[00:00:02]
HOW'S EVERYONE DOING? CHLOE, WE READY TO START? YOU'RE GOOD? WE'RE GOOD.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME OKAY? YEAH, WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE TODAY.
[Call to Order]
SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING US FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING.TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 18TH, AND I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
THE TIME IS 2:03 PM THE MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED AT 2 0 3 COLORADO STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AND AS THE REMINDER WE GIVE AT EVERY MEETING, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE OR ANY OTHER LANGUAGE INTERPRETIVE SERVICES.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
[2.1 Project Connect Status Report | Board Brief]
SO I'D LIKE TO BEGIN OUR MEETING BY, UM, ADDRESSING OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MR. CANALI.THANKS FOR EVERYONE FOR JOINING US TODAY.
UH, GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON ALL THINGS A TP UH, BIG DAY FOR US AS WE, UH, GET OUR FISCAL YEAR BUDGET IN PLACE, UH, FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AND ALL THE PROGRESS AND WORK WE HAVE TO CONTINUE ADVANCING LIGHT RAIL AND THE OTHER ELEMENTS OF PROJECT CONNECT.
SO, AS ALWAYS, WE HAVE ANOTHER, UH, PROJECT CONNECT STATUS REPORT THAT IS ALL THINGS, UM, UH, PROJECT CONNECT, NOT JUST LIGHT RAIL, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT CAP METRO IN THE CITY ON THEIR INVESTMENTS, AS WELL AS OUR CONTINUED COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.
AND, UH, SO THAT IS BOTH IN YOUR PACKET AND AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO GO OUT AND TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.
A FEW OF US UP HERE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT, UH, TRANSIT FORWARD LUNCHEON, JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE ALL MADE.
I KNOW COMMISSIONER TRILLIAN WAS THERE.
UH, THE MAYOR JOINED US AS WELL, UH, AND THE BOARD CHAIR TO TALK ABOUT JUST WHERE WE'VE BEEN.
AND I THINK IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO GET OUT THERE, UM, AND HIGHLIGHT, UH, THAT PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING AND GIVE A LOOK AHEAD OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT WAS A REALLY, UH, IT WAS A PACKED HOUSE, SO IT WAS GREAT.
UM, I HAD A CHANCE TO SIT WITH THE BUSINESS JOURNAL AND THE, UH, BOARD OF REALTORS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE REALM OF, UH, LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS HAPPENING AROUND LIGHT RAIL AND WHAT IT MEANT FOR THE COMMUNITY WITH THE CITY, HAVING JUST, UM, UH, DONE SOME MAJOR CHANGES TO LAND USE AND HOW THAT IS ALL WORKING TOGETHER AS AN ECOSYSTEM.
SO IT WAS A GREAT DIALOGUE THAT WE HAD.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, UH, PETER MOEN HAD A CHANCE TO DO SOME WORK, UM, UH, VISITING WITH, UH, SOME FOLKS WORKING IN THE ARCHITECTURAL REALM, TALKING ABOUT HOW WE ARE, UH, AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR PROJECT, NOT ONLY AS A TRANSIT PROJECT, BUT AS A TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND OUR ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT NOT ONLY NATIONALLY, BUT INTERNATIONALLY, PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT WE'RE DOING FROM AN ARCHITECTURAL PERSPECTIVE.
SO WE APPRECIATE PETER GETTING OUT THERE AND HELPING TO, UH, SPREAD THE WORD OF, UH, THE GREAT ARCHITECTURE THAT'S GOING ON HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
UM, AND THEN, UH, LASTLY, WE ARE PART OF A LIVING CASE STUDY.
UM, TYPICALLY WHAT YOU SEE IS FOLKS TEND TO DO A, UH, AFTER ACTION REPORT OR A, OR A OR A STUDY ON WHAT, ON HOW SOMEONE DID.
THIS IS AN EFFORT ACCELERATOR FOR AMERICA APPROACHED US.
THEY'RE A, UH, A KIND OF A THINK TANK THAT THINKS ABOUT, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE UNITED STATES AND ASKED US TO JUST, YOU KNOW, VISIT WITH US EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE TO SHOW HOW WE'RE DOING.
THIS BUILDS OFF OF A STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY THE ENO INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORTATION, UM, AND THEIR FIRST REPORT CAME OUT AND, AND KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THE EFFORTS WE'VE MADE TO BOTH ADVANCED ORGANIZATION, ADVANCED STANDING UP AN ORGANIZATION, AND SOME OF THOSE MAJOR FACTORS.
AND, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO BE PART OF THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S ANOTHER GREAT WAY OF SHOWING OUR TRANSPARENCY ABOUT HOW WE ARE KIND OF SHOWING EVERYONE THE WORK, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE DOING IT, AND ULTIMATELY THE WHY WE'RE DOING IT HERE FOR THE PUBLIC OF AUSTIN.
AND THE LAST TOPIC IS JUST TO GIVE A HEADS UP TO EVERYONE.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SCHEDULING A WORK SESSION.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD A, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OF THESE WORK SESSIONS NOW.
UH, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, LATE IN LATE OCTOBER, NOVEMBER TO COME IN AND REALLY GIVE A DEEPER DIVE, UM, FOR THE BOARD ON OUR FEDERAL PROCESSES.
SUCH A KEY EFFORT FOR US, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FTA, UM, WHERE WE ARE IN A DESIGN UPDATE, SHOWING YOU SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE ADVANCED OVER THIS PAST YEAR WITH THE CONTRACTS WE HAVE IN PLACE, UH, WRAPPING UP WITH BOTH OUR DELIVERY EFFORT AND ULTIMATELY OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT WE EXPECT TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON FOR THE UPCOMING, UH, WINTER TIME.
UH, JUST TO CONTINUE TO SHOW THE PROGRESS AND MOMENTUM WE HAVE WITH ADVANCING AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.
SO WITH THAT BOARD CHAIR, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
THANK YOU, GREG, FOR THE EXECUTIVE REPORT.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ON THE REPORT? NO.
CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL OF THESE MILESTONES.
AND I DO LOVE THE LIVING CASE STUDY BECAUSE I THINK IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO COURSE CORRECT IF SOMETHING
[00:05:01]
IS NOT FUNCTIONING WELL.SO IT'S INTERESTING TO READ IT AND, UM, I'M GLAD PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT WE'RE DOING.
[3.1 Approval of minutes from the July 17, 2024 ATP Board Meeting and the August 7, 2024 ATP Work Session]
WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE OVER TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. I'D LIKE TO TAKE UP ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE JULY 17TH, 2024 A TP BOARD MEETING, AND THE AUGUST 7TH, 2024 A TP WORK SESSION.UM, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS SECTION ITEM IF EVERYONE HAS SO MOVED.
MOVED BY BOARD MEMBER PAVILION, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER GARZA.
ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.
EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THE MEETING MINUTES AND THE BOARD WORK SESSION HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[3.2 Approval of a resolution appointing one candidate to fill a vacancy and serve as a member of the Project Connect Community Advisory Committee (CAC), as recommended by the CAC, for a term ending December 31, 2027]
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING A CANDIDATE TO FILL A VACANCY AND SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE PROJECT CONNECT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.AS NOTED IN OUR AGENDA PACKET, THE COMMITTEE ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED MARCEL GARZA TO THE CAC FOR A TERM ENDING IN DECEMBER OF 2027.
MR. GARZA WILL REPLACE CATHERINE FAN.
THE LETTER FROM THE CAC CHAIR OF SSR IS IN OUR BOARD PACKET WITH ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE APPOINTMENT.
BOTH THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD APPROVE THIS ITEM AT THE RESPECTIVE MEETINGS IN LATE AUGUST.
I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE.
ITEM NUMBER TWO, MOVED, MOVED BY MAYOR WATSON SECOND.
UH, THE ONLY THING I HAD WAS, UH, THERE WAS NO CV OF MARCEL.
IS THERE SOMEONE THAT COULD JUST GIVE US HIS BACKGROUND? UM, I CAN TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.
UM, SO MARCEL WORKED WITH US IN THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND HE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL.
HE NOT ONLY HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE REFORMATTING OF THE ALIGNMENT, BUT ALSO HIS EXPERIENCE IN DELIVERING ALSO AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN AUSTIN.
HIS DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCES FAST.
UM, HE WAS ALWAYS PARTICIPATING KINDLY AND OPEN-MINDED THROUGH OUR, THROUGH OUR MEETINGS.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE HIS NAME IN THE RING.
SO, UM, IS THERE ANY OTHER BACKUP INFORMATION FROM HIM? SO HE'S A DEVELOPER OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, OR NO DEVELOPER.
HE, HE WORKS FOR A COMPANY AND SO HE'S ACTUALLY A MEMBER OF DIVERSE COMMITTEES ALSO WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, SO HE'S BEEN A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT MANY YEARS.
UM, VERY WELL CONNECTED AND VERY INTERESTED IN, IN SEEING THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO, UM, I WORKED DIRECTLY WITH HIM DURING THE, OUR TIME TOGETHER COLLABORATING IN THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? THE MOTION? OH YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS MR. GARZA, FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[3.3 Approval of a resolution authorizing the Executive Director, or their designee, to negotiate and execute an Amendment to the Second Interlocal Agreement with the City of Austin (the “City”) for Project Connect Support Services for a one-year base term and an additional one-year option, in a total amount not to exceed $6,750,000]
SO THE NEXT ITEM IS ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE SECOND INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.FOR PROJECT CONNECT SUPPORT SERVICES, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL APPROVED THIS ITEM AT THEIR AUGUST 29TH COUNCIL MEETING.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? AND A SECOND TO APPROVE.
ITEM THREE, MOVE BY MAYOR WATSON.
ANY DISCUSSION? I ONLY HAD ONE QUICK QUESTION.
UM, I'M NOT SURE WHO ADMINISTERS THIS, BUT DO WE PAY ACTUAL COST OR DO WE PAY A FIXED FEE? I GOT, I I READ THAT AND I GOT THE IMPRESSION WE PAY ACTUAL COST WITH IT BEING CAPPED THAT THE CONTRACT AMOUNT THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'S, UH, WE REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR EXPENSES INCURRED UNDER THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
AND IT'S LIKE YOU MENTIONED CAPPED FOR THE ILA.
EVERYONE IN FAVOR OF ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
[Items 3.4 & 3.5 ]
THE NEXT TWO ACTION ITEMS RELATE TO ATP'S INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, AND I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER BOTH OF THESE ITEMS TOGETHER.ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH APPLICATION SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY FOR ORACLE MANAGED SUPPORT SERVICES AS INDICATED IN OUR AGENDA.
AND ACTION ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN AMENDMENT TO A CONTRACT WITH APPLICATION SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGIES FOR AN ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM AND IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES AS INDICATED IN OUR AGENDA.
SO WE HAVE WITH US TODAY BRETT CUMMINGS, A TP, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PROCUREMENT
[00:10:01]
AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT, AND HE'S GONNA GIVE US A SUMMARY ON THIS ITEMS. GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD.UM, WE ARE HAVING TWO ASKS OF THE BOARD THIS MONTH FOR CONTRACT PURPOSES.
THE FIRST ONE IS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF BOARD AUTHORIZED FUNDING FOR CONTRACT NUMBER 1 0 0 6 WITH A ST.
