[CALL TO ORDER]
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I HAD LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE 2026 BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON JUNE 23RD, 2025.
CAN YOU PLEASE CALL US TO ORDER? I MEAN, CALL THE ROLL.
KATRINA MILLER, JC DWYER HERE.
AND I WANNA NOTE
DAVID SULLIVAN, HAYDEN WALKER.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO A CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
SORRY, DID YOU CALL MY NAME? I DID, BUT I CAUGHT YOU.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL (3 minutes to speak)]
WILL START WITH OUR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.I'M A RESIDENT OF CRESTVIEW IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF EVERGREEN AUSTIN, WHICH IS A WOMEN-LED NON-PARTISAN GROUP WORKING TO CREATE A MORE LIVABLE, EQUITABLE, RESILIENT, AND HEALTHY AUSTIN BY REIGNITING OUR GREEN CONSCIOUSNESS AND EMBEDDING AN ENDURING GREEN CULTURE FOR AUSTIN.
I'M ALSO A RECENT GRADUATE OF UT'S LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'M A MOM OF TWO.
I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LANDS ANNUAL RANKING OF CITIES BASED UPON PARKS AND OPEN SPACE METRICS KNOWN AS PARK SCORE.
WHEN MY SON WAS BORN IN 2012, AUSTIN'S PARK SCORE LANDED US IN 19TH PLACE.
WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS BORN IN 2015, WE RANKED 31ST.
IN THE MOST RECENT 2024 PARK SCORE RANKING, WE LANDED AT NUMBER 44 ON THE LIST AND WE'RE LOSING GROUND LITERALLY, AS MY COLLEAGUES POINTED OUT IN THE MAY 27TH MEETING, PARKS ARE FOR ALL PARKS ARE A POWERFUL CATALYST FOR ECONOMIC VITALITY AND COMMUNITY WELLBEING.
THEY ENHANCE CAPITAL MARKETS, ATTRACT AND SUSTAIN BUSINESS INVESTMENT SUPPORT, THOUGHTFUL RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND ENRICH THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF ALL.
YET, EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT IN AUSTIN IS PARK DEFICIENT.
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE THEN IN 2026, NOW IS THE TIME TO INVEST IN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
NO OTHER INVESTMENT WORKS TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
PROTECT OUR AIR AND WATER, IMPROVE OUR HEALTH AND WELLBEING, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUSTAINABILITY, RESILIENCE AND BEAUTY OF OUR CITY.
LEMME GET YOUR PRESENTATION UP FIRST SO YOU DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME.
I'M MELBA WATLEY, EVERGREEN AUSTIN MEMBER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR IMPORTANT WORK HERE.
I DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS VISUAL.
IT REPRESENTS GRAY INFRASTRUCTURE IN YOUR OUR CITY THINK CONCRETE ROADS AND BUILDINGS.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN TIME, YOU'LL SEE A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF AUSTIN'S EXPLOSIVE GROWTH 68% IN THE LAST DECADE.
THIS LAST IMAGE SHOWS YOU THE GREEN
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SPACE WE HAVE SECURED BY 2023.AT FIRST GLANCE, IT LOOKS GREAT.
WE ACQUIRED THIS GREEN SPACE MOSTLY LONG AGO WHEN GREEN WAS A CITY PRIORITY.
AS YOU SEE HERE, THE LAST TIME A PAR BOND PACKAGE FUNDED ONLY LAND ACQUISITION WAS 1992 FOR BARTON CREEK WILDERNESS PARK TASK FORCE MEMBERS.
OUR RESEARCH SHOWS THAT ONLY 31% OF ALL BOND PACKAGES FOR PARD AFTER 92, THAT'S 98, 2006, 2012, AND 2018, WERE SPENT ON LAND ACQUISITION ALL DURING THE YEARS OF OUR GREATEST GROWTH.
YOU KNOW, PARD BONDS PASS WITH HIGH VOTER APPROVAL, 80% IN THE 2018 BOND, WE FOUND THE SAME OVERWHELMING SUPPORT IN OUR 2024 POLL OF 400 AUSTIN VOTERS.
88% AGREED THE CITY NEEDS TO INQUIRE ALL THE LAND IT CAN NOW BECAUSE WHEN IT'S GONE, IT'S GONE FOREVER.
EVERGREEN MEMBERS AND OTHERS HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT THE HUGE RETURN ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
THESE TWO GRAPHS SHOW HOW LAND ACTS AS THE SUPER ENGINE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING FOR CLIMATE, RESILIENCE, BIODIVERSITY, HUMAN HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
WE BELIEVE IT SUMMARIZES THE INGREDIENTS THAT MAKE AN ABUNDANT LIFE FOR US ALL.
PLEASE REMEMBER, ONCE PARD ACQUIRES THE LAND WITH ITS PORTION OF THE 50 MILLION WE SAVED FROM THE ABANDONED CLIMATE BOND, PARD WILL HAVE FEW DOLLARS LEFT UNDER CURRENT PRACTICE.
WHATEVER FUNDS THIS COMMITTEE AND VOTERS APPROVE DON'T BECOME AVAILABLE TILL 27 AND THEN ONLY ONE SIX A YEAR.
MEANWHILE, LAND PRICES ESCALATE AND CONCRETE POURING CONTINUES.
WHY HAVE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT THE LAST 30 YEARS STEPPED AWAY FROM THIS URGENT NEED DURING THE PERIOD OF OUR GREATEST GROWTH? WATER SCARCITY, HOTTER TEMPERATURES, AND DIRTY AIR? WHY HAVE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS NEGLECTED TO GIVE VOTERS THE CHANCE TO EXPRESS THEIR OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR LAND ACQUISITION SUPPORT? ALL THE MORE ACUTE.
NOW THAT THE STATE HAS ELIMINATED PARKLAND EDUCATION FEES AND PARTS ACQUISITION FUNDS ARE DEPLETED, WE HAD EVERGREEN HOPE.
THIS BOND COMMITTEE REVERSES THIS TREND AND SETS US ON A NEW GREEN COURSE.
UH, I'M HERE TO PRESENT AN IDEA FOR CONSIDERATION FOR FUNDING FROM THE 2026 BOND.
THE IDEA IS BEST CATEGORIZED AS A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER PROGRAM.
THE CONCEPT IS TO CREATE MICRO CLUSTERS, HUBS OF ACTIVITY WITHIN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH ENCOURAGE SMALL SCALE DEVELOPMENT, PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, INCREASE PUBLIC TRANSIT ACTIVITY IN A MORE SMALL BUSINESS FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.
I'VE BEEN WORKING ACTIVELY WITH MY NEIGHBORHOOD CONTACT TEAM AND SAFE STREETS AUSTIN, TO DEVELOP THIS PROGRAM.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE, MORE SPECIFICALLY EAST EAST CESAR CHAVEZ STREET, UH, CORRIDOR.
WE SEE A NEED FOR ENCOURAGING, UH, MORE SMALL SCALE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT SEE THIS PROGRAM AS BENEFICIAL CITYWIDE, WHICH IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY.
UH, IN THE CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD OVER THE PAST YEAR, IT WAS SAID TO FIRST LOOK AT THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT IT HAS INCENTIVIZED.
ONE EXAMPLE IS THAT THE CITY ORIGINALLY CHANGED THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE IN 2021, UM, TO ALLOW MORE LENIENT, UM, STANDARDS FOR SINGLE STAIR.
YET SINCE 2021, THERE'S ONLY BEEN ONE SINGLE STAIR BUILDING BUILT IN AUSTIN.
UH, THE WAY PROPERTY VALUES WORK IS THAT THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE DRIVES THE PROPERTY VALUE.
SO IF ZONING ALLOWS A 10 STORY BUILDING, UH, THE LAND COST WOULD NOT INCENTIVIZE A THREE OR FOUR STORY BUILDING.
SMALLER DEVELOPMENT ALLOWS FIRST TIME NEW DEVELOPERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO START BUILDING BECAUSE THEY REQUIRE SMALLER CAPITAL.
INVESTMENT CAN BE BUILT ON SMALLER LOTS AND PROVIDE FOR BETTER ACCESS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.
THE MORE MONEY NEEDED FOR A PROJECT, THE LARGER ENTITY NEEDED TO SUPPLY THAT FUNDING, WHICH WOULD CREATE HIGHER BARRIERS FOR BUSINESSES TO GET APPROVED TO LEASE IN THOSE DEVELOPMENTS.
SMALLER DEVELOPMENTS ARE MORE FRIENDLY TO LOCAL DEVELOPERS, HOPEFULLY FROM WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY'RE BUILT, WHO WOULD BE MORE LENIENT TO RENT SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES.
PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERING PROGRAM AND INCENTIVES FOR PRESERVING HISTORIC STRUCTURES SET A PRECEDENT FOR THE TYPE OF INVESTMENT THIS PROGRAM WOULD NEED.
INCENTIVES SUCH AS EXPEDITED PERMITTING, UH, PRE-APPROVED BUILDING PLANS, UTILITY INVESTIGATIONS AND PROGRAMS TO CONTROL THE IMPACT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT AND DISPLACEMENT.
WE CAN'T CONTROL LAND COSTS OR BUILDING COSTS, BUT WE CAN CONTROL THE COST OF TIME BY MAKING IT EASIER TO BUILD THE TYPE OF BUILDINGS MOST BENEFICIAL TO OUR CITY AND NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE CAN INCENTIVIZE SMALL SCALE DEVELOPMENT
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AND EXPERIENCE BENEFITS ACROSS MANY COMMUNITY BENEFIT AREAS SUCH AS HOUSING, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND SMALL BUSINESS JOB CREATION.I'M PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND I HAVE BEEN WITH TREE FOLKS FOR EIGHT YEARS.
I'VE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT TREES AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT TREES AND THE ENVIRONMENT FOR, FOR A LONG TIME.
UH, BEFORE THAT I WAS AT THE NATURAL GARDENER, AND SO I'VE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT TREES AND IN MY TIME WITH TREE FOLKS, I'VE STARTED TO SEE AND DEVELOP A GREATER APPRECIATION FOR THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE.
THE BEAUTY, THE PARKS, THE NATURE, UM, FOR MY FAMILY AND, AND FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE DONE THE MOST WORK IS NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE GIVE AWAY FREE TREES WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THAT'S BEEN REALLY FOCUSED ON REDUCING THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.
AND SO THE MAIN THING I GUESS THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I, UH, COMMUNICATE TO, TO YOU ALL TODAY IS THAT TREES ARE, WELL, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE CAPTURED.
THEY, UM, I, THE TERM THAT COMES TO MIND IS ADAPTOGENIC, MEANING THAT THEY SERVE MANY DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS AND THEY TEND TO PULL TOWARD AN EQUILIBRIUM.
AND IT'S EQUILIBRIUM BEING RELATED TO, UM, THINGS LIKE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS THAT, THAT ARE REMOVED FROM THE AIR.
THINGS LIKE STORM WATER REDUCTION BEING ABSORBED INTO THE TREES.
ALONG THE LINES OF THAT, THERE'S ALSO THINGS RELATED TO, IS THAT MY TIME? OKAY, GOOD.
THE, THE ACTUAL TEMPERATURE MITIGATION AND, AND COOLING, THE, THE TRANSPIRATION COOLING THE LEAVES IN THE AIR AROUND THEM.
SO THERE'S ALL THESE LIKE MIRRORED DOCUMENTED, EVEN MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS THAT THESE DOCUMENTED BENEFITS OF THE GREEN SPACES AND TREES, THAT IT'S, IT'S BEYOND THAT.
TREES ARE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IN A WAY.
THEY'RE, I, I HATE TO USE THE WORD, THEY'RE KIN.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE FELLOW LIFE ON THIS PLANET THAT HAVE SO MANY BENEFITS FOR US AND REALLY DON'T ASK FOR A LOT IN RETURN.
UM, AND THEN I THINK THAT YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO PROVIDE MORE THROUGH THE, THE BONDS THAT COME UP, UM, WITH THE SPACE, THE MAINTENANCE.
THEY CERTAINLY TAKE ATTENTION.
AND, UH, IT SAID THAT THE GARDENERS, GARDENERS SHADOW IS THE BEST FERTILIZER.
AND SO I THINK YOUR ATTENTION TO TREES IS REALLY WHAT WOULD BE MOST BENEFICIAL.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, UM, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, COMMITMENT AND JUST BEING HERE TODAY.
UM, MY NAME IS VALERIE TAM AND I'M ALSO WITH TREE FOLKS, UM, WITH BEN.
AND YEAH, I'M ALSO HERE TODAY TO, UM, REQUEST THAT YOU ALL, UM, INCLUDE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL OF YOUR BOND PACKAGES HERE AND GOING FORWARD.
UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE, UM, JUST A FEW ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF TREES.
UM, SO THERE'S A STUDY CONDUCTED BY OR LED BY THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN 2017 THAT DEEMED TREES AS THE MOST ECONOMIC, UM, NATURAL CLIMATE SOLUTION.
AND EVEN MORE RECENT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN, UM, THAT IT'S ACTUALLY EVEN, THEY'RE EVEN MORE COST EFFECTIVE WHEN YOU, UM, MIX THEM WITH MIX YOUR SINGLE TREE URBAN PLANTINGS, ALONG WITH, UM, NATURAL REGENERATION PLOTS.
SO, UM, AS WE ALL KNOW, TREES REDUCE, TREES ACT AS NATURAL CARBON SINKS AND REMOVING CARBON DIOXIDE FROM THE ATMOSPHERE AND REDUCING POLLUTANTS.
UM, AND AS BEN MENTIONED, UM, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT TREES CAN REDUCE POLLUTANTS SUCH AS DUST AND, UM, AND DIFFERENT, UM, PARTICULATE MATTER, UM, THEY CA THEY CAPTURE THESE POLLUTANTS ON THEIR LEAF SURFACES, BUT THEN ALSO, UM,
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THROUGH THE LEAF ADA, UM, THEY CAN ACTUALLY ABSORB A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE POLLUTION AND GASES AND CO2 OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE.AND, UM, THEY, UM, IN TURN STORE THAT WITHIN THEIR WOOD AND ROOTS AND SOIL UNDERGROUND.
UM, SO YEAH, TREES ARE URBAN AREAS.
THEY NOT ONLY REDUCE, UM, CO2 AND POLLUTION, BUT THEY ALSO REDUCE AIR TEMPERATURES AND THEY SHADE OUR HOT SURFACES, ALL THE CONCRETE WITHIN OUR URBAN AREAS.
AND, UM, IN PART, THEY ALSO REDUCE ENERGY USE OF BUILDINGS WHEN PLACED STRATEGICALLY.
UM, SO THEN IN TURN, REDUCED ENERGY USE IN OUR BUILDINGS PROVIDES PERMANENT, UM, REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GASES.
SO THEN YOU'RE REALLY GETTING BOTH BENEFITS TO TREES AND REDUCTIONS IN, UH, POLLUTANT IN GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
UM, YEAH, AND ALSO, OKAY, SO STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT URBAN FORESTS PROVIDE $18.3 BILLION IN CO-BENEFITS EVERY YEAR AND CAN COOL SUMMERTIME, SUMMER, DAYTIME TEMPERATURES BY TWO TO 10 DEGREES.
AND I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER A FEW OF THE QUANTIFIABLE CO-BENEFITS.
UM, SO THEY'RE GONNA INCLUDE CARBON SEQUESTRATION, RAINFALL INTERCEPTION, AND HEATING AND COOLING, UM, ENERGY REDUCTIONS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, ONE ACRE OF ONE ACRE OF TREE CANOPY CAN SEQUESTER ABOUT 4.2 METRIC TONS OF CO2 EACH YEAR, WHICH IS ABOUT THE SAME AS, UM, AN AVERAGE DRIVER DRIVING ONE CAR FOR ONE YEAR, UM, TREE NOR TREE CANOPY, AND CAN ALSO NORMALLY INTERCEPT 10 TO 40% OF RAINFALL.
UH, OH, I GUESS THAT'S, I'M DONE.
UM, I DO THINK IT'S YIELDING THEIR TIME TOO, SO YES, SIR.
HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS MARK SMITH.
I'M CEO FOR AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS, AND WE'VE BEEN A LONG PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY FOR 50 YEARS.
WE'RE HERE OUR 50TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY AND, UM, PRESENTATION FOR YOU TO, TO WATCH ALONG WITH AS WE GO.
SO PARK SMITH, AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS AND, UM, UH, YEAH, 50 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND, AND LOTS OF THE OTHER FOLKS IN THE ROOM TREE FOLKS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME PARTNER OF OURS.
UM, THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY, SHOAL CREEK CONSERVANCY, UH, LOTS OF WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE IN THIS CITY AROUND THE GREEN SPACES.
AND SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND A WAY TO BE SEEN AS A FORCE MULTIPLIER.
AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS, DOES JOBS TRAINING, UH, EDUCATION AND SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND IN THESE, UM, ANNUALLY WE SERVE ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 400 YOUNG PEOPLE A YEAR, GIVING THEM JOB SKILLS WHILE THEY'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
UH, SOME OF THAT'S ADDRESSING, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES.
UH, WE TRAIN PEOPLE IN CONSTRUCTION, THEY BUILD HOUSING FOR THE, UH, UNHOUSED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE DO CONSERVATION PROJECTS, TRAIL BUILDING, HABITAT RESTORATION, DISASTER RELIEF PROJECTS, WILDFIRE MITIGATION, LOTS OF THESE TYPES OF THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS AS HIGH PRIORITY.
UM, WE'RE ABLE TO HELP, UH, MEET THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND THEN DEVELOP THE WORKFORCE THAT'S GONNA TAKE OVER THOSE POSITIONS AND JOBS IN THE FUTURE.
UH, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, LIKE I SAID, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 50 YEARS, STARTED IN 1975 IN EAST AUSTIN, AND HAVE CONTINUED TO EVOLVE OUR PROGRAMMING TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS.
SO, UM, AROUND, UM, 90 19 93, WE STARTED THE CONSERVATION CORE PROGRAM, THEN CALLED ENVIRONMENTAL CORE, AGAIN, IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
UH, AND OUR CASA VERDE BUILDERS STARTED AROUND THAT SAME TIME AS A YOUTH BUILD PROGRAM.
