May 22, 2025 City Council Meetings

AGAIN, MEMBERS REMEMBER THAT, UM, IF YOU WANT TO BE SHOWN SPEAKING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, OR ASKING QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW.

I THINK THAT COVERS, UM, ALL OF THE PRELIMINARIES.

SO WITH THAT, WE WILL GO TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[Consent Agenda]

UH, I CURRENTLY HAVE FOUR OF YOU THAT HAVE INDICATED YOU WANT TO DO THAT.

UM, AND I'VE NOW GOT FIVE.

DO I GET, DO I HEAR 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, SORRY.

UM, SORRY, SORRY.

UH, IT'S TOO EARLY FOR THAT KIND OF JUMP.

UM, ALL RIGHT.

UM, YES, COUNCILOR MCC CADRY.

I THINK I'M NUMBER SIX NOW.

YOU'RE NUMBER SEVEN.

OH, NUMBER SEVEN, YEAH.

ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD.

UM, YEAH, NO, YOU'RE NUMBER SIX.

I'M TEASING YOU.

UM, ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT GOING, THAT BEING SAID, I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK TO ASK THAT YOU HELP US NAVIGATE THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

WE'LL START WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE.

WE HAVE LEANNE THOMAS, WITH LARRY BREWER AND CARLA COURTNEY ON DECK.

NEXT WE HAVE ITEM TWO, SUSANNA ALMANZA AND ALSO SUSANNA AMANZA ON ITEM NUMBER THREE,

[00:10:02]

WHAT NEXT SPEAKER IS ZENOBIA JOSEPH ON ITEM EIGHT? OH, APOLOGIES.

GOOD MORNING COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M SUSANNA ALMANZA WITH PODER AND I WOULD LIKE TO PO WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ALONG WITH SANAT, SOUTHEAST AUSTIN RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS ORGANIZED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO.

WE JUST WISH THAT THERE HAD BEEN CONSIDERED AN OPTION BEFORE PLACING, UH, THE CURRENT TANK'S FEET WITHIN RESIDENCE.

AT THIS TIME TOO, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO ITEM NUMBER THREE ON BEHALF OF BO AND SADA AND ALSO, UM, APPROVE THAT.

BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT ANY FUTURE TANKS BE PLACED AT THE FLINT HILLS FACILITY IN BASTROP.

THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL TANKS WITHIN FEET OF THE RESIDENCE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NEXT WE HAVE IS ZIA JOSEPH ON ITEM EIGHT.

IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

NEXT WE HAVE DANIELLA SILVA.

ON ITEM NINE, UH, WE HAVE ZIA JOSEPH ON ITEM NINE, BILL BUNCH ON ITEM 11.

ZIA JOSEPH ON ITEM 12 AND Z, NOIA JOSEPH AND ITEM 39.

OKAY, WE ARE, WE ARE ABOUT TO CALL ON 39.

WE DO NOT HAVE SPEAKERS ON 30.

FILED IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF TRAVIS COUNTY.

HANG, HANG ON ONE.

THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND READ THIS AND THEN AS PART OF THE MOTION, I WILL ALSO READ IT WHEN WE DO THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT MEMBERS, UH, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN PERTAINS TO AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE TAX EXEMPTION FOR RESIDENCE HOME HOMESTEADS OF INDIVIDUALS 65 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AT DISABILITIES AT EQUAL TO, UH, AT AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO $154,000, WHICH IS THE CITY'S CURRENT EXEMPTION, PLUS AN INCREASE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE EQUIVALENT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AS WHAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE EXEMPTION IN THE PRIOR YEAR AND PERMITTED BY LAW.

YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT THE STAFF, UH, DELIVERED A MEMO TO THE CITY COUNCIL YESTERDAY ON THIS.

THIS NECESSARY INCREASE IS $38,000 TO A TOTAL EXEMPTION LEVEL OF $192,000.

THEREFORE, THIS ORDINANCE WILL BE UPDATED TO INCLUDE THIS $192,000 FIGURE.

SO I'LL ALSO READ THAT AGAIN AT THE TIME I ACCEPT A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, BUT I WANTED TO GET THAT INTO THE RECORD AS WE WENT THROUGH ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THAT? ALRIGHT, ON ITEM NUMBER 37, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK LEGAL TO STEP UP ON BOTH 37 AND 38 MEMBERS.

BOTH 37 AND 38 ARE LEGAL MATTERS RELATED TO POTENTIAL SETTLEMENTS, AND SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE LEGAL GIVE US A BRIEFING.

MORNING, MR. MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL CITY ATTORNEY.

UH, I AM ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY JEREMY THOMPSON, UH, HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 37 AND 38 REGARDING 37.

UM, THIS IS, UH, A RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU APPROVE A SETTLEMENT IN THE SAM KIRSCH VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN LAWSUIT, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,500,000.

THIS LAWSUIT IS RELATED TO A USE OF FORCE AT A PROTEST WHICH OCCURRED ON MAY 31ST, 2020, AND SAM KIRSCH SEEKS PAYMENT FOR HIS INJURIES STEMMING FROM THIS INCIDENT.

IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS PAYMENT, MR. KIRSH WILL RELEASE THE CITY AND A PD OFFICERS FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF THE MAY 31ST, 2020 INCIDENT.

MR. KIRSH WILL ALSO DISMISS WITH PREJUDICE THE CLAIMS ASSERTED AGAINST THE CITY AND OFFICER ASSERTED IN THE LAWSUIT HE FILED IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS.

THE LAW DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THAT YOU APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT BASED ON THESE TERMS. THANK YOU, SIR.

MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF LEGAL? OKAY.

PLEASE GO TO 38.

ITEM 38 WOODS VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN.

WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE A PAYMENT OF $95,000 TO SETTLE KEA WOODS VERSUS CITY OF AUSTIN.

THE LAWSUIT RELATES TO A DECEMBER, 2023 CAR ACCIDENT INVOLVING AN AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT VEHICLE WHERE KEITA WOODS SEEKS PAYMENT FOR HER INJURIES.

IN EXCHANGE FOR THE PAYMENT, MS. WOODS WILL RELEASE ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY FROM THE ACCIDENT AND WILL ALSO DISMISS HER LAWSUIT

[00:15:01]

THE LAW DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS THAT YOU PROVE PAYMENT BASED UPON THESE TERMS. I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS SHOULD YOU HAVE THEM.

ANY QUESTIONS, MEMBERS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, I'LL ASK THE CITY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 37 AND 38? YES, WE HAVE SAMUEL HIRSCH ON ITEM 37.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

PLEASE CALL THE NAME AGAIN.

SAMUEL HIRSH ON ITEM 37.

SIR, ARE YOU HERE? AND THAT IS ALL OUR SPEAKERS ON 37 AND 38.

MR. MAYOR? UM, I SEE DANIELLA SILVA, THEY CALLED HER EARLIER.

I THINK SHE, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL GET TO THAT.

OKAY, WE START ON TIME.

I'M SORRY, WHO ARE YOU? UM, HI, MY NAME IS CARLA COURTNEY, AND, UM, I WAS GONNA SPEAK EARLIER.

I WAS IN THE RESTROOM, SO I WELL, WELL HANG ON.

WE, WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT.

WE, WE, WE HAVE AN ORDER THAT WE TRY TO FOLLOW AND THAT'S WHY WE, WE, WE START ON TIME AND THEN WE TRY TO FOLLOW AN ORDER.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

LET'S GO AHEAD TO GO TO 39 AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THOSE THAT, THAT WEREN'T HERE WHEN THEIR NAMES WERE CALLED.

39 IS I, UH, ZIA JOSEPH, AND THEN OUR NEXT ITEM THAT ISN'T PULLED WOULD BE 44, BUT I CAN GO BACK TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED WHAT I, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR.

WHAT'D YOU SAY ABOUT 44? UM, 39 OUR SPEAKERS AND WILL BE JOSEPH, AND THEN OUR NEXT ITEM WILL BE 44, BUT I PEOPLE HAVE WALKED IN.

AND MORE BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE.

PLEASE, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.

FOLKS, WE START AT 10 O'CLOCK, MOVE TO 44.

PLEASE GO AHEAD.

WE HAVE ROY WHALEY WITH ENOVIA JOSEPH ON DECK FOR ITEM 44 WHEN YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, IF YOU'D PLEASE COME FORWARD SO THAT YOU'LL BE READY AND WE'LL KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE.

HOW DO Y'ALL, ROY WHALEY CONSERVATION CHAIR FOR AUSTIN REGIONAL SIERRA CLUB.

UM, AND ACTUALLY, UH, SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THIS, I HADN'T PLANNED ON SPEAKING, BUT JUST TO GIVE IT A BIG THUMBS UP AND YES, PLEASE.

UH, AND TO SAY THIS ONE MORE TIME FROM DEEP IN THE PAST TO MAKE TRANSPORTATION EASIER FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS, LET'S LOOK AT INVESTING IN FOUR PAY PUBLIC SHOWERS.

UM, THEY, THEY, THEY EXIST.

YOU USE A SWIPE CARD, CORN, WHATEVER, THEY HAVE A DRY LOCKER, THEY LOCK YOU LOOK IN BEFORE YOU GO IN.

THERE'S NO ONE THERE.

YOU LOCK THE DOOR BEHIND YOU.

THE SAFETY IS THERE.

UH, AND IT GIVES PEOPLE LIKE CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS A PLACE TO CLEAN UP BEFORE THEY COME TO CITY HALL AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO WATCH EVERYONE MOVE TWO SEATS AWAY AFTER THEY SIT DOWN.

I KNOW THIS FROM EXPERIENCE.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

WE HAVE OPIA JOSEPH ON ITEM 44.

COUNSEL, I BELIEVE THIS IS A RED LINE ITEM, $671,000.

IS THAT CORRECT? ITEM NUMBER 44, CAN YOU JUST DOUBLE CHECK THE LANGUAGE PLEASE? AUTHORIZED NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CAPITAL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FOR DESIGN OF A PEDESTRIAN AND TRAIL CROSSING AT THE INTERSECTION OF SOLARIS STREET AND REDLINE RAIL IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $671,000.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR COUNCIL.

YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT ON JULY 25TH, 2016, CAPITOL METRO ACTUALLY RECEIVED A BRIEFING FROM A GENTLEMAN NAMED JARED WALKER, PHD.

MY OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM, AS IT ALWAYS IS, IS IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE RESPECTFULLY, THE ORIGINS AND DESTINATION REPORT FROM CAPITAL METRO IN 2015 SHOW THAT 70% OF THE METRO RAIL RIDERS ARE WHITE.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE OVER SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE HOMELESS IN AUSTIN, AND YOU'VE DONE NOTHING TO CONNECT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE NORTH OF US.

180 3, SPECIFICALLY ON JUNE 3RD, 2018, CAPITAL METRO ELIMINATED NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY, YET YOU KEEP EXPANDING THE RAIL SYSTEM FOR THE BENEFIT OF WHITE CHOICE RIDER.

I WANT

[00:20:01]

HE ALSO HELPED WITH SYSTEM REIMAGINING IN HOUSTON SPECIFICALLY, HE SAID, RIDERSHIP IS WHEN YOU CHOOSE THE AUDIENCE YOU WANT TO SERVE LIKE A BUSINESS.

COVERAGE IS WHEN YOU PROVIDE ACCESS, LIFELINE ACCESS TO ALL RIDERS.

AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT WHITE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE BENEFITING FROM THIS SYSTEM.

I GET IT, MAYOR, RESPECTFULLY, I KNOW A LEOPARD DOESN'T CHANGE ITS SPOTS.

THE CITY WAS SEGREGATED WHEN YOU WERE MAYOR THE FIRST TIME.

IT IS SEGREGATED.

TODAY I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU RELY ON THE FEDERAL FUNDING AND I WANT YOU TO COMPLY WITH TITLE VI SPECIFICALLY.

THIS PROJECT WILL NOT BENEFIT THE WHITE, THE BLACK INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN WAITING 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS.

IT WILL NOT BENEFIT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE BERG NORTH LAMAR AREA WHERE IT'S A 30 MINUTE TRANSFER AND ALL OF THE ONE SEAT RIDES HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED.

AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I OPPOSE THIS, UM, ITEM.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THE TIME.

YOU'RE ALSO NEXT ON ITEM 46.

I DON'T HAVE THE AGENDA IN FRONT OF ME.

YOU'LL HAVE TO TELL ME THE ITEM, MA'AM.

AND WHAT IS THE COST FUNDING THE PRO PROJECT COSTS OF $17,528,685 WITH THE CITY SHARE ESTIMATED TO BE 3.79.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU INVESTED IN AN ITEM THAT WOULD ACTUALLY ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT THESE ITEMS ARE AS YOU GO THROUGH THEM.

I JUST, WELL, YOU HAVE AN AGENDA, I'M SURE BACK IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, BUT IN, UH, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VIEWING ONLINE, THEY DON'T HAVE AN AGENDA.

THE LEGISLATURE ACTUALLY PUTS THE BILLS ON THE SCREEN FOR EVERYONE TO SEE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO DO THE SAME RESPECTFULLY HERE AT THE COUNCIL MEETING SPECIFICALLY, MY OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM IS THAT YOU'RE EXPANDING WEST RUNDBERG WHILE ON THE EAST SIDE OF RUNDBERG, RESPECTFULLY AT HEB RUNDBERG.

I'VE ASKED CHEETO VELA TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT HIS DISTRICT.

THERE ISN'T EVEN A SCREEN FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING FOR THE BUS GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.

HE HAVE NO PLACE TO SIT.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW RIGHT NEXT TO WALNUT CREEK ELEMENTARY ARE BETTER YET AT THE LIBRARY THERE USED TO BE FOUR SHELTERS.

NOW IT'S ONE.

THEREFORE, PEOPLE WHO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, PEOPLE WHO GO TO THE LIBRARY HAVE NO PLACE TO SIT.

BUT YOU ARE EXPANDING THE WEST SIDE, WHICH WILL ACTUALLY PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE SOCCER STADIUM AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE NORTH OF US, 180 3.

MY COMMENTS AS THEY ALWAYS ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU, MAYOR, THIS COUNCIL ACTUALLY APOLOGIZED TO BLACK PEOPLE MARCH 4TH, 2021, ITEM 67.

YOU ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGE, THESE ARE YOUR WORDS, INTENTIONAL DISCRIMINATION AGAINST AFRICAN AMERICANS.

I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER IN 2023 WHEN YOU DID THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN UPDATE, THERE IS ACTUALLY LANGUAGE IN THAT DOCUMENT ABOUT YOUR DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU'VE NOT CHANGED YOUR WAYS.

I GET IT RESPECTFULLY.

A LEOPARD DOESN'T CHANGE ITS SPOTS.

THE CITY WAS SEGREGATED WHEN YOU WERE MAYOR THE FIRST TIME.

IT'S SEGREGATED TODAY.

IT IS DEEPLY DISTURBING.

MAYOR, YES, THE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO GET TO THE SOCCER STADIUM.

I GET THAT, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO GET TO WORK TO SCHOOL, THERE'S NO ACCESS BETWEEN SAMSUNG AND APPLE ONE, SIX AND SEVEN, AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY DESERVE TO HAVE TRANSPORTATION TOO.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GO GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU MS. JOSEPH.

YOU ARE ALSO NEXT FOR ITEM 47.

CAN I GO GET MY NOTES? I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO, OH, CERTAINLY.

NEXT, PLEASE GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.

NEXT WE HAVE BILL BUNCH, ITEM 48, AND MS. JOSEPH, MS. ENOVIA, JOSEPH AGAIN ON ITEMS 49 AND 50.

UM, MR. BUNCH AGAIN.

AND ON ITEM 51 WE HAVE LYNN BOSWELL.

MS. BOSWELL, ARE YOU HERE? I'M HERE.

BACKUP MATERIAL, IT HAS WALK, BIKE, ROLL AGAIN, I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOUR WALK BIKE ROLL UPDATE IN 2023 SPECIFIED THAT YOU HAVE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.

YOU'LL FOLLOW MS. JOSEPH WHEN WE FINISH THE NUMBERS THAT SHE'S SPEAKING, MS. JOSEPH, WE'LL START WITH ITEM 47, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL.

ALL RIGHT? $661,347,000.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE, MAYOR AND I PUT THE SLIDES BEFORE YOU NOT YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL HAS NO ACCESS.

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN PROPERTY HAS NO SIDEWALK.

AND HERE YOU ARE EXPANDING TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THE HIGH SCHOOLS WOULD ACTUALLY WANT TO BE SAFE IN THAT RESOLUTION.

IN THE

[00:25:01]

YOU ACTUALLY SPECIFY IN THAT PLAN THAT THERE'S NO SIDEWALK IN THE, WELL, AT THE TIME IT WAS DOVE SPRINGS AND NORTH LAMAR, BUT DOVE SPRINGS HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.

NORTH LAMAR IS STILL THE SAME.

CHEETO VELA KNOWS BECAUSE I TOLD HIM THERE IS NO ACCESS BETWEEN CHINATOWN ALL THE WAY TO BREAKER LANE.

IT'S NOT 88 COMPLIANT.

THERE IS NO ACCESS ALL THE WAY FROM THE METROPOLITAN PARK.

I GET MIKE SIEGEL IS LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE, BUT THIS IS A DISSERVICE.

SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW, MR. SIEGEL, WAY BACK IN 2012, THERE WAS A BOND THAT PASSED, AND SPECIFICALLY IT WAS FOR BERNARD ROAD AND NORTH LAMAR, BUT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, NORTH LAMAR WASN'T FUNDED.

IN 2020, YOU HAD A ACTUAL PUBLIC HEARING FOR NORTH LAMAR, 37,500 VEHICLES PER DAY, BUT YET IT'S NOT FUNDED.

GO TO THE SIDEWALK PLAN.

NORTH LAMAR IS PRIORITIZED.

YOU KEEP USING BLACK PEOPLE AND MINORITIES TO GET THE FEDERAL FUNDING.

AND THEN WHEN YOU GET THE FEDERAL FUNDING, THE STAFF UNILATERALLY DECIDES TO IMPROVE THE AREAS ON THE RAIL.

I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT HIGHLAND MALL AREA, 300 ACRES WAS WHERE BLACK PEOPLE OWNED THE LAND, BUT TODAY YOU HAVE TO HAVE 80% AREA MEDIAN INCOME.

DECEMBER 17TH, 2020, MIKE GERBER TOLD THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE PEOPLE IN THE INTEREST IN THE AREA DIDN'T WANNA SERVE THE LOW INCOME.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT 80 TO 120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME IS WHAT YOU NEED.

NOW OVER AT, OKAY, I GOT ANOTHER I.

THANK YOU MS. JOSEPH.

YOUR NEXT ITEM IS 49.

OKAY, THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL.

THAT'S THE COLLUSION ITEM.

CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY CAPITAL, METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, CAPITAL AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY WANT TO COLLUDE AND TO ACTUALLY USE OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO FOR CONNECTIVITY.

WELL, MAYOR, THAT'S A LIE.

IT'S A FALSEHOOD.

AND YOU KNOW IT BECAUSE THEY HAD ALL THIS PLANNING IN 2009 FOR THE NORTH LAMAR CORRIDOR, AND THEY SPECIFY THAT MIDBLOCK STOPS ON PAGE 75 IS WHERE PEDESTRIANS GET KILLED, BUT YET, AND STILL, THERE'S NO CONNECTIVITY.

I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER ON JULY 27TH, 2020, THAT IS WHEN COUNCIL DECIDED TO ELIMINATE THE ACCESS BETWEEN SAMSUNG AND APPLE.

THE METRO WRAP IS THERE WERE THREE THAT WERE ELIMINATED DECORATIVE DOWNTOWN SAMSUNG TO APPLE AND ALL THE WAY FROM DESSA TO THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

HIGHLAND, YOU ARE NOT TRYING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE REGION.

THIS IS JUST A SMOKE SCREEN.

FRAUD IS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OF VALUE THROUGH WILLFUL MISREPRESENTATION.

THAT'S THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE DEFINITION 2017, YOU ARE DEFRAUDING THE GOVERNMENT FRAUD, WASTE ABUSE.

THIS ITEM NEEDS TO BE TABLED.

YOU NEED TO NOT CREATE THIS SMOKESCREEN.

AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE YOU STILL RELY ON FEDERAL FUNDING TO DO ALL OF THIS.

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

I GET IT.

A LEOPARD DOESN'T CHANGE ITS SPOTS.

THE CITY WAS SEGREGATED WHEN YOU WERE MAYOR THE FIRST TIME, AND IT'S STILL SEGREGATED TODAY.

AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO THE SMOKE SCREEN TO SAY IT'S A REGIONAL BOARD THAT YOU'RE CREATING.

CAMPO MOVED.

ITS MEETING TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT WE CAN'T EVEN GET TO THE MEETING AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK IF YOU GET THERE.

THIS IS NOT HELPING THE PEOPLE.

I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT.

AND SO MY OPPOSITION IS IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THE AT THIS TIME.

THEY'RE NOT HERE FOR THE PEOPLE.

THANK YOU ZIA.

ITEM 50 FOR ZIA.

JOSEPH, THIS IS TO, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL ON ENOVIA JOSEPH.

