Mar 27, 2025 City Council Meetings

FIRST SPEAKER FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO IS PAT SRES.

I SEE HER COMING.

UM, THANK YOU MAYOR AND MAYOR, PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER.

UH, MY NAME IS PAT REYES AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE, AND I HAVE NOT SPOKEN BEFORE CITY COUNCIL SINCE THE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS JOINED THE DAY.

SO, WELCOME AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE HERE AND THAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT ANIMAL SERVICES AND, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN ABOUT ANIMALS IN OUR CITY.

UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE VERSION TWO OF, BUT IT DOES ACTUALLY, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, WHY DON'T YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PROPOSED AMENDMENT, UH, THAT CREATES THE VERSION TWO SO THAT THE PUBLIC WILL KNOW IT, IT DEALS WITH REPORTING BACK TO THE COUNCIL.

JUST, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL HOLD YOUR TIME BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A LEGITIMATE REQUEST.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND IN FACT, WE'RE POSTING IT TO THE MESSAGE BOARD, TO THE, THE CITY COUNCIL MESSAGE BOARD, UH, UH, MOMENTARILY IF IT'S NOT ALREADY THERE.

UH, BUT IT, IT, UH, ESSENTIALLY, UH, ASKS FOR, UH, UH, TWO BASIC ITEMS A WAYS.

UH, THE ANIMAL SERVICE OFFICE HAS EXPANDED MARKETED RESOURCES AND EDUCATION ON RESPONSIBLE PEN OWNERSHIP, INCLUDING MICROCHIP, SPAIN, TER, AND VACCINATION.

WE'RE ASKING THEM TO REPORT BACK TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR ON, UH, A COUPLE, UH, ON THAT ITEM IN PARTICULAR, UH, THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF AVAILABLE DAYS IN SHELTER FOSTERED BY SPECIES AND SIZE OF DOGS.

WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME MORE KIND OF GRANULAR INFORMATION.

'CAUSE IT'S REALLY NOT JUST ABOUT THE, THE, THE OVERALL AVERAGES.

IT'S, IT'S THE, THE MEDIUM AND LARGE DOGS THAT WE'RE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH.

AND, AND THAT'S KIND OF MAKING THAT DISTINCTION IS, UH, IS IMPORTANT.

UH, THE, THE FULL AMENDMENT IS ON THE MESSAGE BOARD FOR FOLKS TO LOOK AT.

AND I, I UNDERSTAND I WILL BE OFFERING, I DON'T KNOW, WE HAD DISCUSSED A VERSION TWO, BUT IF, IF WE'RE NOT READY WITH THE VERSION TWO, I'LL GO AHEAD AND OFFER THE AMENDMENT.

WE CAN PULL THE ITEM AND, AND OFFER THE AMENDMENT.

WELL, IT, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WE HAD IT AS A VERSION TWO THAT I'LL, I'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE TESTIMONY ON IT AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AS OPPOSED TO PULLING IT SO I CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.

PRIMARILY WHAT IT DOES IS IT CREATES MORE REPORTING BACK TO THE COUNCIL, BUT THE REPORTING WILL ONLY OCCUR A YEAR FROM NOW.

WELL, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS AFRAID WE WOULD BE DOING BY DOING THIS THIS LATE.

UM, MY REQUEST IS TO PULL THE ITEM.

I, I WANNA PULL ITEM NUMBER TWO AND, AND WE'LL JUST, WE'LL BRING YOU BACK SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN LOOK AT IT, IT, AND SEE WHAT EXACTLY WHAT IT DOES.

ITEM NUMBER TWO IS PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.

WE HAVE CRAIG NASER, BILL BUNCH, ROY WHALEY, ERIC IFF, AND MONICA GUZMAN.

YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED.

PLEASE COME FORWARD, EVEN IF YOU'RE TESTIFYING ON MULTIPLE ITEMS, PLEASE COME FORWARD OUTTA RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE FOLLOWING YOU SO THAT THEY, THEY CAN BE HEARD TODAY, UH, AS WELL.

AND IF THERE'S AN OPEN MICROPHONE, GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE MICROPHONE.

WELCOME.

WELL, THAT'S NOT MADAM CLERK.

SHE, UH, MS. GUZMAN HAS INDICATED SHE'S DONATED TIME.

MONICA GUZMAN HAS DONATED TIME TO BILL BUNCH.

ON ITEM EIGHT.

SO HE GETS FOUR MINUTES.

EIGHT, WHICH IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY VISIT AUSTIN, WHICH IS OUR CONVENTION OF VISITORS BUREAU AND THE NEW AUSTIN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT THAT Y'ALL APPROVED IN JANUARY.

COUNCIL MEMBER BILL BUNCH, RESIDENT DISTRICT FIVE, UM, AND FORMER MEMBER OF YOUR TOURISM COMMISSION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

SPEAKING ON ITEM

[00:10:01]

UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE AUTHORIZING HERE PROPOSING TO AUTHORIZE THE STAFF TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT, BUT THERE'S NOT EVEN A DRAFT HERE, AND THERE'S A VERY SKELETAL, UH, DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THAT CONTRACT, UH, MIGHT INCLUDE.

UH, THERE'S NOT A SINGLE WORD ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, DISCLOSURE, UH, MEETINGS BEING OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, ET CETERA, ON HOW THIS FUNDING STREAM, WHICH WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL, UH, YET ANOTHER 2 CENTS ASSESSMENT ON HOTEL ROOM NIGHTS.

UM, AND FOR WHICH, UH, WHAT IT ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES IS YET ANOTHER FUNDING STREAM TO FILL THE, THE MAGIC BLACK HOLE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT Y'ALL SEEM COMMITTED TO RUSHING FORWARD WITH.

UH, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME BASIC ACCOUNTABILITY HERE ON HOW THIS MONEY IS REALLY BEING SPENT AND HOW MUCH MONEY.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR STAFF HAS SOME PROJECTIONS OF REVENUE FOR THIS AND ALSO SOME PROJECTIONS OF COSTS, ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR THIS.

UM, Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE THAT.

THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE IT, IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE BACKUP.

THERE'S NO BACKUP.

THERE'S THE ONE SHORT SUMMARY, UH, OF STAFF RECOMMENDATION, NO DRAFT AGREEMENT.

Y'ALL REALLY NEED TO STEP BACK AND DO SOME BASIC DUE DILIGENCE ON THE WHOLE CONVENTION CENTER PROJECT, BUT ESPECIALLY ON THIS NEW ANIMAL, UH, THAT WAS JUST CREATED THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE MUCH OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF.

AND MY GUESS IS THAT, UH, Y'ALL, TO SOME SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT DEGREE SHARE THAT LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EXACTLY THIS MONEY'S GONNA BE USED FOR AND HOW IT'S GONNA BE DISPENSED, HOW IT'S GONNA BE MANAGED, AND WHETHER THERE'S GONNA BE ANY PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY AT ALL INVOLVED.

CONGRATULATIONS ON SURVIVING THAT.

HOW TO Y'ALL? MY NAME IS ROY WHALEY.

I'M THE CONSERVATION CHAIR FOR THE AUSTIN REGIONAL GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB.

AND, UM, I'M GLAD Y'ALL ARE HERE AND NOT ACTUALLY A PART OF THE DISTRICT OF TEXAS, AND YOU'RE STILL OUR CITY COUNCIL.

UM, I AGREE WITH WHAT MR. BUNCH SAID.

MY CONCERN IS, I, I THINK ABOUT THE OLD CARTOONS I USED TO WATCH WHEN I WAS A KID.

UH, ROAD RUNNER CARTOONS WERE, YOU KNOW, WILEY COYOTE WOULD STAND IN FRONT OF A BULLDOZER AND IT WOULD JUST FLATTEN HIM OUT INTO A PANCAKE.

I FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER HERE.

WE'RE, WE'RE STANDING IN FRONT OF THIS BULLDOZER 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

UM, AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S MUCH DOUBT ABOUT THAT, BUT WE DO NEED MORE DETAIL.

I AM GLAD FROM THE PRESENTATION I SAW EARLIER THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DIVIDE IT INTO FOUR SEPARATE BUILDINGS SO THAT THAT WAY WHEN IT FAILS, WHICH I THINK IT WILL, CONSIDERING EVERY CITY IN TEXAS IS PUTTING TONS OF MONEY AND TO GETTING CONVENTION BUSINESS WILL AT LEAST BE ABLE TO REPURPOSE THE BUILDINGS INSTEAD OF HAVING ONE JUST GIANT BUILDING.

UM, AT THAT WORK SESSION, I WAS VERY HAPPY THAT, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER LANE TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, TRANSIT POSSIBILITIES THERE.

UM, AND I DON'T HAVE A PICTURE I'LL SHARE WITH YOU, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE FEW PUBLIC RESTROOMS IN AUSTIN IS IN THAT AREA.

AND I THINK WE NEED MORE OF THAT.

AND AGAIN, I'M GONNA GET ON THE HORSE AND TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SHOWERS.

IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC MONEY AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT ALTERNATIVE TRANSIT, WE NEED TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT NORMALLY RIDE A BICYCLE BUT DID NOT TODAY, TO HAVE A PLACE TO CLEAN UP BEFORE I COME HERE AND SIT NEXT TO SOMEONE USUALLY IN A SUIT THAT DOESN'T LIKE THE WAY I SMELL.

CRAIG NASER ON ITEM EIGHT.

HELLO, CRAIG NASER.

UH, YOU KNOW, I'M A LONG TIME ARTIST, UH, WHO LIVES IN THE CITY FOR MANY YEARS, AND WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS A LOT OF EVENTS GET UNAFFORDABLE.

[00:15:01]

AND I THINK WHEN YOU PUT MORE, A WHOLE BUNCH OF MORE MONEY INTO A CONVENTION CENTER, UH, I THINK THAT GOES TO HELP IT IN THE LONG RUN.

UNAFFORDABLE.

WHEN I LOOK AT THE, YOU KNOW, YOUR MAP, I THINK IT'S ITEM NINE WHERE IT SHOWS THIS CIRCLE.

WHEN I WILL COME DOWN TO THE CITY AND I LOOK THERE, THAT'S LIKE THE MOST UNAFFORDABLE PLACE OF THE CITY WHERE I CAN'T AFFORD PARKING.

WHERE, YOU KNOW, NOW SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, THE TICKETS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ROOF.

UH, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM.

NOW, I'M NOT AGAINST A CONVENTION CENTER, CERTAINLY NOT, AND I'M NOT AGAINST THESE EVENTS, BUT THE CITY COUNCIL SPENDS A WHOLE LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABILITY.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS, WHEN YOU SPEND ALL THIS MONEY AND RAISE A HOTEL AND PCC TAX RATES AND ALL THAT, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTES TO AFFORDABILITY.

AND I UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS WITH THIS.

THE STATE ALLOWS YOU TO DO THIS, AND WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THIS MONEY? THEY'RE, YOU'RE KIND OF FORCED INTO THIS WAY OF DOING IT, BUT IT'S CHANGING AUSTIN IN A WAY THAT I DON'T THINK IS THE BEST FOR AUSTIN.

SO I JUST WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH THAT.

I KNOW YOU'LL DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

UH, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ITEM NUMBER NINE, CRAIG NAER, BILL BUNCH, WITH TIME DONATED FROM MONICA GUZMAN, IF WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM THAT IS ITEM NUMBER NINE.

IT GETTING INCREMENTAL INCREASES FROM OUR LOCAL SHARE? BECAUSE IF IT IS, YOUR POSTING HAS BEEN FALSE AND SAYING THIS IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING 'CAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY TAKING AWAY FUNDING.

AND ERIC RAJE.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING TO THE NEXT ITEM.

SO IF YOU WANT TO TESTIFY ON THE NEXT ITEM, PLEASE, UH, I'VE SAID WHAT I CAN PLEASE.

UH, VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU MR. BUNCH.

MR. BUNCH GETS FOUR MINUTES.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, BILL BUNCH AGAIN.

UM, THIS IS, UH, TOUCHING ON AND A LITTLE CLEANUP OF, UH, SOMETHING Y'ALL DID IN DECEMBER, WHICH IS YET ANOTHER, UH, REVENUE STREAM BEING COMMITTED TO THE, THE MAGIC HOLE OF, OF THIS CONVENTION CENTER THAT WILL SWALLOW UP, UH, WHAT YOUR STAFF IS NOW TELLING US, UH, BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT NOT PUBLICLY.

$5 BILLION, $5 BILLION OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS.

UM, IN THIS ONE, ITS, UH, STATE LEGISLATION, AS THE BACKUP SUGGESTS, HAS AUTHORIZED YOU TO DESIGNATE THIS THREE MILE, UH, ESSENTIALLY A TAX INCREMENT ZONE, UH, FOR HOTEL RELATED TAXES, UH, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE TAXES, ET CETERA.

UM, AND YOU CAN FUNNEL THAT INTO THE CONVENTION CENTER, UM, ALONG WITH THE TRADITIONAL REVENUE STREAM OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR HOTEL TAXES.

WHAT THIS MEANS IS YOU'RE EVEN FURTHER SHIFTING THE REVENUE TOWARDS, UH, A PROJECT THAT GENERATES 1% OF OUR VISITORS OR LESS.

AND THAT'S YOUR OWN NUMBERS AND AWAY FROM WHAT ACTUALLY DRAWS PEOPLE TO AUSTIN.

UH, WHAT BENEFITS THOSE OF US LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE HERE, UM, AND THAT WE'RE LOSING EVERY DAY.

AND THAT'S OUR CULTURE AND OUR NATURE IN THE CITY.

OUR PARKS, LADY BIRD LAKE, BARTON SPRINGS, ALL OF THESE ARE AT RISK.

WE'RE LOSING LIGHT MUSIC, WE'RE LOSING ARTS VENUES.

YOU KNOW HOW BADLY THE PERFORMING ARTS ARE STRUGGLING.

YOU'RE DOING NOTHING TO FUND THOSE.

AND INSTEAD YOU'RE JUMPING OFF A CLIFF INTO A BLACK HOLE TO FUND A, A PROJECT THAT IS KNOWN THAT IT'S GONNA FAIL AND FAIL SPECTACULARLY.

AND THIS WILL BE THE ALBATROSS YOU CARRY FOR DECADES FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

UH, AND I'M DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT AS LONG AS I'M AROUND.

UM, THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU, AND I'D LOVE TO, I HOPE Y'ALL HAVE AN ANSWER 'CAUSE YOU SHOULD HAVE AN ANSWER.

WHAT'S NOT CLEAR FROM THIS LEGISLATION OR THE BACKUP IS IF YOU'RE SKIMMING OFF NOT JUST THE STATE SHARE OF THE ALCOHOL MONEY IN THIS THREE MILE ZONE AND THE STATE SHARE OF THE SALES TAX AND THIS THREE MILE ZONE AND THE STATE SHARE OF THE HOTEL TAX.

BUT IF YOU'RE ALSO DEDICATING THAT INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN THOSE THREE REVENUE STREAMS FROM OUR SHARE THE LOCAL SHARE OF THOSE, BECAUSE IF YOU ARE, UM, THAT'S TAKING MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND AND IS TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM THE ARTS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UM, LIVE MUSIC, SO WOULD YOU PLEASE ONE OF YOU ASK YOUR STAFF PUBLICLY TO ANSWER, IS THIS ONLY GETTING AN INCREMENT FROM THE STATE SHARE? OR IS

[00:20:01]

IF IT'S GETTING THAT INCREMENTAL INCREASE FROM OUR LOCAL SHARE OF THESE THREE HOTEL RELATED TAXES, PLEASE ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

PAUL WAGNER, DISTRICT NINE.

UM, NEXT SPEAKER FOR ITEM NUMBER 10, ENOVIA JOSEPH.

SHE REGISTERED REMOTELY, BUT WE BELIEVE SHE WAS HERE THIS MORNING.

ENOVIA JOSEPH, ITEM 16, PAUL WAGNER AND MR. WAGNER ALSO REGISTERED FOR ITEM NUMBER 17.

UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I DO WANNA FIRST SAY THANK YOU TO DISTRICT NINE'S AIDE FOR REMOVING SOMEBODY THAT WAS LIVING IN THEIR CAR OUTSIDE MY HOUSE FOR 25 MONTHS AFTER I HAD THREATENED THE PARKING DEPARTMENT TO HAVE THEM REMOVED BY MYSELF.

THAT'S YOUR AIDE, NOT YOU, SORRY, YOU WEREN'T INVOLVED WITH THAT, BUT YOUR AIDE DID A GOOD JOB ON THAT ONE.

BUT IT DID TAKE 25 MONTHS TO REMOVE A HOMELESS PERSON LIVING IN THEIR CAR OUTSIDE MY HOUSE.

HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES.

UM, I'VE SEEN THIS GO THROUGH, UH, THE BUDGET MULTIPLE TIMES.

LARGE IT PURCHASES THAT SEEM TO NOT HAVE, UH, ANY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY DO, WHERE THEY COME FROM AND THE COMPANIES BEHIND THEM.

I HAVE 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT DATA CENTER MANAGEMENT GLOBALLY, SO I HAVE AN IMMENSE EXPERTISE.

16, IT IS A VERITAS BACKUP PIECE OF SOFTWARE.

I DON'T KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY STILL BUYING THIS.

SURE, THERE'S PROBABLY SOME VENDOR LOCK IN.

YOU'RE AT $2 MILLION A YEAR SPREAD ACROSS THREE YEARS ON MAY 30TH, YOU EXTENDED IT FOR ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION.

THEY'RE ASKING FOR ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION AGAIN TO PUT IT AT A TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE OF 8.5 MILLION.

THE VENDOR IS TEXAS INC.

ON THEIR GOOGLE SEARCH.

THE BUSINESS SHOWS CLOSED ON LINKEDIN.

IT SHOWS THREE EMPLOYEES.

NONE OF THEM, IN MY OPINION, ARE PROBABLY SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH TO SELL THIS DEAL.

SO I BELIEVE IT REQUIRES SOME INVESTIGATION AS TO WHY THEY'RE BEING AWARDED THIS DEAL.

I CAN SUSPECT IT IS BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME FORM OF DEI POINTS AWARDED TO IT BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE A SETASIDE CONTRACT WHERE POINTS WERE AWARDED BECAUSE THEIR WEBSITE IS LITTERED WITH THOSE TYPES OF CERTIFICATIONS.

BLOCK IT, REVIEW IT, FIGURE OUT WHY THEY'RE SPENDING AN ADDITIONAL $1.5 MILLION A YEAR ON BACKUP SOFTWARE FOR ARCHIVE DATA.

THAT IS LIKELY NOT RETRIEVED EVER.

IF I HAVE 17, I'LL TAKE THAT AS WELL.

YOU MAY NOW SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 17.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

ITEM NUMBER 17.

THIS LOOKS LIKE A TRADITIONAL CONTRACT THAT THE SIRIUS COMPUTER SOLUTIONS, WHICH WAS BOUGHT BY CDW FOR $2 BILLION.

CDW IS NOT A TEXAS COMPANY.

SIRIUS WAS, THIS IS A NEAR $50 MILLION CONTRACT THAT I CAN'T FIGURE OUT ON DATA.AUSTIN.GOV, WHICH YOU PAY $1 MILLION A YEAR TO TYLER TECHNOLOGIES FOR SOCRATIC, UH, CONNECTED GOVERNMENT CLOUD, SOME DATA ANALYTICS PIECE OF SOFTWARE THAT HAS NO SEARCH FUNCTIONALITY.

YOU HAVE TO KNOW SQL LIKE I DO.

I'M NOT IMPRESSED WITH THAT.

THAT CONTRACT SHOULD BE RENEWED.

NEVERTHELESS, THIS LOOKS LIKE A FLEECING AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS.

IT'S AN IBM RENEWAL.

50% OF IBM'S EMPLOYEES NOW RESIDE IN INDIA.

IF THEY'RE CONTROLLING THE AUSTIN ENERGY DEPARTMENT, I FEEL LIKE THAT COULD BE A MAJOR ISSUE.

NEVERTHELESS, I THINK IT NEEDS FURTHER REVIEW THAT IT LOOKS LIKE A CONTRACT THAT STARTED ON A MODERNIZATION EFFORT ON YEAR 2020.

WE'RE FIVE YEARS IN, WE'RE $47 MILLION IN.

WHY DO THEY NEED ANOTHER $27 MILLION FOR IBM SOFTWARE THAT I GET THAT NOBODY GETS FIRED FOR BUYING IBM, BUT FOR ROUGHLY $50 MILLION, YOU COULD HAVE HIRED 10 SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS TO PROBABLY DEVELOP WHAT THEY NEED AND MAKE IT OPEN SOURCE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

WE'LL NOW GO TO REMOTE.

UH, LARRY AKERS IS SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT AND NUMBER NINE, AND SO HE WILL GET FOUR MINUTES.

HI THERE.

UH, LARRY AKERS, I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE.

UH, WANTED TO AGREE WITH BILL BUNCH ABOUT HOW THE ALLOCATION OF SOME OF THESE REVENUES FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER IS DRAWING RESOURCES AWAY FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

AND, UH, THE, THERE'S A LENGTHY STRUGGLE TO, TO TRY TO GET, UH, 30% OF THE HOT TAX, UH, ALLOCATED TO

[00:25:01]

AND I'VE NOTICED IN THE, UH, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT, UH, IN FACT THAT NUMBER IS GOING TO BE REDUCED PRETTY SUBSTANTIALLY AS A RESULT OF THE DRAINING OF THE HOT TAX, UH, DOWN INTO THE, THE LOW 20%.

SO, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY, AS BILL SAID, YOU'RE, YOU'RE TAKING RESOURCES FROM, UH, FROM THOSE, FROM THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY THAT PEOPLE COME TO SEE.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COME TO THE CITY NOT FOR CONVENTIONS.

THEY BOOK CONVENTIONS SO PEOPLE CAN ALSO ENJOY THE CULTURAL RESOURCES OF THE CITY.

AND SO YOU'RE STARVING THOSE RESOURCES, UH, TO, TO MAKE, UH, AN INVESTMENT IN AN ACCOMMODATION THAT, UH, DOES NOT REALLY CONTRIBUTE THAT MUCH TO THE TOURISM ACTIVITY IN THE CITY.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

NEXT SPEAKER IS BILL BUNCH FOR ITEM NUMBER 21.

MR. BUNCH IS ALSO REGISTERED FOR ITEM NUMBER 22.

MR. BUNCH, ARE YOU GOING TO, I DON'T SEE YOU MOVING, ARE YOU? I'LL PASS ON 21.

I DON'T BELIEVE I SIGNED UP ON 22.

WELL, THEN, THEN YOU'LL PASS ON THAT TOO, RIGHT? WHAT ABOUT 28? YES, I THANK YOU.

YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.

BILL BUNCH.

DISTRICT FIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

UH, THIS ITEM, SINCE I HAVE TO TAKE MY OWN TWO MINUTES TO TELL YOU AND THE PUBLIC WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

UH, CALLS FOR SPENDING, UH, $1.75 MILLION FOR, UH, QUOTE BLUSH BRUSH CLEARING ON WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS MANAGED BY AUSTIN WATER FOR AUSTIN WATER WITH SUMMIT FORCE, INC.

ET CETERA, PRIVATE CONTRACTOR.

UM, BRUSH CLEARING ALMOST DOES NEVER DOES ANYTHING FOR WATER QUALITY.

UM, AND IN FACT, WE'RE DOING TOO MUCH BRUSH CLEARING IN THE NAME OF, UH, FEAR OF FIRE, UH, AND IN THE NAME OF MANAGING, UH, LANDS THAT SHOULD BE MANAGED FOR ENHANCING, RECHARGE AND PROTECTING WATER QUALITY.

INSTEAD MANAGING THEM TO BE RANCH LANDS, UH, BY PEOPLE TRAINED IN RANCH MANAGEMENT.

UH, THIS IS A WASTE OF MONEY.

WE NEED TO BE SPENDING THIS MONEY TO OPEN UP AND CLEAN OUT, UH, SINK HOLES AND CAVES, UH, BERM, SOME GENTLE BERMING TO DIRECT OUR RUNOFF WHEN WE HAVE THE RARE RUNOFF EVENTS INTO OUR AQUIFERS AND REPLENISH OUR WATER SUPPLIES.

THIS IS RUSH CLEARING DESTROYS HABITAT FOR BIRDS, MAMMALS, POLLINATORS, A WHOLE RANGE.

IT DOES REAL DAMAGE.

IT REDUCES, UH, BIODIVERSITY AND DIRECT CONFLICT WITH OUR, UH, BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION GOALS.

UM, THIS IS, THIS IS TERRIBLE USE OF MONEY AND IT'S TERRIBLE LAND MANAGEMENT.

WE NEED TO GET BACK TO AND REMEMBER WHAT THESE ARE.

THEY'RE CALLED WATER QUALITY PROTECTION LANDS FOR A REASON.

VOTERS FUNDED IT FOR WATER QUALITY.

THEY DIDN'T FUND IT.

SO YOUR P YOUR STAFF CAN WASTE IT ON RANCH MANAGEMENT.

ZENOBIA JOSEPH IS HERE AND SO SHE'LL BE SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER 10.

THIS IS JUST ONE SLIDE, MAYOR.

THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH.

I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT I DO SUPPORT THE WITHDRAWAL OF ITEM 10.

IN PART IT WAS $5.8 MILLION FOR THE ARTWORK AT THE AIRPORT, BUT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE, UH, TO THE CITY MANAGER AND MS MEANS AS WELL THE DIRECTOR THAT YOU REALLY DO NEED TO LOOK MORE BROADLY AT ALL OF THE ARTWORK THAT IS BEING PLACED IN THE CITY.

UH, I DO WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THIS KVU, KXAN STORY YESTERDAY.

ARTIST OPPORTUNITIES DEADLINE APPROACHES AS AUSTIN SEARCHES FOR ARTISTS TO CREATE PUBLIC INSTALLATION AT A US.

YOU'LL NOTICE MR. YANCY'S RIFFS AND RHYTHMS ARTWORK THERE.

THAT IS WHAT WAS IN THE STORY.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS THE COMMUNITY THAT IS ACTUALLY CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY YOU'RE DOING WITH THE ARTWORK.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL THAT THAT SAME MEMO FROM

[00:30:01]

ANGELA MEANS, WHICH WAS ON THE 6TH OF MARCH ON OR ABOUT, SHE WAS REFERRING TO THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU PASSED, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDED THE AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER DX SESSION AND ART PRESERVATION.

