPARTMENTS TO DELIVER SOME ACTIVITY.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE A WATERSHED PROTECTION.
THEY HAVE A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES TO DEVELOP RIP PRAIRIE, UM, ECO RESTORATION.
UH, THEY ALSO HAVE ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH ART IN PUBLIC PLACES, UH, PROGRAM TO DELIVER THE TEMPORARY ART PROGRAM ON THE TRAIL.
AND SO, AGAIN, WITH THOSE CONTRACTS FOR SERVICES, UH, THEY ARE THEN PAID THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND FOLLOW THOSE PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES FOR REVIEW OF THE INVOICING AND THEN REPAYMENT, UH, FOR THEIR SERVICES.
FOR THOSE, UH, WE DO IN, YOU CAN SEE IN THE OMA, UH, THAT WE DO REQUIRE FINANCIAL REPORTING.
UH, WE DO REQUIRE AS A PARTNERSHIP A CRITERIA.
SO EVEN BEFORE THEY CAN ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE TO HAVE ANNUAL AUDITS.
SO, UM, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A REQUIREMENT OF EVERY NONPROFIT.
UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WOULD REQUIRE FOR A B OR AN EMERGENT NONPROFIT, BUT IT IS A REQUIREMENT FOR PARTNERSHIP A FOR THAT LEVEL OF A PARTNER WITH US.
UM, I THINK THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO ADD A SLIDE OR SO AROUND THE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY JUST FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT LIVES ONLINE FOR OTHER FOLKS WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO BE AT THIS MEETING OR PERHAPS LISTEN TO THE WHOLE THING.
I'D LIKE FOR, FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
OR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
SO IF YOU CAN BRING UP THE, UM, SLIDE 18, 19 AND 20 AGAIN, OR 18 THAT TALKS ABOUT THE POMA.
SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE ARE TWO PARKS, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS RIGHT NOW WITH PARTNERS, JUST TWO LEVEL A PARTNERS, RIGHT? THERE'S TWO POMA PARTNERS AS IT'S BEEN WRITTEN TO OUR CRITERIA PRIOR TO THE, UH, POMA TERMS, REPUBLIC SQUARE AND, UH, PARD HAD A, HAS A AGREEMENT WITH REPUBLIC SQUARE DAA FOR THE OPERATIONS OF MAINTENANCE, THOUGH IT WASN'T WRITTEN PRIOR TO THE OMA.
SO, UM, THE REPORTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THIS PAGE, UM, ARE THEY, ARE THEY PUBLICLY AVAILABLE? SO WHEN YOU HAVE A MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE QUARTERLY AND THE ANNUAL REPORT IMPACT REPORT, I KNOW THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT AS THE PARTS BOARD.
YOU, I THINK YOU ALSO WERE MAY BE REFERRING TO THE PROGRAMS REPORT, WHICH WE DO PROVIDE.
UH, BUT THEN YES, THE IMPACT REPORTS OF THE NONPROFITS, WE, UM, WE ACTUALLY PRESENTED IN NOVEMBER, THE TTC ONE, AND SO THAT WAS AVAILABLE AS WELL.
UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE MONTH OF THE PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY ONE.
UM, SO THE, SO JUST TO THE PARTNERSHIP, A OUR INTERNAL, WHICH I MENTIONED WITH THE MEASURES, UH, WE CAN MAKE THAT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, JUST WENT HOWEVER, WE'VE HAD ONE YEAR OF IT.
WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO OVER TIME IS TO SHOW THAT IMPACT TO BE ABLE TO SAY CONSISTENTLY WE CAN SEE IF THIS YEAR WAS THE MEASUREMENT, DID IT GO DOWN? DID IT GO UP? WHAT ARE WE SEEING? BUT WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE YEAR OF THAT REPORT.
WE WILL HAVE TWO YEARS IN OCTOBER.
AND THAT'S THE, THE PARTNERSHIP, A ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT.
LIKE THE REPORT THE PROGRAM DEVELOPED THAT OUR PMA PARTNERS HAVE TO COMPLETE.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE THAT MEETS QUARTERLY, YOU, UM, UH, SO THAT'S PART STAFF IN CITY STAFF AND THE PARTNER STAFF.
SO, UM, IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE ABOUT, UM, PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY AND, UH, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, THOSE TWO SLIDES, I THINK THERE'S SOME CONFUSION.
UM, THE PUBLIC IS CONFUSED ABOUT THE
[01:20:01]
IDEA OF OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.AND IF YOU COULD JUST TALK, SPEAK TO THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER, ESPECIALLY CONCERNING THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, THE POMA, THE IDEA HERE, UNLESS YOU'VE ACTUALLY READ THIS LONG PARKS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, HOW MUCH OF THE MAINTENANCE OF THE ACTUAL TRAIL, JUST THE EXISTING TRAIL, IS THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY DOING, AND HOW MUCH IS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY DOING? SO TO, TO BE CLEAR, IT'S OVER A 10 YEAR PHASING FOR CAPACITY.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE IT LAID OUT VERY CLEARLY.
UM, BUT IT'S A LARGE SPACE, SO YOU'D HAVE TO GO, YOU KNOW, IT'S BY ZONE, AS I MENTIONED.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHO'S DOING WHAT IN EACH ZONE.
BUT THEN AS CAPITAL IN THE PALMA, AS CAPITAL PROJECTS COME ONLINE, TTC IS THEN MAINTAINING THOSE SPACES.
SO THOSE TWO SPACES WE JUST TALKED TO ABOUT THE RAINY STREET TRAILHEAD, WHICH INCLUDES NATURE PLAY, UM, AS WELL AS THE BUTLER SHORES PROJECT.
THEY THEN HAVE ZONES, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN THE, WHERE THEY HAVE THEIR STAFF IS MAINTAINING.
A LOT OF THIS IS PLANTINGS ECO RESTORATION, AND THEY ALSO HAVE CONTRACTORS MAINTAINING IT AS WELL.
SO THE EXISTING TRAIL THAT IS THERE NOW THAT PEOPLE USE DAY TO DAY, IT'S NOT AN IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT'S BEEN DONE BY THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.
SO ARE THEY ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING IT? NO.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PALMA, IT HAS VERY CLEAR EACH ZONE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT MM-HMM.
AND THEN IT'S OVER A 10 YEAR PHASE THAT TTC GROWS IN CAPACITY AND RESPONSIBILITY OVER THE TRAIL.
SO I, I'VE LOOKED AT THE POEM AND IT HAS THREE PHASES.
WHAT PHASE IS TTC IN RIGHT NOW? IT IS IN PHASE ONE, ENTERING INTO PHASE TWO.
BUT THEY HAVE NOT ENTERED INTO PHASE TWO YET.
SO THE REASON I ASK THIS OF COURSE IS, IS, UH, THE PARK'S BUDGET MM-HMM.
AND, UM, UH, SOME OF OUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RESOURCES FOR PAR, WHAT, WHAT PART'S RESPONSIBILITY IS, WHAT THE PARTNER'S RESPONSIBILITY IS.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S UPSETTING THAT IN THAT ORDINANCE THAT YOU READ OUT LOUD, UM, THERE WAS A SECTION THAT SAID, WITH MINIMAL COST TO THE TAXPAYER, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT MM-HMM.
AND YET I KNOW THAT THE, UM, THE PUBLIC WHO PAYS TAXES OF COURSE, CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THEIR PARKS.
UM, SO IF THIS IS AN ARRANGEMENT WHEREBY THE PARTNERS ARE PROMISING TO DO SOMETHING OR, OR SEEM TO BE TO THE PUBLIC RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THERE BE SOME CLARITY ON THAT ABOUT WHAT THE PARTS DEPARTMENT IS STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR MAINTENANCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE CONSIDERING THE BUDGET THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT REALLY, REALLY NEEDS.
AND FOR EXAMPLE, UM, PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT ONES OF TWO DIFFERENT SITES.
THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AS I UH, POINTED OUT, AGAIN, THEY'RE MAINTAINING THE SITE, THEY'RE MANAGING THE WATER FEATURE AT THE SITE, A WATER FEATURE THAT IS NO LONGER MANAGED BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
THAT WAS PRIOR, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A WATER FEATURE AT THE SITE, WE'RE NO LONGER HAVING TO MANAGE A WATER FEATURE AT THAT SITE.
RATHER, WE JUST REVIEW AND HAVE OVERSIGHT OF THAT, UH, AMENITY.
UM, THE SAME WITH ALL OF THE PLANTINGS AT THE SITE.
UM, THE PLAY SCAPE AT THE SITE, THEY ARE MANAGING THAT AMENITY.
UM, SO THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF CLEAR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE IN THE POMA AS WELL AT CERTAIN SITES.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME, ESPECIALLY FOR THE, FOR THE LEVEL A PARTNERS, AND I DIDN'T SEE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION MEN MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, WHAT ARE THE EXCLUSIVE USES BY THE PARTNERS THAT THEY HAVE EXCLUSIVE USES OF THIS, OF PARKLAND? SO THEY DON'T HAVE EXCLUSIVE USE.
THEY HAVE THE EXCLUSIVE, UH, ABILITY TO MANAGE VOLUNTEER STEWARDSHIP AT THE SITE.
SO THE, THE CITY ALWAYS HAS THE ABILITY TO DO ANY, ANYTHING AT THESE SITES 'CAUSE IT'S PUBLIC LAND.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY AND OR PEACE PARK CONSERVANCY HAS THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO MANAGE VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES AT THOSE SITES.
BUT NOT, UH, REGARDING EVENTS OR USE OF THE PARKLAND OR, SO THE EVENTS, WHICH I CAN GO INTO DETAIL, BUT THAT WAS DE DEFINITELY WE COVERED WHEN WE WENT OVER ON THE POEM.
UM, THAT WAS HEAVILY DISCUSSED AND PRESENTED
[01:25:01]
AND IS AVAILABLE EVERY YEAR ON A PAGE, WHAT THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE ALLOWED TO USE IT, WHAT THEIR USES ARE, AND THEN WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING EVERY YEAR.SO THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL SAW IN NOVEMBER WHEN WE BROUGHT THAT FORWARD AND YOU SUPPORTED IT.
SO IT WAS WHAT THEIR, UH, PROGRAMS WERE GONNA BE AT THE SITE.
SO THAT IS, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO BRING IT TO US, AND WE DID MAKE THAT AVAILABLE AND WE MAKE IT AVAILABLE EVERY YEAR.
I HOPE THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO, TO WORK WITH US AND TO GIVE US FEEDBACK AND TO LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN BE HELPFUL IN MAYBE PERHAPS COMMUNICATING WITH THE PARTNERS.
AND I THINK BOARD MEMBER BEAN BROUGHT THIS UP TOO, FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU WENT OVER, WHICH IS CONCESSIONS OR, OR THE OTHER, UH, FINANCIAL ISSUES THAT ARE INVOLVED FOR THE PARTNERS.
BUT I THINK THAT IF THAT'S A MORE OPEN FEEL AND THAT IF WE HAVE MORE FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL MM-HMM,
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE, YES.
I'M CURIOUS, FOLLOWING UP ON SOMETHING, BOARD MEMBER REED SAID, UM, UH, SORT OF TWO OF OUR MOST PROMINENT NONPROFITS.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THEY FIT INTO THIS MODEL, AND PERHAPS THEY DON'T.
SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU COULD TELL ME IF THEY ENGAGE WITH THE MODEL AT ALL.
ONE IS, UM, UH, SAVE OUR SPRINGS, AND THEN THE OTHER IS THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THEY HAVE ANY INTERACTION WITH YOU UNDER THIS UMBRELLA.
UH, THEY DO UNDER THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM.
UM, SO AGAIN, STEWARDSHIP, AS I MENTIONED, ANY STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS IN PARKLAND MUST FOLLOW OUR PROCESS.
SO AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION LEADS A LOT OF DIFFERENT STEWARDSHIP, UH, PROJECTS ON PARKLAND.
ALL OF THEM MUST BE, UH, PROPOSED THROUGH OUR PROCESS FOR REVIEW THE CITY'S PROCESS FOR REVIEW.
THE SAME FOR A COMMUNITY ACTIVATED PARK, PROJECT PRO.
UH, IF A PROJECT ON PARKLAND IS BEING PROPOSED, THEY MUST BE REVIEWED THROUGH OUR PROCESS.
WE DO NOT HAVE A FORMAL AGREEMENT WITH, UM, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION FOR, UM, FOR THAT PARTNERSHIP.
UM, THAT IS A GOAL OF THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE ALSO, FOR SAVE OUR SPRINGS, WE DO NOT HAVE A FORMAL, UH, PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH THE, UH, WITH THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, BUT IN, AGAIN, THE SAME THING.
AN ACTIVITY THAT IS STEWARDSHIP WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS.
'CAUSE AGAIN, IT'S JUST ANY EXTERNAL GROUP PROPOSING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP ON PARKLAND OR A IMPROVEMENT ON PARKLAND, FOLLOW THOSE PROCESSES IN PLACE.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
[5. Staff briefing on progress of the Festival Beach Soundwall and pedestrian improvements. (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Urban Public Spaces, Park Access for All). Presenter(s): JT Stewart, Senior Planner, Parks and Recreation Department.]
NUMBER FIVE.UM, I'M JT STEWART, AND I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU GUYS A BRIEFING AT YOUR REQUEST, UM, OF WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING AT, UH, THE SOUND WALL AT FESTIVAL BEACH.
UH, AS A BACKGROUND, UH, I WAS HERE IN JANUARY, UM, WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A SOUND WALL AND, UH, ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY AND, UH, DETERMINED WHETHER WE WANTED, UM, TWO OR THREE PANEL SOUND WALL.
AND SO OUR PREVIOUS DIRECTOR, UH, KIMBERLY MCNEELY ACCEPTED THE OFFER.
I'VE MET WITH, UM, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS, UH, CAP METRO AND URBAN TRAILS, AND, UM, SOME OF THE COMMUNITY FOLKS HERE TODAY TO GATHER FEEDBACK, UM, TO TALK ABOUT DESIRED AMENITIES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, UH, NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE.
UM, AND THAT WILL, UH, NOT HINDER THE HIGHWAY, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, TEXT DOTS, UM, UH, PROGRESS, UH, OR WILL NOT HINDER THE, THE HIGHWAY ITSELF.
UM, AND SO, YEAH, WE, WE'VE DONE SOME GOOD WORK.
SO TPW, UH, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS HAS HELPED DEVELOP THIS CONCEPT THAT YOU'LL SEE, UH, SLIDE SIX, AND WE'VE REVIEWED IT WITH STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, AND THE CONCEPT INCLUDES AT THIS POINT, A DA RAMPS, UM, CROSSWALKS, CURB BOUTS, WATER FOUNTAIN, AND IRRIGATION, AS YOU HEARD, GRACE AND CLA TALK ABOUT, UM, WHICH WAS A BIG ASK, UM, FOR, TO KIND OF ADORN
[01:30:01]
THE WALL THERE TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE SIGHTLY AND PERHAPS IMPROVE THE ECOLOGICAL SERVICE OF THE WALL.UM, SO ON SLIDE SEVEN, WE'LL SEE TEXT OUT IS REVIEWED AND RESPONDED WITH THIS MODIFIED CONCEPT, AND THEY'RE KIND OF THE CLEARING HOUSE, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE KIND OF RUNNING THROUGH THINGS THROUGH THEM.
AND I AM, I'M SERVING AS KIND OF A LIAISON OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, HELPING OUT, UM, THE FOOD FOREST AND THE COMMUNITY GARDEN.
SO IN REVIEW, UM, YOU SEE THE SLIDE TO THE, THE LEFT THERE THAT SHOWS JUST THE TWO WALLS.
AND THEN THE, UH, HATCHED AREA SHOWS THE REDUCTION IN SOUND VERSUS IF WE WOULD'VE GONE WITH THE THREE WALLS, WHICH IS ON THE RIGHT, WHICH HAS A LITTLE MORE OF A, UH, OF A SWATH, UH, OF, UM, NOISE PROTECTION OR DECIBEL REDUCTION.
UH, SO THIS IS WHAT I, LET'S SEE, WHAT IS THIS? UH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, GOING AFTER WE'VE, WE, WE CHOSE FOR THE, UH, WITH THE COLLECTIVE, WE, UH, CHOSE FOR THE THREE, UH, PANELS OF WALLS.
AND SO, UM, I HAD THE TRANSPORTATION FOLKS HELP ME OUT WITH, UM, UH, KIND OF GIVING ME A, A DEPICTION.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE YELLOW CIRCLE THERE TO NOTE, THANKS TO OUR, OUR GARDEN, UH, ACTIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE HAD THE WALL KIND OF JOG AROUND A, A MATURE PECAN THERE.
UH, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE STARTED WITH TO KINDA SHOP AROUND WHAT WE COULD DO IN AND AROUND THE WALL AND KIND OF APPROACH IT WITH SOME POTENTIAL AMENITIES.