AND WE'VE BEEN BUILDING HOMES FOR PEOPLE IN AUSTIN FOR ALL THESE YEARS.
UM, AND THEN RESPONDING TO COMMUNITY NEEDS, WE HAVE, UH, RECENTLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE EXPANDED INTO OTHER STATES BECAUSE THOSE STATES HAVE BEEN REQUESTING OUR PROGRAM.
IT'S BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL IN AUSTIN, THEY WANTED TO SEE IT BROUGHT INTO OTHER PLACES.
UH, THAT'S BEEN NICE TO, UH, ACYLATION.
BUT, UM, BUT ALSO IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN DURING COVID, WE CREATED THE AUSTIN CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF, UH, OF AUSTIN.
AND IT WAS TAKING THE PROGRAM MODEL AND EXPANDING IT TO MAKE SURE WE WERE, UM, ABLE TO, UH, MEET ADDITIONAL CITY NEEDS AT THAT TIME AND, AND HELP PEOPLE ECONOMICALLY EXPAND, UH, THEIR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES INTO THE CONSERVATION FIELD, A GROWING FIELD IN THIS REGION.
SO, AS I SAID, WE'VE BEEN DOING ALL KINDS OF PROJECTS FROM TREE PLANTING TO URBAN FORESTRY, DISASTER RELIEF, UM, EVEN, UH, RIPARIAN RESTORATION THAT WOULD BE ALONG OUR CREEKS AND STREAMS, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WATERSHED PROTECTION DEPARTMENT.
SO LOTS OF HISTORY OF US WORKING WITH THE CITY TO MEET THE, THE NEEDS IN OUR, IN OUR GREEN SPACES.
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YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.UM, SO WITH OUR CONSERVATION CORPS, WE'RE TRAINING OVER A HUNDRED YOUNG PEOPLE RIGHT HERE IN AUSTIN EACH YEAR TO, TO ADDRESS THESE LOCAL NEEDS.
UM, AND AS I SAID, IT, IT INCLUDES FLOOD MITIGATION, WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND OTHER THINGS.
ONE OF OUR PARTNERS HAS BEEN TREE FOLKS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WHERE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF TREE PLANTING OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS.
AND, UH, WE SEE THIS AS A WAY TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE INVEST IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
THEY LEARN FORESTRY PRACTICES THAT ARE NEEDED IN, IN SKILLED TRADES IN THIS AREA.
AND, UM, AND SO THERE'S A NICE COMBINATION OF CITY INITIATIVES FOR BOTH DEVELOPING THE WORKFORCE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMBINED WITH THIS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WORK THAT'S GOING ON HERE.
SO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
UM, SO TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE A STRONGER, HEALTHIER CITY.
UH, THIS IS A HIGH RETURN ON INVESTMENT INITIATIVE WHERE, UM, NOT ONLY ARE YOU GETTING THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WORK DONE THAT IS NEEDED, BUT YOU'RE MAXIMIZING CITY DOLLARS, UH, AND, AND TAXPAYER DOLLARS WITH THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ASPECTS.
THIS IS MEETING MULTIPLE NEEDS WITH, WITH, UH, $1.
WE ALSO EXPAND THE IMPACT BY LEVERAGING OTHER RESOURCES.
WE BRING IN OTHER DOLLARS THAT HELP US PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH THE PROGRAMS. UH, WE HELP WITH RENT ASSISTANCE WHEN THAT'S NEEDED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, BUT YOU GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH, UH, AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS IN OUR CONSERVATION COURSE TO MEET SOME OF THESE CITY NEEDS.
IT ALIGNS WITH THE CITY PLANS, UH, WITH THE URBAN FORESTRY PLAN, THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN AND THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE'S, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS.
TOGETHER WE CAN ACCOMPLISH A LOT OF THESE INFRASTRUCTURE GOALS, UH, WHETHER IT'S THE FIRE, UH, MITIGATION, THE TREE CANOPY WORK THAT'S NEEDED, UM, OR THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT ARE NEEDED IN THE CITY.
AND, UM, EVERYBODY IN AUSTIN BENEFITS FROM THIS.
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A MORE ENGAGED CITIZENSHIP THROUGH FOLKS WHO NOW HAVE OWNERSHIP OVER THE AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR COMMUNITY, WORKED, PLANTED TREES, THEY COME BACK WITH THEIR FAMILIES YEARS IN ADVANCE, UH, DOWN THE LINE AND SHOW THE KIND OF WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE TO MAKE THEIR CITY A BETTER PLACE AND TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE WITHIN THIS CITY, UH, TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND SO I'M ENCOURAGING YOU GUYS TO REALLY THINK DEEPLY ABOUT THIS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE WAY YOU CAN COMBINE AND UTILIZE AMERICAN YOUTH WORKS AS A REALLY KEY RESOURCE AND PARTNER WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND HAVING WORKED WITH THE CITY DEPARTMENTS FOR MANY YEARS, WE UNDERSTAND THE INITIATIVES AND THE CRITERIA TO PULL TOGETHER THOSE TYPES OF RESOURCES AND, AND BE THAT FORCE MULTIPLIER THAT GOES BETWEEN THE, UH, PUBLIC SECTOR AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
UM, WE'RE HELPING EMPLOYEE, UH, PREPARE EMPLOYEES FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT WE'RE ALSO, UM, MEETING THESE NEEDS WHERE NONPROFITS, THE CITY COME TOGETHER TO, TO REALLY MOVE INITIATIVES FORWARD.
HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS IF YOU I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THAT.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S ILLEGAL.
PRESENTATION, THE LAST PRESENTATION AND THEN THREE MINUTES AND THE LAST PRESENTATION.
HELLO, MY NAME IS BELLA, AND I'M A BORN AND RAISED AUSTINITE UT AUSTIN ALUMNA ARTIST AND MUSEUM MANAGER AT THE UMOFF SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THE OLAF'S MISSION AND ITS ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I'M JOINED BY AMANDA AND KATIE WHO WILL SHARE MORE ABOUT THE OLAF'S VISION PLAN AND HOW INCLUSION ON A 2026 BOND WILL HELP STRENGTHEN THIS VITAL CULTURAL ASSET ENHANCING ITS IMPACT AND GIVING EVEN MORE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AS A BELOVED INSTITUTION WITH OPEN DOORS SINCE 1991, OUR MISSION IS TO CULTIVATE COMMUNITY CURIOSITY AND CONNECTION THROUGH NATURE CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS.
IN THE WORK OF CHARLES MOFT, WE WELCOME OVER 35,000 VISITORS EACH YEAR AND
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HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES.WE'RE NESTLED WITHIN AUSTIN CENTRAL GREEN NETWORK ALONGSIDE BARTON SPRINGS, ER, PARK, AND LADY BIRD LAKE.
WE'RE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT OPERATES ON CITY OF AUSTIN OWNED LAND, FEATURING A PERMANENT COLLECTION OF SCULPTURE MADE AND DONATED TO THE CITY BY THE ARTIST CHARLES MOF.
CHARLES MOF WAS AN ARTIST TRAINED IN CHICAGO WHO MOVED TO AUSTIN IN THE FORTIES WITH HIS WIFE ANGELINE.
UT HAD RECRUITED HIM TO BECOME ONE OF THE FIRST PROFESSORS OF THE NEWLY OPENED ART DEPARTMENT, WHERE HE TAUGHT FOR 40 YEARS, ALL THE WHILE CONTINUING TO MAKE HIS OWN WORK.
HE HAS MORE SCULPTURE ON PUBLIC VIEW IN TEXAS THAN ANY OTHER ARTIST, AND YOU'RE LIKELY TO HAVE ENCOUNTERED HIS WORK IN THE WILD WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT.
ALONG WITH THE ARTWORK DONATED, THE UMWAS ALSO GIFTED THEIR HOME AND HIS STUDIO TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ALWAYS WITH THE GOAL OF OPENING IT TO THE PUBLIC FOR ARTS EDUCATION.
IT'S A TRUE PIECE OF AUSTIN'S HISTORY AND EARNED A NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES DESIGNATION.
OUR ROTATING EXHIBITIONS GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS RANGING FROM EMERGING TO BLUE CHIP AND FROM LOCALLY KNOWN TO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED.
OUR PUBLIC PROGRAMS ARE DEDICATED TO ACCESSIBLE ARTS AND NATURE EDUCATION FROM FREE FAMILY DAYS WITH CRAFTS AND PERFORMANCES TO BIRD OF PREY SHOWS TO OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM.
IN TITLE ONE SCHOOLS, WE USE OUR SPACE TO UPLIFT THE WONDERFUL THINGS ARTISTS AND OTHER NONPROFITS ARE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN PART OF OLAF'S MISSION FOR THE LAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
FIRST AS A COLLEGE INTERN, THEN AS A SUMMER CAMP TEACHER, AND NOW AS MANAGER OF VISITOR SERVICES AND VOLUNTEERS.
I SPENT MY OWN CHILDHOOD SUMMERS AT MUSEUM ART CAMPS.
I SPENT MY OWN BLUNDER YEARS AT MUSEUMS FOR TEENS ONLY NIGHTS.
SO I KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW VALUABLE A PLACE LIKE THE UMOFF IS TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES SEEKING COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOW MY PRIVILEGE TO RETURN.
THE WELCOMING ARMS I ONCE RECEIVED WE'RE REALLY A PLACE THAT CARES FOR ITS PEOPLE.
CHILDREN WHO ARE RECOGNIZED BY VOLUNTEERS YEARS LATER.
YOUTH INTERNS BUILD CONFIDENCE IN LIFE SKILLS, AND ALL VISITORS ARE EMPOWERED TO EXPERIENCE ART IN AN APPROACHABLE SETTING.
THE MANY PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND THE MUSEUM'S OPERATIONS ARE FUNDED MOSTLY BY THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THROUGH ADMISSION, FUNDRAISING EVENTS, VENUE RENTALS, DONATIONS, AND GRANTS.
THROUGH OUR VISION PLAN THAT AMANDA WILL DETAIL, YOU'LL SEE HOW WE CAN EXPAND THE IMPACT WE HAVE ON OUR CITY.
HI, I AM AMANDA RACK, THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT THE MOF.
AS BELLA MENTIONED, CHARLES AND ANGIE UMOFF MADE A MAJOR GIFT TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN 1985 THAT INCLUDED THEIR HOME, HIS STUDIO, THEIR PROPERTY IN HUNDREDS OF SCULPTURES.
THE YELLOW SECTION ON THIS MAP SHOWS WHERE THE MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN SIT TODAY.
HOWEVER, THE ORIGINAL GIFT OF THE HISTORIC HOME AND STUDIO IN THE BROWN SECTION IS NOT YET OPEN TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO INACCESSIBILITY AND NECESSARY RESTORATION.
THIS HISTORIC SITES, IT'S 45 FEET ABOVE THE GARDEN, MAKING IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET FROM THE CURRENT GROUNDS TO THE HOMESTEAD.
THE GREEN SECTION SHOWS TWO ACRES OF GREEN SPACE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PROPERTY THAT IS NOT AT ALL ACCESSIBLE.
AS PART OF THE, UM, OFF'S MANAGEMENT AND OPERATING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON, A LONG RANGE PLAN IS REQUIRED TO FULLY UNIFY THE EIGHT ACRE PROPERTY.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PAGE ARCHITECTURE FIRM, AND WITH GUIDANCE FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, THE UMOFF DEVELOPED A HISTORIC PRESERVATION, EXPANSION AND UNIFICATION PLAN.
THE HPEU PLAN OUTLINES A PATH FORWARD FOR A FUTURE UNIFIED UMOFF.
THE HISTORIC UMOFF HOME AND STUDIO SHOWN HERE WILL BE PRESERVED AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND MADE ACCESSIBLE BY A NEW BUILDING WITH EXHIBITION AND EVENT SPACE CALLED THE TREE HOUSE, EQUIPPED WITH AN ELEVATOR FROM THE SCULPTURE GARDEN TO THE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD.
THE HPEU PLAN ALSO ADDRESSES UNIQUE SITE CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF WATER MANAGEMENT AND ACCESSIBILITY.
HERE YOU CAN SEE AN EXAMPLE OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY STORM WATER THAT ENTERS THE SITE FROM THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD IN BARTON BOULEVARD.
WATER THAT DOESN'T SEEP INTO THE GROUND HERE CONTINUES INTO BARTON CREEK.
SEVERAL STRATEGIES ARE RECOMMENDED TO ADDRESS THE WATER, INCLUDING DETENTION PONDS, WHALES AND RAIN GARDENS, ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR POND, AND IMPROVEMENTS TO BARTON BOULEVARD, WHICH STRETCHES 1,100 FEET ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE UMLA PROPERTY.
THE UMLA WOULD LIKE TO CAPTURE THIS WATER REUSE AS MUCH OF IT AS POSSIBLE, AND SEND THE REST ONTO BARTON CREEK AND LADY BIRD LAKE RESPONSIBLY.
ANOTHER FOCUS AREA IS THE WELCOME ZONE WHERE VISITORS ENTER THE PROPERTY.
IMPROVEMENTS HERE WOULD INCLUDE UPDATES AND RELOCATION OF THE CROSSWALK TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND SAFETY.
REDESIGNING THE PARKING LOT TO ENSURE A DA ACCESSIBILITY AND THE ADDITION OF A NEW BUILDING CALLED THE GATEWAY, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A PROPER AND SAFE ENTRY POINT AND INCLUDE INDOOR CLASSROOM AND EVENT SPACE.
THE HBU PLAN ALSO ADDRESSES THE TWO ACRES ON THE SOUTH END OF THE PROPERTY THAT WE ARE REFERRED TO AS THE NATURAL ZONE.
THIS LAND IS CURRENTLY OVERGROWN AND NOT ACCESSIBLE.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PHOTO HERE, WE WOULD CLEAN UP AND INVASIVE SPECIES, ADD A TRAIL WITH EDUCATIONAL
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INFORMATION THROUGHOUT, AND GIVE BACK TWO ACRES OF PARKLAND TO THE COMMUNITY TO ACCESS FOR FREE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CITY'S GOALS AND CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.THE HPU PLAN ENCOMPASSES SIX PRIMARY IMPACT CATEGORIES TO ENSURE THAT SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE STRATEGIES ARE APPROACHED COMPREHENSIVELY FOR THE UMLA TO HAVE A RESPONSIBLE AND POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND I AM KATIE ROBINSON EDWARDS A PRIVATE YES.
AND I'M KATIE ROBINSON EDWARDS, A PRIVATE CITIZEN WHO LIVES IN CITY COUNCIL, DISTRICT NINE AND WORKS IN DISTRICT FIVE.
WHAT WE FOUND DURING THE ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WITH PAGE ARCHITECTURE FIRM IS THAT THE C COMMUNITY VALUES PRESERVING THIS ENTIRE ICONIC SITE AND MAKING IT TRULY ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL OF AUSTIN.
THE SIX CATEGORIES OF COMMUNITY PRIORITIES SEEN HERE GUIDED THE STRATEGIES OUTLINED IN THE HPEU PLAN.
I HAVE BEEN CURATOR AT THE UMLA FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
IN THE EARLY DAYS BEFORE I BECAME DIRECTOR, I HEARD FROM BOARD MEMBERS WHO FAVORED KNOCKING DOWN THE HISTORIC HOUSE OR TRYING TO SELL OFF THE VALUABLE TWO ACRE HOMESTEAD PROPERTY.
FOR THE RECORD, THE CITY WOULD'VE PREVENTED THOSE THINGS FROM HAPPENING.
BUT SUCH TALK STALLED MOVEMENT TOWARD PRESERVING THE SITE.
PART OF THE REASON I WAS HONORED TO BECOME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEVERAL YEARS AGO WAS TO TRY TO HELP MAKE THE UOFS 1985 GIFT TO THE CITY A REALITY AND PRESERVE THIS TREASURED SITE FOR ALL OF AUSTIN, WHILE ADDING MORE SPACE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER ARTISTS TO EXHIBIT AND PERFORMERS TO PERFORM.
IT WAS HEARTENING TO SAY THE LEAST, TO HEAR THAT THE COMMUNITY ALSO SAW THE CULTURAL VALUE OF THE ENTIRE HISTORIC SITE.
IT'S RARE TO HAVE AN ARTIST'S HOME STUDIO AND GARDEN DEDICATED TO THEIR WORK ON A SINGLE SITE ANYWHERE.
SO DURING 2023 AND 24, AS YOU'VE SEEN, WE WORKED WITH THE CITY TO COMPLETE THE HPEU PLAN OVER THE LAST 11 MONTHS.
IT WAS APPROVED AND RECOMMENDED BY FIVE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL AND ENDORSED BY THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WE ALSO PRESENTED THE PAN, THE PLAN TO THE TOURISM COMMISSION, WHO WERE PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO AUSTIN'S ECONOMIC VITALITY.
NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT OF FINALIZING PHASING FOR THE PLAN, GATHERING EVERMORE DETAILED COST ESTIMATES AND PAIRING FUNDING SOURCES WITH SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
FUNDING SOURCES WILL INCLUDE HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANTS AND TAX CREDITS, FOUNDATION GRANTS, PRIVATE FUNDING, AND TODAY WE ARE ASKING FOR CITY OF AUSTIN BOND SUPPORT WHILE THE LAND AND EXISTING BUILDINGS ARE OWNED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THE NEW BUILDINGS WILL ALSO BE CITY OF AUSTIN ASSETS, THEOF SCULPTURE GARDEN AND MUSEUM NONPROFIT WILL CONTINUE TO GENERATE THE FUNDS TO COVER OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES.
THEOF HAS ORGANIZED ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE HPU PLAN INTO THESE CATEGORIES.
THE PROJECTS THAT SEEM TO ALIGN MOST WITH THE 2026 CITY BOND WOULD INCLUDE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT, MAKING THE EXISTING TRAILS, FACILITIES, AND THE NEW NATURAL ZONE, A DA COMPLIANT AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL, AND THE TREE HOUSE BUILDING, WHICH IS KEY TO MAKING THE HISTORIC HOMESTEAD ACCESSIBLE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
[1. Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of the 2026 Bond Election Advisory Task Force (BEATF) on May 27, 2025.]
