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INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY DEBRA THOMAS, CITY CLERK MYRNA RIOS AND CITY MANAGER, TC BROAD.
[Call to Order]
ORDER AT 10:01 AM THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR FEBRUARY 13TH, 2025.WE ARE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS LOCATED AT AUSTIN CITY HALL AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.
UH, AS HAS BECOME A TRADITION AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR, I AM ANNOUNCING THAT ON SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15TH, ZOE CADRE TURNS 24 YEARS OLD,
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WILL NOW GO TO, COULD I, COULD I MAKE A QUICK COMMENT? YEAH, SURE.
LAST YEAR YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH TO SPEAK? YEAH.
LAST YEAR I TURNED 12 AND NOW I TURNED 24.
I AGED HORRIBLY BECAUSE OF THE STAFF.
THOSE ARE THOSE, IT'S LIKE DOG YEARS AT CITY HALL.
SO, UM, UH, WE JUST ADD IT TO BY 12.
UM, AND SO LET, LET US WISH HIM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY COMING UP THIS SATURDAY.
UH, HERE'S THE ORDER OF THE DAY.
I WILL, UH, START BY READING CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD, AND THEN WE WILL GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[Consent Agenda]
LET ME NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM WILL BE A POSTPONEMENT OF ITEM NUMBER TWO UNTIL FEBRUARY 27TH.AND ON ITEM NUMBER 40 42, UH, THAT, THAT CONSENT ITEM WILL BE A POSTPONEMENT TILL MARCH 6TH.
WE WILL, UH, HEAR FROM THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THAT, WE WILL VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, ALLOWING FOR DISCUSSION, UH, ON THE FRONT END, AND THAT WILL INCLUDE IF A COUNCIL MEMBER HAS A QUESTION OF A STAFF MEMBER RELATED TO THAT ITEM, WE'LL TAKE THAT UP AS PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
UH, AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, WE WILL GET TO THE TIME CERTAINS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION MEETING.
UH, WE HAVE NO ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WE DO HAVE SOME NON-CONSENT ITEMS. WE WILL GO TO THOSE AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
THOSE ARE ITEMS 34, 30 AND 35 AND 36.
THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT COME FROM COUNCIL COMMITTEES.
WE HAVE AN IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEM WE WILL TAKE UP, AND WE HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS, BUT LET ME, FOR THE RECORD, AND FOR THOSE, UH, THEY'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS ITEM.
NUMBER 40 WILL BE THE ONLY PUBLIC HEARING WHERE WE WILL TAKE ACTION.
ITEM 41, UH, IS GOING TO BE POSTPONED UNTIL MARCH 6TH.
IF SOMEONE HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, THEY MAY SPEAK ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT, AND I'VE ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT ITEM NUMBER 42 WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL MARCH 6TH AT NOON.
WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
WE WILL RECESS AT AROUND 1230 TO 1235 TO ALLOW US TO SET UP AND THEN HAVE, UH, LIVE MUSIC.
AND THEN WE HAVE A TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN FOR ZONING MEMBERS.
I WILL NOW READ CHANGES IN CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD AS INDICATED.
ITEM NUMBER TWO SHOULD BE, SHOULD READ POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 27TH, 2025.
ITEM NUMBER 21 IS WITHDRAWN, SO IT WILL NOT BE PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WE VOTE ON.
ITEM NUMBER 41 IS INDICATED WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP.
IT WILL BE REPOSTED ON MARCH 6TH, 2025.
ITEM NUMBER 42, AGAIN, AS INDICATED IN THE ORDER OF THE DAY WHEN PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE TAKEN UP, THIS ITEM WILL BE POSTPONED TO MARCH 6TH, 2025.
THOSE ARE ALL OF THE CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS.
UH, WE HAVE TO, TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD.
SO WITH THAT MEMBERS, WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.
UM, SPEAKING OF THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT AND THE ITEM TWO, WE'VE GOT JEFFREY BOWEN AND BILL BUNCH, MR. BOWEN, MR. BUNCH, ARE YOU HERE? IF YOUR NAME IS CALLED,
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PLEASE GO AHEAD AND COME FORWARD IF YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE COMMENT.IF YOU'RE NOT, YOU JUST WAIVE US OFF, MR. BUNCH.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
BILL BUNCH, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE, DEFINITELY SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE POSTPONEMENT ON ITEM 42 CONCERNING THE, UH, SITE PLAN LIGHT AND THE FLOODING IMPLICATIONS THEREIN.
I WANT TO JUST ENCOURAGE YOU THAT WHEN YOU BRING THIS BACK, NEXT TIME, YOU, YOU PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR WATERSHED PROTECTION STAFF AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ALSO URGE YOU TO BRING BACK WITH IT THE FLOOD MITIGATION PLAN THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPTED LAST YEAR, WHICH HAD VARIED IN IT.
A PROVISION THAT BASICALLY REVERSES, UH, CENTURIES OF NUISANCE TRESPASS AND TEXAS WATER CODE LAW, UH, SPECIFICALLY SECTION 11.0 86, WHICH PROVIDES ALL OF THOSE, PROVIDE THAT IF YOU CHANGE THE RUNOFF FROM YOUR PROPERTY SO THAT IT HARMS YOUR NEIGHBOR, YOU'RE LIABLE FOR THAT HARM.
THE FLOOD MITIGATION PLAN THAT THIS COUNCIL ADOPTED HAD BURIED, DID IT REVERSING THAT STANDARD LAW OF PREVENTION AND PROTECTION, AND BASICALLY SAID, OUR PLAN FOR LOTS TO LOT FLOODING IS TO REQUIRE THE HARMED PARTY TO HARDEN AND PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THE HARM CAUSED BY THE FLOODING.
NEXT DOOR IS MR. JEFFREY BOWEN FOR ITEM TWO HERE.
OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR.
LAUREN PENA ZIA JOSEPH, MS. PENA, MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU HERE FOR ITEM FOUR? I DON'T SEE THEM.
UM, I'M SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE WAVERLY NORTH PROJECT.
AT THIS TIME, IT'S PREMATURE TO SUPPORT A PROJECT THAT DOESN'T HAVE SUFFICIENT PLANS TO ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THE OWNERS MET WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ON JANUARY 30TH AND HAD NO PLANS.
THEY STATED THERE WOULD BE 76 UNITS INSTEAD OF 91.
MOST OF THE UNITS ARE FOR FAMILIES WITH 50, 60 AND 80% MFI.
WE DO HAVE PLENTY OF OPEN HOUSING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR FAMILIES WHO MEET THAT REQUIREMENT, WE WANT THE MAJORITY OF THE UNITS TO BE AT 20 TO 30%.
MFI TO TRULY MEET THE NEEDS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES, WE HAVE NO SITE PLANS.
14 SPACES FOR 76 OR MORE UNITS.
IT'S UNCLEAR HOW THEY WILL MEET HISTORIC LANDMARK REQUIREMENTS, HOW THEY WILL ADDRESS TREES, AND THERE'S INADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH CAUSES DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE BELIEVE THAT SUPPORT FOR THIS PROJECT AT THIS TIME IS PREMATURE.
NEXT IN PERSON WE HAVE BRENDA AFARA MOJICA ON ITEM 24, PLEASE CALL THE NAME AGAIN.
UH, BRENDA AFARA, MOJICA, ITEM 24.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE ENOVIA JOSEPH ON ITEM 27.
MS. GUZMAN IS INDICATING SHE'S NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 30.
DID I INTERPRET YOUR HAND GESTURE? OKAY.
I'M, I'M TRYING TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HER HAND GESTURES TOWARD ME.
SO, UM, UH, THANK YOU MS. GUZMAN.
UH, MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU HERE YET? OKAY, THANK YOU.
WE'VE GOT MATT GUSKEY ON ITEM 31.
I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
UH, WE ARE IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 31.
I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE AND THEIR TEAMS, ESPECIALLY FOR WORKING WITH US OVER THESE LAST FEW MONTHS TO START ALIGNING HOW
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WE AS A COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN WITH $25 BILLION OR MORE OF INFRASTRUCTURE, SOMEWHAT HAPPENING ALL AT THE SAME TIME DOWNTOWN, ALONG WITH OUR CULTURAL AND MUSIC RESOURCES AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS, HOW WE ALIGN THOSE RESOURCES AND WORK AS A, AS A TEAM.SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE REALLY, UH, ANXIOUS TO GET STARTED.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO Y'ALL AND I APPRECIATE IT.
CONTINUE ON ITEM 31, WE'VE GOT TAYLOR NICOLO, STACEY SCHMIDT, ENOVIA JOSEPH, IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR HAVE, UH, BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD TODAY.
ON BEHALF OF OPPORTUNITY AUSTIN AND ALL 400 OF OUR PLUS INVESTORS, WE WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION, UM, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE FOR YOUR EFFORTS TO BRING THIS TOGETHER AND TO BRING THIS GREAT COALITION TOGETHER.
UM, WHILE OUR MOST OF A LOT OF OUR WORK IS REGIONAL AND NA IN NATURE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT DOWNTOWN AUSTIN IS REALLY THE HEARTBEAT OF THIS ENTIRE REGION.
AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE, UM, WORK TOGETHER, UM, WITH MANY OF THESE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED, UM, TO SOLVE THESE CHALLENGES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US, TO MAKE OUR CITY A GREAT PLACE AS WE CONTINUE TO PUT OUR CITY ON THE MAP FOR A GREAT ECONOMIC, UM, AND CULTURAL QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE HAVE HERE.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD, UM, TO BRINGING OUR EXPERTISE AND WORKING WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS ON THIS RESOLUTION AS WE WORK WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF.
WE HAVE A ASIA HANEY KIRKA, ANTHONY SKY, TURNIN, BRIANNA CLARK.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
PLEASE CALL THEIR NAMES AGAIN.
ANTHONY SKY, TEEN BRIANNA CLARK.
I SEE SOMEBODY MOVING FAST IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR KIRK, TAKE A, TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR KIRK WATSON ESTEEM COUNCIL MEMBERS AND DISTINGUISHED GUEST.
MY NAME IS ASIA HANEY AND I AM HONORED TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY AS AN ALUM OF HOUSTON TILLSON UNIVERSITY, WHERE I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING IN VARIOUS ROLES THROUGHOUT MY 10 YEAR CAREER.
TODAY WE GATHER TO CELEBRATE A MONUMENTAL MILESTONE, THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF HOUSTON TILLSON UNIVERSITY, THE ONLY HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY IN AUSTIN, AND THE FIRST AND OLDEST INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THIS CITY.
THERE'S RICH HISTORY IS A TESTAMENT OF HTS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION, EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE.
THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, HT HAS BEEN HOME TO LEADERS WHO HAVE SHAPED NOT JUST AUSTIN, BUT THE NATION.
OZZY, TAYLOR, MORTON AND ALUM BECAME THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO SERVE AS US TREASURER, LEAVING AN INVALUABLE LEGACY OF GENERATIONS TO COME.
HER DAUGHTER WHO HAS DEDICATED OVER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE AT HOUSTON.
TILLERSON CONTINUES THE TRADITION OF LEADERSHIP, INSPIRING STUDENTS TO PURSUE GREATNESS.
WE ALSO HONOR THE LEADERSHIP OF PAST PRESIDENTS SUCH AS DR. MARY E. BRANCH, WHOSE VISION HELPED CHART HTS COURSE TOWARDS SUCCESS.
AND OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT, DR.
MELVA K WALLACE, AND THE PAST PRESIDENT, DR.
COLLETTE PIERCE BURNETT, WERE ABLE TO STAND ON HER SHOULDERS.
TODAY'S STUDENTS AT HT CARRY THIS PROUD LEGACY AS FUTURE LEADERS, INNOVATORS, AND CHANGE MAKERS, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT OUR WORLD IN WAYS WE CAN ONLY BEGIN TO IMAGINE.
THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING HOUSTON TILLETT UNIVERSITY AND FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION.
TOGETHER WE STAND IN UNION STRENGTH, EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
CONTINUING ON ITEM 52, WE'VE GOT SHAQUILLE DYLAN, JORGE SOUSA, MARYANNE MARSHALL, DR. JENNIFER MILES, LEROY DAVIS, BRITTANY MARITA.
IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO SPEAK.
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DILLON.I SERVE AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING STRATEGY IMPACT AND INNOVATION AT HOUSTON, TENNESSEE UNIVERSITY.
AS A THREE-TIME GRADUATE OF HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES IN UNIVERSITY, SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE, WHERE I HAVE A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, AN ADOPTED DEGREE FROM JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY IN URBAN HIGHER EDUCATION.
I SEE THE SENSE OF IMPORTANCE OF HISTORICALLY BLACK UNIVERSITIES, UM, AND COLLEGES ACROSS THE NATION SERVING HERE IN THE CITY.
IT IS JUST AMAZING TO SEE, UM, CITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION.
AS HOUSTON TILLERSON CELEBRATES 150 YEARS, OUR SUS CENTENNIAL TRY WITH ME SUS CENTENNIAL
UM, WE TAKE A WHOLE YEAR TO LEARN HOW TO PRONOUNCE IT, UM, BUT WE'RE CELEBRATING THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION CELEBRATING FOUR DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS.
