Feb 24, 2025 Parks and Recreation Board

OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CAROL BAXTER.

OH, I WAS GONNA SAY, CAN YOU USE, CAN YOU EMAIL US? MR. DO, CAN YOU EMAIL MR. BECK THAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE BRI UH, PIER? YES.

HELLO, EVERYONE.

I'M CAROL BAXTER, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.

WITH ME IS MY COLLEAGUE, ABY RUDDER, SENIOR MANAGER.

I THINK WE GOT A POWERPOINT.

OH, GREAT.

WITH THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER'S WELLNESS PROGRAM AND BEGAN OFFERING FREE MONTHLY LEARN TO ROW OUTINGS, AS WELL AS FREE KAYAKING AND PADDLING OUTINGS THROUGH THE SPRING, SUMMER, AND THE FALL.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME OF THE RECENT EVENTS AND PROGRAMMING HAPPENING AT A RC.

BACK IN THE SPRING OF 2023, AUSTIN ROWING JOINED FORCES

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IN THE SPRING OF 2024.

A RC RESUMED THE REGULAR LEARN TO ROW AND PADDLE PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO EXTENDED TO OFFER INTERESTED MAC PARTICIPANTS, THE CHANCE TO FORM THEIR OWN ROWING CREW WITH A DEDICATED COACH AND CONTINUE THEIR ROWING JOURNEY AND PATH TO IMPROVED HEALTH AND FITNESS.

THIS CREW CONTINUES TO PRACTICE TWO TIMES A WEEK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON FEBRUARY 6TH, IN A SPECIAL COLLABORATION WITH THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER HOLISTIC WELLNESS PROGRAM, A RC, THE CARVER MUSEUM.

THERE WAS A SPECIAL SHOWING OF A FILM CALLED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING.

THIS IS A DOCUMENTARY CHRONICLING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL ROWING TEAM, MANY OF WHOM WERE IN RIVAL GANGS ON THE WEST SIDE OF CHICAGO, ALL COMING TOGETHER TO LEARN TO ROW IN THE SAME BOAT.

THE FILM WAS NARRATED BY COMMON AND IS BASED ON THE ARMO, UH, MEMOIR OF ARSHAY COOPER.

THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY AT THE FILM SHOWING HERE AT THE CARVER MUSEUM, THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE AFTER THE MOVIE, THE MEXICAN AMERICAN ROWING TEAM AND THEIR AUSTIN ROWING CLUB COACH, COACH PAULINA GUERRERA HOSTED A Q AND A SESSION.

IT WAS A VERY MEANINGFUL TIME OF SHARING.

MANY ATTENDEES ASKED QUESTIONS OF THE MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURE OF CENTER CREW AND SHARED HOW THE MOVIE IMPACTED THEM.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE MAC WELLNESS TEAM FOR SPEARHEADING SUCH AN INSPIRATIONAL EVENT.

THIS PAST WEEKEND, A RC HOSTED ITS 44TH HEART OF TEXAS REGATTA, 36 TEAMS FROM ALL OVER TEXAS, AS WELL AS CLUBS FROM CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, OKLAHOMA, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN.

CAME TO RACE ON A ONE KILOMETER SEVEN LANE BUOYED COURSE ON THE EAST SIDE OF LADY BIRD LAKE.

PARTICIPANTS WERE YOUTH, COLLEGIATE AND ADULT ROWERS.

THIS WEEKEND, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WAS NOT WITHOUT ITS WEATHER CHALLENGES.

AND WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PARD SPECIAL EVENT STAFF AS THEY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS TO BRING HIGH QUALITY, HIGH LEVEL ROWING EVENTS TO LADY BIRD LAKE.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST IS OUR RISE PROGRAM.

RISE STANDS FOR ROWING AND SCHOOL EXPERIENCE.

AUSTIN ROWING CLUB STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS VISIT MARTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL FROM DISTRICT THREE AND BEESON MIDDLE SCHOOL FROM DISTRICT 10.

THEY VISIT TWO TIMES A WEEK.

THE STUDENTS ARE COACHED ROWING TE TECHNIQUES ON THE ERGS, WHICH ARE THE INDOOR ROWING MACHINES.

AND THEN EACH SEMESTER, THE STUDENTS AND PE TEACHERS COME DOWN TO THE BOATHOUSE.

OR IN THE CASE OF MARTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO WALK TO FESTIVAL BEACH WHERE THEY HAVE THE CHANCE TO TRANSFER WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED ON LAND TO THE WATER.

WE HOST THE STUDENTS IN OUR TRAINING BARGES AND THEY GET THE FEEL OF THE IMPACT OF ROWING TOGETHER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE SANTIAGO SA JUAN, FOLLOWED BY PHIL THOMAS IS SANTIAGO HERE.

TEAM WAS VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE USES FOR THE EMPTY NASH HERNANDEZ BUILDING PART WAS TO HAVE OFFICES AND THE REST WAS FOR COMMUNITY USE.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE PHIL THOMAS.

MR. THOMAS, GOOD EVENING CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS.

I'M PHIL THOMAS, COUNCIL DISTRICT 360 8 MILDRED STREET, LIVING WITHIN THE HISTORICAL BOUNDARIES OF THE EAST TOWN LAKE CITIZENS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.

ANNA, A STONES THROW FROM EDWARD RENDO AND SENIOR METROPOLITAN PARK, UH, I'LL REFER TO YOU, REFER YOU TO THE, UM, THE HANDOUT THAT, UH, WAS HANDED OUT, UH, BE BEFORE WE CAME TO ORDER 'CAUSE IT'S GERMANE TO, UH, TO MY REMARKS.

THE HOLLY SHORES EDWARD RENDO AND SENIOR PARKS MASTER PLAN WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2014 AFTER A GREAT DEAL OF OUTREACH, CONSULTATION AND NEGOTIATION.

NOW THE PLAN IS NEARLY COMPLETE.

ONE OF THE LAST PIECES IS THE NASH HERNANDEZ BUILDING, WHICH WAS TO BE RENOVATED FOR LOCAL PUBLIC USE AND PARD OFFICES.

I SERVED ON THE CITIZEN ADVISORY TEAM OF THAT MASTER PLAN PROCESS, AND THERE WERE LENGTHY NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN PARD, ITS CONSULTANTS AND LOCALS.

ALL IN ALL, THE MASTER PLAN TOOK 20 MONTHS TO FRUITION, PRESENTED A MAJOR COST TO THE CITY, AND TO UNPLAYED UNPAID COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO PUT IN COUNTLESS HOURS HELPING GUIDE THE PLAN.

THE CITIZENS'

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A MORE REFINED BREAKDOWN, WHICH YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THERE.

PART OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED AND STILL WANTS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING SPACE FOR FREE MEETINGS AND PUBLIC GATHERINGS, A SPACE FOR LOCAL VA ART HISTORY AND CULTURE.

EAST SIDE VETERANS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SUCH A SPACE SINCE THE END OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

THOSE WHO WERE STILL LEFT TWO YEARS AGO, PAR WAS READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH RENOVATION.

THE MONEY HAD BEEN APPROPRIATED, AN ARCHITECTURAL FIRM HAD BEEN HIRED, BUT IT ALL CAME TO A HALT AFTER A COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO STUDY IT FOR A DIFFERENT USE.

ONE THAT WOULD'VE ALIENATED PARKLAND AND WAS NOT PART OF THE MASTER PLAN THAT PARD AND LOCALS WORKED SO HARD TO DEVISE.

THE CITIZENS DIVIDED TEAM JOINED BY NEIGHBORHOOD AND ADVOCACY GROUPS SUSTAINED A YEAR LONG BATTLE TO KEEP A NON-PAR USE ENTERPRISE FROM CLAIMING THE 2.8 MILLION IN FUNDING EARMARKED FOR THE BUILDING AND RENOVATING IT FOR THEIR PURPOSES.

UH, THAT BATTLE WITH THAT BATTLE WON THEN THE BUILDING SECURE.

FOR NOW.

IT'S TIME FOR THE MASTER PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE CAN INTERFERE, INCLUDING PARD PARTNERS.

THE ASH HERNANDEZ BUILDING IS A PAR ASSET TO MANAGE AND SHOULD NOT FALL INTO OTHER HANDS.

IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD, PARD MUST RECOVER THE FUNDING THAT WAS ALREADY IN PLACE TWO YEARS AGO.

I HOPE STAFF COULD, UH, HELP US IN, UH, SHEDDING ANY LIGHT ON WHAT THE STATUS OF THAT FUNDING IS GOING FORWARD.

LET US RETURN WHERE WE LEFT OFF WITH THE HIRING OF AN ARCHITECTURAL FIRM, WHICH IS NOT A GREAT BARRIER AS IT HAPPENS.

ALL IT HAS HAPPENED ONCE ALREADY.

WELL, WE WILL, UH, CONTINUE TO URGE PAR TO MOVE FORWARD AND COMPLETE THE MASTER PLAN AND THE NASHER HERNANDEZ RENOVATION.

AND WE ASK THAT THE PARKS BOARD ALSO SUPPORT THIS PROGRESS, THIS PROCESS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE.

ARE THERE ANY OTHERS PRESENT WHO WOULD LIKE TO BE HERE BEFORE THE BE HEARD, BEFORE THE PARKS BOARD? UH, FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'VE GOT, UH, MR. AKERS.

YEAH, FEEL FREE TO APPROACH.

YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BOARD MEMBERS.

I'M LARRY AKER.

I'M PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS OF THE PARKS OF AUSTIN.

UH, THE CITY MANAGER, BROAD NEXT RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A SET OF MEETINGS WHERE HE WANTED TO HEAR INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT, UH, FUTURE BUDGET PRIORITIES.

AND, UH, ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, THE ONE CLOSEST TO WHERE I LIVE IS AT THE SOUTH AUSTIN REC CENTER.

I THOUGHT, WELL, OKAY, LET ME SEE HOW I CAN GET THERE FROM MY HOME ON MASS TRANSIT.

SO I WENT TO GOOGLE MAPS, WHICH IS VERY GOOD AT TELLING YOU HOW TO DO THESE THINGS AND CHECKED AND IT SAID, UH, YOU'RE GONNA WALK, YOU'RE GONNA WALK ALL THE WAY 1.6 MILES FROM YOUR HOUSE ACROSS SOUTH LAMAR, DOWN A SECTION OF OLD WHARF WITH NO SIDEWALKS TO THE REC CENTER.

SO I GO TO VOTE THERE AS WELL.

AND WE DON'T HAVE, UH, A, A PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT CAN GET PEOPLE TO THE RESOURCES THAT PAR HAS.

I GO DOWN TO ZILKER PARK AND I, ON ANY PRETTY DAY I SEE PEOPLE TROLLING THE PARKING LOT LOOKING FOR A SPACE TO PARK.

AND I THINK, WOULDN'T IT BE COOL IF WE COULD GET THESE PEOPLE DOWN HERE WITHOUT THEIR CARS? SO, UM, THE ANSWER TO DOING THAT IS ON DEMAND, UM, ON DEMAND VAN TRANSIT.

AND THERE'S A PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU TO ENDORSE THAT, THAT IDEA.

UH, BASICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A, A FLEET OF VANS, WHICH CAN BE SUMMONED LIKE, UH, AN UBER RIDE AND DISPATCHED, UH, TO COORDINATE, UM, TO COORDINATE SHARED RIDES, UH, EFFICIENTLY AROUND TOWN.

AND TO DO THAT, NOT JUST WITHIN THE KINDS OF ZONES THAT PICK UP OFFERS NOW, BUT CITYWIDE ANYWHERE IN THE CITY.

SO WE'D HAVE A SYSTEM THAT COULD GET PEOPLE FROM WHERE THEY ARE TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO ON PUBLIC TRANSIT.

IT'D BE A GREAT IDEA FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF THEIR ADVOCATES.

THEY RECOGNIZE THAT USING, UH, PARATRANSIT, WHICH YOU HAVE TO RESERVE THE DAY BEFORE IS ALSO A VERY EXPENSIVE OPTION.

BUT THE MAJORITY PROBABLY OF PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY DISABILITIES CAN GET TO THE CURB AND UTILIZE, UH, CURB TO CURB TRANSIT USING ON DEMAND.

SO, UH, THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT'S WORKING IN OTHER CITIES.

THE CITY OF ARLINGTON, ITS ENTIRE PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM, IS ON DEMAND VAN SERVICE AND IS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

AND, UH, CAPITAL METRO

[00:15:01]

IS NOW INTERESTED IN THIS AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE TALKED TO ANDY KOSKI, THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS TO QUOTE, HE SAYS WE LOVE ON DEMAND, AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN, IN PLANNING TO DO THE MODELING OF CITYWIDE ON DEMAND IN CONJUNCTION WITH BUS RAPID TRANSIT AS PART OF THEIR TRANSIT PLAN 2035.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE THING IS THAT, THAT ON DEMAND CAN BE INTEGRATED WITH, WITH OTHER MODES OF TRANSIT, WHETHER THEY BE BUS RAPID TRANSIT, WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE, OR RAIL IF WE EVER GET IT.

SO IT'S A SYSTEM THAT THAT CAN HELP US GET TO OUR PARK RESOURCES FROM WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING.

AND I, I HOPE YOU WILL ENDORSE THAT IDEA.

IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS? ANY NON AGENDA ITEMS? NO, SIR.

MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND REC BOARD REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY THE 27TH, 2025.

AT THIS TIME, WE'LL

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

I, I'LL GIVE EVERYONE A MOMENT TO LOOK OVER THE MINUTES.

AND CHAIR.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, THERE IS A, UH, A TYPO ON THE BOTTOM OF THOSE MINUTES.

I LISTED, UH, VICE CHAIR FLOWERS AS HAVING ADJOURNED OUR MEETING.

SO I'LL CORRECT THAT IN MY OWN.

I DON'T SEE THAT.

WHERE'S THAT AT? I DIDN'T PUT THAT AT THE VERY END.

NO, YOU MISTAKE.

ANY, UH, CHANGES TO THE MEETING MINUTES? ALRIGHT, AT THIS TIME I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD REGULAR MEETING OF JANUARY 27TH, 2025.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

THERE'S A SECOND BY VICE CHAIR FLOWERS.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AT THIS TIME? WE'LL TAKE A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

UM, WE'RE NOW GONNA, UH, GO

[2. Presentation, discussion and approve letters of support for Parks and Recreation Forestry Staff for their work planting, watering and maintaining trees, as well as participating in and hosting tree climbs. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Park Access for All, Urban Public Spaces). Presenter(s): Amanda Ross, Natural Resources Division Manager, Parks and Recreation Department]

TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION AND IMPROVING OF LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR PARKS AND RECREATION FORESTRY STAFF, FURTHER WORK, PLANTING, WATERING, AND MAINTAINING TREES, AS WELL AS PARTICIPATING IN AND HOSTING TREE CLIMBS.

THERE WE GO.

UH, GOOD EVENING.

UH, MY NAME IS JOSHUA ERICKSON.

I'M THE FORESTRY PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

UH, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT OUR TEAM DOES IS IN THE BACKGROUND AND I THINK UNDER THE RADAR, SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM AND, UH, KIND OF HOW WE'RE, HOW WE'RE ORGANIZED.

UH, SO WE, OUR PROGRAM IS MADE UP OF A TEAM OF 35 ARBORISTS AND SUPPORT STAFF WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANTING AND WATERING AND MAINTAINING TREES ON CITY PARKLAND.

WE HAVE 13 CERTIFIED ARBORISTS ON OUR TEAM, A BOARD CERTIFIED MASTER ARBORIST, NUMEROUS TRACK, WHICH IS TREE RISK ASSESSMENT QUALIFICATIONS, UH, OAK QUILT QUALIFICATIONS AND WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION QUALIFICATIONS.

UH, WE HAVE SIX WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS THAT HELP SUPPORT THE PARD LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND THE PRESCRIBED FIRE TEAM.

THOSE SERVICE REQUESTS GENERATE INSPECTIONS AND OUR INSPECTORS GENERATE THE, UH, WORK ORDERS THAT END UP GOING TO OUR TEAM.

UH, OUR PROGRAM IS BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO MAIN AREAS.

OUR TREE PLANTING AND WATERING SIDE OF OUR PROGRAM, AND OUR TREE MAINTENANCE SIDE OF OUR PROGRAM.

UH, TREE PLANTING AND WATERING, UH, IS MADE UP OF EIGHT STAFF WHEN WE'RE FULLY, WHEN WE'RE FULLY STAFFED.

UH, THEY'RE PRIMARILY A TREE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOT A, NOT A CAPITAL PROGRAM.

WE'RE BUDGETED AND FUNDED PRIMARILY TO OFFSET THE NUMBER OF TREES THAT NEED TO BE REMOVED IN A GIVEN YEAR THROUGH JUST GENERAL ATTRITION.

UH, WE PLANT 500 CONTAINER TREES A YEAR AND AN, AND AN ADDITIONAL 500 SEEDLINGS.

UH, OUR TEAM WATERS THOSE CONTAINER TREES FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS.

IT'S PRIMARILY THROUGH, UH, HAND WATERING WITH OUR WATER TRUCKS.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME IRRIGATION, UH, SYSTEMS AS WELL.

OUR PLANTING PROJECTS ARE VETTED IN THE SPRING AND THE SUMMER PLANTING HAPPENS THROUGH THE WINTER AND THE SPRING.

UH, THIS TEAM IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUNG TREE CARE, INCLUDING MULCHING STAKING AND STRUCTURAL PRUNING.

UH, THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR PROGRAM IS OUR TREE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.

IT'S MUCH LARGER.

IT'S MADE UP OF 27 STAFF MEMBERS.

WE HAVE FIVE, THREE PERSON CREWS THAT THOSE STAFF SUPPORT.

UM, THEY'RE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR REACTIVE MAINTENANCE.

WE FOLLOW SERVICE REQUESTS.

UM,

[00:20:01]

THOSE WORK ORDERS CAN VARY FROM A SINGLE TREE TO HUNDREDS OF TREES, AND THEY CAN RANGE IN COMPLEXITY FROM SIMPLE CLEARANCE PRUNING TO COMPLEX AND TECHNICAL RIGGING.

UH, AND WE MAINTAIN AN AVERAGE OF 3,300 TREES A YEAR.

AND THAT'S, UH, A NUMBER THAT I DO EXPECT TO INCREASE.

WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON TRAINING OVER THIS PAST YEAR, AND AS WE'RE OUT OF THE CLASSROOM MORE AND SEEING THE RESULTS OF THAT TRAINING, THOSE NUMBERS SHOULD INCREASE AS WELL.

WE ALSO HAVE AN ON-CALL CREW THAT'S AVAILABLE TWENTY FOUR SEVEN FOR TREE EMERGENCIES.

AND IN THIS PAST CALENDAR YEAR, WE HAD OVER JUST OVER 200 OF THOSE PRIORITY ONE REQUESTS WHERE, UH, AS SOON AS WE IDENTIFIED THE NEED, WE SENT A CREW IMMEDIATELY TO GO ADDRESS THE, THAT CONCERN ON PARKLAND.

AND SO, ONE EXAMPLE OF THE, UH, THE TECHNICAL, SOME OF THE TECHNICAL WORK THAT WE DO, UH, COMES FROM, UH, THIS INSTANCE.

THIS IS AT, UH, THIS IS A, A ROUTINE, WOW, ROUTINE, ROUTINE WORK THAT HAPPENS, UH, DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

THIS IS THAT THIS LOOK BOTANICAL GARDEN, UH, THERE WAS A CEDAR ELM THAT HAD DIED THERE NEEDED TO BE CAREFULLY REMOVED.

THERE'S OBVIOUSLY PLANTS AND TREES AND OTHER THINGS THAT UNDERNEATH THAT NEEDED TO BE PROTECTED THAT WE WANTED TO TAKE CARE OF.

UM, AND THIS IS, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WHEN WE SAY TECHNICAL REMOVALS, UH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE INVOLVED IN.

OOPS.

UH, OUR INSPECTORS ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC MOST OFTEN.

UH, THEY EVALUATE RISK AND PROPOSE MITIGATION MEASURES PRIOR.

UH, THEY PRIORITIZE REQUESTS BASED ON RISK.

AND WEEKLY, OUR TEAM GETS TOGETHER TO REVIEW ALL OF THAT WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK.

FIRST, UM, TREE REMOVALS HAPPEN WHEN THEY'RE DEAD DISEASED, STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND OR CAUSING DAMAGE, AND THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO MITIGATE THOSE ISSUES.

UM, ONE BIG THING OUT OF THIS LAST YEAR, WE HAD A ARBORIST JOB FAMILY, UH, THAT WE, WE UPDATED ALL OF OUR JOB DESCRIPTIONS TO REFLECT THE TECHNICAL NATURE OF THE AND SKILLS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR OUR ARBORIST TO DO THEIR JOB.

ALONG WITH THAT, WE HAVE INSTITUTED A, UH, ARBORIST TRAINING PROGRAM AND RECLASSIFIED A CREW LEAD AS A TRAINING SPECIALIST TO HELP OVERSEE THAT.

UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 20 CLIMBERS IN OUR PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE MOST THAT WE'VE EVER HAD, UH, IN OUR PROGRAM.

THAT'S, UH, A PRETTY BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR US.

UH, ONE OF THE LARGEST NEEDS IN OUR PROGRAM IS A COMPREHENSIVE TREE INVENTORY.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD REALLY HELP US TO MAKE DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS ON MANAGING, UH, AND TO MANAGING OUR URBAN FOREST.

AND TO KEEP TRACK OF HOW WELL WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING, KEEPING TRACK OF EVERYTHING.

SOME OF THE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT OUR PROGRAM'S INVOLVED IN.

UH, WE HOST AN AVERAGE OF 12 KIDS CLIMBS PER YEAR.

UH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THOSE, UH, EVENTS.

IT'S ACTUALLY MY DAUGHTER WITH THE LIGHT BLUE HARDHAT ON AT THE BASE OF THE TREE GETTING READY TO GO UP.

HMM.

UM, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE MOST WELL RECEIVED THINGS I THINK THAT OUR TEAM DOES.

AND THEY DO AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH THIS.

TAKING KIDS THAT MAY NEVER HAVE BEEN OFF OF THE GROUND IN A TREE BEFORE AND HELPING TO GIVE THEM THE CONFIDENCE TO GET UP INTO THE CANOPY OF THE TREE.

IT'S, IT'S PRETTY AWESOME.

UH, WE'RE ALSO INVOLVED IN DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND INSPECTION OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ON PARKLAND.

ANYTHING THAT TOUCHES, UH, OR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT TREES.

UH, WE DO SOME VOLUNTEER COORDINATION WITH A TREE PLANTING PROGRAM.

WE SUPPORT SOME A CCC PROJECTS.

UH, WE SUPPORT SPECIAL EVENTS, UH, WORKING WITH TREE PROTECTION ON THOSE EVENT FOOTPRINTS.

UH, AND WE ALSO PARTICIPATE IN STATE AND REGIONAL TREE CLIMBING COMPETITIONS.

AND IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT, THAT WAS A THING IN MAY OF EVERY YEAR, UH, ALL THE TOP CLIMBERS IN THE STATE GET TOGETHER FOR A COMPETITION TO SEE WHO ARE IN THOSE TOP SPOTS.

UH, AND IT'S A BIG THING THAT OUR TEAM GETS TO BE A PART OF THAT, UH, AND NOT JUST AS A GENERAL VOLUNTEER, BUT AS A TECHNICAL EXPERT, AS JUDGES, AND EVEN AS COMPETITORS.

UH, AND IN 20 19, 1 OF OUR CLIMBERS ACTUALLY TOOK THE TOP SPOT, UH, THE, AS THE TOP FEMALE CLIMBER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

UH, AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE THIS OUT.

THERE'S A VIDEO THAT WE HAD PUT TOGETHER, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO JUST TO ILLUSTRATE KIND OF A DAY IN THE LIFE OF WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR CREW DOES.

UH, IT WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR THIS AUDIENCE, BUT IT DOES GIVE A GOOD ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT DAILY THINGS LOOK LIKE.

SO THIS IS MEANT TO BE KIND OF A RECRUITMENT VIDEO THAT WE'D PUT TOGETHER TO DESCRIBE SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, BUT WE'LL PLAY THAT TO CLOSE IT OUT.

THE PARKS AND RECREATION FORESTRY PROGRAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING AN ESTIMATED 300,000 TREES ACROSS THE PARK SYSTEM.

THESE AREAS RANGE FROM GREEN BELT TRAILS TO HIGHLY MAINTAINED, HEAVILY USED AREAS LIKE BARTON SPRINGS POOL.

THE GOAL IS TO PROMOTE TREE HEALTH AND LONGEVITY WHILE MAINTAINING PUBLIC SAFETY.

WE WANT OUR TREES TO REMAIN IN THE LANDSCAPE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, LIVING TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

THEY NOT ONLY PROVIDE SHADE, BUT ALSO CAPTURE CARBON AND PROVIDE CLEAN AIR

[00:25:01]

TO CARE FOR THESE IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ASSETS.

PARTS TEAM OF ARBORISTS USE A WIDE RANGE OF EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES TO PERFORM THEIR WORK.

A TYPICAL DAY CAN RANGE FROM GROUND-BASED PRUNING TO USING AN AERIAL LIFT OR BRUSH TRUCK TO WORK IN THE TREE CANOPY.

WORKING TO CARE FOR THE TREES AROUND BARTON SPRINGS ADDS ITS OWN SPECIAL CHALLENGES.

MANY OF THESE TREES HAVE SEEN GENERATIONS ENJOY THE SPRING.

IT TAKES EXPERIENCE, PLANNING, DEDICATION, AND TRAINING TO HELP THESE TREES REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

PRUNING THESE TREES INVOLVES A CLIMBER WORKING AT HEIGHT, USING TECHNICAL RIGGING GEAR TO LOWER PIECES OF BRANCHES TO THE GROUND.

THIS ALLOWS FOR WEIGHT TO BE REMOVED FROM THE TIPS OF THE BRANCHES.

WHAT MAKES THIS PARKS AND RECREATION PROGRAM SPECIAL IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN A PARK EVERY DAY.

THE DIVERSITY BETWEEN EACH TREE AND EACH WORK LOCATION MAKES THIS LINE OF WORK UNIQUE.