TO ITEM ONE OF THE AGENDA APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE 2026 BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE ON MAY 27TH, 2025.AND I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
ANY DISCUSSION OF THE MINUTES? COMMENTS? NO.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES.
HELD IT UP FOR NICOLE TO COUNT.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
[2. Staff briefings from Austin- Travis County Emergency Medical Services, Austin Fire Department, and Austin Police Department on past bond spending summary and 2026 Bond Development (technical criteria and scoring matrix).]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE STAFF BRIEFINGS.AND I BELIEVE WE'RE STARTING WITH AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.
I'M AN ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. TODAY I AM JOINED
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BY DIVISION CHIEF ERIC JACKIE BOSQUES, WHO LEADS OUR OPERATIONAL SUPPORT DIVISION.AND TOGETHER WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS OUR 2026, UH, BOND DEVELOPMENT AND THE SCORING MATRIX THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS MEET THE COMMUNITY NEEDS AND OUR DEPARTMENT GOALS.
HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS. UH, WE OPERATE 44 EMS STATIONS, UH, STRATEGICALLY LOCATED ACROSS AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
IN 2024, WE HANDLED ALMOST 140,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE.
UH, OUR TEAM INCLUDES 714 AUTHORIZED SWORN PARAMEDICS AND EMTS, AND WE ARE SUPPORTED BY 99, UH, CIVILIAN STAFF.
OUR STATION MAP SHOWS OUR 44 STATIONS THAT ARE STRATEGICALLY DEPLOYED ALL THROUGHOUT TRAVIS COUNTY, NOT JUST IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE COVER OVER 1500 SQUARE MILES.
THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PRESENCE THAT ALLOWS US TO SERVE A DAILY POPULATION OF 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS DRIVEN BY OUR MISSION TO FOSTER COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY.
IT'S BUILT ON CORE VALUES LIKE INTEGRITY, ADAPTABILITY, AND RESPECT, GUIDING OUR THREE PILLARS, BEING SOLUTION ORIENTED, COMMUNITY ORIENTED, AND A THRIVING AND RESILIENT WORKFORCE.
AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS HAS A STRONG HISTORY OF SUCCESSFUL BOND PROJECTS.
IN 2006, WE RECEIVED $3.1 MILLION FOR A STATION, UH, THAT IS NOW MEDIC 33 IN 20 12, 3 $0.7 MILLION FUNDED AMBULANCE BAY AND STATION RENOVATIONS AT MEDIC TWO, MEDIC 11 AND MEDIC EIGHT.
AND MOST RECENTLY, IN 2018, WE RECEIVED AN UNPRECEDENTED $25 MILLION THAT WAS ALLOCATED FOR RENOVATIONS AT STATIONS 1, 5, 7, 10, AND 13.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THOUGH, THAT, UH, BOTH THE 2012 AND THE 2018 PROJECTS REQUIRED ADDITIONAL GAP FUNDING GREATER THAN 20 MILLION FOR THOSE PROJECTS TO BE COMPLETED.
OUR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, UH, WERE USED, UH, TO SUPPLEMENT OUR 2018 BOND PROJECTS.
UM, WE ALLOCATED $98.3 MILLION FOR FIVE NEW STATIONS.
UH, AND I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT WE SPENT 79.2 MILLION OF THAT TO DATE ON THOSE CRITICAL PROJECTS.
THESE NEW FACILITIES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR IMPROVING OUR RESPONSE TIMES AND PROVIDING BETTER, BETTER COVERAGE ACROSS AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE ALSO USE THAT MONEY FOR STATION RENOVATIONS.
WE DEDICATED ABOUT 17 MILLION TO SUPPLEMENT THE 2018 BOND PROJECTS.
UH, THIS IS ENSURING THAT OUR EXISTING STATIONS ARE UP TO MODERN STANDARDS OF THE FIVE STATIONS UNDERGOING RENOVATIONS.
THREE, OUR JOINT FIRE AND EMS STATIONS HIGHLIGHTING OUR COMMITMENT TO INTEGRATED EMERGENCY SERVICES.
WE'VE CURRENTLY SPENT 7.2 MILLION ON THESE RENOVATION EFFORTS, AND AS OF THIS MORNING, ALL OF THE RENOVATED STATIONS AND ALL OF THE NEW STATIONS ARE CURRENTLY OPERATIONAL.
WE MOVED IN ABOUT 8:00 AM YEAH, SO IT'S A BIG DAY FOR US.
UH, ABOUT 10 YEARS WORTH OF WORK, UH, FOR THIS TEAM SITTING WITH ME AND BEHIND ME TO GET, UH, THOSE STATIONS BUILT TO GET THOSE STATIONS RENOVATED.
AND THEN I GET TO SIT IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS AND SAY, WE DID IT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY IN ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS NOW.
UH, TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS FOR THE 2026 BOND DEVELOPMENT, UH, WE CREATED A COMPREHENSIVE SCORING MATRIX.
THIS MATRIX EVALUATES PROJECTS BASED ON SIX CORE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, WHICH I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD OVER SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS AND BRIEFINGS BY NOW.
UH, THESE PRINCIPLES ENSURE OUR EFFORTS ARE HOLISTIC AND ALIGN WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLANS AND CITY INITIATIVES.
AND WE START WITH AFFORDABILITY.
AFFORDABILITY IN OUR MATRIX IS WORTH 20 POINTS.
IT ENSURES PROJECTS IMPROVE COMMUNITY QUALITY OF LIFE WHILE MINI MINIMALIZING FINANCIAL BURDENS.
THIS INVOLVES ENHANCING PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, UTILIZING EXISTING CITY RESOURCES AND CREATING ADAPTABLE SPACES FOR WELLNESS AND EDUCATION, ENSURING COST EFFECTIVE BENEFITS.
SUSTAINABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY EMPHASIZES ACHIEVING NET ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND REFLECTS SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
INVESTMENTS IN AREAS LIKE LEAD CERTIFICATION, WATER CONSERVATION, AND SOLAR POWER LEAD TO LONG-TERM OPERATIONAL
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SAVINGS.DESIGNING FOR RESILIENCE AGAINST DISASTERS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO AUSTIN.
TRAVIS COUNTY EMS PROVIDING BACKUP ELECTRICAL POWER FOR SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS AND USING DURABLE MATERIALS THAT REDUCE FUTURE MAINTENANCE COSTS AND PROTECT ASSETS.
INNOVATION IS WORTH 20 POINTS, AND IT'S PART OF WHO WE CONSIDER, UM, OUR PERSONALITY AT AUSTIN.
TRAVIS COUNTY MS IT FOCUSES ON CREATING EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS OUR USERS' NEEDS.
THIS INCLUDES INCORPORATING CUTTING EDGE DESIGN INTO OUR PROJECTS, SMART BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW CONSTRUCTION METHODS.
INNOVATION ALSO MEANS FLEXIBLE AND SCALABLE SPACES THROUGH MOVABLE WALLS AND MODULAR FURNITURE.
DESIGNING FOR FUTURE EXPANSION AND COLLABORATING WITH OTHER DEPRO, OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND NONPROFITS FOR IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AND SERVICES.
EQUITY EQUITY IS WORTH 20 POINTS.
IT ENSURES THAT OUR PROJECTS IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, ELIMINATE RACIAL DISPAR, UH, DISPARITIES AND MITIGATE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
WE LOOK AT EQUITY IN OUR DELIVERY OF SERVICES ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.
WE GET TO USE NEW TOOLS LIKE PREDICTIVE ANALYSIS THAT CAN FORECAST WHERE ASSETS NEED TO BE PLACED TO HAVE, HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT FOR OUR CITIZENS.
WE ALSO WANT OUR FACILITIES, OUR FACILITIES DESIGNED TO BE ACCESSIBLE.
AND THIS INCLUDES COMPLIANCE WITH A DA STANDARDS ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCES, GENDER NEUTRAL RESTROOMS FOR SWORN STAFF, AND CONSIDERING SENSORY SENSITIVITIES.
WE ALSO SUPPORT MOTHER FRIENDLY WORKPLACES AND INCLUSIVE DESIGN THAT REFLECTS OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY.
CUSTOMER TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS IS VALUED AT 10 POINTS.
IT'S ALL ABOUT ENGAGING DIRECTLY WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
WE BUILD TRUST AND WE ENSURE TRANSPARENCY BY HOSTING PUBLIC MEETINGS, BY UTILIZING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND ACTIVELY REACHING OUT TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.
IT'S CRUCIAL THAT WE INCORPORATE THIS COMMUNITY INPUT INTO OUR PLANNING AND ALWAYS CLEARLY COMMUNICATE PROJECT DETAILS.
AND LASTLY, PROACTIVE PREVENTION WORTH 20 POINTS.
IT SUPPORTS PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT IMPROVE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, SUCH AS ECONOMIC STABILITY, EDUCATION, AND ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE PREVENTION INCLUDES ENSURING ADEQUATE FACILITIES FOR ESSENTIAL PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES, PERHAPS LIKE IMMUNIZATION AND SCREENINGS, BUT IT ALSO COVERS DESIGNING FLEXIBLE SPACE FOR EDUCATION AND WELLNESS ACTIVITIES.
THAT KIND OF CONCLUDES OUR OVERVIEW AND OUR BRIEFING.
I'M NOW AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS LOOK, CAN YOU, UH, TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU'RE FUNDED, LIKE, UH, BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AND THEN PATRONS, PATIENTS, AND INSURANCE COMPANIES, AND THEN HOW DOES THE, HOW WOULD A BOND ASK FIT INTO THAT FUNDING? SO WE ARE FUNDED OUT OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND, AND THEN WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY THAT HAS A DOLLAR AMOUNT TIED TO THAT.
WE ALSO BILL FOR OUR SERVICES TO PAYER PAYERS, UH, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, THIRD PARTY INSURANCES, AS WELL AS INDIGENT CARE PROGRAMS. ALL OF THAT REVENUE WE DO NOT GET TO KEEP IT GOES BACK INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
WELL, I WAS GONNA ASK A SIMILAR QUESTION, BUT I WAS GONNA SAY THAT CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES HAS IMPRESSED ON US THAT WITH THE AFFORDABILITY COMES OTHER SOURCES OF, UH, OF, IN, OF, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS LIKE THE COUNTY.
SO DO YOU GET, DO WE ARE DO YOU, DOES THE COUNTY PARTICIPATE IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF, OF AUSTIN? UH, WE TEND TO K KEEP THE MONEY FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR THE FACILITIES IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND THE COUNTY PAYS FOR EVERYTHING OUTSIDE THE CITY CHIEF OR OTHER CITIES WITHIN TRAVIS COUNTY PAY ERIC JAQUEZ WITH, UH, OPERATIONS SUPPORT.
AND THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY WORKS THROUGH THE, A MAJORITY OF OUR STATIONS ARE HOUSED WITH ESDS OUT IN THE COUNTY, AND THE COUNTY WORKS WITH THE ESDS TO PAY FOR THE, THE OUR HEADQUARTERING AND OUR HOUSING OF OUR UNITS AND OUR CREWS AT THOSE STATIONS.
SOME OF THE OTHER STATIONS, UH, RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY, UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF, UH, THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTY, WE'VE HAD TO PUT SOME STATIONS IN, IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
AND THE COUNTY THEN PAYS FOR, UH, ACTUALLY PAYS BACK TO THE CITY FOR THE APARTMENT COSTS THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE THOSE AMBULANCES.
AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT WE HAVE, WE
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HAVE THREE OF THEM IN THE COUNTY.THEY'RE IN APARTMENT COMPLEXES.
SO MUCH LIKE THE CITY WITH ITS STRUGGLES WITH FINDING AFFORDABLE LAND, ESPECIALLY IN CORE AREAS WITH THE PRICES OF THEIR REAL ESTATE AND EVERYTHING TODAY, THE COUNTY FACES THAT ALSO IN SOME AREAS OF THE COUNTY AS WELL IN TRYING TO FIND RESOURCES FOR THAT.
IJ IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WITH ALL OF THE THINGS WE HAVE FOR, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, WE OUGHT TO BE COOPERATING BETWEEN THE CITIES IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND THEN THE MULTI COUNTIES AROUND US.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT A LOT OF US WOULD APPRECIATE HEARING THAT WE ARE COOPERATING ACROSS THESE CITY BOUNDARIES AND COUNTY, UH, BOUNDARIES.
I WOULD SAY THAT WITH THE ESDS THAT WORK WITH US ALSO IN, YOU KNOW, IN MANY OF THE ESDS, THEY WORK WITH US IN MAKING SURE WE HAVE ADEQUATE HOUSING, ADEQUATE RESPONSE COVERAGE IN THOSE AREAS TOO.
SO THAT KIND OF WORKS INTO IT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE FACING SOMEWHAT THE SAME CHALLENGE THAT WE ARE, IS THAT EVERYTHING IS GROWING, THAT THEY'VE NEEDED TO ADD RESOURCES IN THEIR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND IT'S JUST, UH, A MATTER OF, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH SPACE IN SOME OF THESE ESDS AT THIS TIME, BUT EVERYONE IS GROWING.
EVERYONE'S TRYING TO ADD RESOURCES AND FACILITIES.
OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM? YES.
CHARLES, I THINK THIS PROBABLY APPLIES TO ALL OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY PRESENTATIONS TODAY, BUT WHAT IS THE THINKING BETWEEN THE MIX OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND BONDS FROM YOUR PRESENTATION? I THINK THE OTHER PRESENTATIONS, THEY SEEM TO BOTH BE USED FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.
RENOVATIONS IN SOME CASES, PURCHASE OR CONSTRUCTION.
SO WHY NOT DO IT ALL THROUGH CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS? I BELIEVE SOME OF IT IS JUST MORE OF IN, IN TRYING TO, UM, I MEAN, THE CITY WILL DO A LOT OF THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IN A LOT OF THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS IN THAT ROUTE, BUT NOW WE'VE BEEN STEERED MORE TOWARDS GOING THE BOND ROUTE, ESPECIALLY IN SOME OF OUR LARGER RENOVATIONS AND LARGER ADDITIONAL ADD-ON STATIONS AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO FIND IT ELSEWHERE THROUGH THE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS.
UH, WHAT, SORRY? WHAT DRIVES YOU TO ONE VERSUS THE OTHER? THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE.
UM, I, OR WHAT DRIVES THE CITY, NOT YOU, BUT WHAT I WOULD, HONESTLY, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I'D HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT INFORMATION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GET ADVISED BY, UH, CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY IN WHICH DIRECTION WOULD BE BEST FOR US AS ONE OF THE ENTITIES OF THE CITY TO GO.
SO AT THIS POINT RIGHT NOW, AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE, THE FUTURE STATION RENOVATIONS AND STATION ADDITIONS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE BOND ROUTE RIGHT NOW.
BUT I, AS A DEPARTMENT, WE WOULD BE OPEN WITH EVER ROUTE.
WE COULD GET TO GO AHEAD AND BE ABLE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY BETTER.
MONEY'S MONEY, AND, I'M SORRY, MONEY'S MONEY.
AND AS LONG AS THE, THE JOB GETS DONE, IT'S, YEAH, ULTIMATELY FOR US, IT'S, IT'S MORE QUESTION THAN FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES, I GUESS.
AND THE 2018 BOND, IT HAD TO BE SUPPLEMENTED BECAUSE EVERYTHING CHANGED.
2020 COSTS WENT THROUGH THE ROOF LABOR, WENT THROUGH THE ROOF SUPPLY CHAIN.
IT JUST BECAME A MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE PROJECT AND NEEDED TO BE SUPPLEMENTED IN ORDER TO COMPLETE IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU.
WE ARE NOW GONNA HEAR FROM THE, UH, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, ASSISTANT CHIEF THAYER SMITH.
ALSO WITH ME TODAY ARE FIRE CHIEF JOEL G BAKER, AND I HAVE MRS. LAURA AERS, ALSO, WHO IS OUR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ANALYSIS, UH, OUR MANAGER THAT CAN ANSWER ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS IF WE HAVE 'EM.
UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF OVERVIEW ABOUT AUSTIN FIRE.
UH, AGAIN, OUR AGENDA, MUCH THE SAME AS WHAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC, OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES.
SO OUR VISION AND OUR MISSION ARE, ARE BOTH THERE LISTED ON THE SCREEN.
I BELIEVE Y'ALL HAVE HAD THIS INFORMATION TO LOOK AT.
SO I'M NOT GONNA BORE YOU WITH READING EVERY SINGLE SLIDE.
UH, OUR DEPARTMENT AT A GLANCE, UH, WE HAVE 1,303 SWORN, UH, MEMBERS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, LAST YEAR WE RESPONDED TO 110,000 INCIDENTS.
WE OPERATE FROM 54 REMOTE LOCATIONS AND FIRE STATIONS AND OUT AT THE AIRPORT, UH, WE HAVE 104 APPARATUS AND WE'RE SUPPORTED BY 154 CIVILIAN FTES THAT MAKE THE DEPARTMENT RUN.
AND, UH, WE ALSO DISPATCH COUNTYWIDE FOR ALL OF THE ESDS, UH, THROUGH OUR DISPATCH SYSTEM, THROUGH AGREEMENTS WITH THOSE ESDS.
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DISPATCHED OVER 210,000 INCIDENTS COUNTYWIDE LAST YEAR.UH, WE HAVE OUR STRATEGIC GOALS WITH OUR WORKFORCE AND OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
UH, AGAIN, MUCH THE SAME AS THE OTHER.
WE'RE DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN INVESTING THE PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE WITH THE OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES.
UH, AGAIN, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF JOINT STATIONS BETWEEN US AND EMS SO THAT WE OPERATE OUTTA THE SAME CO LOADED LOCATIONS.
AND THEN PREVENTION FOR PREVENTING INJURIES, LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION, CODE ENFORCEMENT AND WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS.
AGAIN, UH, MUCH OF THESE CERTIFICATES OBLIGATIONS, UH, WENT RIGHT ALONG WITH THESE FIVE STATIONS IN SIX YEARS THAT WE DID CO WITH AUSTIN EMS. AND LIKE THEY, JUST TO MENTION, WE'RE HAPPY THAT AS OF THIS WEEK, ALL OF THOSE STATIONS ARE NOW OPEN.