ITEM 50, APPOINTS TAM HAWKINS TO THE URBAN RENEWAL BOARD.

I WANT YOU TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE URBAN RENEWAL BOARD IN THE MARCH 4TH, 2021 APOLOGY TO BLACK PEOPLE? YOU ADMITTED THAT URBAN RENEWAL IS HOW YOU ACTUALLY DISPLACED AFRICAN AMERICANS, AND THE CITY APOLOGIZED FOR IT IN ITEM 67, THEREFORE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEIR PURPOSE IS ANYMORE.

1959, THE URBAN RENEWAL COM WAS ACTUALLY FORMED IN STATE LAW.

AND SO TODAY THEY'VE COMPLETED THEIR WORK ACCORDING TO MAYOR ADLER WHEN HE WAS ON THE DEUS.

BUT TODAY YOU ARE APPOINTING TAM HAWKINS FROM THE BLACK CHAMBERS.

WELL, I OPPOSE THAT BECAUSE THE BLACK CHAMBER, MOST OF THE EVENTS THAT THEY HAVE REQUIRE US TO PAY.

AND SO IT'S A MEMBERSHIP ONLY, AND THEN CAPITOL METRO PAYS THEM AS WELL.

SO THEY ARE BIASED.

[00:30:01]

SO RESPECTFULLY, I OPPOSE THAT.

I ACTUALLY THINK THIS IS THE ITEM THAT HAS A VETERAN BEING APPOINTED AND THE CITY MANAGER HAS YET TO DO ANYTHING FOR THE VETERANS, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAD A RESOLUTION IN DECEMBER, 2024 FOR HIM TO RESPOND IN SIX MONTHS, IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS.

CITY MANAGER, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA RESPOND TO THE VETERANS? WE HAVE HOMELESS VETERANS THAT ARE ON THE STREET TODAY.

THEY'RE OVERREPRESENTED.

AUSTIN CHRONICLE 2015 ACTUALLY HAS AN ARTICLE, A BLACK AIR FORCE VETERAN ON THE COVER, AND IT SAYS THEY ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY HOMELESS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND ON YOUR WATCH, YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE HOMELESS ISSUE REGARDING OUR VETERANS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

IT IS A SHAME.

YOU HAVE ALL THIS MONEY THAT GOES TO CARITAS.

IT'S A SMOKE SCREEN.

THEY GO TO TEXAS VETERANS COMMISSION.

I WANNA REMIND YOU, MAYOR, YOU RELY ON HUD, YOU RELY ON VA, AND SO YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO SOMETHING FOR US.

THERE'S THE AUSTIN IT, IT'S AUGUST 13TH, FEDERAL REGISTER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU MS. JOSEPH AT THIS TIME.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 51.

WE HAVE BILL BUNCH AND ZENOBIA JOSEPH, MS. BOSWELL, MS. BOSWELL, YOU HAD CALLED HER NAME PREVIOUSLY.

AND THEN NEXT WE HAVE LYNN BOSWELL WITH YEP.

LYNN BOSWELL.

PERFECT.

THANK YOU COUNCIL.

APPRECIATE AND MAYOR, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.

TESTIFYING IN SUPPORTIVE AGENDA ITEM 51.

OUR COMMUNITY HAS BIG DREAMS ABOUT WHAT'S POSSIBLE AND BRING STRONG CREATIVITY AND PROBLEM SOLVING TO OUR SHARED ISSUES.

AS PUBLIC ENTITIES, IT'S OUR OBLIGATION TO USE PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS WISELY AND WELL.

AND IT'S ALSO OUR DUTY TO REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY'S VALUES AND OUR WORK AS WE ALL FACE TIGHTER BUDGETS, OFTEN MANDATED, MANDATED BY THE STATE.

WE MUST GET MORE CREATIVE TO OFFER THE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY SEEKS FROM THE CITY, FROM THE COUNTY AND OUR SCHOOLS BY SEEKING POTENTIAL OPERATING EFFICIENCIES AND PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.

THIS RESOLUTION WILL HELP US DO THAT IN NEW AND BETTER WAYS.

WE ALREADY HAVE A WELL-ESTABLISHED TRACK RECORD OF WORKING TOGETHER TO MEET SHARED GOALS AND NEEDS WITH CITY SUPPORT, UH, FOR PARENT PROGRAMS IN OUR SCHOOLS, LIKE OUR PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AND ADULT EDUCATION, UH, WITH THE COUNTY'S PROP A FOR CHILDCARE THAT WILL HELP US ALL WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE NEW THINGS AND SHARED GREEN SPACE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

STRONG SCHOOLS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, INCLUDING OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS, NOT JUST AUSTIN AND ID SUPPORT A STRONG CITY.

OUR SCHOOLS ALSO HAVE AND SHARE A SPACE IN AUSTIN TO MEET MANY IMPORTANT PUBLIC NEEDS WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

MANY CITY AND COUNTY SERVICES ARE ALSO USED BY THE FAMILIES OUR SCHOOLS SERVE AND BY THE STAFF WHO WORK IN OUR DISTRICTS.

CAT METRO SERVICE FOR STUDENTS, OUR LIBRARIES, OUR PARKS AND POOLS, PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING PARTNERSHIPS WITH A CC HELP HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OUR REGION GRADUATE WITH COLLEGE CREDIT.

THIS RESOLUTION WILL BUILD ON THAT FOUNDATION BY STRENGTHENING OUR COLLABORATION AND OUR FOCUS ON DOING THE MOST WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS TOGETHER IN WAYS THAT SERVE OUR CITY, OUR COUNTY, AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

CONSUMPTION FROM 20 TO 50% COMBINED WITH SOLAR PRODUCTION.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 52.

WE HAVE A THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON FOR THIS TIME, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS ALTER FUENTES, VELASQUEZ VELA AND SIEGEL FOR BRINGING FORWARD THIS RESOLUTION.

MY NAME'S AIA SIVALINGAM AND I WORK WITH THE TEXAS JOBS PRO CLIMATE JOBS PROJECT.

WE WORK TO ADVANCE A PRO WORKER, PRO CLIMATE AGENDA ACROSS TEXAS.

I'M HERE TODAY TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION, WHICH BEGINS THE PROCESS TO INSTALL SOLAR DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES ACROSS CITY OWNED FACILITIES IN AUSTIN.

THIS RESOLUTION COULD, SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE TO COUNCIL AS AUSTIN HAS INCREASINGLY FACED SEVERE CLIMATE EVENTS IN RECENT YEARS.

IN 2021, WINTER STORM AL BROUGHT SIX INCHES OF SNOW AND PROLONGED FREEZING TEMPERATURES WHILE THE SUMMER OF 2023 WAS THE CITY'S HOTTEST ON RECORD WITH 45 DAYS OF TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT.

THESE EVENTS LED TO BLACKOUT SOARING ENERGY COSTS AND NUMEROUS HEAT AND COLD RELATED ILLNESSES AND FATALITIES.

THIS RESOLUTION MARKS A CRITICAL STEP TOWARDS PREVENTING FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL HARM, IMPROVING PUBLIC WELFARE AND ADVANCING EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AT THE TEXAS COMBAT JOBS PROJECT, WE CONDUCTED AN ANALYSIS OF 104 CITY OF AUSTIN OWNED FACILITIES THAT WE WILL BE PUBLISHING IN THE COMING MONTHS.

BUT I'M EXCITED TO PREVIEW SOME OF OUR FINDINGS HERE.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, USING 2023 UTILITY DATA AND PROJECTING SOLAR POTENTIAL, WE QUANTIFIED THREE PRIMARY BENEFITS, CARBON EMISSION, RED EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS, UTILITY COST SAVINGS, AND JOB CREATION.

OUR RESULTS ARE AS FOLLOWS, INSTALLING SOLAR ACROSS THESE FACILITIES COULD OFFSET 4.4 MILLION KILOGRAMS OF CARBON EMISSIONS.

THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF 2,458 HOMES USING ELECTRICITY THROUGHOUT A YEAR.

FURTHER, THE CITY COULD SAVE BETWEEN 2.2 AND 4.3 MILLION IN UTILITY COSTS.

TO COMPOUND THE BENEFITS OF INSTALLING SOLAR, INVESTING IN BUILDING RETROFITS COULD DECREASE ENERGY

[00:35:01]

THIS COULD SAVE THE CITY UP TO 4.5 MILLION ANNUALLY IN COSTS, IN UTILITY COSTS.

AND TO MAKE ALL THIS HAPPEN UP TO 303 LOCAL JOBS COULD BE CREATED FOR SOLAR CONSTRUCTION ALONE.

WHEN MAINTENANCE AND RETROFITS ARE INCLUDED, THIS NUMBER IS LIKELY TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY.

I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THE LAST THANK YOU, MA'AM, BUT YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM.

WE'RE, UM, GOING TO BE CALLING ENOVIA JOSEPH ON ITEM 51.

THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL.

ITEM 51 DIRECTS THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK AT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND TO ALSO IMPROVE HEALTH.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.

THE ITEM THAT YOU SAW ON THE SCREEN, ACTUALLY, YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE THE BLACK MAN STANDING THERE BECAUSE THERE'S NO SHELTER, THERE'S NO LIGHTING.

THIS IS ACROSS FROM COPPERFIELD ELEMENTARY.

SO MY POINT IS, IF YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B, DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GO TO SOME PLACES TO WORK? I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT AT THE TOP IS THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN CITY MANAGER.

WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT EVEN IF STUDENTS ARE AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRYING TO GET THOSE GOOD JOBS AND TRAINING, THEY CAN'T EVEN GO OVER TO SAMSUNG AND APPLE BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST A THREE MILE WALK AND THERE'S NO TRANSPORTATION.

AND THIS COUNCIL IS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY ELIMINATED NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY.

JULY 27TH, 2020, NO METRO RAPID BUS IS GOING THERE, AND EVEN THE PICKUP ONLY GOES DOWN DEC DESSAU.

IT DOESN'T EVEN GO EAST WEST.

IT IS A CONTAINMENT STRATEGY.

YOU CAN LOOK AT ARCHER'S WORK IN THE JOURNAL, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A LAW JOURNAL FROM VANDERBILT, AND SHE ACTUALLY TALKS ABOUT THIS CONTAINMENT STRATEGY.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IF YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING TO GET PEOPLE MORE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, BLACK PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR, IT WAS $4.7 MILLION ESTIMATED FOR THAT METRO RAPID.

I THINK YOU'VE WASTED ENOUGH MONEY.

I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT JOYCE JAMES GOT A $2.9 MILLION SOLE SOURCE, NO BID CONTRACT UNDER THE GUISE OF EQUITY TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC SAFETY, NO BID CONTRACT, BUT THE STATE LAW REQUIRES YOU TO GO OUT FOR A COMPETITIVE BID.

AFTER $50,000, I THINK YOU CAN FIND $4.7 MILLION TO CONNECT THE COMMUNITIES.

IF YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT HEALTH, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT ON JUNE 3RD, 2018, CAPITAL METRO CHANGED 52 BUS ROUTES AND ELIMINATED TWO 40 RUTLAND.

BUT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT AT 1934, RUTLAND SPARROW DRIVE, THAT IS WHERE YOU PUT 101 VOUCHER HOLDERS.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM NEXT TIME.

ITEM 52, MARIAN SANCHEZ WITH CRAIG NAZER ON DECK ITEM 52.

MARIAN SANCHEZ WITH CRAIG NASER ON DECK.

MR. NASER, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

HELLO, MY NAME IS CRAIG NAZER.

I AM THE CONSERVATION CHAIR OF THE STATE CHAPTER SIERRA CLUB.

ITEM 52 IS A GREAT ITEM.

IT'S REALLY, I I I THINK IT'S, IT'S WONDERFUL AND YOU NEED TO WORK QUICKLY ON THIS.

I'VE SPENT THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THOSE PEOPLE UP THERE, SOME OF THEM ANYWAY, ARE GONNA DO ANYTHING THEY CAN TO THROW SAND IN THE WORKS OF US GETTING SOLAR.

NOW.

I GOT SOLAR PANELS IN MY HOUSE.

IT SAVED ME A LOT OF MONEY.

IT REALLY HAS.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT THING.

AUSTIN ENERGY'S DOING A GREAT JOB.

YOU HAD A GOOD MEETING, I GUESS ON TUESDAY, UM, ABOUT BATTERY POWER.

GET THIS DONE AS QUICK AS YOU CAN AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OVERSEEING THE OTHER KIDS.

NEXT WE HAVE ITEMS 53, STEVE MANNING WITH DEAN CAMPBELL AND DON BAYLOR JR.

ON DECK.

IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM.

STATE YOUR NAME.

PASTOR STEVE MANNING.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

GOOD TO BE HERE.

IN ADDITION TO GOD, I ATTRIBUTE MY PASTORATE AT SWEET HOME MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN LARGE PART TO DON AND BECKY BAYLOR.

HE TOLD ME ONCE, LET'S HAVE LUNCH SO WE CAN WRAP.

DON BAYLOR WAS A LIFELONG MEMBER OF THE CHURCH AS WERE HIS PARENTS AND SIBLINGS.

IN HIS BOOK, HE SAID, AS A KID, YOU MIGHT HAVE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING ELSE ON SUNDAYS, BUT WHEN YOUR DAD'S A DEACON AND YOUR MOTHER'S THE CHURCH CLERK, THERE WAS ONLY ONE PLACE YOU COULD BE.

HE FURTHER SAID, SWEET HOME INSTILLED THE BELIEF THAT HE SHOULD GIVE SOMETHING BACK, NOT ONLY TO THE CHURCH, BUT ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY.

AS A TEENAGER, HE WAS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,

[00:40:01]

HE BECAME DEACON, CHAIRMAN OF THE DEACON BOARD AND CHAIRMAN OF THE RESTORATION COMMITTEE.

I'M SURE HIS BASEBALL CAREER CARRIED HIM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.

HOWEVER, HIS SUPPORT OF AND DEDICATION TO SWEET HOME AND CLARKSVILLE NEVER FLAGGED AND NEVER FAILED.

DURING THE OFF SEASON, HE EVEN ATTENDED WEDNESDAY NIGHT PRAYER MEETINGS, PASTORS LIKE THAT .

IN 2008, DEACON BAYLOR LED A COMMITTEE OF CHURCH MEMBERS TO THIS VERY HALL TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF GAINING LANDMARK STATUS FOR FROM THE CITY FOR SWEET HOME, A SUCCESSFUL EFFORT AMONGST THOSE WHO KNEW HIM.

DEACON BAYLOR WAS AS MUCH RESPECTED FOR HIS HUMBLED SPIRIT AND GENEROUS HEART AS HE WAS FOR HIS LEGENDARY BASEBALL CAREER.

IF THE CONVERSATION TURNS TO BASEBALL, I USUALLY DROP HIS NAME.

I FEEL BLESSED AND FORTUNATE TO HAVE KNOWN HIM.

THANK YOU PASTOR.

MAYOR WATSON, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I'M DEAN CAMPBELL.

I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF RENAMING WESTON FIELD PARK TO BAYLOR PARK.

I FIRST MET DON BAYLOR IN AUGUST OF 1963 WHEN WE FIRST REPORTED FOR FOOTBALL PRACTICE AT O HENRY JUNIOR HIGH.

DON WAS TO BECOME THE FIRST BLACK STUDENT AT O HENRY.

THAT YEAR.

INTEGRATION WAS NEW TO AUSTIN AND SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WERE NOT SURE HOW TO REACT TO IT ALL, BUT THAT DIDN'T TAKE LONG.

ONCE THEY MET DON, HE SOON BECAME ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL.

AND EVERYONE WANTED TO BE A FRIEND OF DON'S.

DON HAD A CHARISMA THAT ATTRACTED PEOPLE TO HIM AND HIS PARENTS HAD TAUGHT HIM TO BE RESPECTFUL TO EVERYONE IN THE BUILDING.

DON CARRIED HIMSELF WITH A LEVEL OF, OF CONFIDENCE THAT WAS SELDOM SEEN IN ANY YOUNG BLACK PERSON IN AUSTIN IN THE 1960S.

DON FELT COMFORTABLE AT O HENRY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE WHOLE STUDENT BODY EMBRACED HIM.

SCHOOL WAS A SAFE PLACE FOR DON, BUT HE STILL FACED RACISM IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHEN HE WASN'T ALLOWED TO EAT IN MOST RESTAURANTS, DRINK FROM THE WHITE WATER FOUNTAINS OR PLAY IN OUR CITY PARKS.

DON NEVER POUTED OR COMPLAINED ABOUT THOSE THINGS.

AND AS WE MOVED ON TO AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL, DON WAS BECOMING A LEGEND THROUGHOUT THE CITY BECAUSE OF HIS ATHLETIC ABILITY.

AND BY HIS JUNIOR YEAR, YOU COULD TELL THAT HE WAS DESTINED FOR GREATNESS.

HIS COMBINATION OF SIZE, SPEED, AND STRENGTH WAS GENERATIONAL.

BUT HE NEVER LET HIS SUCCESS CHANGE HIS HUMBLE ATTITUDE.

OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, COACHES, AND ADMINISTRATION LOVED HIM BECAUSE OF WHO HE WAS AS A PERSON.

HE WAS KIND, GENEROUS, AND LOYAL, BUT MOST OF ALL DO, WAS A MAN OF FAITH AND HE LOVED HIS LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

DON AND HIS WIFE BECKY, HAVE BEEN SUCH GREAT ROLE MODELS FOR FAMILIES THAT LIVED IN CLARKSVILLE AND WEST AUSTIN, AND IT WOULD BE A FITTING TRIBUTE TO THEIR FAMILY TO HAVE THE BAYLOR NAME ON ONE OF OUR PARKS IN THAT COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS PROJECT.

UH, MAYOR.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, DON BAYLOR JUNIOR, UM, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT NINE.

UM, WANT TO COVER THREE BASES HERE TODAY.

UH, THE FIRST BEING GRATITUDE.

SORRY, DID YOU SAY BASES? I SAID BASES.

CITY NOW STANDS FOR INCLUSION AND OPPORTUNITY.

YEAH.

UM, ONE IS GRATITUDE.

UH, OUR DEEPEST THINGS GO OUT TO, UH, CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, LAURA JAGER, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER MARK UCHIN, UH, FOR SPONSORING, UH, THIS RESOLUTION AND FOR LISTENING TO US AND BEING, UH, GREAT PUBLIC STEWARDS.

WE ALSO THANK, UH, COACH DEAN CAMPBELL, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, PASTOR STEVE MANNING, UH, FROM SWEET HOME MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, UH, AS WELL AS SCOTTY SAYERS AND, UH, BEN CRENSHAW FROM THE MUNI CONSERVANCY, UH, AS WELL AS THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP.

UM, THE SECOND BASE I WANNA COVERS CONFLICT.

UH, AS DEAN CAMPBELL MENTIONED, UM, HE GREW UP IN A SEGREGATED TOWN.

UM, AND WHEN I WAS, UH, A YOUNG BOY AS, AS FAR BACK AS I CAN REMEMBER, ANYTIME WE DROVE PAST WEST INFIELD PARK, HE WOULD POINT OUT THAT THAT WAS TO HIM SEGREGATION, UH, WHITEWATER FOUNTAINS.

HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY ANY OF THE SPORTS HE LOVED TO PLAY IN THAT PARK.

THIRD BASE IS HOPE.

UH, INSTEAD OF THIS PARK SYMBOLIZING SEGREGATION, EXCLUSION AND IGNORANCE, THIS PARK AND HOPEFULLY THE CITY, THE

[00:45:01]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, APPRECI.

YOUR THANK YOU, SIR.

APPRECIATE YOU.

NEXT WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 54, ELIZABETH JONES.

NICOLE HOLT.

IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU CAN BEGIN SPEAKING.

GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS ELIZABETH JONES.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY.

I REPRESENT TEXANS FOR SAFE AND DRUG-FREE YOUTH AND THE AUSTIN DRUG-FREE YOUTH COALITION.

UM, RESEARCH TELLS US THAT GREATER ACCESS TO SUBSTANCES EQUALS GREATER USE OF THOSE SUBSTANCES NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO.

IN AUSTIN E-CIGARETTES, ALSO KNOWN AS VAPES ARE AVAILABLE.

VAPE STORES FEATURE PRODUCTS WITH BRIGHT COLORS, CARTOON CHARACTERS AND FUN FLAVORS, DELIBERATELY CRAFTED TO CATCH THE EYES OF YOUTH.

AND THESE PRODUCTS ARE OFTEN ADDICTIVE AND INTOXICATING.

OTHER MARKETING TACTICS LIKE USING SUPERHEROES, CELEBRITIES, AND GLAMOROUS DEPICTIONS OF USE GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THE FALSE IMPRESSION THAT THESE PRODUCTS ARE HARMLESS.

THERE ARE VERY FEW LIMITATIONS ON MARKETING AND SALES OF E-CIGARETTES COMPARED TO THE RESTRICTIONS WE HAVE ON REGULAR CIGARETTES.

VAPE STORES ARE ALSO SELLING A WIDE RANGE OF HIGH RISK AND ILLEGAL PRODUCTS, INCLUDING ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN DEEMED UNSAFE BY THE FDA AND BANNED UNDER TEXAS AND FEDERAL LAW.

