Sep 11, 2024 Tourism Commission

UM, I WANTED TO ADD THAT THERE IS A UPDATE REMINDER SHEET IN YOUR PACKET.

I'M NOT GONNA GO OVER IT RIGHT NOW, BUT I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE, THAT IT'S INFORMATION REGARDING HOW MEETINGS ARE RAN, UM, THE AGENDAS, HOW THE AGENDAS ARE TO LOOK, UM, WHEN WE, UM, TAKE ACTION ON ANYTHING, HOW THAT ALL NEEDS TO, UM, BE IN ORDER, IN ORDER TO HAPPEN AND WORKING COMMITTEES.

UM, ON THE BACKSIDE, IT HAS OUR UPDATE, UH, UPCOMING MEETINGS.

SO OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE OCTOBER 9TH, UM, WHICH IT'LL BE IMPORTANT TO START LOOKING TO APPROVE FOR NEXT YEAR'S CALENDAR.

AND THEN, UM, ANOTHER REMINDER THAT, UM, DISTRICT FOUR IS, UM, THEY GET STILL.

SO WE'RE LOOKING TO FILL THAT IN.

TO THE NEXT, UH, ITEM OF DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU, MS. OELA.

UH, MOVING ON

[3. Presentation by Laura Esparza, Executive Director of A3 (formerly Arts Alliance of Austin), regarding an update on Doherty Arts Center Project and its tourism potential.]

UM, WE HAVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, A PRESENTATION BY, UH, MS. LAURA BARA, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A THREE, FORMERLY THE ARTS ALLIANCE OF AUSTIN, WHO'S GONNA BE SPEAKING, UH, GENERALLY ABOUT HER ORGANIZATION, UM, UH, A NEW CHANGE IN IDENTITY, NAME CHANGE, UH, AS WELL AS AN UPDATE ON THE HIR ARTS CENTER PROJECT AND IT'S POTENTIAL FOR TOURISM HERE IN AUSTIN.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, UH, LISTENING TO MY PRESENTATION.

UM, I AM LAURA ESPARZA.

I'M DIVIS, I'M, UM, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A THREE, WHICH IS A NICKNAME FOR ART ALLIANCE AUSTIN.

YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER, UM, THE, UH, DOWNTOWN ART FESTIVAL CALLED ART CITY AUSTIN DURING COVID.

LIKE SO MANY OTHER THINGS, IT WENT DARK, UM, AND IT WAS NEVER ABLE TO, UH, COME BACK, UH, BECAUSE OF MONEY, BECAUSE OF STAFFING.

UM, BUT THE BOARD KEPT THE ORGANIZATION ALIVE, UH, THE ORGANIZATION.

UM, THEN, UM, AT MY, UH, UH, PROPOSAL, UM, DECIDED TO REBRAND AS A THREE, A LOCAL, LOCAL, A NONPROFIT LOCAL ARTS AGENCY THAT'S DEVOTED TO SUPPORTING ARTISTS, MUSICIANS, PERFORMERS, AND THE CONTRACTORS WHO SUPPORT THEM, UH, WHICH IS KIND OF SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY DID BEFORE.

UH, WHAT THE NONPROFIT IS 74 YEARS OLD.

UH, AND SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE, UM, FOLLOWING ON A LONG HISTORY, A LONG LEGACY OF SUPPORTING ARTISTS.

IT IS AN ALL VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION, UH, OF PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO, UM, THE ARTS, UH, THAT THE ARTS ARE INTEGRAL TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT ALSO WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CRISIS IN ARTS FUNDING THAT WE

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SEE IN OUR CITY TO TODAY, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

ARTS ARE, UM, MANY OF OUR ICONIC, UH, ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, UH, LARGE, MIDDLE AND SMALL, ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE.

AND, UM, THE, UM, UH, A THREE AND THE, UM, INITIATIVES THAT I'M GOING TO DISCUSS TODAY ARE, UM, HERE TO ADDRESS IT.

UH, IN THAT WAY WE HOPE TO, UH, FOCUS OUR ORGANIZATION ON BEING A CA CATALYST FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER NONPROFITS WHO ARE ARTS SUPPORTERS, UM, TO, UM, UH, REALLY DISCUSS WITH THE PUBLIC, UH, THE VALUE OF THE ARTS AND THE VAL AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING THE ARTS.

SO, I'M NOT SURE THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, UH, A LOCAL ARTS AGENCY.

UM, YOU ARE, UH, FAMILIAR WITH THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION, WHICH IS A LOCAL ARTS AGENCY, BUT THERE CAN ALSO BE LOCAL ARTS AGENCIES THAT ARE NONPROFITS.

AND ACTUALLY, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THEM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THEY DO DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT ULTIMATELY, THEY ALL WORK TO SUSTAIN THE HEALTH AND VITALITY OF THE ARTS, UH, IN THEIR LOCALE.

UM, THE, UM, AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS TELL US THAT THE ARTS STRENGTHEN THE ECONOMY AND, UH, AND COM COMMUNITY COHESIVENESS.

AND IN THAT SENSE, UM, UH, WE HOPE TO SUPPORT, UH, TEXAS ECONOMY BECAUSE THE ARTS AND CULTURE BRING IN 50 59 $0.3 BILLION.

UM, IT'S A $59.3 BILLION INDUSTRY, UH, 2.5% OF THE STATE ECONOMY AND SUPPORTS 383,000 JOBS.

AND SO IT IS AN IMPORTANT, UH, INDUSTRY, UH, TO, UH, PROTECT AND, UH, DEVELOP AND SUPPORT.

UM, WE ALL KNOW THAT THE ARTS ARE, UM, A TOURISM DRIVER, UH, WHICH IS WHY I AM SPEAKING WITH YOU TODAY.

UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO, UM, CONSIDER, UH, THAT, UM, 70% OF AMERICANS AGREE THAT THE ARTS IMPROVE THE IMAGE AND IDENTITY OF THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THAT WHEN PLANNING A VACATION, UH, 53% SAY THAT THEY CONSIDER THE DESTINATION'S, ARTS AND CULTURAL EXPERIENCES.

SO, WHO IS A THREE? WELL, I TOLD YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.

WE ARE 74 YEARS OLD.

UM, AND PRESENTLY, UH, THESE ARE OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE A DIVERSE GROUP OF, UH, PROFESSIONALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WHO RUN BUSINESSES AND WHO RUN ARTS ORGANIZATIONS.

AND THOSE ARTISTS WHO PROVIDE, UM, THEIR ARTISTIC PRODUCT, WHETHER THAT'S ART EXHIBITS OR PERFORMANCES OR MUSICAL PERFORMANCES TO THE PUBLIC FOR FREE.

WHEN I STARTED THIS JOURNEY, UH, I WAS DIVISION MANAGER OF MUSEUMS AND CULTURAL CENTERS FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

I RAN, UH, THE MAC, THE CARVER, THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER, UH, AND MANY OF THE MUSEUMS, UH, AND I WAS READY TO RETIRE.

IT WAS TIME.

UH, BUT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE JUST WAITING FOR ONE BAD DAY, RIGHT? UH, AND ONE BAD DAY CAME, UH, WHEN I LEARNED THAT MY DEPARTMENT WAS CUTTING OUR BUDGETS BY ALMOST 10%.

NOW, MY STAFF WERE STILL GONNA HAVE JOBS.

OUR BUILDINGS WERE STILL GONNA BE OPEN, BUT SCORES OF ARTISTS WERE LOSING THEIR GIGS.

UM, I HAD TO LAY OFF ALMOST A HUNDRED, UH, TEMPORARY WORKERS.

WE KNOW THAT 90% OF THEM ARE ARTISTS.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, I FELT LIKE I WOULD BE A BETTER USE IF I WERE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY RAISING MONEY TO GET THESE ARTISTS THEIR JOBS BACK, THEIR GIGS BACK.

AND SO I THOUGHT ABOUT, UM, I HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT A FOUNDATION, UH, WHEN SOMEBODY SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE ON ART ALLIANCE AUSTIN.

AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, WELL, THIS IS FALLING INTO PLACE.

I CAN RAISE MONEY FOR, UM, SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT TAKES PLACE IN CITY FACILITIES, SOME OF THE ARTISTS IN PARTICULAR.

UH, BUT THEN I STARTED TALKING TO NONPROFITS AROUND THE CITY, AND I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A CRISIS HAPPENING AND THAT I NEEDED TO EXPAND MY SCOPE TO INCLUDE, UM, NONPROFITS, UH, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO FALL INTO OUR CATEGORY OF THE FUND FOR FREE AND BY THE FUND FOR FREE.

I MEAN, THAT OUR FIRST PROGRAMMING CATEGORY IS, UM, FUNDING THOSE NONPROFITS

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AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT MAKES AUSTIN SUCH A RICH CULTURAL CITY, IS THAT ANYONE CAN ACCESS THE ARTS FOR FREE.

YOU CAN GO SEE A PLAY HERE, A COUPLE OF PLAYS FOR FREE.

UM, AND THAT'S WHAT'S AT RISK RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, UM, UH, ABOUT TO LOSE IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING QUICKLY.

SO, WHILE I AM NOT FUNDING CITY FACILITIES, I AM FUNDING THE ARTISTS WHO MAY PERFORM AT CITY FACILITIES, UH, BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, IMPOSSIBLE FOR CITY STAFF TO WRITE GRANTS OR RAISE MONEY TO PAY THOSE ARTISTS.

AND, UH, AT ANY POINT IN TIME, THE CITY CAN COME ALONG AND SAY, BUDGET CUT.

SORRY, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.

UM, NEXT SLIDE.

SO, UH, OUR CATEGORIES ARE FUND FOR FREE ART, WHICH ARE THESE FUN FREE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN, UH, AUSTIN, UH, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UH, FOR YOUTH, FOR EMERGING ARTISTS, AND FOR PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS.

AND THE VISUAL ARTS FUND.

YOU KNOW, THAT THE ARTISTS WHO HANG THEIR WORK IN CITY HALL DIDN'T GET ANY, UM, ASSISTANCE WITH THE EXPENSES OF WRAPPING THEIR ARTWORK, HIRING A TRUCK OR A VEHICLE, PAYING THE GAS FOR THAT VEHICLE, BRINGING IT OVER HERE, PERHAPS HIRING, UH, A, UH, AN ASSISTANT TO HELP UNLOAD THE TRUCK OR HANG THE WORK.

AND THAT IS THE CASE AT ANY CITY BUILDING IN ALMOST ANY GALLERY.

ALMOST.

UH, SOME GALLERIES DO STIPEND THEIR ARTISTS, BUT A LOT OF THE VISUAL ARTISTS HERE GO INTO DEBT WHEN THEY INSTALL AN EXHIBIT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT IS AN AREA WHERE I FEEL LIKE WE COULD HAVE IMMEDIATE IMPACT.

