[00:00:04]
[Call to Order ]
MORNING EVERYBODY.IT'S 10 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING ON AUGUST 8TH, 2024, AND I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THIS WORK SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHICH IS LOCATED AT CITY HALL 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND WE HAVE A MAJORITY OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT, UM, MEMBERS, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS, UH, LATE YESTERDAY WE RECEIVED, UM, UH, A COPY OF A COURT ORDER, UH, RELATED TO ONE OF THE LAWSUITS.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THIS MORNING.
IF THERE IS SOMEONE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK AT THIS BUDGET WORK SESSION RELATED TO THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE, UH, 20 24, 20 25 BUDGET, YOU'LL BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK, UH, FOR THREE MINUTES.
UH, WHAT WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU DO IS IF YOU'RE HERE IN THE CHAMBERS AND YOU WISH TO SPEAK IN A, IN JUST A MOMENT, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'LL JUST HAVE YOU COME DOWN AND CLEARLY STATE YOUR NAME AND, AND THEN GIVE YOUR YOUR COMMENTS.
IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY UNTIL 11 O'CLOCK, AND AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE'RE GONNA MOVE, MOVE FORWARD.
UH, BUT IF, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO COMMENT AND YOU'RE NOT IN THE CHAMBERS, PLEASE GO DOWN TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE, UH, THE CLERKS THAT ARE HERE AND LET THEM KNOW SO THAT I'LL BE ABLE TO KNOW.
AND AN APPROPRIATE POINT IN TIME, WE WILL BREAK FROM THE WORK THAT THE COUNCIL'S DOING, UH, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT.
THEN WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, IS WE'RE GONNA HAVE A REVENUE UPDATE FROM OUR BUDGET STAFF AND THEN MEMBERS WE WILL GO THROUGH AS WAS PLANNED FOR THIS MEETING, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT COUNCIL HAS PROVIDED, UH, OUR STAFF HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF PUTTING THOSE AMENDMENTS IN BLOCKS, IF YOU WILL, WHERE THEY'RE RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER, WHICH OF COURSE IS ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF US BEING HERE TODAY, IS TO, TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT MIGHT WORK TOGETHER, WHAT MIGHT BE REDUNDANT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THE ORDER THAT I WILL GO IN AS WE, AS I CALL ON FOLKS, IS IN THE ORDER OF THE PACKET ITSELF.
SO, UH, LOOK AT THAT PACKET AND, AND, UH, JUST FOR PURPOSES OF US BEING PREPARED, UM, BEFORE I CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER IS, IS GOING TO BE DELAYED.
UM, AND IF SHE'S NOT HERE, UH, WHEN THIS GETS LAID OUT, WE'LL, WE'LL JUST, WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT APPROPRIATELY.
AND, UH, WE ALSO, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, UH, MAY NOT BE PARTICIPATING TODAY, UH, BUT WE'LL, YOU HAVE THE AMENDMENTS AND YOU CAN, YOU CAN READ THOSE AMENDMENTS.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, LET ME ASK, IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT THAT WISHES TO PROVIDE COMMENT ON THE 20 24 20 25 BUDGET THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AND CONSIDERING, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS IN IFCS TODAY? IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WISHES TO BE RECOGNIZED TO SPEAK ON THE 20 24, 20 25 BUDGET? ANYONE THAT WISHES TO BE HEARD? OKAY.
IF SOMEBODY DOES, UH, FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, PLEASE GO TO THE CLERK AND GIVE THEM, GIVE THE CLERK'S OFFICE YOUR NAMES, AND AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME, WE WILL CALL THOSE PEOPLE UP.
BUT ALL OF THAT'S GOING TO CLOSE, UH, AT 11 O'CLOCK.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL TURN TO,
[1. Presentation and discussion of the City Manager's Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Proposed Budget. ]
UM, OUR STAFF, UH, FOR A REVENUE UPDATE.PART OF THE REASON FOR DOING THIS TODAY IS BECAUSE, UH, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, WE GET THE SALES TAX UPDATE ON A ROUTINE BASIS AND, AND WE NOW HAVE THE LATEST UPDATE SO THAT THE STAFF CAN HELP US, UH, WALK THROUGH OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
CARRIE LANG, BUDGET OFFICER WITH THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
SO, WHEN WE, UM, START TALKING ABOUT, OR LOOKING AT OUR SALES TAX, UM, WE RECEIVED OUR SALES TAX PAYMENT ON YESTERDAY FOR AUGUST.
OUR AUGUST PAYMENT WAS FIVE POINTS NEGATIVE 5.7% GROWTH OVERALL, UM, A NEGATIVE 2.2% GROWTH IN THE CURRENT.
SO THAT'S JUST LOOKING CURRENT MONTH TO MONTH.
THE NEGATIVE 5.7 ADJUST, UM, TENS TO LOOK AT ADJUSTMENTS OR INCLUDES ADJUSTMENTS THROUGH NINE PAYMENTS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.
WE ARE AT A GROWTH RATE OF 1.6% OR 9.6 MILLION BELOW OUR, UH, BUDGET.
[00:05:02]
CURRENTLY WE HAVE COLLECTIONS, UM, EXCLUDING THOSE ADJUSTMENTS TO BE AT A 1.9% GROWTH.AND SO THIS CHART JUST SHOWS THE, UM, SALES TAX REVENUE OVER THE LAST 18 OR SO MONTHS TO SHOW WHAT WE ARE, UM, WHAT WE HAVE RECEIVED, UM, YEAR TO DATE, SHOWING THE NEGATIVE 2.2 FOR AUGUST, AND GIVING YOU A HISTORY OF THE, UM, SALES TAX OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED OUR CER CERTIFIED PROPERTY ROLE AND TECH, AND WE'RE GONNA GIVE THAT UPDATE AND AN UPDATE ON OUR TAX RATE.
THE CERTIFIED ROLE WAS $236 BILLION IN VALUE.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE, WE PROJECTED 246.7 BILLION AND OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, IT IS A 0.9% GROWTH OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
OUR TOTAL NEW PROPERTY VALUE IS 5.4 BILLION, WHICH IS RIGHT AT WHAT WE ANTICIPATED, UM, IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF 5.5 BILLION.
AND THEN OUR, UM, OFFICIAL VOTER APPROVAL RATE, WHICH WE DISCUSSED, UM, EVEN LAST WEEK, IS 47.76 CENTS PER $100 OF TAXABLE VALUE.
THAT IS AN INCREASE OVER OUR PROPOSED BUDGET OF $2 AND TWO, 2.83 CENTS, EXCUSE ME.
AND THEN, UM, THE TYPICAL RATE PAYER, THE, OUR HOME PROPERTY TAX BILL IMPACT IS ABOUT A 10.6% INCREASE PER MONTH.
UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IMPACT, EXCUSE ME, IT IS, UM, 682.2 MILLION BASED ON THE CERTIFIED ROLE.
WE HAVE 15.6 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FOR FISCAL, FOR, UM, VERSUS WHAT WE HAD PROPOSED.
SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE SEE THOSE, UM, THE IMPACTS OF OUR SALES TAX AS WELL AS OUR PROPERTY TAX, AND WE LOOK AT OUR REVENUE OVERALL, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE REDUCE OUR FISCAL YEAR 25 SALES TAX REVENUE BY 5.3 MILLION.
WE'RE ALSO, UM, PROPOSING THAT WE INCREASE OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE BY 15.6 MILLION, LEAVING A NET INCREASE OF $10.3 MILLION FOR GENERAL FUND REVENUE.
THAT WILL LEAVE AN ADDITIONAL 10.3, UM, OF ONGOING.
AND THEN IT MAINTAINS OUR 17% OF, UH, RESERVES FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.
AND IT ALSO INCLUDES THE $4 MILLION PLACEHOLDER THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR ONE-TIME COUNCIL PRIORITIES.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF BASED UPON THAT UPDATED REVENUE? OKAY.
UM, THEN I'M GONNA ASK AGAIN, IS IT, OH, I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T, I CAN'T THAT'S OKAY.
WILL YOU ALSO UPDATE THE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE OUT YEARS BASED ON THIS? I THINK NORMALLY YOU WOULD, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
WE'LL PROVIDE A FULL FORECAST UPDATE AS WELL.
BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT STEP IN THIS, UH, WORK SESSION, I'LL, I WILL ASK AGAIN IF THERE'S ANYONE WISHING TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE 20 24 20 25, UH, BUDGET.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, QUICK QUESTION.
THE AUGUST, UH, INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVED REFLECTS SALES TAX PAYMENTS FOR WHICH MONTH? JUNE.
SO THESE ARE THE, THE NUMBERS WE'RE SEEING ARE JUNE SALES TAX PAYMENTS THAT CAME IN, UH, BELOW EXPECTATIONS WELL BELOW.
UM, ALRIGHT, WITH THAT MEMBERS, WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL GO TO THE AMENDMENTS, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET.
UH, AS I INDICATED, UH, STAFF WORKED TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, A A BOTH A SPREADSHEET AND YOU HAVE, UH, ALSO OF COURSE YOU'VE BEEN RECEIVING THE BUDGETS ON THE BUDGET AMENDMENT FORMS, UH, THAT WE UTILIZE STAFF, PUT THEM TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT THEY, THEY THINK IS HELPFUL WITH REGARD TO BLOCKS OF ITEMS THAT ARE SOME THAT ARE RELATED OR SOMEWHAT RELATED.
AND, AND SO IF I, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, UM, WE'LL JUST GO, WE'LL GO IN THAT DIRECTION.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO JUST EVERYBODY LAYS OUT THEIR, THEIR 2, 3, 4, WHATEVER.
WE'LL JUST, WE'LL GO IN IN THAT ORDER.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO, UH, RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, UH, AND IT WOULD BE RYAN ALTER TWO ON THE BUDGET AMENDMENT FORM.
SO THIS AMENDMENT IS TO CREATE A CITYWIDE LAND ACQUISITION FUND.
[00:10:01]
WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AS THEY HAVE BEEN, UH, STATED IN THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.AND SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE COME FORWARD AND TALK ABOUT, TALKED ABOUT, UH, THEIR NEEDS TO ADDRESS WHETHER IT'S PARKLAND OR FLOODING ISSUES.
AND SO TO UTILIZE THE LEVERS WE HAVE AVAILABLE AS A COUNCIL, UH, THROUGH CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION TO GO FORWARD AND BEGIN THE, THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING LAND OVER THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR AS WE LOOK TOWARD, UH, THE BROADER CONVERSATION OF WHERE THIS FITS IN.
BUT WE KNOW THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN A UNIQUE MARKET SITUATION WHERE PRICES ARE DOWN AND WE HAVE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE, UH, FULLY UTILIZED THEIR 2018 BOND FUNDING.
AND SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF PROVIDE THAT BRIDGE TO WHATEVER THE ONE OR TWO YEARS INTO THE FUTURE, UH, WE HAVE FOR OUR BOND PROGRAM.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS, THE, THE WAY WE'LL PROCEED ON THIS, UM, UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS SOMETHING ELSE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE COMMUNICATION IS IF AFTER SOMEONE LAYS OUT ONE OF THEIR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, UM, I'M GOING TO ASK IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR THOUGHTS WE, WE DON'T NEED TO HAVE, BUT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO UTILIZE THE, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT IN A PUBLIC SETTING, AND IF STAFF HAS ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO SAY, IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO, TO DO THAT AT THIS TIME.
SO WITH THAT FIRST ONE BEING LAID OUT, LET ME ASK, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS WITH REGARD TO, UH, WHAT WILL BE, WHAT IS LABELED R ALTER TWO? YES.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, I DO HAVE A QUICK QUESTION 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE NEED FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
UM, WOULD ALL THAT DEBT NEED TO BE ISSUED IN ONE FISCAL YEAR OR WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT AS LAND IS AVAILABLE, WE AUTHORIZE IT AS EACH TRACT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US, US TO PURCHASE.
WE, WE WOULD NOT ISSUE ANY BONDS, UM, UNTIL COUNSEL HAD APPROVED AN ACQUISITION.
AND THEN EVEN THEN, AFTER THE EXPENDITURES OCCURRED, IT WOULD BE LATER THAT WE WOULD REIMBURSE OURSELVES THROUGH A DEBT ISSUANCE.
OKAY, ITEM NUMBER TWO, AND I'LL QUIT SAYING NUMBERS 'CAUSE WE'RE RAPIDLY GONNA SCREW THAT UP.
UM, BUT I'LL, I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
SO THIS ITEM WOULD EXPAND AUSTIN ENERGY'S HOME WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.
RIGHT NOW, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT'S AVAILABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS AT 80%, MEANING FAMILY INCOME OR BELOW.
UH, IT IS A FULLY, IF, IF A HOUSEHOLD, UH, QUALIFIES, THEY'RE FULLY COVERED TO GET THINGS LIKE ATTIC INSULATION, SOLAR SCREENS, THINGS THAT MAKE THEIR HOME, UH, MORE EFFICIENT SO THAT THEY NOT ONLY USE LESS ENERGY AND LOWER THEIR ELECTRICITY BILLS, BUT ALSO THE UTILITY, UH, HAS, DOESN'T HAVE TO GO BUY THAT ENERGY FROM THE MARKET OFTEN AT A A GREATER COST.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS THIS PROGRAM, UH, HAS BEEN THE, THE UTILIZATION RATE HAS BEEN IN THE KIND OF SIX TO 800 RANGE OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE MORE HOUSEHOLDS BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO BUMPING IT UP TO A HUNDRED PERCENT MFI, WHICH IS STILL, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES WHO DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE DISPOSABLE INCOME TO DO THIS, BUT, UH, WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR HOME MORE EFFICIENT.
THIS WOULD, UH, ALLOW THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM.
IT WOULD BE, UH, PAID FOR THROUGH THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT CHARGE.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM.
BUT I WANT TO DRAW, UH, I WANT TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT AS WE LAY THESE OUT, THE, HE, HE INDICATED WHERE THE, THE REVENUE WOULD COME FROM, BUT THAT WOULD ALL, THAT WOULD FOR CLARITY PURPOSES AND FOR PUBLIC, UH, CONSUMPTION THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
OTHER, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, THE NEXT ITEM WOULD BE A ALLISON, A ALTER TWO, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE CLIMATE COLAB.
AND AS I INDICATED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER HAS HAD, UM, AN UNEXPECTED SITUATION COME UP.
AND SO SHE'S NOT GOING TO BE WITH US AT LEAST AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING.
UM, BUT MEMBERS, UH, THAT THIS IS RELATED TO THE CLIMATE COLAB, YOU'LL RECALL, WE HAVE HEARD TESTIMONY, UH, A PUBLIC COMMENT RELATED TO THE CLIMATE COLAB.
UH, THIS, UH, WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
I THINK WE'RE GENERAL, GENERALLY FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
IT'S 175,000, UH, DOLLARS, UH, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
IT WOULD COME FROM GENERAL FUND AS AN ONGOING EXPENDITURE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS? YES, MR. I JUST WANNA, UM, I WANT TO CLARIFY HOW THIS,
[00:15:01]
UM, SUMMARY SHEET IS, IS WORKING.SO FOR CLARITY'S PURPOSE, THIS DOES EXPLAIN WHEN THERE'S AN EXPENDITURE COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND VERSUS AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
IN THE CASE OF THIS SITUATION, THE, UH, APPROPRIATION WOULD BE TO, UH, THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE, WHICH IS A SUPPORT SERVICE FUND.
SO ANYTHING THAT'S LIKE A, A SUPPORT SERVICE DEPARTMENT CHANGE, YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SUMMARY SHEET HALF OF THE EXPENSE SHOWN AS AN ENTERPRISE AND HALF SHOWN AS A GENERAL FUND.
SO THIS ITEM IS ACTUALLY FOR THREE 50.
AND I, BECAUSE, BECAUSE I DIDN'T POINT THAT OUT CLEAR CLEARLY.
ARE THERE OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL IN THAT REGARD? OKAY, GREAT.
UM, MEMBERS, THE NEXT SET OF AMENDMENTS, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ARE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OF THEM.
UH, I, I'M GOING TO, UH, ASK THAT COUNCIL SPEND TIME LOOKING AT THOSE, UH, BEF AND NOT, I'M NOT GOING TO LAY OUT EACH ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALLY.
UH, SHE UNFORTUNATELY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S JUST NOT ABLE TO BE WITH US, UH, TODAY.
MAYOR, CAN YOU REMIND ME, ARE WE HAVING A WORK SESSION ON TUESDAY? NO, IT, WE, WE HAVE THE NEXT, THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE WEDNESDAY, WHICH IS WHEN WE TAKE UP THE FULL BUDGET.
UM, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, REGARDING SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS SHE'S PROPOSING.
SO I'LL, WELL, WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IN THAT REGARD, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY SHE CAN'T BE HERE, IS THAT IF YOU COULD PUT THOSE ON THE MESSAGE BOARD SO THAT WE COULD ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY FOR HER TO BE HERE TO ANSWER THE, OKAY.
IF WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S WELL THAT WOULD, THAT, THAT WOULD SURE.
IF THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR STAFF AND I'LL, AND I'LL COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FIRST IN CASE YOU DO.
AND THANKS FOR POINTING IT, POINTING IT OUT.
UH, THIS ALL OF HERS OR JUST NUMBER ONE? OR LET'S JUST START WITH NUMBER ONE OR KELLY TWO.
MINE, MINE IS NOT TOLD MUCH LATER IN THE KELLY LINE.
UH, WELL THEN LET'S, LET'S DO THIS.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, WHY DON'T YOU, UH, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OF STAFF REGARDING, REGARDING COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY'S, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT, JUST GO AHEAD AND START AND LET'S JUST GO THROUGH 'EM.
I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, SHE, THERE ARE 21 AMENDMENTS RIGHT? THAT SHE'S FILED, SO I JUST NEED A FEW MINUTES TO SURE.
WHAT I WILL DO IS I'LL GO TO, UH, WELL, THAT, THAT INCLUDES COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
ARE YOU, DO YOU WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS NOW ON KELLY, OR I JUST HAVE ONE OR TWO QUESTIONS OKAY.
AS IT RELATES TO SOME OF HERS, BUT HOWEVER YOU WANNA HANDLE IT IS FINE WITH ME.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, I RECOGNIZE YOU AND I'LL, I'LL CALL ON YOU AFTER COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, UH, KELLY 19, THE END, THE BASIC INCOME PROGRAM.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THAT PROGRAM WAS NOT IN THE BUDGET.
THAT'S WHY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES HAS AN AMENDMENT TO ADD IT TO THE BUDGET.
SO THIS ONE WOULD NOT YIELD $1.3 MILLION AT ALL? NO, WE HAD, WE HAD INTENDED TO REACH OUT TO HER.
WE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO HER ON THAT SPECIFIC ITEM, BUT SHE, UH, SHE WAS NOT AVAILABLE YESTERDAY.
AND THEN ON KELLY 13 SAYING, USE BOND FUNDS FOR THE I BELONG IN AUSTIN PROGRAM ARE GEO BONDS.
CAN WE USE BOND FUNDS FOR THIS PROGRAM? NO.
THIS, THIS PROGRAM ISN'T, UM, ELIGIBLE FOR BOND PROGRAMS. OKAY.
THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, FUENTES, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION, UM, THAT MR. VAN ENO'S RESPONSE WAS EXACTLY WHY I RAISED MY HAND.
I'M NOT PROTESTING, I'M NEVER GONNA QUESTION YOUR JUDGMENT
THAT STAFF DOESN'T QUITE HAVE, BUT I JUST WONDER IF THIS IS MAYBE CIRCUMVENTING HER ABILITY TO, WELL, SHE'LL BE ABLE TO LAY A STAFF.
THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ASK QUESTIONS OF STAFF THAT STAFF CAN ANSWER RELATED TO THOSE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
AND OF COURSE, BOTH OF THOSE QUESTIONS WERE VERY SPECIFIC TO WHAT IS LEGALLY ALLOWED.
UM, AND SHE, IF SHE'S HERE NEXT THURSDAY, UM, I'M, I'M SORRY, NEXT WEDNESDAY, I DON'T WANNA CREATE
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ANY, WELL, I SAID IT'S WEDNESDAY.UH, UH, IF SHE'S HERE NEXT WEDNESDAY, UM, THEN SHE CAN LAY OUT THE AMENDMENT AND IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS OF HER THEN, OR SHE WANTS TO PROVIDE CLARITY, SHE CAN DO THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, SHE'S, UH, NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND, AND, UM, AND, AND THAT'S JUST THE, THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE FACED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
UM, THIS QUESTION IS FOR STAFF.
THERE IS A PROPOSAL BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY TO REDUCE COUNCIL MEMBER SALARIES AS WELL AS TO DECREASE THE SALARIES OF COUNCIL.
WANTED TO ASK, IS THIS A ABILITY THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD DO THEMSELVES? SHOULD THEY LIKE TO, THAT WITHIN A COUNCIL MEMBER'S OWN AUTHORITY TO REDUCE THEIR STAFF SALARIES? UM, SO THERE, THE WAGES ARE SET BY ORDINANCE, SO ANY CHANGES TO THE WAGES WOULD'VE TO BE APPROVED BY ORDINANCE.
THERE IS A PROCESS, THOUGH, FOR AN INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER TO WAIVER OR REDUCE THEIR, THEIR SALARY.
COLLEAGUES JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER CAN, HAS THAT AUTHORITY, HAS THAT OPTION TO DECREASE THEIR SALARY AND THAT OF THEIR STAFF.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ANYTHING ELSE ON THESE ITEMS? OKAY.
MEMBERS, WHAT THAT WILL DO? OH, I'M SORRY.
YES, I'M, I, I APOLOGIZE, COUNCIL, I'M SORRY I WASN'T VERY QUICK GETTING MY HAND UP.
I JUST HAD A GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT THE REFERENCES TO ELIMINATING SOME OF THE CIP TRANSFERS.
CAN YOU GIMME A LITTLE INSIGHT INTO WHAT THAT MEANS? WOULD THAT MEAN CERTAIN BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS CAN'T BE MADE OR CERTAIN PROJECTS COULDN'T BE MOVED FORWARD? OR IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH ON THAT LANGUAGE? SO, UM, THE TRANSFERS TO CIP IS, IS THROUGH THE CAPITAL REHAB PROGRAM.
AND SO PER, UH, COUNCIL DIRECTION, WE TRANSFER FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE CAPITAL REHAB PROGRAM TO DO, UM, CIP TYPE PROJECTS THAT DO NOT FALL INTO, UH, BOND PROGRAMS OR IS SOME, IN SOME CASES PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS. AND, UM, SOME OF THESE DOLLARS, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS ARE NOT DEBT ELIGIBLE.