UH, THE NUMBERS FOR OUR STATION ONE, STATION THREE AND STATION 22 WERE RENOVATED AS PART OF THOSE PROJECTS.
UH, 26 MILLION, I BELIEVE THAT 28 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT YEAR TO DATE.
AGAIN, ALL THESE ARE NOW OPEN AS OF THIS WEEK.
UH, EMS, THEIR APPROPRIATIONS FOR ALL THESE JOINT STATIONS, AS THEY JUST MENTIONED, UH, HELPED TO OPEN ALL THOSE STATIONS AS WELL.
UH, KIND OF THE SAME LINE ALONG THE SAME LINES.
UH, WE WERE, DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING IN THAT ONE FOR, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UH, 2012 BOND, UH, 14 MILLION.
WE WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE EIGHT PROJECTS WITH THAT.
AND THEN THE 2018 BOND, UH, THE 13 MILLION THAT WAS ALLOCATED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE SPENT ALMOST, UH, ENTIRELY THAT OVER 41 STATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY.
UH, SOME EXAMPLES FROM THE 2018 BOND STATION IMPROVEMENT STATION ONE DOWNTOWN WAS COMPLETELY RENOVATED ALONG WITH EMS STATION, MEDIC SIX, STATION EIGHT, UH, JUST OPENED IN THE PAST WEEK.
ALSO COMPLETELY RENOVATED ALONG WITH EMS MEDIC SEVEN, AND THEN STATION 23 ALONG WITH, UH, EMS MEDIC 13 ALSO WAS COMPLETELY RENOVATED.
THE STATION THAT WE DID GET STATION 49 SERVING THE ONION CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD IN SOUTH AUSTIN WAS PART OF THE 2012 BOND.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE THE SAME GUIDING PRINCIPLES, OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE SEEN FROM EVERYBODY ELSE WITH THE EQUITY, AFFORDABILITY, INNOVATION, AND THE OTHER, UH, CITY PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE SERVING.
SO EQUITY, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, WE HAVE EQUITABLE RESPONSE ACCOUNTING FOR EXISTING INEQUITIES AND SOCIAL VULNERABILITIES.
SO WE LOOK AT THE SOCIAL, THE SBI AND KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING ALL OF THAT AS WE LOOK AS HOW WE'RE SERVING OUR COMMUNITIES FOR EQUITY.
WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SERVE OUR MEMBERS EQUITABLY ALSO, SO THAT WE HAVE STATIONS THAT ARE BUILT FOR, UH, GENDER NEUTRAL FACILITIES AND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE A PLACE SINCE WE, THEY DO LIVE THERE 24 7.
WE MAKE SURE WE HAVE EQUITY FOR OUR MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY.
UH, OUR RUBRIC, WE BROKE OURS DOWN QUITE A BIT.
UM, AGAIN, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE ALL THIS BACKGROUND MATERIAL.
SO IN, IN THE, AND I SEE THE, THE CHAIR SHAKING OUR HEAD.
SO IN, IN AN EFFORT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME, I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALL OF THESE TO YOU.
IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
BUT WE BROKE OURS DOWN QUITE A BIT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD ADDRESSING ALL OF THOSE, UH, RUBRICS, UH, AFFORDABILITY AGAIN, UH, WE PARTNERED WITH EMS AND ALMOST ALL OF OUR PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH OUR OTHER CITY AGENCIES, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT AFFORDABILITY ASPECT OF THAT.
AND, UH, 10 POINTS FOR US IS THE MAXIMUM IN, IN THAT PART.
HOW THAT IS, IS BROKEN DOWN FARTHER, UH, INNOVATION, CERTAINLY SOME OF THE NEWER STATIONS.
WE'VE INCORPORATED TRAINING FACILITIES INTO THE STATION ITSELF SO THAT WE CAN STAY AT THE STATION AND TRAIN INSTEAD OF GOING ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE CITY.
A COUPLE OF NEW STATIONS HAVE TOWERS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS BUILT INTO 'EM SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TRAIN RIGHT IN THE, IN THE STATION.
AND THERE'S THE, UH, THE ALLOTTED POINTS FOR EACH OF THOSE RUBRICS THERE FOR INNOVATION, UH, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE.
AGAIN, MEETING ALL THE LEAD CRITERIA FOR ALL THE STATIONS, MAKING SURE THESE STATIONS ARE GONNA LAST US, YOU KNOW, 50 TO A HUNDRED YEARS.
WE'RE STILL OPERATING OUTTA SOME OF OUR STATIONS THAT ARE A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF MAKING SURE THE, THE STATIONS THAT WE DO BUILT ARE, ARE LONG LASTING.
AND THERE'S THE, UH, THE SUSTAINABILITY OVER THERE.
AGAIN, LEAD, UH, AS YOU'VE SEEN WITH THE OTHER AGENCIES, IS WE MEET ALL THOSE DESIGNATIONS TO MAKE SURE
[00:55:01]
THAT THE, UH, THE STATIONS MEET THAT SUSTAINABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY, SAME FOR RESILIENCY.AND THERE'S THE BREAKDOWN OF ALL THOSE.
AND THEN PROACTIVE PREVENTION, YOU KNOW, THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE ARE ABOUT, IS DELIVERING SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO A, A BIG DEAL FOR US IS MAKING SURE WE ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO MEET OUR RESPONSE GOALS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN GET TO THOSE AREAS IN A TIMELY MANNER.
SO IT'S MORE IMPORTANT REALLY THAN FOR US, MORE THAN ANYTHING, IS WE CAN GET TO THE, THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE IN NEED BY HAVING THE COMMUNITY FIRE AND EMS STATIONS, UH, THAT WE CAN MEET OUR RESPONSE GOALS TO GET TO.
SO WE PUT A LOT OF, LOT OF OUR POINTS INTO, UH, MAKING SURE WE'RE IN AREAS THAT, THAT WE CAN SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UH, WE, UH, THIS RUBRIC HERE, WE KIND OF FOCUSED ON THESE AREAS WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE HIGH DENSITY AND LOW GROWTH, HIGH DENSITY, HIGH GROWTH.
UH, WHAT WE KNOW IS COMING THROUGH ALL OF OUR RESEARCH AND DATA, THE LOW DENSITY AND HIGH GROWTH.
AND THEN WE, UH, ADMINISTERED THOSE POINTS ACCORDINGLY.
OBVIOUSLY, 20 BEING THE MOST FOR WHERE WE KNOW THE HIGH DENSITY AND THE HIGH GROWTH ARE GONNA BE WHERE WE NEED TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE FURTHER BREAKDOWN THERE ON THAT SLIDE.
AND THEN CUSTOMER, CUSTOMER TRUST AND RELATIONSHIP, UH, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY ALL THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, SO THE TRUST WITH COMMUNITY TRANSPARENCY ON WHERE WE'RE SPENDING THE MONEY, HOW WE'RE DELIVERING OUR SERVICES, UH, TO THE CITY.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE, AGAIN, THAT TIMELY RESPONSE WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING TO THOSE REQUESTS FOR SERVICE.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS, AGAIN, WHEN WE, WHEN WE HIGHLIGHT, UH, WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE, UH, THIS IS A COMPARISON BETWEEN 2014 AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
AND GREEN IS GOOD, PURPLE IS BAD.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, AS THE CITY HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AND THE CITY HAS CONTINUED TO DENSIFY AND OUR RESOURCES HAVE NOT MET THAT CHALLENGE, UH, WITH TRAFFIC AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT COMES ALONG WITH THE DENSITY, UH, WE CERTAINLY ARE AT THE POINT WHERE WE ARE NOT MEETING TO THE EXTENT THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO OUR RESPONSE GOALS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE CHANGE JUST SIMPLY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, WHICH IS WHY WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR BOND PACKAGES ON IMPROVING THE SERVICES THAT WE HAVE NOW AND INCREASING OUR CAPABILITY TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT, AGAIN, ANOTHER GRAPHIC THERE OF JUST HOW EXPONENTIALLY OUR CALL VOLUME HAS GROWN, UH, OVER THOSE 10 YEARS IN THAT GRAPH THERE.
SO AGAIN, WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE MEETING OUR CUSTOMER'S NEEDS BY BEING ABLE, ABLE TO RESPOND.
AND THERE AGAIN, AGAIN, UH, THIS, YOU KNOW, IN A COLOR GRAPHIC DEPICTS THE DARKER COLORS, UH, WHERE WE ARE NOT MEETING OUR RESPONSE TIMES TO OUR SATISFACTION.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS SO THAT WE CAN DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.
AND THAT'S HOW OUR POINTS THERE WERE ALLOTTED.
AGAIN, THAT WAS OUR HIGHEST 30 POINTS MAXIMUM, UH, IS WHAT WE CONSIDERED ACROSS THAT.
AND THEN THAT'S HOW THOSE POINTS WERE ALLOTTED IN THAT RUBRIC ITSELF.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS IT FOR US.
HAVE, AGAIN, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW YOU COORDINATE WITH AUSTIN WATER TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT WATER SUPPLIES FOR FIGHTING FIRES? YES.
UH, WE, WE, UH, PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM, UH, AS FAR AS OUR HYDRANT MAINTENANCE PROGRAM IS THE MAIN THING.
UH, WE GO OUT AND INSPECT THE HYDRANTS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
WE'RE UP TO JUST OVER 28,000 HYDRANTS IN THE CITY NOW.
AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS GO OUT YEARLY AND, AND TOUCH EVERY ONE OF THOSE HYDRANTS AND INSPECT THOSE.
SO WE, WE DO A LOT OF COORDINATION.
WE DO SOME FLYING FOR AUSTIN WA WATER WITH OUR DRONE PROGRAM.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM WHERE WE'RE COORDINATING TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE AT ADEQUATE WATER SUPPLY.
THIS MIGHT BE A DUMB QUESTION, BUT ARE THERE THINGS WE COULD DO WITH OUR ROADWAY SYSTEM SO THAT YOU COULD RESPOND FASTER AND GET AROUND TRAFFIC JAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, CAPITAL, SOME OF THE, THEY TOLD US WHEN THE RAPID BUSES CAME OUT THAT THEY COULD CONTROL TRAFFICS SIGNALS TO KEEP A LIGHT GREEN LONGER TO GET THROUGH AN INTERSECTION.
YEAH, SO, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING ON A PROGRAM NOW WITH TRANSPORTATION TO ACCESS THOSE BUS SIGNALS AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH AND CHANGING ALL THE MODEMS IN OUR FIRE APPARATUS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT SYSTEM.
SO WE HOPE HERE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE THAT AS WE'RE RESPONDING TO CALLS THAT WE'LL ACCESS ACCESS THAT SYSTEM, WHICH WILL TURN THE LIGHTS GREEN FOR US
[01:00:01]
AS WE'RE APPROACHING THEM TO GET TO OUR INCIDENTS FASTER.BUT YES, WITH, WITH THE DENSITY AND THE, THE FOCUS ON MAKING SAFER ROADS, THERE IS A DETRIMENT IN THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THOSE ENHANCEMENTS FOR ONE THING ARE A DETRIMENT TO ANOTHER.
UH, IT DOES SIMPLY MAKE IT HARDER TO GET AROUND TOWN.
THERE'S JUST, YOU KNOW, TO HONESTLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION, IT MAKES IT HARDER TO GET AROUND TOWN AS WE ADD BIKE LANES, TAKE AWAY TRAVEL LANES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I FOUND IT VERY HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND YOUR NEEDS.
UM, I DO WANNA ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE STANDARDS OF COVERAGE, LIKE THE RESPONSE TIMES, IF THERE WERE SOME, MOST OF THESE WOULD HAVE OPERATIONAL BUDGETARY IMPACTS COUPLED WITH A CAPITAL INVESTMENT CORRECT.
IN ORDER TO REALLY REDUCE THOSE RATIOS AND THOSE COVERAGE.
AND THEN SECONDLY, IT LOOKS LIKE SOME AREAS STILL HAVEN'T BEEN DEALT WITH FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
SO CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE SOME INVESTMENTS IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS THAT WERE PURPLE 10 YEARS AGO AND ARE STILL STILL PURPLE? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HOPE THAT THE FIVE STATIONS THAT WE JUST BUILT IN THE LAST SIX YEARS, AS WE CONTINUE TO INTERPRET THE DATA FROM THOSE THAT WE'LL SEE SOME IMPROVEMENT IN, IN THOSE COLORS, UM, BASED ON THE FACT THAT THOSE FIVE STATIONS ARE NOW IN PLACE AND SHOULD HELP THAT IN THE FUTURE.
BUT YES, UH, WE RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE A COMMITMENT OF, OF PERSONNEL AS WELL IF WE'RE TO EXPAND THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CHIEF WORKS ON WITH THE BUDGET.
AND YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE'RE FOCUSED ON ENHANCING WHAT, WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY, BUT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO EXPAND IN THE FUTURE AS WELL TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.
DID YOU HAVE TWO QUESTIONS? YES, I WAS, UH, THE OPERATIONAL IMPACT AND THEN ARE YOU, WE'RE GONNA SEE SOME INVESTMENTS IN YOUR, YOU KNOW, CAPITAL PROJECTS AROUND THOSE AREAS THAT WERE CONSISTENTLY PURPLE EVEN IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.
I'M ASSUMING THERE'S GOTTA BE SOME HIGHER PRIORITIZATION AROUND THESE AREAS AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S THEIR CAPITAL, THINGS THAT YOU CAN LEVERAGE THAT'LL IMPROVE IT ACROSS THE BOARD, OR ARE THERE PARTICULAR AREAS THAT YOU'RE HONING IN ON BASED UPON THESE MAPS? UH, SO CERTAINLY THOSE ARE ALL IN OUR RUBRICS AND WE ARE CERTAINLY HOPING TO GET THERE BASED ON THAT INFORMATION THAT WE'VE PRESENTED.
BUT AGAIN, THOSE, THOSE FIVE STATIONS, UH, ALONG THE PERIPHERY OF THE CITY, WERE PUT IN THOSE AREAS.
AND AGAIN, WE HOPE TO SEE, UH, NEXT YEAR, WE HOPE TO SEE AS THOSE NUMBERS COME IN, THAT SOME OF THAT PURPLE HOPEFULLY IS, IS CHANGING TO A LIGHTER COLOR.
ANY QUESTIONS ONLINE? THANK YOU.
CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC? GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU OUR 2026 ON DEVELOPMENT GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
I'M A PATROL COMMANDER WITH THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I HAVE ASSISTANT CHIEF LEE ROGERS HERE WITH ME TODAY AND OUR CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, MICHELLE SCHMIDT.
UH, BRIEFLY, I'LL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF OUR DEPARTMENT, TALK ABOUT OUR, OUR MOST RECENT BONDS, THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES WE USE TO ESTABLISH OUR TECHNICAL CRITERIA.
OUR MISSION AT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT IS KEEPING YOU, YOUR FAMILY, AND OUR COMMUNITY SAFE THROUGH INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
OUR VISION, A DEPARTMENT THAT IS TRUSTED AND RESPECTED BY ALL AND COLLABORATES WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE AUSTIN THE SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA.
WE PATROL 326 SQUARE MILES EVERY DAY.
WE HAVE ONLY FOUR DEDICATED POLICE STATIONS CITYWIDE.
WE HAVE THE SOUTH SUBSTATION NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF CONGRESS AND SLAUGHTER.
WE HAVE THE EAST SUBSTATION NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF SPRINGDALE ROAD AND EAST SEVENTH STREET.
WE HAVE THE MAIN POLICE STATION AT I 35 AND SEVENTH STREET.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE NORTH POLICE SUBSTATION NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF PALMER LANE AND MOPAC.
WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 1,480 SWARM POLICE OFFICERS DRIVING ABOUT 445 PATROL VEHICLES ON THE STREETS EVERY DAY.
WE AVERAGE 23,800 CALLS FOR SERVICE EVERY MONTH.
A PD RECEIVED FUNDS FROM GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS IN 2006 AND 2012.
[01:05:02]
BOTH TIMES THE BOND FUNDS WERE USED TO SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY IN LAND AND BUILDING DEVELOPMENTS FOR WHICH FUNDING WAS OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE.A PD RECEIVED NO BOND FUNDING.
IN 2018, A NOMINAL AMOUNT OF FUNDING REMAINS UNSPENT, BUT IS OBLIGATED FOR FACILITIES REHABILITATION IMPROVEMENTS FROM THE 2006 BOND.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS SOME FUNDING FROM THE 2012 BOND, ALSO UNSPENT, BUT OBLIGATED FOR SITE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
THE ENTIRE BOND INITIATIVE IS BUILT UPON GUIDING PRINCIPLES FROM THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN.
EACH OF THESE PRINCIPLES IS DIRECTLY TIED TO THE A PD FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
TOGETHER THESE PLANS PROVIDE US WITH CLEAR DIRECTION AND GOALS AS WE WORK TO DEVELOP THE MOST APPROPRIATE AND RELEVANT PROJECTS FOR THIS BOND INITIATIVE.
EACH DEPARTMENT WAS TASKED WITH DEVELOPING THEIR OWN TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING AND SCORING PROPOSED PROJECTS TO MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
THE TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR ALL OF US ARE BASED ON THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FROM THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN.
EACH DEPARTMENT WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY THEIR OWN POINT STRUCTURE FOR RELEVANCY.
THE FIRST CRITERIA YOU SEE HERE IS EQUITY AND IS WORTH 20% OF THE OVERALL SCORE FOR PROPOSED A PD PROJECTS.
ANY PROJECT BEING CONSIDERED FOR MOVING FORWARD IN THE BOND PROGRAM NEEDS TO CLEARLY ENHANCE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND IMPROVE THE DEPARTMENT'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE SERVICES.
WITH OUR PROJECTS, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD TRUST AND ENHANCE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THROUGH ONGOING ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION.
OUR PROJECTS WILL ENSURE SUSTAINABLE FACILITIES THAT WILL IMPROVE COMMUNITY SAFETY, FEELINGS OF SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD SATISFACTION WITH OUR SERVICE DELIVERY, APDS PROJECTS WILL INTRODUCE NEW ACCESSIBLE MEETING SPACES THAT WILL PROMOTE IN-PERSON OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL CONNECTION AND THE PROVISION OF SERVICES.
