[00:00:03]
COMMISSION TO ORDER AT 6:03 PM
[CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
WE'LL START WITH THE ROLE.COMMISSIONER S SILVERSTEIN HERE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY SPEAKERS? NOPE.
[1. Approve the minutes of the Resource Management Commission Meeting on March 25, 2025.]
APPROVAL OF MINUTES IN YOUR PACKETS THAT YOU RECEIVED AN EMAIL.AND IF YOU'RE LUCKY LIKE ME, YOU HAVE A PRINTED COPY IN FRONT OF YOU.
THERE'S BEEN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES BY, UH, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.
IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION OR WE CONSIDER THIS APPROVED BY ACCLIMATION.
THIS, MOST OF THIS IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[2. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Resource Management Commission.]
DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. UH, FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS CONDUCTION, UH, CONDUCTING THE OFFICER ELECTIONS FOR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR FOR THE COMING YEAR.UM, I WILL STOP FOR JUST ONE MOMENT AND LET YOU GUYS KNOW.
THAT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE WORKING WITH YOU OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
I DID SEE THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BACK IN FEBRUARY, AND I WAS GENUINELY MOVED BY WHAT YOU GUYS DID THAT DAY.
UM, THIS JOB IS NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT AS BAD AS IT MAY SEEM.
SO IF YOU ARE MOTIVATED TO SERVICE, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO, UH, CONSIDER SERVING IN A CHAIR OF VICE CHAIR TYPE OF A CAPACITY.
WITH THAT SAID, THE WAY THAT THIS WORKS IS THERE ARE NOMINATIONS, A PERSON IS ALLOWED TO ACCEPT OR DECLINE, SAID NOMINATION, AND THEN THERE IS, UH, ONCE WE HAVE DECIDED THAT ALL NOMINEES HAVE PUT THEMSELVES FORWARD, YOU THEN HAVE A VOTE.
UM, AS YOU ARE AWARE, I TECHNICALLY NEED A SIX ZERO VOTE.
IS THAT CORRECT? SOMEBODY NOD YES.
FOR ME OVER THERE, BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE SIX PEOPLE, SO BOTH HAVE TO BE UNANIMOUS.
SO MAKE SURE YOU LIKE ONE ANOTHER.
YOU, YOU HAVE SEVEN, DON'T YOU? NO.
UM, WE NEED YOU TO BE ON SCREEN.
I WAS TRYING TO SCARF DOWN SOME FOOD, BUT I'LL STOP EATING.
I DO A LOT OF WORK CALLS WITH THE SALAD IN THE BACKGROUND, AND MY CAMERA POINTED AGAINST THE WALL, SO NOBODY KNOWS WHEN I'M UP THERE.
HERE COMES NUMBER SEVEN, AND THERE HE IS NOW.
NOW YOU CAN HAVE A DISSENTING VOICE AND WILL STILL BE ABLE TO SURVIVE.
SO THAT SAID, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, YOU HAVE A HAND UP? I DO HAVE A HAND UP.
IT WOULD BE MY GREAT PLEASURE TO NOMINATE COMMISSIONER CHARLOTTE DAVIS AS OUR NEXT CHAIR TO SIT TO WALK IN YOUR ESTEEMED FOOTSTEPS AS CHAIR, AND TO NOT FURTHER NOMINATE VICE CURRENT VICE CHAIR PAUL ROBBINS AS OUR NEXT VICE CHAIR OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.
SO WE DO TAKE THESE ONE AT A TIME.
SO FOR RIGHT NOW, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE YOUR NOMINATION OF COMMISSIONER DAVIS, UM, UNDER ADVISEMENT.
DO YOU ACCEPT SAID NOMINATION? I ACCEPT.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ANYBODY ELSE WANNA PUT THEMSELVES UP FOR THIS ESTEEMED ROLE? ALL THERE BEING NONE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE A FORMAL SPEECH OR YOU JUST WANT US TO VOTE
I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY MUCH, IT'S PRETTY MUCH BAKED, SO
ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, THIS WILL BE A ROLL CALL.
HUH? WAS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER ROBBINS.
FOR THE RECORD, YOU WERE JUST A HAIR SLOW THERE THAT HE'S ALSO MUCH LOUDER.
