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[CALL TO ORDER]
GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE APRIL 28TH, 2025.MEET REGULAR MEETING OF THE 2026 BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
WE'LL START WITH A ROLL CALL NICOLE, PLEASE.
HERE WE CAN CONFIRM WE HAVE A QUORUM.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, IS A BRIEF, UH, MOMENT TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TASK FORCE, DONALD JACKSON.
I'M GONNA GIVE HIM A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF.
UH, I'M AN APPOINTEE FROM DISTRICT SEVEN.
UM, I'M AN ECONOMIC PLANNER, UH, ABOUT 12 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD.
I THINK, UM, AS AN INTEREST OF NOTING IT, I'M ALSO, UH, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
MY DEPARTMENT IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE BOND, BUT, UM, IF, IF THERE'S ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, I'LL BE SURE TO NOTE THEM AND RECUSE MYSELF.
UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING.
WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR SERVICE.
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE NO, ALITA IS NOW HERE.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
ALRIGHT.THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.
AND WE WILL START WITH OUR REMOTE SPEAKER.
ARE YOU THERE? MR. KANATI ARE, SORRY.
THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN ACCIDENTALLY UNMUTE.
CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF AGAIN? TRIED TO UNMUTE MYSELF.
GREETING STAT FORCE IS MIKE KENDI.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK TOWARDS FINDING A ROBUST SET OF
I BELIEVE THAT PARKS AND LAND ACQUISITION PROJECTS PROVIDE THE MOST COMPELLING AND DIRECT WAY TO ADDRESS OUR CLIMATE CHALLENGES.
EQUALLY IMPORTANT, THE SIGNIFICANT PARKS INVESTMENTS WILL BE VERY POPULAR WITH OUR VOTERS.
THIS, THIS REALLY CONFIRMED FROM THE PREVIOUS BOND ELECTIONS WE'VE HAD IN 1998, 2006, 2018.
AND SO PARKS INVESTMENTS ARE OVERDUE.
OUR LAST PARK BOND WAS PASSED EIGHT YEARS AGO IN 2018, BUT WITH PAR USUALLY EXPECTING TO HAVE BONDS SPENT IN A SIX YEAR CYCLE.
ESSENTIALLY, ALL OF THE EXISTING PARK BOND FUNDS FROM THE LAST ELECTION HAVE BEEN SPENT ASSIGNED OR ENCUMBERED, LEAVING REALLY NOTHING FOR THE FUTURE PARK CAPITAL NEEDS.
IN COMPARISON, THE HOUSE HOUSING BOND WORK IN 2018 AND 2022, MY UNDERSTANDING IS SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF THESE FUNDS REMAIN UNSPENT.
THERE WERE ALSO TRANSPORTATION BONDS PASSED IN 2016, BUT THESE ALSO CERTAINLY TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING PROJECTS ARE WORTHY CATEGORIES OF BOND FUNDING.
BUT PARKS INVESTMENTS SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED AS THE FIRST AMONG EQUALS SINCE PARKS ARE OVERDUE AND STAR FOR INVESTMENTS THAT ARE GROWING.
CITY NEEDS IN, UH, 2024 PAR HAD IT CONSERVATIVELY
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IDENTIFIED OVER $600 MILLION IN FUTURE CAPITAL NEEDS FOR OUR PARK SYSTEMS. AND THIS ESTIMATE DID NOT EVEN INCLUDE PARKING LAND IMPROVEMENTS FOR SOME OF OUR MOST POPULAR PARKS LIKE ROY GUERRERO, MARY SEARO, MARY MOORE, SEARO, AND ZILKER PARK.I'M CONCERNED THAT ANY ME RECOMMENDATION FOR PARKS PROJECTS IN A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLAR CATEGORY IS JUST WAY TOO SMALL TO DO ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVE FOR OUR CITY OR OUR CLIMATE PRIORITIES.
AND FOR THIS BOND PACKAGE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, I URGE THE TASK FORCE TO RECOMMEND ANYWHERE FROM 250 TO $3 MILLION FOR OUR PRESSING PARKS AND CLIMATE NEEDS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING YOUR WORK OVER THE COMING YEAR.
OKAY, NEXT, UH, WE HAVE A COMBINED PRESENTATION FROM THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION.
SO THEY WILL SPEAK FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
MY NAME IS JULIE FISHER, THE CEO OF THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, AND I'M HERE TODAY WITH OUR FRIENDS AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION AND GREAT SPRINGS PROJECT TO TALK ABOUT A TRAIL EXTENSION PROJECT.
OUR THREE ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER ARE CHAMPIONING THE CAUSE TO EXPAND OUR TRAIL.
WE WOULD LOVE THE EXPERIENCE FOR OTHERS TO HAVE LIKE THE 10 MILE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.
AND WE WANT TO SHARE OUR EXCITEMENT TO EXTEND THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT THE TRAIL, UM, WHICH IS ALSO A PART OF THE WALK BIKE ROLL PLAN.
AND IT'S REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE THE EXISTING METRO PARK AND GIVES TRAIL ACCESS TO MILLIONS, WHICH WOULD REDUCE PRESSURE ON THE CURRENTLY OVERBURDENED CITY RESOURCES.
AND THERE'S REALLY SO MUCH BEAUTY EAST OF THE TRAIL, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHAMPION THIS EXPANSION.
AND HERE YOU CAN SEE A MAP OF THE CURRENT TRAIL SYSTEM AND WE LOOK AT FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXTENDING THE, UM, TRAIL, ADVOCATING TO, UH, EXPAND TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY LINE AND THE BAS COUNTY BASTROP COUNTY LINE.
AND, HI, UH, I'LL TAKE OVER FROM HERE FOR TWO SLIDES.
I AM JOANNA, WILL, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION.
I'LL EXPLAIN WHY TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS IS INTERESTED IN THIS IN JUST A SECOND.
UM, BUT THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME THIS TAKES.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN QUITE A FEW BOND PROJECTS MYSELF AND, AND TASK FORCE EFFORTS.
UM, I WANT TO SHARE THAT THIS IDEA OF, UH, COLORADO RIVER TRAIL ALL THE WAY FROM LONGHORN DAM OUT TO THE BASTROP COUNTY LINE IS A CONCEPT THAT'S BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND A VISION THAT'S BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
IT'S INCLUDED IN THE LONG RANGE PLAN FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
IT'S ALSO INCLUDED IN THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN AND THE COLORADO RIVER CORRIDOR PLAN, WHICH IS A REGIONAL PLAN, UM, FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COLORADO RIVER.
SO THESE ARE PLANS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS SUPPORTED TO ADVANCE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, ACCESS TO RECREATION, UM, AND ALSO RESTORATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THIS CONCEPT OF A TRAIL ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER IS ALSO IN DIRECT ALIGNMENT TO A NUMBER OF OTHER PLANS WE HAVE RELATED TO CLIMATE RESILIENCY, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND YOU NAME IT.
SO, TO PROVIDE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT, UM, THE AREA WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE AREA WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S JURISDICTION.
THE CONCEPT OF A COLORADO RIVER TRAIL AND RESTORATION EXTENDS ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE BASTROP COUNTY LINE.
IT'S INCLUDED IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS EQUIVALENT OF THE LONG RANGE PLAN.
SO ANY INVESTMENT THE CITY MAKES, UH, LEVERAGES INVESTMENTS BY TRAVIS COUNTY AND THEN ALSO OTHER JURISDICTIONS, UM, IN PRIVATE ENTITIES WITHIN OUR COUNTY.
SO THIS MAP, YOU'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT IT IN DETAIL, BUT IT SHOWS HOW THIS TRAIL ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER IS A KEY SPINE TO OUR GROWING REGIONAL TRAIL SYSTEM.
ALL THE LITTLE LINES YOU SEE COMING OFF OF IT ARE DIFFERENT TRAILS THAT DIFFERENT ENTITIES OR DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS ARE WORKING ON, INCLUDING THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SO, UM, I'LL PASS IT TO MY TEAMMATE, MIKEY HERE.
UM, AND I'LL GRAB THAT CLICKER FROM YOU.
UM, MY NAME'S MIKEY GURALNICK.
UH, I'M A PLANNER AND A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AT GREAT SPRINGS PROJECT, AND WE, THOUGH NOT NAMED IN THE, UH, ANNOUNCEMENT, ARE A VERY PROUD, UH, AND EAGER MEMBER OF THE PARTNERSHIP, UM, THAT'S ASSEMBLED HERE TODAY.
UH, WHICH I THINK IT ITSELF REPRESENTS, UH, JUST A SLICE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO ADD TO THE COMMENTS THAT, UM, MY PREDECESSORS HAVE PROVIDED TO SAY THAT, UH, IN
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ADDITION TO THE PROJECT'S, LARGE GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE, WHICH, UM, BOTH JOANNA AND JULIE MENTIONED, UM, WE, OUR GROUP AND OUR PARTNERS BELIEVE THAT THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER TRAIL OFFERS, UM, BOTH A DEPTH AND A BREADTH OF BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, IT BEING A TRAIL PROJECT AND A RECREATIONAL KIND OF ACCESS PROJECT THAT SORT OF SUBSUMES THE VARIETY OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, CLIMATE ADAPTATION CONNECTIVITY, UH, AND QUALITY OF LIFE BENEFITS THAT EACH ONE OF THOSE TYPES OF, UM, INVESTMENTS MAKES.AND I THINK IMPORTANTLY, UH, THOSE VARIOUS BENEFITS ARE WELL ALIGNED WITH EACH OF THE BOND PROGRAMS. SIX GUIDING PRINCIPLES, WHICH ARE LISTED, UH, HERE IN THE SLIDE, WHICH IS ALSO IN YOUR, UM, MEETING PACKET.
UM, SO AS THIS PROJECT CONTINUES TO DEVELOP, NOT ONLY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION IN THE BOND PACKAGE, BUT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AS THE ENTIRETY OF THE SCOPE, YOU KNOW, 20 RIVER MILES OF TRAIL, UH, TWO COUNTIES OF CONNECTIVITY.
UM, AS THOSE THINGS MOVE FORWARD AND CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE TASK FORCE AND CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY STAFF TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS ABOUT THE PROJECT'S OVERALL IMPACT AND TO HONE ITS CROSS-CUTTING VALUE FOR VOTERS.
WE'LL ALSO WORK TO TAILOR THE PROJECT SO THAT THE REC, THE ASPECTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE BOND PACKAGE ARE THOSE THAT ARE MOST RESPONSIVE TO AND GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLES THAT, UM, SUPPORT THE BOND PROGRAM.
SO IN THE COMING MONTHS, OUR PLAN IS TO CONTINUE CONSULTING WITH THE TASK FORCE AND ITS WORKING GROUPS AS WELL AS CITY STAFF AT TPW PARD WATERSHED PROTECTION AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE COMPELLED BY THIS PROJECT TO ZOOM IN ON THE ASPECTS OF THE OVERALL LOWER COLORADO RIVER TRAIL INITIATIVE THAT ARE TRANSFORMATIVE AND PRAGMATIC ENOUGH TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BOND PACKAGE.
AND I SHOULD NOTE THAT THIS WORK WILL LEVERAGE, UH, BOTH INDEPENDENT GRANT FUNDING THAT OUR PARTNERSHIP HAS ALREADY RECEIVED FOR THIS PROJECT, UM, AS WELL AS YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS, GUIDANCE, AND INPUT SO THAT WE CAN CRAFT A CIVIC INVESTMENT THAT SERVES AUSTIN'S NEEDS TODAY AND FOR WHICH FUTURE RESIDENTS OF OUR REGION WILL BE GRATEFUL.
NEXT WE HAVE KAYLA REESE, WELCOME.
HELLO, MY NAME IS KAYLA REESE.
I'M THE ADVOCACY MANAGER FOR AUSTIN PARKS FOUNDATION, AND I'M HERE JUST TO SPEAK IN GENERAL SUPPORT OF A PARKS BOND.
UM, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TODAY ABOUT A LOT OF NEEDS OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, AND I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT A BOND PACKAGE LESS THAN 300 MILLION WON'T GO VERY FAR TO THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY.
UM, THE NEEDS THAT THE PARK, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS IS LIKE 1.5 BILLION, AND THAT'S A LOT.
UM, BUT LESS THAN 300 MILLION IS NOT GONNA DO VERY MUCH FOR THE NEEDS THAT WE HEAR A LOT OF, LIKE TREES SHADE.
UM, WE KNOW SUMMERS ARE GETTING HOTTER AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS GETTING, UH, MORE PRESSING.
AND, UM, PART OF THE NEEDS ARE THE AQUATIC FACILITIES THAT ARE REALLY OUT OF DATE IN OUR CITY.
UM, AS YOU HEARD FROM MIKE KANATI EARLIER, USUALLY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS A SIX YEAR BOND CYCLE, UM, WITH LOOKING AT A 2026 BOND.
THAT MEANS EIGHT YEARS WILL HAVE PASSED BEFORE A BOND HAS HAPPENED.
AND THEY HAVE PLANNED WITH THE PREVIOUS BOND MONEY TO HAVE SIX YEARS.
AND SO WE'RE TWO YEARS OVER DATE FOR THAT, WHICH REALLY STRETCHES THE RESOURCES OF THE CITY.
THAT ALREADY DOESN'T, UM, PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES INTO OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND PARK SCORE, UM, AUSTIN HAS DECREASED FROM 37TH PLACE TO 45TH, 44TH PLACE, EXCUSE ME, IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND LARGELY, UM, A LOT OF THAT SCORE IS BASED ON PUBLIC FUNDING AND THE LACK OF PUBLIC FUNDING IN AUSTIN.
THEY HAVE IMPROVED THEIR SCORE IN THAT SAME FIVE YEAR PERIOD,
UM, SO IT'S REALLY INDICATIVE FOR US TO PUT MORE PUBLIC FUNDING INTO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND SHOW THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO AUSTIN FOR THE PARKS AND AUSTINITES WHO USE PARKS OF ANY SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, UM, TO REALLY PUT MONEY INTO OUR PARKS AND GIVE THE PARKS DEPARTMENTS WHAT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOB.
THIS IS DON, RIGHT? UH, I'M NAOMI DELGADO.
UH, I LIVE IN, UH, FAR, FAR NORTHEAST AUSTIN, AND BY THAT I MEAN WE LIVE, UH, FOR
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THE LAST 52 YEARS.WE LIVE NORTH OF 180 3, EAST OF 35 TO DESSAU, WHICH IS, UH, ON THE OTHER SIDE'S, A COUNTY LINE ALL THE WAY TO THE NORTH.
WE ARE REPRESENTED BY DISTRICTS, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICTS FOUR, ONE, AND SEVEN.
AND WHAT THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST, UH, OVERLOOKED, UH, UNDERSERVED PART OF THE CITY.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE THERE IS, UH, UH, GUS GARCIA REC CENTER, WHICH TOOK US ABOUT 30 YEARS TO, TO WORK ON TO GET THERE.
IT'S 17 YEARS OLD NOW, AND, UH, AND THE CITY IS, UH, UH, BEING THAT IT'S GOTTEN OVER A MILLION PEOPLE NOW, THE SERVICES FOR THE SENIOR POPULATION THAT IS GROWING ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING IS, UH, LACKING A LOT IN OUR AREA.
THE CITY HAS THREE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTERS, ONE FAR SOUTH, ONE CENTRAL, AND ONE ON THE DEEP SIDE OF THE, OF THE CITY.
AND, UH, WE ARE, THE GUS GARCIA REC CENTER IS THE ONLY RECREATION CENTER NORTH OF 180 3.
UH, WE HAVE A SENIOR PROGRAM THERE, BUT WE'RE SITTING ON 49 ACRES THAT, UH, WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE A A FOURTH SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER.
OUR SENIOR GROUP, LIKE I SAID, IS VERY ACTIVE.
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW SENIORS, AND, UH, AND I WOULD, UH, CERTAINLY LIKE, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO RECOMMEND US FOR THE BOND BECAUSE, UH, UH, OUR, OUR AREA IS VERY UNDERSERVED BY THE CITY.
AND, UH, I, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO HAVE US CATCH UP AND NOT BE LEFT BEHIND.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING TO US.
NEXT, WE HAVE ARMANDO DELGADO, BUT HERE WE GO.
THERE'S A NEED IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN FOR SENIORS.
