Oct 10, 2024 City Council Meetings

NEXT SPEAKER IS JEREMY HENDRICKS.

WE'LL GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

CHRIS SINI.

IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

I GUESS I'M GONNA JUMP, UH, JEREMY.

UH, MY NAME IS CHRIS SERINI.

I'M THE VICE CHANCELLOR OF COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR YOUR AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT.

UH, MR. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.

UM, ON BEHALF OF A CC, UH, THE A CC DISTRICT AND OUR CHANCELLOR, I'M HERE TODAY TO THANK THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP ON THIS CRITICAL ISSUE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS.

THIS MEASURE IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS IT GROWS TO BECOME A CITY OF GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE.

UH, IN FACT, WE ALREADY ARE A CITY OF GLOBAL SIGNIFICANCE.

UH, AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT IS EXCITED TO PARTNER AND COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY, WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, AND WITH OUR REGION'S BROAD SPECTRUM OF TRAINING PROVIDERS TO MEET THE BURGEONING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHILE ALSO PUTTING OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ON A PATH TOWARDS FAMILY SUSTAINING WAGES AND SUSTAINING CAREERS.

UH, AS PLANNING CONTINUES AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SOUTHEAST TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, CAMPUS, UH, WE ARE POISED TO CONTINUE AND DEEPEN OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY AND WITH OUR CONSTELLATION OF PARTNERS.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHT PARTNERSHIP AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.

JEREMY HENDRICKS, MONICA GUZMAN FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

I AM SORRY, CHRIS SINI AND MONICA GUZMAN.

GOOD MORNING ING COUNCIL.

I'M MONICA GUZMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR FOR GAVA.

GO AUSTIN AU.

YOU KNOW, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS CONTRACT THAT IS PENDING WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, SINCE I REACHED OUT TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ABOUT HOW MUCH OF THE FUNDING IS GOING SPECIFICALLY FOR CHILDCARE, THE CHILDCARE SUBSIDY.

AND WE WERE PLEASED TO HEAR THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE THE FUNDING GOING TO THAT, THAT Y'ALL RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR ASSISTANCE.

SO, UH, WE, WE DEFINITELY SUPPORT.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, FULL CITY MAXWELL DISTRICT FIVE AND ORA BOARD MEMBER.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 16, FELICITY MAXWELL ON DECK IS ZENOBIA JOSEPH FOR ITEM NUMBER 18.

GOOD MORNING MAYOR.

MAYOR PRAM,

[00:10:01]

UH, REGARDING ITEM 16.

WE ARE PLEASED TO SEE THE UPDATED REQUEST FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND SUPPORT THE REVISIONS OFFERED IN THE 9 26 MEMO TO COUNCIL.

WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE LONG RANGE PLANNING EFFORTS OF OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UH, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY'RE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE CURRENT COUNCIL PRIORITIES.

WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE PLANNING EFFORTS AROUND THE EAST RIVER, EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR PLAN AND REGULATIONS, UPDATES TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN, AND FURTHER WORK ON THE E EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, EAD PLANNING, ALL OF WHICH ARE NOTED AS NEW CONTRACTS IN THE ABOVE 90, UH, THE 9 26 MEMO.

WE APPRECIATE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIVENESS TO COMMUNITY CONCERNS REGARDING THESE CONTRACTS, AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM ALONG WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AS THEY MOVE THESE LONG RANGE PLANS FORWARD.

THANK YOU XENOBI, JOSEPH, FOR 16 AND 17.

I'M SORRY, 17 AND 18.

UH, MOVING ON TO REMOTE SPEAKERS FOR ITEM 20.

IS JODY LANE.

JODY LANE, JODY, PLEASE UNMUTE.

GOOD MORNING.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

MY NAME IS JODY LANE AND I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE NONPROFIT FRUITFUL COMMENTS.

I WANT SAY, UH, IN REPRESENTING OUR TEAM AND OUR COMMUNITY THAT THIS PLANNING PROCESS FOR BUSINESS PLAN WAS AMAZING.

UM, 4,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHARING THEIR OPINIONS IS EXCEPTIONAL IN OUR CITY.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH MANY MASTER PLANS, LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, REWRITE, UH, CODE NEXT.

I'VE BEEN ON THOSE CONSULTANT TEAMS AND ONE OF THE SMARTEST, MOST INTELLIGENT PLANS, PLANNING EFFORTS I'VE EVER SEEN.

OUR FOOD PLAN REPRESENTS THE POSSIBILITY OF FOR IN AUSTIN, WHERE OUR FOOD IS GROWN LOCALLY, THRIVING, AND COMMUNITIES GROW.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT CAN AFFORD LOCALLY GROWN SCHOOL LUNCHES AND EAT THEM EVERY DAY.

WE NEED TO HAVE JOBS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND THIS IS THE WAY TO DO IT.

OUR CITY NEEDS TO BE THINKING AHEAD OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND EMERGENCIES.

THIS FOOD PLAN IS ESSENTIAL.

OTHER CITIES HAVE THEM RIGHT NOW, OR THEY ARE ENGAGED IN MAKING THEM SMART, INCLUSIVE, AND MAKING THEM WORK.

AND IT'S REALLY TIME FOR AUSTIN TO CATCH UP.

WE NEED THIS FOOD PLAN ADOPTED, FUNDED, AND IMPLEMENTED.

I KNOW I'VE ONLY GOT TWO MINUTES, SO I'M JUST GONNA SPEAK NOW ON WHAT FRUITFUL COMMONS INDIVIDUALLY DOES UNTIL I GET CUT OFF .

BUT YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

WE STAND WITH THIS FOOD PLAN AND WE WANNA SEE IT ADOPTED AND FUNDED AND IMPLEMENTED.

OUR WORK IS FOCUSING ON ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANT TO GROW THEIR OWN FOOD, WHETHER IT'S COMMUNITY GARDENS, FOOD, FOREST, AQUAPONICS, YOU NAME IT.

UM, FOR DECADES, AUSTIN HAS BEEN ALL OF THE CI THE MANY CITIES SINCE IN AUSTIN HAVE BEEN GROWING FOOD AND WANTING TO BE IN THE SOIL TOGETHER, AND THEY HAVE AN APPETITE FOR THAT KIND OF LOCALLY GROWN FOOD, UM, AND TO HAVE THEIR OWN FOOD SOVEREIGNTY.

BUT WE HAVE A HUGE GAP RIGHT NOW IN OUR CITY.

WE'VE GOT 50 TO 70 COMMUNITY GARDENS JUST ON PUBLIC LAND ALONE, AND OUR CAPACITY IS, IS HORRIBLE FOR OUR CITY.

WE'VE GOT ONE STAFF MEMBER THAT IS IN CHARGE OF 50 TO 70 COMMUNITY GARDENS, WHEREAS IN MADISON, PORTLAND THAT HAS A SIMILAR NUMBER OF COMMUNITY GARDENS, THEY HAVE THREE TO FIVE FULL-TIME STAFF AND THEY HAVE A BUDGET TO WORK WITH.

UH, WE ARE HARD AT WORKING HARD AT, UH, GREEN WORKFORCE.

WE'RE GROWING A BUDDING GREEN WORKFORCE RIGHT NOW WHERE WE ARE PAYING STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITIES HAVE FOOD, ESPECIALLY IN HISTORICALLY DISINVESTED NEIGHBORHOODS.

UH, WE PAY COMMUNITY LEADERS TO GROW THAT FOOD.

WE ALSO PAY STIPENDS TO EVERYDAY NEIGHBORS TO COME OUT AND BE PART OF THE FOOD PLANNING PROCESS SO THAT WE START TO IMPLEMENT.

SPEAKER, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

NEXT SPEAKER IS MARVA OVERTON SPEAKING ON ITEM 20.

GOOD MORNING.

UH, MAYOR ROGER CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE WILL TRY MS. OVERTON IN A SECOND.

NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDY SMITH FOR ITEM 20.

[00:15:05]

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

SO MY NAME'S ANDY SMITH AND I'M, UH, A BOARD MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD.

AND I'M EXCITED TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY TO VOICE MY, UH, SUPPORT FOR RESOLUTION 20 AND URGE YOU TO ADOPT THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.

THIS PLAN IS NOT A DOCUMENT, IT'S REALLY A ROAD MAP TO A MORE EXPORTABLE, SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT, UM, FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS PLAN IS A PRODUCT OF THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS COLLECT WISDOM AND EFFORT, AND IT REALLY REPRESENTS, UM, THE VOICE OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, CRAFTED BY THOSE WHO INTIMATELY UNDERSTAND HOW FOOD IMPACTS EVERY FACET OF OUR SOCIETY.

UM, IMPORTANTLY, I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT THIS PLAN ADDRESSES A SPECTRUM OF CRITICAL ISSUES, INCLUDING COMBATING ISSUES OF ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD, UH, BOOSTING LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION IN OUR AREA, UH, OBSERVING VITAL AGRICULTURAL LANDS, ENSURING FAIR LIVELIHOODS FOR FOOD SYSTEM WORKERS, UM, AND ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY'S EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IN IN RELATIONSHIP TO FOOD.

AND I'M PARTICULARLY PROUD OF HOW THIS PLAN CENTERS THE EXPERIENCES AND NEEDS OF OUR CITY'S MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

IT REALLY IS A BLUEPRINT FOR RECTIFYING LAND STANDING LONGSTANDING STRUCTURAL INJUSTICES.

IN OUR, UM, BY ADOPTING THIS PLAN, AUSTIN HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A BEACON FOR OTHER CITIES GRAPPLING WITH UNSUSTAINABLE AND INEX FOOD SYSTEMS, AND WE CAN SET A STANDARD FOR INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY CENTERED AND LED FOOD POLICY.

UM, THIS PLAN RECOGNIZES THAT FOOD IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE.

IT'S INTRICATELY CONNECTED TO PUBLIC HEALTH, ECONOMIC VITALITY, ENVIRONMENTS, AND SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL EQUITY.

SO BY ADDRESSING OUR FOOD SYSTEM, WE'RE ADDRESSING THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY'S WELLBEING.

A VOTE TO IT ABOUT THIS PLAN IS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WE HAVE THE POWER AND THE RESPONSIBILITY IN OUR CITY TO CREATE A FOOD SYSTEM THAT NOURISHES OUR RESIDENTS, SUPPORTS OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, AND PROTECTS OUR ENVIRONMENT.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK AND SUPPORT THIS, UM, PLAN.

NEXT SPEAKER IS NATHAN ALLEN SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER 20.

HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

MY NAME'S ROBERT NATHAN ALLEN.

HELLO, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.

UH, PLEASE ALSO THANK YOUR TEAM MEMBERS AND STAFF FOR THEIR WORK TOWARDS THIS.

I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO MANY OF YOUR POLICY MEMBERS WHO WERE FOCUSED ON THE FOOD PLAN.

MANY OF YOU KNOW ME AS RNA.

UH, I'VE COME BEFORE YOU MANY TIMES BEFORE TO TALK ABOUT FOOD, AND I'M HERE AGAIN, UH, TODAY AS A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR THE FOOD PLAN.

UH, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, UH, WITH MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LEADERS, UH, AS WELL AS CITY AND COUNTY TEAM MEMBERS, UM, I AM THRILLED TO HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF Y'ALL.

YOU ALL HAVE, HAVE, UH, PROVIDED SOME GREAT FEEDBACK.

AND OUR CAC MEMBERS HAVE TAKEN THAT TO ACCOUNT, UH, AND, UH, UH, AMENDED THE ORIGINAL DRAFT APPROPRIATELY.

WE'RE THRILLED THAT WE HAVE A CONSENSUS DECISION FROM OUR CAC MEMBERS, WHICH IS, UH, AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT THING TO DO IN TODAY'S TIME, UH, TO HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE A CONSENSUS DECISION THAT SOMETHING IS GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY AND TO THE POINTS THAT WE BROUGHT UP BEFORE BY OTHER SPEAKERS.

THIS HAS THE INPUT OF THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

IT HAS THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF TIME FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE GONE INTO IT.

UH, IT'S ROBUST.

IT IS LONG LASTING.

THIS WILL BE THE FRAMEWORK THAT WE CAN USE FOR DECADES TO COME FOR OUR CITY.

I'M THRILLED AS A PARENT AT WHAT THIS COULD MEAN FOR MY CHILDREN AND THEIR FOOD SYSTEM AS THEY'RE GROWING UP IN AUSTIN.

AND I'M THRILLED AS SOMEONE WHO WILL BE GROWING OLD ENOUGH THAT THIS WILL HELP ENSURE THAT I HAVE ACCESS TO STAY CLEAN FOOD.

UH, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO VOTE YES TO ADOPT THE PLAN ENTHUSIASTICALLY, UH, AND I SEE THE REST OF MY TIME.

NEXT SPEAKER IS ENOVIA JOSEPH SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER 17.

MY COMMENTS ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, AS THEY ALWAYS ARE, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN.

YEAH, JOSEPH, LET ME JUST PREFACE WITH VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION.

MAYOR,

[00:20:01]

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT I DON'T APPRECIATE HAVING TO COME DOWN TO COUNCIL WHEN I HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO, BUT I CANNOT ACTUALLY TRUST THAT THE CITY CLERK WILL UNMUTE ME WHEN I'M AT HOME.

SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW I WAS ON HOLD, I WAS LISTENING TO THE MUSIC, LISTENING TO THE MEETING, AND WAS NOT ACTUALLY ALLOWED TO SPEAK AT THE LAST MEETING AS IT RELATES TO THIS CONTRACT FOR URBAN ALCHEMY.

I'M JUST REALLY NOT SURE ABOUT THESE CHANGE ORDERS, MAYOR.

SO I'M JUST GONNA READ INTO THE RECORD SPECIFICALLY.

THERE'S CHANGE ORDERS, SPECIFICALLY SECTION 2 5 2 0.048, WHICH IS BEFORE YOU SPECIFIES IF CHANGES ARE BEING MADE THAT YOU CAN IN FACT DO THAT.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT D IT SAYS THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT PRICE MAY NOT BE INCREASED UNDER THIS SECTION BY MORE THAN 25%.

AND SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING WITH THE URBAN ALCHEMY CONTRACT.

THERE'S A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.

IT'S UP TO $20 MILLION.

IT WAS OVER A MILLION DOLLARS WHEN IT STARTED.

AND SO THE STAFF HAS PRETTY MUCH UNILATERALLY GIVEN YOU AN ITEM THAT EXCEEDS THE 25% THRESHOLD.

AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE ACTUALLY HAS A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT AND THEY LOOK AT FRAUD, WASTE, AND ABUSE.

THAT EMAIL IS BEFORE YOU, IT'S CID@CPA.TEXAS.GOV.

FRAUD IS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OF VALUE THROUGH WILLFUL MISREPRESENTATION.

THAT'S THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE DEFINITION FROM 2017.

AND SO I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT WHEN YOU WERE HERE ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2024, ITEM 50 GAVE THE CITY MANAGER MORE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE CONTRACTS.

BUT YET IT SAID FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS THAT ALL THE ITEMS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE YOU FROM, FROM THE STAFF, NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN REJECTED.

AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE HERE.

THERE'S ALSO LANGUAGE IN 2 71.

THIS IS A PATTERN MAYOR, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THE AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH HARVEST FOUNDATION CONTRACT FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.

IT IS GERMANE TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, THAT WAS $2.445 MILLION THAT EXCEEDS THE 25% THRESHOLD AS WELL.

AND SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT SPECIFICALLY AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE OVER SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS TO BE HOMELESS.

AND YET YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING TO IMPROVE OUR ACCESS TO SERVICES.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE RELOCATION INFORMATION IS IN THE BACKUP, SPECIFICALLY, YOU ARE FOCUSING ON THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN AREA.

THERE ARE HOMELESS PEOPLE, BLACKS IN PARTICULAR, IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN WITH NO RESOURCES.

AND EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE THE RELOCATION INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE, THAT LANGUAGE DOES NOT TELL PEOPLE THAT IF THEY'RE BEING DISPLACED BY NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, THAT THEY CAN BE REIMBURSED.

AND SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

YOU'RE WELCOME, MS. JOSEPH, YOU'RE UP FOR ITEM NUMBER 18.

THREE MINUTES.

OH, THIS IS $880,000.

THIS IS SPECIFICALLY, I'LL JUST READ IT INTO THE RECORD, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW A NUMBER AND NOT KNOWING WHAT THE CONTEXT IS.

IT AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTION OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH FOCUSED ADVOCACY LLC.

IT'S $880,000.

AND SPECIFICALLY IT'S TO PROVIDE FEDERAL AGENCY AND LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATION IN CONS, CONSULTING SERVICES.

AND MAYOR, TO ME, THIS SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS JUST, UH, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THEM SPEAK BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE, UH, ON ITEMS THAT WILL HAVE A SPECIFIC FOCUS FROM COUNCIL.

SPECIFICALLY, I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT YOU CANNOT USE PUBLIC FUNDS FOR PROPAGANDA AND YOU CANNOT HAVE IT FOR THESE LOBBYISTS.

AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A LOBBYING CONTRACT.

AND SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

BUT MY OPPOSITION IS SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE MUCH OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW IS TO TRY TO GET THE FEDERAL FUNDS FOR PROJECT CONNECT, WHETHER IT'S HOUSING, WHETHER IT'S TRANSPORTATION.

AND SO WHEN YOU GO BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE, AS YOU DID THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION SPECIFICALLY, YOU HAD A BENT, YOU WERE FOR PROJECT CONNECT, BUT MANY OF THE TAXPAYERS WERE NOT.

AND I JUST WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT IF THESE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY REPRESENTING THE CITY, THEY NEED TO TAKE A NEUTRAL POSITION.

YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW TOO MAYOR FROM THE LEGISLATURE THAT WHEN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TESTIFY, THEY TESTIFY NEUTRALLY.

BUT HERE IS THE $880,000 CONTRACT THAT YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO TAKE A POSITION ON.

SO IT SEEMS TO BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST HERE.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ALL PAY TAXES, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS, THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY ARE WORKING, AND THAT THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO TAKE

[00:25:01]

THIS CONTRACT WILL HAVE A BENT.

THAT MEANS THEY'RE GONNA BE BIASED.

AND I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT TITLE VI ACTUALLY PROHIBITS THE BIAS AS WELL.

AND SO I DON'T, I DON'T ACTUALLY AGREE WITH THIS CONTRACT.

AND I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT LANGUAGE IS IN THE FEDERAL STATUTE AS WELL.

AND SO YOU MAY CLARIFY, IF I MISREAD WHAT THIS IS FOR, THEN YOU CAN LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME AND YIELD ANYTIME I HAVE THAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. JOSEPH.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

MOVING BACK TO IN-PERSON, SPEAKERS FOR ITEM NUMBER 20.

MONICA GUZMAN, TIFFANY WASHINGTON, JOY CHEVALIER, CHRISTOPHER REYES, DIEGO RE, JEREMY GATSON, ALYSSA HAMMOND, KARA KOA, AND ALI THARP.

IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

I'M MONICA GOSMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR AT GAVA GO, AUSTIN, BAOS AUSTIN.

WE SUPPORT ITEM 20 THANKS TO, UH, THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY ORGANIZATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO PUT IN THE HOURS FOR DRAFTING THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.

THANK YOU COUNSEL FOR YOUR PENDING ADOPTION OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.

WE WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPLEMENTING GOAL SIX ON PAGE 23 OF THE DRAFT PLAN.

GOAL SIX EMPHASIZES COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EMPOWERMENT, WHICH ARE CRUCIAL FOR FOSTERING A SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM.

IN ADDITION, ITEM 20 DIRECTLY RELATES TO THE COMMUNITY OWNED FOOD RETAIL INITIATIVE, PROVIDING A VITAL AVENUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO ACCESS HEALTHY LOCAL FOOD OPTIONS.

IMPLEMENTING THESE GOALS WILL ALSO SUPPORT THE CURRENT WORK THAT GAVA IS LEADING AROUND THE RESILIENCE HUBS AND THE COMMUNITY OWNED FOOD RETAIL INITIATIVE.

THESE EFFORTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR BUILDING A MORE RESILIENT AND EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEM IN OUR ECONOMY.

WE ALSO SUPPORT ITEM 26, ESPECIALLY LINE 54 OF THE DRAFT RESOLUTION, RECOGNIZING THE COMMUNITY'S ROLE IN CREATING THE FOOD PLAN.

THIS BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, FURTHER SUPPORTS, INITIATIVES THAT ENHANCE OUR LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING OUR COMMUNITY'S FOOD SYSTEM.

WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THESE INITIATIVES COME TO LIFE AND LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.

IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME TO THE MICROPHONE.

MY NAME IS TIFFANY WASHINGTON.

GOOD MORNING, COUNSEL MAYOR, MR. WATSON, HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD.

HELLO, MR. BROAD.

NEXT.

I'M YOUR LOCAL FARMER.

AS I LIKE TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHEN I COME HERE, I DO OWN THE ONLY BLACK OWNED URBAN FARM IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FOOD PLAN TODAY.

UM, IT HAS BEEN PAINSTAKING FOR ME TO BE A PART OF THIS FOOD PLAN BECAUSE WHEN WE KEEP SAYING EQUITABLE AND JUST, I NEVER SEE ANY BLACK FARMERS BE A PART OF IT.

AND WHEN I SAY BLACK FARMERS, I MEAN THOSE FARMERS THAT ACTUALLY OWN LAND OR ARE LEASING LAND THAT WORK HERE, NOT FARM WORKERS OR FARMERS THAT WORK FOR A WHITE FARM.

UM, I THINK THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS NEW FOOD PLAN THAT WE DO ALLOW BLACK FARMERS TO HAVE A STAKE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WHEN IT'S TIME TO GROW, WE ARE UNABLE TO PRODUCE FOR OURSELVES.

I CALL THAT NUTRITION OPPRESSION BECAUSE WHEN BLACK PEOPLE CAN'T GROW, THEY DON'T KNOW.

AND WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS THAT WE ARE DISCONNECTED FROM OUR FOOD AND OUR FOOD SYSTEM.

SO I HOPE THAT THIS NEW FOOD PLAN IS GOING TO BE JUST AND FAIR FOR NOT ONLY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND DISADVANTAGED AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO FOR THOSE LOCAL BROWN AND BLACK PRODUCERS AND GROWERS WHO DO NOT HAVE A STAKE IN THE ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AND I'LL CONTINUE TO COME DOWN HERE AND KNOCK DOWN DOORS UNTIL SOMEBODY SAYS, HEY, Y'ALL GO GET THAT BLACK GIRL SOME MONEY SO SHE CAN GROW SOME FOOD.

'CAUSE THE CITY OF AUSTIN SAID THAT BLACK AGRICULTURE BUILT THIS CITY.

OH, AND I JUST WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MY GRANDMOTHER, THE LAKE.

MS. DOROTHY TURNER, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BLACK CITIZENS TASK FORCE, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO COME BACK BEYOND HERE JUST LIKE SHE DID.

MY NAME IS JEREMY GOT, AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT IN THE OAK HILL AREA.

I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR AGENDA ITEM 20, THE ADOPTION OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.

IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THE FOOD PRODUCTION ISSUE AREA GROUP OF THIS FOOD PLANNING PROCESS.

AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, I ATTENDED SEVERAL WORKSHOPS AND FORMED SPECIAL BONDS WITH FARMERS, SUSTAINABLE FOOD EXPERTS, POLICY EDUCATORS,

[00:30:01]

AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

WE WORKED TO DEVELOP THE DRAFT GOALS AND STRATEGIES FOR THE FOOD PLAN AND FURTHER REFINE THEM BASED ON COMMUNITY FOOD FEEDBACK.

COLLABORATING WITH BRILLIANT AND EMPATHETIC INDIVIDUALS AS WE WORK TO BUILD A SOVEREIGN AND RESILIENT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM WAS INVIGORATING.

I'VE NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO DO WORK LIKE THIS EVER BEFORE.

THIS EXPERIENCE MOTIVATED ME TO PIVOT MY LIFE AND CAREER FROM CORPORATE MARKETING TO PURSUING A MASTER OF SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS AT ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, WHERE I AM A UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE NEXT GEN SCHOLAR.

AND I'M LOVING EVERY MOMENT OF LEARNING AND CAN ALREADY SEE HOW VALUABLE THESE INITIATIVES ARE, LIKE OUR FOOD PLAN ON A NATIONAL AND GLOBAL SCALE.

THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN IS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE THAT IS SHIFTING THE FOOD NARRATIVE.

AS I CONTINUE MY SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS JOURNEY, I'M 100% COMMITTED TO BEING AN ADVOCATE AND ENSURING OUR CITY AND COUNTIES FOOD PLAN WILL FLOURISH.

I BELIEVE IT WILL CHALLENGE US COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN A GREAT WAY TO THINK DEEPLY ABOUT OUR ROLE IN OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM AND HOW WE CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT, BIG OR SMALL, WHILE ALSO INSPIRING OTHERS TO DO THE SAME GRATITUDE.

GOOD MORNING COUNSEL, AND THANK YOU.

UH, MY NAME IS ALI THARP AND I'M A A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.

I SERVE AS THE NUTRITION AND WELLNESS MANAGER AT THE RBJ SENIOR HOUSING COMPLEX.

AND I'M ALSO A, A CORE FOUNDER AND VOLUNTEER LEADER OF THE FESTIVAL, BEACH FOOD FOREST FESTIVAL.

BEACH FOOD FOREST IS EDIBLE AND MEDICINAL LANDSCAPING ON PUBLIC PARKLAND THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL, UM, BACK IN 2014.

AND, UM, AND THEN AGAIN IN 2022 TO EXPAND FROM TWO THIRDS OF AN ACRE TO THREE TOTAL ACRES.

UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WORKING WITH US TO PILOT, UM, GROWING FOOD SYSTEMS ON PUBLIC LANDS HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

IT'S BEEN TRULY INSPIRING TO BE A PART OF THAT PROJECT AS A VOLUNTEER OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS.

AND I CAN SAY WE'VE BEEN STUDYING THE IMPACT OF THE FOOD FOREST ON THE COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN, PARTICULARLY WITH MAX NE'S MODEL OF, OF, UH, FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN NEEDS.

AND THE FOOD FOREST MEETS EVERY SINGLE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN NEED IN SOME WAY BY ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN BEING CLOSE TO THE EARTH, CLOSE TO THE LAND.

UM, SO YOU WERE A PART OF MAKING THAT POSSIBLE.

AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU.

UM, I WAS A PARTICIPANT IN THE FOOD PLAN JUST AS A COMMUNITY CIRCLE ATTENDEE AND A SURVEY RESPONDENT.

I HAVE DEEP RESPECT FOR THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE.

UM, IT'S A VERY, VERY HIGH QUALITY PLAN THAT I URGE IN YOU TO ADOPT TODAY AND ALSO TO FUND, UM, IN, IN THAT RESOLUTION ITEM 25 AS WELL.

UM, I ALSO WANT TO INVITE YOU TO COME OUT TO THE TRIPLING OF THE FOOD FOREST, THE CELEBRATION OF THE FIRST TREES GOING IN THE GROUND.

OCTOBER 19TH, TWO TO 6:00 PM COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ WILL BE SPEAKING.

UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S A REASON TO BE THERE.

IT'S A FREE, FREE COMMUNITY EVENT.