SO, WHERE WILL THE MONEY COME FROM? WELL, YOU KNOW, THE USUAL SOURCES, I DIDN'T HAVE TO RAISE MONEY WHEN I WORKED FOR THE CITY, BUT PRIOR TO THAT, I WORKED IN NONPROFITS AND I RAISED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UH, THROUGH THE USUAL THINGS THAT I HAVE OVER ON THE LEFT HAND COLUMN.

BUT FUNDRAISING IN AUSTIN IS DIFFICULT, AND ALL OF THE NONPROFITS TELL ME THIS, THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE ARE, UH, VERY FEW FOUNDATIONS, UH, REALLY, THEY'VE ALWAYS DEPENDED ON THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION, EDD.

UM, AND NOW THAT THE, UM, CRITERIA HAS CHANGED FOR FUNDING, UM, MANY HAVE LOST SOME OR ALL OF THEIR FUNDING.

THERE IS NOTHING TO FALL BACK.

THERE'S NO BACKUP PLAN.

UM, OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE SMALL FOUNDATIONS.

THEY HAVE NONPROFIT, LOCAL ARTS AGENCIES.

UH, THEY HAVE A BUSINESS CONSOLE FOR THE ARTS.

AND WE HAVE NONE OF THAT INFRASTRUCTURE TO HELP SUSTAIN A HEALTHY, UH, ARTS ECONOMY HERE.

AND WHAT SUFFERS IS NOT ONLY THE ARTISTS, BUT TOURISM, AND THAT'S WHERE I'M BRINGING THIS BACK TO YOU, HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX IS VERY LIMITED IN THE BREADTH OF WHAT IT CAN FUND.

UM, AND IF YOU DON'T FALL INTO THE CRITERIA THAT IS STIPULATED BY THE CULTURAL ARTS DIVISION, THEN IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY DIVERSE FAMILIES OR HOW MANY DIVERSE ARTISTS YOU HAVE ON STAGE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET FUNDED OR YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET FUNDED THE WAY YOU USED TO BE FUNDED.

SO IT, YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE JOURNEY HAS, UM, DEVELOPED INTO A BIG IDEA THAT MAYBE WE NEED TO BUILD PUBLIC WILL TO VALUE THE ARTS, AND IN DOING SO, CHANGE THE FUTURE OF THE ARTS BY INSPIRING PEOPLE, UM, TO GIVE TO NEW PEOPLE, UH, NEW CORPORATIONS, NEW BUSINESSES TO GIVE.

SO, UH, THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER WAS WHAT I WAS ASKED TO UPDATE YOU ON.

UM, AND THERE IS A CONNECTION, I PROMISE YOU.

ON THE LEFT IS A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THE BUILDING, THE 1940S BUILDING, WHICH IS FALLING APART.

MY OFFICE USED TO BE IN THERE, AND WE USED TO JOKE ABOUT HOW MANY ANIMALS WE HAD TO GREET US WHEN WE CAME TO WORK IN THE MORNING, .

UM, SO WE HAD GOTTEN TWO BONDS.

UM, THE LAST BOND AFFORDED US, UM, THE PO THE MONEY TO PLAN, UH, A COMPLETE BUILDING.

WE WERE, WE HAD COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION

[00:15:01]

DOCUMENTS.

WE WERE READY TO GO TO PERMITTING WHEN WE WERE STOPPED, UM, BY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UM, AND THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO COMPLETE THE CONSTRUCTION.

WE HAD STARTED THE PROJECT IN 2018, AND WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020, WELL, COVID HIT AND THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION NEARLY DOUBLED.

AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR PROJECT.

UM, WE, UM, WE GOT PRICED OUT OF THE MARKET.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, CONSUL HAD ADDED A PARKING GARAGE, AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE THAT WAS NEVER A PART OF THE BOND, AND THEN ADDED ANOTHER 25 MILLION OR SO, UH, TO THE BUDGET.

IT WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE PARKING GARAGE.

SO, UM, THE, IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, UM, THE PARK DIRECTOR WHO'S NO LONGER WITH THE DEPARTMENT SUGGESTED CLOSING THE THEATER PROGRAM AND THE GALLERY PROGRAM UNTIL MORE MONEY COULD BE RAISED AND JUST, YOU KNOW, DITCHING IT UNTIL THERE COULD BE ANOTHER BOND.

OR MAYBE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, THAT WHEN THE CITY DECIDES TO SAY, WE WE'RE GONNA DO THIS NOW AND GET BACK TO IT LATER, LATER MIGHT BE 10 YEARS FROM NOW.

AND THE ARTS COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON THAT THEATER.

THE ARTS COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON THAT GALLERY.

UM, AND SO THIS IS REALLY A DISSERVICE TO THE ARTISTS.

SO NOW THE PARKING GARAGE IS NO LONGER REQUIRED, IN PART IS REDESIGNING, UH, THE BUILDING TO EXCLUDE IT.

BUT CONSUL STILL HASN'T MADE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE COMPLETED DESIGN, UM, AND ANOTHER BOND IS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE IT.

AND SO, UM, FRIENDS OF DOHERTY, UM, HAVE STARTED A PETITION IN A LOT LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN, UM, TWO CITY COUNCIL THAT YOU CAN ACCESS THROUGH THE CARD THAT I DISTRIBUTED, UH, TO YOU EARLIER.

IT'S AT FRIENDS OF DOHERTY.COM, UH, WHERE YOU CAN SIGN AN ONLINE PETITION, UH, AND GET A TEMPLATE FOR A LETTER TO COUNCIL, URGING THEM TO MAKE A DECISION TO BUILD THE, THE BUILDING THAT WAS DESIGNED, INSPIRED BY 20 DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEETINGS.

BECAUSE DURING COVID, WE COULD HAVE FOCUS GROUPS EVERY WEEK ON ZOOM, YOU KNOW, AND WE DID.

WE HAD A LOT OF FOCUS GROUPS, AND IT REALLY WASN'T FORMED, UH, BY THE PUBLIC AND BY SPECIFICALLY BY THE ARTS COMMUNITY.

SO WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL, UH, VISIT THE WEBSITE, SIGN THE PETITION, AND IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION, COME TO OUR COMMUNITY MEETING ON SEPTEMBER THE 18TH AT SEVEN P PM AT THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER.

UM, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS VERY SUPPORTIVE.

UM, THEY'RE REALLY TRYING TO BUILD THIS BUILDING.

THEY REALLY WANT IT.

AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? WELL, BECAUSE THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER TRAINS THE ARTISTS WHO WILL, UM, ENTERTAIN TOURISTS AT ALL OF OUR VENUES IN TOWN, UH, BECAUSE THEY DO OFFER EVERGREEN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS.

THEY HAVE THREE GALLERIES THERE, UM, THAT TOURISTS ACCESS.

UM, THEY PROVIDE MONTHLY PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, UH, THAT IS ADVERTISED TO TOURISTS, AND IT TRAINS PUBLIC ARTISTS WHO DO OUR MURALS AND OUR PUBLIC ARTWORK ALL OVER TOWN.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT, UH, TO KEEP THIS ENGINE OF, UH, ARTS GENERATOR, UH, GOING NEXT SLIDE.

SO, HERE'S SOME IDEAS OF HOW YOU CAN HELP.

I AM ALWAYS LOOKING FOR LEADS FOR POTENTIAL GIVERS, UH, WHICH, UH, WOULD INCLUDE GIVING A PARTY AT YOUR HOUSE OR BUSINESS AND SOLICITING DONATIONS.

I KNOW YOU CAN'T, UM, BUT TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

WORD OF MOUTH IS EVERYTHING IN CHANGING PUBLIC WILL.

UM, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS, AND, UM, THIS IS A SPECIAL INVITATION TO YOU.

I'VE JUST LEARNED THAT, UH, RANDY COHEN, WHO IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH FOR AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS, WILL BE COMING TO TOWN.

AND ON NOVEMBER 12TH, HE'S AGREED TO, UM, IS THAT MY TIME? NO, NO, SORRY.

, HE'S AGREED TO, UM, GIVE AN ADDRESS, UH, TO ART SUPPORTERS, UH, AT NOON.

UH, WE'RE HAVING THIS AT K'S NEW BUILDING, UH, UP AT THE A CC CAMPUS.

AND, UH, WE ARE, UM, ENLISTING SUPPORTERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN CHANGING AUSTIN'S CULTURE, UH, TO BE MORE, UH, UH, GENEROUS WITH THE ARTS.

UM,

[00:20:02]

THAT'S IT.

UH, HERE'S THE DETAILS ABOUT THE PARTY, THE INAUGURAL PARTY, WHICH IS TOMORROW.

SORRY FOR THE LATE NOTICE.

UH, BUT IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT PARTY AT CANOPY FROM SEVEN TO 10.

UH, YOU'LL MEET A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED, UH, LOTS OF ARTS.

WE ARE HAVING FLAMENCO AND WE'RE HAVING, UM, UH, JAZZ, AND WE'RE HAVING LOTS OF BEAUTIFUL ARTS EXPRESSIONS, UM, AT THE EVENT.

SO I HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT.

I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MRS. BARZA.

UH, DO WE HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT FOR OUR SPEAKER TODAY? COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UH, MS. ESP PERZA, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY AND SHARING YOUR STORY AND KIND OF, UH, EMPHASIZING, UM, HOW IMPORTANT ARTS ARE AND ARTISTS ARE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS.

DOES THE CITY PAY FOR THE ART DIRECTLY THAT'S IN THE FACILITIES? DO THEY PAY THEM FOR THAT? OR IS THAT MORE JUST LIKE A DONATION? 'CAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EXPENSES, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ARTISTS ARE GETTING PAID.

NO, THE CI, THE ARTISTS WHO ON DISPLAY ART IN CITY BUILDINGS DO NOT GET PAID.

DO NOT GET PAID.

COMMISSIONER REEDY, A HELLO, MRS. BARLOW.

COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

I WAS, UH, SO EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR NEW EFFORT.

UM, I THINK YOU WERE ONE OF THE MOST COMPETENT AND DEDICATED ARTS PROFESSIONALS IN AUSTIN, AND I'VE BEEN PLEASED TO BE A COLLEAGUE OF YOURS FOR A LONG TIME.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT COMES NEXT.

I JUST WANTED TO STRESS FOR THE REST OF THE COMMISSION HOW MUCH THE DOHERTY CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL ECOSYSTEM, AND CONNECT THE DOTS BETWEEN PEOPLE REHEARSING THERE, CREATING A VITAL THEATER ECOSYSTEM, WHICH THEN DRAWS PRODUCTIONS FOR COMMERCIAL FILM AND TELEVISION TO AUSTIN, BECAUSE THAT CREATES A STOCK OF ACTORS THAT CAN BE THOSE EXTRAS, THAT CAN BE THOSE ZOMBIES.

