* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [CALL TO ORDER  ]
          [00:00:04]
          CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER ON THE 8TH OF DECEMBER, 2025. 
          THIS IS THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION. 
          UM, WE'RE AT AUSTIN CITY HALL, ROOM 1101, AND WE WILL START WITH THE ROLL CALL. 
          I AM CHAIR NELSON, AND I'M PRESENT. 
          UM, ANN LINDER NOT HERE CURRENTLY. 
          UM, COLBY AHMED HERE PRESENT. 
          UH, WHITNEY HOLT. 
          OH, I SEE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE, AND LINDA HERE IN JUST A SECOND. 
          SHE'S NOW JOINED. 
          UH, WHITNEY HOLT. 
          NOT YET HERE. 
          RYAN CLINTON. 
          I'M PRESENT. 
          SARAH HUDDLESTON. 
          PRESENT. 
          ES PRESENT. 
          DAVID LOMAN. 
          JEN DANIEL PRESENT. 
          NANCY. 
          ER, I, I SAW HER, BUT I COULDN'T HEAR HER. 
          SHE'S THERE. 
          SHE'S THERE. 
          IS THAT OKAY? CAN I HEAR HER? WE HAVE TO HEAR. 
          YEAH. 
          LET'S HEAR YOU SAY PRESENT IF WE CAN. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER ER SEEMS LIKE SHE CAN'T HEAR, HEAR. 
          CAN YOU HEAR US? OKAY? CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON FOR US? UM, NANCY, WILL YOU TRY ONE MORE TIME TO MAKE SURE WE CAN HEAR YOU, COMMISSIONER NEER, WE HAVEN'T HEARD YOU SAY PRESENT YET. 
          CAN YOU SAY IT AGAIN? MAYBE SHE CAN'T HEAR US. 
          I'LL MOVE ON AND COME BACK. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER FERGUSON PRESENT, UH, COMMISSIONER NORTON PRESENT, AND I'M PRESENT AND THERE'S COMMISSIONER NIER. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UM, FIRST ORDER OF BI BUSINESS PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, I THINK, AND THAT I'M HERE AS WELL. 
          I, I THINK I WAS STILL CONNECTING WHEN YOU CALLED. 
          MY NAME BEFORE. 
          OKAY. 
          AND VICE CHAIR LINDER IS HERE AS WELL. 
          UM, FIRST, UH, SPEAKER OF 
          [PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL ]
THE PUBLIC IS ROBIN KATZ GONZALEZ. 
          AND I'LL CALL THE NEXT ONE. 
          AND IF YOU CAN COME UP WHILE THEY'RE SPEAKING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. 
          UP NEXT IS GONNA BE BEVERLY LUNA, BUT SHE'S REMOTE. 
          YOU ALSO HAVE TWO. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS ROBIN KATZ GONZALEZ, AND I'M IN DISTRICT SEVEN. 
          I'M AN ATTORNEY. 
          I'M A PROFESSOR TO TEACHES ANIMAL LAW AT TWO DIFFERENT LAW SCHOOLS, AND I HOLD TRAININGS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS ON CRUELTY AND THE LINK BETWEEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PR AND ANIMAL CRUELTY NATIONWIDE. 
          I CAME, I COME HERE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY TO REMIND YOU OF SOMETHING THAT YOU, EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM AND ONLINE PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, BUT THE STATE OF ANIMALS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. 
          SO HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OR LOW LIGHTS. 
          UM, THERE, INCORRECT AND IMPROPER INFORMATION. 
          THERE IS INCORRECT. 
          IMPROPER INFORMATION FROM 3 1 1 AND 9 1 1 GIVEN OUT TO CALLERS. 
          ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS EITHER DON'T SHOW UP, OR WHEN THEY DO, THEY DON'T SCAN FOR MICROCHIPS, THEY CAN'T OR WON'T TAKE THE ANIMALS. 
          AND THEY SAY THAT THE ANIMALS ARE NOT INJURED ENOUGH FOR THEM TO TAKE. 
          INJURED DOGS ARE LEFT ON THE STREETS, WHICH PUTS AN ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON THE COMMUNITY TO HANDLE THESE DOGS. 
          I HAVE SOME MOST RECENT POSTINGS FROM AUSTIN LOST AND FOUND. 
          SO THERE WERE 49 POSTINGS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS OF ON AUSTIN. 
          LOST AND FOUND ALONE. 
          THIS IS AN ANIMAL THAT, UM, AND, AND YOU CAN READ THIS FOR YOURSELF, WHERE SOMEBODY FOUND THE ANIMAL AND THE PERSON WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THEY PICKED UP THE DOG, IT'S NOW THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. 
          AND THE BEST THING THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS TO LET THE DOG GO. 
          NEXT SLIDE IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE WHERE, UM, SOMEBODY CALLED THREE ONE ONE, THEY SENT THE CALL OVER TO PD, AND THEN PD SAYS, NOW IT'S YOUR ANIMAL. 
          ONTO THE RIGHT. 
          ON THAT PICTURE, IT SHOWS THAT, UM, 
          [00:05:01]
SOMEBODY FOUND THIS ANIMAL IN SOUTH PARK MEADOWS. 
          THEY SAID THEY WOULD COME. 
          THEY NEVER DID. 
          I MEAN, PEOPLE WAIT FOR HOURS FOR SOMEBODY TO SHOW UP, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM. 
          UM, I APOLOGIZE FOR HOW SMALL THESE SLIDES ARE. 
          UH, THIS IS A PICTURE OF SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED BACK ON OCTOBER 3RD WHEN IT WAS A 97 DEGREES OUT. 
          I PULLED UP THE DATA FROM WEATHER.COM AS FAR AS HOW HOT IT WAS OUTSIDE. 
          SOME CATS WERE ABANDONED OUTSIDE OF VACANT, NOT NECESSARILY ABANDONED, BUT OUTSIDE OF VACANT PROPERTY. 
          THEY CALLED FOR HELP. 
          NOBODY SHOWED UP. 
          UM, ANIMAL CONTROL SENT TO POLICE, POLICE TO ANIMAL CONTROL. 
          I WOUND UP CALLING MYSELF AND RECEIVED THE SAME ANSWER. 
          THESE ARE CATS IN A CRATE WITH NO, UM, SHE PROPER, ADEQUATE SHELTER. 
          EYES UNDER THE LAW IS REQUIRED. 
          HERE IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED JUST IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. 
          THESE WERE DOGS THAT WERE SPOTTED IN A FEW LOCATIONS, CALLED IN TO 3 1 1 AND THEN 9 1 1 AND BOUNCED BACK AND FORTH. 
          THEY WERE AT THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER WHERE CHILDREN, IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, GO TO REPORT TRAUMA THAT'S HAPPENED TO THEM. 
          POSSIBLE SEXUAL ASSAULT, INJURY TO CHILDREN, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          NOT ALL KIDS LOVE ANIMALS, AND YOU DO NOT WANNA HAVE A PACK OF DOGS AT THE FRONT OF THE CAC WHEN KIDS ARE TRYING TO GO IN. 
          THEY ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN CANINES THERAPY DOGS IN THE CAC ACOS WOULDN'T COME OUT. 
          IS THAT MY TIME? OKAY. 
          I HAVE ADDITIONAL, I'M, I'M GLAD I DID NOT PUT THE REMAINING ONES UP HERE 'CAUSE THEY'RE GRAPHIC IMAGES, BUT I'M HAPPY TO SEND THIS POWERPOINT TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, AND THEN MOVING ON TO BEVERLY LUNA. 
          WHO'S REMOTE? IS IT BEVERLY LUNA? YES. 
          NOT ON THIS SHEET THAT I WAS GIVEN. 
          I HAVE A NUMBER THAT I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH. 
          SHOULD WE ASK? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE PHONE NUMBER THAT ENDS IN THREE ZERO. 
          ARE YOU BEVERLY LUNA? I OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          BEVERLY LUNA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE WITH US? SHOULD WE TRY TO COME BACK TO HER? THE NEXT IN-PERSON SPEAKER IS GONNA BE ROCHELLE VICKERY. 
          CAN WE, AND THEN WE'LL TRY TO COME BACK. 
          YES. 
          UM, I WANT TO, UH, WISH EVERYBODY, UH, HAPPY HANUKKAH AND MERRY CHRISTMAS. 
          AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR GETTING THE GOOD FIX. 
          JUST THINK OF HOW MANY DOGS THAT WE HAVE SAVED THAT SHOWS UP IN OUR SHELTER. 
          AND THAT MEANS A LOTS TO ME. 
          I BEAT ON THIS TABLE FOR OVER A YEAR ASKING FOR THAT. 
          NOW WE'VE GOTTA GET SOMETHING GOING WITH OUR CATS BECAUSE THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY, 10 CATS IS NOT GONNA CUT IT. 
          CAN WE GET YOUR NAME? OH, ROCHELLE VICK. 
          THAT THEY KNOW WHO I AM. 
          I'VE BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG, , BUT I JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M, I, I, I'M THRILLED TO KNOW HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF ANIMALS THAT WE HAVE FIXED AND HELPED. 
          I JUST, YOU KNOW, GLAD IT'S GONNA KEEP GOING. 
          I'D LIKE TO ASK MR. LONDO, PLEASE, AT LEAST 15 DAYS AND AHEAD OF THE NEXT, UH, CLINIC TO GET THOSE CARDS OUT. 
          BECAUSE I DRIVE ALL OVER HELL'S HALF ACRE, ALL OVER, ALL THE WAY TO WEAVERVILLE. 
          THAT'S STILL IN TRAVIS COUNTY. 
          GARFIELD EVERY, EVERYWHERE. 
          AND I GO TO THE POST OFFICE AND PUT 'EM ON THEIR TABLE. 
          I, YOU KNOW, AND I TALK TO PEOPLE AND I MAY, I TAPE 'EM TO THE, UH, COMMUNITY MAILBOXES. 
          AND SOMETIMES I HAVE TO GO BACK 'CAUSE PEOPLE TAKE 'EM. 
          SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR THEM TO BE AT LEAST 15 DAYS INSTEAD OF 10 DAYS. 
          IT GIVES ME FIVE DAYS TO GET ALL THESE OUT, BUT I JUST, YOU KNOW. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE'VE ENDED THE YEAR, I THINK GREAT WITH BECAUSE WHAT WE GOT ACCOMPLISHED IN THAT DEAL. 
          THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO DO, AND WISH EVERYBODY HAPPY HOLIDAYS. 
          THANK 
          [00:10:01]
YOU, ROCHELLE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND THEN WE'LL TRY BEVERLY LUNA AGAIN HERE NOW. 
          ALL RIGHT, BEVERLY, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. 
          MAY I THINK IT WAS STAR SIX. 
          BEVERLY. 
          WHENEVER. 
          CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES. 
          YES. 
          YOU CAN HEAR ME? OKAY. 
          UH, THIS IS BEVERLY LUNA WITH AUSTIN LAWSON FOUND TECH. 
          I'M REQUESTING THE COMMISSION PROVIDE CLARIFICATION AS TO WHETHER ANY FUNDS HAVE BEEN ADDED BACK INTO THE BUDGET FOR ME. 
          SERVICES WHETHER TO BE PROVIDED WHEN A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC FINDS A SICK OR INJURED TECH OUTSIDE OF THE E HOURS OR WHEN A A C VETS ARE NOT AT THE SHELTER. 
          MY UNDERSTANDING FROM ROLANDO WAS THAT CENTRAL TEXAS EMERGENCY VET IS STILL BEING PAID FOR FIVE PAIN MEDS AND IZED SICK AND INJURED ANIMALS FOUND BY THE PUBLIC. 
          HOWEVER, HOWEVER, AS OF THIS PAST WEEKEND, CENTRAL TEXAS IS STILL REFUSING TO TAKE SICK AND INJURED ANIMALS. 
          THOSE ANIMALS ARE SUFFERING AND DYING IN THE STREETS. 
          DURING THE HANDS OF THE BINDER, I SEE 3 1 1 REPORTS FOR OVER 10 HOURS, HAVE A LAPSED AFTER PET REPORTED HIS INTERVENTION. 
          I'M UNABLE TO GET UP, BUT ANIMAL CONTROL HAS NOT SHOWN UP. 
          THIS WEEKEND, THE LAB WAS HIT BY A CAR AND WAS TURNED AWAY BY CENTRAL TEXAS. 
          PERIOD OF TIME LASTED BEFORE THE FINDS WERE ABLE TO REACH A HIP RESCUE FOR HELP, AND THE DOG WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER EMERGENCY VET, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE TO SAVE THE DOG. 
          A FEW WEEKS AGO, ANOTHER DOG WAS POSTED ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AS HIT BY A CAR AND INJURED THE BINDER CALLED CENTRAL TEXAS. 
          AND THEY SAID NO, THEY NO LONGER TAKEN STRAYS. 
          THE BINDER CALLED ANIMAL CONTROL. 
          BUT ANIMAL CONTROL NEVER ARRIVED. 
          THE DOG DIED AT HER HOME. 
          MY EXPERIENCE IN WATCHING OUR GROUP IS THAT EVEN MORE CATS ARE HIT BY CARS THAN DOGS. 
          AND I'M SURE THEY ARE SUFFERING OUT THERE AS WELL. 
          I THOUGHT THAT WHEN THE BUDGET PROPOSAL WAS MADE TO ELIMINATE THE EMERGENCY VET FUNDING, NOT TO REDUCE THE BUDGET, BUT HOW TWO HIGHLY PAID ADMINISTRATORS AND TWO APOS, A COMMENT WAS MADE INDICATING THAT SHELTER AND GOOD SAMARITANS WOULD PICK UP SLACK. 
          THAT IS NOT HAPPENING. 
          PETS ARE DYING HORRIBLE, PAINFUL DEATHS BECAUSE OF A TERRIBLE DECISION. 
          WHOEVER MADE THE DECISION TO MAKE THIS CATCH SHOULD NOT BE IN ANY DECISION MAKING ROLE IN ANY WAY RELATED TO AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          IF ROLANDO IS CORRECT, THAT CENTRAL TEXAS IS IS SUPPOSED TO AT LEAST STABILIZE AND PROVIDE PAIN MEDS, PLEASE ASK A, A C STAFF TO TELL CENTRAL TEXAS TO EDUCATE THEIR STAFF. 
          OR A, A C SHOULD CONSIDER HIRING ANOTHER EMERGENCY VET ALSO ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT ACOS ARE NOT CONSISTENTLY TIMELY RESPONDING TO CALLS FOR SICK, AN INJURED ANIMAL, AND ARE LEADING THEM TO SUFFER AND DIE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          NEXT IS, UH, ANDREA GREG REMOTE. 
          CAN I SEE YOU? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM. 
          YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          MY NAME IS AN OFFICER ANDREA GREG. 
          I'VE BEEN A POLICE OFFICER FOR 24 YEARS. 
          BEEN IN ANIMAL CRUELTY, ANIMAL ATTACK INVESTIGATION PLUS HANDLE ALL THE CALLS FOR MY POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          I HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMED WITH SO MANY PEOPLE THAT IS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN CALLING ME, ASKING ME FOR HELP BECAUSE, UH, THE SHELTER REFUSES TO TAKE IN ANIMALS THAT THEY HAVE PICKED UP. 
          IT'S SAD THAT SO MANY CITIZENS THAT I AM SEEING AND THAT I AM GETTING CALLS ON, AND I'M SURE OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE ALSO GETTING CALLED. 
          AND WE HAVE TO TURN THESE PEOPLE AWAY. 
          WHEN YOU GUYS CHARGE SMALL CITIES TO BRING IN DOGS AND YOU WON'T ALLOW CONTRACTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, A LOT OF THE CITIES CAN'T DO ANYTHING. 
          SO WE END UP HAVING TO GO AND HANDLE THE CASE OURSELVES, OR WE GIVE 'EM RESOURCES. 
          BUT I CAN'T TAKE YOUR ANIMAL. 
          I CAN'T. 
          AND I FEEL SO BAD TO THESE CITIZENS THAT HAVE NO HELP. 
          YOU NEED TO HELP THE PEOPLE. 
          AND YOU'VE GOT CITIZENS OUT THERE THAT ARE DOING THE ANIMAL PROTECTION JOB TRAPPED IN DOGS GOING OUT. 
          THEY COULD GET HURT. 
          THAT'S LIABILITY. 
          YES, THEY TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES. 
          BUT WHEN DOES IT COME TO, WHEN YOU THINK OF THE ANIMAL CRUELTY LAW AND YOU ABANDON ANIMALS ON THE STREET, BUT YET YOU PROSECUTE AND GO AFTER PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY THEIR DOG BITES SOMEBODY, AND THEN YOU GO AFTER THEM INSTEAD OF PICKING UP THE STRAY DOGS ON THE STREET. 
          THAT MAKES NO SENSE. 
          WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU PROSECUTE SOMEBODY THAT HAS AN OWN DOG AND OFFER TO PUT IT DOWN JUDGE'S ORDERS, BUT YET YOU LEAVE STRAIGHT ON THE STREET. 
          SO IT'S KIND OF MESSED UP THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING. 
          [00:15:01]
UM, AND I'M TIRED OF GETTING A CALL 'CAUSE I TAKE CARE OF MY CITIZENS IN MY JURISDICTION. 
          AND I WOULD HOPE TO GOD THAT Y'ALL STEP IT UP AND GET A GOOD DIRECTOR WHO KNOWS THE INS AND OUTS OF ANIMAL PROTECTION. 
          AND YOU NEED MORE ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS ON THE STREET. 
          YOU JUST DO. 
          AND THEY NEED TO BE. 
          THEY'RE THE ONES WHO STOP THE ANIMALS FOR COMING INTO THE SHELTERS. 
          THEY ARE. 
          'CAUSE HOW MANY PEOPLE SEE AN ANIMAL CONTROL TRUCK DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH NO, I DON'T WANT HIM TAKING MY DOG. 
          SAME THING. 
          I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN AUSTIN BECAUSE IT'S ALSO AFFECTING OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN THE AREA. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, I SAW PAT FELL. 
          TRACE IS HERE IN PERSON, AND THEN AFTER HER WILL BE JULIE OLIVER. 
          CAN I GO LAST? MAY I GO LAST? SURE. 
          UM, JULIE OLIVER. 
          HELLO COMMISSIONERS. 
          UM, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. 
          I WANNA SHARE SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE NOVEMBER 10TH MEETING BECAUSE IT AFFECTS NOT JUST ME, BUT EVERY VOLUNTEER, EVERY STAFF MEMBER, AND EVERY AUSTIN RESIDENT WHO CARES ABOUT THE SHELTER. 
          THE FIRST BUSINESS DAY AFTER THAT MEETING, I WAS TERMINATED FROM MY VOLUNTEER ROLE BY INTERIM DIRECTOR ROLANDO FERNANDEZ. 
          TO MY RIGHT. 
          THE REASON THE TERMINATION LETTER CITED WAS THE PO WAS THE PO PUBLIC COMMENTS I MADE HERE IN THIS VERY ROOM. 
          COMMENTS ABOUT POLICY TRANSPARENCY AND COLLABORATION. 
          I WANT THIS COMMISSION TO UNDERSTAND THAT MY REMARKS WERE MADE AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN IN A PUBLIC FORUM ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC CONCERN. 
          THAT IS PROTECTED CIVIC PARTICIPATION, NOT WORK, A WORKPLACE VIOLATION. 
          VOLUNTEERS CANNOT BE REQUIRED TO GIVE UP, GIVE UP THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN ORDER TO WALK DOGS. 
          I ALSO WANNA CLARIFY, I DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. 
          I DID NOT NAME ANYONE. 
          I DID NOT REFERENCE PRIVATE MEDICAL OR PERSONNEL INFORMATION. 
          THE INCIDENT MENTIONED IN MY COMMENTS WAS ALREADY PUBLICLY KNOWN IN THE ANIMAL WELFARE COMMUNITY LONG BEFORE I EVER BECAME A VOLUNTEER. 
          AND I LEARNED IT ABOUT IT COMPLETELY OUTSIDE OF MY VOLUNTEER DUTIES. 
          IN FACT, THE CITY'S OWN PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST RESPONSE LATER RELEASED THE STAFF MEMBER'S NAME WITHOUT REDACTION, WHICH DEMONSTRATES THAT THE CITY ITSELF DOES NOT CONSIDER THIS INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL. 
          DESPITE THIS, I WAS REMOVED FROM THE SHELTER, THE VERY NEXT BUSINESS DAY, WITHOUT ANY MEETING WITH MR. FERNANDEZ, WITHOUT ANY FACT FINDING BY MR. FERNANDEZ. 
          AND WITHOUT ANY OPPORTUNITY TO CORRECT FACTUALLY INACCURATE ASSUMPTIONS THAT HE MADE IN HIS LETTER. 
          THE SPEED OF THE DECISION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. 
          I ALSO WANNA EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE SHORTLY AFTER I MENTIONED INTEREST IN FOSTERING A DOG. 
          AFTER I GOT TERMINATED, A NEW EFFECTIVE, IMMEDIATELY POLICY WAS ISSUED, STATING THAT ANYONE REMOVED FROM THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM IS AUTOMATICALLY BARRED FROM FOSTERING. 
          FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THAT APPEARS TO BE A DIRECT RESPONSE TO MY PROTECTED SPEECH. 
          AND IT HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR OTHER VOLUNTEERS AS WELL. 
          THIS MESSAGE SINCE, AND BY THE WAY, COMMISSIONER NORTON, I THINK YOU WOULD BE AFFECTED AS WELL BY THAT NEW POLICY EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY POLICY. 
          THE MESSAGE THIS SENDS IS DANGEROUS. 
          IF YOU SPEAK UP AT A PUBLIC MEETING, YOU RISK BEING REMOVED FROM THE SHELTER ENTIRELY. 
          THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT A TRANSPARENT, COMMUNITY-CENTERED MUNICIPAL SHELTER SHOULD STAND FOR. 
          I WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT MY INTENTIONS. 
          I'M NOT HERE OUT OF ANGER. 
          I'M NOT HERE TO DISPARAGE STAFF. 
          I'M HERE. 
          I, BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT THE DOGS, I CARE ABOUT THE SHELTER, I CARE ABOUT AUSTIN'S VALUES. 
          I VOLUNTEERED 25 TO 30 HOURS A WEEK THERE EVERY WEEK. 
          AND THAT WAS IN ADDITION TO HAVING A FULL-TIME JOB. 
          UM, BECAUSE THIS WORK MATTERS TO ME. 
          I THINK MR. FERNANDEZ, UH, SAW ME ALMOST EVERY MORNING. 
          I WAS THERE BECAUSE I WAS THERE FROM SEVEN 30 TO NINE 30 IN THE MORNING, AND THEN EVERY EVENING AS WELL. 
          SO, IT IS NOW PAINFUL FOR ME TO SEE THE ENDS PILING UP ON THE WHITEBOARDS. 
          'CAUSE THE DOGS AREN'T GETTING MOVED. 
          THANKS SO MUCH. 
          CLARIFYING QUESTION. 
          WHY WOULD YOU THINK I WOULD BE AFFECTED? I THOUGHT YOU WERE A, A FOSTER AS WELL, AND THAT YOU HAD BEEN FIRED AS A VOLUNTEER. 
          I WAS NOT FIRED AS A VOLUNTEER. 
          OKAY. 
          THEN I, I QUIT AS A VOLUNTEER. 
          AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE SAYING THESE THINGS ABOUT ME. 
          I FOSTERED, I APOLOGIZE. 
          I, BECAUSE I THOUGHT I QUIT AS A VOLUNTEER AND I CONTINUE TO FOSTER. 
          OKAY, LET ME, LET ME CLEAR THAT UP. 
          I THAT'S FINE. 
          YEAH. 
          I, I'M GONNA CLEAR THAT UP. 
          I THOUGHT YOU HAD BEEN FIRED LIKE ME. 
          SORRY. 
          I DON'T APPRECIATE THE RUMORS. 
          NO, ACTUALLY, I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WELL, THAT'LL BE ALL. 
          WELL, THAT WAS A CLARIFYING QUESTION. 
          I THOUGHT, WELL, DO I NOT GET TO ANSWER THAT? YOU'VE ANSWERED IT FOR CLARIFYING. 
          I'M GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          PIA PHILLIPS. 
          [00:20:04]
OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS. 
          UM, MY NAME'S PIA PHILLIPS. 
          YOU'RE GOOD. 
          TESTING. 
          TESTING, YES. 
          1, 2, 3. 
          OKAY. 
          READY? AWESOME. 
          OKAY. 
          MY NAME'S PIA PHILLIPS. 
          UM, I DON'T THINK I NEED TO DO AN INTRODUCTION. 
          I WAS HERE LAST TIME AND I HAVE A LOT TO SAY. 
          UM, I'M HERE TONIGHT AGAIN AS A RESIDENT AND A TAXPAYER, NOT A VOLUNTEER OF THE SHELTER, NOT A STAFF MEMBER. 
          I DID FOUND MY OWN NONPROFIT AND I RAN IT FOR FIVE YEARS. 
          AND I NOW WORK AT, IS THIS WORKING? MM-HMM . 
          ONE OF THE, UM, LARGEST, ACTUALLY THE LARGEST, UH, GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRM. 
          SO I'VE WORKED WITH ORGANIZATIONS OF ALL TYPE, WELL RUN, SOME NOT SO WELL RUN. 
          AND I'VE SEEN HOW LEADERSHIP AND TONE SHAPE CULTURE AND TRUST, WHETHER THAT BE IN A FOR-PROFIT OR A NONPROFIT SPACE. 
          AND THAT'S WHY, AGAIN, WANNA RAISE CONCERN ABOUT THE CONDUCT AND FACILITATION OF THESE MEETINGS BY THE CHAIR. 
          THIS IS NOT ABOUT ANYONE'S PERSONALITY, BUT IT'S ABOUT FOSTERING A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, PROFESSIONALISM, AND ADEQUATE GOVERNANCE. 
          AT RECENT MEETINGS, THE CHAIR'S, TONE, BODY LANGUAGE AND HANDLING OF DISCUSSIONS DID NOT MEET THE LEVEL OF NEUTRALITY OR DECORUM EXPECTED IN A PUBLIC FORUM DURING PUBLIC COMMENTARY AT THE LAST MEETING, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CHAIR ROLLED HER EYES REPEATEDLY WHILE SPEAKING, WHILE SPEAKERS WERE ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION AND ANY PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT, WHETHER A BOARDROOM OR A PUBLIC COMMISSION, THAT BEHAVIOR IS UNACCEPTABLE. 
          IF I ROLLED MY EYES AT A TEAM MEMBER, LET ALONE A CLIENT, I WOULD NO LONGER BE EMPLOYED TO SAY THE LEAST. 
          SIMILARLY, WHEN COMMISSIONERS ATTEMPTED TO ASK QUESTIONS OF SHELTER LEADERSHIP, UH, THE CHAIRS REPEATED INTERRUPTIONS AND REDIRECTIONS APPEARED TO CONSTRAIN LEGITIMATE OVERSIGHT. 
          THE CHAIR'S ROLE IS TO FACILITATE DISCUSSION AND NOT CONTROL THE NARRATIVE OR SHIELD THE INTERIM DIRECTOR OR OTHER AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES MEMBERS FROM SCRUTINY. 
          PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS CANNOT FUNCTION IF HARD QUESTIONS ARE DISCOURAGED OR CUT SHORT, AS WE LITERALLY JUST WITNESSED. 
          THAT IS NOT A DEMOCRACY AND IT IS NOT A FAIR COMMISSION. 
          I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SHARING A COMMISSION MEETING IS DIFFICULT WORK, AND I APPLAUD ANYONE TAKING THAT RESPONSIBILITY. 
          MY CONCERN IS NOT ANYONE'S INTENTIONS. 
          IT'S ABOUT THE IMPACT ON TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST ABOVE ALL ELSE, RESPECTING THE LIVES AS ALL THE ANIMALS AFFECTED BY THE WORDS WE SHARE IN THIS ROOM TODAY. 
          AND THE SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS WE TAKE, MY ASK IS THE FOLLOWING. 
          THE COMMISSIONERS BE ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS FREELY AND FULLY OF PRESENTERS ON THE AGENDA ITEMS. THE STAFF BE ALLOWED TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS DIRECTLY AND ON THE RECORD. 
          AND THAT THE PUBLIC COMMENTERS AND COMMISSIONERS ALIKE ARE TREATED WITH VISIBLE RESPECT, INCLUDING AND TONE AND BODY LANGUAGE. 
          I HOPE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, BOTH THE PUBLIC, UM, AND THE COMMISSIONERS HERE TODAY, TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY SO WE CAN ACTIVELY SHOW UP, ENGAGE, AND ACTUALLY TRUST THIS PROCESS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO I'LL JUST STATE THAT WHAT GOVERNS HOW THE, HOW THE, UM, MEETING IS RUN IS SEVERAL THINGS. 
          THE STATE LAW, THE, UM, TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT CITY POLICY ARE BYLAWS. 
          UM, AND, AND THERE ARE AGENDA ITEMS THAT ARE STAFF BRIEFINGS THAT CAN BE DISCUSSIONS AND ONLY SHORT CLARIFYING QUESTIONS CAN BE ASKED. 