UM, AND SO WE WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHICH AREAS WERE DEBT ELIGIBLE AND WHICH WERE NOT TO SEE IF THEY COULD EVEN BE MOVED OVER.
SO IS THIS, I KNOW A COUPLE, UH, BUDGET CYCLES BACK THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF SOME OF OUR RECREATION CENTERS NEEDING ROOF REPAIRS OR AC MAINTENANCE.
WOULD THOSE BE THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT THIS, THESE FUNDS MIGHT GO TOWARD? YES, THOSE ARE SOME, THOSE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF THE TYPES OF PROGRAMS, THE PROJECTS THAT, THAT THIS CAPITAL REHAB FUND.
THANKS, COUNCILMAN MAYOR PRO, TIM.
I'M LOOKING AT THE EXTENSIVE LIST OF CUTS, AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I COULD NOT SUPPORT, UM, THESE, UH, ELIMINATE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CIP TRANSFER, THE BUILDING SERVICES TRANSFER, THE HEALTH TRANSFER PARD TRANSFER LIBRARY TRANSFER HOUSING TRUST FUND TRANSFER, AND SO FORTH.
THESE ARE IMPORTANT, UH, THESE FUNDS, SUPPORT POLICIES AND IMPORTANT PROGRAMS THAT THIS DIOCESE HAS, UH, BY AND LARGE FOR A LONG TIME SUPPORTED AND LOOK TO EXPAND.
SO, UM, I AND ELIMINATE THE FOOD SYSTEM PLANNING CONTRACT, THAT'S ACTION THAT WE TOOK IN JUST A RECENT, A RECENT MEETING.
SO, UM, SO EVEN IF THE COUNCIL MEMBER WERE HERE TO PRESENT HER ITEMS, I WOULD NOT BE INCLINED TO SUPPORT THEM.
AND JUST GOING OFF WHAT MAYOR PROTI POOL HAD JUST SAID, I THINK ANYTHING THAT AFFECTS THE, UH, QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, IS SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO ME IN THIS DIOCESE.
AND I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY HAS BROUGHT UP BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF FOLKS THAT WE REPRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ANYTHING ELSE? OKAY, UH, THAT WILL TAKE US, I THINK, AND Y'ALL CHECK MY MATH, BUT THAT WILL TAKE US TO R ALTAR 11, FOLLOWED BY FUENTES TWO, AND THEN FUENTES FIVE R ALTAR.
SO THIS, UH, HEARKENS BACK TO THE CONVERSATION WE HAD WITH THE AIRPORT ABOUT THE FOUR FTES THAT THEY'RE HAVING DEDICATED THERE, UH, FOR POLICE OFFICERS.
UH, IT IS MY OPINION THAT WE ARE NOT GONNA HIRE FOUR NEW OFFICERS BASED ON OUR VACANCIES, UH, TO DO THIS.
THESE ARE GONNA BE FOUR OFFICERS WITHIN OUR CURRENT FORCE THAT ARE BEING REALLOCATED.
AND SO IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME TO JUST ADD FOUR ADDITIONAL SPOTS TO THE ALREADY LARGE VACANCY NUMBER.
WE SHOULD KEEP THIS WITHIN OUR CURRENT 1812 SWORN STAFFING, UH, NUMBER.
AND ANYTIME WE WANT TO ADJUST THAT, YOU KNOW, BE BASED ON A, A STAFFING STUDY OR SOME OTHER MORE COMPREHENSIVE LOOK.
[00:25:02]
THANK YOU.ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS? YES, MAYOR PRO TIM? UM, IF THE STAFF COULD REMIND, UH, ME WHAT FUND THE AIRPORT POLICE FTES COME FROM, IS THAT FROM THE ENTERPRISE FUND WITH AVIATION, OR IS THAT THE AVIATION WOULD PAY FOR IT.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS? I, I, ONE, ONE THOUGHT ON THAT, MAYOR IS, UM, WE COULD CERTAINLY REMOVE THE FTES BECAUSE OF THE DYNAMIC THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TALKED ABOUT.
WE HAVE ABOUT 300 VACANT POSITIONS.
THEY'RE NOT, IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE FOR US TO GET CAUGHT UP ON ALL THOSE POSITIONS.
UM, BUT, BUT MOVING FOUR SWORN POSITIONS OVER TO THE AIRPORT TO BE DEDICATED TO THE AIRPORT, IT CREATES, UH, SERVICE GAPS ON THE, ON THE, ON THE REST OF THE PROGRAMS. AND SO WE WOULD ANTICIPATE IT WOULD INCREASE THE OVERTIME EXPENDITURES.
UM, SO THE AIRPORT WOULD BE PAYING FOR THE FOUR FULL-TIME POSITIONS.
BUT THEN THERE'S AN EXPENSE CREATED IN OVERTIME.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH, IF ANY OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT COULD GO, COULD GO, COULD GO AWAY.
WE'D HAVE TO WORK WITH THE, UH, DEPARTMENT TO DO MORE ANALYSIS ON THAT, I THINK, AND THAT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND, AND SO, AND FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBER AS WELL, SO THANK YOU.
UH, DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIMILAR TO, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE EMS THAT WE HAVE DEDICATED TO THE AIRPORT, UH, I BELIEVE WE ALSO HAVE A FIRE STATION, UH, SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO THE AIRPORT.
DO WE HAVE POLICE OFFICERS SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO THE AIRPORT? AND HOW MANY OF THEM DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE? WE DO HAVE THEM SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED.
I I THINK THE POLICE, UH, STAFF JUST WALKED IN SO THEY COULD MAYBE RESPOND TO HOW MANY HENDERSON.
AND IN A RELATED QUESTION, ARE THOSE PAID OUT OF, UH, AIRPORT FUNDS? YES, THOSE ARE.
SIR, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 49 POSITIONS OUT AT THE AIRPORT, AND THOSE ARE ALL POSITIONS THAT ARE PERMANENTLY ASSIGNED OUT THERE.
AND THAT IS THEIR SOLE FUNCTION IS AIRPORT SECURITY AND SAFETY.
AND YOU SAID 49, HUH? CORRECT.
AND AGAIN, THESE ARE MULTIPLE AT THE AIRPORT.
MR. SCHMIDT, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, MR. SCHMIDT, SHE'S GONNA GET THAT SPECIFIC NUMBER FOR YOU, SIR.
AND CHIEF, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
UH, THAT WILL TAKE US TO FUENTES TWO.
THIS AMENDMENT IS THE CONTINUATION OF THE FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANT.
THIS IS A GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
SO THIS WOULD BE, UH, THE THIRD YEAR.
AND, UM, IT WOULD HELP ONE UP, IT WOULD HELP 97 FAMILIES WITH A MONTHLY GRANT TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH ANY EMERGENCY EXPENSES, UH, HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES THAT MIGHT ARISE.
COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
I'M TRYING TO PULL UP YOUR AMENDMENT.
I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
I CAN'T REMEMBER IF YOU ALREADY HAD FOUR CO-SPONSORS, WHICH IS WHY WE HADN'T SPOKEN PREVIOUSLY.
BUT I KNOW THAT THERE, THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AND HAS SHOWN THAT FOLKS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL OR TO GET EXTRA ACCREDITATION SO THAT THEY CAN GET RAISES AND GET PROMOTED.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE SUCCESS IN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I, I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY VOICE TO THAT.
IT, IT'S A, AN INTERESTING PILOT.
I KNOW WE DID IT TO KIND OF SEE HOW, WHAT THE EFFECT WOULD BE, WHAT THE FEEDBACK IS FROM THE, THE FAMILIES THAT ARE RECEIVING.
UH, I, I, I WOULD SUPPORT CONTINUING IT SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET THE IMPACTS, GET THE DATA, AND THEN SEE WHAT WE WANT TO DO, WHAT, WHERE WE WANT TO GO IN THE FUTURE.
THANK COUNCIL MEMBER AMENDMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES WILL NOW GO TO FUENTES FIVE.
IT'LL BE FOLLOWED BY VELASQUEZ ONE AND THEN WATSON ONE.
THIS, UH, FUENTES FIVE AMENDMENT IS AROUND EARLY CHILDHOOD SOCIAL SERVICES CONTRACT ADJUSTMENT.
IT IS A 5% COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PART OF THIS CONTRACT.
AS YOU KNOW, UH, MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS WORKING IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WORKFORCE SECTOR ARE LARGELY WOMEN AND WOMEN OF COLOR.
SO THIS AMENDMENT SEEKS TO, TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
UH, I RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ ON VELAZQUEZ ONE, FOLLOWED BY WATSON ONE AND THEN WATSON TWO.
THIS, UM, AMENDMENT IS FOR OUR PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.
UM, IT, UH, IT'S A CONTINUATION OF WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR.
IT'S GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE KEEP THOSE, UH, 10 EXTRA PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS AND ESSENTIALLY COVER ALL OF OUR TITLE ONE CAMPUSES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S 74 IN TOTAL.
[00:30:01]
COMMENTS? THANK YOU.NEXT ONE IS, UH, WATSON ONE AND MEMBERS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES.
THIS IS RELATED TO THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, UH, FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE, UH, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
YOU WILL NOTE THE NUMBER IN THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT WAS THE NUMBER WE HAD PRIOR TO THE WORK SESSION ON TUESDAY.
UH, IT MAY VERY WELL BE THAT WE NEED TO AMEND THAT DOWN BASED UPON WHAT WE WERE TOLD ON TUESDAY AND WHAT THE EXPLANATION WAS.
YOU'LL RECALL IS THAT 4.2 WOULD BE THE SUPPORT SERVICES NECESSARY FOR FISCAL YEARS 25 AND 26, 24, 25, 25, 26, AND NOT JUST THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
IMPORTANTLY, I THINK, IS AS WE LOOK AT THINGS, AND WE'LL BE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF OTHER AMENDMENTS, UH, INCLUDING ONE, I THINK THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PUENTES, I THINK I, I'M RIGHT, THAT COUNCIL MEMBER PUENTES HAS RELATED TO, UM, UH, RAPID REHOUSING.
THAT MAY, IF YOU DROP THAT 4.2 DOWN IN THE TWO POINT, WHATEVER THE RANGE IS THAT WE KIND OF CAME TO ON TUESDAY, THAT MAY FREE UP SOME, ADD SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY, UM, IN WHAT IS MY SENSE OF THE COUNCIL'S, UH, O OVERALL DESIRE, BUT THAT, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS FOR.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS ANY OR ANY COMMENTS.
UH, THEN WATSON NUMBER TWO, UM, MEMBERS, THAT IS, UH, ALSO SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED, UH, ABOUT.
AND THAT IS THE, UH, UH, SERVICES FOR OUR BRIDGE AND, UM, EMERGENCY SHELTERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SERVICES PROVIDED FOR OUR BRIDGE AND EMERGENCY SHELTERS.
AND SO THIS WOULD FILL THE GAP THAT WE HEARD ABOUT YES, ON TUESDAY, WHICH I, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO HARPER MADISON ONE FOLLOWED BY FUENTES THREE, AND THEN RAR ONE.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED.
UM, SO MY AMENDMENT IS ABOUT THE DECK, AND I JUST WANNA KIND OF LAY OUT REAL QUICK WHAT THE DAC DOES AND WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT.
SO THE DAC MOBILE COURT, THIS PILOT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL.
IT CONNECTED INDIVIDUALS TO COURT SERVICES.
IT CLEARED WARRANTS, UM, IT ENROLLED PEOPLE IN ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR AMENDMENTS, WE'RE THINKING WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES, RIGHT? SO WE NEED TO BE THE MOST IMPACTFUL POSSIBLE.
SO THIS SUCCESS WAS BECAUSE THE COURT WENT TO WHERE PEOPLE WERE SEEKING, THEY NEEDED SERVICES, AND SO THEY WENT TO THEM.
SO ADDITIONALLY, THIS AMENDMENT REQUEST THAT WE NEED TWO CLINICAL CASE MANAGER FTES AND FUNDING FOR SOCIAL SERVICES CONTRACTS TO REALLY SUPPORT THE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT THAT OUR FOLKS NEED.
THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDING HOUSING FOCUSED SERVICES, LOW CASE LOADS, WRAPAROUND SUPPORT, THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT WRAPAROUND SERVICES LIKE LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM HOUSING SOLUTIONS.
SO DURING THE COURSE OF OUR LAST SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS, YOU SEE HOW THEY'RE ALL CONNECTED.
COMBINED, THIS AMENDMENT DIRECTS THE MANAGER, UM, RESPECTFULLY TO IDENTIFY ONGOING FUNDING FOR AT LEAST $254,178 FOR THE MOBILE COURT PROGRAM AND $730,000.
AND A LITTLE BIT OF CHANGE FOR THE FTES AND SERVICES THAT WE NEED THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO SUPPORT THESE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, EXPANDING RESOURCES FOR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, IT IS BEYOND CRUCIAL AS THIS DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN ON A SIGNIFICANT AND GROWING ROLE IN AUSTIN'S OUR HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY EFFORTS.
IT DOES NOT ALWAYS REQUIRE BRICK AND MORTAR.
WE CAN BE OUT HERE DOING THE WORK WHERE PEOPLE NEED US THE MOST AND BE THE MOST RESPONSIVE.
THE DVO COURT IS ONE OF OUR BEST EXAMPLES OF THAT.
SO I WELCOME YOU ALL TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT.
OUR DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT, THE DAC IS NO LONGER JUST DOWNTOWN NOW.
IT REALLY IS A CORE PILLAR OF OUR RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS, HOMELESSNESS CRISIS IN AUSTIN.
AND WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THIS, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY, THIS IS JUST ONE MORE TOOL THAT WE GET TO INSERT AND OUR APPROACH TO FIXING THIS.
AND I'M BRINGING THIS FORWARD AS THE ONE THAT IS LIKE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT.
MAY, I'D JUST LOVE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR TO THIS.
I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL AMENDMENT.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
[00:35:01]
YOU, MAYOR.COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER AND, AND YOU'LL HAVE, UH, FOR FOLLOWING THAT.
THIS AMENDMENT'S AROUND RAPID REHOUSING AND ADDING ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
COLLEAGUES, WE HAD A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION ON TUESDAY, UH, WHERE WE LEARNED MORE ABOUT OUR HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AS WE KNOW, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT GAP WHEN IT COMES TO RAPID REHOUSING.
UH, SO THIS AMENDMENT WOULD HELP ADDRESS ANY NEW INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED THIS TYPE OF SUPPORT.
IT IS LISTED AT, AT A RANGE OF BETWEEN, AT MINIMUM 2 MILLION TO FOUR, AT TO A $4 MILLION MAXIMUM, UM, FOR THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT.
AND I WELCOME ANY FEEDBACK OR SUGGESTIONS FROM THE DAAS ON AN AMOUNT THAT THE, THE DIOCESE WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH.
COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES? GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, YOU'LL BE RECOGNIZED ON RT ALTER ONE.
THIS GOES KIND OF HAND IN GLOVE WITH WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON JUST LAID OUT ABOUT THE, THE WONDERFUL SERVICES THAT THE DAC IS DOING.
UH, WE RECENTLY EXPANDED, AS SHE MENTIONED, IT'S NO LONGER THE DOWNTOWN, IT STILL IS IN THE NAME, BUT, UH, IT IS NOW.
THEIR JURISDICTION IS CITYWIDE.
AND SO PART OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING, UH, IS PROVIDING SOME OF THESE SERVICES.
NAVIGATION LIKE SERVICES, UH, THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A CRITICAL GAP BY THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE.
UH, IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT IN DISTRICT FIVE WE SEE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS GOING TO BASICALLY THE ONLY WALK-UP CENTER IN TOWN.
AND SO RECOGNIZING THIS NEED, WHAT THIS ITEM DOES IS LOOKS TO CREATE TWO NEW LOCATIONS, ONE NORTH AND ONE SOUTH THAT WOULD SERVE KIND OF AS SATELLITES FOR THE D WHERE THEY COULD SERVE THOSE COMMUNITIES, UH, WHERE THERE IS THE NEED AND STILL THEN HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UM, UTILIZE THE MOBILE PROGRAM BEYOND THAT, BUT HAVE THESE, UH, SATELLITE FACILITIES WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO THEN ALSO BUILD IN THAT COMPREHENSIVE NAVIGATION, UH, LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE ARE SO FAR ONLY SEEING IN ONE LOCATION.
AND SO BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT AND HAVE, UH, TWO FACILITIES THAT HELP OFFSET SOME OF THAT NAVIGATION NEED, AS WELL AS PROVIDE THE, UM, JUDICIAL SERVICES THAT THE DAC PROVIDES.
AND SO THIS IS, THERE ARE THREE COMPONENTS TO THIS.
THERE IS A, A DEBT COMPONENT THAT IS FOR THE ACTUAL FACILITIES.
THERE IS, UH, ONGOING EXPENDITURES TO, AND THAT'S GENERAL FUND FOR SOME OF THESE SERVICES THAT, UH, THE DAC PROVIDES.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO SOME ONE-TIME GENERAL FUND, UH, AMOUNT TO, UM, HELP BUILD UP SOME OF THAT.
UH, WHETHER IT'S CASE MANAGEMENT, HOUSING, NAVIGATION OR OTHERWISE.
UH, ATTACHED TO THIS IS ALSO A $1.5 MILLION REDUCTION, UH, THAT COMES FROM, UH, A REALLOCATION FROM CAPITAL REHABILITATION FUNDS, UH, THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE DEBT FINANCED.
UH, YOU CAN SEE CBQ 2 25 THAT PARTIALLY DISCUSSES THIS.
SO THAT WILL OFFSET, UH, A GREAT DEAL OF THE COST WITHIN THIS AMENDMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MEMBER, TIM, I WAS CURIOUS IF, IF STAFF COULD TELL US, DO WE HAVE LOCATIONS IDENTIFIED? UM, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING THE COMMUNITY COURT IN PAST YEARS.
DO WE, AND I THINK AT ONE POINT THERE WAS SOME INTEREST IN LOOKING IN DISTRICT SEVEN OR, YOU KNOW, AROUND 180 3 NORTH.
DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATED UPDATE INFORMATION ON WHERE THAT FACILITY MIGHT BE LOCATED? HOW FAR ALONG IS THAT PLANNING? UM, STAFF DOESN'T HAVE ANY SITES IDENTIFIED AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, WE WOULD, WE, WE'VE SPOKEN WITH, UH, DAC STAFF, HSO STAFF ABOUT A COUPLE, UH, BUILDINGS THAT ARE ON THE MARKET THAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED AS VERY, UM, GREAT CANDIDATES.
AND SO THIS, WHAT THEY SAID IS THEY COULDN'T REALLY MOVE FORWARD IN ANY OF THAT ENGAGEMENT UNTIL THEY KNEW THE FUNDING WAS AVAILABLE.
AND SO THIS MAKES THAT FUNDING AVAILABLE SO THAT THEY CAN GO FORWARD WITH REAL ESTATE STAFF AND DO THE DUE DILIGENCE AND NEGOTIATIONS TO, UH, POTENTIALLY PURSUE THOSE PROPERTIES.
SO THIS FEELS A LITTLE BIT BACKWARDS TO ME.
USUALLY WE GET THE STAFF PRESENTATION AND THEY GIVE US KIND OF A SENSE OF, OF THE COST AND WHAT WOULD BE INVOLVED AND THIS ALSO.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD ACTUALLY KNOW IF 16 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF DEBT, UM, AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE WOULD ACTUALLY BE THE RIGHT AMOUNT.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER OUR BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE IN SHORT ORDER THIS YEAR.
AND THIS FEELS VERY RIPE FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN GET
[00:40:01]
A SENSE OF SUPPORT FOR IT, WHICH ALSO THEN BUILDS SUPPORT FOR THE BONDS IF THEY ARE APPROVED TO BE PUT ON A BALLOT.SO I APPRECIATE THE, UM, ENTHUSIASM BEHIND THIS.
THIS IS A TOPIC THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BY THIS DIOCESE BY THE CITY.
UM, OVER TIME, UH, JUST NOT SURE MAYOR IF THIS IS READY, UH, TO BE, UM, BROUGHT IN THIS FASHION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE HAVE THIS ON ITS AGENDA.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, PROCESS IS GONNA TAKE A YEAR OR TWO.
THIS IS AN A, A NEED THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR YEARS.
UH, AND THE NAVIGATION ELEMENT, UH, FOR ANYBODY WHO HAS BEEN DOWN TO DISTRICT FIVE, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE CAME TO A TOWN HALL WITH ME AND GOT TO SEE FIRSTHAND THE NEED FOR THIS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR FOR MANY YEARS, AND I, UH, AM NOT WILLING TO ASK THEM TO WAIT, UH, ADDITIONAL YEARS TO BE ABLE TO START THE PROCESS OF BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE A DIFFERENT LOCATION FOR SOME OF THESE SERVICES, UH, WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY.
IT'S ALSO JUDICIAL FACILITIES ARE SQUARELY WITHIN WHAT WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO, UH, FOR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION.
AND SO I THINK THE, THE TIME THAT WE, WE WE SHOULD, WE ARE READY TO ACT NOW.
AND IT'S, IT'S UNCLEAR HOW LONG THE BOND TASK FORCE WILL, WILL TAKE.
AND SO I WOULD JUST URGE, UH, MY COLLEAGUES TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, ADDRESS THE NEEDS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND ACT NOW.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, COUNCIL MORE ELLIS? YEAH.
UH, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION AND, AND WILLINGNESS TO LOOK AT HOW TO BEST SERVE THE POPULATION THAT WOULD NEED THESE TYPES OF SERVICES AND LOCATIONS.
I THINK MY MAIN QUESTION IS GONNA BE SIMILAR TO LAND ACQUISITION IS IF WE WERE GOING TO ISSUE THAT DEBT, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL ANYWAY.
AND WE WOULD PROBABLY SIT DOWN WITH REAL ESTATE AND UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, IS THIS THE RIGHT DEAL? IS THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING STAFF IS SUPPORTING IN THAT MOMENT? SO I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT FITS INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SUPPORTIVE, BUT WE WOULDN'T ACTUALLY ISSUE THE DEBT UNTIL WE KNOW THERE'S A DEAL TO BE MADE.
SO I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED HOW THAT FITS IN WITH AN ANNUAL BUDGET.
SO FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, THE APPROPRIATIONS, UM, OF THESE ITEMS, THE AMOUNT, 50 MILLION, 60 MILLION, A HUNDRED MILLION, 20 MILLION ISN'T THE IMPORTANT PART.
THE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL FOR STAFF TO GO OUT AND, AND LOOK FOR AND TRY TO ACQUIRE LAND OR, OR TO LOOK FOR AND TRY TO NEGOTIATE A PRICE WITH A, WITH A BUSINESS OWNER THAT COULD SERVE THIS DAC NEED, WE WOULD GO DO THAT.
