[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER ]
I'M CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER.I'D SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR, BUT LET'S NOT OVERREACH.
UM,
I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE A RELATIVELY SHORT MEETING TODAY.
UM, BUT WARNING, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA HAVE A LONGER MEETING IN FEBRUARY, SO DON'T PLAN TO DO ANYTHING AFTERWARDS.
EXCEPT FOR SLEEP, UNLESS YOU'RE NOT OWL.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, DO WE? OKAY.
[1. Approval of minutes from the December 18th, 2024 meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. ]
WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM DEC, THE DECEMBER 18TH MEETING.UH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY EDITS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE MINUTES? OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR? RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE.
I HAVE STAINING BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE.
YOU CAN STILL VOTE AND WE KIND OF NEED TO ROLL.
[2. Discussion of Joint Sustainability Committee membership, expiring terms, and replacement members. ]
SO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS JUST A DISCUSSION OF JSE MEMBERSHIP TERMS EXPIRING REPLACEMENT OF MEMBERS.UM, ROHAN, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ON THIS TOPIC? NO.
UM, IT'S, I, IT SEEMS TO INDICATE ON THE WEBSITE THAT THE TERMS ARE ALL EXPIRING.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY THAT IS.
IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY TRACK WITH MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT I WOULD JUST SUGGEST SO THAT WE DON'T GET CAUGHT UNAWARES AND HAVE QUORUM ISSUES.
UM, CAN EVERYBODY CHECK IN ON YOUR STATUS? I THINK THAT IF YOU ARE APPOINTED TO YOUR HOME COMMISSION BY A MEMBER THAT DIDN'T JUST GO THROUGH REELECTION, UM, THEN YOU'RE, YOU SHOULD BE FINE.
BUT JUST CAN EVERYBODY JUST CHECK WITH THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHETHER OR NOT YOUR, YOUR, IF YOUR TERM IS GOING TO EXPIRE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, YOU WANNA GET IN MOTION YOUR REAPPOINTMENT.
NOW, UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE LIKE THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE ROLLING OFF OR MM-HMM
YEAH, SO I'VE ACTUALLY, I'M ON MY THIRD FOLLOW UP EMAIL AND I'VE LEFT VOICEMAILS WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, BUT NO LUCK FOR THE LAST MONTH.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I CAN'T GET A HOLD OF SOMEONE, BUT, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE TERM LIMIT GOT A LITTLE WONKY BECAUSE IT WAS IN LINE WITH THE MAYORS.
AND SO WHEN THE MAYOR HAD LIKE A SHORTENED TERM LAST ELECTION, THAT'S WHY PEOPLE ARE DROPPING OFF IN LIKE A FUNKY WAY.
SO JUST BE AWARE THAT IF YOU WERE AN AT LARGE APPOINTMENT, THAT YOU MAY HAVE THE SAME SITUATION I HAVE, WHICH IS, UM, A YEAR AND A HALF LONG TERM THAT NEEDS TO BE RE-UPPED IN FEBRUARY.
UM, I HOPE YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING CONTACT.
UH, DO YOU WANT GOOD? I WAS GONNA SAY I CAN, I CAN SHARE WHO EMAILED ME.
THAT'D BE GREAT IF I CAN FIND IT.
I GOT A VERY NICE FROM THE CLERK CLERK'S OFFICE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS ACTUALLY FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
I LIKE THOUGHT ABOUT SENDING THIS EMAIL TO MY PARENTS.
IT SAID NICE THINGS ABOUT ME,
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE, AND IT CAME TO MY PERSONAL EMAIL MM-HMM
SO THE OTHER MAYORAL APPOINTEES.
SO ARE YOU ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING REAPPOINTED? YEAH.
AND I THINK AS FAR AS IF WE REPLIED TO PHILLIP AND SAY THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE, LIKE THAT WAS KIND OF IT.
DID YOU GET, BECAUSE I, WE WERE APPOINTED AT THE SAME TIME.
SO I RESPONDED POSITIVELY, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A YES.
SO WE'RE PROBABLY IN THE SAME BOAT.
AND THEN I KNOW HEATHER, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I WAS IN THE, I ACTUALLY GOT SOME AUTOMATED THING ABOUT
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REAPPLYING.SO I JUST COPIED AND PASTED FROM MY FIRST APPOINTMENT AND THEN I GOT THE EMAIL AND IS TALKING ABOUT, AND THEN I SAID YES, AND THEN I DID EVENTUALLY GET AN EMAIL SAYING, OKAY, YOU ARE STILL ON THE COMMISSION AND WE'RE HAVING SOME LIKE, MIXER IN THE FUTURE
SO THAT SHOULD BE COMING AT SOME POINT.
LIKE A, AN ACTUAL CONFIRMATION.
I DID GO THROUGH THAT SAME, UM, APPLICATION PROCESS AGAIN.
SO THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL TO NOTE.
IT TOOK A WHILE FOR YOU TO GET THAT EMAIL TOO.
I'LL BE ON THE LOOKOUT THOUGH.
WELL, UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT, THAT'S MOST, THAT'S RELEVANT TO THE MAYORAL APPOINTEES.
UM, THOSE OF US WHO ARE APPOINTED FROM OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, JUST DOUBLE CHECK WHEN WE WERE APPOINTED, IF THERE IS SOME ODDITY ABOUT OUR TERM ON THOSE HOME COMMISSIONS NOT FOLLOWING THE TERM HERE OR, YOU KNOW, I SOMETIMES THE, THE, THE END OF THESE TERMS DOESN'T ENTIRELY MAKE SENSE, AT LEAST TO ME.
SO WE SHOULD JUST MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION.
UM, I THINK THAT'S IT FOR THAT.
I WAS GONNA SAY, I KNOW FOR MY COMMISSION THE ALTERNATE, UH, COMMISSIONER BRIMER, YOU KNOW, HE WAS APPOINTED BY ALLISON ALTER WHO HAS TERMED OUT.
SO IT WOULD PROBABLY ALSO BE WORTH TALKING TO THE ALTERNATES AS WELL FROM OUR COMMISSION AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE IN A POSITION TO CONTINUE WITH.
WELL, I WOULD IMAGINE, I DON'T KNOW.
CAN EVERYBODY HERE WHO IS REPRESENTING ANOTHER BOARD OR COMMISSION COMMIT TO CONNECTING WITH THEIR ALTERNATE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ALSO ARE STILL ELIGIBLE? SEE IF THEY NEED TO BE REAPPOINTED OR ANYTHING.
AND I GUESS IN YOUR CASE IT WILL BE WITH, WITH THE PRIMARY.
UM, HOPEFULLY WE AVOID THE, THE, THE CHAOS AND DYSFUNCTION OF A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
[3. Discussion of potential Joint Sustainability Committee Recommendations for the FY26 City Budget.]
THREE.UM, THIS IS THE, UM, BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE FY 26 BUDGET.
UM, AND THIS IS JUST DISCUSSIONS SO THAT WE CAN ALL KIND OF, UM, HAVE A SENSE OF THE ITEMS THAT THE VARIOUS, UM, WORKING GROUPS ARE THINKING ABOUT BRINGING, UM, NO EXPECTATION TO HAVE EVERYTHING ENTIRELY IRONED OUT, BUT I THINK GOOD TO DISCUSS HERE.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE READY TO ADOPT RECOMMENDATIONS NEXT MONTH.
UM, SO DOES ANY GROUP WANNA GO FIRST? CHARLOTTE? HI.
UM, FOR NATURAL SYSTEMS, WE MET YESTERDAY, UH, AS OUR, UH, CADENCE OF WORKING GROUPS GO AND, UM, WE'RE WORKING ON ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FOR BUDGET.
AND, UM, I DON'T HAVE THE DRAFT TO SH TO SHARE PUBLICLY WITH YOU YET, BUT I'LL JUST KIND OF TALK THROUGH THE DIFFERENT AREAS.
UM, THEY DRAW ON A NUM A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
ONE IS, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE PUT FORTH LAST YEAR THAT MAYBE DIDN'T GET ADOPTED, UH, BUT WE STILL THINK ARE RELEVANT AND WORTHWHILE.
AND THEN, UM, ITEMS THAT ARE BEING, UH, DISCUSSED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION, CLIMATE EQUITY IMPLE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AS WELL.
SO WE'LL BE WORKING WITH, UH, STAFF IN THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, UM, TO FLESH OUT WHAT THOSE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF BUDGET, SUPPORT AND RESOURCES.
UM, BUT FOR NOW I'LL JUST KIND OF GIVE A HIGH LEVEL OF THE AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, CONVERTING IMPERVIOUS COVER TO FUNCTIONAL GREEN.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS, UM, RECOMMENDED LAST YEAR, UH, DIDN'T GET FUNDED, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY FUNDING, UM, A AN AUDIT OF ALL THE CITY OWNED, NON-FUNCTIONAL OR UNNECESSARY IMPERVIOUS COVER, INCLUDING SURFACE LEVEL PARKING LOTS, UH, AND DEVELOPING A PLAN TO CONVERT SOME PERCENTAGE OF THOSE TO FUNCTIONAL GREEN, UM, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SECOND ONE IS LAND CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION IN THE TARGET WATERSHEDS.
SO, UH, IN THE, YOU KNOW, IN THE SPIRIT OF PROTECTING 20,000
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ADDITIONAL ACRES OF CARBON POOLS ON NATURAL LANDS, MANAGING LAND FOR RESILIENCE, PRIORITIZING LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UM, WILL BE RECOMMENDING SOME FUNDING BE ESTABLISHED TO, UM, UH, ACQUIRE LAND IN THE EASTERN WATERSHEDS.UH, NUMBER THREE IS CITYWIDE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO THAT HAS TO DO WITH CREATING A, A COMPREHENSIVE VISION AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, NUMBER FOUR IS GREEN WORKFORCE PROGRAMS, EXPANDING THOSE.
UH, I I THINK THERE IS POTENTIALLY A, UM, UH, A SIMILAR RECOMMENDATION FROM SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS AROUND THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CLIMATE CORE.
UM, SO THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION HAPPENING AROUND THAT PROGRAM AND, AND WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD.
BUT I THINK WE FEEL PRETTY STRONGLY AS A WORKING GROUP THAT THAT IS, UM, A VERY WORTHWHILE PROGRAM THAT SHOULD BE FUNDED.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS WILDFIRE PREVENTION.
UH, I'M SURE MANY OF YOU SAW THE STUDY THAT CAME OUT RECENTLY THAT SAID AUSTIN IS THE, UM, NUMBER FIVE, THE FIFTH METRO, FIFTH LARGEST METRO AREA IN TERMS OF WILDFIRE RISK, AND THE ONLY ONE, OR THE, THE HIGHEST RIGGING ONE OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA.
UM, SO ONE OF OUR, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE AROUND, UH, PLANS TO, YOU KNOW, PLAN FOR AND, AND MITIGATE WILDFIRE RISK.
AND THAT MAYBE SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE WORK ON IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UH, PARKS AND REC, UM, OR OTHER MAYBE ENVIRONMENTAL, OTHER COMMISSIONS AS WELL.
UM, DOES CRAIG OR, OR LANE EITHER OF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO, TO THAT? UH, YEAH, THERE'S SOMETHING WE HAD, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE WORKING GROUP, AND IT HAS TO DO WITH, WITH TREE CANOPY AND I, I LOOKED IT UP TODAY, ONLY 20% OF, OF, IN, IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS A LAND OWNED BY THE, BY THE CITY, WHICH MEANS WE WANT A 50% TREE CANOPY COVER.
WE HAVE TO REALLY BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TREES OUTSIDE OF THE OWNED OWNED LAND.
AND I, THEY DID A SURVEY IN 2022.
I LOOKED IT UP, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
IT WASN'T HIGHLY ADVERTISED, BUT IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
UM, THEY DID A SURVEY OF THE WHOLE CITY, BUT THEY, THEY USED AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY.
THEY NOW HAVE LIDAR WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY BUY THE LIDAR IMAGES THAT ARE ALREADY TAKEN AND YOU CAN SEE THE SIZE OF THE TREES AND IN SOME CASES THE SPECIES.
AND THAT WOULD BE A VERY INTERESTING SURVEY TO DO OVER THE WHOLE CITY, I THINK.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING INTO THAT TO HAVE SOME MONEY FOR THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY HELP THE TREE CANOPY THING.
SO DIDN'T WE GET AN ESTIMATE ON THAT FROM THE ARBORIST IN DECEMBER? I MEAN, I THINK WE TRIED TO GET AN ESTIMATE AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A NUMBER.
YEAH, SPECIFICALLY FOR A LIDAR SURVEY IS WHAT I REMEMBER.
UH, 'CAUSE I'VE NEVER HEARD OF ONE, BUT THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING.
UH, YEAH, NO, I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T DONE IT EXACTLY RIGHT.
BUT I THINK THERE WAS SOME INTEREST COMING FROM THE ARBORIST, BUT THERE WAS, YEAH, I'M CHECKING MY NOTES FROM THAT PRESENTATION RIGHT NOW FROM EMILY KING.
UM, ONE THING THAT SHE FLAGGED WAS THEY WANT TO DO AN INVENTORY, AN ACTUAL COUNT, AND THEY NEED BUDGET FOR THAT.
SHE BALLPARK THAT, UH, PRICE TAG AT 10 MILLION, 10 MILLION.
UH, BECAUSE THE OTHER ISSUE ABOUT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A BIG, HUGE HERITAGE TREE IS WORTH A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN PLANTING HUNDREDS OF NEW LITTLE TREES.
AND A SURVEY LIKE THAT WOULD TELL YOU WHAT YOU HAVE ON PRIVATE LAND, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE REALLY GOOD TO KNOW.
WELL, UM, I MEAN, I'LL I'LL LEAVE IT TO Y'ALL TO DISCUSS IN DETAIL IN YOUR WORKING GROUP, BUT, UM, THAT MIGHT BE AN ITEM TO ADD SINCE WE, WE DID GET THAT AT LEAST ROUGH ESTIMATE OF THE NEED THERE.
AND, AND WE DID TALK ABOUT, UM, TREE INVENTORY SPECIFICALLY.
UH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ALSO THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT FROM LAST YEAR, UH, ABOUT CARRYING FORWARD AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE MAY BRING THAT AS WELL.
IT'S JUST THAT ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE WERE HAVING IS THAT, UH, THERE'S ALREADY A LOT OF MOMENTUM AROUND TREE INVENTORY.
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BEEN FLAGGED.THERE'S, THERE'S, IT'S BEING WORKED ON.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU THEY'LL FIND THAT MONEY FROM.
I THINK THERE'S, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE TALKING ABOUT, UM, AT, FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE OR FROM A, UM, JUST LIKE A VALUES PERSPECTIVE.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE ARBORIST SAID WAS, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT BE ASKED TO, I'M PARAPHRASING HERE, TO, TO USE THE MONEY FROM, UH, LIKE THE FEES IN LIEU TO, TO DO THAT INVENTORY OR TO, YOU KNOW, TO PUT TOWARDS A ACCOUNT OF THE TREES.
BUT REALLY THAT MONEY IS BECAUSE TREES WERE REMOVED AND IT'S TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE PURPOSE OF IT IS TO, YOU KNOW, REPLANT, UM, THOSE TREES.
SO I THINK FROM A, YOU KNOW, POLICY AND VALUES PERSPECTIVE, IT, IT MAY BE WORTH, YOU KNOW, CALLING OUT THAT WE WANT THAT MONEY TO, TO BE USED FOR WHAT IT'S, WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR, UM, AS WELL AS DOING A, AN INVENTORY, UM,
YEAH, I, I A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE THAT THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE AN APPROPRIATE DIVERSION OF THOSE FUNDS.
AND I'M JUST LOOKING, THE NEXT BULLET DOWN IN MY NOTES MENTIONS THAT IT TOOK FIVE YEARS TO DO THIS IN HOUSTON, BUT THEY NOW CAN USE LIDAR AND THAT MIGHT REDUCE IT TO SIX TO 12 MONTHS.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT MIGHT ALSO, I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD CHANGE THE PRICE TAG TOO.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY ALL THE PEOPLE, SO IT MIGHT BE WORTH DIGGING INTO THAT.
UM, IT MIGHT BE SUBSTANTIALLY LESS EXPENSIVE, LIKE A LOT, LOT LESS EXPENSIVE.
OTHER, SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS OR OTHER COMMENTS ON THOSE? OKAY.
SO, UH, I AM ON THE CONSUMPTION AND NOT NATURAL SYSTEMS, NO LONGER NATURAL SYSTEMS WORKING GROUP.
UM, SO FROM THE CONSUMPTION SIDE, UH, WE HAVE, WE DO NOT HAVE A TEXT TO CIRCULATE, BUT WE DO HAVE SIX FOCUS AREAS.
UM, IN TERMS OF PROCESS, ONE OF THE PLACES WE STARTED WAS WE WENT THROUGH PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, FROM 2024 AND 2023, IF I'M DOING THIS MATH RIGHT.
UM, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE NOTICED IS ACTUALLY WE HAD, IN 2023, I THINK WE HAD ABOUT A HUNDRED PERCENT ADOPTION OF, OF THE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ISSUED IN 2024.
UH, I THINK THE NUMBER WAS NEAR ZERO OR NEAR ENOUGH TO ZERO, UM, THAT WE DIDN'T, UH, LOOK STUFF UP.
UM, SO JUST MAYBE KEEP THAT, THAT AS A NOTE THAT IN 2023, UH, THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, SOME LOWER AMOUNTS, THERE WAS MORE SPECIFICITY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S LESSONS TO DRAW THERE.
UM, THE AREAS THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED IN ON, UM, THAT CAME OUT OF 2020 THREES IS TO REINSTATE THE CLIMATE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
UH, STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT FROM OUR FRIENDS AT SUSTAINABILITY WHERE THIS, WHERE THIS IS SAT, UM, INTEREST IN, UM, MOVING FORWARDS WITH THIS.
UH, THE SECOND IS, IS, UM, CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON THE CITYWIDE SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING PLAN.
WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SETTING UP AND THE NEEDS TO DO A SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING PLAN, BUT THIS IS AIMED AT CITY PURCHASES.
UM, THE THIRD IS LOW CARBON CONCRETE AND SPECIFICALLY FUNDING SOME OF THE TEST WORK OF, OF NOVEL CONCRETE MATERIALS.
UH, THE FOURTH IS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FOOD PLAN.
SO THIS WOULD BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO HELP ENCOURAGE AND ROLL OUT PARTS OF, OF THE FOOD PLAN, WHICH HAS PASSED, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR A HIGH FIBER DIET.
UH, AND THEN, UH, ZERO OR CIRCULAR RE ZERO WASTE OR CIRCULAR REUSABLE RESTAURANT MATERIAL.
SO, UM, THIS IS SPECIFICALLY AROUND LIKE THERE HAVE, THERE CURRENTLY ARE FUNDING PROGRAMS TO HELP, UM, RESTAURANTS OR SPECIFICALLY SMALL RESTAURANTS, UH, MOVE TOWARDS COMPOSTABLE FOOD CONTAINERS.
UM, THERE HAVE, YOU KNOW, BEEN SOME INTERNAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE VIEW THAT THE PROGRAM HASN'T BEEN PHENOMENALLY SUCCESSFUL TO TO DATE.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S MAYBE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD IMPLEMENT THIS, BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME CONSENSUS THAT THAT PROBABLY REQUIRES MONEY.
UH, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, THERE'S BEEN, UM, SOME DISCUSSION AROUND, UM, FUNDING MECHANISM FOR BATTERY ELECTRIC LANDSCAPING EQUIPMENT.
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THANKS.THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION REAL QUICK ABOUT THE FOOD PLAN IMPLEMENTATION PIECE.
UM, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION COMING ABOUT THAT'S SPECIFIC TO HIGH FIBER DIET OR GENERAL FOOD PLAN IMPLEMENTATION? I, I THINK THIS, WELL CERTAINLY OPEN FOR DISCUSSION, BUT THE DISCUSSION WE'VE HAD INTERNALLY SO FAR HAS BEEN SPECIFICALLY TO FOCUS ON THE HIGH FIBER DIET COMPONENT OF THAT.
AND, AND THAT IS BECAUSE SPECIFICALLY IN THE, UH, CLIMATE PLAN, THERE HAS BEEN A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIET AND CLIMATE.
UM, AND I THINK IN OUR DISCUSSIONS, WE THINK THE FOOD PLAN IS GREAT.
WE THINK THERE PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL EMPHASIS TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT, THAT THIS IS INDEED AN AIM OF THE CLIMATE PLAN, BUT ALSO LOTS OF CO-BENEFITS.
I'LL, UH, SEE IF, UH, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY FOOD POLICY BOARD HAS ANY RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO THE PRO CLIMATE, PRO HEALTH FOODS.
AND I CAN MAYBE SHUNT THEM YOUR WAY.
AND VICE VERSA WOULD BE GREAT TOO.
'CAUSE WE'LL BE HAPPY TO COOL JOINT RECOMMEND TOO, IF IT MAKES SENSE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS ON THOSE ITEMS? ANY CONCERNS? ALRIGHT, LET'S, UM, TRANSPORTATION'S NOW READY? YEAH.
THEN WE'LL DO SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS, UH, NEXT AND ACTUALLY DID SHARE A DOCUMENT, UM, IF WE CAN MAYBE PUT THAT ON THE SCREEN, IF NOT, I THINK EVERY, OKAY.
ON SECOND THOUGHT, THIS IS GONNA BE DIFFICULT TO READ THROUGH.
AND EVERYBODY HAS THE PDF, UM, SO YOU CAN READ ALONG ON YOUR OWN COMPUTERS.
UM, SO OUR FIRST ITEM IS, UM, AN OVERLAP.
UM, AS I THINK CHARLOTTE CALLED OUT, UM, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, AND WE'VE HAD THIS ITEM, I THINK THIS, THIS ONE MIGHT HAVE COME FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS, ACTUALLY THE OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY INCENTIVES.
UM, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY TRY TO GET MORE PARTICIPATION IN THE EXISTING PROGRAMS, UM, A NUMBER OF WHICH DO NOT USE THEIR CURRENT BUDGETS.
SO IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT THERE'S NOT MONEY THERE SO MUCH AS A LACK OF AWARENESS.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY, UM, KIND OF WITH A FOCUS ON, ON LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, THOSE WHO MAY BE, UM, WHATEVER, JUST LESS LIKELY TO, TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROGRAMS. UM, I THINK THIS NUMBER WAS WHAT WE HAD IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN, SO WE CERTAINLY COULD CHANGE THE NUMBER.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY THAT'S PROBABLY TRUE IN A COUPLE OF OTHER AS WELL.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAD ENVISIONED IN THAT ITEM PREVIOUSLY HAVING, UM, KIND OF GRANTS FOR ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY TO DO THAT WORK AS WELL AS CLIMATE AMBASSADORS.
AND THEN HAVING A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST, FTE AT THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, UM, TO, TO, YOU KNOW, TO MANAGE THOSE AMBASSADORS AND, AND THIS, YOU KNOW, AND THOSE GRANTS.
UM, SO, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ALSO REVIVED THE, THE IDEA THAT THERE SHOULD BE A KIND OF VERY USER-FRIENDLY CENTRALIZED SITE FOR ALL OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN SUSTAINABILITY INCENTIVES.
UM, THE NEXT ONE WE REALLY NEED MORE INFORMATION ON.
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UM, AND I, I, SORRY, I HAVE NOT CONNECTED WITH OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, BUT I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE UPDATE HERE.I KNOW THERE WAS A STUDY GOING ON ON REFRIGERANT LEAK, UM, LEAKAGE.
SO THIS IS KIND OF A PLACEHOLDER DEPENDING ON WHAT WE HEAR THE NEXT STEPS ARE, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S LIKE GONNA BE A PLAN IN PLACE AT THE END OF THAT CONTRACT, OR IF THAT'S MORE JUST DATA COLLECTION.
BUT I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT ONE.
UH, HAVE, IS THERE LIKE A NEED FOR NOT ONLY THE, THE LEAKAGE, BUT ALSO LIKE THE, THE TYPE, THE REFRIGERANT TYPE TO TRY TO CHOOSE, UH, LOWER, LOWER WARMING POTENTIAL, LIKE SWITCHING TO THE LOWER, UH, GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL? YEAH.
UM, REFRIGERANTS, UM, YEAH, PERHAPS I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU JUST SWAP THEM OUT IN EXISTING EQUIPMENT? YEAH.
UM, I'M NOT SURE QUESTION MARK THERE, RIGHT? UM, OR WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A CHOICE WHEN YOU'RE CHOOSING YOUR EQUIPMENT, RIGHT? UM, AND IT SEEMED LIKE YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ON THAT.
I, MAYBE I'M MIS RECOLLECTING THIS, THAT'S NOT A WORD.
UM, MISREMEMBERING THIS, BUT I RECALL THAT THIS WAS LIKE PART ONE OF SOME MULTI-PART PLAN.
MAYBE THIS WAS IN THE CLIMATE PLAN OR SOMETHING, BUT IT WAS LIKE STEP ONE, INVENTORY, STEP TWO, DO SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THIS IN HERE WHERE LIKE, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS, BUT I THINK CHRIS IS RAISING THAT.
THERE'S LIKE REDUCING, MINIMIZING THE LEAKAGE.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO LIKE WHAT TYPES OF REFRIGERANTS ARE BEING USED IN GENERAL.
'CAUSE I THINK, I THINK THERE'S LIKE QUITE A BIT DIFFERENCES AND LIKE LOW WARMING POTENTIAL.
SO IT COULD BE LIKE AN IMPORTANT THING TO AT LEAST TAKE A LOOK AT.
AND MAYBE IF WE'RE DOING ANOTHER CONTRACT, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST GET SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT TO DO THERE.
UM, I KNOW THIS BECAUSE MY REFRIGERANT JUST HAD A LEAK AND
UM, I BELIEVE THERE'S A NEW REGULATION THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN JANUARY, FIR JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR THAT'S REQUIRING A SWITCH FEDERALLY TO LOWER GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL REFRIGERANTS.
AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT LIKE, YEAH, PHASING OUT OTHER REFRIGERANTS FEDERALLY.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT, THE LOCAL LEVEL.
OR MAYBE WE NEED TO LIKE, OR LIKE YEAH, CAPTURE THAT TEXT REAL QUICK AND YEAH.
IMPLEMENT IT AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
WE'LL LOOK IN, WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT.
UM, I BELIEVE, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BUT IT MIGHT BE A PLACE TO START THE AMERICAN INNOVATION AND MANUFACTURING ACT OF 2020.
UM, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE THAT, UH, CAME FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT PLAN, I BELIEVE IT WAS, WAS THIS AIR CEILING TASK FORCE TRAINING PROGRAM.
UM, I THINK WE, I I LEFT THE COSTS BLANK THERE BECAUSE WE HADN'T, YEAH, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
I THINK THAT WE HAD LIKE A BIGGER NUMBER 'CAUSE WE WERE THINKING, UM, YOU KNOW, MULTI-YEAR KIND OF PROGRAM IN THAT CONTEXT.
SO WE NEED TO THINK OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, MORE WHAT A ONE YEAR BUDGET IS, WHAT, WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT.
BUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, THE WORKFORCE HERE IS, YOU KNOW, TRAINED UP ON THE BEST PRACTICES TO DO MORE EFFICIENT BUILDING, UM, AS WELL AS DOING THIS KIND OF BENCHMARKING OF THE NEW BUILDINGS AND RETROFITS.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TWO THAT ARE WATER FOCUSED.
CHRIS, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THOSE? CERTAINLY.
UM, AND THIS ITEM WAS AGAIN FROM THE CLIMATE, UH, INVESTMENT PLAN.
UM, BUT BASICALLY THE WATER LEAK, UM, IDEA OF, UH, TRYING TO REDUCE WATER LEAKS, THAT'S THE EASIEST PLACE TO, TO START.
UM, AND SO PUTTING MORE INVESTMENT, UH, TOWARDS AUSTIN WATER TO HELP WITH IDENTIFICATION OF, OF, UH, WATER LEAKS OUT IN THE SYSTEM.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT ITEM, UM, WAS GONNA BE, UM, PUTTING REBATES TO
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HELP WITH LANDSCAPE CONVERSIONS SINCE, UH, DURING THE HOT DRY SUMMERS, THE, UH, NUMBER ONE WATER USE IN AUSTIN IS LANDSCAPING.AND SO, UM, TRYING TO, UH, PROMOTE AND PUSH MORE RESIDENTS TO CONVERT LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. IT'LL BE MORE WATER CONSERVATIVE, UH, WILL PAN OUT, UH, LOTS AND LOTS OF SAVE WATER IN THE LONG TERM.
SO ANOTHER, UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA SAY EASY ITEM, BUT IT'S, UH, A GOOD PLACE TO, UH, PUSH REBATES AND INCENTIVES.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT ONE KIND OF HAS OVERLAP WITH CONSUMPTION, UM, BUT IT IS WHATEVER, I DON'T KNOW, WE PUT IT IN HERE.
THIS, AND THIS WAS ONE I THINK ALSO, I CAN'T REMEMBER, THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, THE SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION PROCUREMENT COORDINATOR.
BASICALLY SOMEBODY TO, UM, BE REVIEWING RFPS, UH, THAT, THAT ARE FOR CONSTRUCTION, CITY CONSTRUCTION, UM, AND FOCUS ON UTILIZING LOW CARBON CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND PRACTICES, UM, IN, IN ALL OF THAT BUSINESS THAT THE CITY IS MAKING, MAKING DECISIONS ON.
SO THAT WOULD JUST BE, THAT WOULD BE AN FTE, UM, THERE.
AND THEN I THINK IT WAS, CHARLOTTE MENTIONED THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION, AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RIGHT NUMBER IS FOR THIS.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GET A PRESENTATION, I THINK, NEXT MONTH FROM THEM.
UM, SO IT'LL BE, UH, OBVIOUSLY A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT SINCE WE'RE HOPING TO PASS THESE NEXT MONTH, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAYBE GET THEM TO SHARE SOME, SOME INFORMATION IN ADVANCE OF THAT SO WE CAN GET A SENSE OF WHAT THE RIGHT NUMBER IS.
OR MAYBE THIS IS ONE THAT WE JUST SIMPLY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, ADOPT THE FOLLOWING MONTH.
BUT, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE, I THINK WE'VE PASSED TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS SUPPORTING THE EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM.
AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THE OPPOSITE HAS HAPPENED IN THAT IT'S, UM, IT HAS GOT SMALLER.
UM, I THINK THIS, THIS IS AN ITEM WHERE SINCE WE DO HAVE, UM, A PRESENTATION COMING ON THIS, I WOULD, AND THEY HAVE ACTUALLY EXPLICITLY REQUESTED THAT WE SEND THEM SOME KIND OF BULLET POINTS OF LIKE, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO PRESENT ON ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR PIECES OF DATA THAT WE MIGHT WANT.
UM, IF ANYBODY, UM, HAS, HAS ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT INCLUDED IN THAT, WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IT.
I, I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE A CCC, UM, THERE, THERE WAS, UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL THINGS THAT I THINK I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM THEM.
AND, AND I, I ENCOURAGE, UH, FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALSO TO, TO SHARE ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS OR, OR REQUESTS FOR, FOR INFO FROM THEM AS WELL.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST UNDERSTANDING THE, UM, THE PROJECTS THAT, THAT THEY'VE DONE, THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT THEY'VE HAD, THEY HAVE PART PARTNERSHIPS WITH AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS, TEXAS CONSERVATION CORPS, UM, DOING WORK IN PARKS AND REC AND WATERSHED PROTECTION.
UM, AND REALLY JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE KIND OF SHIFT TO A, YOU KNOW, MORE RENEWABLE FUTURE, UH, AND IN THE ENERGY TRANSITION, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF DEMAND FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, SKILLED LABOR THAT CAN DO A LOT OF THESE JOBS.
AND SO I THINK FROM, YOU KNOW, BEING IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, I'D LOVE TO HEAR, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THEY LOOKING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, ATTRACTING THOSE KINDS OF BUSINESSES, PARTNERING WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, UM, IN THE, THE GREEN ENERGY SECTOR AND HOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, CAN RELATE WITH THE, YOU KNOW, BUILDING AUSTIN'S GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT IT.
I, I, I HOPE TO LEARN A LOT FROM THAT AND I, I JUST, I THINK IT'S, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY WE NEED TO BE INVESTING IN AND NOT DIVESTING FROM.
[00:35:01]
I, I GOT THOSE, THOSE QUESTIONS FROM YOU, CHARLOTTE, AND I HAVE A FEW, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE SPECIFIC ITEMS, UM, THAT THEY WANNA HEAR ABOUT FROM THAT PROGRAM? YEAH, WELL, IT'S PROBABLY ALREADY INCLUDED, BUT JUST, UH, TO KNOW HOW THEIR BUDGET LEVELS HAVE BEEN.I THINK, YOU KNOW, YEAR TO YEAR WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT.
RAHAN, YOU WANNA ENCOURAGE, UH, THE MEMBERS TO REACH OUT TO OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY STAFF, UM, AND OTHER CITY STAFF TO GO THROUGH THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, ROHAN, IN TERMS, YOU MEAN LIKE AT THE WORKING GROUP LEVEL THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE THOSE? OKAY.
I KNOW THAT FOR SOME OF THE WORKING GROUPS AT LEAST, THERE'S ALREADY LIKE A CITY STAFF MEMBER WHO IS AT LEAST ON THE EMAIL LIST OR THEY GETS THE INVITES.
IS THAT THE BEST WAY TO DO IT OR DO YOU WANT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH EACH OF THE WORKING GROUPS? I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO DO IT AT THE WORKING GROUP LEVEL.
UM, AND IF YOU REALLY WANT SOMEONE TO COME TO A SPECIFIC MEETING, JUST REACH OUT AND CONFIRM ATTENDANCE.
UM, WELL, I THINK THOSE ARE THE, UNLESS I'M, I'M NOT MISSING ANY GROUP, RIGHT? THOSE ARE OUR GROUPS.
SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE, UM, RIGHT NOW.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED ALL OF OUR GROUPS TO BE MEETING, UM, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN NOW AND OUR NEXT MEETING.
AND, UM, SINCE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE, UM, REALLY ALL OF THEM ARE KIND OF IN DRAFT FORM, LET'S REALLY MAKE AN EFFORT TO TRY TO LIKE, GET THEM OUT TO THE FULL JSE LIKE A WEEK IN ADVANCE.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS, YOU KNOW, A QUESTION OR CONCERN, THEY CAN REACH OUT DIRECTLY.
UM, DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A, A REASONABLE GOAL? UM, EVEN IF WE MAYBE HAVE TO SHIFT OUR MEETING SCHEDULE AROUND A LITTLE.
EVERYBODY GOOD WITH THAT? OKAY.
[4. Update from Electric Utility Commission on Solar Programs – Kaiba White. ]
ITEM IS ACTUALLY JUST A BRIEF UPDATE FOR ME ON THE SOLAR STANDARD OFFER.UM, I JUST FIRST OF ALL WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT IT DID GO LIVE.
UM, THIS IS THE NEW AUSTIN ENERGY SOLAR PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ROOFTOP SOLAR WITHOUT INVESTMENT BY THE PROPERTY OWNER.
IN OTHER WORDS, PROPERTY OWNERS CAN BASICALLY JUST LEASE OUT THEIR ROOF SPACE TO A SOLAR DEVELOPER AND THEY CAN BUILD SOLAR, SELL IT DIRECTLY TO AUSTIN ENERGY AT A SET RATE.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S VERY EXCITING.
UM, AND ALSO JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT THERE IS, UM, THE FIRST STAKEHOLDER MEETING, UH, SCHEDULED FOR THE EXPANSION OF THAT PROGRAM.
UM, Y'ALL MAY RECALL THAT WHEN TIM HARVEY CAME TO PRESENT HERE, HE SAID THAT THOSE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WOULD BE STARTING, UM, I THINK IT WAS INITIALLY GONNA BE DECEMBER, BUT ANYWAY, THEY'RE STARTING NOW.
THE FIRST ONE'S GONNA BE ON JANUARY 29TH AT TWO O'CLOCK, TWO TO THREE 30 AT AE HEADQUARTERS.
UH, IT'LL ALSO, YOU CAN ALSO JOIN VIA TEAMS. I WILL FORWARD THAT EMAIL TO EVERYBODY.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I WAS EXPECTING THAT WE WOULD ALSO HAVE THE START OF THE SOLAR FOR ALL, UM, STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, BUT APPARENTLY THAT GOT HELD UP BECAUSE THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH HARRIS COUNTY, THEY'RE THE PRIMARY ON THE GRANT NEEDED TO GET APPROVED.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT HAS HAPPENED YET, BUT IN ANY CASE, IT HASN'T BEEN SCHEDULED.
I KNOW THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST HERE IN THAT PROGRAM, BUT, UM, THIS EXPANSION OF THE STANDARD OFFER ALSO WILL AFFECT RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
'CAUSE THE IDEA IS THAT IT CAN, UM, BE OPENED UP FOR SMALL COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SINGLE FAMILY.
SO, UM, I'LL FORWARD THAT AROUND IF ANYBODY'S, UH, INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
[5. Update from Austin Travis County Food Policy Board on draft recommendations for consideration by the Joint Sustainability Committee – Marissa Bell. ]
UPDATE FROM MARISSA FROM THE[00:40:01]
FOOD POLICY BOARD.UM, SO THE FOOD POLICY BOARD HAS BEEN WORKING ON A LAND ACQUISITION RECOMMENDATION THAT I WANTED TO BRING FORTH FOR CONSIDERATION, UM, FOR POTENTIAL ACTION NEXT MEETING AS A JOINT RECOMMENDATION.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN FOLKS ON THIS, UM, COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE WORKING ON LAND ACQUISITION FROM A BROADER SENSE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE PURPOSES.
UM, THIS IS REALLY HONING IN ON THE WORKING LANDS FOR FOOD PRODUCTION.
UM, SOME BACKGROUND IS, UM, AS MANY OF YOU GUYS MAY KNOW, THERE WAS A, UH, FISCAL YEAR 24 25 BUDGET AMENDMENT TO CREATE A CITYWIDE LAND ACQUISITION FUND THAT AUTHORIZED UP TO $50 MILLION IN CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, UM, TO PURCHASE LAND TO SUPPORT CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS WITH THESE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATIONS AND THEY CANNOT BE USED FOR, TO PURCHASE LAND THAT HAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL, WHICH INCLUDES AGRICULTURAL LAND.
UM, AND SO THIS RECOMMENDATION THAT, UM, I'M BRINGING FORTH IS REALLY FOCUSED ON, UM, FINDING NEW FUNDING WITH DIFFERENT FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE AND PRESERVE AGRICULTURAL LAND.
UM, SO TO SUM UP KIND OF OUR, OUR PROBLEM HERE, WE HAVE, UM, LESS THAN 0.6% OF OUR FOOD CONSUMED IN TRAVIS COUNTY IS PRODUCED IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND WE'RE LOSING ABOUT 17 ACRES OF FARMLAND PER DAY DUE TO DEVELOPMENT.
UM, SO THE FOOD POLICY BOARD IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY ESTABLISH A DEDICATED MANAGEMENT MECHANISM TO MANAGE AND OVERSEE AGRICULTURAL LAND PURCHASES AND MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS.
UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY THAT PURCHASE LAND, BUT CURRENTLY NO ONE REALLY HAS THE SCOPE TO, UM, DO THIS FOR WORKING LANDS.
SO WE PRESERVE LAND FOR PARKLANDS, WE PRESERVE IT FOR, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR EXAMPLE.
BUT CURRENTLY WE DON'T HAVE A MECHANISM DEDICATED TO DOING THIS FOR AGRICULTURE.
SO IT SEEMS TO FALL OUT OF EVERYONE'S PARTICULAR SCOPE AT THIS TIME.
SO PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO EITHER FUND A, UH, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT POSITION OR CREATE DEDICATED CITY DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS LIKE AN URBAN OF OFFICE, URBAN AGRICULTURE OFFICE, OFFICE OF URBAN AG.
UM, UM, BUT WE'RE REALLY GIVING THAT TO THE CITY AS A, A CHOICE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT MECHANISMS THAT THEY CAN MANAGE THIS.
UM, THE SECOND PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO CREATE A REVOLVING LOAN FUND AND USE GENERAL FUNDS FROM THIS, UM, BUDGET CYCLE TO REALLY ESTABLISH THAT REVOLVING LOAN FUND.
UM, SO OVER TIME THIS CAN BE SUPPLEMENTED WITH GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND EVEN POSSIBLY PRIVATE AND PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENTS.
SO, UM, THIS REVOLVING LOAN FUND WOULD PRETTY MUCH, UM, BE ABLE TO OFFER LOW INTEREST LOANS TO FARMERS, UM, OR ORGANIZATIONS.
AND AS THE LOANS ARE REPAID, THOSE FUNDS CAN BE REINVESTED INTO ISSUING NEW LOANS AND THERE'S ALSO PATH TO OWNERSHIP OPTIONS THERE AS WELL.
UM, SO THAT WOULD BE THE SECOND PIECE OF THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND THERE'S PRECEDENT THERE FOR SOMETHING CALLED THE WORKING FARMS FUND THROUGH THE CONSERVATION FUND THAT WE CAN ALLUDE TO, UM, AND LOOK TOWARDS AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN THE THIRD AND FOURTH PIECE OF THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO REALLY DO AN INVENTORY OF LAND THAT CAN BE USED FOR AGRICULTURAL USE.
UM, BOTH CURRENT LAND THAT THE CITY ALREADY OWNS THAT CAN BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE AS WELL AS LAND THAT, UM, COULD BE ACQUIRED BY THE CITY FOR THIS PURPOSE.
UM, SO THAT IS THE CITY LEVEL RECOMMENDATION AND UM, JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT FORWARD AS A POSSIBLE JOINT RECOMMENDATION FROM THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT ALIGNS WITH A LOT OF THE GOALS IN THE, UM, CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AS WELL.
UM, AND ARE YOU HOPING THAT WE, I GUESS WE'RE NOT POSTED TO TAKE ANY ACTION ON THIS NOW, BUT IT, SO HAVE YOU ALL ALREADY TAKEN ACTION ON THAT AT THE FOOD POLICY? NO, WE TOOK OUR DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS TO OUR LAST MEETING.
COLLECTED FEEDBACK, UPDATED DRAFTS, UM, WHAT WAS SHARED OUT AND POSTED ONLINE IS THE DRAFT RECOMMENDATION THAT WE'VE LANDED ON SO FAR.
UM, AND SO I'M HERE TO SEEK ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK BEFORE BRINGING IT FOR ACTION NEXT MEETING.
AND GAUGE INTEREST FROM ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SECONDING THAT SO WE CAN GET IT ON NEXT AGENDA.
THOUGHTS? SORRY, WAS SOMEBODY RAISING THEIR HAND? IF SO, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I HAVE RAISED MY HAND FOR OKAY.
UH, SO ONE IS, AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SECOND THE MOTION TO, TO BRING IT TO THE NEXT AGENDA.
[00:45:01]
REALLY IMPORTANT.UM, BUT THE OTHER TWO QUESTIONS I HAVE IS, DO WE TRACK, UH, THE, THE JSC AND ALSO THE FOOD COMMISSION, DO YOU, DO WE HAVE A WAY OF TRACKING THE, THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE ACTUALLY PASS AS COMMITTEES AND THAT THE COUNCIL THEN PASSES OR ACTS ON? I MEAN, OR, BECAUSE I WOULD JUST WONDER HOW WE KEEP TRACK OF THESE THINGS.
'CAUSE THIS SEEMS LIKE A REALLY GREAT THING GIVEN WHAT THE, THE INFORMATION THAT YOU LAID OUT ABOUT 17 ACRES OF FARMLAND A DAY ARE BEING GOBBLED UP BY DEVELOPMENT AND YOU CAN'T USE COS FOR IT.
BUT HERE ARE SOME OTHER WAYS OF, OF, UH, PRESERVING THAT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PURPOSES AND FOR THE PURPOSES OF FOOD, UH, SECURITY.
SO DO WE HAVE WAYS OF KEEPING UP WITH THOSE THINGS WHEN THEY GO OVER TO THE COUNCIL? I DO KNOW THERE WAS A RESPONSE DOCUMENT THIS YEAR.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THEY DID THAT, BUT THERE WAS, UM, THEY RESPONDED, COUNCIL RESPONDED, OR STAFF RESPONDED, I'M SORRY, TO ALL OF THE, UM, BOARD AND COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS AND WHETHER OR NOT IT PASSED.
SO IT IS POSTED AND I'M SURE THAT ROHAN OR SOMEBODY COULD FIND THAT FOR US TO CIRCULATE IT OR MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THEY DID THAT.
I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THOUGH.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THEY DID THAT AND I THINK THEY'RE TRYING TO CREATE A CLEARER LINK BETWEEN THE WORK THAT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE DOING AND, UM, THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY CITY COUNCIL.
SO IN THE PAST THE LINK HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT LESS CLEAR AND I THINK THAT THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE BUDGET OFFICE IS, IS TRYING TO MAKE THAT LINK A LITTLE CLEARER SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, WHERE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS LAND.
SO JUST TO GET CLARIFICATION, WAS THAT RESPONSE JUST ON BUDGET ITEMS OR ON ALL RECOMMENDATIONS? I, I'M NOT SURE.
I'LL HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT IF YOU I'LL TAKE A LOOK.
UH, YEAH, SO I THINK MY ONLY QUESTION IS, UH, AND I THINK THIS GOES BACK TO MAYBE ALBERTA'S QUESTION ABOUT, YEAH, LIKE, OR YOU KNOW, WHERE DO THE RECOMMENDATIONS GO IF YOU'RE RECOMMENDATION, IF YOU'RE RECOMMENDING, IF YOU ARE RECOMMENDING, UM, THAT THE CITY SPIN UP A NEW PROGRAM BUDGET OFFICE, AND I GUESS THIS GOES TO ALL OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, YEAH, WHAT, WHAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS AND OR DO WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF A SUCCESSFUL PIPELINE OF RECOMMENDING NEW PROGRAM TO ACTION IN THE PAST? AND IF NOT, IS THERE AN EXISTING OFFICE THAT THIS FITS INTO, LIKE HOUSING OR, YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THAT'S WHY WE TRIED TO LEAVE THE LANGUAGE A LITTLE BIT AMBIGUOUS TO ALLOW FOR THAT FLEXIBILITY BASED ON HOW IT MAY BEST FIT WITHIN THE CITY STRUCTURE CURRENTLY.
SO IT MAY NOT BE AN OFFICE OF URBAN AG, IT MAY BE AN A FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT WITHIN ANOTHER DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE.
UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S A, A GOOD QUESTION.
AND I THINK WHEN WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE FOOD POLICY BOARD, IT SOUNDS LIKE UM, ANY RECOMMENDATION THAT COMES THROUGH IS JUST LIKE STEP ONE AND THEN ALL THE ADVOCACY AFTER THE RECOMMENDATION IS PUT FORWARD IS REALLY WHERE THE, UM, MOMENTUM CAN BUILD.
SO YEAH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW ANY SUCCESSFUL PIPELINES THOUGH.
YEAH, I, I WOULD SUGGEST PROBABLY A MUCH EASIER LIFT TO GET SOMETHING WITHIN A DEPARTMENT THAN TO CREATE A NEW OFFICE.
NOT TO SAY THAT IT NEVER HAPPENS, BUT HEAVIER, HEAVIER LIFT.
UM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE THIS PROBABLY, PROBABLY COULD LIVE WITHIN SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN I LIKE WHAT'S HERE.
AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS IS, UM, WE FOUND THAT OR THE ADVICE THAT WE RECEIVED WAS NOT TO BE SO PRESCRIPTIVE WITH THE BUDGET AMOUNTS FOR THESE THINGS BECAUSE THEN IT CAN HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY ONCE IT PASSES A FINISH LINE TO FORM IN THE WAY THAT IT MAY BEST FIT WITHIN THE CITY, FOR EXAMPLE.
OR WE MAY LIMIT OURSELVES BY PUTTING A LINE ITEM.
SO I WANTED TO CALL OUT THAT THAT WAS INTENTIONALLY LEFT VAGUE.
UM, AND SECONDLY, I WANTED TO ASK IF, IF THIS COMMITTEE WORKS ON, UM, COUNTY RECOMMENDATIONS AS WELL.
OURS IS A CITY COUNTY, SO I ALSO HAVE A COUNTY RECOMMENDATION, BUT, UM, YEAH, I THINK REALIZE THAT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE.
THE CITY IS REALLY MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS BODY.
[00:50:01]
TO BE A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION OR JUST MORE OF A GENERAL PROGRAMMATIC RECOMMENDATION? A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION IN THE SENSE THAT WE ARE ASKING THEM TO ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR THIS, BUT WE ARE NOT PRESCRIBING THE AMOUNT SO THAT THEY CAN ASSESS WHAT IS AVAILABLE OR WHAT THE LIFT MAY BE, FOR EXAMPLE.BUT THE WAY I HEAR YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS FEELS DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY MY HOME COMMISSION TALKS ABOUT RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND SO MAYBE STAFF CAN PROVIDE SOME INSIGHT THERE ON WHAT'S BEST, UM, TO BE MORE PRESCRIPTIVE OR TO NOT OKAY.
YEAH, I MEAN, IF, IF YOU ALL WANNA
I, I CAN'T WEIGH IN ON WHETHER SPECIFIC AMOUNTS WOULD BE HELPFUL OR NOT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD BE A BUDGET RECOMMENDATION.
AND I MEAN WE HAVE SOMETIMES HAD BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS WITH SPECIFIC AMOUNTS AND SOMETIMES WITHOUT.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN AMOUNT THAT IS LIKE WE NEED AT LEAST AS MUCH, THEN YOU KNOW, YOU CAN PUT IT IN GENERALLY.
UM, YEAH, WE MIGHT WANNA, IF WE WANNA INCLUDE THIS WITH ALL THE OTHERS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD POTENTIALLY ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION.
AND THEN ALSO YOU MIGHT CONSIDER HAVING A KIND OF SHORTER VERSION THAT CAN FIT INTO THE FORMAT AND GO IN WITH ALL OF THE OTHER.
USUALLY WE PACKAGE THEM ALL TOGETHER IN ONE DOCUMENT.
UM, OH, YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE, THE TEMPLATE.
UH, FOR BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, WE USUALLY DON'T DO THE, WE DON'T USE THE RESOLUTION TEMPLATE, WE JUST DO MORE THE RECOMMENDATION.
UM, NOT TO SAY THAT THIS, WE COULD DO A ONE OFF AND HAVE THIS ONE SUBMIT THIS AS IT IS.
UM, BUT PARTIALLY BECAUSE WE USUALLY HAVE A BUNCH OF THEM MM-HMM
BECAUSE WE'RE COVERING EVERY SECTOR.
IS KIND OF A LOT TO HAVE A RESOLUTION ON, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER MANY GOTCHA.
10 PLUS ITEMS. SO PAUL, MAYBE THE FORMAT THAT YOU HAD PULLED UP JUST A MOMENT AGO THAT KIND OF BREVITY.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, THE YEAR BEFORE WE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE RECOMMENDATION TEMPLATE THEY HAVE, IT'S LIKE YOU, YOU WRITE THE RECOMMENDATION BRIEFLY AND THEN THE JUSTIFICATION BELOW IT, THE FIRST, I THINK IN 23 WE DID THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, IT SEEMED A LITTLE BIT CLUNKY BECAUSE WE HAD A LIST AND THEN A LIST BELOW.
SO LAST YEAR WE JUST PUT THEM IN LITTLE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF PARAGRAPH, UM, YEAH, A LITTLE PARAGRAPH KIND OF FOR EACH ONE.
SO THEN CREATE A LITTLE PARAGRAPH TO ADD ON TO THAT LONG DOCUMENT.
AND THEN WOULD IT BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO ALSO CREATE A, UM, LIKE A JOINT RECOMMENDATION OF SOME SORT? LIKE IS THERE A TEMPLATE TO SAY THAT WE UM, AS THE JSC WANNA LIFT UP THIS RECOMMENDATION? WE WROTE SOMETHING LIKE THAT LAST YEAR, WE COULD JUST PASS THIS RECOMMENDATION, THIS RESOLUTION.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO SAY JUST MAYBE WHAT WE SUBMIT INTO THE BUDGET PORTAL.
IS MORE SIMILAR TO ALL THE OTHERS, BUT THIS CAN STILL GO OUT AS A RECOMMENDATION.
'CAUSE I THINK THERE'S STUFF HERE THAT IS, I MEAN IT ALL HAS A BUDGET IMPACT, BUT MM-HMM
AND THEN JUST SO THEN IN THAT CASE, JUST CHANGE THE TITLE TO SAY JSC INSTEAD OF FOOD POLICY BOARD AND THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY CHANGE NEEDED.
IT CAN HAVE THE SAME RESOLUTION NUMBER.
I MEAN THE NUMBER WILL BE WHATEVER IT IS ON OUR AGENDA AND THE DATE.
THAT, SO THE NUMBERS DETERMINED.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN I DIDN'T CATCH IF YOU REFERENCED THE CLIMATE.
IT DOES MENTION THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN IN HERE ALREADY A COUPLE TIMES.
SO YEAH, I MEAN I THINK IT'S, YEAH.
JUST WANT TO ADD, ADD ONE ONE MORE THING, SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, UM, WHENEVER YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ACQUIRED LANDS THAT THEY SHOULD BE PROTECTED TO EVENTUALLY BE SOLD AND LEASED TO FARMERS FOR, UH, UH, PRODUCING FOOD.
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING ADDING SOMETHING LIKE, UH, PRODUCING FOOD USING REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, UH, PRACTICES, THAT, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO YEAH.
WE DID, UM, HAVE THAT IN THERE AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT DROPPED OFF IN THE, THE RESOLUTION PIECE OF
[00:55:01]
IT.THERE, IT IS LISTED IN THE WHEREAS, BUT I WILL, I WILL TRY TO REINCORPORATE THAT.
OKAY, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? SHOULD WE MOVE ON? OKAY.
[6. Update from The Austin Travis County Public Health Commission on an approved recommendation to improve the supportive services provided to Community Health Workers – Natalie Poindexter.]
SIX WAS AN UPDATE FROM NATALIE ON THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, BUT SHE'S NOT WITH US HERE TONIGHT.UM, AND I DON'T THINK WE HAD ANY BACKUP PROVIDED FOR THAT, SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE TO MOVE PAST THAT ITEM.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
JUST TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UM, I WILL SAY I THINK NEXT MONTH IS ALREADY VERY FULL.I THINK RIGHT NOW WE'LL HAVE BRADEN PRESENTING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
I THINK WE'LL HAVE, UM, THAT PRESENTATION I MENTIONED ON THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS.
WE'LL HAVE THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UM, ON PROJECT CONNECT AND CAP METRO, ALSO PRESENTING ON ELECTRIC BUSES AND OTHER THINGS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE DISCUSSION AND ACTION ON OUR BUDGET ITEMS. SO, UM, I HOPE, I HOPE NOBODY HAS ANYTHING BURNING THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET ON FOR NEXT MONTH, BUT WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IF THERE'S THINGS AFTER THAT THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO GET ON THE AGENDA.
IS THERE NO MORE AGENDA ITEMS? THAT'S IT.
WELL JUST BEFORE WE ADJOURN, UM, I WANTED TO, UM, SINCE SHE MADE IT OUT TONIGHT, I WANTED TO INTRODUCE THE ALTERNATE FOR THE WATER WASTEWATER OR SOON TO BE, UH, AMANDA MARLO.
UM, SO I KNOW EVERYONE ONLINE CAN'T SEE HER, BUT JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HER SINCE SHE MADE HER WAY OUT TONIGHT FOR THE MEETING.
SO, UH, UH, IT'LL BE KIND OF TRADE OFF FOR US AS AN ALTERNATE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE, BUT ANYWAYS, JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE HER.
IF YOU DO WANNA INTRODUCE YOURSELF, IF, IF YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN.
UH, UM, HI, MY NAME'S AMANDA MARLOW AND THANK YOU CHRIS FOR INTRODUCING ME.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE PARTICIPATING AS AN ALTERNATE AND YEAH, THAT'S ABOUT IT.
WHAT DISTRICT ARE YOU REPRESENTING? DISTRICT THREE.
AND SO, YEAH, I'M AROUND FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS.
I'M REPRESENTING DISTRICT TWO.
UM, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER, UM, ANY AGENDA ITEMS THAT ANYBODY WANTS TO GET IN THE HOPPER NOW, THEN, THEN WE CAN ADJOURN.
UM, I WILL JUST FLAG, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF TIMES IT'S TAKING A COUPLE MONTHS AT LEAST.
SO IF THERE ARE PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU'RE THINKING YOU'RE GONNA WANT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN EMAIL US AND WE WILL, WE'LL GET THAT IN MOTION.