          AND THERE ARE AGENDA ITEMS THAT CAN, THAT ARE DISCUSSIONS THAT CAN BE MORE DISCUSSED MORE FULLY. 
          AND THAT'S BECAUSE ALL OF THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW BEFORE THE MEETING, WHAT SORT OF MEETING IT'S GONNA BE. 
          AND IF THEY WANNA BE INVOLVED IN DISCUSSION OR IF THEY JUST WANNA BE PRESENT FOR STAFF BRIEFINGS OR FULL DISCUSSIONS CANNOT BE HAD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'M AWARE THIS ISN'T A DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW. 
          I WAS JUST CLARIFYING POLICY, CLARIFYING QUESTION. 
          NO, YOU CAN'T BECAUSE THAT'S CITY POLICY. 
          DON'T ASK ME, ASK THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. 
          ASK THAT SHE'S A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE. 
          CAN'T ASK WHY THAT'S, YOU'RE NOT GONNA TAKE UP EVERYBODY'S HERE. 
          TIME TO ASK THAT QUESTION. 
          I ACTUALLY, THAT SPEAKS BETTER THAN I COULD SAY MYSELF. 
          WE'RE FOLLOWING RULES. 
          I'M SORRY YOU DON'T LIKE THEM. 
          I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS THEM WITH YOU AFTER THE MEETING. 
          OKAY. 
          SUBJECTIVE. 
          AND YOU'RE NOT HOSTING A VERY PUBLIC, SO WE WON'T HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ACCUSE ANY OF THE STAFF, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE FROM TREATING PEOPLE INAPPROPRIATELY. 
          SO, OKAY. 
          UM, NEXT IS GONNA BE PAT TRACE, PUSH THE BUTTON. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU, UH, CHAIR AND DR. NELSON, UM, CHAIR NELSON, WHATEVER YOU PREFER. 
          UM, AND THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, FOR THOSE 
          [00:25:01]
OF YOU WHO ARE HERE, AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE, UM, ON SCREEN. 
          I APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROCESS. 
          AS DIFFICULT AS IT OFTEN IS, UM, I HAVE OFTEN WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY OF NO KILL, AND THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING MORE PRESSING, AND I HAVEN'T, SO LET ME SEE IF I CAN TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO GO OVER IT WITH THE HOPE THAT I'LL GET TO 2015 AND CLOSED INTAKE, WHICH IS A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE IN 20 25, 10 YEARS LATER. 
          UM, THE HISTORY OF NO KILL STARTS. 
          UM, IN 1990, THEREABOUTS WHEN, UM, KIM STER, A DIRECTOR OF THE PENINSULA HUMANE SOCIETY IN CALIFORNIA, DECIDES THAT SHE'S TIRED OF KILLING SO MANY ANIMALS AT HER SHELTER AND GOING AND DOING PRESENTATIONS FOR LITTLE KIDS ABOUT THE FUTURE. 
          AND THAT NOTHING'S GONNA CHANGE UNLESS SHE TAKES SOME DRASTIC ACTION. 
          SO KIM GOES OUT AND EUTHANIZES A DOG ON TELEVISION WITH A REPORTER, AND IT CREATES A MAJOR, MAJOR, UM, UM, UPROAR FROM PEOPLE WANTING TO DO SOMETHING. 
          AND THEN SHE ALSO, UM, HAS A REPORTER COME TO THE SHELTER AND SHOW THE BAGS OF DEAD ANIMALS. 
          AGAIN, MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, LOTS OF COMMUNITY ACTIVISM. 
          AND THAT WAS WHAT I CALL NO KILL 1.0. 
          NOBODY CALLED IT THAT AT THE TIME, BUT IT, IT BEGINS, UM, HUMANE SOCIETY HERE RAN THE ANIMAL SHELTER AND DECIDES TO CALL A PET OVERPOPULATION TASK FORCE. 
          AND WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO IS PREVENT SOMETHING SIMILAR FROM HAPPENING. 
          AND OH, THEY PASSED A BREEDER ORDINANCE. 
          IMMEDIATELY, IMMEDIATELY, A BREEDER ORDINANCE WAS PASSED WITH TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO STOP OVERPOPULATION. 
          SO WHAT HAPPENS? THE BREEDER COMMUNITY BLOWS UP AND TRIES TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING ANYWHERE ELSE. 
          OUR SHELTER DIRECTOR, UH, HUMANE SOCIETY SHELTER DIRECTOR, SAYS, LET'S HAVE A PET OVERPOPULATION TASK FORCE, AND WE START TALKING ABOUT PET OVER POPULATION AND THINGS WE CAN DO, WHICH OF COURSE DON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM OVERNIGHT. 
          SO WE ARE DOING INCREMENTAL THINGS. 
          UNTIL 19 96, 19 97, WHEN JIM COLLINS AND JUDY FORD STEPPED FORWARD AND ASKED ME TO JOIN THEM AS A MEMBER OF THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION IN CREATING AN ORGANIZATION, THEY DECIDED TO CALL AUSTIN PETS ALIVE. 
          SO JIM AND JUDY AND I INCORPORATED AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, AND WE SET ABOUT A GOAL OF A NO KILL MILLENNIUM IN THREE YEARS. 
          THAT IN 2000, WE WOULD STOP KILLING OUR FRIENDS. 
          WELL, OF COURSE THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. 
          UM, FAST FORWARD TO 2010. 
          WE DID HAVE A NO KILL MOVEMENT, AND I DIDN'T GET TO 2015, BUT I'LL GET TO IT LATER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          IF I AM READING THIS CORRECTLY, THAT'S ALL OUR GENERAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS. 
          UM, AND SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO, WAIT, JESSICA BREW WAS A, MY NAME WAS PRINTED ON THE LIST AT THE TOP. 
          IS THAT THIS ONE FOR THE, FOR THE GENERAL COMMENTS? NOT ON AGENDA ITEM. 
          NO, THAT'S ALL THE GENERAL COMMENTS. 
          WE'LL MOVE ON TO 
          [APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH'S MEETING. 
          IS THERE, UH, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? UH, MOVED BY, UM, COMMISSIONER NORTON. 
          IS THERE A SECOND? UM, SECONDED BY BAYA. 
          UM, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MIS MINUTES AS WRITTEN. 
          UM, COMMISSIONER CLINTON, ARE YOU ABSTAINING? YES, BECAUSE I HAVE NOT WATCHED THE VIDEO YET. 
          EVERYBODY ELSE IS VOTING IN FAVOR. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SO, UM, THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM, OR THE SECOND AGENDA ITEM 
          [2.  Staff briefing regarding monthly reports. Presentation by Rolando Fernandez, Interim Chief  Animal Services Officer, Austin Animal Services. ]
IS STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING MONTHLY REPORTS PRESENTATION BY ROLANDO FERNANDEZ, INTERIM CHIEF ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICER AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          AND I DON'T SEE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, SO I AM, I SHOULD HAVE NUMBER TWO, THREE DOWN. 
          JULIE. 
          OH, HERE WE GO. 
          YES. 
          ONE SPEAKER. 
          JULIE OLIVER. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. 
          OH, THANK YOU. 
          UH, MY GUESS IS THAT YOU'LL EITHER GET INCOMPLETE DATA TONIGHT, UM, JUST AS YOU HAVE FOR THE LAST SEVEN CONSECUTIVE MONTHS, OR YOU'LL GET SOME SPEND. 
          THAT INTAKE 
          [00:30:01]
PRESSURES ARE DRIVING POOR OUTCOMES, WHICH SIMPLY DOESN'T MATCH THE NOVEMBER DATA, WHICH I DID PULL DOWN TODAY. 
          AND WHILE DOG INTAKES DID RISE BY 30 DOGS, UM, THIS NOVEMBER OVER LAST NOVEMBER, ONLY SEVEN OF THOSE ARE LARGE DOGS. 
          THAT'S THE VERY POPULATION MOST OFTEN DESCRIBED AS OVERWHELMING CAPACITY AT THE SHELTER. 
          MEANWHILE, CAT INTAKE SURPRISINGLY DROPPED 70, UM, FROM A YEAR AGO LAST NOVEMBER. 
          THE ISSUE IS OUTCOMES. 
          A YEAR AGO, NOVEMBER, WE SAW 223 ADOPTIONS AND 50 TRANSFERS. 
          THIS NOVEMBER ADOPTIONS DROPPED TO 1 95. 
          THAT IS A 12.6% DROP FROM NOVEMBER A YEAR AGO ON ADOPTIONS AND TRANSFERS INCREASE TO 74, WHICH IS A 48% INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR. 
          THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT STRATEGIC SHIFT AWAY FROM PERMANENT PLACEMENTS AND TOWARD TRANSFER DEPENDENCY, TRANSFERS CAN HELP, BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BECOME THE BACKBONE OF OUR LIVE OUTCOME SYSTEM. 
          AND THE RESULT IS CLEAR. 
          NOVEMBER, 2025 SAW A 91.9% LIVE OUTCOME RATE, WHICH AGAIN, FAILS TO MEET THE COUNCIL. 
          95% GOAL, MONTHLY GOAL, COW TO CAT OUTCOMES BARELY CROSSED THE 90% NATIONAL THRESHOLD. 
          I THINK THEY WERE 90.6% LAST NOVEMBER. 
          THE SHELTER WAS AT 95.1% OVERALL. 
          AND I GET THAT THOSE ARE JUST NUMBERS, BUT IT MATTERS WHEN THE SHELTER IS NOT ACTIVELY WORKING TO PUT THESE ANIMALS IN HOMES, AND THEY'RE RELYING ON RESCUE PARTNERS TO TAKE THE ANIMALS INSTEAD. 
          SO I'M ASKING WHY ARE ADOPTIONS DECLINING? WHY IS TRANSFER DEPENDENCY INCREASING? AND WHY ARE WE FAILING TO MEET THE LIVE OUTCOME MANDATE EVERY MONTH UNDER THIS DIRECTOR'S TENURE? WHEN INTAKE LEVELS ARE STABLE OR DECREASING, AUSTIN HAS THE RESOURCES, THEY CERTAINLY HAVE THE BUDGET, AND, AND WE SHOULD DO BETTER. 
          WE NEED STRONGER LEADERSHIP, STRONGER ADOPTION STRATEGIES, AND A RECOMMITMENT TO THE STANDARDS THAT DEFINE AUSTIN AS A NATIONAL LEADER IN HUMANE SHELTERING. 
          THANK YOU. 
          TURN IT OVER TO THE STAFF. 
          UM, PAT VAL RES IS SIGNED UP FOR ITEM TWO . 
          SORRY, PAT VALTRA SIGNED UP FOR, THIS IS ITEM TWO STAFF BRIEFING. 
          YES. 
          YES IT IS. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I DIDN'T THINK, THINK I SIGNED UP FOR IT, SO, OKAY. 
          I THINK I'M GONNA PASS, AS I SAID, TURNING OVER TO THE STAFF. 
          GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          JASON GARZA WITH ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          UM, FOR, UH, NOVEMBER, THE LIVE OUTCOME RATE FOR ANIMALS WAS 92.54%. 
          UM, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 723 ANIMALS THAT WERE INTAKED INTO THE, UH, CENTER WITH 407 ANIMALS THAT WERE ADOPTED. 
          UM, 73 OF THOSE OF THE ANIMAL POPULATION WAS, UH, RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS. 
          AT THE START OF THE MONTH OF THIS MONTH, WE'RE AT A INVENTORY OF 1077 ANIMALS. 
          UM, OUT IN THE FIELD, UH, APOS WERE ABLE TO DO, UH, 20 IMPOUNDS OF INJURED ANIMALS. 
          UM, UM, AND WELL ACTUALLY, I NEED TO CHECK THAT OUT BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAVE REGULAR 70, 70 ANIMALS THAT WERE IMPOUNDED. 
          OH, I'M ASSUMING IT'S BECAUSE THEY WERE SICK. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          SORRY, I'M A LITTLE OUT OF IT. 
          SO, APOLOGIES. 
          UM, WITH VOLUNTEERING, WE HAD 528 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTE OVER 7,200 HOURS TO US WITH OVER 560 OR 566 HOURS BEING WITHIN T AND R PROGRAM. 
          UM, WE INCLUDED FOUR ORIENTATIONS THAT, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE 68 FEW ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS ADDED TO, UM, TO OUR ROSTER. 
          UM, WE HAD 110 VOLUNTEERS DEDICATE OVER 330 HOURS TO VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT TRAINING. 
          UM, SOCIAL MEDIA, WE ARE STILL SEEING SOME STRONG NUMBERS WITHIN ENGAGEMENT. 
          UM, WITHIN FACEBOOK, WE HAD, UH, OVER 600,000 VIEWS WITHIN OUR INSTAGRAM, JUST AS A LITTLE BIT SHY, OVER HALF A MILLION. 
          UH, WITHIN OUR FOSTER AND RESCUE PROGRAM, WE HAD 15 DIFFERENT RESCUE PARTNERS PULL, UH, 174 ANIMALS FROM US, WITH THE HIGHEST BEING FROM A PA AND AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY. 
          UM, WE HAD 300 DIFFERENT FOSTER FAMILIES. 
          UH, AS OF THE THIRD, THERE WAS 270 ANIMALS IN FOSTER CARE. 
          UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR FOSTERS ARE AN EXTENSION OF OUR, OUR STAFF. 
          SO THEY WERE ABLE TO, UH, GET 102 ANIMALS ADOPTED DIRECTLY FROM OUR FOSTER PROGRAM. 
          UM, WITHIN OUR VET SERVICES, UH, AREA, UH, WE CONDUCTED 381 SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES, UM, ADMINISTERED OVER 1800 VACCINATIONS. 
          UM, WE DID HAVE 46 ANIMALS THAT WERE 
          [00:35:01]
EUTHANIZED WITH 40 BEING, UH, SEVERE INJURY, NEUROLOGICAL OR, OR SUFFERING. 
          UM, WE HAD 74 ANIMALS THAT WERE TRANSFERRED FOR MEDICAL REASONS WITH 67 OF THOSE BEING, UH, GOING STRAIGHT TO A PA, WE HAD ONE, ONE VISIBLY PREGNANT ANIMAL, AND THAT WAS TRANSFERRED TO A PA. 
          UM, AS FOR THE, UH, YEAR CURRENTLY, AND THE INTAKE OUTCOME DATA THAT WAS PROVIDED AS WELL, UH, OVER THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE ARE RUNNING AT ABOUT 110 ANIMAL DEFICIT. 
          UM, WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ON TOP OF WHERE WE ENDED WITH THE YEAR WHERE WE WERE, I THINK WE'RE AT NEGATIVE 4 35. 
          SO THAT WE WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS? SORRY, COMMISSIONER TIES. 
          THANK YOU, CHAIR. 
          UM, QUICK, QUICK QUESTION. 
          I, UM, AS WE WERE SITTING, I WAS LOOKING AT THE REPORTS BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S NOT REQUIRED FOR YOU TO DO THIS DATA BASED ON WHAT THE CITY CLERK SAID. 
          UM, LIKE WHATEVER IS THREE DAYS IN ADVANCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          AND, UM, SO, UM, FROM WHAT I COULD SEE IN, NOW, I KNOW THAT YOU SAID, UH, 47 ANIMALS WERE EUTHANIZED AND THE TOTAL SHOWS 104, AND I SAW THEY WERE UNDER MAMMAL THOSE 57. 
          WHAT WAS THAT? SO THE MAMMALS ARE CONSIDERED WILDLIFE. 
          SO THOSE ARE ANIMALS INJURED WILDLIFE THAT WE PICK UP. 
          UM, THAT'S A LOT OF 57 BECAUSE YOU NEVER, I MEAN, I HAVEN'T NOTICED THAT. 
          OR THEY MIGHT ALSO BE, WE'LL, UH, EUTHANIZE THEM BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE RABIES VECTORS AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE'LL SEND THEM FOR SPECIMEN TESTING. 
          SO, UH, I ALSO NOTICED THEN THAT ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT YOU DO THE INVENTORY, YOU, YOU HIGHLIGHTED SOMETHING RED, LIKE REALLY BOLD RED. 
          THAT MEANS YOU WANT US TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT. 
          SO I, I, I USUALLY DON'T DO THAT. 
          I THINK I DID THAT BY MISTAKE, BUT THAT, THAT, THAT'S JUST SHOWING THE DIFFERENCE IN BETWEEN OUR YEAH. 
          THE, THE NEGATIVE THAT LIKE YOU ARE, HAVE MORE IN YOUR POSSESSION. 
          YES. 
          THAT'S WHY YOU PUT, THAT'S WHAT IT'S STILL IN THE INVENTORY. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THE, THE OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, I STILL, I, I MEAN, BEING THE COMMISSION, THIS IS MY FOURTH YEAR AND I, I HEARD THE WHOLE THING AGAIN ABOUT THE THREE DAYS IN ADVANCE. 
          YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO PUT THIS DATA IN THE PAST, THAT WASN'T A PROBLEM. 
          AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR YOU TO MAKE AN EFFORT BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I SEE THAT YOU DON'T PROVIDE THAT EARLIER. 
          AND YOU, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE, NOT ONLY THE COMMISSIONERS, THE PUBLIC, THAT PEOPLE WORK, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON. 
          AND THEN YOU POST THAT THE MORNING BEFORE THE MEETING. 
          WE DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT. 
          SO IT, IT'S LIKE, WHAT'S THE POINT? THAT'S MY, UH, SO I'M ASKING, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN DO THAT, TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. 
          AND, UM, THE, THE OTHER, IF I CAN REALLY QUICKLY, UH, ROLANDA FERNANDEZ, UM, UH, INTERIM ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR. 
          YEAH. 
          THAT'S, UH, WE'LL DO BETTER. 
          UM, I AGREE WITH THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT. 
          AND WE WERE TRYING TO DO THAT. 
          UM, WHEN I REVIEWED THE INFORMATION, THERE WAS, UH, QUESTIONS THAT I HAD AND, UH, WE HAD TO GO BACK AND DO SOME CORRECTIONS THROUGH THAT. 
          AND IT WAS JUST DIFFICULT TO DO ALL THAT ON FRIDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY LAST WEEK, JUST BECAUSE WE HAD OTHER THINGS GOING ON, UM, AND PEOPLE OUT SICK AND, UM, NOT, NOT AN EXCUSE, BUT THAT'S THE REALITY THAT WE WERE FACING LAST WEEK. 
          AND SO WE WILL GO BACK TO, UH, GIVING YOU AS MUCH, UH, OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO GET THE INFORMATION BEFORE THE MEETING SO THAT YOU CAN DO YOUR REVIEW DUE DILIGENCE AND BE ABLE TO ASK US QUESTIONS. 
          AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE FOR THAT. 
          AND SO, MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT. 
          BUT, UM, THERE WERE SOME, UH, CORRECTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE AND WE JUST COULDN'T KNOCK 'EM OUT UNTIL THIS MORNING, UH, LATE, LATE THIS WEEKEND AND OR, UH, THIS MORNING. 
          SO. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK, THANK YOU. 
          IT'S REALLY APPRECIATED. 
          ONE LAST QUESTION, AND I WANT, UH, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT TAKES A LOT OF WORK AND IS ALSO, UM, IT HELPS YOU GUIDE YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR YOUR JOB TO IMPROVE THE OPERATIONS, OR, UH, AND, UH, I, I SAW THAT THE SPEAKER, THE LAST SPEAKER, SHE WAS TALKING YEAR TO DATE NUMBERS, OR NOT COMPARING THE PREVIOUS YEAR WITH, BUT IN A HUGE PERSPECTIVE. 
          NOT, NOT JUST SPECIFIC ONE MONTH. 
          LIKE WE GET, UH, THE DATA ON, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, NOVEMBER, WE HAD THIS MANY INTAKE, NOVEMBER, 2025, NOVEMBER, 2024, NOVEMBER, 2023. 
          AND THEN ALSO, I DON'T KNOW, UH, RETURN TO OWNERS. 
          THAT HAS BEEN THE RHYTHM. 
          AND I'VE ALWAYS, I MEAN, I, I'VE SEEN, UH, I'VE SEEN IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT SHOWS YEAR TO DATE, WHICH IS A HUGE IMPROVEMENT. 
          BUT, UH, I, 
          [00:40:01]
I STILL THINK, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS POSSIBLE, UH, TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE COMPARE TRENDS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, UH, UH, WITH THE CURRENT YEAR. 
          AND IF NOT, YOU KNOW, JUST ONE MONTH AT A TIME. 
          AND, UH, FROM THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, IT'S VERY MICROSCOPIC. 
          IT'S HARD TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON. 
          AND, UM, THAT'S, UH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. 
          I KNOW YOU HAVE A NEW IT PERSON. 
          YEAH. 
          UM, ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION. 
          AND WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN, UH, DOING THAT EFFORT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, STARTING THE CONVERSATION WITH STAFF IN TERMS OF WHAT HAVE WE DONE THAT HAS WORKED OUT FOR US MM-HMM . 
          UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A GOOD TURNOUT WHEN WE DO OUR EVENTS. 
          UH, A LOT OF WORK GOES INTO HAVING THESE ADOPTION EVENTS, UM, AND WE SEE GOOD NUMBERS, UH, FROM THOSE EVENTS. 
          AND SO, UM, WE'VE STARTED WITH THE IDEA OF CREATING OUR CALENDAR MOVING FORWARD THAT SAYS, HERE ARE ALL THE EVENTS THAT WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, HOW MUCH MORE CAPACITY DO WE HAVE FOR, FOR ADDITIONAL EVENTS? AND THEN USING THAT TO LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF, FOR EXAMPLE, NOVEMBER, WHAT, WHY DID WE SEE BIGGER NUMBERS IN NOVEMBER VERSUS THIS NOVEMBER? IT MAY HAVE BEEN BECAUSE WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT EVENT THAT TIMEFRAME. 
          OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT DID WE DO MARKET WISE, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATION WISE, STRATEGY. 
          UM, AND SO WE HAVE THAT ALREADY WRITTEN. 
          IT'S, UH, PART OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS PLAN THAT WE, UH, COMMUNICATED, UH, TO THIS BODY A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT WE DEVELOPED, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR THREE YEAR, UH, COMMUNICATIONS PLAN, MARKETING PLAN, UM, YOU KNOW, USING THAT AS OUR BASE. 
          AND SO MAYBE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT REALLY WELL FROM PREVIOUS YEARS IN TERMS OF WHAT ADDITIONAL EXTRA THINGS DID WE DO OUTSIDE OF THE NORM, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF BEING OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, YOU KNOW, FROM, UH, 11 TO SEVEN, UM, HERE'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING ADDITIONAL TO THAT. 
          AND WHERE WE'VE SEEN THE VARIANCE. 
          WE, WE, WE BELIEVE, UM, ANECDOTALLY THAT OUR EVENTS WORK, RIGHT? WE BRING MORE ATTENTION TO OUR, UH, OUR SHELTER FOLKS SHOW UP. 
          UM, BUT WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO GET, YOU KNOW, BIGGER AND BETTER NUMBERS FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH AND EVEN THE PREVIOUS YEAR. 
          SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO START TRACKING THAT BETTER, UH, MOVING FORWARD IN TERMS OF HERE'S OUR BASE PROGRAMMING, AND THEN EVERY YEAR AFTER THAT WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AND, YOU KNOW, SEE HOW WE'RE, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE STORY BEHIND EITHER BETTER NUMBERS OR, OR NOT AS GOOD NUMBERS FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS. 
          SO YEAH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AND WE'VE ESTABLISHED THAT CALENDAR, AND NOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, KIND OF REALLY START TRACKING THAT IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS BASED ON EXTRA THINGS THAT WE DO ABOVE, BEYOND, TO GET MORE ATTENTION AND MORE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND DO MORE ADOPTIONS FOSTER. 
          UM, AND EVEN ALSO, UM, ONE THING THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING AND IS, UH, WE, WE HAD A KIND OF AN INTEREST, INTEREST, UM, BASED, UH, EVENT A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN WE INVITED FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE ANIMAL WELFARE BUSINESS TO MEET. 
          UM, AND THAT WENT REALLY WELL. 
          WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER ONE IN FEBRUARY. 
          UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CREATING NOW IS, UM, UH, A RESCUE ONLY EVENT TO KIND OF LEARN FROM THEM, HEY, WHAT'S WORKING? WHAT'S NOT WORKING, UH, BETWEEN US AND YOU, AND WHAT CAN WE, UH, DO TO, UM, TO DO MORE OF, YOU KNOW, TO GET YOUR INTEREST IN SUPPORTING THE, THE ANIMAL, UH, AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES? AND THAT CAME UP FROM JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH, UM, A RESCUE ORGANIZATION, UH, LOVABLE, UM, AND GETTING SOME FEEDBACK FROM THEM. 
          IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WHY NOT INVITE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, YOU KNOW, TO, UM, TO KIND OF HAVE THAT SAME DIALOGUE? AND SO, UM, WE'RE DOING AS MANY CREATIVE THINGS, I THINK, AS POSSIBLE, UM, BUT ALSO NOW START USING OUR CALENDAR TO KIND OF REFLECT WHAT WE'VE DONE AND, AND HOW THAT CHANGES, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMING YEARS, UH, IN TERMS OF OUR OUTCOMES AND INTAKES. 
          OKAY. 
          SO, UM, LONG STORY SHORT, YEAH, I WANNA BE ABLE TO TELL THAT STORY. 
          UH, AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA GET THERE. 
          I, I, I DON'T HAVE THE, THE BACKGROUND FOR THE PREVIOUS YEARS OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT ARE WE DOING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S DIFFERENT, OR WHAT ARE WE DOING THAT'S THE SAME? AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE TO KIND OF GENERATE MORE INTEREST AND HAVE MORE FOLKS COME INTO OUR, OUR CENTER TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO FIND A, A PET. 
          SO, OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, COMMISSIONER HOLT, UM, I AM VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT Y'ALL ARE GOING TO WORK MORE INTENTIONALLY WITH THE RESCUES. 
          I, THIS WHOLE ANIMAL SAVING IS AN ECOSYSTEM AND THEY'RE A CRUCIAL PART OF IT. 
          SO I, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT'S BEING DONE INTENTIONALLY. 
          I DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM, FROM THE PUBLIC INFORMATION REPORT ON THE OUTCOMES FOR ALL THE ANIMALS I HAD. 
          THIS MIGHT BE LIKE ONE THAT'S KIND OF, UH, TECHNICAL  AND ONE THAT'S PROGRAMMATIC SLASH MAYBE TECHNICAL. 
          UM, I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE DOGS WAS LISTED, THE OUTCOME WAS CREMATED, BUT IT DOESN'T LIST WHAT ACTUALLY CAUSED THE, THE DEATH. 
          UM, IS THERE A WAY THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO ADJUST THE REPORT SO THAT WE CAN SEE HOW THAT ACTUALLY, LIKE, THEY DIDN'T DIE BY CREMATION, RIGHT? SO, SO WOULD IT BE, UM, POSSIBLE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS THAT WAY? YEAH, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SUB 
          [00:45:01]
STATUS. 
          SO I'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THE ACTUAL RECORD AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PUT THE, THE FINGERS CROSSED. 
          I MEAN, IT SHOULD, THE INFORMATION SHOULD BE IN THE ANIMAL'S RECORD, BUT THE WAY SHELTER BUDDY WORKS, IT'LL GIVE, YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE LATEST STATUS OF IT. 
          SO IF SOMEONE DID WANT TO HAVE THE, UM, REMAINS HELD, THEN WE WILL PROBABLY, THE STAFF WILL PROBABLY BOOK CREMATION, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AS A SUB. 
          BUT I'LL CHECK INTO THAT. 
          I'LL LOOK FOR THAT PARTICULAR ANIMAL. 
          AND THEY, THEY PROBABLY SHOWED UP ON PREVIOUS, OH, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF. 
          GO AHEAD. 
          OH, YEAH, I'LL LOOK UP THE ANIMAL ID AND THEN, AND THEN FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS. 
          COOL. 
          MM-HMM . 
          YEAH, I, I SHOWED UP ON PREVIOUS MONTHS, AND THIS IS JUST LIKE A FOLLOW UP BECAUSE IT WAS A, A FINAL THING ASSOCIATED WITH THE ID. 
          THAT'S FINE. 
          I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT LIKE, WHEN THAT ANIMAL ACTUALLY DIED, THERE WAS, UM, CONTEXT FOR WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE. 
          AND THEN THIS IS ONE THAT'S LIKE, AGAIN, MIGHT BE PROGRAMMATIC, MIGHT BE A DATA THING. 
          SO I NOTICED THERE WERE AN ALARMING NUMBER OF CATS DYING AGAIN, UM, THAT WERE BEING EUTHANIZED. 
          AND THE REASON CITED WERE LIKE SUFFERING OR DIED IN FOSTER HOME OR UNASSISTED DEATH. 
          UM, I HATE THAT IT IS TRUE THAT LITTLE BABY KITTENS ARE INCREDIBLY FRAGILE, AND SO THE LIKELIHOOD OF THEM DYING, EVEN THOUGH EVERYBODY IS DOING THEIR BEST, I HATE THAT THAT IS TRUE, BUT I ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THAT IS TRUE. 
          BUT THE LAST TIME I ASKED ABOUT THIS, I WAS TOLD THAT THE CUTOFF BETWEEN KITTEN AND CAT IS FOUR WEEKS. 