AND SO THESE ARE LITTLE SCRIBBLES WE MADE, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO RETHINK, UH, KIND OF GO TOWARDS THE WALL.
UH, WE KNEW THAT, THAT WE WANTED, UM, YOU KNOW, IRRIGATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE OUT HERE TURNING UP THE, THE STREETS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, BUILDING A HIGHWAY AND A BRIDGE.
UM, WE, WE WANT TO GET IN LINE, UH, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED, UH, WATER METERS.
AND, UH, MET WITH URBAN TRAILS, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR THE DRINKING.
UH, ACTUALLY IT WAS A SAFE ROUTE OF SCHOOL, RATHER, UM, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR THE DRINKING FOUNTAIN, WHICH IS THE BLUE STAR.
SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF CONCEPT, AND MAYBE THERE COULD BE A BULB OUT THERE REALLY JUST TO, UH, AGAIN, AS I SAID IN JANUARY, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GO THE EXTRA A MILE SO THAT, UM, THIS DIVISIVE INFRASTRUCTURE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, WE COULD KIND OF, UH, ACTIVATE AND KIND OF HUMANIZE ASPECTS OF IT.
SO THIS, THIS IS THE TRANSPORTATION'S RESPONSE TO THAT FOR, TO, TO MY
UM, AND, UM, SO WE SHOPPED THIS AROUND KIND OF INTERNALLY.
UH, THE CROSSWALK THAT'S SUGGESTED THERE GOING SOUTH OVER, UM, WALL OR STREET, UH, IS GONNA BUMP UP INTO A BUS, BUS STOP.
SO WE HAD TO ENGAGE WITH CAP METRO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD SHIFT THINGS AROUND.
ANYWAY, EVERYTHING HERE WAS KIND OF THE CITY STANDARDS, UM, AND WE THOUGHT THAT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE AND ACHIEVABLE.
AND THIS IS A LOT GOING ON, BUT, UM, THIS WAS JUST KIND OF TO SHOW THE DIALOGUE THAT WE'RE AT TODAY, AND THIS IS WHY I'M HERE FOR A BRIEFING, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE MAKING HEADWAY AND, UM, THINGS ARE KIND OF MOVING AROUND.
UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE AUSTIN WATER KIND OF, UM, IN THIS DIALOGUE, WHICH, UM, TO CLAIRE'S POINT, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE EFFORT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING THE CAP AND STITCHES RIGHT HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
AND WE KNOW THAT AUSTIN WATER REALLY WANTS TO USE A LOT OF PURPLE PIPE FOR THAT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING THAT DOWN TO THE SIDE MAKES SENSE FOR THE IRRIGATION OF THE WALL.
UM, SO THEY'VE MADE SOME COMMENTS, UH, HERE AND THERE AND, UM, UM, YEAH, WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY? UM, WE CAN COME BACK TO THIS IF Y'ALL WANT TO.
SO NEXT STEPS, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO COME BACK.
UM, UM, MY, MY REPLACEMENT IS, I, I START TO HAND THIS PROJECT OFF IS HERE, AND, YOU KNOW, SHE'LL BE HAPPY TO COME BACK AS WE KIND OF GATHER A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, INFORMATION.
BUT AS IT STANDS, WE HAVE KIND OF A GREAT, UH, UH, STANDING MEETINGS WITH TDOT FOR MANY OTHER ISSUES.
BUT WE, WE KIND OF KEEP OUR, OUR FINGER ON THIS PULSE.
UH, NEXT STEPS POSSIBLE PATHWAYS FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS AMENITY.
UH, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S THREE WAYS FORWARD, UM, INCORPORATED AS A CHANGE ORDER ONCE I 35, LADY LADYBIRD LAKE CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERWAY, INCORPORATED AS A PART OF THE DOWNTOWN PROJECT AND INCORPORATE IT AS A BREAKOUT LANDSCAPE PROJECT AFTER COMPLETION OF THE DOWNTOWN UT SEGMENTS.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE DISCUSS THINGS ABOUT TIMING, FUNDING, CONTRACTING, LANDSCAPING, AND THE LONG TERM MAINTENANCE, UM, WITH TDOT.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS OR QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS?
[01:35:01]
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.UM, NICOLE MERRI, UM, ON WEBEX.
UM, THANKS FOR THAT PRESENTATION FOR SHOWING UP.
THAT'S HELPFUL TO KEEP THE DIALOGUE GOING ABOUT THIS.
UM, SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS I'M, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT ANY PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE, UM, IN CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN TXDOT AND THE CITY ON HOW THE PROJECT'S GONNA BE FUNDED AND MAINTAINED, AND SPECIFICALLY HOW THE AMENITIES ARE GONNA BE FUNDED AND MAINTAINED? UM, NO, UM, TDOT'S A LITTLE, UH, CAGEY ABOUT THE, THE MAINTENANCE AT THIS POINT.
'CAUSE I THINK IT'S GONNA BE WRAPPED UP IN A, A LARGER PACKAGE OF MAINTENANCE OF THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE, UM, EXPANSION.
SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF ON HOLD FOR THAT.
AS FAR AS FUNDING ON MY BIT, YOU KNOW, I'VE KIND OF BEATEN THE BUSH A LITTLE BIT WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND LIKE I SAID, I'VE GOTTEN, UH, SOME FOLKS TO STEP FORWARD WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE WATER FOUNTAIN AND PROBABLY THE LANDING.
UM, UH, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR TPW, BUT, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SIDEWALK WORK AND CURB CUTS.
I, I THINK WE COULD PROBABLY ABSORB THAT, BUT DON'T QUOTE ME THERE.
UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE FOLKS, UH, COME AND, AND SPEAK TO THIS AS FAR AS PUTTING IN THE METERS.
UH, I THINK THAT'S A BIG TICKET ITEM.
I MEAN, I NEED, I, WE NEED, WE NEED Y'ALL TO, WE NEED TO JUST KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT AND SEE WHERE THE FUNDING WILL COME FROM.
UM, I WISH I HAD MORE TO SHARE THERE, BUT, UH, JUST WE HAVEN'T, WE JUST, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET TO A NEEDS ASSESSMENT AT THIS POINT, AND WE, I THINK WE'VE DONE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL BEEN BRIEFED ON IT, BUT WITH THE CAPTAIN STITCH, WE HAVE THE, THE, THE EAST, THE EAST AVENUE TRAIL, WHICH IS KIND OF REALLY, YOU KNOW, GRAVITATING TO THE EAST SIDE OF THAT CORRIDOR AND THIS, THIS WILL REALLY, OR COULD REALLY MARK THE SOUTHERN END OF THAT.
AND SO ALL THESE LITTLE THINGS WE'RE DOING, I, I DON'T WANNA BELITTLE IT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, UM, IN THAT A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS WILL PROBABLY END UP, YOU KNOW, JUMPING ON THE LADY BIRD LAKE TRAIL AND THEY'LL PROBABLY NEED WATER AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS THAT'S YET TO COME, BUT I, I THINK THE, UM, YEAH, NEXT QUESTION.
UM, AND SO THE, THE, I THINK, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS CLAIRE GRACE THAT BROUGHT IT UP, BUT THEY, THEY TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE CONCERN AND I SHARE THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT KIND OF DRIVING COMMUNITY MEMBERS AWAY FROM THE FOOD FOREST IN THE GARDEN IF THE WALL DOESN'T GO UP MAYBE BEFORE CONSTRUCTION.
SO IS THERE, UM, IS THERE ANY UPDATE THERE ON LIKE, WHAT THE TIMING COULD BE OR WHETHER OR NOT TECH STOCK WOULD BE AMENABLE TO LIKE MAYBE WORKING ON THE WALL BEFORE SOME OF THE PROJECTS, UM, TO EXPAND THE ROAD START? YEAH, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE ANY, I MEAN, I, I, I CAN, I CAN TRY TO, TO BROACH THE TOPIC, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN OUR MONTHLY BIMONTHLY MEETINGS.
UM, BUT, UM, LET'S JUST CHECK BACK ON THAT.
UM, MY, YOU KNOW, MY COWORKER OF A LONG TIME, UM, SCOTT FORD IS HERE WITH TDOT, AND, UH, I DON'T THINK HE HAS AN UPDATE ON IT.
I THINK, UH, I THINK THEY'VE GONE BOTH WAYS ON, ON THE DELIVERY OF THAT IN THE PAST, ON, ON SIMILAR PROJECTS.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S BUILD THE CASE AND, UM, JUST KINDA KEEP IT IN FRONT OF 'EM, TEXTILE.
UM, ANOTHER, ANOTHER THING THAT THEY'VE BROUGHT UP IS THERE'S A, THERE'S A FAIR NUMBER OF MANDARIN SPEAKERS, UM, THAT ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY GARDENS.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY EFFORTS BY THE DEPARTMENT TO REACH OUT AND KIND OF GET THEIR INPUT OR WORK MORE DIRECTLY WITH THEM? UM, DEPARTMENT, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, I GUESS? YEAH.
UM, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'VE BEEN KIND OF OR STOP MOSTLY Y'ALL.
YEAH, I MEAN, I KNOW THEY'VE HAD, UH, I'VE, I'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF THE MEETINGS REALLY JUST KIND OF, UH, TRYING TO STAY ON TOP OF IT.
BUT, UM, IT ALWAYS APPEARS THAT THERE'S A, A GOOD EFFORT TOWARDS INCLUDING THEM.
UM, AND, UM, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY, UM, REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVE, NEGATIVE TAKE ON, ON THEIR EFFORT TO, TO REACH OUT TO THAT SPECIFIC COMMUNITY ON, ON ONLY, ONLY GOOD THINGS.
IS, IS THERE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU CAN REALLY BE ASKING.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INCLUDED.
UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S LANGUAGE SUPPORT AND THAT LIKE IF THEY'RE, THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE INPUT AND THAT CONCERNS ARE BEING HEARD AS WELL.
UH, I COULD, I CAN PUT THAT ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO JUST, UH, INQUIRE ABOUT AND I WILL, UH, LIKELY PROBABLY FOLLOW UP WITH, WITH CLAIRE AND GRACE.
'CAUSE I THINK THEY PROBABLY HAVE THEIR, YOU KNOW, FINGER ON THE BEST PULSE BEING AS ENGAGED.
I, I, I'LL, I WILL, UH, MAKE SURE TO BRING THAT UP, UH, WITH MY, UH, KIND OF T CHANNELS.
UM, AND THEN DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S LIKE ANY SPECIFICS ON, UM, HOW TREES WILL
[01:40:01]
BE PROTECTED DURING CONSTRUCTION? WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THAT LAST SLIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE WE WERE SUGGESTING, UM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING A WATER METER, UM, I STARTED LOOKING AT IT AND I THOUGHT, THAT'S GOTTA BE PRETTY CLOSE TO THE CRITICAL WATER, UM, YOU KNOW, CRITICAL ROOT ZONE.SO, UH, AND, AND SURE ENOUGH, AUSTIN WATER CAUGHT IT AND, UM, THEY SUGGESTED TO PUT THE, UH, THE WATER METER ELSEWHERE.
UM, SO YEAH, UM, DEFINITELY ON CRITICAL ROOT ZONE.
UM, ADDITIONAL TR YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THIS, BUT I, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE.
I MEAN, I'VE NOTICED THAT OAK, THAT'S GONNA BE PRETTY CLOSE TO THE MIDDLE WALL.
I THINK IT HAS A TRANSMISSION LINE GOING OVER IT, SO IT'S GONNA BE AN ODD SHAPED TREE, I GUESS IT ALREADY IS, BUT, UH, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING THAT'S, UM, I MEAN, I HEARD THE CONCERNED CITIZEN EARLIER TODAY, BUT I THINK HIS CONCERNS WERE A LITTLE SOUTH.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT IS JUST STILL KIND OF IN FLUX.
UM, SO CAN YOU, ARE YOU ABLE TO PROVIDE ANOTHER UPDATE MAYBE NEXT MONTH AND MAYBE EVEN IN WRITING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP COMING OR, YEAH.
YOU KNOW, WELL, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME AGAIN AND GIVE US ANOTHER UPDATE.
UM, UM, YEAH, A MONTH MIGHT BE A LITTLE TIGHT.
I MEAN, THINGS, IT JUST TAKES A WHILE FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN, BUT, UM, WE CAN JUST STAY IN TOUCH AND, UM, I'M, I'M HAPPY TO COME BACK WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING SUBSTANTIVE TO, TO SHARE.
AND, AND, UH, BOARD MEMBER MAY JUST SUGGEST THAT WE KIND OF JUST TOUCH BASES BACK IN AROUND SEPTEMBER.
SEE IF THAT AT THAT TIME WE CAN, WE, WE NEED TO DO A, UH, UPDATE AND E WRITING OR PRESENTATION.
UM, SO MR. BECK, CAN YOU HELP ME KEEP TRACK OF THAT? WE'LL TOUCH BASES IN SEPTEMBER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, J DO YOU HAVE NO DONE? YES, QUESTION? UH, WAIT, ARE YOU DONE NICOLE MERRI? YEAH, I'M DONE ON MY SIDE.
JT, I HAD A QUESTION AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING THE PRESENTATION.
IT DEFINITELY SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE A LOT OF GREAT KNOWLEDGE, YOU KNOW, WORKING THROUGH A PROJECT THAT'S BEEN, I CAN KIND OF HEAR THE LEVEL OF DETAIL THAT YOU'VE COMMITTED TO.
UM, I THINK WHEN WE HAD SOME OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS, OR I GUESS WERE YOU, WERE YOU MOVING AT SOME POINT? WELL, NO,
AND, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M DESTINED YET, BUT I'M STILL HERE AND HAPPY TO HELP OUT AS I CAN.
I THINK ONE REQUEST I WAS GOING TO MAKE, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE ALL THOSE PLAN SHEET MARKUPS, A LOT OF COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH, AND OBVIOUSLY FUNDING HASN'T BEEN FINALIZED FOR HOW THOSE CHANGES WOULD BE MADE, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS WHAT THE FINAL PREFERRED PLAN AND KIND OF BEST LOCATION FOR THESE THINGS WOULD BE.
WOULD, IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE HELPFUL.
I THINK IF YOU COULD EMAIL TO THE PARKS BOARD, YOU KNOW, OR TO THE INTERESTED PARTIES THAT FINAL CONVERSATION, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT THE PDF IS HERE IN THE THREE COLORS OR SO, BUT KIND OF THE LATEST MARKUPS JUST FOR OUR RECORDS AS WELL, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THE CONVERSATION COMES UP AGAIN, THAT, YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE LOOKING TO ASSIST THE COMMUNITY IN FOLLOWING THROUGH ON, YOU KNOW, CAN A CHANGE ORDER BE DONE AS PART OF THE PROJECT, WOULD IT BE DONE AS A SEPARATE PROJECT THAT EVERYBODY JUST HAS THE LATEST FILE SO THE WHEEL DOESN'T HAVE TO BE REINVENTED? 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON IT.
BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK THAT PROBABLY IS THE MOST RECENT.
UM, AND YEAH, IT JUST TOOK A WHILE TO GET SOME BACK AND FORTH AND, UM, I'D BE HAPPY TO SEND THAT OUT.
I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE STATUS THAT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, TO GRACE'S POINT EARLIER ABOUT GETTING AUSTIN WATER TO COMMIT TO PURPLE PIPE, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL WANT TO CHANGE WHERE THEY'RE SUGGESTING THE, THE METERS ARE OR IF THEY HAD MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION, UH, OF THAT METER LOCATION, UH, WITH THAT IN MIND.
SO, UM, YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES, I WILL, UH, GET THAT TO YOU GUYS AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF KEEP YOU GUYS, UH, UP TO DATE EVERY COUPLE MONTHS.
WELL, THANKS FOR PURSUING ALL OF THOSE AVENUES SO FAR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ALRIGHT.
[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.]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX.MY NAME IS ANGELA, MEANS I'M THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND I'LL BE WITH YOU BRIEFLY TO GO OVER THE JULY REPORT THAT I HAVE.
THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO SAY IS, THIS MONTH IS PARKS AND RECREATION MONTH
[01:45:01]
FOR JULY.THE, THIS YEAR'S THEME IS WHERE YOU BELONG.
AND THIS CELEBRATES THE MANY WAYS.
PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSIONALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR ALL AGES AND ABILITIES.
THIS IS, UM, IN COORDINATION WITH THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION, AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE CELEBRATING THAT THIS YEAR.
IN THE REPORT THAT YOU CAN TAKE, UH, A CLOSER LOOK AT OF THE, UH, THIS JULY'S REPORT, YOU WILL SEE THAT AUSTIN HIGHLIGHTS MANY WAYS WHERE OUR PROGRAMS, UH, FOSTER A THE THEME THAT, UM, THIS, THIS YEAR'S THEME IS ON, WHICH IS, UH, A SENSE OF BELONGING.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, WE HAD A COUPLE OF RIBBON CUTTINGS THIS MONTH, VERY EXCITING FOR TWO OF OUR PARKS OR OUR PROJECTS.