AFFORDABILITY MAKES UP 15% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT SCORE.
BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF FUNDING IS CRUCIAL.
ALL PROJECTS CONSIDERED WILL NEED TO MEET CRITERIA TO ENSURE THEY INCREASE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULT LEARNING.
DEMONSTRATE PHYSICAL RESPONSIBILITY AND STREAMLINE PROCESS FOR JOINT USE.
CONSIDERATIONS, ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY WITH OUR BOND PROJECTS WILL HAVE SUSTAINABLE AFFORDABILITY.
IMPACTS EFFORTS WILL LEAD TO A BETTER COMMUNITY-WIDE UNDERSTANDING OF AN OFFICER'S DAILY WORK AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING BY POLICE OF THE COMMUNITY'S PERCEPTIONS, FEELINGS, DESIRED CHANGES, AND IMMEDIATE NEEDS.
AS A RESULT, WE ANTICIPATE LOWER CALLS FOR SERVICE AND AN INCREASE IN OUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT LOCALLY.
INNOVATION IS WORTH 15% OF OUR PROJECT'S POTENTIAL SCORE.
THIS CRITERIA WILL HELP A PD TO ASSESS HOW WELL A PROPOSED PROJECT THINKS OUTSIDE THE BOX, AND ALLOWS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE OUR SPACES CREATIVELY AND IN A MEANINGFUL WAY FOR FURTHER ENGAGEMENT ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.
AS OUR BOND PROJECTS EVOLVE, WILL PROMOTE CONVERSATION AND ALLOW FOR MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IN TURN WILL SHAPE HOW A PD DELIVERS SERVICES AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL.
PROACTIVE PREVENTION WILL MAKE UP 15% OF THE TOTAL SCORE AVAILABLE.
BEING PROACTIVE IS KEY TO REDUCING CRIME AND CREATING SAFE ENVIRONMENTS.
OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE SAFE SPACES FOR COMMUNITY AND THE DEPARTMENT TO LEARN AND CONNECT TOGETHER.
AD'S, BOND PROJECTS WILL HELP REDUCE THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR OFFICERS.
THIS IN TURN WILL CERTAIN AN OFFICER SPENDING MORE UNDEDICATED TIME AND PERSONAL TIME, SUCH AS MEALS AND BREAKS WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES THEY'RE SERVING, LEADING TO GREATER VISIBILITY, STRONGER CONNECTIONS, IMPROVE MORALE, A RENEW SENSE OF PRIDE, AND A DESIRE ON THE PART OF BOTH OFFICERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
TO INVEST MORE TIME IN POTENTIAL LONG-TERM PROACTIVE CRIME SOLUTIONS.
THIS WILL ALLOW A PD TO MORE PROACTIVELY CONDUCT COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITHIN SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS ADDRESSING CRIME AND SAFETY PERCEPTIONS.
THE DEPARTMENT WILL WORK WITH OTHER CITY FACILITIES, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROMOTE AN ATMOSPHERE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY THAT ENCOURAGES PREVENTION, ACTIVITIES AND COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS.
COMMUNITY TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS WILL ACCOUNT FOR 20% OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT'S TOTAL POSSIBLE SCORE.
THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A STRONG FOCUS ON A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COLLABORATIVE INPUT FOR ANY GIVEN PROJECT.
A PD WANTS TO DEVELOP PROJECTS THAT ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY FROM THE INCEPTION AND ALLOWS FOR ONGOING COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION.
SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY ALSO MAKE UP 15% OF THE SCORE.
SUSTAINABLE FACILITIES ARE OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO A PD AND ANY PROJECTS WE PUT FORWARD.
[01:10:01]
THIS SELECTION OF CRITERIA ALLOWS US TO ASSESS THE SUSTAINABILITY AND ONGOING RESILIENCY OF THESE PROJECTS.IN LINE WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.
THE DESIGN CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING BUILDING MATERIALS AND LANDSCAPING FOR APDS BOMB PROJECTS, WILL BE MODERN COST EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE WITH NET ZERO CARBON AND MINIMIZED ENERGY AND WATER USAGE.
APDS BOMB PROJECTS WILL ALSO INCORPORATE CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN ELEMENTS, INCREASING SAFETY WITHIN THE PHYSICAL SETTING TO INFLUENCE POSITIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND ELEVATE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE.
AS I SAID BEFORE, WE DRIVE 440 VEHICLES ALMOST EVERY DAY.
REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS EMISSIONS IS AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST.
UH, WE ARE COMMITTED TO PRIORITIZING SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY WITH OUR BOND PROJECTS.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND IDENTIFYING THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY, THE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY.
AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND WE'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
QUESTIONS ON THIS SIDE, JC THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, PER YOUR LAST SLIDE, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD GIVE US ANY UPDATE YOU MIGHT HAVE ON THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE PILOT, THE ALL JUST LAUNCHED.
SO WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE TRAINING PHASE, UH, WITH THOSE TWO VEHICLES, THEY'RE GONNA BE VEHICLES THAT, UH, OUR OFFICERS HAVEN'T DRIVEN BEFORE.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LEARNING CURVE.
WE ALSO WANT TO GIVE A REALLY GOOD AND FAIR TEST RUN OF THEM TO SEE, TO SEE HOW THEY DO.
SO WE'RE IN, WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT TRAINING, WE'RE BUILDING OUT A TESTING AND EVALUATION PHASE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE OFFICERS TO SEE HOW THOSE VEHICLES FIT DAY TO DAY.
NOT JUST IN HOW THEY WORK WITHIN THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT HOW DO THEY WORK FOR THE PATROL OFFICER DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
DO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO CARRY ALL OF THE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT THAT'S NEEDED, UH, FOR OUR PATROL OFFICERS, THE CONES, THE FLARES, THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO IT'S KIND OF A WORK IN PROGRESS RIGHT NOW, BUT I ANTICIPATE THAT ROLLOUT TO BE COMING VERY QUICKLY AS WE'RE ROLLING THROUGH, UH, TRAINING OUT OF OUR TRAINING ACADEMY WITH THEM.
IF Y'ALL WERE TO DECIDE THAT YOU DID WANNA PURCHASE MORE, UH, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY THOUGHT YET TO WHAT THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT THE PREFERRED CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE MIGHT LOOK AT? LIKE, AND SORT OF WHAT TIMELINE YOU WOULD NEED THAT ON? THAT'S GONNA BE MORE OF AN ISSUE WITH AUSTIN ENERGY.
I, I WILL SAY THAT CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IS, IS A MAJOR ISSUE.
WE DON'T HAVE, IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLACED, UH, WHERE WE'RE CHARGING THOSE WITH THE RAPID CHARGERS THAT WE HAVE.
OUR, UH, OUR CURRENT SUBSTATIONS WHERE THE BULK OF OUR VEHICLES ARE HOUSED, DON'T HAVE THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT.
UH, WE ALSO DON'T HAVE THE BACKUP GENERATORS CAPABLE TO CHARGE THOSE VEHICLES IF WE WERE TO, UH, BE INVOLVED IN ANOTHER TYPE OF, UH, WINTER STORM IN WHICH WE DIDN'T HAVE POWER TO THOSE BUILDINGS.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH TO THE FUTURE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH FLEET MOBILITY SERVICES, AUSTIN ENERGY, AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT IN ADDITION TO THOSE, A LOT OF THE VEHICLES THAT WE ARE PURCHASING ARE HYBRID VEHICLES.
WE CONTINUE TO REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT THROUGH THE USE OF HYBRID VEHICLES THROUGHOUT OUR FLEET.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE BULK OF OUR VEHICLES OUT THERE THAT WE'RE PURCHASING TODAY ARE HYBRID VEHICLES, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT THE TECHNOLOGY IS THERE RIGHT NOW TO BE ABLE TO DO WHERE WE MAY NOT HAVE THAT CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE TODAY FOR ALL ELECTRIC.
ONE THING I WANTED TO ASK THAT I DIDN'T SEE MENTIONED IN THE SLIDES IS, UH, WASN'T THERE A LARGE RECENT CAPITAL EXPENDITURE FOR A NEW HEADQUARTERS? ABOUT 107 MILLION PLUS ANOTHER 12 MILLION FOR REMODELING A NEW, A NEW HEADQUARTERS? CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? SORRY.
MICHELLE SCHMIDT, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
UM, I WAS JUST NOTING THAT THAT DIDN'T COME FROM A GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND, UM, PACKAGE.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS.
YOU DIDN'T MENTION CERTIFICATES OR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, BUT LIKE THE OTHER TWO, POLICE HAS ALSO UTILIZED THOSE FORMS OF, UM, FUNDING FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.
WE HAVE USED THEM, UM, MINIMALLY.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY OTHER THAN THE, THE BRAND NEW PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, HEADQUARTER CAMPUS.
[01:15:02]
I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK THE FUNDING SOURCE ON THAT.UM, IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ONE, ANYTHING SPECIFIC ON THERE WAS NO, AT LEAST IN THE PAST, I, I THINK THE EQUIPMENT WAS PURCHASED USING, UM, EITHER CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS OR CERTIFICATES.
I, I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER THAT IT CONTINUED OR NOT.
I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYTHING CURRENTLY, BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING SPECIFIC I CAN LOOK INTO, I'D BE HAPPY TO.
ANY QUESTIONS ONLINE? YES, ANA? YES.
UM, TIED INTO THE, WHAT WAS RAISED EARLIER, THE NEW PROPOSED LOCATION, UM, HOW IS EQUITY GOING TO BE IMPACTED WITH THAT DECISION AND HOW WILL Y'ALL ADDRESS EQUITY? 'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA BE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE EAST SIDE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITIES.
ARE YOU SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC SAFETY HEADQUARTERS? YES.
SO WE, WE CONTINUE, WE CONTINUE TO WORK, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS.
UH, THERE WILL DEFINITELY BE OUTREACH.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL MEETINGS, UH, COMING UP WITH CITY MANAGEMENT, WITH PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICES, UH, CITY PIO AS WELL.
UM, JUST WORKING ON, ON WHAT THOSE PUBLIC SPACES LOOK LIKE AND CONTINUING, UH, THAT OUTREACH SO THAT REGARDLESS OF WHERE OUR FACILITIES ARE, THAT THOSE, THOSE FACILITIES ARE OPEN, THEY'RE ACCESSIBLE, AND, UH, DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO MAKE THEM, UH, AS EQUITABLE AS POSSIBLE.
RECOGNIZING THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF SPACE THAT'S AVAILABLE, LAND THAT'S AVAILABLE WITHIN THE CITY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS, UH, A LIMITING FACTOR WITH THE SELECTION OF THIS FACILITY WAS ONE THAT WAS AVAILABLE, ONE THAT WAS SIZABLE, UH, AND BASICALLY CENTRALLY LOCATED FOR ALL THREE PUBLIC SAFETY ENTITIES THAT WILL BE IN THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTION? IF I CAN DO A FOLLOW UP? IS THERE CONSIDERATION FOR HAVING MAYBE SATELLITE LOCATIONS TO HELP WITH THE ACCESSIBILITY? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A CENTRALLY LOCATED, UH, POLICE HEADQUARTERS, BUT WE'VE, WE, WE ALWAYS HAVE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN OUR ESUB STATION.
UH, UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A NORTH SUBSTATION, A SOUTH SUBSTATION.
AND AS THE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO GROW AND AS THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO GROW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW THAT OUR PARTNERS IN FIRE AND EMS ALWAYS STRIVE TO DO THE SAME.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THEM WITH THE NUMBER OF FACILITIES THAT THEY HAVE AND THE LOCATIONS THAT THEY HAVE, THOSE FACILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED AND WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
AND OF COURSE, WE WILL ALWAYS BE THE SAME THING, DO THE SAME THING, AND BE VERY MINDFUL OF WHERE WE PLACE THOSE FACILITIES WHEN IT COMES TO THE EQUITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
IS, IS THERE, UM, LIKE A TERMINOLOGY IN THE PRESENTATION OF SORT OF PREVENTATIVE, I HEARD THE PREVENTATIVE, BUT VERSUS, UM, LIKE THE RESPONSE TIMES OF KIND OF A, AN IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY VERSUS TRACKING.
LIKE I, I WAS ON THE LAST BOND TASK FORCE AND I REMEMBER Y'ALL WERE WANTING THE HELICOPTER, UM, PADS TO SORT OF LIKE TRACK PEOPLE AFTER THINGS HAD GONE ON.
LIKE, IS WHAT IS THE, IS THERE A TERM FOR THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIKE BREAKING UP A, AN IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY VERSUS FOLLOWING UP AFTER SOMETHING HAS GONE ON WHEN IT'S MORE OF A, UH, I DON'T KNOW, CHASE
UH, IF I'M LIMITED TO THE NUMBER OF FACILITIES THAT I CAN DEPLOY OFFICERS FROM, AND THEN I HAVE ALL, IF I HAVE ONE THIRD OF MY DEPARTMENT DEPLOYING OUT OF THE NORTH SUBSTATION AND THEY HAVE TO GO, WHICH IS AT PALMER AND MOPAC AND I'M HAVING TO DEPLOY OFFICERS FROM THERE OUT TO SIX 20 AND 2222, JUST THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY SPEND TRAVELING THAT DISTANCE AS OPPOSED TO BEING CLOSER INCREASES THEIR RESPONSE TIME TO CALLS AND THEIR AVAILABILITY TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO THE LESS TIME THAT MY OFFICERS SPEND DRIVING FROM THEIR OFFICE WHERE THEIR CAR IS, WHERE THEY HAVE, UH, SHOW UP WITH THEIR SUPERVISORS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE DAY, THE LESS TIME THEY SPEND TRAVELING, THE MORE TIME THEY SPEND IN THE COMMUNITY, THE MORE TIME THAT THEY HAVE PREVENTING CRIME AND NOT JUST RESPONDING TO IT, UM, LATER ON, AS YOU WOULD SAY.
[01:20:01]
RESPONSE ARE KIND OF THE TWO WAYS THAT Y'ALL CATEGORIZE THINGS.THERE'S NOT LIKE A SMALLER OF BREAKDOWN OF ONE OF THOSE KEYS TO PREVENTION IS VISIBILITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND HOW MUCH TIME I CAN SPEND, UH, AS A VISIBLE PRESENCE AND DETERRENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
[3. Discussion and possible action on implementation plan and schedule to develop BEATF recommendations for 2026 bond program. ]
MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND SCHEDULE TO DEVELOP THE BTIF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE 2026 BOND PROGRAM.WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
FIRST WE HAVE, UH, ROSALYN ALEXANDER KASPAR.
I'M ROSALYN ALEXANDER KASPAR OF THE ALEXANDER FARM, AN HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED PROPERTY OF 178 YEARS TENURE, 1.2 MILES OUTSIDE THE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS IN AUSTIN'S EXTRA TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION.
I'M HERE TODAY COMMENTING UPON YOUR TASK FORCE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE FOR THE 2026 BOND PROGRAM AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE BUCK PASSING BETWEEN TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
PLEASE CONSIDER ADDRESSING THE TWO OFTEN ADVERSARIAL, OPAQUE, AND NON-EXISTENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAVIS COUNTY AND CITY OF AUSTIN JURISDICTIONS.
THERE IS TO FUNCTION INVITES EVERYTHING FROM DEVELOPER ENCROACHMENT AND THEFT OF OUR FAMILIES HISTORIC FARMLAND TO TECH DOTS, REPEATED HIGHWAY EXPANSIONS THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY TAKE BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND BROWN LAND VIA EMINENT DOMAIN.
THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY ENCOURAGES ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES THAT CONTINUALLY WORSEN, UH, FROM ALL FORMS OF POLLUTION TO OUR INABILITY TO PURSUE LIFE, LIBERTY, AND HAPPINESS ON THE LAND.
SIX GENERATIONS OF ALEXANDERS HAVE PAID FOR WITH OUR LIVES.
OUR FAMILY AND ADDITIONAL FAMILIES HAVE LOST PROPERTY DUE TO THE DIVISIVE DISCRIMINATORY BEHAVIORS THAT HAVE TAKEN ROOT AND PERSIST BETWEEN THESE TWO JURISDICTIONS.
I COULD SHARE THE PARTICULARS OF SEVERAL INSTANCES OVER THE PAST HANDFUL OF YEARS THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE NEED FOR CORRECTION OF THIS SHARED REFUSAL TO HOLD ITSELF ACCOUNTABLE ON THE PART OF BOTH JURISDICTIONS.
BUT I'LL USE THE MOST RECENT EXAMPLE OF COUNTY AND CITY PASSING THE BOOK IN INTERMINABLY TO MAINTAIN A BLATANTLY UNFAIR STATUS QUO.
FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, I'VE SOUGHT THE TEXAS STATE HISTORICAL AND ARCHEOLOGICAL AVALOR TAX EXEMPTION THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 1977, PROVIDING UP TO 100% PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS TO HISTORICALLY AND ARCHEOLOGICALLY SIGNIFICANT PROPERTIES WITHIN AUSTIN'S CITY LIMITS.
THE LAW WAS ADDED TO THE TAX CODE BY THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE TO PREVENT THE LAWS OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES DUE TO EXORBITANT AND OR WEAPONIZED PROPERTY TAXES.
IN 2023, A LAW CLINIC DEEP DIVE INTO THE EXEMPTION FOUND THAT BY ALLOWING ONLY PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND NOT THE OFTEN MORE ELIGIBLE PROPERTIES IN TRAVIS COUNTY, THE COUNTY AND THE CITY HAVE MANAGED TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST MINORITY LANDOWNERS FOR THE PAST 47 YEARS.
WHEN MADE AWARE OF THE DISPARITY BY MY REPEATED SUBMISSIONS AND REQUESTS FOR SIMPLE MEETINGS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, TRAVIS COUNTY MAINTAINED THAT THE STATE HISTORIC EXEMPTIONS ARE MANAGED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE CITY COUNTED THAT IT CANNOT MANAGE THE EXEMPTIONS.