THIS IS THE CONTRACT THE BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FOR FUNDING UP TO $3 MILLION.
THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT VALUE AND THE MONEY SPENT ON THAT, UM, CONTRACT IS A LITTLE LESS THAN $2.8 MILLION.
AND IT PROVIDED IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES FOR ORACLE'S CLOUD SERVICES FOR OUR ERP SYSTEM AS WELL AS LICENSES FOR THE FIRST YEAR.
AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO DO IS TO ADD FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,022,000, $922,970 TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LIFE FUNDING FOR LICENSES FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS, UM, UNDER THIS CONTRACT.
THE SECOND THING WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO DO IS TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT WITH A ST AGAIN, UM, TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE AND TESTING OF OUR ORACLE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES FOR THE NEXT THREE YEAR PERIOD AS WELL.
UM, A BASE YEAR OF ONE YEAR, UH, A BASE TERM OF ONE YEAR WITH TWO ONE YEAR OPTIONS FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE OF $1.8 MILLION.
UM, AGAIN, THAT'S FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
AND IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I CAN TALK ABOUT THE SCOPES THAT ARE WITHIN EACH OF THOSE.
SO AGAIN, CONTRACT NUMBER 1 0 0 6 IS WITH A ST.
UM, IT WAS FOR ORIGINALLY LICENSES FOR THE FIRST YEAR AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ORACLE SOFTWARE.
UM, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR FUNDING FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS WORTH OF LICENSES.
AND THEN A NEW CONTRACT FOR A THREE YEAR TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE OF $1.8 MILLION TO PROVIDE ROUTINE SUPPORT, MAINTENANCE, ANY ENHANCEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED, UM, AS WELL AS ANY, UM, ADDITIONAL TESTING AND THEN TESTING AS A SERVICE, WHICH IS A REALLY GREAT TOOL TO ENSURE THAT THE SOFTWARE AND OUR SUBSCRIPTION IS CONSTANTLY WORKING AS WITH UPDATES AND CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED AS WELL.
UM, NOW WE NORMALLY DON'T LIKE TO AWARD SOLE SOURCE CONTRACTS 'CAUSE WE ENCOURAGE COMPETITION, BUT A ST HAS A REALLY UNIQUELY QUALIFIED POSITION IN THIS REGARD, HAVING BEEN OUR PREVIOUS PROVIDER AND THEY'RE ALSO UNDER CONTRACT WITH CAP METRO, UM, WHO WE'VE IMPLEMENTED AND CHANGED A LOT OF OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEMS FROM.
AND AS WE GROW AND IMPLEMENT AND CHANGE, IT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY GOOD AND BENEFICIAL FOR THE AGENCY TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT CONNECTION WITH THE CAP METRO SYSTEM, UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW AND EVOLVE OUR SYSTEM, UH, TO BE MAINTAINED ON ITS OWN.
UM, WITH THAT, I'LL, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
UM, DO WE HAVE I MOVE ON TO APPROVAL NOW? THE MOVING FOR APPROVAL BEFORE WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS? CORRECT.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? UM, ACTION ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE.
LAMORE SECOND BY, UM, COMMISSIONER BILION.
ANY DISCUSSION QUESTION? NO DISCUSSION.
I'D LIKE THE BRIEFING AND YOU ANSWERED OUR QUESTIONS PRETTY WELL, BUT ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON, ON THIS REGARD? NO.
EVERYONE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
MYSELF ALSO, SO THIS ITEMS, BOTH OF THESE HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[3.6 Approval of a resolution adopting the ATP Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget]
ITEM NUMBER SIX IS TO APPROVE AND ADOPT ATP'S FISCAL YEAR 24 25 BUDGET.WE HAVE WITH US OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, BRIAN RIVERA, AND BUDGET DIRECTOR JAMIE ATKINSON TO HELP US ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
JUST WANTED TO JUST PROVIDE A SUMMARY FOR EVERYONE OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN WITH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, AGAIN, ON THE HEELS OF LAST YEAR'S BUDGET ADOPTION, WE WANTED TO ALTER THE PROCESS TO PROVIDE SOME MORE TIME FOR INPUT AND DISCUSSION.
SO AGAIN, BACK IN JULY, WE DID THE BUDGET PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD AND ALSO RELEASED OUR BUDGET ONLINE FOR THE PUBLIC AND, AND THE BOARD TO TAKE IN.
AND IF THEY HAD ANY QUESTIONS, JAMIE AND I REMAINED AVAILABLE DURING THAT PERIOD.
UM, WE FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION, I THINK BACK IN AUGUST AROUND OUR BUDGET.
AND AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK THE TEAM THAT, THAT HELPED PUT THAT TOGETHER AND TOOK PART IN THAT CONVERSATION TO REALLY PROVIDE AN INFORMATIVE DISCUSSION AROUND WHAT WE PLAN TO ACCOMPLISH THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO GET THERE.
UM, THE DAY AFTER THAT MEETING, JAMIE AND I WENT TO THE CAC MEETING AS WELL, DID A BRIEF, UM, BUDGET PRESENTATION.
UM, AND NOW WE'RE BACK BEFORE THE BOARD FOR ADOPTION.
UM, I DUNNO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, JAMIE, BUT
[00:15:03]
YEAH, THANK YOU.DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE OUR BUDGET? NOBODY WANTS TO MOVE.
MOVE THEN A SECOND AND I SECOND.
SECOND BY GARZA AND BOARD MEMBER PAVILION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? I DO.
UM, I APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE MADE YOURSELF AVAILABLE, BRIAN, IN THE INTERIM, YOU KNOW, LAYING IT OUT EARLY ON AND THEN MAKING YOURSELF AVAILABLE.
AND THERE'S A FEW THINGS I WANNA MAKE SURE I SLASH THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE BUDGET.
UM, SO I'M TRYING TO PIECE ALL THE THINGS TOGETHER FROM THE VARIOUS PLACES, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY RESIDE IN THIS DOCUMENT.
AND MAYBE A GOOD STARTING POINT IS ON PAGE 27, BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIGGER THINGS TO ME IS THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO EXPLAIN IS WE BUDGETED AN FY 24 TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF 180 MILLION AND OUR PROJECTED ACTUAL SPEND IS 70 MILLION.
SO WE'RE 110 MILLION BELOW BUDGET.
MAYBE IF YOU CAN WALK US THROUGH WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THAT, UM, DISCREPANCY.
I LOVE COMING IN UNDER BUDGET, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, Y'ALL SHOWS SHOULD RIGHT BE SOMEWHERE IN THE BALLPARK AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME EXPLANATIONS FOR THAT, SO MAYBE YOU CAN JUST WALK US THROUGH THAT.
YEAH, SO A, A BULK OF THOSE COSTS ARE REALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT MIDYEAR BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT THE BOARD EXECUTED.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER BACK IN APRIL, MARCH TIMEFRAME, AND AGAIN, AS YOU REMEMBER, THAT WAS ASSOCIATED REALLY WITH US GETTING INTO PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND US DEMONSTRATING TO THE FTA THAT WE HAD THE RESOURCES UNENCUMBERED ULTIMATELY TO GET THROUGH THAT ENTIRE PROCESS.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT WAS ABOUT $65 MILLION THAT THE BOARD APPROVED TO GET US TO THE COMPLETION OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, WHICH ULTIMATELY WILL RESOLVE ITSELF OR COMPLETE ITSELF BY THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 2025.
SO IN, IN A SENSE, THE BOARD WAS A, A LITTLE EARLY IN GETTING US SOME EXTRA MONEY FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
UM, BUT THAT'S THE BULK OF IT.
SO WE APPROPRIATED IT, BUT WE DIDN'T SPEND IT.
WE DIDN'T SPEND IT, THAT'S CORRECT.
BECAUSE THE WAY, WHAT WE HAD TO DEMONSTRATE TO FTA WAS THAT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PHASE OF THE CIG PROCESS IS A TWO YEAR PERIOD, RIGHT? SO IT KIND OF STRADDLES TWO DIFFERENT FISCAL YEARS AND ULTIMATELY THE BOARD HAD APPROVED THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, WHICH WE'RE IN, BUT WE HAD TO DEMONSTRATE TO THEM THAT WE HAD THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, UM, FOR, TO GET US THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2025 ULTIMATELY IN WRAPPING UP THAT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OKAY.
WE HAD ABOUT, UM, 13 MILLION LESS IN ADMIN COSTS.
UM, AGAIN, A BULK OF THAT REALLY IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FTE COUNT.
SO REMEMBERING WHERE WE WERE AT GOING INTO THE BUDGET ADOPTION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024, WE KNEW THAT WE HAD TO REALIGN OUR RESOURCES TO GET THROUGH THIS NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT AFTER WE GOT THE FIRST, UM, PHASE IDENTIFIED.
SO WE ULTIMATELY WORKED THROUGH THAT PROCESS THIS YEAR, RIGHT? AND BROUGHT TO THE BOARD A, A LOWER FTE COUNT, BUT WE HAD ABOUT $5 MILLION IN COST THAT ULTIMATELY BUDGETED FOR, BUT WE DIDN'T UTILIZE ON A, A PERSONNEL PERSPECTIVE.
UM, AND UH, ANOTHER BIG PIECE OF THAT SPEND ON THE ADMIN SIDE THAT JUST DIDN'T COME TO FRUITION ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUSINESS SUPPORT CONTRACTS.
SO, UM, AGAIN, AS WE WE'VE MENTIONED IN THE PAST, THOSE BUSINESS SUPPORT CONTRACTS ARE ULTIMATELY THE CONTRACTS THAT SUPPORT THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE OF, OF THE, OF THE ENTITY.
SO THINK ABOUT OUR LEGAL CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE, OUR RISK ADVISOR CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH ERNST AND YOUNG, UM, AS WELL AS OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR AND INVESTMENT ADVISOR CONTRACT.
UM, SO THAT, THAT THOSE TWO PIECES ACCOUNT FOR A MAJORITY OF THE UNDERSPEND ON THE ADMIN SIDE.
AND THEN, SO BRIAN, LET ME JUST ASK YOU REAL QUICKLY.
SO ON THAT, IN FINANCIAL SERVICES, WE HAD CONTRACTS BUDGETED FOR 9.3 MILLION.
WE CAME IN AT 6.3, RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERENCING? YES, THAT'S A PIECE OF IT.
RIGHT? SO, UM, A, A BULK OF THAT UNDER SPEND, AGAIN ON THE CONTRACT SIDE JUST FOR THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ERNST AND YOUNG CONTRACT.
SO AGAIN, WE BUDGETED AROUND 5 MILLION, I BELIEVE FOR FY 24.
AND, UM, OUR ANTICIPATED SPEND THIS YEAR WAS AROUND THREE.
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AND THAT, AGAIN, JUST THINKING ABOUT WHERE WE WERE COMING INTO FISCAL YEAR 2024, UM, WE THOUGHT THERE WERE GONNA BE SOME SERVICES THAT WE WERE GONNA UTILIZE UNDER THE EY CONTRACT THAT ULTIMATELY JUST DIDN'T MATERIALIZE UNDER THE TASK ORDER THAT WE EXECUTED WITH THEM FOR THEIR SERVICES FOR THIS YEAR.SO THAT ACCOUNTED FOR SOME OF, UM, THOSE, THOSE DOLLARS.