TILLISON COLLEGE, SAMUEL HOUSTON COLLEGE, HOUSTON TILLISON COLLEGE, AND HOUSTON TILLISON UNIVERSITY.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU JOIN US ON OUR CAMPUS.
NEXT WEEK WE'RE CELEBRATING HOMECOMING, SO IT'S WILL BE A LOT OF EVENTS GOING ON.
AND ALSO TUESDAY, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST DAYS, WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SPURS TO WHERE WE WILL BE HAVING A SPURS BLOCK PARTY ON OUR CAMPUS.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU JUST COME OUT, ENJOY, CONNECT WITH OUR STUDENTS, OUR FACULTY AND STAFF AS WE ADVANCE HOUSTON TILLISON UNIVERSITY FROM THE F FROM THE FIRST INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING IN AUSTIN TO THE FOREMOST INSTITUTION IN THE WORLD.
MORNING NAME IS JGE SOSA, AND TODAY'S A MOMENTOUS OCCASION FOR HOUSTON TILSON UNIVERSITY.
IT IS A PROUD PLEASURE TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND SPEAK OF MANY CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THE UNIVERSITY HAS CONTRIBUTED NOT ONLY TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT TO THESE GREAT UNITED STATES.
AS A HISPANIC LATINO FROM THE CITY OF PANAMA COUNTRY OF PANAMA CITY, HAVING BEEN EDUCATED AT HBCUS, I CAN TELL YOU THAT HBCUS HAVE BEEN PILLAR IN ALL COMMUNITIES WELCOMING ALL RACES STUDENTS TO RECEIVE QUALITY EDUCATIONS.
AND FOR 150 YEARS, HOUSTON TILTON UNIVERSITY HAS DONE THAT VERY EXACT SAME THING HERE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO WE COME TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS RECOGNITION AND TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR CONTINUING TO RECOGNIZE US AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU.
MY NAME IS SKY TURNTINE AND I AM STUDENT AT HOUSTON TILLISON UNIVERSITY.
I AM A PROUD STUDENT LEADER AT THE UNIVERSITY, AND I SERVE AS OUR CAMPUS ACTIVITIES BOARD PRESIDENT AS WELL AS A WEB DU BOIS.
HONOR SCHOLAR HT HAS IMPACTED A LOT OF MY RESEARCH.
I AM AN ENGLISH MAJOR IN MY MINORS, AFRICAN, AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES.
IT'S NOT SIMPLY ABOUT THE LEGACY OF HD, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE HELPED ME SO MUCH IN GIVEN SO MUCH BACK TO ME, AND LIKE THEY SAID, IT IS OUR SUS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AND HOMECOMING IS NEXT WEEK.
HT HAS GIVEN ME THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES THAT HAVE IMPACTED MY LIFE TREMENDOUSLY AND GIVEN ME AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES ON HD'S CAMPUS.
AS A FRESHMAN, I GOT TO MEET ANGELA YVONNE DAVIS, UH, REVOLUTIONARY WOMAN.
AMONGST HER TIME, I DON'T THINK I WOULD'VE GOT THAT OPPORTUNITY AT NO OTHER INSTITUTION.
I GOT TO HAVE A FACE-TO-FACE CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S IMPACTED ME.
WITHOUT HT I WOULDN'T BE WHO I AM TODAY.
SO I SIT IN FRONT OF YOU JUST GIVING THANKS TO THE UNIVERSITY THAT GAVE ME EVERYTHING.
ESTEEMED FACULTY, SPECTACULAR STUDENTS, PROUD ALUMNI HONORED, GUESTS AND FRIENDS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
MY NAME IS DR. JENNIFER MILES AND I HUMBLY SERVE AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS AT HOUSTON TILLSON UNIVERSITY.
TODAY WE CELEBRATE 150 YEARS AT HOUSTON TILLSON, A BEACON OF KNOWLEDGE AND PROGRESS IN THE HEART OF AUSTIN, AS AUSTIN'S OWED HIS INSTITU OLDEST INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.
HT HAS WOVEN ITS HISTORY AND STORY INTO THE DEEP AND BEAUTIFUL FABRIC OF THE CITY.
BORN FROM THE UNION OF TILLSON COLLEGE IN SAMUEL HOUSTON COLLEGE.
THIS UNIVERSITY HAS A RICH LEGACY OF NURTURING LEADERS, SCHOLARS, AS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM AND CHANGE MAKERS FOR GENERATIONS.
HOUSTON TILLSON HAS BEEN A VITAL FORCE IN EAST AUSTIN, EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS THROUGH EDUCATION, FOSTERING A VIBRANT COMMUNITY, AND FROM ARTS SCIENCES TO BUSINESS AND EDUCATION.
HT GRADUATES HAVE MADE AN AMAZING MARK IN AUSTIN SHAPING THE CULTURE, ECONOMY, AND CIVIC LIFE.
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ENTREPRENEURS, EDUCATORS, ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, ALL CARRYING THE TORCH OF HTS MISSION TO PROVIDE AN EDUCATION THAT TRANSFORMS LIFE.THIS SQUEE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION IS NOT JUST ABOUT LOOKING BACK, BUT RATHER IT IS ABOUT LOOKING FORWARD.
AS WE HONOR THE PAST, WE REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO HD'S FUTURE, ENSURING THAT THIS INSTITUTION CONTINUES TO INSPIRE AND EMPOWER GENERATIONS FOR ANOTHER 100 IN 50 YEARS.
A CORNERSTONE OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY AND A CATALYST FOR IS FUTURE.
MY NAME IS KYRA ANTHONY AND I HUMBLY SERVE AS THE 72ND MS. HOUSTON TILTON UNIVERSITY.
UM, IT'S A VERY HISTORIC YET JUST FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THIS CITY IN GENERAL.
UM, FIRST COMING HERE TO HT I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT AUSTIN OR HT IN GENERAL, BUT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO EXPERIENCE JUST THE BEAUTY OF GROWING AND HOW THIS HBCU HAS HELPED ME AS I'VE, UM, MATRICULATED THROUGH COLLEGE.
I WILL BE A SOON GRADUATE IN MAY, UM, WITH A BIOLOGY DEGREE.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND JUST BEING ABLE TO CELEBRATE OUR SESQUI CENTENNIAL, UM, AS A GRADUATE, SOON TO BE GRADUATING SENIOR.
AND THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH JUST FOR THIS PRO PROCLAMATION OF HT ON THIS DAY.
HI, I'M BRIANNA CLARK, A A SOPHOMORE HERE AT HOUSTON TOON UNIVERSITY.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'M VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND THE VALUES AND EDUCATION AND HARD WORK THAT THEY GIVE TO US.
I, I'M, AS A STUDENT, I'M INSPIRED BY THE LESSONS OUR TEACHER, OUR TEACHERS GIVE US.
AND NOT JUST A CLA NOT JUST IN THE CLASSROOMS, BUT THE VALUES WE LIVE BY EVERY DAY.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT LIFTS EACH OTHER UP AND STANDS STRONG IN THE FACES OF CHALLENGES AND THAT BELIEVES IN THE POWER OF POW IN THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE, KINDNESS, AND PROGRESS.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU.
HOW YOU GONNA FOLLOW ALL THAT? IT'S GONNA BE DIFFICULT.
THE HONORABLE KIRK WATSON, MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, AS WELL AS OUR DISTRICT ONE REPRESENTATIVE NATASHA HARPER MADISON.
I'M LEROY DAVIS AND I AM THE CO-CHAIR PERSON OF THE SQUI CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION FOR THE HISTORIC EBENEZER THIRD BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF OUR MEMBERS WEARING THE BLA THE BLUE, UH, SQUEE CENTENNIAL, UH, T-SHIRTS.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IN THAT OUR CHURCH WAS FOUNDED IN 1875 AND HERE IN THE YEAR 2025, WE HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR 150 YEARS OF SERVICE TO NOT ONLY THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY, BUT THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AS WELL AS THE STATE, THE NATION.
AND WE'VE ALSO HAD INTERNATIONAL IMPACT THROUGH THE SERVICES THAT WE'VE RENDERED.
EBENEZER HAS TAKEN A MAJOR LEADERSHIP IN SHAPING NOT ONLY THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY, BUT AUSTIN IN GENERAL AND ECONOMICS.
THE ECONOMIC EAST AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD WAS FOUNDED BY EBENEZER MEMBERS.
AND WE HAVE REALLY RESHAPED THE WAY THAT THAT, UM, EAST AUSTIN IS GOING TO BE AND HAS BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE AREA OF EDUCATION.
MANY SCHOOLS IN THE AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE NAMED AFTER FORMER EBENEZER MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE LC ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL CAMPBELL, AND MOST RECENTLY THE GENERAL MARSHALL, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND THEY ALL ARE NAMED AFTER, UH, MEMBERS WHO WERE PART OF THE EBENEZER TRADITION IN THE AREA OF POLITICS.
UM, WE ARE PROUD THAT CHARLES ERIE, WHO ONCE WAS A COUNCILMAN AS A MEMBER OF OUR CHURCH, WAS A MEMBER OF OUR CHURCH.
AND IN THE AREA OF OF, OF, JUST IN GENERAL, WE HAVE HELPED TO SHAPE THE WAY THAT AUSTIN LOOKS, AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO SHARE THIS MOMENT WITH HOUSTON TILLERSON BECAUSE WE ARE PARTNERS AND WE HAVE HELPED TO TRANSFORM THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
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THANK YOU.AND I, I THINK I'LL SEE YOU ON SUNDAY.
AT THIS TIME, ALL CONSENT SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN CALLED.
THANKS FOR EVERYBODY BEING HERE AND, AND SPEAKING ON THIS.
UH, THE CHAIR WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, MEMBERS REMEMBER THAT AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER TWO WILL BE POSTPONED TO FEB, UH, FEBRUARY 27TH.
AND ITEM, UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO WILL BE POSTPONED TO FEBRUARY 27TH.
MOTION IS MADE BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, UH, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, ALTER.
COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
UM, KIND OF CONTINUING THE THEME, JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE HT ON 150 YEARS.
UH, I'M NOT GONNA TRY TO SAY THAT WORD THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN PRONOUNCING.
THAT, THAT, NOT GONNA TRY TO SAY, BUT CONGRATS ON 150 YEARS.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE WAS, SAY IT THREE TIMES.
UM, BUT NO, I JUST WANNA QUICKLY MAKE A FEW REMARKS ON ITEM 31.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SPEAKERS FROM, UH, THE DA AND OPPORTUNITY AUSTIN COMING IN AND SHOWING THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE ITEM AND WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND HIS STAFF FOR THEIR WORK ON THE ITEM.
UH, AS WELL AS MY STAFF WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND, AND WORKING WITH, UH, THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT, THAT HAD COME IN TODAY TO SPEAK.
UH, REPRESENTING DOWN DOWNTOWN IS, IS A JOY.
UH, BUT IT ALSO COMES WITH UNIQUE CHALLENGES.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS VITAL INITIATIVE WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES AND CREATE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO WORK, PLAY, UH, IN CALL DOWNTOWN HOME.
UH, A VIBRANT, WELL PLANNED DOWNTOWN.
ONE THAT PRIORITIZE PRIORITIZES, MIXES DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVE PUBLIC SPACES THAT DRIVES BUSINESS SUCCESS AND BRINGS PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS INTO THE HEART OF THE CITY, UH, IS A DOWNTOWN, UH, THAT, THAT I WANNA LIVE IN, THAT I WANT, UH, THIS CITY, UH, TO HAVE.
UH, SO I'M ENCOURAGED BY THIS INITIATIVE'S IMPLEMENTATION AND OPTIMISTIC ABOUT AUSTIN'S FUTURE.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO, TO SEE THE NEXT FEW STEPS.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
I, UH, I PRIMARILY JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SCHOLARS WHO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPROACH THE PODIUM TODAY.
I KNOW THAT IT'S NERVE WRACKING AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, UM, A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T RECOGNIZE THIS, BUT I'M GONNA TAKE UP SPACE TODAY 'CAUSE IT'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
UM, AND ALSO BECAUSE WE ARE CELEBRATING TWO BLACK PILLAR ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TODAY.
AND AS WE DO SO, I WANT EVERYBODY PRESENT WHO LOOKS LIKE ME TO RECOGNIZE THAT I'M THE ONLY ONE UP HERE WHO LOOKS LIKE YOU.
UM, SO IN THE CITY WHERE WE LIVE, THE 10TH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION, YOU JUST GOT ME.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I JUST GOT Y'ALL.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK OUT INTO THIS AUDIENCE IN, INTO CHAMBERS AND I SEE PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND OFFER MY APPRECIATION FOR, UH, FOR WHAT JUST INHERENTLY FEELS LIKE SUPPORT AND STRENGTH.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING PRESENT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE DIALOGUE TODAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER LANE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH.
AND, UH, HOUSTON TILL IT'S IN 150 YEARS IS A LONG TIME FOR ANY INSTITUTION, HONESTLY, NO MATTER THE TYPE, UH, TO, TO LAST.