THIS IS ALARMING BECAUSE VAPING IS OVER THREE TIMES AS COMMON AS SMOKING CIGARETTES AMONG TEXAS STUDENTS BY THEIR SENIOR YEAR, ONE IN EIGHT STUDENTS ARE VAPING AND IN HIGH, UH, HHSC, REGION SEVEN, WHICH INCLUDES AUSTIN.

ONE IN THREE SENIORS HAVE TRIED E-CIGARETTES.

THE AVERAGE AGE OF FIRST USE FOR E-CIGARETTES IN TEXAS IS 12.7, WHICH IS MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE.

23% OF STUDENTS IN REGION SEVEN SAID IT WOULD BE SOMEWHAT EASY OR VERY EASY TO GET TOBACCO AND 16% OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS IN REGION SEVEN BELIEVE E-CIGARETTES ARE NOT VERY DANGEROUS OR NOT AT ALL DANGEROUS.

EARLY USE OF NICOTINE AND CANNABIS LEADS TO LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES, SUCH AS INCREASED RISKS OF ADDICTION AND HARMED BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.

THOSE WHO BEGIN SUBSTANCE USE AT AN EARLY AGE ARE ALSO AT INCREASED RISK FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS DEPRESSION AND PSYCHOSIS.

THIS IS A CRITICAL MOMENT TO PRIORITIZE OUR KIDS AND COMMUNITIES OVER THE INTEREST OF BUSINESSES.

WHEN THE CIGARETTE INDUSTRY WAS FORCED TO STOP USING THESE SAME MARKETING AND SALES TECHNIQUES, YOUTH TOBACCO CONSUMPTION DECREASED ONLY TO GO BACK UP AND E E-CIGARETTES AND VAPE.

THANK YOU MS. JONES.

WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

GOOD MORNING.

UM, THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON AND COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.

UM, MY NAME IS NICOLE HOLT.

I REPRESENT MYSELF IN DISTRICT FIVE TEXANS FOR SAFE AND DRUG-FREE YOUTH, AND I SERVE AS CO-CHAIR OF AUSTIN DRUG-FREE YOUTH COALITION.

I APPLAUD THESE EFFORTS, UH, TO CREATE A SCHOOL DISTANCE, UM, FROM VAPE STORES.

IT IS A MEANINGFUL AND A BEST PRACTICE.

I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.

IN ADDITION TO, UM, KID-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS AND KID-FRIENDLY PACKAGING, A VAST NUMBER OF VAPE SHOPS ALSO SELL INTOXICATING AND DANGEROUS PRODUCTS.

ACCORDING TO A RECENT RESEARCH FROM PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT DR.

MATT ROHEIM, I PROVIDED THE REPORT, UM, AND A FACT SHEET, UH, WHICH I HOPE IS IN YOUR PACKET.

UM, I I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT SOME OF THESE PRODUCTS, UM, ARE LIKE SPONGEBOB, UM, SQUAREPANTS, UH, VAPE DEVICES.

THEY ARE OFTEN, UM, PLACED NEAR SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE DONE SOME PRELIMINARY LOOKING AT HOW MANY SCHOOLS ARE NEAR VAPE STORES IN AUSTIN THAT ARE LICENSED.

THERE ARE AS MANY AS 47.

THERE ARE MANY MORE THAT WE HAVE DETERMINED ACROSS OUR LOOKS IN TEXAS THAT ARE UNLICENSED.

SO THERE COULD BE VERY MORE, UM, NEXT TO SCHOOLS.

WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT KIDS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PA PASS VAPE STORES GOING TO AND FROM SCHOOLS, AND THAT WHEN YOU, UM, NORMALIZE, UH, PLAYING IN PARKS OR IF YOU NORMALIZE WALKING NEXT TO A VAPE STORE, YOU NORMALIZE THE KIND OF BEHAVIOR YOU WOULD PREFER KIDS TO SEE, RIGHT? SO WE DON'T WANT VAPE STORES NEAR SCHOOLS.

UM, I WANT TO COMMEND THE COUNCIL FOR THIS EFFORT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UM, AS I CAN ON THIS PROJECT.

MOVING ON TO ITEM 57 REMOTELY.

WE HAVE ROBERT FOSTER OUT.

MY NAME IS ROBERT FOSTER AND I'M A BOARD MEMBER AND SPEAKING FOR SAFE STREETS AUSTIN.

I WANNA EXPRESS UNRESERVED SUPPORT OF ITEM 57, EXPANDING THE SUCCESSFUL SAFE ROUTES PROGRAMS TO HIGH SCHOOLS.

I HAVE SEEN THE IMPROVEMENTS AROUND OAK SPRINGS SAVE A STUDENT TWO MONTHS AGO WHEN AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER DROVE THROUGH A GROUP OF STUDENTS BIKING WHILE YELLING EXPLETIVES AT THE KIDS.

LUCKILY, SHE WAS SLOWED DOWN BY THE NEW NECK

[00:50:01]

DOWN INSTALLED THERE.

IT PREVENTED A VERY SCARY SITUATION FROM TURNING WORSE.

IT WAS SO BAD.

EVEN THE GREAT AFTER SCHOOL COORDINATOR RAN OUTSIDE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY.

SO LET'S EXPAND THE PROGRAM AND BENEFITS TO HIGH SCHOOLS AND BE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.

I ALSO LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND PEOPLE RUN THE STOP SIGNS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL ALL THE TIME.

I WAS GOING TO COUNT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CARS RUN AT THIS MORNING, WHICH I THINK IS PROBABLY OVER 75%.

BUT THE FIRST CAR WAS A DEPARTMENT, A PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF CAR, AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO SLOW DOWN FOR THE STOP TIME.

SO I WENT BACK TO THE AC BECAUSE I PROVED MY POINT TO MYSELF.

UH, WE CANNOT TRUST DRIVERS TO DO, DO THE RIGHT THINGS EVEN AROUND OUR MOST VULNERABLE ROAD USERS.

SO LET'S DESIGN THE STREETS TO BE SAFE REGARDLESS OF THE DRIVER AND EXPAND THIS PROGRAM.

THAT'S DONE SUCH GREAT WORK SO FAR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

CONTINUE.

ON ITEM 57, WE HAVE CRAIG NAZER AND ADAM GREENFIELD.

HELLO, MY NAME IS CRAIG NAZER AND I'M TESTIFYING FOR MYSELF HERE.

AND THIS IS A DISTRICT SEVEN ISSUE.

THIS IS, THIS IS A GREAT, UH, UH, THING THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH SCHOOLS.

'CAUSE WE DO HAVE PROBLEMS IN THE CITY WITH THIS.

AND WE PARTICULARLY HAVE A PROBLEM BETWEEN BREAKER LANE AND PALMER LANE ON NORTH LAMAR.

AND I KNOW THAT'S A STATE ROAD, BUT WE HAVE, UH, UH, WE HAVE AT LEAST TWO SCHOOLS IN THAT AREA.

WE HAVE THE LARGEST MOSQUE IN AUSTIN IN THAT AREA.

WE HAVE, UH, A, A CHINESE RELIGIOUS CENTER.

WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF GOING THERE AND WE HAVE NO GOOD SIDEWALKS UP THERE.

AND SO IF YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, MAYBE PUT THAT INTO WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT ITEM AND WE REALLY NEED IT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

ADAM GREENFIELD HERE WITH SAFE STREETS AUSTIN, ALSO SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM, UH, 57 REGARDING THE EXPANSION OF THE SAFE ROUTES FOR SCHOOL PROGRAM.

UH, I BELIEVE SOME OF YOU WERE AT THE RECENT CRITICAL MASS BIKE RIDE IN MUELLER, AND IT WAS JUST A BEAUTIFUL AFFIRMATION OF WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE, INCLUDING CHILDREN, UH, FREEDOM TO MOVE AROUND THIS CITY.

IT, IT IS SUCH JUST A FUNDAMENTAL ISSUE.

UH, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL IS ONE OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL WAYS OF DOING THAT.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLY POPULAR PROGRAM.

THE VOTERS ALWAYS SUPPORT FUNDING FOR MORE SCHOOLS AND WE SUPPORT WHAT'S IN THIS RESOLUTION.

WE SUPPORT EXPANDING THE PROGRAM TO HIGH SCHOOLS.

WE SUPPORT MAKING SURE THAT WE REVIEW POPULATION CHANGES AROUND SCHOOLS AND NEW SCHOOLS SO THAT THERE ARE PLANS READY, UH, TO ROLL OUT THIS INCREDIBLY POPULAR INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, TO THOSE PLACES.

UM, IN ADDITION, UH, WE SENT YOU A LETTER YESTERDAY RECOMMENDING THIS, BUT WE RECOMMEND THAT CHILDREN BE INCLUDED AS OFFICIAL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS IN THESE PROJECTS SO THAT THEIR COMMENTS ARE INCLUDED IN REPORTS.

UM, AND FURTHERMORE, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY WORK WITH A ISD AND OTHER PARTNERS TO INTRODUCE UNIVERSAL BIKE EDUCATION SO THAT EVERY AUSTIN STUDENT CAN RIDE A BICYCLE.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, ELLIS LANE, HARPER MADISON, MAYOR PRO TEM FUENTES AND CADRE FOR SPONSORING THIS ITEM.

CHINATOWN TO GET TO THE BREAKER LANE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

ITEM 57, ZENO JOSEPH.

THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL, I'M ZIA JOSEPH.

I WANNA THANK MR. NAZER FOR MENTIONING NORTH LAMAR.

I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT ON JANUARY 30TH, 2016, MR. NORTON WAS KILLED HI IN HIS WHEELCHAIR.

HIS SERVICE DOG LIVED RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM NOT YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL YET YOU'RE WANTING TO EXPAND THIS PROGRAM.

I OPPOSE THAT.

YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE FATALITIES, READ THE 2009 REPORT AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT TODAY.

LOOK AT WHERE THE FATALITIES ARE AND I STAND CORRECTED.

IT WAS ITEM 47, THAT WAS $661,000 FOR THE ROADS.

THIS ITEM IS TO EXPAND IT FOR THE HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT REALLY YOU MENTIONED BEAR CREEK ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS ESCARPMENT, AND THEN YOU MENTIONED MUELLER.

THOSE KIDS ARE SAFER THAN THE STUDENTS WHO ARE WALKING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN NORTH LAMAR.

YOU SAW THE PICTURE EARLIER OF COPPERFIELD ELEMENTARY.

THAT'S NOT A SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL WHEN NATASHA HARPER MADISON TAKE HER STUDENTS, HER CHILDREN TO THAT SCHOOL IN THE DARK IN DISTRICT ONE.

I DON'T THINK SO.

SO WHY SHOULD IT BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR THESE OTHER PARENTS TO TAKE THEIR CHILDREN WALKING IN THE DARK? I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER, THE STUDENTS CANNOT TRAVERSE THE AREA FROM THE MID-BLOCK STOP

[00:55:01]

THERE ARE THREE SCHOOLS THAT ARE ON NORTH LAMAR.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS INEQUITABLE AND AS ALWAYS, MY COMMENTS ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.

IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE 2 0 4, THE RESOLUTION, THAT IS WHERE YOU WILL SEE WALK, BIKE, ROLL.

AND ONCE AGAIN, I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT YOUR OWN REPORT, 2023, SPECIFIED THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE SIDEWALKS ON NORTH LAMAR.

AND I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THE DANGERS BY DESIGN REPORT BY KU WHERE 75 PEOPLE WERE HIT IN A TWO MILE STRETCH, THREE MILES FROM NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, SPECIFICALLY MR. DAVID JOHN MADANO WAS KILLED AT FAIRFIELD.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MS. JOSEPH.

NEXT WE HAVE ITEM 1 0 2, BILL BUNCH AND ITEM 1 0 3 BILL BUNCH.

AND AT THIS TIME, ALL CONSENT SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN CALLED AND WE CAN MOVE ON TO THOSE WHO HAVE SHOWN UP AFTER THEY WERE CALLED.

YES, YOU'D LIKE.

OKAY, PLEASE DO THAT.

UM, NEXT WE HAVE CARLA COURTNEY, UM, ON ITEM ONE.

MY PHONE NUMBER IS SEVEN THREE SEVEN THREE NINE.

HI, GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR WATSON AND CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS CARLA COURTNEY AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THE CITY OF AUSTIN, DO YOU PLEASE ADD ME AND MY FAMILY TO THE AGENDA LIST TO, AND MAKE US A PRIORITY.

I NEED YOUR IMMEDIATE HELP.

MY BOYFRIEND LARRY BREWER AND MY DOG PIPER.

WE ARE HOMELESS AND HAVE BEEN FOR OVER TWO YEARS.

WE NEED EMERGENCY, STABLE, AND PERMANENT HOUSING TODAY FOR OUR SAFETY AND WELLBEING.

WE HAVE BEEN SIGNED UP WITH THE COA FOR OVER TWO YEARS AND HAVE BEEN ON A WAITING LIST AND WAITING PATIENTLY.

I HAVE CANCER AND LARRY IS WAITING ON HIS SSID.

HE ALSO SERVED FROM 92 TO 96 IN THE DESERT STORM.

PLEASE HELP US GET HOUSING TODAY.

MA'AM, I TELL YOU WHAT, DON'T DO THAT, PLEASE.

UM, WE'VE GOT STAFF IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM THAT WILL VISIT WITH YOU AND GIVE THEM THE PHONE NUMBER.

OKAY? PLEASE DON'T PUT YOUR PHONE NUMBER OUT OVER THE, UH, YES SIR.

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK AND I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I JUST, UH, WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU DIDN'T, OKAY.

THAT'S ALL.

I HAVE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS FOR YOURSELF.

APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE AND WAITING.

NEXT WE HAVE DANIELLA SILVA ON ITEM NINE.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS DANIELLA SILVA.

I'M HERE WITH, UH, WORKERS' DEFENSE ACTION FUND IN SUPPORT OF ITEM NINE, UM, WHICH IS, UM, THE CITY'S SUPPORT OF A RESEARCH STUDY AT UT TO STUDY FACTORS AFFECTING THE HIRING OF DAY LABORERS BY CONTRACTORS AND HOMEOWNERS, UM, WITH THE INTENT OF DIS DISRUPTING EXPLOITATION AND TRAFFICKING IN LABOR SUPPLY NETWORKS.

SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY AND SEEING IF, UH, WE CAN'T UTILIZE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION AT WORKERS' DEFENSE TO, UH, ADVOCATE FOR WORKERS ACROSS ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

AND OBJECTIVELY REASONABLE POLICE OVERSIGHT.

NEXT WE HAVE SAMUEL KIRSCH ON ITEM 37.

WELCOME, SIR.

IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE MY LIFE WAS IRREVERSIBLY CHANGED.

WHEN A PD SHOT ME IN THE EYE WITH THE BEANBAG ROUND FIVE WEEKS AGO, MAYA HAD TO BE SURGICALLY REMOVED.

I, I'LL NOW HAVE TO LIVE THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH ONLY ONE EYE AND STILL WITH CONSTANT NERVE PAIN AND BALANCE ISSUES.

I WANNA THANK THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR FINALLY OFFERING ME RESTITUTION.

BUT EVEN AS I MOVE ON WITH MY LIFE, YOU ALL, AS OUR ELECTED POLICY MAKERS ARE STUCK HERE WITH SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS TO RECKON WITH AS WE ARE ONCE AGAIN UNDER TRUMP PRESIDENCY.

GIVEN THE AUTHORITARIAN THREAT, WILL YOU CONTINUE TO GIVE A PD MORE THAN ITS FAIR SHARE OF OUR LIMITED RESOURCES? HOW MUCH MORE FINANCIAL PAIN DO AUSTIN TAXPAYERS NEED TO FEEL BEFORE YOU FORCE CHANGE IN A PD? YOUR CHIEF LABOR RELATIONS OFFICER IS A LAWYER WHO WORKED FOR A LAW FIRM NAMED RAM PAGE LAW WHO DEFENDS THE MOST VIOLENT COPS IN THE COUNTRY.

YOUR MANAGER IS DRAGGING HIS FEET IN IMPLEMENTING THE A POA, WHICH 80% OF VOTERS SUPPORTED AND 80% REJECTED THE A P'S SPURIOUS VISION AFTER THEY SPENT $287,000 LYING TO PEOPLE JUST TO STOP, TO TRY TO STOP VERY BASIC

[01:00:01]

I REALLY WORRY ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THE NEXT TIME THERE'S WIDESPREAD PROTESTS AND IT COULD EASILY HAPPEN ON Y'ALL'S WATCH.

WILL YOU ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN FROM A PD WHEN THEY'RE PEACEFULLY PROTESTING OR MORE PEOPLE GONNA HAVE LIFE-CHANGING INJURIES AND WILL CONTINUE TO PAY MILLIONS? THANK YOU.

NEXT WE HAVE ENOVIA JOSEPH ON ITEM EIGHT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNSEL.

ITEM EIGHT DOES NOT HAVE THE INFORMATION AND BACKUP TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH THIS GRANT IS.

IT'S SPECIFICALLY HUD HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FLOOD MITIGATION.

IT TOOK ME OVER AN HOUR TO FIND THIS PARTICULAR GRANT.

IT APPEARS TO BE FROM JULY 18TH, 2022, $8.8 MILLION.

BUT IN BACKUP, IT JUST SAYS YOU'RE CHANGING SIGNATORIES.

I'M NOT SURE WHOSE SIGNATURE IS CHANGING.

I'M NOT EVEN SURE ABOUT THE $8.8 MILLION, BUT WHAT I AM SURE ABOUT IS THAT THE ASSURANCES FOR TITLE SIX WAS IN THAT ORIGINAL CONTRACT.

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

MAYOR, WHAT ARE YOU VOTING ON TODAY IN THIS ITEM? THERE'S NOTHING IN BACKUP FOR THE PUBLIC TO EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE VOTING ON.

I WOULD ASK YOU TO TABLE THIS ITEM AND TO AT LEAST PUT THE HYPERLINK SO THAT IF WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON, WE CAN SEE IT.

I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE REQUEST, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, YOU USUALLY JUST APPROVE WHATEVER STAFF GIVES YOU.

BUT IT'S A DISSERVICE BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS SEGREGATED.

I APPRECIATE THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS IN THEIR HOPEFULNESS, BUT HYDE PARK, WHICH IS WHERE THE LIGHT RAIL WILL TERMINATE, WAS DEVELOPED EXCLUSIVELY FOR WHITE FOR WHITE PEOPLE, 1889 TO 1924 BY COLONEL MONROE SHEE.

AND THEN YOU MAINTAIN THE CHARACTER OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD THROUGH ZONING.

SO WE DON'T HAVE BLACK PEOPLE THERE ON THIS LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM.

AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU HAD OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THE 18 MLK BUS, YOU TERMINATED THAT BUS SO THAT IT WENT TO HEFLIN LANE INSTEAD OF GOING ACROSS US 180 3 TO FM 9 69 TO SERVE THE BLACK PEOPLE IN CRAIG WOOD.

SO THEY HAVE TO WALK OVER A MILE TO GET TO WEAVERVILLE AND TANA HILL TO THE BUS WHEN OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE HOMELESS SIT WAITING FOR THE BUS IS TOO OUT.

THANK JOSEPH.

ITEM NINES, NOIA JOSEPH, ITEM NINE, RESPECTFULLY.

COUNCIL MEMBERS IS A UT STUDY, WHICH SPECIFICALLY YOU WILL GET $20,000.

IT SAYS THAT THEY WANT ACCESS TO YOUR LIST.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF CONTACT INFORMATION YOU PLAN TO GIVE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT MONICA GUZMAN'S EMAIL AND BACKUP FOR YOUR ZONING ITEM, YOU'LL SEE THE EMAILS REDACTED.

THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS CONTRACT THAT SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT 5 5 2.

THE GOVERNMENT CODE PUBLIC INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO INFORMATION THAT IS ACCEPTED FROM PUBLIC DISCLOSURE.

AND SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO TABLE THIS ITEM AS WELL.

WHAT INFORMATION ARE YOU GIVEN THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN? AND THEN THEY WANT YOU TO PROMOTE IT.

BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IC TWO IS JUST COMMISSIONER IAN'S PET PROJECT.

THEY HAVE NOT PRODUCED ANY MEASURABLE OUTCOMES TO TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT YET.

HE GOT THEM A CONTRACT WITH CAPITAL METROPOLITAN TRAIN, CAPITAL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AS WELL.

AND HERE THEY'RE GIVING YOU $20,000 OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO GET THE CONTACT INFORMATION.

WHAT INFORMATION YOU'RE REDACTING THE EMAILS, OR YOU'RE JUST GIVING THEM THE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO SIGN UP TO SPEAK THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE DISTURBED BY THIS ITEM.

YOU'RE GONNA PRAY ON POOR PEOPLE BECAUSE THIS IS DAY LABOR.

THEY CAN'T EVEN GET TO DAY LABOR ON SOME OF THESE BUS ROUTES NORTH OF US, 180 3.

SO IT'S REALLY DISINGENUOUS BECAUSE IT'S NOT SPELLED OUT IN THE CONTRACT.

THE ONLY THING IT SAYS ABOUT GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 5 5 2, IT'S SPECIFICALLY THAT THE CITY CAN'T ANSWER ANY PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST.