THE FIRST ONE WAS THE HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD PARK IN RES RESCHE FIELDS.
ON JULY 19TH, THIS RIBBON CUTTING WAS WELL ATTENDED BY MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING SOME OF OUR OLD TIME, UH, RESIDENTS WHO WERE PART OF THE EARLY, UM, DEVELOPMENT OF, OF THE CHANGES FOR THE PARKS.
SO WE WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THIS PROJECT INCLUDED TWO KICKBALL FIELDS, PARK LIGHTING, A LOOP, WALKING TRAIL BENCHES, A NEW DRINKING FOUNTAIN, A NEW PARKING LOT, UTILITIES FOR FUTURE RESTROOM AND COMMUNITY BUILDING, A NEW SITE IRRIGATION SYSTEM, AND 45 ADDITIONAL TREES.
IN THE LATE 2024, A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE WILL BE INSTALLED OVER WALLER CREEK CONNECTING TO THE NATURAL SURFACE, A TRAIL ALONG WALLER CREEK.
THIS PARK IS NOW HAS BEEN REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC.
THE SECOND RIBBON CUTTING THAT WE HAD WAS FOR THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, UM, ON JULY 12TH.
THIS CELEBRATED THE COMPLETION OF THE RAINY STREET SHELL TRAILHEAD PROJECT, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY TWO ACRES.
UM, THIS INCLUDES PART SPACE, MULTIPLE SHADE SEATING AREAS, A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD LAWN, A NATURE PLAY AREA, A WATER ACCESS POINT, AND PROTECTS AND PROTECTS THE ANNE AND ROY BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL BY ADDING NEW RESTORATION AREAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT RUNOFF AND EROSION FROM RAINY STREET TO LADYBIRD LAKE.
THIS HAS OVER 7,000 NATIVE PLANTS AND 130 NEW SHADE TREES THAT WERE PLANTED IN THE RESTORATION AREAS ALONG WITH THE NATIVE GRASS AND WILDFLOWER SEEDING.
IT ALSO ADDS AN A DA ACCESSIBLE CONNECTION FROM THE RAINY STREET DISTRICT TO THE TRAIL AND COMPONENTS FOR INCREASED SAFETY, INCLUDING LIGHTING, SIGNAGE, AND WAY FINDING.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THIS MONTH WE ARE ALSO TRACKING OUR 2018 GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND PROGRAM SPENDING.
WE HAVE, AS OF TO DATE FOR THE PROPOSITION C, UH, WHICH WAS WE WERE ALLOCATED 149 MILLION.
WE HAVE SPENT 87 MILLION, WHICH REPRESENTS ALMOST 60% OF THE, UM, PROPOSITION C BOND DOLLARS OF, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE ALSO, UM, FURTHER HAVE 10 OR 11% THAT ARE UNDER CONTRACT AND AN ADDITIONAL 21% WHERE THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO PROJECTS.
SO WE ARE MOVING QUICKLY THROUGH THE 2018 BOND.
I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS, BUT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IN THE REPORT THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, THE ONES THAT ARE IN, UH, THAT ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN DESIGN AND PART OF THE VISION PLANNING AREAS.
IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THAT, WE'VE GOT MANY DIFFERENT UPDATES WITH OUR PROGRAMS, UH, WITHIN OUR RECREATION CENTERS ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
WE ARE EXPERIENCING TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN OUR RECREATION CENTERS AND OUR USE OF OUR PARKS.
OUR PUBLIC IS VERY, UH, EXCITED ABOUT OUR PARK SYSTEM.
IT IS THE SUMMER MONTHS AND WE'RE, IT'S, WE'RE SEEING MANY PEOPLE IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
THE ZILKER SHUTTLE PROGRAM WAS ALSO, UH, KICKED OFF.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS THIS LAST MONTH.
THIS KICKED OFF AT THE END OF MAY.
UH, IT CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD.
UH, WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE, UH, LEVEL OF RIDERSHIP, UH, OVER THIS YEAR COMPARED TO THE PRIOR TWO YEARS AFTER THE JULY 4TH WEEKEND, WE SAW OVER 2,500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS UTILIZING OUR SHUTTLE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE PARKING IS LIMITED.
SO WE THANK OUR, UH, CUSTOMERS FOR UTILIZING THE SHUTTLE.
THE LAST PART I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT IS ON YOUR AGENDA.
YOU HAVE AN ITEM THAT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO, UM, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
[01:50:01]
ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PERMANENT LOCATION FOR BOATING CONCESSIONS AT FESTIVAL BEACH AND THE AMENDMENT TO THE HOLLY SHORES EDWARD WINDON SENIOR AT FESTIVAL BEACH VISION PLAN TO INCLUDE THAT LOCATION.AND THIS IS PER THE CITY ORDINANCE.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WE'RE COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND SO I DEFINITELY SUPPORT, UM, HAVING A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THIS, THIS ITEM.
IT HAS BEEN NEARLY FIVE YEARS SINCE THE RESOLUTION WAS, UM, PUT BEFORE COUNCIL.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED JUST SLIGHTLY AND WE WANT TO CHECK IN WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT, THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO THAT.
THAT COMPLETE, THAT COMPLETES MY REPORT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR BOARD MEMBERS? MINE IS MORE OF A COMMENT, NOT A QUESTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REPORT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE READING THESE.
THAT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY EACH TIME.
AND I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE BRIGHTER BITES.
UM, I HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT MONIS AND A COUPLE OF OTHER RECREATION CENTERS WHEN THEY WERE DOING THE BRIGHTER BITES COLLABORATION.
UM, AND IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO SEE YOUTH, THEIR FAMILIES, SEEING THE WHOLE FRUITS AND ALL THESE COLORFUL DIFFERENT VEGETABLES THAT THEY MAYBE HAD NEVER SEEN IN THAT, IN THAT SORT OF ASPECT.
UM, ONE THING THAT I DID NOTICE THOUGH IS THAT THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR BETTER COLLABORATION BETWEEN MAYBE WHO'S AT THE FRONT DESK OF THE REC CENTER.
UM, THERE SEEMED TO BE QUITE A BIT OF SEPARATION AND UM, AND THIS IS AGAIN, ONLY A COUPLE OF INSTANCES, SO I DON'T KNOW ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, BUT THERE WAS CERTAINLY OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS FROM BRIGHTER BITES TO COME OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND, AND MEET WITH FAMILIES OR ON THE OTHER SIDE FOR THE, UM, FOLKS WHO WERE TAKE TAKING IN, UH, YOUTH OR SAYING BYE AT THE END OF THE DAY TO, TO SHARE THAT BRIGHTER BITES WAS THERE AND TO KIND OF GO OVER AND DO THAT.
UM, BUT E EITHER WAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT PROGRAM AND I HOPE THAT IT COMES BACK.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? BOARD MEMBERS? THANK YOU.
INTERIM DIRECTOR MEANS, UM, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOUR REPORT AND ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT ABOUT, UM, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY, UM, FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT ON THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
AND, UH, I HOPE THAT THE DISCUSSION WILL BE INFORMATIVE LATER ON WHEN WE GET TO THAT.
UM, I DID WANNA ASK YOU A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ALSO, AND THESE MAY FALL INTO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, WILL THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BE WEIGHING IN ON THE CLIMATE BOND RESOLUTION? YOU MENTIONED THAT WE'RE GETTING TO THE END OF THE 2018 BOND.
WILL THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BE WEIGHING IN ON THAT? YES, WE'VE BEEN AT THE TABLE WITH MANY OF OUR, UM, PARTNER DEPARTMENTS AND WHEN IT COMES TO BONDS, RATHER IT BE FOR 2026 OR, UM, OTHER SUBJECTS, SO THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS, IS RIGHT THERE WITH THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND WE PLAN ON PARTICIPATING AS WELL.
AND THE OTHER ISSUE I WANNA MENTION IS, UH, RECEIVED A LETTER, UM, ABOUT SAFETY IN PARKS, UM, SOME VERY STRONG CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY IN SILK PARK.
AND UM, I DID SEND YOU A, A FORMER RECOMMENDATION THAT THE PARKS BOARD MADE LAST YEAR IN, IN EARLY APRIL.
AND SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW IF, IF THE COUNCIL EVER TOOK THAT UP, IF OR IF THERE WERE EVER ANY SPONSORS FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION TO FORM A TASK FORCE.
AND SO, UM, IF NOT, WE MIGHT POSSIBLY CONSIDER, UM, DISCUSSING SAFETY IN PARKS AGAIN ON OUR BOARD FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UM, THANK YOU DIRECTOR AT THIS TIME IT IS 7:54 PM WE'LL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 8:00 PM 8:00 PM WE WILL COME BACK FROM OUR RECESS.
[7. Approve a recommendation to Austin City Council to allocate an additional $2.62 million to the Parks and Recreation Department's budget for the upcoming fiscal year; and that of this amount, $2.24 million be allocated towards parks maintenance, including $1.5 million in ongoing funding and $740,000 in one-time funding, to support 16 year-round full-time equivalent (FTE) positions and necessary supplies; and that $385,000 be allocated towards the Homeless Encampment Response Team, including $375,000 in ongoing funding and $10,000 in one-time funding, to support 4 year-round FTE positions, operations, and necessary supplies. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers).]
WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.UM, UH, WE'LL NOW, UH, TAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM SEVEN.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS SCOTT COBB.
AFTER SCOTT WILL BE ROBIN RATHER.
AND IF, CAN YOU NAME THE THIRD SPEAKER AND IF YOU COULD JUST COME UP TO THE FRONT JUST SO Y'ALL WE CAN, AFTER ROBIN WILL BE CHRIS FLORES.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.
SO ON THIS, UH, THIS ITEM UP YOU'RE ADDING, TALKING ABOUT ADDING FUNDS TO THE BUDGET
[01:55:01]
FOR MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING EMPLOYEES.I WAS GONNA POINT OUT THAT, UH, WE NEED SOME FULL-TIME MAINTENANCE PEOPLE AT THE POOLS, PARTICULARLY BARTON SPRINGS, IN ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF THE MAINTENANCE WHILE THE POOL IS OPEN.
SO THAT'S LIFEGUARDS WHEN THEY'RE NOT ON THEIR DOWN DUTIES, DON'T HAVE TO GO EMPTY THE TRASH AND CLEAN THE BATHROOMS AND MAKE THE FACILITY LOOK NICE.
SO I THINK THERE SHOULD BE, UH, ONE OR TWO FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES DESIGNATED AS AT POOLS MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SOME LIFEGUARDS WHO ARE STATIONED FOR SIX, SEVEN HOURS AS BATHROOM AT ATTENDANTS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE QUALIFIED TO BE OPEN WATER LIFEGUARDS.
AND SO THEY'RE NOT ON THE STAND.
THEY'RE STANDING OUTSIDE THE BATHROOM CLEANING AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND THINGS.
THE OTHER THING, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING FUNDS TO THE BUDGET, I THINK SHOULD REVISIT THE ISSUE OF FULL-TIME.
TWO YEARS AGO THERE WERE 13 FULL-TIME LIFEGUARDS ADDED TO THE BUDGET.
COUNCIL MEMBER VALA WAS GONNA ADD SEVEN MORE AND IT WAS CO-SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS FUENTES AND CADRE, BUT THEY HAD TO PULL THAT AT THE LAST MINUTE IN ORDER TO FUND $2 MILLION OF SHADE, WHICH IS FINE, I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THAT.
BUT I THINK THIS YEAR YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE GOAL WHEN THEY SUBMITTED THE AMENDMENT, UM, IS FOR 25 TO 50 FULL-TIME LIFEGUARDS.
AND SO WE HAVE 13 NOW, WHENEVER EACH BUDGET YEAR, YOU SHOULD ADD SOME MORE.
THEY TRIED TO ADD SEVEN LAST TIME.
EACH ONE IS BASICALLY $50,000.
SO TO GET SEVEN WOULD BE 350,000.
IF THEY ONLY ADDED ONE OR TWO EACH ONE WOULD BE 50,000.
AND THEY EXPLAINED THE REASONS ON HERE.
UH, TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES DO NOT GET FULL BENEFITS AND THEIR PAY IS STRUCTURED DIFFERENTLY, MAKING RETENTION CHALLENGING.
LIFEGUARDS ALSO NEED HEALTH INSURANCE AND EMPLOYEES HAVE LEFT JOBS THEY FOUND FOR LESS HAVE LEFT THEIR JOBS.
THEY FOUND LIST HOURS JUST TO OBTAIN INSURANCE.
FULL-TIME STATUS ALSO BENEFITS THE CITY IN PROVIDING A MORE PREDICTABLE REGULAR WORKFORCE AND REDUCES RELIANCE ON UNPREDICTABLE SEASONAL RECRUITING.
SO I THINK EVERY RE EVERY EMPLOYEE WORKS, ESPECIALLY WHO WORKS YEAR ROUND, NOT JUST COMING IN IN THE SUMMER, SHOULD BE GETTING REGULAR BENEFITS ELIGIBLE FOR THAT.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE THEY'VE REDUCED IN THE WINTER, THEY ONLY MAKING 20, $30,000 A YEAR OR SOME OF THE LOWEST PAID EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY.
BUT GIVING THEM MORE, HAVING MORE FULL-TIME BENEFITS, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WOULD BENEFIT THEM AND THE CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GONNA BE ROBIN RATHER FOLLOWED BY CHRIS FLORES AND THEN GAIL ROY.
UM, I'M HERE REPRESENTING REWILD.
WE WANNA BE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR OFFERING UP THIS BUDGET ITEM.
UH, WE THINK EVERY DAY OF THE PAR EMPLOYEES, HOW HARD THEY WORK AND HOW MUCH HARDER THEIR JOBS ARE BECAUSE AT THE AUDIT AND FINANCE, UM, MEETING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAD IN MAY, UH, IT CAME OUT THAT PAR IS AT LEAST 70 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES SHORT IN THE MAINTENANCE AREA.
THAT'S A TRAVESTY THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE HOPE YOU'LL DO IS ASK WHY THAT HAPPENED.
HOW DID WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE THAT MANY FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES DOWN? WHAT YOU'RE ADDING TONIGHT, WHICH I BELIEVE IS 16 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, PLUS FOUR, UM, ADDITIONAL HOMELESS CLEANUP FOLKS, IT'S A GREAT START.
BUT THE QUESTION SHOULD BE RAISED, WHY AREN'T WE ADVOCATING FOR ALL THE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT SHOULD BE THERE? MAINTAINING THE PARKS IS A HUGE PRIORITY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLEANING BATHROOMS, MAINTAINING AND RESTORING THE PARKS.
EARLIER, UH, COMMISSIONER REED SPOKE OF CONFUSION ON THE PART OF THE PUBLIC AROUND THE NONPROFITS.
IT'S NOT CONFUSION, OKAY? WE HAVE NONPROFITS BLESS THEIR HEARTS AND WE APPRECIATE THEM.
BUT YOU HAVE LARGE NONPROFITS THAT ARE SITTING ON ALMOST $50 MILLION OF DONATED FUNDS.
AND MEANWHILE, PARD IS BEING HOLLOWED OUT.
THERE ARE 70 STAFF PEOPLE SHORT ON REAL BASICS THAT THE PARKS NEED.
SO THE CONVOLUTED SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, AND ALL THE TIME THAT WE SPEND TALKING ABOUT THE NONPROFITS
[02:00:01]
FIGHTING THE NONPROFITS, WE SHOULD REALLY BE FOCUSING ON WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE PARD HAS THE ADEQUATE FUNDING TO DO THE MAINTENANCE THAT THE CITY NEEDS.WE DEPEND ON THE PARKS, AS YOU GUYS KNOW BETTER THAN ANYBODY FOR PHYSICAL RECREATION, FOR PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, INCREASINGLY FOR CLIMATE MITIGATION.
SO OUR ASK IS, YES, LET'S SUPPORT THIS ITEM TONIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, BUT LET'S NOT LEAVE IT THERE.
LET'S FIGURE OUT WHY THIS HAPPENED, HOW WE GOT SO SHORT AND HOW WE CAN FULLY RESOURCE PART.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS FLORES, FOLLOWED BY GAIL ROY AND THEN JOY KOVSKI.
UM, I, UH, SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT WITH ALL MY HEART AND, UH, I THINK THE CITY STAFF WHO DO THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR PARKS ARE THE REAL STEWARDS OF OUR, OUR PRECIOUS PARKS.
UM, I'M COMING HERE TO PLEAD FOR A BIT MORE MONEY.
IF YOU CAN THROW IN ANOTHER 350,000 MAYBE, I'M NOT SURE, UM, FOR LIFEGUARDS.