SO WHILE I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT SHE'S TRYING TO FIND A PLACE TO PUT MR. YANCY'S WORK, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO PAUSE THAT WORK AS WELL.

WHEN YOU GET TO ITEM 40, I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES PROCESS IS NOT FAIR.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BLACK AUSTIN BIKE TOURS, WHICH ACTUALLY IS A NONPROFIT THAT WAS ONLY AN OPERATION FOR TWO YEARS, THAT $80,000, WHEREAS THE BLACK MALE WHO DOES THE WALKING TOURS GOT $5,000.

BUT WHAT YOU ADVERTISED WAS FOR THAT NONPROFIT TO BE IN EXISTENCE FOR FIVE YEARS.

SO YOU'RE GIVING MONEY UNILATERALLY TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU PREFER NOT FOLLOWING THE PROCESS THAT'S IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

THAT'S FOR ART IN PUBLIC PLACES, THAT'S FOR THE CULTURAL TOURS, THAT'S FOR THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES.

AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK THE CITY MANAGER WHILE I THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER, I WOULD ASK YOU TO PAUSE ALL OF THE ARTWORK AT THIS POINT.

WHEN I SPOKE TO MS MEANS FEBRUARY 28TH, SHE SAID YOU ASKED FOR THE OPEN RECORDS.

SO I WOULD THANK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.

ALSO REGISTERED TO SPEAK ON ITEM 31 AND 32.

I DON'T HAVE THE ITEM IN THE, IN FRONT OF ME.

WHAT IS 31 MAYOR, YOU CAN TAKE THE SLIDE DOWN.

IT'S PROBABLY NOT THIS ITEM 30 ONE'S A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR THE SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL.

DO YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK TO 32 AS WELL? YOU CAN.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE ENTITLED TO SPEAK TO BOTH OF 'EM IF YOU'VE SIGNED UP FOR BOTH OF THEM.

WELL, I DID, BUT UM, THEY'RE BOTH FOR SAFE STREETS, JUST FOR DIFFERENT CONTRACTS.

SO WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE, MAYOR, AS RELATES TO SAFE STREETS FOR ALL ROADS AND STREETS FOR ALL, AS WELL AS THE, UH, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, YOU HAVE APPROXIMATELY $79.5 MILLION.

AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IF YOU ARE NORTH OF US 180 3 AND DISTRICT FOUR CHEETO VELO, YOU NEED TO GO TO HEB RUNDBERG.

IT'S JUST A WIDE PLAIN SIDEWALK.

BUT IF YOU'RE IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN, IF YOU'RE AT SOUTH FIRST AND STANE, YOU'LL SEE WHERE THE CONTRACTORS HAVE CREATED THESE MOCK BRICKS.

THEY HAVE, UH, MIXED USE, MULTIMODAL.

YOU SEE THE RED SIDEWALK FOR THE BIKES, THEY HAVE SIGNAGE, BUT IF YOU'RE NORTH OF US, 180 3 CHEETO VELA, THERE'S EITHER NO SIDEWALK FROM ALL THE WAY FROM CHINATOWN TO PARMER LANE.

IT'S NOT A DA COMPLIANT.

IF YOU'RE AT NORTH LAMAR AND BREAKER, YOU WILL STILL SEE THAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS ALL THE WAY DOWN.

WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, MAYOR RESPECTFULLY, THAT WHILE THE CONTRACTORS SEEM INNOCUOUS, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE DESIGN.

WHY IS IT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, NORTHEAST OF 180 3 HAVE NO SIGNAGE? IT'S ONE OF THE HIGHEST CRASH SITES IN THE CITY.

AND SO AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO VISION ZERO, WHICH YOU ADOPTED IN 2016, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S REALLY JUST A FORCE.

AND SO I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AS MY COMMENTS ALWAYS ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.

THE AREA NORTH OF US 180 3 IS CALLED THE IMMIGRANT GATEWAY TO THE CITY.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S BLACK PEOPLE, HISPANIC PEOPLE, IMMIGRANTS WHO LIVE THERE, BUT YET THEY HAVE TO TRAVERSE 37,500 VEHICLES PER DAY.

YOU CAN FIND THAT INFORMATION FROM 2020.

THE VIRTUAL PUBLIC HEARING SPECIFICALLY, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT EQUITABLE.

QUESTION.

I'LL THANK YOU MS. JOSEPH.

GOING TO ITEM 32 IS SCOTT JOHNSON AND ENOVIA JOSEPH, THIS IS ITEM 32.

MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU GONNA SPEAK ON 32 SEPARATELY? WELL, IT'S UP TO YOU.

NOT WHETHER I WANT IT OR NOT.

WELL, THANK YOU MAYOR.

AND THEN CUT MY MIC.

IT TALKS ABOUT THE NEGRO DISTRICT AS WELL.

COUNCIL, I JUST WANTED TO CONTINUE WHAT I WAS SAYING, MAYOR, AND I ACTUALLY THOUGHT I HAD ALREADY SPOKEN ON BOTH ITEMS AT ONCE.

IF YOU HAVE, YOU DON'T NEED TO SPEAK AGAIN.

NO, I DON'T MIND.

I .

OKAY, GOOD.

I WOULD, I JUST REALLY WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE TO GO ON THE GROUND TO SEE THE HOSTILE ARCHITECTURE AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE AREA NORTH OF US 180 3, LET ME GIVE YOU A POINT OF REFERENCE, SPECIFICALLY THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN, WALK, BIKE ROLL, JANUARY, 2023.

UPDATE HAS LANGUAGE THAT SPECIFIES THE CITY'S DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.

ON OR ABOUT PAGE 28.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT SPECIFIES DOVE SPRINGS AND NORTH LAMAR.

[00:35:01]

DOVE SPRINGS IS BENEFITING FROM THIS PROJECT CONNECT FORCE.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, HOWEVER, THAT NORTH LAMAR IN 2009, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HOUSING POLICE TRANSPORTATION WITH CAPITAL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY IN TDOT STUDIED THE NORTH LAMAR PEDESTRIAN CORRIDOR FOR 20 MONTHS.

YET, DESPITE ALL OF THE MONEY THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GET IN THIS AREA, THERE IS STILL NO A DA COMPLIANT SIDEWALK TO GET FROM CHINATOWN MIDBLOCK ALL THE WAY TO BREAKER, WHICH IS ABOUT A QUARTER MILE WALK.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW CHEETO VELA ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE ASKED YOU TO CLOSE 5 8 5 7 CHINATOWN MIDBLOCK STOP.

AND IT HAS STILL BEEN OPENED, BUT THAT REPORT FROM 2009 ON PAGE 75 TELLS YOU SPECIFICALLY THAT 70% OF PEDESTRIANS GET KILLED MIDBLOCK.

YET CAPITOL METRO KEEPS OPENING MIDBLOCK STOPS AND OVER IN DISTRICT SEVEN, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW BY THE METROPOLITAN PARK, THERE IS NO CONTINUOUS SIDEWALK TO GET TO, NOT YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL.

IT IS DISCRIMINATORY AND YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, MAYOR, RESPECTFULLY, THERE ARE MIDBLOCK STOPS ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT PREDOMINANTLY NORTHEAST.

THANK YOU, MS. JOSEPH.

MR. JOHNSON, GOOD MORNING MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M SCOTT JOHNSON.

FIRST SLIDE, PLEASE.

I'M A REGULAR VOLUNTEER ON THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

I'M ON ONE OF THE COMMITTEES ON CONSUMPTION THE CITY AS A PRIORITY IN 2023 WITH A RESOLUTION IN 2024 PASSED TO GET A PILOT PROJECT FOR LOW EMBODIED CARBON CONCRETE.

AND THAT'S MOVING ALONG.

UH, BUT THIS IS THE LATEST UPDATE ON IT FROM THE OFFICE OF CITY ENGINEER.

THERE'S, IT'S NOT READY YET TO BE INCORPORATED IN ANY NEW CONTRACTS.

AND THERE'S ONE HERE FROM WHAT I CAN READ CALLED THE ALL CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION, DEFINITE DELIVERY AND DEFINITE QUANTITY.

ONE, IT'S FOR ONE YEAR, BUT IT HAS FOUR ONE YEAR EXTENSIONS.

WHAT I DON'T KNOW, BUT YOU COULD ASK THE QUESTION OF THE CITY ATTORNEY OR GET SOME FROM TPW TO COME UP AND CLARIFY, IS THAT ONCE THAT CONTRACT IS IN PLACE WITH THE FOUR ONE YEAR EXTENSIONS, THEN DOES THAT OBLIGATE THE CITY TO WORK WITH THEM ON WHATEVER THEY CAN COME UP WITH, WITH THEIR OWN CONCRETE FORMULATION, WHICH MAY NOT BE LOW EMBODIED CONCRETE CARBON CONCRETE FOR THIS COMING YEAR OR THE NEXT YEAR AFTER THAT.

WHAT I DO KNOW IS CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, BUT SPECIFICALLY THE TWO PILOT PROJECTS NEED MORE UPDATES FROM STAFF.

THEY NEED MORE REVIEW, THEY NEED MORE COUNCIL COLLABORATION AND QUESTIONS ASKED.

SO WHAT I'M HOPING IS THAT BEFORE THIS PARTICULAR ITEM GETS APPROVED, WE CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

IF IT DOES LOCK THEM INTO WHATEVER FORMULATION OF CONCRETE THAT THEY HAVE AVAILABLE OR THAT THEY WANNA PROVIDE, THEN YOU'RE LOCKING YOURSELF IN TO A SITUATION WHERE THE LONE BODIED CARBON CONCRETE CAN'T BE USED IN IN FUTURE YEARS.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO ITEM NUMBER 40, LARRY ACRES.

MR. AKER.

OKAY, MR. AKER, CAN YOU HEAR US? YES, YES.

HI.

YEAH, I CAN NOW.

JIM EDWARDS, ROY WHALEY, AND ERIC RAD.

UH, LARRY AKERS, DISTRICT FIVE, AND I MADE MY POINT EARLIER, I THINK, BUT THE, THE, UH, THE PROBLEM WITH, WITH DIVERTING, UH, BOTH SALES TAX AND HOT TAX REVENUES, UH, INTO CONVENTION CENTER CONSTRUCTION IS THAT YOU ARE DEPRIVING THE, THE MAJOR ATTRACTIONS OF THE CITY, WHICH ARE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND RECREATIONAL, HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES, THE FUNDING THAT THEY NEED TO DRAW PEOPLE INTO THE CITY.

SO I THINK IT'S A MISAPPLICATION OF OUR, UH, TOURISM FUNDS TO POUR MONEY INTO REPLACING A CONVENTION CENTER THAT ALREADY FUNCTIONS PERFECTLY WELL, PRIMARILY SO THAT A FEW HOTELS AROUND, UH, THE IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY OF THE CONVENTION CENTER CAN REAP THE PROFITS THAT ARE FINANCED BY OUR TAXPAYERS AND, UH, AND BASICALLY TURN THEIR PROFITS OVER TO INTERNATIONAL OWNERSHIP.

SO IT'S JUST DRAINING MONEY OUT OF THE CITY.

SO, UH, AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 40.

WE HAVE CRAIG NAOR, BILL BUNCH, WHO HAS DONATED TIME FOR MONICA GUZMAN, LAURA TEMPLETON,

[00:40:01]

JEFF.

SO PLEASE JUST TAKE A SEAT AND THEN WHEN, WHEN THERE'S AN OPEN MICROPHONE.

UH, YES.

MY NAME IS CRAIG NASER AND, UH, CONTINUING DOWN THIS LINE OF, OF USING A LOT OF TAX MONEY TO BUILD A VERY EX EXPENSIVE CONVENTION CENTER.

I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS MAKES AUSTIN LESS AFFORDABLE, AT LEAST THE WAY YOU'RE DOING IT NOW.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE MY OBSERVATIONS, UH, I HAVE A STEPSON WHO'S A VERY GOOD YOUNG FILMMAKER WHO CAME DOWN HERE AND I USED TO GO TO THE SOUTH BUS BY SOUTHWEST FILM FESTIVAL.

'CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT, I COULDN'T SEE ALL THE MOVIES AND PAY ALL THAT MONEY FOR ONE TICKET, BUT YOU COULD GO AND STAND IN LINE AND IF THEY HAD EXTRA SEATS, YOU COULD GET IN FOR 20 BUCKS, YOU KNOW, WELL THAT WAS WORTH IT FOR, FOR SOME REAL INTERESTING CUTTING EDGE MOVIE.

BUT NOW YOU HAVE TO PAY $120 SO YOU CAN STAND IN LINE AND MAYBE SEE A MOVIE IF YOU CAN GET IN, BECAUSE ALL THE 1,300 PEOPLE ARE AHEAD OF YOU.

AND IT'S JUST, IT, AUSTIN CAN'T GO ON THIS WAY.

IT, IT'S GONNA RUIN AUSTIN.

IT ALREADY HAS.

I TAUGHT MUSIC FOR MANY YEARS AND VAST MAJORITY OF MUSICIANS I KNEW AND TAUGHT AND MADE THEIR LIVING HERE, THEY'VE ALL LEFT.

I DON'T TRY TO PLAY MUSIC ANYMORE.

UH, 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T MAKE ANY MONEY DOING IT.

AUSTIN.

I WRITE SYMPHONIES, BUT YOU GOTTA BE DEAD USUALLY TO GET YOUR SYMPHONIES PLAYED.

BUT THIS, I JUST DON'T SEE HOW THIS REALLY HELPS AUSTIN SPENDING ALL THIS MONEY ON THE CONVENTION.

MAYBE SOME OF IT MAYBE NOT QUITE SO BIG.

I DON'T KNOW.

YOU GUYS KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THIS THAN I DO.

'CAUSE YOU TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES THAT I DON'T EVER GET TO TALK TO.

SO, BUT ANYWAY, JUST PLEASE LOOK AT THAT AND BE AWARE THAT SPENDING ALL THIS MONEY ON CONVENTION CENTER, I THINK IT'S HELPING MAKE AUSTIN LESS AFFORDABLE.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, LAURA TEMPLETON, FORMER DOWNTOWN COMMISSIONER.

PLEASE COME FORWARD, EITHER ONE OF YOU, ANY OF YOU.

GOOD MORNING MAYOR.

I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OF AUSTIN'S CONVENTION CENTER.

THIS PROJECT IS JUST NOT AN UNNECESSARY USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS.

IT'S A FINANCIAL MISSTEP THAT'LL BURDEN OUR CITY FOR DECADES.

THE REALITY IS THE CONVENTION CENTER INDUSTRY HAS BEEN IN DECLINE SINCE 2018, EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, FEWER EVENTS WERE BOOKED AND CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WERE STRUGGLING TO FILL CONVENTION SPACES.

HERE IN AUSTIN, OUR CONVENTION CENTER CONTRIBUTES LESS THAN 2% OF TOURISM DOLLARS.

THAT'S A FRACTION OF OUR TOURISM ECONOMY.

YET YOU'RE ASKING TAXPAYERS TO COMMIT 30 YEARS OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY, TAX REVENUE TO PAY OFF A MASSIVE DEBT ON MASSIVE, ON A MASSIVE CONCRETE STRUCTURE THAT WILL BENEFIT PRIMARILY A FEW WHILE THE REST OF THE CITY SHOULDERS THE COST.

THESE HOT DOLLARS SHOULD RIGHTFULLY SUPPORT AUSTIN'S CULTURAL AND ARTS INDUSTRIES, THE VERY THINGS THAT MAKE OUR CITY UNIQUE AND ATTRACT VISITORS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

INSTEAD, THIS PLAN DIVERTS THOSE FUNDS INTO AN OVERSIZED PROJECT THAT DOES LITTLE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

LET'S BE REALISTIC.

AUSTIN HAS NEVER AND WILL NEVER COMPETE WITH THE COUNTRY'S DOMINANT CONVENTION HUBS LIKE ORLANDO, LAS VEGAS, CHICAGO, OR ATLANTA.

WE CAN'T EVEN MATCH THE SCALE OF DALLAS FORT WORTH, HOUSTON, OR SAN ANTONIO.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU SPEND, CONVENTION PLANNERS WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE THEIR LARGEST EVENTS ELSEWHERE.

BEYOND THE FINANCIAL RISKS, THERE ARE THE UNKNOWNS COST OVERRUNS ITEM 40, $45 MILLION DELAYS AND YEARS OF DISRUPTION.

CONSTRUCTION WILL DISPLACE BUSINESSES STRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCONVENIENCE RESIDENTS.

FOR WHAT? FOR A PROJECT THAT, A PROJECT THAT WILL EV INEVITABLY GO OVER BUDGET THANK AND FAIL TO DELIVER ON ITS PROMISES.

MONEY ON THE CONVENTION CENTER ENTIRELY.

YOU, YOUR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

UH, GOOD MORNING.

I'M ERIC RAJE.

I'M A RESIDENT, UH, FOR OVER 20 YEARS IN DISTRICT THREE OF AUSTIN.

I'M HERE TO OPPOSE ITEM 40, AUTHORIZING AN ADDITIONAL $45 MILLION FOR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING ON THE PROPOSED CONVENTION CENTER.

MORE BROADLY, UM, I WANT TO EXPRESS MY OPPOSITION TO THE WASTEFUL SPENDING OF AUSTIN VOTERS

[00:45:01]

WHEN NEIL ZURICH AND HIS TEAM DELIVERED A NEW CONVENTION CENTER FOR THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN IN THE 1990S, AUSTIN NEEDED A LARGE FACILITY FOR MEETINGS.

WE HAVE THAT.

UM, AND AT THAT TIME, THE NATIONAL CONVENTION BUSINESS WAS GROWING AS WAS AUSTIN, BUT THAT WAS 30 YEARS AGO.

AND TIMES HAVE CHANGED THE, IN THE LAST 30 YEARS, THE CONVENTION INDUSTRY NATIONWIDE HAS BEEN A BUSINESS MODEL IN DECLINE.

I THINK YOU'VE ALL SEEN THE STUDIES THAT REFER TO THAT, UM, AND DOES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THAT THAT BUSINESS HAS BEEN IN DECLINE, DOZENS MORE CONVENTION CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN BUILT AND EXPANDED.

UH, THE US HAS A GLUT OF CONVENTION CENTERS, AND WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING IS TO ADD MORE SUPPLY INTO WHAT IS ALREADY A SUPPLY GLUT.

UH, AUSTIN HAS A GREAT CONVENTION CENTER.

IT'S U-S-G-B-C-L-E-E-D GOLD EEB CERTIFIED.

IT STRETCHES OVER SIX CITY BLOCKS.

IT'S 881,000 GROSS SQUARE FEET.

UH, ACCORDING TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S OWN WEBSITE, UH, THE MOST RECENT EXPANSIONS IN 10 US CITIES, CHICAGO, LAS VEGAS, SEATTLE, PHILADELPHIA, HAVE ALL FAILED TO MEET THEIR REVENUE PROJECTIONS.

SO LET'S LEARN FROM THESE CITIES' MISTAKES AND SPEND OUR TAX DOLLARS AND STUFF THAT TRULY BENEFITS CITIZENS AND VISITORS.

MOREOVER, SIZE OF CONVENTION CENTERS, NOT PROPORTIONAL TO ATTRACTED BUSINESS PERFORMANCE BASED ON COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES, WHICH ARE RELATED TO SURROUNDINGS.

UM, 94% OF THE CONVENTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES ARE, UH, UNDER 500,000 SQUARE FEET FACILITIES.

AND, AND OUR FACILITIES ALMOST 900,000.

PRESERVE THE PRESERVE THE NEIL CONCERN MEMORIAL AUSTIN.

THANK YOU JIM EDWARDS AND, UM, ROY WHALEY.

BILL BUNCH HAS TIME DONATED BY MONICA GUZMAN.

SO HE GETS FOUR MINUTES.

GOOD MORNING, UH, BILL BUNCH, UH, SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE DISTRICT FIVE, SPEAKING AGAINST ITEM 40, WHICH CALLS ON YOU TODAY TO APPROVE A $45 MILLION INCREASE IN THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SERVICES CONTRACT FOR THE DEMOLITION OF OUR CURRENT CONVENTION CENTER AND RE UH, BUILDING A NEW ONE.

UM, THAT'S, UH, OVER A TWO THIRDS, OVER 66% INCREASE FROM THE CURRENT COST, 65 MILLION.

SO ADDING 45 FOR A TOTAL OF $110 MILLION FOR JUST THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SERVICES.

NOW, YOUR BACKUP, YOUR STAFF SAYS, OH, BUT THE, THE, THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL, THE 1.26 BILLION THAT YOUR STAFF KEEPS THROWING AROUND, UH, HASN'T CHANGED.

SO THE OBVIOUS QUESTION IS, WHERE DID $45 MILLION DISAPPEAR FROM? WHERE DID, WHERE DID THAT CUT TO MAKE UP FOR THIS INCREASE, UH, COME FROM? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE THE PROJECT? UM, THE BIGGER QUESTION, A RELATED QUESTION, AND AGAIN, I HOPE YOU ASK ALL OF THESE AND ASK 'EM IN PUBLIC TODAY, IS THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING, UH, PROJECT AFTER PROJECT THAT Y'ALL APPROVE ALL THE TIME, THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING CONTRACT IS A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL.

SO IF WE'RE INCREASING THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING BY 66%, THERE'S A VERY STRONG IMPLICATION THAT THE TOTAL PROJECT IS GONNA INCREASE BY THE SAME RATIO.

SO CAN WE CALL THE CITY STAFF ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW AND ADDRESS THIS ISSUE INSTEAD OF BEING MISLED, UH, DOWN THIS PRIMROSE PATH FURTHER? UM, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'VE ASKED REPEATEDLY TO GET AN ACTUAL FINANCIAL REPORT ON THIS PROJECT THAT PROJECTS REVENUES IDENTIFIES THE REVENUES PROJECTS, ALL THE COSTS, THE MAJOR COSTS, NOT JUST THE BUMPER STICKER CONSTRUCTION COST, BUT THE INTEREST PAYMENTS OVER 30 YEARS.

FINANCING COSTS, ALL THE RELATED FINANCING COSTS, THE O AND M COSTS.

UM, YOU HAVE IN Q AND A WRITTEN ALSO TO COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN FROM YOUR STAFF SAYING THAT THE STAFF IS RESERVING $5.6 BILLION BILLION OF REVENUE OVER THE 30 YEAR FINANCING WINDOW.

DID Y'ALL KNOW THAT? WERE ANY OF YOU AWARE OF THAT? WELL, WHERE DID THAT $5.6 BILLION FIGURE COME FROM? THEY DIDN'T JUST, YOU KNOW,

[00:50:01]

PULL IT OUT OF THE AIR.

THERE'S A REPORT THAT LAYS OUT THAT PROJECTION AND THE COMPONENTS OF IT.

THAT SAME Q AND A SAYS ANNUAL OPERATING COSTS ARE GONNA BE O AND M $80 MILLION.

DID Y'ALL KNOW THAT? $80 MILLION JUST TO KEEP IT GOING YEAR AFTER YEAR.

IT, THIS IS INSANE TO BE HEADING INTO A PROJECT THAT YOU KNOW IS GONNA BE A LOSER WITHOUT DOING BASIC DUE DILIGENCE AND DEMANDING YOUR STAFF THE ANSWER TO COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN AFTER HE ASKED THREE TIMES.

WE'LL GET IT TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

DO WE HAVE IT YET? NO.

NO.

THAT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO.

THIS IS, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLY INSANE AND STUPID AND CORRUPT.

IT'S CORRUPT.

LET'S JUST PUT THAT RIGHT THERE ON THE TABLE.

Y'ALL NEED TO TELL THE TRUTH TO THE PUBLIC AND YOU NEED TO STOP, STOP THIS INSANITY.

STOP THE INSANITY OF LOSING THE ART IN PUBLIC PLACES.

GET THAT FUNDED AND FIXED, TAKEN CARE OF.

AND THEN TELL THE TRUTH.

THANK YOU PUBLIC BEFORE YOU START AUDI, ROY WHALEY, AUSTIN SIERRA CLUB.

I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS.

UH, THEY WERE OUTSTANDING, LOADED WITH INFORMATION.

YOU KNOW WHAT'S A DAMN SHAME ABOUT IT IS NONE OF Y'ALL ARE LISTENING.

Y'ALL ARE SETTING UP THERE DOING WHAT? SPEAKERS COME DOWN THERE AND SPEND THEIR TIME, GIVE YOU IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU GOING BACK AND PLAYING WORDS WITH FRIENDS LIKE A, A PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBER DID ON THE, I MEAN, I, IT IS, IT IS DISGUSTING TO ME TO KNOW THAT Y'ALL WERE ELECTED TO LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

COUNCIL MEMBER RYAN ALTER.

I WANT TO GIVE YOU CREDIT BECAUSE TYPICALLY YOU DO LISTEN TO THE SPEAKERS.

I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH YOUR DECISIONS, BUT AT LEAST YOU LISTEN TO SPEAKERS AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND SAME THING FOR YOU, JOSE, FOR COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ.

UH, I APPRECIATE IT.

MORE TIMES THAN NOT, YOU LISTEN, MOST OF YOU IGNORE US WHEN WE COME UP HERE.

WHY THE HELL DID WE VOTE FOR YOU? WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING UP HERE? IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA REPRESENT THE CITY, THE CITIZENS, IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS BOONDOGGLE WASTE OF MONEY INTO A, A PAPER SHREDDER AND ACTUALLY SPEND THE MONEY ON THINGS THAT DO BENEFIT THE CITY OF AUSTIN PARTICULARLY, WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES SOON.

AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE JUST A FRACTION OF THE MONEY TO DO IT.

AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT THAT WAY.

WE DON'T HAVE TO STRUCTURE IT THIS WAY.

IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID.

I APPRECIATE A PREVIOUS SPEAKER TALKING ABOUT HOW EVERY MAJOR CITY IN IN TEXAS IS TRYING TO GET THIS BUSINESS THAT IS FAILING.

THAT IS FAILING.

