[CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
[00:00:05]
FOLKS HAVING, UH, HAVING SAID THAT, I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
THE AGENDA'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
IT'S, UH, A SIMPLE AGENDA HERE.
THE, UH, FIRST ITEM, OF COURSE IS A, I GUESS THERE IS NO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? NOBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
BASICALLY THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND THE, UH, MINUTE APPROVE APPROVAL DATE IS APRIL THE NINTH MEETING.I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
DO I HEAR A SECOND ON THAT? SECONDED.
AND, UH, ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING, NO DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND PLEASE.
[2. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair of the Zero Waste Advisory Commission.]
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.AND, UH, THIS COMMISSION IS OBLIGATED EVERY, I GUESS, AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, APRIL, TO ACTUALLY TO, TO REELECT THE, THE OFFICERS, A CHAIR AND A VICE CHAIR, AND IT IS OPEN.
SO THAT'S, UM, I'LL SUBMIT A MOTION TO, UH, REELECT COMMISSIONER OR CHAIR A KUNA TO HIS, TO ONE YEAR TERM, UH, FOR THE CHAIR OF THE ZAC COMMISSION.
THERE IS A, THERE'S A MOTION FOR THE, UH, CHAIRMANSHIP.
IT'S ALMOST EMBARRASSING TO SAY THIS, BUT MYSELF, BUT NONETHELESS, HAVING, HAVING THE MOTION OUT THERE ALL IS IN FAVOR.
AND I'M GONNA, I'M ACTUALLY GONNA ABSTAIN ON THIS ONE, SO JUST TO, TO BE FAIR, BUT NONETHELESS, 6 0 1 AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS VERY MUCH.
THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS THE, UH, VICE CHAIR POSITION.
RIGHT NOW, JAN STEYER HOLDS THAT POSITION, AND JAN IS NOT WITH US THIS EVENING, AND HE'S ON A BUSINESS TRIP.
BUT, UH, I MEAN, I WILL AGAIN ENTERTAIN.
DO YOU KNOW IF, UH, COMMISSIONER IRV VICE-CHAIR STEER PLANS TO RUN AGAIN? HE SUGGESTED THAT HE WOULD LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HANG OUT.
IS THAT A MOTION, MICHAEL? IF THERE'S, UH, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTIONS, I'LL, UH, SUBMIT A MOTION FOR, UH, VICE CHAIR STA TO RETAIN HIS POSITION.
DO I HEAR A SECOND ON THIS? I'LL SECOND THAT.
SHOULD HAVE SHOWED UP AS VICE CHAIR.
AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, I GUESS THAT'S IT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND, PLEASE.
TOLD YOU, I'M GONNA GET YOU OUT EARLY.
[3. Approve appointment of two members and one chair for the Construction & Demolition Reform Committee for the 2025 calendar year.]
APPROVE, UH, THE APPOINTMENT OF A C AND D SUBCOMMITTEE.AND RIGHT NOW, I THINK THE, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE CONSISTS OF JAN AND AMANDA.
IS THAT YOU? THAT, AND I THINK MYSELF, I, THAT WAS, THAT WAS ONE OF THESE ALTERNATES IN CASE SOMEBODY DIDN'T, UH, DIDN'T MAKE IT.
I THINK KATHY WAS ACTUALLY ON THAT AT ONE TIME.
SO AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE JAN WHO SUGGESTED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO STAY ON THAT YOURSELF.
DO YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN REMAINING ON THAT, AMANDA? THANK YOU, AMANDA.
AND, UH, WHAT IS THE, UH, PURPOSE OR EFFICACY OF, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION REFORM? IT'S ACTUALLY, IT, IT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING FUTURE WITH THIS SUBCOMMITTEE.
THE, THE GOAL IS TO CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE I RICHARD, HELP ME HERE, OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF C AND D RECYCLING.
AND, UH, AGAIN, THAT IS COMMERCIAL AND DEMOLITION TYPE RECYCLING AND ALL THESE HIGH RISES.
AND HAVING SAID THAT, THIS IS, UH, LITERALLY SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO REALLY GET INTO SINCE WE ARE REQUIRING THIS.
[00:05:02]
BUT YET WE'RE, YOU KNOW, NEEDING TO FIND SOME ADDITIONAL OUTLETS FOR THESE MATERIALS.I MEAN, INFRASTRUCTURE TO, TO HELP WITH THIS AND, UH, CORRECT.
AND, UH, JAN HAD, UH, TAKEN THE LEAD IN THIS, AND I THINK WE'VE, UH, ACTUALLY GOT A COUPLE OF, UH, TOURS SET UP OF SOME OF THE FACILITIES.
SO, UM, WELL, I MEAN, SO I'LL SUBMIT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF THE TWO MEMBERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY ON IT.
UH, MICHAEL MOVES THE THREE CURRENT MEMBER, OR THE THREE MEMBERS REMAIN, WHICH IS JAN AS CHAIR, AMANDA AS A MEMBER, AND MYSELF AS A MEMBER.
DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THAT? I CAN SECOND THAT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.
[4. Staff briefing regarding the Austin Resource Recovery FY26-30 Forecast Presentation, by Victoria Rieger, Finance Manager of Austin Resource Recovery]
ON HERE.WE HAVE, UH, STAFF BRIEFINGS, AND I THINK THE, UH, VICTORIA, OR, OKAY, GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS VICTORIA REER, AND I'M THE FINANCE DIVISION MANAGER FOR AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TONIGHT'S, UH, 26 30 FORECAST PRESENTATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS EVENING, WE'RE GONNA REVISIT SOME WAC PRIORITIES, UH, THAT YOU ALL CAME UP WITH A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO IN, IN, UH, 2023 AS WE DEVELOPED OUR BUDGET FOR 2024.
WE'LL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT'S, UH, KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS AND THE RESULTS OF THOSE.
AND, UH, WE WILL ALSO JUST BRIEFLY GO OVER HOW WE DEVELOP OUR RATES IN THE DEPARTMENT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE, THAT ARE NEW TO THE COMMISSION AND MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE.
UM, AND WE WILL OBVIOUSLY GO OVER THE DEPARTMENT FORECAST.
UH, ON TUESDAY, APRIL 8TH, THE CITY'S FINANCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT PRESENTED THE FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL FORECAST TO CITY COUNCIL.
UH, AND THEY PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, SO THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT OF TALK ABOUT, UH, ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENTS, BUT IF YOU GO ONLINE AND SEE THE FINANCIAL FORECAST IS OUT THERE, UH, YOU WILL SEE, UH, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY, AS WELL AS OTHER ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENT FORECAST SUMMARIES.
