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INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY DEBORAH THOMAS.
CITY CLERK MYRNA RIOS, AND CITY MANAGER TC BROAD N.
IT'S 9:00 AM AND WE ARE MEETING IN THE AUSTIN CITY, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT AUSTIN CITY HALL, 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION.
THIS IS OUR FIRST WORK SESSION SLASH MEETING OF 2025.
SO IT'S A, UH, AN AUGUST OCCASION.
UM, WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
AND SO WHAT, WHAT I'LL DO FIRST IS I, I WANNA WALK THROUGH HOW WE'LL GO DEAL WITH THIS MORNING.
[A. Pre-Selected Agenda Items]
CALLED TOGETHER, ORDER THE WORK SESSION.WE WILL BEGIN THE WORK SESSION.
WE HAVE, UH, ONE ITEM TO TAKE UP, AND THOSE ARE COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PRE-SELECTED AGENDA ITEM ONE 14 THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PULLED, THERE IS NOT A NEED TO TAKE THAT UP AGAIN, UH, OR NOT A NEED TO TAKE THAT UP THIS MORNING.
SO WE WILL, UH, GO FROM THE, THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON INTERIM APPOINTMENTS.
UH, FIRST WE WILL TAKE THAT UP AND THEN WE WILL RECESS THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING, UH, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT WE WILL HAVE, UH, HOPEFULLY BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE WILL HAVE A CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, AND I WILL TURN TO THE NEW CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO CALL TO ORDER THAT MEETING.
WE WILL CONDUCT THAT MEETING, THEN WE WILL COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION, AND WE WILL GO INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, BEFORE, UM, WE START ON THAT, I, I, I WANNA MAKE ONE REAL QUICK PRESENTATION.
THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING WHERE WE HAVE A NEW MAYOR PRO TEM, AND I WANTED TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE MAYOR PRO TEM, UH, A, A GAVEL THAT SAYS, MAYOR PRO TEM VANESSA FUENTES, 2025 COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT TWO, PRESENTED BY MAYOR KIRK WATSON, AND WE'LL START THE YEAR WITH THAT PRESENTATION.
I WORRIED ABOUT GIVING HER A HAMMER, BUT, UM, BUT THERE YOU GO.
UM, AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
[D1. Council appointments to intergovernmental entities and Council Committee memberships.]
WE WILL GO TO THE DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH IS COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS TO INTERGOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND COUNCIL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS.COUNSEL, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE ON THE MESSAGE BOARD AS PART OF THE COLLABORATION AND CONSULTATION THAT THE CODE REQUIRES.
UH, WHAT I'M GONNA DO MEMBERS IS, UH, IS READ INTO THE RECORD WHERE WE ARE ON THIS.
AND THEN THE WAY THE CODE WORKS IS I WILL MAKE, I WILL PRESENT THE FINAL VERSION OF THIS TO THE CITY CLERK.
AND UPON DOING THAT, UH, THAT IS THE ACTION THAT WE, WE HAVE TO TAKE IN ORDER FOR IT TO BECOME OFFICIAL.
AND THOSE WILL BE OUR COMMITTEES.
UH, THE, THE APPOINTMENTS FOR CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIRS THAT ARE MADE BY THE MAYOR IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COUNCIL ARE ALSO ON THIS.
AND I WILL READ THOSE OUT LOUD.
UH, AS WE GO THROUGH TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UH, WE HAVE ONE ENTITY THAT DOES NOT HAVE A MEMBER.
THAT ENTITY WILL STAY, AND THAT'S THE COORS, AND THAT WILL JUST STAY OPEN UNTIL WE HAVE SOMEONE TO FILL THAT POSITION.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE TWO COMMITTEES, AND I'LL MENTION THOSE AS WE GO ALONG, THAT THEY'LL BE REAUTHORIZED AND, OR, OR, OR FROM A PREVIOUS, UH, COUNCIL TIME.
IT REQUIRES US TO PASS AN ORDINANCE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW FROM THE MESSAGE BOARD, I'VE POSTED THE ORDINANCE, I HAVE CO-SPONSORS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
SO THOSE TWO COMMITTEES AND THOSE APPOINTMENTS WON'T BE EFFECTIVE, ALTHOUGH I WILL HAVE
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PROVIDED THE CLERK WITH WHAT WE ANTICIPATE, UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH REGARD TO THE CHAIRS, VICE CHAIRS AND MEMBERS.BUT THOSE WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE UNTIL THE COUNCIL VOTES ON THURSDAY FOR THE AUTHORIZATION OF THOSE COMMITTEES AND THE LANGUAGE THAT GOES WITH THOSE COMMITTEES.
SO LET'S JUST, UH, BEGIN ON AUDIT AND FINANCE.
UH, THE MEMBERS AND THE CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIR AUDIT AND FINANCE.
UH, THE CHAIR WILL BE MAYOR WATSON.
THE VICE CHAIR WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER.
ALTER MEMBERS WILL BE MAYOR PRO TEM FUENTES, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, THE AUSTIN ENERGY OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
THE CHAIR WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
THE VICE CHAIR WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, AND THAT IS A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, SO IT WILL BE THE FULL COUNCIL, THE CLIMATE, WATER, ENVIRONMENT AND PARKS.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE COMMITTEES THAT WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON THURSDAY WITH PASSAGE OF THE ORDINANCE.
THE CHAIR WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, BY THE WAY, UH, I, I MAY REFER TO HIM AS COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER, JUST OUT OF HABIT, BECAUSE I, WHEN, WHEN I SEE, WHEN I JUST SAY, COUNCIL MEMBER, ALTER, IT FEELS A LITTLE WEIRD.
IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE NAKED IN SOME WAY.
AND I, AND, AND I REALLY WISH I HADN'T CREATED THAT VISUAL.
UM, UH, SO, SO CLIMATE, WATER, ENVIRONMENT AND PARKS COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER IS CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, VICE CHAIR, UH, MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, AND COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
AGAIN, THIS WILL BE ONE THAT WILL BE EFFECTIVE ON THURSDAY WITH PASSAGE OF THE ORDINANCE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE CHAIR, MAYOR PROTE FUENTES, VICE-CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL MEMBERS HOUSING AND PLANNING COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, UH, IS CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, VICE-CHAIR.
COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL AND COUNCIL MEMBER LANE MAYOR.
I HAD POSTED TO THE MESSAGE BOARD LATE YESTERDAY THAT I WAS HAPPY TO STAY ON HOUSING AND PLANNING.
AND, AND I'M HAPPY, OH, SORRY.
AM I SUPPOSED TO RAISE MY HAND? WHAT AM YES, MEMBER LANE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED AND I'M HAPPY TO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS REPLACED ME ON HOUSING AND PLANNING.
SO LET ME RE LET ME READ THAT AGAIN.
AND THIS IS WHAT I WILL PRESENT TO THE CLERK PURSUANT TO CODE, UH, CHAIR WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, VICE CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS MOBILITY CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, VICE CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AND COUNCIL MEMBER LANE PUBLIC HEALTH CHAIR, MAYOR PROAM FUENTES, VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER LANE MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, MAYOR WATSON, AND COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.
BEFORE I GO TO THE NEXT LIST, UM, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT HAS A DISCUSSION OR WANTS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I JUST READ INTO THE RECORD? OKAY.
THEN WE WILL GO TO THE APPOINTMENTS OF GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES THAT ARE NOT COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
AUSTIN, A ISD, COUNTY JOINT COMMITTEE.
UH, THE MEMBERS WILL BE MAYOR WATSON, COUNCIL MEMBER OF VELAZQUEZ AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS RELIEF AND RETIREMENT FUND, MAYOR WATSON, AUSTIN POLICE RETIREMENT SYSTEM COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, MAYOR WATSON, BAI'S CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLANNING COORDINATING COMMITTEE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS CAMPO, THE CAPITAL AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION.
COUNCIL MEMBER LANE WITH MAYOR WATSON AS AN ALTERNATE CAP COG, THE CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPOINTMENTS WILL BE MAYOR WATSON.
THE CLEAN AIR COALITION APPOINTMENT WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER LANE CAPITAL METRO COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
ANY DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE APPOINTMENTS? YOU'VE GOT A AGREEMENTS ON YOUR YEAH.
COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS ON THIS SHEET.
MY NAME JUST GOT BUMPS TO THE TOP OF THE NEXT COLUMN FOR CAP METRO.
SO IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AND MYSELF.
YES, YOU'RE, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
SO ON ON THE CAP METRO, LET ME READ THAT INTO THE RECORD CORRECTLY.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM BOARD OF TRUSTEES REMAINS OPEN.
WE WILL DEAL WITH THAT, UH, AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
UH, CLEAN AIR FORCE OF CENTRAL TEXAS BOARD COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES, ALL
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COUNCIL CAN PARTICIPATE IN THAT PECAN STREET PROJECT.COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY, THE SOBRIETY CENTER BOARD COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE BOARD, MAYOR WATSON, US CONFERENCE OF MAYORS, MAYOR WATSON, THE VISIT AUSTIN BOARD COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE AND MAYOR WATSON AND THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS CENTRAL TEXAS BOARD IS MAYOR WATSON.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF GROUPS THAT WE MADE APPOINTMENTS TO, UH, BEFORE, BUT THEY HAVE, THEY'RE EITHER INACTIVE OR, UH, WELL, THEY'RE INACTIVE, SO WE WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS FURTHER TO THAT.
A NEW ONE IS THE AUSTIN SAN ANTONIO, UH, CORRIDOR COUNCIL.
THE CITY IS REPRESENTED ON THAT BY STAFF, BUT THANKFULLY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS HAS ALSO ARRANGED TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND WE'RE, WE'RE PLEASED THAT SHE HAS DONE THAT.
I WILL ALSO POINT OUT ON THE HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE THAT, UH, ALL OF US CAN PARTICIPATE.
IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE, MAKE CONTACT WITH A DL FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT GROUP OF APPOINTMENTS, AND I'LL ASK IF IF THERE'S ANY FURTHER CONSULTATION, COLLABORATION, OR DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THOSE.
WELL, IF, IF THIS IS THE LAST THING WE'RE GONNA DO, I WAS GONNA THANK YOU FOR HERDING THESE CATS.
I KNOW THIS IS A VERY, IT LOOKS SO EASY FROM THE PUBLIC SIDE.
WE, WE HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL LIST, BUT WE ALL KNOW IT'S A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.
SO, UH, APPRECIATE ORGANIZING US AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THESE COMMITTEES.
YES, MAYOR PRO TIM, THANK YOU.
I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT NETWORK IS NOT AN INACTIVE GROUP.
THEY STILL REGULARLY MEET AND IF THERE ARE COLLEAGUES WHO WOULD LIKE TO SERVE ON THE CAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY I SERVED ON CAN FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND, UM, SERVED AS CHAIR A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ ALSO SERVED ON THE CAN BOARD AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TALK THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE.
THAT'S, THANK YOU FOR THAT INPUT.
OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, THE WAY WE'LL DO THIS MR. MAYOR, ACTUALLY, UH, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE CAN BOARD.
WELL THEN FOR THE RECORD, WHAT I WILL SUBMIT TO THE CLERK PURSUANT TO CODE FOR THE CREATION OF THESE COMMITTEES AND THESE APPOINTMENTS IS FOR THE COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT NETWORK COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
THE WAY THIS WILL WORK IS THAT AS SOON AS WE, UM, WHEN I, WHEN I SAY WE'RE DONE WITH THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I WILL MAKE THIS AVAILABLE.
UH, THE WAY THE CODE TALKS ABOUT IT IS THAT I PRESENT THIS TO THE, UH, CLERK.
I'LL MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE CLERK THAT WILL MAKE EVERYTHING OFFICIAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TWO COMMITTEES, CLIMATE, WATER, ENVIRONMENT, AND PARKS AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THAT BOTH REQUIRE ACQUIRE ORDINANCE ACTION IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ACTIVATED AND AUTHORIZED AND HAVE LANGUAGE ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WILL BE DOING PURSUANT TO CODE.
SO THOSE BECOME EFFECTIVE AT THAT POINT.
I'M GOING AHEAD AND MAKING THE, THE PRESENTATION TO THE CLERK IN ADVANCE, BUT THEY WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE UNTIL THURSDAY WHEN WE PASS THAT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I UH, WILL, UM, I WANNA JUST PUT ONE LAST TIME.
ANYBODY GOT ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD ABOUT THIS? GOOD.
UH, WITH THAT WE ARE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE WORK SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IS IN RECESS AT 9:13 AM MY STAFF IS GRIMACING AT ME.
UM, WHY ARE WE GRIMACING? DID YOU WANNA GO TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION? NO, WE'RE GONNA GO TO AUSTIN ENERGY FIRST AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, AND I, I THINK I'VE WORKED THAT OUT WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE EVERYBODY WHERE WE NEED THEM.
THIS IS THE REASON I'M DOING IT THAT WAY.
WITH THAT WE ARE IN RECESS AT 9:13 AM TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU, MAYOR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UM, I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE WORK SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT 10 0 9 ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 28TH.
UH, FOR THE RECORD, I WANT TO INDICATE THAT THERE WERE NO SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, BUT I WANT TO HAVE THE CLERK CONFIRM THAT WE HAVE NO SPEAKER SIGNED UP ON ANY I ON THE ITEM OF DISCUSSION, UM, OR THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH WITH THAT.
[E. Executive Session]
WILL NOW GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION TO TAKE UP ONE ITEM PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DISCUSS LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO ITEM
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E ONE STATE AND FEDERAL POLICIES AND JUDICIAL DECISIONS RELATED TO IMMIGRATION.IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ON THE ITEM ANNOUNCED? WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
AS SOON AS WE FINISH THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, THERE WILL BE NO OTHER ITEMS FOR THE WORK SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I WILL COME BACK IN AND WE WILL, UH, I WILL OFFICIALLY ADJOURN THE MEETING, BUT FOR NOW, WE ARE GOING INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
IN CLOSED SESSION, WE DISCUSSED LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO ITEM NUMBER E ONE.
IT IS 1128 AND I'M CALLING US BACK TO ORDER.
UH, BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE BUSINESS OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS WORK SESSION IS COMPLETE AND WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IS ADJOURN.
MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 11:28 AM THANKS EVERYONE.