WHY DO WE WANT TO DO THAT? BEATING THE HELL OUT.

ITEM NUMBER 41, MONICA GUZMAN.

OH 42 CATHERINE GRIFFIN.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

THIS IS MY FIRST TIME AT GENE MEETING AND BOY IS IT EYEOPENING.

UM, THE REASON I'M HERE IS, IS BECAUSE IF YOU'D STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, I'M SORRY.

I'M CATHERINE GRIFFIN.

UM, I'M THE EXECUTOR FOR MARIA CELESTE COLEY'S ESTATE.

AND UH, BASICALLY, UM, WE WERE CONTACTED THROUGH OUR REAL ESTATE AGENT THAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN OFFER TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY AND INCLUDE IT INTO A PARK SYSTEM.

AND WE WERE OVERJOYED TO HEAR THAT.

AND SO I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A PROCESS FOR THE NAMING OF THE PARKS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT FORTH THE FACT THAT SHE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THE CITY, UH, HISTORY.

UM, HER FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE SINCE THE 18 HUNDREDS AND UM, SO I WILL FILL OUT THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT HER NAME FORTH FOR Y'ALL'S CONSIDERATION OF NAMING THAT PART.

[00:55:01]

YES, I, IF I MAY SPEAKER MA'AM? MA'AM, MA'AM.

MS. GRIFFIN.

OH, I'M SORRY.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON HAS A QUESTION OR A COMMENT.

OH, COMMENT.

I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.

IT CAN BE INTIMIDATING.

SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE PEOPLE'S BUILDING TO PARTICIPATE TODAY.

IT IT, WHEN YOU SAID IT'S EYEOPENING, YOU PROBABLY NOTICED THAT THERE'S SOME CONSISTENCY WITH SOME OF THE SPEAKERS.

SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE HERE ALL THE TIME AND THEY SEEM VERY COMFORTABLE AND YOU WERE IGNORED ALL THE TIME.

AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I WASN'T MR. WHALEY.

MR. WHALEY, FOR EVERY CITIZEN THAT COMES AND SPEAK TO YOU, I WASN'T COMPLAINING ABOUT THEM BEING HERE ALL THE TIME.

I WAS ACTUALLY, I WAS ACTUALLY WANTING TO SAY THANK THEM.

I ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THE CONSISTENCY WITH WHICH THEY ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CITY.

SO DESPITE WHAT YOU THOUGHT I WAS THANKING Y'ALL FOR ALWAYS SHOWING UP, FOR TAKING YOUR TIME AND SHOWING UP AND SHARING WITH US IN ADVOCACY, IN ADVOCACY FOR YOUR CITY.

I THINK WE ALL SHARE THAT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY FOR SOMEBODY FOR WHO'S IT'S YOUR FIRST TIME, IT CAN BE INTIMIDATING, BUT THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING.

AND I PUT EMPHASIS ON THAT ALL THE TIME 'CAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE DON'T COME ALL THE TIME OR DON'T COME EVER OR NEVER GET TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THAT THERE'S AN ART GALLERY IN CITY HALL OR THE BEAUTIFUL COPPER OR I JUST, I, I REALLY PERSONALLY, VERY MUCH AS A PERSON WHO WAS NOT POLITICALLY AMBITIOUS COMING INTO THIS, SO MUCH OF IT WAS EYEOPENING AND BRAND NEW.

I REALLY APPRECIATE WHEN PEOPLE TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OVER THE ANXIETY AND FEAR AND JUST DO IT AND THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU CAST MEMBER.

NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 45 ENOVIA JOSEPH.

MS. JOSEPH.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

COUNSEL 1 2 2 0 1 HEATHERLY DRIVE IS THE PROPERTY BEFORE YOU HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

IT'S IN SOUTH AUSTIN, 330 UNITS.

MY OPPOSITION IS THAT IT'S TWO MILE WALK TO THE BUS STOP.

I WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION, DEBORAH ARCHER'S VANDERBILT LAW REVIEWED ARTICLE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE CONTAINMENT STRATEGY.

MAYOR, WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU WALKED A MILE TO THE GROCERY STORE? MAYBE TWO.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, DECEMBER 15TH, 2020, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT PUT THE BUS STOP DISTANCE TO THESE PROPERTIES.

IT'S A ONE TO FIVE MILE WALK.

I WANNA REMIND YOU OF YOUR SMART POLICY MIXED INCOME.

I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT T IS FOR TRANSIT ORIENTED AND SPECIFICALLY YOU CONTINUE TO PUT BLACK AND HISPANIC PEOPLE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY LIKE A COCONUT CITY OR MAYBE JUNIOR MINTS.

I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE RESPECTFULLY, THIS STRATEGY OF HAVING SHUTTLE SERVICE GOES AGAINST THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN AND ALL THE EQUITY THAT YOU TALK ABOUT IN THE CITY IN 2020, NOVEMBER, 2020, YOUR MINORITY CHAMBERS DID A STUDY AND SPECIFICALLY AFRICAN AMERICANS AT THAT TIME EARNED ABOUT $42,000 HISPANICS, $50,000.

THIS PROPERTY IS 50 TO 60% AREA MEDIAN INCOME.

IT'S ABOUT, SO DO THE MATH.

YOU ARE PUTTING HISPANICS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND, AND IT'S NOT RIGHT.

YOUR STAFF SAYS THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT TO THE CITY.

THAT'S TRUE.

BUT AUSTIN, AFFORDABLE HOUSING CORPORATION THROUGH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THIS PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION ADDS TO THE DISCRIMINATION THAT'S OCCURRING IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

IT'S NOT COMPLIANT WITH THE FAIR HOUSING ACT OF 1968.

I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO BETTER, MAYOR.

IF YOU WANT US TO BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE NOT RACIST, THEN DO SOMETHING THAT WILL SHOW US OTHERWISE, I WOULD ASK YOU TO VOTE DOWN THIS ITEM.

IT'S $71 MILLION.

IT'S $40,000 PUBLIC ACTIVITY BONDS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.

UM, MEMBERS ON THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 46 AND I'M GONNA ASK LEGAL TO COME UP AND GIVE US A PRESENTATION ON ITEM NUMBER 46.

GOOD MORNING MAYOR.

MAYOR PROAM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M SARAH SCHAEFER, ACTING LITIGATION DIVISION CHIEF.

I'M HERE TO TODAY TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE, UM, SETTLEMENT PAYMENT IN THE PERSONAL INJURY LAWSUIT THAT APPEARS IN YOUR AGENDA AS ITEM 46.

THIS IS THE LOPEZ VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN LAWSUIT.

WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT YOU APPROVE A PAYMENT OF $135,000 TO SETTLE THE ESTELLA ANGELICA LUCAS LOPEZ VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN LAWSUIT.

THIS LAWSUIT RELATES TO A MARCH, 2022 VEHICLE COLLISION INVOLVING AN AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY GARBAGE TRUCK WHERE MS. LOPEZ SEEKS PAYMENT FOR HER INJURIES IN EXCHANGE FOR THE

[01:00:01]

PAYMENT.

UM, THE PLAINTIFF WILL RELEASE ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY FROM THE ACCIDENT AND WILL ALSO DISMISS HER LAWSUIT, WHICH WAS FILED IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF TRAVIS COUNTY.

THE LAW DEPARTMENT IS RECOMMENDING THAT YOU APPROVE PAYMENT BASED ON THESE TERMS AND I'M AVAILABLE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION MEMBERS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF COUNSEL? THANK YOU.

MADAM CLERK.

NEXT SPEAKER FOR ITEM 59.

IS MARY EDMONDSON.

MARY EDMONDSON? IS SHE ON REMOTE? SHE'S REMOTE, YES.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME'S MARY EDMONDSON.

I AM PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARM ASSOCIATION OR T-B-F-A-A.

WE ARE A NON, UH, NOT-FOR-PROFIT STATEWIDE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL SECURITY AND FIRE ALARM COMPANIES.

OUR MEMBER COMPANIES INSTALL, INTEGRATE, MAINTAIN, AND MONITOR INTRUSION AND FIRE DETECTION, VIDEO SURVEILLANCE, ELECTRONIC ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM, AND OTHER ELECTRONIC AUTOMATION SYSTEM.

AS A FELLOW LONG-TERM MEMBER OF THE FALSE ALARM REDUCTION ASSOCIATION ALONG WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WE SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS TO REDUCE FALSE ALARMS. WE RECOGNIZE THE URGENCY OF FREEING UP SCARCE RESOURCES TO ALLOW PUBLIC SAFETY TO CONTINUE AND TO KEEP US ALL SAFE.

UH, WE SUPPORT REQUIRING THAT ALARM COMPANIES VERIFY ALARM LEGITIMACY THROUGH REASONABLE, SENSIBLE AND EFFECTIVE METHODS OUTLINED IN YOUR DRAFT.

UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH CITIES THROUGHOUT TEXAS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR FALSE ALARM REDUCTION EFFORTS AND HAVE LEARNED A FEW THINGS ABOUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT STEPS THAT COMPLY WITH FIRE CODES AND THE TEXAS LAW.

WE FULLY SUPPORT THE OBJECTIVES LAID OUT IN THE RESOLUTION AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE AND WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH MR. BROAD MAX OR ANYONE ELSE TO REDUCE FALSE ALARMS AND IMPLEMENT VOLUNTARY A PD ACCESS TO SECURITY CAMERAS DURING EMERGENCIES.

THAT'S ALL I HAD.

NEXT SPEAKER IS MONICA GUZMAN SPEAKING ON ITEM 59.

MS. GUZMAN, YOU WISH TO SPEAK? I'M SORRY.

SECOND? NO.

OKAY, SHE'S PASSING ON ITEM 59.

THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 62.

AND THAT IS CRAIG NASER, FOLLOWED BY BILL BUNCH, MEGAN MEISENBACH, ROY WHALEY AND BOBBY LEVINSKY.

HELLO, CRAIG NAER, LONE STAR CHAPTER SIERRA CLUB.

UH, ON THE ONE HAND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS ROBUST AND EXCELLENT, A WASTEWATER TREATMENT AS WE CAN GET.

AND WE ALREADY HAVE A GOOD PLAN OUT THERE.

WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS EXPANDING THE PLAN BEFORE, UH, THAT WE NEED IT.

'CAUSE IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.

AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, AT LEAST MORE THAN WHAT I SEE US DOING IS CONSERVING WATER.

AND THE MORE WE CONSERVE WATER, THE LESS WE WILL HAVE TO TREAT.

THERE ARE THINGS LIKE PURPLE PIPE, THERE ARE THINGS LIKE RAINWATER COLLECTION.

UM, BUT WE, WE HAVE A REAL WATER PROBLEM COMING UP AND WE LOSE 15% OF OUR WATER IN LEAKY PIPES.

NOW I LOOK THIS UP AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MANY YEARS AND I WAS TOLD MANY YEARS AGO THAT THAT'S JUST INDUSTRY STANDARD.

WELL, RIGHT NOW I'M TESTIFYING A LOT AT, AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT WATER.

AND SOONER OR LATER THAT REQUIREMENT'S GONNA GO UP BECAUSE WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO LOSE 15% OF OUR POTABLE WATER AND LEAKY PIPES.

THAT'LL BE EXPENSIVE TO FIX.

AND WE NEED TO HAVE SOME MONEY TO FIX THAT.

WE REALLY DO.

AND IF WE SPEND TOO MUCH ON TREATMENT AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE WE NEED IT, I'M WORRIED WE WON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GO FORWARD.

NOW, ONCE AGAIN, I HAVEN'T SEEN ALL THE DETAILS ABOUT, ABOUT EXACTLY HOW THIS WILL WORK.

SO I'M, I PUT MYSELF DOWN AS NEUTRAL 'CAUSE WE DO NEED TO TREAT OUR WATER CLEANLY.

BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE WE AREN'T DOING ENOUGH TO ABOUT WATER SAVING.

THE WATER WE GOT, WE HAVE TO DO THAT.

WE HAVE TO.

IT'S, IT'S GONNA COME DOWN ON US.

EITHER WE'RE GONNA DO IT AHEAD OF TIME OR SOMEONE'S GONNA MAKE US DO IT.

SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BRAND NEW AND HOT OFF THE PRESENCE.

AND, AND JUST BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED LEAKY PIPES YESTERDAY IN THE AUDIT, MR. NASER YESTERDAY IN THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, WE RECEIVED A REPORT FROM OUR AUDITOR'S OFFICE WITH REGARD TO WATER MAINS AND PIPES.

AND, AND YOU MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT THAT.

IT'S

[01:05:01]

OKAY, THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCILWOMAN.

MY NAME'S BOB LAVINSKY.

I'M AN ATTORNEY WITH THE SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

UM, BEFORE YOU, UH, TODAY I'VE GOT A SHEET THAT I PASSED OUT.

I'M HOPING YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT EITHER TODAY OR IN THE FUTURE.

THIS ITEM WILL COME BACK TO YOU.

UM, ITEM 62 WOULD INITIATE CODE AMENDMENTS INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED BILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION OF THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

UM, IT, THE EXPANSION WOULD INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE PLANT FROM 75 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY TO A HUNDRED MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.

THAT THUS THEN INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF TREATED EFFLUENT THAT'S BEING DUMPED INTO WALNUT CREEK IN AN AREA THAT DOESN'T HAVE AS HIGH AS ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY AS A LOT OF THE OTHER CREEKS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY.

UM, FROM A FINANCIAL, UH, PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS WHERE AUSTIN IS OFTEN CONSERVATION CURIOUS.

WE, UH, OFTEN ADOPT BOLD PLANS FOR CONSERVATION, BUT WE DON'T ACHIEVE THE SAVINGS FROM, UH, AVOIDING THESE LARGE SCALE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS SUCH AS THIS ONE.

UM, THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE BIG BENEFITS OF CONSERVATION, UM, IS THAT YOU CAN AVOID THIS MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE COST.

I SERVED ON THE COST OF SERVICE STUDY LAST YEAR WITH THE AUSTIN, UH, WATER UTILITY THAT RESULTED IN THE, UH, 10% INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL RATES LAST YEAR.

UM, THAT WAS 20% FOR CAP.

SO FOR THE LOWEST INCOME, UH, FAMILIES, THAT WAS A 20% INCREASE ON THEIR WATER RATES.

WE CAN AVOID THIS, UM, BY NOT DOING PROJECTS LIKE THIS.

AND THE GOOD NEWS FOR THIS PROJECT, UM, I'VE GOT A COUPLE CHARTS HERE ON THIS SHEET THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE NOT IN AN URGENT NEED TO EXPAND THIS FACILITY UNDER THE T CQS, UM, 75 90 RULE.

YES, THERE WAS A MOMENTARY BLIP THAT, UH, IN, UH, FOR THE 75% CAPACITY THAT THEN TRIGGERED THE NEED TO START PLANNING FOR THE EXPANSION.

BUT UNTIL THE FACILITY HITS THAT 90% FIGURE, THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE TO START DOING THE CONSTRUCTION FOR IT.

SO IF YOU CAN DELAY THE CAPITAL COST FOR THIS, UM, YOU CAN DELAY THE COST INCREASE FOR YOUR RESIDENTS AND POTENTIALLY LOWER THE WATER RATES YOU'VE ALREADY.

THANK YOU MR. LAVINSKY.

MAYOR COUNSEL, UH, BILL BUNCH ALSO WILL SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE SPEAKING ON ITEM 62, WHICH IS HAVING YOU INITIATE CODE AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD RELAX, UH, WEAKEN WATER QUALITY PROTECTION RULES, EROSION AND CREEK PROTECTION TO BUILD THIS UH, BILLION DOLLAR OVER A BILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION TO THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

UM, IT'S RATHER VAGUE WHAT'S BEING, UH, GONNA BE DONE WITH THIS.

I, I ASSUME WE'LL LEARN ALONG THE WAY.

UH, BUT JUST TO PICK UP A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT MR. LAVINSKY WAS JUST SAYING, THIS IS ONCE AGAIN, OUR FUNDING PRIORITIES ARE UPSIDE DOWN.

UM, THERE IS NO REASON WHY THE, THE LOADING TO THE WALNUT TREE CREEK TREATMENT PLANT HAS GONE UP SO RAPIDLY.

UM, THAT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY BECAUSE OF LEAKY PIPES HAVING IN INFILTRATION AND INFLOW.

UM, AND ALSO PERHAPS FROM SOME LARGE DISCHARGES, THIS IS WHERE IF THE, IF THE WATER UTILITY WAS DOING ITS JOB, ESPECIALLY IN THE FACE OF WE ARE NOT GONNA HAVE THE WATER TO TREAT AND GENERATE SEWAGE TO EVEN NEED THIS EXPANSION, I MEAN, MAYBE AT SOME POINT WE MIGHT NEED A, A, A MARGINAL INCREASE, 10 MGD, BUT SPENDING A BILLION DOLLARS TO, UH, INCREASE CAPACITY BY MORE THAN BY ROUGHLY 30, 25 TO 30% RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE HAVEN'T DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO REDUCE THE INPUT THROUGH CONSERVATION INVESTMENTS.

UH, THE, THE UTILITY'S NOT GONNA DO IT UNTIL Y'ALL TELL 'EM TO.

AND THIS IS IN THE FACE OF OUR LAKES BEING ALMOST EMPTY.

AND YOU'RE PLANNING AS IF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA JUST KEEP PUMPING MORE AND MORE WATER AND GENERATING MORE AND MORE SEWAGE THAT HAS TO BE TREATED.

AND YOU'RE NOT INCREASING THE QUALITY OF EFFLUENT EITHER, EVEN THOUGH YOUR RESOLUTION.

MEGAN MEISENBACH, MEGAN MEISENBACH, ROY WHALEY.

MR. WHALEY, HOW DO Y'ALL, ROY WHALEY? I DON'T USUALLY BLOW MY BISCUITS LIKE THAT, BUT IT IS FRUSTRATING.

UH, AND I PARTICULARLY WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, WHO JUST SPOKE WITH ME.

I MEANT NO DISRESPECT AND I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU

[01:10:01]

WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING.

I APOLOGIZE.

UM, I AGREE AGAIN WITH MY FRIEND BOBBY LEVINSKY, AND I THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR POINTING OUT THE STUDY THAT WAS JUST DONE.

YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER BACK WHEN WE WERE DOING WTP FOUR WATER TREATMENT PLANT FOUR, THAT THE NUMBERS SHOWED THAT WE'RE LOSING ENOUGH WATER, THAT WE DIDN'T NEED TO SPEND A BILLION DOLLARS FOR A WATER TREATMENT PLANT, BUT WE DID.

WE COULD HAVE REPAIRED OUR WATER LINES.

THERE IS A STREET IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT EVERY SUMMER THEY REPLACE THE WATER LINES ABOUT FIVE FEET AT A TIME INSTEAD OF JUST DOING THE JOB EFFICIENTLY.

UM, WE CAN'T KEEP INVITING PEOPLE TO COME HERE AND USE OUR WATER IF WE DON'T HAVE WATER.

WE HAVE GOT TO GET REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT WATER REUSE.

IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE WATER, WE DON'T USE IT EFFECTIVELY.

AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, ONCE AGAIN, A A WATER TREATMENT PLANT IS, IS THE NECESSARY WAY TO GO.

OF COURSE, I MAY NOT HAVE THE INFORMATION I NEED TO MAKE A A DECISION ON THAT.

I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE.

I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN AND AGAIN, YES, THE STATE OF TEXAS IS TALKING ABOUT, UH, WATER AS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE, BUT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING IT FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER PLACE THAT'S NOT CREATING WATER.

WE DON'T HAVE A RECIPE TO CREATE WATER.

WE HAVE WATER.

LET'S USE IT MORE EFFICIENTLY.

LET'S USE IT MORE EFFECTIVELY.

I ENJOYED READING THE ARTICLE THIS MORNING, AND I THANK YOU AGAIN.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF THE CONSENT SPEAKERS MEMBERS, AS YOU'VE HEARD.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE CONSENT SPEAKERS.

UH, AGAIN, FOR PURPOSES OF THE RECORD, UH, ITEM NUMBER 62, THE CONSENT ITEM WILL BE THE VERSION TWO THAT WAS POSTED, UH, EARLIER THIS WEEK ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.

AND THEN BACKUP PULLED ITEMS ARE ITEMS 2 58 AND 1 0 3.

THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

MOTIONS MADE BY COUNT NINE.

IT'S NOT ON CONSENT.

UM, ITEM NUMBER 79 IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING, AND AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE NOT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SO, UM, THE MOTION IS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, UH, DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM.

AND I WILL RECOGNIZE FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

NOONE DOSES, AND THEY'RE SAVING HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE'S OF LIVES, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE'S LIVES, ESPECIALLY AMERIPRO.

UM, THIS IS A, A PACKED CONSENT AGENDA.

SO I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS TO MAKE, BUT I FIRST WANNA ADDRESS THE KIND OF, UM, ACCUSATION THAT WE'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION UP HERE.

UM, I, I TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY AS SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN ON THE DAES BASICALLY A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO MONTHS.

UM, Y'ALL CAN'T SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, BUT, UH, I'LL JUST SAY FOR MYSELF, WHEN A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC COMES UP AND MENTIONS SOMETHING, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS MENTIONED, UH, A CHARTER SCHOOL IN DISTRICT SEVEN, WHERE THERE'S AN UNSAFE, UH, BUS ACCESS POINT.

AND SO WHAT I WAS DOING WHILE SHE WAS SPEAKING WAS LOOKING UP THAT LOCATION AND ASKING MY STAFF TO SPEAK WITH CAP METRO ABOUT THAT.

UH, WHEN ANOTHER SPEAKER WAS, UH, REFERENCING A, A QUESTION AND ANSWER RESPONSE REGARDING THE CONVENTION CENTER, I WAS LOOKING UP THE BACKUP.

SO, JUST BECAUSE I'M NOT MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH A SPEAKER, ESPECIALLY A SPEAKER WHO'S BEEN HERE FIVE TIMES TODAY AND 20 TIMES ALREADY THIS YEAR, THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M NOT LISTENING.

AND I, I TAKE IT SERIOUSLY WHEN THERE'S AN ALLEGATION THAT WE'RE NOT HERE TO DO OUR JOBS.

BECAUSE I KNOW FROM MY SHORT TIME ON COUNCIL THAT EVERYONE HERE TAKES THEIR JOB EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY.

AND WE FEEL THE HUNDREDS OF, UH, CONSTITUENT, UH, REQUESTS EVERY WEEK.

WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE PACKED WITH VERY DETAILED ITEMS. AND SO WE, WE WORK HARD HERE.

AND, UM, THE SPEAKER WHO MADE THAT ALLEGATION HAS ACTUALLY BEEN IN MY OFFICE TO SPEAK ABOUT VERY DETAILED ISSUES.

SO I, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS MADE IN GOOD FAITH.

UM, BUT THAT SAID, I DO WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO COMES FORWARD TO SPEAK WITH US, UM, THAT HIGHLIGHTS DIFFERENT CONCERNS IN THE COMMUNITY 'CAUSE THAT IS OUR JOB.

UM, REGARDING THE CONSENT AGENDA, UM, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS THAT I, I REALLY WANNA LIFT UP.

UH, ITEMS 48 THROUGH 56 ARE PUBLIC HEALTH CONTRACTS.

AND THESE SUPPORT CRITICAL LIFESAVING COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR MANY VULNERABLE AUSTINITES.

AND THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAMS. FOR EXAMPLE, UH, MY STAFF IS MET WITH THE FOLKS FROM TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE ABOUT ITEM 52, WHICH FUNDS THE ORGANIZATION'S DROP IN CENTER, WHERE ABOUT 70 PEOPLE A DAY RECEIVE TREATMENT, LIFE SAVING SUPPLIES, CLOTHING, SHOWERS, HIV, AND HEPATITIS C TESTING AND MORE.

LAST YEAR, THEY, THEY DISTRIBUTED OVER 4,000 NARCAN DOSES, OVER 6,000

[01:15:01]

TEMP FUENTES COUNCIL MEMBER, VELASQUEZ COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER FOR ADVOCATING FOR RA'S ORIGINAL CONTRACT ALSO, ITEM 48, UH, IS FOR SAFE.

AND YOU KNOW, THEY PROVIDE HOUSING, EMERGENCY SHELTER CRITICAL RESOURCES FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INCLUDING MEDICAL CARE, THERAPEUTIC SERVICES, LEGAL ASSISTANCE.

AND THEY, THEY PROVIDE HOUSING AND SHELTER FOR 900 PEOPLE IN AUSTIN EVERY NIGHT, UH, OFFERING SAFETY, DIGNITY, AND HOPE TO SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE IN THEIR FAMILIES.

AND HOUSING IS THE NUMBER ONE REQUESTED RESOURCE FOR THEIR SAFE LINE, UM, HIGHLIGHTING THE CITY'S CRITICAL NEED FOR ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY SHELTER OPTIONS.

AND SO THE COMMUNITY SHELTER THAT SAFE IS, UH, OPERATING WILL CREATE 40 NEW UNITS AND PROVIDE LIFESAVING OPPORTUNITIES TO THOUSANDS OF SURVIVORS OVER ITS LIFETIME.

UM, SO THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE FUNDING THROUGH PUBLIC HEALTH ARE MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER, UH, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'VE LOST SOME CRITICAL FEDERAL FUNDING UNDER THE ARPA PROGRAM.

UM, INCLUDING MOST RECENTLY, $2 MILLION THAT WAS CUT BY CONGRESS, UH, THAT WAS ALREADY EARMARKED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR SAFE.

AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION, ATTENTION TO IN THE, IN THE DAYS AND YEARS AHEAD, TO MAKE SURE WE CAN FUND THESE LIFE SAVING, UH, SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. UM, ON ITEM 59, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM TO ADDRESS THE LARGE NUMBER OF REPEATED FALSE ALARMS THAT ARE PULLING AWAY SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES.

UH, MY HOPE IS THAT THIS ITEM WILL ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF FALSE FIRE ALARMS, FALSE BURGLARY ALARMS AND MORE.

IT'S ALSO MY HOPE THAT THESE TYPES OF POLICIES WILL REDUCE THE TYPES OF CALLS THAT CURRENTLY WE HAVE TO UTILIZE SWORN OFFICERS FOR WHEN OTHER RESPONSES ARE MORE APPROPRIATE.