          UM, THAT'S STILL PRETTY YOUNG FOR ANYBODY WHO'S LIKE, WORKED IN ANIMAL CARE, REALLY CATS DON'T BECOME STABLE UNTIL LIKE THREE MONTHS, UM, MAYBE SIX MONTHS GIVEN LIKE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          SO WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO ADD SOME A WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE CATS AND KITTENS, AND ALSO B, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO US TO ADD SOME CLARITY ON HOW WE'RE DOING THAT? 'CAUSE I THINK THAT IT COULD GIVE US A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT THE ISSUE IS IF WE WERE TO ABLE TO DELINEATE ON WHEN WE SAY CAT IS SAY, OR WE OLD CAT, OR IS THIS A 4-YEAR-OLD CAT? BECAUSE THOSE DEATHS AND THE ASSOCIATED CAUSES WOULD LOOK LIKE VERY DIFFERENT PATTERNS. 
          YEAH. 
          WE CAN LOOK IN INTO HAVING SORT OF THAT, UH, UH, GREATER DETAIL, UH, OUR, IN OUR NEXT MEETING. 
          YEAH, I'LL, I'LL GO TALK TO OUR, OUR, OUR  TEAM IN TERMS OF HOW WE CODIFYING THAT INFORMATION AND BE ABLE TO KIND OF DECIPHER THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL. 
          COOL. 
          YEAH, IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR, FOR REFERENCE, LIKE EITHER A THREE MONTH OR A SIX MONTH MARK WOULD BE USEFUL FOR, UM, DOING MORE PATTERN RECOGNITION THERE. 
          BUT, UM, SO WITH, WITH THAT ALSO, THERE WERE STILL A LOT OF CATS AND KITTENS THAT WERE DYING. 
          WAS THERE AN OUTBREAK OR DO YOU HAVE ANY CONTEXT AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON? I KNOW THAT LAST MONTH, THIS WASN'T AS MUCH OF AN ISSUE, BUT IT WAS TWO OR MAYBE THREE MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND Y'ALL SAID YOU WERE GONNA LOOK INTO IT AND JUST WANTED TO CIRCLE BACK AND SEE IF YOU'D GOTTEN ANY MORE INFO OF WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE. 
          WELL, I LOOKED INTO IT BEFORE TALK WITH DR. ELLIOTT. 
          SHE SAID THAT WE HAD A NUMBER OF EMERGENCIES THAT HAD COME IN, AND THEN JUST ANYTHING THAT WERE LITTERS THAT WERE BROUGHT IN WERE, WERE, UNFORTUNATELY SOME MAAL MAY HAVE, UM, UNFORTUNATELY DIDN'T MAKE IT. 
          UM, I'LL CHECK WITH HER AGAIN. 
          I'LL TALK, HAVE A CONVERSATION, HAVE A COUPLE MEETINGS WITH HER TOMORROW, AND I'LL FIT THIS INTO ONE OF MY MEETING AGENDAS WITH HER, JUST TO, TO BRING IT UP AND SEE, UM, IF SHE CAN PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, LOOK INTO IT AND THEN PROVIDE SOMETHING IN WRITING AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN JUST EMAIL IT TO THE COMMISSION SO THAT WAY Y'ALL HAVE IT FOR, FOR THIS PAST MONTH. 
          IF THAT'S ALL. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND THE COMMISSIONERS? UM, I, I HAD A QUESTION. 
          UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT, WHAT BEING OVERCROWDED AND NEEDING TO CLOSE OR MANAGE INTAKE DOES TO OUR INTAKE NUMBERS? SO HERE'S HOW I DEFINE, UM, BEING OVERCROWDED, UH, FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF COMING IN NEW TO THE SITUATION. 
          AND SO UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE A SET NUMBER OF KENNELS, UM, PUBLIC KENNELS, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR 600, WHICH IS OUR NON-PUBLIC KENNEL SITE, AND I'M SPEAKING FOR, FOR DOGS RIGHT NOW. 
          AND, UM, WE DO, UM, THIS EXERCISE EVERY MORNING WITH STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, UM, WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE DOGS OUT INTO THE PLAY YARD, UH, FOR ENRICHMENT, BUT ALSO TO SEE IF WE CAN PAIR ANY DOGS BASED ON THEIR BEHAVIOR SO THAT WE CAN CREATE MORE SPACE. 
          SO THERE'S THAT SET NUMBER OF CREATIVE SPACE BECAUSE WE'RE PAIRING DOGS. 
          UM, AND, AND WE LOOK AT EVERY, EVERY EVENING, YOU KNOW, UH, COMMUNICATION GOES OUT TO ALL THE STAFF THAT SAYS, HERE'S HOW MANY ANIMALS WE HAVE, HERE'S HOW MANY, UM, SPACES WE HAVE AVAILABLE, UH, IN THE PUBLIC SIDE FOR ANIMALS COMING IN. 
          AND HERE'S ALSO HOW MANY SPACES WE HAVE FOR IN THE SIX HUNDREDS. 
          UM, THERE'S ALSO A COMMUNICATION, UH, FROM OUR 
          [00:50:01]
STAFF THAT GOES OUT TO, UH, TO ALL OUR EMPLOYEES THAT SAYS, HERE IS A KNOWN SCHEDULED SURRENDERS, WHETHER THEY'RE OWNER SURRENDER OR FINER SURRENDER. 
          UM, AND THEN WE ALSO LEAVE IN THE EVENING, UM, KENNEL SPACES IN THE HALLWAY OR IN OUR HOLDING AREA FOR ANYTHING THAT MAY BE BROUGHT IN BY OUR APOS OR BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND, UH, OR AP UH, AUSTIN PO UH, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          UM, SO WE'RE MANAGING ON A DAILY BASIS THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY SET STRUCTURED, UH, KENNEL SPACE. 
          UH, WHEN WE, UH, EXCEED CAPACITY, UM, THAT MEANS WE'RE THEN HOLDING ANIMALS IN OUR, UM, MULTIPURPOSE ROOM, WHICH IS A MULTI, UH, ROOM THAT'S SET UP FOR, FOR STAFF OR VOLUNTEERS TO DO, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK, UH, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, SETTING UP ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, UM, UH, PROGRAMMING. 
          UM, WELL, WE USE THAT NOW TO, UH, MANAGE THE ABOVE AND BEYOND CAPACITY FOR OUR, FOR OUR DOGS. 
          AND WE SET 'EM UP IN, UH, YOUR TYPICAL HOME KENNELS, UH, WIRED KENNELS. 
          UH, WE ALSO THEN SET UP, UH, IN THE HALLWAY, UM, FOR OUR IN INTAKE AREA, WE SET UP ROLLING KENNELS, WHICH IS ALSO USED TO MAINTAIN CAPACITY. 
          SO, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME, UM, IT'S, THOSE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE'RE INTAKING FOR ABOVE AND BEYOND CAPACITY. 
          UH, SO THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. 
          UM, AND WHEN WE'RE OVER CAPACITY, THAT MEANS EVERY ANIMAL IS, IS GETTING A LOT LESS ATTENTION FROM OUR STAFF 'CAUSE WE'RE JUST, UH, SPREAD THIN. 
          UM, SO YOUR QUESTION WAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES CAPACITY LOOK LIKE? THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. 
          HOW, HOW WE TRY TO MANAGE TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, THE BUILT IN KENNEL SYSTEM, UM, BY DOING, UH, THE PAIRING OF DOGS SO THAT WE CAN CREATE ADDITIONAL SPACE. 
          AND THEN THE BONE BEYOND IS MANAGED THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, WIRED KENNELS IN THE MULTIPURPOSE ROOM OR IN THE HALLWAY, UM, BACK OF HOUSE, UH, NOT VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. 
          THE MULTIPURPOSE ROOM IS VISIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS CAN COME IN AND BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ANIMALS THERE 'CAUSE THEY'RE ALL AVAILABLE FOR, FOR ADOPTION OR FOSTER OR, OR RESCUE. 
          UM, SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE MANAGING, UH, THAT NOW, UM, WHEN WE DO, UM, YOU KNOW, INTAKE THROUGH OUR PRC, UH, THROUGH OUR, OUR PET RESOURCE CENTER, EXCUSE ME, UH, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, IT'S, IT JUST DEPENDS. 
          UM, WE WILL, UM, IDEALLY WE WANT FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO, UH, CALL, UH, OR COME VISIT AND GET SOME INFORMATION THAT ALLOWS THEM TO, YOU KNOW, HOLD ONTO THE ANIMAL JUST A LITTLE LONGER WHILE WE SCHEDULE OUT THAT, UM, THAT SURRENDER, UM, UH, APPOINTMENT. 
          AND, AND THAT CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM TWO TO THREE MONTHS. 
          IT'S KIND OF MORE TOWARDS THE THREE MONTHS RIGHT NOW. 
          AND IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT FOR, FOR QUITE SOME TIME. 
          BUT AGAIN, THAT JUST ALLOWS US TO, UM, YOU KNOW, CREATE THE SPACE, UH, IN THE, IN THE APPROPRIATE KENNEL SYSTEM. 
          SO THE APPROPRIATE KENNEL SYSTEM HAS AN INDOOR AND AN HOT DOOR, UM, AND, UH, MULTIPURPOSE ROOM IN THE HALLWAYS IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST THERE AND IT'S, UM, UH, NOT IDEAL. 
          SO WE SCHEDULED OUT THE SURRENDERS, UH, IN THAT FASHION. 
          CERTAINLY WE DEAL WITH, UH, COMMUNITY THAT, UH, MEMBERS THAT COME IN THAT, UH, JUST HAVE NO OPTIONS, BUT TO WANT TO SURRENDER THE ANIMAL AND AN EMERGENCY CASE BASIS, WE'LL DO THAT. 
          AND, UH, THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE JUST TAKING AN ANIMAL AND, AND, AND PLACING THEM INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ABOVE AND BEYOND CAPACITY THAT WE'VE ESTABLISHED. 
          THE SAME THING FOR ANYTHING THAT COMES OVER, UH, COMES IN, UH, IN THE EVENINGS. 
          WE, THROUGH OUR, UH, ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS DURING THE DAY, RIGHT. 
          WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, BRING IT IN IF, IF WE'RE THE BEST, UH, CHANCE. 
          UM, I KNOW, UM, BEFORE MY ARRIVAL TO THE DEPARTMENT, UM, THERE WAS OCCASIONS WHERE THE, UM, INTAKE WAS CLOSED, UH, TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, FOR, FOR A WHILE. 
          AND I THINK, UM, THAT WHILE WAS WHEN SPACE BECAME AVAILABLE AND THEN IT OPENED BACK UP AND THEN WE'RE, THEY WERE IN THE SAME POSITION. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE HAD SOME FEEDBACK, UM, SESSIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS, WITH STAFF REGARDING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, REDUCING, UH, OR CLOSING UP THE INTAKE. 
          AND, UH, RIGHT NOW MY POSITION HAS BEEN NO. 
          UH, I THINK, UM, IN MY READING AND MY JUST CONVERSATIONS, I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S DELAYED, UM, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, IT'S STILL AN IMPORTANT SERVICE SO THAT, THAT FOLKS THAT CAN'T, AND THERE ARE FOLKS THAT CAN'T, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE SPOKEN TO FOLKS THAT HAVE TAKEN THE DOG, UH, OUT OF GOODWILL, UM, BECAUSE THEY'VE SEEN THE SPACE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE. 
          UM, AND THEN THEY'LL REACH OUT, SAY, HEY, IT'S BEEN ABOUT A WEEK ALREADY, TWO WEEKS. 
          I CAN'T DO IT ANY LONGER. 
          IT'S LIKE, HEY, THE, THE TWO WEEKS IS REALLY HELPFUL AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE IN THE, THE ANIMAL, RIGHT? UM, SO THAT NOT EVERYBODY CAN DO THAT. 
          UH, EVEN THOUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY WANT TO OR WE PROVIDE 'EM SOME RESOURCES, IT'S, IT'S A REALLY SHORT TENURED, UH, TIMEFRAME. 
          UM, SO NOT NOT CLOSING AN INTAKE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S, IT'S, IT'S COMES UP REALLY OFTEN FOR ME IN, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF, UM, BECAUSE, AND I UNDERSTAND IT. 
          I, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S NOT IDEAL TO HAVE, UM, YOU, OUR DOGS IN THOSE SMALL CONFINED SPACES. 
          IT'S NOT IDEAL TO, UH, SPREAD, UH, MY STAFF ANY, YOU KNOW, ANY MORE THAN WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY SPREAD THROUGH. 
          UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT, UH, SERVICE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE PROVIDE 
          [00:55:01]
TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IT'S, UM, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A MUNICIPAL SHELTER, IN MY OPINION, AND LOOKING AT OTHER MUNICIPAL SHELTERS ACROSS THE, THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY, IT'S LIKE, IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL CORE SERVICE. 
          AND I THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND SO RIGHT NOW IT'S, MY, MY POSITION THAT'S BEEN, WE'RE GONNA DO, UH, OPEN INTAKE AND DO IT AS BEST AS POSSIBLE. 
          CERTAINLY WOULD LOVE TO BE IN A POSITION TO WHERE, UM, THERE'S PLENTY OF SPACE AND THEN WE CAN OPEN IT UP TO WHERE, UH, WE CAN SURRENDER WITHOUT MAYBE DELAYS. 
          I, I, I WANNA FIND A BALANCE THERE BECAUSE I THINK, UM, WE ALSO WANT TO SEE HOW WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE WITH THEIR, UH, WITH THEIR ANIMALS. 
          SO IF YOU, IF UH, IF YOU'RE THE OWNER OF A, OF A DOG AND YOU'RE GOING THROUGH SOME, UH, DIFFICULT SITUATIONS, THEN MAYBE YOU JUST NEED SOME HELP. 
          WHETHER IT'S MEDICAL, MEDICAL, UH, SERVICE FOR YOUR DOG OR FOOD OR, OR SOMETHING THAT KIND OF GETS YOU BY, WE WANT TO PROVIDE THAT BEFORE YOU HAVE TO SURRENDER YOUR DOGS. 
          I THINK IT'S JUST THE BEST THING, UM, HAVING THAT ANIMAL WITH SOMEBODY AT OUR HOUSE VERSUS IN OUR, IN OUR KENNEL SYSTEM. 
          AND I MEAN THAT WITH ALL RESPECT TO OUR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WHO DO THE BEST THEY CAN TO PROVIDE, UH, AS MUCH CARE AS POSSIBLE TO EACH ANIMAL THAT WE HAVE, BUT IT'S STILL NOT IDEAL. 
          AND THAT, SO WE BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT THEY BELONG IN A HOME. 
          UM, AND THEN ALSO IF SOMEBODY FINDS AN ANIMAL IN THEIR COMMUNITY, WHETHER, BECAUSE IT'S, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GOT THERE, BUT THEY GOT HERE, THERE SOMEWHERE, THEY WERE SOMEBODY'S DOG AND THEY, THEY DON'T WANT 'EM ANYMORE, OR THEY COME IN FROM SOMEWHERE AND NOW THEY'RE HERE. 
          LIKE MAYBE THAT'S STILL THE BEST PLACE FOR THAT PERSON TO HAVE THAT DOG WITH THEM IF WE PROVIDE 'EM SOME SERVICE, RIGHT? WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THE VOUCHER CARE SYSTEM, UH, FOR MEDICAL. 
          UM, WE PROVIDE 'EM SOME FOOD, UH, A KENNEL. 
          UM, ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO KIND OF DO THAT, UH, FOR THAT DOG WOULD BE REALLY GREAT AND APPRECIATE IT, AND WE WANNA DO THAT. 
          UM, SO I STILL WOULD WANNA FIND A BALANCE THERE IN TERMS OF OPENING UP MORE INTAKE, BUT ALSO CONTINUE TO BE A RESOURCE, RIGHT, FOR FOLKS TO, UM, MAINTAIN, UH, OWNERSHIP OF, UM, OF THAT DOG. 
          WHETHER IT'S OWNER SURRENDER OR SOMEBODY THAT FOUND ONE AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING THEM TO HOLD ONTO THAT DOG FOR A LITTLE BIT WHILE WE CREATE CAPACITY. 
          I THINK, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO FIND THAT BALANCE. 
          I KNOW A STRATEGIC PLAN TALKS ABOUT THAT IT'S PROVIDING MORE RESOURCES TO, TO OWNERS SO THAT THEY CAN KEEP THEIR ANIMALS. 
          UM, I THINK IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT THERE, BUT I KNOW THAT LIFE ALSO HAPPENS AND YOU GET MARRIED AND YOU HAVE KIDS NOW, OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. 
          YOU HAVE TO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE AND YOU'RE COMMUTING NOW'S LONGER. 
          YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE DOING THE BEST JOB AS POSSIBLE AS A OWNER OF A DOG BECAUSE YOU'RE GONE A LOT. 
          I GET IT. 
          LIFE HAPPENS. 
          BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR THAT BY PROVIDING SOME SORT OF RESOURCE OR A BEHAVIORAL VOUCHER BECAUSE YOUR, THEIR DOG ISN'T, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY'RE HAVING SOME CHALLENGES WITH THEM AT THEIR HOUSE. 
          UH, WE WANNA BE THAT SOLUTION BEFORE THE DOG SHOWS UP IN OUR, IN OUR SHELTER. 
          AND SO IT, GIVEN, UM, GIVEN WHAT WE ALL KNOW IS AN ISSUE OF THE SHELTER NOT BEING ABLE TO RESPOND TO, OR, OR TAKE IN FOUND ANIMALS, INJURED ANIMALS, UM, BECAUSE THE SHELTER IS OVERWHELMED, WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE FOR SOMEONE TO LOOK AT THIS MONTH'S INTAKE, WHICH IS REDUCED BECAUSE OF MANAGED INTAKE AND SAY THAT LOWER INTAKE ON THIS MONTH AND THIS YEAR WHEN WE'RE OVER CAPACITY AS YOU DESCRIBED, IS THAT DECREASED INTAKE AND INDICATION THAT THE SHELTER IS NOT HAVING TO CARE FOR AS MANY ANIMALS OR ? OR IS THAT DECREASED INTAKE ACTUALLY AN INDICATION OF HOW OVERWHELMED THE SHELTER IS? GIVEN THAT WE KNOW THE NEED IN THE COMMUNITY IS GREAT, IT IS HARD FOR ME TO SPEAK ABOUT. 
          YOU KNOW, LAST NOVEMBER, UM, I DON'T REMEMBER THE SPECIFIC DATES THAT WERE, UM, WHERE THE SHELTER CLOSED INTAKE. 
          UM, AND MAYBE SOMETIMES WE WERE, YOU KNOW, WE CLOSED INTAKE AND THEN WE OPENED IT BACK UP 'CAUSE WE CREATED CAPACITY THAT YOU SAW AN INFLUX OF, YOU KNOW, MORE ANIMALS COMING IN. 
          AND THEN THE, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT HAD TO, AGAIN, CLOSE INTAKE. 
          BUT IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I THINK WE'VE CLOSED INTAKE THREE OR FOUR TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS BECAUSE OF JUST THE AMOUNT OF NUMBERS THAT WERE COMING IN. 
          UM, I THINK FOR US RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST TRYING TO FIND THAT BALANCE WHERE WE'RE RESPONSIVE TO SURRENDERS, BUT, UH, WHETHER IT'S OWNER SURRENDER, FIND, SURRENDER, AND WHATEVER COMES INTO THE FIELD, WHICH AGAIN, IT'S, UH, OUR, UH, ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR, UH, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, CREATING THAT CAPACITY BECAUSE WHEN THEY COME IN, LIKE WE'RE NOT SAYING NO, THEY'RE COMING IN. 
          UM, BUT ALSO WHAT'S I, WHAT'S IDEAL FOR, FOR THE DOGS THAT ARE COMING IN AND NOW THEY'RE IN THESE SMALLER KENNELS UH, SYSTEMS, RIGHT? UM, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A BALANCE. 
          IT'S, IT'S BEEN A BALANCE. 
          AND, AND SO, UH, REGARDING, AGAIN, TRYING TO HELP AND BE RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, HERE'S WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, BY US TAKING THE ANIMALS AND I THINK ON THE MONTHLY BASIS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CHALLENGING OURSELVES TO DO MORE, TO GET MORE ANIMALS OUT, UM, AND CREATING PROGRAMS AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS SO THAT WE CAN GET, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE SOLUTION IS HOW DO WE GET MORE ANIMALS OUT AND HOW DO WE KEEP ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, FROM COMING IN? AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS DOING EDUCATION 
          [01:00:01]
PROGRAMS TO HELP AND PROVIDING MORE RESOURCES FOR FOLKS THAT, THAT ARE STRUGGLING FOR WHATEVER REASON, TO MAINTAIN OWNERSHIP OF THEIR PET, UM, AS AN OWNER OR IF YOU FIND ONE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO, HOW CAN YOU BECOME THAT OWNER? UM, AND THEN WHAT I MENTIONED EARLIER IS WORKING WITH MORE RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, TO, UM, TO KIND OF HELP THEM HELP US IN THE WAY TO, UH, TO GET MORE ANIMALS OUTTA OUR CARE. 
          WE DO THAT, WE CREATE CAPACITY, AND THEN WE'RE OPEN FOR INTAKE. 
          I'VE BEEN REALLY TRANSPARENT WITH MY TEAM. 
          YOU KNOW, AS WE CREATE MORE CAPACITY, WE'RE BRINGING IN MORE ANIMAL. 
          LIKE, WE'RE GONNA NOT DO THE THREE MONTHS OUT. 
          WE'RE GONNA REDUCE THAT BACK. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY. 
          THAT'S OUR, THAT'S PART OF OUR, OUR JOB. 
          SO I'VE BEEN, UH, REALLY CLEAR ON THAT AND JUST TRYING TO GET THERE BY AGAIN, HAVING MORE OUTCOMES. 
          UM, YEAH, AND I THINK IT'S, I I THINK IT'S ALSO REALLY BEST PRACTICE TO, UH, LOOK AT THIS DEFERMENT PROCESS, RIGHT? HELPING, AGAIN, PROVIDING BY THE RESOURCES PEOPLE TO KEEP THEIR ANIMALS, WHETHER OWNERS  OR FIND OR SURRENDER. 
          UH, SUPER IMPORTANT. 
          AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CREATING, LIKE WE HAVE NOW THAT FINDER TO FOSTER OR OTHER PROGRAMS WHERE A DOG DOESN'T HAVE TO COME INTO OUR SHELTER. 
          THEY CAN GO IN, YOU KNOW, STRAIGHT TO SOMEBODY ELSE IF THERE'S A, A NEED FOR THAT PERSON TO SURRENDER THEM WHERE THEY CAN'T KEEP THAT DOG THAT THEY FOUND, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE DAYS AGO. 
          'CAUSE IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT WHERE THEY'RE AT IN LIFE. 
          SO FOCUS ON ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS TO KIND OF SEE IF WE CAN ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, GET MORE OPEN INTAKE, UM, AND NOT THE THREE MONTHS OUT. 
          UM, AND THAT RIGHT NOW. 
          AND ON THAT POINT, I SEE IT LOOKS, IF I'M READING THIS CORRECTLY, YOUR REPORT FROM THIS MONTH SAYS 175 ANIMALS TOTAL WERE TRANSFERRED TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. 
          AM I READING THAT RIGHT? YEAH, THERE WAS, YEAH. 
          IT WAS ORGANIZATION AND THEN, AND THEN COMBINING THAT WITH THE REPORT FROM A PA, IT LOOKS LIKE 88 OF THOSE. 
          SO JUST OVER HALF OF THOSE WENT TO, TO A PA, UM, AND IN THE REPORT YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, SORRY, 175 MINUS 52. 
          'CAUSE 52 OF THOSE ANIMALS ARE SNRT AND R ANIMALS. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IT'S MORE LIKE 123. 
          OKAY. 
          , SO A-B-A-P-A TOOK 188 ANIMALS FROM THE SHELTER THIS NOVEMBER. 
          THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THE SHELTER WAS FUNCTIONING IN 2019. 
          DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY ANIMALS A PA TOOK FROM THE SHELTER IN NOVEMBER OF 2019? I'M LOOKING AT IT, POINT OF ORDER. 
          , IT'S, IT'S 230, UM, POINT OF ORDER. 
          WE NEED SOMEBODY TO RULE ON THAT. 
          THAT WOULD BE THE PARLIAMENTARIAN. 
          THIS IS A LEGAL QUESTION. 
          THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS DISCUSSION AND SOMEBODY NEEDS TO RULE ON IT SO THAT IT CAN BE LOOKED AT BY THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. 
          UH, LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU, YOU MUST MAKE A RULING ON, ON WHAT? I'M SORRY. 
          THE POINT OF ORDER. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT WHAT IS YOUR POINT OF ORDER? CAN YOU, THAT THIS IS NOT IN RELATION TO WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED. 
          AND, UH, COMMISSIONER NIELSEN IS JUST CONTINUING TO PRO PONTIFICATE WHAT SHE WANTS TO BE PONTIFICATED ON. 
          THAT WAS NOT DISCUSSED IN THE ACTUAL REPORT OR IN ANYTHING WE'RE DOING. 
          THIS IS WAY OUTSIDE OF TOMA. 
          I, I'M ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT MONTHLY REPORTS AND THE TRANSFERS FROM THE SHELTER. 
          YOU'RE ASKING THINGS ABOUT HAPPEN, WHAT HAPPENED IN 2019, COMMISSIONER UHHUH , AND THAT IS NOT HARD. 
          WHAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED? YOU ARE FAR OUTSIDE OF TOOMA. 
          IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, I SUGGEST WE PUT IT ON. 
          CAN WE DEFER TO THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE? I WOULD SAY WE MOVE ON FROM THE 2019, SO NO QUESTIONS. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, ALL RIGHT. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I THINK SHE WAS BEFORE RAISING HER HAND AND LINDER, VICE CHAIR. 
          LINDER. 
          THANKS. 
          UM, I JUST HAVE TWO VERY QUICK CLARIFY QUESTIONS. 
          UM, THE FIRST WAS ABOUT TERMINOLOGY. 
          SO, UM, I THINK MY PERCEPTION OF THE TERM OPEN INTAKE, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT, I THINK ABOUT SORT OF A SITUATION WHERE IF I FIND A STRAY DOG ON A STREET, I CAN BRING THAT DOG TO THE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY AND DROP THE DOG OFF. 
          UM, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SORT OF THE WAY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OPEN INTAKE IS A BIT DIFFERENT AS FAR AS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE DEFERRED DELAYED, UM, SORT OF INTAKE OF DOGS ON AN AD HOC BASIS. 
          IS THERE ANOTHER TERM THAT, UM, THAT YOU'D USE TO DESCRIBE SORT OF WHAT, WHAT I WOULD THINK OF AS OPEN INTAKE, LIKE FULLY OPEN INTAKE, JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M SORT OF TRACKING, UM, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE AS FAR AS WHAT'S CONSIDERED OPEN INTAKE, WHAT'S CLOSED AND, AND IS THERE A THIRD CATEGORY MAYBE? YEAH, NO, I THINK, UH, I THINK YOU'RE ACTUALLY RIGHT IN TERMS OF THE TERMINOLOGY OF OPEN INTAKE. 
          I THINK WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF OPEN INTAKE IS YOU'RE GONNA COME IN AND YOU'RE GONNA SURRENDER THE ANIMAL AND NO QUESTIONS ASKED, RIGHT? WELL, QUESTIONS ASKED. 
          BUT IN TERMS OF 
          [01:05:01]
YOU CAN'T DROP IT OFF, YOU CAN'T LEAVE IT WITH US, RIGHT? AND THEN CLOSED INTAKE IS LIKE, NONE OF THAT IS HAPPENING. 
          THE WAY I'VE BEEN REFERRING IT TO, UH, TO IT HAS BEEN MORE OF LIKE A MANAGED INTAKE. 
          YOU KNOW, WE'RE MANAGING THE INTAKE BASED ON WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR THE ANIMAL. 
          UM, IF, IF WE CAN PROVIDE A PERSON WITH THE RESOURCES TO HELP KEEP THAT ANIMAL WHILE SPACE IS CREATED, THEN WE'RE GONNA DO THAT. 
          AND IF, AND IF IT'S A, WE FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE THE, THE PERSON CANNOT DO THAT, AND, UM, IF WE DON'T TAKE IT IN, THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA, YOU KNOW, LEAVE IT TIED TO SOME FENCE POST OR SOMEWHERE IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          THEN WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND, AND, AND HAVE THAT. 
          AND AS I'VE, AS I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH OUR, OUR PRC, OUR PET RESOURCE CENTER STAFF, UM, AND THEY MEET MONTHLY, AND I'VE, I'VE, I'VE JOINED OUR MEETINGS AND, UM, I FIND LIKE THEY HAVE A REALLY GOOD ABILITY TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT, AND, UM, IF WE CAN, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE GIVE YOU? WHAT CAN WE SUPPORT YOU WITH TO HELP YOU, YOU KNOW, KEEP THAT ANIMAL, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT OUT, YOU KNOW, A FEW MONTHS OUT. 
          AND, UM, THAT HAPPENS. 
          AND, AND THEN, BUT BE ALSO ABLE TO, UM, IF FOR SOME REASON THERE'S A, THERE'S A CHANGE IN PLAN FOR THAT PERSON, NOW THEY HAVE TO SURRENDER IT, BE OPEN TO THAT. 