I, I HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS WHO MAKE THEIR LIVING IN BACKGROUND WORK ON COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION, AND THE ONLY REASON THEY'RE QUALIFIED TO DO THAT IS THEY WERE TRAINED AT THE DOHERTY, AND THAT GOT THEM GIGS AT THE VORTEX.

SO, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, LIKE, THESE ARE ALL INTERRELATED THINGS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TOURISM IMPACT OF A SMALL COMMUNITY PUBLIC ARTS CENTER, WE HAVE TO KNOW, OR AT LEAST REALIZE HOW IT CONTRIBUTES AND SCALES UP THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM.

SO TO LOSE THE SPACES THAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, AND THE THEATER PROGRAM AND THE GALLERY PROGRAM FROM THE DOHERTY PLANS WOULD BE A HUGE BLOW THAT WOULD TAKE A DECADE OR MORE TO RECOVER FROM, AND WOULD ULTIMATELY IMPACT OUR COMMERCIAL OR OUR ABILITY TO, TO ATTRACT COMMERCIAL PRODUCTIONS.

THE FEWER THEATER AND, AND ACTING PROFESSIONALS YOU HAVE IN A CITY, THE HARDER IT IS TO GET PRODUCTIONS HERE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA HAVE TO FLY ALL THEIR EXTRA INS FROM ATLANTA AND LA THEY WANT TO COME TO A SPACE, A, A PLACE THAT HAS A GOOD STOCK OF PROFESSIONAL EXTRAS.

AND WE GET THOSE FROM THESE GRASSROOTS SPACES, LIKE THE PUBLICLY OWNED DOHERTY.

BUT WHAT THAT DOES IS GIVE THEM THE LINE ON THEIR CV THAT SAYS, I'VE HAD A SHOW, AND THAT OPENS UP DOORS FOR FUTURE SHOWS AND NATIONAL SHOWS, AND GETTING CONSIDERED IN GALLERIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO THIS WOULD BE A HUGE LOSS IF THE DOHERTY WERE TO CLOSE AND NOT BE EFFECTIVELY REPLACED.

UM, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TELL YOU GUYS ALL ABOUT THAT.

MOST RECENT MEETINGS WAS TALKING ABOUT EVENTS AND HOW EVENTS, DRAWING EVENTS, WHAT, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO HELP REBOOT THAT AS A DESTINATION ART EVENT FOR AUSTIN, AND HOW YOUR ORGANIZATION IS, WOULD BE POTENTIALLY TIED TO THAT.

SO TRUE.

UH, JIMMY KIMMEL WOULDN'T HAVE CHOSEN THE DAC TO TAPE HIS SHOW WHEN HE CAME TO AUSTIN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE REASONS THAT YOU SPOKE OF THAT WE HAD A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE TRAINED AT THE DAC IN PRODUCTION AND COULD HELP SUPPORT THAT SHOW.

THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE.

MM-HMM, , THANK YOU.

VICE CHAIR BAILEY, YOU WERE, YOU WERE MENTIONING ABOUT THE, THE PREVIOUS AUSTIN ART DOWNTOWN ART FESTIVAL THAT I USED TO GO TO RELIGIOUS ARTS YEARS.

ART CITY AUSTIN, RIGHT? MM-HMM.

UM, I'M WONDERING ABOUT, I MEAN, I, I SEE THAT AS A DEFINITE TOURIST MAGNET AND I, NOT ONLY FOR THE PARTICIPANTS, THE ARTISTS WHO, IT SEEMED LIKE PEOPLE CAME FROM ALL OVER THAT WERE SET UP AT THAT.

I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT YOU FEEL.

IT'S WHAT WOULD BRING THAT BACK AND HOW, I MEAN, WE'VE, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, ONE OF OUR

[00:25:01]

A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

THAT'S ALL , LITERALLY.

I DON'T, IT REALLY.

I DIDN'T, SO, I MEAN, I SEE THAT'S ALL THAT, THAT'S MONEY, BUT I KNOW WHAT IT COSTS TO PRODUCE.

A LOT OF EVENTS IN HERE.

AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IS, YEAH, I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE IT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO SCRIM BUILD A FENCE LINE AROUND YOUR EVENT, DO YOU? WE, WE DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT NOW.

UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING FOR THAT KIND OF PRODUCTION.

AND, UH, GIVEN THE CLIMATE, UM, WHAT'S THE PLANNING TIME FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I MEAN, IF WE, A YEAR, IT'S A YEAR OUT.

I'M JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE ALONG WITH THIS OTHER MOST IMPORTANT ITEM THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING, THAT THE CENTER.

BUT I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT THAT.

'CAUSE WE DEFINITELY ARE THINKING ABOUT EVENTS THAT, THAT WE THINK CAN DRAW PEOPLE HERE AND PUT PEOPLE IN HOTELS AND ALL OF THAT.

SO YEAH.

I, I THINK IT'S A LOSS FOR US THAT WE'VE LOST THAT EVENT, YOU KNOW? AND MOST MAJOR CITIES HAVE THEM, YOU KNOW, AND QUITE FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ABOUT TO LOSE, UM, THE, UM, AUSTIN STUDIO TOURS.

YOU'RE ABOUT TO LOSE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK.

YOU'RE ABOUT TO LOSE THE SUMMER MUSICAL.

THERE'S A LOT OF EVENTS OUT THERE THAT ARE OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC FOR FREE, AND THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE TEETERING.

UH, THEY MAY HAVE A YEAR OR TWO LEFT.

AND SO IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING QUICKLY, THEN WE'RE GONNA LOSE A LOT MORE THAN ART CITY.

AUSTIN, THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THOSE OTHER, PARTICULARLY THE, THE EAST AND WEST SIDE STUDIO TOURS, WHICH I'VE, THEY'RE ALL SHALL MARCHING BY MY HOUSE EVERY YEAR.

SO, YES.

VICE CHAIR BAILEY, UH, COMMISSIONER MATHIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING HERE TODAY.

YOU KNOW, UH, UM, DOHERTY IS RIGHT ON MY DRIVE HOME, AND I HAVE NOTICED IT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND WONDER LIKE, WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT HAPPENED? BECAUSE MY KIDS, NOW, THEY'RE A LOT OLDER.

MY SON IS A FRESHMAN IN COLLEGE AND IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I REMEMBER WHEN THEY LOVED TO GO, DO YOU REMEMBER THE SUMMER PROGRAMS THAT WERE THERE FOR KIDS FOR ARTS? AND SO THOSE ARE SO IMPORTANT TO PARENTS TO HAVE ENRICHING ACTIVITIES IN THE SUMMER.

UM, AS A HOTELIER, I, UH, DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THAT WAS A PLACE THAT QUIT TRAINED THE, THE ARTS COMMUNITY.

CERTAINLY RIGHT NOW, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR CONVENTION CENTER COMING DOWN, ATTRACTING, UM, MORE FILM TO BE, UM, YOUR TIME.

NO, NO, THAT'S, THAT IS SUCH A, AN IMPORTANT THING IS WE REALLY TRY TO LOOK AT WHAT OTHER DRIVERS THAT WE HAVE IN ORDER TO, TO, UM, UH, BRING TOURISM TO AUSTIN.

SO, UM, I WAS, UH, WHEN I SAW ON YOUR LIST, THE SUMMER MUSICAL AND SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK, I'M SAD TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT, UM, THAT THOSE ARE IN DANGER.

THEY'RE STRUGGLING.

AND THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER, UM, AS IS NOW, UH, WELL, IT WAS FOUNDED IN, UH, THE 1970S, AND SO IT'S GOING ON 50 YEARS AS AUSTIN'S ARTS CENTER.

UM, THAT'S A LONG TIME.

UM, YOU DON'T JUST THROW SOMETHING LIKE THAT OUT THE WINDOW, YOU KNOW, IT, IT REALLY DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, UH, TO TOURISM.

YOU KNOW, THE BUILDING THAT WAS ACROSS THE STREET ON BARTON SPRINGS FROM THE DOHERTY, LIKE THE BIG THING THAT WAS VACANT LONG.

THE THING ON STILTS, I, I ALWAYS THOUGHT, LIKE, ARE THEY RELATED? ARE THEY GONNA DO SOMETHING? LIKE, WHY ARE THESE TWO IMPORTANT BUILDINGS JUST SITTING HERE? SO YOU'RE PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER FOR ME.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE DOHERTY? THE DOHERTY SITS ON A, UM, A DUMP THAT WAS PLACED THERE IN THE 1920S BY THE BUTLER BRICK FACTORY, I BELIEVE.

AND SO THAT DUMP WAS DISCOVERED THE YEAR THAT I STARTED, UH, WITH THE CITY, UH, I THINK IT WAS 2007.

UM, AND SO THE BUILDING IS SLOWLY SINKING INTO THE DUMP.

WOW.

THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

I THINK WE'RE ALL IN A ACCORD THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HER, HER, UH, RETURN TO GRANDEUR OVER THERE.

COMMISSIONER MATHIS, COMMISSIONER CHAP.

UM, JUST SOME MORE FOLLOW UP ON THE BOND FOR THE BUILDING.

IS IT BECAUSE THEY NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING? YES.

UM, AND SO EVEN WITHOUT EVEN REMOVING, LIKE THE PARKING GARAGE, IT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE.

IT'S ALL INFLATION.

GOTCHA.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL WE HAD THE MONEY IN 2018.

[00:30:01]

WELL, IT'S INTERESTING.

I THINK I'VE SPENT THE PAST YEAR KIND OF HEARING THE SAME STORY OF WE'RE LOSING OUR ARTS.

WE'RE NOT FUNDING OUR, WE'RE NOT FUNDING OUR ARTISTS.

WE'RE NOT FUNDING OUR CULTURE.

AND EVERY DAY WE MARKET IT THAT COME TO AUSTIN, ARTS, CULTURE, MUSIC, AND KIND OF DISAPPOINTED BY THE CITY AS A WHOLE, THAT WE ACTUALLY DON'T PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MARKETING MOUTH IS.

UM, THERE'S A, A SERIES ON TV RIGHT NOW CALLED THE ENGLISH TEACHER.

IT'S BASED ON AN ENGLISH TEACHER WHO WORKS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AND IT IS FILMED IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

AND I THINK, GOING BACK TO COMMISSIONER RE'S POINT, WE ARE NOT PUTTING OURSELVES IN A POSITION TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE YEARS TO COME.

AND I, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT THIS GROUP CAN, CAN DO MORE AND THAT COUNCIL CAN DO MORE, UM, TO GET THAT, THAT FUNDING WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE PUT SO MUCH OF OUR LIVELIHOOD IN TERMS OF TOURISM DOLLARS ON THESE THINGS.

AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE LOSING SO MANY FREE ART EXHIBITS TO THE PUBLIC IS JUST CRAZY TO ME.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN, UH, IMPACT THAT WE MAKE ON HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, NOT TENS OF THOUSANDS, MANY OF WHOM ARE, UH, TOURISTS.

AND, UH, WE'RE AT RISK OF BECOMING BORING.

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

THE, THE MURALS ALONE BRING IN, I MEAN, I LIVE IN, UM, IN ZILKER, BUT SOME OF THE MURALS DOWN THERE BRING A MILLION PEOPLE TO GO VISIT THEM.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY, I THINK IF PEOPLE WANT TO DO SOMETHING AND THEY SAY THEY WANT TO DO A THING.

SO I WOULD CHALLENGE THEM TO DO SOMETHING.

UM, AND I'LL CERTAINLY HELP YOU AS MUCH AS I CAN.

COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

COMMISSIONER VIDI.

UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUMP IN ON WHAT COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL SAID.

WHILE MR. ESPARZA RIGHTLY POINTS OUT THAT AUSTIN FALLS BEHIND OTHER MAJOR METROS IN CORPORATE INVESTMENT IN CULTURAL WORK, WE ACTUALLY ARE ONE OF THE TOP CITIES IN PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN CULTURAL WORK.

PER CAPITA.

AUSTIN FALLS BETWEEN 18 AND $22 PER RESIDENT FOR THE CITY INVESTMENT IN THE ARTS, WHICH IS IN THE TOP 20TH PERCENTILE.

BUT AS WE'VE SEEN IN A LOT OF THINGS, INCLUDING MY RANTING AND RAVING, WE ARE SQUANDERING MUCH OF THAT MONEY.

WE'RE NOT AIMING IT AT THE MOST IMPACTFUL THINGS.

AND IN FACT, THERE ARE NO ARTISTIC CRITERIA NOW FOR CITY ARTS FUNDING.

SO WE HAVE OBSERVED GROUPS SUDDENLY DECIDING THAT THEY WERE ARTS GROUPS GETTING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WHILE LONGSTANDING ARTS GROUPS, 50-YEAR-OLD GROUPS WHO SERVE FREE PROGRAMMING TO THE PUBLIC, LIKE THE ZORA THEATER.

REMEMBER THEY POINTED OUT THAT LIKE 45% OF THEIR AUDIENCE, THAT'S THE ONLY ARTS THEY CONSUME IN A YEAR.

THEY'RE BARELY HANGING ON BECAUSE STAFF, EDD HAS DECIDED TO MAKE IT A SOCIAL ENGINEERING PROJECT, NOT A CULTURAL ARTS AND TOURISM PROJECT.

SO, WHILE I AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE COULD USE MORE CULTURAL INVESTMENT FROM THE CORPORATE SECTOR, I DON'T WANT TO LET IT LIE THAT WE LACK FUNDING FROM THE CITY.

IT'S HOW WE DEPLOY IT.

COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER REEDY.

OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL? SO, GOING BACK, UM, YOU SAID YOU KEEP ARTISTS ON PAY, SO DO YOU GIVE THEM SALARIES OR STIPENDS KIND OF NO, THEY, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT ON CONTRACT? OKAY.

SO IT WILL BE A, UH, A ONETIME, UM, PAYMENT, UH, FOR A PERFORMANCE OR, UM, A STIPEND FOR AN EXHIBIT OR A SERVICE, UM, THAT THEY WILL THEN PERFORM, UM, WHEREVER THEY HAVE THE GIG.

SO SOME OF THOSE MIGHT INCLUDE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M TRYING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR IS THE, UH, THE TONES MUSIC SERIES AT THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH IS THE ONLY PLACE IN AUSTIN WHERE YOU CAN HEAR A VARIETY OF ASIAN MUSIC.

AND WE'VE LOST THAT UNLESS WE CAN PAY THE ARTISTS.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.

NONPROFITS IN THE ARTS, RIGHT? SO, UH, I THINK THE CONCEPT OF, UM, ARTS FUNDING NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO INCORPORATE THESE ROLES AS WELL, WHICH I THINK ARE ALSO CRITICAL TO THE VIBRANCY OF, OF THE FESTIVALS THAT THEY PRODUCE, THE INSTITUTIONS THAT THEY SUSTAIN, AS WELL AS THE, UM, THE LONGER TERM MACROECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE WORK THAT THEY, THEY DO.

IT SEEMS THAT OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE, UM, NO MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, SO I'D LIKE TO JUMP IN.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

MS. ESPARZA, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH ONCE AGAIN FOR COMING THIS AFTERNOON TO SPEAK TO, UH, A LOT OF THE PRIORITIES AS THEY FACE, UH, AUSTIN'S ART AND ARTIST COMMUNITY.

UH, AS A MUSEUM PROFESSIONAL MYSELF, UM, I CAN VERY MUCH ATTEST TO A LOT OF THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT, UH, FOLKS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY FACE, WHETHER THEY BE ARTISTS OR, YOU KNOW, CULTURAL WORKERS AS THE TERM IS NOW BEING EXPANDED TO INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD BE SECURITY GUARDS AT MUSEUMS, THEY COULD BE, UH, SUPPORT STAFF AT, UH,

[00:35:01]

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK IN THOSE FEARS.

UM, I WANTED TO BRIEFLY VISIT THE, UM, DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER, UM, CONVERSATION TO, UH, ASK YOU, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE QUESTION HERE IS, IS MONEY, RIGHT? WE NEED MORE MONEY TO COMPLETE WHAT THE COMMUNITY AND, AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY BE COMMUNITY GROUPS OR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE STATED THAT THEY WANT IN A FUTURE ARTS CENTER.

UM, IS THAT THE ONLY QUESTION ON THE TABLE IS THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT, OR IS, OR IS THE POLITICAL SUPPORT NOT THERE? I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THERE'S A, A BUREAUCRATIC ISSUE BEHIND THE DELAYS IN, IN MOVING THIS PROJECT FORWARD, OR IF THERE'S MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, DISCUSSING OR THINKING ABOUT.

IN DECEMBER OF NINE, OF 2022, COUNCIL PASSED, UH, A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO COMPLETE THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER AS PLANNED.

AND THEN THAT COUNCIL LEFT, UH, AND THEN WE HAD AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER.

UM, AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO PICK UP AGAIN ON THAT COMMITMENT THAT WAS MADE IN 2022, UH, UH, BECAUSE WHAT'S LACKING IS A DECISION FROM CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY, UH, INTEND TO BUILD THAT BUILDING THAT WAS DESIGNED AT A COST OF $4.6 MILLION, UH, WHICH HAD TWO THEATERS, THREE GALLERIES, UH, A FULL FLOOR FOR, UM, UH, ADULT ARTS EDUCATION, AND A FULL FLOOR FOR YOUTH EDUCATION, EXPANDING ALL OF THE PROGRAMMING BY A HUNDRED PERCENT.

SO IT WAS A VISIONARY BUILDING THAT WAS COMPLETE ALL THE WAY TO CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.

AND WHAT'S LACKING RIGHT NOW IS CONSUL'S WILL TO COMPLETE THE BUILDING, AND, UH, PROBABLY A $26 MILLION BOND, UH, FOR THE REST OF THE FUNDING.

I'M, I'M JUST, YOU SORT OF DOING THE MATH, BUT, YOU KNOW, INFLATION ALWAYS KIND OF, UH, MESSES WITH THE MATH.

UM, BUT, UH, YES.

SO THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THAT IS ALL RIGHT.

NOW, IT'S JUST STASIS.

IT'S, UM, IT'S GETTING COUNCIL TO OWN UP TO THAT RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED IN DECEMBER OF 2022.

I WAS A STAFF MEMBER.

REMEMBER I WAS A DIVISION MANAGER OF ALL OF THIS.

I'D BEEN INVOLVED WITH IT EVERY SINGLE DAY SINCE I STARTED WITH THE CITY IN 2007.

I HAD TO RETIRE, SO I COULD COME TELL YOU THE STORY.

, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.

AND, AND I THINK IT, IT POINTS TO A BROADER, PERHAPS CHALLENGE THAT COUNCIL AND CITY OF AUSTIN VOTERS FACE, WHICH IS HOW WE CAN EXPEDIENTLY SPEND BOND FUNDS WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, VOTE FOR THESE BONDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AROUND AT OTHER, UH, CULTURAL PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY.

WE'RE JUST FINISHING SPENDING 2012 BOND MONEY, RIGHT? 15 YEARS LATER, ALMOST.

UM, SO I THINK IT'S REALLY CRITICAL, UM, THAT WE, COUNCIL HAS MANY PRIORITIES.

SO I, I WOULD LOVE US TO BE ONE OF THEIRS AS WELL, UH, BEING SOMEONE THAT WORKS IN THE ARTS AND ALSO AUSTIN TAXPAYER, UM, AND SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN THE, THE IMPACT OF THESE CULTURE FACILITIES ON THE BROADER TOURISM ECONOMY.

GIVEN MY PERCH HERE AT THE TOURISM COMMISSION, UH, COULD YOU SPEAK TO, UH, JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THESE, YOU KNOW, BUREAUCRATIC AND QUASI POLITICAL CHALLENGES, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE OTHER ARGUMENTS FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD? UM, AND, AND WHAT ARE WE, UH, MISSING IN TERMS OF OPPORTUNITY COSTS? WHAT IS, HOW, HOW ARE WE MISSING OUT NOW, UH, WITH THE DOHERTY ART CENTER NOT BEING OPEN, UH, AND HOW CAN WE MAYBE CONTEXTUALIZE THAT, UH, AND ITS URGENCY, UH, FOR, FOR MORE OF AUSTIN TO UNDERSTAND? WELL, EVERY DAY THAT PASSES, UH, DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE BY ALMOST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN, UH, $4,500.

SO, UM, THE AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE FOR CONSTRUCTION IS EATEN UP BY INFLATION AT A RATE OF ABOUT 404,500, 4,600 A DAY.

UM, AND SO WHAT WE LOSE IT IS A BOND.

WE HAVE

[00:40:01]

TO SPEND THE MONEY ON THAT PROJECT BY VIRTUE OF THE BIDDING OF THE VOTERS, RIGHT? IT'S A GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND.

WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO SEND IT, SPEND IT ON THAT.

IF YOU SPEND IT ON, UH, WELL, IF YOU BUILD WHAT IT IS THAT WE CAN, UM, UH, AFFORD, WHICH WAS, UH, THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER'S IDEA THAT WE JUST BUILD THE SCHOOL, UM, THEN WE LOSE, UM, UM, OH, PROBABLY 20 OR SO, UH, 20 TO 25 THEATER PRODUCTIONS A YEAR.