AND THAT WAY THIS ITEM IS, IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CITY'S EFFORTS TO REDIRECT, FOR EXAMPLE, MENTAL HEALTH CALLS TO MEDICAL AND SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONALS INSTEAD OF POLICE TO FREE UP OFFICERS FOR, YOU KNOW, HIGHER PRIORITY, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS.

AND ALSO, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER'S, UM, UH, WORK TO, UH, I GUESS ADDRESS CONCERNS MY OFFICE HAD ABOUT MASS SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES.

UM, WE'VE CLARIFIED THAT THERE'S A PROVISION IN THIS RESOLUTION TO MAKE SURE THAT PRIVATE SECURITY, SECURITY CAMERAS, UH, THEY MAY BE USED BY POLICE, BUT WE'RE NOT AUTHORIZING THAT.

AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S SAFEGUARDS AND GUARD RAILS FOR ANY PROGRAM THE CITY MANAGER PUTS FORWARD, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE IS ABLE TO REVIEW SUCH POLICIES BEFORE THEY'RE IMPLEMENTED.

UM, AND FINALLY, ON ITEM 62, THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR INVITING ME TO CO-SPONSOR THIS COMMON SENSE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT.

UH, THIS IS THE KIND OF INVESTMENT THAT'S ESSENTIAL.

UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS AS A COMMUNITY IS HOUSING, RIGHT? THAT CITY OF AUSTIN WORKERS CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THIS CITY.

THAT OUR BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES ARE BEING PUSHED OUT, THAT PEOPLE GRADUATING FROM OUR LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE.

AND SO WE NEED TO FIND ROOM FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS, AND THAT REQUIRES US TO ENHANCE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG THE WAY.

SO THIS TO ME, FITS VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH THAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.

I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD, UH, ASK THE CONVENTION CENTER STAFF UP TO GET A CLARIFICATION ON A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED.

GOOD MORNING.

KATIE'S MESSING.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.

I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD FIRST, UH, JUST RESPOND TO THE QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, PROJECT FINANCING ZONE, WHETHER THAT IS JUST THE STATE SHARE OF HOTEL TAX OR THE CITY SHARE AS WELL.

IT IS JUST THE STATE SHARE.

AND THAT'S HOW THE BILL SPECIFICALLY READ? THAT IS CORRECT.

SO SOMEBODY COULD READ THE BILL AND KNOW THAT THAT IS CORRECT.

AND SECONDLY, I JUST WANT THAT WE, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME, BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL OPERATING FROM THE SAME SET OF FACTS HERE.

WE DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TAKE HOTEL TAXES AND SPEND IT ON A PARK ACQUISITION OR HOMELESSNESS, OR, YOU KNOW, PICK A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT AREN'T TOURISM RELATED OR DIRECTLY ALLOWED FOR BY STATE STATUTE.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABILITY, WE CAN'T TAKE THIS MONEY AND PUT IT INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING? THAT IS CORRECT.

UM, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO CLARIFY THIS MORNING.

I APPRECIATE YOU COMING BACK UP.

ARE FALSE ALARMS. SO WE ARE SPENDING A TON OF TIME AND RESOURCES WHEN, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS SOMEONE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPING THE, THE SENSOR OR, OR SOMETHING ELSE.

UM, AND THEN I DO HAVE ONE COMMENT ON PLEASE, PLEASE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ABSOLUTELY.

AS, AS, UH, COUNCILLOR SIEGEL MENTIONED, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR A WHILE ON THE ISSUE OF FALSE ALARMS. AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY WHEN I LEARNED THAT 5% OF ALL OF OUR CALLS ARE FOR BURGLAR ALARMS, AND 95% OF THOSE

[01:20:01]

SO WHAT THIS ITEM IS HOPING TO ADDRESS IS HOW WE CAN MORE SMARTLY UTILIZE, UH, OUR POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE THE ONES WHO OFTEN RESPOND TO THESE CALLS AND TAKES THEM AWAY FROM OTHER AREAS WHERE, WHERE WE WANT THEM TO BE IN, UH, IN THE PUBLIC AND IN SOCIETY.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TAKING SOME VERY COMMON SENSE STEPS.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UH, BURGLAR ALARM COMPANIES VERIFY A THREAT, UH, IF THEY CAN BEFORE DOING DISPATCH, MAKING SURE THAT, UH, IF YOU ARE A UNPERMITTED SYSTEM, THAT WE'RE ENFORCING THE RULES, THAT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.

UH, WE HAVE PERMITS FOR A REASON, AND SO WE DON'T WANT THESE UNPERMITTED SYSTEMS TO PROLIFERATE.

AND LASTLY, IF, IF JUST CONTINUES OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE MORE SIGNIFICANT STEPS OF, YOU KNOW, MEETING WITH THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND FIGURING OUT WHY YOU KEEP HAVING FALSE ALARMS AND TAKING VITAL PUBLIC RESOURCES FOR THAT PURPOSE.

SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR VELAZQUEZ.

COUNCILOR VELA, COUNCILOR LANE, COUNCILOR SIEGEL, UH, FOR CO-SPONSORING.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SOLVING THIS VERY SOLVABLE PROBLEM SO THAT WE CAN BE SMARTER AS A CITY AS IT RELATES TO UTILIZING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RESOURCES.

THEN COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND, UH, UH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR.

I DON'T NEED TO OFFICIALLY BE AT IT AS A CO-SPONSOR, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THAT CONSIDERATION.

UM, FOR 21 YEARS I WAS MARRIED INTO THE AUSTIN FIRE FAMILY AND JUST RECOGNIZING HOW MANY TIMES THEY WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO ANSWER CALLS FOR FALSE ALARMS. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT DOES TO IMPACT SLEEP FOR SOME OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU DIGGING INTO THIS.

I THINK SO FREQUENTLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, HOW FINITE OUR RESOURCES ARE, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IS TAKE A LOOK WITHIN AND JUST SEE HOW MUCH WE ALREADY HAVE IN OUR COUCH CUSHIONS THAT WE JUST NEED TO, UM, GIVE A LITTLE VACUUM.

SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO THE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, .

SO THANK YOU FOR DAYLIGHT IN THAT.

SO THERE ARE QUITE A FEW, UH, ITEMS ON THIS CONSENT AGENDA FOR DISTRICT ONE.

I'LL BE QUICK.

WE HAVE A LONG AGENDA.

ITEM NUMBER 36, THE CARVER MUSEUM EXPANSION.

THE CARVER IS A VITAL, UM, CULTURAL INSTITUTION ON THE EAST SIDE WITH PROGRAMMING THAT CELEBRATES AND UPLIFTS ART CULTURE, HERITAGE OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.

UM, AND IT WAS OUR FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MUSEUM.

AND I'M SAD TO SAY IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CONSIDERED DURING THE COURSE OF ALL THE CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT WITH OUR NEW FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION, UM, GIVEN THAT THREE BLACK HISTORY A MONTH EVENTS, EVENTS THAT I GO TO ANNUALLY WERE CANCELED THIS YEAR.

UM, I, I FULLY INTENDED TO JUST NOT TOUCH FEDERAL POLITICS.

'CAUSE IT AIN'T WHAT I DO.

IT'S OUTTA MY JURISDICTION.

I PLAN TO JUST GO LA LA LA LA FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

BUT IT'S ACTUALLY TOUCHING MY DISTRICT NOW, IN WHICH CASE I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE ALREADY MADE THIS INVESTMENT AND JUST WANNA MAKE CERTAIN THAT AS A COMMUNITY, THINGS THAT ARE CALLED AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE, WHATEVER THE THING IS, AREN'T COMPROMISED BY WAY OF ANY RULE, UM, AT ANY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT.

UM, THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL ENHANCE VISITOR EXPERIENCES AT THE CARVER, EXPAND PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES AND ENSURE THAT THE MUSEUM REMAINS A WELCOMING, VIBRANT SPACE FOR AUSTIN VISITORS TO ENJOY.

UM, MOVING ON TO MOBILITY REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 38.

THERE ARE CRITICAL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS COMING TO THE HEFLIN SPRINGDALE, MLK INTERSECTION.

ANYBODY WHO'S EVER GONE DOWN MLK AND TRIED TO MAKE A RIGHT ON SPRINGDALE, YOU SEE THAT THING THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT THERE AT HEFLIN? THANK YOU, JESUS.

THEY'RE GONNA FIX THAT.

UM, THIS INTERSECTION HAS LONG BEEN A SAFETY CONCERN FOR RESIDENTS WITH HIGH, HIGH PEDESTRIAN AND VEHICLE TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS WILL ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY, VISIBILITY, TRAFFIC FLOW, MAKING IT SAFE FOR EVERYONE, DRIVERS, CYCLISTS, AND PEDESTRIANS ALIKE.

WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT'S ALPHA IAN FRANKLIN THAT'S THIS SAME KIND OF WACKY PACK OF A MOBILITY THING.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

I SEE YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD AND I HOPE WE CAN ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

AND I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, ABOUT WHEN WE ARE LISTENING, LITERALLY 95% OF THE WORK THAT WE GET DONE OUT OF THE DISTRICT ONE OFFICE COMES DIRECTLY FROM CONSTITUENTS.

WE HAD A SPEAKER EARLIER TODAY WHO SAID THEM SOME THINGS THAT REALLY TOUCHED ON, UM, SOME THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME AND THAT HAVE CAUSED CONCERN FOR ME TOO.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO DO IS LIKE, WHEN WE'RE NOT LOOKING, I'M TRYING TO FIND MY STAFF SO THEY CAN COME FIND YOU AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT THING YOU JUST SAID.

UM, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO BROUGHT THESE CONCERNS AROUND TRANSIT AND MOBILITY SAFETY TO OUR ATTENTION.

AND THEN LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR MAYOR.

THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND

[01:25:01]

COLLABORATION WITH MY OFFICE ON ITEM NUMBER 62 REGARDING THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED, OR I'M SORRY, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, WE HAD A COUPLE OF, UM, FOLKS WHO SPOKE, UM, TO MY HEART, FRANKLY TODAY ABOUT WATER.

BUT MR. WHALEY, AND I PROMISE YOU, THIS IS NOT ME, OLIVE BRANCH, AND WE DON'T NEED THE OLIVE BRANCH.

AND BY THE WAY, FOLKS, MR. WHALEY, MR. WHALEY SOLD ME MY FIRST HOUSE.

I KNOW THAT MAN.

AND SO I'M NOT OFFENDED BY YOU BEING PASSIONATE.

I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION.

I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A CONSTITUENT ONE TIME, UM, AND HE WAS LIKE FUSSING AT ME, BUT WE WERE SAYING THE SAME THING.

I WAS LIKE, WHY ARE WE YELLING ? AND SO THEN HE SAYS, YOU'RE MY REPRESENTATIVE.

IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE.

I SAID, IT ABSOLUTELY IS.

AND YOU'RE MY REPRESENTATIVE.

IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE YOU A HARD TIME.

I WAS LIKE, UH, NOW THAT PART, I DUNNO.

I THINK THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS SET UP IS A SET UP FOR ALL OF US, FOR US, AND FOR Y'ALL.

THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS SET UP FOR US TO COMMUNICATE, TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION.

TEXAS OPEN MEETING.

I HATE KEEPING SECRETS, Y'ALL.

TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACTS IN AND OF ITSELF PROHIBITS US FROM SHARING.

I HATE IT.

I HATE THE WAY WE EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND ENGAGE AND, AND PARTICIPATE WITH ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE I THINK FOLKS THINK IT HAS TO BE CONTENTIOUS.

JUST SO YOU KNOW, NOT TONE POLICE, NOT MINIMIZING YOUR ABILITY TO UTILIZE YOUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND POLICYMAKERS BEING GOOD AND YOU GUYS BEING ABLE TO EVEN IDEOLOGICALLY BE OPPOSED, BUT STILL UNDERSTAND WHERE ONE ANOTHER IS COMING FROM AND WORK TOWARDS POSITIVE CHANGE FOR THE OVERALL GREATER GOOD OF THE GENERAL AUSTIN CITIZENRY AND THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE.

Y'ALL KNOW, WE CAN DO THAT TOGETHER WITHOUT DAMAGING ONE ANOTHER'S MENTAL HEALTH.

IT'S A POSSIBILITY.

TRY IT.

IT'S FUN.

WE GET TO JUST EXCHANGE INFORMATION.

AND EVEN IF AT THE END OF IT YOU SAY, I DON'T LIKE THAT, AND I DIDN'T LIKE THAT VOTE.

AND I SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M SORRY THAT THAT WAS THE CASE, BUT I VOTED WITH MY HEART AND MY INTEGRITY.

SHAKE HANDS, SEE AT THE HEB AT MUELLER.

AND THAT'S IT.

THAT'S HOW OUR RELATIONSHIP IS SUPPOSED TO GO.

AND I HOPE THAT WE ALL CAN MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO JUST BEING GENERALLY BETTER ABOUT COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY AND PRODUCTIVELY YELLING AT EACH OTHER DOES NOT DO IT.

I SWEAR.

AND SO I, I JUST, I, I LIKE WHEN Y'ALL TESTIFY, I LIKE WHEN Y'ALL TELL US WHAT YOU'RE THINKING.

AND TO MY POINT, LITERALLY 95% OF WHAT WE DO COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE MOUTHS OF THE PEOPLE WHO BRING IT TO US.

'CAUSE YOU CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME.

SO THANK Y'ALL.

I APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING A PART OF THIS EXPERIENCE FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORKING WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND OUR CITY STAFF, UM, TO JUST KEEP TALKING ABOUT WATER.

'CAUSE MR. WHALEY THE POINT THAT YOU MADE ABOUT US JUST NOT USING IT, RIGHT? EVERY DAY I WATCH MY NEIGHBORS PUT POTABLE WATER ON GRASS, I WANT TO CRAWL INTO THE GUTTER.

UM, IT DRIVES ME ABSOLUTELY NUTS THAT WE DON'T USE WATER LIKE A PREMIUM.

SURE, IF YOU WANT A LUSH ENGLISH GARDEN FULL OF ST.

AUGUSTINE, GO FOR IT.

BUT YOU PAY MORE IF YOU'RE NOT GROWING FOOD.

YOU DON'T GET TO USE WATER WILLY-NILLY.

UM, AND I THINK JUST FROM A CONSTRUCTION PERSPECTIVE, US LIKE WE CAN'T RETROFIT CAPTURING GRAY WATER, BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN DO IT ON THE FRONT END.

SO TO YOUR POINT, MR. WHALEY, I REALLY HOPE THAT WE JUST DO A BETTER JOB.

AND TO YOUR POINT ALSO, MR. BUNCH OF RECOGNIZING WE CAN MOVE IT, WE CAN TRY TO ADJUST THE SYSTEMS. BUT THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, ALL OF US HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO BE EARTH WISE AND JUST CHANGE SOME THINGS.

BEHAVIORAL THINGS.

DON'T THOUGHT CHICKEN BY TURNING ON THE WATER AND LETTING IT RUN FOR AN HOUR.

YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

IF YOU'RE WASHING YOUR HANDS, WET LATHER, TURN IT OFF.

RINSE IF YOU'RE IN THE SHOWER, WET LATHER, TURN IT OFF.

RINSE.

YEAH.

THESE ARE BASIC THINGS THAT ARE JUST A PART OF OUR STEWARDSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO BE AN EARTH WISE.

'CAUSE WE CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER AND WE HAVE TO SHARE THIS PLACE.

WE DON'T WANT IT, WE NEED IT.

SO, UM, I THINK I'M DONE, MR. MAYOR, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME.

I APPRECIATE IT.

COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER LANE.

UH, AND I WANT TO TOUCH ON SOMETHING, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER JUST SAID, UH, THE MILLER, HEBI PROBABLY HAVE THE MOST CONSTITUENT INTERACTIONS IN THAT HEB .

UH, I CAN'T, I CAN'T GO INTO IT WITHOUT RUNNING INTO SOMEONE, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GREAT.

UM, WANNA BRIEFLY TOUCH ON ITEM 49.

IT WAS A, A BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT MY OFFICE SPONSORED BACK IN 2023.

UH, IT STEMS FROM, YOU KNOW, THE FOOD ACCESS, LACK OF FOOD ACCESS SERVICES FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS.

UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE ANOTHER 12 MONTHS ADDED, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS, UH, FOOD BANK TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING STUDENTS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY.

UH, AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE COLLEGE STUDENT COMMISSION FOR INITIALLY RECOMMENDING THIS ITEM, UH, TO BRINGING UP THIS ISSUE.

AND I'M PROUD THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON A VERY IMPORTANT, UH, TOPIC.

THAT'S IT.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.

I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE, IF, UH, MY WAS THROWING SHADE AT THE, AT OTHER HEBS, BUT MY HE EB IS EAST SEVENTH STREET, SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE, WE PUT UP THE FLAG

[01:30:01]

FOR HIM OVER THERE.

UM, I WANT TO ECHO SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS ON THE AUSTIN, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.

ON THE AGENDA THIS WEEK, I WANNA HIGHLIGHT TWO DISTRICT THREE ORGANIZATIONS, A COUPLE OF WHICH, UH, COUNCILMAN SIEGEL TOUCHED ON.

UM, AND, UH, THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DOING LIFESAVING WORK HERE IN THE CITY, AND I'M EXCITED THAT WE GET TO SUPPORT THEM ON ITEM 48.

UH, THE FUNDS FOR SAFE, IT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES SHELTER, PEER SUPPORT, LEGAL SUPPORT, HOUSING, AND SO MUCH MORE TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

AND AS A LOT OF THE FOLKS HERE ON THE DIOCESE KNOW, THAT IS A, A, A VERY PERSONAL ISSUE TO ME.

UM, ITEM 51 FUND FUNDS FOR THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.

AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOES COMMUNITY DRIVEN PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH STREET OUTREACH AND DROP-IN SERVICES.

I WAS, UH, HAVING A COFFEE WITH THE ED MAGGIE LUNA, UH, THE OTHER DAY.

AND SHE INDICATED HOW JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE THEY HAD AN INDIVIDUAL DRIVE UP THAT WAS OVERDOSING.

THEY ADMINISTERED NARCAN AND SAVED HIS LIFE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THEIR SHOP ON CESAR CHAVEZ.

THEY ARE SAVING LIVES AND, AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THESE TWO ORGANIZATIONS AND I'M SO PROUD WE CAN GO GET THEIR BACK.

COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

DISTRICT SIX DOESN'T MAKE IT DOWN HERE THAT OFTEN AS FAR THERE AREN'T VERY MANY TRANSIT SOLUTIONS TO HELP US LEAVE OUR CARS BEHIND.

UM, SO I WILL REPRESENT DISTRICT SIX, WHICH IS IN THE NORTHERN AND NORTHWESTERN SUBURBS OF AUSTIN.

I, UM, WILL NOT GO ON AS LONG AS I COULD, BUT I DO HAVE A FEW COMMENTS.

UM, SO RELATING TO NUMBER 31 AND 32, WHICH IS SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL.

I WOULD LIKE TO PULL FORWARD SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE HEARD ABOUT THE AREA NORTH OF 180 3 AND SPECIFICALLY NORTH OF 180 3 AND LAMAR, BECAUSE 180 3 THEN CONTINUES TRAVELING NORTHWARD AND BECOMES A MAJOR CORRIDOR THAT RUNS THROUGH DISTRICT SIX.

UM, THAT AREA THAT OUR PUBLIC COMMENTER MENTIONED AS AN IMMIGRANT GATEWAY WHERE MANY BLACK AND LATINOS LIVE.

I JUST WANT TO ELEVATE THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE MANY MEMBERS OF OUR ASIAN COMMUNITY, ASIAN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY LIVING IN THE NORTHERN SUBURBS, BOTH NORTHWEST AND NORTHEAST, AND WHO HAVE MORE LIMITED ACCESS TO OUR CITY SERVICES AND DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD AND ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME, UM, LACK OF TRANSIT OPTIONS THAT OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS SPOKE ON.

SO, UM, I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT WE'VE HAD MANY, MANY APARTMENT COMPLEXES POPPING UP ALONG ALL KINDS OF ROADS THAT GOT MENTIONED IN PUBLIC AND BEYOND NORTH LAMAR PALMER, THE 180 3 CORRIDOR FROM 35 TO MOPAC AND THEN NORTHWARD THROUGH D 6 6 20.

AND WHICH THEN BECOMES 45, UM, CROSSES EAST WEST ACROSS OUR NORTHERN SUBURBS.

THE TRANSIT SOLUTIONS, UM, THE SIDEWALKS, WHICH IS ITSELF A TRANSIT SOLUTION WHEN THERE IS NOT A BUS, UM, HAVE NOT DEVELOPED ON THESE TEXTILE ROADS ALONG WITH THAT DENSITY.

AND I SHARE THE CONCERN THAT I HEARD, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ALSO REPRESENT THE NORTHERN SUBURBS TO FIND SAFE WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO WALK AND BIKE ALONG THESE VERY HEAVILY TRAFFICKED AND DANGEROUS ROADWAYS SO THEY'RE NOT DODGING DITCHES AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.

UM, ALONG THE WAY.

THERE ARE MULTIPLE MAJOR ROADWAYS IN MY DISTRICT THAT HAVE DIRT PATHS WORN ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN THEM WITHOUT A BUS GOING ALONG THEM AS WELL.

UM, SO THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME A LITTLE LONGER ON THAT PARTICULAR ONE.

I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO VOICE MY STRONG SUPPORT, UM, AND HAPPY TO HEAR THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT NUMBER 59 RELATING TO FALSE ALARMS. BETTER TAILORING OUR 9 1 1 RESPONSE TO THE NEED IS WHAT GOOD GOVERNMENT LOOKS LIKE, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF THE SYSTEMS WE HAVE SO WE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY USE OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND SAVE TAX DOLLARS BY USING THEM EFFECTIVELY, IS WHAT I'M HERE TO SUPPORT.

I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR THE COMMENTS THEY'VE ALREADY MADE ON THIS TOPIC.

UH, I AM ALSO WOULD LIKE TO VOICE STRONG SUPPORT FOR NUMBER 62, THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN.

WE SORELY NEED INVESTMENT IN OUR WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE, BOTH CAPACITY BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH THAT HAS HAPPENED IN AUSTIN, AND ALSO CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN AREAS WHERE WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE IS FAILING BECAUSE OF AGE AND OTHER CONCERNS.

WE ALSO NEED CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE IT IS AGING AND LEAKING AT EVER INCREASING RATES.

UM, IT IS NOT AN EITHER OR.

WE NEED TO DO BOTH.

WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO FLUSH OUR TOILETS.

YOU NEED WATER AND WASTEWATER FOR THAT.

UM, AND THEN FINALLY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A VERY BRIEF COMMENT ABOUT DECORUM.

UM, FAIRLY NEW TO CITY HALL.

I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN OTHER BOARD MEETINGS, UM, INCLUDING SCHOOL BOARD.

AND RARELY HAVE I BEEN IN A ROOM WHERE THERE WAS A DISRUPTION AS SIGNIFICANT AS THAT AND A WARNING WAS NOT ISSUED OR THAT INDIVIDUAL WAS NOT REMOVED.

NOW I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE HERE A LOT, THEY DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS.

[01:35:01]

AND WHEN SOMEONE WHO'S VERY FAMILIAR TO EVERYONE DISRUPTS SIGNIFICANTLY AND DOESN'T, UM, HAVE A WARNING OR, OR ANY STATEMENT AROUND DECORUM, IT CREATES AN INHOSPITABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NEWER TO THE SPACE.

SO I'M NEW.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR CITY HALL RULES ARE, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE, UM, PLEASE DON'T YELL OUT AND DISRUPT THE FLOW OF THE MEETING.

WE'VE GOT A LOT TO GET THROUGH.

COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

FIRST I WANT TO JUST ECHO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL SAID REGARDING THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE UP IN THE DIOCESE.

I'M FIGURING THEM OUT AS WELL, BUT OFTEN WE'RE JUGGLING FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, OFTEN RELATED TO THE SAME THING THAT THE SPEAKER IS ADDRESSING.

AND I WISH I HAD EXTRA ARMS AND EXTRA EYES AND MAYBE AN EXTRA CLONE OR TWO.

BUT THE REALITY IS THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, MULTITASKING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN AS WE'RE TRYING TO INVESTIGATE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAY ACTUALLY BE SPOKEN ABOUT IN THE MOMENT.

UM, I WANT TO TOUCH ON REALLY THE TWO ISSUES THAT BROUGHT ABOUT SOME CONTENTION THIS MORNING, WHICH ARE ITEMS 40 AND 62.

THAT'S THE CONVENTION CENTER AT WALNUT CREEK EXPANSION.

I STRUGGLED WITH THESE ITEMS BECAUSE THEY ARE BIG TICKET BILLION DOLLAR ITEMS. YESTERDAY WE HAD AN UPDATE AT AUTUMN FINANCE THAT INDICATED THAT WITH OUR CURRENT, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, WE'RE GONNA BE ASKING EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM TO BE PAYING ABOUT ANOTHER 37% OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

AND SO THAT'S WITHOUT A NEW BOND, THAT'S WITHOUT ANY KIND OF OTHER, UH, EXPENSE.

AND, AND PART OF THOSE DRIVERS ARE GONNA BE THE CONVECTION CENTER AND THE WALNUT TREAT WALNUT CREEK EXPANSION.

UH, SO I THINK IN LIGHT OF THESE NOT BEING, YOU KNOW, UH, MILLION DOLLAR, TENS OF MILLIONS DOLLARS, BUT INSTEAD BILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS, I FEEL LIKE THEY DO WARRANT ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY.

I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE, WE SHOULD ERR ON PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION WHERE POSSIBLE.

UM, I THINK IT WAS FRUSTRATING FOR MY TEAM TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE EXPENSES, THE ADDITIONAL DESIGN COSTS WERE RELATED TO THE CONVENTION CENTER.

UM, IT REQUIRED SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH FINANCE.

UM, AND THE ITEM DESCRIPTION I FIND FRUSTRATING.

