[*A Portion of this meeting does not contain audio* ]
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
[00:01:24]
ON MAY 30TH, I CONTACTED THE HUMANE SOCIETY IN REGARDS TO 11 KITTENS THAT WE HAD CRAPPED FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HAVE CURRENTLY IN UPWARDS OF 40 SOME ODD KITTENS AND 20 SOME ODD ADULTS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FIXED JUST FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ALONE.
AFTER THAT CONTACT ON MAY 30TH, I WAS GIVEN AN INTAKE APPOINTMENT FOR JULY 11TH FOR 11 SICK KITTENS.
I'M SORRY, BUT THAT IS DEPLORABLE.
I HAVE ALL THE EMAIL COMMUNICATION HERE.
FROM EVERYBODY I'VE SPOKE TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY, THERE IS NO REASON THAT IT SHOULD TAKE OVER SIX WEEKS TO GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR SICK KITTENS.
IN THAT TIME, THEY WERE DIAGNOSED WITH PAN LUKE, AND ONE OF THEM PASSED AWAY.
THE FIRST ONE I'VE EVER LOST IN EIGHT YEARS OF FOSTERING BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO GET AN INTAKE APPOINTMENT.
TODAY IS NOW AUGUST 12TH, AND I STILL HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN ABLE TO BE APPROVED TO BE A FOSTER FOR AUSTIN'S.
AND I'M SORRY, BUT THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE IN MY OPINION.
I HAVE BROUGHT IN MULTIPLE ANIMALS TO BE FIXED AND FOSTERED, AND I SEEM TO GET NOWHERE WITH ANYBODY AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
AND EVERY TIME I BRING IN AN ANIMAL, I'M TREATED LIKE SCUM BECAUSE I BRING IN A SICK ANIMAL.
THESE ARE ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR BROUGHT TO US BECAUSE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS PREDOMINANTLY SPANISH SPEAKING AND YOU DO NOT TRUST A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO THEY BRING THEM TO US FOR US TO BRING THEM IN.
AND I HAVE GOTTEN NOWHERE, AND I THINK THAT'S DISGUSTING.
AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE QUESTION.
I HAVE A, A QUESTION FOR YOU, MS. CAN YOU CLARIFY? ARE, DID YOU MEAN TO SAY AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY OR ARE YOU, OR DID YOU MEAN TO SAY AUSTIN ANIMAL? AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER? APOLOGIES.
UM, MS. VICKERY, MY NAME IS ROCHELLE VICKERY.
UM, I'M CONCERNED MR. CLINTON IS THAT MONTH BEFORE LAST AND LAST MONTH, UH, A PA BROUGHT IN 700 ANIMALS AND UH, I UNDERSTAND THIS LAST MONTH, 500.
AND WHERE ARE THEY GOING? THEY'RE NOT FLYING OUT.
Y'ALL ARE SAYING, THEY SAID, UH, UH, A PA SAID THEY'RE FLYING THEM OUT.
THIS IS WHAT'S CAUSING OUR PROBLEM AT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
HOW MANY OF 'EM ARE PREGNANT? YOU WANT ALL THE PREGNANT ANIMALS FROM THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, BUT THAT'S YOUR CALL TO PUPPY MILL OR A CAT MILL.
AND THAT'S NOT FAIR TO OUR CITY.
I CATCH LOTS OF CATS THAT ARE PREGNANT.
WE, WE ELIMINATE THAT SITUATION BECAUSE WE GOT TOO MANY CATS.
WE'VE HAD HORRIBLE AMOUNT OF CATS THIS YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT THEY, THEY, THERE IS.
BUT I JUST, I THINK AUSTIN PETS ALIVE HAS BECOME A MILL.
WE RAN THE MILL PEOPLE OUT OF THIS TOWN.
THESE THE PEOPLES THAT WAS DOING ANIMALS.
DO WE HAVE TO RUN Y'ALL OUTTA TOWN? AUSTIN PETS ALIVE.
THEY'RE DOING GOOD THINGS BY TAKING THE SICK AND HURT ANIMALS.
I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE OUR, OUR ANIMAL SHELTER, OUR AUSTIN ANIMAL SHELTER CANNOT TAKE CARE OF THEM.
BUT THIS IS THIS, THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T GET ANIMALS ADOPTED BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE BRINGING IN SO MANY ANIMALS THAT WE CAN'T GET OUR OWN ANIMALS THAT BELONG IN THIS CITY.
THAT IT'S COME FROM OUR CITY OR OUR COUNTY.
AND I WISH SOMEBODY WOULD REALIZE THIS BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A SAD SITUATION.
[00:05:01]
THE TWO LITTLE KER DOGS.I GOT THEM INTO THE HUMANE SOCIETY AFTER I GOT MY VOUCHER AND GOT 'EM FIXED.
AND I PAID FOR THE, UH, PARVO SHOT AND THE, AND AND THE DEWORMER.
AND THEY WAS DUE FOR A NEW, UH, PARVO SHOT.
SO THE AUSTIN HUMANE, AND I WANNA SHOUT OUT FOR ASHLEY OVER THERE.
SHE ASKED THEM, AND THE HUMANE SOCIETY TOOK THEM IN FOR ADOPTION BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANNA PUT 'EM IN OUR SHELTER.
BUT I'M JUST ASKING WHY IS IT THE AUSTIN PETS ALIVE HAS TO HAVE ALL THE PREGNANT ANIMALS? THERE'S NO SENSE IN IT.
WE NEED TO STOP THE BREEDING AND STOP THE BIRTHING.
IF THEY CAN'T GET THEM ADOPTED REGULAR DOGS, THEN WHY ARE THEY WANTING ALL THE PUPPIES? THAT'S 'CAUSE THEY ARE THE KITTENS.
'CAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF THEM.
UM, KRISTEN WILLIAMS, CAN I HEAR OUT VISUALS? IS THAT ALLOWED? GO.
EVERYONE HAS, WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT I DON'T WORK FROST AND PETS ALIVE, AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THE COMMISSION CURRENTLY WORKS ATTORNEY PHONE.
BUT, UM, I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU AFTERWARDS IF YOU WANNA CLARIFY.
I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID AT THE END? YOU'RE HAPPY TO WHAT? I'M SORRY.
I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK TO VISIT WITH THE SPEAKER AFTERWARDS, BUT I DON'T, I'M NOT AN EMPLOYEE.
I DON'T WORK FOR AUSTIN PET'S LIFE.
I THOUGHT THAT THE COMMENTS WERE DIRECTED ME PERSONALLY TO THE, TO THE EXTENT THEY WERE.
I DON'T WORK FOR AUSTIN PET'S LIFE.
UM, DO I TURN THIS ON OR CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY SHARE A RECENT EXPERIENCE OF AIDING THE WELFARE OF FIVE CATS AND KITTENS LIVING ON THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN, BUT ALSO OFFER A SUGGESTION ON HOW TO IMPROVE AND MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE STRAY ANIMAL POPULATION.
IN EARLY MARCH, I TRAPPED FIVE CATS AFTER BEING TOLD BY AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER.
THERE WERE NO VOLUNTEERS AVAILABLE TO TRAP THEM.
THE KITTENS WERE SUCCESSFULLY ADOPTED THROUGH THE FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM.
THREE OF THE CATS WERE TREATED AND ADOPTED BY AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, LEAVING TWO THAT CURRENTLY STILL NEED A RESOLUTION.
ONE HAD A LIFE-THREATENING INFECTION FROM AN INJURY THAT I REPORTED DURING INTAKE, YET WAS SOMEHOW MISSED BY A A C AND AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY.