UH, AND GIVEN THE, THE CHALLENGES THAT, THAT BOTH INSTITUTIONS HAVE FACED, UH, IT SPEAKS TO THEIR, THEIR STRENGTHS, THE STRENGTH OF THEIR MEMBERS, UH, THE STRENGTH OF THEIR SUPPORTERS, AND JUST CONGRATULATIONS.
UH, I DID HAVE SOME, UH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON THE, UH, PARKING CODE CHANGES FOR THE TRANSPORTATION AND, UH, PUBLIC WORKS.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT A RELATED ITEM, NOT DIRECTLY ON THE ITEM, BUT, UH, THE CURBSIDE MANAGEMENT STUDY THAT, UH, TPW HAS BEEN WORKING ON.
WHAT'S, UH, THE STATUS OF THAT? GOOD MORNING, MAYOR.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY LOUIS LEF, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS.
WE ARE IN THE FINAL STAGES OF FINALIZING THAT SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE CURB MANAGEMENT STUDY.
OUR INTENTION IS TO EXPLORE THE PURCHASING OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US AND TRY TO ACCELERATE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT TAKING TWO TO MAYBE FOUR MONTHS, DEPENDING ON THE PURCHASING APPROACH, AND THAT WOULD BE ABOUT A 12 MONTH PROCESS TO GET THAT STUDY COMPLETED.
SO, UH, I GUESS HOPEFULLY BY THE BEGINNING OF, UH, 2026, WE'LL HAVE THE RESULTS, UH, FROM THE CURBSIDE MANAGEMENT STUDY.
I THINK THAT'D BE MORE LIKE THE SPRING, EARLY SUMMER TIMEFRAME, BUT THAT'S THE ANTICIPATED TIMELINE.
AND, UH, AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE CURBSIDE MANAGEMENT STUDY WILL ESSENTIALLY
[00:30:01]
ADVISE US WITH REGARD TO WHAT, HOW WE SHOULD, UH, USE OUR, UH, CURBSIDE SPACE FOR, AGAIN, PARKING DROP OFF, THAT, THAT KIND OF STUFF.IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE OF THE STUDY? THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'S, IT'S PRETTY OPERATIONAL IN NATURE RELATIVE TO THE CODE TODAY.
THAT'S MORE REGULATORY IN NATURE.
SO THE EXISTING CONDITIONS WILL BE ASSESSED LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE USING THE CURBSIDE SPACE TODAY, WHAT RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE, REGULATIONS ARE IN PLACE, HOW WE WANT TO FACILITATE MOBILITY OF ALL MODES THROUGH THE CITY AND, AND HOW THAT INTERACTS WITH THE CURBSIDE SPACE.
AND ALSO LOOKING AT ACCESS FOR DELIVERY OR PASSENGER PICKUP, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO ALL OF THOSE ACTIVITIES WILL BE ASSESSED FOR TODAY AND THEN LOOK AT STRATEGIES THAT WE WOULD WANT AND POTENTIALLY IMPLEMENT IN THE FUTURE.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE NATURE OF TRANSPORTATION, UH, HAS CHANGED SO MUCH IN THE LAST, YOU KNOW, 10 TO 15 YEARS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, 15, 20 YEARS AGO, THE ONLY THING YOU GET DELIVERED WAS A, A PIZZA.
UH, AND, AND TODAY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET VIRTUALLY ANYTHING DELIVERED TO YOUR FRONT DOOR.
SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE DROP OFF.
THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, WORKING CLASS JOBS.
AGAIN, I'M COMPLETELY FINE WITH, WITH PUTTING THE RESTRICTIONS AND TICKETING PEOPLE WHO VIOLATE THEM, BUT THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES, WHERE, WHERE CAN I STOP? BECAUSE I JUST NEED TO GO FIVE MINUTES TO DROP THE ITEM OFF AND RUN RIGHT BACK.
I, I DO REALLY THINK THAT WE NEED TO CREATE SPACES THAT, UH, PEOPLE CAN, CAN GET TO THEIR WORK, YOU KNOW, MAKE THEIR DROP OFFS AND NOT BLOCK TRAFFIC.
WE SEE THAT A LOT IN THE, IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND HONESTLY, NOT JUST IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA, BUT IN A LOT OF OUR KIND OF CENTRAL, UH, CITY.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE RESULT OF THAT AND, AND LOOK FORWARD TO, TO THAT, UH, STUDY, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LANE AND THEN, AND COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.
UH, I THINK IT'S VERY EXCITING TO BE PASSING ITEM NUMBER 26 TODAY, WHICH IS THE BICYCLE LANE PROHIBITION.
UM, THIS STARTED BECAUSE A HANDFUL OF ADVOCATES CAME TO US AND TOLD US THEIR STORIES ABOUT CONFLICTS WITH HAVING TO VEER OUT OF THE BICYCLE LANE AND GET INTO A LANE OF TRAFFIC RESERVED FOR CARS.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE STAFF'S WORK ON TRYING TO, UH, GET THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
AND DEFINITELY SECOND THE CURBSIDE MANAGEMENT APPROACH.
I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE FANTASTIC INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP MAKE EVERYONE IN AUSTIN A A BIT SAFER AS THEY UTILIZE OUR ROADS.
UM, ON ITEM NUMBER 29, WE ARE DOING A FEE WAIVER FOR CUPID'S UNDUE RUN, WHICH IS TAKING PLACE ON THE 22ND OF FEBRUARY.
UM, WE ARE STILL $236 SHORT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO HELP MATCH THAT.
IT IS A FANTASTIC PROGRAM THAT RAISES AWARENESS AND FUNDING FOR RESEARCH FOR NEUROFIBROMATOSIS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS NF.
SO WE'RE LEARNING A LOT OF BIG WORDS TODAY HERE ON THE DAIS.
UM, BUT I THINK THIS IS A FANTASTIC ORGANIZATION AND JUST WANNA HELP THEM AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, AND THEN NUMBER SEVEN IS THE FIREARM EXAMINER TRAINING.
WE HAD PASSED AN ITEM IN THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE TO HELP WITH BALLISTICS TESTING AND MARKINGS ANALYSIS.
THIS IS, UH, AIMS TO HELP A PD CLEAR BACKLOGS OF FIREARM TESTING AND HELP, UH, REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVING FORWARD.
THERE'S GONNA BE TWO FOLKS GOING THROUGH A TRAINING PROGRAM FROM FORENSIC SCIENCES DEPARTMENT, UM, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THIS MOVING FORWARD TODAY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
SO THERE ARE SO MANY IMPORTANT THINGS ON THIS AGENDA, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON IT.
AND WHILE WE HAVE THESE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE HERE FROM HOUSTON TILLSON AND EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH, I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AS THE NEWEST COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT SIX.
I REPRESENT NORTHWEST AUSTIN, UM, WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY SERVED BY ROUND ROCK ISD WITH A LITTLE BIT OF A ISD AND LEANDER ISD.
MY BACKGROUND IS IN SUPPORT FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR FAMILIES AND BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.
AND I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE SOME SPACE TO REALLY RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT WORK OF BOTH OUR EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH AND HOUSTON TILLSON SO IMPORTANT TO THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I REALLY WELCOME AN EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION, IDEAS AND BRINGING OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER ACROSS OUR ENTIRE CITY.
AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT SO THAT MORE OF YOU COULD HEAR.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS THANK YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
AND, UH, I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR TO ITEM 52, HONORING HOUSTON TILSON UNIVERSITY IN EBENEZER THIRD BAPTIST CHURCH.
WITH THAT, WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER SEGAL WILL BE SHOWN AS A, UH, CO-SPONSOR OF ITEM 52.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, UH, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
OBVIOUSLY, UH, HTU AND EBENEZER ARE PILLARS OF OUR COMMUNITY, BOTH AUSTIN AS A WHOLE AND SPECIFICALLY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
UH, JUST YESTERDAY I WAS SPENDING TIME WITH A FRIEND, UH, DISTRICT SEVEN BUSINESS OWNER.
UH, HIS NAME IS RAYMOND WALKER, WHO OWNS, UM, ORIGINAL WALKER'S BARBERSHOP AND WAS A BUSINESS MAJOR AT HTU.
AND NOW HE NOT ONLY RUNS HIS BUSINESS, BUT HE GIVES BACK AS A TEACHER, UH, AND HAS MANY OTHER WAYS OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND I WAS JUST REALIZING HOW RAY
[00:35:01]
IS JUST ONE OF MANY, MANY PEOPLE, UH, WHO ARE BUILDING AND HOLDING UP OUR COMMUNITY AND WHO GOT THERE STARTED AT HT.AND, UH, I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO.
WELL, THANK, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO BRING FORWARD SIMILAR ITEMS THAT CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY, UH, THAT WAS CREATED HERE AND STILL RESONATES TODAY, UH, WITHIN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
AND I JOINED WITH MY COLLEAGUES IN SUPPORTING THIS ITEM AND ALSO ASKING THE CITY MANAGER TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN ENHANCE AUSTIN'S AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
UH, A COUPLE OTHER COMMENTS ON THE AGENDA.
JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 15, WHICH IS, UH, FUNDING FOR RAPID REHOUSING FOR OUR ELDERLY COMMUNITY WHO ARE LIVING ON THE STREETS.
UH, THIS IS REALLY JUST CRITICAL WORK TO HOUSE ELDERLY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
I KNOW THERE'S SO MUCH MORE WE WANT TO DO, UH, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK DAVID GRAY AND THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE FOR CONTINUING THIS WORK AND REALLY TO AUSTIN RESIDENTS FOR FUNDING THIS WORK.
YOU KNOW, IN AN IDEAL WORLD, WE WOULD HAVE MORE HELP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT, UH, TO COMBAT HOMELESSNESS.
BUT, UH, FOR NOW I JUST WANNA CELEBRATE THAT HERE IN AUSTIN, UH, THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND OTHERS, WE'RE KEEPING ELDERLY PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS PROVIDING SHELTER AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES.
UM, IN TERMS OF ITEM 26, THE PARKING ENFORCEMENT UPDATE, UH, I WANNA SAY I SUPPORT THIS WORK, ESPECIALLY THE GOAL I EXPRESSED BY MY COLLEAGUE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS TO PROTECT BI BICYCLE LANES.
UM, BUT ALSO WANNA REITERATE A NOTE OF CAUTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE ASPECT OF THIS ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS PARKING TICKETS TO BE SERVED BY MAIL, UH, BY SCANNING LICENSE PLATES, UM, WE WANNA MAKE THIS AS VERY LIMITED AND AS RARE AS POSSIBLE, FOR EXAMPLE, EXTREME WEATHER OR IF THERE IS A TRUE THREAT.
UM, BUT WE, THERE'S A FAIR AMOUNT OF RISK THAT, THAT USING THE PROGRAM IN THIS WAY WILL RESULT IN MORE POOR AND WORKING CLASS PEOPLE GETTING EXTRA FINES AND FEES.
AND SO, UM, I'M THANKFUL THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE UPDATES FROM STAFF, UH, BEFORE WE REALLY MOVE FORWARD ON THAT ASPECT.
AND THEN FINALLY, I JUST WANNA CELEBRATE, UH, ITEM 31.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY AND, AND THE OTHER CO-SPONSORS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WIDE ARRAY OF CONSIDERATIONS, UH, THAT, THAT YOU'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT FOR, FOR DEVELOPING AND, AND SUPPORTING DOWNTOWN, UH, ALL THE VOICES YOU'RE INCLUDING IN THIS PROCESS, INCLUDING BUSINESS ARTS, SOCIAL SERVICES, LABOR, AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING MY SUGGESTION THAT WE STUDY GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AS PART OF THIS STRATEGY.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
UH, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT NO MATTER WHAT ORDER I PUT IT IN, UM, IT'S GONNA BE FUNNY TO PUT THESE TWO ITEMS TOGETHER, BUT I WANT TO REITERATE MY APPRECIATION FOR OUR CELEBRATION FOR ITEM NUMBER 52 AND MY, UH, COLLEAGUES JOINING ON AS, UM, CO-SPONSORS AND CO-CONSPIRATORS MOVING FORWARD.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT, UM, PLANNING AND EXECUTION PROCESS 'CAUSE IT'S CRITICAL.
UM, AND, BUT THEN I ALSO WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO ADD A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO YOUR EFFORTS FOR THE UNDIES RUN
SO YAY HT AND EBENEZER BAPTIST.
AND ALSO, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE EFFORT TO BRING AWARENESS, UM, TO A LITTLE KNOWN DISORDER.
I HAD TO LOOK IT UP, SO THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS THERE, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, AND SO, UM, UH, ITEM NUMBER 52.
WELL, SO THIS, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE IS WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT.
SOMEBODY GAVE ME CREDIT THE OTHER DAY AND, AND WHILE I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO TAKE THE CREDIT FOR ORIGINATING THE PLANNING PROCESS AND THE THOUGHT THAT GOES INTO AND HAS GONE BEHIND THE EFFORT, I'M STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF FOLKS WHO CAME LONG BEFORE ME.