SINCE TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS AREN'T TAXED BY THE CITY, THE COUNTY THEN REFUSED TO PUT IN PROCESS A PLACE TO MANAGE THE EXEMPTION PUNTING AGAIN BACK TO THE CITY.
SUCH BUREAUCRATIC INCOMPETENCE AS DECLARED BY THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT'S.
OMBUDSMAN IS AN INCREDIBLE WASTE OF TAXPAYER RESOURCES PER THE LAW CLINIC DEEP DIVE.
THE EXEMPTION IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY RECEIVED AND ENJOYED BY WEST AUSTIN WEALTHY PROPERTY OWNERS WHILE ELIGIBLE PROPERTIES LIKE OUR 178 YEARS.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE ENOVIA JOSEPH.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR MEMBERS, I'M ANOVIA JOSEPH, I JUST WANNA PREFACE BY THANKING THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TODAY.
MY COMMENTS ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.
I WANNA REMIND YOU OF YOUR MARCH 24TH, 2025 MEETING, SPECIFICALLY TRANSPORTATION.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE SYSTEM IS INEQUITABLE, IT'S DISCRIMINATORY.
[01:25:01]
IS A PICTURE OF NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.THE CITY HAS MONEY FOR LIGHTING AND THEY HAVE NOT INCLUDED NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU NOT ACTUALLY RECOMMEND THE 2026 BOND ELECTION.
NEXT SLIDE UNTIL YOU'RE ABLE TO SHOW THE VOTERS WHAT THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS SAID IN 2012 WHEN NORTH LAMAR WAS ACTUALLY THERE WITH ROAD IN 2018, WHEN YOU ACTUALLY HAD, ACTUALLY IT WAS 2016, NOVEMBER 8TH, 2016, $720 MILLION BOND MOBILITY BOND.
I WANT YOU TO SEE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN, IT'S A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN.
THIS GENTLEMAN, MR. NORTON, WAS KILLED AT 1 2 3 0 0 NORTH LAMAR, WHICH IS BY NOT YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL IN HIS WHEELCHAIR, HIS SERVICE ANIMAL LIVE.
AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY HAS STILL NOT PUT ANY SIDEWALKS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE HAD $47.5 MILLION FOR SIDEWALKS, SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL.
I WANT YOU TO SEE FOR YOURSELF THAT IT IS INFREQUENT, UNRELIABLE, DISCONNECTED ON THE GRAY SLIDE.
THAT IS THE MAP FROM 2017, NOVEMBER 3RD, 2017.
YOU CAN FIND IT IN THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE.
THE CITY CREATED SOUTHWEST CENTRAL AUSTIN ROUTES IN 20 16, 9 $0.9 MILLION.
AND THEY HAVE USED PROPAGANDA MORE FREQUENT, MORE RELIABLE, BETTER CONNECTED.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO GET KAITLYN DALTON ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN TO COME.
SHE'S ACTUALLY NOW WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN DOING THE TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT.
IF YOU WILL RECALL, YOU HAD ON THE SAME DAY, MARCH 25TH, A SLIDE PRESENTATION FROM YOUR HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER, DAVID GRAY.
HOWEVER, MR. GRAY DID NOT TELL YOU THAT RAPID REHOUSING IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY.
HE TOLD THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE THAT THEREFORE SIMPLY THROWING MONEY AT THE PROBLEM IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE IT.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE SPECIFICALLY THAT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH CAME BEFORE YOU.
THEY SPENT ABOUT $900,000 ON KENNELS FOR DOGS.
WHILE WE HAVE OUR BLACKS WHO ARE OVER SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE HOMELESS IN AUSTIN, WAREHOUSED AT THE MARSHALING YARD, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A TEMPORARY SOLUTION.
WE DON'T HAVE A SHORTAGE OF HOUSING.
WE HAVE A HOUSING, WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF WILLPOWER.
I WANT YOU TO GET, GIVE TO THE COMMUNITY, THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS TO SEE WHERE THE FUNDING WENT.
SPECIFICALLY, I WANT YOU TO SEE SOME OF THE THINGS THE HOMELESS NEED, MICROWAVES, THEY NEED SHOWER STALLS.
AND THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE ISSUES.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS NO NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER NORTH OF US.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, TIME.
CAN YOU DISPLAY THAT NEXT PRESENTATION FOR US WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE? OKAY.
SO WE, UM, NICOLE, FRANCIS AND I, WE ALL, WELL, LET ME BACK UP.
AT OUR LAST MEETING WE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR OUR GROUP TO START TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA DO OUR WORK.
LIKE HOW IS THIS PROCESS GONNA WORK? HOW ARE WE GONNA SET CRITERIA? SO THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THAT CONVERSATION.
AND IN LIEU OF JUST SORT OF OPENING IT UP FOR COMMENT, WE PUT THIS SLIDE DECK TOGETHER.
MAINLY I'LL GIVE THE CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE.
NICOLE AND FRANCIS PUT THE SLIDE DECK TOGETHER AS A STARTING PLACE.
IT'S BY NO MEANS A RE NECESSARILY A RECOMMENDATION, IT'S FOR US TO GET TO STARTED TO TALKING ANSWER, YOU KNOW, ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
UM, WITH THAT PREFACE, I WOULD LIKE TO PIVOT OVER TO NICOLE, WHO, UM, CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THE IDEAS AND THOUGHTS THAT WERE PRESENTED IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO INITIALLY I PRESENTED, UM, UM, THE CHAIR CHAIRWOMAN VICE CHAIRMAN, A A, A SPREADSHEET LIKE WITH SEVERAL
UM, AS I ALWAYS STATED, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE INFINITE NEEDS, BUT FINITE RESOURCES.
SO IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS KEEPING ME UP AT NIGHT.
JUST THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA WHITTLE DOWN A LIST OF ANYWHERE BETWEEN, I HEARD 7 BILLION AT ONE POINT.
NOW IT'S ABOUT THREE AND A HALF BILLION DOWN TO JUST UNDER JUST OVER HALF A BILLION, RIGHT? THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE ENORMOUS DISCIPLINE ON ALL OUR SIDES.
UM, I'VE SEEN THE PROCESS LOOK DIFFERENT WAYS AND SO I HAD A THOUGHT ABOUT HOW THIS APPROACH MAY, UH, HOW WE MIGHT TAKE ON THIS APPROACH, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, WE THOUGHT IT'D BE BEST TO SORT OF PUT IT ALL INTO A POWERPOINT AND JUST REALLY OPEN IT UP TO GET SOME IDEAS AND DISCUSSIONS AROUND OUR APPROACH, WHETHER OR NOT WE WANNA SORT OF DEVELOP OUR OWN CRITERIA AND REALLY JUST OUR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE FINISH LINE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE TRANSPARENCY IN OUR PROCESS.
THE PUBLIC CAN KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT
[01:30:01]
THOSE CRITICAL DECISION POINTS THAT WE HAVE.AND ALSO BE, YOU KNOW, MINDFUL OF THE TIMELINE THAT WE'RE UP AGAINST.
WE HAVE ABOUT A, A YEAR TO COMPLETE THIS.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT YEAR, OBVIOUSLY, UM, WILL BE OF, OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE, UM, AS IT RELATES TO OUR PUBLIC BEING ABLE TO SORT OF CHIME IN AND SHARE THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE PROPOSALS THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING CONSIDERING.
UM, SO THE FIRST SLIDE I JUST PUT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, LIKE JUST CRITICAL QUESTIONS JUST TO GET US STARTED.
YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS ABOUT THE PROCESS? DO WE WANNA HAVE OUR OWN SET OF CRITERIA AND INDIVIDUALLY SCORE PROJECTS AND COME UP WITH OUR OWN SORT OF PRIORITIZATION LISTS AND THEN SORT OF COMBINE THEM FOR CONSENSUS LATER? UM, OR, AND WHAT ARE THOSE KEY DATES? UM, I KNOW THAT MARY HAS KEY DATES IN HER MIND, BUT CERTAINLY APRIL, 2026 IS OF, OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO US.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE COUNCIL SORT OF TAKES OVER.
THEY HAVE TO CONTEMPLATE, THERE'S A WHOLE TIMELINE ASSOCIATED WITH THEM TO SORT OF RATIFY A BOND ELECTION TO PUT FORWARD.
WELL NOT RATIFY TO RECOMMEND A BOND ELECTION FOR TAXPAYER APPROVAL.
UM, BUT WE KIND OF HAVE TO SORT OF BACK INTO THIS DATE, BUT ALSO PROVIDE CONTINUAL UPDATES TO COUNCIL MEMBERS OUR OWN SORT OF APPOINT, TEASE OR APPOINT POINTERS AS WELL AS CONFER WITH THE OUTSIDE COMMUNITY.
A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED ABOUT WHEN THE PUBLIC BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN, WHEN WILL WE GET CLOSE TO THE PRIORITIES, HOW WE'RE GONNA WHITTLE THIS DOWN? AND SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO SORT OF HAVE, UM, IN AN OPEN SORT OF FRAMEWORK AROUND HOW WE'RE SORT OF DOING THIS WORK.
I PUT TOGETHER JUST SOME DRAFT CRITERIA THAT WE'VE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN FROM THE PRESENTATIONS.
UM, BUT ALSO I WORRY, YOU KNOW, I WONDER ABOUT SORT OF BALANCE ACROSS COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? THERE'S EQUITY, BUT THERE'S ALSO BALANCING NEEDS INFRASTRUCTURE TYPES, YOU KNOW, A BLENDING OF THIS BOND.
ARE WE GONNA JUST DO SORT OF ONE SORT OF FOCUSED BOND? ARE WE GONNA TRY TO HAVE SOME SORT OF PRIORITIES, UM, PHASED AROUND DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF AREAS, UH, SHORT VERSUS LONG-TERM IMPACT? SO WHAT DO WE WANNA SORT OF SEE IN SORT OF THE FINAL RESULTS, BUT MAINLY SORT OF THE PROCESS? SO IF WE COULD GO BACK TO SORT OF SLIDE TWO, RIGHT? I JUST, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S SORT OF GOOD TO OPEN IT UP AND AND HEAR WHAT OTHER PEOPLE'S IDEAS ARE.
SO I CAN TELL YOU MY INITIAL IDEA.
I THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD GET THE COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF PRODUCTS, WE DEVELOP OUR OWN SET OF SET OF CRITERIA.
WE'D SCORE INDIVIDUALLY AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CITY STAFF ALONG WITH US COULD KIND OF HELP US SORT OF ORGANIZE WHAT ARE THOSE HITS ACROSS TASK FORCE MEMBERS THAT RESONATE TO THE TOP IN TERMS OF PRIORITY.
AND THEN WE CAN HORSE TRADE A SHORT A, A, A NARROW SET OF PROJECTS LATER.
MY FEAR IS THAT IF WE'RE HORSE TRADING $3.5 BILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS, WE WILL NEVER GET TO THE FINISH LINE.
UM, AND SO, AND, AND NOT THAT I AM BEST POSITIONED TO DO THAT, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK, AND NOT WITHOUT SOME FEEDBACK FROM, UM, THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THOSE PRIORITIES SHOULD CENTER ON.
UM, SO THAT IS SORT OF MY INITIAL THINKING.
UM, AND SO NOW I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP TO MY OTHER, UH, MY OR THE OTHER COLLEAGUES TO SORT OF SHARE IN WHAT THEY THINK THEIR APPROACHES COULD BE SO THAT WE CAN MAYBE GET TO A FRAMEWORK FOR HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET TO THAT APRIL, 2026 DATE.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE THING TOO, AS I THINK WAS VERY GOOD OF NICOLE TO KIND OF BRING THIS ABOUT, ABOUT THINKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY TO THE POINT, I KNOW WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT ALL OF OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS BEING IN THE FALL.
WELL, THIS MIGHT CHANGE THAT MAYBE WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING IN THE SPRING SO THAT AFTER WE'VE DONE SOME OF THIS WORK WE GO BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PUT THAT, WE DON'T NEED TO DISCUSS THAT RIGHT THIS SECOND, BUT I THINK THAT IS A VERY VALID POINT THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO GO BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY OR DO SOMETHING THAT INVOLVES A SURVEY OR SOMETHING ELSE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY, WE GIVE THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THIS.
SO THE QUESTION OF HOW OFTEN, WHEN, AT WHAT STAGE ARE WE GOING INTO THE PUBLIC FOR FEEDBACK, RIGHT? SO WE COULD FIGURE THAT AFTER WE HAVE THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION, JUST START TALKING.
I THINK
WE'RE HEARING ABOUT PROJECTS, BUT NOT, WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN DOLLARS YET.
AND SO IT'S A COMBINATION OF WHAT ARE THE NEED, WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC NEEDS WE NEED FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THERE'S ALSO HOW MUCH CASH IS NEEDED TO FUND THEM.
AND THE LAST UPDATE I GOT WAS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THE LIST, WHICH I BELIEVE SHOULD HAVE DOLLAR AMOUNTS JUST AFTER OUR JULY MEETING.
AND ALSO, DON'T WE, AREN'T WE SUPPOSED TO GIVE THE CITY COUNCIL A REPORT THIS MONTH? OR IS IT THERE WAS A A, A MEMO DELIVERED FROM CAPITAL DELIVERY JUST I THINK CIRCULATED.
WE, WE DID IT, BUT VIA MEMO BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A WHOLE LOT
[01:35:01]
THOUGHTS? I THINK THAT, YEAH, THIS IS GREAT.UM, 'CAUSE I'VE ALSO BEEN STRUGGLING, LIKE HOW ARE WE GONNA FIGURE THIS OUT?
UH, FOR ME, UM, I THINK IN ORDER OF PRIORITY FIRST WOULD BE CITY STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS.
I MEAN, THEY RUN THESE DEPARTMENTS, THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED.
SO THAT'S THE HIGHEST, UH, VALUE IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, RANKING FOR ME.
SECOND WOULD BE PUBLIC, UH, INPUT BOTH OF THE SURVEYS AND, AND THE PEOPLE WHO COME AND SPEAK AT CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS.
AND I, I'D LOVE TO, I DUNNO IF WE CAN GET TO YOUR LIST 'CAUSE UH, ADVANCE THE SLIDE TO YOUR, UH,
BUT YEAH, THE OTHER ONES I WOULD ADD THEN OBVIOUSLY CLIMATE, YOU KNOW, WE, THE COUNCIL, UH, WAS CLEAR THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE A, A PRIORITY.
THERE WAS GONNA BE A WHOLE SEPARATE BOND JUST ON CLIMATE.
SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE CRITERIA NOW OR WHAT, WHICH, WHAT ARE YOU YES, CRITERIA.
OH, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S IS THAT CRITERIA OR CROSS, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WHICH IT WOULD BE, BUT ANYWAY, UH, THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S, SO YOU'RE OFFERING THAT AS A CRITERIA THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER? YEAH, EXACTLY.
AND SO WHAT I, WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING IS I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE EVERY PROJECT HAVE A, YOU KNOW, UH, GREENHOUSE GAS IMPACT, YOU KNOW, EITHER NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY I WOULD LOVE THE WHOLE PACKAGE TO BE AS AUSTIN OUTSIDE RECOMMENDED, YOU KNOW, CARBON NEUTRAL OR NEGATIVE.
UM, SO THERE'D BE A WHOLE SET OF PROJECTS THAT PROBABLY INCREASE EMISSIONS, BUT, UH, UH, MORE THAN OFFSET BY ONES THAT DECREASE EMISSIONS.
AND THEN THE, UH, FOURTH, UH, CRITERIA THAT, UH, TINA HAS RAISED A NUMBER OF TIMES, UM, IS JUST THE BUT OF THE ONGOING O AND M COSTS, UH, RECOGNIZING THE CITY IS STRAPPED, UH, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD, I WOULD SUGGEST GIVE, UM, EXTRA CREDIT TO PROJECTS THAT HAVE, UH, NO, OR, OR A SMALL ONGOING O AND M COST.
I THINK THE QUESTION ABOUT THE O AND M COSTS ARE, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE IN THE SPREADSHEET, RIGHT? LIKE WE WOULD HAVE TO ASK THEM INDIVIDUALLY FOR THAT KIND OF STUFF.
I MEAN, AND THAT'S KIND OF MY CONCERN IS WE WE'RE JUST DOING THINGS SO DIFFERENTLY AND SORT OF COUNTERINTUITIVELY TO HOW WE DID IT THE LAST TIME, IN MY OPINION.
UM, LAST TIME WE IMMEDIATELY GOT INTO WORKING GROUPS.
WE HAD THE LISTS AND WE WERE ABLE TO, THE STAFF, UH, COORDINATED WHO WE WERE HEARING FROM.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD KNOW THAT THE FACILITIES GROUP ON, IN OUR WORKING GROUP, WHICH WE MET ON CITY PROPERTY, NOT ONLINE, THE PUBLIC KNEW THE, WE HAD POSTED AGENDAS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA HEAR FROM EMS, THE PUBLIC KNOWS WE'RE HEARING FROM EMS, SO THEY CAN COME AND SPEAK AT THAT SPECIFIC WORKING GROUP MEETING.
AND IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, REALLY MAPPED OUT.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT IS WHAT WE'RE EVENTUALLY GONNA GET INTO.
'CAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, I, I HATE TO BE DOWN ON THE PROJECT SPREADSHEET, BUT LIKE, IT'S JUST, IT'S GONNA BE AN ENORMOUS DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE 10 MILLION QUESTIONS OVER.
SO I'M REALLY HOPEFUL THAT THAT IS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
AND I DO THINK WE NEED, I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE WORKING GROUP CHAIRS TO BE COORDINATING THIS STUFF.
IT REALLY HAS GOT TO COME FROM SOMEONE SAYING, THIS IS THE SCHEDULE OF WHEN THE PROJECTS ARE GONNA BE EXPLAINED.
AND YOU CAN ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND LIKE, I THINK WE MET WITH THE STAFF SPECIFICALLY ABOUT POOLS ABOUT EIGHT TIMES, UM, IN, IN PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT PEOPLE COULD COME COMMENT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE REAL STUFF HAPPENS.
SO YEAH, I THINK THAT IS THE PROCESS.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PROCESS, HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THAT? I THINK THAT'S A FUNDAMENTAL PIECE OF IT IS GETTING THE WORKING GROUPS MORE WORKING.