EACH LOCATION HAS A DIFFERENT SET OF CHALLENGES TO WORK THROUGH AND A WIDE VARIETY OF WAYS TO GET THE JOB DONE.

WHILE THERE ARE TIMES FOR INDEPENDENT WORK, TEAMWORK IS ESSENTIAL TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES AND PERFORM THE WORK SAFELY.

WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS LINE OF WORK IS THAT ONE CAN SPEND THEIR ENTIRE CAREER.

IN THE FIELD OF ABOA CULTURE, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN ABOUT SAFE WORK PRACTICES, RISK ASSESSMENT, TEAM DYNAMICS, AND COMMUNICATION, AS WELL AS LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONALISM.

AND ALL OF THAT IS ON TOP OF THE FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS OF SEEING FIRSTHAND HOW TREES RESPOND TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND HOW BEST TO CARE FOR THEM.

WITHIN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ALONE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES IN FORESTRY, LAND MANAGEMENT, HORTICULTURE, PARK RANGERS, AND GROUNDS STEPPING.

STEPPING BACK TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES CITYWIDE.

THERE ARE FORESTRY POSITIONS IN WATERSHED PROTECTION, PUBLIC WORKS, AUSTIN WATER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND EVEN AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION URBAN FORESTRY PROGRAM, PLEASE VISIT WWW.AUSTINCITYJOBS.ORG.

UH, BOARD, UM, I'LL BE READING A LETTER, UH, TO DO, AND I'LL BE ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF THAT LETTER.

LET ME, OKAY, HERE IT GOES.

UM, SO IT'S DATED, UH, FEBRUARY THE 24TH, 2025, UH, DEER PARKS AND RECREATION FOREST STREET STAFF.

ON BEHALF OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS YOUR SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE OUTSIDE WORK YOU DO IN CARING FOR THE TREES THAT MAKE OUR CITY'S PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES SO VIBRANT.

YOUR EFFORTS IN PLANTING WATER AND MAINTAINING TREES THROUGHOUT AUSTIN'S PARKLAND ENSURE THAT OUR FOR URBAN FOREST REMAINS HEALTHY, RESILIENT, AND A SOURCE OF BEAUTY AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

WITH A DEDICATED TEAM OF 35 ARBORISTS AND SUPPORT STAFF, INCLUDING 13 CERTIFIED ARBORISTS AND A BOARD CERTIFIED MASTER ARBORIST, YOUR EXPERTISE IN TREE CARE IS UNMATCHED.

THE SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS IN TREE RISK ASSESSMENT QUALIFICATION, OAK WILT, AND WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION, DEMONSTRATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT SAFETY AND OF OUR DEMONSTRATE THE COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THE SAFETY AND LONGEVITY OF OUR TREE CANOPY.

ADDITIONALLY, THE SIX WILDLIFE FIREFIGHTERS WITHIN YOUR TEAM PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN, IN SUPPORTING LAND MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTING OUR AUSTIN GREEN SPACES.

YOUR PROACTIVE APPROACH TO TREE PLANTING AND WATERING INCLUDE PLANNED ROUTES AND THE USE OF WATER TRUCKS AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, AND IS INVALUABLE IN SUSTAINING THE HEALTH OF OUR URBAN FOREST.

THE METICULOUS ATTENTION TO TREE MAINTENANCE ENSURES THAT OUR PUBLIC SPACES REMAIN SHADED, SAFE, AND WELCOMING TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

BEYOND YOUR DAILY EFFORTS IN TREE CARE, YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN HOSTING AND PARTICIPATING IN TREE CLIMB FOSTER A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR URBAN FORESTRY AMONG RESIDENTS.

THESE EVENTS PROVIDE A UNIQUE AND ENGAGING WAY FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH NATURE, LEARN ABOUT TREE HEALTH, AND DEVELOP A STRONGER SENSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARD STEWARDSHIP.

THE WORK DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED, AND WE ARE INCURRED TO GRATEFUL FOR THE EXPERTISE, DEDICATION, AND PASSION YOU BRING TO PRESERVING AND ENHANCING AUSTIN'S NATURAL LANDSCAPES.

KINDEST REGARDS, SIGN THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.

NO.

UH, BOARD, IS THERE ANY COMMENTS BEFORE I TAKE A VOTE? ALRIGHT.

AT THIS TIME, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION FORESTRY STAFF FOR THE WORK PLANTING, WATERING, AND MAINTAINING TREES, AS WELL AS PARTICIPATING IN, IN AND HOSTING TREE CLIMBS.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

THERE'S A SECOND BY VICE CHAIR FLOWERS.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.

AT THIS TIME I'LL TAKE A VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

MOTION, CARRIE, SEVEN ZERO.

AT THIS TIME WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA

AND WE'LL GIVE YOU COPIES OF THIS AS WELL.

UM,

[00:30:01]

[3. Presentation, discussion and approve a recommendation that Austin City Council authorize negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with AISD to collaborate on the GO Project, an educational program for high school aged students with disabilities. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Program Alignment). Presenter(s): Devon Farber, Recreation Program Manager, Parks and Recreation Department]

ITEM NUMBER THREE, PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND APPROVAL AND APPROVAL RECOMMENDATION THAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH A ISD TO COLLABORATE ON THE GO PROJECT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, A NORTH DISTRICT PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE COMMUNITY RECREATION TO DIVISION.

UM, TONIGHT I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING ON THE REVISION AND APPROVAL OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN A ISD AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THE GO PROJECT.

SO THIS AGREEMENT IS ACTUALLY A 20-YEAR-OLD AGREEMENT THAT WAS STARTED IN 2005, AND THE CITY WISHES TO UPDATE IT WITH THE NEW AGREEMENT THAT REFLECTS OUR CURRENT NEEDS.

A ISD PROVIDES AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM KNOWN AS THE GO PROJECT, THAT IS A COMMUNITY-BASED TRANSITION PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS AGES 18 TO 22 YEARS OF AGE WITH DISABILITIES THAT ENABLES THOSE STUDENTS TO FINISH THEIR EDUCATION IN A COLLEGE OR A WORK ENVIRONMENT.

UM, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S A 20-YEAR-OLD AGREEMENT THAT WAS COLLABORATED ON SINCE 2005.

AND THE CITY DESIRES TO CONTINUE PROVIDING FACILITIES FOR A ISC TO USE AND PROVIDING THE GO PROJECT CLASSES TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS.

UM, THE PROGRAM SERVICES STUDENTS AGES 18 TO 22 YEARS WITH DISABILITIES.

IT PROMOTES ADULT LEARNING SKILLS BY ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO VOLUNTEER, UM, IN DIFFERENT WORK INTERNSHIPS AROUND THE CITY, UTILIZING CITY TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THOSE, UM, SPACES AND ACCESSING THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY FOR RECREATION AND LEISURE OPTIONS.

THIS AGREEMENT, ONCE UPDATED, WILL BE FOR A ONE YEAR TERM WITH FIVE ADDITIONAL 12 MONTH RENEWAL OPTIONS.

IT WILL RENEW AUTOMATICALLY ON THE DATE FOR FIVE YEARS UNLESS AMENDED OR TERMINATED.

SO WHAT SERVICES WILL A ISD PROVIDE? A ISD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING THE STAFF SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS AT ALL TIMES WHEN THEY ARE IN CITY FACILITIES.

A ISD WILL PROVIDE PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF TO FREE ANNUAL TRAINING SESSIONS ON BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION.

AND A ISD WILL PROVIDE ALL MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES FOR THE PROGRAM.

WHAT SERVICES WILL THE CITY PROVIDE? THE CITY WILL PERMIT A ISD TO USE CLASSROOM SPACE AND DESIGNATED RECREATION CENTERS TO CONDUCT THEIR CLASSES DURING NORMAL OPERATING HOURS OF THE REC CENTERS.

AND DURING A ISD SCHEDULED CALENDAR DAYS, UM, WHEN SCHEDULED IN ADVANCE AND WRITING, UM, GO PROJECT MAY BE ABLE TO ALLOW TO USE, UM, ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM MEETING SPACE.

UM, IF IT'S AVAILABLE AT THE SITE, THE CITY WILL PROVIDE REGULAR UTILITIES SUCH AS LIGHT HEATING, COOLING, AND ACCESS TO WIFI AND THOSE ASSIGNED CLASSROOM SPACES, UM, DURING THE SPACE USED BY A ISD AND THE CITY WHEN NOTIFIED, UM, OF MAINTENANCE ISSUES WILL PROVIDE THE MAINTENANCE OF THOSE SPACES.

AND THEN NEXT STEPS, PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, UM, WILL RECOMMEND TO CITY COUNCIL THAT IT AUTHORIZES THE NO NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH A ISD TO COLLABORATE ON THE GO PROJECT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

WE'RE REQUESTING FOR OUR CITY COUNCIL ACTION AT THE, UM, APRIL 24TH MEETING.

AND THEN AT THAT POINT, WE WILL THEN TAKE IT OVER TO A ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THEIR PROCESS.

AND THE FINAL OUTCOME WILL BE THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF THE AGREEMENT WITH A ISD.

THANK YOU MR. .

WAS THERE ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS AGENDA? ITEM? OKAY.

THERE WERE NO SPEAKERS.

ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? THANK YOU.

I THINK YOU WERE HERE ONE YEAR AGO OR TWO YEAR? NO, THEY PRESENTED AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECT INFORMING US ABOUT THE PROJECT.

LIKE A YEAR AGO.

I, I PRESENTED ON, UM, A DIFFERENT TOPIC FOR THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER.

UM, SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM.

I APPRECIATE YOU COMING, INFORM US ABOUT THAT.

PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY.

BOARD MEMBERS, UM, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THE CITY OF, THAT THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO COLLABORATE ON THE GO PROJECT AND EDUCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL

[00:35:01]

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.

THERE'S A SECOND.

BY BOARD MEMBER BECKER.

UM, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT.

AT THIS TIME I'M GONNA TAKE A VOTE AND I'M WAITING FOR BOARD MEMBER OR, ALRIGHT.

ALL THIS TIME I'M GONNA TAKE A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

BOARD, UH, BOARD MEMBERS ACT.

MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO.

TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSS AND CREATE A WORKING GROUP TO EXPLORE.

WE'LL MOVE ON

[4. Discussion and create a working group to explore creating a “rainbow bridge” at a City park as an interactive feature that allow park visitors to honor dogs and pets that have passed away. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers)]

CREATE.

OH, THAT'S MINE.

EXPLORE CREATING A RAINBOW BRIDGE AT THE, AT A CITY PARK AS AN INTERACTIVE FEATURE THAT ALLOWS PARK VISITORS TO HONOR DOGS AND PETS THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY.

UH, SO BOARD MEMBERS.

UM, THIS IDEA, I'VE BEEN MULLING THIS IDEA OVER FOR QUITE, UH, UH, FOR SOME, FOR A FEW WEEKS NOW.

UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD SAY THIS OUT LOUD, BUT THE IDEA CAME TO ME BECAUSE I SAW IT ON A TIKTOK, UM, .

SO, UM, BECAUSE YOUR DOG PASSED AWAY.

NOT BECAUSE, YEAH.

OH GOD.

NOT BECAUSE MY DOG PASSED AWAY.

THAT'D BE SAD.

UM, NO, 'CAUSE TIKTOK DON'T TELL, DON'T TELL, DON'T TELL ANYONE THAT.

UM, BUT, UM, THERE IS, AND AS WE DELVE INTO THE PROCESS, UM, I'LL DEFINITELY LIKE SHOW YOU THE NEWS STORIES ABOUT IT, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN PARKS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES THAT IN THEIR CITY PARK, THEY'VE CREATED A, A BRIDGE THAT IS RAINBOW, RAINBOW, RAINBOW, COLORED, UM, AND THAT IT ALLOWS, UM, UH, PEOPLE TO, UH, HANG COLLARS, TIE COLLARS OR SOMETHING MEANINGFUL TO THEM, UH, OF THEIR PET AS A WAY TO HONOR AND REMEMBER THEIR PETS.

UM, AND IT'S REALLY COOL BECAUSE I THINK, UM, ONE, UM, IT'S AN INTERACTIVE FEATURE THAT THE PUBLIC CAN INTERACT WITH.

UM, TWO, I THINK THAT IF IT BECOMES, AS IF IT BECOMES WHAT IT HAS BECOME IN OTHER CITIES, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A, A DESTINATION FOR MANY RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE FROM OUT OF STATE AND MAYBE EVEN THE SURROUNDING, UH, COMMUNITY.

UM, AND THEN THREE, UH, I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT AUSTIN IS A VERY, VERY PRO DOG AND PET CITY.

SO I THINK THAT THIS IS VERY MUCH IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT OUR COMMUNITY VALUES ARE.

UM, SO REALLY THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORKING GROUP IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THIS WORK, WHETHER IT'S FEASIBLE, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE, WHAT DOES IT ENTAIL, UM, AS A STARTING POINT BEFORE WE BRING FORTH THE RESOLUTION.

'CAUSE I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN GIVING SOME FEEDBACK AS PART OF A WORKING GROUP IN REGARDS TO THIS.

I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY BOARD MEMBER HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK.

ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS ON THE ITEM? NO.

I'M SORRY.

I, I SHOULD HAVE, I USUALLY ASKED, BUT NO, THERE WASN'T.

SO WOULD ARTWORK BE INVOLVED IN IT? LIKE MAYBE, UH, PUTTING OUT AN RFP OR SOMETHING, OR JUST CONSIDERING, I THINK OUR, OUR, THE PURPOSE OF THE WORKING GROUP WOULD BE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAN THIS LOOK LIKE? AND THEN BRING FORTH A RESOLUTION TO THE BOARD TO VOTE ON, TO RECOMMEND THAT CITY COUNCIL TAKE THIS AS AN INITIATIVE, UH, UH, TO INVEST THE TIME, MONEY, AND RESOURCES NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MAKE IT A REALITY.

'CAUSE UM, AS WE MAY REMEMBER WHEN WE TOOK UP THE, UM, BATH HOUSE, SPARTAN TOLDS, BATH HOUSE, , LIKE, IT ALSO DEPENDS ON LIKE, IS IT, IS THE BRIDGE GONNA BE A FEATURE? IS IT, WHAT IS IT GONNA BE, UM, THAT THAT'S THE CITY ORDINANCE THAT IT'S GONNA FALL UNDER? SO WE DID, THERE'S ALSO THAT LOGISTICAL ASPECT OF THIS WHERE WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY IS THE BRIDGE GONNA BE.

SO DO YOU HAVE A, UM, EXAMPLES OF CITIES THAT HAVE 'EM? UM, I DIDN'T BRING 'EM WITH ME BECAUSE, UM, I DON'T WANT, I CAN SEND YOU THE, I CAN SEND YOU THE TIKTOK IF YOU WANT .

UM, UM, I CAN, UH, UH, I CAN, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT AS A, I CAN DEFINITELY MAKE, BRING THAT, UH, NEXT TIME WE COME, UH, BEFORE THE BOARD.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.

WELL, AT THIS TIME I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP TO EXPLORE CREATING A RAINBOW BRIDGE AT A CITY PARK AS AN INTERACTIVE FEATURE THAT ALLOWS PARK VISITORS TO HONOR DOGS AND PETS THAT HAVE PASSED AWAY.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

THERE'S A SECOND BY VICE SHERIFF FLOWERS.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SO WE DON'T NEED TO CREATE THE WORKING GROUP TONIGHT, LIKE, UM, HAVE MEMBERS ON THE WORKING GROUP.

WE WILL.

NO, WE DO NOT NEED TO DO THAT, UH, TODAY.

OKAY, THANKS.

HUH? IS NICO HOWARD HERE? IT APPEARS WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.

ALL THOSE, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM

[5. Staff Briefing on fuel mitigation and land management on parkland. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Urban Public Spaces, Park Access). Presenter(s): Matt McCaw, Land Management Program Coordinator, Parks and Recreation Department and Carrie Stewart, Wildfire Division Chief, Austin Fire Department]

NUMBER FIVE.

ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS MR. BECK? YES.

CHAIR.

WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM.

NICO HOWARD.

[00:40:01]

ALRIGHT, THEN WE WILL HEAR THE PRESENTATION.

AND BOARD MEMBERS, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM, PRESENTING ALONG WITH PAR TONIGHT IS OUR COLLEAGUE FROM AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, CARRIE STEWART, WHO'S PARTICIPATING VIA WEBEX.

SO YOU'LL SEE HERE ON THE, UH, THE DIGITAL DAIS.

UH, GOOD TO BE WITH YOU ALL AGAIN.

IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE.

UM, MY NAME'S MATT MCCAW.

I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.

AND AS TIM MENTIONED, UH, CHIEF KERRY STEWART, UH, WITH AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WILDFIRE DIVISION IS PRESENTING WITH ME, UH, THIS EVENING AND SHE'S DIALING IN.

SO IT'S MY, UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT GIVEN SOME OF THE EVENTS IN THE WILDFIRES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HERE IN THE LAST MONTH OR SO, UH, YOU ALL ASKED FOR A, UM, SORT OF A BRIEFING OR AN UPDATE ON WILDFIRE MITIGATION ACTIVITIES ON PARKLAND.

THERE WE GO.

SO, UM, FOR MANY OF YOU, THIS, THE FIRST PART OF THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF A REVIEW.

SO, UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING, UM, ACROSS, AND THIS IS A RESULT OF SOME, THIS IS SOME OF THE DATA RESULTS FROM, UH, THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT IN A LITTLE BIT.

BUT MOST OF OUR PARKLAND NATURAL AREAS, UH, HAVE BEEN HEAVILY IMPACTED BY HUMAN ACTIVITY IN THE LAST A HUNDRED, 200 YEARS, HAVE NOT BEEN MANAGED FOR ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND ARE DEGRADED.

THIS TYPE OF DEGRADATION, UM, RESULTS IN VULNERABILITY TO EXTREME HEAT, DROUGHT DISEASE, AND ULTIMATELY WILDFIRE AND CAN PRESENT SAFETY RISK TO BOTH PARK USERS AND NEIGHBORS.

IN 2019, UH, THERE WAS A WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS AUDIT.

UH, THERE WERE FOUR FINDINGS, UH, IN THAT AUDIT.

THREE WERE PERTINENT TO AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

ONE WAS PERTINENT TO AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.

UM, THAT AUDIT FOUND THAT, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION DID NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MANAGE ITS PARKLAND NATURAL AREAS, UM, WHICH FURTHER CONTRIBUTED TO WILDFIRE RISK.

UH, THAT AUDIT RECOMMENDED THAT, UH, PARKS AND RECREATION CREATE AND IMPLEMENT LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR HIGH RISK AREAS.

IN 2020, THE DEPARTMENT CREATED A LAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND BEGAN DEVELOPMENT OF A LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN, UM, THAT ULTIMATELY ENCOMPASSED ABOUT 80% OF OUR, UM, PARKLAND NATURAL AREAS ABOUT OVER 10,000 ACRES.

THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN AND A LOT OF THE, UH, RELATED DOCUMENTS, UH, CAN BE FOUND AT THAT LINK.

UH, THE OVERALL STRATEGY OF THE PROGRAM IS REALLY TWO-PRONGED.

ONE IS ACTIVE RECORD RESTORATION OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH TO, UH, IN A HOLISTIC WAY IMPROVE RESILIENCE OF OUR LANDSCAPES TO THOSE CLIMATE STRESSORS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.

UM, AND THE SECOND IS TARGETED FUEL MITIGATION.

NEAR STRUCTURES PRIMARILY AROUND OUR, UH, BOUNDARIES.

THIS STRATEGY ON, IN, IN BOTH PRONGS OF OUR STRATEGY IS ACTIVE LARGELY.

SO SOME OF OUR RE RESTORATION ACTIVITIES, UH, MIGHT BE INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL AND SELECTIVE THINNING, UH, TARGETED FUEL REDUCTION, PRESCRIBED FIRE AND PLANTING AND SEEDING.

SO THERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF, UH, SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE UNDERTAKE OR BEGINNING TO UNDERTAKE.

SO, TARGETED FUEL MITIGATION, ONE OF THOSE STRATEGIES IS CALLED A SHADED FUEL BREAK.

IT REMOVES, UH, BIOMASS IN THE UNDERSTORY TO REDUCE INTENSITY IN EMBER PRODUCTION.

NEAR STRUCTURES NEAR OUR NEIGHBORS, THIS IS ONE AT MARY MOORE.

SEARIGHT ON THE LEFT WAS TREATED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

ON THE RIGHT IS UNTREATED, UH, PRESCRIBED BURNING.

UH, PRESCRIBED BURNING IS A DECADES OLD TOOL.

UH, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR A LOT OF REASONS, ECOLOGICALLY AND FOR WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION.

UM, WE'VE CREATED INTERNALLY IN PART A TEAM OF, UH, OVER A DOZEN STAFF WHO ARE, WHO HAVE, UM, OBTAINED, UH, FEDERAL, UH, WILDFIRE WILDLAND FIRE CERTIFICATIONS, MANY OF THEM ADVANCED CERTIFICATIONS.

AND WE WORK WITH AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ABOUT SIX OTHER PARTNERS REGIONALLY TO IMPLEMENT PRESCRIBED BURNS ON, UH,

[00:45:01]

SOME AUSTIN PARKS.

AND WE ALSO, UH, PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO OTHER LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES.

UM, OTHER TYPES OF TARGETED, UM, SORT OF FOREST HEALTH, UH, STRATEGIES, MECHANICAL STRATEGIES, SELECTIVE THINNING.

THIS IS ONE, WE REFER TO THIS AS A DRIP LINE TREATMENT.

UM, THIS IS WHERE, UM, COMPETING, UM, SMALLER TREES AND BRUSH, UH, MIGHT BE REMOVED FROM WITHIN THE CANOPY OF MUCH LARGER HERITAGE TREES THAT MAY BE FAILING OR THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SUSTAIN THE HEALTH OF THOSE TREES.

SO JUST OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, ALMOST 1200 ACRES OF RESTORATION TREATMENTS, UH, ABOUT HALF OF THAT IN THE LAST YEAR.

FUEL MITIGATION, ALMOST SEVEN MILES OF SHADED FUEL BREAK ALONG SOME OF OUR BOUNDARIES.

WE HAVE MASTER AGREEMENTS IN PLACE.

WE HAVE MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS IN PLACE, UH, WITH ABOUT SIX OF OUR, UM, UH, OTHER LAND MANAGEMENT AND FIRE RESPONSE AGENCIES.

UH, MANY OF THOSE AGENCIES ARE ALL THE WAY FROM NONPROFIT, CITY, COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO WE, WE HAVE FACILITATED AND HELPED START FRIENDS GROUPS AND OTHER VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS.

UM, WE TRY AND FACILITATE WORKDAYS.

UH, WE COORDINATE ALL TYPES OF RESEARCH, UH, WITH SCHOOLS AND, UH, UNIVERSITIES PROVIDE TECHNICAL GUIDANCE TO WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT TO, UH, AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CREATE SOME INNOVATIVE INTERPRETATION TO HELP COMMUNICATE THESE MESSAGES AND HELP COMMUN, UH, CONNECT, UH, OUR RESIDENTS TO NATURAL AREAS IN, IN NOVEL WAYS.

SO, JUST SOME NUMBERS HERE.

SO OUR STAFFING, CURRENTLY, WE HAVE FOUR STAFF, UH, ONE'S VACANT.

WE'RE TRYING TO FILL THAT ONE.

UH, AN INITIAL PROGRAM BUILD OUT PLAN WAS FOR A TOTAL OF NINE FTES.

THAT WOULD'VE BEEN FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS.

UM, AND THEN FUNDING OUR, OUR CURRENT BUDGET IS AT ABOUT $828,000.

UM, COST ESTIMATE FOR A, A SORT OF FULLY FUNDED PHASE ONE OF THIS PROGRAM WOULD BE CLOSER TO AROUND $250 PER ACRE PER YEAR FOR ALL OF OUR COSTS, INCLUDING SALARY.

UM, WE, OUR LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN ENCOMPASSES ABOUT 10,300 ACRES.

AND SO YOU CAN DO THE MATH AS TO SORT OF WHAT A, WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A PROGRAM LIKE THIS.

I BELIEVE.

THE NEXT SLIDE IS WHERE WE BRING IN CHIEF STEWARD.

THANKS MATT.

UH, THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS OUR NATIONAL COHESIVE WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, WHICH IS HOW WE ORGANIZE FROM THE WILDFIRE DIVISION OF THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

IT'S ALSO THE TENANT FOR HOW WE ORGANIZE WITHIN OUR COHESIVE, OUR COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN, WHICH IS GONNA BE UPDATED THIS YEAR.

AND THAT'S FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT ACROSS THE CITY WE'RE ALL TAKING WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT AND PREPAREDNESS INTO ACCOUNT THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

SO AS YOU LOOK AT THIS, WE LIKEN THIS TO A THREE-LEGGED STOOL.

SO WE TALK ABOUT FIRE ADOPTED COMMUNITIES, FIRE RESILIENT LANDSCAPES, AND EFFECTIVE FIRE RESPONSE.

AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THEY'RE ALL CONNECTED.

SO WE CAN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.

SO FOR THAT STOOL TO BE BALANCED, WE REALLY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ACROSS ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, WE'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT HOW, HOW WE HAVE PARTS WITHIN THESE THREE CIRCLES AND HOW THEY INTERSECT FOR, FOR US TO, TO REALLY BE ABLE TO MANAGE WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS ACROSS THE CITY.

I MEAN, NEXT SLIDE.

TO GET SOME TRAINING IN FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL.

OH, THERE WE GO.

AND SO WITH THE AGREEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN PARD AND A FD, IT'S AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL AGREEMENT AND, UH, A LOT OF COLLABORATION THAT WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO THAT IN, IN INCLUDES THE FUELS MITIGATION PROJECTS THAT MATT HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

SO THAT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN A FD AND PAR TO PRIORITIZE THOSE PROJECTS.

AND ALSO WE HELP FUND SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS FROM THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

THAT'S ALSO PARK DEVELOPMENT INPUT.