ALRIGHT, NOW WE WILL TAKE A ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN? YES.
AND THE CHAIR VOTES YES AS WELL.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR UNANIMOUS POSTING TO YOUR NEW AND EXCITING ROLE.
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE GREAT THINGS FROM YOU.
I WILL BE LOOKING FOR NOMINATIONS.
AH, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, I, I WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO.
I AM DELIGHTED TO NOMINATE CURRENT VICE CHAIR PAUL ROBBINS TO CONTINUE SERVING AS OUR VICE CHAIR FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO OF THE RMC.
UH, GIVEN THAT, APPARENTLY I NEED SECONDS, IS
[00:05:01]
THERE A SECOND FOR THIS NOMINATION? SECOND.SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SCHWARTZ.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO OFFER A FEW WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE CROWD OR ARE YOU GOOD WITH TAKING
IN THE LAST MEETING, IT TOOK ME ABOUT 15 HOURS TO PREPARE, UH, THE BRIEFING ON GAS UTILITIES.
UH, I ALSO, UH, PRACTICALLY, I, I CAME HERE UNDER PHYSICAL DURESS BECAUSE I WAS INJURED.
UH, BUT WE COULDN'T HOLD A MEETING OTHERWISE.
I REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR PROGRESS AND I'D LIKE TO HELP US CONTINUE.
THERE BEING NO OTHER NOMINATIONS.
I WILL BE LOOKING FOR A ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN? YES.
AS I SAID, PLEASE DO GREAT THINGS IN THE FUTURE, AND THANKS TO YOU BOTH FOR ACCEPTING THESE ROLES.
THEY'RE NOT EASY, BUT WE BENEFIT FROM YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS, EXPERTISE AND HARD WORK.
[3. Recommendation regarding an audit of the Austin Energy District Energy and Cooling System.]
THREE, RECOMMENDATION REGARDING AN AUDIT OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY DISTRICT ENERGY AND COOLING SYSTEM.UH, I BELIEVE THIS IS A, UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS JOINT, SO IF YOU WANT TO TAKE US OUT AND SET THE TABLE.
UM, FIRST, UM, I THINK EVERYONE BUT COMMISSIONER GARY, UH, UM, HEARD ABOUT, UH, MY INTENTION TO DO THIS AT THE LAST MEETING.
UH, AND IT SORT OF OCCURRED TO ME THAT THIS, UM, WHAT WE ARE SEEKING HERE IS TRANSPARENCY.
THAT, UH, MY ATTEMPTS TO GET INFORMATION, WHICH CAN SOMETIMES BE DESCRIBED AS QUIXOTIC, UH, OR EVEN KAFKAESQUE, UH, ARE, ARE NOT GOING TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AT HAVING A PROFESSIONAL AUDIT DONE.
UH, I AM, MY GOAL HERE IS NOT TO PUNISH PEOPLE.
IT IS TO TRY TO, UM, UM, FIGURE OUT WHAT A WAY OR WAYS THAT THE DISTRICT ENERGY COOLING SYSTEM CAN BE SOLVENT, UH, AND PROFITABLE FOR THIS UTILITY IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE GLANCED AT THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, IT, IT IS KNOWN TO SOME PEOPLE AT AUSTIN ENERGY THAT I HAVE EMAIL PROBLEMS AND THIS, THESE REVISIONS WERE NOT SENT TO MY, UH, PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS.
AND SO I DID NOT RE SEE THESE UNTIL ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AGO.
HAVING SAID THAT, AND, UH, UH, FOLLOWING IN THE, UH, FORM OF OUR CHAIR, WHO DOES NOT LIKE TO WASTE A LOT OF TIME, UH, I CAN ACCEPT, UH, PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT I ASSUME THESE AMENDMENTS WERE MADE BY SOMEONE OR SOME PEOPLE AT AUSTIN.
IS, IS THAT WHERE THESE CAME FROM, MS. GOODWIN? YES.
I, I THINK I CAN ACCEPT THESE.
I I AM KIND OF CURIOUS ABOUT THE DATE OF 2001.
UH, I DON'T THINK THAT THE FIRST CUSTOMER WAS HOOKED UP UNTIL 2005, BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, I CAN ACCEPT THESE AND, UH, DON'T WANNA BELABOR IT FURTHER.
