Sep 16, 2024 Arts Commission

[00:00:02]

THIS

[CALL TO ORDER]

I AM A TAN, WHITE FEMALE WITH SALT AND PEPPER HAIR, AND A BLACK AND WHITE STRIPED SHIRT.

WE'RE GONNA BRING THIS MEETING FORWARD.

I'D LIKE TO CALL ROLL.

IF, UH, YOU CAN VOCALLY TELL ME THAT YOU WERE HERE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

SINCE, SO I DON'T HAVE TO LOOK UP, 'CAUSE MY EYEBALLS DON'T ALWAYS SEE THE RIGHT PERSON.

SO, CHAIR ZIMAN, PRESENT CHAIR.

UH, CHAIR .

COMMISSIONER ZIMAN.

COMMISSIONER MBO.

HI.

HERE.

.

ALL RIGHT.

COMMISSIONER INE HERE.

GREAT.

COMMISSIONER MOCK HERE.

AND COMMISSIONER HOUSTON PRESENT.

.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE ARE MISSING AT THIS MOMENT.

COMMISSIONER NUKI.

COMMISSIONER KEYS, COMMISSIONER GARZA, AND COMMISSIONER META CHARLIE.

BUT WE HAVE A COURT.

ARE WE GONNA CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER? AND DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC

[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]

OKAY, CHRISTINE? BELIEVE IT'S, IS IT ? YES.

WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

HI.

UM, LET'S SEE.

JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, AND I ALSO WANNA INVITE YOU TO A THING.

SO, UM, I'M WITH COLOR ARC PRODUCTIONS.

WE'RE BASED HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

WE WERE FOUNDED IN 2015, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO OUR THINGS BECAUSE WE GOT A VERY SMALL GRANT FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR ABOUT $2,000.

AND WITH THAT $2,000 I PUT ON MY FIRST PLAY, AND THEN SOMEONE FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN SAW IT.

AND THEN A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, THEY COMMISSIONED A CITYWIDE TOUR OF IT.

IT WAS, UH, CALLED PEOPLE OF COLOR CHRISTMAS, THE WHITE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

IT WAS A COMEDY.

UM, ANYWAY, SO NOW WE ARE, UH, COMING UP ON OUR NINTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

AND NEXT YEAR WE'RE JUST CELEBRATING OUR 10TH, AND WE ARE DOING A STORYTELLING EVENT AT THE AUSTIN CINEMA MAKER, SPACE COMMISSIONER.

UM, UM, UH, NEY KNOWS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

UM, SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO IS TO INVITE EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION TO COME.

I'M NOT SURE IF, UH, WE CAN, BUT I'D LIKE TO EXTEND, UM, COM TICKETS.

THEY'RE $15, I THINK THEY'RE UNDER THE THRESHOLD, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO SUPPORT, YOU CAN ALSO BUY THEM@COLORARCPRODUCTIONS.COM.

BUT, UM, ANYWAY, SO I HAVE INDIVIDUAL INVITES FOR EVERY COMMISSIONER HERE, AND I ALSO JUST WANTED TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU, BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO THRIVE RECIPIENTS.

AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THRIVE, WE COULDN'T REACH OUR NEXT GOAL, WHICH WAS TO ALSO SHINE LIGHT ON DIVERSE STORIES THROUGH THEATER, MUSIC, AND FILM.

AND BECAUSE WE GOT OUR GRANT, WE DID OUR FIRST, UH, SHORT, IT'S CALLED PIZZA MY HEART, ABOUT A PIZZA TELEGRAM, SINGING DELIVER SPECIALIST WHO DELIVERS COMFORT FOOD AND A SONG TO A HEARTBROKEN GIRL.

WE GOT INTO OUR FIRST FILM FESTIVAL, WE CAN'T DISCLOSE IT YET, 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THEY WANNA DO A PUBLIC, UH, PRESS RELEASE.

UM, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO, UM, DOING ANOTHER SHORT THAT WE GOT MORE SUPPORT FROM.

WE GOT SOME SUPPORT FROM, UM, FOLKS IN NEW YORK, UM, FOLKS HERE IN AUSTIN.

AND THAT'S BASED OFF OF ONE OF THE STORIES THAT WAS TOLD LAST YEAR AT OUR VERY FIRST EVER STORYTELLING EVENT CALLED STORIES ABOUT COMFORT FOOD.

THAT STORY WAS TOLD BY MY MOM.

SHE'S AN 80 AT THAT TIME, AN 82-YEAR-OLD VIETNAMESE AMERICAN GRANDMOTHER.

SHE SHARED HER FOOD MEMORIES AND HER IMMIGRANT STORY THROUGH THREE, UM, ACTS OF FOOD MEMORIES.

AND WE'RE GONNA TURN IT INTO AN ANIMATED DOCUMENTARY SHORT.

AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, FROM THE COMMISSIONERS, FROM EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP TO OUR SHOWS, FROM PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT IMMIGRANT STORIES ARE WORTHWHILE, UM, TO FIND HUMANITY IN, IN OUR STORIES.

AND INSTEAD OF FABLES OF EATING CATS AND DOGS, WE CAN ACTUALLY SHOW TRUE STORIES OF, UH, POOR VIETNAMESE CHILDREN WHO DIDN'T HAVE TOYS, BUT WHEN THEY GOT SWEET POTATOES, THEY MADE TOY PIGS OUT OF THEM.

AND SO THE NAME OF OUR ANIMATED SHORT IS SWEET POTATO PIG.

HERE'S SOME INVITES.

I'M GONNA, CAN I GIVE IT TO YOU OR WHAT? I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU.

OKAY.

I THINK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHRISTINE.

THANK YOU.

CHAIR.

YES.

[00:05:01]

A RC ARC.

MM-HMM.

PRODUCTIONS.

YEAH.

DOT COM.

YES.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

CAN I HAVE A MOTION? I ACTUALLY HAVE A CORRECTION FOR THE MINUTES.

UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, IS IT NEY? WAS THAT YOU? IT WAS ZIMAN.

OH, ZIMAN, OKAY.

IT'S, I CAN'T SEE.

IT'S LIKE YOU THOUGHT.

OKAY.

IT'S VERY FAR.

YES.

UM, THERE IS ITEM, I HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN.

I, THE MOTION TO MOVE ITEMS 12 THROUGH 16 LAST MONTH IS DOWN AS SCHACH, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY COMMISSIONER GRAY.

THAT'S MY, IT WAS HIGHLIGHTED.

SO I THINK THERE WAS JUST A QUESTION LINGERING.

OKAY.

SO CAN WE GET THAT CORRECTED? AND I SUPPOSE WE APPROVE IT NEXT MEETING AS CORRECTED OR APPROVE IT NOW WITH CORRECTIONS.

I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN APPROVE IT.

YEAH.

SO MOTION, UH, COMMISSIONER ZISMAN TO CORRECT, TO APPROVE AS CORRECTED.

CAN I HAVE A SECOND? OKAY.

COMMISSIONER CINI.

ALL IN FAVOR? COMMISSIONER GARZA.

I'M SORRY.

THAT WAS A RECOGNIZED IT JUST, OKAY.

I, LET'S HOLD THAT VOTE WHILE WE RECOGNIZE THE TWO COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE COME IN.

THIS IS COMMISSIONER, UH, CHARLA, AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER GARZA.

WHAT WAS THAT? SORRY.

IT'S THE VOTE TO APPROVE WITH CHANGES THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING OF OCTOBER 19TH OF AUGUST 19TH.

WE HAVE A MOVE ON, UH, MOTION ON THE FLOOR BY COMMISSIONER ZIMAN.

SURE.

ALRIGHT.

WE HAD THE SECOND BY, UH, UH, CINI.

AND ALL IN FAVOR IS WHERE WE WERE.

YOU WEREN'T HERE.

I, I'D LIKE TO ALL IN FAVOR? AND I ABSTAIN BECAUSE I WAS THE MEETING.

MR. MOM WAS NOT HERE.

SHE ABSTAINS.

ALL RIGHT.

I WASN'T HERE EITHER.

ALRIGHT.

AND COMMISSIONER ALBA WAS ALSO NOT HERE.

EVERYBODY ELSE APPROVE.

ALL RIGHT.

THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

RIGHT.

ITEM TWO,

[2. Report of the Art in Public Places Liaison concerning actions taking during the September 9th meeting of the Art in Public Places Panel by Commissioner Maldonado ]

AND MALONA IS NOT HERE, AS WE CAN SEE, SO THAT WILL HAVE TO BE MOVED TO THE NEXT MEETING.

OKAY.

ITEM THREE.

ACTION

[3. Update on actions taken at the August 24th Downtown Commission meeting by Commissioner Mok]

GOOD EVENING.

UM, I, UH, AT THE, AT THE LAST DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING, UH, WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATION FROM THE STAFF, ONE OF WHICH IS THE PROJECT IH 35 PROJECT WITH THE CAPS AND STITCHES.

UH, THERE WILL BE A OPEN HOUSE ON SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER 28TH, AND IT PROBABLY IS THE LAST, UH, LAST OPEN HOUSE TO TALK ABOUT THIS, UH, PROJECT.

AND I THINK IT IS EXCITING, UM, THAT AT THIS MOMENT WE CAN SHARE WHAT WE WANT TO PUT ON THE, THE CAPS AND STITCHES.

AND I THINK WE HAVE, I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE ALSO, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MAYBE PUTTING DOWN SOME ART STUDIOS, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF JUST A BRIDGE ACROSS, BUT MAYBE ACTUALLY PUTTING DOWN SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, SO THE PEOPLE CAN EITHER STAY A LITTLE BIT TO OBSERVE DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY, UM, BECAUSE AT THE DOWNTOWN COMMISSION MEETING, THEY TALK ABOUT THIS OPEN HOUSE.

IT'S GOING TO BE SEPTEMBER 28TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AT CANOPY.

CANOPY IS ON NINE 16 SPRINGDALE.

SO, UH, FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS MEETING, UH, PLEASE GO AND, AND JUST VOICE YOUR OPINION, YOUR CREATION, YOUR SUGGESTION.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WILL CLAIM SO MUCH SPACE.

AND THEN THE SECOND PRESENTATION THEY HAVE, UM, IT IS ON THE, UH, FOR, UH, LIBRARY IS, UH, IS GOING, THEY ARE GOING TO WORK ON

[00:10:01]

AND, UH, IT WILL BE A AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER CAMPUS.

AND THERE WILL ALSO BE, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN PUBLIC PLACES.

SO, UM, JUST WANT TO CALL EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION TO THIS, UM, BOND 2025 BOND COMING UP FOR THE, FOR THE REDESIGN OR REMODELING OF THE FAULT BUILDING.

YEAH.

SO THOSE ARE THE TWO ITEMS THAT I HAVE ON THE, UH, DOWNTOWN COMMISSION REPORT.

WONDERFUL.

CAN YOU REPEAT THOSE DATES OF THOSE MEETINGS AGAIN? UH, THE, THE OPEN HOUSE FOR THE FUTURE OF 35 PROJECT IS SEPTEMBER 28TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM AT CANOPY.

AND CANOPY IS ON NINE 16 SPRINGDALE.

AND THEN, UH, THE BOND PACKAGE, THEY ARE FORMING A COMMITTEE THAT WILL TALK ABOUT, UM, THE BOND PACKAGE ON 2025 MM-HMM, .

SO, UM, THE, THE, THERE WILL BE A COMMITTEE TO PUT THIS PACKAGE TOGETHER.

SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED, THEY CAN CONTACT THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER AND, UH, MAYBE VOLUNTEER YOURSELF TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE, OR IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAL OPINION, YOU CAN TALK TO THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, THE AUSTIN LIBRARY STAFF.

UM, BUT I THINK IT IS GOOD TO CALL EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION SO THAT THEY CAN GET INVOLVED AND I'M INVOLVED EARLY.

GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, ITEM FOUR

[4. Recap of the Arts Commission Retreat by Commissioner Zisman ]

HI EVERYBODY.

UM, BIG THANK YOU TO A CF FOR, UH, SHARING TODAY.

I'M RECOVERING FROM SURGERY, SO HOME BOUND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

UM, MOST OF YOU WERE AT THE ARTS COMMISSION.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FOLKS THAT AREN'T PRESENT THAT WERE THERE.

UM, ESSENTIALLY I KIND OF WANTED TO GO OVER, UM, A FEW OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT WE AS A GROUP AGREED, UM, TO, UM, AS COMMISSIONERS, WHICH IS BASICALLY JUST SORT OF LIKE A CODE OF CONDUCT, HOW WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE OWNERSHIP IN THIS ROLE.

UM, I'M GONNA READ A FEW BULLET POINTS, AND THEN I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR ROLE AS COMMISSIONERS.

SO, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE, UM, AGREED TO, AND THESE ARE VERY SORT OF BUREAUCRATIC, UM, UH, RULES OR SORT OF CODE OF CONTACT CONDUCT FOR US IS, UM, OUR SVP FOR OUR MEETINGS, UH, NO LATER THAN THE FRIDAY BEFORE.

UM, I'VE BEEN KEEPING TABS ON THE ATTENDANCE, UH, APPROXIMATED ATTENDANCE SHEET.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE, UM, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF UPDATING THAT.

WE JUST NEED TO REALLY STICK WITH IT SO THAT WE KNOW, UM, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MEETING OR NOT.

'CAUSE IT TAKES A LOT OF ENERGY FOR FOLKS TO GET THERE, IN PERSON TO COMMIT TO THIS TIME.

AND THE LAST THING WE WANT IS FOR FOLKS TO SHOW UP AND NOT HAVE QUORUM.

UM, THE NEXT THING I WANNA REMIND US THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS CHECK YOUR OUTLOOK INBOX.

NOT ALL OF US, OR SOME OF US HAVE MULTIPLE MICROSOFT OUTLOOK, UM, INBOXES.

AND SO CHECKING THEM CAN BE A LITTLE TRICKY.

UM, I USE THE APP.

I THINK IT'S REALLY, UM, HELPFUL TO NOTIFY ME WHEN I HAVE AN EMAIL, UNLIKE MY REGULAR INBOX, WHICH IS TOTALLY INUNDATED.

UM, BUT REALLY MAKE A HABIT OUT OF CHECKING YOUR CITY EMAIL.

WE ARE CONFINED TO USING THAT FOR MAJORITY OF OUR COMMUNICATION.

AND, UM, IT, IT'S REALLY ON EACH COMMISSIONER TO TAKE OWNERSHIP AROUND.

UM, BEING IN COMMUNICATION, I'VE SENT OUT PLENTY OF EMAILS.

JESUS SENT OUT PLENTY OF EMAILS.

I NEVER HEAR BACK, OR I DON'T HEAR BACK, OR RARELY HEAR BACK FROM SOME FOLKS.

UM, I'VE GOT MY GOLD STARS THAT I HEAR BACK FROM EVERY TIME.

SO EVEN IF IT'S NOT REQUIRING A RESPONSE, UM, RESPONDING WITH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED.

A LOT OF TIMES THAT THERE ARE TIME SENSITIVE ITEMS THAT ARE GOING OUT THROUGH THAT INBOX.

SO CREATING A ROUTINE FOR YOURSELF TO MONITOR THAT COMMUNICATION IS IMPERATIVE.

UM, REALLY COMMIT TO LOOKING AND READING THROUGH THE SUPPORT MATERIALS FOR EACH MEETING IN ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.

UM, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, OUR STAFF IS INCREDIBLE.

THEY ARE, UM, ALL OVER RESPONDING AND, UM, PROVIDING CLARIFICATION WHEN THINGS NEED.

SO, SO DON'T BE SHY.

UM, BUT IT, IT DOES TAKE YOU BEING, UH, FORTHCOMING AND, UH, TAKING ACTION AND DOING YOUR, A LITTLE BIT OF HOMEWORK AHEAD OF TIME, UM, OF QUICKLY ABOUT, UM, ABSENCES.

JUST TO REMINDER, UM, OUR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY IS TO NOT MISS MORE THAN THREE, UM, MEETINGS.

AND THAT'S SPECIFIC FOR UNEXCUSED ABSENCE.

OBVIOUSLY, LIKE CRISIS, FAMILY EMERGENCIES AND ILLNESS ARE ALWAYS ACCEPTABLE.

UM, REASONS TO MISS, BUT REALLY DOING YOUR BEST TO BE PRESENT.

UM, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE DISTRICTS THAT WE'RE ASSIGNED TO.

WE'RE NOT BEHOLDEN

[00:15:01]

SO JUST BEING AS ACTIVE AS YOU CAN, UM, IN YOUR COMMUNITY, IN YOUR NETWORKS, UM, AND BEING PRESENT AS A COMMISSIONER.

WE ARE AMBASSADORS, UM, FOR THIS WORK.

UM, AGAIN, WE KNOW THIS COMMUNICATION GOES BOTH WAYS FROM OUR COMMUNITY TO COUNCIL AND COUNCIL TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THAT IS THE MOST SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF, UH, WHAT WE WERE ASSEMBLED TO DO AND WHAT THIS BOARD WAS ASSEMBLED TO DO.

SO, CAN'T REALLY REPORT ON MUCH IF YOU'RE NOT ACTIVE AND OUT AND, AND SUPPORTING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

UM, THE NEXT ITEM I WANNA SPEAK TO IS COMMUNICATION.

SO FROM WHERE I'M STANDING, WE ALL REPRESENT COMMUNITIES, POCKETS, NETWORKS, UM, CLOSE, UH, GROUPS OF PEERS.

AND WE KNOW THAT, UM, THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? WE'VE HAD A WHOLE CONVERSATION AROUND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MARKETING AND OUTREACH AND MARKETING IS WHAT OUR WONDERFUL STAFF DOES.

THEY PUT TOGETHER NEWSLETTERS, THEY PUT TOGETHER POSTS AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT, UM, SOCIALLY ENGAGED, UM, THREADS WHERE PEOPLE CAN JUMP IN AND PARTICIPATE, BUT THEY CAN ONLY REACH WHO THEY CAN REACH.

THEY CAN ONLY REACH WHO'S ACTIVELY FOLLOWING THEM.

UM, I KNOW THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS, I HAVE ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHO WE ARE.

THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY CAN GET MONEY FROM THE CITY.

SO WE ARE AN EXTENSION OF THAT COMMUNICATION ARM.

IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO CARRY FORTH OPPORTUNITIES, DEADLINES, INFORMATION TO OUR NETWORKS AND COMMUNITY, OUR FRIENDS, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT HERE IN THESE STREETS, WORKING AND STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE IN THIS ECOSYSTEM.

UM, I REALLY THINK THAT WE ARE DOING A DISSERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY IF YOU ARE NOT DOING THAT.

SHARING STORIES, FORWARDING AN EMAIL.

THERE'S LOTS OF FREE AND EASY THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AS COMMISSIONERS TO CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE BEING PRESENTED TO US, UM, FROM STAFF, FROM THE NATIONAL LEVEL, UH, FROM THE STATE LEVEL.

UM, IT'S, IT'S REALLY UP TO US.

SO I REALLY AM ASKING FOLKS TO TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES TO DO WHAT THEY CAN.

UM, WE'RE ALREADY VOLUNTEERING A LOT OF TIME.

I'M NOT ASKING PEOPLE TO GO OUT OF THEIR WAY, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE, UM, THE CONSENSUS IN THE GROUP IS THAT LIKE, THIS IS OUR ROLE AND WE ARE AMPLIFIERS AND EXTENSIONS OF THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE.

IT IS ON US.

THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE, LITERALLY.

AND I KNOW WE ALL CARE.

SO IN YOUR OWN WAY, IN EVERY WAY THAT YOU CAN, CONTINUING TO PUSH OUT THE INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME DOWN FROM KAT.

UM, THAT BEING SAID, I WANT, THAT'S A QUICK, NOT A QUICK RECAP OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE SORT OF DISCUSSED AT OUR MEETING BACK IN JUNE.

UH, SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME, BUT WE'VE HAD A LOT HAPPEN IN THE MEANTIME, WHICH IS WHY THIS RECAP, UM, HAS BEEN PUSHED.

I WOULD LIKE, UM, HELP PUTTING TOGETHER SOME SORT OF VERY INFORMAL AGREEMENT THAT WE EACH SIGN AS COMMISSIONERS THAT SAYS THAT WE'RE COMMITTING TO DOING THIS WORK.

UM, THAT WE WILL CON, YOU KNOW, USE OUR OUTLETS TO AMPLIFY INFORMATION.

WE'RE GONNA RSVP TO OUR STAFF AND LET THEM KNOW WE'RE COMING.

WE'RE GONNA CHECK OUR INBOX.

IT'S BASICALLY JUST AN AGREEMENT.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY NOT A FORMAL CONTRACT, BUT SOMETHING THAT IT DOCUMENTS, HEY, WE'RE COMMITTED TO THIS WORK AND THESE ARE THE THINGS US AS A COLLECTIVE ARE, UM, PROMISING TO DO.

BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE JUST A GOOD, UH, LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL OF US, ESPECIALLY AS WE GET NEW COMMISSIONERS.

UM, UH, AN UPDATE FROM TO ALL OF OUR COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER, UH, KY, MICHAEL KY HAS STEPPED DOWN.

UM, THEY HAVE A LOT HAPPENING IN THEIR PERSONAL LIFE, NONE OF WHICH IS FOR ME TO SHARE, BUT, UM, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE TIME THAT WE HAD WITH HIM.

I THINK HE HAD SOME REALLY INCREDIBLE THINGS TO CONTRIBUTE FROM THE COMPOSER, MUSICIAN, PERFORMER SIDE.

SO HE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED.

AND WE ARE ALREADY IN COMMUNICATION WITH D FIVE STAFF ABOUT FINDING A REPLACEMENT FOR HIM.

UM, TO THAT POINT, AS WE GET NEW COMMISSIONERS, WE NEED TO SORT OF LAY THE GROUNDWORK.

AND I THINK HAVING THESE, UH, SORT OF GUIDELINES, UH, FOR PARTICIPATION ARE REALLY HELPFUL.

IN PARTICULAR FOR NEW RECRUITS THAT WE GET.

UM, NOT SURE IF THIS NEEDS A WORKING GROUP.

I'M WONDERING IF I COULD MAYBE ASSEMBLE, UH, OR CONSOLIDATE, UH, WHAT WE HAVE AND THEN MAYBE PASS IT AROUND TO HAVE EYES AND IF WE CAN AGREE TO IT DIGITAL, UH, VIRTUALLY AS A GROUP, THEN, UM, ADD IT TO OUR AGENDA NEXT MONTH AND HAVE EVERYBODY SORT OF SIGN IT.

THOUGHTS OR, OR ANY ADDITIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE FROM THE RETREAT.

I THINK THE IDEA OF PUTTING ALL THAT TOGETHER IS A GOOD IDEA.

ALSO IN A REVIEW OF OUR BYLAWS THAT WE DID GO THROUGH AT A CERTAIN POINT.

'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T COME BACK TO ANYTHING THAT WE WANTED TO CHANGE.

UH, SO THAT MAY BE NICE.

WE ALSO TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STAFF AND US IN THAT MEETING.

SO I THINK MAYBE A WORKING GROUP MAY NOT BE A BAD IDEA TO, TO HAVE

[00:20:01]

I THINK IT'D BE A GOOD IDEA IF YOU HAD SOME OF US ALL TOGETHER, IF NOT ALL.

I MEAN, CAN'T BE ALL OF US, BUT I DUNNO IF IT'S A WORKING GROUP, BUT SOMETHING THAT'S BOUNCED BACK AND FORTH.

I AGREE.

I WOULD LOVE TO DO THIS AS A GROUP.

I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE A BIG WORKING GROUP.

I THINK THREE OF US COULD REALLY, UM, HONE IT IN.

IT DOESN'T NEED, I, YOU KNOW, I, I HONOR AND RESPECT THAT WE ARE ALL INCREDIBLY BUSY, UM, AND HAVE OUR OWN LIVES.

AND THAT'S SORT OF WHY I DON'T WANNA CREATE MORE WORK.

UM, UNLESS WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO PUT IN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

I THINK ONE, YOU KNOW, HOUR, 90 MINUTE MEETING WOULD PROBABLY DO IT.

AND THEN WE'D BE READY TO PRESENT SOMETHING TO THE COMMISSION.

SO SORT OF OPENING AND CLOSING A WORKING GROUP REALLY QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, ALSO SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE RETREAT, SORT OF THE, THE EFFICACY AND EFFICIENCY, UM, OF THE WORK AND PARTICIPATION IN THESE WORKING GROUPS.

SO, UM, I'M HAPPY TO, TO CHAIR IT.

UM, AND ANYBODY WHO'S WILLING TO, TO PARTICIPATE KNOW THAT IT'LL BE A VERY QUICK WORKING GROUP.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE.

OKAY.

ANYBODY ELSE BE, UH, INTERESTED AND YOU'RE THINKING BETWEEN NOW AND OCTOBER? ABSOLUTELY, AND I WOULD, AGAIN, I REALLY WANNA, UH, HONOR EVERYBODY'S TIME.

I THINK IT'S TOUGH FOR US TO GET IN PERSON IF WE WANTED TO DO, WHAT WE CAN DO IS I'LL CIRCULATE THE NOTES FROM OUR, UH, FACILITATOR, UM, AND MAYBE THROW TOGETHER A DRAFT OF WHAT I THINK THIS AGREEMENT COULD LOOK LIKE, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION IN REAL TIME, MAKE EDITS IN REAL TIME AND, AND BASICALLY SUBMIT IT FOR BACKUP FOR OCTOBER.

THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

I WOULD BE WILLING TO, TO GET IN ON IT, BUT I ONLY HAVE MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AVAILABLE DURING THE COMING UP, AND THEN I GO INTO REHEARSALS AGAIN.

I, I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT I'LL BE ABLE, I CAN FIT A MEETING IN UNLESS, I MEAN, I'M WILL, IF YOU CAN FIT ME IN TO A SCHEDULE, I'M WILLING TO HELP.

OKAY, I HEAR YOU.

I HEAR YOU.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE BUSY TOO.

SO, UM, COMMISSIONER HOUSTON WILL BE A BACKUP, OR LET'S SAY THIS, MAYBE I'M NOT SEEING EVERYBODY CLAMORING TO PARTICIPATE.

SO LET'S SAY THAT, UH, THE WORKING GROUP IS COMMISSIONER GRAY AND I AND COMMISSIONER HOUSTON GIVEN, UH, OPPORTUNITY OR AVAILABILITY.

AND, AND WE'LL TRY AND WORK AROUND THAT.

GINA, IF YOU CAN SEND US AN EMAIL WITH LIKE, YES.

DAYS, DATES, AND TIMES THAT WORK.

WELL, I'VE GOT A PRETTY FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE.

I KNOW A CA HAS REHEARSALS AND, AND IT'S GONNA BE TRAVELING AS WELL.

SO AGAIN, IF WE'RE MEETING VIRTUALLY, IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT BIG OF A LIFT FOR ANYBODY.

UM, AND WE CAN TRY AND WORK WITHIN THOSE DATES.

OH, FOR YOU, TINA.

YOU KNOW, TO ADD TO THAT, I THINK NEXT MONDAY WENT THROUGH WEDNESDAY IS GOOD FOR ME TOO.

SOME POCKET OF TIME IN THAT, 'CAUSE I AM ON TOUR, SO.

OKAY.

OKAY.

GREAT.

OH, UH, COMMISSIONER GARZA.

YEAH.

UH, WELL, WE'D BE HAVING TO AMEND THE BYLAWS 'CAUSE I'M, I'M, I'M PULLING UP THE BYLAWS RIGHT NOW.

AND, UH, WELL, IS REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS BY THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL? OR CAN WE JUST DO, IT'S NOT OUR, IT'S NOT OUR BYLAWS, COMMISSIONER GARZA.

IT'S MORE, REMEMBER THE CORE VALUES, OUR PILLARS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

WE, I UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, WE'RE BRINGING, I BELIEVE YOU JUST BROUGHT UP THE BYLAWS AND THAT MAY, IF I LOOK AT ARTICLE FIVE OF DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS, AND I SEE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT THE CHAIRMAN WHO APPOINTS AND DOES THE, RUNS A MEETING IN THE ABSENCE OF THE CHAIR, THE VICE CHAIR SHALL PERFORM THE DUTIES.

AND THEN IT FINALLY SAYS, IN THE ABSENCE OF THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR, THE MOST SENIOR COMMISSIONER OR MOST RECENT PASS CHAIR SHALL PRESIDE AS, UH, AS BOARD MEETINGS.

THIS, THIS, AND I KNOW I'M JUST TALKING, WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BYLAWS AND THAT MAY BE A LONG TERM TO TALK ABOUT RULES AND DOING STUFF LIKE THAT.

I'M JUST, UH, JESUS OR SOMEONE IN THE CITY IS, ACCORDING TO OUR BYLAWS, ARTICLE FIVE DUTIES OF THE OFFICER.

WHAT DOES, UH, SECTION C MEAN AND WHEN DOES THAT, UH, BECOME INTO EFFECT? I, I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS IS CONNECTED.

COMMISSIONER GARZA, I THINK, WELL, I'M COMMISSIONER GREEN.

MISSPOKE.

I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY 'CAUSE SHE SAID OUR BYLAW, I'M JUST, I'M JUST, JUST CURIOUS.

I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE YOU, WE BROUGHT IT UP AND I PULLED IT UP.

WE WOULD NEED SOME TIME TO LOOK AT THAT, BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AND, UM, GO OVER THOSE DETAILS.

OKAY, NO PROBLEM.

WHENEVER YOU GET TO IT, JUST, JUST LET ME KNOW FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

THANK YOU.

MY APOLOGIES FOR USING THEIR TO, I'M SORRY.

UH, MECHA, UH, COMMISSIONER MECHA, UM, UM, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF EVERYTHING, UH, THAT WAS COLLECTIVELY DISCUSSED AT THE, UH, AT THE RETREAT MEETING.

UM, UM, NOT QUITE COMFORTABLE, UH, SIGNING AGREEMENTS OF ANY SORT THAT ARE BEYOND, UH, WHAT'S ALREADY GUIDING, UH, THIS COMMISSION, UH, BY, BY LAW.

I THINK THAT, UH, PROVIDES A SUFFICIENT FRAMEWORK FOR ALL OF US TO OPERATE WITHIN.

UH, BUT IN AGREEMENT, OF COURSE, I WAS IN THE ROOM WITH, WITH, WITH THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND CHAIR HERE.

UH,

[00:25:01]

I'M SORRY, I'M JUST, I'M JUST LOOKING.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S A REQUIREMENT TO SIGN.

I'M JUST, I, THAT MIGHT BE THE CASE WITH COUPLE OF OTHER COMMISSIONERS TOO.

BUT THEY CAN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

BUT, UH, YEAH.

YEAH, , I'M NOT FOR THAT.

PROBABLY NOT, NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT IDEA.

IT'S MORE ABOUT, I MEAN, THESE ARE ALL ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED AND AGREED TO IN REGARD TO BEING EFFECTIVE IN OUR ROLES AS COMMISSIONERS.

I DON'T, I MEAN, I AM HAVING DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING HOW CHECKING YOUR EMAIL RSVPING FOR MEETINGS AND BEING COMMUNICATIVE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY IS OUTSIDE OF OUR LEGAL OBLIGATION.

THIS IS NOT A REQUIREMENT TO ME.

IT DEMONSTRATES TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, BECAUSE ALL OF THIS IS PUBLIC DOCUMENTATION THAT THOSE THAT ARE SIGNING ARE COMMITTED TO THAT TOTALLY VOLUNTARY.

YOU'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO SIGN IT IN ANY WAY.

UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT A LEGALLY BINDING CONTRACT.

IT'S, I WILL DO MY BEST TO GET TO THESE POINTS.

BUT IF YOU'RE NOT COMFORTABLE DOING THAT, THEN I UNDERSTAND, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY ENTITLED TO YOUR FREE WILL.

YEAH.

, THANK YOU.

YES.

YEAH.

I MEAN, AGAIN, NOT DISAGREEING WITH ANY, ANY OF THOSE.

WE COLLECTIVELY DISCUSS THOSE BEST PRACTICES AND, UH, ARRIVED AT CONCLUSIONS.

RIGHT.

SO, UM, I'M JUST, UH, MY, MY, UH, CONCERN IS JUST SPECIFICALLY AROUND SIGNING PERSONALLY.

AND, AND THAT'S ALL I'M COMMUNICATING, BUT I COMPLETELY AGREE AND I THINK, I THINK THOSE BEST PRACTICES SHOULD BE SHARED, UH, UH, EVEN IF THAT, YOU KNOW, IS REITERATED OVER EMAIL, UH, BY CHAIR HERE.

UM, AND ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY MIGHT HAVE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY ON HOW THEY PURSUE THOSE OR WHICH, WHICH ONES THEY PURSUE, UH, BETTER THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS.

BUT, UH, IN AGREEMENT, AGAIN, WITH ALL OF THOSE, UH, I'M JUST NOT COMFORTABLE WITH SIGNING PAPERS, , THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE BYLAWS.

THANK YOU.

CLARIFI, PLEASE.

I, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CLARIFICATION.

UM, I THINK IT IS ALL, UH, WITH VERY GOOD INTENTION THAT, THAT THIS IS, UH, GOING TO PUT FORWARD.

SO DO WE NEED TO HAVE CONSENSUS TO EVEN HAVE THIS PUT FORWARD, UM, THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF, UH, PUTTING THIS DOCUMENT TOGETHER? UM, DO WE NEED TO HAVE, UH, AN AGREEMENT TO EVEN PUT FORTH THIS AGREEMENT? YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? SO IT JUST, JUST, I, I JUST WANT TO HAVE A CLARIFICATION.

DOES IT NEED TO BE VOTED ON, UH, TO HAVE THIS DOCUMENT PUT FORTH? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT BE RUN BY LEGAL AS WELL.

OKAY.

SO I, I THINK WHAT, OH, I'M SO SORRY.

SORRY, COMMISSIONER MON.

YEAH, SO IT IS JUST AN, UH, UM, JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, UM, THAT, THAT THE SUGGESTION BY, UH, CHAIR SIMAN TO PUT FORTH THIS DOCUMENT TO HAVE US ACKNOWLEDGE IT BY SIGNING IT THIS ACTION, DOES IT REQUIRE AN AGREEMENT, UH, FROM THE COMMISSION TO EVEN ISSUE THIS DOCUMENT? JUST MY, JUST WANT TO HAVE IT CLARIFY BECAUSE I HATE TO HAVE A DOCUMENT OUT THERE AND IT IS NOT AGREED BY EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, UH, THEN IT'S, FIRST OF ALL IS NOT EFFECTIVE.

AND IF IT IS NOT EFFECTIVE, THEN IS IT NECESSARY TO HAVE IT THERE? SO I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY THAT.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

MO.

COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER SM I'M SORRY, BECAUSE MS. MBO.

ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD.

COMMISSIONER MBOT WAS AHEAD OF YOU, SIR, SIR.

COMMISSIONER SMBA, THANK YOU.

UM, HEARD THAT PEOPLE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE SIGNING THINGS, BUT I DON'T, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LEGAL DOCUMENT AT ALL.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INTERNAL AGREEMENTS THAT WERE MADE AT THE RETREAT.

AND I THINK THE REASON IT'S BEING, I KNOW THE REASON THAT IT'S BEING BROUGHT UP AS A NEXT STEP IN AGREEING MORE FORMALLY TO WHAT WE ALREADY AGREED TO IS THAT THE THINGS WE AGREED TO STILL AREN'T HAPPENING.

SO I THINK WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT, AND LET'S PUT OUT ANOTHER IDEA ABOUT LIKE, HOW WE MIGHT GET TO THE RESULTS, WHICH IS ALL OF US AGREEING FORMALLY TO THE THINGS THAT WE AGREED TO AT THE RETREAT.

LIKE WHAT FORMAT WOULD WE LIKE TO DO THAT IN? COMMISSIONER GARZA, I PERSONALLY WAS NOT A RETREAT, SO I CAN'T REALLY, UH, SAY THAT I WILL SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT WAS SAID THERE.

I DO BELIEVE THAT A WRAP UP OF WHAT DID HAPPEN IS A GOOD IDEA.

UM, AND THAT'S JUST MY OPINION OF, AS A COMMISSIONER.

IT WAS THERE.

COMMISSIONER GARZA, UH, COMMISSIONER ZIMAN, THERE IS A RECORDING THAT

[00:30:01]

SO ANYBODY THAT WASN'T THERE HAS HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW EVERY ASPECT OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WAS HAD.

AND I, I UNDERSTAND THAT SIGNING SOMETHING MAYBE IS SENSITIVE AND NOBODY'S, UM, OTHERS ARE NOT COMFORTABLE SIGNING IT.

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FINE.

I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AM GRATEFUL FOR HOW COMMISSIONER, HOW SUCCINCTLY COMMISSIONER SCHWABA PUT THAT.

WHAT I JUST RECAPPED IS WHAT EV WHAT WAS THE SYNTHESIS OF THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD WITH 99% OF OUR COMMISSION? SO AGAIN, IF, IF SIGNING SOMETHING FEELS TOO FORMAL AND UNCOMFORTABLE, THEN LET'S FIND A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO THIS.

WE OPERATED WITH A CORE VALUES DOCUMENT FOR YEARS, HAD NO SIGNATURES, BUT IT WAS AGREED TO AS A COMMISSION THAT THOSE WERE THE STANDARDS WE WERE TO UPHOLD THE CORE VALUES IN WHICH ARE COMPLETELY INTACT.

SO COMMISSIONER GARZA, YOU HAVE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION AS LONG AS I HAVE.

THOSE ARE CORE VALUES I'VE BEEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER ALREADY AGREED TO.

SO, UH, THE ONLY AMENDMENT TO THAT PORTION IS THE LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION AND COMMITMENT TO COMMUNICATION WITH COMMUNITY.

SO AGAIN, I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.

THE RECAP, THE, THE RECORDING IS AVAILABLE.

I WILL ADD THE RECAP FROM OUR FACILITATOR TO OUR, UM, EMAIL SO THAT IT CAN BE DISTRIBUTED FOR EVERYBODY, WHICH I THOUGHT I HAD DONE ALREADY, BUT I COULD BE MISTAKEN.

ONE FINAL POINT, COMMISSIONER GARZA, WHEN ALL OF US SIGNED OFF TO BE ONTO THIS COMMISSION, WE WERE MADE AWARE OF OUR BYLAWS.

AND THOSE ARE THE BYLAWS THAT LEGALLY WE'RE REQUIRED TO ABIDE BY.

OUTSIDE OF THAT, THESE ARE WONDERFUL IDEAS, AND I HOPE SOME OF 'EM BE IMPLEMENTED.

AND ALSO, WE MUST ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ALL 11 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS WITH 11 DIFFERENT LIVES LEADING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT EXISTENCES FOR MUCH OF OUR TIME.

AND WE ALL HAVE INSTANCES WHERE WE HAVE NOT BEEN HERE AT THE COMMISSION OR 100% WE JUST HAD A COMMISSIONER, UH, RESIGN BECAUSE HE COULD NOT BE HERE AT 100%.

AND I BELIEVE SO LONG AS WE FOLLOW OUR BYLAWS, THE ONES, THE LAWS THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WELL.

IF YOU WANT TO ADD SOMETHING AN AN APPROVAL OR SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, AND UH, I'M IN FULL AGREEMENT, UH, LET'S JUST, JUST DO THAT.

THAT'S AN INFORMAL AGREEMENT RIGHT THERE.

MAYBE A PLEDGE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I DON'T KNOW, WE PUT OUR HOWARD OVER OUR HEADS OR BRING SOME BRUSHES OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO TO, TO, UH, BOW DOWN TO A FLAG.

IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER TO ME.

BUT, UH, WE'VE SIGNED ON LEGALLY TO FOLLOW CERTAIN BYLAWS.

IF WE WANT TO ADD THIS ELSE, WE CAN DO THAT.

IF WE WANT TO WORK WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS, OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, TO CHANGE THE RULES FOR ALL THE COMMISSIONS, SO WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITY, THE ENTIRE CITY, ALL OUR HUNDRED SOME ODD COMMISSIONERS AND ADVISORS, WHATNOT, THAT WE'VE GOT, ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE'LL HAVE A MORE EFFECTIVE CITY.

UH, AND WE CAN DO THAT.

AND I SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.

BUT SIGNING ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF OUR BYLAW AGREEMENTS IS AS FAR AS I'M GONNA GO.

SO WERE THERE ANY SOLUTION? I'M JUST REALLY WONDERING IF, LIKE, HOW, HOW MIGHT WE COME TO A CONSENSUS ON, OR, OR WE'RE JUST AGREEING THAT IT'S NOT, IM, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY THAT IMPORTANT TO DO THE THINGS THAT CHAIR ZISMAN JUST EXPLAINED, WHICH WAS AGAIN, THE SUMMARY OF WHAT OUR RETREAT WAS, WHICH WAS TO COME TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE REALLY SERVE IN THIS ROLE OF PARTICULARLY OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION TO THE GREATER COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE HERE TO SERVE.

LIKE, I, I'M REAL, I'M JUST PUTTING IT OUT AS LIKE, WHAT IS THE SOLUTION INSTEAD OF, I WON'T DO THIS, WHAT SHOULD WE DO TO COME TO A CONSENSUS? OH, PHASES WE HAND .

SORRY, BA YEAH, NO, IT'S OKAY.

I MEAN, I HAVE A SUGGESTION, WHICH IS KIND OF SEGUEING TO A SUGGESTION I HAD INTERNALLY, WHICH IS THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE COMING IN AND DOING A PRESENTATION ON NOT ONLY WHAT OUR REQUIREMENTS ARE BY LAW, BUT ALSO, UM, OUR REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, MEANING HOW MANY ABSENCES WE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, CHECKING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.

UM, WHAT IS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY, UM, STAFF, YOU KNOW, WHAT CONTROL WE HAVE.

UM, THAT WAS A BIG KIND OF CONCERN.

UM, I HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE COMMISSION LONG, BUT I'VE BEEN GETTING FUNDING THROUGH CAD FOR OVER A DECADE.

SO I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF THESE COMMISSION MEETINGS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF MISCOMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMISSIONERS, BUT ALSO THERE CAN BE MISCOMMUNICATIONS INTERNALLY WITH KIND OF WHAT THOSE REGULATIONS ARE.

SO I THINK IF THE CITY CLERK WANTS TO COME AND KIND OF OUTLINE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALL AGREED TO, THAT MAY BE A VERY TRANSPARENT WAY OF DOING IT.

JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.

[00:35:01]

SO IF WE WANNA GET REALLY BUREAUCRATIC AND LIKE TO THE BOOK ABOUT IT RIGHT, THEN THAT'S A WAY THAT WE CAN DO IT.

UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK THAT, UM, UH, COMMISSIONERS WAIT UNTIL, UM, ACTING CHAIR DOES CALL TO SPEAK AND WE'VE HAD SOME CROSSTALKS, SO LET'S TRY TO AVOID THAT.

UM, THE RETREAT HAS NOT BEEN TALKED ABOUT UNTIL TODAY, SO I DO BELIEVE THAT, UM, THERE'S A REASON WHY A COMMISSION HAS A RETREAT AND THERE WERE IMPORTANT THINGS TALKED ABOUT IN THAT RETREAT.

SO TO PULL THAT INTO A, TO, UM, UM, A A POINT OF REFERENCE TO WHAT HAPPENED, I DO BELIEVE THAT EVERY COMMISSIONER NEEDS TO GO BACK AND LISTEN TO THAT RETREAT IF THEY WERE NOT THERE BECAUSE THERE WERE MANY IMPORTANT THINGS SAID AT THAT RETREAT.

AND I TOTALLY AGREE AS A COMMISSIONER THAT WE NEED TO REVISIT SOME OF THOSE POINTS.

AND I DO BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE REINFORCING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE, BUT THEY'RE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE REINFORCED.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER, WOULD WE LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD? YES.

UH, COMMISSIONER ZIMAN.

OH, I'M HAPPY TO WAIT TO SORT OF ASSEMBLE TO DO ANY SUMMARIZING OF THE RECAP DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE.

MAYBE THE NEXT STEP IS TO, UM, LINK THE RECORDING FOR COMMISSIONERS, INCLUDE THE SUMMARY AND, UM, REQUEST NOTES AND FEEDBACK, UM, ALONGSIDE OF OUR PRESENTATION FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE SO THAT EVERYBODY THAT WASN'T THERE, OR BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO LONG, UM, IS REFRESHED AND FEELING LIKE THEY'RE, AGAIN, FLUENT WITH THE THINGS THAT WE AGREED TO.

UM, I I WILL SAY, JUST AS A, UM, A POINT OF PASSION, UM, WE'VE MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR OR, UH, IN OUR OPINIONS THAT WE FEEL LIKE THE CITY ISN'T DOING ENOUGH.

I DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH FOR US TO, I I THINK IT'S HYPOCRITICAL FOR US TO SAY, WELL, I'M GONNA DO EXACTLY WHAT IS, UH, IS TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW.

UM, AGAIN, I'M USING LAYMAN'S TERMS, WE'RE USING LAYMAN'S TERMS IN THESE CONVERSATIONS, LIKE USING YOUR SOCIAL TO AMPLIFY OPPORTUNITY.

MAYBE THAT LOOKS DIFFERENT IN LEGALESE, BUT IF, IF THINGS LIKE THAT, I KNOW WE'RE ALL ENGAGED IN SOCIAL MEDIA.

I SEE ALL OF US, I, WE WE'RE ALL LIKE CONNECTED.

AND IN THAT, IN SPACE AMPLIFYING THESE THINGS, DOING A POST AND A SHARE, I THINK IS THE BARE MINIMUM.

UM, AND IT'S REALLY UNFAIR FOR US TO SIT BEHIND A D AND POINT AT STAFF AND THEIR SHORTFALLS AND SHORTCOMINGS AND THINGS THAT WE INTERPRET AS NOT ENOUGH AND NOT TAKE THAT UPON OURSELVES.

SO THAT'S HOW I'LL END IT.

UM, AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.

I THINK, UM, GETTING A PRESENTATION FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE IS ABUNDANTLY HELPFUL FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

COMMISSIONER.

COMMISSIONER MALDEN, I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, MAYOR CHARLA.

YEAH, I, I THINK I, I THINK THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE I HAVE CONSENTS IS, IS BEING SO PRESCRIPTIVE ABOUT HOW ONE SHOULD GO ABOUT DOING THEIR JOB HERE, RIGHT? SO I, I'M LOOKING AT THE ARTS COMMISSION'S MISSION HERE, ADVISING CITY COUNCIL PRIMARILY ON ARTS RELATED MATTERS AND TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARTS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

THE COMMISSION'S DUTIES INCLUDE PROMOTING COOPERATION BETWEEN CITY AND PRIVATE CITIZENS, INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES FACILITATING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ADVISING THE CITY COUNCIL ON ARTS RELATED MATTERS.

AND EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THE COMMISSION, I FEEL LIKE IS, IS THIS IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE BARE MINIMUM OF, UH, REQUIREMENTS OR ASK OR FOR BEING ON THIS COMMISSION THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR.

AND, UH, I THINK WHAT WE CAME UP AT THE RETREAT IS JUST AN ELABORATION OF THESE FUNDAMENTALS.

UM, AND, UM, MAYBE REITERATION, UH, FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE LIKE WE SUGGESTED, UH, WOULD BE HELPFUL.

UH, BUT I DON'T AGREE TO THE EXTENT OF GOING, UH, LIKE SPECIFYING, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA OR ANY OTHER MEANS AS THE BARE MINIMUM BECAUSE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE HAD, UH, SOME, UH, SENIOR COMMISSIONERS OR SAY ON THE MUSIC COMMISSION FOR EXAMPLE, WHO DIDN'T EVEN LIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, OR THERE ARE ARTISTS WHO PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO SHARE, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS PART OF THEIR LIVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA, FOR EXAMPLE.

SO, UM, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S, THE ROLE'S BEEN VERY CLEARLY DEFINED.

THERE'S, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO SIGN ON BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS FORMALLY, LEGALLY SIGNED ON TO DOING THE WORK HERE, YOU KNOW, AND IF IT'S GETS REITERATED, I THINK, UH, IT WOULD BE, UH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THANK YOU.

[00:40:01]

UM, SOCIAL MEDIA IS TOTALLY AN EXAMPLE.

I THINK THAT FOR FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION AND IN CONVERSATION WHEN AND WHERE YOU ARE WHEN IT'S APPLICABLE IS WAY MORE EFFECTIVE THAN PUTTING SOMETHING INTO THE INTERNET ETHER.

THAT'S JUST MY EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING FREE AND EASY TO DO THAT I THINK A LOT OF US, I DON'T SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY ARE ALREADY PARTICIPATING IN.

UM, AND I THINK THAT THERE, YOU KNOW, WE SIGNED A DOCUMENT SOME OF US FOUR YEARS AGO THAT ISN'T IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY THAT ISN'T REFRESHED.

AND I THINK THE SHORTFALLS THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING AS A COMMISSION WITH THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED DO WORK.

LIKE THEY, THEY NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FRONT OF MIND.

UM, AGAIN, SIGNING IS SYMBOLIC.

IT'S REALLY JUST A COMMITMENT TO, TO BEING THIS CATALYST, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.

I UNDERSTAND SIGNING SEEMS LIKE A SENSITIVE THING, BUT I THINK THERE IS A PURPOSE TO HAVING A DOCUMENT THAT REMINDS US.

I'M NOT TELLING YOU YOU HAVE TO POST SO MANY TIMES A WEEK OR CHECK YOUR EMAIL SO MANY TIMES, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT MAKE THIS WORK OPERATE MORE SMOOTHLY AND MORE FLUENTLY THAT ALLOWS EVERYBODY TO BE, UM, PREPARED TO BE HERE IN THIS SPACE.

THIS IS IMPORTANT TIME AND TO ONLY MEET ONCE A MONTH WITH AS MUCH THAT'S HAP THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY.

I MEAN, THIS, THIS IS THE BARE MINIMUM.

AND I THINK THAT'S MY POINT.

UM, AND I'LL, I'LL SAVE IT, BUT YEAH, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? COMMISSIONERS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OKAY.

[5. Discussion on increasing Cultural Arts funding award amounts vs. increasing number of Cultural Arts awards by Commissioner Houston ]

I'M SORRY, ACTING CHAIR.

I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO ENCAPSULATE WHAT JUST HAPPENED BECAUSE I'M NOT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE DEC FINAL DECISION ABOUT THIS IS.

I, I HEAR THAT WE NEED, WE NEED MOVEMENT ON ACTUAL ENGAGEMENT ON THE ARTS COMMISSION, AND I HEAR THAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A FORMALIZATION OF THE ENGAGEMENT ON THE ARTS COMMISSION, SO I WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE GONNA RESOLVE THAT BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT HAVING THE ENGAGEMENT, THEN WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOBS.

MM-HMM.

, I'M GONNA DEFER BACK TO OUR CHAIR ZISMAN FOR THAT RESPONSE.

VIRTUAL CHAIR.

SO I THINK WHERE THINGS LEFT OFF IS THAT WE ARE, WE CAN, WE'RE NOT GONNA FORM A WORKING GROUP TO LOOK AT THE, UM, A POTENTIAL PLEDGE WE ARE.

I WILL CIRCULATE THE, UM, THROUGH STAFF THE RECORDING OF THE RETREAT AS LAW, AS WELL AS THE RECAP FROM THE FACILITATOR.

AND WE ARE GONNA ASK FOR A PRESENTATION FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE.

SO BY THE TIME WE MEET IN OCTOBER, WE WILL ALL AS IN THEORY, UM, IF WE'RE WILLING TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE, LISTEN TO THE RETREAT AND BE, UM, HAVE THOUGHTS ON THAT, THAT CAN BE WRITTEN FEEDBACK OR WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION IN REAL TIME.

UM, AND, UH, THAT GOES FOR THE, THE LIVE MEETING AND THE RECAP.

UM, AND THEN I THINK IT'S A CONVERSATION FROM THERE, BUT IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE PEOPLE ARE READY TO TAKE ACTION, AND I DON'T WANNA FORCE THIS.

UM, WE'RE ALL HERE BY CHOICE AND WE'RE ALL DOING A LOT.

I DON'T WANNA UNDERPLAY THAT BECAUSE THIS IS A HUGE COMMITMENT, EVEN AT THAT BARE MINIMUM.

SO I AM GRATEFUL FOR EVERYBODY'S TIME AND PRESENCE AND ENERGY HERE.

UM, JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT A LITTLE LESS LEGALESE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE TRANSPARENT FOR ALL OF US, BECAUSE SOME OF US ARE MORE ENGAGED THAN OTHERS, UM, AS POSSIBLE.

YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT PEOPLE TAKING THE TIME THAT THEY NEED.

UM, BUT IT, THIS IS, THIS IS IMPORTANT.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER HOUSTON? YES, IT DOES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OKAY, THANKS.

COMMISSIONER GARZA.

YES.

ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THIS COMMISSION AND THE WAY OUR CITY GOVERNMENT OPERATES IS THAT WE'RE REALLY A TEAM.

WE'RE ALL A TEAM.

NOT EVERYONE CAN BE THE QUARTERBACK.

NOT EVERYONE CAN BE IN THE PLAY EVERY SINGLE GAME.