SO WHEN A PROPERTY IS PURCHASED FOR PARK DEVELOPMENT, WE MIGHT HAVE SOME INPUT TO, TO SUGGEST THAT MAYBE WE PUT A, A TRAIL IN ONE PLACE RATHER THAN ANOTHER AND WE CREATE A NATURAL FIRE BREAK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AS AN EXAMPLE, MATT HAS ALSO TALKED ABOUT PRESCRIBED BURNING.

UH, PART OF THAT 2019 AUDIT THAT WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER WAS THAT WE DEVELOP A PRESCRIBED BURNING PERMITTING PROCESS.

SO WE DO HAVE A VERY ROBUST PERMITTING PROCESS AND, UH, BURNING PROGRAM WITHIN THE CITY.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE AS A MUNICIPALITY, AS LARGE AS WE ARE TO BE ABLE TO DO THE PRESCRIBED BURNING THAT WE DO, NOT ONLY FOR LAND MANAGEMENT, BUT ALSO FOR TRAINING.

SO WE DON'T WANNA START FIRES FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS FOR TRAINING, BUT PRESCRIBED BURNING IS A REALLY GREAT WAY FOR US TO ACHIEVE LAND MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES AND

[00:50:01]

WE DO HAVE A, A WILDFIRE BATTALION.

SO INCLUDING THOSE PERSONNEL INTO SOME OF OUR PRESCRIBED BURNS IS A GREAT WAY FOR THEM TO, TO WATCH FIRE BEHAVIOR IN DIFFERENT AREAS ACROSS THE CITY AND IN DIFFERENT TOPOGRAPHIES AS WELL.

IN ADDITION TO THAT TRAINING, IT, IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, UM, IN ADDITION TO PRESCRIBED BURNING, OUR TRAINING TOGETHER IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND ALONG WITH THAT IS JOINT MESSAGING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.

SO PART WILL PUT OUT MESSAGING OR AUSTIN WATER WILL PUT OUT MESSAGING IF THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING A BURN, BUT WE'LL AMPLIFY THAT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SIDE AND MAKE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORS KNOW ABOUT THAT BURN, WHY WE'RE DOING IT AND, AND THAT IT IS, UH, A LAND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUE AND SOMETHING TO HELP TRAIN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS ON COMPLIMENTARY EFFORTS LIKE THIS PRESENTATION.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR AUSTIN AREA WILDFIRE, UH, COALITION AND OUR FIREWISE ALLIANCE.

AND WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT OUR DIFFERENT PARTNERS ACROSS THE CITY, INCLUDING PARD, WILL COME PRESENT TO THOSE GROUPS ON, ON THEIR LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS AND HOW THAT FITS INTO OUR OVERALL STRATEGY ACROSS THE CITY FOR WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS.

AND ALL OF THIS IS NOT ONLY TO SUPPORT AND ACHIEVE THE LAND MANAGEMENT GOALS THAT MATT IS TALKING ABOUT, BUT ALSO TO ACHIEVE ALL OF OUR WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS GOALS ACROSS THE CITY.

AND JUST TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, IF WE THINK ABOUT THOSE, THOSE THREE CIRCLES OF THE NATIONAL COHESIVE STRATEGY, OUR FOCUS FROM A FD IS, IS A LOT ON THE, THE, THE HOMEOWNER SIDE OF THE FENCE.

SO WHILE HARD AND OUR PARTNERS THAT HAVE THAT OWN LAND IN THE CITY MAY FOCUS ON THE GREEN SPACES, OUR GREEN BELTS AND THOSE PUBLICLY OWNED LANDS, WE'RE GONNA FOCUS MORE ON THE, THE HOMEOWNER SIDE OF THE FENCE.

AND AS WE'RE DOING MITIGATION WORK, MAYBE A SHADED FUEL BREAK OR A PRESCRIBED FIRE THAT WE'LL TALK TO OUR HOMEOWNERS ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN BE DOING ON THEIR PROPERTY AS WELL.

SO THAT'S GONNA APPROACH OUR FIREWISE COMMUNITIES TALKING ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL IGNITION ZONE AND THE EVALUATIONS THAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT AND WHAT, WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR HOMEOWNERS CAN DO TO HARDEN THEIR HOMES AGAINST WILDFIRE SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE HAVE COLLABORATION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE, NOT ONLY ON OUR PUBLICLY OWNED LANDS, BUT ON OUR PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTIES AS WELL.

AND THAT INCLUDES EMERGENCY PLANNING AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS KNOW, UM, THE PLANNING THAT WE DO FOR EMERGENCIES.

AND THAT INCLUDES THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH A FD IN PART AS WELL.

AND, AND FINALLY JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CONSISTENT JOINT MESSAGING ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROJECTS AND THAT OUR, OUR HOMEOWNERS AND OUR LAND MANAGERS ARE, WE ARE HELPING BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THOSE MESSAGING, BETWEEN THOSE MESSAGES AND ENSURING THAT EVERYONE HAS A CONSISTENT MESSAGE.

THAT'S ALL WE HAVE PREPARE PREPARED FOR YOU TONIGHT.

I THINK WE'RE BOTH AVAILABLE TO TAKE QUESTIONS.

CAN YOU, UH, GO BACK TO THE SLIDE, UH, THAT SHOWS THE, UH, THE THE CITY OF AUSTIN? YEAH, THE MAP.

THE MAP PLEASE.

UH, YES, THAT ONE.

MIGHT FARE IN A SCARY SITUATION.

UM, SO THE REASON I WANTED TO GO BACK ON THE SITE IS BECAUSE, UH, PARTLY, UH, WANTED JUST TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF LIKE HOW, OBVIOUSLY Y'ALL, THIS IS NOT LUCKY.

Y'ALL HAVE THE RESOURCES IN ORDER TO MANAGE ALL OF THIS RIGHT NOW, AND THERE'S ALWAYS A NEED FOR MORE RESOURCES.

SO HOW IS THE, IS THE PRIORITY TO DO THE RED AREAS AND THEN GO DOWN TO THE ORANGE AND YELLOW AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

IS THAT, THAT'S MY ASSUMPTION.

SO I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND FROM YOU IF THAT'S KIND OF LIKE HOW Y'ALL TACKLE THESE PROJECTS.

PRIORITIZATION, UH, THAT'S A, EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW WHICH ONES, WHICH ONE'S NEXT.

SO THE, THE GRAPH HERE, THE MAP, UH, THAT PARK CLIMATE VULNERABILITY, THAT PARK VULNERABILITY INDEX IS ACTUALLY A, A, A CUSTOM CLIMATE VULNERABILITY INDEX THAT WAS DEVELOPED IN THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN.

UH, THE, THE IDEA HERE IS IF WE'RE GONNA BE MANAGING LAND TO REDUCE VULNERABILITY AND IMPROVE RESILIENCE, SOMEHOW WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MEASURE THAT AND MAP IT.

UM, IN THE LAST PROBABLY COUPLE OF MONTHS, YOU'VE ALL PROBABLY SEEN AT LEAST ONE WILDFIRE RISK MAP, MAYBE SEVERAL.

AND THEY'RE ALL SIMILAR AND THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT AND THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT PURPOSES.

SO THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE, IN ONE OF THE ANALYSES THAT CAME OUTTA THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN, THIS PARTICULAR MAP COMBINES, UH, THE ENVIRONMENTAL, THE PHYSICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, MEASURABLE FACTORS THAT MIGHT, UH, THAT WOULD IMPACT, UH, INTENSE WILDFIRE AND ON PARKLAND ALONG WITH SOME SOCIAL, SOCIAL VULNERABILITY INDICES INDICATORS.

UM, THE IDEA HERE IS EVERY HAZARD NEEDS A TARGET.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO COMBINE A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS IN TERMS OF PARK NATURAL AREA OF VULNERABILITY AS WELL AS HOW, UH, OUR NEIGHBORS

[00:55:01]

I GUESS, UH, MORE TO THE, THE, THE POINT IS, IS HOW DO Y'ALL MM, PRIORITIZE PROJECTS OR AREAS, HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE? YEP.

THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME OF THAT.

UH, THE, WE ADDRESSED THIS SPECIFICALLY, I BELIEVE IT'S PAGE 113, VOLUME ONE OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN.

BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, UM, THERE ARE FOUR THINGS THAT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE IN ORDER TO GO TO WORK.

WE HAVE TO HAVE STAFFING, FUNDING, CONTRACTS, AND ACCESS FOR EQUIPMENT AND STAFFING.

IF WE DON'T HAVE ALL FOUR OF THOSE, WE CAN'T WORK BEYOND THAT.

UM, CURRENTLY IT, IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT.

UM, WE HAVE A, WE, WE TRIED TO BE FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE IN THE SORT OF THINGS THAT, UM, THAT WE, UH, CONSIDER WHEN WE'RE PRIORITIZING PROJECTS AT THIS PHASE.

IT REALLY HAS A LOT TO DO WITH ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY, UM, VULNERABILITY, UH, CLIMATE, UM, PROJECT COMPLEXITY, UM, SORT OF .

THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF, WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO 'EM.

MAPS LIKE THIS ARE PART OF IT, BUT SIMPLY NOT ALL OF IT.

AND THEN, UM, I'LL OPEN IT UP JUST TO THE REST OF THE BOARD, BUT MY LAST QUESTION IS, AND I GUESS MAYBE THIS IS MORE FOR, WELL IT COULD BE FOR BOTH OF Y'ALL, BUT I WAS GONNA ASK, UH, CHIEF STEWART, UM, I WAS RECENTLY TOLD THAT CITY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS NUMBER FOUR AND THE NATION IN REGARDS TO WILD, WILD FIRE RISK WITH THE TOP THREE SPOTS BEING IN CALIFORNIA.

UM, IS THAT ACCURATE OR SO THAT THAT DEPENDS ON IT? IT IS.

WELL I BELIEVE THE FIGURE IS NUMBER FIVE.

UH, THAT COMES FROM A COMPANY CALLED CORELOGIC.

CORELOGIC IS A COMPANY THAT PRODUCES ANALYSES FOR INSURANCE COMPANIES.

UM, SO FROM THE STANDPOINT OF AN INSURANCE COMPANY, AUSTIN IS NUMBER, HAS THE FIFTH HIGHEST WILDFIRE RISK IN THE COUNTRY.

THAT'S STATISTIC SPECIFICALLY IS RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF HOMES WITHIN THE WILD AND URBAN INTERFACE.

AND SO AUSTIN IS OVER A MILLION PEOPLE NOW, SO UNNECESSARILY WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF HOMES IN THE WILD AND URBAN INTERFACE.

SO IT, IT MEANS SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC.

UM, I WOULD SAY IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T TELL YOU WHAT YOUR RISK IS OR WHAT YOUR RISK IS OR WHAT YOUR RISK IS.

UM, AND IS ALSO, IT'S A, IT'S A FACTOR THAT IS RELATED TO REAL ESTATE LOSS POTENTIALLY.

AND I GUESS THE REASON THAT, WHY I BRING THAT UP AND WHY, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE WE CURRENTLY HAVE A WORKING GROUP THAT'S LOOKING INTO BUDGET AND BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, TO SUBMIT TO CITY COUNCIL.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS ABOUT INSURANCE RATES AND ALL THAT STUFF.

BUT, UM, I THINK BASED OFF OF WHAT'S HAPPENED IN CALIFORNIA IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, MOST PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AREN'T TRYING TO FIGURE, I MEAN MOST PEOPLE OF AUSTIN ARE, ARE GONNA BE MORE WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA LOSE COVERAGE ON THEIR INSURANCE A FEW MONTHS, FEW YEARS DOWN THE LINE BECAUSE OF THAT RISK ASSESSMENT THAT'S BEING DONE OR THEIR COVERAGE WILL DROP OR WHETHER IT'LL GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY OR WHETHER WE'LL HAVE TO BUY A WRITER, WE'LL HAVE TO BE AN ADDENDUM, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

UM, WHICH IS ALL TO SAY IS PART OF MITIGATING THAT AND BEING PROACTIVE IS MAKING SURE Y'ALL HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY IN ORDER TO THIS PROACTIVE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE UNDERTAKING AT THIS TIME.

SO IT'S, WE, WE SHOULDN'T, I DON'T WANT TO GET TO THE POINT TO WHERE, UM, WE'RE NOT, INSTEAD OF HAVING MANAGED BURNS, WE'RE FIGHTING UNMANAGEABLE BURNS.

SO I'LL OPEN UP TO THE REST OF THE BOARD.

I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

UM, AND APOLOGIES FOR THE DIRECTNESS HERE, BUT I DON'T REALLY NEED ANYTHING EXTRA.

ARE YOU GUYS CURRENTLY KEEPING UP, FALLING BEHIND ON LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE FOUR PEOPLE.

TO ME THAT SEEMS ASTRONOMICALLY TINY, UM, FOR WHAT WE HAVE GOING ON, LIKE EVERY YEAR ARE YOU LOSING SOME GROUND LIKE THE NEXT YEAR YOU HAVE MORE STUFF THAT'S FALLEN INTO SORT OF THIS REALLY SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED ZONE OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE TREADING WATER OR YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S A VERY SIMPLISTIC WAY TO THINK OF IT AND , BUT LIKE, JUST HONESTLY, HONESTLY, WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

WOW.

ORIGINAL SORT OF THAT'S A, YEAH, THAT, THAT'S SORT OF A GUESS AT THIS POINT.

UM, SO MY NEXT QUESTION, UH, WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED YOU HAVE FOUR FTS NOW SORT OF FUNDED AT THE ORIGINAL SCOPE, WHICH I KNOW ALSO IS NOT FULLY FUNDED TO DO THE JOB WAS NINE.

IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID FOR THAT

[01:00:01]

AND WE LOOKED AT COMPARABLES TO OTHER SORT OF SIMILAR PROGRAMS THAT ARE DOING SIMILAR THINGS AND LOOKING AT HOW MANY ACRES CAN BE SORT OF MANAGED WITHIN THE PORTFOLIO OF ONE FTE.

AND IT'S A VERY GENERAL SURE GUESS AT THIS POINT WE, WE SORT OF SAID, UH, I BELIEVE IN A MEETING WITH THE PREVIOUS INTERIM CITY MANAGER, WE SAID SOMETHING LIKE, GIVE US FIVE YEARS AND THEN LET'S SEE WHERE WE ARE.

SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IF, AND I'M NOT, I KNOW THIS IS WISHFUL THINKING, BUT LET'S JUST SAY YOU HAD NINE FT NOW, WOULD YOU FEEL LIKE WITH NINE FT YOU WERE ABLE TO MAKE A REAL DENT IN SOME OF THE ISSUES WE HAVE? OR YOU STILL WOULD FEEL LIKE IT WAS JUST, THIS JUST SEEMS LIKE A TINY NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO ME, LIKE IF I'M BEING FRANK, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE A, YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T MAINTAIN THIS BUILDING WITH NINE PEOPLE.

SO TO ME THE IDEA THAT THERE ARE ACRES OF LAND OUT THERE, NINE PEOPLE ALSO SEEMS LIKE A DROP IN THE BUCKET.

BUT TO THE CHAIR'S POINT, WE HAVE A GROUP THAT'S WORKING ON THIS RIGHT NOW AND I'D LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT'S, WHAT'S REALISTIC AND WHAT WE COULD ASK FOR FUNDING FOR IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WOULD BE A FUNCTIONING GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO COULD ACTUALLY DO THE JOB WELL.

SO THAT, I'M GONNA SEE IF JOSHUA ERICKSON IS STILL HERE AND, AND HERE COMES JODY SNEAKING UP ON ME.

SO, UM, HERE I'LL COME UP AND HELP WITH IT.

I COULD, BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING ABOUT BUDGET, I COULD TALK, I THINK THE QUESTION IS HOW COULD WE POTENTIALLY DO THIS WITH NINE? NO, NO, THAT'S NOT MY QUESTION.

MY QUESTION IS, IF YOU, IF I WENT OUT TODAY MATT AND SAID CONGRATULATIONS, YOU CAN DO YOUR JOB AND IT'S GONNA BE WONDERFUL AND YOU'RE GONNA GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT.

NOT WORRIED THAT A BUNCH OF PEOPLE'S HOUSES ARE GONNA BURN DOWN AND THE PARKS ARE GONNA CATCH ON FIRE.

HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD IT TAKE? 39.

THAT'S WHY I HAVE NO SCOPE.

LIKE THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, MY, I RUN A DATA UNIT.

LIKE I'M NOT OUTSIDE ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M WONDERING.

SO, AND NOW YOU'RE ALL COMING UP, WHICH MEANS I'M ASKING THE QUESTIONS THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO ANSWER.

SO NO.

SO I'M AMANDA ROSS, I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR NATURAL RESOURCES AND WE'RE SUPER LUCKY TO HAVE MATT HERE WHO'S OUR KIND OF EXPERT IN THE FIELD WHO CAN REALLY TELL US HOW TO GET WORK DONE THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE.

I THINK WHEN WE GET INTO BUDGET, WE JUST REALIZE AS A PARKS DEPARTMENT THAT THE NEEDS ARE SUBSTANTIAL.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO FIRE TOO, THERE'S SO MANY UNKNOWNS, RIGHT? LIKE WE CAN'T, I DON'T THINK I WANNA BE CAREFUL THAT WE CAN'T SET A GUARANTEE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING, I'M NOT ASKING YOU.

SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR.

LIKE CUT TO THE CHASE.

I'VE GOT A POLICY DEGREE.

I'M JUST LOOKING FOR LIKE A GENERAL SENSE.

I'M NOT GONNA COME LIKE, YEAH, I THINK NINE IS WHERE WE'RE HOPING NINE TO GIVE US THAT FIRST FIVE YEARS.

RIGHT? LIKE, OKAY.

I THINK WE FEEL LIKE WE COULD MANAGE THAT.

WE COULD ACTUALLY GET WORK DONE AND IT WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GROW TOO FAST SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY HARD TO, TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND SO TRYING TO START WITH SOMETHING THAT'S MANAGEABLE, DOABLE.

AND NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF THE MASTER AGREEMENTS IN PLACE, IT IS A LOT OF MANAGEMENT OF CONTRACTORS.

SO A LOT OF SCOPING OUT THE WORK.

AND THEN THE CONTRACTORS REALLY, SO THERE IS FUNDING REQUESTS OBVIOUSLY ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

SO IT'S NOT JUST THE NINE FTES.

THERE'S ALSO FUNDS THEY CAN PAY US.

SO THAT TWO 50 AN ACRE THAT WAS QUOTED IS INCLUDING BOTH FTES AND MONEY, THAT'S FUNDING CONTRACTORS, ET CETERA.

THOSE BOTH, THOSE ARE BOTH WRAPPED IN THERE.

YES.

OKAY, GREAT.

I, I DID THE MATH.

IT GETS TO 2.6 MILLION.

YEAH, AND, AND JUST TO BE, AND JUST TO MAKE SURE, NOW THAT I'M CLEAR NOW, BECAUSE NOW I'M LIKE, MAYBE OVERTHINKING THIS IS IT.

YOU NEED NINE TOTAL FTES DOING THIS WORK, OR YOU NEED NINE ADDITIONAL FTES.

SO IT'S NINE INCLUSIVE OF WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

SO FIVE ADDITIONAL FIVE.

HI, THIS IS JENNIFER FRANKLIN.

I HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS WHICH ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR HAD AS WELL.

UM, I GUESS REGARDING THE FTES, I THINK, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE APPROACH WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAD ADDITIONAL BUDGET, YOU KNOW, WOULD THAT BE BENEFICIAL? AND THEN KIND OF WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE SCOPE NEEDED, I GUESS, WITH THESE NINE FTES, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE, UM, HIGHEST PRIORITY ITEMS THAT THOSE ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WOULD ADDRESS? YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD THOSE STAFF BE FOCUSED ON IN PARTICULAR IS ONE QUESTION THAT I HAVE.

AND THEN ALSO YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE ARE ABOUT, UH, 10,300 ACRES UNDER MANAGEMENT.

SO BASED ON THE TWO 50 AN ACRE COST, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET IS CURRENTLY FUNDING LESS THAN A THIRD OF THAT PROPERTY.

WAS THAT SLIDE THAT WAS PULLED UP EARLIER WITH THE RED AND GREEN, DID THAT SHOW ALL OF THE 10,300 ACRES? OR IS THAT ONLY A FRACTION THAT WAS VISUALLY REPRESENTED? YES, THE, THE SLIDE THAT SHOWED THE MAP, THAT WAS THE, ALL OF THE 10,300 ACRES.

UM, THE FOCUS OF THE FTES.

UM, WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON IMPLEMENTATION

[01:05:02]

OF LAND MANAGEMENT, ACTIVE LAND MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION ON THE GROUND, AND ANY OTHER SUPPORTING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS, UH, MONITORING ANALYSIS, A LITTLE RESEARCH, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

UM, THERE IS AN ARMY OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN WHO ARE BEGGING US FOR DIRECTION.

UH, AND SO ONE OF THE, THE, THE POSITION WE'RE TRYING TO HIRE NOW WOULD, THAT'S A BIG PART OF THEIR JOB IS ALIGNING AND COORDINATING THE MASSIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEER, UH, LABOR RESOURCE OUT THERE.

SO OUT OF THOSE ADDITIONAL FTES, EVERYTHING FROM ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS TO PROGRAM COORDINATION TO JUST BEING ON THE, ON THE GROUND IN THE FIELD ALSO? CORRECT.

UH, AS AMANDA MENTIONED, WE HAVE, UH, ONE NEW CONTRACT, ONE NEW MASTER AGREEMENT THAT CAME ONLINE THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT I BELIEVE WILL BE COMING BEFORE COUNCIL LATE APRIL.

SO A LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THESE EMPLOYEES ARE, UM, SORT OF FALSE MULTI FORCE MULTIPLIERS, WHETHER IT BE VOLUNTEERS OR, OR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS OR CONTRACTORS.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS HOW WE'RE ABLE TO DO THIS WITH FEWER, UM, FEWER FTES.

OVERALL, THE STRATEGIES ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

YOU HEARD ABOUT ALL THE COOL THINGS THAT OUR FORESTRY PROGRAM DOES.

THEY WORK ONE TREE AT A TIME.

WE WORK ONE ACRE AT A TIME.

SO THESE GUYS HAVE, THEY TREAT 3000, 4,000 TREES A YEAR.

WE HAVE, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILLIONS OF TREES ON IN OUR PARKLAND NATURAL AREAS.

AND SO WE HAVE TO USE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ECONOMIES OF SCALE.

GOTCHA.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THE BOARD MEMBERS? YEAH, I HAVE QUESTIONS.

YES.

UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

SO I KEEP GOING BACK TO THIS MAP AND IT APPEARS THAT IT'S AROUND WALTER E. LONG LAKE, THAT YOU HAVE A VERY HIGH RISK AREA, UM, THAT'S ALSO A WILDLIFE SANCTUARY.

MM-HMM .

UM, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU ARE INCORPORATING OR WORKING WITH, UM, WILDLIFE PROTECTION ORGANIZATIONS, UM, IN DOING PRESCRIBED BURNING? AND ARE THERE ANY ALTERNATIVES TO THAT? IS THERE AN EVALUATION PROCESS ON HOW THIS WILL IMPACT WILDLIFE AND PERHAPS ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THE AREAS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO THE PRESCRIBED BURNING? YEAH.

UH, SO I GUESS FOR THE ENDANGERED SPECIES, WE COORDINATE WITH THE BALCONES CANYON LANDS CONSERVATION PLAN AND ALL OF THEIR, UH, ORGANIZATION.

SO WE'RE FULLY IN LINE WITH THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT THERE.

UM, INTERESTING THING ABOUT PRESCRIBED BURNING IS MOST BURN MANAGERS ARE THEMSELVES, WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS.

UH, SO WE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, THE TRAVIS AUDUBON, FOR EXAMPLE, AT INDIAN GRASS WILDLIFE, SANCTUARY COMMONS, FORD, PLACES LIKE THAT.

UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, PRESCRIBED BURNS ARE A DISCREET EVENT THAT CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE ALL AT ONCE.

BUT, UH, THE SCIENCE OVERWHELMINGLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE EFFECT OF PRESCRIBED BURNS ON WILDLIFE HABITAT AND DIVERSITY, ET CETERA, IT'S, IT'S OVER OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.

SO IF WE HAVE A, A, UH, A PARTICULAR ISSUE IN A PARTICULAR PLACE WHERE WILDLIFE HABITAT NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED OR WORKED AROUND, WE CERTAINLY DO.

BUT OVERALL, UM, WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS DIVERSITY, WHICH BEGETS RESILIENCE.

AND WE, WE GENERALLY FIND THAT WILDLIFE, WILDLIFE CAN GET OUT OF THE WAY AND THEY COME RIGHT BACK INTO THOSE BURNED AREAS.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY ATTRACTED TO BURNED AREAS.

A LOT OF THOSE WILDLIFE ARE.

AND SO IS AFTER PRESCRIBED BURNS, OR IS THERE AN EVALUATION OF HOW IT'S CHANGED THE ECOSYSTEM? HOW, WHAT HAS, WHAT HAS BEEN LOST OR CHANGED AS FAR AS THAT RESILIENCE FOR THAT TO GROW, BECOME A WILDLIFE PLACE HABITAT AGAIN? YEAH.

SO WE ARE JUST NOW FINALLY ABLE TO START IMPLEMENTING FORMALIZED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT OR MONITORING ACROSS ALL OF OUR MANAGEMENT UNITS.

I GUESS THE PRACTICE OF FOREST MANAGEMENT, I GUESS IS THE EASIEST WAY TO SAY THAT.

AND THERE'S, UH, IT, IT APPEARS FROM YOUR PRESENTATION THAT THERE IS A, A BIG EFFORT TO PRESERVE TREES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

UM, AND THIS IS TO REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES THAT CAN BE FUEL.

BUT, UM, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT, UM, DECIDING WHAT TREES ARE PRESERVED AND, AND WHAT ARE REMOVED? UH, WE, WE ARE,

[01:10:02]

UM, THERE ARE A, A LOT OF FORCE MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES AND SPECIFICATIONS IN MULTIPLE SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS RELATED TO THIS.

BUT OVERALL, UM, OFTENTIMES WE NEED TO, UM, REDUCE COMPETITION OR REDUCE DENSITY IN SOME PLACES IN ORDER TO IMPROVE RESILIENCE OF THE OVERALL CANOPY.