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ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS.COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, I WAS PLEASED TO CO-SPONSOR THIS WITH VICE CHAIR ROBBINS.
I TOO DO NOT OBJECT TO THESE AMENDMENTS, WHICH I ASSUME HAVE BEEN OFFERED IN THE SPIRIT OF ACCURACY AND, UM, THEY DO NOT CHANGE THE OUTCOMES THAT WE ARE REQUESTING OF CITY COUNCIL.
SO I SUPPORT THIS, SUBMIT THIS PROPOSAL RESOLUTION AS AMENDED.
QUESTIONS OR COUNSEL? I HAVE A QUESTION.
SO, UM, JUST HELP ME UNDERSTAND, IS THIS THE INFORATION THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING IN THIS RE RESOLUTION? UH, FROM THE MEETING THAT WE HAD IN PERSON MEETING THAT WE HAD WITH STAFF A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
I'M SORRY, I'M TRYING TO FOLLOW YOUR QUESTION.
I'M SERIOUSLY, WOULD YOU ASK THAT AGAIN PLEASE? BUT LET ME, LET, LET ME SPEAK SLOWLY AND CLEARLY.
THIS RESOLUTION IS THIS IN REGARDS TO THE MEETING THAT WE HAD WHEN WE MET WITH STAFF AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE, THE, THE STATUS AND, AND TRANSPARENCY.
IS THIS WHERE THIS RESOLUTION STEMS FROM, KIND OF, OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT, OKAY, SO IF YOU CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION YOU'RE GOING, THE OUTCOME OF THIS RESOLUTION AND YOUR EXPECTATIONS FROM CITY COUNCIL TO RESPOND.
KNOWING THE CONVERSATION WE HAD A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WITH, WITH STAFF.
WELL, I WENT ON RECORD AT OUR LAST MEETING, UM, THAT, UH, I DIDN'T THINK THAT MEETING WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE AND I ALSO WENT ON RECORD SAYING THAT, UM, I FELT LIKE, UM, TRANSPARENCY GOING FROM MY CONTINUED REQUEST FOR INFORMATION MAY OR MAY NOT COME ABOUT.
SO I THOUGHT INSTEAD THAT THE BETTER OPTION WAS TO REFER THIS TO CITY COUNCIL.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW THIS ON THE OFF CHANCE, BUT JUST TO STATE THIS PUBLICLY, UH, THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS THE ONLY CITY DEPARTMENT THAT IS DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
ALL THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENTS ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE MANAGER.
AND SO I THOUGHT THE BEST THING TO DO, UH, CONSIDERING THE HISTORY AND CONSIDERING THE DESIRED GOAL WOULD BE TO ASK THE, FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE ADVISED TO ASK FOR THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT TO FIGURE OUT, UH, THE, UH, TO FIGURE THIS RIDDLE OUT ABOUT HOW TO MAKE THE DISTRICT CHILLING SYSTEM COST EFFECTIVE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT REASONS WHY I SUPPORT THIS NEW RESOLUTION IS BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A MUCH MORE CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF THIS COMMISSION'S TIME OF COMMISSIONER ROBBINS TIME AND OF THE CITY STAFF AND AUSTIN ENERGY DISTRICT ENERGY AND COOLING SYSTEM STAFF TO HAVE THIS IN INQUIRY CONDUCTED AS AN AUDIT BY CITY STAFF.
RATHER THAN THAT WITH TRAINED EXPERTISE ON HOW, WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION, HOW TO PRODUCE A GOOD ANALYSIS, WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS FOR PROFITABILITY OR IMPROVEMENT.
THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT I BELIEVE THE CITY AUDIT STAFF SHOULD BE VERY GOOD AT.
AND I BELIEVE IT WILL PRODUCE A MUCH BETTER OUTCOME ON A MUCH MORE EXPEDITIOUS SCHEDULE THEN THE EFFORTS BY MY FRIEND MR. ROBBINS TO TRY TO GET THE INFORMATION AND DO THIS WORK ON HIS OWN.
SO I THINK THAT EVERYBODY INVOLVED IS BETTER OFF BY HAVING THIS FORMAL PROCESS UNDERTAKEN RATHER THAN LEAVING IT IN THE UNSATISFACTORY POSITION WHERE WE STARTED.