DURING THE NEUTER PROCEDURE, AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER RECOMMENDED RETURNING THIS CAT TO THE LOCATION HE WAS FOUND.
BUT UPON PICKING HIM UP TO RETURN HIM, I NOTICED HE WAS STILL INJURED.
I IMMEDIATELY TOOK HIM TO AN AFTER HOURS VET AND PERSONALLY PAID FOR HIS CARE.
THE FINAL CAT WAS THE ONLY CAT OF THE FIVE THAT HAD A TIP TO EAR AT INTAKE.
DESPITE BEING FRIENDLY AND WITHOUT SCANNING FOR A CHIP, THE SHELTER DEEMED HIM FERAL AND UNADOPTABLE DUE TO HIS TIPPED EAR.
AFTER RETURNING HIM WHERE HE WAS FOUND AS PER AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER'S RECOMMENDATION, I WAS ASKED MONTHS LATER BY EMPLOYEES OF A NEARBY RESTAURANT TO HELP THIS CAT.
AFTER THEY WITNESSED HIS DETERIORATING HEALTH, I WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN A VOUCHER FROM AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER AND TAKE HIM TO ONE OF THE FEW PARTICIPATING VETS.
THE TREATING VET RECOMMENDED THAT HE NOT BE RETURNED TO THE STREETS BECAUSE HE ISN'T FERAL AND WOULD DO BETTER IN A HOME SETTING.
I PROPOSED THE FOLLOWING IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS AND TO AID VOLUNTEERS IN THE COMMUNITY AS THEY HELP TO CONTROL THE STRAY ANIMAL POPULATION.
THE SOLUTION I PROPOSE IS INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF THE MEDICAL VOUCHERS FROM $250 TO $400.
I BELIEVE THIS INCREASED AMOUNT WILL INCREASE VET PARTICIPATION LEADING TO MORE APPOINTMENT LOCATIONS AND AVAILABILITIES, REDUCING THE TIME, COMMITMENT AND FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR ME AND OTHERS LIKE ME, AS OUR CONTRIBUTION TO HELPING THE CITY.
AND THESE ANIMALS SHOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED.
WE KNOW THAT CARING FOR A RESCUED ANIMAL CAN BE EXPENSIVE AND TIME CONSUMING, WHICH MAY MAKE PEOPLE HESITANT TO HELP.
IT'S PUTTING A TREMENDOUS BURDEN ON THE PUBLIC BY LIMITING THE SHELTER'S INTAKE AND RELYING ON INDIVIDUALS AND RESCUE GROUPS TO HELP OUR CITY'S ONGOING ANIMAL CRISIS.
IF THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE THAT THEY CAN GET FINANCIAL HELP FROM THE CITY FOR TAKING CARE OF ANIMALS AND HAVE MORE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO SCHEDULE VET VISITS, MORE PEOPLE MIGHT SAVE AND FOSTER PETS UNTIL A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION IS FOUND.
IN CLOSING, I BELIEVE INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF VETS THAT PARTICIPATE IN ACCEPTING MEDICAL VOUCHERS AT AN INCREASED DOLLAR AMOUNT.
IT WILL BE A WIN FOR OUR COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS VETS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THIS BOARD AS WE ALL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE OUR RESPONSE TO THE STRAY ANIMAL POPULATION.
[00:10:01]
YOU.UH, I THINK COMMISSIONER EMER MAY HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER EMER, IT'S NOT A QUESTION, IT'S JUST A BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU ARE DOING.
UH, WE REALIZE THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING A LOT OF HELP WITH IT, AND WE'RE SORRY, BUT WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ASSIST YOU IN THE FUTURE AND TO MAKE THIS A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR YOU.
THESE PEOPLE BEHIND ME ARE DOING A LOT.
UM, SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER TUCKER, I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLAIN THE PHOTOS A LITTLE BIT? OH YEAH, FOR SURE.
UM, SO GUS, THIS FIRST ONE ON THE LEFT WITH THOSE LITTLE PUNCTURE WOUNDS, UM, SO WHEN I TOOK HIM TO AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, I SAID, YOU KNOW, HE'S LIMPING.
I SAID IT COULD BE HIS PAW, IT COULD BE HIS LEG.
UM, HE WAS AT AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER FOR CLOSE TO A MONTH.
UM, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO OBSERVE ANYTHING BECAUSE OF HIS BEHAVIOR.
BUT AT AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY, UM, WHEN HE WAS PUT UNDER FOR SPAY AND NEUTER, THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL IF THERE WAS AN INFECTION OR SOMETHING.
WOULD YOU MIND WHERE? RIGHT THERE.
UM, AND SO, YEAH, AND SO THEN, UM, WHEN I PICKED HIM UP, UM, I NOTICED THAT THESE TWO LITTLE GUYS, THEY WERE SCABBED OVER, BUT I WAS LIKE, THAT'S PROBABLY THE INJURY THAT I WAS MENTIONING.
SO I TOOK HIM TO AN AFTER HOURS VET.
UM, THEY SAID IT WAS POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING, UH, THE WAY THE INFECTION HAD DEVELOPED, SO THEY TOOK CARE OF IT.
UM, THEY PUT HIM ON ANTIBIOTICS AND THEY BASICALLY SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO KEEP THIS CAT FOR AT LEAST THREE WEEKS TILL TILL HE HEALS.
UM, AND SO THAT'S HIS PICTURE.
UM, NOT A HAPPY GUY, BUT IS IT BECAUSE HE'S A STREET CAT OR IS IT BECAUSE HE WAS SICK AND HE HAD THIS MASSIVE INFECTION? UM, SO YEAH, WE'RE STILL TAKING CARE OF HIM.
HE'S GOT A FEW THINGS GOING ON, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD'VE BEEN CAUGHT SOONER, UM, IF IT WOULD'VE DEVELOPED THIS FAR.
BUT IT ALSO JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW STRETCHED THE ANIMAL CENTER IS.
IT'S NOT SAYING THAT PEOPLE AREN'T DOING THEIR BEST.
IT'S, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF ANIMALS.
SO IF WE HAVE MORE HELP AND MORE VETS AND MORE EYES ON IT, AND IF IT CAN BE CAUGHT QUICKER, THEN MAYBE WE CAN HELP THE SITUATION FROM HAPPENING.
DO WE HAVE ANY ONLINE SPEAKERS? NO, WE DO NOT.
UM, MS. WILLIAMS, UH, I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, THAT I'M A MEMBER, OR I'VE PARTICIPATED IN AND BEEN TO AND AND BEEN TO OTHER COMMISSIONS.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPEAKERS WHO, WHO COME TO THIS COMMISSION AND WHETHER WE AGREE WITH THEM OR I PERSONALLY AGREE WITH THEM OR NOT, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PART OF DEMOCRACY AND IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT AND IT TAKES A LOT OF EMOTIONAL ENERGY.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO DOES THAT, UM, TODAY AND OTHER DAYS.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
GO TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.UM, I WAS NOT HERE, UH, LAST MONTH, UM, BECAUSE WE HAD A SICK CHILD.
UM, SO I WAS HOPING THAT SOMEONE ELSE WHO HAS READ THEM COULD MAKE A MOTION AND SOMEONE ELSE WHO KNOW, WHO WATCHED THE MEETING OR WAS PRESENT COULD SECOND.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? COMMISSIONER EMER HAS MOVED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? UM, COMMISSIONER LINDER, I THINK WAS HER HAND UP, WENT UP SECOND.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION OR CORRECTIONS OR, OR ANY COMMENTS ON THE MINUTES? NO COMMENTS.