ONE OTHER QUESTION, IF I MAY REALLY QUICKLY.

AS FAR AS INCIDENTS WHERE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME SORT OF, UH, WILDFIRE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT'S, UM, IN RIGHT OF WAY OR PARKLAND, IS THAT SOMETHING, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT WITH POOR FTES, BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOUR ROUTE HAS THE ABILITY TO MONITOR HOW MANY INCIDENTS THERE ARE? THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS AS WELL AS THE AREA FOR EACH ONE? OR IS THAT TRACKED WITH BY, UH, VIA A DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT? I WOULD ASK CHIEF STEWART ABOUT THAT.

WE DO, UH, MAINTAIN AN ACTIVE INCIDENTS MAP AND UH, WE'VE DEVELOPED A FIELD MAPS APPLICATION WITHIN THE WILDFIRE DIVISION AS WELL TO WHERE WE CAN KIND OF SEE, UH, NO PUN INTENDED, BUT HEAT MAPS WHERE WE'VE HAD FIRES THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN MULTIPLE PLACES.

UM, AND THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN A, A WANTED FIRE AND AN UNWANTED UNCONTROLLED FIRE.

SO FOR THOSE PRESCRIBED BURNS, WE NOTICE THAT, UM, HISTORICALLY IF WE, IF WE HAVE DONE A PRESCRIBED BURN IN AN AREA, THAT THAT PLACE IS MORE RESILIENT TO WILDFIRE IN THE FUTURE, LIKE AN UNCONTROLLED UNWANTED WILDFIRE IN THE FUTURE.

SO WE DO TRACK, UM, WHERE WE'VE HAD THOSE FIRES OVER TIME, YES, WE DO THAT.

AND, UH, WE ALSO NOTICE THAT, UH, THE INCIDENTS AND INTENSITY OF, OF AN UNCONTROLLED FIRE IN THE SAME AREA IS, IS LESS AFTER A PLACE HAS BEEN, UH, HAD A PRESCRIBED BURN DONE.

BUT THAT IS INFORMATION THAT WE MAINTAIN WITHIN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THE BOARD MEMBERS? ALRIGHT, UH, CHIEF STEWART, I MAY REACH OUT TO YOU.

UM, I KNOW YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY BEEN IN CON CONTACT WITH, UM, DISTRICT TWO, VANESSA ENTENTES, MAYOR PRO VANESSA FUENTES OFFICE, BUT, UM, AS YOU KNOW, HER DISTRICT CONTAINS, UH, MCKINNEY FALLS AND CREEK, UM, AND A LOT GRASSLAND OUT THERE.

SO, UM, I KNOW GENERALLY I HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN, IT HAS BEEN EXPRESSED TO ME BY PEOPLE THERE THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT LIKE THAT AREA.

SO, UM, YEAH, WE'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AND, AND PROMOTE THOSE STRUCTURED IGNITIONS ZONE EVALUATIONS IN THAT AREA AS WELL.

DEFINITELY.

ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, BOARD MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBER, BECKER? UM, NO, NOT A QUESTION.

JUST WANNA SAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.

UM, UH, GIVE GIVEN THE CRITICALITY OF THIS TO THE CITY.

ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, THAT WAS FIVE.

THAT FIVE? YEAH, THAT WAS FIVE.

EIGHT, WHICH IS STAFF BRIEFING ON THE RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTER FACILITY ASSESSMENT AND GAP ANALYSIS REPORT COVERING THE STATE OF CURRENT RECREATION AND COMMUNITY CENTER'S GUIDE FUTURE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES, ACTIONS AND PRIORITIES THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN TRACK.

AT THIS TIME, UM, THERE WAS A TYPO IN THE MINUTES AND WE'RE GONNA GO BIT UP OUT OF ORDER AT THIS TIME IN THE AGENDA.

SORRY, THERE'S A BIT OF TYPOS ON THE AGENDA.

SO WE'RE GONNA GO OUT OF ORDER AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA DO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT, THEN SEVEN, THEN SIX.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'LL DO AGENDA ITEM

[8. Staff briefing on the Recreation and Senior Center Facility Assessment and Gap Analysis Report, covering the state of current recreation and community centers, guide future growth and development, and develop strategies, actions, and priorities that can be implemented and tracked. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Park Access for All). Presenter(s): Alyssa Tharrett, Project Management Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department]

ANY FURTHER? ANY, ANY COMMENT? I MEAN ANY COMMENTORS? YES.

CHAIR.

WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC COMMENTERS ON THIS ITEM.

OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE MALCOLM YATES, FOLLOWED BY ED MILLER.

MR. YATES, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FROM THE TIME YOU BEGIN SPEAKING.

MY NAME IS MALCOLM YATES.

I'M THE CHAIR OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE OLD TORF COMBINED CONTACT TEAM.

THE IRAQ CONTACT TEAM IS A COALITION OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA.

WE HAVE RESEARCHED THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA AND HAVE CREATED AN IRAQ GAP ANALYSIS REPORT THAT CONFIRMS THE NEED FOR A COMMUNITY CENTER AND MORE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES FOR THE POPULATION OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA.

THIS REPORT USES THE SAME CRITERIA AS THE PARKS DEPARTMENT GAP ANALYSIS REPORT TO DEMONSTRATE THIS NEED, THE IRAQ REPORT IS TOO LARGE TO PRESENT IN A THREE MINUTE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.

THE IRAQ REPORT HAS

[01:15:01]

BEEN SENT TO ALL PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.

WE WILL BE SUMMARIZING THIS REPORT TONIGHT.

THE RESIDENTS OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA REQUEST THAT THE PARKS BOARD REMEMBERS REVIEW THE COMPLETE IRAQ GAP ANALYSIS REPORT AND SUPPORT OUR NEED FOR MORE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

THIS IS A SLIDE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA USED BY THE AUSTIN PARKS DEPARTMENT DEMOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT FOR THE GAP ANALYSIS REPORT.

THE IRAQ GAP ANALYSIS REPORT USES THESE SAME CRITERIA.

THIS IS A LIST OF THE CRITERIA USED BY THE MINNEAPOLIS PARKS DEPARTMENT IN THEIR NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

THE AUSTIN PARKS DEPARTMENT USED THE MINNEAPOLIS STUDY AS ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF BEST PRACTICES.

THESE ARE THE FOREMOST IMPORTANT EQUITY-BASED CRITERIA FOR PRIORITIZING CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN AN AREA.

RACIALLY CONCENTRATED AREAS OF POVERTY, NEIGHBORHOOD POPULATION DENSITY, YOUTH POPULATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD, AND NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME STATISTICS.

THE IRAQ GAP ANALYSIS CONTAINS THE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION THAT PROVES THAT THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA NEEDS AND DESERVES MORE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE STUDENTS AT LINDER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH SERVED THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA.

THE STUDENT POPULATION IS 89% HISPANIC OR AFRICAN AMERICAN AND IS OVER 90% ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.

THIS IS JUST ONE STATISTIC TAKEN FROM THE IRAQ GAP ANALYSIS REPORT TO PRESENT TONIGHT.

THIS TABLE SHOWS THE RIVERSIDE AREA IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR THE FOUR EQUITY BASED CRITERIA FOR PRIORITIZING CAPITAL INVESTMENT.

THIS TABLE IS A SUMMARY OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC CRITERIA PRESENTED IN THE IRAQ GAP ANALYSIS REPORT.

THE BACKUP INFORMATION ON THE SOURCES OF THESE STATISTICS IS IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS SENT TO THE PARKS BOARD MEMBERS.

THIS SUMMARY CONTRADICTS THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE PARD GAP ANALYSIS REPORT, WHICH CONCLUDES THE GREATEST NEED FOR RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IS ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH EDGES OF AUSTIN.

BASED ON THE CRITERIA USED BY THE PARD GAP ANALYSIS REPORT, THE EAST RIVERSIDE AREA NEEDS AND DESERVES MORE INVESTMENT IN RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.

PLEASE SUPPORT THE REQUEST OF THE ROC CONTACT TEAM FOR FUNDING A COMMUNITY CENTER IN THE 2026 BOND ELECTION.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ED MILLER.

GOOD EVENING ON THE DAAS.

PER SQUARE MILE ALSO HAS THE HIGHEST RATES OF POVERTY, CRIME, UNEMPLOYMENT, SCHOOL DROPOUT, AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER HOPES THAT THE SUBURBS END UP IN THAT CONDITION.

I'M ED MILLER WITH IRAQ.

I HAVE WORKED IN THE SOUTHEAST AUSTIN AREA FOR 30 YEARS, 15 AS A PROFESSOR AT A CC RIVERSIDE RUNNING A REENTRY PROGRAM FOR EX-OFFENDERS RETURNING FROM PRISON.

MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, I FOUND THAT NOT ONLY A MAJORITY, BUT MOST OF MY STUDENTS CAME FROM EAST RIVERSIDE SIDE, WHICH OF COURSE POSED THE QUESTION TO ME OF WHY.

SO I WAS UNDERSTANDABLY THRILLED TO HEAR THAT YOUR GAP ANALYSIS REPORT INDICATED A NEED FOR MORE FACILITIES IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.

IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT, PERHAPS YOU CAN ALSO IMAGINE THE HORROR.

I FELT WHEN I BEGAN TO HEAR WHISPERED RUMORS THAT SOUTHEAST AUSTIN NOW MEANT THE AREA DOWN NEAR ONION CREEK AT THE EDGE OF TOWN, ALMOST OUT OF TRAVIS COUNTY.

WELL, THOSE RUMORS FINALLY HAD VOICE PUT TO THEM.

I'M GONNA HAVE TO READ THIS HERE.

UH, SOMETHING I READ OUT OF THE, UH, AUSTIN MONITOR QUOTING CITY COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE SIEGEL, WHO SAYS THEY HOPES TO DEVELOP A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM ENSURING AUSTINITES AT THE EDGE OF TOWN CAN ENJOY THE SAME QUALITY OF LIFE AS FOLKS IN THE CITY CENTER.

INDEED, EAST RIVERSIDE, WHICH IN MY EXPERIENCE IS NEAR EAST RIVERSIDE DRIVE IN SOUTH PLEASANT VALLEY, IT'S NOT OUT IN THE BOONDOCKS, HAS THE GREATEST POPULATION DENSITY IN THE CITY.

6,000 PEOPLE

[01:20:01]

WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE THOSE CONDITIONS EXIST? IS IT JUST A COINCIDENCE OR COULD IT BE RELATED TO THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NO PARKS, NO REC CENTER, NO COMMUNITY CENTER, NO LIBRARY, NO SERVICES, NO PLACE TO OFFER SERVICES.

PLEASE KEEP THIS IN MIND.

IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT AFFECTS A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND IF YOU CAN'T GET THE CITY CENTERED DONE BEFORE YOU START ON THE SUBURBS, I THINK THE POINT IS BEING MISSED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER SPEAKER, MR. BECK? THAT'S IT.

ALRIGHT, WE'LL HEAR THE PRESENTATION.

THESE COMMUNITIES, FROM THE MAINTENANCE WORKERS WHO WHO HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE FACILITIES AND ALL THE, THE PEOPLE IN BETWEEN THAT ARE, ARE WORKING ON IT.

I PROMISE I'M NOT ALLERGIC TO THESE BOARD MEETINGS, BUT, UM, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE COUGHING.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

MY NAME IS JESUS GURE PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR.

UM, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO, TO THE SMART PEOPLE ON THE TEAM, I JUST WANNA INTRODUCE A LITTLE BIT, UH, THIS, THIS ITEM REGARDING THE REC AND SENIOR CENTER, UH, FACILITY ANALYSIS.

UM, BUT WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE THE FRAMEWORK, UH, AND THE RESULT OF THIS REPORT.

THIS ANALYSIS THAT WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED, UH, ON THE, THAT ASSESSED THE CONDITION OF ALL OF PARKS, RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTER FACILITIES.

IT ALSO EXPLORES, UH, HOW WE MAY BETTER SERVE AREAS WITHIN THE CITY THAT LACK EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES.

THIS REPORT IS WELL TIMED, UM, IN ANTICIPATION OF THE 2 20 26 BOND, UM, WHICH WE'LL HEAR ABOUT AT THE NEXT PRESENTATION.

AND IT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK THAT'S GONNA HELP US ALIGN PRIORITIZATION FOR THIS FUTURE BOND FUNDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTER PROJECTS.

THIS REPORT WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND ENGAGED PART RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND MAINTENANCE STAFF.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THE CITY DEMOGRAPHER THE EQUITY OFFICE AND PRODUCE WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A WELL-ROUNDED FEEDBACK LOOP OF ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

IT ALSO INFUSED COMMUNITY INPUT GATHERED DURING OUR LONG RANGE PLAN DEVELOPMENT, UH, TO GUIDE THAT DISCUSSION.

SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, TO OUR TEAM HERE.

HELLO, I AM ALYSSA THERA.

I AM THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUPERVISOR FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL DEVELOPMENT DIVISION HERE AT PARKS AND RECREATION.

UM, I SERVE AS AN ARCHITECT FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A FEW YEARS AND BEFORE THAT, SERVED AS AN ARCHITECT ON NATIONAL WIDE PARKS AND RECREATION PROJECTS.

UM, AND THEN JOINED WITH ME IS, UH, BRIAN, WHO'S OUR CONSULTANT AND I'LL LET HIM INTRODUCE HIMSELF.

UH, I'M BRIAN CARLSON.

I'M PRINCIPAL AT MCKINNEY YORK ARCHITECTS.

ALRIGHT, , NEXT SLIDE.

SO THE GOALS THAT WE HAD MOVING INTO THIS, THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF A TWO YEAR PLUS LONG PROCESS.

ORIGINALLY WE THOUGHT MAYBE THE BOND WOULD BE IN 2024.

IT GOT PUSHED TO 2026.

SO IT GAVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO KINDA REALLY FLUSH IT OUT AND SPEND TIME ON IT.

BUT WE WANTED TO ASSESS THE STATE OF OUR, OUR CURRENT RECREATION AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, UH, BOTH THROUGH ASSESSMENTS OF THE PHYSICAL AND FUNCTIONALITY OF THESE FACILITIES.

'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST CONDITION, BUT HOW IT'S BEING USED.

IS IT, IT BUILT IN A WAY THAT'S USEFUL.

UM, AND THEN, UH, PROVIDE A, A STRONG DATA DRIVEN BASELINE TO INFORM PRIORITIZATION AND TRACK IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS OVER TIME.

UH, WE ALSO WANTED TO GUIDE FUTURE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT BASED ON THE UPCOMING BOND WE WANNA CREATE, CREATE A GUIDE THAT HOW WILL, HOW AND WHERE TO INVEST TO ENSURE THAT OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE CENTERS SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS, THE EMPLOYEES, AND AND VISITORS.

AS AUSTIN CONTINUES TO GROW AND CHANGE AS IT HAS BEEN AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES, ACTIONS AND PRIORITIES THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AND TRACKED, UM, WE CAN PROVIDE STRATEGIES AND PRIORITIES TO INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND PLANS FOR FUTURE RECREATION COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTER DEVELOPMENT.

NEXT.

SO THIS ROADMAP OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'LL START BACK MAYBE IN 2022.

WE STARTED WITH A LOT OF DATA COLLECTION.

DATA COLLECTION ALSO INCLUDES INPUT, INPUT FROM STAFF, INPUT FROM THOSE WHO SERVE

[01:25:01]

AND THEN ALSO THE DATA COLLECTION, COLLECTION OF SOCIOECONOMIC DATA, UH, USE DATA, WHAT FACILITIES ARE GETTING USED A LOT, JUST SO MUCH YEARS OF, OF DATA COLLECTION.

UM, WITHIN THAT WE ALSO HAD AN EQUITY FRAMEWORK.

WE WORKED WITH OUR EQUITY INCLUSION PROGRAM MANAGER AND EQUITY OFFICE DEMOGRAPHER, UM, TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS AROUND THIS TO HOW, HOW TO GUIDE THE REPORT.

IT WASN'T KIND OF A, A FRAMEWORK IN WHICH I, WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE GETTING INTO WHEN WE STARTED, BUT WANTED TO PROVIDE A FEEDBACK AND A DISCUSSION ROUND TABLES TO HELP US INFORM WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, UH, AS AN OPEN-ENDED STUDY AND REPORT.

AND THEN WE, WE CAME BACK AND REVIEWED ALL THIS DATA AND METRICS AND THEN SHARED BACK OUT TO PART STAFF IN MANY MEETINGS ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD, WHAT WE'RE LEARNING, SHARE, UM, UH, SHARE INFORMATION ON HOW OTHER CITIES DO IT SO THAT THEY CAN SEE, UH, AND KEEP A REALLY TRANSPARENT PROCESS.

AS WE MOVED THROUGH THIS REPORT.

AND THEN IT CAME BACK TO HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE WHAT METRICS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT AND HOW WE CHOOSE WHERE A NEW FACILITY MIGHT NEED TO GO OR WHAT EXISTING FACILITIES MIGHT NEED PRIORITIZATION, UH, FOR IMPROVEMENTS OR EXPANSION.

UH, AND WE SHARED THAT ALSO WITH STAFF PROVIDED INPUT BROUGHT BACK IN DEMOGRAPHER, UM, EQUITY OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE METRICS THAT WE'RE PROVING CAN CREATE A GOOD TOOL BOOK AS WE WE CHOOSE THE PRIORITIZATION.

UM, AND THEN WE CREATED THIS GAP ANALYSIS THAT WE'LL SHARE AND ISSUED THIS REPORT, UM, ALL IN THE HOPES THAT THIS WILL LEAD US INTO THE FUTURE BOND PROGRAM AND POSSIBLY EVEN MORE, UH, BOND PROGRAMS IN THE FUTURE.

AND KIND OF GUIDE US AS WE DEVELOP.

SO FOR BENCHMARKING, UM, THIS EFFORT, WE LOOKED AT CITIES WITH SIMILAR POPULATIONS, DENSITIES, DEMOGRAPHICS SUCH AS WASHINGTON, DC, MINNEAPOLIS, PORTLAND.

I THINK YOU'RE, SO THE INITIAL EFFORT MADE TO COLLECT DATA FOR THIS REPORT LOOKED AT BENCHMARKING, UH, LOOKED AT COMPARISONS AND TRENDS, LOOKED AT PREVIOUS STAFF ENGAGEMENTS AND THE FEEDBACK PROVIDED FROM THOSE MEETINGS.

WE GATHERED INFORMATION, UM, OF THE SERVICE AREAS OF EACH OF THE CENTERS AND HOW THEY ARE BEING USED.

WE DOCUMENTED DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC DATA OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, THE CENTERS THAT THE CENTERS ARE SERVING.

UM, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WAS DONE WAS, UM, BY OUR CONSULTANT CBRE.

THEY DID A FACILITY CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT.

THEY DID IN-PERSON SITE VISITS TO EACH OF THE REC CENTERS.

LOOKED AT AGE AND CONDITION OF THE MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PLUMBING SYSTEMS. LOOKED AT THE CONDITION OF THE EXTERIOR ENVELOPE, UH, LOOKED FOR EVIDENCE OF WATER INTRUSION, UH, FAILING CONSTRUCTION AS ASSEMBLIES.

THEN THEY EVALUATED THE COST FOR THE MAINTENANCE OR REPAIR OF THOSE ITEMS, UM, PRODU.

AND THEY PRODUCED INDIVIDUAL REPORTS FOR EACH OF THE CENTERS AND PROVIDED A SCORE BASED ON THAT FACILITY CONDITION.

UH, IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT AND KIND OF IN PARALLEL, UH, MCKINNEY YORK ARCHITECTS DID A FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT.

WE DID IN-PERSON SITE VISITS, UM, TO EACH OF THE CENTERS EVALUATED THE FUNCTION OF THE SPACES.

ARE THEY YOU, ARE THEY BEING USED THE WAY THEY WERE INTENDED? LOOKED AT THE SHORTFALLS.

ARE THERE PROGRAMS WITH INADEQUATE SPACE OR MAYBE STORAGE? AND THEN IDENTIFIED THE PROGRAMS THAT EACH FACILITY PROVIDED, UM, FOR, MOSTLY FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES.

AND THEN, UM, A FACILITY CONDITION INDEX, UM, IS RELATED TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN PERFORMANCE MEASURE, WHICH MEASURES THE PERCENTAGE OF THE FACILITIES RATED AS GOOD.

UM, 21 OUT OF THE 25 BUILDINGS ASSESSED, RATED AS GOOD.

UM, THAT'S 84%, ONLY FOUR ARE NOT GOOD.

DOTTIE, JORDAN AND ALAMO ARE RATED AS FAIR.

DORIS MILLER AND GIS ARE RATED AS POOR.

NONE, NONE OF THOSE ARE, NONE OF OUR CENTERS ARE LISTED AS FAILURE.

SO SOME OF THE INFORMATION GATHERED, GATHERED FROM INFORM ENGAGEMENT EXERCISES INCLUDED PROVIDING SERVICE AT THE CITY'S EDGES, PRIORITIZING SPACE FOR CHILDREN AND THE PROGRAMS THAT SERVE THAT AGE BRACKET.

THEY FOUND THAT HIGHWAYS ACT AS BARRIERS FOR COMMUNITIES TO GET ACCESS TO THE CENTERS.

UM, THERE WE FOUND THAT THERE'S AN INTEREST IN INVESTING IN EXISTING FACILITIES AND THAT THERE'S A NEED TO PROVIDE MORE CLARITY IN HOW WE PRIORITIZE FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS AND MAKE DECISIONS ON THIS EFFORT.

LOOKING AT PREVIOUS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXERCISES THAT HELPED FORM THE LONG RANGE PLAN, WE FOUND THAT WE SHOULD MAXIMIZE FLEXIBILITY, PROVIDE LOW OR NO COST PROGRAMS, AND THAT OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES SHOULD BE FITNESS CLASSES AND ADULT PROGRAMS FOR THOSE 50 AND OLDER.

AND OUR MEDIUM PRIORITIES SHOULD INCLUDE INDOOR GYMS AND PROGRAMS FOR THOSE AGE 18 TO 49.

AND THOSE, THOSE PROGRAMS SHOULD FOCUS ON ATHLETICS AND RECREATION.

[01:30:01]

UM, ONE OF THOSE DATA POINTS WA FOR BENCHMARKING WAS THE PARK SCORE RATING.

THIS IS PRODUCED BY THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND AUSTIN RANKS NUMBER 44 OUT OF A HUNDRED IN 2024.

THIS IS DOWN FROM RANKING NUMBER 41 IN 2023 FOR EQUITY.

AUSTIN.

AUSTIN HAS ACTUALLY IMPROVED IT SCORE FROM A SCORE OF 40 IN 2023 TO SCORE A 45 IN 2024.

WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE NUMBER OF RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTERS PER 20,000 PEOPLE.

THESE SCORES AND DATA POINTS HELP US TRACK OUR PARKLAND DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS.

SO, SO TO LOOK AT COMPARISONS AND TRENDS, WE USE DATA COLLECTED FROM THE NATIONAL RECREATION PARK ASSOCIATION, THE NRPA AND THEIR AGENCY PERFORMANCE REVIEW.

FOR THIS COMPARISON, WE ARE USING THE PRESENCE OF A GYMNASIUM AS THE MAIN DIFFERENTIATOR BETWEEN WHAT WE CALL A RECREATION CENTER AND WHAT WE CALL A COMMUNITY ACTIVITY CENTER.

SENIOR CENTERS ARE DEFINED BY SERVING ACTIVE ADULTS 55 AND OLDER.

USING THIS DEFINITION, PARTS FACILITIES INCLUDE 13 RECREATION CENTERS, FIVE COMMUNITY CENTERS, FOUR COMMUNITY ACTIVITY CENTERS, AND THREE SENIOR CENTERS.

WHEN LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PER RECREATION CENTER, UM, AUSTIN IS HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE.

AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PER COMMUNITY ACTIVITY CENTER, AUSTIN, IS LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PER SENIOR CENTER, AUSTIN, IS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE COMPARED TO NATIONAL AVERAGES COLLECTED BY THE NRPA.

AUSTIN IS DEFICIENT BY TWO REC CENTERS, ONE SENIOR CENTER, AND THAT'S RELATED TO ITS POPULATION.

THE CITY MEETS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITY CENTERS.

AS AUSTIN HAS GROWN, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF ITS CENTERS HAS NOT NECESSARILY GROWN PROPORTIONALLY, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE GRAPH.

POPULATION FOR FORECASTS INDICATE THAT AUSTIN WILL INCREASE ITS DENSITY AT THE CITY'S OUTER EDGES WHERE RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTER INFRASTRUCTURE IS LACKING.

ALL RIGHT, THIS MAP SHOWS DATA THAT WE GATHERED, UH, OF REALTIME USERS THAT ACCESS OUR RECREATION CENTERS THROUGH OUR REC TRACK DATA.

EVERY SINGLE DOT REPRESENTS A PERSON GOING TO A RECREATION OR COMMUNITY CENTER.

EACH.IS COLORED ONTO THE FACILITY THAT THEY WENT TO.

SO YOU CAN START SEEING WHERE IN THE CITY PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM AND WHAT RECREATION OR COMMUNITY CENTERS THEY'RE GOING TO.

THIS HELPS US DEFINE KIND OF THE SERVICE AREA.

WHAT, WHAT AREAS ARE WE REACHING? WHAT, WHAT DISTANCES ARE PEOPLE WILLING TO GO TO GET TO ONE OF OUR RECREATION CENTERS? AND IT ALSO HELPS US IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS, WHAT'S KEEPING SOMEONE FROM GOING FROM ONE FACILITY TO THE OTHER, AT LEAST GEOGRAPHICALLY.

AND THEY BECAME PRETTY OBVIOUS AND IT'LL BE MORE OBVIOUS THAN THE SENIOR CENTER ONE THAT I 35 SPECIFICALLY.

AND THE RIVER, THE LAKE ARE THE TWO BARRIERS.

PEOPLE TENDED NOT TO WANT TO TRAVEL NORTH, UH, OR SOUTH OF THE RIVER OR EAST OR WEST OF 35.

UM, AND THEN IT ALSO HELPED US KIND OF DEFINE WHAT WE CONSIDER MAYBE A GOOD SERVICE AREA FOR THE RECREATION AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, AS IN MOST PEOPLE COME FROM THIS DISTANCE.