AND IT'S BECAUSE THE LIFEGUARDS DO THE MAINTENANCE WORK AT THE POOLS AND THEY WORK VERY HARD.
THEY'RE CROWDED AND THEY, I I HOPE THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY FOR THEM TO STAFF THE POOLS COMPLETELY DURING NEXT SUMMER'S OPERATING HOURS.
UH, I WOULD ALSO, IF I WERE QUEEN FOR THE DAY TO THROW IN A FEW MORE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS FOR THE NEW PARKS DIRECTOR TO HIRE A FEW ADMINISTRATIVE STAFFERS BECAUSE THIS POSITION'S BEEN VACANT FOR A WHILE.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD NOT HAMSTRING A BRAND NEW DIRECTOR AS THEY BEGIN BY NOT GIVING THEM ENOUGH MONEY TO HAVE STAFF.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GAIL ROY, FOLLOWED BY JOY KOVSKI.
I FULLY SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF THIS BOARD TO RECOMMEND ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
HOWEVER, MY INITIAL REACTION TO YOUR DRAFT RECOMMENDATION IS THAT IT SIMPLY PATCHES A RELATIVELY NEW HOLE IN THE PARD DEPAR IN THE PARD BUDGET, WHICH IS FUNDING FOR THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE TEAM AND DOES LITTLE TO ADDRESS THE MANY YEARS OF UNDERFUNDING OF THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
I WANT TO REPEAT THE COMMENTS I MADE TO THIS BOARD LAST MONTH.
DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF HOW CRITICAL IT IS THAT YOU WEIGH IN ON THE SELECTION OF THE NEW PARKS DIRECTOR.
THE CITY MUST SELECT A DIRECTOR WITH A CLEAR VISION OF HOW TO ACHIEVE PERMANENT, SUSTAINABLE, EQUITABLE, AND MULTIFACETED FUNDING FOR PARD BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND ITS CITIZENS WITHOUT THE NEED TO PRIVATIZE, COMMERCIALIZE, OR CLOSE PARKS FOR DAYS, WEEKS, OR MONTHS FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE OF HIGH INCOME PATRONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR OUR LAST, OUR LAST SPEAKER WILL BE JOY KOVSKI.
HI, GOOD EVENING PARKS BOARD MEMBERS, JOY KOVSKI WITH AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR, UM, PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA AND DISCUSSING IT.
AND I HOPE YOU WILL, UM, APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AS WRITTEN.
UM, THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS, UH, MEMBERS, UM, BOARD MEMBERS.
I, UH, BROUGHT THIS AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE, UM, I KNOW THAT CITY COUNCIL'S ABOUT TO START.
UH, THEY'RE BUDGETARY TALKS, UM, AND I KNOW THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF DOING THEIR TOWN HALLS AS WELL.
UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND MY DISTRICT TWO, UM, BUDGET TOWN HALL, UM, AND SOMEONE BROUGHT THIS UP, SO THIS IS WHEN I DECIDED THAT, UH, BEING THE PARKS BOARD MEMBER, I SHOULD PROBABLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT SINCE I HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF, UH, WHY, WHY, UH, I BROUGHT THIS, UM, UH, RECOMMENDATION TO THE FOREFRONT.
UM, SO, UM, YOU CAN READ WHAT, UH, WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.
UM, AND I DO TAKE TO HEART THE COMMENTS THAT WERE BROUGHT, UH, BY SOME OF THE SPEAKERS, UH, JUST A MOMENT AGO IN REGARDS TO WHERE WE'RE ONLY ADDRESSING, UH, A CERTAIN NEED, BUT WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING ALL THE NEED.
UM, SO OBVIOUSLY I THINK THAT THIS IS A START.
UM, IF I COULD ASK FOR THE WHOLE BUDGETARY, IF I COULD ASK DURING THESE BUDGET TALKS FOR ALL THE, ALL THE MONEY THAT PART WOULD NEED, UH, THAT WOULD BE A LOT.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS JUST THE BARE MINIMUM THAT WE CAN ASK FOR IN ORDER FOR US TO ADEQUATELY MAINTAIN OUR PARKS.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT ALL OF US WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT OUR, ALL OF OUR PARKS AND PARKS FACILITIES BE WELL MAINTAINED.
WHETHER IT'S MAKING SURE THAT TRASH CANS, UM, ARE GETTING EMPTIED OUT AND THE LITTER IS BEING PICKED
[02:05:01]
UP.UM, OR ADDITIONALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ADEQUATELY FUNDING THAT HOMELESS AND MENT RESPONSE TEAM IN ORDER TO ASSIST, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HOUSING INSECURE, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PLACING THEM WITH, UH, THE RESOURCES AND ORGAN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, UM, IN ORDER, UH, TO GET THEM OUT OF, UH, PARKS AND INTO A BETTER HOUSING PLACEMENT.
UM, I THINK THIS IS A, A, A START.
UM, AND I'LL CLOSE WITH JUST SAYING THIS 'CAUSE I HOPE THIS IS NOT GONNA BE A VERY CONTROVERSIAL ITEM, BUT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS IS EVEN WITH THESE NEW FTES THAT I'M REQUESTING, UM, I GOT A STATISTIC THAT ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION, UM, THE RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE OF PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FOR CITY, UH, THE RE THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDED RECOMMENDATION STANDARD FOR MAINTENANCE OF PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FOR FACILITIES FOR AUSTIN WOULD BE CLOSER TO 90 FTES.
SO AGAIN, THIS GOES BACK TO MY INITIAL COMMENT, WHICH IS I THINK THIS MEETS SOME OF THE NEED, BUT NOT ALL THE NEED.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT THIS, UH, GETS US CLOSER TO THAT, UH, GOAL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
I LIKE ONE OF OUR, UH, SPEAKERS MENTIONED, UH, THIS EVENING.
UM, SO THAT BEING SAID, UM, UM, UH, BEFORE I MAKE A MOTION, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, HOW DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION, OR I SHOULD SAY THE NUMBERS PRESENTED IN THIS RECOMMENDATION RELATE TO THE BUDGET WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATION FROM EARLIER, LIKE A QUARTER OR SO AGO? UM, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
SO I THINK, UM, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF LIKE OVERLAP, BUT NOT, THERE'S SOME OVERLAP, BUT THERE IS SOME NOT.
THERE'S, THERE IS SOME OVERLAP.
UM, I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS RECOMMENDATION IS BASED OFF OF WHAT, UM, THE, UH, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THE PURCHASING BUDGETING OFFICE PUT OUT FOR THE PUBLIC AS THE RECOMMENDED BUDGET FOR THIS CYCLE.
SO THIS IS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN RECOMMENDED, UM, AND WHAT I MEAN WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY'RE PRESENTING TO, WHAT THEY'RE GONNA PRESENT TO CITY COUNCIL, WHAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE AD ADJUSTED BASED OFF OF CITY COUNCIL FEEDBACK, BUT ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION SOME OF THE THINGS AND THAT RECOMMENDATION THAT WE PASSED EARLIER THIS YEAR IN REGARDS TO THE NE HAVING THAT MORE, UH, FTES IN ORDER TO UPKEEP PARKS.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING, IT TAKES EVERYTHING INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS MAINLY BASED OFF OF WHAT THE CITY MANAGER, UM, AND THE BUDGETING OFFICE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL AS A, UH, DRAFT BUDGET.
YEAH, AND I WOULD JUST SAY BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, I JUST LOOKED IT UP AND JUST TO BE SURE I WAS CERTAIN WHAT WE RECOMMENDED AS IT RELATES TO THE ITEMS INCLUDED HERE WAS FOR 14 FULL-TIME MAINTENANCE STAFF, WE DIDN'T PUT A NUMBER WITH IT.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS IN HERE.
I THINK, UH, WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
I THINK CHAIR VBO SUMMARIZED IT, BUT THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE FOR NO ONE WHO IS WONDERING WHAT WE RECOMMENDED RELATED TO THIS, THE REST OF OUR RECOMMENDATION CONTAINED THINGS THAT WERE NOT SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE IN HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YOU HAVE BOARD MEMBER THREE.
I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT WAS IN MARCH CORRECT? WHEN WE MADE THAT RECOMMENDATION.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR DOING IT.
UM, I DID HAVE LIKE ONE SMALL PHRASE CHANGE THAT I WANTED TO ASK FOR, BUT DO YOU HAVE TO FIRST LIKE MAKE A MOTION? YEAH.
SO AT THIS TIME I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE AN ADDITIONAL 2.6 MILLION TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BUDGET FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.
AND THAT OF THIS AMOUNT, 2.24 MILLION BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS PARK MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING 1.5 MILLION IN ONGOING FUNDING AND $740,000 IN ONE-TIME FUNDING TO SUPPORT 16 YEAR ROUND FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT FTE POSITIONS AND NECESSARY SUPPLIES.
AND THAT 385,000 BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT RESPONSE TEAM, INCLUDING $365,000 AND ONGOING FUNDING AND $10,000 IN ONE-TIME FUNDING TO SUPPORT FOUR YEAR ROUND FTE POSITIONS OPERATIONS AND NECESSARY SUPPLIES.
SECOND 30 A SECOND FROM VICE CHAIR FLOWERS.
UM, AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN THAT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
SO MY, MY FIRST COMMENT WAS, I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK IF, IF YOU WOULD BE OPEN TO CHANGING THE PHRASE, WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING THE CITY'S PARKS, GREEN SPACES, AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES CONTRIBUTING TO THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE AND WELLBEING OF AUSTIN RESIDENCES.
UM, I WAS GOING TO ASK IF YOU COULD SAY, WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE CITY'S PARKS, GREEN SPACES AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, SINCE THAT'S WHAT'S WRITTEN IN, UH, IN THE CITY CODE,
[02:10:02]
RATHER THAN PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN, OKAY, I WILL GO AHEAD.AND I JUST MADE THAT AMENDMENT, SO THANK YOU.
UM, SO INSTEAD OF SAYING PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN IT'S NOW GONNA READ, IS RESPONSIBLE FOR YES.
I WILL LOOK AT THAT AS A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS, DISCUSSION ITEMS? PAUL, WOULD WE BE, UM, ABLE TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDING ANYTHING IN HERE FOR LIFEGUARDS? OR DO, DO, DO YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THAT OR, UM, WE CAN.
UM, THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK IS MAKING SURE THAT THE NUMBERS THAT WE COME UP WITH ARE ACTUALLY TIED TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR.
SO I THINK OUR MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HAD MENTIONED, UH, $350,000 FOR LIFEGUARDS FOR MAINTENANCE WORK AT POOLS, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, IF YOU WANNA DISCUSS THAT FIGURE OR IF WE HAVE INFORMATION FROM AQUATICS OR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO THAT NATURE BOARD MEMBER BAAN.
I THINK MY ONLY, MY ONLY CONCERN, I DEFINITELY THINK WE NEED TO UP THE GAME HERE WITH ALL OF THE, LIKE I'M HEARING 70 STAFF SHORT, LIKE WE NEED TO GET STAFF ALL AROUND, BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR RECREATION CENTERS ARE ALSO LOW, LOW AND STAFF AND THERE'S OTHER AREAS.
AND SO I WORRY ABOUT MAKING THOSE CHANGES NOW SPECIFICALLY FOR ONE DEPARTMENT AND NOT LOOKING ACROSS ALL OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION.
UM, BUT I'M NOT OPPOSED TO ADDING MORE TO THIS.
I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE MOST WE CAN GET.
AND SO IT'S JUST HOW WE GO ABOUT THAT.
AND I'M AWARE THAT, THAT THIS IS, THIS IS, UM, LATE IN THE GAME FOR THE BUDGET.
WE MADE OUR ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION BACK IN MARCH AND UM, JUST LIKE LAST YEAR, IT'S VERY HARD TO COME BACK AND ASK THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER MM-HMM.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT AND GOOD POINT THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STAFF IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND SO, UM, IF YOU ALL DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL IS ACTUALLY GOING TO RESPOND TO IF, IF THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, AND I AM AWARE OF, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER WORKED VERY HARD ON DOING WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ON SOME ANALYSIS OF WHERE WE WERE IN 2014 AS OPPOSED TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.
AND I THINK THESE NUMBERS ARE COMING FROM THAT.
SO, UM, I I THINK THAT'S FINE.
UH, BOARD MEMBER BECKER, I ACTUALLY, OKAY.
SO I THINK I DO, SORRY, WERE WE GONNA SAY SOMETHING? BOARD MEMBERS ON? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I DO THINK WE DO NEED TO CONSIDER THE CONVERSATION MOVING FORWARD OF OTHER STAFF AND ASKING SOME QUESTIONS AROUND THAT.
I DON'T WANT IT TO PAUSE HERE.
AND I, I CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT IT TO SOUND LIKE I DON'T WANT TO SUPPORT ANY OF THESE AREAS.
AND SO HOWEVER WE MOVE ON WITH THAT DISCUSSION AT ANOTHER POINT, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
ACT, I ACTUALLY WILL MAKE MY POINT.
UM, I AGREE, AGREE WITH ALL OF THESE POINTS.
I THINK, UM, UM, I'M, BESIDES THE FACT, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A CRITICAL TOPIC FOR THE CITY, UH, I, I AM MORE COMFORTABLE VOTING ON IT BECAUSE IT IS BUILDING ON SOMETHING THAT WAS IN OUR BUDGETARY RECOMMENDATION, UM, AS OPPOSED TO BRINGING IN AN ENTIRELY NEW TOPIC.
UM, AND AS YOU MAY RECALL, THE BUDGET, UM, THE, THE BUDGETING APPROACH THIS YEAR WAS A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING THAN IT HAD BEEN IN PREVIOUS YEARS, UH, BECAUSE OF SOME OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE CITY.
AND OUR, OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS A LITTLE BIT BROADER AS A RESULT.
UM, SORT OF NEITHER HERE NOR THERE, BUT I DO THINK IT, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO STICK TO THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC BECAUSE IT IS TIED THE BUDGETARY WORK THAT WE ALREADY DID.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, OBVIOUSLY I THINK WE DID, UH, WAS THE LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE DID THE, UH, A BUDGETARY WORKING BUDGET WORKING GROUP.
SO I THINK COMING INTO NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE ABLE TO, WE WE'RE GONNA BE, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE MORE SEASONED AT THAT, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO, I HOPE, A BETTER JOB, ALL OF US.
NOT THAT WE DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB, BUT LIKE WE'LL IMPROVE OUR, YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE'RE GONNA GET BETTER.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER THING CONSIDERATIONS FOR, UH, THE BUDGETARY GROUP NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE I DO THINK THIS TOUCHES UPON THE BUDGET FOR THE, FOR PAR IS, IS THAT I THINK THE CITY'S DOING A TWO YEAR, OR IT'S GONNA PASS A FISCAL YEAR, 20 24, 20 25 BUDGET, BUT DOING A PROJECTION FOR THE SECOND YEAR AFTER THE YEAR AFTER THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY GONNA BE INFORMATIVE FOR OUR BUDGETARY WORKING GROUP IN ORDER TO COME UP WITH MORE CONCRETE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS IN REGARDS TO NUMBERS, FTES AND WHERE IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN THE, IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT NEED IT.
LIKE SUCH AS LIFEGUARDS, SUCH AS RECREATIONAL STAFFING, UM, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO, UM, OUR SPEAKERS WHO, WHO MENTIONED THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TOO, AS WELL FOR, UM, OUR, WHEN WE DO HAVE A NEW PARKS DIRECTOR, UM, COMING IN.
[02:15:01]
YOU VERY MUCH.AT THIS TIME I'LL TAKE A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND BOARD MEMBER MERRI.
ALRIGHT, UH, RECOMMENDATION PASSES.
[8. Discussion on community engagement opportunities for the permanent location for boating concessions at Festival Beach and the amendment to the Holly Shores/Edward Rendon Sr. at Festival Beach Vision Plan to include that location, per City Council Ordinance No. 20191205070. (Sponsors: Reed, Taylor). ]
THIS TIME WE'RE NOW GONNA GO TO SPEAKERS FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.WE HAVE NINE PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS ROBIN, RATHER FOLLOWED BY CATHERINE NICELY.
UM, THIS ITEM IS A REALLY DIFFICULT ONE.
UM, THE RE WELL PERSPECTIVE HERE IS WE, WE UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE AND THE INTENT OF THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL AND WANNA APPRECIATE THEM AT THE SAME TIME.
THIS COULD NOT BE IN A, IN A WORSE PLACE.
IT IS STRAIGHT UP IN THE WRONG PLACE.
UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE FOUGHT FOR DECADES AGAINST RACISM, SEGREGATION, AND GENTRIFICATION.
AND THE AREA OF THIS PARK, THIS IS OF GREAT CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST AREAS OF CULTURE, HISTORY AND ACTIVISM IN ALL OF AUSTIN.