UM, AND THEN I WILL, UM, BRIEFLY PRESENT THE, UH, CIP HIGHLIGHTS OR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THEN JUST AN UPDATE ON THE BUDGET TIMELINE.
SO THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, AGAIN, UH, JUST WANTED TO TO CIRCLE BACK AROUND TO SOME OF THE PRIORITIES THAT THIS COMMISSION, UM, UH, SET FORWARD FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
UH, SO, UH, JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FIRST ONE, FACILITIES IN FEBRUARY, 2025, AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT, UH, CONCLUDED AN ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDY, UH, FOR A TRANSFER STATION FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
IN ADDITION, THE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY EVALUATING POTENTIAL SITES FOR A FUTURE TRANS TRANSFER STATION.
UH, AND THE MUCH ANTICIPATED GRAND OPENING OR GROUNDBREAKING, RATHER, OF THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER IS SCHEDULED FOR LATE SUMMER OR EARLY FALL, UH, OF 2025 RELATED TO OUR FLEET.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AIR ARTS PURCHASED ITS FIRST FULLY ELECTRIC REAR LOADER THIS YEAR.
UH, THE OFFICE OF CLIMATE ACTION AND RESILIENCE AND A RR HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND AND FLEET MOBILITY SERVICES TO SUPPORT A FELLOW TO CONDUCT A RESEARCH TO FURTHER, UH, THE POTENTIAL, UH, FOR ARRS FLEET ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT.
THIS FELLOW'S GONNA COME ONLINE AND JOIN THE CITY IN JUNE OF 2025, AND WILL WORK WITH US UNTIL SEPTEMBER OF 2025.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, OUR 26 FORECAST INCLUDES 13.4 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR CONTINUED, UH, INVESTMENT TO, UH, REPLACE AGING VEHICLES.
THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST ALSO INCLUDES, UM, AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 13 MILLION PER YEAR.
UM, FOR REPLACEMENT VEHICLES EFFORTS TO GAIN OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES INCLUDE CONTINUAL ROUTE AUTOMATION AND OPTIMIZATION.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE UTILIZE RUBICON AND THAT CONTINUES TO DELIVER FOR, FOR US, THE PLATFORM HAS YIELDED OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AND FINANCIAL RETURNS, POSITIONING OUR DEPARTMENT TO CON CONTINUE ADVANCING TOWARD EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY
[00:10:01]
OBJECTIVES.IN JANUARY, 2025, A RR BEGAN CITYWIDE ON DEMAND COLLECTION FOR BRUSH BULK AND HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE MATERIAL, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN A DECREASE IN OVERTIME HOURS DUE TO THE SCHEDULING OF SERVICES AND THE USE OF ROUTING TECHNOLOGY TO COLLECT SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS AND REDUCE THE NUMBERS OF MILES DRIVEN BY STAFF.
ON THE STAFFING SIDE, UH, YOU'LL BE PLEASED TO KNOW, IN FISCAL YEAR 25, ALL OPERATOR POSITIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A PAY GRADE MARKET ADJUSTMENT.
UM, AND IN MOST CASES, THIS RESULTED IN A 5% WAGE INCREASE.
THE PROPOSED FORECAST ALSO INCLUDES REGULAR WAGE INCREASES FOR ALL CITY STAFF.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE DEPARTMENT'S COMMITTED TO GROWING OUR ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING GROUP FROM A STAFF OF ONE TO A STAFF OF FOUR, THEY FOCUS ON UPSKILLING OUR WORKFORCE AND ESTABLISHING CAREER PROGRESSION PLANS.
THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO EMBARKED ON UPDATING OUR ADMINISTRATIVE RULES TO ALIGN WITH OPERATIONAL PRACTICES, AND THE DEPARTMENT IS NOW ON A REGULAR CADENCE TO BRING THOSE, UH, RULE UPDATES BEFORE YOU EFFORTS TO BEAUTIFY AUSTIN THROUGH LITTER ABATEMENT SERVICES INCLUDE INVESTMENTS IN DEDICATED TEAMS FOR CREEK CLEANUP AND HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, AND THIS INCLUDES ON CITY PARKLAND AS WELL.
OUR LITTER ABATEMENT TEAMS REGULARLY COORDINATE WITH THE CITY'S CODE COMPLIANCE TEAM TO ADDRESS ILLEGAL DUMPING THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND AS MENTIONED, OUR ON-DEMAND SERVICE OFFERING BEGAN IN JANUARY OF 2025.
ALL RIGHT, THIS SLIDE SHOWS OUR RESULTS FOR OUR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR FISCAL YEAR 22, 23, AND 24 ACTUALS.
AND THEN THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN IS OUR 25, UH, CURRENT YEAR 25 BUDGET NUMBERS.
UM, THE BIG STORY HERE, AGAIN, IS KIND OF THE, THE THIRD ROW DOWN IS OUR DIVERSION RATE, AS YOU CAN SEE, AND I'VE, AS I'VE MENTIONED IN PRIOR, UH, FISCAL YEAR IS OUR DIVERSION, UH, IN 23 BECAUSE OF MARA TOOK A HUGE, UH, BLIP, UH, AND IT IS DOWN TO, TO MORE NORMAL LEVEL LEVELS AS PREDICTED FOR FISCAL YEAR, UH, 24.
THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW WE DEVELOP OUR RATES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, EVERY YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT PERFORMS A COST OF SERVICE ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE IF OUR CURRENT RATES ARE SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE COST OF SERVICE.
THE COMPONENTS OF RATE DEVELOPMENT, AS YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE, ARE DIRECT AND INDIRECT EXPENSES, PLUS ANY REVENUE OFFSETS.
THE BASIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR RATES IS OUR PROJECTED CUSTOMER COUNTS.
AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THE COMPONENTS OF OUR COST OF SERVICE.
AS WE DEVELOP OUR RATES, WE FACTOR IN THE TOTAL COST OF PRO PROVIDING, UH, OUR SERVICE.
TOTAL COSTS INCLUDE DIRECT AND INDIRECT EXPENSES, AND SOME OF THE DIRECT EXPENSES ARE LISTED, UH, UP AT THE TOP THERE.
AND THOSE INCLUDE THINGS LIKE PAYROLL AND FLEET MANAGEMENT COSTS.
UH, INDIRECT EXPENSES ARE GONNA BE ADMINISTRATIVE AND STAFF SUPPORT, UH, BOTH INTERNAL TO THE DEPARTMENT, AND THEN JUST CITYWIDE SUPPORT COSTS.
UH, AND THOSE CITYWIDE SUPPORT COSTS INCLUDE THINGS, UM, LIKE CORPORATE PURCHASING, BUDGET LAW COMMUNICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
SO I ALSO MENTIONED THE REVENUE OFFSETS.
THESE ARE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THE REVENUE OFFSETS.
SO ANY REVENUE OBVIOUSLY THAT WE RECEIVE, WE'RE GONNA BACK THAT OUT OF THE COST TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE, UH, TO KEEP RATES, UM, AT A REASONABLE LEVEL.
SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING REVENUE IS OUR BIGGEST, UM, UH, I GUESS REVENUE GENERATOR.
UH, AND THEN EXTRA GARBAGE ALSO IS A, ANOTHER EXAMPLE, UH, OF A REVENUE THAT THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES THAT OFFSETS GARBAGE COLLECTIONS, UH, COST OF SERVICE.
SO AS WE DEVELOP OUR RATES AND AS A MATTER OF FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, OUR DEPARTMENT REVIEWS THE COST OF SERVICE EVERY SINGLE YEAR IN ORDER TO KEEP COSTS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE COST TO PROVIDE, UM, WITH THE SERVICES PROVIDED.
SO THIS IS, UH, KIND OF THE ANNUAL SLIDE THAT I PRESENT EVERY YEAR.
THIS IS THE SUMMARY OF OUR FORECAST, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS THE FORECAST.
THIS IS NOT THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET WILL GET, UM, PRESENTED TO COUNCIL, UH, IN JULY.
UH, AND MY PLAN IS TO COME BACK TO THIS,
[00:15:01]
UH, COMMISSION AND PRESENT THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND HAVE YOU ALL VOTE ON THAT.UM, BUT THIS KIND OF JUST GIVES A VERY HIGH LEVEL, UM, UM, SUMMARY OF WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AT A POINT IN TIME, WHICH WAS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
UM, SO DIRECTING YOUR ATTENTION, UH, TO THE FORMULA AT THE TOP OF THE SLIDE, THOSE, THOSE CIRCLES SEE THE GRAY CIRCLE OR LIGHT BLUE CIRCLES ARE 25 BUDGET OF 134.5 MILLION.
UH, COST DRIVERS, UH, FOR THE FINANCIAL FORECAST FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, UH, ARE 9 MILLION, UM, PLUS ABOUT $600,000 IN NEW INVESTMENTS.
AND THAT NEW INVESTMENT BUBBLE, UH, REPRESENTS FTE COSTS.
UM, AND SO OUR FORECAST, UH, 26 BUDGET IS, UM, 1 44 0.1 MILLION, AND THAT'S A 9.5% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR.
UM, SO SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FORECAST, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN THERE, UH, 28 POSITIONS.
AGAIN, THAT'S A OVER A PERIOD OF 26 ALL THE WAY THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 30, UH, 28 POSITIONS TO MAINTAIN CORE OPERATIONS TO KEEP PACE WITH CUSTOMER GROWTH, UH, ACCOMPANIED BY POSITIONS TO SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT.
THE FORECAST INCLUDES A BA AN INCREASE TO OUR BASE RATE OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD, UM, OF $4 AND 10 CENTS, AND AN INCREASE TO THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE, UH, FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS, UH, OF 60 CENTS OVER THE FIVE YEAR FORECAST.
OUR COST OF SERVICE MODEL ALSO CALLS FOR A RATE INCREASE FOR ALL OF OUR TRASH CART SIZES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST.
SO IN THE GRAPH ON THE LEFT, YOU'RE GONNA SEE OUR TOTAL FORECAST BUDGET BY YEAR, UH, STARTING WITH THE 25 BUDGET AND, UH, GOING THROUGH, THROUGH, UH, TO 2030 FORECAST.
UM, THE GRAY BAR REPRESENTS THE TYPICAL RATE PAYER AMOUNT, ALTHOUGH ORANGE BAR, UH, REPRESENTS OUR TRANSFER TO FUND CIP PROJECTS.
AND SO HERE'S A, HERE'S A LOOK AT, UM, WHAT WE FORECAST, AGAIN, FORECAST OUR RATES, UH, TO BE OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
UM, AND AS WE'VE BEEN PREVIOUSLY FORECASTING FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, THAT WOULD BE THE YEAR THAT RATE PAYERS WOULD SEE WOULD START TO SEE THE IMPACT OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST, UM, SO, OR ONE OF THE DRIVING FACTORS IN, UH, THAT $2 AND 10 CENTS, UH, INCREASE THAT YOU SEE IN THE BASE RATE.
THE CITY WILL ISSUE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS TO PAY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER.
PAYMENTS TO THE DEVELOPER WILL BE OVER, UH, PERIODIC BASIS OVER THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD, WHICH IS GONNA HAVE THE BENEFIT, UM, OF SPREADING THAT DEBT SERVICE OVER, OVER THE TERM, OVER THE CONSTRUC CONSTRUCTION PERIOD, AND THEREBY KEEPING RATES MITIGATING RATE, RATE IMPACT.
SO FULL COMPLETION OF THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER AND FULL DEBT OBLIGATION PAYMENTS ARE REFLECTED IN FISCAL YEAR 28.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU'LL SEE A, A JUMP IN THAT BASE FEE FROM 2340 AND 2027 UP TO 25 15, UM, IN 2028.
AND WE ARE AGAIN FORECASTING A RATE INCREASE, UH, FOR THE CLEAN COMMUNITY FEE IN FISCAL YEARS 26, 28, AND 30, I'M SORRY, NOT FISCAL YEAR 26, 28, AND 30.
WE ARE, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, FORECASTING RATE CHANGES TO OUR CART FEES, UH, THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 30 IN PART TO MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT WITH PROJECTIONS AND POPULATION GROWTH.
AND AS, AS IS THE CASE WITH ALL FEES, UH, IS BASED ON THE FORECASTED COST, UH, OF SERVICE FORECAST RATES ARE SETTLED AT A LEVEL THAT MEETS OUR BASE OPERATING NEEDS AND RECOVERS.
THE ACTUAL COST OF SERVICE RATES ARE ALSO SET TO MEET THE 30 DAY OPERATING RESERVE, UH, STIPULATED IN OUR FINANCIAL POLICY.
THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR FIVE YEAR, UH, FORECAST FUND SUMMARY.
AND, UH, A RR AS YOU CAN SEE, HAS SUBMITTED A BALANCED, UH, FORECAST BUDGET.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'VE SET OUR FEES OVER THE FORECAST PERIOD AT A LEVEL WHICH MEETS THE COST TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE, INCLUDING BEGINNING DEBT SERVICE TO FUND THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER.
THE IMPACT TO OUR FUND BALANCE IS SUCH THAT WE MEET OUR 30 DAY OPERATING RESERVE POLICY THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD, CIP, UH, OUR CATTLE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
[00:20:01]
WHOLE LOT TO, UM, TO TALK ABOUT HERE.WE HAVE 13.4 MILLION, UM, DEDICATED IN OUR BUDGET TO VEHICLES, UH, NO EQUIPMENT, BUT VEHICLES ARE ALL REPLACEMENT VEHICLES.
UH, A SMALL PORTION OF THAT IS DUE TO A NEW FTE, UM, REQUEST.
ALL RIGHT, THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER.
SO THAT'S THE BIG, THE BIG STORY THIS YEAR, UM, IS THE, UM, GROUNDBREAKING.
SO AGAIN, MENTIONED EITHER LATE SUMMER OR EARLY FALL, UH, IS THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THAT, UH, MUCH ANTICIPATED SERVICE CENTER.
UM, THE, AS I MENTIONED, IT'S THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE, THE RATE INCREASES RE REQUIRED OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
BY FISCAL YEAR 28, OUR TOTAL DEBT SERVICE, ESTIMATED DEBT SERVICE FOR THE A RR PORTION OF THE PROJECT IS ESTIMATED TO BE 8.7 MILLION.
SO IN FISCAL YEAR 26 IS ONE POINT, UH, 1.6 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 27, AND AN ADDITIONAL 3.4, UH, AND, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 28 AND ADDITIONAL 3.7 FOR A TOTAL OF 8.7.
UH, IN DECEMBER, UH, OF THIS YEAR, THE OR OF LAST YEAR, THE A RR DIRECTOR PROVIDED THE COMMISSION WITH AN UPDATE ON THE NORTHEAST SERVICE CENTER PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDED SOME OF THE DESCRIPTION, SOME OF THE DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE LAYOUT AND THE FACILITIES, UH, AND AMENITIES OF THE NEW, UH, SERVICE CENTER.
UH, AND IT IS MANAGED, UH, I THINK AS HE MENTIONED, UH, THROUGH THE, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PUBLIC FACILITIES CORPORATION.
THIS IS KIND OF LOOK AT THE TIMELINE, UH, OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
UM, MAY 9TH IS WHEN WE SUBMITTED OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, TO THE BUDGET OFFICE.
UM, JULY 15TH IS WHEN IT WILL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
SO BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 15TH, THERE'S A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH THAT HAPPENS, UH, WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE, UH, TO SETTLE ON ON A PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WILL GO BEFORE COUNCIL.
UH, AND THEN JULY, AUGUST IS, AS IS USUALLY THE CASE, LOTS OF COUNCIL WORK SESSIONS, UM, AND THE BUDGET ADOPTION WILL OCCUR AUGUST 13TH THROUGH THE 15TH.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS WONDERFUL PRESENTATION? ANY THOUGHTS? NO.
YEAH, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE SLIDE, UH, WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LITTER ABATEMENT, THE NEW ON DEMAND SERVICE OFFERING THAT YOU'D MENTIONED THAT JUST BEGAN THIS YEAR IN JANUARY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF HOW LONG THAT IS, UH, HOW MUCH DATA WE'VE ACCUMULATED SINCE THAT STARTED IN JANUARY, BUT I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, IN KNOWING HOW SUCCESSFUL THAT PROGRAM IS GOING WITH THE ON DEMAND SERVICE AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT MIGHT BE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO TACKLE.
AND, AND JANUARY WAS KIND OF THE OFFICIAL CITYWIDE ROLLOUT.
I KNOW THE DEPARTMENT WAS PILOTING, UH, SEVERAL AREAS FOR BRUSH IN BULK.
THANK ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS? YEAH, I HAD ONE QUESTION, UH, REGARDING ONE OF THE KPIS, UM, PARTICULARLY THE TOP ONE, THE LOST TIME INJURY RATE.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION ABOUT IT IS JUST, IS THAT, IS LIKE THE METRIC THERE, LIKE A DAY, LIKE 0.75 OF A DAY OR 0.75 OF AN HOUR? LIKE WHAT IS THAT REFERRED TO? SO WHAT TIME? YES, THAT IS, I BELIEVE, UH, IN HOURS.
AND THAT, THAT, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME, UH, EXPLANATION ABOUT WHY YOU SEE THAT THAT INCREASE IN 24.
THE, I'M TOLD THE INDUSTRY STANDARD, UH, IS 4.1.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE OTHER YEARS, WE WERE, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW, SO MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS DEPARTMENT FOCUSES REALLY HEAVILY ON SAFETY.
UH, SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THE ONES, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 24 WERE APPARENTLY RELATED TO, UH, BODY MECHANIC INJURIES, LIFTING, UM, SPRAINS AND STRAINS.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF THAT GOING ON.
GLAD TO SEE THAT THE 25 AMENDED IS, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER.
SETH? UM, WHAT WERE THE CREEK CLEANUPS THAT YOU MENTIONED,
[00:25:01]
OR YOU SAID THAT THERE, THERE WAS LIKE A, THE HOMELESS CAMP CLEANUP AND A CREEK CLEANUP, AND WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY OR IS THAT, THAT'S NEW.THE, THE CRUISE, THE DEDICATED CREWS FOR, UH, CLEAN CREEKS THAT WAS ESTABLISHED, I THINK BACK IN, OH, HERE'S AMY.
I'LL LET HER TALK, TALK ABOUT IT.
HI, UH, COMMISSION, AMY SLAGEL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
SO THE ENCAMPMENT TEAM, UH, HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2020.
UH, AND THEN WE ADDED THE CLEAN CREEKS TEAM IN LIKE 21 OR 22.
SO, AND THEN THIS YEAR, UH, BY COUNSEL DIRECTIVE, WE ADDED A PARD, A DEDICATED PARD ENCAMPMENT TEAM, AND THEY GO AND FOCUS ON ILLEGAL DUMPING AND ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS, UH, IN PARKS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, I ACTUALLY DO HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION ABOUT THAT, UH, FOR ME PERSONALLY, BUT, UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS IN TERMS OF THAT LITTER ABATEMENT AND THE TEAM THAT'S FOCUSED ON THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS, HOW MUCH OF THE LABOR FORCE IS THAT OF THE, OF THE, UH, TOTAL DEPARTMENT? I WAS JUST CURIOUS.
I'LL HAVE TO GIVE YOU FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON AN EXACT NUMBER, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE.
SO I THINK, UH, THE PART TEAM ITSELF, ONCE IT'S WHOLE WILL BE FOUR FTES.
UH, I BELIEVE OUR, UH, CURRENT ENCAMPMENT TEAM IS FIVE.
AND CLEAN CREEKS I THINK IS FOUR OR FIVE AS WELL.
SO WE'RE IN THE 10 TO 15 RANGE.
IS THAT ENOUGH? DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S ENOUGH TO KIND OF, I GUESS THE WORD THOUGH, I'D SAY IS STAY AHEAD OF THE PROBLEM OR MORE OR MORE, SO RESOLVE THE CLEANUP ONCE IT'S, ARE YOU, I, I GUESS I WOULD SAY IS DOES THAT AMOUNT OF FTES LIKE ENSURE THAT THE ISSUE IS BEING RESOLVED AS SWIFTLY AS POSSIBLE? I GUESS THAT'S THE, THE QUICKEST WAY I CAN SAY IT.
SOME, WE DO KNOW SOME OF THE AREAS AND WE'RE ABLE TO RESPOND, AND OBVIOUSLY WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH, UH, THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE TO DO OKAY.
UM, OUTREACH BEFORE WE COME IN AND CLEAN.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE COMPLAINT DRIVEN, BUT WE, LIKE I SAID, WE DO KNOW WHERE SOME OF THEM, THE AREAS ARE, SO WE'RE ABLE TO GET IN THERE AND, AND START THE CLEANING PROCESS, BUT BEFORE IT BECOMES AN ISSUE.
SO, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE A CITYWIDE ENCAMPMENT CONTRACT, AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT AND USE THAT TO HELP CLEAN UP, UH, LOCATIONS IN WATERSHEDS OR, UH, ON OTHER CITY PROPERTIES.
SO, UH, I, UM, IT'S, IT'S AN, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT WE'RE MANAGING, UH, FAIRLY WELL WITH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I'M CURIOUS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SAFETY INITIATIVES.
LIKE I COME FROM A, A MANUFACTURING BACKGROUND AND WE ALWAYS HAD A GOAL FOR OBVIOUSLY ZERO.
WE WEREN'T ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THERE, BUT I'M JUST IN A FUTURE MEETING, UM, OR CORRESPONDENCE, CHRIS, LEARN MORE ABOUT SAFETY INITIATIVES FOR WORKER SAFETY.
UM, A SECOND ITEM I'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IS JUST ON, ON REVENUE GENERATION.
UM, LIKE WHAT IS THE STRATEGY BEHIND THAT? ARE THERE EFFORTS TO INCREASE REVENUE GENERATION, UM, TO OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS? I, SO, UM, WHILE WE ARE AN ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENT, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT, UM, UH, IN THE BUSINESS TO GENERATE A PROFIT.
SO WE REALLY DO JUST RECOVER OUR COSTS.
UM, SO AGAIN, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE BIG, UH, REVENUE GENERATING, UM, ENTERPRISES ARE THE RECYCLING REVENUE.
YOU KNOW, WE CHARGE VARIOUS FEES FOR, UM, EXTRA GARBAGE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, EARN INTEREST ON, UH, SOME OF OUR FUND BALANCE AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE KIND, KIND OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT INFLOWS OF MONEY MM-HMM
WHICH I'M REFERRING TO AS REVENUE.
UM, BUT YEAH, I'D BE HAPPY TO, TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU AND, AND TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, AND WITH REGARD TO SAFETY, UH, I KNOW WE HAVE AN INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAM THAT IS PRETTY ROBUST AND, AND THE STAFF IS, UM, WE HAVE A TEAM OF SAFETY PERSONNEL THAT, UH, DOES A LOT IN THAT AREA AS WELL.
BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE CAN ELABORATE ON IN A FUTURE MEETING.
JUST TO, TO TAG ON YOUR QUESTION THERE, I MEAN, THE REVENUE GENERATION OPPORTUNITIES ARE VERY INCONSISTENT RIGHT NOW.
THE MARKETS ARE HEADING SOUTH, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, OUR RECYCLING MARKETS, SO WE'RE PROBABLY NOT MAKING ANY REVENUE NOW.
WE'RE TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE, UH, THE OUT THE OUTSOURCE OR THE OUT, UH, THE LOSS OF, OF REVENUE AT THIS POINT.
THE OTHER, UH, REVENUE GENERATION IS, I GUESS WE DO HAVE, HELP ME HERE.
WE HAVE OUR A 12 FACILITY, WHICH WE HAVE NEGOTIATED
[00:30:01]
THE SOLAR FARM, IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT GOING TO BE GENERATING INCOME TO THE DEPARTMENT? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, UH, RICHARD ML, DIRECTOR, FROST AND RESOURCE RECOVERY.YES, WE ARE, UH, TALKING WITH, UM, SOME DEVELOPERS IN AUSTIN ENERGY ABOUT, UH, THE ABILITY OF HAVING SOLAR AT, AT FM A 12 AND MM-HMM
THERE WOULD BE SOME SORT OF A LEASE, I'M SURE AT LEAST IF NOTHING ELSE, A GROUND LEASE FOR THE, THE AREA.
SO, UM, SO YEAH, THERE'LL, THERE WILL BE HOPEFULLY SOME REVENUE, UH, GENERATED AT THAT PROJECT.
AND YOU KNOW, HERE, THE OTHER THING TOO, I GUESS, VICTORIA, THANK YOU, RICHARD.
THE VEHICLE EXPENSES, ARE THOSE LITERALLY JUST, UH, THE ELECTRIC FLEET THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SLOWLY DEVELOP, OR IS THAT JUST REPLACEMENT? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT 13 REPLACEMENT? YEAH, JUST REPLACEMENT, CORRECT.
I, I DON'T BELIEVE THE DEPARTMENT HAS ANY PLANS FOR ADDITIONAL ELECTRIC VEHICLES RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S, SO IT'S ALL IN PLACE AND I'M ASSUMING THAT'S ON HOLD UNTIL WE HAVE THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE SET UP TO HELP WITH YEAH, THE CHARGING, THE, THE MONEY ALLOCATED IN THAT CIP IS JUST FOR REPLACEMENT VEHICLES OF EXISTING VEHICLES, NO PLANS, UM, FOR ANY, UH, HEAVY DUTY ELECTRIC THERE, THERE MAY BE SOME LIGHT DUTY ELECTRIC, UH, VEHICLES IN THERE, BUT WE ARE KINDA STILL IN OUR PILOT PHASE WITH OUR NEW FIRST ELECTRIC TRUCK.
SO WE, WE WANT TO GET A LITTLE TIME UNDER OUR BELT WITH THAT ONE BEFORE WE GO OUT, GO CRAZY AND START BUYING A BUNCH OF ELECTRIC TRUCKS.
IS IT ACTUALLY WORKING OUT THERE NOW? IS IT, UH, SURE.
LOOK PRETTY AT THAT SHOW? IT, UH, YEAH, IT, UH, WE, I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER, THE SHOW THAT WE HAD.
UM, YEAH, SO WE, WE'VE HAD THE TRUCK OUT.
UM, WE, IN FACT, I THINK WE HAD IT DOWNTOWN HERE FOR A LITTLE BIT.
SO, UH, IT'S BEEN OUT AND ABOUT, SO THANK YOU, RICHARD, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR, YEAH, THIS BUDGET AGAIN, IS KIND OF A MOVING BUDGET.
THIS IS A PRESENTATION THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING TO COUNCIL, IS THAT CORRECT? NOT THIS PARTICULAR, UM, PRESENTATION.
SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET, CORRECT.
UH, WE'LL GET PRESENTED CITYWIDE, UH, IN THE JULY JULY TIME PERIOD.
AND THEN OUR PORTION, THE AIR OURS PORTION, UM, I CAN CERTAINLY COME BACK IN JULY, UH, TO PRESENT TO THIS BODY, UH, TO HAVE YOU ALL VOTE ON, UH, A RECOMMENDATION FOR OUR BUDGET.
AND AGAIN, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE FINAL CORRECT DOCUMENT.
MEAN THAT COULD CHANGE WHEN WE GET DOWN TO CITY MANAGER'S, UH, OFFICE.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS, GUYS? VICTORIA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[5. Staff briefing on the status of Austin Resource Recovery Operational and Administrative projects by Richard McHale, Director of Austin Resource Recovery]
THE NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS IS THE ACTUAL, UH, STAFF BRIEFINGS.AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU NEW FOLKS, I MEAN, THESE STAFF BRIEFINGS THAT, THAT RICHARD SUBMITS OR ABSOLUTELY ANSWERS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE, THE REVENUE GENERATION COST, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ARE INCLUDED IN THAT.
BUT I'M SORRY, I CAN SAY THAT LATER.
UM, I HAVE THE, UH, THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
A FEW THINGS I JUST WANNA MENTION HERE.
ONE WAS THAT, UH, WE HOSTED A, UH, SWAN CONFERENCE.
TWAN IS THE, THE LONE STAR CHAPTER OF THE SALT WASTE ASSOCIATION NORTH AMERICA.
UM, SO THAT CONFERENCE ONE'S HELD HERE LAST MONTH, IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO KINDA SHOWCASE, UH, A LOT OF THE WORK WE'RE THAT WE'RE DOING.
WE HAD A LOT OF OUR STAFF THAT WERE PRESENTERS AT THAT CONFERENCE.
UH, WE ALSO HAD OUR ELECTRIC TRUCK AT THE, UH, IN THE EXHIBIT HALL FOR THAT CONFERENCE.
SO WE GOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC ON THAT.
UM, SO A LOT OF GOOD, UH, PRESS ON THAT, IF YOU WILL.
SO, UM, REALLY HAPPY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO RUN A LOT OF OUR OWN STAFF THAT TYPICALLY DON'T GET TO GO TO CONFERENCES TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THAT.
UM, SINCE WE DID HOST IT, WE, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUR FOLKS IN AT, UH, MOST OF, AT NO COST TO AT LEAST GO THE EXHIBIT HALL, UH, IF NOT SOME OF THE SESSIONS AS WELL.
SO, UH, REALLY HAPPY WITH HOW THAT TURNED OUT.
UM, WE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A, UH, LAWN EXCHANGE PROGRAM, A LAWN EQUIPMENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM AT AUSTIN ENERGY.
UM, THIS WAS, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
UM, IT'S OVER, UM, OVER THERE ON WEAVERVILLE.
UM, THEY HAD GIVEN NOTICES OUT TO, UM, INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT, UH, WERE ELIGIBLE TO BRING EQUIPMENT BY THERE.
THEY, UM, SET OF APPOINTMENTS SINCE THEY HAD A LIMITED NUMBER OF, UH, PIECES OF EQUIPMENT TO GIVE OUT.
SO WE WERE JUST THERE TO HELP OUT WITH, UH, COLLECTING OF THAT EQUIPMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT, UH, ALL THE FLUIDS, IF THERE WERE ANY, AND THERE WERE DRAINED AND THOSE MATERIALS GOT RECYCLED.
AND I THINK THEY MAY BE DOING IT AGAIN SINCE THERE WERE SOME, UM, LEAF BLOWERS AND I THINK ELECTRIC WEED EATERS THAT DID NOT GET, UH, UH, SENT OR, OR
[00:35:01]
GIVEN OUT.UM, SO THEY MAY HAVE ANOTHER EVENT.
SO WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON THAT AS WE HEAR MORE INFORMATION.
UM, THERE WAS A COUPLE QUESTIONS, UM, DURING THE PRESENTATION ABOUT KIND OF WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ENCAMPMENT CLEANUPS ARE DOING AND, AND THE, THE CREEKS.
AND, UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS KIND OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN PAR.
SO THIS WAS A RELATIVELY NEW INITIATIVE, UM, AS, UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR SLAGEL HAD MENTIONED.
UM, IT, THIS WAS RESULTING FROM A RESOLUTION THAT COUNSEL HAD PASSED TO ASK A RR TO LOOK INTO THE ISSUE OF ENCAMPMENTS AND PARKLANDS.
AND OUR RESPONSE WAS TO BE ABLE TO, TO PUT SOME OF OUR RESOURCES TOWARDS THAT.
AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE, THE REALLY THE, THE WORK, THE, THE BIG AMOUNTS OF MATERIAL THAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM THOSE SITES.
I THINK, UM, KIND OF IN MY CONVERSATIONS, I THINK THE TEAM HAD THOUGHT MAYBE THEY GET A FEW MORE SITES BEING ABLE TO GET COMPLETED AND, UM, HAVE A LITTLE BIT, UM, MORE UNDER THERE.
BUT SOME OF THESE SITES ARE SO LARGE THAT IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.
SO I THINK ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE FIRST KIND OF THE, THE BIGGER SITES, I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH THESE SITES ON A, A QUICKER BASIS AND, UM, BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PROACTIVE.
I MEAN, WE ARE AS, UM, AS AMY SAID, A LITTLE BIT REACTIVE TO THESE THINGS, BUT I THINK AS WE GET KICK, UH, QUICKER AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET IN THERE BEFORE CAMPS REALLY BECOME, UM, KIND OF REALLY FORTIFIED AND BUILT OUT AND ENLARGED.
SO THOSE ARE BECOME REALLY DIFFICULT TO, TO REMOVE THOSE THINGS WHEN THEY GET REALLY BIG IN THERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE BACK IN THE GREEN BELTS.
'CAUSE IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET IN THERE.
THAT'S, A LOT OF THAT STUFF HAS TO BE HAND CARRIED OUT BECAUSE OF THE, ALL THE VEGETATION.
SO, BUT WE'RE HAPPY SO FAR WITH THE WORK THEY'RE DOING.
SO, UM, WE WILL DEFINITELY KEEP YOU UPDATED AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.
UM, JUST THE LAST THING I'LL, I'LL MENTION HERE IS JUST THE, UM, WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, TRYING TO DO WITH THE RECYCLING PARTNERSHIP WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE HELPING US WITH A, UH, CAPTURE STUDY.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAD PLANNED TO DO ANYWAY, UH, BUT WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM AND THEY'RE GOING TO BASICALLY FUND THAT, UH, THAT STUDY TO LOOK AT CAPTURE RATES THROUGH ALL 10 DISTRICTS AND KIND OF LOOK AT, UH, COMPARATIVELY HOW WE'RE DOING AS A COMMUNITY AND THEN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THAT AND ALSO INCLUDE AN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH COMPONENT TO THAT, TO, TO KIND OF, UH, TO GET MORE FOLKS TO, TO RECYCLE AND, AND TO, TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT 600, $5,000 OF, UH, WORTH OF WORK THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE DOING FOR US.
SO, UM, DEFINITELY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO INCREASE OUR RECYCLING RATES AND, UM, REDUCE OUR CONTAMINATION AS WELL.
SO, AND WITH THAT, I'LL BE, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR? I HAVE A QUESTION REMOTELY.
JOHN, THANK YOU, JOHN FROM DISTRICT SIX.
I, I NOTICED THAT THE, UH, DIVERSION RATE ON WHEN YOU DO CLEANUPS IS KIND OF A BIG DISPARITY, UH, LIKE BRA ROAD, LOTS OF, UH, DIVERSION WHERE SOME OTHERS, AND HAVING CLEANED UP ENCAMPMENTS, I KNOW THAT THERE, IT'S REALLY HARD TO DIVERT THINGS WHEN IT'S FROM ENCAMPMENTS.
IS THERE ANY MORE DETAILS ON THAT OR IS IT JUST, YOU KNOW, IT JUST WASN'T ABLE TO DIVERT ANYTHING? UM, LET ME HAVE, UM, DIRECTOR SLAVE KIND OF ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WE CAN KIND OF RECYCLE WHAT WE CAN SOMETIMES THOSE ARE LIKE SHOPPING CARTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND OFTENTIMES THERE'S MATERIALS THAT YOU WOULD THINK YOU COULD RECYCLE, BUT BECAUSE THERE MAY BE CONTAMINATION ON THOSE ITEMS, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO COLLECT THOSE.
SO, BUT I'LL LET AMY KIND OF TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
HI, AMY SLAGEL, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.
SO YES, WE, WE ARE ABLE TO RECYCLE SOME OF THE MATERIAL THAT WE'RE PULLING FROM ENCAMPMENTS.
UH, SOMETIMES WE FIND, UM, BICYCLE FRAMES IN, IN ENCAMPMENTS AS WELL, OR MAYBE THEY'VE, UH, PULLED SOME FROM OTHER AREAS AND KIND OF TAKEN THEM APART AND LEFT 'EM THERE.
SO WE WORK WITH A PD TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO, UH, STOLEN, UM, STOLEN EQUIPMENT IN THERE.
AND SO THEN, YOU KNOW, THE, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE SITE, BUT YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES IT'S, UM, SOME OF THE TIMES THAT WE GET TO THESE SITES, IT IS JUST SMALLER DEBRIS, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME SOIL TEXTILES OR, UH, COUCHES, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT REALLY ARE NOT IN, IN A RECYCLABLE, REUSABLE STATE.
SO WE, WE DO TRY TO DIVERT WHAT WE CAN THOUGH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, I HAD, I HAD ONE THAT'S PROBABLY A FOLLOW UP TO JOHN'S QUESTION, UM, ABOUT THE MATERIAL PICKED UP AT L EVANDER LOOP.
UM, AND WHAT WAS THE OTHER SITE? OH, YEAH, AND MAINOR ROAD.
COULD, COULD YOU JUST, I KNOW IT'S MORE DAYS AT THOSE SITES, BUT THAT STILL SEEMS LIKE A LOT TO ME.
UH, COULD YOU JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT IF, IF YOU HAPPEN TO RECALL IN TERMS OF WHAT TYPE OF MATERIAL YOU WERE PICKING UP THERE? IS THAT TIRES, FURNITURE, TRAILERS, ET CETERA? IT, IT, IT CAN COVER THE, EVERYTHING THAT YOU MENTIONED, UH, COMMISSIONER
[00:40:01]
MACINO, AND THEN SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S SOME, IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S THE RESULT OF LEGAL DUMPING.UH, IT COULD BE THAT YOU'RE FINDING TIRES THAT YOU'RE FINDING, UH, I MEAN, THERE'S SOME OF THESE SITES THAT, UH, WE'VE CLEANED IN THE PAST THAT WE'VE HAD TO WORK WITH A PD BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S ABANDONED VEHICLES, ABANDONED MOTORCYCLES, UH, IN, IN THERE.
SO, BUT A LOT OF TIMES IT'S JUST KIND OF BUILDUP OF LIKE DAILY DEBRIS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE FROM FOOD, FOOD WASTE.
WELL, I WILL SAY WHAT, UH, THE CONTAINERS THAT HAD THE, THE FOOD IN IT, AND THEN SOMETIMES THERE'S WATER BOTTLES, BUT THOSE WATER BOTTLES HAVE BEEN USED FOR, YOU KNOW, BODILY FLUIDS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IT REALLY JUST KINDA DEPENDS, BUT YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, UH, MORE BULK ITEMS AND THEN, UH, LITTER DEBRIS, SMALLER LITTER DEBRIS.
NO, THAT, THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE.
UM, I ALSO, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD, YOU, YOU STARTED ANSWERING I THINK HAZARDOUS WASTE, SO BIOHAZARD OR HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS, HOW DO Y'ALL DEAL WITH THAT? AND DO YOU TALLY THAT SEPARATELY FROM, UH, WHAT YOU COLLECT IN BULK? WHEN WE DO FIND HAZARDOUS WASTE, WE DO COLLECT IT AND, AND OBVIOUSLY AND TAKE IT TO OUR FACILITY IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I, I'M NOT SURE IF WE'RE KEEPING TRACK OF THE TONNAGE, BUT WE WE'RE DEFINITELY REMOVING IT IN, UH, FROM THE SITE.
SOMETIMES WE FIND SOLAR PANELS EVEN, AND WE PULL THOSE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE RECYCLED.
IN TERMS OF BIO WASTE, UH, THERE'S, UH, NOTHING IN PLACE CURRENTLY, BUT THE CITY'S WORKING ON THE, ON A CITYWIDE CONTRACT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS BIOHAZARDS, UH, AND ENCAMPMENTS AS WELL AS IN, UH, MAYBE ALLEYS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SOME BIO WASTE HAZARD, OUR BIO WASTE ISSUES IN OUR DOWNTOWN ALLEYS.
AND SO WE, WE ARE LOOKING FOR CITYWIDE CONTRACT TO ADDRESS THOSE SITUATIONS.
WELL, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE TIMES THAT WE EVEN TALKED ABOUT GUIDELINES THAT VOLUNTEER GROUPS THAT DO PICKUPS HAVE GENERATED, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THEMSELVES AND HAVE SHARED ABOUT EVEN WHEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE DOING HEART CLEANUPS, IF THEY ENCOUNTER YEAH.
BOTTLES THAT HAVE BODILY FLUIDS OR SHARPS, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, UM, Y'ALL ARE THINKING ABOUT A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH FOR THAT.
I FORGOT TO MENTION THE BIO, UH, NEEDLES, BUT THOSE ARE ALSO RECYCLED AS WELL WHEN, WHEN WE'RE FINDING THEM.
SO, AND I, I KNOW THAT KEEP AUSTIN BEAUTIFUL, PUTS THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THEIR VOLUNTEERS ABOUT BIOHAZARDS AND HOW TO HANDLE 'EM.
AND THEN I DID HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION, OR IT'S MORE OF A REQUEST, IF POSSIBLE, COULD, UM, THE COMMISSION GET EITHER COPIES OF THE ABSTRACT OR THE SLIDES THAT YOU ALL PRESENTED AT THE CONFERENCE? WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE? THE TITLES ARE INTRIGUING.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW MORE MM-HMM
ABOUT WHAT Y'ALL TALKED ABOUT.
YEAH, I, UM, YEAH, THAT, THAT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM AT ALL.
I'LL JUST, UH, GATHER THOSE UP AND HAVE THEM SENT OUT TO Y'ALL.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS? AND JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, I DON'T THINK THOSE NEEDLES ARE RECYCLED AND THOSE ARE DISPOSED OF, I WAS GONNA SAY, I, YOU KNOW, BEING TO SOME OF THE, UH, DOING SOME OF THE CLEANUPS DOWN HERE BY THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, WE'RE NOT RECYCLING.
OTHERS MAY BE RECYCLING 'EM, BUT WE'RE NOT RECYCLING, FIRST OFF, I HAVE TO SAY.
AND COMMEND STAFF AND THE FOLKS WHO ARE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATING IN THIS, YOU GUYS DO A HECK OF A JOB.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO RUN INTO WHEN YOU GET DOWN THERE.
NOT TO MENTION SOME OF THE, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PROBABLY NOT IN THE BEST OF, UH, OF MOODS WHEN SOMEONE APPEARS AND STARTS TO CLEAN UP THEIR, THEIR LOCATION, YOU GUYS DO A HECK OF A JOB AND IT'S NOT EASY.
THE SHARPS, YES, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF THAT THAT WAS, THAT GETS COLLECTED IN THIS DOWNTOWN AREA THAT I'VE, I'VE EXPERIENCED WITH, WITH THE CLEANUPS AND, UH, YEAH, IT'S DANGEROUS AND IT'S, AGAIN, COMMENDABLE TO THE STAFF FOR, FOR BEING A PART OF THIS.
AND SINCE I AM COMMENDING YOU GUYS, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, VERY, VERY PROUD OF, UH, AUSTIN RESOURCE RECOVERY.
YOU GUYS DID A HELL OF A JOB, A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL JOB WITH TSWANA HOSTING, UH, LITERALLY FOLKS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO CAME TO OUR WONDERFUL CITY AND EXPERIENCED WHAT I BELIEVE IS A WONDERFUL SHOW.
AND IT WAS ACTUALLY, HE ACTUALLY LEARNED SOMETHING, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
SO I'M ENCOURAGING YOU GUYS TO PLEASE AND NEXT TIME WE HAVE A SHOW ANYWHERE NEAR TAKE IT IN.
AND YOU GUYS, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR MAKING US PROUD.
WELL, IF Y'ALL LIKE, UH, YOU CAN COME OUT TO EL PASO NEXT, UH, NEXT APRIL, AND THAT'S WHERE THE CONFERENCE WILL BE NEXT YEAR.
SO IT'S ALL EXPENSES PAID, RIGHT? THAT'S THE JOY OF HOSTING.
ANY OTHER QUESTION, QUESTIONS? MELISSA, GO AHEAD.
UH, I HAVE A QUESTION, RICHARD.
I, I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING A FINAL UPDATE ON THIS
[00:45:01]
FOR THE REUSE WAREHOUSE GRANT.THE LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT IT, I THINK IT WAS STILL SORT OF UP IN THE AIR IF THAT WAS GONNA COME THROUGH, BUT THE DEPARTMENT WAS WORKING THROUGH IT AS IF THAT WAS STILL FOR SURE GOING TO HAPPEN.
DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT? YEAH, SO AS FAR AS, UM, BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE GRANT FROM EPA, WE DON'T SEE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT.
WE STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT SYSTEM THAT WE UTILIZE TO BE ABLE TO DRAW DOWN FUNDS.
THE ISSUE HAS REALLY BEEN JUST TRYING TO FIND THE PROPERTY THAT WE WANNA SELECT.
SO WE'RE STILL ON THAT SEARCH PROCESS AT THIS POINT.
SO, BUT AS FAR AS THE MONEY'S STILL THERE, SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO MOVE FAST TO TRY TO GET THAT PROPERTY SECURED.
AND WHAT'S THE DEADLINE AGAIN? I THINK WE HAD THREE YEARS ONCE THE, FROM THE DATE THE, UH, GRANT WAS AWARDED.
SO I THINK WE HAVE PROBABLY ANOTHER TWO YEARS AT THIS POINT.
I THINK IT'S BEEN ABOUT A YEAR.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS? AMANDA, GO AHEAD.
DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND, AMANDA? OH, I'M SORRY.
OKAY GUYS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS? SEEING NONE.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
NEXT ITEM IS, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND UH, I GUESS THE BUDGET SHOULD BE COMING BACK TO US AGAIN JUST TO TAKE ANOTHER PEEK AT THAT.ANYTHING ELSE YOU GUYS WANNA SEE? TELL YOU WHAT WE WILL GET BACK WITH YOU ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. JUST ADD THOSE ON LATER ON TO THAT.
UH, LET'S SEE GUYS, THE LAST ITEM HERE IS LITERALLY JUST A, A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT.
AJOUR ALI, RIGHT? I'LL SECOND.
MICHAEL SECONDS HEARING, NO DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HANDS AND THANK YOU GUYS VERY, VERY MUCH.
IT REALLY FEELS GOOD TO HAVE A FULL HOUSE, BASICALLY.
COMMISSIONER IS WELCOME AND THANK YOU.