AND WHETHER THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, STARTING WITH THE LIST SEEMED LIKE THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, WAIT FOR THE LIST.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S EASIER TO GET PUBLIC INPUT ALONG THE WAY, UM, SPECIFIC TO THE PROJECTS AND HAVE THEM IN OPEN FORUM MEETINGS WHERE I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY NEED TO BE RECORDED, BUT, UM, THAT WE CAN BE PRESENT FOR PEOPLE TO COME TALK TO US.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S JUST GONNA BE GOING TO BIG MEETINGS WHERE EVERYBODY LIKE, IT'S JUST GONNA BE ABSOLUTE CHAOS HAPHAZARD.
I THINK THE, UM, UP UNTIL THIS POINT, I THINK MOST OF THE WORKING GROUPS HAVE JUST BEEN KIND OF FIGURING THEMSELVES OUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEMSELVES ORGANIZED.
BUT THE THOUGHT WOULD BE, AND I THINK BARBARA HAS MENTIONED THAT WE WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO POST FOR PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE, THE MEETINGS WE DO INTEND TO KEEP OPEN.
I THINK THERE WAS SOME SENSE THAT WE'D HAVE SOME MAYBE THAT DIDN'T HAVE A PUBLIC COMPONENT, BUT AGREED.
AND I THINK BARBARA, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WILL GET CITY STAFF SUPPORT ON THOSE.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD ON TO WHAT LUKE WAS SAYING IN TERMS OF, UH, DEFINITELY GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, UM, AND, AND GREENHOUSE GAS IMPACT BEING A, A MUST HAVE IN TERMS OF, UH, THE CRITERIA.
BUT I THINK I'M ALSO NOT SEEING ANY OTHER, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS LISTED HERE ON THIS DRAFT CRITERIA.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE ADDED TO THAT LIST.
[01:40:01]
OTHER, YOU KNOW, AIR POLLUTION REDUCTION, WATER QUALITY, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IS TOO PRIMARY, BUT MAYBE THERE'S OTHERS AS WELL.UM, LIKE HEAT INDEX, YOU KNOW, CLIMATE RESILIENCE KIND OF, UH, CRITERIA THERE.
BUT MAYBE WE CAN BUNDLE THOSE IN SOME WAY.
I, I THINK THE CLIMATE ONE SHOULD STANDALONE, BUT THEN SOME OTHER LIKE ENVIRONMENTAL CO-BENEFITS SHOULD BE ANOTHER CRITERIA.
OH, CAN YOU ASK A QUESTION? OH, I'M SORRY.
SO JUST TO FOLLOW UP, RACHEL, SO YOUR VISION IS THAT WE GET THE THREE POINT OR $5 BILLION LIST OR COMPREHENSIVE LIST AND THE WORK GROUPS TAKE THOSE LISTS, UM, ACCORDING TO THEIR WORK GROUP TYPE OR, UM, RELATABILITY AND HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE DISCUSSION AROUND WHAT ARE THOSE ITEMS SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED AND HAVE THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK WITHIN THOSE WORKING GROUPS.
AND THEN WE COME BACK TOGETHER AND LISTEN TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORKING GROUPS TO COME TO OUR BIG SORT OF RECOMMENDATION.
I MEAN, I THINK WHAT IS WAS HELPFUL LAST TIME WAS THAT THE WORKING GROUPS BECAME EXPERTS ON THE PROJECTS AND THEY HAD A, WE'RE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, IT'S NICE TO THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE, WE CAN HAVE LIKE A WEIGHTED CHECKLIST, BUT WHEN THERE'S 500 PEOPLE SHOWING UP ABOUT ONE ISSUE, IT'S GONNA FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT THE WORKING GROUP IS GONNA HAVE A BE MORE EDUCATED ON THAT ONE ISSUE.
YOU KNOW? SO IT'S, IT TAKES, UM, I THINK CREATING A SPACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN COME SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE WORKING GROUP ABOUT THE SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND WE CAN, AND THEY CAN HAVE CITY STAFF, THEN THE WORKING GROUP BECOMES THE EXPERT AND THEN THE ISSUES THAT FLOAT TO THE TOP AS LIKE THE WORKING GROUP IS UNSURE OR THE WORKING, THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE DOESN'T AGREE WITH THE WORKING GROUP, THEN WE CAN SPEND THAT TIME HAMMERING OUT THOSE PIECES.
BUT IF THE WORKING GROUP COMES THROUGH AND SAYS, EVERYONE IN TOWN WANTS A GONDOLA AND WE REALLY INVESTED AND LOOKED AT THAT PROJECT AND THEN NOBODY HERE HAS AN ISSUE WITH IT, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND ALL THIS EXTRA TIME TALKING ABOUT THAT.
SO YES, THAT IS, UM, AND I THINK THAT THE WORKING GROUP SHOULD BE THE ONE, UM, LOOKING AT THE CRITERIA TOO, SO THAT IF THE REST OF THE GROUP HAS QUESTIONS, THEN THEY ARE THE ONES THAT CAN RESPOND INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE USE THIS TIME TO DEAL WITH, UH, HIGHER LEVEL ISSUES, WHICH IS PROBABLY GONNA BE FIGURING OUT HOW THE CRITERIA IS GOING TO EVEN RELATE AMONG THE DIFFERENT, UM, 'CAUSE IT, IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT THOUGHT OF WHAT GOES INTO EQUITY FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE CAN DO HERE.
AND ALSO IT WILL HELP DIVERT THE PUBLIC TO MORE MEANINGFUL WORKING SPACES WHERE THEY, WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE PROJECTS IN FRONT OF US INSTEAD OF HAVING TO BE COMPLETELY TOLD WHAT IS GOING ON AND WHAT THE PROJECT IS.
THAT'S MY, I JUST ASK ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION BEFORE I, I'M TAKING NOTES.
WERE YOU PROPOSING THAT THE EACH WORKING GROUP HAS A DIFFERENT CRITERIA OR EACH WORKING GROUP MAY HAVE DIFFERENT SUB SORT OF THINGS TO CONSIDER UNDER EACH OF THE CRITERIA? ARE WE ALL WORKING UNDER THE SAME CRITERIA OR, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THAT GOES.
WHEN THE LAST TIME IN 2018, THE, THE EQUITY OFFICE HAD JUST BEEN DEVELOPED AND WE SORT OF NEVER, THEY WERE IN CHARGE OF SAYING WHAT THE EQUITY, UM, LENS WAS AND HOW TO USE IT AS A SCORE KEEPING.
AND WE SORT OF NEVER, IT, IT NEVER REALLY, IT KIND OF CAME UP TOO LATE TO REALLY APPLY IT TO THE PROJECT.
SO TO ME, THE IDEA THAT WE COULD HAVE SOME KIND OF WEIGHTED CHECKLIST FOR EACH PROJECT SEEMS COMPLETELY IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE THINGS JUST DON'T, LIKE, I THINK ON SOME THINGS AFFECT THE WHOLE CITY AND SOME THINGS ARE VERY LOCATIONAL.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE, IF YOU'RE USING DISTANCE AS AN EQUITY TOOL, IT'S NOT GONNA, IT JUST DOESN'T WORK FOR EVERYTHING.
AND SO I THINK WE WILL HIT A BUNCH, IF WE COME UP WITH A DRAFT CRITERIA, I THINK WE WILL THEN SEE ALL THE WAYS THAT IT IS COMPLICATED TO MAKE IT WORK ACROSS EACH GROUP.
AND THEN EACH GROUP COULD THEN MAKE YEAH, RECOMMENDATIONS FIGURED OUT HAVING SORT OF THOUGHT THROUGH THE, THE ISSUES CREATED BY THE CRITERIA.
BUT PERHAPS SCIENCE IS BETTER SINCE THEN AND WE KNOW HOW TO DO THESE THINGS.
BUT YEAH, BUT THAT IT WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE ONE CRITERIA FOR THE, FOR ALL OF US, BUT THE WORKING GROUPS KIND OF WORK WITHIN THAT.
LOOKING AT OUR FINAL PRODUCT OR A REPORT TO REC SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO, TO THE COUNCIL, WE'RE GONNA SAY IF WE RECOMMEND, UM, X AMOUNT TOTAL BOND PACKAGE, IT'S BROKEN UP IN THESE WAYS WITH THE BUCKETS.
AND IF WE, IF WE RECOMMEND Y AMOUNT, IT'S GONNA BE BROKEN UP THESE WAYS.
I, I THINK THAT IT WOULD FACILITATE
[01:45:01]
OUR EVALUATION OF PARTICULAR PROJECTS IF WE WORK TOWARD THOSE PERCENTAGES SOONER.IN FACT, IN THE VERY SHORT TIME, I THINK THAT WILL HELP US ALL.
SO AS WE THEN WE'LL KNOW, LIKE FOR ANY PARTICULAR WORKING GROUP, THIS IS ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT, THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE GOT TO WORK WITH IN THAT GROUP.
AND SO WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT PARTICULAR PROJECTS, YOU CAN START TO THINK ABOUT HOW PROJECT COULD BE APPLIED TO THAT, THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
UM, THE, I I, I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF US HAVING OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL SCORING CRITERIA FOR THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THAT FOR EACH ONE OF US, THEY'RE GONNA BE THINGS THAT ARE MORE OR LESS INTERESTING AND WE'LL WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE.
BUT WITHIN THE KIND OF IDEA THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S GONNA BE FOR PARKLAND, OPEN SPACE, CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR FACILITIES, ET CETERA, THAT WAY, UM, I AND, AND THEN OH, I, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE WOULD, YOU WOULD DECIDE AHEAD OF TIME WHAT PERCENT OF THE BUDGET THAT EACH WORKING GROUP IS GETTING? YEAH, I THINK THAT WILL BE VERY CHALLENGING.
'CAUSE THE WORKING GROUPS ARE GONNA LEARN ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY FIND VERY IMPORTANT AND IT'LL TOTALLY CHANGE ALL THOSE RATIOS A HUNDRED PERCENT.
BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT THAT CHALLENGE NO MATTER WHAT.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE IT BEFORE WE, FOR OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION.
UM, BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO RECOMMEND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT NUMBERS TO CITY COUNCIL.
AND WITHIN EACH OF THOSE NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, OF, OF THE PICK THE NUMBER, HOWEVER, A HUNDRED MILLION, THIS IS HOW WE THINK THAT SHOULD, HERE ARE THE PROJECTS FOR THAT.
HERE'S THIS OTHER A HUNDRED MILLION, HERE ARE THE PROJECTS.
AND I JUST, I I, IT FEELS TO ME LIKE THE SOONER WE GET AHEAD OF THAT, EVEN IF THEN THE BETTER WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO EVALUATE PARTICULAR PROJECTS UNDERNEATH, WELL CVS HAVE, WHEN THEY PRESENT THEIR LIST, WILL IT BE, YOU KNOW, $685 MILLION WORTH AND, AND THEY, THEY'RE GIVING THOSE BUCKETS, THEIR RECOMMENDED BUCKETS.
IN TERMS OF, SO I THINK I COULD SPEAK TO SOMETHING THAT I LEARNED FROM THE CITY LAST WEEK, AND MARCUS, IF HE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK THEY'RE DOING AN EXERCISE BY WHICH THEY TAKE FEEDBACK FROM THE SURVEY WHERE YOU HAD A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO SPEND, AM I GETTING THIS RIGHT, MARCUS? YOU HAVE A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO SPEND AND AS AN EXERCISE APPLYING THAT TO THE LIST, UNFORTUNATELY.
RIGHT? WE DON'T HAVE TO, WE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT BOUND BY THAT.
BUT IT IS A CONCEPT THAT I THINK I'M, I'M, I'M HEARING THE IDEA BEING THAT HOW WILL WE WORK THROUGH THE CHALLENGE OF HOW MUCH IS ALLOTED TO EACH WORKING GROUP ALSO SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
WE CAN ALSO, WE COULD ALSO LOOK AT WHAT WERE THE, WHAT WAS THE DISTRIBUTION IN 2018 AND IN 2006 AND IN PREVIOUS BONDS, BECAUSE THEY ALL HAD SIX ITEMS BROKEN OUT WITH DOLLAR VALUES.
TO ADD TO GARY'S POINT IS, I KNOW WHEN WE, WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH A ISD FOR THE 2022 BOND, YOU CAN START OFF, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO STAY THERE.
SO I THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT GETTING LIKE, RIGHT, SO LIKE THEY HAD A PARTICULAR, HOW THEY WERE BREAKING IT UP AGAINST DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND THEN SOME OF IT SHIFTED UP AND DOWN ONCE THEY GOT INTO THE NITTY GRITTY.
SO AT SOME POINT, WHICH I THINK WHEN WE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CREATING THE SCHEDULE, WE SHOULD PICK A TIME SO THAT WE GET THERE AND THEN WE WILL, IN MY OPINION, WE JUST WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT BETWEEN TWO AND FOUR.
LIKE I THINK THAT WILL BE BE, I'VE ALREADY EXPRESSED THIS, THE STAFF WHERE THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD HAVE A B TIFF MEETING WHERE WE NEED LIKE FOUR HOURS TO LIKE GO BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHAT, LIKE ALMOST LIKE TRADING THIS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? OKAY.
AND THEY, THEY PASSED A $1 BILLION BOND
ONE IS, IS THAT I, I HOPE THAT THE LIST IS NOT ALREADY, I FILTERED BY IF YOU HAD A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO SPEND, BECAUSE THAT'S THE FUNCTION OF THIS GROUP.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR AND SPENDING A YEAR AND A HALF TO DO IS, IS TO PROVIDE THAT IN ADDITION TO STAFF.
UH, BUT SECONDLY, I WOULD, I WOULD HOPE THAT FOR THE CRITERIA, WHETHER IT'S THAT WE WOULD ALSO LOOK AT PROJECTS THAT FIT MORE THAN ONE BUCKET AND YOU KNOW, A DRAIN PROJECT AT THE PARK AND TRANSPORTATION PROJECT, THAT TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES, ET CETERA.
UM, I, I, WE'VE BEEN HEARING THAT A LOT, UH, IN THINGS AND IN THE PRESENTATIONS AND, AND I THINK THAT THAT REFLECTS, WELL YOUR POINT LUKE, ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF F THE CITY FINANCES GOING FORWARD IS FOR US AS A GROUP TO, TO THINK CREATIVELY AND TO PRIORITIZE THOSE PROJECTS THAT CAN DO MORE THAN ONE THING.
I, I THINK THAT, UH, GARY, YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO HEAR I'VE BEEN DOING THAT SAME INCREMENTAL EXERCISE.
I'M TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE LIST OF PROJECTS IN MY MIND I'M LIKE, OKAY, FIVE, WELL, SIX WORKING GROUPS, BUT ONE'S DOING LIKE OUTREACH STUFF.
SO FIVE WORKING GROUPS, IF I'VE, YOU KNOW, DIVIDED OUT LIKE 1 25, 1 25, THEN IF THIS ONE GOES UP, THAT ONE OTHER ONE HAS TO GO DOWN.
UH, BUT I'M REALLY UP AGAINST THE, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT PROJECTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE I CAN START DOING THIS.
SO AS, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE CRITERIA, I, I AGREE, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING SOME MORE ON THERE.
ON THE CLIMATE ASPECT, UH, I WOULD LIKE
[01:50:01]
TO HAVE SOMETHING, UM, THAT UH, GIVES SOME KIND OF POINTS FOR THINGS THAT UNLOCK OR, OR ARE A MULTIPLIER EFFECT.LIKE MY FAMOUS EXAMPLE OF JUST I NEED 300 FEET OF, OF UH, SIDEWALK AND A BRIDGE AND IT CONNECTS THESE TWO NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOW I DON'T DO A CAR TRIP.
NOW I CAN JUST RIDE MY BIKE TO THE COFFEE SHOP, LIKE LOW DOLLAR AMOUNT, QUICK UNLOCK.
THAT HELPS SELL THE BIGGER, LONGER TERM OUT OUTLAY THINGS.
UM, AND UH, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER PART OF THAT IS WE TALK ABOUT THE OPERATIONS, YOU KNOW, COSTS THAT COME WITH, WITH THESE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
ARE THERE THINGS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GONNA, UH, SAVE US MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING TONS OF MONEY IN OPERATIONAL COSTS AS A CITY ON THIS SIDE BECAUSE OF LOCATION OR AGE BUILDING OR WHATEVER.
AND THIS CAPITAL EXPENDITURE WILL HELP US SHIFT THAT TO OTHER NEEDS THAT WE HAVE AS A CITY ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE.
UM, I'M REALLY GLAD WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION NOW.
ACTUALLY DISAPPOINTED AS I AM WITH THE LACK OF A LIST BEFORE WE SEE THE LIST BECAUSE, UM, I THINK THAT'S REALLY GONNA START SHAPING VERY QUICKLY WHAT WE THINK IS POSSIBLE AND THE UNIVERSE, UM, THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE TODAY WE'RE, WE'RE ALMOST COMING UP WITH A, A LIST OF VALUES, UM, WHICH MIGHT GET TRANSLATED INTO A FORMAL CRITERIA OR SCORING MECHANISM AT SOME POINT, OR MIGHT BE USED BY THE WORK GROUPS IN SOME OTHER FASHION.
UM, BUT JUST GETTING ALL THE IDEAS OUT ON THE TABLE IN SOME FORM SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
I DUNNO IF WE HAVE TIME TO DO IT TODAY OR TO WORDSMITH WHAT MEANS WHAT.
BUT I WAS, UM, THINKING THAT THIS WOULD BE BEYOND TODAY.
LIKE THIS IS SORT OF THE KICKSTART OF THE CONVERSATION AND I WOULD INVITE EVERYONE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A TAKE THAT PROCESS AS IT WAS, YOU KNOW, OUTLINED AND COME UP, BRING NEXT TIME, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IDEAS, PEOPLE HAVE, YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT LIST OF CRITERIA, LET'S PASS 'EM AROUND AND, AND YOU KNOW, EDIT AS WE GO.
SO I'D ALMOST HOLD THAT SEPARATELY FROM THE PROCESS CONVERSATION THAT EVERYTHING THAT RACHEL AND GARY BROUGHT UP IS VERY MEANINGFUL TO THAT.