SO IT LACKS TRANSPARENCY AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT YOU PLAN TO GIVE THEM.

BUT RELEASING PEOPLE'S INFORMATION IS DISTURBING BECAUSE 5 5 2 0.023 SPECIAL RIGHT OF ACCESS MEANS THAT THERE IS SOME CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES WHEN THEIR NAME IS ON IT.

BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC CANNOT.

WHAT ARE YOU GIVING TO UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN? WE HAVE NO IDEA.

TABLE THIS ITEM.

AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GOLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.

[01:05:01]

ITEM 12 IS RALLY AUSTIN.

IT'S DISTURBING MAYOR BECAUSE THERE'S $5.1 MILLION THAT WAS REQUESTED IN JULY OF 2024.

AND HERE THEY'RE ASKING FOR $1.5 MILLION MORE FOR THE AREA AT YOUR HIGHLAND CAMPUS WHERE THEY ACTUALLY DO THE DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES.

I'M NOT REAL SURE WHY THE $1.5 MILLION IS BEING ASKED FOR.

THEY DIDN'T JUSTIFY ANY KIND OF COST OVERRUNS.

I'M ALL ABOUT THE CREATIVES, ALL ABOUT THE ARTS, BUT $5.1 MILLION IN LESS THAN A YEAR, AND NOW YOU GOT $1.5 MILLION THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.

WHY? WHAT IS THE MONEY GOING TO BE USED FOR? BECAUSE REMEMBER, THE CITY MANAGERS GONNA WANNA WANT US TO TIGHTEN THE BELL WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUDGET.

YOU'RE GONNA WANNA TELL US ABOUT THESE SHORTFALLS, BUT YET YOU'RE ABOUT TO JUST GIVE $1.5 MILLION TO RALLY AUSTIN FOR THAT CREATIVE SPACE IN THE HIGHLAND MALL AREA, THE OLD HIGHLAND MALL.

BUT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY IT IS THAT THEY NEED THE MONEY.

MAYOR, I MEAN, REALLY BE TRANSPARENT.

IF YOU WANNA SUPPORT FROM US, YOU GOTTA BE TRANSPARENT AND TELL US WHAT A TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE GOING.

THIS IS A BOONDOGGLE.

IF THEY NEEDED MORE THAN $5.1 MILLION FROM THE CULTURAL GRANTS AND THE CULTURAL INFORMATION, THE BONDS THAT THEY PASSED, THEN THEY NEED TO TELL THE PUBLIC WHAT IS CAUSING THIS OVERRUN CITY MANAGER.

I WOULD HOPE YOU'LL LOOK INTO THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHY IT IS THEY NEED $1.5 MILLION.

THEY JUST GOT THE 5.1 AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OUTCOMES AND THERE'S NOTHING IN BACKUP TO JUSTIFY IT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GO TO ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.

BUT PLEASE DON'T ASK US TO TIGHTEN THE BUDGET, THE BUTT, YOU KNOW, THE BELT RATHER WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR BUDGET, BECAUSE THIS IS HOW YOU WASTE TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND IT'S DISTURBING.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME, BUT ASK YOU TO INVEST IN A LITTLE CLOCK SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW HOW MUCH TIME THEY HAVE LEFT.

THAT CON THAT CONCLUDES CONSENT SPEAKERS.

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

UH, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

I'LL ASK FIRST, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT ANY MEMBER WISHES TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PULLED ARE 41, 42, 43, AND 1 0 5.

ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, THE UH, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

AND BEFORE I DO THAT, LET ME MAKE CLEAR ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, UH, I'M GONNA READ THIS AGAIN JUST SO THAT WE, THERE'S CLARITY IN THE RECORD.

UH, ITEM SEVEN PERTAINS TO AN ORDINANCE SETTING THE TAX EXEMPTION FOR RESIDENTS, HOMESTEADS OF INDIVIDUALS 65 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AT AN EQUAL TO $154,000, WHICH IS THE CITY'S CURRENT EXEMPTION, PLUS AN INCREASE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE EQUIVALENT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AS WHAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE EXEMPTION IN THE PRIOR YEAR.

AND PERMITTED BY LAW, THE STAFF PROVIDED US A MEMO THAT WE RECEIVED YESTERDAY, AND IT, IT INDICATES THIS NECESSARY INCREASE IS $38,000 TO A TOTAL EXEMPTION OF $192,000.

THEREFORE, WHEN WE PASS, IF, IF WE PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS ON IT, THE ORDINANCE WILL BE UPDATED TO INCLUDE THIS $192,000 FIGURE.

I JUST WANT THERE TO BE CLARITY ABOUT THAT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ HAS ASKED THAT HE BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF ITEM NUMBER 57.

AND WITHOUT OBJECTION, HE'LL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF ITEM NUMBER 57.

WITH THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ MOVES ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA IS READ.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, I DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

ARE IMPACTED BY THE AVAILABILITY OF E-CIGARETTES, CIGARETTES IN COUNTLESS WAYS FROM NEGATIVE HEALTH IMPACTS TO HARSH STATE MANDATED DISCIPLINARY MEASURES THAT IMPACT EDUCATIONAL TIME.

UM, SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PUT MY GLASSES BACK ON 'CAUSE I'M OLDER THAN I LOOK.

UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM ITEM 54, THE VAPE FREE SCHOOLS RESOLUTION.

THIS ITEM IS THE FIRST OFFICIAL LEGISLATION AUTHORED BY MY OFFICE.

I WAS SO GRATEFUL TO WORK WITH MAYOR PRO TEM FUENTES, WHOSE LONGTIME LEADERSHIP ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND EDUCATION ISSUES MADE HER A NATURAL PART PARTNER ON THIS ITEM.

I'VE WORKED WITH SCHOOLS IN THE AUSTIN AREA FOR YEARS, AND THE ISSUE OF VAPING ON CAMPUS HAS COME UP CONSISTENTLY.

OUR KIDS

[01:10:01]

THESE DISCIPLINARY DISCIPLINARY REQUIREMENTS WORRY ME THE MOST BECAUSE THEY EXPOSE CHILDREN AS WELL TO THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE AND CAUSE THEM TO HAVE WORSE OUTCOMES ON MANY LEVELS.

THANK YOU AGAIN TO MAYOR PROM FUENTES, AS WELL AS THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION, TEXANS FOR SAFE AND DRUG FREE YOUTH.

AND MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS VELA ALTER AND ELLIS.

I'M VERY PROUD THAT AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IS LEADING THE WAY IN PROTECTING AUSTIN'S CHILDREN FROM THESE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF HAVING VAPES ON CAMPUSES.

I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT, UH, ITEM 51.

UH, I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD, ADDRESSING SOME OF THE COMPLEXITIES AROUND AUSTIN'S MULTIPLE OVERLAPPING GOVERNMENTAL JURISDICTIONS, CONSIDERING THE WIDE RANGING SERVICES THAT ARE OFFERED BY COUNTIES, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICTS WITHIN OUR BOUNDARIES, AS WELL AS THE COMPREHENSIVE OFFERINGS FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

DUPLICATIVE SERVICES AND SERVICE GAPS ARE COMMON, FAR TOO COMMON.

STREAMLINING THESE OFFERINGS WITH INCREASED COORDINATION ACROSS MORE OF THESE JURISDICTIONS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO SERVE OUR CONSTITUENTS AND LOWER THEIR TAX BURDENS SIMULTANEOUSLY.

MY DISTRICT, WHICH OVERLAPS SIGNIFICANTLY WITH BOTH WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND ROUND ROCK ISD, IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THIS COMPLEX BALANCING ACT.

FOR THIS REASON, I, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR FOR ITEM 51.

THAT OBJECTION.

COUNCIL MEMBER WITH WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE WILL BE SHOWN AS THE CO-SPONSOR OF ITEM NUMBER 51.

AND FINALLY, WITH RESPECT TO I DON'T.

UM, AND FINALLY, WITH RESPECT TO ITEM 57 SOUTH, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, I AM PROUD TO CO-SPONSOR THIS RESOLUTION.

WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN IN EVERY AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE A SAFE, RELIABLE ROUTE TO SCHOOL.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE EVEN MORE NEED OF INDEPENDENT WAYS TO GET TO AND FROM SCHOOL SAFELY.

THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER PAIGE ELLIS FOR LEADING ON THIS EFFORT AND FOR THE STAFF AT TPW WORKING SO HARD TO KEEP US SAFE.

NOW, I MUST SAY THAT THIS IS, THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE WORK, UM, TO CREATE, TO MAKE THESE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL A REALITY.

WE MUST ALL WORK TOGETHER AS LEADERS IN AUSTIN TO SECURE THE FUNDING THAT WILL BRING SIDEWALKS SHARED USE PATHS, URBAN TRAILS.

AND I WILL SPECIFICALLY ADD MY VOICE TO THE CHORUS OF PUBLIC COMMONERS WHO HAVE ELEVATED THE ISSUE IN NORTH AUSTIN, NORTH OF 180 3 NORTHEAST AUSTIN PALMER DESSA, THE ENTIRE 180 3 CORRIDOR FROM THE POINT WHERE IT CROSSES LAMAR AND HEADS NORTHWARD.

WE HAVE TWO STATION REDLINE STATIONS THAT ARE IN THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM.

LET'S GET TO WORK ON EFFECTIVE CONNECTIVITY.

LET'S ALLOW OUR OLDER STUDENTS TO HAVE MORE INDEPENDENT BUS ROUTES TO GET TO AND FROM SCHOOL, AND SAFE SIDEWALKS AND PATHS FOR THEIR BIKES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.

COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

SHOULD HIGHLIGHT HERE TODAY.

I WANNA START, UH, BY CONGRATULATING COUNCIL MEMBER LAND ON HER FIRST ITEM.

UH, VERY EXCITING.

YEAH, I WAS THINKING AT THE LEGISLATURE, THEY DO A LITTLE HAZING OF THE, WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR FIRST ITEM, I'M GLAD IT'S NOT A, A TRADITION.

WE HAVE CARRIED OVER TO THIS BUILDING.

LET, LET, LET, LET, LET US SAY IT DID OCCUR TO SOMEBODY, OH, TRY ME, BUT I DECIDED NOT TO.

OH, TRY ME.

DON'T, DON'T.

BUT I, I JUST, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND SO I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT NOT ONLY YOU HAVING A FIRST ITEM, BUT THIS BEING IT, YOU KNOW, I I THINK IT'S JUST ABHORRENT THAT TOBACCO COMPANIES ARE TARGETING OUR CHILDREN, UH, WITH A PRODUCT THAT IS OFTEN EVEN MORE, UH, UM, WHAT'S THE, I BLANK MY WORD HERE.

MORE ADDICTIVE THANK YOU, THAN CIGARETTES.

I MEAN, THERE, THERE'S A REASON THESE PRODUCTS WERE FLAVORED BUBBLE GUM AND, UH, STRAWBERRY.

AND, AND THEY PUT IT RIGHT AT A KID'S EYE LEVEL.

UH, NOT WHERE THE ADULT WOULD SEE IT, BUT WHERE A KID WOULD BE ATTRACTED TO IT.

IT, IT'S, IT'S JUST ABHORRENT.

SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING OUR PART TO HELP, UH, ELIMINATE THIS FROM AREAS WHERE WE KNOW KIDS FREQUENT.

I ALSO WANT TO, UH, TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

IT KINDA SLIDES ON THROUGH, BUT IT'S, IT'S A BIG DEAL.

THIS IS A RAISING THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR OUR SENIORS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH THE DISABILITY.

SO IF YOU'RE 65 OR OLDER OR HAVE A DISABILITY, WE ARE RAISING THAT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION SO THAT YOUR PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE CITY ARE NOT GONNA GO UP.

WE CAN'T HAVE IMPACT EVERYBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY TAXES, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE RESIDENTS WHO ARE TRYING TO AGE IN PLACE ARE ABLE TO DO SO AT A COST, UH, THAT IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND BURDEN THEM.

SO, UH, JUST THINK THAT'S A, A REALLY IMPORTANT THING THAT WE

[01:15:01]

AND, AND BUILDING ON THAT, UH, AN ITEM THAT I'VE BROUGHT FORWARD AS COUNCIL MEMBER ELAINE MENTIONED, LOOKS AT WORKING TOGETHER, UH, WITH OUR OTHER LOCAL TAXING JURISDICTIONS TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN BETTER COORDINATE AND HOPEFULLY NOT ONLY DELIVER SERVICES BETTER, BUT DO IT CHEAPER AND MORE, UH, EFFICIENTLY SO THAT WE CAN SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY.

UH, AS PRESIDENT BOSWELL OF THE A ISD SCHOOL BOARD CAME AND CHATTED WITH US TODAY, WE, I'VE ALREADY, UM, WORKED TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME, BUT I THINK WHAT WE SEE MORE AND MORE YEAR AFTER YEAR LEGISLATURE AFTER LEGISLATURE IS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE, WE'RE KIND OF ON OUR OWN.

AND SO WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DELIVER FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND, AND WE SHOULD DO SO IN THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE MANNER SO THAT WE'RE CONTINUING, UH, TO KEEP COSTS DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR LOCAL TAXPAYERS.

LASTLY, UH, ON THAT ONE, I, I DO WANNA TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO, TO THANK THE MAYOR, MAYOR PRO FUENTES, COUNCILOR VELASQUEZ, AND COUNCIL MEMBER VELA FOR CO-SPONSORING THAT ITEM.

I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR WORK WITH THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL SUBCOMMITTEE WITH A ISD AND TRAVIS COUNTY, BUT WE, WE DO ALL WANNA WORK WITH ROUND ROCK, ISD WITH DEL VALLEY, ISD UH, THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT, UH, A ISD AND TRAVIS COUNTY.

WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER, CENTRAL HEALTH, YOU KNOW, THERE THE LIST GOES ON.

UM, BUT LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, WANNA TALK ABOUT A, AN ITEM THAT I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT AS WELL, AND, AND THAT IS GETTING SOLAR ON OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES.

YOU KNOW, AUSTIN AS AN ENTITY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS THE SECOND LARGEST USER OF ELECTRICITY IN THE AREA.

AND I WAS GOING TO SAY HERE, YOU KNOW, AS WE ENTER OUR HOT SUMMER MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO USE A LOT MORE ENERGY.

BUT APPARENTLY THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS ARE ALREADY HERE AND THEY'RE COMING EARLIER AND, AND THEY'RE GOING LATER.

AND SO WE HAVE MILLIONS OF SQUARE FEET OF ROOFTOP SPACE BETWEEN OUR FACILITIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICT FACILITIES THAT ARE EMPTY AND THAT WE COULD UTILIZE TO CREATE AND GENERATE CHEAP CLEAN ELECTRICITY, WHICH NOT ONLY HELPS STABILIZE OUR GRID, BUT SAVES MONEY FOR RATE PAYERS.

UH, SO I PLAN, UH, THROUGH THIS.

I'M REALLY EXCITED TO, TO GET THAT MOVING, GET A, UH, AN ANALYSIS DONE OF WHAT WE CAN DO AND HOPEFULLY MEET THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL GENERATION PLAN THAT CALLS FOR 245 MEGAWATTS OF LOCAL SOLAR.

AND, AND WE CAN GET THERE THROUGH SMART INITIATIVES LIKE THIS.

I APPRECIATE, UH, MAYOR PRO TEMP PUENTES, COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, AND COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL ESPECIALLY FOR HELPING WITH SOME LANGUAGE ON THIS.

UM, I, I'M REALLY, I KNOW I'VE SAID IT ALREADY, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES.

AND I THINK IT'S GONNA BE REALLY MEANINGFUL FOR US, UH, FROM THAT FROM THAT ELECTRIC SERVICE DELIVERY PERSPECTIVE.

SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.

UM, I JUST WANNA COMMENT ON A FEW ITEMS, BUT FIRST, UH, I WANNA START WITH ITEM 1 0 3 AND WANTED TO ASK IF, UH, THE DEPUTY CFO COULD COME FORWARD.

I SEE HER COMING.

SHE ANTICIPATED YOU.

RIGHT ON.

UH, THANK YOU MS. ALVAREZ.

UM, I WANTED TO ASK, ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THIS ONE, BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A FAIR AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY SPECULATION ABOUT REALLY WHAT, WHAT THIS ITEM MEANS.

PEOPLE SEE THIS, UH, VERY LARGE TICKET ITEM, YOU KNOW, $808 MILLION, AND I THINK THERE'S BEEN SPECULATION THAT THIS IS SOME SORT OF NEW EXPENDITURE.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT'S BASICALLY, UH, RELATED TO ITEMS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED IN PUBLIC AND VOTED ON.

SO I WANNA ASK IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN HOW THIS ACTION RELATES TO PRIOR COUNCIL ACTIONS THAT HAVE APPROVED THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, SUCH AS RECENT DECISIONS TO PURCHASE LAND FOR A PUBLIC SAFETY CAMPUS, OR TO PURCHASE A BUILDING FOR CITY OPERATIONS.

IT'S, IT'S NOT A, A, A NEW THING.

SO, KIMEL LAVAR, DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL SERVICES.

UH, SO THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU, THIS IS AN ANNUAL ITEM THAT WE HAVE TO BRING A NOTICE OF INTENT, UH, TO ISSUE OUR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION EACH YEAR.

THERE'S STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS AROUND, UM, THE, THE POSTING COUNCIL ACTION, HAVING TO PUT ADS IN THE STATESMAN AND SO ON, BECAUSE THE CITY UTILIZES A REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS FOR OUR DEBT.

UM, WE WILL ACTUALLY, WHENEVER WE COME TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL OF APPROPRIATION, UH, FOR ANY CAPITAL EXPENSE THAT INVOLVES DEBT, IT ALL IS GENERALLY ACCOMPANIED BY A REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION THAT ALLOWS US TO COME BACK AND ISSUE THAT DEBT AT A LATER DATE, BUT, AND MAINTAIN THE TAX EXEMPTION FOR IT.

SO EACH OF THE ITEMS, UH, THAT SUPPORT THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN THIS POSTING ARE ALL FROM PRIOR COUNCIL ACTIONS.

SO IN THE RCA, THEY, THE, UM, APPROVALS ACTUALLY GO BACK ALL THE WAY TO 2013, UM, BUT ARE AS RECENT AS DECEMBER OF 2024.

SO THESE ARE ALL PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PROJECTS, APPROPRIATIONS EXPENDITURES, IT IS NOT ANYTHING, UM,

[01:20:01]

UH, SO THE TIMING OF THIS, WE TYPICALLY BRING THIS TO Y'ALL IN MAY OF EACH YEAR, UH, TO, BECAUSE OF THE STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS AND WHEN WE TYPICALLY HOLD OUR GEO SALE, THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR THAT, THAT Y'ALL HAVE TO TAKE ACTION ON IT.

ALRIGHT, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CLARIFICATION.

APPRECIATE IT.

UM, I WANTED ALSO, UH, COMMENT ON ITEM 37, WHICH IS OUR SETTLEMENT WITH MR. SAM HIRSCH.

UH, SAM KIRSCH.

UM, I REALLY WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING WILLING TO APPROVE THIS SETTLEMENT.

UH, I UNDERSTAND IT'S THE LAST CASE RELATING TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONSE TO THE BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS, AND I'M THANKFUL WE CAN PROVIDE MR. KIRSCH WITH SOME MONETARY COMPENSATION, EVEN IF WHAT HE LOST WAS PRICELESS.

UH, I'M ALSO COMMITTED TO WORKING TO ENSURE, AS MY COLLEAGUES ARE THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN, UH, THAT WE HAVE THE TRAINING AND ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO PROTECT, UH, PEACEFUL PROTEST AND TO ENSURE THAT AUSTINITES CAN SAFELY DEMONSTRATE AND EXERCISE CIVIL LIBERTIES WITHOUT FEAR OF VIOLENCE BY CITY POLICE.

UM, SO JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UH, VERY HEAVY ITEM.

BUT, UH, THANK YOU TO MR. KSH FOR COMING TO SPEAK TO US TODAY.

UM, ON ITEM 52, ON A LIGHTER NOTE, UH, TO MAYBE ATTEMPT A PUN HERE, UH, SOLAR ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY.

UM, WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, UH, IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE ON THE SAME SIDE OF AN ITEM WITH YOU.

UM, AND, UH, THIS REALLY IS A GREAT PROPOSAL BY THE CLIMATE OFFICE AND A KEY PART OF MEETING OUR GEN PLAN GOALS.

AND ALSO, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE PRIORITIZING THE WORKERS.

UM, COUNCILMAN ALTER MENTIONED, WE'RE GONNA ADD 245 MEGAWATTS OF SOLAR, UH, CAPACITY OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

THAT TRANSLATES TO LIKE 3,500 ACRES OF SOLAR PANELS.

AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE JOBS WE'RE CREATING ARE GOOD JOBS, UH, THAT THEY'RE LIVING WAGE JOBS, AND THAT THEY HAVE SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS.

SO THANK YOU, UH, FOR ADDING THAT AS WELL.

UH, FINALLY I WANNA PIVOT TO BASEBALL.

UH, ITEM 53, DON BAYLOR PARK.