          AND WE'VE HAD DONE, WE'VE HAD THAT DONE WHERE WE'VE PRIORITIZED EARLIER, UH, INTAKE, RIGHT? UH, BECAUSE THAT SOMETHING CHANGED FOR THAT PERSON. 
          UM, SO THAT'S HOW I'VE BEEN CALLING IT MANAGED INTAKE. 
          THAT THAT MAKES SENSE. 
          SO SORT OF, THERE'S FULLY OPEN INTAKE MANAGED INTAKE, AND THEN MM-HMM . 
          WHAT WE MIGHT SAY IS COMPLETELY CLOSED INTAKE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
          IS THAT SORT OF A GOOD REPRESENTATION? YEAH. 
          'CAUSE WHEN I, WHEN I'VE LOOKED BACK AT THE MEMOS BEF THAT WERE THE DEPARTMENT SENT OUT REGARDING, UH, CLOSING THE INTAKE, IT WAS WE CLOSING THE INTAKE. 
          AND SO CLOSING TO ME IS LIKE, NOTHING'S GONNA COME IN CLOSING. 
          UM, YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT'S HELPFUL TO JUST MAKE SURE I'M, I'M SORT OF FOLLOWING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THERE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          MM-HMM . 
          UM, AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION WAS ABOUT, UM, WE HAD SEVERAL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT, THAT, UM, SPOKE TO THE ISSUE OF INJURED ANIMALS, UM, FOLKS WAITING FOR CARE, UM, TRYING TO, TO GET THAT SERVICES FOR THOSE ANIMALS OR, OR ANIMALS THAT WERE HIT BY CARS. 
          I KNOW THAT WE'VE, UM, ASKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, SO FORGIVE ME IF THIS IS A REPEAT QUESTION, BUT, UM, DO WE TRACK, UM, HIT BY CAR ANIMALS? UM, UH, I DON'T SEE IT IN THE DATA TODAY. 
          AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT, UM, THAT 3 1 1 TRACKS OR WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO, TO SORT OF GET AT THAT, UM, DATA REGARDING THOSE CONCERNS? SO, UH, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AND RUN SOME NUMBERS. 
          I MEAN, IT'S NOT, I'M SURE WE CAN DO IMPOUND WITH THE SUB IF, AS LONG AS WE'RE PAYING A SUBTYPE IF IT'S INJURED OR SICK. 
          UM, WHICH I, I THINK WE CAN DO, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I, WELL, AT LEAST WITH A PO ACTIVITIES, THEY ARE, UM, USUALLY WHEN WE GET 'EM FROM 3 1 1 AND IT'S REPORTED SICK OR INJURED, THEY'LL COME AS HIGHER PRIORITY CALLS TO US WHEN IT'S DISPATCHED TO US. 
          AND WE WILL, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, DISPATCH AN A PO QUARTERLY, AND THEN THEY CAN, THEY CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, CHECK INTO THE ANIMAL AND THEN, AND THEN UPDATE THE RECORDS. 
          SO I'LL HAVE TO, I, I HAVE SOME OTHER STUFF THAT WAS MARKING TO GET WITH OUR, OUR TMRI PERSON, SO I CAN ASK HIM ABOUT THAT AS WELL. 
          JUST, IT MIGHT BE, UM, SOMETHING, UH, READILY AVAILABLE. 
          YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT. 
          AND IF 3 1 1 CHECKS, I THINK, I GUESS MAYBE THEY WOULD BE SORT OF REALLY THE BEST, LIKE, PULSE ON, UH, TRYING TO GET A MEASURE OF, OF HOW FREQUENT, UM, THAT IS IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO, AND, AND YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT TO KNOW ANYTHING YOU LEARN AND JUST TO MITIGATE THAT BASED ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS, UM, WE, WE HAVE HAD SOME MEETINGS WITH 3 1 1 JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT THEIR, THAT THEIR AMBASSADORS HAVE CORRECT AND INFORMATION OR, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER WE DO HEAR THOSE, WE GET NOTIFIED THO UH, OUR LIAISONS SO THAT WAY THEY CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THEIR AMBASSADORS, HEAR THE PHONE CALLS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE. 
          MM-HMM . 
          GREAT. 
          THANKS, JASON. 
          EXCUSE ME, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A FIRST QUESTION BEFORE WE GO TO COMMISSIONER HOLT FOR HER SECOND? OR IS THIS COMMISSIONER FERGUSON? I JUST HAD A FOLLOW UP TO THAT. 
          UM, AND IT WAS ALSO PART OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          UM, SO IF THE CITY CAN'T TAKE AN INJURED ANIMAL, UM, FOR WHATEVER REASON, UM, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT CENTRAL TEXAS VET IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING, UM, INJURED ANIMALS. 
          SO WHAT DO YOU, WHAT IS THE POLICY THERE? IT'S HARD. 
          YEP. 
          GREAT QUESTION. 
          SO, UM, IT'S HARD TO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD THE MICROPHONE ON. 
          I ASKED ABOUT, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I ASKED ABOUT THE POLICY FOR, UM, EMERGENCY VET CARE. 
          UM, THE SECOND SPEAKER MENTIONED THAT, UM, IN SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THEY HAVE REACHED OUT TO CENTRAL TEXAS VET FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO TAKE THEM DUE TO, UH, FUNDING, POTENTIALLY FUNDING RESTRICTIONS. 
          SO I WAS ASKING ABOUT IF THE CITY CAN'T TAKE THEM, UM, WHAT 
          [01:10:01]
IS THE POLICY THEN? THANK YOU. 
          SO, UH, UM, IF Y'ALL RECALL, AS PART OF OUR, OUR BUDGET SUBMITTAL FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD TO MAKE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO, UH, TO REDUCE OUR, UH, OUR CONTRACTUAL, UM, ALTHOUGH NOT A CONTRACT, UH, THERE WAS NEVER A CONTRACT IN PLACE BETWEEN THE CITY, UH, ASANA ANIMAL SERVICES AND, UH, THE EMERGENCY CARE CLINIC. 
          UM, IT WAS OUR PROVIDER FOR, UM, SERVICES DIRECTLY TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, REGARDING ANY, UH, FOUND INJURED, LOST ANIMAL, UH, THAT WAS TAKEN TO THE CLINIC. 
          AND SO, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR, UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, PROCURING AS A NEW CONTRACT. 
          IT'S, UH, EXCEEDS THE MANAGER'S AUTHORITY. 
          SO WE HAVE TO COMPETE THIS SERVICE, AND WE ALSO WANT TO COMPETE, UH, TO, UH, ENSURE THAT WE GET QUALITY SERVICE AND, AND GOOD PRICING REGARDING THE MOVING FORWARD, WHAT THE PROGRAM WILL BE. 
          AND SO THE PROGRAM, UM, AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, AND IT WILL BE UNDER THE NEW CONTRACT, AND THIS HAS BEEN, UH, DIRECTLY COMMUNICATED TO THE EMERGENCY CARE CLINIC, IS, UM, A, A COMMUNITY MEMBER CAN BRING IN, UM, UH, AN INJURED ANIMAL, UM, BUT IT'S GONNA BE AT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PAYMENT, UH, FOR THAT PERSON THAT WANTS TO BRING IN THAT ANIMAL. 
          OUR, UH, FIELD SERVICES OFFICERS ARE, UM, AUSTIN ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS, AFTER HOURS CAN BRING IN AN ANIMAL THROUGH THE EC CLINIC, AND, UM, THERE, IT'S A PAGE MANAGEMENT SORT OF TRIAGE. 
          AND THEN NEXT MORNING THEY'LL CALL US AND WE'LL SEND OVER AN OFFICER TO PICK UP THE ANIMAL, BRINGING IT BACK TO OUR SHELTER FOR ADDITIONAL EVALUATION. 
          BUT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN EXTEND THIS A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO COVER BARE NEEDS, UH, THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, NOT IDEAL, UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE BEST, UH, USE FOR THAT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. 
          UM, SO FOLKS CAN COME, UH, FOLKS CAN CALL AT THREE OH ONE AND, AND, AND, UH, GET ON, UH, ONE OF OUR OFFICERS, UH, TO ARRIVE ON SCENE DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION. 
          AND THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'LL DO AFTER HOURS, UH, FOR THAT, FOR THAT ANIMAL. 
          UM, AGAIN, UH, WE FINALIZED THE SCOPE OF SERVICES, WE'VE SUBMITTED THAT THROUGH OUR, OUR CITY PROCUREMENT OFFICE TO, UM, SOLICIT THAT, UH, SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR US AND GET SOMEBODY ON BOARD QUICKLY. 
          AND NOW HOPEFULLY WE GET, UM, A LOT OF RESPONSES. 
          WE GET SOME REALLY GOOD PRICING, AND MAYBE WE'LL SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING THEN. 
          BUT I THINK, UM, IN THE MONTH OF, UM, UM, OCTOBER, I THINK WE'RE AT, UH, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, I THINK EIGHT, YOU KNOW, SLIGHTLY OVER THE $8,000 INVOICE AMOUNT, UH, FOR THOSE SERVICES THAT WERE PROVIDED ON OUR BEHALF, UH, THROUGH THE EC CLINIC EMERGENCY CARE CLINIC. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN COMMUNICATING, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE COMMUNICATED WITH 3 1 1. 
          WE MET WITH 3 1 1, UH, AND SHARED THAT INFORMATION. 
          WE'VE AGAIN, UH, COMMUNICATED THAT IN PERSON, BUT ALSO VIA EMAIL TO THE EC, UH, THE EMERGENCY CARE CLINIC, UM, TO, UH, CONFIRM THAT THAT'S OUR PROTOCOL. 
          COMMISSIONER HOLT, DO YOU STILL HAVE A QUESTION? I, UM, YEAH, I WAS JUST CIRCLING BACK REAL QUICK TO THE, UM, DOGS THAT HAVE BEEN, OR ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN HIT BY CARS, UM, I WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IF YOU'RE ABLE TO COMPILE THAT DATA. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, IF A DOG IS OR AN ANIMAL IS HIT BY A CAR AND DIES ON IMPACT OR DIES BEFORE ANYBODY CAN HELP THEM. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S Y'ALL OR WASTE MANAGEMENT OR LIKE WHERE THAT KIND OF FALLS IN THE DISPOSAL OF THE BODY'S SCANNING OF THE MICROCHIP PIPELINE. 
          UM, BUT WOULD LOVE IF YOU'RE DOING RESEARCH ON ANIMALS THAT ARE BEING HIT BY CARS SO THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT THE IMPACT OF THESE, UM, ANIMALS BEING INJURED RUNNING AT LARGE IS. 
          IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE ALSO HAVE, THATS, I THINK IT WOULD MORE FULLY REPRESENT, UM, THE, THE CONCERN IF WE HAVE THAT AS WELL. 
          WELL, UH, THIS IS JASON. 
          I'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT IN THE SENSE THAT, UM, I GET WITH 3 1 1 JUST TO SEE WHAT SERVICE CALLS THEY HAVE FOR DEAD ANIMAL ON THE ROAD. 
          SO THAT'LL BE A DEAD ANIMAL PICK UP BY A RR. 
          UM, USUALLY THE WAY WE'LL TRACK IT IS WE'LL PROBABLY DO, UH, IT'LL BE AN ANIMAL DOA, SO IT'S DEAD ON, DEAD ON ARRIVAL, ESSENTIALLY FOR US. 
          UM, SO, OKAY, SO THEY STILL COME TO YOU, EVEN THEY, THEY WOULD COME TO US, YEAH, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A STRAY, I MEAN, WE WILL, WE WILL HOLD THE REMAINS FOR, OR THE, THE, THE, THE STRAY HOLD PERIOD, UM, JUST IN CASE SOMEONE COMES AROUND SAYING, HEY, I'VE LOST MY, YOU KNOW, SUCH AND SUCH, AND LIKE, WELL, IT FITS THIS DESCRIPTION, AND THEN WE COULD POSSIBLY DO THAT. 
          UM, BUT JUST ALONG THOSE LINES. 
          BUT AFTER THE WHOLE PERIOD, THEN YES, WE WOULD PROBABLY THEN DISPOSE. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING. 
          COMMISSIONER NEER, I'D JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT, THAT WAS JUST SAID. 
          I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HEARD IT CORRECTLY. 
          UM, THAT THE ANIMAL SERVICES AFTER HOURS IS STRICTLY FOR ACOS, CORRECT? NOT THE GENERAL PUBLIC ACOS. 
          APOS. 
          [01:15:01]
APOS, I'M SORRY. 
          YES. 
          APOS. 
          YEP. 
          UM, SO JUST TO, UH, RE UM, RESPOND TO, TO THAT QUESTION. 
          SO AFTER HOURS IT'S THROUGH, UH, I MEAN, IT'S THROUGH ANY TIME OF THE DAY, RIGHT? OUR, THE, THE, WHAT CHANGES IS THAT AFTER HOURS, OUR ANIMAL SERVICES OFFICERS ARE GONNA TAKE THE ANIMAL TO THE EMERGENCY CARE CLINIC. 
          IF IT'S DURING DUTY HOURS, THE SHELTER'S OPEN, THEY'RE GONNA BRING THE ANIMAL INTO OUR, OUR SHELTER FOR OUR VETERINARY CARE TO PROVIDE CARE. 
          SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE SAME RESPONSE INTO, IN TERMS OF WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS, UH, SOMEBODY IN THE COMMUNITY CALLS FOR OUR, UH, UH, OUR FIELD SERVICES, OUR ANIMAL FISHING OFFICERS, BUT DIFFERENT TRACES. 
          WHAT OUR OFFICERS DO, UH, DOES, RIGHT DURING THE DAY, WE'RE OPEN DURING GONNA BRING THE ANIMAL INTO OUR SHELTER. 
          AFTER HOURS, THEY'LL TAKE THE, THE ANIMAL TO, UH, THE EC, UH, EMERGENCY CARE CLINIC. 
          UM, AND JUST A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, WHEN DID, WHAT IS AN A PO SCHEDULE? ISN'T IT ONLY FROM NINE TO FIVE? NO, SO THEY'RE ON FROM SIX 30 TO FOUR 30, AND THEN WE DO HAVE A NIGHT, A PO NIGHT SHIFT STAFF THAT RUN FROM TWO TO MIDNIGHT. 
          AND HOW MANY, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE THERE? SO NIGHT SHIFT, A PO, WE TRY TO RUN TWO. 
          UM, IF THERE'S A CALL OUT, WE'LL HAVE ONE THAT ASK THE PATROL CITY AND COUNTY. 
          OKAY. 
          AND SO, UM, WHAT, WHAT WE WERE HEARING FROM SOME OF THE SPEAKERS BEFORE WAS, WAS IN FACT TRUE THAT THEY WEREN'T GETTING THE APOS NECESSARILY TO COME OUT AND SO THEY WERE BEING TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR THE VETERINARY SERVICES? CORRECT? UM, YEAH. 
          'CAUSE WHENEVER WE DO GET EMERGENCY CALLS, UM, OUR APOS, NOT APOS WILL TRIAGE. 
          AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO HAVE TO PRIORITIZE WITH SERVICE ABOUT WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENING. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY TRY TO PRIORITIZE THOSE THAT ARE SICK AND INJURED. 
          BUT THEN IF YOU HAVE AN A PD OFFICER THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, SOMEONE WHO WAS ARRESTED, WHO HAS, YOU KNOW, A A DOG THAT YOU KNOW IS PROBABLY GETTING ANXIOUS, THEN THEY MAY CALL OUT FOR THAT. 
          THAT DOES ALSO GO UP TO A HIGHER PRIORITY LEVEL. 
          UM, SO IT'LL DEPEND ON WHAT, WHAT SORT OF FALLS IN LINE ESSENTIALLY ON. 
          WELL, I'M CURIOUS THEN, UM, ESPECIALLY FOR MR. FERNANDEZ, IF YOU COULD KIND OF, UM, GIMME SOME IDEAS OF WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IN THE FUTURE, SINCE THAT'S THE SITUATION WHERE ONLY THE APOS ONE OR TWO THAT ARE ON AT NIGHT ARE ABLE TO TAKE THE ANIMALS TO THE ANIMAL EMERGENCY CLINICS. 
          WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING ON DOING TO OPEN IT UP TO THE PEOPLE LIKE EVERYONE WHO SPOKE EARLIER WHO WERE UNABLE TO GET ANIMALS WHO ARE HIT BY A CAR, LIKE A BEVERLY SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT A LABRADOR WHO WAS HIT BY A CAR AND HAD TO BE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER PARTNER RESCUE BECAUSE OF THAT. 
          WHAT IF, IF, IF THIS IS YOUR SITUATION RIGHT NOW, AND THIS IS HOW YOU'RE SPENDING THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IS SO THAT THE APOS CAN TAKE ANIMALS TO THE ANIMAL EMERGENCY CLINIC WHEN IT'S AFTER HOURS, THEN WHAT DO YOU TELL ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE SITTING HERE TALKING TO US AS THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION AND WONDERING WHAT ARE THEY TO DO? NO, THAT'S A GOOD, UH, GREAT QUESTION. 
          AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN ON MY MIND AS WE WERE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO, UH, TO MAKE THE CHANGES IN THE PROCESS WHEN, UH, THE CITY, OUR DEPARTMENT DIDN'T HAVE THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO, UH, TO CONTINUE THIS SPECIFIC SERVICE, OR WHEN WE HAD TO CHALLENGE JUST LIKE EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHERE WE HAD TO REDUCE OUR OPERATING DOLLARS, RIGHT? UH, OUR, I THINK THREE FULL IS WHAT I WANNA LOOK AT. 
          UM, AND WOULD HAVE BEEN TWO OF THOSE. 
          I ALREADY KIND OF BEEN STUDYING SOME. 
          UH, THE FIRST ONE IS JUST AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, IN OUR, IN OUR BUDGET, UH, PROCESS FOR THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR AND THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, DO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, UM, AS PART OF THE TYPICAL PROCESS, RIGHT? WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES? WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE COMMUNITY? AND THEN HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE THAT TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, AND CITY MANAGER REGARDING OUR PRIORITIZATION OF THE BUDGET, RIGHT? UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH ANOTHER DIFFICULT BUDGET SEASON, UH, THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR. 
          UM, BUT I STILL WANT TO, WE STILL NEED TO GO THROUGH THAT EXERCISE OF, OF DETERMINING AND RECOMMENDING HERE ARE OUR PRIORITIES, RIGHT? AND THEN MAYBE THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PRIORITIES, UH, ADDING MORE FUNDING TO, UH, TO THIS, UH, CONTRACT THAT WE'LL HAVE IN PLACE. 
          AND WE'LL KNOW, WE'LL KNOW MORE INFORMATION, RIGHT? WE'LL GET A VENDOR ON, ON BOARD. 
          WE'LL HAVE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. 
          WE'LL HAVE A, A, A RATE SHEET THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'LL NOTE, YOU KNOW, THE COST FOR SERVICE. 
          AND, AND THEN WE CAN LOOK AT WHERE SHOULD WE BE GIVING THEM MORE DIRECTION IN TERMS OF, DO THIS, BUT NOT THIS, RIGHT? IF THE OUTCOME LOOKS GOOD, MAYBE WE WANT TO DO, SPEND SOME MORE MONEY. 
          IF THE OUTCOME DOESN'T LOOK THAT GREAT, THEN MAYBE WE PRIORITIZE THAT LIMITED FUNDING FOR OTHER AREAS WHERE WE, WE THINK THAT THERE'S BENE, UH, BENEFIT FOR THE ANIMALS. 
          SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE. 
          UH, NUMBER TWO IS, UH, CONVERSATION THAT I'VE ALREADY STARTED WITH, UM, UH, THE ANIMAL PROTECTION DIVISION, WHICH IS UNDER, UH, JASON'S, UH, LEADERSHIP DIRECTLY. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, THANKS TO, UH, MARIAN COUNCIL AND, AND SUPPORT FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WE GOT TWO ANIMAL PROTECTION OFFICERS. 
          THIS BUDGET PROCESS, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE, UH, FILLING THOSE POSITIONS QUICKLY. 
          UM, 
          [01:20:01]
BUT I'VE ALREADY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH JASON AND, AND, AND SUPERVISORS IN THAT DIVISION REGARDING, UH, OUR CURRENT STRUCTURE OF OPERATING HOURS AND HOW CAN WE LOOK AT DATA AND BE DEPLOYED MORE WHEN, UH, WHEN THE COMMUNITY CALLS ARE GREATER, RIGHT? SO JUST BE MORE STRUCTURED IN TERMS, IN TERMS OF HOW WE DO THAT. 
          UM, A LOT OF OUR, UH, EVENING, UH, SERVICES ARE ON CALL, AND THAT'S AN IMPACT IN MY BUDGET. 
          AND SO IF THAT'S, THAT'S THE NEED THERE, WHY NOT JUST HAVE IT ALREADY STRUCTURED IN TERMS OF WE'RE DELIVERING THOSE SERVICES. 
          SO I JUST REALIZED THAT I'M GIVING YOU A LOT OF STUFF THAT I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO MY STAFF ABOUT. 
          UM, SO, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION DOWN HERE ANYWAY, BUT THAT'S NUMBER ONE, HOW DO WE DEPLOY OUR, OUR RESOURCES THE BEST BASED ON THE CALL LOADS THAT WE GET THROUGH 3 1 1? AND THAT MAY MEAN THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'RE GONNA SHIFT OUR SCHEDULES, OUR START AND END TIMES, UM, AND MAYBE HAVE LESS, UH, AREAS WHERE YOU, WE HAVE MORE FOLKS ON BOARD AT THE SAME TIME, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND, BUT SPREAD 'EM OUT SO THAT WE CAN GET GREATER COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE, THE ENTIRE, A GOOD PORTION OF THE DAY, AGAIN, WHEN THE CALL LOADS DICTATE THAT LEVEL OF RESPONSE FROM US. 
          SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S BEEN A CONVERSATION THAT WE STARTED. 
          UM, I'VE MET, WE'VE MET WITH, UM, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT DISTRICT REP COMMANDER TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND HOW THEY DO THE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE, UH, FUNCTION. 
          UH, 'CAUSE I WANNA INSTALL THAT INTO OUR MODEL FOR, UM, OUR, UH, OFFICERS. 
          SO BE MORE ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY, ATTENDING MORE EVENTS, UH, MORE EDUCATION, MORE CONNECTIONS SO THAT WHEN THEY DO RESPOND, THERE'S ALREADY BUILT RELATIONSHIP IN THOSE DISTRICTS. 
          AND SO WE STARTED THAT EFFORT AND, AND LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT SOME, SOME CHANGES TO THIS PROCESS. 
          SO, UM, I'VE GIVEN YOU TWO, UM, YOU KNOW, OUT, OUT OF THE, THE, THE THREE, UH, RIGHT. 
          AND THE THIRD ONE THAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON, UM, AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, JUST THE DATA COLLECTION, RIGHT? AND I MENTIONED THIS ON MY SECOND ONE, BUT KNOW I HAVE ONE IT PERSON. 
          UH, I PERSONALLY HAVE REACHED OUT AND MET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF OUR, OUR COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY OFFICE, AND IT'S NOW CALLED SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I'M JUST FORGETTING THAT NAME. 
          UM, THERE, THERE'S A REALLY EXCITING, UH, TRANSITION IN TERMS OF HOW THE CITY DOES, UH, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. 
          WHERE NOW, INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING ONE PERSON, UM, THAT PERSON WILL STILL SUPPORT US, BUT THEY'LL BE REPORTING THROUGH, UH, THE COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. 
          BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT MORE BACKUP, UH, SERVICES. 
          AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR ME IS THE ABILITY TO START, UH, REALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE DO DATA, DATA REPORTING, DATA COLLECTION, RIGHT? AND, UM, JUST DEPLOY OUR LIMITED RESOURCES, UH, REALLY, UM, BETTER BASED ON THE DATA THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THREE ONE. 
          SO DATA, UH, 3, 1 1 RIGHT NOW, WE MEET WITH THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS, MONTHLY, UM, WE GO THROUGH ALL THE, UM, THE CUES THAT THEY HAVE WHEN THEY GET A CALL AND WHAT THEY SAY. 
          UM, WE PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND EDITS, BUT WE ALSO GET A LOT OF GREAT DATA. 
          UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY LEVERAGING THAT DATA TO INFORM HOW WE'RE DEPLOYING THE SERVICE IN PARTICULAR TO, UH, TO OUR FIELD SERVICE OFFICE. 
          SO I CHANGING THE, LOOKING AT THEIR SCHEDULE MODEL NUMBER ONE, UH, LOOKING AT HOW TO DEPLOY, BE MORE CONNECTED WITH THE COMMUNITY, NUMBER TWO, BUT THEN ALSO LOOKING AT THE DATA TO INFORM AGAIN, YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED TO HAVE MORE STAFF AVAILABLE ON MONDAYS? YOU KNOW, OR, OR TUESDAYS BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE GET THE BIGGEST CALL LOAD OR IS IT OUR GREATEST THINGS, RIGHT? SO IN A NUTSHELL, I THINK ALL THOSE THINGS WILL ALLOW US TO DEPLOY, UH, OUR SERVICE, OUR OFFICERS BETTER, UH, AND BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THOSE THOSE CALLS FOR, FOR HELP AFTER HOURS. 
          UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, UNLESS I GET SOME, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE GONNA JUST BE AT THE BASE LEVEL, WHICH IS, UH, ONLY, UM, PAIN MANAGEMENT ONLY, UH, TRIAGING. 
          AND THEN NEXT DAY THEY'RE COMING OVER TO OUR, OUR, OUR SHELTER. 
          AND THEN OUR VETS ARE MAKING THE BEST INFORMED ADDITION FOR THE ANIMAL THAT MAY BE THEY ABLE TO PROVIDE CARE, OR THEY'RE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, CONNECT THAT ANIMAL WITH, UH, UH, A RESCUE ORGANIZATION THAT MAYBE HAS THOSE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED BY, BY THE ANIMAL. 
          AND YOU KNOW, I MENTIONED EARLIER THE, THE MEETING THAT WE'RE HAVING THAT WE'RE, WE HAVE A DATE WE'RE WORKING ON COMMUNICATING THAT TO THE RESCUE PARTNERS, BUT PART OF THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE RESCUE ORGANIZATION JUST KIND OF LEARN, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THEIR MISSION, THEIR, THEIR, UM, THE PURPOSE AS AN ORGANIZATION IS, AND FIGURING OUT WAYS TO WORK WITH THEM. 
          AND MAYBE MY HOPE IS THAT, UM, THERE ARE SOME, UM, RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CARE FOR ANIMALS THAT MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE. 
          AND MAYBE THAT'S THE IDEAL SITUATION WHERE WE'RE JUST, UH, CONNECTING THE ANIMAL TO THAT RESCUE ORGANIZATION. 
          SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF ONE OF THE GOALS THAT, THAT I HAVE, UM, UM, IN THAT EFFORT, YOU KNOW, KINDA LIKE WHAT WE DO RIGHT NOW THROUGH A PA, UH, A PA HAS THOSE REQUIREMENTS THROUGH THE, UH, UH, THE, UH, LAND AGREEMENT. 
          UH, BUT THEY GO AND BEYOND, ABOVE AND BEYOND THOSE SERVICES AS WELL AND, AND PULL OTHER THINGS FROM US. 
          AND SO CERTAINLY GREATLY APPRECIATED, BUT BUILDING MORE CAPACITY TO THOSE NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO THAT FOR US IS, IS ALSO KEY TO, UH, TO THE QUESTION THAT YOU HAD, COMMISSIONER, I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE, THAT, THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE IT'S INHUMANE FOR THEM TO HAVE TO WATCH A DOG DIE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHEN THEY CAN'T TAKE IT TO AN ANIMAL SHELTER 
          [01:25:01]
OR, OR, OR A VETERAN VETERINARY CLINIC. 
          SO I'M LOOKING OUT FOR THE, THE COMMUNITY ON THIS ONE. 
          YES, SIR. 
          UM, COMMISSIONER DANIEL, I JUST HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION, JASON, WHEN YOU SAID THERE WERE 52, I THINK IT WAS 52, UM, TRANSFERS TO A HS AND YOU SAID SNR AND TNR, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY, THAT'S JUST SNR. 
          YEAH. 
          OKAY. 
          BECAUSE TNR, WHILE IT GOES TO THE SAME PLACE, IT DOESN'T JUST THOUGHT OF THE WHOLE PROGRAM, THAT'S MY FAULT. 
          AND 52 IS KIND OF HIGH CONSIDERING THE PREVIOUS YEARS. 
          DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHY THERE'S AN INCREASE LIKE THAT? UM, I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE, THEY JUST OPENED UP MORE DAYS OR, OR WHAT HAPPENED, UM, WHEN PULLING THE, THE, OR SEEING THE INVOICE FROM THE MONTH THAT CAME IN, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, I COUNTED THE 52 THAT FOR THE MONTH AND THEN, YEAH, UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO BLOCK OUT, UM, THAT AS A TRANS OR BLOCK OUT THE SNRS FROM THE TOTAL TRANSFER NUMBER MM-HMM . 