SOME OF YOU GUYS ARE COMING UP PRETTY CLOSE AT THE SAME TIME.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO AS A CITIZEN? HOW CAN I, HOW CAN I MOTIVATE OUR PEOPLE TO SHOW THE BOND COMMISSION THAT WE NEED THIS BOND TO SERVICE OUR PEOPLE? WHAT CAN WE DO? MY QUESTION TO Y'ALL IS THAT GIMME A LIST OF WHAT I NEED TO DO AND I'LL GO OUT AND GET PEOPLE.
YOU WANT A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TO CONVINCE YOU.
I STILL HAVE SOME ENERGY AND WE DOGGONE FOR SURE WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET THIS THING SOMEHOW.
I MEAN, IT TOOK US 20, 30 YEARS ALSO TO, TO DO THE, UH, PARK.
BUT NOW, THANK GOD WE GOT, WE GOT THE PARK, AND NOW WE'RE GONNA FIGHT FOR THIS, UH, ACTIVITY CENTER FOR OUR SENIORS.
I, I, I TELL YOU, IT, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING WHAT OTHER CITIES DO.
IT MAY TAKE A, A MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING AND MAY TAKE A, UH, A BUILDING BY ITSELF, BUT DON'T MARRY US UP TO ANOTHER BUILDING THAT'S FULL OF A PARKING LOT, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIORS THAT ARE DISABLED.
WE HAVE, UH, WHEELCHAIRS ARE HARD AND ON PEOPLE, AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU SOMETHING JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A CODE CODE PROBLEM.
THEY WANNA PUT US IN A MULTI, UH, RATHER IN A BUILDING ON RUTLAND AND CAMERON.
THE FIRST STEP, I WAS A BUILDING INSPECTOR.
ANYWAY, THE, UH, THE FIRST THING THAT YOU DO IS YOU GO IN, THEY GOT A FRONT DESK, FIVE STEPS, HANDRAIL, FORGET IT.
YOU GOTTA PUT A HANDRAIL BY CODE.
ONE PROBLEM, A SENIOR GOES IN THERE WITH A WALKER AND ALL, THEY GOT A RAMP, EVERYTHING.
BUT IF A SENIOR WALKS IN THERE AND NO, NO HANDRAIL, CONTINUOUS HANDRAIL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN ACCIDENT.
THINGS LIKE, HOW CAN WE HELP, HOW CAN SENIORS THAT ARE
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ACTIVE UP HERE THAT, THAT WANT TO HELP AND ARE ABLE TO HELP? HOW CAN WE, WHAT CAN WE DO? AND I, I WOULD LIKE SOME ANSWERS INSTEAD OF JUST LISTENING TO THE SAME OLD THING, OLD THING.I'M, I'M, I'M NOT, NOT USED TO THAT.
I, WHAT CAN I DO? THANK YOU FOR NEXT WE HAVE JOANNA FOUN.
NOT MUCH LEFT TO SAY AFTER THE DELGADO'S HAD, BUT HAD SO MUCH TO SAY.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN SINCE THE LATE SIXTIES, AND I CAN DO LESS AND LESS AS TIME GOES ON.
BUT WHAT I CAN DO IS I GO TO EXERCISE THREE DAYS A WEEK AND THEY'RE KEEPING ME YOUNGISH
UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF YOU WOULD SEPARATE OUT SENIOR PEOPLE WITH THAT.
PEOPLE CALL OLD PEOPLE, UM,
EVERY TIME THE THE KIDS ARE OUT FROM SCHOOL, WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF THEIR WAY, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY.
THEY DON'T MEAN TO DO THAT, THEY'RE JUST KIDS.
BUT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE SOME SEPARATE SPACE THAT'S NOT SHARED WITH CHILDREN.
IT'S NOT SHARED WITH PEOPLE PLAYING BASKETBALL.
WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING A SPACE WHERE WE COULD GO ALL DAY LONG AND NOT JUST IN THE MORNING.
GREG ANDERSON, AUSTIN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.
JUST WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY AND THANK ALL OF YOUR PREDECESSORS FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING OVER THE PAST DECADE OR MORE.
I KNOW WE READ THE PAPERS AND WE'RE SEEING PROGRESS BOTH FROM THE POLICY SIDE, BUT ALSO THOSE BIG INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST DECADE.
AND THOSE CAN CONTINUE THOSE AMAZING MOVES.
THERE'S STILL A LOT OF FOLKS WHO NEED HOUSING AND THESE INCREDIBLE DOLLARS ARE LEVERAGED IN A REALLY BIG WAY.
JUST WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, THOUGH, THAT WE'RE GONNA HIT ZERO SOON.
SO EVERYONE'S VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU ALL CAN DO.
AND, AND IF WE CAN BE OF ANY HELP, LET US KNOW.
THERE'S AWESOME HOUSING COALITION HOUSING WORKS, MANY GROUPS THAT ARE JUST INVOLVED AND CARE ABOUT HOUSING AND EVERYTHING FROM LIFE WORKS THAT SERVE TEENS TO A LOT OF SENIOR COMMUNITIES, BUT WHOLE SPECTRUM AND A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS SHERIDAN.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE FOR AUSTIN.
UM, I ONLY JUST WANT TO BRING UP THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT UP HERE AS THE FUNDING THAT REALLY WE HOPE WILL BE INCREASED FOR, UH, OPEN SPACE, GREEN SPACE, PARKLAND, SO FORTH.
UM, DEVELOPMENT OF EXISTING, UH, UH, HIKING BIKE TRAILS AND SO FORTH.
THE, THE BIG SPRINGS PROJECT PROGRAMS LIKE THAT.
UM, HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE FUNDING FOR SOME OF THESE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT GET PEOPLE OUTDOORS.
UM, PARTICULARLY I AM CONCERNED, I THINK WE ALL ARE WITH HUMAN HEALTH, CHILDREN'S HEALTH IN PARTICULAR, CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH AND, UM, ACCESS TO GREEN SPACE WE KNOW IS TERRIBLY IMPORTANT.
UM, BUT I ALSO NOTE THAT, UH, I THINK THE OTHER MAIN FUNDING PRIORITY FOR THIS BOND CYCLE IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH OF COURSE IS A NOT A SECONDARY ISSUE.
UM, I I LOOK AT PROGRAMS LIKE THE PATHWAYS AT ROSEWOOD AND THE ROSEWOOD COURTS AS, UH, EXAMPLES OF LINKING OR NOT.
MAYBE SOMEHOW IT WAS INCENTIVIZED TO BRING ALONG WITH THE PROJECT A BUILT-IN GREEN FEATURE, A OPEN SPACE FEATURE.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF AUSTIN COULD SOMEHOW THROUGH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WORKS THROUGH THE BONDS OR HOW WE DO THAT, BUT, UH, LINKING THAT AND IN THE CITIES THAT HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH IT.
UM, I, I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A MODEL FOR HOW WE COULD ACCOMPLISH BOTH AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
AND I'M SURE THERE'S A WAY, AND I DUNNO
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IF IN THE PAST WHEN IT'S HAPPENED AND SO FAR, I MEAN, AUSTIN'S ACTUALLY GETTING INTO THAT SPACE PRETTY WELL, BUT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S JUST INCENTIVIZED OR COULD IT BE REQUIRED THAT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF GROUND OF, UH, PARK, NOT PARK LAND, BUT, YOU KNOW, GREEN OPEN SPACE IS LINKED WITH THE ACTUAL PROJECT, NOT A MITIGATION THING FROM WAY ACROSS TOWN, BUT RIGHT THERE, AND PARTICULARLY THE LOWER INCOME, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THAT THOSE CHILDREN SIMPLY OFTEN ARE INDOORS ALL DAY LONG.AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BRING UP THE WORDS, UH, DEI OR CLIMATE.
SO HOW ABOUT IT'S JUST HOT AND EVERYBODY SHOULD GET TO GET OUT THE HEAT NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, YOU KNOW? SO, OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
[1. Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of the 2026 Bond Election Advisory Task Force (BEATF) on March 24, 2025]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON MARCH 24TH, 2025.
ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES? OKAY.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM MARCH 24TH, 2025.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND SO NICOLE CAN COUNT YOU.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
[2. Staff briefing forecasting for the next few months of BEATF meeting topics/action items.]
ON TO STAFF BRIEFINGS.UH, I ASKED THE STAFF FOR THIS ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS STAFF BRIEFING FORECASTING FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS OF OUR MEETINGS FOR TOPICS, ACTION ITEMS, THOSE, UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE GONNA COME SEE US.
AND SO MARCUS IS GONNA GIVE US A BRIEF, UH, EXPLANATION OF WHAT WE MIGHT SEE IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS.
UH,
SO AS YOU CAN SEE TODAY ON OUR LINEUP, WE HAVE THE LIBRARY, WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH, AND WE ALSO HAVE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT HERE TO PRESENT TO US TODAY ON, UM, THE FRAMEWORK OF BOND DEVELOPMENT.
SO, UM, MOVING INTO THE NEXT THREE MONTHS IN MAY, WE'VE GOT ANIMAL SERVICES, FLEET WATERSHED DEPARTMENT COMING, UM, JUNE, WE HAVE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMS, MUNICIPAL COURT.
AND THEN I THINK THE MONTH EVERYBODY'S BEEN LOOKING FOR, AND WE SEE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AROUND IS WHEN WILL WE SEE THAT, UH, INITIAL PRIORITIZED LIST THAT WILL BE COMING IN JULY.
SO FROM A SNAPSHOT STANDPOINT, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE NEXT QUARTER IS, IS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET, UM, FOR, UH, JUST EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MARCUS? YEAH, CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? WOULD WE BE HEARING FROM RALLY AUSTIN, FOR EXAMPLE? WELL, WE HAD A RALLY ON THE ORIGINAL IN THE WORK PLAN WHEN WE KIND OF CAME OUT, UM, WITH THE AMOUNT OF SPEAKERS THAT WE'RE STARTING TO HAVE RIGHT NOW.
AND, UH, JUST TRYING TO KEEP THE, THE, THE GROUP UNDER CONTROL.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AS MOVING SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS POTENTIALLY INTO JULY.
UM, OR ADDITIONALLY, WE ALSO HAVE THE WORKING GROUP MEETINGS WHEN THEY COME INTO.
SO THERE IS ABSOLUTELY A CHANCE THAT THEY WILL BE BACK ON THE AGENDA, COME INTO THE JULY UH STANDPOINT.
UH, SO IN CONVERSATION, THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR GEO BONDED FUNDS, SO THEY DID NOT MAKE THE LIST FOR THIS TIER.
WHAT ABOUT FLEET SERVICES? FLEET IS YES, MA'AM.
CAN YOU REMIND ME WHEN THAT IS TODAY? UH, FLEET IS MAY.
UH, AND I'M, THIS IS MY FIRST DAY, SO FORGIVE ME IF THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE PAST.
UM, I KNOW CITY COUNCIL IS SUPPOSED TO BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS ABOUT THE INVESTMENT ASSUMPTIONS FOR THE CAPTAIN STITCH PROGRAM, AND I KNOW THAT WOULD, DEPENDING ON WHAT VERSION OF THAT PASSES, THAT WOULD HAVE PRETTY MAJOR IMPACTS IN TERMS OF LIMITING THE BOND CAPACITY FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THIS BODY IS GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT? IS THAT ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR SOME TIME FOR SOME SORT OF RESPONSE OR GETTING SO EARLY ON IN THE, THE PRESENTATIONS? YOU'RE CORRECT.
UH, WE DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CAPTAIN STITCH AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT THAT IT WOULD HAVE, UM, OR NOT WOULD HAVE, WILL HAVE, UM, WHEN THEY MAKE THAT DECISION.
THE LAST WE HEARD, I THINK IT'S MAY TIMEFRAME THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT HAVING A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION KIND OF SHARED ON THAT, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT, WHATEVER THE OVERALL KIND OF FINANCIAL CAPACITY WE HAVE FROM THE CITY, WHATEVER'S PULLED OFF FOR CAP AND STITCH WOULD IMPACT THE BOND MOVING FORWARD FROM THAT FORWARD.
WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE TOTAL AMOUNT FOR THE, IF, IF THE MAXIMAL VISION IS APPROVED, HOW MUCH WOULD THAT, UH, CUT INTO THIS BOND CYCLE? UH, IT'S STILL TO BE DETERMINED.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE EARLY ON WORKING THROUGH THAT, THAT PHASE RIGHT NOW.
WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT WITH THE CITY? THANK YOU.
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ALL RIGHT.[3. Staff briefings from Austin Public Library, Austin Public Health, and Austin Parks and Recreation Department on past bond spending summary and 2026 Bond Development (technical criteria and scoring matrix). (Part 1 of 2) ]
ARE OUR STAFF BRIEFINGS.WE'LL START WITH THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
THANK YOU FOR YOU ALL'S TIME TODAY.
MY NAME IS HANNAH TERRELL AND I AM THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
AND I'M HERE WITH MY TWO CAPABLE STAFF, CODY SCOTT, FACILITIES PROCESS MANAGER AND BAYLOR JOHNSON, PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MARKETING MANAGER.
THEY WILL BE GUIDING US THROUGH OUR PRESENTATION.
YOU DO HAVE A PACKET THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED FOR YOU IN FRONT OF YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR HAVING US TODAY.
UH, WE ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE, UH, LIBRARY'S PRESENTATION.
UM, AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S HISTORY AND SOME PREVIOUS BONDS, UH, THEN GETTING INTO THE, UH, DEPARTMENT'S CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS.
UH, AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING THE TECHNICAL CRITERIA WE'RE USING FOR, UH, POTENTIAL PROJECTS.
UM, SO VERY QUICKLY, UM, SOME HISTORY ABOUT AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
UM, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY IS 99 YEARS OLD.
WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR CENTENNIAL IN 2026.
AT THE SAME TIME AS THIS BOND, UH, PACKAGE IS BEING CONSIDERED, UH, THERE'S A TIMELINE WITH, UH, A MORE DETAILED HISTORY IN, UH, THE PACKETS THAT YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN, BUT SOME, YOU KNOW, JUST SORT OF KEY INFORMATION.
FIRST STARTED IN 1926 IN WHAT WAS AT THE TIME, A, A BORROWED SPACE WITH, UH, UH, A LIMITED NUMBER OF VOLUMES.
AND WE HAD OUR VERY FIRST, UH, LIBRARY BOND, UH, SHORTLY THEREAFTER TO BUILD THE FIRST PERMANENT LIBRARY BUILDING, UH, THE ORIGINAL CENTRAL LIBRARY.
UM, AND THEN THROUGHOUT KIND OF THE, UH, MID-CENTURY, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, ADDITION OF, UH, NEW LIBRARY LOCATIONS TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH OF, UH, THE CITY.
UM, AS WE GET TO MORE RECENT HISTORY, UM, THERE WAS, OF COURSE, THE NEW CENTRAL LIBRARY HERE ON CAESAR CHAVEZ WAS A REALLY SIGNIFICANT MOMENT FOR THE LIBRARY'S HISTORY AND THE LAST MAJOR BOND INVESTMENT IN THE LIBRARY SYSTEM.
UM, BUT THERE'S ALSO A COUPLE OF INTERESTING, UH, DETAILS IN THE MORE RECENT HISTORY, PARTICULARLY SHOWING THAT OUR, UM, CREATION OF NEW, UH, BRANCHES HAS SLOWED OVER TIME.
OKAY, SO I'M GONNA COVER REAL QUICK, UM, THE 2018 BOND, UH, FUNDING THAT WE HAVE.
SO CURRENTLY, UM, OUR 2018 BOND, UH, FUND WAS SET TO $34.5 MILLION.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THE PRESENTATION OUR SPEND DOWN OVER THE COURSE SINCE THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE ARE SITTING, UM, JUST RIGHT AROUND 10 MILLION LEFT TO SPEND ON SIX PROJECTS.
UH, MOST OF THOSE ARE IN CONSTRUCT IN THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE ALREADY.
WE HAVE TWO THAT ARE CLOSE TO THAT START.
UH, AND SO, UH, ONCE WE GET THROUGH THIS, THIS PROCESS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF 2026, WE WILL OF COURSE BE DOWN TO, UH, $0 LEFT TO SPEND IN OUR 2018 BOND PACKAGE.
UH, SO, UH, OUR LIBRARY, UM, COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC AND FACILITIES PLAN IS THE GUIDING DOCUMENT FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY RIGHT NOW.
