Aug 09, 2024 Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities

[00:00:02]

OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR COMING

[CALL TO ORDER]

UM, LET'S START WITH THE ROLL CALL.

ELIZABETH MEYER.

HERE.

JONATHAN FRANKS? HERE.

GABRIEL ANO.

LISA CHANG.

HERE.

MICKEY ANTE WON'T BE HERE.

ADRIAN HOGAN.

CONNOR KELLY.

HERE.

JENNIFER POWELL.

HERE.

PETE SALAZAR WON'T BE HERE.

KRISTEN VASALE HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UM, THIS SECTION ON PUBLIC COMMENT.

DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGN UP? WE DO NOT.

OKAY.

WE DO NOT.

UM, SO

[1. Approve the minutes of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities regular meeting on July 12, 2024.]

I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

THIS IS KRISTEN.

THIS IS JONATHAN.

SECOND.

OKAY.

IS EVERYBODY'S CAMERA'S ON, RIGHT? YES.

OKAY.

UM, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY? NO.

OKAY, GREAT.

THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU.

THE

[2. Presentation by Angela Baucom, Food and Climate Program Coordinator, Office of Sustainability, on the Austin/Travis County Food Plan and next steps on the path to adoption. ]

THIS WILL BE A PRESENTATION BY, UM, I'M SUPER SORRY, I'M REALLY BAD WITH NAMES.

UM, BUT THEY ARE FROM THE FOOD.

I'LL LET THEM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.

THEY'RE FROM THE FOOD AND CLIMATE PROGRAM.

THEY'RE THE FOOD AND CLIMATE PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY ON THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.

AND NEXT STEPS ON THE PATH TO ADOPTION.

HI, THIS IS ANGELA BAUM.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

I AM THE, SORRY.

IS THAT OKAY? GREAT.

THANK YOU, .

MY NAME IS ANGELA BAUM.

SHE, HER, I AM THE FOOD AND CLIMATE PROGRAM COORDINATOR WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME HERE AND SHARE THIS PLAN WITH YOU ALL.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT OUR OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME, AND IT IS WONDERFUL TO SEE IT REACH THIS POINT AND TO HAVE YOUR INTEREST.

SO I AM GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN SO THAT YOU CAN SEE SOME SLIDES.

I WILL DO MY BEST TO DESCRIBE ANYTHING THAT, UH, HAS IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON IT, AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO READ, UH, THE PERTINENT INFORMATION ON THE SCREEN SO THAT EVERYONE WILL HAVE ACCESS TO AS MUCH OF THE INFORMATION AS I CAN PROVIDE.

SO I'M GOING TO START BY TALKING JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT A FOOD SYSTEM IS, AND I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BACKGROUND OF THE FOOD PLAN.

UM, I'M GOING TO TRY TO MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH SOME OF THESE POINTS, UM, AS WE HAVE LIMITED TIME TOGETHER TONIGHT.

UM, SO I WILL FOCUS ON THE OVERVIEW OF THE VISION AND OBJECTIVES SO THAT WE CAN SPEND MORE TIME ON THE CONTENT, AND I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH ANSWERS TO AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

UM, SO THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES OVERVIEW WILL BE WHERE I WILL TRY TO SPEND A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, AND I WILL BRIEFLY GO OVER NEXT STEPS.

SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

UH, THERE ARE A FEW ENLIGHTENING STATISTICS THAT COME TO MIND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR FOOD SYSTEM.

AND SO I'VE PROVIDED A FEW HIGH KIND OF HIGH LEVEL PIECES OF INFORMATION FROM OUR, UM, SUPPLY CHAIN VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, WHICH WAS COMPLETED FOLLOWING WINTER STORM URI, UH, AND FROM THE STATE OF THE FOOD SYSTEM REPORT, UM, WHICH WAS AN, UH, OVERVIEW, A BROAD SURVEY OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM.

SO THE FIRST POINT I HAVE TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT APPROXIMATELY 0.06% OF FOOD CONSUMED IN TRAVIS COUNTY IS

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SO THAT IS BASED ON A STATISTIC RECEIVED FROM THE USDA AGRICULTURAL CENSUS, UH, BASED ON FARMERS SELLING PRODUCE TO A LOCAL MARKET, UM, EITHER DIRECT TO CONSUMERS OR TO MARKETS.

AND, UM, THE THEN BEING BRANDED FOR LOCAL SALE.

THAT'S A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF OUR LOCAL FOOD.

UM, IT CORRELATES WITH AN ALARMING, UH, PIECE OF INFORMATION FROM THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT THAT I MENTIONED THAT ABOUT, UH, THREE DAYS WORTH OF FOOD IS AVAILABLE TO AUSTIN, UM, AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.

UM, AND IF THE SUPPLY CHAIN WERE TO BE DISRUPTED AS IT WAS DURING THE WINTER STORM, THEN WE HAVE ABOUT THREE DAYS TO GET THINGS MOVING BEFORE WE DO NOT HAVE ADDITIONAL FOOD RESOURCES TO DISTRIBUTE TO OUR, UH, POPULATION.

SO WE ARE AWARE THAT A LOCALLY SOURCED FOOD SYSTEM IS A MORE RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM.

IT IS GOING TO BOUNCE BACK A LOT MORE EFFECTIVELY IN CASE OF A DISASTER OR STRESSORS LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE.

AND SO THIS HIGHLIGHTS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO MOVE TO A MORE LOCALLY SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM.

KIND OF, UH, ALONG THE SAME LINES, 16.8 ACRES OF FARMLAND ARE LOST EVERY DAY IN TRAVIS COUNTY ON AVERAGE.

SO WE ARE LOSING THE OPPORTUNITY, EXCUSE ME, TO REGAIN FARMLAND.

WE ARE LOSING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUSTAIN FARMLAND FOR THOSE LOCAL SOURCES.

UM, SO TO BOTH SEE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LOCALLY SOURCED FOOD AND THAT WE'RE LOSING OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SUSTAIN THAT IS A TROUBLING THING.

WE ALSO SEE THAT 1.24 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD IS WASTED EVERY DAY IN AUSTIN, AND AT THE SAME TIME, 14.4% OF PEOPLE IN TRAVIS COUNTY EXPERIENCE FOOD INSECURITY.

SO WE ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY WASTING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FOOD AND NOT PROVIDING THAT FOOD FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION TO PEOPLE WHO COULD USE IT.

WE KNOW THAT NOT ALL OF THAT FOOD IS EDIBLE FOOD.

UH, SOME OF THAT FOOD IS SCRAPS.

UM, MOST OF THE FOOD THAT IS WASTED IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY IS ACTUALLY FROM, UH, THE, UM, RESIDENTIAL SIDE.

AND SO USUALLY THAT IS FOOD THAT HAS GONE BAD OR IT'S SCRAPS.

SO THAT FOOD THAT IS WASTED IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 21% OF ALL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN OUR AREA.

AND A LOT OF THOSE EMISSIONS ARE METHANE, WHICH IS FAR MORE DAMAGING TO US AND TO OUR ENVIRONMENT THAN CO2.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE TALK A LOT ABOUT CARBON FOOTPRINT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO IN THE FOOD SYSTEM IS THE HARMFUL METHANE EMISSIONS AND HOW MUCH DAMAGE THEY COULD BE DOING TO US.

SO I WANNA KIND OF BRIDGE INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF THE FOOD SYSTEM HERE.

WHEN WE LOOKED AT HOW WE COULD IMPACT THE FOOD SYSTEM, WE NEEDED TO BREAK IT DOWN INTO THE PARTS OF THE FOOD SYSTEM SO THAT WE WOULD KNOW HOW TO APPROACH EACH ONE OF THESE ISSUES.

SO THE FOOD SYSTEM IS DIVIDED HERE INTO FOOD PRODUCTION, FOOD PROCESSING AND DISTRIBUTION, FOOD MARKETS AND RETAIL FOOD CONSUMPTION AND ACCESS AND POST CONSUMPTION AND FOOD WASTE.

AND WE ENVISION ALL OF THESE AREAS CONNECTING IN A CIRCLE OR A CYCLE.

BUT AT THE CENTER OF THAT CIRCLE OR KIND OF UNDERNEATH THE WHOLE CYCLE IS FOOD JUSTICE.

AND FOOD JUSTICE IS LOOKING INSTEAD AT HOW THE FOOD SYSTEM SERVES ALL PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN AUSTIN.

SO IT, IT IS DEFINED IN OUR WORK AS HOW SYSTEMIC RACISM AND COLONIZATION IMPACT HOW THE FOOD SYSTEM WORKS OR DOESN'T WORK FOR EACH MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT WE HOLD ONTO THROUGHOUT OUR WORK.

IT GUIDES THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASK AT EVERY STEP ALONG THE WAY.

IT GUIDES US IN ENSURING THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED AS MANY VOICES AS WE CAN AND REACHED PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AND THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE HEARD AND ENGAGED AND ULTIMATELY HAVE AN IMPACT IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM.

SO WHAT IS A FOOD PLAN AND WHY DO WE NEED ONE? UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE ISSUES AND A PLAN FOR MAKING PROGRESS IN EACH ONE OF THESE ISSUES INVOLVES A LONG PROCESS OF GETTING PEOPLE TOGETHER, HAVING DEEP AND MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS,

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SO, UH, WE HAVE KIND OF STARTED FROM A CALL TO ACTION, NOT ONLY BY OUR COMMUNITY, BUT BY THE CITY COUNCIL, AND WE WERE CALLED TO MAKE THIS PLAN WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT NOT ONLY IS THERE ALREADY A CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN THAT INVOLVES ADDRESSING SOME ISSUES IN OUR FOOD SYSTEM RELATED TO CLIMATE OUTCOMES, BUT THERE ARE ALSO PLANS ACROSS SO MANY PARTS OF OUR CITY AND COUNTY AND OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE NEEDED TO INVOLVE.

SO LOOKING AT AUSTIN IN, UH, INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, LOOKING AT AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERIES COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, LOOKING AT THE PARKS PLAN AND LOOKING AT IMAGINE AUSTIN AND IDENTIFYING WHERE THERE WERE EXISTING GOALS RELATED TO THE FOOD SYSTEM OR EXISTING WORK BEING DONE BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT WE COULD ALSO BUILD OFF OF.

SO IN JUNE OF 2021, CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER THROUGH A RESOLUTION TO INITIATE THE PLANNING PROCESS.

UM, IT ALSO DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER TO REACH OUT TO TRAVIS COUNTY WHO WAS RECEPTIVE TO THE IDEA OF BEING INVOLVED.

AND SO WE STARTED A COLLABORATIVE UNDERTAKING WITH THEM.

I AM GOING TO MOVE QUICKLY OVER THE TIMELINE.

UM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS TIMELINE HIGHLIGHTS THAT THE PROCESS STARTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021 AND IS NOW IN FALL OF 2024.

IN THE FINAL APPROVAL AND ADOPTION PHASE, WE TOOK IT THROUGH FOUR STAGES OVER THOSE YEARS.

AND AT EVERY SINGLE STAGE, WE MADE AN ATTEMPT TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.

SO INITIAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WAS JUST SMALLER TOUCH POINTS THAT ALLOWED US TO ASK PEOPLE, WHAT WERE THE ISSUES YOU'RE SEEING IN THE FOOD PLAN AND WHAT WOULD YOUR OR THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE FOOD SYSTEM, EXCUSE ME, AND WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS FOR MAKING IT BETTER? UM, THOSE IDEAS WERE THEN PUT INTO THE PROCESS FOR COMING UP WITH A FRAMEWORK FOR PEOPLE WHO ENGAGED IN MORE LENGTHY ENGAGEMENT.

UM, AND THAT IS BOTH THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THROUGH OUR ISSUE AREA GROUPS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN PHASES ONE AND TWO.

AND NOW FINALLY WE WENT THROUGH A GROUND TRUTHING PROCESS WHERE WE PUT IT OUT, UM, TO ALL OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS THROUGH PUBLIC INPUT ONLINE, AND SOUGHT FEEDBACK ON THE DRAFT STRATEGIES THAT ARE NOW IN THE FINAL PLAN TODAY.

SO AS I MENTIONED, THIS PLAN HAS BEEN A CO-CREATED LABOR OF LOVE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

UM, BUT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS THE BODY THAT OVERSAW THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

THEY, UH, MADE SURE TO SET UP GUIDELINES FOR HOW WE AT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND TRAVIS COUNTY CREATED THE PLAN, HOW WE ENGAGED THE COMMUNITY, AND ULTIMATELY HAD FINAL SAY OVER THE STRATEGIES THAT NOW EXIST IN THE PLAN.