          UM, SO, UH, YEAH, I HAVE TO MANUALLY DO THAT IN ORDER TO GET THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT I COUNTED SO WELL, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THE INCREASES IN CHANGE IN THE WAY THE PROGRAM'S DONE. 
          UM, IF IT'S GOING BACK TO HOW IT USED TO BE WHERE IT WAS JUST A REVOLVING DOOR FOR CATS THAT CAME IN MM-HMM . 
          AND, YOU KNOW, ADOPTABLE CATS ARE NOT, OR WERE JUST SENT OUT, OR CATS THAT WEREN'T EVEN THAT HEALTHY WERE JUST SENT OUT. 
          THERE WAS A WHOLE WORKING GROUP THAT WAS STARTING FOR THIS SNR THING AND THEN IT DIED DOWN BECAUSE SNR PROGRAM CHANGED. 
          SO I'M JUST HOPING THAT IT'S NOT REVERTING BACK TO WHAT IT USED TO BE, WHICH WAS CONSIDERED FAIRLY INHUMANE BY MANY PEOPLE. 
          I'LL GET WITH THE STAFF THAT THEY JUST SAW AN INCREASE OF IT, OF JUST CATS THAT QUALIFIED AS CANDIDATES FOR IT. 
          OR MAYBE THERE'S AN INCREASE OF CATS THAT COULD GO DIRECTLY TO TNR, BUT THEY'RE COMING IN FOR SNR, WHICH WOULD BE A BAD USE OF SHELTER SPACE WHEN IT'S LIMITED, WHEN THERE'S ANOTHER AVENUE TO GET THEM FIXED. 
          YEAH. 
          YEAH. 
          I, I'LL CHECK WITH THEM AS WELL THIS WEEK. 
          SO THAT WAY, YEAH, I'D BE SURPRISED. 
          THAT'S THE REASON, JUST BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND JUST SETTING UP CRITERIA, UH, IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT SHOULD STAY, YOU KNOW, UH, WHAT SHOULD, WHAT WE DO REALLY WELL IN THE SHELTER ENVIRONMENT VERSUS, YOU KNOW, RELEASING IT BACK AS A TNR TO THE COMMUNITY. 
          I KNOW WE'VE DONE THAT. 
          UM, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY CATS TEAM AND OUR, OUR VETS TO KIND OF JUST BE, THINK THERE WAS SOME DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AND, AND WELL, THERE WAS, AND WE WORKED THROUGH THAT AND THEN KIND OF ESTABLISHED SOME CRITERIA IN TERMS OF HERE'S WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR, WHAT WOULD BE A SUCCESSFUL STAY, YOU KNOW, IN OUR SHELTER KIND OF CAT MM-HMM . 
          UM, AND WHAT WOULDN'T, WHAT WOULDN'T, WHAT WOULDN'T, UH, THRIVE IN OUR, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE SHELTER ENVIRONMENT. 
          SO I, I, I DON'T SEE IT BEING THAT JUST BECAUSE WE'VE HAD REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS ON THAT AND, AND, AND GOT ON THE SAME PAGE ON THAT, SO, SO MAYBE IT'S CATS THAT COULD GO DIRECTLY TO TNR BUT ARE COMING IN FOR SNR? YEAH, NO, LEMME JUST, UH, LET ME REVISIT WITH OUR TEAM AND KIND OF FIND OUT ON THAT ONE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND I'D LIKE MAYBE ON THE SIDE JUST MORE HISTORY ON THE PREVIOUS, THAT EFFORT THAT WORKED WITH A H YOU MAY STUDY THAT. 
          I CAN GIVE YOU THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THAT COMPLETES AGENDA ITEM TWO. 
          JASON, I HOPE HE COULD GO. 
          JUST IMPRESSED. 
          I TRIED TO TELL HIM TO GO HOME HIS HARD . 
          THANK YOU, JASON. 
          MOVING ON FROM 
          [3.  Update on the recruitment process for the Austin Animal Services Director. Presentation by  Rodney Crain, Senior Consultant, MGT.]
STAFF BRIEFINGS AND ONTO DISCUSSION ITEMS. WE HAVE AGENDA ITEM THREE, UPDATE ON THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR THE AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR PRESENTED BY RODNEY CRANE, SENIOR CONSULTANT FOR MGT, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE 22 PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THAT. 
          SO 22 TIMES THREE MINUTES IS GONNA BE OVER AN HOUR, SO IF PEOPLE COULD COME AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE SEATED, I'LL READ THE NEXT TWO SPEAKERS. 
          UM, ROBIN KATZ GONZALEZ IS GONNA BE FIRST, AND THEN SUSIE CHASE WILL BE SECOND. 
          SO PLEASE IF SUSIE CHASE IS STILL HERE, IF SHE COULD COME UP NOW. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS ROBIN KATZ GONZALEZ IN DISTRICT SEVEN. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE FOCUS OF WHO WILL BE LEADING A A C IN THE FUTURE. 
          SOMEONE WHO IS EXTREMELY QUALIFIED, APPLIED, AND WITHOUT EVEN SO MUCH AS AN INTERVIEW, WAS SENT A MESSAGE AT THE END OF LAST WEEK THAT SHE WAS NOT SELECTED. 
          THIS PERSON WOULD'VE BEEN TREMENDOUS IN LEADING THE SHELTER. 
          IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT THE DIRECTOR OF ANOTHER SHELTER IN A MIDSIZE CITY IN TENNESSEE, SIMILAR TO WHAT AUSTIN USED TO BE, WHO BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT LEVEL ALIKE, INCLUDING RESCUES, WASN'T EVEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW. 
          SHE HAS IMPLEMENTED PROGRAMS, HAS OPEN INTAKE, TRULY OPEN INTAKE, AND HAS A BALANCE OF COMMON SENSE AND HUMANE ANIMAL, ANIMAL CENTRIC TYPE LEADERSHIP. 
          THIS TRULY MAKES ME QUESTION THE ABILITY OF THE COMPANY WHO IS VETTING POTENTIAL CANDIDATES. 
          IN 2022, COUNCIL DIRECTED THE CMO TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN TO BETTER SERVE ANIMALS IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          THEN SOMEONE WITH GENERAL PUBLIC POLICY AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EXPERIENCE WAS HIRED 
          [01:30:01]
TO DEVELOP THIS PLAN. 
          SOMEONE WITH, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, NO ANIMAL RELATED PLANNING EXPERIENCE. 
          FAST FORWARD TO THE PLAN, THE PLAN, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, SAYS NOTHING ABOUT MEETING A DEFINED PERCENTAGE. 
          WHY ARE WE SO FOCUSED ON THIS? WITH THE NEW DIRECTOR, THE PLAN WAS CREATED TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY, BUT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN IF WE HIRE SOMEONE WHO IS SO FOCUSED ON A NUMBER THAT COMMON SENSE GOES OUT THE DOOR. 
          COMMON SENSE TELLS US WE HAVE A SPACIOUS SPACE ISSUE, WHICH WE DO. 
          UNTIL WE CAN CONTROL THE NUMBER OF LOOSE ANIMALS, INTACT ANIMALS, AND HAVE PROGRAMS IN PLACE THAT SUPPORT THIS NO KILL GOAL, WE SIMPLY CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT HURTING ANIMALS AND HURTING PEOPLE. 
          YOU CAN'T FORCE PEOPLE TO ADOPT ANIMALS, YOU CAN'T FORCE THEM TO FOSTER ANIMALS. 
          HIRE SOMEONE WITH COMMON SENSE LIKE THE MAJORITY OF AUSTIN WANTS, NOT JUST THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MANIPULATED BY A VERY POWERFUL, LOUD MINORITY IN AUSTIN. 
          WHAT IS THE TRUTH BEHIND NO KILL? NO KILL DOESN'T WORK. 
          IT'S PUTTING ANIMALS AND PEOPLE AT RISK IN OUR CITY, AND WE NEED TO FOCUS ON GETTING ANIMALS OFF THE STREET AND INTO SAFE PLACES. 
          A SHELTER DIRECTOR WHO IS NOT FOCUSED ON NO KILL, IS FOCUSED ON ANIMAL WELFARE, WORKING WITH A PD, PUTTING HIRING APOS HIGH ON THEIR BUDGET LIST, ENFORCING LAWS, CITING PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOOSE ANIMALS ALL THE TIME. 
          THAT'S WHO WE NEED. 
          SOMEBODY WHO CAN TAKE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND HIRE AN AFTER HOURS IN-HOUSE VET SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T CUT THEIR NOSES OFF DESPITE THEIR FACES BY REMOVING AN AMAZING VOLUNTEER OR VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE OF A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE, PREVIOUSLY AS WELL. 
          I'M VERY SCARED THAT WE WON'T GET THIS PERSON AND I AM NOT IN THE MINORITY, UM, IN THIS BIG CITY THAT WE HAVE THINKING THIS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, MS. CHASE, GO AHEAD. 
          AND NEXT WILL BE, UM, ANISSA HAAS, BUT SHE'S REMOTE. 
          GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS. 
          MY NAME IS SUSIE CHASE. 
          I'M A DISTRICT 10 CONSTITUENT. 
          I JOIN YOU THIS EVENING WITH A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE. 
          I CURRENTLY SERVE AT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, A NONPROFIT ANIMAL SHELTER. 
          I PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS STAFF FOR TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          WHILE WORKING IN THAT ROLE, THE FORMER ASSISTANT CITY CITY MANAGER SELECTED FINALISTS IN 2019 FOR THE NEXT ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR. 
          I WAS ON THE RECEIVING END OF PHONE CALLS FROM CONSTITUENTS WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT THE TWO FINALISTS AND WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE RESULT OF THE A CM, FORMER A CM SELECTING THE WRONG CANDIDATE DURING WINTER STORM. 
          YURI, PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR PETS, PEOPLE WHO FOUND ANIMALS, AND PEOPLE WHO NEEDED TO SURRENDER THEIR ANIMALS WERE LEFT WITH NO OPTIONS DUE TO THE POOR MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY'S ANIMAL SHELTER AT THE TIME. 
          NOW THAT I WORKED DIRECTLY WITH ANIMALS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES, I CAN CONFIDENTLY SHARE WITH YOU WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS, THE RECRUITING FIRM AND THE CITY MANAGERS SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR IN THE NEXT ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR. 
          THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD, AS PART OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, INVITE THE FINALISTS TO MEET WITH THE PUBLIC IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY. 
          THE FINALISTS SHOULD HAVE MEET AND GREET SESSIONS IN THE DISTRICTS AND COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE'S THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF 3 1 1 CALLS WITH ANIMALS BEING FOUND AND NOT BEING PICKED UP BY APOS, THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS WILL BENEFIT MOST FROM AN A A S DIRECTOR WHO HAS EXPERIENCE IN TRUE OPEN INTAKE SHELTER. 
          THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD SELECT AN A A S DIRECTOR FOR THEIR ABILITY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS HONESTLY AND BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR DECISIONS THEY SHOULD IMMEDIATELY OFFER TO HOST COMMUNITY MEETINGS WITH EACH COUNCIL MEMBER WITHIN THE FIRST 60 DAYS OF BEING HIRED. 
          THIS WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS RESTORING TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD NOT SELECT AN ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR WHO'S LOOKING AT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOWARDS THEIR FINAL YEAR OF EARNING A PENSION. 
          THIS IS A FULL-TIME POSITION THAT NEEDS TO HAVE A LEADER WHO IS WORKING TO FIX THE PROBLEMS CREATED OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS AND RESTORE SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. FOR NOW IN THE FUTURE SUCCESS OF AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES, THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD NOT SELECT AN A A S DIRECTOR WHO IS NOT EQUIPPED TO PIVOT TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THE ANIMALS IN AND OUTSIDE THE SHELTER. 
          BECAUSE THE FORMER CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE SELECTED THE WRONG CANDIDATE IN 2019, WE ENDED UP WITH A DIRECTOR WHO DID NOT HAVE A PLACE FOR ANIMALS TO GO DURING WINTER STORM MURRY. 
          THE NEXT A A S DIRECTOR SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE LIFE-SAVING DECISIONS QUICKLY DURING THE NEXT NATURAL DISASTER, THE NEXT PANDEMIC, AND CERTAINLY DURING ANY FREEZES OR FLOODS, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO MORE THAN LOAN TWO TRUCKS OUT TO PICK UP ANIMALS FROM KIRK COUNTY. 
          THE PERSON SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR ABOUT THE NEEDS IN TRAVIS COUNTY, LIKE IN SANDY CREEK, AND RESPOND QUICKLY AND APPROPRIATELY TO HELP PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR ANIMALS AND PEOPLE WHO FOUND ANIMALS DURING THE FLOODING IN TRAVIS COUNTY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD NOT SELECT AN A A S DIRECTOR WHO DOES NOT HAVE A SUCCESSFUL TRACK RECORD LEADING A TRUE OPEN INTAKE, 95% NO KILL SHELTER, WHERE HUMANE CARE IS GIVEN TO ALL ANIMALS AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHOULD, AS PART OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, TAKE ALL THE FINALISTS TO THE CITY SHELTER, TAKE THEM FOR A TOUR, INTRODUCE THE FINALISTS TO THE STAFF AND THE VOLUNTEERS AND ANIMALS AT A A S THEN ASK THE FINALIST THIS QUESTION, WHICH ANIMALS HERE ARE UNADOPTABLE? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, ANISA HAAS REMOTE. 
          HELLO, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. 
          HI, MY NAME IS VANESSA HO AND I'M A FORMER RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 10. 
          I PREVIOUSLY WORKED AS A DOG BEHAVIOR TRAINER WITH 
          [01:35:01]
AUSTIN PET ALIVE, AND BEFORE THAT I SERVED AS BOTH A STAFF MEMBER AND VOLUNTEERED AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          I WANT TO SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT AGENDA ITEM THREE AND WHY THE SEARCH FOR AUSTIN'S NEXT ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR MAY BE OUR LAST REAL CHANCE TO TURN THE SHELTER AROUND. 
          IN THE SPRING OF 24, I WAS WRONGFULLY TERMINATED AS A VOLUNTEER FOLLOWING A PULSE REPORT BY A STAFF MEMBER, A REPORT LATER DISPROVEN BY THE SHELTER'S OWN VIDEO FOOTAGE. 
          LEADERSHIP KNEW THAT FOOTAGE EXISTED AND THAT IT COULD CLEAR ME, BUT THEY REFUSED TO REVIEW IT AND MAINTAINED MY SUSPENSION ONLY AFTER I MENTIONED THAT I HAD FILED A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST. 
          DID THEY FINALLY REVIEW THE VIDEO AND CONFIRM THAT I HAD NOT DONE WHAT I WAS ACCUSED OF? THAT FOOTAGE SHOWED THE REPORT WAS FALSE, AND INTERNAL EMAILS LATER OBTAINED THROUGH MY PIR REVEALED THAT LEADERSHIP HAS MISREPRESENTED P FACTS ABOUT INCIDENT, YET NO ONE WAS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FILING OR SUSTAINING THE FALSE REPORT OR, YEAH, THAT OCCURRED UNDER PRIOR DIRECTOR, BUT THE SAME LEADERSHIP TEAM REMAINS AND CONTINUES TO ACT WITHOUT OVERSIGHT UNDER INTERIM DIRECTOR RONALDO FERNANDEZ. 
          AS HE HEARD EARLIER RECENTLY, CIA WAS TERMINATED THE FIRST BUSINESS DAY AFTER SPEAKING HERE LAST MONTH FOR EXERCISING HER RIGHT TO SPEAK OPENLY ABOVE SHELTER POLICY. 
          THE PARALLELS ARE ON JACOB. 
          TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTORS, THE SAME MANAGEMENT TEAM, THE SAME RETALIATION AGAINST OUTSPOKEN VOLUNTEERS. 
          EVEN MORE CONCERNING TWO OF THE MANAGERS INVOLVED IN THESE DECISIONS ARE PERSONALLY ENGAGED TO ONE ANOTHER. 
          A CLEAR CONFLICT OF INTEREST WHEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE EMPOWERED TO INVESTIGATE OR DISCIPLINE EACH OTHER'S SUBORDINATE. 
          THAT DYNAMIC CREATES A SYSTEM WHERE RETALIATION IS NOT ONLY UNCHECKED, BUT MUTUALLY REINFORCED. 
          WHEN LOYALTY TO EACH OTHER OUTWEIGHS ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PUBLIC, THERE CAN BE NO FAIRNESS OR TRUST IN INTERNAL DECISION MAKING. 
          THIS ISN'T ABOUT ISOLATED INCIDENTS, IT'S ABOUT A CULTURE OF FEAR AND CONTROL THAT DRIVES AWAY THE VERY PEOPLE WHO CARE MOST ABOUT THE ANIMALS AND THE SHELTER'S MISSION. 
          VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF ARE NOT OBSTACLES. 
          THEY'RE THE FOUNDATION OF THE SHELTER SUCCESS. 
          WHEN MANAGEMENT PUNISHES THEM FOR SPEAKING OUT, THE ENTIRE SYSTEM COLLAPSES. 
          THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE MAY HOLD A FIRING AUTHORITY, BUT THE COMMISSION HAS INFLUENCE AND, UH, VISIBILITY THAT MATTERS. 
          YOU ARE THE COMMUNITY'S VOICE IN THIS PROCESS. 
          IF YOU DO NOT USE THAT VOICE TO INSIST THAT THE CITY MANAGERS SELECT A STRONG, ETHICAL AND INDEPENDENT LEADER, ONE WILLING TO HOLD THIS MANAGEMENT TEAM ACCOUNTABLE AND REBUILD TRUST, WE WILL SIMPLY REPEAT THE SAME FAILURES FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, ONCE OFTEN ONCE LED THE NATION IN A LIFESAVING BECAUSE, UM, OUR SHELTER STOOD FOR TRANSPARENCY, COLLABORATION, AND COMPASSION. 
          THOSE VALUES HAVE BEEN ERODED BY YEARS OF MISMANAGEMENT AND SILENCE. 
          NOW IS THE TIME TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE TO REBUILD A SHELTER, GROUNDING IN INTEGRITY AND RESPECT, ONE THAT WELCOMES COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP INSTEAD OF FEARING IT AND ONE THAT RESTORES THE PUBLIC FAITH IN AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          PLEASE USE YOUR PLATFORM TO ENSURE THAT THE NEXT DIRECTOR HAS THE STRENGTHS, INDEPENDENCE, AND COURAGE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          UM, NEXT WE HAVE HEATHER MYERS, WHO'S REMOTE. 
          WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. 
          HEATHER, CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELLO? YES, MA'AM, WE CAN HEAR YOU. 
          HI, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          MY NAME IS HEATHER MYERS. 
          I'M A LOCAL ATTORNEY, ANIMAL ADVOCATE AND CURRENT VOLUNTEER AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT ON AGENDA ITEM THREE. 
          BECAUSE THE CHOICE OF THE NEXT ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THIS DEPARTMENT STABILIZES OR CONTINUES TO DECLINE. 
          THIS DECISION MUST BE GROUNDED IN DEMONSTRATED PERFORMANCE, NOT CONVENIENCE AND NOT CONTINUITY. 
          SUSIE CHASE ELOQUENTLY OUTLINED WHAT WENT WRONG IN SELECTING A SHELTER DIRECTOR IN 2019. 
          WE ALL KNOW THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO REPEAT THAT SAME MISTAKE TODAY. 
          WE KNOW THAT THE INTERIM DIRECTOR IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE PERMANENT ROLE, AND IT IS CRUCIAL TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN DURING HIS TENURE TONIGHT. 
          WE HEARD A LONG LIST OF THINGS THE INTERIM DIRECTOR IS LOOKING TO DO, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT HE'S BEEN THERE SINCE APRIL. 
          AND IN THAT TIME, THE ONLY NEW INITIATIVE HE HAS ROLLED OUT IS THE RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST. 
          UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, THE URGENT PLACEMENT AND RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST, TOOLS THAT ULTIMATELY DETERMINE WHETHER ANIMALS LIVE OR DIE REMAIN DRIVEN BY INCOMPLETE AND UNRELIABLE INFORMATION. 
          DOGS ARE LABELED PUBLIC SAFETY RISKS BASED ON MATRICES CREATED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER PERSONALLY INTERACTED WITH THEM, RELYING ON UNVERIFIED REPORTS AND OUTDATED NOTES WITH LITTLE EVIDENCE OR RIGOROUS REVIEW OR OVERSIGHT. 
          THESE LABELS FOLLOW ANIMALS INDEFINITELY AND ROUTINELY PLACE THEM ON A PATH TOWARD EUTHANASIA EVEN WHEN REAL WORLD OUTCOMES LATER PROVED THOSE ASSESSMENTS WERE WRONG. 
          THE CREATION OF THE THEIR RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST HAS NOT CORRECTED THESE FAILURES. 
          IT IS ADDED BUREAUCRACY THAT RESTRICTS ACCESS AND SLOWS PLACEMENT. 
          IT BECOMES A MECHANISM FOR JUSTIFYING KILLING DOGS RATHER THAN DOING THE WORK TO GET THEM PLACED. 
          THE SHELTER BUDDY ROLLOUT FURTHER DEMONSTRATE THE LACK OF OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP MONTHS AFTER IMPLEMENTATION, VOLUNTEERS STILL LACK RELIABLE 
          [01:40:01]
ACCESS TO BEHAVIOR NOTES. 
          ANIMALS REMAIN INCONSISTENTLY VISIBLE ON PETFINDER AND ADOPTION AND PLACEMENT WORKFLOWS CONTINUE TO FAIL. 
          THESE ARE FAILURES OF PLANNING, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND EXECUTION. 
          AS WE'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS TONIGHT, THE INTERIM DIRECTOR HAS ALSO CONTINUED TO EMPOWER A MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE THAT APPEARS TO RETALIATE AGAINST CRITICISM. 
          OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE HEARD MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS DESCRIBING VOLUNTEERS AND EMPLOYEES BEING TERMINATED AFTER RAISING CONCERNS, SOMETHING THAT IS STILL HAPPENING, WHETHER OR NOT INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS ARE DEFENSIBLE. 
          THE PATTERN REFLECTS A LEADERSHIP CULTURE THAT DISCOURAGES FEEDBACK AND ERODES TRUST. 
          PERHAPS MOST CONCERNING IS A MISMATCH BETWEEN EXPERTISE AND AUTHORITY. 
          THE INTERIM DIRECTOR HAS PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED HAVING LITTLE ANIMAL WELFARE EXPERIENCE, YET CONTINUES TO OVERSEE AND DEFEND DETERMINATIONS ABOUT BEHAVIOR. 
          AND ADOPTABILITY DOGS DEEMED UNADOPTABLE UNDER HIS NEW RESCUE PLACEMENT LIST PROCESS ARE REPEATEDLY THRIVING AT HOME. 
          THESE ARE NOT EXCEPTIONS, THEY'RE EVIDENCE OF FLAWED ASSESSMENTS AND FAILED LEADERSHIP OVERSIGHT. 
          INTERIM SERVICE IS NOT A TRIAL RUN THAT MUST BE REWARDED WITH PERMANENT. 
          IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE PERFORMANCE. 
          AND PERFORMANCE IS ULTIMATELY WHAT MATTERS MOST. 
          AS COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE YOUR VISIBILITY AND YOUR INFLUENCE TO ADVISE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER TO GET THIS RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THE NEXT SPEAKER IS BEVERLY LUNA, WHO'S ALSO REMOTE. 
          HELLO. 
          WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. 
          BEVERLY. 
          HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? OH, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, MA'AM. 
          WE CAN HEAR YOU WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. 
          OKAY. 
          SORRY. 
          UM, THIS IS BEVERLY LYNN WITH AUSTIN LAWSON FOUND PETS. 
          I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER HIRING A CANDIDATE WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT IT IS NOT OKAY TO SHIFT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARING FOR SICK AND INJURED ANIMALS FOUND AT NIGHT TO THE PUBLIC OR TO ALLOW THE ANIMALS TO SUFFER. 
          MR. FERNANDEZ DID NOT ACCURATELY REPRESENT THAT EMERGENCY SERVICES WERE CUT BECAUSE BUDGET CUTS WERE REQUIRED. 
          ANIMAL SERVICES TOOK AWAY THE FUNDING FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES IN ORDER TO ADD TWO HIGHLY PAID ADMINISTRATORS AND TWO APOS. 
          THERE WERE NO ACTUAL SAVINGS FROM CUTTING EMERGENCY SERVICES FROM THE BUDGET. 
          ALSO, CONSIDER SELECTING A CANDIDATE WHO HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE NECESSITY OF A ROBUST VET SERVICES IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN NO KILL. 
          IF A A C WOULD HIRE MORE VETS INSTEAD OF ADMINISTRATORS, MORE PETS COULD STAY WITH FINDERS. 
          IF VETS WERE AVAILABLE TO EXAMINE AND VACCINATE ANIMALS BROUGHT TO THE SHELTER BY FINDERS RIGHT AWAY. 
          IF THE INDIVIDUAL'S WILLING TO TAKE THE DOG IMMEDIATELY INTO THE FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM, THAT'S WHAT WILCO DOES AND IT WORKS. 
          THATT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO DO THIS DURING ALL HOURS. 
          THE SHELTER IS OPEN. 
          I I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT ANY OF THE EITHER OF THE PAST TWO DIRECTORS HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT A ROBUST VET SERVICES IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO GET US OUT OF THIS HUGE PROBLEM WE'RE IN NOW. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          NEXT IS ELLEN. 
          ELLEN JEFFERSON, WHO'S ALSO REMOTE. 
          UH, I'M ELLEN JEFFERS. 
          OH, I'M ELLEN JEFFERSON, PRESIDENT OF CEO OF A PA. 
          I WANNA ADDRESS DR. 
          NELSON'S COMMENT REAL QUICK AND THEN SPEAK ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS. 
          A P'S INTAKE IS ALWAYS THE SAME PERCENT OF THE CITY'S INTAKE YEAR TO YEAR, EVEN PRE COVID WHEN OFTEN ANIMAL SERVICES INTAKE GOES DOWN, OURS GOES DOWN. 
          WHEN A A S GOES UP, WE GO UP AND THESE, THESE STAY APPLES TO APPLES CONSISTENTLY IT WITH RARE EXCEPTIONS. 
          UM, FOR THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS, AS SOMEONE WHO LEADS A SIMILAR SIZE ORGANIZATION AND WE'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH THIS PERSON, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT WE NEED. 
          OUR CITY SHELTER IS THE HIGHEST PER ANIMAL BUDGET IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AND A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PLAN. 
          YET ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS ARE DISMANTLED, INTAKE IS LIMITED, AND COMMUNITY TRUST IS FRACTURED. 
          THE GAP IS NOT RESOURCES OR VISION. 
          IT'S EXECUTION OF SPECIALIZED NO KILL PROGRAMMING. 
          IN 2019, THE CITY PRIORITIZED DIFFERENT TRAITS THAN WHAT I'LL OUTLINE, AND WE SEE THE REPERCUSSIONS FROM THAT. 
          NOW WE NEED A LEADER WITH THREE NON-NEGOTIABLE QUALIFICATIONS. 
          ONE IS NO KILL SHELTER LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE YEARS LEADING AN OPEN INTAKE SHELTER WITH 95% SAVE RATE. 
          THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMPLICATED FIELD, UNLIKE OTHER FIELDS WITH DEGREES, THE ONLY SCHOOL FOR THIS IS HANDS-ON. 
          WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO TRAIN SOMEONE FROM SCRATCH. 
          NUMBER TWO IS PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION EXPERIENCE. 
          A TRACK RECORD OF BUILDING AND SCALING AND SHELTER PROGRAMS. IT WILL BE VERY HARD TO DO THIS, BUT THEY MUST IMMEDIATELY RESTORE CANCELED PROGRAMS FROM 2010 AND MAKE THE 2025 STRATEGIC PLAN OPERATIONAL. 
          WE SHOULD SEE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT AND SEE VISIBLE PROGRESS WITHIN 90 DAYS. 
          THIRD IS STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT AND COALITION BUILDING EXPERIENCE. 
          THE ABILITY TO REBUILD 
          [01:45:01]
TRUST WITH RESCUES, VOLUNTEERS AND PUBLIC IS ESSENTIAL. 
          THEY MUST SEE PEOPLE AS THE ANSWER, NOT THE PROBLEM. 
          SIMPLY DEMANDING EVERYONE DO MORE WHILE NOT SHOWING HOW A A S IS ALSO DOING MORE WITH THEIR LARGE BUDGET IS NOT COALITION BUILDING. 
          AUSTIN'S SUCCESS FROM 2011 TO 2019 CAME FROM EXPERT NO KILL LEADERSHIP. 
          OUR CURRENT CHALLENGES ARE THE DIRECT RESULT OF NON-EXPERT LEADERSHIP. 
          IF A CANDIDATE LACKS, LACKS NO KILL EXPERTISE, THEY WILL FAIL. 
          IF THEY LACK PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, THE STRATEGIC PLAN WON'T EXECUTE. 
          IF THEY LACK STR, THEY, IF THEY LACK STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT, THE COMMUNITY WON'T FOLLOW. 
          WITHOUT ALL THREE AUSTIN FAIL. 
          AGAIN, WITH ALL THREE, AUSTIN CAN BECOME THE NATIONAL MODEL. 