SOME OF THOSE PRODUCTIONS ARE UNDERWRITTEN, UH, BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN THROUGH A PROGRAM THAT I HAD STARTED CALLED THE ARTIST ACCESS PROGRAM.

SO WHEN AN ARTS ORGANIZATION WAS REALLY BROKE AND DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY RENT TO THE CITY, UM, TO GIVE CITY MONEY BACK TO THE CITY, ESSENTIALLY THEY COULD, UH, APPLY FOR OUR PROGRAM FOR, UM, A, UH, A FREE PLACE TO REHEARSE AND A, A PLACE TO PERFORM AT A COST OF A DOLLAR, UM, A PERSON, A DOLLAR PER ATTENDEE.

SO ALL OF THOSE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE A PART OF THAT PROGRAM, WHO REALLY NEED THE DARITY ARTS CENTER IN ORDER TO SURVIVE AND KEEP MAKING WORK, WE'LL LOSE.

AND, UH, NOT ONLY WILL THE ARTISTS LOSE, BUT TOURISTS WILL LOSE BECAUSE IT'S LESS, UM, UH, LESS ACTIVITY FOR TOURISTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN, UH, COVID HIT AND, UH, ALL OF THESE RECIPIENTS OF, UH, CULTURAL CONTRACTS HAD TO SOMEHOW MAKE GOOD ON THEIR CULTURAL CONTRACT, BUT THEY HAD TO DO IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY COULDN'T HAVE AN AUDIENCE.

UH, WE MADE IT PO, WE CHANGED OUR THEATER INTO A SOUND STAGE, AND WE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO, UH, BROADCAST THEIR PERFORMANCES FROM THE DOHERTY STAGE SO THAT THEY COULD KEEP GOING.

UM, THIS IS THE KIND OF COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE, UH, TO KEEPING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE LIGHTS ON FOR AUSTIN'S ARTS.

UH, WE JUST HAVE TO FIND A WAY, UH, TO KEEP IT GOING.

UM, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

YEAH, NO, CERTAINLY, MRS. BARZA.

AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT I, I MAY HAVE MISSPOKEN.

I DON'T THINK YOU'RE ACTUALLY CURRENTLY CLOSED, RIGHT? IS THAT CORRECT? NO, WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY CLOSED, ALTHOUGH EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, UM, ACTUALLY EVERY DAY, UH, THERE IS A MAINTENANCE EMERGENCY AT THAT BUILDING, , IN FACT, I THINK, UH, THE CEILING FELL IN ON ONE PARTICULAR ROOM.

THE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT, SO THEY ACTUALLY, HAR HAD AN OLD DEAD TREE IN A YARD THAT THEY SKIMMED, AND THEY USED THAT OLD DEAD TREE TO PROP UP THE CEILING, UH, SO THAT THEY COULD CONTINUE, UH, USING THAT CLASSROOM.

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE ENTIRE CEILING OF THE YOUTH SCHOOL CAVED IN, UM, AFTER A STORM, AND WE HAD TO SCRAMBLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR AFTERSCHOOL POPULATION IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BUILDING.

IT WAS AN INTERESTING TIME, BUT THESE OCCURRENCES HAPPEN DAILY AS MORE PARTS OF THE BUILDING FALL INTO THE DUMP.

RIGHT.

SO JUST TO, JUST TO CLARIFY, A DEAD TREE IS HOLDING UP AUSTIN'S TOURISM ARTS ECONOMY.

YEAH, EXACTLY.

AND ON AND ON .

SO, UM, AND WE HAD SO MANY STORIES.

THERE WAS ONCE, UM, A, UH, TEACHER BROUGHT HER CLASSROOM OF STUDENTS UP TO THE COMPUTER LAB FOR THEIR ANIMATION CLASS, AND SHE OPENED THE DOOR.

IT WAS WINTER TIME, AND THERE WAS A BABY RACCOON SITTING ON EVERY COMPUTER IN THE COMPUTER LAB, AND ALL OF THE KIDS SQUEALED, AND THE TEACHERS SHUT THE DOOR VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE A MAD MAMA NEARBY, AND THESE KIDS WERE AT RISK.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THAT REALLY ILLUSTRATIVE ACCOUNT OF, UH, THE STATE OF ARTS FUNDING IN TEXAS AND, UH, RATHER IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AND, UH, ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT ON, ON TOURISM.

UH, MY LAST QUESTION REALLY DIRECTS US TOWARDS THE FUTURE.

UH,

[00:45:01]

IN 2026, THE CITY IS AIMING FOR A LARGE SUSTAINABILITY BOND.

I'LL AVOID NUMBERS, UH, BUT WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT THE DOUGHERTY ART CENTER WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS FORTHCOMING BOND IN TERMS OF CULTURAL PROJECTS? AND WHAT MIGHT WE ENVISION, UM, THE PROJECT THAT IS ULTIMATELY FUNDED, UH, AT THE DOUGHERTY? WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? WELL, I HEAR THAT THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED, UH, BUT WE THINK THAT CITY COUNCIL NEEDS A LITTLE NUDGING.

UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THE TEMPLATE FOR A LETTER TO CITY COUNCIL.

YOU CAN CHANGE IT IF YOU LIKE, BUT IT EXISTS ON THE FRIENDS OF DOHERTY, UM, WEBSITE.

UH, YOU CAN ADAPT THAT LETTER AND SEND IT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER.

UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE PROBABLY, TYPICALLY THE PARK PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS AN APPETITE FOR A $25 MILLION BOND.

UM, THEY OFTEN WILL LIKE, PUT THAT NUMBER ON A BOND WITHOUT, UH, A LOT OF RESEARCH.

UM, BUT THEY'VE LEARNED THEIR LESSON, AND WE EXPECT THAT THEIR, THE, THE NEXT BOND, MONEY BOND NUMBER THAT THEY COME UP WITH IS GOING TO BE MORE, UM, REALISTIC IN TERMS OF COMPLETING THIS BUILDING.

UH, WE HAD ALREADY PERFORMED VALUE ENGINEERING WHEN WE COMPLETED OUR, UM, OUR CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS.

UM, AND THE WHOLE TEAM IS STILL ON BOARD.

THEY'RE NOT WORKING OR BEING PAID RIGHT NOW, BUT ALL OF THE ARCHITECTURAL TEAM AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS STUCK WITH THE PROJECT AND IS READY TO GO THE MOMENT THEY SAY GO.

SO THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT, UM, COUNCIL MAY ALLOW THE BUILDING TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, EVEN AS EARLY AS NEXT YEAR, AND BUILD AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH THE 20 MILLION THAT WE HAVE LEFT.

AND THEN WE HOPE AT THAT POINT, UM, ANOTHER BOND, UH, WOULD FALL INTO PLACE, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF THE REST OF THE BUILDING.

THAT'S A BIG RISK.

UM, AND THERE ARE SOME LIABILITIES, OBVIOUSLY, UM, TO TAKING THAT KIND OF RISK.

BUT, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION.

WELL, IF THERE ARE NO MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION, UH, OH, ACTUALLY WE HAVE ONE MORE FROM COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.

UH, THINGS POP INTO MY BRAIN AS WE WE CHAT.

UM, ARE YOU OPEN TO MAJOR DONORS IN TERMS OF LIKE, NAMING RIGHTS ON A BUILDING, ANYTHING OF, OF THOSE SORTS, OR MUST IT BE CITY FUNDING? AND THEN ALSO WHO OWNS THE PARKING LOT THERE? I KNOW IT'S SHARED WITH BUTLER PARK, UM, RIGHT.

AND SO I GO TO THAT PARK.

I HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN.

UM, PARKING IS, IS PRETTY TIGHT OVER THERE.

IT'S USUALLY FILLED WITH CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, PARKING IN THE HANDICAP SPOTS.

UM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THOSE TWO THINGS? LET ME TALK ABOUT THAT FIRST.

UM, SO WHAT IS BEING CONTEMPLATED RIGHT NOW IS THAT, UM, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT OWNS A BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SITE.

THAT SITE IS, UM, THE FIRST BALL FIELD BEHIND, UH, PARD MAIN AND THE, UM, THE ZAC, YOU KNOW, THAT FIRST BASEBALL FIELD.

THAT'S THE LOCATION THAT WE HAVE BEEN DESIGNING FOR.

AND SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS.

IT HASN'T BEEN, YOU KNOW, SET IN STONE THAT TRANSPORTATION MAY BE WILLING TO, UH, REBUILD ON THEIR PROPERTY, UM, TO INCLUDE A PARKING GARAGE, UH, THAT COULD SERVE US, THE ZAC, THE DAC, YOU KNOW, ZILKER PARK, WHAT HAVE YOU.

UM, AND THAT THEY MAY GO OUT TO A BOND WHERE THAT, UH, AS WELL, UM, THAT WHOLE AREA NEEDS A PARKING SOLUTION, UM, BECAUSE OF THE ACTIVITY IN THE PARK.

UM, BUT IT, AND THERE'S A HOMELESS CAMP BEHIND THE TREES, WHICH IS REALLY FUN WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING WITH YOUR KIDS.

YEAH, YEAH.

THERE ARE BETTER PLACES.

THE, THE, THE, UH, A ISD THAT USES THOSE LOTS, UH, AGREES THAT THERE ARE BETTER PLACES TO HAVE BASEBALL FIELDS, UM, AND AGREED TO MOVE THEIR ACTIVITY SOMEWHERE ELSE.

UM, BUT, UM, THE BURDEN OF TRYING TO SOLVE, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S PARKING ISSUES SHOULDN'T BE HUNG AROUND THE D'S NECK.

NO, NO, NO.

'CAUSE IT WILL KILL THE PROJECT.

IT DID KILL THE PROJECT.

WE'RE LOSING OUR ARTISTS AND WE'RE LOSING OUR FUTURE.

SO, UM, YEAH.

THE ISSUE IS THAT

[00:50:01]

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND WHAT WAS THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION? OH, UM, MAJOR DONORS.

OH, YES.

IS THERE MAJOR DONORS FOR NAMING RIGHTS? UM, HAVE, LIKE, IS LIVE NATION DONATE DONATES TO THE ART ALLIANCE? AUSTIN? ARE THEY A FUNDER? NOT YET.

NO, NOT YET.

BUT YOU'VE SPOKEN WITH THEM.

UH, WE, YOU KNOW, LAUNCH IS TOMORROW , SO WE HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE.

YOU'RE GETTING THERE.

NO, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK ABOUT WAYS AROUND, UM, BONDS.

AND SO WITH THE CITY, IT'S A LITTLE, IT'S A LITTLE TRICKY.