I HAVE A QUESTION, COMMISSIONER GARY.
SO IS THERE SOMEONE THAT COULD, COULD SPEAK ABOUT, I I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.
I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE IS ABLE TO SPEAK AND ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL STAFF AND THEY'LL GET UP DEPENDING ON
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WHAT YOUR QUESTIONS ARE,SO THE FIRST ONE IS, HAS THERE EVER BEEN AN AUDIT THAT IN THIS DEPARTMENT PER THE REQUEST THAT'S BEFORE US, IF SO, WHEN, UM, ARE WHAT WERE THE OUTCOMES? UM, IF YOU'RE NOT DOING AN AUDIT, HOW ARE YOU COMING UP WITH THIS INFORMATION? AND I'LL STOP RIGHT NOW.
IT APPEARS WE HAVE SOMEBODY READY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
SHE'LL IDENTIFY HERSELF AND SHE'LL GO FROM THERE.
LISA MARTIN AUSTIN ENERGY CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER GARY, LET ME JUST CLARIFY.
ARE YOU ASKING IF, UM, THE CITY AUDITOR'S DEPARTMENT HAS EVER DONE AN AUDIT OF THE DISTRICT ENERGY AND COOLING SYSTEM? CORRECT.
AND WHAT WAS THE OUT, I'M SORRY.
NOT, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, BUT I COULD DOUBLE CHECK AND FIND, BUT NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
HAS THE CITY AUDITOR'S DEPARTMENT DONE IT.
DO YOU DO INTERNAL AUDITS WITHIN THE, WITHIN AUSTIN ENERGY OR IS IT THE, IS IT CUSTOMARY TO HAVE THE AUDITORS COME AND DO AN AUDIT THERE OF THIS MAGNITUDE? THERE IS AN INTERNAL AUDIT DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF AUSTIN ENERGY.
WE HAVE BEEN PARTY TO AUDITS THROUGH OUR AUSTIN ENERGY'S INTERNAL AUDIT DEPARTMENT AND IN, IN OTHER SITUATIONS BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN AUDIT DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
AND THOSE AUDITORS, ARE THEY NOT, LET ME REPHRASE THIS.
ARE THEY ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION THAT IS BEING REQUESTED? IT IS NOT CLEAR TO ME IF THEY, IF, IF THIS IS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THEIR WORK, I COULD NOT ANSWER THAT FOR YOU.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO FIND OUT, I MEAN, AND, AND, AND HERE'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT, INSTEAD OF JUMPING TO THE, THE STATE COUNCIL TO ASK FOR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, HAVE WE UTILIZE ALL THE RESOURCES WITHIN AUSTIN ENERGY IN ORDER TO GET THIS? AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION AND, AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHERE I STAND AS FAR AS THE TRANSPARENCY.
YOU GUYS WERE VERY CLEAR IN THE LAST MEETING ON WHERE YOU WERE AND HOW WE WERE GONNA MOVE FORWARD ON THIS, BUT I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER WITHIN IN-HOUSE INSTEAD OF GOING TO CITY COUNCIL ASKING THEM TO DO AN AUDIT.
WHEN YOU HAVE, YOU MAY HAVE THE RESOURCES THERE.
'CAUSE I THOUGHT YOU WERE ASKING ME IF IT WAS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AUDIT DEPARTMENT'S SCOPE TO DO THIS, THIS WORK, AND THAT'S WHY I CAN'T NO, I MEANT WITHIN SPEAK TO WITHIN AUSTIN ENERGY, LIKE DO YOU HAVE AUDITORS WITHIN INTERNAL AUDIT WITHIN AUSTIN ENERGY HAS PERFORMED AN AUDIT ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISTRICT ENERGY AND COOLING SYSTEM? IT, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT IT WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SCOPE AS SPELLED OUT HERE.
IT WAS MORE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE BILLING OF THE CUSTOMERS WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, DONE ACCORDING TO BEST PRACTICES AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE LIKE THAT.