          AGAIN, I REALLY HOPE THAT, THAT THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS IS INCLUDING THESE KEY FACTORS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANKS SO MUCH. 
          NEXT IS PAT VALTRA IN PERSON, AND THEN AFTER HER WILL BE JESSICA BREWER. 
          UM, THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          UH, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS. 
          MY NAME IS PAT RES AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT THREE, AND I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ISSUES SINCE 1992. 
          UM, I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT CLOSED INTAKE AND HOW THAT RELATES TO THE HIRING PROCESS FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHELTER DIRECTOR. 
          UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA I CAN THINK OF FOR THIS PROCESS IS FOR THE CITY TO FIND SOMEONE WHO HAS RUN AN OPEN INTAKE ANIMAL SHELTER IN A MAJOR CITY AND HAS ALSO ACHIEVED NO KILL. 
          AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE CHALLENGE IS THAT I BELIEVE THAT RIGHT NOW A LOT OF SHELTERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IN MAJOR CITIES ARE EITHER CLOSING INTAKE TO ACHIEVE NO KILL OR, UM, KILLING. 
          AND MY CHA WHAT I THINK IS THE CHALLENGE IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD BE IDEAL, WHICH IS TO RUN AN OPEN INTAKE ANIMAL SHELTER THAT HAS DONE ALL THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WANT THEM TO DO. 
          AND I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE SAY. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, SOME OF THE CRITERIA THEY'VE DISCUSSED. 
          BUT THE ONE CRITERIA, UM, THAT WE MESSED UP ON BACK IN 2015 WAS THAT WE ALLOWED THE SHELTER DIRECTOR THAT WAS HIRED IN 2015 TO CLOSE INTAKE. 
          AND WE ALLOWED THAT PROCESS, THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION MEMBERS TO MONTH AFTER MONTH TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT IT WAS. 
          AND, AND THE, UM, SHELTER DIRECTORS THAT SPOKE TO THE COMMISSION WOULD SAY, OH, WE'VE ACHIEVED, WE'RE ACHIEVING THIS HIGH RATE OF, OF, OF NOT KILLING OF LIVE OUTCOMES. 
          AND IT JUST SIMPLY DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING. 
          BECAUSE IF YOU CLOSE INTAKE, AND I'M SORRY, BUT TO ME, CLOSED INTAKE IS WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS AND SAYS THERE'S A LOOSE DOG AND THEY SAY, SORRY, YOU, WE CAN'T TAKE 'EM. 
          THE SHELTER'S CLOSED. 
          THAT'S CLOSED INTAKE. 
          NOW, I DON'T MIND MANAGED INTAKE FOR OWNER SURRENDERS TO TELL SOMEBODY YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT IN IN FIVE DAYS OR SIX DAYS OR 10 DAYS. 
          THAT'S OKAY. 
          BUT AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID, UM, STRAY DOGS SHOULD BE PICKED UP. 
          UM, CITY RESIDENTS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BRING STRAY STRAY DOGS TO THE SHELTER. 
          AND WE'RE NOT ALLOWING THAT. 
          AND OTHER SHELTERS THAT ARE NO KILL ARE NOT ALLOWING IT EITHER. 
          IF THEY'RE IN MAJOR CITIES, IN SMALLER CITIES, THEY CAN DO THAT. 
          SO THE PROBLEM IS OUR CITY HAS A MAJOR CHALLENGE, AND OUR ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMISSION HAS A CHALLENGE, WHICH IS HOW ARE WE GONNA TRACK SOMEBODY THAT HAS THAT EXPERIENCE AND THEY CAN DO THIS JOB WHEN WE HAVE NOT ADEQUATELY FUNDED NO KILL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE HAVE JESSICA BREWER, AND AFTER THAT WE'LL BE MARY QUICK. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS JESSICA AND I'M A RE AND I'M A RESIDENT OF EAST AUSTIN, AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY AND A VOLUNTEER AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES, OR SORRY, I VOLUNTEER AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES AT THE SHELTER. 
          I ENJOY TAKING THE URGENT PLACEMENT LIST OF DOGS ON WEEKEND OUTINGS, FOSTERING DOGS, WALKING LARGE DOGS, WALKING THE OVERFLOW, CREATED DOGS, RAISING MONEY FOR TWO TOYS, CRATE MATS, CREATING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS FOR DOGS TO ADOPT. 
          AND I CREATED THIS T-SHIRT, WHICH I WILL GET TO LATER, BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE MY HOPES FOR THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          I WAS ENCOURAGED TO HEAR THAT MORE THAN 50 APPLICANTS HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN THIS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ROLE. 
          I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR OFFERING THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET 
          [01:50:01]
SOME OF THE CANDIDATES SOON. 
          SELECTING THE RIGHT DIRECTOR MATTERS DEEPLY TO ME BECAUSE THE WELLBEING AND FUTURES OF THE DOGS IN OUR SHELTER DEPEND ON IT. 
          WITH THAT IN MIND, I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL QUALITIES THAT I HOPE ARE CONSIDERED BEYOND MANAGING BUDGETS AND PROTOCOLS THAT I BELIEVE ARE ESSENTIAL FOR OUR NEXT LEADER. 
          MY HOPE IS THAT THIS NE NEW LEADER WILL USHER AUSTIN INTO A NEW ERA OF ANIMAL WELFARE AT ONE THAT CHAMPIONS THE CHARACTER AND THE POTENTIAL OF THE PETS IN OUR SHELTER. 
          ADVOCATE FOR THEM MOVING INTO LOVING HOMES AND SUPPORT CREATIVE EFFORTS THAT HELP MAKE THIS POSSIBLE IN A SHELTER SYSTEM THAT MOST WOULD DESCRIBE AS OVERCROWDED. 
          WE ARE FACED WITH A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY IF WE WANT TO MAINTAIN OUR NO-KILL STATUS. 
          AND I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY DOES. 
          THE PATH FORWARD IS CLEAR. 
          WE MUST GET THESE ANIMALS ADOPTED. 
          YET, FOR FAR TOO LONG, THE CITY SHELTER HAS OPERATED UNDER LEADERSHIP THAT INTENTIONALLY OR NOT HAS DEPRIORITIZED ADOPTION EFFORTS. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE MOST RECENT AUSTIN MONTHLY ONLINE ARTICLE, THE CURRENT INTERIM DIRECTOR WAS QUOTED SAYING, WE HAVE A LOT OF ANIMALS THAT ARE JUST NOT ADOPTABLE. 
          THEY HAVE CONCERNS, BEHAVIOR ISSUES, THEY'RE MOUTH EITHER INTERFACE, THEY WANNA CHEW YOU, THEY HAVE BARRIER REACTIONS. 
          THEY DON'T GET ALONG WITH KIDS, SOME DON'T LIKE MEN OR WOMEN. 
          NOW, IF YOU WERE, IF YOU WERE A POTENTIAL ADOPTER AND READ THAT, WOULD YOU FEEL ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THE SHELTER? I CAN TELL YOU HONESTLY, I WOULD PROBABLY GO TO A PA OR ANOTHER RESCUE FIRST. 
          THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE NEED A DIRECTOR WHO CHAMPIONS ADOPTION AND ACTIVELY ENCOURAGES THE PUBLIC TO VISIT. 
          THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD DOGS AT THE SHELTER RIGHT NOW WHO DESERVE THAT CHANCE. 
          I ALSO HOPE FOR A DIRECTOR WHO CELEBRATES INGENUITY FROM VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF ALIKE. 
          WE ALL SHARE THE SAME MISSION TO MOVE DOGS THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND INTO LOVING HOMES. 
          THE T-SHIRT I'M WEARING TONIGHT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT SPIRIT. 
          TWO OR THREE WEEKS AGO, I DESIGNED, PRINTED, AND PERSONALLY PAID FOR THESE SHIRTS FOR VOLUNTEERS AND FOSTERS TO WEAR WHEN TAKING DOGS OUT IN PUBLIC. 
          THE SHIRTS SPARK CONVERSATIONS. 
          THEY HIGHLIGHT ADOPTABILITY AND THEY LEAD PEOPLE LITERALLY DIRECTLY TO THE SHELTERS AT A PET'S WEBSITE WITH THE QR CODE AND THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          PAGE. 
          TWO DOGS WERE ADOPTED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS SIMPLY BECAUSE OF A VOLUNTEER WORE THIS SHIRT ON A WALK. 
          I WAS ONE OF THEM. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, INSTEAD OF THAT EFFORT BEING ENCOURAGED, I WAS TOLD THE SHIRTS HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM CAMPUS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT APPROVED AND DID NOT OFFER A PROCESS FOR APPROVAL. 
          . 
          IN SUMMARY, MY HOPE IS THAT OUR NEXT ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR WILL BRING POSITIVITY, ADVOCACY, AND CREATIVITY TO THE ROLE SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES IN THESE DOGS, WHO UPLIFTS THEM TO THE PUBLIC, AND WHO EMBRACES THE MANY COMMUNITY DRIVEN INITIATIVES ALREADY IN MOTION. 
          I TRULY BELIEVE HAVING A DIRECTOR THAT EMBRACES THE AFOREMENTIONED IS OUR ONLY CHANCE OF SOLVING THE OVERCROWDING PROBLEM AND RETAINING OUR NOKI STATUS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MARY. 
          QUICK, AND THEN NEXT IS CRAIG NASER, WHO APPEARS TO HAVE LEFT. 
          AND THEN AFTER THAT WILL BE ANGELA PEREZ. 
          HELLO COMMISSIONERS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          MY NAME IS MARY QUICK, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I FOSTERED A DOG NAMED VINNY. 
          BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM IS NOT JUST ABOUT ONE DOG. 
          IT'S A PATTERN OF BIAS, RUSH DECISIONS, AND LACK OF REVIEW IN AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT PROCESS. 
          I FIRST MET VINNY WHEN I FOUND HIM LOOSE IN AUSTIN AND BROUGHT HIM TO THE SHELTER FOR EMERGENCY CARE. 
          I IMMEDIATELY FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM AND RETURNED LATER TO FOSTER HIM. 
          HE'S A BIG, GENTLE DOG. 
          HE LIVED COMFORTABLY AROUND SMALL CHILDREN AND SHOWED NO AGGRESSION TOWARDS PEOPLE. 
          WHILE HE WAS WITH ME, VINNY GOT INTO A BRIEF SCUFFLE WITH ANOTHER LOOSE DOG IN THE MIDDLE OF TRYING TO SEPARATE THEM. 
          MY WIFE WAS BITTEN. 
          I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR. 
          I DO NOT BLAME BLAME EITHER DOG. 
          MY WIFE WAS 100% UNCERTAIN OF WHO THE BITE CAME FROM, AND THE BITE WAS MINOR. 
          BUT THE MOMENT I BROUGHT HIM INTO THE SHELTER FOR HIS RABIES QUARANTINE, IT WAS ASSUMED WITHOUT HESITATION, WITHOUT EVIDENCE THAT VINNY, THE LARGE PIT BULL, WAS THE DOG WHO BIT MY WIFE. 
          THE OTHER DOG IS A FRENCH BULLDOG, BUT NO ONE CONSIDERED THAT POSSIBILITY. 
          WHEN I LATER LOOKED AT THE BITE MARKS ON MY WIFE'S HAND, I THOUGHT, THESE ARE EXTREMELY CLOSE TOGETHER. 
          VINNY'S MOUTH IS MUCH WIDER THAN THAT. 
          THIS MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN HIM. 
          MY OBSERVATION WAS IGNORED. 
          THEN. 
          I HAD SEEN HIS BEHAVIOR MATRIX, THE SCORING TOOL THAT DETERMINES WHETHER A DOG IS LABELED A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK. 
          THE BITE WAS EXAGGERATED, SCORED AT A HIGHER SEVERITY THAN WHAT ACTUALLY OCCURRED AND ASSIGNED TO VINNY WITHOUT ANY CONSIDERATION OF THE EVIDENCE. 
          BUT WHAT SHOCKED ME MOST WAS THIS, THE MATRIX SAID VINNY COULD ONLY LIVE WITH ADULTS. 
          THAT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. 
          I HAD SENT IN NOTES FOR HIM ABOUT THIS. 
          I PERSONALLY UPDATED VINNY'S PROFILE TO REFLECT THAT HE HAD BEEN AROUND YOUNG CHILDREN AND MANY TI MANY TIMES AND DONE BEAUTIFULLY, INCLUDING SENDING PICTURES IN FOR HIS PROFILE. 
          BUT THE MATRIX DID NOT REFLECT ANY OF THAT. 
          IT RATED HIM AS UNSAFE WITH CHILDREN. 
          AGAIN, RAISING HIS SCORE AND PUSHING HIM CLOSER TO A PUBLIC SAFETY DESIGNATION, A DESIGNATION THAT COULD BE USED TO JUSTIFY EUTHANASIA. 
          BUT WHAT SCORE MAKES A DOG A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK? WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD? WHAT IS THE POLICY? THE SHELTER REFUSES TO DISCLOSE IT. 
          WE CANNOT CALL A TOOL OBJECTIVE WHEN BOTH THE INPUTS AND THE OUTPUTS ARE KEPT SECRET. 
          THIS IS NOT TRANSPARENCY. 
          THIS IS NOT BEST PRACTICE, AND IT CERTAINLY IS NOT FAIR TO THE DOGS WHOSE LIVES DEPEND ON THESE SCORES. 
          WHAT'S WORSE? ONCE A DECISION IS MADE, THE INTERIM 
          [01:55:01]
DIRECTOR WILL NOT REVIEW IT EVEN WHEN THE INFORMATION USED WAS FLAWED, INCOMPLETE, OR INCORRECT. 
          SO NOW VINNY, A DOG WHOSE ONLY REAL CHALLENGE WAS NOT GETTING ALONG WITH MY CATS, MAY BE EUTHANIZED BECAUSE OF ONE, AN ASSUMPTION BASED ON HIS SIZE AND BREED. 
          TWO, AN INCONSISTENT SCORING SYSTEM, AND THREE, LEADERSHIP THAT REFUSES TO REVISIT DECISIONS EVEN WHEN THE EVIDENCE DOESN'T SUPPORT THEM. 
          AUSTIN CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS. 
          WE HAVE DONE BETTER THAN THIS AND WE OWE OUR DOGS, ESPECIALLY THE BIG ONES, WHO ARE ALWAYS JUDGED THE HARSHEST BETTER THAN A BROKEN SYSTEM THAT PUTS THEM AT RISK BASED ON FEAR, BIAS, OR CONVENIENCE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANKS SO MUCH. 
          UM, ANGELA AND THEN AFTER HER WILL BE NICHOLAS K. JOHNSON. 
          OKAY, . 
          GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          MY NAME IS ANGELA PIERCE. 
          I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST DAMAGING DECISIONS UNDER MR. FERNANDEZ. 
          IT WAS THE FORCED MIGRATION TO NEW SHELTER SOFTWARE. 
          A MOVE HE PUSHED FORWARD DESPITE EARLY WARNING AND EXPERT OBJECTIONS. 
          BUT FOLLOW WAS NOT A MINOR DISRUPTION. 
          IT WAS A SIX MONTH OPERATIONAL CATA CATASTROPHE THAT'S GOING ON SEVEN MONTHS NOW. 
          THE PUBLIC FACING ADOPTION WEBSITE AUTO PETS BECAME ESSENTIALLY UNUSABLE. 
          ANIMAL BIO VAN PROFILES WERE DELETED. 
          BEHAVIOR NOTES INCLUDING WHETHER A DOG IS GOOD WITH CATS. 
          OTHER DOGS OR CHILDREN DISAPPEARED FOR HALF A YEAR. 
          UNDER HIS SHORT TENURE, FAMILIES COULD NOT FILTER FOR ANIMALS THAT MATCH THE NEEDS OF THEIR HOME LIFE. 
          AND WHEN PEOPLE CAN FIND ANIMALS THAT FEED TO THEIR FAMILIES, ADOPTIONS GO DOWN, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED UNDER MR. FERNANDEZ LEADERSHIP. 
          THIS BREAKDOWN NOT ONLY REDUCED ADOPTIONS, IT ALSO LEFT THE PUBLIC FRUSTRATED AND CONFUSED AT THE TIME WHEN THE SHELTER NEEDED THEIR SUPPORT THE MOST. 
          WHAT MAKES THIS EVEN MORE TROUBLING IS THAT THROUGHOUT HIS ENTIRE TENURE, MR. FERNANDEZ WAS NOT ABLE TO REPAIR THE BROKEN INTEGRATION BETWEEN, UM, APAS AND PATHFINDER. 
          THE NATION'S LARGEST ADOPTION WEBSITE SHELTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY DEPEND ON PATHFINDER FOR VISIBILITY AND LIFESAVING REACH. 
          UNDER MR. FERNANDEZ, THAT CONNECTION REMAINED BROKEN, LEAVING OUR ANIMALS INVISIBLE IN ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DIGITAL SPACE FOR SHELTER ADOPTION. 
          ANY YET IN HIS APPLICATION FOR HIS THIS PERMANENT DIRECT POSITION, THE THEIS HAS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT HE ADVANCED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SHELTER BODY AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS. 
          HE MAY HAVE ADVANCED THAT IMPLEMENTATION, BUT THERE IS NO WORLD IN H. 
          THESE OUTCOMES CONSTITUTE IMPROVEMENTS. 
          THE RESULTS WERE HARMFUL, AVOIDABLE IN DEEPLY DESTABILIZING FOR A SHELTER ALREADY IN CRISIS. 
          FINALLY, I WANT TO ADDRESS SOMETHING SMALL, BUT TELLING HIS RESUME CONTAINED MULTIPLE TYPOS FOR A LEADERSHIP POSITION OFFERED THESE IMPORTANCE, THAT LEVEL OF LACK OF CARE SUGGESTS HE BELIEVES THE JOB IS ALREADY HIS. 
          THAT SUBMITTING A RESUME, EVEN WHEN RIDDLE WITH ERRORS, IS JUST A FORMALITY. 
          THAT ATTITUDE IS NOT WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY PROFESSIONALS OR PUBLIC SERVICE LOOKS LIKE. 
          ALSO NEEDS A DIRECTOR WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT GOOD TECHNOLOGY IS A LIFELINE FOR SHELTER ANIMALS, A TOOL THAT THAT MINDS WHETHER PETS ARE SEEN, ADOPT, AND SAVED. 
          WE CANNOT AFFORD A DIRECTOR WHO BREAKS ESSENTIAL SYSTEMS, IGNORES WARNINGS, LEAVES MAJOR TOOLS ON FIX, AND THEN CALLS THE OUTCOME ON IMPROVEMENT. 
          THANKS SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, AFTER, UM, MR. NICHOLAS K. JOHNSON WILL BE MAX OLIVER. 
          UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          MY NAME IS NICK JOHNSON AND I AM A DISTRICT SEVEN CONSTITUENT. 
          I AM THE DOG VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR AT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE AND A FORMER MEMBER OF THE DOG BEHAVIOR TEAM AT THE NONPROFIT SHELTER. 
          I HAVE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ABOUT WHY THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES SHOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED RUNNING AN OPEN INTAKE ANIMAL SHELTER WITH A RECORD OF PROMOTING SUPPORT FOR FOUND ANIMALS ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH. 
          IT WAS THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING, AND MOST DAYS AT AUSTIN CERTAIN PETS LIVE. 
          WE RECEIVE GUESTS WITH ANIMALS THAT ARE FOUND OR NEED TO BE SURRENDERED, AND THEY HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN SHELTER. 
          ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY, 10 FOUND PETS WERE TAKEN TO AUSTIN PETS ALIVE FRONT DESK WITH A REQUEST FOR OUR SHELTER TO TAKE THE ANIMALS. 
          AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES LEADERSHIP HAS A 25 MILLION BUDGET, MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET, AND THE NEXT LEADER NEEDS TO START TAKING THESE ANIMALS IN ON DAY ONE. 
          [02:00:02]
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SHARE THAT THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES NEEDS TO HAVE EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOR. 
          AS A PREVIOUS MEMBER OF THE DOG BEHAVIOR TEAM AT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE ONLY THING THAT IS CONSISTENT ABOUT THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE DOGS PLED FROM A A A S TO EIGHT AUSTIN PETS ALIVE IS THAT THERE IS NO CONSISTENCY. 
          THE NEXT A A S DIRECTOR NEEDS TO HAVE A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF HOW ANIMALS BEHAVE WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVE AT THE SHELTER, AND HOW TO KEEP THE ANIMALS AND THE PUBLIC SAFE. 
          STICKING DOGS IN THE 600 DO, UH, KENNELS IS NOT THE ANSWER TO THE CITY'S PROBLEMS. A QUALIFIED A A S DIRECTOR WILL KNOW THAT. 
          FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN MY PERSONAL CAPACITY ABOUT THROWING MONEY AT THE PROBLEMS, UH, AT THE CITY. 
          SHELTER ISN'T SOLVING THE PROBLEMS. I KNOW THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, OFFICIALS HERE AT CITY HALL HEARD CONSTITUENTS LOUD AND CLEAR WHEN THEY, UH, OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED NO ON PROPOSITION Q, PLEASE HIRE AN ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR WHO WILL REINSTATE THE PROGRAMS THAT WILL REUNITE PETS WITH PEOPLE. 
          HELP DOGS WHO INITIALLY APPEAR TO HAVE BEHAVIOR CHALLENGES AND TAKE IN THE STRAY AND SURRENDER TO ANIMALS INSTEAD OF TELLING PEOPLE TO TAKE THEM FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE. 
          AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES PREVIOUSLY TOOK IN 17,000 ANIMALS EVERY YEAR AND MANAGED TO HAVE LIVE OUTCOME RATES OF 97% WITH ONLY A $13.9 MILLION BUDGET. 
          I HOPE THE CITY MANAGER IS LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THIS HIRING DECISION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND NEXT WE'LL HAVE MR. MAX OLIVER, FOLLOWED BY BY JULIE OLIVER. 
          UM, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          AS SOME OF YOU MIGHT ALREADY KNOW, MY NAME IS MAX OLIVER AND I'M HERE WITH YOU ALL TO EXPRESS MY THOUGHTS AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, WHO ALSO JUST HAS HAPPENED TO DEVOTE NEARLY 600 HOURS OF MY LIFE TO WALKING DOGS AT A A S. 
          OVER THE COURSE OF THE 11 MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER, SPECIFICALLY, I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS SURROUNDING THE HIRING PROCESS FOR THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE SHELTER. 
          UNDER CURRENT SHELTER LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE FAILED IN JUST ABOUT EVERY AREA. 
          INTAKE IS CLOSED. 
          GOOD SAMARITANS ARE BEING LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES. 
          ANIMALS ARE BEING HIT BY CARS PICKED UP BY FIGHTERS AND BACKYARD BREEDERS. 
          WE HAVEN'T HIT OUR MANDATED LIVE RELEASE RATE. 
          ONCE WE SWITCHED TO AN INFAMOUSLY TERRIBLE SOFTWARE THAT HAS MADE MARKETING NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AND ANY OF ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE ISSUES HAVE MOSTLY BACKFIRED. 
          THE CURRENT DIRECTOR ALSO SAW THE CREATION OF THE RESCUE POLE LIST, WHICH ERODED OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR RESCUE PARTNERS AND MISLEADS THE PUBLIC INTO BELIEVING THAT THE DOGS ON THIS LIST ARE UNFIT FOR LIFE. 
          AND THOSE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT INTERIM DIRECTOR FERNANDEZ SPOKE OF EARLIER WERE ADMINISTRATIVE SALARIES BEING RAISED IN ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, BEING ADDED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE EMERGENCY VETERINARY CARE THAT WAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED AS BEING SO IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC. 
          LAST MONTH IN AN INTERVIEW WITH AUSTIN MONTHLY, OUR CURRENT DIRECTOR SAID, QUOTE, WHAT I'M SEEING NOW IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF ANIMALS THAT ARE COMING IN THAT ARE JUST NOT ADOPTABLE. 
          THEY HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS, BEHAVIOR ISSUES, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE MOUTHY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN YOUR FACE. 
          THEY WANT TO CHEW ON YOU. 
          THEY HAVE BARRIER REACTIONS, MEANING THAT THEY'RE OVERPROTECTIVE OF YOU. 
          THEY DON'T GET ALONG WITH KIDS. 
          WE SEE SOME OF THEM JUST DON'T GET ALONG WITH MEN OR WOMEN, RESPECTFULLY, LEADERSHIP OR ANY OF US DON'T GET TO THROW OUR HANDS IN THE AIR AND WONDER WHY WE'RE SO OVER CAPACITY WHEN WE HAVE SOMEONE IN POWER THAT IS ACTIVELY REINFORCING THE STIGMA THAT PREVENTS SO MANY PEOPLE, MY OWN FAMILY MEMBERS FROM ADOPTING. 
          WE NEED A SHELTER DIRECTOR WHO WILL REPAIR THE BROKEN TRUST BETWEEN THE SHELTER, ITS STAFF, ITS VOLUNTEERS, RESCUE PARTNERS, AND THE PUBLIC. 
          AND WE NEED A SHELTER WHO WILL ACTIVELY LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY INPUTS THAT THESE, TO THE COMMUNITY INPUT THAT THESE MEETINGS ARE FOR. 
          AND WE NEED A DIRECTOR THAT IS DOING IT FROM A PLACE OF CARE FOR OUR ANIMALS AND OUR COMMUNITY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AS YOU EVALUATE THE PATH FORWARD IN HIRING THE NEXT A A S DIRECTOR, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO EXAMINE THE QUALIFICATIONS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE INTERIM DIRECTOR ROLANDO FERNANDEZ, WHO IS SEEKING THE PERMANENT ROLE. 
          TWO YEARS AFTER THE CITY AUDITOR RELEASED A REPORT DOCUMENTING INHUMANE CONDITIONS, AND I COULD TELL HE HAD NOT READ THE AUDIT FROM TWO YEARS AGO. 
          UM, BROKEN PARTNERSHIPS AND OPERATIONAL FAILURES CONTINUE AT THE SHELTER. 
          THOSE ARE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS THAT REMAIN TODAY. 
          TODAY, THE SHELTER STILL HAS CLOSED INTAKE AND DESPITE WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT MANAGED INTAKE, THIS IS THE SIGN OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, A BIG SIGN THAT SAYS INTAKE IS CLOSED, NOT MANAGED, CLOSED, SO, AND 
          [02:05:02]
THE SHELTER IS STILL, HAS STILL CLOSED INTAKE DESPITE HIM ALSO INSISTING THAT A FOSTER WHO'S RETURNING AN ANIMAL IS OPENING INTAKE. 
          IT'S NOT LIVE. 
          OUTCOME RATES REMAIN BELOW THE CITY GOALS. 
          VOLUNTEERS AND RESCUES REPORT WORSENING RELATIONSHIPS. 
          Y'ALL HEARD ME EARLIER ABOUT THIS. 
          AND THE MOST BASIC STANDARDS OF HUMANE CARE CONTINUE TO SLIP, INCLUDING WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT, AD NAUSEUM. 
          THE DOGS BEING KEPT IN CRATES, WHICH THE AUDITOR SAID WAS INCREDIBLY INHUMANE AND CAN ALSO SPREAD DISEASE VERY QUICKLY. 
          THE FAILURES DOCUMENTED IN THE AUDIT HAVE NOT IMPROVED. 
          THEY'VE PERSISTED, AND WE DON'T NEED CONTINUITY OF FAILURE IN THE NEXT ANIMAL SHELTER DIRECTOR, Y'ALL HEARD ABOUT THE SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION THAT MR. FERNANDEZ PUSHED THROUGH. 
          DESPITE CLEAR WARNINGS FROM EXPERTS, IT RESULTED IN SIX MONTHS OF THE PUBLIC FACING ADOPTION WEBSITE BEING BASICALLY BROKEN. 
          ANIMAL PROFILES, WORRY, ERASE. 
          YOU CAN'T READ ANYTHING ABOUT THE ANIMALS BEHAVIOR NOTES, WHETHER THEY GET ALONG WITH KIDS OR CATS OR OTHER DOGS. 
          ELIMINATED SEARCH FILTERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. 
          FAMILIES COULDN'T DETERMINE WHETHER AN ANIMAL IS GOING TO BE GET ALONG WITH THEIR OTHER CAT'S, DOGS, CHILDREN DIRECTLY SUPPRESSING ADOPTIONS AND INCREASING LENGTH OF STAY FOR COUNTLESS ANIMALS. 
          AGAIN, INTAKES ARE DOWN, ADOPTIONS ARE DOWN. 
          AND THE ONE, THE BIGGEST WAY PEOPLE FIND OUT ABOUT THE SHELTER IS THE WEBSITE. 
          IT WAS DOWN. 
          HE'S TAKEN NO CONCRETE ACTION TO REPAIR THE BROKEN INTEGRATION BETWEEN AUTO PETS, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC FACING, UH, ADOPTION WEBSITE. 
          AND PETFINDER, WHICH IS THE NATION'S LARGEST ADOPTION PLATFORM. 
          AND THAT BRINGS ME TO SOMETHING ELSE HE SUBMITTED FOR THIS PROCESS. 
          IN HIS COVER LETTER HE WROTE, I AM PROUD OF THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE. 
          I BELIEVE WE'RE POSITIVELY INFLUENCING MORALE ACROSS THIS DEPARTMENT. 
