[00:00:04]
IT'S LIKE A SERIOUS LOCKDOWN
[Call to Order]
AUSTIN ISDS BOARD AUDITORIUM FOR THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING.TODAY'S MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST LIVE ON A ISD TV CHANNEL 22 ON SPECTRUM AND CHANNEL 99 ON AT T UVERSE AS THE BOARD PRESIDENT FOR AUSTIN, ISD.
I WILL SERVICE TODAY'S PROSCI PRESIDING OFFICER AND I CALL TO, I CALL THE MEETING OF THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE TO ORDER AT, UH, 11:43 AM SO, UH, WOULD YOU ALL PLEA, UH, WOULD THE ELECTEDS PLEASE, UM, SAY YOUR NAMES ALI LUGO AT LARGE PLACE EIGHT.
ALS MALTER CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 10, BRIDGET CHE, TRAVIS COUNTY, BRIDGET CHE, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT TWO.
RYAN AL ALTER, CITY OF AUSTIN, DISTRICT FIVE.
UH, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER PRECINCT ONE.
UM, AND MYSELF, UM, ARTIE, SAY PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN IC SCHOOL BOARD.
SO WE'LL START WITH PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NOPE.
[II. Approval of Minutes]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR OCTOBER 7TH, 2024.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
MOTION BY, UH, UH, MR. TRA ACCOUNT COMMISSIONER TRAIAN, UH, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SHEA.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
THE MOTION IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[III. Recognition of Outgoing JSC Members]
OFF WITH RECOGNIZING TWO OF OUR VERY VALUABLE MEMBERS AND DEAR FRIENDS OF MINE.UM, THESE TWO MEMBERS OF THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE, UM, DO NOT RUN FOR REELECTION.
UM, AND, BUT THEY HAVE MADE SUCH A LASTING IMPACT ON THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE IN OUR CITY.
ALISON ALTER AND, UH, NOLITA LUGO.
SO ALLISON HERE HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, UM, CHAMPIONING OUR PRIME TIME, UH, OUTTA SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM, THE VICTORY TUTORIAL TUTORIAL PROGRAM, AND PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS.
THROUGH THESE PROGRAM, THOUGH THESE PROGRAMS DO NOT OPERATE IN YOUR DISTRICT, UM, YOU HAVE PUSHED FOR INCREASED FUNDING AND GETTING SUPPORT IN THE CITY BUDGET RATHER THAN HAVE THEM APPLY FOR FUNDING EVERY YEAR.
THAT HAS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR US.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER HAS ALSO HELPED SPEARHEAD EFFORTS TO EXPAND AFFORDABLE HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE.
I KNOW THAT HAS BEEN A PASSION PROJECT FOR YOU FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, AND I'M JUST SO PROUD, UM, AND AMAZED AT THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND ACTUALLY PULLING THIS OFF, THAT IS AN AMAZING, AMAZING LEGACY.
UM, THE PASSAGE OF TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, PROP A, WE'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT THAT MORE, BUT IT DEFINITELY WOULD'VE NOT HAPPENED WITHOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR VISION FOR DOING WHAT MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY WOULD'VE THOUGHT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.
UM, YOU'VE ALSO JUST BEEN SUCH AN IMPORTANT ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION THROUGH JUST FUND IT, UM, YOUR AMAZING CHILDREN ALSO BEING PART OF, YOU KNOW, THAT EFFORT AND YOUR WHOLE FAMILY REALLY JUST BEING SO IMPORTANT TO THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND AUSTIN, ISD.
UM, SO JUST THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER.
UH, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE I CAN SAY ABOUT YOU, BUT I'M GONNA MISS YOU A LOT.
BUT, UM, NOW I'LL, OH, AND YOU GET SOME FLOWERS TOO FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
AND, UM, AND THERE WILL BE A MOMENT FOR EVERYONE TO SAY THEIR PIECE, BUT NOW I GOTTA MOVE TO MY, MY FRIEND NOLITA LUGO.
UM, AND Y'ALL, I MET NOLITA IN 2019 WHEN THERE IS A LOT OF TUMULTUOUS THINGS HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT, AND SHE IS ONE OF THE MOST SPIRITED, UM, ACTIVISTS I HAVE EVER MET.
AND AT THAT TIME I WAS LIKE, YOU NEED TO RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD.
AND IT IS BECAUSE OF YOUR DETERMINATION, YOUR INTELLIGENCE, UM, YOUR HEART.
YOU BRING EVERY PIECE OF YOUR SOUL TO THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, YOU'VE JUST BEEN SUCH A VALUABLE MEMBER OF THE A SD SCHOOL BOARD.
MY, MY SISTER, UM, AND THE AT LARGE POSITION,
UM, YOU'VE JUST, WE'VE DONE SO MUCH GOOD WORK TOGETHER.
UM, YOU JOINED THE BOARD FOUR YEARS AGO AND CHAIRED OUR BOARD AUDIT COMMITTEE.
TRUSTEE LUGO IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPASSIONATE AND PRAGMATIC MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD.
UM, SHE'S A GREAT CHAMPION FOR STUDENT SUCCESS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, WHETHER IT BE COLLEGE CERTIFICATION OR LEARNING A TRADE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE AD ADVOCATING FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS.
UM, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT, WE TALK ABOUT STUDENTS WHO TYPICALLY
[00:05:01]
DON'T GET THE ATTENTION THEY NEED.UM, THE KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED, YOU ARE ALWAYS A RELIABLE ADVOCATE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING THEM AT THE TABLE WHEN WE MAKE BIG DECISIONS.
SPEAKING OF AMAZING ADVOCATES, UM, WHILE SHE'S NOT WITH US TODAY, I ALSO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ELIA SATA, WHO ROLLED OFF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN NOVEMBER, BUT SERVED ON THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE THE LAST TWO YEARS.
TRUSTEE SAHA HAS BEEN A LONG BEEN A CHAMPION OF THE COLLABORATIVE WORK OF ELECTED LEADERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND THE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS OF AUSTIN.
AND WE KNOW SHE'LL CONTINUE HER ADVOCACY EVEN OFF OF THE A ISD BOARD.
SHE WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS ADVOCATING FOR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS THAT WERE DISCUSSED, UM, BY THIS COMMITTEE.
AND SHE HAS BEEN AN EARLY SUPPORTER OF VICTORY TUTORS AND PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER PRIOR TO BE, PRIOR TO BEING A TRUSTEE.
WE KNOW SHE HAS BEEN A CRITICAL PIECE OF THE, UM, THE SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM AND A WONDERFUL ADVOCATE WITH THAT.
AND SHE'S REALLY JUST CONTINUED TO PUSH OUR WORK AS PART OF THE JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO, UM, LET'S GIVE, UH, TRUSTEE LUGO, HER FLOWERS YOUR HAIR, SO I LOVE IT.
UM, I'M GONNA START WITH ALLISON 'CAUSE I'VE, UM, HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING WITH ALLISON.
UH, AND I, I REALLY, YOU, YOU EMPHASIZED IT, BUT I I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE, UH, REPEATED.
UM, OFTEN THE CHILDCARE, AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE INITIATIVE WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT ALLISON'S LEADERSHIP.
SHE PIONEERED, SHE, SHE PURSUED THIS AND LED IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, UH, WAS SORT OF A WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS AND GOT GRANT FUNDING, UM, AND LOTS OF, UH, REALLY SMART, THOUGHTFUL PEOPLE TO HELP DESIGN IT.
UH, AND SHE NAVIGATED, UM, WHEN I WAS PUSHING BACK AND ASKING TOUGH QUESTIONS AND SAYING, LOOK, WE HAVE A REALLY LEAN DEPARTMENT AT THE COUNTY DEPART.
WE, UH, THIS IS A LOT FOR US TO MANAGE, BUT YOU PERSISTED, UM, AND PUT TOGETHER A PHENOMENAL, UH, COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT.
UM, AND SO I, I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU HUGE CREDIT FOR THIS 'CAUSE THIS WILL BE TRANSFORMATIONAL.
I THINK HISTORIANS WILL LOOK BACK AT THIS TIME IN OUR HISTORY AND NOTE HOW WE LITERALLY ALTERED THE FUTURE FOR SO MANY POOR FAMILIES WHOSE KIDS WOULD OTHERWISE NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS QUALITY CHILDCARE.
I I, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
AND WE, WE WILL OWE YOU A DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR GENERATIONS.
AND I REMEMBER ALITA, WHEN WE WERE ALL KIND OF, I'LL JUST SAY HORRIFIED AT SOME OF THE PROPOSALS, UM, AT THE SCHOOL BOARD UNDER A PREVIOUS BOARD AND PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
AND A BUNCH OF US SHOWED UP AND MET EACH OTHER AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, UM, TO OBJECT TO WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I REMEMBER THINKING AT THE SAME TIME, NO ALTA SHOULD RUN FOR OFFICE.
I THINK WE EVEN SAID THAT YOU SHOULD RUN FOR A SCHOOL BOARD.
SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE YOU'VE BEEN A HUGE ADVOCATE FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO ADVOCATE, UH, SO WELL FOR THEMSELVES.
WE OWE YOU A DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR THAT AS WELL.
MAYBE WE COULD BE HERE ALL DAY IF
AND ALWAYS JUST WHETHER IT'S, IT'S THE HEART OR THE MIND, RIGHT? ALLISON BRINGS IT ALL.
UM, YOU CAN ALWAYS COUNT THAT SHE'S DONE HER HOMEWORK, THAT SHE'S WOULDN'T, WHEN SHE STANDS UP TO FIGHT FOR SOMETHING, IT'S BECAUSE NOT ONLY SHE'S LOOKED AT IT, BUT SHE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
UM, AND OF COURSE, IN THIS SETTING, YOU KNOW, THE CHILDREN OF AUSTIN, WHETHER FROM A SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE OR A CHILDCARE PERSPECTIVE, ARE GOING TO BE BETTER OFF BECAUSE OF THE WORK YOU'VE DONE.
AND SO IT'S JUST BEEN SUCH A PRIVILEGE.
WISH IT COULD HAVE BEEN LONGER THAN TWO YEARS, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES.
UM, AND I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW NTA OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND JUST, YOU KNOW, YOUR WORK SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
THE THE PASSION YOU HAVE FOR IT.
AND WHEN WE WERE AS AN OFFICE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT CONTINUE TO DO SOME COMMUNITY, UH, OUTREACH AND, AND HELP WITH THE BOND PROCESS THAT THE CITY'S GOING THROUGH, I THOUGHT MAYBE NOLITA WILL WILL AGREE.
[00:10:01]
DID.SHE'S A SHE'S YOU WITH THAT, THAT DOWN.
SO I, I JUST COULDN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR CONTINUING TO JUST INVEST IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND, AND BE WILLING TO GIVE YOUR TIME, WHICH IS, AS YOU KNOW, APPARENT, I KNOW HOW PRECIOUS THAT TIME REALLY IS.
SO APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO FOR ALL OF AUSTIN, BUT NOW, ESPECIALLY FOR DISTRICT FIVE.
SO I, I OFTEN WONDERED HOW A SISTER AND BROTHER GOT ON COUNCIL AT THE SAME TIME,
BUT, UH, BUT I'LL SAY THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SOME OF US, A LOT OF US, UM, UNAPOLOGETICALLY SUPPORT POLICIES THAT HELP MOVE COMMUNITIES OUT OF POVERTY, UH, THAT, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, WE HAVE NOT HAD EQUITY, THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD FAIRNESS AND GO TO THE MAT WHEN FOLKS SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN'T AFFORD THAT.
YOU KNOW, UM, SOME, SOMEBODY WHO I KNOW TO BE VERY AFFLUENT SAID, WELL, YOU'RE GONNA PUSH ME OUTTA MY HOUSE.
I'M LIKE, WELL, IF YOU ARE LOSING YOUR HOUSE, EVERYBODY'S LOSING THERE.
UM, THE THE POINT IS, WE ARE NOT LOSING OUR HOMES.
WE'RE MAKING IT POSSIBLE, UH, FOR OUR YOUTH TO, TO GET SECURE LEARNING CARE FOR THEM TO, UH, HAVE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS BECAUSE OUR KIDS THAT ARE IN PROGRAMS AND NOT OUR KIDS THAT ARE IN TROUBLE, AND FOR US TO HELP FOLLOW THEM THROUGH SCHOOL TO WORK, UH, THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DEDICATED YOURSELF TO IS HONORABLE AND NECESSARY AND OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD.
AND, UH, CONSIDER YOU BOTH ALLIES IN THE PROCESS FOR HELPING PEOPLE WHO, UM, WHO ARE ONLY LOOKING FOR, UH, ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
SO THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DEDICATED YOUR, YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIVES TO THE TIME THAT YOU'VE DEDICATED, TAKEN FROM YOUR FAMILY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, HAS TRULY DONE WHAT WE AS PUBLIC SERVANTS MUST TRY TO DO, WHICH IS SERVE THE LEAST OF THESE, SERVE THOSE WHO, UH, WHO WITH THE PROPER RESOURCES WILL COME AND DO POSITIVE THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT WE'LL BUILD OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE BUILD IT TOGETHER.
AND YOU ALL HAVE BEEN A PART OF THAT PROCESS AND SO APPRECIATIVE OF YOU.
AND I'M SURE THAT WE'LL FIND WAYS TO WORK TOGETHER AS WE GO FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO GIVE US PUBLIC COMMENT AT ANY FUTURE JFC MEETING.
SO, UM, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS PROPOSITION
[IV. Proposition A Implementation]
A IMPLEMENTATION.AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THERE WERE TWO PROP A, UM, BUT WE ARE VERY HAPPY THAT BOTH TRAVIS COUNTY AND A ISD PROP A WERE APPROVED BY OUR VOTERS BY QUITE A LARGE MARGIN.
SO, UM, THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE TRUST THAT THE PUBLIC HAS IN OUR ENTITIES AND THE VALUE THAT WE PLACE ON EDUCATION.
SO EACH ENTITY HAS PREPARED A PRESENTATION AND WE WILL START WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND WE HAVE CORY CORY DARLING, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND PLANNING DIVISION, AND, UH, KATHY MACHOR, THE PLANNING PROJECT MANAGER, BOTH WITH TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
PUT YOUR MICROPHONE ON YEAH, GREEN BUTTON WHEN IT TURNS GREEN.
AND THEN IS THE PRESENTATION PULLED UP? PERFECT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
UM, AS WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, VERY EXCITING NEWS THAT BUILDING ON, UM, MANY YEARS OF WORK BY PROVIDERS, LEADERS AND ADVOCATES, THE VOTERS DID APPROVE, UM, THE 2.50 CENT TAX RATE, UH, INCREASE THAT WILL GENERATE $75 MILLION FOR CHILDCARE AND AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING.
AND I'VE PUT THIS UP HERE JUST SO, UM, THIS MIRRORS THE BALLOT LANGUAGE.
AND THE BALLOT LANGUAGE WAS DESIGNED SO THAT WE CAN, UM, MAKE SURE THAT IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THE VARIOUS PIECES OF THE, UM, PROGRAM LINED WITH THE COUNTY STATUTE.
[00:15:01]
IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING THE SPECIFIC CHILDCARE AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING, WE'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THIS PROGRAM AS A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS, UM, THE CHILDCARE CENTERS AND THE SYSTEM OVERALL.SO THE FOUR STRATEGIES THAT WERE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE PROPOSAL WILL DEFINITELY SERVE AS THE BASELINE AS WE ARE DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THE, UH, CHILDCARE AND AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, THE LARGEST COMPONENT, OF COURSE, IS EXPANDING SLOTS, BOTH FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS TO ZERO TO THREE, AND FOR AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING FOR PRE-K THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
UM, THE SECOND STRATEGY IS EXPANDING NON-TRADITIONAL HOURS CARE DURING MORNINGS, EVENINGS, AND WEEKENDS.
UM, STRATEGY THREE IS A KIND OF A LAR UH, A STRATEGY THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
UM, THINGS THAT OVERALL EXPAND THE QUALITY AND THE CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEM.
UM, THINGS LIKE ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT, TRAINING AND EDUCATION, UM, FOR PROVIDERS.
AND IT ALSO INCLUDES A GAP FUNDING MEASURE THAT HELPS PAY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE EXISTING SUBSIDY SLOTS AND THE NEW SLOTS.
SO IT'LL BE COM CREATED UNDER THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEN THE FOURTH STRATEGY IS A BUSINESS GOVERNMENT ALLIANCE FOR BUSINESS CONTRIBUTIONS TO, UM, CHILDCARE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT THOSE WILL BE MATCHED BY THE PUBLIC TRAVIS COUNTY FUNDS.
WE ARE FOCUSED RIGHT NOW ON SEVERAL ASPECTS OF REALLY BUILDING UP, UM, FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, ONE OF THE REALLY KEY THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO NEED TO HIRE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT THE COUNTY'S WORK.
UM, THIS LOOKS, AND YOU'LL SEE ON THIS SLIDE THAT, UM, THERE'S SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE SLOT, UM, SOME OF THE D DIAGRAM HAS OUTLINES AROUND IT.
AND IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS, THAT'S WHERE WE'LL BE, UM, HIRING THE STAFF.
AND SO WE'LL BE HIRING HHS PRO PROGRAM STAFF, A MANAGER PLANNERS THAT WILL PLAN THE PROGRAM, UM, A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST AND ALSO SOMEONE TO SUPPORT COMMUNICATION.
WE'LL ALSO BE HIRING STAFF TO ENSURE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE, IN OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT, IN THE COUNTY'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND IN OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, HIRING STAFF AROUND THE COUNTY TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, HAVE THE RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM.
ANOTHER KEY STARTUP, UM, STEP THAT WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, WE'LL BE, WELL, RIGHT NOW WE'RE PLANNING LISTENING SESSIONS IN EARLY 2025.
WE WILL BE GETTING ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK ON THE STRATEGIES AND GETTING INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HAVE THAT INPUT TO INFORM PROGRAM DESIGN.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON THE DESIGN, UH, FOR AN ADVISORY COUNCIL.
AND THE ADVISORY COUNCIL WILL BE IMPORTANT WAY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO INCORPORATE COMMUNITY VOICE INTO THE PLANNING AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE FUNDS IN AN ONGOING WAY.
FINALLY, WE'RE WORKING ON A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL CALLING IT PROP A OR THE TRE.
AND SO REALLY IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE NAME AND THE BRANDING WILL BE FOR THE, THE PROGRAM.
UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING STAKEHOLDERS UPDATED ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION, ABOUT THESE FUNDS THAT THEY APPROVED.
AND ALSO WHEN SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE, MAKING SURE THERE'S INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE SERVICES.
WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM USING A PHASED APPROACH DURING 2025 AND 2026.
UM, WE'RE DOING THIS IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE FIRST WAY IS WE'RE LOOKING AT NEAR TERM INVESTMENTS.
AND SO THIS IS EXPLORING HOW WE CAN EXPAND EXISTING CON COUNTY CONTRACTS TO BEGIN PROVIDING SERVICES IN 2025.
UM, AND WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON THE LONGER TERM PLANNING TO DESIGN PROGRAMS AND THEN BE ABLE TO PROCURE SERVICES IN THE FOUR STRATEGIES.
AND WE EXPECT THAT WORK WILL START NOW, BUT THE SERVICES WILL BEGIN IN 2026.
AND WE'LL DO THIS THROUGH SORT OF A SEVERAL STEP PHASE.
UM, THE FIRST IS LOOKING AT REFINING THE PROGRAM DESIGN, UM, USING THE OUTLINES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN CREATED THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS.
WE ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK TO TALK TO OTHER COMMUNITIES SO WE CAN LEARN FROM THEIR SUCCESSES AND THEIR LESSONS LEARNED.
AND THERE WE'RE ALSO, OF COURSE, SEEKING COMMUNITY INPUT ON, ON WHAT THE PROGRAMS NEED TO LOOK LIKE TO REALLY MEET THE NEEDS OF, OF FAMILIES AND THE PROVIDERS.
ONCE WE DO ALL THAT, WE'LL BE SEEKING APPROVAL OF ANY PROGRAM POLICIES FROM OUR COMMISSIONER'S COURT, UM, AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN PLANNING FOR PROCUREMENT.
WE'LL DEVELOP THE SCOPES OF WORK FOR THE SERVICES WE'RE SEEKING TO PURCHASE.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS WORKING WITH OUR PURCHASING OFFICE TO RELEASE THE SOLICITATIONS,
[00:20:02]
TO EVALUATE THE SOLICITATIONS, TO SELECT OUR VENDORS, AND THEN OF COURSE, NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE CONTRACTS.AND WE'LL BE LOOKING BOTH FOR AN ADMINISTRATOR TO OVERSEE KIND OF THE OVERARCHING CHILDCARE PROGRAM AND DO THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK ON THE GROUND FOR THAT PROGRAM, INCLUDING ENROLLING PROVIDERS, DOING ELIGIBILITY FOR PA FOR FAMILIES, MAKING THE PAYMENTS.
WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS AND A THIRD PARTY EVALUATOR.
UM, ONCE A PROGRAM IS UP AND RUNNING, WE REALLY HOPE THAT THIS WILL BE A PROGRAM THAT IS SORT, GOES UNDER A CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROCESS.
SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECT, THE PROGRAM MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY IN AN ONGOING WAY.
UM, THE WAY THAT IT WILL OPERATE IS THAT SELECTED CONTRACTORS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
COUNTY STAFF WILL OVERSEE AND MANAGE THE CONTRACTS.
WE'LL HAVE A THIRD PARTY EVALUATOR WHO WILL EVALUATE THE PROGRAMS AND BE ABLE TO REPORT BACK OUTCOMES TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
AND AS I MENTIONED, WE'LL REALLY LOOK TO ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MAXIMIZE OUR RESOURCES, IDENTIFY GAPS IN SERVICES, PREVENT DUPLICATION, AND ALSO REFINE THE STRATEGIES AS NEEDED.
'CAUSE WE KNOW THE CHA THE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW MIGHT CHANGE, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE ROAD AS FEDERAL POLICY CHANGES, AS OTHER THINGS SHIFT.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN CONTINUOUSLY ADAPT AND MEET THOSE NEEDS.
AND OUR LAST SLIDE IS SORT OF THE 10,000 FOOT, UH, LOOK AT WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, RIGHT NOW WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON STAFFING, UM, STAFFING UP SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO FULLY DO THIS WORK.
UM, SO OUR TARGET IS TO HAVE STAFF HIRED BY, IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, BY APRIL, 2025.
WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT OUR NEAR TERM INVESTMENTS THAT I MENTIONED BY EXPANDING CURRENT CONTRACTS BY THE SUMMER OF 2025.
WE HOPE THAT OUR COMMUNITY INPUT PROCESS WILL BE COMPLETED ANALYZED.
WE'LL HAVE ALL THE RESEARCH WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE FINAL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND SEEK COMMISSIONER'S COURT APPROVAL BY THE SUMMER THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BEGIN RELEASING SOLICITATIONS FOR SERVICES IN FALL 2025.
AND THAT PROCESS DOES TEND TO TAKE BETWEEN NINE TO 12 MONTHS, THE, THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
AND SO WE HOPE THAT WE WOULD THEN HAVE OUR FIRST CONTRACTS IN PLACE BY NEXT SUMMER.
UM, JUNE, 2026, WE, WE WOULD BE FOCUSING FIRST ON THE CHILDCARE SLOTS AND PERHAPS SOME OTHER COMPONENTS AS WELL.
BUT THAT'S ONE THAT WE KNOW WE WOULD BE PRIORITIZING.
UM, AND THEN OUR TARGET IS TO HAVE ALL CONTRACTS IN PLACE FOR ALL FOUR STRATEGIES BY THE END OF OF 2026.
SO THAT IS, UM, KIND OF A SUMMARY FROM OF HOW WE ARE LOOKING TO WORK OVER THE NEXT MONTHS AND HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM.
AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, SO ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR PRESENTERS? YES.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, THE GOAL FOR THE NEAR TERM INVESTMENTS? I KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF, UM, IMPATIENCE, I THINK, TO GET THE PROGRAM STARTED.
UM, WE WILL HAVE A BUDGET, UM, STARTING VERY SOON.
UM, SO CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE THINKING ON THE NEAR, NEAR TERM, UM, INVESTMENTS AND UTILIZING EXISTING CONTRACTS? YES, THANKS, COMMISSIONER SHEA.
BUT RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE EXPLORING THE CONTRACTS THAT THE COUNTY HAS IN CHILDCARE AS WELL AS, UM, SEVERAL THAT WE HAVE IN AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING AND WORKING THROUGH, UM, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE BOTH ON THE COUNTY SIDE AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THOSE PROVIDERS TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE SERVICES THAT THEY ARE, ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDING FOR THE COUNTY, BUT JUST PROVIDE MORE OF THEM.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT'S LOOKING LIKE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER? SIMILAR, IN THAT VEIN THAT KIND OF POPPED IN MY HEAD, LOOKING AT THAT TIMELINE, YOU'VE GOT TWO YEARS ABOUT $150 MILLION WORTH OF REVENUE, NOT NECESSARILY FULL BUILD OUT, SO NOT 150 MILLION WORTH OF SPEND.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THE CITY HAS A NUMBER OF CHILDCARE CONTRACTS, I IMAGINE A ISD, SIMILAR STORY.
SO WHEN Y'ALL ARE LOOKING IN JUST THAT NEAR TERM TIMELINE, ARE YOU LOOKING SOLELY AT COUNTY CONTRACTS OR ARE YOU LOOKING AT, AND EVEN BEYOND THE BODIES HERE, OTHER MAYBE PRIVATE, UM, PROVIDERS TO, I I'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM PEOPLE OF, IF, YOU KNOW, WHEN ARE WE GONNA SEE RESULTS FROM THIS? AND IF IT'S YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THERE IS A LOT OF IMPATIENCE, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW Y'ALL ARE GONNA ADDRESS THAT.
I'LL, I'LL TAKE THAT IF THAT'S OKAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONTRACTS THAT WE'RE
[00:25:01]
TALKING ABOUT ARE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OTHER THAN, UM, THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, WITH THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE EXISTING PROGRAMS IN THIS SPACE, WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO DESIGN WHAT WE WOULD DO WITH YOU.HOW WOULD THAT WORK? PUT IT INTO AN ILA.
AND AS YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENT WORKS PRETTY SLOW.
AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS NOT HOLD ON TO MONEY, UM, FOR VERY LONG.
SO WHAT WE WANNA DO IS REALLY TARGET THE ONES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE THAT HAVE SCOPES OF WORK AND BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE A PRETTY BIG IMPACT RIGHT NOW WHERE WE CAN SERVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE VERY QUICKLY.
SO WE WANNA PUT THOSE TO WORK AND THOSE WILL BE THE PRIORITY, PUT THEM TO WORK RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT LESS TO DO THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD START WORKING IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS LIKE A ISD AND, AND THE, AND THE CITY TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO TOGETHER.
BUT WE REALLY NEED TO PRIORITIZE ON HOW CAN WE GET THE MONEY ON THE GROUND HELPING FAMILIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S WITH THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
CAN YOU SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SOME OF THOSE CONTRACTS? UM, I'M, I THINK I'M FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF 'EM, BUT JUST TO GIVE US AN EXAMPLE.
AND I, AND I REALIZE SERVING PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY ALSO BENEFITS PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND IN A ISD.
BUT IF YOU, IF YOU CAN JUST GIVE US SOME IDEA OF SOME OF THOSE.
WELL, OUR, OUR LARGEST, UH, CHILDCARE PROVIDER IN THE COUNTY IS WORKFORCE SOLUTION.
AND WE HAVE AN EXISTING CONTRACT WITH THEM.
AND SO WE, WE NEED TO, WE ARE STILL EXPLORING WHETHER WE CAN DO THIS OR NOT, WHETHER WE CAN PUT THESE FUNDS TOWARDS THAT ILA AND STILL MAKE A FEW CHANGES.
SO AS WE EXPLORE THAT, THAT REALLY WOULD BE THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK AND PUTTING PEOPLE, GIVING PEOPLE THE SERVICES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT TO EXPLORE IN THAT AREA.
AND THAT'S, THAT IS ONE ENTITY THAT HAS A VERY LARGE WAIT LIST FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET CHILDCARE SERVICES, A LARGE WAIT LIST, AND THEY CAN SERVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK.
AND I WANNA THANK, UM, COREY AND PILAR AND ALL THE STAFF AT TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEGUN AND THE WORK THAT YOU'LL BE DOING ON MAKING THIS A REALITY.
UM, I WANTED TO JUST PIGGYBACK ON WHAT PILAR JUST SAID.
WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE STRATEGIES IS TOPPING UP, UM, THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR THE SUBSIDIZED SLOTS CURRENTLY, WHICH IS HAPPENING THROUGH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS.
UM, AND WE HAVE THE CHILDCARE STUDY WHICH SAYS, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WE SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THE COST OF QUALITY.
UM, SO THEY HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THE LEGAL STEPS TO SEE WHETHER THE EXISTING CONTRACT, FOR INSTANCE, WOULD ALLOW THEM TO JUST RIGHT, RIGHT AWAY ADD MONEY TO WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR THEIR SUBSIDIZED RATES, WHICH WOULD HELP THOSE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS HAVE MORE LEEWAY AND MORE FLEXIBILITY.
UM, THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY, UM, DECIDED TO TAKE ON SUBSIDIZED SLOTS, UM, TO DO THAT.
AND THEN THERE WOULD BE THE OPTION, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY TO ADD MORE KIDS TO WHAT WE'RE COVERING THROUGH THAT SAME ILA.
BUT I THINK IT'S A, A QUESTION OF, OF WORKING THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT AND THE LEGAL ISSUES.
AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I THINK THE TWO OF YOU ARE NOT ON THE COMMITTEE THAT OVERSEES THAT FROM THE COMMISSION, BUT ANYTHING THAT YOU GUYS CAN DO TO HELP FACILITATE, UM, YOU KNOW, NAVIGATING THE LEGAL ISSUES, NAVIGATING THE PROCUREMENT ISSUES, AND NAVIGATING THE STAFFING ISSUES SO THAT THEY CAN STAFF UP QUICKLY SINCE WE HAVE DEDICATED FUNDING.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIND FUNDING, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT, UM, THOSE PROCESSES CAN BE PRIORITIZE AND ACCELERATED ON YOUR END FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE.
AND I DON'T, I'M NOT AT THE COUNTY, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.
I JUST KNOW IT FOR ANY ENTITY THAT'S AN ISSUE, BUT WHEN WE WANT TO AND CAN, WE CAN LEAN IN AND, AND, AND MOVE SOME OF THOSE OBSTACLES AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GREAT, GREAT PLACE TO DO THAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO, TO ADD IS THAT, UM, OUR CHILDREN'S FUNDING PROJECT COHORT, UM, IS STILL THERE AND WILLING AND ABLE AND INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING THE WORK AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AS IS THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION.
AND THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT THAT THEY WILL BE, UM, PROVIDING DIRECTLY WITH THE COUNTY STAFF, UM, AS WELL.
AND JUST WANNA INDICATE THAT FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS, AND, AND, AND MS. HAYDEN HOWARD CAN REITERATE THIS, BUT FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT NOW HAS, UM, PURVIEW OVER CHILDCARE.
UM, THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN HELPING AND ASSISTING, UM, AT ANY STAGE WHERE THAT HELP, UM, IS NEEDED.
SO PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE, UM, TO CALL ON, ON, ON CINDY GAMMET AND, AND CATHERINE SOBEL WHO ARE, WHO
[00:30:01]
ARE LEADING UP THAT WORK AT THE CITY.SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR HAVING THE COURAGE TO PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT.
AND I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU'VE ALREADY HIRED, UH, KATHY HOR, WHO BRINGS, UH, ENORMOUS EXPERIENCE FROM, UM, HER WORK AT SUCCESS BY SIX.
SO, UH, AND I THINK YOUR SCHEDULE HAD YOU HIRING NEW STAFF BY THE FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR.
SO YOU'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON THAT PROGRAM TO GET MOVING AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.
BUT I REALLY WANNA THANK KATHY FOR ALL HER WORK, AND I'M DELIGHTED THAT YOU'RE NOW WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.
WITHOUT KATHY, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
SO, UH, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
THE QUESTION I HAVE IS AROUND, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UH, I DIDN'T SEE ON THE MILESTONE SCHEDULE KIND OF WHEN THAT WOULD ACTUALLY COME TO FRUITION.
AND THEN JUST WANTING TO KNOW IF THERE'S A STRUCTURE THAT, UH, THE STAFF OR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE IN MIND REGARDING THE SIZE PLACEMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, STRATEGIC PARTNERS.
SO ANYTHING YOU COULD SHARE AT THIS POINT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO, UM, I WAS VERY SHOCKED WHEN I CAME TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY AS TO HOW, HOW SLOW CITY AND, AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT WORK.
UM, WE RECENTLY ESTABLISHED A PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, WHICH IS DOING WONDERFUL WORK, BUT IT TOOK US ABOUT A YEAR TO ESTABLISH.
AND SO AGAIN, WE HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO, UM, GET WORK DONE IMMEDIATELY, UH, AND IN THE SAME, AT THE SAME TIME, WORK TOWARDS PUTTING THAT ADVISORY COUNCIL IN PLACE.
WE'RE STILL RESEARCHING HOW OTHER ADVISORY COUNCILS FOR THIS TYPE OF WORK ARE FUNCTIONING IN OTHER CITIES SO THAT WE CAN RECOMMEND, UH, A GOOD, YOU KNOW, FORMAT, UH, UH, FOR, FOR THAT.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THE, THE RICHEST, UM, ADVICE THAT WE CAN GET IS HOW DOES THIS IMPACT THE MAIN STAKEHOLDERS OF THE PROGRAM? AND AS WE DESIGN THE PROGRAM, WHAT DO WE NEED TO CONSIDER? SO IN LIEU OF A FORMAL ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHAT WE'RE THINKING WE WILL DO IS WE WILL HAVE, UH, LARGE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS WHERE WE CAN BRING IN STAKEHOLDERS AND WE CAN POSE VERY SPECIFIC POLICY QUESTIONS, PROCESS QUESTIONS, AND HAVE THOSE STAKEHOLDERS ADVISE US, UM, AND TAKE A LOT OF THAT AND CONSIDERED AS WE CONTINUE TO DESIGN.
THEN FROM THERE, NARROW THAT DOWN TO A SMALLER NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO DESIGN AT THE SAME TIME WORKING ON THE, OF ESTABLISHING A FORMAL ADVISORY COUNCIL.
AND THEN, UM, HOPEFULLY HAVING AN ADVISORY COUNCIL.
DO YOU HAVE A ESTIMATED TIME? I DON'T THINK YET.
SO HAVING AN ADVISORY COUNCIL WITHIN A YEAR, UM, SIX MONTHS WOULD BE FANTASTIC.
I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN WITH SO MANY STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THIS.
AND SO I THINK THAT IT'LL BE GREAT TO BRING AS MANY STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER IN AN INFORMAL MANNER SO THAT WE CAN GAIN THEIR ADVICE AND THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THEIR INPUT, UM, UNTIL A FORMAL, UH, BODY CAN BE ESTABLISHED.
I, I HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS.
UM, SO ALONG THOSE LINES, UH, ACTUALLY, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS AROUND THE LISTENING SESSIONS AND AS I'M, UH, LISTENING TO Y'ALL TALK ABOUT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, PLANS FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, AND YOU TALK ABOUT STAKEHOLDERS, LIKE, IS THAT PRIMARILY PROVIDERS OR IS IT PROVIDERS PLUS FAMILIES? OKAY.
WHAT, WHAT WE'RE ENVISIONING IS, UM, SO FAR, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE THINK MIGHT BE IT, BUT THIS CAN EVOLVE AS WE LISTEN.
UM, WE, WE BELIEVE THAT IT NEEDS TO BE, AT THE VERY LEAST, UM, PROVIDERS, UH, PARENTS, UM, THE, UM, WE'VE INVITED EMPLOYERS, WHAT WE WANT TO INVITE EMPLOYERS, UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THE CITY, WE WANT THE CITY TO BE IN THE ADVISORY COUNCIL, UH, SOME COUNTY PEOPLE AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS,
UM, SO THERE'S A LONG LIST OF TYPE OF STAKEHOLDERS AND WE HAVE TO REALLY NARROW THAT DOWN TO A FUNCTIONING COMMITTEE.
UM, SO THOSE, THOSE ARE THE, YOU KNOW, THE INITIAL STARTING POINT FOR THE LISTENING SESSIONS.
AND THEN A QUICK QUESTION AROUND, UM, THE THIRD PARTY EVALUATOR, UM, ARE THOSE METRICS ALREADY, LIKE, ARE THE OF, OKAY, SO Y'ALL ARE STILL DEVELOPING WHAT THE EVALUATION WILL LOOK LIKE? CORRECT.
THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE THAT I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T PUT UP THERE, BUT WE DO NEED TO ALSO BE PLANNING THE EVALUATION.
I THINK THAT'S A PIECE THAT WE WOULD BE GETTING INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS AROUND AND LOOKING
[00:35:01]
AT WHAT WE EXACTLY WE WANNA INCLUDE, WHAT WE WANNA MEASURE, HOW OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS THIS WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL.AND THEN THAT WOULD BE PUT INTO A SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE THIRD PARTY EVALUATOR.
DO Y'ALL HAVE SOME INITIAL IDEAS? SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UM, PROVIDERS, YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL OF TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LOOKING AFTER KIDDOS, UM, TURNOVER RATES, UM, ENROLLMENT AND USAGE.
YOU KNOW, ARE PEOPLE RE-UPPING? YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING.
I IMAGINE, UM, I'M SEEING YOU NOD YOUR HEADS.
I DON'T KNOW IF LIKE, SO THE CAMERA'S NOT GETTING IT, BUT I'M SEEING IT.
SO YEAH,
AND THEN, YEAH, ONE LAST PLUG.
YEAH, I, I AM SO GRATEFUL TO ALL THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MADE THIS HAPPEN.
UM, AND THEN TO THE VOTERS WHO, UM, ARE ALLOWING US TO DO THIS GREAT WORK, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HOPEFUL TO SEE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW, UH, THIS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN ALSO LEAD TOWARD, YOU KNOW, MORE FAMILIES REALLY LOOKING AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS THE OPTION, RIGHT.
I THINK, UM, I CAN KIND OF TALK A LOT ABOUT THAT, BUT I WON'T.
UM, SO YEAH, I'M, I'M JUST REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA ACCOMPLISH, AND, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, I WILL ADD IN REGARDS TO THE EVALUATION.
WE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR CONTRACTS CONTAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO DO THE THINGS, LIKE, WE DON'T WANNA DO THINGS THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THEM.
SO WE, THAT'S WHY WE WANNA GET AN, UH, EXTERNAL EVALUATOR THAT HAS EXPERIENCE IN THIS PARTICULAR FIELD TO BRING TO US PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT.
AND SO WE'LL ADD THOSE TO EACH OF OUR CONTRACTS.
UM, SO WE, WE HOPE THAT WE'LL LEARN A LOT FROM, FROM A PROFESSIONAL EVALUATION COMPANY, UM, AND, AND MAKE IT BETTER.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, UM, THANK YOU.
THIS CONVERSATION, UH, PROMPTED A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL JUST, UM, TO SURFACE.
SO WHEN WE BUILT THE PROPOSITION, WE HAD ABOUT 10% FOR ADMINISTRATION AND 2% FOR EVALUATION.
SO WE ALL ALONG EXPECTED THAT THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE TO STAFF UP AND THAT THERE WOULD BE TIME SPENT WITH THAT.
UM, AND WE BUILT IN PLANS FOR EVALUATION, UM, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE FOR THAT, MAYBE MORE THAN WE, WE NEED SORT OF FOR THAT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME NATIONAL FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP US AND STEP IN AND, AND HELP GUIDE SOME OF THAT PIECE.
UM, SO WE ALWAYS KNEW THAT WE WOULD GET MONEY COMING IN IN JANUARY.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE AN INFLATION BUILDER IN THE PROCESS.
SO IF YOU END UP WITH SOME MONEY THAT IS FROM THE BEGINNING OF IT, UM, THAT DOESN'T GET SPENT RIGHT AWAY, THAT THEN PROVIDES YOU A CUSHION MOVING FORWARD.
IT ALSO ALLOWS, UM, FOR THERE TO BE SOME CAPACITY BUILDING IN TERMS OF CONVERSION OF CLASSROOMS OR SOMETHING IF WE FIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, THAT THOSE ARE EXPENSES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO UNLEASH THE CAPACITY.
UM, IT GIVES YOU SOME FLEXIBILITY, UM, WITH THAT FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UM, IT'S ALSO JUST NOT A BAD IDEA TO HAVE SOMETHING OF A RESERVE, UM, AVAILABLE FOR, FOR ANY PROGRAM AND, AND WHAT THOSE LEVELS ARE, ET CETERA.
THE COUNTY'S GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, UM, WITHIN THEIR OWN, THEIR OWN NEEDS AND PARAMETERS.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE ADVISORY BOARD, UM, WE'VE SHARED SOME INFORMATION FROM, FROM OUR WORK, BUT I WILL ALSO ADD THAT RALLY AUSTIN, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, HAS A VERY INTERESTING MODEL FOR THAT ADVISORY AND HOW THEY'RE USING THE ADVISORY BOARD THAT, THAT YOU MAY WANNA LOOK AT.
UM, AND ONE THING THAT OFTEN, UM, GETS, UM, MISSED IN THIS PROCESS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SLOTS, WHICH IS THE KEY STRATEGY, IS WE DID NOT CONSTRAIN OTHER THAN THAT THE SLOTS HAVE TO GO TO, TO INDIGENT FAMILIES, UM, OR AT LEAST THEY HAVE TO BE INDIGENT WHEN THEY FIRST GET THE, UM, THE SLOT.
WE DIDN'T CONSTRAIN HOW THAT PROCESS HAS TO WORK.
UM, SO I BELIEVE, AND, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE A ISD SINCE YOU'RE HERE, TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE SLOTS COULD DO FOR YOU, THAT WE COULD THEN BE LEVERAGING ADDITIONAL CAPACITY EVEN BEYOND THOSE SLOTS FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THIS CAN BE A CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENS WITH A CC, IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT HAPPENS WITH A ISD.
IT CAN HAPPEN WITH GOODWILL, IT CAN HAPPEN WITH THE YMCA.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNEW YOU HAD, I DON'T KNOW, 10 SLOTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE, WHICH IS ZERO TO THREE, THAT YOU HAD A DEDICATED STREAM OF MONEY, HOW MANY CLASSROOMS WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT YOU COULD OPEN TO SERVE YOUR FAMILIES OR TO SERVE YOUR STAFF IF YOU KNEW YOU DIDN'T, YOU HAD SOME OF YOUR UNCERTAINTY TAKEN OUT BECAUSE YOU HAD THOSE
[00:40:01]
GUARANTEES.UM, SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT ALL THE LEGAL PARTS OF THAT, BUT WE ARE NOT CONSTRAINED BY THE BALLOT LANGUAGE ALONE TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO USE THESE SLOTS TO LEVERAGE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND ABSENT THE VOTERS VOTING, THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVEN'T FULLY HAPPENED.
AND THEY ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE LEGAL STEPS AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS THAT HAS TO HAPPEN AT THE COUNTY.
BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ON WHAT THIS COULD MEAN FOR YOU, THERE'S NOTHING TO STOP FOR YOU FROM GOING TO THE COUNTY AND SAYING, WE HAVE THIS IDEA AND WE COULD DO THIS, AND IF WE DID THIS, WE COULD BRING, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE THAT AMOUNT OF SLOTS OR TRIPLE THAT AMOUNT OF SLOTS TO THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THERE'S STILL A LACK OF SLOTS FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN PAY FOR IT, UM, THAT WE HAVE.
SO I JUST WANNA ENCOURAGE, UM, US TO THINK CREATIVELY HOW TO WORK WITH THIS PROGRAM WITH OTHER WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CHILDCARE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE EXISTING.
AND THEN THE FINAL THING THAT I WANNA MENTION THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO NEED TO NAVIGATE IS THAT WE BUILT A REALLY, REALLY STRONG COALITION, BUT WE ALSO BUILT A COALITION THAT WENT FROM ZERO TO 18, WHICH WE DON'T, WE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE DON'T WANNA LOSE THAT COALITION.
AND SOME OF THE ISSUES FOR EARLY CHILDCARE DIFFER FROM AFTER SCHOOL.
UM, BUT I THINK THOSE WHO WERE DEEPLY INVOLVED FEEL THERE'S A STRENGTH IN THAT CONTINUUM.
UM, AND THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY, AND IT'S NOT JUST ON THE COUNTY, WE NEED TO BE, UM, THINKING HOW DO WE BUILD ON THIS COALITION IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT FRAMEWORKS SO THAT WE CAN REALLY TAKE PEOPLE FROM ZERO TO 18 IN OUR COMMUNITY AND SET THEM UP, UM, FOR SUCCESS.
AND THAT PATH IS ONE WHERE WE NEED EVERYONE TO STEP UP AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED, WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT, UM, THIS CONTINUUM AND THAT WE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, OTHER CITIES ARE LOOKING, OTHER COUNTIES, PLACES ARE LOOKING TO US, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THAT COALITION ACROSS THAT SPECTRUM.
UH, BUT IT WON'T HAPPEN BY HAPPENSTANCE.
IT'S ONLY GONNA HAPPEN IF WE SET A GOAL AND INTENTION TO BUILD IT OUT.
NOMINATED ALLISON FOR CHAIR OF THE ADVISOR
THE COUNTY HAS ESTABLISHED LIMITATIONS TO ONLY SERVE THE INDIGENT.
AND WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT OTHER GROUPS HAVE NOT ESTABLISHED THAT LIMIT, BUT THE COUNTY HAS.
SO IT'S JUST IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THAT THE COUNTY'S, UM, TAX COLLECTION FOR THIS PARTICULAR PURPOSE HAS TO BE USED FOR ONLY THE INDIGENT WHEN SERVING INDIVIDUALS.
AND, UH, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AS WE INCREASE THE CAPACITY AND, UM, OF, OF NOT ONLY THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT CAN BE SERVED, BUT THE CAPACITY OF PROVIDERS TO SERVE THEM BETTER, THEN THAT IMPROVES THE CAPACITY FOR OTHER POPULATIONS.
AND SO, THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT, BUT I JUST HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THE EXCELLENT, OH, GO AHEAD.
I, I WAS JUST GONNA OFFER, UM, AT ANY POINT ALONG THE WAY, IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, UH, NOW THAT YOU HAVE MORE STABILITY AMONGST THE SUPERINTENDENTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME NEW SEATS THAT HAVE BEEN FILLED.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE A ISD IS COORDINATING A LOT OF, TO ENSURE ALIGNMENT WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO AT ANY POINT, IF YOU NEED HELP CONVENING, UH, OR COORDINATING OR COMMUNICATING, PLEASE USE US AS AN AVENUE.
ALRIGHT, SO NOW WE WILL, UH, MOVE ON AND HEAR, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
AND CONGRATULATIONS, KATHY, ON YOUR NEW POSITION.
AS I WAS READING IT, I WAS LIKE, OH WAIT, SHE'S WITH TRAVIS COUNTY NOW.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO NEXT WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM A ISD, UM, FROM ATHEA SURA, THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND JACOB BRE, THE CHIEF OFFICER OF GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND BOARD SERVICES ON AD'S PROP A.
AND A-S-D-T-V, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND BRINGING UP OUR POWERPOINT.
SO FIRST I WANT TO START WITH A HEARTFELT THANK YOU FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THIS JOINT SUBCOMMITTEE AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO HELPS SUPPORT AUSTIN, ISD.
UH, OH, NOW I GOT A, OKAY, IT'S GOING.
UM, AND OUR, UH, PROP A ELECTION.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE OUR ELECTION PASSED BY 58% AND THIS WAS A TAX RATE INCREASE ELECTION.
THE STATE CALLS IT A VADER, UH, BUT WE ALSO REFER TO IT AS PROP A, UH, AND I JUST WANNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION
[00:45:01]
ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT VOTES AROUND THE STATE.SO, AS I MENTIONED, OURS WAS A TAX RATE INCREASE, EV VADER ELECTION.
THERE WERE 48 DISTRICTS IN THE STATE WHO WENT OUT FOR SOME TYPE OF TAX RATE ELECTION, INCLUDING OUR NEIGHBOR MANNAR.
UM, 20 OF THOSE DISTRICTS ENDED UP PASSING, WHICH IS A 42% PASS RATE OVERALL.
AND KIND OF AN AN INTERESTING DATA POINT.
THE AVERAGE YES, VOTE FOR A VADER ELECTION WAS 49%.
UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE A ISD, UH, REALLY DID WELL WITH THAT 58%, AND WE KNOW THAT WE OWE THAT TO THIS GREAT COMMUNITY, OUR GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR LEADERS, UH, THAT REALLY HAD FAITH IN US TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS FUNDING FOR OUR KIDS IN A ISD, UH, THERE WERE ALSO BOND ELECTIONS.
A ISD DID NOT HAVE A BOND ELECTION, BUT WE WANNA SHARE SOME OF THAT DATA AS WELL.
THERE WERE 34 DISTRICTS IN THE STATE WHO, UH, HAD A BOND ELECTION, AND YOU COULD HAVE MORE THAN ONE PROPOSITION FOR A BOND ELECTION, JUST LIKE THE CITY AND THE COUNTY CAN.
SO THERE, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 57 PROPOSITIONS.
31 OF THOSE PASSED FOR A TOTAL OF 54%.
SO OUT OF THOSE 34 DISTRICTS, 19 PASSED AT LEAST ONE.
AND AGAIN, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT OUR, OUR NEIGHBOR AND FRIENDS UP AT ROUND ROCK, ALSO IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UH, THEY HAD FOUR PROPOSITION ELECTIONS.
UM, AND THE THREE THAT THEY PASSED, THEY HAD JUST AS STRONG OF A PASSING RATE AS WE DID.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY DID NOT PASS THEIR BOND FOR AN ATHLETIC STADIUM, UM, WHICH HAS BEEN PRETTY COMMON ACROSS THE STATE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE BOND ELECTIONS THAT ARE PASSING, UH, THOSE THAT ARE LOOKING AT REPAIR OR REDOING BUILDINGS DO FAIRLY WELL.
THOSE FOCUSED ON ATHLETIC STADIUMS TRADITIONALLY HAVE NOT PASSED IN THIS STATE.
UH, OVERALL, UM, ABOUT HALF OF THE MONEY THAT WAS REQUESTED THROUGH BONDS WAS PASSED, BUT ABOUT THREE OF THOSE THAT UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT PASS REALLY ACCOUNTED FOR THE, THE BULK OF THAT.
HOUSTON ISD HAD A $4.4 BILLION BOND FRISCO JUST ABOVE 1 BILLION IN NORTHWEST, JUST BELOW 1 BILLION.
SO THOSE THREE ALONE ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN HALF OF ALL OF THE REQUESTS FOR, UH, THOSE BONDS.
SO OUR PROPOSITION BROUGHT IN AN ADDITIONAL, UH, ABOUT 41 MILLION ANNUALLY TO A ISD.
UH, WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED THE WORK WORK, AND I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A CHART IN JUST A MOMENT IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE MADE THOSE MARKET ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO.
SO THAT'S INCREASED TO SOME OF OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF SALARIES, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THAT IN MORE DETAIL.
UH, WE ALSO SET ASIDE A LITTLE OVER $3 MILLION FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS IN THE DISTRICT.
AND THAT WAS FOCUSED ON THREE DIFFERENT THINGS.
UH, FIRST THAT'S CONTINUED COMMITMENT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
UH, SINCE WE HAVE BEEN UNDER THE AGREED ORDER WITH TEA, UH, SUPERINTENDENT SEGURA AND OUR BOARD HAVE MADE SUPPORTING SPECIAL EDUCATION KIND OF PRIORITY ONE A.
UM, AND SO WE PUT A LOT OF FOCUS UNDER THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE STAFF THAT WE NEED SO THAT OUR KIDS ARE BEING EVALUATED ON TIME, GETTING SERVED PROPERLY AT THEIR CAMPUS, AND THAT THEY HAVE THOSE QUALIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN THEIR CLASSROOM.
SO WE WILL SPEND SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING SUPPORT, SPECIAL EDUCATION.
UH, WE ARE ALSO, UH, GOING TO CREATE CONTENT INTERVENTIONISTS FOR AUSTIN, ISD.
SO THESE ARE, UH, ACADEMIC SPECIALISTS, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY BE IN READING, THEY MAY BE IN MATH, THEY MAY BE IN BOTH, BUT THEY DO THAT REALLY TARGETED SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO, UH, THE TEACHER, OF COURSE, PROVIDES THE MAIN INSTRUCTION FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS.
AND OUR TEACHERS ALSO DO A WONDERFUL JOB OF ENSURING THAT THAT INSTRUCTION IS CATERED FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL STUDENT'S NEED IN THEIR CLASSROOM.
BUT SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE SOME STUDENTS THAT JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE SUPPORT.
UM, MAYBE IT'S IN THE CLASSROOM, MAYBE IT'S A PULLOUT FROM THE CLASSROOM, MAYBE IT'S IN COMBINATION WITH THAT TEACHER, BUT THAT'S WHERE THAT CONTENT INTERVENTIONIST WILL COME IN AND HELP PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THAT STUDENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE STAYING UP ON GRADE LEVEL WITH THEIR PEERS.
UH, LASTLY, WE PUT SOME FUNDING ASIDE, UH, FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
AND WE HAVE ALREADY MADE TWO COMMITMENTS THAT IS TO INCREASE, UM, OUR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS IN OUR POLICE TEAM BECAUSE THEY ARE TYPICALLY ONE OF THE, UH, WHEN THERE IS A MENTAL HEALTH OUTCRY, THEY ARE ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT HAS REACHED OUT FOR THAT.
AND THEN ALSO IN OUR COUNSELING TEAM, OUR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.
AND THEN WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE HOW WE CAN PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THROUGH THAT.
AND THEN $20 MILLION OF THAT IS SET ASIDE TO HELP OFFSET OUR OVERALL DEFICIT, WHICH WILL HELP US LONG TERM WELL AND, AND SHORT TERM.
UM, BECAUSE THAT'S SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN ADDRESS OUR DEFICIT, THAT'S 20 MILLION THAT WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE FROM OUR SCHOOLS NOW, OR TAKE FROM THE SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING FOR OUR, OUR SCHOOLS.
SO WE'RE REALLY THANKFUL FOR THE WORK OF OUR COMMUNITY, OF OUR TRUSTEES ADVOCATING FOR THIS.
AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
[00:50:01]
REALLY HELPED ADVOCATE FOR THE NEED OF AUSTIN STUDENTS WITH THIS.UH, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF OUR TIMELINE.
SO OF COURSE, THE ELECTION WAS ON NOVEMBER 5TH.
UM, WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED MAILING OUT.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I BELIEVE ALL STAFF SHOULD HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THEIR COMPENSATION NOTIFICATION ON HOW THIS AFFECTED THEIR OVERALL PAY.
UH, AND THAT EITHER EITHER WENT INTO EFFECT IMMEDIATELY, OR IT WILL, I BELIEVE OUR NEXT PAYCHECK IS NEXT FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13TH.
DECEMBER 13TH, THANK YOU, ON DECEMBER 13TH.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY RETROACTIVE ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
SO THAT WAS ANOTHER COMMITMENT THAT WE MADE FOR OUR STAFF THAT IF THIS PASSES, IT WON'T JUST START IN DECEMBER, IT'LL BE RETROACTIVE AT THE START OF THE YEAR SO THAT IT'LL BE MADE WHOLE FOR THAT ENTIRE YEAR.
UH, WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE THE DISCUSSIONS ON OUR CONTENT INTERVENTIONISTS, HOPING TO START ROLLING THOSE OUT NEXT SEMESTER.
AND THEN ALSO SOME OF THOSE OTHER SUPPORTS THAT I JUST MENTIONED, UH, ROLLING THOSE OUT NEXT SEMESTER.
SO I WANNA BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT OUR MARKET ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, 85% OF ALL OF OUR REGULAR BENEFIT ELIGIBLE STAFF.
SO THAT MEANS MORE THAN THE HALFTIME STAFF, UH, RECEIVED SOME TYPE OF MARKET ADJUSTMENT.
AND ONE THING THAT I'LL CALL OUT ON THAT IS THAT WE ALSO MADE AN INTENTIONAL INVESTMENT INTO CLASSIFIED AND AUSTIN.
I SEE JUST LIKE OUR CITY AND COUNTY COUNTERPARTS, UH, WE'RE ALMOST KIND OF COMPETING WITH ONE ANOTHER NOW AT THIS POINT ON SOME OF OUR CLASSIFIED, UH, PAY RAISES.
UM, BUT NOT ONLY DID WE RAISE TO $20 LAST YEAR, BUT THEN WE DID AN ADDITIONAL 25 CENT INCREASE FOR ALL CLASSIFIED.
SO WHETHER THEY SAW A MARKET INCREASE OR NOT, WE ENSURED THAT EVERY CLASSIFIED STAFF SAW AT LEAST A 25 CENT INCREASE.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, SAW AVERAGE INCREASES FOR, UM, SOME OF OUR HARDEST TO STAFF POSITIONS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION WITH OUR SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST AND SOME OF OUR OTHER LICENSED SUPPORT IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AVERAGE INCREASE OF ABOUT 10%.
UM, AND THEN WHAT YOU SEE RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE IS THE AVERAGE INCREASE OF BANDS FOR TEACHERS.
AND IF, UH, TWO RA WOULD WOULD SHOW A GRAPH, AND I WISH I, I HAD THE GRAPH, I'LL TRY AND MAKE IT WITH MY HANDS AS BEST AS I CAN.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TYPICALLY LOOK AT A TEACHER'S SALARY, UM, HONESTLY IT'S KIND OF FLAT.
YOU KNOW, THEY, WHETHER YOU'VE STARTED IN ONE YEAR AND THEN 20 YEARS LATER, YOU KNOW, THE, THE INCREASE IS THERE, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A SHARP LINE.
AND WE REALLY WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAKING THAT LINE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE SHARP, THAT WE'RE REALLY INCREASING PAY FOR OUR TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE LATER YEARS.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD JOKES AND NOT ONES THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE, BUT SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS WHO WILL SAY THAT THEY LET US TRAIN THE TEACHERS AND THEN THEY HIRE 'EM ONCE THEY WERE TRAINED BECAUSE THEY WERE OFFERING A LITTLE BIT MORE LATER, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ALL COMPETITIVE AT THE BEGINNING.
UH, NOW THAT WE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPETITIVE WITH OUR TEACHER PAY LATER IN THEIR CAREER, WE REALLY KNOW THAT THAT'S GONNA MEAN MORE TEACHERS STAYING IN THE CLASSROOM AND STAYING IN A ISD, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANNA SEE.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SEEING THE LONG TERMS EFFECT OF THAT.
UM, I LIKE THAT YOU SHOW THE, UH, THE AVERAGES FOR INCREASE.
I LIKE THAT YOU SHOW, UH, WHO WILL BE IMPACTED SOMETIMES WHAT THE PUBLIC MISSES.
SOMETIMES WHAT WE ARE ASKED AS, SO HOW DOES THAT GET TO THE STAKEHOLDER? WHAT IS IT? WHAT DOES THE, WHAT DOES THE KID GET, UM, THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE THIS? WHAT ARE WE ALLOWED TO DO? WHERE ARE WE ALLOWED TO SERVE THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SERVE BEFORE? UH, SO WE, YES, WE SHOULD COMPENSATE OUR TEACHERS MORE AND BETTER.
MY PARENTS WERE TEACHERS, I UNDERSTAND, UNDERSTAND WAS TOO, UM, AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY THOUGH, UH, FOLKS WERE SAYING, HOW IS THIS GONNA IMPACT MY KIDS AT THE CLASSROOM LEVEL? YEAH.
WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, THAT OUR TRUSTEES AND I TALK ABOUT SINCE THE MOMENT I CAME ON BOARD WAS THIS FACT THAT THE SUCCESS, UM, FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THE IMPROVED LEARN ENVIRONMENT, UH, IT IT'S, IT'S FOUNDED IN OUR TEACHERS.
UM, WE, WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT ENOUGH.
WE, WE HAVE TO TREAT OUR TEACHERS AS PROFESSIONALS.
WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WITHOUT THEM, THE SYSTEM AND OUR STUDENTS WILL NOT GET WHAT THEY NEED SPEC, ESPECIALLY OUR MOST HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED STUDENTS.
AND SO, UM, IN 2023, WE MADE AN AGGRESSIVE INVESTMENT, UH, IN A ISD IN OURSELVES, IN EDUCATORS.
WE DID A 7% RAISE, WE INCREASED STIPENDS.
AND THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A 97.4% STAFFING RATE, WHICH IS MUCH HIGHER THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE REGION.
[00:55:01]
AND THEN YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, THE CORRELATION OF, UM, PRINCIPLES TO SUPERINTENDENT INSTABILITY.SO TWO YEARS AGO, WE HIRED OVER 20 PRINCIPALS.
THIS LAST YEAR WE HIRED SIX, AND ALL OF THEM WERE KNOWN TO THE ORGANIZATION.
AND SO THIS STABILITY ALLOWS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STUDENT, THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FAMILIES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO REALLY, UH, BE REINFORCED AND, AND SUPPORT, UH, OUR STUDENTS.
AND I THINK WHAT'S REALLY GREAT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, OUR RESOURCES HAVE TO BE, UM, UH, DISTRIBUTED EQUITABLY.
AND SO WE ARE, UM, BUILDING TOOLS INTO THE SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT THAT OCCURS ACROSS ALL THINGS, WHETHER IT'S OPERATIONS, FINANCE, TALENT, AND STRATEGY, UH, ALL OF IT.
AND SO THIS IS A HUGE STEP IN THAT DIRECTION.
UH, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT HAS A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON HOW WE SERVE OUR STUDENTS IN AUSTIN.
ISDI, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, UH, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE HOW, HOW OUR STUDENTS WILL BE BETTER SERVED, UH, AS WE TALK ABOUT ROBINHOOD AND WHAT IT MEANS TO AUSTIN, ISDI THINK WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE SERVED OR HOW WE CAN'T SERVE THEM, UH, BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEM THAT IS IN PLACE.
SO I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND YEP.
WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN, THAT THAT THEY CAN SEE DOWN AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL HOW IT'S, HOW WE ARE BEING IMPACTED, BUT HOW OUR OVERALL SYSTEM IS, IS, IS, UH, FRANKLY, TERRIBLE AND DOES NOT ALLOW US TO BUILD, UH, TO BUILD THE STAFFING LEVELS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO SERVE THE KIDS WE'RE SEEING.
AND, AND COMMISSIONER, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I, THAT I'LL TELL YOU, THERE'S A STORY, UM, ABOUT WEB MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I'M SURE MICHAEL COYLE WOULDN'T MIND ME SHARING THIS.
UM, IN YEARS PAST, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT PRINCIPALS AND ADMINISTRATORS HAVE TO WORK THROUGH AS THEY STAFF UP FOR THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR, IT IS FRANTIC, RIGHT? IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORTS CENTRALLY.
AND SO YEARS PASSED, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD ADMINISTRATORS, UH, REALLY TRYING TO FIND THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO BRING THEM INTO THE CLASSROOM.
AND A COUPLE THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN.
A IT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE BEST FIT.
UH, TWO, IT MAY NOT BE THE EDUCATOR WHO HAS THAT TENURED EXPERIENCE, UH, OR THREE, IT TAKES AWAY FROM THE PLANNING THAT'S REQUIRED TO ACTUALLY LAUNCH A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL YEAR.
AND SO WHEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF OUR CAMPUSES THAT HAVE REALLY SEEN AN INCREASE IN STABILITY, WE, MIDDLE SCHOOL BEING ONE OF THEM, UH, YOU KNOW, HE'LL, MICHAEL COYLE, OUR PRINCIPAL THERE WILL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, HE WAS ALMOST FULLY STAFFED BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT AFFORDS THE SCHOOL IN THE SUMMERTIME, AS THEY PLAN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AS THEY THINK ABOUT THE STUDENT NEEDS, AS THEY THINK ABOUT THE MASTER SCHEDULE, IT IS A GAME CHANGER.
UH, SO ALL OF THIS IS TIED TOGETHER.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST ONE KIND OF SMALL TANGENTIAL EXAMPLE OF JUST CREATING SPACE IN THE SYSTEM SO THAT OUR, YOU KNOW, EDUCATORS CAN DO WHAT THEY DO BEST.
AND, UM, AND SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT, BUT THERE ARE MANY, MANY OTHER STORIES LIKE THAT, UH, AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING THEM OUT, BUT SOMETIMES IT CAN BE A LITTLE NUANCED AND WE LOSE THE CONNECTION.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
UM, SUPERINTENDENT, THE, AT OUR, UM, NEXT BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS NEXT THURSDAY, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA HAVE A LITTLE BOARD RETREAT.
SO PEOPLE WHO REALLY WANNA GET INTO THE WEEDS, UM, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED, OR THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS IDENTIFIED SIX CAMPUSES THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST NEED, AND WE ARE TRACKING THEM EXTREMELY CLOSELY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER MENDEZ MIDDLE SCHOOL SITUATION.
AND, UM, AND WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE IS, AND THEY'VE SORT OF PIONEERED, UM, AN APPROACH TO ENSURE THAT, THAT WE ARE MEASURING THE INPUTS INTO THOSE CAMPUSES AND THEY'RE GETTING THE RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT THOSE CAMPUSES REMAIN FULLY STAFFED, THAT THEY'RE GETTING GOOD TEACHERS, THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE KEY, UM, FACTORS THAT ARE REALLY HIGHLY LEVERAGED WHEN IT COMES TO STUDENT OUTCOMES.
AND SO, LIKE, AS A BOARD, OUR JOB IS TO, YOU KNOW, TRACK THAT HIS JOB IS TO MAKE SURE IT HAPPENS.
AND SO WE REALLY ARE GONNA BE GOING INTO THAT MORE DEEPLY THROUGH THE BUDGET ANGLE NEXT THURSDAY.
BUT, UM, BUT I HEAR YOU AND THIS PROP A PASSING, I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW MEANINGFUL THAT IS, UM, TO HELP US ACTUALLY ACTUALIZE THIS VISION.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS ON, UM, GETTING PROP A THROUGH.
UM, WE'RE GONNA SEGUE TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING WITH THIS MONEY, AND OBVIOUSLY THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS IT.
UM, BUT I CAN NEVER LET A CONVERSATION GO ON THESE INVESTMENTS WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE SPENDING MORE MONEY, SPENDING MORE MONEY OUT OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAN WE'RE ABLE TO SPEND IN, EVEN AS WE HAVE DIRE NEEDS WITHIN OUR, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
[01:00:01]
UM, AND SO AS WE WE'LL SEGUE INTO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL, UM, APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING TO MAKE THE BEST USE OF THIS MONEY, BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE IF YOU GOT TO USE ALL OF THE MONEY THAT THE VOTERS WERE JUST TAXED FOR, UM, WHAT WE COULD BE DOING FOR OUR KIDS, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY.AND, AND I JUST THINK WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THE LIMITS THAT ARE PLACED ON OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THE, THE, THE, UM, TAXES THAT WE HAVE TO ENDURE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE STATE PROPERTY TAX THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR SCHOOLS AT THIS POINT IN TIME OF COUNCILOR ALTER, THAT, THAT'S, UM, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT.
AND WHAT I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THIS MEETING, UH, WITHOUT SAYING, IS THAT THERE ARE STILL CUTS THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE THROUGH AND NAVIGATE THROUGH.
AND WE WERE VERY HONEST WITH ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE EVEN STARTED THE PROPOSITION A PROCESS.
BUT THOSE CUTS NOW DON'T HAVE TO BE AS DEEP.
UH, AND WE ARE ABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO CREATE A STRATEGY THAT KEEPS US FROM HAVING TO ENCROACH ON THE CLASSROOM.
AND SO WE HAVE, PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'LL BE DOING IN THE WORK SESSION IS JUST GETTING ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK FROM OUR TRUSTEES TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNED.
BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY EFFICIENCIES TO BE GAINED AROUND PMS REPORTING, UH, MASTER SCHEDULE DEVELOPMENT, UM, PORTABLE REDUCTION STRATEGIES.
THERE'S A LOT OF EFFICIENCIES WHEN YOU'RE AN ORGANIZATION OF THIS SIZE.
AND SO WE NOW HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BREATHING ROOM TO GET THROUGH THAT DIFFICULT WORK, UH, THAT WILL THEN CONTINUE TO DRIVE DOWN, UM, OUR EXPENSES AND CROSS OUR FINGERS HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT.
SOME FUNDING WILL BE RELEASED TO HELP ENSURE THAT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE TRULY IMPACTFUL, ADVERSELY IMPACTFUL TO OUR STUDENTS, UM, DON'T HAVE TO TAKE PLACE.
BECAUSE WE'LL, WE'LL BE PAST THAT.
SO THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD SEGUE TO NEXT.
I REALLY JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, AGAIN, CONGRATS ON YOUR PROP.
A, UM, BUT I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE ENORMOUS WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, UM, WITH A, A HEAVY FOOT FROM THE STATE, UM, UH, THE, THE THREATS AROUND, UM, UM, UH, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE HAD TO DO THERE.
UM, BUT ALSO THE DIFFICULTY THAT SO MANY TEACHERS AND STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING UNDER.
UM, BUT YOU'VE STABILIZED THAT YOU MADE AN INVESTMENT IN, UM, TRYING TO HAVE YOUR TEACHER PAY KEEP PACE, UM, AND, UM, I THINK IT'S WORTH REPEATING THOSE STATS.
YOU WERE LOSING A LOT OF EXPERIENCED TEACHERS, BUT YOU'VE TURNED THAT AROUND.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT.
AND ALSO WHEN PEOPLE GET FRUSTRATED WITH PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH ARE HIGH, THEY NEED TO BE COMMUNICATING WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE, BECAUSE I THINK THIS WAS TRUE EVEN BEFORE YOUR PROP A BUT AREN'T WE THE SECOND LARGEST FUNDER OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN TEXAS, BEHIND THE STATE OF TEXAS? YES.
SO OUR TAXPAYERS IN AUSTIN ARE THE SECOND HIGHEST FUNDER OF ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN TEXAS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE LEGISLATURE HAS STRUCTURED SCHOOL FINANCE.
UM, AND PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT SO THEY CAN FOCUS THEIR COMMUNICATION ON, ON THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
UH, COMMISSIONER SHAY, AND I GUESS AS I CLOSE OUT HERE, UM, I SHARED WITH THE TRUSTEES, I THINK PROBABLY VIA TEXT, UH, THE SCREEN CAPTURE OF THE WIRE TRANSFER, UH, BACK IN THE SPRING.
AND IT WAS $699 MILLION, UH, THAT WAS TRANSFERRED, UM, OUT TO THE STATE VIA RECAPTURE.
AND, AND AGAIN, IT'S A SYSTEM.
IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, LEGISLATORS WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT, UH, INCREASE IN PUBLIC FUNDING IS WHAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL CONSIDER, WHICH IS WHAT I THINK WE'RE ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT HERE FOR TOO LONG.
INCREASING THE BASIC ALLOTMENT IS THE MECHANISM BY WHICH WE WE'LL BE ABLE TO REDUCE, UM, RECAPTURE.
AND WE ARE GONNA HEAR SO MUCH MORE ABOUT THAT AND MORE.
[V. Legislative Priorities]
WHICH IS, UM, WE HA WE'RE GONNA HAVE PRESENTATIONS FROM EACH OF OUR THREE ENTITIES, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN WITH RAMIREZ, THE INTERGOVERNMENT RELATIONS DEPUTY OFFICER, FOLLOWED BY TRAVIS COUNTY, JULIE WHEELER, WELCOME.AND FOLLOWED BY OUR, UM, BELOVED EDNA RAMON BUTTS, UH, TO TALK ABOUT OUR, UM, OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
SO WE WILL START WITH CITY OF AUSTIN, RICK RAMIREZ.
IF WE COULD GET OUR SLIDES UP THERE, THEY'RE
WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ASKING ME TO, TO JOIN YOU ALL TODAY.
I AM VERY EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE ARE LESS THAN 40 DAYS AWAY FROM THE START OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
[01:05:01]
BUT, UH, ON, ON THE GOOD SIDE, WE ARE LESS THAN 180 DAYS FROM THE END OF THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.UM, TODAY, I'LL, I'LL GOING OVER, I'M SORRY, MIKE, BEFORE WE WERE, WE WERE JUST WHISPERING HERE THAT WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
I'M SORRY, I FORGOT TO ASK YOU TO DO THAT.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOU AND THEN LAUNCH IN.
I'M THE DEPUTY INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ASKING ME TO JOIN YOU.
UM, I WILL BE GOING OVER OUR LEGISLATIVE, UH, PROGRAM.
UH, WE'LL BE BRINGING BOTH THE DRAFT, UH, STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM AND THE FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM TO CITY COUNCIL NEXT THURSDAY.
UH, SO WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT SOME DRAFT, UH, POSITION STATEMENTS THAT WILL BE BROUGHT UP TO THEM.
UH, I'LL TALK ABOUT OUR NEW, UH, LEGISLATIVE TEAM.
UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF CHANGE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE, SO WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, AND I'LL GIVE YOU SOME NEXT STEPS AS WELL.
SO OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS, UH, DEVELOPED BY OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND IT DIRECTS THE WAY THAT THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE, UH, WORKS IN THE CAPITOL.
UM, OUR LANGUAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BROAD, AND IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY WHEN WE GO TO THE CAPITOL.
UH, THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT BILLS AND THEY'RE FILED IN DIFFERENT WAYS, AND IT, UH, THIS BROAD LANGUAGE ALLOWS US TO BE, HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY ON HOW WE, UH, REACT.
UM, AND WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT OUR, OUR DEPARTMENTS.
OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE OUR, OUR INDUSTRY EXPERTS.
UH, THEY HELP US TO ANALYZE THE BILLS.
WE HAVE, UH, BILL REVIEWERS IN ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, THEY HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT THE, UH, IMPACTS WOULD BE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND HOW WE PROVIDE SERVICES AND, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THOSE IMPACTS WOULD COME WITH ADDITIONAL COSTS.
SO, UH, WHEN WE'RE, UH, DEVELOPING THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION A COUPLE OF, UH, VARIOUS FACTORS.
UH, WE SPEAK WITH OUR LEGISLATORS.
WE TALK, UH, TO THE, UH, DELEGATION TALK ABOUT THEIR PRIORITIES AND, AND WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
WE ALSO PAY ATTENTION TO, UH, THE REST OF THE LEGISLATURE TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT DURING THE INTERIM AND HOW THAT MIGHT IMPACT US.
UH, WE MEASURE AND BALANCE OUR NEEDS, OUR WANTS, AND OUR NICE TO HAVES.
UM, WE TALK ABOUT THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT AND HOW, UH, CURRENT EVENTS MIGHT, UH, IMPACT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT WOULD BE, UH, THE RECENT STORMS IN HOUSTON, UH, THAT LEFT MANY PEOPLE, UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, CENTERPOINT ENERGY CUSTOMERS, UH, OUT OF ELECTRICITY FOR QUITE A WHILE, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAD A LOT OF, UH, INTERIM SESSION HEARINGS ABOUT, UM, ELECTRIC RELIABILITY, AND THAT COULD HAVE SOME IMPACTS ON AUSTIN ENERGY.
UH, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, WE JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.
UM, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT VARIABLES THAT HAPPEN WITH A, UH, SYSTEM THAT HAS SO MANY INDIVIDUALS AND DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES, AND SO WE'RE NICE AND FLEXIBLE AND READY TO REACT.
SO, UH, AT A GLANCE, OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IS MOSTLY LEFT UNCHANGED.
THERE ARE A FEW SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES THAT I'LL GO OVER IN, IN A LITTLE WHILE, BUT OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IS VERY MUCH LIKE ANY OTHER LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, UH, FOR ANY OTHER CITY THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
UM, WE LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE, UH, LOCAL DECISION MAKING, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL'S ABILITY TO HAVE CONTROL OVER ZONING AND ORDINANCES AND HAVE, UH, LOCAL REGULATIONS AND LOCAL LAW MAKING ABILITY.
UM, WE ALSO WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT, UH, THE CITY'S FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, UH, WE, UH, OPPOSE ANY KIND OF UNFUNDED MANDATES OR ANY LEGISLATION THAT WOULD IMPACT THE FISCAL HEALTH OF OUR CITY.
UM, ON COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT HEALTHCARE ACCESS AND JUST PROTECT THE HEALTH, WELLBEING, AND SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS.
AND THEN, UM, WE'D LIKE TO PROTECT AUSTIN'S BEAUTIFUL NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENCOURAGE, UH, SUSTAINABILITY AND INVEST IN CRITICAL, CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
WE DID HAVE SOME SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL, UM, ON THURSDAY.
THESE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES, THOUGH, ARE, UM, INFORMED BY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS THAT COUNCIL HAS, UM, MADE THROUGHOUT THE LAST TWO YEARS, UH, SINCE WE ADOPTED THE LAST LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
SO THESE HAVE ALL BEEN KIND OF ALREADY VETTED THROUGH CITY COUNCIL, UM, IN, IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, WE DID ADD AN ITEM FOR, UH, SUPPORT FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE OPERATIONS.
UH, IN PARTICULAR, THERE IS, UM, TALK ABOUT SUPPORTING, UH, FOR
[01:10:01]
PATHS OF CERTIFICATION FOR, UH, APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS FOR, UH, FORENSIC SCIENCE.WE, UM, ARE HEARING THAT THERE IS GONNA BE A BILL RELATED TO THAT, AND WE WILL BE SUPPORTING THAT.
AND THEN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE WERE A LOT OF BILLS RELATED TO FENTANYL TESTING.
UH, THERE WAS A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE HAD AUSTIN, UH, PD, UH, TEST EVERY SINGLE DRUG, UH, CONFISCATED FOR FENTANYL, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN, UH, VERY EXPENSIVE AND VERY ONEROUS.
UH, SO WE'LL BE WATCHING FOR THAT AS WELL.
IN ADDITION, THERE'S GONNA BE BILLS RELATED TO FLOOD INSURANCE.
UH, AND SO WE HAVE A, A, A A A POSITION STATEMENT RELATED TO SUPPORTING FUNDING TO REDUCE THE RISK TO LIVES AND PROPERTY.
ALSO TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT FLOOD INSURANCE IS MORE AFFORDABLE AND ALLOW FOR IT TO BE ABLE TO PAY, BE PAID ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO, UH, A NEW POSITION STATEMENT REGARDING DRONE USE.
UH, LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE WAS A BILL THAT WOULD'VE BANNED, UM, COMPONENT OR, OR CITIES FROM BEING ABLE TO, UH, BUY DRONES THAT HAD COMPONENTS THAT WERE FROM CERTAIN COUNTRIES.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE, UH, MANY OF THE DRONES THAT WE USE HAVE TO HAVE, UH, COMPONENTS THAT ARE MADE FROM CERTAIN COUNTRIES.
SO THAT WOULD'VE, UH, ESSENTIALLY GROUNDED OUR ENTIRE DRONE FLEET.
UM, GOING ON TO HOMELESSNESS, WE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH LEGISLATORS, UH, ALL THROUGH THE INTERIM ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, AND, UH, HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SOLUTIONS WHERE, UH, THE STATE WOULD BE ABLE TO, TO COME IN AND, AND HAVE SOME FUNDING FOR THAT.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DATA SHARING FOR HOMELESSNESS AS WELL.
UH, AND SO WE EXPECT THERE WILL BE QUITE A FEW BILLS ON THIS TOPIC.
THIS IS GONNA BE ONE OF THE LARGEST TOPICS OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, CITY COUNCIL ALSO PASSED A EQUAL RIGHTS, UH, ORDINANCE.
AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AS WELL.
UM, WE'RE, UH, ALSO INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR RESPONSIBLE USE OF, UH, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND AGAIN, ON DRONE USE.
UH, THAT'S NOT JUST FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT WE HAVE MANY DEPARTMENTS THAT USE DRONES.
UH, AND SO, UH, BEING ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO, UM, DRONES FOR ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UH, USES IS GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN ON TRANSPORTATION, WE ADDED A POSITION STATEMENT THAT SPECIFICALLY, UH, CALLED OUT PROJECT CONNECT IN OUR FUTURE 35.
THAT'S THE CAPTAIN STITCH PRO, UH, PROGRAM.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT, UH, HAS FUNDING FOR THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
IN ADDITION, THERE'S, UH, A LOT OF OTHER, UM, PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE.
THERE ARE, WE HAVE A POSITION STATEMENT THAT IS OPPOSING, UH, SUPER PREEMPTION IS WHAT WE CALLED IT.
Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE, UH, RECALLED THE DEATH STAR BILL THAT WAS PASSED LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, HB 2127, UM, RECENTLY, ACTUALLY JUST THE FIRST DAY OF FILING, THERE WAS A BILL THAT WOULD'VE CREATED THE DISTRICT OF AUSTIN, UH, AND, UH, BASICALLY DO AWAY WITH OUR MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
UH, I CALL THAT SUPER DUPER PREEMPTION.
UH, AND SO WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA BE OPPOSING THAT, AS WE DID LAST TIME AROUND.
UH, THERE'S ALSO BILLS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILED ON COMMUNITY ADVOCACY.
THAT'S WHAT WE, UH, UH, THAT'S THE TERM WE USE WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYING.
UM, THERE'S BEEN BILLS THAT WOULD, UH, BAR NOT JUST CITIES, BUT, UM, COUNTIES AND, AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM BEING ABLE TO HIRE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATORS TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
UM, AGAIN, HOMELESSNESS IS GONNA BE AN ISSUE.
UH, LAND USE PREEMPTION, UH, HAD A LOT OF, UH, DISCUSSION DURING THE LEGIS, UH, THE INTERIM LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO WE'LL BE WATCHING THAT AS WELL.
UH, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO BEEN BILLS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILED ON, UH, DEI PROGRAMS ON THE FEDERAL SIDE.
UH, IT MIRRORS MUCH OF WHAT WE HAVE ON THE STATE SIDE AS WELL.
UM, WE DO, UH, WE INCLUDED THE L-G-B-T-Q-I-A OR, UH, DEI, UH, UH, AGENDA ITEM TO THE FEDERAL AGENDA AS WELL, UH, ON THE CLIMATE, UM, CRISIS.
UM, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A NEW, UH, ADMINISTRATION THAT'S COMING INTO THE WHITE HOUSE.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, WE HAD THE ABILITY TO, UH, MAKE SURE TO TELL THEM THAT, UH, WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE ALLOCATED FUNDS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE, UH, I-R-A-B-I-L AND IIJA, UH, ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, FUNDING THAT HAD BEEN PASSED, UH, IN, IN THIS LAST ADMINISTRATION.
UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO CLAWBACKS OF ANY OF THAT, UM, UH, FUNDING THAT WENT THROUGH.
UM, AND ALSO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S SOME
[01:15:01]
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR, UH, FEATURE PROJECTS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PART OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY.WE HAVE SIMILAR LANGUAGE FROM THE STATE AGENDA ON PROJECT CONNECT AND OUR FUTURE 35, THAT'S CAPTAIN STITCH, UH, PROGRAM.
AND THEN, UH, WE REMOVED A POSITION STATEMENT, UH, UH, RELATED TO EMERGENCY TRIAGE, TREAT AND TRANSPORT MODEL, BECAUSE THAT PROGRAM HAD ENDED.
BUT WE DID INCLUDE POSITION STATEMENTS FOR EMS, REIMBURSEMENT FOR CARE, AND SUICIDE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS.
AND THAT CAME FROM COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS AS WELL.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A RES, UM, A POSITION STATEMENT REGARDING FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANTS, AND THAT'S THE SUPPORT LEGISLATION OR INITIATIVES TO IMPLEMENT A CASH BASED PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUPPORTING RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES.
SOME ADDITIONAL PRIORITIES, UH, WITH, UM, CONGRESSIONAL SESSION, NEXT CONGRESSIONAL SESSION, BROADBAND ACCESS IS ALSO GONNA BE A VERY IMPORTANT, UH, DISCUSSION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UH, AND THIS DOESN'T JUST STOP AT RURAL AREAS THAT HAVE, UH, ACCESS ISSUES, BUT IT ALSO, UH, HITS SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE, UH, COMMUNITIES.
UH, PEOPLE HAVE, UH, UH, JUST A HARD TIME TO ACCESS, UM, THE INTERNET, EITHER BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO GET TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, OR IT'S HARD, UH, TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT.
UM, AGAIN, COMMUNITY ADVOCACY IS A BIG DEAL.
HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS IS ALSO A BIG DEAL.
MENTAL HEALTH WAS INCLUDED BECAUSE OF A, A RECENT COUNCIL RESOLUTION AND FAMILY STABILIZATION GRANTS AS WELL.
SO, WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
UM, THERE WERE ALMOST 1500 BILLS THAT WERE FILED ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE PRE-FILING FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
UM, COMPARE THAT TO LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH WAS ONLY 920, UH, LAST SESSION.
THERE WERE OVER 8,000 BILLS THAT WERE FILED.
UH, WE'RE EXPECTING THAT NUMBER TO BE BLOWN OUTTA THE WATER, MAYBE 8 8500 TO 9,000 BILLS, UH, FILED.
UH, AND THE NUMBER KEEPS ON GROWING EVERY SINGLE SESSION.
UM, JUST A SIDE NOTE, UH, ABOUT 20 TO 25% OF THE LEGISLATURE'S TIME IS SPENT ON REGULATING CITIES OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN SOME SORT OF WAY.
UH, AND SO THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE HAVE SUCH A ROBUST, ROBUST PROGRAM.
UM, THE 89 SESSION IS GONNA BEGIN JANUARY 14TH.
UH, AND COMMITTEE HEARINGS USUALLY BEGIN IN LATE JANUARY, EARLY FEBRUARY.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE, UH, YOU CAN'T HAVE COMMITTEE HEARINGS IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
IT'S AN OLD ARCHAIC, UH, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL, UH, THING WHERE, UH, YOU HAD PEOPLE FROM EL PASO NEEDING TO RIDE A HORSE ALL THE WAY TO THE LEGISLATURE.
SO THEY, UH, PUT IT OFF FOR TWO, TWO WEEKS BEFORE THEY CAN START HEARING, UH, COMMITTEE HEARINGS.
UM, THE LEGISLATURE WILL ADJOURN SIGN DYE ON JUNE 2ND, UH, 2025 SIGN DYE.
IT JUST MEANS WITHOUT A DAY, UH, IN LATIN, UH, BASICALLY SAYING THAT WE'RE GONNA ADJOURN WITHOUT SETTING A DATE, UH, TO MEET AGAIN.
UM, SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE, AGAIN DURING THE, UH, LEGISLATIVE SESSION, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR AUSTIN, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, BILLS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH, UH, RATE SETTING, UH, OUR GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, UH, WEATHERIZATION, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE HURRICANE, UH, THAT HIT HOUSTON, UH, AND MANY OTHER THINGS.
UM, THE, UH, COMMUNITY, OBVIOUSLY, BILLS WILL, WILL DEFINITELY BE VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
UH, THERE WILL BE BILLS DIRECTLY, UH, IMPACTING PROJECT CONNECT, UH, AND THE ABILITY FOR CITIES TO BE ABLE TO USE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS AND THEIR FUNDING STRUCTURES FOR, UH, THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE RESTRICTIONS ON CITY FINANCES IN GENERAL.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN, UM, EXPENDITURE CAPS.
UH, WE'VE HAD REVENUE CAPS IN THE PAST, UH, BUT NOW THEY'RE GOING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EQUATION AND LOOKING AT EXPENDITURES AS WELL.
SO THAT IS GONNA BE KIND OF THE NEXT STEP FOR REGULATION ON CITY FINANCES.
UH, I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.
THEY HAVE HELPED US SECURE OVER $24 MILLION FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN SINCE EARMARKS WERE, UH, RENEWED BACK IN FY 22.
UH, WE STARTED OFF IN FY 22 TO 3.5 MILLION, AND, AND RECENTLY IN FY 24 THAT MOVED UP TO 12.06 MILLION.
UH, WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW FOR FY 25.
WE'RE, UH, UH, LOOKING AT THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL, AND HOPEFULLY WE COULD GET THAT DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
UH, BUT THAT HAS, UH, GONE ALL THE WAY INTO MARCH OR APRIL.
SO IT, IT, IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE.
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THE PROCESS SOON, UH, TO DEVELOP OUR COMMUNITY FUNDING PROJECTS FOR FY 26.SO, UM, THAT WILL BE COMING SOON.
EXCUSE ME IF I GET TO ASSUME YES, SIR.
WHEN, WHEN I LOOK AND IT SAYS EARMARKS, UH, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A NEGATIVE PHRASE.
COULD WE IDENTIFY THE, THE THINGS THAT SERVE THE COMMUNITY THAT YES, SIR, WERE BROUGHT TO US, UH, THROUGH, UH, THROUGH THIS PROCESS? YES, SIR.
IF WE CAN LOOK AT OUTCOMES, I MEAN, WHEN YOU SAY EARMARKS, I THINK PORK IMMEDIATE MM-HMM
IF, IF, IF WE CAN START WITH WHO WAS SERVED, I THINK WE CAN MAKE A BETTER CASE.
AND ACTUALLY, THE, THE, UH, CONGRESS HAS MOVED AWAY FROM THAT, UH, COLLOQUIAL TERM OF EARMARKS AND HAS NOW CALLED THAT PROGRAM THE, UH, COMMUNITY FUNDED PROJECTS PROGRAM.
UM, SO, UH, GOING INTO THE PROCESS, SO DURING THIS TIME IN, UH, WINTER, UH, THE WINTER TIMEFRAME IS WHEN WE, UH, START SPEAKING WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY PROJECT, UH, REQUEST, COMMITTEE FUNDED PROJECT REQUEST.
UM, WE WILL BE SUBMITTING, UH, THOSE SUBMISSIONS TO OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AS WE GET INTO THE SPRING, AROUND THE MARCH APRIL TIMEFRAME.
UH, AND THEN IT'S OFF TO THE RACES.
THEY GO TO THE APPROPRIATE, THEY GO THROUGH THEIR SUBCOMMITTEES IN THE APPROPRIATIONS, UH, COMMITTEE.
UM, AND THEN THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE REST OF THE, OF THE YEAR.
UH, WE WOULDN'T EXPECT TO, UH, SPEND THOSE FUNDS UNTIL FY 26 BUDGET.
NOW IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT OUR, OUR NEW, UH, LEGISLATIVE TEAM.
WE DO HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR, UH, CARRIE ROGERS.
SHE'S OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICER, AND HAS REPLACED, UH, B FRANCO.
UM, SHE UNFORTUNATELY WAS NOT, UH, ABLE TO, UH, BE HERE TODAY, BUT SHE IS WATCHING ONLINE.
UM, I AM THE DEPUTY OFFICER, AND I'M GONNA BE OVER STATE AND, UH, FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
UH, WE WILL HAVE A LOCAL AND REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR WHO'S GOING TO BE HIRED SOON.
AND THAT PERSON WILL BE, UH, IN CHARGE OF DEV, UH, DEVELOPING THE RE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN US AND OUR COMMUNITY, UM, PARTNERS.
UH, AND THEN A NEW THING FOR, FOR THIS YEAR IS, UH, THE INTERMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE WILL NOW BE TAKING ON GRANTS AND LEGISLATIVE FUNDING REQUESTS AS WELL.
SO THAT'S A, A BIG, UM, UH, BIG NEW PROJECT FOR THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE.
SO, NEXT STEPS IS WE'RE GONNA BE RECEIVING, UH, ANY FEEDBACK FROM, UH, THE COMMITTEE.
UH, WE'RE GONNA, UH, GO TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, TO HAVE THEM CONSIDER THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ON DECEMBER 12TH.
UM, WE'LL COMMUNICATE, UH, THE ADOPTIVE PROGRAMS TO THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, DELEGATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS, AND WE'LL POST A LEG LEGISLATIVE UPDATE ON THE IGR WEB PAGE.
UH, WE'LL DO OUTREACH, UH, MEETINGS WITH OUR DELEGATIONS AND SOCIALIZE THE AGENDA.
AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WEEKLY UPDATES, UH, TO OUR CITY LEADERSHIP.
AND WITH THAT, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I'VE GOT A, UM, I, I KNOW THAT THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF, UM, DE ANNEXATIONS AND I, I KNOW THAT THAT'S, UH, AN ISSUE WHERE I, I THINK THERE'S A CONCERN AT THE LEGISLATURE, ALTHOUGH Y'ALL KNOW BETTER THAN THIS, UM, THAT THERE WERE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THAT.
UM, I HAVE TO ASSUME IT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER CITIES AROUND THE STATE, ALTHOUGH, I DON'T KNOW.
AND IT OBVIOUSLY HURTS THE ABILITY OF THOSE CITIES TO EVEN HAVE A TAX BASE MM-HMM
SO, UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THERE'S ANY SENSE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE LEGISLATURE MIGHT ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING TO CORRECT IT.
YES, I'VE HEARD THAT THERE'S BEEN QUITE A FEW LEGISLATORS WHO WEREN'T REALLY SURE EXACTLY WHAT THEY PASSED, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ETJ BILL THAT THEY PASSED LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
UM, THERE WERE SOME COMMUNITIES THAT WERE HURT BY IT, SOME COMMUNITIES THAT WERE ACTUALLY GAINED, UH, SOMETHING BY THAT.
UM, AND I DO THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE A, A SUBJECT THAT MIGHT COME BACK UP.
UH, THERE WERE SOME DISCUSSIONS DURING THE INTERIM AS WELL ABOUT IT.
UH, AS FAR AS, UH, ACTUAL DIS ANNEXATION OF, OF CITY, UH, UH, THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, UH, AUSTIN WAS REALLY THE ONLY, UH, COMMUNITY THAT HAD A MAJOR DIS ANNEXATION, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT, UM, LAS CREEK, UM, MANY OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE BILL LAST TIME AROUND WERE ACTUALLY CARVED OUT EVENTUALLY BY THE, BY THE TIME THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDED.
SO BASICALLY, SO IT'S THE ONLY APPLIES TO AUSTIN.
IT BASICALLY ONLY APPLIES THAT TO AUSTIN.
BUT I, I THINK EVEN THEN, UM, THERE, THERE'S PEOPLE WHO HAVE
[01:25:01]
SEEN THE OUTCOME OF THAT AND, UM, ARE WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AS WELL.SO WE'LL BE MONITORING THAT AND ACTING ACCORDINGLY AS THAT, UH, COMES UP DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
HAVE YOU ED ON OUR AGENDA? JUST THIS MIGHT, THIS IS RIGHT TO THIS POINT.
WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA FOLKS WHO DE ANNEX WHO WANNA RE ANNEX THIS.
I HAVEN'T SEEN THE DETAILS YET, BUT MY STAFF TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE, I THINK FOLKS WHO, WHO DE ANNEXED WHO WANT TO RE ANNEX.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE WEREN'T AWARE OF THE SERVICES THEY WERE.
UM, BUT HAVE, HAVE, HAS THE CITY BEGUN TO QUANTIFY THE, UH, LOST TAX REVENUE? UM, I ACTUALLY WOULD BE, IT WOULD, UH, I CAN GET AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE US ALONG BECAUSE IT IS 1 0 8 AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA NEED LIKE FIVE MINUTES AT THE END TO TALK ABOUT A FEW OTHER THINGS.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO TRAVIS COUNTY, JULIA WHEELER.
UM, BOTH FEEL FREE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, UH, SHARE YOUR PRESENTATION.
THAT PART, SORRY, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT EITHER.
I'M THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS OFFICE, AVIS COUNTY.
I AM GONNA TALK REALLY FAST, SO I'M SO SORRY, BUT WE'RE GONNA, THANKS EDNA.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GET THROUGH IT REALLY QUICKLY.
SO, AS RICK SAID, SESSION DOES NOT START UNTIL JANUARY, BUT WE'RE ALREADY IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
UM, THEY ARE GOING TO BE OPERATING WITH A TON OF MONEY YET AGAIN.
WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL WE GET THE REVENUE ESTIMATE IN JANUARY, WHAT THAT TRUE NUMBER WILL BE.
BUT AGAIN, AS IT SITS, $20 BILLION, $23.8 BILLION IN THE RAINY DAY FUND.
SO TEXAS IS NOT GOING TO HAVE A, A PROBLEM WITH MONEY, BUT IT WILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH NOT WANTING TO SPEND THAT MONEY.
AND SO THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE, I THINK, A PRESSURE POINT AS WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THE SESSION.
SOME TOPICS THAT WE THINK WILL CONTINUE TO DOMINATE, AND I DON'T WANNA TALK VOUCHERS LONG BECAUSE THAT'S NOT MY AREA OF INTEREST, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT VOUCHERS IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER, WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THEM.
COMMISSIONER SHAY, TO YOUR POINT, DEVELOPMENT, UM, REGULATORY AUTHORITY ELIMINATION OF THE ETJ.
THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT THE COUNTY WILL HEAVILY BE FOLLOWING, AND WE DO SEE A CONTINUATION OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, ONE THING OF INTEREST FOR US THAT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT THERE FINALLY IS AN INTEREST IN CONTINUING FOR LOOKING AT WATER INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS.
UM, LASTLY, PUBLIC FUNDED LOBBYING PROHIBITIONS.
I LOVE THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S TERMINOLOGY.
I NEED TO PUT THAT ONE INTO MY BRAIN.
THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE, UM, ON THE HORIZON.
SO, UM, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH THIS OTHER THAN TO SAY THERE'S A LOT OF TURNOVER THAT WE'VE SEEN.
FOR US, THAT BECOMES A CHALLENGE WITH THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE THAT WE LOSE, UM, WITH THE DEVELOPMENTS, UH, AS OF TODAY ABOUT THE SPEAKERS RACE, THAT REALLY IS GONNA THROW A LOT OF THINGS INTO MASSIVE CHANGE.
MANY OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS THAT WE EXPECTED TO SEE COMING BACK IF PHELAN HAD RETAINED THE SPEAKERSHIP, ARE ALL ON THE TABLE NOW.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD, DUSTIN BURROWS IS STARTING TO LOOK, I THINK MIGHT ACTUALLY BE THE ONE WHO HAS IT IN THE BAG.
BUT TO SAY IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER, UM, WE DO KNOW THAT IT IS LIKELY THAT DEMOCRATS WILL NOT BE HOLDING ANY CHAIRS.
UM, THIS SESSION THAT HAS BEEN ON THE HORIZON AND IS NOT A SHOCK TO, I THINK ANY OF US HERE.
UM, GOING THROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK, WE HAVE FOUR SECTIONS.
SO PRINCIPLES FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION, OUR PRIORITY POSITIONS, THOSE ARE THE BILLS THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO ADVANCE POLICY POSITIONS, WHICH ARE SORT OF GENERAL TAKES ON ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING.
AS RICK SAID, 8,000 PLUS BILLS THIS SESSION.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT GUIDES OUR ACTIVITY ON HOW WE TAKE POSITIONS ON THOSE BILLS, AND THEN POSITIONS ON OTHER PROPOSALS.
SO WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HEAR FROM OUR PARTNERS ABOUT THE INITIATIVES THAT THEY ARE SPEARHEADING.
AND IF NEEDED, WE WOULD LOVE TO BE, UM, ENGAGED ON THOSE AND HELP TRY TO ADVANCE THOSE AS WELL.
SO, SORRY, I'M STILL, I'M RECOVERING MY VOICE STILL, SO HOPEFULLY IT WILL NOT GO OUT ON ME BEFORE I AM DONE.
I'M GONNA SKIP THROUGH THIS REALLY QUICKLY.
I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT TRAVIS, OR SORRY, COUNTIES ARE AN ARM OF THE STATE.
AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS, WE CAN ONLY DO WHAT THE STATE ALLOWS US TO DO.
UM, WE REALLY SERVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION FOR THEM.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR BILLS AND OUR LEGISLATION, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE REALLY OPERATE IN MECHANICS.
UM, SO NOT BIG SWEEPING CHANGE, BUT ANYTHING WE WANNA DO IF LOST SAYS WE CAN'T, WE'VE GOTTA FIGHT FOR THAT, EVEN IF IT'S A, LIKE ONE OR TWO WORDS CHANGED IN A STATUTE.
SO I WANTED TO SPEND THE NEXT COUPLE OF SECONDS TALKING ABOUT THE TWO, TWO OF THE SIX BILLS THAT WE THINK WILL HAVE, UM, AN IMPACT WITH ALL THREE ENTITIES.
SO THE FIRST OF THOSE IS LOOKING AT TRYING TO REPURPOSE SOME OF THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE DECOMMISSIONED FROM THE AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL.
TRAVIS COUNTY HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT DIVERSION EFFORTS.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT I THINK WILL IMPACT THE COMMUNITY AS WE LOOK AT WAYS TO HELP FOLKS BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GO TO JAIL, IF THEY'RE IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, WE REALLY THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE SEPARATED FROM
[01:30:01]
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.THE OTHER BILL THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, IS SURPLUS PROPERTY DONATION.
THIS ACTUALLY CAME ABOUT WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, TO TAKE A LOOK AT EQUIPMENT THAT WE HAD, THAT WE, WE HAD DE DECOMMISSIONED.
UM, AND HOW COULD WE DONATE THAT? AGAIN, BECAUSE COUNTIES ARE AN ARM OF THE STATE, WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ACTUALLY DO THAT.
AND SO THIS BILL WOULD TRY TO OPEN UP THAT PROCESS AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR US TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, UM, AND HOPEFULLY ALSO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS WHO CAN UTILIZE EQUIPMENT THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE A USE FOR.
UM, THESE TWO BILLS REALLY ARE TRAVIS COUNTY, OR SORRY, COUNTY FOCUSED.
ONE IS RESOLVING SOME ISSUES AROUND THE FIRE CODE, UM, COUNTY BAIL BOND BOARD MEETINGS.
THAT IS, I DON'T THINK ANY OF INTEREST TO THIS GROUP, BUT IT DOES MATTER TO THE COUNTY.
UM, ANOTHER ONE, DEER MANAGEMENT.
SO MANAGING THE DEER POPULATION IN THE VAL COUNTY'S CANYON LAND PRESERVE.
UM, AND THEN WASTE MANAGEMENT, WHICH I DO THINK AS WE MOVE THROUGH, UM, POTENTIAL DE ANNEXATION LEGISLATION WILL HAVE A GREATER IMPACT IN PROVIDING WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO OUR FOLKS WHO STILL LIVE.
UM, AND THE UNKNOWN OF THE ETJ.
LOOKING AT OUR POLICY POSITIONS, I WON'T GO THROUGH THESE.
UM, YOU GUYS CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, BUT REALLY, IT HITS ALL OF THE MAJOR, UM, INTERESTS THAT HAVE AN IMPACT TO THE COUNTY.
SO ANYTHING FROM ELECTIONS, HOW WE MANAGE OUR WORKFORCE AND BENEFITS, EMERGENCY SERVICE PROVISION, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION, GROWTH MANAGEMENT, AND LAND USE.
THAT REALLY IS WHERE I THINK I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME.
IT FEELS LIKE EACH SESSION AS WE GO FORWARD.
UM, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ISSUES, ANYTHING FROM GUN SAFETY, OVERDOSE PREVENTION.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE FENTANYL TEST STRIPS, DECRIMINALIZED.
UM, THAT ALSO REMAINS A PRIORITY, AND WE'LL SEE HOW FAR WE CAN GET ON THAT.
UM, AGAIN, JUSTICE PLANNING ISSUES, MOBILITY AND TRANSPORTATION.
WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE AN EXPANSION OF RAIL.
WE WOULD LOVE TO BE SUPPORTIVE IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN HELP ALLEVIATE CONGESTION, UM, AND TRAFFIC IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
TAXATION, REVENUE AND BUDGET, AS RICK MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, UM, REVENUE CAPS PASSED, BUT THERE'S STILL WAYS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO PUT LIMITATIONS IN PLACE FOR US, UM, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO DEBT.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL BE MONITORING CLOSELY.
AS RICK MENTIONED, AGAIN, TECHNOLOGY.
SO BROADBAND AFFORDABILITY BECOMES THE ISSUE HERE LOCALLY.
IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THOSE SERVICES, IT'S JUST WE HAVE A HIGH NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO CAN'T AFFORD THAT.
UM, LASTLY, BEFORE I AM DONE, I WANTED TO POINT OUT AGAIN, GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND LAND USE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO TALKING ABOUT THE ETJ, THERE'S ALSO A RENEWED INTEREST IN LOOKING AT SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS.
SO NOT SOMETHING I THINK THAT REALLY IMPACTS THE CITY QUITE SO MUCH.
UM, BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WE ARE SEEING A NUMBER OF MUDS, SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS THAT CROP UP.
THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE ANY SORT OF HAND IN REGULATION OF THOSE, BUT THEY DO HAVE A, A MASSIVE IMPACT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, HAVE HUGE TAX BASES AND MAY NOT NECESSARILY ALLOW FOR REPRESENTATION FROM THOSE CITIZENS THAT ARE BEING SERVED.
AND IN VERY QUICK NUTSHELL, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I'M ALSO VERY HAPPY TO PASS IT ON TO EDNA
I'M GONNA BREEZE THROUGH THESE THINGS.
AND YOU HAVE, UM, YOU HAVE THE PRIORITIES IN YOUR PACKETS, SO YOU CAN READ THEM AT YOUR LEISURE, BUT I'LL JUST, UM, HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THEM.
UM, WE, OUR BOARD HAS ALREADY, HAS ALREADY, UM, PASSED THESE PRIORITIES.
THEY PASSED THE FIRST SET DEALING WITH FUNDING AND RECAPTURE IN JUNE.
AND THEN THE OTHER PRIORITIES WERE ADOPTED IN NOVEMBER.
AND, UH, WITH INPUT FROM A AUSTIN ISD ADVISORY, ADVOCACY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND WE DID ONLINE SURVEYS TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR THEIR INPUT.
JACOB, DID YOU, OH, THERE WE GO.
UM, THIS IS THE, PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO, TO AUSTIN ISD IS AN INCREASE IN THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, UH, ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION.
REQUIRE THAT RECAPTURE DOLLARS BE SPENT ON, ON EDUCATION, ENDING THE PRACTICE THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS DONE FOR YEARS IN SUPPLANTING THE MONEY THAT IT PROVIDES INTO EDUCATION WITH THE RECAPTURE DOLLARS.
UM, STUDY ON THE TRUE COST OF EDUCATION.
UH, UPDATE THE ALLOTMENTS TO REFLECT ACTUAL COSTS OF THE PROGRAMS, INCREASE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING TO COVER ACTUAL COSTS OF PROVIDING SERVICES.
AND YOU NOTE, I NOTED THAT A ISD IS UNDERFUNDED BY, UH, OVER $78 MILLION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
UM, AND THEN FUND SCHOOLS ON THE BASIS OF ENROLLMENT RATHER THAN ATTENDANCE, UH, RECAPTURE REFORM.
UM, THERE ARE VARIOUS VERY, UM, UH, CREATIVE, UH, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS HERE.
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UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, COMMISSION A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF RECAPTURE ON HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, UH, FACTOR INTO, UH, THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE STUDENT POPULATION IN DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF RECAPTURE PAID BY DISTRICTS.UM, WE ARE THE HIGHEST PAYER OF RECAPTURE BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY HIGH PROPERTY VALUES, BUT OUR FAMILIES ARE NOT NECESSARILY WEALTHY.
UM, AND THEN CONVERT TWO COPPER PENNIES TO TWO GOLDEN PEN PENNIES.
GOLDEN PENNIES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO RECAPTURE.
THAT WOULD HELP US TREMENDOUSLY.
UM, THEN ON, UH, PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY FOR PUBLIC FUNDS, UM, OUR BOARD VOTED TO OPPOSE VOUCHERS, UH, IN ANY OTHER TERM BY WHICH, UH, VOUCHERS ARE, ARE NAMED TAX CREDITS, UH, SAVINGS GRANTS, ET CETERA.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER RELATED PRIORITY, UH, OPPOSING VOUCHERS THAT ARE EXEMPT FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
CHARTER SCHOOLS, UM, CURRENTLY CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE HAVE TO, UH, SCHOOL HAS TO APPLY FOR A CHARTER.
ONCE A CHARTER IS GRANTED, THE CHARTER CAN EXPAND, UH, GEOGRAPHICALLY ENROLLMENT WISE, GRADE WISE, UM, WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY SET UP, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IDEA CHARTER SCHOOL STARTED IN THE VALLEY.
IT IS NOW IN MANY, MANY CITIES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO, UM, THERE ARE SOME PRIORITIES AROUND, UM, PUTTING MORE, UH, COMMUNITY INPUT AND INTO THAT SYSTEM.
AND THEN ALSO AUTHORIZE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO EXERCISE V TWO AUTHORITY OVER EXPANSIONS.
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE VETO AUTHORITY OVER APPROVALS, UH, BY THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY AND ASSESSMENT.
UM, ESTABLISH AN, A SYSTEM THAT LOOKS BEYOND HIGH STAKES MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAMS, UM, MANDATE A GRACE PERIOD OF AT LEAST ONE YEAR IN THE ASSIGNMENT OF CAMPUS AND DISTRICT RATINGS, FOLLOWING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO STAR AND OF COURSE, EXAMS AND OR THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM.
UM, LOCAL CONTROL AND GOVERNANCE.
UH, THESE ARE VERY SIMILAR TO, TO WHAT THE CITY AND COUNTY, UM, HAVE AS PRIORITIES.
UH, OPPOSE UNFUNDED MANDATES AND INFRINGEMENTS ON LOCAL CONTROL.
UM, AGAIN, UH, OPPOSE MEASURES THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM HAVING REPRESENTATION AT THE LEGISLATURE.
UM, AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO, THERE'S BEEN LEGISLATION IN THE RECENT PAST YEARS THAT PUT MORE RESTRICTIONS OR MORE REQUIREMENTS ON LANGUAGE FOR BOND MEASURES AND TAX, UH, TAX, UH, RATIFICATION.
SO THIS, THIS PRIORITY SAYS THAT WE OPPOSE LEGISLATION REGARDING BOND ELECTIONS THAT INCREASE THE BALLOT LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS LIMIT WHEN ELECTIONS ARE HELD, OR THAT CREATE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, UH, FOR ELECTIONS.
UH, THERE HAVE BEEN BILLS IN FILED IN THE PAST THAT WOULD REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE IN ORDER TO INCREASE TAXES AND APPROVE BONDS.
UH, PARENT AND FAMILY INVOLVEMENT LAST SESSION, THERE WERE A LOT OF BILLS, UM, THAT WERE, UM, LABELED AS, UH, PARENT PARENTAL CHOICE.
THERE DON'T, DON'T SEEM TO BE AS MANY SO FAR THIS SESSION.
UM, SO, BUT WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF PRIORITIES HERE THAT WOULD, UM, THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW ONE FAMILY OR TWO FAMILIES TO IMPOSE WHATEVER THEY OPPOSE ON ALL FAMILIES IN OUR DISTRICT.
SO THIS IS PRIMARILY WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
SECURITY AND SAFETY, UH, INCREASED THE SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT.
UM, THIS IS AN UNDERFUNDED MANDATE THAT WAS PASSED LAST SESSION.
HOUSE BILL THREE, UM, AIS, DS ALL, ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE UNDERFUNDED IN THIS, IN THIS AREA.
A ISD IS UNDERFUNDED BY OVER $14 MILLION.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A PRIORITY ON, UH, OPENLY, UH, ESTABLISHING A CRIMINAL OFFENSE FOR OPENLY CARRYING A FIREARM ON OR WITHIN 300 FEET OF DISTRICT PROPERTY.
UH, STUDENT SUPPORTS INCREASED FUNDING FOR COUNSELORS, UM, BOTH FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER COUNSELING AND FOR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING.
UH, REDUCE THE USE OF EXCLUSIONARY DISCIPLINE AND KEEP STUDENTS IN SCHOOL WHENEVER POSSIBLE INSTEAD OF DISCIPLINARY PLACEMENTS.
UM, PROTECT AND SUPPORT AN EQUITABLE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT THAT VALUES DIVERSITY OF RACE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, CULTURE, GENDER, RELIGIONS, AND IMMIGRATION STATUS.
[01:40:01]
IS, YOU KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT TO, TO OUR DISTRICT BECAUSE WE WANNA PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY IN THE FACE OF, UH, WHAT MAY BE HAPPENING ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, WITH, UH, MASS DEPORTATIONS.UM, AND POSE THE ABILITY OF THE STATE TO RESTRICT PROGRAMS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT PROMOTE ACCEPTANCE AND RESPECT FOR ALL STUDENTS.
UM, TEACHERS, UM, OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT UNDERMINES A PROFESSIONALISM OF TEACHERS, SUCH AS ELIMINATING REQUIREMENT THAT TEACHERS HAVE, UH, COLLEGE DEGREES OR MANDATE THAT, OR MANDATE, UH, CURRICULUM THAT NARROWS EDUCATORS ABILITY TO ADAPT LESSON PLANS IN RESPONSE TO LOCAL NEEDS.
AND YOU MAY HAVE, UM, READ IN THE PAPER YESTERDAY OR TODAY ABOUT THE CERTIFICATION, UM, SCAMS, UM, WHERE THEY'RE, I DON'T KNOW, MANUFACTURING THAT THEY'RE CERTIFIED, THAT THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN AUSTIN.
AND WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT REQUIREMENT THAT THE TEACHERS BE CERTIFIED.
UM, AND SO BASICALLY THAT'S IT.
YOU CAN FIND THESE ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, AND I ALSO, DURING THE SESSION, I PUT OUT A, WHAT I CALL A FRIDAY EMAIL, AND IT LISTS, IT WILL LIST, IT WILL HAVE A TABLE THAT LISTS OUR BOARD'S PRIORITIES, AND THEN THE BILLS THAT SUPPORT THOSE PRIORITIES, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PARENTS WHO WANNA KNOW WHAT THEY CAN DO, HOW THEY CAN HELP A ISD.
AND SO THEY CAN JUST GO TO THAT TABLE AND SEE WHAT BILLS SUPPORT OUR PRIORITIES, AND THEY CAN, THEY CAN WEIGH IN, UM, AS, AS THEY AS THEY WISH.
AND THEN FINALLY, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT THERE IS A GREAT, UH, WEBSITE CALLED FUND SCHOOLS FIRST.ORG THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN NORTH TEXAS.
AND IT BASICALLY STATES THAT WE HAVE THAT IN ORDER TO, UM, BRING SCHOOL DISTRICTS UP TO THE 2019 FUNDING LEVELS, WHICH IS WHEN WE WERE LAST GIVEN.
UM, GIVEN A RAISE BY THE LEGISLATURE FACTORED FOR INFLATION, UH, IT WOULD, IT WOULD REQUIRE $10 BILLION.
UH, AND THIS IS ALL BASED ON LEGISLATIVE, UH, LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD, UH, NUMBERS AND TEA NUMBERS.
AND THEN IT ALSO HAS A, UM, TA, UH, FUNCTION WHERE YOU CAN, IF, IF THE INCREASE, IF THE BASIC ALLOTMENTS IS INCREASED BY 10 BY A HUNDRED DOLLARS, UH, HOW MUCH THAT WOULD INCREASE TEACHER SALARIES, HOW MUCH THAT WOULD INCREASE SPECIAL EDUCATION, UH, SAFETY ALLOTMENT.
AND YOU CAN JUST PLUG IN $500, HOW MUCH IS THAT GOING TO IMPACT THESE FOUR AREAS, A THOUSAND DOLLARS? SO ANYWAY, SO THAT'S A REALLY GREAT TOOL, AND I RECOMMEND, I RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY ANYWAY.
THIS WAS, UH, IT'S HEAVY STUFF.
WE HAVE A LOT AHEAD OF US WHEN SESSION STARTS, AND, UM, I FEEL VERY WELL INFORMED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE ALL DOING, AND, UM, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO KEEP HAVING UPDATES ON THIS PROBABLY OVER THROUGHOUT THE SESSION.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TALKING.
UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF, OF CONTINUALLY BEING INFORMED.
UH, BUT THERE, THERE ARE SOME, UH, POSITIONS WHERE ALL THREE ENTITIES, UH, SHARE THE SAME OPINION.
UH, MAYBE WE OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT, UH, PUTTING A COMMUNICATION TOGETHER WHERE WE ARE ALIGNED, THAT AT LEAST PUTS IN THE HANDS OF, OF THE HI OF THE, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY DELEGATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE.
IF, IF THIS, IF THIS ITEM COMES UP, WE'LL TESTIFY, BUT THIS IS OUR STATED POSITION.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, MAYBE WE CAN, THE STAFF CAN WORK ON? THANK YOU.
SO, I'M SORRY WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR TOO MUCH Q AND A, UM, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE
[VI. Student Voting Clerks – AISD & Travis County Collaboration]
BIT OF GOOD NEWS, I GUESS.UM, WE HAVE A STUDENT, UH, THERE'S A STUDENT, UH, ELECTION CLERKS PROGRAM THAT MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW ABOUT THAT'S, UM, DONE BY THE COUNTY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT THIS, BUT THERE, THIS PROGRAM BASICALLY ALLOWS KIDS WHO ARE 16 YEARS OLD TO EARN $20 AN HOUR TO WORK AT OUR, UM, OUR POLLING LOCATIONS.
AND THEY NEVER FILL ALL THEIR SLOTS.
AND SO THIS YEAR WE SPOKE WITH DIANA LIMO MERCADO, AND WE'RE LIKE, WE'RE GONNA FILL ALL THOSE SLOTS.
AND BOY DID WE
WE HAD STUDENTS FROM EVERY SINGLE A ISD HIGH SCHOOL, UM, APPLY.
THEY HAD, THEY ONLY ALLOWED LIKE, LESS THAN HALF OF THE STUDENTS WHO APPLIED COULD ACTUALLY END UP BEING, UM, STUDENT ELECTION CLERKS.
BUT THERE'S A LITTLE HANDOUT IN YOUR PACKET ABOUT THAT GIVES ALL THE DETAILS.
[01:45:01]
BUT ONE CUTE THING THAT I DO WANNA TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO IS, UM, WE ACTUALLY HAD STUDENTS AT BURNETT, UH, NO, AT BAILEY MIDDLE SCHOOL DESIGN, THEIR OWN LITTLE, I VOTED STICKERS, WHICH I THINK LOOK AWESOME.SO, UM, AND I THINK THEY WERE ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTED AT SOME OF THE POLLING LOCATIONS, BUT WE'VE HEARD SO MANY, SO MUCH GOOD, UM, FEEDBACK ON THE PROGRAM.
A ISD HAS REALLY BEEN INSTITUTING THIS CULTURE OF VOTING FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO NOW ELECTION DAY IS A HOLIDAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF TO GO OUT AND VOTE.
WE ALL MAKE SURE WE VOTED AND WE TALK ABOUT IT ON THE DAIS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE, WE HAVE REALLY GOOD VOTER REGISTRATION AT TRAVIS COUNTY.
THE TURNOUT IS NOT AS GOOD AS OUR REGISTRATION LEVELS ARE.
AND SO THIS WAS A WAY FOR US TO REALLY GETTING OUR KIDS, UM, FAMILIAR WITH VOTING IN A, IN A NONPARTISAN WAY, BUT JUST BEING OUT THERE AT THE POLLS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
AND I THINK IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OF THAT.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, LET'S SEE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING, UH, ABOUT THE VOTING OR ANY URGENT QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE HAS? OKAY.
THEN I'LL MOVE ON AND JUST, UH, SAY, ARE THERE ANY
[VII. Standing Items (set at previous meetings)]
QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ON OUR STANDING ITEMS, WHICH ARE, UH, SO BASICALLY, ARE THERE ANY THINGS THAT YOU WANNA PUT ON THE NEXT AGENDA? THIS IS YOUR TIME TO SHARE.AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, UM, OUR NEXT MEETING DATE.
AND IT'LL BE AT TRAVIS COUNTY, BY THE WAY.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT MARCH DATES FOR THAT.
SO I WANTED TO, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK EARLIER, BUT I, I WANTED TO JUST, UM, THANK ALL THE STAFF WHO SUPPORT THE WORK OF THIS, UM, COMMITTEE.
IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH YOU AND APPRECIATE ALL YOUR LEADERSHIP ON ALL THE ISSUES OUTSIDE OF THIS COMMITTEE THAT YOU, YOU'RE LEADING ON.
UM, I DID WANNA JUST FLAG FOR THE COMMITTEE MOVING FORWARD THAT WE HAD ASKED STAFF TO WORK ON SOME OF THE TRANSPARENCY.
VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO FIND THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT'S POSTED ONLY WHERE IT IS.
UM, AND WE NEED, WE NEED SOME SYSTEMS SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE'S ON EVERY ONE OF OUR, UM, SYSTEMS THAT PEOPLE KNOW A COMMITTEE IS COMING UP AND THAT THE AGENDAS ARE POSTED, UM, SO THAT THE WORK DOESN'T GO UNSEEN AND THAT, UM, FOLKS KNOW THAT THIS IS A FORUM WHERE WE CAN HELP, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN BRING ISSUES, ET CETERA.
UM, SO I DID WANNA JUST FLAG THAT FOR YOU.
SO I THINK WE HAVE, UM, A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FOR MARCH FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO CALL AWAY.
UM, ANY OTHER TOPICS PROBABLY UPDATES ON THE PROP AS THE TWO, PROP A, UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING TO SHARE MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THAT.
WELL, IF YOU GUYS HAVE IDEAS, UM, FEEL FREE TO SEND THEM TO YOUR, UM, YOUR, UH, RESPECTIVE STAFF MEMBER.
AND WITH THAT, UM, I'LL ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SO HAVING A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER IAN.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO ADJOURN THE MEETING, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.