ONE THING I'LL ALSO, ONE THING I'LL ALSO ADD TO THAT IS IF YOU WERE TO HAVE AES INTERNAL AUDITORS DO THIS WORK, THEN IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED JUST AS PRIVILEGED AS EVERYTHING ELSE THAT PAUL TRIES TO GET FROM THEM THROUGH FOIA AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
THAT'S WHY YOU WOULD STILL WANT THIS TO BE DONE BY THE QUOTE, OUTSIDE AUDITOR OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, JUST TO BE ABLE TO BREAK DOWN THAT, THAT WALL, THAT AND ALSO INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTIONS.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, AND THIS IS A CPA TALKING ARE FOCUSED ON TRANSACTION VALIDATION AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT LIFESPAN OF EQUIPMENT, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT, UM, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WHAT FUTURE MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE GOING TO BE.
THAT'S NOT THEIR BAIL WICK AT ALL.
THEY GENERALLY ARE FOCUSED ON TRANSACTION VALIDATION AND MAKING SURE THAT WHAT YOU ARE PAYING FOR IS WHAT YOU RECEIVE STAFF.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS THE, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE THAT, OF THE AUDIT THAT WAS PERFORMED BY INTERNAL AUDIT TRANSACTION VALIDATION? YES, MA'AM.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR, THAT'S MY JOB FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM,
YOU LIKE TO SPEED THINGS UP?
IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING ACCEPTING THESE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED BY AE, WE DO NEED TO DO THIS AS AN AMENDMENT BECAUSE WHAT WAS PUBLISHED OUT THERE IN THE REAL WORLD WAS THE, UH, UNVARNISHED VERSION OF THIS.
SO IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE HERE, PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT BASICALLY INCORPORATING ALL THIS, ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE THIS.
I HAD IT SENT OVER TO COMMISSIONER GARY EARLIER, SO SHE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW.
COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, MR. CHAIR.
[00:20:01]
TO AMEND THE RESOLUTION OFFERED BY VICE CHAIR ROBBINS TO REFLECT ALL OF THE EDITS OFFERED BY OUR COLLEAGUES AT AUSTIN ENERGY.AND, AND THANKS TO AUSTIN ENERGY FOR THESE EDITS.
UH, MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO AMEND THIS, UH, RESOLUTION TO REFLECT ALL CHANGES INCORPORATED BY RED LINE, UH, SUBMITTED BY AUSTIN ENERGY AND HAS BEEN SECONDED BY VICE CHAIR ROBBINS.
UH, I WILL CALL ROLL CALL VOTE, UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS? YES.
UH, YOU'RE MAKING ME PUT MY HASH MARKS IN ANOTHER SPOT.
COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN? YES.
UH, MY VOTE DON'T MATTER, SO SURE.
I'LL VOTE YES FOR THE NOVELTY OF IT.
UM, MAY I, UH, IF YOU WOULD, SURE.
WHY NOT? UH, COMM COMMISSIONER DAVIS, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT, UH, YOU, THAT YOU, UM, ANY CHANGES YOU WOULD ACCEPT TO PASS THIS TONIGHT? UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, UH, I THINK LAST TIME WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS AT THE MEETING, WE, UH, REQUESTED THAT AUSTIN ENERGY GIVE US SOME INFORMATION ON TIMING FOR THEIR ANALYSIS AND FOR THIS DECISIONS.
AND, UM, I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF, UH, THE NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER THREE, BE IT RESOLVED.
BUT I THINK THAT THE, UH, REQUEST FOR THE AUDIT MAY STILL BE A LITTLE PREMATURE.
UM, IT MAY BE THAT IF WE GO ANOTHER MEETING WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, CLARITY, UH, ON THIS, THAT MAYBE AT THAT POINT I WOULD BE MOVED TO, TO ESCALATE THAT.
UM, I'M NOT PREPARED TO DO THAT TONIGHT YET.
COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, I'LL KEEP, JUST REMIND PEOPLE OF ONE THING AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, TECHNICALLY TIME FOR DISCUSSION.
THE RESOLUTION WAS BEFORE WE VOTED ON IT, SO KEEP OUR REMARKS BRIEF, PLEASE.
IN THAT CASE, I AM PROPOSING FOR OUR NEXT MEETING THAT THIS RESOLUTION BE BROUGHT BACK IN CONJUNCTION AS, AS AMENDED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A REQUEST FOR AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THEIR ANALYSIS AND PLANS FOR THE DISTRICT ENERGY AND COOLING SYSTEM.