          IT'S UNCLEAR WHAT PROGRESS HE'S REFERRING TO ON EVERY QUANTIFIABLE MEASURE. 
          PERFORMANCE UNDER MR. FERNANDEZ HAS BEEN WORSE THAN HONDURAS PREDECESSOR, A PREDECESSOR WHO AGAIN RECEIVED A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE BY THIS COMMISSION. 
          IF DECLINING METRICS ARE BEING DESCRIBED AS PROGRESS, THAT ALONE RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS ABILITY TO ACCURATELY ASSESS PROBLEMS, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OR LEAD MEANINGFUL REFORM. 
          THIS COMMISSION HAS ALWAYS EMPHASIZED TRANSPARENCY, COMPETENCE, AND HUMANE SHELTERING PRACTICES. 
          THE NEXT SHELTER DIRECTOR HAS TO AS WELL. 
          ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          AFTER PAUL FILL, THERE WILL BE PIA PHILLIPS. 
          GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. 
          MY NAME IS PAUL AND I MOVED TO AUSTIN FROM DALLAS SIX MONTHS AGO. 
          I'M A VOLUNTEER AT THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER. 
          I CURRENTLY WORK PART-TIME IN THE ANIMAL WELFARE SPACE WITH A FOCUS ON MARKETING SOFTWARE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR SHELTERS. 
          AND I'M INVOLVED IN SOME LOCAL POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS AT UT AUSTIN. 
          UM, I ALSO VOLUNTEERED AT THE DALLAS ANIMAL SHELTER FOR TWO YEARS. 
          SO I'VE SEEN HOW OTHER SHELTERS HAVE BEEN MANAGED AS A NEW RESIDENT IN A CITY I'VE NEVER LIVED IN BEFORE. 
          I WANTED TO FIND A WAY TO GET INVOLVED, MEET NEW PEOPLE. 
          SO I VOLUNTEERED. 
          THAT'S THE FIRST ADVICE THAT I GIVE AND RECEIVE. 
          WHEN YOU MOVE TO A NEW CITY, GO VOLUNTEER, GO GET INVOLVED. 
          SO THE REASON I'M SAYING THAT IS THE AUSTIN ANIMAL SHELTER CENTER, EXCUSE ME, IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED WITH A VALUABLE ASSET. 
          YOU START OFF WITH A PIPELINE OF VOLUNTEERS, WHETHER THEY COME IN, DO VALUABLE WORK. 
          WE SAW THE MONTHLY METRICS. 
          THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, A LOT OF WORK THAT IS DONE BY THE, THE, THE VOLUNTEERS THAT THE, THAT THE STAFF CAN'T DO ON THEIR OWN. 
          AND SO TO PUT IT SIMPLY, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOME INDIVIDUALS IN THE SHELTER MANAGEMENT AND THE VOLUNTEER GROUP IS LESS THAN IDEAL. 
          UM, I CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST TO THE DEGREE TO WHICH MORALE OF VOLUNTEERS, NOT JUST HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, PART OF THE VOLUNTEER GROUPS HAS BEEN NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY CERTAIN DECISIONS, WHICH I, I EMAILED AND ASKED JUST, HEY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED IN THE DECISION TO LET A CERTAIN VOLUNTEER GO? AND I KNOW THAT'S TURNED OFF PEOPLE FROM VOLUNTEERING. 
          SO I CAN TELL YOU THIS ANTAGONISTIC RELATIONSHIP, IT WAS NOT PRESENT AT THE DALLAS ANIMAL CENTER. 
          UM, AND ONE OF THE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF A SHELTER DIRECTOR IS STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? AND IF YOU HAVE A VALUABLE ASSET OF VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE READY TO COME HERE WITH NO PAY, NO BENEFITS, AND THEY'RE READY TO, THEY'RE READY TO VOLUNTEER. 
          YOU HAVE TO MANAGE THAT ASSET INTELLIGENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY. 
          AND JUST GIVEN WHAT WE'VE SEEN TONIGHT, GIVEN, YOU KNOW, THE MANY COMPLAINTS OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, IT'S, IT'S CLEAR THAT IF SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN HERE FOR SIX MONTHS CAN'T MANAGE THIS BASIC RELATIONSHIP, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT A GREAT SIGN THAT THEY'RE GONNA DO VERY WELL OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OR HOWEVER LONG THE TERM IS. 
          SO ALL I WOULD ASK IS THAT THAT IS CONSIDERED IN THE HIRING PROCESS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AFTER PF PHILLIPS WILL BE AMY PEREZ. 
          PEREZ. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WE GOOD? THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, I'M JUST GONNA JUMP RIGHT INTO IT. 
          LET'S START WITH THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS THAT A LOT OF OTHERS HAVE VOICED 
          [02:10:01]
SO FAR ABOUT THIS UN ADOPTABILITY QUOTE. 
          SO JUST TO SAY IT ONCE AGAIN, A LOT OF ANIMALS ARE JUST NOT ADOPTABLE SAID FROM RONALDO HIMSELF. 
          AND I URGE YOU TO THINK UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS ARE THESE JUDGEMENTS BEING MADE. 
          I THINK A THEME I'VE OBSERVED AMONGST A FEW INDIVIDUALS IS THAT SUBJECTIVITY AND SELF-SERVING ACTIONS ARE BEING PRIORITIZED OVER THE STAFF AND ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER. 
          GOING BACK TO THE UN ADOPTABILITY THOUGH, NOT ONLY IS THIS AN ETHICAL NOR IS NOT AN ETHICAL, NOR A MODERN SHELTERING FRAMEWORK, BUT IT ILLUMINATES A DOWNRIGHT LACK OF COMPASSION AND SHOULD MAKE THE PEOPLE CONDUCTING THIS PROCESS OF APPOINTING THIS ROLE. 
          AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ALIKE QUESTION WHETHER THIS LEADERSHIP TRULY UNDERSTANDS WHAT HUMANE, ETHICAL, AND EVEN LOGICAL ANIMAL WELFARE PRACTICES ARE. 
          SO LET'S PAINT A LITTLE PICTURE. 
          I ADOPTED ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST UNADOPTABLE DOGS FROM, UM, SOMEONE, A DOG WHO WAS BROUGHT INTO AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          HE HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE HEAD SIX TIMES. 
          HE WAS PARALYZED, MALNOURISHED, AND PARASITE RIDDEN. 
          AND WHAT WAS HE LABELED AS AGGRESSIVE. 
          THAT LABEL COULD HAVE COST HIM HIS LIFE. 
          AND AFTER JUST TWO WEEKS IN MY HOME, NOW A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, IT IS CLEAR HE WOULD RATHER TAKE A BULLET THAN GIVE ONE. 
          I URGE YOU AND RONALDO TO THINK IF YOU HAD BEEN ABUSED, SHOT, ABANDONED, AND LIVING IN THE STREETS, AND YOU WERE PLACED IN A CHAOTIC FOREIGN ENVIRONMENT, MY FIRST REACTION WOULDN'T BE TO OPEN ARMS TRUST. 
          IT WOULD BE SELF-PROTECTION. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT THESE DOGS ARE DOING. 
          TIME DECOMPRESSION AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, EMPATHY AND COMPASSION IS WHAT DES ADOPTABILITY VERSE NOT. 
          WE ARE NOW AT A CROSSROADS IN THIS HIRING PROCESS FOR THE NEXT ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR. 
          THE CURRENT INTERIM CHIEF ANIMAL OFFICER STEPPED IN DURING A GAP, BUT FILLING A TEMPORARY HOLE AND BEING THE WRONG, THE RIGHT LONG-TERM LEADER ARE NOT THE SAME THING. 
          THIS IS A TAXPAYER FUNDED LEADERSHIP ROLE THAT AFFECTS HUMAN AND ANIMAL LIVES EVERY DAY. 
          ANOTHER NOTICEABLE CONCERN IS THE PROFESSIONALISM OF HIS APPLICATION. 
          THIS IS A SIX FIGURE LEADERSHIP ROLE. 
          SUBMITTING A COVER LETTER WRITTEN WITH BASIC ERRORS AND INACCURACIES IS NOT A SMALL OVERSIGHT. 
          YOU CAN RUN THAT THROUGH CHAT GBT AND GET A RESULT THAT IS POLISHED IN 20 SECONDS. 
          I SEE YOUR, I SQUINT IT IS, THERE'S SPELLING ERRORS. 
          THERE'S ANOTHER INACCURACY, WHICH I WILL POINT OUT. 
          UM, ADDITIONALLY, AS I'M GONNA SAY, THE INTERIM'S RESUME POINTS TO A SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF SHELTER BUDDY. 
          WHICH PEOPLE, UM, IN THIS FORUM IN THE PREVIOUS FORUM HAVE SAID THAT, UM, IT HAS BEEN BROKEN ALL YEAR. 
          THERE ARE NO UPDATES. 
          THE THE VENDOR HIRED WAS NOT VETTED. 
          UM, THIS IS GOING FOR DATA OPERATIONS FOR ALL THE ANIMALS, THE STAFF USING IT. 
          UH, THE FABRICATION OF THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SHAMEFUL AND WRONG. 
          ALL OF THIS EXISTS IN A LARGER CONTEXT. 
          A PASS VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE AUDIT FINDINGS, AND YEARS OF PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT LEADERSHIP IN THIS DEPARTMENT. 
          SO IN THE COMMUNITY HEARS THAT THE INTERIM MIGHT BE A FINALIST FOR THE PERMANENT ROLE. 
          THE QUESTION IS SIMPLE. 
          WHY DO WE THINK THIS MANY PEOPLE SHOWED UP IN FEAR ABOUT ELECTING THE CURRENT INTERIM TO THE FULL-TIME ROLE AND HOW THE CURRENT PROCESSES ARE BEING DONE. 
          I'M ASKING THE COMMISSION TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE. 
          THE DIRECTOR MUST HAVE REAL VIABLE SHELTER AND ANIMAL WELFARE EXPERIENCE. 
          THE PUBLIC FORUM ON DECEMBER 18TH MUST ALLOW GENUINE SCRUTINY. 
          AND LASTLY, ANYONE BEING CONSIDERED SHOULD HAVE FULL TRANSPARENCY FOR THE COMMUNITY SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND AND KNOW WHO WILL BE APPOINTED TO THIS ROLE AND AGREE ON IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT. 
          NEXT IS AMY PEREZ. 
          AM I SAYING THAT RIGHT? PEREZ. 
          PEREZ. 
          AND THEN AFTER THAT WE'LL BE SONO PATEL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND YOU CAN SPEAK FROM ANY OF THE MICROPHONES UP THERE. 
          YOU DON'T NEED TO TO MOVE OVER TO THAT ONE. 
          WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, SAY NAME. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS AMY AND I'M A RESIDENT OF SOUTH AUSTIN, WHO HAS SPENT YEARS HELPING INJURED AND ABANDONED ANIMALS IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          I FREQUENTLY SCAN SHIPS, TRANSPORT WHOLE DOGS, TEMPORARILY FOSTER LONG-TERM FOSTER THROUGH RESCUES. 
          AND I EVEN TOOK A SECOND JOB TO PAY FOR VETERINARY, VETERINARY BILLS, TRAINING, BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENTS, GROOMING AND FOOD FOR THE INJURED DOGS. 
          I FIND I STARTED DOING THIS BECAUSE I CARE, BUT IT HAS COME CLEAR THAT I'M FILLING A GAP WHERE THE CITY WOULD BE. 
          UM, THE AUSTIN LOS AND FILM PETS FACEBOOK GROUP NOW HAS OVER 94,000 MEMBERS. 
          AND EVERY WEEK, HUNDREDS OF POSTS, UM, SHOW DOGS LIMPING THROUGH, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS FOUND ON HIGHWAYS OR LYING INJURED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. 
          REGULAR RESIDENTS, NOT TRAINED OFFICERS ARE THE ONES CATCHING THESE DOGS AND TRYING TO HELP. 
          AND WHEN I BRING AN INJURED OR A FOUND DOG TO THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER, I'M ROUTINELY TURNED AWAY, WHICH MEANS I THEN HAVE TO FIND A RESCUE WILLING TO TAKE THEM. 
          AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, I END UP FOSTERING THAT DOG MYSELF BECAUSE NOT THERE'S NOWHERE FOR THEM TO GO INSTEAD OF SUPPORT. 
          WHAT WE RUN INTO IS A SYSTEM THAT TURNS US AWAY UNDER A CURRENT SHELTER LEADERSHIP, THE EMERGENCY VETERINARY SUPPORT THAT ONCE EXISTED FOR INJURED ANIMALS HAS ESSENTIALLY DISAPPEARED. 
          AND WHEN PEOPLE CONTACT THE CITY ABOUT A DOG HIT BY A CAR, OR CLEARLY IN CRISIS OR DISTRESS, THE MOST COMMON RESPONSE IS IT CAN TAKE UP TO 96 HOURS. 
          WE CAN TAKE THEM RIGHT NOW. 
          INTAKE IS CLOSED AT THE COMMUNITY TOWN HALL. 
          THE INTERIM DIRECTOR PUBLICLY STATED THAT APOS WOULD RESPOND TO INJURED DOGS, BUT THE REALITY 
          [02:15:01]
ON THE GROUND DOES NOT MATCH THE STATEMENT, NOR MY EXPERIENCE AUSTIN PRICE ITSELF ON COMPASSION AND HIGH STANDARDS. 
          YET RIGHT NOW, SERIOUSLY INJURED DOGS ARE DEPENDING ALMOST ENTIRELY ON STRANGERS ON FACEBOOK GROUPS TO ASSUME THE MEDICAL, FINANCIAL EMOTIONAL BURDEN TO SAVE THEM. 
          THAT IS NOT A FUNCTIONING SYSTEM FROM A RESIDENT AND TAXPAYER PERSPECTIVE. 
          ITEM THREE IS ABOUT CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE CITY SAYS AND WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE STOPS TO HELP. 
          WE NEED TO MOVE BACK TOWARDS A SYSTEM WHERE AN INJURED DOG HAS A CLEAR PATH TO EMERGENCY VETERINARY SERVICES THAT DO NOT DEPEND ON THE BYSTANDERS ABILITY TO PAY THE INFORMATION GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC MATCHES. 
          WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS WHEN WE CALL FOR HELP? DECISIONS ABOUT WAITING IT OUT NEED TO CONSIDER ANIMAL WELFARE, NOT JUST THE BUDGET LINE. 
          I ALSO WANNA RAISE SOMETHING DEEPLY CONCERNING ON SEVERAL LOCATIONS. 
          I HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED BY 3 1 1 OR SHELTER STAFF TO RETURN THE INJURED DOG TO WHERE I FOUND THEM IN TEXAS. 
          THIS IS ILLEGAL. 
          ABANDONING AN AN ANIMAL IS A CRIME, ESPECIALLY WHEN A JEOPARDIZES ANIMAL SAFETY. 
          I CAN BE CHARGED WITH A CLASS A MISDEMEANOR OR EVEN STAGE A FELONY AS A NURSE. 
          FOLLOWING THAT INSTRUCTION WOULD VIOLATE THE NON MALEFICENCE. 
          THAT IS MY ETHICAL DUTY TO DO NO HARM AND JUSTICE BECAUSE IT SHIFTS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY ONTO THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE SIMPLY TRYING TO HELP. 
          IT ALSO PUTS MY NURSING LICENSE AT RISK. 
          IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND DANGEROUS FOR ANY CITY DEPARTMENT TO PLACE THEIR RESIDENTS IN THAT POSITIONS. 
          AND LIKE LASTLY, PEOPLE IN AUSTIN ARE DOING THEIR PART. 
          IT'S TIME FOR THE CITY TO DO THEIR PART AS WELL. 
          THANKS SO MUCH. 
          AND THEN WE'LL HAVE MS. SONO PATEL. 
          AND AFTER THAT IS CATHERINE CHAMBLEE. 
          HI EVERYONE. 
          MY NAME IS SONO PATEL AND I'M AN AUSTIN RESIDENT, TAXPAYER VOLUNTEER, FOSTER ADOPTER AND RESCUE PARTNER. 
          FOR ME, THE QUESTION IN FRONT OF US IS SIMPLE. 
          ARE WE HIRING SOMEONE WHO CAN ACTUALLY FIX THE DAY-TO-DAY PROBLEMS THE PUBLIC AND THE ANIMALS FEEL EVERY SINGLE DAY? A FEW THINGS ARE VERY VISIBLE. 
          RIGHT NOW, INTAKE IS CLOSED, WHICH SHIFTS RESPONSIBILITY ONTO THE PUBLIC DOGS SITTING KENNELS FOR MONTHS LANGUISHING. 
          WHILE PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO NAVIGATE SYSTEMS THAT DON'T WORK. 
          AND MANY SITUATIONS ARE BEING HANDLED INFORMALLY BY CITIZENS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 
          BECAUSE CLEAR CITY PROCESSES ARE EITHER UNAVAILABLE OR UNCLEAR, THAT DOES NOT FEEL SUSTAINABLE. 
          IT FEELS LIKE CRISIS MANAGEMENT. 
          INSTEAD OF A FUNCTIONING PUBLIC SERVICE, WE NEED A DIRECTOR WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ON THE GROUND. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, TONIGHT FROM ROLANDA FERNANDEZ, WE HEARD DESCRIPTIONS OF DAILY MORNING ASSESSMENTS WHERE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WORK TOGETHER TO EVALUATE DOGS PAIRINGS, WHICH IN REALITY IS PLAYGROUPS, WHICH IS A WONDERFUL SERVICE OFFER, BUT THAT'S NOT EXACTLY HOW IT'S HAPPENING. 
          AND UM, IT'S NOT HAPPENING IN A CONSISTENT STRUCTURED WAY AS WAS DESCRIBED, AND I'M NOT MEANING TO NITPICK ON THE WORDING, BUT THOSE DETAILS REALLY DO MATTER TO THOSE OF US IN THE ROOM WHO ARE PART OF THOSE PROCESSES AND EXPERIENCING THEM EVERY DAY. 
          WE ALSO HEARD FOSTER RETURNS DESCRIBED AS OPEN INTAKE AND RESPECTFULLY, THOSE ARE NOT THE SAME THING EITHER. 
          ON FOSTER RETURNING A DOG THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO HELP FOR A SHORT TERM IS NOT INTAKE. 
          INTAKE IS AT THE DOOR FOR THE PUBLIC, AND THOSE DEFINITIONS CORRESPOND TO WORKFLOWS THAT MUST FUNCTION CORRECTLY. 
          WHEN FOUNDATIONAL TERMS ARE USED INCORRECTLY, IT RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT HOW PROBLEMS ARE BEING DI DIAGNOSED AND SOLVED BY THE LEADERSHIP. 
          AND IN THIS COMMUNITY, THE STRAIN IS OBVIOUS. 
          A GOOD SAMARITAN HAD RECENTLY REACHED OUT TO, UM, A RESCUE I WORK WITH ABOUT A GERMAN SHEPHERD. 
          THEY FIND FOUND. 
          UM, ROLANDO HAD MENTIONED THE FINDER TO FOSTER PROGRAM, AND IT IS JUST NOT OPERATING THE WAY IT IS DESCRIBED. 
          MORE PEOPLE ARE TURNED AWAY THAN THEY ARE ABLE TO GET DOGS INTO THE PROGRAM. 
          THIS WOMAN WHO FOUND THE GERMAN SHEPHERD HELD ONTO THE DOG OVERNIGHT TO THEN COME IN DAYS LATER TO GET THE OFFICIAL APPOINTMENT. 
          SO NOT EVEN THE TIME OF THE FIND HER TO FOSTER. 
          SO THERE'S MANY STEPS ALONG THE WAY THAT ARE NOT CLEAR IN THAT TIME. 
          SHE GOT THE DOG VACCINATED THAT NIGHT TO BRING THE DOG INTO HER HOME. 
          WHEN SHE WENT BACK TO THE SHELTER THE NEXT DAY, SHE WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE SHE GOT THE DOG VACCINATED, THE DOG IS NOW LEGALLY HERS. 
          THAT IS NOT THE KIND OF SITUATION THAT WE SHOULD BE ALLOWING THE CITY TO, UM, ACCEPT. 
          PEOPLE ARE NAVIGATING THINGS WITHOUT GUIDANCE OR SUPPORT. 
          THIS IS WHY THE NEXT DIRECTOR MUST BE SOMEONE WHO IS HANDS-ON, SOMEONE WHO WALKS THE KENNELS AND UNDERSTANDS THE BOTTLENECKS AND SEES THESE ISSUES FIRSTHAND. 
          IT MIGHT NOT TAKE DRAMATIC CHANGES TO IMPROVE THINGS. 
          SOMETIMES THE BIGGEST IMPACT COMES FROM FIXING THE BASICS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE MAKING SURE THE QR CODES THAT, UM, IN THE LOBBY DON'T TAKE 60 TO 90 MINUTES FOR A CUSTOMER TO ACTUALLY GET SUPPORT AND MEET A DOG. 
          INSTEAD, THEY LEAVE THE SHELTER AND BUY FROM A BREEDER OR GO TO ANOTHER RESCUE. 
          WE'RE ENSURING THAT ADOPTION INQUIRIES MADE FOR DOGS IN SHELTER, UM, ARE ACTUALLY REVIEWED RIGHT NOW. 
          THERE COULD, THERE WAS LONG STAY DOGS IN THE PAST WHERE ON THEIR ACTUAL PROFILE THEY HAD HUNDREDS OF INQUIRIES. 
          UM, I'M REQUESTING THAT OUR DIRECTOR CARES ABOUT THESE LITTLE THINGS IN OUR EXPERIENCES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, IF CATHERINE CHAMBLEE IS NOT HERE, NEXT IS SHELLY LIEBE. 
          OH, I'M SO SORRY. 
          AFTER THAT IS SHELBY SHELLY LIEBE. 
          [02:20:03]
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HERE TONIGHT. 
          MY NAME IS CATHERINE CHAMBLEE AND I'M AN AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES VOLUNTEER AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN HERE IN AUSTIN. 
          THE SELECTION OF THE NEW DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION THAT WILL AFFECT THE TRAJECTORY OF THE AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. 
          TO THAT END, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO URGE THE CHO URGE THAT THE CHOICE OF A DIRECTOR WITH COMPLETE AUTONOMY TO MAKE POLICY DECISIONS AND TO EMBARK ON ARM LENGTH TRANSACTIONS WITH ALL RESCUE PARTNERS WITH WHOM IT WORKS. 
          AUSTIN PETS ALIVE AND ITS AFFILIATES URGE A CHOICE BASED SOLELY ON A DEDICATION TO NO KILL THIS DEPAR, DESPITE THE FACT THAT NO KILL POLICY IN AUSTIN HAS BEEN A HISTORICAL ALBATROSS AROUND THE SHELTER'S NECK SINCE ITS DEBUT LEADING TO CHRONIC ISSUES OF OVERCAPACITY DOGS AND CRATES DID NOT START JUST SIX YEARS AGO, LIKE HAS BEEN MENTIONED HERE TONIGHT. 
          IT BEGAN ALMOST AS SOON AS NO KILL ROLLED OUT. 
          AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. 
          A REVIEW OF LOCAL NEWS. 
          NEWS MEDIA REFLECTS ARTICLES WITH, WITH TITLES LIKE NO ROOM AT AUSTIN'S ANIMAL INN FROM THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE, DECEMBER, 2011, NO KILL. 
          AND AT CAPACITY FROM KUT MAY OF 2012 AUSTIN ANIMAL CENTER STRAINS TO MAINTAIN ITS NO KILL STATUS. 
          AUSTIN CHRONICLE FEBRUARY OF 2019 TO NAME JUST A FEW. 
          DON BLAND. 
          OUR LAST DIRECTOR DID NOT TAKE OFFICE OR DIRECTORSHIP UNTIL AUGUST OF 2019. 
          THE SHELTER'S CAPACITY WOES WE'RE NEVER ABOUT ONE INEFFICIENT DIRECTOR. 
          IT IS HAS BEEN ABOUT A FAILURE OF NO KILL POLICY TO WORK SUCCESSFULLY HERE IN AUSTIN. 
          THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT LIVE RELEASE RATES ARE NOT IMPORTANT. 
          THEY ARE, BUT THAT IS ONLY ONE FACTOR OF A MULTIFACETED SYSTEM. 
          OPEN INTAKE AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE ANIMALS ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO THE SUCCESS. 
          SUCCESS OF A ANY MUNICIPAL SHELTER. 
          SELECTING A NEW DIRECTOR WITH NO PRIOR OR CURRENT AFFILIATION WITH ANY LOCAL OR NATIONAL NONPROFIT WILL ALLOW FOR A HOLISTIC AND BALANCED APPROACH UNTETHERED TO ANY SPECIFIC RESCUE GROUP OR THE POLICIES THAT IT PUSHES. 
          IF IT IS A PRIMARY CONCERN OF AUSTIN NONPROFITS THAT THE CITY MAINTAIN ITS 90% AND ABOVE LIVE RELEASE RATE, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS CAN ASSIST WITH THAT. 
          THEY WILL, HOWEVER, NEED TO REFOCUS ATTENTION ON PULLING FROM AUSTIN'S SHELTER AND LESS ON PULLING IN ANIMALS FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE. 
          THAT DECISION IS UNIQUELY THEIR OWN TO MAKE, BUT THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE SOLE OR EVEN PRIMARY FOCUS OF A MUNICIPAL SHELTER DIRECTOR. 
          THE TAIL HAS BEEN WAGGING THE DOG FOR FAR TOO LONG HERE IN AUSTIN. 
          I URGE FOR THE SAKE OF AUSTIN'S PEOPLE AND AUSTIN'S PETS THAT A DIRECTOR BE CHOSEN WITH THE AUTONOMY TO IMPLEMENT POLICY THAT FOCUSES ON GETTING INTAKE OPEN AND PROVIDING HUMANE CARE FOR THE ANIMALS WITHIN ITS DOORS. 
          THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT COMMENT. 
          UM, SHELLY LIEBE AND THEN AFTER HER WILL BE, UM, CATHERINE MCCARDLE. 
          GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. 
          MY NAME IS SHELLY LEBAUM. 
          I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER WITH AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES SINCE 2019. 
          AS A VOLUNTEER, I HAVE CLEAN KENNELS, HELP CUSTOMERS AND FOSTERS FIND THE PERFECT MATCH. 
          MARKETED OUR ANIMALS HELPED IMPROVE OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AND VOLUNTEERED AT THE GREATER GOOD CHARITY SPAY NEUTER CLINICS. 
          I AM INVESTED IN ANIMAL WELFARE FOR AUSTIN'S ANIMALS, AND I WANT TO SEE MORE HUMANE TREATMENT AND BETTER OUTCOMES FOR ALL ANIMALS AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES AND IN OUR COMMUNITY. 
          IN MY OPINION, TO BE SUCCESSFUL, THE NEXT DIRECTOR MUST HAVE AT LEAST TWO THINGS. 
          ONE, THEY MUST HAVE NO AFFILIATION WITH ANY LOCAL OR NATIONAL NONPROFIT ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATION THAT INCLUDES NOT SERVING IN ANY CAPACITY WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS AN ADVISOR, AN EMPLOYEE, VOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBER COMMITTEE, OR COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          WE NEED TO PUT AUSTIN'S ANIMALS FIRST BEFORE WE TRY TO SOLVE ANIMAL WELFARE ISSUES FOR THE REST OF THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY. 
          AND SECOND, THEY MUST HOLD THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP TEAM ACCOUNTABLE. 
          STAFF AND VOLUNTEER SURVEYS DONE AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN PROCESS BEGAN LAST YEAR, SHOWED CONCERNS WITH MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. 
          YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF THAT TONIGHT AS WELL. 
          AND EXCEPT FOR THE DIRECTOR, MOST OF THE SAME LEADERSHIP TEAM REMAINS IN PLACE TO MAKE ANY MEANINGFUL CHANGES. 
          WE NEED A DIRECTOR WHO IS WILLING TO SHAKE THINGS UP, TO ASK THE TOUGH QUESTIONS, TO DIVE INTO HOW PROGRAMS ARE RUN AND NOT SIMPLY BE COMPLACENT WITH THE STATUS QUO. 
          DO A DEEP DIVE INTO ALL DEPARTMENTS AT A GRANULAR LEVEL AND DETERMINE WHERE IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE AND ENSURE THAT ALL STAFF AT EVERY LEVEL IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUCCESS OF THE SHELTER IN A POSITIVE WAY. 
          I BELIEVE THERE IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM AT AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES THAT HAS BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING AND THINGS WILL NEVER IMPROVE UNLESS WE HAVE A LEADER WILLING TO CHALLENGE CURRENT PRACTICES AND INSPIRE CONFIDENCE IN STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. 
          THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS A NEW DIRECTOR CANNOT SOLVE. 
          LIKE THE LASER FOCUS ON THIS 95% LIVE RELEASE GOAL, WHICH IN MY OPINION FREQUENTLY LEADS TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS AND LOCAL RESCUES AND INDIVIDUALS CONTINUING TO IMPORT ANIMALS FROM 
          [02:25:01]
ALL OVER THE STATE INTO AUSTIN TO COMPETE WITH ANIMALS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE. 
          BUT IF WE CHOOSE A NEW DIRECTOR WITHOUT AFFILIATION TO ANY LOCAL OR NATIONAL NONPROFIT ANIMAL RESCUE, AND ONE WHO IS REALLY WILLING TO TRULY HOLD EXISTING LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABLE, THAT'LL GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS RESTORING THE PUBLIC'S TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          AFTER CATHERINE MCCARDLE WILL BE SUNSHINE TOWNSEND. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS CATHERINE MCCARDLE AND I LIVE IN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT NINE. 
          I'VE BEEN PART OF THE A A C PUBLIC COMMUNITY SINCE 2015. 
          SO I'VE SEEN A A C LEADERSHIP CHAINS HANDS SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THAT DECADE, AND I KNOW HOW VITALLY IMPORTANT THE DIRECTOR POSITION IS, SHELTER DOG'S QUALITY OF LIFE, AND IN FACT, THEIR ACTUAL LIVES QUITE LITERALLY DEPEND ON HAVING A QUALIFIED AND COMPETENT LEADERSHIP TEAM. 
          AND AS EVIDENCED BY THE 2023 AUDIT AND THE LACK OF IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TWO YEARS SINCE THEN, IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE'VE HAD THAT KIND OF LEADERSHIP. 
          IT'S VITAL THAT THE CITY GETS THIS NEXT HIRING DECISION, RIGHT? WE ABSOLUTELY NEED A DIRECTOR WHO HAS A LOT OF ANIMAL WELFARE EXPERIENCE AND SPECIFICALLY EXPERIENCE SUCCESSFULLY RUNNING A FULLY OPEN INTAKE NO KILL MUNICIPAL SHELTER. 
          I WOULD NOT CALL ANYTHING ABOUT A A S LEADERSHIP FOR THE LAST MANY YEARS. 
          SUCCESSFUL FOR A LOT OF REASONS, BUT I ONLY HAVE TIME TO TOUCH ON A FEW. 
          FIRST, WE DESPERATELY NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN ACHIEVE FULLY OPEN INTAKE PERMANENTLY. 
          AND LET ME BE CLEAR, HAVING TO WAIT WEEKS OR MONTHS FOR AN APPOINTMENT DOES NOT COUNT AS OPEN. 
          AND THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FIND OR SURRENDER. 
          THE NEXT A A S DIRECTOR MUST ABSOLUTELY IMPLEMENT MEANINGFUL CHANGES SO THAT STRAY AND DUMP DOGS AREN'T LEFT TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES AND REPRODUCE ON AUSTIN STREETS. 
          A PROBLEM HAS ONLY CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. 
          THESE CHANGES MUST BE IN LINE WITH AUSTIN'S OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR A 95% LIVE OUTCOME RATE, WHICH MEANS THE NEW DIRECTOR MUST DO A BETTER JOB AT GETTING DOGS OUT OF THE SHELTER THROUGH ADOPTIONS AND RESCUE TRANSFERS. 
          AND I DO NOT MEAN ASKING LOCAL RESCUES TO PICK UP AACS AS A'S SLACK, BUT RATHER REBUILDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE. 
          WE NEED SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE AND EXISTING TRUST AMONG THE NATIONWIDE RESCUE COMMUNITY TO REBUILD THOSE DAMAGE RELATIONSHIPS. 
          SECOND, WE NEED SOMEONE WHO WILL FORM A QUALIFIED TEAM OF NEW LEADERS IN UPPER MANAGEMENT BECAUSE ONE PERSON, ONE NEW PERSON ALONE, CANNOT FIX ALL OF THE PROBLEMS AT A A S. 
          THIS INCLUDES BRINGING IN SOMEONE WITH REAL BEHAVIOR CERTIFICATIONS TO MAKE BEHAVIOR RELATED DECISIONS AND REMOVING THAT AUTHORITY FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE ACTUAL BEHAVIOR TRAINING FROM REPUTABLE ORGANIZATIONS. 
          SIMPLY HAVING EXPERIENCE WITH DOGS, EVEN IN A VETERINARY SETTING, DOES NOT MAKE THAT PERSON QUALIFIED ON BEHAVIOR TOPICS. 
          IT IS SCIENCE BACKED, PEER REVIEWED RESEARCH THAT INFORMS TRUE BEHAVIOR TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS. 
          AND THIS IS WHAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED ON THE A A S LEADERSHIP TEAM. 
          WE NEED A DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES WHO RECOGNIZES THIS AND HAS ENOUGH EXPERIENCE IN ANIMAL WELFARE TO MAKE THAT HIGHER. 
          SO WHILE THE NEXT DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL SERVICES DOESN'T THEMSELVES NEED TO BE A TRAINED BEHAVIORIST, THEY SHOULD AT LEAST HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE OF DOG BEHAVIOR TO KNOW THAT A DOG BEING JUMPY AND MOUTHY DOES NOT MAKE THEM UNADOPTABLE. 
          SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THAT BARRIER REACTIVITY IS NOT A SIGN OF AN OVERPROTECTIVE DOG ON THE HIRING PROCESS. 
          I WANT TO KNOW TWO THINGS ABOUT THE MEET AND GREET WITH THE CANDIDATES IN 10 DAYS. 
          FIRST, HOW WILL THIS BE PUBLICIZED TO THE BROADER PUBLIC AND NOT TO THOSE, UH, ATTENDING? JUST TO THOSE ATTENDING TODAY'S MEETING. 
          I BELIEVE I RECENTLY HEARD A LOCAL NEWS SEGMENT ABOUT A MEET AND GREET WITH CANDIDATES FOR THE NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY DIRECTOR AUSTIN'S SHELTER ANIMALS DESERVE THE SAME LEVEL OF PUBLICITY FOR THEIR NEW DIRECTOR. 
          SECOND, HOW WILL FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WHO ATTEND THAT MEET AND GREET BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THE HIRING DECISION? PLEASE ENSURE THAT THAT PUBLIC MEET AND GREET IS NOT JUST PERFORMATIVE. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          AARON VAN LANDINGHAM SUNSHINE. 
          I BELIEVE SUNSHINE HAS LEFT AND I BELIEVE CRAIG NASER HAS, HAVE, HAS ALSO LEFT. 
          OKAY, THEN JUST YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, MY NAME IS AARON VAN LANDINGHAM AND I'M A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT SEVEN. 
          MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE FOSTERED AND FOUND LOVING AND RESPONSIBLE HOMES FOR NEARLY 150 DOGS IN AUSTIN SINCE 2016. 
          THIS PAST SUMMER, WE ADOPTED A DOG FROM A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE NAMED TOWNS. 
          TOWNS WAS FOUND AS AUSTRALIAN TRAVIS COUNTY DURING ONE OF THE HOTTEST MONTHS OF THE YEAR. 
          HIS FINDER WAS AN ELDERLY WOMAN AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP TOWNS DUE TO THE LIMITED RESOURCES AND HER HAVING A TERMINAL CANCER DIAGNOSIS. 
          THIS MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY WAS BARELY ABLE TO CARE FOR HERSELF. 
          HOWEVER, SHE SAVED TOWN'S LIFE BY BRINGING HIM TO AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES WHERE SHE STOOD IN LINE TO SURRENDER TOWNS TO THE CITY SHELTER. 
          THE SHELTER TURNED HER AND TOWNS A SENIOR 10 POUND UNALTERED DOG AWAY. 
          SHELTER STAFF DIRECTED TOWNS AS FINDER TO HANG, FOUND DOG SIGNS IN HER AREA. 
          THIS WAS A WOMAN WHO WAS BARELY ABLE TO WALK. 
          THANKFULLY, A FELLOW RESCUER WAS ALSO IN LINE TO SURRENDER DOGS. 
          SHE HAD FOUND AND HEARD TOWNS AS STORY WHILE WAITING FOR HER APPOINTMENT. 
          SHE TOOK TOWNS INTO HER OWN HOME AND KEPT HIM SAFE AND FED ON HER OWN DIME UNTIL WE ADOPTED HIM. 
          [02:30:01]
WHAT AUSTINITES HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO DO UNDER PREVIOUS AUSTIN ANIMAL SERVICES LEADERSHIP IS UNSUSTAINABLE. 
          YES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHOULD AND DO HELP EACH OTHER, BUT ADVISING CITIZENS TO HOUSE STRAY DOGS IS TOO HEAVY A LIFT FOR MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND IN SOME CASES IT CAN BE DANGEROUS. 
          CONDUCTING A TRANSPARENT COMMUNITY CENTERED SEARCH FOR A QUALIFIED ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR WILL HELP ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF AUSTIN'S ANIMALS IN THE FUTURE. 
          WE NEED A DIRECTOR WITH PROVEN SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE LEADING AN OPEN INTAKE MUNICIPAL SHELTER THAT DOES NOT TURN AWAY STRAY ANIMALS AND USES ITS FULL BUDGET. 
          TO PROVIDE AN ACTUAL SAFETY NET FOR AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, AUSTIN RESIDENTS EXPECT HUMANE STANDARDS, OPEN INTAKE AND TRANSPARENCY. 
          THE NEXT DIRECTOR MUST POSSESS INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS AUSTIN'S EVER DIVERSIFYING POPULATION WHILE PROTECTING AND REBUILDING THE SHELTER'S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE WITH STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, CLEAR DATA AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF CITY COUNCIL'S DIRECTION AND THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          I BELIEVE THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, UM, OUR PRESENTERS ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE. 
          THE TWO PEOPLE LEFT. 
          SO 20, 20 COMMENTS, I THINK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS. 
          I'M SUSAN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. 
          UH, I AM WITH YOU TODAY WITH, UH, THOMAS BIRDWELL FROM THE AUSTIN HUMAN RESOURCES, UH, AS WELL AS RODNEY CRANE FROM SENIOR CONSULTANT, UH, AT MGT, WHO'S OUR PROFESSIONAL RECRUITER. 
          I'M HERE TO BRING YOU A UPDATE ON THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND SOME NEW INFORMATION SINCE WE LAST SPOKE. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, GREAT TO BE HERE AGAIN, UH, TO CHAIR AND COMMISSION. 
          I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. 
          I GUESS YOU REALLY ENJOYED ME LAST TIME. 
          SO, UM, QUITE HONESTLY, I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE LAST DISCUSSION AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS UP TO SPEED. 
          UH, THIS SLIDE DECK IS, UH, A MIRROR OF THE PREVIOUS ONE, SO I WON'T, UH, BELABOR THE EVENING BY GOING THROUGH THE SLIDES THAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT. 
          UM, BUT CERTAINLY, UM, WE HAD A VERY DEFINED PROCESS FOR GOING THROUGH THE SCREENING AND GETTING TO THE CANDIDATE POOL. 
          UH, AND THIS IS THE FOLKS ON MY TEAM WHO WORKED ON IT. 
          AND OF COURSE, THE INFORMATION REGARDING OUR TEAM AND OUR VALUES, UH, AND OUR RESEARCH PROCESS. 
          SO IN ADDITION TO THE SURVEYS THAT WERE CONDUCTED, WE DID A LOT OF INTERVIEWS AS WELL. 
          AND THAT BROUGHT US TO THE OVERVIEW OF THE APPLICANT PROCESS. 
          SO WE HAD 55 PEOPLE ULTIMATELY WHO APPLIED BY OUR, UH, FIRST REVIEW DATE, WHICH WAS, UH, NOVEMBER THE, UH, 20TH. 
          AND OF THAT GROUP THERE WAS, UH, PEOPLE FROM TWO COUNTRIES. 
          UM, THERE WERE, UH, 13 STATES REPRESENTED AS WELL AS 35 PEOPLE JUST FROM TEXAS. 
          SO A THIRD, UH, TWO THIRDS ARE, YOU KNOW, QUOTE UNQUOTE LOCAL FOR US. 
          AND SO WE WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT KIND OF A RESPONSE RATE OF THE APPLICANT POOL. 
          WHEN WE LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED ALREADY, OF COURSE, UH, THE POSITION, UH, DIDN'T CLOSE, BUT FIRST REVIEW ACTUALLY HAPPENED ON NOVEMBER 20TH. 
          UM, AND THE POSTING IS STILL UP. 
          SO PEOPLE CAN TECHNICALLY STILL APPLY. 
          WE ARE STILL, UH, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SUBMIT INFORMATION THROUGH OUR PROCESS. 
          UM, AND WE ARE LOOKING, UH, THIS WEEK TO START OUR FIRST ROUND OF INTERVIEW PROCESS. 
          UH, THE THING THAT WE HAVE ADDED BECAUSE OF THE FEEDBACK THAT HAS BEEN RECEIVED IS THE, IN THE THIRD OF THE LAST BULLET THERE, THE FACT THAT WE DO NOW HAVE A PLANNED, AS INDIVIDUALS HAVE RESPONDED TO AND COMMENTED ON EARLIER, A MEETING GREET PROCESS, UH, ON NEXT THURSDAY THE 18TH, AND A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. 
          THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, KIND OF ASKED ABOUT AND ALLUDED TO. 
          UH, IT IS GOING TO BE AT THE PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER ON WILLAMINA BOULEVARD. 
          I MEAN WILLAMINA DRIVE. 
          AND IT'LL BE AT 6:00 PM UH, FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM UH, AND THE ROOM IS ACTUALLY ALSO IDENTIFIED ALREADY. 
          IT'S 1405. 
          UH, WE DO HAVE A MODERATOR FOR THAT PROCESS. 
          SO IT'LL BE, UH, FORMALLY, UH, MANAGED. 
          AND THAT PERSON IS LARRY SCHOOLER. 
          YOU MAY KNOW HIM. 
          HE'S DONE A NUMBER OF, UH, ACTIVITIES WITH THE, UH, WITH THE CITY AND HE'S CURRENTLY WITH UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UH, FOR THAT PROCESS. 
          EACH OF THE FINALISTS, UH, WILL BE, UH, GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR OWN COMMENTS AROUND WHY THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THE ROLE AND A LITTLE BIT ON THEIR BACKGROUND. 
          AND THEN THE MODERATOR WILL BE ASKING QUESTIONS TO 
          [02:35:01]
EACH CANDIDATE. 
          THEY WILL ALL ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS. 
          AND THEN THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WILL HAPPEN FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ATTEND WILL BE RELATED TO TWO THINGS. 
          FIRST OF ALL, UH, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS, UH, THAT WILL BE IDENTIFIED AND REVIEWED AND SUBMITTED TO THE MODERATOR TO ASK OF THE CANDIDATES. 
          UM, OF COURSE THAT WILL BE VERY DEPENDENT UPON THE TIME THAT'S AVAILABLE. 
          UH, BUT THERE WILL BE THAT OPPORTUNITY. 
          AND IN ADDITION, THERE'LL BE A QR CODE WHERE THOSE IN ATTENDANCE CAN GIVE THEIR FEEDBACK ON THE CANDIDATES, BOTH STRENGTHS AND AREAS FOR OPPORTUNITIES PER THEIR PERCEPTIONS AND VIEWS OF WHAT THEY'VE HEARD AND WHAT THEY'VE READ. 
          UH, AND THAT INFORMATION WILL BE PROVIDED TO A CM CARBAHOL, UH, FOR HER CONSIDERATION IN THE SELECTION PROCESS. 
          UM, AND OF COURSE, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, AFTER THE EVENT, THE FORMAL EVENT IS OVER, THOSE CANDIDATES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THOSE WHO ATTEND, UH, WHERE THEY WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK OR A FOLLOW UP TO THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE HEARD DURING THE SESSION. 
          SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE. 
          WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING THE PROCESS FORWARD. 
          AND, UH, UNLESS THE TEAM HERE HAS ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSION. 
          CAN YOU SEE THOSE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY? AGAIN? I HAVE A QUESTION AND I REALLY, AND, UM, COMMISSIONER ES OKAY. 
          UH, UH, FIRST I, I WANNA MAKE A COMMENT. 
          I'M, I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU'RE, UM, HAVING THAT GREATER MEAT AND, UH, INVOLVING THAT COMMUNITY. 
          I THINK THAT'S, UH, VERY IMPORTANT. 
          UM, SO, AND ALSO HEARING ABOUT THE FORMAT, I LIKE THE FORMAT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          UM, QUICK QUESTION, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU EXPECT TO HAVE FOR THAT MEET AND GREET OF THE POTENTIAL FINAL CANDIDATES? IT'S VERY HARD FOR FOR US TO SAY THIS RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE WE'RE STILL EVALUATING CANDIDATES. 
          UH, SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS MOMENT, BUT, UH, WE CERTAINLY WILL PROVIDE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FINALIST THAT THE WEEK OF THAT MEET AND GREET. 
          AND MY OTHER QUESTION, UM, SO WHAT DO YOU DEFINE AS A SUCCESSFUL HIRE AS THE NEXT ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR? WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DEFINITION? IT IS REALLY REPRESENTED IN OUR, IN OUR PROFILE, UH, AND I'LL GO GO BACK TO RODNEY BECAUSE, UH, RODNEY WAS ABLE TO, UH, REALLY BE ABLE TO ASCERTAIN ALL THE QUALITIES, EXPERIENCE AND BACKGROUND THAT WAS COLLECTED FROM THE SURVEYS AND THE INTERVIEWS THAT HE CO HE COLLECTED. 
          AND SO I WANNA GO BACK TO, TO RODNEY AS TO WHAT HE WAS ABLE TO FIND FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND HOW HE WAS ABLE TO, TO PUT THAT, THAT PROFILE. 
          AND TO ME IS FINDING, UH, CANDIDATES THAT CLOSELY MATCHED TO THAT PROFILE. 
          AND, UH, I KEEP ASKING THE QUESTION. 
          I WANNA MAKE SURE I DON'T, SO, UM, SO SO YOU'LL BE FACTORING IN THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY INPUT DURING THAT GREET TO MEET, CORRECT. 
          THAT'S WHAT I HEARD FROM THE QR CODE. 
          PEOPLE WILL ENTER THEIR FEEDBACK'S. 
          CORRECT. 
          AND AND THEN YOU'LL, YOU'LL TAKE THEIR FEEDBACK AND YOU'LL BE WAITING ON THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELECTION? YES. 
          OKAY. 
          AND I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. 
          UH, I KNOW THAT, UM, SO AFTER YOU FACTORED THAT IN, WHAT IS THE NEXT PROCESS? WHO, WHO ELSE? IS IT THE CITY MANAGER OR, YES, I'LL BE, UH, REVIEWING THAT, EVALUATING THAT WITH THE CITY MANAGER. 
          SO, AND, AND WILL YOU ALSO BE, I KNOW WE HAD THE, UM, YOU HAD THE STAKEHOLDERS DISCUSSIONS EARLIER. 
          UH, ARE YOU FACTORING THAT ALSO IN THE YES. 
          MAY I ASK WHO IS IT POSSIBLE TO KNOW? WHO ARE THOSE STAKEHOLDERS? THEIR NAMES, THEIR ROLES? UM, AT THIS MOMENT, BECAUSE WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, I, I'D RATHER NOT, UH, SHARE THAT. 
          'CAUSE I WANNA COMPLETE THE PROCESS AND I DON'T WANNA COMPROMISE OR HAVE ANY OF THE CANDIDATES, UH, HAVE, HAVE A EITHER AN ADVANTAGE OR A DISADVANTAGE. 
          AND SO CERTAINLY OUT OF, UH, THE, TO RESPECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS, I'D RATHER KEEP THAT, UM, UH, UH, NOT DISCLOSE THAT AT THIS TIME. 
          OKAY. 
          SO BY, BUT, AND THAT'S FAIR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BY THAT STATEMENT, THEN I, WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND, UM, YOU HAVE THAT COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER GROUP, WHICH ARE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS THAT HAVE, EVERYBODY HAS DIFFERENT VIEWS. 
          AND 
          [02:40:01]
THEN, UH, WHAT MAKES, AGAIN, WHAT MAKES ME REALLY HAPPY IS THAT YOU'RE BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK WITH THAT OPEN MEETING. 
          AND THAT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. 
          THANK, THANK YOU. 
          YES, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. 
          AND, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. 
          SO THERE WILL BE A STAKEHOLDER PANEL THAT'S REPRESENTATIVE OF, OF, UH, PARTNERS THAT WE WORK WITH ON A REGULAR AND DAILY BASIS THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL VIEWS AND ALL PERSPECTIVES. 
          AND IN ADDITION TO THE MEET AND GREET, WE'LL HAVE THE COMMUNITY ALSO PROVIDE INPUT AND, AND, AND FEEDBACK. 
          ONE LAST QUESTION. 
          MM-HMM . 
          AND I WON'T ASK ANYMORE. 
          OKAY. 
          . 
          SO I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK. 
          NOW DO YOU HAVE THE, THE, THE STAKEHOLDERS, UM, EXTERNAL, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CALL THEM, BUT THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS START PART OF THE PROCESS, THEN YOU HAVE THE RECRUITMENT FIRM, THEN YOU HAVE THE CITY MANAGER YOURSELF. 
          DO, DO YOU PUT DIFFERENT WEIGHT ON THE DIFFERENT GROUPS TO, LIKE, DO YOU GIVE MORE WEIGHT TO CERTAIN GROUPS WHEN IT COMES, WHEN MAKING THE SESSION? OR WILL YOU BE SAYING, OKAY, THE COMMUNITY, THEY GAVE ME THIS FEEDBACK, WE'RE GONNA GIVE THEM 25% WEIGHT? UM, I DON'T KNOW. 
          UH, I'M ASSUMING THAT MAYBE YOU'RE ALSO HAVING THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS GIVING FEEDBACK. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT. 
          THIS IS THE CITY MANAGER'S, UH, APPOINTMENT. 
          SO, UH, NO, NOT AT THIS TIME. 
          BUT IN TERMS OF YOUR QUESTION ABOUT, WE EVALUATE ALL THE INFORMATION, HOPEFULLY ON AN EQUALLY LEVEL. 
          SO IT'S, IT, THERE'S NO, UH, PERCENTAGE OF, OF WEIGHT. 
          IT'S ALL EQUALLY RECEIVED. 
          AND ED, SO YOU, YOU HAVE THREE BUCKETS. 
          THE, THE COMMUNITY, THE, UH, THE EXPERT STAKEHOLDERS, THEN I DON'T KNOW THE CITY, UH, MANAGEMENT. 
          AND SO IT'S 33% ISH, A WEIGHT OF 33%. 
          AGAIN, I'M NOT, YEAH, IT'S, IT'S ALL EVALUATED AND IT'S ALL CONSIDERED. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NORTON. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS. 
          I KNOW IT'S A LOT AND, UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE INVOLVED AND THERE'S A LOT OF PERSONALITIES AND EMOTIONS INVOLVED. 
          IT'S A, UM, TOPIC THAT, UM, WE ALL ARE INCREDIBLY PASSIONATE ABOUT. 
          AND, UH, I JUST, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAIR AND UH, EVALUATION AND FOR ALL THE WORK YOU HAVE COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS. 
          SO, AND INCLUDING EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, I CAN'T SEE COMMISSIONER HOLTS OR COMMISSIONER AHMED IF THEY WERE TO HAVE QUESTIONS. 
          SO I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE SITTING THERE RAISING THEIR HANDS. 
          UM, COMMISSIONER FERGUSON, UM, IS, THIS WAS PART OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND A QUESTION, UM, IS THERE A PLAN TO PUBLICIZE THE MEET AND GREET? AND THEN ALSO, UM, AND I'M KIND OF MISSED THIS, BUT YOU SAID THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS AND THEN ALSO THE QR CODE FOR COMMENTS AFTER. 
          UM, WHAT, CAN THE QUESTIONS BE SUBMITTED BEFORE OR ARE THEY SUBMITTED AT THE, UM, MEET AND GREET? SO, UM, THE QUESTIONS ARE SUBMITTED AT THE MEET AND GREET. 
          AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE TYPICALLY GET A LOT, I'VE DONE THIS RECRUITMENT A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND WE USUALLY GET A PRETTY GOOD GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, A LARGE GROUP THAT COMES AND JUST GIVING OPPORTUNITY TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE, MANAGING THAT POOL IS REALLY PRETTY STRONG. 
          AND, UM, WHILE THERE MIGHT BE SOME DIFFERING VIEWS IN GENERAL, WE FOUND THAT THERE'S A VERY GOOD REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF PEOPLE AND VIEWS THAT COME TO THE EVENT. 
          SO, UH, WE DO RESTRICT IT TO JUST THOSE THAT ARE GONNA BE AT THE EVENT. 
          UM, 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BE MANAGED AND REVIEWED AND, BUT IT, WE TRY TO TAKE AS MUCH CONSIDERATION TO THOSE AS WE CAN. 
          AND THEN ALSO IN REGARDS TO, UH, SHARING THE, THE INFORMATION ON THE MEET AND GREET, WE, WE'LL DO A MEDIA RELEASE TO GIVE THE SIMILAR COVERAGE, UH, SO THAT MEDIA OUTLETS ARE ABLE TO SHARE THAT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UM, YES. 
          UH, COMMISSIONER NEER, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING AND GIVING US AN UPDATE. 
          IT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS FOR THOSE OF US WHO DON'T NEED TO SEE BEHIND THE SCENES VERY MUCH. 
          UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION, OR ACTUALLY I HAVE TWO. 
          AND I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT KINDS OF QUESTIONS OR CRITERIA ARE YOU ASKING DIRECTOR CANDIDATES? SO WE KNOW THAT THE NEXT DIRECTOR HAS ONE EXPERIENCE LEADING A SHELTER FOCUSED ON INCREASING POSITIVE OUTCOMES, AND TWO, BEING OPEN TO ALL INTAKE. 
          GREAT QUESTION. 
          UM, I'D RATHER NOT SAY 
          [02:45:01]
WHAT QUESTIONS ARE GONNA BE ASKED DURING THE INTERVIEW PROCESS BECAUSE AGAIN, I WANT TO, UH, HOLD THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS FAIR. 
          UM, AND BECAUSE, UM, I DON'T WANNA, UM, UH, I WANNA ENSURE THAT ALL CANDIDATES HAVE A, HAVE A FAIR AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND THEIR EXPERIENCE AND THEIR ABILITY TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. 
          AND SO BY SHARING THOSE QUESTIONS NOW, THAT THAT WOULD BE EITHER AN ADVANTAGE OR DISADVANTAGE TO ANY OF THOSE CANDIDATES. 
          SO AT THIS POINT, UH, CERTAINLY I, I UNDERSTAND, UH, A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES AND QUESTIONS ARE, ARE OF INTEREST TO THE COMMUNITY, AND IN SOME SHAPE OR FORM THEY WILL BE PART OF THE PROCESS. 
          SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR THAT QUESTION. 
          OKAY. 
          AND MY SECOND QUESTION, DIRECTOR CARAL, OR I'M SORRY, A CM CARAL IS ACTUALLY DIRECTED MORE TOWARDS YOU, AND THAT IS, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING THIS TIME AS A, THE GROUP? WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING THIS TIME THAT YOUR OFFICE DID NOT DO IN 2019 TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NEXT A A S DIRECTOR IS MORE QUALIFIED FOR THIS POSITION THAN, UNFORTUNATELY THE LAST ONE WAS NOT, I GUESS I SHOULD SAY, COMMISSIONER, I, I, UM, I, I CANNOT ANSWER THAT BECAUSE I WAS NOT, UH, IN THIS ROLE IN 2019. 
          SO I'M UNABLE TO, TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT. 
          ALL I COULD TELL YOU IS THAT, UM, WE, I, I TRY TO, UH, CERTAINLY RECRUIT THE BEST. 
          AND SO I RECRUIT THE BEST BY STARTING FIRST WITH AMAZING TOP SHELF RECRUITERS. 
          THOMAS BIRDWELL HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN THE AUSTIN HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND IS ONE OF THE BEST RECRUITERS I KNOW IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN. 
          RODNEY CRAIG IS ALSO ONE OF THE TOP-NOTCH, MOST PROFESSIONAL RECRUITERS I KNOW WHO HAS DONE THIS NATIONWIDE AND HAS DONE THIS RECRUITMENT, UH, FOR NOT JUST THIS MUNICIPALITY, BUT FOR OTHER JURISDICTIONS. 
          UH, CERTAINLY IT IS MY INTENTION TO FIND THE BEST LEADER, UH, IN ORDER TO LEAD THE DEPARTMENT, UH, AND PROGRESS ON IT AND BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND SO, UH, AND ALSO AND FULFILL THE POLICIES THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL HAS PASSED. 
          AND SO THAT IS, THAT IS MY FOCUS AND, UM, AND, UH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION SO FAR. 
          I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT AND INVOLVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT THAT THE COMMISSIONER HAS GIVEN US. 
          SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. 
          AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU GUYS AT, UM, THAT MEETING GREET. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? NOT SEEING ANYBODY RAISING THEIR HANDS. 
          THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AGAIN AT WHAT HAS TURNED OUT TO BE ANOTHER LONG MEETING. 
          THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. 
          I THINK GETTING TO HEAR ALL THE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY WILL BE HELPFUL TO YOU ALL. 
          AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          UM, LET'S, 
          [FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
LET'S AGAIN DO, UM, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS VIA EMAIL SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN GET OUT OF HERE. 
          AND WITH THAT, DO I SEE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? OH, WE HAVE LIKE A SECOND IN BY TIES. 
          ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? YES, IT'S UNANIMOUS. 
          THANK YOU.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.