AND IF WE IDENTIFY TWO FACILITIES THAT FIT THE NEED AND THEY HAPPENED TO BE $18 MILLION, WE WOULD BRING THOSE BACK TO COUNCIL AT THAT TIME.
WE WOULD APPROPRIATE THE NECESSARY FUNDS AND DO A REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION TO PAY FOR THEM THROUGH BONDS.
SO, UM, THE DIRECTION WOULD GET THE BALL MOVING ON THIS.
SO, SO THE NEED FOR AN APPROPRIATION AND AN OPERATING BUDGET IS NOT WHAT YOUR YOU STAFF WOULD NEED IF YOU WANTED TO CARRY THIS OUT.
ONE OF THE WAYS TO DO THAT MIGHT BE THROUGH OUR ITEM FROM COUNCIL PROCESS WHERE, WHERE THE COUNCIL TELLS YOU IT'S A PRIORITY AND THEN BRINGS IT BACK IN THE ORDINARY COURSE A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WE WILL DO THE EXACT SAME WORK AS STAFF, WHETHER YOU APPROPRIATE MONEY OR NOT, WE'LL IDENTIFY THE PROPERTY AND BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, ONCE WE'VE NEGOTIATED AN AGREEABLE PRICE.
I INTERRUPTED YOU, I APOLOGIZE, THAT WAS THE NEXT THING I WAS GOING TO SAY.
THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, UH, IT SEEMED TO ME LIKE IT WAS KIND OF SPLITTING BETWEEN A MONETARY APPROPRIATION AND A, AN ITEM FROM COUNCIL WHERE MAYBE COUNCIL SAYS, WE WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE THIS, BUT BRING IT BACK TO US WHEN, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE ARE LOCATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WHEN THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE READY TO PROGRESS, AND WE'LL BLESS THE, THE DEBT ISSUANCE AT THAT POINT.
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT EARNESTNESS AT WHICH STAFF PURSUES THESE FACILITIES AND LAND DOESN'T CHANGE.
DEPENDING UPON WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S AN APPROPRIATION ASSOCIATED AT, WE UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION AND WE'LL GO DO THAT WORK.
UM, I DID WANT TO ADD ON THIS ITEM THAT EVEN IF WE COULD FIND A WILLING BUYER TOMORROW, IT TAKES TIME TO CLOSE THESE TRANSACTIONS.
SO IT'S, IT'S VERY UNLIKELY THE FULL 1.25 MILLION OF ONGOING EXPENDITURES WOULD BE NEEDED IN FISCAL YEAR, UH, UH, 25, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S, IT TAKES TIME TO CLOSE ON A REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION, TRANSFER THE BUILDING OVER, GET IT, GET IT RECONFIGURED TO WHAT WE NEED IT TO, TO TO SERVE AS.
AND SO JUST KEEP THAT AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING THIS.
UM, AND OF COURSE WE WOULD KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT WHEN WE BROUGHT THE, IF WE BRING THE FACILITY BACK TO YOU IN DECEMBER AND DETERMINE IT'S GONNA TAKE THREE OR FOUR MONTHS TO CONVERT IT TO THE NEW USE, WE WOULD KNOW AT THAT TIME HOW MUCH WE HAVE TO AMEND THE, THE BUDGET BY TO FUND THE O AND M COST FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
[00:45:01]
THANK YOU.OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, MAYOR PRO TIM.
I'M ALSO A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT ADVERTISING HOW MUCH MONEY WE MIGHT HAVE IN ORDER TO BUY SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN ENGAGED IN NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT, BECAUSE IT KIND OF SETS A MARK FOR WHOEVER IT IS WE WOULD BE BUYING FROM.
AND SO I CAN GUARANTEE WE WOULD LIKELY END UP PAYING MORE FOR THE PROPERTY.
I'M SURE NOBODY'S WATCHING, RIGHT? LET'S HOPE
THANK YOU MAYOR COMMISSIONER RYAN ALTAR.
YES, I, I APPRECIATE ALL THAT.
YOU KNOW, THE REASON WE TOOK THIS APPROACH WAS BECAUSE WHEN, UH, HSO REACHED OUT TO THE REAL ESTATE OFFICE ABOUT ONE OF THESE POTENTIAL PROPERTIES, THE QUESTION ASKED WAS, IS THERE FUNDING IDENTIFIED FOR THIS? AND WE CAN'T PROCEED UNTIL THERE IS.
AND SO IF, IF WE NEED TO GO ABOUT THIS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ROUTE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT CAPITAL APPROPRIATION BE DIRECTED THROUGH AN IFC WHERE THEY COME BACK WITH THE NUMBER, UH, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
THE, THE OPERATING PART THAT IS GONNA HAVE TO BE IN AN AMENDMENT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TIMING OF THAT, I THINK WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH REAL ESTATE ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK IS A REALISTIC TIMELINE.
BUT, UM, I I, I FULLY APPRECIATE THE, THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS, JUST TRYING TO REACT TO WHAT HAS BEEN TOLD TO US UP TILL NOW.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED, BUT YOU KNOW, I USED TO SAY EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE CITY TAKE TOO LONG AND COST TOO MUCH.
SO I THINK TO SOME DEGREE WE'RE PREEMPTING, RIGHT? AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ECHO AND HUNGRY HILL WHO ARE ON THE STREET, THEY'RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT GUARANTEES ABOUT BRICK AND MORTAR.
THEY'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES.
AND SO I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME GET BEHIND YOU SO ENTHUSIASTICALLY BECAUSE LIKE THE SERVICES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE CRITICAL IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
AND I THINK TO MR. VANNY KNOW'S POINT LONG RANGE PLANNING AROUND THE ACTUAL BRICK AND MORTAR REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT IS A SEPARATE CONSIDERATION FROM THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COMPARTMENTALIZE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW HE LAID THAT OUT.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO BEING IN FULL SUPPORT OF US PROVIDING THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE WE CAN FIGURE OUT FOR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, FOR THE RECOGNITION.
COUNCILMAN WALTER, BEFORE I GO TO THE NEXT, UH, WE GO TO THE NEXT ITEM.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE THE 11 O'CLOCK CUTOFF THAT I INDICATED, IF THERE'S ANYONE WISHING TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE 20 24 20 25, UH, BUDGET OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, PLEASE GO TO THE CLERK AND, AND, AND SIGN UP WITH THE CLERK SO THAT YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE WILL CLOSE THAT AT 11 O'CLOCK.
COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ON OUR ALTAR.
THIS AMENDMENT IS A CONTINUATION AND RELOCATION OF FOUR FTES.
THAT CARD CURRENTLY UTILIZES TO DO ABANDONED HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP.
SO THEY IDENTIFIED, UH, THIS NEED WITHIN THE PARK SYSTEM TO GO AND, UH, BASICALLY PICK UP ALL THE, THE TRASH AND, AND OTHER LITTER ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, AN ENCAMPMENT THAT HAS BEEN ABANDONED.
THE, GIVEN THAT THAT WHOLE, UH, PURPOSE FITS WITHIN WHAT A RR ALSO DOES, AS IT RELATES TO, UH, CLEANUPS, WHETHER THAT'S HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT OR NOT, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS TAKING THESE FOUR FTES, UH, AND PUTTING THEM WITHIN THE AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY UMBRELLA THAT WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH, UH, AN ADDITIONAL SIX TO 7 CENTS ON THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE TO FUND THESE, UH, ADDITIONAL, THESE FOUR FTES TO GO CLEAN UP OUR SENSITIVE PARK SPACE, MAKE THEM USABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.
SO, AND JUST IN TERMS OF HOW THAT WOULD TRANSLATE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT A DOLLAR A YEAR FOR THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD COMMENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THE CONVERSATION, I APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE BRINGING THIS.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION OVER THE YEARS ABOUT LITTER ABATEMENT AND SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S CLEAR TO MOST FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED MORE ASSISTANCE WITH LITTER ABATEMENT IN OUR PUBLIC SPACES.
UM, I KNOW THERE'S KIND OF NUANCE BETWEEN WHICH PROGRAMS IN WHICH AREAS WORK IN THESE SPACES.
LIKE THE, UH, CLEAN CREEKS CREW THAT WE CREATED A COUPLE YEARS BACK WORKS OFF OF A WATERSHED PROTECTION WORK PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE, UM, APPROPRIATELY GOING INTO THE RIGHT SPACES AT, AT THE RIGHT, UM, CADENCE WITHIN, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, SO I, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD PLAN TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS.
UM, I'VE ALSO BEEN WORRIED OVER THE YEARS ABOUT, UM, PARK STAFF BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM PARK'S WORK TO HELP WITH OTHER ISSUES THAT
[00:50:01]
IN MY OPINION SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN, UH, PARK'S RESPONSIBILITIES.AND SO I APPRECIATE THIS CREATIVE THINKING IN, UM, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PUBLIC SPACES ARE USEFUL AND CLEAN FOR EVERYONE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, COUNCILMAN, MORALE AND ALTER? GOOD MORNING.
UM, I, I TOTALLY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO, TO FUND THIS.
I DID WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE ON THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE EXPENSE.
SO WE GOT A, THERE'S A CBQ ABOUT, UH, EVERY 1 CENT IS JUST OVER $50,000.
SO ABOUT 7 CENTS GETS YOU THIS AMOUNT, UH, 7 CENTS PER MONTH FOR A HOUSEHOLD OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR IS JUST UNDER A DOLLAR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON RAR FOUR? WE'LL NOW GO TO RAR SEVEN.
THIS IS A, AN AMENDMENT THAT BUILDS ON THE CONVERSATION WE HAD ON TUESDAY ABOUT LOOKING HOLISTICALLY AT OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE, UH, APPROPRIATELY INVESTING IN PREVENTING INFLOWS INTO OUR SYSTEM.
NOT ONLY IS THAT THE POINT IN TIME WHERE WE CAN HAVE THE GREATEST SUCCESS FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY, BUT IT'S ALSO TYPICALLY THE CHEAPEST INTERVENTION.
UH, AS JOE CATHERINE MENTIONED ON TUESDAY, THEY HAVE A 97% SUCCESS RATE OF KEEPING INDIVIDUALS HOUSED.
THE ONLY OTHER PROGRAM WE SEE WITH THAT LEVEL OF SUCCESS IS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, BUT THAT'S AT 10 TIMES THE COST.
SO WHAT THIS WOULD DO IS THEY IDENTIFIED A NEED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF 1,362, UH, HOUSEHOLDS TO RECEIVE THESE SERVICES.
ORIGINALLY WE HAD, UH, CUT IT DOWN TO 500, JUST GIVEN SOME CONSTRAINTS.
HOWEVER, WE DID, UH, IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, THROUGH, AS YOU ALSO SEE ON CB Q2 25, THE ABILITY TO PURCHASE SOME CTM UH, RADIOS THROUGH, UM, KOS INSTEAD OF, UH, GENERAL FUND.
AND SO THAT WOULD FREE UP, UH, 3,000,867, WHICH WOULD MORE THAN FULLY COVER THE COST OF THIS PREVENTION AMENDMENT.
AND HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS MEMBERS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WILL TAKE US TO RAR EIGHT, FOLLOWED BY CADRE THREE AND ELLIS TWO.
THIS AMENDMENT ADDRESSES A UNIQUE NEED, OR I SHOULD JUST SAY A, A SPECIFIC NEED WITHIN THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, UH, WE HAVE A RAPIDLY GROWING NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT ARE EITHER ENTERING OUR HOMELESS SYSTEM OR JUST BEING UNSERVED BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT MANY FAMILY, UH, SHELTERS OR FAMILY SPECIFIC, UH, BEDS OR, OR, UM, FACILITIES AVAILABLE.
AND SO WHAT THIS WOULD DO IS A $300,000 GRANT TO FOCUS ON THOSE SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS, UH, WHERE THEY HAVE FALLEN INTO HOMELESSNESS, AND REALLY LOOK AT A MODEL THAT WE HAVE SEEN WORK THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY OF, UM, PROMOTING INDEPENDENCE AND, AND A PATH KIND OF LIKE THE RAPID REHOUSING MODEL WHERE YOU, UH, RAMP DOWN OVER TIME THE DEPENDENCES ON THE SUBSIDY IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS FAMILY ULTIMATELY SELF-SUFFICIENT AND SUCCESSFUL.
AND SO, UH, THIS WOULD BE $300,000 TOWARDS THAT PURPOSE OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE ON CADRE THREE, FOLLOWED BY S TWO AND THEN S SEVEN.
UM, GATHER MEMBER NUMBER THREE, THE HOMELESSNESS ENGAGEMENT ASSISTANT ASSISTANCE RESPONSE PROGRAM.
UM, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ITEM.
UH, IT'S THE HART PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY A PILOT, UH, THAT STARTED IN FEBRUARY, IS GONNA GO UNTIL SEPTEMBER.
IT'S SUPPORTED BY THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE AND IT'S SUPPORTED BY URBAN ALCHEMY.
UH, OUR, UM, OUR ITEM IS LOOKING TO MAKE THIS A PERMANENT FIXTURE, UH, FOR AN AMOUNT OF 2 MILLION ONGOING FUNDING.
AND THEN THE DOWNTOWN, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE WOULD ALSO PAY $400,000 ON ONGOING FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM.
UM, WHAT WHAT THE ITEM WILL DO, UH, IS ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR A TEAM OF TRAINED OUTREACH PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK TO PREVENT AND REDUCE INCIDENTS INVOLVING UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE NON-CRIMINAL, NON-VIOLENT, AND NON-MEDICALLY URGENT.
UH, AND I, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE RESULTS, UH, THANK MY SPONSORS AND THEN, AND THEN I'LL BE ON MY WAY.
BUT, UM, FROM FEBRUARY, 2024 TO JUNE, 2024, UH, THERE WERE 1,182 TOTAL INTERACTIONS.
81 FOLKS GOT SHELTERED, 37 WERE, WERE REUNITED WITH FAMILIES.
[00:55:01]
WERE REFERRED TO THE OASIS, WHICH IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT, UH, URBAN ALCHEMY IS, IS, IS RUNNING.AND THEN 1,935 WERE PROVIDED SOCIAL SERVICE, UH, ACTIVITIES, WHETHER IT BE NARCAN CLOTHES, SHOES, MEALS, FIRST AID, UH, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
SO, UH, REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS ITEM.
UH, AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, UH, JOSE VELASQUEZ VELA AND VANESSA FUENTES FOR, FOR BEING A PART OF THIS.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
WE WILL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS ON ELLIS TWO, ELLIS SEVEN, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK, UH, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO IS FOR MORE TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES.
UM, THIS IS A NEED THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AND PROPOSED IN FISCAL YEAR 2026.
AND SO THIS IS A NEED THAT I KNOW HAS ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GET THEIR WORK STARTED QUICKER.
AND SO WE WANTED TO ADD THAT INTO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
UM, IT IS COMING OUT OF, UH, TRANSPORTATION USER FEE AND THE TRANSPORTATION FUND.
AND SO, UM, IT SHOULD NOT NEED TO COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND TO BE ABLE TO FUND THIS.
SO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, OUR AMENDMENTS CAN BE SELF-SUSTAINING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND ALLEVIATE THEIR PRESSURE ON, ON THE GENERAL FUND AND OTHER SORTS OF THINGS.
SO, UM, IT IS FOR 10 FTES FOR TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
I APPRECIATE THE NEED FOR THIS AND I APPRECIATE THAT THIS WAS PUT IN THE BUDGET, EXCUSE ME, FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FEE IMPLICATION WOULD BE FOR THE TOUGH, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE AN EXACT AMOUNT AT THIS POINT, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY FIND THAT OUT AND POST THAT TO THE MESSAGE BOARD.
UNLESS CARRIE, THERE'S ACTUALLY REALLY A QUESTION MORE FOR STAFF, I THOUGHT.
STAFF IS HERE AND THEN THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER RICHARD MENDOZA, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS.
SO THE OPERATIONAL IMPACT TO THE TRANSPORTATION USER FEE IN THIS YEAR WOULD BE 31 CENTS ON THE MONTHLY RESIDENTIAL BILL.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD INCLUDE WOULD NOT ONLY BE THE, THE ONGOING COSTS YOU'VE IDENTIFIED HERE IN THE AMENDMENT, BUT IT WOULD ALSO COMPENSATE FOR ONE-TIME CAPITAL COSTS TO EQUIP, UH, THESE ADDITIONAL CREWS WITH THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT, TRUCKS, AND SUPPLIES.
SO, MR. MENDOZA, UM, SINCE THIS WAS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 THOUGH, WAS THAT 31 CENTS ALREADY PLANNED TO GO INTO EFFECT IN 26 OR IS THAT THE ADDITIONAL WE NEED IN THIS YEAR RELATIVE TO WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO NEXT YEAR? JUST COUNCIL MEMBER.
THAT 31 CENTS ACCELERATING 31 CENTS OR ARE WE, WE ADDING 31 CENTS.
THE 31 CENTS I HAD INCLUDED IN MY FINANCIAL FORECAST TO GO IN EFFECT IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
I WAS TRYING TO SPREAD THE COST OUT OVER TWO YEARS.
I JUST, I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS FOR ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE THESE IMPACTS SO THAT WE CAN BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS I UNDERSTAND THE, THE, THE CHANGES THAT HAPPENED WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPERTY TAXES, THE, THE TAX IMPACTS ARE MUCH HIGHER.
AND SO I, WE DO NEED TO BE MINDFUL ON THESE FEES.
AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME TRANSPARENCY HERE AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN EVALUATE WHAT WE, WHAT, WHAT WE THINK IS APPROPRIATE.
IF WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AMENDMENTS WITHOUT AN ADJUSTMENT ON THE TOUGH, UH, IT WOULD DRAW DOWN MY END OF YEAR BALANCE TO ZERO BY END OF NEXT YEAR AND THEN WE WOULD BE IN A NEGATIVE POSTURE FOR THE OUTGOING YEARS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER YOU YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING ELSE? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY WE HAVE THAT AS COUNCIL BUDGET.
IF FOLKS WANT TO SEE WHEN THAT ONE'S OFFICIALLY POSTED, IF THEY HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? GREAT, THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, WELL THEY'LL TAKE US TO ELLIS SEVEN.
THIS ONE IS FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM, THE BIKE BUS CREW EQUIPMENT.
AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THIS ONE REVENUE NEUTRAL.
UM, THERE ARE TRAFFIC FINDS THAT ARE ALREADY ASSESSED FOR INFRACTIONS THAT HAPPEN IN SCHOOL ZONES.
AND SO IN THE EFFORT OF HAVING MORE CAUTION AS AS KIDS ARE GETTING THEMSELVES TO SCHOOL, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, UH, INFRACTIONS ARE A LITTLE MORE SCARY FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK DISTRACTED DRIVING OR OTHER SORTS OF VIOLATIONS, UM, ARE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T WORRY THEM, ESPECIALLY AROUND YOUNG SCHOOL CHILDREN.
AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE BALANCED THE, UM, THE CHILD SAFETY FUND FEES AND TRY TO IMPROVE THE ABILITY FOR YOUNG FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO MORE SAFELY GET TO SCHOOL.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? JUST A, A COMMENT ON THE YES, PLEASE COMMENT ON THE TRACKING SHEET DOESN'T REFLECT THE $250,000 THAT WOULD COME FROM THE INCREASED FINES.
IT SHOWS TWO 50 ON THE TRACKING SHEET, RIGHT? BUT IT WOULD BE
[01:00:01]
A NET ZERO.UH, WHAT WE WILL DO, WE HAVE, UH, TWO PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO, UH, HEAR THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, CHASE WRIGHT, FOLLOWED BY BILL BUNCH.
SO IF YOU WOULD MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES EACH.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HUNGRY HILL FOUNDATION.
WE ARE HOLISTIC WORKFORCE, UM, FOR THREE MINUTES.
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND THE IMPORTANCE THAT OUR PARTNERS AND COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS WITHIN THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM RECEIVE THE ASSISTANCE THAT THEY NEED.
YOU HAVE A ORGANIZATION SUCH AS HUNGRY HILL WORKFORCE THAT DEPENDS ON THESE COLLABORATIONS TO PROVIDE THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT OUR CLIENTS NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, UM, WHILE THEY REENTER THROUGH SOCIETY THROUGH WORK OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, THERE'S ALREADY A SHORTAGE THERE.
UM, WE LOOK AT IT AS WE HAVE CERTAIN POOLS OF MONEY AND FUNDING, UM, BUT WE'RE ALL PULLING FROM THOSE.
WE DO NOT WANNA HIGHLIGHT ONE RESOURCE OVER ANOTHER RESOURCE.
UH, THE IMPORTANT IN HOUSING IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE JOBS TO SUSTAIN THEIR SELF WHEN THEIR VOUCHERS ARE COMING UP SHORT, THEN WE KIND OF HIT AND MISS THERE.
'CAUSE THEN YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE REENTERING TO SOCIETY AND THEN WITHIN SIX MONTHS THEY'RE BACK.
AND THE HOMELESSNESS SYSTEM OR, OR ARE WE, UH, NAVIGATING THROUGH THE HOMELESSNESS SYSTEM? SO PLACES LIKE DAC.
UM, ECHO, I URGE THAT YOU GUYS LISTEN TO THESE EXECS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN OUT IN THE FIELD COLLABORATING WITH THESE PARTNERS AND THERE'S A GREAT NEED FOR THE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE ASKING TODAY.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR DISTRICT REPS AND 1 3 5 AND WHAT OTHER, OTHER DISTRICTS THAT HAVE BROUGHT THESE MEASUREMENTS UP TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES.
YOU WANNA COME DOWN TO THE PODIUM? YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UH, BILL BUNCH, DISTRICT FIVE FOR SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR COMPLYING WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT THIS MORNING.
UM, SAVE OUR SPRINGS, UH, JOINS WITH ALL THE OTHER GROUPS IN SUPPORTING FUNDING OF THE COMMUNITY IMPACT BUDGET.
WE CONTINUE TO URGE YOU TO DO ALL THAT YOU CAN TO, UH, SUPPORT THOSE PRIORITIES.
UM, WE DO SUPPORT, UM, THE STRONG PUSH BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, UH, TO FIND MONEY TO BUY LAND FOR WATER PROTECTION AND FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION.
UM, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR PUSH ON THAT.
UM, WE SEE ALSO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER HAS AN ITEM ALONG THOSE LINES AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE SUPPORT THAT, BUT WE ARE STILL FIGURING OUT SOME OF THOSE DETAILS.
UM, WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA USE THIS MONEY TO BUY BUILDINGS OR TO BUY LAND, TO BUILD FLOOD OR WATER QUALITY CONTROLS.
THAT OUR CODE REQUIRES PRIVATE DEVELOPERS CURRENTLY TO BUILD ON THEIR OWN LAND AT THEIR OWN COST.
WE'VE BEEN IN A TERRIBLE PATTERN WHERE WE'RE POACHING OUR PRECIOUS AND TOO FEW ACRES OF PARK LAND TO BUILD WATER, UH, CONTROL, FLOOD CONTROL STRUCTURES IN OUR PARKLAND TO SERVE DEVELOPMENT, PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT THAT SHOULD BE TAKING CARE OF ITS OWN, UH, FLOOD CONTROL NEEDS.
WE'RE SEEING THAT RIGHT NOW ON A PUSH ON REED PARK.
HOPE YOU'LL PAY ATTENTION TO THAT.
UH, ALSO WANT TO PUSH YOU TO JUST LOOK AGAIN AT ALL OF THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UH, OF SPENDING.
MOST OF IT YOU'VE DONE ON CONSENT WITH NO CONSIDERATION WHATSOEVER.
AND SOME OF IT'S EVEN, UH, ENTIRELY HOSTILE TO THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN BY CONTRIBUTING TO MORE CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND BY AB BETTING ON THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GONNA KEEP CONSUMING MORE AND MORE WATER, UH, GENERATING MORE AND MORE SEWAGE.
UH, THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN EXPANSION AT 1.1 BILLION THAT YOU ALSO IRRESPONSIBLY APPROVED WITHOUT ANY ATTENTION, THERE HAS BEEN SPIKES IN FLOWS TO THAT FACILITY.
NO QUESTIONS FROM Y'ALL ABOUT WHAT CAUSED THOSE SPIKES.
AND IT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY LEAKY PIPES WHERE WE SHOULD BE FIXING THE PIPES RATHER THAN EXPANDING THE PLANT.
UH, YOUR WATER UTILITY HAS INFORMATION THAT TELLS US WE DON'T HAVE THE WATER THAT WE THOUGHT WE HAD IN THE HIGHLAND LAKES.
OUR CONTRACT DOES NOT GUARANTEE
[01:05:01]
DELIVERY OF WATER.THAT DOES NOT EXIST IN THE HIGHLAND LAKES.
AND IN FACT, THAT CONTRACT SAYS WHEN THERE'S SHORTAGES, WE HAVE TO SHARE WITH OTHERS.
LET'S SAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND SAVE OUR FUTURE.
THOSE ALL, UH, ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT, UM, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE WILL NOW GO BACK TO, UH, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, UH, MEMBERS.
THE NEXT ONE WE'LL TAKE UP IS, UM, WE'LL GO TO AVELA ONE.
I'LL RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A KELLY ONE FOLLOWING COUNCILMAN VELA.
AND THEN WE'LL GO TO ELLIS ONE.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UH, THIS IS, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO BRING A PORTABLE TO THE GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER.
UH, THERE, THE GUS GARCIA RECREATION CENTER HAS MULTIPLE PURPOSES AND SERVES MULTIPLE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
IT'S GOT A SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM.
IT'S GOT, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF YOUR WHOLE RANGE OF PROGRAMMING THAT, UH, ANY OTHER RECREATION CENTER HAS.
BUT IT IMPORTANTLY SERVES, UH, A SENIOR PROGRAM THAT GOES TO THE GUS GARCIA RECREATION VIRTUALLY EVERY DAY.
UH, IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM, BUT THE CENTER IS BUSTING AT THE SEAMS. UM, THERE IS PLANNING, AND I'M HOPING TO SEE THIS IN POTENTIALLY A 2026 PARKS BOND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SENIOR CENTER AT THE GUS GARCIA PARK.
UH, BUT EVEN IF, ASSUMING THAT PASSES IS IN 26, UH, LET'S SAY IT'S BUILT BY, YOU KNOW, 32 OR SO, UH, THE, THE CAPACITY ISSUES ARE, ARE, ARE ACTUALLY, HAVE ALREADY BEEN HAPPENING AND ARE JUST GOING TO BE EXACERBATED.
PARKS HAS ALSO IDENTIFIED THE LACK OF, UH, SENIOR SERVICES IN NORTH AUSTIN.
UH, AS, UH, A REAL PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO BE TO SOLVE.
THE ONLY KIND OF NORTH SENIOR CENTER IS ON, I BELIEVE, 29TH IN, IN GUADALUPE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT WAS NORTH AUSTIN WAY BACK IN THE DAY, BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT, UH, NORTH AUSTIN NOWADAYS.
SO WHAT THIS AMENDMENT WOULD DO, IT, IT WOULD, UH, ALLOW, UH, PARKS TO PURCHASE AND INSTALL A PORTABLE BUILDING THERE DEDICATED TO ALLOW THE SENIORS TO MEET THERE.
IT ALSO HAS FUNDING FOR, UH, STAFFING THE, UH, SENIOR CENTER, UH, AS WELL.
UM, AGAIN, THEY'RE KIND OF GETTING PUSHED OUT OF THE, THE REC CENTER A LITTLE BIT.
AND THERE'S JUST, UH, TOO MUCH GOING ON.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM A, A A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE AND A A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, OF PLACE.
ANOTHER, JUST IN MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, THEY VOLUNTEER TO DO A LOT OF THE PROGRAM.
OTHER SENIORS ARE KIND OF VOLUNTEERING TO DO THE PROGRAMMING FOR THE GROUP SEWING.
UH, THEY DO TAI CHI, THEY DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEY ALSO JUST NEED A PLACE TO KEEP THEIR STUFF.
UH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO BRING IN AND OUT ANY MATERIALS.
THEY CAN'T REALLY LEAVE 'EM AT THE, UH, AT THE RECREATION CENTER.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT $670,000 AMENDMENT, UH, TO GET A, UH, UH, A PORTABLE FOR THE SENIORS AT THE GUS GARCIA PARK.
COUNCILOR VA, I JUST WANNA APPLAUD YOUR, YOUR WORK ON THIS.
I, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THIS NEED AND RATHER THAN WAITING, UH, THE YEARS IT'S GONNA TAKE TO GET THE PERMANENT FACILITY THROUGH, UH, THE BOND PROCESS, UH, I THINK YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING IN ACTING NOW.
AND SO I JUST WANNA VOICE EXTRA SUPPORT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE HEARD THE OUTCRY AND THE NEED FROM THE COMMUNITY.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HARPER MADISON, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE REDISTRICTED YOU STOLE THIS FOR ME, BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ELDER PROGRAMS, LIKE THE FACT THAT THE GARDENING IS WASTE LEVEL, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET DOWN YOUR KNEES.
I KNOW WHAT THAT DOES TO YOUR BACK AND YOUR KNEES AND YOUR HIPS, AND IF YOU HAVE CHRONIC PAIN ISSUES, HAVING A COMMUNITY GARDEN, WE CAN ACTUALLY PRODUCE FOOD, FEEL THE SOIL, GET THAT HORTICULTURAL THERAPY, AND KNOWING THAT THEY PUT SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON BEING FULLY COMPLIANT WITH PEOPLE'S VARIOUS NEEDS.
UM, THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT STRUCK OUT TO ME ABOUT THIS REC CENTER.
BUT MOVING FORWARD, WATCHING PEOPLE IN THERE, TEACHING YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT STUFF AND WATCHING THIS MULTI-GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY BLOSSOM IN FRONT OF MY EYES, UM, I'M A LITTLE JEALOUS, BUT ALSO I FULLY SUPPORT ANY EFFORT YOU HAVE TOWARDS THIS AMAZING, AWESOME FACILITY.
COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER BAYLA, PLEASE.
UH, UH, UH, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HARPER MADISON.
AND IT'S REALLY, IT'S JUST A, A HOP SKIP AND A JUMP FROM D ONE TOO.
AND I, I PROBABLY HALF THE PEOPLE THERE AT THE GUS GARCIA SIERRA REC CENTER ARE, ARE D ONE IN AND, AND D SEVEN CONSTITUENTS.
BUT THAT GARDEN IS ONE OF THE BEST I'VE SEEN IN THE ENTIRE CITY.
THEY EAT THE FOOD THAT COMES OUTTA THE GARDEN.
AND AS YOU NOTED, THE, THE, THE, THE BOXES THAT THEY HAVE SET UP THERE ARE WASTE LEVEL
[01:10:01]
SO THAT THE, THE OLDER FOLKS DON'T HAVE TO LEAN DOWN OR GET ON THEIR KNEES.IT, IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY, AND I'VE GOTTA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE GUS GARCIA STAFF AND TO PAR THEY'VE BEEN DOING AN ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT JOB.
IT'S A YOUNG PARK, BUT IT IS JUST SUCH A HUGE HIT IN NORTH AUSTIN.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF ROOM THERE.
UM, AND, AND I HOPE TO, UH, ULTIMATELY EXPAND THE FACILITIES ON THE PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE THERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
UM, LIKE ALL OF YOU, I'VE HEARD, UM, THE NEED FOR THIS AND I SUPPORT THE NEED.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR STAFF JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, CAN FUND IT.
UM, SO I WANTED TO KNOW WHETHER, UM, WE HAD CONSIDERED, UM, GETTING A PORTABLE FROM A ISD SINCE THEY'RE BUILDING OUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF FACILITIES AND HAVE SOME PORTABLES THAT THEY NO LONGER NEED.
I'M NOT AWARE THAT WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THEM.
UM, SOMEBODY FROM PART IS AWARE WE COULD HAVE THEM COME DOWN, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY CHECK ON THAT IF IT HASN'T ALREADY OCCURRED.
YEAH, I'D APPRECIATE IT IF WE COULD CHECK ON THAT.
AND THEN I WAS WONDERING, UM, FOR THE PROGRAMMING, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE BUILDING OUT THIS PORTABLE OR WE'RE BUYING THIS PORTABLE, IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT THE, UM, THE STAFFING IS FOR, UM, THE FULL YEAR.
DOES THAT NEED TO BE THE FULL YEAR OR WHAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE, UM, BUDGETING FOR THE, THE STAFF MEMBER? AND IS IT JUST ONE STAFF MEMBER, OR IS IT THREE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? GOOD MORNING.
LIANA KAKA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE HAVE NOT, UH, LOOKED AT A ISD TO SEE IF, UH, WE CAN HAVE A PORTABLE, UM, REPURPOSED.
SO, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY DO.
UH, WE KNOW THAT AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, WE'LL WE WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH PERMITTING, SO THAT WILL TAKE SOME TIME.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE PROGRAMMING STAFFING, UM, THE, UH, THAT FIGURE IS ONGOING FOR, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, FOR YEARS TO COME.
IT WILL START OBVIOUSLY AFTER WE ARE DONE WITH PERMITTING AND INSTALLATION.
AND HOW MANY PEOP HOW MANY FTES WAS IT? BECAUSE IT SAYS ONE HERE.
I THOUGHT IT, BUT IT'S 341,000.
ANGELA MEANS INTERIM DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THAT IS ONE FTE AS WELL AS TWO TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES FOR THE GUS GARCIA.
AND I'M ASSUMING THERE'S ALSO SOME MATERIALS FOR THE PROGRAMMING THAT'S CORRECT AS WELL? THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
I MEAN, AGAIN, I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
I JUST, UM, WE HAD, UM, THE HABAD IN, IN MY DISTRICT REPURPOSED, UH, PORTABLES FROM A ISD TO MAKE THEIR PRE-K PROGRAM, AND THEY TURNED OUT REALLY, REALLY NICELY.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THAT MEANT THAT THOSE PORTABLES WEREN'T GOING INTO THE LANDFILL, ET CETERA.
AND THEY, THEY WORK REALLY NICELY.
SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE, AS THIS PROCESS GOES, IT'LL STILL COST MONEY TO MOVE THEM AND DO ALL THE OTHER, BUT IT MIGHT SPEED IT UP AND IT MIGHT, UM, MAKE IT LESS COSTLY FOR THE ONE TIME COSTS AS YOU MOVE FORWARD.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW YOU FIGURE THAT OUT IN TIME FOR BUDGET NEXT WEEK.
BUT REGARDLESS, I HAVE NO PROBLEM IF WE ALLOCATE THIS IN PARDONS WITH SOME EXTRA MONEY TO DO OTHER PROJECTS THAT THEY NEED.
UM, BUT I, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A STEP THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN, AND THEN MAYBE STAFF CAN TELL US WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE, UM, YOU KNOW, BUDGETING FOR, FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, UM, FOR THAT STAFF.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BAYLA, I APPRECIATE THE, THE COMMENT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALLISON ALTER, UH, THAT'S EXACTLY MY THINKING AS WELL.
I MEAN, LET'S BUDGET AS IF WE'RE GOING TO PURCHASE.
UH, BUT WE HAVE BEEN A COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VELASQUEZ HAS, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO HIM AND, UH, TO, UH, UH, AUSTIN, ISD AT LEAST, JUST IN INITIAL CONVERSATIONS.
UM, DOBY MIDDLE SCHOOL ACROSS THE WAY HAS A NUMBER OF PORTABLES THAT ARE THERE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT ALL OF THEM ARE BEING USED.
MY THINKING WOULD BE TO BUDGET AS IF WE'RE GONNA BUY AND SEE WHAT THE OTHER OPTIONS ARE, AND THEN KIND OF TAKE IT FROM THERE.
I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT, AND AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO CUT MY AMENDMENT ALREADY, BUT, UM, THE, UM, I WOULD BE IMPRESSED.
THAT WOULD BE AN AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT
I WOULD BE IMPRESSED IF WE WERE ABLE TO STAFF IT IN FISCAL YEAR 25.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE GOTTA CONNECT THE UTILITIES, GOTTA GET THE BUILDING SET UP, PERMITTING AND WHATNOT.
SO I KNOW THERE'S THAT, THAT STAFF TIME IS BUDGETED IN, UH, TO THE AMENDMENT.
UH, I HOPE THAT WE ULTIMATELY ARE ABLE TO BUILD IT AND, AND STAFF IT IN 25.
BUT, UH, IF WE CAN JUST BUILD IT AND GET IT SET UP
[01:15:01]
IN 25 AND STAFF IT IN, IN, IN, YOU KNOW, 26, THAT WOULD BE, I THINK, PERFECTLY FINE.AND I JUST HAD A MEETING WITH THE SENIORS YESTERDAY AND HONESTLY THAT WAS THEIR EXPECTATION.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY ARE VERY REALISTIC ABOUT THIS AND THEY'VE BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE AND EXTREMELY PATIENT, SO.
COUNCIL MEMBER MR. MAYOR? YES.
WHAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA IS TRYING TO TELL YOU, AS WE KNOW, A GUY THAT KNOWS A GUY
ALRIGHT, THAT'LL TAKE US TO KELLY ONE AND, UM, THAT'S RELATED TO THE, UH, CEMETERY OPERATIONS.
AND, AND, AND MY QUESTION IS, IS, UH, BY, BY THE WAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU'LL RECALL THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, UH, TALKED ABOUT THIS AT ONE OF OUR, UH, ONE OF THE MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD RELATED TO THE BUDGET, UM, AND, AND THAT SHE WAS GONNA BRING THIS AS AMENDMENT.
BUT I, MY QUESTION IS RELATED TO THE INDICATION OF A REDUCTION IN, IN THE FUNDING FOR THE, THE SAVINGS OF MONEY.
CAN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK AND WHAT, WHAT IS THE NET? WE'RE ACTUALLY STILL WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER'S OFFICE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT, UM, HER INTENT IS HERE.
AND SO WE'LL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO GIVE AN UPDATED NUMBER IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO.
ALRIGHT, OTHER QUESTIONS MEMBERS? ALRIGHT, MAYOR, IF I MIGHT, YES.
I DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF HER AMENDMENT.
UM, BUT THE ISSUE WITH THE CEMETERY IS ONE WHERE, UM, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MOVING TO STAFF THAT IN-HOUSE, AND WE CURRENTLY USE A CONTRACT AND IT WOULD, I THINK THE ARGUMENT IS THAT IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE TO USE THE CONTRACT, AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE WEANED OURSELF OFF OF THE CONTRACT TO DO THAT IN-HOUSE.
AND WE HAD A CONTRACT THAT INCLUDED TRAINING STAFF TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
BUT PAR DOES NOT HAVE THE FUNDING OR THE FTES TO DO THE CEMETERY.
UM, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY BASIS.
SO THEY CAN'T GIVE UP THE OTHER CONTRACT, BUT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE CEMETERIES TO THE PARTICULAR STANDARDS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT FALLS OUT IN TERMS OF WHAT GETS SAVED OR NOT.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT HAS TO DO WITH THAT PROCESS OF SWITCHING YEAH.
THE CEMETERY FROM A CONTRACT TO, TO IN-HOUSE.
YEAH, I, AND, AND THAT'S UNDERSTOOD AND THAT'S WHAT SHE SAYS IN HER SHEET.
I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE FUNDING ACTUALLY PLAYED OUT AND, AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT SELFISHLY, I HAVE SOME OF THE CITY'S MOST BEAUTIFUL CEMETERIES IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND IN MY 7 8, 7 0 2.
AND I MEAN, LIKE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, CAR DOES A GREAT JOB WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO, BUT SOMETIMES MY CEMETERIES GET OVERLOOKED AND THEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS FIND THEMSELVES RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING THE GROUNDS.
SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE VERSION OF HOW DO WE DO CONTINUED MAINTENANCE AND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN ONE OF MY CEMETERIES WENT DEFACE, NOBODY KNEW WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THAT.
AND SO IT TOOK US SO LONG TO GET IT DONE.
THE COMMUNITY THOUGHT US, WE WERE BEING UNRESPONSIVE.
TURNS OUT WE JUST HAVE LIKE REAL CLEAR PROTOCOL.
SO MOVING FORWARD, I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING ANY ITEM THAT IS RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE INHERENTLY BOUND TO MAINTAIN THESE FACILITIES IN THEORY, BUT LIKE REAL TIGHT PROTOCOL ABOUT HOW WE SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY.
UM, SO I'M, I'M GONNA BE WATCHING THIS VERY CLOSELY.
COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WILL TAKE US TO ELLIS ONE FOLLOWED BY ELLIS THREE AND THEN A ALTER ONE.
ONE IS THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT'S MAINTENANCE FTES.
UM, THIS WAS AN UNMET NEED PART OH TWO THAT WAS IDENTIFIED BY STAFF.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE VERY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THIS LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR MAINTENANCE IN OUR PARKS.
UM, THERE IS A ONE-TIME COST FOR EQUIPMENT, AND THEN 16 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, UM, THAT WOULD COME FROM GENERAL FUND.
AND SO, UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING SURE WE CAN MAINTAIN OUR PARKS.
IT GETS US NOWHERE CLOSE TO THE NATIONAL STANDARDS, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE MORE LIKE 90 EMPLOYEES.
SO WE ARE STARTING WITH A SMALLER ASK AND TRYING TO FULFILL THE NEED THAT PART IDENTIFIED IN THEIR UNMET NEEDS THIS YEAR.
UH, AND, AND CA COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ THEN FOLLOWED BY CASTS MEMBER ALLISON ALTER AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
WELL, WELL, I'LL COME BACK TO YOU IN JUST A SECOND.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ, UH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, AND I WANTED TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY MY AMENDMENT ALTER ONE IS
[01:20:01]
THE SAME AS COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.RIGHT? UM, YOU KNOW, I DID THAT BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO COMMUNICATE HOW IMPORTANT I, I THINK, UM, THIS AMENDMENT IS.
AND SO WE'RE KIND OF BOTH LEADING, BUT THEY'RE THE SAME AMENDMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD WE CAN LIST IT AS LS ONE SLASH AAL ALTER ONE.
UM, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, THE BUDGET OFFICE AND WITH, UM, THE PART STAFF, UM, FOR MANY, MANY MONTHS NOW TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHY WE HAVE THIS MAINTENANCE GAP AND HOW WE WOULD QUANTIFY IT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE, WHAT WE DISCOVERED WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER KIND OF, UH, UH, A SCHEDULE OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING FOR SERVICE LEVELS WAS THAT WE ARE BEHIND OUR 2014 SERVICE LEVELS.
UM, AND THAT WE NEEDED THESE 16 EMPLOYEES JUST TO GET BACK TO THE SERVICE LEVELS THAT WERE DELIVERED IN IN 2014.
AND I WANNA GIVE YOU ALL A FEW FACTS OF WHAT THAT MEANS IN PRACTICE FOR YOUR PARKS.
SO IN 2014, 70% OF RESTROOMS WERE BEING CLEANED DAILY, AND 30% WERE BEING CLEANED EVERY THREE DAYS.
IN 2024, ONLY 3% OF RESTROOMS ARE CLEANED DAILY WITH THE REST BEING CLEANED CLOSER TO MONTHLY.
IN 2014, LITTER AND TRASH WERE PICKED UP DAILY IN 45% OF PARKLAND, WHILE IN 2024, ONLY 10% OF PARKLAND IS GETTING LITTER AND TRASH SERVICE DAILY.
UM, SO I WANNA THANK, UM, THE PAR AND BUDGET STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER SORT OF THIS WAY THAT WE COULD GET A INITIAL PASS AT THE BASIC MAINTENANCE NEEDS OF PAR.
UM, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT JUST LOOKING AT LITTER, TRASH AND MOWING, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED.
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER MAINTENANCE THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IN OUR PARKS.
UM, BUT I THINK WHAT WE'VE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY AT EVERY ONE OF OUR HEARINGS, UM, AND FROM 2020, SOME ORGANIZATIONS THAT'S SIGNED ON IN A LETTER OF SUPPORT LED BY THE AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, IS THIS IS NEEDED.
UM, AND SO I PUT IN ALTER ONE AS WELL AS LS ONE JUST TO UNDERSCORE HOW IMPORTANT I THINK, UM, THIS INVESTMENT IS.
AND MAYOR, I, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE ASSISTANCE OF, UM, MY CO-LEAD ON THIS ALLISON ALTER.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS TAKEN THIS UP AS WELL, SO SHE'S GONE INTO GREAT DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THIS NEED IS.
AND I THINK WE HOPEFULLY ALL, UH, WANNA FIND A PATHWAY TO GET THIS BACK ON TRACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THE LAND THAT WE'RE BUYING AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S ACTIVATED AND USEFUL FOR THE NEIGHBORS THAT WANNA BE ABLE TO ENJOY OUR PARKS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, MYSELF, MEMBER.
TIM, DO YOU WANNA BE RECOGNIZED? OKAY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ALSO BE ADDED AS CO-SPONSOR.
THINK THIS IS A WONDERFUL ITEM AND EXCITED TO SEE YOU MOVE FORWARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA SAY IF I'M NOT ALREADY, I'D LIKE TO ALSO BE A CO-SPONSOR.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO ELLIS THREE, FOLLOWED BY VELA THREE.
LS THREE IS ONE THAT I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT.
UH, WE ARE HOPING TO KICK OFF A PILOT FOR A DOG PARK IN OUR DISTRICT.
UH, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO BEFORE I TOOK OFFICE, THERE WAS A GRAND PLAN TO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A MORE EMBELLISHED DOG PARK WITH EXTRA AMENITIES.
AND SINCE THAT PLAN IS GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR US TO, TO REALLY DISSECT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN DO MOVING FORWARD AND HOW WE CAN FUND THAT, WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND KICK OFF WITH A PILOT.
UM, I ALSO WELCOME ANYONE WHO HAS OTHER PARKS IN THEIR DISTRICT.
THEY KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TO SEE DOG PARKS IN.
UM, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ADD THIS AND, AND CHANGE THE AMOUNT.
UM, BUT SIMILAR TO THE WAY THAT WE WANTED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY, WHEN WE DID SOME OF OUR, UM, LAND AND SAFETY, A COUPLE, I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR, WE BOUGHT, UM, A BUNCH OF GRANITE BOULDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T MUDDING ON THE SOCCER FIELDS THAT THE KIDS LIKE TO ENJOY.
BUT I KNOW THAT EVERY DISTRICT AND EVERY PARK MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT NEED, AND I WANNA BE SENSITIVE TO THAT.
SO WE STARTED WITH THE ONE THAT WE KNOW WE WANNA DO.
UM, BUT IF OTHER FOLKS WANNA CHIME IN EITHER NOW OR ON THE MESSAGE BOARD JUST TO SAY THEY HAVE ANOTHER IDEA AND THEY'D LIKE THAT TO BE VETTED BY STAFF, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO TO ADD IT.
AND SO WE CAN ALL GET THE MOST OUT OF OUR SPACES AND MORE PEOPLE CAN TAKE THEIR DOGS TO THE PARK.
COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, UH, IN THAT VEIN, WE ARE LOOKING AT LONGVIEW PARK.
WE'RE GONNA HOPEFULLY REACH OUT, JUST WANNA GET SOME MORE INFORMATION FIRST, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ASKED FOR OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
SO I THINK YOU'VE IDENTIFIED A GREAT NEED IN THAT AREA.
WE'LL FLAG THAT, AND IF YOU WANT US TO PLUG THAT IN, LET US KNOW.
UH, LONGVIEW PARK'S ALSO VERY CLOSE TO D EIGHT, SO I THINK WE'LL HAVE SOME NEIGHBORS THAT GET TO SHARE THAT SPACE.
YEAH, THE, THE NEED FOR FUNDS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR PARKS IS A HUGE ONE.
AND I THINK JUST ABOUT ALL OF US REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO DIG MORE DEEPLY IN FINDING THE VARIOUS SOURCES WHERE THE, THOSE REVENUES CAN COME.
SPECIFICALLY REVENUES THAT WOULDN'T
[01:25:01]
OTHERWISE BE USED FOR FTES, FOR EXAMPLE.AND SO WE'RE, I'M WORKING WITH LAW TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PULL THOSE MONIES, BUT CLEARLY, EVEN IF WE ARE ABLE TO FUND ADDITIONAL FTES, WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE RESOURCES, THE SUPPLIES, AND THE MACHINERY, UM, IN ORDER TO GET THAT WORK DONE.
SO IT ISN'T ACTUALLY ENOUGH JUST TO INCREASE, UH, OUR MONIES FOR FTES.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, AT HAVING THE MONEY FOR THEIR SUPPLIES.
SO I AM, I THINK, JOINING OTHERS ON THE STATUS IN, IN LOOKING AT THAT ISSUE.
ALRIGHT, WELL THAT'LL TAKE US TO VALA THREE, FOLLOWED BY FUENTES FOUR AND THEN VELASQUEZ TWO.
THIS IS, UH, I'M, I'VE LEARNED NOW THAT THIS IS AN EXERCISE THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR WHERE IT FEELS LIKE THE, WE HAVE A ONE TIME ITEM FOR THE, THE SOBERING CENTER, UH, THAT, THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SUBSEQUENT.
SO THIS IS AN ITEM JUST TO KEEP THEIR BUDGET CONSTANT.
UH, THE SOBERING CENTER, UH, IS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION THAT, UH, THE CITY FORMED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY, UH, WHEREBY, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE HEAVILY INTOXICATED, MOSTLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT ALSO BEYOND THE DOWNTOWN AREA, UH, EMS, UH, AND OR A PD CAN, INSTEAD OF TAKING THEM TO JAIL, TAKE THEM TO THE SOBERING CENTER WHERE THEY OFFER SERVICES.
UH, THIS IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY.
THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, HANDCUFFS OR ARREST OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST KIND OF, INSTEAD OF TAKING YOU TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, OR INSTEAD OF, UH, TAKING YOU TO JAIL, WE WILL TAKE YOU TO THE SOBERING CENTER WHERE YOU WILL, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, BE SPOKEN TO BE CHECKED ON, UH, ALLOWED TO KIND OF REST AND RECOVER.
AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE IN BETTER SHAPE, THEY LET YOU GO.
UH, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE AMENDMENTS, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE EMS BECAUSE EMS STRUGGLES WITH, UH, STAFFING ON THE, ON THE WEEKENDS, WHICH IS WHEN THE SOBERING CENTER, UH, REALLY PICKS UP.
SO I, I SEE THIS AS KIND OF A CRITICAL PART OF THE, THE DOWNTOWN SAFETY AND SECURITY PUZZLE.
UH, AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE ALSO, IT, IT IS AN EXPENSIVE FACILITY.
UH, THEY'VE GOTTA HAVE SECURITY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OPEN AROUND THE CLOCK.
YOU GOTTA BE STAFFED AROUND THE CLOCK.
THAT REALLY DRIVES A LOT OF COSTS.
BUT REGARDLESS, THIS IS JUST TO KEEP THEM EVEN WITH WHAT WE FUNDED THEM, UH, LAST YEAR.
AND LASTLY, I DID WANNA MENTION THAT CENTRAL HEALTH HAS, UH, STEPPED UP AS AN ADDITIONAL FUNDER.
UH, THEY, WHAT THE SOBERING CENTER STARTED DOING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS DOING WHAT THEY CALL HOLDOVER TREATMENT, WHERE THEY GET SOMEONE WHO'S BROUGHT THERE BY EMS OR A PD WHO, UH, KIND OF HAS A, UH, A REALIZATION, A MOMENT WHERE THEY'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? I GOTTA STOP THIS AND I'VE GOTTA, SO THEY'RE, THEY'VE BEEN DOING, UH, THEY'VE BEEN GETTING THOSE FOLKS INTO LONG-TERM TREATMENT WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
UH, CENTRAL HEALTH HAS STEPPED UP TO START FUNDING THAT AS A MORE PERMANENT PART OF THEIR SERVICES, AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE A REALLY IMPORTANT STEP.
SO ANYWAY, JUST, UH, THANK YOU.
OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? OKAY, THAT WILL TAKE US TO FUENTES FOUR.
AS YOU KNOW, TEXAS HAS ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE ABORTION BANS IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, THIS ITEM SEEKS TO REESTABLISH LOGISTICAL SUPPORT FUND FOR AUSTIN KNIGHT SEEKING ABORTION CARE, WHICH WE KNOW IS BOTH LEGAL AND NECESSARY.
UM, I DO WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT GIVEN THE TEXAS LAW, SB EIGHT IS NOT APPLICABLE OUTSIDE OF HIS JURISDICTION.
WE HAD AN OPINION FROM US DISTRICT JUDGE ROBERT PITTMAN, WHERE HE CLEARLY STATED THE STATE LAW DOES NOT PROHIBIT PRACTICAL SUPPORT FUNDS FROM PROVIDING LOGISTICAL SUPPORT OR PAYING FOR TRAVEL FOR ABORTION CARE.
CITY LEGAL HAS ALSO RELEASED A MEMO TO COUNSEL, UH, ALONG WITH THE SAME LINES.
AND SO, UM, AGAIN, JUST WANNA STATE THAT THIS AMENDMENT IS FOR THE EXPANSION RATHER THAN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING FUND.
AND I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL AS MAYOR PER TEMPLE.
OTHER COMMENTS, THOUGHTS? THANK YOU.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO VELASQUEZ TWO, FOLLOWED BY CADRE ONE AND CADRE FOUR.
THIS IS, UH, FOR SUBSTANCE USE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
UH, THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT WILL FUND EXPANDED ACCESS TO HARM REDUCTION SERVICES STAFF DROP-IN CENTERS, INCLUDING WEEKEND AND EVENING HOURS, AND, UH, SUPPORT FOR MOBILE FOR MOBILE OUTREACH CLINIC.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ THAT WILL GO TO, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY FOR CADRY ONE, CADRY FOUR, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, UH, A ALTER FOUR.
UH, THANK YOU MAYOR, UH, GATHER.
AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE IS THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PILOT PROGRAM UNDER THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT.
JUST A CONTINUATION OF ITEM FROM LAST YEAR, UM, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S SUPPORT ON THAT ITEM.
UH, AND IT'S JUST CALLING FOR $300,000, UH, FOR A ONE-TIME FUNDING TO FINISH OFF FUNDING YEAR ONE.
UH, AND JUST WANT TO THANK CO-SPONSORS RYAN
[01:30:01]
ALTER, JOSE VELAZQUEZ VELA, AND VANESSA FUENTES FOR THEIR, UH, SUPPORT ON THIS ITEM.HAS CADRE, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? CADRE FOUR.
SORRY, I DID HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I HAVE TO SEE ME ON THE SCREEN.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR IF COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE WILL HAVE ME.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
ALRIGHT, CADRE FOUR, FOLLOWED BY A ALTER FOUR, AND THEN R ALTER FIVE.
UH, RY AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR IS A COMMUNITY HEALTH NAVIGATOR PROGRAM UNDER AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
UH, THIS IS THE ACHI PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE AUSTIN ASIAN COMMUNITY HEALTH INITIATIVE.
UH, IT'S FOR $268,000 A ONE-TIME FUNDING.
UH, IT'S TO SUPPORT ACHI AS THEY ARE OUT OF CYCLE UNTIL THE NEXT RFP IS, UH, RELEASED IN ABOUT 12 TO 15 MONTHS.
UH, ACHI IS THE ONLY PROVIDER THAT PROVIDES SPECIFIC RESOURCES TO A EPI IMMIGRANT GROUPS.
SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS ITEM AND WANT TO THANK, UH, THE SAME FOUR COSPONSORS AS ALWAYS.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
I I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU MENTIONED MY NAME EACH TIME.
UM, WE OUGHT TO ALL JUST DO THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR TO IT, TO THIS.
I KNOW THEY HAD SENT ME SOME INFORMATION JUST ABOUT THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE, AND SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, JUST WANNA BE ADDED ALSO.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEND, TO ATTEND, UM, THE HEALTH FAIR THAT WAS AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
UM, AND IT WAS REALLY AN AMAZING EVENT.
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE 500 PEOPLE CAME IN TO BE SERVED TO BE PROVIDED EYECARE AND VACCINATIONS AND TO BE PROVIDED WITH FOOD AND, AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
AND THEY HAD TRANSLATION IN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY LANGUAGES.
IT WAS REALLY, REALLY VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER.
THAT SERVED MANY, MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT IT REQUIRES THE SUPPORT FROM ACHI TO REALLY DO IT AT THAT LEVEL.
UM, AND THERE'S JUST SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO NEED THAT LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE AND THAT CULTURALLY SPECIFIC CARE SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE HEALTH INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED.
SO I WOULD ALSO, UM, SUPPORT THIS AND I'M PLEASED TO HEAR THAT IT WILL BE A BRIDGE TO THE NEXT, UM, RFP.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER AND THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER A ALTER FOUR FOLLOWED BY R ALTER FIVE AND WATSON THREE.
SO, UM, MY AMENDMENT FOUR IS TO PROVIDE, UM, $75,000 FOR, UM, MATERNITY LEAVE.
THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR 10 WEEKS OF A PAID MATERNITY LEAVE, ADDITIONAL FOR FIREFIGHTERS AS THEY PHYSICALLY RECOVER FROM CHILDBIRTH SO THEY CAN MORE CONFIDENTLY RETURN TO SERVING OUR COMMUNITY IN GOOD HEALTH.
THIS WOULD SERVE UP TO THE THREE THAT IS THE MOST WE WE'VE SEEN IN TERMS OF CHILDBIRTH NEEDS FOR A FD, UM, FIREFIGHTERS, UM, IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.
UM, AND THIS WOULD ALLOW THEN THE CITY MANAGER TO DETERMINE HOW TO CONTINUE THIS IN THE NEXT YEAR, WHETHER IT WAS THROUGH THE CONTRACT OR THROUGH, UM, POLICY.
UM, WE HAVE INVESTED IN THESE FIREFIGHTERS ALREADY.
THEY'VE PROVEN ABLE TO DO THEIR JOBS.
THEY DESERVE OUR SUPPORT REQUIRED FOR THEM TO RETURN TO THEIR POSITIONS AND BE PHYSICALLY READY.
BEING A FIREFIGHTER IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST PHYSICALLY DEMANDING JOBS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, THEIR JOBS SHOULDN'T REQUIRE THEM TO DEPLETE THEIR ACCRUED LEAVE OR TAKE UNPAID LEAVE IN ORDER TO RECOVER FROM CHILDBIRTH AND BE PREPARED TO DO THE WORK THAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO WHEN THEY RISK THEIR LIVES.
UM, BEING NOT A NORMAL NINE TO FIVE MAKES THIS WHOLE PROCESS EVEN MORE COMPLICATED AND MAKES THE 10 WEEKS MORE IMPORTANT.
I DO WANNA ALSO POINT THE 10 ADDITIONAL WEEKS MORE IMPORTANT.
I DO WANNA, UH, POINT OUT THAT WHEN WE MOVED FOR SIX WEEKS OF PARENTAL LEAVE FOR ALL SWORN, UM, A FEW YEARS AGO, THIS WAS AT THE REQUEST OF THE WOMEN OF A FD TO HAVE THIS MATERNITY LEAVE, UM, BE EXTENDED TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.
AND WE STILL HAVE NOT DONE THAT.
UM, THESE ARE THE WOMEN WHO ARE RECOVERING FROM, UM, BIRTH.
AND SO THIS IS A $75,000 ONE-TIME COMMITMENT, UM, THAT WOULD ALLOW THIS PILOT TO GO FORWARD AND THEN TO HOPEFULLY, UM, CONTINUE THIS MOVING FORWARD ONCE THAT HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY POLICY OR BY NEGOTIATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES.
COUNCILMAN ELLIS JUST DIDN'T WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BY.
I'M ALREADY A CO-SPONSOR, BUT I JUST THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION OVER THE YEARS AND IS THE LEAST THAT WE CAN DO FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WANTING
[01:35:01]
TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.UM, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE AS FIREFIGHTERS AND WANTING TO GROW A FAMILY.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY EXCITING FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO.
UM, SO THANK YOU ALLISON ALTER FOR TAKING THIS UP AND RUNNING WITH IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
MR. MAYOR, I THINK IT MIGHT BE A THEME.
JUST ADD ME TO ANYTHING THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO ADD MY NAME TO THIS ONE.
YOU ALREADY HAD TO THANK YOU THOUGH.
UM, THAT WILL TAKE US TO RAR FIVE, FOLLOWED BY WATSON THREE AND THEN FUENTES SIX.
MAYOR ALTER RAR FIVE, UH, EXPANDS OUR OTT, WHICH IS THE EXPANDED MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM, UH, PROGRAM FROM BEING JUST DURING THE DAY HOURS TO 24 7.
UH, THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN HUGELY SUCCESSFUL.
UH, THEY ARE EMBEDDED IN OUR NINE ONE ONE CALL CENTER AS WELL AS HAVE, UH, FIELD RESPONSE TEAMS. AND IF YOU LOOK JUST THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR, 86% OF THE CALLS TAKEN BY THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE DIVERTED AWAY FROM WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A POLICE RESPONSE.
AND OF THOSE A HUNDRED PERCENT WERE DIVERTED FROM INCARCERATION.
89% FROM A PEACE OFFICER EMERGENCY DETENTION AND 96 WERE DIVERTED FROM AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ADMISSION.
SO THIS IS SAVING US STAFF TIME ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, FRONT, WHETHER IT'S POLICE, FIRE, EMS AND DEPLOYING THE PROPER RESPONSE TO A MENTAL HEALTH NEED.
AND SO, UM, THIS WOULD SCALE IT UP TO BE 24 7, ALLOW THEM TO RESPOND TO ALL THE CALLS THAT, UH, ARE COMING IN THAT WOULD FIT THEIR BILL.
UH, THE COST WE ARE LOOKING TO PULL FROM THE GENERAL FUND, OTHER REQUIREMENTS, UH, WHICH IS A, IT'S RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE FUNDING SOURCE HERE.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCILOR VELA, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE MY SUPPORT FOR, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER'S, UH, ITEM VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH THE SOBERING CENTER.
THESE ARE THE KIND OF MEASURES THAT TAKE, UH, PRESSURE OFF OF POLICE AND EMS AND, UH, THE RESPONSES OFTENTIMES BETTER THAN WHAT WE WOULD'VE GOTTEN OUT OF POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, POLICE AND EMS. DEFINITELY CHEAPER THOUGH.
IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS CHEAPER TO RESPOND.
SO I THINK THE WAY THIS IS THE APPROACH THAT I, WE NEED TO TAKE TO PUBLIC SAFETY MOVING FORWARD IS MAKING SURE TO SEND THE APPROPRIATE RESPONDER TO THE APPROPRIATE SITUATION, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE YOU THE RIGHT LEVEL OF RESPONSE FOR A GIVEN SITUATION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THAT ITEM? ALL RIGHT.
WATSON, NUMBER THREE MEMBERS YOU'LL REMEMBER IS THE, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT RELATED TO WHAT THE TESTIMONY WE HEARD IN THE DISCUSSION WE HAD RELATED TO CREATING AN EMS COMMAND DISTRICT IN DOWNTOWN FOR, UH, ADDRESSING HEAVILY POPULATED, UH, AND HIGH INCREASED VOLUME CALL TIMES ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND SATURDAY NIGHTS IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THAT OR, YES.
I JUST WANNA BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
I KNOW THERE WAS, UM, COMMUNICATION ALSO ABOUT MAYOR PRO TEM POOL, YOU KNOW, AND THE DOMAIN YES.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT LATER, BUT WE ARE, UM, WANTED TO BE CO-SPONSOR ON BOTH.
MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
MR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THIS INITIATIVE AND I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED AS WELL AS A CO-SPONSOR AND SUPPORT.
OTHER QUESTIONS OCCUR, MS. COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE? UM, NO, I APPRECIATE THE INITIATIVE.
I KNOW IT'S GONNA COVER RAINY STREET AS WELL, SO APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
DO I HAVE TO MR. VELASQUEZ'S NAME? MM-HMM.
UH, I GUESS WE SHOULD JUST THANK JOSE.
UM, ALL RIGHT, THANKS EVERYBODY.
THAT WILL TAKE US NEXT TO FUTA SIX.
FOLLOWED BY, WHAT'S THAT SAY? OH, VELASQUEZ VELASQUEZ.
THREE
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
THIS IS THE EXPANSION OF THE EMS UNIT AT THE AIRPORT.
I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED AND HEARD ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF HAVING EMS PERSONNEL THERE AT THE AIRPORT.
THIS, UH, AMENDMENT WOULD COME OUT OF THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT FUNDS.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO VELAZQUEZ THREE.
I KNOW IT'S HARD TO SEE MY HAND.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD MY SUPPORT TO THIS ITEM.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES OF MIND.
SHE, SHE, YEAH, WELL, I THINK SHE WAS, THAT WAS FUENTES.
BUT, BUT STILL OPEN TO TAKING, LET'S, LET'S SEE WHERE IT GOES.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ THE, UH, EMS COMMUNICATION.
THIS AMENDMENT FUNDS, UH, UH, AN EXTRA FOUR FTES TO ADD AN
[01:40:01]
EXTRA CALL TAKER TO EACH SHIFT TO MAKE SURE THAT CALLS ARE EFFECTIVELY TRIAGED.EMS HAS EXPERIENCED A 25% INCREASE IN CALL VOLUME OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS WITHOUT AN INCREASE IN STAFFING LEVELS.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, PLEASE JUST ADD ME PLEASE.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO VELA TWO, FOLLOWED BY RAR NINE AND RAR 10.
THIS IS A BUDGET NEUTRAL AMENDMENT.
I'M TAKING TWO, UH, POLICE POSITIONS AND RE YOU KNOW, DESIGNATING THEM FOR THE VEHICLE ABATEMENT UNIT.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO OFFICERS IN THE VEHICLE ABATEMENT UNIT TO COVER THE ENTIRE CITY.
UH, THAT'S A LOT OF, UH, SQUARE MILES AND A LOT OF VEHICLES.
THERE'S A RELATIVELY COMPLEX PROCESS OF TAGGING AND YOU GOTTA GIVE 'EM A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND SO IT'S A, A RELATIVELY LABOR INTENSIVE PROCESS.
UH, I WANNA ADD, UH, TWO MORE.
SO AT THE VERY LEAST, WE CAN BREAK IT UP INTO SECTORS INSTEAD OF JUST KIND OF NORTH AND SOUTH, UH, TO GIVE THE, UH, VEHICLE ABATEMENT, UH, UNIT A LITTLE BIT MORE CAPACITY, UH, FREQUENT COMPLAINT, UH, IN DISTRICT FOUR AND FROM A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS, UH, THAT PEOPLE REALLY GET SORE ABOUT, UH, ABANDONED VEHICLES ON THEIR STREETS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY GET WINDOWS GET BROKEN AND THEY KIND OF GET RAINED ON AND THEY'RE JUST SITTING THERE.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
SIMILARLY TO DISTRICT FOUR, WE HAVE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS IN DISTRICT TWO AROUND ABANDONED CARS, AND CERTAINLY WE NEED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE.
AND IF IT'S OKAY, I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE A NOD TO OUR COLD ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT.
THEY CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH, AND THEM TRYING TO DO GRAFFITI ABATEMENT, CAR REMOVAL, ABATEMENT, AND, AND, AND, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS ITEM MOVING FORWARD SO MUCH LIKE D FOUR AND D TWO.
UM, D ONE, WE HAVE A SIMILAR ISSUE AND PEOPLE RIGHTFULLY WANT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS TO BE CLEAN AND SAFE, AND SO THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO ADDRESS.