AND THEN THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT AGAIN IS WE JUST RECENTLY WENT OVER THE ORACLE IMPLEMENTATION AND THOSE LICENSING COSTS SINCE WE DID IMPLEMENT THE SERVICE AND THAT PARTICULAR, UM, SYSTEM LATE IN THE YEAR, THERE WERE SOME COSTS THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA INCUR BY IMPLEMENTING THE SOFTWARE A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE YEAR THAT JUST DIDN'T MATERIALIZE.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE BULK OF THAT, UM, UNDERSPENDING.
AND THEN ON THE CAPITAL SIDE, REALLY THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SIDE OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2024, THERE WAS ABOUT $30 MILLION IN COST THAT AGAIN, WE BUDGETED FOR AND JUST DIDN'T MATERIALIZE.
UM, A BULK OF THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH SOME PRE-ACQUISITION ACTIVITY THAT WE HAD ON THE REAL ESTATE SIDE THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA, UM, UTILIZE, BUT WE JUST DIDN'T UTILIZE AND WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ON USING THOSE FUNDS THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST.
UM, THAT WAS THE BULK OF IT AT AROUND LIKE 16 AND A HALF MILLION.
AND THEN A, ACROSS THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THOSE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS, THERE WERE, UM, SOME UNDERSPENDING ON SOME SERVICES THAT WE ULTIMATELY THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO NEED.
AGAIN, AS WE WERE THINKING AND ENTERING INTO FISCAL YEAR 2024, AND AS WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT OUR DELIVERY STRATEGY, THERE WERE SOME SERVICES THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA NEED ON THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SIDE THAT WE ULTIMATELY MOVED AWAY FROM.
AND A PIECE OF THAT IS SOME TECHNICAL ADVISORY SERVICES THAT WE ULTIMATELY MOVED AWAY FROM.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE NOT UTILIZING THOSE SERVICES AND WE'RE NOT ACTUALIZING ON THOSE EXPENSES.
SO THOSE TWO BIG PIECES ARE BULK OF THE UNDERSPEND ON THE CAPITAL SERVICES SIDE.
AND THEN AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, UM, WITH THE SHARED SERVICES CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE BOTH WITH CAP METRO OR WE HAVE WITH CAP METRO 23 GOING INTO 24 AND THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE REIMBURSED THE CITY FOR EXPENSES INCURRED ON THEIR PART.
SO THERE WAS JUST SOME SPENDING THAT DIDN'T ACTUALIZE ON THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE ULTIMATELY THAT WE BUDGETED FOR, BUT WE JUST CAME IN UNDER BUDGET, IT WAS ABOUT LIKE A MILLION AND A HALF ON THAT SIDE.
SO JUST BETWEEN ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS AND HOW, UM, THE SERVICES THAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA UTILIZE OR NEED GOING INTO THIS FISCAL YEAR, AND AS WE'VE GOTTEN AND REALLY DOVE INTO OUR DELIVERY STRATEGY AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT OVER THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, THAT ULTIMATELY HELPED WITH OR REALLY IMPACTED THE, THE SPEND CURVE, I GUESS FOR THIS YEAR.
SO, SO THE LION'S SHARE BEING REALLY THE $65 MILLION AMENDMENT TO ACCOUNT FOR, UM, APPROPRIATING THE MONEY AND THEN THE, THE ALMOST 17 MILLION FOR REAL ESTATE, THAT'S THE LION'S SHARE.
AND, AND THE, THE ADMIN SIDE, THE PERSONNEL, THE 87 TS THAT WE CARRIED IN OVER BUDGETING FOR THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, WE'LL WRITE THAT GOING FORWARD.
SO, AND WE HAVE WITH THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THAT WE PUT TOGETHER FOR, FOR THE BOARD SIX SIX MM-HMM.
COUPLE OTHER KIND OF SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET ON ARCHITECTURAL AND DESIGN.
WE, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE 6.7 MILLION IN DESIGN SERVICES THIS YEAR AND WE'RE DROPPING TO 2.8 MILLION NEXT YEAR.
BIG DROP FOR AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROJECT.
IF YOU CAN JUST TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL MOSTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE HUG CONTRACT? YEAH.
THAT THE BOARD APPROVED, UM, GOSH, IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS NOW.
SO THEY'VE COMPLETED A MAJORITY OF THEIR WORK UNDER THEIR FIRST TASK ORDER THAT WE EXECUTED, UM, WITH DEVELOPING THE DESIGN FRAMEWORK AND SOME OF THE DESIGN GUIDELINES ASSOCIATED, UM, WITH THEIR WORK THAT IS NOW GONNA BE INCORPORATED INTO THE ENGINEERING IS DESIGN IS PROGRESSING.
UM, SO MY UNDERSTANDING THEY'RE MOVING INTO MORE OF SORT OF A OVERSIGHT COLLABORATION ROLE WITH THE ENGINEERING FIRMS THAT THE BOARD APPROVED AGAIN BACK IN MAY ON THE, ON-CALL SIDE AS DESIGN PROGRESSES.
SO IT'S JUST A FUNCTION OF THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE OVER THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR ON THAT SIDE.
SO WE'VE GOTTEN THE BENEFIT OF THE LION'S SHARE OF, OF THE HUG
[00:25:01]
CONTRACT.UM, ALRIGHT THEN ANOTHER BIG CHANGE BETWEEN WHERE WE FINISHED THIS YEAR AND WHERE WE SAY WE'RE GOING NEXT YEAR IS ENGINEERING SERVICES.
WE'RE GONNA FINISH AT EIGHT POINT.
WE HAD BUDGETED 2.9 MILLION FINISH THE YEAR AT 8.6 AND WE'RE BUDGETING 24 POINT A HALF MILLION NEXT YEAR.
IF YOU COULD JUST KIND OF WALK US THROUGH WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
SO, UM, YOU'RE RIGHT AS, AS WE, WE HAD 2.9 CATEGORIZED FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES IN THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, BUT ALSO AS I MENTIONED ON THE TECHNICAL SERVICES SIDE, TECHNIC TECHNICAL ADVISORY SIDE, WE HAD SOME FUNDS THERE THAT WE ULTIMATELY THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA GO A DIFFERENT ROUTE FROM A CONTRACTING PERSPECTIVE.
UM, BUT THOSE SERVICES WERE ULTIMATELY LUMPED INTO THE ENGINEERING CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY ON BOARD AND, UM, THROUGH THE ON-CALL SERVICES AND EVEN WITH THE EXISTING CONTRACTS THAT WE HAD, UM, WITH AECOM AND HNTB.
UM, AND THEN THINKING ABOUT, SO THE JUMP FROM 24 OF WHERE WE'RE GONNA END AND THEN WHERE WE'RE GOING IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, AGAIN WITH THOSE ON-CALL CONTRACTS THAT THE BOARD APPROVED BACK IN MAY, THERE'S REALLY, UM, FOUR MAIN STREAMS OF, OF WORK THAT'S GONNA BE COMPLETED OVER THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND, AND NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS REALLY AS DESIGN PROGRESSES.
UM, ONE IS THERE, THE ONE TRACK IS ASSOCIATED WITH JUST PROGRESSING DESIGN AS A OVERALL FOR, FOR THE ALIGNMENT.
UM, THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE SOME WORK FOCUSED ON THE OMF AND BRINGING THOSE DESIGN, UM, ELEMENTS UP, UP TO UP TO PAR.
UM, WE'RE ALSO FOCUSING ON SOME EARLY UTILITY DESIGN WORK TO AGAIN, THINK ABOUT ADVANCED UTILITY PACKAGES POSSIBLY TO HELP DE-RISK THE PROJECT AND THERE'S GONNA BE SOME WORK DONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LADY BIRD LAKE.
SO, UM, AS WE MOVE INTO THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR AGAIN AND PROGRESSING THROUGH PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE GONNA BE ADVANCING ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF, OF THE ALIGNMENT, UM, TO BRING THOSE DESIGN ELEMENTS UP TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO GET THROUGH PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
YEAH, AND I CAN FOLLOW THAT BY THE NUMBERS WHEN YOU WALK ME THROUGH IT.
CAN YOU TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BUSINESS SUPPORT CONTRACTS? LIKE FOR INSTANCE, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION HAS NOTHING FOR BUSINESS AND SUPPORT CONTRACTS AND, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS AND LEGAL HAS A BIGGER NUMBER, BUT THEN PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, YOU KNOW, HAS BIG NUMBERS FOR ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION AND VERY LITTLE, FOR INSTANCE, ON BUSINESS AND LEGAL.
SO CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN TO ME HOW YOU'RE CATEGORIZING THOSE DIFFERENT, UM, OUTSIDE CONTRACTS? YEAH, I THINK THINK ABOUT IT IN TWO REAL BIG BUCKETS ULTIMATELY.
SO THE BUSINESS SUPPORT CONTRACTS ARE THE ADMINISTRATIVE SORT OF OVERHEAD, UM, SERVICES THAT FIRMS ARE PROVIDING TO A TP.
AND THEN WE HAVE DIRECT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECT.
AGAIN, THINK OF YOUR ENGINEERING CONTRACTS, YOU HAVE YOUR ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN CONTRACTS THROUGH HUG AS WELL AS OUR, UM, PMOR CONTRACT AND ANTICIPATED DELIVERY PARTNER CONTRACT.
UM, THAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE COMING ON ONLINE IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO I THINK I THINK ABOUT IT IN THOSE TWO BUCKETS, OVERHEAD VERSUS DIRECT PROJECT COST.
SO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES BEING DIRECT PROJECT COST AND BUSINESS SUPPORT CONTRACTS BEING OVERHEAD? CORRECT.
UM, MAYBE YOU CAN ALSO, AND I, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS, YOU KNOW, FOR YOU GREG, OR FOR YOU BRIAN, SO SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT AND I, I, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE A BIT GLARING IN THESE, AND THAT'S THE HEAD COUNT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
SO FOR INSTANCE, I WOULD THINK OF THIS AS LARGELY BEING AN ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT THAT WE ARE OVERSEEING AND, YOU KNOW, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION, LINDSEY'S DEPARTMENT HAS, IF, IF WE APPROVE THIS BUDGET, WE'LL HAVE A HEADCOUNT OF 10 BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR AND BUSINESS AND LEGAL WILL HAVE A HEADCOUNT OF 30 AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR.
JUST THE RATIONALE BETWEEN HOW WE'VE DIVIDED UP, YOU KNOW, THE HEADCOUNT, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU WANNA MAKE SURE CASEY'S NOT, YOU KNOW, GOT MORE THAN SHE CAN HANDLE LINDSAY LESS.