SO YOU'LL SEE IN THE DARK PURPLE, MOST OF THE POP PEOPLE GOING TO THE CENTER ARE COMING FROM THAT DARK PURPLE AREA.

THE LIGHTER IT GETS, LESS PEOPLE, BUT THERE'S STILL PEOPLE COMING FROM THAT AREA TO GET TO THE RECREATION CENTER.

AND THIS HELPED US DEFINE LIKE WHAT IS A GOOD SERVICE AREA? WHAT SHOULD WE START PLANNING ON TO KIND OF REACH THOSE NATIONAL AVERAGES, UM, IN LINE WITH THE REST OF THE, THE UNITED STATES.

UM, GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE NEXT ONE.

AND THIS ONE IS SIMILAR.

THIS IS FOR THE SENIOR CENTERS.

IT'S REALLY MORE OBVIOUS ON THIS ONE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE BLUE, PURPLE AND RED DOTS SINCE THERE'S ONLY THREE SENIORS CENTERS.

BUT YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE, THEY'RE QUITE EVENLY, UH, SPARSED ON NORTH SOUTH, THE RIVER EAST, WEST OF 35.

AND THERE TENDS TO NOT BE A WHOLE LOT OF CROSSOVER SENIOR CENTERS, THE SERVICE AREA WAS MUCH LARGER THAN THE RECREATION CENTERS.

YOU CAN SEE IT KIND OF SPREADS OUT A LITTLE BIT FARTHER INTO THE CITY.

IT'S ALSO HELPED BY THE FACT THAT THERE'S SENIOR TRANSPORTATION THAT CAN GO UP TO EIGHT MILES TO HELP, UH, SENIORS GET TO THEIR FACILITIES.

THERE IS NO REAL WELL-DEFINED SERVICE AREA 'CAUSE EVERY CITY IS DIFFERENT.

AND SO FROM THAT DATA THAT WE GATHERED, WE TRIED TO DEFINE WHAT WOULD BE A GOAL SERVICE AREA FOR OUR CENTERS AS WE LOOK TO GROW.

UM, AND IT SEEMED LIKE FOR RECREATION CENTERS, MOST PEOPLE WERE COMING FROM WITHIN TWO MILES.

THAT SEEMED TO SET A REALLY GOOD RADIUS FOR ACCESS.

MODERATE WAS AROUND THREE MILES, AND POOR SEEMED TO BE FOUR MILES OR OVER, KIND OF IN TREND WITH WHAT WE SEE NATIONALLY.

[01:35:01]

EVERY POPULATION DENSITY IS DIFFERENT.

UM, SO THERE'S NO STANDARD, BUT THE TWO MILES SEEM TO COME UP IN A FEW PLACES.

AND OTHER CITIES THAT I'VE SEEN, UH, FOR SENIOR CENTERS, IT KIND OF DOUBLED FOUR MILES SEEMED TO BE WHERE EVERYONE WAS COMING FROM.

MODERATE.

IT WAS SIX MILES AND POORER PUTTING AT EIGHT.

THAT'S THE LIMIT OF WHAT SENIOR TRANSPORTATION GOES ANYWAY.

SO WE WOULD CONSIDER ANYTHING BEYOND EIGHT MILES AS UNSERVICED AREA.

SO YOU CAN START TO SEE WHERE OUR, THESE ARE MAPPING THE EXISTING RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTERS ON WHAT THEIR SERVICE AREA IS.

AND YOU CAN START TO SEE GAPS OF WHERE WE'RE NOT SERVING.

THE COMMUNITY TENDS TO BE IN THE EDGES OF THE CITY.

THERE'S QUITE A BIT ON THE NORTH.

UH, THERE'S SOME ON THE WEST AND EAST, UH, WITHIN THESE MAPS.

AND FOR SENIOR CENTERS, IT'S MOSTLY THE NORTH SIDE.

UH, SO NOT JUST DID WE LOOK AT PUBLIC FACILITIES, I WANTED TO EXPLORE WHERE, WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE FILLING IN THE GAPS THAT MIGHT NOT BE CITY OF AUSTIN OR PUBLIC FACILITY.

THERE'S, THESE ARE THINGS LIKE THE YMCA, UH, COUNTY HAS COMMUNITY CENTERS.

UH, TRAVIS COUNTY HAS SOME COMMUNITY CENTERS.

THERE'S, UM, PUDS AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT AREAS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN COMMUNITY CENTERS AS WELL FOR THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND THEN THERE'S GOLF COURSES, COUNTRY CLUBS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF FILLING IN THE GAPS IN CERTAIN AREAS.

SO THIS GIVES YOU A BETTER PICTURE OF EVERYONE ALL TOGETHER AND WHERE IT'S SERVICING THE CITY.

THE RED BEING THE CITY OWNED FACILITIES, SORRY, THE RED BEING THE NOT CITY OWNED FACILITIES.

ACTUALLY I THINK THIS IS OPPOSITE.

UM, I DO HAVE THE OPPOSITE.

RED IS CITY OWNED FACILITIES AND BLUE WOULD BE NON CITY OWNED FACILITIES.

AND YOU CAN START TO SEE WHERE THE GAPS, WHERE THOSE TWO RELATE MEET.

SO WHAT DO WE LOOK AT WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A FRAMEWORK FOR PRIORITIZATION? THIS IS THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION.

HOW DO WE PRIORITIZE WHAT METRICS ARE IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT WHEN WE MAKE THESE DECISIONS? AND THIS IS JUST A TOOL, ONE TOOL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE TO HELP MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE VERY IMPORTANT.

UH, AND SO THROUGH ALL OF THE FEEDBACK LOOPS, THE ENGAGEMENT WITH STAFF, THE EQUITY OFFICE, DEMOGRAPHERS AND EVERYONE, UH, COMING TOGETHER, THESE ARE THE METRICS WE ENDED UP WITH AS BEING IMPORTANT TO PRIORITIZE WHERE NEW FACILITIES SHOULD BE LOCATED.

AND IT, IT LEADS WITH RACIAL EQUITY, WITH BIPOC BEING THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE OF THE, OF THE METRICS, UH, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY AGE 18 AND UNDER WHERE THERE'S NEGATIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES, UH, DISPLACEMENT RISKS, FORECASTED POPULATION GROWTH.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE WHEN WE START CAPITAL PROJECTS, THEY TEND TO BE 10 TO 15, 20 YEARS IN THE FUTURE.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING, UH, WELL INTO THE FUTURE FOR THOSE.

UM, AND THEN THERE'S A LONG LIST.

I DON'T HAVE TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THESE.

UM, BUT THOSE TOGETHER, IF YOU MAP ALL OF THOSE PRIORITIES AND METRICS, IT COMES UP WITH THIS MAP, UH, WHERE DARKEST PURPLE WOULD INDICATE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY AREAS WITHIN THE CITY THAT MEET THOSE METRICS THAT I JUST SHOWED.

AND THEN, UM, THE LIGHTEST PURPLE, MEANING THERE WOULD BE THE LEAST LOWEST PRIORITY.

YOU CAN START TO SEE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE SOME WELL LOCATED FACILITIES IN THESE DARK PURPLE AREAS.

UM, THINGS LIKE GU GARCIA AND COLONY TURNER ROBERTS, THEY'RE ALREADY WELL LOCATED WITHIN THESE AREAS THAT WE'RE SEEING AS HIGH NEEDS.

BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE IT.

SO YOU'LL SEE SOME PINK OUTLINES, WHICH ARE A GENERAL SUGGESTION OF A POTENTIAL SERVICE AREA FOR A NEW FACILITY.

AND SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE NORTH SIDE IT'S KIND OF A STRANGE L-SHAPED THING THAT COULD BE A POTENTIAL SERVICE AREA.

AND THEN ON THE SOUTH AND THE EAST, YOU'RE GONNA SEE A FEW DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

THOSE COULD POTENTIALLY RELATE TO A SERVICE AREA FOR A RECREATION CENTER.

I'M SURE THEY'LL BE MUCH LARGER WHEN THERE'S ONLY ONE, UH, IN THE AREA.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE ALSO WANTED TO LOOK AT OUR EXISTING FACILITIES.

'CAUSE THESE WERE ALSO, WE WERE TOLD, AND WE KNOW THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT AND WE DON'T WANT TO IGNORE THEM BY JUST LOOKING AT WHERE SHOULD WE FOCUS GROWTH.

BUT WE ALSO WANNA LOOK AT WHERE DO WE NEED TO REINVEST TO, TO IMPROVE OUR FACILITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN LAST AS LONG AS THEY CAN TO SERVE THESE COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY LOVE THEM.

UM, SO WE LOOKED AT BOTH THE SOCIOECONOMIC DATA THAT YOU SAW IN THE PREVIOUS GAP ANALYSIS WHERE WE LOOKED AT THE METRICS FOR BIPOC AGE, ALL THAT STUFF THAT EQUATED TO WHAT WE CALLED EQUITY IN SCORING PRIORITIZATION FOR THE EXISTING FACILITIES.

BUT THEN WE ALSO ADDED IN THE BUILDING CONDITIONS.

SO THIS IS KIND OF THE, THE

[01:40:01]

GRADE THAT THEY GOT IN THE CBRE, WHETHER IT WAS A POOR FARE, UM, OR GOOD FACILITY.

WE LOOKED AT FACILITY USAGE, WHICH ONE GETS MORE USERS AND MAYBE WE CAN PRIORIT TRY TO HELP PRIORITIZE BECAUSE IT'S A MORE USED FACILITY.

WE LOOKED AT ENERGY USAGE BECAUSE SUSTAINABILITY IS ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT.

WHICH ONES ARE OUR ENERGY HOGS THAT REALLY NEED SOME FOCUS FOR THAT TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT.

UM, AND THEN MAINTENANCE COSTS.

WHAT'S CAUSING US TO HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF OUR OPERATING JUST TO KEEP IT RUNNING, AND HOW CAN WE IMPROVE IT SO THAT IT'S A LOWER MAINTENANCE COST FOR US? SO ALTOGETHER, THOSE WEIGHTED TOGETHER ENDED UP IN THIS SCORECARD YOU SEE ON THE LEFT, UM, WITH IT RANKED FROM HIGHEST PRIORITY TO LOWEST PRIORITY.

THERE'S A FEW OTHER THINGS ON THE RIGHT THAT SHOW THINGS TO CONSIDER.

UM, AND THOSE TEND TO HELP US DEFINE WHETHER THERE'S OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.

SO AT SOME POINTS WHEN THERE ARE RESILIENCE HUBS OR JUSTICE 40, SOMETIMES THERE'S OPPORTUNITY FOR GRANTS AND STUFF THAT WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE KNOW ABOUT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPROVEMENTS.

NOW, MIND YOU, THIS, THIS REPORT WAS OVER TWO YEARS.

I DIDN'T SIT ON THIS INFORMATION THIS WHOLE TIME.

WE'VE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED A LOT OF PROJECTS AT THESE FACILITIES THAT WERE RANKING HIGH.

SO GIBBONS IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

WE, WE KNEW IT WAS A NEED, IT'S MOVING FORWARD.

UM, DORIS MILLER, WE RECEIVED FUNDING TO START A, A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS REPORT DONE ON IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STRUCTURE WAS LOOKING GOOD.

DOTTIE JORDAN'S ALREADY GONE THROUGH A RENOVATION.

AND SO WE'RE, WE'VE BUILT UPON THIS AND THIS WILL JUST KEEP US GOING IN THE FUTURE AS WE GO THROUGH THE BOND PROCESS.

SO ULTIMATELY THE REPORT CAME WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF WE COULD SUPPORT ONE MORE SENIOR CENTER ON THE NORTH NORTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN.

UH, THE CITY COULD SUPPORT TWO MORE RECREATION CENTERS.

THE NORTH AND SOUTHEAST SIDE SEEMED LIKELY, UH, INVESTMENT IN OUR EXISTING FACILITIES IS IMPERATIVE.

UH, WE COULD CONSIDER FUTURE PROGRAMMING AT THE YMCA NORTH AUSTIN.

IT'S A CITY OWNED FACILITY PROGRAMMED BY THE YMCA AND IT'S IN THAT KIND OF HIGH PRIORITY AREA ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN.

WE SHOULD DEFINITELY CONSIDER DEVELOPMENT AND PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS.

THERE'S A LOT OF PLANS AND FEASIBILITY STUDIES DONE BY PUBLIC HEALTH AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

THEY, THEY TEND TO COME TO SIMILAR RESULTS ABOUT THE CITY EDGES NEEDING PRIORITY.

UM, AND THAT BOND FUNDING IS OUR PRIMARY TOOL TO GENERATE FUNDS FOR THESE FACILITY EXPANSION, RENOVATIONS AND NEW ADDITIONS.

AND THAT'S IT.

UM, IS THE MAP, THE, THE PRIORITIZATION TOOL GAP, ANA, ON THE SLIDE THAT'S TITLED PRIORITIZATION TOOL GAP ANALYSIS, IS THAT MAP AVAILABLE ONLINE OR, I'M JUST TRYING TO TAKE A MORE GRANULAR, GRANULAR.

IT'S, IT'S IN THE REPORT.

IT'S NOT AN INTERACTIVE MAP.

IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, WE CAN WORK ON DOING THAT.

I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON SIMILAR INTERACTIVE MAPS FOR THE BOND IN THE FUTURE.

SO.

SO IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE A, A METRIC THAT FELL IN LINE WITH THE LOCATION OF RECREATION CENTERS TO BE CHOSEN.

THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.

UM, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR SPEAKERS WHO CAME TO TALK ON THIS SUBJECT FROM ROCK NEIGHBORHOOD.

UM, I WOULD, I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO ASK IF, UM, I REALLY DON'T SEE THAT AREA AS DESIGNATED AS A HIGH PRIORITY AREA ON YOUR, ON YOUR GAP ANALYSIS MAP, THE PURPLE ONE.

UM, SO HOW COULD THAT HAVE BEEN MISSED AS A HIGH PRIORITY AREA GIVEN THE INFORMATION THAT WE JUST HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS TONIGHT? SO IT COMES DOWN TO WHAT METRICS ARE USED AND HOW THEY'RE WEIGHTED.

OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T DISCREDIT, THERE'S DEFINITELY NEED IN THE AREA.

UM, WE DID NOT LOOK AT CRIME STATISTICS AS ONE OF OUR METRICS BECAUSE, AND I WROTE IT DOWN 'CAUSE I KNEW THIS QUESTION WAS GONNA COME UP.

UM, BECAUSE HOW CRIME IS ENFORCED IS VARIABLE.

UM, AND BASED ON INFORMATION FROM THE EQUITY OFFICE, IT WASN'T A METRIC THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON.

AND I, I COULD FIND MY NOTES, I CAN GIVE YOU THE EXACT WORDS ON HERE.

UM, IT ALSO DEFINES WHERE OVER POLICING HAPPENS, AND NOT NECESSARILY THAT THERE'S MORE CRIME, BUT MAYBE OVER POLICING.

AND

[01:45:01]

WE HAVE A, OUR NEWEST RECREATION CENTER IS MONTOPOLIS RECREATION CENTER THAT'S WITHIN THE ROCK AREA.

I KNOW IT'S ON THE EDGE OF THE IRAQ AREA.

UM, IF YOU LOOK AT POPULATIONS OF, OF THAT AREA AND THE NATIONAL AVERAGING, WHICH WAS LIKE ABOUT 66,000 POPULATION PER RECREATION CENTER, THE POPULATION OF THE IRAQ AREA IS AROUND 40,000 AND THERE IS A RECREATION CENTER.

SO WE TENDED TO AVOID OVERCROWDING BY ADDING ANOTHER RECREATION CENTER AS A RECOMMENDATION WHERE THERE ALREADY WAS ONE.

SO I GUESS I'M, I'M TRYING TO, TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE CITY COULD SUPPORT TWO MORE RECREATION CENTERS NORTH AND SOUTHEAST.

AND CAN YOU, CAN YOU, UM, DESCRIBE SPECIFICALLY WHERE NORTH AND SOUTHEAST YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF YOU GO TO THAT MAP? IS THIS THE ONE THAT THE CHAIR WAS REFERENCING? YES.

THE, YES.

SO THE AREAS GAP ANALYSIS OUTLINED IN PINK ARE THE GENERAL AREAS OF RECOMMENDATION.

EASIER TO SEE.

YEAH, I WOULD JUST, UM, SAY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT FROM THE, THE PUBLIC AND, UM, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT MAYBE FLEW UNDER THE RADAR IN THE ANALYSIS THAT, UM, I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT.

AND I, AND I DON'T THINK IT WAS JUST BASED ON THE CRIME STATISTICS.

I THINK THEY'RE TALKING MORE JUST IN GENERAL, SOME OF THE EVALUATIVE, UM, THE CRITERIA THAT YOU ALL USED FOR, FOR EQUITY FOR, UM, ACCESS TO LIBRARIES, TO SENIOR CENTERS, TO COMMUNITY CENTERS.

UM, I WOULD, IT, IT'S, UM, IT'S UPSETTING TO HEAR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SAY THAT THEY, THERE'S REALLY THAT BIG OF A, OF A GAP IN THAT AREA IN AN, IN A LARGE AREA THAT'S IN THE INNER CITY.

SO, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT WOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION.

DID YOU, UM, DID YOU EVALUATE THE MILLENNIUM RECREATION CENTER? NO.

ANY, ANY REASON WHY IT'S NOT CONSIDERED A RECREATION CENTER? IT'S ALSO NOT OPERATED BY PART.

WATER.

ANY OTHER, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, YES.

WE HAVE A, A BOARD MEMBER OF , UH, ON WEBEX.

I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR MY CLARITY AND UNDERSTANDING.

UM, IN THE PRESENTATION THERE WAS REFERENCE TO COMMUNITY CENTER ACTIVITY CENTER.

CAN YOU GIMME AN EXAMPLE OF A, A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT DELIVERS, I THINK IT WAS COMMUNITY CENTER WAS DIFFERENT BASED ON WHAT THEIR SERVICE WAS? SURE, YEAH, GOOD QUESTION.

COMMUNITY CENTERS HAVE A DEFINABLE SERVICE AREA.

SO LIKE METS, UH, RECREATION, DOLORES DUFFY, THEY'RE COMMUNITY CENTERS.

THEY DON'T HAVE GYMNASIUMS IN 'EM, BUT THEY ACT AS A KIND OF THE IN-BETWEEN, UH, PSEUDO REC CENTER THAT WE CALL COMMUNITY CENTERS VERSUS ACTIVITY CENTERS, WHICH DO NOT HAVE A DEFINED SERVICE AREA.

SO THINK OF MACBETH RECREATION CENTER, UH, ALAMO, THEY, THEY'RE SERVING A, A SPECIFIC, UH, USER GROUP.

AND SO THE SERVICE AREA IS NOT DEFINED BY A RADIUS.

THEY COME FROM ALL OVER.

EACH OF THOSE PINK BUBBLES? WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS, I THINK THE ACCESS FOR ANALYSIS REPORT AS WELL.

THE EXAMPLES WERE HELPFUL.

I APPRECIATE IT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AS BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD JUST SAY, WHERE DOES IT GO FROM HERE AND, AND HOW WILL THE INFORMATION BE USED? AND, UM, AS WE'RE COMING UP, IS THIS GOING TO HELP WITH, UH, FACILITATING OR REQUESTS FOR BOND FOR THE 2026 BOND? CORRECT.

YEP.

THE GOAL WAS TO USE IT TO ACT AS FRAMEWORK FOR PRIORITIZATION FOR THE FUTURE BOND.

WE HAVE A, UH, A B OF FRANKLIN ON WEBEX.

YES, THANK YOU.

ON THE HEAT MAP IN PURPLE, UM, WHERE IT HAD THOSE SERVICE AREAS THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, ANTICIPATED ROUGH SERVICE AREAS THAT WERE OUTLINED IN PINK, I GUESS WHAT DOES ACCESS LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO

[01:50:01]

THE ACCESS FOR THE PINK BUBBLES WAS SUPPOSED TO DEFINE A SERVICEABLE AREA THAT, LIKE TWO TO FOUR, THE GOOD TO TO MODERATE ACCESS.

I THINK THEY WERE OUTLINING AREAS THAT COULD REPRESENT THAT GOOD TO MODERATE ACCESS WITHIN THAT AREA.

SO IT WAS BASED MORE ON PHYSICAL DISTANCE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE PUBLIC TRANSIT ROUTES IN THAT PINK AREA, WITHIN THAT PINK AREA? NOT NECESSARILY ANYTHING RELATED TO PRIORITIZATION BASED ON, YOU KNOW, ACCESS AND LOCATION OF THINGS LIKE PUBLIC TRANSIT WOULD'VE BEEN REGISTERED AS THE DARK PURPLE, THE LIGHT PURPLE FOR THE, THE, THE SOCIOECONOMIC DATA.

I'M SORRY, CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? SO THE, THE PINK OUTLINE IS JUST THE SERVICEABLE AREA, THE, THE PURPLE COLOR FROM LIKE LIGHT TO DARK.

THAT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THOSE OTHER METRICS AS FAR AS, UM, EQUITY, UH, THE BIPOC AGE OF CHILDREN PROXIMITY TO IMAGINE AUSTIN CENTERS WAS ALSO ONE OF 'EM.

SO THAT TENDS TO DEAL WITH CORRIDORS AND TRANSPORTATION.

BUT WE KNOW WHEN WE DEVELOP RECREATION CENTERS, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH CAP METRO AND LOCATE POTENTIAL STOPS NEARBY.

SO IT'S NOT REALLY A DISQUALIFIER FOR A LOCATION, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN ADDRESS LATER.

I SEE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS THE STAFF BRIEFING ON THE PROGRESS OF THE 2026 INTEGRATED BOND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, COVERING PARKS AND REC ASSETS, 2018 BOND PROGRESS, THE 26 26 BOND, AND THE LATEST SCHEDULE AND GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR ALL DEPARTMENTS AND TECHNICAL SCORE AND CRITERIA DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.

UM, THREE, FOUR AT THIS TIME, BOARD MEMBERS WILL TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK, SO PLEASE BE BACK, WELL ROUGHLY FIVE MINUTE BREAK, BUT PLEASE BE BACK AT 8 0 5.

WE'RE GOING INTO RECESS UNTIL 8 0 5.

IT IS NOW 8 0 5.

WE'LL COME BACK, UH, TO, UH, TO THE MEETING.

UH, WE WILL GO WITH AGENDA

[7. Staff briefing on the progress of the 2026 Integrated Bond Development process, covering Parks and Recreation assets, 2018 bond progress, the 2026 bond, the latest schedule and guiding principles for all departments, and the technical scoring criteria developed specifically for the Parks and Recreation Department. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Park Access for All). Presenter(s): Rachel Morris, Capital Improvement Program Manager and Alyssa Tharrett, Project Management Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department. ]

THAT IS UNITED NUMBER SEVEN.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

AND MEMBERS.

AS, AS, UM, ALYSSA AND BRIAN SHARED THE LAST PRESENTATION, THE, THE REC CENTER SENIOR CENTER ANALYSIS.

UM, THE GAP ANALYSIS WAS DONE IN ANTICIPATION OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT NEXT, WHICH IS THE UPCOMING, UH, 2026 BOND PROGRAM.

UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THE REC CENTER AND, AND, UM, UH, SENIOR CENTER GAP ANALYSIS PART'S ALSO BEEN ACTIVELY IN, IN INVOLVED IN AN INTEGRATED BOND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WITH THE CITY.

UH, UM, YEP.

SORRY, CAN I STOP YOU THERE? UM, YEP, YOU JUST DID.

SORRY, , UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? SORRY.

I FORGOT ABOUT THAT TOO.

UM, WELL, A, A AGAIN, PRS BEEN ENGAGED IN THIS, IN THIS, UH, CITYWIDE EFFORT THAT WAS LED BY CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.

UM, AND IT HAD PARTICIPATION BY ALL THE ELIGIBLE DEPARTMENTS, UH, AS WELL AS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.

UM, AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE, WE'RE OVER A YEAR BEFORE THE TIME WHEN THE 2026 BOND, UH, PACKAGE WILL COME TO COUNCIL, UH, WE'VE ALREADY MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN DEVELOPING OUR OWN FRAMEWORK.

AND WE'LL ONLY HEAR ABOUT THAT HERE IN A SECOND.

THIS FRAMEWORK HELPS US REVIEW AND PRIORITIZE THE POTENTIAL PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. UM, UH, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, THAT WE AT PART AND, AND THE COMMUNITY ARE FEELING A LITTLE BIT THE IMPACTS OF A DELAYED BOND CYCLE, WHICH TYPICALLY OCCURS EVERY SIX YEARS, UM, WHICH WOULD MAKE THE 2026, UH, BOND CYCLE EIGHT YEARS, UH, SINCE THE LAST ONE WE DID.

SO, UH, THE FACILITIES ARE, ARE CERTAINLY FEELING THAT, AND IT'S ESPECIALLY EVIDENT AS WE TRY TO CONTINUE TO KEEP PACE WITH THE GROWTH AND BUY ADDITIONAL LAND FOR FUTURE PARK LAND, UH, THAT ALLOWS US TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE GREEN SPACES THAT PROMOTE, THAT PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

UM, IT ALSO IS, UH, A CHALLENGE IN ADDRESSING DEGRADED CONDITIONS THAT ARE MAINTENANCE FACILITIES THAT ARE A REALLY IMPORTANT COMPONENT FOR ENSURING THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND UPKEEP FOR THE ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM.

SO PAR IS GONNA CONTINUE TO EVALUATE AND REFINE, UH, REFINE OUR BOND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.

UM, AND AS, AS THAT MOVES ALONG, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE DETAILS THIS SUMMER.

BUT TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS.

SUPERVISOR IN THE ARCHITECTURAL DIVISION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR 2026 BOND PROGRAM.

THANK YOU, JESUS.

UH, MY NAME IS RACHEL MORRIS AND I AM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM MANAGER IN ASSET MANAGEMENT DIVISION.

AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH ALYSSA FERRET, OUR, UH, PROJECT MANAGEMENT

[01:55:01]

UM, BUT BEFORE WE DIVE INTO THAT, I WANTED TO JUST BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT, UM, PARTS, MISSION AND SOME OF OUR, UM, EXTENSIVE PARK SYSTEM.