AND, UH, TO, TO DISRESPECT THE DECADES OF HARD WORK AND A MASTER PLAN THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ALREADY WORKED ON.
IT'S, IT'S JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE.
IT'S NOT, IT'S INCONCEIVABLE THAT YOU ALL WOULD ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHAT DECISIONS WERE MADE FIVE YEARS AGO.
BY THE WAY, INTERIM DIRECTOR MEANS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR USING YOUR TIME TO SPEAK AND TO SAY HOW IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS AND IN PARTICULAR IN THIS CASE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS.
UM, WE'D LIKE YOU JUST TO ASK, IT'S, IT'S, THIS IS NOT THAT HARD.
FIND ANOTHER PLACE FOR THIS PROJECT.
IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T BELONG HERE.
UM, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL UNTIL VERY RECENTLY WAS A FOR-PROFIT BUSINESS.
IT ONLY RECENTLY CHANGED OVER TO A NON-PROFIT.
UM, IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT AND TO MY EARLIER POINT ABOUT THE CONVOLUTED NATURE OF THESE NONPROFITS AND THEIR CONCESSIONS AND HOW THEY'RE CHOSEN AND THAT, THAT, UM, SHOULD NOT OUTWEIGH THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EXISTING MASTER PLAN THAT PEOPLE WORK FOR YEARS ON AND THE EXISTING, UM, CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS SITE.
PLEASE FIND ANOTHER PLACE FOR THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
THERE'S GOT TO BE ANOTHER PLACE WHERE THEY CAN DO THEIR FINE WORK.
AND PLEASE DO NOT ENCROACH ON THIS HISTORIC AND, AND CULTURALLY IMPORTANT PLACE.
AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, DON'T MESS WITH THE CHICANO PARK SYMBOLICALLY, SYMBOLICALLY, ENVIRONMENTALLY, AND FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, THIS JUST CANNOT BE.
AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE IT RIGHT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CATHERINE, UH, SORRY CATHERINE.
NICELY FOLLOWED BY DANIEL GOMEZ AND THEN PHIL THOMAS.
AND IF THE SPEAKERS CAN START, UH, COMING TOWARDS THE FRONT, THAT'D BE HELPFUL FOR US.
MY NAME IS CATHERINE ALO NICELY.
I'M FROM METCALF WEB STEWARD IN WILLIAMS. I'M HERE REPRESENTING EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
SHE IS HELPING OUT A GROUP OF LIFEGUARDS IN, IN NORTH OF OUR COUNTRY WHERE THERE WAS SOME, UM, UH, FATAL DEATHS.
AND SO SHE DOES SOME OF THAT WORK AS WELL, WHICH IS HELPING LIFEGUARDS GET BACK ON THEIR FEET.
UM, A LITTLE BIT, UM, OF THE HISTORY I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HERE MORE THAN ANYTHING 'CAUSE I'M OPEN FOR QUESTIONS.
THAT'S WHY I CAME TO SEE IF THE BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED ANYTHING.
EXPEDITION SCHOOL HAS BEEN AT THAT.
UM, AND THEN HOLLY SHORES SINCE 2006.
AND, UH, THE MASTER PLAN OF HOLLY SHORES PASSED IN 2014.
ACTUALLY, THE FUNDING WAS IN 2009, SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE DISCONNECT WAS OF NOT MAYBE IN THE OUTREACH THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME.
I DO WANNA ALSO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ALREADY THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THE SITE PLAN IS GONNA BE APPROVED AT THE END OF THIS NEXT WEEK AND THEIR PIA AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE'RE OPEN FOR ANY TYPE OF COMMUNITY INPUT AT THIS POINT, BUT I'M NOT SURE LEGALLY, AND I HOPE THAT WAS MY QUESTION, HOW THIS IS GONNA WORK OUT.
I'M OPEN TO ANY OPTIONS, UM, MY MAJORS
[02:20:01]
AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND SO I WE'RE OPEN TO ANYTHING THAT YOU GUYS CAN, UM, PUT TOGETHER BASED ON LEGAL BACKGROUND.UM, ANOTHER ITEM THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP IS THE, THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SERVE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SINCE 2006.
THEY DO SERVE 80% OF LATINO, LATINO, HISPANIC, AND THEY ALSO SERVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
I KNOW THERE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE DOG, BUT THAT IS THE REASON WHY THEY NEEDED TO MAKE IT BIGGER.
20% OF THEIR POPULATION THAT THEY SERVE IS DISABLED, BLIND, OR HAS SOME TYPE OF DISABILITY.
I'M MOST, I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS, LIKE I SAID.
AND THEN I WANTED TO HAVE A PERSONAL MOMENT HERE TO THANK THE LIFEGUARD AND THE GENTLEMAN THAT CAME TO ADVOCATE FOR LIFEGUARDS.
HE'S BILINGUAL AND THE PAY, UM, THAT, THAT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE HE EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND BEING IN THESE POOLS AND THERE IS NO SPANISH INTERPRETATION, SO HE HAS TO STEP IN ALL THE TIME.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS SUPPORTING THAT.
AND I ALWAYS THANK THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S HERE BECAUSE HE ALWAYS COMES AND ADVOCATES FOR THESE KIDS THAT REALLY NEED THAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE DANIEL GOMEZ, FOLLOWED BY PHIL THOMAS AND THEN CAROL STAHL.
MY NAME IS DANIEL GOMEZ AND I'M A, UH, EAST AUSTIN RESIDENT.
AND, UM, I CAME HERE BECAUSE, UH, I WANTED TO, UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR OPENING UP TO, FOR DISCUSSION NUMBER ONE.
I DON'T THINK THIS, THIS ORDINANCE, I THINK THIS ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE GUI TO BE REVOKED BECAUSE IT WAS AGAINST WHAT THE, THEY PROMISED THE NEIGHBORS, THEY SAID NO BOATS AND NO CONCESSIONS.
AND IT'S DISCRIMINATORY BECAUSE THEY, I DOUBT VERY SERIOUSLY, THEY'RE GONNA LET ME SELL, PUT A TACO STAND AND GIVE ME PARKLAND, YOU KNOW, SO HAVE THEY GIVEN IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE? THAT'S JUST DOESN'T MAKE NO SENSE.
NUMBER TWO, UM, THE, I BELONG TO SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS AND ALSO BEEN A, UH, UH, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST FOR A LONG TIME.
THERE'S SEVERAL NEIGHBORS THERE AND LOTS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT DON'T WANT THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF THAT PARK.
OKAY? IT'S ALREADY BECOMING A PROBLEM BECAUSE OVERCROWDING AND, AND THE TRAFFIC, UM, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE OPERATING OUT OF, OF SOME CONTAINERS.
AND, UM, THOSE CONTAINERS THEY HAVE THERE PUT THEIR, THEIR THEIR, UH, THEIR, UH, UM, UM, KAYAKS OR WHATEVER OUT THERE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS ABLE TO GO DOWN THERE BEFORE AND CAN'T GO DOWN THERE NOW.
IT'S TOO MANY PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AND CARS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
JUST IMAGINE IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING BIGGER.
NUMBER TWO, UH, NUMBER THREE IS THAT THE, UM, THEY TALKING ABOUT BOATING CONCESSION.
IF THIS THING IS GONNA BE ANYTHING LIKE THE, UH, AUSTIN ROWING CLUB THAT IS NOT A NONPROFIT.
THEY CALL IT A NONPROFIT, BUT THEY'VE GOT EVERYTHING THERE.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT THE, THE, UM, THE KAYAKS, THE BOATS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO FOR A MIDNIGHT DRIVE, MIDNIGHT BOATING THING, YOU CAN GO SEE THE BATS.
THEY HAVE ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
YOU KNOW, IF I WANTED TO GO AND, AND, AND USE A A KAYAK, I GOTTA PAY $15 AN HOUR.
THIS IS, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING IN, IF THAT'S WHAT THE EXPEDITION CENTER IS GONNA DO, IT'LL BE A HUGE BUILD OUT.
THE NEIGHBORS DON'T WANT IT, YOU KNOW, BESIDES, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN YOU AFFORD THAT? THEY'RE ASKING $200, $200 FOR A, FOR A, FOR A MIDNIGHT RIDE ON A BOAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN EAST AUSTIN.
YOU KNOW, AND SO MIGHT AS WELL JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, IS GONNA BE BACK TO THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE PHIL THOMAS, FOLLOWED BY CAROL STAHL AND THEN CEDAR STEVENS.
UH, CAN WE LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT CAROL STALL DONATED TIME TO ME? BOARD CHAIR? ARE WE RECOMMEND ARE RECOGNIZING TIME DONATIONS ON THIS ITEM? WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT, WE DON'T DO TIME DONATIONS UNLESS THEY'VE BEEN PREVIOUSLY, UH, ANNOUNCED.
WELL, I MEAN, I, I ANNOUNCED IT TO THE GENTLEMAN WHEN I ARRIVED AT 6:00 PM I SAID THE BOARD ANNOUNCES IT.
I'M PHIL THOMAS, COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE, OUR PARKS REPUBLIC AREAS THAT USED TO BE KNOWN AS COMMONS.
IT'S A TRADITION DATING BACK MANY HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
THINK OF THE SPANISH SOUTHWESTERN PLAZA.
THINK OF THE NEW ENGLAND VILLAGE GREEN.
OVER THE PAST YEARS, OUR PARKS HAVE BEEN POPULATED BY ENTERPRISES THAT CALL THEMSELVES NONPROFITS, BUT IN TRUTH SEEKS TO, IN SEEK TO ENRICH THEMSELVES
[02:25:01]
BY USING PUBLIC PARKS FOR THEIR ENTERPRISES.THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE SETTING UP BUSINESSES AND CONCESSIONS IN OUR PARKS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF PHILANTHROPIC ASSISTANCE.
THEY PAY THEIR CEOS HIGH SALARIES THAT COMPETE WITH PROFESSIONAL CIVIC POSITIONS, THUS CONTRIBUTING TO A QUESTIONABLE REVOLVING DOOR ISSUE, WHICH WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY.
MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE CONCERNS ARE EMERGING ABOUT LOCAL PARKS, NONPROFITS, INCLUDING THE TRAILS CONSERVANCY, WATERLOO GREENWAY, AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, THE HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY, AND NOW THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
EXPEDITION SCHOOL IS A FOR-PROFIT GROUP WITH A NON-PROFIT SUB-COMPONENT.
THEIR WEBPAGE SHOWS THAT THEY HELP EDUCATE CHILDREN IN WATER SAFETY AND PICK UP LAKE TRASH, WHICH ARE A LAUDABLE ACTIVITIES FOR THEIR BUSINESS.
THEY RENT PADDLEBOARDS AND OTHER, UH, WATERCRAFT OFFER, UH, LESSONS.
BUT, UH, THEY ALSO OFFER EXPENSIVE, CUSTOMIZED EXPERIENTIAL OUTDOOR EDUCATION FOR GROUPS, EXPEDITION GUIDES FOR CORPORATE AND PRIVATE EXPEDITIONS AND PRIVATE SAFETY TRAINING AND MORE.
IN FACT, THEY OFFER A PRETTY LARGE RAFT OF BILLABLE SERVICES.
ARCH CHICANO PARK IS NOT A VENUE INTENDED FOR AMBITIOUS ENTERPRISES OR COCKTAIL CAFES BY OUR BEAUTIFUL LAKE.
IT IS NOT A BLANK CANVAS TO FILL.
WE HAVE A MASTER PLAN THAT ACCURATELY REFLECTS WHAT THE STAKEHOLDERS WANTED.
A TRANQUIL PARK WITH MINIMAL IMPROVEMENTS ON ALTERATIONS, THERE IS AND NEVER WAS A MANDATE TO CRAM EVERY INCH OF OUR PARK WITH ACTIVITIES AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE FUNDS TO PARTICIPATE.
THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL DID NOT CHECK WITH EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS EFFORT, NOR DID THEY DO OUTREACH.
INSTEAD, THEY DID AN END RUN AROUND EFFECTIVE PUBLIC INPUT.
BY HAVING A DECEMBER, 2019 ORDINANCE PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL AMENDING THE HOLLY SHORES EDWARD RENDON PARK MASTER PLAN, WITH A PROVISION THAT THE EXPEDITION CO SCHOOL COULD CIRCUMVENT THE REQUIRED INPUT.
FOLKS NEVER HEARD A WORD ABOUT THAT AMENDMENT TO OUR MASTER PLAN OF 2014.
UNTIL RECENTLY, I WAS PART OF THE STAKEHOLDER TEAM THAT WORKED ON THE MASTER PLAN.
THE COMMUNITY WAS IN INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.
WE NEED TO BACK WAY UP AND REVISIT THAT ORDINANCE AND SEE WHAT KIND OF ETHICAL PROBLEMS ARE INVOLVED BECAUSE IT VERY CLEARLY WAS DONE TO ACCOMMODATE A SINGLE BUSINESS, THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
AND THAT IS NOT THE WAY IT TRULY DID RUN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, WILL CAROL STALL BE SPEAKING? NO, THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CEDAR STEVENS, FOLLOWED BY ELISA MONTOYA.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SPEAK.
I DID INTEND TO GIVE MY TIME TO BERTHA.
UM, SINCE WE'RE NOT DOING THAT, I WILL JUST, UH, UH, SAY THAT I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF FREE ZILKER AND WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH, UH, DEEP HOLLY ADVOCATES AND EAST TOWN LAKE NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION.
SO, UH, WE JUST WENT LEND OUR SUPPORT TO, UH, THEIR, UH, GOALS OF IMPLEMENTING THE MASTER PLANS AND NOT TO ALLOW, UH, EXPEDITION SCHOOL TO TAKE OVER THIS, UH, SWEET LITTLE LAGOON IN, UH, IN OUR EAST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOODS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ELISA MONTOYA, FOLLOWED BY BERTHA RONDON DELGADO.
AGAIN, UH, ELISA R MONTOYA, EAST TOWN CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND A STAKEHOLDER, UH, IN THE AREA.
UM, I LIVE AT 2008 HASKELL STREET, AND I AM TOTALLY AGAINST THE EXPECT, UH, BEING HOUSED HERE.
WE'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THEIR, UH, YOU KNOW, DOING IT PILOT, AND THEN NOW IT'S EXPANDING AND EXPANDED.
AT FIRST WE DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT BECAUSE WE HAD, THEY WOULD USE THE CCHO BUILDING.
AND THE CAMACHO BUILDING WAS, THAT'S WHEN THEY STARTED TO DO THE EXPEDITION, UM, AFTERCARE FOR OUR KIDS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HERE.
METS IS ALREADY, UH, UH, NO LONGER THERE.
UH, THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE STILL IN EXISTENCE IN THAT AREA IS SANCHEZ ELEMENTARY AND MARTIN JUNIOR HIGH AND METS RECREATION THAT THEY STILL DO A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, EDUCATIONAL FOR THEIR HOMEWORK.
BUT THIS WAS, THIS WAS JUST A PILOT PRO PROJECT, AND WE WERE, WE SAID, WELL, ONCE YOU KNOW, IT DID DO
[02:30:01]
GOOD, NOW THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE SCHOOLS HERE, THEN YOU KNOW, WE, WE WILL JUST GO AHEAD AND, UH, YOU KNOW, LET IT GO.YOU KNOW, AND I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE LEAVING, BUT THEN WE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THESE PLANTS.
THEY WANT A BOAT RAMP, THEY WANT THIS AND THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF DANGER IN THERE.
AND THEN ENVIRONMENTAL IS NOT SAFE THERE IN THE AREA.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE, UH, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL THOSE? UM, UH, WHERE THEY STORE ALL THE, UH, WHAT DANNY SAID THAT THEY HAD OVER THERE.
AND THEY TAKE A LOT OF THE PARKING AREA FOR THE LITTLE LEAGUE THAT WE HAVE THERE IN EXISTENCE STILL THERE.
THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH DAMAGE BY THEM BEING THERE.
AND THEN THEY WANNA CREATE MORE.
THE, THE TRAFFIC ALREADY IMPACTED THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, WE FOUGHT FOR MANY YEARS AND I'M THE PIONEER.
I STILL LIVE HERE AND I'M STILL GONNA FIGHT TO PRESERVE THAT AT EDWARD AND DON PARK IN THAT AREA.
AND ALSO, THEY ARE NOT GONNA MESS WITH FIESTA GARDENS.
THEY'RE TAKING, WANNA TAKE SOME OF THE LAND FROM THERE AND DO IT THEIR OWN.
THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A, A PARK FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND IT'S EXPANDED SO BAD NOW IT'S BECOME A METROPOLITAN PARK.
AND AUSTIN ENERGY ALSO PROMISED US TO SEND SOME MONEY TO REPAIR OUR PARKS.
BUT NOW THEY, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY, THEY, THEY GAVE THE KEY TO PARKS.