BUT THEN ALSO YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE EXPERTISE FOR OVERSEEING ALL OF THAT RESIDES IN THE PLACE WHERE IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
SO, UM, MAYBE JUST, YEAH, NO, YEAH, I THINK IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK IT TIES BACK, I'LL LET BRIAN AND JAMIE KIND OF ADD TO IT, BUT I THINK TIE BACK TO THE ARC OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN, UM, WE GOING BACK, UH, TO MAY OF MAY OF 23 WHEN WE HAD APPROVAL OF AUSTIN
[00:30:01]
LIGHT RAIL PHASE ONE, AND WE'RE GONNA ADVANCE THAT, UH, WE PURPOSELY INTENTIONALLY SPENT SOME TIME THINKING ABOUT, UH, OUR DELIVERY STRATEGY, OUR OVERALL SCHEDULE, AND OUR FTA AS WELL AS OUR INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT ABOUT THAT.WE HAD A BUDGET IN PLACE, WE KNEW THAT AND WE HAD, AS WE'VE SAID, WE'VE CARRIED FORWARD INTO THE 24 BUDGET, OUR PREVIOUS FTE COUNT AS WE PRESENTED IN, UM, THIS PAST JULY WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE WENT THROUGH AN EVALUATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS AS IT ALIGNS WITH OUR FTA PROCESSES AND TIMELINE, WHICH WE'VE NOW PUT OUT WITH OUR TWO YEAR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, WHICH WOULD LEAD ULTIMATELY TO A FULL FUNDING AND GRANT AGREEMENT, UM, AS WELL AS THEN ENTRY TO ENGINEERING, COUPLING THAT WITH OUR OVERALL DELIVERY STRATEGY, I THINK AS AN ORGANIZATION, UH, WE KNOW THAT TO BUILD THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN ORGANIZATION, THE FINANCIAL BACKGROUND AUDIT, AUDIT NEEDS, PROCUREMENT NEEDS, WE'VE ALWAYS VIEWED THOSE AS IN-HOUSE, AS IN-HOUSE SERVICES.
AND SO YOU, YOU, YOU'VE SEEN US BUILD THAT UP, BUILD THAT UP, AND ALSO STEADY STATE IT IN THIS LAST BUDGET, UH, ON THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, ON THE ENGINEERING, THE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES.
WE ARE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOME OF THE BEST TALENT IN THE COUNTRY HERE WORKING WITH US, UM, IN AUSTIN TO ADVANCE REALLY ONE OF THE LARGEST LIGHT RAIL PROJECTS IN THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE ALSO PURPOSELY THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING THAT EXPERTISE AT HIGH LEVEL AND THEN PARTNERING WITH OUR INDUSTRY, UM, OUT THERE ENGINEERING ARCHITECTS TO GET THAT KIND OF GRANULAR EXPERTISE TO MIX THAT.
AND WE REALLY SEE THAT AS OUR MODEL GOING FORWARD AS WE, AS WE ADVANCE OUR DELIVERY PARTNER, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE, UH, WE'VE BRIEFED ON THAT IN, IN, IN THE SPRING, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT FORWARD AS THAT RESOURCE PLAN.
UM, WE'LL BE NOT ONLY ADVANCING OUR PROJECT TO GET READY FROM A FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO FROM THE NEXT ROUND OF, UM, FINAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
SO I THINK A BOARD MEMBER, WE'VE ALWAYS SEEN THIS SENSE OF WE HAVE TO BUILD THE CORE FOUNDATIONS OF THIS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE PART OF A TP, SO THAT WE ARE READY FOR WHAT WILL BE MANY, MANY RESOURCES ON THE ENGINEERING AND THE DESIGN SIDE THAT WILL BE COMING IN BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL.
ULTIMATELY, WHILE THEY MAY BE EXTERNAL RESOURCES, IT'S GONNA BE A ONE TEAM APPROACH.
UM, AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE READY FROM A, FROM A PROCESS, FINANCIAL PROCESS PERSPECTIVE, PROCUREMENT AND LEGAL PROCESS THAT WE'RE READY TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN THE SHAPE OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND I THINK IT'S TAKING, UM, THIS PAST YEAR WITH THE ASSESSMENT THAT CASEY LED FOR US, WE'VE KIND OF STEADY STATE THAT AND IT'S REFLECTING IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET.
YEAH, AND I GUESS THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT WHILE I, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UM, BOARD MEMBER WITH ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION, WHILE THERE MAY ONLY BE 10 INTERNAL FTES REFLECTED, AGAIN, WE HAVE, WE'RE LEVERAGING ALL OF OUR RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE THROUGH OUR PMOR CONTRACT AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE INTEND ON BRINGING ON BOARD.
SO WHILE THERE MAY BE 10 THERE, RIGHT, THERE'S AN ARMY OF FOLKS HELPING THOSE 10 PUSH FORWARD THE WORK.
ANOTHER THING I'D LIKE TO ADD IN, IN MY UNDERSTANDING OF FTES, WE DID NOT HAVE AN OVERALL PLAN IN THE BEGINNING AS WE WERE BUILDING THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND OVER THE YEARS WE'VE BEEN, WE HAVE TASKED OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO REALLY GIVE US A BREAKDOWN OF WHEN WE NEED WHO.
AND SO THIS FTE COUNT IN MY PERSPECTIVE, IS IT CAN INCREASE AS WE BRING IN THE, UM, DELIVERY PARTNER IF WE NEED THOSE EXTRA RESOURCES.
SO I HOPE THAT THIS IS, I MEAN, THIS NUMBER SHOULD ALWAYS BE EVALUATED.
THIS NUMBER OF FTES SHOULD ALWAYS BE THOUGHT ABOUT WITH INTENTION.
SO WE KIND OF HAD AN INFLATED NUMBER IN THE BEGINNING, THEN WE KIND OF BALANCED IT, AND NOW WE'RE TRIMMING A LITTLE BIT AS WE GET INTO THE NEXT SESSION.
I MEAN, THE NEXT PART OF THE PROGRAM.
AND TO YOUR POINT CHAIR, YES, IT'S, IT'S A CONTINUAL PROCESS OF ONE THINKING ABOUT WHAT VACANCIES WE HAVE AND AS WE'RE THINKING THROUGH, UM, POSTING FOR THOSE POSITIONS, EVALUATING WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD BE A A TP RESOURCE, UM, SITTING IN THAT POSITION, OR SHOULD WE STAFF AUGMENT IF IT'S NOT A, A LONG-TERM NEED FOR A TP.
WE'LL CON WE'LL ALWAYS GO THROUGH.
YEAH, NO, AND THIS IS WHEN WE DO IT.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S GREAT WHEN WE APPROVE THE ANNUAL BUDGET, YOU KNOW, THERE'S HEAD COUNTS THAT ARE BEING ACCOUNTED FOR AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE CHANCE FOR US TO TALK ABOUT IT AND DECIDE WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
I THINK ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT ABOUT, UM, LEGAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES IS THAT ALL OF THE PROCUREMENT SERVICES ARE HOUSED IN CASEY'S GROUP, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS A CRI YOU KNOW, BRAD'S END COMPANY IS, UH, YOU KNOW, A BIG PIECE OF IMPORTANT, THE OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT, UM, BUT A, UH, ALSO A BIG, IN THIS INSTANCE, A BIG PIECE OF, UM, FTES HOUSED INTERNALLY.
I MEAN, THAT'S NOT REALLY SOMETHING YOU CAN OUTSOURCE IS YOUR OVERSIGHT OF THE
[00:35:01]
PROCUREMENT PROCESS.UM, YOU KNOW, ONE LAST THING I MIGHT MENTION, SORT OF PHILOSOPHICAL THING ABOUT THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT AND YOU, WE'VE HAD SOME INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE EVER DONE IT FROM THE DAIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE BUDGET FOR THAT, BUT WE REALLY HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER THAT.
WE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU BUDGET FOR SOMETHING, YOU COULD ARGUE THAT WE HAVE SOME DEGREE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
YOU KNOW, I ALLOCATING X MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO GO TOWARDS ANY DISPLACEMENT EFFORTS, WHICH I'M TOTALLY BEHIND, SO GLAD WE PASSED THE 300 MILLION AS PART OF THE PROP A AND B.
UM, BUT, UH, I, I, I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT JUST FEELS FUNNY FOR US TO BE BUDGETING A NUMBER WHEN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, LIKE, I LOOK AT WHERE THAT MONEY'S GOING AND I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS SPENDING THE MONEY.
I'M NOT, IT'S NOT A CRITICISM, IT'S MERELY A FUNCTION OF, YOU KNOW, TYING, UH, ACCOUNTABILITY WITH AUTHORITY.
SO IT'S JUST, I IT'S NOTHING TO BE RESO RESOLVED IN A BUDGET DISCUSSION, BUT I DO THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, IT'S GOING WELL NOW, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S SORT OF, EVERYONE CAN JUST ACCEPT THAT THE MONEY'S GOING OUT AND NOTHING, BUT IF IT DIDN'T, GOD FORBID FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE THAT IT DIDN'T, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT WOULD LEAVE US IN TERMS OF HAVING, YOU KNOW, FORMALLY ALLOCATED THE MONEY OVER TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HAVING NO SENSE OF HOW IT'S BEING SPENT.
SO AGAIN, JUST A PHILOSOPHICAL COMMENT THAT I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, MIGHT MERITS SOME ONGOING DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW A TP VERSUS THE CITY DEALS WITH THAT, UM, UH, BOARD MEMBER LANG MOORE.
I WILL SAY THAT, UM, WHEN THE CITY SUBMITS THOSE INVOICES FOR REIMBURSEMENT, WE DO REVIEW THEM FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE INTER THE GOVERNING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
AND SO WE DO HAVE STANDARDS THAT, UM, ARE IN PLACE SO THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS HOW THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT, AND WE ARE REVIEWING THAT FOR COMPLIANCE.
I, I MEAN, GREAT POINT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT THERE'S SOME DEGREE OF ENSURING THAT IT'S COM IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT.
THAT'S A DIFFERENT ASPECT THAN, BECAUSE I DON'T, WHEN I LOOK AT WHERE THIS MONEY'S GOING, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SORT OF DO YOUR SUMMARY OF WHERE IT, OF WHERE IT'S GOING, YOU KNOW, 850 HOUSEHOLD, 70,000 PEOPLE, 50%, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOOD OR BAD OR WHERE THAT'S WINDING UP THE, THE DELIVERY OF PROJECT CONNECT ITSELF.
LIKE I, YOU KNOW, I CAN TURN TO JEN ABOUT THE FEDERAL PROCESS, YOU KNOW, I CAN TURN TO CASEY ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, LINDSAY, ABOUT THE ENGINEERING.
IT ALL MAKES SENSE, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND IT.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME A LITTLE NERVOUS THOUGH, THAT WE'RE TAKING ON, AGAIN, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOMETHING WHEN WE REALLY DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY OVER HOW IT'S BEING SPENT.
UM, I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE.
AGAIN, NOT TO BE RESOLVED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BUDGET, BUT IT'S PART OF OUR BUDGET DOCUMENT, SO I JUST THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE THE TIME TO RAISE IT.
AND THEN WERE, WERE YOU GONNA SAY SOMETHING? WELL, I'M NOT SURE IT HAS ANYTHING.
UM, BUT, BUT THAT HASN'T STOPPED ME MANY TIMES.
SO THERE, IT, IT'S, IT'S PART OF THE FOUNDATION OF HOW WE SET UP SOMETHING CALLED THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE SITUATIONS LIKE THAT.
I THINK IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE WILL HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE ONE PARTY IS DOING SOMETHING AND WE SAY, BUT ISN'T THAT THEY'RE REALLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING? AND THERE PROBABLY IS SOME OVERLAP IN THOSE INSTANCES, AND IT'S PROBABLY GOOD TO HAVE A SET OF EYES.
