[00:00:03]
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.
UM, THIS IS THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING OF THE YEAR, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROCLAMATIONS AND THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE TO HONOR PEOPLE AND TO, TO RECOGNIZE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THOSE, UH, AND, AND FRANKLY, THERE ARE MORE THAN WHAT WE USUALLY DO BEFORE WE START THE COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THOSE ARE NOT COMPLETED YET.
WE WILL NOT CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER UNTIL I, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A QUORUM.
AND SO I'M GONNA WAIT ON THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED Y'ALL TO KNOW WHAT THE EXPLANATION IS FOR WHY WE'RE NOT STARTING, UH, PROMPTLY AT 10 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING.
SO JUST, UH, BE PATIENT WITH US.
IT'S LIKE I SAY THE LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR, AND PEOPLE VERY MUCH DESERVING OF OUR PRAISE, UH, ARE RECEIVING PROCLAMATIONS.
UH, SOME THAT I SEE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM THAT DON'T DESERVE OUR PRAISE THAT, UH, UH, UH, BUT THERE'S, BUT THEY'RE STILL HERE.
UH, IN ANY EVENT, WE'RE HAPPY.
WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE ALL Y'ALL HERE, AND WE'LL START JUST SHORTLY.
[Call to Order]
YEP.I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR A REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.
IT IS DECEMBER 12TH, 2024 AT 10 O TH 10:03 AM WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LOCATED AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, WHICH IS WHERE OUR CITY HALL IS LOCATED.
UH, WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT, SO, UM, WE'LL GET AFTER IT.
THIS IS THE LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE AND, AND PEOPLE THAT WILL COME HERE DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY.
UM, MEMBERS, THE AND, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
[Consent Agenda]
GO IN TODAY, UH, OVERALL WILL BE THAT I'LL, IN A FEW SECONDS HERE, I'LL READ CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD.WE WILL THEN GO TO OUR CONSENT SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MEMBERS, THE ITEMS THAT I, UH, KNOW HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE ITEMS 2 38 AND 57, ITEMS 2 38 AND 57.
THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION HAS AN AGENDA FOR TODAY, SO AT AS CLOSE TO 10 30, IT'S A 10 30 TIME CERTAIN, SO AS CLOSE TO 10 30 AS WE CAN, DEPENDING UPON, UH, HOW THE CONSENT AGENDA GOES, WE WILL RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
WHEN THAT IS COMPLETED, UH, WE'LL ADJOURN THAT MEETING AND COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
AFTER WE'VE COMPLETED CONSENT AND A HFC, WE WILL GO TO THE POOLED ITEMS, THEN WE WILL GO TO, UH, ITEMS 86, 75 AND 87.
THOSE ITEMS ARE THE ITEMS RELATED TO THE T TPI.
AFTER THAT, WE WILL GO TO ITEMS FROM COUNCIL COMMITTEES 68, 69, 70, 71.
WE WILL GO TO OUR IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEM, ITEM 72, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
HOWEVER, THAT MAY RUN AFOUL OF OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
WE WILL DO THAT AT AROUND 12 O'CLOCK.
WE WILL RECESS AFTER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, REGARDLESS OF WHERE WE ARE ON THE AGENDA TO HAVE LIVE MUSIC THAT WILL OCCUR.
UM, AND WE WILL PROBABLY COME BACK ABOUT ONE 10.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE HAVE AT TWO O'CLOCK OUR ZONING TIME, UH, CERTAINS.
WE WILL GET TO THAT AS CLOSE TO TWO O'CLOCK AS WE CAN.
THAT IS THE ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR THE DAY.
I WILL NOW RE YES, COUNCILMAN REALS.
I HAD A QUICK, UH, QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION.
I THINK, DID YOU SAY 38 OR 39? IS THAT THE FEDERAL AGENDA ITEM 2 38 AND 57 HAD BEEN PULLED AND IS 38 1 THAT I, THAT YOU HAVE ME PULLING? NO, YOU HAD PULLED 39, BUT PUT IT BACK ON, IS WHAT I WAS TOLD.
JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS MY INTENT.
SO I PULLED ITEMS. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFICATION.
[00:05:01]
AND 57 ARE THE PULLED ITEMS. NOW, UH, CHANGES TO CORRECTIONS FOR THE RECORD.ON ITEM 14, UH, DELETE ONE THIRTY NINE, A HUNDRED THIRTY 9 MILLION IS AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
106 MILLION IS AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET OF AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
DELETE THAT AND, AND REPLACE IT WITH $245 MILLION IS AVAILABLE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 18 SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY ITEM ONE 30.
ITEM 30, NUMBER 30 IS WITHDRAWN.
ITEM NUMBER 34 IS WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY ITEM NUMBER 1 31.
ITEMS 49 AND 50 ARE WITHDRAWN AND WILL BE REPOSTED BY STAFF IN SPRING 2025.
ITEM NUMBER 63, REMOVE SPONSORSHIP OF MAYOR PRO TIM LESLIE POOL ITEMS NUMBER 77 AND 83.
WHEN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN, TAKEN UP, THESE ITEMS WILL BE POSTPONED TO JANUARY 30TH, 2025.
ITEM NUMBER 98 IS WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY ITEM NUMBER ONE 40.
ITEM NUMBER 99 IS WITHDRAWN AND REPLACED BY ITEM NUMBER 1 41 ON THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO IS WITHDRAWN.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS POSTPONED TO JANUARY 30TH, 2025.
I'M GONNA PAUSE BEFORE I GO TO BOARD COMMISSION'S ACTIONS 'CAUSE I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ANTICIPATING PARTICIPATING IN THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ITEMS. I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN.
ITEMS NUMBER 77 AND 83, AND I KNOW WE HAD PEOPLE SIGNED UP AT LEAST ON NUMBER 83 WHEN THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP, THESE ITEMS WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL JANUARY 30TH, 2025.
SO IF YOU ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THOSE ITEMS, IF YOU'RE HERE TO TO SPEAK AND YOU'RE WAITING TO DO THAT, OR YOU'RE WATCHING, UM, WITH BATED BREATH, YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THOSE TWO ITEMS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE POSTPONED.
SO YOU MAY MAKE A DIFFERENT DECISION, AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
MEMBERS, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSION ACTIONS, ITEM NUMBER TWO, DECEMBER 2ND, 2020 SHOULD READ AND HAVE AS PART OF IT, DECEMBER 2ND, 2024 REME RECOMMENDED BY THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION ON A 9 1 1 VOTE WITH VICE CHAIR WHITE VOTING AGAINST AND COMMISSIONER REED ABSTAINING.
ITEM 3, 19 20 AND 22 SHOULD READ DECEMBER 4TH, 2024, RECOMMENDED BY THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION ON A NINE TO ZERO VOTE WITH COMMISSIONER PENN ABSENT AND ONE VACANCY ITEM 24, AND THIS IS BOARD AND COMMISSION ACTIONS.
ITEM NUMBER 24 DECEMBER, SHOULD READ DECEMBER 4TH, 2024, RECOMMENDED BY THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION ON A SEVEN TO ONE TO ONE VOTE.
WITH COMMISSIONER MORIARTY VOTING, NO, COMMISSIONER PGI, RECUSING, COMMISSIONER PENN ABSENT, AND ONE VACANCY.
AGAIN, THE PULLED ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE ITEMS 2 38 AND 57.
WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW GO TO, UH, THE CONSENT SPEAKERS, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, MEMBERS, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, UH, THAT ARE RELATED TO POTENTIAL SETTLEMENTS.
AND SO I WOULD ASK LEGAL COUNSEL TO PLEASE COME FORWARD AND MAKE A PRESENTATION WITH REGARD TO THOSE ITEMS BEFORE WE GO TO THE CONSENT SPEAKERS, PLEASE.
UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY JEREMY THOMPSON.
I'M HERE TODAY TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE, UH, SETTLEMENT PAYMENTS IN TWO PERSONAL INJURY SUITS THAT APPEAR ON YOUR AGENDA AS ITEMS NUMBERS 42 AND 1 32.
REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 42, UH, GIBSON VERSUS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE A PAYMENT OF $190,000 TO SETTLE.
THIS LAWSUIT RELATES TO, UH, AN APRIL, 2023 CAR ACCIDENT INVOLVING A PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT TRUCK WHERE MS. GIBSON SEEKS PAYMENT FOR HER INJURIES.
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PLAINTIFF WILL WILL RELEASE ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY FROM THE ACCIDENT, AND WILL ALSO DISMISS HER LAWSUIT FILED IN THE DISTRICT COURT FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.THE LAW DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THAT YOU APPROVE PAYMENT BASED UPON THESE TERMS REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 1 32.
WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE A PAYMENT OF $110,000 TO SETTLE THE GALLOWAY AT ALL VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN LAWSUIT.
THIS SUIT IS RELATED TO AN OCTOBER, 2022 CAR ACCIDENT WHERE PLAINTIFFS, ISAIAH AND CLARISSA GALLOWAY SOUGHT PAYMENT FOR INJURIES THAT THEY SUSTAINED AS PART OF THE ACCIDENT INVOLVING A TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS VEHICLE.
IN EXCHANGE FOR THE GLOBAL PAYMENT, THE CITY WILL OBTAIN A FULL AND FINAL AGREEMENT FROM THE PLAINTIFFS, UH, THAT THEY RELEASED THE CITY AND THE EMPLOYEES FROM ANY CLAIMS THAT WERE OR COULD HAVE BEEN ASSERTED IN THIS LAWSUIT.
THE LAW DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THAT YOU APPROVE PAYMENT BASED UPON THESE TERMS. GREAT.
UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT ON ITEMS NUMBER 42 AND 1 32, WHICH ARE ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA? I DON'T SEE ANY, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, UH, TO YOUR QUESTION, NOW, ITEM NUMBER 74 IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND SO IF THERE ARE PE AND, AND IT'S, IT IS NOT A POSTPONED PUBLIC HEARING, IT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE WILL TAKE UP AS A PUBLIC HEARING TODAY.
SO IF THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE TO, TO SPEAK ON THAT, WE'LL GET AS WHEN WE GET TO THAT, WE WILL, WE'LL, WE'LL CALL THEM UP.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION, MAYOR.
WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW GO TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND I WILL TURN TO OUR CITY CLERK TO WALK US THROUGH THAT.
WE'LL START WITH ITEM THREE, ANTONIA ROMERO, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM BUNCH, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL CARGILL AND SANTIAGO.
UH, ONE, IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, UH, THE WAY WE TRY TO DO THIS IS WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED ON AN ITEM THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE SPEAKING ON.
IF YOU'LL PLEASE COME DOWN FRONT THAT WAY WE'LL VISUALLY KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE, AND IF THERE'S AN EMPTY MICROPHONE, P UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO TAKE THE MICROPHONE.
ARE ANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE JUST CALLED HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER THREE? ALRIGHT, UH, MR. BUNCH IS, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, BUT WAIVES HIS RIGHT TO SPEAK.
NEXT SPEAKER WE HAVE IS CRAIG NAZER.
UH, SIGNED UP ON ITEM 14, FOLLOWED BY KABA WHITE WILLIAM BUNCH ONCE AGAIN, AND VICTOR REED.
ITEM NUMBER 14, IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
MY NAME IS CRAIG NASER AND I'M CURRENTLY A MEMBER OF THE ZERO WASTE ADVISORY COMMISSION.
AND I JUST HERE TO SAY, BECAUSE WE NEED IT, SOMETIMES THIS ITEM 14 IS A GREAT ITEM.
I HOPE IT PASSES, AND I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT THIS WILL DO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT TO REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT, BECAUSE THIS ITEM, YOU CAN'T REALLY TELL BY READING IT VERY WELL.
BUT THIS WILL ALLOW ELECTRIFICATION OF THE FLEET AND PARTICULARLY GETTING HUGE, UH, $700,000 TRASH, UH, CARRIERS THAT ARE ENTIRELY ELECTRIC.
WE NEED A MORE CENTRAL RECHARGING PLACE.
I ALSO WANT TO JUST MENTION I DID NOT, UH, BECAUSE THE, THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS, I DID NOT READ ONE ITEM 1 33 UNTIL EARLIER TODAY.
UH, ITEM 1 33 1, IT IS BASICALLY A REALLY GOOD ITEM.
UH, IT HAS ONE THING IN IT THAT I DISAGREE WITH, AND I COULD, WOULD LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU MORE.
I DO NOT THINK THE ZERO WASTE YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE REALLY NOT SUPPOSED TO BE, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE ITEM THAT WE'VE CALLED YOU UP ON.
BUT YOU, BUT, BUT IF YOU WANNA SAY GOOD JOB, THAT'S OKAY.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S 90% GOOD JOB.
BUT, OKAY, YOU NOT TO FIND THE ZERO WASTE ADVISORY COMMISSION WITH THE RESOURCE RECOVERY COMMISSION.
WE HAVE WILLIAM BUNCH ON ITEM 14.
HE PASSES ITEM 19 AS WELL, MR. BUNCH.
HOW ABOUT 19? HE PASSES ON THAT AS WELL.
HOW ABOUT 23? HE'S GONNA PASS ITEM 31.
HOW ABOUT 31? HE'S GONNA PASS ON THAT.
SUSAN SPATARO ON ITEM 33, FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDER STRANGER, ZENOBIA.
JOSEPH, IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, IF YOU'RE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
SUSAN SPATARO, DISTRICT EIGHT.
AND I WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED BY, BY THIS NAVIGATION CENTER.
THIS IS NOT A SIMPLE ISSUE, BUT PEOPLE THERE, CHILDREN, RESIDENTS,
[00:15:01]
AND BUSINESSES ARE BEING OVERRUN AND SUBJECT TO DANGEROUS POSITIONS.IT'S BECOME SO SAD THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS HAD TO STEP FORWARD AND REPRESENT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I JUST WANNA READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THAT, UH, PETITION TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE SITUATION THERE.
IN SOUTH AUSTIN, A ONCE PEACEFUL NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED BY HOMELESS DRUG ADDICTS, CONVICTED CRIMINALS, AND REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS.
THESE PEOPLE DO DRUGS INSIDE OF CHILDREN PUBLICLY FORNICATE NEXT TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MENACE, RESIDENTS WITH MACHETES, URINATE, AND DEFECATE ON PUBLIC GROUNDS AND GENERALLY TERRORIZE THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
ONE RESIDENT OF ALMOST 50 YEARS SAID HOW SHE USED TO LOVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT NOW IS NO LONGER COMFORTABLE EVEN WALKING IN IT.
AND IT IS SO DANGEROUS NOW THAT SHE IS NOT EVEN COMFORTABLE TAKING HER TRASH OUT TO THE CURB.
AND, AND WHEN I READ THAT, IT JUST MADE ME SO SAD BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS, THESE PEOPLE, THESE CHILDREN, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND BUSINESSES ARE NOT LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE CLIENTS OF THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD ON THIS.
I DON'T WANNA SAY THEY'RE NOT, BUT SOMETHING NEW HAS TO HAPPEN, AND IT CAN'T BE AT THE PRICE OF THESE POOR PEOPLE.
JOCELYN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS 200 FEET FROM THIS.
CHILDREN AT JOCELYN ARE SEEING OPEN AIR DRUG DEALING.
THEY'RE WALKING ON NEEDLES, AND THEY ACTUALLY SAW A GROUP HANDING OUT NEEDLES TO DR.
THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER'S WORKING ON THIS, UM, IS NEXT SPEAKERS ALEXANDER STRANGER ON ITEM 33, FOLLOWED BY ZENOBIA JOSEPH.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M HERE SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 33, 37, AND 30 AND 38, BECAUSE WE NEED TO USE OUR VOICES BOTH IN THE STATE AND IN CONGRESS TO HELP THE UNHOUSED REFORM OUR HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY AND DISMANTLE OUR CULTURE OF WHITE SUPREMACY.
JORDAN NEELY WAS AN UNHOUSED, MICHAEL JACKSON IMPERSONATOR, WHO WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED BY WHITE NATIONALIST DANIEL PENNEY FOR THE CRIME OF BEING HOMELESS.
AND NOW THAT DONALD TRUMP GOT ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND WAS NAMED PERSON OF THE YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE OPEN SEASON ON THE UNHOUSED AND OPEN SEASON ON AFRICAN AMERICANS.
AND WHEN MY WIFE'S BOYFRIEND, ARMANDO, HEARD THE VERDICT, HE DEFECATED ON ME BECAUSE THIS IS SYNONYMOUS WITH WHAT WHITE MA, WITH WHAT WHITE MALES HAVE BEEN DOING TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY FOR CENTURIES.
I AM RECENTLY HOMELESS KIRK BECAUSE I LOST ALL OF MY MONEY INVESTING IN THE HAWK TO A COIN, AND MY WIFE, WHO SUFFERS FROM STAGE FIVE TESTICULAR CANCER, IS BEING DENIED COVERAGE FOR HER ENLARGED PROSTATE.
AND I HAVE TO TURN TRICKS UNDERNEATH THE CONGRESS BRIDGE SO THAT MY WIFE COULD GET THE ESSENTIAL LIFE-SAVING CARE THAT SHE NEEDS TO SURVIVE IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY.
IT'S RAN BY GREEDY BILLIONAIRES WHO PUT PROFITS OVER PEOPLE, AND THE ONLY THING MY WIFE AND I CAN DO IS WRITE LOVE LETTERS TO LUIGI MANGIONE BECAUSE HE IS A HERO, AND WE NEED UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY.
ALSO, IF YOU COULD PLEASE RECOMMEND FOR JOE BIDEN TO PARDON P DIDDY.
IT WOULD REALLY MEAN A LOT TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY BECAUSE P DIDDY WAS A BUSINESS MOGUL WHO HOSTED SEXUALLY INCLUSIVE PARTIES AT YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED.
AND DONALD TRUMP, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.
HE'S WEAPONIZING THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS.
IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM.
OTHERWISE, WE'LL PROCEED WITH THE NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS.
UH, WE HAVE THE NOVIA JOSEPH ON ALSO ITEM, UH, 39 ALEXANDER STRANGER ON ITEM 39, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM BUNCH.
MR. BUNCH, ARE YOU GONNA TALK ON 39? ALL RIGHT, HE'S NOT SPEAKING ON 39.
I'M GONNA MOVE OVER TO REMOTE SPEAKERS.
WE HAVE CAIA PRINT ON ITEM 47.
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CASIA, ARE YOU THERE? WE WILL TRY AGAIN IN A MOMENT.WE HAVE JENNY GRAYSON ON ITEM 47.
ARE ANY OF YOU HERE? I SAY, MR. GUZMAN, IF, IF YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
IS THERE ANYONE WHOSE NAME HAS BEEN CALLED THAT IS HERE AND WISHES TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT, NEXT SPEAKER IS CARMEN JONNES, FOLLOWED BY ENOVIA JOSEPH ON ITEM 47.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
I DON'T SEE EITHER ONE OF THEM.
NEXT SPEAKER IS WILLIAM BUNCH ON ITEM 51, MR. BUNCH.
ARE YOU TALKING ON 51? LOOKS LIKE HE'S PASSING SEVEN.
WELL, SHE'S GONE TO 51 NOW AFTER MR. BUNCH.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
AND STATE YOUR LAST NAME, PLEASE.
ARE YOU GONNA SPEAK? UH, ARE YOU SPEAKING OR ARE YOU JUST I'M HERE.
UM, YEAH, UH, I WAS JUST CHECKING WHICH ITEM WE WERE ON.
I THINK, UH, HAVE YOU COVERED, UH, 11? YES.
I HAD SIGNED UP TO SIGN UP FOR 11.
I THINK THE BORROWINGS REALLY RESPONSIBLE.
UH, FUNDAMENTALLY, I THINK THE PROJECT, UH, THE CUT AND CAP IS CONTINGENT ON REQUIRING A 25 FOOT DIAMETER TUNNEL BENEATH CESAR CHAVEZ TO GO INTO THE COLORADO RIVER.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT DISSOLVED OXYGEN.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT ANY FUNDING BEING ALLOCATED TO A DETENTION POND, TO WATERSHED PROTECTION TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN, UM, MEET THE WATER QUALITY STANDARDS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR TCEQ, INCLUDING, UH, NATIONWIDE PERMIT, UM, OUT, UH, SEVEN, WHICH IS AN OUTFALL, UH, INTO THE COLORADO RIVER, ENSURING THAT US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, UH, IS AWARE OF WHAT I TEXTILE TENDS TO DO.
UM, I'M ALSO REALLY CONCERNED THAT THERE HAS BEEN INADEQUATE FUNDING TO LOOK AT THE BRIDGE, UM, RECONSTRUCTION OVER COLORADO RIVER, UM, IN PARTICULAR NATIONWIDE PERMIT, UM, 14, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH, UH, A 10TH OF AN ACRE, UM, DISTURBANCE OF, UH, WETLANDS, UM, THE WATERSHED OR THE HARPER'S BRANCH, UM, WATERSHED IS BEING DISRUPTED.
THERE'S NEARLY 300 ACRES OF, UH, RAINFALL THAT'LL HAVE TO BE COLLECTED, NOT INCLUDING THE INTERCEPTION OF THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED THAT WILL, UM, IT'S MASSIVE, MASSIVE, UH, MASSIVE PROBLEMS IN TERMS OF, UM, THANK YOU SIR.
ANAEROBIC QUALITY, THANK YOU MR. BUNCH.
IT IS, UH, BILL BUNCH, DISTRICT FIVE SPEAKING AS A TAXPAYER VOTER.
UM, I, UH, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF CAP AND STITCH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL LOVE THAT, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PHENOMENAL AMOUNT OF MONEY COMING OUT OF, UH, TAXPAYER DOLLARS, THE GENERAL REVENUE STREAM, UH, TO DO SOMETHING THAT FOR TEXDOT IS A ROUNDING ERROR ON I 35.
Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE DEMANDED THAT T.PAY FOR THIS.
UM, WE DON'T, WE'RE ALREADY PUMPING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO DOWNTOWN PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE TO DO THAT AGAIN HERE.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I THINK WE'RE APPROACHING A BILLION DOLLARS.
UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING ANNUAL MAINTENANCE ON THIS IS IN THE MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR FOR, TO GET PEOPLE TO BE ON, YOU KNOW, A BIG CONCRETE SLAB OVER AN INTERSTATE FREEWAY.
UH, WHEN YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, MAKES ALMOST NO SENSE.
[00:25:01]
PART OF THE LAWSUIT, WHICH Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE JOINED THAT'S STILL PENDING, IS LOOKING AT THE AIR POLLUTION AND THE DIRECT HEALTH IMPACTS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NEAR THIS ENORMOUS HIGHWAY PROJECT.AND TO BE THINKING, WE'RE GONNA SPEND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THEN MANY MILLIONS EVERY YEAR TO MAINTAIN SOMETHING THAT NOBODY'S GONNA WANT TO GO TO.
AND IF THEY KNEW ABOUT THE HEALTH IMPACTS, UH, THEY SHOULD NOT GO TO.
SO THI YOU KNOW, THIS LOOKS GOOD WHEN YOU DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S TIME TO STEP BACK.
IF YOU WANT TO GO FORWARD, GO FORWARD LATER AFTER YOU DO YOUR OWN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY.
BUT BETTER YET, SAVE THE MONEY, UH, AND JOIN THE LAWSUIT AGAINST TXDOT AGAINST THIS HORRIBLE PROJECT.
WE ALSO HAVE YOU REGISTERED ON ITEM 52.
52 IS YET MORE MONEY FOR CAPTAIN STITCH, UH, $45 MILLION OF CITY FUNDS AND ALSO SEEKING, UH, GRANT FROM THE FEDS TO COVER, UM, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE A 60 MILLION ON TOP OF THAT.
UH, AGAIN, UH, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE POSTING THESE AS SEPARATE ITEMS THAT IS REQUIRED BY THE LAW THAT'S APPROPRIATE, UH, AND LETTING PEOPLE SPEAK TO IT.
UH, MOST OF THE ISSUES DO OVERLAP WITH MY PREVIOUS COMMENTS.
UH, I JUST ADD THAT AGAIN, WE SHOULD BE ASKING, UH, DEMANDING THAT TDOT PAY FOR THIS AND THAT WE ASK THE FEDS FOR GRANTS TO HELP US WITH STUFF THAT WE REALLY NEED AND THAT IT'S A COMMUNITY PRIORITY.
NEXT SPEAKER IS FELICITY MAXWELL ON ITEM 52, FOLLOWED BY SANTIAGO ZA, JUAN.
GOOD MORNING, FELICITY MAXWELL, DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENT OR A BOARD MEMBER.
UH, WE JUST WANNA SHARE OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN I FUTURES I, OUR FUTURE I 35 TEAM AND THE SUPPORT OF U-S-D-O-T THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS AND EQUITY PROGRAM GRANT FOR THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE CAESAR CHAVEZ TO FOURTH STREET CAP.
UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS GRANT.
WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL TIME AFFORDED BY TXDOT TO FULLY CONSIDER HOW WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EXTENSIVE I 35 CAP AND CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM.
UM, AS WE ENGAGE IN THESE DISCUSSIONS REGARDING ADDITIONAL CO CONSTRUCTION IN THE SPRING, WE'D LIKE TO URGE CITY STAFF, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO WORK DILIGENTLY TO BUILD A CABIN STITCH PROGRAM THAT WORKS FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE CITY OF AUSTIN RESIDENTS AND THOSE MOST IMPACTED BY THIS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS PROCESS AND, AND THE ADDITIONAL WORK THAT WILL BE DONE IN, IN THE SPRING OF 2025.
SANTIAGO ZWAN, ARE YOU GOING TO SPEAK? YEAH, I APPRECIATE YOU NOT INTERRUPTING ME, SIR.
UM, IT'S MY TIME TO SPEAK AND, UH, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO READ THE ROOM REAL QUICK IF THAT WAS COOL.
YOU GUYS SEE WHO'S HERE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY HIGHWAY MEN HERE TO, UM, JUST CHECKING MY BACK, YOU KNOW, UM,
YEAH, SO, UH, CONTINUE WITH WHERE I WAS TRYING TO SPEAK EARLIER.
UM, IN PARTICULAR WITH REGARDS TO THE LACK OF FOCUS ON THE BRIDGE.
UM, SO BACK IN THE FIFTIES, UH, CITY COUNCIL PASSED, UM, THE EXPANSION OF EAST AVENUE UNDER AN EMERGENCY PROTOCOL THAT SUSPENDED THE CHARTER RULE AND THE REREADING OF, UM, OF THE, THE CONSTRUCTION OF EAST AVENUE US 81 IN A REGIONAL HIGHWAY, WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS I 35, UM, PUSHED, PUSHED THROUGH.
UM, AT THE TIME THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OCCURRING WITH THE, WITH, UH, AUSTIN SAND GRAVEL COMPANY, DREDGING THE COLORADO RIVER.
UM, AND THERE, THERE HAS STILL TO THIS DAY, BENEATH I 35, UH, THERE'S A LACK OF LIGHT PENETRATION.
THERE IS, UH, NO WETLAND THERE WHATSOEVER.
UM, JUST DISREGARD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND, UM, I'M CURIOUS WHY THIS COUNCIL IS NOT ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS, WHY THEY ARE NOT EMPOWERING WATERSHED TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
WHY, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF WATERSHED HAS STEPPED BACK, WHY THE
[00:30:01]
DIRECTOR OF PARD HAS STEPPED BACK.UM, I'M, I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS COUNCIL AND IN PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PRESENT, UH, ARE STRONG ARMING THIS POLICY OR THIS PROPOSAL THROUGH, UM, SECTION SIX F OF THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND REQUIRES THAT TXDOT IN THEIR EIS DECLARE A CONVERSION SITE FOR THE PARKLAND THAT IS BEING, UH, CONDEMNED BOTH ON THE WEST SIDE AND ON THE EAST SIDE.
THERE'S SUFFICIENT ENOUGH AREA IN THE RIGHT OF WAY AS EXISTING TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF, UH, TWO RO TWO NEW LANES NORTH AND SOUTH BETWEEN THE 54.
MOVING ON TO ITEM 60, WE HAVE MARIA SANCHEZ, FOLLOWED BY CARLOS PINON.
SO PRAXIS AND SHANE JOHNSON, ARE ANY OF YOU HERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE, WE HAVE BEIN HATCHER.
ON ITEM 64, WE HAVE JENNY GRAYSON, ITEM 65, MONICA GUZMAN, ITEM 65, MARIO, UH, MARIO CONTU, ITEM 65.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MOVE FORWARD.
ARE YOU SPEAKING ON 65? PLEASE? GO AHEAD.
MS. GUZMAN, ARE YOU SPEAKING? MS. GUZMAN IS NOT SPEAKING, PLEASE.
YEAH, JUST IDENTIFY YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
MY NAME IS BARON HATCHER SPEAKING ON ITEM 64.
UM, I'M HERE TO REQUEST A FEW WAIVER FOR THE UPCOMING FUNDRAISER SHOW FOR THE AUSTIN ROUNDUP.
AN EVENT THAT BLENDS THE ARTS WITH ESSENTIAL SUPPORT FOR OUR QUEER RECOVERY COMMUNITY.
THE EVENTS MORE THAN A FUNDRAISER, THE ARTS HAVE A UNIQUE ABILITY TO HEAL AND CONNECT, AND THIS SHOW HARNESSES THAT POWER TO SUPPORT THOSE IN RECOVERY.
IT'S A BEACON OF HOPE, FOSTERING HEALING AND CONNECTION THROUGH THE POWER OF THE ARTS.
BY SUPPORTING THIS EVENT, YOU ARE DIRECTLY AIDING THOSE IN RECOVERY AND THE QUEER RECOVERY COMMUNITY AT A TIME WHEN OUR COMMUNITY FACES UNPRECEDENTED ATTACKS, UM, AND CONTINUED ALARMING NUMBERS OF OVERDOSES.
UM, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING THIS REQUEST TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE ME MEANINGFUL IMPACT.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE, MR. BUNCH.
ARE YOU SPEAKING ON 65? HOW PASS HE'S PASSING.
FOR ITEM 65, WE HAVE ALEXANDRA ANDERSON.
HELLO, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES.
UM, I HAVE A LIMITED TIME, SO I WANTED TO JUST SPEAK ON A DIFFERENT ITEM.
65, 66, UM, AND 90, WHICH I'M ALL LOOKING FOR COUNSEL TO SUPPORT.
UM, 65 IS DEALING WITH THE CITY MANAGER, UM, UH, APPROVING AND WORKING TOWARDS, UM, THE EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THE FUTURE, UH, PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE COLORADO RIVER.
UM, 66 LOOKING FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO, UM, ALSO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS FOR THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY TO REFINE THE PROPOSAL FOR THE MOPAC SOUTH.
AND THEN I'M SPECIFICALLY CALLING AS WELL, UM, FOR THE DESIGNATION OF 1500 EAST 12TH STREET.
SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AT MLK, UM, AS IT TO BE IDENTIFIED AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN HISTORICAL LANDMARK, UM, FOR DECADES, EAST AUSTIN HAS SEEN COUNTLESS DEMOLITIONS AND DISPLACEMENT OF HISTORIC BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, RACE AND GENERATIONS, THE STORIES AND PEOPLE THAT SHAPED OUR COMMUNITY.
15 EAST 12TH, UH, STREET HAS A LONG LINEAGE OF EAST AUSTIN HISTORIES FROM DAYS WHEN IT WAS DEALING WITH GERMAN, UM, IMMIGRANTS TO RECENTLY FINDING OUT THAT IT WAS A PLACE WHERE, UH, THE FRATERNITY, UH, ALPHA PHI ALPHA HAS MET.
I ASK THAT YOU TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT WHAT REMAINS OF EAST AUSTIN'S BLACK HISTORY.
NEXT SPEAKERS ARE FOR ITEM 66.
WE HAVE JENNY GRAYSON, FOLLOWED BY ADAM GREENFIELD AND MIRIAM SCHOFIELD.
ARE ANY, ANY OF YOU ALL HERE, YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE STAND UP SO WE'LL KNOW YOU'RE HERE AND COME FORWARD.
HAS YOUR NAME BEEN CALLED, MA'AM? YEAH.
FEEL FREE TO TAKE THE MICROPHONE ON.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ADAM GREENFIELD HERE WITH RETHINK 35.
UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK STRONGLY IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM 66, UH, ABOUT THE PROPOSED
[00:35:01]
MOPAC SOUTH, UM, EXPANSION.I, OF COURSE DON'T NEED TO EXPLAIN THIS.
COUNCIL IS ALREADY WELL VERSED IN WHY A HIGHWAY EXPANSION IS NOT, UH, COMPLIANT WITH OUR CITY GOALS.
UH, BUT I'M HERE JUST TO COMPLIMENT THE COUNCIL ON THIS EXCELLENTLY WORDED, UH, RESOLUTION.
UH, I THINK, UH, JUST BEING EXPLICIT ABOUT THIS EXPANSION AND HOW OUR GOALS ARE NOT ALIGNED WITH THAT, I THINK IT'S VERY WELL PUT.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, STRESSING WORKING WITH C-T-R-M-A, UH, A LOT OF ADVOCATES FOR A LONG TIME HAVE BEEN VERY EXCITED ABOUT WORKING WITH THIS AGENCY.
UM, IT'S KIND OF AN UNTAPPED POTENTIAL IN OUR OPINION, AND I THINK THIS COUNCIL, UH, THIS, UH, RESOLUTION SPEAKS BEAUTIFULLY TO THAT.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT DOORS THIS MIGHT OPEN.
UM, AND I THINK THIS IS JUST A GREAT, UM, END OF YEAR, UM, NOTE TO END, UH, FOR, FOR MANY OF US, UM, IN THE TRANSPORTATION ADVOCACY FIELD.
THANK YOU FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR SPONSORING THIS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE COUNCIL FOR SUPPORTING THIS.
GOOD MORNING, MIRIAM SCHOFIELD, ALSO WITH RETHINK 35.
UM, FIRST, YES, I WANNA ECHO THE GRATITUDE FOR THIS RESOLUTION.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY WELL WORDED, THOUGHTFUL, AND, UM, VERY IMPACTFUL.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
UM, I DON'T THINK, UH, MANY OF YOU NEED CONVINCING THAT HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS IN OUR CITY IS A BAD IDEA.
UM, THEY MAKE THE CITY A WORSE PLACE TO LIVE.
THEY FLY IN THE FACE OF A DOZEN OR SO CITY GOALS AND PLANS.
UM, THEY HARM, THEY SPREAD DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS THAT'S HARMFUL FOR THE CITY, AND THAT'S ECONOMICALLY AND, UH, ENVIRONMENTALLY UNSUSTAINABLE.
IF THERE'S ONE IDEA THAT I REALLY WANNA UNDERSCORE IS THAT THESE PROJECTS ARE NOT JUST BAD, BUT REALLY BAD AND BAD ENOUGH TO PUT OUR FULL WEIGHT BEHIND.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE HIGHWAY EXPANSION THAT WE DO, IT'S LIKE PRESSING A BUTTON THAT SPURS THIS NEGATIVE FEEDBACK LOOP THAT SPIRALS FOREVER.
AND BETH OSBORNE, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION FOR AMERICA IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, REALLY CAUTIONS US ALL AGAINST ACCEPTING HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS IN EXCHANGE FOR OTHER GOODIES, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION RELATED GOODIES, BECAUSE SHE SAYS THE MATH DOESN'T WORK OUT.
AND I'LL END WITH JUST ONE REALLY CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THIS.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE PATTERNS IN BARCELONA AND MADRID.
TWO VERY SIMILAR CITIES INVESTED IN TRANSIT AT A VERY SIMILAR TIME.
MADRID ALSO BUILT A BUNCH OF HIGHWAYS YEARS LATER.
LOOK TODAY AT THE RIDERSHIP LEVELS OF FOR TRANSIT, MADRID DOESN'T HOLD A CANDLE TO BARCELONA, AND THEY NEVER WILL BECAUSE THE IMPACTS OF THESE PROJECTS ARE LONG LASTING AND FAR REACHING.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CLARITY IN THIS RESOLUTION, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, UM, SUPPORT OF THIS COUNCIL FOR A BETTER TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FOR AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
OKAY, NEXT SET OF SPEAKERS WE HAVE ELIZABETH BURMELL, ISAAC MARTIN, SHAYNA GOLDSMITH, AND JACKSON GL GLUCK.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED AND THE MICROPHONE'S EMPTY, FEEL FREE TO TAKE IT.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD IS ALL WE ASK.
GOOD MORNING, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UH, I'M A REGISTERED NURSE IN A BUSY ER IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
I'M HERE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF ITEM 66.
DECADES OF RESEARCH ON CITY PLANNING HAVE SHOWN THAT HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS LEAD TO MORE TRAFFIC AND MORE AIR POLLUTION.
THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTER.
A STUDY PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY OF 2020 SHOWED THAT, UH, AIR POLLUTION CAUSED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 9 MILLION DEATHS WORLDWIDE.
SHORT TERM EXPOSURE TO POLLUTION CAN LEAD TO ASTHMA AND COPD EXACERBATIONS SO SEVERE THAT I CANNOT FIX THEM, AND THEY HAVE TO BE HOSPITALIZED.
LONG-TERM EXPOSURE INCREASES DEATH FROM ALL CAUSES.
THIS IS BECAUSE THE PARTICULATE MATTER RELEASED INTO THE AIR IS SO FINE THAT IT CAN BE ABSORBED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM AND INCREASES INFLAMMATION THROUGHOUT THE BODY.
THIS LEADS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AND PREMATURE DEATH FROM STROKE, HEART ATTACK, ASTHMA, COPD, VARIOUS FORMS OF CANCER AND COMPLICATIONS FROM DIABETES.
PREGNANT WOMEN ARE AT RISK FOR MISCARRIAGE AND STILLBIRTH.
I AM SICK AND TIRED OF WATCHING MY PATIENTS SUFFER AND DIE, AND I AM TIRED OF WATCHING, WOULD-BE PARENTS GRIEVE.
[00:40:02]
WE CAN ADD YEARS TO OUR LIVES BY INCREASING ACCESS TO WALKING BUSES AND BIKES, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THEM AWAY BY BUILDING A CITY FOR CARS.WHAT YOU CHOOSE TODAY MATTERS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
UM, JACKSON GLUCK, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR, UH, AGAINST, UH, ANY HIGHWAY EXPANSION THAT WE HAVE, ESPECIALLY AS ONE ON 180 3 FOR REASONS THAT HAVE BEEN STATED BY OTHER, UH, BY OTHER MEMBERS OF, OF AUSTIN.
UM, JUST, UH, AS A, AS A USER OF PUBLIC TRANSIT IN AUSTIN, I I REALLY APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO GET AROUND ON, ON, ON THE BUS AND ON ON MY BIKE.
AND, UH, EXPANDING HIGHWAYS FOR CAR USERS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UM, THAT, THAT ALIGNS WITH WITH MY PERSONAL GOALS.
UM, I'M HERE TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS CO-SPONSORS AND ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SUPPORTING ITEM 66.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT AND A VOLUNTEER WITH RETHINK 35, AND I LIVE CLOSE ENOUGH TO HEAR MOPAC TRAFFIC FROM MY LIVING ROOM.
I'M ALSO A DOCTORAL STUDENT IN THE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING PROGRAM AT UT AUSTIN, WHERE I RESEARCH URBAN TRANSPORTATION POLICY.
I'M HERE TO STATE MY OPPOSITION TO THE CT, TO THE PROJECT THAT C-T-R-M-A HAS PUT FORWARD PLANNING EVALUATION SPECIALISTS DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING PLANS THEMSELVES AND RESULTS.
A SOLID PROCESS WOULD ENTAIL ADEQUATE RESEARCH AND OUTREACH TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.
C-T-R-M-A HAS USED OUTDATED STUDIES REFUSE TO STUDY AIR QUALITY IMPACTS AND OVERLOOKED IMPORTANT DOWNSTREAM CONSEQUENCES LIKE THE SAFETY OF STUDENTS AND OTHERS WHO WALK AND BIKE AROUND AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL.
A SOLID PLAN WOULD MAKE C TMAS NEXT STEPS CLEAR AND ITS ACTIONS PREDICTABLE.
YET THIS PLAN GIVES C-T-R-M-A WIDE LATITUDE REGARDING WHETHER AND HOW TO RESPOND TO THESE OPEN QUESTIONS ACCOUNT FOR UNCERTAINTIES AND MITIGATE ADVERSE IMPACTS.
AND FINALLY, SOLID RESULTS WOULD DELIVER OUTCOMES THAT ALIGN WITH OUR VISION FOR A BETTER AUSTIN.
BUT THIS PROJECT WILL DEGRADE AIR QUALITY AND WATER QUALITY AND TAKE A HUGE TOLL ON OUR HEALTH, OUR ENJOYMENT OF BARTON CREEK AND OUR POCKETBOOKS.
AND IT DOES SO IN THE NAME OF A SPECIOUS CLAIM TO PROVIDE A NEGLIGENT AMOUNT OF TIME, TIME, TRAVEL, TIME SAVINGS WITHOUT ACCOUNTING FOR INDUCED TRAVEL AND CONSTRUCTION RELATED DELAYS.
WALLY RECOGNIZED THAT THIS PROJECT MAY DECREASE TRAVEL TIME FOR CAT METRO VEHICLES AND TRANSIT RIDERS.
TO ECHO WHAT MIRIAM SAID A MOMENT AGO, WE CAN'T MAKE PROGRESS BY TAKING ONE STEP FORWARD AND THREE STEPS BACK.
THIS PLAN WILL MAKE LIFE A LOT WORSE FOR ME AND MY NEIGHBORS.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO PROTECT AUSTINITES FROM THIS DEVASTATING PROJECT.
NEXT SPEAKER WE HAVE ON ITEM 66 IS MONICA GUZMAN.
I, SHE PASSES BOBBY LEVINSKY, WILLIAM BUNCH, FELICITY MAXWELL, AND ZACH FADI.
GOOD MORNING, FULL CITY MAXWELL D FIVE RESIDENT AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL PARENT.
THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND ALL OF THE CO-SPONSORS FOR THIS ITEM REGARDING THE MOPAC SOUTH, UH, PROJECT, PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON ACHIEVING THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR THIS PROJECT.
WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED URGENT NEED TO ADDRESS CONGESTION IN SOUTH AUSTIN, WE HAVE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE PLANS AS CURRENTLY OUTLINED BY C-T-M-R-A, SPECIFICALLY THE IMPACT TO AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL SITE AND ACCESS TO AND FROM THE SCHOOL BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THIS PROJECT.
WE WOULD PARTICULARLY LIKE TO SEE AN EAST WEST TRAFFIC STUDY AND UNDERSTAND HOW PEC MOPAC SOUTH CONSTRUCTION WILL IMPACT LOCAL ROADWAYS AND TRAFFIC PATTERNS.
WE APPRECIATE AUSTIN ISCS ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT IN PAC SOUTH PROJECT AND LOOK FORWARD TO ONGOING ENGAGEMENT WITH C-T-M-R-A TO MAKE THE BEST VERSION OF THIS PROJECT FOR SOUTH AUSTIN, AND SPECIFICALLY THE AUSTIN HIGH COMMUNITY.
ITS STAFF, FAMILIES, AND OF COURSE ITS STUDENTS.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS BOBBY LAVINSKY.
I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
LET ME START BY THANKING COUNCIL MEMBERS ALLISON ALTER, LESLIE POOLE AND MCKENZIE KELLY FOR YEARS OF SERVICE AND HELP ON SO MANY ISSUES OVER THE YEARS.
EACH OF YOU WERE FRIENDS TO THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE AT TIMES, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU WERE OPEN TO DIALOGUE.
THIS RESOLUTION IS THE RESULT OF SUCH DIALOGUE.
UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
ITEM 66 IS A RESOLUTION THAT PROVIDES A RESPONSE TO THE RE TO THE PROPOSED MPEC EXPANSION.
UM, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL IS A FOUR LANE EXPANSION WITH ADDITIONAL AUXILIARY LANES.
WE COUNT UP TO SEVEN AT SOME LOCATIONS.
UH, LADY BIRD LAKE WOULD BE 13 LANES.
UM, WHILE THE MOPAC, WHILE MOPAC CERTAINLY NEEDS UPGRADES, IT DOESN'T NEED A LANE EXPANSION PROJECT OF THE SCALE, THE PROJECT WILL HAVE AN ENORMOUS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
MORE LANES LEADS TO MORE CARS, MORE EMISSIONS, WORSENING AIR QUALITY IN OUR REGION, AND THE WATER QUALITY CONCERNS ARE EVEN WORSE.
UM, AS THIS PROJECT, UH, HIGHWAY EXPANSION TRAVERSES AN EIGHT MILE STRETCH OF THE BARTON
[00:45:01]
SPRINGS EDWARDS AQUIFER RECHARGE ZONE, UM, IT PUTS NEW PIERS AND, UH, PUTS A LOT OF NEW PAVEMENT AND EXCAVATION WITHIN OUR CREEKS.AND IT'S WITHIN A QUARTER MILE UPSTREAM OF BARTON SPRINGS.
UH, A LOT OF IS BEING TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT THE POST-CONSTRUCTION TREATMENT.
UM, WHILE WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY COULD REACH A HUNDRED PERCENT TSS, THAT DOESN'T SOLVE THE CONCERN.
A LOT OF THE POLLUTION HAPPENS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION.
A LOT OF THE SEDIMENTATION HAPPENS DURING CONSTRUCTION.
THAT'S A HUGE IMPACT TO THE AUSTIN BLIND AND THE BARTON SPRINGS SALAMANDERS.
SEDIMENTATION WILL, UM, THE, THE DIRT WILL GET INTO, INTO THE BARTON SPRINGS.
IT'LL CAUSE THEIR SUFFOCATION.
IT, IT FILLS IN THE GAPS IN THE ROCKS THAT THEY NEED TO, UM, HIDE FROM PREDATORS AND THEIR SHELTER.
SO IT'S A HUGE IMPACT AND THEY'VE NOT EN ENGAGED WITH, UH, FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICES ON, UH, THE ENDANGERED SPECIES, UH, CONSULTATION.
NOR, UM, IS THIS A PROJECT THAT IT WILL, WILL LEAD TO, UM, NOT AN, UH, A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR THOSE SPECIES.
I MEAN, THIS IS INCREDIBLY CLOSE.
IT'S, IT'S CLOSER THAN ANY OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN, IN THE RECENT HISTORY.
UM, I'M AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT.
I BELIEVE, UH, MR. VICTOR REED IS GONNA SPEAK ON ITEM 21, I THINK IS, CAN I START, MR. CARGILL? I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENT SPEAKER.
IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, YOU CAN GO TO THE PODIUM.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE AND PRESIDENT OF AURA.
UH, I COME TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF ITEM 66.
UH, HIGHWAYS ARE PRIMARILY A TOOL FOR URBAN SPRAWL.
THEY MAKE OUR CITY AN OBJECTIVELY WORSE PLACE TO LIVE IN ORDER TO FACILITATE SUBSIDIZING PEOPLE TO MOVE OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY AND INTO SUBURBS, PLACES WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND THEIR, UH, TIME SITTING IN TRAFFIC AND MONEY ON GAS.
YOU'RE TAKING AWAY, UH, TAXABLE LAND IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
YOU'RE CREATING A BEAR MOBILITY TO LIVE AROUND.
IT MAKES PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HARDER TO IMPLEMENT.
UM, IT GOES AGAINST IT, IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR US TO IMPLEMENT OUR, UH, TRANSIT GOALS, OUR CLIMATE GOALS, OUR POPULATION GROWTH GOALS THAT WE'VE OUTLINED IN, UM, SEVERAL DIFFERENT STUDIES.
UH, THE BEST ARGUMENT FOR HIGHWAY EXPANSION IS THAT WE, UH, IF WE AS A CITY ARE GOING TO REFUSE TO HOUSE OUR POPULATION TO BUILD ENOUGH HOUSING, IF WE ARE GONNA SAY NO TO NEW NEIGHBORS, THEN THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS FACILITATE THEM BEING ABLE TO COME INTO OUR CITY FOR OUR JOBS.
BUT I THINK THAT THE CITY AND THIS COUNCIL IS IN PLACE WHERE WE, WE ARE READY TO SAY YES TO MORE NEIGHBORS.
WE ARE WILLING TO SAY LIKE, WE CAN HOUSE OUR POPULATIONS HERE IN A SUSTAINABLE, UH, WAY.
THAT THE WAY THAT IS MORE SUSTAINABLE FOR THE CITY, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND FOR THE RESIDENTS THEMSELVES AND PROVIDE BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, UH, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
AND MR. GONZALEZ, I THINK I MISSED YOU.
I THINK I, UH, GOT CONFUSED ON WHO WAS NEXT.
SO I THINK IT WAS THIS VICTOR GONZALEZ WAS NEXT.
UH, WE HAVE MR. VICTOR REED ON ITEM 21.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, BEING THE CITY THAT WE ARE.
BUT, UH, IT'S UH, THREE HOUSING PROJECTS.
IT'S, UH, SPRINGDALE, IT'S UH, MESA MANOR AND BOOKER T AND IT'S FOR THE CLOSING OF GIVENS PARK.
YOU KNOW, GIVENS PARK IS GOING TO CLOSE FOR EIGHT MONTHS OR 10 MONTHS, BUT THE PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN TALKED TO.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED TO BE TALKED TO.
YOU KNOW WHAT? I COME WITH YOU.
I COME TO YOU, HUH? THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK ON THE PARK BEFORE YOU CLOSE IT.
UH, I HAVE A, A DAMN THING WITH THE PARK CLOSING.
THERE WAS A FAMILY THING AND THEY GOING TO CLOSE THE PARK FOR WHAT? WITHOUT THE CONVERSATION OF THE PEOPLE, HUH? IT IS WHAT IT IS.
UM, ALSO WILL SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UH, WE DO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION, BUT, UH, IT'S RATHER DISAPPOINTING.
IT WON'T MEAN ANYTHING UNLESS YOU FOLLOW IT UP WITH MORE, UH, FORCEFUL
[00:50:01]
ACTION.I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THE SPONSORS DIDN'T LAY IT OUT WHAT IT IS AND EDUCATE THE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, AND SO I'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF MY TIME TO DO THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, UM, WE FOUGHT THIS PROJECT OFF BACK IN 2015 WHEN OUR TOLL ROAD AGENCY THAT'S UNRESPONSIVE TO OUR VOTERS, UH, TRIED TO BUILD, UM, ADDING FOUR LANES OF MOPAC TWO, UH, TOLL LANES FROM CAESAR CHAVEZ DOWN TO SLAUGHTER LANE.
THEY'RE SAYING IT'S THE SAME THING, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S WORSE.
UM, WE'RE NOT NOW TALKING ABOUT ADDING SIX TO EIGHT LANES, FOUR OF THEM TOLL TO EACH WAY, UM, FROM CAESAR CHAVEZ TO, UM, SLAUGHTER LANE DOWN THE CENTER LINE OF THE RECHARGE ZONE.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY NOW IS 13 LANES TOTAL WOULD BE ON TOP OF AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL ON TOP OF LADY BIRD LAKE, UH, ON TOP OF ZILKER PARK, UH, ON TOP OF THE BARTON CREEK GREEN BELT.
UM, THIS IS ENORMOUSLY OFFENSIVE.
UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE CAN'T BE OVERSTATED.
UH, THE AIR QUALITY ISSUES THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT EARLIER, UH, I MEAN, WE'RE CONVERTING MOPAC INTO AN INTERSTATE 35 ON TOP OF AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL WHERE STUDENTS NEED TO STUDY AND BREATHE AND NOT HAVE, UH, PULMONARY, UH, DISEASES.
UM, Y'ALL NEED TO JOIN TRAVIS COUNTY AND DEMANDING THAT C-T-R-M-A END THIS CHARADE, THAT IT'S THE SAME THING FROM BACK THEN AND THEY'RE CONTINUING THE PROCESS FROM 2014 AND THAT THERE BE A FULL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT BASED ON CURRENT DATA.
WHAT'S YOUR LAST NAME, PLEASE? IT'S, UH, ISAAC MARTIN.
SO YEAH, I'M LIVING IN DISTRICT NINE.
I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF, UH, ITEM 66.
AND I JUST WANTED TO FIRST EXTEND MY THANKS TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER SUPPORTING THIS ITEM, AND IN PARTICULAR TO COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR, UH, HER CONTINUED WORK ON INCREASING MOBILITY IN AUSTIN.
SO THERE ARE, UH, A MYRIAD OF REASONS TO OPPOSE THE ADDITION OF MORE LANES TO MOPAC.
IT WILL POLLUTE OUR AIR, IT'LL EXACERBATE THE HEALTH OF, OF, UH, THOSE LIVING NEAR THE HIGHWAY AND IT WILL WREAK HAVOC ON AN ALREADY FRAGILE ECO ECOSYSTEM, ET CETERA.
UH, SO HOWEVER, IN INSTEAD, I WISH TO HIGHLIGHT THE INTRODUCTION THAT THE INTRODUCTION TO MORE LANES TO MOPAC, IN ADDITION TO CAUSING A SLEW OF HARM THROUGH EXTERNALITIES, UH, FUNDAMENTALLY EXACERBATES THE PROBLEM IT PURPORTS TO SOLVE.
IT DOES NOT FACILITATE EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION.
SO INDUCED DEMAND BY NOW IS A WELL UNDERSTOOD NETWORK PHENOMENON IN WHICH ADDING MORE CAPACITY TO A NETWORK SLOWS THE FLOW RATE.
AND INDEED TIMES GET LONGER ONE TO TWO YEARS AFTER ALMOST EVERY HIGHWAY EXPANSION IN THE US FOR WHICH DATA IS AVAILABLE.
WE SHOULD EXPECT THAT THIS EXPANSION WILL WORSEN COMMUTE TIMES, UH, AND NOT IMPROVE THEM.
NONETHELESS, THE ADDITION OF MORE LANES DOES, UH, DOES INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE ROAD.
SO WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO THE MAXIMUM CAPACITY OF A SINGLE LANE IS OFTEN CITED TO BE 1800 CARS PER HOUR.
MEANING THAT IF I STAND AT WHAT SPOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND COUNT THE CARS AS THEY PASS, I EXPECT THE MAXIMUM NUMBER TO BE 1800.
UM, IN PRACTICE, HOWEVER, UH, BECAUSE OF LANE CHANGES, UM, MERGES AND HEAVEN FORBID CRASHES, THIS NUMBER IS UH, FAR, FAR SMALLER IN PRACTICE.
SO THIS IS, IT'S MUCH CLOSER TO 600 ADDITIONAL CARS PER HOUR, UH, WHEN A SECOND LANE IS ADDED AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY IT'S FAR LESS THAN THAT FOR EACH ADDITIONAL LANE.
SO MOPAC EXPANSION WON'T SHORTEN INDIVIDUAL COMMUTE TIMES AND IT WILL ADD TRIVIALLY MORE CAPACITY TO AN ALREADY CONGESTED ROAD.
SO THE FOCUS SHOULD INSTEAD BE TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND TO REFORM ZONING LAWS IN ORDER TO TAKE CARS OFF OF MOPAC.
AND THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO REDUCE CONGESTION IN THE LONG RUN.
FEEL, UH, THANK YOU CASTLE, UH, AND MAYOR FOR TAKING TIME HERE AND SPEND, YOU KNOW, JUST LISTENING TO US.
UH, I'M ALSO GONNA SPEAK ON 66 BECAUSE I THINK IT'S TOTALLY GLO THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY HERE IS LISTENING.
UH, AND JUST SPEAKING ON, WE'RE NOT ADDING.
UH, SIR, CAN YOU CONFIRM WHAT IS YOUR NAME? JARED FIELD.
YEAH, I'M A RESIDENT HERE OF AUSTIN.
BEEN SO FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS.
I DO NOT SEE YOU ON THE, DID YOU REGISTER TO SPEAK SIR? I'M OVER HERE.
WAS YOUR NAME CALLED? UH, NO, BUT I, I AND THEN I'M SORRY, YOU, YOU'RE NOT IN A POSITION TO SPEAK.
WE, WE HAVE A PROCESS, SO I'M GONNA HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE THE MICROPHONE.
UH, WE HAVE A PROCESS, SO YOU NEED TO LEAVE THE MICROPHONE.
I BELIEVE THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FOR ITEM 66.
YOU NEED TO, YOU NEED TO GO ON.
WE HAVE ONE REMOTE SPEAKER ON ITEM 66.
[00:55:02]
THANK YOU MAYOR.COUNSEL, I'M ZIA JOSEPH AND MAYOR, MAY I ASK A TECHNICAL QUESTION BEFORE I BEGIN? IT'S PART OF YOUR TIME, BUT PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I WAS REGISTERED FOR SEVERAL ITEMS AND I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT DISENFRANCHISES INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY USE THE LIBRARY PHONE NUMBER, WHO MAY ALSO USE GOODWILL'S PHONE BECAUSE YOU CANNOT RECEIVE PHONE CALLS FROM THOSE NUMBERS.
SO IT IS DISINGENUOUS FOR THE PERSON WHO IS ACTUALLY MANNING THE PHONES TO ACTUALLY DISCONNECT THE SPEAKERS.
YOU HAVE A WAY TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE CALLER ID.
YOU'VE CALLED PEOPLE BACK BEFORE AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO BE EQUITABLE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS IN THE CITY TO CALL IN REMOTELY.
OTHERWISE, YOU'RE DISCONNECTED.
I JUST WANNA SAY SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO THIS PROJECT, CONNECT MOPAC SOUTH.
IT REFERENCES OPEN HOUSE NUMBER SIX, UH, CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY.
AND I JUST WANNA REMIND PAGE ELLIS, THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS UNDERGIRDED BY CAPRI MAP.
THE JUNE 3RD, 2018 52 ROUTE CHANGES.
THE BUS RUNS EMPTY 2.9 BOARDINGS AN HOUR ON CONVICT HILL, AND SHE HAS BEEN SILENT, RESPECTFULLY MAYOR, THAT IS WHAT WHITE PRIVILEGE LOOKS LIKE.
2.9 BOARDINGS AN HOUR IN THE WATERSHED RESTRICTED AREA.
WHEN THEY WANTED TO PUT THE HOMELESS ON CONVICT HILL, THERE WAS OPPOSITION.
I AM OPPOSED TO THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IT REFERENCES PROJECT CONNECT AND SPECIFICALLY THE SYSTEM IS INEQUITABLE.
SO MY COMMENTS, AS THEY ALWAYS ARE, ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.
BLACK PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN ARE STILL WAITING 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS.
AND OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS ARE THOSE WHO ARE FORMALLY UNHOUSED ON ROUTE 2 37 AT COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE.
WAIT 60 MINUTES IN WHEELCHAIRS, TWO HOURS WHEN A BUS ROUTE GETS CANCELED.
I WOULD ASK PAIGE EL TO STOP, BURY HER HEAD IN THE SAND AND RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO MAKE THE YOUR, YOUR EXPIRED.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER THAT WAS CALLED EARLIER, MICHAEL CARGILL ON ITEM EIGHT.
UM, OWNER OF CENTRAL TEXAS GUN WORK.
I'M TALKING ON ITEM EIGHT AND THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE, UM, I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS ARE AWARE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A PROCEDURE FOR HANDLING WITH SUICIDES IN GUN STORES AND ALSO GUN RANGES.
SO I WANT TO GIVE YOU, UH, GUYS A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
UM, ALSO IT WOULD BE NICE WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING FIREARMS, IF YOU ACTUALLY CAN INVITE SOMEONE FROM THE GUN COMMUNITY HERE TO DISCUSS IT WITH YOU.
UH, SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, UM, AND BY THE WAY, WHEN A PERSON WALKS INTO A GUN STORE AND THEY'RE DEAD SET ON COMMITTING SUICIDE, IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE TO GIVE THEM A TELEPHONE NUMBER TO CALL.
UM, UNLESS YOU'RE GONNA PUT TELEPHONE NUMBERS ON THE OVERPASSES OF I 35, UH, SO THEY CAN CONTACT SOMEONE BEFORE THEY JUMP, I THINK THAT'S USELESS.
BUT WHAT WE DO DO IN THE GUN STORE IS WE WORK WITH FAMILY MEMBERS.