AND THE TIMING, NOT ONLY WHERE ARE YOU NOW, BUT WHAT IS THE TIMING BY WHICH YOU ANTICIPATE COMPLETING THE, THE ANALYSIS AND YOUR PLANS WITH RESPECT TO SALE OR DISPOSITION OR IMPROVEMENT OF THE SYSTEM.
AND, UM, I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE WOULD WANT TO REVISIT THIS RESOLUTION AS A FUNCTION OF WHAT YOU TELL US IN THAT BRIEFING.
ARE MY COLLEAGUES COMFORTABLE WITH THAT PROPOSAL QUESTION OR CHAIR ROBBINS? MOSTLY.
BUT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, AND SIMILAR TO WHAT CHAIR STONE HAS SAID, UH, EVEN IF WE GET A REPORT AT THE NEXT MEETING, IT IS, PARDON THE TERM BIASED, IT IS NOT A THIRD PARTY REPORT.
SO REALLY, I MEAN, EVEN IF THEY COME BACK AND GIVE US EVERYTHING THEY WANT, IT WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH, UH, THE NEED FOR, OR LACK OF NEED FOR AN AUDIT.
UH, BUT IF, UH, THIS IS YOUR POSITION, THEN IT'S YOUR POSITION.
I, I DON'T WANTED TO ASK, I CAN'T TALK YOU OUT OF THIS.
THE VOTE'S PASSED
I HAVE PUT THAT ON THE TABLE FOR THE NEXT MEETING, MR. VICE-CHAIR.
I, I, I WOULD, I WOULD VOTE NO OR ABSTAIN, JUST OUTTA SPITE PAUL FOR BRINGING IT BACK UP.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSSION OF CHANGES TO AUSTIN ENERGY'S RESIDENTIAL ROOFS OFF SOLAR PROGRAM.
UH, COMMISSIONER CITA WAS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TONIGHT.
[00:25:01]
HE HAD A LAST MINUTE, UH, ISSUE.SO HE HAS ASKED FOR THIS TO BE PUNTED TO THE MAY MEETING, WHICH IS FINE WITH ME.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
THERE ANYTHING THAT THE COMMISSION, WHICH IS TO BRING BACK UP? I SEE TWO HANDS FLYING.I'M GONNA LET COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN HAVE THE FIRST SHOT.
UM, I, AS I LAID OUT IN THE DISCUSSION OF ITEM THREE, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING BACK UP THE AMENDED RESOLUTION ON THE DISTRICT ENERGY AND COOLING SYSTEM AND, UM, INCLUDING ALL OF THE BE IT RESOLVED.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, SHE SAID, LOOKING AT, AT OUR FOLKS FROM AUSTIN ENERGY, RECEIVE YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THERE WILL BE A REPORT AND BRIEFING ON THIS ISSUE AND THE TIMING OF YOUR PLANS AT THE MAY MEETING.
YES OR NO? BECAUSE THAT, THAT, THAT CONVERSATION WILL DETERMINE WHETHER, WHETHER AND HOW WE ACT ON THIS RESOLUTION AT THE MAIN MEETING.
UH, WE WILL TAKE THE REQUEST BACK.
WE'LL TAKE THE VOTE ACCORDING TO WHAT WE HEAR FROM YOU.
UH, ONE CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
THIS RESOLUTION IS DEAD, SO YOU'LL WANNA SUBMIT A NEW ONE.
UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, I, AT THE MAY MEETING I IN, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HAVE A, UM, ANOTHER BRIEFING ON GAS UTILITIES, UH, DEALING WITH ISSUES THAT I DID NOT DEAL WITH IN THE FIRST BRIEFING LAST MONTH.
AND I PRESUME YOU'LL HAVE A CO-SPONSOR ON THAT ONE WHEN THE TIME COMES.
UM, TO BE CLEAR, WE HAVE, I HAVE ALREADY REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AN AGREEMENT FROM TEXAS GAS SERVICE TO PROVIDE A DETAILED BRIEFING ON THEIR SERVICE OFFERINGS AT THE MAY MEETING.