I MEAN, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK IT IS A GOOD TO HAVE A SET OF EYES SAYING, IS THIS CONSISTENT WITH INTERLOCAL? AND, AND THEN LET, LET THE PARTY THAT HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DECIDING WHAT IS THE BEST POLICY WITH
[00:40:01]
REGARD TO DISPLACEMENT, MAKE THOSE DECISIONS CONSISTENT WITH THE INTERLOCAL.SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE GETTING, YOU'RE GETTING A CHECKS AND BALANCES, BUT MAYBE NOT PRECISELY THE CHECK AND BALANCE THAT YOU WOULD WANT AS A BOARD MEMBER ABOUT WELL, IS THAT GOOD WORK? YEAH.
MADAM CHAIR, IF, IF I MAY, UM, IT, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE, UH, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT DISPLACEMENT AS WE SPEND ANY PUBLIC FILES.
UH, BECAUSE YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE DECIDED AND, AND WHEN WE SIT TOGETHER, UH, WHAT WE TALK ABOUT, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO COME INTO PRECINCT ONE AND DEVELOP SOMETHING, UH, DEVELOP, UM, UH, MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WILL WE ASK THEM, HAVE, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO CAB METRO? WHAT'S, WHAT ARE THE CLOSEST BUS STOPS? UH, HAVE, HAVE YOU, UH, HAVE YOU TALKED TO CENTRAL HEALTH? WHERE IS PUBLIC HEALTH AVAILABLE? HAVE YOU TALKED TO YOUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS? HOW MANY OF YOUR KIDS ARE WITHIN TWO MILES OF THE SCHOOL? BECAUSE IF THEY'RE WITHIN TWO MILES OF BUSES, DON'T COME AND GET THEM.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION HOLISTICALLY.
HISTORICALLY, WE'VE HAD THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOUSING BY ITSELF, BUT IT'S NOT JUST WHERE YOU LAY YOUR HEAD.
IT'S WHERE YOUR, YOUR GROCERY STORE IS, WHERE YOUR PHARMACY IS, WHERE YOUR DOCTOR IS, WHERE, WHERE YOU'RE AT, WHERE YOUR ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSIT IS.
ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN TOGETHER IN ORDER TO HAVE MASTER PLAN COMMUNITIES.
SO, UH, SO THAT IT BECOMES A PART OF, OF THE FUNDAMENTAL CONVERSATION.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RELYING ON PUBLIC TRANSIT ARE PEOPLE WHO USED TO LIVE IN AUSTIN, CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN AUSTIN ANYMORE, AND NOW THEY'RE LIVING IN COLONY PARK OR THE ETJ OR AUSTIN'S COLONY OR MAINOR.
AND WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET TO ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.
SO THIS IS THE PRECISE SPACE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION AND, AND, UM, AND SEE, IT MIGHT SEEM UNCOMFORTABLE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THIS IN A TIMELY MANNER BEFORE, AND WE SHOULD HAVE, THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE MANNER IN WHICH WE, WE HANDLED PUBLIC POLICY SINCE THE SIXTIES.
IT IS NOT, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HANDLE IT RIGHT NOW.
AND ONE OTHER THING I'LL ADD THAT SHE CALLS ME TO THINK OF IS BACK TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT HOW YOU DEFINE WHAT THIS IS.
YOU SAID YOU KIND OF SEE THIS AS A, A PROJECT SUPERVISOR OF A, A BIG ENGINEERING AND BUILDING.
UM, THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD REASON THAT THE PARTNERSHIP ITSELF ISN'T INVOLVED IN HOW YOU SPEND THE ANTI DISPLAY.
WHEN I, AS I LISTENED TO THE COMMISSIONER TALK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT GOES INTO THAT, THAT AIN'T THAT EXACTLY THIS JOB, THAT'S EXACTLY MY POINT.
BUT WHAT BUILT INTO IT, BUT BUILT INTO THAT IS BECAUSE IT WAS PASSED AT THE SAME TIME, IT WAS PASSED WITH THE SPECIFICITY THAT IT OUGHT TO, IT OUGHT TO BE RELATED TO WHAT WE'RE, WHAT THE PARTNERSHIP IS GOING TO DO.
YES, IT DOES GIVE A VALUABLE SECOND SET OF EYES ON THE ANALYSIS OF HOW IT GETS DONE.
AND, AND JUST, JUST TO, TO TOP IT OFF, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PUT 13,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING INTO TRAVIS COUNTY.
THE, THE CITY IS, HAS INVESTED, UH, $1.6 MILLION FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
THE COUNTY HAS INVESTED $110 MILLION.
UNLESS WE START HAVING, AND IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO HAVE PUT 13,000 NEW UNITS IN AND JUST START TALKING ABOUT, OH YEAH, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT THIS DISPLACEMENT? IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE BEGIN TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION, AND IT TAKES FORM EARLY AND, AND, AND, UH, TO, TO MY, UH, MY COLLEAGUES AT THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, THROUGH THE MAYOR, UH, THEY'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF SITTING DOWN WITH US AND WORKING WITH, WITH US AND PLANNING WITH US.
AND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAS DONE THAT AS WELL.
AND IT HAS ALSO BROUGHT IN, UH, THE APPROPRIATE, UH, THE, THE APPROPRIATE ENTITIES IN THE COUNTY TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO THIS TOGETHER.
UH, NOBODY, UH, KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO BECAUSE WE'VE NOT HAD THE CHALLENGES ON THE SCALE THAT WE HAVE, BUT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER CONSISTENTLY, TALKING TOGETHER REGULARLY, AND AS WE MAKE PROGRESS, WE MAKE IT TOGETHER AND WE ADDRESS THE, THE, UH, THINGS THAT WE CAN ANTICIPATE.
AND THEN WE BRING IN FOLKS WHO ARE LIVING THROUGH THIS EVERY DAY TO TELL US WHAT WE'RE MISSING.
TOTALLY APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION.
IT'S ONE WE HAVEN'T HAD BEFORE.
YOU KNOW, JUST THE FACT THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS DIALOGUE TO ME IS MEANINGFUL.
AND LIKE I AGREE WITH YOU MAYOR WATSON, THAT IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT BY DESIGN, AS LONG AS THE EXPECTATIONS OF US ARE AT THAT HIGH LEVEL TO SORT OF ENSURE IT'S IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE JOINT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT AND
[00:45:01]
THAT IT'S NOT, LIKE WHEN I HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOW IT MATCHES UP WITH HEALTH SERVICES, TRANSIT SERVICES, I AGREE WITH YOU.I DON'T LIKE THAT'S NOT OUR ROLE.
YOU KNOW, THAT ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT CAP METRO IS DOING.
SO LIKE, JUST HAVING THIS DISCUSSION AND SETTING THE APPROPRIATE EXPECTATION IS REALLY SORT OF THE OBJECTIVE OF WHAT I WAS STATING, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THAT'S NOT OUR ROLE IN DELIVERING THE FUNDS OVER TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THAT'S THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH ITS PARTNERSHIP AGENCIES TO DO THAT.
BUT YEAH, IT PLACE, AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD, UM, IS MAYBE TO, UH, DRAW ATTENTION TO YOUR PHRASE BY DESIGN, BECAUSE I THINK IT, IT WAS MAINLY BY DESIGN, BUT YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS A GOOD ACCIDENT, WE OUGHT TO TAKE CREDIT FOR IT TOO.
GOOD ELECTED OFFICIAL IS ABOVE THAT.
UH, I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD SEGUE.
I GET BLAME FOR STUFF I CAN'T.
WE, WE ARE APPROPRIATELY SHOCKED IN DISMAY.
I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD SEGUE.
I DON'T WANNA INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF WE LOOK AT THE, UH, BOARD BRIEF, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SECOND PAGE, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID WE LOOKED AT THE SECOND SET OF EYES, I, I LOVE YOUR POINT BOARD MEMBER LANG MOORE.
I DID READ THE SUMMARY IN OUR BUDGET FROM OUR WORK SESSION.
'CAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY NAMED BY PROJECT ALSO.
BUT I DO THINK THAT WE ALSO HAVE A GREAT ALLY WITH THE CAC.
THE CAC WAS ALSO BY DESIGN SET UP TO BE THAT THIRD SET OF EYES WITHOUT A LOT OF COMMUNITY INPUT, BECAUSE THEY HELPED CHEF PER THE ALL MATTERS OF EQUITY WITHIN THIS PROGRAM DELIVERY, BUT ALSO SPECIFICALLY THEY SHOULD BE CREDITED.
A LOT OF THE MEMBERS ON THAT CAC WERE THE GENESIS OF THE $300 MILLION THAT WE ALL TAKE CREDIT FOR, RIGHT? BUT IT WAS THEM, RIGHT, THAT THEY SHEPHERD THOSE $300 MILLION.
SO LET'S RECOGNIZE THEIR EFFORTS AND THEIR, THEIR GRILLING THE CITY OR WHERE THEY'RE PUTTING THAT MONEY IN.
UM, I'M SURE THEY DON'T LEAVE ANY PAGE UNTURNED, WHICH I, IT GIVES ME PEACE IF I DON'T HAVE TIME TO TUNE INTO THEIR MEETINGS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I LOVE READING THAT THE COMMITTEE, ADVISORY COMMITTEE GAVE A RESOLUTION GIVING KUDOS TO A TP FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN THE EIS PROCESS.
AND IN THAT EIS PROCESS, AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS NEXT STEP OF ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS, IT IMPACTS DISPLACEMENT AND THE, THE OUTREACH THAT THE STAFF HAS, THE CAC HAS SEEN FROM OUR STAFF, THEY GAVE THEM A RECOMMENDATION.
SO, AND IT'S SPECIFICALLY SAYING ONE OF THE BULLET POINTS THAT THEY'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING ON OUR BUDGET THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD PRIORITIZE THE PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND LAND ACQUISITION ALONG THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL PHASE ONE, INCLUDING THE PRIORITY EXTENSIONS.
SO I LOVE THAT THEY'RE REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THESE THINGS AND, UM, WE CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH.
THAT IS ALSO A LABOR OF LOVE AND VOLUNTEER WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND I THINK THAT BY DESIGN, HAVING SET UP THAT COMMITTEE, IT'S, IT'S A HUGE KUDOS TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.
UM, BUT I LOVE THE DISCUSSION AS WELL, SO THANK YOU.
UM, SO THE ONE LAST POINT I WOULD MAKE SORT OF, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE BUDGET PROCESS, DEFINITELY TO MY MIND THIS YEAR WAS AN IMPROVEMENT OVER LAST.
I WILL SAY THAT I HAD A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THE BUDGET THE WAY I THINK IT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD.
JUST WORKING OFF OF THIS DOCUMENT.
IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF WHAT YOU SENT ME SEPARATELY, I WOULDN'T HAVE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO PIECE THIS ALL TOGETHER.
IT'S SO MY, YOU KNOW, MY COMMENT IN THAT RESPECT WOULD BE, AND YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE QUARTERLY UPDATES INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, THIS BREAKDOWN, UH, THAT YOU SENT ME BY DEPARTMENT AND THEN SHOWING, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE AT RELATIVE TO BUDGET, UM, BY DEPARTMENT, AND THEN EXPENSES BELOW EACH DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL IF IT WAS IN THAT.
AND THEN MAYBE EVEN IF IT'S MADE ITS WAY INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ANNUAL BUDGET DISCUSSION THAT IT'S, I I THINK IT'S JUST EASIER TO WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND AND THEN IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASIER FOR US TO ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT HELP US UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE RESOURCES OF THE AGENCY ARE BEING ALLOCATED.
UM, SO, BUT GOOD WORK, YOU KNOW, IT'S, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR BEHIND THE SCENE EFFORT TO, YOU KNOW, GET US UP TO SPEED ON THIS THING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A GOOD BUDGET.
I THINK GETTING THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES RIGHT SIZE TO WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY HIRING AND THEN WRITING
[00:50:01]
SOME OF THESE CONTRACTS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE AREN'T DOING, BUT WE HAD BEEN BUDGETING FOR IN THE PAST.NOW WE'RE NOT BUDGETING FOR THEM.
THE ONES THAT ARE BEING, YOU KNOW, ARE GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED IN 25.
SO HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET WILL COME OUT VERY CLOSELY TO ACTUAL, WILL WIND UP WITH WHAT WE BUDGETED, YOU KNOW, IN THE 65 MILLION WILL WRITE ITSELF, WHICH IS GOOD.
IT'S MUCH EASIER TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GONNA DO RELATIVE TO WHAT WE'VE DONE AT THE END OF THE YEAR THROUGH THE NUMBERS, WHICH IS WHERE ALL OF OUR ACTIVITY OBVIOUSLY IS CAPTURED.
UM, SO APPRECIATE THE EFFORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO VOTING ON ANOTHER YEAR'S BUDGET.
ARE THERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? MEMBER GARCIA? UH, NOT A QUESTION, BUT JUST A COMMENT.
UM, AS CITY MANAGER, I NEVER, I DON'T THINK I TRULY APPRECIATED THE INFORMATION AND BALANCE THAT EXISTS BETWEEN THE STAFF AND THE GOVERNING BODY.
AND IN THIS SPOT, I, MY SENSE IS, IT IS OF GREAT VALUE FOR THE STAFF TO SAY THIS BUDGET HELPS US ADVANCE US CLOSER TO OUR, UH, THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF OUR MISSION.
AND I REALLY WANT TO HEAR THAT, UH, BECAUSE I THINK IT DOES.
UM, AND I WANT TO HEAR THAT, UM, THAT, UM, THE PRIORITY EXTENSION PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED REMAIN IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS, UH, TOWARDS THOSE.
UM, AND I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT, UM, UH, WE DO HAVE A STRONG, UH, INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION THAT, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND THIS SIDE OF THE, OF THE COUNTER, I APPRECIATE THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF REALLY, REALLY GOOD POLICIES, UM, THAT WE HAVE.
AND HAVING AN INTERNAL AUDITOR THAT, UH, GIVES US THE COMFORT THAT, UH, AND KNOWING THAT THEY'RE DOING ADHERE, ADHERE THAT WE SPEND THE PUBLIC'S MONEY.
THANK YOU STAFF FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND THANK VERY MUCH TO THE CIC FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID AND HELPING PUT THIS TOGETHER.
WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR A VOTE NOW TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER SIX.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? YOU ALREADY DOES.
EVERYONE IN FAVOR? PLEASE SAY AYE.
OUR BUDGET IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
BIG CREST TO BRIAN AND JAMIE AND ALL THE TEAM.
THIS IS AS A SMALL ORGANIZATION, IT'S UM, EVERYTHING WE DO, EVERYONE'S INVOLVED IN FOR THE MOST PART.
AND THANK YOU BOARD FOR, UM, REALLY THE EXTENDED PROCESS WE HAD THIS YEAR.
I REALLY THINK IT ACTUALLY STARTED BACK IN MARCH WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT OUR DELIVERY FRAMEWORK, SETTING THE FOUNDATIONS AS WELL AS OUR FT.
SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IN THE TIME AND ENERGY.
AND THEN LASTLY, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF SUITE.
UM, THIS IS JAMIE ATKINSON'S LAST BUDGET WITH US.
SHE IS, UM, SHE IS MOVING ON, MOVING BACK, I SHOULD SAY TO VIRGINIA.
UM, WITH, UH, IT WASN'T THAT LAST QUESTION.
WELL, SHE'S GOING TO WORK FOR THE, SO I THINK WE HAVE, I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR.
ALTHOUGH I DO THINK WE HAVE AN INTERLOCAL WITH THE CITY OF RICHMOND.
SO YOU CAN ASK HER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RICHMOND BUDGET, UM, WHICH SHE'LL BE WORKING ON.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE AND GOOD LUCK.
THANK YOU, JAMIE, FOR EVERYTHING.
YOU REALLY HAVE BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH.
JAMIE GONNA LOSE 20 DEGREES IN THE PAST,
SO WHEN IS YOUR LAST DAY WITH A TP? UH, IT'LL BE NEXT MONTH IN OCTOBER.
BE MAKING THE LONG DRIVE BACK.
WELL THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO END ON A SAD NOTE.
[3.7 Approval of a resolution adopting Austin Transit Partnership’s Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Investment Policy]
ON TO ITEM ACTION.ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIPS FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 20 25 INVESTMENT POLICY.
MR. RIVERA WILL PROVIDE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE ACTION BEFORE US.
SO, UM, THIS, THE INVESTMENT POLICY IS ANNUAL.
IT NEEDS ANNUAL ADOPTION BY THE BOARD PURSUANT TO THE PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT.
UM, THERE AREN'T, THE ONLY PROPOSED CHANGES I HAVE IN THIS YEAR'S DOCUMENT ARE REALLY CHANGES TO TITLES FOR THE GROUP THAT MAKES UP THE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE.
UM, WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION AS, AS THAT PROGRESSES TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES TO THE PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT AND YOU'LL PROBABLY SEE THOSE CHANGES MATERIALIZE IN NEXT YEAR'S INVESTMENT POLICY.
BUT AGAIN, AS, AS I MENTIONED, THIS YEAR'S POLICY IS SAME POLICY THAT WE WE APPROVED LAST YEAR.
[00:55:01]
I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU KEEP THREE OR FOUR EYES ON THIS SESSION.DO WE HAVE, UM, ANY, UM, I'D LIKE TO MOVE FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ACTION.
SO MOVED, MOVED BY BOARD MEMBER BILION SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER GARZA.
ANY DISCUSSION? I WOULD JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT IN THAT I APPRECIATE YOU SENDING US A RED LINE VERSION.
IT'S NICE JUST TO SEE VERY MINIMAL CHANGES.
EVERYONE IN FAVOR? PLEASE SAY AYE.
UM, SEEING THAT ACHIEVING YIELD OBJECTIVES, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CONSERVATIVE.
UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CONSERVATIVE OR THEY'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING MONEY.
WE PRESERVE OUR PURCHASING POWER, BUT THAT'S IT.
SO THE THREE AS AS MENTIONED UP THERE, THE, THE POLICY REALLY HAS THREE MAIN OBJECTIVES.
SO AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT OUR INVESTMENTS ARE ARE SAFE AND WE'RE MAINTAINING THE INTEGRITY OF THE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO US.
UM, THE NEXT IS LIQUIDITY, MEANING WHEN, IF WE NEED THE FUNDS, THEY'RE READILY AVAILABLE FOR US TO USE AND YIELD IS, IS THE LAST THING THAT WE CONSIDER IN OUR OBJECTIVES FOR OUR INVESTMENT POLICY.
SO, BUT WE TAKE IT WHEN WE CAN GET IT
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR A VOTE.
EVERYONE IN FAVOR OF ACTION ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ACTION ITEM NUMBER SEVEN HAS BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[4.1 Approval of Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Audit Plan]
NOW WE'RE MOVING TO OUR INTERNAL AUDIT AUCTION ITEM.WELCOME, MS. KATIE HOUSTON IS ATP'S DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL AUDIT AND SHE WILL PRESENT THE PROPOSED AUDIT PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE OUR AGENDA BACKUP INCLUDES A RED LINE VERSION OF PROPOSED AUDIT PLAN NOTING CHANGES FROM THE INITIAL POSTING.
SO I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD AND, UH, AND TO HEAR OUR FEEDBACK ON THIS AUDIT PLAN.
CERTAINLY THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR.
UM, SO I'M HERE TODAY TO INTRODUCE THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 25 AUDIT PLAN.
UH, THE FIRST THING I'LL SAY, MAYBE THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IS, UH, CAMERON AND I KIND OF SWITCHED UP OUR APPROACH THIS YEAR AND LISTING FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE ON DIFFERENT PROJECT IDEAS.
AND I HAVE TO GIVE A BIG KUDOS AND SHOUT OUT TO A TP STAFF.
USUALLY WHEN WE ASK FOR AUDIT IDEAS, WE GET A KIND OF NOTHING TO SEE HERE TYPE OF RESPONSE.
UH, AND SO FOLLOWING THAT, UH, WE WENT THROUGH OUR STANDARD PROCESS.
UM, THIS PLAN HERE KIND OF REFLECTS THE SAME AS WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IN YEARS PAST, INCLUDING OUR PROPOSED PROJECTS AND OUR MORE ROUTINE, UH, KIND OF ADVISORY TYPE PROJECTS.
AND THEN HERE TODAY, WE'RE REQUESTING YOUR APPROVAL.
THESE ARE THE, UH, PROJECTS WE'RE PROPOSING, BOTH THE AUDIT AND ADVISORY SERVICE PROJECTS.
UM, THE REDLINE VERSION, UH, SUBBED IN THE DBE GOAL AUDIT.
YOU CAN SEE THE PROPOSED OBJECTIVE THERE AND THE TYPE OF AUDIT.
SOME OF THIS WILL MAKE USE OF OUR CO-SOURCE STAFF.
UM, THERE ARE AUGMENTED STAFF AND THEN ALSO SOME WE'LL DO IN-HOUSE.
AND THEN HERE'S KIND OF OUR MORE ROUTINE PROJECTS, AUDIT PLANNING, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS HERE.
UM, OUR STANDARD KIND OF OTHER ADVISORY SERVICES, THE NEW ONES THERE, UH, REFLECT, AUDIT, FOLLOW-UP.
NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT DASHBOARD IN PLACE AND KIND OF THOSE PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED, WE'LL INCLUDE THAT EVERY YEAR AS PART OF OUR ONGOING WORK.
AND THEN KIND OF THE BIG THING THAT'S NEW TO US THIS YEAR PROBABLY DOESN'T IMPACT, UH, A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER FOLKS.
BESIDES US AND OTHER AUDITORS, UM, IS THE ADOPTION OF OUR NEW PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS.
SO WE WILL BE SPENDING SOME OF OUR TIME ON THAT AS WELL.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
UM, BEFORE WE ASK ANY QUESTIONS, I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MAYOR WATSON AND SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER GARZA.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO, NO QUESTIONS.
UM, KATIE, I WONDER IF YOU COULD WALK US THROUGH YOUR PROPOSED PROJECTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOWED THE SLIDE, BUT JUST KIND OF TELL US WHAT THOSE ARE, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO THERE.
UH, SO THE FIRST ONE THERE, PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT.
I WOULD SAY THIS IS KIND OF ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT 1 0 1.
UM, ESSENTIALLY WHAT ARE OUR HIGH LEVEL GOALS? WHAT HAVE WE ESTABLISHED? HOW ARE WE TRACKING THEM?
[01:00:01]
I WOULD THINK KIND OF AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, WE ALL KNOW THE GOAL IS TO, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENT AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.UH, BUT AT A MORE GRANULAR LEVEL, TRACKING COSTS, WORKING ON COST CONTAINMENT, HOW DO WE STAY ON TIME? UM, KIND OF ENSURE SERVICE DELIVERY MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE WOULD MAYBE DRILL DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER EVEN AND, AND LOOK AT KIND OF DEPARTMENT LEVEL GOALS.
SOME ARE GONNA BE MORE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THOSE, THOSE HIGHER LEVEL GOALS.
IF YOU'RE IN, YOU KNOW, ENGINEERING, BUT OTHER FUNCTIONS, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT FUNCTIONS, HR, FINANCE, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE GOALS FOR THOSE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL.
AND THEN REALLY WE'D LIKE TO SEE KIND OF HOW WELL THAT'S COMMUNICATED.
ARE WE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE? ARE WE MARCHING TO THE SAME DRUM AND AT THE SAME PACE AND IN THE SAME DIRECTION? THAT WOULD REALLY BE WHAT THAT WORK WOULD BE.
WELL, SO LET ME, LET ME ASK YOU THERE.
I, I WANNA MAKE SURE LIKE YOU'RE THINKING OF IT, SEE IF MINE IS THE SAME AS YOURS.
SO I THINK OF US AS THE BOARD SETS KIND OF HIGH LEVEL, YOU KNOW, STRATEGIC AND OVERARCHING OBJECTIVES FOR THE ORGANIZATION, WHICH I MEAN, I GUESS I COULD TELL YOU THEY'RE LIKE, WE NEED TO DELIVER THIS THING ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.
AND THEN WE WOULD SIT DOWN WITH OUR SINGLE DIRECT REPORT OTHER THAN YOU, GREG, AND SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH A LIST OF SMART GOALS.
YOU KNOW, SMART GOALS, SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ALL THAT STUFF THAT ACCOMPLISH THESE OVERARCHING OBJECTIVES.
YOURS ARE GONNA BE MORE SPECIFIC, BUT THEY'RE ORGANIZATIONAL.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE OVERSEEING THE OUTPUT OF THE ORGANIZATION.
SO WE'D SIT DOWN AND HAVE A LIST OF SMART GOALS WITH GREG, AND THEN GREG WOULD TURN TO HIS DIRECT REPORTS AND SAY, ALL RIGHT, I'M BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE BOARD FOR THIS.
YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT GONNA DELIVER IT HIMSELF.
YOU KNOW, HE'S GONNA OVERSEE THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT DELIVER THE VARIOUS PIECES OF IT.
SO HE'LL GO TO HIS TEAM AND SAY, ALRIGHT, FOR ME TO ACCOMPLISH MINE, YOU KNOW, UM, LINDSAY, YOU NEED TO DO THIS.
UH, JEN, YOU NEED TO DO THIS, BRIAN, YOU NEED TO DO THIS.
HERE'S YOUR LIST OF SMART GOALS.
AND, AND THEN IN TURN, THEY WOULD TURN TO THEIR TEAM.
IS THAT LIKE, IS THAT THE TYPE OF PROCESS THAT YOU ENVISION AND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO AUDIT AND REPORT BACK ON? IS, IS THAT THE ESSENCE OF IT? SURE.
I WOULD SAY THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD SUMMARY.
MAYBE THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD ADD IS, AS WITH ALL OF OUR PROJECTS, IT STARTS WITH GOOD CRITERIA.
SO SMART IS, IS SORT OF ONE TOOL TO SET GOOD, UH, PERFORMANCE MEASURES, BUT THERE'S A BUNCH OUT THERE WE WOULD SEARCH FOR, YOU KNOW, GOOD CRITERIA, MAYBE WHAT OTHER TRANSIT ENTITIES DO OR WHAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES DO.
COME UP WITH SOME SOLID CRITERIA AND THEN USE THAT AS SORT OF THE BENCHMARK TO MEASURE WHAT WE DO.
AND THEN SEPARATELY, AGAIN, LIKE ALL OF OUR PROJECTS, WE LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING WELL AS WELL AS THE THINGS THAT, UH, COULD USE SOME IMPROVEMENT.
SO IT WOULD ENTAIL SOME OF THAT AS WELL.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT, THAT'S A BIG TASK.
YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF HOW, YOU KNOW, ENTITIES THAT ARE JUST A GROUP OF PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER, HOW THEY PRODUCE, YOU KNOW, A DESIRED OUTCOME IS BY HAVING THAT PROCESS IN PLACE AND THEN HAVING SOMEONE LIKE AN INTERNAL AUDITOR HOLDING US ALL ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THAT.
SO THAT'S GONNA, AND I WOULD SUSPECT THAT'LL BE A LOT OF WORK FOR YOU, BUT I THINK IT'LL BE EXTREMELY VALUABLE FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, UM, I'M SURE THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE WILL APPRECIATE THAT AS, UM, ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR YOUR GROUP.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, JUST THAT YOU MIGHT WALK THROUGH THOSE OTHERS A LITTLE MORE QUICKLY.
CONTRACTOR ONBOARDING WE'RE PROPOSING AS AN ADVISORY SERVICE THAT'S PRIMARILY 'CAUSE THEY CAN BE DONE A LITTLE QUICKER.
AND WE SEE SOME IMPORTANCE IN DOING THAT BEFORE WE BRING ON OUR DELIVERY PARTNER NEXT SPRING, THE DB.
SO YOU'RE DOING IT AS ADVISORY AS OPPOSED TO, UH, AN AUDIT.
UM, DBE GOALS, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY CLASSIC.
Y'ALL PROBABLY HAVE SEEN WORK IN THAT ARENA IN OTHER PLACES.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS? HOW DID WE SET THEM? ARE WE MEETING THEM USER ROLES AND KEY SYSTEMS. THAT'S ALSO KIND OF A CLASSIC AUDIT SEGREGATION OF DUTIES TYPE FUNCTION.
THERE ARE SOME ROLES THAT WE REALLY DON'T WANT ONE PERSON TO HAVE CONTROL OF, OF DIFFERENT THINGS, AND THEY CAN BE INCOMPATIBLE.
SO, UM, WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO ASSURE THAT OUR SYSTEMS HAVE THAT SEGREGATION GOOD APPROPRIATELY BUILT IN.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS SORT OF OUR PLANNING AROUND OUR LONG-TERM WORKFORCE NEEDS.
[01:05:01]
THIS ONE, I WOULD SAY I ENVISION DOING LAST ON THIS PLAN, JUST BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT MIGHT BE JUST A HAIR PREMATURE, BUT THAT WOULD LOOK AT KIND OF HOW WE'RE BUILDING IN WORKER PROTECTIONS.HOW WE'RE BUILDING OUT REALLY THAT WHOLE FUNCTION AND ENSURING THAT ULTIMATELY WE HAVE THE FOLKS WE NEED TO WORK ON THIS PROJECT LONG TERM.
SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT US A TP EMPLOYEES OR ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT PETER KEYWOOD EMPLOYEES, UH, FOLKS OUTSIDE OF A TP.
WORKING ON, WHICH IS SORT OF THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS IN THE ACADEMY THAT THE CITY'S CONTEMPLATING AND SORT OF LOOKING INTO THAT AND ENSURING THAT NOT JUST US, BUT EVERYBODY DOWNSTREAM EXACTLY.
I THINK REALLY THAT IS GONNA COME INTO PLAY MORE AS WE APPROACH CONSTRUCTION.
THAT'S GONNA BE A, A BIG PROJECT FOR YOU TO LOOK INTO A MULTI-PARTY, HUGE INITIATIVE, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING WHO PAYS FOR WHAT AND ALL OF THAT, BUT IT'S LAUDABLE AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK AT IT AT A HIGH LEVEL.
I WOULD SAY THE KEY WORD THERE IS PLANNING FOR, UH, BY NO MEANS DO I THINK ALL OF THAT CAN BE TOTALLY EXECUTED AND ASSESSED AT THIS TIME.
REALLY, THIS WOULD BE A PROJECT TO LOOK INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW TO ANTICIPATE THOSE NEEDS AND THEN BUILD OUT THAT PROGRAM.
BUT THE, THE, THE REAL POINT I THINK IS TO TAKE WHAT IS THEORETICAL AND PUT THE OPERATIONAL PLAN TOGETHER.
I MEAN, WE CAN PLAN AND WANT TO DO ANYTHING.
HOWEVER, IT'S PULLING THE RIGHT, IT'S PULLING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE.
IT'S PULLING THE RIGHT KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS IN PLACE.
IT'S IDENTIFYING, UH, WHAT FUNCTIONS HAPPEN AT WHAT LEVEL, AND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR TRACKING THAT.
AND THEN PUTTING A WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW AN AUDIT COMING IN AND BEING INVOLVED AT THE VERY BEGINNING SAYING, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE MEASURING.
THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA BE MEASURING IT.
THIS IS WHEN WE'RE GONNA BE MEASURING IT AND GIVING YOU A SCHEDULE SO THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND WE'RE NOT PLAYING.
WE ARE, WE ARE DEFINING EXPLICITLY WHAT WE'RE DOING AND DEFINING EXPLICITLY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO MEASURE IT, AND THEN MEETING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
SO IT, IT IS TAKING WHAT IS THEORETICAL AND MAKING IT OPERATIONAL AND ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, UH, FOR THIS FUNCTION THAT TO, UH, TO HAPPEN AND, AND FOR IT TO BE A COLLABORATION RATHER THAN SOMEBODY LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER.
AND ADD TO THAT, I THINK THIS GIVING, UH, KATIE KUDOS AND THIS IDEA OF THIS ADVISORY SERVICES, SHE AND I TALK ABOUT THIS MORE OR LESS EVERY WEEK.
THIS SENSE OF AUDITS ARE GREAT, BUT WHERE WE ARE IN THIS PROJECT, WE WANT SOME REAL TIME.
WE WANT REAL TIME FEEDBACK, RIGHT? REAL TIME INTELLIGENCE ON WHERE WE ARE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THOSE ITERATIONS IN THE MOMENT BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE MOMENT, RIGHT? WE'RE IN THE MOMENT OF PROGRESSING THIS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S BEEN A REALLY A NEAT SWITCH TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, TO MIX THIS INTO THE FORMAL AUDIT PLAN.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S A VALUE TO US AS AN ORGANIZATION.
I THINK WITH THE WORKER PROTECTIONS, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY BIG ONE ON THE WORKFORCE PLANNING.
I KNOW THERE WAS A GRANT THAT WAS GIVEN TO WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS TO HELP US THINK OF THIS.
AND I LIKE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE'S THE FEEDBACK ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND.
AND ALSO, AS WE ARE GOING TO INCREASE THAT WORKFORCE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HOUSE THEM TOO.
SO THERE'S GONNA CREATE ANOTHER PRESSURE POINT ON OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN HIRE LOCAL TALENT AND TRAIN LOCAL TALENT AND THAT IT'S ALREADY HERE.
I, I, I WASN'T PLANNING ON COMMENT ON IT, BUT I WILL, UM, IN, IN ANSWER THE, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED.
ONE IS THE, THE CONCEPT OF THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY.