AND THEN THERE WAS THE POINT THAT THE, THAT, THAT, UM, MR. BUNCH MADE, WHICH IS WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR CERTAIN DATA FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER FOLKS FOR UPWARDS OF TWO AND A HALF MONTHS NOW.

AND I WISH THAT IT, UH, ULTIMATELY WE ARE GIVEN INFORMATION AND SOME OF THAT INFORMATION IS HELPFUL AND SOME OF IT SEEMS CONTRADICTORY, UH, BUT SOME OF IT'S ALSO INCOMPLETE.

AND SO WE HAVE TO RUN OUR OWN GAP ANALYSIS ON THAT INFORMATION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE REQUESTED, WHAT WE'VE BEEN, WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED SUCCESSFULLY, AND WHAT WE'RE STILL MISSING.

UM, AND RIGHT NOW THAT'S A FAIRLY LENGTHY AND ONEROUS PROCESS FOR SOMETHING THAT WE WERE CRY TO TAKE VOTES ON.

SO I'M VOTING NO ON THIS ITEM, UM, PARTLY IN, IN THE, IN THE NEED OF JUST ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WE'RE STILL REQUESTING.

AND THEN ON 62, THE WALNUT CREEK EXPANSION.

UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD CONCERNS ABOUT OVER THE LAST YEAR, UM, THAT I THINK, UH, MR. LEBINSKI RAISED SOME OF THEM THAT I'VE HEARD, I'VE HEARD OTHERS INCLUDING THAT WE'VE, UH, IN SOME CASES COMPARED SIMILAR EXPANSIONS TO OTHER CITY'S EXPANSIONS.

AND OURS TURNED OUT TO BE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE FOR REASONS THAT I'M STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.

UM, SO IN LIGHT OF THOSE CONCERNS AND THE LACK OF, UM, THE LACK OF COMPLETE INFORMATION THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE, I'M GONNA BE UPSTANDING IN THAT TOO.

THANK COUNCIL MEMBER.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

THAT 'CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF PILOT PROJECTS WITH USING DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONCRETE, UH, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS, UH, CONTRACT DID NOT IN AND OF ITSELF PRECLUDE US FROM USING ANY OTHER TYPES OF CONCRETE.

I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS ON ITEM 32.

WELL DONE.

THAT WAS FUN.

ANNA MARTIN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, TPW, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, MS. MARTIN, UH, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE ISSUING THIS, UH, CONTRACT, UH, UH, TO PROVIDE BASICALLY CONCRETE CEMENT, UH, TO THE, THE CITY.

UH, THIS, DOES THIS, WOULD THIS CONTRACT PRECLUDE THE USE OF OTHER TYPES OF CONCRETE PERMEABLE OR THE LOW CARBON EMBODIED CONTRACT? NO, IT WOULD NOT.

WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH A CHANGE ORDER PROCESS, BUT WE COULD, UM, USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CONCRETE IN THE FUTURE.

OKAY, GREAT.

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY

[01:40:01]

THANK YOU COUNCILMAN BAILEY.

THAT BEING ALL THE DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UM, OKAY.

I, I KNOW I ALREADY SPOKE AND I I APOLOGIZE FOR GOING, BUT I, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WHEN WE ESPECIALLY HAVE THE PUBLIC HERE, WE ALL OPERATE FROM THE SAME SET OF FACTS.

FACTS ARE IMPORTANT AND THEY MAKE DECISION, THEY INFORM OUR DECISIONS HERE.

AND I RESPECT, UM, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN HAVING A DIFFERENT, UM, CONCLUSION BASED ON THOSE FACTS.

BUT PROPERTY TAXES WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE WASTEWATER.

THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER PLANT PROPERTY TAXES WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE CONVENTION CENTER.

THOSE ARE REVENUE BONDS SUPPORTED BY DIFFERENT FORMS OF FUNDING.

THEY COME FROM DIFFERENT EITHER TAXES OR WATER.

YOUR WATER BILL, YOUR WATER BILL WILL BE AFFECTED.

AND THAT'S, THAT IS IN THE, THE MATERIALS PROVIDED BY, UH, MR. LEVINSKY.

AND THAT'S A DISCUSSION WE SHOULD HAVE AND, AND A WEIGHING OF WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S WORTH IT.

BUT WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE DECISIONS WE'RE MAKING AND THE IMPACTS TO THE PUBLIC, IT'S IMPORTANT.

I BELIEVE THAT THE RECORD IS CLEAR THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAXES, THESE HAVE NO IMPACT ON THAT.

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER.

THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

LET ME ASK, UH, OTHER THAN COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN ON ITEM NUMBER 62, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO SHOW THEMSELVES ABSTAINING FROM A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN VOTING NO ON ITEM NUMBER 40.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM? THAT BEING THE CASE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN BEING SHOWN ABSTAINING ON 62 AND VOTING NO ON ITEM NUMBER 40.

THAT COMPLETES THE CONSENT AGENDA MEMBERS.

UM, I I'M COGNIZANT OF OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, SO BEAR WITH ME AS I MAY MOVE AROUND ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS SO THAT WE CAN GET BUSINESS DONE AND LET STAFF GO TO OTHER PLACES, UM, ON SOME OF THESE ITEMS. BUT THE ITEM I'M GONNA TAKE UP IS ITEM

[2. Approve a resolution adopting the Animal Services Office Strategic Plan that will provide guidance for operating the Austin Animal Center. Funding: Approval of the strategic plan has no immediate fiscal impact. The future impact will be determined as specific strategies and projects are identified and presented to City Council for implementation.]

NUMBER TWO.

I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA FOR A MOTION, AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK HIM TO MOVE TO AMEND THAT WE, I I THOUGHT THERE'S, WHAT I WAS TOLD IS I WAS PREPARING FOR THIS, THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE A VERSION TWO.

THERE'S NOT A VERSION TWO.

AND FOR, FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, WE'LL DO IT THIS WAY.

WE HAVE A SPEAKER, I WILL CALL ON THE SPEAKER.

WHEN THAT SPEAKER IS COMPLETED, THEN I WILL CALL FOR A VOTE.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, UH, UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I WOULD, AND I'M, I'M SORRY.

UH, HE, HE, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MOVES APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO.

GOT IT.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA WILL NOW RECOGNIZE YOU ON A MOTION TO AMEND IT'S VELA NUMBER ONE, MOTION TO AMEND ITEM NUMBER TWO.

I'M OFFERING AN AMENDMENT TO THE, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN FOR, HANG ON ONE SECOND.

COUNCIL MEMBER, IF YOU'RE SPEAKING, IF YOU'RE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND YOU'RE TALKING, YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER.

AND I WOULD PLEASE ASK YOU TO GO OUT BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY BUSY AGENDA AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH IT.

$5 BILLION.

I'M SORRY, SIR, YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER NOW.

HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND, AND I APPRECIATE YOU KEEPING ORDER AND, AND DISCIPLINE IN THE, IN THE ROOM.

UH, THE, UH, MY, MY, UH, AMENDMENT DOES TWO THINGS.

THE FIRST IS A, A CUSTOMER SERVICE, UH, FOCUS.

UH, THERE, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME REPORTS ABOUT, UM, MISCOMMUNICATIONS, UH, BETWEEN STAFF AND, AND FOLKS THAT ARE TURNING IN AN ANIMAL OR PICKING UP AN ANIMAL.

IT'S JUST ASKING FOR A FOCUS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LEFT HAND, THE RIGHT HAND KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING CLEARLY WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

AND, UH, THE SECOND PART OF THE AMENDMENT, UH, WOULD FOCUS ON, UH, EXPANDING AND, AND, AND, UH, UH, RESOURCES AND GETTING GOOD DATA TO THE VARIOUS, UH, COMMITTEES BOTH TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, COMMITTEE WITH A, A MINIMUM OF ONCE A YEAR REPORTING TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE.

AND THEN OF COURSE, THE REGULAR REPORTING THAT, UH, THE ANIMAL SERVICE OFFICERS DOES TO THE, UH, ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS WELL.

UH, AND I'VE WORKED WITH STAFF ON THESE AND, UH, I OFFER THAT AMENDMENT COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MOVES, UM, APPROVAL OR ADOPTION OF A AMENDMENT VELA AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.

IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.

UH, DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO AMEND.

VELA AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO ITEM NUMBER TWO IS ADOPTED.

THAT'S GONNA TAKE US BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER TWO AS AMENDED.

I'LL NOW ASK THE CITY

[01:45:01]

CLERK TO CALL FOR OUR SPEAKER.

SPEAKER PAT SRES.

WELCOME AGAIN.

THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR.

AND AGAIN, MY NAME IS PAT SRES AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE.

UM, I SERVED ON THE STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKING GROUP FOR ANIMAL SERVICES THAT YOU ARE, UM, DISCUSSING NOW, AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON THAT ITEM.

UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER BELA, FOR YOUR MOTION.

I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD ONE.

I THINK BOTH OF THOSE ISSUES IN THE BE IT RESOLVE SECTIONS WILL FURTHER IMPROVE THE PLAN.

UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK MAYOR PROTE FUENTES, COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ, MY COUNCIL MEMBER AND COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN FOR THE EXCELLENT QUESTIONS.

THE THREE OF YOU ASKED AT THE, UH, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING EARLIER THIS MONTH.

UM, THOSE QUESTIONS WOULD'VE BEEN QUESTIONS I WOULD'VE RAISED TODAY HAD YOU NOT ALREADY RAISED THEM.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.

UM, I AM HERE TO SAY THAT I SUPPORT THE PLAN.

I THINK YOU SHOULD APPROVE IT TODAY.

BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, UM, I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER DUCHEN, AND WHETHER DURING THE PLANNING PROCESS, THE STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS, THERE WERE PRIORITIES DISCUSSED.

WE DID DISCUSS PRIORITIES AT MEETING NUMBER TWO, AND WE SAID OPEN INTAKE AND SPAY NEUTER WERE PRIORITIES AND WE WANTED TO KEEP DISCUSSING THEM.

WE DID KEEP DISCUSSING THEM, BUT A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE HAD OTHER PRIORITIES AND A LOT OF THE AGENDA EXPANDED AND WE WENT IN LOTS OF DIFFERENT DI DIRECTIONS.

AND NOW THE QUESTION REMAINS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A CLOSED INTAKE SHELTER? I DON'T THINK WE CAN HANG OUR HAT ON BEING NO KILL AND SAYING, NO KILL IS A GREAT THING IF THE WAY WE ACHIEVE NO KILL IS BY CLOSING INTAKE.

WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ANIMALS THAT DON'T COME INTO THE SHELTER.

DO THEY GET KILLED ON THE STREET? DO THEY RUN LOOSE AND BITE CHILDREN? WHAT IS HAPPENING OUT THERE? AND AND COUNCIL MEMBER BELLA, YOUR MOTION HELPS TO ADDRESS THAT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR PATIENCE MEMBERS.

THOSE ARE ALL THE SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER TWO.

UM, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

AND, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, IT IS ITEM NUMBER TWO AS AMENDED BY VELA AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE.

FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

AND THEN I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER CARBAJAL, WHO HAS FACILITATED THE CREATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, REALLY BRINGING TOGETHER A BROAD ARRAY OF STAKEHOLDERS TO GET SOME CONSENSUS ON QUALITATIVE GOALS FOR ANIMAL SERVICES.

AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS, UM, AND TO GET BETTER OUTCOMES FOR THE CITY IN THE DAYS AHEAD, FOR OUR DOGS AND CATS, FOR OUR STAFF, FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS.

I KNOW THIS IS NOT EASY WORK.

MY WIFE IS A VETERINARIAN, ACTUALLY HAS A CLINIC IN ALLENDALE, AND THERE ARE NOT EASY ANSWERS TO A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS, UH, AND, AND THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING ANIMAL SERVICES.

SO I REALLY WANNA THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UH, FOR TAKING ON THIS NECESSARY EFFORT.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

UH, I WANT TO ECHO COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL'S COMMENTS.

UH, THANK, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, UH, KAHALA AND ALL THE STAFF AT THE, UH, AT THE SHELTER.

UH, THEY'VE, UH, DONE GREAT WORK ON THIS.

I ALSO WANTED TO THANK, UH, AUSTIN PETS ALIVE AND ALAN JEFFERSON.

I KNOW SHE'S HERE.

THEY'RE ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

SO IT'S GREAT TO GET THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF A, OF A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT, THAT WILL MOVE US FORWARD TO, UH, BETTER SHELTER, BETTER CARE FOR, UH, OUR, OUR, OUR PETS, OUR OUR ANIMALS IN, IN THE COMMUNITY.

GREAT.

GOING TO NOW TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 64, WHICH IS AN ITEM FROM A COUNCIL COMMITTEE.

AND, AND I, I, I ECHO THE, THE THANKS THAT, THAT'S BEEN GIVEN, UM, REALLY GOOD WORK.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER TWO, AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED MEMBERS, I'M

[64. Approve a resolution reappointing Amit Motwani to the Central Health Board of Managers.]

AND I'LL RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR PRO TEM FOR A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 64 AS THE CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE.

THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.

I MOVE TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION REAPPOINTING EMIT WAN TO THE CENTRAL HEALTH BOARD OF MANAGERS.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM.

THERE'S NO ONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

IS FROM THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, VERY BRIEFLY, MR. MAYOR, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WORKING, UM, AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, AS A, UH, I MEET WAS RUNNING WHEN I WAS FIRST RUNNING IN 2018, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, HE SERVED ON THE, AND I THINK MAYBE HE'S EVEN STILL SERVING URBAN RENEWAL BOARD.

AND YOU NAME THE THING, HE JUMPS AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

AND HE'S A BRILLIANT MAN.

SO I THINK HE'S REALLY GONNA SERVE WELL IN THIS ROLE.

SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME, WELCOME HIM ABOARD THE CENTRAL HEALTH, UM, SERVICE POSITION.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION, ITEM NUMBER 64 IS ADOPTED ON ITEM NUMBER 65.

THAT

[65. Approve a resolution appointing Ayo Akande to the Municipal Civil Service Commission. Funding: This item requests the appointment of an individual to a City commission and has no fiscal impact.]

AND I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVE

[01:50:01]

RELU AS CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE THAT WE APPROVE RESOLUTION APPOINTING I CONDUCT TO THE MUNICIPAL CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.

IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

DISCUSSION.

HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION, ITEM NUMBER 65 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS.

WE WILL NOW

[Items 66, 68 - 72]

GO TO ITEMS 66, 68, 69, 70, 71, AND 72 FOR THE RECORD.

ITEM NUMBER 67 HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.

UH, THESE ARE IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEMS. SO WITH RESPECT TO ITEMS 66, 68, 69, 70, 71, AND 72, THEY BEING NON-CONSENT CON CONDEMNATION ITEMS, I WILL ACCEPT A MOTION TO THE EFFECT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN AUTHORIZES THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA FOR THE CURRENT, THIS CURRENT MEETING FOR THE PUBLIC USES THAT ARE DESCRIBED THEREIN.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MOVES THAT MAKES THAT MOTION.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, FOR THE RECORD, LET ME TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS. THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS, MAYOR MEMBERS.

THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON THOSE ITEMS. IS THERE DISCUSSION ON I THOSE ITEMS AS THEY HAVE BEEN CALLED? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEMS 66, 68, 69, 70, 71, AND 72 ARE ADOPTED CONSISTENT WITH THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE.

MEMBERS THAT WILL TAKE US PLEASE TO ITEM NUMBER 73.

[73. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance adopting Local Standards of Care for the Parks and Recreation Department's youth programs. Funding: This does not have a fiscal impact.]

UH, 73 IS ONE OF OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT REQUIRES ACTION.

UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 73.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AND I WILL RECOGNIZE, UH, THE MUNICIPAL CLERK.

THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS, MAYOR MEMBERS, THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 73.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 73 AND I WILL, UH, REQUEST A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 73.

THE MAYOR PRO TEM MAKES THAT MOTION.

IT IS SECONDED BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

UM, I WAS WONDERING WHETHER HE WAS GOING TO LOOK AT, LOOK AT ME.

UH, AND NOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, IS THEIR DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 73? THERE BEING NONE WITHOUT, UH, OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 73 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS.

WE WILL GO BACK.

WE HAVE, UH, EIGHT MINUTES.

SO WHAT I'M GONNA, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR TIME, CERTAIN OF COURSE IF WE'RE A LITTLE LATE, UH, AS WE START THAT, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY KNOW, I'M TRYING TO BALANCE THE TIMING ON THIS.

WE WILL GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER

[58. Approve appointments and certain related waivers to citizen boards and commissions, to Council committees and other intergovernmental bodies, and to public facility corporations; removal and replacement of members; and amendments to board and commission bylaws.]

58.

I'LL RECOGNIZE, UH, THE MAYOR PRO TIM WHO PULLED ITEM NUMBER 58.

THANK YOU, UH, COLLEAGUES ON THIS ITEM, I'D LIKE TO DIVIDE THE QUESTION AND MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENTS IN CERTAIN RELATED WAIVERS TO CITIZENS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, FOR THE NOMINEES LISTED IN WAIVER AND VERSION NUMBER THREE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DISTRICT 10 RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, I'D LIKE TO POSTPONE THAT NOMINATION, UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT SO I CAN, UH, CONNECT, UM, WITH COLLEAGUES AND ADDRESS SOME CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED.

UM, THE MAYOR PRO TEM MOVES TO DIVIDE THE QUESTION ON, UH, ITEM NUMBER 58.

IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.

IS THERE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO DIVIDE THE QUESTION WITHOUT OBJECTION.

THE MOTION TO DIVIDE THE QUESTION IS ADOPTED.

WE WILL NOW GO, I'LL GO BACK TO THE MAYOR PRO TIM FOR A MO A MAIN MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 58 WITH THE, THE DIVISION BEING THAT THE RECOMMENDATION OF A PERSON TO BE APPOINTED FROM DISTRICT 10 FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD BE POSTPONED.

AND THE MOTION IS MADE BY THE MAYOR PRO TIM, IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CODRE.

IS THEIR DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? YES.

COUN, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN? UH, WELL, MY CONCERN IS, AND I WANT TO CLARIFY, IS MY APPOINTEE HERE? IS TED HERE? YES.

UH, I'LL NOW RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, FOR A MOTION TO, UH, POSTPONE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM DISTRICT 10 TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD.

SO I'M, I'M WONDERING WHETHER THERE'S NOT A WAY WE CAN JUST, UH, INSTEAD OF POSTPONING ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS THAT THERE ARE ABOUT DISAPP APPOINTEE RIGHT HERE DURING THIS PROCESS.

THERE'S NOT, THERE WE OUT AND SET UP.

THERE'S NOT A, A PROCEDURE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THAT WOULD DO THAT RIGHT NOW, UNLESS ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE.

YOU WANT TO HAVE A DEBATE FOR THAT.

UM, BUT, BUT THAT, AND THAT WOULD BE YOUR, THE NEXT MOTION WILL BE, UH, TO POSTPONE AND WHETHER OR NOT WE, WE DO THAT POSTPONE.

'CAUSE YOU HAVE A DIVISION OF THE QUESTION WHEN WE'RE ON THAT, THAT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME, I SUPPOSE, TO DEBATE THE MERITS OF A POSTPONEMENT.

AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, UH, THE MERITS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE GO FORWARD WITH THAT APPOINTMENT.

OKAY, THEN I'LL WAIT FOR THAT MOMENT TO HAPPEN.

ALRIGHT.

IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH ARE THE APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE DIVIDED QUESTION WITHOUT OBJECTION.

THE MAIN MOTION IS ADOPTED.

[01:55:01]

SO MOVED MOTIONS MADE BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM.

IT IS SECONDED, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

UH, NOW WE WILL GO TO DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION.

UM, AND I'LL RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND THEN I'LL REC RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.

THANK YOU, UH, COLLEAGUES.

I'M JUST ASKING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO ADDRESS SOME CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED AND, UH, JUST ASKING FOR A, A COUPLE WEEKS TO RAISE THOSE QUESTIONS WITH COLLEAGUES OFFLINE.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.

UH, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PERAM.

I WAS, I WAS HOPING TO SORT OF GLEAN FROM THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, KNOW THIS, THIS CANDIDATE OVER THE YEARS AND IT WOULD BE MY, MY PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO OFFER SOME SUPPORT FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.

BUT I'M, I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS AND WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THEM ALL.

SO I WOULD SUPPORT, UH, POSTPONEMENT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING THOROUGH.

FURTHER DISCUSSION.

COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO AGAIN, OFFER IF THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO, UM, GIVEN THAT MY APPOINTEE'S HERE, IF THERE'S A NOT SOME PROCESS THAT WE COULD USE TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE DURING THIS, UH, DURING THIS PARTICULAR VOTE, WE DON'T HAVE A PROCESS FOR INTERVIEWING THE CANDIDATE OR DOING THAT.

THE MO AND, AND WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT THE, IF, IF PEOPLE WANT TO VISIT WITH HIM, PEOPLE WANT TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES WITH YOU, THEY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT UNDER A POSTPONEMENT.

BUT WE WE'RE NOT, WE HAVE NEVER AND ARE NOT SET UP TO INTERVIEW, UH, INDIVIDUALS AS THEY COME, AS WE COME FORWARD AT A COUNCIL MEETING.

COUNCIL MORE ELLIS.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY VOICE TO UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN A COUNCIL MEMBER WANTS TO DO MORE RESEARCH, AND I THINK THERE MAY BE A FEW OF US, UM, THAT WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UNDERSTANDING ANY, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE BROUGHT TO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS' ATTENTION BY OTHER FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY.

UM, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THOSE ARE, BUT I WANNA GIVE MY COLLEAGUE THE ABILITY TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE VOTE ON THINGS THAT WE'RE WELL-INFORMED AND THAT WE FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE VOTE.

WHETHER, UM, SOMEONE VOTES FOR OR AGAINST OR ABSTAINS ON ANY ISSUE THAT COMES BEFORE US.

FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THIS.

COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.

I'LL JUST ADD THAT, UH, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO GET SOME CLARITY ON THOSE THINGS.

I FEEL IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THERE'S NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT TODAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE IN OUR PROCESS, GIVEN THAT MY APPOINTEE IS HERE, UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I APPRECIATE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON'S COMMENTS REGARDING MY APPOINTEE.

I'LL ECHO THEM THAT HE'S GOT TREMENDOUS EXPERIENCE IN THIS SPACE FROM WORKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE PARKS CAPACITY.

UM, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, ALL I CAN ASK IS THAT YOU GUYS RESPECT THAT EXPERIENCE AND UM, AND THEN WE GO THROUGH WHATEVER PROCESS WE NEED TO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ANSWER, SATISFIED.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAYOR, WE HAVE A SPEAKER.

OF CITY PROPERTIES, INVITES OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO DO THE SAME.

CARLOS, LEON, SOY, CARLOS LEON, FIRST AND FOREMOST S FOR LETTING ME SPEAK IN FAVOR OF ITEM 58.

APPROVING NEW BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBERS SHOULD HELP YOUR LIBRARY COMMISSION MAKE QUORUM AGAIN TO MEET AGAIN SO I CAN AGAIN TESTIFY AND PRESENT EVIDENCE TO THEM ABOUT AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY'S OFFICIAL CTN POLICIES.

CONTINUING TO BE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH CITY SUPERSEDING RULES IN FRONT OF YOU NOW IS APLS DECEMBER 31ST, 2024 PIR RESPONSE SAYING THEIR CTN POLICY HAS BEEN RECENTLY REVIEWED, UPDATED, AND IS AWAITING SIGN OFF FOR FINALIZATION.

HOWEVER, AS OF MARCH 25TH, 2025, CITY CLERK HAS NOT POSTED APLS PROPOSED RULE CHANGE REQUIRED BY CITY CODES ONE DASH TWO DASH TWO AND ONE DASH TWO DASH FOUR BEFORE ADOPTING A RULE.

THEREFORE, APLS INTERIM DIRECTOR HANNAH TERRELL, HAS APPARENTLY NOT YET FILED THE PROPOSED RULE CHANGE WITH CITY CLERK, THOUGH A-P-L-C-T-N POLICIES HAVE BEEN OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH YOUR RULES FOR PUBLIC USE FOR CITY PROPERTIES SINCE AUGUST 25TH, 2023, WHICH I BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION WITH PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND HARD COPY EVIDENCE AT THE FEBRUARY 27TH, 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR ITEM FOUR, APPROVING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER TWO DASH ONE, ALLOWING A PL TO CONTINUE DISREGARDING CITY SUPERSEDING RULES FOR PUBLIC USE

[02:00:01]

MOCKING YOUR AUTHORITY AND OVERSIGHT POWER AND THE CITY CODE ITSELF.

FOLLOW UP ASAP WITH TERRELL.

INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY THOMAS, CITY MANAGER, BROAD NECKS AND CITY CLERK RIOS TO MAKE ROGUE A PL TOE THE LINE ON PAPER AND IN PRACTICE.

IN JESUS' NAME I PRAY.

AMEN.

THANK YOU, SIR.

YES SIR.

THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS.

ALL RIGHT, UM, MEMBERS, THAT CONCLUDES THE SPEAKERS.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE MOTION MADE BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM, UH, TO POSTPONE THIS ONE APPOINTMENT, UH, FOR PARKS AND RECREATION? WITHOUT OBJECTION.

UH, THE ITEM IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL TEMPORARILY OFF THE DAIS.

WITH THAT, WE ARE AT NOON,

[12:00 PM - Public Communication: General]

WHICH TAKES US TO OUR, UH, 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, WHICH IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

UH, THE CITY CLERK WILL CALL THE NAMES OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SET UP, UH, THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO BE PART OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

SO, UH, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ORDER YOU'RE SIGNED UP IN, SO I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD SO THAT YOU'LL BE AVAILABLE, UH, IMMEDIATELY UPON YOUR NAME BEING CALLED AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOUR TESTIMONY.

SO MADAM CLERK, I'LL, I'LL LOOK TO YOU.

ADRIAN MACIAS, FOLLOWED BY RUBEN RIVERA CLEMENTE SENIOR ALAN DEMLING, RACHEL HACKATHORN, DAVID HAAS, CASSIE CSOS, SCOTT COBB, JOE WISEMAN, LAURA GUERRERO, AND SUE FOWLER.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I AM ADRIAN MACIAS WITH PORTA JOINING.

JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE ANNUAL CESAR CHAVEZ MARCH AND ANNUAL CESAR CHAVEZ AWARD.

DINNER.

CESAR CHAVEZ WAS BORN ON MARCH 31ST, 1927 IN YUMA, ARIZONA.

CESAR CHAVEZ WAS A LATINO FARM WORKER, LABOR LEADER, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, AND CRUSADED FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.

CHAVEZ WAS CO-FOUNDER OF THE UNITED FARM WORKERS, WHICH ADVOCATES FOR BETTER WAGES AND SAFER WORKING CONDITIONS ON AMERICAN FARMLANDS.

CESAR CHAVEZ IS MORE THAN A SYMBOL AND ROLE MODEL FOR THE FARM WORKERS AND THE CHICANO MEXICANO COMMUNITY.

CESAR DEMONSTRATED THE NEED FOR ALL WORKING PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED AND EXPLOITED, WORKING FOR DIGNITY ON THE JOB AND IN THE COMMUNITY, INCREASING DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS OF WORKING PEOPLE, CHALLENGING THE POWERFUL AND DEFENSE OF THE POWERLESS.

AUSTIN RESIDENTS HAVE CELEBRATED THE LIFE OF CESAR CHAVEZ AND THE SELFLESS DEDICATION FOR FARM WORKERS AND WORKERS' RIGHTS, ECONOMIC JUSTICE, CIVIL RIGHTS, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, PEACE, NONVIOLENCE, AND EMPOWERMENT OF THE POOR AND DISENFRANCHISED.

ON SATURDAY, MARCH 29TH AT 9:30 AM PEOPLE WERE GATHER AT UTILITY LIBRARY 1105 AT EAST CAESAR CHAVEZ AND MARCH THE AB K PAN AMERICAN CENTER, 2100 EAST THIRD STREET ON CAESAR CHAVEZ'S BIRTHDAY, MONDAY, MARCH 31ST.

PORE WILL HONOR 16 INDIVIDUALS THAT CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE.

INDIVIDUALS THAT HELP KEEP THE SPIRIT OF CAESAR EACH CHAVEZ ALIVE.

AND I WILL NAME, NOW, NAME THOSE PEOPLE.

ALEXANDRIA ANDREW SENT AND RAISING MACINTOSH.

JAY BANNER, BILL BUNCH, CONGRESSMAN GREG CESAR, TESSA COMSTOCK, JORDAN FRENCH, VICTORIA GOMEZ, JOAQUIN HARRINGTON, GENESIS HERNANDEZ, BOBBY LAVINSKY, D-DAY MONTOYA.

SO RAZA PRAXIS, MCKAYLA RIOS, COUNCILMAN JOSE VELAZQUEZ AND AFFILIATE ZETA.

POLICE MONITOR, POLICE OVERSIGHT.

IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

MY NAME IS RUBEN VERA CLEMENTE SENIOR.

AND JUST LIKE I SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE, I HATE BEING HERE, BUT I HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND, AND BRING ATTENTION TO WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH AND ESPECIALLY TO THE CITY MANAGER 'CAUSE I'M REQUESTING A MEETING BETWEEN HIM AS WELL AS, UH, CHIEF LISA DAVIS BECAUSE THIS HAS TO END.

I WANT TO THANK, UH, CHIEF VELA FOR AT LEAST TRYING TO BRING SOME ATTENTION.

HE DID BIT MORE THAN WHAT GREG CASAR DID, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT, YOU KNOW, I WANT THIS TO STOP AND I'VE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE.

THIS IS STRICTLY RETALIATION BY THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND I HAVE CONFRONTED POLICE CHIEFS PERSONALLY, MANLY CHAON CHACON.

I GAVE HIM A LETTER ACTUALLY LAST, UH, THE THIRD

[02:05:01]

OF THIS MONTH.

UH, I WENT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING ACROSS THE HALL AND I GAVE A LETTER TO, UH, WELL, ACTUALLY IT WAS RECEIVED BY CHIEF HENDERSON AND SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO GIVE IT TO, UH, TO THE CHIEF LISA DAVIS.

AND I'M JUST TRYING TO STOP THIS NONSENSE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN THEFT IN DISLOCATION SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

JUST MOVED BACK NOVEMBER THE 30TH.

I SAW SOME DAMAGE ON MY LEFT SIDE DOOR AND I KNOW WHO THESE OFFICERS ARE, I RECORD THEM, BUT I WAS TOLD I CAN BY, AT THE TIME HE CALLED HIMSELF EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF BRIAN MANDY, AND CONFIRMED BY ATTORNEYS, BUT FOR SOME REASON, I CAN'T GIVE WHAT I NEED TO SEEK JUSTICE, WHICH IS A NAME AND A BADGE.

AND THIS UNIT THAT I'M REFERRING TO IS CALLED THE ORGANIZED CRIME UNIT.

THE UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICER THAT BEING UTILIZED TO HARASS THOSE CITIZENS THAT FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND I HAVE DONE LITERALLY EVERYTHING.

FBI, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

THIS CAN'T BE HOW THIS POLICE, THE DEPART CONDUCT ITSELF.

EVEN WHEN I LEFT HERE ON JANUARY THE 30TH, WHEN I WAS APPROACHED BY THAT, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF, HIS NAME IS ERIC FITZGERALD, HE GAVE ME A CARD AND I TOLD HIM WHO THIS, UH, POLICE, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY, HE WANTED TO KNOW WHO THE UNIT IS.

AND I TOLD ORGANIZED CRIME UNIT THE UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICERS, AND HE GAVE ME A CARD.

AND I'VE BEEN CALLING HIM ABOUT MY SITUATION.

NOTHING HAS, HAS STOPPED OR SLOWED DOWN.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE MY VEHICLES.

THEY SHOULDN'T BE OUT THERE SMASHING MY WINDSHIELD LIKE IT DONE.

THEY SHOULDN'T BE OUT THERE PUTTING DENTS IN MY VEHICLE.

IN THIS CASE, IT LOOK LIKE THEY USING A SCREWDRIVER.

THESE ARE POLICE OFFICERS.

HOW DO I GET THE NAME AND BADGE OR UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICER? TELL ME.

AND WHY HAS IT LASTED OVER TWO DECADES, 20 PLUS YEARS? IT DON'T MAKE NO SENSE.

EVEN THAT INDIVIDUAL FROM THE POLICE OFFICER INFORMED ME THAT I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT SINCE 2008 OR 2009.

VELA PROBABLY ALREADY COMMUNICATED WITH THEM, OR HOPEFULLY HE IS TRYING TO GET MORE INFORMATION.

I HATE BEING HERE.

ALAN DEMLING, FOLLOWED BY RACHEL HACKATHORN.

HELLO, MY NAME IS ALAN DEMLING.

UH, I'M A RESIDENT AND I OWN A BUSINESS IN DISTRICT THREE.

UH, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE INCREASED PARKING FINES THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED MARCH 1ST.

UH, REAL QUICK, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.

I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL IN 2008.

I RAN AGAINST LEE LEFFINGWELL AND I OBVIOUSLY LOST, UH, BUT HE APPOINTED ME TO THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION WHERE I SERVED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

AND DURING THAT TIME IS WHEN WE SWITCHED FROM THE SINGLE SPACE, UH, FIXED PARKING METERS TO THE KIOSKS THAT WE HAVE NOW.

AND ALSO WHEN, UH, PAID PARKING STARTED MOVING EAST OF THE HIGHWAY, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WAS PREVENTED PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION BACK THEN FOR WHY EAST AUSTIN NEEDED, UH, PAID PARKING WAS TO HELP SAFETY, MOBILITY AND ACCESS.

THIS STRATEGY AIMS TO CREATE MORE PARKING SPACE TURNOVER IN HIGH DEMAND DISTRICTS WITH CONSISTENT ENFORCEMENT.

THAT'S DIRECTLY OFF THE AUSTIN, UH, WEBSITE.

SO MY FIRST ISSUE WITH THE INCREASED FINES IS THAT I ACTUALLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING, UH, THAT, UH, DESIRE FOR PAID PARKING TO INCREASE TURNOVER, BECAUSE AS I DROVE HERE DOWN EAST SIXTH STREET, THERE'S MORE OPEN PARKING SPACES THAN THERE ARE OCCUPIED PARKING SPACES.

BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY.

SO MY SECOND ISSUE IS THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, WE'RE NOT GIVING REASONABLE ALTERNATIVES TO THE PEOPLE THAT THIS PARKING, UH, AFFECTS THE MOST.

SO THE PARKING IS PRICED FOR THE HIGH EARNING WAGE EARNERS IN THIS TOWN, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR ME AND THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE YOUR FOOD AND POUR YOUR DRINKS AND CHECK YOU OUT IN THE RETAIL STORES AND STUFF, THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE PARKING.

SO THE ALTERNATIVES ARE TAKE A BUS, WHICH MANY OF MY EMPLOYEES HAVE HAD TO MOVE OUT TO, LIKE PFLUGERVILLE OR WAY SOUTH AUSTIN, AND THERE'S NO BUSES THAT GO THERE AT THREE IN THE MORNING AFTER THEIR SHIFT IS OVER.

OR THEY COULD DO A RIDE SHARE, WHICH LET'S JUST SAY ON THE LOW SIDE, THAT'S, THAT COULD BE UPWARDS OF 20 TO 30% OF WHAT THEY MAKE IN A DAY.

SO WE'RE ASKING THEM TO PAY 20 TO 30% OF THEIR INCOME JUST TO GET TO WORK.

THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE IS TO PARKING A NEIGHBORHOOD AND WALK POTENTIALLY HALF A MILE TO A MILE TO GET TO WORK.

WHEN, IF SAFETY TRULY IS A CONCERN, THEN AT 3:00 AM WE DON'T, I DON'T WANT MY EMPLOYEES TO BE WALKING A MILE, UM, ANYWHERE IN TOWN AT THAT TIME OF, UH, NIGHT.

'CAUSE I WOULD HAVE ON MY CONSCIENCE IF THEY GOT INJURED, THAT WOULD BE, UH, I WOULD, I WOULD FEEL TERRIBLE ABOUT IT.

SO I WANTED TO COME WITH A FEW SOLUTIONS.

THERE ARE OFFICE BUILDINGS ON MY BLOCK THAT HAVE OFFICE WORKERS DURING THE DAY, BUT NOT AT NIGHT.

THE, THEY HAVE PARKING GARAGES UNDERNEATH THEIR BUILDINGS.

IF THE CITY COULD SOMEHOW NEGOTIATE WITH THOSE OFFICE BUILDINGS ABOUT

[02:10:01]

ALLOWING, UH, EMPLOYEES THAT WORK NIGHT SHIFTS OR WORK DURING THE NIGHT TO USE THOSE BUILDINGS, THAT WOULD BE ONE SOLUTION.

ANOTHER SOLUTION IS TO JUST HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE CITY GO OUT TO EAST SIXTH STREET AND DECIDE IF WE REALLY DO NEED PAID PARKING IN THE MIDDLE OF DAY, LIKE AT 11:00 AM ON A THURSDAY OR A WEDNESDAY ON EAST SIXTH STREET.

I, HAVING WORKED THERE, DO NOT BELIEVE WE CAN, I CAN PARK PRETTY MUCH WHEREVER I WANT DURING THOSE HOURS.

AND THEN THE THIRD SOLUTION IS POTENTIALLY JUST OFFERING PARKING PASSES TO PEOPLE WHO CAN PROVE WITH PAYCHECKS OR PAY STUBS OR WHATEVER THAT THEY WORK ON THOSE BLOCKS.

UH, IF YOU CAN JUST HANG, HANG ON FOR JUST A SECOND.

CUSTOMER VELASQUEZ HAS A COMMENT.

UH, MR. DANNING, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

UH, SOMEBODY FROM MY TEAM IS GONNA COME DOWN AND CHAT WITH YOU SO WE CAN GET SOME, INFORM SOME MORE INFORMATION AND, AND, UH, AND GET SOME OF, UH, YOUR IDEAS.

GREAT.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

A LOT OF THIS IS HAPPENING IN NON-PEAK BAR HOURS.

RACHEL HACKATHORN, FOLLOWED BY DAVID HAAS AND CASSIE CAVASSO.

HELLO, UH, MY NAME'S RACHEL HACKATHORN.

I HAVE RUN A BUSINESS ON E SIX AND I'M ALSO A RESIDENT OF D THREE, UM, FOR OVER 10 YEARS NOW.

UM, I'M HERE TO MIRROR ALAN DEMING'S SENTIMENTS ON THE PARKING, UH, RAISES VIOLATIONS, UM, A LARGER COMPANY ON E SIX, BUT STILL A PRIVATELY OWNED FAMILY BUSINESS.

WE CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD PARKING FOR OUR STAFF MEMBERS, BUT WE PAY UPWARDS OF $75 PER PERSON POOR MONTH.

SO WE HAVE 35 EMPLOYEES, WHICH MEANS WE'RE PAYING $31,000 A YEAR JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF HAS SOMEWHERE TO PARK SAFELY AND SECURELY EACH DAY.

NOT ONLY DO THE PARKING VIOLATIONS, UH, AFFECT, UH, MY STAFF MEMBERS WHO CAN'T MAKE IT INTO THE GARAGE, OR NEWER STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE YET TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE GARAGE, OR SOMETIMES THE GARAGE DOESN'T WORK, BUT IT AFFECTS OUR NEIGHBORS DIRECTLY.

EVERY BUSINESS ON THE STREET, UH, BARTENDERS, UH, COOKS.

ANYBODY WHO WORKS ON E SIX, UH, IS DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THIS, UH, BY VIOLATION RAISE.

UH, SO I'M HERE TO OFFER ALSO SOME SOLUTIONS TO THE PARKING, UM, SITUATION WE CURRENTLY FACE, LIKE US, WE DO, UH, HAVE CONTRACTED PARKING IN ONE OF THE GARAGES, BUT THAT IS FAIRLY OUT OF PRICE FOR MOST, UH, WORKERS.

US AS A BUSINESS HAVE TAKEN THAT ON, OBVIOUSLY WITH $31,000 A YEAR, BUT THAT'S A HUGE EXPENSE FOR US.

AND THAT WOULD BE A LARGE EXPENSE FOR A SINGLE BARTENDER WHO WORKS EIGHT HOURS A DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK, AND LIVES IN SOUTH AUSTIN.

SO I WOULD ASK THAT THE CITY CONTRACT, UH, PARKING SPOTS IN THOSE EMPTY GARAGES FOR SERVICE INDUSTRY WORKERS AND RETAIL WORKERS.

ANOTHER SOLUTION WOULD ALSO BE TO RESTRICT PARKING TIMES TWO TIMES OF HIGHER VOLUME, LIKE FRIDAY, SATURDAY EVENINGS.

AND THEN ALSO THE PARKING PASS IDEA FOR STREET PARKING, I THINK IS A GREAT SOLUTION TO PROVIDING SAFE PARKING BECAUSE THEY, WE HAVE SEVERAL EMPLOYEES, UH, UP AND DOWN THE STREET THAT ARE CONSISTENTLY, UM, AFFRONTED BY CUSTOMERS, UM, DRUNK PATRONS AT 3:00 AM AND IT'S NOT VERY SAFE FOR MOST OF OUR EMPLOYEES ON THE EAST SIXTH DISTRICT TO WORK, UH, TO GO TO AND FROM WORK AT NIGHT.

UM, I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK QUICKLY.

UM, I I'M VERY EXCITED TO HEAR, UH, NEXT WEEK ON THE 17TH ABOUT THE FOOD TRUCK INITIATIVE BECAUSE THAT IS ANOTHER THING THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTS OUR BUSINESS, MOST BUSINESSES ON, ON EAST SIXTH AS WELL.

UM, THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU, UMRA.

RACHEL, UH, MY, MY TEAM IS HERE, BUT YOU HAVE MY CELL PHONE NUMBER.

IF YOU CAN GET A GROUP OF US TOGETHER, I'D BE HAPPY TO COME OVER FOR A PINT AND CHAT ABOUT THIS WITH Y'ALL.

THAT'S DAVID HAAS, CASSIE CSOS.

HELLO, FOLKS.

UH, MY NAME'S DAVID HAAS.

UH, I AM ALSO A RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER OF DISTRICT THREE.

UH, I PROVIDE FABRICATION, UH, AND HANDYMAN SERVICES FOR MANY OF THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS IN THAT PART OF TOWN.

UM, I, UH, AM DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE INCREASE IN PARKING AND THE INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE, UH, CHECKING THAT PARKING AND THE INCREASE IN UNPAID OR FREE PARKING SPOTS.

UH, A LOT OF THESE JOBS, UH, ARE VITAL FOR THESE BUSINESSES TO BE OPEN FOR THE DAY, AND I ARRIVE AND I MAY BE ON TOP OF AN ICE MAKER WITH MY ENTIRE TORSO IN A CEILING WHEN I RUN OUT OF PARKING.

UM, IT'S NOT VERY PRACTICAL FOR ME.

AND A LOT OF THE, UH, MAINTENANCE WORKERS, DELIVERY DRIVERS AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT, UM, WORK TO KEEP THESE BARS, RESTAURANTS, AND RETAILS OPEN TO MONITOR THEIR PARKING.

AND AGAIN, UH, AS ALAN AND RACHEL REFLECTED,

[02:15:01]

THIS IS HAPPENING DURING THE DAY WHERE I'M PERFORMING MOST OF THIS WORK, AND I'VE HEARD FROM DELIVERY DRIVERS, UH, THAT ARE GETTING TICKETED IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES THEM TO DROP OFF GOODS TO THESE BUSINESSES.

UM, IF I DO RECEIVE A FINE AT THE INCREASED RATE, UH, IT'S REALLY MAKING VERY IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO MAKE A LIVING WAGE IN THE HOUR.

IT TAKES ME TO DO SOMETHING THERE.

I MIGHT AS WELL NOT DO IT, AND THAT, UH, I'M NOT THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN, BUT THAT WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT THESE BUSINESSES.

IF PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO ARE A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER CAN'T BE THERE TO HELP THEM TO GET THEM UP AND RUNNING FOR THE DAY, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AGAIN, UH, THESE PARKING SPACES RELAX DURING THE DAY.

UH, AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE'S ONLY ONE EAST SIDE COMMUNITY LOT.

IT'S UP ON 11TH STREET, UH, AND THAT ONE IS FULL.

IT'S BASICALLY PARKING FOR A BUSINESS UP THERE.

AND AGAIN, NOT PRACTICAL, UH, FOR ME, HE WAS WORKING ON SIXTH STREET OR CAESAR CHAVEZ TO BE LUGGING MY TOOLS DOWNTOWN, UH, OR DOWN DOWN THE STREET FOR THAT.

UH, SO AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY AS A WHOLE TO, UM, REFLECT ON THE CHOICE TO MAKE THIS EXORBITANTLY EXPENSIVE FOR SOMEONE WHO, AGAIN, IS YEAH, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND NOT WORKING IN THE GREATER TECH FIELD HERE AND HAS THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS KIND OF FINES AND, UH, GENERAL, UH, PARKING FEES.

THAT'S IT.

CASSIE CAVASSO, FOLLOWED BY SCOTT COBB.

HELLO.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE AGENDA, I WAS HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF WOMEN IN AUSTIN, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING MORE PRESSING.

UH, MY NAME'S CASEY CAVAZOS AGAIN, AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY WE ALL SHARE, KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS SAFE, AND ENSURING EVERY STUDENT IN AUSTIN FEELS PROTECTED, SUPPORTED, AND FREE TO LEARN.

WE'VE ALL SEEN THE HEADLINES ABOUT SCHOOLS THREATS, LOCKED, DROWN, LOCKDOWNS, AND TRAGIC VIOLENCE THAT LEAVES PERMANENT SCARS.

WHILE A ISD HAS MADE PROGRESS, IT'S TIME TO GO FURTHER.

OUR KIDS DESERVE MORE THAN REACTIVE POLICIES.

THEY DESERVE BOLD, PREVENTABLE ACTION.

FIRST, I PROPOSE THAT AUSTIN LEAD A STATE, LEAD THE STATE BY CREATING A CITY SCHOOL SAFETY TASK FORCE, A PERMANENT BODY THAT INCLUDES CITY OFFICIALS, EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS.

THIS GROUP WILL PROACTIVELY IDENTIFY THREATS, CLOSE POLICY GAPS, AND IMPLEMENT THE BEST BEFORE ONES OCCURRING.

AND THIS NEED BECAME PAINFULLY CLEAR, UH, AFTER THE INCIDENT AT BARNO ELEMENTARY WHERE A TEACHER WAS ARRESTED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND THE INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE AND MY CHILDREN GO THERE.

SO THIS ISN'T ABSTRACT TO ME.

IT'S VERY PERSONAL, AND I REFUSE TO BECOME ANOTHER STATISTIC.

SECOND, WE SHOULD ADOPT A MUNICIPAL LEVEL SAFE STORAGE LAW FOR FIREARMS REQUIRING GUNS AND HOMES WITH CHILDREN BE STORED SECURELY.

IT WON'T SOLVE EVERYTHING, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE MOST STRAIGHTFORWARD AND EVIDENCE-BASED WAYS TO PREVENT SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND YOUTH TRAGEDIES.

THIRD, I FEEL LIKE WE MUST INVEST IN BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSING ASSESSMENT TRAINING IN EVERY SCHOOL, NOT JUST THE STAFF, BUT FOR THE STUDENTS AS WELL.

RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS BEFORE A CRISIS CAN MAKE ALL OF THE DIFFERENCE.

AND TO MAKE THAT EFFECTIVE, WE NEED A CENTRALIZED, ANONYMOUS DIGITAL REPORTING SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS IMMEDIATELY WITH BOTH SCHOOL AND CITY CRISIS TEAMS. BUT SAFETY JUST ISN'T PHYSICAL, IT'S ALSO EMOTIONAL.

AND OUR L-G-B-T-Q STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY OUR GAY AND TRANS KIDS, ARE UNDER CONSTANT THREAT, NOT JUST FROM PEERS, BUT FROM POLICIES TRYING TO ERASE THEM.

NEARLY HALF OF L-G-B-T-Q SERIOUSLY, YOUTH, SERIOUSLY CONSIDER SUICIDE.

AND WE CANNOT SEPARATE THAT FROM SCHOOL SAFETY.

LET'S CREATE A CITYWIDE SAFETY SCHOOL PLEDGE THAT GUARANTEES PROTECTIONS FOR LGBTQ PLUS STUDENTS IN EVERY SCHOOL.

PROTECTIONS FROM BULLYING, HARASSMENT, POLITICAL TARGETING, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW IN THE WORLD.

LET'S FUND GENDER AFFIRMING MENTAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES FOR N-A-S-I-D-A-A-I-S-D AND SAFE ZONES ON EVERY CAMPUS WITH TRAINED ALLIES AND VISIBLE SIGNAGE SO STUDENTS KNOW WHERE THEY CAN FEEL SAFE.

AUSTIN HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CITY OF PROGRESS, BUT NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT BOLDLY.

OUR KIDS ARE WATCHING US AND MY KIDS ARE WATCHING ME.

LET'S SHOW THEM THAT WE'RE LISTENING.

SCOTT COBB, FOLLOWED BY JOE WISEMAN.

SCOTT, SCOTT COBB.

DECEMBER 26 THAT CONFIRMS THERE WERE INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN 30 PLUS YEAR OLD MANAGERS AND YOUNG LIFEGUARDS.

FOLLOWED BY JOE WISEMAN.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MARCH 25TH, YOU RECEIVED A MEMO FROM PART DIRECTOR JESUS ER, ABOUT AN EXTERNAL INVESTIGATION THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO INTO THE AQUATICS CULTURE.

IN THE MEMO, THEY SAY ALL THE INVESTIGATIONS THEY'VE DONE SO FAR WERE FULLY IN, UH, COMPLETED AND FOUND NOTHING.

HERE'S AN EMAIL

[02:20:01]

THE EMAIL CONFIRMS THAT THE LIFEGUARD AND THE MANAGER WERE SPOKEN TO BY MANAGEMENT, AND THE WOMAN WAS PUNISHED BY BEING TRANSFERRED, ENDING HER LIFEGUARD CAREER TO SOME OTHER JOB EMPIRE.

THE MAN REMAINED MANAGER AND STILL WORKS AT BARTON SPRINGS.

THIS IS EVIDENCE THEY ARE NOT CONDUCTING FORMAL INVESTIGATIONS ADEQUATELY OR PROFESSIONALLY.

THEY ALSO LIE IN THIS EMAIL.

THEY SAY THAT THE LIFEGUARDS INVOLVED WERE HIRED BY PAR AT AGE 16.

I HAVE OLD EMAILS THAT CONTAIN SCHEDULES.

WHEN THESE TWO LIFEGUARDS WERE 16 AND 17, THEIR FIRST SUMMER PART SAYS THEY WERE HIRED AT 18.

THEY LIED.

THEY WERE HIRED AT 16 AND 17.

MAYBE THEY GOT INTO THE RELATIONSHIPS AT 18, BUT THERE WAS GROOMING GOING ON.

ANOTHER CASE THAT WENT IN UNINVESTIGATED BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND THE NAMES OF THE TWO WOMEN IN THE REPORT FILED WITH THE CITY AUDITOR BECAUSE THEY WERE THEIR FIRST NAMES.

I JUST, WHEN I WAS STANDING BACK THERE, GOT AN EMAIL, A TEXT FROM ONE OF THOSE GUARDS.

SHE'S REALLY UPSET, SO PARDON HER LANGUAGE.

I TOLD HER, SHE SAID SHE WAS JUST YESTERDAY CONTACTED BY HR AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS ABOUT.

I TOLD HER THEY DOING AN INVESTIGATION.

SHE WRITES, THAT'S INSANE.

WHEN I WALKED OUT OF THE OFFICE THAT DAY TO MAKE THAT COMPLAINT, JODI J STOPPED ME AND BASICALLY INTIMIDATED ME AND MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT I SHOULD STOP.

SHE BASICALLY WAS TELLING ME, IF I WASN'T SO PRECOCIOUS, THESE THINGS WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING TO US.