AND SO THAT WILL BE ON THE MAY AGENDA, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK WITH MR. ROBBINS OFFLINE TO COORDINATE THAT.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE ATMOS ENERGY PRESENT ON A SIMILAR SET OF TOPICS AT THE JUNE MEETING.
WE'RE TRYING TO DIP OUR WAY, EASE OUR WAY INTO THE GAS ISSUES RATHER THAN
I CAN DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
UH, NATASHA, WHAT OTHER PRESENTATIONS ARE ON THE SLATE FOR NEXT MONTH? JUST SO CHARLOTTE CAN START DAY DRINKING A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
WE HAVE, UM, TEXAS GAS SERVICE QUARTERLY UPDATE.
WE'LL HAVE AUSTIN WATERS QUARTERLY UPDATE.
UM, THAT'S THEIR QUARTERLY UPDATE ON WATER CONSERVATION.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A RESOLUTION FROM AUSTIN WATER, UM, TO CONTINUE THEIR GO PURPLE PILOT PROGRAM, THE STAFF BRIEFING ON NATURAL GAS AND A BRIEFING ON THE RETROFIT PROGRAM, WHICH IS THE HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR.
SOUNDS LIKE A PRETTY FULL BOAT.
UH, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT, UH, FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO BE BROUGHT UP IN THE NEXT MEETING? VICE CHAIR ROBBINS? UM, I, I JUST WANT TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT I, I, I MEAN I WANT, MOST OF YOU HEARD A BRIEFING THAT I MADE FOR 15 OR 20 MINUTES ON GAS UTILITIES.
I DIDN'T DEAL WITH FUEL, I DID NOT DEAL WITH CONSERVATION.
I DID NOT DEAL WITH SOME OTHER ISSUES.
AND SO I WANTED TO COME BACK, UH, IN MAY IF, AM I, I'M INFERRING FROM CHAIR STONE'S COMMENT THAT WELL, MAYBE IT'S TOO BUSY ALREADY.
I, I, I MEAN, NOT GONNA BE MY PROBLEM
YOU GUYS WANNA BE HERE TILL NINE O'CLOCK? YOU KNOCK YOURSELVES OUT.
UM, I, I TEND TO THINK THAT MAY BE A LOT.
I MEAN, AUSTIN WATER GENERALLY GOES, YOU KNOW, 20, 30 MINUTES WITH QUESTIONS.
TEXAS GAS, UH, THEY TRY TO GET OUT QUICKER.
15, 20, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING A DE NOVO RATE CASE.
SO I MEAN, YOU, YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THAT'S IGNORING THE RESIDENTIAL ROOFTOP.
YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT AT LEAST A TWO HOUR LONG MEETING ALREADY AT THIS POINT.
WELL THEN I, I'LL PUT THE GAS BRIEFING
[00:30:01]
ON THE JUNE MEETING, SO, SO IT'LL BE UP WITH ATMOS.UM, UM, I, I PREFER SOONER, BUT WE'LL COMPROMISE.
UH, ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO PASS ON TO YOU, AND THIS ISN'T, IS IT'S NOT A MEETING YET.
AND FOR THAT MATTER, I'M NOT POSITIVE THAT'S IN IT, IT IS AN EVENT YET, BUT, UH, LARRY GRAHAM OF TEXAS GAS SERVICE, UH, ASKED ME, AND I'M PRESUMING, UH, MAY ASK OTHERS IF I, IF WE WOULD LIKE A TOUR OF THEIR FACILITIES.
I DON'T MEAN THEIR OFFICE BUILDING, I MEAN, HOW THEY OPERATE THEIR PLANT.
AND SINCE THIS IS OUR PURVIEW NOW, THIS, I'M GOING TO, I, I PLAN TO GO IF I'M INVITED AND WE MAY, UH, ALL WANT TO GO.
IF THERE'S MORE THAN FIVE OF US ATTENDING, WE WILL HAVE TO POST IT AS A PUBLIC MEETING.
JUST WANTED TO PUT THIS ON EVERYBODY'S RADAR.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FOR THIS MEETING? UH, THAT I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION SO MOVED THAT WE ADJOURN.
THERE'S BEEN A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN TO ADJOURN.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY FUTURE CHAIR DAVIS.
WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 6:35 PM WOW.