SO OUR MISSION IS TO INSPIRE AUSTIN TO LEARN, PLAY, PROTECT, AND CONNECT BY CREATING DIVERSE PROGRAMS AND EXPERIENCES IN SUSTAINABLE AND NATURAL SPACES.

UM, WE HAVE SOME OF THESE SPACES HIGHLIGHTED HERE.

WE HAVE OVER 20,000 ACRES OF GREEN SPACE, 355 PARKS, 269 MILES OF TRAIL, AND 190 PLAYGROUNDS.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME MAJOR ASSETS, INCLUDING SIX GOLF COURSES, 34 POOLS AND 11 SPLASH PADS, UM, IN THESE PARKS AND FACILITIES.

WE ALSO HAVE A VARIETY OF SPORTS COURTS AND FIELDS, INCLUDING 65 MULTIPURPOSE COURTS, 15 PICKLEBALL COURTS, UH, 25 SOCCER FIELDS AND 87 TENNIS COURTS IN ADDITION TO 73 BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELDS.

AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, MANY FACILITIES INCLUDING SIX CULTURAL CENTERS, THREE MUSEUMS, 25 REC CENTERS AND REC AND SENIOR CENTERS.

115 RESTROOMS, OVER A HUNDRED HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND 11 MAINTENANCE BUILDINGS.

AND THAT BRINGS US, UH, TO OUR AGENDA.

UM, SO I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED IN THE LAST SLIDE THAT MOST OF THESE FACILITIES, UM, WERE DEVELOPED WITH BOND DOLLARS AND WILL NEED BOND REINVESTMENT TO KEEP THEM OPERATIONAL.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO OUR AGENDA TODAY, WHICH IS GOING TO COVER A BRIEF RECAP OF THE 2018 BOND, UM, THE 2026 BOND SCHEDULE AND HOW WE HAVE DEVELOPED OUR SCORING CRITERIA, FRAMEWORK AND ANTICIPATED BOND PROGRAMS. SO AS YOU MAY KNOW, IN NOVEMBER, UH, 2018, THE VOTERS OF AUSTIN, UM, PASSED TWO PROPOSITIONS THAT WOULD SEND BOND DOLLARS TO PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.

UM, BO PROP B WAS INTENDED TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR RENOVATIONS AT VARIOUS LIBRARIES, MUSEUMS, AND, UH, CULTURAL ART FACILITIES.

AND THAT PROPOSITION WAS SPLIT BETWEEN THREE DEPARTMENTS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, LIBRARIES AND PARKS AND RECREATION OF THE, UH, TOTAL 128 MILLION ISSUED PARKS AND REC RECEIVED 66.5 MILLION.

AND, UM, PROPOSITION B WAS PRESCRIBED, UM, BY FACILITY.

SO THE AMOUNTS YOU SEE, UM, 27 MILLION FOR THE MAC, UM, 25 MILLION FOR THE DOUGHERTY ART CENTER.

UH, 7.5 MILLION FOR CARVER MUSEUM AND GENAL CULTURAL AND GENEALOGY CENTER, 7 MILLION FOR THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.

AND WHILE IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO SEE , UM, BECAUSE IT'S SO SMALL, THESE GRAPHS SHOW YOU HOW WE'VE BEEN SPENDING DOWN THOSE FUNDS.

UM, SO OF THE 66.5 APPROPRIATED, UM, WE HAVE, UH, SPENT 22.3 MILLION AND WE HAVE 15.4 MILLION ENCUMBERED, UM, TOTALING 57% THAT IS COMMITTED.

UM, AND OF THE REMAINING A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THAT IS ASSIGNED TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY THE AMOUNTS THAT WERE APPROVED FOR THE DOUGHERTY ART CENTER AND THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER WERE, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN REQUESTED AND, UM, INSUFFICIENT TO, DUE TO VARIOUS FACTORS TO COMPLETE THOSE PROJECTS.

AND BECAUSE THESE FUNDS WERE SPECIFICALLY, UM, PRESCRIBED BY FACILITY, WE WERE UNABLE TO USE THEM ANYWHERE ELSE.

SO, UM, THAT BRINGS US TO PROP C, UM, WHICH WAS INTENDED TO PROVIDE FUNDING, UM, FOR IMPROVEMENTS, RENOVATIONS AND UPGRADES TO VARIOUS PARKS AND REC ASSETS.

SO WE RECEIVED THE ENTIRE 149 MILLION.

AND THE DEPARTMENT, UNLIKE WITH PROP E, THE DEPARTMENT WAS TRUSTED TO PRIORITIZE THE PROJECT AND PROGRAMS, UM, BASED ON IMPROVING ACCESS, RENEWING AND REINVESTING IN AGING FACILITIES, IMPROVING EQUITY THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM, AND ADVANCING THE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS OUTLINED IN STRATEGIC, UM, THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION

[02:00:01]

23 PLAN.

UH, PROP C WAS SPLIT INTO FIVE MAJOR PROGRAMS, UH, PARKLAND ACQUISITION, UM, AT 45 MILLION, AQUATICS AT 40 MILLION PARKLAND IMPROVEMENTS AT 25 MILLION, BUILDING RENOVATIONS AT 21.5 MILLION AND INFRASTRUCTURE AT 17.5 MILLION.

AND WE HAVE, UH, TO DATE COMPLETED 170 PROJECTS AND 42 PARKLAND ACQUISITIONS.

UM, YOU CAN ALSO SEE ON THIS, UH, GRAPH THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPEND QUITE A BIT MORE, UM, DOWN FROM PROP C, INCLUDING 95% FOR AQUATICS, 86%, UM, FOR PARKLAND ACQUISITIONS.

UH, 58% FOR PARKLAND IMPROVEMENTS, 51% FOR BUILDING RENOVATIONS, AND 88% FOR INFRASTRUCTURE.

UM, AND ALTOGETHER THAT BRINGS US TO TOTAL 80% OF COMMITTED FUNDS, UM, AND ONLY 10.6 OF THOSE FUNDS REMAIN UNASSIGNED.

UM, BUT THAT IS INTENTIONAL.

WE ARE KEEPING THIS FUNDING ASIDE AS CONTINGENCY, UM, FOR OUR ACTIVE PROJECTS AND ANY EMERGENT NEEDS THAT WE HAVE BEFORE THE NEXT BOND.

UM, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE.

ALL RIGHT, AND THIS BRINGS US TO THE 2026 BOND DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE.

UM, SO, SO THIS ACTUALLY, UM, WE, WE STARTED THIS WHOLE PROCESS AS JESUS MENTIONED IN MARCH OF 24.

AND PART HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING, UM, WITH ALL BOND ELIGIBLE, UH, DEPARTMENTS AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS SUCH AS OFFICE OF CLIMATE AND ACTION, CLIMATE ACTION AND RESILIENCE, THE EQUITY OFFICE FSD, UM, THE OFFICE OF BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT.

AND THIS HAS ALL BEEN ORGANIZED BY CDS, UM, OR CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES.

AND, UM, IN AUGUST, THE BOND, UH, ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE OR THE BTIF WAS ESTABLISHED, UH, TO CONSIDER PROJECTS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE PUBLIC PROCESS AND PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED WITHIN A SCOPE OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND FUNDING PRIORITIES RECOMMENDED BY CITY STAFF.

UM, THE PROJECTS ALIGNED WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ADOPTED PLANS AND REPORTS, UH, AND THOSE WERE LISTED IN THE RESOLUTION.

AND, UM, THE RESOLUTION ALSO OUTLINED THAT B TIFF F WILL PROVIDE A REPORT THAT CONSISTS OF PROJECTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE BOND PACKAGE, UM, BY NO LATER THAN JULY 1ST.

SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN MORE INFORMATION ON THIS, UM, YOU CAN REFER TO THE MEMO ISSUED ON JANUARY 9TH BY ROBERT.

GOOD.

UM, SUBJECT 2026 BOND PROGRAM UPDATE, AND, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE GOT THIS SCHEDULE.

AND, UM, YOU CAN FIND, ALSO FIND THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE'LL BE COVERING HERE MOMENTARILY.

UH, AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN WATCHING THE B TIFF MEETINGS, THEY ARE HELD, UH, FOURTH MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 2:00 PM IN THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM AT CITY HALL.

UM, THEY ACTUALLY HELD ONE TODAY, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THEY, UH, SELECTED WORKING GROUPS, ONE OF WHICH WILL BE FOURTH PARKS.

UM, AND WE ARE NOW COMING TO OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, TO PRESENT OUR TECHNICAL CRITERIA, UM, AND, AND THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT THAT GOT US TO THESE.

UM, AND NEXT SLIDE.

UM, THESE ARE THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES.

UM, NOW THESE WERE PUT TOGETHER BY THE ENTIRE INTEGRATED BOND DEVELOPMENT TEAM, UM, AND THEY'RE MEANT TO SERVE AS, UM, FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING EACH INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS TECHNICAL SCORING CRITERIA, UM, WHICH WILL BE USED TO SCORE PROJECTS AND, AND PRIORITIZE THEM FOR INCLUSION IN THE 2026 BOND.

UM, AND THEY START WITH EQUITY, UM, WHICH OF COURSE SHOULD IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES FOR ALL RESIDENTS.

ELIMINATES UH, RACIAL DISPARITIES MITIGATE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IN PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION.

UM, THEN WE MOVE ON TO AFFORDABILITY, WHICH HAS IMPROVED THE LIFE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHILE MINIMIZING FINANCIAL BURDENS INNOVATION.

UM, WE WANT PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS TO DEEPLY UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES AND NEEDS OF THE USER, UM, THE USERS, AND CREATE EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO HELP SOLVE THEM.

RESILIENCY, UH, WE ARE

[02:05:01]

HOPING TO ACHIEVE NET ZERO COMMUNITY-WIDE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND, UM, ACTIONS THAT INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO PREPARE FOR WITHSTAND AND RECOVER FROM SHOCKS AND STRESSORS RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

UH, PROACTIVE PREVENTION.

SO, UH, PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS SHOULD IMPROVE THE CONDITION OR FUNCTION OF EXISTING ASSETS AND FACILITIES, ADDRESS NETWORK OR SYSTEM SERVICE GAPS, AND IMPROVE THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH DOMAINS.

AND FINALLY, COMMUNITY TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS.

UM, WHERE WE WANT TO INTENTIONALLY INCORPORATE ENGAGEMENT INTO COMMUNITIES, UM, SORRY, , INCORPORATE ENGAGEMENT INTO PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS, UH, AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE TRUST WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND DELIVER ON COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS.

END.

CRITERIA TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIZATION.

SO WHERE ARE WE WITH PARTS SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO THIS PROCESS? UM, YOU'LL NOTICE THERE'S NO ITEMIZED LIST HERE.

UM, IT'S BEEN ASKED MANY TIMES.

WE HAVE BEEN ASKED NOT TO SHARE AN ITEMIZED LIST UNTIL IT'S BEEN FULLY VETTED.

THERE'S A LOT OF DISQUALIFIERS FOR THINGS LIKE, CAN IT BE DONE IN SIX YEARS? IS IT ACTUALLY LEGALLY BOND ELIGIBLE? THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS LOOKING INTO THIS.

AND SO THAT BIG LIST IS GOING THROUGH A VETTING PROCESS.

UM, WE ANTICIPATE SEEING IT BEING SHARED CLOSER TO THIS SUMMER, THAT KIND OF JULY 1ST DEADLINE THAT THAT BEAUTIFUL PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS.

UM, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT OUR ANTICIPATED BOND PROGRAM BUCKETS ARE.

THIS TIME WE'RE KIND OF RECOMMENDING SIX PLUS THE CULTURAL CENTERS, WHICH IS KIND OF A, A SEPARATE OUTLIER.

UM, AS OF FEBRUARY, EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE ENTIRE CITY WAS LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL $7.5 BILLION IN NEEDS FOR THE BOND PROGRAM, WHICH EQUALED MAYBE OVER 500 PROJECTS, UH, INDIVIDUALLY.

AND THAT'S THE ENTIRE CITY PART REPRESENTS PROBABLY THE LARGEST NUMBER OF PROJECTS WITHIN THAT ENTIRE CITY BUCKET, AND ONE OF THE TOP TWO LARGEST DOLLAR AMOUNT IN NEEDS IDENTIFIED FOR THE BOND.

UM, SO WE CREATE, WE DID DEVELOP A UNIVERSAL ROLLING NEEDS THAT IDENTIFY OVER 300 PROJECTS THAT EQUALS OVER 1.4 BILLION IN NEEDS.

YOU'LL NOTICE THE NUMBERS I'M SAYING DON'T MATCH THE NUMBERS ON THE SLIDE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE EVEN SINCE I CREATED THIS PRESENTATION, THAT VETTING PROCESS HAS BROUGHT THOSE NUMBERS DOWN, .

SO THIS IS A CONSTANT WORK IN PROGRESS, UM, AND I'M SURE IT'LL BE VETTED EVEN LOWER, UH, IN THE FUTURE.

SO PARS BOND TEAM IS CAREFULLY REVIEWING AND PRIORITIZING ALL THE PROJECTS BASED ON THAT CITYWIDE GUIDING PRINCIPLES RACHEL SHARED WITH YOU.

UH, WE'VE GATHERED, WE'VE ALSO GATHERED INTERNALLY FROM ALL OF OUR PAR DIVISIONS TO CREATE A PRELIMINARY AND COMPREHENSIVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT LIST, WHICH IS INCLUSIVE, INCLUSIVE OF PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED IN UNFUNDED PROJECTS, EVEN BACK FROM THE 2018 BOND.

UM, PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN APPROVED VISION PLANS, FACILITY EXPANSION PLANS, THINGS THAT HAVE EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ALREADY.

WE'VE, WE'VE LOOKED THROUGH ALL OF OUR REPORTS, OUR FEASIBILITY STUDIES, AND THE LONG RANGE PLAN TO KIND OF EXTRACT EVERY POTENTIAL PROJECT THAT'S BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THE, TO THE CITY, TO THE COMMUNITY.

THINGS THAT PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY SAY OUR WE'VE PROMISED AND WE'VE OUTLINED ALREADY, SO THAT WE HAVE IT ALL IN THIS LIST.

UM, EVERYTHING ON OUR LIST, ALL THE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF ARE SUPPORTED BY OUR PARKS, OUR FUTURE, OUR LONG RANGE PLAN, WHICH ALSO INCLUDED EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, WE ANTICIPATE RECOMMENDING PROGRAMS FOR AQUATIC IMPROVEMENTS, BUILDING RENOVATION REPLACEMENTS, CULTURAL CENTER IMPROVEMENTS, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, PARKLAND IMPROVEMENTS, RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTER IMPROVEMENTS, AND PARKLAND ACQUISITIONS.

UH, THIS, THESE BUCKETS REMAIN ALLOW FLEXIBILITY, AS RACHEL WAS SAYING, TO UM, IDENTIFY PROJECTS THAT MIGHT NEED FUNDING THAT'S NOT SO STAGNANT PER PROJECT, BUT RATHER A BUCKET OF PROGRAMS THAT HAVE A PROGRAM WITH A BUNCH OF PROJECTS WITHIN IT THAT CAN BE ADJUSTED AS FUNDING NEEDS, UM, TO IDENTIFY WHAT PROJECTS GO INTO THE PROGRAM.

BUCKETS WE'VE BEEN USING BOTH EXISTING AND SOME NEW TECHNICAL SCORING CRITERIA THAT I'M ABOUT TO SHARE WITH YOU.

[02:10:01]

UM, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WE HAVE NOT REMOVED PROJECTS FROM OUR LIST UNLESS THEY WERE DEEMED NOT LEGALLY ELIGIBLE FOR BOND FUNDS.

SO THINGS LIKE JOINT USE SITES WITH A-I-S-I-D, WHICH ARE RESTRICTED FROM USING BOND FUNDS, OR IT'S BEEN VETTED THAT IT WILL UNLIKELY BE UNLIKELY TO REACH SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION IN CONSTRUCTION BY 2032, WHICH IS THAT SIX YEAR.

AND THIS HAS BEEN DICTATED THROUGH THE INTERNAL CITY PROCESSES.

DON'T PUT A PROJECT ON THAT CAN'T BE COMPLETED IN SIX YEARS.

UM, AS WE FOCUS ON CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BOND PROJECTS, UM, I'D LIKE TO MENTION LIKE OUR DIRECTOR DID THAT BUYING LAND FOR THE FUTURE PARKLAND IS ALSO CRUCIAL FOR ENSURING GREEN SPACES AND PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

THESE FACILITIES PROVIDE THE NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED FUNCTIONALITY, SAFETY AND ENHANCED USER EXPERIENCE EXPECTED BY OUR COMMUNITY, AND HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED IN PREVIOUS BONDS.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT.

SO, WHILE MANY OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE NOW CREATING NEW TECHNICAL CRITERIA, SCORING FOR THE PROPOSED BOND PROJECTS PARTS A BIT AHEAD OF THE CURVE, WE'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED SCORING CRITERIA FOR ONGOING PROGRAMS SUCH AS OUR PARKLAND DEDICATION AND ACQUISITION, UH, AN AQUATIC VISION PLAN, THE RECREATION AND SENIOR GAP ANALYSIS THAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT EARLIER AND SECURITY LIGHTING AND MANY OTHERS.

THIS IS WHAT OUR, OUR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT TEAMS DO ON A REGULAR BASIS AS WE PLAN FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS.

UH, IT DID BECOME OBVIOUS THAT SCORING ALL OF OUR PARK PROJECTS AGAINST EACH OTHER DID NOT CREATE AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO EVALUATE PROJECTS WITHIN THEIR OWN BOND PROGRAM BUCKET, UM, UH, INDEPENDENTLY.

AND IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE FOR US TO COMPARE THE NEED FOR A PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT AGAINST THE NEED FOR A NEW SENIOR CENTER FACILITY.

THEY'RE NOT REALLY COMPARABLE TO ONE ANOTHER.

UM, WITH SUCH A VAST PORTFOLIO, WE UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING IS EQUALLY YET SEPARATELY IMPORTANT, AND IT CAN OFTEN FEEL LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE.

UH, THIS MEANT THAT THERE WERE SOME GAPS IN THE EXISTING TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR A FEW OF THE PROPOSED BOND PROGRAMS, SUCH AS CULTURAL CENTERS OR PARKLAND IMPROVEMENTS.

SO WE DID CREATE NEW SUPPLEMENTAL CRITERIA AND SCORING MATRIXES FOR THOSE.

UH, A FEW OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS WE SAW COULD USE A MIXTURE OF EXISTING TECHNICAL CRITERIA AND INFUSE SOME OF THE NEW SUPPLEMENTAL TECHNICAL CRITERIA, SUCH AS LIKE THE AQUATICS, UH, FACILITIES, BUILDING RENOVATIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE 2018 AQUATIC VISION PLAN, THEY PROVIDED EXCELLENT INSIGHT ON THE PHYS PHYSICAL CONDITION NEEDS AND IDENTIFIED GAPS WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

BUT THEY MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR AS TO WHICH ONE TO PRIORITIZE FIRST.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPLEMENT THAT, THAT NEED WITH THIS NEW CRITERIA.

UM, YOU CAN SEE IN THE CHART HERE THAT OUR EXISTING TECHNICAL CRI CRITERIA EFFORTS STILL CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE CITYWIDE BOND DEVELOPMENT, GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF EQUITY, AFFORDABILITY, INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY, RESILIENCE, PROACTIVE PREVENTION, AND COMMUNITY TRUST IN RELATIONSHIPS.

STRATEGIC DIRECTION, MAKING SURE WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT WITH A LOT OF THE OTHER CITY'S STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS AND OUR OWN AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO AT THIS POINT IN THE BOND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, WE'VE BEEN ASKED BY THE BOND DEVELOPMENT GROUP TO SHARE WITH OUR, OUR RELATED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WHAT OUR TECHNICAL CRITERIA AND SCORING IS TO, TO GATHER FEEDBACK AND SHARE LIKE THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT WE'VE PUT INTO THIS.

AND AS WE TRY TO START DEVELOP PRIORITIZATION, UM, WE'VE, THE PARD TEAM FOR THE BOND INCLUDES SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS SUCH AS ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, DIVISION MANAGERS, EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS, EQUITY AND INCLUSION MANAGERS, AND SUSTAINABILITY EXPERTS, ALL OF WHICH ARE INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH OUR BOND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND BOND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

UH, AND TOGETHER WE LAID OUT A FRAMEWORK BASED ON THE INITIAL GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT YOU SAW, AS WELL AS, UH, SOME SUPPLEMENTAL TECHNICAL CRITERIA.

SO THEY LOOK, UH, WE ORGANIZED THEM IN THESE KIND OF FIVE CATEGORIES, UH, TO EQUAL ABOUT A HUNDRED PERCENT.

YOU'LL SEE 'EM LISTED AS POINTS OR PERCENTAGE KIND OF INTERCHANGEABLY AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.

SO WE DECIDED TO, SIMILAR TO THE GAP ANALYSIS WE'RE LEADING WITH THE RACIAL SOCIAL EQUITY.

AND THEN FROM THERE, THE PRIORITIZATION OF PROACTIVELY REINVESTING INTO OUR EXISTING FACILITIES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY, LEVERAGING FUNDS AND PARTNERSHIP, PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT OUR DOLLARS GO EVEN FURTHER.

AND THEN

[02:15:01]

SO WITHIN THE SOCIAL EQUITY CATEGORY, THESE ARE THE LINE ITEMS. WE SPECIFICALLY PLAN ON SCORING AND USING THE SCORE AND PRIORITIZE.

MOST OF THESE ARE GIS SOCIAL ECONOMIC DATA THAT WE CAN FIND USING THE CENSUS, OR I'M FORGETTING THE NAME OF THE OTHER ONE.

AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY.

, THANK YOU.

THAT HAS MORE RECENT RELEVANT INFORMATION THAN THE CENSUS MIGHT HAVE.

UM, THERE'S A COUPLE ON HERE.

THERE'S ONE ON HERE THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY, UM, GIS DATA.

AND THAT'S THE PROJECT OR LOCATION SERVES HISTORICAL CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR A MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO PENALIZE A FACILITY FOR ITS LOCATION, IF ITS INTENT OF ITS EXISTENCE, IS TO EITHER SERVE OR LAY HISTORY FOR A MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY.

YOU CAN THINK OF THINGS LIKE, UM, PARKS THERE, GSA MAC, WHERE THEY MIGHT NOT BE IN A HIGH SOCIOECONOMIC PRIORITIZED AREA, BUT THEY'RE SERVING OR KEEPING THE HISTORY OF SOMETHING THAT IS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT, UM, FOR SOCIAL EQUITY.

AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT WHAT'S DIFFERENT THAT WE LEARNED HERE SINCE THE GAP ANALYSIS WAS LOOKING AT THE POPULATION BELOW 40% MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME.

AFTER EVEN FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEMOGRAPHER, SHE FOUND THAT THAT 40% WAS MORE CRITICAL THAN I THINK WE WERE LOOKING AT 60% FOR THE GAP ANALYSIS.

UM, AND OUR DEMOGRAPHER SAID THAT IT, IT'S MORE TELLING FOR IDENTIFYING FAMILIES WITHIN THE POVERTY VERSUS THE INDIVIDUAL.

AND SINCE AS PART WE'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON CHILDREN AS ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES, THAT SEEMED TO BE MORE IN LINE WITH THE DEMO DEMOGRAPHER'S RECOMMENDATIONS, PROACTIVE REINVESTMENT.

UM, WE HAVE LOTS OF FACILITIES, , LOTS OF AGING FACILITIES.

WE'RE A VERY, UH, OLD CITY WITH A, A LOT OF STUFF THAT WAS BUILT 50 PLUS YEARS AGO.

UM, AND THEY'RE STRUGGLING.

AND THE BOND DOLLARS ARE OUR PRIMARY SOURCE TO, TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS OF, IS THE PROJECT SOMETHING THAT CAN EXTEND THE USEFUL LIFE OF AN ASSET SO WE'RE NOT LOSING THINGS SO WE CAN KEEP THEM MAINTAINED? UM, ARE WE UPGRADING IT TO, TO REPLACE SOMETHING THAT HAS ALREADY FALLEN APART, SIMILAR, LIKE THE OPIS RECREATION CENTER AND THE DOHERTY ARTS CENTER, WHICH WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING TO DO.

UM, DOES IT RESPOND TO LEGAL REGULATORY MANDATES? THINGS LIKE, IS IT A HIGH NEED OF A DA IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE THE FACILITY HAS BEEN STRUGGLING TO MEET THAT.

UM, IS IT A HEALTH CODE ISSUE, LIKE THE POOLS, DO WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON THESE? ANYTHING THAT'S LEGAL, REGULATORY, SAFETY, WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THOSE, UM, INCLUDING LAND USE ISSUES, EROSION, WATER QUALITY, STUFF LIKE THAT.

UM, AND NOTE THAT THESE, THESE POINTS AREN'T NECESSARILY ALL, OR NO, IT'S NOT LIKE THEY GET SEVEN POINTS BECAUSE , IT'S PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, BUT IT'S RATHER A SCALE DEPENDING ON WHERE IT LANDS.

IF IT'S LIKE, IF IT EXTENDS THE USEFUL LIFE, SAY BY FIVE YEARS, IT MIGHT GET LIKE TWO POINTS VERSUS 25 YEARS, WHICH WOULD THEN GIVE IT SEVEN POINTS.

SO ALL THESE ARE KIND OF A VARIABLE SCALE.

ALL RIGHT, SO SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY.

UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RESILIENCE NETWORK, AND IT'S NOT JUST IS IT PART OF IT, BUT COULD IT BE PART OF IT IF ENOUGH FUNDING AND AND UH, INPUT WAS PUT INTO THE FACILITY.

UM, DOES IT REDUCE COST FOR UTILITIES AND FUTURE FINANCIAL BURDENS? UM, DOES THE PROJECT MAKE SENSE FOR WHERE IT'S LOCATED? IF WE'RE TRYING, IF SOMEONE'S PROPOSING TO PUT A WOOD STRUCTURE AND THE URBAN WILDLIFE INTERFACE, WE MIGHT SAY THAT'S NOT A CONGRUENT USE OF BUILDING TO LOCATIONS.