SO I APPRECIATE THE ITEM OF MOVING FORWARD.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN REACHED OUT TO ABOUT THIS NEED AS WELL.
SO APPRECIATE YOU WORKING ON IT.
ALRIGHT, THAT WILL TAKE US TO R ALTAR NINE, FOLLOWED BY RAR 10, AND THEN POOL ONE.
OUR ALTAR NINE IS THE PURCHASE OF TWO SECURITY CAMERAS AT ASSET FORFEITURE FUNDS TO BE USED IN OUR PARKS.
UH, WE HAVE SEEN, WHETHER IT'S TRESPASS OR OTHER, UH, CRIME OCCUR IN OUR PARKS.
AND THIS IS A WAY RATHER THAN HAVING TO HAVE, WHETHER IT'S A POLICE OFFICER OR PARK RANGER, UH, GO PATROL THESE AREAS.
WE CAN USE TECHNOLOGY TO BE A FORCE MULTIPLIER.
AND SO THIS WOULD BE DEPLOYED, UH, AT SOME OF THE PARKS WHERE WE'VE SEEN THESE CHALLENGES.
YOU KNOW, ZILKER GARRISON IN MY DISTRICT HAVE, HAVE HAD THESE CHALLENGES, BUT I'M, I'M SURE THAT WE ARE NOT UNIQUE.
SO, UH, IT WOULD BE FOR THOSE TWO CAMERAS.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCILOR MORALES.
I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I AM, BUT PLEASE MAKE SURE MY NAME'S ON THERE.
OKAY, THAT WILL TAKE US TO RAR 10, FOLLOWED BY POOL ONE AND THEN ELLIS FIVE.
RAR 10 IS THE ADDITION IS AN ADDITION OF A FIREFIGHTER CADET CLASS, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR US TO MEET, UH, THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE MADE WITHIN THE CONTRACT, UH, WITH THE FIREFIGHTERS RELATED TO THEIR WORK WEEK REDUCTION.
SO NEXT SEPTEMBER THERE WILL BE A ONE HOUR WORK WEEK REDUCTION, AND THAT REQUIRES ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
IF WE DON'T HAVE ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS, ALL THAT WILL DO IS REQUIRE MORE OVERTIME, WHICH WORKS COUNTER TO THE WHOLE POINT OF THE REDUCTION, WHICH IS TO GET FIREFIGHTERS TIME OFF SO THAT THEY CAN, UH, HEAL BOTH MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY.
SO THIS WOULD HOPEFULLY BRING 30 NEW FIREFIGHTERS INTO THE RANKS TO MAKE THAT WORK WEEK REDUCTION A SUCCESS.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WE'LL GO TO, UH, MAYOR PRO TIM POOL ONE FOLLOWED BY ELLIS FIVE AND THEN CADRE TWO.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO DEDICATE EMS COMMAND UNITS ON THE CITY'S, UH, IN THE CITY'S ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND THE DOMAIN AREA, PARTICULARLY WITH Q2 STADIUM.
SO MY OFFICE CRAFTED THIS AMENDMENT IN CONCERT WITH CHIEF LITZ, WHO RECOMMENDS STARTING WITH WHAT HE CALLS A DEMAND UNIT PILOT.
THIS MEANS AN AMBULANCE AND CREW WILL BE STATIONED ON SITE FOR THE WEEKEND CROWDS, WHICH WOULD BE THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.
WE CAN AVOID, AND THIS IS REALLY
[01:45:01]
IMPORTANT, WE CAN AVOID DRAWING EMERGENCY RESOURCES FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS AND SLOWING RESPONSE TIMES FOR EVERYONE BY PLACING THE DEMAND UNIT, UM, ON SITE.THE AMENDMENT IS REVENUE NEUTRAL AS THE CHIEF WILL USE OVERTIME FUNDS AND A RESERVE AMBULANCE FOR THE PILOT.
IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL, THEN COUNCIL CAN PROCEED WITH A PERMANENT DEMAND UNIT FOR THE DOMAIN IN FUTURE YEARS.
I WANNA THANK THE CHIEF FOR WORKING THIS OUT, AND TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, ELLIS CADRE AND ALLISON ALTER FOR CO-SPONSORING THIS PILOT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SHOULD I MENTION COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ? YES, PLEASE ADD ME AS A CO-SPONSOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, I'D JUST LIKE TO BE ADDED AS WELL.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
MY PROTIME POOL, AND I'M ALREADY A CO-SPONSOR, BUT I JUST REALLY DO WANNA UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF US ADDRESSING THE DEMAND, UM, FOR SERVICES, PARTICULARLY AMBULANCES, UM, IN THE DOMAIN FOR ALL OF NORTH AUSTIN, NORTHWEST NORTHEAST.
UM, WE ARE DEFINITELY SEEING OUR AMBULANCES BEING DRAWN UP TO THE DOMAIN AREA, WHICH MEANS THAT IT TAKES LONGER FOR PEOPLE TO GET, UM, RESPONSES FOR CRITICAL, UM, INCIDENTS IN OUR DISTRICTS.
AND SO REALLY IS IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS, UM, THE CHANGING DYNAMICS BY THE DOMAIN.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WILL TAKE US TO LS FIVE, FOLLOWED BY CADRE TWO, AND THEN A ALTER THREE.
MAYOR ELLIS FIVE IS A FIREARMS EXAMINER, FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE.
THIS IS UNMET NEED FORENSIC SCIENCES.
NUMBER FOUR, THE DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING THIS, UH, TO IMPROVE THE CITY'S GOALS ABOUT REDUCING VIOLENT GUN CRIME, ADDRESSING THE BACKLOG OF THE BI, THE BACKLOG OF FIREARM SERVICES AND SUPPORT, VALIDATION, IMPLEMENTATION OF FIREARM METHODS AND TECHNOLOGIES.
SO IN LAYMAN'S TERMS, THIS IS ABOUT BALLISTICS TESTING.
THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT ON HAND TO GET MORE, UH, RAPID REVIEWS WHEN WE DO HAVE VIOLET CRIME, UH, DONE BY GUN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE KNOW THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE INSTANCES WHERE THAT INFORMATION HAS HAD TO BE SENT TO SOMEONE ELSE TO EVALUATE, AND IT CREATES DELAYS FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO LINK MULTIPLE CRIMES TOGETHER WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE MOVING AROUND OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE AND TO GET THOSE DIAGNOSTICS BACK VERY QUICKLY AND HELP KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
UH, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
AND I ALREADY HAVE ALLISON ALTER AND, AND MAYOR PROPO AS CO-SPONSORS ON THIS AS WELL.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO CADRE TWO FOLD BY AAR THREE AND THEN A ALTER FIVE.
UH, BERMAN TWO IS THE COUNTER ASSAULT STRIKE TEAM PARAMEDICS, WHICH IS CAST ME UNDER EMS. IT ALLOWS, UH, EMS TO TREAT SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN SHOT ON SCENE INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR A PD TO CLEAR THE SCENE AND THE TIME DIFFERENCE OFTEN RESULTS AND SAVING THE LIFE OF AN INDIVIDUAL SHOT.
UH, THE AMOUNT IS FOR $275,000, $275,702 FOR ONGOING.
UM, IT WAS FUNDED IN THE PAST BY EMS VACANCY SAVINGS, BUT DID YOU INCREASE HIRING? THE SOURCE OF FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE ANYMORE.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND WANT TO THANK CO-SPONSORS, RYAN ALTER, UH, VELA, VANESSA FUENTES, AND THE ONE AND ONLY JOSE VELAZQUEZ
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD IN ADDITION TO THIS KIND OF AMENDMENT, SO WE HAVE SOME SORT OF SO RULES AROUND TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE PD HAS TO WAIT FOR SO AND SO, FD HAS TO WAIT FOR SO AND SO, IN WHICH CASE, LIKE THE EXTENDED EXPOSURE, LIKE PD OR I'M SORRY, FD NOT BEING ABLE TO CALL A TOW TRUCK MEANS THEY HAVE TO WAIT FOR PD, WHICH, SO I THINK JUST IN TERMS OF PROCESS, THIS IS THE EXACT DIRECTION WE SHOULD BE GOING IN TO MAKE OUR PROCESS MORE EFFICIENT.
AND I'D LIKE JUST TO BE, I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED.
UM, THAT WILL TAKE US TO ALISON ALTER THREE, FOLLOWED BY ALISON ALTER FIVE, AND THEN ELLIS FOUR.
UM, SO MY AMENDMENT, UM, UH, IS WITH THE ANTI HATE, UM, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH.
UM, AND IT IS FOR $200,000 OF ONE TIME FUNDING.
AND THIS WOULD BE THE LAST AMOUNT FOR THIS CAMPAIGN.
UM, SO IN A RESPONSE TO A RISE IN HATE CRIMES IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE CITY LAUNCHED AN EFFORT IN 2023 WITH THE GOAL OF EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE ACTION
[01:50:01]
TO KEEP AUSTIN A SAFE AND WELCOMING PLACE.MY AMENDMENT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE CITY'S PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO SUPPORT THESE EFFORTS.
THIS INCLUDES A NEW ELEMENT OF COMMUNITY BYSTANDER TRAINING AS WELL AS THE SPONSORSHIP OF COMMUNITY EVENTS SUCH AS THE PARTY AT THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE.
UM, THIS CITY'S PROGRAM PROVIDES STREAMLINED ACCESS TO TOOLS TO REPORT HATE CRIMES AND INCIDENTS.
SO PEOPLE ARE FILING REPORTS PROMPTLY AND CORRECTLY, WHICH ALLOWS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS TO RESPOND AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.
THIS PROGRAM'S ALSO DONE A DEEP DIVE INTO THE DATA TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE NOT SERVING COMMUNITIES WELL, WHERE, WHERE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO REPORT HATE CRIMES OR WHERE THEY'RE FEELING THERE ARE HATE INCIDENCES.
UM, AND THIS FUNDING WOULD BE TARGETED TOWARDS THOSE UNDERSERVED AREAS.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION SO THAT EVERY AUSTINITE FEELS LIKE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO STOP THE SPREAD OF HATE AND KNOWS WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY ENCOUNTER IT.
I THINK THIS INVESTMENT GOES US, GETS US CLOSER TO ACHIEVING THAT GOAL.
UM, AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A CAMPAIGN LIKE THIS GO ON.
AND I BELIEVE THAT A TYPICAL CAMPAIGN LASTS A FEW YEARS, AND THIS WOULD BE THE FINAL INSTALLMENT FOR THAT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
AND IT'S CO-SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE AND FUENTES, WHO ALSO SERVED WITH ME ON THE HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER THAT WILL TAKE US TO ALISON ALTER FIVE.
UM, SO THIS IS AN AMENDMENT WHICH PROVIDES, UM, HE FROM OUR EMERGENCY HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF SOFTWARE AND A SUBSCRIPTION TO A VIRTUAL EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, WHICH IS A CLOUD-BASED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND DAILY OPERATIONS CENTER THAT ASSIST IN PREPARING FOR RESPONDING TO AND RECOVERING FROM EMERGENCIES AND CRISIS.
I LEARNED ABOUT THIS WHEN I WAS IN A AND M IN FEBRUARY, UM, WITH MANY, MANY TEAM MEMBERS FROM OUR, OUR CITY.
UM, WE HAVE SEVERAL ENTERPRISE FUNDS THAT ARE USING THIS SOFTWARE.
THIS WOULD ALLOW, UM, SSO TO BE ABLE TO TAP INTO THAT FASTER AND GET THAT DONE, UM, TO IMPROVE OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS. UM, I HAD MANY, MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF WHEN I WAS THERE, AND THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT SO MUCH EASIER FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM TO DO THEIR WORK AND TO INTERACT, UM, WITH OUR UTILITIES WHEN WE'RE IN TIMES OF NEED.
IT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST $90,000 ONE TIME AND THEN 2,500 ONGOING.
IT IS ONE OF THEIR UNMET NEEDS.
UM, AND THIS IS CO-SPONSOR BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I JUST LIKE TO BE ADDED AND A PART OF THAT PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY REALIZE WHAT OUR EIM TEAM DOES.
UM, RECOGNIZING WE WEREN'T PREPARED A COUPLE TIMES WHEN WHAT THEY CALLED UNFORESEEN, YOU KNOW? AND SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO US MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE PROPER SUPPORTS THAT MOVING FORWARD.
OUR CITY, THE 10TH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION, SORRY, SAN JOSE.
UM, WE ARE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES WHEN THEY ARRIVE, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO OFFER THEM THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED.
SO I'D LOVE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR? YES, MAYOR PROAM.
I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THIS HE O SOFTWARE ITEM AS WELL.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO ELLIS FOUR, FOLLOWED BY VELASQUEZ FOUR, AND THEN VELASQUEZ FIVE.
AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR IS FOR THE GUN LOCKS AND SAFE STORAGE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, AND, UH, THIS YEAR THE PROGRAM WAS CUT BY $30,000.
WE WANTED TO BRING IT BACK UP TO ITS PREVIOUS LEVEL OF FUNDING.
UM, THIS YEAR IT WAS PROPOSED TO BE 150,000, BUT THESE FREE GUN LOCKS THAT, UM, ARE ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY AND, AND GIVEN OUT THROUGH THE LOCK ARMS FOR LIFE CONTRACT, UM, THEY GO A LONG WAY IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE FIREARMS AND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE WITH THEM HAVE THE APPROPRIATE STORAGE METHODS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT IF THEIR GUNS ARE STOLEN, THAT THEY'RE MORE PROTECTED, THAT THEIR KIDS CAN'T ACCESS THEM WHEN THEY'RE NOT HOME.
SO THESE REALLY DO SAVE LIVES AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROGRAM CONTINUES.
UH, I WANTED TO THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? VERY GOOD.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO VELASQUEZ FOUR, FOLLOWED BY VELASQUEZ FIVE, AND THEN RAR 12.
UM, THE VELASQUEZ FOUR IS A CONTINUATION OF WORK THAT WE STARTED LAST YEAR.
UM, IN FY 24 CITY FUNDING PROVIDED PERSONALIZED SUPPORT TO MORE THAN 280 HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS, PREVENTED OR DEESCALATED 52 POTENTIAL SHOOTINGS AND RESPONDED TO 15 SHOOTING INCIDENCES TO PREVENT FURTHER VIOLENCE IN RUNDBERG, GEORGIA ACRES, RIVERSIDE AND SOUTH, AND THE SOUTH PLEASANT VALLEY COMMUNITIES.
UH, RECENTLY, THIS PROGRAM HAS LOST FEDERAL FUNDING, AND SO THIS WILL HELP TO FILL THAT GAP TO ENSURE THAT THIS, UH, CRUCIAL WORK
[01:55:01]
CONTINUES AT THE SAME LEVEL.COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
WE'LL GO TO VELASQUEZ FIVE, FOLLOWED BY R ALTER 12.
THIS AMENDMENT PROVIDES FUNDING TO INCREASE THE CURRENT VEHICLE RESOURCE FROM ONE TO TWO, UH, CRITICAL NEED THAT WILL ALLOW THE TWO, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENT UNIT SERGEANTS WHO ARE FREQUENTLY OUT IN THE FIELD WITH OFFICERS TO WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AT RISK.
UH, WE MIGHT BE PULLING THIS ONE BECAUSE I, UH, MY, UH, MY DEAR FRIEND, UH, A CM MILLS TOLD, TOLD ME WE MIGHT BE FINDING THAT VEHICLE WITHOUT HAVING TO, TO BRING THIS AMENDMENT.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO OUR ALTAR 12, FOLLOWED BY A ALTAR SIX, AND THEN FUENTES ONE.
THIS IS ONE FTE TO CONTINUE A GRANT FUNDED POSITION WITHIN THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
THIS PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL HELPS TO DEESCALATE SITUATIONS, UH, RELATED OR BY THE SUNRISE NAVIGATION CENTER IN DISTRICT FIVE, AND KEEP THAT AREA, UH, SAFE AND AND PEACEFUL.
IT IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND, AND A PARK.
AND SO, UH, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY USEFUL TOOL FOR THAT AREA.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THAT WILL TAKE US TO A ALTER SIX.
FUENTES ONE, AND THEN FUENTES SEVEN.
UM, I HAD A MEETING WITH SOME OTHER OF MY COLLEAGUES WITH THE COLLECTIVE SEX CRIMES RESPONSE MODEL GROUP, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
AND, AND THEY REALLY HIGHLIGHTED SOME NEEDS FOR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT.
AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER OF VALASQUEZ HAS PUT FORWARD, UM, ONE OF THOSE AS WELL.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY RAISED WAS THAT THEY HAVE A BACKLOG OF CASES.
UM, THEY HAVE A BACKLOG OF ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ADDITIONAL RETIRED DETECTIVES TO SUPPORT THAT UNIT, UM, AS WELL AS A NEED TO HAVE SOME MOBILE EQUIPMENT SO THEY CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT OUT IN THE FIELD WITH THE CARS THAT THEY ALREADY DO HAVE.
UM, THIS IS A COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO OPERATE MORE SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
UM, THEY HAVE CURRENTLY ONE GRANT FUNDED RETIREE, UM, BUT THEY NEED THESE RETIREES TO TAKE ON A WHOLE BUNCH OF THESE OTHER, OTHER TASKS.
UM, THIS WILL FREE UP DETECTIVE TIME TO RESPOND AND INVESTIGATE, UM, AND MAKE THIS MUCH MORE COST EFFECTIVE.
WE HAVE, UM, FOR THE MOBILE SYSTEMS, THOSE ARE ACCESS TO CAD WHILE THEY'RE OUT WORKING IN THE FIELD.
WE HAVE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF OFFICER SAFETY ISSUES THAT HAVE ARISEN DUE TO THE LACK OF CAD.
THIS CAPABILITY WOULD ALLOW OFFICERS TO CREATE AND CLEAR CALLS, LOG SUBJECTS, RUN SUBJECTS, RUN LICENSE PLATES, ET CETERA.
UM, AND SO THIS IS JUST A, A BETTER WAY FOR THEM TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE AT A VERY LOW COST.
I WILL ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL OVER TIME, ONCE WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE COLLECTIVE SEX CRIMES RESPONSE MODEL AND HAVE THAT PROCESS IN A GOOD ONGOING RHYTHM, UM, THE GOAL IS TO DO A SIMILAR PROJECT FOR THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE UNIT.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THEIR NEEDS NOW AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, WITH THAT WORK IN THE LONG RUN.
COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? GOOD DEAL.
UH, THAT WILL TAKE US TO FUENTES ONE, THEN FUENTES SEVEN, THEN VELAZQUEZ SIX COLLEAGUES.
THIS ITEM BUILDS OFF OF A RESOLUTION WE PASSED EARLIER THIS YEAR, BACK IN MAY AROUND FLOOD INSURANCE.
AND IT STARTS, IT INITIATES A PILOT PROGRAM FOR STAFF TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WAYS WE CAN BE HELPING RESIDENTS OFFSETTING THEIR FLOOD INSURANCE PREMIUMS. GREAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
JUST WANTED TO ADD, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF I WAS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR WHEN YOU HAD BROUGHT THIS ITEM UP EARLIER.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, FLOODING IS AN ISSUE THAT IS AFFECTING MORE AND MORE FAMILIES IN AUSTIN.
UM, I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE AS THIS UNFOLDS, WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DEEPEST LEVEL OF NEED AND THE FOLKS THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE ANOTHER OPTION AND OPPORTUNITY.
'CAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE PRIORITIZING OUR DOLLARS, BUT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT THING TO DO FOR FOLKS THAT CAN'T JUST PICK UP AND, AND GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
UH, I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO BE ADDED.
SO FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE IMMEDIATE NEED OF FLOOD.
THE FLOOD REMEDIATION MOLD IS A REAL THING, AND THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN SUBSEQUENT TO A FLOOD ARE THE THINGS THAT A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS ARE DEALING WITH.
SO, LIKE, VERY MUCH TO BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS.
AND MY HOPE IS THAT IT'S SUPER COMPREHENSIVE AND THAT WE DEAL WITH THE FLOOD ISSUE, BUT THEN SUBSEQUENTLY WE HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE THROUGH THE SYSTEM OF REMEDIATING YOUR HOUSE FULL OF MOLD AND YOUR BUSTED FLOORS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN AFTER A FLOOD.
SO I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO BE A PART OF THIS CONTINUED
[02:00:01]
CONVERSATION.THAT'LL TAKE US TO PU SEVEN, VELAZQUEZ SIX, VELA FOUR.
THIS ITEM IS RUN AI TRAINING AND UPSKILLING.
THIS WAS ON THE DEPARTMENTAL LIST OF UNMET NEEDS AND WOULD ADD SOME NECESSARY FUNDS FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR STAFF.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? VERY GOOD.
WE WILL GO TO VELASQUEZ SIX, VELA FOUR, THEN ELLIS SIX.
MAYOR, THIS AMENDMENT VELASQUEZ SIX, THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY CENTER.
UH, THIS AMENDMENT SUPPORTS THE FORTHCOMING VELASQUEZ BUDGET, IFC FUNDING THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY CENTER TASK FORCE AND FEASIBILITY STUDY.
COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCILOR ELLI, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
I FEEL GUILTY THAT YOU'VE JUMPED IN ON SO MANY CO-SPONSORSHIP.
I WANNA MAKE SURE YOURS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER? HARPER MADISON.
I THINK IF IT, I SHOULD BE LISTED AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS ITEM.
I SEE THAT, UH, COUNCILOR REVELLA IS LISTED TWICE, BUT I THINK ONE OF THOSE SPOTS IS FINE, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.
I I HAVE YOU LISTED? YOU DO? YES.
I MIGHT HELP, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL VERIFY EVERYTHING.
MR. MEEN? UH, EVERYBODY'S FEELING GUILTY.
WE CAN JUST PASS ALL OF MY AMENDMENTS RIGHT NOW.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO VELA FOUR, FOLLOWED BY ELLIS SIX, AND THEN WATSON FOUR.
THIS IS, UH, UNMET NEED IDENTIFIED BY THE, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, DEPARTMENT, UH, TO ESTABLISH AN INTERNATIONAL OFFICE, UH, WITHIN, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO FACILITATE BASICALLY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, UH, ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSES TO AUSTIN.
UH, WE ARE A VERY INTERNATIONAL CITY.
WE HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME, BUT WE'RE BEHIND, UH, HOUSTON, DALLAS, SAN ANTONIO, OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE MORE DEVELOPED, UH, INTERNATIONAL, UH, OFFICES.
I WOULD NOTE THAT, UM, UH, WILLIAMSON COUNTY HAS A OFFICE IN SOUTH KOREA NOW, UH, FOLLOWING THE SAMSUNG INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTY.
