* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [00:00:15]
           YOU ARE WATCHING A MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WITH MAYOR KIRK WATSON, MAYOR PRO TIMM LESLIE POOLE. 
          COUNCIL MEMBERS NATASHA HARPER MADISON, VANESSA FUENTES, JOSE VELAZQUEZ, CHEETO VELA, RYAN ALTER, MACKENZIE, KELLY, PAIGE ELLIS, ZOE CADRE, ALISON ALTER, INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY DEBORAH THOMAS, CITY CLERK MYRNA RIOS AND CITY MANAGER TC BROAD MEMBERS. 
          I WILL NOW CALL TO ORDER THE WORK SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR DECEMBER 10TH, 2024 AT 9:05 AM WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT AND UH, WE ARE MEETING AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, WHICH IS AUSTIN CITY HALL AND IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. 
          THE FIRST ITEM ON THE 
          [A2. Approve adoption of Austin Energy’s Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan to 2035, which provides a flexible management framework to meet changing conditions, and strategies for energy needs, generation supply, demand response, energy efficiency, and equity. Funding: Approving the 2035 Plan does not have immediate fiscal impact. The future financial impact will be determined as specific projects are presented to City Council to implement the plan over the next few years]
AGENDA IS RELATED TO THE AUSTIN ENERGY GENERATION PLAN MEMBERS. 
          UH, MY PROPOSAL FOR GOING FORWARD IS THAT I WILL ASK STAFF TO STEP UP AND JUST GIVE US A BRIEF UPDATE ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS. 
          WE WILL THEN GO TO PUBLIC SPEAKERS AND ALLOW THE SPEAKERS, UM, A AFTER THAT I WILL THEN ASK STAFF TO STEP UP AND MAKE ANY SORT OF PRESENTATIONS THEY WANNA MAKE AND ALLOW US TO ASK, UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF. 
          UM, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE KIND OF THE ORDER THAT WE'RE GOING IN. 
          SO LET ME TURN AND, UH, ASK THAT YOU JUST GIVE US A BRIEF WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, MAYOR, PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          I'M LISA MARTIN, AUSTIN ENERGY'S CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, AND ON THURSDAY YOU'LL HAVE BEFORE YOU VERSION TWO DRAFT OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY RESOURCE GENERATION AND CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN. 
          EARLIER THIS MONTH, WE TOOK THE INITIAL DRAFT VERSION ONE TO THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION. 
          WE DISCUSSED IT AT LENGTH WITH THEM. 
          THEY BROUGHT FORTH 37 AMENDMENTS WITH SOME OF THEM HAVING MULTIPLE PARTS. 
          13 OF THOSE AMENDMENTS PASSED IN SOME FORM, AND ALL 13 OF THOSE AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE VERSION TWO YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY. 
          WE SPENT HOURS OF WORK, UH, COLLABORATING WITH THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION, AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR TIME AND THEIR EFFORTS TO DIG INTO THE DETAILS WITH US. 
          THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION ULTIMATELY PASSED THE PLAN YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU NINE IN FAVOR, ONE AGAINST AND ONE ABSTAIN ABSTENTION. 
          AND SO EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, WE'VE WORKED TO INCORPORATE AS MUCH AS WE CAN WHILE MAINTAINING THE FLEXIBILITY TO MEET OUR COMMUNITY'S COLLECTIVE VALUES OF RELIABILITY, AFFORDABILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, AND ENERGY EQUITY. 
          THE PLAN WAS CREATED WITH THE COMMISSION AND WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND IT BALANCES THE PRIORITIES THEY TOLD US THEY VALUE LOUD AND CLEAR. 
          I LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING WITH YOU FURTHER TODAY, MAYOR. 
          GREAT, THANK YOU WITH THAT, UM, WE'LL, I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK THAT YOU CALL SPEAKERS AND ALLOW THE SPEAKERS, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME FORWARD AND GIVE THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO GIVE US PUBLIC COMMENT AND KEEP IN MIND THAT WE WILL HAVE THIS BACKUP ON THURSDAY, WHICH WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR. 
          FIRST SPEAKER IS CAROLYN KRUM. 
          IF YOUR NAME HELLO? YES, PLEASE CAN, PLEASE GO FORWARD. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          AUSTIN ENERGY'S DRAFT PLAN BREAKS OUR PREVIOUS COMMITMENT TO NOT ADD ANY CARBON EMITTING RESOURCES. 
          THE GREEN MODELS THEY LOOKED AT PERFORMED WELL. 
          YET OUR UTILITY CONTINUES TO INSIST ON NEW FOSSIL FUEL PLANTS. 
          THE DRAFT PLAN DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A SPECIFIC GOAL FOR SO SHORT DURATION LOCAL BATTERY STORAGE, WHICH WOULD ADDRESS NEAR FUTURE NEEDS WHEN COMBINED WITH LOCAL SOLAR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND DEMAND RESPONSE. 
          UTILITIES ALL ACROSS YOUR ERCOT ARE USING BATTERY STORAGE FOR RELIABILITY. 
          AND AUSTIN SHOULD TOO. 
          PLEASE SUPPORT THE AMENDMENTS BY COUNCIL MEMBERS RYAN ALTER, JOSE VAL VELAZQUEZ AND ZOE CADRY. 
          TO RYAN ALTER'S AMENDMENT ON THE LOCAL BATTERY STORAGE. 
          I SUGGEST ADDING THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL ON THE FOUND FINDINGS BE DONE BY FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR. 
          THE DRAFT PLAN IS TITLED POWERING AUSTIN'S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE, BUT IT MENTIONS STUDYING NUCLEAR POWER. 
          NUCLEAR PLANTS ARE NEITHER CLEAN NOR CARBON FREE, AND AUSTIN ENERGY SHOULD STOP 
          [00:05:01]
CLAIMING. 
          SO THERE'S NO REASON TO EVEN STUDY NUCLEAR AS THE PLAN SUGGESTS. 
          NUCLEAR ENERGY IS BY FAR THE MOST EXPENSIVE FORM OF ENERGY, AND IT'S A CARBON INTENSIVE AND EXTRACTIVE ENERGY SOURCE LIKE FOSSIL FUELS. 
          TO COMPARE IT FAIRLY WITH RENEWABLES, NUCLEAR ENERGY'S CARBON EMISSIONS NEED TO INCLUDE EMISSIONS FROM THE WHOLE LIFECYCLE. 
          IT PRODUCES TWICE THE GREENHOUSE GASES OF SOLAR AND SIX TIMES AS MUCH AS LAND-BASED WIND. 
          THE COST OF STORING HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE WASTE ESSENTIALLY FOREVER WOULD BE IMMENSE AND IS TOTALLY UNKNOWN. 
          A STANFORD STUDY CONCLUDED THAT SMALL MODULAR REACTORS WOULD PRODUCE TWO TO 30 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF HIGH LEVEL WASTE AS PRESENT DAY REACTORS, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU A MAJOR CLIMATE POLICY DECISION, WHICH WILL ALSO IMPACT LOCAL PO AIR POLLUTION FOR DECADES TO COME, WE NEED TO MAINTAIN OUR COMMITMENT TO BOTH NO NEW FO FOSSIL FUEL PLANTS AND NO NEW NUCLEAR PLANTS. 
          PLEASE VOTE FOR A POLLUTION, POLLUTION FREE AND CLIMATE FRIENDLY FUTURE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE REMOTE SPEAKERS. 
          WE'LL MOVE TO IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. 
          FIRST SPEAKER IS KABA WHITE WITH TIME DONATED FROM CAMILLE COOK. 
          IS MS. COOK OR MR. COOK HERE? YES. 
          OKAY. 
          SO KABA WHITE WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO SPEAK, FOLLOWED BY BECKY HELPIN AND AL BRADEN. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          MY NAME IS KABA WHITE AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF PUBLIC CITIZENS TEXAS OFFICE, OUR SUPPORTERS, AND ALSO AS AN EAST AUSTIN RESIDENT WITH A CHILD. 
          THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. 
          AS WE EXPECTED, AUSTIN ENERGY'S PROPOSED PLAN WOULD REVERSE CURRENT CLIMATE AND CLEAN ENERGY COMMITMENTS AND PER PERMIT THE UTILITY TO INVEST IN FOSSIL FUEL EXPANSION AT A TIME WHEN THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND OUR LOCAL AIR POLLUTION ARE WORSENING. 
          THE PROPOSED PLAN USES A LOT MORE WORDS AND PRETTY PHOTOS THAN THE EXISTING PLAN, BUT IT'S MUCH WEAKER ON ACTUAL COMMITMENTS. 
          WE NEED SUBSTANCE MORE THAN STYLE SPECIFIC GOALS AND TIMELINES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR ENABLING YOU AND FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO HOLD AUSTIN ENERGY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE. 
          THEY SAY THEY WANT TO WORK TOWARDS AS THE POLICY MAKERS FOR A PUBLIC UTILITY THAT IS YOUR RIGHT AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          TO EACH OF YOU WHO ARE PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO IMPROVE THE PLAN. 
          PLEASE BE SURE TO DO THE FOLLOWING. 
          ONE, MAKE CLEAR THAT THE CARBON FREE GOALS REFER TO BOTH SERVING AUSTIN ENERGY, CUSTOMER DEMAND, AND AUSTIN ENERGY GENERATION PURCHASING A BUNCH OF RENEWABLE ENERGY TO MEET LOAD AND NOT PHASING OUT FOSSIL FUEL RESOURCES THAT AUSTIN ENERGY CONTROLS IS NOT CARBON FREE. 
          THAT IS NOT THE COMMON DEFINITION OF THAT GOAL, AND IT WOULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT REVERSAL OF CURRENT GOALS ESTABLISHED. 
          NUMBER TWO, ESTABLISH INTERIM TARGETS FOR GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION AND REDUCTION OF NOX AND OTHER POLLUTANTS THAT ARE BASED ON TONS EMITTED. 
          WE NEED ACTUAL RE REDUCTIONS IN THE MASS OF POLLUTION, NOT JUST AVERAGES PER MEGAWATT HOUR PRODUCED. 
          NUMBER THREE, MAKE SURE THE AE HAS TO BRING FORWARD A CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVE FOR CONSIDERATION IF THEY BRING FORWARD A FOSSIL FUEL PROPOSAL. 
          LET'S JUST CHECK TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT A CLEAN OPTION BEFORE WE DELVE INTO MORE FOSSIL FUELS. 
          FOUR, TAKE ANY CONSIDERATION OF FOSSIL FUEL EXPANSION ONE STEP AT A TIME TO ALLOW FOR FULL PUBLIC INPUT AND THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION. 
          DON'T COMMIT NOW IN A RUSH. 
          EVEN THOUGH THIS HAS GONE ON FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, THIS ACTUAL PROPOSAL HAS ONLY BEEN IN PRINT FOR THREE WEEKS OR LESS. 
          FIVE, INCLUDE THE CLEAN ENERGY GOALS FROM THE EXISTING PLAN IN THE UPDATE AND ENSURE THAT THERE ARE GOALS FOR 2035 AND INTERIM GOALS FOR EACH METRIC. 
          THIS SHOULD INCLUDE BATTERY STORAGE, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL TO ACTUALLY ACHIEVING A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE. 
          THESE GOALS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. 
          THIS ISN'T AN ACADEMIC EXERCISE. 
          THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY IS COUNTING ON YOU TO SET POLICY THAT WILL MAKE CHANGE TWO THIRDS OF RESPONDENTS TO A E'S OWN SURVEY. 
          LAST AUGUST WHEN THEY STARTED THIS SAID THEY WOULD PAY MORE FOR GREEN ENERGY. 
          WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARY TO PAY MORE, BUT IT'S NICE TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING AND OVER 1300 AUSTINITES HAVE SIGNED A PETITION ASKING YOU NOT TO EXPAND THE USE OF FOSSIL FUELS AT AUSTIN ENERGY. 
          PLEASE LISTEN TO THIS PUBLIC INPUT. 
          PEOPLE ARE SPEAKING BECAUSE WE WANT A CLEAN FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN. 
          WE DON'T WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE SUFFERING FROM ASTHMA AND OTHER RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS. WE WANT A HEALTHY COMMUNITY. 
          WE ALSO WANT A FUTURE WHERE WE ARE NOT FRANKLY, UNABLE 
          [00:10:01]
TO SURVIVE BECAUSE OF CATASTROPHIC CLIMATE CHANGE. 
          THIS CITY IS AT REAL RISK FROM CLIMATE IMPACTS ALREADY, AND THAT WILL WORSEN AND AUSTIN CAN AND SHOULD DO OUR PART TO MITIGATE THAT GLOBAL PROBLEM. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING TO IMPROVE THE PLAN. 
          I HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND FIND REAL SOLUTIONS TO, UH, AMEND THE PLAN TO IMPROVE IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          I'M BECKY HALPIN SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THIRD ACT TEXAS, A SMALL TOWN IN NORTH CAROLINA HAS TAKEN, TAKEN A BOLD STEP FILING THE FIRST CLIMATE DECEPTION LAWSUIT AGAINST AN ELECTRIC UTILITY IN THE UNITED STATES. 
          IT ACCUSES THE POWER COMPANY OF FALSELY MARKETING ITSELF AS A LEADER IN CLEAN ENERGY WHILE CONTINUING TO RELY HEAVILY ON FOSSIL FUELS. 
          SOUND FAMILIAR? THIS IS JUST THE FIRST OF SUITS THAT WILL BE COMING AGAINST UTILITIES. 
          AS GROUPS OF PEOPLE REALIZE THEY HAVE BEEN HARMED BY THE CONTINUED BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS, THE LIST WILL BE LONG. 
          PEOPLE WHO CAN NO LONGER AFFORD HOMEOWNER INSURANCE BECAUSE OF STORM FLOOD AND FIRE RISK FARMERS WHOSE LIVELIHOODS ARE DESTROYED BY COLD HEAT AND DROUGHT. 
          CITIES WHOSE WATER HAS DRIED UP DUE TO CLIMATE RELATED DROUGHT, COMMUNITIES DESTROYED BY FLOOD OR FIRE WILL COME TOGETHER AND SUE UTILITIES WHO KNOWINGLY KEPT BURNING FOSSIL FUELS, EVEN BUYING NEW GAS PLANTS WHEN THEY COULD SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. 
          SEE THE HARM THAT THEY ARE CAUSING AUSTIN WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CLAIM IT DID NOT KNOW THE HARM IT WAS CAUSING. 
          BECAUSE WE HAVE A CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN, WE UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN BURNING FOSSIL FUELS AND THE DAMAGE IT CAUSES TO PEOPLE, THEIR HEALTH, LIVELIHOODS AND PROPERTY. 
          NOW IS THE TIME TO LIMIT AUSTIN ENERGY'S EXPOSURE TO RISK OF FUTURE LAWSUIT. 
          ADOPT AN AMENDMENT TO DECREASE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF CARBON AUSTIN PUTS IN THE ATMOSPHERE BY 5% EACH YEAR. 
          DEMONSTRATE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE HARM BURNING COAL AND GAS CAUSES AND MOVE STEADILY AND CLEARLY AWAY FROM IT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. 
          IF YOU, WHEN WHEN YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED AND THERE'S AN EMPTY MICROPHONE, FEEL FREE TO STEP TO IT. 
          . 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD MORNING, MAYOR WATSON AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          I'M AL BRADEN, THE DISTRICT SEVEN VOTER AND AUSTIN ENERGY SHAREHOLDER. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF PUSHBACK TO THIS GENERATION PLAN AND THERE SHOULD BE. 
          IT ATTEMPTS TO WATER DOWN OUR DECADE LONG COUNCIL COMMITMENT TO KICK THE SMOKING HABIT BY 2035. 
          WHAT SENSE DOES IT MAKE TO PROPOSE A NEW FOSSIL BURNING PLANT TO BE RUNNING BY 2028 AND THEN SHUT IT DOWN? I HAVE TO QUESTION WHETHER AUSTIN ENERGY REALLY INTENDS TO SHUT IT DOWN BY 2035. 
          I WANNA SEE THAT COMMITMENT IRONCLAD. 
          IT'S HARD TO SEE THE NEED FOR NEW PEAKERS. 
          AUSTIN ENERGY'S OWN MODELING SHOWN TO THE EUC BUT NOT PRESENTED TODAY. 
          UC IN NOVEMBER SHOWS THEM NOT RUNNING THE DECKER POWER PLANT, THE PEAKERS FOR POWER GENERATION ET ALL. 
          I'VE EMAILED THAT CHAR ON PAGE 54 TO EACH OF YOU. 
          IT SHOWS THE DECKER UNITS PROVIDING ONLY ANCILLARY SERVICES TO 2035, AND THIS ROLE IS PROGRESSIVELY BEING TAKEN OVER BY BATTERIES IN ERCOT. 
          AUSTIN ENERGY'S PREFERRED MODEL SEEMS TO BE NUMBER 14, A MIX OF PEAKERS AND BATTERIES WITH NEW PEAKERS RUNNING 12% OF THE TIME IN 2035, WE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY BUILD THE BATTERIES WE NEED FOR BOTH ANCILLARY SERVICES AND ENERGY IMPORT, THEN KEEP THE DECKER PEAKERS FOR POWER GENERATION ONLY WHEN NEEDED. 
          I WANT TO SEE US REALLY LEAD WITH CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS AND BATTERIES AS THE GENERATION PLAN CALLS FOR BUILD BATTERIES IN OUR LOAD ZONE AND AT OUR WIND AND SOLAR FACILITIES. 
          THEY WILL ALL HELP MITIGATE PRICE SEPARATION AND TRANSMISSION CONSTRAINTS THAT ARE URGENTLY NEEDED. 
          ERCOT ALREADY HAS 10,000 MEGAWATTS OF BATTERIES UP AND RUNNING, AND THEY WILL DOUBLE THAT NEXT YEAR. 
          AND AGAIN, THE NEXT, ALL OF THESE BATTERIES WILL STABILIZE THE GRID. 
          AUSTIN HAS ONLY THREE MEGAWATTS, THREE MEGAWATTS OF BATTERIES. 
          WHERE'S OUR GEN PLAN GOAL FOR BATTERIES? MANY COUNCIL MEMBER AMENDMENTS SUPPORT THAT AND I ASK YOU TO PLEASE VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENTS THAT SUPPORT ACCELERATED BATTERY DEPLOYMENT. 
          THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS IS RICHARD HALPIN. 
          ITS FOLLOWED BY JORGE RO AND EILEEN MCINNIS. 
          GOOD TO SEE YOU. 
          GOOD 
          [00:15:01]
TO SEE YOU. 
          HELLO, MAYOR. 
          CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, EXTRAORDINARY CITY STAFF. 
          UH, I AM RICHARD HALPIN. 
          I AM REPRESENTING THE, UH, TEXAS ALLIANCE OF RETIRED AMERICANS. 
          UH, TODAY I KNOW YOU ARE CONSIDERING USING TAXPAYER MONEY TO PURCHASE, UH, DANGEROUS FOSSIL FUEL BURNING GENERATION PLANT. 
          UH, HERE IS WHAT THIS LETHAL, LETHAL PLANT WILL PRODUCE. 
          MICHAEL, GIMME THE FIRST SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          UM, CAN YOU GO, UH, UP ONE? THERE IT IS. 
          UH, ONE OF THE CHEMICALS AND MAYOR, YOU KNOW THIS, ONE OF THE CHEMICALS IS NOX AND, UM, THESE SUBSTANCES CAN LEAD TO A NUMBER OF HEALTH ISSUES, INCLUDING HEART ATTACKS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, AND PREMATURE DEATH. 
          MICHAEL, CAN YOU GO UP ONE MORE, UH, UP THE OTHER WAY. 
          ONE MORE, TWO MORE. 
          THAT'S IT RIGHT THERE. 
          SO, UH, NOT ONLY IS THE NITROGEN OXIDE, CARBON DIOXIDE, SULFUR DIOXIDE, PARTICULATE MATTER, MERCURY AND EXPOSURE TO MERCURY CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF CANCER AND IMMUNE SYSTEM DAMAGE. 
          ALSO, THESE MATERIALS WILL POLLUTE THE LAKE. 
          THERE'S A HUGE LAKE RIGHT THERE, YOU ALL KNOW, AND THIS, THESE MATERIALS WILL KILL THAT LAKE AND EVERYTHING IN IT. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, MICHAEL. 
          THE OTHER THING I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW IS DOWN NEAR ON THE RIGHT IS THE DECKER POWER PLANT. 
          THE TWO OTHER ARROWS ARE SCHOOLS. 
          THERE'S AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DECKER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RIGHT DOWN THE STREET, AND THERE'S DECKER MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS ALSO RIGHT ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, RIGHT ACROSS DECKER LANE. 
          THESE CHILDREN AND THE STAFF THERE WILL BE EXPOSED TO THESE CHEMICALS. 
          I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN DO THIS. 
          UH, WHEN I RESEARCHED THIS, I FOUND THIS INFORMATION SO ALARMING THAT I THOUGHT, YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THIS EITHER, THAT THIS MATERIAL IS COMING OUT OF THESE, WOULD COME OUT OF THESE PLANTS AND BE SO DETRIMENTAL TO, TO OUR KIDS' HEALTH. 
          YOU KNOW THIS, WE CAN'T DO THIS. 
          THIS IS CRAZY TO SPEND OUR MONEY ON MATERIALS THAT'LL KILL PEOPLE. 
          SO PLEASE DON'T DO THIS. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          HELLO, MY NAME IS JORGE VIRO. 
          I'M ALSO ENERGY RATE PAYER. 
          I'M HERE TO OPPOSE AUSTIN ENERGY PROPOSAL TO BUILD NEW GAS, UH, PICKER PLANTS. 
          YOU HAVE RECEIVED ADVICE FROM SEVERAL CONSULTANTS ON THIS MATTER. 
          YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD TO BE DESCRIPTIVE, NOT PRESCRIPTIVE ON HOW TO REDUCE POLLUTION. 
          MEANING TELL AE THAT YOU WANT POLLUTION TO BE REDUCED BUT NOT HOW TO ACHIEVE IT. 
          THIS IS GENERALLY A GOOD IDEA. 
          HOWEVER, IN SOME CASES, SOCIETIES HAVE THE RIGHT INDEED THE DUTY TO BE VERY PRESCRIPTIVE. 
          AS AN EXAMPLE, TAKE THE DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE LAW. 
          AND EVEN FURTHER, YOU RECENTLY INTRODUCED NO REFUSAL INITIATIVE. 
          YOU DID NOT INTRODUCE IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE DICTATORIAL TENDENCIES. 
          YOU DID IT BECAUSE THE HARM THAT INNOCENT THIRD PARTIES WILL SUFFER FULLY JUSTIFIED BEING PRESCRIPTIVE IN THIS CASE, THE HEALTH AND HARM THAT THE AUSTIN POPULATION WILL SUFFER IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL ASTHMA AND CANCER CASES FULLY JUSTIFY YOU TO SAY TO AE NO MORE GAS PLANTS. 
          THIS IS SIMPLY A MORAL ISSUE. 
          IT SHOULD BE AN EASY DECISION, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY VERY VIABLE TECHNOLOGY ALTERNATIVES LIKE SOLAR AND STORAGE AVAILABLE, WHICH ARE ALSO FAR MORE ECONOMICAL. 
          FINALLY, I THINK THAT THE SOLAR STANDARD OFFER PROGRAM THAT AE RECENTLY INTRODUCED IS A MODEL ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD IN AUSTIN. 
          PLEASE ASK KE TO PROMOTE IT VIGOROUSLY AND GIVE IT TIME TO SEE THE RESULTS IT WILL PRODUCE. 
          THIS WILL ALSO SHOW THE MAP FOR THE FASTER RETIREMENT FOR OF FAYETTE DECKER CREEK AND SUNHILL, WHICH WILL MAKE AUSTIN THE A HUNDRED PERCENT NON-POLLUTING IN ELECTRICITY GENERATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HI, I'M EILEEN MCGINNIS IN DISTRICT NINE. 
          I'M THE MOM OF A 9-YEAR-OLD AUSTINITE AND FOUNDER OF THE PARENTS CLIMATE COMMUNITY, A LOCAL NONPROFIT. 
          I'M COMING BEFORE YOU AGAIN TODAY TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE PROS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS INTRODUCED BY CMS, RYAN ALTER, ALLISON ALTER, VELASQUEZ, AND CADRE AS THE BEST TOOL WE HAVE RIGHT NOW TO HOLD THE LINE ON NEW GAS GENERATION IN AUSTIN. 
          I'LL BE HONEST, THIS RESOURCE GENERATION PLAN, EVEN WITH AMENDMENTS, IS NOT THE BEST CASE SCENARIO. 
          MY WISH WOULD'VE BEEN FOR YOU TO REJECT NEW METHANE GAS BURNING POWER PLANTS OUTRIGHT, AND MY WISH IS FOR A FAR MORE TRANSPARENT AND COMMUNITY LED PLANNING PROCESS IN THE FUTURE. 
          THESE AMENDMENTS ARE STILL NECESSARY TO SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE CLEAR TIME, BOUND CLEAN ENERGY GOALS AND GUARDRAILS ON NEW FOSSIL FUEL GENERATION. 
          WHEN WE OPERATE UNDER CONSTRAINTS, WE INNOVATE, 
          [00:20:01]
WE GET CREATIVE, RESOURCEFUL. 
          THERE ARE SO MANY TOOLS THAT WE HAVE NOT YET EXHAUSTED WHEN IT COMES TO MEETING OUR CITY'S ENERGY NEEDS. 
          BEFORE WE CONSIDER NEW GAS INVESTMENTS SAYING NO TO NEW GAS GENERATION OR AT LEAST NO UNLESS WE HAVE TRULY EXHAUSTED OTHER OPTIONS, IS ALSO A WAY OF SAYING YES, OF AFFIRMING WHAT AND WHO MATTERS TO US BY HOLDING THE LINE ON NEW GAS GENERATION. 
          YOU ARE ALSO SAYING YES TO THE KIDS WHO LIVE NEAR SANDHILL OR DECKER ELEMENTARY SAYING YES, THEIR RIGHT TO CLEAN AIR MATTERS JUST AS MUCH AS THAT OF KIDS IN HYDE PARK. 
          BECAUSE WE ARE 100% NOT GOING TO BE SEEING A NEW PEAKER PLAN NEARLY ELEMENTARY BY HOLDING THE LINE ON NEW GAS GENERATION. 
          YOU ARE AFFIRMING THAT AUSTIN'S CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND YOUR ENDORSEMENT OF THE FOSSIL FUEL NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY ARE MEANINGFUL COMMITMENTS THAT THEY ARE YOUR GUIDING STAR FOR DECISION MAKING ABOUT OUR CHILDREN'S ENERGY FUTURE. 
          AND BY HOLDING THE LINE ON NEW GAS GENERATION, YOU ARE AFFIRMING THAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS A PUBLIC UTILITY ACCOUNTABLE TO WE THE PEOPLE AND WE THE PEOPLE REJECT THIS FALSE MISLEADING CHOICE BETWEEN AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE ENERGY AND OUR KIDS' BASIC RIGHT TO BREATHE FREELY AND TO INHERIT A LIVABLE CLIMATE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT SPEAKER IS DALE BULA, FOLLOWED BY MARIE MCGLYNN AND CRAIG NAZER. 
          YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED. 
          PLEASE COME FORWARD MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          I'M DALE BULA, DISTRICT 10 AUSTIN HAS A POLLUTION PROBLEM. 
          THE FEDERAL CLEAN AIR ACT DIRECTS THE US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO SET AND ENFORCE AIR POLLUTION STANDARDS. 
          THIS YEAR THE EPA IS GRANTING A REQUEST FROM THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS TO VOLUNTARILY RECLASSIFY THE SAN ANTONIO NON-ATTAINMENT FROM MODERATE TO SERIOUS FOR THE NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS. 
          COULD AUSTIN BE NEXT? AUSTIN HAS ALWAYS MET THE POLLUTION STANDARD UNTIL NOW. 
          WE HAVE TWO AIR MONITORS IN AUSTIN THAT FAIL TO MEET THE POLLUTION STANDARDS, MEANING THE CITY IS NOW OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE CLEAN AIR ACT. 
          THE LARGEST NEARBY SOURCE OF POLLUTION IS THE FAYETTE POWER PLANT. 
          IT RELEASES 17 TONS OF POLLUTION EVERY DAY IT OPERATES. 
          AUSTIN ENERGY'S METHANE GAS BURNING POWER PLANT AT DECKER AND SANDHILL ARE ALSO AMONG THE FIVE MOST SIGNIFICANT SOURCES OF POLLUTION IN TRAVIS COUNTY. 
          A STUDY BY THE CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS ESTIMATES THAT AN NON-ATTAINMENT DESIGNATION FOR THE CITY WOULD COST CENTRAL TEXANS 0.9 TO $1.4 BILLION ANNUALLY FOR THE NEXT THREE DECADES. 
          AUSTIN MIGHT BE TOO LATE TO AVOID BEING DESIGNATED AND UNATTAINED, BUT, BUT IT'S WORTH TRYING. 
          WHILE REDUCING POLLUTION, WE'LL HAVE SOME COSTS. 
          THE COST OF POLLUTION AND POLLUTING IS FAR GREATER AS WELL AS FUTURE LAWSUITS FOR NOT PROTECTING OUR PLANET FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. 
          IF WE ADD NEW PEAKER PLANTS, MY FEAR IS THAT ERCOT WILL STILL HAVE THE POWER TO TURN ON THESE POLLUTING PLANTS. 
          DESPITE THE OBJECTIONS OF AUSTIN ENERGY, ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS DECLARE AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICE, WHICH REQUIRES AUSTIN ENERGY TO TURN ON THESE PLANTS WHETHER THEY WANT TO OR NOT. 
          SINCE WE KNOW AUSTIN HAS A, HAS TO REDUCE POLLUTION, IT WOULD THANK YOU, SIR. 
          IT WOULD BE MUCH CHEAPER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          MY NAME IS MARIE MIGLIN AND I LIVE IN PAGE ELLIS'S DISTRICT DISTRICT EIGHT. 
          I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE AIR POLLUTION MAKES ME VERY SICK. 
          I AM, UM, 68 YEARS OLD. 
          I CAN, ON A DAY LIKE TODAY, I CAN GO OUT AND HIKE OR BIKE FOR HOUR, GOOD HOUR AND A HALF WITHOUT GETTING TIRED. 
          BUT WHEN THE AIR POLLUTION IS HIGH, EVEN THOUGH I STAYED INDOORS ALL DAY, BECAUSE THIS USUALLY HAPPENS DURING THE HOT WEATHER, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO STAND UP FOR MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES AT A TIME. 
          I'VE, I'VE PURCHASED A HOSPITAL QUALITY AIR CLEANER THAT'S THE SIZE OF A SMALL REFRIGERATOR. 
          I'VE PUT SPECIAL FILTERS IN MY HVAC, BUT STILL I HAVE TROUBLE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE OSSO BUT ALSO WITH PARTICULATE. 
          UM, I'M SURE WHEN THE AIR IS BAD FOR ME, IT'S GOTTA BE BAD FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE AS I SAID, I HAVE NO DIFFICULTY BEING OUTSIDE ON A DAYLIGHT TODAY AND EXERCISING FOR A GOOD HOUR AND A HALF, MAYBE EVEN TWO. 
          SO MY NEXT MOVE WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE THE NEXT HEAT WAVE IS TO GET AN OXYGEN CONCENTRATOR, WHICH I'LL CARRY AROUND WITH ME WITH THE CANNULA 
          [00:25:01]
IN MY NOSE SO THAT I CAN GET ENOUGH CLEAN OXYGEN NOT TO BE SICK. 
          AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, THEN I'M GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE. 
          BUT I DON'T KNOW, WHILE I'M HERE, HERE IN AUSTIN NEAR MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, I LIKE THAT. 
          BUT IF I MOVE AWAY, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO GO BECAUSE OF ALL THE LEAKING WELLS WE HAVE AROUND TEXAS, YOU'VE HEARD OF ZOMBIE WELLS, THAT OLD WELLS THAT WEREN'T SHUT IN PROPERLY THAT ARE LEAKING TOXIC GASES. 
          SO AIR POLLUTION FROM FOSSIL FUELS COSTS, ACCORDING TO THE WORLD BANK, $450 BILLION PER YEAR FOR AMERICANS, MOSTLY DUE TO LOST WAGES BECAUSE PEOPLE SICK LIKE ME THAT WE CAN'T WORK AND WHEN WE'RE NOT WORKING, WE'RE NOT PAYING TAXES. 
          AUSTIN'S SHARE OF THE TOTAL LOSSES AND HEALTHCARE COSTS IS OVER 1 BILLION PER YEAR. 
          THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. 
          HELLO, MY NAME IS CRAIG NASER. 
          I AM THE PRESIDENT OF AUSTIN ENVIRONMENTAL DEMOCRATS AND THE CONSERVATION CHAIR OF THE STATE CHAPTER OF THE SIERRA CLUB. 
          I KNOW THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION AND IT'S NOT AN EASY DECISION BECAUSE IT WEIGHS SHORT TERM VERSUS LONG TERM EFFECTS. 
          THAT'S THE WHOLE THING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE. 
          AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IS OVERWEIGH, YOU KNOW, WE WANT MORE ENERGY, WE WANT MORE RESOURCES, WE WANT MORE MONEY, AND IT'S WE, SO WE MAKE SHORT TERM DECISIONS AND WE CAN MITIGATE THOSE SHORT TERM, BUT THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ARE CLEAR. 
          WHAT MODERN SOCIETY IS DOING IS DESTROYING THE PLANET. 
          I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE DOUBTS THAT. 
          SO I WOULD GIVE YOU SOME ADVICE. 
          YOU KNOW, I'VE LIVED A KIND OF RISKY LIFE, BUT IT'S BEEN A GOOD LIFE. 
          THE NATIVE AMERICANS ONCE SAID, SOMETIME IN LIFE YOU COME TO A CLIFF JUMP. 
          IT'S NOT AS FAR AS YOU THINK. 
          I THINK THIS WHAT THE BEST THING WE COULD DO RIGHT NOW. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD, UH, IDEAS OUT THERE. 
          I THINK WE SHOULD NOT MAKE THE DECISION ON GASOLINE PEAKER PLANTS YET. 
          PUT THAT OFF. 
          PUT SOME TIME AND EFFORT INTO BATTERIES AND SOLAR. 
          WE'RE DOING A LOT OF GOOD THINGS ON SOLAR RIGHT NOW. 
          I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE BEST DIRECTION TO GO AND 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S A TOUGH DECISION, SO LET'S JUST ROLL IT OVER A LITTLE BIT. 
          TR DO OUR BEST. 
          ASK THE SOCIETY TO HELP. 
          EVERYBODY HERE IS WILLING TO HELP. 
          I'M BUYING A NEW CAR AND IT'S GONNA BE ALL ELECTRIC AND I'VE GOT AN ARGUMENT WITH MY WIFE ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M GOING FOR ALL ELECTRIC. 
          SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, FOR, UH, HANDLING OUR NICE SOCIALIST ELECTRIC COMPANY. 
           NEXT SPEAKER IS STEPHANIE CHAVEZ NOEL, FOLLOWED BY JEN KRIEGER AND SEAN VOIGHT. 
          IS STEPHANIE HERE? I THINK SHE'S MOVING TOWARD THE MICROPHONE. 
          HI, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE CHAVEZ NOEL FROM DISTRICT EIGHT, AND I AM PRIVILEGED TO HAVE WORKED WITH THOUSANDS OF YOUTH AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS A COMMUNITY ARTIST AND EDUCATOR AND AN ARTS ADMINISTRATOR. 
          I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK IN AUSTIN FOR 15 YEARS AND ONE OF MY GOALS AS AN EDUCATOR IS TO EMPOWER YOUTH TO USE THEIR CREATIVITY TO GET ENGAGED AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO HERE I AM TO SPEAK UP FOR THE OVER HALF A MILLION YOUNG PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS CITY AND CAN'T BE HERE TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. 
          I'M ASKING CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS RYAN ALTER, ALLISON ALTER, VELASQUEZ AND CADRY THAT PRIORITIZE UTILITY SCALE BATTERIES, LOCAL SOLAR AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS. BECAUSE YOUTH, OLDER ADULTS, PLANTS, ANIMALS, OUR WHOLE ECOSYSTEM DESERVES CLEAN AIR, WATER AND A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT IS SUSTAINABLE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. 
          WE NEED A PLAN, UH, TO CAP GAS PEAKER CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THE EMISSIONS FROM THE GAS GENERATION IN PLACE BEFORE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON MORE GAS. 
          WHEN I BEGAN TO WORK ON THE OUTREACH FOR CLEAN ENERGY IN AUSTIN, EVERYONE I TALKED TO WAS SHOCKED. 
          THEY WERE IN DISBELIEF AND DISHEARTENED TO KNOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS THREATENED BY NEW FOSSIL FUEL GENERATION AND THE IMPENDING, UH, HEALTH AND DESTRUCTION IMPACTS AIR POLLUTION IS A THREAT TO US ALL. 
          OUR CITY IS RICH IN PRECIOUS EARTHLY RESOURCES, UM, BOUNDLESS POTENTIAL FROM YOUTH AND AND COMMUNITY. 
          AND THIS IS ALL COMPROMISED BY NOX 
          [00:30:01]
EMISSIONS, WHICH CAN REACH VERY UNHEALTHY LEVELS ON HOT AND SUNNY DAYS AND URBAN ENVIRONMENTS. 
          AND WE GET A LOT OF HOT AND SUNNY DAYS AND THEY WILL ONLY GET WORSE WITH NEW GAS PEAKERS. 
          AS I MENTIONED, THE OUTREACH EFFORTS HAVE BEEN SWIFT AND I WORKED WITH AUSTIN SIERRA CLUB PUBLIC CITIZEN PARENTS, CLIMATE COMMUNITY CREATIVE ACTION, AND A STRONG COALITION OF COMMUNITY ADVOCATES AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE CREATED A GIANT 10 FOOT SUN PUPPET. 
          UM, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU JEN CRAGER. 
          SEAN VOIGHT, FOLLOWED BY SEAN IS CHRISTIAN FOGERTY. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          MY NAME IS SEAN VOIGHT. 
          I'VE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY OVER 25 YEARS AND I'M FOUNDER OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY HUB. 
          ONE OF THE MOST OBVIOUS AND WIDE UNDERSTOOD THREATS TO THE TO OUR GRID IS DISTRIBUTION LEVEL CONGESTION DRIVEN BY LOAD GROWTH AND INCREASING ELECTRIFICATION. 
          IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MORE EVS ON A HOT AUGUST DAY TO CRASH THE ENTIRE GRID FROM MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS AND NO AMOUNT OF GAS PEAK OF PLANTS OR CENTRALIZED GENERATION WILL SAVE YOU WHEN IT IS CONGESTION BEYOND THE TRANSFORMER THAT IS CRASHING THE BRI GRID. 
          THIS PLAN HAS ZERO MILESTONES OR METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH MANAGING, LET ALONE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES SUCH AS ELECTRIC VEHICLES, ONSITE BATTERIES OR ROOFTOP SOLAR. 
          AND THE FACT THAT THIS PROPOSAL DOES NOT EVEN ADDRESS MANAGED EV CHARGING SHOULD KEEP ALL OF US UP AT NIGHT. 
          AS ONE ENERGY EXECUTIVE SAID TO ME YESTERDAY AND I DIRECT QUOTE, ARE THEY TRYING TO BREAK THE GRID YET? DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SAVE THE GRID. 
          OUR ENERGY POLICY LEADERS KNOW THIS. 
          EVERY SINGLE PUC CHAIRMAN FROM, FROM SINCE YURI, THE ENTIRE LEADERSHIP OF ERCOT, OUR TEXAS LEGISLATURE REPRESENTATIVES ARE ALL PUBLICLY AND VOCIFEROUSLY PUSHING FOR AGGREGATED DERMS THAT CAN MANAGE DISTRIBUTION LOAD SUPPLY INTER IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO THE, TO THE GRID AND OFFSET PEAK DEMAND. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS DEMONSTRATED IT CANNOT OR WILL NOT ADVANCE SOLUTIONS. 
          UM, ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS FOR RELIABLE, RESILIENT AND, AND AFFORDABLE GRID. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE 20 MEGAWATTS ALLOCATED TO ENERGY BY THE TASK FORCE FOR AGGREGATED DERMS, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS EXECUTED EXACTLY 0% OF THIS ALLOCATION COMPARED TO MORE THAN 50% IN HOUSTON AND BY OTHER UTILITIES. 
          CLEARLY THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET THIS DONE WITHOUT OVERSIGHT IN ITS CURRENT FORM WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY OR ADVANCE ATTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES. 
          THIS PROPOSAL UTTERLY FAILS AUSTIN RESIDENTS ON THE MOST BASIC OF STANDARDS, RESILIENCE AND RELIABILITY. 
          I URGE CITY COUNCIL TO EITHER DENY THIS PLAN OR TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS IN ORDER TO ASSURE THAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS, IS ACCOUNTABLE, UH, FOR DEVELOPING AND EXECUTING A PLAN TO ADVANCE DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES. 
          THANKS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN FOGARTY. 
          I AM A RESIDENT OF D NINE AND I WAS A MEMBER OF THE STAKEHOLDER WORKING GROUP CONVENED BY AUSTIN ENERGY. 
          UM, I WANNA PUT, PUT THIS PROPOSAL TO BUILD A GAS SPEAKER PLANT IN A LARGER CONTEXT ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A NEW NARRATIVE OF RISING ELECTRICITY DEMAND THAT IS STARTING TO BECOME PROMINENT. 
          AND IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND DECADE, MANY ELECTRIC UTILITIES WILL BE FACING THIS VERY QUESTION THAT AE IS FACING RIGHT NOW AND HOW TO MANAGE PEAK DEMAND. 
          THIS RESOURCE PLAN PROVIDES THE COOKIE CUTTER RESPONSE THAT WE ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO SEE TO BUILD MORE GAS PEAKER PLANTS. 
          BUT THINK ABOUT THIS DECISION IN THE AGGREGATE. 
          EVEN IF THE NEW PLANTS ARE MORE EFFICIENT AND HAVE BETTER POLLUTION CONTROLS, THEY STILL ABSOLUTELY EMIT SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF GREENHOUSE GASES AND POLLUTION. 
          NOT TO MENTION LOCKING IN NEW CONTRACTS TO FLOW METHANE THROUGH LEAKY PIPELINES GOVERNED BY THE RAILROAD COMMISSION. 
          IF ALL UTILITIES ADOPT THE SAME SOLUTION, WE ARE LOOKING AT A MASSIVE NATIONWIDE BUILDING SPREE OF NEW GENERATION OF, OF A NEW GENERATION OF FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          AUSTIN ENERGY HAS A CHANCE TO LEAD THE UTILITY INDUSTRY INTO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION DRIVEN BY LOCAL SOLAR BATTERIES. 
          DEMAND RESPONSE, GEOTHERMAL, YES, NUCLEAR AND ABOVE ALL, EXPANDING TRANSMISSION TO RELIEVE CONGESTION. 
          LET'S LEARN HOW TO DO VOLTAGE SUPPORT WITH SMART INVERTERS. 
          LARGE SCALE DEMAND RESPONSE DURING ERCOT PRICE SPIKES AGGREGATING DERS LIKE THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID. 
          UM, NEW RATE DESIGNS TO INCENTIVIZE HYBRID SOLAR AND STORAGE SYSTEMS. AND I THINK WE CAN DO THIS BY PLAYING THE TRICKY AT THE SAME TIME AS PLAYING THE TRICKY ERCOT BALANCING GAME OF MAKING MONEY AND BUYING POWER WHILE KEEPING OUR CITY POLLUTION FREE. 
          NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS WON'T BE EASY, BUT IT'S UP TO YOU ALL AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TO TRY TO SOLVE THESE REALLY CHALLENGING SYSTEMS PROBLEMS, WHICH I BELIEVE IS WHAT THEY FUNDAMENTALLY ARE. 
          MAYBE WE CAN USE SOME FUNDS FROM THE UPCOMING CLIMATE BOND TO RESOLVE SOME OF THESE ISSUES, OR MAYBE WE CAN SET NEW GUARDRAILS AND INTERIM GOALS TO THE PLAN, LIKE OTHER SPEAKERS SAID. 
          EITHER WAY, THIS IS A HUGE MOMENT AND UM, THANK YOU FOR, UH, LISTENING TO ME TODAY. 
          THANK YOU RAFAEL SCHWARTZ, FOLLOWED BY SEAN ATKINS AND SHANE JOHNSON. 
          [00:35:03]
MORNING. 
          UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET THE COMMUNITY COMMENT TODAY. 
          MY NAME IS RAFAEL SCHWARTZ, I'M AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER. 
          I LIVE IN SOUTH AUSTIN. 
          I DO SERVE ON THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION ONLY SPEAKING FOR MYSELF TODAY. 
          I WANNA VOICE STRONG, UH, SUPPORT FOR THE AMENDMENTS OF THE, TO THE PLAN RELATED TO SETTING UP NEAR TERM, UH, 2027 GOALS FOR LOCAL SOLAR DEMAND RESPONSE, PEAK LOAD REDUCTION, AND IMPORTANTLY, GRID SCALE BATTERY GOALS OF 101 25 MEGAWATT MEGAWATTS BY 2027. 
          THE RMC PASSED A RESOLUTION THAT INCLUDES EACH OF THESE ITEMS AS TARGETS BY 2027 AND FELT IT CRITICAL TO HAVE GOALS ON A MEANINGFUL TIMEFRAME. 
          THESE GOALS ARE NOT PARTICULARLY AMBITIOUS. 
          THEY JUST REPRESENT A PACE DIRECTLY FROM AUSTIN ENERGY'S OWN MODELING AND CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE UTILITY IS ALREADY PROPOSING. 
          I KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE GOALS ARE ALREADY FLOATING AROUND IN VARIOUS COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER AMENDMENTS, BUT I HAVE NOT YET SEEN A, A DEMAND RESPONSE MEGAWATT GOAL BY 2027, WHICH IS ALSO CRITICAL. 
          I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR KEEPING THE 2027 GOALS IN MIND. 
          AS WITHOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE COMMUNITY'S PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS REALLY THE ABSENCE OF A PLAN MORE THAN A RESOURCE PLAN. 
          THESE THREE YEAR MINIMUM BENCHMARKS ARE NEEDED TO ENCOURAGE PROGRAMS TO BE ROLLED OUT TODAY. 
          I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT EACH OF THESE GOALS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AMBITIOUS, BUT THIS IS A GREAT STARTING POINT. 
          THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A TIME WHEN AUSTIN WAS A LEADER IN SOLAR AND DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT, BUT THE REALITY IS OTHER UTILITIES IN TEXAS THAT ARE FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES ARE YEARS AHEAD IN TERMS OF AMBITIOUS DEMAND RESPONSE AND BATTERY STORAGE. 
          AS FAR AS LOCAL SOLAR, WE DON'T CRACK THE TOP 20 OF MAJOR CITIES. 
          AUSTIN ENERGY WILL REALLY HAVE TO TRANSFORM THEIR BUSINESS AROUND DEMAND SIDE GOALS, AND I LOVE THE IDEA IN COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER'S AMENDMENT OF ONGOING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS TO COUNCIL FOR DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT. 
          I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN FOR INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY IN ALL OF THIS, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, HI, MY NAME IS SEAN ATKINS. 
          I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE. 
          I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS PART OF THE SUNRISE MOVEMENT, A LOCAL ORG DEDICATED TO CLIMATE JUSTICE AND ADJUST TRANSITION AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS. 
          IN MY DAY JOB, I'M A POLICY ANALYST FOR A SMALL PROGRESSIVE THINK TANK CALLED NEW CONSENSUS, WHERE I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT ENERGY POLICY AND TRANSPORTATION PRETTY EXTENSIVELY. 
          UM, I WANT TO FIRST OFF SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, WHO I THINK HAS BEEN A REALLY GREAT LEADER ON THIS ISSUE. 
          UH, YOUR TESTIMONY AT THE LAST MEETING, I GUESS, UH, REALLY WENT SORT OF MINI VIRAL IN OUR GROUP CHAT. 
          I APPRECIATE YOU. 
          UH, THAT BEING SAID, I ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SUPPORTED REALLY GREAT AMENDMENTS DURING THIS. 
          THIS IS WHERE I GET TO THE NEGATIVE PART. 
          UH, THERE'S A GLARING BACK HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PROPOSED PLAN THAT I THINK REQUIRES A FORCEFUL REJECTION HERE TODAY. 
          I'M OF COURSE REFERRING TO THE PROPOSED NEW NATURAL GAS PEAKER PLANTS. 
          I'M NOT GONNA SPEND MUCH TIME TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY MAKE OUR CARBON FREE ENERGY GOALS UNATTAINABLE, HOW THEY PRODUCE DANGEROUS POLLUTANTS, OR THAT THEY'LL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE BUILT IN EAST AUSTIN. 
          OTHER SPEAKERS HAVE MADE THOSE POINTS VERY ELEGANTLY. 
          INSTEAD, I WANNA MAKE A SPECIFIC PLEA ABOUT WHY YOU MUST REJECT THIS PLAN TO TODAY. 
          RIGHT? I IMAGINE THAT THERE IS A VOICE IN MANY OF YOUR HEADS SAYING, IF WE PASS THIS PLAN, WE ARE NOT LOCKING IN NEW PEAKER PLANTS. 
          I UNDERSTAND, I MIGHT BE WRONG, THAT WE'RE AUSTIN ENERGY. 
          TO PROPOSE A NEW NATURAL GAS PLANT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AGAIN AND APPROVE IT. 
          THIS IS LIKE SAYING, I'M GOING TO QUIT SMOKING, BUT I'M GONNA KEEP A PACK AT HOME IN CASE I NEED IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ULTIMATELY, YOU HAVE TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND AND STOP SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO ENABLE YOUR OWN WORST IMPULSES. 
          YOU HAVE TO SAY, WE ARE NOT DOING THIS. 
          COME BACK WITH A PLAN THAT DOES NOT EVEN PROVIDE THIS TO ME AS AN OPTION. 
          WE KNOW YOU CAN'T STOP DRINKING IF YOU'RE AN ALCOHOLIC, IF YOU KEEP ALCOHOL AT HOME. 
          SAME WITH SMOKING, SAME WITH KEEPING NATURAL GAS HERE IN YOUR TOOLBOX. 
          IF IT IS HERE, YOU WILL USE IT. 
          IF NOT YOU, WHOEVER REPLACES YOU ON THE DS FIVE, 10 YEARS FROM NOW BECAUSE IT'S AN OPTION AND IT'S THE EASIEST OPTION. 
          IT'S WHAT WE ARE USED TO. 
          UH, UTILITIES ARE TEMPERAMENTALLY CONSERVATIVE. 
          THEY ALWAYS LEAN TOWARDS WHAT IS KNOWN AND WHAT IS KNOWN AS NATURAL GAS PLANTS REJECT THE KNOWN EMBRACE. 
          WHAT'S POSSIBLE. 
          SHANE JOHNSON, FOLLOWED BY SUSAN LIPMAN AND JONATHAN SCHARF. 
          MORNING Y'ALL. 
          SHANE JOHNSON, HE GAVE PRONOUNS DISTRICT SEVEN. 
          UM, AUSTIN ENERGY IS PLANNING TO BUILD NEW GAS PEAKERS AS WE ALL UNDER, UH, KNOW NET BY NOW, BUT HAS NO COMMITMENT TO RETIRE THEM BY 2035 OR GO CARBON FREE BY 2035. 
          THIS IS BECAUSE INSTEAD OF RECOMMITTING TO OUR CURRENT GOAL OF CARBON FREE FOR OUR TOTAL OPERATIONS, THIS DRAFT WALKS BACK THIS GOAL AND REPLACES IT WITH A GOAL OF JUST MEETING THE CITY'S DEMAND WITH RENEWABLES. 
          IN OTHER WORDS, AUSTIN ENERGY CAN SELL AS MUCH GAS POWER BEYOND THAT RENEWABLE GOAL AS, UH, 
          [00:40:01]
AS THEY WANT TO MAKE AS MUCH PROFIT AS THEY WANT FOR AS LONG AS THEY WANT INTO THE FUTURE. 
          LIKE RICHARD SAID, WE'LL BE POLLUTING SCHOOL KIDS AND TEACHERS AIR. 
          THE AMENDMENT BY THE MAYOR IS BASICALLY MEANINGLESS AS WRITTEN. 
          UH, WE NEED TO EITHER CHANGE THIS TO PUT A LIMIT ON CARBON EMISSIONS THAT EXPLICITLY GO DOWN, UH, EACH YEAR OR REWRITE TO LIMIT OUR NOX EMISSIONS, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY SUGGESTED FOR THIS GUARDRAIL AND WAS REDLINED BY AUSTIN ENERGY LEADERSHIP WHILE WE SUPPORT THE OTHER AMENDMENTS POSTED. 
          NONE OF THESE AMENDMENTS REPRESENT REAL GUARDRAILS THAT YOU ALL ARE STARTING TO SAY IS NECESSARY BEFORE WE PUT, UH, BEFORE WE, UH, INVEST IN NEW GAS POWER PLANTS. 
          UM, AND, UH, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS CAR, THESE CARBON LIMITS, UH, CARBON EMISSION LIMITS ARE BASED ON THE CURRENT, UH, PORTFOLIO WITH FAYETTE RUNNING. 
          UH, THERE'S REAL NO REAL LIMIT ON, UH, THESE CARBON EMISSIONS LIMITS PLACE NO REAL LIMIT ON OUR, ON OUR GAS FLEET. 
          WE SUPPORT RYAN ALT ALTER'S AMENDMENT AND, AND URGE YOU ALL TO SUPPORT THAT AS WELL. 
          I'VE HEARD THE REST OF THE AMENDMENTS ARE BLESSED BY THE MAYOR ALREADY, SO I'M NOT GOING TO ASK FOR SUPPORT ON THOSE. 
          UH, AND WE ALSO NEED ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS. 
          I WOULD PUT A CAP ON HOW, ON THE CAPACITY OF PEAKERS. 
          UH, WE DON'T WANT TO BE BACK HERE IN ANOTHER FEW YEARS WHERE THEY'RE SUGGESTING MORE PEAKER CAPACITY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR WATSON. 
          MY NAME IS SUSAN LIPMAN. 
          I WAS BORN IN AUSTIN, BUT MY PARENTS TOOK ME AWAY WHEN I WAS A BABY. 
          I GOT BACK AS SOON AS I COULD. 
          NOW I LIVE IN D FIVE. 
          UM, IN 2014, I JOINED WITH OTHER CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, MANY OF THEM WHO ARE HERE IN THIS ROOM WHO WORKED HARD FOR A RESOURCE GENERATION PLAN THAT COMMITTED US TO CLEAN ENERGY AND GROUNDBREAKING CLIMATE PROTECTION GOALS. 
          I REMEMBER THE IMMEDIATELY AFTER IN 2015, AE SOON RECEIVED RECORD LOW BIDS FOR SOLAR CONTRACTS AT 4 CENTS A KILOWATT HOUR. 
          IT MADE NEWS AROUND THE ENERGY WORLD. 
          TODAY IT IS BATTERY STORAGE COSTS THAT ARE FALLING STEEPLY WHILE THE COST OF SOLAR IS PRACTICALLY BOTTOMING OUT. 
          AND SO I AFFIRM WHAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAS HAVE SAID AND THINGS SHANE JUST SAID BEFORE ME, AND URGE YOU TO ACCEPT RYAN ALTER'S AMENDMENT AND THE OTHERS. 
          UH, NOW I'M GONNA SKIP OVER THE DETAILS THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE, UM, HAVE, HAVE COVERED AND SAY THAT OUR GOALS SHOULD ALIGN US WITH A GLOBAL GOAL OF HAVING ALL AGREEMENT, HAVING ALL CUTTING IN HALF ALL GREENHOUSE GASES, NOT JUST ELECTRIC GENERATION BY 2030 AND BEING CARBON FREE BY 2050 TO AVOID THE CLIMATE CHAOS THAT THREATENS ALL OF US AND OUR DESCENDANTS. 
          I ASK YOU TO TAKE THIS AS SERIOUSLY AS YOU WOULD THE WELLBEING OF YOUR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS. 
          WE SHOULD NOT BE SLACKERS IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED. 
          FEEL FREE TO LET US HEAR WHAT FROM YOU AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. 
          GOOD MORNING. 
          UH, MY NAME IS DR. JONATHAN SHARP, CEO OF SHARP ENERGY, A CONSULTING FIRM, UH, FOCUSED ON BRIDGING GAPS AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SPACE. 
          I A PHD IN NANOENGINEERING SPECIALIZING IN BATTERY AND SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES. 
          AND I'VE WORKED IN BATTERY RD AT TESLA. 
          AND AS A SUBJECT MATTER AT ACCENTURE, I DEEPLY RESPECT THE ROLE OF PEAKER PLANTS LIKE SANDHILL AND DECKER HAVE PLAYED IN KEEPING AUSTIN'S GRID RELIABLE. 
          THEY'VE BEEN VITAL TO SAFETY NET FOR DECADES. 
          IT'S NATURAL TO FEEL A CONNECTION TO THAT KIND OF ASSURANCE, BUT ENERGY LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING AND WE MUST MATCH THE RELIABILITY WITH VALUE, WITH CLEANER MORE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. 
          ONE CHALLENGE IN THIS TRANSITION IS A GAP IN TECHNICAL UNDERSTANDING OF ENERGY STORAGE. 
          FOR INSTANCE, SUPER CAPACITOR AND OFF OFTEN CAN HOLD CHARGE FAR LONGER THAN EXPECTED WEEKS TO MONTHS RATHER THAN SECONDS TO MINUTES. 
          A PANASONIC GOLD CAPACITOR CAN HOLD CHARTS FOR 25 DAYS, BUT THEY'RE BEST FOR SHORT BURSTS AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE BATTERIES SHINE WITH DROPPING OVER 90%. 
          SINCE 2015, BATTERIES ARE NOW VIABLE FOR EXTENDED STORAGE WELL BEYOND THREE TO FOUR HOURS COMMONLY ASSUMED. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, THIS LEVEL OF TECHNICAL DETAIL HASN'T BEEN REFLECTED IN OUR ENERGY PLANNING. 
          THE AMENDMENTS WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY, PARTICULARLY THOSE FOCUSED IN INCENTIVIZING CUSTOMER BATTERIES AND SHIFTING FROM MEGAWATT REDUCTIONS TO GREENHOUSE GAS AVOIDANCE, OFTEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT THAT BY INVESTING IN THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGIES AND ENSURING WE HAVE AN EXPERTISE TO DEPLOY THEM EFFECTIVELY, WE CAN CREATE A GRID IN BOTH CLEANER AND JUST RELIABLE AS THE PEAKER PLANTS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED ON BEYOND TECHNOLOGY. 
          THIS TRANSITION HAS A CHANCE TO CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. 
          INSTALLING AND MAINTAINING BATTERIES, FOR EXAMPLE, REQUIRE A HIGHLY SKILLED WORKFORCE BY PRIORITIZING STORAGE SOLUTIONS. 
          WE'RE NOT JUST REDUCING EMISSIONS, WE'RE CREATING JOBS AND BUILDING LOCAL TALENT PIPELINE THAT BENEFITS EVERYONE. 
          FINALLY, I WANNA ADDRESS THE AMENDMENT TO 
          [00:45:01]
CONSIDER ADDITIONAL PEAKER PLANTS AS A LAST RESORT. 
          I UNDERSTAND THE ATTACHMENT TO PEAKERS, THEY'VE BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF RELIABILITY, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IF WE PRIORITIZE SOLUTIONS LIKE SOLAR BATTERIES AND DEMA DEMAND SIGN MANAGEMENT, WE WON'T NEED TO LEAN ON THEM AS HEAVILY MOVING FORWARD. 
          THIS ISN'T ABOUT DISMISSING THE PAST, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING ON WHAT, ON THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE TOOLS WE HAVE TODAY. 
          THANK YOU NICK. 
          NEXT SPEAKER IS AUDREY STEINER, FOLLOWED BY MATT WELDON AND ANNA SCOTT. 
          IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD SO THAT YOU'LL BE READY TO GO. 
          AND IF THERE'S AN EMPTY MICROPHONE, IT'S YOURS. 
          GOOD MORNING, I'M DR. 
          AUDREY STEINER. 
          I'M IN DISTRICT ONE NOW. 
          I LOST MY THING. 
          DR. 
          VARUN RAY OF, OF UT AUSTIN'S ENERGY INSTITUTE SAYS CONCERNING AUSTIN ENERGY, I HAVE OBSERVED THE FOLLOWING. 
          FIRST, THEY WERE RENEGED ON THE OFFER TO NEW HOME BUYERS AT MUELLER DEVELOPMENT TO BUY ANY EXCESS SOLAR ENERGY THOSE UNITS PRODUCED. 
          SECOND, THEY PUT INTO PLACE REGULATIONS, ALLOWING ONLY CERTAIN NONPROFITS TO ACCEPT FINANCING FROM SOLAR COMPANIES, WHICH WERE EAGER TO MAKE SOLAR POWER AFFORDABLE BY OFFERING FINANCING TO INDIVIDUALS OUR CITY'S UNUSUAL IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE. 
          HERE IT IS A PLACE TO BE PROUD OF WITH CLEAN SWIMMING HOLES, ENDANGERED SALAMANDERS, OUR BATS, AND OUR KEY LOCATION IN THE COUNTRY'S CENTRAL FLYWAY FOR MIGRATING BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES. 
          WE'RE THE HOME OF THE LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER AND WE'RE IN AN EXCELLENT LOCATION FOR SOLAR POWER. 
          NEVERTHELESS, AUSTIN ENERGY IS PROPOSING THAT AUSTIN BUILD MORE PLANTS TO USE FRACK GAS TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY FOR AT LEAST SEVERAL DECADES. 
          BESIDES THE LIFE LIMITING POLLUTION THAT THAT WOULD ENSURE EXPERTS SAY RENEWABLE ENERGY PLUS BATTERIES ARE CHEAPER, AUSTIN ENERGY DISAGREES AND HAS CREATED SLANTED MODELS TO PROVE IT. 
          WHEN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THEY'RE USING SOLAR ENERGY PRICES 50% HIGHER THAN AN ACTUAL BID THEY RECENTLY RECEIVED. 
          INSTEAD OF USING THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS NEEDED TO BUILD POLLUTING POWER PLANTS, LET'S USE THAT MONEY NOW FOR SOLAR ENERGY. 
          WE MUST PREVENT THE SUPER HURRICANES, THE HUGE WILDFLOWER FIRES, THE KILLER HEAT WAVES OF EXTREME WEATHER WITH THEIR DESTRUCTION OF HUMAN ANIMAL AND PLANT LIFE. 
          LET'S HAVE A LIVABLE FUTURE WITH CLEAN ENERGY, NOT THE BLEAK ONE OF FOSSIL FUEL COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. 
          PLEASE BE OUR HEROES IN THIS. 
          DON'T GIVE INTO THIS AUSTIN ENERGY'S DESTRUCTIVE PLAN. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, GOOD MORNING. 
          UH, MY NAME IS, UH, MATTHEW WELDON. 
          I'M A CHEMICAL ENGINEER BY TRAINING 20 YEAR RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, FATHER OF THREE, AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT SIX. 
          UM, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY AND COUNCIL HAVE PUT INTO THE DISCUSSION AND REVISION OF THE CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN. 
          I THINK THERE A LOT OF VALUABLE SCENARIO MODELING HAS OCCURRED, UH, BUT I HOPE THAT WE MIGHT FIND A VENUE AND MECHANISM TO KEEP UP THAT EFFORT AND REFINE THE QUALITY AND TRANSPARENCY OF THE MODELS, UH, SINCE THE MODELS THEMSELVES ARE STILL NOT PASSING IN TERMS OF COMPLETENESS OR THE INPUT DATA OR A CONSENSUS IN THE OBJECTIVE AS, UH, ILLUSTRATED BY THE PRIOR, UH, SUPERIOR SPEAKERS. 
          UM, BUT I DO APPRECIATE IMMENSELY YOUR CONTINUED AMENDMENT EFFORTS. 
          UH, SO THE KEY ISSUE OF THE NEW PLAN IS OF COURSE, THE NATURAL, UH, NATURAL GAS PEAKER. 
          I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE'S, UH, LOAD ZONE SEPARATION AND DEMAND GROWTH AND THERE'S FEARS REGARDING RELIABILITY, BUT I WANNA FOCUS ON THE MEANING OF RELIABILITY WITH MY REMAINING TIME AS PUBLIC POLLING ON THIS TOPIC AS BEING USED TO JUSTIFY THE INVESTMENT IN THE ADDITIONAL PLANT. 
          WHEN THE AVERAGE CITIZEN IS ASKED ABOUT RELIABILITY, THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT THE LAST TIME THEY LOST POWER. 
          I WANNA POINT OUT THAT EVERY BLACK OUTER BROWNOUT THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHILE LIVING IN TEXAS AND AUSTIN HAS COME FROM THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OR THE FAILURE OF THERMAL BASED GENERATION. 
          AN ADDITIONAL PEAKER PLANT WOULD NOT HAVE ADDRESSED ANY OF THE PAST OUTAGES THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED. 
          MEANWHILE, AN ADEQUATELY ROBUST DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, UM, MATCHED TO THE LOAD PROFILE OF OF THE AREA, UH, MADE MY EXPERIENCE DURING URI QUITE TOLERABLE AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN TOLERABLE INDEFINITELY. 
          SO PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT A ROBUST AND NIMBLE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK CAN SUBSTITUTE FOR A LARGE AMOUNT OF GENERATION LOSS WHILE THERMAL GENERATION CAPACITY CAN STILL BE BROUGHT LOW BY A FLAWED FUEL MARKET OR EVEN THE LACK OF WATER. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. 
          GOOD MORNING COUNSEL. 
          MY NAME IS ANNA SCOTT. 
          I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE. 
          I'M A CLIMATE SCIENTIST AND AN EXPERT IN, UH, METHANE LEAKS FROM OIL AND GAS SYSTEMS. UM, AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE JSC, ALTHOUGH MY VIEWS TODAY REFLECT MY OWN. 
          I WILL NOTE THOUGH THAT THE JSC HAS PASSED AN AMENDMENT AT OUR LAST MEETING, URGING REJECTION, UM, OF THIS PLAN FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. 
          BUT 
          [00:50:01]
TODAY WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT A PARTICULARLY GOOD PLAN IN, IN MY VIEW, IT IT HAS MADE A NUMBER OF WILLFULLY INCORRECT ASSUMPTIONS ON NATURAL GAS PRICING AT A TIME WHEN RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION IS NOW CHEAPER THAN NATURAL GAS. 
          UM, I'M, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT NEVER BOTHERED TO EVALUATE A FOSSIL FREE SCENARIO. 
          AND, UM, REALLY IS MORE OF CONCEPTS OF OF, OF A PLAN. 
          UM, THE CONVERSATION THAT WE KEEP, THAT, THAT SEEMS TO BE TRYING TO TAKE PLACE RIGHT NOW IS, IS ONE ABOUT, UM, COSTLY RENEWABLES VERSUS OLD, YOU KNOW, CHEAP, RELIABLE, GENERAL, YOU KNOW, FOSSIL FUEL BASED GENERATION. 
          AND, AND THAT'S, AS YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, SIMPLY NOT WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY IN TERMS OF THE TECHNOLOGY. 
          UM, THIS IS A PLAN THAT HASN'T ENGAGED SERIOUSLY WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY. 
          IT HASN'T SEEMED TO HAVE ENGAGED THE, THE RENEWABLE ENERGY COMMUNITY, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY I'M SPEAKING OF BECAUSE EVERY ENERGY EXPERT I TALK TO HAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND MUCH HARSHER WORDS THAN, THAN I AM SAYING TODAY. 
          UM, I CERTAINLY HAVE A NUMBER OF OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY CERTAIN THINGS HAVEN'T HAPPENED. 
          IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CONVERSATION HAS ALREADY MOVED PAST INTO AMENDMENTS. 
          I CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE CONTINUING TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY WE HAVEN'T, WHY WE HAVEN'T ENGAGED SERIOUSLY WITH SOME OF THESE FOSSIL FREE SCENARIOS IN, IN A ROBUST AND RIGOROUS WAY, WHY WE ARE SCARED OF COMMITMENTS, UM, AND HOW WE'VE EVALUATED ADDITIONAL IMPACTS OF GAS GENERATION ON THINGS LIKE EPA NON-COMPLIANCE AND WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF, OF POTENTIALLY BEING AN EPA NON-COMPLIANCE. 
          UM, AND FUNCTIONALLY. 
          I ALSO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT TIMELINE THAT, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE CLAIMED ABOUT HOW WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE GET TO GAS GENERATION IN TWO TO THREE YEARS. 
          I URGE YOU TO REJECT THIS. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR. 
          THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS. 
          I'M SORRY, SAY THAT AGAIN. 
          THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          UM, UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT AND, AND MAKING YOUR POINT OF VIEW KNOWN. 
          UH, THIS WILL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR THURSDAY, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE, AT THAT TIME AS AS WELL. 
          BUT, UM, MEMBERS, WHAT I INDICATED WE WOULD DO IS WE WOULD NOW ASK AUSTIN ENERGY TO COME FORWARD, UM, AND MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION RELATED TO PART OF WHAT WE'VE HEARD AND WHERE WE ARE. 
          AND THEN WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST WE DO IS, IF ANY WE HAVE QUESTIONS, WE ASK QUESTIONS AT THAT POINT IN TIME, AND THEN ALLAH, WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH BUDGET IN THE PAST. 
          IF ANYBODY WANTS TO LAY OUT AN AMENDMENT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ALL THOSE AND BE PART OF IT AT THE TIME. 
          SO INSTEAD OF A DEBATE ON IT, IT'S JUST MORE OF A LET'S LAY IT OUT SO THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE WHAT'S GOING ON OR WHAT'S BEING OFFERED, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S BEEN SOME, UH, WE'VE HEARD SOMETHING THAT MAY BE A MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT THE AMENDMENT IS ATTEMPTING TO DO OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. 
          AND WE CAN JUST GET THAT OUT THERE. 
          BUT AGAIN, THURSDAY IS WHEN WE WILL TAKE UP THE DISCUSSION AND DEBATE IN THAT REGARD. 
          SO WITH THAT, UM, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR WORK. 
          GOOD MORNING AGAIN, LISA MARTIN AUSTIN ENERGY. 
          TODAY I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU THE DRAFT RESOURCE GENERATION AND CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN TO 2035. 
          IT'S A WORK OF COLLABORATION, INNOVATION, AND BALANCE. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          OUR MISSION IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE. 
          AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM PLAYS A PART. 
          WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES AND THE CHALLENGES THAT PUT THE PILLARS OF OUR MISSION AT RISK. 
          WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE OPTIONS TO SOLVE THOSE CHALLENGES AND THE TRADE-OFFS THAT EACH SOLUTION PROVIDES. 
          WE ARE CHARGED WITH FINDING THE RIGHT BALANCE AND SETTING OURSELVES UP TO BE ABLE TO ADAPT TO A CHANGING ENERGY LANDSCAPE. 
          WE HAVE TO DO THE MOST ENVIRONMENTAL GOOD WHILE REMAINING, RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE. 
          OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CLEAN, AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE ENERGY AND EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. 
          WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE PEOPLE WE SERVE COME FROM ALL AREAS OF TOWN, ALL WALKS OF LIFE, AND ALL TYPES OF BUSINESS, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM ALL. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          I WANNA TAKE A STEP BACK FOR A MINUTE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PROBLEM WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE. 
          YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE, BUT I KNOW YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS SINCE THEN. 
          AND SO WE ARE IN A CHANGING ENERGY LANDSCAPE AND THIS ESSENTIALLY, UH, SUMMARIZES THAT WE ARE, OUR LANDSCAPE IS FILLED WITH GROWING RISKS AND CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS. 
          THE PLAN THAT IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE WAS ADOPTED AT A VERY DIFFERENT TIME IN MARCH OF 2020, AND IT IS NO LONGER MEETING OUR COMMUNITY'S HOLISTIC NEEDS SINCE WINTER STORM URI, THERE ARE MAJOR ERCOT MARKET CHANGES AND INCREASED ENERGY COSTS. 
          WE RETIRED OUR DECKER STEAM UNITS TO FULFILL A COMMITMENT IN THAT PLAN. 
          IT REDUCED A BIG SOURCE OF LOCAL POLLUTION, BUT PUTS MORE RELIANCE ON BRINGING IN CLEANER POWER FROM OTHER PARTS OF ERCOT AT A TIME WHERE WE'RE SEEING INCREASED CONGESTION ACROSS ERCOT AND NOT HAVING ENOUGH 
          [00:55:01]
RESOURCES LOCALLY. 
          WE'RE NOW PASSING HIGH CONGESTION COSTS TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND THAT'S A SIGNAL OF LOCAL RELIABILITY ISSUES AND POTENTIAL LOCAL OUTAGES. 
          ON TOP OF IT ALL, WE'RE SEEING YEAR OVER YEAR GROWING DEMAND. 
          THIS IS COMBINATION OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT ITEMS COMING TOGETHER TO PAINT A VERY BAD PICTURE FOR AUSTINITES. 
          AND IT PUTS ALL OF OUR MISSION AT RISK IN THIS CHANGING LANDSCAPE. 
          WE KNOW OUR RESOURCE GENERATION PLAN MUST BE UPDATED, AND TO DO THAT REQUIRES LISTENING AND THOUGHTFUL PLANNING TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          SO WE STARTED THIS EFFORT OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO FOCUSING ON GATHERING HIGH LEVEL PRIORITIES AND TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMISSIONS. 
          WE HAD A SURVEY WITH OVER 7,500 RESPONDENTS WE HELD, HAD A DIVERSE CROSS SECTION OF, UM, ORGANIZATIONS, 40 AND ALL REPRESENTING THOUSANDS OF AUSTINITES WHO MET FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES OVER SIX MONTHS. 
          WE HAVE A DEDICATED WEBPAGE, UH, THAT IS PROVIDING TRANSPARENCY INTO ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE PROVIDING. 
          AND WE PARTNERED WITH LEADING INDUSTRY EXPERTS AND COLLABORATED WITH ALL OF THE EXPERTS ALONG THE WAY. 
          WE HEARD TIME AND AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY'S TOP PRIORITY IS RELIABILITY, CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY AFFORDABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. 
          AND THROUGHOUT IT ALL, WE HEARD A RESOUNDING VOICE THAT ENERGY EQUITY HAS TO BE INCORPORATED AS WELL. 
          WE LISTENED, WE DRAFTED, WE CHECKED IN AND WE GOT FEEDBACK. 
          WE LISTENED SOME MORE. 
          WE REDRAFTED AND THEN WE WROTE THE PLAN THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          THIS PLAN TALKS ABOUT HOW WE POWER AUSTIN'S CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE. 
          IT COMMITS US TO THE MOST AGGRESSIVE CLEAN ENERGY GOALS I'VE SEEN. 
          MOST UTILITIES ARE TARGETING 20, 40 OR 2050 GOALS. 
          MANY OF THEM ARE CARBON NEUTRAL. 
          WE ARE CARBON FREE BY 2035. 
          I ONLY KNOW OF FOUR OTHER COMPARABLE UTILITIES THAT HAVE SET SUCH STRONG CLEAN ENERGY GOALS. 
          FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY PERSPECTIVE, WE ARE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A LEADING UTILITY. 
          THIS PLAN RECOGNIZES THAT THE RISK IS NOW AND IT WAS YESTERDAY, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE INTO THE FUTURE UNTIL WE TAKE ACTION. 
          THIS PLAN BUILDS OFF THE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE WE HAVE IN CUSTOMER PROGRAMS, AND IT TAKES THEM EVEN FURTHER MOVING SEVERAL LEVELS HIGHER ON THE MATURITY CURVE. 
          THIS PLAN IS MULTIFACETED IN HOW IT USES TOOLS TO ADDRESS LOCAL RISKS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO OUR CURRENT ENERGY LANDSCAPE. 
          AND THIS PLAN RECOGNIZES THAT TECHNOLOGY IS EVOLVING AND IT BUILDS UPON A FOUNDATION OF INNOVATION. 
          THIS PLAN THOUGHTFULLY INCORPORATES FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF YOU, THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND THE EUC. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          THIS PLAN IS BUILT OFF OF FOUR MAIN CATEGORIES IN OUR TOOLKIT. 
          WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THESE OVER SEVERAL WEEKS, AND EACH CATEGORY IS FILLED WITH TOOLS TO HELP US BE THE ELECTRIC UTILITY THAT THE COMMUNITY EXPECTS US TO BE AND THE ORDER IS REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          FIRST IS PRIORITIZING CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS. 
          WE HAVE GOALS TO DO THE MAX POSSIBLE BASED OFF OF A THIRD PARTY EXPERT DNV ENERGY INSIGHTS ANALYSIS. 
          AND WE WON'T STOP THERE IF CONDITIONS CHANGE AND WE CAN DO MORE. 
          WE SET A TARGET TO PIVOT FROM MEGAWATT REDUCTION GOALS TO GREENHOUSE GAS AVOIDANCE GOALS IN SUPPORT OF A MORE HOLISTIC VIEW OF DECARBONIZATION AND ELECTRIFICATION. 
          WE COMMIT TO PROMOTING A SUITE OF BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMS. WE INCLUDE INCENTIVES FOR CUSTOMER SIGHTED BATTERIES, CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE MOST INNOVATIVE LOCAL SOLAR SOLUTIONS, AND WE WORK TO IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER INTERCONNECTION EXPERIENCE. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          THIS PLAN NEXT RECOGNIZES THAT OUR RISKS ARE UNIQUE AND THAT THEY REQUIRE LOCAL SOLUTIONS. 
          IT INCLUDES ALL THE TOOLS IN THE TOOLKIT THAT WE CAN USE LOCALLY TRANSMISSION, IMPORT CAPACITY, LOCAL UTILITY SCALE, SOLAR AND LOCAL UTILITY SCALE BATTERIES, EXISTING GENERATION AND MORE EFFICIENT NATURAL GAS PEAKER UNITS. 
          WE HEARD YOU, WE HEARD THE COMMUNITY LOUD AND CLEAR. 
          WE ARE NO LONGER PROPOSING A LARGER, LONGER RUNNING COMBINED CYCLE. 
          WE COMMIT TO DEVELOPING EMISSIONS GUARDRAILS FOR PEAKERS, INCORPORATING EQUITY INTO CITING CONSIDERATIONS, PROTECTING LOCAL AIR QUALITY AND FOCUSING CUSTOMER PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HOST OUR GENERATION INFRASTRUCTURE. 
          AND THIS PLAN COMMITS TO MAINTAINING BEING A BLACK START UTILITY. 
          NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 
          THIS PLAN RECOMMITS TO A CARBON FREE FUTURE. 
          WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO EXITING COAL. 
          WE REESTABLISH A RENEWABLE ENERGY GOAL THAT LEAVES ROOM FOR EVOLVING ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADD MORE CLEAN AND RENEWABLE ENERGY ALL ALONG THE WAY. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          THIS PLAN LEADS INTO INNOVATION AND FIGURING OUT WHAT'S AROUND THE CORNER FOR TECHNOLOGY. 
          IT PROMOTES R AND D PARTNERSHIPS AND GRANT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. 
          IT INCORPORATES NEW INNOVATIVE SOLAR OPPORTUNITIES LIKE SOLAR FOR ALL AND SOLAR STANDARD OFFER. 
          [01:00:01]
IT PILOTS GEOTHERMAL GENERATION IN TEXAS. 
          IT ENHANCES OUR VIRTUAL POWER PLANT PROGRAMS AND CONTINUES ON THE PATH TO A DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OR A DERMS. IT SUPPORTS VEHICLE TO X OPPORTUNITIES LIKE VEHICLE TO GRID AND VEHICLE TO HOME. 
          AND IT EXPLORES EVOLVING AND EMERGING TECH LIKE ADVANCED NUCLEAR CARBON CAPTURE AND MORE. 
          NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          THIS PLAN IS THE BRIDGE TO OUR CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE. 
          TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY WILL NOT GET US THERE, BUT WE CAN'T SIT AND WAIT. 
          THE ISSUES EXIST TODAY AND WE MUST TAKE ACTION TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR CUSTOMERS AND WE MUST DO IT IN THE MOST RESPONSIBLE WAY. 
          THE RISKS TO RELIABILITY, AFFORDABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ARE TOO BIG AND TOO REAL. 
          BUT THIS PLAN PROVIDES ANSWERS TO THOSE ISSUES. 
          IT GIVES US THE OUTCOMES BASED POLICY THAT ALLOWS US THE FLEXIBILITY TO PROPOSE BALANCED AND MEANINGFUL CHANGE. 
          IT SETS EXPECTATIONS ON THE ORDER OF PRIORITY AND IT PROVIDES GUARDRAILS TO MINIMIZE THE UNWANTED OUTCOMES. 
          IT RECOGNIZES TRADE-OFFS. 
          SO IN DOING SO, IT PROVIDES THE CLEANEST ENERGY PORTFOLIO IN TEXAS INDUSTRY LEADING CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS, PROMOTION OF RELIABILITY, AFFORDABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY. 
          IT PROTECTS OUR MOST VULNERABLE, THOSE AT RISK. 
          IT'S RESILIENT TO EXTREME WEATHER. 
          IT'S FLEXIBLE AND INNOVATIVE. 
          IT'S BUILT TO ADAPT TO CHANGING CONDITIONS. 
          THIS IS OUR PLAN. 
          IT'S THE COMMUNITY'S PLAN AND IT'S HOW WE WILL POWER OUR CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, FOR YOUR EFFORT AND YOUR COLLABORATION TO ALL OF YOU, TO ALL THOSE IN YOUR OFFICES WHO HAVE WORKED SO CLOSELY WITH US ALONG THE WAY. 
          AND THE TEAM AND I ARE HERE TO HELP ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. 
          WE'LL JUST TAKE A SEAT IF THAT'S OKAY. 
          SURE. 
          WELL, UM, IF YOU'LL PULL THAT MICROPHONE DOWN. 
          SIT DOWN. 
          YEP. 
          THERE YOU GO. 
          GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          BECAUSE IT, THAT TENDS TO BLOCK THE TABLE. 
          UM, YEAH, PLEASE DO THAT. 
          UH, MEMBERS, WHAT I THOUGHT WE WOULD DO NOW IS GO TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE AND, UM, UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION, I'LL START AND ASK A FEW QUESTIONS AND THEN IF ANY OTHERS HAVE QUESTIONS, WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT. 
          I WANT TO, I WANT TO GET, PARTICULARLY AS I LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND LOOK AT WHAT I RECEIVE IN TERMS OF EMAIL, I WANT TO GET SOME BASIC ANSWERS TO A FEW, UH, A FEW THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS ONE, I THINK THERE'S A, A, A, A CONCERN, OR I'M HEARING A CONCERN, OR AT LEAST I'M INTERPRETING, IS THAT A SIGNIFICANT CONCERN THAT OPENING THE DOOR TO THESE PEAKERS THAT ARE IN, AS PART OF THE PLAN MEANS THAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS ASKING FOR OR WILL HAVE IF WE VOTE FOR THIS, AN UNFETTERED ABILITY TO, UH, INSTALL THOSE RESOURCES, THOSE, THOSE PEAKERS. 
          UM, SO I WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION HEADS UP, DOES THE PLAN AND WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING, DOES IT ALLOW AUSTIN ENERGY, DOES IT ALLOW YOU TO PROCURE AND INSTALL GAS PEAKERS ONCE, IF, IF WE VOTE FOR THIS PLAN AND, AND IF, IF, AND LAY OUT WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT ACCORDING TO YOUR, YOUR PROPOSAL. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR. 
          NEED A LITTLE ELECTRICITY BEHIND IT. 
          . 
          GOTTA TURN THE POWER BUTTON ON. 
          UM, THIS PLAN AS WRITTEN, DOES NOT GIVE US UNFETTERED ACCESS TO INSTALL OR PROCURE, UH, NATURAL GAS PEAKER UNITS. 
          UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO COME TO COUNCIL FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON ANY CONTRACT BECAUSE IT SURELY WOULD EXCEED, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL OUR AUTHORITY TO, TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT. 
          OTHERWISE THERE'S A, A, THE PLAN VERSION TWO REFERENCES, FOUR PHASES, UH, FOR ANY, UH, UTILITY SCALE GENERATION. 
          AND, UM, SO IT'S WHETHER IT'S SOLAR, WHETHER IT'S BATTERIES OR IT'S NATURAL GAS PEAKERS. 
          AND, UH, THERE'S FOUR PHASES, FEASIBILITY, PRE-DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION. 
          THE POINT AT WHICH WE WOULD HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO BRING YOU A FULL PROPOSAL SO THAT YOU COULD DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH ENTERING INTO A CONTRACT, UH, FOR NATURAL GAS PEAKERS HAPPENS, BUT AFTER THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT PHASE AND BEFORE THE DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT PHASE. 
          AND I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS THE DETAILS OF SOME OF THOSE PHASES, IF THAT WOULD HELP. 
          YEAH. 
          IN FACT, I WAS GOING SURE. 
          I THINK IT WOULD HELP. 
          WHAT I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DO, IF YOU WOULD, IS, IS WALK THROUGH THAT SO THAT, THAT I UNDERSTAND AND, AND THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THE DEVELOPMENT PHRASES TO, TO HOW YOU, HOW DO YOU BRING A RESOURCE LIKE THIS ONLINE? IN OTHER WORDS, CAN, IF WE VOTE ON THIS ON THURSDAY, ON FRIDAY, CAN YOU JUST GO OUT AND, AND, AND DO THAT? BUT, BUT NOT ONLY THE WAY YOU'VE LAID OUT THE PLAN, BUT HOW THAT WORKS AS A PRACTICAL MATTER. 
          SO THAT, YOU MENTIONED FEASIBILITY, PRE-DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT, 
          [01:05:01]
AND THERE'S A FOURTH WALK THROUGH THAT SO THAT, THAT THERE'S A CLARITY. 
          YES. 
          AND I JUST WANNA REITERATE THAT I, IF YOU APPROVE THE PLAN ON THURSDAY, I CANNOT GO OUT AND INSTALL A NATURAL GAS PEAKER UNIT. 
          I UNDERSTAND THAT. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SO THE FEASIBILITY STAGES, PHASE ONE, IT'S HIGHLY EXPLORATORY. 
          IT'S REALLY LOOKING AT THE RANGE OF OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. 
          AND THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THAT PHASE ARE LOOKING AT VARIOUS SITES FOR SUITABILITY, JUST TO KIND OF SEE WHERE, UH, COULD WE POSSIBLY CITE, UH, ANY NEW UTILITY SCALE GENERATION AND ALSO LOOKS AT SOME FINANCING CONSIDERATIONS RE LARGELY RELATED TO UNDERSTANDING OWNERSHIP AND FINANCING STRUCTURE. 
          IT'S THE FIRST STAGE OF, OF JUST ASSESSING, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL SCAN OF WHAT COULD I DO, UM, AT THE END OF THAT PHASE. 
          WELL, THAT PHASE WE WOULD HAVE TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY INPUT AS PART OF OUR CITING CONSIDERATIONS. 
          AND, UM, WE WOULD ALSO COME TO YOU, UH, THROUGH THE UOC TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK. 
          CAN I INTERRUPT YOU? SURE. 
          BECAUSE WE TEND TO GET INTO ACRONYMS AND, AND ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS, WOULD YOU HAVE TO COME TO US DURING THE FEASIBILITY PROCESS? YES. 
          AND WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS YOU WOULD, IT WOULD COME TO US AS A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE COUNCIL, WHICH IS THE AUSTIN ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, THE UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. 
          AUSTIN ENERGY UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. 
          YES, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. 
          THAT'S FINE. 
          UM, AND SO AT THAT STAGE WE WILL JUST HAVE VERY HIGH LEVEL KIND OF, WE'VE DONE A QUICK SCAN OF THE, UM, LANDSCAPE AND, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE CONTINUING ON WITH OUR, OUR FURTHER WORK. 
          UM, WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ISSUED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, BUT WE WON'T HAVE GONE THROUGH THE, THE FULL ANALYSIS OF THOSE PROPOSALS AT THE END OF THE FEASIBILITY STAGE. 
          THE SECOND STAGE OR PHASE IS PRE-DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE REALLY NARROWING YOUR FIELD OF OPTIONS. 
          YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE OFFERS THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TO SEE, YOU KNOW, BASED ON WHAT I DID MY INITIAL SCAN ON, REALLY HOW WHAT COULD WORK OUT AS A, AS A POTENTIAL RECOMMENDATION. 
          YOU'RE DEFINING THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF OF RESOURCE YOU'RE USING, WHAT MAKE AND MODEL, WHAT ARE THE OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE RESOURCES, WHO MIGHT YOU ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU ULTIMATELY LAND ON WHERE SITE SELECTION IS, RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THAT. 
          WE WOULDN'T BE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS ON OUR OWN. 
          UM, WHEN YOU'VE NARROWED THOSE THINGS DOWN, THEN YOU CAN DEVELOP ESSENTIALLY THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED, LIKE SCOPE, SCHEDULE AND BUDGET TIMELINES. 
          YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU PRE-POSITION THE NEGOTIATION OF THE CONTRACTS AND YOU'D, UM, DO THE INITIAL FILING OF, IS THERE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO I GET MY NAME IN THE QUEUE FOR ERCOT INTERCONNECTION? BUT YOU DON'T TAKE ACTION ON ANY OF THOSE THINGS UNTIL YOU COME TO COUNSEL FOR APPROVAL AT THE END OF THAT PHASE. 
          IS THERE, IS, IS THERE ANY POINT IN THE FEASIBILITY OR PRE-DEVELOPMENT, LEMME BACK UP AT, AT THE FEASIBILITY POINT. 
          THERE'S GONNA BE SOME QUESTIONS THAT ARE STILL THERE BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WANT TO GO FORWARD, AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A PRE-DEVELOPMENT PHASE. 
          IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT. 
          WHY DID YOU, WHY DID YOU BREAK OUT FEASIBILITY AND PRE-DEVELOPMENT AND NOT PUT THOSE, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE AS, AS I LISTEN TO YOU, THEY SOUND A LOT ALIKE AND, AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME OF THIS IN THE PAST. 
          THEY ARE A LOT ALIKE. 
          BUT WHY DID YOU BREAK THOSE OUT? I MEAN, YOU'RE RIGHT. 
          WE, WE COULD HAVE EASILY COMBINED PHASE ONE AND TWO, ESSENTIALLY WE WERE TRYING TO DO A DISTINCTION BETWEEN, THERE'S AN EXPLORATORY PHASE REALLY TO HELP SET THE EXPECTATION THAT WE WOULD BE COMING BACK TO YOU FOR FEEDBACK AND GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION ALONG THE WAY. 
          UM, AND THAT, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DO THAT AS YOU MOVE FORWARD TO HONE IN ON THE REST OF THE DETAILS. 
          IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE, UM, I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF ANALOGY FOR THIS 'CAUSE I'VE GOT MY COLLEAGUES ASKING ME WHY DO WE BREAK THESE UP, UM, IN VARIOUS WAYS. 
          AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE IF YOU WENT TO SEE A DOCTOR AND THEY GAVE YOU A MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND THEY RAN SOME TESTS AND THEY SAID, WELL, BASED ON LOOKING AT YOU, RIGHT? THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE INFORMATION I HAVE THUS FAR, BUT I REALLY WON'T KNOW MORE AND WON'T BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS OR RECOMMENDATION ON WHAT TO DO UNTIL AFTER I'VE REVIEWED YOUR TEST RESULTS. 
          AND SO YOU COULD SEE THERE ARE TWO DISTINCT STEPS, BUT YOU KNOW, IN REALITY YOU DON'T WANT SOMEONE TO COME BRING YOU A RECOMMENDATION UNTIL IT'S FULLY REVIEWED. 
          BUT I DO WANNA TALK TO 'EM ALONG THE WAY BECAUSE THEY'RE BROKEN OUT FEASIBILITY AND PRE-DEVELOPMENT. 
          AND OF COURSE THE NEXT STEP IS THEN DEVELOPMENT. 
          IS THERE ANY WAY UNDER THIS PLAN THAT AUSTIN ENERGY COULD GO TO DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT IT COMING IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL FOR US TO VOTE 
          [01:10:02]
WHEN WE HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF US, INCLUDING BOTH FEASIBILITY AND PRE-DEVELOPMENT? W WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT A VOTE? PRE-DEVELOPMENT? IT SOUNDS TO ME LIKE INFORMATION GATHERING 'CAUSE FEASIBILITY AND PRE-DEVELOPMENT IS INFORMATION GATHERING. 
          BUT TO GO FORWARD WITH ACTUALLY DOING THIS, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THAT CAN BE DONE WITHOUT IT COMING TO US AND US HAVING THE RIGHT TO VOTE? NO. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, ALL RIGHT. 
          UM, THAT IS I THINK A PARAMOUNT, THIS IS NOT A QUESTION, I APOLOGIZE, COUNSEL, THAT THIS ISN'T THE QUESTION, BUT I'M JUST GONNA SAY IT OUT LOUD 'CAUSE I THINK I'M SPEAKING FOR EVERYBODY. 
          I THINK THAT IS A PARAMOUNT CONCERN ABOUT A, WE WANT ALL OF THE INFORMATION WE CAN GET BEFORE WE HAVE TO VOTE ON SOMETHING. 
          FRANKLY, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ON THE COUNCIL WANTS TO PUT THE PUBLIC THROUGH A LARGE PROCESS OF ARE YOU FORWARD OR AGAINST IT? 'CAUSE WHAT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THE PUBLIC WILL COME TO US AND SAY, WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION. 
          YOU NEED THIS INFORMATION. 
          AND WE SAY, YEAH, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT PHASE WHEN WE WOULD'VE THAT INFORMATION. 
          I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS TO DO THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY ON THIS COUNCIL, AND I DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT WE'LL SEE WHEN WE VOTE ON THINGS. 
          BUT I THINK THE GENERAL FEEL OF THIS IS THAT WE WANT YOU TO GET US ALL THE INFORMATION THAT IS IMPORTANT, THAT THE EXPERTS PROVIDE US ALL THE INFORMATION, WE WANT THE COMMUNITY INPUT, WE WANT BRIEFINGS OF THE COUNCIL THROUGH THE OVERSIGHT, THE LIKE AUSTIN ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. 
          BUT YOU CAN'T MOVE FORWARD ON THEM UNTIL THERE'S A VOTE OF THE COUNCIL. 
          AND, AND I HOPE I'M SAYING THAT AS CLEARLY AS I CAN WITH MY LIMITED SKILL TO TALK. 
          BUT, UM, DO Y'ALL GET THAT? YES, SIR. 
          AND THAT'S THE INTENT OF THE LANGUAGE IN THE PLAN ALREADY. 
          AND IF IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARER, THEN ABSOLUTELY. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, LEMME, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PEAKERS A SECOND. 
          AND, AND, AND I APOLOGIZE, COUNSEL, I, BUT I'M GONNA TRY TO WALK US THROUGH A COUPLE OF THESE THINGS. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT WE, WE CONTINUALLY ARE BEING TOLD IS THAT THE NEW PEAKERS ARE MORE EFFICIENT AND THEY CAN AT LEAST DISPLACE THE OLD PEAKERS UNTIL WE DO AWAY WITH OR COMPLETELY REPLACE THE OLD PEAKERS WITH MORE EFFICIENT. 
          I WANNA KNOW, I, AND I WANT THE PUBLIC TO HEAR HOW WOULD THAT WORK AND HOW MUCH CLEANER WOULD THEY BE? BECAUSE JUST, I'LL SAY IT THIS WAY, WHEN I HEAR SOMEONE COME FORWARD AND TELL ME, DON'T PUT A PEAKER THERE BECAUSE IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON A SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, AND I'M, I'M LOOKING AT MR. HALPER FOR, UH, UH, WHO CALLED ME AND, AND, AND OUT AND, AND MADE THE COMMENT, YOU KNOW, THIS MAYOR, AND I THINK THE REASON HE SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS MAYOR IS BECAUSE HE KNOWS AND HE'S OLD ENOUGH, AND I'M POINTING AT HIM, AND I'LL SAY IT TO HIS FACE, HE'S OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN I SERVED AS CHAIR OF THE TEXAS AIR CONTROL BOARD. 
          AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHY HE SAID THIS IS BECAUSE I ACTUALLY, WE DEALT WITH THIS UNDER THE FEDERAL CLEAN AIR ACT, VERY SPECIFICALLY. 
          WHAT I, WHAT I WANT CLARITY ON IS WHEN YOU SAY THIS IS I HAVE PEAKER A AND PEAKER A IS DOING DAMAGE TO PEOPLE, IT'S PUTTING OUT EMISSIONS. 
          IT, WE DON'T LIKE THOSE EMISSIONS AND WE ALL AGREE ABOUT THAT. 
          BUT YOU COME TO ME AND SAY, LET'S PUT PEAKER B THERE, BUT PEAKER B OUGHT TO BE CLEANER AND OUGHT TO MAKE IT WHERE YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU ACTUALLY MAKE IT BETTER. 
          AND I WANT TO KNOW IF THAT'S THE CASE HERE. 
          I WANT TO KNOW, WOULD WE BE REDUCING EMISSIONS? WOULD WE, UNTIL WE GET TO A CARBON FREE, ARE WE DOING SOMETHING THAT IMPROVES THE SITUATION AND FRANKLY, SOMETHING WE OUGHT TO DO TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION IF WE KNOW WE ALREADY HAVE PEAKERS CREATING A PROBLEM? SO YES, MAYOR, WE ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING AT A DEFICIT OF LOCAL SUPPLY, AND WE SEE THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE HIGH COST ERCOT PRICE SIGNAL SAYING PRICES ARE HIGH IN OUR SERVICE TERRITORY COMPARED TO OTHER AREAS, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH LOCALLY. 
          WE NEED TO ADD MORE, WE NEED TO ADD MORE OF ALL OF THE RESOURCES, ESSENTIALLY THE RESOURCES LINE UP, AND YOU COULD CALL IT A STACK, OR WE COULD, LET'S JUST CALL IT A LINE, RIGHT? THE FIRST RESOURCES YOU USE ARE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY DEMAND RESPONSE, WHICH MEANS YOU DON'T HAVE TO TURN ANYTHING ON AT ALL. 
          THEN YOU USE THE CHEAPEST AND CLEANEST RESOURCES. 
          AND THIS IS NOT ONLY TRUE FOR AUSTIN ENERGY, BUT THIS IS HOW THE MARKET RUNS AS WELL. 
          SO THAT'S THE WIND AND THE SOLAR YOU USE AS 
          [01:15:01]
MUCH AS YOU CAN AS POSSIBLE. 
          BATTERIES USUALLY COME IN AFTER THAT, ALTHOUGH BATTERIES CAN BE MORE EXPENSIVE AT TIMES. 
          AND SO SOMETIMES THEY'RE RESERVED FOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU REALLY NEED THEM WHEN PRICES SPIKE UP. 
          BUT IN OUR CASE, BATTERIES WOULD BE A CLEANER ALTERNATIVE TO PEAKER PLANTS. 
          SO THEY WOULD COME NEXT. 
          AND THEN YOU HAVE AS YOUR, YOUR UNITS OF LAST RESORT IN OUR CASE, RIGHT, OUR PEAKER UNITS. 
          AND THAT'S TRUE FOR US, AND IT'S TRUE FOR THE ERCOT MARKET. 
          AND SO RIGHT NOW WHEN WE HAVE THOSE HOT DAYS, WE HAVE, THE ONLY OPTION WE HAVE ARE THOSE PEAKER UNITS WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR STACK. 
          AND SO, UH, DECKER IS OLDER TECHNOLOGY, THEY'RE DIRTIER, UM, AND SANTEL IS CLEANER AND HAS NEWER TECHNOLOGY. 
          UM, THE NEW PEAKERS WOULD BE CLEANER THAN EITHER ONE OF THOSE TECHNOLOGIES. 
          AND SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY WOULD DO IS THEY WOULD COME SOONER IN THE STACK PUSHING THE DIRTIER STUFF FURTHER DOWN THE LINE SO THAT YOU ARE ALREADY USING THEM AS A LAST RESORT. 
          BUT SOME OF THOSE UNITS, LIKE THE DECKER UNITS, AND I THINK ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS MENTIONED THIS, YOU SEE THEM, THEY'RE THERE FOR A TINY PERCENTAGE OF THE TIME WHEN YOU'RE AT ITS WORST WHEN YOU REALLY NEED 'EM. 
          THE, THE, SO YOU'RE COVERING YOUR, YOUR CUSTOMER NEED WITH YOUR CLEANEST RESOURCES FIRST, YOUR PEAKERS LAST, BUT YOUR DIRTIEST PEAKERS THE VERY LAST. 
          SO DO YOU HAVE NUMBERS THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE TO SAY, BASED UPON PAST EXPERIENCE AND GRANTED, WE DON'T KNOW, AND BUT EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT, RIGHT? BUT, BUT BASED UPON OUR PAST EXPERIENCE, WALKING THROUGH WHAT YOU JUST WALKED THROUGH, THE STACKING, IF YOU WILL, WHAT WOULD THIS DO TO EMISSIONS AT OR NEAR THAT AREA? SO EMISSIONS, IF WE'RE DIS IF YOU'RE PUTTING UNITS, WELL, IF WE'RE DISPLACING UNITS, RIGHT? SO SAY WE'RE USING THE DECKER UNITS LESS THAN AIR QUALITY, AND THAT'S THE ANTICIPATION, RIGHT? THAT IS THE ANTICIPATION, YES. 
          OKAY. 
          SO I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT, BUT IF, IF YOU'RE USING THEM LESS, IT WOULD ACTUALLY IMPROVE THE, THE QUALITY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT RUNNING THOSE UNITS IN THE AREAS WHERE THEY'RE SITTING. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, MAYOR, YES, IF, CAN I JUST ADD SOMETHING RIGHT ON THIS TOPIC? UM, IT WOULD ALSO BE TRUE THOUGH ON THE HIGHEST DEMAND DAYS THAT YOU WOULD BE USING THE NEW PEAKERS AND THE OLD PEAKERS AND SO ON, THAT 2% OF SITUATION, YOU WOULD HAVE MORE POLLUTION IN THAT AREA. 
          IT WOULD JUST BE ON PARTICULAR DAYS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE MORE POLLUTION. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? UH, YES. 
          AT A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE TIME, BUT IN NET HOLISTICALLY, AND BECAUSE WE'RE PROVIDING MORE, UH, SUPPLY TO COVER OUR LOCAL ENERGY NEEDS, RIGHT? PERHAPS DISPLACING, RIGHT? MAYBE IT'S WE'RE ENERGIZING MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES, RIGHT? SO THERE'S A MORE HOLISTIC WAY OF LOOKING AT THIS. 
          AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS SEVERAL TIMES, RIGHT? BUT THE, THAT'S WHERE THE EMISSIONS LIMITS AND WHETHER WE ARE GETTING THE RIGHT, UM, MEASURE FOR THAT MATTER. 
          YES. 
          UM, FOR THOSE THINGS. 
          AND THEN, UM, COLLEAGUES, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL EXCHANGES WITH MS. MARTIN, AND SHE'S BEEN VERY PATIENT IN ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS. 
          UM, THERE'S A QUESTION THAT I ASKED THAT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT, UM, THE SCENARIOS WHERE NEW PEAKERS WOULD RUN BEFORE RETIRING THE OLD GAS UNITS. 
          AND I'VE ASKED THEM TO PUT THAT IN THE Q AND A AND I THINK IT'S A VERY HELPFUL, UM, EXPLANATION TO KIND OF WALK THROUGH THAT. 
          UM, SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE YEAH. 
          POSTED. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          UM, WE'VE HEARD MULTIPLE TIMES THAT WE'RE GOING BACKWARD ON THE COMMITMENT OF BEING CARBON FREE BY 2035. 
          I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY, AND AGAIN, I'M, I'M MAKING AN ANTICIPATION, BUT I, I PAY, I PAY A LITTLE BIT OF ATTENTION TO POLITICS IN THIS TOWN, AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY ON THIS DAIS THAT WILL VOTE FOR ANYTHING THAT GOES BACK ON THE COMMITMENT TO BE CARBON FREE BY 2035. 
          YOU USE THE PHRASE THAT THIS PLAN RECOMMITS TO THAT. 
          UM, HOW CAN WE GET THERE IF WE'RE INSTALLING NEW PEAKERS, HOW CAN WE GET TO BEING CARBON FREE BY 2035? HOW IS IT THAT WE'RE REINFORCING WHAT I WANT THIS PLAN TO DO? I'M SPEAKING JUST FOR ME, BUT I BET THERE'S OTHERS THAT AGREE. 
          I WANT THIS PLAN TO DO THE RECOMMITMENT. 
          I WANT IT TO REINFORCE THAT COMMITMENT TO BEING CARBON FREE BY 2035. 
          TELL ME HOW WE GET THERE WHEN WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GONNA PUT IN NEW PEAKERS. 
          DON'T CLAP YET. 
          , 
          [01:20:03]
THIS PLAN DOES RECOMMIT TO CARBON FREE BY 2035, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO GETTING THERE, BUT WE KNOW THAT TODAY OUR TECHNOLOGY WON'T GET US THERE. 
          SO WHAT THIS PLAN DOES IS IT PROVIDES US THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE ON A PATH TO GET THERE AND TO SOLVE CURRENT DAY RISKS AND RISKS THAT WE WILL SEE CONTINUE TO GROW. 
          AND SO IT TAKES A HOLISTIC LOOK AT PROVIDING THE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE NEED TO MEET OUR CUSTOMERS ENERGY'S NEEDS ALL ALONG THE WAY. 
          AND IT, UM, AND IT, IT INCLUDES A COMMITMENT TO, UH, CULTURE OF INNOVATION SO THAT AS TECHNOLOGY EMERGES AND EVOLVES AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADD ADDITIONAL CLEAN RESOURCES AND SOMETHING THAT WOULD REPLACE OUR EXISTING FOSSIL GENERATION AND CARBON EMITTING, UM, RESOURCES THAT WE ARE ENABLED TO, TO, UH, ADOPT THOSE NEW TECHNOLOGIES. 
          THE LARGEST BARRIER BETWEEN US AND CARBON FREE TO 2035 RIGHT NOW IS THE FAYETTE POWER PLANT. 
          AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THIS, THIS PLAN REAFFIRMS OUR COMMITMENT TO EXIT COAL AS WELL. 
          SO, AND THAT WAS GONNA BE MY VERY NEXT QUESTION. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, SO LET ME PAUSE YOU TO SAY, HOW DOES THIS PLAN, YOU'VE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT, IN FACT, Y'ALL WEREN'T HAPPY AT ONE POINT, ME TALKING ABOUT, UH, GETTING OUT OF FAYETTE AND WHEN I WANTED TO SEE US OUT OF FAYETTE. 
          THAT IS, THAT IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY, I THINK. 
          AND THAT BEING SAID, TELL HOW DO, HOW DOES THIS HELP US GET OUT FAYETTE SO THAT WE CAN BE CARBON FREE BY 2035, RIGHT? OR EARLIER OR EARLIER OR EARLIER, RIGHT? WE WANNA GET RID OF THE EXIT COAL AND GET OUT OF THE FAYETTE POWER PLANT, UH, COAL GENERATION AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. 
          BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY FOR THE DAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN OUR PORTFOLIO. 
          AND RIGHT NOW IT ACTS AS A, UM, AN INSURANCE POLICY, IF YOU WILL. 
          THERE ARE GUARDRAILS AND RESTRICTIONS ON IT. 
          THE REACH PROGRAM PREVENTS US FROM USING IT, UM, AS YOU WOULD NORMALLY USE A COAL PLANT. 
          IT, IT, YOU KNOW, TAKES IN CONSIDERATION THE FACT THAT, THAT THE, THE COST OF CARBON, AND IT SAYS YOU CAN ONLY USE IT WHEN, UH, DEMAND IS INCREDIBLY HIGH AND IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE. 
          OTHERWISE, WE, UH, DON'T BURN THE COAL, USE THE COAL, AND INSTEAD, UH, NATURAL GAS, WHICH IS CLEANER COMES IN ITS PLACE. 
          BUT FAYETTE ALSO PROVIDES A VERY IMPORTANT FINANCIAL HEDGE FOR US. 
          AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY DURING EXTREME WEATHER OR, UH, WHETHER IT'S A WINTER STORM URI OR, UH, YOU KNOW, INCREDIBLY HOT SUMMERS, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN, UM, WE NEED TO RUN IT SO THAT WE'RE OTHERWISE, LIKE, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLY, WE WOULD BE HAVING TO PAY MONEY TO THE ERCOT MARKET, UM, IN FORM OF COLLATERAL AND IN FORM OF MARKET SETTLEMENTS. 
          AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS IN THE FORM OF LIQUIDITY RISK AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SET IN A MUCH SIMPLER WAY, UH, DURING WINTER STORM YURI FAYETTE RUNNING IS WHAT, UH, HELPED OFFSET THE EXTREMELY HIGH COSTS TO THE TUNE OF LIKE $500 MILLION DURING WINTER STORM. 
          YURI, DID I GET THAT NUMBER RIGHT? ALL RIGHT. 
          AND SO, UM, IF, YOU KNOW, SO IN THE END, BECAUSE WE HAD THAT RESOURCE, WE WERE ABLE TO GENERATE POWER AND THEN OFFSET THE EXTREMELY HIGH COSTS OF, UH, THAT WERE OCCURRING DURING WINTER STORM URI AND THEN PASS ON NET SAVINGS TO OUR CUSTOMERS AS OPPOSED TO EXTREMELY HIGH COSTS. 
          SO THE, WE, WE, WHEN WE MODEL THINGS THAT DON'T HAVE, UM, LOCAL SOURCES OF GENERATION OR, OR GENERATION THAT CAN WITHSTAND THOSE KINDS OF EXTREME CONDITIONS, THEN WE SAW LIQUIDITY RISKS VERY, VERY HIGH IN, YOU KNOW, 900 MILLION BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. 
          UM, WHEN YOU SEE IT WITH THE TYPES OF RESOURCES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, INCLUDING IF WE WERE TO REPLACE IT WITH NATURAL GAS PEAKERS OR WITH OTHER, UH, CLEAN RESOURCES THAT COULD, THAT COULD, UM, OPERATE DURING AND WITH OTHER CLEAN RESOURCES THAT COULD OPERATE DURING THOSE TIMES, THEN UH, THE LIQUIDITY RISK IS MUCH MORE REASONABLE. 
          SO THE PLAN SETS FORTH A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE READY FOR THE DAY WHEN WE CAN COME TO APPROPRIATE TERMS AND EXIT COAL. 
          WHAT I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY, BUT I'M GONNA MM-HMM . 
          WHAT I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY IS AS PART OF THE MODELING OF THIS, YOU MODELED IT WITH FAYETTE OUT. 
          WE DID. 
          SO IF, IF NOTHING ELSE, THAT SHOWS AT LEAST SOME RECOMMITMENT TO BEING OUT BEING OUT OF FAYETTE, BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE MODELING THIS IN SUCH A WAY TO, TO RECOMMIT TO BEING CARBON FREE BY 2035. 
          AND THE MODELING ITSELF SAID THERE WILL BE NO FAYETTE, CORRECT? CORRECT. 
          BUT I 
          [01:25:01]
WILL ADMIT TO YOU THAT THAT ANSWER WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FAYETTE SAVING MONEY AND DOING ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS SOUNDS LIKE WE NEED FAYETTE TO HELP US SAVE MONEY, AND WE WANT FAYETTE IN ORDER. 
          AND, AND THAT'S, I THINK, PART OF THE REASON SOME PEOPLE HAVE, INCLUDING ME, SOMETIMES A HEARTBURN ABOUT WHAT IS THAT COMMITMENT, IF IT'S ONE THING TO MODEL IT, BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO SING THE PRAISES OF IT. 
          SO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY YOU SING THE PRAISES OF IT AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO MODEL APPROPRIATELY. 
          I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY HOW WE WANT IT. 
          WE WANT IT MODELED OUTTA HERE, BUT WHY THEN DO WE EVEN BRING THAT PART OF IT UP? BECAUSE THAT CREATES CONFUSION AT A MINIMUM. 
          YEAH, I DON'T, I DEFINITELY DON'T MEAN TO CREATE CONFUSION, AND I DON'T MEAN TO SING ITS PRAISES. 
          I, I'M SIMPLY RECOGNIZING THE TRADE-OFFS THAT EXIST. 
          AND SO, UH, FAYETTE IS THE LARGEST BARRIER TO OUR CLEAN ENERGY GOALS, BUT IT ALSO ACTS AS A, AS A VERY DIRTY INSURANCE POLICY. 
          AND SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS CREATE A BETTER PORTFOLIO, A CLEANER PORTFOLIO THAT POSITIONS US WELL TO BE ABLE TO NOT HAVE TO RELY ON FAYETTE, THE COAL PLANT AS OUR INSURANCE POLICY. 
          AND, AND THAT'S WHY YOU MO LET ME HELP MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. 
          I'M GONNA SAY THIS BACK TO YOU, BUT CORRECT ME IF I SAY IT WRONG, THAT'S WHY YOU MODELED E EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE POINTING OUT TO US AND THE PUBLIC THAT FAYETTE IS A DIRTY INSURANCE POLICY RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE MODELED THIS PLAN SO THAT FAYETTE'S NOT A PART OF IT, THAT DIRTY INSURANCE POLICY DOESN'T EXIST, EVEN THOUGH YOU, YOU'VE MENTIONED IT, IT'S, IT DOESN'T EXIST AS PART OF THIS PLAN, CORRECT? CORRECT. 
          AND WHAT THAT DOES, AND AGAIN, I'M SAYING THIS BACK TO YOU THE WAY I'M INTERPRETING IT, SO I HOPE YOU'LL CORRECT ME OR, UM, PLEASE CORRECT ME. 
          BUT WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'VE CREATED A PLAN OR YOU, YOU'RE OFFERING US UP A PLAN THAT WILL SAY, THIS IS HOW YOU GET OUT OF FAYETTE, EVEN THOUGH IT RIGHT NOW PROVIDES A DIRTY INSURANCE POLICY, WE'RE SAYING WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT THAT DIRTY INSURANCE POLICY ANYMORE. 
          THIS PLAN WOULD, WOULD, WOULD HELP US GET OUT OF IT BECAUSE IT WOULD PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT COULD REPLACE IT. 
          AND THAT'S HOW WE MODELED IT. 
          THIS THIS PLAN SETS US UP FOR THE DAY TO BE READY FOR THE DAY WHEN WE CAN EXIT THAT COAL PLANT. 
          WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT WHAT I SAID AND WHAT YOU SAID, I THINK I WAS JUST REAFFIRMING IT. 
          OKAY. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UM, MY LAST QUESTION, MEMBERS, AND, AND IT'S ONLY BECAUSE SOMEBODY, UM, TOOK ISSUE WITH MY PROPOSED AMENDMENT, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE MY PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS, IS WHAT I THINK IT IS. 
          UH, YOU'VE SEEN MY PROPOSED AMENDMENT, RIGHT? YES, SIR. 
          UM, WHAT I, UM, WAS INTENDING TO DO WAS CREATE A NEW CARBON INTENSITY STANDARD WITH A SINGLE METRIC FOR CO2 THAT WILL ALSO DIRECTLY CORRELATE TO NOX AND OTHER GREENHOUSE GASES AND SET A REQUIREMENT THAT IF AUSTIN ENERGY'S, UH, GENERATION MIX CHANGES IN ANY WAY AND A SINGLE CARBON INTENSITY GUARDRAIL, WHICH IS PART OF THIS, BUT A SINGLE GUARD, UH, GUARDRAIL FOR ONE PART OF IT ISN'T ENOUGH THAT WE'LL HAVE A SIMILAR NOX GUARD INTENSITY GUARDRAIL FOR THE GENERATION PORTFOLIO. 
          AND I THOUGHT THAT WHAT I WAS PUTTING TOGETHER WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD INCLUDE THINGS OTHER, IT WOULD PROVIDE A STRONGER NOX REGULATION THAN WHAT YOUR PLAN DOES. 
          AND THAT IT WOULD ALSO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THINGS OTHER THAN CO2 THINGS LIKE PARTICULATE. 
          UH, IS IT NOT DOING THAT? AND I DON'T BY THE WAY, SEE IT IN CONFLICT WITH ANYBODY ELSE'S, ALTHOUGH I'VE SEEN THAT REPORTED AS WELL. 
          UM, BUT, BUT I, I WANT TO GET YOUR FEEDBACK ON THAT. 
          SO, UM, YOUR AMENDMENT, THE CARBON INTENSITY GUARDRAIL IS ESSENTIALLY SETS FORTH A POUNDS OF CARBON PER MEGAWATT HOUR. 
          THIS IS A, A METRIC THAT WE'VE HEARD IN CONVERSATION WITH DR. WEBER AS KIND OF A CLEANLINESS STANDARD. 
          AND SO SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A STANDARD FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL THINGS, THIS, THIS SINGLE, RIGHT? SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT NOX IS 
          [01:30:01]
COVERED BY PERMIT, BY PERMIT PERMITTING PROCESS, RIGHT? CORRECT. 
          LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE REGULATORY PERMANENT, UH, CARBON IS NOT. 
          AND SO SETTING A, A CARBON INTENSITY STANDARD, UM, COVERS ALL OF THE VARIOUS EMISSIONS, RIGHT? CARBON IS AS, AS YOU NOTE IN YOUR AMENDMENT, IS MAKES UP MOST OF THE GREENHOUSE GASES. 
          AND RIGHT NOW, IF YOU'RE BURNING NATURAL GAS OR COAL, THEN, UH, WHEN CARBON GOES IN ONE DIRECTION, SO DOES NOX, SO DO ALL THE OTHER EMISSIONS. 
          SO THEY'RE ALL TRENDING IN THE SAME DIRECTION. 
          SO THIS STANDARD PUTS A LIMIT ON ALL OF THOSE THINGS. 
          AND, UM, THE ONLY WAY THAT WOULD CHANGE IS IF WE WERE TO START, UH, TO USE AN ALTERNATIVE FUEL, UM, THAT WHERE THINGS WEREN'T CORRELATED IN THE SAME DIRECTION. 
          AND IF FOR ANY REASON, UH, CARBON WERE TO GO DOWN, BUT, BUT NOX WERE TO GO UP YOUR, YOUR PLANT, YOUR, THIS TALKS ABOUT, UM, ESTABLISHING A, A, A DIFFERENT, A NOX INTENSITY STANDARD IF NECESSARY. 
          OKAY. 
          WELL, WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS DONE. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UM, MEMBERS, I'M SORRY, BUT I WANTED TO GET SOME OF THAT NOW. 
          I, HOPEFULLY THAT COVERS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT OTHERS MIGHT'VE HAD. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, UH, THANK YOU. 
          UM, THANK YOU ALL BY THE WAY. 
          SORRY. 
          THOSE WERE HELPFUL. 
          UM, SO, UM, I WANTED YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN BY CARBON FREE AS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR LOAD, IF I'M GETTING THE PHRASING CORRECT. 
          SO, CARBON FREE, RIGHT? A HUNDRED PERCENT CARBON FREE AS A PERCENTAGE OF LOAD ESSENTIALLY CREATES THE ASSURANCE THAT WE ARE COVERING OUR CUSTOMER'S ENERGY NEEDS WITH 100% CARBON FREE GENERATION. 
          DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVE NO CARBON GENERATING RESOURCES? IT, YES. 
          IT, IT INTENDS TO MEAN THAT IN 2035, WHAT DOES INTENDS TO MEAN THAT LIKE, WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS IS A GOAL THAT WE'RE SETTING THAT WE WANNA GET TO, AND, YOU KNOW, WE MAY UNDERSHOOT A LITTLE OR, OR WHATEVER, BUT, BUT WHAT IS INTENDS TO MEAN THAT, RIGHT? AND, AND YOU JUST HIT ON WHERE I WAS, WHY I WAS PAUSING. 
          SO CARBON FREE IS CARBON FREE, RIGHT? IT MEANS THAT THERE IS, THERE'S NO CARBON, RIGHT? AND SO, AND OUR GOAL IS TO DO THAT BY 2035. 
          THE REASON THE PERCENTAGE OF LOAD LANGUAGE IS IN THERE IS SIMPLY TO, AGAIN, ASSURE THAT WE ARE COVERING OUR ENTIRE CUSTOMER'S NEEDS WITH THAT CARBON FREE ENERGY AS OPPOSED TO HAVING LESS THAN THAT. 
          AND JUST ALL OF WHAT THAT WE HAVE IS CARBON FREE AND THEN RELYING ON THE ERCOT MARKET, WHICH WE KNOW IS NOT CLEANER. 
          SO YES, IT'S THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND SIDE OF THE EQUATION. 
          OKAY, THANK YOU. 
          UM, I ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE'RE ALL DISAPPOINTED THAT WE HAVEN'T FOUND A WAY YET TO CLOSE FAYETTE, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, WITH THE EMISSIONS FROM FAYETTE THROUGH THE REACH PROGRAM THAT, UM, SOME OF US IN THE DAIS HELPED YOU PUT INTO EFFECT, UM, IN 2020, WHICH WAS A PRODUCT I WILL POINT OUT OF THIS GENERATION PLAN PROCESS BACK THEN. 
          AND SOMETHING THAT CAME FROM THIS BACK AND FORTH THAT PERHAPS A TIME HAS FELT PAINFUL, BUT REALLY IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW THESE COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS AND THE IDEAS, UM, AS WE GO BACK AND FORTH AND, AND WE CHALLENGE EACH OTHER WHERE WE CAN GET TO A MORE INNOVATIVE PLACE AND, AND MODEL THE CULTURE OF INNOVATION. 
          SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT REACH AND IT'S HOW IT HAS REDUCED THE EMISSIONS AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR EMISSIONS LEVELS ARE AT FAYETTE NOW VERSUS, YOU KNOW, BACK WHERE THEY WERE, LIKE THE LEVELS OF REDUCTION OR IF, IF SOMEONE NEEDS TO BRING THOSE NUMBERS, IF YOU CAN  YEAH. 
          FOR, FOR THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL, I'M GONNA END UP PULLING MIKE ANGER UP TO EXPLAIN IT. 
          HE KNOWS 'EM BETTER THAN I DO. 
          UM, BUT I WILL SAY THAT JUST FOR CLARIFICATION FOR EVERYONE, I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS THIS, BUT, BUT REACH ESSENTIALLY, UM, TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THE COST OF CARBON AND PUTS IN A PRICE ADDER SO THAT WE DON'T DISPATCH THAT UNIT WHEN IT WOULD NORMALLY BE ECONOMIC TO RUN. 
          AND SO INSTEAD, UM, IT WAITS UNTIL PRICES ARE HIGHER, WHICH IS A SIGNAL OF, OF NEED FOR DEMAND, RIGHT? THERE'S HIGHER DEMAND. 
          AND SO IT ESSENTIALLY, UH, SAYS, UH, WE ONLY USE FAYETTE WHEN WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO, UM, AND O OTHERWISE WE CHOOSE TO, UH, STOP RUNNING USING 
          [01:35:01]
COAL AND INSTEAD USE WHAT'S CLEANER AND NEXT IN THE STACK, WHICH USUALLY IS, IS NATURAL GAS. 
          MIKE, CAN YOU COME JOIN US? GOOD MORNING. 
          MICHAEL ENGER, VICE PRESIDENT, ENERGY MARKET OPERATIONS AND RESOURCE PLANNING. 
          SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU COULD GIVE US A, A SENSE OF HOW, HOW WELL REACH HAS DONE WITH RESPECT TO REDUCING THE EMISSIONS FROM FAYETTE. 
          YEAH, I DON'T THE EXACT NUMBER I'D HAVE TO LOOK, BUT WE HAVE REDUCED OVER 5 MILLION METRIC TONS, UH, ABOUT 12 MONTHS AGO FROM THE TIME WE IMPLEMENTED IT. 
          AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT AT A COST MUCH LOWER THAN WHERE WE SEE THE COST OF CARBON, UM, TRADING IN SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, MARKETS WHERE CARBON IS VALUED, LIKE IN CALIFORNIA, FOR EXAMPLE. 
          SO IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL WAY TO REDUCE EMISSIONS AT A VERY AFFORDABLE WAY. 
          AND HOW MUCH ARE WE RUNNING FAYETTE NOW RELATIVE TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE? IT TYPICALLY SITS AT THAT LOW SUSTAINABILITY LIMIT, THE LOWEST IT CAN RUN AT, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME, IT WILL RAMP UP A LITTLE BIT, UH, TYPICALLY WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN AND WE SEE SOME INCREASED PRICING WHEN WE HAVE A NEAR TERM, UH, SCARCITY IN THE MARKET. 
          UH, AND IT WILL TYPICALLY RUN ON VERY, VERY COLD WINTER DAYS, MUCH MORE AT THE TOP OR ON A VERY, VERY HOT SUMMER DAY AT THE TOP. 
          BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME IT'S RUNNING DOWN NEAR THE BOTTOM. 
          SO THE MAJORITY OF THE HOURS, IT'S RUNNING AT THE VERY LOW SUSTAINABLE LIMIT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND THEN, UM, I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THE ITEMS, UM, UM, AND I WILL ALSO CALL ATTENTION TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT I'VE ASKED THEM TO PUT A CHART THAT THEY PREPARED FOR ME COMPARING THE GOALS, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED AROUND, UM, IN THE BACKUP. 
          UM, SO WE CAN SEE THINGS, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S DEFINITIONAL CHANGES THAT HAPPEN ACROSS THAT CHART, FOR INSTANCE, WITH LOCAL SOLAR OR, UM, WHERE WE'RE, WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT. 
          UM, I'M WONDERING, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS EMISSIONS, UM, MEASURE OR STANDARD, UM, THE CARBON INTENSITY STANDARD, UM, AS I UNDERSTAND THE MEASURE THAT IS FOR ALL OF OUR EMISSIONS, YES. 
          OKAY. 
          THIS IS, THIS IS FOR OUR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, SO THE REASON I WAS RAISING SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER WE NEEDED TO REFINE THAT WAS THAT I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED ABOUT WHAT OUR EMISSIONS ARE ALSO IN OUR LOAD ZONE. 
          UM, AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY PUTTING PEAKERS RIGHT IN OUR LOAD ZONE. 
          UM, SO WHAT WOULD BE, AND I KNOW THE AIR MOVES AND IT'S AN IMPERFECT MEASURE, BUT, UM, CAN WE ALSO HAVE ONE THAT IS LIKE OUR LOAD ZONE AREA, UM, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY SEE THE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS, I THINK ALSO PART OF WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED, UM, TO ADDRESS FROM AN ADMISSION STANDPOINT. 
          SO THE, THE, THE IDEA OF THE CLEANLINESS STANDARD IS REALLY INTENDED TO BE PORTFOLIO WIDE. 
          IT'S TAKING, IT'S RECOGNIZING THAT YOU'RE USING THE CLEANEST SOLUTIONS WHEN POSSIBLE. 
          AND SOMETIMES THOSE ARE CLEAN SOLUTIONS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR LOAD ZONE. 
          SO A LOT OF TIMES WE ARE IMPORTING RIGHT, CLEAN, RENEWABLE, AND SOLAR, UM, AND, AND WIND. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA AS WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE TALKING, UM, AND HEARING FROM, FROM THIS, THIS WITH, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH SEVERAL OF YOU, UM, I KNOW HE, HE BROUGHT IT UP, DR. WEBER DID, AND WE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW DOES THIS WORK AND WHAT'S THE INTENTION? AND PART OF IT WAS ABOUT CREATING AN OUTCOMES BASED PROGRAM AND AN APPROACH AND STANDARD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, A SYNERGY FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT. 
          BUT THIS IS, THIS IS THE LIMIT. 
          AND SO RECOGNIZING THAT WE USE OUR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS, UM, AND THAT THE REMOTE WIND AND SOLAR IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THAT, IS REALLY WHAT MAKES SENSE WITH THE HOLISTIC MEASURE OF THIS CARBON INTENSITY STANDARD. 
          SO I'M SORT OF LOOKING FOR A YES, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH DOING THAT MEASURE AND USING THAT AS A CARBON INTENSITY STANDARD, BUT AS A POLICYMAKER, I ALSO WANNA UNDERSTAND WHAT THE EMISSIONS THAT I'M CREATING IN MY COMMUNITY ARE THAT HAVE THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT, UM, THE NEIGHBORS, ET CETERA. 
          UM, AND I WANNA BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT AND SEE THAT. 
          AND IF YOU CAN MEASURE THE OVERALL THING, YOU SHOULD HAVE ALL OF THE INPUTS FOR WHAT'S IN LOCALLY TO COME UP WITH THAT FOR LOCAL, WHERE WE COULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING SIMILAR. 
          [01:40:01]
UM, THAT IS OUR LOAD ZONE, AND WE'VE DONE THAT SAY FOR SOLAR. 
          WE'RE MOVING FROM A FIVE COUNTY MSA MEASURE OF OUR SOLAR TO A LOAD ZONE SOLAR BECAUSE IT HAS MORE OF AN IMPACT ON OUR LOAD SEPARATION AND ALL OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          IF IT'S IN OUR LOAD ZONE, WELL, THE POLLUTION THAT WE HAVE THAT'S IN OUR LOAD ZONE HAS MORE OF AN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY. 
          I KNOW THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF SCIENCE HERE, BUT FOR THE LAY PERSON, UM, THE, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS A MORE OF AN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY IF WE CARE ABOUT THE EMISSIONS. 
          AND SO IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO DO SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID FOR THE WHOLE, UM, LOAD FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW? RIGHT. 
          IN OUR LOAD ZONE AREA OR THE FIVE COUNTY MSA, WHICHEVER ONE OF THOSE IS THE BETTER, EASIER MEASURE. 
          YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK YOU CAN DO THE MATH BEHIND ANYTHING, WHETHER IT'S MEANINGFUL MATH AND IT, AND IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. 
          I I, I'M NOT YET SURE THAT I KNOW, I THINK THAT THE INTENTION OF THE LOCAL AIR QUALITY IS RELATED TO THE PERMITS, UM, AND THE RESTRICTIONS THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE SPECIFICALLY ON KNOX. 
          AND THEN THE PLAN ALSO TALKS TO THE, UH, PEAKER GUARDRAILS. 
          AND THOSE ARE EMISSION LIMITS THAT WE WOULD SET ON. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT, I THINK WE ADDED 'EM IN LARGELY AFTER DISCUSSION WITH YOU, UM, THAT, UH, WE WOULD SET TO PUT ON THE, THE LOCAL GENERATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT RUNNING THEM MORE THAN THAT, WE'RE NOT CHOOSING TO RUN THEM MORE, THEN WE WOULD NEED TO, OR WE WOULD EXPECT THEM TO NATURALLY IN THE MARKET. 
          AND SO I THINK YOU HAVE THOSE LOCAL, UM, GUARDRAILS, UH, IN THE SENSE OF THOSE TWO FORMS. THE, THE, THEY, I THINK THEY EXIST IN THE PLAN TODAY, EXCEPT IF I WANTED TO KNOW, LIKE WE'RE MAKING AN ARGUMENT THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE PEAKERS, WE'RE GONNA BE REDUCING POLLUTION. 
          AND IF I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE THAT, I WOULD NEED SOME KIND OF MEASURE IN MY LOAD ZONE STARTING TODAY TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT OVER TIME WE HAD DELIVERED ON THAT PROMISE. 
          UM, BECAUSE THREE YEARS FROM NOW OR WHENEVER THOSE PEAKERS ARE IN PLACE, IF I MEASURE THAT AND WE HAVE TO RUN THEM EVEN MORE AND WE END UP HAVING THAT PERCENTAGE BE HIGHER THAN 2% THAT WE HAVE TO RUN THE OTHER, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING I NEED TO KNOW AS A POLICYMAKER. 
          AND I WOULD CARE NOT JUST ABOUT THE RUNTIME, BUT I WOULD BE CARING ABOUT THE EMISSIONS AND WHETHER WE HAD IN FACT DELIVERED ON OUR PROMISES WITH RESPECT TO THE EMISSIONS. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CHALLENGING PROCESS FOR US AS AN OVERSIGHT BODY, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF OTHER THINGS AT THE SAME TIME. 
          AND SO WE, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATIONS. 
          UM, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE THAT, AND MAYBE SOMEONE CAN WORK WITH MY STAFF AND I ON DOING THAT. 
          I WOULD BE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING THAT THE MAYOR HAS. 
          IT WOULD JUST BE LIKE, THIS IS THE CARBON INTENSITY STANDARD OF IT. 
          WOULD THE BREAK, IT'D BE THE BREAKDOWN, RIGHT? IT WOULD BE THE LOCAL, IT'D BE THE LOCAL CARBON INTENSITY STANDARD. 
          UM, AND WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THAT, AND THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER MEASURE THAT YOU'D BE PROVIDING US SO THAT WE COULD BE MONITORING, THE COUNCIL COULD BE MONITORING, UM, THE TRAJECTORY. 
          YOU COULD BE MONITORING THAT. 
          UM, AND WE CAN SEE WHETHER WE'RE, WE'RE LIVING UP TO WHERE WE ARE AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CHOICES THAT IF YOU DO PURSUE PEAKERS IS HOW MANY PEAKERS AND THERE MAY BE, YOU KNOW, CHOICES THAT NEED TO BE MADE OF NEEDING TO ADD MORE. 
          I MEAN, COULD BE LESS, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO MAKE ANY OF THOSE ARGUMENTS IF WE'VE BEEN MEASURING THIS ALL ALONG AND WE CAN SEE WHAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          SO I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE CAN WORK WITH ME ON IT. 
          IT'D BE PRETTY MUCH JUST FIGURING OUT THE NUMBER AND CHANGING A WORD OR TWO IN HIS AND ADDING ANOTHER. 
          YEAH, WE, AND I AND I, I, LET'S LET'S VISIT ABOUT, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S SAYING AND, AND IT, IT'S, AND, AND YOUR INITIAL REACTION, I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING, BUT, BUT THE COMPONENT PARTS OF WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO BE PUT TOGETHER. 
          NOW I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT HAS THE SAME MEANING WHEN YOU BREAK IT UP INTO COMPONENT PARTS, BUT WE OUGHT TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION. 
          YEAH, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THE MATH. 
          I JUST WANNA MAKE CLEAR, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING OUR, WITHIN OUR LOAD ZONE OR OUR LOCAL GENERATION, THAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, POUNDS OF CARBON EMITTED. 
          YEAH. 
          AND THEN THE MEGAWATT HOURS, THE GENERATION PRODUCED IS GENERATION PRODUCED. 
          THAT'S IN OUR LOAD ZONE. 
          YEAH. 
          THAT, THAT WOULD SEEM TO BE THE, THE APPROPRIATE MEASURE. 
          UM, AND THEN I WANTED TO FLAG SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT MY COLLEAGUE, UM, RYAN ALTER'S PROBABLY GONNA BRING UP IN, IN MORE DETAIL. 
          UM, THE OTHER PART OF THIS WITH THE EMISSIONS IS THAT WE 
          [01:45:01]
WANNA TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO EMISSIONS, AND WE WANNA REC RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN WE ELECTRIFY OUR FLEET, WHEN WE ELECTRIFY OUR VEHICLES, WHEN WE ELECTRIFY OUR BUILDINGS, THOSE GIVE US TREMENDOUS EMISSIONS GAINS IN TERMS OF REDUCTIONS, BUT THEY'RE GONNA INCREASE THE MEGAWATTS. 
          AND THAT'S PART OF WHY WE'RE SWITCHING TO THE GREENHOUSE GAS MEASURE. 
          BUT EVEN THE GREENHOUSE GAS MEASURE AS CURRENTLY, I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH A FUNCTION OF WHAT AE IS DOING DIRECTLY. 
          UM, BUT THERE'S THINGS THAT AE DOES INDIRECTLY OR THAT WE AS A CITY DO INDIRECTLY TO INCENTIVIZE THOSE THINGS. 
          UM, AND WE NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME MORE, UM, HOLISTIC STANDARD. 
          UM, IT'S NOT GONNA GET DEVELOPED BY THURSDAY, BUT I THINK THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE NEED TO BE GOING INTO. 
          AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU, YOU'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION A COUPLE TIMES AND I DID GET AN UPDATE TO THAT ANSWER TO THE QUESTION FOR YOU. 
          SO THE GREENHOUSE GAS AVOIDANCE GOAL IS INTENDED TO, UH, THE ONE THAT WE WOULD SHIFT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, UM, IS INTENDED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. 
          WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHAT, YOU KNOW, BENEFITS THERE ARE FROM REDUCED NOX, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM ELECTRIC VEHICLE CONVERSION AND WHATNOT. 
          AND THE METHODOLOGY FOR DETERMINING THAT WOULD BE DONE WITH, YOU KNOW, A THIRD PARTY EVALUATION MEASUREMENT AND VERIFICATION, E, M AND V IS WHAT THEY CALL THAT, THAT TYPE OF WORK, UM, EVALUATION MEASUREMENT AND VERIFICATION CONSULTANT. 
          UM, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE SOLICITATION FOR THAT SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON PROGRESS TOWARDS SHIFTING TO A GREENHOUSE GAS AVOIDANCE GOAL. 
          SO YES, IT WOULD INCLUDE THAT TYPE OF STUFF. 
          THAT'S GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, SO I WILL HAVE MY STAFF CONNECT WITH YOU ALL ON COMING UP WITH THAT OTHER MA'AM STANDARD. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          AND, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER'S OFFICE, SO WE'LL PROBABLY BRING THEM IN AS WELL. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANKS. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER FURTHER QUESTIONS? YES. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, AND I, I DO ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW COMPLICATED THIS PROCESS WAS TO EVEN GET US HERE TODAY, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE WORK OF AUSTIN ENERGY AND EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO REACHED OUT TO GIVE THEIR FEEDBACK AND EVEN PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TODAY TO, UM, SPEAK ON THIS. 
          I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. 
          I HOPE IT'S SHORT. 
          UM, MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, IF WE'RE CONSIDERING NEW BATTERIES, PEAKERS OR ANYTHING ELSE, WHAT PART OF THE PROCESS WILL THE COUNCIL BE ABLE TO EVALUATE HOW THOSE PURCHASES ARE GOING TO IMPACT PEOPLE'S BILLS? AT WHAT POINT IN THE PROCESS WILL THEY BE ABLE TO DO? WILL WE AS A COUNCIL OR THE NEXT COUNCIL BE ABLE TO DO THAT? UM, SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE PROCESS, UM, A LITTLE BIT ALREADY. 
          AND, UM, ESSENTIALLY WHEN WE COME FORWARD WITH, UM, FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL, THERE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. 
          SO WE COULD ENTER INTO THAT CONTRACT AND, AND THAT'S AROUND THE TIME WE WOULD BE ABLE TO START TO SAY HOW OUR ANALYSIS, UM, OF, OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD. 
          LIKE WHAT WOULD THE COST IMPACT BE? SO THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL STEP ON TOP OF JUST THE PROPOSAL, IT IS ACTUALLY BRINGING IT TO COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION, LIKE YOU WOULD ANY OTHER ITEM THAT YOU WOULD WANT US TO APPROVE OR, UM, CORRECT. 
          MY CONCERN ABOUT THAT REALLY IS ROOTED IN THE IMPACT TO OUR CUSTOMER'S BILLS AND ENSURING THAT WE HAD TRANSPARENCY RELATED TO THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. 
          SO IT BRINGS ME A LOT OF PRIDE KNOWING THAT THAT IS BAKED INTO THIS PROCESS SO THAT EVERYONE ACROSS THE BOARD CAN HAVE THEIR EXPECTATIONS SET PROPERLY. 
          I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW, UM, WHEN YOU HAD COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, DID IT SEEM THAT THE CLIMATE GOALS WERE MORE OR LESS IMPORTANT THAN KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON? OR WERE THEY BOTH IMPORTANT? HOW, HOW DID THOSE CONVERSATIONS REALLY GO? YEAH, I MEAN, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY. 
          THEY WERE TELLING US THEIR STORIES, AND WE ASKED THEM LIKE, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DOES IT, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU OR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT, UM, WHEN THE LIGHTS AREN'T ON WHEN YOUR BILL GOES UP, OR IF THERE'S A HIGH SMOG DAY, FOR EXAMPLE. 
          AND, UM, THEN WE ASKED THEM TO TAKE A, YOU KNOW, WE CALLED IT THE JELLYBEAN GAME EXERCISE, AND WE ASKED THEM TO PRIORITIZE THIS, AND IT'S IN IT'S RIFT EXPLAINED IN THE PLAN. 
          UM, BUT THE SUMMARY OF IT WAS THAT ACROSS THE BOARD, RELIABILITY CAME OUT AS THE TOP PRIORITY. 
          AND, UM, IT WAS CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY, UH, AFFORDABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY. 
          SOMETIMES THOSE LAST TWO KIND OF FLIP FLOPPED BETWEEN EACH OTHER. 
          THERE WASN'T HUGE DIFFERENCES THERE, BUT THE CLEAR MESSAGE WAS THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          AND, UM, AND, AND THEN AGAIN, THEY CONTINUED TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT'S NOT ONLY IMPORTANT TO THEM, BUT ALSO IMPORTANT TO THEM THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THOSE MOST AT RISK. 
          SO THE ENERGY EQUITY PIECE IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL. 
          THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. 
          AND I MAY BE REMEMBERING THIS A LITTLE HAZY BECAUSE I WATCH A-T-X-N-A LOT REALLY WEIRD HABIT. 
          I'M READY TO BREAK IT . 
          UM, 
          [01:50:01]
BUT UM, IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS A WORKSHOP AT AUSTIN ENERGY WHERE THE JELLYBEAN GAME WAS ACTUALLY IN ONE OF THE VIDEOS THAT WAS BEING STREAMED. 
          AND IF IT WAS WHAT I REMEMBER, UM, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING AND PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT RELIABILITY, WHICH IS WHAT PEOPLE IN DISTRICT SIX ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT I TALK TO EVERY DAY. 
          I JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION, AND THAT IS, IF YOUR MODELING INCLUDES THE COST OF THE NEW GAS PEAKER UNIT'S CONTRIBUTION TO OZONE NON-ATTAINMENT HERE IN THE CITY, SO THE MODELING TAKES INTO ACCOUNT AND MEASURED ALL THE EMISSIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, AND IT INCLUDED CARBON NOX, UH, SOX, PARTICULATE MATTER, AND WE HAD NUMBERS FOR ALL OF THOSE. 
          YES. 
          OKAY. 
          IS THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE PUBLICLY SOMEWHERE? YES, IT IS. 
          OKAY. 
          YES. 
          ON THE, ON THE WEBSITE THAT WE SHOWED ON ONE OF THE SLIDES, SO IT'S OKAY. 
          IT'S PUBLIC POWER SLASH GENERATION. 
          GREAT. 
          WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THAT WAS ASKED TO ME BY SOMEONE WHO'S IN CHAMBERS, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNEW WHERE WE COULD FIND THAT INFORMATION. 
          I REALLY DO JUST WANT REITERATE, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME IN EXPLAINING AS A VERY COMPLICATED MANNER. 
          AND LIKE MY COLLEAGUE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER MENTIONED, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT COME AT US HERE ON COUNCIL. 
          UM, IT'S HARD ENOUGH FOR US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING, BUT THEN TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY IS A REALLY SPECIAL THING. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT FOR US. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          THANK YOU, COUNSEL. 
          UM, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST WE DO NOW, UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS, BUT NOBODY'S HIT THE BUTTON, SO I, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. 
          UM, I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, FAYETTE AND THE, THE REACH PROGRAM AND, AND I GUESS JUST IN CONCEPTUALLY AS I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE PLAN AND THINKING ABOUT OUR ATTEMPT TO CLOSE, UH, OUR, UH, UH, COAL PLAN , ESSENTIALLY, THE WAY I GUESS I, I TRY TO UNDERSTAND IT, IS FAYETTE IS ESSENTIALLY ACTING AS OUR PEAKER PLANT, UH, RIGHT NOW. 
          UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ARE IN TIMES WHERE WE NEED, UH, DISPATCHABLE ELECTRICITY, WE TURN TO FAY IT, UH, AND USE IT TO GENERATE THE ELECTRICITY WE NEED. 
          UM, AND I APPRECIATE THE ASSUMPTIONS INVOLVED AND YOU WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO CLOSE IT. 
          WE WANT TO CLOSE IT. 
          WE WANT ASSUME THAT IT'S GONE IN THE FUTURE. 
          OBVIOUSLY THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, BE DEVILED A A A HANDFUL OF COUNCILS AT THIS POINT. 
          UH, AND, AND IT'S A TRICKY ISSUE MOVING FORWARD. 
          AGAIN, I I WANT TO CLOSE IT. 
          I, I THINK THE ENTIRE DIOCESE FEELS THE SAME WAY, BUT IT'S NOT, UH, COMPLETELY WITHIN OUR CONTROL, AND WE HAVE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH OUR PARTNER ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THERE. 
          UM, AGAIN, ASSUMING THAT THERE IS ONGOING, THAT, THAT WE'RE UNABLE TO CLOSE THE PLANT IN THE MEDIUM TERM. 
          YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LET'S SAY LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE 2030, SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT, AND AGAIN, I KNOW WE HAVE THE GOALS AND I KNOW IT'S A ALMOST 50-YEAR-OLD PLANT, UH, THAT, THAT IT HAS A LIFESPAN AS WELL, AND IT'S GETTING TO THE END OF THAT, UH, UH, UH, LIFESPAN. 
          BUT, UH, IF WE COULD, I GUESS, HOW WOULD NATURAL GAS PEAKER POLLUTION AND CARBON EMISSIONS COMPARE TO, UM, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THAT AS KIND OF THE, THE, THE OPTION WHERE WE'RE NOT USING FAYETTE, WE'RE USING, UH, UH, NATURAL GAS PEAKERS AS THE ALTERNATIVE TO, YOU KNOW, THE 600 MEGAWATTS OR SO THAT, THAT, UH, THE FAYETTE COAL PLANT CAN PROVIDE. 
          WHAT ARE THE, THE, THE DISTINCTIONS THERE? I MEAN, IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF POLLUTION GENERATED, IN TERMS OF THE, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS. 
          SO, UM, MICHAEL WAS UP HERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE'VE SEEN THE, UH, EMISSIONS REDUCE GREATLY THROUGH THE REACH PROGRAM APPLIED TO THE COAL PLANT. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, IF I HAVE MY NUMBERS CORRECTLY, LAST YEAR, AUSTIN ENERGY'S GENERATION PORTFOLIO IS PRODUCING 2.5, 2.7 TO 3 MILLION METRIC TONS. 
          A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THAT. 
          IT'S EITHER 75 OR 80% OF THAT IS FROM THE COAL PLANT. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT FAYETTE ACTS AS A, UH, AS A PEAKER UNIT, IT, IT DOES THAT FOR US FINANCIALLY, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S NOT LOCAL, UM, IT DOESN'T FILL OUR LOCAL 
          [01:55:01]
NEEDS, BUT IT DOES PROTECT OUR CUSTOMERS FROM EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH PRICE STAYS IN THE ERCOT MARKET. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND, UM, THE PLAN THAT WE'VE SET BEFORE YOU WILL HELP US TO MITIGATE THOSE COST RISKS AND PROVIDE THE PHYSICAL NEED THAT WE HAVE HERE LOCALLY TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          SO IT'S MORE OF A, A FINANCIAL HEDGE THAN, UH, A, UH, AN AN ACTUAL KIND OF ELECTRIC HEDGE PER SURE. 
          PER SE, BECAUSE THE, THE PRICES I GUESS IN, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, IN THAT AREA ARE GONNA BE DIFFERENT THAN THE LOAD ZONE PRICES IN THE AUSTIN AREA. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          AND THE IDEA BEING THAT THE LOCALLY SIDED DISPATCHABLE GENERATION, AGAIN, LET'S GET AWAY FROM KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SAYING THIS TYPE OR THAT TYPE, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT LOCALLY SIDED WOULD BE FROM AUSTIN ENERGY'S POINT OF VIEW, THE MOST OPTIMAL TYPE OF GENERATION, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, EXCLUDING THE, THE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, FAYETTE, AGAIN, FAYETTE CAN GENERATE MONEY, BUT IT, IT CAN'T MEET THE LOCALIZED ELECTRICAL DEMAND, HUH? THAT'S CORRECT. 
          GO AHEAD. 
          Y YES. 
          UM, GOOD MORNING, STUART RILEY, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER OF BUSINESS SERVICES. 
          I JUST WANNA ALSO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE OF SOME OLD MARKET MECHANISMS OF US BEING INVOLVED IN FPP, PRIOR TO MARKET DEREGULATION, THERE'S A MECHANISM THAT SAYS THAT THAT PRICE IS EQUAL TO OUR LOAD ZONE PRICE. 
          SO FROM A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR BASIS, IT ACTUALLY MATCHES UP WITH OUR LOAD ZONE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          SO THAT'S WHY IT'S PROVIDING A FINANCIAL, UM, RESILIENCY, BUT IT'S NOT PROVIDING, WE'RE ALSO SEEING A NEED FOR THE PHYSICAL, UH, RELIABILITY NEEDS ACROSS OUR SYSTEM. 
          WE'VE TALKED ABOUT VOLTAGE SUPPORT AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          SO, UM, REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS HAVE LOCAL RESOURCES THAT CAN DO BOTH INSTEAD. 
          AND WE WON'T NEED THAT ANYMORE. 
          THAT'S WHY WE'VE MODELED IT THIS WAY TO SAY, NO EXCUSE, WE'VE MODELED IT THIS WAY. 
          WE WON'T COME BACK AND SAY, WELL, HOLD ON, WE NEED TO DO IT OVER AGAIN BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING OUT OF THAT. 
          WE'RE SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD NEED, UM, IN TERMS OF LOCAL SUPPLY FROM BOTH A FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL, UH, PERSPECTIVE TO PROTECT OUR CUSTOMERS ON BOTH OF THOSE RISKS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND WHAT WOULD IT, 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING WITH THE REACH PLAN WHERE WE ARE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO RUN FAYETTE AT A CERTAIN MINIMUM LEVEL, IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH. 
          YOU DON'T TURN A COAL PLANT ON AND OFF. 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, AND SO THE LI THE MINIMUM LIMIT THAT IT CAN SUSTAIN OPERATIONS IS AT THE LOW SUSTAINABLE LIMIT, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU RUN IT, YOU KNOW, A, A, A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE TIME MM-HMM . 
          AND THEN WE WOULD RAISE IT WHEN IT TRIGGERS THE FINANCIAL BASICALLY NEED OR THE FINANCIAL, YOU KNOW, BENEFIT TO RUN IT. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          SO, AND AGAIN, JUST WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FROM A LOCAL LOAD ZONE PERSPECTIVE? BECAUSE IDEALLY, AGAIN, IF WE CAN'T CLOSE IT, I'D LIKE TO NEVER RUN IT MORE THAN THE MINIMUM LEVEL THAT IT NEEDS TO BE RUN AGAIN IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE POLLUTION AND, YOU KNOW, BOTH, UH, UH, CARBON EMISSIONS. 
          WHAT WOULD THAT TAKE TO NOT CLOSE IT, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT COMPLETELY WITHIN OUR CONTROL, BUT TO TAKE OUR SHARE AND NEVER EVER, EVER RUN IT MORE THAN THAT MINIMUM STANDARD. 
          YEAH. 
          WE, WE NEED TO BUILD JUST ENOUGH LOCAL SUPPLY TO ESSENTIALLY COLLAPSE LOAD ZONE PRICE SEPARATION MM-HMM . 
          SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL OR THE PHYSICAL RISK, RIGHT. 
          THE RELIABILITY RISK HERE LOCALLY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          AND WE CAN DO THAT THROUGH A COMBINATION OF RESOURCES, BUT THO THAT RISK SOMETIMES HAS A LONG DURATION TO IT THAT EXCEEDS THE EITHER TIME OF DAY WHEN THE SOLAR IS AVAILABLE OR THE DURATION OF A BATTERY. 
          AND SO YOU WOULD NEED SOME MORE PORTION OF PEAKERS AS WELL. 
          SO WE WOULD NEED JUST ENOUGH LOCAL SOLUTIONS SUPPLY TO COLLAPSE THAT LOAD ZONE PRICE RISK MM-HMM . 
          DURING CURRENT NORMAL, CURRENT DAY CONDITIONS, THEN RECOGNIZE GROWING ENERGY MARKET. 
          SO THAT WOULD CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE A LITTLE BIT. 
          AND UM, SPEAKING OF, OR THINKING ABOUT THE, THE PEAKERS ALSO, UM, AGAIN, WHAT, UH, UH, ASSUMING THAT THAT WE ARE, UH, CARBON FREE BY 2035, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PEAKERS, UH, AFTER 2035? WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PEAKERS, YOU KNOW, POST, UH, CARBON FREE UTILITY? SO WE, WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE BY HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE ABIL THE LOCAL SUPPLY HERE, THEN WE CAN ENABLE MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY AS WELL. 
          EVEN, YOU KNOW, THE FURTHER OUT RIGHT. 
          WE'RE ALSO WORKING TOWARDS THE TRANSMISSION TO BE ABLE TO IMPORT MORE MM-HMM . 
          SO 
          [02:00:01]
THE INTENT IS THAT BY 2035, WE WOULD NO LONGER BE RELIANT ON THE PEAKERS BECAUSE WE EITHER HAVE THE ABILITY TO BRING IN THE CLEAN ENERGY FROM OTHER PLACES. 
          MM-HMM . 
          OR TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED AND WE HAVE SUFFICIENT, UH, TECH, YOU KNOW, CAPABILITY HERE TO PROVIDE IT LOCALLY THAT SERVES THE NEEDS THAT THE PEAKERS CAN ONLY FILL TODAY. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO START, IF I MAY, WHERE COUNCILOR ALLISON ALTER PICKED UP AND OR LEFT OFF, UM, IN DESCRIBING, YOU KNOW, LOAD ZONE VERSUS PORTFOLIO WIDE. 
          UM, THE AMENDMENT THAT I PUT FORWARD IS LOAD ZONE FOCUSED. 
          AND SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU THINK THERE'S ANY DISTINCTION VERSUS WHAT SHE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT VERSUS WHAT THE NUMBER TWO IN THE AMENDMENT THAT I HAD OFFERED? NO, I WAS, WHEN, WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER TER WAS SPEAKING, I WAS THINKING ABOUT YOUR NUMBER TWO. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THE ONLY REAL THERE, WE REFERENCED 2024 INSTEAD OF PUTTING A NUMBER, UH, LIKE THE MAYORS, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, SIX ONE HALF DOES THE OTHER RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU, YOU EITHER WRITE THE NUMBER DOWN OR YOU REFERENCE WHERE IT COMES FROM. 
          YEAH. 
          THE, THE ONE DIFFERENCE THERE, AND I THINK WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS BRIEFLY, IS THAT, UM, THE, THE MAYORS TAKES AN AVERAGE OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BECAUSE EVERY YEAR IS NOT THE SAME. 
          AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL, LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ERCOT MARKET OR THE WEATHER. 
          AND SO WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, SET SOMETHING AT A CERTAIN LIMIT BASED OFF OF ONE YEAR THAT DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE A BAD WEATHER YEAR THAT WOULD PUT YOU OUTSIDE OF IT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          AND, AND I ALSO WANT TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BETTER, UM, THE, THE, I GUESS QUESTION OR UNDERSTANDING OF REPLACEMENT VERSUS ADDITION, RIGHT? YOU TALK ABOUT THE LINEUP AND I THINK THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO, TO UNDERSTAND, UM, HOW Y'ALL DISPATCH OUR RESOURCES. 
          BUT YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT WE ARE OPERATING AT A DEFICIT, RIGHT? AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE WHOLE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. 
          AND SO GIVEN THAT, HAVE YOU DONE, UM, ANALYSIS OF WHETHER IT'S JUST LOOKING BACK AT 2023 OR FORECASTING FORWARD HOW OFTEN THAT DEFICIT EXISTS? YES. 
          SO THE RELIABILITY RISKS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THESE ARE THE HOURS WHERE WE'RE SITTING ON THE EDGE BETWEEN THE PROVIDE POWER TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND SOMETHING HAPPENING, WHETHER IT'S DEMAND GOES UP IN THE HERE AND NOW AT THAT MOMENT, OR A GENERATION SOURCE TRIPS OFFLINE OR TRANSMISSION, UH, OUTAGE OCCURS, THEN WE WOULD BE PUT PUT IN LOCAL OUT LOCAL OUTAGES RIGHT. 
          WHEN THE REST OF TEXAS IS RUNNING ALONG JUST FINE. 
          RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY THE RELIABILITY RISK. 
          AND IT HAPPENS IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS. 
          AND SO WE SEE IT THROUGH THE LOAD ZONE PRICE SEPARATION. 
          THAT'S ER, UT'S ECONOMIC MARKET SIGNAL TO SAY THAT YOU NEED MORE SUPPLY HERE, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM HERE. 
          THIS IS WHERE THE POWER NEEDS TO BE RIGHT NOW. 
          AND IT'S NOT HERE. 
          SO THE PRICE GOES UP. 
          UM, WE SEE, YOU KNOW, IN A SUMMER LIKE 2023, THERE WERE SOME SEVERAL WEEKS, UM, IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THEM MORE FROM THE CONSERVATION NOTICES THAT WERE COMING OUT FROM ERCOT. 
          BUT WE ARE, THAT'S WHERE WE WERE SEEING EXTREME, UH, LOAD ZONE PRICE SEPARATION. 
          AND IN TOTAL, THAT CONGESTION YEAR WAS, WAS OVER $150 MILLION. 
          UM, THROUGH LIKE THREE, THREE TO FOUR TIMES, I THINK THREE TIMES WHAT WE WOULD SEE IN A NORMAL YEAR HERE. 
          THE OTHER, UM, RISK AREA IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT. 
          WE TALKED ABOUT THIS I THINK LAST TIME WE SPOKE ABOUT, UM, THE VOLTAGE SUPPORT. 
          AND THAT'S ANOTHER REAL HYPERLOCAL VARIABLE IN THE GRID WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEEDING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SUFFICIENT REACTIVE POWER ON THE GRID TO BE ABLE TO PUSH THE POWER TO WHERE IT'S NEEDED. 
          AND SO THAT'S JUST LIKE, IF WE HAD A WATER SYSTEM THAT DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER PRESSURE, THEN YOU'D TURN ON THIS SPIGOT, POWER WOULDN'T COME OUT, THE WATER WOULDN'T COME OUT. 
          AND SO WE HAD, UM, A DAY IN, UH, AUGUST OF 23 WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, VOLTAGE WAS, WAS DROPPING AND WE WEREN'T GONNA RUN OUR DECKER UNITS, BUT WE WERE, WE NEEDED TO BECAUSE OTHERWISE THERE WAS A RELIABILITY RISK. 
          SO THOSE RISKS ARE REAL, THEY'RE ALL VERY, UM, DIRECT SIGNALS THAT WE HAVE, UH, AN ISSUE. 
          AND WHAT WE 
          [02:05:01]
ARE SAYING IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T ALLOW THOSE RISKS TO BECOME THE PROBLEM, THE REALIZED PROBLEM OF POWER OUTAGES BECAUSE IT, IT'S ALREADY LATE. 
          WE'RE ALREADY TOO LATE TO MANAGE THE RISK THIS COMING WINTER, THIS COMING SUMMER. 
          BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE POWER OUTAGES, THEN WE'RE, AND WE HAVEN'T STARTED THE PROCESS, THEN WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, THREE TO FIVE YEARS FROM A, FROM A SOLUTION. 
          RIGHT. 
          AND I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IN MY MIND IS THE PERCENTAGE OF TIME THAT WE ARE GOING TO FIND OURSELF IN THAT SITUATION WHERE WE ARE OPERATING AT A DEFICIT AND SO EVERYTHING'S ON PLUS THE NEW PEAKERS VERSUS THAT PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE'RE OPERATING MAYBE CLOSER TO THE EDGE AND THE NEW PEAKERS WOULD RUN INSTEAD OF SOME OF THOSE, LET'S SAY AT SANDHILL. 
          UM, AND NOT NECESSARILY TIP ALL THE WAY OVER TO EVERYTHING BEING ON YEAH. 
          PEAKERS ARE, ARE USED TO FILL THE GAPS WHEN YOU NEED THEM THE MOST AND NOTHING ELSE CAN PROVIDE THAT SOURCE. 
          SO PROVIDE THAT RESOURCE. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO OUR MODELING, AND GENERALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT IT IN THE MARKET, A PEAKER TENDS TO RUN, I THINK IN THE MAR IN THE PLAN, IT SAYS BETWEEN SIX TO 14% OF THE TIME WHEN WE DID OUR MODELING, WE GENERALLY SAW IT 12% OR LESS. 
          THE TIME WHEN, AND AGAIN, ANOTHER COMMENTER, A PUBLIC COMMENTER MENTIONED THIS, UM, THAT AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT SUPPLY STACK AND PUTTING IN NEWER, MORE EFFICIENT UNITS, WE PUSH THE DIRTIER ONES FURTHER DOWN THE LINE. 
          AND SO THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY NEED ALL OF THOSE PEAKERS RUNNING, WE ESTIMATE TO BE ABOUT 2% OF THE TIME. 
          OKAY. 
          AND HELP ME RECONCILE THAT NUMBER THEN WITH THE, IN ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS THAT YELP PUT FORWARD OF THE CAPACITY FACTORS. 
          AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, DECKER BEING ZERO 'CAUSE IT'S AN ANCILLARY SERVICE. 
          BUT FOR SANDHILL, YOU KNOW, WE START GOING INTO, UH, SIX, I I, I THINK MAYBE IT GETS TO 10, I'M, I'M STRUGGLING TO REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBERS, BUT IF, IF SANDHILL AND THIS SCENARIO IS ABSOLUTELY LAST, HOW IS WE, EVERYTHING'S ON, WOULDN'T THAT BE KIND OF THE NUMBER OF WHERE WE WE'RE TRULY OVER? WE'VE TIPPED BEYOND THE BALANCE AND, AND WE'RE AT THAT DEFICIT. 
          SO LET'S BE CLEAR, DECKER PEAKERS ARE THE OLDEST TECHNOLOGY. 
          THEY'RE THE DIRTIEST TECHNOLOGY. 
          THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY LAST. 
          OKAY. 
          THEY DON'T HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, UH, EMISSIONS CONTROLS, BUT NOT, UH, THAT THAT OLDER TECHNOLOGY DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH EMISSIONS CONTROL CAPABILITIES AS THE NEWER TECHNOLOGY. 
          THE SANTEL UNITS ARE NEWER AND THEY ARE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT. 
          NATURAL GAS, NEW NATURAL GAS PEAKER UNITS WOULD BE EVEN MORE EFFICIENT THAN THAT. 
          SO NEW THAN SANTEL, THAN DECKER, AND I HOPE NOT TO GET TOO DOWN IN ON THIS, BUT DECKER, THOSE ARE, WE, WE RESERVE THOSE FOR ANCILLARY SERVICES, CORRECT? NOT TODAY. 
          THERE ARE TIMES WE HAVE TO RUN THEM NOW. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THEY'RE NOT ON A DAILY BASIS SET ASIDE FOR THAT. 
          NO, THEY, THEY, THOSE UNITS DO RUN AND THAT, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THAT I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND. 
          OKAY. 
          APPRECIATE THAT. 
          THAT'S VERY HELPFUL TO PUT THAT INTO CONTEXT AND, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT HELPS US UNDERSTAND BOTH WHAT THE MAYOR AND, AND COUNCILLOR ALLISON TER WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS, THIS MIX OF SOME, SOMETIMES WE WILL BE RUNNING WITH LESS EMISSIONS THAN WE WOULD HAVE ASSUMING THESE MOVE FORWARD. 
          AND SOMETIMES THERE WILL BE SITUATIONS WHERE OUR EMISSIONS ARE EVEN GREATER BECAUSE ALL THE SWITCHES ARE ON, UH, AND FIGURING OUT DO WE HAVE MORE OF ONE SCENARIO THAN THE OTHER? AND ULTIMATELY, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR EMISSIONS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT'S AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE'RE ALL AFTER HERE, RIGHT? IS HOW WE CAN LOWER THE, THE CARBON FREE, UM, GOAL THAT'S ULTIMATELY WE'RE AFTER LOWERING EMISSIONS, BOTH FROM A CARBON AND, YOU KNOW, KNOCK SOCKS, ALL OF IT. 
          IS THAT FAIR? I MEAN, I HOPE WE'RE, AFTER REACHING FOR THOSE CLEAN ENERGY GOALS, GETTING AS CLOSE TO ZERO AS POSSIBLE WHILE MAKING SURE THAT WE KEEP THE LIGHTS ON AND WE KEEP THE BILLS AFFORDABLE. 
          SURE. 
          SURE. 
          I I MEANT, I'M SORRY, WHEN, WHEN I SAID THAT'S ALL WE'RE AFTER, I'M, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE GOALS OF OUR, IN OUR SUSTAINABILITY COLUMN, LIKE THAT'S THE, THE GUIDING LIGHT OF OUR SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ARE HOW MUCH WE'RE EMITTING. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          IT'S HOW WE'RE GETTING TO CARBON FREE BY 2035. 
          YES. 
          UM, I WANT TO ALSO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE, THE PROCESS, 
          [02:10:01]
YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS, UM, TO, TO REALLY TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, LET'S SAY ON THURSDAY, THIS IS APPROVED. 
          NOW, WOULD THAT MEAN THAT Y'ALL ARE KIND OF READY TO GO, YOU'RE GONNA START THE FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS IN THE NEAR TERM FOR FOR THE PEAKER UNITS? FOR WELL, WE WOULD DO IT FOR ALL OF THE GENERATION RESOURCES, BUT YES. 
          OKAY. 
          AND WITHIN THAT, LIKE YOU SAID, WE WILL HAVE KIND OF A LIST OF, HERE ARE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS, MAYBE YOU DO THE RFP AND YOU HAVE THE VARIETY OF, OF RESPONDENTS RESPONSES. 
          UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S JUST KINDA LIKE ALL THE OPTIONS, RIGHT? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY ITERATIONS THEREOF THAT YOU COULD PUT TOGETHER. 
          IS THAT, I'M NOT SAYING YOU WOULD, THAT WOULD, YOU WOULD DO THAT NEXT STAGE, BUT IT'S, IT'S BASICALLY HERE ARE ALL THE OPTIONS STAGE. 
          IT'S A, YEAH, IT'S EXPLORATORY SCREENING STAGE. 
          YES. 
          AND SO YOU SAID, AND I, I WROTE IT DOWN 'CAUSE IT CAUGHT MY, CAUGHT MY EAR  THAT AFTER THAT YOU WOULD COME TO US AND PROVIDE AND, AND GET FEEDBACK, GUIDANCE, AND DIRECTION. 
          IT'S THE LAST ONE THAT REALLY I PEAKED MY EYEBROWS. 
          AND AND THAT'S BECAUSE DIRECTION WOULD IMPLY ACTION, RIGHT? WHEN WE GIVE DIRECTION, WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO VOTE. 
          I MEAN, WE CAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE FEEDBACK, RIGHT? BUT FOR TRUE, LIKE WHAT IS COUNCIL'S INTENT? WE GIVE INTENT BY TAKING AN ACTION. 
          AND SO, OH YEAH, SORRY STUART. 
          YEAH, I I I'LL JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IF AS WE'RE GIVING ANSWERS OFF THE CUFF, I DON'T WANT TO INTERPRET ANY OF, UM, LISA'S WORDS AS, YOU KNOW, LEGALLY, LEGALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, PRESCRIPTIVE OR SOMETHING. 
          BUT THE, THE, I, WE, WE DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND YOUR INTENT AND YOUR COLLEAGUE'S INTENT TO SAY, WE DON'T WANT YOU GUYS TO GO OFF AND START DOWN A ROAD AND THEN FIND, BY THE END OF THIS PROCESS, YOU BRING US A VOTE THAT WE HAVE NO OPTION BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING IT'S EITHER THIS OR OUTAGES. 
          WE ARE NOT, WE ARE COMMITTED TO AVOIDING THAT KIND OF A SITUATION, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO GIVING UPDATES ALONG THE WAY. 
          AND EVEN IF THAT MAY NOT HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S FULLY BAKED ENOUGH FOR AN UP OR DOWN VOTE, WE CERTAINLY HEAR YOU. 
          YOU KNOW, WE, WE LISTEN TO COUNSEL, OF COURSE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU TO, TO GET TO LANGUAGE THAT WE'VE GOT HERE TODAY. 
          WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY. 
          AND SO WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING, EVEN THOUGH IT WOULDN'T BE AT A POINT WHERE I THINK, UM, THE, THE MAYOR MAY HAVE SAID EARLIER, THAT WOULD BE KIND OF FRUSTRATING FOR THE PUBLIC BECAUSE WE WOULD BE ASKING FOR A VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE GOING TO BE DOING YET. 
          AND WE WANT TO AVOID THAT SITUATION WHILE ALSO GIVING YOU THE BEST UPDATES THAT WE CAN ALONG THE WAY AND HEARING THAT FEEDBACK. 
          AND SO WE'RE COMMITTED TO AVOIDING THAT PROBLEM OF GETTING TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD WHERE WHAT WE'RE BRINGING YOU FOR A VOTE IS REALLY, UH, KIND OF A, YOU KNOW, HOBSON'S CHOICE OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW? SURE. 
          SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WITH YOU ON THAT. 
          I, I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND I THINK, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN THE AMENDMENT THAT I HAD PUT FORWARD AND, AND I'M, I CAN TALK ABOUT IT NOW OR LATER, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE HAD LOTS OF DISCUSSION ABOUT IS RECEIVING, YOU KNOW, EXPLICIT AUTHORITY AFTER THAT FEASIBILITY STAGE. 
          AND, AND WHY I FELT THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU BROUGHT TO US IN THAT REPORTING, LET'S SAY A LIST OF FIVE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS, RIGHT? LET'S SAY THAT THREE OF MY COLLEAGUES SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT BEING THERE. 
          AND ANOTHER THREE SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE WITH ME, THEN HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING? 'CAUSE IN THE NEXT STAGE, YOU'LL CHOOSE A SITE, RIGHT? IN, IN PRE-DEVELOPMENT, YOU'LL COME TO US WITH, AT THE END OF THAT A SITE WITH A, A SELECTED VENDOR AND, AND GENERATION TYPE OR GENERATOR. 
          AND SO YOU WILL HAVE HEARD, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS OR SUPPORT, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT, IF WHAT IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, DECKER'S ON THE, THE LIST AND WE SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMUNITY HAS BORNE THIS FOR TOO LONG, AND THE COUNCIL DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE ANY THERE. 
          YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE DON'T ALL SAY THAT WITH SOME KIND OF, EITHER VERBALLY WHEN YOU'RE GIVING THE REPORT, YOU KNOW, SIX OR MORE OF US VERBALLY SAY IT, THEN THERE'S NO WAY TO GIVE TRUE KIND OF CHECK IN AND PERMISSION TO WHEN YOU'RE THEN CITING 
          [02:15:01]
TO SAY, THIS ONE'S OFF THE TABLE. 
          AND THAT, THAT'S JUST, THAT WAS REALLY ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WHY I WANTED THAT HARD CHECK-IN, IS BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO REALLY WEIGH IN ON WHERE THIS IS POTENTIALLY GOING. 
          THAT WAS NOT A QUESTION, BUT YOU, YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. 
          SO I, I REALIZE AS I GRABBED THE MICROPHONE THAT THAT WASN'T A QUESTION. 
          THAT'S OKAY. 
          SO I CAN RESPOND OR NOT. 
          I I CAN, UH, I CAN RAISE MY INFLECTION AT THE END THERE. 
          WELL, WELL, WHAT I, WHAT I, I WOULD SAY TO THAT IS THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD CERTAINLY HEAR, WE, WE WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THE MANY TRADE-OFFS THAT WOULD BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS, AND SOME SITES ARE, ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, NO, NOBODY'S GOING TO WANT, YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF, WHETHER IT'S BATTERIES OR PEAKERS OR ANYTHING NEXT, NEXT DOOR TO THEIR HOME, UH, WE, WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE WOULD LIKE TO GET TO A POINT WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE COMPLETE PICTURE OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS OF SUCH A, A PLAN WOULD BE, WHAT ARE, WHAT THE RESULTS OF THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH HAVE BEEN TO LOOK AT THE COMPLETE PICTURE. 
          BECAUSE YOU, THERE, THERE MIGHT, WE JUST WOULDN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF INFORMATION YET TO WHERE, IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT A DOT ON A MAP AS A, AS A POSSIBILITY, NOW STRIKE THAT FROM THE LIST. 
          BUT THERE MAY BE MORE IMPLICATIONS TO THAT, AND WE WOULD BE TAKING THAT RISK ON OF SAYING, OKAY, LET'S GO FORWARD AND WORK ON THAT AND, AND TRY TO TRY TO GET THAT TO A, TO A STAGE WHERE WE'RE PROVIDING THE ROBUST COMMUNITY BENEFITS FOR THAT AREA TO WHERE THE TRADE OFFS ARE IN AN ACCEPTABLE RANGE. 
          BUT WE REALLY WOULDN'T HAVE THAT YET. 
          IT WOULD JUST BE DOTS ON A MAP, AND THAT WOULDN'T PROVIDE A, A COMPLETE ENOUGH PICTURE IN OUR VIEW. 
          OKAY. 
          CAN, CAN I INTERRUPT? PLEASE, PLEASE. 
          BECAUSE I, I HEAR EXACTLY WHERE YOU'RE HEADED. 
          AND I, AND I WORRY ABOUT THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT IS, AND HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED IN THE PAST IN OTHER ARENAS, WHEN IT FEELS LIKE YOU GOT NO CHOICE, THE WORLD WILL COME TO AN END IF YOU DON'T VOTE FOR WHAT WE'VE NOW BROUGHT YOU. 
          UM, THAT HAS CERTAINLY NOT BEEN THE PROCESS WITH THIS. 
          RIGHT? IN FACT, UH, I'M, I'M OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WHEN THIS COUNCIL SENT EVERYBODY BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, RIGHT? AND, AND SAID, WE'RE, GO BACK AND BRING IT TO US AGAIN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET THAT HAPPEN. 
          AND IT DIDN'T REALLY REQUIRE A VOTE. 
          IT, IT REQUIRED, UH, NOW I'M AFRAID TO USE THE WORD DIRECTION, UM, BECAUSE WE GIVE DIRECTION IN A LOT OF WAYS. 
          THE FACT THAT THE FACT THAT THERE WERE THAT MANY AMENDMENTS AT THE EUC, UH, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOW, AND WE'RE NOW STILL CONSIDERING DIFFERENT THINGS. 
          I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS, IS WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE PUT THE PUBLIC THROUGH SOMETHING THAT THERE'S NOTHING REALLY TO VOTE ON. 
          IT'S MORE OF A DIRECTION THING. 
          AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT WHERE WE PUT THAT SO HARD THAT, THAT THERE'S NO WAY TO MOVE FROM IT. 
          I THINK THAT THE NEXT CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OUGHT TO MAKE A STANDARD ITEM ON THAT AGENDA, OR MAYBE NOT AT EVERY MEETING, BUT A, A KIND OF A REPORT BACK ON WHERE WE ARE IN FEASIBILITY SO THAT WE CAN, SO THAT WE, AS A OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE CAN GIVE DIRECTION BY SAYING, A COUNCIL MEMBER CAN SAY, I MEAN, YOU'VE DONE IT MANY TIMES, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE UNLESS I KNOW THESE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          AND, AND GIVE THAT DIRECTION IN MUCH THE SAME, YOU KNOW, MUCH THE SAME WAY YOU DID ON BATTERIES. 
          MY GUESS IS SEE ON BATTERIES, YOUR AMENDMENT SAYS THAT THAT CAN BE, UM, AFTER THE PRE-DEVELOPMENT STAGE. 
          WELL, I'M, I'LL PREDICT THAT THEY WILL BRING US SOMETHING ON BATTERIES THAT SOMEBODY IN THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO OPPOSE. 
          I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL SUPPOSED TO SAY BATTERIES. 
          THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH BATTERIES. 
          EVERYBODY LOVES BATTERIES. 
          BATTERIES ARE, UM, THE HOLY GRAIL. 
          BUT YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE, BUT YET WE DO THAT THERE. 
          THE REASON WE DO IT THERE IN PART IS BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA WANT TO HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION. 
          SO LET'S DO THAT WITH ALL OF IT. 
          BUT LET'S RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE HIGHLIGHTED A VERY IMPORTANT POINT THAT WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO TAKE UP PRETTY MUCH ANYTIME WE MEET ON GOING FORWARD ON THE PLAN. 
          SURE. 
          AND I, I, I APPRECIATE THAT, THOSE COMMENTS. 
          AND, UM, ACTUALLY, I HAVE ONE QUESTION BEFORE I HAVE A BATTERY QUESTION, SO THAT LE LEAVES ME WHERE I'M GOING. 
          UM, I GUESS THE, THE LAST QUESTION, THOUGH, BEFORE I GET THERE IS WHEN WE DO GET TO THE DEVELOPMENT 
          [02:20:01]
STAGE, THAT CONTRACT COMES TO US, IS THAT THEN THE LAST APPROVAL? LIKE, WE'RE LOCKED IN AND WE BUY IT AND BUILD IT. 
          YOU WOULD GIVE US APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A CONTRACT THROUGH THE RCA AND THEN WE WOULD KEEP YOU INFORMED OF THE PROCESS AS WE GO FORWARD. 
          SO WE GO THROUGH ALL THE STAGES OF PERMITTING, SITE RIGHTS, INTERCONNECTION APPROVAL, AND UH, FINANCING AND INSURANCE. 
          THAT'S THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE. 
          AND THEN THERE'S, RIGHT, THERE CAN BE A CHECK-IN AND TOUCH BASE ON THINGS, KEEP YOU INFORMED. 
          WERE THERE ANY BARRIERS THAT POPPED UP ALONG THE WAY? AND THEN THE LAST STAGE IS CONSTRUCTION. 
          SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? CAN WE, WHAT, WHAT IF WE WANTED TO CHANGE OUR MIND BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION? ARE WE, SINCE WE SIGNED A CONTRACT, ARE WE LOCKED IN? I DON'T THINK WE'RE LOCKED IN ON ANY CONTRACT. 
          YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT IN GENERAL? WELL, UM, I THINK THAT WHAT YOUR QUESTION GETS AT IS IF THE SITU, IF THE, IF, IF TECHNOLOGY WERE TO CHANGE, IF OUR SITUATION WERE TO CHANGE AND WE NO LONGER NEEDED PEAKERS BETWEEN THE TIME THAT COUNCIL APPROVAL CAME ALONG, BUT BEFORE THEY WERE INSTALLED, RIGHT? UM, YOU HAVE OUR COMMITMENT THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS. 
          AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I CAN'T SAY HONESTLY SITTING HERE, I, THAT I KNOW HOW THAT THOSE, IF THAT CONTRACT HAS BEEN EXECUTED, HOW THAT WOULD WORK. 
          UM, BUT THESE, IF WE, IF WE, IF OUR SITUATION CHANGES AND WE KNOW LONGER NEED PEAKERS, LIKE WE, WE WOULD LET COUNCIL KNOW THAT, UM, FORTUNATELY IF THAT WERE, THAT'S A GOOD THING, UM, THAT THAT WOULD BE A VERY GOOD RESULT TO HAVE HAPPEN. 
          AND, AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN IS EVEN IF WE WEREN'T ABLE TO, UM, CHANGE DIRECTIONS AT THAT POINT, WE WOULD HAVE NEW PEAKERS AS A, AS AN EMERGENCY BACKSTOP LAST RESORT INSTEAD OF VERY OLD DIRTY PEAKERS AS AN EMERGENCY BACKSTOP LAST RESORT. 
          AND SO THAT WOULD BE KIND OF, OR, YOU KNOW, IF WE NEEDED TO, UM, UH, SELL THEM OR DECOMMISSION OTHERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE, WE WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          , SO IN, IN THE AMENDMENT, AS THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO, I HAVE ASKING Y'ALL TO GO DO THOSE FIRST TWO STAGES FOR A BATTERY, YOU KNOW, GO DO THE RFP, FIGURE OUT WHERE IT WOULD BE LOCATED, YOU KNOW, BRING TO US WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. 
          UH, AND, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE'S AMENDMENT AS WELL. 
          YOU KNOW, I SAID A HUNDRED TO 150, YOU PICKED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, SO, PERFECT. 
          UM, WHAT, CAN YOU JUST WALK US THROUGH THE TIMELINE OF, YOU KNOW, EVERY TECHNOLOGY IS DIFFERENT. 
          SO WHAT DOES A BATTERY PROCESS FROM BEGINNING TO RUNNING LOOK LIKE? YEAH, SO, UM, BATTERIES ARE, UM, LESS COMPLICATED IN SOME OF THESE PHASES. 
          AND SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT IF WE WERE TO INITIATE, UH, A BATTERY STORAGE RFP, UM, AT THE START OF THE 2025, THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM INSTALLED SOMEWHERE IN 2027, GOING THROUGH ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROCESSES AND WHATNOT, THAT, THAT WAS LONGER THAN I HAD GUESSED, BUT I, I ASSUME IT'S THE REGULATORY COMPONENT THAT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME. 
          THE, FOR, IN MY EXPERIENCE, AND I WAS DOING SMALLER, LIKE ONE AND A HALF MEGAWATT BATTERIES HERE LOCALLY, THE SITING IS A COMPLICATED FACTOR. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, ACTUALLY BUILDING, INSTALLING, STICKING THE MODULES IN THE IS NOT, IS NOT THAT COMPLICATED AT ALL. 
          AND SO, I MEAN, I, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY WE COULD HAVE THEM IN AT THE END OF 26 AS WELL. 
          UM, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S, IT'S THE SIGHTING THAT TAKES THE TIME. 
          OKAY. 
          AND RIGHT NOW, ARE Y'ALL PLANNING ON DOING AN ALL SOURCE RFP STARTING IN JANUARY? A NEW RFP? YES. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THAT'S LIKE A SIX, EIGHT WEEK PROCESS. 
          IT, IT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S LONGER THAN THAT BECAUSE IT DEPENDS, YOU HAVE TO PUT IT OUT, FORBID, GET THE RESPONSES BACK, AND THEN THERE'S THE ANALYSIS PORTION OF IT. 
          SO YOU'LL RECALL WE DID AN, A CARBON FREE ALL RESOURCE RFP. 
          LET ME BE CLEAR ON THAT. 
          IT WAS ONLY FOR CARBON FREE TECHNOLOGIES, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR. 
          UM, I THINK THE BIDS WERE DUE IN JUNE, AND WE ARE AT THE FINAL STAGES OF ANALYSIS CLOSE TO BRINGING THINGS FORWARD. 
          OKAY. 
          NOW. 
          ALRIGHT, WELL, I APPRECIATE IT. 
          I THINK THAT ENDS MY LIST. 
          BUT BEFORE I FINISH, I DO JUST WANT TO SAY A HUGE THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU, AMY, THE REST OF THE TEAM. 
          YOU HAVE TAKEN MY CALLS, NIGHTS, WEEKENDS, UH, AND I'M NOT, WE BOTH KNOW I'M NOT EXAGGERATING. 
          UH, AND I REALLY, WE ALL KNOW  AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. 
          I DON'T WANT IT TO BE LOST OF ALL THE WORK THAT CLEARLY WENT 
          [02:25:01]
INTO THIS. 
          YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT ON EVERYTHING. 
          THAT'S RARELY THE CASE. 
          IT DOESN'T, DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT. 
          WE WANT TO GET AS CLOSE AS WE CAN AND, AND I'M GONNA, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET US THERE CLOSER FROM MY VANTAGE POINT, RIGHT? BUT, UM, THAT BEING SAID, IT'S NOT BECAUSE I THINK THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE IS IN ANY WAY BAD. 
          I, YOU, IT'S, YOU'VE DONE EXACTLY WHAT I THINK YOU FROM YOUR SEAT THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE. 
          AND, AND I FULLY RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU COULD GO MAKE TWO OR THREE TIMES THE MONEY WORKING FOR SOME PRIVATE ENERGY COMPANY, BUT YOU'VE CHOSEN TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN AND THAT THAT MEANS SOMETHING. 
          AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          I KNOW I'VE BEEN A HEADACHE. 
          I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A HEADACHE, BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER AND, AND I, AND I THINK WE ALL FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THE GOOD WORK THAT THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF HAS DONE ON THIS. 
          SO THANK Y'ALL FOR THAT. 
          I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP MEMBERS THAT WHAT THAT OUGHT TO DO IS PUT US IN A SITUATION NOW WHERE WE CAN BRIEFLY, UH, AND, AND MAYBE EVEN USE THE WORD QUICKLY, LAY OUT PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. 
          UM, IF, IF THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO FOR THE, UH, PUBLIC AND, AND FOR THE COUNCIL. 
          UH, WE, WE'VE BEEN PUTTING AMENDMENTS, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, WHICH IS A GOOD WAY FOR EVERYBODY TO KEEP UP, UM, AND ALLOWS EVERYBODY TO SEE WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED. 
          SO MY AN WHAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL HAPPEN, BUT WHAT I WOULD ANTICIPATE IS AFTER A, AN EFFECTIVE WORK SESSION LIKE THIS WHERE THERE'S BEEN GIVE AND TAKE IN SOME DISCUSSION, EVEN THERE I SAY DIRECTION, UH, THAT'S BEEN THEN BEEN LAID OUT, WE NOW, UH, CAN ANTICIPATE MAYBE THERE, THERE ARE CHANGES OR THINGS THAT WOULD BE ADDED, UH, BOTH AS STANDALONE AMENDMENTS OR EVEN FOR THAT MATTER, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE AMENDMENTS THAT MIGHT INSTEAD BE SUBSTITUTES TO THOSE AMENDMENTS, INCORPORATE WHAT IS AGREED WITH, BUT MAKE, MAKE PROPOSED CHANGES. 
          UH, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT ALL WORKS. 
          UM, MY ANTICIPATION WOULD BE THAT WHAT WE WOULD DO IS TAKE A BASE MOTION ON THURSDAY, WHICH WOULD BE TO ADOPT THE PLAN AND THEN AS, AS BROUGHT FORWARD AND WITH ALL OF THE EUC AMENDMENTS AND THEN TAKE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. 
          SO, UH, JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS, AS YOU GO FORWARD. 
          THAT'S THE WAY, UNLESS I, UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS A, A DIFFERENT OR BETTER SUGGESTION, BUT I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO GO THAT CREATES SOME ISSUES AS WE KNOW IN TERMS OF HOW MANY AMENDMENTS AND HOW WE GO ABOUT THOSE AMENDMENTS. 
          BUT, BUT JUST KEEP THAT IN, KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT THAT'S WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE. 
          WITH THAT, I'LL START, UH, I MEAN THERE, I HAVE AN AMENDMENT UP THAT, THAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT. 
          I THINK WE'VE HAD CLARITY ON IT. 
          UH, SO I'M NOT GOING TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT BECAUSE I ACTUALLY ASKED QUESTIONS, UH, OF STAFF ON THAT. 
          BUT THAT I, I INTEND TO OFFER THAT AMENDMENT. 
          I WOULD SAY THAT IF THERE IS, UM, A CHANGE OR A PROPOSED CHANGE THAT WOULD INVOLVE A LOAD ZONE GUARDRAIL, LET'S PUT THAT UP ON THE, UH, MESSAGE BOARD SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHETHER WE DO, WE CAN DO THAT AS ONE AMENDMENT OR AS IT, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE AS SEPARATE AMENDMENTS. 
          AND I DON'T THINK THAT, UH, I DON'T THINK THAT NECESSARILY MATTERS, BUT IT, ONCE WE SEE IT, WE MIGHT KNOW IT. 
          UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON AL ALTER, YOU WANNA GO NEXT? SURE. 
          I WANTED TO ADD, I'M SORRY. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, YOU HAVE A QUESTION. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          AND PART OF THE REASON WHY I ASKED FOR OUR COLLEAGUES TO LAY OUT THEIR AMENDMENTS, IT'S JUST I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, WE OBVIOUSLY ARE SUBJECT TO QUORUM RULES, RIGHT? AND SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE CAN TALK AS A DAIS ABOUT ALL THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN CERTAIN SUB QUORUMS. SO I WOULD JUST WOULD LIKE FOR STAFF TO SPEAK TO THE AMENDMENTS AS THEY PROPOSED ANY CONTEXT OR INSIGHT THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER REAL GOOD AS PART OF THE DELIBERATION PROCESS. 
          REAL GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, THAT, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. 
          THAT'S, UH, UH, I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT. 
          IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO MY AMENDMENT? NO, SIR. 
          ALRIGHT, THEN. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, UM, THANK YOU. 
          I WAS GONNA JUST, UM, SUGGEST THE, THE SAME THING THAT I WANTED TO HEAR FROM AUSTIN ENERGY. 
          GOOD THANKING. 
          UM, AND, AND MAYOR, UM, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON YOURS, I'LL LET, UM, YOU KNOW, RYAN, UM, INTRODUCED THE ONES THAT, THAT HE LET ON AND THAT OUR QUORUM WORKED ON, BUT NUMBER TWO, KIND OF, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS IN SO MANY DIFFERENT FORUMS AND THEY'VE, 
          [02:30:01]
THEY HELD THE ADMISSIONS RATE LANGUAGE 'CAUSE YOU ARE WORKING ON THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT I MISSPOKE EARLIER. 
          AND WE PRETTY MUCH ALREADY DID THAT IN ITEM TWO, BUT IT'S NOT LANGUAGE IN THE PLAN. 
          SO I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO, IF WE WANNA HAVE SUPER CLARITY IN THE PLAN IS GENERATE THE CORRESPONDING LANGUAGE TO GO INTO THE PLAN. 
          UM, AND, AND I THINK, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER WILL WORK ON THAT WITH, IF I MIGHT THAT, AND THAT'S, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION. 
          UM, ONE OF THE DIFFERENCES IN THE AMENDMENT THAT I WAS OFFERING IS THAT IT PUTS THE LANGUAGE IN AS OPPOSED TO JUST DIRECTION. 
          SO ON OUR MESSAGE BOARD DISCUSSION, WE OUGHT TO TALK ABOUT HOW BEST ADDRESS, HOW, HOW WE ADDRESS THESE DIFFERENT THINGS AND, UM, WHETHER WE WANT IT TO BE IN THE PLAN OR WE WANT IT TO BE DIRECTION AND, AND BECAUSE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT. 
          AND I'LL JUST ADD, I THINK THERE'S VALUE IN BOTH AND, BUT I THINK SURE. 
          THAT PARTICULAR CASE, IT SEEMS LIKE WE DO NEED TO HAVE THE LANGUAGE ALSO. 
          IT'S WHY IN THE PLAN, JUST THAT WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION ON THE MESSAGE BOARD. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, OKAY. 
          SO I WANNA LAY OUT MY AMENDMENTS. 
          UM, SO, UM, THESE WERE DISTRIBUTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD. 
          UM, MY FIRST AMENDMENT IS CLARIFYING THE LANGUAGE ABOUT THE CARBON FREE GOAL. 
          UM, IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ON PAGE TWO, AND ON THE SUMMARY ON PAGE 60, IT CURRENTLY READS CONTINUED PROGRESS TO AN INDUSTRY LEADING GOAL OF A HUNDRED PERCENT CARBON FREE ENERGY BY 2035. 
          UM, MY AMENDMENT ADDS AND CLEAR COMMITMENT. 
          UM, WE WANNA HAVE BOTH PROGRESS AND A CLEAR COMMITMENT. 
          UM, AND AS THAT IS ONE OF THE FIRST STATEMENTS IN THE WHOLE PLAN AND SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO EVERYONE ON THE DIOCESE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE WANTED TO NOT HAVE ANY AMBIGUITY ABOUT THAT. 
          UM, AND ALL OF MINE HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY AE, BUT THEY SHOULD FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO. 
          UM, AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO RELATES TO LOCAL AIR QUALITY AND NON-ATTAINMENT. 
          IT, UM, HAS MULTIPLE PARTS SO THAT IT APPEARS APPROPRIATELY AND CONSISTENT WITH THE REST OF HOW THE PLAN HAS BEEN LAID OUT. 
          I'M NOT GONNA READ ALL OF THEM, BUT THE BASIC IDEA IS TO, UM, ADD AN ADDITIONAL RISK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH THIS PLAN, WHICH IS, UM, THE RISK OF EXCEEDING LOCAL AIR QUALITY STANDARDS SET BY THE EPA AND BEING PLACED IN NON-ATTAINMENT, WHICH WOULD HAVE SOME VERY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES, UM, FOR OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE EMISSIONS, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THE COSTS OF ANY CONSTRUCTION AND MOBILITY, UM, PROJECTS. 
          WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS IN CAMPO. 
          UM, AND SO FOLLOWING THE PLAN, IT ADDS THE RISK AND THEN IT, UM, ADDS, IT ADDS, UM, RELEVANT LANGUAGE IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACES THAT WE IDENTIFIED WORKING WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, UM, TO ADD, UM, THOSE KINDS OF, OF POINTS. 
          UM, IT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES THAT, UM, IF WE TAKE A MORE HOLISTIC VIEW OF OUR EMISSIONS, UM, WE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE A BETTER GREATER NET REDUCTION. 
          UM, THE THIRD PART BUILDS OFF OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING AS A COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE DEMAND RESPONSE AND SOLAR IN OUR CITY OWNED BUILDINGS. 
          AND IT ADDS, UM, LANGUAGE, UM, TO THE END OF THE PRIORITIZED CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS. 
          UM, AND HERE WE'RE, WE'RE COMMITTING AUSTIN ENERGY, THE CITY, AND NOT JUST AUSTIN ENERGY TO EXPLORE HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE SIGHTING OF SOLAR GENERATION ON CITY OWNED LAND AND PROPERTIES WHERE IT MAKES ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC SENSE. 
          I WILL POINT OUT IN VERSION TWO AND MY REQUEST, THEY ADDED BACK TO THE PLAN A STATEMENT THAT WAS IN THE PRIOR PLAN, WHICH IS THE LINE BEFORE THAT, WHICH IS ALREADY IN THE BASE PLAN, UM, THAT AUSTIN ENERGY WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE THE LEAD WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO MAXIMIZE DEMAND SIDE MANAGEMENT AND LOAD SHIFTING OPPORTUNITIES. 
          UM, SO THAT AMENDMENT IS REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, RECOMMITTING OURSELVES TO DOING SOLAR AT OUR OWN LOCATIONS. 
          UM, THE FOURTH ITEM, UM, IS A CLARIFICATION RELATED TO THE GUARDRAILS. 
          UM, I REALLY WANTED TO COMMUNICATE THAT THERE ARE ACTUALLY GUARDRAILS IN THIS PLAN ALREADY. 
          IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE SETTING UP THE PEAKERS AND THEN SETTING UP THE GUARDRAILS. 
          UM, WE WILL NEED TO UPDATE THEM AND APPLY THEM AS WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT OUR GENERATION MIX IS. 
          UM, BUT WE ALREADY HAVE CERTAIN GUARDRAILS SUCH AS BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY WHERE WE, UM, YOU KNOW, USE THE LEAST EMITTING PEAKERS FIRST AND WE USE THE PEAKERS LAST, UM, WHEN OTHER RESOURCES ARE, ARE NOT, UM, AVAILABLE THAT ARE CARBON FREE OR, OR LESS EMITTING. 
          UM, AND SO IT JUST REALLY CLARIFIES THAT BECAUSE I THINK THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION, UM, OVER, OVER THAT WITH RESPECT TO THE, TO THE GUARDRAILS. 
          UM, SO THOSE ARE THE AMENDMENTS THAT I'M OFFERING, UM, THAT I OFFERED INDIVIDUALLY AND I WORKED, UM, CLOSELY 
          [02:35:01]
WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN AL ALTER ON THOSE AS WELL. 
          AND, AND WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE WORK THAT HE AND HIS OFFICE HAVE PUT INTO, UM, PUSHING US TO, TO GET THIS RIGHT AND, UM, THE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY BRING TO HELPING US UNDERSTAND IT. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          LET ME ASK IF STAFF HAS ANY COMMENT, UM, ON THAT ALL ALLOW THE REQUEST COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          NO, WE ARE SUPPORT OF ALL OF COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER'S AMENDMENTS. 
          WE THINK THEY MAKE THE PLAN BETTER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY, COUNCIL, COUNCILMAN CADRY, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR. 
          UH, WANT TO THANK THE FOLKS AT AUSTIN ENERGY AGAIN? UH, I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR ALL THE GREAT AMENDMENTS THAT THEY'RE BRINGING FORWARD AND WANT TO THANK THE, UH, EVERYONE WHO CAME AND SPOKE TODAY. 
          UH, AND I ALSO HOPE WHEN I'M DONE LAYING ON MY AMENDMENTS, YOU TELL EVERYONE HOW GREAT THEY'RE AS WELL. 
          UM, SO, UM, LET'S SEE HOW THAT GOES. 
          YEAH, , FINGERS CROSSED. 
          UM, SO I HAVE TWO AMENDMENTS THAT I'M BRINGING FORWARD. 
          I, WE POSTED ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, UH, YESTERDAY ABOUT THEM, SO I'LL MAKE IT SUPER SHORT AND SWEET AND THEN YOU GUYS CAN SING THE PRAISES AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. 
          , UH, MY FIRST AMENDMENT SETS A GOAL BY REACHING 2 205 MEGAWATTS OF LOCAL SOLAR ENERGY BY THE END OF 2027 AND KEEPS THE PROPOSED OVERALL GOAL OF 405 MEGAWATTS BY 2035. 
          AND THEN MY SECOND AMENDMENT COMMITS AUSTIN ENERGY TO INSTALLING 125 MEGAWATTS OF BATTERY STORAGE BY THE END OF 2027, AS WELL AS REACHING TOWARD INSTALLING UP TO 300 MEGAWATTS OF STORAGE BY THE END OF 2030. 
          THOSE WERE MY TWO AMENDMENTS, PLEASE. 
          WE, WE ALSO AGREE WITH BOTH OF COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE'S AMENDMENTS AND, UH, WE THINK THAT THEY SET REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS FOR WHERE WE ARE TODAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I ALSO THINK THEY'RE FANTASTIC. 
          UH, YOU KNEW THAT YOU KNEW THAT. 
          AND, UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          I, UH, I TOO WAS GONNA SAY, YOU CAN TELL ME FROM GREAT TO CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT, UH, ON, ON MY AMENDMENTS. 
          UM, IT IS, SO WE CERTAINLY DO, YOU KNOW, FORMATTING QUESTION I'D ASKED EARLY ON, HOW DO WE WANNA FORMAT THIS? AND THIS WAS DISCUSSED. 
          HE'S JUST, YOU KNOW, LET Y'ALL CONFORM IT. 
          HAPPY TO COME WITH, UH, EXACT LANGUAGE EITHER. 
          I, UH, BUT THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCILOR ALLISON ALTER IS TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION AND COMMITMENT. 
          WE CURRENTLY HAVE A 93% CARBON FREE GOAL FOR, UM, 2030 IN THE PLAN. 
          WE TALK ABOUT RENEWABLE A NUMBER, WHICH WHEN YOU ADD IN THE NUCLEAR GETS TO THE CARBON FREE NUMBER. 
          UH, REALLY THIS IS MORE ABOUT CLARITY'S SAKE, UNDERSTANDING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE SEE ONE NUMBER AND IT SAID RENEWABLE INSTEAD OF CARBON FREE. 
          AND, AND I'LL ADMIT, THE FIRST TIME I READ IT, I DID THE SAME. 
          UH, SO REALLY THIS IS JUST ULTIMATELY WE'RE AFTER CARBON REDUCTION. 
          AND SO IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AFTER, THEN LET'S HAVE A CARBON REDUC A CARBON FREE GOAL INSTEAD OF THESE MULTIPLE GOALS THAT CAN JUST GET CONFUSING. 
          SO CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT. 
          YOU WANNA DO 'EM ONE AT A TIME. 
          I FIGURED THAT'D BE THE BEST. 
          'CAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THESE YOU'RE YES. 
          YOU LOVE SO MUCH. 
          YEAH. 
           , WE ARE, WE ARE GOOD WITH NUMBER ONE ON YOUR AMENDMENT. 
          UM, THE ONLY QUESTION I WOULD HAVE FOR CLARIFICATION IS, ARE YOU LOOKING TO REPLACE AND GET RID OF THE 70% RENEWABLE ENERGY GOAL, BECAUSE THAT'S CONFUSING AND INSTEAD WE JUST HAVE THE 93% CARBON FREE. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          AND I CAN ADD THAT CLARIFICATION FOR A REPLACEMENT. 
          UH, NUMBER TWO, I THINK, UH, AS WE DISCUSSED A LITTLE BIT AGO, KIND OF CONFORMS WITH THE DISCUSSION YOU HAD WITH COUNCILMAN MORALE AND AL ALTER ABOUT THIS QUESTION OF LOAD ZONE EMISSIONS VERSUS PORTFOLIO WIDE EMISSIONS. 
          AND ALSO REALLY FOCUSES ON THAT BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION ELEMENT THAT WE NEED TO TAKE AS WE MOVE FORWARD A BROADER LOOK BEYOND JUST WHAT IS COMING OUT OF OUR GENERATION SOURCES, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT IF YOU GO AND REPLACE A HUNDRED FURNACES WITH ELECTRIC HEAT PUMPS, THAT MIGHT INCREASE YOUR LOAD OR INCREASE YEAH. 
          YOUR LOAD AND YOUR ULTIMATE GENERATION, BUT THE NET EMISSIONS HAVE REDUCED AND, AND LOOKING AT THIS FROM A NET EMISSIONS PERSPECTIVE, UM, SO, AND THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT. 
          I WILL ALSO NOTE JUST FOR, UH, MY COLLEAGUES, I AM ALSO LOOKING AT A, A DIFFERENT OPTION ON THIS AND THAT. 
          AND IF SO, I'LL, I'LL PUT IT UP ON THE MESSAGE BOARD TODAY. 
          BUT, AND YOU KNOW, ONCE AGAIN, IN OUR DISCUSSION OF CARBON EMISSIONS IS OUR, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE'RE, WE'RE SETTING SOME OF THESE GUARDRAILS OR GOALS FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE. 
          AND SO LOOKING AT AN EMISSIONS, NOT INTENSITY, BUT AN EMISSIONS LEVEL, RIGHT? SO SAYING 
          [02:40:01]
THAT OUR EMISSIONS ARE GOING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ANY DIRTIER THAN WE ARE TODAY, RIGHT? WE'RE ONLY GONNA GET BETTER FROM AN EMISSIONS PERSPECTIVE. 
          UM, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC IS WANTING AND ASKING FOR AND, AND I AM STILL HONING IN ON, ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. 
          YOU KNOW, IN ALSO IN THE VEIN OF IF WE USE THE, IF, IF WE HAVE NEW PEAKERS AND WE USE THOSE INSTEAD OF THE SANDHILL PEAKERS OR THE DECKER PEAKERS, RIGHT? OUR, WE COULD HAVE THE SAME GENERATION OR EVEN MORE GENERATION AND LESS EMISSIONS BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING THE CLEANER STUFF INSTEAD OF THE DIRTY STUFF. 
          UH, I WILL CERTAINLY SHARE IT WITH YOU WHEN, WHEN IT'S DONE AND I'LL SHARE IT WITH THE COUNCIL, BUT JUST WANNA, DON'T WANNA SURPRISE ANYBODY IF THAT COMES UP LATER. 
          UM, I AM STILL WORKING THROUGH AND THINKING ABOUT THAT. 
          UH, AND YOU NEED NOT RESPOND NOW IF, 'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. 
          SO I'LL COUNCIL MEMBER, MAY I YES, PLEASE RESPOND TO ONE PIECE OF IT THOUGH. 
          OH, SURE. 
          THE, THE SECOND OR THIRD, THE LAST SENTENCE OF NUMBER TWO SPEAKS TO THE HOLISTIC NATURE OF RECOGNIZING THAT AS WE HAVE MORE ELECTRIFICATION IN THE AREA, RIGHT? WE, WE NEED TO SERVE THAT WITH SOMETHING AND THAT THERE ARE LIKE HOLISTIC TRADE-OFFS TO BE CONSIDERED. 
          AND SO I I JUST, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          I WILL ALSO JUST OFFER THAT, UM, THE IDEA OF THE RATE, RIGHT, WHICH IS THE, THE RATE, WHETHER IT'S IN THE MAYOR'S AMENDMENT OR IN YOUR PROPOSED LANGUAGE HERE, THE PER MEGAWATT HOUR OR THE PER KILOWATT HOUR RECOGNIZES THAT AS OUR LOAD GROWS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH ELECTRIFICATION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES OR WHETHER IT'S LARGE DATA CENTERS THAT WE WILL NEED TO SUPPLY MORE. 
          AND SO THE RATE ALLOWS YOU TO STAY IN NO CLEANER THAN, YOU KNOW, NO DIRTIER THAN YOU ARE TODAY ON A TRAJECTORY TOWARDS CLEANER AND CLEANER TO, TO THE POINT OF THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF ZERO EMISSIONS. 
          AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO THAT, BUT, BUT THE RATE ALLOWS YOU TO MEASURE THAT AND, AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT LOAD GROWTH, RIGHT? THANK YOU, UH, APPRECIATE THAT. 
          UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE, SO NUMBER THREE IS, IS ADDITIONAL GENERATION. 
          WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE BATTERIES A HUNDRED TO 150 MEGAWATTS, HAVING Y'ALL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WHICH, UH, SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL ARE GONNA START IN JANUARY. 
          PART B IS IN LINE WITH WHAT COUNCILMAN ALLISON ALTERS TALKED ABOUT WITH LOOKING AT OUR LAND AND FACILITIES OF WHERE WE CAN PUT SOLAR. 
          I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE ON THIS AND THEY HAVE BEEN DOING GREAT WORK. 
          JUST WANNA KIND OF CONNECT AND I'M, I KNOW Y'ALL ALREADY CONNECTED, BUT POINT, POINT THEIR WORK AND THIS DOCUMENT TOGETHER TOWARDS, UH, MOVING THAT FORWARD. 
          I'LL STOP THERE FOR A MINUTE 'CAUSE THEN WE'LL GET TO SEE, WHICH I KNOW IS NOT GONNA BE THE SAME RESPONSE. 
          SO THREE A, UM, ALIGNS AND COMPLIMENTS. 
          THE, UH, ONE WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY RELATED TO BATTERIES, UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, THREE B COMPLIMENTS AND SPEAKS TO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER'S AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE. 
          AND SO THOSE, THOSE ARE ALL FINE. 
          PERFECT. 
          AND THEN THE C IS THAT EITHER HARD CHECK IN OR HARD APPROVALS STOP VERSUS, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST REPORTING. 
          AND, AND I THINK WE'VE HAD ENOUGH DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT TO KNOW YOUR POSITION. 
          UH, NUMBER FOUR IS ABOUT OPTIONS. 
          AND I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID STUART A LITTLE BIT AGO ABOUT NOT, YOU KNOW, BACK US INTO A CORNER. 
          AND THE SAME THING THAT THE MAYOR SAID, THAT THE FRUSTRATION HE, UH, DISCUSSED IS OR EXPRESSED IS EXACTLY THE MOTIVATION FOR THIS, RIGHT? SOMETIMES, AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS NECESSARILY FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, WE ARE PRESENTED WITH A DECISION OF EITHER DO THIS OR THE SKY IS FALLING, RIGHT? NO. 
          OPTION NUMBER THREE THAT WE CONSIDERED SOMETHING ELSE, AND MAYBE YOU DO THAT. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT THIS WAS REALLY AFTER WAS ABOUT IF YOU'RE, IF YOU ARE COMING TO US, WHETHER IT'S FOR PEAKERS OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS GOING TO NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE CARBON EMITTING, LET'S PUT IT OUT THERE THAT IF IN THAT CASE, WHAT WOULD AN ALTERNATIVE LOOK LIKE? AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT MAYBE THERE ISN'T AN ALTERNATIVE AND YOU WOULDN'T BRING IT TO US IF YOU DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS AN ALTERNATIVE. 
          AND SO, UM, I'M, I'M, I'M NOODLING ON IT. 
          I'M, I'M TRYING TO FINESSE THE LANGUAGE. 
          YOU GAVE ME SOME FEEDBACK AND, AND I JUST WANNA SAY WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON THIS PIECE. 
          UM, SO I RESPECT IT. 
          I ALSO, I I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHEN IT'S A CLOSE CALL, YOU STILL COME BACK TO US. 
          LIKE IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, HERE AND HERE, THE TWO OPTIONS. 
          I, I GET IT. 
          THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE SHOULD EVEN DO THE PLAN B, BUT IF THEY'RE KIND OF CLOSE, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION. 
          AND I THINK YOU GET THAT MAY I FOR THE BENEFIT 
          [02:45:01]
OF THE OTHER YES, ABSOLUTELY. 
          THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL. 
          SO, UM, OUR, OUR CONCERN WITH THIS, UH, FOUR A AS WRITTEN IS THAT IT, IT ALMOST ASSUMES THERE'S ALWAYS AN ALTERNATIVE BETWEEN A CARBON EMITTING AND A CARBON FREE. 
          AND THAT WE WILL ALWAYS, WE WILL HAVE THOSE OP THOSE OFFERS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO YOU SO THAT YOU COULD MAKE A CHOICE BETWEEN A OR B. 
          AND SO, UM, THAT'S NOT SIMPLY NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, RIGHT? UM, AND SO WE HAVE PROVIDED SOME ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE TO COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER THAT WOULD SPEAK TO, UM, LANGUAGE THAT WOULD SAY WE WOULD REPORT ON WHY THERE IS NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE OR WHY THIS IS THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE THAT MEETS THE CURRENT RISK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS. 
          UM, AS WELL AS RECOGNIZING THE TRADE-OFFS, WHICH I THINK THE REST OF HIS, UM, AMENDMENT SPEAKS TO. 
          I DO ALSO WANNA JUST MENTION THAT THIS LANGUAGE IF ADJUSTED, THEN IT, IT FITS QUITE NICELY WITH ONE THAT HASN'T BEEN PRESENTED YET. 
          SO I WON'T FEEL COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ'S THUNDER, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO BE THINKING ABOUT THAT WHEN COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ SPEAKS ABOUT HIS AMENDMENT RELATED TO AN ALL RESOURCE RFP. 
          SO PERFECT. 
          YEAH, I, I SEE IT THE SAME WAY THAT THAT WOULD INFORM EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, UH, BUT WE WON'T STEAL HIS THUNDER. 
          UH, NUMBER FIVE, A COMMITMENT TO ENERGY EQUITY. 
          I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE PLAN, BUT REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE FOCUSING DIRECT INVESTMENTS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, LOAD REDUCTION. 
          AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THESE AREAS, UH, WHERE WE'VE, YOU HAVE DECKER AND SANDHILL, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT ONE, DISTRICT TWO, THERE ARE A LOT OF, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE FUTURE. 
          AND IF WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE OUR CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS, THEN YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO NOT NECESSARILY GO CUSTOMER BY CUSTOMER, BUT IF YOU ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE WHISPER VALLEY GEOTHERMAL IS SO, SO MUCH, UH, CLEANER AND, AND A BETTER SYSTEM, HOW MIGHT WE BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE, UM, SEEN THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF OUR ENERGY DECISIONS. 
          HOW CAN THEY BENEFIT FROM SOME POSITIVE IMPACTS OF OUR ENERGY DECISIONS? AND SO, UH, THAT IS WHAT IS A FOCUS OF THIS. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATE WORKING WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON AND COUNCILLOR FUENTES ON THIS LANGUAGE. 
          AND I KNOW YOUR, THE LANGUAGE IN THERE IS SIMILAR TO THIS. 
          THIS IS JUST TO BE A, A VERY CLEAR EMPHASIS. 
          YES. 
          AND WE HAD ONE, UM, CHANGE THAT WE HAD COMMITTED TO, TO COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON'S OFFICE IS A VERY MINOR WORDING CHANGE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT IN AND BACK UP WITH OUR CHANGE LOG, BUT IT'S JUST, IT, IT'S STRIKES TWO WORDS AND CHANGES IN OF TO A FOUR. 
          AND I THINK, UM, THAT WE HAVE MADE THAT COMMITMENT AND WE HAVE NOT YET FOLLOWED THROUGH ON THAT. 
          UM, AND SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MAY NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT LANGUAGE, THAT'S VERY SIMILAR HERE AND YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW THAT ALL WORKS OUT. 
          SO, SURE, AND ONCE THAT COMES OUT, WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION OF THE NECESSITY OF THIS WITH THAT CHANGE. 
          UM, JUST TO, AND THEN NUMBER SIX, ONGOING REPORTING. 
          UH, THIS JUST HAS Y'ALL COMING BACK FOR, YOU KNOW, CHECKING IN SEMI-ANNUALLY OR, YOU KNOW, YOU OFTEN, SOME OF THIS IS INCLUDED IN YOUR QUARTERLY REPORT, SO MIGHT EVEN BE MORE REGULATE THEN, BUT JUST HOW ARE WE DOING ON THE GOALS WE'RE SETTING AND, AND GETTING THERE. 
          UM, AND THEN I WILL NOTE THAT, UH, SUBSECTION C IS PROGRESS TOWARD ENDING THE USE OF COAL AS A FUEL SOURCE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO POTENTIALLY NEED OR TO NEED TO BE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION OR A ATTORNEY-CLIENT MEMO. 
          UH, RECOGNIZE THAT, AND THAT'S FINE. 
          CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT. 
          WE, WE, UH, SORRY, WE ARE, ARE SUPPORTIVE OF ITEM NUMBER SIX. 
          AS YOU MENTIONED. 
          A LOT OF THIS WOULD COME IN OUR QUARTERLY REPORTS. 
          THE PLAN ALSO SPEAKS TO GIVING YOU KIND OF A MORE FULL REVIEW ANNUALLY. 
          YOU'RE ASKING FOR SOME OF THAT INFORMATION SEMI-ANNUALLY. 
          THAT IS FINE. 
          NOT A PROBLEM. 
          GREAT. 
          AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS A KIND OF AFFIRMATION OF OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR WORKERS AND FAIR LABOR AND, UH, SPOKEN WITH THE LAW DEPARTMENT. 
          MIGHT NEED TO ADD A JUST, YOU KNOW, EXTENT ALLOWABLE BY LAW. 
          THERE ARE SOME STATE LIMITATIONS, UNFORTUNATELY, ON OUR ABILITY TO PROTECT OUR WORKERS, BUT WE WILL DO IT TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE. 
          PERFECT. 
          THUMBS UP. 
          AWARE, SUPPORT. 
          YEP. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          UM, AND, AND ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT YOU JUST DID, YOU, YOUR MOTION SHEET INDICATES THAT IT'S A SINGLE MOTION. 
          I MIGHT SUGGEST THAT FOR, AND I SEE YOU NODDING YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW WHERE I'M HEADED. 
          I MIGHT SUGGEST 
          [02:50:01]
THAT IF YOU CAN BREAK THOSE DOWN INTO SEPARATE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DIVIDE THE QUESTION OR HAVE DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE THERE MAY BE SOMETHING SOMEBODY AGREES WITH YOU ON FIVE OF THE SIX, BUT DOESN'T AGREE ON THE SIX. 
          SO WILL YOU BE ABLE TO DO THAT? YES, I, I HAD PLANNED ON IT AFTER THE DISCUSSION AND SEEING HOW EVERYBODY ELSE HAD FRAMED. 
          I WAS TRYING TO DO IT FOR EASE OF SAKE, BUT I'M, I'M HAPPY TO BREAK IT UP AND SOME OF THESE WILL BE DUPLICATIVE, SO WELL, AND THAT, AND THAT LEADS TO THE NE VERY GOOD POINT. 
          SOME OF THEM MAY BE DUPLICATIVE, AND SO IT MIGHT BE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT UP, BUT IF IT'S PART OF IT ALREADY, THEN IT REQUIRES AN AMENDMENT OF SOME SORT. 
          SO JUST FOR PROCEDURAL PURPOSES AND EASE. 
          IF YOU DO, IF YOU DO THAT, THAT'D BE, THAT'D BE GOOD. 
          UM, AND I'M, I'M GONNA GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, UH, FOR HIS, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, YOU JUST SAID SOMETHING THAT I, I WANTED TO SAY EARLIER AND I FORGOT TO SAY IT. 
          AND THAT IS, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT Y'ALL ARE GONNA PUT TOGETHER KIND OF A, A SPREADSHEET THAT HAS ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS. 
          UM, I, I SEE NODDING, BUT, UH, SO THAT'S RIGHT. 
          YES, SIR. 
          RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, UM, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST AND WHAT I'LL DO MEMBERS, IS THAT WHEN I RECEIVE THAT FROM THEM, I'LL TAKE THE LABORING ORDER TO PUT THAT UP ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, UH, SO THAT THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IT BY VIA THE MESSAGE BOARD LIKE WE, WE WE'VE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT. 
          BUT THAT MAY ALSO HELP US ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER JUST SUGGESTED, WHERE THERE ARE, UH, AMENDMENTS THAT OVERLAP IN SOME WAY WHEN WE, WHEN WE GO THROUGH, UH, AGAIN, BASE MOTION, THEN MOTIONS TO AMEND, AND THAT WILL HELP US TICK AND TACK IT. 
          UM, AND, AND IT'LL COME FROM AUSTIN ENERGY BASED UPON THE REACTION WE'RE IN. 
          YES. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, I HADN'T FORGOTTEN YOU. 
          I'M GONNA GET THERE. 
          UM, I THINK THAT'S A PROBABLY A GOOD WAY TO PROCEED. 
          I JUST DO WANNA SUGGEST THAT IF WE HAVE DIRECTION THAT'S PROVIDING, UM, THINGS IN MORE LAYMAN'S TERMS, THEN SOMETIMES THE LANGUAGE IS IN THE GEN PLAN. 
          IT CAN BE HELPFUL TO HAVE WITH THE AMENDMENT THAT'S DOING IT AND THE DIRECTION IN SOME OF THOSE CASES. 
          AND I THINK IN SOME OF THE INSTANCES, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE DO WITH SOME OF THE ONES THAT WE WORKED ON WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, THERE IS STILL VALUE IN HAVING THE DIRECTION, EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE COURT. 
          WELL, CERTAINLY I'M NOT TRYING, AND THAT DOESN'T, I DON'T THINK THAT AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT IN CONTRADICTION, YEAH, I THINK THAT THAT CAN STILL, UM, STILL WORK. 
          I WAS ASSUMING THAT WOULD BE HOW WE WOULD DO IT. 
          IT, IT, IT, IT, UM, I'M CERTAINLY NOT PRECLUDING ANYTHING. 
          WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO MAKE THIS CLEARER AND, AND IS, IS THE, IS THE WAY WE OUGHT TO DO IT. 
          BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT THERE IS A CONTRADICTION. 
          AND SO THIS WILL ALLOW US THAT OPPORTUNITY IF, AND, AND, AND PLEASE, UH, I'M, I'M OPEN TO AS WE DO THIS AND, AND PUT IT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, IF YOU THINK THAT SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER AL ALTER JUST SAID OCCURS. 
          IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE DIRECTION THAT CLARIFIES SOME OTHER AMENDMENT, LET ME KNOW THAT. 
          AND WHAT WE'LL DO, I'LL, I'LL WORK TO MAKE SURE WE TAKE THOSE UP IN THAT ORDER INSTEAD OF JUST GOING COUNCIL MEMBER TO COUNCIL MEMBER IF, IF THERE'S A WAY TO DO THAT SO THAT WE, WE ACTUALLY DO TIE THOSE TOGETHER. 
          THAT, THAT'S, UH, I, I'M, I THINK THAT'S SMART AND I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. 
          CAST MEMBER VELASQUEZ, I APOLOGIZE FOR, UM, DELAYING YOU. 
          PLEASE, PLEASE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. 
          UH, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          UH, MR. MAYOR. 
          YEAH, THANK YOU. 
          I MEAN, UH, AND, AND NO WORRIES. 
          IT IS JUST THAT I'M, I, I HATE SEEING MY ALREADY BULBOUS HEAD 10 TIMES LARGER ON THAT SCREEN BEHIND YOU, AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE CHAMBERS DOES ALSO. 
          UM, I WANT TO THANK, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY, OUR COMMUNITY, AND ALL MY COLLEAGUES, UH, FOR ALL THEIR WORK THEY'VE THEY'VE DONE TO GET US HERE. 
          I ALSO WANTED TO APOLOGIZE TO MY COLLEAGUES AND PEOPLE IN THE CHAMBERS. 
          UH, I'M NOT SURE IF EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THIS THING CALLED CEDAR , BUT IT IS ROYALLY BEATING MY BUTT TODAY. 
          UM, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T GET ALLERGIES UNTIL I WAS ALREADY 35 WHEN I, AND BEFORE THAT I USED TO MAKE JOKES ABOUT PEOPLE THEY WOULD HAVE TO STAY HOME, UH, WITH ALLERGIES. 
          AND NOW I'M, I'M, I'M SAYING THAT KARMA IS, UH, IS CATCHING UP WITH ME. 
          UM, I KNOW THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WERE ASKING FOR PRAISE ON THEIR AMENDMENTS, MR. MAYOR, I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT, THAT I WON'T BE DOING THAT. 
          BUT I DO WANNA APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING IN CHAMBERS TO HEAR THE STANDING OVATION OR BE ABLE TO SEE THE STANDING OVATION AFTER I PRESENT. 
          FINE. 
          UM, SO, UH, VE ALASKA'S MOTION ONE, UH, THIS AMENDMENT LOOKS TO INCREASE WASTE FOR RENTERS TO PARTICIPATE IN CLEAN ENERGY. 
          IT'S ASKING AUSTIN ENERGY TO INCREASE CAPACITY FOR, UH, COMMUNITY SOLAR SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE FOCUSED ON MAXIMIZING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF AUSTIN'S RESIDENTS, UH, REGARDLESS OF THEIR HOME OWNERSHIP STATUS, TO HAVE THE OPTION TO PROVIDE CLEAN ENERGY FOR THEIR FAMILIES. 
          [02:55:01]
UH, MOTION TWO. 
          THIS AMENDMENT DIRECTS AUSTIN ENERGY TO PUT OUT AN RFP FOR ANY AND ALL RESOURCES THAT COULD MEET OUR ENERGY NEEDS BEFORE INVESTING IN THOSE NEW GAS PEAKERS. 
          ALSO, ONE, ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ADD BEFORE I, UH, I HOP OFF HERE IS THAT I HEARD, UH, COUNCILMAN ALTER APOLOGIZE TO EVERYBODY FOR BEING A PAIN. 
          I'M SORRY I WASN'T THERE FOR THAT. 
          ALSO, , UM, LET, LET ME TURN TO OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND ASK IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMENT WITH REGARD TO COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ. 
          UH, PROPOSALS ONE AND TWO, COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ, CERTAINLY AN INTENT. 
          NO CONCERNS AT ALL. 
          WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A VERY HIGH RENTERS POP POPULATION IN YOUR AREA, AND AS DO MANY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, WE MIGHT HAVE SOME LANGUAGE THAT WE COULD OFFER YOU TO MAKE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS EXPAND THE COMMUNITY SOLAR PROGRAM. 
          UM, AND, AND SO I, I TRIED TO REACH OUT TO YOU YESTERDAY. 
          I THINK MAYBE THE CEDAR HAD GOTTEN THE BEST OF YOU, SO, UM, MAYBE I COULD OFFER THAT TO YOU. 
          YOU COULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT, SEE IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'D LIKE, OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO KEEP THIS LANGUAGE AS IS, WE'RE GOOD EITHER WAY. 
          AND THEN THAT'S ON AMENDMENT ONE, SIR. 
          MOTION. 
          OH, YEAH. 
          UH, UH, PLEASE SEND IT ON TO, TO, TO ME AND MY, MY STAFF. 
          WE'LL, WE'LL BE, WE'LL HAPPILY DO SO. 
          UM, BUT AGAIN, THE INTENT, WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AND ARE IN GREAT SUPPORTIVE. 
          AND FOR YOUR SECOND ONE, THE ALL, UH, THE ALL RESOURCE, UH, SOLICITATION WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          AND, AND I, APO AND I, I WANT TO THANK YOU. 
          I KNOW RYAN WAS TRYING TO, BUT, UH, BUT I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR NOT STEALING MY THUNDER. 
          THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN CHAMBERS. 
          PEOPLE ARE JUST TRYING TO TAKE AWAY FROM ME. 
          MR. MAYOR, YOU HAVE . 
          WE, WE, WE NOT, NOT IN THIS CASE. 
          NOT IN THIS CASE. 
          . 
          THANK Y'ALL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON. 
          I THINK I RAISED MY HAND BEFORE WE WENT ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ. 
          UH, AND, UH, WHEN I DID RAISE MY HAND, IT WAS TO ADDRESS WHAT IT WAS YOU ALREADY ADDRESSED, WHICH WAS CAN WE SEPARATE THESE POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS? AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, RYAN ALTER, UM, ALSO, UH, ADDRESSED, UH, A CONSIDERATION, WHICH WAS THAT WE DON'T HAVE DUPLICATIVE, UM, AMENDMENTS. 
          SO, GOT IT. 
          I'VE BEEN, MINE HAD BEEN RESOLVED. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, THIS IS A COMMENT FOR COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, FOR THE RECORD. 
          HIS, HIS BALD HEAD LOOKS BEAUTIFUL. 
          . 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UM, MEMBERS, I THINK, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES THIS, UH, ITEM ON THE WORK SESSION. 
          IT'S BEEN A VERY PRODUCTIVE WORK SESSION. 
          LET ME END IT BY SAYING SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID BY A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT I THINK IS, UH, UNANIMOUS. 
          AND THAT IS, WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE, UH, THE WORK THAT, UH, THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF HAS PUT INTO THIS. 
          AND WHEN I AND I, I'VE USED THE WORD PROFESSIONAL PURPOSEFULLY, UH, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN REAL PROS. 
          UH, WE'RE NOT THERE YET, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THAT'S HOW THIS PROCESS IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. 
          BUT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE. 
          SO THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH. 
          AND I WILL ALSO SAY THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN HERE. 
          NOT JUST TO COMMENT, BUT ALSO WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE PUBLIC PROCESS. 
          THIS HAS BEEN A VERY ROBUST PUBLIC PROCESS, UH, BECAUSE AS WAS POINTED OUT EARLIER, UH, WE STOPPED THIS PROCESS PRETTY MUCH AT ONE POINT AND SAID, LET'S GO BACK TO THE, LET'S GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND THE TABLE. 
          AND THAT HAS RESULTED IN A VERY, UH, APPROPRIATELY, AND I'M GONNA USE THE WORD AGGRESSIVE, APPROPRIATELY AGGRESSIVE PUBLIC PROCESS, THAT'S GOTTEN US A LOT OF DIFFERENCE. 
          AND, AND, UM, AND THEN MY FINAL THING TO SAY IS, THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM WHO SERVES AS, UH, CHAIR FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER OF THE, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, UTILITY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AND HAS DONE, UH, POWERFUL WORK IN THAT ROLE. 
          SO, UH, THANK YOU TO HER. 
          WITH THAT, WE WILL GO TO THE NEXT ITEM. 
          ITEM 83 WAS PULLED FROM THE AGENDA, BUT I WANT TO VERIFY THAT THERE WAS NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 83. 
          MAYOR, THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS. 
          AND WHILE WE'RE ON THAT ITEM, THE ITEM RELATED TO THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN BRIEFING THAT HAS BEEN PULLED, BUT I ALSO WANNA VERIFY THAT THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON THAT ITEM. 
          THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WITH THAT BEING SAID, 
          [B2. The City’s Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Code and the proposed 2024 WUI Code and related local amendments]
WE WILL GO TO THE WWE BRIEFING AND MANAGER. 
          I'M GONNA TURN TO YOU AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY AS PART OF AN OPENING. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UH, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, COUNSEL, ALLOWING US TO UPDATE YOU ON THE WWE, UH, ITEM. 
          UH, THE PERSON THAT WILL BE PROVIDING, UH, THE BRIEF PRESENTATION, UH, WILL BE ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF, UH, UH, REZA, UH, AND WILL PROVIDE AN INTRODUCTORY CONTEXT TO THE WWE MATTER, AND THEN ALLOW COUNSEL, OBVIOUSLY, TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MAY HAVE TO GIVE US ANY GUIDANCE. 
          GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MR. MANAGER, CHIEF, WELCOME AND THANK YOU AND, AND, 
          [03:00:01]
AND OTHERS THAT ARE IN THE ROOM FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE WORKED THROUGH A VERY IMPORTANT PROCESS, UH, AND, AND ITEM FOR THE COUNCIL. 
          BUT THIS IS TO, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE. 
          YES, SIR. 
          UH, GOOD MORNING. 
          UH, CITY MANAGER, MAYOR, MAYOR, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, LET ME INTERRUPT YOU. 
          HEY FOLKS, FOLKS, PLEASE TAKE CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, CHIEF. 
          THANKS. 
          SURE THING. 
          UH, GOOD MORNING. 
          I'M ASSISTANT CHIEF ANDRE DREA WITH AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT. 
          UH, I'D LIKE TO SAY GOOD MORNING TO CITY MANAGER MAYOR, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, WHO'S NOT WITH US AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AT ALL. 
          UH, WE'RE GONNA TALK, UH, HAVE A BRIEF, UH, THIS MORNING BY OUR MANAGING ENGINEER BEN FLICK. 
          HE'S GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE CURRENT STATUS, UH, AND SPECIFICALLY TO THE WWE, THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE CODE, PART OF OUR, OUR CODE ADOPTION PROCESS. 
          WE HAVE MYSELF, FIRE CHIEF JOEL G BAKER, OUR FIRE MARSHAL, OUR, UH, THE P PRESENTER BEN FLICK, AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIVISION. 
          TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AFTER THE PRESENTATION YOU HAVE, GO THAT. 
          WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'LL GO TO OUR ENGINEER BEN AFTERNOON. 
          UH OH. 
          UH, THANK YOU. 
          MY NAME'S BEN FLICK. 
          UH, WITH THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE. 
          SO, THE PURPOSE OF TODAY IS TO PROVIDE A BRIEFING ON THE CITY'S WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE CODE AND THE PROPOSED 2024 RELATED AMENDMENTS. 
          UH, THE GOAL IS TO CLARIFY PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED LOCAL AMENDMENTS. 
          THANK YOU, UH, WITH CHANGING TECHNOLOGY AND THE PUBLISH CODE. 
          ALSO, WE ARE ADJUSTING REQUIREMENTS BASED ON THE CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES OF THE INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WWE. 
          UH, REASONS FOR THE AMENDMENT ARE TO SUPPORT OPERATING PROCEDURES OF OUR WILDFIRE OPERATIONS, UH, TO FORMALIZE WWE PROXIMITY ZONES, TO CLARIFY STRUCTURE HARDENING REQUIREMENTS AND ALIGN REQUIREMENTS WITH THE CURRENT WORLD. 
          WILDFIRE RESEARCH, AND ALSO CLARIFICATION PURPOSES AND FORMALIZATION OF THE 2015 WWE INTERPRETATIONS. 
          SOME OF THE CLARIFICATIONS, UH, WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD IN THE 2024 ARE TO FORMALIZE ALLOWANCES AND INTERPRETATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING UNDER THE 2015. 
          ALSO, INCREASED USE OF THE FIRE PROTECTION CRITERIA MANUAL. 
          UH, WE ARE ADDING REFERENCE ALIGNMENTS TO THE FIRE CODE. 
          UH, WE HAVE, UH, BETTER CLARIFIED WHAT AN EXTREME HAZARD CONDITION IS. 
          UH, ALSO PART OF THIS, WE REVISED THE FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY FORM, AND THAT IS GONNA BE REQUIRED FOR DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE HOMES OPTIONS FOR MOBILITY AND EQUITY INITIATIVES. 
          AND ALSO WHERE SINGLE FIRE APPARATUS, EXCESS ROAD SERVES MORE THAN 30 DWELLING UNITS. 
          WE'VE DEFINED THE DEFINITION OF A WILDLAND. 
          UH, WE HAVE DEFINED OR CLARIFIED, UH, COMPLIANCE WITH ROOF FIRE RATINGS. 
          UH, NO WOOD OR GREEN ROOF COVERINGS WILL BE ALLOWED. 
          UH, WE'VE ALSO CLARIFIED RAISED DECK SYSTEMS THAT WILL, IN THE WWE COMPLY WITH THE IBC, UH, EXTERIOR CEILINGS WILL BE TREATED THE SAME AS SOFFITS. 
          AND THEN ARTIFICIAL TURF REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED. 
          UH, SOME OF THE CHANGES WE'RE PUTTING FORTH WILL BE, WE HAVE UNOFFICIAL PROXIMITY CLASSES. 
          UH, WE ARE DEFINED IN RENAMING THOSE AS PROXIMITY ZONES, A, B, AND C, UH, WITHIN THERE. 
          ZONE A AND B IS MODIFIED PROTECTION OF ACCESSORY STRUCTURES. 
          ZONE B IS ENHANCED PROTECTION OF WALLS, ZONE C, ENHANCED EVE AND CEILING PROTECTION. 
          AND THEN ZONE C REDUCES ROOFING UNDER FLOOR ENCLOSURE AND SLOPE REQUIREMENTS. 
          WE ARE INTRODUCING A NEW EMBER IGNITION ZONE. 
          UH, THERE'S GONNA BE EXPIRATION OF LENIENCY UNDER THE 2015 CODE, UH, REDUCING THE FULL ROOF REPLACEMENT REQUIREMENT. 
          WE'RE REDUCING BOAT DOCK REQUIREMENTS, AND WE'RE MAKING CHANGES TO DRIVEWAYS, BOTH IN DEFINITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS. 
          UH, DRIVEWAYS IN TERMS OF THE WWE CODE WILL BE REQUIRED FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE 150 FEET OR GREATER FROM A FIRE APPARATUS ACCESS ROAD. 
          UH, RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS GREATER THAN 200 FROM A FIRE APP APPARATUS. 
          ACCESS ROAD WILL REQUIRE A NEW FIRE LANE OR MAY PROVIDE THE DRIVEWAY. 
          WITH THE INCLUSION OF AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS, UH, DRIVEWAYS CAN SERVE UP TO THREE BUILDINGS AND THREE DWELLING UNITS MAX. 
          OTHERWISE, THE FIRE LANE WOULD BE REQUIRED. 
          SO FOR THE 2024, WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD THE, THE MAP. 
          UH, SO ZONE A'S AND B IS REMAINING DEFINED AS IS UNDER THEIR 2015. 
          UH, AND THAT IS ZONE A'S WITHIN A HUNDRED, UH, 50 FEET OF 40 PLUS OR MORE ACRES OF WILD LAND. 
          UH, ZONE B IS WITHIN 150 FEET OF 40 PLUS ACRES. 
          ZONE C IS REMAINING AT ONE AND A HALF MILES OF 750 PLUS ACRES. 
          BUT WE'VE ALSO 
          [03:05:01]
ADDED A NEW OVERLAY THAT WILL BE WITHIN A HALF MILE OF 40 PLUS ACRES. 
          UH, SO WHEN LOOKING AT THE MAP, THE DARK GREEN REPRESENTS THE ACTUAL WILDLAND AS DEFINED BY, UH, WHAT WE PULL OUR INFORMATION FROM IS TEXAS A AND M FORESTRY COUNCIL. 
          SO THE DARK BLUE IS KIND OF HARD TO SEE HERE, BUT THAT'S GONNA BE ZONE A AND B. 
          AND THEN THE WHITE BLUE IS ZONE C. 
          SO UNDER THE CURRENT MAP THERE, THE LAND'S NOT SHOWN, BUT THERE IS A GAP ALSO TO SAY THAT AT 151 FEET FROM A ZONE A OR B, WE'RE NO LONGER CONCERNED WITH EMBERS, WHICH ISN'T ACCURATE. 
          SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE HALF MILE TO, TO COVER THAT RISK. 
          UH, ON THE LEFT IS THE AUSTIN WII CODE, CURRENT WILDFIRE RISK FROM AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY. 
          THE, THE BEIGE IN THE CENTER IS, IS LISTED AS A MODERATE RISK, AND THEN AS WE MOVE OUT TO THE EAST AND WEST, NORTH AND SOUTH, THE RISK INCREASES. 
          SO, UH, THIS REPRESENTS THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS AT SOME SORT OF ELEVATED RISK FOR WILD LAND. 
          ON THE RIGHT IS THE OVERLAY OF OUR PROPOSED MAP WITH THIS MAP TO SHOW HOW WE'RE WE'RE BEST ADDRESSING THAT RISK. 
          UH, SO SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON, UM, SO JUST AT THE TOP, UH, INFORMATION WE PULLED IN AUSTIN, FULL AND LIMITED PURPOSE, WE ARE LOOKING AT 232,000 PARCELS, UH, COVERING 213,000 ACRES. 
          SO UNDER THE 2015 MAP, THE WWE AREA, THE, THE WWE ITSELF IS 79,000 PARCELS AND 80,000 ACRES WITH A 34 AND 38% RESPECTIVE PERCENTAGE OF THE CITY, UH, PROXIMITY ZONE A AND B SHOWN AS 23,761,000 ACRES. 
          THAT REMAINS THE SAME AS I INDICATED EARLIER, UNDER THE THE 2024 MAP. 
          SO THERE IS AN INCREASE TO 139,000 PARCELS AND 98,000 ACRES. 
          AND THAT IS REPRESENTED BECAUSE UNDER THE 2015 MAP, THE WOOWEE LAND'S NOT IN INCLUDED IN THAT. 
          SO ONCE WE WORK THAT IN AND THEN SAY THAT THAT'S PART OF A AND B, THAT'S THE, UH, ACCOUNTS FOR THE INCREASE FOR THAT. 
          UH, PROXIMITY ZONE C CURRENTLY IS 50,000 PARCELS AT 24% OF THE CITY, UH, BECAUSE OF THE OVERLAY. 
          AND SOME CHANGE IN ON HOW WE ARE, ARE DOING A BUFFER ZONE MAPPING, INSTEAD OF PARCEL COUNTING MAPPING, THE ZONE C DOES INCREASE TO 118,000 PARCELS OR 82,000 ACRES, WHICH IS GONNA BE APPROXIMATELY 51% OF THE CITY. 
          UH, AS NOTED, WE ADDED AN EMBER EXIS EMBER IGNITION ZONE, UH, TO THE, THE CODE REQUIREMENTS. 
          SO RESEARCH FROM THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION AND INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR BUSINESSES AND HOME SAFETY SHOW THAT THE, THE FIVE FEET AROUND THE STRUCTURE HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT. 
          A NON-COMBUSTIBLE ZONE CAN PROTECT A BUILDING FROM IGNITION DUE TO DIRECT FLAME, RADIANT HEAT, WIND BLOWN EMBERS COLLECTING AT THE BASE OF AN EXTERIOR WALL STRUCTURE. 
          SO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE EIZ ARE THAT THE FIVE FEET, UH, AROUND THE BUILDING WILL BE NON-COMBUSTIBLE AND IT SURROUNDS ALL THE STRUCTURES AND APPENDAGES. 
          THE EIZ WILL BE GR UH, GRAVEL, PAVERS OR OTHER NON-COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS MAINTAINED FREE OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS AT ALL TIMES. 
          ARTIFICIAL TURF MAY NOT BE USED IN EIZ, AND IF IT'S USED WITHIN A DEFENSIBLE SPACE AREA, IT MUST HAVE A CLASS A RATING PER THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TESTING MATERIALS. 
          SOME OF THE EXCEPTIONS THAT WE'VE WORKED IN ARE THAT PROTECTED AND HERITAGE TREES ARE ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN ALL EXISTING CONDITIONS. 
          UH, NEW CONSTRUCTION SHOULD AIM TO MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE DISTANCE FROM CHEST TREES. 
          UH, PROTECTIVE MULCH FOR THE CRITICAL ROOT ZONE IS ALLOWED DURING CONSTRUCTION AND SHALL BE REMOVED AT THE COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION FOR STRUCTURES OF FIRE RESISTANT AND THE HARDENED CONSTRUCTION, WHICH WE COMMONLY SEE IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS. 
          UH, THE EIZ WOULD ONLY BE REQUIRED 10 FEET TO EACH SIDE OF THE REQUIRED EGRESS POINTS FROM THE STRUCTURE. 
          AND THEN WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED THAT IN PROXIMITY ZONE C. 
          UH, THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE GREEN, MOIST, CLOSELY MOWED GRASS, UH, OR DORMANT GRASS WILL BE OVERSEDATED TO THE PERENNIAL RYE. 
          SO, JUST AS A SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON OF THE PROXIMITY ZONES AND THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, JUST KIND OF GOING DOWN THE LIST. 
          SO FOR, UH, ROOF AND ACCESSORIES FOR PROXIMITY ZONE A AND B, THEY'VE PRETTY MUCH STAYED THE SAME. 
          WE HAVE RE REDUCED THE ROOF AND ACCESSORY REQUIREMENTS. 
          IN ZONE C SKYLIGHTS, UH, REMAIN CONSISTENT. 
          UH, PROTECTION OF EAVES HAVE BEEN REDUCED IN ZONE B AND ALSO EAVES, AND THEN RAFTER TAILS REDUCED FURTHER IN ZONE C. 
          UH, WE'VE REDUCED THE 
          [03:10:01]
REQUIREMENTS FOR APPENDAGES AND STRUCTURES FROM WHAT PROXIMITY ZONE A REQUIRES IN BOTH B AND C. 
          UH, VENTILATION REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN REDUCED FROM WHAT A WOULD REQUIRE. 
          UH, WE DID REDUCE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR BOAT DOCKS IN PROXIMITY TO A A AND THAT CARRIES THROUGH, AND THE EXTERIOR WALL FLASHING HAS BEEN REDUCED. 
          UH, PROPOSED ADOPTION. 
          UH, WE AIM TO DO A FINAL PRESENTATION OF THE BUILDING AND FIRE BOARD OF APPEALS IN JANUARY OF 2025. 
          UH, FROM THERE, THE ADOPTION OF THE 2024 WWE AND THE AMENDMENTS WOULD FOLLOW THE ADOPTION TIMELINE OF THE OTHER TECHNICAL CODES. 
          AT THIS TIME, WE ARE ESTIMATING BRINGING THE OTHER TECHNICAL CODES BEFORE YOU ALL IN MARCH OF 2025 WITH AN IMPLE IMPLEMENTATION TIMEFRAME OF JUNE, 2025. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE PREPARED. 
          YOU WANNA ADD TO ANYTHING? YES, PLEASE. 
          THANK YOU, BEN. 
          I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT, UM, BECAUSE OF Y'ALL'S LEADERSHIP AND OUR PARTNERS IN DSD, WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP AND ADOPT THE 2015 WILD, THE FIRST LARGE MUNICIPALITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO DO THAT, TO ADDRESS THE WILDFIRE RISK THAT WE FOUND WE HAD IN AUSTIN AFTER THE 2011 SEASON. 
          THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE WORKED HARD. 
          WE HAVE MANAGED AND MITIGATED SOME OF THE RISK, BUT JUST AS WE ADOPT NEW TECHNICAL CODES EACH CYCLE, WE HAVE TO KEEP ON WORKING TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT THE INCREASING POPULATION HERE. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADOPT AND WORK WITH THIS. 
          WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COLLABORATION WITH THIS, WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS OF THE, NOT ONLY IN THE CITY MUNICIPALITY, BUT ALSO WITH THE, UH, THE CIVILIANS AND RESIDENTS IN THE NATION, IN THE, IN THE NATION AND LOCALLY. 
          SO THAT'S THE GOAL BEHIND THAT. 
          WE WANT TO GIVE YOU THE SHARE THE STATUS OF THAT. 
          AND WE'RE READY FOR ANY QUESTIONS. 
          UH, THANK YOU. 
          UM, BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU JUST, UH, SUMMARIZED THAT I, I DOES RAISE A QUESTION FOR ME. 
          IS THIS A NATIONAL CODE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING? YES. 
          IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE CODE THAT WE'RE ADOPTING 24. 
          ARE WE, ARE WE ADOPTING IT IN THE SAME WAY AS THE, AS AS THE NATIONAL CODE? YEAH. 
          WE ARE ADOPTING THE, WE ARE PROPOSING TO ADOPT THE 2024, WHICH IS PUT OUT BY THE ICC, BUT THEN WE HAVE OUR LOCAL AMENDMENTS, WHICH ARE, ARE GONNA BE MORE NUANCED FOR WHAT WE SEE AS THE RISK IN OUR AREA. 
          ARE THERE OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS, OR CAN YOU POINT TO OTHER CITIES OUTSIDE OF TEXAS THAT HAVE ADOPTED THE NATIONAL CODE? I BELIEVE CALIFORNIA HAS VERY LOOSELY, BUT THEY PRETTY MUCH DO THEIR OWN THING. 
          UM, I BELIEVE THERE ARE CITIES IN COLORADO YEP. 
          AND, AND SOME, I THINK POTENTIALLY IN OREGON THAT HAVE ADOPTED THE WWE CODE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          QUESTIONS. 
          COUNCIL MEMBERS? COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER. 
          OH, THANK YOU. 
          UM, I HAVE A QUESTION AND THEN, UM, SOME I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU TO CLARIFY, UM, WHEN, NO, I WANTED TO ASK IF YOU COULD, UH, PLEASE CLARIFY, UM, WHEN SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE TO APPLY THE WEI CODE TO A PROJECT. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IF, IF AN APPLICANT OR SOMEBODY CAME IN FOR DEVELOPMENT OR PROJECT THAT WAS WITHIN THE OVERLAY, UM, OF THE MAP, THEN THEY WOULD'VE TO COMPLY WITH THE, THE WOO REQUIREMENTS. 
          UH, THAT'S PRIMARILY GONNA BE FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION. 
          UM, MAJOR RENOVATIONS, EXTERIOR ADDITIONS, UM, AND THINGS OF THE LIGHT. 
          THERE ARE SOME, SOME SITUATIONS WHERE, ALTHOUGH THE PROJECT WOULD BE IN THE WWE, SUCH AS AN INTERIOR RENOVATION, IF THERE'S NO EXTERIOR WORK, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO COMPLY TO. 
          BUT BY AND LARGE, IF THERE'S ANY WORK THAT IS GOING ON OUTSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE, THEN THEY WOULD'VE TO COMPLY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO IT APPLIES TO NEW BUILDINGS AND MAJOR RENOVATIONS. 
          IF YOU ARE AN EXISTING BUILDING DOESN'T APPLY TO YOU, YOU CAN LOOK TO IT FOR GUIDANCE, BUT YOU DON'T, DOESN'T APPLY TO YOU. 
          CORRECT. 
          GREAT, THANK YOU. 
          UM, SO I, I WANTED TO, UM, I MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I, I WANTED TO JUST MAKE SOME COMMENTS. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF IN MY WORK ON COUNCIL OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS IS THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE, UM, TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, AND PARTICULARLY WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT ALSO WITH DSD, UM, AND MANY OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON OUR WILDFIRE PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS. 
          UM, THE WWE CODE AMENDMENTS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY ARE PART OF THAT WORK. 
          UM, AND IRONICALLY, WE ADOPTED THE FIRST WEEK CODE, UM, IN 2020 AT THE SAME MEETING THAT WE ADOPTED THE GEN PLAN 2020. 
          AND I WISH THAT THIS THURSDAY WE WERE ALSO ADOPTING THESE AMENDMENTS. 
          UM, BUT MUCH TO MY CHAGRIN, AND THIS IS NOT GONNA GET FULLY RESOLVED WHILE 
          [03:15:01]
I'M STILL ON COUNCIL, SO I'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT TO YOU ALL TO, TO MOVE IT FORWARD. 
          UM, BUT I WANNA, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THIS CODE. 
          UM, WHEN WE ADOPTED THE 2020, WE GAVE DIRECTION TO DO THESE PIECES THAT WE'RE DOING NOW. 
          UH, WHEN WE ADOPTED THE WE CODE IN 2020, WE WANTED TO, UM, TAKE SOME INITIAL STEPS, AND WE WERE, WE WERE VERY MINDFUL OF, UM, YOU KNOW, DOING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME. 
          AND SO WE DIDN'T DO EVERYTHING THAT WAS ALREADY IN THE CODE IN 2020. 
          UM, RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, WE WANTED TO TEST IT AND MAKE SURE IT WORKED. 
          UM, WE HAVE OVER 8,000 MAYBE HIGHER NUMBERS OF STRUCTURES THAT HAVE BEEN PERMITTED UNDER THE WWE CODE. 
          WE ARE MUCH SAFER FOR IT. 
          UM, A LOT HAS GONE INTO FIGURING THIS OUT, UM, INCLUDING AN EXTENSIVE PAUSE TO BRING OUR NEW CITY MANAGER UP TO SPEED. 
          UM, AND SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THIS ADOPTION, UM, IN THE, IN THE NEW YEAR. 
          UM, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PROTECTING THE WHOLE CITY. 
          AND AND I HOPE THAT WHEN YOU COME BACK TO BRING THIS, UM, IN THE SPRING, YOU'LL ALSO SHARE SOME BACKUP OF PICTURES OF THE IMAGES THAT WE HAVE OF, UM, THE CITIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED WILDFIRE, UM, AND WHERE THEY HAD AREAS THAT HAD A WEE CODE IN PLACE, HAD THE HARDENING IN PLACE VERSUS THE AREAS THAT DIDN'T, UM, THIS STUFF WORKS. 
          THERE'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS RESEARCH BEFORE WE ADOPTED IT IN 2020, UH, BUT THERE'S BEEN RESEARCH AND, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'VE BEEN MANY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED WILDFIRE SINCE WHERE WE'VE SEEN, UM, THE IMPACT AND THE IMPACTS ARE DRAMATIC. 
          UM, THE REALITY IS THAT WE HAVE A, A WWE AREA, A WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE AREA THAT CIRCLES THE CITY. 
          IT'S NOT JUST A WEST AUSTIN ISSUE, IT'S NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST. 
          UM, AND IT MATTERS HOW YOU BUILD THE HOMES. 
          AND WE HAVE FOUND WAYS WITH OUR CODE TO BUILD IT EFFICIENTLY AND ECONOMICALLY AND STILL MAKE PEOPLE SAFER. 
          UM, WE ALSO, I WILL REMIND YOU, MADE A COMMITMENT WHEN THE COUNCIL ADOPTED HOME TWO, TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AND ADDRESS PUBLIC SAFETY. 
          IN THE INTERIM, BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THIS IS ADOPTED IN THE SPRING, UM, WE ARE LEAVING PEOPLE OPEN TO RISKS THAT I FIND VERY CHALLENGING. 
          AND I'M VERY, UM, YOU KNOW, DISAPPOINTED THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. 
          UM, BUT I WANNA JUST UNDERSCORE FOR YOU THAT A COMMITMENT WAS MADE. 
          UM, AND IN ORDER TO FULFILL THAT COMMITMENT, THESE NEED TO BE ADOPTED IN THE SPRING. 
          UM, THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO PARTS TO THIS UPDATE. 
          ONE PART IS THE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE, UM, PART THAT WE NEED TO MORE FULLY IMPLEMENT THE WWE CODE, WHICH WE ALWAYS KNEW WE NEEDED TO DO, UM, IN 2020. 
          AND AT THAT TIME, WE ACTUALLY PROVIDED DIRECTION TO, TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT. 
          AND THAT'S SORT OF THE EMBER ZONE AREA. 
          AND, AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER PIECES, UM, THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THERE THAT ARE JUST LIKE THE PIECES WE DIDN'T ADOPT BEFORE. 
          AND THEN THERE'S THE REFINEMENTS THAT COME WITH THE RESEARCH. 
          UM, BUT THEN THERE'S THE PART THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO, UM, COUNTERBALANCE AND TO PROTECT PEOPLE AS WE IDENTIFY THE COMMUNITY. 
          AND THAT ALLOWS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS TO DESIGNATE WHEN WE HAVE AN EXTREME FIRE HAZARD. 
          UM, SO WHEN YOU'RE ADDING TOO MUCH DENSITY INTO AN AREA WHERE THE RISKS ARE TOO HIGH, THIS WILL ALLOW THERE TO BE A CHECK ON THAT AND TO BE ABLE TO PREVENT FURTHER RISKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY LIVING THERE, OR TO PUT PEOPLE, UM, IN HARM'S WAY. 
          UM, AND SO I THINK ALL OF THAT IS, IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. 
          UM, THIS ULTIMATELY IS GONNA MAKE OUR STRUCTURES MORE RESILIENT. 
          UM, IT'S GONNA KEEP PEOPLE SAFE, AND IN THE LONG RUN, IT'S GONNA BE A COST SAVINGS BECAUSE WE ARE VERY MUCH AT RISK OF PEOPLE LOSING THEIR ABILITY TO ENSURE THEIR HOMES IF WE DON'T, UM, HAVE THESE THINGS SET UP. 
          UM, SO I, I REALLY WANNA UNDERSCORE THE THOUGHT AND THE, AND, UM, THE DETAIL THAT WENT INTO THIS, THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN OUR, UH, FOLKS AND THE FOLKS WHO DO THE INTERNATIONAL CODE. 
          THIS IS AS WAS MENTIONED, I THINK, UM, BY THE MAYOR. 
          THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE BUILDING CODES, THE ELECTRIC CODE, THE ENERGY CODE. 
          WE ARE A CITY THAT IS AT RISK OF WILDFIRE, AND WE HAVE A WEI CODE AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE, UM, TO UPDATE IT. 
          UM, SO I WILL BE LEAVING THIS IN ALL OF YOUR HANDS TO MAKE THIS MOVE THROUGH THE FINISH LINE. 
          UM, IT IS EXTREMELY, UM, IMPORTANT. 
          UM, AND I REALLY, REALLY DO ENCOURAGE YOU IF YOU HAVE NOT SAT DOWN WITH THE WILDFIRE DIVISION AND GONE THROUGH THE RISK IN YOUR DISTRICT, UM, FOR WILDFIRE, OR TO UNDERSTAND THE RISK IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU DO THAT, UH, WHEN YOU DO HAVE THEM, YOU KNOW, WALK THROUGH, UM, SOME OF THE SCIENCE AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN WITH RESPECT TO THIS, UM, WHAT WE HAVE DONE HERE 
          [03:20:01]
IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT BETWEEN, UM, THE WWE CODE, BETWEEN OUR TRAINING OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS IS BEING LOOKED AT NATIONALLY, UM, AND AS A MODEL FOR AN URBAN AREA THAT FACES WILDFIRE. 
          UM, AND SO I WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE THE FIGHT ON THIS AND, UM, FULFILL THE PROMISES THAT WERE MADE TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, WHEN HUB TWO WAS ADOPTED. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL. 
          OKAY. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          UH, JUST WANT TO FIRST AND FOREMOST ACKNOWLEDGE A LOT OF THE WORK THAT I KNOW COUNCILMAN ALLISON AND ALTER HAS PUT INTO THIS. 
          AND JUST LOOKING AT THAT MAP, IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS WHY, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT 10 IS PRETTY SEVERELY IMPACTED, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER AREAS IN THE DISTRICT UNFORTUNATELY REPRESENT. 
          WE HAVE SOME GREAT GREENWOOD SPACES, BUT THAT HAS ALSO LED TO THIS INCREASED RISK. 
          AND THERE'S A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY, UH, WITHIN DISTRICT FIVE THAT DOES GIMME A LOT OF PAUSE AND CONCERN. 
          THERE'S ONE WAY IN ONE WAY OUT, AND THERE'S REALLY NOWHERE TO PUT A SECOND ROAD. 
          AND SO JUST HOW WE BALANCE THESE RISKS, UH, I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A STRONG WORK PRODUCT FOR, UH, THOSE OF US CONTINUING ON TO PICK UP AND, AND MOVE FORWARD. 
          AND IS, UH, I AM COMMITTED TO, TO DOING THAT. 
          I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR EVERY AREA OF, UH, AUSTIN. 
          MAYBE NOT DISTRICT FOUR , UH, LANDLOCKED OVER THERE. 
          BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION IF YOU COULD HELP PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT ON WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING, YOU, YOU CAN'T BUILD HERE, RIGHT? WE'RE SAYING YOU NEED TO DO THIS OR THAT IF YOU WANT TO BUILD, RIGHT. 
          CORRECT. 
          GO. 
          THAT'S CORRECT. 
          YES. 
          UM, WITH VERY RARE INSTANCES, IT IS WRITTEN IN THE CODE. 
          IF IT IS SUCH AN EXTREME HAZARD, IT WOULD BE VERY ADVANTAGEOUS NOT TO, BUT THERE STILL IS A WAY THAT IT COULD BE DONE. 
          AND SO, FOR INSTANCE, I THINK THE EXAMPLE YOU GAVE, RIGHT? SOMEONE MIGHT BE BUILDING, AND WHEREAS NORMALLY THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO BUILD A WOOD DECK OFF THE BACK OF THEIR HOUSE, MAYBE NOW THEY CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE OF THIS CODE. 
          SO THE OPTIONS WOULD BE NOT, OR IT WOULD BE A, A PAVER PATIO OR A, AN EXIST IGNITION RESISTANT MATERIAL. 
          OKAY. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT JUST AS WE HAVE THIS KIND OF GLOBAL CONVERSATION, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, DON'T DO IT. 
          THIS IS HARDENED BETWEEN, AS COUNCILMAN ALLISON ALTER MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T APPLY TO SOMEONE WHO ALREADY EXISTS THERE. 
          AND SO IF SOMEONE IS BUILDING NEXT TO YOU, IT MAKES EVERYBODY SAFER IF THEY HARDEN THEIR HOME, BECAUSE THEN THERE'S LESS STRUCTURE TO STRUCTURE, UH, RISK. 
          AND, AND I THINK BACK TO THE SUMMER OF 2023, WHEN WE SAW THOSE MULTIPLE FIRES ALL AT ONCE, BASTROP AND, YOU KNOW, NORTHWEST AUSTIN, AND IT, IT WAS TERRIFYING TO THINK LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN. 
          YEAH. 
          AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AND WE WON'T DELVE INTO THE, THE MINUTIA TOO MUCH, BUT WHEN YOU START THE PERMITTING PROCESS FOR A NEW CONSTRUCTION OR A SUBSTANTIAL REMODEL, YOU, WE DO HAVE THAT HAZARD SEVERITY FORM THAT BEEN MENTIONED. 
          IT'S ENTERED INTO THE BACKUP THAT STARTS THE CONVERSATIONS ON WHAT THE RISK IS AND HOW THE PERSON WHO'S DOING THE PROJECT CAN MITIGATE THAT. 
          A BRIEF EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THIS PAST SUMMER WE HAD, UH, IN THE EAST SIDE WHERE ISN'T GENERALLY CONSIDERED ONE OF OUR PEOPLE DON'T THINK OF IT AS THE WEST COAST FIRE, BUT IT IS A HIGH RISK AREA BECAUSE OF FAST MOVING FIRES. 
          WE HAD A FIRE THAT STARTED IN THE FIELD THAT WENT UP TO A, TO A FENCE LINE THAT RAPIDLY STARTED GAUGING THE FENCE THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE NEIGHBOR'S FENCES. 
          THAT SEVERITY FORM AND THESE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS WOULD HELP PUT IN STOPS OF THAT. 
          SO THAT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY LINE SERVE AS A WICK TOWARDS THE HOUSE. 
          YOU LOSE FENCE, BUT YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR HOME. 
          RIGHT. 
          VERY GOOD. 
          WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON IT IN NEXT YEAR AND ULTIMATELY BRINGING IT BACK TO COUNCIL. 
          YES, SIR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY. 
          YES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY. 
          IT'S ALWAYS A DELIGHT SEEING YOU ALL HERE IN CHAMBERS. 
          I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER DID BEFORE I STARTED ON COUNCIL, BUT THEN ALSO AS WE WORK TOGETHER ON THIS, UM, SHE'S REALLY HELPED BRING A LOT OF THIS TO THE FOREFRONT OF THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT CONSIDERING THE, THE FIRES THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE AREA AROUND AUSTIN. 
          WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING NEARLY AS BAD AS BASTROP WHEN THE FIRE WAS MOVING AT A FOOTBALL FIELD A MINUTE, , THAT IS WOOD. 
          UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AT THE SAME TIME WE HAD THE STEINER RANCH FIRE, THE MOONGLOW FIRE AND LEANDER. 
          UM, IT'S NOT REALLY A MATTER OF IF, BUT WHEN, AND I SEE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR MITIGATION STRATEGY TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS FURTHER HARDENED AND PROTECTED AGAINST THE, THE RISK OF WILDFIRE. 
          UM, MAYOR, YOU HAD ASKED EARLIER ABOUT THE OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE ADOPTED THE WOODY CODE, THE STATE OF 
          [03:25:01]
CALIFORNIA DID IT. 
          AND IT, UM, BY USING THE STANDARDS IN THE INTERNATIONAL WWE CODE, THEY WERE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE 40% LESS LIKELY OF THEIR BUILDINGS BEING BURNED BECAUSE OF THE STANDARDS THAT WERE IN PLACE. 
          AND I REALLY DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND WHY OTHER COMMUNITIES AREN'T INVESTING IN THIS AND, AND TAKING IT SERIOUSLY BECAUSE COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER IS CORRECT. 
          I'VE ACTUALLY HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS WHO THEIR INSURANCE RATES ON THEIR HOMES ARE EITHER GOING UP OR THEY'RE BEING DENIED ALREADY. 
          AND SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AT OUR LEVEL TO HELP ENSURE THAT, THAT WE ARE MITIGATING THE EFFECTS OF ANOTHER DISASTER THAT WILL HAPPEN HERE EVENTUALLY IS, IS A GOOD THING IN MY EYES. 
          SO THAT SAID, I AM CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EFFORTS THE CITY'S PLANNING TO DO TO, TO REALLY HELP HOMEOWNERS AND BUILDERS UNDERSTAND THE NEW WOOY CODE CHANGES AND HOW TO COMPLY, ESPECIALLY FOR OLDER HOMES THAT, UM, MAY STRUGGLE TO MEET THE UPDATED STANDARDS. 
          I KNOW YOU ALL DO A LOT OF OUTREACH ALREADY, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST HIGHLIGHT WHAT YOUR PLANS ARE FOR ONCE THIS PASSES. 
          SO I'LL ANSWER THAT IN TWOFOLD. 
          I'LL START IT AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO BEN ON FOR THE REST. 
          THE, DURING THE CODE ADOPTION PROCESS FOR ANY OF THE TECHNICAL TECHNICAL CODES, INCLUDING THIS ONE, IS A VERY ROBUST STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT. 
          UH, THE DSD AS WELL AS, UH, FIRE MARSHALS HAVE BEEN PART OF, UH, MEETING WITH THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION ON THEIR MONTHLY MEETING. 
          THEY'VE GONE THERE, THEY'VE, UH, HAD VERY, UH, SERIES OF OVER SEVEN STAKEHOLDER, UH, ENGAGEMENTS WITH THAT, WHERE WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT CONVERSATION GOING FORTH. 
          WE'LL HAVE, UH, PREPS AND, UH, PAGERS ON THAT. 
          WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO FOR THE NEW PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN PART OF THIS YET, BUT GO. 
          SO, UM, WE ARE WORKING ON DOCUMENTATION THAT WE CAN POST ON, ON OUR WEBSITE AND DSDS WEBSITE THAT IS KIND OF LIKE A WALKTHROUGH GUIDE. 
          UH, ONE OF THE, THE BIG THINGS, BECAUSE, BECAUSE WE'VE MADE CHANGES TO THE, THE SEVERITY FORM, WE'VE ACTUALLY RUN SOME TEST PROJECTS INTERNALLY TO KIND OF CROSSCHECK THE CODE. 
          AND WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THAT, AND WE'RE DOCUMENTING THE STEPS AND KIND OF WHAT WE ANTICIPATE SEEING, UH, THAT GUIDE WOULD BE AVAILABLE ON OUR, OUR WEBSITE, DSDS WEBSITE. 
          UM, WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING GOING FORWARD, BOTH ON WEI AND THE FIRE CODE OF JUST CLARIFYING OUR CHECKLIST, OUR GUIDES, WHAT OUR INTERPRETATIONS ARE AND, AND HOW WE, WE WOULD LOOK TO SEE HOW THAT'S REPRESENTED ON, ON THE DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED FOR PERMIT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, COULD YOU PLEASE JUST GIVE US A QUICK HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE FIREWISE PROGRAM AND WHAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES IN ORDER TO HELP COMMUNITIES THAT ARE VOLUNTARILY INTERESTED IN HARDENING THEIR OWN VEGETATION AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN VOLUNTARILY DO THINGS THAT WOULD HELP MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF A WILDFIRE? SURE. 
          THAT'S ONE OF OUR, OUR HOLISTIC FIRE MITIGATION STRATEGIES. 
          ONE, WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT PREEMPTIVELY WITH THE, AND, AND PROACTIVELY WITH THE FIRE CODE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. 
          BUT OUR WILDFIRE DIVISION ALSO, UH, MANAGES PART OF THEIR PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAM IS THE FIREWISE PROGRAMS. WE HAVE THE MOST FIREWISE COMMUNITIES OF ANY MUNICIPALITY IN TEXAS. 
          WE JUST CLOSED ON, UH, HAD A 24TH ONE ENTER INTO THE COMMUNITY. 
          IT IS A PROGRAM WHERE, UH, NEIGHBORING ASSOCIATIONS CAN GET TOGETHER, GET EDUCATED BY OUR WILDFIRE DIVISIONS, GO THROUGH ADDITIONAL, UH, INFORMATION AND BE THEIR OWN STEWARDS, LEARN WHAT THEY CAN DO BEYOND JUST THE CODES, BUT THROUGH, UH, MAINTENANCE AS WELL AS HARDENING EDUCATION. 
          IT GETS TO THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF WHAT YOU DO MONTHS BEFORE WILDFIRE SEASON, WHAT PROJECTS YOU CAN DO, UH, VOLUNTARILY TO HELP BETTER YOUR, YOUR CHANCES AND REDUCE YOUR RISK FACTOR TO WHAT TO BE AWARE OF ONCE WE ENTER INTO WILDFIRE SEASON. 
          TO WHAT SOURCES, HOW TO SIGN UP FOR WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS, HOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE, ARE INVOLVED, AND THEN WHAT TO DO IF THERE'S ACTUALLY A DAY WHERE THERE ARE EVACUATIONS OR THERE IS SMOKE IN THE AIR. 
          IT IS VERY CRITICAL BECAUSE AS WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE LEARNED IN 2011 AND IN SOME OF THE SMALLER FIRES THAT WE'VE HAD, IT IS A VERY RESOURCE INTENSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE IN OUR AREA. 
          OUR WILDFIRE PROFILE IS LOTS AND LOTS OF SMALL FIRES THAT ARE GOING AT THE SAME TIME. 
          SO WE'RE GONNA BE SPREAD THIN. 
          SO HAVING THE COMMUNITY IS PART OF THAT. 
          BEING AWARE OF WHAT THEIR ACTIONS ARE TO HELP MITIGATE LIFE LOSS IS, UH, INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. 
          AND THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE GONE THAT EXTRA MILE FOR WHAT, FOR FIRE, UH, BECOMING A FIREWISE COMMUNITY, KUDOS TO THEM AND INSPIRATIONAL FOR THE REST OF OUR RESIDENTS. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT. 
          UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND I'M SURE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY KNOW A MORE PREPARED COMMUNITY IS A MORE RESILIENT ONE, AND WE WILL BUILD BACK BETTER BECAUSE OF THE ABILITY THAT WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR AND MITIGATE FOR DISASTERS THAT ARE HAPPENING AS I, UM, WILL NOT BE ON THIS DIOCESE NEXT YEAR, AND NEITHER WILL COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER. 
          I'M GOING TO ECHO HER. 
          HOPE THAT OUR COLLEAGUES REALLY TAKE AN INTEREST INTO THIS AND 
          [03:30:01]
ENSURE THAT IT IS FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH AND, UM, THAT ONCE THE HOME INITIATIVE IS IN PROGRESS, THAT, UM, THEY ARE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          SO YOUR NEIGHBOR WILL BE THE NEXT FIREWISE COMMUNITY. 
          WE'LL SEE. 
          THERE WE GO. 
          WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT IT. 
          NOW THAT I HAVE SOME SPARE TIME. 
          THERE YOU GO. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, HARPER MADISON. 
          THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. 
          UM, THIS QUESTION ACTUALLY MIGHT NEED TO BE ANSWERED LATER, BUT SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED TO ME DURING THE COURSE OF THE CONVERSATION IS, UM, SOME DISCUSSIONS WE'VE BEEN HAVING LATELY ABOUT DISTRICT ONE AND ADJACENT CONSIDERATIONS, UM, SORT OF ALL FALLS IN ESD TERRITORY. 
          SO, FOR EXAMPLE, SAMSUNG HAS ITS OWN FIRE SERVICE, BUT TESLA DOES NOT, UM, IN WHICH CASE, UH, HAVE SOME CURIOSITY ABOUT WHAT IMPLICATIONS THERE ARE, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT FIRE SERVICE GETTING SPREAD THIN, UM, DURING WILDFIRE CONSIDERATIONS, WHAT, UM, IMPLICATIONS THERE ARE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THAT SH ONE 30 CORRIDOR AND AROUND THE EVER EXPANDING TESLA CONSIDERATIONS, ET CETERA. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, STEVEN TRUDEL, FIRE MARSHALL. 
          AND TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, UH, I JUST WANNA EXPLAIN THAT THE TESLA PLANT IS IN ESD FOUR, WHICH WE CONTRACT WITH. 
          SO WE ARE THE AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION FOR FIREFIGHTING IN THAT AREA. 
          NOW, TESLA DOES HAVE A FIRE BRIGADE, BUT THAT IS FOCUSED MORE INTERNALLY ON THEIR, THEIR BUILDING. 
          BUT WE DO WORK REGULARLY WITH SD FOUR. 
          UH, THEY STILL HAVE A BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. 
          THEY STILL COLLECT THEIR TAXES AND THEY ARE TRYING TO DIRECT THEIR RESEARCH, UH, RESOURCES, UH, APPROPRIATELY. 
          AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO WEIGH IN ON, UH, WITH ONGOING MEETINGS WITH THEM. 
          BUT WE DO WORK WITH OUR AUTOMATIC AID PARTNERS ALL AROUND THE COUNTY. 
          UH, THERE ARE SOME THAT WE WORK CLOSER WITH THAN OTHERS, BUT WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO STRENGTHEN THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE NOT ONLY FOR OUR RESIDENTS, BUT ALSO TO SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORS BECAUSE WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THOSE FIRES OFTEN START ON OUR BORDER AND THEN ENCROACH ON THE CITY. 
          SO THAT'S AN ONGOING EFFORT WITH OUR NEIGHBORING FIRE DEPARTMENTS. 
          UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, WE ONLY WANT TO IMPROVE ON IN THE FUTURE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          I JUST KNOW I, I SAW A NEW STORY ABOUT A FD RESPONDING TO A GIGAFACTORY FIRE RECENTLY, AND SO IT GOT ME THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS AROUND WILDFIRE AND, AND THE ESD CONSIDERATIONS. 
          I KNOW, UH, THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU START THINKING ABOUT HOW OUR RESOURCES START TO GET SPREAD THIN THE FURTHER OUT YOU GET. 
          YES. 
          AND, AND ONE ADDITIONAL FACTOR ON THAT, I'LL PUT ON MY OTHER HAT OF BEING OVER TO OUR DISPATCHING AS WELL AS, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY AS A WHOLE. 
          WE'VE GOT, UH, COMMUNAL DISPATCHING WHERE WE DISPATCH FOR ALL THE FIRE ESDS IN TRAVIS COUNTY. 
          AND WE HAVE, UH, STARTED AT TELUS. 
          SO WE HAVE AUTOMATIC TRUE CLOSEST UNIT DISPATCHING WITH, UH, OTHER COUNTIES AS WELL, INCLUDING WILLIAMSON COUNTY. 
          AND WE'RE HA AND WE'RE TALKS WITH HAYES COUNTY AS WELL. 
          SO THAT DOES, AS WE'VE RECOGNIZED AS CHIEF, UH, CHIEF TRELLE SAID, WILDFIRES HAVE NO POLITICAL BOUNDARIES. 
          THEY'RE GONNA HAPPEN AND THEY'RE GONNA STRETCH ACROSS. 
          WE ARE ABLE TO SEE WHO'S AVAILABLE, SEND THE CLOSEST UNITS AND START TO SPIN UP. 
          WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CAPITOL AREA FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL MARCHING ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC, THE SAME PLAYBOOK, SO THAT WE CAN COORDINATE DURING THOSE HIGH WILDFIRE REASON TIMES. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND IT JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL IN THE BACK OF MY MIND WHEN YOU SAY TRUE CLOSEST, RIGHT? I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE RESOURCES WE HAVE THAT ARE TRUEST CLOSE, ARE DEPLOYED, AND THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS WITHIN, UM, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT JURISDICTION TERRITORY, AND THOSE ENGINES HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEPLOYED TO, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH, YEAH. 
          THE CAST POINTS OF CONSIDERATION BACK AND WE, YEAH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANKS. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER. 
          I THANK YOU. 
          I JUST WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE RESPONSE TO COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY. 
          WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DOING EDUCATION WITH THE CONTRACTORS. 
          UM, A LOT OF THE STUFF IS ACTUALLY FAIRLY SIMPLE. 
          IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW, UM, TO DO THAT AND THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHOICES THAT THEY MAKE. 
          UM, AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT THE SCENARIO THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, PRECISELY THE CHALLENGE WE HAVE WITH WILDFIRE IS THAT WHEN WE'RE IN WILDFIRE SEASON, THEY'RE GONNA POP UP IN MULTIPLE PLACES. 
          AND SO THE PREVENTION, UM, AND THE PREPAREDNESS IN ADVANCE REALLY SAVES THE TIME, CAN SAVE LIVES AND THE, AND THE PROPERTY STRUCTURES. 
          UM, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE DO IT, GIVEN THE PROFILE OF THE RISK. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE, WE DO HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, AN INTERNATIONAL WWE CODE, IT'S, IT'S LOCALLY ADOPTED IN OTHER THINGS BECAUSE THE PROFILE OF THE WILDFIRE RISK IS DIFFERENT. 
          UM, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT THOSE RISKS ARE INCREASING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE BECAUSE OUR WIND PATTERNS ARE CHANGING. 
          WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE THE WIND PATTERNS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE 
          [03:35:01]
CLIMATE SCIENCE IS SAYING IS THAT THE WIND PATTERNS ARE SHIFTING. 
          AND SO THE RISKS ARE GOING TO BE GREATER FOR US IN THAT. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          I THINK THAT CONCLUDES, UH, UNLESS I, I, I, WHO'S, WHO'S SITTING BEHIND YOU. 
          OH, UM, UNLESS HE WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING. 
          WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND, UM, I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO TALK. 
          THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. 
          UH, MR. CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          UM, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY 'CAUSE MY TEAM HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB. 
          IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SURROUND PEOPLE WHO ARE SMARTER THAN YOU AROUND YOU. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE DONE. 
          SO I WANTED TO THANK THE TEAM, BUT WHILE I DO HAVE THE MIC , UH, I, I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO SOMETHING. 
          UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. MAYOR AND CITY MANAGERS, UH, THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR MISSION. 
          AND, UH, REALLY, UH, I I, I WOULD BE ASHAMED NOT TO POINT OUT COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER FOR ALL OF HARDWARE AND SHE HAS REALLY CHALLENGED US PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY, PAINFULLY AND NICELY AT TIMES, . 
          BUT HER CHALLENGE TO US HAVE MADE, IN MY OPINION, THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, ONE OF THE MOST PREPARED, IF NOT THE MOST PREPARED FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE STATE, IF NOT THE COUNTRY. 
          SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CHALLENGE, MA'AM, AND I APPRECIATE IT CONTINUING WORKING WITH ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OUR WONDERFUL CITY MANAGER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE. 
          THANKS FOR THE BRIEFING. 
          UH, THAT WILL CONCLUDE THE BRIEFING ON THE ON WEI, AND IT WILL TAKE US TO OUR NEXT 
          [B3. Winter Weather Preparedness]
BRIEFING, WHICH IS A WINTER WEATHER BRIEFING MANAGER. 
          DO YOU, UH, WANNA BE RECOGNIZED, YOU KNOW, AS A TEAM, UH, OR MR. WILSON WALKS DOWN? UH, THIS WILL JUST HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL OUR PREPARATION AND, UH, PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT TO THE COMMUNITY ON OUR WINTER, UH, WEATHER, UH, ALERTS. 
          SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO INTERIM, UM, HESSON DIRECTOR, BILL WILSON. 
          GOOD DEAL. 
          MR. WILSON. 
          YOU GOT THE FLOOR. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          WANTED TO WALK YOU THROUGH OUR WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS. 
          FIRST I'M GONNA ASK YOU FOR, FOR AS GREAT A VOICE AS YOU HAVE. 
          I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT A RADIO VOICE, YOU TALK VERY QUIETLY, SO PULL THAT MICROPHONE UP. 
          I THINK YOU OUGHT TO EXPOUND THAT VOICE. 
          PUT IT OUT THERE. 
          I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA TELL ME I HAD A FACE FOR RADIO TWO . 
          NO, I'M NOT GOING THERE. 
          . 
          I'M NOT GOING THERE. 
          YOU GOT IT. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          WELL, I WANTED TO PRESENT ON, UH, OUR WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS AS WE HEAD INTO WINTER WEATHER SEASON. 
          I'M SURE EVERYONE GOT A NEWS FLASH LAST NIGHT. 
          WE DO HAVE OUR, OUR FIRST WINTER WEATHER SHELTER ACTIVATION OF THE SEASON IS TAKING PLACE TONIGHT. 
          SO WE'RE STARTING TO EXPERIENCE THAT COLD WEATHER. 
          SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE THE CITY IS AND THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE FROM A PREPAREDNESS PERSPECTIVE. 
          SO FIRST I'M GONNA GO OVER SOME CITYWIDE PREPARATION HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT, UH, IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE ENTERPRISE. 
          THEN WE'RE GONNA GO INTO KINDA COLD WEATHER SHELTERS. 
          WE'VE MADE A FEW ADJUSTMENTS TO THAT SYSTEM THIS YEAR. 
          WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE ARE. 
          THEN WE'RE GONNA TALK OVERALL ABOUT WHAT OUR WINTER WEATHER SHELTER PLANS ARE, UH, THE WARMING CENTERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE THROUGHOUT THE WINTER WEATHER SEASON. 
          THEN WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME INFORMATION RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE, BOTH FOR HOW WE WARN THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS, UH, RESOURCES THAT THE PUBLIC CAN USE TO BETTER PREPARE THEMSELVES. 
          AND THEN WE'LL KIND OF WALK THROUGH THE NEWS FLASH AND LIAISON OFFICER PROCESS. 
          SO SOME HIGHLIGHTS THAT I WANTED TO KIND OF HIGH TO HIT, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS. 
          THEY CONDUCTED A FIELD EXERCISE. 
          WHAT THEY DID IS THEY DROVE ALL THE PRESCRIBED ROUTES JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NOTHING, UH, OUT OF ORDINARY THERE SO THAT THEY WERE PREPARED TO DO THOSE TREATMENTS. 
          THEY ALSO WORKED THROUGH A TRAFFIC SIGNAL EXERCISE, SO THEY'RE PREPARED FOR POWER OUTAGES AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT MAY COME ALONG WITH, UH, SEVERE WINTER WEATHER. 
          AND THEY'VE ALSO ORDERED ALL THE DEICING MATERIALS TO BE READY FOR THIS SEASON AS IT COMES ALONG. 
          UH, AUSTIN ENERGY HAD CONDUCTED THE INCIDENT COMMAND EXERCISE FOR WINTER WEATHER PREPARATION. 
          THEY DID THIS BACK IN OCTOBER. 
          AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES HAS BEEN WORKING WITH AUSTIN HESO. 
          THEY WILL, UH, REMAIN OPEN DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS FOR, TO ACT AS A WARMING CENTER, SO SOMEWHERE THAT SOMEONE CAN GO INSIDE TO GET OUT OF THE COLD. 
          THEY'VE ALSO WORKED WITH US TO IDENTIFY LOCATIONS THAT DURING MORE SEVERE WINTER WEATHER, UH, INCIDENTS, WERE ABLE TO EXTEND THOSE HOURS TO KEEP THEM OPEN FOR PEOPLE TO USE. 
          UH, FLEET SERVICES, UH, KIND OF WENT OVER THEIR TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR STAFF IS READY TO BE ABLE TO PUT CHAINS ON ALL THE VEHICLES AND PARKS AND REC IS WORKING WITH AUSTIN HESO. 
          UH, THEY'RE OUR PRIMARY PARTNER WHEN IT COMES TO MASS CARE AND SHELTERING, AND THEY'VE ALSO WORKED WITH US TO STAGE MISSION READY PACKAGES, WHICH ARE THE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES THAT WE NEED FOR THOSE SHELTERS. 
          UH, OUR OFFICE HAS CONDUCTED OUR WINTER WEATHER PLAN REVIEW. 
          WE DO THIS ANNUALLY TO KIND OF TAKE IN LESSONS LEARNED AND, UH, UPDATE THE PLAN TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION TO RESPOND. 
          WE ALSO 
          [03:40:01]
CONDUCTED OUR WINTER WEATHER TABLETOP EXERCISE. 
          I WANT TO THANK CITY OF AUSTIN LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS TRAVIS COUNTY LEADERSHIP AND DEPARTMENTS FROM BOTH THAT ALL ATTENDED THAT LAST WEEK. 
          WE'VE DONE LIAISON TRAINING, UH, FOR ALL THE CMO ADVISORS. 
          WE'LL GO INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE LATER. 
          WE ALSO CONDUCTED PUBLIC INFORMATION, EOC TRAINING FOR THE ENTIRE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          SO EVERYONE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT'S IN THE COMMUNICATION POSITION WAS IN THAT TRAINING. 
          WE'VE DONE PUBLIC INFORMATION LEAD TRAINING FOR PIOS, AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAD A TABLETOP SPECIFICALLY TARGETING WINTER WEATHER, AND THAT WAS IN THE EOC LAST MONTH. 
          OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTERS AND ACTIVATION TRIGGERS. 
          SO WE WANTED TO KIND OF UPDATE AND SIMPLIFY OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTER ACTIVATION SYSTEM. 
          UH, IN THE PAST WE KINDA HAD A COMBINATION OF THINGS. 
          WE HAD, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS 32 DEGREES, IF IT WAS 35 AND WET OR 35 WITH A CERTAIN WIND, WIND CHILL, WE THOUGHT TO MAKE IT SIMPLER FOR EVERYONE SO EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND WHENEVER WE'RE ACTIVATING, WE JUST MADE IT, IT'S NOW 35 DEGREES OR LOWER. 
          AND, UH, JUST TO MAKE NOTE, IT IS USING THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CAMP MAY LOCATION. 
          WE JUST WANTED TO PICK ONE SO THAT IT'S EASY TO BE CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS HOW THAT WORKS. 
          THE CENTRALIZED INTAKE IS AT ONE TEXAS CENTER, SO THAT'S WHERE EVERYONE REPORTS TO THAT WANTS TO BE, UH, IN THIS, UH, SHELTER SYSTEM. 
          WE DO WORK WITH CAP METRO AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, SO THEY WORK ON MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS RIDES TO GET TO THERE. 
          THEN WE ALSO WORK ON CAP METRO FOR GETTING THEM THERE TO WHATEVER SHELTER LOCATIONS ARE OPEN. 
          AND THEN IN THE MORNING, CAP METRO HELPS BRING THEM ALL BACK. 
          UH, THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE IS CONTRACTED WITH THE VENDOR. 
          THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE SHELTERING SERVICES FOR THE FIRST 300 PEOPLE THAT COME INTO THIS OPERATION. 
          AFTER THAT, UH, AUSTIN HESO WORKS TO SUPPLEMENT THAT. 
          SO ONCE WE MAKE IT PAST 300 PEOPLE, HESO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MEALS AT THE SHELTER. 
          UH, WE WORK WITH BUILDING SERVICES AND A PD TO PROVIDE SECURITY. 
          UH, WE WORK WITH ANIMAL SERVICES TO PROVIDE SHELTERING SERVICES FOR THE ANIMALS, AND WE ALSO DISTRIBUTE SUPPLIES TO SHELTER LOCATIONS BEFORE AND AFTER THAT 300 MARK. 
          UH, OUR WINTER SHELTER PLANS. 
          I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS TO MAKE NOTE FOR MAYOR COUNCIL IS THAT ADHESIVE HAS CHANGED OUR STRUCTURE RECENTLY. 
          SO NOW WE HAVE A SECTION WITHIN ADHESIVE. 
          WE HAVE FIVE DEDICATED STAFF SPECIFICALLY TO MASS CARE. 
          SO THIS IS WHERE WE CAN ADDRESS ALL OF OUR SHELTER NEEDS AND FEEDING AND ANYTHING THAT GOES ALONG. 
          UH, THE MASS CARE SECTION OF A DISASTER RESPONSE. 
          SPECIFICALLY, KIND OF OUR STRATEGY AS IT RELATES TO, UH, 20 TH THIS WINTER WEATHER SEASON IS THAT WE LIKE TO START OFF TRYING TO USE CITY OWNED FACILITIES WHENEVER WE'RE DOING THE SHELTER OPERATIONS. 
          WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW WHENEVER WE USE THEM, WE HAVE ACCESS AND CONTROL OVER THEM. 
          SO IF WE NEED TO EXTEND AND STAY FOR WHATEVER PERIOD OF TIME, SINCE IT'S A CITY OWNED FACILITY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. 
          THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ENTITIES. 
          WE CERTAINLY DO. 
          BUT OUR KIND OF FIRST STEP IS TYPICALLY TO USE THE CITY OWNED FACILITIES. 
          AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER AND PRE-POSITIONED WHAT WE CALL RPS OR MISSION READY PACKAGES. 
          UH, THESE ARE BIG CONTAINERS THAT HAVE 72 HOURS OF SUPPLIES. 
          SO IT'S GONNA BE FOOD, WATER, COTS, BLANKETS, PILLOWS, EVERYTHING NEEDED TO OPEN UP A SHELTER. 
          WE DO UTILIZE REASSIGNED CITY STAFF AS SHELTER MANAGERS. 
          AND AS PART OF THAT, WE DO HAVE SHELTER MANAGER TRAINING TO INCLUDE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE DEESCALATING TRAINING, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT WITH, UH, OUR HSO AND NGO PARTNERS. 
          JUST WANTED TO TAKE AN EXCERPT OF OUR WARMING CENTER MAP. 
          UH, THIS CAN BE FOUND ON, UH, AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ALERTS. 
          WE KEEP THIS MAP THERE. 
          IT'S GONNA BE UPDATED IN REAL TIME. 
          SO ANYTIME SOMEONE'S LOOKING FOR A LOCATION TO GET IN OUT OF COLD WEATHER, YOU CAN GO HERE, TAKE A LOOK. 
          THIS WILL SHOW THE HOURS OF OPERATIONS IF WE END UP EXTENDING HOURS SOMEWHERE TO KEEP IT OPEN LATER. 
          IT WILL BE UPDATED HERE IN REAL TIME. 
          SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO FIND THAT, UH, ON THAT WEBSITE. 
          I MENTIONED AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ALERTS. 
          WE DO HAVE INFORMATION THERE AVAILABLE IN 14 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. 
          AND JUST A REMINDER THAT WE DO, UH, ADDRESS AN ACCOUNT FOR SERVICE ANIMALS AND PETS. 
          WHENEVER YOU COME TO THESE LU, AND I ALWAYS DO THIS, SO I WANNA DO IT AGAIN, I'LL INTERRUPT YOU. 
          CAN YOU PLEASE STATE THAT WEBSITE AGAIN AND HOW PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO USE THE WARMING CENTERS, EVEN IF THEY DON'T ANTICIPATE OR EVER SEE THEMSELVES USING A WARMING CENTER SO THAT THEY CAN GET, OH, LOOK AT YOU GUYS. 
          I KNEW YOU WERE GONNA ASK THE QUESTION RIGHT THERE, SO I HAD IT ON THE NEXT SLIDE FOR YOU. 
          SO SMART. 
          SO MAYOR DOES HAVE A GOOD POINT. 
          UH, WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG. 
          THIS IS THE WEBSITE THAT PEOPLE CAN GO TO, TO SIGN UP FOR. 
          UH, I THINK THE REASON HE HARPS ON IT, AND I AGREE WITH HIM FOR DOING SO, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW HOW THIS ALERT SYSTEM WORKS. 
          IT WILL ALERT BASED ON ADDRESS. 
          SO IF WE HAVE A SPECIFIC INCIDENT AND I'M TRYING TO MAKE, SEND NOTIFICATION 
          [03:45:01]
TO A SPECIFIC AREA OR EVEN THE ENTIRE AREA, THIS IS THE SYSTEM THAT TIES YOUR CELL PHONE TO THAT ADDRESS. 
          SO WE DO PAY TO GET INFORMATION. 
          SO WE TRY TO GET INFORMATION IN THERE WITHOUT YOU REGISTERING YOURSELF. 
          BUT THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE THAT YOU GET THE INFORMATION IN A TIMELY MANNER WHENEVER YOU WANT IT, IS GO TO WARREN CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG, SIGN YOURSELF UP AND YOU CAN EVEN ELECT WHAT ALERTS YOU DO AND DON'T WANT TO GET FROM US. 
          AND, AND, AND MEMBERS. 
          ONE OF THE REASONS I I, I DO HARP ON THIS IS MY MEMORY OF, UH, EARLY 23, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT SAID WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING. 
          WE COULDN'T GET GOOD INFORMATION. 
          AND I WILL TELL YOU, I THINK THIS IS SO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED SINCE THEN, BUT IT'S BEST WHEN PEOPLE SIGN UP. 
          AND SO AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN GET TO SIGN UP, UH, I JUST, IT MAKES, IT'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 
          'CAUSE WE, AGAIN, TO USE LANGUAGE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN USED ON ANOTHER TOPIC, IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF IF IT'S A QUESTION OF WHEN WE HAVE POWER OUTAGES OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 
          YOU CANNOT HAVE A WINTER CRISIS AND, AND HAVE PERFECTION. 
          IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO FEEL THE SAME. 
          IT'S GONNA BE COLD AND SOMEWHERE SOMETHING'S NOT GOING TO WORK. 
          SO BEING ABLE TO MAKE COMMUNICATION IS JUST VERY IMPORTANT. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT FOR ME AND EMPHASIZING IT. 
          AGREED. 
          AND ONE MORE NOTE ON THAT, NOT TO BEAT THE DEAD HORSE, BUT IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP BUT YOU'VE CHANGED LOCATIONS AND YOU'VE MOVED, PLEASE GO BACK IN. 
          UH, IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER YOUR, YOUR OLD ACCESS, THAT'S OKAY. 
          YOU CAN RE-REGISTER. 
          BUT MAKE SURE AND TIE YOUR CELL PHONE TO WHATEVER LOCATION YOU'RE AT. 
          THAT'S OUR BEST WAY TO GET AHOLD OF YOU. 
          UH, JUST ANOTHER RESOURCE THAT WE USE DURING THE TRYING TO GET MESSAGES OUT. 
          WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL A OS, WHICH IS THE ACCESSIBLE HAZARD ALERT SYSTEM. 
          UH, THIS IS THE SYSTEM WE USE TO REACH, UH, ANY INDIVIDUAL THAT IS EITHER DEAF, HARD OF HEARING BLIND OR DEAF AND BLIND. 
          SO TRYING TO GET MESSAGES OUT TO EVERYBODY. 
          AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ALERTS. 
          THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION. 
          WHENEVER WE'RE HAVING ANY KIND OF DISASTER OR EVENT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA UPDATE IT THERE. 
          AND AGAIN, THERE EVERYTHING IS AVAILABLE IN 14 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. 
          SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FROM A PREPAREDNESS PERSPECTIVE OR WHERE YOU CAN GO TO GET INFORMATION WHENEVER IT COMES TO BEING PREPARED FOR DISASTERS IS READY. 
          CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG. 
          THIS IS JUST A DIGITAL HUB THAT LETS YOU KNOW WHAT STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO MAKE YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY MORE PREPARED. 
          UH, WE DO HAVE A READY CENTRAL TEXAS APP. 
          UH, WE CAN PUSH INFORMATION TO THIS TOO. 
          AND IT ALSO HAS INFORMATION ON HOW YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN BE MORE PREPARED. 
          WE DO CONDUCT QUARTERLY READY TOGETHER, TWO HOUR PREPAREDNESS, PREPAREDNESS, CLASSROOM TRAININGS, AGAIN DESIGNED TO, TO HELP THE COMMUNITY STAY PREPARED. 
          I'M SURE EVERYONE KNOWS. 
          AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, WE DO HAVE OUR, UH, POP-UP EVENTS. 
          WE TRY TO DO THESE, WE TARGET ONCE A MONTH. 
          IT ACTUALLY ENDS UP BEING 11 THAT WE DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. 
          WE ROTATE THEM THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SO WE DO ONE IN EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT. 
          AND THEN SEPTEMBER BEING NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH IS WHENEVER WE DO OUR LARGER, UH, GET READY CENTRAL TEXAS FAIR. 
          SO PLEASE COME OUT TO THOSE IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO ALREADY. 
          WE HAVE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT. 
          WE'RE TARGETING EVERYBODY FROM AGE FIVE UP TO 95, UH, WITH THE FOCUS ON SOME OF THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. 
          AND THEN EVERY YEAR, AND THIS HAPPENED LAST WEEK, WE DID, WE DID OUR WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS PRESS CONFERENCE AND THE MAYOR AND JUDGE LEAD THAT EFFORT FOR US. 
          KIND OF WANTED TO REMIND EVERYBODY OF THE NEWS FLASH. 
          IT WORKED OUT GOOD. 
          WE HAD ONE SENT LAST NIGHT. 
          SO THE NEWS FLASH IS OUR PROCESS OF GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL ON ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT THAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE CITY. 
          UH, IF IT'S COMING FROM THE DISASTER PERSPECTIVE, IT'S GONNA GET ROUTED THROUGH MY PIO TEAM, WHICH WILL WORK WITH CPIO. 
          THERE CAN BE OTHER MEANS THAT YOU GET THEM FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, BUT JUST KIND OF A REMINDER OF THAT IS OUR TOOL FOR GETTING INFORMATION OUT TO CITY LEADERSHIP. 
          WE STARTED THE PROCESS, UH, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE TABLETOP EXERCISE LAST WEEK, ONE OF THE THINGS WE IDENTIFIED AS A POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK WITH ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO REMIND THE REMIND OF THE LIAISON OFFICER AND HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS. 
          SO MY TEAM'S BEEN REACHING OUT, WE'VE BEEN SCHEDULING MEETINGS WITH ALL OF YOU SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT LIAISON OFFICER TRAINING, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT WORKS IN A DISASTER SO THAT Y'ALL CAN GET INFORMATION TO US THAT YOU'RE GETTING FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET INFORMATION BACK TO YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FOLKS? QUESTIONS? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN S I'LL KICK US OFF. 
          I, UH, APPRECIATE THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND, UM, HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE BEFORE THINGS GO WRONG. 
          UM, SO I KNOW IN YEARS PAST, UM, THERE'S BEEN SOME ISSUES WITH GETTING INFORMATION OUT ONCE PEOPLE GO OFFLINE. 
          AND SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE CADENCE OF THE 
          [03:50:01]
PRESS CONFERENCES. 
          OBVIOUSLY THE MAYOR AND JUDGE HAVE BEEN, UM, VERY FORTHCOMING WITH BEING PROACTIVE AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THAT A SEVERE WEATHER EVENT IS COMING. 
          BUT ONCE PEOPLE LOSE POWER, THAT'S WHEN THEY START TO NOT KNOW IF THEIR PHONE IS DYING OR THEIR COMPUTER'S DYING, WHEN THEY SHOULD TRY TO CHARGE THEM SO THEY CAN GET THE NEXT UPDATE. 
          HAS THERE BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW AND WHEN YOU MIGHT UPDATE PEOPLE IF WE END UP WITH A MASS OUTAGE AGAIN? YEAH, SO WE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE RECENTLY REDONE IS WE REDID THE BATTLE RHYTHM IN THE EOC. 
          SO THE BATTLE RHYTHM IS THE CADENCE OF OPERATIONS WITH WHICH WE DO THINGS. 
          WE'VE TRIED TO BUILD IN ADDITIONAL STUFF WITH IT. 
          SO WE'VE PUT IN THE TIMES IN THERE THAT WOULD BE GOOD TIMES TO BE ABLE TO MEET WITH THE MEDIA. 
          IT'S BASED ON WORKING WITH OUR P-I-P-I-O TEAM, KNOWING WHEN THE MEDIA NEEDS THEIR INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO GET IT INTO THE NEXT NEWS CYCLE. 
          SO WE'VE BUILT THAT STUFF IN. 
          I KNOW THE MAYOR LIKES TO TAKE A MORE PROACTIVE STANCE ON WHENEVER SOMETHING'S HAPPENING, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET THE MESSAGE OUT, LET EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT'S COMING. 
          THE MORE WE CAN GET OUT BEFOREHAND, THE BETTER. 
          ONCE PEOPLE START LOSING POWER, IF THEIR CELL PHONES AREN'T CHARGED, IT'S GONNA BE VERY LIMITED ON WHAT I CAN DO TO GET THEM THAT MESSAGE. 
          SO THAT PROACTIVE MESSAGING BEFORE THE DISASTER HITS, TRY TO SET EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN AND THEN GO AHEAD AND GET MESSAGES OUT ON WHERE TO GO FOR INFORMATION, HOW TO GET THE INFORMATION. 
          THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT HAVING THE THE AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ALERTS IS IMPORTANT. 
          BEFORE IT WOULD BE, DO WE GO TO FACEBOOK? DO WE GO TO X, DO WE GO TO THE CITY WEBSITE? WHERE DO WE GO TO GET THE INFORMATION? SO TRYING TO CONSISTENTLY REINFORCE THE MESSAGE OF WHERE YOU CAN GET IT, AS WELL AS, AGAIN, DEVELOPING THE RELATIONSHIPS AS WE DO HAVE WITH THE NEWS MEDIA SO THAT THEY CAN HELP US GET THAT MESSAGE OUT THERE TOO. 
          YEAH, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP AMPLIFY AS WELL. 
          I KNOW THERE MAY BE FOLKS THAT FOLLOW THEIR COUNCIL MEMBER OR MAYBE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          SO IF WE'RE ALL SHARING THE SAME INFORMATION AND BEING ABLE TO GIVE THOSE REAL TIME UPDATES, I THINK PEOPLE WOULD RATHER HAVE EIGHT DIFFERENT SOURCES, UM, THEN BE WAITING ON ONE AND NOT KNOW WHEN THAT NEXT UPDATE IS COMING. 
          IS IT COMING AT 5:00 PM 9:00 AM NOON? YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT DO THOSE CADENCES LOOK LIKE? AND I THINK IF PEOPLE HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY IN, OKAY, I'LL GET AN UPDATE AT NOON EVERY DAY, THEN IT, IT MAKES PEOPLE STRESS A LITTLE BIT LESS 'CAUSE THEY KNOW THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S NOT GONNA BE THERE TRYING TO HIT REFRESH OVER AND OVER. 
          CAN I INTERRUPT YOU THERE AT THAT POINT? MM-HMM . 
          BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT, AND IT WAS A POINT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP THIS PAST WEEK IS THIS LAST WEEK, RIGHT? THAT WE HAD THE TABLETOP EXERCISE. 
          UM, WE DID A TABLETOP EXERCISE AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I BROUGHT UP WAS SPECIFICALLY THE NEED FOR INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO GET INFORMATION BECAUSE YOU'RE HEARING FROM SPECIFIC CONSTITUENTS IN YOUR DISTRICTS. 
          WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE CAN BEST GET INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO YOU. 
          I'M GONNA SAY TWO THINGS AND THEN WE OUGHT INVITE, UH, SOMEONE ELSE UP. 
          BUT, BUT NUMBER ONE IS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE WOULD MAKE NEWS FLASHES PROBABLY MORE AVAILABLE AND I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO ADDRESS THAT. 
          SECOND IS THAT WE WOULD DO THINGS IN A WAY WHERE AS I'M GETTING INFORMATION IN MY ROLE THAT I'M PUTTING THINGS ON THE MESSAGE BOARD MM-HMM . 
          IN A, IN A WAY THAT, THAT WE STARTED DOING IN THE PAST, BUT, BUT IT NOW WOULD BE A SPECIFIC SINGULAR, SINGULAR FOCUS SO THAT Y'ALL WOULD BE GETTING INFORMATION THAT YOU COULD THEN PUT INTO YOUR NETWORKS MM-HMM . 
          BECAUSE, UM, BECAUSE YOU, WHAT YOU RAISED IS EXACTLY THE POINT AND IT JUST, IT PROVIDES MORE INFORMATION AND, AND, AND PROBABLY BETTER INFORMATION. 
          DID I MISS ANYTHING ON THAT? NO. 
          UM, JUST AN ADDITIONAL POINT TO EXPAND ON THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN MISSING SOMETHING, RIGHT? YEAH, NO, NO, JUST MORE DETAIL. 
          GO AHEAD. 
          MORE DETAIL FOR YOU SIR. 
          UM, SO JESSICA KING, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE, UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE, THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DONE IS REALLY TIED TO MAKING SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. 
          AND TO YOUR POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER, THE CADENCE IS CRITICAL, RIGHT? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THERE'S A TIMING, UM, AND SOME LEVEL OF CERTAINTY THAT THEY CAN RELY ON TO KNOW WHEN TO TUNE IN AND BE READY. 
          UM, THE WAY WE APPROACH THAT IS RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE HUMANS TOO. 
          AND, UM, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE WANNA KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANNA KNOW GOING TO BED, WHAT SHOULD I BE PREPARED FOR IN THE MORNING? AND FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, I'M GONNA CHECK AND SEE WHAT I NEED TO DO. 
          SO THOSE TWO POINTS IN PARTICULAR ARE VERY CRITICAL POINTS AND WE'RE TRYING TO HIT THOSE NEWS CYCLES. 
          SO IF YOU KNOW THAT THE NEWS CYCLE AND SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY THERE WAS A FOUR O'CLOCK, SO WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A NEWS CYCLE TOO NOW . 
          BUT, UM, EARLY IN THE MORNING, CERTAINLY AS EARLY AS FIVE O'CLOCK, UM, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DOING IS PUSHING OUT INFORMATION TO THE MEDIA. 
          UM, WE GENERALLY AIM FOR SOME TYPE OF PRESS RELEASE THAT OCCURS PRIOR TO THE NEWS CYCLE STARTING IN THE MORNING. 
          UM, GENERALLY THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE WRITING THROUGH THE NIGHT, UM, AND A FOUR O'CLOCK PRESS RELEASE COULD GO OUT. 
          THAT'S OUR GOAL. 
          WE MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION BY THAT POINT, BUT WE WANNA 
          [03:55:01]
GET ON AT LEAST BY THAT SIX O'CLOCK NEWS CYCLE IN THE MORNING TO GET INFORMATION OUT. 
          UM, OUR NEXT CRITICAL POINT OFTENTIMES IS MIDDLE OF THE DAY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WONDERING, OKAY, WHAT'S HAPPENING? I GOTTA GET HOME EARLY, WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO ADJUST? SO WE'RE THINKING FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, A MID, A MIDDAY POINT IS GOING TO OCCUR, SOME PROB SOMETIME PROBABLY AROUND NOON CYCLE. 
          AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR 5, 6, 7 O'CLOCK AND 10 O'CLOCK NEWS CYCLES. 
          SO WE THINK OF THE PEOPLE JUST LIKE THE REST OF US, WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW TO PREPARE OUR CHILDREN, TO PREPARE OUR FAMILIES, TO PREPARE OUR LOVED ONES FOR THE DAY AHEAD? AND HOW DO WE PLAN ACCORDINGLY? SO KNOWING THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AT LEAST TWO, POTENTIALLY THREE POINTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE IN THE HEAT OF, UM, THE SURGE OR IN THE RECOVERY STAGE, WE'RE GOING TO BE REPEATEDLY ENGAGING WITH THE MEDIA, EITHER THROUGH A PRESS RELEASE OR A PRESS CONFERENCE. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT AND I APPRECIATE YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH ALL OF THESE MAJOR STORM EVENTS AND SO I KNOW THAT THE TEAM HAS WORKED VERY HARD AND, UM, FINESSED HOW THEY WORK TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS AS WE'VE SEEN DIFFERENT EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS HAPPEN. 
          AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S NOT, EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS AT THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AT HOME THAT ARE TRYING TO CHARGE THEIR DEVICES TOO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE INFORMATION WE CAN SHARE. 
          SO THERE'S SOMETIMES NOT A MAGICAL PLACE WHERE CITY STAFF IS SITTING, WHERE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE RESOURCES. 
          A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DOING THIS WITHOUT ELECTRICITY, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES. 
          SO WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH IT AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS. 
          UM, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. 
          UM, I NOTICED THAT AUSTIN WATER WASN'T ON THE LIST OF DEPARTMENTS, AND I'M JUST SPECIFICALLY ASKING ABOUT WHEN WATER UTILITIES ARE AFFECTED. 
          UM, UH, A PLAN FOR WATER BOTTLE DISTRIBUTION AND HOW THOSE CONVERSATIONS GO. 
          I KNOW THEY'VE GONE A LOT SMOOTHER OVER THE PAST IN 2023 THAN THEY DID IN 2021. 
          I'LL JUST SAY THANK YOU. 
          YES. 
          AUSTIN WATER HAS WORKED WITH US TO BE PART OF THAT. 
          SO THEY KEEP THEIR OWN, UH, OWN SUPPLY OF PALLETS OF WATER. 
          AND THEN WHENEVER AN INCIDENT HAPPENS, UH, THERE'VE EVEN BEEN SOME RECENTLY THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN SO IN TUNE WITH IT THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE WATER OUT, UH, JUST DOING THEIR NORMAL, NORMAL OPERATIONS THAT THEY'VE DESIGNED, OBVIOUSLY DURING A LARGER DISASTER EVENT, THEY TIE IN WITH THE MASS CARE TEAM THAT I REFERRED TO DURING THE, THE PRESENTATION, AND THEY WILL THEN LOOK AT IT FROM A CITYWIDE PERSPECTIVE OF WATER DISTRIBUTION. 
          I, I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, I NOTICED THE THRESHOLD OF 35 DEGREES. 
          DOES THAT MEAN IT'S GOING TO BE OPEN TONIGHT OR TONIGHT IS THE FIRST NIGHT? YES. 
          WELL, WHAT A TIMELY PRESENTATION FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET THE WORD OUT. 
          IT WAS, HE DID THAT ON PURPOSE , HE'S BEEN LOOKING AT THE, AT THE CHARTS FOR A WHILE. 
          YEAH. 
          AND ONE OTHER THING THAT I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT IS A CHANGE THAT I THINK IS GONNA HELP OPERATIONS WORK BETTER THERE TOO. 
          UH, IN THE PAST WE ALWAYS WAITED UNTIL THE MORNING OF TO MAKE THE DECISION. 
          SO IT WOULD'VE BEEN, THAT DECISION WOULD'VE BEEN A MADE AT NINE IN THE MORNING. 
          NOW WE STARTED LOOKING AT FOUR IN THE AFTERNOON, THE EVENING BEFORE. 
          SO IF AT 4:00 PM YESTERDAY IT SAYS THAT IT'S GONNA BE BELOW 35 TONIGHT, WE GO AHEAD AND HIT GO. 
          SO ALL OF OUR PARTNERS KNOW TO PREPARE AND BE READY IF WE'LL USE THAT SAME EXAMPLE, IF YESTERDAY IT WOULD'VE SAID IT WAS GONNA BE 36, BUT THEN THIS MORNING IT SAYS IT'S GONNA BE 35, WE STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO HIT GO AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE USED TO. 
          BUT THIS IS JUST KIND OF A STEP IN THAT BEING MORE PROACTIVE AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE TO BE READY TO SPIN UP AND, AND HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO DO THESE SHELTER OPERATIONS. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          AND I'LL JUST CLOSE MY REMARKS WITH, UM, UH, I APPRECIATE THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE HOTEL VOUCHERS AS WELL. 
          UM, WE HAVE ONE LIBRARY IN THE DISTRICT THAT'S A PUBLIC LIBRARY. 
          UM, IT'S NOT ALWAYS CONSISTENTLY AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANNA HAVE PEOPLE GOING INTO THOSE AREAS FOR WARMING SHELTERS AND THEN HAVE THEM GO OFFLINE AND NOW THERE'S A DIFFERENT ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED. 
          AND SO I THINK THOSE HOTEL VOUCHERS ARE GONNA BE MORE HELPFUL IN PLACES THAT DON'T HAVE CITY OWNED BUILDINGS AND AREN'T DESIGNATED WARMING CENTERS TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT, UM, FAMILIES ALL ACROSS THE COMMUNITY HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE SPACES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO ON THAT ONE, UH, PARTNER IN THE BACK, DAVID GRAY. 
          I SEE DIRECTOR GRAY BACK THERE. 
          YEAH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I HAVE TO HAVE TO GIVE HIM AND HIS TEAM CREDIT FOR THAT. 
          SO THANKS DAVID. 
          A APPRECIATE THAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, NOW WE'RE GOING TO COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, AND THEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES AFTER HER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE IT. 
          YOU BET. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          POOR TIM. 
          UM, MY QUESTION WAS ABOUT, UM, CONGREGATE, UM, HEALTH CONCERNS. 
          SO IT'S FLU SEASON AND COVID HAS MADE A BIT OF A RESURGENCE IN SOME CONGREGATE SETTINGS THAT'S BEEN MADE, BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION. 
          I'M JUST CURIOUS IF THERE ARE ANY CONCERNS THERE AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT THE BODY OR THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN DO TO HELP, UM, MITIGATE THOSE, UH, POTENTIAL RISK AND, UM, WHAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING AROUND HEALTH RISK? EXCELLENT QUESTION. 
          SO, UH, ONE OF THE PARTNERS THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE WITH US IN THE EOC IS GONNA BE OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. 
          [04:00:01]
AND WE ALWAYS WORK WITH THEM WHENEVER IT COMES TO NEEDING MORE, UH, SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON WHAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING IN THOSE KIND OF ENVIRONMENTS. 
          MM-HMM . 
          SO IF THERE IS A THREAT HAPPENING TO THE PUBLIC, THEY'LL LET US KNOW AND WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. 
          UH, RIGHT NOW, SINCE THERE IS NO SPECIFIC HEALTH THREAT COMING FROM, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT THAT WE NEED TO ADJUST, WE WOULD BE FOLLOWING STANDARD OKAY. 
          STANDARD PROTOCOLS FOR OUR SHELTERS. 
          BUT THAT IS ALWAYS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS WE LEARNED A FEW YEARS AGO. 
          RIGHT. 
          I GUESS THE QUESTIONNAIRE IS AS A, AS A, UH, MEASURE OF PREVENTION. 
          I WONDER IF IT MIGHT BE PRUDENT FOR FOLKS TO BE ASKED TO WEAR MASK. 
          UM, UM, JUST SOMETHING I CONSIDERED. 
          UM, AND AS AN EXTENSION OF THAT, UM, I OFTEN WONDER IF OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THESE TO HAVE PEOPLE CONGREGATED IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DEPLOY SERVICES LIKE IMMUNIZATION FOR INFLUENZA AND COVID BOOSTERS, ET CETERA. 
          I WONDER IF, IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE TAKE, I RECOGNIZE OPENING A COLD WEATHER SHELTER IS RESPONSE TO AN EMERGENCY OF SORTS, BUT I WONDER IF, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING ALL THOSE FOLKS, UM, CONGREGATED. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. 
          UH, WE DO OFTEN TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT WHENEVER WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. 
          SOMETIMES IT DEPENDS ON THE LENGTH OF WHAT THE SHELTER OPERATIONS ARE GONNA BE. 
          SO WHENEVER IT'S A SHORTER OPERATION AND IT'S JUST AN OVERNIGHT LESS CHANCE TO GET PEOPLE IN TO, TO DO THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES. 
          BUT CERTAINLY WHENEVER WE END UP IN THE MORE EXTENDED, UH, SHELTERS, SHELTER OPERATIONS, WE DO TEND TO GET MORE OF THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES IN FOR EVERYONE THERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. 
          I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          I JUST, I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOVING FORWARD AS A MATTER OF PROTOCOL, WHENEVER WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET PEOPLE CONGREGATED THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE DO, YOU KNOW, OH, WE'RE GONNA OPEN COLD WEATHER SHELTERS OR IN RESPONSE TO X AND O EMERGENCY, WHATEVER THE THING IS, AS A MATTER OF PROTOCOL, WE TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO IMMUNIZE PEOPLE, UM, WHERE APPROPRIATE AND OR, YOU KNOW, UM, OFFER BOOSTERS OR WHATEVER OTHER ADJACENT SERVICES WE CAN OFFER WHEN WE HAVE A, A GROUP OF PEOPLE CONGREGATED LIKE THAT, IN WHICH CASE, YOU KNOW, DEPLOYING THE SHELTER OPTION THIS EVENING DOESN'T GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAMP UP. 
          BUT IN, MAYBE IN 2025, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IN WEEK 2ND OF DECEMBER, YOU KNOW, WE WILL HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THOSE MEASURES INTO PLACE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          AND, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, I MISSED THAT. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY WAS NEXT. 
          AND THEN, SO WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, AND THEN TO YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATED LEARNING WHAT THE PLANS WERE. 
          REAL QUICK, I WANTED TO THANK DAVID GRAY AND TALK ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NEWS FLASH. 
          HE SENT ME A TEXT MESSAGE LETTING ME KNOW THAT IT WOULD COME OUT, AND THEN WITHIN TWO MINUTES IT WAS IN MY WORK EMAIL BOX. 
          SO I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT, AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD BEHIND THE SCENES TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE NEED SO THAT WE CAN HELP AMPLIFY YOUR MESSAGE TO GET IT OUT. 
          AND THAT WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT. 
          UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION FOR PETS, BIG FAN OF LEARNING FROM HISTORY. 
          AND IN 2005 WHEN HURRICANE KATRINA HAPPENED, A LOT OF PEOPLE DECLINED LEAVING THEIR HOMES TO GO TO A SHELTER BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A PLACE FOR THEM TO GO WITH THEIR PETS. 
          AND WE REALLY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AT THE CITY OF ENSURING THAT WE CAN MEET PEOPLE'S NEEDS AND ENSURE THAT THEIR PETS ARE PART OF THEIR FAMILY AS WELL IN THAT REGARD. 
          AND I, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED HAVING STARTED ON COUNCIL IN 2021, GETTING HIT WITH THAT FIRST WINTER STORM AND THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION THAT A LOT OF US HAD, ESPECIALLY HERE ON THE DAIS, UM, WHEN WE WERE JUST LOOKING TO EACH OTHER FOR HOW TO DO CERTAIN THINGS AND WE WEREN'T GETTING AS MUCH CONTACT AS WE NEEDED. 
          Y'ALL HAVE REALLY IMPROVED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF MAYOR WATSON COMING IN HERE AND GETTING STUFF DONE AND, AND SHOWING US THERE WAS A BETTER WAY TO DO IT. 
          I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU, BILL, PERSONALLY, WORKING WITH YOU OVER MY TERM HAS BEEN GREAT. 
          YOUR TEAM IS ALWAYS SUPER RESPONSIVE AND YOU'RE WILLING TO GET ON THE PHONE WITH ME IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AHEAD OF TIME. 
          AND IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO WATCH YOU ALL GROW IN THAT ROLE AND TO REALLY SERVE THE CITY TO THE BEST OF THE ABILITY THAT I ALWAYS KNEW THAT YOUR TEAM HAD. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. 
          UH, COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANNA ECHO, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PROACTIVITY AND COMMUNICATION, UH, MANAGER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I LIKE LOVE SEEING THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE STAFF IS ACTIVELY NOTIFYING, UM, US ABOUT ONGOING ACTIVITIES AND, AND HAVING THE HEADS UP. 
          SO THANK YOU AND, AND MAYOR WATSON FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS, UM, WE'RE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE AT THE CITY WHEN WE ARE, WE HAVE AN INCLEMENT WEATHER ACTIVATION GOING ON. 
          WILL ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS BE PAUSED? UH, YES MA'AM. 
          THAT'S A COORDINATED EFFORT SO THAT WHENEVER, UH, AND WE EVEN HAVE TO REACH OUT TO THE STATE SOMETIMES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T COME UNDERNEATH US 
          [04:05:01]
AND, AND TAKE PEOPLE'S THINGS THAT KEEP THEM WARM DURING THE WINTER WEATHER SHELTER. 
          SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE ADDED IN WAS NOTIFICATION TO TEXT DOT, THAT WHENEVER WE'RE EXPERIENCING THE EXTREME COLD WEATHER, THAT THAT IS A TIME THAT THE ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS NEED TO BE PAUSED. 
          BUT AS FAR AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE HAVE A POLICY WHERE WE'RE NOT CONDUCTING ANY TYPE OF ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP OR THE HILL INITIATIVE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. 
          THERE MIGHT IN NEW, IN OUR CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF IS ACTIVELY WORKING WITH TDOT TO NOTIFY THEM AS WELL. 
          YES, MA'AM. 
          AND I'LL CONFIRM, BUT I'M, HE'S STANDING RIGHT BEHIND YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          SO MAN  GOTCHA. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. 
          DAVID GRAY, HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER, UH, THE MOMENT YOU RECEIVED THE NEWS FLASH, OUR STAFF ALSO NOTIFIED EVERY CITY DEPARTMENT OF THE PROTOCOL TO STOP ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS, ENCLOSURES, BECAUSE WE'VE DECIDED TO ACTIVATE THE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS. 
          SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SIMPLY YES, THERE IS A CITY PROTOCOL AND THAT'S IN PLACE. 
          HOWEVER, WE STILL HAVE STREET OUTREACH STAFF THAT ARE GOING INTO KNOWN ENCAMPMENTS AND OFFERING PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PERMANENT SHELTER BEDS. 
          UH, SO THAT'S NOT AN ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP OR A CLOSURE, BUT THAT IS A SHELTER OPPORTUNITY AND WE DO THINK IT'S PRUDENT, UH, AND, AND IMPORTANT THAT WE GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME INSIDE PERMANENTLY ON THESE COLD WEATHER NIGHTS. 
          UH, SO WE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND SINCE I HAVE YOU UP HERE YES, MA'AM. 
          HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING THE PROCESS AND, AND PROCEDURE TO OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. 
          SO WE'VE ENHANCED OUR TEXT ALERT SYSTEM SINCE WE LAUNCHED LAST YEAR. 
          AS YOU KNOW, WE LAUNCHED THAT SYSTEM LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME, ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES IN THE NATION TO HAVE A TEXT ALERT SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. 
          WE NOW HAVE OVER 4,200 PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTIVE USERS ON THAT TEXT ALERT SYSTEM, SO THEY ALL RECEIVE THAT NOTIFICATION. 
          THE BEAUTY OF THE, THE EARLIER ACTIVATION IS THAT WE COULD ALSO INFORM ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS A DAY EARLIER THAT COLD WEATHER SHELTERS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. 
          SO TO THAT END, WE, WE HAVE A LISTSERV THAT WE MANAGE, UH, OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, LARGE AND SMALL, WHO WE KNOW DO STREET OUTREACH. 
          UH, AND SO AS SOON AS YOU ALL RECEIVED YOUR NEWS FLASH, WE ALSO PROVIDED THE INFORMATION WITH OUR NETWORK OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE OUT IN THE STREETS TODAY, MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW TO COME TO ONE TEXAS CENTER TONIGHT BETWEEN 6:00 PM AND 8:00 PM UH, TO RECEIVE SOME SERVICES, AND THEN TO GET TRANSFERRED OVER TO, UH, A COLD WEATHER SHELTER LOCATION. 
          SPEAKING OF THAT TRANSFER, I KNOW THAT US HAVING ONE CENTRALIZED INTAKE LOCATION, UM, FOR THE COLD WEATHER, THE OVERNIGHT SHELTER ACTIVATION CONTINUES TO BE A BARRIER FOR SOME OF OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY WHO LIVE IN THE OUTER AREAS OF OUR CITY. 
          HAVE WE CONSIDERED ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION METHODS TO GET FOLKS TO ONE TEXAS CENTER OR HAVE THEM HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO GET TO THE SHELTERS? YES, MA'AM. 
          SO WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR OUR PARTNERS AT CAP METRO. 
          THEY DO WAIVE THE RIDE FEE FOR ANYBODY WHO IS TAKING A CAP METRO BUS TO ONE TEXAS CENTER, ONE TEXAS CENTER FOR COLD WEATHER SHELTERS. 
          UH, ANOTHER ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE OPTED TO DO THE EARLIER ACTIVATIONS IS SO THAT OUR PARTNERS WHO HAVE ACCESS TO VEHICLES AND VANS CAN ALSO HELP SUPPORT PEOPLE IN GETTING THE ONE TEXAS CENTER FOR THAT CENTRALIZED EMBARKATION. 
          AND SO WHILE THAT'S A SERVICE THAT OUR OFFICE IS NOT EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE AT THIS TIME, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NE THAT WE'RE LEVERAGING OUR NETWORKS OF PARTNERS TO GET PEOPLE WHERE THEY NEED TO BE SO WE CAN GET THEM INTO THE SHELTERS, UH, AND GET THEM OUT OF THE CODE FOR THE NIGHT. 
          YES. 
          GREAT. 
          THAT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE. 
          AND I THINK OUR LAST QUESTION FOR YOU, UM, WHAT ARE THE HOURS OF OPERATION FOR THE OVERNIGHT SHELTER? SO THE OVERNIGHT SHELTERS, WE START EMBARKATION AT 6:00 PM WE USUALLY WILL CLOSE THE SHELTERS BEGINNING AT 6:00 AM SOMETIMES WE COULD STRETCH IT TO 7:00 AM IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT THE TEMPERATURE FORECAST LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE RECREATION CENTERS ARE FOR THE FOLLOWING MORNING. 
          UH, WHEN WE DO EXIT PEOPLE FROM THE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS, THEY ARE PROVIDED WITH BREAKFAST, UH, AND SOME SNACKS TO GET THEM, UH, GOING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. 
          WE DO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TRANSPORTATION BACK TO ONE TEXAS CENTER WHERE THEY CAN THEN TAKE A BUS TO GET BACK TO THEIR ENCAMPMENT. 
          UH, AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE TAKE US UP ON THAT. 
          SOMETIMES THEY PREFER TO, TO GET BACK TO THEIR ENCAMPMENT ON THEIR OWN. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND ONE, UH, QUESTION FOR HESSAM. 
          THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING, UH, CHALLENGE. 
          I KNOW I PUT IT ON, UM, A CM CARBO HALL'S RADAR, AND I KNOW SHE'S MAKING GOOD HEADWAY ON IT. 
          UM, BUT FOR OUR ZELLE VALLEY COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING NEED FOR US TO ESTABLISH AN OVERNIGHT SHELTER IN THAT AREA. 
          AND SINCE HESSAM COORDINATES OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE FOR BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO GET THAT AREA PRIORITIZED. 
          ANY, CAN YOU PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON EFFORTS FOR THE DELL VALLEY AREA? YES, MA'AM. 
          IT'S KIND OF A TWO-PARTER. 
          SO, UH, WE KINDA HAVE TWO TYPES OF SHELTER OPERATIONS THAT WE DO. 
          WE HAVE WHAT'S GOING ON TONIGHT, WHICH IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FOR THE DELL VALLEY AREA AS IT RELATES TO THAT. 
          UH, THE LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY AND GROUPS DO OUTREACH IN THAT REGION. 
          UH, ANYONE IN THAT AREA CAN EITHER USE THE PUBLIC SAFETY GROUPS AND OUTREACH GROUPS THAT ARE GETTING OUT TO THEM, OR THEY CAN GET ON CAP METRO AND THEY END UP COMING IN TO BE A PART OF OUR SHELTER OPERATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING DOWNTOWN. 
          [04:10:01]
THEN WE HAVE OUR DISASTER RELATED SHELTER OPERATIONS, AND THAT ONE WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY ON. 
          SO THE COUNTY'S FIRST STOP WHENEVER IT COMES TO DISASTER SHELTER OPERATIONS IS THE RED CROSS. 
          AND THE RED CROSS MAINTAINS CONTACTS AND COORDINATION WHENEVER IT COMES TO HAVING FACILITIES AVAILABLE. 
          IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE COUNTY HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH DELL VALLEY, ISD, AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF BEING ABLE TO USE LIKE THE HIGH SCHOOL, IF THERE'S A LOCAL DISASTER OUT THERE, SO THAT THERE'S A FACILITY THERE. 
          THEY'VE ALSO WORKED ON BEING ABLE TO STAND UP THE, UH, EXPO CENTER. 
          AND SO THAT'S KIND OF DEPENDENT UPON WHAT THE DISASTER IS AND WHAT THE IMPACT IS. 
          OBVIOUSLY THE GOAL IS TO HAVE PEOPLE AS CLOSE TO THE IMPACTED AREA AS POSSIBLE, BUT IF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THERE IS IMPACTED, THEN THEY COULD MOVE THEM OUT TO THE EXPO CENTER. 
          AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS ON, UM, YOU KNOW, ON OUR DISASTER RESPONSE, BUT I STILL WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO, UM, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATE MORE OR, OR PROGRESS ON OUR EFFORTS ON OVERNIGHT SHELTER. 
          YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY, DELL VALLEY ALREADY STRUGGLES WITH CAP METRO ACCESS AS IT IS. 
          UM, SO IT'S GONNA TAKE, YOU KNOW, AN ADDITIONAL CREATIVE SOLUTION AND HOW WE'RE ABLE TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA. 
          THANK, THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCILMAN RYAN ALTER, I JUST WANTED TO, I WAS GONNA ASK ABOUT THE SINGLE LOCATION AND I'M, AS, AS WE LOOK FORWARD, ESPECIALLY AT POTENTIALLY EXPANDING OUR DAC SITES NORTH AND SOUTH, IF THOSE COULD POTENTIALLY BE USED OR WOULD BE APPROPRIATE SPOTS TO NOT JUST HAVE THAT ONE LOCATION. 
          HOLD SECOND. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID GRAY, HOME OF STRATEGY OFFICER. 
          UH, SO I THINK TO YOUR QUESTION OF HAVING ADDITIONAL EMBARKATION SITES, UH, AS WE LOOK AT ADDITIONAL FACILITIES, WHETHER IT'S FOR DAC OR ADDITIONAL PERMANENT SHELTER OPERATIONS, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING ARE SPACES WHERE WE COULD HAVE ADDITIONAL EMBARKATION LOCATIONS FOR COLD WEATHER SHELTER. 
          THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES THAT'S PRESENTED IN ADDITION TO A SECOND LOCATION. 
          IT'S ALSO THE STAFFING OF THE SECOND LOCATION, WORKING WITH CAP METRO TO SECURE ADDITIONAL BUSES FOR A SECOND LOCATION. 
          AND SO THOSE ARE ALL FACTORS THAT WE'RE EXPLORING. 
          WE DID TRY TO PRIORITIZE GETTING THIS DONE FOR THIS COLD WEATHER SEASON, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET THAT OBJECTIVE. 
          BUT THIS REMAINS A, A PARAMOUNT PRIORITY FOR US AND OUR COLD WEATHER SHELTER TEAM. 
          DO WE HAVE COORDINATED ASSESSORS AT OUR SHELTERS THAT THESE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS, WE DO NOT DO COORDINATED ASSESSMENTS AT THE COLD WEATHER SHELTERS, IN PART BECAUSE THE COORDINATED ASSESSMENT PROCESS IS VERY LENGTHY. 
          AND SO JUST THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT WOULD TAKE RELATIVE TO THE, THE, THE NATURE AND THE PACE OF THE EMERGENCY OPERATION, THERE'S NOT REALLY A CLEAN WAY FOR US TO FIT IT IN. 
          THAT BEING SAID, WE DO MAKE SURE THAT CLIENTS UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COORDINATED ASSESSMENT AND OTHER SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM. 
          AND SO IF THE FOLLOWING DAY THEY DECIDE TO, UH, RECEIVE A COORDINATED ASSESSMENT, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO TO TO GET THAT DONE. 
          YEAH, AND I THINK IT MAYBE EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT LIKE IF WE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE ASK PEOPLE'S NAME AS THEY'RE COMING IN OR OUT, BUT LIKE, LOOK 'EM UP IF THEY DO HAVE ONE OR THEY DON'T, WE CAN HAND THEM A CARD AND SAY, YOU DON'T HAVE A COORDINATED ASSESSMENT, BUT YOU SHOULD, YOU KNOW, UH, YEAH. 
          AND, AND WE DO GET INFORMATION, UH, FROM THE CLIENTS WHO ARE COMING IN. 
          WE DO GET THEIR NAME AND, AND OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION. 
          OKAY. 
          WE ARE ABLE TO USE THAT INFORMATION TO SEE IF THEY ARE IN HMIA, THE HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, AND WHETHER THEY HAVE A COORDINATED ASSESSMENT OR NOT. 
          AND IF THEY HAVE ONE, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE THEY'VE DONE ONE? OUR BEST PRACTICE IS TO UPDATE THOSE CAS EVERY SIX MONTHS WHEN THE CLIENT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, SO, SO THE POINT IS, IS WELL RECEIVED. 
          THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL BRING INTO OUR PRACTICE. 
          UH, FOR NOW THOUGH, THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN TO GIVE THE CLIENT THE LIST OF THE RESOURCES, LET THEM KNOW WHAT SERVICES WE CAN OFFER, UH, AND THEN LET LET THE CLIENT KIND OF CHOOSE THEIR THEIR OWN COURSE FROM THERE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          THANK Y'ALL. 
          ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD AS YOU WRAP UP? NO, SIR. 
          UH, OKAY. 
          THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT MEMBERS. 
          THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. 
          THANKS FOR THE REPORT. 
          THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. 
          UM, WE APPRECIATE IT. 
          THAT BEING SAID, MEMBERS ARE, THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER ITEM, AND THAT IS OUR FAREWELL PROGRAM AND RECEPTION. 
          AND WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS, INSTEAD OF ADJOURNING THE MEETING, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT WE RECESS UNTIL THREE O'CLOCK AND THAT WE COME BACK AT THREE O'CLOCK, UH, FOR THE FAREWELL, UH, DISCUSSION AND RECEPTION. 
          SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE IN RECESS IN THIS WORK SESSION UNTIL 3:00 PM IT IS NOW ONE 18. 
          THANK YOU EVERYBODY. 
          CHOCOLATE. 
          [Additional Item]
WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. 
          [04:15:01]
UH, THANKS FOR JOINING US. 
          THIS IS A, UH, HAPPY OCCASION AND, UH, I'M REALLY PLEASED TO CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS, UH, WORK SESSION, UH, WHERE IT'S, IT'S MORE FUN AND LESS WORK. 
          IT'S THREE O'CLOCK ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, AND THE REASON WE'RE JOINING, UH, TOGETHER THIS AFTERNOON IS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, HAVE A RECOGNITION AND SAY A BIG THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THREE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHOSE, UH, TIME ON THE COUNCIL WILL COME TO AN END, UH, AT, PRETTY MUCH AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. 
          AND THOSE ARE COUNCIL MEMBER MCKENZIE KELLY, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, AND MAYOR PRO TEM LESLIE POOLE. 
          AND WE MIGHT AS WELL START BY GIVING APPLAUSE. 
          THE WAY WE'RE GONNA DO THIS IS, UH, A FEW OF US ARE GONNA HAVE SOME COMMENTS AND TALK ABOUT, UH, OUR COLLEAGUES, AND THEN WE WILL, UH, MOVE TO THE FRONT HERE AND, UH, DO SOME SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS. 
          AND, UH, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL GET TO THAT IN JUST A SECOND. 
          LET ME, LET ME START OFF BY JUST SAYING THAT, UH, AS I, AS I THINK ABOUT THE THREE OF THEM AND TALK ABOUT THE THREE OF THEM, AND THEN I'M GONNA GO TO INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WE'RE HERE TO THANK THEM, UH, FOR WHAT HAS BEEN DEDICATED AND THOUGHTFUL. 
          AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK VERY COMPASSIONATE SERVICE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS. 
          UH, THEY'VE, THEY'VE TAKEN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, BOTH, UH, IN THE SENSE THAT TWO OF THESE, THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POOLE NOW, AND COUNCIL MEMBER A, UH, ALLISON ALTER PRIOR, UH, SERVED AS MAYOR PRO TIM OF OUR CITY, BUT THEY ALSO ALL THREE SERVED IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ON SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT APPLIED TO ALL AUSTINITES. 
          AND OF COURSE, EACH ONE PROVIDED STELLAR SERVICE AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL CONSTITUENTS IN THEIR VARIOUS DISTRICTS. 
          TOO OFTEN, WE DON'T TAKE A MOMENT AND PAUSE AND SAY THANK YOU TO PEOPLE FOR WHAT THEY DO IN PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE, PARTICULARLY THE PUBLIC SERVICE THAT'S THIS CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE WE SERVE, THE PEOPLE WE CARE ABOUT, THE PEOPLE WE LOVE. 
          UH, THIS PUBLIC SERVICE DESERVES OUR RECOGNITION, AND IT DESERVES US TAKING THE TIME TO HONOR THOSE WHO GIVE OF THEMSELVES AND PUT THEMSELVES ON THE LINE THE WAY THESE THREE HAVE. 
          SO, AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THREE OF THEM. 
          UH, AND I WILL NOW RECOGNIZE VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WHO HAVE A FEW WORDS. 
          AND THE FIRST PERSON I'LL CALL ON IS COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UM, WOW, WHAT, WHAT A DAY FOR US TO, TO COME TOGETHER FOR THIS FAREWELL RECEPTION. 
          I, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ALREADY THE END OF THE YEAR. 
          AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL BER KELLY FOR HER SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          UH, WE BOTH TOOK OFFICE AT THE SAME TIME, SO IN A LOT OF WAYS, I FEEL LIKE WE WERE PART OF OUR OWN LITTLE FRESHMAN CLASS OF, OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          SO I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY, UH, MAYOR PERAM POOL. 
          UH, WHEN WE FIRST TOOK OFFICE, UM, AND I GOT SWORN IN, IT WAS A SUPER MAJORITY WOMEN COUNCIL. 
          AND I THINK ABOUT NOW AS I REFLECT, UM, THERE WERE, OUT OF THE 11 COUNCIL MEMBERS, EIGHT OF US WERE WOMEN. 
          AND, UM, PART OF THAT STRONG LEADERSHIP WAS SEEING YOU IN ACTION OVER THESE LAST FOUR YEARS. 
          AND SO, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. 
          YOU'VE BEEN A STRONG LEADER ON THAT ISSUE AREA. 
          UM, YOU ALSO RECENTLY WERE AWARDED THE 2024 PLANNING ADVOCATE GOLD AWARD FROM THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION. 
          SO, CONGRATULATIONS. 
          AND SO I AM, I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU IN SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND, UH, FOR, FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, I ESPECIALLY WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR STRONG LEADERSHIP ON SO MANY OF OUR ISSUES. 
          AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT OUR DIS, OUR DISTRICTS ARE ON THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE CITY. 
          AND WHEN I CAME IN, I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MUCH WE WOULD HAVE IN COMMON AND HOW MUCH WE WOULD GET TO WORK TOGETHER. 
          AND WHEN I TELL PEOPLE WHEN, UH, WHEN THEY ASK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW'S IT LIKE WORKING WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES? I ALWAYS SAY, YOU KNOW, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, SHE JUST REALLY CARES. 
          YOU CARE ABOUT THE CHILDREN OF OUR COMMUNITY, BEING A STRONG LEADER ON CHILDCARE, YOU CARE ABOUT SOCIAL SERVICES AND US HAVING A STRONG SAFETY NET FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          YOU CARE ABOUT PREVENTING VIOLENCE AND HAVE DONE SO MUCH IN CREATING THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION. 
          AND I'VE ENJOYED WORKING ON THESE ISSUE AREAS WITH YOU 
          [04:20:01]
AS WELL AS A STRONG LEADER FOR OUR PARKS AND FOR THE ANTI HATE CAMPAIGN THAT WE ALL BELONG CAMPAIGN. 
          AND, UM, I, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S GONNA BE SUCH A, A LEADERSHIP VACUUM WHEN, UH, AS YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER OF YOUR, OF YOUR PUBLIC CAREER. 
          UM, BUT I JUST WANT TO SHARE MY GRATITUDE FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE, THAT YOU'VE TAUGHT, THAT YOU HAVE SHARED, AND AM JUST SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. 
          I'M GONNA START WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER WITH THE COOLEST LAST NAME  I EVER DID KNOW. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE ALL KNOW YOU, YOU CAME TO THIS BODY, UH, AS A PARKS ADVOCATE, AND YOU HAVE SHOWN A TENACITY FOR NOT ONLY THAT ISSUE, BUT FOR MANY OTHERS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. 
          I'VE ONLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO, TO SERVE TWO YEARS ALONGSIDE EACH OF YOU. 
          UM, BUT IN THAT TWO YEARS, WHAT I HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE THE MOST ARE, FIRST, AS COUNCILOR FUENTES MENTIONED, JUST YOUR, YOUR PASSION, YOUR HEART, AND YOUR DIVING INTO THE DETAILS, SO THAT EVEN ON AN ISSUE WHERE WE MAY NOT AGREE, I KNOW THE HOMEWORK'S BEEN DONE, AND THAT WHATEVER REASONING YOU'RE PUTTING FORWARD, IT'S WELL THOUGHT OUT. 
          AND I HAVE TO REALLY THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT WHY DO WE DISAGREE. 
          MAYBE, MAYBE YOU'RE RIGHT. 
          UM, AND SO I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT , BUT WHAT I ALSO HAVE COME TO REALLY APPRECIATE IS NOT HAVING AN ISSUE BEFORE YOU AND THEN MOVING ON AND SAYING, OKAY, CHECK, DONE. 
          BUT THAT THE WORK THAT IT TAKES TO GET SOMETHING DONE ISN'T JUST PASSING A RESOLUTION. 
          IT'S NOT JUST HAVING A COMMITTEE HEARING. 
          IT'S CONTINUALLY, WHETHER IT'S BUILDING UPON BUILDING BLOCKS IN THE BUDGET OR ITEMS, YOU KNOW, WE DID THE WOOEY TODAY AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON THAT OR, UH, THE CONSTANT ATTENTION FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT, UH, SURVIVORS AND THE, LIKE, IT'S, IT REQUIRES CONSTANT ATTENTION AND THAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL. 
          AND SO I HOPE THAT I TOO CAN LEARN THAT CRAFT OVER MY TIME. 
          UM, CARRY ON THE ALTER LEGACY. 
          AND, UH, I REALLY DO JUST APPRECIATE ALL THAT I'VE LEARNED, UH, FROM YOU MAYOR PRO TEM POOL, YOU HAVE OUT SERVED EVERYONE HERE, . 
          AND THAT EXPERIENCE SHOWS IN HOW YOU ATTACK WHATEVER ISSUE IT IS, WHETHER IT'S ALSO A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR PARKS. 
          I KNOW OUR, OUR GREEN SPACES, BUT I THINK WE SAW THAT ON DISPLAY NO MORE THAN IN THE HOME INITIATIVE WHERE KNOWING YOU GOTTA PAY ATTENTION TO EVERY DETAIL, AND NOT JUST THE WORDS ON THE PAGE, BUT THE PROCESS WE'RE USING, WORKING WITH STAFF, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY, JUST REALLY COVERING EVERY SINGLE BASIS. 
          IT WAS A REALLY IMPRESSIVE TO WATCH, BE, PLAY, YOU KNOW, MY PART FROM OVER HERE ON THE D BUT I THINK YOU HAVE SHOWN US HOW, WHEN WE WANT TO GO ABOUT BIG THINGS, THIS IS, THIS IS HOW YOU DO THAT FROM A, A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE. 
          AND, AND THAT'S NOT EASY. 
          IT'S, IT'S, IT LOOKS EASY, BUT I KNOW IT'S, IT'S NOT. 
          UM, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST TO MY NEIGHBOR HERE, I HAVE SO ENJOYED NOT ONLY GETTING TO KNOW YOU PERSONALLY AND GETTING TO SIT NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND HAVE OUR, OUR CONVERSATIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T AGREE ON ALL THINGS, BUT WE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO FIND THOSE THINGS THAT WE DO AGREE ON AND REALLY WE WELL TOGETHER. 
          AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO WHAT NOT ONLY CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED LOCALLY, HOPEFULLY BEYOND LOCALLY, UH, BUT THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT, RIGHT? WE DON'T ALL AGREE ON STUFF, BUT WE SHOULD FIND WAYS TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET THINGS DONE, MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER. 
          AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHO 
          [04:25:01]
YOU'VE SHOWN YOURSELF TO BE. 
          AND SO I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT THE BEST IN THE FUTURE. 
          I KNOW THERE ARE BIG, BRIGHT THINGS AHEAD, UM, BUT JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO FIND THAT GROUND IN THE MIDDLE AND, AND BEING ABLE TO, TO DO WHAT WE CAN FOR THOSE WHO SENT US HERE. 
          SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          YES, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE. 
          GREAT. 
          UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UM, YEAH, I WANT TO KIND OF ECHO WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID ABOUT, UH, MY THREE COLLEAGUES, UH, WHO ARE, WHO ARE SADLY LEAVING US. 
          UM, AND JUST WANT TO REALLY EMPHASIZE SOMETHING THAT RYAN SAID. 
          YOU KNOW, I THINK AT TIMES ON THE DAAS, WE, WE MIGHT NOT ALL VOTE THE SAME WAY. 
          UH, WE MIGHT NOT ALL AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT I THINK THERE'S NEVER A DOUBT THAT EVERYONE OF THIS TURS WITH, WITH EMPATHY, WITH LOVE, AND WITH, WITH DEEP COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY. 
          UM, LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S NEVER A QUESTION, REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE MIGHT ALIGN ON AN ISSUE OR WHERE WE MIGHT ALIGN POLITICALLY. 
          SO, I, I CAN'T THANK, UH, THE THREE, YOU KNOW, THE THREE OF Y'ALL ENOUGH, UH, FOR YOUR SERVICE. 
          UM, AND SURE, I UNDOUBTEDLY THAT YOU GUYS WILL CONTINUE TO BE, UH, INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, BECAUSE I SAW THAT, THAT LOVE, THAT DEEP LOVE OF COMMUNITY, UH, DURING THE TWO YEARS THAT I WAS ABLE TO SERVE WITH Y'ALL. 
          UM, AND I GUESS I'LL, I'LL, I'LL GO AROUND AS, AS WELL. 
          UM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK WHAT A LOT OF FOLKS MIGHT NOT, UH, REALIZE, UH, ABOUT MYSELF AND COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, UH, THEY MIGHT THINK THEY WERE VERY DIFFERENT, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD ARGUE THAT WE'RE, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS ALIKE. 
          WE'RE OFTEN THE ONLY, UH, ONE 10, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S A VOTE, THERE'S, IT'S TIMES, IT'S ONE 10. 
          UH, AND I THINK WE'VE BOTH BEEN ON, YOU KNOW, THE ENDS OF A ONE 10 VOTE. 
          UH, BUT, BUT IN ALL HONESTY, I REMEMBER THE, THE FIRST TIME WE, WE MET AFTER I WON, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CONVERSATION OF KIND OF WELCOMING IN, WELCOMING ME IN AS, AS THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THE, THE FIRST NLCI ATTENDED IN DC AND WE MET WITH ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE STUDENTS. 
          UH, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST THAT, THAT ONE FIRST ENCOUNTER, JUST THE, THE, THE LOVE AND PASSION I SAW IS SOMETHING THAT I, THAT I, THAT I STILL REMEMBER. 
          SO VERY MUCH THANK YOU FOR, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE. 
          UM, ALSO, I'LL GO HERE NEXT, UH, I, I SO APPRECIATE, UH, MAYOR PRO TEMPLE POOL. 
          UH, IF SOMEONE, UH, MADE A BET WITH ME BEFORE I GOT ELECTED THAT, UH, AN OFFICE THAT I'D WORK WITH A LOT, AND SOMEONE WHO I WOULD GET ALONG WITH SO MUCH WOULD BE MAYOR PRO TEMPLE, I WOULD SAY YOU'RE, YOU'RE CRAZY . 
          UM, BUT I, I HAVE ENJOYED EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF, OF, OR WORKING WITH, WITH YOU AND YOUR OFFICE, UH, FROM LEARNING, UH, FROM Y'ALL. 
          UM, I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE SUCH A VACUUM OF ALL THIS, UH, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE, UH, WITH, UH, WITH YOU LEAVING. 
          AND, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK AND DEDICATION YOU DID WITH, WITH HOME PART ONE AND, AND PART TWO. 
          BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF TIMES I'VE COME INTO YOUR OFFICE AND JUST CHATTED WITH YOU OR, OR LOUISA WHEN SHE WAS YOUR, YOUR CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, I'M, I'M REALLY GONNA MISS. 
          UM, BUT I THINK THE, THE BRIGHT SIDE IN ALL OF THAT IS, UH, YOU'RE GONNA BE A, A SOON TO BE CONSTITUENT, UH, AND A SOON, SOON TO BE NEIGHBOR. 
          SO, UH, I'M SURE YOU'LL BE ACTIVE, UH, IF THERE'S A COMPLAINT OF ANY KIND, I'M SURE YOU  SURE, SURE. 
          I WILL HEAR FROM YOU. 
          UM, AND THEN, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER WITH THE, WITH THE COOLEST LAST NAME, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER, WHO I THINK IS ONE OF THE SMARTEST PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET. 
          UM, SOMETIMES DISAGREE WITH HER, BUT ALWAYS RESPECT HER ON, ON THE WORK THAT SHE DOES. 
          'CAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS SO MUCH THOUGHT AND CARE AND CONSIDERATION PUT INTO THE WORK. 
          UH, AND SOMEONE WHO I THINK IS JUST, YOU KNOW, OFTEN THE, UM, MORAL COMPASS OF THE DIOCESE AT TIMES, UH, WHICH, WHICH I ALWAYS, I ALWAYS REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, AND REALLY DID ENJOY BEING ABLE TO SPEND SOME HUMAN TIME AND NOT POLICY AND NOT, UH, I GUESS IT WAS KIND OF POLITICS, UH, WHEN WE WERE IN CHICAGO AT THE, AT THE DNC. 
          SO, I'LL, I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER THOSE, THOSE CRAZY FEW DAYS. 
          UM, SO, AND, AND COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES WAS THERE TOO. 
          UM, BUT, UH, BUT YEAH, I, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL. 
          THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND I WILL PASS THAT OFF. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCILOR CADRE. 
          COUNCILOR VELA. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. 
          UH, JUST FOND GOODBYES TO, TO EVERYBODY. 
          ALLISON, YOUR WORK ON PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE. 
          UH, I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU SO MUCH ON, UH, EMS, UH, WHICH YOU'VE PROBABLY DUG INTO MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE ON THE DAES, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE ISSUES, UH, THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND JUST THE CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD ABOUT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY REALLY HELPED KIND OF SEAR ME, GUIDE ME, ORIENT ME, YOU KNOW, GET MY KIND OF ABSTRACT THOUGHTS INTO LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE TODAY NOW, UH, AND THE SISTER CITIES RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU'VE 
          [04:30:01]
CHAMPIONED AND YOUR DEDICATION TO AUSTIN BEING A GLOBAL CITY. 
          UH, I, I, THAT'S, IT IS REALLY BEEN AN EXAMPLE FOR ME. 
          I SAW YOU GET THE AWARD, UH, FROM THE SISTER CITIES INTERNATIONAL AND WELL DESERVED. 
          AND, UH, THAT BEAUTIFUL, UH, DIRECTIONAL SIGN THAT WE HAVE NOW IN THE PLAZA, WHICH IS LIKE REALLY ENTERTAINING, A REAL NICE AND NEW FEATURE OF, UH, OF, UH, CITY HALL. 
          UH, UH, UH, THANKS, UH, TO YOU. 
          AND, UH, IT WAS A PLEASURE ALSO GETTING TO KNOW YOUR FAMILY, UH, UH, YOUR, YOUR HUSBAND, YOUR KIDS, UH, AND WE HAVE CHILDREN OF A SIMILAR AGE. 
          AND, UH, IT WAS JUST A, A, A PLEASURE GETTING TO KNOW YOU ON A PERSONAL LEVEL AND, AND WELL WISHES TO THEM. 
          AND, UH, AND, AND IT'S JUST BEEN A, A, A REAL, A A REAL, UH, TREAT, UH, LESLIE, THE HOME INITIATIVE. 
          I JUST, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UH, THAT WAS KIND OF, UH, HUGE, UH, WELL-DESERVED AWARD, UH, FROM THE, THE, THE NATIONAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION. 
          AND, AND AGAIN, AND THE, THE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, POLITICAL, UH, COURAGE, UH, TO, TO DO THAT, UH, WAS JUST A TREMENDOUS, AND IT'S AN EXAMPLE TO, UH, UH, TO ALL OF US, UH, JUST, UH, YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THAT, UH, WAS, UH, TREMENDOUS ALONG WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP ON AUSTIN ENERGY AND ABOUT, AGAIN, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA PASS A, UM, A NEW RESOURCE GENERATION PLAN, UH, THAT I, I IS, UH, A LOT BETTER FROM WHERE WE WERE, YOU KNOW, A, A WHILE BACK. 
          AND AGAIN, I, I HAVE GOTTA GIVE YOU THE CREDIT. 
          YOU'VE BEEN, UH, LEADING THE AUSTIN, UH, ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, UH, AND YOU'VE BEEN RUNNING POINT ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY ISSUES, WHICH ARE CL NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. 
          AND I'VE ENJOYED THE DISCUSSIONS AND, AND, AND THE WORK THAT, UM, THAT, THAT, UH, YOU'VE DONE ON THAT. 
          AND, AND AGAIN, THE 10 YEARS IS REMARKABLE, UH,  AND, UH, ESPECIALLY 'CAUSE I, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU GET BEAT UP, UH, UH, ON HERE AND 10 YEARS OF IT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WILL TAKE ITS TOLL. 
          BUT, UH, UH, JUST EXCITED FOR, UH, THE FUTURE. 
          UM, YEAH, MACKENZIE, SUCH A PLEASURE TO, TO WORK WITH YOU. 
          UH, YOU WERE THE, THE FIRST PERSON TO, TO GIMME A TOUR OF, UH, OF CITY HALL  WHEN I GOT ELECTED. 
          UH, AND, UH, JUST GETTING TO KNOW YOU, UH, AND WORKING WITH YOU HAS, UH, BEEN, UH, A PLEASURE, UM, SITTING. 
          SHE WAS, UH, WHEN, WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, WE SAT NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND, UH, GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER PRETTY WELL, AND WE'RE ALWAYS JOKING AND LAUGHING. 
          AND, UH, GENERALLY SPEAKING, KIND OF, UH, HAVING A, A, A, A GOOD TIME, ALWAYS, UH, ENJOYED, UH, UH, OUR, UH, RELATIONSHIP AND YOUR DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS. 
          UH, YOU, I I, I REMEMBER SPEAKING TO, UH, UH, SOME, UH, UH, SOME, UH, POLICE OFFICERS, UH, ONE TIME AND JUST TALKING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUNCIL AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY MADE THE COMMENT THAT MACKENZIE'S ALWAYS AT OUR EVENTS, MACKENZIE'S ALWAYS, AND, AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT REALLY STUCK WITH ME BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY NOTICE WHO'S THERE AND WHO'S NOT. 
          AND YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE AT EEMS CEREMONIES AT, AT FIRE DEPARTMENT CEREMONIES, AT, AT, AT POLICE CEREMONIES, UH, AND, AND THE RESPECT, UH, AND, AND ADMIRATION, UH, FROM, YOU KNOW, THOSE DEPARTMENTS, UH, TO YOU, UH, WAS REFLECTED IN YOUR, YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR RESPECT, UH, FOR THEM. 
          AND, UH, I KNOW THAT WAS A, A FOCUS OF YOUR TIME ON COUNCIL. 
          AND AGAIN, IT'S, UH, APPRECIATED AND, AND RESPECTED VERY MUCH. 
          AND, AND, UH, ALL THE BEST TO, UH, UH, TO YOU AND, AND WHATEVER COMES NEXT. 
          AND THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, UH, BEST WISHES IN THE FUTURE. 
           COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON. 
          THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. 
          UM, BEFORE I, I PROCEED WITH FAREWELLS. 
          I'D LIKE TO SAY SOME HELLOS, GOOD TO SEE SOME FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE, COUNCIL MEMBER ER KITCHEN. 
          AND I THINK I SEE COUNCIL MEMBER VO. 
          HEY. 
          HI GUYS. 
          UM, I'LL KEEP IT PRETTY SHORT AND SWEET. 
          UM, I'D LIKE TO SAY I REALLY VERY MUCH APPRECIATE HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH EACH OF YOU AND WATCHING YOU BE A CHAMPION, UM, FOR THE CAUSES THAT ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO YOU. 
          AND I DON'T USE THE TERM CHAMPION LIGHTLY. 
          UH, 'CAUSE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THIS JOB IS, IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART OR THE WEAK OF WILL. 
          UM, AND, YOU KNOW, BOTH AS A, A PERSON WHO WAS A BOXER, BUT ALSO 'CAUSE I'VE TAKEN SOME OF THOSE BLOWS MYSELF, YOU KNOW, GETTING KNOCKED AROUND IS NOT EASY. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, DESPITE HOW MUCH WE TRY TO REMIND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT THE POLICY, NOT ABOUT THE PEOPLE. 
          UH, HUMAN NATURE IS WHAT IT IS, AND THE PERSON GETS ATTACKED. 
          UM, AND WHEN YOU'RE FOLLOWING YOUR HEART AND DOING WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS RIGHT AND YOUR ACT OF SERVICE TO YOUR COMMUNITY, AND YOU TAKE IT ANYWAY, THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT YOU AS A PERSON. 
          AND I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE EACH OF YOU DOING THAT. 
          I APPRECIATE HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO YOUR POINT OF SERVING ON A MAJORITY STRONG WOMAN COUNCIL. 
          I SEE SOME OF THOSE STRONG WOMEN IN THE ROOM TODAY. 
          UM, I THINK BOTH PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, 
          [04:35:01]
IT HELPED ME GROW. 
          UM, SO I'M VERY MUCH GRATEFUL FOR HAVING HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY. 
          I, UH, I KNOW THAT THIS JOB TAKES A LOT OF HEART AND GUTS, AND I'M NOT WISHING YOU GUYS WELL AND, YOU KNOW, SEE YOU LATER EXCLUSIVELY. 
          YOU KNOW, I'M ALSO SAYING THAT I REALLY HOPE THAT EACH OF YOU TAKES AWAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE REMEMBERED ME SAYING A LOT IN THE BEGINNING UNTIL MY KIDS BECAME TEENAGERS AND TOLD ME TO STOP SAYING IT. 
          UM, HEY, YOU GUYS, LET'S ALL BE MINDFUL OF WHAT WE DO AND SAY OUT HERE 'CAUSE OUR KIDS ARE WATCHING. 
          UM, BUT OUR KIDS WERE WATCHING ALL OF YOU. 
          AND YOU'VE BEEN AN EXAMPLE FOR YOUNG FOLKS IN THE CITY OF THE CAPITAL, CITY OF THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH EACH OF YOU. 
          SO THANK YOU ALL. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, THANK YOU. 
          I THINK I'M THE, THE CABOOSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT THE ONES STEPPING AWAY TODAY. 
          UH, MAYOR PRO TEM POOL. 
          I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST CAME IN AND I THINK YOU AND I WERE HAVING A TUG OF WAR OVER WHO WAS THE MORE ENVIRONMENTALIST, ENVIRONMENTALIST. 
          AND EVERY TIME SHE SAID WATER QUALITY, I SAID, AND AIR QUALITY . 
          AND OVER THE YEARS, THAT DEVELOPED INTO A REALLY GOOD PARTNERSHIP TO ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AND TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICIES WERE ALL ENCOMPASSING AND THAT THEY WERE, UM, WORKING TO SERVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. 
          AND SO IT'S BEEN GREAT TO SEE HOW PERSONALITIES AND RELATIONSHIPS MAY CHANGE OVER THE YEARS. 
          AND, AND I, I FULLY AGREE THIS, THIS WORK IS NOT EASY. 
          AND, UM, WE ALL HAVE PEOPLE WHO WILL COME UP TO US IN ONE MEETING AND SAY, I LOVE YOU. 
          YOU'RE DOING THE BEST WORK. 
          AND THEN THE NEXT PERSON SAYS, I HATE YOU, AND YOU'RE DOING TERRIBLE WORK. 
          AND THAT IS NOT, UM, THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. 
          AND SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE GETTING TO GROW IN, IN MY POLICIES ALONGSIDE WITH YOU AS WELL, AND TO REALLY SHARE THOUGHTS. 
          AND OUR TEAMS HAVE WORKED SEAMLESSLY TOGETHER. 
          UM, AND SO I'M JUST VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE KNOWN YOU IN THAT WAY, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. 
          UM, ALLISON, I'VE NEVER MET ANYONE WITH AN AS MUCH SKILL AS YOU HAVE TO TAKE AN ISSUE AND TO JUST SAY, I CARE ABOUT THIS AND I'M GONNA MAKE IT RIGHT. 
          AND SO I ALWAYS KNOW THE HOMEWORK'S GONNA BE DONE. 
          EVERY QUESTION'S GOING TO BE ASKED, AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT YOU GIVE UP ON. 
          AND YOU SAY, ALL RIGHT, I'VE SPENT A LONG TIME ON THIS, AND I DUNNO HOW MUCH FURTHER I'M GONNA GET. 
          YOU'RE THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT SAYS IT'S NOT DONE TILL IT'S DONE. 
          AND I LOVE THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN YOU BRING AN INITIATIVE, IT'S LIKE, I'M NOT GONNA HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK YOUR MATH. 
          I'M NOT GONNA HAVE TO GO OVER AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN THOROUGH. 
          AND SO I, I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SPEND THAT MUCH CAPACITY AND THAT MUCH BRAIN POWER ON THINGS THAT REALLY MEAN A LOT TO YOU. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR EVERY SO OFTEN WHISPERING TO ME DURING BUDGET, WHAT KIND OF QUESTION I NEED TO ASK TO FIND A COUPLE EXTRA DOLLARS TO GET THAT EXTRA PARKS MONEY THAT WE NEED EACH AND EVERY TIME. 
          SO I KNOW THAT YOU'LL STILL BE AROUND WORKING ON THOSE ISSUES WITH US BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY. 
          AND MCKENZIE, THANK YOU FOR HOSTING STAR WARS DAY,  COMPLETE WITH A LIGHTSABER FIGHT IN FRONT OF CITY HALL. 
          AND THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE SAME DAY THAT YOU HAD INTERSTELLAR BARBECUE COME, AND YOU GOT TO INTRODUCE US TO AMAZING DISTRICT SIX FOOD. 
          SO I KNOW AS SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THAT AREA, YOU CARE DEEPLY ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY, AND YOU'VE ALWAYS FOUND A WAY, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW YOU STOOD ALONE ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT ISSUES, YOU ALWAYS FOUND A WAY TO BE HUMBLE AND TO BRING YOUR AMAZING SENSE OF HUMOR INTO SITUATIONS AND SOMETIMES BEING VERY SELF-DEPRECATING ON THE DA. 
          UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I KNOW ANYONE THAT'S TAKEN AS MANY NO VOTES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, BUT, UM, BUT I, I KNOW YOU ARE GONNA STICK TO YOUR CONVICTIONS. 
          I KNOW THAT YOU BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, AND YOU'VE JUST ALWAYS HAD A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR IN A WAY OF WORKING THROUGH THIS IN A WAY THAT I KNOW IS NOT EASY FOR SOMEONE IN YOUR POSITION. 
          I APPRECIATE ALL THE FIGHT THAT YOU'VE HAD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA ASK THAT WE BRING THE LAST, UH, SET OF GIFTS THAT, AND, AND HERE'S HOW WE'RE GONNA OPERATE. 
          I WANT TO CALL ON THE THREE FOLKS THAT ARE, UH, THAT WE'RE HONORING HERE TODAY. 
          AND WE'RE SAYING THANK YOU TO, TO, UH, ASK THEM TO SAY A FEW WORDS, AND THEN WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS, UH, GIVE THEM SOME GIFTS. 
          BUT LET ME START, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE YOU FIRST AND ASK IF YOU WON'T SAY A FEW WORDS. 
          I DON'T THINK I'LL GIVE UP AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOMETHING GOOD. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. 
          UM, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. 
          AS I SIT HERE TODAY REFLECTING ON MY TIME AS YOUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT SIX I, I'M FILLED WITH GRATITUDE, HOPE, AND A DEEP SENSE OF PURPOSE. 
          THESE PAST FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, ONE THAT HAS CHALLENGED ME, SHAPED ME, AND REINFORCED MY UNWAVERING BELIEF IN THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUNITY. 
          WHEN I FIRST DECIDED TO RUN FOR OFFICE, THERE WERE DOUBTS. 
          I WASN'T PART OF THE TRADITIONAL NETWORKS OR GROUPS THAT OFTEN GUIDE PEOPLE INTO ELECTED POSITIONS. 
          I WASN'T WEALTHY OR WELL CONNECTED. 
          I'M NOT SAYING YOU ALL ARE EITHER, BY THE WAY. 
          I'M JUST, JUST DISCLAIMER. 
          UM, GROWING UP IN DISTRICT SIX, MY 
          [04:40:01]
FAMILY STRUGGLED TO MAKE ENDS MEET, AND PUBLIC SERVICE FELT LIKE A FAR OFF DREAM. 
          BUT I KNEW THEN, AS I KNOW NOW, THAT LEADERSHIP ISN'T ABOUT PRIVILEGE OR CONNECTIONS. 
          IT'S ABOUT SHOWING UP, LISTENING AND WORKING EVERY DAY TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SERVE. 
          I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT YOU, THOSE OF YOU HERE IN CHAMBERS, THOSE OF YOU WATCHING ONLINE, THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT SIX AND OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN SAW THAT YOU TRUSTED ME, A MOM, A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, AND A NEIGHBOR WHO GREW UP HERE. 
          TO BE YOUR VOICE ON THIS DAIS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I KNEW MY PURPOSE WAS TO SERVE EVERYONE WITH HONOR, DIGNITY, AND DETERMINATION, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND OR BELIEFS THROUGHOUT MY TERM. 
          I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING SO MANY INCREDIBLE PEOPLE, PEOPLE I DIDN'T KNOW, WELCOMED ME INTO THEIR HOMES, SHARED THEIR STORIES, AND OFFERED PERSPECTIVES THAT I NEVER WOULD'VE ENCOUNTERED OTHERWISE. 
          THOSE MOMENTS HAVE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT STRENGTH, DIVERSITY, AND THE RESILIENCE OF THIS COMMUNITY. 
          AT THE SAME TIME, THERE WERE DIFFICULT MOMENTS. 
          SOME PEOPLE YELLED AT ME IN PUBLIC, ASSUMING I WAS SOMEONE I WASN'T BECAUSE OF THE DECISIONS I MADE, THE VOTES I CAST OR THE PARTY I REPRESENT. 
          THOSE MOMENTS WERE TOUGH, BUT THEY REMINDED ME OF THE WEIGHT OF THIS ROLE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY I CARRIED TO BE A VOICE FOR EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO FELT THEY HADN'T BEEN HEARD BEFORE. 
          I'LL NEVER FORGET A CONVERSATION I HAD EARLY ON WITH A FORMER MAYOR ABOUT A PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING DECISION. 
          I WAS FRUSTRATED THAT THE ONLY SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE FELT LIKE BAD OPTIONS. 
          HE TOLD ME SOMETHING THAT STUCK WITH ME. 
          IN TIMES LIKE THESE, YOU PICK THE LEAST WORST DECISION WITH ALL THE INFORMATION YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. 
          AND THAT ADVICE BECAME A GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR ME. 
          LEADERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT FINDING PERFECT ANSWERS. 
          IT'S ABOUT MAKING THE BEST POSSIBLE CHOICES FOR THE PEOPLE YOU, YOU SERVE. 
          DESPITE THE CHALLENGES, WE ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH. 
          TOGETHER, WE PRIORITIZE PUBLIC SAFETY IN TANGIBLE AND LIFE-CHANGING WAYS. 
          EXPANDING THE WHOLE BLOOD PROGRAM AT EMS HAS ALREADY HELPED OVER 500 LIVES, GIVING FAMILIES HOPE IN THEIR DARKEST MOMENTS, REINSTATING THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER PROGRAM TO HELP RESCUE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND RECOVER STOLEN VEHICLES. 
          WE REINVESTED IN PARKS, CLEANED UP, ABANDONED HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS TOGETHER AND ADDRESSED AFFORDABILITY ALL WHILE FOCUSING ON MAKING DISTRICT SIX AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN A SAFER AND BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. 
          BUT I DIDN'T DO THIS ALONE. 
          I'M DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL. 
          WITHOUT YOUR COLLABORATION, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT, THE PROGRESS WE ACHIEVED WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. 
          IT WASN'T ALWAYS EASY AND A LOT OF WORK HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES AND THE SLOWNESS OF GOVERNMENT OFTEN MADE PROGRESS FEEL OUT OF REACH. 
          BUT I CAME TO UNDERSTAND WHY GOVERNMENT MOVES SLOWLY TO ENSURE THAT EVERY VOICE IS HEARD, EVERY PERSPECTIVE IS CONSIDERED, AND EVERY DECISION MADE IS WITH THOUGHTFULNESS AND CARE. 
          TO MY TEAM. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS DEDICATION AND BELIEF IN OUR VISION. 
          Y'ALL ARE THE BEST, UM, TO MY FAMILY, ESPECIALLY MY DAUGHTER. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, YOUR LOVE, AND YOUR CONSTANT INSPIRATION TO MY MOM AND DAD. 
          MOM, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THE CHAMBERS TODAY AND IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME TO CITY HALL. 
          SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UM, ALL THE WAY FROM DISTRICT SIX. 
          DOES SHE, DOES SHE WANT TO TALK ? I THINK I GOT THAT GENE FROM MY DAD. 
          UM, BUT MOM, PLEASE TELL DAD WHEN YOU GET HOME THAT I'M THANKFUL FOR HIM TELLING ME TO REMEMBER I'M A KELLY EVERY DAY AS I LEFT FOR SCHOOL IN THE MORNING. 
          AS I LEAVE THE DAIS, I'M GONNA LEAVE WITH A SENSE OF PRIDE FOR MY ROOTS, FOR OUR SHARED STRUGGLES, BUT FOR OVERCOMING THEM AND TO THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT SIX, MANY OF YOU WHOSE FACES I SEE HERE IN THIS ROOM. 
          THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME WITH YOUR STORIES, YOUR HOPES, YOUR CHALLENGES, AND YOUR DREAMS FOR A BETTER AUSTIN, YOU HAVE REMINDED ME EVERY DAY WHY THIS WORK MATTERS. 
          SERVING YOUR COUNCIL OR SERVING AS YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER ON THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN THE HONOR OF A LIFETIME. 
          AND WHILE MY TIME IS SOON TO END, MY COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY DOES NOT, I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE. 
          I'M NOT GONNA GO LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE. 
          I'M GONNA STAY IN AUSTIN. 
          PUBLIC SERVICE ISN'T ABOUT A TITLE AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT SHOWING UP, LISTENING AND CONTINUING TO FIGHT WHAT'S RIGHT. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT I INTEND TO KEEP DOING. 
          THIS ISN'T GOODBYE, IT'S THE BEGINNING OF A NEW CHAPTER BECAUSE TOGETHER WE'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE, AND TOGETHER I KNOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO BUILD A BRIGHTER, STRONGER FUTURE FOR DISTRICT SIX IN ALL OF AUSTIN. 
          SO FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE. 
          IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY I WILL CHERISH FOREVER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          [04:45:03]
I MADE IT TO THE END AND THEN I CRIED. 
          OH YEAH. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER ALLISON ALTER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE'LL SEE HOW I DO . 
          UM, SO GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE, AND, AND THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR VERY KIND WORDS AND GOOD WISHES. 
          AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR THIS, UM, CELEBRATION. 
          OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, I'VE BEEN REFLECTING ON MY EIGHT YEARS IN OFFICE. 
          UM, THIS HAS TRULY BEEN THE HARDEST AND MOST REWARDING JOB YET IN MY LIFE. 
          I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT 10 WHO PUT THEIR FAITH IN ME TWICE TO REPRESENT THEM AT CITY HALL. 
          THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING ME. 
          I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH. 
          I HAVE WELCOMED THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES BIG AND SMALL, THAT EACH DAY BROUGHT ME THROUGHOUT. 
          I HAVE STRIVED TO BRING MY BEST SELF FORWARD AND TO EMPOWER OTHERS TO SERVE ALONG WITH ME. 
          THERE ARE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS I'M PROUD OF, BUT ALL OF THEM REQUIRED COLLABORATION WITH SOME OF THE SMARTEST, MOST VISIONARY, AND OFTEN THE BRAVEST PEOPLE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL. 
          THANK YOU TO THE MANY PEOPLE WHO JOINED ME ON THIS INCREDIBLE JOURNEY AND WORKED WITH ME TO IMPROVE OUR CITY. 
          IN 2016, I RAN FOR OFFICE TO ADVANCE OUR PARKS, ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, AND HELP OUR CITY GROW RESPONSIBLY. 
          AND WHILE I CERTAINLY PURSUED SUCH POLICIES, I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT MANY OF THE INITIATIVES THAT I AM MOST PROUD OF WERE NOT ON MY RADAR SCREEN WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE. 
          THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE RELATIVELY NEW, YOU'LL SOON LEARN THAT LESSON. 
          UM, OVER THE YEARS, I LEARNED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT RANDOM TEXT WITH A CRITICAL CONCERN OR THAT STAFF MEMBER WITH AN ABILITY TO REALLY SEE THE BIG PICTURE AND DEVELOP GOOD IDEAS AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. 
          I LEARNED THAT ASKING QUESTIONS COULD BE A SUPERPOWER. 
          I ALSO LEARNED TO LEVERAGE THE MOMENTUM AND ATTENTION CREATED BY CRISIS TO MAKE SOME GOOD TROUBLE AS A COMMUNITY AND AS COLLEAGUES, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT TOGETHER. 
          YOU SURELY REMEMBER. 
          CODE NEXT, THE PACKAGE. 
          BOMBER COVID, YURI MARA. 
          OUR REPEAT WATER BOILS GEORGE FLOYD ARSON AT MY SYNAGOGUE, THE SOLAR ECLIPSE, AND SO MUCH MORE. 
          I AM PROUD THAT AMIDST ALL OF THIS, I HELPED BUILD SO MANY PROGRAMS THAT ARE MOVING THE NEEDLE HERE IN AUSTIN AND THAT ARE RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AND SOMETIMES INTERNATIONALLY AS BEING CREATIVE AND EFFECTIVE APPROACHES TO THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE. 
          SOME EXAMPLES INCLUDE WILDFIRE PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS INITIATIVES, THE COLLECTIVE SEX CRIMES RESPONSE MODEL, OUR INNOVATIVE EMS PROGRAMS LIKE THE PARAMEDIC PRACTITIONERS PROGRAM AND EMS COLLABORATIVE CARE COMMUNICATION CENTER, C FOUR THAT ALLOW US TO DELIVER BETTER CARE AND FREE UP AMBULANCES AND EMERGENCY ROOMS FOR THOSE WITH LIFE THREATENING NEEDS. 
          STRENGTHENING OUR CHILDCARE ECOSYSTEM TO IMPROVE QUALITY AND ACCESS IN NUMEROUS WAYS, INCLUDING THE RECENT TRAVIS COUNTY PROPOSITION, A WIN, THE CREATION OF THE DIVERSITY AND ETHNIC CHAMBERS ALLIANCE, AND THE SOON TO BE RELEASED REGIONAL ECONOMIC EQUITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN SOON TO LAND ON YOUR DESK COLLEAGUES, THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS, WHICH IS A PROGRAM I LAUNCHED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHICH NOW PROVIDES A PIPELINE TO LIVING WAGES, LIVING WAGE, GREEN JOBS AND TRAINING. 
          AND MOST RECENTLY, THE UTC CITY CLIMATE COLAB, WHICH IS ALLOWING THE CITY TO HARNESS DATA AND RESEARCH TO MAKE BETTER INVESTMENTS DECISIONS. 
          AS WE NAVIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER INITIATIVES THAT I WAS PROUD TO LEAD THAT ARE MEETING REAL NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          WE SET A GOAL FOR FIVE NEW FIRE EMS STATIONS IN SIX YEARS, AND WE DID IT. 
          AND CANYON CREEK, THE LAST ONE OPENS IN JANUARY IN DISTRICT 10, THE LAUNCH OF THE OFFICE OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND OUR COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORTS TO BUILD A GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION ECOSYSTEM, IMPROVING OUR RESPONSE TO HATE THROUGH THE WE ALL BELONG SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN OUR PARKS AND PRESERVES THE HAZARDOUS WASTE PICKUP PROGRAM, INVESTING IN OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS, AND THE SUCCESS OF OUR SCHOOL BONDS. 
          I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND THROUGH THAT, I WAS ABLE TO PURSUE MY PASSION FOR GOVERNANCE AND OVERSIGHT THROUGH THE AUSTIN WATER EXTERNAL AUDIT, OUR WORK ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, ADDRESSING STAFF SHORTAGES FOR 9 1 1 POLICE ACADEMY REFORMS, OR THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CYBERSECURITY ROADMAP. 
          AS YOU MIGHT HAVE GUESSED, SUMMING UP EIGHT YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN SO RICH FULL AND CHALLENGING IS NOT EASY. 
          AND IF I'M HONEST, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M FULLY READY TO DO JUSTICE. 
          SO I JUST GAVE YOU A LIST FOR 
          [04:50:01]
NOW. 
          I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO A LONG CREATIVE PAUSE AND TIME TO REFLECT BEFORE CHOOSING HOW I WANT TO CONTINUE SERVING. 
          BEFORE I SAY FAREWELL TODAY, I WANT TO THANK MY FAMILY FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE, ESPECIALLY MY HUSBAND, JEREMY SURRY, WHO I KNOW WILL BE ALWAYS BE MY BIGGEST FAN AND MY MOST DEMANDING CONSTITUENT . 
          I AM PROUD THAT I KEPT MY VOW TO MYSELF TO MAKE SURE I COULD EXPLAIN EVERY VOTE TO MY TWO KIDS, UH, NATALIE AND ZACHARY, WHO ARE NOW AMAZING ADULTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THOSE VOTES WERE HARD OR SWAM AGAINST THE TIDE. 
          I ALSO WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES ON THE DAIS AND MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS GOVERNMENT, OUR CITY STAFF, AND ESPECIALLY MY DISTRICT 10 TEAM, PAST AND PRESENT, MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE TODAY, AND WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME IN SO MANY COUNTLESS WAYS THROUGH THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THIS ROLE, AND HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ALL OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN SO MANY WAYS. 
          THANK YOU ALSO TO THE MANY COMMUNITY LEADERS AND MY CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MY COLLABORATORS AND FRIENDS. 
          AS I CONCLUDE, I AM REMINDED OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S GREAT QUOTE ABOUT BEING IN THE ARENA, BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT HE MISSED SOMETHING, HE MISSED THAT GOVERNING IS A TEAM SPORT, AND I AM SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN IN THE ARENA THESE PAST EIGHT YEARS WITH ALL OF YOU. 
          I SO LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING WITH EACH OF YOU AFTERWARDS AND CONTINUING OUR FRIENDSHIP AND CONTINUING TO MAKE GOOD TROUBLE WITH YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND LAST BUT NOT, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, LET ME RECOGNIZE OUR MAYOR PRO TEM LESLIE POOLE. 
          THANKS, MAYOR. 
          I, I HAVE JUST A FEW SHORT REMARKS FOR TODAY. 
          A COUPLE OF THINGS I'VE LEARNED, SOME TAKEAWAYS AND APPRECIATION. 
          I LEARNED HOW TO FOCUS ON CORE ISSUES. 
          THREE AREAS IN PARTICULAR THAT I PURSUED AS COUNCIL MEMBER WERE THE ECONOMY, ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT. 
          THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS MOVED THE NEEDLE SIGNIFICANTLY IN THESE AREAS BECAUSE OF THE WORK WE ALL DID TOGETHER. 
          AND THERE ARE SO MANY OF YOU RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW WHO WERE INTEGRAL TO GETTING TO THE CORE ISSUES, DEVISING SOLUTIONS AND MOVING US FORWARD, WHERE WE ARE TODAY COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE IN 2015. 
          A GREAT DISTANCE IN TERMS OF KNOWLEDGE AND POLICY, EXPERIENCE AND PROGRESS. 
          AN EXAMPLE, AUSTIN ENERGY'S RESOURCE GENERATION AND CLIMATE PROTECTION PLAN THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER TODAY, AND WHICH IS A BIG ITEM ON OUR AGENDA THURSDAY, AUSTIN IS THE MOST PROGRESSIVE UTILITY IN TEXAS IN TERMS OF ASSESSING AND ACTING ON CLIMATE GOALS. 
          WE'VE LABORED TO ACHIEVE THAT STATUS AND OUR PROGRESS IS SIGNIFICANT. 
          MAYOR WATSON WRITES ABOUT AUSTIN'S CLIMATE AND ENERGY WORK IN HIS RECENT WATSON WIRE. 
          ONE MORE EXAMPLE, MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CADRE AND VELA AND I WERE INVITED TO BOSTON, CAMBRIDGE, AND SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS LAST WEEK TO REPORT TO THEIR CITY COUNCILS ON THE BIG POLICY CHANGES WE'VE MADE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS TO MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN IS A HOME FOR EVERYONE. 
          THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE JOBS AND MAKING SURE WE'RE HELPING PEOPLE MOVE MORE SWIFTLY AND SAFELY AROUND OUR CITY. 
          AUSTIN AND BOSTON, FOR EXAMPLE, WHILE QUITE DIFFERENT, DO SHARE, DO, SHARE CHALLENGES, AND OUR CONVERSATIONS WERE INFORMED AND INSTRUCTIVE. 
          I RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION FROM MANY CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR THE BIG THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE. 
          THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT. 
          WE ARE LEADING AS AUSTIN OFTEN DOES ON THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT CITIES FACE. 
          MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM HAVE ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH US IN PURSUING SOLUTIONS TO NEW URBAN CHALLENGES OVER THE YEARS. 
          IT'S AN IMPERATIVE WE FACE IS HOW TO ACCOMMODATE 
          [04:55:01]
THE SWIFT PACE OF GROWTH. 
          AND YOU'VE BEEN KEY TO SHAPING OUR RESPONSES. 
          YOUR ENGAGEMENT HAS MADE OUR POLICY DECISIONS BETTER. 
          THERE'S MORE TO DO AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE RESULTS OF YOUR CONTINUED WORK. 
          I LEARNED TOO LATE PROBABLY THAT I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME, HAD A LOT TO DO, AND A LOT OF IT TOOK LONGER THAN MAYBE IT SHOULD HAVE. 
          SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS I DIDN'T GET TO AND THAT'S OKAY. 
          THAT'S HOW THESE THINGS WORK, AND IT'S THERE TO DO FOR Y'ALL WHO WILL STILL BE HERE OR WHO ARE NEW TO COUNCIL, AND I'LL BE ROOTING FOR YOU. 
          KEEP GETTING THINGS DONE. 
          I ALSO NOTICED THE LONGER I DID THIS JOB, MY VOCABULARY GET SALTIER, SO I HOPE I DIDN'T UPSET Y'ALL TOO MUCH WITH THAT. 
          OKAY, SO SOME THANK YOUS, AND THIS IS THE REALLY IMPORTANT PART TO MY DEAR D 17 MOST RECENTLY, LUISA AND NIKKI AND AHA AND SAM, AND TO ALL THE STAFFERS WHO WERE WITH ME EARLIER. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONORABLE DEDICATION TO OUR WORK TOGETHER AND TO YOUR GOOD HUMOR AND TALENT AND INCREDIBLE WORK ETHIC. 
          THE WORK WE DID TOGETHER WAS CONSEQUENTIAL, MEANINGFUL, PURPOSEFUL. 
          IT WAS DEEPLY INFORMED BY YOUR EXPERTISE AND GOOD OFFICES. 
          AND TO THE EXTENT THAT I SUCCEEDED, IT WAS ALWAYS BECAUSE YOU PREPARED THE GROUND FOR ME TO CITY PROFESSIONAL STAFF. 
          WITHOUT YOU, OUR WORK WOULDN'T HAVE PROCEDURAL POLISH OR AN OPERATIONAL RUDDER. 
          YOU DO GOOD WORK. 
          YOU BRING EXPERTISE AND INTELLECT TO YOUR WORK. 
          YOU BRING YOUR HEARTS EVERY DAY, AND I'VE APPRECIATED THAT THROUGHOUT MY TIME HERE. 
          KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. 
          WE RELY ON YOU TO MY DIA COLLEAGUES, EVERY ONE OF YOU FROM 2015 TO TODAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AS A BODY AND AS INDIVIDUALS FACING A CONSTANT STREAM OF ISSUES, BIG AND SMALL, SOME MOVE IN LIQUIDITY, SPLIT OTHERS GRINDINGLY SLOW, SOME OBVIOUS AND EXPECTED AND OTHERS COMING OUTTA NOWHERE. 
          WE DISAGREED AT TIMES ON TACTICS OR OUTCOMES. 
          WE TRIED TO PERSUADE ONE ANOTHER TO INDIVIDUAL POINTS OF VIEW, MAYBE OBSERVED A COUPLE, UM, VERBAL FISTICUFFS. 
          MOST OFTEN THOUGH, WE SAW EYE TO EYE SHARED A COMMON UNDERSTANDING AND VISION AND PURPOSE ABOUT THE BEST DECISIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IT WAS IN TIMES OF COMPROMISE AND ACCORD THAT WE INCHED THE BALL FORWARD AND SOMETIMES EVEN PICKED UP THAT DARN BALL AND RAN WITH IT. 
          WE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT TOGETHER, A LOT. 
          GOOD, AND I'LL MISS THAT DOING GOOD WORK WITH ALL OF YOU TO THE VOTERS OF DISTRICT SEVEN, I OWE THANKS TO YOU FOR ELECTING ME TO REPRESENT YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE AND RESOUNDINGLY REELECTING ME TWO MORE TIMES. 
          I HAVE DEEP RESPECT FOR CITY GOVERNMENT, THE COUNCIL AS A GOVERNING INSTITUTION, AND AS A LOT OF FOLKS KNOW, EVEN THOUGH MOST OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER WAS SPENT IN GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY, RUNNING FOR OFFICE WAS NEVER ON MY TO-DO LIST UNTIL IT WAS IN 2014. 
          I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING, BUT I'M GLAD IT DID. 
          IT'S BEEN A DEEP HONOR TO HAVE SERVED MY CITY IN THE MOST PUBLIC SERVICE JOB EVER IN AN ELECTIVE OFFICE. 
          THAT'S AS CLOSE TO THE ELECTORATE AS YOU CAN GET. 
          YOU GAVE ME THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY IN THE MOST ENCOMPASSING AND FULFILLING WAY THAT I COULD IMAGINE. 
          IT'S 24 7 SERVICE, REALLY, AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATED BEING ELECTED TO THIS JOB AND THEN TRUSTED TO DO IT THE BEST WAY I KNEW HOW AND TO WILL GROVER MY PARTNER AT HOME AND IN MUSIC AND MY HEART. 
          THANKS FOR KEEPING THE HOME FIRES BURNING AND THE DINNER READY WHILE I DID THIS WORK. 
          I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW I WOULD'VE DONE IT WITHOUT YOUR STEADY, UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND YOUR SCHEDULE FLEXIBILITY. 
           . 
          SO 10 YEARS, IT'S A LONG TIME, AND IT WENT BY IN A FLASH. 
          SO 
          [05:00:01]
THANK YOU AUSTIN, MY FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, CRITICS AND SUPPORTERS. 
          I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST GOING FORWARD AND I THANK YOU FOR CHEERING ME ON, FOR TRUSTING ME, FOR GIVING ME THE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 
          IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE YOU. 
          SO LET'S CELEBRATE COMING TO THE END OF THIS JOURNEY AND LOOK FORWARD TO NEW ONES AHEAD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WELL, MEMBERS, OUTGOING MEMBERS ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL, I WANT TO AGAIN SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU. 
          THANK YOU TO EACH OF YOU. 
          UH, AS YOU ALL HEARD, EACH ONE OF THEM EMPHASIZED HOW MUCH MORE THERE IS TO DO AND THE CITY GOES ON, BUT THERE'S A LOT FOR YOUR SUCCESSORS, UH, TO DO AND A LOT OF, UH, WORK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO TO MEET THE STANDARDS THAT EACH OF YOU HAVE SET IN YOUR POSITIONS ON THIS COUNCIL. 
          UH, I I WILL SAY, UH, I THINK ALL OF US HAVE LEARNED FROM EACH OF YOU, UH, BOTH AS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS AND YOU'VE HEARD EACH, UH, EACH PERSON, UH, MAKE A REFERENCE TO WORKING TOGETHER AND BEING PART OF THE TEAM. 
          UH, I WANT TO SAY AGAIN THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED THIS CITY WONDERFUL SERVICE AS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND AS A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM. 
          IT'S BEEN GREAT PUBLIC SERVICE WORTHY OF ALL OF THE PRIDE THAT YOU CAN MUSTER AND THAT YOU HAVE. 
          SO THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          UH, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT THE THREE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE LEAVING, PLEASE JOIN ME DOWN. 
          UM, I'M GONNA CALL ON THE CITY MANAGER TO SAY A FEW WORDS AS WE COME DOWN AND PROVIDE SOME GIFTS. 
          AND THEN I'M GONNA, AFTER THAT, I WILL INVITE THE ENTIRE COUNCIL TO COME DOWN AND WE'LL DO A GROUP PHOTO. 
          AND THANK YOU MAYOR. 
          AS YOU WALK DOWN, I WANTED TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND AS WE BID FARE FAREWELL TO OUR ESTEEM COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S AN HONOR TO PRESENT THE TOKENS OF OUR APPRECIATION FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          EACH OF THESE GIFTS CARRY A SPECIAL MEANING REFLECTING THE LEGACY YOU LEAVE BEHIND. 
          FIRST, A PERSONALIZED STREET SIGN BEARING YOUR NAME. 
          THIS SYMBOLIZES THE INDELIBLE MARK YOU'VE MADE ON YOUR CITY. 
          JUST AS OUR STREETS GUIDE US THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY, YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS GUIDED US THROUGH CHALLENGES AND TOWARD PROGRESS. 
          SECOND, WE'LL DO THIS A CRYSTAL AWARD. 
          ITS CLARITY AND BRILLIANCE REFLECTS THE TRANSPARENCY AND INTEGRITY WITH WHICH YOU SERVE. 
          THIS AWARD REPRESENTS THE STRENGTH AND ENDURING IMPACT OF YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, SHINING AS A BEACON OF INSPIRATION FOR ALL WHO FOLLOW. 
          AND LASTLY, A FRAMED PHOTO OF OUR CITY COUNCIL. 
          THIS COMMEMORATES THE COLLABORATION AND SHARED PURPOSE THAT DEFINED YOUR TIMES ON THE COUNCIL. 
          IT IS A REMINDER OF THE FRIENDSHIPS FORGED AND THE MILESTONES ACHIEVED TOGETHER IN SERVING AND, AND IN SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          THANK EACH ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, YOUR VISION, AND YOUR COMMITMENT. 
          YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF THE HEART AND HISTORY OF OUR CITY. 
          AS THE COUNCIL COMES DOWN, UM, LET ME INTRODUCE A COUPLE OF OTHER PEOPLE. 
          WE, EARLIER WE INTRODUCED SOME OF THE FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THAT WERE HERE. 
          BUT I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE WE HAVE WITH US, UH, ATTACK GOING OUTGOING TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR BRUCE ELON HAS, HAS JOINED US. 
          JUDGE LORI ISO IS ALSO HERE WITH US AND I SAW HIM JUST A SECOND AGO. 
          YEAH, FORMER MAYOR STEVE ADLER, BUT YEAH, HE WAS HERE. 
          [05:05:44]
SO, UH, WE'RE HAVING A RECEPTION AND EVERYONE IS INVITED TO THE RECEPTION. 
          THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS WORK SESSION. 
          WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CITY COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED. 
          IT'S 3:51 PM PLEASE EVERYONE JOIN US AT THE RECEPTION.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.