SO WE WANNA PRIORITIZE ONES THAT MAKE MORE SENSE, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE MORE FIRE RESISTANT WITHIN THAT URBAN WILDLAND INTERFACE.

UM, WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IMPROVING OUR METRICS FOR PROVIDING, UM, RESIDENTS ACCESS TO PARKS.

SO THAT'S BEEN PRIORITIZED.

ARE WE INCREASING ACCESS WITHIN THE URBAN CORE OR OUTSIDE THE URBAN CORE? UH, WE LOOK AT HAS THE PROJECT RECEIVED FUNDING IN THE 2018 BOND CYCLE.

AND THE REASON THAT'S A SUSTAINABILITY METRIC IS BECAUSE OF OUR GREEN BUILDING POLICY.

IF SOMETHING HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE 2018 BOND, IT MEANS IT HAD TO HAVE REACTED TO THAT GREEN BUILDING POLICY.

SO IT'S MORE LIKELY A SUSTAINABLE FACILITY THAN IT WOULD BE IF IT HAD BEEN OLDER FUNDS.

AND THEN ALSO LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE THE, THE HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND PRIORITIZING AREAS THAT MIGHT HAVE, UH, HIGH HEAT ISLAND EFFECTS.

[02:20:03]

UM, AND THEN JUST TO NOTE, FOR THE IMPROVING METRIC PERCENTAGE, I KNOW THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH ACQUISITIONS AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY IDENTIFY WHERE THOSE ARE BECAUSE IT'S A, A NEGOTIATION.

BUT WE ALSO LOOK AT, MAYBE IT'S A PARK THAT HASN'T BEEN, THAT WE OWN, THAT HASN'T BEEN DEVELOPED YET, AND MAYBE THAT WOULD BE MORE PRIORITIZED, OR IF IT'S A PARK THAT'S BEEN SLIGHTLY DEVELOPED, BUT IT NEEDS LIKE A MAJOR AMENITY THAT COULD GET AT A FEW POINTS BECAUSE IT NEEDS THAT, LIKE EXTRA AMENITY TO MAKE IT A MORE USABLE PARK.

LEVERAGING FUNDS AND PARTNERSHIPS.

SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE PRIORITIZING PROJECTS THAT MAYBE ALREADY HAD A BUNCH OF FUNDING AND DESIGN AND STUFF ALREADY DONE, THAT IT GOT IT TO MAYBE 80% OF THE WAY THERE, BUT IT'S JUST LACKING THAT FINAL FUNDING TO PUSH IT OVER TO GET COMPLETED, WHICH MEANS THOSE USUALLY ALREADY HAVE HAD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED OUTSIDE.

SO PRIORITIZING THOSE.

WE DIDN'T WANNA FORGET ABOUT PROJECTS THAT GENERATE REVENUE.

OUR GOLF FACILITIES STRUGGLE TO GET PRIORITIZED, BUT THEY ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT ENTERPRISE.

THEY, THEY DO, UM, GENERATE THEIR OWN REVENUE.

UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SUPPORTING OUR OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND INITIATIVES AND FUNDINGS.

THINGS LIKE SUNKEN GARDEN, WHICH IS A WATERSHED PROJECT AND A PARD PROJECT.

WE'RE BRINGING MULTIPLE SOURCES OF FUNDING TO, TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.

AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE LEVERAGE THAT.

UM, WE LOOK AT WHETHER IT'S ELIGIBLE FOR GRANT REBATES, DONATION OPPORTUNITIES.

WE GET LOTS OF OF HELP FROM GRANTS THAT RACHEL'S TEAM WORKS ON.

I CAN MAKE OR BREAK A PROJECT.

SO IF IT'S ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT, WE SHOULD TRY TO PUSH IT BECAUSE OUR DOLLARS WILL GO FARTHER.

AND THEN WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT OTHER PARD PARTNERS HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT IN THEIR VISION PLANS OR EXPANSIONS.

UM, AND IF WE NEED TO TO HELP PRIORITIZE THOSE, GIVE A PLACE FOR THAT WITHIN OUR, OUR PERCENTAGES.

AND THEN FINALLY, STRATEGIC DIRECTION.

UM, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT, HAS THIS FACILITY HAD ANY INVESTMENT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS? UM, WE CAN LOOK THAT UP PRETTY EASILY.

HAS IT HAD PARTICIPATORY INVOLVEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY THROUGH LIKE THE VISION PLANS, EXPANSION PLANS, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT.

DOES IT ALIGN WITH OUR LONG RANGE PLAN OR ANOTHER APPROVED VISION AND EXPANSION PLAN? AND THEN WE ALSO LOOKED AT, UH, THE TRUST IN PUBLIC LANDS HEALTHY PARK SCORE.

THEY NOT ONLY LOOK AT SOCIOECONOMIC DATA, BUT ALSO HEALTH FLOODING, WATER PARK ACCESS AND AIR QUALITY.

AND IT'S JUST A, A GENERAL KIND OF, UH, AMALGAMATION OF EVERYTHING AS A, AS A SCORE WE CAN LOOK TO AS WELL AS WE PRIORITIZE.

AND THAT'S IT.

UH, BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OH, SO CAN YOU, CAN YOU GIVE A FULL FIGURE OF WHAT IS REMAINING IN THE 2018 BOND THAT IS UNSPENT RIGHT NOW? UNSPENT FUNDS BY PART UNSPENT FUNDS.

SO FOR, UH, PROPOSITION B, THAT IS 28.9 MILLION.

AND FOR PROPOSITION C, OH, I WOULD HAVE TO DO THE MATH REALLY QUICKLY ON THAT.

UM, IT WOULD BE ONE 50.

YEAH, WE, WE HAVE, IT'S 20% IS LEFTOVER OF THE 1 49, 140, SO ABOUT 30, JUST UNDER 30, YEAH, SO ABOUT 30 MILLION, YES, APPROXIMATELY.

AND, AND ONLY 10% OF THAT IS, UH, IS NOT ASSIGNED TO A PROJECT.

UM, SO, AND, AND AGAIN, THAT, THAT IS REALLY INTENTIONAL AS WE'VE HAD TO WAIT, UM, FOR ANOTHER BOND, UH, TO COME THROUGH.

AND WE'RE KEEPING THIS ASIDE AS CONTINGENCY FOR OUR ACTIVE PROJECTS AND, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T RUN OUT OF FUNDS BEFORE OUR NEXT BOND.

SO THE COMMUNITY CAN ALWAYS GO TO THE BE DIFF TO, TO EXPRESS THEIR INTERESTS OR WHAT THEY WANT ON THE BOND.

AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND HOW, UM, YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND SURVEY.

AND SO THAT IS THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND SURVEYS ARE STARTING NOW.

AND HOW CAN THE PUBLIC WEIGH IN ON HELPING WEIGH IN ON PRIORITIES? SO THE, THE BEAT OF THE BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE IS THE MECHANISM IN WHICH IS ORGANIZING THE COMMUNITY INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT.

IT'S BEING HELPED BY THE CITY'S PIO OFFICE.

SO THAT'S BEING HANDLED AT THE CITY LEVEL RATHER THAN THE PARD LEVEL.

[02:25:01]

THEY CAN COME TO YOU GUYS, THEY CAN GO TO COUNCIL, AND THOSE ARE KIND OF THEIR THREE MAIN AVENUES.

SO DO YOU KNOW IF THAT'S GOING ON? SPEAK UP AUSTIN, OR IT'S EVENTUALLY IT WILL.

WE ARE SO EARLY.

WE'RE LIKE A YEAR THAT THEY HAVEN'T, I DON'T THINK THEY'VE GOTTEN IT UP YET, BUT I'VE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT, LOOKING FOR IT.

I IMAGINE IT WILL SOON.

AND FINALLY, I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF THE, UM, THE HB 1526 IS BEING TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT ABOUT PARKLAND ACQUISITION AS YOU MOVE INTO THE, INTO THE BOND FOR 2026? YES, THAT'S THE ONE THAT CONTROLS OUR ABILITY TO COLLECT.

UM, FOR SURE.

I THINK THAT WAS COMING UP AROUND THE CONVERSATION OF WHETHER THERE'D BE A 2025 BOND SPECIFICALLY MORE RELATED TO THE LAND ACQUISITION, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT.

AND WE'RE MAKING A POINT THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO GET FUNDING FOR THAT.

'CAUSE IT'S FUNDS THAT ARE GONNA BE DRYING UP IN ANOTHER SOURCE THAT WE HAD.

SO THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX, STAFF BRIEFING.

THERE MIGHT BE ONE MORE QUESTION.

WHO WAS THERE? DID I DID, DID I, SORRY, WAS SORRY.

I PUT IT IN MY HANDS A LITTLE LATE.

OKAY, NO WORRIES FRANKLIN.

UM, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

UM, ONE WAS, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT A PROJECT, AND THIS IS JUST FOR MY INFORMATION, THAT PROJECT CAN'T BE ADDED IF IT'S NOT GOING TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN SIX YEARS.

WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE FUNDING MECHANISMS FOR PROJECTS THAT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN SIX YEARS? AND WHAT WOULD EXAMPLES OF THOSE PROJECTS BE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO ONE EXAMPLE WOULD BE IF WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP A NEW RECREATION CENTER, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE LAND FOR IT, WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED THE EXACT LOCATION.

ONE YEAR WOULD BE ONE BOND CYCLE WOULD BE, UH, ACQUIRING THAT LAND, SPENDING THOSE SIX YEARS TO FIND WHERE IT'S AT, LOCATE IT, AND GET IT READY FOR A POTENTIAL CONCEPTUAL FEASIBILITY STUDY.

NOW MIND YOU, WE CAN'T SPEND BOND FUNDINGS ON CONCEPTUAL AND FEASIBILITY.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK FOR THINGS LIKE OUR BUDGET CYCLE TO ASK FOR MONEY OR MITIGATION FEES OR OTHER PLACES IN ORDER TO DO THESE CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS.

WE ARE A BIT HANDCUFFED IN THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE TO DO THESE INITIAL STUDIES, BUT WE CAN AT LEAST PURCHASE THE LAND AHEAD OF TIME AND THEN GET IT RAMPED UP AND READY FOR THE NEXT BOND CYCLE TO ACTUALLY DESIGN AND BUILD THE FACILITY IF IT TAKES LONGER THAN SIX YEARS.

GREAT QUESTION.

I DON'T KNOW.

ASK A CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICE .

THAT IS VERY HELPFUL.

UM, THEN ALSO, UH, YOU TOUCHED ON IT BRIEFLY, UH, BUT FOR THE ASIAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME FUNDING ALLOCATED WITH, UH, PROP B IN 2018.

AND I THINK FOR THAT, AND ANOTHER, AT LEAST ONE OTHER, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE WASN'T ENOUGH FUNDING TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.

AND SO I THINK, UH, THE WORK JUST SIMPLY WASN'T DONE OR STARTED AND THOSE FUNDS WERE HELD BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T COMPLETE THE ENTIRE THING.

IS THAT CORRECT? RIGHT.

AND WE RUN THE RISK OF LOSING FUNDS THAT WE DON'T SPEND.

YEAH, YEAH.

SO THAT WAS GONNA BE PART OF MY QUESTION IS HOW DOES THAT WORK IF IT'S, UM, 2018 FUNDING FOR A PROJECT, BUT THE PROJECT WASN'T ABLE TO BE COMPLETED BECAUSE IT WASN'T ENOUGH.

SO THEN WITH THE 2026 BOND, WHAT HAPPENS? I DON'T KNOW IF THE QUESTIONS FOR LIKE THE A RC GOT REALIGNED TO BE A PROJECT THAT COULD BE DONE WITH THE EXISTING FUNDING.

SO THAT ONE WE HAD TO DO A REALIGNMENT OF THE PROJECT.

I THINK A MORE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE MIGHT BE THE DECK, WHICH HAS A PARTIAL FUNDING AVAILABILITY TO COMPLETE.

SO WE LOOK AT PHASING IT AND WHAT CAN WE BUILD OUT AS PART OF THAT WHOLE PROJECT WITH THE EXISTING FUNDS AND THEN LOOK, LOOK TO CREATE A PHASE TWO THAT COULD BE DONE IF IT PASSES IN THE NEXT BOND CYCLE.

SO PHASING IS OUR STRATEGY USUALLY.

BUT ALSO TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, WE STRONGLY SUPPORT A PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH TO BOND DOLLARS, UM, VERSUS NAME PROJECTS.

THEY HAD A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF MONEY ASSIGNED TO THEM.

UH, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF THE PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH? SO PROPOSITION CC WHERE WE HAD THE PROGRAMS FOR LIKE AQUATICS, PARKLAND, ACQUISITIONS, INFRASTRUCTURE, THOSE ARE PROGRAMS. SO WE CAN CHOOSE HOW THE, WHERE THE FUNDING GOES FOR THE PROJECTS WITHIN THERE.

IF ONE PROJECT ENDS UP COMING IN LIKE SO MUCH MORE THAN WE EXPECTED, WE CAN SHIFT MONEY WITHIN THAT PROGRAM.

IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE TOWARDS A PROJECT WITHIN THAT PROGRAM AREA VERSUS NAMED, WHICH WAS THE MAC, THE DECK, THE A RC, THOSE WERE NAMED FACILITIES.

[02:30:01]

WE CAN'T USE IT ANYWHERE ELSE.

THAT'S IT.

SO A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY.

THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH PROJECTS, WHICH THEIR WORK MAY HAVE GONE ON HOLD BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE COMPLETE FUNDING.

BUT, UM, IF THE NUMBERS WERE CRUNCHED IN HOWEVER MANY YEARS AGO, UM, AND THEN IT WAS INSUFFICIENT FUNDING, I GUESS IS THE COST ESTIMATE BEING REDONE WITH 2026? WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOUNT FOR ESCALATION IN OUR AMOUNTS.

LIKE IF I HAD GOTTEN A COST ESTIMATE THREE YEARS AGO, I'M PLUGGING IT INTO A, AN ESCALATION CALCULATOR TO SPIT OUT A NUMBER THAT IT THINKS IT'LL BE WITHIN MIDYEAR CONSTRUCTION IN LIKE 20, 30, 20 28 AROUND THEN TO DO OUR BEST GUESS.

I'M SURE YOU'RE, YOU'VE HEARD IT BEFORE, BUT COVID THREW THAT SYSTEM ALL OUT THE WINDOW BECAUSE ESCALATION WAS AROUND 30 TO 50%.

AND SO THAT WAS COMPLETELY UNFORESEEABLE.

I THINK WE'RE GETTING BACK TO STABILIZATION, BUT STUFF LIKE THAT CAN ALWAYS HAPPEN.

WE'RE JUST OUT OF NOWHERE.

WE ARE, WE'RE SEEING TARIFFS AND IMPORTS.

THERE'S LACK OF ACCESS TO MATERIALS AND PRICES SKYROCKET.

IT'S SO VOLATILE, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO, TO SEE IT IN THE FUTURE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

I UNDERSTAND.

THAT CERTAINLY MAKES IT DIFFICULT.

UM, AND THEN ONE FINAL QUESTION.

I'M NOT SURE THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, TELL ME THE ANSWER RIGHT NOW, BUT I NOTICED ON THE FIRST SLIDE IN TERMS OF, UM, WHAT'S COVERED, UH, THERE WAS A NOTE ABOUT 20,000 ACRES AND I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW THAT ACREAGE WAS CALCULATED AND HOW IT COMPARED TO THE ROUGHLY 10,000 ACRES THAT WE SAW IN THE LAND MANAGEMENT PRESENTATION.

OKAY, ON A QUESTION, , HI, THIS IS LEANNA VOCA.

UM, AND THE 20,000 ACRES IS THE TOTAL ACREAGE THAT WE HAVE NOW UNDER THE PARK SYSTEM.

THE 10,300 UNDER THE LAND MANAGEMENT INVOLVES PRESERVES AND LARGE AREAS WITHIN METRO PARKS, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND SOME OF THE, UM, MAYBE SOME OF THE GREEN BELTS, BUT NOT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.

A LOT OF THAT IS LAND THAT IS MANAGED BY AND MAINTAINED BY OUR, UH, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE GROUP OR GROUNDS MAINTENANCE GROUP.

AND IT'S NOT PART OF THE LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT YOU HEARD BEFORE.

BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS? THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA

[6. Staff briefing on planning, design and project development for Austin Light Rail. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers) Presenter(s): Jennifer Payne, Executive Vice President, Lisa Storer, Vice President of Architecture, and Yannis Banks, Public Involvement Manager, Austin Transit Partnership. ]

ITEM NUMBER SIX.

UM, ALRIGHT.

STAFF BRIEFING ON PLANNING, DESIGN AND PROJECT DEVELOP FOR AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL, PLEASE.

OH, AND PUBLIC COMMENT, MR. BECK.

I WAS LOOKING, I'M FORGETTING IT TODAY.

YES, CHAIR.

WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, MALCOLM YATES.

MY NAME IS MALCOLM YATES.

I'M THE CHAIR OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE RF COMBINED CONTACT TEAM.

WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO REMIND CAP METRO, THE CITY STAFF, AND THE PARKS BOARD THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED CAP METRO TO INCLUDE EAST RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE DESIGN OF THE NEW ROWING CLUB FACILITY THAT WILL REPLACE THE FORMER YOUTH HOSTEL ON LAKESHORE BOULEVARD.

PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE CONTACT TEAM IS NOTIFIED OF ANY MEETINGS THAT WILL DISCUSS SPECIFICATIONS AND DESIGN OF THIS NEW FACILITY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

WE'LL NOT HEAR FROM THE PRESENTERS.

OF OTHER MEETINGS TO TALK ABOUT, UH, WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PROJECT, WHICH IS WELL UNDERWAY.

UH, MY NAME'S JENNIFER PINE, I'M WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, AND I'M HERE WITH, UH, A COLLEAGUE, LISA.

HI, LISA STORR, UM, OVER ARCHITECTURE, URBAN DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY AT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US.

SO WE'RE PLEASED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE THINGS ARE WITH AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.

UM, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE'VE BEEN OUT AND ABOUT, UM, HOSTING MEETINGS AND ATTENDING LOTS

[02:35:01]

UM, LIGHT RAIL WOULD PROVIDE NEW TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS IN CENTRAL AUSTIN, UH, IMPROVE MOBILITY, CONNECT PEOPLE, JOBS AND DESTINATIONS PROVIDE CONGESTION RELIEF.

UH, SO LIGHT RAIL WOULD BE AN ELECTRICALLY POWERED SYSTEM.

UM, AND IT WOULD, IT'S A WAY FOR US TO IMPROVE PEOPLE THROUGHPUT, UM, WITHIN THE PUBLIC SPACES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, UM, AND WOULD BE PART OF OUR OVERALL EXPANDED TRANSIT NETWORK.

SO THE PROJECT ITSELF, UH, THE FIRST PHASE OF LIGHT RAIL, UM, WOULD BE 10 MILES CONNECTING FROM ABOUT UT THROUGH DOWNTOWN AUSTIN, UM, ACROSS LADY BIRD LAKE ON A NEW BRIDGE THAT WOULD, UM, BE FOR TRANSIT, BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN USES SOUTH OF THE LAKE.

IT WOULD, UH, DIVERGE ONE BRANCH GOING DOWN EAST RIVERSIDE TOWARDS THE AIRPORT AND THE OTHER BRANCH, UH, GOING SOUTH ON SOUTH CONGRESS TO OLD TURF.

SO THERE WOULD BE 15 STATIONS.

UM, THIS WOULD BE A VERY FREQUENT TRANSIT SERVICE RUNNING EVERY FIVE TO 10 MINUTES FOR MOST OF THE DAY.

SO THE KIND OF SERVICE WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONSULT A SCHEDULE, YOU CAN SHOW UP, UM, IT'S A PART OF THE STREETSCAPE HOP ON AND GO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO.

SO ONE OF THE BIG MILESTONES WE'VE REACHED RECENTLY IS, IS THAT WE RELEASED A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE.

UH, AND THAT'S REQUIRED.

UM, SINCE WE ARE PURSUING FEDERAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT, UM, WE, UH, HAVE HOSTED A SERIES OF MEETINGS, UM, AND TO TALK ABOUT NOT ONLY THE DRAFT, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, BUT ALSO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECT DESIGN, UM, WHICH IS STILL PRELIMINARY.

UM, SO IT'S VERY TIMELY, UM, FOR FOLKS TO COME OUT AND PROVIDE COMMENT THAT WE CAN REALLY TAKE ACTION ON.

UM, YOU MAY RECALL, UH, LAST FEBRUARY IN 2024, UM, WE WERE HOSTING MEETINGS AND, UH, ENGAGED IN A LOT OF COMMUNITY DIALOGUE AT THAT TIME TOO.

UH, WE WERE REALLY STARTING THE ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS PROCESS AT THAT TIME.

UM, AND SO WE WERE SHARING WHAT WE WERE ABOUT TO DO, TAKING INPUT ON, YOU KNOW, PROPER SCOPE OF THAT ANALYSIS, BUT WE HAD ALSO PROPOSED A SET OF DESIGN OPTIONS THAT WE WANTED TO CONSIDER AND STUDY.

UM, AND SO NOW WE'RE COMING BACK AROUND WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON THOSE OPTIONS.

UM, SO AMONG THEM, UH, FOUR OF THEM REALLY RELATE TO STATIONS.

WE ARE RECOMMENDING ADDING A STATION DOWNTOWN NEAR WOOLDRIDGE SQUARE.

UM, WE'VE AFFIRMED A LOCATION NEAR THE CONVENTION CENTER IN CAESAR CHAVEZ.

UM, WE ARE ACTUALLY SUGGESTING THAT WE OMIT A STATION THAT HAD BEEN PROPOSED NEAR TRAVIS HEIGHTS.

UM, AND WE ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT SOME OF THE STATIONS ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE.

YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY WE'RE RECOMMENDING THESE LOCATIONS ON THE MAP, INCLUDING, UH, AT GROVE AND MONTOPOLIS ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE.

UH, IN ADDITION, SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PROJECT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, UM, ARE TO HAVE A, A LONGER BRIDGE ACROSS THE LAKE, UM, THAT EFFECTIVELY MAKES THE WATERFRONT STATION ELEVATED.

AND WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING WHAT WE'RE CALLING A GREENWAY CONCEPT ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE.

UH, AND I'M GONNA ASK LISA TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, KEY PROJECT ELEMENTS.

COOL.

THANKS.

SO YOU CAN SEE HERE AN EARLY CONCEPTUAL VISUALIZATION OF WHAT WE CALL THE GREENWAY ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE.

THIS WOULD INTRODUCE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE FACILITIES, INBOARD ADJACENT TO THE TRANSIT WAY INBOARD OF THOSE TRAVEL LANES.

UM, SO HERE YOU'RE LOOKING, UH, YOU'RE LOOKING TOWARD DOWNTOWN, YOU'RE LOOKING WEST.

UM, AND THE IDEA HERE IS REALLY A PEOPLE CENTERED, UH, PERFORMANCE BASED DESIGN APPROACH THAT WE'RE EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT.

UH, ESSENTIALLY THIS ALLOWS FOR PEOPLE ALONG ALL FIVE OF THOSE STATIONS BETWEEN LAKESHORE BOULEVARD AND YELLOW JACKET TO CONNECT TO THE TRANSIT WAY, UM, VIA THIS ADDITIONAL BICYCLE AND, AND, UH, PEDESTRIAN FACILITY.

SO IT ALLOWS FOR EASIER ACCESS TO THE TRAINS ITSELF.

IT ALLOWS FOR EASIER ACCESS ALONG THAT CORRIDOR BECAUSE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF A WIDE RIGHT OF WAY THERE.

UM, AND IT ALSO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SHADE AND ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ALONG WITH, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE'RE INTRODUCING HERE.

UH, THERE WOULD ALSO BE BACK OF CURB FACILITIES AS WELL.

I FEEL LIKE I GET THAT QUESTION A LOT.

SO WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT.

THIS NEXT VIEW IS, AGAIN, ALONG THAT EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR.

THIS IS SHOWING SORT OF AN AERIAL VIEW, UH, NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF PLEASANT VALLEY AND EAST RIVERSIDE.

YOU CAN SEE THE HEB THERE, YOU CAN SEE DOWNTOWN AS THAT DESTINATION.

AND THE IDEA HERE IS

[02:40:01]

PROVIDING THAT GREEN SPINE THAT CAN CONNECT TO THE BUTLER HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL AND OTHER URBAN TRAIL RESOURCES, UM, AS WELL.

ANOTHER LOCATION ALONG THE ALIGNMENT THAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON A PEDESTRIAN FOCUSED, UH, STATION ENVIRONMENT IS AT THE DRAG ALONG THE UT STATION.

UH, WE ARE STILL RECOMMENDING A CAR FREE DRAG.

AND SO REALLY THE MOBILITY OPTIONS HERE WOULD BE THE LIGHT RAIL, THE BUS BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS, WHICH WOULD FREE UP AND PROVIDE A SAFER TRANSIT ENVIRONMENT HERE NEAR UT, WHICH IS OUR MOST, UH, YOU KNOW, HIGHEST PEDESTRIAN COUNTS ALONG THE SYSTEM.

AND THE LAST CONCEPTUAL VISUALIZATION WE'VE GOT FOR YOU IS AT THE SOUTH SOUTHERN END OF LINE, CURRENTLY NEAR TWF AND SOUTH CONGRESS AVENUE.

UM, THIS IS REALLY SHOWING THE OPPORTUNITY OF THAT KEY DESTINATION THAT'S JUST COMPLETED IN THAT NEW HEB AT TWF.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO JEN TO TALK TIMELINE.

UH, SO WE ARE, UH, WE'RE STILL IN PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.

UH, WE ARE IN A PRELIMINARY STATE OF DESIGN.

UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO START CONSTRUCTION IN 2027 AND ULTIMATELY OPEN FOR SERVICE IN THE EARLY 2030S.

UM, SO ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVE ON THE DRAFT EIS NOW, UH, WE WILL RESPOND TO IN A FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT LATER THIS YEAR.

UM, AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE STARTING THE PROCESS TO, UH, PROCO PROCURE OUR FINAL DESIGNER AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE THEM ON BOARD NEXT YEAR.