THE, AND, AND KIMBERLY WAS, WAS, WE WERE WORKING REAL HARD WITH HER ON, ON TRYING TO TELL HER THAT THIS WAS NOT AT A FEASIBLE AREA FOR THE, THIS, THIS, UH, EXPEDITION SCHOOL.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT Y'ALL GONNA DO.
YOU COULD FIND ANOTHER PARK IF THERE'S NOT A COMMUNITY THERE, UH, BECAUSE I WOULDN'T EVEN FAVOR THAT EITHER.
FOR NO COMMUNITY TO BE GOING THROUGH THIS.
WE HAVE A HISTORICAL COMMUNITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BERTHA RONDON DELGADO.
UM, I WOULD LIKE THIS DAIS, UH, FOR FUTURE, UH, BOARD MEETINGS, UH, TO ANNOUNCE THAT IF PEOPLE WANNA GIVE TIME, THAT THAT BE DONE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
'CAUSE SO MANY CHANGES HAVE HAPPENED IN THIS BOARD WITH EVEN, UM, CUTTING DOWN, UH, CITIZENS' PARTICIPATION, WHICH IS REALLY MIND BLOWING THAT YOU ALL, UM, WOULD PUT A LIMIT ON HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN COME AND TALK ABOUT HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THEIR PARKS.
WE'RE IN A CITY OF 2 MILLION PEOPLE.
AND FOR YOU ALL TO JUST SAY THAT ONLY 10 PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP TO SPEAK AT CITIZENS COMMUNICATION IS AN INJUST FOR DEMOCRACY AND PUBLIC, UH, GOVERNMENT PROCESS.
SO I, I AM GONNA LOOK INTO WHY THAT WAS JUST CHANGED A FEW MONTHS AGO, UH, BY OUR PARKS CHAIR AND ANYONE ELSE WHO SECOND THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT.
UM, WHICH BRINGS GREAT CONCERN.
WE CAN'T GIVE TIME TO PEOPLE TO EVEN PRESENT, BUT YET PEOPLE LIKE EXPEDITION SCHOOL GET FAVORITISM AND THEY'RE ALLOWED TO PRESENT WITH A LOT OF TIME.
AS WELL AS THEY ALSO GET TO HIRE CONSULTANTS.
LIKE THE WOMAN CAME, UH, ABOVE YOU ALL TO TALK.
SHE'S ONLY BEEN ON THE PROJECT FOR THREE MONTHS.
OF COURSE, SHE DOESN'T KNOW THE HISTORY AND OF COURSE SHE DOESN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THE RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT THIS PROJECT BECAUSE THERE WAS NEVER A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DONE.
SO I WOULD LIKE THIS DAAS TO NOT JUST AUDIT THE FINANCES OF THIS EXPEDITION SCHOOL, UH, THAT IS BEING PROPOSED AS A CONCESSION.
BUT I ALSO WANNA JUST TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR ME TO SPEAK ON TODAY.
INITIATE A TRANSPARENT AND INCLUSIVE ACTIVE ROLE AS BOARD MEMBERS, UH, TO NOT JUST HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, UH, BUT EAST AUSTIN KNIGHT AND COMMUNITY OFFER MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION AND FEEDBACK INTO POTENTIAL FUTURE REDEVELOPMENT PLANS.
SO WHEN YOU LEAVE US OUT OF THE NEGOTIATION TABLE, OR EVEN THE DISCUSSION, AND I DON'T EVEN HEAR A DISTRICT REP NICOLE MERRITT SPEAK IN, IN, UH, IN CONCERN OF THIS, IT ALSO BRINGS A RED FLAG TO WHERE YOU ALL STAND.
AND WHAT IS YOUR OATH OF WHAT YOU TOOK TO BE HERE TO SERVE AS A PUBLIC SERVANT.
YOU'RE HERE TO PROTECT THE PARK LAND AND THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY.
YOU'RE NOT HERE TO PROTECT THE DEVELOPERS OR PRIVATE ENTITIES AND PRIVATE, UH, NONPROFITS.
THE CITY MUST ADDRESS ONGOING PERCEIVED CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS OF FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT HEAD, ASSUMING THE POSITION OF TRAILS FOUNDER, DIRECTOR, NOW CEO, UM, THAT IS A VIOLATION OF THE ROTATING DOOR POLICY AND THE ETHICS STANDARDS.
[02:35:01]
I DON'T SEE THIS BOARD EVEN BRINGING THAT UP AS A CONCERN.THE RESPONSE TO CLARIFICATION REGARDING WHY SUCH POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT PLANS ARE TAKING PLACE SO QUICKLY AND SO FAST.
WHILE WE ARE JUST COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC, I JUST WANT THIS BOARD TO KNOW THAT WE ARE GONNA TAKE LEGAL ACTION ON THIS.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE GONNA FORCE DOWN OUR THROATS 'CAUSE WE ARE TAXPAYERS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND JUST FOR THE BOARD'S KNOWLEDGE, UH, THE 10 SPEAKER LIMIT WAS IMPLEMENTED BACK IN 2020, SO WAY BEFORE ANY OF US WERE ON THE DAIS.
WHO'S THE NEXT SPEAKER? MR. BECK? IT, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER.
I MAY HAVE MISPLACED THE SIGNUP FORM.
JUST GO AHEAD, INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
DO YOU HAVE IT? I DUNNO IF I HAVE IT, BUT YOU CAN GO UP AND SPEAK.
WHAT WAS THE NAME? JUST, JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE JUST THE ACTUAL FORM FOR HIM, JUST FOR RECORD PURPOSES, BUT I SEND IT OUT AND HANDED IT TO HIM EARLIER.
WE MAY NEED YOU TO JUST DO A NEW ONE, BUT YOU CAN SPEAK THERE, SIT DOWN OR YOU CAN COME TO THE, THE PODIUM, WHICHEVER ONE YOU WANT.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU IN REGARDS TO SOME CONCERNS I HAVE.
AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE BOARD MEMBER, HOLLY REED AND STEPHANIE FOR BRINGING UP THE FACT THAT THAT, UH, FINANCIALS IN REGARDS TO THESE, UH, REQUESTS, UH, WILL BE PROVIDED TO US, TO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN ANALYZE THOSE A LOT MORE.
IN RE SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO THE POEM AGREEMENTS, CONCESSION AGREEMENTS, AND ANY FINANCIAL TAX CREDITS THAT MIGHT BE PROVIDED.
THE GENERAL LADY BEFORE EARLIER HAD SAID THAT NEXT WEEK THE PERMIT WILL BE APPROVED.
AND SO IS THIS CONVERSATION A FORMALITY? ARE WE JUST GOING FOR THE RECORD OR ARE WE ACTUALLY GONNA BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS? I KNOW WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE ACTION TODAY, BUT OUR HOPES IS TO BRING TRANSPARENCY IN REGARDS TO SOME THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED, UH, AND HAVE SOME GREAT CONCERNS ABOUT IT.
MY BACKGROUND IS IN THE AREA OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCE WITH AN EMPHASIS IN FORENSIC ACCOUNTING, REVERSE ENGINEERING OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, FINANCIAL CONTRACTS TO GOVERNMENT BODIES WITH SOME OTHER ITEMS. WITH THAT IN MIND, I HAVE STUDIED THE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FINANCE ONLINE, THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE, THROUGH THE TEXAS COMP, COMPTROLLER REPUBLIC ACCOUNTS, AND SEVERAL OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
IN REGARDS TO WHERE THESE FINANCIALS ARE AT, I HAVE DETERMINED THAT SOME OF THESE ITEMS ARE CURRENTLY NOT IN GOOD STANDING OR THERE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE NOT IN COMPLIANCE.
I WANNA BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS THAT I HAVE WITH MY BACKGROUND IN REGARDS TO WHERE WE STAND FINANCIALLY.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS THAT AS AN EXPERT IN THESE AREAS, I HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS AS WE GO FORWARD AS AN INCOME PRODUCING ENTITY TO DESTROY OUR CONVERSATIONS INTO OUR PARTS.
IF THERE, I COULD, I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY CORRESPONDENCE OR MEETINGS WITH THE PARTNERSHIPS, UH, COMMITTEE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE, UH, POEM AGREEMENTS, CONCESSION AGREEMENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
IF I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER MY SERVICES AND TIME, I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO SO.
IF NOT, THEN I REALLY APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION SO THAT I CAN BRING THIS INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC AND HAVE THEM VOICE THEIR OPINIONS.
JUST REALLY QUICK, ARE YOU, DO YOU, ARE YOU THE ONE THAT RUNS THE A BASEBALL OPERATION? I'M SORRY? ARE YOU LIKE A BA BASEBALL OPERATION? RIGHT? YOU HAVE A BA ARE YOU A BASEBALL COACH? NO.
I FOUNDED THE HISPANIC BASEBALL LEAGUE HERE IN AUSTIN.
YEAH, WE'LL BE COMING TO YOU FOR THAT CON CONVERSATION ANOTHER TIME, BUT YES.
I JUST WAS LIKE, AM I GOING CRAZY OR, OKAY.
UM, I WILL NOW, UH, OPEN IT UP.
UH, I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO BOARD MEMBER REED.
UM, I BROUGHT THIS ITEM FORWARD BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE FOR US AS A BOARD TO DISCUSS IT TONIGHT AND THEN POSSIBLY COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS THING RIGHT.
UM, IF YOU LOOK BACK AT THE COUNCIL ORDINANCE, WHICH I DID SEND TO MR. BECK, AND, UM, INTERIM DIRECTOR MEANS TO SEND TO THE PARTS BOARD IF YOU WANNA READ THE ORDINANCE FROM 2019.
THIS DOESN'T, JUST DOESN'T REALLY WORK IF YOU ARE APPLYING AN EQUITABLE, UM, AN ORDINANCE.
AND ALSO, UM, A WAY OF ENGAGING THE PUBLIC TO ALL VOTING CONCESSIONS ARE ALL CONCESSIONS FOR THAT MATTER.
[02:40:01]
THING.IT SAYS, WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS OF CITY CODE SECTION EIGHT DASH SEVEN FOUR REVIEW OF A PROPOSAL SEEKING A CONCESSION.
WHEN WE HAD THE PRESENTATION AT OUR LAST PARKS BOARD MEETING, I BELIEVE, UM, MR. RONALDO HERNANDEZ GAVE THIS PRESENTATION AND IT SAYS IN DECEMBER, 2019, OR THAT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION WAS ISSUED.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, BUT, UM, I BELIEVE THAT WHAT THE ORDINANCE DID WAS IT BYPASSED THE PARKS BOARD AND IT CLEARLY BYPASSED THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAVING TO FULFILL WHAT IS IN THE HOLLY SHORES EDWARD RENDON SENIOR VISION PLAN, WHICH CLEARLY STATES THAT WHENEVER THERE ARE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS OR NEW PROJECTS COMING ONLINE THAT THEY WILL ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC.
HAVE ANY OF YOU ALL REVIEWED THE VISION PLAN? SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN THE VISION PLAN, AND THAT WAS, UM, I LOOKED THROUGHOUT THE VISION PLAN AND I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT BOATING AND CONCESSIONS IN THAT VISION PLAN WHATSOEVER, OR PLANS FOR IT.
AND SO IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WITH THE BOAT BACK IN 2019 WHEN THIS WAS HAPPENING, THAT SOMEONE FROM PARD OR SOMEONE FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER PO RENTER'S OFFICE WOULD'VE ENGAGED, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGAGEMENT.
THEY DID HAVE A COUNCIL HEARING, BUT THE NAVY'S NEIGHBORS WERE NEVER, I, UM, NOTIFIED ABOUT IT.
AND REALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VISION PLAN.
I THINK THE NEIGHBORS, THE STAKEHOLDERS, SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A VOTE TO CREATE A VOTING CONCESSION PLUS.
UM, BECAUSE THIS BYPASSED ALL OF THE VOTING CONCESSION RULES IN THE CODE.
UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND THE PARKS BOARD DID NOT HAVE TO REVIEW THIS.
AND CLEARLY IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SHOULD HAVE REVIEWED CONSIDERING WHERE IT'S LOCATED, UM, IN THE LAGOON AND THE ISSUES THAT COULD BE, COULD HAVE HAPPENED.
THE OTHER VOTING CONCESSIONS HAVE HAD TO ABIDE BY THESE RULES AND CODES.
AND SO WHY IS THIS CONCESSION BEING, WHY WAS IT EXPEDITED? AND WHY AFTER FIVE, FOUR YEARS WERE THE NEIGHBORS NOT TOLD WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THE STAKEHOLDERS WERE NOT ALLOWED OR NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT ALL OF THIS.
SO, UM, FOR US AS A BOARD, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS ORDINANCE CONFLICTS WITH A VISION PLAN AND IT BYPASS NEIGHBORHOOD STAKEHOLDER INPUT AND THE PARKS BOARD INPUT AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION INPUT.
THE CODE DOES SAY THAT THE BOARD AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MAY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION RELATED TO CONTINUING AN EXISTING CONCESSION OR TERMINATING AN EXISTING CONTINUATION OR IS, OR, OR ISSUING A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR AN EXPIRING OR A NEW CONCESSION.
SO WE HAVE THAT ABILITY AS A BOARD AND WE CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO REVIEW THE ORDINANCE.
SO I WOULD LIKE YOUR INPUT, ALL OF YOU, ALL A INFORMING A RECOMMENDATION THAT WOULD GIVE THE THE NEIGHBORHOOD STAKEHOLDERS A WAY OF WEIGHING IN ON THIS BOARD MEMBER, REBECCA.
UM, I MEAN, OUR ABILITY TO WORK HERE IS LIMITED TO BEING ABLE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL, SO IT'S, RIGHT.
SO IT SEEMS TO ME OUR BEST BET WOULD BE, IF YOU WANTED TO APPROACH THIS, WOULD BE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, TO REVIEW, TO CONSIDER TO, I MEAN, THAT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN DO ANYTHING, THAT'S, THAT'S SORT OF THE LIMIT OF OUR POWER HERE.
SO WITHOUT MAKING ANY SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS FOR WHAT SHOULD BE IN IT, I THINK THAT'S, UNLESS, UNLESS ANYBODY'S GOT ANY OTHER IDEAS, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE'RE LIMITED TO HERE IS AM I CORRECT IN THIS? I MEAN, THAT'S MY READ, BUT I ALSO HAD A, A CLARIFYING QUESTION THAT I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF US CAN ANSWER, BUT IS THIS THE, THE PERMITTING PROCESS? I GOT SOMEWHAT CONFUSED BY THE COMMENTS MADE BY THE SPEAKER RELATED TO THE PERMITTING PROCESS, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TONIGHT AND THE PERMITTING PROCESS IS NEXT WEEK, I MEAN, WE CAN, UH, MAKE OUR DISPLEASURE KNOWN, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WILL AFFECT THE PROCESS, TO YOUR POINT, UH, OR MEMBER BECKER.
UM, I MEAN, NOT, NOT TO SAY THAT'S NOT A REASON NOT TO DO IT, BUT IT JUST, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WILL, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS, I GUESS IS THE POINT.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S MY CONCERN.
[02:45:01]
I ASSURE YOUR CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS A DECISION COUNCIL'S ALREADY MADE AND IT'S ALREADY SO FAR ALONG, I, I WOULD SUPPORT A RECOMMENDATION FOR 'EM, FOR COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER OR TO OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM CONFUSED ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE PROCESS.I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE, SO I, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WENT THROUGH.
UM, SO YEAH, I WOULD BE OPEN TO SOME SORT OF REQUEST THAT THEY RECONSIDER IT, BUT I, I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH POWER WE HAVE AT THIS POINT WHEN A DECISION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE BY COUNSEL AND IT'S ALREADY THIS FAR ALONG.
SO, UM, IF I CAN ASK MR. BECK, YOU DID SEND US THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REQUEST AND RECOMMENDATION, AND I DIDN'T WANNA BRING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT KNOWING THAT IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTED.
I WANTED TO GIVE THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT THE NEIGHBORHOOD STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT OUR BOARD COULD SEE HOW SERIOUSLY THIS HAS GONE WRONG.
AND HOWEVER, I, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT CITY LEGAL THOUGHT THAT A REQUEST TO COUNSEL WOULD NOT BE THE WAY TO GO GO, BUT I, BECAUSE OF THE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD ABOUT THIS MOVING FORWARD SO QUICKLY, AND WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO SIT HERE, AND I MEAN, WE COULD POSSIBLY COME UP WITH, WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE COUNCIL REEVALUATE THIS ORDINANCE.
UM, PUT VERY SIMPLY, WE COULD SAY THAT IF WE VOTED FOR IT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT A REQUEST TO COUNCIL? YES.
BOARD MEMBER AT THE END OF THE, THE JUNE PARKS BOARD MEETING, AFTER HEARING DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS ITEM, I SUGGESTED THAT THE BOARD MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE WHAT'S CALLED A COUNCIL COMMITTEE A AGENDA REQUEST.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING AT THAT TIME WAS THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE BASED ON THE IDEA THAT THIS ITEM WAS UNLIKELY TO APPEAR ON A FUTURE COUNCIL AGENDA.
THEREFORE, A REQUEST WOULD'VE BEEN, HOWEVER, AFTER HAVING REVIEWED THE, UM, SCOPE OF A COUNCIL COMMITTEE AGENDA REQUEST WITH BOTH THE CITY CLERK AND THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE BOTH ADVISED, UM, THAT THE PURPOSE OF THOSE KINDS OF REQUESTS ARE FAR TOO NARROW TO REALLY BE APPROPRIATE IN THAT CASE.
AND THAT MORE SO THEY'RE APPLICABLE TO, UH, COMMITTEES OF ACTUAL CITY COUNCIL, LIKE THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
THEY RECOMMENDED THAT IF THE BOARD SOUGHT TO MAKE SOME ACTION ON THIS ITEM, THAT THEY DO IT IN THE FORM OF A RECOMMENDATION.
HOWEVER, I'LL ALSO SAY THAT AS THE BOARD MOVES CLOSER TO IDENTIFYING THE SPECIFIC ACTION THAT THEY WANT TO TAKE ON THIS ITEM, I'D BE HAPPY TO AGAIN, REVIEW THE SPECIFIC ACTION THAT THE BOARD WANTS TO TAKE WITH THE CITY CLERK AND WITH THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE AND HAVING THE INTENDED EFFECT.
I'D ONLY ASK THAT IF THE BOARD THEN INTENDED TO TAKE SOME ACTION AT, SAY, THE AUGUST PARKS BOARD MEETING, THAT WE ALLOW A LITTLE BIT OF ADDITIONAL TIME IN THAT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY CLERK AND CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT BEFORE IT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD.
WHEN ONE OF THE SPEAKERS, UH, TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING HAPPENING NEXT WEEK, DOES, CAN SOMEONE ANSWER WHAT'S HAPPENING NEXT WEEK? I DIDN'T QUITE CATCH THAT.
I, I'VE MADE A COMMENT THAT THE GENTLE LADY HAD SAID THAT NEXT WEEK THE PERMIT WILL BE APPROVED, AND I QUESTIONED WHETHER THAT'S A FORMALITY OR NOT.
FOR CLARIFICATION IN REGARDS, WHAT, CAN YOU JUST, CAN YOU JUST REPEAT, REPEAT WHAT YOU, WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS IT? SORRY, IT WASN'T YES, MS. NICE.
UM, YEAH, SO WE, UH, WE ONLY HAVE ONE COMMENT TO CLEAR IN THE SITE PLAN.
SO THAT MOST LIKELY BE CLEARED NEXT WEEK.
UH, REINALDO AND I HAVE SPOKEN TODAY ABOUT IT.
YEAH, MY VO MY VOICE DOESN'T CARRY THAT WELL.
CAN YOU HEAR? NO, IT'S A MICROPHONE.
SO THE SITE PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED, THE PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN DONE.
THE TREE, UM, THERE'S SOME TREE, UH, MITIGATION THAT WE NEEDED TO PAY.
THE ONLY COMMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEARED IS THE LEGAL DOCUMENT, WHICH WILL BE APPROVED NEXT WEEK.
SO THE SITE PLAN WOULD BE APPROVED AT THAT TIME.
AND WHO'S APPROV THAT? IS IT REAL ESTATE OR PART OR WHO SITE PLAN GOES TO PERMITTING.
THE LEGAL DOCUMENT GOES TO LAW THROUGH LAW.
THE LAW DEPARTMENT TODAY CONFIRMED THAT THEY ONLY NEED A SIGNATURE AND THAT'S IT.
I THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
HAS AN AMENDMENT ALREADY BEEN MADE BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO THE, TO THE VISION PLAN? WE'RE, UH, WE'RE WORKING TO GATHER THAT INFORMATION IF YOU GIVE US A MOMENT.
[02:50:02]
OKAY.'CAUSE UM, CAN, CAN IT MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT AN AMENDMENT HAVING BEEN MADE TO THE VISION PLAN OFFICIALLY? I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING UP THAT Y Y'ALL ARE.
IT LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE'S LOOKING THAT UP.
I'M GONNA ASSUME SOMEONE'S LOOKING THAT UP.
UM, IN, IN THE MEANTIME, CAN I READ PART FOUR OF THE ORDINANCE? IT SAYS THE CITY COUNCIL BOARD MEMBER, SORRY, JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
UH, THE VISION PLAN HAS NOT YET BEEN AMENDED AND FOR PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES, CAN, CAN THE CONCESSION CONSTRUCTION MOVE FORWARD EVEN THOUGH THE VISION PLAN HAS NOT BEEN AMENDED? THAT'S BEYOND MY EXPERTISE, BUT WE'LL GET PART STAFF TO WEIGH IN ON THAT AND GET YOU AN ANSWER.
WHY WOULD THE GENTLE ALLOW MORE TIME IF WE NOT ABLE TO MAKE COMMENTS? HE CAN TALK FIRST.
IF IT WAS A PROCEDURAL QUESTION, IF THE GENERAL LADY ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL NOT TALK, I FEEL LIKE WE WOULD'VE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY ALRIGHT.
UM, SO IF PARK PARK STAFF CAN'T ANSWER IT, THAT'S FINE.
UM, THE OTHER, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THIS, I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, HERE'S WHERE WE'RE AT.
SO IN 2000 AS THE WAY I SEE THINGS IN 2019, CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION, UM, ALLOW, UH, DIRECTING HARD THE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND ALL RELEVANT ENTITIES TO, UH, FORGO THE NORMAL PER THE NORMAL R-P-F-R-F-P PROCESS.
UM, AND, UH, THE NORMAL PROCEDURES THAT WOULD'VE ALLOWED FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO HAVE OCCURRED THAT DID NOT GO THROUGH BECAUSE OF THIS RECOMMEND, THIS RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WHETHER THAT WAS THE BEST DECISION OR NOT, I'M NOT GONNA COMMENT ON IT 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT CITY COUNCIL DID.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT WAS WHAT THEY DID.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THAT DOES MEAN THAT AT THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY THAT PEOPLE WOULD'VE HAD TO HAVE MADE, MADE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR CONCESSION SLASH VISION PLAN CHANGE SLASH EVERYTHING WOULD'VE BEEN AT THAT BOARD MEETING AT THAT, AT THAT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UM, I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT WAS THE BEST THING TO HAVE DONE, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT CITY COUNCIL DID.
SO NOW WE'RE IN THE POSITION OF PART HAS PART IS EXECUTING THE, UH, DIRECTION OF CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND IT APPEARS THAT WE'RE IN A PRO, WE'RE, WE'RE SO FAR ALONG THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE KIND OF LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN DO.
I AM OPEN TO DOING SOMETHING, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SOMETHING IS.
AND I THINK I WOULD JUST ECHO BOARD MEMBER MERIT'S COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT SHE SAID.
UM, SO I GUESS THE REASON I'M SAYING ALL OF THAT IS BECAUSE I THINK THIS WHOLE PROCESS, I CAN, I UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY'S FRUSTRATION IN ALL OF THIS, UM,
IT'S ONE OF THE FEW TIMES WHERE I'M JUST, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
SO I HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION AND I APOLOGIZE TO ASK A GROUP OF PEOPLE, NONE OF WHOM WERE HERE WHEN THIS WAS DONE, BUT WHY HASN'T THE MASTER PLAN BEEN AMENDED IF IN 2019 AS PART OF THE RESOLUTION PART FIVE, WAS THE CITY MANAGER SUPPOSED TO AMEND THE MASTER PLAN, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN AMENDED IN FIVE YEARS FOR BOARD MEMBERS? I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN HEAR ME.
RICARDO'S ELISE WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, I'M DIVISION MANAGER OVER PARK PLANNING WHAT WE WERE WAITING TO DO, AND WHICH WE'VE HAD OTHER REQUESTS FOR AMENDMENTS OF A VISION PLAN, UM, FOR SPECIFIC REASONS.
SOME OF THOSE REASONS DID NOT FALL THROUGH OR DID NOT GET THE FUNDING FOR IT, OR DID NOT.
SO, UM, UNTIL WE DO HAVE A SIGNED AGREEMENT AND WE KNOW THAT, THAT A PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD WITH FUNDING AND, UH, AND WE'RE PRETTY CERTAIN THAT IT'S GONNA HAPPEN, THEN WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH A PLAN AMENDMENT.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE THINKING HERE AS WELL.
ONCE WE DID HAVE THE GROUP THAT HAD THE FUNDING THAT WAS MOVING FORWARD, THAT WAS GETTING ALL THE PERMITS THAT THEY WERE REQUIRED, THEN WE WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH AN ACTUAL PLAN AMENDMENT.
AND SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS REQUIRED DURING AN AMENDMENT PROCESS TO A MASTER PLAN, IF ANY? YEAH, AND ACTUALLY TYPICALLY THE AMENDMENT COMES FROM STAFF WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO,
[02:55:01]
TO IMPLEMENT SOMETHING, TRYING TO IMPLEMENT A NEW, A NEW, UH, USE IN A PARK.UM, AND, AND SO WE WOULD GO THROUGH THAT ENGAGEMENT.
WE WOULD COME TO THE PARKS BOARD AND END UP BEFORE YOU DID COMFORT FOR THAT DECISION.
UM, AND SO LIKE BEFORE YOU IMPLEMENTED THE THING, YOU WOULD GO THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT FIRST? EXACTLY.
IT'S, IT'S JUST THAT THE COUNCIL HAS THAT AUTHORITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND, AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH A PLAN WITH, UH, IMPLEMENTING A USE IN A PARK, WHICH THEY'VE, THEY DID IN THIS CASE, BUT, UM, BUT TYPICALLY THE AMENDMENTS WOULD COME FROM, FROM US FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO RESPOND TO THIS, BUT GENERALLY IT SEEMS FAIR TO SAY THAT WHAT HAPPENED HERE WAS AN UNUSUAL USE CASE IN THE SENSE THAT COUNSEL DIRECTED YOU TO AMEND THE PLAN BASED ON WHAT THEY WANTED IT TO BE, KIND OF GOING AROUND TO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE ENTIRELY.
THAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF IT HAD BEEN A STAFF INITIATED PROCESS WHERE YOU WOULD'VE DONE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS PART OF YOUR NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS PRIOR TO DOING THE ACTUAL CHANGE.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THAT.
I GUESS A QUICK QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU MENTIONED, IS A PUBLIC MEETING PART OF THE TYPICAL ENGAGEMENT, I GUESS WE WERE SAYING WITH A STAFF, TYPICAL STAFF PRESENTED PROCESS? THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
USUALLY WE, WE START WITH THE ENGAGEMENT WHEN THERE'S A, WHEN YEAH, THERE'S A USE THAT'S WELL SUPPORTED AND IT'S INCONSISTENT WITH THE MASK, WITH THE VISION PLAN.
AND THAT WOULD TYPICALLY KICK THAT, UH, OFF.
AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE THAT ENGAGEMENT AND, AND THEN COME TO THE PARKS BOARD REQUESTING A RECOMMENDATION FOR AN AMENDMENT OF, OF, OF THAT VISION PLAN.
AND THEN IT WOULD, DEPENDING ON WHETHER IT'S A, A DISTRICT PARK OR A A, UH, A, A METROPOLITAN PARK THAT WOULD GO TO COUNCIL FOR, FOR, UH, A ACTION.
AND ONE OTHER QUESTION, YOU MENTIONED THAT INITIALLY, UM, THE DEPARTMENT WAS WAITING ON A SIGNED AGREEMENT PRIOR TO MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS.
UM, THAT FEELS A LITTLE BIT LIKE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
I GUESS, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT AGREEMENT? DO YOU GUYS HAVE THAT IN HAND SIGNED IN 2020? UM, I BELIEVE RAY CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THE ACTUAL AGREEMENT, BUT, UH, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, I CAN GIVE YOU EXAMPLES OF, OF WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN THAT REQUEST AND THE PROJECT NEVER REALLY KICKED OFF.
SO, UM, SO YEAH, AS FAR AS THE AGREEMENT IS CONCERNED, TURN OKAY.
I THINK, UH, BOARD MEMBER REED SHOWED ME THE AGREEMENT, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP MR. ALISE.
SO, UM, I GUESS LET ME JUST PUT FORTH, UM, MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS, WHICH I THINK ARE RELATIVELY BASED IN FACT AT THIS POINT.
SO THIS WAS PASSED IN 2019 AT A TIME WHEN NONE OF THE PEOPLE SEATED HERE WERE ON THIS DIOCESE PART OF THE PARKS AND REC BOARD.
NONE OF US WERE EVEN CLOSE TO BEING SEATED ON THE PARKS AND REC BOARD.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL WAS ALSO FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT IN ITS MAKEUP.
SO THE, THE FOLKS SITTING ON CITY COUNCIL DIOCESE WERE DIFFERENT.
UM, THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER WHO LED THIS ORDINANCE AND REPRESENTED THE DISTRICT AT THE TIME, UM, I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT HIS SPECIFIC MOTIVATIONS WERE, BUT HE MADE A CHOICE ALONG WITH OTHER CO-SPONSORS TO PASS SOMETHING THAT CIRCUMVENTED THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
DO I THINK THAT'S FAIR? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
DO I THINK IT'S RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I THINK WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE RELATIVELY LIMITED AS A BOARD IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN DO THAT WOULD EFFECTIVELY, WELL, YOU CAN'T WRITE IT.
I MEAN, AT THIS POINT IT CAN'T BE WRITE IT, IT ALREADY HAPPENED FIVE YEARS AGO.
THERE'S DAMAGE THAT WAS DONE THERE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE EFFECTIVELY CAN DO TO EVEN INTERRUPT THE PROCESS, THOUGH I AM ALSO WILLING TO CONSIDER WHATEVER FOLKS MAY WANT TO PUT FORWARD.
I JUST, UM, WE CAN CONTINUE DISCUSSION, BUT I WANT TO NOTE THAT COMMUNITY CAN ALWAYS EMAIL AND CALL THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE A VOICE AND YOU CAN USE IT IN THE WAY THAT YOU WANT.
AND SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE DETERMINE HERE OR WHAT IS SAID, LIKE YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY TO DO THAT.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HEARS THAT, WHETHER THEY'RE HERE OR NOT.
SO VICE CHAIR FLOWERS MADE A GOOD POINT ABOUT, UM, WHY WAS THE VISION PLAN NOT AMENDED SINCE THE ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN DECEMBER OF 2019 AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SOLES, YOU SAID IT WAS BECAUSE YOU WERE WAITING FOR A SIGNED CONTRACT WITH THE CONCESSIONER AND, AND IT LOOKS
[03:00:01]
LIKE THE CONTRACT WAS SIGNED ON OCTOBER 26TH, 2020.AND THE VISION PLAN WAS STILL NOT AMENDED? THAT'S CORRECT.
I MEAN, UM, WE WERE WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECT WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN, THAT THEY HAD THE FUNDING FOR IT, THAT, UM, THAT WE, THAT WE WERE PRETTY CERTAIN THAT THIS WAS GONNA MOVE FORWARD BEFORE WE WENT AND AMENDED THE PLAN.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS JUST OUR, UM, JUST TO, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE HAD A REAL PROJECT.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU, YOU NOR YOUR, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IT'S NOR YOUR NORMAL PROCESS TO WAIT UNTIL A PROJECT IS FAR ALONG BEFORE AMEND, BEFORE FILING AN AMENDMENT? OR WAS IT BECAUSE OF LIKE THE STRANGE NATURE OF THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION THAT YOU WAITED ON THE AMENDMENT? WELL, I'M GONNA SAY THAT IT'S AN UNUSUAL SITUATION, BUT WE DID HAVE ANOTHER SCENARIO WHERE WE WERE ASKED TO AMEND THE PLAN FOR, UM, A VETERAN'S MEMORIAL, FOR INSTANCE.
AND HOWEVER, THAT NEVER WENT FORWARD FOR FUNDING BECAUSE OF THEIR FUNDING COMPLICATIONS.
SO, SO IT, IT WOULD'VE BEEN AWKWARD TO AMEND THE PLAN AND THEN NOT HAVE THE PROJECT BE FULLY FUNDED.
UM, AND SO IN THIS CASE, WE WERE JUST, I WAS JUST BEING CAUTIOUS AND, AND CONSERVATIVE IN THE SENSE THAT, WELL, ONCE WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT THAT EVERYTHING IS A GO, AND THEN, SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO BACK.
I MEAN, IT WOULD BE ODD FOR US TO CHANGE THE PLAN AND THEN THE PROJECT REALLY NOT KICKING OFF FOR WHATEVER REASON.
YEAH, AND I, I JUST DO WANNA SAY THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND I KNOW STAFF ARE NOT GONNA SAY THIS, BUT YOU STAFF IS, WAS PUT IN AN IMPOSSIBLE POSITION BECAUSE COUNCIL MADE A RECOMMENDATION THAT CIRCUMVENTED THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
AND THEN WHENEVER STAFF WOULD'VE GONE TO DO THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, IT WOULD'VE BEEN, AND I'M SORRY TO SAY THIS, BUT FOR NAUGH, BECAUSE COUNCIL HAD ALREADY MADE A RECOMMENDATION.
SO TO ME, AND THIS IS JUST FRANK BECAUSE IT'S WHO I AM, THIS JUST SMACKS OF A SPECIFIC PERSON'S INTEREST
AND WE ALL KNOW WHO THE PERSON IS.
AND I THINK IT'S IN THE PAST AT THIS POINT, WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT TODAY IS LIMITED BY WHERE IT IS IN THE PROCESS.
BUT WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHAT HAPPENED HERE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE ORDINARY REALM OF BUSINESS, AND THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE IS, ANYONE CAN HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT EXCEPT FOR THE COUNCIL THAT PASSED THE ORDINANCE AT THIS POINT.
AND SO AGAIN, WHAT I SAID BEFORE, WE CAN MAKE ANY RECOMMENDATION WE WANT, WE CAN LOOK BACK AND SAY, OH, I WISH STAFF HAD DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY.
BUT REGARDLESS, STAFF WAS PUT IN THE IMPOSSIBLE POSITION OF DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR SOMETHING THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN DECIDED, WHICH I JUST THINK IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT.
LIKE THEY DIDN'T MAKE THE DECISION AND THEY WOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT THIS WAY.
IF THEY HAD, THEY WOULD'VE DONE IT IN THE CORRECT ORDER BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS NORMALLY.
SO I THINK THERE MAY BE, UM, AN OPTION HERE IN THE ACTUAL ORDINANCE ITSELF BECAUSE IT SAYS THE CITY COUNCIL FURTHER DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO ENDEAVOR, TO PRESERVE THE CURRENT LOCATION UTILIZED BY THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL FOR INSTRUCTION AS THE LOCATION FOR THE BOATING CONCESSION, WHILE ALSO ENSURING THAT THE LOCATION INCLUDES THE MINIMUM INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED BY CITY CODE TO OPERATE A BOATING CONCESSION.
HOWEVER, IF FACTORS EXIST THAT MAKE A BOATING CONCESSION UNWORKABLE AT THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL'S CURRENT LOCATION, ANOTHER SUITABLE LOCATION SHALL BE IDENTIFIED FOR THE BOATING CONCESSION.
SO WHAT IS THE MINIMUM INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED BY CODE TO OPERATE A VOTING CONCESSION? DOES ANYBODY KNOW, UH, THAT THAT'S A QUESTION FOR YEAH, I WILL, I WILL ALLOW DEPARTMENT IF ON THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, UM, CAN ANSWER THAT, I'LL ALLOW IT QUICKLY.
BUT OTHERWISE, JUST, JUST A SIMPLE REMINDER THAT WE NEED TO STICK TO THE AGENDA LANGUAGE ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THIS IS THE ORDINANCE THAT CREATED THE VOTING CONCESSION CHAIR.
MY CONCERN IS IS THAT IF WE GET, IF WE DELVE DEEPER INTO THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU'RE GOING INTO, UM, WE'RE WE'RE DI DI DI DIVERTING FROM THE DISCUSSION ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERMANENT LOCATION, FOR BOATING CONCESSIONS AT FESTIVAL BEACH.
AND, BUT BY US AS A PARKS BOARD COMING UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION OH.
AND THE AMENDMENT ACCORDING TO THE ORDINANCE AND THE AMENDMENT.
LIKE I, YEAH, I SEE THAT SECOND PORTION.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WERE GONNA TAKE WHERE CONVERSATION GOES TAKING, WE WEREN'T GONNA TAKE ACTION TONIGHT, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS DISCUSSION TO RESULT IN
[03:05:01]
SOME KIND OF ACTION, POSSIBLY AT THE NEXT PARKS BOARD MEETING.UM, AND, AND IT WOULD PROBABLY REVOLVE AROUND THAT.
IF, IF THAT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT I FIND OUT BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT PARKS BOARD MEETING, THEN I CAN ASK STAFF ABOUT IT IF, IF NEEDED OR COUNSEL.
YEAH, I MEAN, I'D BE INTERESTED IN PURSUING A RECOMME.
I APPRECIATED, UM, UH, CHAIRPERSONS AND FLOWERS, VICE CHAIRPERSONS AND FLOWERS, UH, BLUNTNESS ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC.
AND I'D BE INTERESTED IN SEEING IF WE COULD PUT FORTH A RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS SORT OF SIMILARLY DIRECT, IF NOT NECESSARILY BLUNT
I DON'T, IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO A RECOMMENDATION RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THAT WE HAD NOT, IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
CAN'T, SO IT WOULD BE NEXT, NEXT PARKS BOARD MEETING.
AND I DO THINK THAT PART FOUR OF THE ORDINANCE, UM, WE COULD REFERENCE THAT PART OF THE ORDINANCE IN THAT, UM, I FEEL LIKE MAYBE THERE WAS SOME PROCESS AND PROCEDURE, UM, PER CODE THAT WASN'T FOLLOWED, AND THAT'S WHY WE WOULD ASK FOR A REEVALUATION OF THE ORDINANCE OR FOR THE COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER THE ORDINANCE OR TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE.
WILL YOU, I, I ASSUME SOME STAFF, SOMEONE, WELL, UH, UH, BOARD MEMBER MARIE, CAN YOU, UH, JUST FOLLOW UP WITH STAFF WITH THE QUESTIONS? YES.
I, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK INTERIM DIRECTOR MEANS, UM, SHE MENTIONED THIS, IF SHE HAS ANY, ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC INPUT GIVEN THIS SITUATION? INTERIM DIRECTOR MEANS, DID YOU
WAS THAT ME? NO, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU HAD, UH, ANY COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS? I WOULD PREFER, UH, THAT WE TAKE THIS TIME AND COME BACK NEXT MONTH.
IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM, THERE'S CHATTER OVER HERE WHERE WE NEED TO CLARIFY.
AND SO THAT ALSO GIVES US TIME TO BE VERY SPECIFIC AS TO WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE.
SO, SO IN CONCLUSION, UM, IT'S, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, UM, THE CONCESSION WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH CONSTRUCTION WHEN THE VISION PLAN HAS NOT BEEN AMENDED.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF IT'S, IF THIS PROCESS IS ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THE ORDINANCE AND, UH, ENSURING THE LOCATION INCLUDES THE MINIMUM INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED BY CITY CODE TO OPERATE A BOATING CONCESSION.
AND ALSO, UM, IF FACTORS EXIST THAT MAKING THE BOATING CONCESSION UNWORKABLE AT THE EXPEDITION SCHOOL'S CURRENT LOCATION, ANOTHER SUITABLE LOCATION SHALL BE IDENTIFIED.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE ORDINANCE FROM 2019.
UM, THE ONLY THING I'D WANT TO, OH, SORRY, DID I INTERRUPT? NO, GO AHEAD.
I WAS JUST, THE ONE THING I, I'D, I'D AMEND ABOUT YOUR STATEMENT IS I DO FEEL LIKE WE GOT A GOOD BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT WHY THE VISION PLAN HADN'T BEEN UPDATED OWING TO THE UNUSUAL SITUATION AND SORT OF THE PRESSURES THAT IT PUT ON STAFF, WHICH CAUSED THEM TO SORT OF REASONABLY DELAY THE AMENDMENT OF THE VISION PLAN.
SO I FEEL LIKE IT IS, IT IS TIED INTO THIS LARGER ISSUE OF THE COMPLICATIONS CAUSED BY, UH, JUMP JUMPING THE LINE WITH THIS ORDINANCE.
BUT THERE WAS ALSO KIND OF SOME STALLING TACTICS DONE.
AND I'M NOT BLAMING ANYONE ON THE PARKS DEPARTMENT STAFF, BUT DIRECTOR MCNEELY WROTE A MEMORANDUM IN 2022 ASKING FOR LIKE A, A A TO AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TO ASK FOR A TWO YEAR TRIAL PERIOD.
UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I DON'T, I, THIS WAS NOT PASSED BY OR APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
I THINK IT WAS MAYBE, UM, APPROVED BY THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
UM, AND THIS WAS FROM DECEMBER 15TH, 2022 AND BE BECAUSE OF A LONG-TERM INVESTMENT BEING TALKED ABOUT.
UM, MR. BECK, YOU SENT US THIS, UH, MEMORANDUM OF DECEMBER 15TH, 2022 FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, STEPHANIE, HAYDEN HOWARD, AND SO I, IS THAT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ORDINANCE? I DON'T KNOW.
SO, UM, YES, WE, WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
ONE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE NOT TO MUDDY THE WATERS EVEN MORE, I GUESS IS ON PART THREE WHERE IT SAYS, SAYS THAT CITY COUNCIL WAIVES THE REQUIREMENTS TO BASICALLY
[03:10:01]
REVIEW A PROPOSAL, SEEK A CONCESSION.IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE? YOU KNOW, IS IT JUST A FORMALITY TO REQUEST THOSE CONCESSIONS OR AS PART OF THE PUBLIC PROCESS, IS THAT A STEP THAT CAN BE WAIVED? I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING ANY OF US WOULD KNOW AT THIS STAGE.
UM, AND IT WAS CLEARLY WE DONE ALREADY, BUT JUST ANOTHER QUESTION OUT THERE.
BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES.
BOARD MEMBER BAAN, THIS IS JUST PIGGYBACKING ON THAT MR. BECK.
I WOULD, I WOULD, UM, THINK THAT WE'LL HAVE SOME LEGAL GUIDANCE AS WELL.
YOU'LL COME BACK JUST AS YOU DID THIS TIME
UH, YES, CERTAINLY I CAN, UH, ASSIST IN, UH, FORWARDING ALONG ANY LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS TO THE CITY LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
UM, UP UNTIL THIS POINT, MY QUESTIONS OF THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAVE MOSTLY BEEN REGARDING THE, THE ABILITY OF THE PARK SPORT TO ACT KIND OF A PARLIAMENTARY NATURE.
UM, BUT IF Y'ALL HAD QUESTIONS FOR THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT REGARDING ANY PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, I'D BE HAPPY TO FORWARD THOSE ALONG.
I THINK, I THINK THAT'LL BE IMPORTANT BETWEEN NOW AND YEAH.
NO, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A QUESTION FOR LEGAL OR WHO THESE DAYS INTERPRETS CODE, BUT I CONSIDER MYSELF RELATIVELY GOOD AT IT.
AND I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ABOUT SPECIFIC INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED OF VOTING CONCESSIONS.
OF COURSE, IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS, BUT IF I'M COMPARING TO THE 2019 VERSION AND I DON'T SEE AN INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENT FOR VOTING CONCESSIONS.
SO TO BOARD MEMBER REED'S POINT EARLIER, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD INTERPRET WHETHER OR NOT THE APPROPRIATE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED BY CODE IS PRESENT FOR VOTING CONCESSIONS.
SO SOMEONE WHO'S A CODE EXPERT COULD MAYBE GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON WHERE THAT IS LOCATED, IF AT ALL, IN CITY CODE.
AND IF THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT FOR ANY SPECIFIC INFRASTRUCTURE, THEN IT BECOMES SOMEWHAT MOOT.
BUT I DON'T WANNA ASSUME THAT I'VE CORRECTLY GOTTEN IT IN MY FIVE MINUTE PASS.
UM, BUT IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT OBVIOUS TO ME.
IT, AND, UH, AGAIN, I'M JUST GETTING A LITTLE BIT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH HOW WE'RE, WE'RE VENTURING AWAY FROM THE LANGUAGE POSTED ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
SO I'M GONNA TRY TO BRING EVERYONE BACK TO WHAT WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA ITEM? UM, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM? THANK YOU FOR THE DISCUSSION AND FOR LISTENING TO OUR CITIZENS.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
MOVE ON TO UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I KNOW WE'VE MENTIONED SOME AND I KNOW MR. I KNOW WE'VE TAKEN NOTE OF THAT.ANYTHING FURTHER? UM, I HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MONTH.
UM, ONE IS, UH, UM, UH, RECONSIDERING WHO IS OUR APPOINTEE AND SUBSTITUTE APPOINTEE TO THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION.
UH, IT'S CURRENTLY STEPHANIE AND MYSELF, UM, BOARD MEMBER BAAN AND MYSELF.
UM, AND UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY WITH YOU OF PUTTING, PUTTING THAT UP FOR A VOTE AND GETTING SOME NEW FOLKS ON THERE.
UH, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS THAT NEXT MONTH WE'LL ALSO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE BASEBALL FIELD WORKING GROUP.
CAN YOU, UH, DO UH, WHEN YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY MAYBE THIS WEEK, UH, CAN YOU JUST EMAIL MR. BECK THE POSTING LANGUAGE WITH YOUR CO-SPONSOR? I ASSUME, OH, ARE BOTH OF 'EM GONNA BE WITH BOARD MEMBER PAAN? SORRY? ARE BOTH OF THEM GONNA BE WITH YOU AS A CO-SPONSOR? UH, YES.
OKAY THEN YEAH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT MR. M GETS THAT.
WE'LL DO ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. SO I ACTUALLY HAVE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AND YOU'LL HAVE TO BEAR WITH ME STAFF.
UM, BUT WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN IS UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT PROCESS, UH, FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT RELATED TO HOW YOU APPLY STANDARDS FOR MOBILITY AND ACCESS TO PARKS AT EVERY STAGE OF THE PROCESS.
SO I'M INTERESTED IN WHEN THERE'S A ZONING CASE UP FOR REDEVELOPMENT THAT INCLUDES PARKLAND.
HOW ARE YOU SORT OF APPLYING A SMP GUIDELINES WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT WHEN YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, AFTER YOU'VE ACQUIRED THE PARK AND YOU'RE STARTING TO DEVELOP IT, HOW ARE YOU APPLYING IT? AND ALSO AFTER THE PARK IS ALREADY IN PLACE WHEN MOBILITY CONCERNS ARE RAISED AND IT'S NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, BEST PRACTICES UNDER A SMP, HOW IS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT SORT OF EVALUATING THOSE THINGS AND CONSIDERING THEM? UM, I HAVE SOME, I WANNA BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR PROCESS BEFORE I THINK ABOUT, UM, SOME CONCERNS I'VE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY RELATED TO SPECIFIC PARKS AND MOBILITY.
WILL YOU? ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA? UH, BAAN? I HAVE ONE JUST EARLIER ABOUT THE, UM, CITY'S CONNECTING CHILDREN.
UH, IT SOUNDED LIKE WE COULD GET A FULL BRIEFING ON THAT AT SOME POINT.
UM, CHAIR, I'LL DEFER TO YOU WHEN THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT'S NEEDED ASAP, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO THIS GROUP.
UM, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER REED? YES.
UM, WE HAD CONSIDERED, OR ACTUALLY
[03:15:01]
WE HAD DISCUSSED OR HEARD PUBLIC INPUT ABOUT, UM, THE PARKS BOARD WEIGHING IN ON QUALITIES WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN A NEW PARKS DIRECTOR.AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT STAGE WE'RE AT IN THE SEARCH FOR THE NEW PARKS DIRECTOR OR, OR WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT, BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY CONSIDER THAT SOON, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME WE HAVE TO WEIGH IN AS A BOARD AND UM, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN A NEW PARKS DIRECTOR OR OKAY.
A PARKS BOARD RECOMMENDATION ON THAT PLUS A RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED.
SAFETY AND PARKS RECONSIDERING.
UM, WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL, UM, FROM THE, THE ZILKER 3 51 GROUP ABOUT SOME SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS IN ZILKER PARK AND UH, I BROUGHT UP THE, THE, UM, MENTION THAT THE WORKING GROUP FOR SAFETY IN PARKS HAD MADE A RECOMMENDATION IN APRIL OF 2023.
WONDERING WHERE THAT WENT, IF COUNCIL EVER TOOK IT UP AND CONSIDERED IT OR THAT JUST WENT NOWHERE.
MAYBE THERE WERE NO COUNCIL SPONSORS AT THE TIME.
SO, UM, MIGHT CONSIDER, UH, CREATING A NEW WORKING GROUP OR COMING UP WITH SOME KIND OF A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PARKS BOARD.
ANY OTHER NUTRITION ITEMS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, AT THIS TIME IT IS 9:22 PM WITHOUT ANY OBJECTION.
I WILL ADJOURN, UH, TONIGHT'S PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING.