* 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. [00:00:05] GOOD [Distinguished Service Awards – Homeland Security and Emergency Management’s Emergency Preparedness Calendar Art Contest Winners – To be presented by Council Member Mackenzie Kelly] MORNING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY AT AUSTIN CITY HALL. MY NAME IS MACKENZIE KELLY. I'M THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT SIX, AND I'M JOINED TODAY BY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, UH, END END COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER MADISON, WHO SLIPPED IN BEHIND ME AS SHE OFTEN DOES, BEHIND THE SCENES WORKING HARD JUST LIKE THE REST OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE ON SUCH A MOMENTOUS OCCASION. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART BECAUSE TODAY WE GET TO CELEBRATE SEVERAL GREAT YOUNG ARTISTS WHO ARE HERE WITH US IN THE ROOM AND WITH THEIR PARENTS AND SUPPORTERS WHO HAVE ALL SUBMITTED THEIR WONDERFUL ARTWORK. AND LET ME TELL YOU, I GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, AND I WAS IMPRESSED. I GREW UP BEING A LITTLE YOUNG ARTIST AND I HAVE MY OWN ARTWORK IN MY OFFICE, BUT THESE ARE VERY IMPRESSIVE, AND THESE ARTISTS HAVE SKILLS BEYOND ANYTHING I COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED THAT I HAD AT THAT AGE. UM, THESE YOUNG ARTISTS ARTWORK WILL GO INTO THE 2025 CITY OF AUSTIN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CALENDAR. AND AS MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND WAS AT THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING THAT I REALLY TRIED TO ACCOMPLISH PUBLIC SAFETY WISE ON AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IN MY TERM. IT MAKES ME SO HAPPY AND IT FILLS MY HEART AND IT GIVES ME PRIDE IN OUR CITY TO SEE THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS ARTWORK AND TO SEE THEM TAKE, LIKE THE CHILDREN TAKE AN INTEREST IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I TALK TO DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND IT. SO FOR THEM TO TAKE AN INTEREST AT THIS AGE IS REALLY AN INCREDIBLE FEAT. KNOWING HOW TO BE PREPARED AND WHEN TO BE PREPARED IS IMPORTANT FOR ANYONE, BUT IT'S MORE IMPORTANT BEFORE A DISASTER HAPPENS BECAUSE AS A COMMUNITY, THE MORE PREPARED WE ARE, THE MORE RESILIENT WE'LL BE AND THE BETTER WE'LL BE ABLE TO RECOVER AFTER DISASTERS OR, OR ANY KIND OF EXTREME WEATHER INCIDENT AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST. AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ANYONE REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE. SO I AGAIN, AM VERY PROUD TO SEE THESE STUDENTS TAKING AN INTEREST. THESE CALENDARS WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE AT OUR LIBRARIES IN SOME OF OUR PUBLIC RECREATION CENTERS, SO PLEASE GET DOWN THERE WHEN THEY COME OUT AND SCOOP 'EM UP SO THESE KIDS CAN BE PROUDLY HAVING THEIR ARTWORK HANGING IN YOUR HOMES OR YOUR OFFICES. I, AGAIN, WANNA THANK THE STUDENTS FOR MAKING EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IMPORTANT IN YOUR LIVES, AND I WANNA THANK THE PARENTS TOO FOR ENCOURAGING THAT AS WELL. SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO HERE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER PROCLAMATIONS OR SERVICE AWARDS THAT WE'VE GIVEN. I'M GOING TO CALL THE NAMES OF EACH OF THESE STUDENTS, AND I WANT THEM TO COME UP HERE NEXT TO US SO THAT I CAN THEN PRESENT YOU WITH A TROPHY, A PREPAREDNESS BAG, AND YOUR CERTIFICATE, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A LOT OF PICTURES. OKAY. I SEE SOME PARENTS ALREADY LIKE TAKING PICTURES AND VIDEO. THE VIDEO WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE ON A TXN DURING THE PROCLAMATIONS PART, UM, SHORTLY AFTER THIS HAPPENS. TODAY I'M GOING TO READ THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, AND THEN I'M GOING TO READ EACH CHILD'S NAME, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, ART CONTEST WINNERS FOR THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS 2025 CALENDAR. IT SAYS, FOR SELECTED ARTWORK THAT INSPIRES INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES TO PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES AND DISASTERS. THEIR ARTWORK WILL BE FEATURED IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT'S 2025 COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS CALENDAR. AND I WANNA THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBER NEXT TO ME FOR HELPING ME WITH THIS. UM, THE FIRST CHILD'S NAME IS EMILY PERRO. EMILY, ARE YOU HERE? YAY, EMILY. THANK YOU. AND HERE YOU GO. THERE'S YOUR CERTIFICATE. NEXT IS NICOLETTE JOY FLANAGAN. NICOLETTE, GREAT JOB NICOLETTE. UM, CONGRATULATIONS. NEXT IS COLE HELLMAN. NICOLETTE COLE. COLE. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. NEXT IS CELESTE PUCKETT. I LIKE YOUR OUTFIT, CELESTE. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. NEXT IS AUDEN VLE. CONGRATULATIONS. AUDEN. NEXT IS LAYLA KAUFMAN. AFTER LAYLA IS MICAH CLARK. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. [00:05:02] MICAH, ARE YOU HERE? NO. OKAY. MICA CLARK. DID I SAY IT WRONG? I'M SO SORRY. IT'S IN A STRANGE CURSIVE. UM, NOAH LANGFORD. NORA, SORRY. AGAIN, IT'S THE FONT IS, IT'S REALLY HARD TO READ. . THANK YOU. NO, CONGRATULATIONS. SHE'S GOT NEXT IS LUNA AND LUNA, YOUR LAST NAME. I'M SO SORRY. IT IS ADAMSKI LUNA. THANK YOU. KIRA NOEL WING. CONGRATULATIONS. AND THERE YOU GO. AND BENNETT HOLLAND. CONGRATULATIONS. HEY, GOD, IS THERE ANYBODY HERE WHOSE NAME I DID NOT CALL ANYBODY. PERFECT. WELL, UM, AGAIN, I WANNA SAY THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS, WHOSE NAMES I CALLED AND WHO ARE HERE TODAY, LITTLE LADY, YOU GOTTA COME BACK. WE'RE GONNA TAKE PICTURES. UM, THEY, THEY ARE ALL OF THESE KIDS HERE TODAY WHO PUT THEIR HEARTS AND SOULS INTO THIS ARTWORK. IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE. AND THEY ARE DEFINITELY DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACCLAIM AND RECOGNITION. SO THESE CERTIFICATES, WHICH WOULD Y'ALL PULL 'EM OUT AND SHOW EVERYBODY, UM, THEY ARE DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACCLAIM AND RECOGNITION. THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION THEREOF ON THIS 12TH DAY OF DECEMBER IN THE YEAR 2020 24. AND BEFORE WE ALL CLAP, I JUST WANNA SAY THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST OFFICIAL ACTS I GET TO DO AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR MY FOUR YEAR TERM. AND I COULDN'T THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO GO OUT. SO THANKS EVERYBODY. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT SAID, ALRIGHT, LET'S, I THINK IT'S TIME TO BUNCH UP AND TAKE SOME PICTURES. SO PARENTS, UM, BURTON, WHERE WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO TAKE IT OVER HERE, AND THEN WE'LL GO OUT INTO THE ATRIUM AND WE'LL TAKE PHOTOS OUT THERE FOR EVERYBODY. OKAY, THANK YOU. HI EVERYONE. GOOD [Proclamation – Dr. Rosamaria Murillo Day – To be presented by Council Member Vanessa Fuentes] MORNING. BUENO DIAZ. HOPE EVERYONE'S DOING WELL TODAY. MY NAME IS VANESSA FUENTES, AUSTIN CITY COUNCILMAN. TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA SHARPER MADISON. AND WE'RE HERE FOR A VERY SPECIAL RECOGNITION HONORING A TRUE COMMUNITY LEADER, DR. ROSA MARIA MORILLO OF CEO OF EL ANO. EL BUEN HAS BEEN A VITAL COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR OUR AREA, BOTH FOR THE LATINO AND SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY, FOR OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, AND FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, PROVIDING CRITICAL RESOURCES, EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH LITERACY, FOOD ACCESS, AND ESPECIALLY FOR OUR DISTRICT TWO RESIDENTS. AND FOR REALLY TRULY THE, THE REGION AT LARGE. UNDER DR. MURILLO'S LEADERSHIP, EL BUEN WAS INSTRUMENTAL DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. SHE LED THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CITY'S I BELONG IN AUSTIN RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOW A PERMANENT RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. IT'S BEEN SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH DR. MURILLO, WHO DRIVES TRANSFORMATIVE, TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE AND IMPROVES THE COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND SO WE'RE ALL HERE TO CELEBRATE HER INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP AND THE LEGACY SHE'S BUILDING HERE IN AUSTIN. AND BEFORE WE PRESENT THE PROCLAMATION, I WANNA INVITE MY FELLOW COLLEAGUE HERE, COUNCIL MEMBER AL ALTER, TO SHARE A FEW WORDS. OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. MORNING. MORNING. WONDERFUL TO SEE SUCH A GREAT GROUP HERE. WHENEVER YOU GO TO AN EL BUEN EVENT, OR, UH, WHETHER IT'S TO VOLUNTEER OR, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOUR TIME IN WHATEVER CAPACITY, IT'S NEVER ONE PERSON OR THREE PEOPLE . IT'S A GROUP LIKE THIS. AND I THINK THAT REALLY SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE WORK THAT EL BLEND DOES EVERY DAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, WE SEE SOME OF THESE BIG EVENTS, WHETHER IT'S AROUND CHRISTMAS OR THANKSGIVING, UH, WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GIVING OUT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF MEALS OR OTHER THINGS FOR FAMILIES, BUT IT'S THAT OTHER WORK THAT THEY DO EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHEN IT'S NOT JUST A HOLIDAY. THAT REALLY, I THINK SHOWS THE PASSION AND THE COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO DR. MARIA FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. I AM SO PRIVILEGED TO GET TO JUST REPRESENT EL BU AT THE MOST EDGE OF DISTRICT FIVE. UH, AND [00:10:01] I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER TO HONOR YOU TODAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK OKAY. BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS 2024 MARKS DR. ROSA MARIAM'S FIFTH ANNIVERSARY AS THE CEO OF ELANO. COME ON, COME ON IN. CUSTOMER REVELLA, I SEE YOU PEEK IN . I WAY I KNOW HE WORKS ALSO VERY CLOSELY WITH YOU AND YOUR TEAM. UH, SHE JOINED THE ORGANIZATION JUST BEFORE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. AND IN A TIME OF UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS, DEMONSTRATED EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP AND FORTITUDE. RATHER THAN STEPPING BACK, DR. MURILLO STEPPED FORWARD WITH COURAGE AND VISION, SPEARHEADING ONE OF CENTRAL TEXAS' LARGEST PANDEMIC RELIEF AND RESPONSE EFFORTS. UNDER HER LEADERSHIP, EL BUEN ENSURED THAT THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC, RECEIVED EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL RESOURCES PROVIDING A LIFELINE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE TIME OF GREATEST NEED. WHEREAS DR. OZ'S VISIONARY LEADERSHIP FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAS PROPELLED ELANO TO DELIVER ESSENTIAL LIFE-CHANGING SERVICES, SECURING NEARLY 40 MILLION IN FUNDING TO SERVE OVER 150,000 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES. THROUGH HER EFFORTS, EL BUEN HAS DISTRIBUTED, DISTRIBUTED 2 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD, PROVIDED VACCINATIONS TO CLOSE TO 6,000 PEOPLE, AND DISTRIBUTED $21 MILLION IN FINANCIAL AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES IN NEED, ALL WHILE ADVANCING THE FUTURE OF HUNDREDS OF YOUTH AND FAMILIES THROUGH EL BU'S YOUTH AND ADULT EDUCATION SERVICES. AND WHEREAS DR. MO'S COMMITMENT TO BUILDING AN EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE FUTURE FOR ALL IS EXEMPLIFIED THROUGH HER LEADERSHIP IN CO-CREATING AUSTIN'S CRADLE TO CONTRIBUTOR COLLECTIVE, THIS TRANSFORMATIVE INITIATIVE DEVELOPED IN COALITION AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COALITION FOR HEALTH EAD, A TX CARDIA AND ECONOMIC GROWTH BUSINESS INCUBATOR ADVANCES EQUITY BY BROADENING EDUCATIONAL ACCESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CREATING MULTIPLE PATHWAYS FOR ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR LATINO AND BIPOC COMMUNITIES, AND FOSTERING A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE FEELS WELCOMED, EXPERIENCING A TRUE SENSE OF BELONGING, AND WHERE HAS THE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL. NOW THEREFORE, I COUNCILMAN VANESSA FUENTES ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUES, COUNCIL VELA, COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER MADISON. AND COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR OF CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 12TH, 2024, AS DR. ROSA MARIO DAY IN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES. I, I WROTE MY SPEECH AND IT'S, UH, I'M TRYING TO, I'M GONNA MAKE IT UNDER THE TIME . UH, AND IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO WRITE IT BECAUSE I CRY. I GET THIS IS A VERY, VERY, UH, SPECIAL DAY FOR THE HONOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR, FOR RECOGNIZING THE WORK THAT ELWIN, UH, HAS DONE OVER THE FIVE, THE LAST FIVE YEARS. I WANNA TALK A LOT ABOUT FIVE YEARS AND PUPPIES AND ELEPHANTS AND THE EARTH. IT'LL ALL MAKE SENSE. , TODAY I AM REMINDED THAT FIVE YEARS MAY SEEM JUST LIKE A BLINK OF AN EYE, BUT IT CAN ALSO BE A LIFETIME OF MOMENTS. AND IN COVID YEARS, FIVE YEARS COULD BE LIKE DOG YEARS, SO MAYBE 35 YEARS. RIGHT. UM, FOR ME, THIS LAST FIVE YEARS AS CEO FOR ZAMARANO HAVE BEEN AN EXPERIENCE OF TREMENDOUS MILESTONES, BIG AND SMALL, THAT HAVE SHAPED ME PERSONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION. AND HOPEFULLY THIS CITY TODAY FEELS EVEN MORE SPECIAL FOR ME BECAUSE IT'S A DAY OF PROFOUND SIGNIFICANCE FOR MEPE. YES, VIVA GUADALUPE VIVA, HER STORY AS WELL AS OURS IS ONE OF COURAGE, RESILIENCE, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT, A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION AND GUIDANCE FOR MANY OF US. IAN REMINDS ME OF THE POWER OF HUMILITY, PROTECTION, AND STRENGTH IN THE FACE OF UNIMAGINABLE CHALLENGES. AND IT FEELS ONLY FITTING TO REFLECT ON HER SYMBOLISM TODAY, FIVE YEARS. IT'S THE AGE THAT A CHILD TAKES THEIR FIRST CONFIDENT, HAPPY STEPS. IN KINDERGARTEN, THEY'RE [00:15:01] REAMING WITH CURIOSITY. IT IS THE AGE WHEN A PUPPY, ONCE ALL THE ENERGY HAS GONE AWAY, STARTS, YOU KNOW, SETTLING DOWN AND SHOWING SIGNS OF MATURITY AND LOYALTY AND STEADINESS FOR AN ELEPHANT, FIVE YEARS IS BUT DAYS IN THEIR LONG JOURNEY IN THIS PLANET, THEY'RE JUST BEGINNING TO FIND THEIR FOOTING. AND THAT'S ALMOST HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW FOR THIS PLANET. FIVE YEARS IS NOT EVEN A BLINK OF AN EYE. EACH OF THESE MILESTONES REMIND ME THAT TIME IS RELATIVE, BUT GROWTH IS UNDENIABLE. AND THE GROWTH THAT I HAVE WITNESSED, BOTH PERSONALLY AND ORGANIZATIONALLY OVER THIS YEARS HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF EXTRAORDINARY. WHEN I THINK BACK ABOUT THE LAST FIVE YEARS, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO REFLECT ON THE PROFOUND CHALLENGES WE HAVE ALL FACED HERE. AND I KNOW WHEN I JUST SAID THAT WE ALL CONNECTED AT SOME LEVEL, LEADING AND WENT THROUGH A GLOBAL PANDEMIC AND MULTIPLE DEVASTATING WINTER EVENTS TOOK OUR COMMUNITY TO ITS CORE. THAT EXPERIENCE TESTED ALL OF US IN A WAY THAT WE COULD NOT HAVE IMAGINED. THESE WERE SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING TIMES OF OUR LIFETIMES, BUT THEY WERE ALSO TIMES THAT REVEALED OUR HUMANITY, OUR LOVE, AND OUR COURAGE FOR THIS AMAZING CITY. IF I MAY, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO STAFF. WHERE ARE YOU MOST OF YOU? BEHIND ME. HERE YOU ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF . THROUGH EVERY UNCERTAINTY YOU STOOD BY ME, SOMETIMES WILLINGLY, SOMETIMES SCARED, ALWAYS, ALWAYS WITH COURAGE. YOUR COURAGE INSPIRED ME DAILY AND REMINDED ME WHY I DO THIS WORK. I AM ENDLESSLY GRATEFUL TO YOU, TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS, OUR VISIONARY BOARD MEMBERS WHO ALSO STOOD BY ME IN THE WILDEST OF TIMES. , I THANK YOU. YOU LED US THROUGH SOME, SOME OF THE MOST UNCERTAIN TIMES TO OUR GENEROUS FUNDERS, WHO SOME OF YOU ARE HERE, OUR DONORS, OUR VOLUNTEERS, OUR NONPROFIT PARTNERS ACROSS THE CITY. YOUR STEADFAST SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION ALLOWED US TO NOT ONLY ENDURE THESE TRIALS, UM, BUT TO EMERGE STRONGER TO MY FAMILY. YOUR PATIENCE AND LOVE AND ENCOURAGEMENT HAVE BEEN THE QUIET STRENGTH THAT HAS HELPED ME TO THE THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE EVERY DAY. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS AMAZING CITY, TO THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY AND MY CITY PARTNERS ALONGSIDE WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND AND LEADERSHIP AND STAFF. THIS HAS BEEN MY HOME FOR 40 YEARS. I CAME HERE WHEN I WAS ONE YEARS OLD. , YOU HAVE TAUGHT ME WHAT IT MEANS TO BELONG TO A COMMUNITY THAT LIVES EACH OTHER UP. AND ON THIS DAY WHEN WE HONOR LA GUADALUPE, HER SPIRIT REMINDS US TO FACE ADVERSITY WITH COURAGE AND GRACE. IT IS MY DEEPEST HONOR TO SERVE YOU. I'M ALMOST DONE . WHILE I AM SO PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED, I KNOW THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. AND LIKE A FIVE YEAROLD CHILD, THERE'S A WHOLE WORLD OF LEARNING FOR US OUT THERE. AND POSSIBILITIES LIKE THE YOUNG ELEPHANT, WE'RE JUST STARTING TO FIND OUR STRENGTH. WE'RE JUST COMING OUT OF A PERIOD THAT TESTED US TO OUR CORE. AND LIKE THIS PLANET, OUR WORK IS PART OF SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER THAN ALL OF US. A FUTURE THAT WE WILL NOT GET TO SEE. BUT EVERY DAY WE NURTURE SUD . FIVE YEARS MAY BE A BLINK OF AN EYE, BUT WHAT A MEANINGFUL BLINK IT HAS BEEN TO BE RECOGNIZED TODAY IS HUMBLING. BUT IT IS ALSO [00:20:01] A REMINDER WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO TO LEAVE SOMETHING BETTER FOR THOSE WHO COME AFTER US. ON THIS SPECIAL DAY, I BRING BACK LAVIE DE GUADALUPE, WHOSE GUIDANCE AND PROTECTION CONTINUE TO INSPIRE ME TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD LIKE THE OF GUADALUPE. I AM INSPIRED AND IN GRATITUDE TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HERE AND THOSE THAT COULD NOT BE HERE. I DRAW STRENGTH AND HOPE FROM ALL OF YOU. YOU HAVE GUIDED MY PATH, SHOWN THE LIGHT IN SOME VERY DARK, DARK TIMES YOU HAVE SPRINTED WITH. AND FOR ME TO THE NEVER ENDING FINISH LINE, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DO WHITEWATER RAFTING, YOU HAVE HELD MY RAFT AS WE WATER RAFT THROUGH THE RIVERS. YOU, YOU HAVE BEEN MY WATER IN THE DESERT FOR THIS. I LOVE YOU AND I AM FOREVER GRATITUDE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. [Proclamation – Travis County Precinct #3 Constable Deputy Drew McAngus – To be presented by Council Member Paige Ellis] I AM AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLIS. AND I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY HONORING ONE OF AUSTIN'S MOST DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS CONSTABLE, SERGEANT DREW MC ANGUS. YOU'LL GET TO HEAR ABOUT SERGEANT MCGENIS IMPRESSIVE CAREER, THE POSITIONS HE'S HELD AND HIS INNOVATIVE WORK ON TRAVIS COUNTY'S MENTAL HEALTH UNIT IN A BIT. BUT WHAT ISN'T IN THE PROCLAMATION AND WHY I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR SERGEANT MC ANGUS IS THAT HE IS THE SINGLE MOST TRUSTED, DEPENDENT PARTNER WE HAVE IN DISTRICT EIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN. HE IS OUR GO-TO PERSON WHEN IT COMES TO RESPONDING TO ISSUES AT ENCAMPMENTS, CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH THE ASSISTANCE THAT THEY NEED, FOLLOWING UP WITH THE RIGHT AGENCIES. AND MY STAFF CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE RESOURCEFULNESS AND THE ENTHUSIASM HE BRINGS TO HIS WORK. BUT, BUT WHAT TRULY MAKES SERGEANT MC ANGUS SO EFFECTIVE IS THAT HE CARES. HE KNOWS EVERYONE BY NAME, WHO HELPS IN OUR HOMELESS COMMUNITY, EVERY SINGLE PERSON. IT'S A TESTAMENT TO HIS INTEGRITY, HIS WILLINGNESS TO EMBODY HIS VALUES, AND TO ABIDE BY THE BELIEF THAT EVERY PERSON TRULY MATTERS, EVEN THOSE WHO SO OFTEN GET OVERLOOKED BY SOCIETY. WELL, SERGEANT MC ANGUS TODAY, IT IS MY GREAT PRIVILEGE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU MATTER TOO. THANK YOU, . YOUR EFFORTS DO NOT GO UNNOTICED, AND FRANKLY, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE WOULD DO WITHOUT YOU. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TO NOW READ YOUR PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE HONORABLE DREW MCG ANGUS IS AN AUSTIN NATIVE WHO HAS DEDICATED MUCH OF THE PAST 46 YEARS TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY, SERVING AS TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY AND LIEUTENANT, AND TRAVIS COUNTY CONSTABLE. AND CONSTABLE SERGEANT. AND WHEREAS SERGEANT GANUS IS A TRAILBLAZER IN DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND DIVERSION STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS, RECIDIVISM, AND JAIL. OVERCROWDING HEADING TRAVIS COUNTY'S MENTAL HEALTH UNIT, A FIRST OF ITS KIND EFFORT, A FIRST OF ITS KIND EFFORT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO ADDRESS THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF LOCAL INCARCERATED POPULATIONS. AND WHEREAS IN 2017, SERGEANT MCGENIS HAS LED THE CONSTABLE OUTREACH PROGRAM OF THE PRECINCT THREE CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, WORKING TO EMPOWER OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS BY PROMOTING PERSONAL DIGNITY AND CONNECTING THEM WITH BASIC SERVICES, INCLUDING FOOD, CLOTHING, HEALTHCARE, AND EMERGENCY SHELTER. AND WHEREAS SERGEANT MCG ANGUS IS AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE TO OUR PARTNER AGENCIES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING TO PROMOTE PUBLIC HEALTH, PROTECT THE COMMUNITY, AND IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE UNHOUSED. AND WHEREAS SERGEANT MCG ANGUS IS THE CONSUMMATE COMMUNITY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WHOSE COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMANITY AND GRACE ENHANCE THE SAFETY AND GENERAL WE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY. NOW, THEREFORE, I'VE PAID JEALOUS ON BEHALF OF KIRK WATSON, THE MAYOR OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 12TH, 2024 AS DREW MC ANGUS DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNOW ME, THEY SAID, I HAVE FIVE MINUTES AND I USUALLY TAKE TWO HOURS. SO UH, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS, THIS RECOGNITION, I'M HUMBLED AND HONORED BY RECEIVING THEM, BUT REALLY THIS REALLY STANDS FOR A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S IN THIS ROOM RIGHT HERE, BECAUSE I CAN'T DO WHAT I DO WITHOUT THE HELP OF ALL THE DIFFERENT, UH, AGENCIES REPRESENTED. [00:25:01] YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT MARK WITH SUNRISE, AMBER, UH, WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS, EMILY GRACE, THAT DOES A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. WE GOT. I MEAN, MIRANDA, MY PARTNER OUT THERE, SHE THINKS I'M CRAZY. SHE'S PROBABLY RIGHT, . UM, 'CAUSE I TELL YOU, WE GO IN WHERE NO ONE ELSE GOES. WE, UH, WE'RE CONSTANTLY INSIDE HOMELESS CAMPS ON A DAILY BASIS. AND WE GO THERE TO DO SEVERAL THINGS. ONE AND ONE THAT WE TRY TO DO FIRST IS THAT WE FOUND OVER THE LAST SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS I'VE BEEN IN CAMPS AND I SEE THAT PEOPLE LOSE HOPE. AND WITHOUT HOPE YOU DON'T HAVE A WILL OR A DESIRE TO GET UP AND CHANGE WHERE YOU'RE AT. THEY FIGURE THAT THIS IS THE BEST IT'S EVER GET. WHY I TRY ANYMORE. SO I GO AND TRY TO INSTILL HOPE. YOU KNOW, LUCKILY, UH, I'M, I'M A BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST. AND I'LL GO IN THERE AND I'LL PRAY WITH THEM AND I'LL SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH THEM. AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS HOPE. AND THAT'S WHERE WE GET OUR STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO DO WHAT WE DO, IS TO GO IN THERE AND SAY, LOOK, THERE IS A CHANCE. AND WE TRY TO INSTILL THAT. I'M VERY THANKFUL OF MY CONSTABLE STACEY SUITS THAT'S STANDING HERE WITH ME. THIS WAS HIS VISION TO START SOME TYPE OF UNIT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY WITH, WITH HOMELESS, WITH THE HOMELESS POPULATION. AND I THANK HIM ALL THE TIME THAT HE ALLOWED ME TO BE A PART OF THIS. UH, BUT ALL THAT COUNCIL AND WHAT YOU SAID, IT JUST BLOWS ME AWAY. I, YOU KNOW, I'M BORN AND RAISED HERE, JUST DOWN THE ROAD HERE ON SOUTH FIRST STREET. BEEN HERE ALMOST 69 YEARS. MY LIFE'S DEVOTED TO THIS TOWN, THIS CITY, THIS COUNTY. SO IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. I DON'T GO OUT AND, AND DO WHAT I DO FOR THIS KIND OF RECOGNITION. I LIKE STAYING IN THE WOODS, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. . BUT THE LORD'S ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, I, I'M JUST BLESSED WITH THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY. I WORK CLOSE WITH HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE WITH AUSTIN EMS, WITH AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDICS, CAMP ESPERAN, THE SUNRISE CHURCH, UH, COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE, UH, WITH ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. I THINK THEY HAVE ME ON SPEED DIAL BECAUSE WHEN THEY HAVE A REAL ISSUE IN THEIR DISTRICT, I GET CALLS EITHER FROM THEM OR THEIR CHIEF OF STAFF OR SOMEBODY WITHIN THEIR OFFICE. WE GO, THE BEAUTY FOR ME IS EVERY DAY'S A NEW DAY. EVERY DAY'S A NEW DAY. I NEVER WHAT'S COMING REAL QUICKLY. I WANNA SHARE A STORY THAT IS SUCCESS STORY. AND I, I WANNA THANK MY PARTNER. WHERE'S MIRANDA? SHE'S OVER HERE. SHE'S SHY TOO. . UM, I MET A GIRL BACK DURING THE PANDEMIC. UM, OUR UNIT ENDED UP PASSING OUT OVER A MILLION AND A HALF POUNDS OF FOOD AND WATER OUTTA THE BACK OF MY TRUCK. 'CAUSE WE WERE GOING IN THE CAMPSITES ALL OVER AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY. I HAD HELP WITH INTEGRAL CARE WITH THE PATH UNIT AND OUR LITTLE TEAM. WE WOULD LOAD UP EVERY MORNING, HEAD OUT AND START HITTING CAMPS. WE HAD OVER 300 AND SOMETHING CAMPS THAT WE WERE HITTING ON A WEEKLY BASIS, THAT WE WERE TRYING TO GIVE THEM FOOD SO THEY COULD SHELTER IN PLACE FOR FEAR OF SPREADING THE VIRUS. AND, AND MORE WE DID THAT, THE MORE WE REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE PEOPLE ARE THAT'S OUT HERE ON THE STREET. YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN CONSTABLE SUITS, I CALL HIM STACY, WHO WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER 40 YEARS. I JUST WHEN HE ASKED ME TO DO THIS, I KINDA SAID, I GOTTA GO HOME AND PRAY ABOUT THIS. 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT WHERE I THOUGHT MY CAREER PATH WAS GOING. I, I LOVE TO SERVE THE LORD. I DO MISSION WORK ALL OVER THE WORLD. SPENT A LOT OF YEARS UP AND DOWN THE, THE BORDER OF MEXICO AND TEXAS WORKING ON BOTH SIDES, FEEDING, BUILDING, DOING THINGS. BUT I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO. UM, BECAUSE I KNEW THAT WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE IN AUSTIN IS AN OVERWHELMING, OVERWHELMING SITUATION. AND I PRAYED ABOUT IT AND THE LORD REMINDED ME YEARS BEFORE THAT I SURRENDERED FULL-TIME MISSION WORK. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HE. LET, LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING, NONE OF THIS IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT MY WIFE ELAINE OVER THERE. IT JUST SO HAPPENS WE'VE BEEN MARRIED 46 YEARS. THIS IS 46 YEARS I'VE BEEN IN, INVOLVED IN AND OUT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. UH, SHE WAS A REGISTERED NURSE FOR THAT TIME TOO. SHE WAS RETIRED. SO YOU KEEP SAYING, DREW, ARE YOU WILLING? I I CAN'T. GOD HADN'T RELEASED ME YET. I STILL HAVE WORK TO DO. UM, IT DEPENDS ON HOW NICE STACEY IS TO ME. I MEAN, . UM, BUT LEMME TELL YOU, GOD REMINDED ME. DREW USED, SURRENDERED FULL-TIME MISSION WORK. I'M GIVING IT TO YOU. SO WHEN I GO OUT, IT'S AS A MINISTRY, [00:30:01] IF Y'ALL UNDERSTAND THAT CONCEPT, IT'S A MINISTRY THAT THE LORD'S GIVEN ME. I'M THANKFUL TO HIM. I'M THANKFUL TO STACEY FOR LETTING ME DO THIS. WE HAVE MEMBERS OF OUR OFFICE, CLAIRE AND WENDY AND JOSE AND ALL OUR WHOLE OFFICE IS SOMEHOW HELPING AND INVOLVED IN WHAT I DO. IT'S NOT JUST DREW, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I JUST GET TO GO IN THE WOODS AND I I KIND OF ENJOY THAT. YOU KNOW, I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A LOT MORE OR DIFFERENT IDEAS BECAUSE THE MORE THE COMPLEX OF HOMELESSNESS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, THE MORE, UH, THEY KEEP DOING THE SAME THING. WE'RE SEEING THE NUMBERS JUST RISE. AND I WILL TELL YOU, I'M SEEING NEW FACES ON A DAILY BASIS THAT ARE COMING OUT IN, ON OUR STREETS. I'M SO HONORED TO BE ABLE TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO EACH CITIZEN, EACH PERSON IN THIS ROOM, BECAUSE Y'ALL ALLOW US TO DO WHAT I KNOW I'VE BEEN CALLED TO DO. SO I'M HUMBLED BY THAT AND I THANK YOU. UM, HOPEFULLY Y'ALL WON'T HAVE TO SEE ME ANYMORE 'CAUSE I'M GONNA GO CHANGE AND GO BACK TO THE WOODS. , THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. TAKE A PICTURE HERE. DO YOU WANT A PICTURE HERE OR, I DUNNO. YOU CAN. YOU WANT US IN THE CORNER? WELCOME EVERYONE. [Proclamation – World AIDS Day – To be presented by Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool] I AM MAYOR PROAM LESLIE POOLE, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO READ A PROCLAMATION FOR WORLD AIDS DAY. AND I'VE GOT SOME GOOD FOLKS HERE WITH ME. AND I'D LIKE TO ASK ONE OF YOU ALL TO HOLD THIS PROCLAMATION I'LL. THERE WE GO. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH RASHNA RAGS PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM SUPERVISOR OF THE AUSTIN AREA, HIV PLANNING COUNCIL, AND LAURA LAE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR. I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, MARQUEES GOODWIN, VICE CHAIR OF THE HIV PLANNING COUNCIL. I HOPE I SAID YOUR NAME RIGHT, SIR. I AM NOT MARQUEE. DID I GET IT RIGHT? YES, YOU DID. I DIDN'T. I DIDN'T GET THE RIGHT PERSON THOUGH. SO , THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARQUIS. UH, LET'S SEE WHERE WE'RE AT. TARIK DANIELS OF WHAT'S IN THE MIRROR. ROBIN BLACKMAN OF THE AUSTIN ALUMNI CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY AND JOE ANDERSON JR. OF THE KIND CLINIC. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY. TODAY WE GATHER TO RECOGNIZE A SIGNIFICANT DAY IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY WORLD AIDS DAY. THIS ANNUAL OBSERVANCE IS A TESTAMENT TO THE STRIDES WE'VE MADE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV AIDS. AND A REMINDER OF THE WORK THAT IS STILL AHEAD. AUSTIN HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE BATTLE AGAINST HIV AIDS. OUR CITY HAS IMPLEMENTED INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO PREVENT NEW INFECTIONS, PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE CARE TO THOSE LIVING WITH HIV, AND REDUCE THE STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIRUS. THE CITY HAS IMPLEMENTED INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES LIKE EARLY ADOPTION OF PREP AND COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING, TESTING, AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS, STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND A FOCUS ON VULNERABLE POPULATIONS HAVE FURTHER STRENGTHENED ITS RESPONSE CHALLENGES SUCH AS STIGMA, LIMITED ACCESS TO CARE, AND EMERGING DRUG RESISTANT STRAINS, HOWEVER, STILL PERSIST. BY ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES AND CONTINUING TO INVEST IN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES, AUSTIN CAN FURTHER REDUCE THE IMPACT OF HIV AIDS AND MOVE CLOSER TO AN AIDS FREE FUTURE. YES. YES. BY WORKING TOGETHER WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, WE ARE MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS. AND I AM SO GRATEFUL PERSONALLY FOR THAT AS I KNOW WE ALL ARE. WE ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING A FUTURE WHERE HIV AIDS IS NO LONGER A THREAT. I INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN HONORING THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY HIV AIDS AND IN SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS TO ENSURE A HEALTHIER AND MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR EVERYONE IN HONOR OF WORLD AIDS DAY, I WILL READ THIS PROCLAMATION AND IT IS RIGHT HERE FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE WORLD AIDS DAY PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS WORLD AIDS DAY BEGAN 36 YEARS AGO ON DECEMBER 1ST, 1988 AND CONTINUES TO BE AN IMPORTANT WAY TO CELEBRATE THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVANCES WE HAVE MADE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST HIV AND TO REMIND US THAT HIV HAS NOT GONE AWAY AND HAS MUCH MORE AND YET, [00:35:01] AND THAT MUCH MORE HAS YET TO BE DONE. AND WHEREAS IN THE AUSTIN AREA THERE WERE 337 NEW HIV CASES IN 2022, AND OF THE ESTIMATED 7,568 PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV IN THE AUSTIN AREA, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 1,291 WERE UNAWARE OF THEIR STATUS. AND WHEREAS TO HELP TO STEER THE RESPONSE TO THE HIV CRISIS AND ENSURE THE BEST CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY, THE HIV PLANNING COUNCIL, ALONG WITH THE AUSTIN ALUMNI CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED WHAT'S IN THE MIRROR INCORPORATED AND KIND CLINIC SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF THE COMMUNITY IN, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FAST TRACKED CITY AND ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC INITIATIVES. AND WHEREAS THE HIV PLANNING COUNCIL, THE AUSTIN ALUMNI CHAPTER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED WHAT'S IN THE MIRROR INCORPORATED KIND CLINIC, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY ARE COMMITTING TO ENDING THE AIDS EPIDEMIC BY 2030. NOW. THEREFORE, I LESLIE POOLE MAYOR PRO TEM OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ALONG WITH MAYOR WATSON AND THE ENTIRE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL DO HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 1ST, 2024 AS WORLD AIDS DAY IN AUSTIN. THANK YOU ALL. GOOD JOB YOU ALL. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. DID YOU WANT TO JUST, OR JUST GET THE PIC PICTURE AND, UM, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. [additional Item] HI, MY NAME IS CLAIRE HEMPEL AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT DATE, A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AND CERTIFIED PLANNER. I'M CHAIR OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION, BUT I AM NOT HERE REPRESENTING THAT BODY HERE TODAY. I'M HERE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TEXAS STATE CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION. THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION ASSISTS, UH, UH, EXISTS TO ELEVATE AND UNITE A DIVERSE PLANNING PROFESSION AS IT HELPS COMMUNITIES THEIR LEADERS AND RESIDENTS ANTICIPATE AND NAVIGATE CHANGE EACH YEAR. THE A PA TEXAS PLANNING AWARDS PROGRAM RECOGNIZES INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITIES FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO PLANNING. IN TEXAS, ANY A PA TEXAS MEMBER MAY NOMINATE PLANS, PROJECTS, PROGRAMS, INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS TO SEVERAL CATEGORIES. AND THE AWARDS COMMITTEE EVALUATES NOMINEES BASED ON ORIGINALITY AND INNOVATION, ENGAGEMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVENESS, QUALITY AND PROMOTION OF PLANNING. ONE OF THE AWARDS THE PLANNING ADVOCATE AWARD HONORS AN INDIVIDUAL APPOINTED OR ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO HAS ADVANCED OR PROMOTED THE CAUSE OF PLANNING IN THE PUBLIC ARENA. THIS YEAR, THE AWARD FOR PLANNING ADVOCATE RECOGNIZES MAYOR PRO TEM LESLIE POOL OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR HER OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO ADDRESSING AUSTIN'S HOUSING CRISIS. MAYOR PRO TEM POOL HAS BEEN A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE HOME HOME OPTIONS FOR MOBILITY AND EQUITY INITIATIVE. A GROUNDBREAKING PROJECT AIMED AT MITIGATING DISPLACEMENT PRESSURES AND EXPANDING HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES. UNDER HER GUIDANCE HOME WAS DEVELOPED IN TWO PHASES TO ENSURE THROUGH PUBLIC THOROUGH PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND METICULOUS PLANNING, MAYOR PROM POOL SPEARHEADED EFFORTS TO CHALLENGE OUTDATED ZONING LAWS THAT HAD HISTORICALLY PERPETUATED ECONOMIC AND RACIAL SEGREGATION. SHE BUILT A DIVERSE COALITION OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR EXPERTS, HOUSING ADVOCATES, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO SUPPORT THIS TRANSFORMATIVE PLAN. WE HONOR HER COURAGE, BUT NO ONE ACHIEVES BIG THINGS ALONE. SHE WAS JOINED BY ALLIES ON THE COUNCIL. MANY HERE ARE WITH US TODAY, AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE AND MAYOR KIRK WATSON. WE ALSO HONOR THE FIERCE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES THOSE HERE TODAY AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COALITION FROM UNIONS AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO STUDENTS AND THE COALITION AND SENIORS. THE COALITION INCLUDES ALL OF US THROUGH A ROBUST INFORMATION CAMPAIGN, INCLUDING A DEDICATED WEBSITE, PANEL EVENTS, AND EXTENSIVE MEDIA OUTREACH. LESLIE POOLE BROUGHT HOME HOW SOMETHING AS WONKY AS PLANNING AND LAND USE CODE MEANS EVERYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ABLE TO STAY IN AUSTIN. THE HOME INITIATIVE HAS GARNERED STATE AND NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS A MODEL FOR INNOVATIVE LAND USE AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE TO UP TO 60,000 NEW HOMES IN AUSTIN. MAYOR PRO TEM POOLS COMMITMENT TO MAKING AUSTIN A HOME FOR EVERYONE MAKES HER A DESERVING RECIPIENT OF THE PLANNING ADVOCATE AWARD. I JUST WANNA SAY REALLY QUICK, 'CAUSE I THINK WE ALL [00:40:01] GOTTA GO TROOP OUT ONTO THE DAIS SO THE MAYOR CAN START THE MEETING. 'CAUSE WE HAVE LIKE A BUNCH OF THIS HERE. ALL OF US. YEAH. HOW VERY MUCH I APPRECIATED CLAIRE'S WORK, THE ADVOCATES AND OUR ALLIES IN THE COMMUNITY, THEIR SUPPORT AND ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS. AND I'M NOT EVEN SURE WE ALL KNOW EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID, BUT IT WAS REALLY STELLAR AND AMAZING. AND OF COURSE TO MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE DIOCESE, MANY OF WHOM ARE HERE, WE, WE, WE DID THIS TOGETHER AND I JUST AM SO APPRECIATIVE. IT'S GOOD WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH ESAS AND I'LL MISS YOU ALL AND THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO GO OUT. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, AUSTIN, [Distinguished Service Award – Sylnovia Holt-Rabb – To be presented by the City Manager’s Office] TEXAS. UH, MY NAME IS NATASHA HARPER MADISON. I'M THE VERY PROUD REPRESENTATIVE ON THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR DISTRICT ONE. AND I HADN'T ANTICIPATED SPEAKING TODAY, BUT IF THERE WAS EVER AN UNEXPECTED SPEAKING OPPORTUNITY, I'M GLAD THIS IS THE ONE I GET TO BE A PART OF. UH, IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE SERVING ON THE COUNCIL AND IN THE COPPER BUILDING LIKE I LIKE TO CALL IT, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN A HANDFUL OF FOLKS THAT I'VE LEANED ON AND LOOKED TOWARDS, UH, FOR GUIDANCE FOR MENTORSHIP AND FRANKLY SOME PRESERVATION OF SANITY. UH, THAT TO SAY DIRECTOR SONOVA HOLT HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE PARTIES. UM, I THINK WITH HER LEADERSHIP THERE'S ALWAYS THREE THINGS YOU CAN COUNT ON. INTEGRITY AND HONESTY, STRENGTH AND GRACE AND ABSOLUTE FAITH. THOSE THINGS HAVE SERVED AS AN INSPIRATION FOR ME AND SO MANY OTHERS THAT ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN THIS BUILDING. BUT I THINK BEYOND THAT, AND MAYBE MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN, THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN, WHO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT ACCESS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THROUGH HER STRONG LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO HER PRACTICE. AND SO IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO KICK THIS THING OFF. AND I THINK I'M HANDING THE MICROPHONE OFF TO OUR MANAGER, MR. TC BROAD NEXT. YOU LOOK SURPRISED, . THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THAT'S ALRIGHT. WELL, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. AND SO I, I, I GUESS I'M HERE TO SAY A FEW KIND WORDS ABOUT, UH, ANOVIA. SO LISTEN, AS THE COUNCILWOMAN SAID, AND I'M ONLY BEEN HERE SUCH A SHORT TIME, AND SO, UH, IT'S JUST REALLY A PLEASURE FOR ME TO EVEN BE ABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THE SERVICE, UH, THAT YOU'VE HAD FOR THESE MANY YEARS AND FOR MY SHORT OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU AND WATCH YOU WORK AND HAVE YOU HELP ME. AND SO, UH, SYNOVIA HAS BEEN DOING THE PEOPLE'S WORK, AS THEY WOULD SAY FOR OVER 24 YEARS, AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SHAPING AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL GROWTH. SHE BEGAN HER CAREER WITH THE CITY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IN 2000 AND ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS TO ASSUME PROGRESSIVELY MORE RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP ROLES CULMINATING IN HER APPOINTMENT AS THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN 2022. YES. AND SO WE, WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL DAY, SO WE HAD TO TRUNCATE A LOT OF HER ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND I'M GOING TO SHARE A FEW OF THOSE WITH YOU, UH, WHILE WE'RE HERE THIS MORNING. UH, SHE, UH, WAS SUCCESSFUL, UH, IN NAVIGATING THE AWARD OF OVER $21 MILLION TO CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS IN ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THE HOTEL AND OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDED GRANT PROGRAM. IN THIS MOST RECENT YEAR, SHE PROVIDED WORKFORCE TRAINING FOR OVER 2,500 AUSTINITES AND DELIVERED MORE THAN 7,600 HOURS OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TRAINING, UH, DURING THE SAME TIMEFRAME DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. SONOVA'S VISION, UH, AND LEADERSHIP WAS CRITICAL IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS LAUNCHING OF 13 EMERGENCY ECONOMIC RECOVERY PROGRAMS BENEFITING INDIVIDUALS, NONPROFITS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES. SHE ALSO SHOWED A GREAT COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND SHE WILL LEAVE AN ENDURING IMPACT, PARTICULARLY AROUND THAT AND HOW THAT WAS FOCUSED ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPLIFTING OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SHE PARTICIPATED IN THE PRESTIGIOUS DANIEL ROSE FELLOWSHIP TO FOSTER EQUITABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PARTICULARLY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. SHE DEVELOPED INITIATIVES LIKE THE CITY'S ART AND RESIDENCY PROGRAM, AND THE FIRST CULTURAL ASSET MAPPING EFFORT HAS REDEFINED HOW WE SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE AUSTIN'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. BEYOND HER DEPARTMENTAL LEADERSHIP, SHE SERVED AS THE CITY'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE [00:45:01] CIRCUIT EVENT LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, AND RALLY AUSTIN PLAYING A PIVOTAL ROLE IN ADVANCING AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL PROMINENCE. SO WHILE SHE MAY BE RETIRING FROM HER DAY-TO-DAY JOB WITH THE CITY, HER LEGACY OF INNOVATION, COLLABORATION, AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION WILL BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR DURATION IN THIS CITY. SO AGAIN, SOVIA, THANK YOU. AND SO YOU, AND SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER, UH, TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, VERONICA CINIO, UH, TO SHARE A FEW WORDS AS WELL AS READ THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD. AND I, I THINK THAT'S THE AWARD OR NO, THAT'S IT. WANNA MAKE SURE I READ THE RIGHT REWARD? UM, I'M VERONICA ENO, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. I HAVE HAD THE HONOR AND PLEASURE TO WORK WITH SYNOVIA FOR, UM, DECADES. MM-HMM . UM, SORRY, I GOT A LITTLE EMOTIONAL . UM, WE HAVE A VERY, UH, CLOSE CAREER PARTNERSHIP. UH, WE'VE ENJOYED WORKING TOGETHER IN SOME OF THE BEST OF TIMES AND SOME OF THE SCARIEST OF TIMES, UH, TIMES WHERE WE WERE BOTH IN PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL CHANGES THROUGH A PANDEMIC WHERE WE WERE FACED WITH CHALLENGES AND SOVIA STOOD UP TO THOSE CHALLENGES ABOVE AND BEYOND. SHE IS THE EPITOME OF GRACE. SHE'S THE EPITOME OF KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH. WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING, WHEN YOU ARE STUCK AND YOU NEED HELP, SOVIA IS GONNA GET YOU UNSTUCK AND SHE'S GONNA FIND A WAY. UM, SO I'M REALLY GOING TO MISS YOUR HERE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT I AM VERY HAPPY FOR HER. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I SHOULD NEVER GO. LAST I GET . I WENT TO PRESENT THIS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD FOR HER UNWAVERING AND FIERCE COMMITMENT TO CON TO CONDUCTING THE PEOPLE'S WORK, WHICH SHE CHERISH DURING HER 24 YEAR TENURE. AS A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN SOVIA HOLT, ROB IS DESERVING A PUBLIC ACCLAIM AND RECOGNITION. THE CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION THEREOF THIS 12TH DAY OF DECEMBER IN THE YEAR 2024. AND IT'S SIGNED BY OUR MAYOR KIRK WATSON, ON BEHALF OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL. WOO. I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE WITHOUT MY TREMENDOUS STAFF AT EDD AND NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING AND MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND MY SON WHO WAS WATCHING, WHO WAS SO PATIENT OVER THE YEARS, AND ME TAKING HIM TO SEVERAL MEETINGS AND MY SORO WHO ALWAYS PRAY AND HOLD ME UP AND MY GRAND FAMILY. I HAVE LOVED DOING THE PEOPLE'S WORK. I WANT TO THANK YOU COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO THAT WORK FOR YOU AND I WILL EVER BE GRATEFUL. BUT THANK YOU ALL. [additional Item] WELL, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. UH, WE ARE HERE, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THE SERVICE OF ANIQUE BODE, UH, WHO, UH, IS A VALUED EMPLOYEE OF OURS WHO HAS DECIDED TO GO ON TO DO OTHER THINGS, UH, AND ENJOY LIFE A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND SO, UH, I WANNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ANIQUE AND THEN WE'LL SHARE, UH, AND I'LL PRESENT HER WITH A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD AT THE END AND THEN ALLOW HER TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS. SO ANIQUE BEGAN HER PUBLIC SERVICE CAREER IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN 1996 AS A PLANNER IN THE TRANSPORTATION DIVISION OF THE CITY'S PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. IN ADDITION TO HER SIGNIFICANT TRANSPORTATION WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN, SHE HAS ALSO WORKED IN MULTIPLE CITY DEPARTMENTS COVERING LAND USE PLANNING, AS WELL AS CAPITAL PROGRAM DELIVERY ROLES. IN 2017, ANIQUE WAS PROMOTED TO AN EXECUTIVE POSITION AS AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. UPON PASSAGE OF PROJECT CONNECT IN NOVEMBER, 2020, SHE WAS APPOINTED TO HER CURRENT EXECUTIVE ROLE AS PROJECT CONNECT MOBILITY OFFICER. OVER HER TIME WITH THE CITY, AN HAS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON AUSTIN'S BUILT ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREAS OF ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION, SAFETY AND TRANSIT, SUPPORTIVE LAND USE. HER EXCEPTIONAL WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE FIELD OF URBAN PLANNING WAS RECOGNIZED THIS YEAR BY BEING ACCEPTED BY THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION INTO THE PRESTIGIOUS AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PLANNERS COLLEGE OF FELLOWS, THE HIGHEST HONOR THAT CAN BE BESTOWED ON A MEMBER. WE ARE PROUD AND HONORED TO HAVE HER [00:50:01] LEGACY SEEN THROUGHOUT THE CITY BY WAY OF THE MANY PROJECTS. SHE HAS PLAYED A ROLE IN HELPING ADVANCE AND I WANT TO WISH HER THE BEST ON THIS NEXT CHAPTER IN HER LIFE. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, ANIQUE. AND SO I'D LIKE TO READ BEFORE I HAVE YOU COME UP, UH, A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD THAT'S GRANTED AND SHARED BY OUR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. AND I'LL READ THIS, THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD FOR HER UNTIRING SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO OUR RESIDENTS DURING HER 26 YEAR TENURE AS A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ANIQUE BODE IS DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACCLAIM AND RECOGNITION. THIS CER CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION THEREOF THIS 12TH DAY OF DECEMBER IN THE YEAR 2024, SIGNED BY MAYOR KIRK WATSON ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN. SO THANK YOU ANIQUE FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WOW, THAT WAS, THAT WAS AMAZING. UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL AND, UM, CITY EXECUTIVE STAFF FOR THE RECOGNITION. YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M SOMEWHAT SPEECHLESS. I, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS AN ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN JUST PROFOUNDLY REWARDING, UM, A REWARDING PLACE TO WORK, UM, SERVING THE CITY THAT I LOVE SO MUCH. AND, YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE ARE OFTEN, UM, VERY CHALLENGING ISSUES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. UM, BUT DOING THOSE PROJECTS ARE WHAT MAKE, UM, THE COMMUNITY BETTER FOR ALL. AND I'VE, YOU KNOW, I FEEL SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO, UM, WORK ON ALL THE PLANS AND PROJECTS, BUT MOSTLY IT'S ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO, WHO I WORKED WITH WHO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN FROM EXECUTIVES ALL THE WAY DOWN THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT I'VE BUILT OVER, UM, OVER THE YEARS HERE. UH, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THERE'S SO MANY DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN. I'VE NEVER WORKED FOR ANOTHER CITY, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THIS IS THE BEST ONE TO WORK FOR. UM, AND YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD, I'LL BE STAYING IN AUSTIN AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, AS, AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID, UM, BIKING AROUND AND WALKING AROUND AND ENJOYING, UM, ENJOYING THE CITY. UM, SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. AND IF YOU DON'T MIND MOVING OVER. GOOD MORNING [additional Item] EVERYONE AND GUEST AND AND FELLOW EMPLOYEES. HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING THIS MORNING? WE ARE HERE, UH, TO RECOGNIZE THE SERVICE, UH, OF MR. JAMES SNOW, UH, AND HIS LONG CAREER WITH THIS CITY. AND AS I CAN SEE FROM THE FOLKS SURROUNDING ME, HE HAS HAD AN IMPACT, UH, ON PEOPLE, UH, IN THIS CITY AND I'M SURE EVEN BEYOND THIS ROOM. AND SO I WAS GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS TODAY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, HIS CAREER, UH, WITH THE CITY AND THEN PRESENT HIM WITH A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR, UH, AND THE CITY COUNCIL. AND THEN ALLOW HIM TO SHARE A FEW WORDS, UH, AS HE RIDES OFF INTO THE SUNSET, UH, AND HAS ALL OF US ENVIOUS, UH, OF HIS ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO RETIRE. AND SO, UH, JAMES HAS MORE THAN 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ACROSS PRIVATE, PUBLIC, AND MILITARY SECTORS, SPECIALIZING IN OPTIMIZING ORGANIZATIONAL VALUE, FOSTERING POSITIVE CULTURES, AND CULTIVATING OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE. SINCE JOINING THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, IN MARCH OF 2009, JAMES HAS SERVED IN SEVERAL EXECUTIVE ROLES WITHIN THE FORMER PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, AS WELL AS INTERIM DIRECTOR. IN MARCH OF 2023, JAMES WAS APPOINTED TO CREATE AND LEAD THE CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT, TASKED WITH DELIVERING OVER $10 BILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS UNDER THE VISION OF ONE CITY, ONE TEAM, ONE APPROACH. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A DRIVEN STRATEGIC PEOPLE-CENTRIC LEADER, KNOWN FOR HIS UNIQUE BLEND OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS, BUSINESS INTUITION, CREATIVITY, AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. [00:55:01] JAMES, WE WILL MISS YOU. I KNOW I'VE ONLY HAD A SHORT TIME, UH, TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO SEE YOU WORK, BUT I AM SURE AND I HAVE HEARD FROM THE GENTLEMAN STANDING TO YOUR RIGHT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN AN AMAZING LEADER AND A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTOR TO ALL THE THINGS GOOD IN THIS CITY. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU. YOUR DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SERVICE WILL BE MISSED AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DISTINGUISHED TENURE WITH THIS CITY. SO THANK YOU. AND I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION AND OR THE DESIGN, UH, WHAT DO THEY CALL THIS DISTINGUISHED AWARD? HERE WE GO. ALRIGHT. FOR HIS UNTIRING SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN DURING HIS 16 YEAR TENURE WITH THE CITY AS A DEDICATED EMPLOYEE, JAMES SNOW IS DESERVING OF PUBLIC ACCLAIM AND RECOGNITION. THIS CERTIFICATION IS PRESENTED IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND APPRECIATION THEREOF THIS 12TH DAY OF DECEMBER IN THE YEAR 2024 ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AS WELL AS THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, JAMES. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGEMENT STAFF, AND ALSO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR THIS AWARD. UH, I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR SHOWING UP TODAY FOR I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY THAT SUPPORTED ME DURING MY CAREER. AND SEEING YOU ALL HERE TODAY WAS VERY SPECIAL. UM, I WANNA THANK A CM GOOD FOR 15 YEARS AGO, AGREEING TO HIRE ME. . I THANK YOU. STILL SECOND, SECOND GUESSING THAT ONE, . UH, AND ALSO BELIEVING IN THE VISION THAT I TRIED TO BRING HERE OF DEVELOPING A CULTURE THAT EMBRACES COLLABORATION, PUTTING TOGETHER TEAMS FROM MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND MULTIPLE GROUPS TO NOT ONLY SOLVE CITY ISSUES, BUT ALSO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY. THE OTHER PERSON I'D LIKE TO THANK IS MY WIFE. SHE SUPPORTED ME, SHOWED ME UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, 15 YEARS AGO SHE SAID YES TO MOVING TO CITY OF AUSTIN . UH, BUT I ALSO WANNA TAKE THAT TIME TOO TO, UH, THANK YOU ALL THAT SHOW UP ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR ME. I'D RATHER CALL 'EM TEAMMATES AND EMPLOYEES AND US MAKING IT FUN AND DOING WHAT WE CAN DO. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE ROOM, WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE HERE. I LOOK FORWARD TO THEM TO CONTINUOUSLY CONTRIBUTING TO THIS CITY, AND I KNOW THEY WILL. I ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE A PLACE BETTER THAN IT WAS WHEN I GOT HERE. AND I THINK I DID. SO THANK YOU'ALL. * 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.