IT WAS BORN OUT OF A DESIRE TO ACTUALLY CHANGE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARADIGM WHERE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARADIGM OR MODEL HAS TENDED TO BE, I THINK, UM, WE COUNT THE NUMBER OF NEW JOBS WE CREATED THAT YEAR.
WE HOLD UP WHATEVER TROPHY THEY HAND US, WE PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK AND WE SAY WE WON.
AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR WE START COUNTING W TWOS AGAIN.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT, OF COURSE, IS THAT WE'RE NOT FOCUSING ON WHAT I THINK IS SOMETHING VERY REAL, AND THAT'S PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY AFFORDING TO LIVE IN THIS TOWN.
AND ONE OF THE WAYS YOU CAN APPROACH AFFORDABILITY, OF COURSE, IS BY MORE HOUSING STOCK AND BIG A AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS PART OF THAT.
UH, BUT, BUT IT, BUT CHANGING THE AFFORDABILITY CURVE BY SUPPLY IS, IS A KEY PART.
AND OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A HUGE AMOUNT OF WORK GOING TO THAT AND UTILIZING TRANSIT AS A KEY HUB
[01:10:01]
IN WHAT WE NEED WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABILITY.AND THAT, THAT'S BEEN VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT THE OTHER WAY IS YOU PUT MORE MONEY IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING HERE, AND YOU'RE TRYING, YOU'RE TRYING TO AVOID THEM BEING DISPLACED BECAUSE OF AFFORDABILITY.
AND A KEY PART OF THAT IS THAT YOU CHANGE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARADIGM AND YOU MAKE IT IMPORTANT TO GET PEOPLE IN THOSE JOBS WITH AROUND $25 BILLION OF MOBILITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN PLAY.
THAT IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SECTOR BY ITSELF THAT IS BIGGER THAN A LOT THAT WE ALL BRAG ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT ALL THE TIME.
SO, UH, VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS AND MY, I TIPPED MY HAT TO CAPITAL METRO AND, AND A TP FOR WORKING DIRECTLY WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ON THIS CONCEPT OF, UH, IT, IT WASN'T QUITE YET THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS THE, IT WAS THE FOUND THE FOUNDATION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY AND WORKING WITH ME TO HELP KIND OF GET THAT PUT TOGETHER.
WELL, IT'S GROWN INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY AND WHAT WE DID, AND, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT ARE PART OF THAT AND PLAY A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN IT.
UM, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE NOW DONE THE MAIN OUTLINE.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED PHILANTHROPIC HELP OF ABOUT $225,000 TO PAY FOR THE DESIGN ASPECT OF IT.
AND WE OUGHT TO BRING IN CIVIC SOUL AT SOME POINT TO GIVE A REPORT ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE DONE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE MET WITH AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF PEOPLE, UH, AND GROUPS TO TALK ABOUT THE NEEDS AND HOW THE DESIGN OUGHT TO LOOK.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE A LEAD, WE HAVE A DESIGN GROUP, UH, THAT ALSO INCLUDES, BY THE WAY, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SKILLED, THE SKILLED TRADES AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM A CC AND, AND OTHERS.
AND WE ARE, UH, SO, SO THAT, THAT'S THE, THE, THE ABOUT 225,000 FOR DESIGN.
THE CITY OF AUSTIN BUDGETED $5 MILLION IN THIS LAST BUDGET.
SO THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET WILL INCLUDE $5 MILLION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY.
UM, AND, AND SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THAT.
UH, THERE'S ONE OTHER THING I WAS GONNA SAY ABOUT THAT.
OH, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT A CC IN TALKING TO THE CHANCE, THE, THE RELATIVELY NEW CHANCELLOR AT A CC, HE FELT SO STRONGLY ABOUT THIS, THAT, UH, HE'S AGREED TO PARTNER WITH CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY AND AND OUR OTHER PARTNERS IN THIS FOR SPACE.
SO THE FRONT DOOR OF THE AUSTIN INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY WILL END UP BEING A CC.
HE HAS MADE SPACE AT RIVER, THE RIVERSIDE CAMPUS AVAILABLE AS A TEMPORARY SPACE.
BUT WHEN THEY USE THEIR BOND MONEY TO BUILD THE NEW CAMPUS OUT BY THE AIRPORT, THEY WILL BUILD INTO THAT NEW CAMPUS.
PART OF THAT WILL BE DESIGNED TO HAVE THE AUSTIN INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY AS THERE.
SO, UM, W THERE, THERE, THERE IS ENORMOUS PROGRESS OCCURRING WITH REGARD TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY.
AND, AND, AND SO, AND IT'S VERY EXCITING BECAUSE I THINK WHAT IT WILL DO IS IT WILL ASSURE THAT AUSTIN IS A MORE COMPLETE CITY BECAUSE WE WILL BE ABLE TO RETAIN PEOPLE IN THIS CITY THAT OTHERWISE MIGHT BE DISPLACED BECAUSE OF LACK OF AFFORDABILITY.
AND WE'RE DOING IT WITH HOMEGROWN TALENT ON HOMEGROWN PROJECTS.
I WOULD, THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS I THINK IT'D BE GREAT IF, IF WE DID GET A PRESENTATION ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT.
I MEAN, I KNEW SOME OF THAT, BUT NOT ALL OF EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID.
AND GIVEN THAT OF THE 25 BILLION THAT'S GONNA BE SPENT ON MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, WE'RE ABOUT A THIRD OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM.
UM, 'CAUSE IF THOSE PEOPLE WITH THE SKILLED TRADES ARE NOT WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT, AREN'T, YOU KNOW, HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS WORKING, WE WON'T GET IT DONE ON TIME, MUCH LESS ON BUDGET.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THAT SHE'S NOT ASKING FOR MY EXPENSE REPORT IS
UM, YOU, YOU'RE SO RIGHT IN, IN THE INITIAL SURVEY THAT WAS STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY, SO WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, CAPITAL AREA, UH, HIRED, UH, STEVEN PETTIGO AND LAURA HUFFMAN OF CIVIC SOLE TO DO AN ANALYSIS.
AND ONE OF THE KEY FINDINGS OF THAT ANALYSIS WAS THAT IF WE JUST RELY UPON THE ORGANIC GROWTH OF THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE DOING THIS WORK, JUST THE NORMAL, HERE'S WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING, WE WILL BE 4,000
[01:15:01]
PEOPLE PER YEAR BEHIND OVER THE NEXT DECADE.AND SO, SO WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT CREATES A REAL CHALLENGE, BUT AN ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY IF YOU WANT AUSTIN TO STAY A COMPLETE CITY WHERE PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
AND YOU'RE PUTTING AFFORDABILITY FIRST IN WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, SO I THINK IT'D BE, AND BY THE WAY, ONLY 14% OF THE PEOPLE WORKING IN THAT AREA ARE WOMEN.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW OUT WHACK THAT IS YEAH, I BET YOU DO.
SO, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT THING TO HAVE, UH, TAMARA AND STEVEN AND LAURA MAYBE SIT DOWN AND DO A PRESENTATION.
'CAUSE YOU MIGHT CAN TELL BY MY ANSWER TO THAT SIMPLE QUESTION, AND WE CAN, AND, AND CHAIR AND MAYOR, WE CAN DEFINITELY PLAN THAT IN.
JEN PINE AND AND COURTNEY ARE ARE WORKING ON THAT WITH US.
WE'RE ALREADY, OBVIOUSLY I'M PART OF THAT DESIGN CABINET.
AND, UM, AND WE'VE ENGAGED WITH A CC ABOUT IT.
SO THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, CROSS UH, CROSS CURRENT CONVERSATIONS GOING ON, WHICH IS GREAT.
YOU CAN TELL THE ENERGIES AROUND IT.
SO WE'D LOVE TO BRING THAT IN AND, AND SHOWING YOU, MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW IT'S WEAVING INTO OUR WORK.
RIGHT? IT'S NOT THE SEPARATE THING OUT THERE.
IT IS, IT IS INTEGRAL TO HOW WE'RE ADVANCING OUR FEDERAL PROCESSES AND HOW WE'RE ADVANCING OUR DELIVERY AND OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH INDUSTRY.
SO WE'LL PUT THAT ON OUR LIST OF, UH, OF COMEBACKS FOR SURE.
I JUST WANNA SAY QUICKLY, IF I COULD, UM, WANT TO COMMEND THE MAYOR ON HIS WORK IN, IN PUTTING THE ACADEMY TOGETHER, UH, BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND IS, YOU KNOW, A CC IS AN ABSOLUTE JEWEL, BUT WE HAVE TO START PREPARING STUDENTS EVEN BEFORE THEY GET TO A CC, UH, BECAUSE THE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE SEEN WORK AT SAMSUNG PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE SEEN WORK AT TESLA HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE WE PUT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS WITH THE ISD WITH THE COMPANY TO SAY, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED AND HOW CAN WE PREPARE YOU FOR A WARM HANDOFF? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T PREPARE FOR A WARM HANDOFF, IT ALWAYS TAKES TOO LONG.
IF, IF A KID'S READY TO WORK, IF A KID WANTS A JOB TODAY, 25 DAYS FROM NOW IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE WHERE WE CATCH THEM IN HIGH SCHOOL, PREPARE THEM FOR AC AND A CC, AND PREPARE THEM TO GO DIRECTLY TO WORK AND, AND HOPEFULLY, OR APPRENTICESHIPS, SKILLED TRADE APPRENTICESHIP, LIKE, AND THAT IS WHAT OUR, UH, SUPPORT FOR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS IS ALL ABOUT.
SO THAT WE START EARLY ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE WE DEFINE WHAT THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY ARE, AND THEN WE CALIBRATE ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT PREPARE FOLKS FOR THE JOBS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
SO, UH, THE EARLIER WE START, THE BETTER RESULTS WE GET.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE YOUR WORK CUT OUT FOR YOU.
THAT'S EXACTLY, WELL, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT, BUT I, I THINK THE CHALLENGE WE ARE, I DON'T NEED TO OVERSTATE THE, THE OBVIOUS, BUT A LOT OF THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS ARE OVERLAPPING.
THE LAST THING WE WANT IS CANNIBALIZE THE, THE WORKFORCE FROM ONE ANOTHER AND REALLY BUILD IT TO BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN IT.
ONCE WE HAVE IT, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN IT, WE HAVE TO RUN IT, WE HAVE TO GROW IT IN A WAY THAT I, I REALLY WANT US TO THINK HOLISTICALLY AND SUSTAINABLY ABOUT THIS.
SO I'M, I'M EXCITED TO BE PART OF THIS IN SOME FORM OR FASHION.
SO IT'S, IT IS REALLY EXCITING TIMES.
UM, OTHER CITIES HAVE OTHER CHALLENGES.
I THINK WE NEED TO TREASURE WHERE WE ARE AND IN OUR GROWTH AND CREATIVITY OF THIS TOWN.
AND WITHOUT ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR A VOTE NOW.
UM, EVERYONE IN FAVOR OF THIS AUDIT PLAN, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
THE AUDIT PLAN HAS BEEN APPROVED.
ACTION ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU, KATIE, FOR THE, FOR THE WORK.
SO WITH THIS, UM, THIS CONCLUDES OUR, UM, SEPTEMBER BOARD MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 18TH.
THE MEETING STANDS ADJOURN AT 3:22 PM THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU WHO CAME AND SPENT YOUR AFTERNOON WITH US.