UH, SO UNLESS THERE WERE A MAJOR DONOR WHO CAME FORWARD WITH $25 MILLION, UM, THE CITY PROBABLY WOULD NOT SAY NO.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO MATCHING THAT, SEE, THE, THE, THE RULE IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL YOUR MONEY UP FRONT, UM, FOR, UM, YOUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, OR AT LEAST THAT PHASE OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

SO, UM, IF THERE WERE A MAJOR DONOR WHO CAME FORWARD WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, $25 MILLION, UH, THAT COULD MATCH THE 20, UH, FIVE THAT WE STARTED OUT WITH, THEN, UH, YEAH, THE CITY WOULD PROBABLY FIND A WAY AS LONG AS IT WAS BEFORE THE START OF CONSTRUCTION.

IF IT'S AFTER, BECAUSE I WORKED WITH A NONPROFIT OF FRIENDS OF THE DOHERTY, UH, WHO WERE CHARGED WITH RAISING MONEY, UH, CAPITAL DOLLARS, UH, TO HELP THE CITY BUILD THIS.

BUT THE REALITY IS, UM, FIRST OF ALL, A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS, UM, THREE ACTUALLY, UH, WITH NO FUNDRAISING EXPERIENCE, UH, WAS NOT GONNA HAVE THE CAPACITY TO RAISE $25 MILLION.

AND WHEN THEY CONSULTED WITH A, UM, A CAPITAL FUNDRAISING FIRM TO FIND OUT, WELL, DO YOU THINK THE MONEY EXISTS? IT WAS ALWAYS, UM, VERY CAUTIONARY.

UM, BECAUSE MAJOR FUNDERS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING THIS BUILDING BEFORE THEY GIVE A MAJOR GIFT.

THEY WANNA SEE A COMMITMENT.

AND SO IT WAS A CATCH 22.

WE COULDN'T RAISE MONEY TO COMPLETE THE BUILDING BECAUSE THE CITY REALLY WASN'T EXPRESSING THAT IT WAS GOING TO, THAT IT WAS GOING TO COMPLETE IT AND BUILD IT.

AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS, UH, LETTER WRITING AND PETITION CAMPAIGN TO GET A COMMITMENT FROM COUNCIL THAT WOULD HELP WITH PRIVATE FUNDRAISING.

WHAT WE FINALLY WORKED OUT WAS, UM, A MENU OF, UH, ADD-ONS OF ADD ALTERNATES, ESSENTIALLY, UM, THAT COULD BE FUNDED BY FRIENDS OF THE DAC IF THEY RAISED THE MONEY.

UM, BUT IF THEY DIDN'T RAISE THE MONEY, THEN THOSE ITEMS MIGHT NOT BE MISSED.

WE COULD DO WITHOUT SOLAR POWER, FOR EXAMPLE.

OR WE COULD DO WITHOUT NICE FURNITURE IN THE PATIO SURE.

OR THAT KIND OF THING.

ALL RIGHT.

NO, THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH EXPLANATION.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

AND MAY I ADD, AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN FUNDRAISING IN THE ARTS, IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY ALWAYS GONNA BE DIFFICULT, AND EVERYONE'S ALWAYS GONNA SAY THERE'S FUNDRAISING'S HARD, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE CREATIVITY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY HELPS DRIVES US AND THE ARTS THEMSELVES.

AND, UM, I I JUST WANNA POINT TO THAT, THAT AUSTIN HAS BEEN A LEADER IN FUNDRAISING FOR THINGS OUTSIDE OF ITS BUDGET, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE A, A TRUST FUND FOR HOUSING.

UM, COULD WE NOT HAVE A TRUST FUND FOR THE ARTS AS WELL? I THINK THESE ARE NOT FARFETCHED IDEAS AND IN FACT, HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED, UH, IN FACT BY OUR CURRENT MAYOR.

UH, SO WHAT I, WHAT I JUST WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIND FUNDING SOLUTIONS FOR, UH, THE CITY THAT DON'T JUST LIE WITHIN HOT TAXES OR WITHIN BONDS, OR WITHIN THE GENERAL BUDGET, BUT ALSO WITHIN, UH, YOU KNOW, PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PRIVATE, UM, MARKET.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE CAN DEFINITELY, UM, SHOW MORE SAVVY IN HELPING SUPPORT OUR ART TOURISM ECONOMY, AS WELL AS, UH, REALLY BUILD, UM, AND STRENGTHEN THESE INSTITUTIONS.

'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST BUILDING THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER, IT'S ALSO SUSTAINING ITS OPERATIONS AS WELL, WHICH IS A WHOLE NOTHER QUESTION.

RIGHT.

UM, AND, UH, ANYWAY, I, I KNOW I'M KIND OF NERDING OUT AT THIS POINT.

BUT, UM, MRS. BARZA, IF YOU HAVE ANY LAST COMMENTS.

UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I WANNA SAY SOMETHING OUTRAGEOUS, UH, , IF I HAVEN'T ALREADY SAID SOMETHING OUTRAGEOUS.

UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, OTHER CITIES, UH, UH, TREAT THEIR HOT

[00:55:01]

TAX DIFFERENTLY.

UM, AND, UM, IF WE HAD 3% FOR ARTS OR 5% FOR ARTS, THIS WOULD BE, THIS CONVERSATION WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING.

I MEAN, I KNOW ALL THAT IS INVOLVED IN THAT.

UH, BUT, UH, A VISION FOR THE FUTURE, PERHAPS THAT, UH, MAYBE THERE COULD BE AN EXTRA PERCENTAGE POINT.

UM, THERE IS AN OPENING ON THE TOURISM COMMISSION, , WE COULD USE A LITTLE HELP ON COLLECTING THOSE HOT .

UM, WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. UH, ESPARZA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON, AS WELL AS, UH, BRINGING ATTENTION TO A THREE AS WELL AS THE DOUGHERTY ART CENTER TO OUR ATTENTION.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

[4. Discussion regarding the vacancy of District 4.]

MOVING ON TO .

THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL FOR BRINGING ATTENTION TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS ACTUALLY REGARDING THIS VACANCY THROUGH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELAS OFFICE.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS TO FOLKS', UM, UH, ATTENTION BECAUSE I THINK IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY CRITICAL THAT WE, YOU KNOW, BRING ATTENTION TO A VACANCY THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR THREE MONTHS SINCE, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE STEPPED OFF THE DAIS.

UH, I THINK IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE, UM, ARE FULLY, UM, ENGAGED AND THAT INCLUDES, UH, ALSO BRINGING AN EXTRA MEMBER TO THIS COMMISSION.

SO I WANTED TO, UM, CALL ATTENTION TO THIS.

IF Y'ALL HAVE IDEAS, UM, I'D, I'D LOVE TO GO, UM, SPEAK WITH COUNCIL MEMBER VILLA'S OFFICE, UH, WITH SOME FOLKS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE IN MIND.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN OPEN FLOOR AS WELL IN CASE WE HAVE THOUGHTS ON, UM, WHAT ATTRIBUTES WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN AN ADDITIONAL COUNCIL MEMBER RATHER, UH, COMMISSIONER ON THE DAIS.

UH, BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, JUST A REMINDER TO COMMISSIONERS TO PLEASE HAVE YOUR MIC TURNED OFF WHEN YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING.

ANY THOUGHTS? COMMISSIONER PENOC? HAVE WE SPOKEN WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BELLA'S OFFICE REGARDING THE VACANCY? NOT YET, BUT I, I DID WANNA HAVE THIS OPEN CONVERSATION TO SEE IF THERE MIGHT BE SOME IDEAS WE COULD BRING TO THAT CONVERSATION.

COMMISSIONER CHAPEL.

SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT JUST INTO LIKE, THE TYPE OF PERSON? I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT, UH, EITHER WORKS IN THE INDUSTRY.

UM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S SOMEONE FROM LIKE THE OPERATIONS SIDE COMMISSIONER CAN, CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT INDUSTRY YOU'RE, YOU'RE SPEAKING TO? WELL, WHETHER IT'S, UM, TELEVISION, MOVIES, UH, SOME OF THE FESTIVALS, THOSE I THINK SOMEONE THAT HAS INSIGHT INTO, INTO THAT AREA COULD BE USEFUL FOR THE GROUP IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE CREATE A VIBRANT ECONOMY, UH, FOR WORKING PROFESSIONALS IN THIS FIELD THAT BENEFITS TOURISTS AS WELL AS AS LOCALS HERE IN AUSTIN.

COMMISSIONER PEN.

UH, I'D PROBABLY LIKE TO ADD TO THAT, UH, SKILLSET, MAYBE SOME, UH, EXPERIENCE WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR, UH, IN AN INDUSTRY THAT'S GOT TOURISM HAPPENING, BUT SOME KIND OF FINANCIAL EXPERIENCE, UM, SOME BACKGROUND AND HOW TO, UM, STIMULATE THE ECONOMY.

I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING.

SORRY, .

I KNOW WHEN, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER MCGEE LEFT, SHE DID EXPRESS THAT SHE WOULD LIKE, UM, SOMEONE ON THE COMMISSION TO CONTINUE TO REPRESENT, UH, THE PERSPECTIVE OF LABOR, UH, IN GENERAL.

UM, YOU KNOW, STAGE HANDS, UH, FOLKS BEHIND THE SCENES IN PRODUCTIONS, UH, PLANNING.

UM, SO MAYBE THAT'S ALSO A CONSIDERATION.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? ALRIGHT, WE'LL, UM, GO AHEAD AND TAKE THIS TO COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.

EXCUSE ME, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA'S OFFICE FOR, UM, FURTHER DISCUSSION.

UH, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND SOMEONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR THAT CAN HELP FILL THIS VACANCY, UH, AND WE CAN BE BACK UP TO 11 MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.

SAID, WE NOW MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, DISCUSSION REGARDING THE TOURISM COMMISSION ROADMAP ON UPCOMING TOPICS.

WITH THAT

[5. Discussion regarding the Tourism Commission Road Map on upcoming topics.]

SO IN YOUR PACKET BEFORE YOU, YOU WILL SEE THIS

[01:00:01]

PIECE OF PAPER, WHICH, UH, DETAILS THE FORTHCOMING TOPICS OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION AS LAID OUT EARLY.

UH, THIS YEAR, I BELIEVE ACTUALLY LAST YEAR, THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE LAID THIS OUT.

UM, WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH PRETTY QUICKLY.

UM, AS TIME DOES CERTAINLY FLY, UH, I WANTED TO PUT THIS IN FRONT OF THE TOURISM COMMISSION, UH, ONE TO JUST DO A GENERAL, UM, CHECK-IN, UM, UH, ABOUT, UH, ADDITIONAL TOPICS THAT WE MAY WANT TO SEE MOVING FORWARD.