AND THEY CAN MAP ONTO EACH OTHER CERTAINLY, BUT MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T SWALLOW THE WHOLE COW RIGHT NOW.
SO CRITERIA PROCESS, SEPARATE CONVERSATIONS WITH ENOUGH TIME FOR EACH CRITERIA.
ALMOST AS JUST LIKE GATHERING YEAH.
VALUES AND SORT OF DOING A FORCED RANKING AMONGST OURSELVES.
UM, THAT CAN THEN GET APPLIED TO ANY, ANY PROCESS WE COME UP WITH.
THE ONLY OTHER PIECE I'LL COME UP WITH BEFORE I SHUT UP IS, UM, THERE, I'D LIKE THERE TO BE SOME WAY EITHER IN OUR PROCESS OR IN OUR CRITERIA TO CONSIDER IDEAS THAT DON'T COME FROM STAFF.
THEY HAVE GREAT IDEAS, THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE GREAT IDEAS.
THE COMMUNITY MAY HAVE GREAT IDEAS OR THERE MAY BE THINGS THAT GET LEFT OFF THEIR LIST THAT WE'D LIKE TO PULL BACK ON.
UM, I'D LIKE TO FIND SOME WAY FOR US TO DO THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE PROCESS.
BUT DON'T THEY HAVE TO BE VETTED BY THE CITY? 'CAUSE LIKE, LIKE, UH, COMPATIBILITY TO BEING ABLE, SO THE, THE COMMUNITY WAS ABLE TO SUBMIT IDEAS RIGHT, THAT WEREN'T THEIR IDEA SO THAT THE CDS STAFF CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AND SEE THE, OR DEPARTMENTS CAN GO AHEAD AND SEE IF THEY'RE PLAUSIBLE.
SO I GUESS MY ONLY THING IS I THINK IF WE HAVE IDEAS WE NEED TO GET THEM SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
'CAUSE I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THE IDEAS THAT WERE SUBMITTED BY THE COMMUNITY AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENTS TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY.
SO THAT WE DON'T SAY THAT WE WERE GONNA DO SOMETHING AND NOT DO IT.
SO, AND IT SHOULD ALL BE SCOPED BEFORE.
SO I THINK IF THERE'S ANY IDEAS HERE, I THINK WE NEED TO GET THOSE TO CITY STAFF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AND I, I GUESS GET MY QUESTION JUST ON THAT POINT IS LIKE THE MECHANISM BY WHICH THE PUBLIC WOULD SUBMIT A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL IS PUBLIC COMMENT, IS IT RESPONSIVE SURVEY? IT WAS ALSO ON THE SO WEBSITE, SO THERE WAS THE BOND 26 WEBSITE.
SO THERE WAS A SURVEY AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER OPTION TO SUBMIT IDEAS.
AND THOSE IDEAS WERE GONNA BE VETTED BECAUSE WE HAVE REQUIRE, WE'RE TRYING TO PUT I PROJECTS THAT ARE FEASIBLE AND DOABLE AND WE'RE NOT WASTING, LIKE WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE PRESENTING ABOUT THINGS THAT FIT IN BONDS AND STUFF HAPPENS.
WELL, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ONLINE RAISING HANDS? OH, WE DO HAVE PEOPLE.
DONALD, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD? YEAH, JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
UM, IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE STUFF THAT'S BEEN DIS DISCUSSED, AND I THINK IT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY CLIPPED ME BY A FEW MINUTES, BUT I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I WOULD FEEL VERY HESITANT TO COME UP WITH LIKE A PERCENTAGE ALLOCATION BEFORE SEEING, UM, THE CITY'S PRIORITIZATION OR SEEING THE FULL LIST OF PROJECTS JUST TO GET SOME IDEA.
I WAS ALSO GONNA NOTE, UM, UH, UH, UH, MR. MR. SULLIVAN MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO, UH, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT PRIOR BOND ALLOCATIONS.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, IF WE'RE GONNA DO THAT, I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO, WORKING GROUPS SHOULD SORT OF, SHOULD BE AWARE OR FACTOR IN, UH, CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS OR MAJOR DEPARTMENTS AND DURING THE SAME BOND INTERIM, THEY'RE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF DEBT
[01:55:01]
INSTRUMENT, BUT THERE'S STILL A DEBT INSTRUMENT.AND AS WE SORT OF SAW LAST TIME THAT THOSE CUTS, THOSE DO CUT INTO THE, THE BOND CAPACITY WE'RE WORKING WITH, RIGHT? THERE WAS A CEO THAT WAS PASSED FOR, UH, UH, TRANSPORTATION PROJECT.
UH, AND SO OUR, OUR BOND CAPACITY WENT FROM SEVEN 50 DOWN TO SIX 90.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S NOT REALLY A STRONG DIVIDE BETWEEN THE TWO.
SO I THINK BEING AWARE OF WHAT, UH, WHAT DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN USING, UH, CEOS FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS, IS, IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE FACTORED INTO, UH, THAT THOSE THAT CONSIDERATION BY THE BOND TASK GROUPS.
ANYBODY ELSE ONLINE? I DON'T WANNA MISS YOU.
SO THE ONLY THING IS I, UH, TO J C'S POINT IS IF, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WE'RE NOT HAVING ANY MORE DEPARTMENTS.
SO LIKE WE COULD POTENTIALLY FOR THE NEXT MEETING HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM THAT'S ABOUT PROCESS, AN AGENDA ITEM THAT'S ABOUT CRITERIA.
JUST TO GET STARTED, I THINK THE ONE QUESTION I HAVE, AND THIS IS FOR CITY STAFF WE CAN FOLLOW UP, IS LIKE, IT'D BE NICE, I KNOW WE CAN'T DO A GOOGLE DOC, BUT I'VE ALREADY BEEN TAKING NOTES ON DIFFERENT IDEAS AND SO WE JUST, I WOULD, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE WORK SO THAT WE CAN PUT IDEAS IN ALL OF US TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHILE KEEPING TO THE, THE RULES.
I THINK THAT THE LOW TECH VERSION OR THE, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE FOR ANYONE WHO HAS A WORK PRODUCT THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER, A CRITERIA PROCESS IS TO SEND IT TO NICOLE WHO COULD THEN DISTRIBUTE IT TO EVERYONE TO BRING AS A, AS A MEETING MATERIAL.
I MEAN IT HAS, IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE, WE CAN'T MAINTAIN AN ACTIVE OPEN LIST THAT LIKE WE ADD STUFF TO.
'CAUSE LIKE MY QUESTION IS HOW IF PEOPLE, I LIKE, I'VE LIKE TWO OR THREE OF THE IDEAS THAT WE CAME UP WITH, BUT WE CAN'T HAVE THEM ALL.
WE'VE GOTTA DISCUSS THROUGH THEM.
SO I GUESS YOU'RE SAYING LIKE WE CAN, I CAN COMPILE THEM, SEND THEM IN A CALL AND I MEAN, AND THEN WE, WE DISCUSS IT NEXT TIME.
I THINK WE HAVE LIKE A, A CRITERIA YOU BRING IN YOUR DRAFT CRITERIA, IT GETS SORT OF CIRCULATED AROUND AND THEN MAYBE IT MAY GET A LITTLE UNWIELDY.
CAN WE SENSE THINGS BETWEEN MEETINGS? SO WE COULD GO OUT, SOMEBODY COULD SEE IT AND THEN RESPOND VIA, SO THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A, A DISCUSSION A LITTLE UNWIELDY BEFORE WE'RE HERE IN PERSON.
YOU MEAN DISCUSS THE IMP THE PROCESS.
SO IF I SEND SOMETHING TO COLE, SHE SENDS IT OUT, EVERYONE READS IT AND THEN A FEW PEOPLE THEN RESPOND TO IT AND THAT GETS CIRCULATED OUT.
SO WE HAVE A DISCUSSION, OH, THAT'S A WORK WAY I CAN GET IT STARTED.
CAN I SUGGEST THAT WE, EVERYBODY SORT, IF WE DECIDE IF WE SCHEDULE A DISCUSSION AROUND THE PROCESS, EVERYBODY SENDS IN THEIR IDEAS AROUND PROCESS TO NICOLE, WE SEE THE IDEAS, THEN WE DISCUSS THE PROCESS AND WE DEVELOP AND AGREE UPON SORT OF A DRAFT PROCESS THAT THE NEXT MEETING WE COME BACK AROUND AND WE CAN AGREE UPON.
THAT WAY WE CAN VET ALL THE DIFFERENT IDEAS.
PEOPLE CAN OP, YOU KNOW, OPINE ON SORT OF WHAT THEY MEANT BY THAT.
AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF COME TO SOME CONSENSUS AROUND AND APPROACH FIRST AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEN, THEN WE WILL HAVE THE PROCESS OUT WHETHER IT'S THE WORKING GROUPS THAT MAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEIR CRITERIA OR NOT.
AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY FOR THE NEXT MEETING, RIGHT, SAME THING.
SEND IN YOUR DRAFT SUGGESTIONS AROUND THE CRITERIA TO THE EXTENT THAT WE WANNA HAVE A UNIFORM CRITERIA APPLIED, BECAUSE I'M HEARING A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT IDEAS, RIGHT?
UM, AND IF WE HAVE SORT OF THAT LAST SORT OF, SO I SEE SORT OF PHASE ONE PRIORITIES AND THEN THE FINAL REC GETTING TO THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION, RIGHT? WE NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CUTOVER OR CRITERIA THAT'LL BE APPLIED TO THAT LIST OF PRIORITIES AND WHETHER IT'S CROSSCUTTING OR CRITERIA OR VALUES, MAYBE WE ESTABLISH VALUES FOR THE WORKING GROUPS.
AND THE WORKING GROUPS CAN DO THEIR OWN DETAILED, YOU KNOW, CRITERIA.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR UNIFORM CRITERIA THAT WE'RE GONNA APPLY TO THE LAST LINE OF PROJECTS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED.
AND WE, WE SUBSEQUENTLY VOTE AND APPROVE THROUGH CONSENSUS AROUND THOSE CRITERIA.
SO FIRST WE KIND OF AGREE ON THE PROCESS, WE DISCUSS, THEN WE COME BACK AND AGREE, THEN WE DISCUSS CRITERIA AND THEN WE AGREE.
'CAUSE WE HAVE LIKE SEVEN MONTHS TO GET TO APRIL TO SOME EXTENT.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BREATHING ROOM TO TALK THROUGH THIS AND HAVE, AND MAYBE NOT SCHEDULE A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS DURING THE TIME WHEN WE HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
THAT'S MY 3 CENTS, RIGHT? I THINK, UM, IF TO ME, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME THINGS I THINK WE COULD GET GOING ON.
PROCESS TO ME AT THE MOMENT IS THE PRIORITY VERSUS THE CRITERIA.
AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF SHARING FEEDBACK.
I'M TRYING TO AVOID VIOLATING THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO IF YOU, IF IF NICOLE SENDS OUT, HERE'S MARY'S PROCESS IDEA AND, AND LUKE SENDS BACK TO NICOLE, HERE'S MY THOUGHTS ON MARY'S AND THEN SHE'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A DAISY CHAIN, BUT WE COULD, I MEAN I'M NOT IMAGINING MAYBE ALL 22 OF US WILL SEND A PROCESS DOCUMENT THROUGH, BUT I I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF DOING THAT FEEDBACK PRIOR OR IN ADVANCE.
SO LET ME WORK WITH THE STAFF, MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT VIOLATING SOMETHING BY DOING THAT.
BUT I THINK GETTING FEEDBACK IS A GOOD IDEA.
I HAVE, I THINK IT'S SIMPLE QUESTION
THE LIST, WHEN WE GET IT, WILL IT BE DIVIDED INTO WORK GROUPS?
[02:00:02]
DON'T THINK SO.I'M LOOKING OVER TO A DEPARTMENT.
OH IT IS GONNA BE BY WORK GROUPS, BY OUR WORKING GROUPS.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE DECIDING WHAT DEPARTMENT AND PROJECTS GO INTO THE WORKING GROUPS OTHER, OTHERWISE WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A PROCESS FOR GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE LIST AND DIVIDING IT INTO WORK GROUPS.
I WAS KIND OF HOPING THAT IT WOULD COME TO US.
YEAH, I STILL THINKING PROCESS, LIKE HOW WE'RE GOING TO THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN ARE WE GOING OUT, WHEN ARE WE, YOU KNOW, SOLICITING FEEDBACK, THAT KIND OF PROCESS.
YEAH, NO, I MEAN I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE LIST ITSELF.
BUT I'D LIKE FOR IT TO BE SUBDIVIDED INTO WORK GROUPS THAT BECAUSE STAFF'S MOST FAMILIAR WITH THE PROJECT, SO, AND CLASSIFY 'EM AND THAT WORKS FOR ME.
WE WON'T HAVE TO ARGUE ABOUT IT.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. I THINK THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEM IS PROCESS, FURTHER PROCESS.UM, CAN I SAY ONE THING? YEAH.
I WOULD TRUST YOU GUYS TO DO A LOT OF THIS WORK.
SETTING IT UP FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
I, I'D LIKE TO GET EVERYBODY TO AGREE ABOUT THAT.
MEANING, UM, SEND FEEDBACK TO WHAT WE PUT IN FRONT OF YOU AND WE'LL, WE'LL MANIPULATE AND MAKE CHANGES TO SORT OF TO THAT.
LIKE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE OFFICERS, LIKE DRAFT APPROACHES LIKE I, YEAH.
'CAUSE WE HAVE HEARD SOME, BASED UPON THE TWO IDEAS, COUPLE THREE IDEAS WE'VE HAD TODAY, WE CAN SORT OF STREAMLINE THAT AND BRING THAT BACK TO FOCUS THE DISCUSSION AROUND, RIGHT.
TWO TO THREE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO THE PROCESS.
UM, I CAN CLAR WE CAN WORK TO CLARIFY WITH BOTH GARY, THAT'S WHAT I WAS SUGGESTING AND OTHERS, UM, ABOUT SORT OF PULLING THOSE OUT.
I DON'T KNOW, I, I DON'T WANNA SORT OF, I DO THINK WE COULD EMAIL THAT OUT SOONER SO PEOPLE CAN STILL, 'CAUSE EVERYONE'S NOT HERE.
I MEAN I THINK WE CAN KIND OF PUT THIS TOGETHER AND THEN SEND IT OUT.
I THINK PEOPLE CAN GET FEEDBACK.
'CAUSE I DO THINK TO YOUR POINT, I DO THINK WE PROBABLY, PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE EVEN, YOU MIGHT EVEN HAVE THOUGHT OF MORE THINGS OR KATIE, BUT MIGHT HAVE, I THINK WE'LL THINK ABOUT MORE THINGS.
SO I THINK WE CAN PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER AND SEND IT OUT TO PREPARE.
DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WERE OH, I JUST WANTED TO BE INCLUDED TO THAT.
ANY OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? IT'S HOURS CHAIRPERSON, THE MEMO THAT'S GONNA GO TO STATE COUNCIL.
WILL WE GET A COPY OF THAT? I THINK IT ALREADY WENT AND THERE COPY SHOULD BE AVAILABLE SO I CAN, I'LL I'LL GET IT TO YOU.
CAN, CAN I MAKE A REQUEST? OF COURSE.
UM, ON OUR WEBSITE, THE, ALL OF THE BACKUP MATERIALS JUST SAY BACKUP, WHICH IS REALLY CHALLENGING.
UH, AT LEAST FOR ME WHEN I'M GOING BACK AND TRYING TO FIND PRESENTATIONS AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE EVEN MORE CHALLENGING FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
COULD THOSE POSSIBLY BE? YES, WE DID HAVE THEM LABELED FOR THE MAY MEETING AND WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING THOSE BACK LABELED FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS MOVING FORWARD.
I CAN LABEL THEM FOR TODAY'S BACKUP.
I, I DID WONDER IF WE, I DON'T, IF WE CAN GET INTO THESE WORKING GROUPS AND HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT MOSTLY COMING THERE, IF WE COULD MAKE THAT THE PLACE WHERE PRESENTATIONS HAPPEN FROM THE PUBLIC.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT IS POSSIBLE, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER PLACE TO DO A DEEP DIVE INTO THE UM, REQUESTS.
I LIKE THAT IDEA OF POSTING THEM ON THE WEBSITE.
SO THAT PEOPLE CAN COME THERE BECAUSE THEN WE CAN ASK A QUESTION.
I DON'T THINK I ACTUALLY GOT TO SHARE WHAT IT WAS THEY WERE ASKING FOR.
AND I WOULD'VE LIKED TO KNOW WHEN YOU SAID POST, POST THE LOCATION OF THE MEETINGS OR POST THE PRESENTATIONS.
SO THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN JOIN THIS WORKING GROUP MEETING.
I THOUGHT I HEARD POST LIKE PRESENTATIONS POSTED.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, OH, YES, BEN, CAN I MAKE A QUICK COMMENT BEFORE WE MOTION TO ADJOURN? I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION.
I JUST WANTED ANYONE WATCHING, PLEASE FILL OUT THE SURVEY.
I WAS GONNA ASK IF, IF IT'S POSSIBLE PERHAPS WHEN WE, IF WE'RE GETTING THE LIST VERY CLOSE TO OUR NEXT MEETING, MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT MOVING THAT MEETING BY A WEEK OR SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE LIST IS COMING OUT, BUT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE MEETING IF WE HAD GOTTEN TO SEE THAT.
[02:05:01]
I HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN THE EXACT DATE, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT, IT MIGHT NOT BE BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING, SO I'LL TRY TO GET A LITTLE BETTER DETAIL ON THAT.I, YEAH, JUST STRONG ENCOURAGEMENT TO PLEASE GET US THE LIST.
AT ONE POINT, IT WAS JUNE AND NOW IT'S, I GUESS NOT EVEN JULY.
UM, ARE WE GONNA GET A PRESENTATION ON THE SURVEY RESULTS AT OUR NEXT MEETING? I CAN ASK ABOUT THAT.
ARE WE MEETING IN JULY OR IS OUR NEXT MEETING AUGUST? I THINK THERE'S A JULY MEETING.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, MOTION TO ADJOURN.