AND WE WERE LIKE, WHAT THE F**K? THEN I GOT FIRED AND, AND THEN LATER SHE SAYS, JODI IS THE ONE I THINK SHOULD BE IN THE MOST TROUBLE.

EVERYTHING WAS BROUGHT TO HER ATTENTION.

IT WAS JUST SO RAMPANT AND CLEARLY THE ENTIRE CULTURE.

THAT WAS PROBABLY TOO MUCH WORK FOR HER TO DEAL WITH.

SHE ALSO SAYS THAT WORKING AS A AS A TEENAGER IN AQUATICS WAS F*****G TRAUMATIC.

SIR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

BUT PLEASE, YESTERDAY I GOT A CEASE AND DESIST LETTER FROM JODI J SHE TELLS ME TO SHUT UP OR SHE'S GONNA FILE CRIMINAL COMPLAINTS AGAINST ME.

THAT IS RETALIATION.

SHE SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY SUSPENDED FROM HER JOB AS ASSISTANT PARTS DIRECTOR.

JOE WISEMAN, LAURA GUERRERO, SUE FOWLER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

NEXT SPEAKER IS JOE WISEMAN, FOLLOWED BY LAURA GUERRERO.

YES, PLEASE COME TO THE MIC.

I HAVE A PRESENTATION I SENT Y'ALL, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL CAN FOLLOW IT OR WHATNOT.

CT AND CAN PULL UP THE PRESENTATION.

AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS? THANK YOU.

WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.

DO I CLICK ON THIS? YOU CAN USE THE CLICKER IF YOU NEED TO.

IS THERE ANOTHER, IT'S SUPPOSED TO OPEN THAT LINK.

YEAH, COPY PASTE IT.

I MEAN, IF NOT, I CAN SPEAK.

IF YOU CAN START YOUR TESTIMONY, YEAH, YEAH.

AND STUFF.

WE'LL OPEN THE LINK.

AND MY NAME IS LAURA ROGERS GUERRERO, AND I'M HERE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION A SERIOUS CASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE CAUSED BY WEED CORDLEY FISH.

APPRECIATE THAT.

I WAS RAISED TO STAND UP FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND NOT WRITE POWERPOINTS APPARENTLY.

AND A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.

BECAUSE I'M A PROUD AUSTINITE, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A DISTURBING REALITY.

THE VIEW THAT SITS DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM MY DAUGHTER'S WINDOW OF WEED, QUARTERLY FISH.

THERE WE GO.

THE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ARE SHOCKING, BUT NOTHING COMPARE YOU FOR THE OVERRULING ODOR THAT COMES WITH THE PLUME OF SMOKE.

WORSE, WHEN THE WIND SHIFTS, ANYONE NEARBY IS FORCED TO RUN INDOORS TO ESCAPE THE TOXIC FUMES BEYOND THE UNBEARABLE SMELL OF THIS FACILITY HAS BEEN CITED BY THE TECQ FOR VIOLATIONS, YET THE BLACK SMOKE CONTINUES.

THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE

[02:25:01]

IT ALSO STRAINS OUR EMERGENCY RESOURCES NAIL ON THE COFFIN, WHICH Y'ALL WERE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN CALLED OUT REPEATEDLY DUE TO THE EXTREME SMOKE.

JUST THE OTHER NIGHT, SPARKS WERE FLYING FROM THE STACK DURING HIGH WINDS.

THE CREMATORIUM WAS BUILT IN 2022, YET IT'S LOCATED WITHIN A FEW FEET OF RESIDENCE.

BUILT IN 19 19 60.

MIND YOU, A GROCERY STORE CHURCH.

AND JUST 0.7 MILES AWAY FROM HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY, THE VERY SCHOOL I ATTENDED.

HOW WAS THIS ACTIVE CREMATORIUM ALLOWED TO BE PLACED IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR COMMUNITY? THIS ISSUE IS SO SERIOUS THAT KXAN AIRED AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE PERSISTENT VIOLATION OF THE HEALTH RISKS POED BY THE CHEMICALS.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MY DAUGHTER, IT'S ABOUT DAILY.

I URGE YOU TO TAKE ACTION.

WE NEED THE CITY TO STEP IN AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.

PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS GO UNCHECKED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

YOU GUYS ARE SUPERHEROES.

PLEASE HELP US.

COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELASQUEZ

ALL.

THE SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN CALLED.

PARDON? THANK YOU.

OH, THANK YOU.

I THINK WE HAVE ONE FINAL SPEAKER.

HI, MY NAME IS SUE FOWLER AND I LIVE IN HIGHLAND PARK WEST CONDOMINIUMS, AND I'M A RETIRED TEACHER FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED.

I HAVE LIVED IN THIS LOCATION, UH, SINCE 1992, AND EVERY TIME WE HAVE A BUSINESS MOVING IN, WE GET NOTICED OF LIKE THE OIL CHANGE PLACE ACROSS THE STREET.

AND THIS TIME, THIS COMPANY, WE HAD NO IDEA WHO WAS MOVING IN WITHIN RANGE OF OUR HOMES UNTIL AFTER THE BUILDING HAD BEGUN.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO ASK THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS WHAT THEY WERE BUILDING, AND THEY LET US KNOW THAT IT WAS A CREMATORIUM AND WE'D QUARTERLY FISH.

WELL, WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WERE UNTIL AFTER THEY STARTED THEIR BUSINESS.

AND THIS MEANT THAT DAILY WE SAW THIS GOING ON.

AND AT ONE POINT I WAS STANDING IN MY YARD AND THE SMOKE BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE THE AIR WAS MOVING OR NOT, UH, IT CAME DOWN AND WAS LIKE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF US WHO WERE TALKING JUST AT EACH OTHER.

AND SO I JUST DECIDED, WHAT THE HECK? I'M GONNA GO INSIDE OF THE WEED QUARTERLY FISH AND SAY, PEOPLE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW? BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THEIR BUSINESS FACING THE OTHER DIRECTION AND WE'RE IN THE YARD OF OUR PLACE AND THIS SMOKE IS COMING.

AND SHE SAID, MA'AM, THIS IS A BUSINESS AND THIS IS WHAT THIS BUSINESS DOES.

AND I WAS LIKE, NO, THIS IS NOT, THIS CANNOT BE POSSIBLE THAT IN THIS CITY OF AUSTIN, THIS CLOSE TO SCHOOLS IN MY YARD, TO THE POINT THAT 22 YEARS OLD AND HE IS BULLETPROOF.

BUT HE CAME INTO OUR HOUSE AFTER INHALING A BUNCH OF THIS BECAUSE OF THE INVERSION OF THE WAY THE SMOKE WAS GOING.

I TRIED TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE ASH THAT WAS ON TOP OF THE POOL, BUT THERE WAS NO WAY OF DOING IT.

THIS IS REAL.

THIS IS CONSTANT TRYING TO GET THEM TO CHANGE OR TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

WE FINALLY GOT TECQ THOSE PEOPLE IN AND THEY AGREE.

AND THE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT YESTERDAY, I WENT TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT HOW MANY FALSE ALARMS THEY GET.

THEY GET A LOT OF FALSE ALARMS BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE.

I WAS GETTING ONTO MOPAC NOT THAT LONG AGO AND SAW THIS BILLOWING SMOKE AGAIN.

AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY THAT PLACE, BUT YOU'RE JUST NOT EVER SURE.

SO I TURNED AROUND, WENT BACK HOME, AND SURE ENOUGH, IT WAS THEM.

BUT WHAT I WANNA SAY IS THAT MY, ALSO MY PROPERTY VALUES HAVE CHANGED.

PEOPLE HAVE MOVED.

I HAVE THOUGHT OF MOVING BECAUSE THIS IS THE VIEW THAT WE HAVE.

BUT I LOVE WHERE I LIVE.

I DON'T WANT TO MOVE.

I WANT THEM TO MOVE.

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WITHIN BETWEEN MY HOUSE, BETWEEN THE HOUSE OF THE WOMAN AT THE BOTTOM? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS.

THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.

THIS CONCLUDES NOON PUBLIC COMMUNICATION PORTION OF THE AGENDA.

COUNCIL WILL NOW STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 1:10 PM WE WILL STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 1:10 PM IN WHICH WE WOULD COME BACK AND I INVITE EVERYONE TO JOIN US FOR LIVE MUSIC.

THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.

OR COUNCIL STANDS IN RECESS.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

IS THAT WORKING RIGHT? I'M

[02:30:01]

[Live Music]

AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF INTRODUCING VIVA PALINA ORCHESTRA.

THE VIVA PALESTINA ORCHESTRA WAS FOUNDED IN NOVEMBER OF 2023.

HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, THEY PERFORM PALESTINIAN CULTURAL MUSIC, THE OR THE ORCHESTRA'S REPERTOIRE CENTERS AROUND PAL, UH, PALESTINIAN AND LEVINTON HERITAGE PRESERVATION, WHICH AIMS TO CELEBRATE CULTURE, POETRY, RESILIENCE THROUGH MUSIC, STORYTELLING, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

COMPRISE, UH, YEAH, COMPROMISING COMP COMPRISING MUSICIANS FROM DIVERSE CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS.

THE VPO ENSEMBLE BLENDS THEIR VOICES TO UPLIFT PALESTINIAN NARRATIVES AND LIVES.

SINCE ITS ITS INCEPTION, VPO HAS PERFORMED IN MULTIPLE VENUES ACROSS AUSTIN, INCLUDING THE MUSEUM OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT, EMPIRE CONTROL ROOM, RICH'S ART GALLERY, THE VORTEX HOTEL, VEGAS SPIDER SPIDER HOUSE BALLROOM, FAR OUT LOUNGE, AND KENNY DOORMAN'S BACKYARD.

THIS MULTI-GENERATIONAL COLLECTIVE SHARE THE VISION THAT MUSIC, CULTURE, STORYTELLING, AND POETRY CAN UNITE AND HEAL WHILE RAISING AWARENESS OF INJUSTICE AND RACISM.

LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR A VIVA PALINA ORCHESTRA.

[02:37:16]

HEY, I, WHEN I BACK MY BEST BACK, MY BEST BACK, MY BEST.

[02:40:09]

UM, GIVE IT UP AGAIN FOR VIVA PALINA.

SO I HAVE THE, UH, OUR OFFICE WAS HONORED TO SPONSOR THIS GROUP TO COME AND PLAY FOR US TODAY.

AND I HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR OF READING, UH, THE PROCLAMATION FOR IT, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS OUR MUSIC SCENE THRIVES BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE AUSTIN AUDIENCE SUPPORT DIVERSE MUSIC PRODUCED BY LEGENDS, OUR LOCAL FAVORITES AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE.

AND WHEREAS THE VIVA PALESTINA ORCHESTRA IS A COLLECTIVE OF AUSTIN MUSICIANS THAT UPLIFT PALESTINIAN CULTURE AND IDENTITY THROUGH MUSIC AND STORYTELLING.

AND WHEREAS MUSIC HAS A POWERFUL WAY OF BRINGING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, PROVIDING STRENGTH, HOPE, AND COMFORT, WHILE ALSO SERVING AS A TOOL TO INSPIRE CHANGE AND PROMOTE PEACE.

AND WHEREAS THE VIVA PALINO ORCHESTRA RAISES AWARENESS AND EDUCATES THEIR LIST, EDUCATES THEIR LISTENERS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF PALESTINE THROUGH MOVING RENDITIONS OF CULTURALLY RELEVANT SONGS THAT TELL STORIES OF RESILIENCE, LOVE, AND THE, UH, UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.

AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS BLESSED WITH MANY CREATIVE MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENTS EXPAND A VARIETY OF GENRES, AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO SHOWCASE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTIST NOW, THEREFORE, I, COUNCIL MEMBER JOSE VELAZQUEZ WITH THE MAYOR PRO TEM VANESSA FUENTES AND COUNCIL MEMBER CHITO VELA, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH 27TH, 2025 AS VIVA PALINA ORCHESTRA DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

IT'S ONE 10 ON, UH, THUR THE AFTERNOON OF THURSDAY, MARCH 27TH, AND I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AFTER A BRIEF RECESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, UH, JUST SO THAT WE CAN, UH, HOPEFULLY MOVE WITH SOME EFFICIENCY AND GET, UH, WE ONLY, WE ONLY HAVE, UH, 50 MINUTES BEFORE OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN.

UM, AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO.

I'M GOING TO CALL UP, UH, FIRST I'M GONNA GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND I WILL CALL UP THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT HAVE THE LEAST PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK SO THAT WE, THOSE FOLKS WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, SPEAK.

AND THEN WE WILL GO TO THE, THE, THE REMAINING ITEMS. SO THE WAY I SEE THIS PLAYING OUT IS ITEM 76 84 AND ONE 13 WILL PROBABLY BE AFTER WE HAVE THE OTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS.

UH, BUT I'M, I'M JUST, I'M GOING TO P PLAY THIS UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK, SEE WHERE WE ARE.

UH, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW, HOW I'M LOOKING AT THAT.

SO WITH THAT, UH, I WILL CALL UP, UH, ITEM NUMBER 74.

UH, REMEMBER MEMBERS THAT ITEMS 74 THROUGH 82 ARE PUBLIC HEARINGS, BUT THEY'RE NON-ACTION ITEMS BECAUSE THEY'RE TECHNICAL CODE AMENDMENTS AND THEY MUST BE HEARD TWICE.

UM, BUT AS I SAID, WHAT I WAS GONNA DO, I'M LOOKING, AND I'M NOT SURE WE HAVE THE STAFF THAT WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT THESE, DO WE? 75.

75.

I'LL CALL UP ITEM NUMBER 75.

WELL CON SINCE YOU JUST VOLUNTEERED, COME UP HERE, WE'LL, WE'LL DO 75 THANKS.

[75. Conduct a public hearing on an ordinance repealing and replacing Article 12 (Energy Code) of City Code Chapter 25-12 (Technical Codes) to adopt the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code and local amendments, including provisions allowing for readiness for electric vehicles, electric appliances, and energy storage systems; and creating offenses. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

[02:45:01]

UM, ITEM NUMBER 75 IS A PUBLIC HEARING WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 75, AND THIS IS A VERY BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ITEM NUMBER 75 IN CASE COUNSEL HAS ANY QUESTIONS.

THANKS.

UH, BOB CO.

GENERAL MANAGER AUSTIN ENERGY AND HEIDI CASPER, WHAT? WE'RE GOOD TO GO, HEIDI? YEP.

COME ON UP.

CAN YOU GIMME SLIDE EIGHT? UM, ONE MORE.

THANKS, HEIDI.

CASPER, I AM THE DIRECTOR FOR GREEN BUILDING AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AT AUSTIN ENERGY.

I'M COVERING THE ENERGY CODE TODAY.

NEXT SLIDE.

UM, IN TERMS OF THIS CODE, THIS VERSION OF THE CODE IS ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF NEW BUILDINGS BY APPROXIMATELY 13% FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND 6% FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.

A LOT OF THE CHANGES ADD ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY AND CHOICES TO ALLOW DESIGNERS TO IMPLEMENT THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO MEET THE EFFICIENCY STANDARD FOR THE RESIDENTIAL CODE IN PARTICULAR, ONE CHANGE I WILL HIGHLIGHT IS THE REDUCTION OF THE PRESCRIPTIVE ATTIC INSTALLATION FROM R 49 TO R 38.

OUR ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THERE ARE DIMINISHING RETURNS FOR THAT LEVEL OF INSTALLATION, AND SO BY REDUCING IT, WE CAN ACHIEVE GREATER EFFICIENCY AT LOWER COST.

THE CODE ALSO INCLUDES REQUIREMENTS THAT ANTICIPATE THE ADOPTION OF CLEANER AND MORE EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FUTURE.

ELECTRIC READINESS MEASURES WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR HOMEOWNERS TO CONVERT TO ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT AND APPLIANCES IF THEY CHOOSE.

AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING READINESS MEASURES ALLOW FOR FUTURE EV CHARGING.

OTHER CHANGES INCLUDE AIR LEAKAGE REDUCTION, DEMAND RESPONSE CONTROLS FOR WATER HEATER AND MOISTURE CONTROLS FOR BATHROOM EXHAUST FANS.

NEXT SLIDE.

FOR THE COMMERCIAL CODE, WE'RE ADDING AIR, AIR LEAKAGE TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL USES LIKE THE RESIDENTIAL CODE, ADDITIONAL FLEXIBILITY AND CHOICES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED.

NEW COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS OVER 10,000 SQUARE FEET WILL REQUIRE RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS AND ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM READINESS MEASURES TO ALLOW FOR FUTURE BATTERY INSTALLATION.

AS IN THE RESIDENTIAL CODE, ELECTRIC READY AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE READINESS MEASURES HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED.

THESE REQUIREMENTS I WILL JUST, UM, CLARIFY ADD INFRASTRUCTURE ONLY AND NOT THE ACTUAL EQUIPMENT OR THE CHARGING STATIONS MEMBERS.

YOU HAVE ANY QUE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, BRIEFING ON THE ITEM.

I WILL, WE'VE OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.

FIRST SPEAKER IS CYRUS REED ON ITEM 75, AND HE IS REMOTE REED.

CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES.

I CAN'T SEE YOU.

IN TERMS OF, UM, ENERGY USE AND ALSO THE INCORPORATION OF THESE NEW TECHNOLOGIES.

UH, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU VIRTUALLY.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BE IN TWO PLACES AT ONCE, BUT JUST I KNOW THAT FEELING.

THE SIERRA CLUB FULLY SUPPORT.

YEAH.

UH, THE SIERRA CLUB FULLY SUPPORTS THE ADOPTION OF THE 2024 IECC WITH LOCAL AMENDMENTS FOR BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.

LOWERING ENERGY USE AND INCORPORATING NEW TECHNOLOGY IS A KEY TOOL TO MEET OUR LONG-TERM ENERGY AND CLIMATE GOALS AND BUILDINGS, AS YOU KNOW, LAST SOMETIMES WELL OVER 50 YEARS.

SO MAKING SURE THESE NEW AND REFURBISHED BUILDINGS MEET THESE CODES IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE.

AUSTIN, AS YOU KNOW, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS HAS BEEN A LEADER ON ENERGY CODES.

AND I BELIEVE WITH THIS ADOPTION, WE WOULD BE, I THINK, THE FIRST CITY IN TEXAS TO ADOPT THE 24 ENERGY CODE.

UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MANY OF YOU APPROVED, UH, WELL, SOME OF YOU THAT, THAT WERE, UH, MEMBERS LAST YEAR DID APPROVE THE 2035 AUSTIN GENERATION PLAN THAT MADE MAJOR COMMITMENTS TO CONTINUE TO BELIEVE, BE A LEADER ON ENERGY CODES, ENERGY SAVINGS, UM, UH, ONSITE SOLAR ONSITE STORAGE, AND CONTINUED INCORPORATION OF EV.

UH, WE HAVE REVIEWED CAREFULLY THESE PROPOSALS AND AGREE WITH THEM.

UH, THIS CODE DID GO THROUGH R-M-C-E-U-C, UH, SUSTAINABILITY, UM, COMMITTEE, UH, AND, AND OBVIOUSLY HAD, UH, LOTS OF INPUT FROM, FROM MANY STAKEHOLDERS.

UH, WE WOULD NOTE THAT WE BELIEVE THESE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD SAVE, UM, RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION IN TERMS OF ENERGY SAVINGS AROUND 6% AND COMMERCIAL EVEN MORE AT 13% ACCORDING TO THE MODELING.

UM, IT WOULD FOR COMMERCIAL INCREASE SOME CONSTRUCTION COSTS, BUT OVER THE LONG TERM OF THE BUILDINGS WILL SAVE

[02:50:01]

SPEAKER, YOUR TIME IS RESIDENT EXPIRED.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NEXT SPEAKER CAMILLE COOK.

CAMILLE NEXT SPEAKER IS SHANE JOHNSON.

SHANE PAUL ROBBINS, COUNSEL, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

COUNSEL.

UM, I'M PAUL ROBBINS.

I SERVE AS VICE CHAIR OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.

OUR COMMISSION VOTED TO SUPPORT THE ENERGY CODE ENTHUSIASTICALLY AND I URGE YOU TO APPROVE IT APRIL 10TH.

BUT WE ALSO VOTED TO SUPPORT AN ADDITION TO THIS, THIS, AND THAT IS THE, WE SUPPORT A REQUIREMENT FOR HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS IN ALL ELECTRIC HOMES AND APARTMENTS.

THIS TECHNOLOGY COST EFFECTIVELY SAVES ABOUT 60% OF THE ENERGY, UH, OF A CONVENTIONAL UNIT.

IT IS NOT LOGICAL FOR ENERGY TO SUPPORT NEW POLLUTING UP GAS POWER PLANTS THAT WILL COST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WHILE THE UTILITY CONTINUES TO ALLOW WASTEFUL APPLIANCES TO PROLIFERATE.

MY ESTIMATE IS THAT IN A 10 YEAR PERIOD BETWEEN 2013 AND 2023, THERE WERE 68,000 NEW HOMES WITH ALL ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS THAT ADDED ABOUT 24 MEGAWATTS TO THE AUSTIN ENERGY PEAK DEMAND.

UH, THIS ADDED ABOUT $14 MILLION A YEAR IN CONSUMER COSTS.

UH, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA WITH 12% OF THE COUNTRY'S POPULATION IS DOING THIS NOW.

IT IS TOO LATE TO POSTPONE PASSAGE OF THE PROPOSED CODE.

BUT ON APRIL 10TH, I'M ASKING YOU TO ADD A SEPARATE ITEM TO INITIATE A CODE PROCESS TO REQUIRE HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS IN NEW ALL ELECTRIC HOMES SO THAT MAYBE IN SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR WE WILL HAVE THAT AS WELL.

NEXT SPEAKER IS SHANE JOHNSON.

CAMILLE COOK.

CAMILLE, PLEASE UNMUTE.

I PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.

HELLO? HELLO.

CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU.

OH, GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WATSON AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS CAMILLE COOK AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE AND I WORK AT PUBLIC CITIZEN TEXAS HERE IN AUSTIN.

I'M SPEAKING WITH Y'ALL TODAY, UH, TO DISCUSS THE BENEFITS OF ADOPTING THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY WHEN IMPLEMENTED IN THE CODE ENSURES THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE BENEFITS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN THESE BUILDINGS IS IMPROVED.

IT SAVES TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND IT IMPROVES ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES HERE IN AUSTIN.

SO ENERGY EFFICIENT NEW HOMES PROVIDE MANY QUALITY OF LIFE BENEFITS.

UH, REDUCE ENERGY USAGE IN BUILDINGS IMPROVES LONG-TERM AFFORDABILITY BECAUSE PEOPLE SPEND LESS ON THE, ON THEIR UTILITIES.

UH, THIS IMPROVES SATISFACTION AND KEEPS PEOPLE HERE IN AUSTIN.

UH, THESE CHANGES WILL REDUCE BOTH GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND LOCAL INDOOR, LOCAL AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY OR AIR POLLUTION.

AND MORE AND MORE RESEARCH IS COMING OUT TALKING ABOUT THE DANGERS OF NATURAL GAS STOVES FOR AIR QUALITY IN THE HOME, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND THESE CODES CAN ALSO SAVE TAXPAYER DOLLARS, AS I'M SURE Y'ALL, AS I'M SURE Y'ALL KNOW, AFTER HEARING THE AE PRESENTATION ON UNDER GROUNDING WIRES, IT IS MUCH CHEAPER TO GET THESE THINGS DONE FROM THE BEGINNING THAN TRYING TO RETROFIT LATER.

THIS CODE ENSURES EV AND ELECTRIC READINESS PERVIS PROVISIONS, WHICH GIVES CURRENT AND FUTURE PROPERTY OWNERS AN AFFORDABLE PATHWAY TO CHOOSE EFFICIENT ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGIES.

THE 2024 ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE IS PROJECTED TO RESULT IN 6.1% ENERGY SAVINGS IN RESIDENTIAL AND 13.4% SAVINGS IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.

LASTLY, THIS UPDATED CODE, UH, HELPS IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES.

HERE IN AUSTIN, USING LESS ENERGY REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF NATURAL GAS AND COLD WE BURN.

AND IT MEANS THERE'S A LOWER PEAK DEMAND ON COLD WINTER MORNINGS AND HOT SUMMER DAYS.

UM, BUILDINGS BUILT TODAY CAN LAST WELL OVER 50 YEARS, MEANING THAT THESE UPGRADES OF CODE CAN BENEFIT US FOR WELL OVER HALF A CENTURY.

LET'S FUTURE PROOF AS MUCH AS WE CAN, ESPECIALLY AS THE FUTURE SEEMS MUCH MORE TENUOUS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[02:55:02]

WE WILL GO, OH, I'M SORRY.

WE'VE GOT ONE MORE SPEAKER.

KABA WHITE.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS KABA WHITE.

I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF PUBLIC CITIZENS TEXAS OFFICE, AND WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE UPDATES OF PROPOSED.

UM, AS YOU'LL SEE IN THE BACKUP MATERIALS, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE HAS, UH, REGISTERED SUPPORT FOR THIS UPDATE.

AND IN FACT, THAT COMMITTEE AND SEVERAL, SEVERAL OTHER OF YOUR, UM, ADVISORY BODIES HAVE BEEN, UH, ENCOURAGING THESE UPDATES.

AND IN PARTICULAR, THE EV READY AND ELECTRIC READY ADDITIONS TO THE CODE FOR SOME TIME.

UM, I THINK PERHAPS SOME OF YOU ARE ALREADY AWARE OF THIS, BUT, UM, THE AUSTIN CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN DOES INCLUDE, UH, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY A COMMITMENT TO MOVE TOWARD ELECTRIFICATION, NOT ONLY OF TRANSPORTATION, BUT ALSO OF THE VARIOUS APPLIANCES AND HOMES AND BUSINESSES.

AND BUILDING TO ALLOW FOR THAT, UH, ON THE FRONT END IS MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE THAN DOING IT AS A RETROFIT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY SHARE THAT I HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THIS.

I HAVE A 1984 HOME AND HAVE BEEN, UH, CONVERTING, UH, IT, YOU KNOW, TO ALLOW FOR ELECTRIFICATION.

I HAVE, UH, AN ELECTRIC CAR CHARGER.