SO I HOPE EVERYONE LISTENING MIGHT CONSIDER PUTTING ON YOUR CALENDAR TO COME TO THE FOOD FOREST ON OCTOBER 19TH, TWO TO 6:00 PM AND WE'LL BE, YOU KNOW, REALLY MARKING THE OCCASION OF PASSING THIS FOOD PLAN TOGETHER, UM, BY PLANTING SOME NEW TREES, UM, IN A PUBLIC PARK IN AUSTIN.

SO, THANK YOU.

UM, ALSO SPEAKING AS A FOOD PANTRY MANAGER AT THE SENIOR CENTER FOR RBJ, UM, THERE'S, SO THIS PLAN IS SO COMPREHENSIVE, UM, AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND IT'S REALLY GOING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ALL DEMOGRAPHICS HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO LET'S GET THIS PASSED.

LET'S GET IT FUNDED.

LET'S GO TO WORK.

RESILIENT, AND EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEM.

GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.

I'M KARA HAKA, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GOOD WORK AUSTIN, AND A FORMER RESTAURANT INDUSTRY WORKER.

FOR THE PAST 14 YEARS, I'VE DEDICATED MYSELF TO IMPROVING OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM, WORKING IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR, AND HAVING PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THE AUSTIN TRAVIS FOOD COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD, IN MY TIME, I'VE WITNESSED A SEED CHANGE IN THE URGENCY AND AWARENESS TO STRENGTHEN OUR FOOD SYSTEM.

AND I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PASSION AND EFFORT THAT'S GONE INTO THE CREATION OF THE FOOD PLAN.

TODAY.

I REPRESENT GOOD WORK AUSTIN, A NONPROFIT COALITION OF HUNDREDS OF LOCAL BUSINESSES COMMITTING TO SUPPORTING OUR WORKERS AND FOSTERING A HEALTHIER FOOD AND BEVERAGE COMMUNITY.

OUR FOOD AND BEVERAGE COMMUNITY IS NOT JUST VITAL TO OUR CITY'S IDENTITY.

IT IS AN ESSENTIAL FOR A SUSTAINABLE,

[00:35:01]

WE STAND AT A CRITICAL CROSSROADS IN AUSTIN.

OUR 65,000 FOOD WORKERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR ECONOMY, YET THEY FACE LONG HOURS, STRENUOUS CONDITIONS, AND AN AVERAGE WAGE OF JUST OVER $15 AN HOUR ALARMINGLY.

THESE MANY OF THESE WORKERS ALSO EXPERIENCED FOOD INSECURITY THEMSELVES.

NEARLY HALF OF SURVEY OF THOSE SURVEYED REPORTED FACING HUNGER AT SOME POINT.

THE FOOD PLAN OFFERS STRATEGIES TO ENSURE LIVABLE WAGES, FAIR LABOR PRACTICES, AND SUPPORT FOR THOSE FACING FOOD INSECURITY.

THE PLAN ALSO ADDRESSES OUR COMMUNITY'S RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF EMERGENCIES, WHETHER THEY BE PANDEMICS OR WEATHER EVENTS THAT ARE BECOMING FAR TOO COMMON.

GOOD WORK.

AUSTIN HAS PROVIDED THOUSANDS OF MEALS DURING DISASTERS, MOBILIZING LOCAL RESTAURANTS TO MEET URGENT NEEDS.

BUT THERE'S MUCH MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

WE MUST CREATE A SYSTEM THAT VALUES OUR ENVIRONMENT AND OUR NEIGHBORS WHILE ENCOURAGING INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.

THIS PLAN HAS BEEN SHAPED BY COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT FROM THE START WITH INPUT FROM A DEDICATED COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THOROUGH CONSIDERATION OF FEEDBACK FROM STAKEHOLDERS.

MANY EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO ENSURE IT REFLECTS THE NEEDS AND DESIRES OF OUR COMMUNITY.

I URGE YOU TO VOTE ENTHUSIASTICALLY IN FAVOR OF ADOPTION OF THE FOOD PLAN.

I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT ANY EFFORTS TODAY THAT ENHANCE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN, BOTH NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.

THE FOOD PLAN REPRESENTS YEARS OF HARD WORK AND COLLABORATION, MARKING THE JOURNEY TOWARDS A MORE EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEM.

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO LEAD US TOWARDS A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS ELISA HAMMOND AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AD, UM, ADVISORY, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY C COMMITTEE, EXCUSE ME, FOR THE FOOD PLAN.

AND I ALSO PARTICIPATED IN ALL THE ISSUE AREA GROUPS, WENT TO AS MANY OF THESE AS I COULD.

MY OWN BACKGROUND IS WORKING IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT I WAS AMAZED AND I LEARNED SO MUCH THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THIS PROCESS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS WORKING ON THE FOOD PLAN.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PROJECT THAT IS SO GROUNDED IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SO MUCH INTENTIONALITY ABOUT THE WAY WE WORKED.

SO I JUST LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN USING SOME FOOD METAPHORS.

SO NUMBER ONE IS THIS ISSUE OF INVITING EVERYONE TO THE TABLE.

WHEN WE WORKED IN THESE ISSUE AREA GROUPS, I MET SOCIAL WORKERS, COMPOSTERS, FARMERS, CHEFS, AND MOST OF ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED NEGATIVELY BY THE FOOD SYSTEM.

AND PEOPLE THAT, UM, HAVE A DEEP COMMITMENT TO ADDRESS HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND ALSO WITHIN THE CAC, WE WORKED WITH THIS CONSENSUS DECISION MAKING THAT WAS TRANSFORMATIVE FOR ME.

ALSO, WE, IT'S WHERE YOU ARE FORCED TO LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER TO CREATE RESPECT AND TRUST AND REALLY BE OPEN TO CHANGE.

IT'S RARE TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS.

SECONDLY, I'D LIKE TO SAY EVERYTHING'S ON THE MENU AT THIS TABLE.

IT'S A VERY HOLISTIC FRAMEWORK THAT'S BEEN USED TO THINK ABOUT THE, UM, HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR FOOD SYSTEM FROM FARM TO FORK TO COMPOST.

IT'S ESPECIALLY RELEVANT NOW WITH CLIMATE CHANGE.

WE WOKE UP ON THE NEWS TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT CLIMATE DISASTER IS RIGHT NOW BEARING DOWN ON FLORIDA, WE, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE HAVING MORE DISASTERS COME MORE QUICKLY, UM, AND MORE INTENSELY.

SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS PLAN FOR ITS FOCUS ON RESILIENCE AND THE SOLUTIONS WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM FARM WHERE WE CONSERVE FARMLAND, PROMOTE REGENERATIVE, UM, AGRICULTURE THAT CREATES A CLIMATE SOLUTION.

AND WE HAVE THAT THROUGHOUT THE FOOD PLAN.

AND FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE ENTHUSIASM AND PASSION OF THE PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROCESS.

WHETHER IT WAS JUST AT A COMMUNITY GATHERING AT A LIBRARY OR AT AN ISSUE AREA GROUP, THERE IS PASSION AND ENTHUSIASM TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATING.

THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY ALL WORK TOGETHER AND WORK ON SOMETHING WHERE EVERY DAY, AT LEAST THREE TIMES A DAY, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE CHANGE.

SO WITH THAT, I WOULD SAY AMEN.

LET'S EAT TO CONTINUE YOUR PATTERN.

I'M HUNGRY FOR MORE.

WELL, AFTER ALL OF THAT, I'M NOT SURE YOU NEED TO HEAR FROM ME TODAY.

UM, LET'S DO IT.

ALRIGHT.

MANY OF YOU GUYS KNOW ME.

I'M JOYCE VALIER.

I HAVE THE HONOR OF BEING THE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY

[00:40:01]

BOARD.

AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM MANY FOLKS TODAY ABOUT THE EXTENT OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE TWO YEARS OF WORK, THE YEARS THAT WENT IN BEFORE THAT, BEFORE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THE FOOD PLAN.

AND I AM HERE TO BASICALLY, UH, ASK YOU GUYS, UH, TO GIVE YOUR FULL SUPPORT.

BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE ON THE, IT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH IS AMAZING.

SO JUST VERY QUICKLY, UM, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.

AND IT'S BEEN DRIVEN BY THE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY INPUT TO MAKE OUR LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM MORE RESILIENT, MORE SUSTAINABLE, MORE EQUITABLE, AND MORE JUST.

THIS PLAN IS A FOUNDATION FOR ENSURING THAT EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO GOOD, CLEAN, NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND AN AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM IN SUPPORT OF THAT, UH, ACROSS AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY AREA.

AND THAT OUR REGION GROWS IN PROSPERITY ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AS WE BUILD SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD, WHICH IS AN ACTUAL FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE CONVERSATION, UH, TO SUPPORT OUR, OUR EXPANDING POPULATION.

THIS PLAN HAS BEEN CRAFTED WITH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT FROM THE START, AS YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, WITH A CONSENSUS ALONG EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, EVEN AFTER THE FINAL DRAFT WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

CONCERNS FROM INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS WERE ADDRESSED TO ENSURE THAT THIS PLAN IS SUPPORTED BY AND BENEFITS THE OVERWHELMING JURY OF THE COMMUNITY.

LITERALLY THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF HOURS, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBER AND VOLUNTEER HOURS HAVE GONE INTO THIS PLAN, UH, AND PROVIDE AND FOLKS PROVIDING FEEDBACK THAT WAS INCORPORATED.

WHILE THE FINAL PLAN DOES NOT WAIT, SORRY.

THE FINAL PLAN DOESN'T HAVE EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE.

IT DOES MARK A MAJOR MILESTONE FOR BUILDING A MORE EQUITABLE AND JUST FOOD SYSTEM IN CENTRAL TEXAS WITH THE INTENTIONAL LANGUAGE AND GUIDELINES INCLUDED BEING CODIFIED INTO OUR ACTUAL CITY, UH, AND COUNTIES HISTORY, INSPIRING OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES TO DO THIS WORK AS WELL.

THE FOOD PLAN OUTLINES MANY WAYS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY MORE RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF SINGULAR EMERGENCIES LIKE PANDEMICS AND ICE STORMS, AS WELL AS LONG-TERM MORNING WARMING AND EXTREME WEATHER EMERGENCIES.

AND THAT INCLUDES IN THE PLAN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PROCUREMENT AND THE VALUE OF PROCUREMENT AND MARSHALING THE FORCES THAT ALREADY EXIST WITHIN THE CITY AND WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THAT'S IT.

I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE, UH, FOR A BUNCH OF FOLKS, UH, FOR YOUR, UH, AGREEMENT AND SUPPORT OF THIS FOOD PLAN.

THANK YOU ALL SO, SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE WORK AND CONSIDERATION.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO OUR FRIENDS AT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY WHO KEEP US ON TRACK AND REALLY HELP THE COMMUNITY BE ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU GUYS.

CHRISTOPHER REYES, DIEGO VERDE.

OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 21.

WE HAVE ELISE FERRERA AND E EVELYN GARCIA WHO IS, UH, USING INTERPRETATION SERVICES.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.

UH, GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS ELISE FERRERA.

AND GOOD MORNING COUNSEL MEMBERS AND MAYOR WATSON.

I AM THE MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN WHO WERE FORENSICALLY INTERVIEWED AT THE CENTER FOR CHILD PROTECTION, BOTH IN 2020 AND 2022.

I AM HERE TO PLEAD WITH YOU FOR STRONG TRANSPARENT OVERSIGHT OF THE A PD REGARDING THE GRANT ACCEPTANCE AND ALLOCATION FOR THE 50, UH, $500,000 FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THE AUSTIN COLLECTIVE FOR SEX CRIMES RESPONSE PROJECT.

IF THE MONEY IS GIVEN BUT NOT FOLLOWED BY DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY, THEN THE HALF A MILLION DOLLARS MIGHT AS WELL BE THROWN IN THE TRASH.

AS YOU KNOW, IN 2019, THE AUDIT OF A PD SEX CRIMES, UH, DEPARTMENT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF NEGLIGENT AND HARMFUL PRACTICES REGARDING, UM, THE EVIDENCE PROCESSING AND STORAGE AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS.

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS PREVIOUS CHIEF CHACON SET BEFORE YOU CLAIMING THAT A PD WAS IMPROVING THESE BROKEN SYSTEMS AND CLAIMING THAT THE PROCESSES WERE BEING MADE MORE TRANSPARENT, I FIND HIS STATEMENTS TO HAVE BEEN LIP SERVICE IN 2023 IN JANUARY, I SUBPOENAED THE FORENSIC INTERVIEWS OF BOTH OF MY CHILDREN, ONLY TO BE TOLD BY THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, DETECTIVE BRANDON POE, THAT THE VIDEOS COULD NOT BE FOUND.

HIS SUPERVISOR, SCOTT DONOVAN, GAVE ME THE RUNAROUND AND PHONE CALL AFTER PHONE CALL AND EMAIL AFTER EMAIL WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PUSH BACK.

THEN ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, I FEDEXED VIA DIRECT, UH, I'VE FEDEXED TO CHIEF CHACON USING DIRECT SIGNATURE.

SO I KNOW HE RECEIVED IT.

TWO PACKAGES, 30 PAGES LONG, EACH DETAILING THE FAILURES OF HIS SUBORDINATES AND MY CONCERN FOR THE CHILDREN WHO WERE POTENTIAL OTHER VICTIMS WHOSE VICTIMS, UH, WHOSE EVIDENCE WAS NOT LOCATABLE BECAUSE OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT FAILURES.

AND TWICE I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.

THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT USES VINIK SOFTWARE TO RECORD ITS FORENSIC VIDEOS ON THE WEBSITE BY GAR DEFI, WHO'S THE MAKER OF THE SOFTWARE.

IT SAYS THIS, EVIDENCE INTEGRITY WAS SECURE TRACKING TIMESTAMPING PERMISSION MANAGEMENT GRANT ACCESS PERMISSIONS TO KEEP SENSITIVE DATA SAFE,

[00:45:01]

REST EASY KNOWING YOUR EVIDENCE CANNOT BE LOST OR USED WITHOUT YOUR AUTHORIZATION.

MANY VICTIMS FURTHER, UH, ARE POSSIBLY HARMED BY THIS KIND OF LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

MADAM CHIEF, IF YOU ARE LISTENING, WHERE ARE THE VIDEOS OF MY CHILDREN? PLEASE, IF YOU ARE VOTING TO ALLOCATE THIS MONEY, IF YOU DO NOT DEMAND OVERSIGHT OF WHAT HAPPENS TO THE MONEY AND THOSE TWO MEN, CHIEF, I MEAN, UH, DETECTIVE BRANDON POE AND, UH, SERGEANT SCOTT DONOVAN ARE STILL WORKING, THE MONEY CAN GO IN THE TRASH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU EVA GARCIA, WE'LL GET SIX MINUTES.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR.

MY NAME IS EVELYN GARCIA.

I'M ASKING PERMISSION TO READ THE STATEMENT IN SPANISH FOR THE RESIDENT BECAUSE SHE HAS VISION PROBLEMS. SO I'M GONNA USE THE METHOD OF SIDE TRANSLATION IN SPANISH AND INTERPRET AT THE SAME TIME, PLEASE.

CORONA HILLS DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS MS. GARCIA.

I COME HERE TO LISTEN TO MY PETITION ABOUT THE RESIDENCE OF ST.

GEORGE COURT APARTMENT COMPLEX, LOCATED IN 1443 CORONADO HILLS DRIVE, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 5 2.

WHERE WE LEAVE DISABLED PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF, UH, SENIOR CITIZENS.

WE, WE HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE AND WE HAVE TOLD MANY DOORS AND MANY OTHER PLACES AND WE HAVEN'T OBTAINED A RESPONSE.

THE POLICE UNFORTUNATELY, HAS DONE ANYTHING FOR US.

WE ARE, WE HAVE BEEN ATTACKED PHYSICALLY AND VERBALLY BY A RESIDENT.

AND THIS RESIDENT HAS BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE MANAGER OF THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.

A SAFE PLACE IS WE ASKED FOR HELP AT THE ORGANIZATION, SAFE PLACE, BUT THEY SAID, BECAUSE IT'S NOT MY HUSBAND OR MY DOMESTIC PARTNER, UNFORTUNATELY THEY CANNOT HELP ME FOR A RESTRICTION ORDER IS THE SAME.

IF IT'S NOT YOUR HUSBAND OR YOUR DOMESTIC PARTNER, WE CANNOT GIVE IT TO YOU.

THE POLICE, UH, DESPITE OF HAVING THE EVIDENCE OF THE ATTACKS, HAS NOT ARRESTED THIS RESIDENT.

AND THE MANAGER IS ALWAYS TALKING TO THE POLICE AND HE NEVER GETS ARRESTED.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I CALL 9 1 1, UNFORTUNATELY THE SYSTEM TO REQUEST AN INTERPRETER SOMETIMES TAKES LONGER AND IS NOT GOOD FOR US.

AND IN AN EMERGENCY THEY TAKE A LONG TIME.

AND IF WE USE THE SYSTEM OF THE POLICE OVERSIGHT IS THE SAME BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE TO SEND AN AN EMAIL.

AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW ENGLISH, THIS IS THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN SUBMIT A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE POLICE WHEN THEY'RE DOING BETTER JOBS.

AAL, THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE AT IN THIS COMPLEX, WERE GOING THROUGH A VERY, VERY STRESSFUL SITUATION OF ABUSE.

AND I'M NOT AGREEING THAT THEY GIVE MORE MONEY TO THE POLICE WHEN THEY'RE NOT DOING THEIR JOB.

VERY, VERY WELL.

DETECTIVE, SOLO DETECTIVE AND ESP, THE DETECTIVE THAT VISITED THE COMPLEX, IT SAYS THAT HE'S THE ONLY DETECTIVE THAT IS BILINGUAL IN AUSTIN.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING ILLOGICAL BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF, UH, HISPANIC PEOPLE THAT IS IN THE CITY.

SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE BILINGUAL POLICE.

[00:50:08]

WE HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF MANY OFFENSES, LIKE, UH, RACIST, UH, STATEMENTS.

THEY HAVE COLORS, WE BACKS, OR THEY HAVE COLORS LIKE, UH, WHY DON'T YOU SPEAK ENGLISH IF YOU LIVE IN AMERICA OR GO BACK TO MEXICO.

MY HOPE IS THAT YOU HELP US WITH THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE WHERE ARE THE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE IN THIS PROBLEM? WHO'S GONNA HELP US? WE ARE THREE SENIOR LADIES.

WE ARE, WE ARE VICTIMS HERE WE ARE 87, 80 AND 89.

SO I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT COMES TODAY BECAUSE THE OTHER ONE COULDN'T COME.

LA MANAGER, THE MANAGER HAS THREATENED ME TO TAKE ME OUT OF THE APARTMENT ON A RENEW IN MY LEASE IF I CONTINUE DOING THIS, THIS FIGHTING FOR MY RIGHTS.

AND I HOPE YOU CAN HELP US, MRS. CHRIST.

JOSEPH REGISTERED REMOTELY.

WE WILL NOW MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER 23.

ENOVIA.

SHE HAS NOT CALLED IN, BUT SHE WAS HERE EARLIER.

IS SHE STILL HERE? MS. JOSEPH? ARE YOU STILL HERE, MS. JOSEPH? OKAY, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM 26.

NATHAN ALLEN.

I AM, UH, SPEAKING FOR THE, UH, AMENDMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AND WITH, UH, MULTIPLE CO-SIGNERS FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UM, JUST, UH, STATE THAT IT'S THE CAC, UH, THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS THAT ARE EXCITED ABOUT SEEING THIS WORK MOVE FORWARD.

VERY EXCITED TO START.

NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDY SMITH.

MY NAME IS TIFFANY WASHINGTON.

UH, YEAH, JUST WANTED TO, UH, SPEAK IN SUPPORT, UH, AND ENCOURAGE YOUR YOUR SUPPORT.

UH, RESOLUTION 26, DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS IN IMPLEMENTING THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN THAT WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER.

UM, AS YOU'VE HEARD ALREADY, THIS FOOD PLAN IS NOT JUST ANOTHER, UM, PROPOSAL, BUT IT'S REALLY A VISIONARY ROADMAP.

UH, BORN OUT OF EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DESIGNED TO TRANSFORM OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM.

ONE THAT SERVES EVERY RESIDENT EQUITABLY AND SUSTAINABLY.

AND IT, IT REALLY REPRESENTS COUNTLESS HOURS OF, UM, ANALYSIS AND STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING BY MEMBERS.

UM, OF OUR COMMITTEE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN, IN COUNTLESS, UM, ASPECTS OF IT PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE DIAGNOSIS OF THE CURRENT FOOD SYSTEMS CHALLENGES, AS WELL AS OUTLINE ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES, UM, TO CREATE A RESILIENT AND INCLUSIVE FOOD ECOSYSTEM.

UM, WHILE THE SUCCESS FOR THIS PLAN, UM, HINGES ON COLLABORATION ACROSS VARIOUS SECTORS, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN MUST STEP UP AND ASSUME A PIVOTAL LEADERSHIP ROLE IN ENCOURAGING IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN.

SO I ASK THAT YOU EMPOWER OUR CITY STAFF WITH THE RESOURCES AND MANDATE TO IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN AND INVEST IN HEALTHIER CITIZENS, UH, A MORE ROBUST LOCAL ECONOMY IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE HERE IN OUR CITY.

AND IN TRAVIS, THIS IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE BOTH ACTION AND I URGE YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION AND TAKE A STEP FORWARD, UM, IN CREATING A HEALTHY FOOD SYSTEM.

THANKS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY'S WELLBEING.

I SEE THE REST OF MY TIME IN PERSON.

SPEAKERS ON ITEM 26 ARE TIFFANY WASHINGTON, LARRY FRANKLIN, DIEGO RE, ELIJAH ANDERSON, FAITH CHANKO, ALYSSA HAMMOND, BILL BUNCH, AND ALI THARP.

IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

HEY Y'ALL, I'M BACK.

I'M YOUR LOCAL FARMER.

UM, I LIKE TO REITERATE THAT BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALLY GET THE POINT WHEN I SAY I'M YOUR LOCAL FARMER.

THAT'S LITERALLY

[00:55:01]

WHAT I MEAN.

I AM LOOKING FOR THE BLACK FARMERS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

WE JUST HEARD ALL THESE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE FOOD PLAN, WHO'S GROWING THE FOOD AND WHERE ARE WE GONNA GROW THE FOOD.

THEY JUST TOLD ME ON SPECTRUM NEWS THAT WE WERE LOSING 17 ACRES OF FARMLAND A DAY.

SO WHERE, WHERE AM I SUPPOSED TO FARM? I FARM ON THE CORNER OF MANNAR ROAD AND ROCKY, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE MOST CRIME WRITTEN CORNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND NOT ONLY IS IT CRIME WRITTEN, BUT WE LACK ACCESS TO LOCAL FOODS.

SO WHEN WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT DOING THE FOOD PLAN AND HAVING ACCESS TO ALL OF THIS STUFF, I STILL HAVE TO FIND OUT WHO'S GROWING IT AND WHERE ARE WE GONNA GROW IT AT.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA ASK, I'M GONNA DEMAND THAT WE GET SOME FUNDING FOR OUR FOOD PLAN SO THAT THE AGRICULTURALISTS, THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY GROW THE FOOD, ARE ABLE TO LIVE.

WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR KIDS.

I GOT FOUR KIDS, I GOT A HUSBAND, I'M GOING FOOD FOR THE CITY.

THE PEOPLE PASSED OUT ON THE STREET ON CRACK UNDERNEATH THE BUS STOP ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE.

AND I CAN'T NEVER GET NO SUPPORT AND PROPER SERVICES TO MAKE NONE OF THIS STUFF HAPPEN.

BUT I KEEP HEARING Y'ALL SAY EQUITABLE AND JUST AND FAIR.

CAN WE PLEASE FIND SOME FAIRNESS FOR THE BLACK AGRICULTURALISTS IN THE COMMUNITIES? THE ONES THAT Y'ALL SAID BUILT THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AT WHAT POINT IS ANYBODY GONNA SAY YES, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON OUR GROWERS BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE NO FOOD PLAN WITHOUT PRODUCERS, FOOD PRODUCERS.

THE LADY JUST SAID IT IS 70 COMMUNITY GARDENS AND ONLY ONE PERSON MANAGES THEM.

THAT DON'T EVEN MAKE NO SENSE TO ME.

SO WHERE IS ALL OF OUR FOOD COMING FROM? I'M JUST SO SICK AND TIRED OF COMING DOWN HERE AND HAVING TO SAY THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

CAN WE PLEASE PAY THE BLACK FARMERS IN THE COMMUNITY, THE BLACK AND BROWN ONES? I SAY THE BLACK ONES 'CAUSE THE CITY SAID THEY WAS GONNA GIVE US SOME TYPE OF RESOURCE TO HELP SAVE OUR LIVES.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN AGRICULTURAL COMPLEX ON ABOUT 20 ACRES SO WE CAN TEACH THE BLACK KIDS HOW TO GROW FOOD, HOW TO BUILD, AND HOW TO LIVE, ADJUST AN EQUITABLE LIFE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS BY Y'ALL.

NOURISH OUR PEOPLE, NOURISH OUR ECONOMY, AND NOURISH OUR FUTURES IF WE HAVE DEDICATED SUPPORT FROM THE CITY BEHIND IT.

UM, MY NAME IS FAITH CHANCO AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE.

UM, I'M ALSO A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF AUSTIN.

I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR THIS RESOLUTION AND ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT, UM, FOR A CRITICAL ISSUE OUR CITY HAS TO ADDRESS COLLECTIVELY.

UM, AS I WATCHED THE NEWS THIS WEEK, I CAN'T HELP BUT BE MOVED BY THE INCREDIBLE STORM, UM, THAT'S MAKING ITS WAY OR HAS MADE ITS WAY TO FLORIDA'S COAST.

UM, I BECOME EMOTIONAL AS I WATCH THE CAREER METEOROLOGIST BREAK DOWN WHILE OBSERVING THE SHEER MAGNITUDE OF ITS FORCE.

AND I SIT IN GENUINE AWE WITH GENUINE FEAR AS ANOTHER TELLS ME IT'S REACHING THE MATHEMATICAL LIMIT OF WHAT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE.

UM, THESE STORMS ARE BECOMING POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF CULTURAL SHIFTS AND POLICY DECISIONS THAT CREATE THE CONDITIONS THAT MAKE THEM POSSIBLE.

EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN DONE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO FROM THIS POINT HAS A RIPPLE EFFECT.

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, FOOD IS A REALLY BIG PART OF WHAT WE DO.

AND HERE IN AUSTIN WE MOSTLY EAT FOOD.

UM, IT'S CELEBRATED AND IT'S ON NEARLY EVERY LIST OF REASONS TO TRAVEL TO AUSTIN.

UM, AND WHILE THAT'S SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF, WE CAN'T CLAIM THAT PRIDE FOR OURSELVES BECAUSE WE'RE DEPENDENT ON THE REST OF THE WORLD TO PROVIDE US THAT FOOD.

THEY WE'RE DEPENDENT ON EVERYONE ELSE TO SERVE OUR TOURISTS, TO SERVE EACH OTHER, AND TO SERVE OUR FAMILIES.

AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, WE SIMPLY WOULDN'T EXIST WITHOUT OTHER STATES AND OTHER COUNTRIES PROVIDING US THAT FOOD.

RIGHT NOW, SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A TRUCK BREAKING DOWN OR A HIGHWAY FLOODING CAN DISRUPT OUR COMMUNITY'S ABILITY TO MEET OUR MOST BASIC NEED.

A A FRIEND OF MINE SHARED A STORY WITH ME ABOUT WINTER STORM URI URI WHERE HE WAS WAITING IN LINE AT HEB HOPING TO GET SOME EGGS FOR HIS FAMILY.

AND HE NOTICED IN THE LINE THERE WERE PEOPLE OPENLY CARRYING FIREARMS AS IF THEY WERE PREPARED TO FIGHT FOR THE LAST DOZEN.

THIS IS JUST A SMALL EXAMPLE OF HOW FRAGILE OUR CURRENT FOOD SYSTEM IS AND THE DESPERATION IT CAUSES IN PEOPLE AND HOW EASILY THAT CAN GO AWRY.

BY IMPLEMENTING THE PROPOSED FOOD PLAN IN A REAL AND MEANING MEANINGFULLY SUPPORTED WAY, WE NOT ONLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME MORE SELF-RELIANT AND TO PROACTIVELY PREPARE OUR COMMUNITY FOR ITS MORE OUR INTENSIFYING WEATHER EVENTS, WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TURN OUR COMMUNITY'S RIPPLE INTO A BENEFICIAL WAVE FOR OURSELVES AND FOR OUR GLOBAL NEIGHBORS WHO ARE THE ONES GROWING OUR FOOD.

THIS FOOD PLAN LAYS OUT CLEAR AND ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES THAT

[01:00:01]

LAST FALL AND EARLIER THIS YEAR, I SAT ACROSS FROM DOZENS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO COMMITTED TO SHOWING UP OVER AND OVER, VOLUNTARILY TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT HOW TO CRAFT A STRATEGIC AND FEASIBLE PLAN.

THE DEDICATION TO THE GOALS OF THIS PLAN ARE NOT ISOLATED TO THE, THOSE ROOMS ALREADY OVER 300 COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

HI.

UM, MY NAME'S ALI THARP ONCE AGAIN AND UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS AMENDMENT.

UM, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT'S SO FOCUSED ON GETTING IT DONE, ACTUALLY GETTING THE FUNDING WE NEED, GETTING THE STAFFING AND THE COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE FOOD PLAN.

UM, THAT IS SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

I'LL JUST SAY AGAIN, THIS FOOD PLAN, AS WAS SAID BY OTHER PEOPLE TESTIFYING TODAY, WAS SO COMPREHENSIVE IN BRINGING TOGETHER STAKEHOLDERS, HAVING A TRUE COMMUNITY LED COMMUNITY DRIVEN PROCESS.

SO THAT'S COMMENDABLE.

AUSTIN HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH THIS FOOD PLAN AND, UH, LET'S NOT STOP THERE.

LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE IMPLEMENT IT AND THAT WE GET THE FUNDING WE NEED TO FULLY DO THAT AT SCALE.

UM, AND ESPECIALLY I'VE BEEN WORKING ON CLIMATE ISSUES FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS FOR MY WHOLE ADULT PROFESSIONAL LIFE.

AND A THIRD OF THE SOLUTIONS IDENTIFIED TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN PAUL HAWKINS DRAWDOWN, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR NATIONAL KIND OF ROADMAPS FOR WHAT TO DO ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

A THIRD OF THE SOLUTIONS IN THAT BOOK ARE ABOUT FOOD SYSTEMS. SO THIS IS INCREDIBLY LINKED, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE CLIMATE ISSUES, UM, BUT ALSO TO A BASIC HUMAN LIFE AND WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A THRIVING CITY, A THRIVING COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN.

SO, UM, DEFINITELY PLEASE ALSO PASS THIS, UM, PIECE OF THE FOOD PLAN AGENDA TODAY BECAUSE WHAT IT SIGNALS IS THAT YOU'RE COMMITTED TO NOT JUST HAVE A GOOD PLAN, BUT TO IMPLEMENT A GOOD PLAN.

UM, FIRST I JUST WANT TO START OFF WITH SAYING, UM, THANK YOU GOD.

UM, FOLLOWING MY NAME IS LARRY FRANKLIN, UM, BOSTON COMMISSION'S FOOD POLICY, BOSTON COMMISSION JOINT SUSTAINABILITY CO-CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.

AND FINALLY, AND MOST IMPORTANT TO ME, I'M THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BLACK LIVES REGISTER NONPROFIT.

I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION.

I'M IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE COLLECTIVELY WHAT YOU SEE IS THE FOOD PLAN.

WHAT YOU SEE IS SO MANY PEOPLE THAT POURED INTO A PLAN, RIGHT? BUT WHAT GOOD IS A PLAN WITHOUT AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY? AND THAT'S WHAT WE LACK.

WE LACK AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY.

AND THE ONLY WAY THAT WE COULD SERVE OUR PEOPLE, BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE LIVE IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR COMMUNITIES.

AND THESE PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE FOOD ON THEIR PLATE, ACCESS TO LOCAL HEALTHY FOOD AND MANY OTHER THINGS.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT'S NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT A SUCCESSFUL FOOD PLAN.

UM, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND ONCE AGAIN, THESE PEOPLE.

ALRIGHT, ELISA HAMMOND AGAIN WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY I'M COMMITTEE, UM, ON THE FOOD PLAN, I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE YOU WITH ONE NUMBER THAT IS FOR ME THE REASON WE NEED TO ACT TO DATE TO PASS THIS RESOLUTION.

16.8 ACRES OF FARMLAND ARE LOST EVERY DAY IN OUR AGRICULTURAL REGION.

WE JUST DON'T HAVE TIME TO WASTE AS WE, UM, TALK ABOUT FOOD PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.

16.8 ACRES LOST EVERY DAY.

THE PRO HOUSING GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DUE ON THE 15TH OF OCTOBER.

UM, BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 23.

ZENOBIA JOSEPH IS NOW HERE.

THANK YOU MAYOR COUNSEL, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH.

ITEM 23 IS SPECIFICALLY THE CADET CLASS AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT HOUSING AND OTHER OPTIONS.

MY OPPOSITION IS NOT TO THE POLICE, IT IS SPECIFICALLY THE DIRECTION OF COUNSEL TO NARROWLY FOCUS ON THE CADETS AND OTHER OPTIONS.

THIS IS THE MCKENZIE KELLY ITEM AND TWO ALTERS AND VELAZQUEZ AND ALLISON ALTER WAS HERE ON MARCH 4TH, 2021, ITEM 67 WHEN THERE WAS A BLACK APOLOGY FOR THE INTENTIONAL DISCRIMINATION OF COUNCIL.

AND SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO MORE FOR BLACK PEOPLE BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE DICE.

SPECIFICALLY, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT

[01:05:01]

AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY PRO STANDS FOR PATHWAYS TO REMOVING OBSTACLES TO HOUSING $7 MILLION.

MANDY DE MAYO PRESENTED THIS TUESDAY AT THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.

IT IS GERMANE MAYOR, BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THINGS FOR BLACK PEOPLE.

YOU JUST HEARD FROM FARMER TIFFANY WHO TOLD YOU SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE PEOPLE SLEEPING AT THE BUS STOPS.

YESTERDAY I WAS ACTUALLY AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE, NORTHRIDGE BLACK MAN, NO SHOES WENT INTO THE WOODS.

BLACK WOMAN, ALL HER BAGS SITTING.

I ASKED HER IF SHE WANTED BANANAS, BLACK MAN SITTING, LOOKING OUT INTO THE HALLWAY.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN I TELL YOU THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN THERE ARE WHITE COUNTERPARTS TO BE HOMELESS.

THE JULY 1ST, 2022 ECHO REPORT, IT IS REAL.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT ME.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE OPTIONS THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT FOR CADETS APPLY TO BLACK PEOPLE TOO.

YOU HAVE BASICALLY ERASED US.

YOU HAVE LEFT US LANGUISHING ON THE BENCHES, BUT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY, MAYOR, THIS PRO HOUSING APPLICATION HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO CURTAIL, EVICTION OR HOMELESSNESS, BUT THAT IS THE PRIORITY FOR HUD.

SO I WANT YOU TO GO BACK TO MANDY DE MAYO AND ASK HER TO DO SOMETHING FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT SHE PUT IN THAT PLAN IS FOR RYAN DRIVE 69 0 9 RYAN DRIVE, WHICH IS CRESTVIEW STATION THAT ISN'T EVEN IN THE PRIORITY FOR THE PHASE ONE OF PROJECT CONNECT.

THAT'S THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT YOU MAY GET IN THE FUTURE, BUT YET, THAT IS WHAT THE $7 MILLION IS BEING ASKED FOR.

I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT THE LIGHT RAIL WILL END, IT WILL TERMINATE AT HYDE PARK, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED EXCLUSIVELY FOR WHITE PEOPLE FROM 1889 TO 1924 BY COLONEL MONROE SHEE.

WE ARE EXCLUDED.

WE ARE EXCLUDED AT PLAZA TIA.

WE ARE EXCLUDED.

I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER OCTOBER 17TH, 2019 WHEN COUNCIL REZONED 1,308 UNITS STUDENTS, LOW INCOME RESIDENTS.

YES, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACK PEOPLE AND LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS AS WELL.

THIS COUNCIL HAS DEMONSTRATED ITS COMMITMENT TO SEGREGATION.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.

ONTO ITEM NUMBER 29.

EILEEN.

HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

HI, MY NAME IS EILEEN MCINNIS, DISTRICT NINE.

I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF CITY LEAP BECAUSE I'VE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND HOW EVEN A SMALL SHIFT IN HOW WE USE OUR CITY STREETS CAN HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE LIFE OF A CHILD BACK IN THE PANDEMIC.

I THEN 5-YEAR-OLD LEARNED TO RIDE A BIKE ON A PILOT HEALTHY STREET.

THAT HEALTHY STREET TOOK US SAFELY FROM OUR PARK DEFICIENT NEIGHBORHOOD TO A GREEN SPACE AND AN ADJACENT ONE.

NOW NINE YEARS OLD, MY SON RIDES HIS BIKE TO AND FROM SCHOOL DAILY, AND HE HAS INSPIRED THE WHOLE FAMILY TO GET AROUND MORE OFTEN BY BIKES.

NOW, THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH CITY LEAP AND MANY POPULATIONS WHO WOULD BENEFIT, BUT I WANNA CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO CHILDREN BECAUSE TOO OFTEN WE DON'T THINK OF THEM WHEN MAKING INFRASTRUCTURE DECISIONS FROM A CAR DOMINANT LENS.

NON-DRIVERS LIKE KIDS DON'T FACTOR IN.

SO WHEN CARS BECOME JUST ONE PART OF THE ECOSYSTEM, WE CAN BETTER SEE THAT AUSTIN'S ROADS BELONG TO OUR CHILDREN TOO.

WHETHER THEY'RE BIKING OR RIDING IN CARPOOLS OR BUSES, THEIR SAFETY MATTERS.

TRAFFIC FATALITIES ARE THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN US CHILDREN.

CHILDREN LEAVING NEAR MAJOR ROADWAYS ARE ALSO AT A GREATER RISK OF DEVELOPING RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES LIKE ASTHMA AND, AND EXPERIENCING MORE SEVERE SYMPTOMS. I'M SPEAKING TODAY NOT ONLY AS THE MOM OF THE BIKE LOVING YOUNG AUSTINITE, BUT AS THE FOUNDER OF LOCAL NONPROFITS, THE PARENTS' CLIMATE COMMUNITY.

IN THAT CAPACITY, IT'S BECOME ABUNDANTLY CLEAR TO ME THAT CAR DEPENDENCE IS JEOPARDIZING OUR KIDS' CLIMATE FUTURE.

TRANSFORMING OUR CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE SPACE FOR ACTIVE AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION IS A CRUCIAL PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

A FORMER MAYOR OF BOGOTA ONCE ASKED WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF WE DESIGNED OUR CITIES WITH KIDS IN MIND.

WHAT IF WE SAW OUR CITIES THROUGH THEIR EYES, THEIR EXPERIENCES AT THEM? IT'S A QUESTION THAT POINTS TO OTHER MORE HOPEFUL REASONS FOR WHY CITY LEAP MATTERS.

BY INVESTING IN SAFER STREETS AND MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE CAN CULTIVATE OUR KIDS' WELLBEING, THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY, THEIR GROWING INDEPENDENCE, AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL THEIR JOY.

THANK YOU, ROBERT BOWLER.

HELLO, COUNSEL.

UH, LEMME KNOW IF YOU CANNOT HEAR ME.

MY NAME IS ROBERT BOWLER.

I'M A, A HOMEOWNER IN DISTRICT FOUR.

WHAT'S

[01:10:01]

UP, SEATO? I'M HERE SPEAKING, UH, IN FAVOR OF THE CITY LEASE PROPOSAL.

UM, SOMETIMES I COME UP IN FRONT OF Y'ALL AS A CYCLIST, UH, BUT, UH, WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT LIVES AND I OWN A CAR , AND SO I'M ASKING YOU AS A DRIVER TODAY TO IMPLEMENT, UH, WELL, TO DO THIS STUDY AND THEN CARRY OUT THE CITY LEASE PLAN.

UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE ROADS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED BY CITY LEAP, THEY ARE SOME OF THE, UM, FRANKLY, UGLIEST AND MOST STRESSFUL CITY OWNED ROADS.

DRIVE ON.

I JUST DROVE ON 45TH STREET TODAY AND AROUND THAT CURVE AT VAL.

IT'S, I ALMOST GOT PULLED BY SOMEONE.

IT'S JUST A REGULAR OCCURRENCE BECAUSE THERE'S NO TURN LANE.

UM, AND THERE IT'S JUST REAL.

SO, UM, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A WIN FOR MOVING PEOPLE AROUND THE CITY, EQUITY FOR THEIR CLIMATE, BUT ALSO, UH, GIVEN THE BARTON CREEK, UH, OR BARTON SPRINGS ROAD STUDY, WE NOW KNOW THAT, UH, DOING THIS PLAN WILL BASICALLY NOT AFFECT TRAVEL TIMES, WHICH SEEMS WILD.

UM, BUT THAT IS WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE TELLING US.

SO PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND, UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE, UH, WHAT THE STUDY REVEALS AND, UH, AND SEE THIS DONE.

GREAT TO Y'ALL.

MOVING TO IN-PERSON, SPEAKERS ON ITEM 29, ADAM GREENFIELD, CLARA WILLIAMS AND FELICITY MAXWELL.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, ADAM GREENFIELD HERE WITH SAFE STREETS AUSTIN.

UH, ALSO, UH, TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA 29, THE CITY LEAP, UH, STAFF STUDY.

UH, THIS IS A REALLY AMAZING MOMENT.

UH, THIS, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE BEFORE TO GET TO THIS, TO GET THIS FAR, WHERE A COUNCIL WOULD PUT SOMETHING FORWARD LIKE THIS THAT'S SO VISIONARY, SO BOLD, AND SO NECESSARY FOR THIS CITY.

OUR ARTERIAL ROADWAYS RIGHT NOW ARE NOT MEETING, UH, AUSTINITES NEEDS.

THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT SAFE ENOUGH.

THEY'RE NOT CLEAN ENOUGH, THEY'RE NOT SUSTAINABLE ENOUGH, AND THEY DON'T ATTRACT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

IN ONE FELL SWOOP CITY LEAP WOULD DO THAT.

IT WILL ADDRESS THE, UH, THE, THE ROAD, UH, SAFETY CRISIS.

IT WOULD CLEAN OUR AIR.

IT WOULD MAKE OUR ARTERIAL ROADWAYS MUCH MORE PLEASANT AND SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

WE'VE SEEN THAT ROAD LANE CONVERSIONS WORK AND THEY WORK EVERY SINGLE TIME.

BARNTON SPRINGS ROAD HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED, UH, BY THIS TREATMENT.

UH, THE ROAD LANE CONVERSION OVER THE LONGHORN DAM TOOK FOUR MONTHS TO PAY FOR ITSELF IN TERMS OF COMPREHENSIVE CRUSH COST SAVINGS TO SOCIETY.

IMAGINE SEEING THAT ON A CITYWIDE SCALE.

UH, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY EXCITING MOMENT, UM, IN A VIDEO RELEASED THIS WEEK, UH, FROM THE FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER CHRIS RILEY, WHO PASSED AWAY RECENTLY.

HE SAYS, CITY LEAP WILL BE THE KIND OF LEGACY THAT YOU, THE COUNCIL, WILL BE VERY HAPPY TO LEAVE BEHIND BECAUSE IT WILL HAVE HUGE POSITIVE IMPACTS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

AND I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER RILEY WAS SPEAKING TO WHAT THIS COUNCIL CLEARLY IS, WHICH IS A GENERATIONAL HISTORIC COUNCIL THAT HAS MADE, UH, GENERATIONAL CHANGES IN HOUSING, LAND USE, FOOD AND TRANSPORTATION.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

UH, GOOD MORNING MAYOR.

MAYOR PRO TEM, COUNCIL MEMBERS FELICITY MAXWELL, DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENT OR A BOARD MEMBER, UH, SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 29.

OUR COMMUNITY RECEIVED SOME EXCELLENT NEWS YESTERDAY REGARDING PROJECT CONNECT, AND PERHAPS EVEN MORE EXCITING WAS THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROPOSED PEDESTRIANIZATION OF PART OF CONGRESS AVENUE.

AND NOW WITH TODAY'S DISCUSSION OF CITY LEAVE STUDY, WE'RE SEEING FURTHER PROOF OF THIS COUNCIL'S LEADERSHIP ON BOTH HOUSING AND TRANS TRANSIT ISSUES.

WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS OVER $1 BILLION IN PLANNED INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, AND MANY HAVE NOTED CONCERNS REGARDING TRAFFIC AND CONGESTION, UH, THAT WILL RESULT.

CITY LEAP OFFERS OUR COMMUNITY A PATH FORWARD TO MAXIMIZING EXISTING TRANS EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, PROMOTING NON-CAR TRANSPORTATION THAT MAXIMIZES THROUGHPUT AS WE BEGIN WORK ON I 35 PROJECT CONNECT AND THE AUSTIN AIRPORT WITH SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS TO CAP METRO EXPANSION OF OUR ELECTRIC BIKE NETWORK THROUGH METRO BIKE, AND COMMITMENT TO ADDITIONAL SIDEWALKS AND BIKEWAYS THROUGH OUR BONDS.

CITY LEAP IS A NATURAL EXTENSION OF OUR CURRENT AND PLANNED MOBILITY INVESTMENTS, AND WILL ALLOW US TO MORE EFFICIENTLY MOVE AUSTINITES TO THE CITY AS WE UNDERTAKE THIS MASSIVE TRANSFORMATION.

PARTICULAR THANKS TO SAFE STREETS AUSTIN, OUR URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, AND OF COURSE, COUNCIL MEMBER ALICE IN THE DISTRICT STREET OFFICE FOR BRINGING THE CITY LEAP FORWARD PROPOSAL TO COUNCIL.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE AS THE STUDY MOVES FORWARD AND ARE EXCITED TO SEE AUSTIN'S ROADWAYS REPURPOSED TO BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR CHANGING CITY.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

[01:15:01]

THANKS FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU'ALL TODAY.

MY NAME IS CLARA WILLIAMS. I'M A JUNIOR AT MACCALLUM HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE CITY LAKE PLAN TO CONVERT LANES ON MAJOR AUSTIN ROADS TO BUS AND BIKE LANES.

I WANTED TO SHARE WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KIDS AND TEENAGERS LIKE ME, KIDS AND TEENS WHO DON'T DRIVE YET ON, RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND BIKES MORE THAN MOST ADULTS.

GROWING UP NEAR DOWNTOWN, I'VE USED MY BIKE TO RUN ERRANDS AND GO TO FRIENDS' HOUSES.

HAVING MORE BIKE LANES WOULD MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR KIDS LIKE ME TO GET AROUND SAFELY ON OUR BIKES.

SAFETY IS A REAL CONCERN.

I KNOW THAT THOUSANDS OF BICYCLISTS ARE INJURED AND KILLED EVERY YEAR ON US ROADS.

I ACTUALLY SAW A BODY ON THE ROAD AFTER A FATAL ACCIDENT LAST MAY.

THIS WAS REALLY SCARY TO ME, AND IT'S SOMETHING I WON'T FORGET.

TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS HAVE THE HIGHEST RATES OF BICYCLE RELATED INJURIES TREATED IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS.

HAVING MORE PROTECTED BIKE LANES WOULD HELP PREVENT THESE TYPES OF ACCIDENTS FROM HAPPENING DURING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND PART OF HIGH SCHOOL.

I HAD TO USE THE CITY BUS TO COME HOME BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T SCHOOL BUSES THAT CAME TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD FROM MY SCHOOL.

PART OF THE REASON THIS, UH, WITH THIS PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS WAS THAT I GOT HOME REALLY LATE AND THE BUSES WERE ALMOST NEVER ON TIME.

I KNOW THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH A LOT OF MY FELLOW CLASSMATES.

CITY LEAP'S PLAN TO LIKELY IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF BUSES AND MAKE THEM MORE RELIABLE.

HAVING DEDICATED BUS LANES AND BETTER BIKE LANES ON AUSTIN'S ARTERIALS WOULD BENEFIT OUR CITY IN SO MANY WAYS.

I RESPECTFULLY ASKED FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THE CITY LAKE PLAN.

I'M NUMBER 68 ENOVIA JOSEPH.

MS. JOSEPH, MS. JOSEPH, PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.

ITEM NUMBER 70, KATIE NARANJO AND BILL BUNCH.

KATIE NARANJO, KATIE NARANJO, MR. BUNCH, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD? YEAH, I'LL SEE HER.

VERY DERIVATIVE, TOTALLY UNNECESSARY.

UH, BILL BUNCH, SPEAKING ON 70 ON THE WALLER CREEK DESIGN PLAN.

UM, I'M NOT, I GUESS I'M SPEAKING ON THIS.

I DO HOPE THAT, UH, Y'ALL TAKE AND DIRECT, UH, STAFF IN THE COMMUNITY TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING ALONG WALLER CREEK.

UM, IT'S, IT'S TAGGED FOR EXCESSIVE DEVELOPMENT, EXCESSIVE SPENDING OF LIMITED TAX DOLLARS.

UM, THIS RESOLUTION SPECIFICALLY REFERS TO THE TURPS, UM, AND WE'VE PUT A WHOLE TON OF MONEY INTO, UH, PAVING, A LOT OF THIS LITTLE BIT OF NATURE IN DOWNTOWN.

UM, AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT AND WHAT'S ON THE ROAD BOOKS TODAY, AS WE SIT FROM PREVIOUS COUNCILS, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THIS COUNCIL'S EVER REALLY LOOKED AT THIS ISSUE, UM, AND TAKING A SECOND LOOK.

BUT YOU'VE GOT, I BELIEVE, WELL OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS STILL OF FURTHER CONSTRUCTION TO BUILD ESSENTIALLY A REPLICA OR VARIANCE OF THE NEW YORK CITY HIGHLINE.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE HIGHLINE WAS RECLAIMING A HISTORIC STRUCTURE AND REPURPOSING IT.

IT WASN'T BUILDING AN AERIAL WALKWAY, UH, FROM SCRATCH, AS NEW CONSTRUCTION SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T EVER HAVE TO TOUCH THE EARTH AND, AND BE CONNECTED TO NATURE.

UM, IT'S, IT'S WILDLY INAPPROPRIATE.

AND, UH, PLEASE, UH, REVISIT THE WHOLE THING, THE, THE MONEY, THE CONSTRUCTION, THE PAVEMENT, AND WHAT THE PRIORITY FOR WHAT WE HAVEN'T ALREADY PAVED OVER IN OUR WALLER CREEK PARKS, UH, REALLY SHOULD BE.

AND THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM UP.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS KATIE NORAN HO.

I AM ACTUALLY A BOARD MEMBER ON THE NONPROFIT THAT HELPS TO RUN THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH WATERLOO GREENWAY.

UM, AND SO WHILE I WILDLY DISAGREE WITH THE MOST RECENT CHARACTERIZATION BY MR. BUNCH, UM, I DO WELCOME YOU TO COME AND WALK THE CHAIN OF BEAUTIFUL PARKS THAT GO FROM 15TH STREET ALL THE WAY TO TOWN LAKE, ALSO KNOWN AS LADY BIRD LAKE.

UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY TO, UH, REEMPHASIZE

[01:20:01]

AND ALSO COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AND HIS STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN ON NUMEROUS WALKTHROUGHS WITH US AS WE ARE TRYING TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT.

UM, MY ROLE, UH, ON THE BOARD OF WATERLOO GREENWAY IS TO HELP RAISE THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN PUB IN PRIVATE FUNDS TO MEET THE CITY'S VAST, UM, UH, INVESTMENT IN THIS AREA.

THAT'S, THAT'S DESPERATELY NEEDED.

UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS IS A RESOLUTION, UH, TO MAKE ANOTHER RESOLUTION, HOPEFULLY IN ABOUT 10 MONTHS.

AND TO STUDY MORE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY STUDIED.

UM, ESSENTIALLY WE ARE NEEDING SETBACKS PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT THE GREEN SPACE ALONG THE CREEK TO ALLOW FOR THE, UM, THE, UH, THE GREEN, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'VE BEEN PUTTING IN, UH, WHETHER IT BE THE PARKS THEMSELVES OR IT BE THE PLANTS AND THE TREES, UM, THE HERITAGE OAKS THAT WE HAVE PLANTED ALONG THE WAY, UH, AS WELL AS PROTECTING THE BIKE TRAILS, UM, THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES, ET CETERA.

AND WE DO NOT HAVE THOSE SETBACKS RIGHT NOW.

UM, WE, WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THEM BACK IN 2011.

UH, WE ARE NOW GONNA STUDY AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 10 MONTHS, BUT MY HOPE IS, IS THAT THIS COUNCIL TAKES THE BRAVE STANCE OF PUTTING COMMUNITY INTEREST AND GREEN SPACE FIRST, UM, AND THAT THE PUBLIC'S, UH, INVESTMENT IN THIS IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO NOT DELAY FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS.

UM, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP, AND WE THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ISSUE FORWARD.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WALKING WITH EACH OF YOU DOWN, UM, ON WATERLOO GREENWAY.

UM, TO SEE THE REFUGE PALM SCHOOL, THE PALM PARK, UH, WATERLOO PARK, AS WELL AS THE CONFLUENCE, UM, IS A BEAUTIFUL AREA THAT WILL HELP BRIDGE, UM, UH, ESPECIALLY IN AN AREA THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY VERY DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE, UM, BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN AND I 35 THAT HAD BEEN FORGOTTEN FOR MANY YEARS.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND PLEASE, URGENCY IS NEEDED IN ACTION.

ONCE WE GET THESE STUDIES, PLEASE TAKE THOSE STUDIES TO HEART AND ACT.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR ACTION AND PARTNERING WITH YOU GOING FORWARD.

ON TO ITEM 71, CRAIG NAOR.

HELLO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.

AND, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY I REALLY THINK THIS IS A GREAT ITEM.

UH, I HAVE BEEN A MUSICIAN ALL MY LIFE, SO I, MY EARS HAVE DONE A LOT OF LISTENING TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT SOUNDS AND, UH, WHAT I'M BEING OVERWHELMED WITH NOW, MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE SOUND OF MACHINERY.

JUST THIS PAST WEEK, I HAD TWO HUGE STUMPS DRILLED OUT.

I HAD A TREE CUT DOWN THE LAWNMOWERS COMB IN THE MORNING.

LEAF BLOWERS DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED.

UH, AND ALL THESE ARE TWO CYCLE ENGINES THAT ARE PRODUCING HUGE AMOUNTS OF POLLUTION.

AND CO2, ALSO, I HAVE A NEIGHBOR WHO SEEMS TO RUN A AIR COMPRESSOR AT ODD TIMES, AND THEN WE HAVE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS THAT GET OLD AND GET VERY LOUD.

SO I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING EVEN MORE SUBTLE THAN THIS.

UM, RECENTLY TO IMPROVE MY HOUSE, I GOT A GOOD DEAL ON TRIPLE PANE WINDOWS.

AND WHAT I FOUND OUT WITH TRIPLE PANE WINDOWS IS THEY'RE EVEN BETTER THAN DOUBLE PANE WINDOWS WITH CUTTING OUT ALL THESE SOUNDS.

SO THEN YOU CLOSE ALL YOUR WINDOWS.

WELL, THERE'S A SOUND THAT BECOMES MISSING, AND IT'S A SOUND OF NATURE.

IT'S A SOUND OF NATURE THAT USED TO BE EVERYWHERE AND IS NOW DISAPPEARING.

AND IF IT'S COVERED WITH A SOUND OF MOTORS, YOU DON'T HEAR IT.

AND THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE MISSING, AND THEN IT'S GONE.

SO I REALLY SUPPORT THIS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR.

CONCLUDE ALL THE .

THE CONSENT AGENDA, THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE CONSENT AGENDA.

UM, MADAM CLERK, UH, MEMBERS, AS YOU JUST HEARD, THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE SPEAKERS.

WHAT I WILL, UH, DO IS, UH, FIRST TAKE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

UH, BEFORE I DO THAT, UM, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, BECAUSE ITEM NUMBER FIVE, SHE HAS, UH, AN ASPECT TO THAT, THAT WHEN I TAKE THE CONSENT AGENDA MOTION, I WOULD LIKE FOR HER, UM, COMMENT AND HER MOTION TO BE A PART OF THAT CONSENT AGENDA.

SO WE CAN JUST MOVE THAT THROUGH.

SO, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, I RECOGNIZE YOU FIRST.

SURE.

THIS IS A MOTION TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

AS PART OF THE SCOPE OF THIS CONTRACT, THE CITY MANAGER IS DIRECTED TO ENSURE THE PARTICIPATION OF THE AVIATION DEPARTMENT AS A LEADING PARTNER IN THE DESIGN OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY THAT WAS CREATED TO SUPPORT TRANSFORMATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS WITH FAMILY SUPPORTING JOBS AND SUSTAINABLE CAREERS, AND TO ENSURE THAT THE ACADEMY IS CONNECTING LOCAL PEOPLE TO THE MOST IN DEMAND POSITIONS AT THE AIRPORT AS DIRECTED IN A PREVIOUSLY PASSED RESOLUTION.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

SO WHEN I, WHEN I HAVE THE MOTION AND THE SECOND ON

[01:25:01]

MOTION, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER, YOU MOVE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER MOVES ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.

IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, EXCUSE ME, VELASQUEZ.

UM, OKAY.

UH, YOU, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.

COUNCILMAN MORALES.

UH, JUST WANTED TO MAKE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.

THERE'S LATE BACKUP FOR ITEM 22, THE BOARD AND COMMISSION NOMINATIONS, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE I HAVE AN APPOINTEE TO THE ASIAN AMERICAN QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE AS, YES.

I READ THAT IN AND I READ THAT INTO THE RECORD, UM, PERFECT.

AT THE BEGINNING.

SO THANK YOU.

YEAH, THANKS FOR CALLING THAT OUT.

AND, UH, IT'S GOOD TO MAKE IT A PART OF THE RECORD A SECOND TIME, SO PEOPLE DO KNOW THAT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ALRIGHT, MEMBERS, UM, THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND NOW I'LL RECOGNIZE SPEAKERS.

THE FIRST ONE I'LL RECOGNIZE IS COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.

THEN COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

UH, JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AN ITEM WE BROUGHT AROUND THE SOUND STUDY.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD THE CHANCE TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION A LITTLE WHILE AGO ABOUT WHAT WE ARE SEEING KIND OF INTERFERE WITH QUALITY OF LIFE IN AUSTIN, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO MECHANICAL NOISE, UH, THAT IS REACHING VARIOUS RESIDENCES.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS KICK OFF A STUDY TODAY SO THAT WE CAN SEE IF OUR SOUND ORDINANCES ARE IN LINE, NOT ONLY WITH, UH, WHAT OTHER PEER CITIES ARE DOING, BUT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROTECTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT AUSTIN.

SO, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE MY CO-SPONSORS ON THIS AND JUST LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO COME BACK AND ADDRESS THIS ISSUE THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT FROM THE PUBLIC.

COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

THEN COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.

MAYORS, UM, COLLEAGUES TODAY MARKS A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN MY JOURNEY AS A COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTING DISTRICT SIX.

UM, WITH THE PASSAGE OF ITEM 23, I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE IT'S THE 40 41ST POLICY I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF ADVANCING SINCE I STARTED REPRESENTING MY DISTRICT.

THIS ITEM SPECIFICALLY DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON PROVIDING HOUSING OPTIONS FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CADETS, EXPANDING ON THE GROUNDWORK LAID BY OUR FORMER INTERIM CITY MANAGER FOR POLICE CADETS TO INCLUDE FIRE AND EMS CADETS.

THIS INITIATIVE HAS BEEN A FOCUS OF MINE FOR MUCH OF MY TERM, AND I'M DEEPLY THANKFUL FOR THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT.

WE ASK OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CADETS TO OFTEN UPROOT THEIR LIVES AND SOMETIMES THEIR FAMILIES TO COME TO AUSTIN FOR SOME OF THE BEST TRAINING IN THE NATION, ALL WHILE FACING THE CHALLENGES OF OUR ONGOING AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.

IT'S MY HOPE THAT THROUGH THIS STUDY, WE WILL BE PRESENTED WITH ACTIONABLE OPTIONS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR CADETS TO LIVE HERE WHILE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.

I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO THE ASSOCIATIONS REPRESENTING OUR POLICE, FIRE AND EMS DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS THE AUSTIN DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION AND THE AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT IN GETTING THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

TODAY, HERE AT OUR MEETING, AS NOTED IN THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT'S LETTER, THIS PROGRAM COULD ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE FINANCIAL PRESSURES CADETS FACE WHILE RELOCATING TO AUSTIN, ALLOWING THEM TO SETTLE IN AND FOCUS ON THEIR TRAINING.

THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTER ASSOCIATION ECHOED THOSE SENTIMENTS, EMPHASIZING THE CHALLENGES THAT CADETS FACE DUE TO LOW PAY AND PENSION, UM, REDUCTIONS UPON GRADUATION.

THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE POTENTIAL FOR PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO HELP PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS THROUGH THEIR UPCOMING PARTNER AND SAFETY ALLIANCE PROGRAM AND THE AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS STRESS, THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING THE UNDERSUPPLY OF HOUSING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY WORKERS.

I'M ALSO DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF MY CO-SPONSORS, ALISON ALTER, RYAN ALTER, AND JOSE VELASQUEZ, AND TO MY COLLEAGUES ALL SITTING UP HERE TODAY FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO MAKING AUSTIN A PLACE WHERE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL CAN THRIVE TOGETHER, THIS COUNCIL'S WORKING TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO PROTECT AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO CALL AUSTIN HOME.

COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.

I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR TO THE, UH, CITY LEAP ITEM BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLIS.

THAT'S A, A REALLY, UH, EXCELLENT ITEM AND, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THESE CHANGES HAPPEN ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT STREETS.

UH, THEY'VE BEEN GREAT CHANGES, FACILITATING PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACTIVITY, SLOWING VEHICLES DOWN, MAKING THE STREETS SAFER FOR EVERYONE.

UH, AND ULTIMATELY WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO TACKLE OUR AFFORDABILITY OR CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES, UH, UNLESS WE MOVE AWAY FROM KIND OF THE SINGLE, UH, VEHICLE WITH A ONE PERSON IN IT DRIVING EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME.

WE'VE GOTTA SHIFT, UH, TO ALTERNATIVE MODES OF MOBILITY AND THIS, BUT THAT A GREAT, UH, UH, AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER AVELA WILL BE SHOWN AS A

[01:30:01]

CO-SPONSOR OF THE ITEM.

AND, UH, AND THEN I ALSO JUST WANTED TO, UH, I'M A CO-SPONSOR ON THE ITEM, BUT COUNCIL MEMBER OR RYAN ALTER'S, UH, ITEM WITH REGARD TO THE SOUND ORDINANCE, AGAIN, WE ARE MAKING A LOT OF CHANGES TO OUR ZONING CODES.

OUR CITY IS GONNA LOOK AND FEEL DIFFERENTLY.

WE DO HAVE TO BE VERY SENSITIVE TO, UH, THE CONCERNS OF RESIDENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE KEEPING A, A PEACEFUL KIND OF QUIET, UH, ATMOSPHERES.

AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO BLOCK THE NOISES OF, YOU KNOW, THE PLUMBING AND MECHANICAL AND AC AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND BUILD THAT INTO OUR CODE.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT ITEM, AND I'M PROUD TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ON IT.

COUNCIL MEMBER CODRE FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.

UH, I WANT TO FIRST TOUCH ON ITEM 28, WHICH WAS, UH, A VOTER REGISTRATION ITEM.

HOPEFULLY FOLKS IN THIS CHAMBER AND WHO ARE WATCHING A REGISTERED TO VOTE, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, IT'S TOO LATE.

UM, SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL YEAH, SORRY.

BUT HOPEFULLY YOU'LL NEXT TIME.

YEAH, THAT'S GOOD NEWS THERE.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CARTER .

BUT I, BUT, UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK MOVE TEXAS FOR INSPIRING, UH, US TO CREATE THIS ITEM AFTER THEY CAME FORWARD TO PARTNER WITH OUR OFFICE FOR NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY.

UH, AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES VILLA AND ALLISON TER, UH, CIVIC PARTICIPATION AS A FOUNDATIONAL VALLEY OF OUR CITY.

AND THIS RESOLUTION LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR GREATER CIVIC PARTICIPATION AND INVOLVEMENT IN AUSTIN.

UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE DIOCESE AND STAFF WHEN THIS ANALYSIS COMES BACK TO PASS THE FINAL ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO EXECUTE, UH, ON THESE GOALS.

UH, AND THEN I'D ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 70, UH, AND I, AND I WANT TO THANK, UM, EVERYONE WHO CAME IN AND SPOKE ON IT.

AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE WATERLOO GREENWAY CONSERVANCY, RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT FOR THEIR ADV FOR THEIR ADVOCACY.

ON THIS ITEM, I WANT TO THANK CITY STAFF.

UH, I ALSO WANNA THANK COUNCILMAN RYAN TER STAFF FOR, FOR DOING ALL THE GREAT TOURS WITH US, UM, UM, ON, ON THE SITE VISITS THAT WE DID AND WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO, TO COME ON DOWN WITH THE D NINE TEAM NEXT TIME WE GO.

UM, OR JUST TO GO IN GENERAL TO WATERLOO GREENWAY, UH, THE ITEM REMAINS TO INFORM COUNCIL OF OUR OPTIONS TO MOST EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY IMPLEMENT THE CITY'S VISION FOR WALLER CREEK.

THE CITY HAS A LONGTIME VISION OF A WORLD CLASS LINEAR PARK AND TRAIL SYSTEM ALONG WALLER CREEK, AND THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OPEN SPACE, PEDESTRIAN AND BIKEWAY CONNECTIONS, AND PROMOTING DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY AND INCREASED INVESTMENT ALONG THE CREEK AND THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

AS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE BALANCE ALL THREE OF THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

UH, THE NEXT SEGMENT OF CONSTRUCTION FOR CREEK, UH, IS ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING TO COMPLETE.

UH, IT GOES ALONG OVER BELOVED RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT, WHICH WE KNOW, UH, FACES MANY CONSTRAINTS AND CHALLENGES THEMSELVES.

UH, AND, BUT I'M HONORED TO BE AND EXCITED TO BE A MEMBER OF POAS AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GETTING TO IMPLEMENT A LOT OF REALLY GREAT THINGS.

UM, AND THIS NEXT SEGMENT, UH, OF THIS GENERATIONAL PROJECT, WHICH IS WATERLOO GREENWAY.

UH, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE THE COMPLETION OF THE VISION FOR THE ENTIRE PALM DISTRICT AREA.

UH, I KNOW IT WON'T BE EASY, UH, BUT I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM PAST DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS ALONG WALLER CREEK TO STREAMLINE AND SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS FOR ALL PARTIES.

UH, AND I JUST WANNA THANK ONCE AGAIN MY COLLEAGUES ON THIS ITEM.

COUNCIL VELA RYAN ALTER, AND MAYOR PRO TEMPLE.

COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.

I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD PLAN.

THIS HAS BEEN AN EFFORT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO I'M THRILLED THAT WE ARE POISED TO ADOPT, UH, THIS HISTORIC FOOD PLAN.

WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE IN AUSTIN DESERVES ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY FOOD.

UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF OUR FOOD DESERTS ARE ALONG THE EASTERN CRESCENT, AND SO I KNOW BY ADOPTING THIS PLAN, WE ARE TAKING A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY.

UH, OR 15% OF TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE FOOD INSECURE.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE ALSO SENDING TO MOTION AN IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTION.

THAT'S THE ITEM THAT I BROUGHT FORWARD, ALONG WITH THE SUPPORT OF MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELAZQUEZ, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.

UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SO MANY PLANS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, A LOT OF PLANS, BUT WHAT'S GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT WE FUND OUR PLANS.

SO WITH THE ITEM THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, IT REALLY SETS INTO MOTION AS A PRIORITY FOR NEXT BUDGET CYCLE, THAT WE ARE FUNDING THE NECESSARY INVESTMENTS TO ACCELERATE AND ADVANCE THIS FOOD PLAN, AS WELL AS ENSURE IT'S A PART OF THE CONVERSATION OF OUR BOND ADVISORY TASK FORCE, SO THAT IT'S INCLUDED IN THE NEXT BOND PACKAGE.

UH, SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO SHARE MY GRATITUDE ALSO, UH, SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO AMELIA CASAS ON MY TEAM FOR HER WORK ON THIS.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL THE ADVOCATES WHO PARTICIPATED AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND FEEDBACK.

JOSE ADDED TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER 29, UH, THE OTHER JOSE BEATING TO IT.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALS AND ALTER.

UH, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.

I WANT TO BE THE SECOND

[01:35:01]

SO, AND I WANTED TO THANK, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION.

UH, THE SECOND JOSE WILL BE, UH, UH, AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR BRINGING THIS, UH, IT'S REALLY EXCITING AND, AND VISIONARY FOR OUR CITY.

UM, I WANTED TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ON FOR LETTING US WORK ON ITEM NUMBER 71.

HE'S NOT PAYING ATTENTION RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S ALL GOOD, UH, FOR LETTING US WORK WITH HIM ON ITEM NUMBER 71.

AS WE GROW AS, UH, THE OTHER JOSE SAID, AS WE GROW AS THE CITY, WE, WE NEED TO REMAIN COGNIZANT OF, UH, HOW NOISE POLLUTION IS AFFECTING OUR NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

UM, LET'S SEE.

I HAD TWO MORE HERE.

UH, UH, ITEM NUMBER 25, I WANTED TO THANK, UH, MY CO-SPONSORS.

WE ARE HONORING, OR WE HONORED A, UH, DEJA LEGEND MANUEL COWBOY DONNELLEY WITH A ATTRIBUTE.

THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.

UM, TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RI THE MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLIS FOR, FOR, UH, CO-SPONSORING THAT WITH US.

ITEM NUMBER 27, UH, UH, IT WE'RE REIMBURSING FEES FOR A, UH, TRANSFORMATIVE YOUTH JUSTICE PROGRAM THAT IS BEING DONE BY, UM, JUDGE, UH, DENISE HERNANDEZ.

THIS IS IMPERATIVE IN ENSURING THAT OUR, UM, YOUTH DO NOT END UP IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THAT WE ARE FINDING ALTERNATIVE WAYS, UH, FOR THEM TO, UM, WELL, TO JUST NOT END UP IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

UM, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANTED TO AGREE WITH THE MAYOR, UH, THAT ANYTIME I AM TALKING AT AN EVENT, IT IS GOING TO BE A GREAT ONE.

YEAH, .

SO THE TREE, THE TREE PLANNING EVENT AT, UH, THE, UM, AT THE, UH, OH MY GOD, OF COURSE.

THE COMMUNITY GARDENS IN EAST AUSTIN.

UH, THE, UH, FOOD FOREST IN EAST, IN EAST AUSTIN, PLEASE COME OUT, UH, ON OCTOBER 19TH.

NOT, NOT TO HEAR ME, ABSOLUTELY NOT TO HEAR ME, BUT JUST TO, UH, COME OUT AND CELEBRATE THE TREE PLANNING CEREMONY.

THAT'S GREAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.

I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 29, THE CITY LEAP PROGRAM.

UM, I'M EXCITED TO BE KICKING OFF THIS PLANNING STUDY BECAUSE I THINK THAT AS OUR CITY GROWS AND WE ARE DOING A MUCH BETTER JOB OF SUPPORTING OUR MULTIMODAL SHIFT GOALS, UM, WE HAVE SEEN THAT WE CAN HAVE SAFER INFRASTRUCTURE AND CLEANER AIR AND WATER QUALITY BY IMPLEMENTING THESE METHODS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO GET CREATIVE WITH THEIR COMMUTES, WHETHER THEY'RE TO WORK OR THE GROCERY STORE OR CHURCH OR WHEREVER THEY'RE TAKING THEIR KIDS.

UM, PEOPLE ARE TRYING NEW METHODS, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT.

UM, THANK YOU TO SAFE STREETS AND AURA FOR BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM TODAY.

UM, BUT THE, THE PERSON WHO CALLED OUT THE BARTON SPRINGS VISION ZERO PILOT PROGRAM, IT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

IT HAS MADE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN GET FROM POINT A TO POINT BA MUCH SAFER, AND IT HASN'T BEEN SLOWING DOWN CARS.

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY FANTASTIC WAY OF USING OUR PUBLIC SPACE CREATIVELY AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN BE SAFE AS THEY GO ABOUT THEIR DAY.

SO I APPRECIATE THIS ITEM BEING KICKED OFF TODAY, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ASK TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR TO ITEM NUMBER 70, I BELIEVE IT IS.

THAT IS THE WALLER CREEK STUDY.

UM, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY CREATIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT UTILIZING, UH, PUBLIC SPACE, MAKING IT WARM AND WELCOMING TO ALL, AND BEING ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, THE, THE GROWTH THAT IS HAPPENING IN THE REGION.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE DOWNTOWN.

WE WANT THEM TO BE COMPACTED, CONNECTED, AND HAVE COMPLETE COMMUNITIES.

AND I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE A GREAT PROGRAM.

AND THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING WORK ON WALLER CREEK HAVE BEEN VERY MINDFUL OF, OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ALL OF THE NEEDS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA.

SO I'D LOVE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS WILL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF THAT ITEM.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.

UM, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA.

THE WALLER CREEK ITEM, THE NOISE ITEM, CITY LEAVE.

UM, I WANNA SPEAK TO, TO THREE ITEMS IN PARTICULAR THAT, UM, HAVE BEEN, UM, ENGAGED WITH IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

UM, THE FIRST IS, UM, PLACED SPRING FORWARD ITEM 24.

THIS IS AN ORDINANCE THAT DEDICATES AS PARKLAND SEVERAL CITY OWNED SITES IN DISTRICT ONE, DISTRICT THREE AND 10 THAT ARE CURRENTLY MANAGED BY THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.

WHILE THESE PROPERTIES ARE ALREADY CITY OWNED, PARKLAND DEDICATION IS AN IMPORTANT STEP, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ALLOW PARKS RELATED DOLLARS TO BE USED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THESE SITES.

AFTER THIS ACTION, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WOULD BE ABLE TO, WITH THE COMMUNITY PLAN, THEIR NEXT STEPS REGARDING HOW THESE PROPERTIES CAN BE IMPROVED AND OPEN TO PUBLIC USE.

MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT 10 REGARDING THE CHARRING CROSS SITE FOR QUITE SOME TIME, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE TAKING THIS STEP TODAY.

I WANNA THANK MY CO-SPONSORS, NATASHA HARPER, MADISON COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, AND THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, AND PART FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE PARK ACCESS.

ITEM 21 ACCEPTS $500,000 IN GRANT FUNDING FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, UM, THAT WILL SUPPORT AND IMPROVE AD'S RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, AND SEXUAL ASSAULT THROUGH PROVIDING TAILORED TRAINING

[01:40:01]

FOR A PD OFFICERS.

THIS FUNDING WILL HELP US ADVANCE THE COLLECTIVE SEX CRIME RESPONSE MODEL, AND THERE ARE MANY STEPS, UM, THAT WE HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE AS A CITY, UM, TO IMPROVE OUR RESPONSE, BUT TRAINING IS A REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, PIECE OF THAT.

SO I'M GLAD THAT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THIS ASSISTANCE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ABLE TO DEPLOY THIS.

UM, FINALLY, I WANNA SPEAK TO THE FOOD PLAN.

I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE OUR FINAL VERSION OF THE FOOD PLAN BEFORE US TODAY.

I WAS PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION THAT INITIATED THIS WORK.

UM, AND THIS PLAN IS TRULY THE CULMINATION OF TWO YEARS OF EXCELLENT WORK BY OUR CITY STAFF, THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, COMMUNITY BASED FOOD ORGANIZATIONS, CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK, AND EVERY AUSTINITE WHO CONTRIBUTED THEIR VOICE AND PERSPECTIVE DURING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.

I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROCESS IS A MODEL EXAMPLE OF WHAT AN OCCLUSIVE INTENTIONAL AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION PROCESS CAN LOOK LIKE, AND IT DOES PROVIDE A TEMPLATE FOR OUR FUTURE PLANNING PROCESSES.

I ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT AND HIGHLIGHT THAT I THINK THIS PROCESS IS ALSO A MODEL FOR OUR COLLABORATION AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.

UM, AND I WANT TO EXTEND MY THANKS TO EDWIN MARTY AND HIS TEAM IN THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE FOR THEIR STELLAR WORK IN RESPONSE, UM, TO A RESOLUTION THAT WAS BROUGHT BY FORMER MAYOR PRO TEM KATHY TOVO, WHICH INITIATED THIS PLAN.

I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK OF MY STAFF MEMBER, ASHLEY RICHARDSON, WHO WORKED ON THIS PLAN STARTING WHEN SHE WAS IN COUNCIL MEMBER TOGA'S OFFICE, AND THEN CONTINUED TO DO SO IN MY O MY OFFICE.

FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE PIECES OF THIS PLAN THAT I THINK IS PARTICULARLY URGENT.

UM, AND THAT IS THE LAND ACQUISITION PIECE.

THAT IS TO FUND LAND ACQUISITION FOR THE PURPOSES OF REGENERATIVE REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE OR FOOD PROCESSING.

THESE ARE INVESTMENTS THAT CAN FORTIFY OUR COMMUNITY'S FOOD PRODUCTION AND SUPPLY, ESPECIALLY DURING TIMES OF CRISIS WHEN WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO IMPORT OUR FOOD THE WAY WE NORMALLY DO.

AND WE SAW THIS, UM, WRIT LARGE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AS WE GROW DEVELOPMENT IS THREATENING OUR NEARBY FARMLANDS, AND THE TIME IS NOW FOR US TO MAKE INVESTMENTS TO PRESERVE THIS LAND IN PERPETUITY AND ACTIVATE IT FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, I WISH I COULD SAY THAT TODAY WE WERE, YOU KNOW, MAKING THOSE INVESTMENTS AND I WISH I COULD SAY THAT THE $50 MILLION IN, UM, COS THAT WE PUT ASIDE IN THE BUDGET WOULD PAY FOR THAT.

BUT WE STILL NEED TO COME UP WITH THOSE SOLUTIONS AND I WANNA, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGE THIS COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH BUDGET, THAT WE MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS, UM, THAT WE DESIGN THIS INTO OUR BONDS IF WE NEED TO.

UM, I DO KNOW THAT IF WE WORK AT THIS, WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT, UM, AND WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY, REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BUY AND CONTROL THE LAND THAT WE, UM, CAN, SO THAT WE CAN MODEL OUR VALUES AND ENSURE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PLAN.

UM, I KNOW THAT THIS PLAN IS GOING TO ADVANCE OUR NET ZERO GOAL WASTE GOALS, ADDRESS HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND MAKE AUSTIN MORE RESILIENT AND PREPARE DURING TIMES OF DISASTER.

UM, IT DOES NEED TO BE FUNDED, IT DOES NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED, AND THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD TO BE A CO-SPONSOR OF A COUNCIL MEMBER OF FUENTES RESOLUTION TODAY, WHICH I THINK WILL SET US ON A PATH FORWARD, UM, TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT, UM, THIS RESOLUTION AND THIS PLAN.

COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, MEMBERS, WE'RE GONNA GO TO A VOTE ON THIS ITEM.

I, I, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU TO, UM, THE MANAGER AND STAFF WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY, WHICH IS BECOMING A NATIONAL MODEL, AND, UH, AND WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD ON, AND I, I JUST WANNA CALL ATTENTION TO THAT AND, AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES INVOLVEMENT AND, AND URGING THAT THE AIRPORT CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF THAT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A KEY REASON THAT WE, UH, KICKED OFF THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE ACADEMY TO BEGIN WITH.

SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO HER FOR THAT.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO ABSTAIN FROM ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? YES, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO ABSTAIN FROM ITEM NUMBER 18.

CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, AND I RECOGNIZE STAFF.

AND IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? THAT BEING THE CASE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY BEING SHOWN ABSTAINING ON ITEM NUMBER 18 AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER, ADDIS HARPER, MADISON BEING ABSENT, MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL, UH, RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT 11:44 AM AND I WILL NOW

[10:30 AM - Austin Housing Finance Corporation Meeting ]

IT'S, BY THE WAY, FOR THE, FOR THE RECORD, IT IS 1144 AS I CALL THE ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE A HFC.

WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS ON OCTOBER 10TH,

[01:45:02]

UH, LOCATED AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET.

MORNING, MR. PRESIDENT, MAD.

I'M VICE PRESIDENT, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

MY NAME IS JAMIE MAY, I AM THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.

UH, ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY, YOU HAVE FOUR ITEMS. HANG ON ONE SECOND.

YES, SIR.

IF YOU FIND YOURSELF TALKING AND YOU'RE NOT STANDING AT THE PODIUM, YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE, SO, ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

YES, SIR.

UH, BEFORE YOU ON YOUR AGENDA, YOU HAVE FOUR ITEMS. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ITEM NUMBER TWO HAS BEEN POSTPONED, UM, UNTIL DECEMBER.

UH, WE PLAN TO BRING THIS ITEM BACK AFTER T-D-H-C-A ACTS.

UH, THE THREE REMAINING ITEMS ON YOUR AGENDA ARE ALL, UH, RELATED TO THE 9% LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT AWARD, UH, THAT WAS AWARDED IN, UH, LATE JULY.

UH, THESE DEVELOPMENTS ALL HAVE A GAP FINANCING REQUEST, UM, AND I'LL GO OVER THEM PRESENTLY FIRST.

UH, THE FIRST ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA IS THE OVETA AT ROSEDALE.

UH, THIS IS A 70 UNIT DEVELOPMENT WITH A MIXTURE OF ONE, TWO, AND THREE BEDROOM UNITS.

UH, IT WILL INCLUDE ONSITE CHILDCARE.

UM, AND THIS IS, UH, ONE OF OUR FIRST DEVELOPMENTS IN DISTRICT 10.

UH, THIS IS, UH, AFFORDABILITY PERIODS OF 30, 50, 60, AND 80% OF THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME FOR THESE UNITS.

THE SECOND ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA THAT IS STILL ACTIVE IS, UH, THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE SASHA, WHICH IS A 60 UNIT DEVELOPMENT, UH, WITH ONE, TWO, AND THREE BEDROOM UNITS, ALL AFFORDABLE BELOW 50% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.

UH, THIS DEVELOPMENT IS IN, UH, DISTRICT THREE AND, UH, YOUR LAST ITEM IS THE, UH, BAILEY AT BERKMAN, WHICH IS 104 UNITS OF 30, 50 AND 60, UH, PERCENT MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.

THESE ARE ALL EFFICIENCIES AND THESE ARE ALL TARGETED TOWARDS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.

UH, WITH THOSE THREE ITEMS, UH, WE OFFER THESE ON CONSENT BOARD MEMBERS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER AL UH, BOARD MEMBER ALTER ALLISON ALTER.

I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA MOVE APPROVAL.

OH, OKAY.

WELL, UH, LEMME MAKE SURE ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS IN THAT CASE.

UH, MEMBER, UH, ALLISON ALTER MOVES APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS WAS READ, IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.

IS THERE ANYONE WISH? LET ME ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE, ON THE CONSENT ITEMS? NO SPEAKERS.

MAYOR, THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT ITEMS. IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? THAT BEING THE CASE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH BOARD MEMBER HARPER.

MADISON BEING ABSENT.

MAYOR, CAN I JUST YES.

CAN BOARD MEMBER ALTER? UM, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT TODAY THAT WE ARE, UH, APPROVING THIS INVESTMENT IN THIS PROJECT IN DISTRICT 10, IN NO NEVADA ROSEDALE, UH, IS THE FIRST MAJOR PROJECT TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD IN DISTRICT 10.

AND IT IS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S MY BUS, MY BUS STOP, UM, IS RIGHT THERE.

AND I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SO MANY UNITS, UM, NEAR A PARK, NEAR TRANSIT, NEAR MEDICAL FACILITIES, AND NEAR A GROCERY STORE, UM, IN AN AREA OF TOWN WHERE WE HAVEN'T HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY BEFORE.

UM, AND I WANNA THANK MS. LASH AND HER TEAM, UM, FOR HAVING THE VISION FOR THIS AND ON OUR TEAM ON HOUSING AND PLANNING TO, TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.

I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AND THAT IT RECEIVED THE 9% TAX CREDIT FOR THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

BOARD MEMBER.

UM, THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AT THIS SCHEDULED MEETING.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT 1148.

I WILL NOW CALL BACK.

UH, I WILL NOW CALL BACK TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT 11:48 AM MEMBERS WE'RE

[Items 30 & 31]

GONNA GO TO I THE NON-CONSENT ITEMS, ITEMS 30 AND 31.

I WILL RECOGNIZE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER ON ITEM NUMBER 30.

THIS IS, THESE ARE BOTH ITEMS FROM COUNCIL COMMITTEES, UH, AND, AND SHE IS CHAIR OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND I'LL RECOGNIZE HER FOR A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 30.

SO I MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM 30, UM, WHICH IS ADOPTING THE CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND CITY OF AUSTIN'S FUNDING POLICY.

THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE.

IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.

I WILL CHECK WITH THE CLERK.

IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 30? NO SPEAKERS.

THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 30.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ITEM? OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 30 IS APPROVED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON BEING ABSENT.

ITEM NUMBER 31 ALSO IS FROM A COUNCIL COMMITTEE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

I RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, UM, I MOVE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING MARGARET SHAW TO THE AUSTIN CONVENTION ENTERPRISE BOARD MEMBERS.

YOU HAVE HEARD THE MOTION IS SECONDED BY THE MAYOR PRO TIM.

UM, IS THERE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE'S NOT NO SPEAKERS.

[01:50:01]

ALL RIGHT.

I'LL RECOGNIZE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM.

ITEM NUMBER 31.

THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.

JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT I'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD AN ITEM FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION THAT MOVES FORWARD, A PROCESS ON HOW TO APPOINT COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES TO THE ACE BOARD.

I THINK THIS IS A CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD A COUPLE TIMES BEFORE.

SO JUST WANTED TO FLAG, UH, THAT I'M SUPPORTING TODAY'S ITEM, UH, AND, AND APPOINTING, APPOINTING MARGARET SHAW, TODAY'S BOARD, BUT WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD A FUTURE ITEM.

ANY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.

UH, I WANT THANK COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES FOR BRINGING FORTH THAT ITEM AND I THINK THAT IS GONNA COME INTO PLAY HERE POTENTIALLY SOON WITH LEE CRAWFORD, WHO IS, WAS A GREAT CITY EMPLOYEE, BUT IS, UH, NOW RETIRED.

UH, I THINK WE GOT, WE, WE WE HEAR THAT HE IS RETIRED.

I KNOW.

DONE A FEW RETIRED.

YEAH, HE, HE COULD SHOW UP AGAIN.

UH, AND SO WHEN WE LOOK TO FILL THAT SEAT, I DO THINK IT'LL BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO LOOK TO THE COMMUNITY AS, AS POTENTIALLY FILLING THAT SEAT SINCE WE'RE DOING THE OPPOSITE HERE, TAKING A COMMUNITY SEAT AND FILLING IT WITH A, A CITY REPRESENTATIVE.

SO, UH, APPRECIATE THE WORK AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE CONVERSATION.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

NUMBER 34 MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 34.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 31 MEMBERS? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.

WE APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 31 WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 31 IS ADOPTED, UH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON BEING ABSENT.

UH, MEMBERS WE WILL NOW GO TO, UH, SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS SO THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO MOVE THOSE AS WELL FOR, FOR THOSE PAYING ATTENTION.

ITEM NUMBER THREE WAS PULLED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, BUT I'M TRYING TO MOVE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT I KNOW WE CAN GET MOVED BEFORE OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN AND WE CAN START OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, UH, AT ITS TIME CERTAIN.

SO, UH, THAT'S THE REASON I'M GOING IN THE ORDER THAT I'M GOING.

UH, ITEM

[34. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to create a new zoning district for a density bonus program focused on preserving and creating creative spaces and performance venues that includes, at a minimum, modified site requirements in exchange for preserving or creating creative spaces or performance venues or paying fees-in-lieu that would be used to preserve or create creative spaces and performance venues. ]

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN ON ITEM NUMBER 34, AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.

IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 34? NO MAYOR, NO SPEAKERS MEMBERS.

THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 34.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT ITEM.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED ON ITEM NUMBER 34.

THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

THE MOTION IS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.

IS THERE DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 34? COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER? UH, I DO HAVE A MOTION SHEET FOR THIS IF IT NOW IS THE TIME APPROPRIATE? YES, YOU DO.

I APOLOGIZE.

I SHOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED YOU FOR THAT.

AND, UH, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED ON YOUR, YOUR THIS MEMBERS.

YOU HAVE A, A MOTION SHEET THAT'S INDICATED R ALTER MOTION SHEET NUMBER ONE FOR ITEM NUMBER 34, AND IT'LL BE A MOTION TO AMEND AND WE WILL, I'LL, I'LL RECOGNIZE HIM ON A MOTION TO AMEND.

AND ONCE I'M, I'M SORRY MA'AM, I WAS MOTION, I THEY'VE INDICATED THAT, THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

WOULD YOU CHECK WITH THE CLERK WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON THIS PART OF IT? YEAH, I, I PROVIDE, WELL IF YOU'LL, IF YOU'LL TALK TO THAT YOUNG ONE LADY RIGHT THERE.

WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN'T GET THINGS FIGURED OUT.

TALK WITH HER AND I'LL DO THIS BUSINESS AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED ON A MOTION TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 34.

THIS WAS THE MOTION SEAT WE SUBMITTED THE OTHER DAY IN THE BACK.

UH, THIS A REPORTING SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID WITH THE CHAPTER THREE 80 PROGRAMS FOR THE CITY TO REPORT BACK ON THE UTILIZATION OF THIS PROGRAM, JUST SO WE CAN SEE IF WE DID GET THE CALIBRATION RIGHT, HOW IT'S WORKING.

UH, I ALSO, AS PART OF THIS, UH, AND HAVING STAFF CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, AS THIS ROLLS OUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE DON'T THINK ABOUT.

SO WE WANNA CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THIS AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.

SO IT WILL COME BACK TO US WITH THAT OTHER REPORT JUST SO WE CAN SEE HOW, UH, WE ARE DOING IN TERMS OF INCENTIVIZING CREATIVE SPACE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN RYAN ALTER AND HIS MOTION THAT HE JUST BROUGHT FORWARD.

COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER MOVES TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 34 MEMBERS.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO AMEND, UH, THERE BEING NO DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO AMEND WITHOUT OBJECTION.

THE MOTION TO AMEND IS ADOPTED.

AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE US BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION.

BEFORE I CALL ON YOU, CAN I FIGURE OUT WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CODRE YOU'RE RECOGNIZED? GREAT.

UH, WE'LL QUICKLY MAKE SOME COMMENTS ON ITEM 34,

[01:55:01]

I JUST WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR THEIR EFFORTS ON THIS.

THE PROGRAM, UH, AROUND ITEM 34 HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HELP PRESERVE, UH, AND GROW MANY OF OUR CULTURAL DISTRICTS IN D NINE AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

UH, BUT I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, UH, TO GET THESE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES TO APPLY FOR, UH, THE RIVER RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT.

UH, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE, UH, THE RETURN OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS UPDATE TO ACHIEVE THAT.

AND I'D JUST BE, JUST WANNA SAY I'D JUST BE SUPPORTIVE OF ANY RESOURCES TO SPEED UP THAT PROCESS TO GET THE, UH, DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS BACK A LITTLE SOONER.

THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 37.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THIS ITEM MEMBERS? UH, UH, THERE'S APPARENTLY WAS CONFUSION THAT, THAT, UM, SOMEONE HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON AT THE WORK SESSION, UM, ON THIS ITEM.

AND SO AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH, UH, SOME OF THE CHANGES IN THE WAY WE'RE, WE'RE ALLOWING PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, I WORRY THAT WILL BE SOME CONFUSION LIKE THAT, BUT, UH, I THINK WE HAVE THAT WORKED OUT FOR, FOR, FOR THIS ITEM TODAY.

THAT BEING SAID, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 34? THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 34 AS AMENDED WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION.

UH, AND THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION AND WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 34 AS AMENDED IS APPROVED MEMBERS

[37. Conduct a public hearing and consider a resolution related to an application by ECG Rundberg, LP, or an affiliated entity, for housing tax credits for the construction of a multifamily development to be financed through the private activity bond program to be known as Rundberg Flats, located within the City at or near 204 East Rundberg Lane, Austin, Texas 78753. ]

UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 37.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AND I'LL RECOGNIZE THE CITY CLERK TO TELL US WHETHER WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

NO SPEAKERS.

MAYOR, THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS TO SIGN ON.

ITEM NUMBER 37.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 37.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 37.

MOTION IS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 37.

IS THERE A SECOND? IT IS SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 37 IS ADOPTED.

MEMBERS THAT WILL TAKE

[38. Conduct a public hearing and consider a resolution related to an application by ECG Loyola, LP, or an affiliated entity, for housing tax credits for the construction of a multi-family development to be financed through the private activity bond program and to be known as Loyola Flats, located within the City at or near 6700 Decker Lane, 6900 ½ Decker Lane, and 8404 Loyola Lane, Austin, Texas 78724. ]

US TO ITEM NUMBER 38.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 38.

UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.

MADAM CLERK, YOU HAVE ANY, ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO SPEAKERS.

MAYOR, THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 38.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 38.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 38.

THE MAYOR PRO TEM MOVES APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 38.

IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 38? WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 38 IS ADOPTED ON BO ON FOR OUR RECORD.

FOR OUR RECORD ON ITEM NUMBER 34, ITEM NUMBER 37 AND ITEM NUMBER 38.

ALL OF THOSE WERE APPROVED WITHOUT OBJECTION WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARBOR MADISON BEING ABSENT MEMBERS.

UM, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS ASK THAT WE STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 12 O'CLOCK WHEN WE WILL START OUR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, UH, AT THAT TIME, CERTAIN WITHOUT OBJECTION.

THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS IN RECESS UNTIL, UH, 12 O'CLOCK.

IT IS 1158 MEMBERS, I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.

IT'S OCTOBER 10TH.

CAN I GET EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION PLEASE? CAN I GET EVERYONE'S ATTENTION PLEASE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT 12:01 PM IT IS OCTOBER 10TH, 2024, AND WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

[12:00 PM - Public Communication: General]

THIS WILL TAKE US TO OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS, UM, AS WE BEGIN THIS PROCESS, YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR NAMES ARE ON THE LIST OF PEOPLE TO SPEAK, SO BE PREPARED TO STEP UP AND SPEAK.

UH, THE CLERK WILL CALL THE NAMES THE, SHE WILL CALL A, A NUMBER OF NAMES AT ONE TIME IF YOU'LL MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT SO THAT YOU'LL BE PREPARED TO SPEAK.

WE WOULD, UH, GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, MEMBERS, WHAT MY INTENTION IS TO DO IS, UH, WE WILL GO THROUGH THIS TIME, CERTAIN ITEM, UH, THAT TYPICALLY TAKES US TO 12 30, 12 35 AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

UH, WE WILL RECESS WHEN THIS TIME CERTAIN IS OVER, WE WILL RECESS.

UH, WE WILL HAVE OUR LIVE MUSIC PERIOD.

WE WILL RECESS UNTIL 1:10 PM AND I'M JUST KIND OF GIVING THE PUBLIC AND EVERYBODY NOTICE AT THAT POINT WHEN WE COME BACK, WE WILL TAKE UP ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH WAS A PULLED ITEM.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL NOW TURN TO OUR, UH, CITY CLERK TO TAKE US THROUGH THE 12 O'CLOCK TIME.

CERTAIN THANK YOU MAYOR.

FIRST SPEAKER IS

[02:00:02]

SUD, FOLLOWED BY CAROL SILVERBERG AND JONATHAN ZEBA.

WELCOME.

HELLO, MY NAME IS LISA SUD AND I WANT TO THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON AND OUR HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS.

I'M A PROUD AMERICAN, A PROUD AMERICAN JEW, AND A ZIONIST WHO BEGAN HER RESIDENCY IN AUSTIN IN 1970.

AS A STUDENT OF UT LAST WEEK FELT LIKE AN EMOTIONAL HURRICANE FOR MOST JEWS OF THE WORLD.

AS WE WELCOMED THE JEWISH NEW YEAR OF 57 85, ALMOST 6,000 YEARS OF OUR PEOPLEHOOD EXISTING IN THIS WORLD.

AND WE MARKED THE ONE YEAR OF THE BARBARIC TERRORIST ATTACK IN ISRAEL ON OCTOBER 7TH.

WE WERE DRAWN TO THE MANY SIMILARITIES OF THE NOVA MUSIC FESTIVAL AND AUSTIN'S OWN ACL SIMILAR BUT TERRIBLY DIFFERENT OUTCOMES THAT WEIGHED VERY HEAVILY ON MYSELF AND OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

I HAVE SAT IN THIS ROOM ALMOST EVERY THURSDAY SINCE THIS RESOLUTION WAS BROUGHT TO THE CITY COUNCIL WHERE I HAVE HEARD WORDS AND ARGUMENTS THAT HAVE ONLY BROUGHT MORE DIVISION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND ALLOWED MORE HURT TO BE SHARED BY ALL.

THIS PAST YEAR HAS ALSO BROUGHT AN UNBELIEVABLE RISE IN ANTISEMITISM, 140% 8,873 NATIONALLY, ASSAULT AGAINST JEWS, UP 45% VANDALISM OF JEWISH PROPERTY, 69%, AN INCREASE OF 140% ACROSS THE BOARD, WHICH IS MORE THAN THREE YEARS COMBINED ALL SINCE OCTOBER 7TH.

THIS RESOLUTION WILL NOT BRING A CEASEFIRE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION IN THIS ROOM WILL ONLY BRING MORE DIVISION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND POSSIBLY MORE ANTISEMITISM.

IT IS TIME OUR CITY COUNCIL MOVE FORWARD TO HELP US ALL HEAL, TO BUILD BRIDGES OF TRUST.

IT STARTS WITH HONESTY AS TO WHAT DESTROYED THE PEACE.

ON OCTOBER 7TH, IT IS HAMAS HAMAS WHO IS TO BLAME FOR EVERY CIVILIAN DEATH.

AND I WEEP FOR EVERY INNOCENT LIFE TAKEN IN ISRAEL AND GAZA.

HAMAS IS THE ENEMY OF PEACE TO ISRAEL AND THE ENEMY OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IN GAZA.

AND IT'S TIME FOR US IN THIS ROOM TO SAY TO HAMAS, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

YOU HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO GOVERN AND LEAD THIS CITY.

AND NO VOTE IN THIS HALL WILL BRING A CEASE FIRE.

INSTEAD, LET'S ALLOW YOU TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE PEACE AND BUILD BRIDGES OF TRUST SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER AND SHOW THERE IS NO PLACE FOR HATE IN THIS ROOM.

HAMAS LIVES ONLY AS LONG AS THERE IS HATE.

LET'S STOP GIVING FUEL TO THE FIRE.

LET'S STAND UP AND SAY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

LET US CALL OUT THE TRUE VILLAIN WHO PERPETRATED THESE DEATHS AND CASUALTIES AND THAT IS HAMAS.

TOGETHER LET US PUT ALL THE HATE WE FEEL GROWING AROUND US INTO A VERY STRONG POT.

SEAL IT AND BURY IT FOREVER.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

AND THEY'VE HAD OVER 25,000 BABIES BORN IN AUSTIN.

HI.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TO SPEAK TODAY.

MY NAME IS CAROL SILVERBERG.

UM, TOGETHER YOU ALL, AND ALSO I WANNA THANK, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE, BUT ALSO THE SECURITY.

THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE HERE IN UNIFORM THAT HAVE CREATED A SAFE SPACE FOR US.

I'M GRATEFUL TO THEM TOGETHER YOU ARE THE THIN LINE BETWEEN CIVILITY AND INCIVILITY FOR US, INSANITY AND INSANITY.

ISRAEL IS THE ONLY JEWISH NATION AND IT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.

I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT ISRAEL UNTIL MY LATE THIRTIES WHEN I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO LEARN MORE.

I READ A LOT.

I TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE AND I TRAVELED A LOT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TINY COUNTRY.

I'M IN AWE OF THE MODERN ISRAEL.

ALL IT IS ACCOMPLISHED IN 76 YEARS AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE, IT'S INTERESTING TO ME.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO IS I TRACK ISRAELI INNOVATION AND ITS GLOBAL IMPACT AND LISTENING TO SOME OF THE LOCAL ISSUES WE HAVE, UM, THE FARMER WHO TALKED ABOUT THE, THE LOSS OF LAND FOR AGRICULTURE.

ISRAEL HAS A LOT, LOT OF INNOVATION ABOUT VERTICAL FARMING, UM, BECAUSE IT TOO HAS A, A LIMITED AMOUNT OF LAND.

SO ISRAEL IS SO MUCH MORE TO ME THAN THIS CONFLICT.

AND I'M HAPPY TO BE, TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR ISRAEL.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN HERE 30 YEARS.

WE HAVE RAISED FOUR CHILDREN HERE.

WE, UM, HAVE DONE A LOT IN THE COMMUNITY.

MY HUSBAND IS A PHYSICIAN WITH TEXAS FERTILITY

[02:05:01]

AND SO WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE TAX BASE.

WE'VE DONE A LOT TO, UM, TO RAISE OUR FOUR KIDS WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE PROUD TO BE IN AUSTIN.

WE'RE PROUD TO BE IN THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS.

I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE FORUMS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND I THINK THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO ADD TO WHAT'S BEEN SAID IS IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON.

I'D LIKE TO FRAME MY ARGUMENT IN OR MY POINT IN THE, THE SLOGAN, THINK GLOBALLY AND ACT LOCALLY.

THE BUSINESS OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, WHICH WAS ON DISPLAY EARLIER TODAY.

IT WAS REALLY, ACTUALLY INTERESTING TO ME.

IT'S TO DO THE LOCAL WORK AND I'M IN AWE OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND, AND YOUR ORIENTATION.

I DON'T THINK THE MIDDLE EAST IS REALLY IN YOUR JURISDICTION GLOBALLY.

I'M ASSUMING THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WANTS PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST IN SO MANY WAYS.

I THINK WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE IN COMMON WITH EACH OTHER.

WE'RE ALL AUSTINITES.

WE ALL CARE ABOUT THE MIDDLE EAST.

WE MAYBE SEE IT DIFFERENTLY.

WE MAY BE MORE FOCUSED ON ONE POPULATION THAN THE OTHER, BUT I THINK IF WE COULD GET THIS CONVERSATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL FROM JUST FREE EXPRESSION TO ACTUALLY DIALOGUE THAT CAN LEAD US TO MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND ULTIMATELY RESPECT, WE MAY ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING TO THE SITUATION.

HARLEY RABINOVICH.

ANTONIO CORTEZ DURAN, SANDRA HOFFMAN, LU ABDU AMARA.

PLEASE COME FORWARD.

JAMIE SIGLER.

JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD PLEASE.

GOTCHA.

MY NAME IS JONATHAN ZUMBA, UH, FORMER TEACHER, EDUCATOR AND POET.

I WAS TRYING TO SEE HOW I WANTED TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL IN, UH, POETRY SEEMED LIKE THE BEST METHOD.

THEY SAY THE SAFEST PLACE FOR A CHILD IS WITHIN THE FOUR WALLS OF A SCHOOL.

WE HERE KNOW WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH THE PROBLEMS OF KEEPING SCHOOLS SAFE, BUT WHY DO WE LOOK AWAY WHEN 85% OF SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED OR DESTROYED? HENRY JOB WAS A TODDLER THE AGE OF SOME OF OUR KIDS, NIECES OR NEPHEWS FORCED OUT OF HER MOTHER'S ARMS, HER SON SET BY IDF ARMS. DO CHILDREN OF PALESTINE DREAM LIKE ISRAELI KIDS DO? DO THEY DREAM OF PLANES? IS IT JUST NIGHTMARES AND MAIN FLESH OF FLAMES? THEY SAY THAT MEDIA MAINTAINS DEMOCRACY.

HASSAN HAMAD WAS 19 YEARS YOUNG.

HE RESISTED BARB W WITH A MIC AND A CAMERA LIVE STREAMED HIS OWN DEATH WITH SOCIAL MEDIA.

HE WAS WISE BEYOND HIS YEARS, BUT HE NEVER SAW BEYOND THE CAGES, THE EDGES OF HIS CAGE.

THEY SAY THAT THOSE DUST BATTERED BODIES WERE HUMAN SHIELDS.

THEY SAY THAT THE HOSPITAL STAFF WAS STOCKPILING MISSILES.

IF ONLY THE SCALPEL THEY HAD COULD CUT THROUGH THE MISINFORMATION COULD CUT THROUGH THE VEIL PLACED OVER OUR EYES.

IF ONLY THE STETHOSCOPE CAN MAKE OTHERS FEEL THE PAIN OF BODIES THAT DO NOT LOOK LIKE OUR OWN, OR MAYBE THE CHILDREN OF GAZA SHOULD HAVE VOTED BETTER.

MAYBE THEY SHOULD HAVE ACCEPTED BEING SECOND CLASS CITIZENS TO ZIONISTS WHO SEE THEM AS ANIMALS, THEY SAY THAT BLACK AND WHITE SCARF MAKES THEM SEE RED.

MAYBE THE RIVER IS THE MISSISSIPPI BECAUSE THE WEST BANK LOOKS LIKE REDLINING.

IT'S A PASS THAT WE IN AUSTIN HAVE STRUGGLE WITH.

WE SEE IT WITH 35, YET WE OVERCAME JIM CROW.

BUT MAYBE THE TREE ON THE LEBANESE FLAG SHOULD REPRESENT AN OLIVE BRANCH, BUT NOT A FUTURE SETTLEMENT.

MAYBE WE SHOULD THINK TWICE BEFORE WE DISMISS RESISTANCE AS TERRORISM.

AND I SAY THIS WITH DEEP SERIOUSNESS, BUT AS THE JEWS IN WARSAW UPRISING WERE CALLED TERRORISTS BY THEIR OPPRESSORS FOR RESISTING SUBJUGATION, MAYBE NEVER AGAIN, MAY NEVER AGAIN FOR ALL OF US, MAYBE NONE OF US IN THIS ROOM HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST, BUT GOD WILLING WE DO.

AND GOD WILLING, WE DON'T WIPE EACH OTHER OUT OF EXISTENCE.

MAYBE THEY SAY OUR BUDGETS TO SERVE AS MORAL DOCUMENTS THAT IN THIS CITY WE WILL SPEND MORE ON INFRASTRUCTURE, ON SCHOOLS AND PEACE THAN BOMBING THE MIDDLE EAST AND WITH THE CRUMBS OF HUMANITARIAN AID, MAYBE THE CHILDREN OF GODS IN LEBANON DO SURVIVE.

MAYBE WE AS A BODY CAN SAY APARTHEID NEVER HAS A RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENSE.

MAYBE OUR BEACON OF LIGHT SHOULD NOT CAST A DARK AND DEADLY SHADOW.

DEMOCRACY OF THE MIDDLE EAST SHOULD NOT BE RULED BY ONE MAN.

[02:10:01]

PLEASE LET THE NEXT SPEAKER SPEAK.

THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS CARLY RABINOVICH AND I AM AN AUSTIN RESIDENT.

I'M HERE TODAY TO CONSIDER THE DISCUSSION IN CITY COUNCIL OF THE PROPOSED CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO KEEP SUCH A RESOLUTION OFF THE AGENDA.

WE HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPENING IN OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IT HAS FUELED ANIMOSITY RATHER THAN LEAD TO ANYTHING POSITIVE.

AS WE HAVE SEEN JUST TODAY, CITY COUNCIL ATTENDS TO IMPORTANT BUSINESS REGARDING THE MATTERS OF OUR GREAT CITY, OF WHICH WE ARE ALL MOTIVATED TO MAKE AS SAFE AND WELCOMING FOR ALL RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE.

WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY SEEN CRIME RATES IN OUR CITY RISE OVER THE PAST YEARS AND IT IS IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO FOCUS ON SUCH MATTERS.

NOT TO MENTION HOMELESSNESS, TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND OUR ECONOMIC DEFICIT TO NAME A FEW MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY ARE PART OF THE FABRIC OF OUR CITY.

I DON'T KNOW ONE PERSON IN THE JEWISH COMMUNITY WHO ISN'T ALSO INVOLVED IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, CHARITIES, TO NAME A FEW EXAMPLES.

IT IS NOT REASONABLE THAT BECAUSE OF AN ONGOING CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST THAT OUR CITIZENS, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY OR ANY AUSTINITE SHOULD HAVE THEIR SECURITY THREATENED OR FEEL THAT THEY DO.

I'M GOING TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REPEAT THAT BECAUSE REALLY THE CRUX OF WHAT I'M SAYING TODAY IS THIS ONE SENTENCE.

IT IS NOT REMOTELY REASONABLE THAT DUE TO A CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST THAT AUSTIN RESIDENTS OF ANY FAITH, RELIGION, OR CREED SHOULD FEEL DISCRIMINATED AGAINST OR THREATENING, THE THREATENING OF THEIR PERSONAL SECURITY.

WE HAVE ALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO THE SAME CIVIL LIBERTIES.

IT IS THE MANDATE OF CITY COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT WE DO AND TO PRO TO PROTECT THE CONSTITUENTS IT REPRESENTS.

CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS, AND I THANK YOU FOR NOT USING THE PRECIOUS TIME AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO TEND TO OUR CITY ON MATTERS THAT ARE NOT IN OUR JURISDICTION.

IT SADDENS ME TO THINK THAT FOR THE PAST YEAR, IF AN AUSTIN RESIDENT SHOULD WANNA COME TO CITY HALL TO SPEAK ABOUT AN EASEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, OR A COMMUNITY POOL OR A BUS ROUTE, THAT IT WOULD LIKELY BE DIFFICULT TO SECURE A SPOT HERE BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING TO USE THE TIME ON A CONFLICT OUTSIDE OF OUR JURISDICTION.

IT SIMPLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AS WE STAND HERE TODAY, JUST OVER A YEAR AFTER THE ATROCITIES OF OCTOBER 7TH, 2023, WE CONTINUE TO BE DEEPLY AFFECTED.

WE SO APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND CITY COUNCIL AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MORAL CLARITY.

IT IS TIME TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER AND FOCUS OUR ENERGIES ON AUSTIN, OUR GREAT CITY.

AND A SMALL TOWN IN TEXAS.

BEFORE THE NEXT SPEAKER BEGINS, ONE OF THE RULES OF THE CHAMBERS IS THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE THINGS THAT BLOCK THE SIGHT OF OTHER PEOPLE.

FLAGS ARE SMALL, BUT WHEN YOU WAVE A FLAG IN SOMEONE'S FACE SITTING BEHIND YOU, YOU'RE NOT ACTING IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER.

SO I WOULD ASK YOU NOT TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS AN INTENTIONAL ACT TO BE AGGRESSIVE AND THAT IS NOT WHY YOU'RE HERE.

YES SIR.

MY NAME IS ANTONIO TONY CORTEZ AND I'M AN, EXCUSE ME, AND SIR, YOU CAN LAUGH ABOUT IT, BUT A LOT OF US ARE NOT HERE LAUGHING ABOUT THE COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE ARE MAKING REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU FEEL.

WHETHER WE SHOULD BECOME PART OF THIS AND PASS SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION, YOU ARE WELCOME ANYTIME, BUT YOU ARE NOT TO ACT IN AN AGGRESSIVE MANNER TO PEOPLE SITTING BEHIND YOU.

MY NAME IS ANTONIO CORTEZ, TONY FOR SHORT.

AND LEADING UP TO TODAY, I KEPT HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING MY THOUGHTS TOGETHER, UM, BECAUSE THERE JUST AREN'T ANY WORDS TO DESCRIBE WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING HAPPENING IN GAZA FOR THE LAST YEAR.

UM, THE KIND OF ATROCITIES THAT ARE FUNDED WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS, WHILE MOST AMERICANS CAN'T EVEN AFFORD RENT, CAN BARELY AFFORD RENT, UH, HOMELESSNESS CONTINUES TO RISE.

PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE IS FALLING APART AND JUST AUSTIN ALONE, WE SEND OVER $14 MILLION TO ISRAEL JUST SO THEY CAN TURN AROUND AND COMMIT CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY WITH OUR MONEY INSTEAD OF MAKING OUR LIVES BETTER, NOT JUST IN GAZA, BUT IN THE WEST BANK AND NOW LEBANON.

AND BY FUNDING THEIR CRIMES, WE'RE ALSO EMBOLDENING AND ENCOURAGING RACIST AND HATEFUL RHETORIC AND ANTI-ARAB MUSLIM AND PALESTINIAN VIOLENCE.

IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR IN AUSTIN ALONE, A PALESTINIAN MAN WAS STABBED WHILE WEARING A KAFI

[02:15:01]

A CHILD WAS ALMOST DROWNED BY A WOMAN WHO SAID SHE WANTED TO HELP ISRAEL FINISH THE JOB.

WHETHER IT'S FUNDING BOMBS OR EXECUTING INNOCENT MEN LIKE MARCEL WILLIAMS, OUR TAXES ARE CONSTANTLY GOING TOWARDS ENDING LIVES INSTEAD OF SAVING THEM.

AND CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE WANT AN END TO THE GENOCIDE AND AN END TO THE OCCUPATION.

YET ONE YEAR LATER, WE'RE STILL HERE.

AND NOW AS I'M SPEAKING, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WILL WRITE THIS MOVEMENT OFF AS ANTI-SEMITIC.

EVEN THOUGH JEWISH LEADERS AND COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD HAVE CONDEMNED ISRAEL'S ACTIONS, NOT JUST SINCE OCTOBER 7TH, BUT SINCE 1948 IN THE FIRST NABA, AN NABA NEVER ENDED BY THE WAY IT'S STILL GOING ON.

THIS IS AN ISSUE OF HUMANITY, NOT HATRED OR ANIMOSITY TOWARDS THE JEWISH COMMUNITY.

THIS IS AN ISSUE OF BELIEVING THAT EVERYONE DESERVES THE RIGHT TO SECURITY AND SAFETY, NOT JUST BASED ON THE COLOR OF YOUR PIGMENT.

FOOD, CULTURE, WEATHER, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSIVITY.

PLEASE BEGIN.

THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR HAVING ME TODAY AND FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, ENSURING THE CITY IS REFLECTIVE OF ITS CONSTITUENTS.

SINCE A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION WOULD NOT BE REFLECTIVE OF ME, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHY AND ASK THAT YOU KEEP IT OFF THE AGENDA.

COULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? MY NAME IS SANDRA HOFFMAN.

MY PARTNER AND I MOVED HERE SIX YEARS AGO.

WE CITY SHOPPED IN AUSTIN WAS AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST IN ALL CATEGORIES.

WHY DOES INCLUSIVITY MATTER TO ME? MY FAMILY IS JEWISH.

NOT EVERY PLACE IS SAFE FOR JEWS.

I AM THE DAUGHTER OF IRANIAN AND IRAQI JEWISH REFUGEES.

JEWS WERE NO LONGER WELCOME THERE.

MY FAMILY FLED.

SO WHEN WE SAW THAT AT THAT TIME TEXAS WAS RATED THE LEAST ANTISEMITIC STATE, IT MEANT SOMETHING TO ME.

SO WHERE ARE WE NOW? WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHEST JEWISH HOLIDAYS, A TIME WHEN MY FAMILY FEELS MOST CONNECTED TO OUR PEOPLEHOOD AND VALUES.

IT'S THESE VALUES WHICH DREW US TO AUSTIN AND I'M WORKING HARD TO MODEL FOR MY KIDS.

AND I WANTED TO SHARE TWO WITH YOU TODAY.

THE FIRST IS COMMUNITY.

THIS MONTH IS A HEIGHTENED TIME FOR VOLUNTEER WORK, CHARITY AND CONNECTION IN JUDAISM.

WE AIM TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

WE CALL IT TIKUN ALUM.

AND THROUGH THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND WORKING ON SOUTH CONGRESS, I'VE PARTNERED WITH MANY LOCAL NONPROFITS AND HAVE EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND HOW CARING AND GIVING AUSTINITES ARE TO EACH OTHER.

AND THE SECOND VALUE, AND THIS ONE HAS BEEN A REALLY HARD ONE FOR ME RECENTLY.

IT'S TO HAVE HOPE.

I'M A PEACEMAKER BY NATURE, A FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR.

I TEACH MY KIDS TO LEAD WITH UNDERSTANDING AND EMPATHY.

I HAVE ALWAYS HAD HOPE THAT OTHER PARENTS ARE DOING THE SAME WITH THEIR KIDS AND THAT WE WILL SEE PEACE INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE.

FOR SIX YEARS I'VE LOOKED TO CITY COUNCIL TO MODEL THESE VALUES OF COMMUNITY BUILDING BRIDGES AND HOPE FOR EVERYONE.

A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION WOULD BE THE ANTITHESIS OF THIS.

WE ALL WANT PEACE AND A CEASEFIRE DOES NOT MEAN PEACE FOR ALL.

I CAN GO ON, BUT IT IS NOT AN AUSTIN ISSUE.

WHAT IS AN AUSTIN ISSUE IS THAT SECURITY AT MY KIDS' SCHOOL INCREASES AS CEASEFIRE RHETORIC INCREASES.

HOW DO I EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY SECURITY WITH GUNS HAS TO BE PRESENT TO KEEP THEM SAFE? WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO WEIGH MY OPTIONS SOME DAYS, WHETHER IT IS EVEN SAFE ENOUGH TO TAKE THEM TO SCHOOL? I AM ASKING YOU TO PLEASE KEEP THE CEASEFIRE OFF THE AGENDA AND FOCUS ON LOCAL WORK THAT WILL CHANGE OUR COMMUNITY TO GET AND BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER AND NOT DIVIDE US.

WILL COME OVER TO OUR SIDE.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

HELLO, MY NAME IS LU BORA.

LAST TIME I WAS HERE SPEECHES WERE GIVEN THAT DENIED THE EXISTENCE OF PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND DESCRIBED PALESTINE AS AN IDEOLOGY.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT IDEOLOGY.

ZIONISM, ITS FOUNDER THEODORE HERZL SAID IN HIS DIARIES AS EARLY AS IN 1895.

THE FOLLOWING BUCKLE UP, WE MUST EXPROPRIATE GENTLY THE PRIVATE PROPERTY ON THE STATE ASSIGNED TO US.

WE SHALL TRY TO SPREAD THE PANELISTS POPULATION ACROSS THE BORDER BY PROCUREMENT EMPLOYMENT TO ITS FOR IT IN TRANSIENT COMP, UH, COUNTRIES WHILE DENYING ITS EMPLOYMENT IN OUR COUNTRY, THE PROPERTY OWNERS

[02:20:01]

BOTH THE PROCESS OF EXPROPRIATION AND REMOVAL OF THE POOR MUST BE CARRIED OUT DISCREETLY AND CIRCUMSPECTLY THAT THE OWNERS OF THE IMMOVABLE PROPERTY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE CHEATING US, SELLING US THINGS FOR MORE THAN THEY ARE WORTH, BUT WE ARE NOT GOING TO SELL THEM ANYTHING BACK.

IT IS COMMON NOWADAYS TO HEAR, SAY THAT THE IDEA OF PALESTINE NATION STATE WAS COINED IN THE SIXTIES OR EVEN AS LATE AS THE EIGHTIES.

HOWEVER, ISRAEL'S SECOND PRIME MINISTER MUSHI SHIRE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS THOUGH IN A RACIST UNDERTONE AS EARLY IN AS IN 1914, WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT WE HAVE NOT COME TO AN EMPTY LAND TO INHERIT IT.

BUT WE HAVE COME TO CONQUER A COUNTRY FROM PEOPLE INHABITING IT THAT GOVERNS IT BY THE VIRTUE OF ITS LANGUAGE AND GET THIS SAVAGE CULTURE.

THE FIRST ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER DAVID URIAN SAID OF THE ARAB PROTEST TO THE AL DECLARATION IN 1917.

AND I QUOTE, THE SUCCESS OF THE ARABS IN ORGANIZING THE CLOSURE OF SHOPS SHOWS THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH A NATIONAL MOVEMENT.

HE WENT ON SAYING IN 1931, THE ARAB COMMUNITY AND PALESTINE'S AN ORGANIC INSEPARABLE PART OF THE LANDSCAPE.

IT IS EMBEDDED IN THE COUNTRY.

SO LET'S PUT THE REST THE, THAT THERE ARE NO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LIVING THERE FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

STOP GAS LIGHTING.

AFTER 1936, IAN'S REAL INTENTIONS BECAME APPARENT IN HIS RHETORIC.

AND THAT CONTINUED UNTIL THE DAWN OF THE BAN IN 1947.

HE SAYS, EVERY RESPONSE TO OUR DEALING A HARD BLOW TO THE ERAS WITH MANY CASUALTIES IS A BLESSING.

THIS WILL INCREASE THE ARABS FEAR FOR EXTERNAL HELP FOR THE ARABS WILL BE INEFFECTIVE.

AND THEN AFTER THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF 750,000 PEOPLE FROM PALESTINE, OCTOBER, 1948, HE CONCLUDED THE ARABS OF THE LAND OF ISRAEL HAD HAVE ONLY ONE FUNCTION LEFT TO THEM TO RUN AWAY.

FINALLY, I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH ONE OF RASH ALDI'S QUOTES, THE AUTHOR OF THE A HUNDRED YEAR WAR IN PALESTINE.

THE SUREST WAY TO ERADICATE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO THEIR LAND IS TO DENY THEIR HISTORICAL CONNECTION TO IT.

VIVA TINO, JAMIE SIGLER, MICHAEL LUX, AND PLEASE COME FORWARD.

MY NAME IS JAMES.

PUNCH THE BUTTON THERE TO TURN IT ON.

MY NAME IS JAMES.

YOU NEED, YOU NEED TO TURN THE MICROPHONE.

OH, OKAY.

THERE YOU GO.

MY NAME IS JAMIE SIGLER.

I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR NICETIES AND GREETINGS.

AT THIS MOMENT, PEOPLE ARE BEING BLOWN APART BY US SUPPLIED ISRAELI BOMBS.

PEOPLE NOT NUMBERS, NOT COLLATERAL DAMAGE, NOT TARGETS, NOT TERRORISTS.

PEOPLE LIKE SA AL MARE, A YOUNG BOY WHO LOVED TAKING PICTURES WITH HIS FAMILY.

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, HE AND HIS FATHER WENT TO COLLECT DRINKING WATER AND NEVER MADE IT HOME.

ISRAEL KILLED HIM AND OTHERS IN THE SHANTI CAMP MASSACRE IN GAZA.

AND UD ABUD, A WOMAN WHOSE BIGGEST FEAR WAS NOT DEATH, BUT BEING REMEMBERED AS A NUMBER.

SHE WANTED THE WORLD TO KNOW THE DREAMS THAT I HAD.

TELL THEM THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO I HAD LASIK SURGERY AND BEGAN TO SEE GAZA WITH MY OWN TWO EYES.

TELL THEM THAT I WANT TO BUY A CAMERA TO CAPTURE THE BEAUTY OF GAZA AND HAJJ, HAMES JIR, WHO WAS REMEMBERED BY HIS SON, AHAD AS LIGHT OF MY EYES AND WAS MURDERED BY AN ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE WHILE HE WAS FASTING.

AND SADAD A BABY BOY WHO DIED OF HYPOTHERMIA ON JANUARY 2ND, 2024, DUE TO DISPLACEMENT BY ISRAEL AND SIDRA IMAN MATAR, A BABY GIRL WHO FOUR DAYS LATER DIED FROM ISRAELI SM GAS AND SMOKE BOMBS, WHICH CAUSE EXTREME INFLAMMATION OF HER LUNGS.

AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS MORE PEOPLE.

LOOK AT YOUR CHILD.

THIS IS A CHILD IN GAZA OR LEBANON.

THIS CHILD WILL BE TORN APART BY 2000 POUND BOMBS WHILE THEY SLEEP TONIGHT.

YOU, THEIR MOTHER WILL MOURN YOUR CHILD FOREVER.

YOU HAVE THREE MORE AND THEY'RE ALL DEAD.

HEADLESS ARMLESS, ONLY A FOOT LEFT OF THEIR TINY BODY.

THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE LEFT OF YOUR FAMILY.

YOU'LL NEARLY DIE OF SEPSIS DUE TO THE INJURIES YOU SUSTAINED.

NO CHILD DESERVES THIS.

NO INNOCENT CIVILIAN, NO PERSON.

BLESS ALL THE CHILDREN, BLESS THE EARTH.

CURSES ON ISRAEL.

CURSES

[02:25:01]

ON AMERICA.

GLORY TO THE MARTYRS.

FREE PALESTINE.

ALL MEANS HAVE BEEN CALLED MAYOR.

I WASN'T ABLE TO HEAR YOU.

ALL THE SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN CALLED.

COUNCIL MEMBER VANESSA FUENTES.

I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

I I WANTED TO OFFER A STATE.

SHE SAYS SHE HAD CALLED THE NAMES.

DID YOU NOT COME FORWARD? MICHAEL LUXEM.

MICHAEL.

MICHAEL LUXEMBOURG.

SORRY.

MIGHT HAVE BEEN, YEAH.

I'M SORRY.

MICHAEL LUXEMBOURG AND VALERIE MICKI.

MIKE LUX MICKI.

SORRY, MISPRONOUNCING.

I, UH, I'M ON RIGHT.

OKAY, GREAT.

YOU ARE.

WHY DON'T YOU STAND AT THE MICROPHONE.

THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

YEAH, WE'RE GOOD HERE TOO.

AND WE WILL ALWAYS RESIST.

YES.

HELLO, COUNCIL MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I'M MICHAEL LUXEMBOURG.

I'M A DISTRICT FOUR RESIDENT AND I'M A PRACTICING JEWISH MAN.

I DO MY HOLIDAY RITUALS.

I KNOW THE HALA HA I PARTICIPATED RUSSIA SHOW SERVICES LAST WEEK, AND I'LL BE BACK FOR K NIRE THIS WEEK.

AND IN THE SPIRIT OF YO KIPPUR, I ASK ALL OF US TO LOOK WITHIN AND THINK ABOUT THE MORAL ELEMENTS OF OUR POLITICAL CHOICES.

I'VE STUDIED RABBINIC LITERATURE WITH JACOB NER AND OTHER SCHOLARS OF OUR TIME, MIDDLE EASTERN HISTORY.

I'VE LED TORAH SERVICES, I'VE LED SERVICES, I'VE LED TORAH STUDIES, TAUGHT HEBREW SCHOOL AND FOR MY JEWISH LIFE, I'VE COME TO ONE CONCLUSION.

ZIONISM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH JEWISH SAFETY.

AND SAYING SO IS NOT ANTI-SEMITIC, RABBI AKI RABBI AKIVA SAYS, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE ENTIRE TORAH IS THE MOMENT WHEN ABRAHAM OPENS HIS TENTS TO HIS NEIGHBORS.

THAT MEANS FOR ONE OF OUR PEOPLE'S GREATEST SCHOLARS, THE CORE OF JUDAISM IS UNCONDITIONALLY HOSPITALITY AND CARE FOR THOSE AROUND US.

THE ACTS OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL ARE IN FLAGRANT OPPOSITION TO THE MORAL CLARITY OF THE RELIGION I LOVE AND BY WHICH I DEFINE MY LIFE AND MY POLITICS.

EXPANDING THE CONFLICT INTO LEBANON IS NOT UNCONDITIONAL HOSPITALITY.

A RELIGION THAT CLAIMS THAT EVERY LIFE IS A UNIVERSE CANNOT BE LEVERAGED TO JUSTIFY THE MASS MURDER OF CHILDREN IN GAZA.

I KNOW THAT, I KNOW THAT SOME FOLKS IN HERE ARE GONNA DISAGREE WITH ME, BUT HOLDING THE MORAL AND ETHICAL INJUNCTIONS OF THE TORAH SECOND TO A NATIONAL PROJECT IN MY EYES, UNDERCUTS AND UNDER AND UNDER SERVES THE BEAUTY AND POWER OF OUR TRADITIONS.

IT DOESN'T MAKE JEWS IN ISRAEL SAFER TO ESCALATE AND PROMOTE A REGIONAL WAR THAT PUTS THEM IN THE CROSSFIRE OF BALLISTIC EXCHANGE.

WITH IRAN, IT DOESN'T MAKE AMERICAN JEWS SAFER TO CONFLATE PRO-PALESTINIAN ACTS WITH ANTISEMITIC ACTION.

WHEN THE AMERICAN RIGHT IS INCREASINGLY VIOLENT AND INCREASINGLY TARGETING JEWS, IT CHEAPENS THE LESSONS OF OUR HOLY BOOKS.

IT PUTS JEWISH LIVES IN DANGER, NOT JUST BY CONFLATING ALL OF US WITH A ROGUE STATE AND DEDICATION TO WAR AND DEATH, BUT BY IGNORING REAL AND MATERIAL ANTISEMITISM ALL AROUND US.

IT WASN'T PALESTINIAN ACTIVIST WHO SAID HITLER WAS A GIFT FROM GOD.

THAT WAS PASTOR JOHN HAGUE WHO SPOKE AT A STAND WITH ISRAEL RALLY.

IT WASN'T A PALESTINIAN ACTIVIST WHO OPENED FIRE ON THE TREE OF LIFE SYNAGOGUE.

IT WASN'T A PALESTINIAN ACTIVIST WHO STABBED BLAZE BERNSTEIN TO DEATH.

IT WASN'T PALESTINIAN ACTIVISTS WHO MARCHED THROUGH CHARLOTTESVILLE CHANTING JEWS WILL NOT REPLACE US.

AND IF WE WANNA STICK TO AUSTIN, OUR NEWEST LOCAL BILLIONAIRE, ELON MUSK USES HIS MASSIVE PLATFORM TO PROMOTE THE SAME ANTISEMETIC CONSPIRACIES THAT HITLER DID.

THE ADAM WAFFEN, A NEO-NAZI ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN MURDERING JEWS IN AMERICA.

FOUR YEARS IS LOCATED AN HOUR SOUTH OF HERE.

AND NO ONE IN THIS ROOM HAS TALKED ABOUT JEWISH SAFETY.

THEY SAID A THING ABOUT THAT.

THEY MENTIONED THE HOSTAGES AND DEALS FOR RELEASE FOR THEM HAVE BEEN ON THE OFFER FOR MOST OF A YEAR, BUT THEY KEEP GETTING DIS DERAILED BY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT.

WILL MORE AND MORE HOSTAGES DIE UNDER ISRAELI BOMBARDMENT? WE WANNA SEE THE HOSTAGES FREED.

WE ALSO WANNA SEE THE PALESTINIAN POLITICAL PRISONERS FREED BECAUSE ALL HUMANS DESERVE FREEDOM AND SAFETY.

THE THE FREEDOM OF PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IS NOT AT ODDS WITH JEWISH SAFETY.

THE CONFLICT DIDN'T START ON OCTOBER 7TH.

ON OCTOBER 6TH, 2023 WAS THE DEADLIEST YEAR FOR PALESTINIAN CHILDREN ON RECORD MARCHES FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM IN GAZA WERE MET WITH SNIPE AROUNDS.

TO FRAME RESISTANCE TO THAT VIOLENCE AS ANTI-SEMITIC IS REPULSIVE TO ME TO LEVERAGE OUR RELIGION, ONE THAT IS FOUNDED ON PEACE AND JUSTICE.

TO JUSTIFY THIS VIOLENCE IS THE WORST SORT OF SELF-SERVING NONSENSE.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS VALERIE MICHAEL LEKI, AND I'M WITH THE AUSTIN FOR PALESTINE COALITION.

HASSAN SHABBAT, A JOURNALIST IN NORTH GAZA, WHICH IS UNDER UNPRECEDENTED AGGRESSION SINCE THE START OF THE GENOCIDE, AS I SPEAK SAID YESTERDAY.

THE PALESTINIAN IDENTITY HAS ALWAYS SCARED THEM.

THE PALESTINIAN RESILIENCE HAS ALWAYS INTIMIDATED THE ZIONIST OCCUPIERS, WHICH POSES A CHALLENGE TO THE APARTHEID AND TO THE COLONIAL ISRAEL ISRAELI OC OCCUPATION.

REMEMBER, THEIR STRUGGLE IS AGAINST OUR EXISTENCE IN OUR LAND.

OUR MERE EXISTENCE WILL ALWAYS BE THE STRONGEST FORM OF RESISTANCE

[02:30:01]

I ASKED THE CITY CLERK TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH A 799 PAGE DOCUMENT.

THERE ARE 34,344 NAMES IN THIS DOCUMENT.

THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS THE NAME OF EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD THAT HAS BEEN MURDERED BY THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION FROM OCTOBER, 2023 THROUGH AUGUST, 2024.

THE FIRST 17 PAGES AGES ARE INFANTS UNDER ONE, UNDER THE AGE OF ONE.

THEY'RE INFANTS.

THESE ARE ONLY THE NAMES OF THE MARTYRS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND REGISTERED BY THE GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY, WHICH IS COLLAPSED AS A RESULT OF THE ONGOING GENOCIDE IN GAZA AT THE HANDS OF ISRAEL, AN APARTHEID TERRORIST ETHNOSTATE AND THE UNITED STATES, A WHITE SUPREMACIST IMPERIALIST STATE.

THE REAL NUMBER IS DEVASTATINGLY HIGHER.

THE LAST 15 PAGES OF THAT DOCUMENT ARE THE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE OLDER THAN THE STATE OF ISRAEL ITSELF.

THE AUSTIN FOR PALESTINE COALITION AND OUR FRIENDS HAVE BEEN COMING HERE TRYING TO APPEAL TO YOUR MORALITY FOR A YEAR.

WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

WE HAVE DEDICATED OUR LIVES TO PALESTINIAN LIBERATION.

WE HAVE SACRIFICED EVERYTHING WE HAVE FOR THE HEROES OF PALESTINE.

WE LIVE FOR THE MARTYRS OF PALESTINE, OUR COMMUNITY FULL OF IMMENSE LOVE FOR EACH OTHER, AND AN UNWAVERING ALLEGIANCE TO PALESTINE.

CAN YOU PLEASE STAND UP? SHOW THEM YOUR BEAUTIFUL FLAGS AND YOUR KAFIS AND YOUR TIRED HOPEFUL HEARTS.

WE STAND TOGETHER FOR A RIGHTEOUS AND JUST CAUSE.

LET'S GO.

THE PEOPLE UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED.

THE PEOPLE UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA.

PALESTINE WILL BE FREE.

EVERYONE TO THE SEA PALESTINE WILL BE FREE MEMBERS.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR 12 O'CLOCK PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

WE ARE IN RECESS UNTIL 1:10 PM IT'S 1235.

EVERYBODY, UH, TO OUR LIVE MUSIC PORTION OF OUR DAY,

[Live Music]

UH, PROBABLY THE MOST FUN PART OF THE DAY, BUT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN A LOW BAR FOR ME TO MENTION THAT I IT IS ACTUALLY A GREAT THING TO DO AND I, AND I'M I'M SO GLAD THAT WE DO THIS.

UM, TODAY WE HAVE NEMA GATA AND FROM THE VIBRANT MUSICAL LANDSCAPE OF AUSTIN, TEXAS EMERGES THIS FEARLESS BAND THAT'S RESHAPING THE BOUNDARIES OF SOUND AND REBELLING AGAINST MUSICAL NORMS. NEMA GATA IS ROOTED IN LATIN AMERICAN TRADITIONS AND IT REJECTS EUROCENTRIC LABELS TRANSCENDING THE CONFINES OF OUTDATED WORDS OR TERMS LIKE WORLD MUSIC.

INSTEAD, THEY CARVE A UNIQUE SPACE FOR AUTHENTIC EXPRESSIONS RES SIGNIFYING ANCESTRAL ELEMENTS INTO THEIR VERY HIGH ENERGY MESMERIZING AND MYSTIC SOUND AS COLOMBIAN MUSICIANS IN THE USA, NEMA GOT TO CHANNELS, THE VI MIGRANT EXPERIENCE AND LET LATINX DIASPORA TRANSFORMING THE CHALLENGES LATIN AMERICA ENDURES INTO A PROFOUND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION THROUGH THEIR MUSIC LED BY THE FEARLESS AND PASSIONATE VICTOR ANDRE CRUZ KNOWN AS ELTO.

DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? GU? GREAT.

I MUST ADMIT, TELL ME WHAT THAT MEANS.

IT IS A TERM, UH, IN THE COUNTRYSIDE IN GOING BEFORE LIKE THE KID, AH, THE KID ELTO.

IT'S GOOD TO LEARN A NEW WORD.

NEGA IS A POWER TRIO WHERE EACH MEMBER CONTRIBUTES UNIQUE STRENGTHS.

CES, VALENCIA, INOVA AND FABIAN RECON DON FBO BRING THEIR STRONG, POTENT AND POWERFUL RHYTHM TO INFUSE VITALITY INTO THE MUSIC.

THEIR SECOND FULL LENGTH ALBUM, V, WHICH MEANS VOICES WAS PRODUCED BY JUAN ELON ALVAREZ AND GRAMMY AWARD WINNER BETO MARTINEZ.

IT'S A TRANSCENDENT EXPRESSION OF COLUMBIAN HERITAGE.

NEMA GOT TO RECEIVE NOMINATIONS AT THE 22, 23 AND 24 AUSTIN MUSIC AWARDS SOLIDIFYING THEIR STANDING IN THE VIBRANT AUSTIN MUSIC SCENE.

THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS MUSIC FESTIVAL IN 2023 AND LEVITATION FESTIVAL IN BOTH 2022 AND 2023 FURTHER SHOWCASED THEIR ARTISTIC EVOLUTION.

IT'S A GREAT HONOR

[02:35:01]

AND PLEASURE FOR ME TO INTRODUCE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, NEMA GATA.

NEVER GOT THAT.

YEAH, SO WHY DON'T Y'ALL I'LL COME OVER, I'LL COME TO YOU.

THOSE MICROPHONES.

ALRIGHT.

Y'ALL COME OVER HERE WITH ME.

MM-HMM.

GOOD.

IT'S MY PLEASURE TO MAKE A PROCLAMATION TODAY, THIS GREAT MAN.

AND, UH, WE ALL GOT TO HEAR IT.

AND, AND IT'S WONDERFUL.

UH, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS BLESSED WITH MANY CREATIVE MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENT EXTENDS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY MUSICAL GENRE.

AND WHEREAS OUR MUSIC SCENE THRIVES BECAUSE AUSTIN AUDIENCES SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC PRODUCED BY LEGENDS, OUR LOCAL FAVORITES AND NEWCOMERS ALIVE.

AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO SHOWCASE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY WORLD PLAIN OCTOBER 10TH, 2024, AS NEVER GOT TODAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

TELL, TELL US HOW WE CAN FOLLOW YOU.

TELL US THE SOCIAL MEDIA, HOW WE CALL YOU, WHERE WE MIGHT HEAR YOU, GIVE US A, GIVE US A RUNDOWN.

ON ALL THE PLATFORMS NAME GATA.

WE'RE

[02:40:01]

THAT'S M-E-M-E-G-A-T-A.

WE'RE ON INSTAGRAM, SPOTIFY DETA.COM.

YOU CAN JUST GOOGLE OUR NAME AND YOU'LL FIND A LOT OF, UH, PLACES WHERE YOU CAN HEAR MUSIC, WATCH YOUR VIDEOS, AND IN FACT, TONIGHT WE'RE PLAYING AT END TONES, UH, FOR ACL NIGHTS, UH, DOOR SET SEVEN.

SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE YOU THERE.

THANK, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.

IT'S ONE 15 ON OCTOBER 10TH.

UH, 2024 I MEMBERS HAS INDICATED, UH, A BEFORE WE WENT INTO RECESS, WE WOULD START WITH ITEM NUMBER THREE.

I'M GONNA PULL, UH, ASK THAT WE PULL UP ITEM NUMBER

[3. Authorize an amendment to the City’s cost participation with the developer, Milestone Community Builders, to increase the City’s share of the cost to design and construct an oversized water main and an elevated water reservoir by $5,504,291, for a total amount not to exceed $11,570,426, as approved by Council for Service Extension Request No. 4577R, which will provide water service to a proposed single-family development located at 1300 Lost Creek Boulevard. ]

THREE.

THIS ITEM WAS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY.

COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU.

ITEM NUMBER THREE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE RECOGNITION.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE OUR, UH, OUR AUSTIN WATER UTILITY DIRECTOR HERE.

I JUST HAVE SOME, SOME QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD LATE YESTERDAY EVENING.

AND, UM, I APPRECIATE THAT.

I'VE HEARD BROAD CONCERNS FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT BY APPROVING THE SERVICE EXTENSION AND REIMBURSEMENT, THE CITY COULD BE ENABLING OR INCENTIVIZING THE DEVELOPMENT IN LOST CREEK TO POTENTIALLY NOT COMPLY WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS AND SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.

AND I THINK THAT COMES FROM THE, THE RECENT DE ANNEXATION FROM LOST CREEK.

COULD YOU TALK US THROUGH HOW THEY WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THOSE? SURE.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM COUNSEL.

I'M SHAY ROLLS ROLSON.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN WATER.

UM, THE, THE RESIDENTS OF LOSS CREEK ARE RETAIL CUSTOMERS OF AUSTIN WATER, UM, EVEN AFTER THE DIS DECANTATION AND THIS PROPERTY WHERE THIS, UH, THIS DEVELOPMENT IS HAPPENING AND WHERE THIS ELEVATED TANK WILL BE CONSTRUCTED IS IN THE CITY'S FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION, UH, AND SUBJECT TO ALL CITY CODES AND REQUIREMENTS.

UM, IN ADDITION, THEY HAVE AN APPROVED SITE PLAN THAT WAS COMPLETE PRIOR TO BIDDING THIS PROJECT.

AND COULD YOU TALK MORE ABOUT THE ELEVATED TANK AND WHY THAT IS GOING INTO THAT DEVELOPMENT THERE IN THE AREA? SO THE, THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE MARSHALL TRACT, UM, UH, WOULD REQUIRE ABOUT 70,000 GALLONS OF ELEVATED STORAGE.

THAT'S, THAT'S NOT SUFFICIENT TO BUILD A WHOLE ELEVATED TANK FOR.

UM, BUT THIS AREA LACKS, UH, THE SAME LEVEL OF, OF RESILIENCY AND REDUNDANCY THAT WE HAVE IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

AND SO OVERSIZING THIS TANK TO 750,000 GALLONS WILL BRING THAT AREA UP TO OUR STANDARDS FOR RESILIENCY, UH, FOR THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IN THIS AREA.

THAT, THAT AGAIN, OUR RETAIL CUSTOMERS OF AUSTIN WATER.

AND, UH, ONE FINAL QUESTION.

ALL OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS CAME BACK, UM, AND THE SAFER SPRINGS ORDINANCE WOULD APPLY TO THIS AREA.

IS THAT CORRECT? UM, THIS, THIS TRACT IS IN THE CITY'S FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION.

SO ALL OF THE CODES AND ORDINANCES APPLY.

AND I JUST, SORRY, ONE MORE FOLLOW UP.

SURE.

UM, JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE DE ANNEX DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE NOT AUSTIN WATER CUSTOMERS.

THEY WILL STILL BE CUSTOMERS OF AUSTIN WATER, AND WE WILL STILL HAVE GONE THROUGH ALL THE REGULAR PROCESSES IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THIS WAS A VIABLE PROJECT THAT MET THOSE STANDARDS.

CORRECT THAT, THAT'S RIGHT.

THIS, THIS AREA IS ALL RETAIL CUSTOMERS OF AUSTIN WATER AND THEY PAY AUSTIN WATER'S FULL RATES AND FEES.

PERFECT.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR.

YES, COUNCILMAN ELLIS APPRECIATE GETTING THE CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THIS.

THESE, UH, THIS IS IN MY DISTRICT.

IT'S IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.

UM, SO BEFORE THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY SHOULD BE BUILT ON THE INS MARSHALL TRACT, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT WATER RESILIENCY, UH, MAKING SURE THAT FIREFIGHTERS CAN PUT OUT FIRES.

LAS CREEK IS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF INGRESS AND EGRESS, SO IF PEOPLE HAD TO EVACUATE, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET TO SAFETY.

UM, LIKE YOU SAID, THESE ARE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE ON AUSTIN WATER REGARDLESS OF ETJ AND, YOU KNOW, ANNEX PART OF THE CITY OR NOT.

UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR THOROUGHNESS IN TALKING WITH ME AND MY STAFF ON THIS ISSUE.

UM, THIS IS IN THE FULL PURPOSE CITY LIMITS.

THESE ARE CITY OF AUSTIN PEOPLE ON AUSTIN WATER, UM, AND THEY ARE BUILDING INTO THE PROJECT MORE WATER RESILIENCY FOR WILDFIRE RISK AND, UH, WATER PRESSURIZATION.

SO I, YOU KNOW, APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL HAVE HAD TO COME BACK BECAUSE COSTS ARE INCREASING OVER THE YEARS, BUT THIS IS JUST SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

THANK YOU MR. DIRECTOR.

WE APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.

WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER THREE.

[02:45:01]

FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE.

WE HAVE ROY WHALEY, CRAIG NASER, BILL BUNCH, AND BOB EVA LEBINSKI, WHO YIELDED HIS TIME EARLIER THIS TIME PREVIOUSLY.

YES.

MR. WHALEY, IF YOU'D PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE MICROPHONE.

JOIN IT NOW, SIR.

MY NAME IS ROY WHALEY.

I AM THE CONSERVATION CHAIR FOR THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB, AND I APPRECIATE THAT THIS HAS BEEN PULLED FOR DISCUSSION.

UM, I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT, UH, WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY WANTS TO, TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

I'D LOVE IT TO HAVE MORE QUESTIONS LIKE THAT FROM THE DAIS.

UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS ALREADY A DONE DEAL FOR MILESTONE, BUT MILESTONE IS ALSO ASKING FOR AN SER TO HAYES COMMONS, WHICH IS A MUCH MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA THAN THIS IS.

AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA AND THE OVERSIZE OF THE, THE DELIVERY INCENTIVIZES MORE DEVELOPMENT.

BUT THEY ARE ALSO ASKING FOR THE SAME THING AT HAYES COMMONS, WHICH IS ON TOP OF A VERY ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA, AS SENSITIVE AS JEREMIAH VENTURES, WHICH IS NOW PART OF OUR WATER QUALITY AND OPEN SPACE.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT HAY COMMONS SHOULD BE ALSO LITTLE BEAR CREEK SPLITS THAT LITTLE BEAR FEEDS INTO BEAR CREEK AND, AND, AND, UH, ONION CREEK.

THOSE ARE MAJOR RECHARGE, UH, AREAS.

THERE, THERE ARE UNKNOWN NUMBER OF RECHARGE FEE FEATURES ON HAYES COMMONS, AND YET THEY'RE SAYING THEY WILL COMPLY WITH SOS EXCEPT FOR THE IMPERVIOUS COVER.

WELL, THAT'S NOT COMPLYING WITH SOSI WILL COMPLY WITH ALL TRAFFIC LAWS EXCEPT FOR WHEN I WANNA RUN RED LIGHTS AND GO, UH, 55 MILES AN HOUR THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE.

I'M NOT COMPLYING WITH THE LAW.

THEY ARE SAYING THEY WANT TO DO THAT, DO IT.

IF THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, FINE.

BUT IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER FOR US TO FIND ROOM IN OUR BUDGET AND OUR BONDS, WHICH I THINK WE NEED BONDS, UH, AND A BOND ELECTION SOON.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AND, UH, BOTH COUNCIL MEMBER ALTERS.

UM, BUT WE NEED TO, TO, AS WE LOOK AT THIS, WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WHAT MILESTONE IS DOING IN OTHER AREAS.

THEY SAY THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE HAYES COMMONS AREA TO BE PROFITABLE.

THAT'S NOT TRUE.

WE'RE DEALING WITH THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST MILESTONE, UM, EXCEPT FOR THEY'RE BUILDING IN THE WRONG AREAS.

AND SO I ASK YOU TO REJECT THIS AND I PARTICULARLY ASK YOU TO REJECT ANY SERVICE EXTENSION REQUEST TO THE HAYES COMMON AREA AND TELL MILESTONE, STOP BULLYING US LIKE THEY DID AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION BY SAYING, WELL, IF YOU DON'T LET US DO IT, WE'LL JUST DO IT ANYWAY.

BUILT WATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR, THEY PUT THIS HUGE PIPE UNDER THE B CANON PRESERVE AND IT CAME INTO NORTH AUSTIN.

HELLO, CRAIG NAZER, CONSERVATION CHAIR OF THE LONE STAR CHAPTER OF THE SIERRA CLUB.

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.

NOW, I WAS AROUND IN 1990 WHEN THE WHOLE CITY FOUGHT FOR NONDEGRADATION ON THE BARTON SPRINGS WATERSHED AND WERE STILL FIGHTING.

I WAS AT THE SAME ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION MEETING THAT ROY WAS.

AND WE ESSENTIALLY HAD A GUY, JUST LIKE THEY SAID AT THE 1990 ALL NIGHT MEETING, I GOT YOUR KID, I'LL GIVE 'EM BACK AND I'LL CUT OFF A FOOT.

BUT IF YOU DON'T ACCEPT THAT, I'LL CUT OFF A LEG AND THEN YOU CAN HAVE 'EM BACK.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY.

AND I, I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

YOU'RE MAKING THAT ARGUMENT TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA GET THIS WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.

WELL, HOW DO YOU STOP THIS? WELL, ONE WAY THIS CAN BE STOPPED IS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO SAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO EXTEND THESE THINGS OUT TO YOU IF YOU WON'T PLAY BY THE RULES WE HAVE.

NOW, I KNOW THE STATE MAKES IT HARDER AND I KNOW THAT, THAT IT BEING IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION, YOU JUST GOTTA GET USED TO.

WE NEVER WIN, BUT SOMETIMES WE CAN MAKE THINGS A LITTLE LESS WORSE, I GUESS.

BUT I JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I'LL TELL YOU, THERE ARE SOME UNFORESEEN, UH, UH, CONSEQUENCES OF THIS.

THEY

[02:50:01]

AND THEN IN, IN 2019, I TRIED TO FIND INFORMATION OUT THIS, I COULDN'T FIND IT, THE WATER, UM, UH, WAS OPEN ON MY STREET, THE WATER HYDRANTS DUMPING THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF WATER OUT INTO THE STREET.

AND I TRIED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

I FOUND WHAT WAS HAPPENING ALL OVER NORTH AUSTIN.

IT WAS BECAUSE THE PIPES WERE OVERSIZED, THE PIPES WERE LOSING, UH, AMMONIA.

THE, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UM, CHLORINES IN IT TO KEEP IT PURE.

AND BECAUSE THEY WERE SITTING IN THE PIPE TOO LONG BECAUSE PEOPLE WEREN'T USING ENOUGH OF IT.

SO THEY HAD TO DUMP IT TO BRING THE MORE WATER.

AND THEY DUMPED MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF WATER JUST BECAUSE IT WAS OVERSIZED AND WE WEREN'T USING ENOUGH THROUGH THE BIG PIPES.

BUT BY THE TIME I COULD FIND MUCH INFORMATION OUT THAT THEY'D FIXED IT, WE FIXED IT.

WELL CONSTRUCTION'S CONSTRUCTION.

SO THERE'S UNFORESEEN CON CONSEQUENCES FOR OVERSIZING THINGS AND THERE'S UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES FOR, FOR SAYING YOU HAVE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU REALLY DON'T WANT THE DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE.

SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS BEFORE YOU COMMIT YOURSELF TO THIS.

I MIGHT GO DOWN A PATH WE DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. BUNCH.

ARE YOU SPEAKING? YES, SHE'S CALLED YOUR NAME.

GOOD AFTERNOON, BILL BUNCH, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

UM, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY FOR ASKING SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.

I HOPE THAT YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES WILL ASK A FEW MORE.

'CAUSE THE BACKUP ON THIS IS INCREDIBLY LIMITED.

UM, AND WE'RE NOT GETTING THE FULL PICTURE HERE.

UM, THIS WAS INITIALLY APPROVED, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BACK IN 21.

IT SLIPPED THROUGH AND WE DIDN'T CATCH IT.

UM, THEY'RE BACK TO YOU TODAY ASKING TO MORE THAN DOUBLE THE PRICE OF FROM FIVE POINT AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO OVER $11 MILLION, 11 AND A HALF MILLION.

UM, THAT'S MORE THAN A HUNDRED PERCENT INCREASE.

THE BACKUP SUGGESTS THAT IT'S JUST, IT'S STILL THE EXACT SAME PROJECT.

BUT THAT'S A QUESTION THAT SHOULD BE ASKED.

ARE WE STILL DOING THE EXACT SAME THING BEFORE? AND THE A HUNDRED PERCENT INCREASE IS JUST INCREASED COST SINCE THE PANDEMIC, WHICH IS WHAT SUGGESTED, UH, THE NEXT THING IN THE BACK END.

IT SAYS THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR PLAN TO SERVE THIS AREA.

WELL IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES NOT ENVISION ANY MAJOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OR DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA THAT WOULD NEED SERVICE.

AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS BOTH ADDING A 16 INCH WATER LINE WHERE THERE WAS AND, AND CONNECTS TO AN EIGHT INCH LINE.

UH, FOR COMPARISON HERE, EIGHT INCH WILL CARRY ABOUT 1600 GALLONS PER MINUTE.

A 16 INCH WILL CARRY 8,000 GALLONS PER MINUTE.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE THAN QUADRUPLING THE CAPACITY HERE.

AND THAT'S BEFORE YOU GET TO THE STORAGE TANK.

YOU HAD STORAGE AND NOW YOU CAN PUMP ALL DAY LONG.

AND SEEMS TO ME THIS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CAPACITY, THAT'S ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE BIGGER THAN NEEDED TO SERVE 49 HOMES ON, YOU KNOW, 36 ACRES OR WHATEVER IT IS.

SO WHAT IS THAT LARGER PLAN THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WOULD REQUIRE SUCH HUGE INCREASES? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT JUST THE STORAGE TANK AND IT'S KEEPING IT EIGHT, EIGHT INCHES, SO YOU'RE FILLING IT UP AT NIGHT WHEN NOBODY'S USING WATER, WOULD GIVE WAY MORE THAN IS NEEDED FOR THIS 49 ACRES.

AND, UH, AMPLE FOR, UH, FIRE, UH, CONTROL ISSUES.

UM, AT THE SAME TIME AS WE'RE DOING THIS, AND I'VE RAISED THIS BEFORE SOMEHOW AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, THE PRICE TAG ONLY WENT UP FROM 1.3 BILLION TO 1.6 BILLION, A 25% INCREASE.

SO HOW IS THAT INCREASE? ONLY 25% AND THEN ON THESE BIG, THESE WATER UTILITY PROJECTS, IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT.

SOMEBODY'S NOT SHOOTING STRAIGHT HERE.

WHICH ONE IS IT? IS IT THE CONVENTION CENTER NOT TELLING US THE TRUTH ABOUT THE COST OF THE CONVENTION CENTER? OR IS IT THE WATER UTILITY? UH, NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND SAYING, WAIT, YOU KNOW, YEAH, CONSTRUCTION COSTS HAVE GONE UP, BUT NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT.

PLEASE.

SO YOU HAVE BOTH PLANNING AND FISCAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO ANSWER HERE.

PLEASE DO.

AND I FORGOT TO MENTION YOU DON'T GET TO DO THAT MR. WHALEY.

IT'S GOOD, GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE DONE.

WATER? YEAH, I'M SORRY MR. WHALEY.

GONNA SEEK A MOTION AND GET A MOTION SO THAT WE HAVE THOSE, THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.

IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE YOU AND HEAR IT FROM YOU.

OF COURSE.

UM, I'M

[02:55:01]

THAT CAN.

ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, MOTIONS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER THREE.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.

I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU FOR CON UH, DISCUSSION.

APPRECIATE IT.

AND ACTUALLY, I APOLOGIZE I DIDN'T ASK THIS OF, OF DIRECTOR ROLSON WHEN SHE WAS HERE.

I JUST HAVE A COUPLE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS.

UM, SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, I GUESS IF YOU COULD FIRST JUST ADDRESS THE, THE QUESTION THAT WAS RAISED.

THIS IS, OR HAS ANYTHING CHANGED ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT FROM WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED TO NOW? NO, THE SCOPE IS THE SAME AS WHAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED AND THE 16 INCH MAIN WAS THAT, THAT WAS ALWAYS WHAT WAS STATED TO BE NEEDED IN ORDER TO SERVICE 49 HOMES.

THERE'S NO, THE 16 INCH MAINE WILL IS THE TRANSMISSION MAIN BETWEEN THE PUMP STATION AND THE EL NEW ELEVATED STORAGE TANK.

AND, AND THE ELEVATED STORAGE TANK WILL SERVE THE, UH, THE WHOLE AREA, NOT JUST THE 49 HOMES.

AND THAT WAS GONNA BE ONE OF MY, I'M LESS FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA AS IT RELATES TO, I KNOW LOST CREEK RECENTLY UNDERWENT SOME DIS ANNEXATION.

IS THIS ADJACENT TO THAT AREA? DO YOU KNOW? IT IT IS ADJACENT TO THE AREA, BUT THAT, THAT WHOLE, ALL OF THAT AREA ARE RETAIL CUSTOMERS OF AUSTIN WATER.

AND SO IF WE, BY, IF WE PAY THIS AMOUNT, IT WILL GO INTO AUSTIN WATER RATES ASSUMEDLY AND THAT WILL BE SOCIALIZED INCLUDING THOSE RESIDENTS WHO JUST DECIDED TO XANEX THEMSELVES? THAT'S CORRECT.

AND THERE IS, THERE'S THE EIGHT INCH MAINE THAT EXISTS IT LOOKS LIKE FOR MOST OF IT, AND THEN THERE'S THIS ALMOST 90 DEGREE TURN TO GO TO THE PUMP STATION THAT IS, THERE'S NO PIPE THAT EXISTS THERE PRESENTLY, IS THAT CORRECT? I BELIEVE YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

OBVIOUSLY THEY, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.

SO, SO IF YOU WERE GOING OKAY THAT, THAT ANSWERS THAT QUESTION.

IF THIS AREA DECIDED TO DIS ANNEX AS WELL, WOULD THEY, LET'S JUST SAY WE, WE DIDN'T APPROVE IT TODAY AND THEY JUST ANNEXED TOMORROW.

BUT FOR ARGUMENT'S SAKE, IF THEY THEN WANTED TO DO THIS, WOULD THEY STILL NEED TO COME TO US FOR APPROVAL? WOULD THEY DO IT THROUGH A MUD? HOW WOULD THEY GO ABOUT THESE? THE THIS, THIS PROPERTY IS IN THE CITY'S FULL PURPOSE JURISDICTION.

SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF MY WHEELHOUSE, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY CAN TO XANEX.

IT'S NOT IN THE ETJ IF YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE BILL, THE PREVIOUS BILL THAT, THAT IS KEY DISTINCTION.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THAT'S JUST, I WANTED TO GET BETTER CLARITY ON WHAT EXACTLY WAS HAPPENING AND YOU PROVIDED THAT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

FURTHER DISCUSSION COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I JUST, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS'S OFFICE FOR YOUR HARD WORK IN THE BACKGROUND ON THIS.

I WANNA THANK AUSTIN WATER FOR COMING TODAY AND OUR, OUR SPEAKERS WHO SPOKE ON THE ITEM, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CLARITY THAT YOU BROUGHT TO ME AND MY TEAM WHEN I ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS AND FOR JUST BEING HERE SO THAT WE COULD PUBLICLY DISCUSS IT TODAY.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

FURTHER DISCUSSION, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT.

THESE ARE ALL SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

LOSS CREEK IS A, A RELATIVELY LOW DENSITY, ALL SINGLE FAMILY HOME STYLE OF NEIGHBORHOOD.

THIS WAS A VACANT TRACT AND SO WHAT IS BEING CONSTRUCTED HERE IS JUST IN LINE WITH WHAT ALREADY EXISTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S ACTUALLY PROBABLY THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE BETTER WATER SERVICE FOR, FOR THE FIRE RISK THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER AND GENERALIZED WATER PRESSURE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO IT'S ALL IN CONTEXT.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, BUILD SOME SOMETHING OUT OF CONTEXT WITH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SURE THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE.

UM, WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BUILT.

TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 33 WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 33 AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AND I'LL LOOK TO THE CITY CLERK, UH, TO CALL, UH, PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 33.

THANK YOU THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MO UH, AND THERE BEING NO OBJECTION, UH, TO THE MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER THREE.

ITEM NUMBER THREE IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, UH, BEING ABSENT MEMBERS THAT WILL

[33. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending Ordinance No. 20170518-070 to authorize the addition of a new neighborhood, the Springwoods Park Neighbors Neighborhood Association, to the Restricted Front and Side Yard Parking Area Map in accordance with City Code Section 12-5-29. ]

MAYOR, THE ONE SPEAKER WE HAD WAS A REMOTE SPEAKER, SARAH JOHNSON, AND SHE HAS NOT CALLED IN.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

UM, MEMBERS THERE BEING NO, NO ONE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 33 AT THE PUBLIC HEARING WITHOUT OBJECTION.

WE WILL CLO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THAT IS NOW CLOSED.

UH, I WILL RECOGNIZE SOMEONE FOR A

[03:00:01]

MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 33.

IS THERE A MOTION? IS THERE A MOTION ITEM NUMBER 33 FAILS BEFORE FAILURE TO HAVE A MOTION ON THE ITEM, UH, MEMBERS THAT WILL NOW TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 35.

UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 35.

I'M SORRY, MAY I MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT 33, PLEASE? SURE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, SO I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH MS. JOHNSON ABOUT THIS ITEM WHILE WE WERE BRIEFLY IN RECESS AND WE CREATED A PLAN MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER TO ADDRESS HER CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD BY ITEM NUMBER 33, UM, TO DO SO IN A WAY THAT IS CONSTITUENT SERVICES RELATED.

UM, I ACTUALLY GREW UP IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

I LIVED ON PINEY POINT, PINE RIDGE AND TREELINE DRIVE, AND, UM, WE WILL WORK TO ADDRESS HER CONCERNS AND THAT OF THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT MOVING FORWARD ON THIS ITEM.

OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 35.

COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL

[35. Conduct a public hearing and consider a request by Success Foods Management Group, LLC d/b/as Torchy’s Tacos, located at 1822 S. Congress Avenue, for a waiver of the distance requirement of City Code Section 4-9-4(A) which requires a minimum 300-foot separation distance between a business selling alcoholic beverages and a school. ]

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN ON ITEM 35, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU, UH, WALK US THROUGH PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 35 AT THE PUBLIC HEARING? SPEAKERS, GRETCHEN OTTO, ENRIQUE SIGNS LYNN BOSWELL, JESSICA KIRKER, NICOLE HOLT.

IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS GRETCHEN OTTO AND I AM A PARENT OF A CHILD AT LIVELY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WE LIVE NEAR THE SCHOOL AND NEAR TORCHY'S AND I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO OPPOSE THIS ALCOHOL BEVERAGE WAIVER.

I'M ALSO HERE ON BEHALF OF MANY OTHER PARENTS WHO ARE UNABLE TO COME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS DUE TO FULL-TIME JOBS AND CHILDCARE LIVELY STUDENTS REGULARLY HANG OUT AT TORCHY'S.

IT'S A SAFE, AFFORDABLE, FAMILY FRIENDLY PLACE RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE OTHER PLACES NEARBY WHERE FOLKS CAN PURCHASE ALCOHOL, BUT I'M ASKING YOU TO KEEP ADDITIONAL ALCOHOL SALES AWAY FROM THE SCHOOL AND AWAY FROM TORCHY'S.

IT'S A UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO BE ESPECIALLY IMPACTFUL TO THE STUDENTS AT LIVELY BECAUSE THEY HAVE OUTDOOR SEATING AND AN OUTDOOR BAR THAT IS LITERALLY IN THE DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT OF STUDENTS WHO ARE OUT ON THE FIELDS AT RECESS OR ENGAGING IN AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE SIDE.

I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT TORCHY'S QUALIFIES FOR A WAIVER, GIVEN THE LIST OF POSSIBLE EXEMPTIONS IN THE CITY ORDINANCE.

THEY'RE A VERY PROFITABLE CORPORATION OWNED BY A PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM.

NOW THEY HAVE OPERATED THIS LOCATION FOR 10 YEARS WITHOUT SELLING ALCOHOL.

I BELIEVE THAT ALLOWING ALCOHOL SALES HERE WOULD CAUSE HARM TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THEY PREVIOUSLY APPLIED FOR THIS WAIVER TWICE BEFORE, AND BOTH TIMES THEY WITHDREW THE APPLICATION BECAUSE THEY KNEW THEY DID NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEEDED FROM CITY COUNCIL.

THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OPPOSES THIS WAIVER.

THE LIVELY PTSA OPPOSES THIS WAIVER.

THE SOUTH RIVER CITY CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OPPOSES THIS WAIVER.

THE BOLD CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OPPOSES THIS WAIVER.

I LOVE TORCHY'S, BUT THAT'S NOT A REASON TO GRANT THEM A WAIVER TO SELL ALCOHOL.

WE CAN'T GIVE THEM A SPECIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE THEIR QUESO IS GOOD.

WE NEED TO OPPOSE THESE WAIVERS CONSISTENTLY TO AVOID SETTING PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE WAIVERS.

SO I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST THINK OF SOUTH CONGRESS AS BEING A PLACE FOR TOURISTS TO GO AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.

BUT THIS IS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

THIS IS WHERE OUR HOME IS, THIS IS WHERE OUR SCHOOL IS.

THIS IS WHERE OUR KIDS WALK AROUND.

THIS ORDINANCE EXISTS FOR A GOOD REASON AND THE APPLICANT HAS NOT SHOWN THAT THEY QUALIFY FOR AN EXEMPTION.

LET'S KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE AND KEEP THE PLACES THEY GO.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS HENRY SIGNS.

I'M A LEADER WITH CENTRAL TEXAS INTERFAITH CENTRAL TEXAS.

INTERFAITH HAS OPPOSED TORCHY'S TWO PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS FOR THE WAIVER OF AUSTIN MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 4 9 4, WHICH RESTRICTS THE SALE OF ALCOHOL BY A BUSINESS LOCATED WITHIN 300 FEET OF THE CHURCH, PUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL, OR A PUBLIC HOSPITAL.

AND OUR POSITION REMAINS THE SAME.

WE ARE OPPOSED.

WE CONTINUE TO OPPOSE GRANTING TORCHY'S TACOS, A WAIVER TO SELL ALCOHOL AT ITS SOUTH CONGRESS LOCATION LESS THAN 300 FEET FROM LIVELY.

A MIDDLE SCHOOL.

TORCHY'S WAS FULLY, FULLY AWARE WHEN THEY PURCHASED THE PROPERTY ON CONGRESS OF THE AUSTIN MUNICIPAL CODE AND THAT IT WOULD NOT ALLOW THE INSTALLATION OF A MARGARITA,

[03:05:01]

UH, BAR OUTSIDE THE, UH, PROXIMITY OF, OF THE SCHOOL.

HOWEVER, SOON AFTER OPENING, THEY APPLIED TO THE CITY FOR A WAIVER BETTING THAT THERE WOULD BE NO COMMUNITY OPPOSITION WHEN CENTRAL TEXAS INTERFAITH ORGANIZED STRONG COMMUNITY, UH, OPPOSITION TORCHY'S WITHDREW THEIR APPLICATION.

UH, THEY REAPPLIED IN, UH, 2022 AND WERE AGAIN TURNED BACK.

NOW THEY'RE BACK FOR A THIRD TIME.

AND, UH, IT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A POPULAR HANGOUT WITH THE STUDENTS.

I WENT TO A SCHOOL THERE WHEN IT WAS FULL MORE MANY YEARS AGO.

UH, SO, UH, GRANTING TORCHY, THIS WAIVER IS CLEARLY NOT IN THE BEST ENTRIES OF THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY, NOR IS TORCHY SUFFERING UNDUE HARDSHIP.

IT CONTINUES TO THRIVE AS A RESTAURANT.

THE ONLY INTEREST SERVED BY ADDING ALCOHOL IS TO INCREASE ITS PROFITS.

HOW MANY TIMES DOES A COMMUNITY HAVE TO FIGHT THIS, UH, ATTEMPT TO INCREASE TORCHY'S TACOS? HUGE PROFITS.

WE URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILDREN AND THE COMMUNITY AND DENY TORCHY'S REQUEST.

UH, JUST AS A SIDE, I DO EAT THERE.

I LIKE THEIR FOOD, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PLACES TO DRINK.

THANK YOU MS. BOSWELL.

IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD, APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

APPRECIATE YOU HAVING US SERVICE.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

UH, MY NAME'S LYNN BOSWELL.

I'M SPEAKING ALSO ON AGENDA 35, THE REQUEST BY TORCHY FOR OUR WAIVER OF THE RULE THAT PREVENTS THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WITHIN 300 FEET OF A SCHOOL.

I SERVE AS AN AUSTIN ISD TRUSTEE, BUT I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS AN INDIVIDUAL.

UM, THE SITE THEY CEASE THE WAIVER FOR IS ON SOUTH CONGRESS ACROSS FROM LIVELY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WHEN YOU'RE OUTSIDE ON THE FIELDS AT LIVELY, YOU SEE TORCHY'S.

AND WHEN YOU'RE OUTSIDE ON THE PATIO AT TORCHY'S, YOU HAVE A FULL VIEW OF THE LIVELY CAMPUS AND ALL THAT GOES ON THERE.

BOTH AUSTIN, ISD AND THE LIVELY PTSA OPPOSED THIS WAIVER WHEN IT WAS BEFORE THE COUNCIL BEFORE, UH, BEFORE IT WAS WITHDRAWN.

WE CONTINUE TO OPPOSE IT NOW ALONG WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS IN THE AREA.

UH, AS EARLIER SPEAKERS HAVE SAID, TOR TORTILLAS CHOSE TO OCCUPY THIS SITE KNOWING THIS LOCAL RULE WAS IN PLACE.

IT'S A RURAL OR COMMUNITY HAS CHOSEN FOR MANY REASONS TO HELP LIMIT CHILDREN'S ACCESS TO ALCOHOL, TO KEEP CHILDREN WHO LIKE OR BIKE OR WALK TO AND FROM SCHOOL SAFER.

AND BECAUSE IT'S COMMON SENSE THAT SEPARATING BARS FROM SCHOOLS IS GOOD POLICY, THIS WAIVER ATTACHES TO THE PROPERTY, NOT THE TENANT.

A VOTE TO APPROVE.

THIS WAIVER IS POTENTIALLY A VOTE TO HAVE A BAR ACROSS THE STREET FROM THIS SCHOOL FOREVER.

LIVELY WAS BUILT ON SOUTH CONGRESS IN 1911.

IT SERVES ALMOST A THOUSAND STUDENTS.

AND WHEN THE SCHOOL DAY ENDS AT THREE 50, STUDENTS ARE LUCKY TO HAVE A GREAT MIX OF ACTIVITIES BEGIN EVERY AFTERNOON.

YOU HAVE CLUBS AND ATHLETICS AND PERFORMANCES, YOU HAVE SOCIAL EVENTS, YOU HAVE COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR FAMILIES, FOR STUDENTS TUTORING.

THE CAMPUS IS ACTIVE LONG AFTER THAT LAST BELL RING.

IT RINGS.

IT'S ACTIVE ON THE WEEKENDS.

SO WHEN ALCOHOL SALES ARE PICKING UP, THE CAMPUS REMAINS A VERY ACTIVE PLACE.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT TORCHY'S.

I LOVE ITS PLACE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I LOVE ITS ROLE AND SUPPORT FOR AUSTIN ISD SCHOOLS.

BUT THIS IS ABOUT A RULE OUR COMMUNITY HAS CHOSEN, SAYING THAT WE CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE ALCOHOL SALES IN A SMALL AREA AROUND EACH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS.

IT'S ABOUT A CHOICE THAT TORCHY'S MADE TO MOVE INTO THAT BUILDING KNOWING THAT RULE WAS IN PLACE.

IT'S ABOUT AN EFFORT TO SEEK SPECIAL TREATMENT THAT HAS NOW LASTED 10 YEARS.

AND IT'S ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES CONTINUED ADVOCACY TO FOLLOW A VERY SMART POLICY THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS WISELY CHOSEN.

THAT A SMALL SEPARATION BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS IN PLACES THAT SELL ALCOHOL IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

WHERE ALCOHOL IS AVAILABLE.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR WATSON AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.

UM, MY NAME IS NICOLE HOLT AND I AM THE CEO OF TEXANS FOR SAFE AND DRUG-FREE YOUTH.

THE STATE'S, UH, LEADING NONPROFIT USING POPULATION LEVEL EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION STRATEGIES.

I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF, UH, THE SOUTHWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD IN DISTRICT FIVE AND I OFFICE NEAR LIVELY.

I WISH TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO THE TORCH TACO TORCH TACOS WAIVER REQUEST ITEM NUMBER 35.

I'VE WORKED IN PREVENTION, UM, AND AS A PROFESSIONAL IN THIS FIELD FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

MY AREA OF EXPERTISE IS IN EVIDENCE-BASED PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY THAT PREVENTS UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE.

MY ORGANIZATION IS NATIONALLY REGARDED FOR OUR KNOWLEDGE ON THIS ISSUE.

THE BEST PRACTICE FOR THIS MATTER IS TO HAVE A CONSISTENTLY UPHELD POLICY THAT SAYS OUR COMMUNITY WILL HAVE ALCOHOL FREE ZONES NEAR CAMPUSES.

THE 300 FOOT DISTANCE FROM A SCHOOL IS A CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURE DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE YOUTH EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTS

[03:10:01]

IT IS A PRACTICE THAT PUTS THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR KIDS BEFORE BUSINESS INTEREST.

THIS POLICY IS ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH PRINCIPLES AND NOT THE BUSINESSES THEMSELVES.

RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY SHOWS PROXIMITY TO ALCOHOL OUTLETS INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF UNDERAGE DRINKING AND ALCOHOL RELATED HARMS, INCLUDING ALCOHOL RELATED VIOLENCE AND IMPAIRED DRIVING.

ANOTHER ISSUE IS HIGH ALCOHOL OUTLET DENSITY, WHICH RESULTS IN LESS DESIRED COMMUNITY OUTCOMES, INCLUDING IN TRUANCY.

OUR CITY HAS HAD A MORE THAN 200% INCREASE IN ALCOHOL OUTLET DENSITY SINCE 2014 WHEN TORCHY'S FIRST APPLIED FOR ITS WAIVER.

THE 300 FOOT DISTANCE BETWEEN ALCOHOL OUTLETS IN SCHOOLS HELP ENSURE WE KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE AS OUR CITY EXPERIENCES GROWTH.

ONCE WE START ALLOWING WAIVERS, IT BECOMES INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO SAY NO TO BAD ACTORS THAT MAY REQUEST ONE.

IN TEXAS, THE AVERAGE AGE YOUTH START DRINKING IS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

NEARLY A QUARTER OF TEXANS STUDENTS ALREADY SAY IT'S VERY EASY TO GET ALCOHOL.

RESEARCH SHOWS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE TAKE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE TO OBTAIN ALCOHOL.

STUDIES ALSO INDICATE YOUTH WHO BEGIN DRINKING IN THEIR TEENS ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ALCOHOL LATER IN LIFE.

OUR DECISIONS REGARDING PROTECTING OUR KIDS FROM ALCOHOL USE SHOULD NOT BE BASED ON HOW WE PERCEIVE OR FEEL ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AS ADULTS.

INSTEAD, OUR PROTECTIONS MUST MEET YOUTH WHERE THEY ARE AND FOCUS ON SAFEGUARDING THOSE MOST AT RISK USING PUBLIC HEALTH BEST PRACTICES.

MY OPPOSITION TO THIS WAIVER IS NOT ABOUT THE BUSINESS ITSELF OR THE BELIEF THAT THEY ARE A BAD ACTOR.

MY OPPOSITION TO THE WAIVER IS ROOTED IN WHAT I KNOW FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD OF ALCOHOL POLICY AND YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION, BUFFER ZONES, PROHIBITING ALCOHOL AROUND SCHOOLS MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE KIDS AND FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.

SO I HOPE THAT YOU'LL VOTE A NO ON THIS WAIVER.

I ALSO PROVIDED YOU, UM, VIA EMAIL, UM, UH, A SIGN-ON LETTER FROM BOTH FORMER AND CURRENT, UH, A ISD TRUSTEES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, AS WELL, WHICH WAS SENT EARLIER, UH, LAST NIGHT OR THIS MORNING.

UH, THAT, UH, HERE IN TWO WEEKS, OUR GUAD LOCATION WILL HAVE TO SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF THE VERY ISSUES WE HAVE FACING US, UH, FOR OUR SOUTH CONGRESS LOCATION.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

JESSICA KIRKER, VICE PRESIDENT OF LEGAL WITH TOR CHEESE TACOS.

UM, THE SUPPORT FOR THE GRANTING OF THE WAIVER WAS INCLUDED IN OUR ORIGINAL APPLICATION, INCLUDING REFERENCE TO THE HALF DOZEN ESTABLISHMENTS THAT CURRENTLY GIVE AWAY OR SELL ALCOHOL WITHIN 300 FEET OF THE SCHOOL, AS WELL AS A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM THE PHOENIX HOUSE, A YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTED FOR YEARS.

UM, I WILL BE UTILIZING MY TIME TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS SOME OF THE POINTS OF THE OPPOSITION THAT WERE BOTH RAISED TODAY, AS WELL AS IN SOME LETTER SUBMISSIONS, UM, FILED.

PRIOR TO TODAY, THE LEGAL AND PHYSICAL LANDSCAPE HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.

GRANTING THE WAIVER REQUEST NOW IS THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS SUBMITTED BY THE OPPOSITION TO THIS WAIVER.

IF NOT GRANTED, A WAIVER TORCHY'S WILL HAVE TO EXPLORE OTHER ALTERNATIVES.

A LIKELY ALTERNATIVE IS TORCHY'S BECOMING A BRING YOUR OWN BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENT.

AS SUCH, THERE WOULD BE VIRTUALLY NO RESTRICTIONS ON HOURS.

ALCOHOL COULD BE CONSUMED ON THE PROPERTY, THUS DEFEATING THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF THE OPPOSITION, WHICH ARE OTHERWISE ADDRESSED BY APPROPRIATE RESTRICTIONS OUTLINED IN OUR REQUEST TODAY.

NEARBY ESTABLISHMENTS, UNLIKE 10 YEARS AGO, WITH A LIQUOR LICENSE, MAY READILY SELL BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR TO GO WITH FEW RESTRICTIONS TO GO.

ALCOHOL SIGNIFICANTLY FACILITATES THE PROVISION OF ALCOHOL AT A-B-Y-O-B ESTABLISHMENT.

THE COST OF COMMERCIAL RENT ON SOUTH CONGRESS HAS SKYROCKETED IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, RESULTING IN MANY ICONIC RETAIL STORES, RESTAURANTS AND MUSIC VENUES PERMANENTLY CLOSE.

THESE LOCATIONS ARE LATER BEING REOPENED BY HIGH-END FASHION BRANDS, NATIONAL CHAIN RESTAURANTS, OR TORN DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR OTHER CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT.

WHEN TORCHY'S MOVED INTO THE SOUTH CONGRESS LOCATION, WE RENOVATED AN ICONIC AUSTIN BUILDING, PRESERVING THE LOCATION FOR THE FUTURE THAT CANNOT BE SAID FOR FUTURE TENANTS.

CURRENT REVENUE STREAMS SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT THE RENTAL RATES OF 10 YEARS AGO WHILE PROVIDING VISITORS, THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS IN AFFORDABLE EATERY OPTION TODAY WILL NOT SUSTAIN THE FUTURE EXPENSE OF OPERATING ON SOUTH CONGRESS.

ALL RESTAURANTS IN AUSTIN AND EVERYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE NOW BURDENED WITH EVALUATING WHETHER OR NOT A LEASE EXTENSION CAN OR SHOULD BE EXERCISED BASED ON THE BUSINESS AND REVENUE GENERATED.

TORCHY'S WILL HAVE TO UNDERGO THIS EXERCISE FOR ITS SOUTH CONGRESS LOCATION WHEN THE LEASE COMES UP FOR RENEWAL.

WHEN THAT TIME COMES, IF TORCHY'S CANNOT JUSTIFY THE EXPENSE TO OPERATE, THE LOCATION WILL HAVE TO BE CLOSED.

THIS IS THE UNFORTUNATE DECISION TORCHY'S HAD TO MAKE JUST WITHIN THE LAST FEW WEEKS RELATED TO OUR SECOND BRICK AND MORTAR LOCATION, UM, OVER ON GUADALUPE STREET.

SO SAD TO SAY,

[03:15:01]

FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR, THE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE'VE PROPOSED DO PROTECT STUDENT SAFETY.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS.

THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP AT THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 35, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

WE'RE, UH, WE WE'RE ASKING A QUESTION, BUT I I WANT TO ASK ABOUT YOUR THREAT, SO WHY DON'T YOU COME FORWARD? UH, SO YOU THREATENED TO EITHER CLOSE OR TO TURN IT INTO THE WILD WILD WEST OF BYOB.

NO THREAT, SIR.

OH, SURE.

UM, YOU SAID IT WITH A SMILE THOUGH.

THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD THING.

UM, TELL ME HOW THE LAW, HOW YOU INTERPRET THE LAW THAT ALLOWS YOU TO GET AROUND THE WAIVER BY OPENING A-B-Y-O-B ESTABLISHMENT.

SO THE SERVICE RESTRICTIONS DO NOT EXIST FOR A-B-Y-O-B ESTABLISHMENT RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO US BIRDS BARBERSHOP, THEY GIVE AWAY ALCOHOL EVERY DAY.

SO THE SAME STUDENTS THAT COME AND ENJOY OUR FOOD AFTER SCHOOL, IF THEY GO TO BIRD'S BARBERSHOP RIGHT NOW TO GET A HAIRCUT, THERE'S ALCOHOL BEING HANDED OUT.

AND AND YOU SUGGEST THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S A-B-Y-O-B.

WHAT? THAT'S NOT A-B-Y-O-B IN THAT INSTANCE.

UM, THAT IS ONE, YES.

SORRY.

IT'S, I APOLOGIZE.

SO THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN A TURNING IT INTO A-B-Y-O-B ESTABLISHMENT.

SO WE HAVE ALSO CONSIDERED THE POSSIBILITY, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF GIVING AWAY ALCOHOL SIMILARLY TO HAVING A-B-Y-O-B ESTABLISHMENT.

THE RESTRICTIONS RELATED TO SELLING ALCOHOL DO NOT APPLY TO GIVING IT AWAY.

SO YOUR ANSWER TO NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD TO BE ON CONGRESS IS EITHER TO SELL ALCOHOL OR GIVE IT AWAY FOR FREE.

IT IS ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER AS WE LOOK FOR OPTIONS TO INCREASE REVENUE.

I'M NOT, MAYBE I'M NOT, I NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT RETAIL, BUT IF I CAN'T AFFORD TO BE SOMEPLACE BECAUSE I'M NOT SELLING ENOUGH FOOD, HOW DOES IT HELP ME TO GIVE AWAY ALCOHOL? THE TOURIST POPULATION AS WELL AS THE LOCAL POPULATION THAT COMES DOWN TO SOUTH CONGRESS.

SO YOU USUALLY INCENTIVIZE THEM TO COME EAT YOUR TACO? CORRECT.

ALRIGHT.

DO YOU HAVE AN ANSWER? OKAY.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

WHO, WHO DO WE CALL UP YOUR HONOR? LOPEZ.

MS. LOPEZ, COULD YOU COME FORWARD? YES.

SO YOU HEARD THE THREAT.

TELL ME HOW THAT WORKS OUT IN THE LAW.

UH, ERICA LOPEZ, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, UM, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A-B-O-A-B IS NI THINK I'LL, I'LL NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.

SORRY.

UM, BUT LET ME, LET ME ASK A QUESTION OF, OF THE CITY ATTORNEY IF, IF WE WANT, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THERE MAY BE A LOOPHOLE THAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE A, AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS WE DON'T WANT TO SELL, WE, WE DON'T WANT TO SELL ALCOHOL WITHIN A CERTAIN DISTANCE FROM THE SCHOOL, BUT THE WAY TO GET AROUND THAT IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T WANNA PLAY BY THE RULES, IS YOU CREATE A-B-Y-O-B ESTABLISHMENT.

AND IF YOU, OR IF YOU DON'T WANNA PLAY BY THE RULES, WHAT YOU DO IS YOU JUST GIVE AWAY FREE ALCOHOL, WHICH, UH, REALLY FLIES IN THE FACE OF AN ORDINANCE THAT IS TRYING TO CREATE A VARIANCE A NEAR A SCHOOL.

AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, I DIDN'T FEEL NEARLY AS BAD ABOUT THIS UNTIL, UH, IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS, FRANKLY.

SO WE GET TO SEE WHAT TORCHY'S IS REALLY ABOUT.

UM, IF, IF I MAY, JUST ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE CONCEPT OF GIVING AWAY ALCOHOL IS NOT ONE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO LEAN INTO AND TO BE VERY CLEAR, WE WANT TO SELL ALCOHOL IN COMPLIANCE WITH CITY AND STATE REGULATIONS.

UM, THAT IS OUR STRONG PREFERENCE.

YOU'RE ASKING FOR A VARIANCE OF CITY REGULATIONS, CORRECT? CORRECT.

THAT'S NOT THE THING WITH, WITH RESTRICTIONS.

UM, WHEN YOU GIVE AWAY ALCOHOL, UH, THERE YOU ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE IT AWAY TO ANYBODY OF AGE WHO COMES IN.

AND SO THERE IS FAR LESS OPPORTUNITY TO CONTROL THAT SITUATION.

UM, AND A LOT OF HOTELS HAVE FOUND THAT TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR HAPPY HOUR GIVEAWAYS.

SO WE HAVE EXPLORED THAT JUST THE SAME WAY WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US.

CITY CODE PROVISIONS ABOUT BYOB DO NOT APPLY TO A RESTAURANT.

UM, Y Y'ALL ACT LIKE YOU, YOU GOT SOMETHING YOU WANNA SAY, TRISH LINK WITH A LAW DEPARTMENT.

UM, OUR

[03:20:01]

AND THEN, SO IF THERE'S NOT CITY CODE AND THEY'RE NOT REGULATED BY TABC, THEN THEY WILL BE UNREGULATED AND THEY WILL FOLLOW, THEY WILL HAVE THE EXCEPTION THAT YOU'RE OR LOOPHOLE AS YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.

OKAY, WELL, WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT.

YES.

ALRIGHT, FURTHER DISCUSSION.

I, I WAS JUST GONNA SUGGEST THAT, I MEAN, IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC THAT WE FOUND OURSELVES WITH A LOOPHOLE, BUT WE WANNA AVOID PEOPLE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT, ESPECIALLY TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

AND SO I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN CLOSING THAT LOOPHOLE.

UH, YES, COUNCIL MEMBER VALA.

JUST A, A QUICK QUESTION.

UH, BOTH MY KIDS WENT TO FULL MORE THAN LIVELY.

UM, MAGNOLIA CAFE SELLS BEER AND WINE AND MAGNOLIA CAFE IS RIGHT ACROSS IS I I, AND I'M, I'M WORKING FROM MEMORY.

I HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE MAGNOLIA CAFE IN, UH, ON SOUTH CONGRESS IN, IN A LONG TIME.

THE, THE COUNCIL'S NOT GONNA HAVE A DISCUSSION.

WE'RE NOT GONNA TURN IT INTO A FREE FOR ALL.

APPRECIATE, I'M HAVE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION.

WELL, WE, WE HAVE PEOPLE TO DO THAT.

OKAY, WELL, THANK YOU.

UH, AND AGAIN, I'M WORKING FROM MEMORY HERE, BUT, UH, HOW WOULD THEY BE ALLOWED TO SELL BEER AND WINE WHEN, UH, TORCHY'S NOT? SO THEY WOULD'VE HAD A LICENSE BEFORE OR COUNSEL WOULD'VE GRANTED A WAIVER AND SO THEY MAY HAVE BEEN GRANDFATHERED IN, UH, AS A, AS A PREDECESSOR TO THE CITY ORDINANCE? NO, IT'S ACTUALLY THE STATE, UH, THAT, THAT CITY ORDINANCE PIECE, BUT THAT WE WERE ALLOWED TO ADOPT UNDER STATE LAW.

UHHUH.

AND JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, DO YOU KNOW WHEN THAT LAW WAS PASSED? IT HAS BEEN QUITE SOME TIME, YEAH.