UM, THE OCTOBER 9TH MEETING IS ACTUALLY KIND OF FULL UP ON SPEAKERS, AND, AND THIS HASN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE THEN.

BUT JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE HISTORY CENTER, UM, WHICH IS THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY AS WELL AS THE UMLA, UM, COMING TO SPEAK AT THE NEXT MEETING.

AND FROM THE STAFF SIDE, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A COMMITMENT FROM, UH, KARA BERTRAN, WHO YOU MAY REMEMBER AS THE, UH, STAFFER IN PRESERVATION BEHIND THE EQUITY-BASED PRESERVATION PLAN.

UM, WHO WILL SPEAK BRIEFLY TO HOW THAT PLAN IS UNFOLDED.

UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, BEYOND OCTOBER, WE'VE GOT, UH, ONE MORE MEETING, UM, THAT, UH, CAPS OFF OUR YEAR OF TOURISM COMMISSION MEETINGS.

UM, THERE IS, UH, A CHOICE THAT WE'VE LEFT ON THE CALENDAR FOR NO PROPOSED MEETING IN DECEMBER.

UH, IF THE COMMISSION SO DESIRES, UH, WE CAN CONSIDER HAVING A MEETING ON THAT DATE AND PUSHING FORTH AN ADDITIONAL, UH, TOPIC, UH, TO CLOSE THE YEAR.

UM, BUT ALSO I WANTED TO USE THIS TIME AS WELL TO, UH, GIVE COMMISSIONERS A, A SPACE TO PROPOSE ANY OTHER TOPICS THEY'D LIKE TO SEE COME FORTH TO THE COMMISSION.

COMMISSIONER PENOC YET, UM, I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON, UH, THE DECEMBER 11TH MEETING.

I, I WOULD SUGGEST AND RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE A MEETING AND MAYBE NOT SCHEDULE ANY SPEAKERS, BUT GIVE US TIME, UM, TO DISCUSS AMONGST OURSELVES AND PREP FOR MAYBE, UH, THE NEXT YEAR'S ROADMAP.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER PENOC.

ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE ROADMAP? COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL, UH, TO PIGGYBACK ON COMMISSIONER, UH, PENOC, I DO THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO MEET IN DECEMBER AND KIND OF TALK ABOUT THESE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

AND I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT KIND OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AS PART OF OUR ROADMAP PREVIOUSLY.

UM, AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ADD OR TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET, UM, FOOD PERMIT FOOD, UM, WHAT IS THE TERM, LIKE YOUR RESTAURANT GRADE DISPLAYED ON THE SITE ITSELF? SIMILAR TO OTHER LARGE, UH, METROPOLITANS HEALTH INSPECTIONS.

HEALTH INSPECTIONS.

YEAH, SO HAVING THE HEALTH INSPECTION VISIBLE, UM, ON THE BUILDING ON THE DOOR, UH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD USEFUL, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM CONSIDERING THE FOOD CULTURE AND WHATNOT AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECTS THAT WE'LL BE REVIEWING.

, UM, YEAH, THAT'S AN IDEA.

WE COULD ALSO INCLUDE THAT ON, UM, WE DO HAVE A TOURISM AND WELLNESS TOPIC AS PROPOSED FOR NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

MAYBE WE CAN PUT IT INTO THAT TOPIC, BUT MAYBE IT WARRANTS ITS OWN MEETING AS WE TALK ABOUT THE CULINARY INDUSTRY AS IT RELATES TO TOURISM AT A FUTURE MEETING.

UM, THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER TOPICS, COMMISSIONER REEDY? WELL, ONE, I WANTED TO SAY I AGREE WITH A DECEMBER MEETING.

UM, AND ALSO DID YOU SAY THAT WE ARE FULL UP ON OCTOBER 9TH? UH, WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE.

WELL, I JUST WANTED TO SUGGEST, UM, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT THE TYPE OF DISTRICT THAT YOU INTENDED ON THIS ROADMAP, BUT YOU KNOW WHO SOMEBODY WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM AT, I DON'T THINK EVER IS THE, UH, BLACK CULTURAL DISTRICT SIX SQUARE.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR MORE FROM OF WHAT THEY'RE UP TO.

MAYBE THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF THE ROADMAP DOWN THE ROAD, BUT I JUST WANNA THROW IT OUT THERE.

NO, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

WE WOULD GENERATE MORE IDEAS.

MY SARAH BAILEY.

I JUST WANNA REMIND US THAT IN OUR MEETING NOTES FROM JULY, WE HAVE A VARIETY OF TOPICS THAT WE DISCUSSED FOR THE ROADMAP.

SO WE MIGHT WANNA REFER BACK TO THE NOTES FOR SOME OF THOSE TOPICS SO THAT WE'RE NOT REPEATING OURSELVES ON SOME OF THEM.

I PURPOSELY DID THAT SO

[01:05:01]

WELL, THE ONES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DON'T INCLUDE THESE, SO I'M JUST POINTING US BACK TO 'EM.

'CAUSE MOST OF THEM HAVE TO DO WITH EXPANDING CONVENTION CENTER VISIT AUSTIN AND WHAT THE MARKETING CAMPAIGNS WILL BE TO DEVELOP TOURISM.

I MEAN, WE NEED TO KEEP THOSE THINGS, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST TWO TO THREE MEETINGS A YEAR.

I THINK DEFINITELY NEED TO BE US FOCUSING ON THE CORE ASSETS OF THE TOURISM COMPONENTS OF OUR CITY AND WHAT THEY'RE UP TO.

AND I THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THEIR TIMING, GET A BETTER SENSE FOR WHEN WE KNOW THEY'VE GOT FUNDING SO THAT WE GIVE THEM TIME TO DEVELOP THE PLAN.

WE, I THINK WE SOMETIMES GO IN AT THINGS BASED AD HOC AND WE FIND OUT THEIR, THE TIMING'S OFF, RIGHT? SO MAYBE WE SHOULD INVESTIGATE WHEN WILL THE VISIT MARKETING HAVE THEIR NEW MARKETING PLAN AND THEIR BUDGET IN PLACE, AND WHEN CAN WE GET A BRIEFING ON WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO WITH IT, YOU KNOW, AND THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND THE CONVENTION CENTER GOING DOWN, BEING DECOMMISSIONED IN MARCH AFTER SOUTH BY.

JUST, WE CAN PUT THOSE THINGS LOOSELY INTO OUR ROADMAP SO THAT WE'RE TIMING THEM.

THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING IT BACK AROUND.

I MEAN, I DON'T, THESE AREN'T URGENT FROM, FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.

I'M SURE CERTAIN OF IT, BUT WHERE WE PLACE THEM IN NEXT YEAR'S ROADMAP MIGHT BE IMPORTANT.

VICE CHAIR BAILEY, COMMISSIONER CHAPPEL.

SO VICE CHAIR BAILEY, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, SO THE VISIT AUSTIN CAME AND TALKED ABOUT THEIR NEW, UM, RIGHT.

NATIONAL MARKETING PLAN.

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT KIND OF A RIGHT, A REVISIT, LET'S SAY.

WHAT ARE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THAT AND OR AN ANNUAL, AN ANNUAL BRIEFING? I MEAN, THEY, THEY DO THE PROCESS EVERY YEAR FOR SURE.

SO WE GOT A BRIEFING OF WHAT THEY'RE UP SO TO THE POINT, I'M NOT BRINGING THEM BACK TOO SOON WHERE WE, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NEW, BUT LIKE THEY'RE IN AN, I'M SURE THERE'S GOING TO BE A CERTAIN TIME IN PLACE WHERE THEIR EFFORTS ARE SHIFTING BECAUSE THE CONVENTION CENTER GOES DOWN.

AND I JUST THINK THAT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNE TIME TO HEAR.

I THINK WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HEAR WHERE THEY'RE AT.

FOR HELPING US MAKE QUORUM EVERY MEETING, UH, EXCEPT FOR ONE, UM, THAT WE HAD TO STOP SORT OF MIDWAY WHEN I WASN'T IN TOWN.

NO, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH, YEAH, WE WANNA STAY CONNECTED WITH RESULTS.

STAY CONSISTENT.

YEAH, EXACTLY RIGHT.

GREAT IDEA.

THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.

AND TO THAT END, UH, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A MEMBER OF THE CITY FINANCIAL TEAM TO COME BACK AND DISCUSS, UH, HOW THINGS ARE GOING WITH THE HOT TAX, UM, IN TERMS OF ITS DISTRIBUTION ACROSS CITY PROGRAMS. I, I INTENDED TO GET THAT FOR THIS MEETING AND UNFORTUNATELY IT JUST DIDN'T WORK OUT.

UM, SO WITH MORE PRE-PLANNING, WE WILL, WILL MAYBE EVEN GET THAT ON THE OCTOBER 9TH MEETING, ALTHOUGH THAT IS BECOMING, UM, A LOT .

UM, BUT, UH, CONSIDERING THAT THE NEW BUDGET HAS JUST BEEN PASSED AND WE'RE ENTERING INTO THE NEW FISCAL YEAR OF THE CITY, UM, IT, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD REMINDER BY, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, JUST WHAT WE'VE GOT IN STORE FOR NEXT YEAR IN TERMS OF THE PROGRAMS, UM, AND ALLOCATIONS OF THE HOT TAX, UH, AND WHAT IT SUPPORTS.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.

COMMISSIONER PEN? UH, I THINK THAT WAS A, A GOOD POINT YOU MADE ABOUT THE BUDGET AND, AND REVISITING, UM, WITH FINANCE.

I WOULD HATE TO PACK TOO MUCH INTO IT WHERE OUR FOCUS ISN'T ENTIRELY ON THE, UH, SPEAKERS, UH, OR TOO MUCH DATA COMING AT US.

SO MAYBE IF IT'S POSSIBLE WE CAN MOVE SOME SPEAKERS TO A LATER DATE THAT AREN'T AS TIMELY.

UH, YES, WE'LL CERTAINLY GIVE THAT CONSIDERATION.

UH, COMMISSIONER, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? COMMISSIONER MATHIS? UM, I DO AGREE WITH ANNA THAT I THINK IT MIGHT BE GREAT TO HAVE A MEETING WITH NO SPEAKERS TO, PARTICULARLY IF WE'RE GOING TO, UM, START LOOKING AT NEXT YEAR AGENDAS AND REVISITING ALL OF THE IDEAS THAT WE HAD BEFORE AND WHAT OUR PROGRESS ON THEM ARE.

UM, AS FOR, UM, LIKE VISIT AUSTIN, I BELIEVE, UM, THERE'S AN ANNUAL MEETING THIS MONTH, SO IT'S ABOUT THE TIME WHERE PROBABLY THEY WOULD BE PRETTY EASY FOR THEM TO COME IN AND GIVE A PRE PRESENTATION, UM, ON, UH, SOME UPDATES ON THE CENTER FOR NEXT YEAR.