I THEN GOT AN ELECTRIC, UH, HEAT PUMP, WATER HEATER, AND UM, THEN, UH, ALSO AN INDUCTION ELECTRIC STOVE.

ALL OF THOSE, UM, REQUIRED HIRING AN ELECTRICIAN.

IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE AND FRANKLY HAS BECOME MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE OVER TIME.

UM, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ONE WAS SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS AND THEN I THINK THE LAST ONE WAS, YOU KNOW, WELL OVER A THOUSAND.

AND I KNOW, UM, OTHER FRIENDS WHO HAVE HAD TO, UM, DO SIMILAR WORK RECENTLY, AND IT IS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO DO WITH THEM AS RETROFITS.

SO THESE PROVISIONS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO ALLOW, UH, RESIDENTS TO AND ACTUALLY HAVE A CHOICE FOR, UM, WHAT THEY'RE USING.

IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANYBODY TO CHOOSE ELECTRIC IF THEY DON'T WANT TO.

UM, BUT IT DOES ALLOW FOR THANK YOU MS. WHITE REPLACEMENT OF AN APPLIANCE WITH A SIMPLE CLOTH.

SHANE JOHNSON, PLEASE UNMUTE SHANE JOHNSON, PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR PHONE.

HI, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES.

HI.

CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME NOW? YES.

HI, Y'ALL.

SHANE JOHNSON, UH, UH, HE, HIM PRONOUNS.

I'M, UH, DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENT SPEAKING AS A CLEAN ENERGY ORGANIZER FOR THE TEXAS SIERRA CLUB.

UH, AND I WAS CO-CHAIR OF THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN IN THE PAST.

FOR THOSE YOU DON'T KNOW.

UM, SO FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE PUBLIC UPDATING BUILDING CODES MEANS BETTER ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR NEW BUILDINGS IN THE FUTURE.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SOLUTION TO EVERYTHING I WORK ON AT SIERRA CLUB, ADDRESSING HIGH BILLS THAT CONTINUE TO GROW, ADVANCING CLEAN ENERGY, FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE, HELPING MAKE OUR LOCAL GRID AND THE TEXAS GRID OVERALL MORE RELIABLE, HELPING ADDRESS ENERGY, POVERTY AND ENERGY, ENERGY JUSTICE.

UH, SO EVERYONE I'VE TALKED TO INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF WORK COMPLAINS ABOUT THEIR UTILITY BILLS BEING TOO HIGH AND GOING UP.

UM, MY PARENTS, MY BARBER, OTHER FRIENDS, UM, UH, AND MY PARENTS ARE IN D SEVEN AS WELL.

UM, AND UH, SO I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, FOR REFERENCE, MY ELECTRIC BILL EVERY MONTH HAS BEEN NEARLY DOUBLE WHAT IT WAS BEFORE THE 2022 AUSTIN ENERGY RATE HIKE.

AND SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A COMMON ACROSS THE BOARD AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB ABOUT ADDRESSING.

UH, AND FOR NEW BUILDINGS AND FUTURE RESIDENTS IN THOSE BUILDINGS OR, YOU KNOW, WORKERS, UH, THESE ENERGY CODE UPDATES ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UH, TO MEETING THOSE NEEDS AND HELPING KEEP BILLS LOWER, HELPING BALANCE THE FINANCES, LOSS AND ENERGY.

UM, SO PLEASE PASS THESE ENERGY CODE, THE 2024 ENERGY CODE UPDATES.

THAT WOULD BE A BIG STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND OTHER TECHNICAL CODES.

NOW WE'RE GOING TO IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FOR ITEM NUMBER 75, CHRIS GANNON, CRAIG NAOR, STUART HIRSH, AND MONICA GUZMAN.

HI, UH, THIS IS CHRIS GAON.

I AM THE A I A HOUSING ADVOCACY CHAIR.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AROUND THIS

[03:00:01]

WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS WITHIN THE A I A AUSTIN'S HOUSING ADVOCACY COMMITTEE AND WE SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF THIS CODE FULLY, BUT ASKED TO CONSIDER EXEMPTING AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS FROM THE EV CHARGING REQUIREMENT.

UH, WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF PUBLIC FUNDS FOR HOUSING AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO STRETCH AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.

THANK YOU MR. HIRSCH.

MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL MAYOR.

WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS SINCE 1997.

UH, WE LOOK THE SAME THOUGH , WE LOOK THE SAME.

UH, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE IN 1997 AND THE GOVERNOR AND EVERY SUBSEQUENT GOVERNOR SINCE 1997, HAS SUPPORTED CITIES AND TOWNS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS OF BEING ABLE TO USE EITHER THE UNIFORM CODES OR THE INTERNATIONAL CODES.

WE IN AUSTIN HAVE BLOCKED THAT ALTERNATIVE FOR 27 YEARS AND TODAY'S PROPOSED AMENDMENTS BEFORE YOU WILL FINALLY END OUR NON-ALIGNMENT WITH STATE LAW.

AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THAT'S THE CASE.

I WAS PREPARED TO COME HERE TODAY AND TELL YOU THIS IS THE BOOK BY WHICH YOU BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE, A DUPLEX OR A TOWNHOUSE IN THE WORLD, AND IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE, BUT EXHAUSTED ENERGY AS CLEARLY ARTICULATED.

WE NEED TO GO BEYOND THAT.

THEIR CODE AMENDMENTS ARE REASONABLE.

I'M AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING GUY.

ALL MY CONSULTING WORKS SINCE 2008 HAS BEEN PRO BONO.

AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE EFFICIENCY APARTMENTS ON THE MULTIFAMILY SIDE AT $350 A MONTH RENT, AND $40 A MONTH, UH, UTILITIES FOR ELECTRICITY.

SO I SERVE THE POOR, I HELP PEOPLE SERVE THE POOREST AMONG US.

AND I ASK YOU TO SUPPORT, UH, NEXT MONTH ITEM 75 WHEN IT COMES FORWARD IN THE WAY THAT THE STAFF PRESENTED.

'CAUSE I THINK IT'S, WE FINALLY ACHIEVE ALIGNMENT AND I'LL BE MAKING SIMPLER COMMENTS AS YOU GO THROUGH THE BALANCE OF CODES TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK.

THANK YOU MR. HIRSCH.

HELLO, CRAIG NASER, LONE STAR CHAPTER SIERRA CLUB.

UM, I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS.

THIS IS A GREAT, UH, THING WE'RE DOING.

AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GONNA BUILD AFFORDABLE HOMES, YOU SHOULD REALLY PUT SOLAR IN AND ELECTRIC APPLIANCES BECAUSE IN THE LONG RUN THAT MAKES THEM MORE AFFORDABLE.

AND I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT RECENTLY WE, WE HAD TO GET A NEW CAR, SO WE BOUGHT AN ALL ELECTRIC CAR AND I HAVE 10 SOLAR PANELS ON MY HOUSE AND HAVE BEEN DOING ALL THIS, YOU KNOW, UPGRADING THE WINDOWS AND EVERYTHING.

BUT A ONE 10, THEY CALL IT TRICKLE CHARGE.

IF ANY OF YOU'VE HAD THAT EXPERIENCE TAKES A LONG TIME TO CHARGE UP THAT CAR WITH JUST A ONE 10 OUTLET.

SO WE GOT A 240 OUTLET PUT IN IT.

COST NOW COSTS OVER $3,000.

AT THE SAME TIME I HAD A, TO SAVE A LITTLE MONEY, I HAD A A A, AN OUTLET DROPPED INTO MY, UH, HOT WATER HEATER, WHICH IS AN OLD GAS HEATER THAT'S ABOUT READY TO GO OUT.

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT YOUR GAS BILL RECENTLY? THEY KEEP RAISING THE RATES, RIGHT? THIS IS SUCH A GOOD IDEA.

THIS WILL SAVE PEOPLE MONEY.

THIS WILL HELP TO MAKE AUSTIN MORE AFFORDABLE.

I STRONGLY SUPPORT IT AND IT'S SO NICE TO COME UP HERE AND TELL YOU THAT HERE'S AN ITEM I REALLY SUPPORT.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR ITEM 75.

THANK YOU MEMBERS.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 75.

AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT, THIS IS A NON-ACTION ITEM.

UH, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM, UH, IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

SO YES, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA MAYOR, THANK YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO, UH, THANK, IN PARTICULAR CHRIS GANNON, WHO, UH, IS AN ARCHITECT.

HE SPOKE EARLIER AND, UH, HAS WORKED, VOLUNTEERED COUNTLESS HOURS ON THE SINGLE STA AMENDMENT THAT I WILL BE.

UH, JUST APPRECIATE HIM AND ALL HIS WORK AND ALL THE ADVOCATES WORK.

I DUNNO IF HE'LL BE HERE NEXT A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT MADISON.

VERY BRIEFLY.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY DITTO.

UM, TO MY POINT EARLIER ABOUT THE ADVOCATES HELPING US ALONG THE WAY.

A I A HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY HELPFUL.

THANK YOU GUYS.

IS ALSO A PUBLIC HEARING WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 74.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 75.

ITEM NUMBER 74

[74. Conduct a public hearing on an ordinance repealing and replacing Article 9 (Property Maintenance Code) of City Code Chapter 25-12 (Technical Codes) to adopt the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code and local amendments and creating offenses. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

UH, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.

TALK TO US MA, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I'M TODD WILCOX.

I'M THE CITY'S BUILDING OFFICIAL.

UH, I'LL PRESENT TO YOU THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL

[03:05:01]

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.

RECOMMENDED AMENDMENTS.

UH, THERE WE GO.

IS ALSO A PUBLIC HEARING.

INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE IS A CODE THAT'S USED TO ESTABLISH, UH, MINIMUM GUIDELINES FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING BUILDINGS TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE.

UH, IN, IN THE DEFINITIONS PORTION OF IT, WE JUST CHANGED TO ADD COOLING FACILITIES TO ALIGN WITH THE NEW AIR CONDITIONING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AMENDMENT WE'RE GONNA PROPOSE.

UH, WE ALSO ADDED TWO DEFINITIONS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO GET PERMITTING AND, AND CODE NOTICES SENT OUT SURCHARGE AND INFESTATION SURCHARGES FOR BUILDING PERMITS ON RETAINING WALLS.

UH, IN THE DEFINITION OF INFESTATION, WE JUST ADDED SCORPIONS AND BEDBUGS THAT WEREN'T ORIGINALLY IN THE DEFINITION IN THE CODE.

AND THEN, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THE COOLING FACILITY REQUIREMENTS, THEY'LL HAVE TO INSTALL AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT CAPABLE OF, UH, MAINTAINING 15 DEGREES COOLER THAN OUTSIDE, BUT NOT EXCEEDING 85 DEGREES.

UH, WE ALSO CHANGED THE SERVICE DEFINITION TO ALIGN WITH THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN 2023 FROM 60 AMPS TO A HUNDRED AMPS.

AND THAT'S IT FOR THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.

THANK YOU MEMBERS.

YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, LET'S, UH, LISTEN TO PEOPLE ON ITEM NUMBER 74.

FIRST SPEAKER IS STUART HIRSCH, FOLLOWED BY ROY WHALEY AND MONICA GUZMAN, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

STUART HARRY HIRSCH OR STU FROM DISTRICT TWO.

SOUNDS LIKE A CAMPAIGN SLOGAN.

MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU BETTER BE CAREFUL.

SHE'S TERM LIMITED.

IT'S NOT A CHALLENGE.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I'M CONCERNED WITH, WITH THE LOCAL AMENDMENTS PROPOSED FOR INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE IS SOME OF US GREW UP IN HOUSING THAT DIDN'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING.

THAT'S 'CAUSE WE GREW UP IN THE NORTHEAST OR THE MIDWEST WHERE WE PUT IN BASEMENTS AND BOILERS TO KEEP PIPES FROM BURSTING, WHICH IS NOT WHAT WE DO HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

UH, AND AS A RESULT, WE DON'T WANNA MAKE CRIMINALS OF EVERYBODY WHOSE HOUSE WAS BUILT WITH PROPER VENTILATION AND PROPER HEATING, BUT JUST LACKS AIR CONDITIONING OR HAS A WINDED UNIT THAT WON'T CONDITION ALL THAT.

I GREW UP WITH THAT MY KIDS GREW UP WITH THAT FOR A WHILE UNTIL WE COULD AFFORD TO LIVE IN HOUSING THAT DID HAVE AIR CONDITIONING.

AND I DON'T WANT TO TERM PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THE CRIMINALS BECAUSE THE NEW CODE SAYS THAT YOU HAVE TO RETROFIT IT.

SO AS LONG AS BETWEEN NOW AND APRIL WHEN YOU ADOPT YOUR LOCAL AMENDMENTS, YOU COME UP WITH A WAY TO ADMINISTER THIS WITHOUT MAKING PEOPLE CRIMINALS FOR HAVING PROPER VENTILATION.

I SUPPORT THE CODE, UH, IN THE WAY THAT THE STAFF HAS PROPOSED IT TODAY WITH THAT SMALL CHANGE.

THANK YOU SIR.

ROY WHALEY AND MONICA GUZMAN.

THAT CON ALL THE SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN CALLED MAYOR.

THANK YOU MEMBERS.

UH, THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 74.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 74 AND WE WILL COME BACK FOR THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

ITEM NUMBER 77

[77. Conduct a public hearing on an ordinance repealing and replacing Article 7 (Fire Code) of City Code Chapter 25-12 (Technical Codes) to adopt the 2024 International Fire Code and local amendments; and creating offenses. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 77.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AND WE WILL GET A BRIEFING ON ITEM NUMBER 77.

GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN.

TODD WILCOX BUILDING OFFICIAL.

ITEM 77 IS AFTER THE ENERGY CODE.

THERE WE GO.

SO THE ITEM 77 IS THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING? NO, THAT WOULD BE, UH, IFC.

SO FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE CODE.

SO WHAT WE NEED HERE COMES FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? IT'S OUTTA ORDER.

YEAH.

7, 6 77.

I WAS TAKING UP SE 76 HAS A LOT OF FOLKS SIGNED UP.

SO I'M TRYING TO GET, I'M TRYING TO GET THROUGH 'CAUSE I'VE GOT A TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN THAT I'M WORKING TOWARD.

SORRY IF I'VE CREATED CONFUSION, BUT WE'RE ON ITEM NUMBER 77.

77.

FIRE CODE.

UH, I GOT THE CLICKER.

OKAY, .

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, MY NAME IS BENJAMIN FLECK.

I'M THE MANAGING ENGINEER IN THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.

UH, SO WE ARE PROPOSING THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE AND LOCAL AMENDMENTS.

UH, IN GENERAL, THE FIRE CODE ESTABLISHES MINIMUM REGULATIONS FOR FIRE PREVENTION, PROTECTION, AIMING TO SAFEGUARD LIFE, PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WELFARE.

SO THE AMENDMENTS WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD, WE'RE ADDING DEFINITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR ANIMAL CARE FACILITIES.

UH, WE ARE REQUIRING EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON TERTIARY POWER IN FIRE COMMAND ROOMS, FIRE PUMP ROOMS AND GENERATOR ROOMS OF HIGH RISES WHERE FIRST RESPONDERS ARE GONNA SET UP OPERATIONS IN THE EVENT OF EMERGENCY.

WE ARE SPECIFYING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALTERNATIVE SURFACE FIRE LANES.

UH, WE'RE NO LONGER CARRYING FORWARD AMENDMENTS THAT WE'VE HISTORICALLY ADOPTED FOR PRESSURIZED, UH, STAIRWELLS, SPECIFICALLY IN HIGH RISES, THE VEGETABLE REQUIREMENT.

WE'RE

[03:10:01]

GETTING RID OF THAT.

GOING BACK TO THE MODEL CODE, UH, WE'RE AMENDING THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE QUANTITY OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ON ROOFTOP OCCUPANCIES, AND WE ARE CLARIFYING HOW FIRE FLOWS DETERMINE AN APPENDIX FEE.

UH, OTHER THAN THAT, WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON REDUCING LOCAL AMENDMENTS.

THANK YOU, SIR.

QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

UH, WE'VE OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 77.

I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK STUART HIRSCH AND MONICA GUZMAN.

UH, STU FROM DISTRICT TWO IS SAYING HE'S DONE.

UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS.

MS. GUZMAN, ARE YOU HERE? ALL RIGHT, THE, THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

JUST WANTED TO AGAIN, SAY THANKS TO STAFF.

GOOD TO SEE THE ANIMAL CARE FACILITY, THE FIRE AT REQUIRED FIRE PROTECTION AT ANIMAL CARE FACILITIES.

I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHEN THAT PASSED, BUT IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE IT COMING BACK.

IT'S COMING FROM A LOT OF FOLKS WHO LOST THEIR, UH, PETS IN A FIRE AT A KENNEL THAT I BELIEVE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY OR GEORGETOWN.

UH, AND, UH, IT'S GREAT TO IMPLEMENT THOSE TO, TO PROTECT OUR, OUR ANIMAL FRIENDS.

IS A PUBLIC HEARING WITHOUT OBJECTION.

UH, THERE BEING NO OBJECTION.

WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 77.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED AND WE WILL COME BACK FOR THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING ON THAT ITEM AT A LATER DATE.

ITEM 78

[78. Conduct a public hearing on an ordinance repealing and replacing Article 11 (Residential Code) of City Code Chapter 25-12 (Technical Codes) to adopt the 2024 International Residential Code and local amendments; and creating offenses. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AND WE WILL GET A BRIEFING.

GOOD AFTERNOON, TY WILCOX BUILDING OFFICIAL, THE INTERNATIONAL, THE INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE IS A CODE THAT SETS THE MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF ONE IN TWO FAMILY DINGS AND TOWNHOUSES.

IN, IN DEFINITIONS, WE ADDED THE DEFINITION OF SURCHARGE TO BE CON CONSISTENT WITH THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.

WE CHANGED SOME REQUIREMENTS FOR EGRESS DOORS THAT WILL ALLOW MORE FLEXIBILITY IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES AND ACCESSIBILITY AND VISIBILITY CHANGES.

WE, WE ALLOWED MORE FLEXIBILITY TO AID IN THE CONSTRUCTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HOME AMENDMENTS.

AND THEN AGAIN, WE ADDED THE REQUIRED AIR CONDITIONING TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S IT FOR THE IRC MEMBERS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

WE'VE OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 78.

I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK TO CALL, UH, THE NAMES OF THOSE WHO MAY GIVE US THEIR THOUGHTS.

STU FROM DISTRICT TWO EVAN LUCAS, STOP.

SORRY.

MR. HIRSH IS WAVING HIS, HIS, UH, SPEAKING ON, ON THIS ITEM.

PLEASE CALL THE NEXT NAME.

LUCAS EVANS, HARRY SAP AND MONICA GUZMAN.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

PLEASE COME FORWARD.

STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

HOWDY.

MY NAME IS LUCAS EVANS.

I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE.

I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF ADOPTING THE IRC CODE AS 2024 AND SPECIFICALLY THE HEMPCRETE APPENDIX.

UM, I'M A FARMER OUTSIDE OF TOWN AND I'M ALSO AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST AND I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR FUTURE AND HEMPCRETE.

IT IS A GREAT WAY TO, UM, GIVE HIGH PERFORMANCE HOUSES THAT CAN BE AFFORDABLE.

UM, THEY'RE VIRTUALLY FIREPROOF.

UM, AND WE'VE DONE SEVERAL IN THE AUSTIN AREA.

THE FIRST ONE ACTUALLY IS OPEN TO A PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE, I THINK APRIL 15TH.

I CAN SHARE THAT WITH Y'ALL.

UM, BUT YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO VOICE MY FULL SUPPORT FOR THAT.

AND UM, IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY INTEREST IN THAT, PLEASE REACH OUT.

MAYBE WITH THIS NEW, UM, CONVENTION CENTER, MAYBE WE COULD GET SOME HEMP CREED IN THERE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE ENERGY CODES AND EVERYTHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HAS TO DO WITH JUST THE ENERGY AND INPUTS AND WATER, BUT NONE OF IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH THE ENVELOPE OF THE BUILDING.

HEMP CREED IS A WAY TO ACTUALLY EMBODY THE CARBON AND START TO BRING THAT DOWN AND IT FILTERS THE AIR THROUGHOUT, UM, THE LIFE OF THE BUILDING.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO SAY? YES, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK THE SPEAKER TO GET WITH MY STAFF SO WE CAN TALK TO YOU.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN, UH, NEAR AND DEAR FOR A COUPLE YEARS FOR ME.

AND AS WE'RE GETTING TO THE PLACE WHERE I WAS HOLDING MY BREATH, WATCHING THE LEDGE AND SEEING WHAT THEY WERE GONNA DO AROUND HEMP AND IT, AND MY PRAYER IS THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THAT HEMP IS A, IS A MATERIAL THAT'S BENEFICIAL TO THE STATE OF TEXAS IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

AND THAT WE CAN KEEP MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.

CERTAINLY I'D LOVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ABOUT THE HEMP CREEK AND MAYBE EVEN SOME OTHER ALTERNATIVE BUILDING MATERIAL STUFF THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT HOUSING AND PLANNING.

MY STAFF WILL COME DOWN AND GRAB TOTALLY.

WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A WORKSHOP RIGHT NOW, UH, AT THE CENTER WITH PLINY FISK.

OH, FANTASTIC.

IF Y'ALL WANT TO COME, IT'S GOING ON IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS.

I THINK, UH, EITHER JOHN OR ERIC WILL COME TALK TO YOU SOON.

APPRECIATE IT.

ONLY DOES IT HAVE SOIL REMEDIATION, THERE'S THREE MAJOR, UM, MARKETS INVOLVED.

PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

HARRY SOAP, UH, AIR FORCE VETERAN.

AND I LIKE TO SAY CANNABIS HAS SAVED MY LIFE.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT INDUSTRIAL HEMP HEMPCRETE.

UM, I'M A THIRD GENERATIONAL BUILDER.

SO ONCE I LEARNED ABOUT HEMPCRETE, IT WAS A MOMENT OF TRUTH OF SAYING WHY ARE WE NOT USING THIS? NOT

[03:15:01]

GRAIN FIBER AND THE HERD, WHICH IS WHAT WE USE FOR HEMPCRETE.

SO HEMPCRETE IS A BUILD MATERIAL WALL SYSTEM THAT IS FIRE RESISTANT, MOLD RESISTANT, INSECT RESISTANT WILL LAST HUNDREDS OF YEARS IS NATURAL SO YOUR INDOOR AIR, AIR QUALITY WILL BE SUPERIOR.

UM, TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE CODES AND STUFF, THERE'S NO INSPECTIONS FOR THE AIR QUALITY INSIDE OF A HOME BECAUSE EVERY HOME WOULD FAIL.

UM, PROUDLY LIKE TO SAY HEMPCRETE HAS EXTREMELY HEALTHY AIR TO BREATHE INTO BECAUSE OF THE NATURAL PRODUCTS USED AND NATURAL FINISHES AS WELL.

AND GETTING HEMPCRETE INVOLVED IN THE BUILDING CODE IS JUST A MAJOR STEP TO THE WHOLE INDUSTRIAL HEMP PLANT AS A WHOLE.

LIKE I SAID, IT HAS A GRAIN FACTOR, A FIBER FACTOR, IT HAS ENERGY USES WITH BIO GRAPHENE MAKING HEMP BATTERIES.

UM, A STUDY IN PENNSYLVANIA JUST WAS RELEASED LAST YEAR SAYING A HEMPCRETE HOME IS 70% MORE EFFICIENT THAN CONVENTIONAL BUILDING.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S MAJOR HERE IN TEXAS.

I TRAVEL ACROSS AMERICA BUILDING WITH, UH, HEMP.

MY COMPANY'S CALLED HEMP HOMES.COM, WHICH I'M VERY PROUD TO HAVE AND VERY PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS PLANT THAT IS, IS REVOLUTIONARY TO THE WHOLE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AS A WHOLE.

SO THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK AND SPEAKING MORE ABOUT HEMP.

WE HAVE ONE REMOTE SPEAKER.

CAROLINE DUNN.

HELLO COUNSEL.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.

UM, AWESOME.

MY NAME IS CAROLINE DUNN AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE.

I'M ALSO HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ADOPTING THE IRC 2024 APPENDIX BL.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADOPTED, UM, ALONGSIDE THE CODE.

IT DOESN'T JUST AUTOMATICALLY OPT IN.

AND AS THE SPEAKERS BEFORE ME MENTIONED, HEMP STREET IS A CEMENTITIOUS INSULATION MATERIAL MADE WITH NON THC HEMP AS THE AGGREGATE.

THIS MATERIAL IS CARBON NEGATIVE AND HIGHLY FIRE RESISTANT.

IT HAS RECEIVED A PERFECT SCORE OF ZERO ON THE A-S-T-M-E ONE 19 FIRE RESISTANCE TEST APPENDIX FOR THE IRC LAYS OUT A RIGOROUS STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR CONSTRUCTION ASSEMBLIES AS WELL AS MIXING AND INSTALLING THE BIO MATERIAL.

THESE PROCEDURES PROTECT THE CONSUMER OF THE BIOMATERIAL BY ENFORCING PROPER METHODS.

CURRENTLY THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS PERMITTED SEVERAL HEMPCRETE HOUSES, BUT THIS HAS BEEN DONE USING THE ALTERNATE MESSAGE PATHWAY.

IF THE IRC 2024 APPENDIX BL IS ADOPTED, THERE WILL BE A MORE CLEAR PATHWAY FOR PERMITTING.

THERE WILL ALSO BE STRICTER STANDARDS AND OVERSIGHT IN THESE TIME CREATE PROJECTS THAT WILL ELEVATE THE QUALITY AND VIABILITY OF THESE PROJECTS WITHIN CITY LIMITS.

AS AN ARCHITECT WITH THE PRACTICE FOCUSING IN BIOMATERIALS AND A CO-CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN A I A RESILIENCY COMMITTEE, I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS CODE, UM, BECAUSE IT WILL ELEVATE THE EFFORTS OF OTHER PROFESSIONALS AND CONSUMERS IN THE CITY.

MY CLEAR ASK IS THAT COUNCIL IS IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THIS SPECIFIC APPENDIX ALONGSIDE THE REST OF THE 2024 TECHNICAL CODES.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TO SERVE OUR CITY.