SO LET'S PUT IT UP FOR A VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? UH, COMMISSIONER HOKE AND COMMISSIONER HOLT, ARE YOU ABSTAINING? YEAH, I WASN'T PRESENT.
UM, ERIC, IF THAT MEANS I NEED TO UPDATE MY RECUSAL FORM, JUST LET ME KNOW IF I CAN NEED SOMETHING.
YEAH, IF YOU ARE GONNA ABSTAIN, IT'D BE GREAT IF YOU CAN JUST EMAIL AND SAY, I'M ABSTAINING ON ITEM ONE.
THAT'LL BE COMMISSIONER HOLT, ARE YOU VOTING? YES.
AND I'M OR ARE YOU ABSTAINING? OH, I'M SORRY.
DID YOU SAY HOLT OR HO HO HO THIS TIME?
MY CHILDREN WERE DISTRACTING ME.
I DID REVIEW THE MINUTES BEFORE THE CALL.
SO WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
WE HAVE SEVEN AND TWO ABSTENTIONS BECAUSE WE WEREN'T HERE JUST BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE AND I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT.
I WOULD HAVE, IF WE HAD TO GET GET IT FOR, I'D PREFER NOT TO SINCE I DIDN'T GO WATCHING YOU TO, TO UPDATE AS WELL.
YEAH, USUALLY IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT IS FOR THE PURPOSES OF IF YOU HAVE A CONFLICT, WHICH I DON'T, UM,
[00:15:01]
THAT'S FINE.IT'S UP TO YOU TO, I JUST, UH, INTERPRET HOW YOU WANNA FILL IT OUT.
I ASSUME THE SAME THING IS WITH COMMISSIONER HOLT.
[2. Staff briefing regarding monthly reports provided by the Animal Service Center.]
GO INTO STAFF READING I ITEM NUMBER TWO, STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING, UH, MONTHLY REPORTS PROVIDED BY THE ANIMAL SERVICE CENTER.DON BLA, CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICE OFFICER FOR THE MONTH OF JULY.
OUR LIVE EXIT RATE WAS 97.31% FOR JULY.
70 DOGS AND CATS WERE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS.
AND, UM, 25 ANIMALS WERE RETURNED IN THE FIELD BY ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS.
WE HAD, UH, TOTAL VOLUNTEER HOURS OF 6,456 AND A HALF HOURS FOR JULY.
WE DID THREE ORIENTATIONS, INTRODUCING 72 NEW FOLKS TO THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IN, UM, OUR OP.
THERE'S NO OPEN POSITIONS POSTED.
THERE'S THREE AND A HALF FULL-TIME POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FILLED, UH, THROUGH INTERVIEWS OR BACKGROUND CHECKS, THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND THERE IS ONE PART-TIME TEMPORARY POSITION THAT JUST OPENED THAT WILL BE POSTED THIS WEEK.
AND THAT'S IT FOR OUR STAFFING, WHICH IS IS REALLY GREAT.
I DO WANNA MENTION, UH, COMMISSIONER DEDIS MENTIONED, UH, LAST MONTH SHE WANTED TO KNOW SOME MICROCHIP NUMBERS.
NOW WE ARE WAITING ON THE NUMBER FROM EMANCIPATE.
UH, THEY GAVE ME A NUMBER THIS MORNING AND THEY LEFT SOME STUFF OUT.
SO AS SOON AS WE GET THAT, WE'LL UPDATE THAT AND SEND IT TO EVERYONE.
BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD SO FAR, THIS FISCAL YEAR THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS OF EVENTS, UH, IN THE FIELD AND THROUGH THE SHELTER, WE HAVE MICROCHIP 10,923 ANIMALS THIS FISCAL YEAR FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE.
AND THEN WE WILL UPDATE THAT WITH THE EMAN PET NUMBERS AND WE'LL PUT THAT TOGETHER AND SEND THAT OUT TO Y'ALL IN AN EMAIL SOMETIME LATER THIS WEEK.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE REPORTS? DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONER? UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, SULA? UH, YOU'RE STILL MUTED.
WE CAN SEE ON YOUR SCREEN THAT YOU'RE STILL MUTED INTERNALLY.
UM, SO I HAVE A QUESTION TO START WITH DIRECTOR BLAND, ON THE, THE REPORT WITH ALL THE PIE CHARTS, THE, UM, THE JULY, 2024 ANIMAL DEATHS AT A A C AND FOSTER, UM, YOUR PIE, YOUR, YOUR THE FIRST ONE FOR THIS MONTH, FOR JULY, 2024 SHOWS, UH, SEVEN DEATHS AT A C SIX AND FOSTER FOR A TOTAL OF 13.
BUT THE PIE CHART IN THE BOTTOM THAT DETAILS, THE NUMBER OF DEATHS BY REASON HAS 15.
SO, UH, I'M WONDERING, AND AND IT'S THE SAME ON ON ALL THIS, THIS, THIS SHEET, NONE OF THE NUMBERS ADD UP.
UM, AND WHICH IS CORRECT, IS IT 13 OR 15? I'LL HAVE TO GET WITH THE PREPARE OF THE REPORT AND FIND OUT, BUT I WILL YEAH.
FIND OUT AND LET, I THINK THIS, I YEAH, I'VE BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE.
THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW WHERE YOU'RE, THE NUMBERS JUST DON'T ADD UP ON THAT ONE.
SO I'M, AND I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO, IS THE 15 BECAUSE THEY'RE DOUBLE COUNTING SOME ANIMALS OR SOMETHING? I'M NOT REALLY SURE.
BUT I'LL FIND OUT AND WE'LL, IF I COULD SEND THAT OUT.
UM, AND THEN ON THE, UM, THE YEARLY INTAKE AND OUTCOME SUMMARY THAT YOU DO IT, THE INFORMATION IS FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2024.
SHOULD THAT, ISN'T THIS THE JULY REPORT? SHOULD THAT NOT BE THROUGH JULY? THAT SHOULD BE JULY, YES, MA'AM.
SO DO WE KNOW, ARE THE NUMBERS CORRECT OR IS THIS THE NUMBERS? I DON'T HAVE LAST MONTHS WITH ME, SO THE NUMBERS ARE CORRECT.
UH, HE JUST FAILED TO CHANGE THE HEADING ON THAT, SO WE'LL GET THAT UPDATED AS WELL.
UM, WELL ACTUALLY FIRST THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE BREAKDOWN, UM, OF WHAT YOU HAVE IN SHELTER.
UM, AND I HAVE A DIFFERENCE, OR I HAVE A QUESTION.
QUESTION ON THE, THE OTHER, UM, SUMMARY THAT YOU DID ON THE INTAKES AND OUTCOMES FOR JULY.
UH, ON THE DIFFERENCE, YOU SHOW NO LARGE DOGS ON YOUR DIFFERENCE, BUT IT SHOWS
[00:20:01]
THAT YOU TOOK FOUR DOGS IN, FOUR LARGE DOGS IN, BUT YOU DIDN'T, THERE'S NO, YOU DIDN'T, YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY LARGE DOGS GO OUT IN JULY? UH, I, I DON'T KNOW WHICH, WHICH REPORTER YOU MAKE THE ONE THAT WAS ADDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON? IT HAS THE, UM, THE INTAKES FOR JULY THIR, THE BOTTOM CHART SHOWS INTAKES FOR JULY 31ST OUT.I DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THAT IN MY FILE, UM, IN THE FOLDER SINCE IT WENT OUT LAST THIS AFTERNOON.