SO THE DRAFT EIS UM, IT COVERS, IT'S A REALLY A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF WHAT WOULD RESULT, UM, FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF LIGHT RAIL, BOTH DURING CONSTRUCTION AND LONG-TERM OPERATIONS, UM, LOOKING AT IMPACTS ON PARKLAND ON WATER RESOURCES SOILS, BUT ALSO ON NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES AND LAND USE.

UM, SO WE, YOU KNOW, WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION YOU CAN DRILL DOWN REALLY ON TOPICS, UH, TO PRETTY DEEP IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO.

UM, AND SO WE HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL DO THAT.

WE ARE REQUESTING COMMENTS BACK BY MARCH 11TH TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN INCLUDE RESPONSES IN THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, UH, WE HOSTED FOUR MEETINGS IN, UH, JANUARY, AND WE'VE ALSO SPOKEN TO NUMEROUS NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, UM, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

AND SO FAR WE'VE, YOU KNOW, REALLY SPOKEN TO OR, UM, ENGAGED WITH OVER 2,500 PEOPLE, EITHER BECAUSE THEY CAME TO MEETINGS, UM, OR WE, WE, WE CONDUCT OUTREACH AT BUS STOPS TO MAKE SURE WE CONNECT WITH EXISTING RIDERS AND PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION ON WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW TO BE INVOLVED.

UM, AND SO THE COMMENTS ARE COMING IN AND, UM, UM, AGAIN, WE ENCOURAGE ANY FEEDBACK BY MARCH 11TH.

UM, AND THAT REALLY CONCLUDES THE, THE PRESENTATION WE HAVE, BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

STATEMENT ARE MOSTLY JUST LIKE SLIVERS WHERE WE WOULD BE EXPANDING THE RIGHT OF WAY ADJACENT TO A PARK AND WOULD BE NEEDING TO INCLUDE BACK OF CURB FACILITIES LIKE SIDEWALKS OR SOMETIMES OTHER THINGS THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED PARK USE INTO THAT EXISTING PARKLAND.

ANY QUESTIONS? CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE, UM, THE, THE PARKLAND, UH, THAT IS GOING TO BE NEEDED, THAT'S IN THE PATH OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LIGHT RAIL AND HOW THAT'S GOING AND HOW PEOPLE COULD WEIGH IN ON THAT PARTICULAR SUBJECT? WELL, UM, IN THE DRAFT DIS THERE ARE, THERE'S MAPPING AND, AND PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS.

UM, SO THE DESIGN THAT THE, UM, EIS ANALYSIS IS BASED ON IS ACTUALLY FROM LAST MAY.

UM, AND WE ARE CONTINUALLY UPDATING IT.

UM, BUT THAT SAID, UM, FOR THE MOST PART, THIS PROJECT IS WITHIN THE EXISTING PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, IT'S GOING TO OPERATE WITHIN EXISTING STREETS.

UM, BUT THERE ARE PLACES WHERE, UM, WE GO THROUGH PARKS AND, UM, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE TRAIL CONNECTIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ALWAYS KIND OF BRING THAT TOGETHER.

UM, AND THERE ARE ALSO SOME PARKS THAT WE WOULD BE ADJACENT TO.

LOOKS LIKE YOU WANTED TO.

YEAH, I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING CLOSELY WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE FOLKS HERE AS WELL AS WITH THE TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS A FEDERAL PROCESS, SO WE'RE REALLY GOING THROUGH THIS NEPA EVALUATION.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SIX F PARKLAND OR THE, THAT PARKLAND THAT IS PROTECTED WITH, UM, FEDERAL PROTECTIONS, UH, FIRST AND EVALUATING ALL OF THAT ALONG WITH THE CITY PARKLAND AS WELL.

BUT REALLY THAT FOCUS, WHICH IS GENERALLY ABOUT AN ACRE RIGHT AT WALLER BEACH, WHERE THE BOATHOUSE CURRENTLY IS, IS THE BIG IMPACT TO PARKLAND.

MOST OF THE REST OF, UH, WHAT WOULD, WHAT ARE CONSIDERED PARKLAND IMPACTS THAT ARE DOCUMENTED IN THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

[02:45:01]

UM, SOME OF THOSE LOCATIONS ARE LIKE A POCKET PARK AT AIRPORT COMMERCE.

UM, WHERE ELSE AM I THINKING? WE DON'T HAVE ANY IMPACTS AT WILDRIDGE SQUARE OR REPUBLIC SQUARE, AND I THINK WE'VE REDUCED THE IMPACTS COMPLETELY AT NORWOOD PARK AS WELL.

AND THEN ONE OTHER QUESTION.

SO THE, UM, THE WALK AND BIKE PATHS OF THE SHADED, UM, WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THOSE AND WATERING OF TREES, ET CETERA? WILL, WILL THAT BE, UH, PROJECT CONNECT OR IS THAT AN END CAMP METRO, OR IS THAT GONNA FALL ON, ON THE PARKS DEPARTMENT? DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE IT? OKAY.

UM, SO IN GENERAL WE HAVE, UH, UPCOMING OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO STRIKE WITH OUR PARTNERS, UH, BOTH FROM CAT METRO AND FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

THAT IS THE, THAT IS TRUE FOR ALSO OUR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE AGREEMENTS.

SO MORE TO COME ON ALL OF THOSE TOPICS FOR SURE.

UM, BUT I WILL SAY, UH, THAT GREENWAY OPPORTUNITY THAT IS IN BOARD OF THE TRAVEL LANES IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.

SO WHILE TYPICALLY WE WOULD THINK OF SORT OF THE ASSETS THAT WE WOULD BE CONSTRUCTING AS PART OF THE PROJECT THAT ARE TYPICAL ROADWAY OR BACK OF CURB CONDITIONS, UM, BEING SORT OF TYPICAL FOR THE CITY TO GO AHEAD AND MAINTAIN, THAT ONE MAY NEED ITS OWN SPECIAL CONSIDERATION FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, WHICH COULD LOOK A VARIETY OF WAYS AT THIS MOMENT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10.

UM, AT THIS TIME WE'LL DO, UM, WE'RE GONNA WAIT, WE'RE GONNA SAVE YOU TO THE VERY END.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE YOU CLOSE OUT THE EVENING.

UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA GO ON

[10. Update from the FY 2025-2026 Budget Working Group regarding changes to meeting schedule, wildfire management, and lack of timeline guidance from the City. (Sponsors: Flowers, Villalobos)]

, ANY SPEAKERS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 10? .

I THINK THEN, UH, YOU WANNA PRESENT, UH, BOARD MEMBER, UH, VICE CHAIR FLOWERS? YEAH, SO PROVIDING AN UPDATE FROM THE WORKING GROUP.

I GUESS IF I PUT LACK OF TIMELINE GUIDANCE FROM THE CITY ON AN AGENDA, THAT'S WHEN I GET THE TIMELINE GUIDANCE.

SO I'M GONNA MAKE NOTE OF THAT FOR THE FUTURE.

UM, SO WE DID GET THE TIMELINE GUIDANCE THAT CAME IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, UM, LATE ON FRIDAY.

THE TIMELINE BASICALLY HASN'T CHANGED IF YOU KNOW YOU WERE, DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO READ IT.

WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS IN BY THE END OF MARCH, WHICH IS GOOD BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DISCUSSED ON FRIDAY.

SO WE DID MEET ON FRIDAY.

I APOLOGIZE THAT THE MINUTES ARE NOT IN THE BACKUP BECAUSE I HAVEN'T TYPED THEM UP YET.

WE MET MID, MID MIDDAY FRIDAY AND I JUST HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE.

SO WE WILL POST THEM IN THE NEXT MEETING'S BACKUP.

UM, WE DID CHANGE THE MEETING SCHEDULE, WHICH IS THE FIRST NOTE THERE.

UM, SO WE MET THIS LAST FRIDAY.

WE DID NOT MEET THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY.

WE HAVE MOVED THIS FRIDAY'S MEETING TO THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY.

UM, PART OF THAT WAS US SORT OF WAITING FOR GUIDANCE AND DECIDING WHERE WE WERE GONNA PROCEED.

UH, THE TWO OTHER PIECES THERE ALREADY ADDRESSED THE LACK OF TIMELINE GUIDANCE, WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT.

UM, THERE HAD BEEN SOME INITIAL WORK WITH JOINT SUSTAINABILITY, UH, ALREADY ABOUT RECOMMENDATION RELATED TO BUDGET FOR WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT.

SO BOARD MEMBER BECKER HAS BEEN WORKING ON DETAILS RELATED TO THAT, WHICH THE PRESENTATION TONIGHT WILL DEFINITELY INFORM.

UM, WHAT WE DISCUSSED ON FRIDAY AS A WORKING GROUP WAS THAT OUR PLAN WAS TO PUT TOGETHER A DRAFT SHELL RECOMMENDATION BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHAT DATE THAT IS IN MARCH 7TH.

DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT TO ANYONE? IT'S FRIDAY.

FRIDAY AT NOON.

MARCH 6TH, MARCH, WHATEVER THE NEXT SEVENTH.

SEVENTH, YEAH.

SO WE MEET AT NOON ON, ON MARCH 7TH.

AND AT THAT POINT FOR THE WORKING GROUP, WE WILL HAVE A SHELL RECOMMENDATION THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.

IT'S DEFINITELY GONNA INCLUDE SOME EL ELEMENTS AROUND THE WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT, UH, PIECE.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE DISCUSSED ALL THE ITEMS WE DISCUSSED LAST TIME, UH, HOW WE MIGHT WORK THEM IN THIS.

ESSENTIALLY THE GUIDANCE FROM THE CITY, IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK, IS THAT WE SHOULD REFERENCE WHAT WAS GIVEN TO US LAST YEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENTS.

AND SO THAT'S ALREADY WHAT WE HAD STARTED ON AND WE HAD ALREADY TAKEN SORT OF WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO EXPECT TO DO OUR BEST THERE IN TERMS OF A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE WOULD THEN BRING TO THE FULL BOARD AT THE MARCH MEETING AS PLANNED.

SO THAT'S THE UPDATE THAT I HAVE THOUGH.

IF ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORKING GROUP HAS ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD, PLEASE DO.

THAT'S IT.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM

[11. Discussion and approve a recommendation to Austin City Council to support the implementation of on-demand city-wide van service, modeling of an integrated city-wide on-demand/BRT transit systems and explore all avenues to expand CapMetro’s on-demand pickup service. (Sponsors: Reed, Taylor)]

NUMBER 11.

ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS?

[02:50:01]

YES, CHAIR.

WE HAVE LARRY AKERS.

OH, HE MIGHT HAVE, I THINK HE SPOKE DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

AH, VERY SHREWD.

WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM.

EXPAND, UH, THE PICKUP SERVICE.

UH, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BOARD MEMBER, UH, TAYLOR AND REED.

I THANK YOU CHAIR.

SO, UM, I BROUGHT, I'M BRINGING THIS RECOMMENDATION FORWARD AND IT'S KIND OF, IT'S NICE THAT, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP PRESENTED JUST BEFORE US ON THIS, BECAUSE THIS CERTAINLY RELATES TO, UM, TRANSPORTATION.

AND, UH, I HAVE, WE HAVE A HANDOUT THAT I GAVE TO ALL OF YOU ABOUT HYBRID PUBLIC TRANSIT FOR AUSTIN.

AND THIS IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC HAS COMMENTED TO US, HAS COME AND SPOKEN TO US ABOUT NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT IMPLEMENTING SOMETHING, UM, REALLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS QUICKLY.

SO TO IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN PARTICULAR.

UM, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION TO PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS AND CAP METRO AS PART OF PROJECT CONNECT ALREADY HAS IN PLACE, UH, A SYSTEM THEY CALL, UM, PICKUP, WHICH IS CITYWIDE ON DEMAND MICRO TRANSIT IN MULTI PASSENGER EV VANS.

AND I THINK I'VE SENT, UH, MR. BECK, UH, DID I SEND YOU THE HYBRID PUBLIC TRANSIT FOR AUSTIN? UM, IF YOU CAN PULL THAT UP PLEASE.

SO THIS JUST DETAILS FOR YOU ALL TO READ IF YOU CAN.

AND FOR OUR BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE REMOTE, UM, WHY CITYWIDE ON DEMAND MICRO TRANSIT WOULD BE SUCH A GREAT ADDITION TO BUS RAPID TRANSIT THAT WE HAVE ALREADY.

AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES, INCLUDING THE EASE OF USE IT.

UM, IT IS EASY TO, TO QUICKLY SUMMON, UM, THIS RAPID TRANSIT, WHICH CAN CARRY CERTAINLY MORE THAN ONE, UH, PERSON WHO NEEDS IT, UM, EASILY WITH A, WITH JUST A PHONE CALL OR USING AN APP OR USING THEIR PHONE, THEIR SMARTPHONE OR WHATEVER.

AND IT CONNECTS TO OTHER FORMS OF TRANSIT MAKING A MUCH MORE ROBUST TRANSIT SYSTEM IN THE CITY.

UM, FOR OUR PURPOSES AS PARKS BOARD, UM, IT CAN REDUCE PARKING AT MAJOR PARKS AND PRESERVE PARKLAND FOR RECREATION.

AND, AND I HAVE HEARD FROM, UM, FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT CAP METRO IS VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT EXPANDING THE, THE PICKUP PROGRAM.

SO IF WE COULD PULL UP ALSO THE MAP OF CAP METROS CURRENT, THEY HAVE 12 ZONES WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THIS WAS TO COVER AREAS WHERE WITHIN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE BUS RAPID TRANSIT WAS NOT ABLE TO TAKE PEOPLE FROM ONE PART OF THEIR AREA TO ANOTHER PART OF THE AREA.

BUT EXPANDING THIS CITYWIDE WOULD ALLOW EQUITABLY PEOPLE FROM ALL AREAS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO ACCESS, UM, LARGE PUBLIC, PUBLIC FACILITIES.

UM, IT COULD ALSO SERVE DURING, UM, THE WEEKDAY WHEN TRANSIT TO PARKS AND RECREATION PLACES ARE, ARE, UM, LESS NEEDED BY PUBLIC TRANSIT.

IT COULD SERVE AS COMMUTE TO WORK, UM, DOCTOR'S OFFICES, GROCERY STORES, ET CETERA.

UM, IT'S ALSO COST EFFECTIVE AS YOU CAN SEE FROM, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT I PROVIDED FOR YOU.

UH, CURRENTLY THEY'RE 400 VANS, UH, AND THEY'RE SERVING 28,500.

RIDE COULD SERVE 28,500 RIDERS A DAY AT A COST OF $62 MILLION.

AND SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS TOTALLY DOABLE.

AS OUR SPEAKER EARLIER, LARRY KER SAID, UM, IT'S ALREADY BEING DONE IN OTHER CITIES SUCH AS ARLINGTON, SHREVEPORT, UM, I BELIEVE, UH, JERSEY CITY IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE CITIES THAT'S ACTUALLY UTILIZING THIS RIGHT NOW.

AND SO, UM, I, MY PROPOSAL HERE IS JUST TO ASK THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER SUPPORTING IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ON DEMAND CITYWIDE VAN SERVICE, UM, CONNECTING WITH BUS RAPID TRANSIT AND TO EXPLORE MODELING OF AN INTEGRATED CITYWIDE ON DEMAND AND BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM.

AND THEN ALSO WORK WITH CAP METRO TO

[02:55:01]

AND I CAN READ THE RECOMMENDATION.

HAVE YOU ALL READ THE RECOMMENDATION? UM, IT'S IN BACKUP, SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO READ IT.

IT IS.

AND SO, UM, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVE A RECOMMENDATION TO AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ON DEMAND CITYWIDE VAN SERVICE MODELING OF AN INTEGRATED CITYWIDE ON DEMAND BUS, RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND EXPLORE ALL AVENUES TO EXPAND CAP METRO'S ON DEMAND PICKUP SERVICE.

I'LL SECOND THAT.

THERE IS A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER, EXCUSE ME, BY BOARD MEMBER REED A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER TAYLOR, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS, UH, BOARD MEMBERS? I HAVE A QUESTION, AND THIS IS JUST, I PICK UP ACTUALLY RUNS IN NOT FAR FROM WHERE I LIVE.

MM-HMM .

BUT I GUESS I, I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU COULD ONLY TAKE RIDES WITHIN THE PICKUP ZONE CURRENTLY, OR IS THAT NOT THE CASE? LIKE IF I NO, THAT'S TRUE.

SO WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY LIKE A CITYWIDE NEIGHBORHOOD BASED PICKUP SYSTEM.

SO LIKE YOU'D HAVE NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS, IT'S ESSENTIALLY JUST A NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATOR BUS THAT RUNS ON DEMAND, RIGHT? OR YOU'RE SAYING THAT I COULD BE PICKED UP IN WINDSOR PARK AND TAKEN TO OAK HILL.

THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

CITYWIDE MEANS YOU COULD BE PICKED UP ANYWHERE AND TAKEN ANYWHERE.

SO YOU DON'T, YOU ACTUALLY ARE NOT, THE RECOMMENDATION IS NOT SORT OF EXPANDING PICKUP SO MUCH AS IT'S JUST MAKING AN ON DEMAND SERVICE CITYWIDE, RIGHT.

AS YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE BUT USING WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

AND, UM, IT WOULD, OF COURSE, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO, UM, IS TO EXPLORE THE MODELING OF THAT.

SURE.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT SO NOT WITHIN THOSE ZONES.

SO YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE SERVICE THAT'S CITYWIDE WHERE I COULD LITERALLY CALL AND SAY, HEY, PICK ME UP AT MY HOUSE AND TAKE ME ANYWHERE.

WOULD THAT WOULD BE WITHIN THE CITY, RIGHT.

GOT IT.

AGENDA ITEM, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE.

AND, AND PART OF THE PURPOSE IS TO GET PEOPLE ACCESS TO PARKS ACROSS THE CITY, DEFINITELY IN RECREATION CENTERS.

ANY OTHER FURTHER? HOW MANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, AT THIS TIME I'LL TAKE A VOTE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

UH, BOARD MEMBER FRANKLIN.

AND, OKAY.

UH, ALL RIGHT.

MOTION CARRIE, SEVEN ZERO THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS, UH, FOR BRINGING THAT.

UM, AND NOW WE'RE AT THE LAST

[9. Staff briefing on Parks and Recreation Department community engagement events, planning updates, development updates, maintenance updates, program updates and administrative updates. (Sponsors: Villalobos, Flowers) (PARD Long Range Strategies: Relief from Urban Life, Urban Public Spaces, Park Access). Presenter(s): Jesús Aguirre, Parks and Recreation Director. ]

WE'LL HEAR FROM OUR FEAR, OUR FEARLESS LEADER, THE DIRECTOR, JESUS IDE.

GIVENS RECREATION CENTER.

UM, I GUESS SINCE WE'RE DONE WITH THE AGENDA, I HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD NOW, UM, WELL, UH, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I WANNA, UM, EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION ALSO TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO CAME TONIGHT TO, TO EXPRESS INTEREST AND, UH, ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE ISSUES THAT WE DISCUSS HERE.

UM, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR, THEIR COMING BECAUSE THIS WORK THAT WE DO IS SO IMPORTANT.

I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE STILL HERE AND NOT 'CAUSE THEY THINK THEY HAVE TO, BUT, UH, THEY ALSO ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT.

UM, BEFORE I JUMP INTO SOME GENERAL UPDATES, I DID WANNA ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WERE BROUGHT UP BY THE PUBLIC.

YOU KNOW, A, A A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO, UH, CERTAINLY WANT TO APPRECIATE, UM, THE GENTLEMAN WHO CAME TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE YOUTH ANGLERS.

I, I LEARNED SOMETHING NEW IN THIS DEPARTMENT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

UH, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HIS, HIS COMING IN AND, UH, UM, SEEKING SUPPORT FOR THEIR LOWER, LOWER WATER CROSSING.

UH, AGAIN, WANNA APPRECIATE THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB STAFF FOR COMING BY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE GREAT PROGRAMS. UM, AND THEN FINALLY ON THE GENTLEMAN WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE NASH HERNANDEZ PROJECT, I JUST WANNA ASSURE THE BOARD AND, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE AN UPDATE, BUT THE FUNDING THAT HE ALLUDED TO IS STILL PRESENT AND WE'RE STILL MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT WORK IN TERMS OF THE, THE, UH, OFFICE SPACE AS WELL AS SOME OF THE COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING.

SO I THINK THOSE WERE THE, THE FOLKS THAT CAME.

UM, AND THEN IN TERMS OF, OF JUST SOME GENERAL UPDATES AND, AND I'LL BE BRIEF 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY FOLKS ARE TIRED, BUT, UH, I DID WANNA COME UP PROVIDE, SINCE WE TALKED ABOUT ABOUT THE, THE, THE TWO PRIOR BOND PACKAGES, OR EXCUSE ME, THE TWO PRIOR BOND PROGRAMS, UH, AT THE PRESENTATION EARLIER.

JUST GIVE YOU SOME UPDATES ON SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE PROP, THE, UH, PROPOSITION C FROM 2018, WHICH IS THE LARGER BUCKET WHERE WE, WE BROKE DOWN INTO THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS. UH, WE HAVE PROJECTS LIKE THE, THE BROWNIE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, WHO THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE HAD A RIBBON CUTTING THIS WEEKEND, BUT THE, THE WEATHER KIND OF GOT IN THE WAY, BUT, UH, THAT WAS FUNDED BY THAT PROJECT.

UH, WE'VE GOT COLONY PARK AND GIBBONS POOLS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, ALSO FUNDED BY, BY PROPOSITION C, UH, THE PARK IS THAT, AND THOSE ARE SUPPOSED TO OPEN THIS WINTER.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING FEVERISHLY TO GET 'EM OPEN.

UH, PARK OSA BATHHOUSE RENOVATION, UH, HAS JUST STARTED.

AND, AND WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE A QUICK TURNAROUND AND OPEN THIS WINTER, UH,

[03:00:01]

YOU SAW THAT ON, UH, BOTH, UH, THE, EXCUSE ME, ON THE, THE ASSESSMENT WE DID FOR THE GAP ANALYSIS AS ONE OF THE FACILITIES THAT WAS, UH, UH, AT THE TOP OF THE LIST OF NEEDING SOME, SOME ATTENTION THAT, THAT WORK IS, IS ACTUALLY WE'RE ENGAGING IN THAT RIGHT NOW.

UH, AND SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF, EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS BACK IN 2018, WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET ALL THAT WORK DONE AT THOSE PROGRAMS. ON THE OTHER, UH, EXCUSE ME, UM, ON THE, SORRY, I LOST MY PAGE HERE ON SOME OF THE OTHER, OH.

AND, AND LAND ACQUISITION IS ALSO ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.

UH, AND WE ARE, UH, ABOUT TO CLOSE ON A DEAL AT, UH, FOUR 17 HACKBERRY LANE, WHICH, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL RECENTLY IN TERMS OF THE, THE, THE, THE NAMED PROJECTS, WHICH ARE THE PROPOSITION B, UH, I THINK YOU ALL ARE AWARE THAT THE MAC IS WELL UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND, AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED, UH, THIS FALL.

UM, THE, UH, CARVER MUSEUM PHASE ONE OF THE CARVER MUSEUM, WE MENTIONED THE PHASING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN TO GET THESE, THESE PROGRAMS COMPLETED WITHIN THE SIX YEARS.

UH, AND WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT'S ALLOTTED.

BUT PHASE ONE, UH, KICKED OFF WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LAST YEAR, EXCUSE, YEAH, LATE LAST YEAR IN 2024.

UH, THE DOWRY ARTS RECREATION CENTER, UH, EXCUSE ME, UH, DOWRY ARTS REPLACEMENT CONTINUES AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGER LINE ITEMS IN THAT, UH, PROPOSITION B OF 2018.

UH, AND WE ARE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR THAT.

UM, AND THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, AGAIN, ONE THAT WAS, UH, UH, AMENDED TO TRY TO MATCH THE BUDGET THAT WAS, THAT WAS PROVIDED, UH, IS, IS UH, GOING THROUGH A CONCEPT PLAN.

SO, SO THE WORK CONTINUES ON THOSE PROJECTS.

UM, I THINK, UH, I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND STOP THERE AND, AND JUST EXPRESS AGAIN, MY APPRECIATION TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR, UM, ANY, ANY JOKES AT THE, OF THE NIGHT BEFORE WE THIS.

ANY, ANY BOARD, ANY BOARD MEMBER HAVE ANYTHING, ANY QUESTIONS.

WE HOPE FOR BETTER WEATHER.

OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEM ANY FURTHER? I'VE GOT A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.

UM, THANK YOU DIRECTOR FOR THAT.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

UH, WE'LL DO THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I THINK A QUESTION.

OH, WAS THERE? OH, SHE WAS SAYING GOODBYE.

OH, .

AND ANY

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

UM, YOU MAY RECALL AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, UM, I'LL MAKE IT QUICK.

AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, WE PASSED A RECOMMENDATION, UM, ASKING COUNSEL TO, UH, TO DO AN ANALYSIS AROUND SOCCER AND BASEBALL FIELDS.

WE HAD SOME SPECIFIC ASKS.

UM, COUNCIL TRANSFORMED THAT INTO A REQUEST TO THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, A SPECIAL PROJECT REQUEST TO EXPLORE THE ISSUE.

UH, THEY SPOKE TO MYSELF, I BELIEVE THEY SPOKE TO SEVERAL OTHER MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP.

UM, AND THEY ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO COME AND PRESENT THAT, UH, THE RESULT OF THAT REPORT TO US EITHER AT OUR MARCH OR APRIL MEETING.

SO I'M SURE MR. BECK WILL KEEP US UP TO DATE ON WHETHER IT'S NEW MARCH OR APRIL.

ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? I ALREADY SAID THIS, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATION ON THE MARCH MEETING JUST TO EXPECT THAT BEFORE MARCH OR ON MARCH.

WELL, THERE'S NO MEETING BETWEEN NOW AND THE MARCH MEETING.

OH, THAT'S RIGHT, .

SO WE WILL, IT WILL BE IN MARCH.

IT IS NOW NINE 16 WITHOUT ANY, UH, OPPOSITION.

WE WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING.