[00:00:05]
[Call to Order]
ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 28TH, 2025, AND I WILL CALL TO ORDER THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS DATE.WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESENT, AND, UH, WE ARE GOING, WE, THE ONE ABSENCE WE HAVE IS ZOE CADRE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ZOE CADRE, AND FOR THOSE THAT DIDN'T HEAR THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON TUESDAY WHEN I OPENED THE WORK SESSION, UH, ZOE CADRE IS NOW DADDY ZOE CADRE.
UM, AND YEAH, AND SO THAT IS, UH, THAT IS WHY HE'S NOT WITH US TODAY.
IT'S, IT'S A FAIRLY RECENT EVENT, SO WE WISH HIM GREAT.
CONGRATULATIONS AND THE WHOLE FAMILY.
UH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, WELL, LIKE I SAY, WE HAVE A, A QUORUM PRESENT.
WE ARE MEETING IN THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WHICH ARE LOCATED IN THE AUSTIN CITY HALL AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
UH, WHAT WE'LL DO TODAY IS, UH, SHORTLY AFTER I, UH, GIVE YOU THE ROUNDUP FOR THE DAY, WE WILL, UH, READ, I'LL READ CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS INTO THE RECORD.
WE WILL THEN GO TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA, AND WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR SPEAKERS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MEMBERS, UH, THE ONLY ITEM THAT IS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT, UH, IS, HAS NOT BEEN WITHDRAWN AS ITEM 1 0 2.
ITEM 1 0 2 HAS BEEN PULLED PREVIOUSLY.
ITEM 67 WAS PULLED, BUT THAT ITEM HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN, AND I WILL READ THAT INTO THE RECORD MOMENTARILY.
UH, WE WILL THEN HEAR BRIEF REMARKS AND, UH, DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL, UH, BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, AT OR NEAR, UH, AS CLOSE TO 10 30 AS WE CAN GET.
WHAT WE WILL ALSO DO IS WE WILL RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND WE WILL CALL TO ORDER THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
UH, WE WILL CONDUCT THAT MEETING, AND THEN WE WILL, WHEN WE ADJOURN THAT WE WILL COME BACK TO THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
WE WILL HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS MEMBERS.
THOSE ARE ONE OH ITEMS, 1 0 4, 1 0 5, 1 OH, AND 1 0 7.
ITEM 1 0 6, UM, IS, HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.
WE WILL HAVE AT NOON OUR TIME CERTAIN PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
I ANTICIPATE THAT WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL FINISH THE, THE PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AT NOON AROUND 1230 TO 12, AROUND 1230, AND WE WILL RECESS THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, WE WILL RECESS UNTIL ABOUT ONE 10, BUT WE WILL HAVE OUR LIVE MUSIC DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THEN AT TWO O'CLOCK, WE HAVE OUR ZONING MATTERS, AND THAT IS A TIME CERTAIN OF TWO O'CLOCK, SO WE WILL DO THAT AS NEAR TWO O'CLOCK AS WE CAN MEMBERS.
WITH THAT, LET ME PLE, UNLESS THERE ARE QUESTIONS, LET ME PLEASE READ INTO THE RECORD CHANGES IN CORRECTIONS TO THE THURSDAY, AUGUST 28TH, 2025 AGENDA.
UH, THE ONLY CHANGES IN CORRECTIONS ARE ITEMS 33, 34 AND 67 ARE WITHDRAWN.
ITEMS 33, 34 AND 67 ARE WITHDRAWN FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE HERE.
IF YOU CAME BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ITEMS 33, 34 OR 67, THOSE ITEMS HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN, SO THEY WERE NOT, WILL NOT BE PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE NO LONGER ON THE AGENDA.
UM, SO, UH, YOU, YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT.
[Consent Agenda]
UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION OR QUESTIONS, WE WILL GO TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK THAT YOU PLEASE CALL, UH, THE PEOPLE THAT WANNA SPEAK TO US ABOUT THAT.START WITH ITEM THREE, BILL BUNCH ON DECK WITH, FOR ITEM SEVEN, WE'LL HAVE STACEY SCHMIDT, KATIE CHILDERS, DOUG DRISCOLL, TRAVIS KROGMAN, AND BRITTANY RODRIGUEZ.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY FORWARD.
UH, FEEL FREE TO TAKE A SEAT AND WE'LL CALL
[00:05:01]
YOU, UH, BACK AGAIN AND ASK YOU TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND, UH, HEAR YOUR TESTIMONY, MR. BUNCH.GOOD MORNING, MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, BILL BUNCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE LONGTIME DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENT.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS ITEM, WHICH CALLS FOR Y'ALL TO APPROVE $260 MILLION OF CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION FOR THE AUSTIN WATER UTILITY FOR VARIOUS WATER WASTEWATER AND REUSE PROJECTS.
UM, THERE'S NOT PROPER NOTICE HERE, NEITHER THE NOTICE NOR THE BACKUP LISTS ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU WOULD BE FUNDING WITH THIS $260 MILLION.
UH, IT'S INCREDIBLY VAGUE, JUST GENERAL CATEGORIES THAT BASICALLY SAY WATER PROJECTS, SEWER PROJECTS, REUSE PROJECTS THAT'S NOT APPROPRIATE.
YOU SHOULD HAVE REAL INFORMATION IN YOUR BACKUP FOR YOURSELVES AND FOR THE PUBLIC.
UH, AND YOU SHOULD HAVE NOTICE THAT COMPLIES WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE ISSUING OVER $200 MILLION OF DEBT.
UH, PROBABLY BAKED IN HERE IS A BIG CHUNK OF MONEY FOR THE WALNUT CREEK WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT EXPANSION PROJECT.
UH, AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT SHOULD BE POSTPONED FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, UH, AND INSTEAD INVEST IN WATER CONSERVATION SO THAT WE'RE GENERATING LESS SEWAGE TO THAT PLANT, UH, OR RECYCLING IT BEFORE IT GETS TO THAT PLANT.
UH, WE ARE FAILING MISERABLY ON OUR REUSE EFFORTS.
UH, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LITTLE AMOUNT OF OUR WASTEWATER WE'RE REUSING AND RECYCLING, UM, IS SHAMEFUL? THAT'S WHERE THE INVESTMENT NEEDS TO GO.
UH, YEAH, WE HAD A BIG BREAK IN THE DROUGHT, UH, BUT THAT'S TEMPORARY.
UH, IF WE HADN'T HAVE HAD THAT BREAK, UH, WE WOULD BE IN DIRE CONSEQUENCES.
YET YOU'RE SPENDING HUNDREDS, LITERALLY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AS IF OUR WATER FUTURE WILL MATCH OUR WATER PASS.
AND WE KNOW THE SCIENCE TELLS US THE EXPERIENCE OF THE LAST 20 YEARS TELLS US IT WILL NOT BE THE SAME AS OUR PAST.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
MAYOR PROAM, CITY MANAGER COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS STACY SCHMIDT, AND I AM REPRESENTING MORE THAN 400 BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AUSTIN REGION WHO INVEST IN THE WORK THAT OPPORTUNITY AUSTIN DOES TO DRIVE OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT ITEM SEVEN THAT AUTHORIZES THE AIRPORT TO EXECUTE NEW USE AND LEASE AGREEMENTS.
THESE AGREEMENTS WILL FACILITATE THE NEEDED EXPANSION OF OUR AIRPORT'S INFRASTRUCTURE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ELEVATE THE CITY'S PROFILE AS A PREMIER TRAVEL DESTINATION.
THE AIRPORT HAS BEEN A VALUABLE PARTNER IN AUSTIN'S GROWTH AND WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN DE DEFINING THE ACCU COMING, COMING DECADES.
AS THE CITY REACH EXPANDS TO INTERNATIONAL DOMESTIC, AND WE CONTINUE TO GROW THE LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS FROM THE AIRLINES SIGNAL THAT THERE IS SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT VALUE REMAINING IN THE AUSTIN MARKET.
I ALSO WANNA THANK THOSE AIRLINES FOR INVESTING IN OUR MARKET AND BELIEVING IN THE GROWTH AND THE LEADERSHIP IN THIS COMMUNITY BY APPROVING THE PROPOSED AGREEMENTS.
TODAY, YOU'RE DEMONSTRATING THE SAME CONFIDENCE IN AUSTIN'S CONTINUED GROWTH AND VIABILITY.
A FREQUENT CONCERN FROM MANY OF US AND FROM OUR VISITORS IS THE DEMAND HAS OUTGROWN CAPACITY AT THE AIRPORT.
THESE AGREEMENTS ARE A KEY COMPONENT OF ADDRESSING THAT TREND.
THEY UNLOCK FUNDING FOR CRITICAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EXPANSION AND PROVIDE SI SIGNIFICANT SERVICE UPGRADES BY IMPROVING RELIABILITY, REDUCING DELAYS, AND SHORTENING WAIT TIMES AT TERMINALS AND OTHER CONGESTED AREAS.
FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE, LOCAL COMPANIES RELY ON CONVENIENT, RELIABLE AIR SERVICE TO CONNECT WITH CLIENTS, SUPPLIERS, AND PARTNERS AND COMPANIES.
CONSIDERING RELOCATING OR EXPANDING IN AUSTIN SITE, AIR CONNECTIVITY IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF A THRIVING BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT.
THIS EXPANSION ENSURES THE AIRPORT CAN CONTINUE TO DRIVE DRAW CREATION.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME TOWARD THE MICROPHONE.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, MAYOR, PRO TEM, AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AT DELTA AIRLINES, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO ALSO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, THE PROPOSED AIRLINE USE AND LEASE AGREEMENTS.
THESE AGREEMENTS TAKE AN IMPORTANT STEP IN ENABLING AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO MEET CENTRAL
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TEXAS'S GROWING AVIATION DEMANDS THROUGH THE AIRPORT EXPANSION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.THE PROPOSED LEASE STRUCTURE EMPHASIZES OPERATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY, CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN OUR PASSENGERS EXPERIENCE.
IT CREATES A FRAMEWORK THAT SUPPORTS AUSTIN'S GROWTH IN THE CITY'S LONG-TERM PLANNING GOALS.
AT THE SAME TIME, DELTA IS PROUD TO BE EXPANDING OUR OPERATIONS AT AUSTIN.
LAST FRIDAY, WE ANNOUNCED THREE NEW NON-STOP ROUTES TO DENVER, COLUMBUS, AND KANSAS CITY, ALONG WITH INCREASED DAILY FLIGHTS TO SAN FRANCISCO AND INDIANAPOLIS.
WITH THESE NEW ROUTES, DELTA NOW SERVES NEARLY 30 DESTINATIONS FROM AUSTIN IN OCTOBER, WE'LL ALSO OPEN A FLIGHT ATTENDANT BASE IN AUSTIN TO SUPPORT THESE OPERATIONS AND STRENGTHEN OUR LOCAL PRESENCE.
WE APPRECIATE THE AIRPORT'S WORK AND THE CITY'S WORK ON THIS ITEM, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTIN AS THE KEY GATEWAY FOR CENTRAL TEXAS.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND TAKE A SEAT THAT WAY WE'LL KNOW YOU'RE HERE AND WANT TO TALK TO US.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, UH, MAYOR, PRO TEM, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I CHAIR THE AVIATION TASK FORCE WITH OPPORTUNITY AUSTIN, ALSO WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER.
I JUST WANNA REITERATE, A A COUPLE POINTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE AND IN SPEAKING HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF, UH, MY ROLE REPRESENTING ITEM SEVEN, UH, WE ARE AT DEFINITELY FOUR.
UH, THAT AUTHORIZATION AND STEP, NOT JUST FOR EXPANDING THE SIZE OF THE AIRPORT, BUT ALSO FOR GIVING AIRLINES THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO MAKE THEIR COMMITMENTS AND INVESTMENTS.
AND WE ARE SUPER APPRECIATIVE OF THE AIRLINES THAT SERVICE, UM, OUR, OUR CITY AND CENTRAL TEXAS, AND GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND FRANKLY, THE ACCESS, UH, FOR BOTH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND, AND THE TOURISM COMMUNITY TO PLACES ALL ACROSS THE US BUT ALSO THE WORLD.
THESE AIRLINES AND THE AIRPORT, UH, NEEDS CERTAINTY, UH, AND I THINK WE CAN ALL REALIZE THAT THEY'RE MAKING SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT ALSO OUR AIRLINES ARE COMMITTED AND WILLING TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN THIS CITY TO EXPAND SERVICE, BUT THEY NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT CERTAINTY THROUGH THE AIRLINE USE AGREEMENTS.
AND SO WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN ALLOWING THOSE TO MOVE FORWARD.
I DO WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, MAYOR, I KNOW ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF THE AIRPORT AND THE AIRPORT EXPANSION AND ALLOWING THE AIRPORT TO DO ITS JOB, TO WORK WITH THE AIRLINES TO CREATE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE, UH, LONG TERM AGREEMENTS, AS WELL AS TO KEEP THE CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE ON PLAN AS CRITICAL TO ALL OF US WHO MAKE USE OF THE AIRPORT ITSELF.
SO IN CLOSING, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU.
I WANNA SEND, UM, ASK FOR YOUR VOTE AND, AND SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO THE AIRLINES THAT WE ARE INVESTED IN, COMMITTED, UH, TO THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS, UH, FOR ALL OF US.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR WATSON, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME'S TRAVIS KROGMAN.
I'M HERE WITH THE AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, ON BEHALF OF OUR BUSINESSES ALL ACROSS CENTRAL TEXAS, AND I'M PLEASED TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE AIRLINE USE AND LEASE AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
RELIABLE AIR SERVICE IS ESSENTIAL.
COMPANIES DEPEND ON AIR ON OUR, OUR AIRPORT TO CONNECT WITH CLIENTS, SUPPLIERS, AND PARTNERS.
AIR CONNECTIVITY IS ALSO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT COMPANIES ASK ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE CONSIDERING, CONSIDERING MOVING OR EXPANDING TO CENTRAL TEXAS.
MORE FLIGHTS AND DESTINATIONS WILL HELP OUR EMPLOYERS ATTRACT TOP TALENT, OPEN NEW MARKETS, AND KEEP OUR ECONOMY COMPETITIVE COMPARATIVELY.
OUR AIRPORT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT FOR OUR VISITOR AND TOURISM ECONOMY.
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TRAVEL THROUGH A US EVERY SINGLE YEAR SUPPORTING OUR HOTELS, OUR RESTAURANTS, AND OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.
WITH A'S EXPANSION, AUSTIN WILL BE BETTER POSITIONED TO HOST MAJOR EVENTS, CONFERENCES, AND FESTIVALS, ALL OF WHICH STRENGTHEN OUR BRAND AS A PREMIER DESTINATION FOR BOTH BUSINESSES AND LEISURE TRAVEL.
THIS AGREEMENT ALSO REFLECTS STRONG AIRLINE CONFIDENCE IN AUSTIN.
LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS FROM CARRIERS SHOW THAT OUR MARKET IS WORTHY OF SUSTAINED INVESTMENT AND HELPS PROMOTE OUR REGION AS A PREMIER LOCATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
LASTLY, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT A US HAS ENGAGED STAKEHOLDERS THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, INCLUDING THE AUSTIN CHAMBER AND MANY OF OUR BUSINESSES, TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS AGREEMENT ALIGNS WITH THE NEEDS OF AUSTIN'S GROWING ECONOMY.
THE INVESTMENT SUPPORTED BY THIS AGREEMENT WILL CREATE THOUSANDS OF JOBS IN CONSTRUCTION AND BEYOND, WHILE SETTING A US UP FOR SAFE AND EFFICIENT SERVICE FOR DECADES TO COME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS MORNING.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR, MR. CITY MANAGER, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS.
[00:15:01]
IS BRITTANY RODRIGUEZ.I SERVE AS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER WITH THE GREATER AUSTIN HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, BUT I REPRESENT THE DIVERSITY ETHNIC CHAMBER ALLIANCE TODAY IN REPRESENTATION OF THE BLACK ASIAN LGBT AND HISPANIC CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.
WE ARE HERE IN SUPPORT OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, THE EXPANSION WITH THE AIRPORT.
IN SHORT, FOLKS, WE COULDN'T BE MORE THRILLED TO SUPPORT THIS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT INITIATIVE, WELCOMING CLOSE COORDINATION BETWEEN OUR AIRPORT AIRLINES AND MORE SPECIFICALLY OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
I REPRESENT A COMBINED MORE THAN 12,000 MEMBERS REPRESENTED BY THE FOUR CHAMBERS, AND WE COULDN'T BE MORE PLEASED TO CONSIDER THE OPPORTUNITY THAT IS BEFORE US TO CONSIDER EXPANSION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY THAT IS PROMISED FOR THIS CITY.
THROUGH THIS OPPORTUNITY, A US HAS SPENT SUBSTANTIAL TIME MEETING WITH OUR ORGANIZATIONS MEMBERS IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY TO EDUCATE AND LEARN THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND TEACH THE COMMUNITY REGARDING WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND THE ABOUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST, WHETHER THROUGH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CONNECTIVITY.
THROUGH INTENTIONALITY AND DEEP CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY, THEY HAVE VESTED THEMSELVES AS DEAR PARTNERS THAT HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY ALONGSIDE US TO ENGAGED COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LONG BEEN LEFT BEHIND IN THESE PIVOTAL AND CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS.
THESE AGREEMENTS UNLOCK FUNDING FOR FUTURE CRITICAL IMPROVEMENTS AND EXPANSION IN AUSTIN, FURTHER PROVING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ECONOMIC STANDPOINT THAT AUSTIN REPRESENTS IN THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS.
WE ARE ABSOLUTELY THE PLACE WHERE WORK CAN BE DONE, WORK CAN BE EXPANDED, AND THE NATION IS LOOKING AT US.
FOR THAT, WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL AND FORTUNATE TO CONSIDER THIS OPPORTUNITY.
A US IS A REGIONAL ASSET THAT POWERS JOB GROWTH, TRADE TOURISM, AND INVESTMENT THROUGHOUT CENTRAL TEXAS.
THE EXPANSION PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY THESE AGREEMENTS WILL CREATE THOUSANDS OF JOBS IN CONSTRUCTION AND BEYOND, AND A MODERN AIRPORT STRENGTHENS THE ENTIRE REGIONAL ECONOMY FROM LOCK.
KELLY SPEAKER, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
JENNIFER, ARE YOU WITH US? ONE MOMENT.
UM, SO GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO, AND I AM JUST AN ORDINARY CITIZEN.
I'M A WIFE, A MOM, A HOMESCHOOL TEACHER, A HOMEOWNER.
I HAVE CALLED AUSTIN HOME FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
WE'VE BOTH BUILT BUSINESSES HERE.
WE'VE HELPED OTHER BUSINESSES GROW THEIR BUSINESSES HERE.
OUR CHILDREN WERE BORN HERE, BORN.
WE REALLY LOVE THIS CITY, AND WE WANT TO STAY A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES THRIVE, WHERE KIDS CAN GROW UP TO CHASE THEIR DREAMS, AND WHERE PEOPLE TRAVEL HERE TO ENJOY ITS NATURAL BEAUTY AND CREATIVE ENERGY.
I TAKE TIME FOR MY BUSY LIFE TO RESEARCH THESE AGENDAS BECAUSE I DEEPLY CARE ABOUT OUR CITY'S FUTURE.
I'VE SPENT OVER 10 HOURS INFORMING MYSELF ON THIS AGENDA ALONE, AND I FEAR THAT IF PEOPLE LIKE ME DON'T SPEAK UP, WE WON'T RECOGNIZE AUSTIN IN A DECADE.
SO I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT ITEM EIGHT.
WE'VE GOT A $22 MILLION MARKETING PLAN TO ATTRACT TRAVELERS TO AUSTIN.
UH, AND THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR ADS AND RESIDENTS BASED REAL ISSUES.
I DO, OF COURSE, UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE PRIORITIZING TOURISM.
IT'S A HUGE REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE CITY, AND IT'S A BIG PART OF OUR CULTURE.
BUT BETWEEN THE PAGES OF GLOSSY MARKETING, I AM WORRIED THAT WE ARE GONNA LOSE SIGHT OF THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE AREN'T VISITING AUSTIN.
THINGS LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION.
OUR TAXPAYERS, WE KEEP SEEING RISING PROPERTY TAXES AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO WONDER WHY WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON MARKETING CAMPAIGNS.
BUT THEN INSTEAD OF JUST FIXING WHAT'S BROKEN IN THE CITY, I DO BELIEVE THAT A SAFE, WELL MAINTAINED CITY WILL ATTRACT VISITORS NATURALLY.
AND THE ACTIONS THAT WE TAKE HERE ARE GONNA SPEAK MUCH LOUDER THAN ANY ADS THAT WE CAN PUT OUT.
SO, I KNOW YOU ALL WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR AUSTIN.
I I JUST HAVE TO ASK, WHEN THE STRONGER EMPHASIS ON SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE MAKE OUR CITY MORE APPEALING TO EVERYONE? SO AS YOU'RE LOOKING THROUGH THESE MARKETING STRATEGIES, DON'T LOSE SIGHT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON BUILDING A CITY THAT WE'RE ALL PROUD TO CALL HOME.
NE NEXT IN PERSON ON ITEM EIGHT, WE HAVE BILL BUNCH.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, BILL BUNCH, SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE DISTRICT FIVE AND, UH, FORMER TOURISM COMMISSIONER SPEAKING AGAINST THIS, UH, $23 MILLION BUDGET FOR, UH, VISIT AUSTIN, WHICH IS, UH, OUR CONVENTION OF VISITORS BUREAU, UH, REALLY SHOULD BE JUST CALLED A CONVENTION BUREAU.
[00:20:01]
AMOUNT OF THE SPENDING IN THIS, UH, PLAN, UM, IS STILL FOR CONVENTIONS, EVEN THOUGH THAT BRINGS ALMOST NOBODY TO AUSTIN.UM, AND SO URGE YOU TO, TO DENY IT.
THAT'S THE QUOTE FROM PROFESSOR HAYWOOD SANDERS IN THE DOCUMENTARY OF AUSTIN FREE PRESS, UH, THE MAGIC HOLE, YOU CAN WATCH THAT 19 MINUTES ON THE AUSTIN UNITED PAC.COM WEBSITE OR AUSTIN FREE PRESS WEBSITE.
UM, IT, IT SPELLS OUT, UH, WHY THIS WHOLE $5.6 BILLION VENTURE THAT YOU'RE RUSHING FORWARD ON, UH, MAKES NO SENSE AND IS PHENOMENALLY WASTEFUL AND IRRESPONSIBLE.
UM, AND THAT, UH, IRRESPONSIBILITY EXTENDS TO THIS PARTICULAR $24 MILLION ITEM FOR THE BUDGET FOR VISIT AUSTIN.
UM, THERE'S NO DUE DILIGENCE HERE.
UH, THAT FILM IS NOW GETTING AROUND.
AND, UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE FROM YESTERDAY, CHRIS TOMLINSON'S COLUMN, UH, HE'S THE HEARST STATEWIDE BUSINESS, UH, COLUMNIST.
UH, HEARST NOW HAS THE STATESMAN, SO YOU'LL BE SEEING MORE FROM HIM.
UM, HE HAS A BIG, HIS HEADLINE COLUMN IS ABOUT HOW FIVE TEXAS CITIES ARE COMMITTING $10 BILLION FOR DOWNTOWN CONVENTION CENTER PROJECTS.
UM, THE SUBTITLE IS, ONLY ONE MAYOR DEMANDS DUE DILIGENCE.
GUESS WHAT? THAT'S NOT OUR MAYOR.
THANK YOU SPEAKER, PLEASE WAKE UP AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
JENNIFER, ARE YOU WITH US? I AM.
UH, IT IS ME, JENNIFER ROBISHO AGAIN AT DISTRICT TWO RESIDENT, AND I'M CALLING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 20, WHICH IS THE PROPOSED $310 $10,000 CONTRACT WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR FARM WORKER HEALTH FOR A QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY FOCUSED ON IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES.
I VALUE OUR SHARED GOAL OF COMMUNITY WELLBEING, BUT THIS PLAN RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT FAIRNESS, COST, AND PRIORITIES.
THIS QUESTION IS, WHY DOES THIS STUDY FOCUS ON ONLY ONE GROUP, MANY RESIDENTS, CITIZENS, AND LONGTIME LOCALS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS FACE HOMELESSNESS, RISING COSTS AND SERVICE GAPS? DOESN'T EQUITY MEAN HELPING EVERYONE WHO'S STRUGGLING, NOT JUST PICKING ONE DEMOGRAPHIC? THE $310,000 PRICE TAG COMES FROM OUR BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVE, AND THAT IS A BIG CHUNK OF LIMITED FUNDS FOR A STUDY THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE CLEAR TRACK RECORD ON.
AND IT HAS A VERY LIMITED COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
SO IT ALSO BEGS THE QUESTION, CAN WE AFFORD THIS WHEN OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES ARE GOING UNMET? I'D JUST LIKE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER, COULD THESE FUNDS BETTER SERVE INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS THAT HELP ALL RESIDENTS? SO I URGE YOU ALL TO TABLE THIS PROJECT AND FOCUS ON PRACTICAL FAIR SOLUTIONS THAT LIFT UP EVERYONE.
MOVING TO IN-PERSON FOR ITEM 20, WE HAVE LAUREN PENA.
NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 23, BILL BUNCH.
GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS MINUS THE MAYOR, BILL BUNCH, DISTRICT FIVE, UH, SAVE OUR SPRINGS ALLIANCE.
UM, SPEAKING AGAINST THIS ITEM, 2320 $9 MILLION, UM, OF WHICH YOU ONLY HAVE 900,000 TO APPROVE.
THIS IS FOR FIVE YEARS OF SPENDING.
DUNNO WHY YOU WOULD COMMIT EVEN SLIGHTLY TO, UH, 29 MILLION WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE 900,000 IN THE BUDGET.
THIS IS FOR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
UM, SOME OF THAT OF COURSE IS APPROPRIATE, UH, PROTECTING OUR POWER LINES, UM, PROTECTING STRUCTURES, UH, ET CETERA.
UH, BUT WE, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF THIS MONEY THAT IS CUTTING DOWN TREES, BURNING FORESTS, UM, THAT ACTUALLY INCREASES OUR WILDFLOWER RISKS, UH, IS NOT SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND, UM, AND SHOULD BE, UH, TA EXTRACTED FROM THIS, UH, SPENDING BUDGET.
THE WHOLE EFFORT NEEDS TO BE REVISITED.
WE NEED TO BE MANAGING OUR WILDLANDS FOR WATER,
[00:25:01]
NOT FOR CUTTING DOWN TREES, AND, UH, PURSUIT OF SOME RANGE LAND MANAGEMENT VISION THAT DOES NOT COMPORT WITH INCREASING RECHARGE, UH, REDUCING FLOODING, INCREASING BIODIVERSITY AND REDUCING URBAN HEAT ISLAND.SO PLEASE TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THIS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
NEXT SPEAKER ON ITEM 27 IS CARLOS LEONE.
SO CARLOS LEON, FIRST AND FOREMOST,
BACKUP SAYS, DELAYING INTEGRATED LIBRARY SYSTEM CONTRACT APPROVAL WILL IMPACT APLS SERVICES, PROCESSES AND PRODUCTS.
I SAY SAME FOR DELAYING A NEW DIRECTOR FROM OUTSIDE A PL SINCE FORMER DIRECTOR ROOSEVELT WEEKS LEFT ALMOST A YEAR AGO, HIS PROTEGE, HANNAH TERRELL, HAS BEEN INTERIM DIRECTOR WRONGLY FOLLOWING HIS MISLEAD.
TERRELL CONTINUES WEEKS' ALLEGED INSUBORDINATION AND CRIMINALITY BY NOT COMPLYING WITH YOUR RULES FOR PUBLIC USE OF CITY PROPERTIES.
RULE SIX H BY ISSUING CTMS BANNING PATRONS FROM ALL 20 LIBRARY BRANCHES WITHOUT LEGAL AUTHORITY.
UNCONSTITUTIONALLY DENYING THE FUNDAMENTAL FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO ACCESS INFORMATION IN PERSON AT THE LIMITED PUG PERFORM PUBLIC LIBRARY.
THOUGH A PL SAID ON DECEMBER 31ST, ITS CTN POLICY HAD BEEN RECENTLY REVIEWED, UPDATED, AND IS AWAITING SIGN OFF FOR FINALIZATION.
TERRELL STILL HAS NOT SUBMITTED A NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE CHANGE TO CITY CLERK TOWARD OFFICIALLY REVISING APLS RULE 15 TO COMPLY WITH CITY SUPERSEDING RULE SIX H RIGHTLY LIMITING A CTN TO ONE LIBRARY BRANCH WHERE A VIOLATION OCCURRED.
THEREFORE, IN FRONT OF YOU NOW ARE THE EVIDENCE-BASED ALLEGATIONS OF WRONGDOING.
I FILED THIS WEEK WITH A CITY AUDITOR TO HOLD TERRELL ACCOUNTABLE, SPECIFYING TERRELL'S ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF PERSONNEL POLICY AND LAW SHOWING WHY SHE SHOULD NOT BE DIRECTOR, BUT SHOULD BE FIRED AS WELL AS CRIMINALLY PROSECUTED WITH FORMER DIRECTOR WEEKS.
HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS, BUT RATHER REPROVE THEM.
EPHESIANS CHAPTER FIVE, VERSE 11.
WE HAVE JENNER, JENNIFER, ROB AGAIN.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP YOU ON THE LINE 'CAUSE WE HAVE YOU AS A SPEAKER FOR THREE ITEMS IN A ROW, OKAY? ALRIGHT, SOUNDS GREAT.
UH, SO THIS IS JEN ROBIO, AGAIN, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.
I AM GONNA TALK RIGHT NOW ABOUT ITEM 29, THE PROPOSED HIGH SPEED INTERNET CONTRACT FOR CONVENTION FACILITIES, WHICH INCLUDES THE MARSHALING YARD.
SO THIS PLAN SETS ASIDE UP TO $765,000 OVER FIVE YEARS, STARTING WITH $153,000 FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER BUDGET TO PROVIDE WIFI IN AREAS THAT ARE OFTEN USED BY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
I WORRY THAT PROVIDING HIGH SPEED INTERNET AT THE MARSHALING YARD WILL UNINTENTIONALLY SUPPORT THE HOMELESS LIFESTYLE, THAT IT WILL HINDER EFFORTS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS EFFECTIVELY AND THAT WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STAY ON THE STREETS.
ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS WITH COMPASSION DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE NEED TO INDULGE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
LOOKING AT THIS LINE ITEM, ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT INVESTING IN HIGH SPEED INTERNET AT THE MARSHALING YARDS ALIGNS WITH OUR COMMUNITY'S GOALS? DON'T WE WANNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LIFT THEMSELVES OUT OF HOMELESSNESS INSTEAD OF FINDING WAYS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO STAY HOMELESS? WITH THAT IN MIND, I URGE YOU TO FOCUS ON WIFI OFFENDING ON AREAS THAT BENEFIT TOURISTS AND RESIDENTS BROADLY, BUT NOT ON AMENITIES THAT MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO STAY ON THE STREET.
REGARDING ITEM 51, SHALL I MOVE ON? YES, PLEASE CONTINUE.
UM, AND SO, UH, THIS ONE IS PROPOSING $300,000 FOR THE HOMELESS STRATEGY RESERVE TO SPEND ON RAPID REHOUSING SERVICES FOR IMMIGRANTS.
AND I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS PLAN IS PRIORITIZING HOUSING FOR IMMIGRANTS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE AUSTIN ALREADY STRUGGLED WITH HOUSING INSTABILITY AND WE HAVE FIERCE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS.
ALLOCATING THESE LIMITED RESOURCES TO NEWCOMERS OVER LIFELONG RESIDENTS AND TEXANS FEELS BOTH UNFAIR AND I IT RISK DRAWING IN MORE UNHOUSED PEOPLE
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TO OUR CITY.THIS BLENDS A COMBINATION OF IMMIGRANT AID WITH HOMELESS SERVICES, AND I'M ALSO WORRIED THAT THAT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT LEGALITY.
I'M CURIOUS IF YOU ALL HAVE CHECKED TO SEE IF THIS COMPLIES WITH, UH, TEXAS SB FOUR, WHICH RESTRICTS FUNDING FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS AND DOES IT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL LAWS AGAINST HARBORING? I THINK TRANSPARENCY HERE IS CRITICAL TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FUNDS ARE BEING USED LEGALLY.
THE HOMELESS STRATEGY RESERVE SHOULD BE USED TO HELP ALL AUSTINS EQUALLY AND USING IT FOR IMMIGRANT SEEMS MISGUIDED.
AND AT WORST, IT LOOKS LIKE Y'ALL ARE HIDING THE TRUE INTENT OF THIS BUDGET ITEM.
AUSTIN RESIDENTS DESERVE CLEAR AND HONEST BUDGETING THAT SERVES EVERYONE.
SO I URGE YOU TO FOCUS ON TRANSPARENT HOMELESS SOLUTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO REFLECT AUSTIN'S DESIRE TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS IN A FAIR WAY THAT DOESN'T COMPROMISE OUR RESOURCES OR PROMISE ANY OF THOSE SCARCE RESOURCES TO NEWCOMERS WHO MAY JUST END UP ON OUR STREET.
AND JENNIFER, YOU CAN SPEAK ON ITEM 52 AT THIS TIME AS WELL.
UM, ITEM 52 IS SIMILAR TO ITEM 51.
IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE $500,000 EXTENSION FOR COSTA MARIA'S SHELTER AGREEMENT, AND I AM AGAIN CONCERNED THAT THIS PLAN MAY DRAW MORE UNHOUSED IMMIGRANTS TO AUSTIN, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S PROVIDING TEMPORARY HOUSING AND THAT'S GONNA ADD TO OUR HOMELESSNESS CRISIS.
THIS AMENDMENT ADDS $500,000 FOR 13 MONTHS TO PROVIDE THAT TEMPORARY HOUSING, AND THAT'S ON TOP OF THE 300,000 ALREADY BEING ALLOCATED.
AND ITEM 51 FOR RAPID REHOUSING.
SO I JUST BEG THE QUESTION, WHY ARE WE FUNDING SERVICES THAT COULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WITHOUT PERMANENT HOUSING PROSPECTS TO COME HERE TO AUSTIN? THE SPENDING SEEMS TO BLEND IMMIGRANT AID WITH HOME OR SERVICES, AND AGAIN, ALL THE SAME LEGAL QUESTIONS.
DOES THIS COMPLY WITH TEXAS LAW? DOES THIS COMPLY WITH FEDERAL LAW? AND I THINK AUSTIN RESIDENTS REALLY DESERVE CLEAR ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN TRUST THAT OUR BUDGET IS FUNDING OUR PRIORITIES.
THE HOMELESS STRATEGY RESERVE SHOULD BE HELPING ALL AUSTINITES EQUALLY AND USING IT FOR IMMIGRANTS FEELS VERY MISLEADING.
IS THIS MASKING THE TRUE PURPOSE OF THE FUNDS? I I WOULD HOPE THAT WE ALL WANT OPEN AND HONEST BUDGETING THAT SERVES ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS FAIRLY.
SO I URGE YOU TO FOCUS ON SOME TRANSPARENT SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS FOR AUSTINITES FIRST AND AVOID ANY POLICIES THAT DRAW MORE PEOPLE HERE WITH THE PROMISES OF LIMITED RESOURCES ONLY TO END UP ON OUR STREET.
NEXT, MOVING ON TO IN-PERSON ON ITEM 58, LIZ SCHOENFELD.
MAYOR PRO TE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
MY NAME IS LIZ SHAUNFELD AND I SERVE AS THE CEO AT LIFEWORKS, A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT IS DEDICATED TO SOLVING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
I'M HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF ITEM 58 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THIS INVESTMENT OF $200,000 WILL ALLOW LIFEWORKS TO OPEN THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR EMERGENCY SHELTER FACILITY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY NOT IN OPERATION.
WITH THIS FUNDING, WE'LL ULTIMATELY BE ABLE TO ADD 15 ADDITIONAL SHELTER BEDS, SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
THIS INVESTMENT WILL POSITION US TO DRAW DOWN STATE DOLLARS IN ORDER TO ENSURE SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS MOVING FORWARD.
AND AS A RESULT OF YOUR SUPPORT TODAY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, OPENING DOORS THAT ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED, CREATING STABILITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN CRISIS, AND CONNECTING THEM TO THE SERVICES AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT LEAD TO LONG-TERM SUCCESS ON BEHALF OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS CRITICAL INVESTMENT.
MOVING ON TO ITEM 61, WE HAVE JENNIFER ROBA REMOTELY.
GOOD MORNING, THIS IS JEN ROBO PRESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.
I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 61, WHICH EXTENDS THE MOBILE LAUNDRY SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE HOMELESS STRATEGY BUDGET.
AND THIS IS BEING SOLD AS A SHORT TERM ASSISTANCE, BUT I'M CONCERNED THAT IT NORMALIZES HOMELESSNESS INSTEAD OF SOLVING IT.
I HAVE TO ASK, SHOULDN'T OUR COMPASSION FOCUS ON DIGNITY AND LASTING SOLUTIONS LIKE HOUSING AND JOB SKILLS? TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS LIKE LAUNDRY SERVICES MAY UNINTENTIONALLY KEEP PEOPLE ON THE STREETS
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LONGER.AND AS A TAXPAYER, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MY TAX DOLLARS TACKLE THE ROOT CAUSES, NOT JUST OFFER COMFORT.
I KNOW YOU CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE AND ADDRESSING THE HOMELESSNESS PROBLEMS IN OUR CITY.
SO WHY NOT PRIORITIZE INVESTMENTS IN JOB SKILLS TRAINING, OR FINANCIAL SKILLS? WHY NOT SET UP LAUNDRY SERVICES AT FACILITIES THAT PROVIDE THIS SORT OF TRAINING AND COUNSELING TO PAIR THESE SORTS OF THINGS TOGETHER? LIKE THE SAYING GOES, YOU HAVE A MAN, A FISH, AND YOU FEED HIM FOR A DAY, TEACH MAN A FISH AND YOU FEED HIM FOR A LIFETIME.
MAKING IT EASIER TO STAY ON THE STREET DOESN'T OUR PROBLEMS. EXTENDING THIS AGREEMENT FOR MOBILE LAUNDRY SERVICES FEELS LIKE A STEP BACKWARD FROM REAL PROGRESS, AND I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS AMENDMENT AND FOCUS ON SUSTAINABLE WAYS TO END HOMELESSNESS.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OTHER ONES FOUNDATION.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO YOU ON CONSENT.
AGENDA NUMBER 65 TODAY TO SUPPORT THE ESPERANZA COMMUNITY SHELTER, I WANNA EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO DAVID GRAY, OUR HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER AND HIS TEAM FOR THEIR SUPPORT, UH, IN FINDING THESE FUNDS AND ASK FOR COUNCIL SUPPORT, UH, OF TOOTH'S EFFORTS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN WITH SHELTER, JOB READINESS, SKILLS TRAINING, AND HOLISTIC SUPPORT.
UM, IF IT'S OKAY, I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD SPEAK TO ITEM NUMBER 1 0 1 WHEN YOU'RE CALLED UP.
MOVING ON TO ITEM 66 REMOTELY, WE HAVE JENNIFER, JENNIFER, ONCE AGAIN, WE'LL BE KEEPING YOU ON THE LINE AS YOU'RE THE SPEAKER ON THE NEXT SEVERAL ITEMS. OKAY, SOUNDS GOOD.
UH, SO GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL.
I AM SPEAKING ON ITEM 66 HERE.
THIS IS JEN ROBES FOR THE RECORD.
UH, OFF TONIGHT ARE FRUSTRATED AND I ECHO THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT URBAN ALCHEMY'S CONTRACTS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WHICH DRAIN RESOURCES AND FAIL OUR COMMUNITY.
SINCE 2022, WE HAVE FUNNELED OVER $20 MILLION TO URBAN ALCHEMY, A SAN FRANCISCO BASED NONPROFIT DIVERTING FUNDS FROM OUR HOMELESS STRATEGY BUDGET.
THAT'S $20 MILLION NOT SUPPORTING LOCAL PROGRAMS THAT COULD WORK.
URBAN ALCHEMY RUNS THE ARCH AND EIGHTH STREET SHELTERS, YET AUSTIN'S UNSHELTERED POPULATION REMAINS HIGH.
THEY CLAIM TO HAVE HOUSED NEARLY A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN 2024, BUT WEARS THE EVIDENCE OF PERMANENT HOUSING TRANSITION.
WORSE ALLEGATIONS OF HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT BY UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS AND FORMER EMPLOYEES RAISES SERIOUS RED FLAGS.
WHY ARE WE RISKING AUSTIN'S SAFETY AND LIABILITY? THEIR APPROACH ENABLES DRUG USE RATHER THAN TACKLING ROOT CAUSES WHICH ERODES COMMUNITY TRUST.
LOCAL VOICES LIKE THOSE THAT I HEAR REGULARLY ARE DESPERATE FOR SOLUTIONS THAT WORK.
I ASK YOU SINCERELY, DON'T YOU WANT PROGRAMS THAT TRULY SERVE AUSTINITES? WE HAVE PROVEN LOCAL ALTERNATIVES, TRANSPARENT, ACCOUNTABLE, AND FOCUSED ON RESULTS.
I IMPLORE YOU STOP FUNNELING OUR TAX DOLLARS TO URBAN ALCHEMY, REDIRECT FUNDS TO LOCAL SOLUTIONS THAT DELIVER MEASURABLE OUTCOMES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, JENNIFER.
THIS IS JENNIFER
I TAKE A MORE NEUTRAL STANCE ON THIS POSITION.
I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO LOOK FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS OUR PLAN AS A COMMUNITY.
SINCE THIS PLAN BEGAN IN 2012, OUR CITY HAS STRUGGLED.
LONGTIME RESIDENTS HARDLY RECOGNIZE AUSTIN ANYMORE.
FAMILIES LIKE MINE FACE RISING COSTS AND MANY ARE LEAVING.
AND SO I'M KEEN TO SEE AN IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN THAT ENABLES FAMILIES TO GROW AND REACH THEIR GOALS.
THIS RESOLUTION CALLS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I URGE YOU TO INCLUDE FAMILIES OF ALL INCOMES, ALL RACIAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO'VE CALLED AUSTIN HOME FOR GENERATIONS.
PLEASE CONSIDER HOW FAMILIES FEEL IN TODAY'S AUSTIN.
WE ARE NOW AN UNDERSERVED GROUP.
A $3 MILLION INVESTMENT IN A NEW IMAGINE AUSTIN PLAN IS SIGNIFICANT AND IT MUST PRIORITIZE FAMILIES WHO ARE BALANCING WORK AND RAISING KIDS.
YOUR PAST COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS AREN'T REACHING FAMILIES AND I KNOW BECAUSE I JUST HAVEN'T SEEN THE CALLS FOR THEM.
PLEASE, CONSIDERING YOUR PLANNING, HOW CAN YOU MAKE IT EASIER FOR BUSY FAMILIES TO SHARE THEIR INPUT? THE CITY'S PROMISE IS TO SERVE ALL RESIDENTS.
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FAMILIES ARE AUSTIN'S HEART.CAN YOU HONESTLY PICTURE THE CITY WITHOUT THEM? FAMILIES ARE LEAVING BECAUSE AUSTIN IS TOO EXPENSIVE AND IT'S LESS SAFE.
I ASK YOU TO FOCUS ON THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES.
AS YOU UPDATE, IMAGINE AUSTIN ENGAGE FAMILIES DIRECTLY AND LISTEN TO THEIR VOICES.
THIS IS JEN ROBO AND I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 75.
NOW THIS IS A PROPOSED EXTENSION TO THE HEALTH PREVENTION PROGRAM WITH UT.
OFTEN THIS PROGRAM FOCUSES ON AFRICAN AMERICAN HEALTH.
I'M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB HERE TO ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
POLICIES THAT SIGNAL SINGLE OUT ONE RACE OVER OTHERS ARE DISCRIMINATORY HEALTH INITIATIVES THAT WORK FOR ONE GROUP ALMOST ALWAYS BENEFIT EVERYONE.
WHY WOULD A CITY AS DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE AS AUSTIN SUPPORT A PROGRAM THAT DIVIDES US BY THE COLOR OF OUR SKIN OR THE ORIGINS OF OUR ANCESTORS FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT, I'M CURIOUS IF YOU ALL HAVE LOOKED INTO THIS, DOES THIS SORT OF PROGRAM COMPLY WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS WHICH BAN RACIAL DISCRIMINATION FINANCIALLY? IT PULLS OVER $117,000 FROM OUR PUBLIC HEALTH BUDGET AND AFTER MULTIPLE RENEWALS, WE SHOULD BE ASKING THE QUESTION, WHAT RESULTS ARE WE SEEING FROM A MORAL PERSPECTIVE, HEALTH SERVICES SHOULD SERVE EVERYONE EQUALLY.
A COLORBLIND APPROACH ENSURES FAIRNESS FOR ALL RESIDENTS.
WE WANT ALL AUSTIN RESIDENTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH PREVENTION AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES? WITH THESE QUESTIONS IN MIND AND THESE CONCERNS, I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS CONTRACT AND INSTEAD ASK, HOW CAN WE FOCUS ON HEALTH PROGRAMS THAT UNITE OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT RACIAL DISTINCTION? THANK YOU, JENNIFER.
THIS IS JEN
AND THIS AS IN REGARDS TO THE PROPOSED EXTENSION TO THE LEGAL FILING FEE ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF CENTRAL TEXAS, THE PLAN ALLOCATES OVER $140,000 FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH BUDGET.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY AND I'M CONCERNED THAT IT'S BEING MISSPENT.
PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDS SHOULD TACKLE CLEAR HEALTH NEEDS LIKE PREVENTING DISEASE OR PROVIDING MEDICAL CARE, NON IMMIGRATION LEGAL AID, CALLING LEGAL SERVICES.
PUBLIC HEALTH IS MISLEADING LEGALLY.
SIMILAR TO OTHER TOPICS I'VE TALKED ON TODAY, HAVE WE CHECKED TO SEE IF THIS COMPLIES WITH TEXAS LAWS THAT LIMIT FUNDING FOR HELPING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS? AND DOES IT COMPLY WITH FEDERAL LAWS THAT PROHIBIT HARBORING UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS? FUNDING LEGAL SERVICES IS A GRAY ZONE THAT PUTS OUR CITY AT RISK MORALLY USING HEALTH FUND FOR IMMIGRATION.
LEGAL AID OVER THE NEEDS OF TAXPAYING RESIDENTS UNDERMINES OUR TRUST.
OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTS HEALTH RESOURCES TO ADDRESS HEALTH ISSUES FOR AUSTIN RESIDENTS, FOR TEXANS NOT TO SUBSIDIZE LEGAL SERVICES FOR IMMIGRANTS.
WHEN TAXPAYERS SEE A DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT'S BEING FUNDED AND WHERE THE FUNDS ARE COMING FROM, WE HAVE TO ASK, ARE WE BEING TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT HOW OUR MONEY IS BEING SPENT? IF NOTHING ELSE, PLEASE CONSIDER WHICH DEPARTMENTS AND BUDGETS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE SORTS OF CONTRACTS.
THIS IS JEN ROB SHOW AND SPEAKING ON ITEM 78.
THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED IN 70, UH, 76 I BELIEVE IT WAS.
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE, UH, AN EXTENSION FOR LEGAL SERVICES THIS TIME WITH AMERICAN GATEWAYS USING $420,000 FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET.
AND I HAVE REALLY ALL THE SAME CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PLAN.
PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDS ARE MEANT FOR THINGS LIKE PREVENTING DISEASE AND SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND USING THEM FOR IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES JUST FEELS LIKE A STRETCH ON THE FACE OF IT, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO FIT THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S MISSION.
I HAVE ALL THE SAME LEGAL CONCERNS.
HAVE WE CHECKED TO SEE IF THIS SORT OF AID COMPLIES WITH TEXAS AND FEDERAL LAWS? I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE FACED LAWSUITS OVER SIMILAR PROGRAMS. AND AS A TAXPAYER, I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'RE AT RISK HERE TOO.
FINANCIALLY TAKING $420,000 FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH FUND REDUCES MONEY FOR URGENT LOCAL NEEDS.
WE COULD BE TACKLING HOMELESS HEALTH ISSUES OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR ALL SORTS OF OTHER THINGS THAT IMPACT ALL OF US.
AND INSTEAD, WE'RE SPENDING THIS MONEY ON LEGAL
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SERVICES.SO I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER ALLOCATING ANY PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING TO LEGAL SERVICES FOR IMMIGRANTS AS IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, UH, A MISUSE OF THE FUNDS AND, UH, MISLEADING TO TAXPAYERS.
THIS IS JEN ROBIO SPEAKING ON ITEM 79 NOW, AND THIS PLAN IS TO EXTEND THE LEGAL ASSISTANT CONTRACT WITH AMERICAN GATEWAYS USING $179,000 FROM THE HEALTH PUBLIC HEALTH BUDGET AGAIN TO FUND MORE LEGAL HELP FOR IMMIGRANTS.
THE SAME CONCERNS HERE AS WELL, IS THIS LEGAL? HAVE WE CHECKED THE STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING OURSELVES THAT LEGAL LIABILITY FOR, UH, PROVIDING THIS SORT OF AID TO IMMIGRANTS? UM, FOR TRANSPARENCY SAKE, WHY ARE WE SPENDING PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDS ON IMMIGRATION SERVICES? IT'S, IT'S NOT A HEALTH CONCERN.
AND I THINK THAT THIS, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITY IS GOING TO FUND, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A TRANSPARENT WAY AND IT NEEDS TO BE ALLOCATED TO A DEPARTMENT THAT HANDLES THIS SORT OF SERVICE, NOT IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH FUND.
UH, SO WITH ALL OF THIS, I JUST REALLY THINK WE NEED TO PAUSE THIS CONTRACT, ALL THE OTHER CONTRACTS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THAT TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND FIGURE OUT WHERE THIS FITS IN OUR BUDGET AND YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING TO HELP THE COMMUNITY HERE BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
THIS IS JEN ROBERTO AGAIN SPEAKING ON ITEM 80.
AND HERE WE HAVE A, UM, PROPOSED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES OR EXTENDING OUR CONTRACT WITH UT AUSTIN TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS.
AND AS I SPOKE EARLIER, THIS SORT OF RACE-BASED APPROACH RAISES CONCERNS.
I DEEPLY VALUE OUR CITY'S DIVERSITY.
I HAVE FRIENDS FROM ALL RACIAL CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS.
THEIR ANCESTORS HAVE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND I'VE BEEN, I'VE HAD FRIENDS LIKE THAT MY ENTIRE LIFE.
SO MY FRIENDS ARE COLORLESS TO ME IN THE SENSE THAT IT, IT, OUR PROBLEMS SHOULD TRANSCEND THE COLOR OF OUR SKIN.
AND SO I JUST NEED TO STATE CLEARLY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A POPULAR OPINION TO STATE, WHICH IS THAT POLICIES THAT USE RACE TO DECIDE WHO GETS HELP ARE INHERENTLY DISCRIMINATORY.
THEY EXCLUDE PEOPLE OF OTHER BACKGROUNDS WHO MAY ALSO NEED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AS WELL.
MANY RESIDENTS BELIEVE THAT ANY POLICY BASED ON RACE IS UNFAIR AND VIOLATES EQUITY.
AND IN NEARLY EVERY CASE, WHAT'S GOOD FOR ONE GROUP IS GOING TO BE GOOD FOR ALL.
IT'S JUST, IT'S KIND OF ASTONISHING TO ME.
HOW DOES THE CITY AS DIVERSE AND WELCOMING AS AUSTIN SUPPORT POLICIES THAT DIVIDE US IN THESE WAYS? AND I KNOW THAT YOU AIM TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT.
SO I ASK YOU, IS THIS THE BEST WAY TO SERVE EVERYONE FINANCIALLY? IT'S $178,000 FROM PUBLIC HEALTH THAT COULD FUND MENTAL HEALTHCARE FOR ALL RESIDENTS, NOT JUST ONE GROUP.
SO WHY NOT USE THESE FUNDS TO HELP EVERYONE EQUALLY? EQUAL ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTHCARE IS A PROMISE WE OWE EACH OTHER.
AND FOCUSING ON ONE RACE EXCLUDES OTHERS WHILE A UNIVERSAL APPROACH WOULD BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I URGE YOU TO RETHINK THE CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH UT AUSTIN.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN RENEWED A WHOLE BUNCH OF TIMES.
UM, IS THIS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO GO ABOUT THINGS OR IS THERE A BETTER PROGRAM THAT WE COULD BE FUNDING TO ADDRESS? THANK YOU JENNIFER.
YOUR TIME ON ITEM 80 HAS EXPIRED.
UH, ON ITEM 83, THIS IS JEN ROBES SHOW AND THIS IS A PROPOSED EXTENSION FOR LEGAL AND COUNSELING SERVICES PROVIDED BY CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF CENTRAL TEXAS.
AND SIMILAR TO THE OTHER ITEMS WHERE WE ARE USING PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDS TO, UH, PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES, I I THINK WE JUST HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES HERE THAT WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING.
SO I'LL JUST SUM THOSE UP REAL QUICKLY.
ONE, IS THIS LEGAL? HAVE WE CHECKED WITH FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS? BECAUSE I WOULD HATE TO SEE OUR CITY BECOME LEGALLY LIABLE FOR SOMETHING THAT WE'VE OVERLOOKED IN PROVIDING THESE SORTS OF SERVICES.
AND THEN PROBABLY THE BIGGER ISSUE IS TRANSPARENCY.
AS A TAXPAYER, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS BEING HIDDEN UNDERNEATH PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES.
THAT'S HOW IT'S SHOWN IN THE AGENDA, AND THAT'S INCREDIBLY MISLEADING.
I JUST HAPPEN TO GO AND READ INTO THE DETAILS TO DISCOVER THAT THIS IS PROVIDING LEGAL SERVICES IN THE, AS THE GUISE OF PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES, PLEASE DO IT ABOVE THE TABLE,
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LABEL IT WHAT IT IS SO THAT WAY WE CAN HAVE HONEST DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITY SHOULD BE FUNDING.MAKE SURE THAT OUR PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDS ARE GOING TO PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES.
THAT'S JUST WHAT WE'RE OWED AS CITIZEN.
THIS IS JEN ROBISHO SPEAKING ON ITEM 84.
AND HERE WE HAVE ONE MORE EXTENSION OF, UH, HEALTH PROGRAM AGREEMENT WITH UT AUSTIN.
IN THIS CASE, IT IS, UM, FUNDING MATERNAL HEALTHCARE AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE OVER $400,000 THAT ARE BEING ALLOCATED TO THIS EXTENSION.
AND THIS RAISES ALL OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT I DID EARLIER IN, UM, IN THE ITEMS FOR THESE UT PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES THAT ARE FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON ONE RACE GROUP RATHER THAN PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY IN THIS CASE, THE PROBLEMS THAT COME WITH MATERNITY, BEING A MOTHER, HAVING CHILDREN, AND ALL OF THOSE HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE TO FACE.
AND I MYSELF HAD HAD TWO HIGH RISK PREGNANCIES, ONE THAT HAD ME ON BED REST FOR TWO MONTHS.
SO I VERY DEARLY UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT COME ALONG WITH HAVING CHILDREN.
AND I THINK THAT THESE ISSUES TRANSCEND THE COLOR OF OUR SKIN AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THESE MATERNAL CRISES IN AN EFFECTIVE WAY.
SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT FUNDING FOR THIS, IT NEEDS TO BE MUCH BROADER THAN WHAT COLOR OUR SKIN IS OR WHAT COLOR OUR PARENTS SKIN IS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT NEEDS TO BE ABOUT WHO IN THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THESE SERVICES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THEM THEMSELVES.
SO PLEASE RECONSIDER THESE CONTRACTS.
THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY FOR US TO HELP MOTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE RICHARD SU ON ITEM 91 WITH CARLOS LEON ON DECK FOR ITEM 93.
MR. LEON, PLEASE COME ON DOWN.
I THINK MR. SUTTLE WAS EITHER WAIVING AT THE COUNCIL OR, UM, INDICATING HE'S WAIVING HIS RIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF.
MR. LEON, THE FLOOR IS YOUR SO CARLOS LEON, FIRST AND FOREMOST S FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TO ITEM 93.
THERE IS NO PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORD OF THE AUGUST TWO LIBRARY COMMISSION MEETING VIOLATING THE TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT.
IF A PL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT LAURA POLIO INTENTIONALLY TAMPERED WITH THAT GOVERNMENTAL RECORD TO HARM THE PUBLIC BY ITS UNAVAILABILITY, THAT CRIME IS A STATE JAIL FELONY, WHICH CANNOT BE TOLERATED BECAUSE WE, THE PEOPLE DO NOT GIVE OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT IS GOOD FOR US TO KNOW AND WHAT IS NOT GOOD FOR US TO KNOW.
IT'S ONE MORE EXAMPLE WHY AT THAT MEETING, I CALLED FOR A NATIONAL SEARCH ASAP FOR A NEW A PL DIRECTOR TO FILL THAT VACANT POSITION AND REMOVE INTERIM DIRECTOR HANNAH TERRELL TO SEE WHAT A PL NEEDS.
LOOK AT DES MOINES, IOWA LIBRARY DIRECTOR CALL IN FRONT OF YOU.
THEY'RE SEEKING A VISIONARY AND STRATEGIC THINKER WHO IS FLEXIBLE, CREATIVELY ADAPTIVE AND POSSESSES EXCEPTIONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO COLLABORATE WITH THEIR BOARD, TO FORMULATE AND UPDATE LIBRARY POLICIES, THEN IMPLEMENT THEM.
IN CONTRAST, TERRELL HAS INFLEXIBLY NOT ADAPTED AND NOT COLLABORATED TO NOT FORMULATE OR UPDATE LIBRARY CTN POLICIES TO NOT COMPLY WITH CITY'S REVISED SUPERSEDING RULES FOR PUBLIC USE OF CITY PROPERTIES.
IN FACT, SHE SEEMS TO BE BLOCKING SUCH COMPLIANCE.
HER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION ON THIS CRITICAL MATTER OF ACCESS AND EQUITY HAS NOT BEEN EXCEPTIONAL, BUT NON-EXISTENT.
ALL THINGS THAT ARE REPROVED ARE MADE MANIFEST BY THE LIGHT.
EPHESIANS CHAPTER FIVE, VERSE 13.
NEXT SPEAKER ON ITEM 94 IS GREG ANDERSON.
COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR PER TIM, CITY MANAGER GREG ANDERSON, AUSTIN, HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, NOT SIGNED UP FOR THE UNLIMITED PLAN.
AND I'LL JUST CALL OUT A SLIDE.
WHENEVER WE'RE READY TO, TO MOVE OVER.
UH, BIG THANKS TO THE D ONE TEAM THAT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY INSTRUMENTAL TO HELP MAKE THIS HAPPEN AND STAFF AND ALL THE CO-SPONSORS THAT WERE BEHIND THIS.
UM, I HOPE YOU ALL ARE AWARE OF THE, THE AMAZING HISTORY OF ROSEWOOD AND ALL OF
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THE PUBLIC HOUSING IN AUSTIN.AND, UH, SLIDE IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
SO BUILT IN 1939, UH, THOUSANDS OF HOME, UH, AUSTINITES HAVE CALLED ROSEWOOD HOME OVER THE YEARS.
AND THERE WAS, IT WAS A BIG DISCUSSION HERE IN THIS BUILDING NOT TOO LONG AGO ABOUT THE FACT THAT THESE BUILDINGS WEREN'T REALLY IDEAL FOR LIVING IN TODAY.
YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE IN HOUSING TODAY, JUST FOR FOLKS WHO DESERVE HVAC AND WANNA HANG UP, YOU KNOW, POSTERS ON THEIR WALLS, UH, HAKA DID A REALLY AMAZING JOB OF HAVING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OPEN UP THEIR HOMES TO SHOW THE FOLKS WHO ARE GONNA HAVE TO VOTE ON THE REZONING, THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROJECT TO COME IN AND SEE THE CONDITIONS.
AND I'LL NEVER FORGET, AN 8-YEAR-OLD BOY BROUGHT ME INTO HIS ROOM AND SAID, LOOK, I CAN'T EVEN PUT THINGS ON MY WALLS AND THEY'RE CENTER BLOCKING.
UT TOWER'S ONLY TWO YEARS OLD.
AND THEN YOU ALL, UH, ALLOWED FOR THIS REDEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR.
SO AMAZING REDEVELOPMENT, A LOT MORE HOUSING, UH, HVAC, AMAZING THINGS GOING ON HERE.
AND THIS IS THE ROAD IN QUESTION TODAY.
SO IT'S A LITTLE DEAD END STREET THAT USED TO ONLY SERVE HAKA RESIDENTS ON THE RIGHT SLIDE.
AND THANKFULLY THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE GONNA REDEVELOP THIS AND ADD IN A HOMEOWNER COMPONENT, WHICH WE ARE A PART OF.
VERY HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THIS.
AND WE ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH HAKA TO ALLOW THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING IN HAKA TO QUALIFY AND MOVE INTO HOME OWNERSHIP SLIDE.
AND THIS IS IT, JUST YESTERDAY.
NOTICE, NO VOLUNTEERS, IT'S QUIET SITE YESTERDAY.
WE DON'T BUILD DURING THE, THE PEAK OF SUMMER, BUT SHORTLY THERE'S GONNA BE MANY, MANY HUNDREDS OF AUSTINITES VOLUNTEERING HERE TO HELP BUILD THESE HOMES.
AND THIS IS THE, THE ROAD FROM ABOVE.
BIG KEYNOTE HERE IS, THIS WAS EXPOSITION TO BE THE SAME THING.
OH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS VERY EXTRA CREDIT FOR THE TRICKINESS.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE IN YOUR COMMENT.
WE HAVE MADISON GESNER, CARA HONEY YOKA, KIMBERLY CALDWELL AND ADAM ORMAN.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, PLEASE COME DOWN AND TAKE A SEAT.
AS ALWAYS, I HAVE APPRECIATION FOR THE GREAT BREATH OF ISSUES THAT YOU DEAL WITH EVERY WEEK.
UM, MY, UH, MY NAME'S MADISON GESNER AND I SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE GREATER AUSTIN CHAPTER OF THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION.
ON BEHALF OF THE THOUSANDS OF RESTAURANTS WE REPRESENT AND THE FAMILIES WHO DEPEND ON THEM, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF AGENDA ITEM 1 0 3 AND I WANNA THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS VELASQUEZ HARPER, MADISON VILA ALTER, AND UCHIN FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP IN SPONSORING THIS RESOLUTION.
THIS CONVERSATION BEGAN DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WE APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP IT TAKES NOW TO PRESS PAUSE AND CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION.
NOW IT'S CLEAR RESTAURANT PERMITS ARE BIGGER THAN A BUDGET LINE.
THIS DESERVES TRANSPARENCY, STAKEHOLDER INPUT, AND THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE REAL IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AUSTIN'S RESTAURANTS ARE ALREADY MANAGING ENORMOUS PRESSURE INFLATION, WORKFORCE SHORTAGES, TARIFFS AND IMMIGRATION UNCERTAINTY.
FOR MANY OF OUR SMALLER OPERATORS, A SUDDEN DOUBLING OR TRIPLING OF THEIR PERMIT FEES COULD BE DEVASTATING.
THE CURRENT TIERED RISK-BASED SYSTEM WORKS.
IT WAS BUILT WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND SHAPED BY BROAD COMMUNITY INPUT.
IT ALLOWS AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO MAINTAIN THE BUDGET AND STAFFING TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND IT KEEPS COMPLIANCE FAIR PROTECTS PUBLIC HEALTH AND ALLOWS SMALL BUSINESSES TO STAY IN OPERATION.
FOR ALL THESE REASONS, THE TRA HELPED WRITE SENATE BILL 1008 AT THE TEXAS CAPITAL IN A WAY THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE AUSTIN TO SIGNIFICANTLY ALTER ITS FEE STRUCTURE.
AUSTIN'S FOOD SCENE IS A BIG PART OF THE CITY'S IDENTITY FROM FAMILY RUN CAFES TO NEIGHBORHOOD TAQUERIAS.
THESE RESTAURANTS ARE WHAT MAKE AUSTIN, AUSTIN.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PUT THAT AT RISK.
THAT'S WHY WE SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION.
IT CREATES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A MORE THOUGHTFUL, TRANSPARENT PROCESS.
ONE WHERE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WAY AND WHERE RESTAURANTS AND COMMUNITY VOICES ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
TRA AND OUR MEMBERS ARE READY TO BE ACTIVE PARTNERS IN THIS WORK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE SPONSORS OF THIS RESOLUTION FOR TAKING THIS VERY IMPORTANT STEP.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GOOD WORK AUSTIN.
WE'RE THE ONLY NONPROFIT IN CENTRAL TEXAS THAT PROVIDES WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCATES FOR FOOD WORKERS.
I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF RESOLUTION.
UM, SO WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? IF YOU LOOK AT THE PERMIT FEES, YOU MIGHT THINK THESE ARE NOT BIG CHANGES, BUT WE ARE AT A CRITICAL CROSSROADS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR LOCAL FOOD BUSINESSES ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE.
MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN THE NEWS OVER THIS LAST WEEK THAT CHEER UP.
CHARLIE'S AN ICONIC L-G-B-T-Q-I-A VENUE HAD TO LAUNCH A GOFUNDME CAMPAIGN TO PAY THEIR BACK RENT FROM THE SUMMER MONTHS THAT ARE INCREDIBLY SLOW FOR ALL OF OUR FOOD BUSINESSES.
THIS NOT ONLY IMPACTS BUSINESSES, BUT OUR WORKERS.
MANY OF OUR WORKERS HAVE INCONSISTENT INCOME.
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ON TIPS WHICH ARE VERY LOW DURING THE SUMMER.THESE PERMIT INCREASES WHILE SMALL IMPACT, UH, BUSINESS' ABILITY TO SURVIVE IN AUSTIN.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS? UM, GOOD WORK.
AUSTIN IS A COALITION OF LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE LIVING WAGES.
UM, I LOVE THAT THIS RESOLUTION PROMOTES STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO BE DONE IN THAT AREA.
I'VE MET WITH ALL OF YOUR OFFICES AND Y'ALL, UM, ARE INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE AND WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT THE FOOD PLAN WAS PASSED LAST OCTOBER.
UNFORTUNATELY, NONE OF THE STRATEGIES WITHIN GOAL THREE OF THE FOOD PLAN THAT HELPS RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT ARE PROVIDING LIVING WAGES WAS FUNDED.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO TOGETHER THIS YEAR AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH OF YOUR OFFICES TO SUPPORT OUR FOOD WORKERS, BUT ALSO THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE PAYING LIVING WAGES.
HI, MY NAME IS KIM CALDWELL AND I'M PROUD TO BE HERE TODAY AS THE BOARD CHAIR OF GOOD WORK.
I MET GOOD WORK AUSTIN WHILE WORKING WITH THE CITY TO ADDRESS PE UH, FOOD FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
UM, OUR FOOD WORKERS CONTINUE TO SHOW UP FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THEY HELP BRING IN THE NEARLY $10 BILLION THAT, UH, THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY PUTS INTO OUR ECONOMY.
AND, UM, AT THIS MOMENT, WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THIS, UH, ITEM 1 0 3, TO REDUCE THAT SQUEEZE ON RESTAURANTS.
UM, AS EVERYONE IS TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST THROUGH THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.
UM, WE ARE PARTICULARLY THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR RESTAURANTS TO BE ENGAGED WITHIN THIS WORK, UM, BECAUSE IT IS THAT KIND OF ENGAGEMENT THAT CAN COME UP WITH PLANS THAT DO THE MOST GOOD FOR THE RESIDENTS OF AUSTIN.
THE FOLKS WHO UNDERSTAND FOOD AND WHAT FOOD SERVICE MEANS WORKING TOGETHER AND GOOD WORK.
AUSTIN IS PROUD TO HAVE, I THINK ALMOST 70 MEMBERS ACROSS CENTRAL TEXAS WHO ARE SHOWING UP EVERY DAY AS FOOD WORKERS, AS RESTAURANT OWNERS, AS RIGHT THE THE TASTES THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY WHAT IT IS.
AND SO, UH, WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH ITEM 1 0 3 AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING WORKING, UM, WITH Y'ALL AND YOUR STAFF TO, UH, KEEP OUR RESTAURANT INDUSTRY THRIVING AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT THRIVING RESTAURANT INDUSTRY RESULTS IN HEALTHY, UH, HEALTHY MEANINGFUL AND, UM, LIVABLE WAGES FOR THE FOLKS WHO LITERALLY FEED US.
UM, I OWN, UH, TWO RESTAURANTS IN EAST AUSTIN AND WAS ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF GOOD WORK AUSTIN.
UM, BUT I ALSO LIKE TO THINK THAT CITY COUNCIL WAS ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF GOOD WORK AUSTIN.
UH, 'CAUSE IT WAS DURING THE WRITING OF THE PAGE SICK LEAVE ORDINANCE BACK IN 20 17, 20 18, THAT THE INITIAL RESTAURANTS GOT TOGETHER AND REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR BARS AND RESTAURANT OWNERS TO HELP EACH OTHER AND TO PROVIDE CONSULTATION FOR OTHER BARS AND RESTAURANTS THAT WANTED TO PAY BETTER WAGES AND WANTED TO PROVIDE BENEFITS.
AND ULTIMATELY WHAT WE'VE DONE IS CREATE A CULINARY TRAINING PROGRAM.
AND WE HAVE, UH, AND WE'VE PROVIDED OVER 2 MILLION MEALS, UH, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC TO AUSTIN'S FOOD INSECURE COMMUNITIES.
AND WHAT WAS MOST EXCITING FOR CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AT THE TIME WAS THAT THEY HAD A BUSINESS ASSOCIATION THAT WAS NOT GOING TO FIGHT WITH THEM.
UH, THAT WHEN CITY COUNCIL WANTED TO DO THINGS LIKE THE PAID SICK LEAVE ORDINANCE OR WANTED TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE OR WANTED TO DO, UH, OR WANTED TO CREATE THINGS LIKE THE FOOD PLAN OR WHEN, UH, EDD WANTED TO TRY AND CREATE A SEXUAL HARASSMENT, UH, UH, SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING FOR FOOD WORKERS.
THAT GOOD WORK AUSTIN WAS THERE.
UH, WITH, WE HAVE 70 FORMAL MEMBERS, BUT WE'VE WORKED WITH OVER 200 RESTAURANTS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO HELP AND TO CONSULT AND TO BE THE VOICE, UH, TO BE A, TO BE THE VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY THAT COULD HELP YOU DEFINE SOME OF THE, THAT COULD HELP YOU SHAPE SOME OF THESE POLICIES.
HEALTH PERMITS ARE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY LIKE TO BE, UH, TALKED TO ABOUT.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT THOSE TIERS SHOULD BE, WHAT THOSE FEE, WHAT FEES MAKE SENSE, AND HOW THAT COULD BE STRUCTURED.
BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER THINGS.
UM, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST SUMMER THAT HAS BEEN HARD.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, TO HELP PROMOTE THEM.
AND, UH, AND WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO BE AN ASSET FOR YOU IN THAT REGARD.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL CONSENT SPEAKERS.
UH, MEMBERS, AS YOU'VE JUST HEARD, THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
LET ME ASK, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO PULL ANY ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT WASN'T ALREADY PULLED, HEARING NONE, THEN THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADOPT
[01:05:01]
THE CONSENT AGENDA.THE MAYOR PRO TIM MOVES APPROVAL.
IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.
UM, MEMBERS, WE WILL NOW GO TO DISCUSSION.
I, UH, WILL CALL FIRST ON COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, FOLLOWED BY THE MAYOR PRO TIM.
I WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ON ITEM NUMBER 12.
THIS IS GOING TO ADD 20 NEW PARKING SPACES AND TWO NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING LOCATIONS FOR THE HAMPTON BRANCH LIBRARY.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF OUR MOST BELOVED CITY OWNED SPACES THAT WE HAVE IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THAT LIBRARY? WILL THERE BE DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO ENHANCE AND EXPAND IT OVER THE YEARS? BUT FOR THE MEANTIME, EVEN GETTING 20 MORE PARKING SPACES FOR THE COMMUNITY IS, IS A HUGE WIN IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
ITEM NUMBER 100 ALSO IS THE CIRCLE C TURKEY TROT.
UM, WE HAVE GOTTEN ABOUT $2,000 OF FEES WAIVED FOR THIS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE ONLY EVENTS THAT'S ACTUALLY FULLY IN DISTRICT DATE.
UM, SO WE ALWAYS CARRY THIS FEE WAIVER EVERY SINGLE YEAR TO SUPPORT THE CIRCLE C COMMUNITY AND THE RUN CLUB THAT OPERATES DOWN THERE.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS EXTRA FEE WAIVER DOLLARS LEFT AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH I KNOW DOLLARS ARE GETTING LOW, UM, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
THERE'S ABOUT $2,000 LEFT TO COVER.
COUNCIL MEMBER MAYOR PRO TEM, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL AND COUNCIL MEMBER ELAINE.
I DID WANNA SPEAK TO ITEM NUMBER 96 LAST YEAR.
ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS EXPERIENCED THE HEARTBREAKING LOSS OF THEIR BELOVED DOG, WENDY, AFTER LEAVING HER IN THE CARE OF A LOCAL BOARDING FACILITY, WENDY MANAGED TO DIG UNDER A FENCE, WENT MISSING, AND WAS LATER FOUND DECEASED.
AS SOMEONE WHO LOVES AND CARES FOR MY OWN DOG AXEL, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE DEVASTATION THAT COMES FROM SUCH A TRAGEDY, ONE THAT WAS VERY PREVENTABLE.
OUR PETS ARE PART OF OUR FAMILIES, AND IN A CITY LIKE AUSTIN, WE TAKE PRIDE IN BEING A NO KILL COMMUNITY.
SO WE HAVE A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR PETS ARE SAFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN PLACED IN SOMEONE ELSE'S DIRECT CARE.
THIS RESOLUTION IS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO WENDY AND HER FAMILY'S STORY.
IT BEGINS THE PROCESS OF REQUIRING PET BOARDING FACILITIES TO INSTALL DIG GUARD PROTECTIONS ALONG OUTDOOR FENCES.
IT ALSO SEEKS ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND WELFARE OF ANIMALS ENTRUSTED TO THOSE FACILITIES.
WE ALL HAVE A SHARED GOAL IN MAKING SURE THIS NEVER HAPPENS TO ANOTHER FAMILY.
AND TO ENSURE THAT WE LEAVE OUR PETS IN SOMEONE ELSE'S CARE, WE CAN DO SO WITH A TRUST AND PEACE OF MIND.
LATER TODAY, WE'LL ALSO CONSIDER A ZONING CASE INVOLVING THIS FACILITY WHERE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED.
WHILE THIS RESOLUTION WON'T APPLY RETROACTIVELY, THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS SINCE INSTALLED DIG GUARDS AND STRENGTHEN THEIR SAFETY PROTOCOLS TO HELP ENSURE THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.
THEY'VE PROVEN THAT THEY TAKE THIS INCIDENT SERIOUSLY, THAT THEY'RE COMMITTING INTO GETTING INTO CODE COMPLIANCE, AND THAT THEY HAVE NOW PUT TANGIBLE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO PREVENT FUTURE HARM.
THIS DOES NOT BY ANY MEANS ERASE THE PAST, BUT BY LEARNING FROM THIS EXPERIENCE, TAKING CONCRETE POLICY ACTION AND PRIORITIZING ACCOUNTABILITY, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT PET BOARDING FACILITIES TAKE A THOUGHTFUL STEP TO PROTECT THE PETS THAT WE ALL LOVE.
I WANNA THANK MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALTER LANE, ELLIS, AND VELA FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
COUNCIL MEMBER LANE COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
AND, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM FOR ADVOCATING FOR ANIMAL SAFETY.
UH, I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR.
THAT ITEM, WITHOUT OBJECTION, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL WILL BE SHOWN AS A SPONSOR OF THAT ITEM.
AND, UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO OFFER A COUPLE NOTES ON THE AGENDA.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, ON THE TWO ITEMS THAT WERE WITHDRAWN, 33 AND 67, I WANNA THANK, UH, CITY STAFF FOR AGREEING TO, UH, WITHDRAW THESE ITEMS FROM THE AGENDA.
AND ALSO WANNA THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR REACHING OUT, UH, TO EXPRESS A VARIETY OF CONCERNS ABOUT THESE TWO ITEMS. I THINK THE GENERAL THEME THAT WE WERE HEARING IS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT, UH, ENCROACHMENT ON CIVIL LIBERTIES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WHETHER IT'S, UH, THE INVASION OF A COUPLE OF AMERICAN CITIES, WHETHER IT'S THE OPERATION OF ICE WITH MAST AND UNIDENTIFIED AGENTS, AND EVEN THE EFFORTS TO TAKE, UH, SOCIAL SECURITY INFORMATION AND CREATE, UH, DATA SURVEILLANCE FILES ON EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN.
UM, WHAT I HEARD FROM THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY ON THESE TWO ITEMS IS THAT, UH, WE'RE VERY MUCH CONCERNED ABOUT CONTRACTS THAT ALLOW PRIVATE VENDORS TO GATHER THE DATA OF AUSTIN RESIDENTS WITHOUT CLEAR GUIDELINES ABOUT HOW THAT DATA WILL BE KEPT AND MAINTAINED AND USED.
AND SO, UM, REALLY WANNA APPRECIATE STAFF'S WILLINGNESS TO KIND OF TALK MORE ABOUT THESE ITEMS AND ALLOW FOR YOU MORE COMMUNITY INPUT.
UM, TRANSITIONING A LITTLE BIT, UH, TO SOMETHING MORE UPBEAT, UH, ITEM 74, IMAGINE AUSTIN.
I'LL, I'LL SAY AS A, A FIRST TERM, FIRST YEAR COUNCIL MEMBER.
UH, MY EYES GLAZED OVER A LITTLE BIT WHEN PEOPLE STARTED TALKING ABOUT COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING.
UH, BUT I'VE SINCE LEARNED HOW REALLY, UH, HOW MUCH OF AN OPPORTUNITY THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS IS.
IF YOU CHECK OUT AUSTIN CITY CHARTER, UH, TITLE 10, SECTION ONE, IT DESCRIBES OUR GOALS FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING, AND IT BASICALLY INCLUDES EVERY
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ASPECT OF OUR CITY.IT'S NOT JUST LAND USE, IT'S RESOURCES LIKE WATER AND ELECTRICITY.
IT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IT'S PR, TRANSPORTATION, UH, PARKS.
YOU, YOU KNOW, NAME YOUR CONCERN ABOUT THE CITY.
AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE INTEGRATED WITH OUR IMAGINE AUSTIN COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND ALSO, THIS IS THE FIRST PROCESS WE'VE HAD SINCE WE'VE REVERTED TO, UH, A TEN ONE SYSTEM WITH DISTRICT REPRESENTATION.
SO I'M EXCITED FOR, FOR THIS PROCESS AND HOW, UM, ALL OF US AS A COMMUNITY AND ALL OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND, AND GROUPS CAN BE STAKEHOLDERS IN THIS PROCESS AND REALLY HAVE A VERY FORWARD, PROGRESSIVE, SUSTAINABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, PROSPEROUS CITY IN THE YEARS TO COME.
SO, THANKS TO, UH, THE PLANNING TEAM FOR, FOR LEADING THAT EFFORT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM 55, WHICH IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN FAMILY ELDER CARE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES AT PECAN GARDENS, A PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING COMMUNITY FOR SENIORS AND DISTRICT SIX.
AT PECAN GARDENS, RESIDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO STABLE HOUSING, ALONG WITH CASE MANAGEMENT HEALTH ASSESSMENTS, COMMUNITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES, AND BASIC NEEDS WITH AN ONSITE FOOD PANTRY.
RECENTLY, AUSTIN'S HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE ANNOUNCED THAT PECAN GARDENS IS ALSO THE FIRST HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN AUSTIN TO COMPLETE AND GRADUATE FROM THE CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN PROGRAM.
C-P-T-E-D IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED APPROACH THAT INTEGRATES SAFETY THROUGH BUILDING DESIGN, INCLUDING THE ENHANCEMENT OF VISIBILITY, LIGHTING, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I WANT TO THANK APDS DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES OFFICERS, GABRIEL GABRIELSON ANDREY, FOR WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND FAMILY ELDER CARE.
I'M PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL FOR OFFICER GABRIEL SEN'S LEADERSHIP IN DEVELOPING THIS PROGRAM.
PECAN GARDENS IS BETTER TODAY BECAUSE OF EFFECTIVE COLLABORA COLLABORATION ACROSS AGENCIES, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO THE LEADERS AT AUSTIN'S HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE, FAMILY ELDER CARE, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND HURON CITY COUNCIL, UH, FOR MAKING THIS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.
UM, COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT ITEM NUMBER 22.
THIS CONTRACT INVESTS IN TRAUMA INFORMED TRAINING SO THAT OUR POLICE OFFICERS CAN BETTER SUPPORT SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, ENSURING DIGNITY, RESPECT, AND JUSTICE, UH, FOR WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BY PARTNERING WITH THE END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN INTERNATIONAL, A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER IN THIS WORK, WE ARE BRINGING THE BEST PRACTICES TO AUSTIN TO IMPROVE INVESTIGATIONS AND OUTCOMES.
UM, WE NEED WAYS TO ACKNOWLEDGE, WE NEED TO ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE OUR FAILURES AND WORK TO TURN THEM INTO COMPASSIONATE ACTION, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CONCERNS OUR SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED, UH, IN THE COLLECTIVE SEX CRIMES RESPONSE MODEL, OR C-S-C-R-M, WHO HAVE BEEN LEADING THESE EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE IMPROVING APDS RESPONSE TO SEX CRIMES AND PROTECTING OUR SURVIVORS.
UM, AND ITEM 1 0 3, I HAVE BEEN A LONG TIME, UH, SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE, AND I'M BRINGING THIS ITEM, UH, FOLLOWING THE PROPOSED CHANGE IN PERMIT FEES FOR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS THAT I, UH, TALKED ABOUT DURING OUR BUDGET.
UH, THIS CHANGE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED IS FUNDAMENTALLY IN INEQUITABLE AND HAS BEEN, AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE DRASTICALLY, TO DRASTICALLY IMPACT AUSTIN'S INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES, LEGACY BUSINESSES, AND SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, EX AND, YOU KNOW, EXPECTING A SMALL BUSINESS TO ABSORB A SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED COST DUE TO A UNEXPECTED ACROSS THE BOARD.
POLICY CHANGE WITHOUT STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IS UNREASONABLE.
AND THIS IS WHY THIS ITEM DIRECT STAFF TO MAKE, UH, SMALL BUSINESS A PART OF THE SOLUTION.
UM, WITH OUR LEGACY BUSINESSES BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE IN AUSTIN, WE WANT OUR LEGACY BUSINESSES TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO THRIVE IN AUSTIN.
THEY ARE A CENTRAL PART OF THE FABRIC OF AUSTIN.
AND, UH, NOT JUST ECONOMICALLY, BUT SOCIALLY AND CULTURALLY.
I AM GRATEFUL TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER STEPHANIE HAYDEN HOWARD FOR HER SUPPORT, AND TO MY CO-SPONSORS, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.
AND, UH, HE IS WATCHING AT HOME COUNCIL MEMBER KARI, WHO ASKED TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.
I, I WANNA ALSO THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ.
UH, WE HAD A, A ITEM TO TRY TO, UH, MITIGATE FEES AROUND, UH, HOMEOWNERS AND, UH, KIND OF SMALLER SCALE, UH, PERMITTING.
AND THIS IS IN, IN THAT SAME THEME, WE'VE GOT TO MINIMIZE THE FEE STRUCTURE FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, FOR OUR HOMEOWNERS, FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, REPLACING A, A WATER HEATER, THOSE KIND OF SMALL SCALE, UH, REPAIRS.
UH, AND, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HIM, UH, BRINGING THIS ITEM.
I'M, UH, I'M, I'M A CO-SPONSOR AND COMPLETELY SUPPORT IT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT ITEM, UH, 92.
UH, WE ALSO PASSED THIS AT THE CAPITAL METRO MEETING ON MONDAY.
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92 IS AN INTER-GOVERNMENT, UH, LOCAL AGREEMENT, UH, BETWEEN CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY, UH, TO, UH, IT PUT INTO EFFECT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL PRIORITIZATION.UH, WHAT THAT MEANS IS ESSENTIALLY THAT, UH, BUSES AND IN THE FUTURE ARE TRAINS.
UM, WE'LL BE ABLE TO BASICALLY TURN RED LIGHTS INTO GREEN LIGHTS OR HOLD, UH, A GREEN LIGHT TO LET THE BUS GO THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION, HELPING TRAFFIC MOVE, ESPECIALLY IN OUR CENTRAL CITY.
UH, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY CAN ALSO USE IT.
SO THAT'S GONNA HELP OUR, OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR, OUR EMS AND, AND POLICE ALSO, UH, GET TO, UH, EMERGENCY INCIDENTS MORE QUICKLY.
IT'S A MOVE TOWARD A, A MORE INTELLIGENT, A MORE STREAMLINED TRAFFIC SYSTEM.
UH, IT, IT'S A LITTLE ITEM AND IT'S A LITTLE THING, BUT, UH, OVER THE LONG TERM, IT'S GONNA BE A BIG DEAL.
UH, I APPRECIATE STAFF WORKING ON THIS.
I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR A LONG TIME, AND, UH, GREAT TO SEE IT MOVE THROUGH THE AGENDA.
I WANT TO DRAW OUR ATTENTION TO ITEM 29, UH, WHICH ADDRESSES A THREE QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT FOR HIGH SPEED INTERNET TO FOUR FACILITIES.
THAT WORKS OUT TO ABOUT $150,000 A YEAR FOR THESE FOUR LOCATIONS.
I'LL BE VOTING NO ON THIS ITEM.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF CONCERNS I'VE GOT HERE.
THE PRIMARY CONCERN BEING THAT THAT'S JUST A LOT OF MONEY TO EXPAND WIFI TO LOCATIONS IN THIS DAY AND AGE.
UH, AND ALSO JUST EVALUATING THE URGENCY OF THESE LOCATIONS.
AS FAR AS THE COST, BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE, THERE'S A LOT MORE ECONOMICAL WAYS TO GET WIFI OUT TO LOCATIONS LIKE THESE.
UM, ESPECIALLY IN A TIME WHERE WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS IN THE Q AND A THAT WE GOT BACK YESTERDAY.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE PART OF THE CONTRACT IS TO INSTALL A COUPLE OF INTERNET CIRCUITS AND FIBER LINES.
IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME WHY THE FACILITIES NEED TO BE CONNECTED WITH HARDWIRE CONNECTIONS.
IT'S ALSO NOT CLEAR, UM, THAT IF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE IN THE FIRST YEAR, WHY WE'RE PAYING THE SAME AMOUNT EVERY YEAR IN THIS CONTRACT.
UH, AND THEN AS FAR AS LOCATIONS, TWO OF THE LOCATIONS ARE GARAGES.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHY WE'VE GOTTA SPEND $75,000 IN THE FUTURE AND EVERY YEAR FOR A COUPLE OF GARAGES.
ONE OF THEM IS A PROJECT THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
SO, IN CLOSING, I JUST FIND IT STRANGE THAT WE'RE PAYING UPWARDS OF 40 KA YEAR FOR WIFI FOR A SINGLE PARKING GARAGE WHERE WE CAN'T GET RELIABLE INTERNET IN SOME AREAS HERE IN CITY HALL, INCLUDING COUNCIL OFFICES,
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT THE, UH, 35 EMPLOYEES USING THE INTERNET AT THE DEMOLISHED CONVENTION IN A GARAGE NEED A $3,500 A MONTH INTERNET CONNECTION FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
MY HOPE IS THAT THERE MAY BE SOME VALUE IN UNPACKING THIS CONTRACT AND EXPLORING THE LOCATION BY NEED.
I SUSPECT THE PALMER EVENT CENTER THAT'S GONNA SERVE THOUSANDS OF, UH, USERS AND HAS A LOT OF COMPLEXITY IN THEIR SETUP AND CONNECTIVITY IS PROBABLY WAY MORE JUSTIFIABLE IN SOME OF THE OTHER FACILITIES IN THE CONTRACT.
THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
UM, JUST A QUESTION FOR THE MANAGER.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UCHIN RAISES SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS AS IT RELATES TO ITEM 20 NINES.
IF WE COULD HAVE AN UPDATE ON THOSE QUESTIONS THAT HE'S LAID OUT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA IS READ.
IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO ABSTAIN FROM ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANYONE WISHING TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM A VOTE ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN VOTING NO ON ITEM NUMBER 29.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING NO ON ANY ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? WITH THAT BEING THE CASE WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN BEING SHOWN, VOTING NO ON ITEM NUMBER 29.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CODRE ABSENT.
UM, AND THANKS FOR THOSE WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK ON THE, THESE ITEMS. MEMBERS THAT WILL NOW, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, I WILL, UH, WE WILL RECESS THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UH, AND WITHOUT, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE ARE IN RECESS AT 1118.
I WILL NOW CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
IF YOU'RE TALKING, HEY FOLKS, IF I COULD GET EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION REAL QUICK, IF I COULD GET YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE TAKE YOUR CONVERSATIONS OUTSIDE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE, UH, BUT WE NEED TO GET OTHER STUFF DONE.
[10:30 AM - Austin Housing Finance Corporation Meeting]
MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, UH, ON, UH, AUGUST 28TH, UH, 2025 AT 11:19 AM WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.WE ARE MEETING IN CITY HALL IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
[01:20:01]
UH, MS. DE MAYO.UH, GOOD MORNING, MANDY DE MAYO, AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION.
I HAVE FOUR ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
THE FIRST ITEM IS APPROVING THE LAST FOUR MEETING MINUTES FOR MAY 8TH, MAY 22ND, JUNE 5TH, AND JULY 24TH.
THE SECOND ITEM IS RELATED TO THE FOURTH ITEM.
UH, THE SECOND ITEM IS APPROVING A HFCS OWNERSHIP AND LAND AT 59 0 1 SOUTH PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD.
THIS IS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT TO BE KNOWN AS SYCAMORES AT PLEASANT VALLEY.
IT IS 75 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND ALL OF THE UNITS WILL BE RESTRICTED TO 40% AND 50% MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME.
UH, THE THIRD ITEM IS AUTHORIZING, UM, OUR STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A CONTRACT WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO ADMINISTER THE TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY $1.4 MILLION A YEAR UTILIZING OUR FEDERAL HOME FUNDS.
AND THEN THE FOURTH ITEM IS A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, RELATED TO THE ISSUANCE OF $25 MILLION IN MULTI-FAMILY REVENUE BONDS FOR THE SYCAMORES AT PLEASANT VALLEY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALRIGHT, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS TURN TO THE CLERK AND SEE IF ANYONE HAS SIGNED UP ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH THREE.
FIRST, WE HAVE NO H-F-A-H-F-C SPEAKERS, PERIOD.
WELL, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
AND FOR THE RECORD, I'LL ASK YOU THAT QUESTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
THERE HAVE BEEN MEMBERS, THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS TO SPEAK IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.
UH, YOU'VE HEARD THE PRESENTATION AND WE HAVE OPENED AND CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA? COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL MOVES TO ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LANE.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ADOPTED, AND THOSE ARE ITEMS, ONE FOR THE RECORD, ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR MEMBERS.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AT THIS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING THANK YOU OF, OF THE A HFC BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT 11:22 AM THAT WILL TAKE US BACK TO, UH, I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER AT 11:22 AM
[102. Approve a resolution providing guidance regarding actions taken in amending and approving the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget and planned budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027, including addressing social service funding, homelessness, the Housing Trust Fund and HOPE Fund, establishment of a new grant program, a non-sworn public safety response pilot, and support for the 2026 General Obligation Bond process.]
THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, FOR ITS REGULAR MEETING.AND THAT WILL TAKE US TO THE ONE PULLED ITEM OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I PULLED THAT 'CAUSE I HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO ASK, UM, UH, OF DAVID GRAY AND COUNCIL MEMBER, IT'S YOUR ITEM.
I'LL LET YOU IF YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING, OTHERWISE I JUST GO TO THE SURE.
THE PERSON THAT PULLED IT, AND THAT'D BE ME.
SO JUST TO KIND OF LAY THIS ONE OUT, UH, FOR THE CONVERSATION WE'RE GONNA HAVE, THIS ITEM IS KIND OF A FOLLOW ON WITH SOME CLARIFICATION, UH, FROM THE BUDGET PROCESS.
IT'S, MANY OF THESE THINGS WOULD'VE BEEN THINGS WE WOULD'VE DONE DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT THEY WERE EITHER TAKEN FROM AN AMENDMENT AND MADE INTO AN IFC AND IT WAS TOO LATE TO FILE AN IFC OR JUST KIND OF SOME CLARIFICATION THAT HAD TO BE DONE.
SO, UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE ELEMENTS TO THIS, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHY THE, IT SEEMS KIND OF DISPARATE IN SOME OF THE SUBJECTS HERE.
UH, ONE OF THEM IS AROUND THE DISCUSSION WE HAD, UH, AROUND A NON-SWORN PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE AND, AND LOOKING, UH, ASKING THE MANAGER TO IDENTIFY WHAT KIND OF ARE THOSE ROLES THAT WE COULD UTILIZE, UH, NON-SWORN PERSONNEL, HOPEFULLY TO HELP MANAGE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COSTS IN THE FUTURE AND PROVIDE BETTER PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, ANOTHER ELEMENT HERE IS A CLARIFICATION AROUND SOME OF THE BOND PLANNING MONEY THAT WE HAD PASSED, JUST, UM, RECONCILING IT AND MAKING IT CONSISTENT WITH A PRIOR RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE COUNCIL.
UH, BUT THEN THE LAST PIECE IS, IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW, UM, UH, WE HAVE DISCUSSED A LOT AND IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT I KNOW MANY ON THIS DIOCESE.
AND THAT IS, UH, AROUND ADDRESSING HOMELESSNESS SPECIFICALLY, UH, OUR YOUTH POPULATION.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN AN EXPLOSION UNFORTUNATELY, IN THIS POPULATION, UH, OVER FOUR TIMES, UH, GROWTH IN THE PAST FOUR TO FIVE YEARS.
AND SO, UH, THIS RESOLUTION IS SEEKING TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF THE YOUTH WITHIN OUR HOMELESS POPULATION, WHICH IS AROUND 15%, THAT WHEN DAVID IS ADMINISTERING THESE PROGRAMS, THAT THEY ARE, THAT, THAT THAT POPULATION IS GETTING, UM, A,
[01:25:01]
A PROPORTIONATE, UM, UH, AMOUNT OF THOSE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THE NEED.WE HAD STARTED THIS WITH A HARD, YOU KNOW, YOU MUST HAVE 15%, UH, WORKED A LOT WITH, UH, OUR DIRECTOR TO COME UP WITH LANGUAGE THAT IS A MORE WORKABLE, GIVES 'EM A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY AND MAKING THAT A TARGET INSTEAD OF A HARD, UH, NUMBER.
AND JUST RECOGNIZING THAT THIS POPULATION, UH, IS ONE THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE IS SERVED WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE PUT INTO OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
AND THEN, UH, CERTAINLY PASS IT OFF TO THE POLAR OF THE ITEM.
UM, MR. GRAY, I, I, I, AND I KNOW WE'VE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL VERSIONS, UM, BUT, BUT I WANNA ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, WHAT INVESTMENTS WERE MADE IN ADDRESSING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IN THE MOST RECENT BUDGET? AND WHAT INVESTMENTS DO YOU HAVE PLANNED? I MEAN, I KNOW TODAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST VOTED TODAY AND HAD, UH, UH, THE CEO OF LIFEWORKS TESTIFY IN FAVOR OF ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS, AND, AND MEMBERS, I'LL JUST SAY A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE IS, THE REASON I PULLED THIS IS, FIRST OF ALL, I MUST ADMIT, I'M, I'M VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH A POLICY OF US GOING THROUGH A BUDGET PROCESS, A LENGTHY BUDGET PROCESS, A DETAILED BUDGET PROCESS.
AND THEN LITERALLY AT THE VERY NEXT MEETING OF THE COUNCIL WERE TAKING UP BUDGET ITEMS, AGAIN, MANY OF WHICH WERE ITEMS THAT WERE PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UH, WE, WE UTILIZED THAT BUDGET PROCESS, I THOUGHT REALLY WELL TO ACTUALLY GET TO KIND OF CONSENSUS ON WHERE WE WANTED ON THE BUDGET.
UH, AND, AND THEN FIRST RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT ITEMS. UH, AGAIN, THE SECOND PART OF THAT, THOUGH, THAT BOTHERS ME IS THAT A KEY PART OF THAT WAS THE, A KEY PART OF THE BUDGET AND A KEY PART OF WHAT LED TO US VOTING TO GO ABOVE THE 3.5% VOTER APPROVAL RATE WAS RELATED TO HOMELESSNESS.
AND THAT WAS A KEY PART OF OUR DISCUSSIONS.
AND WE HAVE, WE ARE MAKING SUCH GREAT PROGRESS.
IN PART, I THINK BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE A HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE, WE NOW HAVE A PLAN THAT THAT HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER IS IN, IS PUTTING INTO PLAY.
IT'S A SYSTEMIC PLAN AND NOT ONE THAT, UH, BREAKS OUT DIFFERENT GROUPS IN, IN, IN THE WAY THAT I, I, I WORRY THIS RESOLUTION DOES.
AND THAT'S WHY I'VE PULLED THIS.
I, I WANT US TO, I WANT TO, SO I WANT TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
SO, MR. GRAY, IF YOU HAD ANSWERED THAT FIRST QUESTION, UH, I WOULD APPRECI I'D APPRECIATE THAT.
GOOD MORNING, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
DAVID GRAY, HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, WHEN I LOOK AT OUR, OUR HOMELESS CONTRACTS ACROSS THE BOARD, ARPA GENERAL FUND, ET CETERA, UH, FOR LIFEWORKS SPECIFICALLY, UH, SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN OFFICE, WE FUNDED, UH, $6.3 MILLION WORTH OF SERVICES, SPECIFICALLY WITH LIFEWORKS FOR YOUTH, UH, AND YOUNG ADULTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND THAT COVERS A, A BROADER ARRAY OF INVESTMENTS FROM, UH, SHELTER TO STREET OUTREACH TO RAPID REHOUSING.
UH, MOST RECENTLY, OUR OFFICE, UH, HAD A, A WORKING GROUP AROUND FOSTER YOUTH HOMELESSNESS AND YOUTH HOMELESSNESS THAT WE CO-CHAIRED WITH, UH, LIFEWORKS.
AND THAT WORK GROUP INCLUDED REPRESENTATION FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PROVIDERS, UH, AND THAT THE, THE WORK OF THAT WORKING GROUP IS INFORMING A LOT OF WHAT'S IN THE HSO PLAN AS IT RELATES TO YOUTH SPECIFICALLY.
AND SO, AS WE LOOK TO THE YEAR AHEAD, INVESTMENTS THAT ARE TOP OF MIND FOR US ARE CONTINUING INVESTMENTS IN YOUTH SHELTER, LIKE THE ITEM THAT WE BROUGHT TODAY, UH, SERVICE DOLLARS FOR FEDERAL VOUCHERS, HOUSING VOUCHERS FOR YOUTH THAT HELP YOUTH STABILIZE AFTER FOSTER CARE AND ULTIMATELY ACHIEVE SELF-SUSTAINABILITY.
UH, AND THEN I KNOW WE'RE ALSO IN CONVERSATIONS WITH LIFEWORKS AND THE COUNTY AROUND, UH, SOME NEW PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING THAT'S COMING ONLINE THAT LIFEWORKS WOULD MANAGE AS WELL.
SO, SO YOUTH IS A, IS A PRIORITY FOR US.
THAT'S WHERE THE DATA SHOWS, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PRIORITIZE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK THAT BEING SAID, AS WE MAKE INVESTMENTS IN YOUTH HOMELESSNESS AND WE START TO SEE A DECREASE THERE, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ALSO RESPONSIVE TO OTHER SUBPOPULATIONS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS LIKE OUR VETERANS, UH, AND, AND, AND LIKE OUR SENIORS WHO ARE ALSO, UM, BEGINNING TO BECOME HOMELESS AT, AT FASTER RATES.
AND I, AND I GUESS THAT IS, IS PART OF WHAT BOTHERS ME A ABOUT THIS ITEM IS THAT YOU HAVE A SYSTEMIC PLAN WHERE YOU'RE, YOU'RE MEETING THE NEEDS.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH THE PLAN.
[01:30:01]
WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE WAS FULLY FUNDED, IF YOU REMEMBER, WAS THE, THE LANGUAGE OF THE, OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.WHAT HAPPENS IF, EVEN IF IT'S, UH, IT MANDATES A TARGET.
AND WHAT THIS DOES IS EVEN THE NEW LANGUAGE SAYS IN CARRYING OUT A PRIORITIZATION, IT, IT REQUIRE, IT DIRECTS, IT DIRECTS PRIORITY FUNDING FOR ADDRESSING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS.
AND THEN IT SAYS, IN CARRYING OUT SUCH PRIORITIZATION, THE MANAGER SHALL TARGET 15% TO THAT AS A, WHAT THIS REFERS TO.
I MEAN, IT WOULD BE US ADOPTING THIS AS A REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION OF YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AT 15%, ALTHOUGH I DON'T REMEMBER US EVER HAVING ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT THOSE PERCENTAGES ARE.
UM, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE, THE, THE PERSON WE COUNT ON TO BE THE EXPERT.
WHAT DOES THIS DO TO YOU ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT YOU JUST DISCUSSED? IF WE MAKE THOSE SORTS OF PRIORI CALL IT A PRIORITY AND THEN GIVE YOU THAT DIRECT SHALL, UH, DIRECT YOU TO, TO PRI PRIORITIZE IT IN A PROPORTIONAL WAY AND SET A PERCENTAGE.
SO WHEN WE PUBLISHED THE, THE HSO PLAN, WE DID NOT INCLUDE SUBPOPULATIONS IN THAT.
AND THAT'S IN PART BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE DATA INFORMED DECISION MAKING.
WE WANT THE DATA THAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, IN HMIS AND FROM OUR PARTNERS ON THE GROUND TO GUIDE THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE MAKE.
AND IT'S ALL PART OF OUR PHILOSOPHY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE ULTIMATE GOAL WITH THIS WORK IS TO CONNECT THE RIGHT PEOPLE WITH THE RIGHT INTERVENTION AT THE RIGHT TIME TO END THEIR HOMELESSNESS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UH, WHEN WE START TAKING SLICES OF THE PIE FOR CERTAIN SUBPOPULATIONS, IT LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO BE NIMBLE AND FLEXIBLE FOR THE OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO IN, IN THIS CASE, UH, IF COUNSEL GAVE US THE DIRECTION TO PRIORITIZE 15% OF THE FUND FOR YOUTH HOMELESSNESS, UH, WE WOULD MAKE GOOD ON THAT COMMITMENT.
BUT THAT DOES HINDER OUR ABILITY TO, TO BE FLEXIBLE AND BE TRULY DATA LED, UH, DATA INFORMED, AND, AND IT TAKES AWAY SERVICES FOR THE OTHER SUB POPULATION.
IT COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE AWAY SERVICES FOR THE OTHER SUB POPULATIONS.
THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT TOO, MR. MAYOR, IS THAT IF THE DI, IF THE TARGET IS 15%, WE WILL NOT EXCEED THAT 15% BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO RESERVE FUNDING FOR SOME OF THOSE OTHER POPULATIONS.
AND SO IF THE DATA SHOWS THAT WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL INCREASE IN YOUTH HOMELESSNESS, AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE TO PUT MORE MONEY THERE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE DIRECTION WE, WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T DO THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RESERVING, UH, SOME OF THE RESOURCE FOR OTHER SUBPOPULATIONS.
WHAT HAPPENS IS IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, UH, FOR, UH, FOR SOMETHING, UM, AND FOR SOME REASON THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, WHAT DOES, HAVING SUBPOPULATIONS WHERE YOU'RE DIRECTED TO TARGET, WHAT DOES THAT DO? IT IT DELAYS OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND NIMBLY.
I MEAN, IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WE, WE TAKE PRIDE IN DOING IT TRANSPARENTLY AND MAKING SURE THAT COUNTS WHEN THE PUBLIC IS WELL INFORMED ON OUR DECISION MAKING.
I THINK THERE WAS A DATA THAT ALSO WAS PASSED WITH THE BUDGET THAT DIRECTED OUR OFFICE TO DO A, A TRANSPARENCY PAGE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE NOW, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF, OF BUILDING OUT.
UH, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS MEANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW TRANSPARENTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, IF THE SLICES OF THE PIE ARE ALREADY CUT UP, UH, AND, AND WE HAVE LIMITED FLEXIBILITY, IT DELAYS OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND, UH, QUICKLY, UH, OR IT PUTS US IN POSITIONS WHERE WE ARE HAVING TO, UH, ESSENTIALLY TAKE FROM ONE SUB POPULATION'S PIE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO GIVE THE OTHER POPULATION A, A BIGGER SLICE.
AND, AND THAT IS GONNA PIT OUR PROVIDER COMMUNITY AGAINST EACH OTHER AGAINST.
SO SINCE WE'VE DONE THE, UM, SINCE YOU BROUGHT US THE, THE, THE PLAN, AND WE'VE BEEN AS A A, AS A BODY OPERATING WITH THAT PLAN, HAVE YOU MADE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COUNCIL THAT WE OUGHT TO SPECIFICALLY TARGET SUBPOPULATIONS, WHETHER IT BE YOUTH VETERANS, UH, OR L-G-T-V-Q? WE HAVE NOT BROUGHT IN ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT SPECIFIC SUBPOPULATIONS THAT, THAT WE ARE GONNA TARGET.
I MEAN, AGAIN, IN ALL THINGS THAT WE DO, WE, WE LET THE DATA GUIDE US.
WE KNOW, AND WE'RE WELL AWARE OF THE INCREASE IN YOUTH HOMELESSNESS, AND THAT'S WHY WE CO-CHAIRED THAT BODY WITH LIFEWORKS IN MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT WE KNOW THERE'S AN INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS IN DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE CO-CHAIRING, UH, A BODY WITH THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN ALLIANCE.
AND SO FOR US, IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT THAT THE DATA LEADS US, UH, AND THAT WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO REALLY GET THE RIGHT INTERVENTION TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
COUNCILMAN WALTER, I'M GONNA CONFESS, I'M, I'M PRETTY DISAPPOINTED RIGHT NOW, AND I'M PRETTY DISAPPOINTED THAT WHEN YOU AND I WORKED TOGETHER, YOU TOLD ME SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT THAN
[01:35:01]
WHAT YOU'RE TELLING THE BODY TODAY.YOU TOLD ME THAT USING THE WORD TARGET WOULD GIVE YOU THE FLEXIBILITY YOU NEEDED.
YOU TOLD ME THIS WORKS, AND I HATE TO DO THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT I, HOW CAN I BRING SOMETHING FORWARD IF YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN YOU'RE TELLING THIS BODY? I AM.
I AM ALSO DISAPPOINTED THAT WE ARE IN SOME WAY HAVING AN ISSUE, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT 15% A, IT SAYS A REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION, THAT SOMEHOW IT IS PROBLEMATIC THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT A PER, THAT A, A, A SMALL PORTION OF THE MONEY THAT WE ARE DEDICATING TO HOMELESSNESS SERVES YOUTH, AND THAT WE ARE SAYING THAT THIS IS SOMEHOW NOT CONSISTENT WITH OUR VALUES AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN SERVING THE HOMELESS POPULATION.
IT SAYS AT LEAST A REPRESENTATIVE POP, UH, PROPORTION.
SO IF, IF WE DO HAVE THAT SURGED, WHICH I CERTAINLY HOPE WE DON'T, YOU HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY HERE.
YOU TOLD ME YOU HAD THE FLEXIBILITY ANYWAYS.
THERE ARE ELEMENTS IN HERE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT THEY WERE BROUGHT BY COUNCIL MEMBER LANE ABOUT ENSURING THAT WE SERVE VETERANS.
THERE ARE PIECES IN HERE BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, ENSURING THAT WE SERVE OUR L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY.
AND I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT IT WASN'T IN THE PLAN, BECAUSE THAT'S A POLICY DECISION.
YOU EVEN MENTIONED THAT MONTHS AGO WHEN WE HAD THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PLAN THAT A POLICY DECISION IS FOR THE COUNCIL TO MAKE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT THIS SHOULD, THIS GROUP SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED DISPROPORTIONATELY THAT THEY SHOULD BE SERVED TO THE EXCLUSION OF OTHERS.
WE'RE SAYING THAT FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION THAT THEY REPRESENT IN THE HOMELESS SYSTEM, WE'RE GONNA ENSURE THAT THEY'RE SERVED AND WE'RE GONNA ENSURE THAT WE DON'T SEE ANOTHER FOUR TIMES GROWTH IN THIS POPULATION OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
AND THAT, THAT IS SOMEHOW TROUBLING OR DISAPPOINTING.
UM, I, I WAS GONNA COME IN HERE AND TALK ABOUT A, A QUOTE THAT'S BEEN IN MY HEAD ALL WEEK.
YOU, YOU WON'T HEAR ME QUOTE SCRIPTURE VERY OFTEN, BUT IT'S BEEN IN MY MIND, AND THIS WAS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING FOR OUR KIDS ON THE STREET, SOME OF THEM WITH KIDS.
AND SOMEHOW THAT'S PROBLEMATIC.
I, I, I'M, I'M JUST GONNA LEAVE IT THERE.
I, I HOPE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SERVE THIS GROUP, AT LEAST IN THE MANNER THAT THEY ARE UNFORTUNATELY REPRESENTED IN OUR POPULATION, 84% OF WHICH ARE ON THE STREETS, OVER A THOUSAND YOUNG PEOPLE.
I, I WOULD HOPE YOU SUPPORT THIS ITEM, UH, COUNCIL.
I, UH, CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE FOCUS AND THE INTENT OF WHAT'S TRYING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED.
I, I ALSO HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT HOW, HOW PRESCRIPTIVE IT IS.
I, I KNOW THERE'S TIMES THAT WE HAVE A DELICATE BALANCE HERE BETWEEN POLICY MAKERS AND DECISION MAKERS AND, UM, FINANCIAL ALLOCATIONS, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HANDING THAT OVER TO STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF TRUST THAT I THINK WE'RE ALL TRYING TO GET TO THE SAME PLACE AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF DOES HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS, UH, THAT COUNCIL SETS.
WHILE ALSO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I ASK MYSELF CONSTANTLY TOO WHEN I DO WORK IS HOW PRESCRIPTIVE SHOULD I BE AND, AND HOW MUCH DO WE LOCK IN THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TACKLE? UM, OR HOW CAN WE SIMILARLY ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL AND BE A LITTLE LESS, LESS PRESCRIPTIVE? I'VE HAD IFCS THAT, UM, THAT OPERATE BOTH WAYS.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE VERY DETAILED AND SOMETIMES THEY SAY, HEY, GO FIGURE IT OUT.
UM, WE TRUST YOU TO BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
AND SO I HAD ALSO WORRIED THAT IT WAS QUITE PRESCRIPTIVE.
I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS LEADING UP TO OUR BUDGET ADOPTION, SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE HOMELESSNESS CONSORTIUM AND THE FOLKS THAT WORK AS SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THEM THE ALLOCATIONS THEY NEED, UM, WHILE ALSO NOT CREATING AN IMBALANCE BETWEEN
[01:40:01]
MANY DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS.AND SO I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM A GOOD PLACE, UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE JUST HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES EACH AND EVERY TIME WE WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS, HOW, HOW PRESCRIPTIVE DO WE NEED TO BE? AND SO I DID WORRY IT WAS, UM, A LITTLE TOO MUCH.
BUT, UM, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THIS IS APPROVED TODAY OR NOT, I THINK, UM, THERE'S ALSO A FURTHER CONVERSATION TO BE HAD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE LAST BE IT RESOLVE TALKS ABOUT A METROPOLITAN SPLASH PARK, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT IDEA.
UM, AND IF FOR SOME REASON THIS DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD IN THIS WAY, I HOPE THAT THAT IDEA DOES CARRY FORWARD THROUGH THE BOND PROCESS AND WOULD LOVE TO FURTHER THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE I, I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR ACCESS, UM, TO PLACES THAT COOL US DOWN, UM, BUT ALSO NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF WATER USAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOME GOOD THINGS IN HERE, BUT I THINK AS IT STANDS TODAY, THIS MIGHT JUST BE A LITTLE MORE PRESCRIPTIVE THAN I WOULD WANT TO BE IN THIS MOMENT.
UM, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE THE CITY MANAGER AND LET, I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S INDICATED THAT THEY WANNA SPEAK.
I WOULD ASK THAT THE CITY CLERK CALL THE NAME.
WE, UH, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WE HAVE A SPEAKER ON THIS ITEM, UH, ONE SPEAKER AND CALL THAT PERSON.
BUT, UH, WHILE THAT PERSON IS COMING UP, I'LL, I RECOGNIZE THE MANAGER.
UH, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, AND SPEAKING MORE BROADLY, BUT SPECIFICALLY I THINK TO WHAT SEEMS TO BE OF SOME CONCERN, I, I THINK THE MAYOR STARTED OUT AT LEAST, UH, THE LINE OF QUESTION IN AN INQUIRY WITH THE DISCONNECTION BETWEEN GOING THROUGH A LENGTHY BUDGET PROCESS AND ARTICULATING, UH, BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND THOUGHTS.
AND I, I THINK THE, THE NOTION OR THE CHALLENGE COMING RIGHT AFTER THE BUDGET BEING APPROVED TO PRESCRIBE WHETHER LOOSELY OR AT ALL SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES AND ACTIONS OF A BUDGET THAT IS ABOUT TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
UH, I THINK AS COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AND I HAD DISCUSSED IT, I THINK I SHARED SOME CONCERNS.
AND I THINK THE MODIFICATION OF THE IFC IN AND OF ITSELF, UH, GOT TO A MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE PLACE, UH, TO THE, I GUESS, STATEMENT OF CONCERN, UH, AROUND, UH, ANY CONVERSATION THAT YOU MAY HAVE HAD.
UH, WITH DIRECTOR GRAY, I'M NOT PRIVY TO THE SPECIFICS OF IT, UH, BUT I DO KNOW MY TEAM, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, DIRECTOR GRAY, ALWAYS TRY TO WORK TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, WHERE COUNSEL MAY WANT TO GET, TRYING TO GET TO.
UH, I THINK AS YOU HEARD, HIS STATEMENTS TODAY, PARTICULARLY LEANING ON, WHETHER IT'S THE CONSORTIUM OF HOMELESS PROVIDERS OR EVEN OUR TEAM TRYING TO MAKE DATA DRIVEN DECISIONS, I THINK THAT CHALLENGE WITH PROPORTIONALITY, WHICH I THINK I'VE SAID TO MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS, EVEN WHILE WE WERE DISCUSSING THE BUDGET, UH, IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT.
AND I THINK TO DAVID'S POINT AROUND DELAYS DOESN'T MEAN HE DOESN'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO MOVE RESOURCES AROUND AND PUT THEM WHERE THEY ARE.
BUT IF IN FACT THERE'S A RESOLUTION THAT SPEAKS TO SOMETHING AS A SHALL OR WHAT HAVE YOU, THE THOUGHT MIGHT BE THAT WE NEEDED TO BRING SOMETHING BACK FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION TO DO THAT AND OR RUN THE RISK OF ACT A ACTING OUTSIDE OF POLICY.
UH, AS I'D SAID MORE BROADLY IN MY DISCUSSIONS AROUND IFCS AND OF THEMSELVES, UH, SOMETIMES IT'S A CONVERSATION AND AN INTENTION, UH, AND ALLOWANCE FOR STAFF, UH, TO MAKE THE PROFESSIONAL DECISIONS BASED ON GUIDANCE, WHETHER COLLECTIVELY THROUGH A COMMITTEE OR THROUGH COUNCIL MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY IF IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, UH, ALLOW US THAT FLEXIBILITY TO DO IT, UH, TO BE PLACING ITEMS AGAIN, UH, THAT ARE PRESCRIPTIVE AND PROPORTIONALITY IN AN IFC AND OR, UH, I GUESS DIRECTING US TO CREATE PROGRAMS AND DO PILOTS.
UH, I THINK SOME OF THAT, AS MANY OF YOU HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, HAVE BEEN DONE IN CONVERSATION, UH, AND IN GOOD STEAD.
AND SO, AGAIN, UH, UNFORTUNATE THAT I THINK YOU FEEL, UM, SOME KIND OF WAY TODAY.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY A BROAD STATEMENT.
I HOPE YOU WOULD JUST, UH, APPRECIATE, UH, US ALWAYS TRYING TO GET WHERE COUNSEL WANTS TO GET.
UH, BUT AGAIN, TO THE MAYOR'S INITIAL POINT, AND AS WE TALKED, THIS COMING RIGHT AFTER BUDGET, UM, AND NOT BEING DISCUSSED IS PROBLEMATIC, AT LEAST FOR US, PARTICULARLY AS WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER WE'RE GONNA HAVE A TRE THAT'S SUCCESSFUL OR NOT, AND OR JUST HOW WE'RE ALLOCATING EXISTING RESOURCES WITH RESPECT TO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL WANTED TO CONSIDER IN THE HOMELESS SPACE AT LEAST.
SO AGAIN, I WANTED TO SAY THAT, AND I KNOW DAVID, UH, AND HIS WORK, UH, AND HIS TEAM WORK VERY HARD, UH, TO TRY TO PROVIDE RESPONSES TO COUNCIL.
UH, AND THEY MAY NOT ALWAYS FIT IN, ALIGN WITH WHERE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE COMING FROM.
UH, AND IF WE NEED TO PUSH BACK MORE BEFORE ITEMS GET ON, UH, THE AGENDA, UH, I GUESS I'LL DIRECT THEM TO DO THAT MORE.
UH, BUT, UH, IN ALL EARNEST, I KNOW HE'S WORKING DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO MANAGE, UH, A LOT OF DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS
[01:45:01]
AS WELL AS THIS COUNCIL'S, UH, PERCEPTIONS AND, UH, OPINIONS ON HOMELESSNESS.AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT I AT LEAST SHARED MY SUPPORT FOR HIS STATEMENT AROUND BEING DRIVEN BY THE DATA.
UH, AND SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IN GENERAL, BUT I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IFC, UH, PARTICULARLY THE LAST ITEM THAT COUNCILWOMAN, UH, ELLIS MENTIONED AROUND OUR FLEXIBILITY WITH UTILIZING NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT IN AREAS WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE.
AND EVERYTHING IN THE IFC WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT AND REVIEW AND TRY TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO DO.
UH, AND I WOULD SAY, AS I ALWAYS SAY, I PROBABLY NEED AN IFC FOR THAT, UH, JUST A CONVERSATION.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, BUT I AT LEAST WANTED TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON YOUR DISCOMFORT, I THINK WITH WHERE YOU ARE WITH MY TEAM'S APPROACH TO Y'ALL'S CONVERSATIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THE CALL, CALL THE NAME OF THE PERSON IN THE PUBLIC AND ASK 'EM TO COME FORWARD.
THE SPEAKER'S NAME IS SAVANNAH LEE FOR ITEM 1 0 2.
UM, SO I CAN GET A, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING POTENTIALLY OF, OF COUNCILMAN ELLIS WHEN WE SAY, IS IT THE, THE EXACT NUMBER ITSELF, THE, BECAUSE IT'S A REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION AND WE PUT THE NUMBER IN BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT'S, UM, BUT IT IS IF TO, TO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BEING DATA DRIVEN, THE GUIDING LANGUAGE HERE IS THE REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION.
AND SO IF, IF IT GOES UP, IF IT GOES DOWN, THE INSTRUCTION HERE IS TO, TO TARGET.
WE STARTED WITH A REQUIREMENT, WE STARTED WITH VERY FIRM LANGUAGE AND THE MANAGER AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS.
DIRECTOR GRAY AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS, AND WE CHANGED THE LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY TO TARGET TO MAKE IT MORE FLEXIBLE AND, AND USING THE, THE REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION IF, IF WE JUST GET RID OF THE PARENTHETICAL.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S THE EXACT SAME SIX ONE HALF DOES.
THE OTHER IS, IS THAT WHAT CAUSES EITHER THE MANAGER FROM, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, UH, DIRECTOR GRAY, I EVEN POTENTIALLY SIGNAL MY COLLEAGUE TO THE LEFT HERE.
UH, BECAUSE IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, IS THE BIG ISSUE, THEN I'LL HAVE AN AMENDMENT TO STRIKE THAT OUT RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT IT, THE, THE OPERATIVE LANGUAGE IS A REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION.
UM, SO I WOULD POSE THAT, I GUESS, LEMME, LEMME START WITH DIRECTOR GRAY.
DO YOU READ THE LANGUAGE FOR THAT TO BE YOUR GUIDING LIGHT IS, UH, ON A, A REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION COUNCIL MEMBER.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
UH, AND FIRST I WANNA APOLOGIZE FOR, UH, THE FRUSTRATION THAT I, I HAVE CAUSED.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA OFFER THAT TO YOU.
UH, IT WAS NEVER MY INTENT TO, TO MISLEAD YOU, OR IT'S NEVER MY INTENT TO MISLEAD ANY OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ON OUR POSITION.
UH, THE, THE LANGUAGE AROUND TARGET DOES GIVE US MORE FLEXIBILITY THAN A FIRM NUMBER.
UH, BUT WHAT I'LL SAY IS THAT OUR OFFICE WILL ALWAYS LOOK AT THE DATA AND LET THE DATA GUIDE US AND GUIDE OUR DECISION MAKING AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE BRING TO YOU AND TO THE OTHERS ON THE DAAS.
UH, AND, AND HOW WE DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDING.
YOU KNOW, FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT, WE ARE PRIORITIZING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE DATA IS SHOWING US.
IF WE DO ALL THE THINGS THE RIGHT WAY THIS YEAR THAT WE INTEND ON DOING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS SHOULD DROP, UH, EXTREMELY, UH, HOPEFULLY TO ZERO.
UH, AND THEN WE'D BE ABLE TO PIVOT AND FOCUS ON WHATEVER THE NEXT SUBPOPULATION IS.
THE, THE LANGUAGE TO PRIORITIZE YOUTH HOMELESSNESS MEANS THAT, THAT, THAT IS THE GUIDING DIRECTION THAT WILL TAKE WITH US IN PERPETUITY.
AND SO EVEN IF YOUTH HOMELESSNESS DROPS, UH, EVEN WITHOUT A SPECIFIC TARGET, IT FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT, IT'S STILL HANDICAPS OUR ABILITY TO PIVOT OR MAYBE WITHIN THIS YEAR, YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IS HIGH, BUT WE SEE A DRASTIC RISE IN VETERAN HOMELESSNESS, UH, BECAUSE OF CHANGES IN FEDERAL REGULATION.
IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IT WOULD REALLY HANDICAP OUR ABILITY TO, TO PIVOT, UH, AND TO BE FLEXIBLE, UH, IN RESPONDING TO WHAT THE DATA IS SIGNALING TO US.
UH, AND AND THAT'S CONSISTENTLY THE MESSAGE THAT I'VE TRIED TO CONVEY HERE IS FROM OUR VAN OFFICER'S VANTAGE POINT IS, UH, WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THE THE GOAL TODAY IS YOUTH HOMELESSNESS AND, AND WE ARE ALIGNED WITH THAT, UH, WE STILL NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE RESPONSIVE, UH, AND FOR THE CITY TO BE ABLE TO STEP IN AND, AND PROVIDE THE SAFETY NET, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WELL, AND I GO TO THE, THE LANGUAGE ITSELF, 'CAUSE WE WERE VERY CAREFUL IN CRAFTING THIS LANGUAGE.
'CAUSE WORDS MATTER, IF YOU LOOK AT LINE 71 AFTER TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIZING
[01:50:01]
FUNDING TO ADDRESS YOUTH HOMELESSNESS, THE VERY NEXT SENTENCE SAYS IN CARRYING OUT SUCH A PRIORITIZATION.SO WHEN DEALING WITH THIS PRIORITY, THE MANAGER SHALL TARGET TO ALLOCATE AT LEAST A REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION.
SO IF IT GOES DOWN IN CARRYING OUT THAT PRIORITIZATION, WE'RE GOING TO CONSISTENTLY TARGET THEIR REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION.
THAT'S, THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN JUST SAYING YOUTH ARE PRIORITY PERIOD, END OF RESOLUTION.
UM, I WOULD, I ALSO WANT TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION.
YOU MENTIONED $6.3 MILLION THAT WAS, AND I'M SORRY, I JUST DIDN'T CATCH THE, THE FRONT END.
THAT'S IT WAS THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO, TO LIFEWORKS OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME AND OUT OF WHAT TOTAL SPEND IN THE, EXCUSE ME, SIR.
I, I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFIC TERMS FOR ALL THE CONTRACTS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
I CAN GET YOU THAT, THAT INFORMATION.
UH, BUT THAT'S A COMBINATION OF ARPA FUNDING, UH, THAT WE ADMINISTERED, UH, HHSP FUNDING, WHICH IS FUNDING THAT'S PASSED THROUGH OUR OFFICE AND GOES TO, UH, LIFEWORKS, UH, AND THEN GENERAL FUND FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, AND IS THAT LAST FISCAL YEAR OR OVER A PERIOD OF GREATER, MORE THAN ONE FISCAL YEAR? IT, IT'S, I I KNOW SOME OF THIS IS LAST FISCAL YEAR.
SOME OF IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE FISCAL YEAR PRIOR.
OUR OFFICE WAS ESTABLISHED IN DECEMBER, UH, 23.
SO IT'S, IT GOES BACK AS FAR AS AT LEAST TO THAT POINT, BUT I CAN GET YOU THE SPECIFIC YEAH.
CONTRACT TERMS. WELL, AND, AND, AND IT JUMPED OUT AT ME BECAUSE I KNOW WE SPENT OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, ARPA LOAN WAS A HUNDRED MILLION.
WE ADDED GENERAL FUND TO THAT AND SO TO SAY 6.3 MILLION, CLEARLY WE'RE NOT GIVING THE PROPORTIONATE, SORRY, C IF, IF I MAY CLARIFY JUST REAL QUICK, THAT'S ONLY OUR FUNDING TO LIFEWORKS.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S SHELTER, WHICH SERVES YOUTH.
UH, WE HAVE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT, THAT SERVE YOUTH AND, AND YOUNG ADULTS.
UH, SO THAT, THAT 6.3 JUST REPRESENTS THE LIFEWORKS INVESTMENT.
BUT, BUT THAT SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED.
OUR FULL INVESTMENT FOR YOUTH AND FOSTER YOUTH.
IT ALSO DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY OF THE STAFF TIME THAT WE'VE DEDICATED TO THINGS LIKE THE FOSTER YOUTH TASK FORCE AND OTHER INITIATIVES.
SO I JUST WANT TO OFFER THAT AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
NO, THAT, AND THAT'S A, AN IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION.
I, I'LL JUST END SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP BOTH BY THE MANAGER AND THE MAYOR.
THIS, THIS DISCUSSION OF PROCESS.
WE, WE CANNOT FILE A BUDGET IFC AFTER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, WE CAN, IT, IT OPERATES JUST LIKE A REGULAR MEETING.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE PUT IT IN AT A CERTAIN TIME AHEAD OF THE FINAL BUDGET ADOPTION.
I TOOK AMENDMENTS THAT COST REAL MONEY AND I WORKED WITH MY SUB QUORUM TO NOT OFFER THEM AS AMENDMENTS, NOT PUSH FOR THOSE ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES, RECOGNIZING THAT THERE WERE PRIORITIES OF THE BODY.
AND INSTEAD SAID, HOW ABOUT WE FOLLOW IT UP WITH DIRECTION JUST LIKE WE HAD DURING THE PROCESS.
THERE ARE IFCS JUST LIKE THIS DURING THE PROCESS THAT GUIDED MONEY FOR THE BUDGET THAT HAS YET TO BE ENACTED.
THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS IS TO BRING IT SUBSEQUENT TO THE BUDGET PROCESS BECAUSE WE WERE TIMED OUT FROM FILING THIS FOR THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO I, I'M, IT, IT'S, IT IS A VERY ODD
THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I'M SUPPOSED TO DO IT THEN.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN, AN ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA THAT I SUPPORTED, UM, BUT THAT TALKS ABOUT BRINGING ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR, UH, COMMUNITY SHELTER.
WE, WE, WE SPECIFICALLY DID SOMETHING AROUND COMMUNITY SHELTER IN THE PLAN.
SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING BEYOND OR SUPPLEMENTING OR CLARIFYING THE PLAN, RIGHT? THESE, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT IS A VERY GOOD PLAN AND I, I'VE EXPRESSED MY STEADFAST SUPPORT FOR IT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK MAKES IT EVEN A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, I HOPE, I HOPE WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT TODAY.
SO I WOULD, UM, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER DISCUSSION, I I WOULD MOVE ADOPTION OF ITEM 1 0 2.
I WANNA GET HIM, WE'RE GONNA GET TO YOU.
UM, COUNCILMAN WALTER MOVES ADOPTION OF ITEM 1 0 2.
IT'S SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELAZQUEZ.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
[01:55:01]
FOR, UH, MAKING YOU WAIT.IT'S NICE TO HAVE LIKE A FRONT ROW SEAT UP HERE FOR A WHILE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE AND I'M HERE WITH EQUITY ACTION.
UM, I JUST WANNA TOUCH ON A PART OF ITEM 1 0 2.
UH, THAT'S THE NON-SWORN OFFICER PILOT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PROGRAMS CAN BE USEFUL IN CUTTING COSTS FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND THAT WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF.
UM, WE JUST WANTED TO COME HERE TODAY TO MAKE CLEAR THAT SHOULD THE PROGRAM MOVE FORWARD, WE WOULD ASK THAT IT BE PAID FOR, UH, BY THE FUNDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ALREADY ALLOCATED TO A BD, UH, NOT WITH NEW FUNDING.
A BD FUNDING TAKES UP NEARLY 37% OF THE BUDGET.
AND IF THE AIM HERE IS TO REDUCE COSTS, WE THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE THAT THIS PROGRAM FOCUS ON THE EFFICIENCY OF THE DOLLARS ALREADY ALLOCATED TO THAT SECTION OF THE BUDGET.
AS WE NEAR ASKING AUSTIN TAXPAYERS TO PAY MORE IN PROPERTY TAXES, IN ORDER TO FUND VITAL CITY SERVICES, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON THE USE OF THE DOLLARS THAT ARE ALREADY SPOKEN FOR AND USE THEM IN THE MOST RESPONSIBLE WAY POSSIBLE.
UH, MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER H MADISON HERE.
UH, UH, DUE TRUE TO FORM, I'M HAVING TECH DIFFICULTIES.
UM, SO FOR THE AV FOLKS IN THE ROOM, IT SAYS MODERATED UNMUTE MODE.
AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, I DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER MY CAMERA ANYMORE.
JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW, I THINK I'M GONNA JUMP OUT AND TRY TO JUMP BACK IN.
MY FACE WON'T BE VISIBLE, SO MY VOTE WON'T COUNT.
SO I'M ASKING IF YOU COULD HOLD OFF ON YOU GUYS TAKING THAT BOAT SO I CAN JUMP OUT AND TRY TO JUMP BACK IN SO YOU COULD SEE ME.
UH, WHY DON'T YOU TRY TO DO THAT, BUT THANK YOU.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
UM, I, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN HERE.
I LIKE, ONE OF THEM WAS JUST A, A HIGHLIGHTED BY BY THE SPEAKER.
UH, I DO WANT TO LEAVE STAFF WITH DISCRETION THOUGH.
UH, AND I, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT KIND OF OVERLY TARGETING.
UH, AND I JUST WANTED TO, TO, TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE AMENDMENTS AND, AND THE TARGETING VERSUS KIND OF, UH, HOW MUCH FROM, FROM, UH, UH, UH, MR. GRAY, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE DISCRETION IN HERE? 'CAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS IN PARTICULAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE TRANSPORTATION, IT COULD BE DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE A LOT OF TIMES DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO REACT TO WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE TIME AND, AND IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
UH, AND, AND THAT MAY DIFFER FROM THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE PLAN THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, PUT OUT.
UH, LIKE, UH, THERE'S THAT, THAT OLD SAYING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT BOXING, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU, YOU GO INTO THE, TO THE FIGHT WITH A PLAN, AND THEN YOU GET PUNCHED IN THE MOUTH AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PLAN, UH, UH, CHANGES, UH, UH, UH, DRAMATICALLY.
UH, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT, AGAIN, MORE KIND OF GUIDANCE GOALS VERSUS, UH, KIND OF HARD, UH, LIMITS.
SORRY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? OH, THERE WE GO.
AND, AND I'LL START BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT OUR TEAM GETS PUNCHED IN THE MOUTH A LOT AND PLANE PLANS CHANGE, BUT THIS DOES NOT FEEL LIKE A PUNCH IN THE MOUTH SESSION RIGHT NOW.
UH, FOR US, YOU KNOW, I I'LL SAY, YOU KNOW, FOR FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, FROM OUR OFFICE'S PERSPECTIVE, GIVEN EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW AROUND HOMELESSNESS AT, AT ALL LEVELS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF AUSTINITES AND OUR COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO DO THAT NIMBLY.
UH, NOW THERE IS A SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES ALREADY IN PLACE THAT WE FOLLOW.
UH, WE PRESENT REGULARLY TO THE CITY'S PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE.
UH, WE'RE ABOUT TO LAUNCH THIS TRANSPARENCY PORTAL.
UH, AND NONE OF OUR CONTRACTS GET APPROVED WITHOUT COUNCIL, UH, AUTHORIZATION.
AND SO WE, WE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT COMMITTED TO DOING THINGS OPENLY AND HONESTLY.
UH, BUT I WILL SAY AGAIN, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE WITHIN A CERTAIN SET OF PARAMETERS, RIGHT? TO, TO BE RESPONSIVE TO WHAT THE DATA IS SHOWING US, OR TO BE RESPONSIVE TO A CHANGE IN FEDERAL FUNDING OR A STAGE IN STATE LAW.
UH, AND, AND IF WE ARE KIND OF TOO HANDCUFFED, UH, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, THEN IT, IT REALLY IS GONNA LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AND PRODUCE THE RESULTS THAT, UH, WE FEEL LIKE OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTS US TO PRODUCE.
AND, AND I THINK ABOUT THAT ALSO BECAUSE I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, THE SITUATIONS THAT, THAT HAVE COME UP, UH, WHERE, UH, AGAIN, UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS WILL ARISE THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN A LOT OF RESOURCES ARE BEING DEDICATED TO DEAL WITH AN UNEXPECTED SITUATION THAT WAS NOT BUDGETED FOR, THAT WAS NOT REALLY PLANNED FOR.
UH, AND, AND, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT STAFF HAS THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THAT.
UH, AND THEN AGAIN, I MEAN, IT JUST HAVING, YOU KNOW, SOME EXPERIENCE IN, IN, IN GOVERNMENT AND, UH, IT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE, THE LOW HANGING FRUIT, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS KIND OF WANNA
[02:00:01]
GO AFTER THE LOW HANGING FRUIT.AND, AND, AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE ABLE TO DO THAT IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, FOR EXAMPLE, TARGET A A, A POPULATION THAT MAY NOT BE IN, YOU KNOW, SET OUT AS A POLICY PRIORITY, BUT IS, UH, UH, IS IN, IN REALITY, YOU KNOW, FACTUALLY JUST THE, THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE, THERE, THERE'S A, UH, A SITUATION.
I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT Y'ALL HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY, UH, UH, ON THAT.
AND, AND SO ANYWAY, I, I JUST WEIGHING ALL THIS IN, IN, I'M JUST, TO BE FRANK, I, I'M, I'M, I'M KIND OF DIGESTING THE, THE, THE RESOLUTION AS WE, UM, AS WE TALK ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.
I APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE ANSWERS.
UH, MR. GRAY, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, BEFORE I READ, ASK COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THIS IS HELPFUL OR NOT, BUT THE WAY THE, MY PREVIOUS COMMENTS, PART OF WHAT I WANNA POINT OUT IS IT INDICATES THAT IT, IT MAKES IT A PRIORITY, AND THEN IT SAYS IT TALKS IN TERMS OF ALLOCATION OF AT LEAST A REPRESENTATIVE PROPORTION BEING 15%.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT CREATES A FLOOR THAT YOU DON'T GO BELOW THIS AMOUNT, IT HAS TO BE AT LEAST THIS AMOUNT, AND THAT'S 15%.
AND THAT IS A, IN, IN MY VIEW, A PROBLEM WITH THIS.
AND, AND, UH, YOU CAN SAY IT'S A TARGET, BUT WHEN YOU SAY IN CARRYING OUT SUCH A PRIORITY, YOU SHALL TARGET TO ALLOCATE A MINIMUM, THAT, THAT IS WHAT CREATES A PROBLEM IN MY VIEW.
COUNCIL MEMBER LANE, UM, I, I FIRST JUST WANNA THANK DAVID GRAY, OUR CITY MANAGER, OUR MAYOR, UM, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION, I THINK, AND AS YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WHO CO WHO'S REPRESENTING A DISTRICT THAT HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN HOMELESSNESS, UM, AND CHALLENGES CONNECTING TO RESOURCES.
WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THE SKYROCKETING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS RATE IN OUR AREA FOR SOME TIME.
UM, ALSO SEE THAT WE'RE LOSING GROUND ON SOME OF THE GAINS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AROUND VETERANS AND SENIORS ARE OFTEN, YOU KNOW, ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT POPULATION.
UM, I KNOW THAT IN THE AREAS THAT I REPRESENT, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT CONCERN ABOUT ENSURING THAT THESE PARTICULAR POPULATIONS ARE NOT FORGOTTEN AND LOST IN THIS.
I VERY MUCH RESPECT WHAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT, UM, BEING GIVEN THE FLEXIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE WORK AND SEE WHAT COMES AND SOME OF THE OTHER CONCERNS EXPRESSED.
AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER WOULD BE, UM, OPEN TO CONSIDERING A DIFFERENT PATH AND BRINGING SOMETHING FORWARD A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.
BUT I'M JUST GONNA RAISE THAT BECAUSE I'M VERY TORN IN HEARING WHAT OUR SENIOR STAFF, KNOWING THE LEADERSHIP THEY BROUGHT AND HEARING WHAT THEY'RE SAYING HERE TODAY, UM, WHILE ALSO KNOWING THAT MY OWN CONSTITUENTS ARE REALLY GOING TO WANT TO SEE SOME RESULTS IN THESE AREAS.
SO I'M JUST LETTING Y'ALL KNOW WHERE I STAND ON THIS, AND THANK YOU FOR THE DISCUSSION.
MEMBERS THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, UM, I WOULD ASK THOSE THAT ARE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, UH, TO RAISE YOUR HAND.
THOSE OPPOSED, RAISE YOUR HAND, COUNCILMAN HARPER MADISON, IF YOU, UH, I CAN'T HAVE YOU RAISED YOUR HAND YET? I DID NOT.
MR. MAYOR, AFTER THIS DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO ABSTAIN AND I'D LIKE THE
LEMME CALL FOR THE ABSTENTIONS.
NOW, THOSE THAT WISH TO ABSTAIN, I'LL GO WITH ABSTAIN.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, WELL, LEMME CALL THE VOTE AND THEN I, I'LL CALL ON YOU TO, TO STATE YOUR, YOUR VOTE.
UM, THOSE VOTING IN FAVOR OR COUNCIL MEMBERS ALTER VELASQUEZ, THE MAYOR PRO, TIM SIEGEL, AND LANE, THOSE ARE FIVE IN FAVOR.
THOSE VOTING NO ARE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UCHIN AND VELA, AND THE MAYOR.
AND THOSE ABSTAINING ARE COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY IS ABSENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, I'LL RECOGNIZE YOU SO YOU CAN SPEAK TO YOUR ABSTENTION.
UM, I, I'D LIKE TO JUST, IT WAS SO MANY PARTS.
SO I, I TRIED TO NARROW IT DOWN TO THREE PARTS THAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS.
NUMBER ONE, I WANTED TO ADDRESS, UM, UH, DIRECTOR GRAY
WHILE I APPRECIATE YOU ALWAYS BEING SUCH A, A TEAM PLAYER, UH, YOU RECOGNIZING THAT WE'RE ALL ALWAYS WEARING THE SAME JERSEY, UM, AND I'M CERTAIN THAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER APPRECIATES YOUR APOLOGY.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
AND MY HOPE IS MOST OF THE BODY, YOU DON'T OWE US ANY APOLOGIES.
[02:05:01]
UM, WE RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST AND WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.I DO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT YOU DIDN'T SEE THIS EXCHANGE AS A KICK IN THE TEETH.
SO WE'RE ALL JUST TRYING TO DO OUR BEST.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE.
UM, NUMBER TWO, MR. MAYOR, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT YOUR CONCERN ABOUT THE CONTINUATION OF THE BUDGET DISCUSSION PAST THE BUDGET DISCUSSION.
IF FOR NO OTHER REASON, UM, IN MY TIME AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD'VE OTHERWISE BROUGHT FOR BUDGET DISCUSSION, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH MY STAFF AND CITY STAFF COMING UP WITH ANOTHER SOLUTION, A CREATIVE WAY TO ADDRESS IT.
SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER'S INTENTION HERE, BUT I, I DO APPRECIATE YOU SAYING LIKE, UP TO A POINT.
WE GOTTA STOP TALKING ABOUT BUDGET ITEMS. IN WHICH CASE, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, UM, ON LIKE A FIVE POINT LIST, INCLUDING, UM, I APPRECIATE THAT WHEN YOU FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT SOMETHING THAT, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE KIND OF BODY, LIKE IF YOU WATCH OTHER CITIES AND THEIR COUNCIL MEETINGS, THEN PEOPLE FIGHT EACH OTHER.
LIKE ACTUALLY GO AT IT SOMETIMES IN A WAY THAT'S PRODUCTIVELY, YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN PEOPLE DISAGREE, SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE TOLD EVERYBODY THAT WE ALL HAVE TO GET ALONG.
WE ALL ALWAYS HAVE TO AGREE, WE ALL ALWAYS HAVE TO BE NICE.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, WHAT WE CAME HERE TO DO IS CREATE POLICY THAT OFFERS OUR GENERAL CITIZENRY A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE, PERIOD POINT BLANK.
AND IF THE WAY YOU DO THAT SOMETIMES RUFFLES FEATHERS, SO BE IT.
AND IF WE'RE NOT ALWAYS HAPPY WITH EACH OTHER ON THE DAY, SO BE IT.
BUT WE'RE ALL PROFESSIONALS, CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONALS WHO CAME INTO THE ROLE AS PROFESSIONALS AND WHO CONDUCT OURSELVES AS PROFESSIONALS, I THINK IT'S PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE FOR YOU TO PUSH BACK.
I PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, WHILE I CAN APPRECIATE OFTENTIMES HOW THE MAYOR CHAIRS A MEETING, SOMETIMES I DO FEEL LIKE THE REMAINDER OF THE BODY SOMEHOW SORT OF BY DEFAULT, IT DOESN'T GET THE LEVEL OF RECOGNITION OF THE FACT THAT WE ALL WON AN ELECTION TOO.
SO I THINK WE ALL SHOULD GET THE AMOUNT OF SPACE THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO WON AN ELECTION TO REPRESENT THEIR DISTRICT IN THIS FORUM AND PLATFORM AND PLACE IN SPACE WHERE THEY SHOULD.
SO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND EXPRESSING YOUR, YOUR UNHAPPINESS.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND MOVING FORWARD, I'D LIKE VERY MUCH TO, TO WORK WITH YOU ON THE CONTINUATION OF THE CONSIDERATION.
IF FOR NO OTHER REASON, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CAME INTO THIS BUDGET PROCESS RECOGNIZING IS WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY.
WE STILL DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY.
WE'RE REALLY JUST AS A BODY, AS A PEOPLE, AS A CITY, GONNA HAVE TO WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND MORE CREATIVE WAYS TO DO THINGS.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE MANAGER HIGHLIGHTED WHAT HE'S ALREADY TOLD US.
EVERYTHING DOES NOT HAVE TO BE AN IFC.
WE HAVE SO MANY OPTIONS, SO MANY RESOURCES, SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND DO THE WORK WE CAME HERE TO DO.
AND IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE IN THE FORM OF I, OF AN IFC.
SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO FEEL DEFEATED IN ANY WAY.
YOUR EFFORT AND INTENTION HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED AND SEEN.
AND I WILL BE AMONGST, I'M CERTAIN SEVERAL OF YOUR COLLEAGUES.
WE WEAR THE SAME JERSEY, Y'ALL, SAME TEAM.
I WILL BE AMONGST YOUR COLLEAGUES IN SUPPORT OF HELPING TO PUSH FORWARD WHAT THE INTENTION WAS HERE.
ALTHOUGH I CAN'T SUPPORT THE, UH, THE RESOLUTION, THE REASON I ABSTAINED INSTEAD OF VOTING IT DOWN IS I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SPIRIT IN WHICH YOU BROUGHT IT FORWARD.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, MEMBERS THAT
[12:00 PM - Public Communication: General]
WILL TAKE US TO OUR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.AND WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK AND ASK THAT, UM, THE CITY CLERK START CALLING NAMES.
UH, WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE COME DOWN AND PICK, TAKE ONE OF THE CHAIRS THAT'S AT, AT THE TABLE HERE.
THAT WAY WE'LL KNOW YOU'RE HERE AND KNOW THAT YOU WANNA COMMENT AND IT WILL, UH, ALLOW US TO, TO RECOGNIZE YOU MORE RAPIDLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
SO, IF YOU'LL PLEASE CO START CALLING THE NAMES.
FIRST WE HAVE ROCHELLE WILSON.
ON DECK, WE HAVE JACQUELINE HARRINGTON.
UH, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND BEGIN.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ROCHELLE WILSON.
IN EARLY JULY, TRAGEDY STRUCK CENTRAL TEXAS.
ORDINARY PEOPLE BECAME HEROES.
AND ONCE AGAIN, WE SAW WHAT IT MEANS WHEN WE SAY TEXAS STRONG.
LIKE MANY OF YOU, I SAT AT HOME READING THE NEWS AND I CRIED AS I WHISPERED THE NAMES OF THE DEAD AND MISSING, IMAGINING THE GRIEF OF THEIR FAMILIES.
IT IS A PRACTICE I KNOW TOO WELL BECAUSE FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, I HAVE BEEN DOING THE SAME THING FOR GAZA, READING NAMES AND GRIEVING FOR CHILDREN THAT I WILL NEVER MEET HERE IN TEXAS.
WITHIN HOURS OF THE FLOODING AID WAS ON THE WAY NEIGHBORHOODS MOBILIZED.
STRANGERS BECAME RESCUERS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT COMMUNITY
[02:10:01]
DOES, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HUMANITY IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE.BUT THEN THE QUESTIONS START PILING UP.
WHY IS IT THAT WHEN OUR NEIGHBORS DROWN, WE RUSH IN WITH BOATS AND BLANKETS? YET CHILDREN IN GAZA ARE STARVED WHILE THOUSANDS OF AID TRUCKS ARE HELD HOSTAGE AT A BAR BORDER.
WHY? WHILE FOOD ROTS IN THESE VERY TRUCKS OR GOINS TYING ROCKS TO THEIR STOMACHS, TO QUIET THE ACHE OF HUNGER, WHY ARE TEXANS WHO JUST ENDURED A CATASTROPHE BEING THREATENED WITH THE LOSS OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE? UNLESS WE, WE PLEDGE LOYALTY TO THE STATE OF ISRAEL.
WHY ARE TENS OF MILLIONS OF OUR HARD EARNED TEXAS TAX DOLLARS FUNDING WAR CRIMES ABROAD INSTEAD OF REBUILDING OUR OWN COMMUNITIES HERE AT HOME? ARE THE CHILDREN OF GAZA NOT ALSO A TRAGEDY WORTH PULLING TOGETHER FOR? I'M NOT HERE TO ASK FOR ANYTHING.
THIS COUNCIL HAS ALREADY SHOWN ITS LACK OF MORAL COURAGE.
FOR OVER A YEAR, AUSTIN RESIDENTS PLEADED WITH YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MASS SLAUGHTER OF CIVILIANS IS WRONG.
WE ASKED YOU TO ADD A PERMANENT CEASEFIRE TO THE AGENDA AND YOU DID NOTHING.
MEANWHILE, THIS CITY CONTINUES TO WELCOME WAR PROFITEERS WITH OPEN ARMS. CAPITAL FACTORY PROUDLY HOSTED.
FED SUPERNOVA AT THE PARAMOUNT BAY SYSTEMS IS CELEBRATED AS A COMMUNITY PARTNER, EVEN AS ITS WEAPONS TEAR APART FAMILIES OVERSEAS, MAKE NO MISTAKE, OUR SILENCE, OUR CITY CONTRACTS AND OUR TAXES MAKE US COMPLICIT.
THE TAX MONEY OF EVERY PERSON IN THIS BUILDING HAS PAID TO MURDER AND STARVE CIVILIANS IN GAZA.
THE COWARDICE OF AMERICAN POLITICIANS, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY IS STAGGERING.
OUR SYSTEM HAS BEEN BOUGHT AND SOLD BY APAC, A FOREIGN LOBBY THAT SERVES ISRAEL'S INTERESTS AND NOT THAT OF AMERICANS.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT CORRUPTION, THE PEOPLE OF GAZA ARE STILL DYING.
I'M HERE TO REMIND YOU, THE GENOCIDE CONTINUES AND Y'ALL CONTINUE TO LOOK AWAY.
AUSTIN WAS ONCE A CITY DIFFERENT, A CITY THAT KEEPS IT WEIRD, BUT Y'ALL HAVE MADE US INTO A CITY THAT IS INDIFFERENT.
AND WHILE IT IS ABSOLUTELY WEIRD TO STAY SILENT ABOUT WAR CRIMES AND GENOCIDE, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THAT IS THE TYPE OF WEIRD WE SHOULD BE STRIVING TOWARDS.
AND I'LL ALSO JUST NOTE THAT ONE YEAR AGO YESTERDAY, A YOUNG MAN IN GAZA NAMED MITO HAMLEY WAS MURDERED.
HE SPENT A YEAR IN TEXAS AS AN EXCHANGE STUDENT JUST ABOUT AN HOUR NORTH OF HERE.
HE HAD DREAMS AND HE GREW MEANT IN A GENOCIDE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I HAVE A SCRIPT THAT WE WANNA LISTEN TO THAT INVOLVES AN A PD OFFICER, UM, COLLUDING WITH A ALLEGED VICTIM FOR, UH, TO HELP SEIZE MY PROPERTY AND INSURANCE BENEFITS.
BUT, UM, THE LAST COUPLE TIMES I'VE REACHED OUT, THEY HAVEN'T, UH, BEEN, UH, RETURNING PHONE CALLS.
SO I'M JUST GONNA GO DO A FACE-TO-FACE WITH THEIR I'M STAFF OVER THERE.
AND LIKE I SAID, LOOKING INTO SOME OF THE FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF IT, UM, IN TERMS OF THE SALES CONCERNED.
IT'S FUNNY HOW NO ONE WANTS TO, ONCE THE POLICE ARE INVOLVED, NO ONE WANTS TO RETURN YOUR CALLS, AND THEY JUST HOPE AND PRAY IT GOES AWAY, HUH? WELL, IT'S NOT GOING AWAY.
AND YOU KNOW,
BUT THEN LO AND BEHOLD, I SHOW UP IN PERSON AND IT'S, THEY CAN'T, UH, REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, DENY ANYTHING AT THAT POINT.
THEY HAVE TO COMMUNICATE
SO, UM, THAT'S THE, THE NEXT STEP WITH, UH, WITH SPARTAN TITLE AND THEN THAT MAINER ADDRESS OUT THERE WITH, UH, WITH JACKIE.
WELL, AND I, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH, UH, SEAMUS AND I APPRECIATE THIS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S YOUR JOB, BUT YOU'VE SPARKED IT AN INTEREST.
AND I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE REALLY DOING, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU CAN TO TRY TO UNCOVER WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEING DONE ACCORDING TO THE LAW.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T PART OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING OUR MONEY BACK.
BUT IT WILL HELP THE CASE EVENTUALLY OR, OR HELP US GET THE PROPERTY ITSELF EVENTUALLY.
SO, I MEAN, UH, THE ATTORNEY HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO TO DO MUCH SO FAR.
HE DID ASK TO SEE IF YOU HAD LIKE A, BUT, UM, SO ANYWAYS, THAT IS AN A PD OFFICER BY THE NAME OF RICHARD SMITH.
UM, HE HEADED A CONDUCTION FOR THEFT OF PROPERTY.
MY, IN MY HOME WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS.
THIS WAS ALWAYS A CIVIL ACTION INVOLVED WITH NATIONWIDE INSURANCE AND TITLE INSURANCE.
BUT ONCE THE HOME WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS ATTORNEYS BY THE NAME OF PATRICK HEMP FROM SIEGEL MCCAMBRIDGE SINGER MAHONEY, LTD, DIVERTED THOSE FUNDS INTO THEIR TRUST ACCOUNTS.
OKAY? THEN ONCE I SUED, UM, NATIONWIDE, THEY CAME ABOARD.
BUT THE MONEY HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN.
IT HAD ALREADY BEEN DIVERTED INTO THE TRUST ACCOUNTS.
LATER, A YEAR LATER, UM, WE WERE ARRESTED.
[02:15:01]
I SAY ME, ME AND THE OTHER INSURED AND MY COMMON LAW SPOUSE, WE WERE ARRESTED FOR THEFT OF PROPERTY.NOW, THE KICKER TO THAT IS, IS MR. GRANT FELT LIKE HE WAS RE REFINANCING HIS HOME.
OUR MORTGAGE COMPANY GAVE THE MONEY BACK.
THERE WAS A DOCUMENT THAT'S FILED AT THE REAL PROPERTY RECORDS FOR A LEASE BACK OR RELATE BACK.
BUT THAT DOCUMENT WAS SUPPRESSED FOR TWO YEARS.
THEY USED THOSE VOIDABLE DEEDS, ARRESTED US, FILED, ACQUIRED THE TITLE, USING THOSE VOIDABLE DEEDS INSTEAD OF OUR REINSTATED CORRECTIVE DEED ON FILE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN COURT WITH ABOUT FOUR DIFFERENT CASES WITH THE SAME PRIVATE ATTORNEYS THAT HAVE COLLUDED WITH AN A PD OFFICER THAT HAS TURNED OUR LIVES AROUND, CONDUCTED AND HEADED THIS INVESTIGATION WITH 31 FAKE WITNESSES, KNOWING THAT OUR DEEDS WERE VOIDED, PLEASE BEGIN.
UH, MY NAME'S EVAN STRICKLAND.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY ABOUT THE, OH, WE HAVE MY MAPS.
THANK YOU, UM, ABOUT THE GAME ROOM AND, UH, INTERNET SWEEPSTAKES.
BUSINESSES ARE SPROUTING UP AROUND AUSTIN.
UM, THESE PLACES, THEY REALLY, YOU KNOW, NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY'RE AROUND.
AND OH, AND, UM, AS MANY OF YOU'RE AWARE, THEY, UH, UH, OPERATE AS THE CENTERS FOR ILLICIT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS DRUG USE AND DRUG DEALING.
UM, I GUESS, OH, I, MY MAP'S THERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT MY MAP ON THE LEFT, THIS IS SOUTH FIRST STREET.
THERE'S THREE OF THESE GAME ROOMS HAVE SPROUTED UP IN JUST THE PAST TWO YEARS.
UM, THEY'RE MARKED IN THE RED PINS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, YOU CAN SEE ST.
ELMO SCHOOL THERE IN THE GREEN.
AND THERE'S THE, UM, UPCOMING BERGSTROM SPUR TRAIL TO BE DEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE.
AND THE MAP ON THE MIDDLE, UM, THERE'S A, IT'S ZOOMED IN THERE.
I OWN A UNIT IN THIS CONDO, PRO, UH, CONDOMINIUM PROPERTY THERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THIS, UH, GAME ROOM APPEARED RIGHT NEXT TO IT.
THEY MENTIONED ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, THE VARIOUS PEOPLE BEING BROUGHT IN BY THESE GAME ROOMS. UM, THEY'RE WANDERING AROUND ON OUR PROPERTY.
THEY'RE OFTEN RESIDENTS HERE DESCRIBE THEM AS BEING, YOU KNOW, AFTER A LONG NIGHT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.
SO THEY'RE DRUGGED OUT OF SLEEPING UNDER THE TREE TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE PROPERTY.
THEY'RE SLEEPING IN THEIR VEHICLES ON OUR PROPERTY.
SO REALLY, THESE, THESE TWO GAME ROOMS JUST IN THIS LITTLE AREA RIGHT HERE BY THIS CONDOMINIUM, HAS REALLY DECREASED THE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE VALUE OF, UM, THE AREA AND EVERYONE'S WELLBEING THERE.
ONE LONGTIME RESIDENT DESCRIBED THE, THIS AREA TO ME AS THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN SOUTH AUSTIN WHEN I MOVED THERE ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.
UM, HE'S BEEN THERE ABOUT 20 YEARS.
HE NOW DESCRIBES THE PLACE AS A NIGHTMARE.
SO I REALLY DUNNO, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THESE PLACES? I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME SORT OF LOOPHOLE THEY'RE OPERATING TO RUN GAMBLING MACHINES.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT JUST BRINGS IN VARIOUS CLIENTELE ALSO WRITTEN THERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY OPERATE ALL NIGHT MOTORCYCLES AND CARS WILL COME IN ALL NIGHT, BLASTING LOUD MUSIC.
THERE'S A LITTLE APARTMENT COMPLEX WITH, UH, FOUR TENANTS LIVING ABOVE IT, RIGHT THERE, RIGHT NEXT TO THEIR, UM, PARKING LOT.
AND THEY COMPLAIN TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE AND GET DIRECTLY THREATENED WITH PHYSICAL VIOLENCE.
UM, AND WE HAVE THIS NICE BERGSTROM SPUR TRAIL TO BE DEVELOPED HERE.
I CAN TELL YOU NO FAMILIES OR JOGGERS ARE GONNA WANT TO USE IT IF IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, CLIENTELE OF THESE GAME ROOMS COMING IN AND OUT AND BEING DRUGGED OUT, HANGING OUT AROUND THE TRAIL AFTER A TIME AT THE GAME ROOM.
AND ONE LITTLE SUGGESTION FOR THE SECOND GAME ROOM UP NORTH, YOU COULD BUY THIS LITTLE CORNER LOT, MAKE A LITTLE POCKET PARK THERE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE CHRIS FLORES, VAN WILSON AND PATTY SPRINKLE.
SHANNA OG INFORMED US SHE WOULD NOT BE SPEAKING TODAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. CITY MANAGER.
MY NAME IS VAN WILSON AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY AND MY NEIGHBORS, UM, TO ASK YOU TO INTERVENE ON A PROJECT THAT HAS GALVANIZED OUR COMMUNITY.
SO FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AS 600 CUMBERLAND AT THE CORNER OF SOUTH FIRST STREET, THERE ARE TWO POINTS I WANNA CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO PLEASE.
UM, ONE, THERE IS NO PRECEDENT FOR THE SCALE OF THE DEVELOPMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND TWO, THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE PROCESS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.
[02:20:01]
THIS PROJECT PLANS TO ERECT 120 APARTMENTS INTO AN EIGHT STORY MONOLITH THAT WILL TOWER ABOVE SINGLE STORY, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.THIS PROJECT HAS NO PRECEDENT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR ANY SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, INCLUDING THOSE ALONG SOUTH CONGRESS AND SOUTH LAMAR.
AND NOTABLY, IF IT HAD NOT BEEN ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED, THIS PROJECT WOULD SOON BE RESTRICTED BY STATE BILL EIGHT 40 WITH 120 NEW, UH, UNITS IN A SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CARS THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, PARTICULARLY ON MY STREET SOUTH.
SECOND, THIS WILL INCREASE THE DANGER FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN WHO PLAY AND RIDE BIKES ON THE STREET, INCLUDING MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD AND 2-YEAR-OLD TWINS DRIVE DOWN SOUTH FIRST STREET AND ALL THE BUILDINGS ARE ONE TO THREE STORIES TALL.
THIS BUILDING WILL BE A FIVE STORY, A FULL FIVE STORIES TALLER THAN ANY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WILL DWARF ITS SINGLE STORY NEIGHBORS, INCLUDING A DAYCARE CENTER, RETIREES, LOCAL MUSICIANS, AND FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN.
SECOND, IT IS FRUSTRATING HOW THIS PROJECT WAS APPROVED WITHOUT ANY NOTIFICATION OR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
THE SITE PLAN WAS ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED, TRAFFIC ISSUES WERE NOT ADDRESSED.
AND IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE ENTIRE PROJECT WAS PUSHED THROUGH IN SECRET TO KEEP NEIGHBORHOOD STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DARK.
WE ONLY KNEW ABOUT THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD WHEN PEOPLE SHOWED UP IN HARD HATS ON THE SITE.
MR. MAYOR, COUNCILMAN, UM, AND SPECIFICALLY COUNCILMAN VELASQUEZ, I WOULD ASK YOU TO TAKE THE SHORT DRIVE UP SOUTH FIRST STREET AND COME VISIT THE SITE AND UNDERSTAND HOW THIS SCALE OF DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO CLOSE.
THERE IS NO PRECEDENT TO THE SCALE OF THE DEVELOPMENT, AND THERE HAS BEEN A TOTAL LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE PROCESS.
WE SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I ASK YOUR HELP TO HALT THIS DEVELOPMENT UNTIL THE DEVELOPER MEETS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WE CAN FIND COMMON CAUSE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HELPING TO PRESERVE THE COMMUNITY WE'VE CREATED.
PLEASE GO AHEAD, JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
YES, I'D, I'D LIKE MY PRESENTATION TO COME UP.
AND THEN HOW DO I CLICK TO THE SLIDE THAT I'D LIKE? THEY'LL, THEY'LL, UH, HAND YOU A, A CLICKER.
WHILE WE'RE DOING THAT, UM, ALRIGHT, LET ME SAY, FOR THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, UH, WHAT I THINK WE WILL DO IS AT THE END OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, WE WILL GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS BECAUSE THERE IS, THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AREN'T GONNA HAVE A LOT OF SPEAKERS.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, CONCLUDE THAT, AND THEN WE WILL GO TO OUR LIVE MUSIC BECAUSE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO RECESS UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK INSTEAD OF HAVING TO COME BACK AND TRY TO TAKE THAT UP BEFORE TWO O'CLOCK.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF YOU COULD MAKE YOUR WAY BACK, UM, UH, I KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING AND I KNOW YOUR STAFF IS WATCHING, SO WE'LL, WE'LL DO IT THAT WAY.
GIVING ME THE TIME TO DO THAT.
MAYOR, PRO TEM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF GALINDO ELEMENTARY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
WHY ARE WE HERE TODAY? WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN EXCLUDED THROUGH THE AFFORDABILITY UNLOCKED PROGRAM FROM HAVING ANY SAY IN A PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL BE EXTREMELY DETRIMENTAL TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
A DOCUMENTED, DANGEROUS INTERSECTION AT THE CORNER OF SOUTH FIRST AND CUMBERLAND ROAD IS SLATED FOR AN EIGHT STORY BUILDING, MAKING IT THE TALLEST STRUCTURE SOUTH OF THE RIVER, BACKING UP TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITHOUT THE NORMAL 25 FOOT BUFFER AND A LOADING DOCK POSITIONED RIGHT AT THE INTERSECTION OF SOUTH FIRST IN CUMBERLAND, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WHY DID IT JUST GO AWAY? GOOD QUESTION.
UM, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE THIS SITE PLAN WAS ALLOWED TO BYPASS THE SAFEGUARDS PROVIDED BY OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
THE STEPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS INTENDED FOR SITE ASSESSMENT ARE ROUTINELY IGNORED, DANGEROUS INTERSECTION, NO PROBLEM.
WE'LL WAIVE THE TRAFFIC STUDY IN A FLOOD PLAIN.
WE'LL FIX IT IN SITE PLAN AND THE PC WILL PASS IT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
DESIGN STANDARDS AND PUBLIC SAFETY WAIVED.
FORGET ABOUT THOSE NICE WIDE SIDEWALKS IN THE VMU ORDINANCE.
HEIGHT RESTRICTION REMOVED, SORRY, NO MORNING SUN OR FRESH AIR FOR THE NEIGHBORS RIGHT BEHIND IT.
GALINDO RECOGNIZES THE NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT NOTES THERE ARE SEVERAL RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS ALONG SOUTH FIRST THAT HAVE EITHER STALLED OUT OR NOT BEEN COMPLETED, EXCUSE ME.
AND THEN AUSTIN HAS ADEQUATE APARTMENT INVENTORY, BUT A LOT OF IT'S SITTING EMPTY DUE TO THE PRICE POINTS AND OTHER THINGS.
THE PROCESS IS BROKEN AND DISENFRANCHISES RESIDENTS AND PROPERTY OWNERS, THE, TO NOT ASSESS ALL THE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS WITH ANY SITE, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR ONE THAT PLANS TO DIG A BIG HOLE IN THE GROUND IS SHORTSIGHTED, DANGEROUS, AND LEAVES THE CITY OPEN TO LIABILITY.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE BUILDING CODES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
TO AVOID THESE KINDS OF COSTLY PROBLEMS, WE ASK THE CITY TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE WHEN PERMITTING SITE PLANS.
LEMME JUST SHOW YOU THIS, THIS IS WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE.
[02:25:01]
WE ASK THE CITY TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE WHEN PERMITTING SITE PLANS OF ALL KINDS STOP THE WAIVERS AND WORKAROUNDS FOR DEVELOPERS.ONE HOPES DEVELOPMENT STAFF MAKES A SITE VISIT TO SEE FOR THEMSELVES WHAT THE ACTUAL CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND ARE.
INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT A ONE DIMENSIONAL MAP, BELIEVING ALL PROBLEMS WILL BE WORKED OUT IN THE SITE PLAN.
HOW CAN THAT HAPPEN? IF YOU DON'T GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION? PLEASE REQUIRE STAKEHOLDER INPUT IN LARGE STRUCTURES THAT WILL RESHAPE A NEIGHBORHOOD, WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIVE IN AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEX OR IN A HOME.
WE ALL DESERVE TO LIVE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND A SAFE BUILDING THAT COMPLIES WITH THE CURRENT LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
ALL PUBLIC, ALL PUBLIC COMMUNICATION SPEAKERS HAVE BEEN CALLED.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
[104. Conduct a public hearing in accordance with Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 26 to consider a resolution authorizing a permanent change of use of approximately 31,694 square feet of dedicated parkland located in Balcones District Park for Austin Water to construct, operate, maintain, and repair an odor and corrosion control facility for the Little Walnut Creek and Walnut Creek wastewater interceptors. Funding: Upon Council approval of this item, the Parks and Recreation Department will receive $742,361 from Austin Water for the permanent use of Parkland.]
WE'RE, WE WILL GO TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS. UH, ITEM NUMBER 1 0 4, 1 0 5 MEMBERS.REMEMBER THAT 1 0 6, UH, WAS WITHDRAWN.
AND SO WE WILL GO TO, UH, 1 0 7 AFTER 1 0 4 AND 1 0 5 MEMBERS.
I, BEFORE I CALL, UH, OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 1 0 4, LET ME, UH, RECOGNIZE THAT ITEM 1 0 4 IS BROUGHT FORTH BECAUSE THERE IS NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF DEDICATED PARK LAND.
AND ALL REASONABLE PLANNING HAS BEEN AND WILL BE TAKEN TO MINIMIZE HARM TO SUCH LANDS.
THE DATE OF PUBLIC NOTIFICATION IN THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN.
UH, THERE, THERE WERE THREE DATES.
AUGUST 3RD, AUGUST 10TH, AND AUGUST 17TH, 2025.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 1 0 4, AS I HAVE JUST SET IT OUT.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN ON ITEM NUMBER 1 0 4.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON ITEM 1 0 4 MEMBERS.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 1 0 4.
SO UNLESS THERE'S OBJECTION, UH, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 1 0 4.
UH, THE MOTION THAT THE CHAIR WILL RECOGNIZE IS THAT SINCE ITEM 1 0 4 IS BROUGHT FORTH, BECAUSE THERE IS NO BEING, THERE ARE NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF DEDICATED PARK LAND, AND ALL REASONABLE PLANNING HAS BEEN DONE AND WILL BE TAKEN TO MINIMIZE HARM TO SUCH LANDS.
AND THAT THE DATES OF PUBLIC NOTIFICATION IN THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN WERE AUGUST 3RD, 10TH, AND 17TH 2025, MOVE APPROVAL OF THE, THE MOTION WILL BE TO MOVE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.
AMERIPRO TIM MOVES APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION AND IS SECOND ABOVE.
SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION ITEM? THE RESOLUTION ITEM NUMBER 1 0 4 IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
UH, AND COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER ROBERT MADISON'S THERE.
SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, UH, TEMPORARILY OFF THE DAES AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE ABSENT, THAT'LL TAKE US TO ITEM NUMBER 1 0 5
[105. Conduct a public hearing in accordance with Texas Parks and Wildlife Code Chapter 26 to consider a resolution authorizing a temporary change in use of approximately 20,800 square feet of dedicated parkland located in Jamestown Neighborhood Park so that the Watershed Protection Department can use the parkland as a temporary storage and staging area for a period not to exceed 570 days during construction of the Little Walnut Creek - Jamestown Tributary Erosion and Drainage project. Funding: $2,443 is available in the Capital Budget of Watershed Protection.]
MEMBERS.ITEM 1 1 0 5 IS ALSO BROUGHT FORTH BECAUSE THERE IS NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF DEDICATED PARK LAND AND ALL REASONABLE PLANNING HAS BEEN AND WILL BE TAKEN TO MINIMIZE HARM TO SUCH LANDS.
THE DATES OF PUBLIC NOTIFICATION ON THIS ITEM IN THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN WERE AUGUST 3RD, 10TH, AND 17TH 2025.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 1 0 5 IS OPEN.
ONE SPEAKER REGISTERED BILL BUNCH, MR. BUNCH, MR. BUNCH.
I DON'T BELIEVE HE'S HERE ANYMORE.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKER, NO OTHER SPEAKER SIGNED UP ON ITEM NUMBER 1 0 5.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON A ITEM NUMBER 1 0 5.
UH, MEMBERS THE CHAIR WILL REC, UH, RECOGNIZE A MOTION ON ITEM 1 0 5 AS BEING BROUGHT FORTH BECAUSE THERE IS NO FEASIBLE AND PRUDENT ALTERNATIVE TO THE USE OF DEDICATED PARK LAND AND ALL REASONABLE PLANNING HAS BEEN AND WILL BE TAKEN TO MINIMIZE HARM TO SUCH LANDS.
AND NOTICE THAT THE DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE, IN THE AUSTIN AMERICA STATEMENT FOR THIS ITEM WE'RE AUGUST 3RD, 10TH, AND 17TH 2025.
THE MAYOR PRO TEM MOVES APPROVAL.
IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA COUNCIL, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER VELA? UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
THIS IS, UH, A, A SPOT OF LAND.
IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY STRUCTURES ON IT.
WE ARE, THIS IS IN DISTRICT FOUR.
UH, WE ARE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR A PARK.
I'M HOPING THAT IN THE 2026 BOND WE'LL ABLE TO FUND, UH, IMPROVEMENTS, UH, TO THIS PARK.
UH, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, UH, IT IS NEEDED FOR, UH, STORAGE FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE MADE TO, UH, LITTLE WALNUT CREEK IN THAT AREA.
UH, AND SO I JUST WANTED FOR THE, THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT, IT'S JUST A TEMPORARY USE SO THAT WE CAN GET THIS, UH, FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT DONE.
WHEN THE FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT IS DONE, WE'RE GONNA TURN IT INTO A NICE PARK FOR THE COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT ONE THING ABOUT 1 0 4, 1 0 5, UH, 'CAUSE THIS HAS COME UP IN A COUPLE OF PARKS AND D 10
[02:30:01]
JUST NOTING THAT WE ARE, AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONSTRAINTS.I SUPPORT BOTH THESE ITEMS. I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
BUT WE'RE USING PARKLAND IN OTHER CAPACITIES, SORT OF DUAL USE FOR INCLUDING THESE TWO ITEMS. WATER TREATMENT, WATER RETENTION, ET CETERA.
I DO THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE NEED TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION AROUND HOW WE APPROACH ACQUISITION AND PARKLAND IN THE BOND NEXT YEAR.
UH, MEMBERS THERE BEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION WITHOUT OBJECTION.
ITEM NUMBER 1 0 5 IS APPROVED WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS ALTER AND SEGAL TEMPORARILY OFF THE DIOCESE AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE ABSENT.
THAT'LL MOVE US TO ITEM NUMBER 1 0 7.
[107. Conduct a public hearing and consider a resolution related to an application by 5900 Pleasant Valley, LP, or an affiliated entity, for housing tax credits for the construction of a multifamily development to be partially financed through private activity bonds, to be known as Sycamores at Pleasant Valley, located at or near 5901 South Pleasant Valley Road, Austin, Texas 78744. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 1 0 7.THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS MEMBERS.
THERE ARE NO SPEAKERS ON THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM NUMBER 1 0 7.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM NUMBER 1 0 7.
THE MAYORAL TIM MOVES APPROVAL.
IT IS SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.
HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION, ITEM NUMBER 1 0 7 IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER AND SIEGEL TEMPORARILY ORTHO AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE ABSENT, UH, MEMBERS, THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, UH, IS AT IS A TWO O'CLOCK TIME CERTAIN.
SO WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL RECESS UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK.
UH, WE WILL HAVE, WE WILL SET UP NOW FOR OUR LIVE MUSIC AND HAVE OUR LIVE MUSIC.
BUT THE CITY COUNCIL OF AUSTIN, TEXAS ON AUGUST 28TH, UH, 2025 WILL BE IN RECESS UNTIL 2:00 PM IT IS 1231.
[Live Music]
GROUP AND, AND, UH, LISTEN TO 'EM.IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF FUN TO, TO HAVE THESE DIFFERENT MUSIC ACTS.
BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN, THERE'S ONE THAT I REALLY AM FOND OF.
AND IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE SOME OF US HAVE THE SAME COLOR HAIR AND WE MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE SAME PLACES AND, UH, BACK, BACK IN THE DAY.
UM, SO IT'S REALLY GOOD TO GET TO INTRODUCE A PORT ARTHUR NATIVE, UH, TEXAS, PORT ARTHUR TEXAS, UM, IS WHERE BILL MONSTER JONES, UH, HAILS FROM AND HAS BEEN A STALWART OF OUR AUSTIN MUSIC SCENE FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
BILL FOUNDED THE ICONIC TEXAS BLUES GROUP, KNOWN AS THE KING PENS, ALONG WITH A CHILDHOOD FRIEND, THE HARMONICA MAESTRO AND GULF COAST MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE PAUL ORTA AS A 16-YEAR-OLD, UH, WHEN HE WAS A TEENAGER, BILL WITNESSED THE POWER OF THE GREAT FREDDY KING AT THE ARMADILLO WORLD HEADQUARTERS.
AND HE WAS SO INSPIRED, UH, BY FREDDY'S GUITAR THAT BILL BOUGHT HIS 3 3 3 5 RED GIBSON HOLLOW BODY GUITAR THAT HE PLAYS TO THIS DAY.
IN 1980, BILL RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN RADIO, TV, AND FILM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, WHERE HE HAD AN INSUR INTERNSHIP FOR TERRY LANA'S AUSTIN CITY LIMITS TELEVISION PRODUCTION.
OF COURSE, THAT'S NOW THE LONGEST RUNNING TV, MUSIC TV SHOW, UH, IN HISTORY.
IN 1982, HE JOINED THE GRAMMY NOMINATED AND STILL RUNNING STRONG AUSTIN BAND, BASE BAND, KATHY MURRAY AND THE KILOWATTS.
THIS POPULAR BAND IS PERFORMED AT VIRTUALLY EVERY LIVE MUSIC VENUE IN AUSTIN AND HAS MONTHLY RESIDENCES AT SEA BOY'S HEART AND SOUL IN AUSTIN AND HAYES CITY STORE IN DRIFTWOOD, A MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST BILL SANG BACKUP, PLAYED GUITAR, ACCORDION AND PERCUSSION, AND SERVED IN THE ROLE OF PRODUCER FOR EACH OF THE KATHY MURRAY AND THE KILOWATTS FIVE SUCCESSFUL STUDIO ALBUMS. BILL IS KNOWN AS MONSTER JONES IN HIS ADDITIONAL ROLE AS AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN BUILDER AND PAINTER OF CLASSIC 1950S B MOVIE MONSTER SCULPTURES.
THAT'S JUST A LITTLE ADDED FLAVOR TO TODAY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
DON'T FORGET ALONG THE WAY TO BE EXTRA NICE.
POUR ON SUGAR, BRING ON THE SPICE.
THAT'S ONE THING WE CAN DO AS WE TRY TO MAKE IT THROUGH, IS SPEED.
POUR ON SUGAR, BRING ON THE SPICE.
[02:35:01]
ADVICE.BE EXTRA NICE, EXTRA NICE WORLD CHICKEN TIME BOMB.
DON'T YOU KNOW IF YOU LIGHT THAT F WE MIGHT BLOW.
JUST REMEMBER DARLING, WORDS CAN SLICE, TAKE A BREATH, DON'T YOU TWIST THAT KNIFE AND BREATHE EXTRA NICE.
TAKE MY ADVICE AND BE EXTRA NICE.
IF THE HONEYCOMB TAKES A KEEP HUMPING, MAKE A HOUSE OF HOME.
MORE ON THE SUGAR, BRING ON THE SPICE.
WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE EVERYBODY.
IN ILLUSTRIOUS WIFE AND LEAD SINGER OF KATHY AND THE KILOWATTS.
DAN F FRIES ON DRUMS. MICHAEL DESANTIS ON BASS GUITAR.
OUTSTANDING ARE THE KILOWATTS.
I'M GONNA COME OVER HERE BECAUSE I'M GONNA MAKE A PROCLAMATION.
BE IT KNOWN THAT WHEREAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS IS BLESSED, BLESSED WITH MANY CREATIVE MUSICIANS WHOSE TALENT EXTENDS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY MUSICAL GENRE.
AND WHEREAS OUR MUSIC SCENE THRIVES BECAUSE AUSTIN AUDIENCES SUPPORT GOOD MUSIC PRODUCED BY LEGENDS, OUR LOCAL FAVORITES AND NEWCOMERS ALIKE.
AND WHEREAS WE ARE PLEASED TO SHOWCASE AND SUPPORT OUR LOCAL ARTISTS.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, KIRK WATSON, MAYOR OF THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, AUSTIN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM AUGUST 28TH, 2025 AS BILL JONES DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE IN THE SEVENTIES, UH, MY OLDEST BROTHER GARY JONES TOOK ME TO A LOT OF THE CLUBS HERE, THE ARMADILLO WORLD HEADQUARTERS, SOAP CREEK SALOON, AND I'VE GOT QUITE THE EDUCATION THERE.
NOT ONLY GOING TO UT, BUT HERE IN MUSICALLY, DOUG SOM AND ALL THE REST.
IT'S KIND OF THE AUSTIN EXPERIENCE.
AND THANKS TO THE FERTILE GROUND THAT THE CITY HAS LAID, IT'S NOW THE LIFE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND NO BETTER PLACE THAN AUSTIN, TEXAS FOR A MUSICIAN RIGHT NOW.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO BE PART OF IT AND JUST KEEP GOING.
OKAY, NOW WE FOLLOW YOU ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
YEAH, YOU JUST, IF YOU GOOGLE KATHY AND THE KILOWATTS, THAT'S WITH A K, KATHY AND THE KILOWATTS, ALL OUR STUFF WILL COME UP AND YOU'LL SEE US.
YOU'LL GO TO, UH, WE HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE, KATHY AND THE KILOWATTS, AS WELL AS A WEBSITE, KATHY
[02:40:01]
MURRAY AND THE KILOWATTS.BUT IF YOU GOOGLE US AND GOOGLE ALL THESE THINGS WILL SHOW UP.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE'RE PLAYING.
TODAY'S ONE OF OUR MAIN VIDEO GUYS, THANK YOU MARV FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR AUSTIN MUSIC AS WELL.
YOU'RE NEXT BROTHER AND ALL MY FRIENDS THAT SHOWED UP AND SUPPORT ME.
IT'S 2:00 PM ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 28TH, 2025.
AND I'LL CALL BACK TO ORDER THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS REGULAR MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.
UH, MEMBERS BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIME, CERTAIN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALTER AND SIEGEL, UH, WERE TEMPORARILY OFF THE DAIS WHEN WE TOOK UP, UH, ITEMS 1 0 4, 1 0 5 AND 1 0 7, THEY BOTH HAVE ASKED THAT THEY BE SHOWN VOTING IN FAVOR OF ITEMS 1 0 4, 1 0 5, AND 1 0 7.
THE THEIR VOTES BEING RECORDED IN FAVOR WILL NOT CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF THOSE VOTES.
SO I MOVE AND THE MAYOR PRO TEMS SECOND, A MOTION TO SHOW COUNCIL MEMBERS ALTER AND COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL VOTING IN FAVOR OF ITEMS 1 0 4, 1 0 5 AND 1 0 7.
IS THERE ANY OBJECTION? WITHOUT OBJECTION? UH, THEY WILL BE SHOWN VOTING IN FAVOR OF THOSE ITEMS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE, UH, ABSENT.
[2:00 PM - Zoning and Neighborhood Plan Amendments (Public Hearings and Possible Action)]
WE WILL NOW GO TO OUR TWO O'CLOCK TIMES CERTAIN AND I WILL RECOGNIZE OUR STAFF TO GIVE US THE RUNDOWN.I'M JOY HARDIN WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
YOUR ZONING AGENDA BEGINS WITH ITEM NUMBER 1 0 9 NPA 20 24 0 0 2 0 0.01.
THIS ITEM'S OFFER FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM ONE 10 C 1 4 20 24 0 1 6 8.
AGAIN, THIS ITEMS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS AND THIS IS WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATION ITEM ONE 11 IS C 1 4 20 24 0 1 5 1.
THIS ITEM'S OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
ITEM ONE 12 IS IN PA 20 24 0 0 1, 8 0.02.
THE ITEMS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
THE RELATED REZONING IS ITEM ONE 13 C 1 4 20 24 0 1 5 2.
AGAIN, THE ITEMS OFFER FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
AND LASTLY, ITEM ONE 14 C 1 4 20 25 0 0 6 3.
THIS TIME IS OFFERED FOR CONSENT ON ALL THREE READINGS.
THIS CONCLUDES THE READING OF THE ZONING AND NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AMENDMENT AND AS ALWAYS, THIS IS AT YOUR DISCRETION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF, UH, MS. HARDEN? OKAY, UH, THE MOTION WILL BE TO ADOPT ITEMS 1 0 9, 1 10, 1 11, 1 12, 1 13, AND ONE 14 ON CONSENT.
AND EACH ONE OF THEM ON ALL THREE READINGS.
UH, IS THERE A MOTION, MOTION MADE BY THE MAYOR PRO TIM? SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELASQUEZ.
UM, AND WHAT I'LL DO IS WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE ITEMS AND THEN ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL WE'LL BRING UP AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU? COUNCIL MEMBER VELA? ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT ITEMS AND I WILL TURN TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
ON ITEM 1 0 9, WE HAVE CHRIS KRISTA SUTTER.
DO YOU WANNA SPEAK ON ITEM ONE 10? OKAY, WE WILL MOVE TO REMOTE.
WE HAVE BARBARA MACARTHUR ON ITEM ONE 14.
BARBARA, ARE YOU WITH US? THIS WAS ON THE, UH, ZONING THAT'S HAPPENING ON, UM, SOUTH LAMAR, BUT I DON'T SEE IT ON THE AGENDA ANYMORE.
WAS IT PULLED? IT'S ON THE AGENDA.
UM, I JUST WANNA SPEAK BRIEFLY AND SAY THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME, BUT I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT A PROJECT THAT WAS APPROVED AND SUPPORTED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS IF EASILY CHANGED TO A HOTEL BECAUSE I THINK IN GENERAL, HOTELS DON'T PROVIDE A LOT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS IN PERSON LORRAINE ATHERTON ON ITEM ONE 14.
AND THAT CONCLUDES ALL ZONING.
YES, WE HAVE BETSY SIGNED UP FOR REMOTE,
[02:45:01]
BUT SHE IS HERE IN PERSON.MY NAME IS BETSY GREENBERG AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE.
I'M OPPOSED TO WHAT WAS DESCRIBED AS A CHANGE TO A CONDITION OF ZONING IN THE CASE ON 2323 SOUTH LAMAR MIXED USE.
WHEN THE VMU PROP ZONING FOR THIS PROPERTY WAS APPROVED, THERE WAS A CONDITIONAL OVERLAY INCLUDED.
CONDITIONAL OVERLAYS GENERALLY REPRESENT A COMPROMISE BETWEEN AN APPLICANT, NEIGHBORS AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
WHEN YOU REMOVE A CONDITIONAL OVERLAY, YOU ARE RENEGING ON AN AGREEMENT WHICH DAMAGES THE FAITH THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
VMU GIVES DEVELOPERS RELAXED DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS ALLOWING FOR MORE IMPERVIOUS COVER AND LARGER BUILDINGS IN EXCHANGE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT AS ONLY ONE STORY OF VMU BUILDING IS REQUIRED TO BE RESIDENTIAL, THIS CAN RESULT IN A LOT OF BONUS WITH VERY LITTLE COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
THE CONDITIONAL OVERLAY THAT IS BEING REMOVED TODAY SAYS THE COMMERCIAL USES ON THE PROPERTY ARE PROHIBITED UNTIL AT LEAST 165 DWELLING UNITS ARE BUILT WITH A GOAL OF 200 DWELLING UNITS.
IF YOU APPROVE THE REMOVAL OF THIS CONDITIONAL OVERLAY, AUSTIN WILL GET HOTEL ROOMS INSTEAD OF HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THIS IS COMPLETELY COUNTER TO NOT ONLY THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE WHEN THE ZONING WAS APPROVED, IT IS ALSO INCONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS YOU CLAIM TO CARE ABOUT.
I DON'T RECALL ANY OF YOU SAYING IN YOUR CAMPAIGNS THAT AUSTIN NEEDS MORE HOTEL ROOMS. PLEASE KEEP YOUR WORD AND SAY NO ON ITEM ONE 14.
ALL SPEAKER'S NAMES HAVE BEEN CALLED AT THIS TIME FOR ZONING.
LORRAINE ATHERTON, ITEM ONE 14.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ZONING COMMITTEE OF THE ZILKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
UH, WE SENT YOU, UH, A LETTER ON AUGUST 25, UH, ASKING THAT THIS, UH, CASE BE WITHDRAWN AND RENO, UH, BECAUSE IT'S, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS UP TO THIS POINT.
UH, IT WAS ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF CONDITION TWO C AND YOUR, UH, IT SAID NOTHING ABOUT CHANGING THE 60% MFI, UH, AFFORDABILITY.
UH, UH, THAT'S RATE, THAT'S IN THE, THE, THAT'S CONDITION TWO E IN THE, UH, ORDINANCE.
UH, IN FACT, THE REDLINED ORDINANCE SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION SHOWED THE DELETION OF ONLY, UH, CONDITION TWO C.
THE ORDINANCE, DRAFT ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU TODAY HAS JUST THE, THE, UH, 60% MFI CONDITION TWO E HAS JUST DISAPPEARED.
UH, UH, THAT'S, UH, UH, A VIOLATION OF OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
UH, UH, UH, BEYOND THAT, I WOULD, UH, UH, ASK YOU TO, UH, UH, LOOK AT THE SECOND AND PAGE OF OUR SUBMISSION, UH, UH, LISTING MANY, MANY QUESTIONS, UH, CONCERNING THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THIS CHANGE.
ALL SPEAKERS NAMES HAVE BEEN CALLED AT THIS TIME.
UM, MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND I'LL RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA TO SPEAK ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I JUST HAD, UH, SOME QUESTIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION STAFF ON ITEMS ONE 12 AND ONE 13.
[02:50:01]
SIR.KIRK SPEEDY WITH TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, YOU WANNA HIT THE BUTTON? MIGHT WANT TO SAY YOUR NAME AGAIN.
POKE THAT BUTTON AND THEN SAY YOUR NAME AGAIN.
CURTIS BADY WITH TRANSPORTATION.
CURTIS BADY WITH TRANSPORTATION.
SOMEBODY HELPED CURTIS BADY WITH TRANSPORTATION.
I'M ACTUALLY BETTER AT MY JOB THAN THIS.
I AM CURTIS SPADE WITH TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
UH, UH, THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH MR. BITTY.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK A A, A QUESTION ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
UH, THIS IS GONNA HAVE A VERY LONG, UH, FRONTAGE ON, UH, LAMAR, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING, AND, AND, AND AGAIN, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IS THAT, UH, A PROJECT THAT IS, UH, UH, THIS LONG THAT HAS THAT, THAT MUCH, UH, STREET FRONTAGE, UH, WITHIN THE CRESTVIEW, UH, UH, TOD, UH, DOES HAVE TO HAVE SOME PROVISION FOR, UH, ACCESS THROUGH THE PROPERTY.
UH, I I, IS THAT CORRECT? AND IF SO, COULD YOU DE DESCRIBE KIND OF THAT RULE A BIT? SURE.
UH, THIS PROPERTY HAS APPROXIMATELY 620 FEET OF FRONTAGE ALONG NORTH LAMAR AND IN THE E TIDE FOR THE CRESTVIEW AREA THAT HAS TO BE BROKEN UP.
ANYTHING OVER 500 FEET, WE HAVE ALREADY COMMUNICATED THAT WITH THE APPLICANT AND THEY ARE WELL AWARE THAT WE NEED TO PROVIDE A BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION THROUGH THE PROPERTY SO THAT IT'S LESS THAN 500 FEET PRIMARILY.
SO PEDESTRIAN BICYCLISTS DON'T HAVE TO GO AROUND THE PROPERTY TO GET TO THE OTHER F UH, FACILITIES SUCH AS THE JUSTIN AND NORTH LA LAMAR INTERSECTION.
AND, AND, BUT I KNOW AT THIS POINT WE'RE JUST DOING THE REZONING.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT, UH, CONNECTION IS GOING TO BE.
IS THAT A PART OF THE SITE PLAN PROCESS? THAT'S PART OF THE SITE PLAN PROCESS? WE HAVE INDICATED TO THEM WHERE OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE, AND THEY ARE LOOKING INTO THAT AS THEY DO THEIR SITE PLAN.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS THE CASE.
I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE PROJECT.
UH, THIS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CORNER THERE OF, OF, OF LAMAR AND, UH, AIRPORT, THE CRESTVIEW, TOD, UH, WE HAVE THE RED LINE GOING THROUGH THERE.
WE HAVE THE 8 0 1, UH, GOING THROUGH THERE.
WE WILL, UM, UH, HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER, HAVE THE LIGHT RAIL.
UM, A MAJOR LIGHT RAIL STOP THERE.
UH, THERE'S MULTIPLE, UH, 150 FOOT PLUS DEVELOPMENTS GOING IN, UM, THE, THE CRESCENT MARKET, WHICH IS SOME OF THE BEST FOOD IN THE CITY.
UH, AND SO I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE GONNA HAVE EASY ACCESS TO, THROUGH AND AROUND THE AREA.
AND I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT, UH, AND, UH, APPRECIATE YOUR, UH, COMMENTS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF OR ANY, UH, DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO THE CONSENT AGENDA? LET ME ASK, IS THERE ANYONE THAT WISHES TO BE SHOWN ABSTAINING FROM A VOTE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT'S BEEN PROVIDED? ANYONE SEEKING TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM VOTING ON ANY OF THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE ON CONSENT? ANYONE WISHING TO BE SHOWN VOTING? NO.
ANYBODY ELSE? ALRIGHT, UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE WITHOUT OBJECTION.
THE CONSENT AGENDA 1 0 9, 1 10, 1 11, 1 12, 1 13, AND ONE 14 IS ADOPTED WITH COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN BEING SHOWN VOTING NO ON ITEM ONE 14 AND COUNCIL MEMBER CADRE ABSENT MEMBERS, THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AT THIS SCHEDULED MEETING AT THE CITY COUNCIL.
WITHOUT OBJECTION, WE WILL ADJOURN.
WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 2:12 PM THANKS EVERYBODY.