UM, AND THAT BOTH SPEAKS TO THE RESILIENCE AND COMMITMENT OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND BLACK COMMUNITY, UM, IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
IT ALSO SPEAKS TO THE HESITATION, DISINVESTMENT, AND LENGTH OF TIME IT'S TAKEN TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CONTRIBUTIONS IN, UM, THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND BLACK ASSETS AND IN PARTS OF TOWN THAT RECOGNIZE BLACK CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO I'M GLAD WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND MY HOPE IS THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND AS WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY, UM, YOU KNOW, TO COUNCIL MEMBER LANE'S POINT, YOU KNOW, WHEN D SIX CARES AS MUCH ABOUT D ONE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S UPWARDS OF CEDAR PARK AREA.
UM, AS FOLKS WHO ARE FROM THE EAST SIDE CARE ABOUT D ONE, THEN THAT MEANS WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT 'CAUSE IT'S ALL OF OUR CONCERN.
'CAUSE IT'S ALL OF OUR CITY, ALL PARTS OF IT ARE OURS.
UM, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT INVESTMENT, UM, THE RESOLUTION IS CALLING FOR.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO NEVER BACKED DOWN AND HAD NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER AND SENDING THE EXACT SAME EMAIL AT LEAST SIX TIMES ABOUT THE NEED FOR LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS AND WAY FINDING SIGNAGE AND HISTORIC MARKERS, UM, AND OTHER STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORTS, FRANKLY, THAT MAKE THE DISTRICT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND MORE ENRICHING FOR ALL TO ENJOY.
UM, THAT SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE COMMUNITY'S COMMITMENT TO BEING A PART OF THE INEVITABLE GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY.
[00:40:01]
I ALSO WANNA SPEAK TO ALL THE FOLKS IN THE ROOM, UH, ESPECIALLY THE ONES IN THE BLUE SHIRTS WHO ARE HERE ON BEHALF OF YOUR CONTINUED AND CONSISTENT SUPPORT TO YOUR, UM, CHURCH COMMUNITY.UH, IT REALLY DOES, I THINK, SPEAK VOLUMES TO THE LEVEL OF CONNECTION THAT WE STILL HAVE AS A COMMUNITY IN THIS CITY.
I THINK SOMETIMES IT GETS OVERLOOKED BECAUSE WE'RE ALL SPREAD OUT.
UM, BUT PROXIMITY NEVER STOPS OUR CONNECTION.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE SEEING THAT, UM, HERE IN CHAMBERS MOST ESPECIALLY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU TO MY CO-SPONSORS, MAYOR WATSON, MAYOR PROAM, UM, FUENTES AND COUNCIL MEMBERS VELA VELASQUEZ.
AND NOW, UH, SIEGEL FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THE ITEM.
LASTLY, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT AN ITEM, AND I APPRECIATE SEEING SOME FOLKS FROM THE DECK IN THE ROOM.
I DON'T SEE TWO FOLKS IN THE ROOM, BUT THEY ARE EVER PRESENT IN SPIRIT.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT HOW THE DECISIONS THAT WE MADE DURING OUR BUDGET PROCESS, UM, COME TO FRUITION, UM, AND GO DIRECTLY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
SO REGARDING ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON THE AGENDA, THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT WAS ABLE TO AWARD THE OTHER ONE'S FOUNDATION $375,000 TO PROVIDE BRIDGE HOUSING SERVICES.
AND THAT WAS THE DIRECT RESULT OF TEAM D ONE'S BUDGET AMENDMENT IN COLLABORATION, UM, WITH DAC STAFF.
I WANNA PERSONALLY THANK THE STAFF IN THE VE UH, UH, FROM THE DAC FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT AND WORK ALONGSIDE YOU.
AND THANKS AGAIN FOR THE TOUR THAT MY TEAM AND I WERE RECENTLY, UM, UH, GIVEN.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT PART TWO.
UH, AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT BACK TO YOU, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
THANK COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
UH, ALWAYS TOUGH TO FOLLOW COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, BUT, UH, DO WANT TO OFFER A HEARTFELT CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SESQUI SESQUICENTENNIAL.
UM, REALLY JUST AN INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE FEAT TO THINK LIKE ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS MENTIONED, UH, 150 YEARS AGO, THINKING ABOUT TODAY BEING A REALITY.
UM, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY, BUT WE HAVE A REALLY LONG WAY TO GO.
SO, UH, REALLY GLAD Y'ALL ARE HERE, UH, REPRESENTING THE INSTITUTIONS TODAY.
I ALSO WANT TO FILL THE GAP, UH, FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
I THINK THERE'S NOW 116, $26 LEFT.
ALL RIGHT, WHATEVER'S LEFT, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT OUT OF THE DISTRICT FIVE, UH, FUND.
AND, UH, LAST, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ADDED TO ITEM 52, AND I IMAGINE, UH, OTHERS AS WELL.
IF IT'S NOT PRESUMPTUOUS OF ME, I I WOULD ASK, UH, THAT THE ENTIRE COUNCIL BE ADDED TO THAT WITH WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE ENTIRE COUNCIL WILL BE, UH, SHOWN AS CO-SPONSORS OF ITEM NUMBER 52.
UM, YEAH, SO I WANTED TO, UH, THANK, UM, MY COLLEAGUE AND ALSO FELLOW BORN AND RAISED O TOUR, UH, ON BRINGING ITEM NUMBER 52.
AND CONGRATULATIONS, UH, AS A LIFELONG, UH, EAST AUSTINITE AND PART A MEMBER OF THE RAMLEE, UM, 150 YEARS.
IT, IT, IT, IT IS A, IT, IT THANK YOU FOR ALL THE BEAUTY, STRENGTH AND GRACE YOU BRING TO OUR CITY AND, AND TO EAST AUSTIN.
AND, AND AS MY COLLEAGUE AND MY TOLA SAID, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER 150.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS.
UM, LET ME ASK, IS THERE ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT ANY MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO PULL ON? ITEM NUMBER 24? I WANNA BE CLEAR WHAT THE MOTION WILL BE.
ITEM NUMBER 24, UH, AS IT'S POSTED, NEEDS TO HAVE AN EDIT AND I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THE CONSENT MOTION IS.
SO I'M GONNA READ THE ENTIRE POSTED ITEM.
ITEM 24, AUTHORIZED NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH TRAVIS COUNTY FOR THE CITY'S PROVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES FOR A SEVEN MONTH TERM, BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 IN AN AMOUNT, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $4,095,973 TO BE PAID.
DELETE THE WORD BY THE CITY, JUST DELETE THE WORD BY AND ADD THE WORD TO TO BE PAID TO THE CITY.
SO NOW LET ME READ IT AGAIN SO THAT WE'LL BE CLEAR ON WHAT THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL, WILL HAVE IN IT.
[00:45:02]
AUTHORIZED NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH TRAVIS COUNTY FOR THE CITY'S PROVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES FOR A SEVEN MONTH TERM, BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $4,095,973 TO BE PAID TO THE CITY.IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING FROM AN ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
THANK YOU AND THANKS TO ALL OF Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE.
UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL RECESS THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT 10 45, 10 46 A AM AND I WILL NOW CALL TO ORDER
[10:30 AM - Austin Housing Finance Corporation Meeting]
AT 10:46 AM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.WE HAVE ONE AGENDA ITEM, WE HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM AND I'LL, I'LL TURN TO THE CITY STAFF FOLKS.
UM, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EXCITEMENT, BUT IF YOU COULD TAKE YOUR CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE.
GOOD MORNING, MR. PRESIDENT MADAM VICE PRESIDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I AM THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
YOU HAVE SEVEN ITEMS ON YOUR AGENDA.
I SAID ONE, I WAS THANKING SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, YOU HAVE SEVEN ITEMS ON YOUR AGENDA.
I'D LIKE TO WALK THROUGH ALL SEVEN OF THEM WITH YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE.
FIRST, THE FIRST ITEM IS TO ACCEPT $750,000, UH, GRANT FROM ST.
DAVID'S FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT THE 5,900 PLEASANT VALLEY, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THIS IS, UH, AGAIN, ACCEPTING MONEY.
WE DON'T DO THIS VERY OFTEN, UH, BUT WE WILL BE INVESTING MONEY DIRECTLY INTO A PARTNERSHIP AT 5,900 SOUTH PLEASANT VALLEY FOR HOME OWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.
ITEMS NUMBER TWO, THREE, AND FOUR ARE ALL, UH, WINDING UP AND TERMINATING A HFC NON-PROFIT CORPORATIONS.
THESE ARE THREE CORPORATIONS THAT ARE NO LONGER, UH, NECESSARY FOR A HFC TO MANAGE.
UM, SO WE ARE WINDING THEM DOWN.
THAT IS A HFC AVALON NONPROFIT CORPORATION, A HFC, UH, VILLAGE ON LITTLE TEXAS NONPROFIT CORPORATION AND A HFC PECAN PARK, PSH NONPROFIT CORPORATION.
ALL OF THESE, UH, ANY ASSETS OR, UH, HOLDINGS THAT THESE NONPROFITS CORPORATIONS HAVE WILL REVERT TO OWNERSHIP BY A HFC GENERAL.
THE FIFTH ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE DECEMBER, UH, A HFC BOARD MEETING MINUTES NUMBER ITEM.
ITEM NUMBER SIX IS, UH, AUTHORIZATION OF THE ACQUISITION OF FOUR PARCELS, UH, ON THE 2,900 BLOCK OF SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.
UH, THERE IS LATE BACKUP THAT DEC THAT, UH, DETAILS ALL FOUR OF THESE PARCELS.
UH, THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL COST OF $10.5 MILLION PLUS CLOSING COSTS AND FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN THE, UH, 20 24 20 25 BUDGET FOR A HFC.
FINALLY, UH, THERE IS A, WE HAVE A REQUEST TO AUTHORIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH GUIDEHOUSE INCORPORATED TO INSIST IN, TO ASSIST IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS MADE FOR OUR RENTAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND OWNERSHIP HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WE'VE WORKED WITH GUIDEHOUSE OVER THE LAST YEAR TO COME UP WITH SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
THIS WOULD BE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE, UH, AND I OFFER ALL SEVEN OF THESE ITEMS ON CONSENT.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF WITH REGARD TO THOSE ITEMS? THAT BEING THE CASE? UH, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS READ BOARD MEMBER VELA SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ.
LET ME TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK IF WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
YES, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, ZIA JOSEPH ON HFC FOUR, AND SHE IS HEADING DOWN HANGING MAYOR COUNCIL.
WHILE I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THIS ITEM, I ACTUALLY AM FOR THE TERMINATION OF THIS PECAN PARK NONPROFIT.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THERE'S A LITTLE HISTORY TO IT.
THE WOMEN'S SHELTER WAS GOING TO BE THERE.
THIS IS IN DISTRICT SIX, THE FORMER CANDLEWOOD SUITES HOTEL.
BUT I DID WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION MORE BROADLY A QUOTE FROM YOUR HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER, DAVID GRAY, WHERE HE SAID THAT RAPID REHOUSING IS NOT THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL TO USE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS.
[00:50:01]
YOU TO, UH, REVEL IN THE CELEBRATION TODAY, BUT TO RECOGNIZE THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE OVER SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE HOMELESS IN AUSTIN THAN OUR WHITE COUNTERPARTS.SO MY COMMENTS, AS THEY ALWAYS ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN, I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONSISTENTLY CONTINUES TO HAPPEN EVEN AT THIS PROPERTY IS THAT IT'S INCOME DISCRIMINATION.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE YOUR SMART POLICY MAYOR AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S SAFE, MIXED INCOME ACCESSIBLE.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE REASONABLY PRICED AND TRANSIT ORIENTED.
AND SO MIXED INCOME DOES NOT MEAN TO CONTINUE TO PUT PEOPLE WHO ARE OF THE SAME CATEGORY IN ONE SPACE.
AND SO I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A GOOD THING, BUT I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL THAT AT 1934 SPARROW RUTLAND, I UNDERSTAND EIGHT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED THERE.
SO WHEN YOU ARE CREATING PERMANENT, UH, SOME TYPE OF NONPROFIT TO OVERSEE THESE DEVELOPMENTS, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO PUT IT WHERE PEOPLE ARE MOST IN NEED.
SO I SUPPORT YOU TERMINATING THIS PARTICULAR NONPROFIT, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING ANY BOARD MEMBER WISHING TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION? THAT BEING THE CASE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION AT 10:52 AM WE ARE NOW ADJOURNED.
[10:30 AM - Austin Housing Public Facility Corporation Meeting]
CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION.IT IS 10:52 AM FEBRUARY 13TH, 2025, AND WE'RE MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
I'M JAMIE MAY, THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER FOR THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
UH, I AM HERE TO PRESENT THE A-H-P-F-C AGENDA TO THE A-H-P-F-C BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
UH, YOU HAVE ONE ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY.
THIS IS THE APPROVAL OF AN INDUCEMENT RESOLUTION, UH, TO AUTHORIZE THE ALLOCATION OF PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS, UH, FOR MANIFOLD DEVELOPMENT TO DEVELOP BLOCK 32 LOCATED AT 3 0 4 EAST THIRD STREET.
UH, THIS ITEM HAS NO FISCAL IMPACT AS THESE PRI PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS WOULD BE, UH, REPAID BY THE DEVELOPER.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THAT BEING THE CASE, UH, LET ME ASK IF THERE'S A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, THE ITEM FOR THE AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION.
IT'S MADE BY BOARD MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER CADRE.
I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THERE ARE NO A HF, UH, A-H-P-F-C SPEAKERS MEMBERS.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON THIS.
UH, I WILL ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES.
ABSTAINING OR VOTING NO WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE, UH, MEETING, THE, UH, THE ITEM, THE MOTION, WHICH WAS MADE AND SECONDED IS ADOPTED.
UH, THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN HOUSING PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
WE ARE WITHOUT OBJECTION, ADJOURNED AT 10:53 AM UH, AND WE, I WILL NOW CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT 10:53 AM ON FEBRUARY 13TH, 2025.
[34. Approve an amendment to Article 2 (Purpose and Duties) of the Resource Management Commission’s bylaws to add the following to its scope of review and on which it advises Council: recommendations for the natural gas utility ratemaking, franchise agreement priorities, and operational policies for which the City has regulatory authority]
NON-CONSENT ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER 34 IS AN ITEM THAT COMES TO US FROM THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE VOTED FOUR TO ZERO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY, ABSENT ON DECEMBER 11TH, 2024 TO RECOMMEND STAFF'S REVISED VERSION OF THE BYLAWS AMENDMENTS.
THE STAFF VERSION IS WHAT COUNCIL HAS BEFORE YOU ON BOTH ITEM 34 AND 35, WHICH WILL TAKE UP IN JUST A MINUTE.
ITEM 34 IS THE BYLAWS, AND ITEM 35 IS THE CODE AMENDMENT.
AS, UH, CURRENT CHAIR OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, I WILL MOVE ADOPTION OF ITEM NUMBER 34.
IT IS SECONDED BY THE VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? UM, WE HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP, BUT THEY WERE REMOTE AND THEY'RE NOT IN OUR QUEUE.
SO, ALL RIGHT, MEMBERS, THERE ARE NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK THAT IS PREPARED TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 34.
LET ME ASK, IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO ITEM NUMBER 34 OR DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION? ITEM NUMBER 34 IS ADOPTED.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER
[35. Approve an ordinance amending City Code Section 2-1-168 (Resource Management Commission) to add “recommendations for the natural gas utility ratemaking, franchise agreement priorities, and operational policies for which the City has regulatory authority” as an item the Commission shall review and analyze and as a subject on which the Commission shall advise council. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]
35.AGAIN, THIS WAS A VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE ON
[00:55:01]
A VOTE OF FOUR TO ZERO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY ABSENT ON DECEMBER 11TH, 2024.AND IT IS TO RE, TO TAKE THE STAFF'S, UH, VERSION OF WHAT COUNCIL, UH, OR REC STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION ON THE CODE AMENDMENT AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
IT IS SECONDED BY THE VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? THERE IS NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON 35.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE GAS CONTRACT IS UP FOR RENEWAL NEXT YEAR.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO INVESTIGATE WHAT OTHER TEXAS CITIES ARE DOING OR THEIR APPROACH TO MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN HAVE, UH, POTENTIALLY LOWER RATES FOR THEIR, UH, THEIR CONSTITUENCIES.
WELL, I'LL LET SOMEBODY THERE.
ONE IS WE HAVE IN PREVIOUS, IN INSTANCES RELATED TO, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THIS, THE COUNCIL HAS ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM STAFF AS WE GO ALONG ON THOSE THAT I THINK IS RESPONSIVE TO YOUR QUESTION.
SO I THINK YOU'RE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE COUNCIL IS ALREADY ASKED FOR.
WE DO HAVE SOME ISSUE, UH, WITH REGARD TO WHAT OUR REGULATORY AUTHORITY ACTUALLY IS.
AND WHILE SOME IN THE COMMUNITY WANT OR BELIEVE US TO BE ABLE TO DO MORE IN REGULATION WITH REGARD TO THESE ITEMS, WE MAY NOT HAVE AS MUCH AUTHORITY AS SOME BELIEVE.
SO ACTUALLY IT IS PROBABLY GOOD FOR US TO BE LOOKING AT THOSE SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE CLARITY ABOUT WHAT THE EXTENT OF OUR POWER MIGHT BE.
BUT I THINK YOU'RE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THIS COUNCIL OR OR A, A CONFIGURATION CLOSE TO THIS COUNCIL, UH, WAS ASKING FOR LAST YEAR.
AND I WOULD JUST MAYBE MISSING INFORMATION.
UM, MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECOND ON ITEM NUMBER 35.
THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 36.
[36. Approve a resolution reappointing Amit Motwani to the Central Health Board of Managers.]
UH, ITEM NUMBER 36.UH, I WON'T RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER FUENTES.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO POSTPONE ITEM NUMBER 36, WHICH IS A, A REAPPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD OF CENTRAL HEALTH.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 36 CAME FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE.
UH, THE MAYOR PRO TEM IS THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE.
SHE IS MOVED THAT, THAT ITEM BE POSTPONED.
IT'S SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
IS THERE DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM 36? NO SPEAKERS ON 36 MEMBERS.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 36 WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ITEM NUMBER 36 IS THE MOTION IS APPROVED, WHICH IS TO POSTPONE.
[37. Approve a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire the property interests needed for the Corridor Program Project - East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard / Farm to Market Road (FM) 969 and the 2020 Bond Substandard Streets - Johnny Morris project for the public use of street right-of-way and construction, shared-use path route, and landscaping within the project areas to address congestion and enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists, requiring the acquisition of approximately 1.017 acres (44,284 square feet) of street right-of-way and 0.2199 acres (9,578 square feet) of lateral support (slope) easement, being out of and a portion of James Burleson Survey No. 19, Abstract No. 4, in the City of Austin, Travis County, Texas, being out of that tract described as 33 acres (Tract 1) conveyed to Barelysola, LLC by warranty deed with vendor’s lien, executed October 28, 2021, as recorded in Document No. 2021241992, Official Public Records, Travis County, Texas, currently appraised at $36,805 subject to an increase in value based on updated appraisals or a Special Commissioners’ award. The owner of the needed property is Barelysola, LLC. The property is located at 7000 FM 969, Austin, Texas 78724. The general route of the Corridor Program Project - East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard / FM 969 is along FM 969 between US 183 and Decker Lane. The general route of the 2020 Bond Substandard Streets - Johnny Morris project is along Johnny Morris Road between Loyola Lane and FM 969. Funding: $36,805 is available in the Capital Budget of the Transportation and Public Works Department.]
THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 37.UH, ITEM NUMBER 37 IS AN IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEM.
AND I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 37, MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 37.
THE MOTION THAT IS, IS BEING VOTED ON IS BECAUSE ITEM NUMBER 37 IS A NON-CONSENT CONDEMNATION ITEM.
THE MOTION IS THE, IS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, UH, AUTHORIZES THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC USE THAT'S DESCRIBED THEREIN.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS MOTION? UH, ON THIS ITEM, NO SPEAKERS ON 37 MEMBERS.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP ON ITEM NUMBER 37.
AGAIN, THE MOTION IS THAT THIS IS A NON-CONSENT CONDEMNATION ITEM.
AND THE MOTION IS TO THE EFFECT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN TEXAS AUTHORIZES THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC USE THAT'S DESCRIBED THEREIN WITHOUT OBJECTION, ITEM NUMBER 37.
WE WILL NOW GO TO ITEM NUMBER 40.
[40. Conduct a public hearing and consider a resolution related to an application by AMTEX Manor Fund LP, or an affiliated entity, for 4% Low Income Housing Tax credits for the construction of a multi-family development to be financed through the private activity bond program and to be known as Manor Apartments, located within the City at or near 6705 Manor Road, Austin, Texas 78723. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]
UH, ITEM NUMBER 40 IS A PUBLIC HEARING.WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 40.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM 40 MEMBERS.
WE HAVE NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 40.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION SET FORTH IN ITEM NUMBER 40.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON MAKES THE MOTION.
IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.
IS THERE DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 40? HEARING NONE, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ITEM NUMBER 40 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS.
[Items 41 & 42]
NUMBER 41 IS POSTPONED TO MARCH 6TH.ITEM NUMBER 42 IS POSTPONED TO MARCH 6TH.
UH, MEMBERS, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ITEMS TO TAKE UP UNTIL A TIME CERTAIN OF 12:00 PM WHICH WILL BE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
AT 12 O'CLOCK WE WILL TAKE UP PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
I ANTICIPATE THAT WILL LAST UNTIL ABOUT 1230 OR 1235.
MAYOR, WE DO HAVE PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR 42.
[01:00:01]
THEY ABLE TO SPEAK ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT? WELL, I SUPPOSE THEY COULD.THEN WE'LL OPEN MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING SO PEOPLE CAN SPEAK TO THE MERITS OF A POSTPONEMENT.
FIRST WE HAVE BILL BUNCH WITH TWO MINUTES DONATED BY MONICA GUZMAN.
ARE THEY PRESENT? I, I, I, MR. BUNCH.
ARE YOU STILL HERE, MR. BUNCH? WILLIAM BUNCH.
DID MS. GUZMAN WANNA SPEAK ON ITEM 42? REALLY? YES, WE DO.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK EVEN THOUGH I DONATED TIME.
JUST THANK YOU FOR THE POSTPONEMENT.
I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, BY POSTPONING THAT COUNCIL WILL TAKE THE TIME TO LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS AT SOS ALLIANCE AS WELL AS RESIDENTS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE POSTPONEMENT.
OH, SHARON BLYTHE, ROY WHALEY, TANIA KAREEM, AND CRAIG NASER SPEAKING ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT OF ITEM 42.
IS THAT IT? YES, PLEASE SPEAK FOR THE RECORD SPEAKING JUST TO THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.
UM, YOU DON'T NEED TO GET, I'M OPPOSED, I'M OPPOSED TO THE POSTPONEMENT BECAUSE PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE, THEY HAVE PRESENTATIONS AND THEY FIND, ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY FIND OUT THERE'S A POSTPONEMENT.
WE, I WAS NOT TOLD THAT BY THE CITY CLERK ABOUT THAT.
AND IF I COULD JUST RUN THROUGH A FEW SLIDES, I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
YOU GOT TWO MINUTES IS IN THE VALLEY.
WE HAD THOUSANDS OF TREES BEING RE HAVE BEEN REMOVED BY WATERSHED FOR AN UNNECESSARY PROJECT.
THIS IS WHAT OUR VALLEY LOOKED LIKE BEFORE THE PROJECT STARTED.
UH, WE TRIED TO STOP IT, BUT THERE WAS NO ABSOLUTELY NO UH, UH, INTEREST IN IT.
AND IT STARTED ANOTHER PICTURE OF OUR VALLEY.
THIS IS WHAT LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
THOUSANDS OF TREES HAVE BEEN REMOVED, INCLUDING 13 HERITAGE TREES.
BECAUSE OF AN UNNECESSARY PROJECT, IT'S GONNA CAUSE MORE FLOODING.
ALL OF THIS IS GONNA BE COVERED BY CEMENT AND IT'S GONNA FLOOD BULL CREEK RANCH ON DOWN BULL CREEK.
AND NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT THE CITY.
WE HAVE MADE SEVERAL APPROACHES TO COUNCIL MEMBER LANE TO TALK WITH HER.
SHE HAS REFUSED TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THAT.
AND, UH, SHE SAID THE OTHER DAY IN HER PRESS CONFERENCE THAT SHE WAS ALL FOR IT.
SHE GETS ONE SIDE OF THE STORY, DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY, AND, UM, THIS IS GOING TO BE A DISASTER FOR THIS WHOLE AREA.
IT HAS BEEN RUINED, IT HAS BEEN DESTROYED.
AND ALL YOU ENVIRONMENTALISTS ON THE CITY COUNCIL, I HOPE YOU CAN STEP UP AND UNDERSTAND THIS AND COME OUT AND VISIT AND LOOK AT THIS THING.
IT IS RIDICULOUS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND IT'S GONNA BE MORE WATER DOWN BULL CREEK.
UH, IT'S GONNA DESTROY THE JOLLYVILLE SALAMANDER HABITAT SPRINGS.
CRYSTAL LANE REFUSES TO MEET WITH THE DISTRICT PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS.
ALL SPEAKERS FOR ITEM 42 HAVE BEEN CALLED AT THIS TIME, MEMBERS.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 42.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 42.
UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED AND THIS ITEM WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL MARCH 6TH, 2025.
WE HAVE NO OTHER BUSINESS UNTIL A 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN.
AT 12 O'CLOCK WE WILL TAKE UP, UH, CITIZEN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
I ANTICIPATE THAT WILL TAKE TILL 1230 OR 1235, AT WHICH POINT WE WILL RECESS FOR LIVE MUSIC AND WE WILL THEN RECONVENE AT THE TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN.
SO WHEN WE RECESS AT 1230 OR 1235, WE'LL BE RECESSING UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK.
FOR THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING AND PAYING ATTENTION THAT AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS IN RECESS AT 11:04 AM UNTIL PROMPTLY AT 12 O'CLOCK.
I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S 12:01 PM ON FEBRUARY 13TH.
[12:00 PM - Public Communication: General]
UH, WE WILL NOW GO TO OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, AND I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK THAT, UM, THE CLERK'S OFFICE START CALLING NAMES.FOLKS, IF YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION,
[01:05:01]
YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE ON THE, UH, ON THE LIST OF FOLKS.SO IF YOU'D MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE CHAMBERS.
AND IF THERE'S AN EMPTY MICROPHONE, PLEASE GO TO THAT MICROPHONE AND JUST IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
FIRST SPEAKER IS NAVA BERG WITH JAVIER PEREZ SALAZAR ON DECK OR HAS YOUR NAME OR, OR PLEASE COME FORWARD.
UM, NAVA IS SICK, SO SHE'S NOT GONNA BE HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING, LETTING US KNOW THAT.
AND ALL, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND, AND BEGIN SPEAKING.
YEAH, MY FIRST TIME BEING HERE.
I'M A ENGINEER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN.
I'M THE HEALTHCARE CAUCUS CHAIR.
I'M ALSO A PART OF SDS AND I'M JUST HERE TO, UM, HERE FOR, TO SPEAK FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY HERE IN AUSTIN.
UM, THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE A VOICE, ESPECIALLY WITH, UM, ALL THESE LIKE FEAR OF ICE AND, YOU KNOW, THIS HOSTILE NARRATIVE AT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BRINGS TO OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITIES.
AND, UM, I THINK, UH, PERSONALLY TALKING WITH MY FRIENDS AT THE U DEMOCRATS OR JUST OTHER STUDENTS IN GENERAL, THE GENERAL STUDENT BODY, WE THINK THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AUSTIN CAN BE DOING MORE.
UM, WHERE THERE'S LIKE A STATEMENT OF LIKE SANCTUARY OR, UM, PROVIDING STATISTICS WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE, WHO'S LIKE, UH, DETAINEES.
LIKE JUST HAVING LIKE A HARD NUMBER TO GO REFER TO.
'CAUSE WHEN I GO TO THE FEDERAL WEBSITE, THERE'S NO NOTHING FOR AUSTIN.
WHEN I TRY TO LOOK UP SOMETHING, THERE'S NOTHING FOR AUSTIN ABOUT LIKE, UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE BEING DETAINED AND WHERE HERE IN THE CITY.
UM, AND ALSO JUST LIKE ENCOURAGING THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY IN GENERAL, LIKE MINOR MINORITY COMMUNITIES IN GENERAL.
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, HE LIKE CUT DOWN LIKE THERE'S NO BLACK, THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
THEY RECOGNIZE LIKE THESE CULTURAL, UM, EVENTS ANYMORE.
AND I THINK, UM, YEAH, I THINK THE CITY ASKING BE DOING MORE SPECIFICALLY WHEN I'M GOING WITH LIKE THE, THOSE THREE POINTS, UM, WITH THE STATEMENT, UM, I KNOW LIKE IT ISN'T, IT'S NOT ACTUAL POLICY, LIKE NOTHING'S LIKE REALLY HAPPENING, BUT UM, IT JUST GIVES US LIKE HISPANIC COMMUNITIES MORE CONFIDENCE AND, YOU KNOW, NOT TO LIVE IN FEAR THAN KNOWING THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS LIKE STANDING WITH US.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO STATISTICS AGAIN, UM, I WAS, UH, AT THE PROTESTS HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND ON THIS WEDNESDAY AT THE UNIVERSITY AT THE CAPITOL.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S SO CRUCIAL.
LUCKILY I HAVE LIKE, UM, ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE FROM LIKE OTHER OF MY PEERS TALKING ABOUT LIKE THEIR, UM, EXPERIENCES WITH LIKE ICE OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST THESE NASTY NARRATIVES IN GENERAL.
BUT A HARD NUMBER WOULD BE NICE.
SO I HOPE LIKE THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN LIKE WORK ON, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S LIKE TANKS, LIKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT IF YOU CAN SOMEHOW LIKE WORK TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, GET STARTED ON THAT, TO HAVE LIKE A HARD NUMBER BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING WE HAVE IN OUR ARSENAL IS LIKE THE FACTS, RIGHT? SO I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN GOING TO LIKE, UM, CULTURAL ENCOURAGEMENT.
UH, YES, AGAIN, FIGHTING AGAINST THOSE NASTY NARRATIVES THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE AGAINST US AND, YOU KNOW, TO SHOW THAT IT'S NOT TRUE AND TO BE PROUD OF WHO WE ARE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE REMOTE.
MS. RIVERA WILL HAVE, UH, SPANISH INTERPRETATION.
I'M A RESIDENT OF ZIP CODE 7 8 7 5 3, DISTRICT FOUR.
I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT'S NOW TO LIVE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
THE COST OF LIVING IS TOO STRESSFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN GENERAL ELDERLY AND WHO DON'T HAVE THE SAME JOB OPPORTUNITIES ANYMORE.
[01:10:02]
IT IS DIFFICULT TO PAY OUR BILLS, WHICH ARE INCREASING EVERY DAY WITH, WELL, SALARIES STAY THE SAME.THIS MEANS THAT OUR FAMILIES HAVE TO MOVE, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR TWO MORE AFFORDABLE PLACES LIKE MOVING FROM AN APARTMENT THAT IS NOW TOO EXPENSIVE TO BUY A MOBILE HOME.
BUT THEN THIS INCREASES, UH, CHALLENGES AND EXTRA FEES AND THEY BECOME A PROBLEM BECAUSE MOBILE HOMES, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INSULATION.
YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR OWN REPAIRS.
AND NOW WE HAVE TO PAY LOCAL TAXES, WHICH ARE VERY HIGH.
IN SOME CASES, OUR RESILIENCE TO FACE DIFFICULT EVENTS WILL BE IMPROVED IF WE HAVE THE CITY SUPPORT RADICAL CHANGE, A TRANSCENDENT CHANGE WILL HELP US IMPROVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE UNCONTROLLED GROWTH IN THE CITY IS PART OF THE PROBLEM WE ARE FACING, AND IT MUST BE ADDRESSED FOR OUR LIVES TO CONTINUE TO BE SUSTAINABLE.
BECAUSE OF THIS, WE NEED A SOLUTION TO REMAIN RESILIENT.
THAT'S WHY TODAY I AM CALLING TO ASK YOU FOR SUPPORT TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS AND LISTEN TO THEIR NEEDS TO INVEST IN AFFORDABLE LIVING SOLUTIONS SO RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE TO MOVE TO OTHER COUNTIES AND CAN CONTINUE LIVING WITH DIGNITY AND HAVING A HAPPY LIFE IN OUR CITY.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A TIME TO EXPRESS MYSELF AND HAVE A GOOD DAY, GRACIA.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMMAN ODAY.
UM, HELLO, MY NAME IS AMMAN ODAY AND I'M A PEDIATRICIAN HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UM, FOR THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, UM, I HAVE ACTUALLY, UM, I WAS ONE OF THE FIRSTHAND WITNESSES IN WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN GAZA.
I WAS ON A MEDICAL MISSION LAST YEAR, UH, TAKING CARE OF NEWBORNS.
UM, WHEN I CAME HOME, I REALIZED THAT WHAT HAPPENS ELSE OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN TRULY AFFECTS US HERE.
UM, WHEN I CAME BACK, I WITNESSED WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR STUDENTS, UM, THE, THE NEAR DROWNING IN DALLAS, THE 6-YEAR-OLD THAT WAS STABBED, AND I PROMISED MYSELF THAT I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT AUSTIN CONTINUES TO BE SAFE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE REPORTS COMING OUT SAYING OVER 70% INCREASE IN, UH, THE ANTI PALESTINIAN RACISM AND ISLAMOPHOBIA.
UM, SO WHEN I SAW THAT OUR AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS IS ACTUALLY ADVOCATING AND RELEASE STATEMENTS ADVOCATING FOR US TO DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING IN, UH, ISLAMOPHOBIA, ANTI PALESTINIAN RACISM IN ADDITION TO ANTISEMITISM, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF US UNDERSTAND THAT IS UPON US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING.
WE DO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, WE DO SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN.
WE DON'T WANNA SEE ANY VICTIMS BECAUSE WE SAY WE FEEL THE PAIN, WE FEEL UNSAFE, BUT THEN SOME PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY UNSAFE.
AND I GOT TO MEET THE FAMILY WITH THE 6-YEAR-OLD AND THE 3-YEAR-OLD THAT ALMOST DROWNED IN DALLAS.
AND, UH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, THIS TYPE OF THING NEVER HAPPENS IN AUSTIN.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU ON PROGRAMS THAT WOULD MAKE OUR CITY, OUR BELOVED CITY, UM, AS SAFE AS POSSIBLY CAN BE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CALLIE HIBBS WITH ALINA RODRIGUEZ DECK.
[01:15:02]
DO WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE SLIDES? UM, THIS, THIS WHAT YOU, THANK YOU.OH, NO, THAT'S NOT, YOU NEED TO TAKE THE LINK.
I'M A MULTI-GENERATIONAL EX IN AUSTINITE, IN A FOURTH GENERATION LONGHORN, AS THE WORLD AWAITS TO SEE IF THE MUCH NEEDED CEASEFIRE AND GAZA HOLDS.
HUMANITY CONTINUES TO GRIEVE AT THE ONGOING OPPRESSION OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE, BOTH IN GAZA AND THE MILITARILY OCCUPIED WEST BANK.
VIDEO EVIDENCE AFTER VIDEO EVIDENCE SHOWING THE CONTINUED INDISCRIMINATE BOMBING AND OR DEMOLITION OF HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS, REFUGEE CAMPS, EVIDENCE AFTER EVIDENCE PROVING THE SUFFERING AND THEFT OF INNOCENT AND INDIGENOUS MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN, ACCOUNT AFTER ACCOUNT OF VIOLENT AND VILE ISRAELI SETTLERS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE WHAT DOES NOT BELONG TO THEM ALL MADE POSSIBLE PRIMARILY BY THE AMERICAN TAX DOLLAR, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE AMERICAN MILITARY NORMALIZING SUCH EVIL ON THE GLOBAL STAGE.
AS WE ALL WITNESS THESE HORRORS, WE ARE REMINDED THAT CONTINUING TO ASSOCIATE OURSELVES WITH THE ZIONIST PROJECT WILL FOREVER AND ALWAYS BE A DRAIN, NOT ONLY ON OUR COLLECTIVE HUMANITY, BUT ON OUR TAX DOLLARS.
AND AT A TIME WHEN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ARE IN DECLINE, LET'S NOT GIVE MONEY TO GENOCIDAL RELIGIOUS FANATICS.
THESE ARE FOUR FEMALE ISRAELI SOLDIERS APPREHENDED ON OCTOBER 7TH, WHO SPENT 16 MONTHS AT THE MERCY OF THE ALAM BRIGADE, ALL FOUR APPEARING QUITE HEALTHY AND WELL FED.
THIS IS IBRAHIM MOHAMED KALISH, RESIDENT OF NORTH GAZA, ARRESTED DECEMBER 10TH, 2023, RECENTLY RELEASED BY ISRAELI TERRORIST, TORTURED BY STARVATION, ELECTRICITY AND DOGS.
HIS ENTIRE BODY IS COVERED IN EVIDENCE OF TORTURE.
Y'ALL I'LL ADMIT, I TAKE UP ARMS, I'D TAKE UP ARMS, AND I WOULD VIOLENTLY DEFEND MYSELF IF SUCH EVIL WAS THRUSTED UPON ME AND MY COMMUNITY.
AS I PLUG THIS SUFFERING OF PALESTINE INTO A LARGER HISTORICAL CONTEXT, I BEGIN TO REALIZE HOW CONVENIENT IT MUST BE FOR THE EUROPEAN PERSON THAT WHENEVER THEY WENT TO INVADE AND CONQUER A SPACE OF PRIMARILY BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, WHENEVER THEY WANT TO TORTURE AND KILL, TO MAINTAIN THAT FALSE POWER, GOD IS ALWAYS ON THEIR SIDE.
YET, HOW ON EARTH CAN THESE PRIMARILY EUROPEAN PEOPLE BE THE RIGHTFUL STEWARDS OF THE HOLY LAND? LOOK HOW THEY HAVE POISONED THIS PLACE THAT IS PRECIOUS TO BILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS PLANET EARTH.
BEAR WITNESS TO THE WICKEDNESS.
LOOK HOW THEY POISON THE HOLY LAND WITH APARTHEID, WITH WHITE PHOSPHORUS, WITH STRATEGIC STARVATION, WITH PUNITIVE SODOMY, WITH SYSTEMIC PEDOPHILIA.
THESE THINGS ARE DEEPLY, DEEPLY DEVIANT NAZARETH, BETHLEHEM, JERUSALEM.
I GREW UP LEARNING ABOUT THESE PLACES IN CATHOLIC CATECHISM, AND AT THE TIME THEY WERE ALMOST MYSTICAL TO ME, BARELY REAL.
AND TO GROW AND TO LEARN THAT NOT ONLY DO THESE PLACES EXIST IN PALESTINE, BUT UNDER THIS CURRENT STATE OF OCCUPATION AT THE HANDS OF FOREIGN SUPREMACISTS AND MY OWN TAX DOLLARS, IT'S BEEN DEEPLY DISTURBING.
I IMP IMPLORE THIS NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL TO FINANCIALLY AND DIPLOMATICALLY DISASSOCIATE FROM THE INHUMANE ENTITY OF ISRAEL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELENA RODRIGUEZ, WHO WILL HAVE SPANISH INTERPRETATION.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ELENA RODRIGUEZ.
I HAVE LIVED IN DOVE SPRINGS FOR 16 YEARS AND ME RIO.
I AM A SINGLE MOM AND I DON'T DRIVE LIKE ME.
THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE ELDERLY VETERANS THAT LIVE IN MY COMMUNITY.
IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY OR A DISASTER, THE EASIEST WAY WILL BE TO GO TO A SHELTER IN MY COMMUNITY.
[01:20:28]
THE WAY THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW, IF THE THERE IS A DISASTER, I WILL HAVE TO LEAVE MY HOME, TAKE A BUS AT 4:00 PM ARRIVE AT A PLACE AT 6:00 PM IN A PLACE THAT I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY MAYBE DON'T SPEAK MY LANGUAGE, THEY DON'T KNOW MY CULTURE.I WILL FEEL VERY INTIMIDATED IN A PLACE LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY, THEY DON'T KNOW ME, I DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE, AND I WILL FEEL I AM NOT GONNA HAVE ENOUGH CONFIDENCE TO REGISTER IN A PLACE LIKE THIS.
THEN THEY WILL SEND ME TO ANOTHER PLACE WHERE PEOPLE THAT I ALSO DON'T KNOW.
SO THAT'S WHY I AM HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT SHELTERS SHOULD BE LOCATED WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES.
THAT WAY PEOPLE CAN HAVE, UH, THE, THE SHELTERS CLOSE TO THEM, THEY SHOULD BE READY AND EQUIPPED TO BE OPEN AND EVERY AND BEFORE THERE IS AN EMERGENCY.
AND WITH ALL THE REQUIRED PERMITS.
I'M MONICA GUZMAN, POLICY DIRECTOR AT GAVA.
WE ARE TIRED OF SEEING ZONING CHANGES THAT ONLY BENEFIT RICH, RICH DEVELOPERS AND DISPLACE LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
IN AUSTIN'S EASTERN CRESCENT, WE URGE YOU MAYOR WATSON AND COUNCIL MEMBERS TO CREATE AN EQUITY ANTI DISPLACEMENT OVERLAY THROUGH A COMMUNITY-BASED PROCESS IN ORDER TO PROTECT COMMUNITIES VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT, DELAY THE GRANTING OF ENTITLEMENTS WITHIN AREAS AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT FOR ANY ZONING CHANGES ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AS WELL AS IN THE PIPELINE TO ALIGN WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN EQUITY ANTI DISPLACEMENT OVERLAY SUPPORTED BY OVER 40 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF AN EQUITY OVERLAY AFTER ZONING CHANGES ARE PASSED.
THE PURPOSE OF THE EQUITY ANTI DISPLACEMENT OVERLAY WOULD BE TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PRODUCE HOUSING THAT IS TRULY AFFORDABLE IN NEIGHBORHOODS IN WHICH RESIDENTS ARE VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT.
THE OVERLAY SHOULD BE CRAFTED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY DISPLACEMENT, LOW INCOME, HOMEOWNERS, TENANTS, AND UNHOUSED RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS FRONTLINE ORGANIZATIONS.
THE PROTECTIVE OVERLAY SHOULD COVER ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IDENTIFIED AS VULNERABLE IN THE UT UPROOTED REPORT BASED ON THE MAP OF MOST VULNERABLE CENSUS TRACKS THROUGHOUT AUSTIN.
CENSUS DATA AND A COMMUNITY-BASED PROCESS CAN ALSO BE USED TO CONSIDER THE ADDITION OF NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE OVERLAY BASED ON NEIGHBORHOOD VULNERABILITY.
THE OVERLAY SHOULD ENCOURAGE TRULY AFFORDABLE DENSITY RATHER THAN INCENTIVIZING MARKET RATE.
UNAFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH ACCELERATES DISPLACEMENT, DRIVES UP HOUSING COSTS, AND INCENTIVIZES DEMOLITION OF EXISTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
RIGHT NOW, COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE WORKING TIRELESSLY TO FIGHT MULTIPLE ZONING CASES TO PREVENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING FROM BEING DESTROYED, SUCH AS THE DECEMBER 12 ZONING CASE, WHILE THE ARROW RIVERSIDE TENANTS NEGOTIATED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE DEVELOPER, IT WAS NOT ENOUGH.
THE PROCESS NEEDS TO CHANGE TO ENSURE EQUITY IS CONSIDERED IN ALL THE CASES HAPPENING IN VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
WE ARE REQUESTING AND RECOMMENDING FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO BE INVOLVED IN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ZONING CASES IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT TO ENSURE EQUITY IS CONSIDERED IN DECISION MAKING.
FRANCIS AIA WITH MINA RODRIGUEZ ON DECK.
DID BARBARA ALTMAN WITHDRAW HER NAME? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UM, UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE RESILIENCE HUBS
[01:25:01]
AND ON THE DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLAN AND SOME OF THE GAPS THAT WE STILL NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE IN ORDER FOR THE RESPONSE TO BE SUSTAINABLE.WE CAN BE PROUD OF ALL THE COMMITMENTS, ADVANCES THAT THE CITY HAS DONE IN ALL, BUT WITHOUT THE STRUCTURE IN PLACE, IT WOULD NOT WORK.
AND I'M HERE TO ASK THAT HIAM, UH, HOMELAND SECURITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MUST IDENTIFY WHICH SITES ARE AVAILABLE, HAVE RESOURCES, AND HAVE DESIGNATED SITES AS OVERNIGHT SHELTERS IN ADVANCE OF AN EMERGENCY.
THERE NEEDS TO BE COMMUNICATION TO THE PUBLIC OF WHICH SITES ARE DESIGNATED SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET TO THEIR NEAREST RESILIENCE HUB.
TRANSPORTATION SHOULD SERVE WITHIN NEIGHBORHOODS FOR SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY.
GOING FROM ONE NEIGHBORHOOD TO ONE TEXAS CENTER AND THEN TO THE HUB CAN BE TRAUMATIZING AND DEMEANING.
THESE SITES NEED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AS OVERNIGHT SHELTERS, ASSIGN CITY STAFF POINTS OF CONTACT TO BLACK CAPTAINS AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS SO THAT EMERGENCY PLANS CAN BE ACTIVATED AND IMPLEMENTED.
BLACK CAPTAINS ARE TRAINED RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER, ORGANIZING THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND PASS DOWN INFORMATION FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE CITY AND THE CITY TO, UM, TO THE RESIDENTS.
UM, CITY MANAGER MUST ENSURE THAT STAFF AND CONTRACTED PARTNERS AT THIS SITES HAVE ADEQUATE PERMISSION TRAINING AND RESOURCES.
CITY COUNCIL MUST ENSURE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDING FOR THEM TO BE RESOURCED AND TRAINED, AND ALSO HAVE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS TO SUPPORT IN THESE SITES.
COMMUNITY HEALTH, UH, CARE WORKERS ARE TRAINED WITH SEVEN CORE CO COMPETENCIES.
UH, WE HAVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS, INTERPERSONAL, UH, SKILLS, SERVICE COORDINATION, CAPACITY BUILDING ADVOCACY, ORGANIZING SKILLS, AND KNOWLEDGE BASE ON SPECIFIC HEALTH ISSUES.
CONTRACTS WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION MUST BE IN PLACE TO SERVE SPECIFIC NEEDS, AND THEY SHOULD BE WITH A LEVEL OF UN UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIABILITY, STANDING ORDERS, POINTS OF CONTACT, AND THEIR ABILITY TO ACT ON A PLAN OF RESPONSE.
ANY PUBLIC FACING STAFF NEEDS TO BE TRAINED IN TRAUMA-INFORMED COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
WE RECOMMEND THE THANK YOU SPEAKER.
MS. RODRIGUEZ WILL HAVE SPANISH INTERPRETATION.
I CAME TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE DURING THE WINTER STORM URI.
I WAS AT MENDEZ MIDDLE SCHOOL DURING THE STORM AND MANY THINGS FELL DURING THE, UH, AT THAT TIME BECAUSE THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN IN PLACE AND NO AGREEMENTS BETWEEN GROUPS AND DEPARTMENTS AT THAT MOMENT.
JORGE MORALES WAS CALLING THE CITY, THE DISTRICT, AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO CREATE A RESPONSE PLANS BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS COWS COM.
AS A LEADER, RESIDENT, AND AN ACTIVIST IN MY COMMUNITY, I FELT SAD AND DEVASTATED WITH THE LACK OF LEADERSHIP.
WE RESIDENTS HAD TO COOK, CLEAN, DISTRIBUTE, BRING ITEMS AND UTENSILS FROM OUR OWN HOMES, ANYTHING THAT COULD HELP AT THAT MOMENT TO HELP OTHERS.
THE CITY ARRIVED LATE WITH FOOD AND
[01:30:01]
WATER AND, AND OTHER SUPPLIES LAS AS RESIDENTS.TODAY WE ARE ASKING THAT THIS EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE REPEATED.
THE CITY NEEDS TO HAVE THE CONTRACTORS, VENDORS, STAFF, RESOURCES READY TO RESPOND TO AN EMERGENCY.
THE TRAINING FOR THE VOLUNTEERS, THE CITY NEEDS TO TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH BEFORE EMERGENCIES.
SO I WAS A VOLUNTEER AND I FELT SATISFIED TO HELP MY COMMUNITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I FELT VERY SAD BECAUSE I SAW THE LACK OF LEADERSHIP OF THE CITY AND THE LACK OF RESOURCES THAT WE HAD.
AND THIS AFFECTS THE COMMUNITY VERY MUCH, ESPECIALLY THE EMOTIONAL WELLBEING AND THE MENTAL HEALTH OF PEOPLE.
AND THIS IS THE MOMENT ALSO WHERE TRUST IS AFFECTED AND PEOPLE START LOSING HOPE.
I ASKED THE CITY TO BE BETTER PREPARED BEFORE AN EMERGENCY ARRIVES, TO BE PREPARED WITH THE CONTRAST GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR ANY EMERGENCY.
EACH ENTITY SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH PLACES WITH ENOUGH SPACE, MULTIPLE INFORMATION STATIONS, RESOURCES FOR EACH EMERGENCY.
ALL GROUPS NEED TO BE COORDINATED AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THEY NEED TO BE COORDINATED WITH TO THE SAME PURPOSE.
TODAY, ON BEHALF OF MY COMMUNITY, I ASK THE CITY THAT TO START WORKING ON AN EMERGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN TO HEAVILY FOCUS ON COMMUNICATIONS BECAUSE THIS WAS FAILED DURING WINTER URI RESIDENT.
I WANT TO THANK MY COMMUNITY, MY PEOPLE, BECAUSE THERE WERE THE VOLUNTEERS THAT HELPED DURING THE, THE WINTER STORM URI.
I CANNOT THANK THE CITY BECAUSE AT THAT POINT MANY PEOPLE CRY.
I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT CRIED AND I HAVE FIVE CHILDREN AND WE SUFFERED A LOT DURING THIS WINTER STORM.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMUNICATION MEMBERS.
THAT CONCLUDES THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AT THE TIME, CERTAIN AT 12:00 PM SO WITH THAT, UH, AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 2:00 PM WE WILL HAVE, UH, OUR LIVE MUSIC THEY'LL SET UP RIGHT AFTER THIS, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR LIVE MUSIC.
BUT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 2:00 PM IT IS 12:30 PM WE ARE RECESSED.
[Live Music]
EVERYONE.WE HAVE A REAL, UH, TREAT TODAY.
UH, PROM QUEEN, UH, FROM DISTRICT FOUR.
SHE, THEY IS A SECOND GENERATION QUEER VIETNAMESE AMERICAN BASED IN AUSTIN, BUILT ON AUTHENTICITY, VULNERABILITY, TH BEING NATURAL, UH, QUIRKINESS AND CULTURAL PRIDE.
AUSTIN'S FIRST AND ONLY ASIAN AMERICAN LABEL PROM QUEEN WRITES MUSIC FOR HERSELF, HER FAMILY, AND FOR OTHER ASIAN AMERICANS WHO HAVE EVER STRUGGLED WITH NOT BEING ASIAN ENOUGH, WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY
[01:35:01]
NOT BEING AMERICAN ENOUGH.SOUNDS LIKE A LATINO PROBLEM TOO.
UH, PROM QUEEN, PLEASE TAKE IT AWAY.
AWESOME, THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHITO.
I WANNA THANK YOU SO MUCH TO, UM, GREG AND RAIMI AND PIERRE FOR HELPING FACILITATE AND BRINGING US HERE TODAY AND WELCOMING US INTO YOUR SPACE.
UM, WITH ME RIGHT HERE, I HAVE MY PRODUCER, FRIEND, MANAGER, UM, FOUNDER OF EMHART, THE ASIAN AMERICAN LABEL IN AUSTIN, WAVERLY, AND MYSELF, I'M PROM QUEEN WITH THAT WONDERFUL INTRODUCTION FROM TITO.