UH, SO THIS WOULD BE A, UH, AN AMENDMENT TO CREATE THAT OFFICE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I HAVE THREE MAJOR SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRIES IN MY DISTRICT.
I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR, BUT DURING THE COURSE OF THESE CONVERSATIONS, MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN HAVE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW THESE ORGANIZATIONS CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, DO SOME MR. MAYOR, IN ALIGNMENT WITH YOUR REAL DEEP COMMITMENT AROUND WORKFORCE.
UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE MOVING FORWARD CONVERSATIONS AROUND THIS SUBJECT MATTER.
WE GET TO TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE ADJACENT TO.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ALLISON ALTER.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL RIVERA.
I APPRECIATE OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS, AND I WANNA WEIGH IN AS A, AS A CO-SPONSOR AS WELL.
UM, I THINK, UM, HAVING LED THREE OF OUR SISTER CITY PROGRAMS AND, AND WORKED WITH SOME OF THE BUSINESSES ON BOTH ENDS THERE, I THINK THERE'S ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITIES, UM, FOR OUR CITY.
UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE BEHIND IN HOW WE'RE APPROACHING INTERNATIONAL AT THIS MOMENT.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THESE INVESTMENTS MADE.
I DO WANNA ALSO JUST UNDERSCORE FOR THE CITY MANAGER THAT, UM, IN EDD, THERE ARE OTHER NEEDS AS WELL, UM, PARTICULARLY IN THE WORKFORCE AND CHILDCARE DIVISION, UH, WHEN YOU MADE THAT, WHEN THAT MERGER WENT THROUGH, UM, THAT ARE GONNA NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN SOME MANNER, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
I KNOW SHE HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THIS AREA OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND I, I REALLY APPRECIATE HER.
WE HAD BREAKFAST THE OTHER DAY AND, AND TALKED EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL.
SHE HAS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ALSO IN THIS AREA.
SO, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THIS AREA.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALTER, EVEN AFTER YOU'RE OFF THE DIETS, I STILL WOULD LOVE TO, UH, PICK YOUR BRAIN.
UH, THAT WILL TAKE US TO ELLIS SIX, FOLLOWED BY WATSON FOUR, AND THEN KELLY THREE.
MAYOR ELLIS SIX IS ABOUT A HOUSING POLICY IMPACT ANALYST.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE TAKEN UP AS A DAIS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND THE QUESTIONS ALWAYS COME UP ABOUT WHICH OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE MOST POPULAR, WHICH ONES ARE MOST SUCCESSFUL, HOW QUICKLY ARE WE ACHIEVING
[02:05:01]
OUR GOALS FOR HOUSING? YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WE'VE DONE ABOUT COMPATIBILITY, ABOUT PARKING, YOU KNOW, ELIMINATING THOSE MINIMUMS. AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD GOOD REAL TIME DATA ANALYSIS HAPPENING WITH OUR PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CHOOSING ONES THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL.AND IF FOR SOME REASON ONE OF THESE OPTIONS IS NOT BEING CHOSEN, WHY IS THAT? AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE ANALYSIS.
UM, WE HAVE PUT IN A COUNCIL BUDGET QUESTION.
SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET AN ANSWER BACK ON THAT TO LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY OF HAVING SOMEONE LIKE THAT ON CITY STAFF.
COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I RECOGNIZE I APPRECIATE MY, UM, COLLEAGUE'S LEADERSHIP HERE.
UM, I THINK IN LARGE PART, WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT IS PROCESS, SO MOVING FORWARD MORE EFFICIENCY IS ALWAYS A THUMBS UP IN MY BOOK.
SO I, I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE A CO-SPONSOR HERE.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO WATSON, FOUR MEMBERS YOU'LL REMEMBER OF THIS DISCUSSION.
UH, THIS IS FOR TWO ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME AND ONE PART-TIME FOSTER AND ADOPTION COORDINATORS AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO KELLY THREE, OH, SORRY, I LOST MY MIND FOR A SECOND.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, OF COURSE, IS NOT HERE.
UM, SO WE'LL HAVE, SHE'LL HAVE TO LAY THAT OUT AT THE TIME.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER YOU WERE NOT HERE.
WE, UH, I LAID OUT YOUR, UH, COLAB ITEM, BUT SINCE YOU'RE HERE, UM, AND, AND I EXPLAINED THAT YOU HAD, UH, AN EMERGENCY POPUP SO YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO BE HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, WOULD YOU LIKE TO LAY OUT THE COLAB ITEM? I WOULD.
AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND HOPEFULLY THAT MEANS YOU SUPPORT IT, MAYOR.
UM, SO THE, UM, CLIMATE COLAB IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS LAUNCHED LAST YEAR BETWEEN UT AND THE CITY.
UM, IT'S IDENTIFIED AS AN UNMET NEED FOR THE RESILIENCE OFFICE.
IT'S THEIR NUMBER ONE UNMET NEED.
UM, IT'S WORK THAT SUPPORTS CLIMATE RESEARCH, DEVELOPS ACTIONABLE DATA AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO HELP US IN THE BIGGEST FIGHT OF OUR GENERATION AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THE CLIMATE CRISIS, THE MOST IMPORTANT OUTCOME OF THIS WORK IS OUR LONG-TERM RISK REDUCTION AND IMPROVED CITY SERVICES BECAUSE WE WILL MAKE BETTER DECISIONS AND PLAN BETTER, AS WE WILL USE THE BEST CLIMATE RESEARCH DATA TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. THIS RESEARCH IS BEING USED RIGHT NOW AT THE PARIS OLYMPICS OR THE VENUES, UM, TO BE ABLE TO TELL THEM WHAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE GONNA BE RIGHT THERE.
UM, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO STEER CLIMATE RESEARCH TO FOCUS ON AUSTIN, TO HELP US, UM, TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
IT DOES REQUIRE, UM, THIS PARTNERSHIP, SOME BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, SOME STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO MATCH DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS WITH PROBLEMS AND, UM, WITH STAFF AT UT AND TO PUT TOGETHER THOSE PROJECTS.
UM, THEN WE'RE ABLE TO GO OUT AND GET GRANTS TO, IN THE SHORT TIME THAT THIS HAS BEEN TOGETHER, THEY'VE ALREADY APPLIED FOR $5 MILLION IN GRANTS AND HAVE RECEIVED, UM, APPROVAL FOR ABOUT 2 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING ALREADY.
THIS IS AN INVESTMENT THAT'S A WIN-WIN.
IT'S AN INVESTMENT THAT'S GONNA HELP US AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, TO DO A CLIMATE BOND, TO MAKE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE SOUND.
UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT UT IS MATCHING, UM, AT A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL THAN WHAT WE ARE BEING ASKED TO PUT INTO THIS.
WE'VE HEARD FROM SIX OR SEVEN, UM, FOLKS WHO ARE INVOLVED, UM, IN THIS PROGRAM AT UT ABOUT THE VALUE OF IT, UM, BOTH FOR THE CITY AS WELL AS FOR THE FOLKS AT UT.
AND I THINK IT'S, UH, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THESE KINDS OF COLLABORATIONS WITH UT MOVING FORWARD.
UM, THIS IS SPLIT BETWEEN THE GENERAL FUND AND THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE USED IN TERMS OF WATER FORWARD.
IT'S BEING USED BY OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH, RESILIENCE, SUSTAINABILITY, UM, WATERSHED.
THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF OPPORTUNITIES HERE FOR US TO BENEFIT FROM THIS DATA MEMBERS.
UM, FOR THE RECORD, THAT IS A ALTER TWO IS, IS THE WAY WE CALLED THAT OUT BEFORE.
UM, AND, AND I MIGHT SAY I MIGHT, THIS MIGHT CHANGE AS WE GET CLOSER AND SOMETHING GETS DROPPED OUT OR, UM, UH, AS WE GET CLOSER TO NEXT WEDNESDAY.
BUT PROBABLY THE WAY WE WILL DO THIS SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN KEEP UP WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE CAN KEEP UP WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, IS THAT WHEN WE LAY OUT AMENDMENTS, UH, WHAT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS I'LL TAKE A MAIN MOTION ON THE BUDGET.
I'LL GET A SECOND, AND THEN WE WILL GO TO AMENDMENTS.
AND WHEN I TAKE UP THOSE AMENDMENTS, PROBABLY WE WILL TAKE THEM UP WITH THE NUMBERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY WHAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH HERE.
THAT WAY WE WILL ALL NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, WELL, I THOUGHT YOU SAID THAT WAS SO AND SO ONE, AND, AND NOW IT'S SO AND SO, THREE OR SO, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
[02:10:01]
PREPARED THAT IT MAY BE THE, IT MAY BE THE FIRST AMENDMENT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, FOR EXAMPLE, BRINGS UP, BUT IT MAY BE FUENTES THREE.IT'S JUST THAT, THAT WAY WE WILL HAVE A SPECIFIC REFERENCE AND A SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE BACKUP SHEET.
MEMBERS, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL HAVE, LAY, HAVE, HAVE PROVIDED.
UH, I'M GOING TO GO TO PROPOSED IFCS NEXT, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT TO TURN TO THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND ASK HOW YOU, HOW YOU PERCEIVE THE NEXT STEPS WILL BE SO THAT YOU MIGHT PROVIDE INPUT, UH, THROUGH THE MANAGER'S OFFICE TO THE COUNCIL, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY.
OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF WORK TO DO OVER THE NEXT SIX DAYS.
WE'LL BE IN FRONT OF YOU SIX DAYS SEEKING APPROVAL OF THE, UH, BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
TWO OF THE DAYS ARE A WEEKEND.
SO, YOU KNOW, PLEASE KEEP YOUR CELL PHONES CLOSE TO YOU 'CAUSE WE MAY NEED TO REACH OUT AND TALK TO YOU OVER THE WEEKEND, UM, TO GET PREPARED FOR, FOR, UM, NEXT WEDNESDAY.
I THINK THE FIRST THING WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IS CONTINUING TO WORK WITH EACH COUNCIL OFFICE TO, UH, VET ALL THE NUMBERS THAT WE WENT THROUGH TODAY.
UM, WE RECEIVED THESE ON MONDAY.
SOME CAME IN ON TUESDAY, SO WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO FULLY WORK THROUGH EVERYTHING.
I THINK MOST OF THE NUMBERS ARE GOOD, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE ALL OF THE NUMBERS, UM, ARE, ARE ACCURATE.
SOME OF THE THINGS MIGHT BE DELAYED, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HIRE THE PEOPLE ON DAY ONE, SO WE'LL WORK ON THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
WE WILL STICK TO THE NUMBERING ORDER, LIKE YOU SAID, BUT SOME OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS COULD CHANGE.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO ALSO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COULD SOME OF THESE ITEMS BE REMOVED.
COUNCIL MEMBER OF VE ALASKA HAS TALKED ABOUT THE, THE VEHICLE.
WE'VE ALREADY GOT THAT ONE SOLVED, SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T NEED THAT ON THE LIST ANYMORE.
WE THINK SOME OF THESE ITEMS MAY PROPOSE LEGAL CHALLENGES, SO WE'RE REVIEWING THEM WITH LAW AND WE'LL REACH OUT TO THE RESPECTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHERE WE THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN ISSUE RELATED TO THAT.
SO, LONG STORY SHORT, WE'LL VET THE NUMBERS, UM, AND REVISE THE LIST.
UM, AND, AND SOME OF THEM MIGHT BECOME IFCS.
UM, SO WE'LL DO ALL THAT WORK.
AND, UM, ON AUGUST 13TH, TUESDAY, PROBABLY IN THE EVENING AGAIN, QUITE HONESTLY, UM, WE WILL HAVE AN UPDATED PACKAGE FOR YOU FOLLOWING THE SAME, THE SAME NUMBERING SCHEME.
UM, ALSO BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, UM, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE, THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS TEAM TO LOOK THROUGH ALL OF THESE AMENDMENTS.
UM, REALLY, UM, TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION EVERYTHING WE HEARD HERE TODAY.
UM, UH, OBVIOUSLY CON, CONTINUALLY MONITORING THE MESSAGE BOARD TO SEE KIND OF WHAT COMMENTS AND WHAT YOUR PERSPECTIVES ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS ARE.
UH, CONTINUE OUR ONE-ON-ONE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
UM, AND OUR THOUGHT WOULD BE TO COME ON AUGUST 14TH, UM, WITH TWO SETS OF STAFF AMENDMENTS.
WE ALWAYS HAVE SOME STAFF AMENDMENTS RELATED TO ERRORS AND CORRECTIONS THAT WE IDENTIFIED FROM THE TIME WE PROPOSE THE BUDGET.
SO, UM, IF WE HAVE ANY OF THOSE, WE WILL LAY THOSE OUT.
UM, BUT OUR THINKING AT THIS TIME, UH, WOULD BE TO THE EXTENT IT'S HELPFUL TO, TO ALSO OFFER A PROPOSED PACKAGE OF AMENDMENTS BASED UPON EVERYTHING WE'VE HEARD IN CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S LIMITED FUNDS, UM, WE CAN'T FUND EVERYTHING, BUT TO THE EXTENT COUNCIL FINDS IT HELPFUL, HELPFUL, WE WOULD LAY OUT A PACKAGE OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
AND OF COURSE, COUNCIL CAN ACCEPT STAFF'S AMENDMENTS, AMEND STAFFS, UH, MAKE AMENDMENT TO STAFF'S PROPOSAL, UM, OR JUST MOVE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION COMPLETELY.
BUT, UH, CURRENTLY WE'RE THINKING IT, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO FACILITATE, UH, THE ACTIONS ON WEDNESDAY FOR STAFF TO ATTEMPT TO PUT TOGETHER A PACKAGE THAT WE THINK, UM, BEST MEETS AS MANY NEEDS AS WE CAN.
THE ONLY REQUEST I WOULD, GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN FUENTES.
I JUST WANNA BETTER UNDERSTAND BECAUSE HAVING STAFF PROPOSE A PACKAGE BASED ON THE AMENDMENTS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE OFFERING IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN THAT DONE BEFORE, AT LEAST NOT MY TIME ON THIS.
UH, CAN YOU ELABORATE? WILL YOU, WILL STAFF BE OFFERING RATIONALE AS TO THIS PACKAGE THAT STAFF WILL BE RECOMMENDING? UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RATIONALE FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, IT, IT WOULD LARGELY BE BASED UPON WHAT WE'RE HEARING.
SO WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS SAY, SAY TODAY, YOU KNOW, I REALLY SUPPORT THAT ITEM.
YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE NINE COUNCIL MEMBERS VERBALLY SAYING THEY SUPPORT AN ITEM, THAT PROBABLY WOULD BE PART OF, OF, OF STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
[02:15:01]
WHERE OUR THINKING WOULD BE.UM, IN REGARDS TO MAKING A, A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNSEL REALLY WHAT, WHAT, WHAT YOU ARE TELLING US, UM, ARE THE PRIORITIES IN TRYING TO TAKE ALL THAT INFORMATION AND, UH, COME UP WITH AT LEAST A STARTING POINT FOR YOUR CONVERSATIONS ON WEDNESDAY.
ARE YOU ANTICIPATING SUCH A DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN WHAT WE HAVE FILED WITH OUR AMENDMENTS IN THE ASSOCIATED FUNDING AMOUNTS WITH WHAT'S AVAILABLE? YEAH, I MEAN, THERE'S CERTAINLY A GAP BETWEEN THIS, THE, THE TOTALITY OF THESE REQUESTS AND THE FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, COLLEAGUES, I, I FEEL THAT, AND, AND THIS IS A DIFFERENT PROCESS, SO I'M JUST TALKING THIS OUT HERE.
UM, I WAS, WOULD I APPRECIATE STAFF PROPOSING A, A PACKAGE BASED ON THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE'RE OFFERING TO THE DAAS.
UM, I'M CONCERNED THOUGH THAT THAT MIGHT CHANGE, UM, HOW AMENDMENTS ARE CONSIDERED.
UM, SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, IF A COLLEAGUE WENT THROUGH, UM, THE TIME TO FILE AN AMENDMENT AND THERE'S SUPPORT FOR THAT AMENDMENT AND THERE ARE ASSOCIATED CO-SPONSORS FOR THAT AMENDMENT THAT WE TAKE THE, THE TIME TO HA TO DELIBERATE AND CONSIDER THAT AMENDMENT AS FILED.
UM, I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE STAFF'S RECOMMEND RECOMMENDATION, CERTAINLY WILL, WILL HONOR THAT.
UM, BUT I, I DO THINK WE SHOULD GIVE DUE CONSIDERATION TO EACH AMENDMENT THAT HAS BEEN FILED.
WHAT I, THAT, THAT FALLS, I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF WHAT I WAS GONNA ASK ABOUT.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HAVE IS THAT, THAT IF YOU DO IT, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU'RE GONNA DO IT, BUT, BUT WHEN I HEAR THAT ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS THAT WHILE I, FROM THE STAFF PERSPECTIVE CAN SEE HOW YOU'RE TRYING TO BALANCE THE GAP THAT MIGHT EXIST, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE, THE, THE, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO SEE THAT GAP, BUT IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THE PRIORITIES TO PLAY OUT ON THE COUNCIL.
UH, AND, AND HOW WE MIGHT SEE THAT THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT COIN, OF COURSE IS THAT IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR COUNSEL IF WE RUN OUTTA MONEY AS YOU START MAKING THOSE AMENDMENTS.
WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST, UH, AS WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE HOW WE GET THERE, IS THAT, AS YOU PUT THAT, UH, AS YOU, AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE GAP AND YOU'RE TRYING TO FILL THE GAP, WHAT YOU DO IS YOU LET US KNOW HOW YOU WOULD PERCEIVE IT FROM A PROFESSIONAL STAFF POINT OF VIEW TO, TO MEET THE NEEDS, WHAT YOU'RE HEARING, PLUS THE NUMBERS, THE REVENUE ISSUES, SO THAT THE COUNCIL CAN SEE HOW YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT.
AND THAT MAY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HOW INDIVIDUALS WANT TO LAY OUT THEIR AMENDMENTS, BUT IT DOESN'T PREEMPT THE ABILITY FOR THE COUNCIL TO HAVE A DISCUSSION THAT MAY DIFFER.
UM, BUT IT WILL ALSO HAVE COUNSEL WITH THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GAP.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT DOES.
COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, DOES THAT ADDRESS YOUR CONCERN? I THINK SO.
I MEAN, CERTAINLY IT'S A DIFFERENT PROCESS AND EVERY YEAR IT'S A DIFFERENT PROCESS WITH THE BUDGET.
AND SO I, I WANNA REMAIN FLEXIBLE WITH THAT.
UM, GIMME SOME TIME TO THINK ON IT, BUT YEAH.
WELL, THE BOTTOM LINE TO IT IS WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M SUGGESTING, I IT IS THAT WE WANT THE INPUT FROM STAFF ABOUT HOW THIS MIGHT BE BALANCED.
'CAUSE ULTIMATELY WE HAVE TO PASS A BALANCE BUDGET AND, AND IT DOESN'T TAKE A CPA TO GO THROUGH ALL THESE AMENDMENTS TODAY AND REALIZE IF WE PASS ALL THOSE AMENDMENTS, NO MATTER HOW MANY SPONSORS THERE ARE AND HOW MUCH LOVE THERE IS FOR ANYTHING, WE'RE NOT GONNA BALANCE THE BUDGET UNDER THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO THAT BEING SAID, WE NEED THE INPUT FROM PROFESSIONAL STAFF ON HOW THEY MIGHT ORGANIZE THAT SO THAT WE MEET THE, UH, NEEDS AND, AND THAT WE'VE EXPRESSED.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO PREEMPT THE ABILITY FOR US OURSELVES TO MAYBE HAVE TO MAKE THE HARD CHOICE THAT, YEAH, I REALLY LOVE THAT PROPOSED AMENDMENT, BUT I LOVE THESE OTHERS BETTER.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S THE DECISION OF THE COUNCIL, I THINK.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS GET THE ADVICE, BUT NOT TAKE AWAY THE ABILITY FOR THE COUNCIL TO, TO MAKE THE FINAL CALL.
MAYOR PRO TIM, I THINK IN THE PAST THE STAFF HAS WORKED TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF OUR PRIORITIES.
SO THEY'LL, THEY'LL GIVE US THAT NEXT WEEK WHERE THEY CAN.
UM, AND OF COURSE ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES IS WHEN THOSE OF US HERE WERE ADDING OUR NAMES TO THINGS OR NOT, IT DIDN'T, IF WE DIDN'T ADD OUR NAME, IT DIDN'T MEAN THAT THERE WASN'T SOME SUPPORT FOR IT.
SO IT, THAT'S NOT AN EXACT MEASURE.
AND THEN BY THE TIME YOU GET DOWN TO PAGE FOUR ON THE AMENDMENTS, THE MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN
[02:20:01]
SPENT.SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE PEOPLE DOWN ON PAGE FOUR DON'T HAVE A SHOT? SO OUR JOB WILL CONTINUE TO BE SIFTING THROUGH ALL OF WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US AND MAKING OUR VOTES BASED ON WHAT WE THINK NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD.
STAFF ISN'T GONNA TAKE THOSE VOTES FOR US, UM, BUT THEY WILL HELP US BY TELLING US WHERE THINGS CAN BE ACCOMMODATED SO WE DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY LOCATE THE MONEY FOR IT.
FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE THERE'S SOME SHIFTS GOING ON.
UM, AND THEN JUST HELP US KEEP TRACK OF WHAT THAT BOTTOM NUMBER IS AND HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO MEETING OUR TARGET, EXCEEDING IT OR FALLING BELOW IT.
IF I'M REMEMBERING HOW WE'VE DONE THAT.
YES, IN PAST YEARS, STAFF ISN'T GONNA, AN STAFF ISN'T GONNA MAKE THE DECISIONS FOR US.
ALRIGHT, LET'S NOW GO TO IFC, MAYOR COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER TER.
UM, SO IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD STAFF COME FORWARD WHERE THEY'VE SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE THERE'S A CONSENSUS AND THERE'S A VALUE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO GO AROUND AND TALK TO EACH OF US TO SEE WHERE WE HAVE CLEAR PRIORITIES, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TOO MUCH, TOO MANY GOOD THINGS THAT WE WANNA FUND AND TOO LITTLE, TOO LITTLE FUNDS.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S VALUE IN THAT.
I WOULD ALSO, YOU KNOW, POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE BIG BUCKETS THAT ARE WHERE THE LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IS.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR SENSE OF HOW TO PRIORITIZE.
SO FOR HOMELESSNESS, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILLION, BUT IT'S AT LEAST VIRGIN ON 10 MILLION OR MORE, UM, JUST WITH THAT.
BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE A CLEAR SENSE OF HOW OUR STAFF WOULD PRIORITIZE AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE THAT FITS IN, UM, TO THAT.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THEM AMONG THE DIFFERENT AMENDMENTS, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY WOULD PRIORITIZE THOSE.
SAME THING WITH EMS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY MANY OF THESE ARE EMS ITEMS THAT WERE ON THE UNMET NEEDS LIST.
UM, BUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, UM, KINDA WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE OF THE CHIEF AND HOW WE CAN BEST, UM, ADDRESS THOSE AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS, UM, THAT OUR, THAT OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE HAVE BROUGHT UP.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A THIRD BUCKET WITH PARKS, WHICH IS PROBABLY NOT AS COMPLICATED AS THE OTHER TWO, UM, TO PRIORITIZE.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE, SOME OF THE BIG POTS ARE, UM, IS THEN, AND THEN I GUESS WITH A FD AS WELL.
UM, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE WOULDN'T FUND THINGS THAT ARE IN OTHER POTS, BUT I THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED TO MAKE SOME CHOICES UNLESS WE WANT ALL OF THE MONEY TO GO TO ONE OF THOSE BUCKETS AND NOTHING TO GO TO THE OTHER BUCKETS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I, FOR ONE WOULD LIKE TO, TO TO BE MAKING INVESTMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD AND NOT ONLY IN ONE AREA.
AND I THINK, UM, HAVING SOME SENSE OF STAFF PRIORITIZATION, UM, WOULD HELP, UM, TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IS IF THEY HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSALS FOR HOW THINGS ARE FUNDED OR THEY HAVE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO WEIGH, LIKE IT INCREASES THE FEES BY X AMOUNT.
UM, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TO US SO THAT WE CAN ASSESS THE AMENDMENTS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T ALL HAD THE BENEFIT OF THE MANY CONVERSATIONS THAT EACH OF US HAVE HAD IN SHAPING OUR AMENDMENTS.
UM, SO SOMEHOW IF WE CAN MAKE THAT TRANSPARENT, UM, AS WELL, UM, IN ADVANCE OF THE DISCUSSION, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP US, UM, IN ARRIVING AT A, AT A, AT A BETTER SET OF OUTCOMES.
I'LL JUST CHIME IN AND SAY, I, I THINK, UH, LAST YEAR IN PARTICULAR, STAFF DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF HELPING TO BALANCE THESE.
I MEAN, UM, OUR CITY STAFF WILL HAVE THE BEST UNDERSTANDING OF ARE THEY READY TO HIRE A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE ON OCTOBER 1ST OR IS THIS A, A, AN ASK THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE FUNDED FULLY? YOU KNOW, WHICH ONES CAN BE ONE TIME UNTIL THEY NEED TO BE ONGOING? UM, SO I'LL JUST VOICE MY SUPPORT.
I THINK STAFF'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB TRYING TO GET US TO THAT HAPPY PLACE WHERE MOST OF US ARE GETTING AS, AS MUCH OF OUR NEEDS MET AS, AS WE THINK IS SUFFICIENT.
UM, BUT YEAH, I AGREE THAT WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED SO FAR IS A GREAT STARTING POINT, BUT WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT DOES THE BUCKET LOOK LIKE FOR EACH OF THESE FINANCIAL CATEGORIES, AND HOW IS STAFF GOING TO NOT ONLY BALANCE THOSE BUDGETARY NEEDS, BUT ALSO WORK THROUGH THE PROGRAMMING OF HOW TO HIRE PEOPLE OR, YOU KNOW, WHICH POSITIONS WITHIN THEIR, UM, THEIR DEPARTMENTS ARE GONNA NEED TO BE SHIFTED.
SO I, I LIKE STAFF KIND OF TAKING THE FIRST GO ROUND OF THAT.
I THINK THEY'VE HAD A REALLY GOOD EXPERTISE DOING THAT AND HELP GUIDE US INTO, UM, AT LEAST GETTING US CLOSER.
SO I, I JUST WANNA VOICE THAT SUPPORT.
UM, FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THE WAY, UH, THE COUNCIL HAS DIVIDED THIS UP IS WE HAVE WHAT OUR PROPOSED BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
BUDGET AMENDMENTS GENERALLY ADDRESS APPROPRIATIONS.
[02:25:01]
YOU'VE HEARD US WALK THROUGH, UH, A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT THAT WOULD ADDRESS APPROPRIATIONS IFCS, WHICH STANDS FOR ITEMS FROM COUNSEL, ARE ITEMS THAT PROVIDE SOME SORT OF POLICY DIRECTION.AND, AND FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS ALL MORNING, THEY'LL NOTICE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT APPEARED TO BE BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND MAY STILL BE BUDGET AMENDMENTS, BUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD BE, COULD BE UTILIZED AS AN ITEM FROM COUNCIL DIRECTING STAFF TO DO SOMETHING AND WHERE THAT MIGHT GO.
THE WAY I WILL DO THIS ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY OR FRIDAY IF THOSE DAYS ARE NEEDED, IS WE WILL TAKE A MAIN MOTION ON THE BUDGET A SECOND SO THAT WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.
AND THEN I WILL GO FIRST TO AMENDMENTS AND WE WILL TAKE UP THE AMENDMENTS, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET, AND THEN WE WILL VOTE ON THE BUDGET.
AND AFTER THAT, WE WILL BRING UP ITEMS FROM COUNSEL, WHICH ARE POLICY DIRECTION, AND WE WILL ASK FOR AMEND MOTIONS ON ITEMS FROM COUNSEL SECONDS.
AND WE WILL PROVIDE THAT POLICY DIRECTION, UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT.
SO, UH, NOW IF PEOPLE ARE PREPARED ON ITEMS FROM COUNCIL, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MEMBERS WHO MAY BRING US AN ITEM FROM COUNCIL SO THAT WE CAN LAY THAT ITEM OUT, UH, AS WELL.
IS THERE ANY MEMBER THAT WISHES TO BE RECOGNIZED? COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.
UH, I'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD TWO IFCS, UH, AND I'LL QUICKLY LAY OUT, UH, EACH ONE.
UM, CADRE IFC ONE WILL HAVE TO DO WITH PERMANENT SUPPORT OF HOUSING PARTNERSHIPS AND FUNDING.
UH, IT'LL DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE ONGOING FUNDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR AREA AGENCIES FOR OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR PSH AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AND THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
UH, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE FIGHTING HOMELESSNESS AND HELPING OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS IS A JOINT COLLAB COLLABORATION, UH, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN CITY COUNTY, UH, AND, AND OTHER FOLKS.
SO, UH, I WANT TO THANK FOLKS WHO HAVE ALREADY COME ON AS CO-SPONSORS AND COUNCILOR RIVERA FUENTES, RYAN TER, AND OF COURSE JOSE VELASQUEZ.
UM, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA KEEP IT GOING UNTIL I CAN'T KEEP IT GOING.
UM, AND THEN GATHER IFC TWO HAS TO DO WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN UPDATE.
UH, IT UPDATES THE, UH, DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, UH, WHICH IS AN ELEMENT OF IMAGINE AUSTIN, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, HOPING FOR A SIM WE'RE HOPING FOR A SIMILAR TIMELINE, UH, FOR NEXT YEAR.
IT ALLOCATES EXISTING DOLLARS THAT ARE ALREADY ALLOCATED FOR IMAGINE AUSTIN.
UH, THE PLAN IS ACTUALLY, UH, IT EXPIRED YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO TO BE EXACT.
UH, AND I THINK WITH ALL THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE, UH, IN DOWNTOWN, IT'S CRUCIAL.
UH, AND THEN FOR THIS ITEM, UH, I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP POOL, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND NOT COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ.
SO IF HE WANTS TO GET ON ON THIS, HE CAN.
I'M NOT SURE YOU CAN PASS THAT.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE VELASQUEZ, WHY WOULD ANYBODY VOTE FOR IT? UM, NOT MOVING.
COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE? ALL RIGHT, ANYBODY ELSE? COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.
WE HAVE A, A COUPLE IFCS ONE IS KIND OF THE DIRECTION ELEMENT RELATED TO THE LAND ACQUISITION AMENDMENT.
SO THIS PROVIDES KIND OF THE SCOPE OF WHAT STAFF WILL BE LOOKING FOR AND HOW IT WILL BE ADMINISTERED.
UM, I GUESS I'LL PAUSE FOR A QUESTION THERE AND OTHERWISE MOVE.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
THE NEXT ONE IS LOOKING AT, UM, KIND OF A LOOPHOLE IN OUR SYSTEM RELATED TO SOCIAL SERVICE CONTRACTS WHERE THEY, THOSE CONTRACTORS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PAY THE CITY'S LIVING WAGE.
AND ORIGINALLY WE HAD PUT IT SO THAT IN THE NEXT BUDGET, THOSE FUTURE CONTRACTS WOULD ALL HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT.
UH, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO INSTEAD IS HAVE THE MANAGER LOOK AT HOW THIS WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED OVER TIME.
UH, THERE WAS A, A DELICATE BALANCE, ESPECIALLY IN THE NONPROFIT SPACE, ABOUT THE NEED AND ABILITY TO PAY THAT LIVING WAGE FOR THE JOBS THAT THEY ARE, UH, OFFERING AND, AND MAKING SURE YOU DON'T HAVE DISCREPANCIES IN SOMETHING THAT'S FUNDED BY THE CITY VERSUS FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND HAVING TWO PEOPLE DOING THE SAME JOB, BUT AT DIFFERENT PAY SCALES.
IT JUST, THERE ARE INTRICACIES THAT, UH, NEED ARE GONNA NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.
SO, UM, THAT IS WHAT THAT DOES.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT ITEM? UH, THE THIRD ONE JUST DEDICATES OUR DELINQUENT TAX PENALTY, UH, TO HOMELESS SERVICES THROUGH THE, THE HOPE FUND.
THIS IS, UM, LAST ABOUT $600,000 AND TRYING TO TIE A NEXUS TO THOSE HOUSEHOLDS WHERE WE SEE, UH,
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THE DELINQUENCIES AND POTENTIAL FORECLOSURES TO, UH, A, A PURPOSE TO AVOID THAT.AND SO, UM, THAT WOULD HELP, YOU KNOW, JUST ADDRESS THE MANY CONVERSATIONS WE'RE HAVING ABOUT HOW WE HAVE ONGOING FUNDING FOR OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR VELASQUEZ.
ONE IS THE, UH, THE IFC THAT ACCOMPANIES VELASQUEZ SIX, WHICH IS THE DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO, UH, CREATE THE TASK FORCE AND THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q-I-A COMMUNITY CENTER.
COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ? COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
UM, SO DURING THE COURSE OF CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF THE LAST SIX YEARS, WE HAVE SOME SHORTAGES.
SO WE HAVE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, BUT IT TURNS OUT WE HAVE AFRICANS, AFRO-CARIBBEAN, AFRO EUROPEANS, AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE CULTURAL CENTER DOES NOT APPRECIATE THEIR CULTURE.
AND SO THE L GT LGBTQIA PLUS, UM, US RECOGNIZING WE HAVE MEMBERS OF, OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO DESERVE OUR RESPECT AND APPRECIATION AND BEING SEEN.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ, THIS IS IMPORTANT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, OTHER ITEMS FROM COUNCIL THAT, YES.
I DO HAVE ONE THAT IS POSTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, UM, THE VETERANS AFFAIRS ACTION PLAN.
IT'S CO-SPONSORED BY HARPER MADISON, RYAN ALTER AND MAYOR PRO TEMP POOL.
AND SO THE ACTION PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REQUESTING STAFF DO.
UM, ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO THERE WAS, UM, A NEEDS ASSESSMENT DONE FOR OUR VETERANS THAT LIVE IN HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO IT'S ABOUT TIME TO DO THAT AGAIN.
WE KNOW THE STATE IS CURRENTLY PROPOSING TO DO ANOTHER ACTION PLAN AND THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGION WILL HAVE INFORMATION COMING BACK FROM THAT REPORT.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF HAD THE BLESSING FROM COUNCIL TO GO AHEAD AND DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE NOW THAT WE HAVE A VETERAN AFFAIRS OFFICER, UM, AND TO CONTINUE PROMOTING THE WORK OF OUR COMMISSION ON VETERAN AFFAIRS.
UM, I DID ALSO WANNA FLAG, I KNOW, UM, I'M SORRY IF YOU JUST SAID THIS, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, UM, URBAN FOREST REPLENISHMENT FUND.
I KNOW THAT WAS ONE THAT YOU HAD POSTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
I HAD SOME QUESTIONS THROUGH CBQ 1 73 AND 1 74.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO BRING THAT, IF IT CAN BE AMENDED TO INCORPORATE WHAT WE WANT TO DO, UM, OR IF WE NEED TO BRING ANOTHER ONE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO FLAG THAT WE'RE WAITING FOR INFORMATION FROM THOSE COUNCIL BUDGET QUESTIONS, NUMBER 1 73 AND 1 74 TO LOOK AT HOW TO USE THAT PROGRAM.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE PART OF NEIGHBOR WOODS, SO IT MAY, IT IT MAY HAVE TO KIND OF GO IN TANDEM.
HAPPY, HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ON THAT.
THAT ONE IS, IT WAS AN AMENDMENT, TALKED TO STAFF, SAID THE RIDERS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT OR THE, THE BUDGET IFC.
AND SO LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO THAT.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES I HAVE.
MY FIRST ONE HAS TO DO WITH INFORMATION SECURITY, AND THIS IS CO-SPONSORED BY RYAN ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.
UM, AS CHAIR OF AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE AND AS A COMMITTEE, WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CITY'S INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICE TO PROTECT THE CITY AGAINST CYBER ATTACKS THAT COMPROMISE OUR PRIVATE DATA AND THREATEN PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.
UM, IN THE UNMET NEEDS, THERE WERE SEVERAL, UM, UNMET NEEDS LISTED THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ACHIEVING OUR INFORMATION SECURITY ROADMAP.
THIS BUDGET RIDER DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO CONDUCT A REVIEW OF OUR TECHNOLOGY CONTRACTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE HAVING A SECURITY COMPONENT, UH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF IDENTIFYING REDUNDANCIES OR OTHER STRATEGIES TO MORE EFFICIENTLY MANAGE THESE SYSTEMS WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO EFFICIENCIES THAT CAN GENERATE SAVINGS.
UM, AND THEN IT DIRECTS THAT SHOULD THOSE SAVINGS BE REALIZED.
UM, THIS RIDER ENSURES THAT THE FUNDS ARE TO BE REINVESTED BACK INTO OUR CYBERSECURITY INITIATIVES SUCH AS BOLSTERING THE PROTECTION OF PRIVACY DATA, ENSURING THE SECURITY AND CONTINUITY OF ESSENTIAL CITY SERVICES, AND INVESTING IN NEW CAPABILITIES THAT ADDRESS VARIOUS RISK-BASED SECURITY INITIATIVES.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? AND WE WILL GET ALL MY RIDERS UP.
WE WERE WAITING FOR, FOR LEGAL AND, AND THAT PROCESS WAS, UM, LONGER THAN WE ANTICIPATED, SO WE, UM, UNDERSTANDABLY, BUT, UM, WE WILL GET THOSE UP AS SOON AS WE CAN TODAY, HOPEFULLY.
UM, AND THEN SHOULD I MOVE TO THE SECOND ONE? YES, PLEASE.
SO THE SECOND ITEM HAS TO DO WITH EMS AND THE PARAMEDIC PRACTITIONERS.
UM, THIS IS CO-SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, BAYLA R ALTER, AND KELLY.
UM, AND THIS WRITER DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO PURSUE A WIDE RANGE OF EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OUR BILLING SYSTEM AND REVENUE SYSTEM.
THAT THERE, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES WITH EMS AND THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, SUCH AS ADVOCATING FOR LEGISLATIVE FIXES THAT WILL ALLOW FOR GREATER REIMBURSEMENTS
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INVESTMENTS TO HELP US COLLECT FEES TO COVER THE TRUE COST OF SERVICE AND COST PARTICIPATION FROM OUR HEALTHCARE PARTNERS THAT BENEFIT FROM THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.ONCE THAT REVENUE IS REALIZED, THIS FUNDING WILL HELP ENSURE THAT OUR PARAMEDIC PRACTITIONERS CAN OPERATE 24 7 AND WILL ALSO ENABLE THE CITY TO HIRE ADDITIONAL EMS COMMUNICATIONS PERSONNEL.
SHOULD, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ'S AMENDMENT NOT, UH, BE ADOPTED? ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBER? THANK YOU.
AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS, UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE STIPENDS FOR AVIATION AND AUSTIN WATER.
AND HERE I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER
AND WE WORK THIS OUT WITH, UM, CITY MANAGEMENT.
THIS RIDER SEEKS TO REINSTATE RETENTION BONUSES FOR AVIATION AND AUSTIN WATER UTILITY EMPLOYEES WHO DID NOT ACHIEVE A 10% BASE WAGE INCREASE IN THE RECENT MARKET STUDIES AND ARE HAVING THEIR 10% RETENTION BONUSES TAKEN AWAY.
UM, I CAN GO INTO EXAMPLES, BUT I THINK I, I'LL SAVE THAT FOR THE DISCUSSION, UM, NEXT WEEK IF THAT'S NECESSARY.
UM, THE FOURTH RIDER HAS TO DO WITH A FD MATERNITY LEAVE.
UM, THAT'S CO-SPONSORED BY HARPER MADISON, FUENTES KELLY AND ELLIS.
AND THIS BASICALLY GIVES DIRECTION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO EXPLORE HOW TO MAINTAIN THE EXPANDED PAID MATERNITY LEAVE BENEFIT IN FISCAL YEAR 26 27.
UM, THAT COULD BE GOING THROUGH A CONTRACT ROUTE, UM, OR IT COULD BE POLICY.
I FEEL THAT CHILDBIRTH RECOVERY IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT, AND WHILE I WOULD CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS BENEFIT BEING ADDED TO A CONTRACT, I ALSO FEEL THAT WOMEN SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CONTINUALLY BARGAIN FOR WHAT IS A PHYSICAL NECESSITY.
AND THEN, UM, MY FIFTH RIDER AS RELATES TO A FD OVERTIME, AND THAT'S CO-SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, VELASQUEZ, RYAN, ALTER KELLY AND CADRE.
UM, THIS RIDER GIVES BUDGET DIRECTION TO EXPLORE WHETHER ADDING ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS COULD HELP DECREASE AD'S OVERTIME COSTS, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN TO BEGIN TRAINING NEW FIREFIGHTERS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
SO AS TO MINIMIZE RELIANCE ON OVERTIME.
I RECOGNIZE THE NEED THAT HAVING ADDITIONAL FIREFIGHTERS IN PLACE IN ORDER TO PROPERLY IMPLEMENT THE PLANNED WORK WEEK REDUCTION IS NECESSARY, OR WE RUN THE RISK OF E FURTHER INCREASING OUR OVERTIME EXPENSES.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA BE SURE THAT THE DATA SUPPORTS THAT ADDING MORE FTES WILL ACTUALLY REDUCE OVERTIME EXPENSES FOR THE GENERAL PROBLEM OF OVERTIME EXPENSES.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU.
ANY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER? I I DO HAVE A, A QUESTION.
UH, I THINK FOR THE MANAGER, IT'S, I DON'T HAVE AN AMENDMENT OR AN IFC RELATED TO IT, BUT, UM, IS I'VE HEARD SOME CONCERN FROM INDIVIDUALS RELATED TO THE DRAMATIC INCREASE IN SPECIAL EVENT FEES.
AND WHAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS THIS IS TO THE AUSTIN CENTER FOR EVENTS.
UH, WE'RE TALKING LIKE OVER 1500% INCREASE.
AND SO WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON HAD, UH, THE ITEM ABOUT MAKING SURE OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS ARE ABLE TO OPERATE.
AND I'M WORRIED FOR THESE KIND OF SMALLER OR MID-TIER EVENTS WHO MAY NOT REALIZE RIGHT NOW THAT THESE FEES HAVE GONE UP SO DRAMATICALLY THEY'RE GONNA COME TO US FOR THESE FEE WAIVERS THAT ARE NOW GONNA BE LARGER AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE EVEN MORE COST AS IT RELATES TO THE FEE WAIVER.
SO I, I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THIS, BUT I JUST WANT TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT IT AND, AND, AND CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO IT AND, AND SEE IF THERE'S SOME WAY, WHETHER IT'S BREAKING ACE OUT OF DSD, UH, AS OTHER CITIES DO OR, OR SOMETHING, BUT JUST, UH, WANNA RAISE THAT ISSUE.
UH, YOU WANNA SAY PLEASE? NO, I'M GOOD.
MEMBERS, LET ME ASK FIRST IF ANY MEMBER HAS ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO ADD OR SAY, UM, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'VE DONE TODAY AT THIS WORK SESSION.
UM, LET ME ASK IF, UH, THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AND OR OR BUDGET OFFICE HAS ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO ADD? ALRIGHT, SO, UM, AS WE CLOSE, REMEMBER THAT CONTINUE TO, I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO CONTINUE TO USE MESSAGE BOARD.
I THINK THAT'S BEEN A VERY, UH, EFFECTIVE MEANS OF COMMUNICATING AND, AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE, UH, AT LEAST FEEL CLOSE TO UP TO SPEED ON WHAT EVERYBODY'S THINKING.
SO, OKAY, PLEASE KEEP DOING THAT.
UM, WE'LL WORK WITH THE, THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF AS INDICATED BETWEEN NOW AND WEDNESDAY.
UH, WEDNESDAY THE 14TH IS THE NEXT TIME THAT WE WILL MEET, AND IT WILL BE FOR THE PURPOSES OF, UH, TAKING, WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THAT POINT IN TIME ON THE BUDGET.
WE WILL ALSO, UH, IT'S, WE'RE SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET ON THAT DAY.
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SET THE 15TH AND THE 16TH.SO WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, AND FRIDAY THE 15TH AND THE 16TH ARE POSTED IF WE NEED THEM, UH, IN ORDER TO PASS THE BUDGET ON, UH, MULTIPLE DAYS.
LET ME SAY, AND I THINK I SPEAK, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WHEN I SAY THIS, THAT, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE MANAGER'S OFFICE AND THE STAFF, UH, THE BUDGET OFFICE AND, AND ALL FINANCIAL SERVICES, ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING ON THIS.
UH, THIS IS A BIG OLD AIRPLANE TO LAND.
UH, BUT, BUT I, WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE, THE TIME AND THE COMMITMENT AND THE EXPERTISE, UH, PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY.
ANYTHING ELSE, MEMBERS? WELL, IN THAT CASE, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN THE, THE WORK SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, UH, ON AUGUST 8TH, 2024.
IT IS 12:41 PM THANKS EVERYBODY.