THEY HELPED US TO MAKE A FRAMEWORK FOR ROOTING OURSELVES IN EQUITY AND HOLDING OURSELVES ALL ACCOUNTABLE AS A TEAM.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT THROUGH THE INVOLVEMENT OF THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS OVER SEVERAL YEARS, THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ENGAGE A LARGE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS EVEN IF WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CAPTURE EVERY VOICE.

I HAVE A LIST OF COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS PARTICIPATING CITY DEPARTMENTS AND PARTICIPATING COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.

THOSE ARE ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE APPENDICES OF THE PLAN IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE.

AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT MANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE FOR-PROFIT TO NON-PROFIT SECTOR TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS PROCESS.

AS I MENTIONED, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST AND WE'RE VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT 1,399 ESTIMATED PEOPLE WERE PART OF THE IN-DEPTH PLANNING PROCESS, MEANING THEY HAD A VOICE IN WHAT FINAL WORDS WERE INCLUDED IN THIS PLAN? 2,226 ADDITIONAL PARTICIPANTS ARE, UH, ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN LIGHTER TOUCHES, SUCH AS TABLING EVENTS WHERE WE COLLECTED THEIR WORDS AND THEN THOSE WORDS WERE USED TO INFORM THE FRAMEWORK.

AND THAT GIVES US A TOTAL OF 3,625 PEOPLE ESTIMATED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE FOOD PLAN

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THE MAJOR THEMES THAT CAME OUT OF ALL OF THIS ENGAGEMENT REALLY CENTERED AROUND ACCESS TO FOOD AND AFFORDABILITY WITH 59% OF ALL COMMONS PERTAINING TO ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY, AND 52% OF ALL COMMONS PERTAINING TO LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION AND AGRICULTURE.

SO THOSE ARE TWO THEMES THAT WE CENTERED STRONGLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

OTHER THEMES DID ARISE.

UH, IT WAS COMMON TO HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE AND WATER USE.

AND SO YOU WILL ALSO, UH, HEAR THOSE ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE FINAL PLAN AS WELL.

THE FOOD PLAN ITSELF IS DIVIDED INTO A VISION THAT DRIVES THE OVERARCHING DIRECTION OF THE PLAN, THE OBJECTIVES, THEN THE GOALS, THEN THE STRATEGIES, AND FINALLY THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE APPENDIX OF THE PLAN.

WE FOUND IT VERY IMPORTANT TO START SETTING UP A ROADMAP TO HOW WE WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THESE GOALS AND STRATEGIES, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NOT YET STARTED THAT WORK.

SO WE HAVE ALREADY BROUGHT TOGETHER A LOT OF, UH, FEEDBACK ON THOSE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES, UM, AND WE HOPE THAT THAT WILL ALLOW US, UH, NOT ONLY AS A DEPARTMENT, BUT AS A COMMUNITY-BASED PLAN INVOLVING LOTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND AND ORGANIZATIONS TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING ONCE WE HAVE APPROVAL AND HOPEFULLY, UH, PLAN FOR FUNDING GOING FORWARD.

I LIKE TO READ THE FOOD PLAN VISION, UM, AS A WAY TO, UH, RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND ALSO TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE PLAN IS FRAMED UNDERNEATH.

SO THE FOOD PLAN VISION STATES THAT WE ENVISION A JUST ACCESSIBLE AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE FOOD SYSTEM BUILT BY UNDOING INEQUITIES THAT SUPPORTS AND SUSTAINS INCLUSIVE, THRIVING COMMUNITIES, HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS AND SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE, WHERE EVERYONE CAN REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL NOW AND FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

UNDERNEATH THAT VISION, WE HAVE SEVEN OBJECTIVES.

SOME OF THEM PERTAIN TO, UH, HOW WE GO ABOUT THE WORK, AND SOME OF THEM PERTAIN TO REALLY, UH, FOCAL POINTS IN THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES.

BUT THESE OBJECTIVES, UH, HAVE A, HAVE SET UP KIND OF A FRAMEWORK FOR THEN THE NINE GOALS AND 62 STRATEGIES THAT ULTIMATELY MAKE UP THE PLAN.

SO THE FIRST GOAL, WHICH HAS 12 STRATEGIES BENEATH IT, IS LAND.

THE GOAL IS TO EXPAND COMMUNITY FOOD PRODUCTION, PRESERVE AGRICULTURAL LANDS, AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF FARM LAND DEDICATED TO REGENERATIVE FOOD PRODUCTION LONG TERM IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY.

THE SECOND IS OWNERSHIP, INCREASE ACCESS TO AND STEWARDSHIP OF LAND FOR REGENERATIVE FOOD PRODUCTION BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FARMS THAT ARE OWNED BY ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS AND RANCHERS, WHICH HAS FOUR STRATEGIES.

THREE IS LIVELIHOODS IMPROVED FARM WORKER AND FOOD WORKER LIVELIHOODS BY ENSURING A SAFETY NET DEFINING CAREER PATHWAYS, EXPANDING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES, AND STRENGTHENING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT FOR WORKERS ACROSS THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM, WHICH CONTAINS SEVEN STRATEGIES.

THE FOURTH GOAL IS PREPAREDNESS, ESTABLISH AND FUND A RESILIENT, INCLUSIVE, AND ACCESSIBLE EMERGENCY FOOD PROVISION SYSTEM THAT ENSURES ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, REGARDLESS OF CULTURAL BACKGROUND OR MEDICAL NEEDS, HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE, NUTRITIOUS, AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FOOD DURING DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES.

AND THERE ARE SEVEN STRATEGIES UNDER THAT GOAL.

NUMBER FIVE, INSTITUTIONS CREATE MORE RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE LOCAL SUPPLY CHAINS THROUGH THE ADOPTION OF VALUES ALIGNED DISTRIBUTION AND PURCHASING FRAMEWORKS, AND INCREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF INSTITUTIONAL MENUS SOURCED LOCALLY.

THAT HAS FOUR STRATEGIES.

ONE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THIS GROUP IN PARTICULAR IS GOAL SIX, ACCESS, EXPAND ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT FOOD IN FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS AND FOOD RETAIL LOCATIONS FOR RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY, EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY OR FACING

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THERE ARE 11 STRATEGIES UNDER THIS GOAL.

AND OF THOSE STRATEGIES, THREE, I BELIEVE EXPLICITLY OUTLINE GOALS THAT WILL ADDRESS NEEDS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF PRIORITY AROUND LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY, PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY.

UM, THERE'S MENTION OF DELIVERY SERVICES AS WELL AS INNOVATIVE SERVICE MODELS, UH, AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE NEED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BARRIERS THAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY ARE, UM, FACING WHEN TRYING TO ACCESS THE RIGHT FOOD FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES.

AND SO THERE ARE STRATEGIES AIMED AT KIND OF BOOSTING THE EXISTING SERVICES AND IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS FOR ALL AUSTINITES.

THE LAST THREE GOALS, FOOD RECOVERY INCREASE THE DIVERSION OF SURPLUS FOOD AND NON-EDIBLE FOOD WASTE FROM THE LANDFILL TO SUPPORT A CIRCULAR FOOD ECONOMY, IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH AND REDUCE CLIMATE IMPACT UNDER WHICH WE HAVE SEVEN STRATEGIES.

EIGHT IS PRO CLIMATE.

PRO-HEALTH FOODS RAISE AWARENESS OF THE BENEFITS OF FOODS THAT NOURISH OUR BODIES AND REDUCE THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM WHILE ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO ACCESS, WHICH INCLUDES FOUR STRATEGIES.

AND LASTLY IS EMPOWER.

AND THIS GOAL I LIKE TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE DEEPLY IS TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY EDUCATION, EMPOWERMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FOOD PLAN AS MEASURED BY INCREASED FUNDING, DATA COLLECTION, PARTNERSHIPS, AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM NETWORK.

THIS LAST GOAL IS ABOUT HOW WE WILL GO ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN.

SO IT INCLUDES REFERENCE TO HOW WE WANT TO SET UP SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT WITHIN THE CITY AND COUNTY, UM, AND ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS IS AN EFFORT OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND, UM, WE HOPE THAT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THEIR TIME WITH US WILL HELP US TO ENVISION AND SET UP A BODY THAT WILL EVENTUALLY STEWARD THIS PLAN THROUGH.

SO OUR NEXT STEPS, UM, I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT OUR TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT WORK SESSION THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SCHEDULED FOR YESTERDAY DID NOT HAPPEN.

THEY DID NOT MAKE QUORUM.

SO THIS ITEM WILL BE PUSHED TO A FUTURE AGENDA, BUT WE HOPE THAT THE, UH, TO HAVE THAT SCHEDULED FOR A VERY SOON UPCOMING TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT WORK SESSION ON AUGUST 10TH, 29TH.

WE ANTICIPATE, UH, THE, UH, FOOD PLAN GOING TO OUR CITY COUNCIL, UH, WITH A REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION TO ADOPT THE PLAN.

AND THAT IS THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.

I'M HAPPY TO STAY FOR WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

UM, I HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, CAN YOU EXPAND MORE ON SPECIFIC IDEAS THAT YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES, OR ARE WE NOT AT THAT SECTION YET? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? LIKE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PRIORITIES? SO WE HAVE, UM, STRATEGIES PUBLISHED IN THE DRAFT PLAN.

SO THOSE ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.

AND IN THE APPENDICES OF THE PLAN, THERE ARE IMPLEMENTATION SUGGESTIONS.

SO IMPLEMENTATION TABLES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPENDICES DO HIGHLIGHT, UM, WHAT SOME INITIAL STEPS MIGHT NEED TO BE.

UH, THEY HIGHLIGHT WHAT WE APPROXIMATE TO BE THE, UM, THE TIMEFRAME OF ACHIEVING THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE LAID OUT AS WELL AS THE RESOURCE NEEDS.

SO WE ALREADY HAVE SOME DETAILS, BUT SOME OF THE, UM, THE FINAL DETAILS NEED TO BE WORKED OUT BY THE BODY THAT IS EVENTUALLY GOING TO KIND OF SEE THIS PLAN THROUGH AND STEWARD THE PLAN, UM, IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

SO THERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC ITEMS OUTLINED IN THE STRATEGIES, BUT UM, IT DEPENDS ON HOW SPECIFIC YOU WANT TO GET.

UM, IF THERE ARE ITEMS THAT I CAN GET INTO IN GREATER DETAIL, I'LL BE HAPPY TO.

UM, I JUST WAS, UH, WONDERING ABOUT THE SPECIFICS, BUT MAYBE WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

UM, AND JUST, IS THIS, IS THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT EXCLUSIVELY LIKE FARM FARMLAND AND FARM WORKERS, OR IS THERE ROOM FOR, UM, KIND OF EDUCATION FOR COMMUNITY GARDENS AND MAYBE

[00:25:01]

ONE OF THE, UH, STRATEGIES HAS TO DO WITH ASSESSING PUBLICLY HELD LAND FOR ITS CAPACITY TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURE.

UM, SO THAT IS A PROCESS THAT WE HOPE WILL LEAD TO ANOTHER STRATEGY WHICH EXISTS IN THE PLAN AROUND USING THAT LAND AND PROVIDING THAT LAND, UH, AS AN ACCESSIBLE RESOURCE TO COMMUNITIES.

UH, THE ASSESSMENT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FIRST.

WE NEED TO HAVE THE COOPERATION OF, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR CITY'S REAL ESTATE OFFICE.

IN ORDER TO, UM, TO GET AN INVENTORY OF THE LAND THAT MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS USE, WE NEED TO HAVE OUR PARTNERS, UM, SOME OF WHICH WHO HAVE ALREADY SIGNED ON AND VOLUNTEERED THEIR SERVICES, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY TO, UH, PROVIDE AN ASSESSMENT OR A SCORE OF THE LAND THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE.

SO THERE ARE PLANS OR RATHER STRATEGIES IN THIS PLAN THAT SPECIFICALLY DO ADDRESS THAT AND SETTING UP MORE SYSTEMS FOR GETTING THAT LAND TO THE PEOPLE WHO CAN USE IT IN A, IN A WAY, MANNER SPEAKING.

UM, AND THERE ARE EDUCATIONAL PIECES, THERE ARE PIECES RELATED TO SUPPORTING FAMILIES WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ALONGSIDE THE SCHOOLS.

UM, IT, DEPENDING ON WHICH TYPES OF STRATEGIES YOU MEAN, UH, SOME DO HAVE TO DO WITH GARDENING OR, UM, KIND OF LEARNING MORE ABOUT WHERE FOOD COMES FROM.

SOME HAVE TO DO WITH NUTRITION AND ACCESS.

SO IT MAY VARY FROM, UM, FROM GOAL TO GOAL AS TO HOW THE STRATEGY FRAMES THAT COOPERATION WITH LET'S SAY, THE COMMUNITIES DIRECTLY OR THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT.

UM, BUT SINCE THERE ARE 62 STRATEGIES, THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM TO ADDRESS THE SAME QUESTION IN MULTIPLE WAYS.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

I WAS WONDERING IF ANY OF THIS HAS BEEN FUNDED YET AND WHAT THE BUDGETARY IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AND HOW YOU EXPECT TO FUND THIS? THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST, UM, FOR AT LEAST I BELIEVE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER EXPRESSED THAT IT WAS A PRIORITY TO FUND IT, BUT AT THIS TIME, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY COMMITMENTS FROM CITY COUNCIL OR, UH, THE COUNTY THAT EXPLICITLY ALLOCATE FUNDING TO THIS PLAN.

SO SOME OF THE ITEMS IN THIS PLAN DO POINT OUT THAT THEY WOULD BE BEST SUPPORTED BY CITY OR COUNTY FUNDING.

SO THOSE ITEMS ARE CURRENTLY UNSUPPORTED FINANCIALLY.

SOME ITEMS DO NOT REQUIRE AS MUCH FUNDING AS THEY REQUIRE, UM, MORE PERSONNEL SUPPORT HOURS, THAT SORT OF THING.

UM, THERE ARE SOME PIECES THAT DO POINT OUT THE NEED TO SEEK PRIVATE FUNDING OR GOVERNMENT FUNDING, UM, ON THE STATE OR FEDERAL LEVEL.

SO AGAIN, IT VARIES FROM STRATEGY TO STRATEGY.

UM, OUR OFFICE IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THIS PLAN IN THE WAYS THAT WE CAN BY BOTH ALLOCATING OUR STAFF TIME, UH, AND ALSO, UM, SEEKING SOME OF THAT FUNDING PROACTIVELY.

UM, AND WE HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WITHOUT THE COMMITMENT OF FUNDING FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AND UH, FROM THE COUNTY, WE ARE GOING TO BE HINDERED IN SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES.

I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.

THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THIS TO US.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PROVIDING ME WITH THE TIME.

YEAH.

UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT IS, UM, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

UH, FOOD INSECURITY IS AN ISSUE THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DO FACE BECAUSE TYPICALLY THEY ARE OF LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.

AND ALSO JUST GETTING THE FOOD TO THE PEOPLE AND GETTING THE PEOPLE TO THE FOOD.

AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION TONIGHT.

DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.

ANGELA, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.

UM, I, YEAH, I PUSHED MY BUTTON.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YEAH.

YEAH.

THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION.

SO, UM, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THERE WAS PRETTY, A PRETTY EXTENSIVE FEEDBACK PHASE.

UH, DO YOU KNOW AS PART OF THAT PHASE WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THE TEAM SPOKE WITH ANY INDIVIDUAL OR ANY ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES? WE ENGAGED A WIDE RANGE OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAD SPECIFIC POPULATIONS.

I WILL SAY ONE OF OUR BEST RESOURCES WAS OUR ISSUE AREA GROUPS WHERE WE DID HAVE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING THEMSELVES IN THE PROCESS OF CRAFTING THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES.

UM, WE ALSO WERE ENGAGED WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE KNOW SERVE A LOT OF, UH, FOLKS

[00:30:01]

SO, UM, NOT ONLY HOLDING SOME ONLINE ENGAGEMENT, UM, BUT PARTICIPATING ALONGSIDE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MEALS ON WHEELS, UH, WHO WERE ABLE TO KIND OF HELP US REACH SOME OF THOSE FOLKS.

UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT I COULD LIST ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTICIPATED ALONGSIDE US, BUT THAT IS THE ONE THAT COMES MOST READILY TO MY MIND.

GREAT.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANNA SAY OR ANY QUESTIONS? NO.

OKAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANGELA.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING MORE IN DETAIL INTO THE PLAN.

UM, DID WE GET A COPY OF THAT PLAN OR IS IT ON A WEBSITE? I DID SEND IT TO THE COMMISSIONERS BEFOREHAND, BUT SINCE IT WAS BROUGHT UP FOR TODAY, I JUST SENT IT OUT NOW.

SO IT SHOULD BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR INBOX IF YOU WANNA REVIEW THE PLAN.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU, CHRISTIE.

ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU ANGELA.

UM, OKAY, NOW WE ARE

[3. Review of the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities website.]

THAT'S ME.

I, HOLD ON, JUST GIMME A SECOND.

LET ME SHARE MY SCREEN.

ALL RIGHT.

IS IT WORKING? ALL RIGHT.

OKAY.

SO IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE FOR THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU POP UP.

AND THERE TO THE LEFT IS, UM, WHAT APPEARS TO BE LIKE A FILE FOLDER.

YOU CAN CLICK THERE OR YOU CAN ALSO CLICK THIS BLUE HYPERLINK AND THAT WILL GET YOU INTO ALL OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND AGENDAS.

AND IF YOU SCROLL DOWN, YOU CAN SEE THAT NOT ONLY, NOT ONLY ARE THE AGENDAS AND EVERYTHING LISTED THERE, BUT IF THERE WAS A PRESENTATION OR UM, AN ATTACHMENT OF SOME SORT, IT'S ALSO THERE.

SO LET'S JUST LOOK AT THE JULY 12TH ONE.

YOU'LL SEE IT HAS THE AGENDA AND THEN THIS PLAY VIDEO WILL BE A PLAYBACK RECORDING OF OUR MEETING.

AND WHEN YOU CLICK ON THAT, WHAT I REALLY THINK IS VERY, VERY HELPFUL IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE AGENDA AND YOU'RE READING SOMETHING AND YOU'RE LIKE, I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW THAT PART OF OUR MEETING WENT.

YOU CAN CLICK ON THE VIDEO, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO.

IF YOU LOOK BELOW THE, UM, BELOW THE VIDEO, IT'S ACTUALLY TIMESTAMPED.

SO IT MAKES IT VERY CONVENIENT JUST TO GO, IF YOU WANNA REVIEW ONE SECTION OF ONE MEETING, YOU CAN GO AND REVIEW THAT ONE SECTION VERY QUICKLY AND VERY EASILY.

UM, SO, AND THEN THE AGENDAS AND EVERYTHING ARE RIGHT THERE.

AND SO I WON'T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON IT.

I JUST REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT IT IS THERE.

AND IF YOU ARE THINKING LIKE, OH, WHO WAS THAT PERSON? OR I NEED TO CIRCLE BACK ABOUT THIS LATER, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS VERY QUICKLY AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE.

OKAY, GREAT.

UM, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER

[4. Discussion on plans for 2024 Disability Awareness month including a possible proclamation and awards.]

UM, THIS IS FOR OCTOBER, RIGHT? DID ANYBODY WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT? VICE CHAIR? FRANKS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT AT THE PREVIOUS MINUTE MEETING WE WERE DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A PROCLAMATION OR SOMETHING.

UM, IT, I DOES, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT? YEAH.

IN THE PAST WE WOULD, UM, DESIGNATE A REPRESENTATIVE TO SPEAK, UM, ABOVE THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE AND WHAT WE DO AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AS IN RECOGNITION OF DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH.

UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT THE SAME TIME AS WHITE CANE DAY IS, BUT I'M NOT SURE

[00:35:01]

THEY'RE, UH, WE'RE NOT AS IN TUNE AS WE ONCE WERE, I COULD SAY.

SO DO YOU, BUT I COULD DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO THAT PERSON WHO USED TO BE OUR LIAISON AND, UM, SEE WHAT HE SUGGESTS.

OKAY.

UM, THE, THE LIAISON TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR TO THE WHITE KING DAY PEOPLE? WHAT, WHAT LIAISON ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? IT WAS THE FORMER LIAISON TO THE, UM, MAYOR'S COMMITTEE.

OH, OKAY.

BACK IN EARLY DAYS, BUT HE'S, OH, OKAY.

HE WORKS, HE WORKS WITH THE AADA A, UH, DAVID ICK ON DITCH.

UM, HE STILL WORKS IN THE A DA OFFICES AS FAR AS I'M, BUT I BELIEVE.

OKAY.

UM, SO CHRISTIE, WHAT ARE THE RULES ABOUT IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO REACH OUT TO, LIKE THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO FIND OUT IF THEY'RE PLANNING A PROCLAMATION OR IF THEY'RE PLANNING ANYTHING FOR OCTOBER? SO ACTUALLY THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE DOES THE PROCLAMATIONS.

UH, IF, IF THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO HAVE THAT PROCLAMATION PRESENTED BY THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, YES, YOU WOULD REACH OUT TO THEM TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD ACCOMMODATE.

UH, THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION IS LISTED ON THE WEBSITE.

I'M HAPPY TO FORWARD THAT ON TO YOU IF OR TO THE COMMISSION IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE.

UM, IF THEY AGREE, THEN YOU CAN EITHER WORK WITH THEM TO SET SOMETHING UP EITHER HERE PRIOR TO A MEETING, FOR INSTANCE, OR, UM, IT, THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ON SITE HERE, BUT THAT COULD ALSO BE AN OPTION IF THEY AGREE.

UM, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS SOMETIMES PRESENT PROCLAMATIONS AS WELL.

AND THERE'S A PROCLAMATION REQUEST FORM LINKED OFF OF THE CITY, UM, CLERK'S WEBPAGE.

AND IT'S JUST A SIMPLE FORM TO FILL OUT.

BUT USUALLY IF YOU'RE WANTING TO HAVE A COUNCIL MEMBER OR, UH, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO PRESENT, IT'S BEST TO START THAT ROUTE AND THEN REQUEST THAT PROCLAMATION.

SO THEN WOULD WE NEED TO PUT THAT ON A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? PROBABLY BEST IN ORDER TO GET DETAILS HAMMERED OUT? YES.

OKAY.

IF YOU'D LIKE FOR ME TO SEND OUT THAT INFORMATION FOR YOUR REVIEW, JUST SO THAT YOU CAN SEE, UM, JUST LET ME KNOW.

OKAY.

YEAH, THAT, UM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO, SO, UH, VICE CHAIR FRANKS, THE, THE WHITE CANE DAY IS ALWAYS IN OCTOBER, RIGHT? SO WERE YOU, SORRY IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO UNMUTE.

YES.

IT'S ALWAYS IN OCTOBER.

SO WERE YOU THINKING THAT MAYBE HAVE SOME KIND OF PROCLAMATION OR SOMETHING DONE AT WHITE CANE DAY, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S READ ALOUD ON LIKE BEHALF OF THE MARRIAGE COMMITTEE? I'M JUST KIND OF STATING OUR PURPOSE AND OUR, YOU KNOW, ACTION PLAN, LIKE ACTION VISION PLAN, YOU KNOW, STUFF LIKE THAT.

JUST KIND OF GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW.

YEAH.

OKAY.

SO NOT, NOT NECESSARILY A PROCLAMATION, BUT JUST KIND OF A, UM, LIKE, KIND OF JUST A, A SHOUT OUT TO OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO AND HOW PEOPLE CAN, HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN GET INVOLVED.

YEAH.

AND I THINK WE COULD, UM, MOLD THAT INTO A PROCLAMATION FORM.

WE JUST HAVE TO MAYBE, UH, GO LOOK FARTHER BACK TO SEE.

OKAY.

IF THOSE WERE POSTED OR I COULD ASK YEAH.

UM, FOR SOME ADVICE FROM DAVID ON DITCH.

UM, OKAY.

AND I KNOW, I KNOW THAT, UM, OBVIOUSLY WHITE CANE DAY IS SPECIFIC TO PEOPLE WITH BLINDNESS AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS.

UM, BUT OURS, THE WHITE CANE DAY IN AUSTIN IS THE BIGGEST ONE IN THE STATE AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.

AND THERE WILL BE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AT THAT EVENT.

YEAH.

OKAY.

UM, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT? NO.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

UM, SO MOVING ON TO DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER

[5. Discussion on Disability Employment and Entrepreneur Awards.]

I AM GOING, I'M OPEN, BUT I'M GONNA MAYBE RECOMMEND PUSHING THAT TO THE NEXT AGENDA 'CAUSE WE ARE SHORT ON TIME, BUT DID ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING REALLY PRESSING TO SAY ABOUT THAT? NO.

NO.

OKAY.

UM, AND THEN DISCUSSION

[6. Discussion on Disability Pride and Disability Awareness in 2025.]

[00:40:02]

UM, WERE THOSE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WERE THOSE TWO THINGS KIND OF TOGETHER? LIKE WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING, WE MISSED PRIDE MONTH THIS YEAR AND WE WANTED TO PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR, AND THAT MIGHT INCLUDE AN AWARD? OR WERE WE THINKING MORE THAT THE AWARD WOULD HAPPEN IN OCTOBER? UH, THE FOUR MENTIONED AWARDS WHERE WE TYPICALLY WOULD GIVE 'EM OUT IN OCTOBER OR THE NEXT MEETING IN NOVEMBER.

OKAY.

OKAY.

YEAH.

UM, ALL RIGHT, SO THEN, SO IT'S, SO RIGHT NOW IT'S AUGUST.

IF WE WAIT TO DISCUSS THE AWARDS IN SEPTEMBER, UM, WE'RE GONNA REALLY NEED TO COME TO THE SEPTEMBER MEETING WITH A REALLY CLEAR IDEA AND DISCUSSION ON THAT IF WE WANNA MAKE OCTOBER, BUT IF WE DON'T MAKE OCTOBER, WE CAN ALWAYS INCORPORATE IT SOME OTHER TIME, UM, OR NEXT YEAR FOR PRIDE MONTH.

MM-HMM.

, DOES THAT SOUND GOOD TO EVERYBODY? DOES ANYBODY HAVE A STRONG OPINION ABOUT THAT? NO.

OKAY.

AND THEN DISCUSSION

[7. Discussion on the 2022 Disability Quality of Life Study.]

I KNOW THAT IS A PRIORITY FOR, UM, MEMBER SALAZAR.

UM, SO DOES ANYBODY ELSE, HAS ANYONE ELSE REVIEWED THAT YET? I KNOW THAT HE COULDN'T BE AT THE MEETING TONIGHT.

WAIT, SO CHRISTIE, FOR POINT OF ORDER I, YEAH, GO AHEAD.

I'M SORRY.

I'VE REVIEWED THAT STUDY.

UM, I, WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WERE WE HAVING THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT STUDY? UM, I, I THINK WE WERE TRYING, IT WAS PART OF THE WHOLE, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND WHAT KIND OF DISABILITIES AND JUST KIND OF, WE WERE TRYING TO NAIL DOWN THE POPULATION IN AUSTIN AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

UM, OUR, OUR PRESENTATION FROM THE DEMOGRAPHER WAS DELAYED, BUT, UH, WERE WE GETTING A PRESENTATION FROM, UM, THE PEOPLE WHO DID THAT STUDY? OR AM I, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.

I THINK THEY CAME BACK AND SAID, THOSE PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE.

HERE'S THE STUDY IF YOU WANNA REVIEW IT YOURSELVES.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

OKAY.

I UNDERSTAND.

SO, BUT, UM, BUT YOU SAID THAT YOU'VE LOOKED OVER IT.

DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT IT OR DID ANYTHING POP OUT TO YOU AS INTERESTING OR IMPORTANT? UM, NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN.

UM, IT'S, UH, IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT FRESH IN MY MIND.

MM-HMM.

, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT YEAH.

THAT'S OKAY.

I UNDERSTAND.

UM, AND IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S NOT A HUGE DOCUMENT, BUT IT, IT'S A LOT OF NUMBERS AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT LIKE I CAN SPIT BACK OUT.

SORRY, .

NO, NO WORRIES AT ALL.

NO WORRIES AT ALL.

I HAVEN'T EVEN LOOKED AT IT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU EVEN, UM, WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT IT.

UM, SO I'M, I'M GUESSING THAT COMMISSIONER SALAZAR WILL HAVE MORE TO SAY ABOUT IT AT A FUTURE MEETING.

UM, ALONG THIS DISCUSSION ITEM FOR OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS, WE, WE STARTED OUT TRYING TO BROADLY FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP WAS, WHAT, WHO DO WE SERVE? WHO, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHO ARE WE DOING THIS FOR? AND SO WE HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED, UM, THAT IS TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S LIKE NAILING JELLO TO A TREE.

A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT COLLECT OTHER KIND OF DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ARE NOT CURRENTLY COLLECTING DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

SO WE WERE HOPING THAT THIS 2022 DISABILITY QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY COULD SHINE SOME LIGHT ON IT.

SO THAT'S FOR THAT.

WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANNA TALK, UH, TO THE DEMOGRAPHER ABOUT WHEN WE DO HAVE THAT PRESENTATION IS, UM, I, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO START TAKING THAT INFORMATION, TO START ASKING THAT INFORMATION OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SURVEY.

UM,

[00:45:01]

AND I, I THINK IT, IT WOULDN'T HURT FOR THE CITY TO START TAKING INFORMATION, UM, ABOUT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS WELL.

AND I, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE THAT DIFFICULT FOR THEM, AND I DON'T THINK IT WOULD COST ANY MONEY .

SO I THINK THEY COULD DO IT.

I, I COMPLETELY AGREE.

UM, CHRISTIE DID WE, WE ASKED THE CITY DEMOGRAPHER RIGHT TO COME OUT? YES, SHE HAS CONFIRMED FOR SEPTEMBER.

OKAY.

YEAH, WE CAN ASK THEM THEN.

AND I KNOW THAT, UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WITH MY WORK FOR THE PROJECT COM CONNECT COMMITTEE, I KNOW THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE POLICE ORGANIZATION THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO SET UP FOR CAPITAL METRO.

AND I WAS VERY SURE TO MENTION THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE COLLECTING THIS DATA, PLEASE INCLUDE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

AND I THINK JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT AND GETTING THAT ON THE RADAR OF ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND LETTING THEM UNDERSTAND LIKE, OH, I CAN CAN AND SHOULD ADD THIS TO MY DATA COLLECTION PROCESS.

FANTASTIC.

YEAH, NO, I, I THINK, I THINK WE SHOULD, I I THINK THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE EVERY OTHER GROUP THAT IT, THAT DATA IS COLLECTED ON.

I THINK THAT WOULD HELP US OUT A WHOLE LOT.

UM, I, WE, WE HAVE LIKE IF WHEN WE GET THE DEMOGRAPHER PRESENTATION, YOU'LL SEE HOW MUCH INFORMATION THERE IS ON EVERY OTHER GROUP IN AUSTIN.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING AND THERE'S NOT A LOT ON THE POPULATION THAT WE'RE SERVING AND I, I REALLY, I REALLY THINK IT CAN BE DONE FOR NOT A LOT MORE MONEY.

LIKE, IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST A SERIES OF, OF QUESTIONS THAT I DON'T THINK WILL TAKE MUCH MORE WORK.

AND IS THE, IS THE DEMOGRAPHER AWARE THAT WE'LL BE HAVING THOSE QUESTIONS WHEN THEY COME TO PRESENT? UH, YES, ABSOLUTELY.

OKAY.

I ASKED 'EM IN THE PRESENTATION AT THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE.

UM, WE, YEAH, WE DISCUSSED IT THEN.

OKAY, GREAT.

YEAH, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THEY COME KIND OF READY TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO WORK THOSE QUESTIONS IN.

YES.

AND UM, SHE SAID AT THAT TIME THAT SHE'D BE HAPPY TO COME AND PRESENT TO OUR GROUP AND DISCUSS IT THEN.

AND, UM, FOR OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE A STANDING MEN MEMBER AND RIGHT NOW IT'S CURRENTLY COMMISSIONER POWELL WHO IS ON THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE AND THAT IS A BOARDS AND COMMISSION THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL OF THE OTHER, UM, COMMISSIONS RELATED TO, UM, UNDERSERVED OR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

UM, SO WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE.

ALRIGHT.

SO, OKAY.

DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT? NO.

OKAY.

UM, SO THE NEXT

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

UM, DID ANYONE, ANYONE WANT TO MOVE SOME OF THESE OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY GET TO OR GET TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON TO THE SEPTEMBER? UH, THIS IS KRISTEN.

I DON'T KNOW, AND I'M TRYING TO GET BACK TO MY EMAILS, BUT THERE WAS A, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT'S CALLED, THE POLICE REVIEW PERSON.

UM, AND I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER INTERESTING THING TO HEAR ABOUT AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE COLLECTING INFORMATION ON HOW PEOPLE ARE WITH DISABILITIES, YOU KNOW, ARE TREATED, UM, LOOKING AT COMPLAINTS AND THAT KIND OF THING.

POLICE OVERSIGHT.

KRISTEN? YES, THANK YOU.

YES, THANK YOU.

IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE IN SEPTEMBER, IT COULD BE IN OCTOBER, BUT I DO THINK, AGAIN THERE'S, UM, ISSUES THERE THAT WE'D WANNA HEAR ABOUT AND BE A, A PART OF AND LOOKING AT THAT.

COMMISSIONER VASA, THIS IS THE STAFF LIAISON.

HI.

UM, THERE WAS RECENTLY AN EMAIL THAT I FORWARDED FOR THE A PD COMMUNITY LIAISON OFFICE, WHICH IS SEPARATE FROM THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT.

SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.

THERE WERE TWO OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WERE INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THE A PD COMMUNITY LIAISON AND, AND SO THAT'S ALREADY SPONSORED FOR AN UPCOMING AGENDA.

DOES THAT SOUND

[00:50:01]

OKAY.

UM, THAT'S A GOOD START.

YES.

OKAY.

AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE THEM TO ANSWER THAT IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR YOU TO FORWARD THAT THOSE ON TO ME SO THAT I CAN GIVE IT TO THEM TO INFORM I'LL THAT THEIR PRESENTATION.

NOW, AS FAR AS SCHEDULING CHAIR MEYER, I BELIEVE AT THE LAST MEETING YOU GUYS HAD TALKED ABOUT MAYBE HAVING OCTOBER SPECIFICALLY FOR DISCUSSION ON DISABILITY AWARDS.

UM, AND THEY, UH, A PD COMMUNITY LIAISON CANNOT PRESENT IN SEPTEMBER, SO THAT WOULD LEAVE EITHER OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER.

AND SO I'D LEAVE THAT UP TO THE COMMISSION AS TO HOW YOU, WHEN YOU WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO COME.

UM, WHAT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A STRONG OPINION ABOUT OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER? NO, I, I THINK OCTOBER WOULD BE GREAT IF THEY CAN SCHEDULE, IF THEY CAN MAKE IT.

UM, SO I KNOW NOW, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, I THINK WE WERE GONNA DO AN AWARD AND SOME THINGS ON OCTOBER.

IT LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE RULES WORK, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT, UM, FOR THIS OCTOBER.

SO I'M, I'M OKAY WITH THEM COMING IN OCTOBER.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

UH, THERE WAS ALSO, THANK YOU, KARA BERTRAN HAD REACHED OUT ABOUT THE EQUITY BASED PRESERVATION PLAN AND I DID EXPLAIN TO HER HOW IF SHE WAS, UM, IF THE COMMITTEE DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION, IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE THE PRESENTATION FIRST AND THEN HAVE TIME TO DRAFT A RECOMMENDATION MM-HMM.

AND THEN POTENTIALLY PASS IT FOR THE NEXT MEETING.

SO SHE HAS CONFIRMED HER AVAILABILITY FOR BOTH THE MAYOR'S COMMITTEE'S, UH, MEETING DATES FOR SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.

OKAY.

SO IF EVERYBODY'S OKAY WITH THAT, THEN WE CAN HAVE HER PRESENT IN SEPTEMBER AND THEN YOU CAN DECIDE WHETHER YOU WANT TO BRING FORTH A RECOMMENDATION FOR OCTOBER.

OKAY.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

UM, DID, UH, COMMISSIONER POWELL FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, DID YOU WANT TO PUT ON THERE A, UM, UPDATE FROM THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE? YES.

IT WILL BE REALLY, REALLY QUICK.

OKAY.

JUST, I'D JUST LIKE TO, RIGHT NOW, I WON'T KNOW AND UNTIL WE HAVE OUR MEETING EVERYTHING, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'LL JUST BE A QUICK UPDATE ABOUT OUR TOWN HALLS.

PERFECT.

UM, CAN WE, CAN I GET SOMEBODY TO, UM, MAKE THAT MOTION MOTION FOR OUR FUTURE? DO WE HAVE TO MOTION FOR FUTURE AGENDA? NO MOTION NECESSARY.

IF YOU WANNA BE THE SPONSOR IN ADDITION TO COMMISSIONER POWELL, THAT'S SUFFICIENT.

YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

OKAY.

THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU.

UM, AND THEN, SO DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY PRESSING FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO PUT ON FOR SEPTEMBER? I HAVE, I HAVE A NOT VERY PRESSING, UH, AGENDA ITEM THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY PUT ON THERE.