UM, UH, MOST OF YOU'LL BE UNAWARE OF THIS, BUT THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF A BASEBALL THEMED WEEK FOR COUNCIL.

UH, WE PLAYED THE COUNTY IN A CHARITY BASEBALL GAME TO BENEFIT THE SOBERING CENTER.

UH, THE CITY WON, BY THE WAY.

UH, AND THERE'S NOT , THERE IS A PRESENTATION.

THE COUNTY JUDGE IS COMING AT 1245 IF YOU WANNA JOIN US.

UM, BUT I GREW UP A HUGE BASEBALL FAN.

WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM AND THANK MR. BAYLOR JR.

AND, AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE CHURCH FOR COMING THROUGH.

UM, DON BAYLOR WAS AN AMAZING BASEBALL PLAYER.

I ACTUALLY, AS A A AS A TEENAGER ONCE GOT A DON BAYLOR AWARD BECAUSE I WAS HIT BY PITCH THE MOST TIMES IN A YEAR .

UM, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY WAS HE AN AMAZING HITTER, AMAZING MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT HE WAS ALSO FEARLESS.

AND HE WOULD STAND OVER THE PLATE IN A WAY WHERE PITCHERS WOULD TRY TO BRUSH HIM BACK AND HE DIDN'T CARE.

UM, BUT I LIKE THAT, THAT KIND OF SPIRIT THAT, YOU KNOW, HE WAS FEARLESS AND, AND BOLD AND AND COURAGEOUS, AND SO I'M SO GLAD THAT WE GET TO HONOR HIM WITH THIS PARK.

THANK YOU MAYOR DAM.

COUNCIL MEMBER BUR, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS.

I WAS EXPECTING TO HEAR THE MAYOR'S VOICE.

, WE'VE GOT OUR MAYOR PRO TEM.

I WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 57.

I'M EXTREMELY PROUD TO BE PASSING THIS ITEM TODAY.

UM, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE YEARS, YEARS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF KIDS GETTING TO AND FROM SCHOOL.

AND NOT EVERY SCHOOL'S THE SAME.

THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

I KNOW EVERYBODY THINKS OF A ISD, WHICH IS OUR BIGGEST ONE.

UM, BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALL OVER THE CORNERS OF TOWN, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS OUR CITY STAFF IS LOOKING AT THESE SITUATIONS, THEY'RE ABLE TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS POSSIBLE TO HELP, UH, WORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND TO HELP BRING THOSE SAFETY, UM, MEASURES TO OUR STUDENTS IN AUSTIN.

AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO KRISTA ON ITEM NUMBER 54.

I, I THINK THIS IS A COMMON THEME ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, OUR KIDS ARE GETTING TO AND FROM SCHOOL SAFELY, AND THAT THEY'RE SET UP FOR THE BEST SUCCESS MOVING FORWARD SO THAT THEY CAN FOCUS ON THEIR STUDIES AND ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS. THANKS.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

THINK WE AS A CITY CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF MARKETING OUR PROGRAMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS TO FOLKS WHILE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE LANGUAGE THEY SPEAK AND HOW THEY ACCESS INFORMATION.

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

AND I DO HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, ALSO ON THE LIST.

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.

UH, COLLEAGUES.

ITEM 55.

UM, IT, IT'S, UH, OUR MARKETING IFCI LIKE, EXCUSE ME.

UH, THE ALLERGIES ARE KICKING MY BUTT, SO I, I WON'T BE ABLE TO SING FOR Y'ALL TODAY, BUT, UH, I LIKE TO REMIND FOLKS EVERY NOW AND THEN THAT THAT DISTRICT REPRESENTATION, IT'S STILL IN ITS INFANCY AND THAT I'M THE ONLY, I AM ONLY THE SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER TO COME OUT OF DISTRICT THREE.

AND, BUT I KNOW THAT WE STILL STRUGGLE WITH SOME OF THE VESTIGES OF A TIME WHEN POWER IN THE CITY RESTED WITH THE HALS AND COMPLETELY WEST OF THE GREAT WALL OF AUSTIN.

WE HAVE HUNDREDS, HUNDREDS OF GREAT COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, YET THERE ARE SO MANY FOLKS WHO I HEAR FROM ON THE DAILY THAT SAY, I DIDN'T KNOW Y'ALL OFFERED THAT.

THERE ARE SO MANY CITY DEPARTMENTS DOING AMAZING WORK EVERY DAY.

AND WE DO NOT AS A CITY DO A GREAT JOB OF TELLING THAT STORY AND OR TELLING IT TO THE PEOPLE.

I BROUGHT THIS RESOLUTION TODAY IN AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT THE RESOURCES, THESE SERVICES, AND THE INFORMATION ARE RE REACHING THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN WHO MOST NEED THEM AND IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER.

[01:25:01]

BECAUSE ALTHOUGH WE LIVE IN A VERY DIGITAL FIRST SOCIETY, WE STILL HAVE A LARGE POPULATION OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE RELIABLE INTERNET ACCESS THAT ARE NOT WATCHING A TXN RIGHT NOW AND ARE NOT SUBSCRIBED TO OUR NEWSLETTERS.

THIS RESOLUTION, WHILE NOT GLAMOROUS, WILL HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON OUR CITY.

IT'S MEANT TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE CURRENTLY REACHING OUR RESIDENTS, AND IT CREATES STANDARDS FOR HOW OUR CITY DAYLIGHTS WHAT IT OFFERS AND WHAT IT ACCOMPLISHES FOR ALL OF AUSTIN.

I WANT TO THANK OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE AND DEPUTY CITY MANAGER JOHN FORTUNE FOR ALL THEIR HELP ON THIS.

ALSO, A HUGE THANK YOU TO MY CO-SPONSORS, MAYOR PRO TE FUENTES, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, COUNCIL MEMBER RI AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.

AND THANK YOU TO MO COOPER WHO IS TRAVELING BACK TO AUSTIN RIGHT NOW FROM OUR OFFICE.

BUT, UH, SHE IS, UH, OUR DISTRICT THREE POLICY ADVISOR FOR ALL OF HER DOGGED WORK ON THIS.

COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, CADRE FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.

UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.

UM, I'LL MAKE MY COMMENTS SUPER SHORT AND SWEET.

I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT COUNCILMAN RYAN TER HAS BEEN DOING THIS WEEK.

UM, I'M GLAD TO BE ON, ON HIS SIDE FOR, FOR EVERYTHING.

UM, AND I'D LIKE TO BE AT AS A CO-SPONSOR FOR ITEMS 51 AND 52.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE WILL BE SHOWN AS A CO-SPONSOR OF ITEMS 51 AND 52.

COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER HARBOR MADISON.

AND A FEW YEARS LATER, HE WAS ALSO AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL'S FIRST BLACK ATHLETE.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS I WANNA FLAG AND SPEAK TO.

THE FIRST IS ITEM SEVEN, THAT'S THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR SENIORS AND DISABLED.

I WANNA BE INCREDIBLY CLEAR THAT I SUPPORT THIS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR SENIOR AND DISABLED.

HOWEVER, UH, THE ITEM I REALLY WANNA FLAG ABOUT THIS IS THAT IT'S LISTED AS HAVING NO FI UH, FISCAL IMPACT.

AND I WOULD LIKE GOING FORWARD, IF POSSIBLE, FOR US TO BE A BIT MORE CLEAR ABOUT THE FUNDING MECHANISM SINCE AS WE'VE LEARNED, WE ARE PROPORTIONATELY INCREASING TAXES FOR EVERYBODY ELSE NOT IMPACTED.

UH, AND THE SPECIFIC CHALLENGE HERE IS THAT WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO AS YET ASCERTAIN EXACTLY HOW MUCH WE'VE CONVERSED WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANALYSIS OF THE SHIFT OF THIS IMPACT.

SO JUST GOING FORWARD, MY REQUEST IS TO STAFF TO HELP US PREPARE AND SHARE THAT KIND OF INFORMATION SO WE CAN MAKE FULLY INFORMED DECISIONS AND THAT CONSTITUENTS IN PARTICULAR UNDERSTAND THE FULL IMPACTS OF THESE POLICIES.

UH, ON NINE TO 17, ON VOTING, NO ON, UH, THIS IS A RECURRING THEME.

THIS IS ANOTHER, UH, HEAD SCRATCHING TECHNOLOGY CONTRACT WITH A VENDOR NAMED CARESOFT.

CARESOFT IS ANOTHER NON AUSTIN AND NONT TEXAS VENDOR.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, THE FBI AND DEFENSE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION SERVICE LAUNCHED A JOINT RATE ON THE VENDOR'S REST IN VIRGINIA HEADQUARTERS.

AND BEYOND THAT, WE ALSO LEARNED THAT CARAHSOFT IS FACING A FALSE CLAIMS ACT CASE INVOLVING THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT.

OTHER AGENCIES THAT SEEK TO DETERMINE WHETHER THIS VENDOR HAS CONSPIRED WITH OTHER COMPANIES TO RIG BIDS, INFLATE PRICES, OVERCHARGE AND DEFRAUD THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AMONG OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES, UH, INCLUDING IN SELLING, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS SOFTWARE, CLOUD STORAGE AND OTHER HARDWARE AND SERVICES.

SO I BELIEVE JUST IN GENERAL THERE HAVE GOTTA BE SOME OTHER CLOUD-BASED VENDORS WE CAN TURN TO FOR THIS KIND OF WORK.

I WANT TO, UH, REITERATE WHAT WE'VE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT ITEM 55.

I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL TO COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ AND HIS TEAM FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS.

I'M GRATEFUL TO BE INCLUDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.

UH, LIKE HIM.

I HEARTILY BELIEVE THAT COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY AND HOPEFULLY, UM, UH, HOPEFULLY THE REST OF MY COMMENTS ON THIS ARE ALREADY REFERENCED IN THE MESSAGE BOARD.

AND FINALLY, LASTLY, I WANNA SPEAK TO ITEM 53, WHICH IS REGARDING THE RENAMING OF DISTRICT 10 WESTFIELD PARK TO THE DON BAYLOR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK.

FIRST MY PROFOUND THANKS TO THE BAYLOR FAMILY, THE PASTOR, THE COACH, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND FRIENDS WHO HELPED MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

WITHOUT THEM, IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.

JUST AFTER I TOOK OFFICE BACK IN JANUARY, THE FAMILY, UH, OF THE LATE BASEBALL LEGEND AUSTIN NATIVE DON BAYLOR, REACHED OUT TO OUR OFFICE FOR SUPPORT IN RENAMING THIS PARK AND HIS HONOR.

AND EVER SINCE, WE'VE VERY MUCH ENJOYED WORKING WITH, UH, DON'S WIDOW BECKY AND HIS SON DON JR.

UH, AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THIS LEG, THIS LEGENDARY BASEBALL PLAYER, PHILANTHROPISTS AND CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEER.

WE ARE SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO BRING THIS ITEM TO THE COUNCIL TODAY.

DON WAS BORN IN 1949.

HE GREW UP IN OUR CLARKSVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE HIS FAMILY REMAINS ACTIVE IN THE MINISTRY, WHICH YOU HEARD ABOUT SWEET HOME MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.

AS A YOUNG MAN, HE WAS DENIED ENTRY TO THE PARK.

AND SO WE ARE RENAMING THAT.

WE ARE RENAMING TODAY BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN.

DON WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THREE BLACK STUDENTS TO VOLUNTEER AND ATTEND ON HENRY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, NOW KNOWN AS A HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL, ALSO IN THE DISTRICT, UH, AND WAS INVOLVED IN INTEGRATING IT IN THE PROCESS.

[01:30:01]

DON WENT ON TO BASEBALL GREATNESS, PLAYING WITH SIX DIFFERENT MAJOR LEAGUE TEAMS OVER TWO DECADES.

HE WON THE AMERICAN LEAGUE MVP AWARD IN 1979.

HE PLAYED IN THREE CONSECUTIVE WORLD SERIES WITH THREE DIFFERENT TEAMS, INCLUDING THE 1987 CHAMPIONS, THE MINNESOTA TWINS.

AND I JUST WANNA ADD, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILMAN SIEGEL, UH, I'VE HAD A TASTE OF PLAYING BASEBALL IN THE LAST, UH, WEEK WITH THE CITY COUNTY GAME, UH, WHERE I CAN'T SAY IT WAS A VITAL PARTICIPANT IN THAT EFFORT TO WIN, UH, BUT I JUST WANNA REALLY UNDERSCORE IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT LOOKS.

THESE ACHIEVEMENTS ARE NOT INSIGNIFICANT.

THEY ARE ACTUALLY INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO EARN.

DON BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST LEAGUES BLACK MANAGERS SKIP BRING THE COLORADO ROCKIES IN CHICAGO CUBS AND WINNING THE NATIONAL LEAGUE MANAGER OF THE YEAR IN 1995.

HE'S BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE COLORADO SPORTS HALL OF FAME, THE TEXAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME, AND THE TEXAS BASEBALL HALL OF FAME.

HE ALSO HAS FOUNDED, AS FAR AS PHILANTHROPIC EFFORTS, THE ANNUAL 65 ROSES MEMORIAL CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT, WHICH HAS RAISED MILLIONS OVER NEARLY FIVE DECADES FOR CYSTIC FIBROSIS RESEARCH AND TREATMENT.

I THINK THIS HONOR IS RICHLY DESERVED.

I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT JUST A COUPLE OF QUERY QUICK QUOTES FROM LETTERS OF SUPPORT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN FROM THE COMMUNITY, SOME OF WHICH ARE LISTED IN BACKUP FROM THE WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION RENAMING WESTFIELD PARK FOR DON BAYLOR WOULD RECOGNIZE NOT ONLY HIS ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT ALSO HIS ROLE IN THE HISTORY OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN AUSTIN.

IT WOULD CONNECT THE PARK TO THE STORY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND OFFER A REMINDER OF HOW FAR WE AS A CITY HAVE COME WHILE STILL PROVIDING THE RECOGNITION OF THE CONTINUED NEED FOR WORK TO TOWARDS RACIAL EQUITY.

AND FROM A DISTRICT 10 RESIDENT, KATHY TYLER, I WORKED IN CLARKSVILLE THROUGHOUT THE 1970S AND GOT TO KNOW MOST OF HIS RESIDENTS, INCLUDING DON BAYLOR AND HIS FAMILY.

HE WAS A HERO TO ALL THE CHILDREN IN CLARKSVILLE.

OLDER CLARKSVILLE RESIDENTS TOOK GREAT PRIDE IN HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND LOVED TO TALK ABOUT WATCHING HIM GROW UP.

DON BAYLOR WAS NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY IN WESTFIELD PARK WHEN HE WAS GROWING UP IN CLARKSVILLE.

BUT DESPITE THIS, HIS GENEROUS SPIRIT REMAINS UNHAMPERED.

HE LOVED CLARKSVILLE, HE LOVED AUSTIN, ONE OF HIS FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN.

HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANS TO ATTEND O' HENRY AND AUSTIN HIGH PROVIDED INSPIRING EXAMPLE TO OTHER CHILDREN IN THE CLARKSVILLE AND THROUGHOUT AUSTIN AND WENT ON TO LIVE A LIFE OF ACHIEVEMENT AND FAME IN SPORTS AND THE PHILANTHROPIC WORLD.

HIS GENEROUS SPIRIT WAS EVIDENT IN THE SCHOOL HALLS, ON THE FIELD AS A BASEBALL LEADER AND CHARITIES AS HE LED AND SUPPORTED AND IN THE SWEET HOME MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH FROM HIS EARLY YEARS TO THE VERY END OF HIS LIFE.

RENAMING THE PARK IN HIS HONOR WOULD BE A TRIBUTE TO ALL OF AUSTIN FROM THE PARTS THAT ONCE EXCLUDED HIM TO THE PARTS THAT WELCOME HIM HOME AFTER A LONG CAREER.

SO WE ARE JUST VERY HOPEFUL THIS ITEM HAS, WILL BE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY ON CONSENT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO INCLUDING EVERYBODY IN A CELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE AND LEADERSHIP A LITTLE BIT LATER.

UH, TODAY WHEN WE PLAN ON UNVEILING, UH, WELL CERTAINLY LATER TODAY FOR SOME PHOTOS AND THEN LATER THIS YEAR WHEN WE PLAN ON UNVEILING THE PARKS SIGNAGE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UH, BEING ABLE TO PRESENT THAT.

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.

THANK YOU MR. MAYOR.

I APPRECIATE IT AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN, YOU SAID A LOT OF WHAT I WOULD OTHERWISE SAY AND SO WE CAN STAY ON TRACK BY ME JUST SAYING DITTO.

UM, SO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

WOO-HOO.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED US TO RECOGNIZE HERE, I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS WHO'VE NEVER OWNED A HOME, THAT THAT TAX EXEMPTION REALLY IS A BIG DEAL.

WHEN YOU GET THAT TAX BILL EVERY YEAR REALLY IS A BARRIER FOR A LOT OF FOLKS.

SO THIS IS A BIG DEAL.

I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT IT.

UH, DON BAYLOR PARK.

UM, THANK YOU BAYLOR FAMILY.

I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO BE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ, WHO IS WAY MORE OF A G THAN I AM.

I'M ABOUT TO SWITCH TO VIRTUAL Y'ALL.

THESE ALLERGIES ARE ABOUT TO TAKE MY WHOLE FACE AND WALK IT DOWN CESAR CHAVEZ.

SO I WON'T BE HERE FOR THE CELEBRATION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT I'M REALLY PROUD AND HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THE CELEBRATION AND THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.

UM, IN OUR TOWN.

I WAS STANDING OUT IN MY GARDEN THE OTHER DAY AND THERE WAS A LADY WHO WALKED PAST AND MY BACK WAS TO HER, BUT LIKE IT WAS SO OLD BLACK AUSTIN, SHE SAID, YEAH, GIRL, THAT'S WHERE IT SAT BECAUSE SHE WAS ADMIRING MY GARDEN.

AND THEN SO I TURNED AROUND, I WAS LIKE, THIS IS BLACK PEOPLE STUFF.

I TURNED AROUND.

AND SO WE STARTED CHATTING AND SHE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT SHE WAS VISITING FROM LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO.

UM, MS. GLOVER, HI, UM, SHE WAS VISITING FROM LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO AND WAS TAKING A WALKING TOUR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD 'CAUSE SHE WANTED TO SEE ALL THE SIDEWALKS THAT HER GRANDFATHER BUILT.

SO IF YOU'RE IN EAST AUSTIN AND YOU SEE THOSE SIDEWALKS THAT HAVE, IT SAYS A NAME AT THE BOTTOM, M-A-U-I-S.

THAT WAS HER GRANDFATHER.

SO SHE WAS GOING AROUND JUST LOOKING FOR AND TAKING PICTURES, CAPTURING IMAGES OF HER GRANDFATHER'S WORK.

AND SO WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT OLD SCHOOL.

I SAID, BUT YOU AIN'T REALLY FROM THE EAST SIDE IF YOU AIN'T NEVER SAID EAST SIDE.

AND SO SHE SAID IT REALLY LOUDLY.

SHE WAS THIS PERFECTLY LOVELY LIKE PUT TOGETHER SOPHISTICATED LADY OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET CLOWNING WITH ME ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

IT WAS DELIGHTFUL.

AND IT REMINDED ME, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO REMEMBER WHILE WE APPRECIATE

[01:35:01]

AND ARE ALSO PROUD, YOU KNOW, I HEARD SOMEBODY TALK, NIKKI INTERVIEWED ME THE OTHER DAY AND SHE WAS LIKE, I SAW SOMEBODY IN CHICAGO WHO WAS LIKE, EAST AUSTIN'S SO PROUD, RIGHT? WE'RE ALSO PROUD, BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER WHERE WE CAME FROM.

IT'S CRITICAL.

SO I FOUND MYSELF A LITTLE FRUSTRATED ON TUESDAY 'CAUSE WE MAKE REFERENCE TO THE 1928 MASTER PLAN FREQUENTLY.

BUT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE REAL IMPACT.

WE TRADED SLAVES IN THIS CITY.

THIS CITY DECISION MAKERS ACTIVELY GOT TOGETHER AND MADE A PLAN.

THE BLACK PEOPLE AND THE BROWN PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE OVER THERE IF THEY WANNA GET THEIR TRASH PICKED UP AND GET THEIR WATER HOOKED UP AND GET UTILITIES, THAT IS REAL.

THAT IS AUSTIN TOO.

SO DON'T KEEP IT WEIRD AND CLAIM ALL THE GOOD STUFF AND THEN DISREGARD THE BAD STUFF.

CHERRY PICKING DON'T WORK WHEN IT COMES TO RECONCILIATION.

SO WHEN WE'RE NOT CHERRY PICKING AND ACTIVELY ACKNOWLEDGING WHO WE ARE AS A CITY, I APPRECIATE SOME OF OUR SPEAKERS TODAY POINTING OUT WHO WE ARE AS A CITY.

WE HAVE TO BE ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

SO WHEN Y'ALL CALL US THE CITY COUNCIL, SOMETIMES I AGREE, SOMETIMES I WANNA GO BUY A BAG OF NOSES AND ALL OF US WEAR ONE 'CAUSE YOU NOT WRONG.

SOMETIMES THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THOUGH, WHEN WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS TO MAKE IT RIGHT, I APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MR. BAYLOR'S FAMILY, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE, IT'S ABOUT AUSTIN.

I HAD SOMEBODY SAY TO ME ONE TIME, HOW WAS YOUR JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION? I THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT.

I WENT TO LIKE NINE THINGS.

WHAT'D YOU DO TODAY? SHE SAID, OH NO, THAT'S NOT MY HOLIDAY.

THE WHAT I'M A BLACK AMERICAN JUNETEENTH IS CELEBRATING THE LIBERATION OF BLACK AMERICANS.

IT'S JUST AS MUCH ABOUT YOU AS IT IS ABOUT ME.

BLACK PEOPLE STUFF IS NOT JUST BLACK PEOPLE STUFF.

IT'S AUSTIN STUFF, IT'S TEXAS STUFF.

IT'S USA STUFF.

BLACK PEOPLE ARE AMERICANS.

THIS IS ALL OF OURS.

SO WE ARE ALL CELEBRATING THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT, BUT A SPECIAL SKIN FOLK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT WHEN OUR CITY DOES RIGHT AND ACKNOWLEDGES WHAT WE DID WRONG.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UM, AND SO LASTLY, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL.

I APPRECIATE THAT MS. JOSEPH ASKED THE QUESTION, WOULD I WALK MY KIDS DOWN A DARK BLOCK TO GET TO SCHOOL? NO IS THE ANSWER.

UM, I WOULD FIND A SAFE WAY.

AND THAT SAID, YOU ARE NOT WRONG.

HERE'S MY CLOWN NOSE, YOU'RE NOT WRONG.

UM, AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO US DOING MORE.

I APPRECIATE SAFE FRAUDS AND I APPRECIATE VERY MUCH COUNCIL MEMBER LANG.

UH, CONGRATULATIONS.

I REMEMBER THAT FIRST ONE.

IT HIT DIFFERENT.

IT WAS NICE.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION AROUND ALL THE THINGS THAT OUR CHILDREN ENCOUNTER ON THEIR ROUTE TO SCHOOL.

UM, AND SO I HOPE THAT AS WE CONTINUE THAT DISCUSSION AND EXPAND THAT DISCUSSION, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT A LOT OF KIDS IN NEIGHBORHOODS SEE ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL THAT THEY SHOULDN'T.

AND, UM, I'LL LEAVE IT THERE.

I JUST HOPE WE GET TO EXPAND ON THE DISCUSSION.

UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS, UM, ALSO ONE OF OUR, UM, SPEAKERS THIS AFTERNOON MADE REFERENCE TO TAM HAWKINS BEING, UM, APPOINTED TO THE URBAN RENEWAL BOARD.

FOR FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW, THE URBAN RENEWAL AGREEMENT WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS FEDERALLY MANDATED.

IT WAS INTENDED TO ADDRESS SLUM AND BLIGHT.

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, THOUGH, THAT SLUM AND BLIGHT EXISTED WHERE BLACK PEOPLE EXISTED.

SO IT EQUATED TO BLACK PEOPLE BEING SYNONYMOUS WITH SLUM AND BLIGHT.

SO A LOT OF BLACK FOLKS CALL URBAN RENEWAL, URBAN REMOVAL BECAUSE AS IT WAS APPLIED, THEY DEPARTED EITHER VOLUNTARILY OR BY WAY OF IMMINENT DOMAIN.

LET'S KEEP IT REAL.

AND SO THAT SAID, THE URBAN RENEWAL BOARD IS THE AGENCY THAT'S ASSIGNED AS THE STEWARD TO EXECUTE THE URBAN RENEWAL AGREEMENT, WHICH FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES TO MS. JOSEPH'S POINT, THEY'VE, THEY'VE EXECUTED EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAME HERE TO DO.

SO, LONG STORY SHORT, THANK YOU TO TAM HAWKINS FOR BEING, UM, WILLING TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD.

AND JUST FOR THE SAKE OF FULL DISCLOSURE, I I WAS ADDRESSING WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED THIS BOARD BACK IN 2019.

I'M GONNA READDRESS THAT IN 2025.

UM, BECAUSE FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES WHY WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS AND TIME OF THESE VOLUNTEER.

AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THESE ARE LONG MEETINGS.

THESE ARE NOT LIKE AN HOUR LONG.

YOU DID YOUR DUTY.

THESE ARE LIKE THREE, FOUR HOUR LONG MEETINGS EVERY MONTH.

THESE PEOPLE ARE REALLY DEDICATING A LOT OF TIME TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT AS WE CLOSE OUT THE ASSIGNMENT THAT WAS THE URBAN RENEWAL AGREEMENT, WE ARE CLOSING IT OUT WITH THE DISPOSITION OF BLOCK 16 AND 18.

THAT'S THE LAST OF IT.

THAT'S THE LAST OF WHAT THEY CAME HERE TO DO.

THERE'S LITERALLY NO OTHER LOTS FOR THEM TO GOVERN.

UM, AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY WERE HERE TO DO WAS MAKE CERTAIN THAT AS WE EXECUTE URBAN RENEWAL, WE DON'T PERPETUATE REMOVAL.

AND SO I APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS, BUT I DO THINK IT'S TIME FOR US AS A MUNICIPALITY TO START LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR, TO THE, THE POINT THAT

[01:40:01]

ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MADE EARLIER, SOME OF OUR SYSTEMS, SOME OF OUR SERVICES, SOME OF OUR STUFF, IT'S ANTIQUATED AND YOU KNOW, FRANKLY, OBSOLETE AT THIS POINT.

LIKE, IF WE DON'T NEED IT ANYMORE, WE COULD TAKE THOSE RESOURCES AND ALLOCATE THEM ELSEWHERE.

SO I HOPE, YOU KNOW, AS WE ARE TIGHTENING THE BUDGET, THAT WE LOOK AT ALL THE WAYS THAT WE COULD SAVE MONEY, INCLUDING, UM, EXTENDING, UH, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO BOARDS AND BODIES AND COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES THAT WE DON'T NEED ANYMORE.

UM, SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHY Y'ALL ARE HERE, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE LOOKING OUT INTO THAT AUDIENCE AND SEEING BLACK PEOPLE THAT DON'T WORK FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO THANK YOU'ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER MEMBERS, THOSE BEING ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WISH TO BE, UH, PART OF THE DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.

IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO ABSTAIN FROM A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN RECUSING THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM THAT'S ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO.

COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN ITEM ITEM SET.

COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN WISHES TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ITEM 17.

ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON A CONSENT AGENDA ITEM THAT BEING THE CASE, THE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN BEING SHOWN VOTING NO ON ITEM NUMBER 17.

MEMBERS WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL RECESS THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT 11:41 AM AND I WILL, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE RECESSED AT 1141.

I WILL NOW

[10:30 AM - Austin Housing Finance Corporation Meeting]

CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.

UH, IT IS 1141.

WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE BOARD PRESENT MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET.

UM, Y'ALL ARE WELCOME TO STAY .

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MANDY DE MAYO, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND TREASURER OF AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.

WE JUST HAVE ONE THING ON TODAY'S AGENDA THAT I OFFER ON CONSENT AND THAT ITEM IS AUTHORIZED.

WHAT FOLKS? FOLKS, I KNOW WE'RE HAPPY AND IT'S GOOD, BUT UH, I NEED YOU TO LET US CONTINUE BUSINESS.

WE GOT A LOT OF BUSINESS TODAY, SO PLEASE TAKE YOUR CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE.

THIS ITEM ON CONSENT IS AUTHORIZING STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FORMATION OF A HFC 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT CORPORATION ALLOWING US TO, UH, CREATE THE BYLAWS AND APPOINT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND FORM AFFILIATE 5 0 1 C3 ORGANIZATIONS UNDERNEATH, UH, THAT A HFC 5 0 1 C3 CORPORATION.

YES, MA'AM.

OFFERED ON CONSENT.

HAPPY TO HAVE QUESTION.

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS MR. MANUEL? I'LL TURN TO THE CITY.

COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

FOLKS, I REALLY DO NEED Y'ALL TO TAKE YOUR CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE.

UH, IF YOU'RE TALKING YOU PROBABLY CAN'T HEAR ME, CAN YOU? NOT GONNA DO ME ANY GOOD.

GO .

UH, THANK YOU.

UH, DIRECTOR SLASH UH, TREASURER.

I GUESS IF YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE, UH, WHAT YOU THINK THE BENEFIT OF THIS, UH, 5 0 3 WOULD BE.

THIS IS EFFECTIVELY, AND I DO HAVE OUR LEGAL COUNSEL HERE, SHEA KACKLEY, WHO COULD PROBABLY EXPLAIN THIS MORE ELOQUENTLY, BUT THIS IS A EFFECTIVELY CREATING AN UMBRELLA NPC ORGANIZATION AND THEN OUR INDIVIDUAL NONPROFIT CORPORATIONS, UH, IN WHICH WE, UH, HAVE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES THAT A HFC IS THE GENERAL PARTNER.

THOSE FALL UNDER THE UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION.

SO IT'S CREATING AN ADDITIONAL, UM, LAYER BETWEEN A HFC, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE A HFC MPCS INDIVIDUAL MPCS.

AND DOES IT MAKE IT EASIER TO RAISE MONEY, UH, FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING? YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT KIND OF THE BENEFIT? UH, THE BENEFIT AND HERE COMES MY ATTORNEY TO, TO TELL US THE BENEFITS.

IT DOES NOT IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO RAISE FUNDS OR DEPLOY FUNDS.

GOOD MORNING SHAIK ACCOLADE, DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL.

UH, THE MAIN BENEFIT IS WE'RE GONNA GO AFTER THE SET ASIDE ALLOCATION FOR TAX CREDITS.

WE NEED A 5 0 1 C3 IN ORDER TO DO THAT.

SO IT'S GONNA GIVE US ANOTHER LEVER TO PULL IN ORDER TO GET FUNDS FOR, FOR HOUSING.

THAT'S THE MAIN BENEFIT.

BUT ALSO WE CAN CREATE SUB H UH, SUB 5 0 1 C THREES UNDER IT TO BE GENERAL CONTRACTORS.

LIKE MANNY SAID, WE'RE ON ON PROPERTY.

THIS GIVES US A FLEXIBILITY TO CREATE THESE ENTITIES AS SINGLE ASSET ENTITIES TO PROTECT HC AND ITS ASSETS.

I'M IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ITEM AND WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT ONCE AGAIN, MANDY DE MAYO SHOULD RESIGN.

GREAT.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS TO STAFF? UH, CITY CLERK? DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS? UH, AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS ITEM? YES.

WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, ZENOBIA JOSEPH ON A HFC ITEM ONE.

MS. JOSEPH, DO YOU HAVE THE MICROPHONE? THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL, I'M ZENOBIA JOSEPH.

I WANNA THANK, UH, MIKE SIEGEL FOR ASKING THE QUESTION.

SPECIFICALLY

[01:45:01]

IF YOU LOOKING BACK UP, YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS NONPROFIT WILL HAVE NO MEMBERS.

SO IT LACKS TRANSPARENCY.

THE PUBLIC WON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU ABOUT THE PROPAGANDA.

IT WAS MANDY DE MAYO WHO OVERSEES THE $300 MILLION THAT COUNCIL APPROVED NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020 FOR PROJECT CONNECT.

THERE IS NO LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM GOING NORTH OF US.

180 3 AND NOT EVEN THE GREEN LINE HAS EVER BEEN FUNDED.

IT WAS 24 TO 30 YEARS FOR THE RAIL TO EVEN GO NORTH.

LAMAR TO TECH RIDGE PARK AND RIDE.

MARCH 9TH, 2020, PAGE 29 OF THE DOCUMENT.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE, THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL DAY.

YOU'LL SEE THE DISCONNECT ON THE LEFT SIDE.

IT'S JUST GRAY ON THE RIGHT IS WHERE THE NETWORK IS, BUT MANDY MAYO WANTS US TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER THERE'S ANTI DISPLACEMENT NEEDED IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN.

SENATOR JANE NELSON AT THE TIME WAS THE FINANCE CHAIR AND SHE ACTUALLY HELPED TO KILL THE DOWNTOWN TUNNEL BILL WHEN I TOLD HER ABOUT TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT IN 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, AND TOLD HER IF THEY PASSED HOUSE BILL 3 8 9 3, THEY WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE STATE'S FUNDING.

THIS PARTICULAR NONPROFIT HAS TO GO TO SENATOR JANE NELSON, FORMER SENATOR NOW SECRETARY OF STATE.

I'M GONNA ASK HER TO REVOKE IT.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM, YOU'LL SEE THERE ARE FEWER THAN 10 AFFORDABLE HOMES.

WERE IN DISTRICTS FIVE, SIX, AND EIGHT.

NEXT SLIDE AND 10.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THIS IS WHAT BLACK PEOPLE LOOK LIKE ON A DAILY BASIS.

ON THE RIGHT IS WHERE YOU APOLOGIZE.

NEXT SLIDE.

AND THIS IS WHERE THE HYDE PARK IS STRICTLY FOR WHITE PEOPLE, BUT THIS IS WHAT MANDY TO MALE PUT BEFORE US 80 TO 120% AREA MEDIA INCOME AT CRESTVIEW STATION NOT TO SERVE THE PEOPLE, BLACK PEOPLE WHO EARN ABOUT $42,000, NOT THE HISPANICS $50,000.

ACCORDING TO YOUR NOVEMBER, 2020 REPORT OF THE MINORITY CHAMBERS.

SHE IS NOT HELPING US.

AND LASTLY, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER.

THANK YOU MS. JOSEPH.

APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE YOU.

THAT CONCLUDES A HFC SPEAKERS MEMBERS.

THERE ARE NO NO OTHER SPEAKERS ON THE ONE ITEM ON CONSENT.

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

UH, THE VICE CHAIR, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MOVES APPROVAL.

IT'S SECONDED BY, UH, BOARD MEMBER HARPER MADISON MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO ABSTAIN FROM A VOTE ON THIS ITEM? ANYONE WISHING TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON THIS ITEM? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON THIS ITEM WITHOUT OBJECTION? THE CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.

OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, I'M GONNA GO WITH ITEMS 59 66, 62 AND 63, 59, 66, 62 AND 63.

MR. MAYO.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.

THERE BEING NO OBJECTION.

WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 11:47 AM AND AT 11:47 AM I WILL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE, UH, MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND MEMBERS.

WE WILL GO TO ITEM, UH, JUST SO THAT YOU'LL KNOW, UH, UN UNTIL WE GET TO

[59. Approve a resolution authorizing the filing of eminent domain proceedings and payment to acquire the property interests needed for the Williamson Creek Interceptor project for the public use of replacing and maintaining a wastewater tunnel to increase capacity for future growth in the Williamson Creek basin, requiring the acquisition of an access easement being approximately 0.22 acres (9,463 square feet) of land, situated in the Santiago Del Valle Grant, Abstract No. 24, Austin, Travis County, Texas, being a portion of Lot 1A of the Amended Plat of Lots 1 and 2, Block A, Ogden Farms Subdivision Amended, a subdivision recorded as Document Number 201600308 of the Official Public Records of Travis County, Texas, currently appraised at $386,509 subject to an increase in value based on updated appraisals, a Special Commissioner’s award, negotiated settlement, or judgment. The owner of the needed property is HAG RE CDT, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company. The property is located at 5501 South Interstate Highway 35, Austin, Texas 78744. The general route of the project is along Williamson Creek, from South 1st Street to South Pleasant Valley Road, with numerous tie-in cutovers throughout to connect local wastewater flows to the new tunnel. Funding: $386,509 is available in the Capital Budget of Austin Water.]

ITEM NUMBER 59 IS AN IMMINENT DOMAIN ITEM.

LET ME, UM, ASK IF THERE'S ANYONE THAT'S SIGNED UP ON ITEM NUMBER 59.

THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM 59 MEMBERS.

THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS.

ON ITEM NUMBER 59, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE HIS MOTIONS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

IS THERE DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 59 MEMBERS? THE MOTION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE MADE AND WAS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, VELA IS THAT THIS IS A NON-CONSENT CONDEMNATION ITEM AND THE MOTION IS TO THE EFFECT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN AUTHORIZES THE USE OF THE POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY THAT'S SET FORTH AND DESCRIBED IN THE AGENDA FOR THIS CURRENT MEETING AND FOR THE PUBLIC USE THAT'S DESCRIBED THEREIN.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 59 AS I'VE READ, THE MOTION IS ADOPTED.

THAT WILL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 66

[66. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance on first reading regarding the application submitted by PHI Health LLC, d/b/a PHI Air Medical, for a non-emergency medical transfer services franchise under City Code Chapter 10-2 (Emergency Medical Services). Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

MEMBERS.

ITEM NUMBER 66 IS A PUBLIC HEARING WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 66.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.

IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 66? THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON 66 MEMBERS.

THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 66.

I WILL ENTERTAIN.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 66.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE TO SET FORTH IN ITEM NUMBER 66.

IS THERE MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, IS THERE A DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 66 IS ADOPTED.

WE WILL NOW GO TO ITEM NUMBER

[62. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance granting additional floor-to-area ratio entitlements to the 701 West 6th Street project at 701 and 709 West 6th Street and 512 Rio Grande Street in accordance with the Downtown Density Bonus Program under City Code Section 25-2-586(B)(6). Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

62.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 62.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK ON

[01:50:01]

ITEM 62.

WE HAVE RICHARD SUBTLE.

MR. SUBTLE, DO YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 62? I DON'T SEE HIM.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS ON ITEM 62.

THERE BEING NO OTHER SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 62 WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 62.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER 62.

MOTION MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER S ELLIS TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER 62.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ DISCUSSION ON ITEM 62.

HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 62 IS ADOPTED MEMBERS.

WE WILL NOW

[63. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance to amend City Code Title 25 (Land Development) provisions that apply to the City’s S.M.A.R.T. Housing Program to modify median family income (MFI) requirements and eligibility criteria for fee waivers; allow for income averaging; and remove provisions applicable to other density bonus programs, community land trusts, and specific areas of the city for the required affordability period. Fiscal impact: This item has no fiscal impact.]

GO TO ITEM NUMBER 63.

UH, IT'S ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING WITHOUT OBJECTION.

I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 63.

THERE BEING NO OBJECTION WE'RE THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.

WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER, DANIELA SILVA ON ITEM 63.

MS. SILVA, ARE YOU HERE? STILL? HERE, MS. SILVA.

ALL RIGHT.

IS ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP? NO MORE SPEAKERS.

THERE BEING NO OTHER SPEAKERS ON ITEM NUMBER 63.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ MOVES APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 63.

IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON 63? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.

UH, COLLEAGUES, THIS IS, UH, THIS ITEM 63 IS GOD MY VOICE IS KILLING ME.

ITEM 63 IS A SMART HOUSING ITEM.

THIS IS PHASE TWO.

THE PHASE TWO REPORT BACK OF A RESOLUTION THAT I BROUGHT LAST SUMMER, UH, UH, EXCUSE ME, IN THE SUMMER OF 2023.

UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS INCLUDED IN THIS THAT I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT.

ONE OF 'EM IS, UH, THE AMENDMENT THAT LOWERS THE ELIGIBLE MFI FOR RENTAL PROPERTIES FROM 80 TO 60%.

UM, LIKE Y'ALL KNOW, LAND VALUES IN THE CITY ARE SKY HIGH AND SALARY AND HOUSING COSTS ARE NOT KEEPING PACE WITH THEM.

UM, THE FOLKS THAT KEEP OUR CITY MOVING CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY THAT THEY SERVE.

I'M, UH, JUST PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THIS DIOCESE HAS DONE OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, BUT WE HAVE A A LOT MORE TO DO.

AND I FULLY SUPPORT PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION TO BRING THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD REQUIREMENTS IN LINE WITH OUR OTHER PROGRAMS AT 40 YEARS FOR RENTAL AND 99 FOR OWNERSHIP.

FIVE YEARS JUST IS NOT ENOUGH.

UH, WE NEED LONG-TERM INCOME PROTECTED PLACES FOR PEOPLE.

UM, AND SO IN, IN ADDITION TO THAT, ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHEN STAFF COMES BACK AND WE GET THE THIRD ROUND OF RECOMMENDATIONS IS MEANINGFUL CAPITAL IMPACT FEE WAIVERS OR REDUCTIONS FOR FULLY AFFORDABLE LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENTS.

UM, AS THEY'RE ASSESSING THE PROGRAM UPDATES, I URGE OUR HOUSING STAFF TO BRING AUSTIN ENERGY AND AUSTIN WATER F AND AUSTIN WATER FOLKS TO THE TABLE ESPECIALLY TO SEE IF WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO EASE THE BURDENS ON THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS.

WHICH IS ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE THEN.

UH, THE, THE MOTION IS ADOPTED MEMBERS THAT WILL NOW TAKE US, UH, THE ORDER.

I'M GONNA GO IN.

I'M, I'M, AS YOU CAN TELL, I'M LOOKING AT THE 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, UH, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS GO WITH ITEM NUMBER 61 AND THEN ITEM NUMBER 60.

WELL, LET ME ASK, IS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 64? THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM 64.

ALRIGHT, ITEM NUMBER 64, AS YOU RECALL, HAS BEEN POSTPONED, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE NO SPEAKERS TO SPEAK ON THE MERITS OF THE POSTPONEMENT.

SO WE'LL NOW GO TO ITEM NUMBER 61,

[61. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance granting site-specific variances and amendments to City Code Title 25 (Land Development) for the construction of the Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant Enhancement and Expansion Project; waiving notice and review requirements of City Code Section 25-1-502; and waiving requirements of City Code Section 25-8-41. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN AND I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK.

FIRST SPEAKER IS BILL BUNCH.

NEXT SPEAKER IS BOBBY LAVINSKY.

HE HAS HIS, UM, TIME DONATED FROM MR. WHALEY WHO IS PRESENT.

SO MR. LEVINSKY, WE WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

UM, ITEM 61 IS A SITE SPECIFIC ORDINANCE TO CLEAR THE WAY FOR THE BILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION OF THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT.

THIS ORDINANCE WAVES COMPLIANCE WITH THE SITE PLAN REGULATIONS AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCE PROCESSES, UH, TO EXPAND THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FROM 75 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY TO A HUNDRED MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.

THIS EXPANSION WAS THE PRIMARY DRIVER FOR THE CITY'S MOST RECENT INCREASES IN THE WATER UTILITY RATES.

AND IT REFLECTS ONE OF THOSE DECISIONS THAT ATTACH WEIGHTS TO DRAG DOWN THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS THAT THE CITY TRIES TO DO.

AS IT REMOVES ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS TO CONSERVATION, AVOIDING EXPENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE THIS.

IF WE COLLECTIVELY USE LESS WATER, WE SEND LESS WATER DOWNSTREAM TO BE TREATED.

THOUGH MY COMMENTS WILL BE DIRECTED MORE ON THE ORDINANCE ITSELF.

WE CONTINUE TO OBJECT TO THIS PROPOSED EXPANSION TO BOTH ITS SCALE, TO ITS TIMING, AND TO ITS DISTRACTION FROM THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS THAT ARE NEEDED TO RESPOND TO CLIMATE, TO AUSTIN'S CLIMATE CRISIS.

WHEN THIS ITEM WENT BEFORE THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ABOUT A MONTH AGO, IT HAD ABOUT TWO HOURS OF DIALOGUE.

UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION REALLY CONSIDERED THE ITEM.

UM, THEY MADE 14 DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY ASKED THE WAS WATER UTILITY TO RESPOND TO.

UM, AS A REMINDER, THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IS THE BODY THAT, UH, IS RESPONSIBLE

[01:55:01]

FOR REVIEWING ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCES.

SO WHEN YOU'RE BYPASSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCE PROCESS THROUGH THESE ORDINANCES THAT KIND OF PRE-AUTHORIZED THE APPROVALS, YOU'RE ACTUALLY KIND OF REMOVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND PUBLIC OVERSIGHT LATER IN THE PROCESS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL SITE PLANS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD AND HOW IT RELATES TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA, THE FINDINGS OF FACT THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANCES.

SO THIS IS A ONE AND DONE DECISION.

LIKE THIS DECISION WILL BE WHAT IS DECIDED, WHAT'S BUILT IN THIS SITE FOR YEARS TO COME.

IT'LL DECIDE THE IMPACTS TO WALNUT CREEK.

IT WILL DECIDE THE IMPACTS TO THE COLORADO RIVER.

SO I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR, UM, ASKING IN THE Q AND A TO GET A RESPONSE TO, TO THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS.

HOWEVER, THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE A Q AND A THAT SHOULD ALREADY BE IN THAT BACKUP MATERIAL BECAUSE THERE SHOULD BE A PROCESS WHERE THE, UM, THE PROJECT IS BEING, UM, IT'S GOING THROUGH THE ENVIRON, THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.

THERE SHOULD BE RESPONSES TO WHAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION SAYS.

UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL RESPONSES THAT WERE GIVEN, THEY'RE STILL PRETTY NON-RESPONSIVE.

UM, I SENT A CHART YESTERDAY THAT KIND OF WALKED THROUGH EACH ONE OF THOSE 14 RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOW THEY WERE OR WERE NOT RESPONDED TO, UM, IN THE ACTION THAT'S ACTUALLY BEFORE YOU.

SO I WANNA EMPHASIZE HERE IS WHETHER OR NOT WE, WE TRUST THE CURRENT STAFF COMMITMENTS TODAY, STAFF CHANGES OVER TIME.

WE CHANGE OVER TIME.

AND WHAT ALL WE CAN RELY ON IS WHAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE ORDINANCE ITSELF, THE LANGUAGE THAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE ORDINANCE, AND A LOT OF THE COMMITMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN RESPONSE TO THE Q AND A ARE NOT ACTUALLY REFLECTED IN THE ORDINANCE.

SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO GET THOSE COMMITMENTS PUT INTO THE ORDINANCE.

UM, I'M GONNA JUST GO OVER A FEW OF THEM, JUST KIND OF THE HIGH LEVEL ONES.

UM, SO RECOMMENDATIONS ONE AND TWO ESSENTIALLY ARE, UH, LET'S INCREASE WATER CONSERVATION.

THAT'S GETTING TO THE OVERALL POINT HERE.

WE CAN AVOID THESE MASSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IF WE JUST KIND OF EXPEDITE SOME OF OUR WATER CONSERVATION METHODS.

THIS COUNCIL'S DONE A GREAT JOB WITH WATER CONSERVATION, BUT EVEN WITH THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN, WE'RE STILL BEHIND AND WE'RE, WE STILL HAVE THESE PROLONGED DROUGHTS THAT ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO OCCUR.

WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO GROW.

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE DEMANDING OUR WATER.

WE'VE NOW GOT DATA CENTERS THAT ARE TRYING TO BURN, BURN UP OUR WATER.

UM, AND THEN WE'VE GOT, UM, UH, RECOMMENDATION THREE.

UH, THAT'S ABOUT THE NUTRIENT REMOVAL.

SO AS PART OF THE CONVERSATION, IT WAS DISCLOSED THAT, UM, THE OVERALL EXPANSION WILL REDUCE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PHOSPHORUS AND NUTRIENT, UH, PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN IN THE WATER.

AND THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING, BUT THERE'S NO ACTUAL COMMITMENT FOR THAT.

WE NEED THE DISCHARGE PERMIT, UH, AMENDED TO THANK YOU MR. LEVINSKY.

THAT'S ALL 60 ITEM, 61 SPEAKERS MEMBERS.

THAT'S ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 61.

UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL QUOTE.

UM, HE JUST KIND OF POINTED, HE JUST KIND OF POINTED OFF IN THE DISTANCE AND I HE WAS CALLING THE SHOT.

YEAH, YEAH, THE SHOT HE WAS CALLING THE SHOT.

THERE YOU GO.

UM, SO I THINK WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY IS, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 61, AND NOW THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.

UM, IS THERE A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 61? YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, HE'S POINTING AT ME NOW.

OH, HE IS.

UM, LET'S GET, LET'S GET, THAT'S YOU MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 61.

I WANT TO MOVE TO POSTPONE ITEM 61.

I SEE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND I CAN SPEAK TO IT ONE SENTENCE IF YOU NEED ME TO.

ALL RIGHT.

THERE'S A MOTION TO POSTPONE ITEM NUMBER 61.

DO YOU HAVE A DATE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO POSTPONE IT TO? TO OUR NEXT MEETING? TO THE JUNE 5TH, FIFTH MEETING? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.

THEN I'LL RECOGNIZE THE MAKER OF THE MOTION, AND IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE GET IN THE QUEUE.

THIS IS JUST, UM, NOT HAVING CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DIG INTO GREAT DETAIL.

I KNOW THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET A PRESENTATION FROM THIS EARLIER, AND WE ASKED SOME QUESTIONS IN THE Q AND A AND WITH OTHER THINGS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS WEEK, I JUST HAVEN'T HAD CAPACITY TO DO A THOROUGH REVIEW.

ANYONE ELSE WISH TO BE HEARD IN THE DIS ON THIS DISCUSSION ITEM? NO.

THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER 61, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 61 WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE 5TH, 2025.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.

I'M SORRY.

I'M ORGANIZING MY STUFF HERE.

LET ME, LET ME GET EVERYTHING ORGANIZED.

I, YES.

TAKE, NO, I DON'T EVEN, I AS YOUR, AS YOUR PHYSICIAN.

I ADVISE YOU TO QUIT TALKING.

I'M GONNA MAKE A JOKE.

SOMEBODY STAFF WAS LIKE, MAYBE SHE JUST QUIT TALKING COMPLETELY.

UM,

[02:00:01]

FOLKS, IT'S 12 O'CLOCK, AND SO WE WILL NOW GO TO OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, UM, LET ME JUST TELL THE FOLKS THAT ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS, AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT THIS IS A, THIS IS THE WAY WE, WE OPERATE.

WE'RE OPERATING VERY EFFICIENTLY, BUT IT, IT, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS FEEL EFFICIENT.

WE ARE GOING TO DO THE 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN, I ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL RECESS AROUND 1215 TO 1220.

UH, WE WILL RECESS UNTIL ONE O'CLOCK IF THEY, IF I'M RIGHT ABOUT THAT.

IF WE COULD GO FURTHER THAN THAT.

WE'LL RECESS A LITTLE BIT AFTER ONE O'CLOCK, UH, FOR, FOR LIVE MUSIC, AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK.

I ANTICIPATE THAT THE FIRST ITEM WE WILL TAKE UP THEN WILL BE ITEM NUMBER 58, AND THEN WE WILL GO TO ITEM NUMBER 42.

SO THAT'S THE, THE ORDER THAT I WOULD SUGGEST WE GO WITH THAT.

I'LL TURN TO THE CITY

[12:00 PM - Public Communication: General]

CLERK TO GO TO OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME, SIR.

OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS HAROLD SCH SMOKER ONE.

I WANT TO ASK AGAIN WHY YOU'RE INTENTIONALLY HARMING AUSTIN RESIDENTS BY DILUTING IN INDUSTRIAL HAZARDOUS WASTE INTO THE WATER SUPPLY.

I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION IN EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH AUSTIN WATER, AND THE ANSWER I GOT BACK WAS, THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE THE STAFF EXPERTISE TO UNDERSTAND THE HARM THAT'S BEING CAUSED, AND YOU RELY ON THE ADVICE OF THE STATE WHEN EMAIL THE STATE.

THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THE HARM EITHER AND REFERRED ME TO THE CDC.

SO BASICALLY, YOU'RE INTENTIONALLY HARMING YOUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO KNOWS SOMEONE THAT SAYS THEY BELIEVE IT'S SAFE, BUT YOU HAVE NO FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE SINCE I LAST SPOKE TO YOU IN MARCH.

MUCH HAS HAPPENED.

UTAH HAS BANNED FLUORIDATION AND FLORIDA QUICKLY FOLLOWED SUIT.

THERE ARE AT LEAST A DOZEN STATES WORKING ON LEGISLATION, INCLUDING TEXAS SENATOR BOB HALL INTRODUCED SB 26 53 TO END FLUORIDATION IN TEXAS AND TEXAS AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER SID MILLER IS PUBLICLY CALLING IT FOR, FOR IT TO END.

THE CURRENT DIRECTOR OF HHS STATED PUBLICLY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO THAT THERE'S OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE THAT THE FLUORIDATION CAUSES HARM, AND HE'S CALLING FOR IT TO END.

THIS IS GOING TO END AS STATES ARE RUSHING TO BAN THIS, AND I BELIEVE THE URGENCY HAS TO DO WITH LIABILITY.

SINCE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO STOP LOOKING THE OTHER WAY AND SPEAK TRUTHFULLY ABOUT THE HARM CAUSED, IF YOU CONTINUE TO HARM YOUR RESIDENTS, THIS WILL CREATE TREMENDOUS LIABILITY FOR YOU.

THE TEXAS TORT CLAIMS ACT PROTECTS YOU FROM PERSONAL LIABILITY WHEN DOING YOUR DUTIES, BUT IT DOES NOT PROTECT YOU FROM DOING INTENTIONAL HARM.

LET'S LOOK AT TWO AREAS OF THE DAMAGE DONE.

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY STUDIES SHOWS 6 BILLION A YEAR NATIONALLY IN INCREASED CANCER TREATMENT COSTS.

DUE TO THE HAZARDOUS WASTE BEING USED OVER A FOOD GRADE PRODUCT FOR AUSTIN, THAT WOULD TRANSLATE INTO ABOUT 36 MILLION A YEAR AND OVER 52 YEARS.

THAT'S ABOUT $2 BILLION IN ADDITIONAL CANCER TREATMENTS COSTS.

AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

SECOND IQ LOSS.

AN NIH STUDY SHOWS AN AVERAGE ABOUT $12,000 OF LIFETIME EARNINGS LOST FOR EACH IQ POINT A CHILD LOSES.

SO SEVEN IQ POINTS OF LOSS EQUATES TO ABOUT 84,000 IN LIFETIME EARNINGS.

52 YEARS WITH ABOUT 20,000 BIRTHS A YEAR, APPROXIMATELY A MILLION CHILDREN'S AFFECTED FOR A TOTAL ESTIMATED DAMAGES OF OVER $84 BILLION.

THERE'S MORE BAD NEWS FOR YOU WHEN THE STATE LEGISLATOR SHUTS YOU DOWN.

YOU'LL BE TREATED AS A HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATOR BY THE EPA AND YOU'LL HAVE TO REGISTER WITH THE EPA AND FOLLOW THEIR STRICT RULES ON DISPOSAL FOR YOUR REMAINING HYDRO CLERIC ACID.

THIS DISPOSAL COSTS AND THE REGISTRATION FEES WILL BE IN THE MILLIONS, I BELIEVE AT THIS POINT.

YOU'LL FINALLY COMPREHEND THAT THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT WASTE DISPOSAL AND IT'S NEVER BEEN ABOUT CAVITIES.

LIABILITY AND CLEANUP ARE TWO AREAS YOU SHOULD START PLANNING FOR.

I'M HOPING YOU'LL DECIDE TO BE THE HEROES AND END THIS NOW, AND NOT WAIT FOR THE STATE LEGISLATOR TO BE THE HERO WHICH WOULD CEMENT YOUR LEGACY AS THE VILLAINS ON THIS 52 YEARS OF POISONING YOUR RESIDENTS.

WHICH DOES LEAD TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND MORE HOMELESSNESS LEADING TO A NEED FOR MORE LOW INCOME HOUSING.

OUR SECOND SPEAKER, LIBBY CHANEL, LET US KNOW SHE WAS WITHDRAWING FROM PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO PAUL BERRYMAN WITH BRANDT DICKERSON ON DECK.

HI.

HELLO.

MY NAME IS PAUL BERRYMAN.

I LIVE, UH, 1003 COLONY NORTH DRIVE, ABOUT A HUNDRED YARDS FROM LOW INCOME HOUSING.

UM, THE AREA, THE, THERE'S A BUS THAT DROPS OFF WHILE THE LITTLE AND LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS AT THIS AREA.

IT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM A KNOWN DRUG DEALING, UH, LOCATION.

IT BREAKS MY HEART TO SEE THIS.

UM, I'M PROUD WE HAVE A PLACE TO SHELTER THESE CHILDREN IN LOW INCOME HOUSING.

UM, I PURCHASED MY HOUSE KNOWING THE AREA AND WAS PROUD THAT I'M DOING MY PART.

HOWEVER, STATISTICS SHOW THAT WHEN ENCOUNTERED WITH CRIME AND DRUGS EARLY AND EARLIER IN LIFE, YOUTH ARE MORE PRONE TO TRY THOSE DEAD DRUGS AND GET INVOLVED IN CRIME ACTIVITY EARLIER IN, EARLIER IN LIFE,

[02:05:01]

AND IT SEEMS THAT THE PLAN HERE, UH, OR ONE CAVEAT IS TO OPEN IT UP TO MORE LOW INCOME HOUSING POTENTIAL.

NOW, I SPOKE TO THE LADY LEADING THIS UP AND SHE SAYS, OH, THAT'S NOT ON US.

THIS IS JUST, THIS IS OUR VISION.

BUT IF YOU'RE REMOVING THE RED TAPE TO LET INVESTORS COME IN TO ADD MORE LOW INCOME HOUSING ON TOP OF LOW INCOME HOUSING, YOU ARE IMPLICIT.

UM, IN THE PAMPHLET THAT I READ WRITTEN BY Y'ALL OR SOMEBODY, IT SAID THAT THE AREA IS ALREADY 80% MINORITY, BUT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, IT'S CREPT UP WITH 10, UH, 7% WHITE PEOPLE.

IS THE GOAL A HUNDRED PERCENT MINORITY? LIKE WHAT IS THE GOAL HERE? BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT AUSTIN AS A WHOLE, IT IS NOT 80% MINORITY.

THEREFORE, YOU'RE DOING A DISSERVICE BY SHOVING MORE LOW INCOME HOUSING ON TOP OF LOW INCOME HOUSING.

YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN IN THESE SITUATIONS.

UM, ON MAY 11TH, I HEARD FIVE GUNSHOTS.

I REPORTED IT APRIL 12TH, I HEARD SEVEN GUNSHOTS REPORTED IT, AND A FEW MINUTES LATER, THERE ARE MORE GUNSHOTS.

UM, I HAVEN'T REPORTED GUNSHOTS.

I HAVE STARTED SINCE THIS, SINCE I GOT THIS INFORMATION, AND I'M GONNA START NOW.

BUT IMAGINE BEING A CHILD AND HEARING GUNSHOTS MORE THAN ONCE A MONTH AND SEEING DRUG DEALS ON A DAILY BASIS, UM, BY IMPLEMENT, IMPLEMENTING A MEASURE THAT YOU KNOW WILL RESULT IN MORE LOW INCOME HOUSING, YOU ARE IMPLICIT.

UM, IT'S GONNA LEAD TO SEGREGATION OR, OR CITY PLANNERS OF YESTERYEAR HAD A SEGREGATION LINE OF 35, AND IT'S BEEN A BLIGHT ON AUSTIN'S HISTORY.

A VOTE FOR YES HERE WITHOUT THE ADDENDUM OF, OF NOT LETTING PEOPLE PUT INVESTORS, PUT LOW INCOME HOUSING IN THE AREA IS A VOTE FOR SEGREGATION.

AND YOU'LL SEE IN FIVE TO 10 YEARS, YOU'LL SEE A PERPETUATING CYCLE.

THESE, THESE LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS ARE GOING TO START DABBLING IN THE SAME THINGS, AND IT'S GONNA LEAD TO A BREAKDOWN.

AS A SOCIETY, A SOCIETY CAN EITHER BUILD YOU UP OR IT COULD CRUMBLE YOU.

UM, BEING BORN INTO A GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM OR BEING RAISED IN A SUPPORT SYSTEM CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOU AND BE THE DIFFERENCE OF BEING A CEO OR JUST IN PRISON.

UM, YOU'RE NOT SO NAIVE TO NOT KNOW A PLUS B EQUALS C.

IF THIS PASSES IN FIVE TO 10 YEARS, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE IN CRIME RATES AND DRUG USES USAGE.

MORE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT WILL NEED LOW INCOME HOUSING.

UH, WE HAVE THE STATISTICS TO PROVE MORE OF OUR CHILDREN WILL SUCCUMB TO DRUG USE IN A LIFE OF CRIME PERPETUATING A CYCLE.

PLEASE HAVE THE INTEGRITY TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE FUTURE FOR THE KIDS.

A VOTE YES, HERE IS A VOTE THAT WILL PERPETUATE SEGREGATION IN AUSTIN.

THESE KIDS NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A PLAY WITH FAMILIES.

UM, WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT THE, THE CITY LOOKS INTO THIS.

APPRECIATE.

NEXT WE HAVE BRAND DICKERSON WITH ALAN MAR ON DECK COUNSEL.

UH, MY NAME'S BRENT DICKERSON.

MY WIFE AND I OWN, UH, RIVER ROCK LAWN AND LANDSCAPING.

WE'RE A FAMILY BUSINESS OFF OF, UH, 2105 WEST HOWARD LANE.

UM, WE RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT WE ARE IN AN AREA CALLED A LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION.

UM, I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THIS JURISDICTION THAT I WAS UNAWARE OF WHEN I PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.

UM, THE PROPERTY'S BEEN USED FOR A LANDSCAPING COMPANY FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS.

WE PURCHASED IT FIVE YEARS AGO.

UM, BEEN OPERATING IT THE SAME WAY.

I WAS NOTIFIED A YEAR AGO THAT WE ARE OUT OF SITE PLAN.

UM, I THOUGHT WE WERE IN AN ETJ.

I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION, UH, IGNORANCE ON MY PART WHEN I PURCHASED IT.

UM, WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH, UH, A LAW FIRM THAT BASICALLY HAS KIND OF JUST HIT A WALL.

UM, THE, UH, THE NEXT CONTACT WAS I, I WAS CONTACTED AGAIN BY AN INSPECTOR, UM, AND I ASKED HIM KIND OF WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.

UH, THEY SAID TO GO DOWN TO TO DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER.

I WENT DOWN THERE.

UM, THEY TOLD ME TO HIRE AN ENGINEER THAT THEY CAN'T HELP US.

UM, I CALLED AN ENGINEER FIRM, UM, TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $50,000.

I CAN GET A SITE PLAN.

UM, THERE WAS A SENATE BILL 2038 THAT WAS PASSED WHERE PROPERTIES CAN PETITION TO GET OUT OF THE ETJ, BUT THIS WASN'T THE LIMITED PURPOSE.

JURISDICTION WAS NOT PART OF THAT.

UM, LIMITED JURISDICTION IS VERY SIMILAR TO ETJ.

I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT WORSE.

UM, I, I DON'T GET ANY CITY SERVICES EXCEPT FOR WATER.

UH, I GET AUSTIN ENERGY.

I STILL HAVE A SEPTIC SYSTEM, CAN'T GET SEWER.

UM, BUT I'M REGULATED, LIKE I'M ACTUALLY IN THE CITY.

I HAVE ZONING ALL THAT, ALL THAT STUFF.

UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, STARTED TO ASK QUESTIONS AND WE'RE FINDING OUT THAT DEVELOPERS ARE ACTUALLY TURNING IN THESE PROPERTIES IN THE LIMITED JURISDICTIONS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT, UM, IT COULD GET REALLY EXPENSIVE FOR US TO BRING THESE UP TO SITE PLAN.

UM, I'M IN A VERY SMALL SECTION.

I'VE STARTED CONTACTING PEOPLE AND IT'S JUST LIKE EVERY DAY PEOPLE ARE GETTING THESE LETTERS.

UM, AND WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT.

UM, I'VE STARTED TO LOOK AT COST OF WHAT IT WOULD COST ME.

IT'S TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $300,000 TO PROBABLY GET MY PROPERTY TO SITE PLAN PUTS ME OUTTA BUSINESS.

I'M DONE.

I'VE HAD MY COMPANY 14 YEARS AND I, I I, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE MONEY TO DO THAT.

[02:10:01]

UM, I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT WAS MISSED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT OR WHAT, BUT, UM, IT, IT'S A SITUATION.

UM, IF WE COULD BE GRANTED THE ABILITY TO BE RELEASED FROM THE LIMITED PURPOSE JURISDICTION, UM, IN OUR AREA, A LOT OF BUSINESSES ARE BEING AFFECTED BY IT.

UM, IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY KEEP US IN BUSINESS, UM, AND, AND HELP US NOT HAVE TO GO BY CITY, UM, ZONING RULES.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

OUR LAST SPEAKER IS ALAN RODDY.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS ALAN RUDDY.

IN 1963, MY PARENTS BOUGHT A LITTLE PIECE OF AN OLD COW PASTURE NEAR LAKE AUSTIN THAT NO ONE ELSE WANTED.

I'VE BEEN BLESSED TO BE ON LAKE AUSTIN FOR 62 YEARS.

DURING THE PAST 62 YEARS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN HAS NEVER ALLOCATED THE RESOURCES OR PERSONNEL TO BE LAKE AUSTIN'S CONTROLLING AUTHORITY HERE AT CITY HALL.

ON PAPER, THE CITY IS A CONTROLLING AUTHORITY, BUT OUT ON THE COLORADO RIVER, THERE IS NO LAW WEST OF TOM MILLER DAM.

THE LAKE AUSTIN RIVERBED IS BEING SERIOUSLY ERODED BY THE CONSTANT ROLLING SURF BEING PRODUCED BY THE SPOILED BRAT SURFERS.

YOU CAN SEE THE SHORELINE EROSION WHEN CYPRESS TREES ARE 10 TO 15 FEET OUTTA THE WATER.

THEY USED TO BE ON LAND LIKE AUSTIN'S TOO SHALLOW AND TOO NARROW TO TAKE THE CONSTANT ABUSE OF YOUR SPOILED BRAT SURFERS.

NOT ONLY ARE THE PRIVATE BOAT DOCKS BEING DAMAGED, BUT THE CITY'S PARKLAND WATER DEPARTMENT FACILITIES AND ALCON'S CANYONLAND PROPERTY ARE BEING DAMAGED.

ONE WAY TO EXPLAIN PART OF THE PROBLEM TO NON-VOTERS AND VOTERS ALIKE IS AT THE LAKE AUSTIN TASK FORCE PUBLIC HEARING TO THE SURFERS SAID, SURFERS MAKE LAKE AUSTIN SAFER BECAUSE WE MAKE ALL THE OTHER BOATS SLOW DOWN AND STOP TOO.

HA HA HA.

THAT'S THE POINT.

WHATEVER YOUR BOAT ACTIVITY, IF YOU'RE MAKING THE OTHER BOATS TO HAVE TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP, THAT IS COVERED IN THE TEXAS WATER SAFETY MANUAL AND IS A CONTROLLING AUTHORITY, THE CITY IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THAT BEHAVIOR.

THE LARGE WAKES ARE BEING PRODUCED BY YOUR SPOILED BRAT.

SURFERS HAVE SO MUCH ENERGY THAT WHEN THEY HIT THE SHORELINE, THEY DO NOT DISSIPATE.

THEY WILL BOUNCE OFF THE SHORELINE, GO ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE LAKE, HIT THE OPPOSITE SHORELINE, AND BOUNCE BACK AND MEET IN THE MIDDLE.

THAT'S JUST ONE BOAT.

WHEN YOU HAVE FIVE OR SIX BOATS IN ONE AREA, THE DANGER INCREASES AND SO DOES THE EROSION.

NOW, YOU MAY NOT CARE ABOUT THE RIVERBED AND THE SHORELINE EROSION, THE BOAT DOCKS OR THE OTHER BOATERS ON LAKE AUSTIN, BUT IN AUGUST OF 2023, A BOAT HIT YOUR SURFER WAKES LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED IN THE SHORELINE.

A 14-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS KILLED.

WHY? BECAUSE THERE IS NO LAW WEST OF TOM MILLER DAM.

HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU MEMBERS.

THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AT OUR 12 O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN ON, UH, PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

SO, UH, WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO RECESS.

WE WILL RECESS UNTIL ONE O'CLOCK.

I MENTIONED THAT WE WERE GONNA TAKE UP 58 AND 42.

WE ALSO STILL NEED TO HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 65.

THAT OUGHT TO BE SHORT.

SO WE'LL TAKE UP 65, 58, AND THEN 42 WHEN WE RETURNED WITHOUT OBJECTION.

UH, THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS IN RECESS UNTIL 1:00 PM IT'S 12:13 PM WE'RE IN RECESS.

AND I

[Live Music]

APOLOGIZE.

MY VOICE IS A LITTLE THROAT BECAUSE OF ALLERGIES.

UH, BUT I HAVE A, IT IS, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

OH, I, I CAN SAY, I CAN SAY, UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF AMAZING AND A BEAU AND BEAUTIFUL SOULS DOING A LOT OF AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL THINGS.

AND I'M SO HONORED THAT I GET TO INTRODUCE MY DEAR FRIEND, DJ HELIOS FROM SOUND ENGINEER TURNED, DJ HELIOS HAS CARVED OUT A PROMINENT PRESENCE IN THE MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FOR OVER A DECADE.

FUSING BEATS FROM HER MEXICAN ROOTS WITH INFLUENCES OF HIP HOP, RETTON HOUSE, AND FUNGI EDITS.

SHE CREATES AN ELECTRIC MIX THAT CELEBRATES THE, THE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF MUSIC AND EXEMPLIFIES HOW PEOPLE CAN CELEBRATE COMMUNITY URA AND LIFE ON THE DANCE FLOOR WITH A VERSATILE SKILLSET.

SHE'S CAPTIVATED CROWDS OF OVER 20,000 AT AUSTIN FCS, Q2 STADIUM WITH PE ENERGIZED MAJOR CORPORATE CONFERENCES IN LOS ANGELES AND LAS VEGAS, AND BROUGHT HER SOUND TO THE ICONIC NIGHTCLUBS OF MEXICO CITY.

HELIOS HAS SHARED STAGES WITH LEGENDS LIKE BILLY IDOL AND CAR.

LEON BROUGHT UNFORGETTABLE ENERGY TO LATIN FESTIVALS LIKE BESAM MUO, ENCANA FEST, ENCANA FEST, AND PROUDLY REPRESENTED AS AN OFFICIAL SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ARTIST IN BOTH 2024

[02:15:01]

AND 2025.

DRIVEN BY RHYTHM AND ROOTED IN CULTURE.

SHE'S RELENTLESS ON THE DECKS AND FEARLESS IN HER VISION AND RESHAPING THE D DJ SCENE IN EVERY CROWD SHE CONNECTS WITH.

LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR DJ LIOS.

UH, CHECK.

CHECK.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

I SEE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL FACES IN THE CROWD, PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WITH ME SINCE DAY ONE.

BRANDON, SHOUT OUT TO YOU PEOPLE WHO HAVE MET ME MAYBE A YEAR AGO.

I APPRECIATE ALL OF Y'ALL SO MUCH.

SHOUT OUT TO MY PARENTS.

IF THEY, UM, HADN'T IMMIGRATED TO THE US MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, I WOULD NOT BE HERE.

SO THIS IS FOR THE MEXICANAS, THIS IS FOR THE LATINAS, THIS IS FOR MY BROWN AND BLACK PEOPLE.

I LOVE Y'ALL.

UM, I THINK THAT'S IT.

A LITTLE, A LITTLE SET.

SOMEBODY SAYS YOUR NAME, MY STOMACH DOESN'T A PAIN.

POPPING IN FINGERS.

REHAB.

GOT THE WHOLE GRA JOINT.

I PUT YOUR PICTURE ON MY MIRROR BLUSH.

WHEN

[02:20:01]

YOU WALK IN MY DIRECTION, I GO THE OTHER WAY.

I START TO STUTTER.

SPEED.

MY KNEES GO, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME IN TELL ME WHAT IT, I LET MY HEAD ON MY PILLOW STARING OUT THE WINDOW.

THE REASON WHY THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.

I GO BY THE NAME DJ HELIO.

THAT'S RIGHT.

NEXT ITEM THAT WE WILL TAKE UP IS ITEM NUMBER 65, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

ALL RIGHT, SO NOW I HAVE THE DISTINCT PRIVILEGE OF READING YOUR PROCLAMATION, BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS BLESSED WITH MANY CREATIVE MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENT EXTENDS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY MUSICAL GENRE.

AND WHEREAS OUR MUSIC SCENE THRIVES BECAUSE AUSTIN AUDIENCES SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC PRODUCED BY LEGENDS, OUR LOCAL FAVORITES AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE.

AND WHEREAS WE'RE PLEASED TO SHOWCASE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.

NOW, THEREFORE, I COUNCILMAN JOSE VELASQUEZ ON BEHALF OF THE MAYOR AND THE ENTIRE DAIS MAYOR, UH, THE OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, TO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 22ND, 2025 AS DJ HELIO'S DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

TAKE A PHOTO AND IF YOU WANNA TAKE, YOU WANNA SAY, YEAH, I'M LIKE, I, I FEEL LIKE I SAID EVERYTHING.

I DON'T KNOW.

UM, AGAIN, SHOUT OUT TO MY PARENTS.

MY DAD SAID HE IS WATCHING THE, THE STREAM.

UM, SO PAPA , I LOVE YOU.

UM, SHOUT OUT AGAIN TO BRANDON AND MICHAEL BOND, WHO WERE THERE FROM THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING.

SHOUT OUT TO OSA.

SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF MY DJ HOMIES AND SO MANY OF Y'ALL THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG AND SEEN THE GROWTH, THE PROGRESSION.

AGAIN, I WAS A SMALL LATINA GIRL WHO HAD A LOT OF BIG DREAMS, AND I FEEL LIKE TODAY I AM FULFILLING ONE OF THEM.

SO THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.

WHAT Y'ALL WANT US TO STEP,

[65. Conduct a public hearing and consider an ordinance amending City Code Title 25 (Land Development) to establish planning areas for specific geographic areas and establish regulations creating and amending these planning areas. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]

[02:25:12]

UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 65.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN, AND I WILL TURN TO, TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.

FIRST SPEAKER IS ALEXANDRIA ANDERSON WITH BILL BUNCH AND JENNY GRAYSON ON DECK.

PLEASE CALL THE NAMES AGAIN, ALEXANDRIA ANDERSON, BILL BUNCH, JENNY GRAYSON AND MONICA GUZMAN.

ALL ON ITEM 65.

ARE ANY OF THOSE FOUR PEOPLE HERE? I DON'T SEE ANYONE COMING FORWARD, AND I THINK I KNOW ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY OF THEM.

UM, ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? THOSE FOUR ARE THE ONLY FOR 65 MEMBERS.

THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 65.

SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 65, AND THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE.

IT'S MADE BY.

THE APPROVAL IS MADE BY A MOTION TO APPROVE IS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY THE MAYOR PRO TIM, IS THERE DISCUSSION ON THE ITEM? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.

ITEM NUMBER 65 IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON OFF THE DAIS.

[58. Approve a resolution regarding creating a policy setting the framework for property tax rate elections for municipal services.]

WILL NOW GO TO ITEM NUMBER 58 MEMBERS.

ITEM NUMBER 58 IS AN ITEM FROM A COUNCIL COMMITTEE.

IT COMES FROM THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.

AND, UH, SO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT PROCESS, UH, THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE HAS MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL, AND IN THIS MOMENT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION, UH, AS CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE TO ADOPT IT.

THERE IS A PROPOSED AMENDMENT THAT WAS PUT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, SO EVERYBODY'S UP TO SPEED ON WHERE WE ARE.

UM, AND WE WILL HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT AND THE MOTION, UH, MOMENTARILY, BUT I WANT, I WANT TO JUST KIND OF TELL WHAT THE, THE ORDER OF THINGS WOULD BE.

SO JUST SO THAT WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE, UH, AS CHAIR OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION ON ITEM NUMBER 58.

IT IS SECONDED BY THE VICE CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.

UM, BEFORE WE GO TO ANY AMENDMENTS, I JUST WANNA GET THE MOTION OUT THERE.

I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GO TO THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS.

FIRST SPEAKER IS BRIGHTON SUMMERS WITH CAROL GUTHRIE AND BEN SET OF BEYOND DECK.

MS. GUTHRIE, THE MICROPHONE IS YOURS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, CAROL GUTHRIE WITH AFSCME LOCAL 1624.

WE ARE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE, UM, NOT THE MOTION.

WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION, BUT WE ARE SUPPORTING THE OVERALL POLICY OF THE TRE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

BRIAN SUMMERS AND BEN SOTHEBY.

ALL THE SPEAKERS ON ITEM 58 HAVE BEEN CALLED.

WOULD YOU CALL THE OTHER TWO NAMES AGAIN? YEAH, JUST MAKE SURE.

YEP.

ALL OF US FIGHTING FOR IT TOGETHER, INCLUDING EVERYONE HERE AT THE CITY.

UM, IN THAT CASE, MEMBERS, YOU HAVE HEARD THE, UM, THE, WE HAVE NO OTHER SPEAKER, SO YOU'VE HEARD THE, THE MAIN MOTION I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE NOW, UM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, UH, WITH REGARD TO HIS PROPOSED MOTION TO AMEND.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS THOROUGH AND COMPREHENSIVE POLICY.

UM, THE VOTERS REALLY DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE WILL NOT ASK FOR A TAX RATE INCREASE UNLESS IT IS ESSENTIAL, AND THAT WE WILL FOLLOW A RIGOROUS PROCESS BEFORE GOING TO THE VOTERS.

MY MOTION IS TO REMOVE ONE SUBSECTION, UH, WHICH IS SUBSECTION A OF POLICY NUMBER THREE, WHICH BASICALLY SAYS, A TRE SHOULD NOT BE USED TO FUND, QUOTE UNQUOTE BASE COST DRIVERS.

AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF CONCERNS ABOUT THIS SUBSECTION, INCLUDING WHAT DOES BASE COST DRIVERS MEAN AND WHAT HAPPENS IF A TRE IS IN FACT NEEDED TO ADDRESS BASE COST DRIVERS? SO, AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, A NUMBER, A NUMBER OF CITY POSITIONS HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY CUTS INITIATED BY SO-CALLED DOGE, AND THE NEW FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.

UH, THESE POSITIONS ARE LARGELY IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ARE GRANT FUNDED AND MAY OR MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED BASE COST DRIVERS.

AND YET MANY OF THE WORKERS IN THESE POSITIONS HAVE BEEN SERVING THE CITY FOR YEARS, IN SOME CASES, DECADES, AND PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT FULFILL AUSTIN'S VALUES AND CORE POLICY OBJECTIVES.

SO I DON'T WANT OUR TRE POLICY TO PENALIZE THESE WORKERS IN THE PROGRAMS THEY FULFILL, SIMPLY BECAUSE A NEW FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION DECIDED TO CUT THEIR GRANT FUNDING.

ALSO, FRANKLY, IF WE DECIDE TO PUT A TRE ON THE BALLOT, I WANT

[02:30:01]

SO I MOVE TO REMOVE SECTION THREE A OF THE PROPOSED POLICY, WHICH WOULD LEAVE THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE CITY CLEARLY IDENTIFY HOW ADDITIONAL REVENUE WOULD BE USED, AND WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THE CITY TO PROVIDE AN ACCOUNTING OF THE LEVEL OF SERVICES PROVIDED, BUT WOULDN'T CREATE A DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN WHAT CONSTITUTES BASE COSTS VERSUS OTHER COSTS.

UH, THE MOTION TO AMEND IS TO JUST SURGICALLY TAKE OUT THAT ONE SECTION.

YES, SIR.

UM, I'LL ASK FOR A SEC IF THERE'S A SECOND TO THE MOTION.

SECOND ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE.

WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO DISCUSSION.

MS. LANG, I'M GONNA ASK YOU A QUESTION.

UH, SO IF YOU, YOU WANNA MAKE YOUR WAY UP, WHAT I WILL, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT I THINK WHAT THE CONSIDERATION, FIRST OF ALL, I, AS I PUT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, UH, COUNSEL, AS I PUT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, I THINK THERE'S MERIT TO THE DISCUSSION THAT IS BEING BROUGHT UP.

AND NOT ONLY IS THERE MERIT TO IT, THERE WAS CONSIDERATION OF HOW YOU ADDRESS THIS.

AND I THINK MS. LANG WILL, WILL SAY, I'M, I'M SAYING THIS THE RIGHT WAY, BUT, BUT THE CONSIDERATION, THE CONCERN WAS IT, HOW DO YOU HAVE A POLICY FOR TRES WHERE YOU ASSURE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE DISCIPLINE WITH REGARD TO THOSE BUDGET ITEMS THAT ARE COST DRIVERS, WHERE YOU MIGHT NOT NEED A TRE IF THERE WERE, I'LL USE THE PHRASE BETTER DISCIPLINE, BUT CLEARLY A RECOGNITION BY THE COMMITTEE.

AND AGAIN, I'LL LET THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS SPEAK IF THEY THINK I SAY SOMETHING WRONG TOO.

BUT CLEARLY RECOGNITION BY THE COMMITTEE THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO WAS MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE TOOK CARE OF THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY, WHICH INVOLVES COST DRIVERS.

AND THERE MIGHT BE TIMES WHEN YOU REALLY DO NEED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF REQUEST OF THE PUBLIC TO ALLOW FOR GREATER, GREATER FUNDING SO THAT YOU COULD MEET WHAT ARE ESSENTIALLY COST DRIVERS.

SO IT WAS NOT MEANT TO CREATE, I, I'LL BE VERY CLEAR, IT WAS NOT MEANT TO CREATE A DIVISION.

IT WAS MEANT TO BE A POLICY ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD PRIMARILY BE LOOKING TO GO FORWARD ON, SO THAT THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT OR A, A BUILT IN, UH, DISCIPLINE TO THINGS.

SO, I, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT'S, THAT'S HOW I THINK THE COMMITTEE WAS LOOKING AT THAT MS. LANG.

UM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS THE, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT? SURE.

UM, THANK YOU CARRIE LANG BUDGET, UM, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE.

AND, UM, MAYOR, YOU ARE, YOU ARE CORRECT.

WHEN THE STAFF LOOKED AT THIS RECOMMENDATION OR CREATE THIS RECOMMENDATION, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS A LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY ON STAFF AND ON, UM, THE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE.

AND SO THIS, THIS SUBSECTION WAS REALLY SPEAKING TO OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN MAKING SURE WE CAME WITH, WE LOOKED AT HOW WE CAN BALANCE THE BUDGET BEFORE LOOKING AT A TRE.

UM, IT WAS NOT MEANT TO LOOK AT DIVIDING THOSE FUNCTIONS.

WE, AS WE, THROUGH THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING OUR COMPLETE DUE DILIGENCE AND THEN LOOKING AT WHAT WE SHOULD ADD FOR, WHETHER IT'S EXPANDED SERVICES BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH OF THE CITY, OR EXPANDED SERVICES BECAUSE IT'S NEW PROGRAMMING, LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS TO ADD TO A TRE.

BUT BUSINESS THAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WORKED REALLY HARD TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WERE HOLDING OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE IN THAT WORK.