AND ASK HIM ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S JUST MISSING LARGE DOGS.
AND I WAS JUST THAT, THAT THING HE SHOWED FOUR IN AND, AND THAT IS LARGE DOGS ARE MISSING ON OUTCOMES.
AND I WAS CURIOUS IS MAYBE IF IT WAS JUST THAT NO DOG, NO LARGE DOGS WENT OUT THAT DAY.
I'LL, I'LL CHECK ON THAT AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN BACK TO THE FINAL QUESTION I HAVE, UM, IS, UM, ON, ON YOUR SUMMARY STUFF HERE ON THE VET SERVICES, IT SAYS 35 CRUELTY CASES WERE TREATED.
WHAT, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT MEANS? WHAT DOES TREATED MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT, UH, 35 ANIMALS THAT WERE BEING HELD FOR CRUELTY WERE, HAD MEDICAL WORKUPS WERE TREATED, DO SOMETHING WAS DONE TO THOSE ANIMALS FROM OUR VET STAFF.
SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THEY WERE, THAT 35 CASES WERE INVESTIGATED OR THERE WAS A RESOLUTION? NO, IT COULD, IT COULD HAVE BEEN ONE CASE WITH 35 ANIMALS IN IT.
SO THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ACTUAL INVESTIGATIONS, JUST THAT THE VET TREATED ANIMALS FROM CRUELTY CASES? CORRECT.
I THINK COMMISSIONER HOLT WAS NEXT.
I HAVE A ACTUALLY, UM, COMMISSIONER MULA SPARKED A QUESTION FOR ME JUST TO CLARIFY.
FOR THE CRUELTY CASE ANIMALS, UM, WHEN YOU SAY TREATED, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEY RECEIVED CARE THAT WOULD EXTEND BEYOND JUST LIKE NORMAL INTAKE OF, YOU KNOW, VACCINES, DEWORMING, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF? OR POTENTIALLY DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE JUST THOSE LIKE BASIC INTAKE, UM, ASPECTS? IT, IT COULD BE ANYTHING FROM BASIC CARE TO SOMETHING ADDITIONAL BECAUSE THEY WERE MALNOURISHED OR INJURED OR RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, THAT'S HOW MANY THEY DEAL WITH ON THAT.
SO IT'S A DESIGNATION OF THE DOG, NOT NECESSARILY AN INDICATION OF THE TYPE OF CARE THEY RECEIVED, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, THE QUESTION I WAS ORIGINALLY GONNA ASK THOUGH, CAN YOU, I APOLOGIZE, CAN YOU REPEAT HOW MANY MICROCHIPS YOU SAID, UM, WERE DONE, UH, FROM THE SHELTER SERVICES? 10,923.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR MY IGNORANCE ON THIS IF I'M THE ONLY COMMISSIONER WHO DOESN'T KNOW.
UM, YOU, YOU SAID IT WAS BY SHELTER SERVICES AND YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE GONNA REPORT EMANCIPET NUMBERS LATER.
SO I'M ASSUMING THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE EMANCIPET OUTREACH, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, CAN YOU GIVE ME LIKE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF HOW THESE MICROCHIPS ARE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY? LIKE WHAT KIND OF IS THIS ON A RETURN TO OWNER BASIS? I'M SURE THAT SOME OF 'EM, BUT NOT ALL 10,000 OF THEM, CAN YOU JUST GIVE US LIKE A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF HOW Y'ALL ARE CONNECTING OWNERS WITH THAT? THERE WERE 19 31, 1931 IN THE FIELD.
UH, THERE WAS, UH, 527 THROUGH EVENTS AND 8,465 THROUGH THE SHELTER.
SO SHELTER, ANIMALS AND ADOPTIONS DONE THROUGH THE SHELTER ARE COUNTED TOWARDS THAT.
IT IS NOT NECESSARILY EXISTING OWNED ANIMALS THAT ARE GETTING THESE, WELL, IT COULD BE A RETURN TO OWNER, BUT IT IF THAT ANIMAL ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY WAS IN THE SHELTER AND, AND THE SHELTER DID THAT, IT WASN'T OUT IN THE FIELD OR AT AN EVENT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LINDER.
I, I, UM, SO I'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
FIRST ONE, UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE, UM, UH, NUMBER OF INTACT ANIMALS THAT WERE ADOPTED OUT.
UM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S, UH, 26 FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, WHICH SEEMS LIKE A BIT OF AN OUTLIER FROM THE LAST TWO YEARS.
I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING US DATA ON THAT.
UM, BUT IT'S LIKE FOUR TIMES WHAT IT WAS THAT MONTH LAST YEAR.
IS THERE A BACKLOG OF, UM, SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES, OR COULD YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT FOR THAT NUMBER? UH, IT, IT, THE MAJORITY OF IT IS GOING BACK TO THE OWNERS AND THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO SIGN A FORM FOR US TO DO THE SURGERIES.
[00:25:01]
UM, YOU HAVE 26 FOR INTACT ANIMALS ADOPTED, AND THEN YOU HAVE 36 FOR INTACT ANIMALS RETURNED TO OWNER.UM, YOU'RE SAYING THESE ARE CASES WHERE, UM, THE OWNER IS READOPTING THE ANIMAL OR, OR CAN YOU EXPLAIN? NO, IF, IF, UH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION NOW.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT ARE RETURNED TO OWNERS UNALTERED, THAT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT SIGNED A FORM FOR US RIGHT.
TO BE ABLE TO DO THE SERVICES.
THE THE OTHERS ARE, UH, ANIMALS THAT HAVE GONE HOME THAT ARE EITHER TOO SICK OR, UM, MEDICALLY NOT RIGHT.
AND THEN WE'LL SEND THOSE HO HOME WITH, UH, A, A, AN APPOINTMENT TO COME BACK TO GET FIXED, UH, WHEN THEY'RE HEALTHY.
SO I, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UM, THAT NUMBER IS, IS A LOT HIGHER THAN IT WAS THIS MONTH LAST YEAR.
SO I'M WONDERING IF, UM, IF THERE'S A BACKLOG OF SURGERIES OR SOMETHING ELSE MIGHT BE DRIVING THAT, OR YOU THINK IT'S JUST SORT OF AN EXCEPTIONAL MONTH WHERE NO, WE, WE HAD, WE HAD PROBABLY BE A LOT OF REALLY YOUNG ANIMALS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WE HAD A LOT OF KITTENS THIS YEAR AND A LOT OF SICK KITTENS.
SO THEY'RE GOING OUT INTO, YOU KNOW, HOMES AND, UH, SOON AS THEY GET UP TO WEIGHT OR HEALTHY ENOUGH, THEY'LL COME BACK.
BUT WE, IT'S BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF KITTENS THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR.
UM, I HAVE TWO MORE QUESTIONS, UM, THAT, THAT BOTH SORT OF RELATE TO, UM, POINTS THAT WERE RAISED BY, UM, OUR SPEAKERS DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, MY FIRST ONE IS, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY, AS FAR AS THE MEDICAL VOUCHERS GO, UM, DO YOU KNOW THE, THE NUMBER OF CLINICS THAT WILL CURRENTLY ACCEPT THOSE VOUCHERS? I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT AS MANY AS WE WOULD HOPE FOR.
LIKE, COULD YOU BALLPARK IT? LIKE, IS IT 10 IS ONE? I HONESTLY IT WOULD JUST BE SHOT IN THE DARK.
I WOULD HAVE NO IDEA AT THIS POINT.
IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD, COULD GET THAT.
UM, SO TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK THERE.
UM, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS JUST AS FAR AS, UM, THE, UM, THE FIRST SPEAKER'S COMMENT, AND I'M SORRY I MISSED HER NAME, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SIX WEEKS FOR INTAKE FOR, UM, FOR KITTENS WHO ARE SICK.
DOES SEEM LIKE A, AN UNWORKABLE TIMELINE FOR FOR MANY PEOPLE.
SO I'M WONDERING, I GUESS, UM, I THOUGHT THAT, UM, IF AN ANIMAL WAS SICK OR INJURED THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE, UM, PRIORITIZED AS FAR AS, UM, GETTING AN INTAKE APPOINTMENT FOR THOSE ANIMALS.
DO YOU KNOW KIND OF WHAT YOUR AVERAGE WAIT TIME IS FOR INTAKE NOW? BOTH FOR HEALTHY ANIMALS AND SICK NUMBERS, A SICK ANIMALS? IS THAT, UM, SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD GET DATA ON THROUGH YOUR SYSTEM OR, UM, IS THERE ANY WAY OF GETTING THOSE NUMBERS SO WE CAN KIND OF SEE HOW LONG THE WAIT TIMES ARE AT PRESENT? WE CAN LOOK AT THAT.
UM, I JUST KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, SICK AND INJURED, THAT SURPRISES ME AS WELL BECAUSE THOSE ARE TAKE, WE'RE TAKING THOSE ON A, YOU KNOW, DAILY BASIS IF THEY'RE SICK AND INJURED.
AND, UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, TAKING, UH, ANIMALS AS WE HAVE SPACE THAT FOR WALKUPS NOW.
AND, UH, SO I CAN GET YOU THE TOTAL, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE BACKLOG IN THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE.
WE CAN RUN REPORTS AND GET THAT.
BUT, UH, I, I'M GONNA INVESTIGATE THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT IS CONCERNING.
THAT'D BE GREAT IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, TO FOLLOW UP SO WE CAN CAN GET SOME MORE CONTEXT ON THAT.
UM, COMMISSIONER HERRERA, UH, YOU'RE ON MUTE.
UH, WAS WAS ABOUT THE VOUCHERS.
DID WE HAVE THIS, UH, QUESTION FOR, UH, DIRECTOR PLAN? DID YOU KNOW THE BUDGET FOR THAT VOUCHERS AND FROM WHERE IT'S PULLING THAT MONEY? UH, YES.
IT'S PULLING FROM OUR BUDGET FOR PET PLACEMENT.
AND DID WE KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S THAT BUDGET? UH, IT'S, THAT'S, IT'S LUMPED IN WITH, WITH ALL THE MEDICAL CARE AND, UM, I, I HAVEN'T, I'D HAVE, IT'S BROKEN DOWN AND I'D HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE BUDGET TO LOOK AT IT.
JUST THE QUESTION IS MAYBE, MAYBE TO REACH MORE ATTORNEYS, MAYBE WE NEED MORE MONEY, RIGHT? CORRECT.
ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONER TUCKER? UH, IN LOOKING AT THE JULY, 2022 RESCUE ANIMALS TRANSFERRED TO RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAD 264 IN JULY, 2022.
THAT DECREASED TO 216 IN JULY, 2023 AND THEN DROPPED TO 198 IN JULY, 2024.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER INSIGHTS AS TO, AS TO WHY
[00:30:01]
TRANSFER TO RESCUE CONTINUES TO DROP? THEY ARE FULL AND THEY CAN'T TAKE 'EM EITHER.THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, WE EVEN OFFERED, UH, ANIMALS, UH, CATS AND SMALL DOGS, $250 TO PULL AND 500 FOR ANY MEDIUM AND LARGE DOG.
AND WE HAD FOUR TAKERS, UH, FOR DOGS.
AND I THINK WE SENT FOUR CATS OUT.
IS THAT OFFER TO ALL RESCUE? YES, AND IT'S, AND, AND ALL THE RESCUES THAT WE TRANSPORTED TO UP NORTH WHEN WE WERE TRANSPORTING, UH, WE CONTACT THEM CONSTANTLY AND THEY KEEP TELLING US THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AT 97% WHEN WE DO HAVE A RARE OPENING, WE'RE GONNA PULL FROM THE OTHER TEXAS SHELTERS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IN THE SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES OR LOWER, I IMAGINE.
OR, BUT THE OTHER MAJOR CITIES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FOSTERING A, A UNBELIEVABLY CUTE PUPPY FROM, UH, THE VALLEY.
UM, THE ONLY QUESTION THAT I HAVE, 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S IT, UH, WAS A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
UH, THE RETURN TO OWNER, THE NON-PAY OR NEUTERED RETURN TO OWNERS, UM, THAT ARE RECLAIMED, THAT'S BECAUSE I ASSUME THEY'RE RECLAIMED DURING THE HOLD PERIOD.
IS THAT RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT COUNTED AS AN ADOPTION.
THEY'RE COUNTED AS A RETURN TO OWNER.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, THEY, YOU HAVE NEVER ACQUIRED OWNERSHIP OF IT, SO THAT'S CORRECT.
THE CONCEPT IS THAT UNDER THE VETERINARY PRACTICE ACT THAT YOU HAVE TO GET CONSENT OF THE OWNER.
IS THAT THE REASON THAT THAT'S HAPPENING? YES, SIR.
SO AS FAR AS YOU'RE CONCERNED, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THAT? NO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER HOLT, THIS IS A FOLLOW UP ACTUALLY IN, IN RESPONSE TO WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
UM, I AM GOING TO MAKE A SERIES OF ASSUMPTIONS AND TELL ME WHERE I AM WRONG.
I AM ASSUMING THAT THERE IS A FINE FOR SOMEONE HAVING A LOOSE DOG OR A, UH, MAYBE NOT A LOST DOG, BUT FOR A LOOSE DOG.
UH, IS THAT ACCURATE IT QUESTION MARK? YES.
UM, HAVE Y'ALL HAD SUCCESS OR TRIED IMPLEMENTING, UM, WAIVING THAT FINE IF THEY GET THE ANIMAL FIXED? WE HAVE, DOES, DOES THAT WORK OR ARE THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL NOT GETTING THEM FIXED, JUST NOT MOTIVATED BY THAT, THAT WIVING OF THE FINE
AND SO, AND IF IT COMES DOWN TO US HOLDING AN ANIMAL IN THE, THE SHELTER, UH, OR WAIVING A FEE FOR OR FINE FOR THEM TO GET THE ANIMAL BACK ON SPACE, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET THEM TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT WE'RE GONNA GET THE ANIMAL BACK.
I, I GUESS, SORRY, I THINK WE MIGHT BE LIKE DIS DISCONNECTED ON OUR TAKEAWAY FROM THIS.
SO I COMPLETE AGREEMENT FOR ALTERED ANIMALS.
RIGHT? UH, AND I AM, SINCE IT IS A FINE BEING WAIVED NOT THE EXISTENCE OF A FINE IN THE FIRST PLACE, I AM WONDERING IF THERE WOULD BE SUCCESS IN STRICTER ADHERENCE TO THE EXISTING FINE FOR ANIMALS THAT ARE NOT ALTERED AND THE FINE BEING WAIVED CONTINGENT UPON THEM GETTING THE ANIMAL FIXED.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT IS LEGAL.
I AM JUST LIKE THROWING THAT OUT THERE AS A POSSIBLE THING TO CONSIDER TO TRY TO INCENTIVIZE GETTING THEIR OWNED ANIMALS FIXED.
WE HAVE GONE DOWN THIS AND TRIED MANY THINGS THROUGH THE YEARS, AND THERE ARE FOLKS THAT WILL ALSO, UH, IF THEY HAVE TO GET THEIR ANIMAL FIXED, UH, THEY'LL JUST LEAVE IT THERE.
I KNEW IT WOULDN'T BE A HUNDRED PERCENT SOLUTION, BUT WANTED TO THROW IT OUT THERE AS A POSSIBLE COUPLE MORE, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
UM, ANYTHING ELSE? I, LET'S MOVE ON THEN MOVE ON TO
[3. Discussion of the Animal Services strategic plan and planning process. ]
ITEM NUMBER THREE, DISCUSSION ITEMS, DISCUSSION OF THE ANIMAL SERVICES STRATEGIC PLAN AND PLANNING PROCESS.UM, IS THERE A STAFF THAT'S PRESENTING ON THIS? YES.
I HOPE YOU ALL ARE DOING WELL.
UM, I HAVE BROUGHT SOME ADDITIONAL PEOPLE TO HELP ME OUT TONIGHT.
SO I AM STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND THEN I'LL LET MY PARTNERS HERE INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
I'M AUDREY MUNZ, FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE MANAGER.
AND I'M LARRY SCHOOLER, CONSULTANT TO THE CITY ON THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
UM, AS YOU ALL RECALL, UM, WE CAME LAST MONTH.
I CAME LAST MONTH AND PROVIDED MORE SO AN OVERVIEW OF KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.
[00:35:01]
UM, AND SO SINCE WE HAVE A CONTINUING PROCESS, UM, WE'RE RETURNING THIS EVENING JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU JUST AN UPDATE, UM, ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.UM, AT THIS POINT I'LL TRANSITION OVER TO AUDREY.
AND SO A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE LAST MONTH WHEN STEPHANIE GAVE AN UPDATE.
AND SO WE HAVE HELD A NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AND LISTENING SESSIONS.
WE HAVE A PUBLIC SURVEY THAT'S STILL UP.
I'LL GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THAT IN A MOMENT.
AND THEN WE HAVE CONVENED THE FIRST SESSION OF THE WORKING GROUP.
AND SO AS WE'RE IN THE ASSESSMENT PHASE AND BEGINNING THE WORK OF THE WORKING GROUP COMING TOGETHER, AND AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE ASSESSMENT PHASE HAS BEEN OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE THE A SO STRATEGIC PLAN SPEAK UP PAGE, WHICH WENT LIVE ON JULY 17TH.
THIS IS A PAGE THAT WILL BE UP THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AND WE WILL KEEP IT UPDATED.
AND IT IS A PLACE WHERE COMMUNITY CAN CONTINUE TO GO GROW, GO AND SEE HOW WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN, IT INCLUDES A PROCESS OVERVIEW AND CURRENTLY INCLUDES THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, WHICH WILL BE UP AND AVAILABLE FOR CONTINUED INPUT UNTIL AUGUST 14TH.
AND SO CONTINUE TO ASK PEOPLE TO FILL THIS OUT.
YOU'LL SEE THIS QR CODE UP HERE ON THE PAGE.
IT WORKS, AND YOU'LL SEE THE WEB ADDRESS THERE AS WELL.
UM, WE'VE HAD MORE THAN ACTUALLY 14,000 VIEWS ON THE PAGE TO DATE.
UM, AND THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, AS I MENTIONED, WILL BE UP FOR ANOTHER TWO DAYS.
WE'VE HAD MORE THAN 2000 PARTICIPANTS ON THAT SURVEY AND STILL CONTINUE TO WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE THAT.
THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES POSTED TO THIS SPEAK UP PAGE FOR FEEDBACK LATER ON IN THIS PROCESS LATER IN THE FALL.
UM, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE PAGE ON THE MAIN PAGE.
SO ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO SIGN UP TO SUBSCRIBE IF THEY WANT US TO BE IN CONTACT AS WE PUSH OUT ADDITIONAL UPDATES ON THIS PAGE.
ADDITIONALLY, WITHIN STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, WE'VE DONE A SO LEADERSHIP INTERVIEWS.
WE'VE ALSO HELD A SO STAFF LISTENING SESSIONS.
WE'LL BE WRAPPING THOSE UP THIS WEEK.
UM, MY TEAM HAS HAD MORE THAN 90 STAFF PARTICIPANTS ATTEND OR SCHEDULE TO ATTEND THIS WEEK.
WE'RE REALLY PLEASED BY THAT TURNOUT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE HELD A NUMBER OF A SO VOLUNTEER LISTENING SESSIONS WE'LL BE COMPLETING, OR WE COMPLETED THOSE OVER THE WEEKEND WITH 40 VOLUNTEER PARTICIPANTS.
AND THESE SESSIONS ARE REALLY FOR US TO HEAR ABOUT THE CURRENT STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES OF THE CENTER, THOSE STRENGTHS THAT WE CAN PULL FORWARD AS WE DO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AS WELL AS THE PRIORITIES THAT VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF HAVE FOR A SO AND ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, WE'LL BE ANALYZING THESE AND SHARING OUTPUTS FROM THESE SESSIONS SOON.
LARRY SCHOOLER HAS HELD A NUMBER OF EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AND IS PLANNING AN EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER LISTENING SESSION.
SCHOOLER AND I HAVE ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW PREVIOUS STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT OUTPUTS.
SO FROM THE CITY AUDITOR SURVEY, WE'VE REVIEWED THE OUTPUTS FROM THAT.
A SO HAS ALSO DONE COMMUNITY SURVEYS AND VOLUNTEER SURVEYS OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THOSE RESULTS AS WELL TO GET A FULLER PICTURE AS WE MOVE INTO THE WORKING GROUP SESSIONS.
AND I WILL HAND IT OVER TO DR.
AND, UH, THANKS TO YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UH, THE SLIDE THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN NOW SHOWS YOU WHO ALL HAVE, UH, JOINED THIS WORKING GROUP THAT'S HELPING TO THINK THROUGH THE DETAILS OF A STRATEGIC PLAN.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, SULA AND LINDER, UH, ON THE WORKING GROUP, AS WELL AS, UH, MS. HOLT IN HER COUNTY CAPACITY, TRAVIS COUNTY CAPACITY.
AND THEN WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM AUSTIN LOST AND FOUND PETS, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, CLASSIC CANINES CITY STAFF BEYOND MR. BLAND EMANCIPATE, HUMANE SOCIETY, TRAPPERS, AND THEN TWO COMMUNITY ADVOCATES WHOSE NAMES ARE LISTED THERE.
EACH OF THOSE FOLKS OR EACH OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS SAT WITH ME FOR AN INTERVIEW AND I HAD THE CHANCE TO INTERVIEW BOTH CHAIR CLINTON AND THE COMMISSIONERS THAT I MENTIONED.
IF ANY COMMISSIONER WANTS TO SIT WITH ME, I'M HAPPY TO VISIT WITH YOU AS WELL.
UH, AND WE'RE GONNA DO A FEW FOLLOW UP INTERVIEWS BASED ON SOME INPUT FROM, UH, THE WORKING GROUP SESSION.
SO WE DID MEET ON THE SEVENTH, WHICH IS, WOW, WHAT IS THAT, FIVE DAYS AGO? MM-HMM.
UM, NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THIS WORKING GROUP.
UM, BUT, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, HAYDEN HOWARD DISOBEYED A DIRECT ORDER AND TOUCHED THE ELEPHANT THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, WHICH THEN LAUNCHED INTO AN ANIMATRONIC MULTI STANDS VERSION OF PEEKABOO USING ITS EARS.
UM, LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE TRAUMATIZED, BUT, UM, WE DID USE THE ELEPHANT AS A METAPHOR TRIGGER WARNING NEXT TIME.
OKAY, TRIGGER WARNING, ABSOLUTELY, YES, NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED.
UH, BUT WE, UM, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS FELT AS IF THIS WAS AN APT METAPHOR TO DEAL WITH SOME OF WHAT WILL GO INTO
[00:40:01]
A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THIS TOPIC THAT FOLKS NEED TO, UH, TEASE OUT WHAT SOME OF THOSE, UH, SORT OF SENSITIVE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, TOPICS ARE THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED OVER THE COURSE OF A STRATEGIC PLANNING DISCUSSION.UM, AND I'LL LIST A FEW OF THOSE HERE.
THERE WERE, THERE WERE QUITE A FEW.
WE HAVE 18 MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP, EACH OF WHOM CONTRIBUTED, UH, ONE OR MORE, UH, ELEPHANTS, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, WE HAD A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO MENTIONED THINGS AROUND, UH, STANDARDS OF CARE AND SPACE AND WAREHOUSING AND INTAKE AND ANIMALS COMING IN FROM OTHER FACILITIES.
WE CERTAINLY HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT LIVE OUTCOME PERCENTAGES AND THE NO KILL, UH, POLICY.
WE HAD FOLKS TALK ABOUT FUNDING AND WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THE SERVICE, UH, RATHER THE ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICE WOULD GET THE FUNDING THAT IT MAY NEED TO CARRY OUT ITS EVENTUAL STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF FOLKS MENTIONED BEHAVIOR BARRIERS AND BEHAVIOR CHALLENGED ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER.
AND THEN WE HAD SOME FOLKS WHO MENTIONED TRUST OR A LACK THEREOF IN, UH, CURRENT SHELTER MANAGEMENT.
SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS WAS NOT EASY FOR SOME PARTICIPANTS TO HEAR OR EVEN TO SAY.
BUT I DO THINK THAT IT WAS A HELPFUL EXERCISE FOR THE GROUP TO, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST.
THEY FORMED AGREEMENTS AS TO HOW THEY WERE GONNA CONDUCT THEMSELVES.
THEY DEFINED EXPECTATIONS AND INTENTIONS, AND AS I SAID, THEY HELPED OUTLINE SOME OF THE STAKEHOLDERS WHOSE INTERESTS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED IN THE WORKING GROUP SO THAT I OR, UH, THE CITY CAN ASSIST IN MAKING SURE THAT THEIR VOICES, UH, WILL BE HEARD ACROSS, UH, THE PROCESS.
SO THIS SLIDE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS, UH, SLIGHTLY OBSOLETE.
WE'RE GONNA UPDATE THE SCHEDULE JUST SLIGHTLY BASED ON SOME, UH, UH, SCHEDULE CONFLICTS.
BUT WE ARE PLANNING TO MEET AGAIN ON THE 29TH, TWO WEEKS FROM THIS THURSDAY, UH, IN THE EVENING.
AND WHEN WE LIST POTENTIAL TOPICS HERE, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT IN PART, THIS HAS TO BE A PROCESS THAT IS DEFINED BY THE PARTICIPANTS.
AND SO I'VE LAID OUT SOME QUESTIONS THAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THEM TO TACKLE.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING RESPONSIVE TO WHAT BOTH THE CITY AND THE PARTICIPANTS BELIEVE IS MOST, UH, PRESSING.
BUT THE HOPE IS THAT ON THE 29TH, WE'LL KIND OF TAKE, UH, A LOOK AHEAD AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE MIGHT WANNA SEE IN THE NEWSPAPER IF NEWSPAPERS STILL EXIST IN FIVE OR 10 YEARS, OR, UM, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO, UM, EXPERIENCE, UH, ONCE WE SORT OF TAKE A LOOK BACK AT OUR WORK AND DEFINE, UH, WHAT SUCCESS WOULD BE FOR ANIMAL SERVICES ONCE A PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED.
AND THEN HOW MIGHT WE LEVERAGE THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.
WHAT ARE SOME INTERIM STEPS AND OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN? UH, THE THIRD MEETING IS MOST LIKELY GONNA SHIFT A WEEK.
SO INSTEAD OF THE FIFTH, IT WOULD BE ON SEPTEMBER THE 12TH.
SO STAY TUNED TO THE SPEAK UP PAGE FOR AN UPDATED SCHEDULE THERE.
AND THEN A FOURTH MEETING ON THE 17TH.
IT MAY SEEM A LITTLE UNORTHODOX TO HAVE FOUR HOUR, UH, MEETINGS, BUT WE FELT, I THINK THAT, UH, THE DEEPER WE COULD GET INTO A PARTICULAR TOPIC OR ASPECT OF THIS, UH, IN ONE SITTING, UH, THE BETTER.
SO THANKS TO ALL OF THE CITY STAFF WHO ARE COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.
AND BEFORE I CLOSE, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE OF FRAMEWORKS THAT I'M EXPLORING TO DEPLOY IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
AND THESE MAY BE VERY FAMILIAR TO YOU, AND SO I APOLOGIZE IF I'M TELLING YOU THINGS THAT YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW, BUT THERE'S A PARADIGM IN MY FIELD KNOWN AS APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY.
AND IN APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY, UH, IT CONSISTS OF THE FIVE PHASES THAT YOU SEE DISPLAY, DEFINE, DISCOVER, DREAM, DESIGN, AND DESTINY.
AND SO THE IDEA IS THAT DEFINE IS TO, UH, CREATE THAT TOPIC, WHICH OF COURSE WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US ALREADY.
DISCOVER IS A PROCESS WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCES THAT FOLKS HAVE HAD, PARTICULARLY WHEN THINGS HAVE WORKED WELL.
AND I KNOW THAT IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT COUNTERINTUITIVE BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY HAVE HEARD PLENTY OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, SHORTCOMINGS OR, UM, CHALLENGES.
BUT THE GOAL HERE IS TO TEASE OUT SOME POSITIVE STORIES, WHICH CAN STIR THE IMAGINATION AND GENERATE SOME EXCITEMENT.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY, UH, WE GET INTO SORT OF DREAMING OR ENVISIONING WHAT OUR FUTURE MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
AND THEN LOOKING AT THE PRACTICALITIES IN THE DESIGN, UH, PHASE.
AND THEN IN THE DESTINY PHASE, WE SORT OF SHIFT THE DREAM TO REALITY.
WE START CARRYING OUT THE PLAN AND WE START, UM, LOOKING AT COURSE CORRECTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH THAT IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS.
AND THEN THERE'S ONE OTHER FRAMEWORK THAT WE'RE EXPLORING KNOWN AS STRATEGIC DOING IN CONTRAST TO STRATEGIC PLANNING.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS MAY HAVE MISGIVINGS ABOUT A PLANNING PROCESS BECAUSE THEY MAY THINK THAT THE PLAN WILL JUST BE THAT IT WILL BE A PLAN, IT WILL BE WRITTEN AND THEN IT WILL SIT.
THE IDEA BEHIND STRATEGIC PLANNING, EXCUSE ME, STRATEGIC DOING, IS THAT WE, UH, ELICIT SOME OF THE ASSETS THAT ARE, UH, AVAILABLE TO US AND SORT OF EXPERIMENT WITH
[00:45:01]
CERTAIN, CALL IT PILOT PROJECTS OR JUST INTERMEDIATE PROJECTS TO SEE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THESE PROJECTS COULD FIT INTO A BROADER, UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING, UH, VISION.SO IT'S BASICALLY A WAY TO, UM, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, ACTIONIZE SOME OF WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED AT THE PLANNING STAGE, UH, TO TRY AND, AND SEE WHAT, UH, WILL WORK TO EXPERIMENT, SO TO SPEAK.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNORTHODOX AND IT MAY OR MAY NOT, UM, WORK PERFECTLY IN THIS CASE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I AM EVALUATING FOR THE WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER USING, UH, GOING FORWARD.
AND THERE YOU SEE OUR NEXT STEPS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MEET WITH SOME, UH, AS AUDREY MENTIONED, INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, THE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, AS WELL AS SOME EXTERNAL ONES THAT HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED TO ME.
SO I'M DOING THE EXTERNAL MEETINGS AND, UH, AUDREY AND HER TEAM ARE DOING THE INTERNAL, THE WORKING GROUP MEETINGS WILL CONTINUE.
THE, UH, SPEAK UP SITE WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
WE'LL BE ANALYZING THAT DATA AND REPORTING IT OUT BOTH TO THE WORKING GROUP AND TO YOU ALL.
AND, UH, WE'RE ALSO REVIEWING DATA FROM THE AACS RETREAT THAT TOOK PLACE SOME TIME AGO TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL AVAILABLE PRIOR EFFORT DATA AT OUR DISPOSAL FOR THE GROUP.
HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I CAN'T SEE OUR GROUP OVER HERE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, VICE CHAIR, LENDER, UM, JUST ONE QUESTION, WHICH IS ABOUT THE, UM, SORT OF ULTIMATE USE OF THE, UM, SURVEY RESULTS FROM THE, THE SPEAK OF AUSTIN SURVEY THAT YOU DID.
OBVIOUSLY 2000 IS A HUGE NUMBER OF RESPONSES.
UM, SO THAT'S INCREDIBLY ENCOURAGING.
I THINK THERE'S, UM, PROBABLY A LOT THAT'S, UM, VALUABLE AND USEFUL, UH, TO US AS A COMMISSION IN THOSE RESULTS.
SO I'M WONDERING WHETHER THOSE RESULTS WILL ULTIMATELY BE AVAILABLE FOR, FOR US TO USE.
WILL THEY BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE? UM, WHAT, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THAT INFORMATION, UM, AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS? SO THE GOAL IS, IS THAT WE WANT TO BE, UM, AS TRANSPARENT AS WE CAN BE.
UM, I KNOW THE TEAM WILL NEED TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, BRING THEM IN AND TRY TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO PUT 'EM IN THEMES, ET CETERA.
UM, BUT WE'LL LOOK AT HOW WE CAN PUT 'EM INTO SOME TYPE OF DOCUMENT WHERE YOU ALL COULD JUST KIND OF SEE 'EM IN GENERAL.
AND THEN THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'D HAVE AN AWARENESS OF KIND OF WHERE WE GOT THE THEMES FROM AND KIND OF WHY WE WENT IN THAT DIRECTION.
UM, BECAUSE NORMALLY WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY THINGS, THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.
YOU REALLY HAVE TO TRY TO SYNTHESIZE THEM AND START THINKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OPERATIONS OR MOST PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET OR, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU REALLY NEED TO START TO LOOK FOR THEMES.
AND THERE MAY BE SOME STANDALONE THEMES THAT, YOU KNOW, MAY, MAY RISE UP.
UM, BUT WE ARE GONNA ALSO USE THEM, UM, IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE WORKING GROUP AS WELL, BECAUSE WE WANNA BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE THEMES THERE AND THEN HOW WE'VE BEEN COMING BACK TO THIS GROUP JUST TO SHARE WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN THE WORKING GROUP.
SO, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO PULL IT ALL TOGETHER, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT AVAILABLE FOR YOU ALL.
AND VICE CHAIR, I'LL JUST ADD THAT I THINK THERE WILL BE A SUBSET OF THE DATA THAT'S MUCH MORE GERMANE TO THE GENERAL WORK OF THE COMMISSION THAN IT WILL BE TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN SPECIFICALLY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'LL BE CRUCIAL FOR US TO JUST PARSE OUT WHAT SHOULD REALLY BE, YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT WORKING GROUP'S DISCUSSION AND THEN WHAT YOU ALL SHOULD, YOU KNOW, HARVEST FOR OTHER PURPOSES, UH, AS YOU GO FORWARD.
MM-HMM,
AND, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT I CAN BE HELPFUL IN, UM, IN THAT PROCESS, I'D BE HAPPY TO.
'CAUSE I THINK THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF VALUE THERE, UM, THAT I DON'T WANNA LEAVE ON THE TABLE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, I WANTED JUST TO NOTE, UM, FOR THE RECORD, THAT, UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS, UM, DIGGING IN VERY MUCH.
UM, COMMISSIONER TUCKER AND I MET, UM, DR.
SCHOOLER QUITE A LONG TIME AGO.
SCHOOLER, IT WAS WHEN WE WERE YOUNG MEN,
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
UM, I ALSO WANNA NOTE JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S SAKE, THAT UM, UH, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, HAYDEN HOWARD HAD ASKED, UH, THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, AND, UM, WHILE THE VICE CHAIR WAS, UM, WILLING TO JUMP ON THE GRENADE, UH, MY, UH, MY PERSONAL AND WORK COMMITMENTS MADE ME NOT, I DIDN'T THINK THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB.
[00:50:01]
UH, WE DISCUSSED, UH, COMMISSIONER LINDER AND I DISCUSSED AND WE THOUGHT THAT COMMISSIONER SULA WOULD BE A GREAT PERSON FOR THE JOB.AND COMMISSIONER SULA FORTUNATELY ACCEPTED.
UM, WE ALSO, THERE WERE TWO OTHER VOLUNTEERS, COMMISSIONER HO AND DR. NELSON.
AND WE BOTH, WE ASKED THAT THEY BOTH, UH, BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE AS WELL.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNEW THAT EVERYBODY WHO ASKED, UH, TO PARTICIPATE, WE ASKED TO HAVE A ROLE.
UM, AND WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE VICE CHAIR LINDER AND I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE VICE CHAIR LINDER AND, UM, COMMISSIONER SULA TAKING THE EFFORT AND THE TIME, UM, OUT OF THEIR VERY BUSY LIVES, UM, TO PARTICIPATE.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. OF COURSE, WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THEM TODAY.UM, ANY AGENDA ITEMS CAN BE ADDED, UH, SO LONG AS YOU HAVE A SECOND BY EMAIL.
AND IF YOU NEED A SECOND, YOU CAN, UM, ASK ME TO SECOND SOMETHING AND I'M ALMOST, ALMOST ALWAYS WILLING TO DO SO.
UM, IF THERE ARE ANY CURRENTLY SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, I WILL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? COMMISSIONER HUDDLESTON, UH, QUICKLY GETS THE HAND UP TO ADJOURN.
IS THERE A SECOND? UH, COMMISSIONER HUDDLE? I, COMMISSIONER HO, YOU DIDN'T EVEN WAIT FOR ME TO CALL ON YOU.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? UH, THAT IS UNANIMOUS.