IT WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH A LOT OF PUBLIC INPUT, THROUGH SURVEYS, THROUGH POP-UP IN PERSON EVENTS, UH, INTERVIEWS WITH A PL STAFF AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
AND THIS WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL TWO YEARS AGO TO SERVE AS, UH, NOT JUST A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE WORK OF THE LIBRARY, BUT ALSO A LONG-TERM, UH, VISION FOR OUR FACILITIES.
UH, SO TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS IN THAT PLAN, UH, THIS CHART IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
IT SHOWS, UH, LIBRARY SQUARE PUT SQUARE FOOTAGE PER CAPITA, WHICH IS A PRETTY STANDARD MEASURE USED TO MEASURE THE, UH, LEVEL OF LIBRARY SERVICE FOR A, UM, SER FOR A LIBRARY SYSTEMS SERVICE AREA.
UH, THERE'S A DATA POINT AT EACH DECADE, UM, SHOWING THE GROWTH OF, UH, THE CITY'S POPULATION, UH, AND HOW THE GROWTH OF LIBRARY SQUARE FOOTAGE RESULTED IN CHANGES IN OUR, UH, SQUARE FOOTAGE PER CAPITA.
OF COURSE, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE PER CAPITA, UH, PEAKED IN THE 1980S AND HAS BEEN GRADUALLY GOING DOWN EVER SINCE.
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SOME PEER LIBRARY SYSTEMS AND SEE THAT AUSTIN IS ALREADY LAGGING BEHIND.THIS IS JUST SORT OF A FUNCTION OF BEING A REALLY RAPIDLY GROWING CITY, BUT OTHER KIND OF MEDIUM TO LARGE SIZE CITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY HAVE MORE LIBRARY SQUARE FOOTAGE PER CAPITA THAN AUSTIN DOES.
UH, AND THAT, UH, GROWTH IS NOT, UH, ALL OF THAT DATA.
THE CALCULATION USED TO, UH, GIVE YOU THE SQUARE FOOTAGE PER CAPITA DOESN'T INCLUDE THE NEWLY EXPANDED SERVICE AREA FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
UH, LAST MARCH, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL EXPANDED ACCESS TO FREE A PL LIBRARY CARDS, UH, BEYOND JUST PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF AUSTIN PROPER, UH, TO INCLUDE EVERYBODY IN THE LIMITED PURPOSE AND EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTIONS OF THE CITY.
WE LOVE BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE FREE LIBRARY SERVICES TO THESE PEOPLE.
BUT, UM, THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL 217,000 APPROXIMATELY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE AREAS, WHICH ARE THE, UH, PURPLE, BLUE AND GREEN AREAS ON THE MAP THAT YOU SEE THERE.
UM, AND, UH, THE CHALLENGE WE, OF COURSE, FACE IS THAT THIS EXPANDED AREA IS NOT VERY WELL SERVED BY OUR CURRENT BRANCH NETWORK, WHICH IS REPRESENTED BY THE DOTS ON THIS MAP.
UM, SO, UH, HOW DID WE KIND OF GET HERE? UM, THROUGHOUT SORT OF THE, THE, UH, MID-CENTURY, UP UNTIL ABOUT THE EIGHTIES NINETIES, THE DRIVING PHILOSOPHY FOR EXPANDING A PL WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON ADDING SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD BRANCHES.
UM, AND THEN AGAIN, THERE WAS BIG INVESTMENTS IN A CENTRAL LIBRARY.
FIRST THERE WAS THE, THE BUILDING, THE NOW THE JOHN FAULK, UM, LIBRARY DOWNTOWN, AND THEN OF COURSE THE BIG CENTRAL LIBRARY, UM, JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, BECAUSE OF THE RAPID EXPANSION OF THE POPULATION OF THE CITY, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP WITH THAT GROWTH, PARTICULARLY AS GROWTH HAS EXPANDED TO THE EDGES OF THE CITY.
UM, AND SO THAT BRINGS US TO THIS MAP, WHICH IS ALSO FROM THE STRATEGIC AND UH, FACILITIES PLAN.
UM, AND THIS IS A MAP SHOWING A LONG RANGE PLAN OF HOW A PL CAN, UH, BUILD AND GROW TO KEEP UP WITH, UH, POPULATION GROWTH.
UM, THIS, UH, PLAN CALLS FOR FOUR NEW NET LIBRARIES, UM, IN THE, UH, KIND OF CORNERS GEOGRAPHICALLY OF THE CITY, AS WELL AS PROPOSES PROJECTS TO EITHER EXPAND SIGNIFICANTLY, RENOVATE OR RELOCATE ROUGHLY HALF OF THE EXISTING BRANCH LIBRARIES, UM, THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN THE SYSTEM TO BETTER MEET DEMAND.
NOW, WE AREN'T PROPOSING DOING ALL OF THIS IN 2026, BUT THE 2026 BOND DOES GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO MAKE HEADWAY TOWARD THIS LONG RANGE PLAN.
OKAY, SO I'M GONNA GO COVER HOW WE GOT TO, UM, OUR, UH, OUR, OUR STRUCTURE FOR THE NEXT BOND CYCLE.
AND SO OUR TECHNICAL CRITERIA WAS A PROCESS THAT STARTED MARCH OF LAST YEAR, ROUGHLY, UH, WORKING WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO IDENTIFY, UM, THE KEY, THE KEY INDICATORS THAT WE WANTED TO USE TO, TO GAUGE THE, THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
SO AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY STARTED, UH, BY USING, UM, THE INFORMATION FROM OUR STRATEGIC PLAN ALONG WITH OUR FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, UH, AND THEN THE CITY'S ANCHORS, UH, THE DEPARTMENT MASTER PLANS, UM, THAT ARE OUT THERE, UM, FROM ALL THE SMES.
UH, AND THEN WE TOOK THE, THE LAST BOND CYCLE FROM DALLAS AND SAN ANTONIO AND THE TECHNICAL CRITERIA THAT WAS USED, UH, FOR LIBRARIES AT, UH, AT THOSE BOND CYCLES.
AND WE USED THAT AND COMBINED IT WITH AI AND PUT ALL THIS STUFF TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH A BASIC FOUNDATION AND STRUCTURE OF HOW OUR TECHNICAL CRITERIA COULD LOOK FROM THERE.
UH, WE TOOK THAT INFORMATION AND WE SAT WITH THE TEAM WITHIN THE LIBRARY SYSTEM MADE UP OF PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE ENTIRE LIBRARY SYSTEM, FROM LIBRARIANS, FACILITIES, PEOPLE, EXECUTIVES, UM, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAMS. AND WE WENT THROUGH THAT TECHNICAL CRITERIA AND IDENTIFIED THOSE KEY THINGS THAT, THAT WE WANTED TO INCLUDE IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, AND SO FROM THAT, UM, WE GO INTO, UH, WHAT WAS CREATED.
SO THIS IS OUR TECHNICAL CRITERIA.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF IT TODAY AND, AND TAKE UP THAT MUCH TIME.
YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION IN YOUR BINDER AT THE BACK, YOU'LL SEE A SECTION FOR THE TECHNICAL CRITERIA.
UM, BUT IT, UH, BUT THESE ARE THE, THE ITEMS THAT WE USE TO SCORE THE NEEDS ASSESSMENTS THAT WE HAVE.
SO BASICALLY THE WAY IT WORKS IS WE'RE USING A, UM, UH, THE TECHNICAL CRITERIA PLUS A RUBRICS, WHICH IS A MULTIPLIER.
UH, AND IT BASICALLY LOOKS AT THE TECHNICAL CRITERIA RELATED TO THE PROJECT.
IF THERE'S A SCORE OF ONE AS A MULTIPLIER AND A SCORE OF FIVE, UH, BASED OFF OF WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ADDING ANY VALUE OR SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, IF IT'S NOT, THAT'S, THAT'S AT THE VERY BOTTOM AND THEN IT MULTIPLIES UP TO FIVE, UM, IF IT'S ACTUALLY ADDING, UM, A GOOD, YOU KNOW, AMOUNT OF SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
[00:40:01]
SO BASICALLY, IF YOU LOOK IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH YOU WILL ALSO FIND IN HERE, WE'VE INCLUDED THAT.UM, SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING, UM, TO PUT FORTH IN FRONT OF THE, THE COMMITTEE AND THE PUBLIC, UH, IS A BRAND NEW LAND, UH, BRANCH LIBRARY.
IT'S BEEN MORE THAN TWO DECADES SINCE WE HAD A NEW LIBRARY.
UM, AND THE LIBRARIES THAT WE HAVE RANGE FROM 7,000 SQUARE FEET TO 13,000 SQUARE FEET.
AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO HANDLE ALL THE PROGRAMMING THE PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO SEE.
UH, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT EXPANDING EXISTING FACILITIES.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, FACILITIES THAT HAVE PREVIOUS PLANS FROM WHENEVER THEY WERE BUILT FOR EXPANSION, AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, UH, COME TO FRUITION.
UH, LAND ACQUISITION IS IMPORTANT.
IF WE'RE GONNA BUILD FOUR NEW LIBRARIES, WE'VE GOT TO ACQUIRE THE LAND.
WHETHER WE COME INTO AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR WE ACQUIRE LAND, UM, FROM, FROM PRIVATE OWNERS, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED IN ORDER TO GET INTO THE NEXT CYCLE WHERE WE DESIGN AND BUILD THOSE BUILDINGS.
UH, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SAFE AND SECURE LIBRARIES.
THIS IS SOMETHING OF, OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE TO US ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT FRONTS.
WE OPERATE AS WARMING CENTERS AND COOLING CENTERS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR.
LIBRARY IS ALWAYS A PLACE TO STAY WARM AND A PLACE TO STAY.
UM, AND SO WE WANT TO ENHANCE THAT, UH, AND MAKE AND TAKE THAT FURTHER.
UH, SO AS CODY SAID, UM, WE SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN BUILDING OUT THAT BRANCH NETWORK, UM, TO SORT OF SPRINGBOARD, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY INTO ITS SECOND CENTURY.
UM, AND HERE ON THIS SLIDE AND IN THE PACKET, WE HAVE, UH, A SELECTION OF IMAGES OF RECENT BRANCH LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS SLASH AUSTIN OR AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION LIBRARY BUILDING AWARDS.
UH, AND WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THESE BUILDINGS AND THESE LIBRARIES IS THAT NONE OF THESE ARE THE CENTRAL LIBRARY OR THE FLAGSHIP LIBRARY OF THE LIBRARY SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE PART OF.
THESE ARE ALL BRANCH LIBRARIES AND SORT OF SHOW WHAT KIND OF CUTTING EDGE BRANCH LIBRARIES CAN BE LIKE, UM, CO-LOCATION OF SERVICES, PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENTS, UM, SORT OF LARGER FOOTPRINTS TO SERVE AS A COMMUNITY HUB AS OPPOSED TO THE, YOU KNOW, 7,000 SQUARE FOOT SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARY THAT, THAT, UH, MOST OF OUR LIBRARIES CURRENTLY FOLLOW.
UM, AND, UH, THIS IS A VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF WHAT A PL BRANCH LIBRARIES COULD BE IN OUR SECOND CENTURY.
UH, AND TO THAT POINT, I'LL, UH, TAKE US TO A QUOTE FROM, UH, ROOSEVELT WEEKS, THE IMMEDIATE PAST FORMER, UM, DIRECTOR OF LIBRARIES AT A PL.
UH, THIS WAS FROM WHEN, UH, COUNCIL ADOPTED THE STRATEGIC AND FACILITIES PLAN.
HE SAID THAT IN 2017, AUSTIN OPENED A NEW WORLD CLASS CENTRAL LIBRARY IN DOWNTOWN, AND THAT BUILDING REMAINS THE CROWN JEWEL OF THE CITY.
HOWEVER, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS DESERVE WORLD-CLASS LIBRARY FACILITIES TOO.
THE PLAN ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL LAYS OUT A VISION FOR GROWING AND UPDATING OUR ENTIRE LIBRARY SYSTEM TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE RAPIDLY CHANGING DYNAMIC CITY WE SERVE.
UM, TO BE SURE THAT WE GET THROUGH ALL THE PRESENTATIONS, WE'LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS, BUT WE MIGHT LIMIT THOSE QUESTIONS TO ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS AND WE HAVE TIME AT THE END, WE MIGHT ASK YOU TO COME BACK.
SO I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE TASK FORCE.
LOOKING TO MY LEFT, I SEE LUKE'S HAND UP.
UH, I SEE IN THE CHART THAT, OR IN THE PACKET THAT THERE WERE 3 MILLION VISITS IN FY 24.
HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO PREVIOUS YEARS? UM, WE ARE, I BELIEVE, BACK UP TO PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS.
UH, THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A BIG DIP IN THE PANDEMIC, AND THEN IT TOOK A WHILE FOR PEOPLE TO START RETURNING TO LIBRARIES, BUT WE'VE BEEN MAKING A REAL POINT TO, UM, UH, REALLY INCREASE THE NUMBER AND THE SCOPE OF PROGRAMMING, UM, THAT, UH, BRINGS PEOPLE INTO THE SPACES.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE THING WE HAVE SEEN IS THAT A LOT OF CIRCULATION IS SHIFTING TO DIGITAL.
PEOPLE ARE DOWNLOADING EBOOKS, BUT IT'S THE PROGRAMS REALLY THAT BRING PEOPLE INTO THE SPACES.
UM, SHOULD YOU GET ONE BRANCH, TWO BRANCH, FIVE BRANCHES IN THE BOND, RIGHT? IF WE HAD MAGIC WANDS, WE'D GIVE HER EVERYTHING THEY WANT BE GREAT.
UM, THAT ALSO COMES WITH A, UH, AN ACCOMPANYING O AND M BUDGET.
UH, SO WE'D NEED TO KNOW KIND OF WHAT THAT IMPACT WOULD BE TO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
SHOULD ONE BRANCH OPEN, TWO BRANCH OPEN, THREE BRANCHES, WHAT'S THE ONGOING OPERATIONS COST? UH, AND THEN TWO, HOW ARE YOU EVALUATING THE CURRENT, UM, UH, THE CURRENT USE OF LIKE, EXISTING BRANCHES THAT ARE NEARBY YOUR PROPOSED BRANCH, LIKE WHAT'S THAT CIRCULATION PER PERSON, WHATEVER METRIC LOOK LIKE TO DECIDE WHETHER, WHETHER OR NOT THAT NEW BRANCH WILL BE UTILIZED.
AND THERE'S A DEMAND AND NEED FOR THAT.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT TODAY, WE CAN WAIT.
THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, ADDRESS YOUR FIRST QUESTION ABOUT,
[00:45:01]
UM, THE BUILDING A LIBRARY, YOU SAID WHERE WE WOULD BUILD IT NO, NO, SORRY.THE WHERE, HOW THE EXTRA IMPACT ON THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
GENERAL FUND FOR OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.
UM, SO YES, UM, TO BUILD A NEW LIBRARY, UM, EVEN IF IT'S ONLY SEVEN OR 8,000 SQUARE FEET, OPERATIONALLY, WE WOULD NEED STAFF AND THAT STAFF WOULD INCLUDE THOSE THAT ARE IN FRONTLINE, UH, FACILITIES, UM, YOU KNOW, CUSTODIANS, SECURITY, ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO YES, UM, THERE WOULD BE A NEED.
UM, AS FAR AS DECIDING WHERE NEW LIBRARIES ARE, UH, AND IN LOOKING AT DEMAND, UM, WE WOULD LOOK AT MORE THAN ONE THING.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD LOOK AT CIRCULATION.
CIRCULATION DOESN'T ALWAYS DETERMINE NEED.
UH, CIRCULATION IS TIED TO OUR COLLECTION.
UH, BUT PEOPLE NEED US IN MANY WAYS.
PEOPLE NEED US AS A PLACE TO COME TO ALL DAY.
PEOPLE USE US AS A, A PLACE OF WORK.
PEOPLE USE US AS A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE DIFFERENT FACTORS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
SO JUST WHEN IT COMES TIME, JUST WHAT A, LIKE AN ANNUAL BUDGET WOULD BE FOR, AND LIKE AN EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD BRANCH WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW.
I HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE QUESTION, NICOLE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
UM, I JUST HAD A QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
UM, I'M OBVIOUSLY INTERESTED IN SORT OF OPTIMIZING ALL THE LAND AND BUILDING SPACE, AND I DO KNOW THAT THE STATE, THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALL HAVE A LOT OF LAND AND FACILITIES.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT OPTIMIZING ANY POTENTIAL BUILDING LOCATIONS WHERE THERE'S AN OVERLAP IN NEED IN TERMS OF SERVICE AREA AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL FOR, UM, TALKING, LIKE THINKING DIFFERENTLY ABOUT LIBRARIES? I DO KNOW THIS, I'VE MET WITH MANY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS ACROSS THE STREET WHO STATES WHO ARE CUTTING BACK THEIR LIBRARY SUPPORT SERVICES.
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFFING TO SUPPORT THEM.
THE KIDDOS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING DECLINING POPULATIONS IN CERTAIN AREAS.
HAS THIS, IS THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETHINK LIBRARIES IN A WAY THAT SERVES A BROADER COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT, BUT, BUT ALLOWS US TO OPTIMIZE BUILDING AND LAND SPACES THROUGH OTHER ENTITIES IN A SORT OF UNIQUE WAY? AND HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OTHER CITIES DO THIS KIND OF THING WITH LIBRARIES? BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY HERE IF WE'RE CREATIVE AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT, UM, THE ABILITY TO OPTIMIZE OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL AS, UM, OUR CITY, UM, FACILITIES AROUND THESE IDEAS.
I'LL START OFF AND I'LL LET YOU FINISH UP.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UH, WE HAVE A SO CO-LOCATING ABSOLUTELY, UH, NOT JUST WITH SCHOOLS, BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HEALTH OR WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, ALL THESE THINGS THAT KIND OF MAKING THESE, UH, HUBS SO THAT PEOPLE ARE, WHEN THEY MAKE A TRIP, UM, THEY CAN GET ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, WE HAVE A MODEL WITH THE ST.
JOHN LIBRARY WHERE THERE IS, UM, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UM, UH, THE LIBRARY AND THE SCHOOL, UH, IS ALL IN ONE CAMPUS.
UM, THERE ARE DIFFERENT MODELS OUT THERE, UM, SUCCESSFUL AND NOT SU SUCCESSFUL.
BUT, UH, TO YOUR POINT, WHICH I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, MORE THAN EVER WHEN WE SEE SCHOOLS, UH, AND THEIR COLLECTIONS AND ACCESS, UH, KIND OF BEING CUT INTO OR KIND OF, UH, BEING COMPROMISED, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IS A PLACE THAT WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, THAT PARENTS AND CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO COME TO.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T DEAL WITH ANY, UM, UH, REQUESTS OR CHALLENGES, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE HAVE MUCH MORE OF, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN OUR COLLECTION SO THAT WE ARE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME TO, UH, WHEN, IF, IF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MEETS UP AGAINST, UH, MORE STRICTER DEMANDS, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY IS A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN COME GET THE MATERIALS THAT THEY NEED.
I WOULD SUGGEST SOME, HAVING SOME DIRECT CONVERSATIONS CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT FISCAL TIGHTNESS AND DEFICITS THAT THE DISTRICT IS EXPERIENCING, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THEY CAN'T FIND AND RETAIN LIBRARY.
SO THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE THAT WE COULD CREATIVELY SOLVE TOGETHER IN A REALLY UNIQUE AND IMPORTANT WAY.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO DO SO.
I, I I WILL ADD THAT, UH, WE'VE, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR OR SO, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UM, INCLUDING EXISTING LAND OR OUR COHABITATING THE SAME SPACE.
THAT'S VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR DISCUSSIONS AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO USE RESOURCES THAT ALREADY EXIST OR BRING COMMONALITY TOGETHER.
HAVING IMMUNIZATION IN THE SAME BUILDING AS PASSPORT SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, IS AN EXTREMELY USEFUL THING FOR A COMMUNITY.
AND PUTTING IT IN A, IN AN AREA WHERE IT MAY NOT BE NECESSARILY AT A SCHOOL, BUT IT IS GEOGRAPHICALLY BENEFICIAL, TRANSPORTATION IS KEY TO THAT.
[00:50:01]
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT WE TICK THOSE FACTORS WHENEVER WE'RE DECIDING ON WHERE TO PUT IT, UH, IS REALLY WHAT'S KEY.AND DEFINITELY CO COHABITATING THE SAME BUILDING, UH, ON THE SAME LAND IS, IS IDEAL.
I KNOW WE HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
I WOULD ASK IF YOU HANG AROUND, MAKE SURE WE HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA TIME AT THE END.
OKAY, LET'S, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH NEXT.
MY NAME IS ADRIAN STIR AND I HAVE THIS THE DISTINCT PLEASURE OF BEING THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, I HAVE HERE WITH ME, AL ALBERT ORTIZ, UM, WHO IS OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY, UM, MANAGER AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF OUR BOND PROPOSAL PROCESS.
B UH, BJ AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
A SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY AND, UH, SINCERE, OUR GRATITUDE THAT WE ARE HERE PRESENTING TODAY.
LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT WITH OUR FOUNDATION AND FRAMEWORK, AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THE DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW, OUR BOND HISTORY, OUR BOND HISTORY FUNDING, OUR BOND SUCCESSES, WHAT DO WE'VE DONE WITH THE, WITH THE APPROPRIATIONS AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT WE'VE USED LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN, IN ELSE IS, IS USING AS WELL OUR TECHNICAL CRITERIA AS FAR AS BASED ON THOSE PRINCIPLES.
AND THE LAST THING WE'LL LOOK, LOOK AT IS A SCORING MATRIX, HOW WE PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AT, AT THE FOUNDATION LEVEL.
THIS IS THE HEART OF PUBLIC HEALTH, OUR, OUR MISSION TO PREVENT DISEASE, PROMOTE HEALTH AND PROTECT THE WELLBEING OF ALL.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE OFFER, THE LOW COST VACCINATIONS, THE HEALTH SCREENINGS, THE INFANT AND MATERNAL HEALTH, BIRTH AND DEATH CERTIFICATES, DIABETES EDUCATION AND PREVENTION CLASSES, FOOD TRUCK, RESTAURANTS, POOL AND WATER FEATURE INSPECTIONS, MOSQUITO TESTING AND ABATEMENT.
AND THE LAST THING IS RENT ASSESSMENT, FOOD, FOOD PANTRIES, AND JOB APPLICATION SUPPORT AS WELL.
THESE ARE THE CENTER OF SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ALREADY.
WE HAVE 14 WIC CLINIC CLINICS, WHICH IS THE INFANT WOMEN, INFANT AND CHILDREN CLINICS.
WE HAVE SIX NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS, TWO SHOTS FOR TOTS AND BIG SHOTS CLINICS WHERE WE PROVIDE OUR IMMUNIZATIONS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A MOBILE CLINIC, UH, PROGRAM WHERE WE GO OUT AS AN OUTREACH PROGRAM AND DO IMMUNIZATIONS AS WELL IN THAT FASHION.
WE ACTUALLY ALSO HAVE A SEXUAL HEALTH CLINIC, A REFUGEE SERVICES CLINIC IN MOM'S PLA UH, PLACE, LACTATION SUPPORT CENTER IN NORTH AUSTIN AND IN SOUTH AUSTIN AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE AN OFFICE OF VITAL RECORDS, KIND OF A BOND HISTORY WHERE WE'RE AT SINCE 1998 TILL 2022.
UH, THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY ABOUT $4 BILLION THAT WERE APPROPRIATED, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND VOTERS AUTHORIZED.
AND WE GOT A TOTAL OF $27,148,000 FROM THAT.
ABOUT 1% OF THE ACTUAL APPROPRIATION.
AND IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT A BIG PICTURE, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN A PIE CHART OF HOW MUCH WE'VE, UH, ACTUALLY RECEIVED AS FAR AS APPROPRIATION.
BUT FROM THAT 1%, WE'VE DONE SOME MAJOR WORK WITH THAT.
ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE, OF THE SLIDES, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE DONE ALREADY AND COMPLETED WITH 1% FUNDING ARE THE DUBBINGS HEALTH CENTER, THE OLAS RECREATION PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER, THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S CENTER THAT WE'VE DONE SOME UPGRADES TO THE BETTY DUNKERLEY AND ANIMAL CENTER IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL.
AND ALSO OUR PARKING EXPANSION, TWO FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM.
SO WHAT HAS AUSTIN DONE FOR THE PUBLIC? SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS GRAPH HERE, THERE'S THIS PICTURE HERE IS THE BLUE SQUARE, THE HOSPITAL'S IN THE RED AND THE RED TRIANGLE.
AND IF YOU LOOK INTO THE ACTUAL CHART, IF YOU CAN, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THESE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THE RED OUTLINE AREA TO THE RIGHT IS WHERE SOME OF THE PROPOSED AREAS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR FUTURE, UH, SITES.
UH, IT'S ALL CENTERED LIKE RIGHT OFF OF I 35 CORRIDOR.
WE WANT TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES A LITTLE BIT MORE.
OUR BIGGEST ONE THAT WE'VE HAD, UH, RECENTLY, OUR 2024 THAT WE OPENED.
[00:55:01]
ONE IS OUR DOVE SPRINGS HEALTH CENTER.IT WAS ABOUT A $20 MILLION BUDGET COMPLETED ON TIME.
IT'S A FULL SERVICE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
PROVIDES A WIC CLINIC, IMMUNIZATIONS CLINIC AS WELL.
ALSO HAVE A HIGH QUALITY CHILDCARE CENTER IN THAT FACILITY AS WELL.
WE HAVE YOUTH SERVICES THAT COME OUT OF THAT FACILITY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A PARK SOCCER FIELD AND PARKS PARK TRAILS ADJACENT TO OUR FACILITY AS WELL.
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL, UH, FACILITY THAT WE HAVE IS KIND OF OUR JAM THAT WE ARE, ARE REALLY ENJOYING AND THE COMMUNITY IS ENJOYING AS WELL.
CAN I GIVE YOU, OH, GO BACK TO THE VIDEO.
WILL IT PLAY ON ITS OWN? UH, ALRIGHT.
BEAUTIFUL PLACE THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
AND IF Y'ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, PLEASE COME BY AND VISIT.
IT'S, WE OFFER A LOT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE.
SO SOME OTHER THINGS WE'VE DONE FOR AUSTIN AS FAR AS OUR BOND, BOND APPROPRIATIONS IS IN MONIS RECREATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER THAT WE OPENED UP IN 2020 WITH A BUDGET OF ABOUT $15.5 MILLION AND COMPLETED ON TIME.
THIS IS A FULL SERVICE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER.
IT OFFERS NEW SERVICES, TRAINING ROOMS, AND MULTIPURPOSE COMMUNITY ROOMS, AND IT'S ALSO A FULL SERVICE RECREATION CENTER.
THIS ONE, WE ARE ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL, UH, FACILITY THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE OFFER ALL THESE SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY IS, IS SOME OF THESE, YOU CAN ALL CAN GO BACK AND LOOK IN YOUR PACKAGES.
THEY, WE WERE VERY, UH, INVOLVED WITH SOME OF THESE AREAS LIKE THE
SOME OF THE KEY NOTES THAT ARE IN THERE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AS WELL.
WE ALSO DID SOME, UH, FUN, UH, WITH OUR FUNDS.
WE UPGRADED SOME, SOME ITEMS IN OUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S CENTER IN 2018 WITH ABOUT $6.7 MILLION BUDGET WE COMPLETED.
AND IN TIME SOME OF THAT MONEY CAME FROM A BOND OF $3.8 MILLION AND THE OTHER ONE FROM, FROM THE COUNCIL FUNDS WERE ABOUT 2.9.
UH, WE ADDED 36 NEW BETS TO THIS FACILITY, A NEW DAY, A NEW DAYCARE CENTER.
WE UPGRADED THE A DA AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT, ITEMS THAT NEEDED TO BE UPGRADED AND JUST OVERALL SITE IMPROVEMENTS TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE, FOR THE CLIENTS THERE.
AND JUST, JUST IN CASE PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE THAT WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER IS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SALVATION ARMY IN TRAVIS COUNTY, AND IT SERVES WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A WARM AND WELCOMING SAFE SPACE FOR WOMEN TO BE WITH THEIR CHILDREN IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT THAT, THAT SHELTER OR CENTER REPRESENTS.
ANOTHER AREA WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, USED WITH OUR APPROPRIATIONS IS OUR BETTY LEE AND CAMPUS RENOVATIONS IN THE AUSTIN ADMIRAL CENTER AS WELL.
WE BY OFFER THEM, UH, MORE KENNELS, UH, WITH ABOUT A $1.7 MILLION BUDGET.
WE ADDED 90 PARKING SPACES, DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, SIDEWALKS AND TRAILS, AND AN ADDITIONAL 50 KENNELS FOR THE ANIMAL CENTER.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SLIDE, YOU SEE WHERE WE DID WITH THE, UH, PARKING EXPANSIONS AT TWO OF OUR SITES.
UH, WE, UH, WITH A $906,000 BUDGET AND COMPLETED ON TIME, WE SERVE AS THE FAR SOUTH AUSTIN COMMUNITY CENTER, THE ONTOP, THE CENTER AS WELL WITH SOME DRAINAGE MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENTS OF LANDSCAPING.
THESE GUIDING PRINCIPLES IS WHAT WE'RE USING AS FAR AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN MASTER AGREEMENT.
UH, ALL OF US ARE USING THIS, AND AGAIN, JUST TO GO OVER 'EM.
ADVANCING EQUITY, PROMOTING AFFORDABILITY, FOSTERING
[01:00:01]
INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE, PROACTIVE PREVENTION, COMMUNITY TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS IS WHAT WE'RE BASING OUR FOUNDATION ON.FROM THERE, WE WON'T GO OFF TO OUR TECHNICAL, OOPS, EXCUSE ME.
OUR TECHNICAL CRITERIA THAT WE USE FOR THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
AND WE'RE DOING IT IN THIS FASHION WITH INCLUSIVE FACILITY DESIGN, COST AND EFFECTIVE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS, INNOVATIVE FACILITY SOLUTIONS, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE INFRASTRUCTURE PREVENT UP HEALTH CENTRIC FACILITY PLANNING AND COMMUNITY CENTER FACILITY DEVELOPMENT.
WHEN WE COME TO THE END OF IT, WE LOOKED AT OUR SCORING MATRIX.
WHEN WE FOLLOW THE ACTUAL GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND THE TECHNICAL CRITERIA, WE PUT IT INTO A SCORING MATRIX BASED OUTTA A HUNDRED POINTS AND EACH ONE HAS ITS VALUE.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE GOT WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE SCORING.
UM, I'M AWARE THAT, UH, A P I'VE SEEN THE NEWS ABOUT A PH GETTING, UH, UH, NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY FEDERAL BUDGETARY CUTS, UH, IN TERMS OF OPERATIONS AND, AND AND SUCH.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY IMPACT TO FACILITIES OR CAPITAL THAT ARE, THAT SHOULD BE ANTICIPATED AS WELL? NONE AT THIS TIME, BUT ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE PROPOSED INCLUDE, UM, WHAT WOULD BE AN EXPANSION OF OUR STI CLINIC.
AND SO IN THE EVENT THAT THE FEDERAL FUNDING CHANGES, WE WOULD HAVE A GENERAL FUND SUPPORTED CLINIC IN COMMUNITY THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT MUCH NEEDED SERVICE.
I'M JUST GONNA GO ROUND THOSE WHO HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO ASK JC UH, REGARDING YOUR CRITERIA SCORING MATRIX.
I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT AS TO HOW YOU CAME UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS.
I NOTICED THAT, UH, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY, FOR INSTANCE, IS RANKED SECOND TO LAST IN IN THE NUMBERS.
UM, OUR FOUNDING DOCUMENTS HAVE US LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT CLIMATE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION AS A CENTRAL FOCUS OF OUR DELIBERATIONS.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE YOUR FOCUS CAME FROM.
SO WE, WHEN WE PUT THESE TOGETHER, WE'RE BASING IT ON THAT FROM THE CITY MASTER PLAN.
WE GOT OUR INFORMATION FROM THERE, AND WE BASED THAT DEFINITION FROM THE MASTER PLAN, CITY OF AUSTIN MASTER PLAN AGREEMENT TO WHERE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONNECT THE POINTS ACCORDINGLY WITH PRIORITY TO EACH OF THOSE, UH, GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
SO WE WE'RE USING THE ACTUAL, THE, UH, MASTER PLAN ALIGNMENT TO GET MOST OF OUR INFORMATION TO SCORE THAT WAY.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, EVEN THOUGH OUR, OUR FACILITIES WILL BE BUILT WITH THOSE GOALS IN MIND, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME PARKS AND REC FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS RESILIENCE HUBS.
THEY'VE BEEN, UM, HARDENED TO BE ABLE TO HELP IN EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATE.
UM, OUR FACILITY WOULDN'T BE BUILT WITH THAT IN MIND.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING MORE CONSERVATIVE ON THE, THE POINT STRUCTURES WHERE WE WERE COMING FROM.
BUT OF COURSE, THEY WOULD ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S GOALS IN THAT SPACE, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE LIKE IN OUR MINDS IF, IF WE GOT A HIGHER NUMBER, THAT MEANS THAT'S A PLACE, KIND OF WHAT LIBRARIES WAS TALKING ABOUT FOR COOLING AND FOR, UM, WARMING FOLLOW UP.
ARE YOU, I HAVE A FOLLOW UP TO THAT.
CAN I, I'M JUST GONNA MAKE MY WAY AROUND.
ARE WE HERE? IT'S A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT PATH.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO.
AGAIN, MAGIC WAND, I WANT EVERYBODY TO GET EVERYTHING THEY NEED, BUT I'M GONNA BE DEBBIE DOWNER ON, ON BUDGET THING.
SO YOUR BUDGET'S AT 131 MILLION, 39 MILLION OF THAT IS FROM FEDERAL FUNDS.
WE HAVE A BUDGET SHORTFALL WITHIN THE CITY LOOKING TO CUT, CUT, CUT, CUT, CUT.
SO EVERY TIME WE BRING ON OUR NEW FACILITY, IT HAS LONG ON ONGOING OPERATIONS MAINTENANCE COSTS.
SO, UM, AT SOME POINT DURING THE ASK PROCESS, WHEN YOU HAVE A FULL FORMAL ASK, I WOULD JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE BUDGETARY IMPACTS OF THAT BE FOR ONGOING, UH, MAINTENANCE SUPPORT AND FTES.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE A ROUGH DRAFT OF THOSE NUMBERS.
I THINK, UM, WHAT IS FORTUITOUS ABOUT THE TIMING IS, AND THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT ALL LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND CITIES ARE STRUGGLING WITH, IS HOW DO WE SHIFT THE BALANCE AND THE DEPENDENCY ON FEDERAL FUNDS TO LOCAL DOLLARS AND THE CENTERS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING DO JUST THAT.
AND SO IT'S A STEP FOR AUSTIN TO BE, UM, MORE INDEPENDENT WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING ITS PUBLIC HEALTH AND NOT BE SUBJECT TO, UH, WHAT WE CALL EPISODIC FUNDING.
[01:05:01]
BACK TO THE CLIMATE IMPACT, KIND OF SETTING ASIDE THE RESILIENCE HUB ASPECT.UM, WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD, UM, TELL US AT ALL ABOUT YOUR ASSUMPTIONS IN TERMS OF THE MATERIALS AND, UM, ANY OTHER ATTRIBUTES OF THE BUILDING THAT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, ON THE KIND OF MITIGATION SIDE, REDUCING EMISSIONS.
SO THINKING ABOUT THE, THE, AGAIN, THE TYPES OF MATERIALS, THINGS LIKE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ONSITE SOLAR ENERGY, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO FOR MOST OF OUR FACILITIES ARE SILVER OR LEAD SILVER, AND WE STRIVE FOR GOLD.
SO BASED ON THAT TYPE OF, UH, UH, HISTORY, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO, TO GO WITH.
AND AS FAR AS TRYING TO REDUCE EMISSIONS, TRYING TO WORK WITH THAT AREA, WE WILL HAVE TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION FROM OUR EPIDEMIOLOGY GROUP AS FAR AS GIVING THIS DATA TO WHAT WE CAN CONTRIBUTE AS FAR AS BUILDING MATERIALS WE CAN USE TO MAKE IT A LOT BETTER FOR, FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
I, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION.
AND I GUESS ALONG WITH THAT ALSO SINCE IT, I MEAN, HOPEFULLY FOR ALL CITY BUILDINGS, BUT YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE Y'ALL ARE FOCUSED ON HEALTH, THINKING ABOUT, UM, THE KIND OF INDOOR AIR QUALITY MM-HMM
AND THE TYPES OF PAINTS AND OTHER, UM, ADHESIVES AND SUCH THAT YOU'RE USING, I'D LOVE ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE.
GOING BACK TO THE BUDGET, UH, RIGHT, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CAPITAL OUTLAY FOR, FOR BUILDINGS AND STUFF, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT KIND OF TWO, TWO, UH, SETS OF, OF FUNDING SOURCES, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT OUR OM THE ONGOING STUFF THAT, THAT'S STAFFING AND, AND PROGRAMS AND THEN THAT, UH, FEDERAL FUNDS OR FUNDS FROM ELSEWHERE THAT WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH CONTROL OVER.
UM, WHEN, WHEN WE LOOK AT STAFFING A BUILDING, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT IS THAT, UM, CAN YOU GIMME A SENSE ON, ON, AND NOT, NOT EXPECTING EXACT NUMBERS, BUT CAN YOU GIMME A SENSE, ARE, ARE YOU RUNNING LOOKING AT THOSE TWO POOLS OF MONEY, LIKE GUESS TWO SEPARATE BUDGETS BASICALLY, AND ONE IS GOING FOR THINGS THAT MAY HAPPEN, MAY NOT HAPPEN DEPENDING IF THE MONEY'S THERE, BUT ARE LIKE, ARE CORE SERVICES AND STAFFING IS BEING FUNDED BY OUR, OUR LOCAL TAX MONEY THAT WE DO CONTROL? OR HOW, HOW DO YOU APPROACH THAT? VERY DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW, BUDGETING ASPECT FOR, FOR THIS PROJECT IN PARTICULAR, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AS ONE FUNDING SOURCE.
UM, I THINK THE BEAUTY OF THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING, AT LEAST THE PUBLIC HEALTH ONES, WE ARE WORKING ON OUR CAPACITY FOR, UM, BILLING.
NOT, NOT THAT WE'RE GONNA START CHARGING, BUT THE STATE HAS WHAT THEY CALL A CHARITY CARE POOL PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN GET REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES PROVIDED.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN OFFSET WHAT THE GENERAL FUND HAS TO SPEND AND TO SUPPORT THINGS LIKE STAFFING OR, UM, VACCINE SUPPLY, THOSE KINDS OF, OF THINGS THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET.
AND JUST RELYING ON GENERAL FUND FOR THE, UH, WHAT IS IT, OEM COSTS.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO MAXIMIZE, UM, HOW WE CAN BRING IN ADDITIONAL REVENUES TO SUPPORT THE CENTER.
AND WHEN THE CLIMATE CHANGE, PERHAPS THERE'LL BE OPPORTUNITY FOR FEDERAL FUNDING IN THE WAY THAT WE'RE USED TO, TO BE ABLE TO, TO SUPPORT SOME OF THAT.
BUT I THINK, LIKE I SAID TO THE OTHER COMMISSIONER, IS A GOOD STEP IN MOVING AWAY FROM OUR OVERRELIANCE ON FEDERAL FUNDING AND DOING WHAT WE DO BEST, TAKING CARE OF AUSTINITES RIGHT HERE AT HOME.
AND JUST AS A FOLLOW UP, IF YOU EVER COME ACROSS AN INSTANCE THAT, UH, YOU SEE WHERE US DOING A CAPITAL OUTLAY FOR A BUILDING OR FACILITY, THAT WOULD ACTUALLY IN A WAY SAVE US MONEY ON THAT OPERATION SIDE BECAUSE MAYBE WE'RE IN AN OLDER BUILDING THAT'S REQUIRES A LOT OF MAINTENANCE AND A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, IS NOT WORKING WELL FOR US.
IF WE CAN SWITCH TO SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY ENDS UP SAVING BY SPENDING ON THIS CAPITAL OUTLAY SIDE, WE END UP SAVING ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE.
PLEASE, UH, REPORT THAT TO US.
I THINK OTHER PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THAT.
JEREMY, DO YOU QUESTION? SAY THAT AGAIN? SORRY.
I WAS ASKING IF ANYONE ON, IF OUR ONLINE MEMBER HAS A QUESTION OF JUST CHECKING IN.
I THINK HE'S SHAKING HIS HEAD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
NOW I THINK WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
[01:10:01]
AND THANKS FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT.I AM LIANA KKA AND I SERVE AS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
I OVERSEE, UH, PARK PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, OPERATIONS, AND MAINTENANCE AND ASSET MANAGEMENT.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY THE UNIT THAT, UM, LEADS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE, OF THE BOND PROGRAM FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
AND WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING INFORMATION THAT WILL ASSIST YOU WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BOND.
SO I'M HERE TODAY WITH TWO OF MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, LISA FART IS A REGISTERED ARCHITECT AND THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR ARCHITECTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND RACHEL MORRIS, UH, IS THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR ASSET MANAGEMENT.
SHE'S A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, AND, UH, SHE'S MANAGING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO ALYSSA AND RACHEL, UM, HAVE BEEN LEADING THE BOND TEAM THAT HAS BEEN GATHERING INPUT FROM ALL OF THE DIVISIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
UM, TODAY WE WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT, A PROGRESS UPDATE ON THE SPENDING OF THE 2018 BOND PROGRAM, AND WE WILL DISCUSS THE TECHNICAL SCORING CRITERIA FRAME FRAMEWORK THAT WE ARE UTILIZING TO REVIEW AND PRIORITIZE THE PROJECTS.
THESE TECHNICAL CRITERIA ARE IN LINE WITH THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT.
AUSTIN IS OFTEN CALLED A CITY WITHIN A PARK, WHICH IS TRUE.
UM, SO FROM THE FOUR ORIGINAL SQUARES FROM THE 1839 PLAN THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE FIRST MAYOR TO PEACE PARK, WHICH WAS, UM, ONE OF THE FIRST PUBLIC PARKS IN TEXAS TO THESE IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS THAT YOU SEE HERE.
20,000 PLUS ACRES, 355 PARKS, 270 MILES OF TRAILS, 34 POOLS.
UH, AND WHILE THE PARK SYSTEM IS EXPANSIVE, IT'S STILL FALLS SHORT OF THE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ACCESS TO PARKLAND AND FALLS SHORT OF THE CITY COUNCIL CALLS, UM, FOR ACCESS TO PARKLAND AND, UM, FOR THE NATIONAL STANDARDS THAT, UM, THEY ARE FOR RESIDENTS TO BE WITHIN A 10 MINUTE WALK FROM A PARK OR AN OPEN SPACE.
AUSTIN'S PARKS AND FACILITIES, UM, SERVE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, NOT ONLY OF THE AUSTIN AREA, BUT ALSO OF THE, UH, GREATER AUSTIN METRO AREA.
AND ALTHOUGH AUSTIN IS NO LONGER GROWING AT THE PREVIOUS PACE, THE GREATER AUSTIN METRO AREA CONTINUES TO GROW AT THE BLISTERING PACE.
THEY ARE, I BELIEVE, SECOND IN THE COUNTRY AT THE LARGE METRO AREAS IN TERMS OF GROWTH.
WE, THEY JUST LOST THE NUMBER ONE SPOT.
UM, BUT AS A RESULT, WE SEE AN INCREASED NUMBER OF VISITORS TO OUR PARK SYSTEM.
UM, AND THESE VISITORS ARE ENJOYING THE PARKS, POOLS, ATHLETIC COURTS.
THEY'RE VISITING THE RECREATION CENTERS, THE SENIOR CENTERS, AND THEY, UH, AND THE PERFORMING ART VENUES.
AND THAT OF COURSE BRINGS US TO THE QUESTION ABOUT FUNDING AND, UM, THAT WE NEED FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM.
THE PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE FOR DELIVERING CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ARE THE BONDS, BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FUNDING, UM, GOES AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, WE LEVERAGE FUNDING FROM ADDITIONAL SOURCES.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE, UH, FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
PARKLAND DEDICATION FEES, UM, IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE WITH THEM, IT'S A LOCAL GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENT, UM, THAT IS MANDATING THE DEDICATION OF LAND FOR A PARK OR FACING YOU FOR, UM, THAT COULD FIND THE DEVELOPMENT, UH, OF IMPROVEMENTS OR THE ACQUISITION OF A PARK IN THE VICINITY OF THE ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT.
THE DEPARTMENT APPLIES FOR GRANTS, AND THESE ARE, UH, LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS.
AND WE HAVE BEEN, UH, QUITE SUCCESSFUL, ESPECIALLY DURING THE LAST, UH, FEW YEARS.
HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX PROVIDES FUNDING FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS THAT MEET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS
[01:15:01]
AND CERTAIN REMOTE TOURISM.UM, IN AUSTIN, UH, PARTNERSHIPS, UM, THE DEPARTMENT, UH, WORKS WITH PARTNERS, UH, WHETHER THESE ARE NONPROFITS, UM, CONSERVANCIES, UH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, UM, OR BUSINESSES.
AND WE COMBINE, UH, WE JOIN FORCES TO DELIVER CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND HERE'S A BRIEF HISTORY OF OUR RECENT BONDS, UM, AS OH
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, AS THE CITY HAS GROWN AND OUR PARK SYSTEM HAS GROWN, SO TWO OF OUR BONDS, AND THE LAST TIME THAT PARD RECEIVED BOND FUNDING WAS IN 2018 VIA PROP B FOR 66.5 MILLION.
AND PROP C FOR 149 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF 215.5.
SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH PROP C, UM, BECAUSE THE FUNDS WERE, UM, WENT IN EXCLUSIVELY TO PARKS AND RECREATION, UM, OF THE 149 MILLION, UM, APPROVED, WE HAVE SPENT 68% AND WE HAVE ENCUMBERED 13% FOR A TOTAL OF 81% COMMITTED OF THE REMAINING FUNDS.
UM, 11% OF THOSE FUNDS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO PROJECTS, AND ONLY 8% IS SET ASIDE AS CONTINGENCY FOR PROJECT OVERRUNS AND FOR UNEXPECTED EXPENSES UNTIL WE GET OUR NEXT INFUSION OF BOND DOLLARS.
UM, THE, UH, PROXY FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TO PROGRAMS AND NOT NAMED FACILITIES, AND SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS INCLUDE AQUATICS, PARKLAND ACQUISITION, PARKLAND IMPROVEMENTS, BUILDING RENOVATIONS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE.
OUR SLIDES ARE A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, PART HAS BEEN, UH, SPENDING DOWN THESE FUNDS REALLY CONSISTENTLY.
THE RED ARROW SHOWS YOU WHERE WE ARE TODAY AT 68% SPENT AND 81% COMMITTED.
UM, AND THIS JUST ILLUSTRATES THE SUCCESS OF A PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH.
UM, PART HAS THE FLEXIBILITY TO, UH, PURSUE THE MOST VIABLE PROJECTS AND MAKE USE OF, OR BETTER, MAKE USE OF THE ALTERNATIVE FUNDING THAT LIANA JUST MENTIONED TO ALLOW US TO REALLY STRETCH OUR BOND DOLLARS.
UM, AND AS MENTIONED, SOME OF OUR GRANTS HAVE RECENTLY BEEN REALLY SIZABLE.
UH, WE GOT OVER 3 MILLION FOR THE MONTAO POOL REPLACEMENT, 4 MILLION FOR THE JOHN, UH, TREVINO JR METRO PARK, AND 1.5 MILLION FOR WALTER LONG METRO PARK.
AND THIS ALLOWS US TO ADD SCOPE OR TO, UH, USE THESE BOND DOLLARS ON OTHER HIGH PRIORITY PROJECTS TO PROP B.
UM, SO FOR PROP B, WE, UH, THIS WAS ASSIGNED TO LIBRARIES, MUSEUMS, AND CULTURAL CENTERS.
UM, SO IT WAS SPLIT ACROSS THREE DEPARTMENTS, LIBRARIES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PARKS AND RECREATION.
OF THE 66.5 MILLION ASSIGNED TO PARD, WE'VE SPENT DOWN 39% AND HAVE ANOTHER 18% ENCUMBERED, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF 57% COMMITTED.
UNLIKE PROP C, THESE FUNDS, UM, WERE ASSIGNED TO SPECIFIC FACILITIES AND, UH, THE NAME FACILITIES INCLUDE THE MS BARIENTOS, UH, MEXICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER, THE TY ARTS CENTER, THE CARVER MUSEUM, AND THE ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, THE FUNDS APPROVED FOR TWO OF THESE FACILITIES WERE NOT SUFFICIENT TO COMPLETE THOSE PROJECTS, UM, MAKING THEM DIFFICULT TO SPEND DOWN.
AND HERE IS THE SPEND DOWN CHART FOR PROP B.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SPEND THESE FUNDS DOWN AS QUICKLY AS PROP C, UM, AND THIS, UH, RED ARROW SHOWS WHERE WE ARE TODAY AT 39% SPENT AND 57% COMMITTED.
UM, AS MENTIONED, THE NAME PROJECTS, UM, APPROACH JUST DOES NOT ALLOW US THE FLEXIBILITY THAT WE NEED, UM, TO DELIVER PROJECTS, UH, QUICKLY.
AND THE, THE ONLY REASON THAT WE CAN SHOW THE SPIN DOWN, UM, SO QUICKLY OVER THE NEXT FEW
[01:20:01]
YEARS IS BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE HAD TO CUT 50% OF THE, UM, NEEDED PROGRAM SPACE FOR THE DOUGHERTY ARTS CENTER TO DELIVER A PROJECT WITH THE FUNDS AVAILABLE.I I JUST WANT TO, UM, VERY BRIEFLY, UH, DISCUSS THE LAND ACQUISITIONS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE DURING THE 2018 BOND PROGRAM.
UM, THIS IS A HEAT MAP THAT SHOWS, UH, HOW WE SPEND THE MONEY.
AND OUT OF THE 45 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVED FOR LAND ACQUISITIONS, UM, 2.9 MILLION IS LEFT, WHICH IS ASSIGNED TO PROJECTS, AND 3.2 MILLION IS KEPT AS A CONTINGENCY.
SO THE REST OF THE FUNDING OUT OF THE 45 MILLION, WHICH IS ABOUT 39 MILLION, HAS BEEN SPENT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE, AGAIN TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE USED A LOT OF PLD FUNDING TO HELP WITH THE LAND ACQUISITIONS.
AND ACTUALLY FOR EVERY DOLLAR BOND DOLLAR THAT WE HAVE SPENT, WE HAVE COMBINED THAT WITH 70 CENTS FROM PARKLAND DEDICATION.
SO THE CONTRIBUTION IS SIGNIFICANT AND OUR, UM, ABILITY TO BUY LAND HAS GONE THAT MUCH FURTHER.
UM, OUR CRITERIA FOR THESE ACQUISITIONS, FOR THE MOST PART, UH, HAVE FOCUSED ON PARKLAND DEFICIENT AREAS.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL GOAL ACTUALLY IS FOR EVERY RESIDENT TO BE WITHIN A QUARTER MILE IF THEY ARE WITHIN THE URBAN CORE OR WITHIN HALF A MILE OF A PARK OR AN OPEN SPACE IF THEY LIVE OUTSIDE THE URBAN CORE.
SO THIS IS WHAT'S GUIDING, UM, THIS EFFORT.
AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT 70% OF OUR RESIDENTS MEETING THAT CALL.
SO WE HAVE 30% THAT WE CERTAINLY WANT TO ADDRESS, UM, IN THE NEXT, UH, OPPORTUNITY.
ALL RIGHT, BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEW, UH, TECHNICAL CRITERIA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE BOND, I'M GONNA GO OVER A FEW EXISTING ONES THAT WE HAVE.
PART HAS A LONG HISTORY OF CREATING A LOT OF GUIDING DOCUMENTS AND CRITERIA TO HELP PRIORITIZATION AS WE WE WORK ON PROJECTS.
SO SOME OF THOSE, UM, UH, OCCUR FOR ONGOING PROGRAMS LIKE THE PREVIOUS 2018 BOND FOR OUR PARKLAND DEDICATION TO CIP PROJECTS.
UH, THE AQUATIC VISION PLAN, WHICH IS THE, THE PHOTO YOU'LL SEE ON THE SIDE IS FROM THAT, UH, WE HAVE ONE FROM A RECENT RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTER GAP ANALYSIS.
WE'VE DONE PRIORITIZATION FOR SHADE STRUCTURES, SECURITY LIGHTING, AND ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS ARE SUPPORTED BY OUR PARKS AND OUR FUTURE, OUR LONG RANGE, WHICH IS OUR LONG RANGE PLAN, UH, ADOPTED TO BY CITY COUNCIL IN 2019.
AND THAT LONG RANGE PLAN SUPPORTS ALL OF OUR, UH, BOND TEAMS GUIDING PRINCIPLES, AND IT WAS DEVELOPED, INCLUDING EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO HAVE LOTS OF VISION PLANS FOR SPECIFIC PARKS AND EXPANSION, UH, PLANS FOR FACILITIES, ALL OF WHICH HAD EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS AND GUIDE OUR ROLLING NEEDS.
AS A REMINDER, THIS IS OUR 2018 BOND PRIOR PRIORITIZATION CRITERIA.
UM, THIS WAS USED FOR PROP C, WHICH WAS THE PORTION THAT WAS A PRO PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH RATHER THAN THE NAMED PROJECT APPROACH.
AND PROP B, THIS CRITERIA EVALUATED THE NEEDS FOR REINVESTMENT, STRATEGIC DIRECTION, HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT IMPACTS AND EQUITY.
UH, RECENTLY, UM, ANOTHER ONE OF OUR EXAMPLES IS, UH, HIGHLIGHTED IN RECENT PUBLICATION IS THE RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTER GAP ANALYSIS REPORT.
THIS PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK THAT EXPLORES HOW WE MAY BETTER SERVE AREAS WITHIN THE CITY THAT LACK EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THESE TYPES OF FACILITIES.
UM, THE REPORT WAS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, ENGAGED LOTS OF PARD RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND MAINTENANCE STAFF, ALONG WITH THE CITY DEMOGRAPHER, THE EQUITY OFFICE, AND EXECUTIVES AS WELL AS STAFF TO CREATE A WELL-ROUNDED FEEDBACK LOOP OF ENGAGEMENT.
THE IMAGE YOU SEE ON THE LEFT IS THE HEAT MAP OF PRIORITIZATION.
THAT WAS A RESULT OF THE REPORT.
AND THE PINK OUTLINED AREAS KIND OF REPRESENT THE SERVICE AREAS WHERE WE'RE IDENTIFYING THE HIGHEST NEEDS TO SUPPLEMENT THE EVALUATION OF PROGRAM AND PROJECT TYPES THAT DON'T HAVE EXISTING TECHNICAL CRITERIA OR PRIORITIZATION TOOLS.
WE'VE CREATED THIS NEW ONE FOR THIS NEW BOND CYCLE.
UM, THE CRITERIA LEADS WITH SOCIAL EQUITY AS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY AND INCLUDES CRITERIA FOR PROACTIVE REINVESTMENT, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE, LEVERAGING OF FUNDS AND PARTNERSHIP, PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND
[01:25:01]
STRATEGIC DIRECTION.EACH CATEGORY ALIGNS WITH THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES ADOPTED BY THE BOND DEVELOPMENT TEAM.
I'M GONNA GO REALLY QUICKLY THROUGH THESE NEXT SLIDES, UM, BECAUSE YOU CAN READ THROUGH ALL THE DETAIL, UH, ON YOUR OWN RATHER THAN ME READING THROUGH IT.
UM, THE SOCIAL ECUADOR EQUITY CATEGORY LOOKS AT MULTIPLE AREAS INCLUDING POPULATION SERVED, INCOME OF SERVICE AREA, PEOPLE OF COLOR SERVED, CHILDREN SERVED, AND HEALTH OUTCOMES.
THE PROACTIVE REINVESTMENT METRICS CONSIDER EXISTING SITE AND BUILDING CONDITIONS, SAFETY, MAINTENANCE, COST, FACILITY USAGE AND ACCESSIBILITY.
THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE CATEGORY LOOKS AT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, RESILIENCE NETWORKS, SUSTAINABLE DESIGN, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, KEO HEIGHT, WATER USAGE, AND HEAT ISLAND.
AND OF COURSE, ONE OF PART'S TOP VALUE IS SUSTAINABILITY.
AND EVERY PROJECT, PROJECT, REGARDLESS OF SCOPE, INCORPORATES A HIGH LEVEL OF SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE INITIATIVES AS EVIDENT BY OUR OVER 30 PLUS PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE OR RECENTLY OBTAINED.
A EGB, WHICH AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING SITES OR LEAD CERTIFICATION.
UH, THE LEVERAGING FUNDS AND PARTNERSHIP CATEGORY EXPLORES A PROJECT'S ABILITY TO UTILIZE MATCHING FUNDS, UH, THAT LEONNA WENT OVER EARLIER AS ALTERNATIVE SOURCES SUCH AS THE GRANTS, DONATIONS, PARTNERS, HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDS, PLDS, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENT FUNDS AND MANY MORE.
AND LASTLY, STRATEGIC DIRECTION CRITERIA EVALUATES PROJECTS FOR ALIGNMENT WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND EXISTING CITY PLANS, HARD LONG RANGE PLAN OR VISION PLANS, AND LOOKS FOR PREVIOUS PARTICIPATORY INVOLVEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE WITH A VERY BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE CRITERIA AND PRIORITIZATION STRATEGIES THAT, UM, WILL GUIDE, UH, LAND ACQUISITIONS.
AS I HAVE, AS I MENTIONED, THE THE GOAL TO HAVE, UH, ALL RESIDENTS WITHIN A SHORT DISTANCE FROM A PARK, UH, HAS LED TO US DEVELOPING THE PARKLAND DEFICIENCY MAP THAT YOU SEE, UH, ON THE LEFT SIDE OF YOUR, UH, OF THE SCREEN THERE.
AND, UM, THAT, UH, WE ARE COUPLING WITH.
UM, UH, ON, ON THE OTHER SIDE YOU SEE, UM, PRIORITIZATION OF, UM, BASED ON DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS.
SO THIS DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT INCLUDE RACE, INCOME, ETHNICITY, AND OTHER, UH, UH, PARAMETERS INCLUDING, UH, CRITICAL CONNECTIONS, DENSITY OF CHILDREN, UH, PROXIMITY TO NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND GROWTH, UM, CREATING THAT SECOND, UH, LAYER THAT, UH, WILL, UH, GUIDE US FOR, FOR THE ACQUISITIONS.
SO, UH, IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT PROJECTS THAT SHARE GOALS WITH, UH, TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC WORKS, UH, WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT, AUSTIN, UH, WATER UTILITY IN ORDER TO MAKE ACQUISITIONS THAT WILL BENEFIT, UM, A NUMBER OF GOALS, UH, FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
UM, WE, UM, THROUGH THE STUDY THAT ALYSSA MENTIONED, WE HAVE PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF RECREATION CENTERS AND SENIOR CENTERS.
UM, THE THAT, UH, WERE CAME TO LIGHT THROUGH THE GAP ANALYSIS.
UM, WE, YOU ALSO HEARD TODAY ABOUT THE COLORADO RIVER, AND THIS IS AN AREA THAT WE THINK, UM, WE NEED TO FOCUS SO THAT WE DON'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS, UM, IN AUSTIN.
AND LASTLY IS GREENBELTS AND, UH, CONNECTIVITY THAT AGAIN, WE NEED TO, UM, TO ADDRESS AND, UH, THROUGH, UH, LAND ACQUISITIONS.
AND WITH THAT, UM, WE, UH, CLOSE THE PRESENTATION AND WE WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS.
UM, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION ON THE PRIOR SLIDE, THE LAND ACQUISITION CRITERIA, MAYBE I'M MISSING SOMETHING.
IS THERE A LEGEND THAT CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND THE COLORS THERE? LIKE WHAT DO THE COLORS MEAN? UM, THE
SO IF WE GO TO THE DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS, THE LIGHTER YELLOW IS, UH, NOT A PRIORITY.
LET'S SAY THE ORANGE AND RED BECOME MUCH HIGHER PRIORITIES.
WE HAVE A A FEW MINUTES FOR QUESTIONS AND I'LL JUST SIT AROUND THIS WAY.
LUKE, DO Y'ALL, UH, CONSIDER THE POTENTIAL FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION FOR ANY LAND THAT YOU ACQUIRE? WE HAVE DISCUSSED THAT, YES.
[01:30:02]
HAD PARTICIPATED IN A SIMILAR EFFORT WITH, UH, THE THREE FOLKS, UH, IN THE PAST TO, TO COMMIT, UH, TO THESE EFFORTS.AND WE WERE IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.
BUT IT'S NOT IN THE CRITERIA, RIGHT? NO.
IS THAT POSSIBLE TO ADD? I WOULD THINK SO, YES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION IN YOUR WORK.
I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS THAT ARE UNRELATED.
UM, ON YOUR RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTER GAP ANALYSIS, YOU HAVE A LAYER FOR AGE 18 AND BELOW.
AND IN HONOR OF THE SENIORS WHO CAME AND SPOKE TODAY, WHY IS THERE NOT A LAYER FOR 55 OR 65 AND ABOVE? THAT METRIC AND ANALYSIS WAS SIMPLY FOR THE LOCATION OF A RECREATION CENTER.
THE LOCATION IDENTIFIED FOR THE SENIOR CENTER, IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THE REPORT, HAS TO DO WITH WHERE THERE IS NO SENIOR CENTER COVERAGE.
AND YOU'LL SEE A MAP THAT SHOWS THE NORTHEAST SIDE AS DEFICIENT.
MAYBE IN THE FUTURE THAT TITLING LIKE YOU MIGHT RETITLE THAT JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT CLEARER.
IS THERE, CAN YOU USE PLAINER LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE THE ISSUES WITH SPENDING DOWN THE NAMED PROJECT FUNDS? UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED THE CARVER AND THAT IS OF INTEREST TO ME.
SO, UH, DURING THE 2018, UH, BOND PROGRAM, WE DID NOT HAVE A FACILITY PLAN, UH, FOR THE CAR EXPANSION.
AND THAT WAS THE CASE BOTH FOR THE CAR AND THE ASIAN-AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH MEANT THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO AS THE NEXT PHASE, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MUCH THAT WILL COST AND WHAT THE TWO NUMBERS THAT WERE GIVEN, UM, WERE SEVEN AND SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION THAT WERE SORT OF PLACEHOLDERS.
SO WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO, UH, WHAT WILL BE THE PROJECT AFTER THE FACILITY PLANS WERE APPROVED AFTER THE BOND, UH, WHAT WILL BE THE PROJECT THAT WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH CARVER, WE WERE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SPEND ON RENOVATION PROJECTS.
AND SOME OF THE FUNDING WAS SPENT A RC UM, HAD, UM, MORE OF A, UH, HAD GOALS FOR A PAVILION, FOR A THEATER PRO PROJECTS THAT COST MUCH MORE THAN THE 7 MILLION.
AND THAT MEANT THAT THEY WERE NOT COMPLETE PROJECTS.
SO AFTER GOING THROUGH DESIGN AND SEVERAL ITERATIONS, WE NOW HAVE A VERY, UH, A MUCH SMALLER SCALE PROJECTS FOR PAVILION THAT WE WILL MOVE FORWARD, BUT IT TAKES MUCH LONGER TO GET DOWN TO, UH, THE PROJECT.
AND OF COURSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A HEAD START BECAUSE THE VISION PLANS, THE FACILITY PLANS WERE NOT THERE AT THE BOND.
I HAD A FEW QUESTIONS TO CLARIFY.
UM, SINCE IT CAME UP A LOT TODAY WITH, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS, BROADLY SPEAKING FOR LIKE SENIOR CENTERS, WHAT SORT OF, UH, CAPITAL COST IMPLICATION AND POTENTIALLY STAFFING AND OM COST WOULD, WOULD, IS, WOULD DO SENIOR CENTERS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS WITH THAT SKILL OF SUPPORT, UH, PROVIDE? CAN YOU, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU CLARIFY? ARE YOU ASKING HOW MUCH A SENIOR CENTER WOULD COST? YEAH.
HOW MUCH OF THE SENIOR CENTER COST
HOW ABOUT I GIVE YOU A SQUARE FOOT COST? SQUARE FOOT SQUARE? UH, NOTHING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
LESS THAN A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER SQUARE FOOT.
IT'S MOST LIKELY CLOSER TO $1,500 A SQUARE FOOT ALL IN.
UM, SO IF IT'S A SENIOR CENTER EXPANSION OF, YOU KNOW, 10,000 SQUARE FEET, YOU'RE LOOKING AT $15 MILLION.
UM, UNRELATED TO THAT, I THINK, UH, IN TERMS OF, UH, NEW PARKLAND OR PARKLAND ACQUISITION, I'VE SEEN RECORDINGS OF COMMUNITY, UM, UH, REQUEST FOR LIKE NEW PARK DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT'S THE, UM, WHAT'S THE PER ACRE FOR NEW PARK ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT? AND I GUESS A RELATED WAY, HOW DOES IT, THE, THE CAPTAIN STITCH PROJECTS ARE PRIMARILY PARK LANDS.
HOW WOULD THE DEVELOP, I MEAN IN TERMS OF WHAT'S BEEN SUGGESTED THAT WE USED FOR, UH, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE COMPARABLE BETWEEN, UM, PARK, UH, DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT AND URBAN VERSUS LIKE A NEW ACQUISITION AREA? HMM.
I CAN JUST STICK IT ON THE RECORD.
[01:35:01]
BACK TO, TO YOU WITH SOME OF THE DETAILS, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT IN SOME CASES, LIKE THE SENIOR CENTER THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING, WE DO HAVE, UM, GAS GARCIA, WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAS A, UM, LARGE, UM, POPULATION OF SENIORS WHO ARE USING ALREADY THE CENTER.AND IT IS ONE OF THE PLANS THAT WE ARE EXPLORING IS TO, UM, ADD TO THE CASCAR SIERRA RECREATION CENTER AND THAT ADDITION BE DEDICATED TO THE FUNCTIONS FOR THE SENIOR CENTER.
SO THAT IS A HEAD START AND WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE FASTER.
UM, ALYSSA MENTIONED THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS IDENTIFIED AS A NEED.
THE RECREATION CENTER IS SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE LAND FOR THAT.
SO THAT IS A TWO STEP PROCESS AND WE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DELIVER A RECREATION CENTER WITHIN THE NEXT SIX TO EIGHT YEARS IF FOR, IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, WE NEED TO HAVE A HEAD START WITH, UH, WITH THE LAND WITH REGARDS TO THE COST.
UM, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE, UM, IT'S MORE INTENSE IF WE, IF WHEN YOU SEE THE, UH, DOWNTOWN PARKS, UM, VERSUS, UM, METROPARKS, UM, THAT HAVE AMENITIES, BUT THEY ARE OUTSIDE THE, UM, THE CORE, UM, AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS, BUT OUR NUMBERS ARE SMALLER THAN WHAT YOU SEE FOR CAP AND STAGE.
COMING AROUND THIS WAY, NICOLE, OR EITHER ONE OF Y'ALL, I'LL SKIP MY BUDGET QUESTION FOR THIS TIME, BUT, UM, LOOKING AT THE, THE MAP AND THE CRITERIA, UM, I REPRESENT THE COUNCIL MEMBER FROM DISTRICT SIX.
UH, THERE'S REALLY HARDLY ANY FACILITIES AT ALL PART RELATED TO SPEAK OF IN DISTRICT SIX.
IT IS A ONE OF THE LARGEST MULTIFAMILY DISTRICTS IN THE CITY AND A VERY GROWING MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH A TRANSPORTATION DESERT AND ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO ANOTHER PARK FACILITY OR ANOTHER RECREATIONAL FACILITY OF WHICH THERE IS ONE ACTIVITY CENTER IN DISTRICT SIX.
SO I JUST, I JUST WORRY ABOUT THE MATRIX MAYBE KINDA MISSING OUT ON SOME OF THOSE FACTORS WHEN YOU CAN JUST KIND OF GLANCE AT A MAP AND SEE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A REAL DESERT, UH, AND THERE'S ALSO A NEED FOR PARK FACILITIES IN DISTRICT SIX.
SO I JUST ASK YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT METRIC OR THAT MATRIX.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RECREATION CENTER REPORT, THE GAP ANALYSIS REPORT, THERE'S ALSO A MAP IN THERE THAT'LL SHOW YOU BOTH PAR FACILITIES AND NON-PAR FACILITIES.
I DUNNO HOW THOSE GO TO SUPPLEMENT, WHAT PARD MIGHT NOT.
SO I, I RECOMMEND LOOKING AT THAT AND SEEING, BUT YES, THANK YOU.
I THINK THE NEAREST FACILITY IS LIKE ANDERSON MILLS, IT'S AN ACTIVITY CENTER INTO ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS EARLIER.
IT'S NOT A SENIOR CENTER, THE PICK FAIR.
AND THEN THE GREAT HILLS PARK I THINK IS PROBABLY THE MOST USEFUL PARK IN RELATIONS DISTRICT SIX, BUT IT'S ALSO PROBABLY THE FURTHEST INTO THE CITY OF THE REST OF THE DISTRICT.
IT DOESN'T REALLY ACCOMMODATE ANYBODY OUT BY 45 OR FURTHER OUT INTO, INTO THAT AREA.
I JUST HAD A FOLLOW UP, SIMILAR LINES.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE GAP ANALYSIS AND I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S A MINIMUM, LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE PRIORITIZE THE ONES WITH THE MOST SIGNIFICANT GAPS LIKE TINA JUST SPOKE ABOUT AND THAT ROLL THAT ROLLS INTO YOUR CRITERIA.
'CAUSE I WAS WONDERING HOW DOES IT DOVETAIL INTO YOUR EQUITY CRITERIA? BECAUSE I DON'T SEE A CORRELATION, YOUR EQUITY CRITERIA DOESN'T REALLY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE GAP ANALYSIS OR THE UNDERSERVED.
IT DOES HAVE POPULATION TYPES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF CONSIDERATION FOR THOSE THAT ARE UNDERSERVED WHO HAVE NO ACCESS, YOU KNOW, AND AND HOW DOES THAT FIT IN WITH THE OVERALL CRITERIA? AND I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, GUS GARCIA, YOU, YOU SAID THAT THAT NORTHEAST QUADRANT, WHICH IS, YOU CAN'T REALLY TELL ON THIS MAP, LIKE THIS LITTLE BITTY THING.
LIKE, LIKE I CAN'T TELL THE FACILITIES AND LOCATIONS.
UM, SO I HEAR YOUR CONFIRMATION THAT IT'S SITTING AT HIGH NEEDS, SORT OF IT AS IDENTIFIED BY YOUR GAP ANALYSIS, BUT THEN I DON'T SEE HOW THAT DOVETAILS INTO MAKING THE OVERALL SORT OF CRITERIA APPLICATION, RIGHT.
IS IT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A CUTOFF YOU HAVE TO BE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFIED AS A UNDERSERVED HIGH NEEDS AREA OR DEEP PURPLE VERSUS BEFORE YOU GET ROLLED IN? I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE.
HOW DO YOU CONNECT THOSE DOTS? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY GU GARCIA, THERE'S NEED THERE, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN OTHER TESTIMONY AROUND OTHER NEEDS AND, AND I'M JUST WONDERING DOES IT SATISFY A NEED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE, THE GAPS THAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED? SO FOR THE SENIOR CENTER SPECIFICALLY, I'LL CLAR I, I'LL CLARIFY THE TITLE BASED ON YOUR COMMENT.
THAT'S JUST FOR RECREATION CENTERS.
THAT PRIORITIZATION MAP WAS JUST FOR RECREATION CENTER AND IT DOES HAVE LAYERS OF PRIORITIZATION METRICS THAT ARE LEADING WITH SOCIAL EQUITY.
SO WE GET TO THOSE DARKER PURPLE COLORS BY LAYERING ALL THESE DIFFERENT CRITERIA
[01:40:01]
AND IT LEADS WITH RACE AND BIPOC POPULATIONS.IT HAS INCOME, AGE, AND ALL THOSE DIFFERENT CRITERIA WHICH LEAD TO THE PRIORITIZATION OF WHAT AREAS IN THE CITY IN ADDITION TO GAPS OF WHERE FACILITIES ARE.
SO ONE OF THE METRICS IS AT LEAST TWO MILES FROM AN EXISTING CENTER.
SO WE WILL NOT PRIORITIZE ADDING A CENTER THAT'S ANY THAT'S TWO MILES OR LESS FROM AN EXISTING ONE.
SO THAT METRIC IS ALSO IN THERE AS WELL AS POPULATION DENSITY, UM, AND FORECASTED POPULATION GROWTH.
SO WE'RE LOOKING IN THE FUTURE 'CAUSE THESE TAKE A LONG TIME TO BUILD.
SO ALL OF THOSE METRICS ARE WITHIN THE RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTER GAP ANALYSIS.
THE SENIOR CENTER ONE WAS WAY MORE SIMPLISTIC.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THOSE METRICS BECAUSE IT IS GLARINGLY OBVIOUS BY THE LOCATIONS OF OUR EXISTING SENIOR CENTERS OF WHERE THE GAP IS.
AND THAT IS IN THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF, OF THE CITY.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I, A QUESTION ABOUT THE, UH, LAND ACQUISITION CRITERIA MAPS.
THE, AS FAR AS THE PARKLAND DEFICIENCY MAP IS, ARE THOSE COLORS BASED UPON THE, THE CRITERIA OR THE, THE GOAL OF, UM, WITHIN A A QUARTER MILE AND URBAN AND HALF MILE AND NON-URBAN? CORRECT.
AND IS THAT, UM, IS THAT ANALYSIS ONLY CONSIDERING THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PARK PROPERTIES OR DOES THAT TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN, UM, ADJACENT TO THE CITY OR COUNTY FACILITIES? YES, IT DOES.
SO IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A, AN OPEN SPACE OR A PARK FACILITY THAT IT IS CLOSED AND IT MEETS THAT, UH, QUARTER MILE OR HALF MILE IT IS THERE.
THEN THE AREA IS NOT PARK DEFICIENT.
AND THEN JUST ONE, UH, OTHER FOLLOW UP.
THE, UM, THIS IS, THIS IDENTIFIES THE DE EFFICIENCY.
IS THERE ANOTHER PIECE THAT LOOKS AT EXISTING POTENTIAL RESOURCES? I, I KNOW THAT THERE IS, UH, UH, A COMPILATION OF PROPERTY OWNED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
HAVE Y'ALL BEGUN TO LOOK AT THAT OR IS THERE A WAY TO MATCH OTHER PROPERTY THAT'S AVAILABLE THAT COULD BE USED AS PARK SPACE? IF IT CAN BE USED AS PARK SPACE? SO THERE IS, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, PROPERTY THAT IS OWNED BY AUSTIN WATER.
UM, BUT IF IT IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, THEN IT'S NOT REALLY USED AS PUBLIC PARK.
AND SO THAT IS NOT MAKING IT ELIGIBLE.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, HAVE Y'ALL, IS THERE AN ANALYSIS OUT THERE THAT LOOKS AT THE LIST OF AVAILABLE, UM, REAL ESTATE AND THE NEED AND TRIES TO MATCH SOME OF THE EXISTING ASSETS WITH THE NEED? DOES THAT ANALYSIS EXIST ANYWHERE YET? UM, WE ARE TRYING TO DO THAT.
WE ARE COORDINATING WITH WATERSHED PROTECTION.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, SIX DIFFERENT PROPERTIES WHERE, UM, UH, PASSED TO OUR DEPARTMENT AND WE ARE, UH, MEETING BOTH DEPARTMENT'S NEEDS.
LAST YEAR WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT A PROPERTY THAT THE CITY OWNS ACROSS COLORADO RIVER AND WE HAD A COUNCIL RESOLUTION, UH, LATE LAST YEAR THAT ENCOURAGED US TO PROCEED THOSE ACQUISITIONS SO THAT WE WE'LL OPEN THE LAND TO THE PUBLIC.
GIVEN THAT, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE PARKS, HAVE OPEN SPACE CLOSE TO THEM, UM, YOU KNOW, AND VARYING RATES DEPENDING ON HOW IT CORE OR FURTHER OUT THEY ARE.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE, IN THE RATINGS THAT WOULD, UH, GIVE A BOOST TO THINGS THAT CAN BE DELIVERED MORE QUICKLY? LIKE A, A SMALL POCKET PARK THAT UNLOCKS SOME SPACE FOR A VERY UNDERSERVED AREA THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING A FULL BLOWN FACILITY, LOTS OF MONEY, BUT IT'S A, A, A SHORT, UH, A SMALLER, SMALLER DOLLAR AMOUNT BOOST TO A VERY UNDERSERVED AREA.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WOULD, UH, PRIORITIZE THAT? LIKE I'M, I'M THINKING ABOUT POCKET PARKS SPREAD ACROSS THE CITY.
SO WE CAME UP WITH, WE HAD THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS THAT WERE LARGE, SO NOW WE HAVE THE POCKET PARKS, UM, AND WE EVEN HAVE THE BUTTON PARKS, WHICH ARE
BUT, AND I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT IN MANY CASES WE ARE ALSO, UM, COLLABORATING AND COORDINATING WITH, UM, UH, A ISD, UH, IN ORDER FOR THIS OPEN SPACE TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AFTER HOURS, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO WE HAVE THESE SCHOOL PARKS THAT HAVE, UH, JOINT USE AND WE ARE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE ALL OPPORTUNITIES.
I JUST WANNA GET, EXCUSE ME, TAKE A PAUSE ON THE QUESTIONS
[01:45:01]
IF WE CAN GET TO THE REST OF THE AGENDA, BUT COULD I ASK YOU GUYS TO, UM, STAY SO WE, IF WE CAN CIRCLE BACK TO YOU THAT WORKS, JUST WANNA TRY TO KNOCK OFF SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON OUR AGENDA FOR A COUPLE MONTHS.[4. Discussion and possible action to assign new Task Force members and/or reassign existing Task Force members to Working Groups ]
YOU COULD PULL UP THAT LIST OF THE WORKING GROUPS IS THE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ASSIGN NEW TASK FORCE MEMBERS AND OR REASSIGNED EXISTING TASK FORCE MEMBERS TO WORKING GROUPS.SO AS YOU'LL RECALL, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS PROBABLY.
WE LOOKED AT THIS LIST AND WE TOOK A VOTE ON THE, UH, AT THAT TIME THE, THE MEMBERS OF EACH OF THE WORKING GROUPS.
UM, SINCE THEN WE'VE LOST A COUPLE, ADDED A COUPLE, AND I WANNA DO A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE, HAVE THE GROUP JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE CURRENT BALANCE OF THOSE WORKING GROUPS AND SEE IF WE NEED AND WANT TO, UM, BOLSTER ANY OF THEM WITH, WITH A COUPLE OF NOTES.
IF YOU JUST WANT TO NOTE THIS, THAT ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING LIST, OUR NEWEST MEMBER DONALD IS GOING TO, HAS ASKED TO BE ON THAT GROUP.
AND, UH, ROB, FIELDER AND DONALD ARE ALSO ASKING TO BE ON PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE AND ROB FIELDER ON STORMWATER.
SO THAT WOULD MOVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO SIX PEOPLE PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE TO FIVE, STORMWATER TO FOUR INVESTMENTS IN FACILITIES.
WE'VE GOT A, A LARGE GROUP, SAME WITH TRANSPORTATION AND ELECTRIFICATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
WE CAN TAKE, WE CAN MAKE A MOTION ON APPROVING THESE NEW MEMBERS TO THESE GROUPS LATER, BUT IF YOU, IF YOU, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE, LIKE HOW WE FEEL ABOUT, UM, WHETHER THESE ARE THE RIGHT SIZE GROUPS.
UM, I KNOW FOR ME, I HAVEN'T ACTUALLY BEEN TO ANY OF THE TRANSPORTATION MEETINGS, SO I WOULD BE WILLING TO MOVE JUST STORM WATER, YOUR MIC.
OH, UH, I KNOW THE TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION GROUP IS LARGE AND I HAVEN'T BEEN TO ACTUALLY A SINGLE COMMITTEE MEETING, SO I'M HAPPY TO JOIN THE STORMWATER, WHICH I THINK I HAD MENTIONED TO YOU.
SO IF WE WANNA ADD THAT TO THE LIST.
UM, I WILL SAY, UM, IN PART BECAUSE SCHEDULES ARE TOUGH, I HAVE FELT LIKE THE TRANSPORTATION GROUP, ALTHOUGH IT'S LARGE, IS LIKE WORKING WELL.
UM, I WAS ALSO GONNA OFFER TO JOIN STORMWATER AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF OVERLAP.
IN FACT, I WAS TOLD KIND OF DIRECTLY THAT STORMWATER MONEY IS NECESSARY TO SPEND DOWN SOME OLD TRANSPORTATION MONEY.
SO THAT DOES FEEL RELEVANT AND CONNECTED.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW BIG WE WANNA GET ON STORMWATER, BUT I AM ALSO HAPPY TO JUMP IN THERE NOT LOOKING TO LEAVE PARKLAND IN OPEN SPACE.
I'M ENJOYING OUR MEETINGS, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD, UH, ADD ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
I BELIEVE MOST OF OUR GROUPS WITH THOSE ADDITIONS WOULD HAVE ABOUT SIX OTHER THAN THE PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE, WHICH WOULD HAVE FIVE.
SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED IN, IN THAT OR WE CAN LEAVE IT AT FIVE OR WE CAN ADD AS WE GO AS WELL.
AND ALL THOSE ARE, UM, THIS WILL GET TO IN A MOMENT, BUT OUR WORKING GROUPS SESSIONS ARE OPEN TO ANY ONE WHO WANTS TO JOIN SO LONG AS WE DON'T ACCIDENTALLY GET A QUORUM.
SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WANNA YEAH, GO AHEAD.
UM, I'M ONLY SERVING ON ONE AND I KNOW MOST PEOPLE ARE ON TWO, SO I'D BE HAPPY TO SERVE ON PARKS AND OPEN SPACE GREAT.
SAY THE SAME THING IF THERE'S ANY OPENING, I'M HAPPY TO JOIN ANY ANYWHERE WE NEED.
UM, ONE THING I'D MENTION IS THAT WORK GROUPS ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE MEMBERS FROM OUTSIDE OF THIS BODY AND ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORK GROUP, WE HAVE INVITED SOME PEOPLE FROM THE AUSTIN HOUSING COALITION, BUT WE HAVEN'T MADE ANY DECISION ON WHO WOULD JOIN.
SO WE ARE GOING TO BE ADDING SOME MORE MEMBERS TO THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORK GROUP.
I DON'T SEE ANY ISSUE WITH THAT.
AND ONLY A LOGISTICAL QUESTION FOR COMMITTEES THAT HAVE BEEN MEETING THAT ARE ADDING PEOPLE, LIKE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR, HOW ARE WE GONNA MAKE SURE THE NEW PEOPLE? THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND UM, WE'RE GONNA GET TO YOU ON THE, THE WORKING GROUP UPDATES.
I'M GONNA GO AROUND AND ASK GOT IT.
IF YOU'VE HAD A MEETING AND IF YOU'VE ELECTED A POINT PERSON OR A CHAIR LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, SO THAT PERSON WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING AND LETTING NICOLE KNOW WHO OUR MEMBERS ARE AND BARBARA, WHEN YOU'RE MEETING.
SO, UM, I GUESS WE NEED TO APPROVE THESE CHANGES THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT AND I CAN RECITE THEM AND THEN SOMEONE CAN MAYBE MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE NEW MEMBERS.
SO WE WOULD BE ADDING TO THE AFFORDABLE
[01:50:01]
HOUSING WORKING GROUP, DONALD JACKSON AND BEN THAT BE ADDING TO PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE.ROB FIELDER, DONALD AND HAYDEN AND ADDING TO STORMWATER.
ALL IN FAVOR OR ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? WE NEEDED TO REMOVE ME FROM TRANSPORTATION.
WELL YOU NEED TO REMOVE ME FROM ONE, SORRY.
AND REMOVING FRANCIS FROM TRANSPORTATION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THOSE CHANGES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
[5. Update from the Affordable Housing Working Group on work that has been completed since the February/March meetings.]
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THESE, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE WORKING GROUP UPDATES.THIS IS WHERE I WAS HOPING TO HEAR, TO ANSWER FRANCIS'S QUESTION.
SO IF YOU ARE ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WORKING GROUP AND HAVE MET AND YOU HAVE ELECTED SOMEONE TO BE THE, UM, SORT OF THE VOICE OF THAT GROUP, CAN YOU SPEAK UP AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, WHO'S ON THAT GROUP?
AND ARE Y'ALL MEETING REGULARLY OR? YES.
YES, WE DID SEND OUT, UH, AN INVITE, UH, FOR A MONTHLY MEETING.
UM, I FORGET WHICH DAY IT IS, BUT OKAY.
EVERYBODY WHO'S ON IT, SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT BEN AND, UH, WHO ELSE, UH, AND DONALD GET IT ALSO.
SO IT'S RACHEL AND UM, WE'LL MAKE SURE BARBARA KNOWS THAT TOO.
[6. Update from the Investments in Facilities & Assets Working Group on work that has been completed since the February/March meeting.]
IN FACILITIES AND ASSETS.DO WE HAVE A SPEAKER FOR THAT GROUP? HAS THAT MET? I, I DUNNO IF I'M, I THINK
I WASN'T NECESSARILY SIGNING UP TO BE SPOKESPERSON, BUT I AM COORDINATING IT AND WE ARE MEETING AT 10:00 AM ON THE FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH.
BUT JUST TO CLARIFY, WILL YOU BE WILLING TO SERVE, LIKE IF I HAVE TO ASK A QUESTION, ARE YOU SURE? OKAY, GREAT.
[7. Update from the Parkland & Open Space Working Group on work that has been completed since the February/March meeting. ]
OKAY.PARKLAND AND OPEN SPACE WORKING GROUP.
I'M ON THAT AND I THINK GARY'S OUR FEARLESS LEADER.
AND WE ARE MEETING THE WEDNESDAY, FOLLOWING THIS MEETING AT THREE.
[8. Update from the Stormwater Working Group on work that has been completed since the February/March meeting. (Part 1 of 2) ]
WORKING GROUP.HAVE YOU MET ANYBODY ON THAT? WANNA MAKE? OKAY, YOU HAVEN'T MET YET? WELL, WHEN, WHEN Y'ALL DO MEET AND WE'LL HAVE THIS, THIS IS GONNA BE A STANDING AGENDA ITEM, YOU CAN LET US KNOW WHO YOUR UH, POINT PERSON IS.
[9. Update from the Transportation & Electrification Infrastructure Working Group on work that has been completed since the February/March meeting. ]
ELECTRIFICATION.AND DO WE HAVE A SIGNED? NO, BUT I'M HAPPY VOLUNTEER PAY.
I I DID AGREE TO LIKE SET UP THE CALENDAR THING AND, UH, COORDINATE, BUT YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS, PEOPLE TO HELP REPORT BACK OUT.
WE'VE HAD TWO PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS THAT I'VE ATTENDED.
UH, AND IT'S, IT, EVERYBODY'S PARTICIPATED.
WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT, UH, AT SOME POINT GETTING A, A STAFF MATRIX SCORING MATRIX SO THAT WE HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
DO YOU WANT AN UPDATE, LIKE WHAT WE'VE DONE OR YOU JUST WANNA KNOW? WE MET FOR NOW.
YOU'RE MY PERSON FOR CONTACT OR BARBARA'S CONTACT.
AND THEN COMMITTEE ENGAGEMENT WORKING GROUP.
[10. Update from the Community Engagement Working Group on work that has been completed since the February/March meeting.]
IS THAT FRANCIS? ARE YOU? YES, YES SIR.AND WE'RE MEETING THE WEDNESDAY AFTER THIS MEETING AS WELL.
WE'LL PROBABLY FOLLOW UP WITH AN EMAIL TO THOSE FOLKS TO GET THESE DATES AND TIMES SO THAT EVERYONE, WE CAN CIRCULATE THAT TO THE GROUP AS WELL.
CAN I JUST THOUGH, JUST SO IT IS SPOKEN ALOUD HERE, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION AND ELECTRIFICATION, WE'RE MEETING THE THIRD WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH AT 9:00 AM OKAY.
I KNOW WHEN, UM, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY WAS UP THERE WERE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS WE DIDN'T GET TO.
WE, IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, CAN YOU RAISE YOUR HAND IF WE NEED TO BRING THE LIBRARY FOLKS BACK FOR A QUESTION? I'M GONNA EMAIL MY QUESTIONS.
UM, PUBLIC HEALTH OR PARD YOU WANT? HI, BUT YOU HAD A PARD QUESTION.
[3. Staff briefings from Austin Public Library, Austin Public Health, and Austin Parks and Recreation Department on past bond spending summary and 2026 Bond Development (technical criteria and scoring matrix).(Part 2 of 2) ]
I HAD ONE FOR THE, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ONE FOR PARD.UM, AND IT WAS REALLY THE SAME QUESTION THAT ASKED THE PUBLIC HEALTH FOLKS ABOUT THE BUILDINGS AND SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA.
IF THAT'S JUST, YOU NEED TO FOLLOW UP, THAT'S OKAY.
UH, CAN YOU, UH, REPEAT WHAT YOU, WHAT THE GENERAL QUESTION WAS? YEAH, I'M JUST WONDERING IN TERMS OF THE STANDARDS AND, AND, AND KIND OF BASELINE PLANS FOR THE BUILDINGS, UH, WHAT Y'ALL ARE ASSUMING IN TERMS OF MITIGATION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, AS WELL AS OTHER LIKE INDOOR AIR QUALITY ISSUES, UH, YOUR, YOUR BUILDING AND YOUR BASELINE.
SO AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY'S BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF THIS SINCE THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS REALLY GO.
GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE FALK BUILDING NOW.
IT WAS CONSTRUCTED, IT'S OPEN FLOOR PLAN,
[01:55:01]
IT'S LOW E GLASS, THINGS LIKE THAT.UM, BUT, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING MOVING FORWARD, IF YOU TAKE THE MODEL OF THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY IS THE CITY'S FIRST PLATINUM BUILDING.
UH, AND, AND IF WE HAVE IT OUR WAY, WE WILL HAVE, UM, A, A CARBON NEUTRAL BUILD LIBRARY AS THE NEXT ADD TO THE, TO THE PORTFOLIO.
AND SO THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE TRANSPORTATION ACCESS, THAT'S GONNA BE, UM, REDUCING, UM, YOU KNOW, INCREASING OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR DAYLIGHT USAGE, OUR SOLAR, THE BATTERY BACKUPS, THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO, TO SUSTAIN THE BUILDINGS, UH, ALONG WITH, UH, PUTTING IT IN THE RIGHT LOCATION SO THAT IT'S EASY TO ACCESS BARRIERS WITH, WITH HIGHWAYS, UM, ARE, ARE ALWAYS A CHALLENGE, UH, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF MEETING THOSE SUSTAINABILITY FACTORS.
A PLUS YOU'RE SETTING THE BAR FOR EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT.
YOU WANNA HAVE PARD COME UP AND ANSWER THAT SAME QUESTION OR YOU, MY QUESTION WAS ACTUALLY DIFFERENT FOR PARD.
UM, FOR PAR I WAS, IT WAS KIND OF IN THE SAME VEIN OF BEN'S QUESTION WAS, ALTHOUGH A DIFFERENT ANGLE IN TERMS OF HELPING FOLKS GET TO PARKS.
UM, JUST WONDERING IF PARTY, Y'ALL'S PLAN HAS TO DO WITH TRANSPORTATION, BE THAT POT PEDESTRIAN BIKE OR, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS OR OTHER WAYS OF GETTING PEOPLE TO THE EXISTING PARKS.
I'M THINKING, SO I LIVE NOT THAT FAR FROM ROY GUERRERO, BUT IN A WAY MOST FOLKS ARE STILL OUTSIDE OF, I THINK THAT 10 MINUTE WALK IN JUST BECAUSE OF THE, WHERE THE PARK IS AND IT'S LIKE BOXED IN BY A, UM, GOLF COURSE THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO WALK ACROSS AND WHATEVER.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF BARRIERS AROUND IT.
SO WONDERING IF THAT'S PART OF THE PLAN IS LIKE STRATEGIES TO HELP PEOPLE GET TO THAT.
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS PROBABLY AN UNDERUTILIZED PARK SPACE AND MAYBE THERE'S OTHERS LIKE THAT.
SO WE CERTAINLY ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT, UM, MODES OF TRANSPORTATION BEHIND, BESIDES DRIVING TO A PARK.
TRAILS ARE ALWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR EFFORTS.
UH, TRYING TO HAVE A SYSTEM THAT SERVES AND CONNECTS THE CITY, UH, THROUGHOUT.
SO THAT IS, UH, A FIRST STRATEGY.
UH, AND THEN WE ARE, UM, COORDINATING WITH TRANSPORTATION ON ANY OTHER MEASURES THAT WE CAN, UH, PROVIDE THAT WILL ALLOW FOR EITHER AN INTERNAL CIRCULATION OR, UM, MORE ACCESS FROM SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WE, FOR SMALLER PARKS, WE ACTUALLY DO NOT HAVE PARKING LOTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE MORE WALKING AND, UM, ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF REACHING THE PARK.
UM, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON A SPECIFIC THOUGHT THAT I HAVE AROUND GUERRERA.
OUR FINAL, SORRY, I HAD A QUESTION PROBABLY FOR YOU.
[8. Update from the Stormwater Working Group on work that has been completed since the February/March meeting. (Part 2 of 2) ]
I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION.I, I, WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY MET FOR, UH, THE STORMWATER, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE STORMWATER AND WASTEWATER DEPARTMENT, I'M PRESUMING IT'S EXISTING ITS OWN DEPARTMENT AND IT DOESN'T ROLL UP TO PART OR ANY OTHER APART DEPARTMENT.
IT'S A STANDALONE AND I'M JUST WANTING TO CONFIRM THAT FROM SOMEONE AT THE CITY, JUST SO THAT WHEN WE DO MEET THAT WE'LL KNOW THAT WE'LL, WE'LL WE NEED TO REACH ACCESS THAT DEPARTMENT IN PARTICULAR.
'CAUSE I'M NOT QUITE SURE, YOU KNOW, HOW PEOPLE ARE SORT OF FACILITATING MEETINGS AT THIS POINT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TO DIALOGUE AROUND ON STORM WATER.
BUT JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, ERIC BAILEY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES, YES, THERE IS A STEP, A SEPARATE STORMWATER DEPARTMENT WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
UM, AS YOUR GROUP, UM, COMES UP ON THE STORMWATER SIDE, UM, WE'LL COORDINATE THROUGH, UH, BARBARA AND MARCUS AND I IN TERMS OF A, A LIAISON THERE FOR Y'ALL TO TALK TO.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. ANYBODY HAVE TOPICS THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE AGENDA? BEN? JUST, UH, AS COUNCIL VOTES TO, UH, SPEND MONEY OR COMMIT US TOWARDS, UH, MORE SPENDING ON CAPTAIN STITCH, I WANT TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE INTERPLAY OF OUR TOTAL BONDING CAPACITY AS THE CITY.AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, AS TRE DISCUSSIONS HAPPEN, WHAT PORTION THAT'S GOING CONSUME, WHAT PORTION THE CAPTION CAN DO AND WHAT'S THAT LEAVE FOR US? NOTED.
JC GIVEN THAT THAT DISCUSSION MAY COME AROUND THE SAME TIME AS THE LEGISLATURE WRAPS UP, IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO INTEGRATE THAT WITH ANY DISCUSSION OF BILLS PASSED THAT AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO BOND.
I THINK WE PROBABLY NEED AN INTERIM REPORT ON THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF BILLS OUT THERE THAT
[02:00:01]
MIGHT AFFECT OUR STRATEGY GOING FORWARD THAT WILL GREATLY HAVE THE EFFECT OF REDUCING THE LEVEL OF SUCCESS THAT ELECTION.MAYBE AN INTERIM REPORT, AND I KNOW STEPH MENTIONED IT IN PASSING, BUT I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT RALLY AUSTIN IS A PART OF A PRESENTATION FOR, FOR OUR GROUP, GIVEN THAT THEY HAD $18 MILLION OF ECONOMIC IMPACT.
WE, WE TALK, WE HAVE A MEETING, A PRE-MEETING TO COME AND GO THROUGH THE AGENDA AND THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, FOUR PRESENTATIONS AND WE BARELY CAN GET THROUGH THEM.
SO I JUST, SO THEY, THEY, THEY HAVE A GROUP THAT ARE GONNA KIND OF FALL TOWARDS THE OKAY.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE WE OKAY.
MADAM CHAIR, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN AT 4 0 1 SECOND.