THAT'S IN THAT PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE IS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

MS. UH, VICE CHAIR, IT'S NEXT WEDNESDAY.

THE ANNUAL, THE ANNUAL TOURISM LUNCHEON IS NEXT WEDNESDAY.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO, UH, ANOTHER ITEM THAT I THINK IS, UM, IMPORTANT TO GET A HEAD START ON IS THE TIME AND DAY OF OUR MEETINGS FOR 2025.

UH, IT HAS SEEMED THAT THIS TIME IS AMENABLE TO MOST AND I JUST WANT TO THANK FOLKS

[01:10:01]

BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION AND, AND SHOWING UP TO THESE MEETINGS.

'CAUSE IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE, UM, ONE, ACTUALLY HAVE THE LOGISTICS OF A MEETING, BUT ALSO, UH, MORE IMPORTANTLY CARRY THE CONVERSATION AROUND TOURISM FORWARD, UH, HERE IN AUSTIN.

UH, THAT SAID, HOW ARE WE FEELING ABOUT WEDNESDAYS DURING THE DAY? UM, WOULD WE LIKE TO CONSIDER ANOTHER DAY OF THE WEEK, ANOTHER TIME OF THE DAY? I WAS GONNA SAY, I THINK WE'VE ALL BUILT OUR SCHEDULES AROUND THIS BY NOW, SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF WE COULD KEEP SOME CONTINUITY ON THAT.

ALRIGHT.

UH, SO HEARING NO CHANGES FROM THE STATUS QUO OR SUGGESTIONS THEREIN, UH, MS. OJEDA, IF IT'S POSSIBLE, UM, TO START LOOKING AROUND FOR DATES, UH, AND I WOULD IMAGINE COUNCIL CHAMBERS IS PREFERABLE JUST FOR CONSISTENCY SAKE AND CENTRALITY TO AUSTIN.

UM, IF IT WOULDN'T BE TOO EARLY, WE'D LOVE TO GET ON THAT TRAIN OF, UM, GETTING ON THE CALENDAR NOW.

UM, SO THAT WON'T HAPPEN UNTIL NOVEMBER WHEN EVERYONE GETS THEIR INFORMATION IN.

UM, ALSO THIS WILL NEED TO BE AN ACTION ITEM SO WE CAN GET THIS APPROVED AND THEN I CAN MOVE FORWARD.

WONDERFUL.

WELL, WE'RE EVEN EARLY BEFORE THAT, SO THAT'LL BE ON OUR MEETING AGENDA, NEXT MEETING IN OCTOBER.

UH, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, GUYS, WE'RE SUPER ON TOP OF IT AND THAT'S HOW I LIKE TO BE AS A COMMISSION.

SO THANK YOU FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THAT, UM, MODUS OPERANDI.

UM, ALL RIGHT, SO HEARING NO MORE ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS ON THE TABLE, I NOW MOVE ON TO DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. DISCUSSION,

[6. Discussion and possible action to reestablishment of the Short- Term Rental Work Group and its potential priorities and next steps.]

UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX.

SO WE DID, WHICH IS TO, UH, REESTABLISH A SHORT TERM RENTAL, UM, WORK GROUP.

UM, WE DID TECHNICALLY DO THIS, UM, LAST MEETING, HOWEVER, UH, IT WAS NOT UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, IT WAS UNDER DISCUSSION ITEMS. AND SO NOW WE HAVE TO DO IT AS A DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM IN ORDER TO FORMALLY MAKE, UM, A MOTION AS A COMMISSION TO REESTABLISH THE WORKING GROUP.

SO WITH THAT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HEAR A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO REESTABLISH THE SHORT TERM RENTAL WORKING GROUP AND ANY DISCUSSION THEREIN THAT ENSUES.

SO MOVED.

SO MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CHAN.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND.

UH, I THINK I SAW COMMISSIONER REEDY, BUT I'LL GIVE IT TO COMMISSIONER SHAPEY TO SAY HELLO.

AND WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU TODAY.

, UH, DISCUSSION COMMISSIONER CHAPO.

SO I GUESS THAT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE OFFICIAL.

'CAUSE I ALREADY SENT SOME EMAILS TRYING TO GET SOME MEETINGS, UH, WITH PEOPLE , BUT I THOUGHT WE WERE OFFICIAL LAST TIME.

UM, YEAH, NO, I THINK WE DEFINITELY SHOWED, ESPECIALLY GIVING AND THE TOPICS THAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY, AND THIS KIND OF TIES INTO THE ARTS AND MUSIC COMMISSION AROUND SETTING UP A, A SEPARATE FUND, UM, FOR ARTS AND, AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES.

SO I THINK WE, IT'D BE GOOD TO GET CONVERSATIONS GOING BACK ON AGAIN.

I WAS ACTUALLY SHOCKED THAT WE DIDN'T GET ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED IN 2024 FROM CITY COUNCIL.

SO I WILL VOICE MY DISAPPOINTMENT ON THAT AND HOPE THAT WE CAN GET SOMETHING GOING FOR NEXT YEAR.

AND I KNOW IT'S NOT, UH, POPULAR TO SAY THESE THINGS, BUT THIS IS HOW I FEEL AND I FEEL LIKE WE COULD'VE GOT IT DONE.

SO I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF AND, AND OTHERS AROUND THIS CITY THAT WE DIDN'T, BUT I'LL KEEP TRYING.

COMMISSIONER CIA A QUESTION.

WHO, WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE? IS IT THE SAME PEOPLE AS LAST TIME OR DID WE VOTE ON THAT? I DON'T, I I TECHNICALLY DON'T REMEMBER, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS IN THE MINUTES.

SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

IT WAS NOT GREAT QUESTION.

COMMISSIONER IAN.

UM, WITH THAT, UH, WOULD WE LIKE IN THE SAME BREADTH OF ESTABLISHING THE SHORT-TERM

[01:15:01]

RENTAL COMMITTEE, UH, TO SELECT THE MEMBERS OF THIS WORK GROUP I, COMMISSIONER CIA? MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE FOR THE SAME PEOPLE TO BE IN THE WORKING GROUP BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY WORKED ON, UH, THESE IDEAS.

UM, BUT I'M OPEN FOR DISCUSSION ON IT.

AND SINCE, UM, COMMISSIONER HELP ME, CHAPPEL, CHAPPEL , UM, SAID THAT HE HAD SOME COMMUNICATION AND I DON'T RECALL SEEING ANY OF IT.

AND I WAS IN THE OLD COMMITTEE.

MAYBE YOU CAN SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHO YOU THINK SHOULD BE IN THAT COMMITTEE.

OH, YEAH, NO, AND JUST ON THE EMAILS, I DIDN'T WANT TO ADD TOO MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE THEN IT TR I, I'VE GOTTEN MY WRIST SLAPPED ABOUT TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THE EMAIL CHAIN.

SO, UM, QUORUM.

YEAH, QUORUM.

AND SO THAT WAS THE REASON WHY YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THOSE? THEY WERE JUST REQUESTS FOR MEETINGS, UH, BOTH TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AS WELL AS THE, UM, CITY MANAGER TO BRING THEM UP TO SPEED ABOUT OUR EFFORTS, CONSIDERING THAT THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO WILL BE THAT COUNCIL WILL ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO IMPLEMENT THIS OR TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT.

RIGHT.

AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT OFFICE WAS PREPPED WITH THE BACKGROUND IN HISTORY.

UM, I'M OPEN TO REMAINING ON, ON THE COMMITTEE, BUT I FEEL LIKE I'VE PUT THE DOCUMENTS TOGETHER, SO THAT'S KIND OF EVERGREEN THERE.

IF, IF, IF OTHERS WANT TO JOIN.

BUT YEAH, I'M OPEN TO, I, I'D LIKE TO STAY ON WITH THAT.

ARE THERE INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD LIKE TO, CAN YOU STATE WHO WAS ON THE WORK GROUP BEFORE? UH, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL? SO WE CAN HAVE A SENSE OF, OF WHO? YOUR HONOR.

UH, MYSELF, ANNA, JOHN, AND, UH, STEPHANIE AND CHRISTIAN.

AND THE MAX WE CAN HAVE IS FIVE.

UH, SO DOES EVERYBODY WANT TO CONTINUE ON THIS GROUP? WHO WAS ON THE PREVIOUS WORK GROUP? COMMISSIONER REEDY.

ALTHOUGH I HAVE A HISTORY WITH THE ISSUE, I WASN'T AS AVAILABLE AS I WISHED I COULD HAVE BEEN.

SO IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO JOIN, I CAN STEP OFF.

UM, I'M HAPPY TO STAY ON IF IT, THE REST OF YOU GUYS FEEL LIKE MY EXPERIENCE IS HELPFUL, BUT I WAS NOT AS AVAILABLE AS I'D HOPE TO BE.

SO IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO JOIN UP, I'LL STEP DOWN.

COMMISSIONER HANNAN.

HEY JOHN, IF YOU'RE NOT OFFENDED, I, I'D BE INTERESTED IN JOINING.

NOT AT ALL.

IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP DOING IT, I THAT'S FINE TOO.

UM, I WAS ABLE TO INPUT WHAT I KNEW FROM THE HISTORY OF THE RELATIONSHIP, SO I WOULD BE HAPPY TO STEP DOWN FOR YOU TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.

COMMISSIONER REY.

UH, SO I GUESS BY A SHOW OF HANDS, 'CAUSE I THINK WE HAVE ALMOST ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE, UM, WHO ARE PRESENT ON THAT WORK GROUP.

UH, COULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR FORMAL INTEREST IN BEING ON THE RENEWED WORK GROUP FOR THE STR WORK GROUP? WONDERFUL.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE FIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF THAT WORK GROUP.

COMMISSION MEMBERS RATHER.

THAT IS COMMISSIONER SHAPEY, COMMISSIONER IAN, COMMISSIONER SHANNON, COMMISSIONER CHAPEL, AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER MATHIS.

WE HAVE A WORK GROUP.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY.

UH, FELICIA WANTS TO BE ON WORK GROUP.

OH, MS. HEATHER HAS A COMMENT.

, YOU DIDN'T VOTE.

OH, WE DIDN'T VOTE.

OH, THAT'S RIGHT.

WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE MOTION.

ALL RIGHT.

IS THERE ANY MORE? UM, THANK YOU MS. HAD FOR, UH, CALLING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.

ARE, ARE THERE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER SIX, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS? HEARING NONE, UH, I WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTE.

THOSE IN FAVOR TO APPROVE THE WORK GROUP FOR SHORT TERM RENTALS.

THOSE POSED GREAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.