UM, THIS PROJECT IS REALLY SPECIAL TO US.
I GET TO SHARE STORIES ABOUT MY PARENTS WHO ARE IMMIGRANTS FROM VIETNAM AND ME BEING AN IMMIGRANT'S KID HERE.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S QUITE SPECIAL.
AND, UM, I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED THAT TODAY IS PROM QUEEN DAY.
SO MY RULE IS COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU HAVE TO CALL EACH OTHER QUEEN WHEN YOU ADDRESS EACH OTHER TODAY.
ALL RIGHT? YOU'D BE LIKE, YES, QUEEN COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO I WOULD LOVE THAT TO HAPPEN IF WE CAN MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
UM, THIS SONG, UM, THAT WE'RE GONNA SING FOR YOU IS A VERY SPECIAL ONE TO ME.
IT'S AN HOMAGE TO A 1960S TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE FOLK SONG CALLED RUNG THAT TRANSLATES TO FOREST JUNGLE RAIN.
AND SO OUR SONG SWEET RUNG IS ABOUT THIS LONGING FOR HOME.
UM, SO WHATEVER THAT MEANS FOR ALL OF YOU COULD BE A FAMILY MEMBER, COULD BE A HOME, COULD BE A SMELL OF FOOD THAT TASTES REALLY GOOD OR A BELLY LAUGH OF YOUR BEST FRIEND.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS WE, UH, SING THE SONG.
WHAT IS THIS WAS RULED FOR THE HELL OF IT.
CAN ANYBODY HEAR WHAT I WANNA SAY? DON'T MAKE SENSE.
I'M A RUNAWAY, LIKE A LOST KID.
WE GROW UP SO FAST, IT RUINS IT.
I WAS SKIPPING IN MY GARDEN WHEN IT GLORY TOLD A PUPPET SONNET.
THEN YOU WROTE UP AND YOU FROZE.
I CRY WAITING ON A MIDNIGHT SKY.
NOT THE WAY I WANTED TO WITH EACH KISS.
MY CAN I GET BACK HOME WHEN A SING LONG WHERE YOU GO? CAN I GET BACK HOME? 'CAUSE OF YOU NOW WE CAN NEVER BE HOME LIKE BEFORE, LIKE BEFORE FALLEN.
I'M THE FLOWER AND LIKE FALLEN FLOWER FALLING DOWN, TRICKLED DOWN, OPENED UP THE SKIES.
WILL YOU COME HOME? A SWEET I RAIN DOWN SOON.
MY WON'T YOU FEEL AT HOME WHEN AING AND WHERE YOU GO INSIDE? CAN I GET BACK HOME? CAN I GET BACK HOME? OH,
[01:40:02]
THANK YOU.UM, ENJOYED IT SO MUCH, QUEEN.
AND, AND I'VE GOT ANOTHER, UH, I'VE GOT QUEEN PAIGE ELLI, UH, OVER THERE AND I SEE QUEEN OF VANESSA FUENTES AND QUEEN CRYSTAL LANE HERE TOO.
SO YES, SHE, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE, THE PERFORMANCE, UH, WONDERFUL.
AND, UH, I UNDERSTAND AT SAY PROM QUEEN ON INSTAGRAM AND YOUTUBE.
AND THEN I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE SOME LIVE SHOWS COMING UP FOR A API HERITAGE MONTH IN MAY.
UH, WELL, WE'LL DEFINITELY, UH, LOOK OUT FOR THAT AND JUST, UH, APPRECIATE YOU, UH, COMING, UH, SO MUCH.
AND LET ME GO AHEAD AND READ THE PROCLAMATION TOO.
LET ME GET MY GLASSES, ACTUALLY, EXCUSE ME.
IT SAYS, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS BLESSED WITH MANY CREATIVE MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENT EXTENDS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY MUSICAL GENRE.
AND WHEREAS OUR MUSIC SCENE THRIVES BECAUSE AUSTIN AUDIENCES SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC PRODUCED BY LEGENDS, OUR LOCAL FAVORITES AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE.
AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO SHOWCASE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, UH, CHITO VELA ON BE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS PAIGE ELLI AND KRISTA LANE ON BEHALF OF KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 13TH, 2025 AS PROM QUEEN DAY IN TEXAS.
ANY, ANY WORDS THAT YOU WANT TO ADD, ANY MESSAGES THAT YOU WANT TO SEND? UM, YES.
SO, UH, NEXT YOU COULD SEE US IN MAY.
UM, IF YOU FOLLOW US AT SAY PROM QUEEN ON ANY SOCIAL SOCIAL PLATFORM, WE'LL BE PERFORMING DURING A API MONTH FOR AN MHAR, UM, ASIAN AMERICAN SHOWCASE.
UM, BUT AS THE RULING IS FOR TODAY, WE MUST ADDRESS EACH OTHER AS QUEEN.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL.
AND A PLEASURE TO LISTEN TO THE MUSIC.
LET, LET'S GET SOME PHOTOS RIGHT QUICK.
LET'S GET VANESSA OVER TWO, VANESSA MAYOR PROTIME.
I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
[2:00 PM - Zoning and Neighborhood Plan Amendments (Public Hearings and Possible Action)]
2:00 PM ON FEBRUARY 13TH.WE HAVE OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN AND I'LL RECOGNIZE STAFF, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
I'M JOY HARDY WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
YOUR ZONING AGENDA BEGINS WITH ITEM NUMBER 43 C 1 4 20 24 0 0 6 9.
AND THIS ITEM'S OFFER FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
AND THIS ITEM'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM 45 IS NPA 20 24 0 0 0 5 0.01.
THIS ITEM'S OFFERED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST TO YOUR MARCH SIX COUNSEL MEETING.
AND THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM 46 C 1 4 20 24 0 0 9 9.
AGAIN, MS ITEMS OFFERED FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD POST AS A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUESTING ON MARCH 6TH.
ITEM NUMBER 47 IS C 4 8 6 0 6 9 RCT.
THIS ITEM'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
THIS ITEM'S OFFERED, UM, FOR CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING THIS ITEM BACK FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATIONS AT YOUR MARCH 6TH COUNCIL MEETING.
ITEM 49 IS C 14 7 2 2 0 4 RCA SIX.
THIS ITEM IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT.
ITEM 50 IS NPA 20 24 0 0 1 5 0.01.
THIS ITEM'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY, AND THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM NUMBER 51 C 4 20 24 0 1 0 9.
AND THIS ITEM, AGAIN, IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT FIRST READING ONLY, AND WE'LL BRING BE, WILL BE BRINGING THIS ITEM BACK FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION AT YOUR FEBRUARY 27TH COUNCIL MEETING.
AND I, UH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, LET'S SEE HERE.
UM, HARPER MADISON, HER OFFICE AND, UM, WITH THE APPLICANT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I WOULD LIKE TO READ IN A MOTION SHEET THAT, UM, THAT HAS BEEN PART OF THE COMPROMISE THAT HER OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON AND THAT MOTION SHEET READS, I MOVE TO AMEND PART TWO OF THE DRAFT ORDINANCE AS FOLLOWS.
NUMBER ONE, ADD NEW SUBSECTIONS, A AND B AS FOLLOWS AND REORDER THE REMAINING SUBSECTION.
ACCORDINGLY, A VEHICLE OR ACCESS FROM THE PROPERTY TO WINTER ROY DRIVE IS PROHIBITED EXCEPT FOR EMERGENCY AND RESOURCE RECOVERY VEHICLE USE ALL VEHICLE ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY SHE BE FROM OTHER ADJACENT PUBLIC STREETS OR THROUGH OTHER ADJACENT PROPERTY AND BE AN ORNAMENTAL FENCE.
[01:45:01]
MAY NOT BE CONSTRUCTED UP ON ANY PROPERTY LINE.A FENCE CONSTRUCTED ON A PROPERTY LINE MAY NOT BE LESS THAN EIGHT FEET IN HEIGHT, COMPLYING WITH SECTION 25 2 8 9 9 FENCES AS ACCESSORY USES.
AND WITH THAT, AGAIN, I CAN OFFER THIS ITEM FOR CONSENT.
FIRST READING, BRINGING IT BACK FOR SECOND AND THIRD READING CONSIDERATION AT YOUR FEBRUARY 27TH MEETING.
AND, UM, THAT CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE ZONING AND NM PA AGENDA.
AND AS ALWAYS, THIS IS AT YOUR DISCRETION.
ARE THERE ANY ITEMS YOU'D LIKE TO PULL OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? THE THE CONSENT AGENDA WILL BE ON ITEM NUMBER 43 AND 44, ALL THREE READINGS 45 AND 46.
A POSTPONEMENT TO MARCH 6TH, 47 AND 40.
UH, 47 WILL BE CONSENT ON, IT'S A, A RESTRICTIVE COVENANT TERMINATION.
SO ONE READING 48, FIRST READING ONLY 49, ANOTHER RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AMENDMENT.
SO IT'LL BE ON ONE READING 51ST READING ONLY 51ST, FIRST READING ONLY WITH THE MOTION SHEET THAT HAS BEEN READ INTO THE RECORD.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE COUNCIL MEMBER VALA MOVES APPROVAL OF SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.
IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES.
YES, WE HAVE SECOND ONE SPEAKER ON TWO ITEMS. ALL RIGHT, ON ITEM 50 WE HAVE ANGELA GARZA.
ANGELA GARZA, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR, UNMUTE YOUR PHONE.
I, MS. GARZA, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR PHONE.
PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
UM, MS. GARZA IS OUR ONLY SPEAKER, SO THAT WILL BE ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS.
MS. GARZA CAN, UH, UH, LET'S TRY AGAIN.
PLEASE, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR PHONE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK.
DOES SHE INDICATE, DOES IT APPEAR SHE'S ON THE PHONE? YES.
UM, WE CAN TRY TO GET HER BACK ON.
OKAY, MAYOR, CAN YOU GIVE US JUST A SECOND? IT SOUNDS, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR VENDOR, THE, THE CALL DROPPED WITH THE VENDOR AS WELL.
[01:50:20]
WHAT DO WE KNOW? THE VENDOR IS CALLING BACK IN AS WE SPEAK.WE, WE DON'T HAVE IN PERSON SPEAKERS.
NO, THIS IS ALL WE'RE WAITING.
I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT I HAD TO SAY.
AND ANGELA GARZA, ARE YOU THERE? I AM, I'M HERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CONNECTION.
WE'RE GONNA CALL YOU TO SPEAK ON ITEM 50.
TO START, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
HI, THIS IS ANGELO, BEN GARZA.
UM, I JUST, I AM THE INTERIM, UM, UH, INTERIM PRESIDENT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SAUNA AND A CO-CHAIR FOR THE E-C-M-L-K COMBINED CONTACT TEAM WITH, UM, AN NADIA BARBO, UM, DIANA HOLMAN AND ALEXANDRIA AS WELL.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD WITH THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OR THE NEIGHBORS, UM, AS WELL, UM, HERE AT THE GUNTER, UM, OPPORTUNITY PLUS EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
JOY, UH, ALSO, UM, I'M, I'M, I'M SORRY I'M LEAVING NAMES, BUT DISTRICT ONE'S TEAM SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ALONG THIS, UM, MOVE THIS ALONG A LITTLE BIT HARDER.
UH, NICOLE, UM, NICOLE THE, THE NEIGHBOR, UH, NICOLE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN THE ONE WHO'S BEEN LEADING THIS EFFORT AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE VEHICLE TOLD THAT SHE GETS, UM, THE CREDIT FOR THAT, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT SHE'S BEEN DOING IN THE AREA AS WELL.
UM, IT IS GREAT TO SEE THAT WE ARE MOVING ALONG.
UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW NICOLE, UM, NICOLE UNDERSTANDS WHEN WE FIRST WALKED INTO THIS ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS AGO, IT WAS QUITE A BIT OF A MISS.
AND NOW WITH NEIGHBORS NOT BEING LISTENED TO YOU, A LOT OF CONFUSION, NOTICES NOT BEING RECEIVED, YOU NAME IT.
AND EIGHT MONTHS LATER, HERE WE ARE AND WE ARE GETTING CLOSER TO RESOLUTION.
JUST WANNA, UM, GIVE ASSURANCE TO CITY COUNCILWOMAN, UH, NATASHA HARPER, MADISON.
IT'S GETTING CLOSER AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE NEEDING TO HOLD HONEST READING ONE BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT NEGOTIATION ALREADY.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL SUPPORT ON THIS.
MS. GARZA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 41? 51? YOU MEAN 51 ITEM 51 A.
ACTUALLY BOTH OF THESE ARE TOGETHER, SO WOULD BE THE SAME WORDS AS WELL.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH JOY AS WELL.
SPEAKERS, MEMBERS, THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT LIKE, WOULD LIKE TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM VOTING FROM AN ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WHO'D LIKE TO BE SHOWN IS ABSTAINING FROM A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER BEING, UH, OFF THE DAIS MEMBERS.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE BUSINESS THAT COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 2:11 PM WE'RE ADJOURNED.